1. hobbies and interests
2. magic and illusion

CRISIS
Equestria
By GanonFLCL
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Inception
Imbalance
Investigation
Inconvenience
Intermission
Initialization
Invention
Impasse
Introductions
Interjection
Inflammable
Infected
Instigation
Inoculation
Innocence
Inferiority
Insubordination
Inquiry
Invigoration
3
23
49
77
108
141
180
201
242
268
290
311
339
379
420
457
516
557
593
Chapter One
Inception
To my most faithful student, Twilight Sparkle,
Surely by now even you have begun to sense it - the strange magical
force coming from the Everfree Forest? At first I suspected it was nothing
more than some of my more ambitious subjects, practicing their spells in a
place where they could use their full power without fear of harming others.
But now, the energy levels there are beginning to approach or possibly
*surpass* even that of the Element of Magic - you, my most treasured
pupil. Further complicating things is the nature of the magic itself; it feels
somewhat Chaotic in essence but I am not completely sure, so I cannot
precisely determine just how much of a threat it may be. I regret being
unable to look into this personally.
I must ask for a favor from you and your friends - the Elements of
Harmony - as I have done on many an occasion in the past, and it is with a
heavy heart that I must do so once again. I wish for you to travel into
Everfree, and uncover the source of this strange anomaly. If at all possible,
I give you permission to do something about it as well, but please do not
put yourself in any undue danger for my sake. If you feel it is beyond your
ability, please, just return home and contact me - I will handle the rest. I
have the utmost confidence in you, my faithful student.
Yours sincerely,
Princess Celestia
Twilight Sparkle and her friends - Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash,
Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie - had gathered together here in Twilight’s library
at her request when they’d heard she’d received some important news from
the Princess. Spike had been very busy getting them all together, and so
for now he was taking a nap upstairs, completely oblivious to the goings-on
downstairs. As Twilight read the letter aloud to her friends, she paced back
and forth across the rug laid out in the center of the floor. She looked both
anxious and proud as she read through the Princess’ orders - she was
always eager to complete a task for Celestia, but this one sounded stranger
than any they’d ever received before.
"Hmmm..." Twilight Sparkle hummed as she finished dictating the
letter, "Well, everypony...what do you think? Are you all up to the task?"
"I reckon if the Princess needs our help," Applejack nodded, "It's our
duty to do so, ain't it? As Elements of Harmony and whatnot? That is what
she called us."
"Yeah! This'll be just like that time with the dragon," Rainbow Dash
continued.
"Or when we had to go throw that cursed ring in a volcano! Or when
we had to go looking for the seven pieces of the evil wizard’s soul to
destroy them! Or when she asked us to find that Golden Fleece! Or-" Pinkie
Pie began to ramble.
"Pinkie Pie, I don't recall any of those," Twilight balked.
"Oh...well maybe I just read those stories and imagined they were
staring us...but it sounds the same!"
"...we're just going to investigate a strange magic disturbance, Pinkie
Pie," Twilight chuckled, "It shouldn't take us more than a few hours to look
into things, maybe a little longer if I think we can fix it without involving the
Princess. It’s all right next door in the Everfree Forest, not on the other side
of the world or anything."
"Aw phooey..." Pinkie Pie pouted, swinging her forelegs down
dejectedly, "I'll never get that Plus Seven Vorpal Sword..."
"Riiiiiight..." Twilight said with an awkward smile.
"So...what kind of information do we have to work off of here,
darling?" Rarity chimed in, "The Princess isn't just sending us out there
blind as bats, is she? What would she have us do, exactly?"
"All I know about it is what's in this letter," Twilight gestured, and with
a faint glow of her horn, "And what little I can sense about it from this
distance. Whatever it is, the Princess is right - it's a powerful magical
source, and I think it might be distorting magical energies somehow, which
is a trait of Chaos magic. I can’t get a really solid feel of it, but I at least
know where it is. We should move quickly - the longer it's there, the more
likely it's going to cause some damage. We shouldn't need any supplies it’s all magic-based anyway, and it’s so close-by - so if everypony's ready?"
"Um...do...do we really all need to go?" Fluttershy gulped, "I mean...it
doesn't sound too dangerous...but...well, you know...if you don't need me
I'll-"
"The Princess insisted we all go - she mentioned our Elements of
Harmony," Twilight pointedly stated, "Perhaps she thinks that our Elements
may prove useful? Chaotic energy should be disrupted in the presence of
Law magic - that would be something we’d need to band together to fix. I
wouldn't want to find out they are necessary and not have one of them
along with us."
"R-right..." Fluttershy nodded, "I guess then...if that's what you
want..."
"Well then, let's get going! This shouldn't be too hard, and if it looks
like it is, we can just contact the Princess and everything'll be just fine. No
problem at all."
"This might be a problem..." Twilight sighed.
The six Elements of Harmony stood aghast at the strange sight they
beheld in this tiny clearing only a few miles from Zecora’s home. It was like
nothing they'd ever seen, and it put them all a little on edge. It looked like a
giant...portal? Was that the right word? Whatever it was, they could gaze
into it and see things on the other side...things they couldn't quite explain. It
was like looking at a powerful band of energy wrapped in more energy,
flowing along like a river through a vast, ethereal void, and it all looked very
curious and mysterious and just plain wondrous; Twilight recalled stories
written about sights like this, and while back then she considered them all
semantic nonsense, seeing something like this for herself...it made her feel
a might poetic. Whatever this portal was, it was spherical in shape and no
matter what direction they looked at it from, they could always see the
same thing. The same stream of magical power, babbling through an
aether of bleak nothingness.
Pinkie Pie pulled out a camera as if from nowhere, "Ooh, neat!" and it
gave a loud *CLICK* and a bright flash as she began taking pictures, “I bet
I can sell this to the National Equinerer! They dig juicy supernatural stuff
like this! I bet I make the front page instead of some silly story about
Princess Luna having a crazy love triangle between an abacus and a pair
of socks. So last month.”
"Good heavens, this is a...most intriguing sight," Rarity cooed, "It's
so...beautiful. Why, I'm getting all sorts of inspiration for some new outfits
for when we get home! Hmm...oh my, though the colors will be dreadfully
hard to manage...I wonder if-" and she began to trail off.
"What in tarnation is this here thing?" Applejack fussed as she circled
around it, "If ya'll ask me, it looks kinda like a...a window? A window
into...somethin'..."
“It doesn’t look very inviting...” Fluttershy gulped, “All that magic...it
looks...scary...”
"An astute observation," Twilight frowned, "Well whatever this portal
is, it's what's causing the magical disturbances. Rarity, I'm sure at this
distance you can feel it too?"
"Beg pardon? Oh! Y-yes, of course darling," Rarity nodded, "It's
making my horn feel...tingly. Not really in a bad way, just...strange. I feel
like my magic is being amplified or altered or something, but it doesn’t feel
dangerous...just odd, is all. Where do you think it leads? Just into that void
there?”
"I don't know, but I'm not too eager to find out," Twilight firmly
nodded, "I think I can seal it up with a Sealing Spell. I can feel the magic
coming from it, it's nothing too far beyond what I can handle; and despite
what the Princess wrote, it doesn’t reek of Chaotic energy either, it feels
more...well, I can’t really tell what kind of energy, but it’s not something I
should need help with. It might take some work...but I think I can manage it
by myself."
"Awwwwww," Pinkie frowned as she took another picture, "I was
thinking of setting up a booth and charging admission! 'Come see the
mystery window into the WORRRRLD OF TOMORROW!' And I’d have a
banner and signposts and a concession stand right over there and-"
"I doubt it's a portal into the future Pinkie Pie," Rainbow huffed,
“That’s science-fiction junk, this is magic. Completely different, right Twi?”
"Girls, please," Twilight said as she channeled her magic, "I need to
focus. This might not seem too difficult, but one little errant calculation and I
might break the portal, instead of sealing it. I don’t know how much damage
that might cause to the surrounding area...or to us, but I’d rather not find
out."
Twilight focused, and focused, and focused, and at last with a fiery
flash of purple light she fired off a Sealing Spell of the highest power she
could muster. The shining bolt of magic struck the portal and engulfed it in
a deep lavender glow, and slowly the portal began to shrink. She and her
friends all breathed sighs of relief. None of them would admit it, but given
the circumstances they were all a little on edge and had been halfexpecting a critical failure on Twilight’s part. Not that they doubted her
ability, of course, but she did have a tendency to overestimate herself when
more challenging spells were concerned - they all remembered the
Parasprite incident vividly, and how well Twilight’s powerful ‘appetite
adjustment’ spell had gone. Seeing the portal shrinking away made them
all rather glad this had turned out so simple.
"See? Told you - no problem at all," Twilight chuckled with an air of
confidence, "It's all in the-"
The portal exploded outwards, destroying the seal in a blinding flash
of purples and blues and devouring everything surrounding it. While before
it bathed the clearing in a dull grey glow, now it brimmed with a prismatic
sheen that coated everything with every color imaginable, and some that
weren’t even that. The vortex generated a powerful gravity field that hadn’t
been there before, causing any and all nearby objects - and ponies - to be
drawn towards it like a vacuum into the great, dark reaches of the endless
void beyond.
"Whoa-whoa-whooooooooooa!!" Pinkie Pie shouted as she, the
closest, began to get sucked in. She tried to gallop out of the field, but the
pull was too strong and she was slowly inching towards the portal despite
her best efforts, "Ahhhhh! I don't want to see the future yet! Heeeeeeelp!"
"Hang on Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow Dash cried as she charged forward
and grabbed Pinkie's hooves, then flapped her wings as hard as she could
to push herself backwards. They were able to make good headway for a
moment, but then the suction from the portal began to increase, "Oh...not
good!"
"Hold on!" Applejack boomed as she snagged Rainbow's tail in her
mouth, "I gotcha, sugarcube, just hang on!" Applejack began tugging, and
slowly but surely they were escaping the pull of the portal...until it grew
larger again and nearly swallowed Pinkie Pie, it's pull significantly stronger
than before, " Aw, horseapples!"
"Rarity to the rescue! I've got you, darling!" called Rarity as she
grabbed Applejack's tail, "Goodness, Applejack, did you take a bath today?
Your tail tastes-"
"Not the time!" Applejack chastised behind her as they continued to
get pulled in.
"Oh my goodness...oh my goodness!" Fluttershy squeaked as she
attempted to help by grabbing Rarity's tail, “Oh...I knew this was a bad
idea!”
"Girls! Hang on!" Twilight called as she used her magic to grab
Fluttershy and pull her as hard she could outwards and away from the
portal’s pull. The ponies all breathed a sigh of relief as the group began
getting tugged out of the gravity field; Twilight was thankfully far enough out
of its pull to concentrate fully on her spell and getting her friends out, rather
than worrying about herself getting sucked in. Then, the portal quivered
with even more power, absorbing the magical energy of Twilight’s spell,
"Oh...by Celestia, you've got be kidding-"
The portal pulsed outwards again and actually sucked Pinkie Pie into
its grasp. Rainbow Dash was unable to keep her grip and not risk getting
pulled in too, but she held loyally firm to her friend and gave a panicked
shout as she began sliding forward into the portal too. She and Pinkie Pie
opened their eyes and looked into the abyss that awaited them. From up
close, it looked even more impressive. It was like a river of pure energy, not
liquid but vapor, and glowing all the colors of the rainbow. It would be a
beautiful sight, if it were not threatening to suck all the ponies into it.
Rainbow Dash was thankful she could still feel Applejack’s mouth on her
tail...though soon enough that would not be much reassurance.
"ConSARNIT," Applejack blurted as she too got sucked in. Rarity
began to panic and used her magic to try and strengthen her grip, but that
only seemed to fuel the portal’s energy field.
"Waaaaahaahaha!" Rarity yelped as she followed Applejack into the
portal against her will.
"Oh d-d-d-dear..." Fluttershy peeped as she got engulfed soon after.
The five ponies were being barely kept from falling into the abyss by
the tugging of Twilight’s magic. It gave them all time to observe the inside
of the portal and the mighty flow of magical power from up close, and from
in here the sight was more terrifying and beautiful than anything they could
have imagined, and as the portal absorbed more energy it seemed to flow
forth into the abyss, like fireflies drifting down from a breeze, and add to its
lustrous splendor. The intense glow of pure magical energies of some
great, unidentifiable source swirling around beneath them, radiated
outwards and bathed them in lights and colors that were impossible to
reproduce through any natural means. If they weren’t being threatened with
falling into the aether with no way to return, it would be quite a whimsical
experience; now it was just as frightening as if they were starting Death
itself in the face, and the ponies failed to appreciate the sight for what it
was worth.
Twilight tugged as hard as she could, but her friends were too far into
the field to get out now, not without risking serious injury to her steadily
depleting magic force. If she stopped trying to save them, maybe she could
get away...maybe she could find Celestia and let her know what happened,
and she could help. Maybe...but then where would the courage in that be?
Twilight stood firm, and with a fierce pull that made her horn fire off
errant sparks like a miniature fireworks show, she saw Fluttershy's tail poke
back out of the portal's field, "Almost...there..." Using all the magic she
could muster, she tugged and tugged, digging her hooves into the dirt and
grass beneath her as her horn blazed with magic, and more of Fluttershy
began to appear. Soon she could even see Rarity, "Just a little more...."
Tugged and tugged - there was Applejack! Twilight tugged some more. The
pain in her horn was bordering on unbearable, and it was glowing with such
intense light and firing off so much rampant magic that she worried about a
possible explosion. She could just see Rainbow's tail...and then the portal
pulsed once more, "OH COME ON!" and Twilight began to feel the portal's
gravitational pull on her as well, and that was all that was needed to make
her lose her focus and for her magic to begin to falter beneath an onslaught
of energy that she could not match.
Another sharp pulse, and all six ponies got sucked in in one swift
sweep. If not for the churning magical fluctuations of the portal, the small
clearing would be completely silent...
A dirt brown earth pony with chocolate-colored hair galloped fiercely
towards the Everfree Forest, cursing to himself the entire time. His pace
was brisk, as if late for some great appointment, but he was clearly
exhausted and not able to run as fast as he would like. He chanced a
glance behind him - Blast it, she's still following me! Of all the bloody
annoying"Heeeeeyyy! Wait up!" called a wall-eyed pegasus, "Come on, I've
been trying to give you this package all day!"
"It's not mine!" shouted back the aggravated earth pony, "Bugger off!"
"But Mister Whooves, I-"
"Doctor!"
"But Doctor Whooves, I-"
"It's not my package! It's NOT my package! I didn't order anything
from the Muffin of the Month Club! IT'S NOT MINE!" he cried, desperate to
remove himself of his pest problem. She’d been at his tail the entire day,
quite literally since he awoke (that had been a rather disturbing
experience), and had been enough of a distraction that it was beginning to
affect him more than just mentally. It had taken him a great deal of effort to
get far enough ahead of her that she couldn’t barricade his path and
attempt to get him to sign for a delivery that wasn’t his.
"Oh? Why didn't you say so before?"
"I did say so before! At least a hundred times, you featherbrain!"
"Heeeey, that's not very nice! Fine! I won't give you your package
then, if that's the way you want to act! Jerk!" she said as she stuck her
tongue out in display of her displeasure.
"It's not mine!" But the grey pegasus was already fluttering off, "Blast
it all, bleeding mailponies...fantastic, now I'm late. I do hope that portal
hasn't caused any damage..." Whooves came to the clearing where he
detected the space/time distortion, and as he looked at the portal his face
became a scowl, "Oh brilliant. Brilliant. Somepony has been tampering with
this portal, and now it's just gone all sorts of haywire. Doesn’t anypony
these days know how to just walk away from really strange fields of magic
that can tear you apart? Honestly! Blast it all, if I hadn’t been late none of
this would’ve happened. Ugh...if I find the pony responsible for this...and
when I get my hooves on that bloody mailpony..."
He pulled a very plain-looking silver stopwatch out of his bag, and
with a click of the device, the portal suddenly stopped churning altogether,
its magical energies frozen in place. He pointed the watch at the portal and
began to wind the clock backwards, the portal shrinking bit by bit with every
turn of the hands, until he got it down to a manageable size and wouldn’t
be threatened by any errant gravitational forces; normally he’d have just
sealed it off and been done with it, but since some unicorn had obviously
been nearby and tampered with it, he had to make sure nothing had gone
wrong. Satisfied that the rift was safe to observe, he approached it and held
the watch over it, as if expecting something to happen or appear. The
watch began to glow a bright neon green, and now instead of displaying a
clock face on the front, it displayed a set of wavelengths and numbers and
a tiny list of objects that had apparently been sucked into the portal.
Whooves was glad the list seemed small at first - animals and beasts could
sense Void magic pretty well and typically tried to avoid it, so it was usually
only stationary objects that got caught up, or poor critters that happened to
be right in the spot the tears appeared in when they manifested.
"Let's see...tree, tree, tree, rabbit, tree, tree, badger, mushroom,
snake, tree, rock, tree, rock, rock, tree, yadda yadda yadda. Phew, nothing
too import-,” and his face contorted in concern, “Oh bugger, looks like some
ponies did get sucked in. Fantastic. Six of them as well, this just keeps
getting better and better - that will not be easy to fix. Well," Whooves
sighed, "Not much I can do for them from this end, sadly. Let's just try and
find out where they ended up...one of my counterparts should be able to
assist them..."
The Elements of Harmony screeched through the ethereal flow of the
strange void they had fallen into, desperately seeking a way out and rapidly
coming up short. They found that they could not directly control their path
through physical force, and were merely drawn along by the currents of
magic as they flowed around them; Twilight found she could use her magic
to steer them, but wasn’t sure if they’d fall off the river if she tried to steer
them out of it. Considering that “off the river” meant “into a bleak, endless
abyss where no light shone forth”, it really wasn’t worth testing that theory.
By now they'd all managed to get huddled together, and clung to one
another in desperation; wherever they ended up, they were confident that
at the very least they’d end up there together.
“Hey guys, look up ahead!” Pinkie pointed out, “Betcha never seen a
a river do that!”
The others looked at the magic flow ahead of them and saw it
cascade upwards, and following the path along with their eyes they could
see it looped back around and ended up in a sharp diving spiral down
below them. A frightening loop-the-loop glowing a bright, angry red at the
sharp downward drop that made it look rather unpleasant. Twilight was
immediately reminded of the roller-coaster she and her friends went on
during their visit to that new amusement park outside of Fillydelphia. She
also remembered not being able to walk straight for nearly an hour
afterwards...
“Aw horseapples...” Applejack gulped, gripping her hat tightly.
“This won’t end well, I can feel it,” Rainbow Dash agreed as she clung
tightly to Pinkie Pie.
“Hang on, everypony!” called Twilight.
“Yaaaaaaaay!” cheered Pinkie Pie, “Everypony put your hooves up!
It’s so much more fun!”
The hit the cascade and began soaring up and around through the
magical field. This part wasn’t so bad, until they reached the top, and found
themselves falling upside down at a breakneck speed through the rest of
the flowing aether. It was a unique feeling at least to Rainbow Dash, who
was always used to being able to fly; in this murky ethereal abyss though,
where her wings didn’t seem to work, she got to feel what it felt like to be
unable to fly when being dropped from a great height. Rarity and Fluttershy
began having rather vivid flashbacks to the times they fell from Cloudsdale,
but then decided - this was probably worse.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!”
“Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”
The magic suddenly careened off the the side and slowed them down
enough for them to collect their wits...and their lunch. Applejack was almost
tempted to remove her hat, but decided wisely against it and fought the
nausea down. Rainbow Dash didn’t seem too much worse for wear, but
was clearly not eager for a repeat performance.
Pinkie Pie giggled and bubbled and with a great deal of enthusiasm,
“One more time! That was so much fun!”
“Oh I think I’m going to be ill,” Rarity mumbled as she held her
stomach, “Yes...definitely going to be ill...oh dear...”
Fluttershy trembled in a terrified panic, clinging desperately to
Twilight’s legs, while Twilight in turn was holding onto Applejack as if for
dear life. They didn’t get long to recuperate, as soon enough the magic field
suddenly dropped off and the ponies found themselves being whisked
along a sharply turning path that twisted and turned and made so many
sudden drops it was like riding the fiercest river rapids in all of Equestria ten
times over. They were thankful at least that there weren’t any rocks, but
they clung more tightly together now than before - this would be no time to
fall overboard and get separated.
As they rapidly bounded through the river of Void energy, they could
look out alongside the stream and see other windows zooming by that
appeared to vent out into other worlds. Most of them were too fast going by
to make anything out, but one thing was for certain: if they ever wanted to
escape this rapidly flowing cascade of magic, they'd have to get into one of
those other windows. Twilight Sparkle only hoped whichever one they
picked led back home. Using her magic to latch onto another fork in the
river's path, they found themselves flowing now directly towards a tiny
ripple in the distance; at last, the river was leading towards a portal rather
than just streaming by it. This fork of the river was slow enough that the
ponies could finally relax and feel somewhat safe, though the ominous
sight of them slowly bobbing towards a window of magic that led to whoknows-where was not much comfort. The tear was tiny, barely large
enough for them to fit through - perhaps somepony on the other end had
managed to seal it, and it was slowly beginning to shrink? Wherever it led,
it had to be better than here...right?
"Oof!"
"Eep!
"Ah!"
"Ow!"
"Ugh!"
"Wheeeeee! Let's do that again! Can we, can we? Huh huh huh?"
The ponies all were dropped rather unceremoniously out of the
aether and into a pile of trash and junk. Above them, the portal slowly
shimmered away until with a faint hiss it disappeared completely. Wherever
they were now, they were trapped.
"Ohhh...my aching-" Twilight coughed as she warily got to her feet.
Looking around her...she quickly realized that they had not ended up back
home, not at all. As the six ponies shook themselves up and looked around
them, they now could all see it. They certainly weren't in their Equestria
anymore, “Oh dear...” she frowned, “This...isn’t good...”
"Pfh, see Dashie, told you it went to the future," Pinkie Pie scoffed,
"This is just like that movie where the stallion drove a car really fast and
ended up in...no wait, he ended up in the past. Um...oh! This is like that
movie where the killer robot pony...no he came back to the present from
the future. Hmm...aha! It’s like that movie where all the ponies were in the
present but really they were in the future and hooked up to
machines...and...no this isn’t like that at all. Um...hey Dashie, which one
was it where the pony goes to the future?"
"The hay if I know. You’re the movie buff around here, not me. I'm
stickin’ with my opinion though," Rainbow Dash said as she stared
upwards, "I still don't think this is future, Pinkie...at least not ours..."
Skyscrapers that towered further than the eye could see surrounded
them; a dark haze was all they could see of the sky above. They were
nearly blinded by the amount of shining lights and the neon glow of the city,
even here in this tiny alleyway. The streets were littered with grime and
garbage that nopony seemed to be picking up; everything was made of
strange metals and brick that they couldn’t recognize; the crowds of pegasi
high in the air alone made them think Cloudsdale was some one-horseberg in comparison - if those were just the pegasi, then they couldn’t even
begin to wonder how many other ponies lived here. Everything else was
dark and drab, colored shades of black, brown, grey, and red; there were
no bright or friendly colors here, and the few that were like colors they were
used to were utilized in neon lights that advertised places of business like
nothing they’d ever encountered back home, or anywhere for that matter.
No, this was not their Equestria. And wherever it was, it did not look like a
happy place.
"By Celestia...things just keep seeming to go from bad to worse, I,
uh...I don't suppose anypony has any theories as to where we are? Other
than Pinkie Pie?" Twilight asked hopefully, "It's obvious where we're not at
least."
"Not a clue," Applejack stepped forward as she adjusted her hat, glad
it hadn't gotten lost in the chaotic rivers of magic, "It reminds me of
Manehatten though...just...ah...grittier and much...much bigger. Hoo-wee,
even I’ll admit this place needs a bit of sprucin’ up, though. I couldn’t
imagine livin’ ‘round all this here junk.”
Applejack’s observation was made all the more valid as the ponies
looked around them in a dismayed awe. Many of the buildings, at least at
ground level, seemed to be in various states of disrepair. Metals were
rusting, bricks were moldy or cracked, cement was shattered, wood was
warped, and glass was chipped; while it was difficult for them to see further
upwards, they could at the very least tell that the high levels of the city were
in a much better state than the lower levels. How any city could allow this
kind of atmosphere to even exist was beyond them, but perhaps things in
this world didn’t work like back home.
"Oh my," Rarity said as she covered her nose, "It smells like
somepony's been burning...something out here, too. Who burns garbage,
really?”
“It’s so...so...” Fluttershy peeped, "...scary being in a new place...oh
my..."
"Aw don't be silly!" laughed Pinkie Pie, "Oh, just think of all the new
ponies! Ooh, ooooooh, I bet I could throw a million new parties! This oughta
be fun! Oh gumdrops, but I don't know where there's any party supply
stores around here. Can we look for one of those? Huh? Can we, can we,
huh huh huh? Ooh! And I’m starving! We need to find a sweet shop or an
ice cream parlor or a bakery or something! I need three-hundred cc’s of
chocolate and sugar, stat!"
"Pinkie, we've got more important things to worry about than if there's
enough balloons for a party," Rainbow Dash groaned, "Ugh...Rarity's right
though, look at all that smog. This place is a mess. Don't they have any
kind of weather patrol? I could probably have this whole place cleaned up
for ‘em...in maybe ten hours flat. You can barely even see the sky! And
who would want to, anyway, just look at it! Creepy!"
The ponies all nodded at the rather ominous appearance of what little
sky they could see. While most of it was covered in thick smog and smoke,
small pieces peeked out here and there, and they couldn’t tell if it was an
illusion being played by the bright lights of the city, a distortion caused by
the smog, or perhaps they were right and what they were seeing was real.
Skies were supposed to be blue, weren’t they? Even at night the sky was
blue, just a different shade of it. This sky though, this sky was a deep,
murky orange - not the same kind of orange one saw at sunrise and
sunset, but a dirty orange that looked more menacing and dark than
promising and warm. That was all they could tell from here - an orange,
terrible sky. That wasn’t normal.
“Oh...I do hope the little birdies up there are okay...” Fluttershy
peeped, “If there even are any...”
“Good heavens,” Rarity sniffed in disgust, “Let's just get out of this
dreadful little alleyway and into the streets, at the very least. Perhaps if we
ask around we can find out where we are?"
“Good idea,” Twilight nodded, “I’m sure the ponies here are just as
helpful as they are back home.”
“Yeah, I hope...” Rainbow added with hesitation.
As they left the tiny alleyway they’d materialized in, they realized that
at least in this part of the city, there were very few ponies around at ground
level. This street felt nearly abandoned, and it was mildly worrying that
nopony was anywhere nearby. The only company they had besides one
another were the occasional rat that scampered by - a fact that Rarity
would have been most grateful had it not been the case - and the
occasional piece of paper trash that floated by. It was a sobering
experience to feel so alone despite all being together.
As they rounded another corner, they saw crowds of ponies further
up ahead - a busier section of town. A main street, perhaps. This would
serve them well, they all agreed. Twilight hurriedly moved ahead and
sought out the first pony she could find that looked like they wouldn’t be too
distracted by their own tasks to help them. She found a dark blue pegasus
mare that was taking the ground route, possibly to avoid the heavy air
traffic high above, wearing a bight green jacket that clashed horribly - in
Rarity’s opinion - with her strawberry blonde mane and tail. Twilight was
glad that the ponies here still, at the very least, looked like them and
seemed to act like them, right down to having Cutie Marks and everything the pegasus had a snowcone as hers, a white cup with a big red scoop.
Twilight cleared her throat and tried to introduce herself.
“Um...excuse me, but, whe-”
“Aaaaah!” the pegasus yelped as she saw the pony that was trying to
ask her questions, “G-get away! Help! Police! Poliiiiice!” she cried as she
flew off. Twilight was left stunned and confused. Had she said something
wrong? Did she startle her? Was it her breath? She didn’t think she smelled
funny, even if they had all landed in garbage earlier. And even so...police?
What would warrant that?
“Well what the hay was that about?” Rainbow Dash muttered, “Rude
much?”
“Hmm...” Twilight tapped a hoof to her chin, “Very peculiar. She looks
just like us, so...what’s it about me that got her so riled up?”
“Let’s try another pony. Hmmm...aha!” Rarity pointed, “There, that
dashing young stallion unicorn. Ahem, perhaps we should let me do the
talking? A little charm goes a long way.”
Rarity trotted over to the stallion, a reddish-black unicorn - like a
cherry soda or a stick of black licorice - with olive green mane and tail,
wearing what looked like a black tuxedo vest complete with matching tie;
his Cutie Mark was a single olive skewered by a toothpick. He was busy
reading a newspaper and standing around beneath a sign that read “BUS”,
whatever that meant. Rarity fluffed her mane and tail, checked her coat,
and satisfied that she looked her very finest, she cleared her throat and
introduced herself.
“Pardon me, my good sir, so sorry to interrupt,” she smiled with
fluttering eyelashes and a sultry voice, “But my friends and I seem to be in
a bit of a bind, and-”
“Ugh...get away from me,” snorted the stallion in disinterest and
disgust, “Have you no shame at all?”
“I beg your pardon?” Rarity blurted, aghast, “Of all the impertinent
ways to great a lady! Well, I never! you should be...ashamed of yourself?
Hello? Are you ignoring me now? HMPH!” She decided, perhaps wisely,
not to pursue the matter any further. With a huff, she returned to the others,
disgruntled and feeling slightly dejected. Was she losing her touch? Maybe
she wasn’t the stallion’s ‘type’?
“Any luck?” Twilight asked.
“Not at all,” Rarity snorted, “No manners amongst these ponies,
wherever this is. You’d think someone dressed so dapper would be a little
more courteous. Even...ugh...Prince Blueblood at least had the decency to
act polite at first.”
“Aw, don’t get discouraged, sugarcube,” assured Applejack, “Maybe
the stallions ‘round these parts just ain’t affected by that charm o’ yours?”
“Ooh! Can I try next? Huh? Can I?” Pinkie bounced.
“I don’t know Pinkie...” Twilight said with trepidation, “I mean... Rarity
and I couldn’t get any answers, what makes-” Pinkie held her hooves
together in a pleading gesture and forced her eyes to widen and fill with
tears. Twilight balked, “Fine...”
“Yaaaaay! You’ll see, I’ll get some answers! Detective Pinkie Pie is
on the case! Aha! My first suspect!” she pointed to an off-white earth pony
with curly orange hair. She was wearing a simple blue blouse and was
focused on fumbling with something in one of her saddlebags, so she didn’t
notice Pinkie Pie approach her.
“Hi!” chirped Pinkie Pie.
“Ahh!” she jumped, not seeing where the source of the voice came
from.
“No need to get all jittery, I just wanna ask you some questions,”
Pinkie Pie said sternly as she spoke to the mare from somehow behind a
nearby lamp-post.
“W-who’s there? Show yourself!”
“C’mon, I just want to know where we are!” Pinkie Pie pleaded, now
asking from a nearby trash can.
The mare curled up and looked around in a panic, “Oh no...this is just
like that one dream! Make it stop...”
“You’re not being very helpful you know...” Pinkie Pie whispered in
her ear as she leaned in from out of one of her saddlebags.
“AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!”
The mare streaked down the road as fast as possible, leaving Pinkie
Pie tumbling around in the air before landing in a heap on the ground.
“Pinkie Pie, how was that supposed to help?” Rainbow asked
incredulously as the pink earth pony bounded back over with a pleased
grin, “You scared that pony half to death!”
“Aw, no way Dashie, I can’t scare anypony! She was just surprised is
all! Glad to see everything still works, though. I was worried that maybe
being a totally new place would ruin all my fun!” Pinkie smiled, completely
oblivious, “It’s okay, she probably wouldn’t have helped either. I just wanted
to make sure I was still me!”
“Pinkie Pie...you...you are so random...” Rainbow sighed.
The group continued their fruitless trek through the city street. Every
pony they asked seemed to have the same three reactions: either they
reacted like the pegasus and earth pony had, and screeched and
screamed and ran away; or, they gave them a rude response and a cold
shoulder, as the unicorn had done; and, perhaps worst of all, they just
ignored them completely. Eventually even these three responses died
down, and it became apparent that something was amiss. They were in a
busier part of the street now, so it became difficult to avoid being made the
center of attention.
"Does anypony else feel like...well, everypony else is watching us?"
Twilight interjected.
None of them had been much too aware of it before, but upon taking
heed of their surroundings they did in fact notice that the ponies that
wandered the rest of the streets around them were staring at them in
stunned disbelief; ponies with colts or fillies present shielded their children’s
eyes. A few ponies here and there ran off, others pointed and either
muttered amongst themselves or chuckled at the sight. The Elements of
Harmony shrunk a little under the scrutinous gaze of everypony in their
immediate vicinity.
"Why're they all starin' at us?" Applejack whispered to Twilight, "We
don't look that outta place...do we?"
"I don't know, but I-oof!"
As Twilight rounded the nearby corner, she was slammed into by
another pony that had been doing the same thing going the opposite way.
"Owww..."
"Twilight! Ya'll okay?"
"Yeah...I'm fine," Twilight grunted as she was helped up.
"Oi! Bleedin' tourists, watch where you're walkin'! I don't have time to
be buggerin' about with a bunch of...eh...nudists! I'm late!" shouted the
other pony. She was a minty green unicorn with sky blue hair, and Twilight
noticed that she was wearing what looked like a grey sweater vest that
covered most of her upper torso, with long sleeves beneath it - likely from
another shirt. Twilight’s eyes opened in realization - that pony had just
called them something - nudists? As she looked around at other ponies
surrounding them, she noticed something she hadn’t really taken notice of
before - all of the other ponies were wearing clothes too. Now she
understood why they were getting stares, and why everypony they met was
giving them such hostile responses.
"Oh dear..." Twilight frowned with a tiny blush, "Um...perhaps we
should try and find someplace a little less public to discuss our situation?"
"Whatever for, darling? I know these ponies so far have been rather
rude, but-" Rarity scoffed. Twilight hurriedly whispered her discovery to the
others. Rarity's face turned bright pink and she frantically began to look
about for something to cover herself, "Good heavens! Scandalous! Oh my,
I knew I should’ve packed...well, something!"
"C'mon, before we get into any...trouble..."
Twilight's worried look turned to panicked anxiety as she heard a
siren off in the distance. They didn't have much in the way of law
enforcement back home - few ponies broke laws and those that did were
often caught quickly and quietly - but she still knew that sound well enough.
It was close enough to a fire alarm that she knew it meant trouble, and
given the reactions they’d been getting she doubt it was firefighters coming
this way. Sure enough, within moments the six ponies found themselves
surrounded by police ponies - pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies alike, all
dressed in neat black uniforms. Fluttershy nervously crowded herself into
the center of her group of friends.
"Halt! New Pandemonium City Police! You are under arrest!" called
one unicorn, a white stallion with silver hair, who was levitating a
megaphone in front of him. He signalled to a few of the other officers to
move in. The six Elements of Harmony were soon surrounded by a few
earth ponies wielding their batons somewhat menacingly with their mouths,
and a pair of unicorns that levitated what looked like hoofcuffs ahead of
them. Applejack and Rainbow Dash made to defend themselves, but
Twilight shook her head and dissuaded them.
"Ah...perhaps we should just...cooperate?" Twilight gulped when she
saw that not only were they outnumbered, but they were underarmed in
comparison - she was unsure how much magic she would have to use to
help them all escape, and what good would that do, putting themselves on
the run from the police? "I wouldn't want this to get disagreeable.
Besides...they're authority figures here. Police? They can help us...” and
with some degree of hesitation, she added with a nervous gulp, “Right?”
Chapter Two
Imbalance
Police Chief Smokestack grumbled as another pile of papers was
shuffled in front of him. He used his magic to remove his cap and run a
handkerchief along his brow, and briskly pull a comb through his sleek dull
green hair; it always paid to keep up a neat and tidy appearance when
handling case loads - it made him and his department look and feel more
imposing, making it easier to illicit cooperation. His pristine orange coat
contrasted well with his black uniform, and gave him a commanding
presence as he sat behind a raised stand in what appeared to be a
courtroom, but without many of the expected necessities. There were no
chamber seats for the public or interested parties, there wasn’t a jury box,
and instead of two tables meant for the attorneys and parties of the
defense and prosecution, there was just one long table meant to hold all of
the accused in the case. In New Pandemonium City, the police upheld the
law, carried out the law, and served as both judge and jury and even
provided attorneys that worked for the police department. It made things so
much quicker and easier.
He took another puff from his cigar and gestured to the officer
standing at attention to his left at ground level. The officer nodded and
adjusted his own cap and straightened his uniform, then signaled to the
other officer standing near the door. This one opened it and signaled to
another pony outside, and he held the door open as three other police
ponies led in a group of six mares they'd arrested only an hour before. All
six were now wearing the gaudy bright orange jumpsuits that were typical
for all ponies the police arrested while they awaited their speedy trials.
Chief Smokestack noticed that the white unicorn in the group did not look at
all pleased with the outfit, but the entire group obviously looked pretty
discontent to be here.
The other officers all left the room so that the only eight ponies left
were the six jumpsuit-clad mares, Chief Smokestack, and his apparent
second-in-command that remained at firm attention just below his stand.
This one was a thick, apple red stallion with short golden blond hair and
stern, emerald-green eyes, and in his uniform he looked very imposing,
much more so than most of the scrawnier ponies that made up the police
force. His Cutie Mark - a pair of hoofcuffs - only added to that image.
Applejack eyed him curiously - he looked somewhat...familiar.
"Right then," coughed Smokestack and he stroked his bristly
mustache with a hoof, "Case File dated the Twenty-eighth of Winter
Quarter, year Three-thousand and Fifty-nine. Case File labeled The People
of New Pandemonium City versus...let's see here...ah, Twilight Sparkle,
Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. The
honorable Judge, New Pandemonium City Police Chief Smokestack - that
would be me, ladies - now presiding. How do you plead?"
"We don't even know what the charges are!" Twilight stammered,
"We were just walking about, minding our own business, and nopony
explained anything! Uh...your honor."
Chief Smokestack raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t used to accused
parties asking questions - he was supposed to be asking questions. He
was used to them always pleading ‘Not Guilty’ though.
"Hmph, very well. It’s a slow day, I could use the break in monotony.
Let's go through these one at a time, shall we, and maybe you can explain
to me what excuses you have, hmm? Oh, I can't wait to hear these..." he
snickered, “Ah, young ponies these days always have such fascinating
reasons for breaking the law...”
Rainbow Dash sauntered over to Twilight and whispered, "Let me do
the talkin' here, Twilight. You gotta keep your answers short and simple
with the cops, it makes things a lot easier."
"What? I didn't know you'd ever been-" Twilight started.
"First charge," interrupted Smokestack, "Public Indecency wandering around city limits without proper attire as stipulated within New
Pandemonium City bylaws. The orange one - Applejack I believe? Your
charge on that count is reduced by half because you’re at least wearing a
hat,” Smokestack ignored an exacerbated groan from the white unicorn,
“Second charge, Disturbing the Peace, as a byproduct of your public
indecency - we got enough phone calls in the fifteen minutes leading to
your arrest that I swore we were running some kind of telemarketing
service in here. Third charge, Failure to Provide Identification - you were
not carrying any form of identification on yourselves at the time of arrest.
How do you plead?"
"...well...when you put it that way," Rainbow sheepishly looked
around to her friends, "Um...guilty? We didn’t know we needed any of those
things. Um...clothes and identification and such...yeah..."
Smokestack smirked, "At least we have an understanding. My men
don't just arrest random folks off the street, you see, so I'm glad we can at
least get this started off without that accusation again. Now, if you'd be so
kind as to explain why? You said you didn’t know you needed them?"
"We're not from around here," Rainbow Dash said curtly.
"Oh?" Chief Smokestack said with some genuine surprise. This was a
first.
"We're from Equestria - Ponyville to be exact," Twilight Sparkle
clarified. Rainbow nudged her hard in the ribs, "Ow! Hey, Rainbow, what
was that-"
"Ponyville?" Smokestack chuckled, "What an utterly ridiculous name
for a town - let me guess, ponies live there? That's a good one! Flathoof,
you ever heard of anyplace named Ponyville before?"
The officer standing below him - Flathoof - shook his head,
"Nnnnope. That's a first, Chief. Maybe it's some suburb of Utopia - I don't
know much about their district names. Seems to me they want to register
as citizens here - they were arrested en route to the NPRD Building."
"Yeah, that's it," Rainbow Dash quickly played along, "Utopia. That's
where we're from - Ponyville, Utopia. Yep. Wanna join
your...ah...citizenry...and all that."
"You're awfully trusting of their story, Flathoof," Smokestack frowned.
"I see no reason to doubt them, sir. They didn't cause any property
damage or harm anypony, and I'll be honest...this is the first time I've ever
heard 'We’re not from around here' as an excuse for lack of ID. It's usually
‘it's at my friend's apartment' or 'it's in my other jacket' or some other tired
and old excuse. Not a shred of creativity. Either they're very clever, or
they're telling the truth, and with the education system lately I'm more
inclined to believe the latter."
None of the Elements of Harmony much liked this last back-handed
compliment, but at least it seemed to be helping their situation.
"...I’ll trust your judgment on this, Flathoof,” Smokestack nodded,
“Okay, so that explains why you weren't carrying identification - you're from
Utopia,” he shuffled the papers around and stamped a part of one of them,
”I know for a fact that their system is a might different, so I can’t fault you
for that. Not that their identifications would do you any good, even if you
were carrying them, since they’re not valid here. Care to explain why you
were wandering around naked though?" Smokestack stared.
"Um...we're...not from around here?" Rainbow Dash shrugged.
Smokestack raised an eyebrow, leaned over, and whispered to
Flathoof, "Is Utopia going hedonist nowadays? It's been a while since I've
been. If it is, I might consider taking a little vacation this coming summer..."
"Wouldn't know sir, never been myself. Maybe their district is though?
I'll admit I'm not accustomed with Utopia's...uh...customs..." he added with
a shrug.
"Hmph. Well that certainly would explain that bit too. Very well then,
under the circumstances, you six have two options - either we toss you in
jail and let the system weed you out, or you can all get yourselves
documented and be released on parole. You should all be so lucky that
Flathoof is taking your side, he’s not an easy one to convince."
"You'd release us? Just like that?" Twilight Sparkle asked, surprised,
“Ow! Rainbow-”
Rainbow had nudged her hard in the ribs and hissed, “Geez, Twi,
shut up, before he changes his mind!”
Smokestack's grin widened, "Oh, our little city is always looking to get
a few more taxpayers into the system. Seeing as your crimes were not
violent or damaging - well put, Flathoof - and you all cooperated pretty well
with the arrest, I see no need to deny you the opportunity to increase my
salary. Of course, if prison time sounds more appealing...I'd understand.
Taxes can be pretty high..."
Twilight turned to her friends in a huddle, "I think it's pretty obvious
what we do here. No sense in not cooperating, right?"
"Duh, and get ourselves thrown in jail?" Rainbow scoffed, "Fat
chance finding a way home if we're sittin' in the pokey. And Fluttershy
wouldn’t last two seconds in there, poor filly would fall to pieces."
“I don’t like dungeons...” peeped Fluttershy in agreement.
“That Flathoof fella seems...on the level enough,” Applejack
suggested, “Maybe he can help us? I sure wouldn’t mind askin’...”
"Ugh...and I simply must get myself out of this awful jumpsuit," Rarity
made a face, "And into something a little more...me."
A few moments of silence, then they all turned to Pinkie Pie, “What?”
she asked in confusion.
“Aren’t you going to suggest anything?” Twilight raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, like a party?” Applejack chuckled.
Rainbow Dash quickly covered Applejack’s mouth, “C’mon, don’t give
her any ideas!”
“A party? Pfft, c’mon Applejack I can’t always have parties on my
mind. But now that you mention it...oooh! A prison break party! Oh I have
the bestest best ideas, we could have nail files in the cake and instead of
fancy cookies and candies we’d have mushy gruel and-”
Rainbow groaned, “Pinkie Pie you are so...ugh...”
Twilight turned around, "I guess we're taking the second option then."
"Good, good," nodded Smokestack, "Flathoof, please see to it they all
get properly documented, and as quickly as possible. I'd like to see that
salary increase on my next paycheck."
"Right away, sir," nodded Flathoof, "Come along, ladies. Time to join
the herd, as they say."
Flathoof gestured for them to follow him through the double doors,
and he gave a hefty sigh as Twilight Sparkle came up beside him and
followed his stride, clearly looking to strike up a conversation. A great many
other officers in the white, impeccable halls of the police headquarters were
beginning to stare at Flathoof, who looked quite odd leading six mares
dressed up in prison uniforms behind him. He felt a little embarrassed
about the whole thing,
and was glad to finally get some reprieve when the group arrived at the
elevator leading back to the ground floor. Pressing one of the silver buttons
turned it gold, and they now just had to wait for the elevator to come to
them. Five seconds. Ten seconds. Fifteen. Flathoof was getting impatient.
"Thank you, for helping us in there. I'll admit, our story might seem a
little-" Twilight said with all due courtesy, breaking the dull silence.
"Spare me the plesantries," Flathoof snorted, "I didn't do it for you.
Our prisons are filled up enough as it is with all sorts of real criminals, I
don't feel like seeing precious space wasted on a troupe of nudists - not the
most dangerous of crimes, y’know? Now I don't know where Ponyville is,
but it sure as hay isn't in Utopia. Most likely scenario - you’re all refugees
from the Wastelands or something, just looking for food and shelter, and
that isn’t a crime in and of itself. So think of this as killing two birds with one
stone,” which made Fluttershy grimace at the poor choice of metaphor, “I’m
helping you get on your hooves, while keeping my prisons open to
criminals who deserve to be there. You're all lucky the Chief is willing to
look the other way when he sees an opportunity to get a few bits out of it..."
The elevator arrived with a soft *ding* and all the ponies shuffled
inside at his lead. It was a little stuffy and they all had to get pretty close
together. Rainbow, Pinkie, and Applejack were squished together on one
side of Flathoof, Twilight, Rairty, and Fluttershy on the other.
"Oh...well...still, we all appreciate it," Twilight nodded, "I'm Twilight
Sparkle...it's a pleasure to meet you, Officer Flathoof. I mean...I know you
already know our names and all...but I feel a proper introduction is in order,
if you don't mind? Seeing as we kind of owe you our freedom, and all..."
"Hmph," Flathoof said blankly, "If you insist."
"Splendid!" Twilight clapped, "These are my friends, Rarity-"
"How do you do?"
"Fluttershy-"
"Um...hi..."
"Rainbow Dash-"
"What's up?"
"Pinkie Pie-"
"Hiya! It's so cool that you're our new friend, I should throw you a
party to celebrate! Oh...I just need supplies...and a place to hold the
party...this plan isn’t working out so good yet, is it?"
"And Applejack-"
"..."
"...Applejack? Hello?"
"What? Oh!" Applejack blushed, "S-sorry. Kinda got...distracted. By
somethin'. Um...howdy!"
“Right,” Flathoof shook his head, muttering to himself, "Sometimes I
wonder why I get myself into these things...why I don’t just look the other
way like everypony else..."
The elevator dinged again and they all popped out back into the
department’s lobby area. It was a madhouse on the ground level compared
to the relative calm of the upper floors. Ponies of all kinds were everywhere
in the building, interacting with the police officers that were on duty down
here. Some were answering questions being asked by ponies looking for
assistance with reporting crimes; some were being escorted away by
officers after clearly having been arrested; some were simply sitting on
benches awaiting their turn to head into one of the offices that lined the
side hallway, many of which were labeled ‘Internal Affairs’ and had some
sub-division name. They seemed to be headed away from the front doors,
so Twilight’s curiosity was piqued.
”So are we headed for that NPRD Building you mentioned?" Twilight
asked.
"Not necessary, the NPPD has all the same forms and equipment,"
Flathoof explained, "Besides, I can't exactly imagine any of you want to go
walking out around town wearing those, looking like a group of convicts. If
you thought you got odd looks before, well..."
Rarity grimaced at the jumpsuit again, "Please tell me we're going to
be getting something to replace these soon...and a place to get some
proper grooming done? I don’t know about you girls, but I could really use a
bath."
"Something like that," Flathoof nodded, "We have all sorts of
confiscated clothing that we normally just donate to our auctions every
year, but I'm sure we can find something in there for you to use temporarily,
at least until we get you all sorted out."
The group came down another hallway and Flathoof led them through
another set of double doors marked “Registrations”. This room was, unlike
the rest of the police department building, pretty quiet and almost
completely empty, save for the two clerks seated behind desks. Flathoof
came to the nearest one, a unicorn mare with a black coat and sleek red
mane. She grinned broadly at his approach and it didn’t take effort in
noticing her trying to stealthily fix her mane and get her glasses just right.
"Oh, Captain Flathoof, always a pleasure to see you. How can I be of
assistance?" she smiled.
"Snapshot, I need to get some identification forms and citizenship
forms, and make it snappy," Flathoof swiftly explained, and trying to ignore
his own horrible, unintentional pun, "Oh, and some domicile registration
forms as well - we'll need to find you six a place to live."
"Is that part of your job too?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"It is as your parole officer," Flathoof sighed.
"Did...I miss something? When did that happen?"
"When the Chief assigned me to take care of your documentations,
that was his code for 'Hey Flathoof, guess what? You're their parole officer
now',” and he added with a groan, “I'd really rather be back out on the
streets trying to catch real crooks, but orders are orders even if I don't like
them. Times like this make me think I was promoted for reasons other than
seniority..."
"You mean you don't like us?" Pinkie Pie frowned, "Awwwww..."
"I never said that," he hastily added, hoping to avoid any waterworks,
"I'd just prefer if I was actually out there doing my real job, instead of being
a babysitter."
Applejack grunted, "Ya'll make it sound like we're imposin' on ya'. If
ya'll don't like it, why don't you just find somepony else to take over, and let
us do our own thing?"
Flathoof hesitated for only a moment, "Your little troupe here looked
like a bunch of fish out of water. I don't know where exactly in Equestria
you're from, but it sure ain't from around here, and I ain't about to send a
bunch of know-nothing mares out there to try and brave this city - you
obviously already tried that once, and look where that nearly got you. If this
were Utopia I wouldn’t be that concerned, but this isn’t Utopia, and I can’t
blame you for not wanting to travel all that way. Now if you don't like my
attitude, that's your own problem, 'cuz I’m not changing it. Nnnnope. Not.
At. All."
Applejack stared for a brief moment then shook her head and let the
others get back to doing the talking. While Flathoof sure talked fancy and
clearly had a great deal of authority, and knew it too, he seemed like he
was willing to help them with almost no motivation at all; sure he’d told a
little fib to get them out of a bind, but if what he was saying was true, he’d
just saved them a great deal of trouble. She found his attitude a little
disagreeable - he sounded a might like Rainbow Dash in his stubbornness
- but...well, something else about him seemed so familiar and she couldn’t
quite put a hoof on it just yet.
Snapshot produced all the paperwork everypony would require, and
so they began to fill everything out. Twilight Sparkle volunteered to go first,
and sat at the desk as Snapshot organized everything. She noticed that the
other unicorn didn’t looked at all pleased to be doing six forms in one go,
and guessed that just doing one alone was a enough work. Or maybe
Snapshot was just lazy.
"Okay let's see...name?" Snapshot asked in a mildly miffed tone as
she adjusted her glasses and hovered a pen over the form.
"Twilight Sparkle."
"Okay...coat color, purple-"
"It's...more of a lavender, really,” Twilight clarified with some hint of
an incredulous smile. She expected a pony like Applejack not to care about
specific tones of color, but this was a police officer filling out a very official
document.
"Purple," insisted Snapshot with an irritated sigh, "Hues and shades
aren't important for the forms, your photograph will take care of that just
fine. I’d like to just get this quickly without having to pick out specifics,
okay? Okay. Now then...mane and tail...purple with pink streak.
Eyes...purple. Should I just fill out everything on here ‘purple’, dear? I’m just
noticing a pattern is all."
"Hey, it's not my fault you don't use shades and hues," huffed
Twilight, getting aggravated with the other unicorn’s snippy attitude. She
muttered to herself, "Now I know how Rarity feels."
"Talent?"
"Magic."
Snapshot gave Twilight Sparkle a look. A look, that just screamed of
disbelief and confusion, "...okay, um...sweetheart, I don’t know if you’ve
noticed but...you're a unicorn. Magic isn't a talent, all unicorns can-"
"No, I mean, Magic itself is my talent. I can perform almost every kind
of magic there is, I just need to see it used once, and then I can duplicate
the spell. Sometimes not as good as the unicorns who specialize with
certain types of specific magic, but for most generic stuff I'm better at it than
the average unicorn,” Twilight caught herself at the end, “Uh...not to
brag...or anything...”
"...well...okay, if you say so, O Magic One," Snapshot rolled her eyes
as she jotted it down. These new citizens were getting on her nerves
already, but she was glad she’d at least be getting paid for this, "Um...aha.
Former residence? Be specific."
"Ponyville,” Twilight said, though she sort of regretted it - saying
‘Ponyville’ had already gotten her a lot of flak thus far. She’d have to get
used to saying Utopia or something else, “...uh...Utopia. Ponyville, Utopia.”
"...there isn't any-"
"We've been over this already," Flathoof interrupted, "Just put it in
there, save yourself the headache. It’s a sub-district...a new one..."
"Right, right," Snapshot sighed, "You’re lucky it’s you, Flathoof,
otherwise I’d just tear this up and let you deal with it; this is more trouble
than it’s worth. I was enjoying a rather nice nap, I’ll have you know. Former
occupation?"
Twilight thought for a moment, then settled on the answer that would
likely get her the least possible amount of difficulty in continuing,
"Librarian."
"Finally, something simple. Okay, let's see...Flathoof is author-"
"Aha...eh...nnnnope, d-don't put my name there," Flathoof stammered
quickly as he fumbled his hat, "The Chief would kill me if he found out I took
his commissions. Put his name on there."
"Commissions?" Twilight asked. Snapshot was busy scribbling other
notes on the form that she didn't seem to need Twilight's input for anyway,
giving the lavender unicorn a chance to ask Flathoof a question or two.
Flathoof sighed, "The pony whose name is in that authorization field
is the one who gets the salary increase, since they're the one that is
responsible for increasing the city's tax flow. That's why he assigned me to
take care of this rather than do it himself - I'm the only pony around here
trustworthy enough not to try and take a cut. It stinks, since I could really
use that pay increase...but," and he shrugged, "It's tough being the only
honest cop around here."
"Aren't you worried about gettin’ in trouble, talkin’ like that in front of
yer fellow officers?" Applejack asked as her eyes flickered between
Snapshot and back, “Can’t imagine anypony’d take too kindly to bein’
called crooked.”
"Everypony around here already knows ol' Flathoof is the most
honest, most dependable police officer in the whole dang city, and that he
always speaks his mind," Flathoof smiled, "But they also know that if they
don't like it, they can always try and get me to stop. See how that works out
for 'em. I didn’t get promoted to Captain just for my good looks," and he
pounded his chest with one of his large forelegs. Applejack found a smile
flicker across her lips, impressed at such a robust...answer.
"Okay...and check, check, double-check, stamp here...I need you to
sign this here...wonderful, now we just need to take your photograph and
you're all done,” Snapshot hurriedly finished, “Over here please.”
Twilight Sparkle nodded and then realized she was still in the
jumpsuit, "Uh...do I really want to be wearing this when I take my picture?
Everypony I show my identification to will think I was a convict or
something."
"Sucks to be you," Snapshot huffed as she adjusted the camera
without looking at Twilight, "If you're going to make this difficult, I'll just draw
in your frame, and I warn you - I'm not a very good artist."
"Fine, fine," Twilight sighed, then muttered to herself, "Is Flathoof the
only courteous pony around here? Yeesh..."
Twilight sat in front of the large poster frame that would serve as the
backdrop, and waited as Snapshot took the picture. Within a few moments,
she provided Twilight Sparkle with a tiny card that had her picture and her
physical information on it. She sighed when she saw the picture - she was
half-blinking in the middle of the shot, making her look positively out of it.
She didn’t take much effort in guessing Snapshot had done it on purpose.
Wonderful. Now her ID picture made her look like some sort of drunk they
just pulled off the street.
The others got through their forms as well, and now everypony had
their ID cards and were ready to be properly indoctrinated to life here in
New Pandemonium City...at least as long as it took for them to find a way
to get back home. They all felt a little anxious about that fact - thus far, they
hadn’t seen anything that could be of any help, and other than Flathoof
they didn’t have a single pony they felt they could ask...and he didn’t seem
the type to believe their admittedly fanciful full story. They could all still
hardly believe it themselves.
"Well girls...we may as well make the most of this, at least for now,
right?" Twilight sighed, "Still...I wonder where that portal even came from,
what it was doing there, and why there wasn't a portal to go back through
on this end? It looked like somepony managed to seal the one in this
world...but who could have that kind of power, if I couldn’t do it?"
"Hmph, if ya'll ask me, we'd best just be glad nopony got hurt,"
Applejack nodded, "But yer right, Twi, we may as well try and get used to
bein' here, at least fer now. I just hope everything’s okay back at home..."
Twilight sighed, “Yeah...I’m worried about Spike. He knew we were
leaving and all, but I don’t think he could have anticipated all of this...I know
I sure didn’t.”
"Come on, girls, this is no time to get discouraged," grinned Rarity
reassuringly as they followed Flathoof to the Salvation Bin, "We might be in
a bind, but at least we're all still together. I know I’m worried about Sweetie
Belle...but there’s not much we can do about it here, is there? Worrying
about it won’t get us any closer to solving the problem - we should just
have faith that things back home will work out. Right?"
"Right!" Pinkie Pie chipped in, "When we find a new place to live, I'm
gonna throw us a huge house-warming party! I'm gonna need streamers,
and balloons, and cake and ice cream and soda pop and candy and
cookies and cupcakes, maybe some music and banners, and-"
Rainbow Dash sighed, "There she goes again. Even when we're
stuck in a jam like this, the first thing on her mind is her next party. Typical
Pinkie Pie..."
"Aww, don't complain now, Dashie! You love my parties!" Pinkie
giggled, "More than anypony, I bet! And anyway, the last party I threw was
two weeks ago, that’s like a new record for me! I gotta have another party
soon, or I might just explode - maybe twice! And with this whole new world
to explore, I want to get started off on the right hoof. Ooh ooh, I bet Mister
Flathoof would love my parties too! Hey Mister Flathoof-"
"Officer Flathoof, if you're going to insist on adding a title," Flathoof
huffed.
"Okay, Officer Flathoof!" Pinkie Pie breathed deep, "♫Ohhhhhhh
You are our newest bestest friend and that is just so great!
You're invited to a party where the fun will be first-rate!
You'll get to spend some time with us and share our company!
And maybe when we’re done you’ll find we are the best ponies!♫"
Flathoof stared blankly for a good several moments, then turned to
Applejack, "Does she do that often?"
Applejack smirked, "Oh...you'll get used to it. Trust me..."
He sighed, "What have I gotten myself into...?"
A disgruntled mint green unicorn grumbled and muttered and
complained as she rounded her way up the flight of stairs leading to her
apartment. She hated being on the top floor. She hated the climb (there
wasn't an elevator), she hated being so close to the smoggy, dirty air (her
window frame was broken and let in enough outside air to make it
noticeable), and most of all she hated the city in general (it was a
cesspool). But this was where her job tended to be most important, and so
this was where she had to live, as disagreeable as that was. Her apartment
complex wasn't particularly well-kept, but it was cheap - really cheap which was good since her job didn't have much in the way of monetary
compensation - her superiors ensured she'd have a place to live and plenty
of food to eat, but she had next-to-no spending money for free time
whatsoever - not that she ever had much of that anyway. She wondered if
the others had this kind of difficulty with their sectors?
Hastily opening her apartment door with a slightly rusty set of keys,
she took a deep breath to clam herself after the climb, regretting it as she
got a mouthful of filthy, smoggy New Pandemonium nighttime air. Shaking
what felt like dust and cobwebs - they had a habit of clinging to her on the
climb up - out of her very long, shiny, sky blue mane and tail, she dropped
her keys on the nearby table. With a cough, she went to her kitchen and
prepared herself a snack - just some sliced apples, nothing too fancy - then
headed for the den to take a load off. It had been a hard day's work - fifteen
cases today, and then some group of nude tourists had nearly made her
late for finishing the last one, which could have been pretty bad. But there
was nothing she enjoyed more than relaxing on her sofa, snacking on an
apple, and watching the latest gossip on the television. It was calming, and
living in a city like New Pandemonium meant she needed all the calm she
could get.
It was in the den that she noticed it - the neon green-glow coming
from her antique grandfather clock. Hastily putting her apples down on the
dinner table, she fumbled in the pocket of her sweater vest until she pulled
out a stopwatch, and after clicking it the grandfather clock stopped glowing
and opened wide, letting in a fresh breeze of sterile air with a hint of minty
freshness. She'd be glad to get inside and breathe that fresh air in, a
welcome change from her usual breaths of smoky, smoggy goodness.
Chancing a look around her, despite knowing nopony was in the apartment
with her, she entered the grandfather clock without a second thought.
It was much bigger on the inside - almost as big as the den she'd just
left from, in fact. Filled with all sorts of gadgets, tools, monitors, levers,
knobs, and other assorted technological wonders, it seemed as if she'd
entered a completely different world; wherever it was, it clearly wasn't
directly attached to the world she'd just left - if it were, she knew she'd be
standing in her neighbor's bathroom right this moment, probably in the
bathtub or worse, the toilet. One of the monitors in particular drew her
attention, this one glowing a bright red as opposed to the soothing greens
and blues everything else was. She trotted over to it, clicked a few buttons,
and adjusted the screen's focus so that she could make out the image of
whoever was on the other end. On the screen a familiar face appeared - a
light brown stallion with spiky dark brown hair, with a golden hourglass
cutie mark. She hadn’t seen him in a while, and for a fleeting moment she
chanced a though of happier times. But this was neither here nor there for
those thoughts.
"Oh, thank goodness," sighed the brown stallion, "I thought you'd
never answer! Bleedin' portal storms...how are you holding up over there,
eh?"
"Whooves?" the unicorn mare blinked, "Well this is unexpected.
You're on my emergency channel - is something wrong?"
"Well that's just it," Doctor Whooves sighed, "I mean, there shouldn't
be anything wrong, but here I am contacting you because I fear that my last
case had a bit of an error somewhere, and I can't figure out what exactly
went awry. I had a pretty standard tear here, and according to all my
readings it started out pretty small, nothing special, nothing out of the
ordinary, totally normal and dull and typical. Unfortunately it appeared a
little too close to civilization it would seem - I usually don’t have that kind of
trouble, since societies are spread out so wide in this dimension - so I think
that's where the trouble started. The locals don't usually see the tears
before I get to them...but I got distracted by that bleedin’ mailpony
and...nevermind. Anyway, somepony did something to it - I don't know if
they tried to absorb the magical energies like some madpony wizard or
something, or if they were just throwing spells at it like a schoolfilly playing
with a new toy, or if the fool was actually trying to seal it without the proper
equipment. Whatever the case is, six ponies got warped from my world, to
yours."
"Doesn't sound too problematic..." the unicorn raised an eyebrow,
"We have this kind of thing happen often enough that it's practically routine.
Find a portal, just a little click," and she mimed clicking her stopwatch,
"Wind it up, send 'em home. Done. What's the big problem? You’re acting
like this is serious."
"That's just it, I can't explain it!" Whooves stammered, "These past
few hours, I've been getting some bizarre readings from all over my end. I
can't tell, but a lot of them are similar enough to Chaos magic signatures
that for now I'm going to make the assumption that they are. Now I don't
know what exactly the connection is, but something tells me that this is a
result of at least one of the ponies that got transferred to your realm. I need
you to find them and let me know who they are, so I can try and figure out if
any of them are of importance enough that it would cause this. Luckily all
the readings are pretty small right now, and I’m hoping that it’s just an
errant glitch from sealing a portal with that much energy, but...well, I have
to prepare for the worst, you understand."
"Righto then, sounds simple enough. I probably won't be able to send
them home for a while though, that portal storm just got finished passing
through, I already finished sealing everything up. I'm not expecting any
more tears for at least another...month, perhaps? That won’t be a problem
will it? You are making this sound awfully urgent."
"Hopefully not, but we'll worry about that later, after we find out who
they are. While we may not be able to open portals ourselves, I might know
of some methods to accomplish that sort of task," Doctor Whooves said
sternly, "Hopefully this is just a minor glitch and we can fix it and be back to
our merry little usual business, eh? I'll send you my dimensional data so
you can track them. Thanks again, Tick Tock. Always a pleasure."
"Not at all, Whooves. Always good talking to you, too." Tick Tock
smiled.
The image of Doctor Whooves on the other end of the monitor
pushed several buttons, and a sound behind Tick Tock signaled that the
information he was sending was being transferred over to her database.
With a wave farewell, she grabbed the stopwatch again and tapped it to the
central core, copying the data over to her portable device. It glowed a dull
green with a single dot near the center, with a line making circles around it if she got close enough to the signatures she was supposed to be locating,
they'd appear as little dots on the screen, allowing her to determine their
position. Her locator in hoof, Tick Tock adjusted her bow-tie and began the
arduous decent back down the stairs to the city streets.
Miles above Pandemonium City, one would be able to see far, far out
into the distance, and perhaps with a keen eye they could chance a
glimmer of the most interesting place in all of Equestria. A place where one
could watch as lightning danced for an eternity, where fire would smolder
yet never burn out: The Belt of Tranquility.
Stretching precisely along the equator of the world of Equestria, this
massive dividing line served as the point where the powers of Harmony
and Discord in this world collided and kept one another at bay. The Belt sat
smack dab in the center of the Great Sea, a massive ocean that separated
Equestria into two even halves. The fields of magic that made up the
powers of Harmony and Discord clashed here, flowing forth from their lands
like auroras of pure energy. The intense amount of magical power caused
the seas and skies along the entire equator to churn and bubble and thrash
about, and the magical energies themselves created a powerful wall of
magic far beyond mortal comprehension. It was a rather fitting name...from
a certain point of view.
The northern half of Equestria was covered in latent Chaos magicks,
generated from the massive Beacon that sat atop the highest skyscraper in
the grand city of New Pandemonium. The energy field darkened the sky
unnaturally, turning it murky colors that churned and raged in the heavens
like so much anger and hatred that simply looking at the sky for too long
could drive one into a fury. The air was colored a murky orange, mostly, but
tinges of black and brown and red and purple melted in throughout; it was
hard to see this effect from inside the city proper - the glow of the city lights
and the thick smoggy air coated the city in a shroud that could easily block
out the light of the sun and moon, were they even to make an appearance
in the burning skies above that seemed to block those energies out entirely.
This powerful magic served to taint the very land beneath it, and it was this
same magic that made the entire northern continent into a barren
wasteland, with only New Pandemonium City standing as a beacon of
ironic hope. There was no life there, at least none that any sane pony
would ever care to meet...
The southern half, on the other hand, was a bright and colorful place
covered in the most potent Law Magicks that could be found anywhere in
Equestria. The air was always crisp and clear, the sun and the moon
passed through the sky with no interference, and the land beneath it
followed suit; in the southern lands, plants could grow and life could
flourish, and ponies of all walks of life could make their homes here without
a care about their well-being and safety. Utopia - the largest city in this
shining land of fortune and happiness - also had a Beacon, and it was this
device that, like its counterpart in New Pandemonium, kept the forces of
the other side at bay, always keeping the two forces of Harmony and
Discord in a perfect balance.
Until today. Today, something was amiss at the Belt of Tranquility.
A consciousness floated tenuously in the rift between dreaming and
reality, poised near the points where the magical energies were at their
fiercest. The entity used its own magic to reach through the dream-state
and examine the Belt of Tranquility's border. Even from a great distance it
could feel as if something here was out of place, but without examining it
for itself, it would not be able to discern what it was sensing. Now, here, up
close...it could see. And it did not like what the implications were.
The Belt of Tranquility was very slowly moving, even expanding - the
balance between Harmony and Discord was beginning to shift, and
Harmony was somehow the one doing the pushing. This would not do. This
would not do at all. The entity willed itself to fully enter the state of
dreaming, and here it could contact the one pony that would see to it that
this dilemma was solved.
Silvertongue looked out the window of his private study, out into the
cityscape of New Pandemonium far, far below. Here in the highest reaches
of Pandora - Pandemonium's tallest skyscraper - he could see the entire
skyline of the city, for even here the sky above was coated with thick smog
and dirty smoke. Stretching high above the tower was a powerful beam of
sickly orange energy that shot straight into the sky, where it then spread
across the land - this was where the Beacon was located, and this was
where Discord was at its strongest. This was where Silvertongue watched
over his city. From here, this is where he ruled, and this was where he
could have some peace of mind.
The study was elegant and richly decorated. The banner of
Pandemonium - a flaming red sword thrust through a shining golden disk decorated the far wall, and a portrait of himself was posted with esteem on
the near one, just above the mantelpiece. Upon the table in the corner, his
record player - an antique from times long forgotten - played his favorite
ballad. It was an old opera, spoken in a language that he knew nopony in
Pandemonium could understand or ever hope to speak. And it was
beautiful...and it was sad. He played it because it brought him calm, it
brought him piece of mind. Being the ruler of the very epicenter of Chaos
itself made any private time he had all the more important.
The city itself was essentially the capitol of Discord’s might. Here was
where the powers of Chaos were at their strongest, and while not every
single citizen in the city was an avid follower of his ideals, he knew he had
enough corruption and easily-overlooked “laws” in place to make chaos a
typical day-to-day activity. Nothing made sense in this city. He’d designed it
that way. And all the while, all the citizens had this grand illusion that the
chaos of the city was still a better life, a better existence, than the
complacent, high-cost, constrictive, exclusive society of Utopia’s gleaming
spires and gold-paved roads. The people of Pandemonium weren’t good
enough for Utopia. Utopia was much too strict and much too expensive for
them. That was what they all believed. The unwashed masses were easy
to deceive. Easy to exploit.
The record finished and Silvertongue tore himself from the window
and from his inner thoughts. His horn - slightly longer than most unicorns glowed a grim red as he lifted the record from its place and returned it to its
sleeve, where it would be put back into storage until he wished for it again.
Turning back to the window, his horn glowed again and flicked a number of
switches alongside it; the window darkened and turned black, then became
a perfectly reflective surface, bouncing the image of the room back at him.
He carefully gauged himself in the reflection - his pristine silver coat was as
radiant and pure as ever; not a single bright golden hair in his impeccablystyled mane was out of place; his monocle was spotless enough that it
enhanced the luster of his sea-blue eye; his fanciest dress uniform was
immaculate and covered him from neck to flank - the shiny black leather
polished and gleaming in the single light of the room, the blood red trim
glistening like freshly-picked apples or cherries, or more appropriately,
freshly-spilt blood. His appearance was absolutely perfect. It had to be.
Discordia's prized Warden wouldn't allow otherwise in her presence.
"You were expecting me..."
Silvertongue did not turn to face the source of the voice - that of
Discordia, the Goddess of Chaos. There would be no point - it spoke
directly into his mind. In the mirrored image on the wall, he could see the
voice's form perfectly well, a form beyond description. In all things
Silvertongue knew, he knew this - Alicorns were the most exquisite
creatures in existence, blessed with such beauty and incredible power that
in this world, they were not capable of mortal form; it could not contain their
beauty, their elegance, their raw power. Physical beauty, even of the
absolute highest caliber, was not even worth the slightest fraction of what
Alicorns appeared like to one's mind's eye. It had taken him a lifetime of
seeing them for himself, and even still he found it difficult not to break down
in tears.
"I am always expecting you, milady," Silvertongue bowed, even
though his was the only physical body in the room, "It would be of no
benefit to me to be in any less than flawless physical condition, lest you
visit me in dire straits and become dissatisfied with my dedication."
"Well spoken, my Warden," the voice cooed. Silvertongue shuddered
at the way her voice touched the deepest recesses of his mind, and at how
right it felt. It would be alarming were he not used to it, "I come to you with
urgent news this evening. Troubling news."
Silvertongue's curiosity showed on his face for the fleetest minuscule
of a second, and he briefly touched upon a thought of concern that his
intrigue would be mistaken for worry.
"The balance between Harmony and Discord...it is waning..."
He raised an eyebrow, "Waning? Impossible...Harmonia would never
indulge herself in such an action. It goes against her very nature."
"I have seen it first-hand, my Warden," the voice said bitterly, "Do you
not trust my claims?"
Silvertongue smirked at the spark that flared through his mind. She
loved to tease his devotion, "It would be folly of me to trust you
unquestioningly, milady. Deception comes as naturally to you as fish take
to water and birds to the sky. But I digress...I did not mean to sound as
though I doubted you. I merely state the obvious - Harmonia is not to blame
here. I am accustomed to as much, knowing far too well that she would
never threaten the balance on her own whim."
The voice's icy calm filled his being and chilled him to the bone in a
soft, almost gentle manner, "That is a valid observation. If not
Harmonia...then what is causing this imbalance, my Warden? I would have
you investigate the matter. You are most efficient in these matters..."
"Investigate, milady?" he inquired, "I cannot fathom a guess as to
where to begin. I do not have the resources to gather information from
Utopia in such a timely manner as you seem to require. That would,
perhaps, take months to accomplish, assuming the best conditions."
"Perhaps not...but perhaps you don't need to..." the voice cooed,
"Has anything...suspicious occurred in your city lately, my Warden? I could
feel many disturbances in the magicks of the Void this day. They did not
linger long; I suspect there is an infernal Chronomancer nearby. A shame,
wasting all of that...delicious Void energy..." and her voice became sultry
and hungry at the words. The feeling was both terrifying and enticing all at
once, and made Silvertongue’s skin crawl and heart melt.
"Yes...I’ll admit that I do recall mention of an event like that. A
moment, milady," Silvertongue nodded. He strode over to his intercom
system and tapped one of the buttons, "Shroud!"
"Yes, milord?" came a mare's voice over the intercom.
"I need a report, Shroud. Of all suspicious activity that may have
occurred in the city in the last...say...twelve hours."
"Of course, milord, I'll have them on your desk in-"
"Now, Shroud," growled Silvertongue into the mic, impatient and not
wanting to appear even mildly meek in the all-seeing eyes of his mistress,
"I want that report immediately."
He could hear the nervous gulp on the other end, like that of a young
foal facing death, "O-of course sir, my apologies sir. Um...let's see..." a
shuffle of papers and clicks of buttons on the other end, "Um...there were
numerous sightings of strange energy spheres around the city, but they all
disappeared soon after being spotted. Police suspect-"
"Yes, yes, a Chronomancer, I'm already well aware of that, Shroud.
Anything else? Perhaps something I wouldn’t find on the news?" he hissed
with a great deal of venom in his tone.
"Oh...um...let's see, ah, here's one from the NPPD and NPRD
Census Bureau. Apparently they registered six new taxpayers from Utopia
today, and Police Chief Smokestack put in for his pay-raise application
rather suddenly. The committee thinks-"
“I’m not concerned with what the committee thinks!” he spat into the
intercom. He hated the committee, their jobs were so meaningless and
contradictory to everything the city’s mere existence stood for, but he
needed them for ensuring that all of his day-to-day ruling was taken care of
- he was much too busy tending to the Beacon’s energies to deal with his
dreadfully hassling ‘day job’. And when they made mistakes and he saw a
little too much order return to his capital? Well...that rarely ever happened
anymore, he made sure of that. Silvertongue hummed lightly to himself,
then said firmly into the mic, "Deliver that report immediately. That'll be all,
Shroud."
"Y-yes sir! Of course sir! If you need anything else, pl-"
The intercom shut off and Silvertongue frowned with impatience. He
waited for only but a moment, and then the folder containing what he was
looking for teleported in front of him, falling neatly onto his desk. He flipped
through the pages of the report quickly, his face contorted in cemented
concentration, as he probed the pieces of this particularly peculiar puzzle.
"Something amiss, my Warden?" the voice cooed again.
"I am not accustomed to getting many new citizens from Utopia,"
Silvertongue said simply, almost dismissively in his complete lack of
empathy towards Utopia and its people, "So very few ever depart from
there by choice, and the lengths one would go to avoid forced migration..."
"I can think of one exception..." the voice teased menacingly.
"Only one exception, milady," Silvertongue replied shortly, "It is most
suspicious that six new visitors from Utopia would arrive today, and all at
the same time and even in the same place. The committee - the smallminded fools that they are - believe the story a fabrication, and that these
six are in actuality refugees from the Wastelands; a minor detail in this
report about them being apprehended on charges of...Public Indecency? I’d
almost forgotten we even had that law. Ah, and lack of
Identification...hmmm. They’re more concerned with the Chief of Police
taking a rather large cut of the allotment of funds these new citizens will
generate,” Silvertongue thought for a moment before responding in a mixed
tone of inquisitive confidence, “These...fluctuations milady...you posit the
belief that a Chronomancer was involved in sealing them?"
"That I did, my Warden. Do you see some...connection here?"
"Then perhaps these new citizens aren't from Utopia...aren’t even our
own world..." he added with a smug grin, “Quite a coincidence, is it not? For
there to be multiple Void distortions on this precise day, and for six new
ponies to appear with no knowledge of our customs, claiming to be from
across the sea?”
The voice stayed silent for a moment, "My Warden...uncover more
about these creatures you have found. I await a swift response."
"As always, milady..." he bowed. He felt the voice's essence leave his
mind, and at last felt at ease again. While Discordia’s essence was in his
mind, he found it awfully difficult to avoid having his entire series of
thoughts laid bare for her to peruse like a book. Even after all these years
he found it...discomforting. Pushing the button on his intercom again,
"Shroud."
"Y-yes, milord?"
"Summon Shadowstep for me, if you would?"
"O-of course sir, I'll notify him right away."
He flicked his horn and darkened the room, then patiently waited for a
moment; sensing a presence with him, a physical one at that, he flicked his
horn again to once more illuminate his chambers. Sitting in a chair that had
been empty before was a lithe pegasus stallion wearing a near-completely
black uniform - it had a deep purple gradient as it approached his head,
and a dark blue trim around his eyes - that covered him from face to tail,
hiding most of any sort of identity that could possibly be discerned; all that
could be seen were his bright yet heartless green eyes, the slightest bits of
a pale blue coat, and his short and tidy midnight blue mane and tail that
stuck out through slips in the fabric. Silvertongue did not bother himself with
the effort of turning to face the new guest - he could sense his presence
just fine, and see him clearly in the reflection on the window screen.
"Punctual as always, Shadowstep."
"Of course, milord," the pegasus nodded, "You have a job for me,
yeah? What is it? Ooh, is it poisoning the drink of some stallion on the
committee again? I do so love assassinations. Please tell me it’s an
assassination," he could barely contain the glee in his voice at the thought
of murdering some poor pony on the committee that had stepped out of line
and questioned one of Lord Silvertongue’s decisions. It was a rare
occurrence, what with most ponies knowing that anypony that disagreed
with Silvertongue usually ended up missing, but it was so satisfying to carry
out those kinds of assignments.
"Not this time, my dear boy. No, this is one occasion where I can’t
imagine any violence will be necessary," Silvertongue smirked, taking some
mild pleasure in the dejected look on his mercenary’s face. Crushing ones
hopes and dreams, if only temporary ones, was so satisfying, "There, on
the desk - that portfolio holds your initial targets."
Shadowstep pawed at the folder and opened it warily. Inside were the
identification pictures and file information on six newly registered ponies
from Ponyville, Utopia. Shadowstep had been to Utopia on numerous
occasions - dreadfully boring place, nothing like Pandemonium - but had
never heard of anyplace called Ponyville which to him sounded like the
most ridiculous name he’d ever heard. Their names seemed normal
enough, and they certainly looked normal enough, even if some of their ID
pictures were somewhat odd: The purple unicorn looked like she'd just
been hitting the sauce just before her picture was taken; the orange earth
pony’s mouth hung open and made her look somewhat brain-dead. Why
these two of the group and been singled out for what looked like the
photographer’s petty revenge was a mystery to him. He felt it was odd that
he was being given such a mundane assignment though - they didn’t look
very significant.
"Milord? This is it? What's so important about them? They don’t even
look like anypony’d miss ‘em if they were to suddenly...disappear..."
"That's not really any of your concern, Shadowstep," Silvertongue
hissed, "But it is what you're going to find out. Find them. Follow them. See
if they do or mention anything suspicious. If you happen to notice a
Chronomancer tailing them around...follow them instead. And if at all
possible, ensure they won’t interfere with any further plans. If you follow my
meaning..."
Shadowstep's eyes brightened, "Ooh, a Chronomancer eh? I didn't
even know there was one in Pandemonium. Seems like more of a Utopian
gig if you ask me, right? Keepin’ order and all that? "
Silvertongue grunted in agitated impatience, "Regardless, that's your
mission. You have your orders - carry them out. And please,
Shadowstep...try to keep a low profile..."
"Aye, sir," Shadowstep sighed dejectedly.
Silvertongue flicked the lights off and on again once more, and in the
brief manner of seconds that the lights flickered, Shadowstep was gone. If
there was one pony good - no, perhaps perfect - at his job, as long as that
job was sneaking around through the darkness and being just an out-andout spy or assassin, then Silvertongue knew nopony more qualified than
Shadowstep was and nopony more loyal to his cause. It was always handy,
having a murdering sociopath at your beck and call, when you needed
some pesky, snoopy reporter or disagreeable committee member or
passionate, outspoken rabble-rouser preaching hope and love and peace
to just...vanish. Alone at last and not expecting anymore company anytime
soon, Silvertongue replaced his record on the player and started it over
again. Eyeing the contents of the folder once more, he stared thoughtfully
at the pictures of six ponies that he was absolutely certain were going to be
very interesting...
Chapter Three
Investigation
The Mid-South District had probably the best conditions out of all of
the Mid Districts in Pandemonium City. It wasn’t as nice or as fancy as the
Inner Districts, but it wasn’t anywhere near as bad as the slum-like
conditions of three of the four Outer Districts. It lacked the gleaming
skyscrapers that one could see towering over the rest of the city - those
were what made up the Inner Districts. High-rise lofts and penthouses,
high-class office buildings and corporation headquarters, the homes of the
rich and famous, and where most of the ponies that worked for the
government lived to avoid mingling with the ‘common rabble’ that made up
the Mid Districts. Central Plaza, the busiest sub-sector in Mid-South, was
as close to those kind of conditions one could hope for. It was very
expensive to live here, even though it was still ridiculously cheap compared
to Utopian prices and still much cheaper than trying to make it in the Inner
Districts.
What made it so expensive was that all - not some, all - of the most
important necessities had their headquarters, their best-equipped centers,
or even their only locations, in this sub-sector. The New Pandemonium
Police Department’s Central Station was here, as was the main Building for
New Pandemonium Registrations and Documentations. There was also the
Central Database Holdings, which at Flathoof’s description sounded an
awful lot like a library to Twilight Sparkle. New Pandemonium Medical had
its largest Clinic - Central General - here, and the same could be said for
General Goods and Groceries and the New Pandemonium Fire Brigade. All
of them conveniently within relative walking distance to anypony that
happened to live in any of the four domestic complexes that made up the
borders of Central Plaza.
If you didn’t live in Central Plaza? Well...good luck to you. Besides
the horrendous travel time to get to the best medical treatment in the city
(Inner District excluded) or the city’s only official library, the police and fire
brigade response time was simply atrocious. Flathoof explained that on
average, it took about fifteen minutes or less to respond to a call from
within the Central Plaza itself - considering the sub-sector was a few miles
square, this was a typical if slightly slow expectation. If you lived elsewhere
in Mid-South, anywhere between thirty and fifty minutes could be expected
even in a severe emergency, perhaps sixty minutes if you lived near the
Divider Walls. If you lived in either Mid-East or Mid-West, the NPPD’s
record time for responding to an emergency call was ninety minutes, and
they’d been known to take twice that long. Mid-North? Two hours,
minimum. Entire neighborhoods had burned down in the past because of
similar pathetically slow response times from the NPFB. Luckily, NPM did
not have the same problem - their only issue was whether the Clinic in your
sub-sector had the equipment or experienced personnel that you needed to
handle whatever your health issue was; otherwise, you had to make the trip
to NPM Central General. For that, you’d have to take the time the NPPD or
NPFB would take to get to you, and double it.
Flathoof remembered well, when he’d been just a rookie, getting to
the scene of a riot nearly thirty minutes after it had ended and some twenty
ponies had to be hospitalized, and because of the seriousness of their
conditions, they had to go all the way back to Central Plaza. Several of
them didn’t make it and died en route. It was an event that completely
changed his outlook on the way the city worked, or rather how it didn’t. It
made him rethink the way he would need to work to try and change that.
“The more I go over it in my head,” Flathoof admitted dejectedly, “The
more I realize that the system just doesn’t function right at all. It baffles me
to no end, almost like the city doesn’t want to be organized. I can’t tell you
how many times I’ve submitted petitions and suggestions and applications
to get things fixed up a little bit, and never got a response...”
“Why don’t they have any smaller stations in the other districts?”
Twilight Sparkle asked, “Surely that would help, wouldn’t it?”
“They do have other stations,” Flathoof sighed, “But they’re so
understaffed and overworked that we often respond to more calls from their
districts than they do. I’ve considered transferring to another station, but
that wouldn’t do any good in the end - then I’d be just as overworked as
they are and wouldn’t be able to contribute enough to make much
difference; yeah, I know, every little bit counts, but I’m nearly the only
officer in this District that seems to have any sort of real moral code. I can’t
just up and leave that...not without a really good reason.”
“How ‘bout that other officer that helped us with all that there
paperwork. Y’all seemed to trust her,” Applejack asked, still slightly miffed
as she looked at her ID photo. How that pony had been able to take the
picture at just the precise moment needed to make Applejack look like a
country bumpkin without half a brain in her head still boggled her.
“Snapshot? She’s a good mare,” Flathoof nodded with a smile at the
‘are you kidding?’ face Twilight and Applejack were giving him, “A bit testy,
I’ll admit, but she means well, and she’s reliable and trustworthy. That’s
why I went to her instead of going to the other clerks, or worse, the NPRD.
It would’ve taken days to get through all the forms and roundabout
nonsense they’d put you through. I typically try to avoid working the system
to my advantage, but well...you six needed help, and she knows all the
loopholes to go through in order to ensure your files get registered by
tonight.”
“Is there a reason for the rush?” Twilight asked.
Flathoof gave a concerned frown, “If you all didn’t have a place to live
and such by the end of the day, with no official documents? Well, NPPD
policy is to escort you to the Outer Districts and set you loose there until
your documents clear. When that happens we’d go looking for you for
maybe a few hours, and if we can’t find you, you’re presumed dead or
missing. Most of the time the assumption turns out true...”
“Good heavens, you’d just abandon ponies looking to become
citizens here? Atrocious!” Rarity huffed with disgust, “How does your
department live with themselves? And you work for ponies like that?”
Flathoof winced slightly at her sting, “Look, I don’t make the rules and
I certainly don’t like a lot of them. If I had the ability to ensure that
everypony that didn’t get their affairs in order quickly enough was still taken
care of, believe me, I would. But I only work out here in this District, I don’t
work at the Gate District, which is where most of that takes place. I don’t
have any authority there either, only the knowledge of what goes on. It’s
rare for anypony to end up in a situation similar to yours...I’m still confused
how you managed to get all the way into the Mid-Districts looking like you
did, without anypony noticing you.
“Only in the Inner Districts,” he continued, "Does anypony really care
what happens to one another, and that’s because they have the money to
afford the luxury of that; even then, from what I’ve seen of the upper crust
personally, I think it’s all for show and social bravado. It’s frustrating...being
one of the few who has genuine concern...” and Flathoof sighed with a
great deal of dejection, ”At any rate, enough of that for now. I don’t want to
bore you all with my troubles - we’re here.”
Flathoof gestured to the massive domestic complex that would hold
their new home - the Southeast Point. One hundred stories tall and
covering the entire city block, the six mares accompanying him looked up in
awe at the sheer size of it; they’d all thought it was other buildings they’d
been walking alongside for the past minute, not part of one. As he
explained it, it was basically like a large collection of small houses all
stacked together and then on top of each other, and they were even more
amazed to find that nearly every single little home in that complex could
and usually would house anywhere between one and eight ponies each;
nothing big or fancy, usually just a bedroom, a restroom, and a small den
and kitchen. Considering the size of the place, Twilight calculated quickly in
her head that this building - already at least as big as Princess Celestia’s
Palace, even if organized differently - likely housed as many ponies as the
entire city of Canterlot, if not more; if this was just one building...how big
was the rest of the city? The sheer magnitude of such a population, far
greater than they’d first predicted from walking the streets of what had
turned out to be the outskirts of this large sub-sector, made their heads
spin.
This city...did it really hold that many ponies? If it did...well, Twilight
gulped in a nervous awe at the prospect of such a number. More ponies
living in this one city than lived in all of their own Equestria?
Impossible.
The Southeast Point - so named because it marked the southeastern
corner of the border that surrounded the Central Plaza - was a large,
ordinary building colored a dull, dirty brown with traces of oranges and
grays, and little dull blue awnings that hung over particular windows - likely
those of some importance - and matched the larger one that was over the
entrance. While it certainly looked habitable it didn’t look like it was in the
greatest shape; this building had seen better days, but those had to be at
least a few dozen years back. As Flathoof put it, if it was “good enough” for
the city departments, that was all the work they’d put into it. No sense in
wasting resources to make someplace look pretty when all the ponies that
lived there wouldn’t know fancy if it bit them in the flank.
The large double doors that led into the building were a slightlystained green tint, so it wasn’t until they entered that they could see just the
kind of place they’d be living. Twilight frowned as she quickly tried to
readjust her calculations - if the rest of the floors were organized anything
like the lobby, then perhaps more ponies lived here than initially thought. It
was packed tight, and there was barely enough breathing room for
everypony in the group as they walked down the main corridor besides tiny
crowds of other ponies coming and going from the building. Some were
leaving for work, other for dinner time, and some were likely coming home
from one of those two. Flathoof directed them to follow him single-file, and
at his guidance it didn’t take long to locate the management office. At the
reception counter sat an aged earth pony mare, creamy brown in color with
graying mane and tail and a gaudy forest green pearl necklace that clashed
horribly with her otherwise sea green blouse. Her large, horn-rimmed
glasses reminded Rarity of her own pair back home.
“Can I help you?” she asked in a disinterested tone, eyeing the
newcomers with mild aversion. The six mares looked like they’d just picked
their clothes out of a bin and walked out the door, not much style or grace
at all. They seemed all fitting enough but none of them looked particularly
fashionable - the white one, perhaps, but that was probably neither here
nor there. Not that she was much in touch with modern fashion - maybe
this is what the younger crowd wore these days?
The orange one wore some sort of cowpony hat and a plaid, brick red
work shirt, making her look like she’d just wandered off the set of some
western they were filming out in the Wastelands, or that she worked on one
of those ‘farms’ they had down south in Utopia. It was certainly dirty
enough that she looked like she’d been working in it. Why in Equestria
she’d be wearing an outfit like that when neither of those things were
anything New Pandemonium had the time or place for, that was a different
story. Maybe some kind of fetish?
The blue one had picked out what looked like a flight jacket - she
must’ve thought pretty highly of herself and her flying ability to wear an
outfit that just screamed, “Hey, I’m such a good flier I’m going to advertise
myself!” just by the implication of wearing it. Clearly it hadn’t originally been
hers either, perhaps a hand-me-down or something borrowed or stolen - it
was a little too big for her and the sleeves nearly dragged along the floor as
she stood there, let alone if she suddenly decided to start walking. For
goodness’ sake she was even wearing little goggles with brown leather
frames and slightly cracked and dirty blue glass. Did she even wear them,
or were they just something that ‘went with’ the jacket?
The purple one...was she wearing a cape and a sequined vest? What
did she think she was, some kind of stage performer? Magicians’ acts were
probably the least popular theater shows these last few seasons. The cape
wasn’t even fancy or decorated, just a dull blue like the vest was, and it
was much too short and like the blue one’s jacket probably did not originally
belong to her either. Perhaps she was merely a former assistant to one of
those magicians long ago, and now that she was grown she was deciding
to follow that path?
The white one had picked out a frilly, pale pink dress and a lilac
ribbon that at least made her look the most well-dressed in the bunch,
possibly even elegant had the material been made out of something nicer.
It almost looked like she’d used that unicorn magic of hers to put the outfit
together from bits and pieces of other outfits. The minor clash of style was
apparent enough with some examining - the bows and ribbons were neatly
tied in a fancy manner not at all befitting the state the dress was in - it was
clean, sure, but not exactly like it’d just been washed.
And the yellow one, she looked not at all keen on being here - or out
of the house at all, for that matter, and how could you blame her when she
was wearing the much-too-attractive baby-blue blouse and skirt? Attractive
was probably the wrong word here actually - certainly it would attract
attention, but not the kind that that word was usually suited to describe.
Perhaps...ah...promiscuous would be a better term? That skirt was much
too short - the girl’s Cutie Mark was peeking out almost completely. It was
odd, considering she did not seem to like the attention she was getting from
the numerous stallions in the room, or the occasional mare here and there.
But the pink one was the most...unique. That was the word. Unique.
She looked like she’d literally just set a box on the floor labeled “Clothes”,
filled it with random articles of clothing, leapt in, and wore whatever she
came out with. That green propeller cap did not mesh with that black
leather jacket with the collar popped much too high, which did not work
together with the bright, gaudy yellow t-shirt she wore underneath that had
printed on it the logo from a children’s program she probably didn’t even
watch. Or worse, actually did watch - imagine the prospect of a grown mare
like that watching a show meant for little foals. Was she wearing roller
skates too? Why? How did those help complete her ensemble in any
possible way? Why, all she needed now was a set of glasses with a false
nose and mustache, maybe a noisemaker too, and she’d look like she was
straight out of some zany cartoon where up was down and black was white.
Perhaps she’d forgotten those at home?
“Yes, I phoned earlier to see about speaking with Mr. Lockwood.”
Flathoof said sternly.
“I am assuming you are Officer Flathoof then? He’s just finishing up a
meeting with an associate and should be done in a few minutes. He asked
me to tell you he regrets any inconvenience caused by making you wait.
You all can wait in the reception area until he gets here. Thank you...”
“Much obliged ma’am,” Flathoof nodded, ignoring her curt attitude,
“Come along, ladies.”
“So, this Lockwood fellow,” Rarity asked, “You mentioned him earlier
as Officer Snapshot was filling out that domicile form. An owner of this
establishment perhaps? Is he a friend of yours?”
“We go back a ways, yes,” Flathoof nodded, “Went to school together
a long time ago. Anytime I’ve ever needed a favor, he’s been the pony I
went to see first. I don’t know how much help he can give me here, but if he
can’t do anything directly he’ll at least know somepony who can. Hopefully.
He’s usually pretty good about that sort of thing though.”
“He sounds decent enough,” Twilight smiled, “Any friend of yours
can’t be too bad, right?”
“Pfh, tell that to Snapshot,” Applejack huffed, “I ain’t never met a pony
with...with such an attitude before, but if ol’ Flathoof says she’s on the
level...well, I s’pose we ‘pparently owe her some thanks...
“I just hope he’s not all super stuffy and a fuddy-duddy or anything!”
Pinkie Pie bounced, “Then we’d have another guest for the party! Ooh!
Does he like chocolate cake, or vanilla? I prefer strawberry myself,
because it’s pink and super duper tasty, just like me!”
“I just hope he’s...nice...” Fluttershy peeped, “I...I’ve...had my fill of the
other kinds of ponies...for more than one day, I think...”
A moment later and a knock came at the reception room door. A
pegasus with a rich gray coat walked in, wearing a dull brown rain jacket of
a lighter shade than his mud-brown mane and tail. Those were neatly
combed and short, making him look tidy and neat. He wasn’t particularly
well-built, a little on the lanky side actually, but had a good posture and gait
that made him look more fit than weak. The one thing - two things, really they all noticed most were his tender golden eyes, firm yet gentle. He
certainly looked kind enough, but that seemed a reasonable expectation for
a friend of Flathoof.
“Ah, Lockwood!” Flathoof smiled as he trotted over and greeted his
friend with a sturdy hoof-shake, “So glad I was able to get a hold of you.
How’ve you been? I’m sorry I was so hasty on the phone, I was-”
“Yes yes, Flathoof,” Lockwood smiled as Flathoof shook his hoof
gratefully, “Don’t fret over it. I’m always willing to do a favor for a friend, you
know that. Now then...these are the six mares you told me about? Utopia,
eh? Fancy stuff - I’m surprised they even wanted to come here of all places
in Equestria. I suppose I should feel honored, heh.”
“Yes, these are them,” Flathoof nodded, “What kind of options are we
looking at here? Please tell me you’ve got some good news for me today.”
“Hmm...” Lockwood thoughtfully tapped his hoof to his chin,
“Well...you’re in luck. We have a few vacancies right now - a few ponies
here and there failed to pay their rent...again, and there’s only so much I
can do when other ponies aren’t willing to...ah...cooperate. One of our
larger rooms should accommodate them, but it wasn’t actually designed for
six so it might be a little...ah...cozy, but it’s all I’ve got. Now then, the issue
of payment. Normally I wouldn’t ask right away but, well, I do have
obligations to the owners. Gotta treat this completely legit, you understand.”
Flathoof coughed, “Ah...well...um...not only are they new in town, but
they don’t exactly have any bits on them either. I always thought Utopia
used bits too, but maybe I’m mistaken. I was hoping we’d be able to work
something out here...”
Lockwood waved a hoof, “Say no more. There are enough loopholes
in the city’s paperwork and tax code that I can probably work out something
to get them their first month rent free, or at the very least until they find
work. Does that sound reasonable?”
“Incredibly,” nodded Flathoof with a grin, “Right ladies?”
“Oh, most definitely,” Twilight smiled, “Thank you for your help, Mister
Lockwood.”
“Please, just Lockwood will do. I’m only ‘Mister’ when I’m doing
business, and this is a favor for my good friend Flathoof. I always take
great pride in helping those I care about, no exception here. Now then,
before I show you all to your new abode, let you get adjusted and all that, I
believe some introductions are in order. Seeing as I’ll be your landlord for
the next...well, however long you’re here, I feel it’d be good to get to know
you all a little better. As has been established, my name is Lockwood,” and
he bowed, “And you all are...?
“Of course,” Twilight nodded, “I’m Twilight Sparkle, and these are my
friends Applejack-”
“Howdy.”
“Rarity-”
“Charmed.”
“Rainbow Dash-”
“Hey.”
“Fluttershy-”
“Um...hello...”
“And-”
“Heeeeyyy, why’d I have to go last this time?” Pinkie pouted. Then
the pout turned into a huge grin, “Wait, that means I’m the grand finale!
Woo!” and she bounced a few times, “Saving the best for last, I like your
way of thinking, Twilight! Hiya, super-cool new friend! I’m Pinkie Pie! I’m the
bestest best party pony this side of the moon, and probably the other side
too!”
“A pleasure, all of you,” Lockwood smiled, “Now then, let’s go see
your room, shall we?”
They followed Lockwood out of the reception area, Flathoof taking up
the rear, and after a short trot down the entry hallway, they entered the
main stairwell and began the climb up several flight of steps to their new
home.
Several floors later, the ponies were all mostly exhausted and didn’t
think they could keep climbing. Stair after stair after stair after stair, it
seemed to go on forever and ever. The stairs were dusty and musty and
not all all pleasant, it was cramped, it was dry, and it was a long climb.
Their appreciation for a generously given home was slowly beginning to
diminish, as much as they all hated to admit those kinds of thoughts.
Eventually it got to the point where they could not gold their tongues and
had to say something.
“Geez, what are we on, the eight-billionth floor?” Rainbow Dash
groaned, “I can’t believe we’re probably gonna have to do this every day.
No wonder all the ponies around here look so fit. Stupid tight
stairwell...can’t even fly in here. I don’t need to keep my legs and hooves in
shape, I need my wings...phooey...”
“Are we there yet?”
“It is good exercise,” laughed Lockwood who seemed none the worse
for wear, “You’ll get used to it soon enough. I know I sure had to, and I tell
you, I used to live on a higher floor than this, in a much bigger complex. At
least once you know where your room is, if one of your friends is home you
can always just fly up to the window and they can let you in.“
“Are we there yet?”
“Golly, I ain’t had this kind of a work out-in ages, not since last
Applebuckin’ season,” Applejack said as she cricked her neck, “I reckon
this’ll be a mighty fine replacement for buckin’ apple trees, at least fer now.
Do a lap or two up ‘n’ down, should be the same as buckin’ half o’ Sweet
Apple Acres. How the rest of y’all holdin’ up back there? Heh heh, you not
feelin’ tired now, are ya Rarity?”
“Are we there yet?.
“I hate stairs...” Rarity grumbled, out of breath, “Hate...stairs...I’m
going to...take out all the stairs...in my boutique...hate stairs...so many
stairs...going to have nightmares about climbing stairs...so many
cobwebs...dust...stairs are dirty...hate stairs...”
“Are we there yet?”
“Um...phew...” Fluttershy breathed, keeping her response short not
out of shyness but desire to conserve breath.
“It’s not...so bad,” Twilight puffed, “I know I needed the exercise,
that’s for sure. Maybe not this much but Spike was always saying I should
get out more. Though...I think I might chalk this up to filling out most of my
weekly allotted exercise. Phew! I just wish there was better ventilation.
Rarity’s right, it is a bit...dusty...”
“Are we there yet?”
“I wish you’d told me they were this high up, Lockwood,” even
Flathoof began to complain, “I don’t get out as much as I did when I was
still a rookie. Haven’t had to do this much physical work on-duty in a while.
Can’t believe I let you talk me into this...”
“Are we there yet?”
“Me?” Lockwood chuckled, “I believe it was you who were calling in
asking for a favor, my boy. You’d do well to appreciate the work I’m gonna
have to so through to make this all turn out smoothly. Don’t tell me you’re
getting droopy back there, Mister ‘Toughest Roughest Lawpony in
Equestria’, heh heh.”
“Are we there yet?”
“PINKIE PIE!” Rainbow Dash belted, “If you ask one more time, I’ll-”
“We’re here!” Lockwood exclaimed (“Finally!”) as he held Rainbow
Dash in place, easily as glad as everypony else for the fact, “Room Eightyfour Five. Those first two numbers are your floor number - the eighty-fourth
- and the second is your room position on the floor - you’re in the five
o’clock position, assuming the building entrance it twelve o’clock and the
hour hand is pointing at your door.”
“Well that’s a pretty orderly numbering convention,” Twilight
observed, “If a bit odd with that last bit. You use a clock face to determine
room numbers? Makes it easy to figure out your room if you forget the
number I suppose...”
Lockwood chuckled, “If only all the rooms were as neatly positioned
as yours. I live in Room Sixteen Eight-forty-five. The superintendent lives in
Room Zero-Two Six-Twenty-Eight - not thirty, not twenty-five, but
specifically twenty-eight. No rhyme or reason at all in it. I mean...we almost
didn’t even come to agreement on how to decide the twelve o’clock position
- somepony wanted the room closest to the stairwell on each floor to be the
twelve o’clock room. Can you imagine?”
“...why don’t they just name the rooms by a simple numerical
system?” Twilight blinked
“Because nopony could agree on who got to be Room Whateverwhatever One, or if maybe it should be Zero-One since there are more than
ten rooms on several of the floors, or if maybe we should start with ZeroZero - or if we should call that Double-Zero - or this or that and something
else blah blah blah,” Lockwood sighed, “Nopony seems to take cooperation
lightly, I tell you. I asked the same thing when I moved in. Half - no,
probably most - of the things in this city don’t make a lick of sense, you just
gotta grin and bear it, unless you think you’ve got the money to get a flight
to Utopia. And can afford to live there when you get there...well hang on,
aren’t you all from Utopia? Why in heaven’s name would you all want to
leave? I’ve been trying to save up for a trip for ages.”
“My theory is they’re actually refugees from the Wastelands, we just
used that Utopia cover story to get through the paperwork,” Flathoof quickly
explained, “Didn’t want to have to start filling out criminal backgrounds and
medical histories because some clerk thought they’d got some sort of
mutation out there. They didn’t look dangerous or anything, and they
seemed like they needed a good home. I had to help, you understand...”
“Hmm...they look a little too healthy to be refugees...” Lockwood said
suspiciously, “Ah, no matter. If they are, I’m more than willing to help them
get back on their hooves and into a relatively safer environment, and if
they’re not, well I suppose they have their reasons for their secrecy. I
expect to hear some stories about all the things going on out there, I never
traveled much further than the first Checkpoint. Anyway! Ladies, your
castle awaits.”
Their new home was...well, Lockwood had called it cozy, and said it
wasn’t really built for six ponies. That seemed all the more true when they
got in - it looked like it was built more for three or four at best. It was a fairly
decent-sized apartment if one were to share it with only one more pony, but
with four it would likely seem a little cramped; with six it made it feel more
like a hovel than a home...but it was free for now if Lockwood’s claims were
accurate, and it was being generously given simply because they
happened to meet precisely the right two ponies in the entire city. Luck was
a finicky mistress, but sometimes she worked in mysterious ways.
“Ech...” Rarity said with a look of displeasure, still trying to catch her
breath and shake cobwebs and dust from her mane and tail, “Ponies live in
this filth? Please tell me this room just hasn’t been cleaned recently...or
ever. At least then I’ll believe the mess I’m seeing here.”
“Actually, that’s pretty true,” Lockwood nodded with a frown, “We
weren’t allowed to clean up after the scene of the murder...police wouldn’t
let us. I mean, it’s already been a full day, we should be allowed to clean
up, right Flathoof? Twenty-four hours is policy, isn’t it?”
The six mares stared in disbelief. Fluttershy audibly sniffed and hid
behind Applejack, hoping the bigger, stronger mare would protect her from
whatever might be lurking around the nearest corner. None of the six could
hardly believe what they’d just heard - death was a natural thing in their
world, and even though they knew there were bad ponies out there even
back home that might inflict it upon others out of malice, they didn’t expect
that to be a common occurrence over here.
“Kidding!” Lockwood chuckled nervously, “Just...just kidding. A joke!
Ha ha? Oh come on, as if I’d give you a room that somepony’d been
murdered in only a day before. Ha ha! Ha? Okay no really, why isn’t
anypony laughing? Seriously, I use that same joke on everypony that has
ever moved in and you six are the first ones not to laugh.”
“Is that...something you have to deal with around here?” Twilight
gulped, “Often? We...we aren’t really...accustomed to that sort of thing...”
“What, murder?” Flathoof frowned, “I wish I could say we never had
to deal with it at all, but in fact it’s quite the opposite. I think we’ve had
maybe seven ponicide calls this week, and that’s a pretty low number. Sure
it’s not the weekend yet...but...I’m not helping things am I? Oh dear...”
“Listen, this is the safest District in the whole city...apart from the
Inner Districts, but that’s cheating to compare us to them,” Lockwood swiftly
explained as the whole group looked more and more distressed, “We
haven’t had anything like that happen in what...months? And it wasn’t
anything like...wow okay I’m not helping matters either...”
Fluttershy sniffed and huddled in closer to Applejack, “...this place is
scarier than I thought...”
“Now now, darling, I’m sure it’ll all be okay,” Rarity soothed, “Come
on, let’s focus on getting our new home cleaned up a little, hmm? Take
your mind off all those scary things...”
“Yeah!” Pinkie Pie bounced, “We need to get all the decorations set
up for our housewarming party! Let’s see, I need streamers and balloons
and banners, um...a cake, a whoooole lot of plates and cups and I think
maybe like a dozen bottles of soda pop, gotta get all super hydrated after
that climb! Um, confetti and noisemakers and a music box and-”
“Pinkie Pie, we’ve got more important things to worry about,”
Rainbow Dash frowned, “Besides, this place doesn’t look like it would have
room for one of your parties anyhow.”
“Are we talking one of my Super Duper Awesome Big Birthday Bash
Parties, or my Ultra Fun Best Friends Forever Parties? Because then well
duh, I know we don’t have room for either of those, silly, but this isn’t one of
those kinds of parties anyway. This feels more like a Welcome Welcome
Everypony Welcome Party, but depending on the area of the room and the
dimensions I have to work with I might be able to fit in a Totally Amazing
Radical Blast Party assuming that the room is a perfect square and that we
have enough pi,” and she snickered loudly at her terrible pun, “To go
around, but where am I gonna find a break-dancing floor at this time of
night?”
“Ugh...” Rainbow sighed, “Me and my big mouth...”
“Did Pinkie Pie just invoke mathematics in party planning?” Twilight
said with absolutely staggering confusion, “How would that...what could
you...is there even...oh...dear, I think I’m getting a headache...”
“Besides!” Pinkie laughed as she sidled up close to Rainbow, “If I
can’t fit in enough room for even a Little Itty Bitty Teeny Tiny ‘Just Us
Friends’ Housewarming Party, we can always have our own little private
party later, Dashie! Always plenty of room for one of those! You just gotta
be quieter than-”
Rainbow turned red, “P-Pinkie Pie, geez!”
“What’s all this talk about parties?” Lockwood blinked.
“The pink one’s special talent is throwing parties,” Flathoof
whispered, “She likes parties. A lot. And singing. And dancing. And games.
And parties, did I mention parties? Yes, we went over this a lot back at the
station...” and he subtly twirled his hoof in a circular motion around his ear,
taking care not to let her or her friends notice.
“Ahhh...” Lockwood nodded in total understanding, “Well, ladies, what
say we start getting your home all spruced up, hmm?”
*****
*****
*****
Snapshot sighed dejectedly and eyed the clock on the wall. One
more hour. That’s how long it would take for her to get out of this droll little
job and back home, where she could enjoy herself and try to get some
work done on her hobbies. Today had probably been the most stressful
and working day she’d ever had to endure in her last year as a desk clerk
for the NPPD; if Flathoof weren’t such an eligible bachelor, she’d have
passed it on to her co-worker sitting at the desk several paces to her right.
All that work and hassle wasn’t worth her time, but doing little favors like
that here and there for Flathoof...well, she hoped it might get her in his
good graces, so that maybe he’d want to get in her...good graces. She
eyed the other mare, a pink pegasus with a silvery white mane streaked
with gold (that dye job was so tacky) with disinterested contempt.
Firecracker...oh how Snapshot wished that blasted mare would just
up and fly away and never darken these halls again with her bow-legged,
hip-swaggering, obviously-had-a-wing-job self. Always stealing all the
good-looking stallions in the department...the hussy. Snapshot knew that
she had seen Goldenstar first, she had been flirting with him so casually in
the break room, and that she had been the one who asked him out!
Firecracker had even been sitting just a table or two away in the cafeteria
when she did it! And then the jerk went and broke it off last second after
Snapshot had gone through hours of making herself look presentable and
attractive and desirable, and the next day he was over there at
Firecracker’s desk, playing with her hair and whispering sweet nothings in
her ear. Third time this month she’d seen a stallion at that desk, and it was
always a different one!
Snapshot sighed in dejected disapproval of herself; for months she’d
been trying to get the attention of one of the stallions around the
department, and learned the hard way that most of them were really not
worth her time; crooks, liars, cheats, sneaks, and perverts, the lot of them!
She was desperate, but not that desperate. No, now there only a few
stallions left on the entire force that were worth any attention, at least
physically and mentally, but no, they just had to be in relationships already.
That was just the way things worked, that all the good-looking, wellmannered stallions were the ones taken, wasn’t it? Except one...and he
didn’t seem interested at all in anypony. Of all the rotten luck that the most
good-hearted and certainly broadest stallion in the entire force was
just...not looking for anypony special to share himself with. Snapshot would
give anything for Flathoof to look at her the way she looked at him, and
cursed the fact that she’d probably drifted so far into the ‘Friend Zone’ by
now that she’d need a map and a three weeks’ worth of supplies just to find
her way out.
Oh Captain, my Captain...
And in an instant, Captain Flathoof sweeping her off her feet was
almost distant memory. As much as she wanted him to be hers, she knew
that being hopeful and ignoring other opportunities was worse than noticing
the little things in life and trying to find love elsewhere. And somepony else
had just walked into her life, and was he ever a different story. Lean and
athletic, and so suave. Ooh, and that uniform, that impeccable black suit
and tie combination that reminded her so of the secret agents and spies
from her novels, she recognized that anywhere. If all of the Committee
Investigation Agency’s agents looked that good, maybe she’d consider
applying sometime after she had more on her resume. She certainly had
the broad knowledge of the system’s inner workings that she knew was one
of their requirements. All she was lacking was experience.
Oh my, and he was quite literally walking into her life now - he was
walking towards her desk! Oh dear, was her hair straight? No smudges on
her glasses? Her breath was okay, wasn’t it?
“You must be Miss...” and the well-dressed pegasus looked at a
report file he had open, “Snapshot, correct?”
“Uh-huh,” she nodded in a daze, “I mean...ahem...y-yes, that’s me.
How may I help you...Agent...?”
“Sparkwalker,” he nodded, “I’m with the CIA. I need to speak with you
about a recent registration you filled out, in regards to some suspicious
information.”
“Oh? Which one?
“Which six,” the Agent said in a hushed whisper as he plopped the
report file on the table. Snapshot’s eyes widened - those six mares that had
been here only a few hours before! Wow, the CIA sure worked fast, the
paperwork had literally been teleported to the NPRD not more than four
hours ago. She’d never heard of anything that made the CIA this
interested. Oh...what if Flathoof was in trouble, and these six mare were
criminals! Or worse, terrorists!
“I recognize them, yes,” she nodded, mirroring his quiet tone, “What
kind of information do you need?”
“Is there somewhere more...private we can talk?” he said with a slight
grin. She couldn’t be sure, but if it had been her in his place she’d have
looked quickly at Firecracker and back again, hinting at not being able to
speak around another officer. She was certainly he had likely done the
same, but those sunglasses he was wearing prevented that. Why was he
wearing sunglasses in Pandemonium? The sun never shined here. And
inside? Maybe that was part of the uniform? Oh, why was she worrying
about that? He wanted the two of them to be alone. And that grin on his
face...she got the feeling that this was going to be her lucky day. Ah,
opportunity, how loud your knock could be.
“Certainly, follow me,” she waved as she headed towards the back of
the clerk’s office. The pegasus followed her into the staff room, and after
making sure nopony was coming this way, she closed and locked the door.
Ah, privacy, “So...what’s this all about?” she asked as she sat in the neat
and cozy office chair. Agent Sparkwalker remained standing near enough
that she could actively drink in all his features (and she found herself
enjoying every minute of it), and he took out a small notepad and set it on
the table, just out of her sight, then sat his pen upon that. Business before
pleasure, she thought dejectedly.
“The Committee is concerned about the status of their case file. It
would seem that Police Chief Smokestack applied for a pay increase that
arrived literally five minutes after these six forms came in. While this
normally wouldn’t be too troubling - Smokestack does this kind of thing all
the time, does he not?”
“...a-are you asking me?” she pointed a hoof at herself, “I don’t get
involved much with the Chief’s business...”
“Hmm...” Sparkwalker nodded, jotting down a few notes, holding the
pen in his mouth and the notebook steadied on the table, “No matter, this is
about these six Ponies of Interest anyway. Our department is concerned
with the speed at which their forms were filed and documented, and we
suspect that perhaps the Chief was rushing things along just to get a wage
increase, and may have...overlooked things concerning them. Now, your
name is on the form as the Identification Photographer and as their File
Clerk, so I believe it safe to assume you had some interaction with them?”
“Ah...y-yes, that I did,” she nodded, somewhat nervous that he’d learn
that she’d sped the paperwork along at Flathoof’s request, not the Chief’s.
“If it’s okay with you then, I’d like to ask you a few questions about
them. You can tell me some details about them, yes?”
“I...I hope so,” she nodded, “What’s this all about anyway? I mean...nnot to pry...”
“Committee business, I’m not supposed to tell,” he said shortly.
“Please? A...ah...fellow officer I know is their parole officer...I want to
make sure he’ll be...okay, sir.”
“His name?”
“Flathoof...ah, Captain Flathoof.”
“I’ll make sure we take care of him should the need arise,” he
nodded, “Now then, let’s start at the top according to the order you filled the
forms out, based on your time-stamps. First, Twilight Sparkle - what can
you tell me about her?”
“Real bossy, seemed well-educated,” Snapshot said with a slight
sneer, “Probably the brains of the group, if you ask me...oh...I’m sorry, I
know I’m not supposed to figure my personal opinions into this...
Sparkwalker smiled, “While I didn’t ask, your information is valuable
and will help our investigation. Please, feel free to relax and speak
honestly...candidly. I know we have a lot of information on these forms, but
just speak freely, don’t feel like repeating anything they said seems
redundant. Normally we don’t hold any interest in the personal opinions of
those we interview...but I’m making a special case about this one. It may
help us understand the psyche of these six, you understand?”
“Y-yes, sir.”
“And drop the ‘sir’ nonsense. Just Sparkwalker, if you please,
Snapshot...,” he said with a grin.
“Ah...ahem, r-right. Sparkwalker...” she blushed. Ooh, they were
already on first-name basis. She wasn’t used to the idea of a CIA agent
being so informal - that was a major part of their job, being really rigid and
uncooperative - but maybe this one liked her? Maybe if she played her
cards right she’d have plans tonight, “Well she was kind of a busy-body,
asking all sorts of questions and trying to learn more about the city. I mean,
sure I guess that makes sense if you’re not from around here, but still...the
others weren’t quite as inquisitive or even interested, just left the work to
her. Said she used to work as a librarian, so if I had to venture a guess
she’ll probably look for work at the CBH or something similar.”
“Hmm...go on then, the next pony - ah...Rarity. She appears to
be...posing for this picture?”
“Yeah, she insisted on making it a glamour shot,” Snapshot chuckled,
“I’ll be fair, she has a good look to her and if it weren’t for the stupid
jumpsuit she might look pretty charming. Really snooty though, kind of
gave me a hard time in making sure I was getting all her physical details
right, seemed like a neat-freak. Kept insisting she was a fashion designer
back home which struck me as extremely odd, since they weren’t wearing
any clothes when they got arrested, according to the reports I attached. I
mean who ever heard of a fashion designer wandering around nude, not
even like a scarf or a bow or anything? Contradictory, yeah? You’d think
she’d be wearing something at all times even if we didn’t have that law.
Self-advertisement, that kind of thing.”
Sparkwalker nodded and jotted down some more notes, “Let’s
see...ah, Fluttershy. She looks like she didn’t want to take the picture at all,
did she give you a hard time?”
“Oh brother, it took me three times longer to get her form filled out,
she was very uncooperative, had to ask every question at least twice to be
able to hear her. Really quiet, really shy, kind of spoke in peeps and
mumbles and always tried to avoid making eye contact. Kind of cute in a
way, probably gets a lot of lookers back where she comes from. Said she
was a veteran-arian, whatever the hay that is. Something to do with the
military? Veterans and all that? Does Utopia even have a military
anymore?”
“Animals.”
“An army...of animals?” Snapshot raised an eyebrow, “Please tell me
you’re kidding...”
“What? Oh...no no, a veterinarian. They’re like...doctors, for animals.
Common practice over in Utopia, is what I hear. Moving on then...ah,
Pinkamena Diane...Pie? Ah, sorry, I didn’t see the note under Alias. ‘Pinkie’
Pie is her preferred name then? Is she doing the crossed-eyes on purpose,
or does she have some sort of condition?”
“Yes, on purpose, and what a mouth that one’s got,” Snapshot huffed,
“Just would not shut up. Yap yap yap yap yap, gave me such roundabout
long answers to so many of the questions. Told me this ridiculous story
when I asked her about her special talent, some spiel about a rock farm
and a party, then claimed it was like an origin myth or something! Not right
in the head that one, but she made me a little suspicious - and not just
because she seemed a few cards short of a deck, either. While everypony
else in the group said they were from Utopia right away, and Twilight
Sparkle even added their ridiculous District into it - pfft, Ponyville, still
makes me laugh - this Pinkie Pie character, she kind of hesitated a little; it
was a really subtle pause, I wouldn’t have noticed it if she hadn’t been such
a motor mouth otherwise. Made me think she really, really wanted to say
something else and realized her mistake just before she made it. Now that I
think of it, so did that orange one, Applejack was it? She didn’t say Utopia
right away either, seemed kind of pained that she had to do it. Makes me
think maybe their story isn’t as true as they claim. Nothing gets past my
sleuth sense,” and she gave a proud little smile.
“Very astute...I’ll make note of your suspicions,” Sparkwalker smirked,
“You’ve been very helpful so far Snapshot, thank you.”
“Oh...are we done?” she frowned.
“Oh no, not quite yet, just thought I’d thank you for being so helpful to
my investigation,” he nodded, tilting down his eye glasses ever so slightly
so that she could see him wink. Snapshot turned red and coughed into her
hoof. She felt rather embarrassed that he was pushing all the right buttons,
and a little nervous that he knew what buttons to push, “Now then, the next
one - Rainbow...Dash?”
“Really full of herself, big ego, took everything I said as a challenge.
Fastest flier in Equestria? Really? That I find difficult to believe - when I
said as much she started getting a little riled up like she wanted to prove it
right then and there. I’ve seen some pretty fast fliers in the NPPD, and she
didn’t look like anything special. And her response to my asking about it,
was that she’s the only pony to ever pull off a ‘Sonic...Rainboom’? What the
hay is that, some sort of sonic boom mixed with a rainbow? How would you
even do that? Seems physically impossible to me. Ah, and if you look
under Alias I noted ‘Dashie’ as a nickname rather than a preferred name;
the pink pony kept calling her that, and was the only pony doing it that I
could see. I don’t know, I got kind of a weird vibe from the two, like maybe
they’re...y’know...more than friends?”
“Interesting...hmm...well, one more then - tell me about this
Applejack.”
“Don’t get me even started on her,” Snapshot growled, “Urgh, I saw
the way she was looking at Flathoof...ah...n-not that that matters,” she
quickly added so that Sparkwalker wouldn’t get the wrong idea, even if it
was the right idea; she just didn’t want him to think it was, “He’s my friend is
all...don’t want to see him get hurt because some Utopian Jezebel gives
him that look and thinks she can just waltz in and flutter her eyes and land
the prized stallion of the NPPD in her bunk when I’ve been...heh...um,
anyway, she was honest enough, didn’t have any problem answering
everything straight away, except that Utopia bit I mentioned earlier. Had a
real thick accent that made it hard to get everything understood at first. Had
to tone down a lot of the bigger words too, she must be the dumb muscle,
that’s my guess.”
“Yes, very good,” he nodded as he wrote down the last few notes, “I
understand they also filed domicile registration forms? You wouldn’t
happen to have a copy of them anywhere, would you?”
“Oh...sorry, I don’t,” she frowned, “It’s still in Processing, I think...your
department should get it in a few hours, I’d hope. I rushed it along pretty
well, I’m surprised the other forms got to you guys that fast, really.”
“I was hoping I could get a copy sooner than that,” he pouted, “We
are in hot pursuit of these mares, see - I can’t tell you exactly why, of
course, but I assure you that the faster I can find out where they are or
where they may be headed, the faster I can catch up to them and find out
what exactly they’re doing.”
Snapshot frowned. If Agent Sparkwalker was delayed, it might be
putting Flathoof at risk, and she didn’t like the fact that she would be partly
responsible. As much as she was attracted this new pony...well, she still
cared for the Captain, and wanted to make sure nothing happened to him,
“I...I can remember some of the things on the forms I filled out. Not every
detail, but I assume anything would help, right?”
“Most assuredly,” he nodded quickly, ”Any assistance you can give
me in my investigation will be greatly appreciated.”
“Well, ah...I remember a name...um...Southeast...P-something. Park?
Place?”
“Point?” Sparkwalker hinted, “Southeast Point, I recognize the name.
Most suspicious that they would be able to get a room so quickly in the
busiest, most expensive part of the District, and with a record even.”
Snapshot frowned again, “Um...Captain Flathoof is the one who
helped them get it. He said he had a friend who was in well with the
owners...Lock...something. He was just trying to help, I don’t think he
suspects anything about them at all. Oh, I’m sorry, that’s all I can
remember...”
“Hmm...perhaps they have fooled your good friend better than you
thought. Ah, but I am getting ahead of myself. A few more questions before
we’re all finished here. First...apart from what you mentioned specifically
about them each individually, did you notice anything suspicious about
them as a group?”
“Ah...well, like I said, their home sounded a little odd. I
mean...Ponyville? Has to be a made-up name, and a really lame one at
that. Next thing you know we’ll be hearing about vacations in Fillyberg, or
celebrities living in Stalliontown and buying some beachfront property in
Colt City. Pfft...”
“So you don’t think they’re from Utopia?”
“Well...I mean...no, I don’t. But where else can they be from? The
Wastelands? Like...like refugees or something? They didn’t look violent...”
she admitted, though she was still suspicious and knew that appearances
could be deceiving, “And they seemed healthy enough, physically at least;
no mutations or deformities or anything. Still, I mean, how could they be
from Utopia? They’d have had to taken an aerial route, and surely they
would’ve been told they needed clothes here. And I know we don’t just give
out identification cards, but the NPRD has a station at the Gate...how’d
they get past it and into the city without going through that? Seems odd...”
“Very astute observations...” Sparkwalker smirked as he wrote down
more notes, “Our department was thinking much the same, we just needed
confirmation from somepony, and it is good to hear we are not alone in our
suspicions. You’d make a fine addition to the CIA one day, were you ever
so inclined,” he added with a wink, “I’d put in my personal recommendation.
And one final question, Snapshot.”
“Yes?”
“When do you get off?”
“I...I beg your pardon?” she blinked. She must have misheard that.
No...no..he still had that coy grin on his face, like he was trying to use his
eyes to remove her uniform. It made her feel a little vulnerable...feel
wanted.
“Must be lonely, working these late nights here at the police station
day after day. Must be exhausting...you must crave the feeling of release
you get when your shift is up. I’m afraid I’ve probably kept you well past
your normal hours...I’ll make sure you don’t in trouble with payroll over it...”
“I...s-suppose,” she blushed, trying her best to keep her cool. Too
fast, this was happening too fast! Should she feel worried? Relieved?
But...she’d given up opportunities worse than this for dumber reasons, and
she was not about to pass up this stallion just because she felt it was a little
impulsive.
Sparkwalker smiled and removed his sunglasses, neatly placing them
into the jacket of his tidy black suit. She became slightly distracted by
getting to see his eyes in full. A vivid green, haunting in a way. She almost
didn’t hear him speak, but then again she wasn’t paying much attention to
his words so much as his actions. Was she daydreaming again? All that
flirting...it had been real? She was worried she was looking too far into it, or
that he was just using the advances to try and weasel more information out
of her - a tactic she admitted worked.
“You look so pent up...” he breathed, “So tense. Please...allow me to
help ease that tension...even if for just a moment...”
Strong hooves on her shoulders, keeping her in place. A tender
caress. This was so sudden...too sudden. But she didn’t want it to stop, he
was so...perfect and she was so willing to forgo any sense of worry. Any
sense of wondering, ‘why would a stallion like this be interested in me?’
was completely gone. She couldn’t care any less, he was doing so much
with those hooves of his that she’d completely fallen out of her reality and
became entranced in this living fantasy, such that nothing mattered
anymore. It was not her first kiss, but it may as well have been - he was so
delicate, not at all rough or sloppy or dulled like some of her previous
coltfriends had been. She barely even noticed him unfastening his tie, or
unbuttoning her uniform. Things were moving so fast! They’d only just met!
It was just like one of her steamy romance novels. Right from
beginning, to the now-middle, and she was hoping soon, the end...
“Mmph...” she moaned into him, “B-but...I hardly even-”
“If you want to think of this as your dream come true...by all means...”
he said with a low laugh that made her heart flutter. It was like he knew.
Sparkwalker roughly pulled her out of the chair and she found herself
pinned heavily on the floor of the office on top of the rounded floralpatterned rug. She’d never been more glad that the door was locked and
that the windows were tinted. Her glasses fogged at his hot breath, and for
a moment she forgot herself and found she was unable to resist pleading
for his advances, her own hooves gripping at his mane and chest. She
could feel his smile on her neck. Taste his voice.
“One last thing...Snapshot...” his husky voice came.
“Y-yes...w-what?” she breathed hotly.
“Have you told anypony else what you’ve told me here today?”
“N-nopony...” she winced, “Please...b-be gentle...”
“No promises...”
First the tenderness of a kiss on her neck, and then a severe, blinding
pain. A hoof over her mouth, silencing her dulled scream.
The blade delicately pierced her carotid artery.
She looked up, pleading, into those heartless green eyes. How could
a face that handsome be that of somepony capable of this? His coat and
mane began to dim...no, that was her vision doing that.
Blue...she could see blue...and black.
So much black..
The blood loss was making her woozy. She tried to buck out of his
grip, but she couldn’t find the strength. She tried to cry out, but no sound
came. The agony was unbearable. It bled far beyond physical pain; she
could feel pangs of mental and emotional anguish rise. She felt like she’d
just committed some great sin...and by thinking she was helping him, she
felt she’d likely just endangered the one pony she now wish she’d never
been distracted from.
Flathoof...I...
“Shhhhh,” he cooed into her ear, “It’ll allllll be over soon, my little
shutterbug. Shhhh...now be a sweetheart for me, just...close your
eyes...that’s a good girl...”
Snapshot’s eyes dimmed as the last of her life drained away in a pool
of blood on the rug, staining it a deep, dark red.
He smiled a toothy, maddened grin to himself as he stood over her
lifeless body, cracking his neck as if feeling a great load of stress flowing
out of him. He enjoyed his work, ever so much. The little twitches of the
victim as they felt their life’s blood just drip, drip, drip away. The flickers of
emotion that sparked in their eyes as their hearts stopped. To him it was
like a beautiful mural, with himself the artist, his victim the canvas, and their
blood the paint. It was an almost excruciating high, the knowledge that
another soul’s flame had been snuffed from the world, and he relished this
particular taste of having denied her a great desire when it was mere
inches from her grasp.
The euphoria passed after but a moment, his features hardened as
he set himself back into his work, rather than his pleasure. What was
important now, was getting rid of the evidence. Snapshot had needed to
disappear, lest she tell other ponies about a CIA agent asking her
questions about those six new citizens they’d just registered. This would
attract all sorts of attention, and perhaps the officer accompanying
them...this Flathoof would somehow catch word of it and try to interfere. It
was easy enough to see that either he was in cahoots with the six
mares...or he was just dumb as a sack of bricks for believing their story.
Worse, the CIA might get wind of it, and knowing they didn’t send an agent
would investigate the matter; after all, they’d been more interested in the
case because of Chief Smokestack’s payroll increase, but if they thought
the six mares were of some critical importance then that would greatly
complicate matters. They wouldn’t question why a CIA agent was there in
the first place - they worked so slowly they’d figure it was probably from a
case several months ago they’d finally gotten around to and forgot all
about.
Shadowstep laughed quietly to himself. The Committee sure had its
priorities straight.
Well, one job finished - he’d gotten information on his targets that
would likely be useful in the future, should they turn out to require his
delicate handiwork rather than just his ever-watching eyes. He even knew
where they lived, and who they were with should that information prove
useful as well; they might try to stand in his way, and knowing how to
remove them from the equation was always a great boon. And with the little
NPPD clerk a lifeless mass on the floor here - though he’d soon have to
take care of that, easy enough - nopony would be able to warn them
either...
As for the Chronomancer, whoever they were, it was only a matter
of...
Well, they’d be dealt with soon enough...
Chapter Four
Inconvenience
“Let me get this straight,” Flathoof sighed as he held the bridge of his
nose with a hoof, “You want to leave your friends here to tidy up your new
home, because you want to go to the Database Holdings, and somehow
think I won’t be coming with you?”
“That’s right,” nodded Twilight, “I figure it would be a good idea to
start looking for...ah...work as soon as possible. I was a librarian back
home, so I‘d wager I’d be just as good at it here. I want to take a look at
their facility and get used to their system a little before I apply, though. I just
didn’t want to bother anypony else with my errands, is all; I can get a bit
absorbed in my studying sometimes.”
Twilight elected not to mention that she was going to spend most of
that time researching this perplexing new location as much as she could.
What little she could gather from talking with Flathoof and likely soon,
Lockwood, was not enough to quench her curiosity, nor enough to make
her think she knew what she’d need to know to get her and her friends
home. She had planned to take as long as she needed, but hadn’t
accounted for requiring an escort.
“While that is all well and good, Miss Sparkle, and I commend you for
taking some initiative in looking for employment, I can’t just let you go by
yourself, nnnnope” Flathoof said with sternness, “You’re on parole for this
first week, remember? Until then, all of you have to remain in my custody.
So if you want to visit the library, you’ll have to wait until after everypony
here is done, so you can all go.”
Twilight frowned, “Oh...I was hoping to get a head-start on it.”
Truthfully, she wanted to do it with as few distractions as possible. If she
were allowed to get ‘in the zone’ and start her research by herself without
any interference from her friends - not that she did not appreciate their
company, but they could prove bothersome when she needed to study at
times - she hoped she would be able to get plenty of information in very
little time, “But I understand...”
“Now now, Flathoof,” Lockwood interrupted, “Surely you don’t intend
on keeping this young lady from trying to make her way in the world, do
you?”
Flathoof narrowed his eyes at his friend, “Snooping as usual,
Lockwood? This isn’t something you can help with, old pal. This is my duty
as their parole officer - I have to keep them all in my sight, as much as I’d
like to think I can trust them; you and I both know well enough that first
impressions can prove false. I know it’s a two or three-pony job, but I can’t
expect any other officers to jump at the opportunity to babysit a bunch of
new citizens. Not that I trust many of them to do the job anyway, or not to
try anything fishy.”
“Understandable,” Lockwood nodded, “But you seem to be forgetting
that there is somepony you can trust to keep an eye on them.”
“...you?” Flathoof deadpanned.
“Of course,” Lockwood grinned, “Who did you think I meant? Some
random passer-by?”
“Lockwood, this isn’t a game,” Flathoof sighed, “I know you like to
help and all, but rules are rules, and as much as the other officers wouldn’t
have a problem breaking them, I do. I’ve got a reputation to uphold,
besides it going against my own morals.”
“Didn’t you break some rules in getting us through all this?” Twilight
asked with genuine curiosity.
“Break? N-nnnnope...” Flathoof said as he nervously tugged his
collar, “Lockwood said much the same about the tax system as I can say
about the NPPD regulations - we’ve got so many loopholes and
workarounds that...well...a pony with the knowledge of how it works can
probably get around a few roadblocks here and there if he saw fit. That’s
how Snapshot got your forms through so quickly; she knows just the right
boxes to fill and marks to make.”
“Precisely my reasoning, my boy,” Lockwood nudged his friend,
“Surely there is something you can conjure up to let somepony you trust be
an additional caretaker for these lovely young ladies? Unless...you were
planning on keeping them all to yourself...?” and Lockwood’s grin widened.
Flathoof, already red in coat, would have turned redder had that not
been the case, “Hey now, d-don’t accuse me of that kind of-”
“Aww, you sly pony you, I should’ve figured it out from the get-go,”
Lockwood taunted, “Why Flathoof, I am surprised. I didn’t think you had it in
you, after all these years. Suddenly you fancy yourself a ladies’ stallion,
and saw the opportunity to flaunt yourself in front of six eligible-”
“E-enough!” Flathoof coughed, “Fine, w-what did you have in mind, if
it’ll shut you up with these ridiculous ideas of yours?”
“Like I said, there must be some sort of workaround to allow a nonofficer to be an extra caretaker for your parolees? I’m certain there are
plenty of ponies on the force that would abuse that kind of rule to pass off
responsibility to another pony and get out of work while still getting paid.
You’d be doing it for a more noble reason: lightening the load and
entrusting some of your responsibilities to a friend you can trust, whilst you
assist one of your parolees in her endeavors to improve her situation.”
“Well...” Flathoof said in thought, “I suppose I could list you as a thirdparty caretaker. It wouldn’t really be questioned either, seeing as you’re
their landlord and all. Fine, have it your way.”
“Excellent,” Lockwood nodded, closing his eyes in satisfaction.
“I’ll have to contact the station,” Flathoof sighed, “Give me a few - I’ll
be just over here,” and he motioned to the nearby window, “Need to make
sure I get a good signal.”
“Right, of course,” Lockwood smirked.
After Flathoof walked just a ways away, Twilight turned to Lockwood
and nodded with much courtesy, “Thank you...both of you. I don’t know
what we’d do without your help. We were all in rather dire straits, and
nopony else in this city-”
“Say no more, my dear,” Lockwood nodded, “Believe me when I say I
know just how unhelpful most of my fellow citizens can be. We’re a rare
breed, ponies like Flathoof and I. It’s why we’re such good friends - we
share that common bond in knowing we can trust and rely on one another
and that other ponies can feel the same for us. I’ve formed similar
relationships with many of the ponies in this city, whom I feel I can give a
similar level of respect and trust to.”
“Do you know a lot of ponies? This city seems so vast...how could
anypony possibly hope to know so many?”
“Oh a great deal of ponies, believe me,” Lockwood said with a mock
look of exhaustion, “From all walks of life, in fact. A few of the upper crust,
like this building’s owners; it helps to have friends in high places, they
always appreciate a good, resourceful pony and are willing to look the other
way when...heh...he gives away a vacant apartment to a bunch of parolees
he just met. I have friends in lower places as well, and while some of them
are less...ah...reputable than others, at least in the eyes of the majority of
the populace...well, you’d be surprised at the kinds of diamonds you can
find in the roughest sands.”
“You mean...criminals?” Twilight asked with trepidation.
“Oh no no no,” he quickly dismissed with a rapid wave of a hoof,
“Well...ah...yes, technically. Some of my friends would be considered
criminals by the system, but I assure you that their crimes are not harmful
in any way to anypony in any meaningful or personal sense. No murderers
or thieves or anything like that, though I believe that goes without saying.
But yes, they’re guilty of some crimes against our wonderful,” and here the
distinct sneer in his lips was more than a little obvious, “Little city’s
government. You could say their crimes are trying to do as I do - helping
others - by getting around the way the city’s backwards and sideways and
upside-down laws work. Ah! But we can discuss that another time; here
comes Flathoof. Don’t mention my...ah...other friends to him - he would not
approve, you understand.”
“Um...right,” Twilight nervously nodded. She was sure Lockwood was
on the up-and-up, but now she was slightly concerned about taking his
offers for assistance. It wouldn’t get them in any more trouble, would it? No,
surely not; after all, he was clearly somepony who worked around the
system often himself, and he was still considered respectable enough that
he was close friends with a high-ranking police officer. Right?
“So,” Flathoof started as he came into earshot of the others, “Just got
off the line with the station. I’m a little disappointed we didn’t think of this
sooner, I could have asked Snapshot to take care of it and it’d be in the
system by the top of the hour; she got off duty maybe an hour ago or so,
silly girl forgot to punch out again. Had to ask one of the night-shift workers
instead. He’ll fill it out and get it done - even the night-shift knows not to
shirk on orders given from the higher-ups - but I’m slightly concerned about
it being done right. I’ll have to call Snapshot in the morning and have her go
over it to make sure it got filed properly.”
“So then...we can go?” Twilight asked with a hopeful grin.
“Yes yes, we can go,” Flathoof nodded, “If you’re sure you
can...um...handle the rest of them, Lockwood?”
Lockwood looked into the apartment and smiled as she saw Rarity
helping Fluttershy dust some of the cabinets, “I don’t think-” and then Pinkie
Pie tripped over a rug and dropped several dusty mats she’d been carrying
all over the room, spreading dust over everypony and everything. Rarity
squealed in horrified disgust and began to scold her, and Fluttershy looked
like she was ready to cry. Lockwood’s eye twitched, “Ah...I don’t think it will
be too much trouble...”
Flathoof chuckled, “I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into,
old friend. Come then, Miss Sparkle, we’ll leave my good-mannered
companion to tend to his new-found flock.”
They pair turned, but were stopped by a voice behind them, “Now
hang on just a doggone minute,” Applejack stepped in, “If y’all ‘re takin’ a
little stroll, perhaps ya wouldn’t mind if I joined ya?”
“Join us?” Twilight blinked, “We’re going to the library, Applejack...it’s,
uh...it’s not a place you’d usually volunteer to go...um...if you don’t mind my
saying.”
Applejack narrowed her eyes, “You sayin’ I ain’t got no book smarts,
Twi?”
Twilight looked at Applejack with complete sincerity, “Do...do you
really want me to answer that question?”
Applejack gave an aggravated sigh, “Nevermind,” and shook her
head, “I’m just worried ‘bout ya goin’ by yerself, Twi.”
“I’m not going alone, I’ve got Flathoof with me,” Twilight smiled, “No
need to worry or-”
Applejack stomped her hoof and gave Twilight a look, “I know that, I
just wanna keep an eye on ya’, ‘s all. And ta be honest I don’t think I can
take much more o’ Rarity’s complainin’ ‘bout the dust and dirt and all that. If
she starts whinin’, I might blow a gasket.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow, slowly beginning to get the idea that it
might be better not to argue, “Oh...well...okay then. If that’s okay with you,
Officer Flathoof?”
“I don’t know why it wouldn’t be,” Flathoof nodded, “Very well then,
come along. I suppose we could use the company.”
“Thank ya kindly,” Applejack smiled.
After a grueling walk back down the stairs, the trio left the Southeast
Point and made their way down the main street for Central Database
Holdings. Twilight and Applejack got the chance to truly marvel at how
different this city felt compared to home the more of it they got to see. The
route to Database Holdings was more professional and elaborate than the
ones they’d traversed thus far; Flathoof explained that this was because
Central Database Holdings was a relatively new building compared to the
rest of the area, and most of the surrounding landscape had needed severe
reconstruction to accommodate the complex’s...complex needs. He noted
that the roads and streets here were all only a few years old and had to be
under constant maintenance, because far beneath them ran the massive
series of wires and cables needed to power the center and transmit
information. That last bit confused the two displaced mares for now transmit information? Through cables and wires? They were used to letters
and packages, and Twilight was at least intimately familiar with the magics
of Dragonfire-fueled mail services.
As they rounded the last corner, Twilight Sparkle’s jaw dropped in
sheer awe at the size of it; if she thought Southeast Point was a large
building, then this one was a massive one. It wasn’t as tall, certainly, but it
was significantly wider. Twilight was certain that it’s dimensions were
enough such that the building itself was probably as big as the entire town
of Ponyville. It was black and gray with pulsing, neon blue lines that
highlighted the contours of the building’s design, from the edges of the
structure to the indents that dotted it and signified something that they were
not sure of. Twilight thought it looked like a gigantic electronics chip, like
those that were parts of some of the machines she used for her more
advanced scientific studies; Applejack just likened it to a giant black brick
with chinks in it, like any brick would have that had been laid some time
ago. Either way - it was huge.
“Central Database Holdings,” Flathoof smirked as he saw Twilight’s
expression, “Expanding on what I so briefly explained earlier, this is the
central depository for every single piece of data and information the city
has available to it. Research, literature, art, documentation, news
recordings, public records, legal statements, etc.; if you’re looking for
anything in particular, this is the place you can find it.”
“It’s so...big...” Twilight gulped, “They must have an absolute ton of
information in there...”
“I reckon this place makes Sweet Apple Acres look like some
backwater tool shed,” Applejack nodded her head as she removed her hat,
“Hoo-wee, an’ all this place does is hold books?
“...books?” Flathoof tilted his head.
Twilight raised an eyebrow, “Yeah, books. This place sounds like a
library, and libraries hold books...amongst other things. Documents,
newspapers, that sort of thing.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Flathoof frowned, “The
Database system is entirely digital. They copy down any written information
they get into their computer system, then get rid of the original forms or
whatever. Most ponies don’t even bother writing things on paper anymore,
besides documentation forms since NPRD insists on making things
difficult.”
Twilight turned white, “They don’t have books here, Applejack,” and
she started shaking her friend, “They don’t. Have. Books!”
“Whoa there, sugarcube,” Applejack pushed Twilight off of her, “Ease
up a bit, he said they still got all yer info and stuff in there, just in a new
way. What’d y’all call it again?”
“A computer?” Flathoof blinked, “I thought they had those in
Utopia...huh. Well, what difference does that make, at any rate...come on
then, let’s not dilly-dally around out here. Twilight, since you’re looking for a
job, we’re going to talk to the Chief Librarian. They’d be the one to ask
about that sort of thing.”
“Ah...y-yes, of course,” Twilight nodded, then muttered to herself, “No
books though...this is most depressing...”
They went inside, and Twilight was moderately surprised to find that it
didn’t look as big on the inside as did on the outside. Flathoof explained
that most of the building was one big computer that stored all of the
information, and that this smaller area where the public could walk around
was where they had the tools to access that information; it was presumed
that the tools needed to edit it were kept locked away in the rear offices. At
the desk, the trio requested the Chief Librarian’s presence, and they were
soon greeted by an olive green unicorn stallion with most bizarre hair - it
was neatly combed and looked very professional in that regard, but
whoever had decided on his dye job was probably laughing somewhere at
how ridiculous the lime green and green apple colors looked together. His
outfit, even to Twilight and Applejack who besides Rainbow Dash were the
least fashion-conscious ponies in their clique, looked somewhat tacky and
rather out of date - who wore plaid tweed jackets anymore? And the
ridiculously bright pink bow-tie? His large-rimmed glasses - slightly too big
for his face - just added to the effect that this was a stallion who was used
to his mother dressing him as a child for school, and tried to dress the
same way himself but just couldn’t figure out what went with what.
“Greetings, and welcome to Central Database Holdings. I am Chief
Librarian Archimedes,” he nodded with a disinterested tone, “How may I be
of service to you on this extraordinarily busy day where my time would be
better spent elsewhere?”
Twilight was sort of glad she wasn’t actually looking for work here, if
her boss was going to be this brisk and stiff with patrons of his
establishment, but had to keep up that impression for now, “Ah yes,
um...I’m new in town and was looking for some kind of opening position, if
you have one available?”
“Our job openings are always limitless because nopony wants to work
in a stuffy office building pushing buttons all day,” he sighed with obvious
annoyance and dejection, “When there are more exciting jobs out there like
rent-a-cop or garbage stallion or window cleaner. Who has time to bother
sorting through all the information in the city, all the things that we have to
send to everypony else that keeps the running, yes, heaven forbid anypony
want to help with that. At any rate, do you have any qualifications?”
“I worked at the...ah...” and Twilight hastily tried to think of a name for
‘her’ library, as well as the school library in Canterlot,
“Utopian...Central...Library. Yes. Utopian Central Library. In Utopia.
Because that’s where I’m from,” she added with a nervous, awkward smile.
“Utopia, huh?” he raised an eyebrow, “Are they still using papers over
there or have they finally made the transfer over to electronic and stopped
being such barbarians? So easy to lose hard-copy material compared to
digital data. We have backups of our backups of our backups, and
everything is encoded so precisely that only those with authority to access
the information could possibly hope to do so in the first place. But I digress
- right, what types of materials are you familiar with?”
“Um...we used hard-copy materials, yes,” Twilight nodded, “But...but
I’m-”
“That’s all well and fine, you can learn. It’s not that difficult of a
transition, you’re actually learning to use something easier - none of that
decimal system garbage I’m certain you’re accustomed to. Before I
consider your application though , I’ll have to see how quickly you can
adjust to using our database - I don’t need another brain-dead lout on my
staff, not after that last idiot nearly deleted half the city’s registry when I
asked him to change the name of the folder. First though...tell me - why you
are being escorted by a police officer?”
“She’s on parole,” Flathoof nodded, “New in town, didn’t have
identification. You know how it is.”
“Quite,” Archimedes frowned, “I suppose I shouldn’t question why
they were allowed past the Gate without identification? Ah, well...not a
problem, doesn’t sound like anything that might threaten my life or my
work, so long as that issue has been solved as I think I can assume it has
been. Now then, if you don’t mind, Miss...ah, I didn’t get your name. My
apologies.”
“Twilight Sparkle,” she nodded.
“Miss Sparkle here is going to need to come with me to provide
background information and prove her capabilities. Dreadfully sorry, but I
can’t allow anypony else into the Database Hub, we have a strict policy,
and if I go about making exceptions here and there then I may as well not
have the rule in the first place..”
“Her parole says I have to keep her in sight at all times,” Flathoof
stared, “Surely you can do whatever it is you need to do within eye and
earshot of me?”
“Not a chance,” Archimedes stared right back, “Rules are rules,
officer. I hate to sound uncooperative, but I assure you your superiors
wouldn’t have any trouble with it. I’ve done my share of research on the
NPPD rules and regulations, and know that you can allow your parolee out
of your sight if they’re going in for a job interview. I trust that won’t be a
problem, will it?”
Flathoof balked. He wasn’t used to being called out on his authority,
“Nnnnope, no trouble. You make a valid point...very well, carry on. But I
suppose, then, you also know there’s a time limit imposed on-”
“Yes yes yes, we have an hour before you come barging in and
barking orders,” the librarian huffed, “Blasted NPPD, always trying to rush
things along - no appreciation for the art of progress at all. Hmph. I’ll be
sure to return her to you in plenty of time, officer.”
Twilight gave sort of a pleading look to Applejack, who shrugged and
wished her luck. Twilight was not at all pleased about the prospect of trying
to do her research in a totally new medium, and now she’d have to waste
her first hour of allotted time pretending to be here for a job interview while
trying to learn the new system from scratch. She still couldn’t believe they
didn’t have books here. How could one replace books entirely? Reading
lines on a screen couldn’t possibly hope to replace the sensations of
reading out of a good paperback.
“Well, she’ll be fine for now then, I guess,” Flathoof huffed, clearly
miffed by having his feathers ruffled by a pony that could only be described
as rude, “Today has just not been working out so well. Ugh...I need a cup
of coffee...” he looked around, and saw the library’s mini coffee shop luckily mostly empty around this time of night - and headed over for it,
“Come along then, Applejack. I’ll buy you a cup too, we might be here a
while.”
“Ah...r-right,” Applejack nodded, “I thought y’all said she was only
gonna be an hour?”
“Yes, but I suspect Miss Sparkle will likely want to do some private
work on her own as well, and I think I can trust her not to go running off and
leaving you. If she gets the job she’ll need to know more than just the
basics, and even if she doesn’t she’ll want to look into other records and
such to try and find another job similar to her talents. I’ll leave her to her
studies, she seemed to want to do it alone anyhow.”
“Hmm...well, I s’pose...”
Flathoof ordered two small coffees and took them over to a table in
the corner, where he and Applejack had taken seats. Applejack sipped her
coffee slowly at first - it didn’t taste bad, certainly; then again, it didn’t taste
good either. A bland and flavorless, yet at the very least palpable drink,
quite unlike the time she remembered Apple Bloom waking up early and
making coffee for Applejack and Big Macintosh. Her stomach turned at the
thought of it - whatever that little filly’s Cutie Mark ended up being, it was
not going to have anything to do with coffee. No, this coffee certainly wasn’t
bad, but Applejack felt a sense of emptiness as she drank it, noting how
good it also wasn’t. They hadn’t been here in this new place for very long,
but already she was feeling extremely homesick the more she thought
about what she didn’t have here.
Applejack seemed a little nervous about being alone with Flathoof,
even if that had sort of been her idea all along. Something about him (and
she hated admitting this to herself) piqued her interest, and it was more
than just his honesty and hard-working mentality. When they’d been
together in that elevator back at the station, she’d been squeezed next to
him a bit too closely and...there was just a certain aroma that reminded her
of home. Nothing like apples or soil or the open air - this city didn’t have
those things anyway - but the scent was still somehow familiar in a way. It
smelled of soot and metal, of fire and hard labor - but where would he get
such a smell working out here in the city like this? The police station
certainly lacked any of those things.
“I’m glad I get to spend some time with one of you one-on-one,”
Flathoof broke the silence, “Trying to focus on six ponies at once has been
proving rather challenging; I can never decide which of you I should focus
my attention on. You’re all so different - how is it you all came to be such
close friends?”
“Ah well, some o’ us knew each other b’fore Twilight moved ta
Ponyville,” Applejack started, knowing there was no point not mentioning
Ponyville anymore. She couldn’t bring herself to say ‘Utopia’ unless it was
absolutely necessary, and Flathoof had at the very least humored her
somewhat, “But we all got ta know each other better when she did, she’s
kinda like our...um...glue. She brought us all together.” She elected not to
mention the entire Nightmare Moon incident and the Elements of Harmony
bit - there might be time for that some other day, but for now it seemed a
waste to try and explain something that Flathoof would likely never believe.
“I suppose I can understand that,” Flathoof nodded, “Lockwood has
been much the same for me. I can’t count the number of ponies I’ve met
and had good relations with thanks to his involvement; I think that’s his
special talent, to be honest - building up these little social networks of his.
He’s good friends with my family too - my mother just adores him. She tries
so hard to get him to visit more often.”
“Y’all got family here?” Applejack asked - apart from herself, and with
the exception of Rarity’s little sister, she had never known anypony to have
close relations with their families anymore; Pinkie Pie at least had a
believable excuse, what with one sister being a famous musician and the
other being...well, Pinkie Pie said that subject was really ‘hush hush’. What
that meant, nopony had even the slightest hint of an idea, though they all
had their suspicions.
“...of course I’ve got family, heh,” Flathoof said with a confused look,
“What, they don’t have those back in Utopia either?”
Applejack frowned a little, “T-that’s not what I meant. I mean, mah
friends never say a word ‘bout their families. I was beginnin’ ta think I was
the only one who had that kind of closeness...”
“So...you have family back home?” Flathoof asked with a large gulp
of coffee.
“I do...” Applejack sighed, “I miss them...”
Flathoof smiled warmly, “The way I look at it, your family is always
with you, no matter how far away you are. Even if it’s across the world,
they’ll always support you, right?”
Applejack nodded with a small smile, “I s’pose. I just worry about
them, ‘s all.”
“What are they like? Any brothers, sisters?”
“One older brother, Macintosh - we all call ‘im ‘Big’ Macintosh ‘cause
he’s...well, big. Hard-worker, just like me. Good with math fer some reason,
I ain’t never seen ‘im open a book in mah life, but who knows what he gets
up to on ‘is free time. And one lil’ sister, Apple Bloom. She’s...ah...well,
she’s Apple Bloom. Been a mite obsessed with gettin’ ‘er Cutie Mark lately,
won’t listen ta reason ‘bout givin’ it time. Lots and lots o’ cousins, all part o’
the ‘Apple Clan’ as we call it...I, uh, won’t go through the whole list though.
Grandmother, Granny Smith. She’s gettin’ along okay...but me an’ Big
Macintosh ‘re worried she don’t have long...”
“Parents?”
Applejack’s face took on a severely dejected, painful look for a
moment, “I...I don’t like ta talk about that. If’n y’all don’t mind...”
“I apologize...” Flathoof frowned, “If I brought up any bad memor-”
“Don’t worry about it none,” she shook her head, “How ‘bout you,
what’s yer family like?”
“Mine?” Flathoof blinked - he hadn’t expected anypony to be curious
about him, “Ah...well, I’ve got my mother and father - Shortcake and
Stouthoof; two younger brothers - Thickhoof and Shorthoof; one younger
sister - Pattycake. I’m the oldest, naturally. The stallions on my father’s side
have all been Foundry workers for generations, and as my father says, ‘the
Hoof line has always been attracted to great chefs’, so that’s what my
family’s mares have almost all tended to to be,” he nodded with a broad
grin, “Very traditional, you understand. I’m a bit of a black sheep, if you will.
First stallion in over twelve generations not to work in the Foundry...nearly
broke my poor father’s heart...”
“What’s a...foundry?” Applejack scratched her head.
“Ah, it’s the major factory center in Mid-West. They make just about
everything in the city that gets used for construction purposes of all shapes
and sizes - metals, tools, things like that. Not an easy job, I tell you, a lot of
physical work and there’s always a risk of serious injury. My father used to
come home with cuts and burns all the time, always made my mother
worry,” and he was only barely able to hide the slight hint of concern in his
own voice.
Applejack nodded. While she had no idea what a factory was, it
sounded like it was a lot like farm work, in a way - lots of physical labor,
long days, and his family all did the same kind of work too? Well...except
him...
“Why ain’t ya there, with yer family, if they all do the same kind o’
work?” she asked, remembering well her own younger days and hopes of
being different by moving to Manehatten, “Sounds ta me like that’d be
mighty s’pportive for ‘em. What made y’all change yer mind?”
“Ah...well...” Flathoof chuckled, “You can thank Lockwood for that bit.
He was always kind of a wimp back in our school days, got picked on a
lot...heh, he kinda still is, but he knows how to take better care himself
these days. I didn’t like seeing my friend getting bullied around, so I stood
up for him when he couldn’t for himself. Guess I kind of just ran with the
idea of stamping out injustices like that, thought maybe joining the NPPD
was my true calling. Oh you would not believe the grief my family gave me
for that. ‘Not joining the family line’, ‘risking your life for strangers’, ‘working
around all those crooked good-for-nothings’, that kind of deal. It took them
a while, but eventually they understood why I wanted to do it, and they’ve
supported me all the way. Helped a lot that Lockwood had always been like
another son to them, he’s very convincing.”
“Do y’all still live with ‘em? I know mah friends don’t live wit’ their
families no more, ‘cept Rarity ‘n’ her lil’ sister. Far as I know, they don’t
even write or nothin’...”
“Certainly do, it’s expensive moving out and living on your own ‘round
here, and that would be selfish of me,” he nodded. Well, now she knew
where he got the smell - if he lived with his family and they all worked at
that factory, then their whole house probably smelled like that at all times of
the day, probably even overpowering the smell of whatever foods his
mother and sister whipped up, “My family needs every bit we can get, ever
since...well, it’s a long story...”
“We got time, sugarcube,” Applejack smiled, slightly blushing at
accidentally calling him by the pet name she gave to all her friends. Where
had that come from?
“Well, my brother, Thickhoof, got injured on the job about three years
ago, when I was still just a rookie on the force. Lost the use of his hind
legs...has to use braces to get around these days...” and he tried to hide
the dejected sadness of explaining the whole thing, “I’ve had to work extra
shifts for three years, most of my family too, just to pay his medical bills and
to make up for the tax payments that he still has to meet, but can’t since he
doesn’t have work. Lockwood has been a big help, getting us breaks
whenever he can. Like I said, my mother adores him, keeps trying to hook
him up with my sister even though the two of them don’t see eye-to-eye,”
and here he gave a little laugh, “She’s too big and loud for the poor guy, he
likes a more...ah, graceful type, I think.”
Applejack frowned, “I’m...sorry ta hear ‘bout yer brother. I know I
worry ‘bout things like that all the time. Mah brother got hurt a year ago nothin’ big, but ‘nough to keep him outta work for a week - and I was just a
wreck, not countin’ havin’ to double mah workload to make up for it. I kept
worryin’, ‘what if he don’t get better?’ and I pushed mahself a lil’ too hard,
just to prove I could do the work of both of us if that ever happened...”
“So you all work on your...uh...farm together then? What kind of food
do you grow? Is it any good?”
“You betcha,” Applejack smiled, “Best darn apple crop in all o’
Equestria, if I do say so mahself - not to toot mah own horn or nothin’. Not
lil’ Apple Bloom though, she is so dead set on not working on the farm with
the rest o’ the family, but she don’t mean nothin’ by it - I felt the same way
when I was her age, younger even. I want her ta find her own way in life,
even if it’s far away...”
“I’ll admit I’ve always kind of wanted to try real food someday,” he
said with a smile, “I’m kind of disappointed you didn’t bring anything with
you.”
“...real? What in the hay does that mean?” Applejack raised an
eyebrow.
“Ah, well Pandemonium and the surrounding areas...aren’t exactly
the best agricultural centers,” he chuckled, “I mean, we live in a smogcovered city of metal and cement, surrounded by a totally barren wasteland
that we oh-so-creatively named The Wasteland, since it’s the only one in all
of Equestria. So, we grow synthetic food - well, the Dolor company does
anyway.”
Applejack eyed her coffee. It wasn’t real coffee? Sure, she admitted it
tasted a little funny, but she chalked that up to it just being an odd brew, not
it being fake, “What...ah...what do y’all use to make the stuff?”
“Ponies.” Applejack turned white and was glad she hadn’t been
drinking the stuff at that exact moment, but was horrified that she’d already
finished half her cup. “Sorry, sorry...j-just a joke. I’ve got to remember you
girls don’t really have much of a sense of humor like we Pandemonians do.
That whole ‘Dolor Green is Ponies’ thing is just a rumor, I’ve seen their
facility myself, many times. Really...heh...c’mon now, Applejack, you just
gotta relax. If you’re going to hang around Lockwood for any amount of
time, you’re going to have to get used to some of his jokes. He’s much
better - or worse, I guess depending on your point of view - about it than I
am, he’s just got that super serious tone of voice down so perfect.”
“R-right...” she gulped as she nervously eyed her coffee, deciding
right then and there not to take another sip, just in case, “Heh...what a ssilly thought, usin’ ponies as food...heh...”
As the two of them continued to talk, neither took much notice of a
green unicorn mare sitting several tables away, hurriedly scribbling in a
notebook...
*****
*****
*****
Back at the Southeast Point, cleaning had gotten underway in the
new household of the six displaced mares. For the time being, Lockwood
had stepped out to settle a matter a few floors up - something about a leak,
and he had to calm down the tenant while the superintendent made the
climb - so the four ponies left in the room had plenty of time to get some
cleaning done by themselves. The few items of decor in the room left
behind by a previous tenant - and not a murder victim, they all sincerely
hoped - were enough to helped them turn the cramped little apartment into
a tidy home. Not particularly fancy or wondrous, but clean and presentable
enough that it would serve them for as long as it was needed...
“Easy now...just a little more to the left...a little more...ah, perfect.
Wonderful work darling,” Rarity praised as Fluttershy helped her straighten
a cleaned set of curtains over the window, “It is so good to have an extra
pair of delicate hooves like yours available, my dear.”
“Thank you...” Fluttershy blushed, “It’s...nothing much...”
“On the contrary, darling, with your help we’ll have this place looking
spic and span in no time at all.”
“And then we can begin decorating for the party, right? Riiiiiight?”
Pinkie Pie blurted, “Oh boy I wonder when we can go start shopping for
streamers and-”
Rarity interrupted quite suddenly, “Pinkie Pie, dear, that really is
neither here nor there at this point. I think we should focus more on getting
everything all cleaned up, get some rest, and maybe think about the party
tomorrow, hmm? Besides, we don’t have any money for supplies like that
just yet, and I’d feel rather awful to ask for any more hand-outs from our
generous friends.”
“Awwww...” Pinkie frowned, “But I-”
“Ah ah, no ‘buts’ please? I know how much you want to get a party
organized, but that’s not our most important task at the moment. Don’t
worry, we’ll get to it eventually, darling, just not now. I’d like to have
everything tidied up before Twilight and Applejack return.”
“...speaking of tidying up...” Fluttershy frowned, “Do...do you think
Mister Lockwood was...serious? About this place being...you know...the
scene of a...a...”
“...I really don’t know what to think,” Rarity sighed, “It certainly did
seem like he was sincerely joking but...”
“Oh fiddlesticks,” Pinkie Pie waved dismissively, “Even if he wasn’t
joking, what does it matter anyway? None of us did it...riiiiiight?” and she
looked at Fluttershy with mock accusation, making the pegasus hunker
back a little bit.
“What does it matter? Well for one, you’re sleeping in a place where
somepony didn’t just die, they were killed,” Rarity said sternly, “Doesn’t that
bother you? Even in the slightest?”
“Well, it’s a bit strange, but it’s not like I-”
“And second,” she interrupted to continue her tirade, “Don’t you think
it a little in bad taste to be decorating a place where somepony lost their
life? What if you were to spray confetti all over the exact spot they laid in
when they stopped living, hmm? A mite disrespectful, don’t you think?”
“Hey, you’re the one decorating,” Pinkie pointed an accusing hoof,
“Miss Prissy Prissypants. Not me.”
“But you wanted to get things set up for a party!” Rarity blurted, “I’m
just dusting and cleaning up, not trying to rearrange the furniture or
anything.”
“...well yeah okay, you’ve got a point...” Pinkie frowned, “But still, do
you really think Mister Lockwood would give us a place like that? I mean
really. Really?”
“Well...no. I suppose I do believe he was joking,” Rarity nodded with a
nervous smile, “Even if it was kind of a tactless- good heavens Rainbow
Dash, what are you doing?”
Rainbow was busy dusting up a frenzy in their small kitchen area that
Rarity hadn’t gotten to yet, and the dust wasn’t at all coming out neatly. Her
haphazard method was just spreading the dust around rather than cleaning
it up, “I’m trying to clean up over here, what does it look like I’m doing?”
“It looks like you’re taking a few big messes and turning them into a
whole lot of smaller ones!” Rarity scolded, “I know you’ve rarely have to
clean up your own home, my dear, what with it being made of clouds and
all, but this isn’t the same thing. Cleaning a regular home takes some level
of focus and care, it’s not like cleaning the sky - just a kick of a cloud here
and there. It takes finesse, attention, and-”
“Pfft, what does it even matter, anyway?” Rainbow rolled her eyes,
“It’s not like we’re going to be here for that long. Why bother with doing all
your fancying up?”
“Regardless of how long we’re here for, this is our home for now, and
it wouldn’t be right to-”
“This isn’t our home, Rarity,” Rainbow glared, “Have a little faith in
Twilight for a change, she’ll figure out something and we’ll be back home in
a jiffy.”
“Are you implying I don’t have confidence in Twilight?” Rarity glared
right back, “I’m merely preparing for the off-chance that whatever solution
she discovers isn’t going to just immediately whisk us away and take us
back to where we belong.”
“I’d just like to get a party all set up for our super nice new friends,”
Pinkie Pie chimed in, “Even if we go home tomorrow, I wouldn’t feel right
not treating Misters Flathoof and Lockwood to one of my parties. They’ve
been so nice to us! Ooh, I bet they’d love a game of Spin the-”
“How many times are we going to go over this, Pinkie Pie? This is no
time for a party,” Rarity turned on the pink earth pony, “We can worry about
that some other time when we get all settled and-”
“There you go again, assuming we have to get settled,” Rainbow
pointed an accusing hoof, “You’re acting like even if Twilight finds
something that’ll get us home, we’ll be here long enough that we may as
well-”
“Treat it like our home away from home, yes,” Rarity interrupted,
“What exactly is your objection to being practical, Rainbow Dash? If,
Celestia forbid, we end up being here for a while, wouldn’t it make sense to
at least be comfortable?”
“It’s not that I’m not being practical, it’s that I want to work with the
thought that Twilight will come through and we’ll be home by tomorrow
morning. I want to have faith in my friend to figure this all out,” and she
planted a hoof sternly, “I could ask you the opposite! Why are you so
determined to think the worst of the situation?”
“Me? I’m just trying to make sure that if the worst does happen, we
don’t get caught without a backup plan. Twilight would want the same thing,
so don’t accuse me of not having faith in her. I have absolute confidence in
her, I’m just trying to fill in the blanks here and make sure we’re prepared in
case things don’t work out like we want them to.”
“Oh I’m sure Twilight’ll come through just fine,” Pinkie interjected,
“She’s always been super-reliable in the past, right? Well...I mean, except
for that time with the Parasprites, that was all my work that fixed everything.
Um...oh, and then I guess there was the time with the hydra and stuff...that
was all me again. Oh! Oh...nevermind, I was gonna suggest the time we all
went to Appleloosa and stuff, but that was all my idea that ended up being
the real solution...again.”
“So you’re saying we should look to you for answers in this case,
Pinkie Pie?” Rainbow narrowed her eyes, “Because last I checked you
were more concerned with throwing a party than with trying to get us
home.”
“Well,” Pinkie thought aloud, ignoring Rainbow’s obvious frustration, “I
just can’t think of a good way to fix all this. I’m only used to traveling around
my own little world, not going around to other ones. It’s not really my field of
expertise; this sounds like something Twilight would be really good at.
Besides,” and she frowned, “What’s wrong with throwing a party, huh?
Don’t be such a Grumpy McGrumperson, Dashie. You’re throwing off my
groove.”
“Don’t get started on her, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity huffed, “She’s just
trying to make this whole experience more pleasant for all of us, and to
thank our new friends.”
“And that’s another thing,” Rainbow blurted, “You guys are all so
trusting of these two new ponies, who helped us for practically no reason
whatsoever except to be ‘nice’. It all seems pretty suspicious to me - what if
they’re in cahoots and are up to something, trying to take advantage of
us?”
“And you think I’m the one assuming the worst?” Rarity humphed,
“Listen to you, you’re making it sound like nopony would ever even think of
being kind to a stranger in need. I know a thing or two about generosity, my
dear, and I recognize sincerity when I see it. We owe those two gracious
stallions an awful lot of thanks, and here you are assuming they’re trying
to...well, do something unpleasant, I don’t know what exactly you had in
mind. Nor do I want to.”
“Yeah, I bet you wouldn’t,” Rainbow glared, “How about you
Fluttershy? Tell me at least you have some suspicions about ‘em.”
“...they both seem...nice...” Fluttershy smiled lightly, “I can...um...tell
when a pony is really being kind to me, or if it’s just...an act. Rarity’s
right...they don’t seem like bad ponies at all...”
“Urgh, whatever,” Rainbow huffed as she swept a pile of dust under
the kitchen rug, “If it’ll shut you all up for a little bit I’ll just back to cleaning
on my own.”
“Oh dear, you’re not really going to just sweep that all under the rug
are you?” Rarity grimaced, “Good heavens, that’s counter-productivity at its
finest. Here, let me help you.”
“...phew...” Fluttershy puffed, “If you don’t mind me girls...um...I’m
going to take a step out for some...fresh air.”
Fluttershy stepped out into the hall and gave a dejected sigh. She
was glad the argument had settled down before it got any worse - she
hadn’t wanted to share her own fears and tribulations about the whole
situation. Truth be told, she was actually glad to hear that she wasn’t the
only one frightened at the prospect of being stuck here forever...and she
sincerely hoped that Twilight Sparkle would come through. She knew she
would...but how long would that take? How long would they be here?
In her focus, she almost did not notice the janitor busily sweeping
past her and heading for the stairs.
“Oh my, um...excuse me,” she peeped, “I think you...dropped
something.” She trotted over and picked up a notebook that the janitor had
misplaced. As she delivered it, she couldn’t help but notice what was in the
notebook - was that...a drawing of her? She was used to that kind of
treatment, even if she didn’t much like the attention. “Oh...um...a-are you
some kind of...artist? In your spare time, I mean...?”
The janitor, a minty green unicorn mare, blushed, “Ah...uh...y-yes,
you could say that. I...uh...I’m taking art classes!”
“You draw...nice...” Fluttershy smiled, “You...um...really captured my
image...it’s very lifelike. Oh...i-if you don’t mind my saying so...”
“N-not at all,” the janitor nodded, “Um...sorry to run, but I’ve got other
floors to clean. P-pleasure speaking to you...”
And just like that, the janitor was hastily down the stairs, seeming to
skip entire floors on her way down.
“Such a strange pony,” Fluttershy thought aloud.
Yes, a strange pony indeed...
And the dark figure, in a few short instants, was gone from the
shadowy underbelly of the nearby stairwell, in pursuit of a most curious
new target...
*****
*****
*****
Tick Tock exhaustively set her things down in her den, taking a deep
breath and helping herself to a slice of apple - her superiors always made
sure she was given the best foods in her world, and Dolor products were
not famed for either their flavor or their nutrition. It was always hard work,
walking around even just her own District at such a quick pace, but if
Whooves insisted that whatever was happening needed her urgent
attention, he was going to get her best work. Relaxed, she clicked her
stopwatch and opened the door to her grandfather clock, but did not bother
herself with checking around the room. It had been far too long of a day to
worry about the petty details, and she wanted to get all of this over with. As
she closed the door behind her, she noticed that it didn’t click just right,
almost like something had been jammed into it; no matter, she hopefully
wouldn’t be in here long and she’d fix it when she was finished.
Briskly trotting over to her communications screen, she clicked a few
buttons here and there to open up her emergency channel - that’s where
Whooves would most likely prefer to be contacted, given the situation, and
would certainly be the channel he was monitoring the most. As expected,
he did not take long to answer. His visage appeared on the other end of the
monitor, and while he didn’t look particularly distressed, Tick Tock could tell
he had been most busy these past several hours. It was nearing daybreak
in her own world, and likely in his as well - had he been up all night?
“Tick Tock, thank goodness,” Whooves grinned from the other end,
rubbing his eyes, “Things have been holding up pretty well over here for the
past few hours, but I have my doubts it will stay that way for long.
Something is definitely the matter on my end, and I’m hoping that you’re
going to help me find out what - or rather, who. So, who were they, hmm?
Please tell me you have some good news.”
“Well, I tried not to let them see me right away,” Tick Tock explained
as she fumbled with her bag to find her notepad, “I figured if I just came
right out and started spouting all the timey-wimey stuff, they’d just panic or
get confused, and I certainly don’t want to get their hopes up or anything
just yet. They’re not going home for probably a month anyway, yeah? If
they start getting anxious they’re liable to break character and start
sounding crazy, might make it more difficult to get them sent home later
on.”
Tick Tock shuffled through her sketchbook and opened it to the last
page first. On it was a rough but surprisingly accurate sketch of an earth
pony with curly, bouncy hair and a Cutie Mark of three balloons. Tick Tock
noted in the margins that the pony was pink. Very pink.
“This first one, they called her...ah...’Pinkie Pie’ I believe. Very
energetic, kind of eccentric, seemed to know a lot more than she let on,
none of the others really paid much attention to it. Kept talking about
getting a party set up, bugger all if I know why. I detected some very odd
energies from her, almost Void-like but not really that...and they didn’t
seem like harmful energies, whatever they were. I’ll have to keep my eye
on this one, I guess - wouldn’t want some sort of negative reaction when
we send her back through, yeah?”
Whooves tapped a hoof to his chin, “She looks familiar...but I can’t
put my hoof on it just yet. Just keep going, I’ll think of it. Who’s next?”
Another page turn, this time was a dainty-looking unicorn with a curly,
well-groomed mane and tail, three diamonds making up her Cutie Mark.
Tick Tock noted she was white with a purple mane, “They called her
‘Rarity’, and she was a little...ah...overbearing. Very prim, very proper, very
tidy. Seemed the most practical of those four, wanted to get settled in, in
case they couldn’t go home anytime soon,” another page flip, this time a
short-maned pegasus that Tick Tock noted had rainbow-colored mane and
tail, and a lightning bolt-shaped Cutie Mark, “And a ‘Rainbow Dash’ or
‘Dashie’ or something like that. Very loud, kind of full of herself, but she
meant well I guess. She seemed like she was trying to be the courage for
the entire group, didn’t like the thought of staying here. Made a pretty big
fuss about it, that and accepting help from strangers.”
“Rainbow Dash...Rainbow Dash...” Whooves scratched his head,
“Now that name sounds familiar, but I’m not quite sure where I remember it
from. I seem to remember something about Cloudsdale...a flying
competition...hmm. Go on, then, I’ll figure it out eventually.”
Next, a timid-looking pegasus with a long, flowing mane and tail that
Tick Tock noted was very light pink, like the butterflies that composed her
Cutie Mark, “One ‘Fluttershy’ - very quiet, didn’t seem to like seeing the
other ponies argue. Kind of cute, really lived up to her name too. Got to
interact with her a little bit personally - don’t worry, I was undercover, heh and she was really sweet. Poor girl. Those four were at their new
apartment complex - I went there last, and don’t ask me how they found a
place to live so quickly. I found the other two being escorted through
Database Holdings by an NPPD officer; I guess they got in a little trouble
before I found them, likely for not having any ID on them. Let’s see...” and
she turned a few pages, until she found an earth pony wearing a hat, triple
apple Cutie Mark adorning her noted orange flank, “‘Applejack’. She looked
like she was fitting in pretty nicely here so far, seemed to take a liking to
their escort I suppose. I didn’t want to arouse any suspicion so I kept my
distance from them, just sat at a table nearby. Mentioned working on a farm
back home...Sweet Apple Acres? Um...ah, and the last one,” and she
flipped the page to reveal a unicorn with straight-combed hair and a starburst Cutie Mark, noted as being a light purple, “Kind of a bookworm, which
must be a huge blow for her here, no books and whatnot. I
believe...ah...’Twilight...Sprinkle’? No no, ‘Sparkle’, that’s it.
Twilight...Whooves, are you okay?”
Doctor Whooves’ face had gone white on the other end of the line,
“Okay...I recognize her for certain.”
“Oh? Good! Uh...but...is something the matter? You look like-”
“That,” Whooves added with a point, “Would be the prized pupil of
none other than our fair Princess Celestia herself, and if I am not mistaken
in memory from my encounters with her, I believe Twilight Sparkle is the
Element of Magic - the Princess has referred to her as such on a few
occasions. I don’t suppose it would be too much of a stretch to believe the
other five, as her friends, just conveniently - or most decidedly
inconveniently - happen to be the rest of the Elements of Harmony,
considering the rate of Chaos fluctuations I’ve been seeing even this early.
I knew they looked familiar...”
Tick Tock looked back and forth between the sketch and the screen,
“The Elements of What-Now?”
Whooves sighed, “Okay, I’m going to have to explain. Now listen
good, because you’re going to have to go into all this for them as well, and
they need to understand what’s going on - you need to understand. Each
world in the Equestria Multiverse has a very delicate arrangement of the
two most basic forms of magic - Law, and Chaos; you know this as well as I
do, Tick Tock, but make sure they understand it, because this is the entire
basis of our problem. Typically, you’d think these two forces would always
be in balance, but in what I suppose is the greatest irony, only yours has
achieved that - balance.”
“Aye that,” Tick Tock nodded, “Ponies seem to forget that balance
means equal. Most Equestrias have a pretty high imbalance of Law over
Chaos...”
“Well, every world also has certain higher forces that represent the
two sides. In my world, we have ponies that exemplify individual aspects of
those two forces; they used to be just inanimate relics that quite literally sat
around and did their job, and now I find it decidedly unfortunate that that is
no longer the case, not since that Nightmare Moon debacle; during that
event, these forces were transferred from the relics into living ponies. The
six mares you have there with you now represent the fundamental
concepts of Law magic - we call them the Elements of Harmony; I don’t
know which of them is which, besides Twilight Sparkle being that of Magic,
but the others would be Honesty, Loyalty, Generosity, Kindness, and
Laughter, at any rate.
“Like all Equestrias, the powers of Law naturally overpower and seal
most all lambent Chaos magicks that the world generates...and that is
where our problem lies - the Elements of Harmony have always served as
the physical manifestation of that seal. With them there, our world is
generating Chaos energies at a rather steady pace with nothing to hold it at
bay, and soon enough things are liable to start getting much, much worse our world is not accustomed to actual balance, only their misconception of
it, and eventually Chaos magic will overpower Law entirely and just
imbalance it in the other direction; I know you weren’t working back when
your world went through it’s little ‘balancing act’, but I’m sure your
predecessor told you all about how well that went. Chaos and Law do not
play very well together, and with all the lambent Chaos energy in the air I
fear that it may begin to have severe negative impacts on those who rely
on Law magic.
“Celestia’s magic runs on Law power, as do all of the unicorns in this
world - should any of them be in positions of importance that rely on that
magic, then things would just fall apart the longer this drags on. I’ve already
seen a few Chaos distortions here and there, and I suspect that more
Chaos fields will appear the longer we wait. What just compounds the issue
is that the more Law magic is used here, the more drastic the effects will
get as the Chaos magic instinctively fights back; it’s just going to get worse
and worse, faster and faster, if we don’t take action soon.
“At my rate of estimation,” and Whooves clicked his stopwatch a few
times, “We’ll be completely seeped in Chaos magic in probably about four
weeks, and that’s being very generous - every time anypony casts a spell,
that time-frame is going to shrink, so hopefully it won’t take long to
convince Celestia to have all her unicorn subjects stop using magic, at
least until this...crisis is averted. Hopefully her sister is also up to the task of
raising the sun for a while - her powers run on Chaos magic, after all, so
she should be feeling stronger soon enough, and within a week or so I
suspect she’ll have more magical power than Celestia does now. So luckily
she’s gotten that whole Nightmare thing out of her system...I hope.
“I can’t stress this enough though, Tick Tock. Those ponies need to
get home, and fast. While four weeks is my estimate, I’d say realistically
you’re looking at three. We can’t afford to wait around for a month until you
start getting natural portals again, we need you to make an artificial one for
them as soon as possible and get them out of there. If it were just one or
two of them I might be able to justify waiting, but all of them? That is just
ridiculously unlucky. I’d try to catch one over here and get to you, but I’d
have no way of getting into your world from my end without a portal over
there anyway. We’re in quite a pickle....”
Tick Tock nodded, adjusting her bow-tie in nervousness, “What kind
of options do we have?”
“Well...you’d need a phenomenal amount of magical power to tear
open a portal manually...no unicorn is going to have that kind of power,
even the Element of Magic. You’d need an Alicorn to do it, so...I suppose
you’re stuck relying on either Harmonia or Discordia.”
“And fat chance getting the latter to agree to stopping Chaos from
tearing apart another world,” Tick Tock sighed, “Even if helping would
probably re-align the balance in her favor here - I suspect their presence in
my world is having the opposite affect as it is on yours. Well bugger all, that
means I’d have to get them all the way to Utopia, wouldn’t it? That’s...not
an easy trip to make. Three weeks, realistically? Well, assuming I can find
some way to get us on an aerial route I should be able to manage two
weeks; otherwise...I’m not confident in my chances. You’re sure there’s no
other way?”
“It’s the only choice we’ve got,” Whooves frowned, “You’re going to
have to...hmm...”
“...going to have to...what?” Tick Tock raised an eyebrow.
“Sorry, got distracted, I think my vision’s getting a mite tired - I haven’t
slept since we last talked,” Whooves shook his head, “I’ve been up all night
doing my calculations and such, and I thought I saw something moving on
your end of the screen. It was probably...! Look out!”
“What are you-” Tick Tock started to say as she turned around.
A split second later, and Tick Tock would be just a bloody smear on
her own video screen, but as luck would have it, she had very good
reflexes. The black-clad pegasus was deflected aside, his gleaming dagger
bouncing the opposite direction across the room and embedding itself in
the floor. Tick Tock breathed anxiously - she had felt the blade just nick her
nose, and could actually feel blood begin to slowly clot there. The pegasus
did not remain disoriented for long, and was soon upon her again in a
violent flash of blue and black.
“What in the bloody-” Tick Tock began to curse, cut short by having to
duck out of the way of an aerial buck.
“That’s the idea,” Shadowstep grinned, “Sorry, little clock cleaner, but
your time has run out.”
“The puns just write themselves, don’t they? Sometimes I hate this
job.”
Shadowstep wasted no time in unsheathing another knife and
barreling towards her with it. He twisted out of the way of a barrage of
sparks she fired at him, and swept in to deliver a killing stroke; she ducked
and just barely avoided having her horn sliced off, and quickly jabbed her
head upwards with a fierce magical push through her horn, sending him
rocketing towards the low ceiling. He slammed into it, but seemed less
concerned with the minor pain and more pleasured with her resolve.
“You’ve got some fight in you!” he growled, “I haven’t had to work for
a kill in ages, darling...you’re making this fun again. I’ll make your death
something exciting, as a reward. How does that sound?”
“You picked the wrong pony to mess with, you bleedin’ lunatic!” she
called out as she deflected another charge, “Who are you? Why are you
trying to kill me?”
“I’d go into it, but why waste my breath? You’re going to just be a
messy afterthought in a few mere moments, I’d wager!”
He rushed at her again, and this time spat his dagger just as she
charged her spell. She had to block quicker than she expected to send the
dagger flying away, and this distracted her enough to allow him to move in
immediately after, and though he was without his weapon it wasn’t
necessary. He tackled her and they rolled together into a heap and
slammed into the doorway to the clock, rolling into the apartment den and
crashing through the coffee table, until at last he managed to pin her when
they came to a stop at the sofa. She charged another spell to try and force
him off, but he was able to resist the pull. He chuckled as he set his hooves
to her throat, until she fired a blast of white hot energy into his face. He
sputtered as the spark singed his leather mask, and lost his grip.
She blasted another spell at his abdomen and forced him off her
enough to get out from under him. He’d only be in pain for a fleeting few
seconds - Law magic could not cause much physical harm - so she quickly
had to get ready to defend herself again. Sure enough, as soon as she
managed to try and get away, he was on her once more. And once again,
their scuffle did not end up neat and tidy and constrained to their original
room - Tick Tock managed to buck out of his grip just enough to feel herself
tackled again, and she cried out in pain as her face crashed through the
glass window of her hundredth story apartment. He still maintained a tight
grip, and she felt herself being pulled upwards.
“I’ve grown tired of this little game, Chronomancer. I think it’s about
time you and I took a little trip,” he chuckled as he broke through the last
layer of smog. It let the two of them get a good, clean look over the entire
city, just to give her the sense of nothingness in this world compared to the
millions that lived here, “Don’t mind the smoggy air - there won’t be too
much of it when you hit the ground.”
“Let me go you maniac!” Tick Tock yelled as she kicked and
squirmed, “W-wait, forget I said-”
“Poor choice of words, my dear!”
So he did. He watched in anticipation and pleasure as she flailed
about in the sky, frantically casting a spell as she did; a burst of light, her
spell went off. He chuckled to himself - if that had been a teleportation
spell, he would’ve recognized it. No, a totally different spell there, and
whatever it had been had clearly not worked. In just a few seconds, she’d
be just a greasy pile on the pavement far below. He cracked his neck and
took the brief time up here above the smog to take a brisk breath of the
much cleaner early morning air.
Ah...perfect.
*****
Shadowstep flapped his wings and slowed his descent as he came to
the ground level of the city. It was a pretty lucky point that flying straight
down led into a tiny alleyway and not to the roof of some many-storied
apartment complex - she might have survived that fall if she were lucky. But
oh no, not all the way to the ground level. It wouldn’t matter where else
she’d landed - the street, an alleyway, whatever - so long as he could
confirm the kill. He looked about in the alley and tried to find some sort of
hint to her landing spot - assuming she didn’t accidentally hit any flying
pegasi on the way down or nick a building edge or a clothesline or
something, she should be right here. There ought to be a neat little impact
point at the very least, even if by annoying happenstance somepony had
come across her in the short time and moved her. Even if she had collided
with anything, she couldn’t have strayed too far from the projected landing
site.
So where was she?
Where.
Was.
She?
Shadowstep spat into the ground, a little blood mixed in with his
saliva. She’d given him quite a fight, and now her lifeless corpse was
playing hide-and-seek. It filled him with rage that he could not examine his
kill, and one he knew would be absolutely imperative to confirm. He knew
better than to assume anything until he could see the body - he could not
count the number of times he’d survived near fatal wounds and gotten
away because his opponent failed to check his body and ensure the job
was finished. He even remembered surviving a nasty fall, just like this one,
when his wings had been severely crippled; then, he’d crashed into several
things on the way down that had slowed his fall but broken his bones and
left him in the most agonizing physical pain he’d ever experienced, but it
did not compare to his sense of dread right now - where was her body?
“Lord Silvertongue is not going to be pleased...” Shadowstep swore
loudly and circled around again, determined to find where the fall might
have deviated her to.
Had he looked up, he might have chanced a sight of a unicornshaped figure limping along the top of a cover of smoggy clouds, a slight
shimmer of magic beneath her feet...
Chapter Five
Intermission
The dim glow of the massive dining room was barely enough to let
anypony inside see much else besides the unnecessarily long table that
would typically have the room to seat several dozens; but this morning and
most mornings, and most afternoons and nights for that matter, this table
and this dining room were being put to use by only one. Silvertongue was
seated in an attentive yet relaxed position at one end of the table; on the
counter before him sat several plates of food; some remained full, a few
were only half-touched, and a couple here and there were empty. Some of
the provisions he did not care for and many of them he found revolting, but
such was the case when he could not partake in Utopian cuisine. Dolor
foods were not known for their flavor or texture, their nutrition, their
sustenance, or their appealing appearance, so he elected not to partake in
those at all when it could be avoided; he was much more interested in the
more exotic foods, that were utterly beyond just hunger-satiating and
flavorful and by all means different. Foods up here in the north were just
better, because they were so difficult to come by. But Silvertongue was of
the opinion that if somepony wasn’t willing to risk their lives - or the lives of
those beneath them - to attain what they desired, they weren’t worthy of
participating in the game of life at all.
Magmaberries were his favorite, and as such made up the majority of
his diet. Named for the nature of their juicy interiors and their rich color - a
deep, burnt red with bright orange and yellow splotches of which no two
berries ever had the same pattern - these rare and delicious berries were
packed full with enough nutrition and flavor that, were one able to afford the
cost, it was possible and commendable to live entirely on them and them
alone. Extremely spicy, with a savory-sweet aftertaste, all rolled into one
delectable little bite-sized fruit that oozed with juices and stung with burning
flavor; Silvertongue likened them to eating a candy-coated flame. They
went well on their own as snacks and for this they were most exquisite
when frozen or deep-fried, but this was not for the faint of heart or stomach;
they worked well as toppings or stuffing for pancakes or waffles and even
baked goods, where the sugary sweetness helped overpower the heat;
they even made good for syrups and sauces and dips, especially when
roasted or blended. But his favorite purpose for them, so far above and
beyond the others as to compare diamonds to coal?
They were used for the best wines in the entire world, extremely
strong, enough to knock a wild Gargantuan matriarch on her back with but
a single glass; but this rare drink came only through an excruciating
process that was substantially more dangerous than just picking the berries
themselves. The Redblade Mountains - a range of everlastingly active
volcanoes just west of the Gate - were the only home to these berries,
which required extreme heat to grow and even more extreme temperatures
to flourish. The best crops grew right at the edges of dried lava pools and at
the volcanic craters, and to make into wine they needed to be pulped
immediately after plucking, while their juices were still hot and bubbling like
the magma from which they took their name, requiring the pony making it to
remain in a fiery, ash-coated wasteland for hours on end, risking life and
limb against the blazing heat, the lung-clogging black soot, or worse, a
sudden eruption that would sear their flesh and turn their bones to as much
as charcoal were they in the wrong place at the wrong time. The fermenting
process needed to begin within an hour afterwards, thus necessitating
quick travel in a wildly dangerous landscape. But a properly-made bottle of
the finest Magmaberry Wine was like sipping emotion itself, as if it had
been fermented with ecstasy and pleasure and agony and sorrow, and all
the best and worst feelings and sensations one pony could ever hope to
experience in one lifetime, let alone two or more, all of it flavored as if to
match the tastes of the pony drinking it. If you were sad, the wine could
send you into a deep depression; were you happy, it would fill you with an
ecstatic elation. It was a dangerous drink, for those who were unstable.
Heaven and Hell, together in a glass.
Silvertongue enjoyed his breakfast one little piece at a time, lazily
though thoroughly scanning the morning’s data report, when he felt another
presence in the room with him.
“Ah...Shadowstep,” he smiled as he shuffled away his electronic
readout, “You have returned from your errands, though with a bit of a delay,
I notice. I expected your arrival hours ago, when you wouldn’t be
interrupting my breakfast. I do hope you have some good news for me...”
“Ah...apologies, milord,” Shadowstep nervously bowed from the
darkness, “Getting the information you requested took longer than I
planned. But oh, milord, you will not believe the things I learned about our
six little targets.”
Shadowstep briskly approached the table and took a tiny little device
from his ear, and inserted it into a socket on the table’s electronic display;
as he did so, Silvertongue noted that Shadowstep looked like he had been
in quite a scuffle - his uniform had several burn marks and tears, and the
young stallion’s face and wings and been nicked and bruised in several
places. Multiple notices and alerts flickered and faded across the screen
(“Apologies milord, ah...it seems I haven’t updated my software just
yet...heh...”), and with a touch of a hoof, Shadowstep’s report opened up, a
wide black document with neon green text and highly-detailed full-color
images; Silvertongue gazed upon it and began to read along, noting that
each section was divided neatly and everything tidily organized; the city
may not have much concern for order in their paperwork, but Silvertongue
was without the desire to see reports presented directly to him undergo that
same treatment. It was a rather strange irony.
“Hmm...I see you spared no expense gathering intel on their
personalities,” Silvertongue nodded, “That may be advantageous in the
future. A commendable effort.”
Each of the six ponies from the earlier report had their own tidy
section with a wide multitude of notes; Twilight Sparkle’s and Applejack’s
were noticeably shorter, though not so much so that it was a negative.
There was more information here than SIlvertongue has initially asked for Shadowstep had done his job exceedingly well. He could be forgiven for
being a little tardy.
Shadowstep swelled with confidence and pride, “I interviewed the
NPPD officer that was on the forms,” he smirked, “Disguised myself as a
CIA agent; she didn’t suspect a thing, answered every question, and went
into rather excruciating detail about them all. I coouldn’t get their
documentation forms, but got enough info from her directly to lead me to
them.”
“I certainly hope you were more thorough than that, my boy,”
Silvertongue narrowed his eyes without removing them from the screen. He
knew very well that if the CIA caught wind of this, the Committee would
stymie his efforts just by merely being anywhere within a hundred miles of
the situation; the damned fools would draw too much attention, alert too
many ponies, and probably actively involve themselves with these six
mares, and make it that much more difficult to continue with his efforts
covertly.
“Of course, milord, took care of her real neat and tidy-like, waited until
she was about to...ah...get-off,” he snickered at the double-entendre, even
if the meaning was lost to his employer, “Nopony will have seen her leave
the building, or not leave, for that matter. Had to get creative with the cleanup though, avoid suspicion and stuff like that; didn’t want to draw any
undue attention from the CIA or NPPD. She didn’t have family, and had
only one friend on the force itself that might be a concern, but ever-soconveniently he’s these six’s parole officer, so we can easily deal with
him...directly, if need be.”
“Very good, very good. Ah, now here is the information I was after,”
Silvertongue’s eyes gleamed as he came to the substance Shadowstep
had obtained from the Chronomancer’s discussion. He was most pleased
in seeing for himself in text and image that his theory had not only been
correct, but that it was turning out better than he had imagined. These
weren’t just any old average ponies, “Intriguing...such fascinating
information. You obtained this from the Chronomancer, I can assume?” he
asked, knowing the answer already but wanting a solid confirmation. It was
never good to make decisions based on an assumption; as the old saying
went, well, it would make him look rather the fool.
“Yes, milord. She was talking with another Chronomancer from what I
could gather, from their home dimension...I didn’t get much else out of it
other than what they said - I don’t really know what to make of it. It’s not my
forte,” and he gave a half-hearted shurg.
Silvertongue hummed lightly to himself as he read a little more of the
report, somewhat curious about these...Elements of Harmony and how
their world worked. It seemed familiar and similar enough to his own
world’s inner workings that he could grasp the concepts, but everything that
was being said seemed a little...off. No matter, they would have time to
figure that out later if necessary, what was important was, “And did you
ensure she would no longer be an obstacle, as I requested?”
Shadowstep hesitated for a mere second, not even long enough for a
less-observant pony to notice; but it was enough for Silvertongue to notice,
and the silver-coated unicorn shot him a glare that spoke many volumes of
disappointment. The answer had not been immediate - that could not be
any sort of good news, and he knew it. Shadowstep knew better than to lie
to Silvertongue - the stallion always seemed to know when he was being
deceived, “N-no sir, I could not confirm the kill. I dropped her from a few
hundred feet above the city, but I couldn’t find the body. I’d like to believe
she’s dead, but...well, I know better than that.”
“So...you are unsure if she still breathes and is going to be an everpersistent thorn in my side, or if she is dead and we are just being overly
cautious. A waste of time and effort,” Silvertongue sneered in a perfectly
calm, almost tranquil rage, “At the very least you’re not stupid enough to
assume she’s dead without the proof. You do not disappoint in that regard,
though I am displeased that the Chronomancer still has the possibility of
being alive, especially since she will likely try to carry out this plan of hers
much more abruptly. You’ve forced her hand too quickly...but that might
work to my advantage...”
“Sir?”
“Normally...such a display of incompetence would earn my wrath,” he
glared with such intensity that Shadowstep rather wished he were on the
other side of the planet, let alone the room, “However...the rest of the
information you have obtained has put me in rather high spirits; you went
rather above and beyond my orders in that regard, and I believe I will find it
most helpful in the near future. I need to begin preparations for the next
stage of developments - in the meantime...I will grant you a very rare
opportunity: a second chance. Stop that Chronomancer; do not let
these...Elements of Harmony leave the city. Do I make myself clear?”
“...crystal, milord,” Shadowstep gulped.
“And one more thing, Shadowstep. I rarely grant second chances. I
do not grant third ones. Understand?”
“Y-yes, milord.”
“Leave me,” Silvertongue dismissed, “I require privacy. Contact me
again when the situation has improved.”
Shadowstep nodded, and backed away into the darkness of the
room, where he vanished without a trace.
Silvertongue sighed lightly to himself as he perused the report more
thoroughly - there was something in all this information that he did not
understand quite clearly; rather, is struck him as awfully peculiar, and
rather...well, there was no sense in dwelling on it. While he knew it would
make no difference to his plans or whatever Discordia would desire, that
was unimportant, for now at any rate; what was important was alerting
Discordia to the developments and devising a plan. He focused his mind
and let his essence waft out about him, an aura of magic that would serve
as a beacon for his Goddess, and draw her to him like a moth to a flame.
She would not take“You summoned me, my Warden?”
Her voice came cool and crisp into his brain and flooded his thoughts
with a warm sensation. He shuddered at the way it burned her essence into
him, a feeling of elation and curiosity, “Milady...I bear news regarding those
creatures I discovered.” Andher spirit sparked with pleasure, sending a
shiver down his spine.
“Ah...you flatter me with your efficiency. I am eager to hear how they
pertain to the situation...”
Silvertongue began to read off information from Shadowstep’s report.
Every time certain strings of words were used, different sensations flooded
his soul as Discordia’s essence fluctuated and flickered in reaction. The
thought that another world would soon be in its death throes pleased her,
filled her with joy and excited anticipation that made Silvertongue’s entire
being rise with pleasure; he was in ecstasy, and only maintained a calm
and controlled demeanor because of years of posturing and proper
etiquette. But the knowledge that these six...these, Elements of Harmony and that word in particular, Harmony, filled Discordia with so much dread
and hatred and loathing that it frightened even Silvertongue for a brief
moment, not for his own sake but for hers - were responsible for the
imbalance that was beginning to manifest in this world as well as their own;
it made Discordia rather...displeased.
But, it also intrigued her, piqued her curiosity. Both she and
Silvertongue knew the longer those six remained in this world, the more the
imbalance would tilt in Harmonia’s favor, and while it would be only a
minuscule proportion, it was the the principle of the thing that counted.
Discordia’s initial thoughts were the simply have them destroyed
immediately, and be done with it. But something in her Warden’s thoughts
stirred her own, something about the way he was scrutinizing their
personalities and looking for something hidden from plain sight. Perhaps
there was more to the situation than its face value?
“My Warden...tell me...” she hissed into his heart, “Were you in these
six mares’ places...what lengths would you go to to return home?”
“Me, milady?” he raised an eyebrow. A most curious question for her
to ask, since she had a full understanding of his mind and soul. A test,
then, “You know well by now the lengths to which I will go to accomplish
any goal I have set in mind. I have always been...ambitious. Were I in their
place...nothing in this world or the next or the in-between could stop me.”
“And I believe they would agree with you, in that regard...” she coolly
hummed, “The Chronomancer plans to see Harmonia, does she? She
thinks my counterpart will grant them passage, and return them home?”
“So it would seem. It is certainly within her power. Within yours, as
well,” Silvertongue nodded, “I suspect that you do not wish to utilize that
might for their benefit, naturally. We can deal with a little...imbalance, for a
time, and simply let their world be destroyed before we deal with them. I’d
consider it an experiment - let us see what the effects of full-blown dark
magicks have upon a world with no way to stop the flow. The report says
the Chronomancer believed as much...hence why she seeks Harmonia
instead. But we cannot just allow them to roam free...”
“Then perhaps we can...convince them that their new ally, the
Chronomancer, is misleading them. Convince them that perhaps Harmonia
is not as benevolent as she seems...”
Silvertongue looked over the brief details in the report that he felt
played a role here, and his eyes brightened when he made the connection.
It was brilliant, and it made him all the more thankful for Shadowstep’s
thorough investigation. This would not prove difficult, not at all. Well, at
least...conceptually, “Turning them against Harmonia will not be an easy
task, milady. She shares their qualities in a great many ways, and we both
know full well that she will do what she can to help them once they meet
her. Perhaps...perhaps instead, if we corrupted them?”
“Corrupted, my Warden?” her voice floated, curious and cold like icy
water in his veins, “An unorthodox plan. I cannot corrupt them quite the
same as I have done in the past with others,” she hissed, discontent with
the inability to interfere directly. Her magic could not touch their minds as it
could with her Warden, even if they had the physical or mental capacity to
even comprehend her existence. Their souls were too bright, her powers
too dark to touch their light; well, at least they were in their current state.
Silvertongue smirked, a smug grin that hinted at a darker intention,
“Ah, but milady, perhaps you won’t need to corrupt them, at least not
personally. Perhaps somepony else could accomplish such a task.”
“You, perhaps?” she laughed, “I did not think you liked to dirty your
hands with menial labor anymore, always preferring to command from afar,
and manipulate your pawns.”
“Me? You misunderstand my intentions, milady,” he grinned wider, “I
am not in the position to carry out such an errand anyway. While I have a
simple understanding of their personalities, there are a great many things I
lack that I would need to corrupt them adequately, to make them truly
believe my words over those of their new ally, who is promising them a way
home. I do not have an intimate knowledge of their psyches, their hearts’
desires, their hopes and dreams, or of the qualities of their souls. I do not
know how deeply connected they are amongst themselves, nor do I know
which particular buttons to push to elicit reactions. And further, I do not
even know which of them exemplifies which Element, apart from Twilight
Sparkle; though, I may be able to fathom a guess to a few, another failing
of the Chronomancer’s ability, unless she is merely not speaking her mind.
No, I do not believe I am qualified to corrupt them.”
“...you have a plan in mind already, my Warden,” Discordia cooed as
she felt her way through his thoughts. His plan wafted through the
Dreaming, and she picked it apart and understood it as if it had been her
own. She was elated to find her Warden was such a resourceful thinker,
but then again he always had been, “Ah...you are a most devious schemer.
If we cannot corrupt them directly, perhaps we can do so...indirectly. A
brilliant idea...”
“I thank you, milady, for your praise,” he smiled, feeling a tear come
to his eye as the sensations of warm pride filled his heart, “I shall begin my
task right away - should that accursed Chronomancer truly still be alive, I
will need to work quickly to complete this plan before she renders it difficult
to accomplish covertly. If the Chronomancer has perished, then we may
merely need to adjust our plans slightly. This is a satisfactory foundation,
regardless of the circumstances, wouldn’t you agree?”
“I will leave you to your work, my Warden. Call to me again when you
are ready...and I will assist you with the final phase. Until then, I must
monitor the Belt of Tranquility and continue my observations of their effect
on the balance here.”
“Aye, milady. I thank you for your blessings...” And he felt Discordia’s
essence leave his mind and spirit. Shaking off the feeling of emptiness, a
sensation he would never grow accustomed to no matter how many times
over how many years he had experienced it, he clicked a button on the
table, turning on the intercom, “Shroud.”
“Yes, milord?”
“I need you to make a few...calls...”
*****
*****
*****
And if you call now, we’ll send, absol- *CLICK* -ast off those
lines, you scurvy d- *CLICK* -ave news, Glorious. I’m pregna- *CLICK*
-ting cakes is easy and fun! Just take- *CLICK*
“Heeeyyy, I was watching that...” Pinkie Pie frowned.
Flathoof had taken the remote control from her hoof and gave her a
stern look, “We can watch your cooking program later, Pinkie Pie. It’s
almost seven o’clock, and I need to watch the news.”
“Awww...” she pouted.
*CLICK*
The jingle played over the background of the opening titles for the
news program, which displaying many sweeping vistas of New
Pandemonium City. Gold text, bright and shiny and reflecting light that
wasn’t actually there, floated slowly down from the upper corner of the
screen and twisted through the center, to surround a circular silver emblem
that zoomed in from the background, bearing a large, glittering number
one.
“You are watching Channel One Eyewitness News in the Morning.
With Daybreak-”
And the text was swept off the screen to reveal the moving image of a
unicorn stallion with a golden coat and a short bright blue mane, wearing a
fancy brown business suit and tie and giving a broad, rehearsed grin to the
audience. His name was highlighted in bright bronze letters in the lower
corner of the screen.
“-and Butter Pecan in the studio-”
The image of a white earth pony mare replaced that of Daybreak, her
curly creamy blond mane matching the color of her own suit (no tie). She
gave a broad grin to the audience as well.
“Featuring Meteorologist, Clarity, with the weather-”
Now a dull brown pegasus mare, shiny black mane in a neat, slickedback style, and a dusty blue jacket.
“Stalwart with sports-”
A burly sky blue earth pony with a short brown mane, whose coat and
tie were clearly being stretched to their limit to fit his physique. He didn’t
really smile at the audience, so much as gave them an assured, confident
nod.
“And Skyline with traffic-”
A lithe pegasus stallion, sea green in color with a whitish-green mane
styled back in a ponytail, wearing a decorated flight jacket and a pair of
goggles (“Hey, that pony’s got style”, Rainbow Dash chuckled, “He might
be almost as cool as me.”).
“This...is Channel One Eyewitness News in the Morning...”
“Good morning everypony,” greeted Daybreak with a smile, “Today’s
top stories: Hoof Rot season, already? New Pandemonium Medical reports
a rise in reports of the serious disease early this year, and are
recommending action be taken by every citizen to prevent the spread. And
the major fire in the northeast section of the Outer District from yesterday
has still not been contained by New Pandemonium Fire Brigade, and is
beginning to spread further outwards in the district. Authorities are worried
it may soon spread into Mid-East if efforts to stop it fail. First though here’s
your weekly weather forecast with Clarity.”
The camera panned over to the pegasus mare, Clarity, who was
standing in front of a large green screen, that quickly flickered and hummed
to reveal a map of the city with lots of colored splotches plastered across it.
It was the first time any of the six mares from Ponyville had seen what New
Pandemonium City looked like as a whole, and it came as a surprise to
them just how big it was. The map was perfectly circular, almost ironically
organized and divided into very precise Districts. In the center was the
Inner District, the smallest of the three major divisions; just beyond that and
covering roughly twice the area, were the Mid Districts. They saw theirs Mid-South - was covered in the least of the colors, outside of the Inner
Districts (Flathoof pointed out, when asked, that the Inner Districts
employed teams of pegasi to clear the smog, not unlike the weather teams
they had back home. Central Plaza employed some as well, but not as
many and they weren’t as good either, but they were better than nothing).
The Outer District covered double the area of the Mid Districts, and was
divided into two sections - the Outer District itself, and the much smaller
area in the southeast called the Gate District.
Clarity lazily pointed out a bunch of the splotches of color, and as she
traced her hoof along the map the image slowly changed to reflect the
movement of the colors which, according to her, represented the major
smog clouds. She didn’t seem particularly fascinated with her job, “Weather
forecast for this week,” she said in a bored, lazy tone, “Smog today, smog
tomorrow, more smog the day after that - smog all week folks, nothing new.
Temperatures are staying steady in the mid-80’s, though citizens in MidEast may notice temperature spikes as that big fire starts moving towards
them. I recommend turning on your air-conditioning...” and she yawned,
then pointed to a big red cloud over Mid-West, “Citizens of Mid-West are
advised not to go outside without protective gear for the next three days,
starting tonight; all signs point to a wild acid rain storm. Weather teams
from Mid-South and the Inner Districts will attempt to divert it but are not
expecting to be able to do much except contain it. That’s all for the
weather, but we’ll be back for a second look at the end of today’s reports.
Back to you, Daybreak...” and she yawned again.
“Thanks Clarity,” Daybreak beamed, “Now over to Skyline with the
morning’s traffic report. Skyline?”
And the camera switched from in the studio to that of the pegasus
stallion, Skyline, who was holding it steady as he flew through a few smog
layers above a particularly busy area of the city. Pegasus ponies
everywhere were busy flying and dodging one another for seemingly
almost no reason at all. Rainbow Dash looked over to Pinkie Pie and
shrugged, curious why nopony just...flew in another direction. They all
seemed to be constraining themselves to remain between two lines of
bright green floating lights that winded through the taller buildings, and then
between the many lines of shining white lines that passed in between
those; pegasi on one side of a bright blue divider were flying north, the
other side were flying south. The northbound side was where most of the
trouble came in, as several of the bright white lines were flashing red.
“Thanks, Daybreak. As you can see here, to all you pegasi out there
it might be a good idea to steer clear of Northbound Air Intercity Thirteen,
there is pretty heavy congestion this morning caused by a malfunction in
the three of the four Guiding Lanes; traffic control estimates a three-to-four
hour delay for repairs. I’d recommend taking Ground Intercity Thirteen
instead if you’re headed for Mid-North, and either Air Intercity Twelve or
Fourteen if you’re headed anywhere else. To all of our unicorn and earth
pony pedestrians down there, please be on the look-out for wayward
pegasi taking illegal highway exits. NPPD units are already en route to try
and direct the flow of traffic, estimated arrival time is in one hour. Now back
to you in the studio.”
“Thank you, Skyline. We’ll be back to you for an update shortly,”
Daybreak nodded, “Now to Butter Pecan with our first top story of the day.
Pecan?”
Butter Pecan spoke in a cheerful, though focused tone as the camera
shifted to her, “Good morning everypony. Today’s top story - Hoof Rot
Season is striking our fair city early this year, and there have already been
numerous reports of it spreading quickly through some of the Outer District
areas. Doctors are recommending immunization measures be taken as
soon as possible. We have more from our correspondent at Central
General, Hotwire.”
The camera shifted from the studio again to a young unicorn stallion
standing in a pristine white hallway. He had a shiny purple coat and neatly
a combed orange mane with splotches of red in it, wearing a dull red jacket
and holding a microphone with his magic. To his left stood another unicorn
with an off-white coat and olive green mane and tail that spiked out and
stood at attention, as if they weren’t really hair but rather metal or wood or
something solid (“Oh my, he must use a ton of product to get them to stay
so straight,” Rarity cooed, “What an interesting style.”). One couldn’t see
his eyes - they were hidden behind large lab goggles. He wore a creamy
brownish-white lab coat that draped all around his form.
“Thank you Butter Pecan,” Hotwire nodded, “I’m here at Central
General where the reports of Hoof Rot being on the rise early this season
were first discovered. With me is the Committee-approved Chief of
Medicine here at Central General, Doctor Blutsauger,” and the white
unicorn nodded with a soft smile, “Doctor, tell us a little more about what
exactly you’ve discovered.”
“Ja, vell, zee past few hours vee have been gettink calls from our
clinics in zee Outer District about Hoof Rot incidents. Typically Hoof Rot is
a late Vinter, early Spring illness, und ponies vould have plenty of time to
get zeir annual immunization shots if zey haven’t already. But if Hoof Rot
vere to begin spreadink early, before most of zee city got zeir
immunizations? Vee’d be lookink at...an epidemic.”
“What sorts of actions are being taken to prevent such an
occurrence?”
“I have spoken vis zee Committee directly und shown zem mein
research - zey agree vis me zat it vould be better to practice caution zan to
risk toyink vis zee lives of our citizens. I believe your studio vill be gettink
zeir issued mandate soon.”
“Mandate, doctor?”
“I know zere are many ponies in zee city zat do not listen to medical
reports or even vatch zee news, und I requested zee Committee take
responsibility to ensure zat all ponies in zee city take action to prevent zis
possible catastrophe. Immunization shots are free to all ponies vis valid
identification, und all of our clinics are open twenty-four hours a day, so
zere really is no excuse.”
“I see. For those at home watching, what are the symptoms of Hoof
Rot, so they may know which ponies to avoid to prevent infection?”
“Ja, of course. Hoof Rot comes in stages, und luckily vee are only in
zee first stage of zee disease's run; first stage sufferers of Hoof Rot vill
have tiny green or red splotches or varts on zeir hooves - unicorns may
also have similar blemishes on zeir horns, as zey are similarly affected.
Hoof Rot is highly contagious - do not touch anypony zat shows zee
symptoms, do not let zem breaze on you, do not interact with zem.”
“Thank you, doctor, for your time.”
“Alvays a pleasure to do a service for zis great city.”
“This has been Hotwire reporting for Channel One, back to you in the
studio.”
The camera returned to the studio view, where Butter Pecan was
shuffling a paper she had just been handed.
“Thank you, Hotwire, and thank you Doctor Blutsauger. As noted in
the report, we have just received the Committee’s Mandate. Issued one
hour ago this morning, the Committee has issued an order that all citizens
without up-to-date Hoof Rot immunization records in the past thirty days
are to report to their nearest New Pandemonium Medical Clinic as soon as
possible. They have also issued that anypony that does not get their
immunization shots within the next twenty-four hours is subject to forced
admission by order of the New Pandemonium Police Department. This
mandate is going to be aired on all stations within the next fifteen minutes
and through the rest of the day, and broadcast hourly on the public
broadcast system. Daybreak?”
“Thank you, Butt-”
*CLICK*
“Come on then ladies, you heard the...lady...” Flathoof grunted.
“What?” Rainbow Dash blinked, “Already? We have all day, don’t we?
What’s the big rush?”
“If I’d known about this blasted report, I would’ve had all of you at
Central General an hour ago, when the Mandate was issued,” Flathoof
sighed, clearly flustered at suddenly having actual work to do this early in
the day, “This is one of the most congested sub-sectors of the city, and the
closest Clinic to us is the busiest Clinic in the entire Mid-District collection.
I’m certain ponies are already starting to make their way there, and I’d
really like to get this done before too long, but the longer we wait, the
longer we’ll have to wait. So enough arguing, let’s get moving. Hop to it.”
Twilight Sparkle stood up and began to mimic Flathoof’s words, “You
heard him, girls, let’s get going. Chop chop.”
“Awww...b-but-” Rainbow blurted, “They were about to get to sports. I
want to see if they have a Skyball league here.”
Rarity sighed and rolled her eyes, “Honestly, Rainbow Dash, why do
you have to be so argumentative?”
“I am not arguing, I’m just sayin’ I don’t know why we have to be in
such a rush,” Rainbow glared, “You’re the one who seems to want to start
the arguments, not me. Like right now, I’m just sayin’ stuff and you’re trying
to get into it with me.”
“...oh dear...” Fluttershy peeped, “Here we go again...”
“Good heavens darling, I have never heard such an inaccurate
statement. You’re the one who started all the fuss last time about-”
“Me? You’re the one who started it, making a big deal about how I
was cleanin’ things up! What was all that ‘oh Rainbow I know you can’t
clean worth a dang because you used to live in a cloud’ stuff? Huh?”
“I was merely making an observation,” Rarity humphed, “You’re the
one who went off on a tangent about ‘homes’ and things like that.”
“Girls!” Twilight stamped a hoof, “Really, this is neither the time or
place for this sort of thing.”
“But-” both Rainbow and Rarity frowned.
“Y’all heard Twilight,” Applejack stepped in, “Let’s just get this over
with, no fussin’ around. I reckon it won’t take that long, an’ we can get back
home an’ start gettin’ to work on more important things. If y’all wanna
argue, do it later.” Applejack was actually secretly, and rather ashamedly,
sort of glad that they had been arguing. If Rarity had found somepony else
to get into it with, that meant less of a headache for herself.
“I just wanted to see if they had a Skyball league...” Rainbow sighed,
“Geez, sports was next anyway, it wouldn’t have taken that long...”
“That can wait for later, this is important. Do you want to get Hoof
Rot?” Twilight said sternly.
“Well...no, but I mean...it’s not that big of a deal,” Rainbow shrugged,
“Pfft, we have that stuff back home too, they’re making it sound like it’s
super serious and-”
“That’s because maybe, don’t you think, it is a serious illness over
here?” Twilight chastised, “It might not be that big of a deal back home just get some bed rest and drink some medicinal teas, plenty of foods, all
that stuff; but here, they’re making it sound like it could be deadly. Multiple
stages? Hoof Rot back home doesn’t work like that. It just makes you smell
for a bit.”
“You all must have it pretty lucky in Utopia,” Flathoof blinked, “To
have Hoof Rot be treated like just a common cold.”
“Even then, it is a most dreadful little illness,” Rarity shuddered, “Oh
my, I remember having it once as a little filly, made my hooves smell just
awful for a whole week. Since then I’ve taken great care to watch my health
and avoid catching it again. It would drive away business!”
Pinkie Pie giggled, “I remember when me and my sisters all had it at
the same time; they had to declare our rock farm a Class Five Smelly Zone!
It was really hard to try and throw parties in all that stink, and it was just the
three of us so we really couldn’t get any supplies or nothin’; Mom and Pop
couldn’t come anywhere near us and it was really awful, I didn’t like it all
that much. But I mean, you’d have to be a crazy pony to actually like having
Hoof Rot.”
“Fine, fine,” Rainbow held her hooves up, “I didn’t mean to sound like
I didn’t want to get this done at all, I was just wondering what the dang rush
was for, geez. No need to bite my head off.”
“What would your head even taste like?” Pinkie tapped a hoof to her
chin, “Hmm...I wonder if it tastes anything like your-”
“PINKIE PIE!” Rainbow flustered, “Geez! They don’t need to hear
that!”
“What? I was just gonna say ‘your favorite candy’...y’know, Rainbow
Drops? Pfft, what did you think I was gonna say?”
Twilight facehoofed, “Girls, please. Can we just get going? I’d like to
get this done as soon as possible. Right, Officer Flathoof?”
Flathoof sighed and nodded, looking at the clock face on the nearby
wall, “We’re probably already running a little late...”
*****
*****
*****
New Pandemonium Medical’s Central General Clinic was probably
the least impressive building they’d seen thus far...maybe more so that
NPPD Central Station, but not by much. It was shorter than the other
buildings by a fair margin - this one didn’t tower above all the others
nearby, and was actually fairly well overshadowed by its neighbors. It
wasn’t even particularly wide like Southeast Point or even Central
Database Holdings were. It was still very big, to be sure - easily large
enough to hold a few thousand ponies, as Flathoof explained, but it wasn’t
until he told them that it had a very large underground portion too that they
understood how that was physically possible. That was where they had to
do some of the more serious treatments, to avoid contamination from any
smog residue on the surface levels. The building was an extremely
contrasting dirty white in comparison to the rest of the nearby buildings
which were all tar or brick or soot-colored, much like even the rest of the
city that they’d seen thus far, and seemed almost hygienic and sterile, were
it only cleaned a bit. Large red crosses adorned many of the building’s
features, and a particularly large one was plastered just above the large
four-piece doors at the front - enough to let a few dozen ponies in and out
of the entrance at once, likely to accommodate room for stretchers, beds,
or other equipment - and this one had bright golden letters emboldened
across it reading out the name of the building.
“See, I told you,” Flathoof pointed as they entered the sliding quad
doors to the building. Twilight Sparkle and her friends’ jaws all collectively
dropped at the sight of so many ponies in one tightly-packed little place.
There was a line of ponies stretching all the way down the long hallway
ahead of them and it looked like it was even going all the way around the
corner in the distance, and they couldn’t guess where it went from there. A
little sign-post at the end of the line here by the door indicated this line was
for Hoof Rot immunization shots, and a little digital display on it gave a
readout of the expected wait time. This was what made the group’s heads
spin - it said fifteen hours...no wait, it just clicked again; now it said fifteen
hours, thirty minutes. The ponies at the very end of the line had apparently
wisely anticipated the wait time and like many others ahead in the line, had
brought cushions for to sit on and little bags of snacks and drinks to partake
in while they waited. Rainbow Dash, in particular, related the line to the
ones she had waited in as a filly to get tickets to Wonderbolts shows...but
fifteen hours? Even the Wonderbolts weren’t that popular.
“Geez...you weren’t kidding,” Rainbow sighed, “Sorry I held us up. If
I’d known-”
“It wouldn’t have made much difference,” Flathoof sighed, “Maybe
saved you all at most fifteen or twenty minutes if we’d gotten here ten
minutes ago, I don’t know. Listen, you six go ahead and get in line, I’ll see if
I can find something out from the nurse station. I might not be Lockwood,
but maybe I can try and get us some sort of a...I dunno, something.”
Flathoof trotted a ways away from the six mares as they took up
positions in line, and rang a bell at the nurse station. A white pegasus mare
came out of the nearby room, clad in a white uniform and a little cap with a
red cross.
“Can I help you...ah, officer?”
“Yes, well...maybe,” Flathoof smiled, trying his best to work some
kind of charm. That’s how Lockwood always did it, certainly that might help
here even if he wasn’t quite used to those methods. He figured that trying
to be assertive and demanding would not work out any better here than it
had at Central Database Holdings, “I’m the parole officer for those six
mares over there,” and he pointed at his parolees, “And was wondering if
there was anything you could do to maybe help me get their shots a
little...ah...sooner?”
The nurse narrowed her eyes and frowned, “You’re kidding...right?
You want me to try and skip six mares ahead of a fifteen hour line? You
must be out of your mind.”
“...eh heh...I...I know it sounds a little selfish,” Flathoof smiled calmly
as he tugged his collar, “But they’re new in the city, see, and don’t even
have last year’s shots. I’m worried something-”
“Look, as much as I’m sure that’s the case, I simply can’t just break
protocol and skip them all ahead. This place is a zoo already, can you
imagine the kind of chaos that skipping a few mares ahead of the line will
cause? If you think you can hold off a riot all by yourself then feel free to
convince me otherwise.”
Flathoof sighed. So much for trying it Lockwood’s way. Lockwood
must’ve had some sort of special technique he was unaware of, “Fine, it
was worth a try...thanks for your time...” He dejectedly walked away and
returned to the other mares, “Sorry ladies, no luck. I’m sure Lockwood
might’ve been able to do something - knowing him he probably knows half
the staff here, heh. We’ll just have to tough it out.”
“Awww...geez...” Rainbow groaned, “This is gonna be so boring...”
“Aw, take it easy sugarcube,” Applejack chuckled, “At least we all got
company, yeah?”
“Yeah...I guess...”
“...um...maybe we should think of something to...to talk about? To
pass the...um...time?” Fluttershy weakly suggested, “I mean...if...if you want
to...”
“Ooh! Ooh! We should play a game!” Pinkie Pie grinned, “Okay,
um...I Spy, with my little eye...um...something white!”
“Is it me?” asked Rarity with confidence.
“Nnnnope!”
Rarity frowned, “Well...hmph, she always picks me with that color...”
“Is it...um...” Fluttershy said quietly, “The...nurse’s gown?”
“Nnnnope!”
“Is it the floor?” Rainbow sighed.
“Pfft, what? The floor is clearly beige, Dashie,” Pinkie chuckled, then
did her best Rarity impression, “I mean, really, Rainbow Dash? I know
Rarity’s the fashion expert here and all, but you can’t tell the difference
between beige and white?”
“Well it used to be white,” Rainbow scuffed at a tile, revealing how
much dirt was caked on it, “If they ever cleaned it.”
Rarity laughed, “I never thought I’d hear that sort of thing from you.”
“C’mon you guys, you gotta keep tryin’!” Pinkie pouted, “Something
white!”
Twilight rolled her eyes, “The lights?”
“Nnnnope!”
“The...uh...the ceilin’?” Applejack blinked.
“You guys are terrible!” Pinkie sighed, “Something white!”
“I give up!” Rainbow blurted, “Come on, Pinkie, everything here is
nearly white! It’s a hospital! What did you pick?!”
Pinkie Pie pointed right at Flathoof, who nervously shied away a little
from her accusing hoof as it scrolled down his face, to his chest, to his
badge, to the NPPD motto scrawled there in white writing - “It’s a Living”.
“Oh for the love of-” Twilight groaned, “We can’t even read that from
here!”
“I thought it was a reflection of the light!” Rarity fumed, “Really, Pinkie
Pie? Really?”
“Ugh...moving on...” Rainbow sighed, “Hey, I know what we can talk
about! Twilight, how did last night go? Find out anything about getting ho-”
and she remembered Flathoof was just a few feet away, “...a...uh...a job?”
“Oh, right,” Twilight smiled, “Well, the Chief Librarian said I was more
than qualified for the position and wants me to go back...tonight...oh, shoot.
How am I going to go in for an interview if I’m standing in line waiting for a
shot? Do you think he’d understand?”
Flathoof nodded, “For a Committee Mandate I’m sure he’d make an
exception. Heck, if it were my guess he might even be in this same line
here, assuming he lives in Central Plaza.”
“Did you find anything else out, Twilight?” Rainbow nudged, then in a
slightly hushed whisper added, “Y’know, anything important?”
Twilight blinked for a moment in though, then gave a face of
realization, “Ah, oh...um...right. Well no, I couldn’t find out...what I was
hoping to. I didn’t have much time to do my research, sadly. I had planned
on spending all of today there and trying to find out some more but-”
“Excuse me, officer?”
The nurse had come over specifically to speak to them. Flathoof
hadn’t noticed her walking over and was taken a little by surprise.
“Ah...um, yes?” he blinked.
“It would seem there was a misunderstanding,” she nervously
chuckled, “You said your parolees were new citizens, right? Well maybe
there is something I can do for you then.”
“Oh?” Flathoof said in genuine elated surprise, “Oh! That’s good
news. Great news!”
“Now...since they’re new citizens and all that, they’re going to have to
go through a routine physical and get some blood-work done,” she
explained, “Nothing special. We only have one doctor on staff that can do
this right now, that’s why I didn’t think of it before; most of the doctoral staff
doesn’t report in until late morning. But you’re in luck - our Chief of
Medicine had to be here early today to be interviewed for the news report.
I’ve already spoken with his secretary and she says he’s agreeing to do
it...though not without resistance. Heh.”
“Doctor Blutsauger?” Flathoof blinked, “The Chief of Medicine is
going to give my parolees...a standard medical exam? Isn’t that a bit
beneath his station?”
“Yes, typically,” the nurse nodded quickly, “But the Hospital Board
would want him to do it anyway, since ah...” and she leaned in a little and
hushed her voice, “We get tax breaks whenever new citizens get fresh
medical records, kinda like your NPPD does, yeah? Every little bit helps, if
you catch my drift.”
Flathoof would have rolled his eyes and sighed would that not have
been in bad taste - he was unaware that NPM operated under the same
rules as seemingly every other major government-sanctioned department.
Money was money. So he just nodded and smiled, “Thank you. I appreciate
this...Nurse...?”
“Tenderheart,” she nodded, “And...uh...don’t thank me, I’m just doing
my job, and to tell the truth this might put me in good graces with the
Board. We have been a little short on funding lately. All these free
immunizations are expensive, and we had to call in extra staff members to
see that the line moved as quickly as possible, as well as monitor our
actual patients and the like. Pfft...if the actual doctors were showing up at a
decent hour, this line would be half as long.”
“Right...” Flathoof nodded.
She handed him a card, “Here, give this to his secretary, tell her I
sent you and she’ll admit your parolees no problem. She’s expecting you.
Take the elevator,” and she pointed down another hallway that ran
perpendicular to the long one they were already standing in, “Up to the
eighth floor. Take a right, down the hall until you reach the big wooden door
on your right-hand side, just before you turn the corner at the end - that’s
Doctor Blutsauger’s office.”
Flathoof nodded again and took the card, “Thank you again, Nurse
Tenderheart. Come on, ladies, we’re in luck.”
“Thank goodness,” Twilight sighed, “Hopefully this won’t take quite as
long, right?”
“It shouldn’t,” Flathoof shook his head as he led them towards the
elevators, “Well, the examination part at least. Those don’t take very long at
all. I haven’t been in for blood-work since I was a rookie - part of joining the
force and all - and I don’t remember how long that took. Either way it’s not
going to take fifteen hours, heh. I dunno...maybe thirty...forty-five minutes
for each of you? Longer than just getting a shot, but hey, we don’t have to
wait in line, right?”
“Well that’s a relief,” Rainbow breathed.
The elevators here at Central General were much larger than those
and NPPD Central Station, so nopony had to be squished next to anypony
else. *ding* *ding* *ding* *ding* *ding* *ding* *ding* Eighth floor. This floor
was...nice. While the lobby had been a somewhat filthy white - clean
enough to be passable, but not really sterile or hygeinic - this floor felt more
like that of a high-rise office building, like it didn’t even belong in Central
Plaza, let alone the entirety of all the Mid-Districts, and certainly not like it
was part of a hospital. The floor was carpeted, the walls and ceiling were a
pristine white. It was clear to Flathoof where NPM spent a great deal of
their extra tax bits, and while it made him sick thinking about how many of
those bits were likely his and his family’s, he knew he was up here getting
things done for somepony in need; there would be time to be upset about
the wastefulness later. Down the hall, right-hand side just before the corner
- ah, here it was, a big door made of what seemed to be a blackened wood
that none of them recognized, marked by what looked like a solid gold
placard that read “Dr. Blutsauger, MD - Chief of Medicine”.
Upon entering, they saw his secretary, a dulled blue unicorn mare
with curly white hair, wearing a professional-looking business suit. She was
busy filling out some paperwork when they walked in, and hardly noticed
them until Flathoof coughed and stepped up to her.
“Can I help you?” she asked without looking up from her work.
Flathoof set the business card he’d been given onto her desk, “We
were sent up here from Nurse Tenderheart to see Doctor Blutsauger.
Something about getting-”
“Ah, right, I got her message a few minutes ago. You should count
yourselves lucky that Doctor Blutsauger is even here this early, but what
can you do when we have a possible epidemic on our hooves, hmm?
These six mares are the patients then, yes? May I see their
identifications?” The six all hastily fumbled through their outfits to find
where they’d stored their ID cards, then presented them. The secretary
looked over each carefully and entered their information into her computer
station, “Hmm, it looks like Tenderheart was right - they don’t have any
medical records on file. They just got into the city yesterday afternoon, did
they? They got their identifications awfully fast, and already they’re getting
medical records taken care of and everything, hmm? Good for you, it’s not
often we see new ponies take such quick action. Wait here, I’ll inform the
doctor you’ve arrived.”
“Thank you,” Flathoof nodded.
She left the room and headed through the large door behind her that
led into Doctor Blutsauger’s personal office. Flathoof breathed a sigh of
relief, as did Twilight and her friends.
“This is going pretty smoothly,” Twilight smiled, “I was worried when
we first got here that everypony was going to be unhelpful and rude, like
the first few we met. It’s nice to see there are other ponies around here that
are like you and Mister Lockwood.”
“Hmph,” Rainbow grunted, “This all seems a little fishy, if you ask
me.”
“Aw, c’mon Dashie,” Pinkie grinned, “Everypony’s gotta get lucky
sometimes, right? Why, I remember when I was just a little twinkie Pinkie,
growing up on my family’s rock farm, when I saw a moving rock and got
really scared because, hey, rocks don’t move on their own! But it turned out
it wasn’t a rock, it was a rock lobster; my Mom and Pop were super excited
because those are worth so much money to rich ponies and stuff as pets,
so we sold it and then we decided to take a vacation at the beach with the
bits we made, and everypony got matching towels and-”
Rainbow leaned over to Rarity, who she figured would know, “What
the hay is a rock lobster?”
“-so we were headed there and we saw a sign on the road that said
fifteen miles to the-
Rarity shook her head, “Never heard of one. Fluttershy?”
“-and it was set way back in the middle of a field, which seems like a
really weird place to put a place called the Love Shack but I dunno, I guess
everypony likes their privacy every now and then, right? So yeah, it was
just a funky old shack, and-”
Fluttershy peeped, “...um...they’re little critters that use rocks for their
homes, using them kind of...like a shell. But...um...they typically don’t live
where Pinkie Pie lived. They live by the ocean...usually under docks...”
“-so we took it hip to hip, rocking through the wilderness, which was
really fun! Mom and Pop never much liked to dance except at my parties so
it was really neat to see than having such a good time. I told ‘em, ‘Mom,
Pop, you gotta roam if you want to, even without wings or wheels or-”
“So what the hay is one doing on her farm?” Rainbow blurted, “Pinkie
Pie! Your story doesn’t make any sense!”
“-and it had pink air, which I thought was super cool ‘cause I’m pink
and stuff and I thought maybe the air would taste different but it didn’t
really, so I was kinda disappointed. All the trees were red though which
was weird, I thought maybe they were like, licorice or something, but nope!
So then-”
Flathoof held his face with a hoof, “I swear, if I have to hear one more
of these crazy stories...”
Their attentions were diverted away from Pinkie Pie’s bizarre tale
when the large double doors leading into the office opened and the
secretary reappeared, “Doctor Blutsauger will see you now. One at a time-”
she quickly added when all six mares took a step forward, “And he insists
on doing it alphabetically. That means you’re first, Miss...Applejack?”
“Ah…well, okay I guess,” Applejack nodded as she trotted forward
and past the secretary.
Applejack walked into the office and nearly jumped at the sound of
the big doors snapping closed behind her. Doctor Blutsauger’s office
was…well, to put it lightly it was fancy. Richly decorated and filled with all
sorts of unique and exotic décor, all of which were eerily medically-themed,
the whole place rather put Applejack on edge. The massive wall of degrees
and qualifications somewhat eased her trepidation – he was clearly not just
a doctor, not even just a good doctor, but a highly-decorated expert in his
field (rather, fields, given the amount of degrees on the wall), though she
didn’t know any of the many different specializations; there were degrees
here for Cardiology, Hematology, and a few others, none of which she
knew the nature of nor really cared to know, truth be told. The carpet was
lavish and felt comfortable under her hooves, oddly enough like walking in
freshly-cut, crisp grass; there were no windows, no viewpoints into the
outside world at all, and she actually preferred it that way since the big city
was still unsettling to her. Along one of the walls was a display of
many…items, for lack of a better term for them – most of them were jars
filled with a clear though greenish liquid that she figured must have some
sort of preserving effect on what was also in the jars; she’d never paid
much attention in school during biology lessons, but she figured out that a
few of the objects in those jars were…organs. Well for certain now
Applejack was less at ease with the whole room, and wondered how Doctor
Blutsauger expected a wall full of pony organs to really soothe anypony
that came in here.
The Doctor himself soon exited from a nearby side room, using his
magic to organize some clipboards, pens, and a few needles and other
tools, “Ah, Miss Applejack, ja? Vunderbar, let’s get zis ordeal over vis. I did
not expect to be comink in today to give physicals und do zee blasted Hoof
Rot shots meinself, but business is business. Let’s take care of a few
measurements first. Step over to zee device here please,” and he gestured
to a machine that Applejack thought looked similar to a scale. She stepped
on it, and he came over and began adjusting knobs and levers on the
panel, “Now zen, I understand you are from Utopia, ja? Did you take a
physical over zere any time recently?”
Applejack thought for a moment, and remembered a doctor’s visit
she’d taken a little while before all of this, to see about a pain in one of her
forelegs, “Ah, yeah, some few months ago.”
“Do you remember any of zee measurements you vere given?”
“Measurements?”
“Ja, your height, veight, zings like zat? I’d like to have zem for
comparison, in case zere is a large difference in zee numbers. Helps to see
if you’ve grown or shrunk in figure, ja? To learn if perhaps zere is
something in your daily routine or diet zat may be affectink you.”
“Ah, okay. Um...I...I don’t rightly remember. I ain’t that good with
numbers, see, and-”
“Fine fine, it’s no big issue,” he dismissed, “Vee can vorry about zat
zee next time you have one, see how vell you adjust to changink livink
conditions. Let’s see...ah, height is...one-hundred-forty-one, slightly aboveaverage, very good - you are a tall one, ja! Veight is four-hundred
und...twenty-seven, also above-average-”
Applejack glared, “Well that’s a bit rude, doc. You sayin’ I’m fat?”
Doctor Blutsauger chuckled and waved his hoof dismissively, “Ach,
goodness no...ha,” and he wiped a kerchief under one of his goggles, “Zat
is a new one, I vill have to remember it for zee next Doctors’ Ball. Anyvay,
nein, you have some tone as vell, I suspect zee extra veight is all muscular.
You are a vork-pony, ja? Understandable, given your height. You must do a
lot of physical labor, und quite often? From Utopia...hmm...construction
maybe or...a farm pony, perhaps?”
Applejack blinked, “Uh...yeah, that’s right. Good guess, doc.”
“Ach, I make it mein business to know mein patients’ a little bit on a
personal level, ja? Helps make zem feel at ease, since many patients feel
uncomfortable vis a few of zee...procedures,” and he nervously tugged the
collar of his lab coat, knowing that Applejack was not likely to take too
kindly to the next stage of the physical exam, and was certainly physically
capable of bucking him into next season...
*****
*****
“Bonjour. Est-ce que votre réfrigérateur qui fonctionne? Alors, vous
feriez mieux d'aller attraper!”
Blutsauger pulled back several inches and looked at his stethoscope
carefully.
No, there wasn’t any dirt or dust on it. He leaned in again.
“おはようございます！
クレージーホースインザモーニングへ
ようこそ！ 僕は アンカーマン クレージーホースです！”
His stethoscope shifted.
“This is your captain speaking, we are currently on our final approach
to-”
He kept himself calm; Pinkie only smiled. He coughed, and gave her
a relaxed, though quizzical, look of concern.
Pinkie’s grin got wider. “Problem, doc?”
*****
*****
“Vill...you...stop...movink...please...?” Blutsauger gasped, “You
are...makink...zis...so much...harder...zan it needs...to be...”
“C’mon doc, you gotta try harder than that,” Rainbow Dash chuckled,
“Or am I too fast for you? I’m not just a fast flier, y’know; I gotta be fast all
over. Heh.”
“You are not supposed to dodge zee hammer,” he panted as he lifted
it once more. Again he swung it down, again he missed as, again, she
moved her leg out of the way.
“Well that’s dumb, how is it supposed to test my reflexes if I just let
you hit me?”
Blutsauger sighed, “I zought...I vas done vis dealing vis zings like
zis...”
*****
*****
“Ouch! Wow that stings...”
“Zere vee go, all done,” Blutsauger nodded as he used his magic to
flick the tip of the needle, “Mmm...zis is somezing I have not done in a long
time...” he added with a rather...sinister-sounding chuckle, “Bloodvork is
such a pleasure. Ah...sometimes I vish I had not gotten zis promotion, ja? It
is alvays zee little zings you miss zee most.”
“Right...” Twilight grimaced as she felt him apply the tiny bandage to
the injection area, “So...uh...are we all done here for today? With
everything?”
“Mmmm? Oh, ja, zat vill be all,” Blutsauger dismissively waved, “Tell
mein secretary you’re all done und she’ll send zee tax papervork to your
place of residence.”
“Oh...right...” Twilight nodded, “Um...thank you, for all of this.”
“Don’t zank me, I didn’t really vant to come in on mein day off und do
a bunch of first-year stuff. Just be zankful somepony here is obviously
lookink out for you.”
Twilight sighed, and left the office. Her friends were all in the
entryway, varied looks of displeasure or neutral bewilderment at the
experiences they’d just gone through. Well, doctor’s visits were certainly
different here in this new world...
*****
*****
*****
It was good to be back home - not too many hours had passed, but it
was still closing in on mid-afternoon as the six mares and Flathoof
ascended the stairs of Southeast Point towards their apartment. Every time
they traversed these stairs, they became more and more accustomed to
the climb, and it was getting a little less strenuous as they prepared
themselves for it. That, and having a good night’s rest, stopping for a little
lunch on the way home (though Applejack admittedly ate a little less than
everypony else - said something about “not feelin’ right” about eating the
strange Dolor foods), and not having to deal with a lot of stress and activity
thanks to getting sucked through a portal and thrown into another world,
sure did allow them a lot more energy for it. Even Rarity barely complained
as they made the climb.
It came as a surprise to them, however, to find Lockwood waiting at
the top of the stairs for them, pacing back and forth outside their open door.
He looked calm, but impatient.
“Lockwood?” Flathoof started as he came ahead of the other six,
“What are you doing here?”
“Oh, there you all are. Must’ve been going in for those immunization
shots, hmm?” he nodded, “Right right, of course you were, silly of me to
even ask. How was it? The line wasn’t too long, I hope?”
“Fifteen hours and thirty minutes,” Twilight Sparkle sighed, “When we
got there, it was packed. I’ve never seen such a crowd in one place.”
“Really? Huh...” Lockwood blinked, “Did something happen? You’re
all back awfully early. Good thing too.”
“Yeah, we got some help from a nurse there,” Flathoof nodded, “A
Nurse Tenderheart, to be precise. Friend of yours? Maybe she recognized
me or something, I figured you might have had something to do with it,
maybe called in a favor knowing we’d be there?”
“Tenderheart? Hmm...no, the name doesn’t sound familiar. I know a
few nurses there, and one doctor...”
“It wouldn’t be Doctor Blutsauger, would it?”
“The Chief of Medicine? Oh, my dear friend, I think you overestimate
me,” Lockwood chuckled, “I know a lot of ponies, but that’s a little beyond
my reach when social circles are concerned. But I digress - I had nothing to
do with this at all.”
Flathoof hummed, “Well that’s odd. Hmm...well, I guess that nurse or
secretary was just really nice then. Huh...shame, I should’ve gotten some
information for you, you’d probably like to meet somepony like that.
Heh...so anyway, I know you didn’t come up here just to make
conversation...well, maybe you would, but that doesn’t look like why you’re
here. What’s going on, pal?”
“Ah, yes, right,” Lockwood coughed, “Ah...it would seem our new
friends here...have a visitor.”
The six mares, Lockwood, and Flathoof, all entered the apartment.
Lying on the couch using a thick raincoat as a cushion, and looking in
rather dire straits, was a mint green unicorn mare.
Whoever the mare was, she certainly looked (and smelled, Rarity
was sure to point out) as if she had been through Hell and back again in
the past day. Her body was covered in small cuts and bruises, many of
which had clearly not really healed properly; some of the worst ones were
on her face, particularly a few nasty cuts around her muzzle and nose. At
least her Cutie Mark was still recognizable, even if it too had some shallow
cuts - a silver and gold stopwatch with a long black chain, that in and of
itself seemed to actually accurately tell time; its minute and hour hands
were identical to that of the clock in the room, and even ticked off on their
own. Her sweater vest had been ripped and torn in many places, her bowtie was half-missing, the other half frazzled and dirty, and her sky blue
mane and tail certainly did not look any better. They were a mess, stained
with bits of blood and dirt and sweat, such that they were not so much hair
as they were strips of some sticky fabric that were in dire need of a
cleaning. She smelled of smog and smoke, soot and a burning rain, as if
she had been a pegasus, obsessed with flying through the thick city air like
they were completely normal clouds. She did not look at all well.
“She came looking for you about...oh, an hour ago, she says,”
Lockwood whispered, “When she found you all weren’t home, she came
downstairs and asked for me - I offered her some medical aid, but she
insisted there wasn’t time for that and that we come up here and wait for
you. I at least got her to sit down and be patient, poor girl - and now look at
me, pacing in her stead. Ah, I’m getting off track again. She said she was a
friend of yours, and-”
“You trusted her, just like that?” Flathoof hissed, “Lockwood, look at
her, she-”
“She looks like she’s not exactly a reputable pony, I know. But I
listened to her talk...looked into those eyes of hers. There’s no malice
there, my friend. She looks like she’s been through a lot getting here, I
thought it would be right to see to her request.”
Twilight Sparkle stepped forward first, determined not to continue
arguing about who this pony was - she had claimed to be their friend, but
Twilight had never seen her before in her life. Well, that wasn’t true...she
looked a little familiar, but it must not have been a particularly long or
pleasant meeting if she could not recall it too clearly. Either way, there
would be time to deal with those sorts of details later. Now, all that she
wanted was an explanation.
“Who are you?” Twilight asked, simply and firmly, “Why were you
looking for us?”
The mare shook off her half-sleep, and smiled, though obviously with
a little pain. Her eyes were kind, and showed a great deal of concern and
frightened anxiety, “Relax, Twilight Sparkle-”
“And how do you know our names?” Twilight asked, making the
assumed conclusion.
“I know a great many things about you six young ladies. But don’t
worry...I am not an enemy - quite the opposite, in fact. Ah, you’ll forgive my
mild theatrics, I’ve always wanted to do stuff like this,” she chuckled, “My
name is Tick Tock, and I...I am here to help send you home...”
Chapter Six
Initialization
“If we’re all done buggering about,” Tick Tock sighed as the other
ponies stressed over her and her apparent state of injury
(“Snrk...Buggering? Whaaat?”). Fluttershy had taken the initiative to start
looking for some first-aid supplies, with Lockwood’s help; they’d managed
to find a small first-aid kit under the sink. Rarity had run some hot water into
a few bowls, and was busy soaking some towels to use for cleaning her
cuts, “I’m going to try to explain this quickly. We don’t have a lot of time,
hence why I didn’t want to muck about with all of this...this rubbish you’re
doing. But if you insist...anyway, basically it comes down to this: you six
need to get home, and fast, but not just because you’re homesick. Your
being here is going to have a pretty severe negative effect on your world
the longer you’re here; if I don’t get you lot home soon, there won’t be a
world for you to return to. So I’m sure you understand the gravity of the
situation.”
The six mares looked at each other with some trepidation. Flathoof
coughed, “Wait wait wait, you’re telling me that these girls are...from
another world? Pardon my saying so, miss...but maybe you hit your head
one too many times.”
“I assure you, I am perfectly sane and clear-headed, injuries aside. In
plain and simple terms...yes, they’re from another world,” Tick Tock
nodded. She gave a wince as Fluttershy dabbed an alcohol-soaked cotton
ball onto one of her more serious cuts, “Ow! Bloody hell, that stings...”
Pinkie snorted again.
“Oh...um...I’m sorry,” Fluttershy peeped, “But you really need to get
these taken care of. You could probably use a bath too...um...if you don’t
mind my saying...”
Rarity frowned as she dabbed a towel on Tick Tock’s forehead,
“Good heavens darling, where did you get all these injuries anyway? You
look an absolute mess.”
“Yeah,” Applejack nodded, “Y’all look like you done got in a fight with
a lawnmower.”
Tick Tock hesitated for a second, “I had a little...um...scuffle with
somepony. Not everypony out there likes what my line of work entails, I
suppose...” Truth be told, she didn’t want to reveal to them that she’d
suffered at the hands of an attempted murder, first because she didn’t
know who the pegasus stallion was, second because she didn’t actually
know what he was after her for, and third because worrying them about that
kind of thing would just slow them down - anyway, once they got out of the
city, he shouldn’t pose a problem. Whoever he’d been, he seemed the type
to go for the more covert and shadowy type of attack, not likely to try and
ambush them in the middle of an open field in broad daylight.
“What exactly is your job, if you don’t mind my asking?” Twilight
asked.
“I’m a Chronomancer,” Tick Tock smiled with confident air, “We take
pride in being the guardians of the Equestria Multiverse, preventing the
destruction of our worlds against the many natural forces that threaten to
do so. We don’t get involved in the politics or wars or things like that, those
are superficial events that might tear apart a world at its surface, but time
heals those kinds of wounds eventually; what we are concerned with are
the fundamental laws of magic and how they affect our worlds. Typically
we’re most focused on Void portals though - if left unchecked, a Void portal
just expands and expands, and can eventually damage the foundation of a
world itself.”
“Hmmm...interesting. The concept sounds familiar...I’m certain I’ve
read something along those lines before,” Twilight tapped a hoof to her
chin, “Well then, how exactly are we causing trouble back home by being
here?”
“Because you’re the Elements of Harmony,” and all six looked at one
another in surprise - she knew about that? Nopony at home knew about
that, “Your very existence in your world keeps the powers of Chaos magic
at bay, and with you six here, your world is going to be completely overrun
with Chaos magicks within the next three-to-four weeks. So we don’t have-”
“Wait, what?” Twilight blinked, “Back up a second. We represent a
seal on Chaos magic?”
Tick Tock sighed, “Yes yes, you six represent the fundamental
concepts of Law magic and all that, and-”
“See, now you’re confusing me,” Twilight waved a hoof, “Chaos and
Law aren’t really those kind of forces, they’re more like...well, like
classifications of magic, how certain types of magic work. They’re not-”
“Are you serious? Are you really arguing with me on the semantics of
how magic does or doesn’t work? Right now?” Tick Tock blinked in an
annoyed manner, “We don’t have time for-”
“I’m just trying to understand it,” Twilight frowned, “The better I know
what’s going on, the better I can think of a solution. I mean, if you’re wrong
about-”
“Wrong?!” Tick Tock blurted, “My dear, I am a Chronomancer. We’re
never wrong about these sorts of things. Your associate, Doctor Whooves,
is-”
“Doctor Whooves? The clock-maker?” Twilight blinked, “Huh...well...I
guess then that would make sense, if he were a Chronomancer too. He
always seemed to hang around the palace an awful lot for clock-maker.
How do you know him?”
Tick Tock rolled her eyes, “Chronomancers can communicate with
one another across the dimensions, to a certain extent. He’s the one who
postulated this whole theory, when he noticed the beginning of the problem
after you six disappeared. He’s the one who came up with the plan to get
you all home, and I think he knows a little more about magic than you do even if you’re the Element of Magic or whatever. He knows bloody well
more than I do, that’s for certain, and I think even I’m a little more
experienced than you are in these matters, my dear.” Pinkie stifled another
laugh.
Twilight narrowed her eyes “Well that’s a little arro-”
“Look, are you a Chronomancer?” Tick Tock returned the gaze, “No?
Well then you have no experience dealing with all three different styles of
magic there are out there as intimately as we do - you think Law and Chaos
are mere classifications? For heaven’s sakes, I’m trying to help get you
home, and you’re going to bleedin’ debate with me on-Ow! Fluttershy...”
“Sorry!” Fluttershy peeped, “You...you need to sit still...um...please?”
Twilight frowned, “Hmph, I guess you’re right, this is neither the time
or place for this. I’ll discuss the issue with you later though, I assure you,
because I still don’t think-”
“Come on now, Twi,” Applejack said with concern, “Let ‘er finish the
story, huh? She’s just tryin’ ta help.”
“Right...I didn’t mean to sound disagreeable,” Twilight blushed, “Go
on then, Miss Tick Tock. You say you have a plan?”
“Yes, well,” Tick Tock flustered, “The plan is to get you to Utopia, and
to ask Harmonia for help - she’s the Goddess of Harmony, and one of this
world’s two Alicorns, like your world has...Celestia and Luna, was it? She
has the power to send you home; granted, so does her counterpart
Discordia, the Goddess of Chaos, but she would not likely be willing to help
you. A bloody shame since you’re right at her doorstep. Sure would make
my job easier, I tell you.”
“I guess it’s pretty bad luck we ended up on the wrong side of the
world, then,” Twilight sighed.
“It’s a natural occurrence, bugger-all you could’ve done about that,”
Tick Tock explained, shooting a look at Pinkie when she snorted again,
“Void magicks don’t really work properly in the presence of abundant Law
magic - that’s the kind of magic we Chronomancers use to seal Void
portals, after all - and since the southern hemisphere has so much ambient
Law magic in the air, Void portals can’t really manifest there on their own.
Hence why we need so much power to make a portal that can sustain itself
long enough to get you through it. There won’t be any more natural portals
on this side of the planet for a month - the portal you all originally came
through was one of many in a portal storm, and this world is now in the
midst of the eye of that storm. That is where the unfortunate circumstance
is, sadly.”
“Well now that makes even less sense,” Twilight balked, “If we
represent Law magic in our world, and portals can’t appear with a lot of
Law magic around, how is it-”
Tick Tock sighed, “They just do, okay?! For cryin’ out...look, we’ll go
over this later, I’d like to get a move on as soon as possible.”
“So hang on then,” Rainbow chimed in at last, “You said you knew an
awful lot about us, but I’ve never met this...Doctor Whooves guy. Twilight
sounds like she has, so I guess I can believe you knowing about her if you
can talk with him across worlds and junk, but what about the rest of us?
How do you know our names and stuff?”
Tick Tock hesitated for a moment, then decided honesty was the best
policy here, “I had to do a little...um...snooping, to find out who you were so
that I could report back to Whooves and try to figure out why things were
going wrong in your world. I apologize for not revealing myself sooner, but
if it weren’t so imperative to rush you all home, it would be the preferred
method to wait for a natural portal to send you through, and I didn’t want to
get your hopes up.”
“Spying on us, huh?” Rainbow narrowed her eyes, “I don’t know
about you, Twi, but that sounds awfully fishy. How do we know she just
didn’t overhear us talking about going home, and is just making all this up
to try and take us for a ride?”
Twilight eyed Tick Tock carefully, “It is awfully convenient...especially
since we were just talking about trying to figure out a way home with our
own efforts.”
Tick Tock’s jaw dropped, “You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m trying to
help you, and-”
“But,” Twilight interrupted, “She did mention Doctor Whooves, and
you’re right, I’m the only pony here who even knows who he is, and I never
mentioned him once in all our time here. It would be a pretty ridiculously
lucky coincidence if she picked a name out of the blue like that and picked
the one pony that could probably know how to help.”
Rainbow nodded, “I guess that makes sense...well, if you say so,
Twi.”
“So wait,” Flathoof coughed, “I’m still trying to wrap my head around
this...this. Let me get this straight - these six ponies are from another world.
Them being here is going to destroy their home if they don’t send them
back, and to do that you need to get them to Utopia, the other side of the
world, in three-to-four weeks. Am I understanding this right?”
“That’s the gist of it, yes.”
“Well if you ask me, you’re attempting the impossible,” Flathoof
frowned.
“And you are?”
“Captain Flathoof, NPPD,” he nodded, “I’m...a friend, I guess you
could say. I’ve helped these young ladies get through their first twenty-four
hours here pretty well, I’d like to think. If they need to get home that
quickly...well, I suppose I’d be willing to help a little more, though I can’t
really offer much. How exactly did you propose to get out of the city?”
Tick Tock’s eyes widened, then closed in aggravated thought, “Oh
bugger...I knew I forgot something...” she sighed, “I hadn’t considered that.
How am I going to get them out of the city?”
“What’s the big problem?” Twilight asked, “Why can’t we
just...uh...leave?”
“The city’s government doesn’t take too kindly to losing taxpayers,”
Lockwood chuckled, “Well, now that I know you’re not from here, I suppose
I can assume you didn’t see the massive door that leads in and out of the
city. That would be the Gate.”
“It’s like this,” Flathoof explained, “To get through the Gate, you need
a Passport. Simple concept, really. But Passports are...expensive. Very
expensive. Like, five years of my salary if I was working overtime every
day, expensive. I only have one because NPPD officers of my rank and
above get honorary passes, so we can accompany the Chief on any of his
personal trips to Utopia if he wishes us to go. Kind of a...dumb reason, but
I’m not complaining. It was free,” he shrugged, “You never know when one
can come in handy.”
“I have one as well,” Tick Tock nodded as she fumbled in her vest
pocket, “My...uh...superiors ensured I got one, just in case I needed to do
my job outside of the city boundaries. That’s like pretty rare event though,
but enough to make good use of it.”
“So the first problem here that we have,” Flathoof continued, “Is that
you six need Gate Passports to leave the city. I suppose we could try to
sneak you out...I know plenty of ponies every year try it, but that’s
extremely risky - none of them have ever been heard from again, and we
don’t know if that means they made it to Utopia and are living the high life
or...well, otherwise. At any rate, breaches in the Outer Wall are few and far
between, and most of them don’t lead into any neatly-organized areas that
are safe from the dangers of the Wastelands.”
“So the bleedin’ Gate is our only real option.” Pinkie didn’t try to hold
in a giggle this time. Tick Tock shot her another glare, “What the bloody hell
are you laughing at?!”
Pinkie snorted and waved her hoof dismissively, “Oh...nothing old
bean. Go on, I’ll keep quiet.”
Lockwood coughed, “I think, then, that I may provide a solution.”
“You? Lockwood, you know you don’t have the money for this sort of
thing, not on your salary,” Flathoof chuckled, “I don’t care what kind of
connections you might have; even with a discount, six of these passes
would break your bank so fast your head would spin. Heck, if we all pooled
our money together we might be able to afford one.”
“Ah, my dear friend, you underestimate my connections at times,”
Lockwood smiled. He rummaged through one of his coat pockets, “See, I
also have a Gate Pass.”
Flathoof’s eyes widened, “Where in the hay did you get the money to
afford one of those? Why do you even have one?”
“Oh, I figured I might want to leave this little berg one day, see some
greener pastures or so the saying goes. I’ve just been saving up for an
airship ticket and the bits to get a nice house somewhere on the other side.
The going is slow, I don’t make too much personally, and get most of my
better living conditions through the repayment of favors from others.”
“...okay...but still, how did you afford it? What kind of discount did you
get on that thing, hmm? What kind of favor did you call in?” Flathoof
chuckled, “I can’t imagine the hoops you needed to jump through.”
“Show me your Gate Pass, Flathoof.”
“What?”
“Just let me see it.” Flathoof took his out of his uniform pocket and
handed it over. Lockwood held both up in front of Flathoof’s face, “Now, I
want you to tell me the difference between them. Aside from the personal
information, of course.”
Flathoof looked between the two, and shook his head, “They look the
same to me. Where are you going with this, Lockwood?”
“My Gate Passport is a fake.”
Flathoof’s jaw dropped, “You’re kidding...”
“Not at all, my dear boy,” and he shuffled his back into his coat,
“Completely indiscernible from the real thing, yes? It works well enough on
more than just your eyes, too - it even fools the card readers at the Gate
itself. I’ve tested it; it not only works, it works perfectly. If I had the money to
afford moving, I would’ve done it ages ago. I’m just not confident enough to
try and make the trip on foot.”
“And I assume then, that your plan is to get us more of these? For our
friends here?” Flathoof nodded.
“Precisely. I know just the pony to see,” he grinned.
*****
*****
*****
The Outer District was not known for a great deal of things. It was not
known for its cleanliness, for its safety or security, for its quality economic,
employment, or educational offerings, for its high-class medical services, its
good-mannered social network, its helpful social workers or everyday
citizenry, or least of all the desire for ponies to move to and live there. In
fact, it had been statistically proven every single year since New
Pandemonium City ‘abandoned’ the Outer District in the process of moving
most of the quality services and government offices into the Mid Districts,
that the Outer Districts were known for having exactly the opposite of all of
those qualities.
In shorter terms, the place was a dump. A heap. A ghetto. A slum. A
pig-sty. A rundown old town with more problems in a single city block than
there were ponies that lived in that city block, and there were a lot of ponies
living in the Outer District. It was twice the size of all of the Mid Districts
combined, if one were to account for the Gate District in the southeast as a
part of the Outer District, which technically it was, but don’t tell anypony
living in the Gate District that. It was not as densely packed as the Mid
Districts were - both the Mid and Outer Districts actually had relatively
comparable populations - but that didn’t change the fact that the ponies
living there lived in what essentially amounted to squalor; they were
impoverished, mostly unemployed, uneducated, and imperiled, and the
ponies that could claim they were actually comparable in health and habit
to the Mid District ponies were so few and far between it was like looking
for a looking for a speck of gold on a sandy, windswept beach. Lockwood
knew a few of these diamonds in the rough. One of them was a young
unicorn mare named Keeneye, and she was going to help him with his
most recent conundrum. Her little home was located in the southwest
region of the Outer District, relatively close to the Divider Wall that
separated them all from the Mid District both physically and symbolically.
The Ponyville natives looked on in rather depressed disbelief at the state of
the Outer District.
“How can anypony live like this?” Twilight asked, “I don’t mean to
sound rude...but...this place is a dump.”
“That’s putting it mildly darling,” Rarity snorted, “I can’t imagine the
quality of ponies in this area if this is what their living conditions are like.
Surely even Applejack and Rainbow Dash can agree that this is perhaps
just a little in need of some tidying up?”
“I reckon it could use a lil’ work, yeah,” Applejack nodded, “Don’t the
city care none ‘bout these ponies out here?”
“Nnnnope, not a lick,” Flathoof said sternly, “And it’s a shame too. If
we took better care of these ponies, perhaps the crime rate wouldn’t be
quite so high. I know you can’t see much of it here by the Divider Wall, but
if we went deeper in, well...I don’t think many of those ponies would be too
frightened of just one NPPD officer, if you catch my drift?”
Rarity shuddered, “I don’t even want to think about it.”
“It’s not as bad as it could be though,” Lockwood said with some air of
pride, “You should’ve seen how this part of the District looked when I was
just a little colt. Some volunteer organizations do an awful lot of work
around here to make it...less like the rest of the District. We can only do so
much - there’s a lot of ground to cover - but we do what we can.”
“You’re...a part of one of these...volunteer groups?” Fluttershy
peeped.
“Part of one? I helped found one,” Lockwood smiled, tipping his hat when he went traveling outdoors, he always wore a wide-brimmed fedora
to match his raincoat, and even carried a little black umbrella with him
(“Never a bad idea to be prepared for freak acid rain storms,” he’d said). “I
called in a few favors with some other like-minded ponies, got together
some supplies and stuff. We run a little food donation drive once a month to
try and help out the ponies around here. I know Dolor food’s not much, but
all they’re able to afford out here is scant supplies of Dolor Brown, and
that’s just...well, imagine eating dirt with gravy made from more dirt. That’s
pretty much what it tastes like, and it probably has just as much nutritional
value too.”
“Goodness...” Twilight frowned.
“That sounds...just plain yucky,” Pinkie Pie chimed in, “They should
really make some of them cupcake-flavored, or muffin-flavored, or-”
“Or even apple-flavored,” chuckled Applejack.
“Yeah!” Pinkie agreed, “Ooh! Ooh! Treat these weird ol’ foods like
jelly beans, and make them every color you can, and give every color a
different flavor, like root beer and candy cane and peppermint and cotton
candy and butterscotch and chocolate and strawberry
shortcake...mmmm...aww phooey, I could really go for some jelly beans
right now...”
“Well, we try to get them some of the healthier stuff - Dolor Green, for
example,” Lockwood continued, “Every now and then I try to slip in some
Dolor Red, for the colts and fillies, yeah? It tastes a lot better, the young
ones love the stuff.”
A few more derelict streets, and at long last the group arrived at the
house of Keeneye. It was relatively tidy compared to the rest of the
surrounding area, but only just so; enough to be noticeable to a pony
looking for it, but not enough to make anypony think whoever lived there
had plenty of bits on-hoof that might be worth stealing. It was blue...a dirty
blue, like murky water that had seen better days, and was abused by mud
and grass and basically amounted to looking more like blue-ish sludge than
water. They didn’t live in apartment complexes or towers or anything of the
sort out here - they lived in houses, which made Twilight and her friends
feel a little more at ease, but the houses were small, dirty, and probably not
even worthy of being called ‘a habitat’ even for the assorted bugs and
rodents that normally enjoyed such squalor.
Flathoof grumbled to himself in annoyed disappointment. He did not
like having to wait outside, but Lockwood insisted that he do so. Not for
watching out for hoodlums or anything of that sort, and certainly not to keep
any of them safe, but because he assured Flathoof that what was going on
inside the house was not only illegal, but actually a Class Eight felony that
would land anypony in the group, if caught, not in just a little jail cell back at
NPPD Central Station, not in a high-security prison in the Gate District, not
even in Retribution Hall, the underground prison establishment set up for
the most dangerous and psychotic criminals New Pandemonium City could
actually catch. No, a Class Eight felony would land them all in a locked
cage and fired out of a cannon into the sun. Well, at least that was the
rumor. At any rate, it meant Keeneye would likely not want to be of much
assistance if there was a cop around.
Inside the house was a slightly different story. It was neater and tidier,
though still ‘dirty’ by most standards (Rarity’s especially); everything was
neatly organized and laid out, but there was a distinct layer of dirt and dust
on nearly every object in the room. It was cramped and rather comparable
to the six mares’ apartment, though obviously smaller and built for one and
housing, rather than built for four and housing six. None of those who had
entered the house, nor the home’s actual resident, was anywhere to be
found within eyesight - they were not in the den, they were not in the
kitchen, they were not in the bedroom. The door to the basement was
closed and locked tight, but as it would happen to be, that was where they
were. The basement itself was dark, but significantly better kept than the
upper levels. Here, it was not only neat and tidy, but actually somewhat
clean. Not glistening or spotless or even really commendable, but
acceptable, like what Rarity expected Applejack’s or Rainbow Dash’s
rooms to look like when they were done cleaning. “Good enough” is what
she called it. The six mares sat patiently on a sofa that was down here,
noting that the whole place seemed very much like a waiting room.
“Keeneye must do things like this often?” Twilight asked.
“Somewhat,” Lockwood answered, “If I had to venture a guess, I’d
say that maybe one percent of the Gate Passports out there are her
handiwork...”
“How does she do it, anyway?”
“Well, Gate Passports are actually made by altering the bar code on
your ID. Keeneye used to work for the NPRD a few years ago until she
found she could make better money selling her own Gate Passports rather
than doing it legit through the NPRD and being paid basically nothing
compared to what she was charging. She claimed the conversion process
was so easy that a pony with the right tools and drive could make them
herself for a tiny fraction of the cost - so here we are.”
“And these Gate Passports are good enough quality to fool even the
machines at the Gate?” Tick Tock asked, skeptical, “Seems a bit farfetched...”
“Tested my copy out myself, got to check out Airship Docking and
everything...then turned right back around when I saw the price of airship
tickets. Those you can’t fake, and even if you could I don’t think I’m brave
enough to try. You can bribe yourself out of trouble with the NPPD, but...the
military is a different story...”
“Military? The city has a military?” Twilight blinked, “I thought armed
forces were for entire countries, not just cities...ah...granted this city is
probably big enough to be a country.”
“Don’t they have a military back in your world?” Lockwood asked.
“Sure we do,” Twilight nodded, “Um...not so much that they see too
much action, our little Equestria is relatively peaceful with its neighbors.
They mostly worry about natural disasters and monsters from the Everfree
Forest, though some exceptions pop up here and there.”
Rainbow proudly boasted, “Yup, and my heroes - the Wonderbolts serve a double purpose as the best stunt-fliers in all of Equestria, and as
Princess Celestia’s Royal Air Force. I’ve been wanting to join them since I
was little, they’re so awesome.”
“Actually, I think the Royal Guard is a division of the army too, now
that I think about it,” Twilight tapped a hoof to her chin, “I guess we really
do have pretty active armed forces. I can’t imagine them dealing with much
of the same things like they do over here though.”
Applejack nervously shuffled, “Can...we change the subject? I ain’t
feel too keen on talkin’ ‘bout...these kinda things, if y’all don’t mind?”
Twilight hesitated, “Oh...um...sure thing, Applejack.”
Keeneye herself finally stepped out of her little room, looking quite
exacerbated but satisfied with herself. She was a creamy orange unicorn
with a bright green mane that she kept short in front, long in back, and her
tail was tied in a neat little bun to keep it from tripping her up. Over her right
eye she wore a large...device. It looked like many, many magnifying
glasses all on top of one another, each one getting smaller and smaller the
further away from her eye they got, making it look somewhat like her eye
was morphing into a a drill in an attempt to get away from her face. With
her magic she was holding a set of six little cards, which she handed out to
the six Ponyville mares. Each of them scrutinized the handiwork, though
after a moment they all realized that was rather pointless - they didn’t know
what to look for. Keeneye gave a sigh of relief and satisfaction, then turned
to Lockwood.
“Now then, Woody.” He cough suddenly at her pet name for him,
turning a slight red as he realized that some of the other mares in the room
were stifling giggles (though Rainbow Dash was not trying too hard). He
tried to avoid Rarity’s suddenly scrutinizing gaze. “I believe it’s time we
discuss the issue of payment. Six Gate Passports...hmmm...normally that
run you a few thousand bits, if you got them from the NPRD itself. For
regular customers, I charge fifty bits apiece - enough to pay a month’s rent,
maybe a little extra food stores if I shop around right. For you...hmm...well, I
would consider other forms of payment,” she winked, “Treat me to dinner
this weekend? That new fancy place in Central Plaza...what was it called?
Chez du Fromage de Terre? Something exotic like that. I hear they actually
serve Dolor White, can you believe it? That’s Inner District-quality stuff right
there.”
Lockwood nervously adjusted his hat and collar, trying to hide his
rising anxiety about being asked out on a date right here in front of the
others, “Keeneye, sweetheart, as delightful as that sounds, I’m going to be
taking a little...um...vacation for the next few weeks, starting...uh...tonight.”
Keeneye pouted, “Well that’s sudden. Awww...phooey. Fine, I’ll just
give you a little discount, it’s the least I can do. Six passports...for you, two
hundred.”
“I’ve got one-fifty,” Lockwood haggled, “Make it that, and when I get
back I’ll...give you a rain check on the dinner.”
“Deal!” Keeneye quickly slapped his hoof in agreement, “Ooh, I can’t
wait! I’m gonna use these bits to get myself the nicest dress, and you and
me are gonna enjoy ourselves all evening.”
“Eh...heh...” Lockwood tugged his collar, “R-right. Well, thanks
Keeneye. I appreciate the help. Come on then ladies, time to get back
home.”
As they headed up the stairs from the basement, Rarity sidled up to
Lockwood, “So...what’s the situation with you and this...Keeneye anyway,
hmm?” and she gave him kind of a stern look, “You never told us you had a
girlfriend. Or am I just misreading the signs here, Woody?” Rainbow Dash
didn’t try to stifle a loud laugh this time, and even Applejack and Pinkie Pie
found themselves trying harder than before not to laugh alongside her.
“W-what?” Lockwood blinked. As her words sunk in, he turned a
bright red and quickly waved his hoof is dismissal, “Oh...ohhhh, ha ha,
heavens no. Keeneye, she...she’s just a little...eccentric, is all. We’re not
dating or anything like that. Not even anything physic...ah...casual. She’s
just a friend...nothing more. Besides, she’s a little...well, not my type.”
Rarity gazed again and smirked, “Then what exactly is your type,
dear?”
Lockwood flustered, “W-well that’s a bit of an odd question. W-why
would you...um...I say, Flathoof!” he called to his friend as they left the
house, “We really must be going, yes? Aha...um...let’s head back to
Southeast Point and pick up some supplies from my place before we get
going.”
As he quickly slipped away, Rarity hummed, “Hmm...”
Nice guy? Check. That was evident enough is his kindly demeanor
and his manner of speaking. Generous and kind? Check. The good stallion
had already helped them out an awful lot, and he had still yet to ask for a
single thing in return. Decent-looking? Check. He was neat and tidy, took
good care of himself, and was physically fit. Nothing spectacular, but then
Rarity had already learned that her tastes in stallions as far as outward
appearances were concerned, were perhaps a...little misguided. Sense of
fashion? Er...perhaps not. That raincoat wasn’t exactly stylish, but then
again nopony in this city seemed to be. He was shaping up to be quite the
gentleman. Rarity stored that idea in the back of her thoughts, quite curious
at the prospect of having him along for their little journey.
Applejack smirked and nudged her, “Well well, is prissy missy gettin’
an eye for somepony? Lockwood don’t look nearly fashionable enough fer
yer tastes, if y’all ask me.”
Rarity blinked at Applejack, then gave a dismissive laugh, “Good
heavens, Applejack, I am merely trying to make conversation. If the good
stallion is going to be traveling with us, I want to make sure we know a little
more about him, yes? Like if he’s leaving a significant other behind, for
example? Nothing more than that. Whatever gave you that idea?”
“Uh-huh,” Applejack nodded with a wide grin, “Just ‘tween you ‘n’
me...” and she leaned in for a whisper, “Flathoof let slip ol’ Lockwood’s into
the...ah...graceful type. If y’all catch my drift? Hint hint?”
“Oh ho ho...” Rarity chuckled, “My dear Applejack, wherever did you
learn such juicy information? Chatting it up with Officer Flathoof are we,
hmm? Maybe I’m not the one who should be asking others if they have
eyes for somepony? Though I can’t say I’m surprised.”
Applejack turned red, “What the hay is that s’posed to mean? D-don’t
go changin’ the subject, Rarity, I’m just tryin’ ta help. Anyway c’mon, we’re
fallin’ behind.”
As Applejack trotted ahead, Rarity smiled to herself and made
another inward note or two. Yes...yes, this would work out nicely...
*****
*****
*****
“Well then, it seems we’ve got everything in order,” Flathoof noted,
“We just need to pick up these supplies that ol’ Lockwood claims to have,
then I’ll escort you six to the Gate District and see to it that you all get
through without too much hassle.”
The group rounded the corner and began their last approach to
Southeast Point.
“I really must thank you again,” Twilight Sparkle nodded, “You’ve
done so much for us, and asked nothing in return. And you’ve only known
us for one day.”
“Right....well...” Flathoof tugged his collar nervously, “All in a day’s
work.”
Applejack frowned, “Ya sure y’all don’t wanna come with us? I’d
enjoy...ah...we’d enjoy yer company, I’m sure of it.” She shot a glance at
Rarity, who gave a knowing smirk before turning her attention elsewhere.
“I’ve still got my duties here, sorry to say,” he nodded, though with
some regret in his tone, “I’ll make sure everything goes well getting you
through the Gate smoothly, that’s about as much as I can do.”
“No worries, Flathoof,” Lockwood chuckled, “I’ll take good care of
them, I assure you. Just a short little jaunt across the Wastelands, a few
other areas here and there, no worries...right? I regret that we can’t make
this easy and get some airship tickets here, but that kind of money is rather
hard to come by. Besides, we’ve got Miss Tick Tock with us as well, and
she seems mighty resourceful, wouldn’t you say?”
“I suppose...”
Pinkie Pie tripped, “Oof!”
Twilight stifled a laugh, “Whoa there, Pinkie Pie, maybe you should’ve
practiced more with those roller skates, huh?”
Pinkie jolted upright, “Nope, all okay! Not the skates’ fault, my knee
just got all pinchy all of a sudden.”
Applejack tilted her head, “Like...Pinkie pinchy, or regular pinchy?”
Pinkie tapped a hoof to her chin, then nodded quite sagely, “Definitely
Pinkie pinchy, yup yup. That’s weird, it hasn’t popped up at all for like, the
last two days! I was beginning to think this new world was making it not
work at all, but I guess it still does. Phew!”
“Oh dear, are we starting this up again?” Twilight rolled her eyes,
“Pinkie Pie, this is no time for your antics, we’re in a hurry. The last thing
we need to worry about is falling potted plants or something.”
“C’mon now, Twi, y’all know as well as anypony that Pinkie Sense
works,” Applejack pointedly reminded, “Now...pinchy knee...which one what
that’n again? I only remember twitchy tail meanin’ fallin’ objects, that was
pretty much the only one I ever got ta see. And the ah...’doozy’ one.”
“Ugh, fine, if we’re going to waste our time and try and figure this
out...” Twilight huffed, “Didn’t pinchy knee mean alligator in the tub?”
“Nah, that was achy shoulder,” Rainbow corrected, remembering well
the one-too-many times Pinkie had helped her avoid a rather bothersome
encounter with Gummy, “Pinchy knee...pinchy knee...I forget which one
that is, she doesn’t get that too often.”
“What’s all this talk about?” Lockwood asked with an incredulous
look, “Pinchy knees? Alligators? What?”
“Oh, that’s Pinkie Pie’s Pinkie Sense,” Rainbow nodded as if it were
common knowledge, “It’s kinda like...a...sixth sense, I guess? Right?” and
she looked to Twilight for guidance.
“If there was anything to describe it, I guess that’d be it,” Twilight
rolled her eyes, “It’s all still a mystery to me. I know I said I’d be a little more
open-minded, but she’s really inconsistent about it. It only happens every
once in a while.”
“I don’t follow,” he shook his head, “Flathoof? Did they mention any of
this to you?”
“This is my first time hearing about it,” Flathoof shrugged and shook
his head as well, “First they’re from another world, now the pink one
has...ESP or something. I tell you, I’m starting to think these past two days
are just a really bad trip from some expired Dolor. Tick Tock, you and your
story just keep getting weirder and weirder. Are you sure you’re sane?”
Tick Tock flustered, “M-me? I didn’t bring up any of this hogwash. I
think it’s just as ridiculous as you two do.”
“It’s not ridiculous,” Twilight said matter-of-factly, “I mean, it sounds a
little strange, granted. It usually just means something’s about to happen to
somepony in her immediate proximity...uh...usually me. I’m still a little
skeptical on how exactly it works, but I admit it does have some merit.”
“Yeah, one too many doors in the face’ll convince you, I guess,”
Rainbow chuckled, making Twilight shoot her a quick look of disapproval.
“I think Pinkie Pie herself could explain it best,” Twilight pointed.
Pinkie gave an exacerbated sigh, “About time you give me a chance
to explain it, guys, instead of arguing about what sense means what. I
mean, duh, you could’ve just asked me from the start what everything
meant, instead of letting me be the only one trying to figure out what was
making me feel it,” and she rolled her eyes, “Anywho, every now and then, I
get little niggling feelings that mean different things. If my back gets itchy,
that means it’s my lucky day!” Suddenly, her tail started twitching too, “Aha!
See, and twitchy tail means that stuff’s gonna start falling, so you should
get under something sturdy. Pinchy knee means something scary is about
to happen, but Dashie’s right, I don’t get it too often, since nothing scary
ever-”
A ear-deafening explosion burst into the air several dozen feet
directly over the heads of the group. Above them, a raging fireball blasted
outwards from the eighty-fourth floor, spraying debris in all directions. Large
chunks of metal and concrete and brick and wood and glass, rained from
above.
A few other floors below and above theirs followed suit, blazing
outwards with flame and spraying debris like confetti towards the city street
below. It took Twilight only a second to realize that, in their current position,
they wouldn’t have time to move out of way and avoid being crushed.
So she acted.
With a blazing light from her horn, she and her friends were all
encased in protective bubble that shattered or deflected the falling debris
like clods of mud striking a wall. Every strike against the shield made
Twilight wince. Her magic struggled to withstand the weight and power that
the debris was striking with.
The sensation of the assault slowed to a crawl and then dissipated
entirely. Twilight struggled to keep her shield up for a moment as
everything settled down; once the pressure on the bubble was stable and
everything on top stopped shifting around, she could breathe a dry sigh of
relief.
She focused herself more properly, a great deal of the strain now
reduced. There was a lot of rubble remaining on top of them, and Twilight
knew it would take no small amount of effort to get them out of it.
“Urgh...everypony okay?” Twilight asked.
“Yeah...physically at least...” Rainbow Dash muttered, “Pretty shook
up though...”
Lockwood breathed, “Phew...well, I think I’ve had my fair share of
near-death experiences for the day...”
The group looked above them at the dome of magic that was
sparking and flashing in areas where large chunks of metal and granite
were pressing inward, trying to force their way to crumble into a natural
resting position in the tiny alcove Twilight had made.
“Fascinating...” Tick Tock awed, “I never pegged you to know a
combat-oriented spell, Twilight. This is very advanced magic, something
that takes years of practice and study to do...and it’s usually very personal,
not something somepony can extend over a group, not without
considerable skill...”
“Combat-oriented?” Twilight raised an eyebrow, “I found this spell in
Student Savings: How to Get Through College Without Breaking the Bank.
It’s supposed to save money on umbrellas.”
Tick Tock blinked, then rolled her eyes, “No wonder Whooves spends
more time in his T.A.R.D.I.S. than out in the field - your world is absolutely
bonkers.”
“How in the hay are we gonna get outta here?” Applejack asked.
“Oh dear, I hope we don’t have to dig out,” Rarity muttered.
“Are you really thinkin’ ‘bout-” Applejack rolled her eyes.
Rarity quickly cut her off, “I’m referring to the difficulty of shifting this
much weight without anything slipping and falling on top of us, not to
getting my hooves dirty. Really, Applejack, you have to think practically
every now and then.”
“Rarity’s right, digging out isn’t a very valid option here,” Twilight
frowned, “There’s a lot of debris on top of the shield...I can’t let it go without
risking us getting crushed, so I can’t just blow a way through. And trying to
teleport us out while keeping the shield up might be a little beyond me, I
think...”
“Allow me to help, then,” Tick Tock stepped forward. Using her own
magic, she helped to reinforce Twilight’s shield. It seemed put her under a
bit of strain, “I use these kinds of spells pretty often, though usually only on
myself...so I won’t be able to hold it for long, but it should be long enough
for you to teleport us all out, if you’re as powerful as I think you are.”
“What if I can’t?” Twilight asked in concern, “Holding the shield isn’t
taking too much effort, but teleporting nine ponies is a
little...ah...advanced...”
“Teleportation spells aren’t exactly my forte, ironically enough, so
you’re going to have to,” Tick Tock answered sternly, “I was skeptical at
first, but it seems you really do live up to your title as the Element of Magic.
I’ll hold the shield as long as I can, you focus on the teleport. Miss Rarity, if
you’d assist me?”
“Me?” Rarity blinked, “I’ve never had any experience with this kind of
magic before. I don’t think-”
“Listen, all I need for you to do is reinforce my magic,” Tick Tock
swiftly explained, “I’ll hold the shield up, you just make sure my magic stays
steady. Twilight seems to have enough magical power to sustain the shield
on her own accord, but I don’t think I can do it myself.”
“I see...very well,” Rarity nodded. She flicked her own horn, and an
aura of white energy surrounded Tick Tock’s green-glowing horn and
invigorated the spell she was maintaining. Rarity was rather surprised that
her magic was able to do such a thing so easily, “Go on then, Twilight
darling. I think we’ve got this covered.”
“I...alright then...” Twilight gulped, “Here goes...”
Twilight dropped her shield, and almost instantly Tick Tock’s face
turned from one of stern focus into strained, almost painful, concentration;
Rarity huffed as she too began to feel the intense strain on her own
magical stores, and though her focus was elsewhere, in the back of her
mind a thought began to take hold - how much power did Twilight have?
She knew she had a lot of ability, she’d seen it herself, but she’d never felt
what that kind of strain was like. Just a moment before, Twilight had been
holding up this shield with a minimum of exertion for several minutes, and
not just against the pressure of the pressing rubble, but against intense
amounts of force being applied to it in rapid succession; now, here she was
with Tick Tock, double-teaming the same Barrier spell and struggling to
maintain it for only a few seconds against simple weight.
Twilight quickly let her horn begin to overflow with magic again, and
engulfed herself and her companions in a white light. Tick Tock let out a
yelp of pain as her shield began to snap, over-exerting her magic; Rarity
tried to flood more of her own magic into Tick Tock’s spell, but she too felt
her power begin to flicker and peter out like a dying light bulb. A bright
flash, and the shield cracked away entirely, and the rubble fell inward...
And Twilight and her friends all breathed a sigh of relief, a good many
yards away from where they’d been buried only a moment before. The
rubble crashed and let loose a large cloud of dust and soot that spread
many yards out into the street. The ponies looked around enough to notice
that their surroundings were...a mess. There was debris everywhere and
little fires had sprung up too. Some large chunks had even slammed into
other nearby buildings and tore them apart like burning rocks being thrown
through flimsy paper.
“Come on girls, we need to get moving,” Flathoof said sternly as he
adjusted his hat, “Get someplace safe, I’ll be back to you in a moment.”
“Where y’all goin’?” Applejack asked quickly as Flathoof headed the
opposite direction, towards the building rather than away from it.
“Work,” he nodded, “Crowds are gonna start forming, I gotta try and
keep everypony calm and orderly until more NPPD units show up to help
evacuate the building. Just...get someplace safe for now, okay? I’ll be back
soon.”
“Can we be of any help?” Twilight stepped forward, “I...I don’t feel
right leaving all of this...this...disaster without trying to do something. I...I
could’ve helped-”
“I think you’d be more help trying to keep your friends calm,” Flathoof
pointed, particularly at Fluttershy who seemed to be in a shaking panic,
“Just get someplace safe, let me do my job.”
Twilight reluctantly nodded, and she and Applejack returned to the
huddled group. While the Pandemonium natives weren’t particularly shaken
by the surrounding sights, the six mares from Ponyville certainly were.
Twilight had only had time to shield herself and her companions, and hadn’t
extended the shield out enough to cover most of the rest of the street. They
looked on in rather firm disbelief - some ponies hadn’t been lucky enough
to get out of the way, and they could see that the debris had crushed quite
a few. Twilight made to try and help one nearby that looked like she could
be saved, lifting up a particularly large piece of debris over them and
chucking it aside, but instantly regretted the decision upon seeing what lie
beneath; she struggled not to retch at the sight. Lockwood was the first to
rush in to the injured mare, and quickly shooed both Twilight and Tick Tock
away when they moved to follow suit. She had once likely been a creamy
blue, but now was more black and red, covered in dirt, dust, and blood that
soaked her coat and her originally purple mane.
“Oh my...” he grimaced, removing his hat and setting it aside,
“Miss...can you hear me?” The mare’s eyes fluttered open, and she
nodded. Lockwood smiled and sat down next to her speaking slowly and
softly, “Paramedics are going to be here soon, my dear...it’s going to be
okay.”
“I...I can’t feel my legs...” she choked. Lockwood hid his nervous gulp
as well as he could, trying not to look in the direction of what was left of her
hind legs, “It’s bad...isn’t it?”
Lockwood smiled, “Don’t worry about that, okay? Save your energy.
I’m here for you.”
The mare sniffed, “I...I don’t want to die...” Lockwood frowned as she
coughed up more blood than anything else, “I d-don’t....want...to...”
Her eyes dimmed, and Lockwood gave a sad, dejected sigh. He
moved a hoof to her face and shut her eyes for her, then returned to the
others. Fluttershy began to cry, shuddering in fear as she clung to Rarity,
who tried her best to soothe the pegasus, though she herself wondered if
she were the best qualified - she was rather shook up as well, not just from
the near-death experience, but from seeing what would have happened to
them had Twilight not been...well, Twilight. Applejack removed her hat and
held it over her chest in a showing of respect for the ponies that hadn’t
been as fortunate as they had been.
“I...I want to go home...” Fluttershy whimpered, clinging tightly to
Rarity.
“There there, dear,” Rarity soothed, “We all want to go home.”
“I don’t...like this place anymore,” Fluttershy continued to sob, “I
just...want to go home...”
“Hey now...” Lockwood smiled, “It’ll all be okay. Bad things happen,
but-”
“I just want to go home!” Fluttershy cried, “I hate this place! It’s so
dark, and everypony’s so mean and rude, and there’s nothing natural or
nice and everything’s scary and mean! I want to go home...I want to see my
little Angel again...”
Twilight looked on in dejected sorrow. Fluttershy was speaking what
was on everypony’s minds. She wanted to go home too. She didn’t like this
place much either. She never had, and was certain the others felt the same
too. And she was worried so much about Spike, and her parents, and the
Princess, and her friends’ families, and everypony back in Ponyville; that
worry was slowly growing inside her, like a virus, because she knew that
the longer she stayed, the worse things were going to get back home. She
knew the others likely missed their families now more than ever. And worse
still, this world had just in a heartbeat gone from mildly inconvenient and
perhaps bordering on annoying, to openly deadly and hostile and with
nopony in sight they could hold accountable, and with no telling whether
their journey to Utopia would succeed and see them returned to their bright,
sunny skies again, or end in tragedy.
It was a rather sobering experience. Even Pinkie Pie was visibly
shaken, holding tightly onto Rainbow Dash.
“Oh...Dashie...I was so scared for a minute there. Like real scared,
the kind of scared that you can’t just laugh away...” she gulped, “I...I didn’t
think my Pinkie Sense could see things like that. That wasn’t just a teeny
bit scary or dangerous or anything like that, that was...downright lifethreatening. I don’t want to think about what would’ve happened if I didn’t
have these little feelings...”
Twilight stepped forward and gave Pinkie a warm smile, “You should
feel proud of yourself, Pinkie Pie. Your Pinkie Sense just saved all our
lives.”
“Yeah, kind of indirectly - you’re the one who saved us with all that
fancy magic,” Rainbow said bluntly. Twilight shot her a stern gaze, and
Rainbow quickly waved her hooves in defense, “I didn’t mean it like that. I
know we all owe Pinkie Pie an awful lot too. If we hadn’t all been out here
talking about it, we might’ve been inside the building when it started
blowing up. We might’ve been caught in the blast, instead of just under a
pile of rubble...”
“But if we’d known what to expect right from the start, we could’ve
avoided this,” Twilight sniffed, “None of us when have been in as much
danger, and I...I could’ve helped...” and she turned towards the ruined
street with a severe look of regret, “I could’ve saved some of these other
ponies...”
“Come on now, Twi, you know you had to act fast,” Rainbow said
reassuringly, “And who knows, if you’d tried to make that bubble bigger and
protect more ponies, you might have overexerted yourself. And then where
would we be, huh?”
Twilight frowned, “I should’ve paid more attention to you...like I said I
was going to...”
“It’s not your fault, Twilight,” Pinkie said quickly, “I know you guys
don’t always pay much attention...but...at least you did when it mattered,
right?”
“But I should’ve listened to you right away instead of arguing about
it...again,” Twilight sighed. She then turned to Pinkie and gave her a firm,
but friendly look, “From now on, Pinkie Pie...you get any of your ‘little
niggling feelings’, you tell me immediately, okay? This whole journey we’re
about to embark on sounds awfully dangerous, and if your Pinkie Sense
can detect things like this, I want to know what else it can detect. You might
just keep us alive through all of this.”
“That’s putting a little too much pressure on her, Twilight, don’t you
think?” Rainbow said pointedly, “I know she just got a really big set of
brownie points for this, but her Pinkie Sense isn’t always consis-”
“I’m not willing to take that risk, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said sternly,
“I’d rather listen to all of the silly ones and take them seriously if it means
every now and then we’re going to get one that keeps us from falling into a
snake pit or getting crushed by a landslide, not just getting hit on the head
by an apple or walking into a door."
Pinkie Pie nodded, “If you say so, Twilight...sure, I’ll speak up about
them from now on.”
“Good,” Twilight smiled.
Flathoof trotted over, “Finally, some extra patrols showed up. Typical
NPPD response time, business as usual. We should be able to get back to
trying to get you all...oh dear...” he blinked as he looked at Fluttershy who
appeared to be in even worse straits than he’d left her in, “Is she okay?”
“She’s just in shock,” Lockwood frowned, “I think this the first time
she’s ever seen anypony...die.”
“It’s a first time for all of us...” Twilight frowned, “I’ve seen dead
ponies before...but...those were just pictures and lab specimens...not...not
this...”
Flathoof nodded, “It’s not an easy thing to get over...”
“Well...” Lockwood sighed, “So much for going to my place to
scrounge up supplies. I wonder what in the world caused all this?”
Flathoof snorted, “I’ll take a look at the reports tomorrow, but if I had a
guess or two I’d think it was some sort of accident,” then he turned to Tick
Tock and narrowed his eyes, “A rather convenient accident, if I do say so
myself. I saw where that first explosion started - right on the same floor
these six all were living on, and in precisely the five-o’-clock position too.”
Tick Tock’s eyes narrowed in response to his, “Are you accusing me
of something?”
“Nnnnope,” Flathoof pointed, “But you said you got into a bit of
a...scuffle, was it? With somepony that didn’t like you or your line of work?
Seems to me like you’ve made an enemy, Miss Tick Tock, and whoever
they were just tried to take you out pretty handily, so that you wouldn’t get
away again. Just my observation, you understand. I’m no detective, but it
doesn’t take one to put two-and-two together.”
Tick Tock nodded in rather grim acknowledgement, “That does seem
rather likely the case...he must’ve followed me here and knew he couldn’t
attack me with all the rest of you around. Bloody hell...causing so much
destruction and killing so many...just to get to me? Talk about overkill...”
“Well that settles it then,” Flathoof sighed, “Change of plans. I’m
going with you.”
Twilight was taken aback, “You are?”
Applejack had a mixed expression, “But didn’t ya say y’all had
responsibilities here? To yer family an’ all?”
“Of course I do,” Flathoof nodded, “I was just going to let you all head
on off...though I made that decision with some difficulty. The Wastelands
alone are dangerous enough, but there’s more places out there that might
give you all some trouble in the long run. I didn’t want to let you all leave
alone like that, but...it’s not my place. It’s your world in trouble, not mine,
and I do have responsibilities here, yes. But, I suppose it’s time I took a
little vacation.”
Twilight blinked, “Vacation?”
“NPPD officers get one week of paid vacation every year,” Flathoof
explained, “They just have to jump through tons of hoops and stuff to get it
worked out, and most officers don’t even bother using theirs for a long time.
It’s cumulative, y’know? I’ve been on the force three years, so that means
I’ve got three weeks stored up. Lucky coincidence, I guess. I’ll head over to
the station now and put in my application - Snapshot should be able to get
me through the process pretty quickly. Lockwood?”
Lockwood tilted an eyebrow, “Yeah?”
“Time for me to ask another favor of you. These girls are going to
need to recuperate after an experience like this, and you’re all going to
need supplies for the journey. Take them to Mid-North, to my place instead.
Get them all rested up, let my parents know what’s going on. They’ll be
more willing to help if were you asking anyway.”
Twilight smiled, “Really, Officer Flathoof, no sense in going to that
much trouble, burdening your family with us now? I’m sure Mister
Lockwood can find somepony to call in a few favors from and get us all
stocked up, right?”
Lockwood nodded, “Yeah, I’ve got a few contacts in Dolor
Manufacturing that can get us some food supplies, and-”
Flathoof stamped a hoof on the pavement, “Look, Lockwood, just do
this for me, okay? Your contacts might get you what you need, but just look
at her,” and he pointed to Fluttershy, who was still huddled close to Rarity,
though her sobbing had died down a good deal, “She’s a wreck. I know
they need to make a rush job of this whole thing, but there’s no sense in
trying to push them too hard.”
Applejack nodded, “I’m with ol’ Flathoof here. We’re all a little shook
up after this, and we do need to stock up on supplies, right? I reckon gettin’
rested up too would be a good idea, don’t y’all think?”
Twilight nodded, “I can’t argue with that, no. I just didn’t want to place
more undue burden on him, is all. But if you insist,” and she smiled at
Flathoof, “Thank you, we all appreciate your offer.”
Lockwood shrugged, “Well then, if we’re all in agreement, let’s be off.
See you when you’re all done with this paperwork I suppose?”
Flathoof nodded, “Right. Snapshot works quick, I should be right
behind you. We can head out the Gate before nightfall and rest up at
Airship Docking until morning, get a fresh start. No worries.”
“Right then. Come on ladies, follow me. It’s a long walk.”
As the group started following Lockwood, Flathoof reached out a hoof
and stopped Tick Tock from doing the same, “Hang on there, Miss
Chronomancer.”
“Hmm?” Tick Tock blinked, “Something the matter?”
“You’re coming with me.”
“Beg pardon? What, I don’t get to ‘rest and recuperate’ too? In case
you haven’t noticed, I’m a bloody mess. I think I-”
Flathoof glared at her, “I don’t care if you’re missing all your hooves
and your mane’s on fire, I’m not letting you out of my sight, and I sure ain’t
gonna let you head on up to my family’s home when you’ve got some sort
of psychopath chasing after you, that’s willing to blow up half a damned
residential complex just to get to one pony. Nnnnope, you’re coming with
me. If this lunatic comes after you with just me around, that’s a risk I’m
willing to take; I’m not risking my family, my best friend, and six completely
innocent strangers when I can take the burden up myself. You got a
problem with that?”
Tick Tock nodded, “Not at all...you make a reasonable point. Very
well then, let’s quit buggering about here and get your little ‘vacation time’
settled up, hmm? You said it wouldn’t take long anyway, right?”
“Not at all,” Flathoof shook his head, “Lockwood’s got his
connections, I’ve got mine. Snapshot’ll take care of this all in a jiffy.”
*****
*****
“What do you mean ‘she never came in this morning’?” Flathoof
glared.
Firecracker halfheartedly paid any kind of attention to him, “Like I
said, big boy, she didn’t come in today. Figures, leave me with all the
paperwork and junk the same day there’s some bombing or something
down at Southeast Point. Do you have any idea how many forms I have to
fill out for police reports? It’s a paperwork nightmare, is what it is, and-”
Flathoof pounded a hoof on the counter, “I don’t care about any of
that, I want to know why nopony’s bothered to find out why she didn’t come
in today. Surely somepony called her apartment when she was late this
morning? Did she call in sick?”
“Pfh, as if,” Firecracker rolled her eyes, “Probably too busy shacking
up with that CIA stallion that was here last night. Either that or too busy
crying her eyes out after he shot her down - I doubt she could’ve landed a
stallion looking like he did.”
Flathoof raised an eyebrow, “CIA? They had an Agent here last night
asking for Snapshot? What in the...why?”
“Don’t know, don’t care,” she huffed, “Dumb little filly got all hot and
bothered the second he walked in too, I could see it a mile away. Maybe
she got lucky and the idiot fell for that ‘nerd charm’ of hers.”
Flathoof glared, “And nopony bothered to inform the Chief about
this...did they?”
“Duh, why would I?” Firecracker flicked her mane, “Not my business.
They were still in questioning when my shift was over, I didn’t really feel like
sticking around to see what they were talking about. What Snapshot gets
up to on her own time is her own business, she’s not my friend, I don’t
really-”
Flathoof sighed, “Look, I’m going to just ignore the massive breaches
in protocol that not reporting a CIA Agent being involved here entails, and
your complete disregard for Snapshot’s well-being, but you’re going to do
me a favor.”
Firecracker rolled her eyes, “Boys, you’re all alike. Fine, I get off in a
few hours, we can head back to my place and-”
“What the h-” Flathoof shook his head wildly, “Ha ha what, no, you’ve
got it all wrong. I need some paperwork filed. Not...whatever it is you
thought I wanted. What in the hay made you think...wow...”
Firecracker was taken aback, “And what is that supposed
to...whatever, as you can see,” and she gestured to a huge stack of folders
and papers to her side, “With Snapshot not here, I’m working double duty
on the busiest day we’ve had here in months. I’m a little backed up with
paperwork as it is, so-”
Flathoof glared, “Are you disobeying orders from a superior? I’m
normally not much of a rules-jockey, but considering the circumstances I
think I’ll bring up a few points. You’re already in breach of protocol by not
filing a report on the involvement of a CIA Agent in a case-”
“That would be Snapshot’s job, she’s the one who-”
Flathoof cut her off, “And Snapshot isn’t here today, which means all
of her responsibilities fall to you, as you’ve been keen to point out. At any
rate, in case you haven’t noticed, the Chief doesn’t take too kindly to CIA
Agents sneaking around his offices as it is, but knows he can’t bar them
from entry and that he can’t just start rabble-rousing when one of ‘em is
snooping around; but, he does want to know when they have any
interaction with an officer. For breaching that protocol alone, you’re already
looking at getting fired.”
“B-but-”
“And then disobeying a request from a superior officer for paperwork
filing...I believe there’s a rule somewhere about that too, that superior
officers get priority on paperwork since we typically have important stuff to
take care of. Two rule infractions in the span of a few minutes? You’re
lucky I’m in a patient mood. Now, are we going to have a disagreement
here, or...?”
“W-what kind of paperwork am I taking care of for you, s-sir?”
“Oh, just a vacation application form,” Flathoof waved, “Starting
tonight, actually. See to it it gets through the system before the end of your
shift, and I won’t worry about that CIA thing either. I’ll make sure Snapshot
fills out her report when she returns.”
“R-right sir, of course,” Firecracker nodded as she began to fumble
around her desk for the form.
Flathoof turned and left her behind, then came over to Tick Tock, who
had been waiting patiently at the bench nearby, “Come on, we’re heading
for Southwest Point.”
“What? I thought you said your family lives in Mid-North?” Tick Tock
blinked, “I remind you, we’re on a tight-”
“I know all that, but I’ve got to check up on something...someone...”
*****
*****
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
“Snapshot? Are you in there?” Flathoof called.
Tick Tock waited patiently behind him in the stairwell as he knocked
again on Snapshot’s apartment door. She was rather relieved that
Flathoof’s friend lived on a lower floor than the other mares had - eightyfour floors was much too many to climb, and even though she was used to
physical exertion and that kind of work, it still didn’t make it enjoyable;
Snapshot’s thirteenth floor apartment was much easier to handle.
He knocked again, “Snapshot? Hello? If you’re there, open the door!
It’s me, Flathoof!”
No response.
“I don’t want to barge in there, Snapshot...but if you don’t open up,
I’m going to have to. Snapshot? Okay then...I’m coming in.” Flathoof
signalled for Tick Tock to come over, “You can’t pick locks or anything like
that with your fancy magic, can you?”
Tick Tock smirked, “Fancy that, an NPPD Captain asking me to
commit a breaking and entering.” Her horn began to glow, and so did the
doorknob. She contorted her face into a firm concentration, licking her lips
as she worked. Flathoof could hear a few subtle clicks and snaps as the
locking mechanisms of the door began to unlock one at a time - he could
tell from Tick Tock’s focused look that she was having some trouble getting
through the many extra security locks that Snapshot kept on her door. As
the sounds moved upwards, the glow of her magics shifted a little and he
could tell she was using it to manipulate the locks from the other side of the
door. He was impressed, and a little bothered.
“I wasn’t being serious, you know?” he said swiftly, “I was just going
to bust the door down. Why in Equestria would you have any use for
picking locks, anyway, hmm?”
Tick Tock turned a little pink, “Ah...heh...I forget my keys a lot. I
recognize some of these locks your friend uses, they’re pretty standard
issue stuff. Why does she have six bleedin’ locks on her door, anyway?”
Flathoof looked at the door for a moment, then raised an eyebrow
when he saw where the glow from Tick Tock’s magic was, “Six?”
“Yeah, six. And this last one is bloody well giving me a hard time too,
but I think I’ve almost got it...aha!” Another click, “See? Piece of cake.”
“Hang on a sec...you said six locks...right?”
Tick Tock rolled her eyes, “Again, yes - what of it? Are you bad with
math or something?”
Flathoof narrowed his eyes at the door, “I helped Snapshot install all
these locks. She only has...five...” His eyes widened a little,
“Aw...horseapples. Um...let’s just back away from the door now...”
Tick Tock tilted her head, “What are you going on-” and her eyes
widened as well, “About...oh. Ohhhh...bugger...”
They quickly turned from the door and ran towards the stairwell, and
only got enough distance from the door that the explosion behind them
didn’t engulf them straight away. Flathoof lost his footing, tripping on the
first stair as a large chunk of the door shattered across the back of his
head. He fell to the floor at the turn of the stairwell.
Tick Tock, meanwhile, was much lighter and in a less convenient
position; the force of the blast knocked her over the stairwell’s railing and
she fell down two whole stories, her foreleg slammed into the opposite
railing and flipped over onto the floor. She groaned in the pain in her head,
the stiff ringing in her ears, and what felt like a possibly broken leg. She
struggled to get up, and graciously accepted a hoof that reached out to
assist her.
“Thanks...”
“Don’t mention it...Chronomancer...” Her eyes widened and in an
instant she flashed her horn and let loose a burst of magic, forcing
Shadowstep roughly into the wall. He chuckled lightly as she frantically
scrambled to get up, and drew a knife from the sleeve of one foreleg.
He was on the offensive quickly, giving her little time to react in the
extremely tight space. His dagger flashed brightly as it deflected off her
shield. She staggered backward a little, trying to gain footing in the narrow
walkway.
Another sharp dive. Again she drove him off with the magical barrier.
Another attack. He struck from different angles with every swipe, keeping
himself unpredictable. She backed away, carefully stepping on the stairs
behind her as his assault forced her around the corner.
“Why do you keep coming after me?!” she snapped. Another strike.
He began to force her down the stairs now, “What did I ever do?!”
Shadowstep chuckled, “Why do you insist on asking?”
He feinted to her left to strike her, and as she directed her shield
there he quickly slashed instead to her right.
She narrowly avoided getting a face full of silver steel, crying out as
the blade slashed its way across her cheek. She staggered back a few
steps and gasped, almost losing her footing as the stairs ended and
flattened out at the next floor.
“You’re going to be dead in a few moments. Would that kind of
information matter?” She looked at him with a look of mixed fury and fear.
His grin widened, “Ooh, the fire in your eyes is so bright. I’m going to enjoy
snuffing it...” Tick Tock strengthened her resolve and tried to strike out
against him. She fired a volley of sparks. He twisted himself to the side and
avoided them with ease, “Come now! Can’t you just make this easy and let
me kill you? I know all your little tricks now, I’m going to make this nice and
personal.”
“Bugger off!” She blasted another bolt at him, and again he merely
shifted his weight to avoid it. He didn’t let her keep up her approach, and
continued to force her back with another strike. And another. She deflected
them each in turn, but he could see the weariness in her eyes, the
shortness of her breaths.
“What’s the matter, Chronomancer?” he taunted, “You look tired.
Perhaps a little dirt nap is in order?”
He swept forward again. His eyes gleamed as she did not seem to
put up her shield in time. There didn’t appear to be any shield at all, in fact.
He narrowly hesitated and slowed his assault. For his effort, he was
rewarded with a sharp pain shooting through his right wing. He slammed
into her and collapsed beyond her further down the stairs. He did not pay it
heed, though he knew the wound had been severe. Deep. His flying was
now severely hampered.
She did not waste the advantage, and pressed it quickly. Her
telekinesis wielded a sharply-torn piece of the rusted metal railing, as if it
were a sword.
He found himself on the defensive. His grin returned, and seemed to
actually widen at the prospect. She was fighting pragmatically now. She
was tired. She needed to conserve her magic, and telekinesis was easier
than barriers.
“You fancy yourself a swordsmare, hmm?” he taunted as he blocked
her makeshift weapon with his dagger, “Maybe when you get a real sword
I’ll consider you a threat.”
He forced his weight upwards to meet hers. He felt her ragged
breaths against his face. Forcing him away with a push, she swung sharply
in a downward strike.
He stepped to the side to avoid it. “Clumsy.” He lunged forward in
response. She barely had enough room to avoid getting sliced across the
eyes. The blade nicked her nose, again, as she ducked away.
She was getting sloppy. She was more tired than he thought. A
horizontal swing next. Easy enough to duck under. “Pathetic.”
An opportunity presented itself. Her wide swing left her open to
attack. He flung his knife at her. It was sudden. Unpredictable.
She panicked and raised a shield, sending his weapon flying into the
wall beside her. But the concentration on her telekinesis was broken. Her
makeshift weapon fell into the emptiness of the stairwell’s open center.
He tackled her. Forced her to the floor. She tried to struggle and force
him off, but her energy bolt fizzled uselessly against his chest. Her magic
had nearly dried up.
“I’ve been looking forward to this,” he chuckled darkly, pressing a
hoof against her throat, “The chance to finally kill you, and be done with this
silly game we’ve been playing.” He pushed himself up and put most of his
weight into his hoof. She choked and grabbed at him. But he was too
heavy, “It’s been fun, Chronomancer.” He pushed more weight downward,
laughing again as he heard her ragged, throaty gasps for air. The tears in
her eyes as she realized this was it. - her time had run out.
Shadowstep’s attention diverted behind him sharply, but he hadn’t
much chance to avoid the crushing body of red and black.
Flathoof crashed into him and forced him against the nearby wall.
Tick Tock took in a deep gulp of air.
“You’re under arrest for the murder of an NPPD officer,” Flathoof
hissed into his ear, “And the countless other ponies at Southeast Point you
killed in that explosion.”
Shadowstep laughed from under the larger stallion. He flicked his
good wing as hard as he could, striking Flathoof’s leg to throw him off
balance. It was enough to let him squirm out of the hold.
“Ah...you must be Flathoof,” he smirked as he distanced himself,
“Snapshot spoke very highly of you.”
Flathoof barreled forward, reared, and brought his forelegs down in a
crushing motion. Shadowstep dodged backwards and found himself
moving downstairs. Flathoof pressed his offensive.
“Are you seriously considering turning me in?” Shadowstep chuckled,
“As if I haven’t broken out of a pathetic little jail cell before.”
“You’ll be brought to justice for your crimes,” Flathoof spat.
“Aww...and here I thought you’d want revenge. Your girlfriend was
such a sweetheart. She was just dying to get to know me better.” He
laughed loudly at his own joke.
Flathoof grit his teeth and rushed forward with a shoulder tackle.
Easy enough to avoid. Shadowstep chuckled as he twisted around and
bucked. He caught Flathoof hard in the chest.
The red stallion staggered back a little, and was caught by surprise
when Shadowstep rushed up the stairs at him. He swept Flathoof’s
forelegs, causing Flathoof to tumble down the stairs behind him. Flathoof
grunted in pain as he hit the opposite wall, and Shadowstep had more than
ample time to distance himself.
“Well, officer, as delightful as this has been,” Shadowstep chuckled
as he drew his second dagger, “I’ve grown tired of all of this fooling around.
Time to play for keeps. I wonder, when I’m done with you, who’s going to
take care of your crippled brother, hmm? Maybe I’ll pay him a little visit and
put him out of misery...” Flathoof glared at the pegasus. Shadowstep’s grin
widened, “Ooh...did I strike a nerve? I’ll be happy to strike at more than
that!”
He lunged forward and swung his knife at Flathoof’s chest. A near
miss, but he’d drawn blood.
Flathoof backed down the next set of stairs, and ducked under
another swing. He twisted himself around and tried to buck the pegasus.
Shadowstep narrowly avoided it. Now in close proximity, he lunged again
and tackled Flathoof from behind.
They struggled. They grappled. Flathoof was stronger, and was able
to crush Shadowstep against the wall for a moment. Shadowstep was a
dirty fighter, and bashed his head against Flathoof’s throat; he staggered
and choked.
Shadowstep pushed his sudden advantage. The red stallion found
himself pressed with his back against the railing, Shadowstep leaning over
him.
“Looks like a long fall,” he smirked, “A shame you don’t have wings,
like-”
Shadowstep howled in pain. Flathoof wasted no time in capitalizing
on his opportunity. He sunk down and kicked his legs as hard as he could,
sending Shadowstep careening over the railing.
The pegasus struggled to right himself as he fell, but his right wing
was injured, and his left wing now had his dagger, which shimmered a dull
green, embedded in the joint. His back slammed into the railing on the next
floor down. He fell. Straight to the bottom.
Flathoof breathed deep, and chanced a glance to the stairwell above.
Tick Tock limped down to meet him.
“Are you okay?” she asked hoarsely.
“I’m fine. We should get a move on,” Flathoof coughed, “He
mentioned going after my family.”
“Can’t we...rest a bit?” she coughed, “There’s no way he“Survived the fall, right. You can take that risk if you want. I’m not
about to do that...”
Chapter Seven
Invention
Shadowstep stirred.
“Ah...you’re awake...” Silvertongue’s voice. Shadowstep made to
stand at attention, and immediately regretted it as the severe pain shot
through his wings. “I wouldn’t move too much, were I in your position, my
boy. You look like you took quite a fall.”
Shadowstep winced as the pain settled in. Well, at least now he knew
he was alive. Where was he? The room was almost completely dark,
except for the bright silver glow that crept out of a large container in the
corner. Whatever it was, it lit the room well enough that Shadowstep could
see himself, a bloody mess, lying on what appeared to be some kind of
metal slab. He tried to move, but couldn’t. Not because of the pain...no,
those were braces on his hooves. His back against the slab, his legs
stretched out and locked in place. His wings were also kept still, mostly, in
tiny indents in the slab that seemed custom-fit for pegasus wings. He was
rather glad they were kept so still, as he could see they were still horribly
mangled and broken. He’d seen pegasi with this kind of wing damage
before. He’d even inflicted it upon others.
They never flew again.
“M-milord, what’s-” he sputtered.
“Shadowstep...” Silvertongue sighed, “I entrusted you with two fairly
straightforward tasks. Endeavors I believed were tailor-made to your talents
and capabilities. You have not lived up to my expectations, because you
have failed at one of these tasks twice now. Naturally, you understand, I
lack confidence that you can handle the second. I am...disappointed, to say
the least.” He presented a folder, “The NPPD report on the explosion at
Southeast Point. It would appear that it was caused by a gas leak and an
electrical fire. If somepony were to have...orchestrated that, it would appear
as nothing more than a freak accident. Not very subtle in its execution, but
certainly subtle enough in preparation, and it most definitely would be
effective at eliminating the Chronomancer...and anypony else in the vicinity,
for that matter. Particularly six ponies I have no desire to see dead quite so
soon.”
“S-sir, I had nothing-”
“Save your breath, my boy. If I desired excuses, I would have asked
for one. I prefer to divulge my information...more directly. You understand
how hard it is to find good help these days, don’t you?”
Silvertongue’s horn glowed, and Shadowstep writhed in pain as a
searing electrical sensation shot through his head. Suddenly he could feel
another presence in there with him, and as if his mind were an ocean he
could feel something swimming along through it. Silvertongue’s face, if
Shadowstep could consider himself any sort of one to read expression,
bore a look of critical examination. He could feel the most recent events
flashing through his mind as Silvertongue relived them and examined their
meaning.
Trailing Twilight Sparkle and her friends in hopes that the
Chronomancer would make herself known to them.
Seeing her, alive and well, waiting in their apartment. He had not
counted on the generosity and trusting nature of the pegasus, Lockwood.
Trailing them as they left for the Outer Districts, with plans to pass
through the Gate using false Passports.
Returning to Southeast Point, and witnessing the explosion. Seeing
Twilight Sparkle’s magic save herself and her companions.
The pure luck that the NPPD officer, Flathoof, divided the group out
of fear that the Chronomancer’s would-be assassin would target his family,
a valid assumption.
Following them to NPPD Central Station. Overhearing them making
to check on the desk clerk, Snapshot. Hurriedly rushing to her apartment
and rigging an explosive. Lying in wait.
Fighting with them. Losing.
A few moments later, and the pain was gone. Silvertongue’s horn
ceased its glowing, and he bore a look of clear understanding.
“You’re quite fortunate in a great many ways, Shadowstep. Not only
because the explosion was a freak accident in and of itself, but that your
first aforementioned failure seems to have been a great boon.” At this
comment, even Shadowstep looked curious. “Had the Chronomancer been
taken care of, as I had tasked you with before, she would have never
encouraged those Elements of Harmony to leave their apartment, and
they’d have likely been caught in the blast. Ironically, my boy, your initial
failure was a beneficial one.”
Shadowstep breathed a sigh of relief. Of course he hadn’t rigged the
explosion at Southeast Point. What purpose would it serve to blow apart
the Elements of Harmony after he’d just spent so much time and effort
gathering information about them?
“However, there is still the matter at hand. The Chronomancer still
lives and breathes, and as long as she does so I do not doubt she will be a
thorn in my side,” Silvertongue continued. He hovered the glowing box
over, and lifted the lid. The shining light inside now lit up much more of the
room. With a little more magic, Silvertongue lifted something out of the
container. It appeared to be some sort of liquid, kept in a neat spherical
shape by his magic, “Do you know what this is, Shadowstep?” The
pegasus shook his head slowly. “It is a rare and very valuable metal, highly
regarded for its functionality as weaponry or armor. You’d be hard-pressed
to find much more of it; my own supplies are dwindling, and this is some of
what little I still possess. It is exceptionally lightweight and malleable, and
cooperates remarkably well with magic, almost in a symbiotic manner. If
one were to forge a weapon of it, their magic could manipulate it fluidly, as
if it were an extension of their own body and mind. It is also notably
resistant to the magic of anything other than that of the forger, making it
extraordinarily potent for shields or armor. The metal is almost...sentient, in
a way. It’s called Obidium; and, it obeys orders, much better than any pony
ever could.” Shadowstep detected a light bit of a mocking tone, directed at
himself.
Silvertongue hovered the box over one of Shadowstep’s wings; the
pegasus gulped, “W-what are you doing?”
Silvertongue smiled, “Why, I’m going to sheathe your wings in the
stuff, dear boy. It will repair the damage you have sustained, and my magic
will fuse the metal to your nerves and flesh and bone; then, you will have a
modicum of control over it. It will be a new weapon for you to wield against
your enemies...against my enemies. I could have affixed it to you while you
were unconscious, certainly, but I believe that if you experience the
sensation of it bonding with you, you may have a greater appreciation for
the power it will bestow. Oh, a fair bit of warning: this might hurt a little.” He
poured.
Shadowstep screamed in agony as the molten metal seared the flesh
on his wings, coating them with liquid heat that burnt a path all the way to
the bone, then quickly cooled; he was certain the scent of his wings, his
precious wings, burning away would forever remain ingrained in his
nightmares. More pain shot through his nerves as the magically-guided
material coiled inward and fastened itself to every joint, every muscle,
every fiber, until the metal became a part of him and replaced his flesh and
bone entirely. His breaths came ragged and dry as he calmed himself from
the pain, unsure if he even could stay conscious, though he was certain
Silvertongue would ensure he did not lapse. Then, he gulped rather audibly
to his embarrassment, as he saw the box hover over him and move to his
other wing. More pain - the metal stripped clean his flesh. More agony - the
metal ingrained itself within him. He suddenly had a strong wish that the fall
had killed him. Surely death would be preferable to all this pain.
Both wings coated with, no, essentially made of the metal now,
Shadowstep was finally allowed to breathe normally without fear of more of
the writhing torture looming ahead. So he breathed deep, and slow. He felt
the braces on his legs snap open, allowing him to stir once again and begin
to stand at attention. Surely SIlvertongue would not appreciate him lying
there, a pool of pain and misery.
“Excellent, the process went better than expected,” Silvertongue
grinned as Shadowstep weakly pushed himself upright, “New and
improved, wouldn’t you agree?”
Shadowstep winced a little as the pain still lingered on, but flexed his
wings to see if they still worked. To his utter surprise, not only did they
respond completely normally, but they appeared fluid and natural, as
though they had always been a part of him. They even seemed to work
better now then they did when they were wings of flesh and bone. The
joints looked real, even the feathers looked real. That surprised him most of
all - he still had feathers? The metal had coated them flawlessly just the
same as the rest of the wing. Magical materials truly were a marvel to
behold. He bounded from the slab, and flexed his new wings some more.
They even felt natural; though the material was cold to the touch, there was
a smooth, almost silky texture to it that made it as much like feathers as
real feathers could be. And Silvertongue had mentioned that magic could
control them as if they were a part of himself, and that Silvertongue’s power
would grant him that ability. He wondered what that could mean, and was
eager to test it.
“Thank you, milord...” Shadowstep bowed, “I did not expect to receive
such a gracious reward after...ah...my most recent transgressions. To be
honest, milord...I...I expected never to wake up again. Your last words to
me were hardly encouraging...”
Silvertongue smirked, “Mindlessly killing my subservients is hardly
what I would consider a worthwhile use of my time or effort. You are a
valuable asset, Shadowstep, even if your more recent endeavors have
proven rather flawed. This Chronomancer is clearly not to be taken lightly,
or she has the most extraordinary luck imaginable. In either case, this new
tool I have bestowed upon you should be more than ample to destroy her,
in due time. Now then, if you’re quite done preening about,” he said firmly,
“It’s time we came to the next order of business...”
Shadowstep saluted, “Of course, milord. I’ll finish off the
Chronomancer this time, I swear it.” He trotted over to the door, which not
only didn’t open at his push, but not in his very presence. He was used to
the doors in Pandora responding to the proximity of ponies and opening
automatically.
“Where do you think you’re going, Shadowstep?” Silvertongue asked.
Shadowstep turned, somewhat concerned that there was a hint
of...glee in Silvertongue’s voice, “Ah...to kill the Chronomancer? Sir?”
Silvertongue laughed. It was the first time Shadowstep had ever
heard a sound like that escape his employer’s lips, “You? My dear boy,
you’ve already failed me twice in that regard. Heavens, what made you
think I was going to give you another chance, so soon after yet another
failure?”
Shadowstep raised an eyebrow, and flexed his wings a bit, “But...you
just said...and...but your gift-” he sputtered.
“Oh, that gift of yours is a rather double-edged sword, you’ll find soon
enough. But I digress, I did not grant you this boon so that you may destroy
that meddlesome little Chronomancer, not yet. That will come in due time, I
am certain, but for now I have more pressing matters to attend to without
worrying about whether or not you’ll succeed or fail me yet again. No, your
gift, my boy, is meant to give you some sort of a fighting chance in regards
to your punishment.”
Silvertongue grinned, and let his horn shine brightly as he coaxed out
a terrific amount of magic. Shadowstep panicked and made to move, but
found himself engulfed in a bright light. His eyes widened, “P-punish-”
*****
“-ment?”
The first sensation Shadowstep experienced upon being teleported,
was the smell. Not so much a smell, really, as much as a stench. And what
a stench it was. Shadowstep was a hardened killer who had seen many
dead bodies, disposed of corpses, seen ponies soil themselves in fear and
upon death, and crawled through some of the most unsavory areas
imaginable to reach some of his targets. He thought his nose was mostly
immune to the sensations of foul odors, and that he could handle anything
of the sort. Here though, he was instantly nauseated due to the sudden
exposure to it; it didn’t take more than a second to make him retch. For a
good, solid moment, the only thing in the entire world that he could see,
hear, taste, smell, feel, or even think, was this stench. As his stomach
settled, his mind eased, and his nostrils became accustomed to the odor,
he could finally see where he was.
It was...unpleasant.
The earth beneath his feet was stained a deep, dark red and oozed
forth a blackish-red goo that stuck to his hooves. It appeared to be blood he’d seen enough of the stuff to tell - but was somehow different...irregular.
It was thick and clung to him like glue, and almost seemed like it was
reaching out to consume him as he lifted his hoof away.
The trees around him were dead. Beyond dead...but also somehow
alive. They did not bloom like living trees, full of green foliage that fluttered
in a breeze. Their branches were devoid of leaves, and appeared dead,
and yet the trunks were thick and seemed full of life, despite their
blackened color and their cracked surfaces.
And then...there were the bodies. Shadowstep had killed many
ponies in his lifetime, and for a fleeting second he looked about him and
wondered if every single corpse he’d ever been responsible for was here,
and then some. They weren’t buried, not under the ground at least. They
were piled, like one would do for garbage or leaves; blackened and burned,
rotting away as if they’d been there far longer than he thought were
possible without them decomposing into dust.
His thoughts suddenly burned away at him, and he winced in severe
pain as Silvertongue’s voice rang in his head, as if the unicorn were not
standing beside him, or was even actually in his head, but spoke with such
a burning intensity that Shadowstep was certain that it was his own mouth
speaking the words, “The Blood Mire. A fitting name, is it not? I could tell
you stories of this place, tales of murder and death that would awe even a
murderous psychopath like yourself, my boy. But I fear there is no time for
dilly-dallying - you may want to watch your back.”
Shadowstep turned, and leapt back in surprise as a spark of magic
ripped past him and exploded several feet behind his head. The explosion
wasn’t particularly strong - he’d seen average unicorns with more force
than that - but that wasn’t the issue. Shadowstep’s eyes widened as he
traced the bolt back to the unicorn that had fired it, and for a moment he
wondered if he were dreaming. If this was either some horrible nightmare,
or if perhaps his eyes were playing tricks on him, or if he’d somehow been
transported inside of a horror story.
The unicorn was...well, it was difficult to describe exactly what. Was it
alive? It moved like a living, breathing unicorn. It cast spells like one. It may
have well been one, for all things as far as those were concerned, and yet
the unicorn was clearly not alive. Its charred and rancid skin was almost
melting away in places, exposing great deals of corroded bone and
decayed innards. One of its legs was ripped apart, and in the places were
there should have been bone and muscle connecting the two halves, there
was instead a faint glow of reddish-black magical energy that held them in
place, though clearly not from the unicorn’s own horn. Its horn, in the
meantime, was shattered and broken, but still able to cast spells as though
that were perfectly natural. This same force filled other important voids in
the unicorn’s horribly mangled and rotten body, most notably its eyes. No, it
clearly wasn’t alive, but it was more than just dead.
Shadowstep hesitated for a moment, unsure if what he was seeing
was real, and in that hesitation, he almost did not react in time to the feeling
of movement behind him. These...things, whatever they were had clearly
been ponies once, but no longer. He turned swiftly to see another of them
bearing down upon him like a predator, starved, out for blood. This one had
once been a pegasus, and filling the areas where its wings were torn and
decomposed, the same dark power that kept the unicorn from toppling over
allowed the pegasus to take flight. Shadowstep narrowly avoided getting a
face full of the thing’s mangled hoof, and panicked for the brief instant
when he realized his dodge had been sloppy and the creature was going to
crush his wing instead.
A resounding clang of metal against flesh and bone, an almost
sickening crunch, made him rethink that worry. He had felt the creature
strike his wing, but hadn’t felt any pain at all. And while he was certain that
the putrid thing couldn’t feel pain itself, it certainly could be damaged; its
face had been horribly mangled by the metal feathers he now had, and it
was here that he realized they weren’t just feathers; they were blades.
With a grin, he stretched his wing and brought it down as one would
the blade of an axe, cleaving the creature’s head clean off. The sensation
of his own body being a weapon, capable of tearing through flesh and bone
was exhilarating - rotten flesh and bone, to be sure, but the difference
between rotten and healthy was modest at best in this case.
The unicorn fired another bolt of magic at him, and Shadowstep’s grin
widened as he remembered that Silvertongue had mentioned that the metal
was also highly magic-resistant to any kind of magic other than that of its
forger. Sweeping his wing about in a wide arc, he reflected the bolt of
magic back at the creature, and it struck with enough force to blow the
thing’s body apart. Like the once-pegasus, the monstrosity’s eerie, glowing
eyes dimmed and died once it was properly destroyed.
“Fascinating material, is it not?” SIlvertongue’s voice burned through
Shadowstep’s mind.
Shadowstep spoke aloud in response, “If this is my punishment,
milord, to slaughter these...abominations, then I am thankful you granted
me such a gift.” His grin turned into a smug smirk, “Otherwise I might have
to break a sweat. I shall return soon enough to slaughter the
Chronomancer.”
Silvertongue’s voice laughed, and Shadowstep’s elated smugness
dwindled away in an instant, like a fire facing down a monsoon, “My dear
boy, you think you’ll only have to deal with them in such short bunches? I
was merely giving you a brief chance to discern the extent of your new gift.
But, if you’re that confident in yourself, then perhaps it is time I removed my
protective barrier...”
Shadowstep suddenly felt an emptiness fill him, and the entire
surrounding area seemed to become more visceral. In that instant, he
realized that he hadn’t moved much since he got here, and that both the
creatures that had attacked him had originated from a relatively close
distance away.
Silvertongue’s magic had kept more of the creatures at bay.
Shadowstep watched in horror as the piles upon piles of bodies around him
all suddenly began to glow that same black-and-red, and hordes of the
once-ponies began to stir. More and more and more of them; not just
several dozen, but several hundred. They were not slow to wake, nor were
they slow to act.
Shadowstep found himself engaged on all sides, as the creatures that
took on the forms of unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies alike assaulted him
with reckless abandon. He swung his wings around like great scythes,
slicing apart most of the ponies that got nearby, but he found it was difficult
to do so against a horde that seemed to grow larger every moment.
He panicked. There were only two options: fight, or flight, and right
now the former seemed to be a fool’s errand. Flapping his wings roughly,
he forced himself hard into the air.
Unicorns continued to fire bolts of red magic at him, and now the
once-pegasi were beginning to pursue. They were not quite as agile as
living pegasi, even those who were perhaps below average fliers. He
breathed a sigh of relief as he easily outran them, and twisted himself
around to make a course for New Pandemonium City. Fighting the
creatures was hard. Running from them was easy.
“Tsk...tsk...tsk,” Silvertongue’s voice rang again, “My my,
Shadowstep, are you trying to escape your punishment? Were it that easy
to do, I would think myself a right fool to believe you wouldn’t attempt it. No
no, we won’t be having any of that.”
Shadowstep felt a sharp pain shoot through his wings, and suddenly
they felt heavy. Very heavy. His wings were suddenly great metal weights
that could grant him flight about as well as they would let him swim. He
careened into the ground below with a sickening crash, not just because he
was injured but because he now found himself covered in the bloody goo
that he was now certain was the remains of some of these abominable
creatures. It made him suddenly nauseated again at the thought of it.
He looked up from his crash site to find that he was already being set
upon by more freshly-woken monsters. When he tried to move, he found
that the weight of his wings made that task excruciatingly difficult.
One of the earth ponies lunged at him, and he barely had the strength
to swing his wing around to defend himself, let alone try to break the
creature. The rancid pony merely rebounded off his wing as he used it
more as a shield than a blade.
But it was enough effort to make him lose focus on another, and a
once-pegasi sprung upon him and with what had assuredly once been a
mouth but was now more or less just a vice, sunk great, sharp teeth in his
neck. Shadowstep cried out and shook the thing off, slashing at it with his
other wing but only managing to rip apart its legs.
A unicorn blasted a bolt of magic at him that knocked him off his
balance and onto his back. An incredible burning sensation shot through
his side where the blast had struck.
The earth pony pounced upon him and slammed its forelegs down
into his chest; Shadowstep wheezed and coughed up blood as the
creature’s sharpened hooves ripped and tore his skin, threatening to pierce
straight through and shred apart his lungs and heart.
He flexed his wings around him and crushed them against the thing’s
head, splattering himself with blood and rancid gore as it slumped forward
on top of him. He fought the urge to vomit.
A tearing pain ripped through him as he felt another one, likely the
once-pegasus, bite into one of his legs. He swung his wing down to slice
through it, and struggled to his feet.
As he staggered away, a familiar burning sensation tore through his
back as the unicorn’s magic exploded upon him again. The unicorn
however had not fired its bolt from much distance. He felt its weight forced
upon him soon after, burying its teeth into the freshly cooked flesh on his
neck. The pain was enough to make him slowly began to lose
consciousness. He tried to shake the unicorn off, but could not find the
strength. He looked out into the field, and all he could see.. were hundreds
more of the eyes coming his way.
And that was the last thing that flashed before his eyes.
*****
*****
*****
The elevator hummed quietly as it slowly made its way down the side
of Pandora, it’s only passenger looking out of the glass exterior and out into
the slowly retreating city skyline. Eventually Silvertongue’s view of the city
was obscured as the Inner District’s skyscrapers and office complexes rose
up. The ambient music was soothing, a calming rendition of one of
Silvertongue’s favorite songs. It was a slow, delicate melody, from an opera
he remembered seeing as a little foal so very long ago; the villain of the
piece sang this song as he set about his final scheme to vanquish his
heroic foe, and Silvertongue found it most appropriate for his current
situation. There had been a few hiccups here and there this evening, but
for the most part things were finally underway.
The elevator doors opened, and Silvertongue strode out into the
large, beckoning hallway coated in blacks and reds, and dark enough to
drown out the light of his pristine coat like ink upon paper. At the end of the
hall was a large metal door, foreboding and intimidating in all its blacks and
golds. Silvertongue walked through it with eager confidence and poise,
lifting the heavy object with his magic as though it were made of the
flimsiest of wood, not solid iron.
The room was moderately darkened, lit well enough that one could
see its contents without much strain. Silvertongue looked around in quiet
contemplation at the abundance of machines and other materials strewn
about but clearly all purposed for some task. Huge monitors, large power
grids, cables of all shapes and sizes and lengths stretching and connecting
them all together, but none of that was of much concern to him.
No, Silvertongue’s eyes were focused in the center of the room, were
a large platform had been raised. He approached it with curiosity and
anxious anticipation, ecstatic to see the fruit of his labors firsthand, to see
what his mad science and his forbidden magics had wrought. On the
platform were six large containers, made of an enchanted glass that would
resist and contain some of the most powerful magicks known to ponykind.
Each one was connected to a series of cables and levers and machines to
monitor the contents of these containers, and that was what gave
Silvertongue such eager elation.
He turned and called out into the room, “Doctor! Is everything
prepared?”
A crash from the side of the room drew Silvertongue’s attention, as a
pony swore and cursed as he tripped over one of the cables. The pony, an
off-white unicorn stallion wearing a dulled beige lab coat rounded the
nearby corner and greeted Silvertongue with a brisk salute and a smile,
“Herr Silvertongue, I apologize. I did not hear you come in. Ach,
anyvay...ja, everyzing is ready. I only need to make a few final adjustments
and vee may begin.”
“You have outdone yourself, Doctor. Six of them, and in such a short
time too. I am glad to see I will not be experiencing any more delays. This
shall be your greatest work.”
“Ja, zank you,” Blutsauger smiled with pride, “It vas easy to get zee
genetic material I required; I vas able to convince zem to come in for a
physical and...heh...blood-vork. Pure samples are much better zan possibly
tainted ones from zee immunization needles. Zee more I have to vork vis,
zee better vork I can do, ja?”
Silvertongue smirked and turned his attention back to the
containment pods. Sitting in each tube was a pony. Here, in the one closest
to him, was a lavender mare, a unicorn. She had a deep purple mane and
tail that fell straight and looked naturally neatly-combed, with a bright pink
streak shooting along the middle. Silvertongue grinned as he saw the
inspired perfection that the process had created. Twilight Sparkle, the
Element of Magic, was out there somewhere in New Pandemonium City;
but, she was also here in this very room, and the only difference between
the two was that one had a soul, the other did not. One was a living,
breathing creature, while the other was just a lifeless shell.
Silvertongue knew that would soon no longer be the case, that soon
this little mare in this containment pod would no longer be Twilight Sparkle,
and yet would be all the same. All of the original’s thoughts and memories
and passions and dreams and every last possible fiber of her being would
be twisted and warped to his advantage. He gave a small laugh at the
thought of his labors being given physical form at long last, to know that
soon enough they could begin the task he had set before them. In each of
the other chambers, another perfectly-copied clone of the rest of the
Elements of Harmony sat, lifeless, soulless, and awaiting the next stage of
his plan.
“Excellent...excellent,” he breathed, “Now then, doctor - go ahead and
finish your final preparations. I need to...focus myself, for the next stage. I
should only need a few moments.”
“Ja, Herr Silvertongue,” Blutsauger nodded, and hastily shuffled
away.
Silvertongue breathed deep and let his magic waft about him, calling
out to Discordia once again. She was quick to respond, as always.
“My Warden...you work quickly,” her voice cooed, “I am pleased with
your progress.”
“I am as anxious as you are, milady,” Silvertongue thought inwardly,
“The stage has been set, the actors are all in place - with your blessing, I
may pull back the curtain and let our masterpiece perform for itself.”
Discordia hesitated for a mere second, “My Warden...to you I will be
granting phenomenal magical powers, with which you will be gifting these
creatures with life. But I warn you...with my essence filling their bodies and
souls, my power fueling theirs and filling them with my will...it will weaken
me greatly. I will be unable to reach out again from the Dreaming for quite
some time...unable to assist you, should you require my aid.”
“I have utmost confidence in my plan, milady,” Silvertongue chuckled
with confidence, “These six mares that we are birthing this very hour, they
are the perfect pawns to carry out this task. I have no doubt that the powers
you are to bequeath upon them will be more than enough insurance that,
even should our initial plan fail, they may still be of some use to us in the
future.”
“I am entrusting you with a great risk, my Warden. I know you will not
disappoint me. You have my blessings...continue your work, and see to it
personally if need be that my will be done.”
“As you wish, milady...”
Silvertongue then felt the oddest sensation. Discordia’s
consciousness was leaving his soul and mind like before, but he did not
feel empty. No, her essence still yet remained within him; he instead felt
empowered, filled with so much dark magic and energy that for a fleeting
second he felt it would tear him apart, unable to be contained by his mortal
form. His body became used to being filled with such power in due time,
and he felt the ease at which his new magic could function. Such power,
such intensity... If only this kind of strength could be used against Harmonia
directly. Silvertongue was confident he could destroy her himself and be
done with the whole plot. If only that were the case, but that was where
these six little mares came in...they would help accomplish that goal.
“Herr Silvertongue!” called Blutsauger, shaking him from his awed
stupor, “All zee preparations are complete, vee are ready to begin.”
“Wonderful,” breathed Silvertongue. He strode away from his six
prized creations and over to where Blutsauger awaited him. The Doctor
helped Silvertongue into a mechanical brace that attached to his horn,
connected by cables and wires of many different sizes and colors and
materials that stretched up to the ceiling, then came down again and
attached themselves to the large machine that held the six containment
pods. Blutsauger quickly checked a few readings to make sure everything
was connected properly; satisfied, he trotted over to his private station in
the other corner of the room and made a few final adjustments.
“Right, now zen...ah...ven you give zee vord, Herr Silvertongue, I vill
begin zee energy transfer. Zis is mein first time doing zis precise process,
but it should not be much different zan any of zee ozer times I have done
zis sort of zing, ja? Sure it’s not bringing zee dead back to life, but it is a
similar concept.”
“I am ready to begin whenever you are, doctor,” Silvertongue nodded.
Blutsauger nodded and flicked a bunch of tiny switches with his
magic, turned some dials, adjusted a few levers, twisted a knob or two,
pushed buttons, then turned to the massive red power switch behind him.
With a great exertion of effort, he lifted it and with a loud clang it snapped
into its ‘on’ position and all the machines in the room sprung to life at once.
Silvertongue felt a rush of electricity snap through his horn, and grinned
wide as the feeling of power in his body reacted to the amplification device
he had designed.
“Venever you are ready, Herr Silvertongue, you may begin...Zee
Magicks!”
Silvertongue let his new powers trickle slowly out of him, and though
he did so with much trepidation and remorse, he knew he would soon be
rewarded with the effort. Powerful dark magicks flowed from his horn and
into the amplification device, and he saw the energy coursing through the
cables above and into the containment machine at the room’s center. The
machine spun slightly and then lifted one of the containment pods from the
platform to center of the machine. Silvertongue noticed that the pony inside
was orange...Applejack, was it? The Doctor always did have a habit of
doing things alphabetically. He watched with eager anticipation as the
containment pod gave a resounding noise when it clicked together with the
amplification device. The pod began to glow a dark purple, shrouding the
pony inside from view for a few brief moments. Silvertongue loosed forth a
full sixth of Discordia’s granted blessing out of him, and watched as the
device drained it into the pony there.
A strong darkness filled the room for but a moment, shrouding
everything in black; when it flickered away, the machines stopped spinning
and whirring and Silvertongue felt his magic relax completely of its own
accord. He looked to the center of the room. The containment pod was still
shrouded in dark mist, and remained as such as the machine pulled it away
from the center of the room and lifted the pod towards the nearby wall,
where it would be sent to an adjacent room for safekeeping and further
monitoring. Silvertongue motioned for Blutsauger to delay the process, long
enough for him to at least see his first creation before he began to work on
the others. The black and purple mist slowly dissipated, and Silvertongue
gazed into the pod with delight and pride. His first creation was inside, alive
and breathing, kept in a calm stasis to allow her body to grow accustomed
to the dark magicks that flowed through her veins. The first of these new...
Elements of Discord. Silvertongue rather liked the name.
Applejack’s clone had been warped and twisted by the incredible
magicks that Discordia’s power held, and she no longer truly looked
anything like her original form. Her dulled orange coat had turned a vibrant
blue, her blond mane and tail a shiny apple red. Her figure was slightly
leaner and more refined, not at all like a working pony that did exuberant
amounts of physical labor. He eagerly awaited the chance to get to know
this new mare, to see how her personality and essence were different from
her Harmony counterpart. If her mind had been twisted as much as her
body...well, the implications were astounding to him. Such power... to
completely change one’s body and soul. Only Discordia’s magic was
capable of such a dark task. Silvertongue motioned to Blutsauger to send
the pod the rest of the way, and he himself focused his magic again. There
were still five more ponies to create.
The machine spun again, and this time lifted the lifeless clone of
Fluttershy. As before, Silvertongue fueled the device with Discordia’s
magic, and he winced in pain slightly as even more power was sucked out
of him. He nearly worried that perhaps it was draining some of his own
magic as well, but shook away that concern; even if it was, it would only
serve to fuel them with more power, and tied their essences directly to him
in some way that they would be more readily...obedient. The room
darkened and brightened again, and Fluttershy’s counterpart was lifted
away much the same as Applejack’s had been. Silvertongue did not signal
to halt the process. He’d witnessed its effects upon Applejack’s clone
already, and knew he would soon enough get to see and meet the others
without squandering his time. He repeated the process. Pinkie Pie’s
counterpart next, then Rainbow Dash’s, then Rarity’s.
At last, the one he was most eagerly anticipating, Twilight Sparkle’s
clone. Discordia’s magic began to flow through him and into the amplifier
as before, and everything started off rather smoothly. But then, something
went wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong. Several of the machines in the room
began to vibrate and hum uncontrollably. Silvertongue noticed a few
monitors here and there begin to crack. Blutsauger leapt away from his
station as one of the readout meters burst apart showering him in plastic
and glass. Silvertongue himself could begin to feel it now, a phenomenal
amount of magical power flowing outward from the slowly warping clone of
Twilight Sparkle, untamed by its host body and pulsing with power and with
nothing to keep it under control. He expected her to have a lot of power as
the Element of Magic, but this seemed a little too much. And the energy did
not feel intimately recognizable to him, though he did feel it was somewhat
familiar.
“Doctor!” he called out, “What is happening here?”
Blutsauger gulped as he looked over a few of the readings, “Ach, her
magical levels are off zee charts, Herr Silvertongue! I did not zink anypony
could contain zis much magic...und...zee machines cannot pinpoint zee
source. Most unicorns use similar types of magic, ja? Zis one...zee
machines do not recognize it!” As more of Discordia’s power flowed into the
machine, Twilight’s clone began to give off more and more energy.
Silvertongue could feel it tingling against his skin and making his mane and
tail waft about as though there were a breeze in the room. Blutsauger could
feel this magic too, and it was making him jittery, “Zee safety parameters
are holding for now... but I do not for how much longer. Zee mana-resistant
glass should be able to hold, so long as her power does not increase too
much more.” Blutsauger regretted speaking too soon, as both he and
Silvertongue heard a rather loud crack come from the center of the room.
Blutsauger quickly trotted in and eyed the glass, then stepped back with a
great deal of worry, “Impossible...impossible! Herr Silvertongue, her
magic...it is cracking zee glass!”
Silvertongue’s eyes widened for only a moment in utter surprise at
what the impilcations were. The amount of magical power required to break
through that glass was extraordinarily high, only something that particularly
powerful unicorns could break. He himself admitted he had trouble cracking
through it, and as Discordia’s Warden he was the most magicallyempowered unicorn in all of Equestria. Was Twilight Sparkle, and now her
clone as well, that powerful? As powerful, no, more powerful than he was?
Astounding.
Another crack, and another rang out. The cracks snaked along the
glass like it was ice, and they could hear what sounded like pounding
coming from inside. Blutsauger jumped back a great distance as finally the
glass snapped open. Like a fierce storm, the intense magic within the little
pod now was set loose into the chamber. Without its host to control it, the
powerful magicks acted of their own will, a phenomenon that intrigued
Silvertongue. Magic wasn’t supposed to work like that, at least no magic he
had ever seen or used before. A void of darkness flared about, lashing out
random at machines, and every second that Silvertongue pumped more of
Discordia’s magic into the amplifier, the more power this wild and untamed
magic was given to work with. It launched bolts of powerful energy at
random targets that ripped metal and glass apart like they were nothing. It
lashed out with fluidic tentacle-like strands that grasped at things and
crushed them like toys, or smashed them like a hammer striking nails.
Blutsauger clambered over the Silvertongue in a panic, “Herr Silvertongue,
vee must stop zee process! Her powers vill tear zee room apart!”
Silvertongue glared at the Doctor, “Stop? When we are so close? We
are only a few short moments away from bestowing life upon the most
powerful mortal creature in this world, and you want to stop? Get back to
your station, you miserable little foal and keep her lifelines stable. I am not
about to end this just because you are a pathetic coward.”
Blutsauger gulped, and nervously nodded as he backed away,
“Ja...ah...I vill...just go back to mein station, Herr Silvertongue.”
Blutsauger returned to his instruments and began to tweak them in an
attempt to calm the empowered mare’s magic, but nothing seemed to be
working at all. Her powers were far too great to tame with mere machinery,
mere science. More and more power continued to flood the room.
Blutsauger huddled under his workstation, hoping that he’d live to see the
next morning. Silvertongue was otherwise undeterred, even as the magic
began to lash out towards the machines closer to him. One bolt of magic
flashed just past his ear, enough that he could feel the stinging burn.
Another exploded nearby and tore apart a monitor station in a shower of
metal and wires and electricity that, had he been a few feet closer, would
likely have killed him. This didn’t phase him in the slightest.
It wasn’t until one bolt of magic shot straight at him that he, just for a
moment, lost his concentration. He did not attempt to avoid it, did not
attempt to block it, and knew that trying to do either was impossible given
his station. All his magic was being used to maintain the power transfer,
and as long as he was latched into the amplifier, he couldn’t move. When
the black bolt of powerful magic struck him, he recoiled in agony. All he
could see was black and red, darkness and blood flooding his vision; feel
the intense pain of searing magic and broken glass embedded in his left
eye, where his monocle had once been, where his eye had once been. A
lesser pony might have blacked out, whimpered and cried, gone into
shock, or even began to heave. But Silvertongue was too far into this focus.
He would not be deterred, not if it cost him life and limb. Discordia had
entrusted him with this task, and he would not fail her, could not fail her.
Only a little more. He fought through the searing pain. Only a little
more. The salty taste of blood would not shake him. Only a little more. He
couldn’t see straight, but that would not deter him. Only a little more. Only a
littleThere.
It was done.
There was a sudden emptiness as the last of Discordia’s magic was
fully transferred into her, and the intense magicks of Twilight Sparkle’s
clone calmed, and retreated back to their host. Her subconscious was alive
now, and could hold the magic in check at the basic level needed to
prevent it from ripping everything apart. Silvertongue snapped the amplifier
off his horn roughly and stumbled out of the bracing device. Doctor
Blutsauger eagerly jumped out from cover, glad to be out of danger, and
ran to him and helped keep him steady.
“Herr Silvertongue...you’ve done it! Zee process vas a complete
success, she is...ach...Herr Silvertongue...your eye...”
“A minor inconvenience,” Silvertongue spat, “Her pod is
shattered...that means she will not be in stasis, correct?”
Blutsauger quickly nodded, “Nein, she vill not be in stasis visout zee
containment pod. Her life signs are stable zough...she vill likely vake up on
her own in a few moments.”
“Bring me to her...”
“Shouldn’t vee get you some medical-”
“I said bring me to her, doctor,” Silvertongue hissed, “You can attend
to my injuries later. I wish for her to see me when she wakes.”
“Ja...ja, of course, Herr Silvertongue...”
The two hobbled over to the central platform, as sparks of electricity
jumped about from nearby machines. The entire room had become like a
battlefield, torn apart by such powerful untamed magicks. Silvertongue was
becoming wet at the lips in anticipation. If this kind of power could do that
much damage when wild and unfocused, how much could it do when given
a target, when concentrated on a goal? Yes... she would do quite nicely.
He insisted upon limping the rest of the way up the platform without the
Doctor’s help, and came to the shattered pod, where he beheld his sixth
and final creation.
Her coat was purple, a deep dark purple, not at all the bright and
colorful lavender of her original form. Her mane was colored bright pinks
and purples, and seemed to have a natural bounce and curl to it. Her body
tone did not seem to be altered in any way physically, which would make
sense seeing as she, too, would be the Element of Magic. This mare, she
was perfect. She was just as powerful as her Harmony counterpart, but
without those annoying things like ‘self-control’, ‘compassion’, or
‘friendship’, that prevented her from using that power for personal gain and
for destruction.
The mare’s eyes slowly fluttered open.
“Rise and shine, little one...”
Chapter Eight
Impasse
A slightly heavy-set rose-colored earth pony mare dabbled a cotton
ball into a little bottle of alcohol and dabbed away at the chest of a certain
red earth pony stallion, who clearly had seen better days. Bits of his coat
were singed, as well as his mane and tail, and he had been bleeding though luckily that had stopped - from many cuts on his face and chest,
particularly a nasty one near where his badge normally rested. She blew a
bit of her golden mane out of her face as she attempted to dab away at that
worst-of-the-worst cuts, but his fidgeting was not making things easy.
“Ow... ow... ow... ow. Cripes, ma, could ya’ take it easy?”
Shortcake huffed and flicked her son’s ear; he winced.
“Now is that any way to talk to your mother, hmm? Oh you boys are
all alike! You come home crying and whining about this and that and
something-or-other, ‘oh mama I got hurt at work today can you kiss it and
make it feel better?’, and you just expect me to do everything. See? See?
Things like this are why your father and I didn’t want you getting into the
police business in the first place!”
“C’mon ma, this was a pretty uncommon-”
“Don’t interrupt!” She flicked his ear again, “When I’m through with
you, ooh, I am going to have so many words with that little unicorn in there,
and I tell you now Flathoof, your mama is gonna be using some words that
she don’t want you ever taking out of this household, y'hear?” She huffed
again, angrily taking some deep breaths. She was more than a little
agitated. “Dragging my boy into danger like he’s some kind of... of...
danger-facer. The nerve. Why, if little Lockwood weren’t so keen on
treating her nice I’d-”
“Now ma, she didn’t drag me nowhere,” Flathoof sighed, “I’m the one
who took her to Snapshot’s place, she had nothing-”
Shortcake’s expression soured, “Oh... please don’t mention that poor
girl, Flathoof. That poor dear...” She sniffed gingerly, wiping the tissue she
had in one hoof to her eyes, “Such a sweet child. Your sister was so fond of
her, and your father too. I was so certain she’d be a part of the family
sooner or later...”
Flathoof frowned, “Yeah... yeah, ma... me too...”
“I ain’t... uh... interuptin’ nothin’... am I?”
Flathoof nearly jumped out of his seat, completely taken by surprise
as Applejack made her presence in the doorway known. He took a
moment, and then turned pink in the cheeks as he realized he was not only
out-of-uniform, but not wearing any clothes at all.
“Oh geez! Ma! Would it kill you to close the door, huh?”
Shortcake flicked her son’s ear again. He winced. “Hush now boy, we
are in a private residence, that fool Dress Code or whatever don’t have
keep in here. And mind your manners, talking to your mother like that in
front of company. What would your father say?”
“Ma, I am naked here and there is a lady standing in my room.”
Shortcake chuckled, “And about time too, if I do say so my-”
“Ma!”
Applejack suddenly turned a very bright red, taking on the same level
of embarrassment he was feeling. It felt odd to be embarrassed about
something like that, when back at home nopony typically wore much of
anything except a few accessories here and there, if anything at all - she’d
even brought that up to Rarity before the Grand Galloping Gala what felt
like ages ago. In this world though, they seemed to have some sort of...
taboo against being totally naked, though what they considered “proper
attire” seemed hazy at best; the NPPD uniform only covered a pony’s torso,
after all. It was strange, to say the least, and it made her sort of rethink
what it meant to be comfortable back at home without any clothes at all
either. Why was this world so different?
Shortcake turned to the doorway, “Don’t mind him, he’s a bit of a stick
in the mud sometimes when it comes to those kinds of things. You were...
Applejack? Yes?”
“That’s right, ma’am,” Applejack nodded, “I was just checkin’ in, seein’
if e’rything was okay.”
Shortcake smiled, “Well I think I’m done fixing the big lunk up for now.
I'm going to hit the hay myself, pretty soon. It's been a long night. That is,
after I go have another little chat with that little unicorn. Ooh, I am so...
hmph!" She picked up her things and swept on past Applejack, patting her
on her shoulder as she left. “Keep an eye on my boy for me, hmm? I get
the feeling I can trust you to do that...” she whispered. Applejack nodded
subtly in response.
Applejack entered the room more properly now, and trotted over to
Flathoof’s side. He was busying himself getting a clean shirt on, though he
did so with some difficulty - his shoulder was wrapped in gauze, and he
was clearly having some trouble moving it.
“Do ya... need any help?”
Flathoof fumbled with himself trying to get his foreleg through a
sleeve, “No, I’m perfectly fine.” He managed to get it through and slid the
shirt the rest of the way on. It was just a simple white shirt, meant for
relaxing around the house and not worrying about one’s appearance.
“Everything okay out there? How’s Tick Tock?”
She smirked, “Well, she’s got enough energy ta argue wit’ Twilight
‘bout this and that and the other, so I reckon she’ll be right as rain soon
enough. I tell ya, Twilight’s magic impresses me more ‘n’ more e’ry time I
see it. She fixed that girl’s leg up real quick like... wit’ some help from
Fluttershy, o’ course. How about you though, are y’all gonna be okay? Do
ya need anythin’?”
“I’ll manage,” he said quickly, “I’ve had worse... I think. All in a day’s
work for one of New Pandenonium’s finest.” He frowned at that. Mentioning
the department at all reminded him again that Snapshot was gone. He was
rather glad he wasn’t going to be wearing the uniform for a while. Or rather,
what was left of it.
An awkward silence wafted about for a moment. Applejack coughed,
“I’m... I’m sorry ta hear ‘bout yer friend.”
He could only nod in response, “I feel like a terrible pony,
Applejack...”
“C’mon now, sugar, it ain’t your fault she’s gone. That there crazy
pegasus is the one ta blame, y’hear? Not you.” She tried to smile, but found
even that hard to do.
Flathoof shook his head, “That’s not what I meant. I meant... about
everything. Losing her, it feels like I betrayed her...” He sighed, “If I’d just
been honest with her from the start, with myself, maybe this wouldn’t have
happened. I don’t know...”
Applejack stood still for a moment, then nodded in solemn
understanding, “She was more ta y’all than just a friend... wasn’t she?”
He shook his head again, “No... well, not officially. Something tells me
she wanted to be, and I suppose I felt something there as well, but that
might just be the grief talking. I always told myself I’d find out one day, but I
kept telling myself the time wasn’t right. That there’d always be another
day. I’m such a coward.” He sighed, “Why do I feel so... empty?”
“That’s what it feels like, ta lose someone in yer heart. I know that
feelin’, sugar. I know how hard it is to get the news, to deal wit’ the loss,”
she said softly. She looked away, trying to keep herself from un-fond
memories, “The feelin’ that ya couldn’t stop it. That ya never had a chance
ta say goodbye...” Applejack stood silent a moment, then put a hoof on his
un-bandaged shoulder, “If’n y’all need somepony ta talk to, I’m here for ya,
y’hear?”
He nodded, and leaned into her slightly, “Thank you, Applejack... I
really do appreciate it.”
There was another awkward silence between them. Applejack
shifted, and tried to clear the air, “C’mon, let’s go see if ol’ Tick Tock is
gettin’ along better now, hmm? Get yer mind off all this. The last thing y’all
need is ta beat yerself up o’er it. She wouldn’t like ta see y’all in a rut.”
“Yeah, yeah that sounds like a good idea,” Flathoof nodded, “Though
I suppose after dealing with my mother, I doubt she’s going to be very
stable,” he added with a chuckle.
The pair headed out into the hall, and were welcomed by a young colt
that delivered a big hug to Flathoof. "Big bro! You're okay! Ma was sayin'
you got hurt and-"
Flathoof scowled at the little pony, "Shorthoof! What in the wide world
of Equestria are you doing up at this ungodly hour? You have school in the
morning. What were you doing, hiding outside in the hall? Does ma know
you’re still up?"
The small, butter-colored pony frowned and gave an audible sniff, "I
just wanted to see if you were okay, big bro..."
Flathoof sighed, and leaned down and gave the little one a hug,
“Aww, don’t you worry about me little guy. Your big bro is invincible, got
that? Ain’t nothing gonna put me in my place just yet.” He ruffled the colt’s
cherry-red mane. “Now, you get off to bed, okay? I don’t want to hear
nothing about you doing poorly in school because you were up all night.”
“Okay big bro, I will,” Shorthoof nodded. He then noticed that
Applejack was looking down at him with a warm smile, and realized he had
been completely ignoring her, “Oh! Um... s-sorry miss, I didn’t mean to
interrupt.”
“It’s alright, sugarcube,” Applejack beamed, “I’ve got a lil’ sis jus’ like
y’all, back at home. I reckon she’d be just as worried ‘bout me if’n she were
in yer horseshoes.”
“You’ve got a weird accent, miss.”
“S-Shorthoof!” Flathoof balked, making Shorthoof flinch, “You
apologize to Miss Applejack right-”
“It’s okay, he didn’t mean nothin’ by it,” Applejack chuckled, “I reckon
I do sound awful strange ‘round these parts anyhow. Heck, even back
home there ain’t many ponies sound much like the Apple Clan.”
The colt gave a excited nod, “W-well, it’s been nice talkin’ to you, but
my big bro’ll scold me some more if I don’t get to bed. Night, big bro. Night,
Miss Applejack.”
“Good night, little guy,” Flathoof smirked as he shooed him away. He
chuckled as the colt rounded the corner back towards his own room, “I
think he likes you.”
“Hmm?”
“Shorthoof’s not exactly the most sociable in our family. I deal with
the public a lot, my ma and little sister just love to gossip, and pa is a
foreman at the Foundry, always has to deal with Union-this, and Buyersthat; Thickhoof... well... he’s at home all the time now, and ma and
Pattycake are starting to rub off on him, I think. Little Shorthoof, he tends to
stick to himself, mostly does a lot of reading. Doesn’t look like he wants to
take after the family line. Doesn’t have many friends either... but you, he
actually talked to you all on his own, even having just met you. I think it
took him a week to even talk to Lockwood without us telling him to.”
Applejack hummed, “He’s a cute lil’ guy. C’mon, let’s go see how Tick
Tock’s doin’.”
“Ah, right, almost forgot,” Flathoof nodded, “I don’t hear my mother,
so maybe she’s all done.”
The pair headed down the hall and towards the den where, despite
her injuries, Tick Tock insisted she stay. Flathoof's mother had certainly
agreed that was acceptable, and probably would have insisted she did so
anyway - everypony could tell Miss Shortcake was not at all pleased that
Tick Tock’s personal issues nearly got her eldest son killed, and likely
would’ve preferred she were out of the house entirely, if not for the
insistence of the others; certainly though, she would not get the comfort of
a soft bed, just a couch. The fact they even had a den was somewhat
surprising to Applejack and the others, considering the living space they'd
been given; houses were much less common in the Mid Districts compared
to the Outer, and usually cost loads more.
Again, it seemed that befriending Lockwood had been the greatest
fortune to ever bestow Flathoof's family. Even Applejack was at this point
expecting the pegasus to be the answer to every problem, and was getting
a little... wary, to say the least. Rainbow Dash had said as much herself,
that perhaps owing him so much wasn't such a good idea. Rarity and
Twilight and even Fluttershy may have been suckered in by his generous,
friendly demeanor, but she wouldn't succumb so easily to his charm, no sir.
But Flathoof trusted him, and for now that was good enough for Applejack.
Of course, she completely ignored Rainbow’s comments in that same
vein about him, and “wouldn’t hear nothin’ ‘bout being no hypocrite” from
Rainbow Dash of all ponies. Flathoof was different. That was all there was
to it.
The den was mostly empty. Only Tick Tock, Twilight, and Lockwood
were still awake; everypony else had already retired for the evening, as it
was getting awfully late. Tick Tock looked a mess, though thankfully she'd
gotten proper care more quickly this time and didn't look too bad. Mostly
lots of bandages and a sling to keep her leg still while Twilight's magic
repaired the damage.
"Well don't you look a sight," Flathoof smiled, “You’ve seen better
days, that’s for sure.”
Tick Tock mock-frowned, "You're one to talk." She suddenly looked
very sad, “And... I am sorry about what happened to your friend. I feel
responsible for it. That maniac used her to get to you, since you were with
me...” Flathoof looked stern, but didn’t say anything. This made Tick Tock’s
sullen expression worsen.
"Is her leg gonna be okay, Twi?" Applejack asked. She'd met
Thickhoof already and seen how miserable he felt and acted, and knew
that even back home, a pony with a broken leg was as good as useless. It
was a sad fact of life, and she didn't wish that fate upon anypony.
"It wouldn't be, if you hadn't gotten here as quickly as you did," said
Twilight, "Restomancy - healing magic - is not an easy field to work in. Very
delicate stuff; there’s so much that can go wrong if just a little something is
even slightly off. I’m glad I had Fluttershy to help with her bandage work. It
was just a fracture, but if she tries to move it too much while it heals, it
won't heal properly and she might break it next time she tries to walk. She'll
be okay, though. She’s a fighter, I’d say."
Flathoof made a mild frown, "If only a pony like you had been around
when my brother had his accident..."
"Oh come now, expecting that kind of magic in this city is a little
much. Don't look so downtrodden, pal," Lockwood smiled with assurance, "I
know you’ve... lost a lot today, but if this little errand of ours is going to go
well, we should try and start it in high spirits, hmm? N-not that I’m trying to
rush your grieving," he quickly added, “I am sor-”
Flathoof held up a hoof to dissuade his friend from continuing, “Don’t
worry about it, I know what you mean. If I’m going to get through this, I
should keep myself active, not lay about and mope and weep. So, I stand
by my decision: I’m going to try to ensure these girls get home safe and
sound. It’s the least I could do.” He nodded with assertion in Tick Tock’s
direction, “We’ve already established that you’re the one with the know-how
to do what needs to be done for them. So I assume, then, that our plan
remains unchanged?"
"If by that you mean 'are we still going to the Gate to use those ruddy
fake passes?' then yes, the plan is the same. Bloody well can't change it
now, not that I can think of any reason why we’d need to. I don't think I'm in
any condition to try and climb over the outer wall, at any rate.”
Twilight perked up for a moment, "Say, that reminds me. I had a
pressing question about this whole situation. More specifically, what exactly
our role in our world entails."
Tick Tock rolled her eyes, "Great, this again. Now what are you going
to argue about?"
"Why is it so imperative that we get home so quickly?"
Applejack's jaw dropped, "The hay’s the matter wit' you, Twilight?
Don't y'all wanna go home?"
Twilight defensively waved her hooves, "That's not what I meant. Of
course I want to go home, Applejack. What I mean is, is that really the only
solution?"
Tick Tock raised an eyebrow, "I don't follow."
"Well, couldn't Princess Celestia try and find new bearers of the
Elements? That way, they’d be ready to combat Discord immediately,
right? I mean, I don’t feel right putting that kind of responsibility into
someone else’s hooves, but it sounds, well, safer. Considering the injuries
you two have sustained, and the likelihood of danger outside the city walls,
I just wonder if perhaps we should reconsider our options. I don’t want
anypony getting hurt, or worse, on our account."
Tick Tock moved to speak, then stopped a moment and hummed,
"Hmm... that is an interesting theory. It certainly would ease things on our
end a great deal..." She quickly shook it off, "But we'd have no way of
contacting Whooves to inform him, and hoping he has that same theory
himself is too risky. Considering how our last conversation ended, he likely
would be considering other solutions, but I have no idea what he might
think of; he’s not an easy pony to predict, I know that from experience. A
good idea, Twilight, but not something that’s in the cards for us."
Twilight raised an eyebrow, "I thought you said Chronomancers can
contact one another?"
Tick Tock suddenly looked very sullen and embarrassed, "I'm afraid
that that is not possible. I... I made a grave error in my first encounter with
that maniac. I left my Time-keeper in my T.A.R.D.I.S. I’m such a bleedin’
idiot...” She frowned and made a mocking tone with her voice, “What’s rule
number one Tick Tock? Always keep your Time-Keeper on your person,
Tick Tock. Easiest bloody rule in the book and I broke it like I’m some sort
of stupid foal.”
“I assume that it’s important?”
“A Time-Keeper,” she explained, “Is everything a Chronomancer
needs to do... well, anything and everything their job entails. It’s how we
open our T.A.R.D.I.S., how we control and destroy Void portals, and other
things as well. I’d go into it, but... oh, what’s the point, it’s not like I’m gonna
get to show it off. I left it on my desk when I entered the T.A.R.D.I.S.,
because I wasn’t thinking. I was just eager to take a rest for a little bit after
walking around the bleedin’ city all day, and when that brute attacked I
never got a chance to pick it up.”
“Couldn’t we go back for it?”
She shook her head, “You’re making the assumption that he didn’t lay
a trap for me if I did come back for it, or that it’s even still there. The
T.A.R.D.I.S. door was left wide open. He could have easily gone back and
nipped what he could. I wouldn’t put it past him. Even if he’s been taken
care of, the chance of it even being there is slim to nil. I’ve already chanced
myself against that bleedin’ madpony twice, and I’ve come out on top by
the skin of my teeth. I do not think I have the heart to try my luck a third
time.”
Twilight nodded, “Understandable... I suppose. If he left a bomb or
something like he apparently has already done twice, we couldn’t risk it.”
She sighed, “Well shoot, there goes my idea. I was hoping to avoid the risk
of something happening and us getting delayed. We may as well follow
through with your plan then, if that’s the only viable option.”
“Good. Glad to hear we finally agree on something,” Tick Tock
yawned, “Now if you don’t mind, I need some shut-eye. I’ve had a trying
day.”
Twilight turned to the others, and gestured for them to follow her out
of the den. In the hallway Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m thankful
she’s okay. As much as her attitude is disagreeable, she seems to know
more about the outside of the city than either of you.” She looked at both
Flathoof and Lockwood. “She sounds like she’s our best chance at getting
out of here.”
Lockwood chuckled, “Well, I wouldn’t say I don’t know anything about
outside the city walls, I just lack the personal experience; you’d be
surprised what a little light reading can teach you,” he smirked in Twilight’s
direction, “Uh... well, I suppose you wouldn’t be surprised. Anyway, I
assume the plan is settled? We head for the Gate tomorrow morning, and
try and get as much distance between us and the city as we can before
nightfall, yes?”
“Sounds reasonable enough,” Flathoof nodded, “We can decide on
the route we want to take when Tick Tock is awake again. She might have
a better suggestion than just hoofing it across the Wasteland. There’s gotta
be a safer route, and if anypony knows it, it’s her.”
“Right,” Twilight nodded, “Let’s all get some rest then, hmm? We’ve
got a big day ahead of us. Come along Applejack.”
Applejack nodded and began to follow Twilight, “Nighty night, y’all.”
“Goodnight, Applejack,” Flathoof nodded, “And... thanks again.”
“Don’t mention it, sugar,” Applejack smiled, “Just keep in mind what I
said, y’hear?”
As the two ladies rounded the opposite corner, Lockwood gave
Flathoof a playful jab. Flathoof grunted, “Hey, what was that for?”
“Oh, nothing sugar,” Lockwood chuckled, “Glad to see you’re not
letting things get you too down. I don’t want to be the only one with a
positive outlook on things. Come on, we should get some rest too. I guess
I’m bunking with you tonight: I’m letting Fluttershy and Rarity use the room
your mother usually reserves for me. Poor girls looked like they needed a
good, soft bed to rest on.”
Flathoof caught a certain glimmer in Lockwood’s eye and laughed,
“Glad to see you’re still the same ol’ Lockwood.”
“That’s right I...” He stopped and raised an eyebrow, “Wait, what the
hay is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. Come on, let’s get some shut-eye.”
Flathoof made his way down the hall, leaving Lockwood behind a
moment; he sighed and shook his head before following.
*****
*****
*****
It came as some surprise to the Ponyville natives that the Gate
District, despite being part of the Outer District, was quite distinct from the
rest of that area on a pretty grand scale. It was even nicer than the Mid
Districts, in the sense that it had more accommodations and the like, but it
wasn’t ‘high class’ like the Inner District was. Everything here looked more
high-tech and more sinister, for lack of a better word, and it made
everypony who hadn’t been here before feel a mite uncomfortable. Simple
concrete and granite was replaced by iron and steel. The dulled browns
and grays and reds of the rest of the city were replaced by sleek blacks and
silvers. The buildings didn’t appear to be so much as ‘homes’ as they were
simple living establishments, likely for the workers and staff only, and there
weren’t any shops or restaurants or leisure locations either.
The ponies here were nearly all moving in one direction, towards the
city. As Lockwood put it, “Nopony ever really leaves Pandemonium for
good. The passes are necessary to leave, sure, but you’ll also need them
for when you inevitably want to come back in.” They were mostly welldressed and well-to-do, which made sense if the pass prices were to be
believed. The group wondered how many, if any, of these ponies were
secretly using fake passes. One thing that made the Ponyville natives most
curious was that everything here seemed so... well-kept. There was no sign
of decay, dereliction, dirt, grime, litter, or anything of the sort. Everything
was clean and neat to an almost sickening level.
“This place is so clean it makes Rarity’s place look like a dump,”
Rainbow Dash scoffed.
“Well I wouldn’t go that far, dear,” Rarity snorted, “But I am glad to
see that at least one place in this dreadful city has a certain degree of
consideration for its appearance. Even the hospital wasn’t this clean, which
I find quite disturbing if I do say so myself.”
“Everything here is kept under constant maintenance,” Flathoof
explained, “After all, what good would it do to have a massive gate to let
ponies in and out of the city, if one day everything broke down?”
“Well that makes sense,” Twilight nodded, “But where are all the work
crews that should be doing that kind of work? The only ponies I’ve seen so
far look like mostly tourists and business ponies and those kinds of
characters.”
Flathoof shrugged, “Nopony ever sees them work, really, which is
odd considering there are ponies walking to and fro around here at all times
of the day, mostly NPPD patrols making sure no vagrants are trying to
sneak through. Not that they could anyway, but you can’t really blame
anypony for trying.” Mostly to himself, he added, “Odd though, I haven’t
seen any NPPD patrols, now that I come to think of it...”
“Rumor is they all work underground,” Lockwood said in a mock eerie
tone, “And that they’re all mutants that have been conscripted into service
of the government in exchange for not setting them loose to be swarmed
upon by the unsympathetic masses.”
“Mutants?” Applejack blinked, "What in tarnation y'all mean?"
"Um, I guess the best way to describe them is... deformed ponies?"
Lockwood said with hesitation, "It's kind of hard to imagine without seeing
them."
“Oh my...” Fluttershy peeped, fearfully looking all around her for any
little cervices or alleyways some horrible beast could pop out and maim her
and her friends. She huddled in even closer to Rarity than she had been
before.
"Deformities?" Rarity blanched, “Good heavens, how dreadful."
“It’s like I said when you all first got here, if anypony thought you were
from the Wasteland instead of Utopia, they’d think you had some kind of
mutation. Albeit in your case, one that was a little more... subtle,” Flathoof
nodded. He shuddered a little, “I’ve seen case files of some of the more...
ah... transformative mutations and I tell you, they ain’t pretty. Let’s just
leave it at that.”
“Ooh, what kind of mutations we talkin’ about?” Pinkie bubbled, “Like
are we talking about laser vision? Because that’s one of my favorite ones, I
wish I could shoot laser beams out of my eyes. All ‘pchew pchew!’ and
stuff. Aww... but then I’d have to wear a dumb visor so I didn’t shoot all my
friends by accident. I’d look a little silly.”
“Um... that’s not the kind of mutations we’re talking about,” Lockwood
blinked, “Seriously, what?”
“Yeah, we’re talking more like... ah... real deformities,” Flathoof raised
an eyebrow, “Like... um... extra bits. Or missing bits. Not something you’d
probably really get excited for.”
“Sounds... serious,” Twilight gulped, “Um... y-you don’t think
something like that could happen to us out there, could it?”
“That’s just a silly old piece of rubbish the government likes to spread
about to dissuade ponies from leaving on foot, so they have to buy the
ludicrously overpriced airship tickets,“ Tick Tock chuckled, “I suppose if
something like that could happen, I must be the luckiest pony alive,
because I’m immune to it. I spend plenty of time outside the city gates, and
I don’t have any bleedin’ mutations.”
Pinkie Pie hopped over and gave Tick Tock a mocking scrutinous
gaze, “Are you suuuuure?”
“Quite sure,” Tick Tock nodded. She warily stepped back as Pinkie
moved in closer, her gaze trying to pierce a veil that wasn't there, “Stop
looking at me like that.”
“Just checking!” Pinkie giggled, “Wouldn’t want to be traveling around
with you and have you go all big and green - well you’re already green - but
um, I mean, wouldn’t want you getting all mad at Twilight for asking one too
many questions and then, you’d say something like ‘grrrr, Twilight you’re
making me angry’ and then you’d start getting bigger and bigger and you’d
rip off your clothes and then be all ‘Tick Tock SMASH!’ and all that.”
Tick Tock blinked in utter disbelief and looked at the others,
“Seriously, where the bloody hell does she get all these ridiculous ideas?
Laser vision? Shape-shifting?”
Twilight, and the others, all shrugged, “She confuses the rest of us
just as much most of the time. I wouldn’t question it too much, if I were you.
That’s just Pinkie being Pinkie.”
“Pffh, I say this all the time, but you all really need to get out more,”
Pinkie rolled her eyes, "C'mon, Dashie, you've seen my comic book
collection, you know what I'm talking about."
"I'll be honest, Pinkie, when I'm in your room the last thing on my
mind is your weird hobbies," Rainbow chuckled.
Pinkie grumbled, “Yeah yeah, you’re more interested in my toys. And
I ain’t talking about my action fig-”
“Pinkie Pie! Geez!” Rainbow flustered.
“Anyway,” coughed Flathoof, “Time to focus, ladies. We’re almost to
the Check-in Station.”
Sure enough, only a short distance ahead was the Gate itself. They
had yet to see it; despite its size it was obscured by the other buildings,
awnings, and tunnels they had to walk through en route. But now, getting to
see it in full, Twilight decided that she was done trying to figure out the
sense of scale this city had. Why in the world would one need a gate this
big if the only things coming in and out of it were ponies? Furthermore,
what sense was there in just building a big wall and gate to keep ponies
out? Pegasi could fly, couldn’t they? What was keeping them from just
flying over?
The Gate towered over the rest of the city, only out-sized by the
massive skyscraper in the center, Pandora. The Ponyville citizens had yet
to see that building clearly, though they had at least caught a glimpse of the
massive Beacon of magical energy it generated. The Gate though, that was
right here in front of them, and there seemed to be no logical reason why it
was so big. The rest of the walls of the city were smaller than the Gate by
almost a factor of two-to-one, and those were already tall enough to easily,
from what Twilight could remember from her research, force an Ursa Major
to do a little climbing. The Gate was easily large enough to keep two Ursa
Majors, and maybe an Ursa Minor, standing on one another’s shoulders
from touching the top. But why?
“Why is it so big?” she asked.
“What, the Gate?” Lockwood blinked, “Oh that’s because... um...”
Flathoof chimed in, “Well obviously it’s to keep out... uh... hmm...”
Tick Tock rolled her eyes, “I like to think the Gate is just like Pandora,
and whoever built the city is just compensating for something.” Rainbow
and Pinkie snorted; Rarity was clearly trying to suppress a laugh as well.
The group approached the Gate, which was split into two ‘halves’ at it
were. The left side had ponies coming in, and the right had ponies going
out, or rather would have ponies going out if there were any ponies going
out at the time. At the moment, the exit side seemed rather devoid of
crowds. The two sides were separated by a divider wall, and both sides
were already open. This confused Twilight even more.
“Why is it open? Isn’t the point of a gate to be closed, and only
opened for-”
“Ponies getting in or out, yes, of course,” Flathoof interrupted, “But
you see, with so many ponies coming and going, it doesn’t make sense to
try and open and close that massive thing every time a pony knocks,
y’know?”
“Ah.” Twilight nodded. Then, she shook her head, “Wait, what? Well
then what’s the point in having the thing so big?! Urgh! This city doesn’t
make any sense.”
“Hey, she’s finally catching on,” Tick Tock laughed, “It only took you,
what, three days?”
“Ha ha, very funny,” Twilight glared.
They approached the outgoing exit which, somewhat surprisingly,
was completely empty. There wasn't much hint that a crowd had been
nearby in hours at least.
“Shouldn’t there be more ponies here?” Rainbow asked, “It seems a
little, deserted.”
“Well, it is the Winter Quarter. Very few ponies leave for the Utopian
continent this time of year,” Lockwood explained, “Utopia is supposedly a
hot Summer Quarter destination, not really best for Winter, really.”
“Still seems a little... odd.” she said again.
“Oh, Dashie, lighten up a little,” Pinkie grinned, “This isn’t like you,
being all Grumpy Gus all the time.”
“Just trying to keep a look-out, is all,” Rainbow shrugged, “Somepony
has to.”
The entrance was what amounted to a massive hallway several city
blocks long. In fact it was a station loaded with all sorts of machines.
Flathoof approached it first, specifically the machine with a large blue
screen and a slot beneath it. He fished out his gate pass from the pocket of
his shirt. “This is the card reader that’s going to let us all through," he
explained, “Just insert your card here." He did so. The blue screen made a
few beeping noises, then turned green. A few of the other machines had
whirred to life, but none of the ponies present could see them do much else
of anything; except, of course, for the trio of unicorns that could see the
effects of very subtle magic flowing around Flathoof. He continued, “And
now I’m able to pass through the Gate’s sensors.”
Rarity did not recognize the spell quite exactly, but Twilight knew it as
an Identifier spell. How it was able to identify Flathoof based only on the
information on his passport was beyond her, since she never remembered
giving out anything that could be used for such a task. Not to the NPPD,
and definitely not to Keeneye. Curious, indeed. Certain aspects of the city
fascinated her more and more, and if not for her haste to get home, she
would love the chance to do more research on the way things worked.
Lockwood stepped forward, and brandished his own passport. With a
bright smile, “And as an act of good faith, allow me to demonstrate that the
passports you lovely young ladies are using will work just as well as ol’
Flathoof’s.” He swiped his card as well, and the screen turned an approving
green color all the same. He bowed to the others, “See? No problem at all.
I am nothing if not dependable, if I do say so myself. The machines are
easy enough to fool. You'd have to really scrutinize these to spot the
fakes.”
Twilight stepped forward next, “Well then, let’s get to it, girls. Time to
get out of this crazy city and start getting back home.” She swiped her card
as well. A few beeps, the screen approved, and Twilight smiled at her
friends with a confident grin, “See, Rainbow? Everything’s fine. No trouble.
Pinkie’s right, you really need-”
“Yeah yeah, I get it,” Rainbow grumbled. She stepped in next and
used hers. Green. “All of this just seems too convenient if you ask me,” she
muttered to herself. The other Ponyville natives stepped in and used their
passes too, all of them approved and ready to move through the Gate. At
last Tick Tock stepped in and readied her own passport. She looked at the
screen rather nervously, glanced back to the card, then back to the screen
again.
“Something the matter, Tick Tock?” Twilight asked, “You’ve done this
dozens of times before, right? What’s up?”
Tick Tock quickly shook her head, “Ah, I guess I’m just a little...
cautious. I’ve dealt with a lot of crap these past two days, and I just get a
strange feeling that everything I do is going to end in horrible disaster. I’ve
had enough bloody problems.”
“Don’t fret over it, darling,” Rarity said sweetly, “We’re all here
together now.”
“Yeah, if anythin’ or anypony tries to give y’all any trouble, they’ll be in
fer a load o’ trouble back from us, y’hear?” Applejack added.
“Yeah! We’ll give ‘em the ol’ what-for! Or even maybe what-five!
That’s like, the next level!” Pinkie bounced.
“♫Oh we’re all in this together
Nothing’s gonna keep us down♫“
“Oh come on, you guys got her singing again!” Rainbow groaned.
“♫Cause we’re all in this together
Gotta get on out of this smelly town♫“
“Seriously Pinkie, we don’t have time for this,” Twilight grumbled.
“♫Gonna cross the Land, the Sea, the Sky
It’ll be a blast with Pinkie Pie!♫”
“That’s me!” Pinkie Pie chirped from suddenly within the group.
“♫‘Cause we’re all in this together
And Friendship makes the world go rooound!♫”
Tick Tock’s jaw dropped, “What in the bloody hell was that?"
“She likes to sing,” Twilight chuckled nervously, “Ah, don’t mind her,
really. It’s just something you have to get used to.”
"What in Equestria have I signed up for?" Tick Tock sighed, "Let's just
get this over with."
She took a deep breath. She swiped the card through the reader. She
felt the tingles of magic wash over her. The machine beeped a few times.
The few seconds it took seemed to take hours.
The machine flashed an approving green.
She breathed a sigh of relief, "Finally, things are looking up."
“See? Nothing to worry about,” Twilight smiled, “You just need to
relax, and take it easy. If you get all stressed out, this journey might get the
better of you.”
“Gee thanks,” Tick Tock rolled her eyes.
The group proceeded into the Gate's exit corridor. A long, almost
foreboding hallway awaited them stretching off into the distance. There was
no light at the end of the tunnel, nothing to mark the exit. Just long lines of
darkness stretching off into the distance ahead of them obscuring even the
familiar, if unwelcome, sight of the dreary orange smoggy sky above. They
began to walk. The walls of the Gate interior did not leave much room for
optimism or comfort. The sleek silvers outside were replaced by dark reds,
and black had taken over as the dominant color. The walls were rigid,
straight; there were no corners to hide, yet the tall sides prevented almost
any light from getting in and cast a gloomy shadow across the entire
expanse. Fluttershy huddled in close to Rarity.
"Um... Rarity? Do you think that... everything will be okay?"
Rarity gave a comforting smile, "Oh of course, sweetheart. If we all
stick together, there's nothing to fear."
"I'm still just so... anxious. About this whole new world, I mean. I don’t
know where we are, or what we’re doing, or where we’re going, or how
we’re going to get there. There’s so many unknowns. I’m just worried."
Rarity grinned, "Well, do you think maybe if you knew a little more
about what’s ahead, you'd feel a little better? Hmm?"
"I... suppose so."
"Well then, what say we go have a little talk, with somepony that
knows quite a lot more than we do about this world? Doesn’t that sound
nice?"
Fluttershy tilted her head, "Oh? Um... I don't-"
"No need to be bashful, darling. Come on, let's go have a little chat
with him."
"Oh... okay if you-" Fluttershy stopped a moment. "Wait... 'him'? Wwe're not going to talk to Miss Tick Tock? I thought she was the a-authority
on-"
Rarity gave a light laugh, "Heavens no, darling. As much as I’m sure
she knows, that young lady has much too much on her mind at the
moment, I think, and as you can see,” she gestured in Tick Tock’s direction,
where she was busy talking, though rather arguing would be more
accurate, with Twilight Sparkle, “She seems to already be having a little
discourse with somepony else. Mister Lockwood should be more than
adequate, if I do say so myself." She gave Fluttershy a tiny wink at that.
This made the pegasus tilt her head in confusion.
She trotted ahead in the formation a bit, Fluttershy warily at her side,
to catch up to Lockwood, "Hellooo, Mister Lockwood?" He quirked his head
to the side in acknowledgement. "First of all, thank you so much for letting
us use your room last night, your bed is simply marvelous, even in these
less than ideal living conditions.”
“Oh, that was no trouble at all, Miss Rarity,” Lockwood smiled, “I
understand you take a deal of pride in your appearance and poise, and it
simply wouldn’t do to let you use anything but the best.” He quickly added,
“And Miss Fluttershy as well, of course. Such a nice young lady, and you
two are such close friends. I wouldn’t want to separate you.”
Rarity smiled as well, “Such a gentlepony. I was wondering if you
would be willing to keep my dear friend Fluttershy and I a little bit of
company, for the time being? The poor dear is so delicate, you understand,
and could use the assurance of somepony with a little knowledge of the
area,” she hinted.
"Ah," Lockwood nodded, "Certainly, of course. I'm not one to turn
down a request from a lady."
"Splendid! Come now, Fluttershy, you can ask Mister Lockwood
anything you want, if it will make you feel better."
Fluttershy squeaked, and gave a light nod.
Rainbow Dash, in the meanwhile, gave a disapproving glare. "I don't
like any of this," she said to Pinkie Pie privately, "Everypony's getting a bit
too buddy-buddy with those three, especially him. It all smells a bit fishy, if
you ask me."
Pinkie Pie sniffed the air a few times, "I don't smell any fish, Dashie."
Rainbow gave an annoyed look. "Kidding! Just kidding, I'm not a dummy. I
know you're worried."
"You do?" Rainbow raised an eyebrow.
"Uh duhhh, I mean it's only obvious. You're still super duper
suspicious about our new friends. You don't trust them, and you don’t want
to. Especially Mister Lockwood, you really don’t seem to like him."
Rainbow blinked, "Wow, that's... really observant of you."
Pinkie brandished a magnifying glass she'd pulled from nowhere,
"Sherlock Pie doesn't miss anyth-” She tripped.
Rainbow stifled a laugh, "You okay there, Pinks?"
"Yup!" Pinkie bounced to her feet, "Just took a little trip." Rainbow
gave her a cautious look; she waved her hoof dismissively, "Don't worry, it
wasn't a 'Pinkie Sense' trip like last time. Just a ‘Clumsy Pinkie’ trip."
"Right," Rainbow smirked. She turned her serious face on again,
"Just promise me one thing, Pinkie." Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. "No
matter what happens, you stick by me, okay?"
"Pfh, as if that's a hard promise to keep," Pinkie giggled, "I'm
practically glued to you as it is."
"I just want to hear it, Pinkie. Please? Something about all of this just
really stinks, and until we get home I'm not ready to let up on my
suspicions. So please, just give me a promise that at least you'll be the
sane one with me." Rainbow chuckled, "You know I'm worried when I'm
asking you to be the sensible one."
Pinkie nodded, "For you, Dashie, you get better than a Pinkie Pie
Swear. You get a Pinkie Promise. I'll always stick by you, Dashie."
She leaned in and gave Dash a nuzzle. Rainbow turned pink,
"Thanks Pinkie."
Suddenly, Pinkie stopped dead in her tracks, "Uh-oh."
Rainbow turned, "What's the matter?"
"I feel a combo coming on."
Rainbow called out to Twilight, "Hey Twi! We got a reading over
here!"
Twilight hurriedly trotted over from where she'd been chatting with
Tick Tock, "What's the problem?"
"Pinkie Sense time, Twi," Rainbow said quickly, "She said it was a
combo."
Pinkie bounced, "Ooh, here it comes!"
"Eye-flutter. Knee-twitch. Ear-flop." Twilight observed, “Hmm...
interesting.”
Pinkie stopped moving and put a hoof to her chin, "Huh? That's
weird. A new one?"
"Yeah, I don't think I've seen that combo before." Rainbow scratched
her head, “What’s that mean?”
“Well how would I know, Dashie, it’s new. Duhhh,” Pinkie sighed, “I’m
not psychic, y’know? Ooh! See, now that would be a cool mutation to have,
I bet.”
“Urgh, nevermind.” Rainbow sighed.
Twilight raised a hoof in realization, "Aha, I’ve got it! I knew it seemed
familiar enough. It's the reverse of her 'watch for opening doors' combo."
Rainbow threw her hooves in the air in exasperation. "Well what the
hay does that mean? Watch out for closing doors? In case you haven’t
noticed Twi, we’re in the middle of a really long hallway with no doors or
windows or anything at all."
Twilight thought for a moment, then looked up in a panic, "Oh. Oh
dear." She yelled out to the others, "Everypony! We need to move! Now!"
She didn't leave time for questions, and began towards the exit. They
were so close, they could begin to see light from the end. Rainbow hastily
flew up alongside her, as Twilight had already started off at a gallop, "Whoa
whoa whoa, what the hay, Twi? What's up?"
"Don't you get it?" Twilight flustered, "A gate is a kind of door! The
Gate is going to-" Suddenly, a loud siren blared, and the Gateway was lit
up with bright red and yellow lights. An announcement coolly made a
declaration that all the ponies could hear, and would have been able to
from anywhere in the entire corridor.
“Attention! Unauthorized citizens have been detected in
Gateway Sector Eight. All citizens currently in Sector Nine are advised
to stay clear, and those in Sector Ten are advised to vacate the area
immediately. Sector Ten will be shutting down in sixty seconds.
Repeat: All citizens in Sector Nine-”
“Oh horseapples." Applejack huffed as she broke into speed, "Come
on, everypony! Y’all heard the lady! We gotta vacate!”
Tick Tock gave a fierce swear, "This is exactly what I bloody well
knew would happen! Bugger this whole damn city!"
The group hustled their way ahead. Their hearts sank as they could
see the edges of the Gateway walls begin to close far in the distance. The
light was getting narrower and narrower, even as they were getting closer
and closer.
"Oh not good," Flathoof panted, "We'll never make it!"
"Come on!" called Rainbow, "Move move move!"
As the group got closer and closer to the final section of the Gate,
they could see more clearly that it was far too late, even if they could all
move at Rainbow Dash’s speed; she was furthest ahead and holding her
speed slightly so she didn't get separated from the others. Even she had to
slam on her brakes to keep from eating steel and iron. Sector Ten was a
few dozen yards long, and the Gate closed off the entire Sector.
The Gate closed with a loud crunch. They were trapped in Sector
Nine, with nowhere to go but back the way they came.
"Well, shoot. Now what're we gonna do?" Rainbow stamped a hoof.
"This doesn't make sense," Lockwood said, "If we were unauthorized,
it would've alerted the authorities when we tried to use the passes in the
first place. This looks like a technical issue."
“I knew this was all too good to be true,” Rainbow spat, glaring at
Lockwood, “I bet those stupid passes are to blame for this.”
“They aren’t!” Lockwood sputtered, “I swear, I’ve used mine before,
they work flawlessly. This isn’t my fault.”
"What would you suggest we do?" Flathoof asked.
Tick Tock sighed, "Perhaps we should turn back and ask a Gate
Technician to-”
"Hang on now, wouldn't the Gate Technician want to see our
passes?" Twilight asked, "They might find the passes are fake, if Lockwood
is right about them being suspicious under serious scrutiny. I don't like the
sound of that."
"Well what would you have us do?" Lockwood sighed, "Should we
wait? The NPPD is notoriously slow in these matters. We might be here
hours. It would take less time than that to just walk back, find a Tech, fix
this, and walk back again."
"Um, I don't think we'll be waitin' that long," Applejack pointed, "Them
ponies comin' this way don't look like they’re wearin' the same uniform y'all
do," she looked at Flathoof, “Same color maybe, but not the same.”
He squinted and looked at the troupe of ponies that were
approaching at a brisk pace. His eyes widened suddenly, "What in the hay?
This ain't right."
Lockwood stepped forward, "Now what's the matter?"
Flathoof pointed, "You're right about the NPPD taking their sweet
time, but the military is a different story.”
Lockwood nearly jumped, "What? The military? That’s not right at all,
this isn't their jurisdiction."
"Yeah well, they sure as hay are making a beeline right for us,”
Flathoof frowned.
“I sure hope that quick mouth of yours has some fancy words to say,”
Rainbow glared, “It’s sure seemed to work so far hasn’t it?”
Lockwood shot a hurt look at Rainbow Dash, “Really now, this isn’t
my fault. Just a misunderstanding, I’m sure.”
Rainbow grumbled to herself, “Misunderstanding, right.”
Flathoof frowned, “I don’t like the look of this.”
The squad of soldiers approached swiftly, and now all the ponies
could see them clearly. There were five of them. Four wore sleek black
uniforms that covered them from head to toe, with shiny masks that hid
their faces. They appeared thick and heavy, probably armored to protect
them from whatever it was that they kept the city safe from. They all
appeared to be earth ponies. The fifth, a pegasus, wore the same uniform
but wore no shield over his face, and his head could clearly be seen. He
was a pale purple-pink color with short salmon-pick hair kept in a neat flattop. Clearly the leader of the squad, when they approached the other
ponies it was he who took position at the forefront. He removed a small
electronic device from his pocket and examined it quickly, then turned back
to his men.
“These are the ponies we’re looking for,” he said to them, “Prepare to
take them into custody.”
“Hang on,” Flathoof sputtered, taking a step forward, “Custody?
We’re under arrest?”
“Didn’t you hear the alert? Unauthorized ponies are here in the
Gateway, and apart from me and my men, you’re the only ponies here. And
my records show that each and every one of you is unauthorized.”
“See? Totally called it,” Rainbow spat at Lockwood, “This is all your
fault.”
“I... I...” Lockwood balked.
“Hang on a tick, my pass is unauthorized?” Tick Tock flustered, “I just
used it three weeks ago, I’ve been using it for years. Passes don’t expire.”
“I’m a Captain in the NPPD, my pass is perfectly valid too,” Flathoof
stepped forward.
“Not according to my records,” he said with a cursory glance,
“According to this, Miss Tick Tock, your passport expired two days ago,”
and with a cocky smirk at Flathoof, “And yours expired last night. Very
strange that the check-in station didn’t catch those. Hmm. Must be a
technical problem.”
“That’s a crock of-”
“I’d watch your tone, Mister Flathoof,” the pegasus sneered, “It says
in my records here that I’m also to take you into custody for the murder of
one Officer Snapshot.”
Flathoof turned white, “Ex-excuse me?”
“Terrible shame, one corrupt cop killing another.”
“I...what?! How dare you!” Flathoof seethed, “I saw the pony
responsible for it, and I tried to take him in! I informed the station of it while
I was-”
“Fleeing from the scene, according to them,” the pegasus grinned,
“There was no other pony in the area when the authorities arrived, critically
injured or not. And now here you are, apparently trying to leave the city.
Awfully suspicious circumstances, you see. Cop killing is a very serious
offense in this city, Mister Flathoof. Be glad that I’ve decided to take you in,
rather than deliver your inevitable sentence right here and now.” He turned
back to the others, “As for the rest of you, I have my orders, and you’re
coming with me.”
“Under whose authority?” Flathoof glared.
“And who exactly are you?” Tick Tock interjected.
He addressed her question first, “Commander Jetstream, New
Pandemonium Armed Forces Special Ops Unit Omega. Whose authority is
none of your concern,” he turned back to Flathoof, “I’d be more worried
about being under arrest, if I were you. We’re not exactly as delicate as the
NPPD is, you understand.” He turned back to his men, “Enough chatter,
take them in.”
One of the soldiers stepped forward and made to grab at Flathoof,
before being lifted rather unceremoniously off his feet by a purple glow. He
dangled and flailed in the air a moment, as Twilight Sparkle, horn aglow,
stepped forward.
She said simply, “No.”
Jetstream laughed. He didn’t seem too concerned with his trooper’s
helplessness. “No? My dear, if you’re looking to force the issue, you-”
“I said no,” she interrupted, speaking firmly, “My friends and I have
gotten too far to stop now, and we’re too close to getting out of this city
once and for all to care about your rules and regulations anymore. We’re
not going anywhere, not as long as I have anything to say about it.”
The commander’s expression turned sour, “So be it.” He didn’t bother
turning to his men this time, “Remember your orders: Take those six
mares alive, the two stallions and the green mare are fair game. I have no
orders concerning their well-being. If it makes it easier,” he smirked, “Kill
them.”
The other three soldiers stepped forward, and Twilight stared them
down. Flathoof stood firm, and was joined quickly by Applejack and
Rainbow Dash who flanked him on either side.
“About time we get to playing by my kind of rules,” Rainbow smirked,
“I was getting tired of all the fancy-talk answers to all our problems. Never
knew you had it in you, Twi.”
“I just figured, ‘what would a brave pony like Rainbow Dash do?’,”
Twilight chuckled, “It wouldn’t be the first time it got me out of trouble. You
guys keep them busy, I’m going to open the Gate back up.”
“You got it, sugarcube,” Applejack grinned, “C’mon, Rainbow, let’s
see what kinda fight y’all got in ya’.”
Twilight dropped the magic from her horn, letting the hapless soldier
she’d been levitating drop, and moved quickly back to the massive Gate
wall. The other three soldiers moved in fast on the three ponies barring
their path. She sprinted to close the distance between herself and the
closed sector. As she passed the others, she called, “Rarity! Tick Tock!
With me! We've got a Gate to open!”
The two unicorns quickly joined the third, followed closely by
Fluttershy and Lockwood, the former of which was almost desperately
clinging to the latter. Pinkie Pie, meanwhile, was nowhere to be seen;
Twilight was deeply concerned, and hoped it was just Pinkie Pie being
Pinkie Pie, ready to pop out of nowhere when needed. Twilight surveyed
the Gate with firm focus. It seemed bigger now that it truly barred their way
physically, not just symbolically. She turned to Rarity, “Rarity, do you
remember that spell you cast with Tick Tock the other day, to super-power
her shield?”
She nodded, “Of course, darling. A surprisingly simple spell, after the
fact.”
“Well, I need you two to use it on me, to reinforce my magic so I can
try to pry this thing open.”
“Certainly, that-”
“Isn’t gonna work,” Tick Tick interrupted.
Twilight balked, “Excuse me?”
“It won't work, simple as that. You're in over your head.”
Twilight smirked warily, “Um, hello? Element of Magic here? I know
the Gate looks heavy Tick Tock, but-”
“Weight has nothing to do with it. You’ve shown you’re bloody well
more powerful than any other unicorn I know, and I'm certain you'd get it to
budge if we all chipped in, but the problem is that the Gate is protected by
an anti-magic field. If a particularly powerful spell could just tear the Gate
open, it would be pretty ineffective as a protective measure, would it not?”
Rarity huffed, “How cliché.”
“Isn't it always?” Twilight rolled her eyes, “No problem, I happen to
know a few spells that should break through any enchantments on the
Gate. I think a little Dispel magic will do the trick.”
Tick Tock scoffed, “Your flawed logic is amusing. Use magic on an
anti-magic field to remove the magic-resistance from the thing its protecting
so that you can cast magic on it. Yup, sounds bloody brilliant, a real cracker
that one.”
Twilight glared, “What is with you? Why is every idea I have so stupid
to you, huh? I don't see you coming up with any ideas. In fact, all of this,"
she gestured to everything around her, “Wasn’t even your plan in the first
place, it was Lockwood’s! And getting us out of the world was Doctor
Whooves’ idea, not yours.”
Tick Tock glared back, "Cute. You want an idea? Here's one. Take
that ‘oh I’m the Element of Magic and the Princess’ prized pupil and I’m so
special’ crap and shove it right up your-”
“Ahem!” Rarity coughed loudly, "Ladies please, this is no time to
bicker and argue. We need to get out of this mess, and quickly, so if I may
suggest that you two put your differences aside for a moment? I’m certain
the others, who are busy risking themselves back there, would not
appreciate this wasting time.”
Rarity’s worry was, to be blunt, well warranted. The fighting was not
at all going smoothly.
Applejack, in the midst of wrestling with one of the soldiers on the
ground, found herself tackled from behind by its partner who she’d just
bucked away a few moments ago. It seemed that every time she managed
to get one of them out of the action for a few moments, he would be back
again in less and less time.
“Do y’all ever run outta energy?” she panted as she stared down the
two, “All that trainin’ must be pretty darn good.”
Rainbow Dash, in the meantime, was taking advantage of herself
being ale to fly. What little advantage it did provide, however, was only in
being able to take a breather for a moment if she noticed the odds turning
against her. She couldn’t stay airborne and rest for long, because when
she did, one of her designated opponents would simply target either
Applejack, who was already outnumbered and dealing with two soldiers; or
Flathoof, who was keeping Jetstream busy and preventing the pegasus
from taking off after Twilight and the others. If they had more ponies to
assist them, maybe things would be more in their favor. Lockwood was
busy keeping Fluttershy calm. Rainbow was, for a brief moment, thankful
that the yellow pegasus did trust him so much, enough to feel safe near
him and not fall into a panic or worse, an immobile shock as she was want
to do when frightened.
But Rainbow Dash had a more pressing question in mind. And as she
swept down again to bowl over one of the soldiers that had turned its back
to move on Flathoof, she shouted her question aloud.
“Where in the hell is Pinkie Pie?!”
“Hmph,” Twilight frowned, “Perhaps there’s a way to open the Gate
without magic?”
“I was getting to that,” Tick Tock huffed, “We would have to find the
maintenance panel and try to hack it.”
“Hack?” Twilight blinked, “Like with an axe?”
Tick Tock sighed, “I really wish I wasn’t the only unicorn with
extensive knowledge of techno-magic. Come on, just help me find the
panel. It should be nearby.”
“Is this it?” called Pinkie Pie from over near a blank wall.
Tick Tock did a double take. “Pinkie Pie? Where in the-” she shook
her head, “Nevermind. No, Pinkie, that’s not it.”
“It isn’t?” Pinkie tilted her head.
“No, that’s just a blank wall.”
“It is?” Pinkie’s head tilted further, until it was nearly upside-down.
Tick Tock groaned, “I really don’t have time for this.”
“Are you sure this isn’t it?” Pinkie asked with a certain exasperation,
“Because when I touch it, it does this.” She touched it. The wall gave a
hiss, and slid lightly to reveal that it was a hidden panel covering an
assortment of buttons and wires and levers. “See? I thought it was weird
that the wall would slide out and show off all sorts of techie stuff and then
you went and said something about a panel and hey! This looked like a
panel to me!”
“Huh?” Tick Tock’s eyes widened as she hustled over, “This is it!
When did you... but where... how... what?”
“Guess that just leaves ‘why’ and ‘who’, doesn’t it?” Pinkie giggled,
“Like I said to Dashie, nothing gets past Sherlock Pie!” she boastfully
bounced, “Speaking of which, I’d better get back to helping Dashie out,
she’s a little overwhelmed at the moment. Glad I could help you guys too!
Toodles!”
The pink party pony was off in a blur back towards the scuffle behind
them. She was quick to enter the fray in typical Pinkie Pie fashion:
unexpectedly. As one of Applejack’s opponents that she’d managed to
knock to the ground a moment struggled to stand, Pinkie bounded over and
offered him a hoof up. He took it. And he was rewarded with a powerful
electric shock that stunned him back to the floor. Pinkie was a little
surprised at how quickly he went down. Rainbow Dash got shocks like
those rather regularly, and was always able to keep on going immediately
after. This pony collapsed like a sack of bricks. She simply scratched her
head, shrugged, and bounded over to continue on with her business.
Tick Tock’s face contorted in absolute befuddlement, “What in the
bloody hell just happened?” She shook her head in confusion again,
“Whatever, I think I’m going to just stop questioning how that ridiculous
pony works.” She leaned in to examine the various wires and switches, and
gave a loud hum in thought, “This shouldn’t be too difficult. Sparkle! Over
here.”
“Yes, O Knowledgeable One?” Twilight mocked as she trotted over,
“How may I be of assistance?”
Tick Tock ignored the tone, “I’m detecting a number of magical
energy conduits here, but I can’t tell them apart from the electrical ones. I’m
guessing there’s a pretty potent Veil spell on them, but I think you can
pierce it. You know a Tracer spell, do you not?”
“Anypony with half a brain knows-”
“A simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ will do.”
Twilight grit her teeth, “Yes, then, I know one.”
“Good. Your magic is stronger than mine, so it should be able to
identify which is which. Highlight them for me, so I can redirect the magic
elsewhere and try to lower the anti-magic field.”
Twilight nodded in understanding, “Ohhh, so that’s why my Dispel
wouldn’t work. The barrier is being kept constantly refreshed by
machinery? Fascinating stuff... I’d love a chance to study-”
“Twilight,” Tick Tock rolled her eyes.
“Yes?”
“Tracer spell, please.”
“Oh... eh heh... right,” Twilight blushed, “Sorry.”
Twilight’s horn glowed bright, and the glow wrapped itself around all
of the wires in the little alcove. Several of the once black wires began to
glow different colors; the ones without any magic at all remained black,
while the ones with magic turned either red, blue, or green.
Rarity trotted over, “If you ladies are ready to act civil, and don’t need
my assistance, it might be best if I returned to the others. They could likely
use some help.”
“That’s fine Rarity, we’ve got it covered here,” Twilight nodded
quickly, “Please, be careful?”
“Darling if there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s being careful,” Rarity
haughtily smirked, “Try not to strangle one another before you’re finished,
hmm?”
Rarity galloped back to where the scuffle was starting to take a better
turn, but was still rather unevenly matched. The pony Pinkie had shocked
was back up and running, although he seemed a little lopsided for some
reason. He was busy running towards Applejack from behind, again, to get
her off of pinning her other opponent. Rarity put a stop to that by latching
onto one of his hooves with her magic and causing him to trip.
Rainbow Dash grappled with one of the soldiers when Pinkie Pie,
from practically out of thin air, popped around from behind him and, like a
hat, latched herself onto his head. He flailed about a little to get her off.
“I’ve got ‘im! Grrr!” Pinkie growled.
Rainbow smirked and delivered a swift buck to his midsection. Said
pony’s midsection was knocked several meters away; said pony’s head
remained tight in Pinkie’s grip, and she fell to the ground with it in her
hooves.
She looked at it.
She looked at Rainbow.
Rainbow looked at it.
She looked at Pinkie.
“Aaaaaaaahhhh!” they both screamed.
“Dashie! What did you do?!”
“Me?! Y-you were the one holding his head!”
“I was? Oh! I was! Ahhh! I’m holding a head! Get it away, get it away!”
She chucked it. It hit Rarity in the face, making her lose control of her
magic and fling the pony she was holding onto into the wall. He smashed
into it head-first, shattering his face shield. He fell the the floor in a heap,
and didn’t look like he’d be getting up any time soon.
“Waaaaahaahaha!” She shuffled her hooves around in a panic, “By
Celestia, Rainbow Dash! What did you do?! And look what you made me
do!”
“I swear it was self defense!” Rainbow pleaded, “You all saw it!”
“If y’all have time ta chat, maybe y’all have time to help!” Applejack
shouted, busy trying to buck one of the soldiers while avoiding bucks from
another.
Rainbow Dash was quick to fly in and tackle the pony assailing
Applejack.
Rarity blanched as she looked down, and then did a double take.
“Hold on a moment.” She lifted it up with her magic, and examined it.
“There’s no blood,” she shuddered. She looked inside, and saw a most
curious sight. “Wires? How odd. They look like the same kind in that
maintenance panel back there...”
“Wires?” Pinkie chirped as she popped up from behind Rarity, “That’s
silly, ponies don’t have wires in their necks. That’s silly. You’re silly, Rarity.”
“No look,” Rarity gestured insistently, “See? Wires. That’s not normal,
right?”
“Zombie! Zombie pony!” Pinkie yelped, pointing behind Rainbow.
Rainbow bucked her current opponent hard and then turned - the
headless pony from before was slowly rising to its feet.
“Aw what the-” she managed to say before the headless pony rushed
at her; Rainbow had to take to the air to avoid the tackle, and the headless
pony crashed instead into its partner.
Pinkie balked, “Wait a second, zombies die if you remove their heads.
That’s like, Rule One in every zombie movie. That and zombies don’t have
wires. They have guts and blood and rotten flesh and-”
“Pinkie please,” Rarity blanched, “I suppose it’s some sort of
machine, and it runs on techno-magic, like the gadgetry our Twilight and
Tick Tock are fiddling around with back there.” She huffed as she dropped
her spell, letting the head fall to the ground, “They’re not living, breathing
ponies, that much is for certain. And they never were either.”
Pinkie slapped her hooves together, “Aha! That’s why my shock
buzzer made that other pony,” and she gestured to the one Rarity had flung
against the wall earlier, who was apparently also starting to get up, “All
short-circuit-y. See, now electrical manipulation, that’s a pretty cool mutant
power too. Well, I guess unless you wanted to swim, ‘cause that’s a bad
idea.”
Rainbow’s grin turned wicked, “Oh man. This is gonna be fun.”
“Fun? Darling, this is combat we’re talking about here. I’m hesitant
enough as it is to do any simple roughhousing, let alone full-fledged
fighting. Try and take this a little seriously, Rainbow Dash.”
“Oh, I’m takin’ it serious all right,” Rainbow nodded. She yelled over
to Applejack, who was busy dealing with another of the apparently notponies on her own, “Yo AJ! These ponies ain’t real ponies! They’re like
robots or something! You know what that means?!”
Applejack turned quickly to face her, then back to the mechanical
opponent she was busy grappling, “I reckon it means I ain’t need to worry
‘bout hurtin’ nopony just tryin’ ta do their job!”
“Damn right!” Rainbow cheered, barreling forward, “Time for me to
really dish out the damage. AJ! Heads up!”
Applejack ducked. Rainbow tackled the earth pony’s former opponent
with a blazing speed. The machine was knocked off balance; Rainbow was
able to use the leverage to sweep it upwards with her.
Lifted into the air. And released. The machine flew several dozen
yards before crashing to the ground and snapping its legs clean off.
“Whoa nelly, y’all pegasi sure do fight dirty...” Applejack blanched,
“Remind me never ta pick a real fight with any o’ y’all, yeah?”
Jetstream watched as one of his troopers was permanently disabled,
and scowled at Flathoof. The red stallion merely grinned, “I don’t suppose
you’re a robot too?” He headbutt the pegasus in the face in the moment of
distraction. Jetstream flinched and blood splattered from his nostril.
Flathoof laughed, “Guess not.”
Meanwhile, Tick Tock was warily fiddling with one of the highlighted
blue wires in the panel. She twisted it and wired it together with one of the
red ones, causing the stream to start turning a bright purple color that
sparkled and hissed.
“Got it!” she cheered, “I think I got it!”
The Gate gave a resounding clang, and the walls near them started
to make a low whirring noise, as if coming to life. A siren blared.
“Attention! Due to technical malfunctions in Sector Nine, the
Sector Nine section of the Gate is now closing. All citizens in Sectors
Eight and Ten are advised to stay clear of the area, and those in
Sector Nine are advised to vacate the area immediately. Repeat-”
“Um... I don’t got it,” Tick Tock gulped, “Oh bugger.”
Twilight glared daggers, “Some idea this was.”
“I can fix this! Just keep that Tracer on, I can fix this!”
She hastily twisted another of the red wires and redirected its magical
flow into the slot the blue flow was coming from. Connected a green one to
a red one. Sliced a red one and attached the halves to connect into other
slots. None of the colors were interacting much, and nothing seemed to be
changing or happening at all.
“Dammit dammit dammit dammit!” she swore loudly, “This bloody
piece of junk!” She slammed her hoof down hard on the panel, and it gave
a very loud whirring noise. All the wires that had been mixed around started
glowing and the colors intermingled until the entire rainbow was shining
from the panel box.
“Warning! Warning! Attention maintenance personel. The antimagic field on the Sector Ten Gate has suffered a catastrophic failure.
Immediate attention required. Repeat-”
“Aha! Ha ha ha! That did it! C’mon Twilight, time to bust this thing
open!” Tick Tock cheered.
“About time,” Twilight grinned, “Let’s get this show on the road.
Rarity!” she called, “Gonna need a little help over here!”
Rarity turned, “Com-ing. Let me just put this down first.”
She dropped her magic and let another of the struggling mechanical
ponies fall several feet into a heap, where it was quickly set upon by a very
ferocious Pinkie Pie; the pink party pony gleefully jabbed her joy buzzer
into the back of the machine’s head, and held it there until the thing started
to smoke.
She trotted over to Twilight, and both herself and Tick Tock got into
position. Twilight’s horn began to glow, and Tick Tock and Rarity each
channeled their own magic into Twilight’s. Rarity audibly gasped, so
surprised at the amount of power she could feel flowing from the conjoined
spells; she’d felt the power that conjoining with Tick Tock could accomplish,
but now adding Twilight to the mix, a pony with more magic flowing through
her than she knew what to do with. Rarity was overwhelmed. Twilight fired
a bolt directly at the Gate, which struck it in the center and began to
envelop the entire thing in a bright lavender glow.
Jetstream finally got a clear view of what the unicorns were doing.
“What in the...” he balked, “Stupid robots! Get the unicorns! Forget about
the rest of-”
Flathoof shifted his weight, and Jetstream stumbled. “Didn’t they
teach you to avoid distractions in your combat training at all? You’re batting
oh-for-two right now,” he mocked. Jetstream spat and struggled back to his
feet.
The Gate gave a loud groan and slowly began to split open in the
middle. Twilight’s face contorted in strenuous concentration. Beads of
sweat became as streams, and even her assistants were beginning to feel
the weight of the obstacle before them strain their magic to its limit. The
Gate creaked and groaned as it was forced open inch by inch. Twilight’s
horn began to shoot off sparks haphazardly. Tick Tock’s and Rarity’s began
to do the same, and the three unicorns themselves now seemed to glow.
When a few feet of space was left between the two halves, Twilight
turned to the others, “Rainbow Dash! Applejack! Everypony! Through the
Gate, now!”
“Y’all heard Twilight, time to mosey on out!” Applejack called as she
bucked one of the mechanical ponies away, “C’mon Rainbow, let’s get a
move on!”
“Right behind ya, AJ!” Rainbow called, tackling one of the soldiers
that had gotten up and started making a beeline for Flathoof, “I’ll cover your
back, get going!”
Pinkie Pie followed closely behind Applejack, who corralled
Lockwood and Fluttershy with her. The pair had been keeping safe further
away from the fighting.
Applejack turned back a moment, “Flathoof! Let’s go! C’mon!”
Flathoof shifted his weight again and pinned Jetstream to the floor,
“Sorry Commander, but I’ve gotta get a move on.” He slammed a hoof hard
into Jetstream’s muzzle, and ran off towards the Gate as well.
Twilight struggled to keep the Gate steady, and turned to Tick Tock,
“Tick Tock, time for you and Rarity now. I’ll keep the Gate open so you can
get through.”
“What are you, stupid?” Tick Tock panted, “We can barely keep this
thing open as a team, what makes you-”
“Just do it! I’ll hold it long enough for you all to get out, just go!”
“But I-”
“It’s best not to argue when she gets confident like that,” Rarity huffed
as she dropped her spell, “Come along, Miss Tick Tock, we need to get
going too.”
Tick Tock nodded quickly, and followed close behind. The pair joined
the others, except for Twilight and Rainbow Dash.
“Rainbow Dash! Go!” Twilight yelled.
“Just waitin’ for the others!” Rainbow called back, “Had to keep you
covered!”
The lightning-quick pegasus swept around in a loop and raced
towards the Gate, which Twilight was beginning to lose her grip on; with a
heavy pant, Twilight’s magic finally started to give in and the Gate began to
wail as metal screeched against metal. She scooped Twilight up and
flapped her wings as hard as she could.
“Rainbow!” Twilight gasped as her magic faltered, “I c-can’t keep the
Gate open!”
“We’re gonna beat it Twi, don’t worry!”
The Gate started to close in on them as they entered it.
“No!” Jetstream called from several dozen yards behind them,
struggling to his feet and into the air.
“Hurry, Rainbow!” Twilight pleaded.
“I’ve got this!”
“We’re not gonna make it!”
“We’ll make it!”
“It’s closing!”
“We’re gonna-”
The Gate slammed closed, flinging about shrapnel and debris as the
large metal doors struck one another in a way they were never meant to.
Rainbow Dash crashed hard to the metal floor on the other side,
Twilight tightly held in her hooves.
Jetstream slammed hard into the Gate with a crunch. He quickly
worked to his feet again, and slammed a hoof on it, “Dammit! Dammit!”
Realizing that the Sector Nine section was beginning to close in on
him too, he hustled over to the maintenance panel and popped open a
smaller panel inside it, entering a code into the numerical pad there. Sector
Nine’s section stopped moving in and began to move back out.
But Sector Ten was heavily damaged. Even with an override, he was
locked in. He began to shake almost immediately, “I... am in so much
trouble.”
Chapter Nine
Introductions
Silvertongue maintained a firm, rigid glare as he looked in the mirror.
At first, he was genuinely surprised, almost pleased. Doctor
Blutsauger had done a fantastic job of repairing the damage to the skin and
coat around his eye and across most of the left side of his face and muzzle.
Silvertongue, in a rare moment of glee, had actually praised the good
Doctor, and praises were not anything Silvertongue was known to throw
around. There weren’t any scars or bruises left at all, and barring one minor
detail, it was almost as if the damage had never been done, but that was
where the rage began to settle in. His face. His perfect face. It was no
longer so. Now there was a blemish, one that could not be concealed or
mended to remind him of his own mild recklessness. A flaw, tarnishing
what was once flawless.
Where his eye had once been, now there nothing but darkness. The
socket was not empty, but actually filled with a void of black ethereal stuff.
Silvertongue could feel a powerful magical aura emanating from it, the
pulse of a source of magic he was not intimately familiar with touching him
and writhing through him. Only a tiny speck of gold prevented the black
from being totally all-consuming, and what piqued Silvertongue’s
fascination the most was that that little speck seemed to function as though
it were his own pupil, with the blackness as his eye. Where he looked, it
moved, and he could see clearly from it as though it had always been his.
More clearly than even his original eye had ever been able to see. Yet,
what was most disturbing was that strange feeling of the magic within it. It
was powerful, he was certain of that, and it was something altogether alien
to him. He knew that Twilight Sparkle’s clone, who was far below him in the
tower now recovering, wielded the same kind of magical aura. The eye
seemed to react to being in her presence. He knew it was potent, but he
knew not what it was. It was enigmatic, to say the least. And the more he
probed his own magicks around to try and study it, the more it seemed to
react to him, and pulse its energy through him again. In time, he assured
himself, he would learn to tap into it, control it.
A buzz from his intercom dashed those thoughts aside.
“Ah... right on schedule,” he mused to himself. He pressed a button
on the intercom, and a familiar mare’s voice rang through on the other end.
“Milord, sir? Commander Jetstream is here to deliver his report on the
Gate incident.”
“Thank you, Shroud. Send him in.”
The door to Silvertongue's office slid open, and a slightly worn but still
alert Jetstream entered. He quickly bowed in respect to Silvertongue, who
merely stared at him with a firm, hard seriousness.
Jetstream's nervousness was palpable when he spoke, “M-milord.”
“Commander,” he coldly replied, “I understand you are here to deliver
the report on how the assignment you were tasked with went? If I may say
so, Jetstream, you've seen better days.” Jetstream gulped, knowing full
well what was coming next. “Now, you know already that my sources of
information are speedy and accurate, so I'm assuming you also know that I
am already well aware of your... failure.”
“Milord, I can expla-”
“You can make excuses you mean. Save them. I have no concern for
how you failed, only that you did. I can put the pieces together pretty well
myself with this.” His horn glowed and brought over a small portfolio, which
he opened and began to read from, “According to the Gate Taskforce
report, the Gate suffered massive technical difficulties this morning. First,
the security stations improperly authorized nine ponies using falsified
passports, lucky then it would seem that somepony was able to learn about
that, hmm?”
Jetstream nodded nervously. He knew fully well that said somepony
was dead because of a failure like this.
“When the error was discovered,” Silvertongue continued, “The Gate
was immediately sealed and a special task unit was sent out to apprehend
the ponies in question. The unit's assigned leader never arrived at the
scene, as he had been replaced by one Commander Jetstream. The
Taskforce made a note here that it seemed very suspicious that a Special
Ops officer was interested in a group of unauthorized ponies, none of
whom were particularly remarkable according to their records.” He briefly
shut the portfolio. “Really now Jetstream, have I not made myself clear
about subtlety? This kind of sloppiness is quite bothersome.”
“I had little choice, milord, you made it clear that time was of the
essence,” Jetstream said carefully, “The idiot was a real rules-jockey,
claimed it was his unit fair and square. I had to be forceful, stuff him away
somewhere until I got my job done. You know how the NPAF is. They think
they own the city.”
“Quite,” Silvertongue frowned. He reopened the portfolio, “The
unauthorized ponies were confronted by Commander Jetstream's unit, and
subsequently engaged by them in turn. Some of the scuffle was caught by
security cameras, but a technical issue caused them to malfunction as well.
During the altercation, two of the ponies hacked into the Gate security
system. Now, which two were they?”
“The... ah... green one and the purple one, both unicorns.”
Silvertongue's eyebrow twitched, “The blasted Chronomancer again. I
really am beginning to tire of her. A pity Shadowstep did not... no matter. At
any rate, these two ponies managed to disable the Gate's anti-magic field,
and then rip the Gate open by force. Now that I find fascinating. How did
they manage that? Each Gate section weighs several hundred tons.”
“It was all three unicorns, sir,” Jetstream added, “They combined their
magic somehow. I... I didn't know unicorns could do that, or I would’ve
focused my attention on them sooner.”
“It is a rather advanced spell, yes, but certainly not out of the limits of
a unicorn with the drive and talent to learn, which I’m sad to say is a
dismally precious few. That is rather interesting to learn, however. I shall
keep it in mind for future reference. If they already know how to do it, then
perhaps... ahem.” Silvertongue reopened the portfolio again, “After
breaking apart the Gate, the nine ponies fled out into the Wastelands, and
engaged and destroyed nearly two dozen A.M.P. Troopers sent after them
in the process, but avoided any lethality against non-mechanical troops that
also engaged them. Now, does that all sound about accurate?”
“Y-yes milord, but-”
“I assigned you a very simple task, Jetstream. At least, I thought it
was simple, but it is slowly becoming clear to me that anything involving
those particular ponies is far from being simple. So here we are, you on
your knees asking for a chance to excuse yourself from responsibility,
because you have failed. Spectacularly failed, my boy.”
“P-please, milord, give me a second chance. I-”
“Jetstream... ah, Jetstream, Jetstream, Jetstream. How long have you
been directly in my employ? Twelve... no, thirteen years? In that time, you
have never once failed me, never once disappointed me. Until today. Now,
Shadowstep, you remember him don't you?” Jetstream nodded warily, “I
gave him a second chance. He had only been in my employ for six years.
He squandered it, to be sure, but he got one all the same. Do you know
why? He earned it; despite his failure, he did still manage to come through
on a great deal of things that made up for some slight complications. You,
my boy, have not earned that privilege.”
Silvertongue's horn glowed and Jetstream almost instantly grabbed at
his own neck, where a strong force was crushing at him, lifting him into the
air.
He choked, “P-please... m-milord, I-”
“Your failure, Jetstream, has forced me to accelerate my plans much
more quickly than I desired. Your failure has caused damage which cannot
be easily repaired. And you have absolutely nothing positive to show for it,
no sort of bandage to place over this great gaping wound of incompetence
you have caused. I do not tolerate such failures, Jetstream. I erase them. I
should kill you right now.” He released him. Jetstream gulped in air like a
freshly caught fish. Silvertongue’s mouth curled in a subtle, almost cocky
smile. “But I won't. No, I have a better use for you...”
*****
*****
*****
Jetstream was more perplexed than anything. Silvertongue had
decided to give him an opportunity to redeem himself, to earn the second
chance he desired, but that was not what really bothered him. No, it was
the conditions of his second chance that were strange. A "weapons test",
Silvertongue had called it. And that eccentric Doctor Blutsauger had been
there to. Jetstream figured the fool had attempted another genetic
experiment. He was always tinkering with that kind of thing, and Jetstream
was always rather put off by it. He wasn't even sure what he was supposed
to be doing, besides apparently being nothing more than a guinea pig for
whatever fool experiment the Doctor had conducted. He'd been corralled in
this little testing arena with over three dozen A.M.P. Troopers to command,
and told his "opponents", for lack of a better term, would be set loose
against him one at a time. One? Against some forty Troopers? Blutsauger,
and likely Silvertongue as well, must've been awfully confident in his new
toys. He'd even gone as far as boasting that, should Jetstream run out of
Troopers to use, he'd be given more. Jetstream was not at all concerned.
Blutsauger had always been a pompous ass and a supreme brown-noser.
He'd put him in his place and earn his redemption. He wouldn’t even need
to use his full force here.
The thick iron gate on the opposite side of the arena creaked open.
Jetstream was not expecting the first of the "weapons" to be a perfectly
normal looking mare. She was slightly bigger than the average female
pegasus, to be sure, but there didn't seem to be anything off-putting about
her. Her coat was a very drab shade of blue-gray, her mane a strange mix
of turquoise and fuchsia, worn in a wild and unkempt style like some sort of
glam rocker. She was, to his surprise, nude, excepting a set of metal bootlike things she wore on each hoof. Her Cutie Mark, a storm cloud with a
bright, thin streak of golden lightning through it. Jetstream was bothered by
one thing in particular though. her eyes. They seemed familiar to him; he
knew he'd seen somepony with those exact eyes before. Whoever she
was, she wasn't moving. She really wasn't doing much of anything. Just
staring, perfectly calm, not looking at all like she was prepared to fight or
whatever it was she was purposed to do. Jetstream was confused. What
was she waiting for?
He decided to make the first move instead. Putting his hoof to his
temple, he clicked a few buttons on the command visor he'd been provided.
It was another thing that piqued his interest, since command visors were
typically only utilized in high-risk skirmishes to keep the CO out of harm's
way. Typically, the CO would need to remain in relative proximity to his
troops, as orders were delivered orally. Did they really think this single
mare, or any of the other "weapons" warranted that kind of threat? Three of
the A.M.P. Troopers moved in on her at his command. Just a scouting
maneuver, to gauge the combat level of his target. She remained still, even
as the Troopers activated their static-charged hoof-guards; he'd been given
permission to use one-hundred percent lethal force, so he figured he may
as well take advantage of it. Each Trooper, charged with enough electricity
to kill a pony four times over, leapt into action.
She flicked her wings. Without warning, the three mechanical ponies
suddenly slowed to a crawl, as if struggling against their own weight.
Impossible. That was the only word Jetstream could think of to describe
what he was seeing. A pegasus pony, using what could only possibly be
unicorn magic? Simply impossible. There wasn't even a glow around his
troops, nor around whatever part of her body was channeling the magic. It
didn't add up. What sort of magic was this? Pegasus magic, if that was
what she was using, had no visual clues excepting the faster fliers, who left
trails of magic behind them. This pony wasn’t even moving and there
seemed to be magic radiating from her The forefront soldier took another
slow step forward. Its leg snapped apart and it crumbled in a heap,
breaking to pierces as it hit the floor. It was if the thing's legs suddenly
couldn't support its weight. The others followed suit and stumbled and
shattered all the same.
Three Troopers down, and the target had hardly even put any visible
effort into it. It was her overly calm demeanor that made Jetstream angry.
She didn't looked bored, per se. She looked determined, focused, like this
was literally an actual "test" for her that she was looking to pass. Well,
Jetstream thought, if it was his job to test her, a test is what she would get.
Tapping his temple again, he issued orders for a full ten soldiers to assault
her, four from the front, three from either flank. Predictably, she took to the
air, almost purposefully slow. And predictably, she flew to a great height,
far out of the reach of any earth pony. Jetstream gave a cocky smirk to
nopony but himself, typical pegasus tactics, they were so predictable.
Another tap to his temple, and his Troopers armed their shoulder-mounted
flechette launchers. And fired. Not a single one reached the target; as they
fired, the mare flicked her wings again, and the projectiles sharply curved
back towards the ground and fell harmlessly, as if they hadn’t been fired
with enough force to even reach that high.
Then, she took the offensive. Flicking her wings once more, she
tucked them in against her sides and dove fast at the center group.
Jetstream's jaw dropped when she slammed her hooves into the ground.
She hit with enough force to dent the metal floor, sending all three sets of
soldiers flying back; the shockwave was enough to make him and some of
the other soldiers stumble. Jetsteam never claimed to be a physicist, but he
was fairly sure what he'd just seen was physically impossible, even for the
most accomplished of magicians. Sure, it wasn't hard to guess that she
hadn't been injured by the fall due to those shoes she was wearing. They
must've been magically enchanted, nothing special. But for her to hit with
that much impact, she'd need to weigh a ridiculous amount compared to
the average pony, the average pegasus especially. She made to take to
the air again, when a voice cracked over the speaker system. It was
Silvertongue's.
“That's enough for now, my dear. I've seen what I needed to see.”
The mare nodded, then gave Jetstream a look that made him feel
very small. She knew she'd made his soldiers look like toys, and treated
them as such; he knew it too, and he inwardly began to panic. Would this
affect his odds at being given a second chance? He swore right then and
there, with some hard-to-find resolve, that the next opponent he faced
would not do the same.
As the first mare started to leave the next pony, another pegasus
mare, colored a bright candy apple red entered the arena. She was a more
regular size than the former, built with more lean muscle than bulk.
Jetstream amused himself by looking at her mane and tail. They resembled
a skunk, a white streak against jet black. She kept it relatively short in front
and back; he thought she looked rather butch, more so than that other
mare from the morning. What was her name again? Rainbow Dash? A
flame Cutie Mark adorned her flank, with a bat's wing attached. Jetstream
again amused himself at her expense; her Mark looked more like a tattoo
than anything. She too wore metallic horseshoes, but only on her forelegs,
and they looked much less elaborate. And yet despite all her un-mare-like
qualities, her eyes again seemed so familiar, and so feminine and kind,
very much unlike how the rest of her appeared to be.
The former mare began to pass her by, but stopped for a moment.
“Best of luck to you, I suppose."
The red mare didn't look at her as she snapped, “Get away from me. I
don't need your loser-ness rubbing off and ruining my run.” Unfazed, the
former gave a light shrug and went on her way.
Jetstream shifted in place for a moment, more cautious than before.
He was down seven troopers, with six more in less than ideal condition,
and he'd only faced one pony. He shook the thought away. No, there was
nothing to worry about. He'd gotten cocky, made a blunder in his tactics.
He'd handle this one just fine.
She made the first move. Taking to the air, she raced right into the
heart of the formation. Very loud. Very aggressive. Jetstream remained
calm. This was the typical combat tactic for most non-unicorn ponies,
nothing special. The A.M.P. units were built to take this kind of punishment.
They had no trouble fighting blow for blow with her. Jetstream smirked with
confidence; this mare clearly didn't have the same kind of strange powers
the other had. Why Blutsauger would empower one mare but not another
was perplexing, but it would be his own folly. The red mare seemed to
realize she'd made a mistake in charging in, and pulled out, looping high
into the air. Jetstream smiled again; typical pegasus tactics. He'd make up
for his previous failure. His Troopers took aim with their flechette launchers.
Then, she swept low to the ground and snapped her metal-clad
hooves against the steel floor. There was a spark. And, to Jetstream's
surprise, there followed a flame. The red mare kept the flame in-hoof, then
fired it forward like a bullet towards one of the Troopers. The little fireball
exploded spectactularly, sending chunks of shrapnel flying every which
way. Jetstream, in shock, stumbled back a little and fell on his backside.
Things were not looking good at all; another fireball blew apart another
soldier, and the mare flew through the explosion undeterred, seemingly
relishing the feeling of the inferno around her, cackling all the way.
Jetstream quickly shook himself straight, and his troops locked on to their
target. They fired. The mare was an agile flier, and nimbly avoided nearly
all of the salvo. A few shots came too close, and she did not look at all
happy about it.
She struck up another pair of flames, and smashed them together to
create a great billowing sphere of fire. She lobbed it into the center of the
largest cluster of troops she could find.
It took Jetstream a few seconds to regain his hearing. A towering
plume of smoldering fire and smoke was all that remained of what was,
according to his readout, thirteen Troopers. The mare stood with her back
to the blaze, looking quite pleased with herself.
The speakers cracked on, “A good show, very impressive. That'll be
all, my dear.”
“Hell yeah it was impressive, pops! Booyah! Yo punk!” she addressed
Jetstream, “I just took your flank to school! What are you gonna do about
it?!” Jetstream sneered, but stayed quiet. “Yeah that's what I thought. Smell
you later, loser. If you're still alive, that is, heh heh.” The mare strut her way
out of the arena, past the next mare that was entering. Were they all going
to be mares? Jetstream was a little perturbed by that thought; here he was,
one of the most decorated soldiers in the NPAF, getting completely and
embarrassingly shown up by a gaggle of mares. If any of his comrades in
the soldiery found out, he'd be laughed right back to boot camp.
The next mare was, at last, not a pegasus. Instead, this one was a
unicorn, charcoal black and just as filthy. Jetstream never considered
himself an expert on beauty any more than he was on physics, but he had
an eye for mares, that much was certain. Her coat looked dirty, her mane
and tail were messy, and she looked like she'd tried to do her own dye job
and accidentally used yellow paint instead of blond dye. A true "fashion
disaster" as the mares in the streets of the Inner Districts would say. A trio
of coals was her Cutie Mark. At least, he noticed, she seemed to keep her
eyelashes in good condition.
“Break a leg,” the red one smirked, in an obviously fake sing-song
tone. The unicorn made to reply, but the pegasus interrupted, “No really,
break a leg, that'd be hilarious.”
The unicorn huffed, “Well that's, like, totally uncool. I'm so gonna get
you back for that.”
The pegasus laughed, “Heh heh, right, whatever los-”
The unicorn reached out a hoof and jabbed it into the red mare's
midsection. She yelped in what sounded like severe pain, and jumped
away as if she'd been touched by something wholly unpleasant. The
unicorn was left in a brief red glow, but it slowly dissipated.
“Don't you ever touch me!” the red one snarled, “You touch me again,
you're a dead mare, you got that? Hey! I’m bucking talking to you, punk!”
“Yeah, yeah, what-ever,” the unicorn said distractedly.
The pegasus sneered and made to say something, but decided
against it and stormed off in a huff. The unicorn lazily stepped forward and
waited for Jetstream's Trooper supply to be reinforced. He’s already lost
more than half his initial platoon, and he’d only faced two ponies. Jetstream
took stock of his own resolve yet again, as he was beginning to worry about
his ability to handle all this. What exactly had he been thrown into? And
what were these "weapons" being used for? Shaking his doubts away, he
tapped his temple again and elected to surround the unicorn, using twenty
of his Troopers to do so. His tactics would be sound, vicious, and
completely infallible. He regretted now treating his former two opponents
with fairness and dignity when they were clearly built for a greater
challenge. She wouldn't be able to fly away like the two pegasi did, and she
was hideously outnumbered. She didn't look at all worried, and got herself
ready quickly, bracing her hooves and taking up position near the stillsmoldering blaze the former mare had left.
“Let's see, uh, how did she do this again?” she asked herself.
Pointing a hoof at one of the lingering nearby flames, Jetstream was
astonished to see her begin to manipulate the fire; a large swath of flames
snaked its way through the air, and crashed down on one of his Troopers.
Her horn glowed, and the fire burst outwards to engulf two more nearby
soldiers. Jetstream panicked and ordered his troops to attack. “Hey! I'm,
like, busy here!” she complained, seemingly more bothered that her focus
had been interrupted than her life being threatened. She used her magic to
shield herself from them, backing away from the circle, and cut off from her
source of fire. Jetstream was catching on quickly, and figured if Blutsauger
was dumb enough to give two consecutive “weapons” the same
capabilities, he’d capitalize on the mistake.
“Whatever, I was, like, getting so bored. Fire is stupid anyway.” Her
body glowed red for a brief moment again, then her horn followed suit,
grabbing one of the Troopers and bringing it over to herself. “Y’know, I
totally bet one of these fancy techno-magic things is much better.” She
jabbed a hoof into its face, and it shuddered and sparked as if it had been
struck by an electric shock. Dropping it to the floor, the unicorn's body
glowed a dull yellow for a second. She smirked, and delivered a defensive
blow to another Trooper that leapt at her. Like the other one, it seemed to
have been struck by a fierce electric shock, this one more powerful. So
much more in fact that its body shattered apart at the touch. Jetstream
swore silently, confused at how the mare had suddenly gone from
pyrotechnics to manipulating electricity.
He lost three more soldiers before Silvertongue’s voice cracked over
the speakers again, “Very well done, a fine display my dear. That will be
all.”
She flicked her messy mane a little, and shrugged, “Eh, I was bored
with this too. I, like, so need to find somepony with something totally better
than this junk.” She began to walk out of the arena, and past the next mare
that was entering. Jetstream’s jaw dropped, and he was beset upon by a
great deal of confusion. He knew he’d seen her escape with the others. It
didn’t add up at all. How had Silvertongue managed to capture one of those
ponies from this morning? It wasn’t mentioned in the report. And yet here
he was, looking right at a very familiar pink earth pony. He was certain it
was her. Her coat and mane were a little duller in hue, and she wore her
mane and tail straight, but that was definitely her. No, it couldn’t be,
Jetstream thought. Her Cutie Mark was different. The one from this
morning had a trio of little party balloons, this one had what looked like a
cupcake. Very strange.
“So, like, I guess I should wish you best luck too?” the unicorn
babbled as she walked by, “Hoofshake on it?” The pink earth pony kept a
very forward gaze, and ignored her. The unicorn shrugged, “What-ever, if
you’re gonna, y’know, be rude about it, you can, like, bite me.”
“Is that an invitation?” the pink pony drooled.
“Like, ewww, no!” the unicorn replied.
The unicorn left, and the earth pony remained. Jetstream decided this
time to completely throw any sense of fairness out the window.
Silvertongue had instructed him to treat this entire thing as a training
exercise, but now he was certain he wasn't being treated fairly; he'd
expected ponies that were perhaps super-strong or lightning-quick,
something he could deal with, not ponies that could shoot fireballs and the
like. He regretted being cocky from the beginning, but no matter; he'd even
the odds and bring more force into the field. Since several of his Troopers
still had their flechette launchers armed, he ordered them to fire on her
immediately. He fought hard to keep a straight face, to avoid cheering in
triumph as she was unable to avoid the entire salvo. The last few rounds
grazed her, and she tripped and fell in a slightly bloody heap. She struggled
to rise to her hooves, and he smirked as he sent in a few Troopers to
deliver her the final blow up-close and personal.
And, to his surprise and horror, she not only managed to stand up,
but managed to fight back. Not only was she still alive, how that was
possible escaped him since he was certain an average pony wouldn't have
gotten up, but it was how she fought back that truly frightened him. She
was bleeding rather profusely, and in a sight that he was sure was
medically impossible, her blood was moving entirely on its own, and with
purely hostile intentions. A thick stream from the wound on her midsection
lashed out and grabbed the face of one of his Troopers, and with what he
knew had to be a great deal of force it simply squeezed and squeezed until
its head popped and crumbled in its grip. It lashed out again, taking on a
thinner, more blade-like shape, and slashed through the midsection of
another soldier until it was cleanly sliced in half. The third attempted to
pounce on her, but the blood twisted up to meet it; it formed the shape of a
spike, and the Trooper helplessly impaled itself through the neck. She
tossed it haphazardly aside.
She took a few steps forward towards the rest of the troops, and to
his surprise the pool of blood she had left began to converge on her. It
snaked its way back into the wounds it had originally bled from, and said
wounds repaired themselves quickly and seamlessly. Only a few wounds
stayed untouched, and from these more blood seemed to pour, flailing
about her like tendrils of some horrid beast he'd only seen in nightmares.
Her murderous smile wasn't helping to ease his woes, either. She
continued to walk rather menacingly towards Jetstream. In a panic, he
worried that she was coming after him rather than his expendable troops.
He wasn't sure how he knew it, but he was certain it was the hungry look in
her eyes. He'd met Shadowstep before, and knew that look all too well.
She was out for blood, and her robotic opponents didn't quite meet that
criteria. He stepped backwards instinctively, but she seemed to be moving
closer.
“You smell nice,” her voice came from behind him, “I wonder what
you taste like...”
“Ahhh!” He leapt into the air a little and turned around. But she wasn’t
there.
“You seem nervous...” He turned back to the rest of the field. She
was back where she’d been before. “Maybe you should... take a rest?”
One of her tendrils lashed out and came towards his face. He flinched
away in fear.
“That will be all, my dear,” Silvertongue's voice called over the
speakers. Jetstream gulped; the tendril was mere inches away, and she
took a few more steps towards him. Silvertongue's voice crackled again, “I
said, that will be all. You can stop frightening the whelp.”
The look of bloodlust vanished in an instant, and she once again
appeared calm and collected as before. She calmly walked her way
towards the exit, where the fifth mare was already waiting. Said mare had
the most serious, determined look he'd seen yet. She was a very dark,
almost plum-like shade of violet. A unicorn too, as told by the horn poking
out of her bouncy curly mane. Most of said mane was a bubblegum-pink,
with lilac highlights. Her Cutie Mark seemed oddly familiar, almost matching
the emblem on the Pandemonium flag; her sword was silver, and the other
shape was a crescent, not a disk, but golden all the same. Now, her eyes
Jetstream knew he had seen before. He saw that exact same spark of
determination, that confidence, that focus, in the eyes of that accursed
unicorn that had started off his morning on such a sour note. Twilight
Sparkle.
The pink mare did not verbally greet the newcomer, merely gave a
respectful nod. It was given a half-hearted return. The unicorn stepped
forward, and Jetstream grit his teeth. One more chance. He knew he would
only have this one more chance. He was going to throw everything he had
into this, no holding back, no fair play. His troops moved under his
command, surrounding her and arming themselves. She would not beat
him, he thought, she could not beat him. He could see the cocky smirk on
her face from here. “Is this really all you've got, little feather-brain? If you
insist on playing foals' games, I'll just have to treat you as such.” He
sneered at the salt being rubbed into his wounded pride. “Oh dear, did that
make you upset? Your ego should be the last thing on your mind, or am I
wrong? Come on then, if you've got something to prove, show me what
you've got!”
Jetstream grit his teeth harder and ordered the attack. A full half of
his troops fired flechette rounds. The others charged in for full melee
combat. There were too many, he knew it. Only two of his Troopers
remained at his side, just in case he needed a last wave... or a final line of
defense. No, he shook those thoughts away. His force would end this
miserable streak of losses, put him back in Silvertongue’s favor. There
would be no ‘what if?’, it was going to work. Nopony, not even the strongest
unicorns he knew, could stand up to this sort of assault.
His mouth drooped slowly from a confident albeit aggravated grin,
into a frown that expressed so much disbelief and disappointment that he
could physically taste the sorrow and dismay in the air. Her horn glowed
bright as a star, and in a sight he was sure he was imagining - more so
than the unbelievable powers of the other four ponies he’d seen - she was
managing to make his entire platoon look like playthings. As his front line
soldiers approached, they were suddenly lifted into the air. A few of them
flailed around helplessly, while others attempted to lock-on with their own
flechette launchers. The rounds that had been fired by the rear line all
dangled in the air several feet away from their target. She twirled her
collection of machines and bullets around, dancing them through the air.
She fired the salvo of rounds herself, ripping apart mechanical ponies like
tissue paper. The second-line reloaded and fired again; she used the
remaining troops she still held as shields, sweeping them through the line
of fire with astounding speed.
A full half of his platoon. Gone. Torn to shreds and lying in assorted
piles of scrap metal and wires upon the floor surrounding her. With another
spark of her horn, she blew them away from her in a show of force. He
ordered his troops to fire a third round. He knew the gesture was futile, but
what else could he do? She didn’t bother showing off her levitation and
velocity magic this time, firing up a shield instead and causing hundreds of
needle-sharp bullets to ricochet around the room. Some of the Troopers
were struck and mangled - Jetstream had to duck to avoid a few himself and to those that were not destroyed by that display she elected for other
solutions.
One she lifted into the air with magic and then crushed, dropping its
broken body to the floor like a broken doll. Another she flung so high into
the air that it smashed against the ceiling several dozen yards above. Two
more she smashed into one another, their static-charged hoof-guards
shocking each other into pieces. To the last of his front line, she seemed to
cast a teleportation spell, and it vanished into thin air. He never saw that
one again.
And all of this was done at once. He knew simultaneous spell-casting
was possible, but limited, difficult, and exhausting. She had just torn
through most of his forces, technically all of his forces, since he could
consider his two remaining troops to be of no worth now, in mere seconds,
using some very complicated magic and not looking at all the worse for
wear from it. She looked uninterested if anything.
“So dull,” she groaned, “I thought you were going to give me some
modicum of challenge, but here I see you’ve done nothing but provide me
with a minor distraction. Come now, little feather-brain, don’t you have
anything more to test my might?” Her arrogance was infuriating. He tapped
his visor again, and signaled for the addition of reinforcements. She
laughed as he saw the heavy iron gateway from which his troops would
pour begin to open, “Ha! I certainly hope you’ve summoned more than a
few piddling machines to your aid, but I do know that is unlikely. A shame. I
shall just have to annihilate them all the same as I did your others.”
A stream of soldiers came from the gate, and her horn began to glow.
As soon as the last one was almost out, she slammed the door closed on
top of it, costing him one Trooper already. Ripping the door off its rails, she
used it as a weapon against the others troops, smashing them and batting
them aside as they were nothing more than playthings. His jaw remained
dropped; that door weighed several tons, built to keep extremely strong,
ferocious beasts locked in before they were let loose in this old arena. It
was designed to hold a Gargantuan patriarch, a creature stronger than
twenty ponies and just as big. A single unicorn could never hope to lift such
a thing.
She swept it around as if it weighed nothing at all. Mechanical parts
scattered and flew about as the massive object smashed, batted, crushed,
slammed, and pummeled the Troopers. Jetstream frantically tried to keep
his units spread out, and while a few had the opportunity to fire bursts at
her, she merely teleported herself out of harm's way. Jetstream slammed a
hoof to the floor in frustration.
As the last of his new set of reinforcements was squashed beneath
her new weapon, she merely laughed and flung said weapon aside like a
piece of old wood; it embedded itself in the steel wall of the arena, creating
a dent that took up a good half of the some fifty-by-fifty foot structure. He
winced in pain as with a glance, her horn glowed and his visor shattered.
He was down to two soldiers now, though he really knew he was reliably
down to one - one of these two was having some malfunction, and wasn’t
showing properly on the visor readout anyway.
She chuckled lightly as he pointed a shaking hoof at her, and he gave
them the command, “G-go! Take her down!”
“Aww, you poor, pitiful, predictable, pathetic peon. You still think you
have a chance against me? That you ever had a chance? You are beneath
me. You are dirt, no, lower than dirt. You, and your miserable little
machines, are but specks of insignificance compared to the wonder and
might that I wield.”
She turned to one of the Troopers, and her horn sparked up again. It
was lifted to the air, and he watched in shock as she started to physically
take the thing apart like one would do a toaster oven that wasn’t working
properly. Every single gear, screw, nut, bolt, component, band, motor,
battery, wire, camera, chip, card, and cable was jettisoned outwards and
spread out in the air before him so that he could see every single piece of
machinery that went into making one of these A.M.P. units.
“Such a mundane little thing, isn’t it?” she said thoughtfully, “So much
heart and soul and effort go into this one little piece of machinery.” She
referred to the small component that she’d removed from its head. No
bigger than an orange, it was the “brain” of the machine. She snapped it in
half, “And yet it is so fragile. Like you,” she added with a smirk, “Weak and
helpless against the powers of a superior pony. My test against you was
over before it began.” Jetstream sneered. She laughed again, “I suppose I
should end all this cherade, and finish off the test then. You’re all alone,
now.”
“You’re f-forgetting my last Trooper,” Jetstream gulped, “I haven’t
heard milord call you off yet.”
“Oh, silly me, I forgot,” she mocked, “I suppose he’s waiting for your
other opponent to finish her test as well. Go on, sis, get it over with.”
“What the hay are you-” he started. He was interrupted when he got
bucked hard in the face by his lone remaining Trooper. He fell to the
ground, and looked up in surprise and rage. How dare he be given a
malfunctioning Trooper, and one with shorted targeting chip as well! To his
surprise, the soldier’s mechanical features began to dissolve away, and
slowly what was once a machine turned into the form of a living, breathing
pony. A blue earth pony mare with a bright red mane that she kept tied
back in a neat little white bandanna. Her coat was shiny and her mane and
tail were kept extremely neat and tidy, and she had three little oranges for a
Cutie Mark.
“Have you had enough fun pulling the feather-brain’s chain, hmm?”
the unicorn asked. She was not quite as condescending towards her as
she subtly seemed to be with the pink pony, and nowhere near as insulting
as she was towards Jetstream. There was almost a tone of mutual respect
there.
“Mais oui, I ‘ave ‘ad a wonderful time sitting and waiting for all of you
to finish,” she spoke with a mockingly hurt tone, “You know as well as I do
zat zee Doctor wanted us to go alphabetically. I only wish I ‘ad zee same
talents all of you ‘av, so I ‘ad to do what I do best.”
“Hide in a corner?” the unicorn joked.
“Undercover work,” the earth pony huffed, “You cannot expect me to
go vis-a-vis with zeese garish things.”
“If you two ladies are quite done,” Silvertongue’s voice cracked over
the speakers, “I do believe our testing process is complete. I’ll be down
shortly to meet with you and the others, and to deliver your results.”
“Excellent,” the unicorn smirked, “I don’t expect anything less than the
highest score. Don’t feel too bad that I beat you now.”
“If your score trumping mine worried me, I should say I would be
scared of most everything,” the earth pony replied.
Jetstream grumbled as he moved to the side. They seemed to be
completely ignoring his presence. Perhaps that was for the best, he
thought. Then they couldn’t ridicule“Hey loser,” called the familiar voice of the red pegasus, “You just got
your flank so royally handed to you! Ha ha! I’m gonna be surprised if Pops
doesn't just rip your wings off and push you off the top floor.”
“So much for being ignored,” Jetstream sighed to himself.
“I, like, totally deserve the best score, boss,” the black unicorn
gushed as she stepped into the arena as well. She’d been addressing the
purple unicorn. “I mean, yeah, your little display was, like, impressive and
all, but I am so much more deserving.”
“Mais oui, such a tremendous display yours was ma copine,” the blue
earth pony said with completely sincere insincerity.
The unicorn gave a happy squeal, leapt over to the blue pony, and
gave her a crushing hug, “Aha! There you are! I was, like, so totally worried
when I didn’t see you in the prep room. I’m never letting you out of my sight
again, precious.”
“C’est bon,” the earth pony fake smiled as the unicorn stroked her
mane lovingly, “I'm so ‘appy I could puke. Merde alors.”
“Ooh, I love it when you talk all fancy,” the black unicorn sighed. The
red pegasus made a mocking puke gesture behind her back.
The blue-gray pegasus slowly walked into the arena as well, and
elected to stay quiet and not join her comrades. Nobody seemed to notice
or really care. The pink earth pony on the other hand strut right over to the
group. Other than the purple unicorn, the others seemed to take a very
subtle, very small step away from her. Enough that she wouldn’t notice,
they hoped.
A large clang from the opposite side of the arena alerted all the
ponies present. The six mares all seemed to perk up as the door opened
and Silvertongue passed through, making a brisk pace to the center of the
arena floor, Doctor Blutsauger close behind him with a datapad hovering
nearby. The mares quickly lined up as Silvertongue approached, though a
few of them seemed to be fighting for positions.
“Ladies, calm yourselves,” he said sternly. They all obeyed pretty
much instantly, which seemed to please him. “A very good display, all of
you. I am glad to see the accident has not diminished any of your powers.
Now then, I suppose you are all excited to learn how well you did, hmm?”
They all nodded enthusiastically, save the purple unicorn who bore a
cocksure grin. Silvertongue walked over to the first pony in line, the blue
earth pony, who looked positively pleased. “First, Curacao. You scored a
ninety-six. I would have scored you higher, but you passed on many
opportunities to strike against your target earlier on in the test. Still, a fine
showing of your capabilities.”
“Merci, papa” she smiled.
Silvertongue stepped next over to the blue-gray pegasus. She stood
at rigid attention. “Grayscale Force. A ninety-nine. Fine display, my dear. A
shame I did not see how well you could manipulate gravity in the other
direction. Increasing weight, my dear, is merely one way to do it. Keep that
in mind.”
She nodded low, “I deserve as much, I guess. My thanks, father.”
Next to the red pegasus. Jetstream was put off by her almost ecstatic
smile. “To you, Havocwing... eighty-four points,” Silvertongue said firmly.
Her smile drained away rather quickly, “You elected to utilize low-brow
fighting tactics against targets specifically designed to combat such tactics,
accomplishing nothing in your first few moments of the test. While your
remaining test time was quite miraculous compared to some of your
sisters... you need to learn to think. Analyze your foe before rushing in
hooves-first.”
“Yeah, pops... I get it...” she said, disappointed. The black unicorn
snickered lightly, and she shot her a very fierce glare.
Silvertongue came next to aforementioned black unicorn, “Insipid,
ninety-five points. While you-”
“But daddy,” she whined, “I want a higher score, pleeease?”
Silvertongue blinked, and smirked. “Ninety-six points then.”
Havocwing sneered in Insipid’s direction. “Your display of using the
capabilities of other ponies, specifically your sister’s, was impressive. I was
unaware you could drain the power from a techno-magic construct as well,
most impressive indeed. Your standard magic has much room for
improvement, though. Those Barrier spells were regrettably very sloppy.”
“Like, okay daddy, you got it,” she snickered. Giving a look over to the
blue earth pony, a somewhat disturbingly sultry look if Jetstream’s opinion
mattered any, she said, “Oh Curacao, I got the same score as you~"
“Tres bon, good for you,” Curacao lightly smirked back, “I am really...
proud.”
“Yay!”
Silvertongue ignored the banter between the two, and moved along to
the pink earth pony. She kept a rather serious look on her face, but
Jetstream couldn’t help but notice her glance in his direction every other
second, that same damned hungry look in her eyes. “To you, Red Velvet...
ninety-eight points. Your powers make me a mite... skeptical, as to how
they truly benefit you. If you could find a way to use your powers without
suffering such grave injuries, perhaps you’d be much more powerful than
you already are.”
“Thank you father,” she said in a rather monotone voice. As
Silvertongue walked away, Jetstream fought to keep a terrified squeak to
himself. That smile she had as she looked at him again made his bones
feel cold. Really cold.
“And last but not least, to you, the youngest of you six wonderful little
ponies,” Silvertongue smiled as he came to the purple unicorn. She
maintained her rather haughty air and was well aware of the incoming
praise. “Starlight Shadow... a perfect score, one-hundred points. You
suffered no damage, destroyed your opponent’s entire regiment, and
displayed incredible magical strength. The source of your powers still...
eludes me," Silvertongue’s golden pupil pulsed once, growing just lightly
larger for a second as he thought about her display, "But it is impressive
nonetheless. A shame you must leave so soon."
“As if I could have scored anything less,” she said half-dismissively,
“Thank you, father.”
“You six,” Silvertongue continued, addressing them all now, “Are my
most precious possessions. And while it pains me to see you go, I know
that I must allow you to once again leave the safety of my tower. The
crimes against you committed by these six mares,” and Silvertongue
motioned for Blutsauger to activate his device. A holographic projection of
the six mares Jetstream recognized from that morning appeared, “Need to
be punished.”
The six mares present all looked with rather grim disdain at the six
images of the other six. Jetstream had never seen such anger before. “You
have all recovered from your accident in such a short time, and it is time
you got your just and deserved revenge,” Silvertongue said firmly, “But I do
not want you to kill them, remember that. Remember your duty, my dears.
Even you are not exempt from the same rules that I apply to all those who
work for me. I do not tolerate failure.” Jetstream gulped loudly as
Silvertongue turned towards him. “Isn’t that right, Jetstream? Oh, but where
are my manners? I do believe this whole time you’ve been waiting to see
whether I was going to give you a second chance.”
Jetstream warily nodded, “Y-yes, milord.”
Silvertongue chuckled darkly, “I do applaud your efforts my boy. I
suppose that I wasn’t really treating you with dignity, sending a plebeian
such as yourself to challenge the likes of such powerful adversaries such
as these. It would be unfair of me to consider your inability to even pose a
threat to them as a mark against you.””
Jetstream breathed a sigh of relief, “Thank you, milord, I-”
“‘Thank you’? My dear boy, you think you’ve earned a second
chance? Did I not just say that you failed to pose to them even a modicum
of a threat? Had you not been such an incompetent nimrod this morning,
we wouldn’t be here now. These six would have had more time to train,
more time to recover and prepare, and if you weren’t such an incompetent
nimrod now too, you might have made them exert a minimum of effort,
make them release their full potential. I don’t have time to wait around for
them to reach that point, they need to get moving as soon as possible to
catch up with those six mares; your ineptitude allowed them to make quite
a distance between us and them, if you can be reminded of such a fact.”
Jetstream stammered “B-b-but-”
“I have no use for the likes of such a worthless pawn, Jestream,”
Silvertongue sneered. His horn sparked brightly, and Jetstream was lifted
into the air. He turned to the unicorn by his side, “Starlight, my dear, I think
it is time for your final test. Should those six mares prove to be unwilling
to... cooperate, you will need to destroy them. I would test your resolve to
do such an act in the first place. You have proven capable of ripping
useless machines to pieces, now I wish to see if you can do so to a living,
breathing creature.”
Starlight's horn glowed as she took over Silvertongue's, and waved a
hoof dismissively, “Father, such a menial task is really not suited for a mare
of my style and power, and besides, I think you and I both know there’s
somepony else here who would much rather have such an opportunity.”
“Yeah, me!” Havocwing bolstered over, “Ooh, can I boss, can I? I just
want to rip his useless little wings off and shove him off the roof of the
tower. Please boss?”
Starlight snorted, “Havocwing, you got the lowest score. As
punishment for bringing down our collective average, I’m denying you this
opportunity.”
“What?!” the red pegasus blurted, “Oh come on boss, I really want to
kill this guy. He's an embarrassment to pegasi everywhere! Please? I
promise I-”
“Puh-lease,” Insipid huffed, “If anyone should be allowed to kill him, it
should, like, totally be me.”
Havocwing gave a half-lidded, dumbfounded look, “What?”
“You want to kill ‘im?” Curacao raised an eyebrow, “Quelle surprise!
Since when?”
“Like, since now,” Insipid rolled her eyes, “I mean duh, if Havoc wants
a piece of him, I want a piece of him. She should, like, share.”
“But ‘avocwing ‘as already lost ‘er opportunity, darling,” Curacao
chuckled, “And besides, Grayscale ‘as earned zee next-‘ighest score, she’s
the one who should be deliver zee coup de grace, don’t you think,
Grayscale?”
Grayscale shrugged, “I guess that’s fine. If you say so.”
“Hell-ooo, then totally means, like, that it should be me, right? Not
little-miss low score here. She's, like, so worthless.”
“Buck off!” Havocwing snapped, “C’mon, which one of you wants to
say something else about me, huh? I'll kick your flank to next Wednesday!”
“I sure don’t want to insult you, dear ‘avocwing,” Curacao smirked.
She briefly made her face take on the appearance of Havocwing herself,
and in Havocwing’s voice, “But boy I sure am an idiot.”
“That’s it, I’m gonna-”
Starlight groaned, “I’m surrounded by morons... Red Velvet!” she
snapped behind her, “He’s all yours.” She dropped her spell on him, and
took several steps back. Might as well enjoy the show, she thought.
The pink earth pony grinned widely, licked her lips, and took her first
steps towards him. “Thanks boss, you have no idea how much I needed
this.”
“P-please, milord, I-” Jetstream pleaded.
“Far too late to beg me for forgiveness, my boy,” Silvertongue said
icily, “Your life is in their hooves now. I suggest if you want to keep
breathing, you ask her.”
“Yes," she said with a slowly widening grin, “Come on then. Beg. Beg
me to spare you. I promise I’ll listen...”
He gulped loudly, “P-please, Miss... ah... Velvet. D-don’t-”
“Well aren’t you just so polite?” she breathed close to his ear. He
leapt back a good several feet, wondering how she’d managed to get so
close when he’d seen her walking towards him, several feet away. “And so
skittish too. I do so love when they’re like that. Come on then...let me hear
it some more...”
He made to say something, but was at a loss for words. Her voice
seemed to be echoing inside his head.
“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?”
He yowled as a sharp pain ripped across his side. He looked there in
a panic - claw marks? He scrambled away from her again, but she
suddenly wasn’t where he remembered seeing her. He looked at the
scratch again, but it was gone. She was gone.
“Stop this!” he babbled, “I... please!
“You don’t need to be so loud,” her voice whispered from behind him,
“After all, there’s only just the two of us here.” He looked around in a panic;
now he realized now that they were all gone. The room had begun to
darken around him, surrounding them with blackness. Light was slowly
draining, being washed away like vulgar paint upon a wall. “Come on now...
I want to hear you beg some more. I need to hear you beg some more.
Please?”
“Milord!” he called out, “Please! Call her off! I promise I’ll-”
“I said,” she growled, an echo in her voice, “BEG!” He continued to try
and flee, a fleeting hope that he could escape. Perhaps this was his test,
and if he managed to get away, he’d earn his second chance. But every
time he managed to reach the edge of the darkness, she was there again,
her eyes red with bloodlust and anger. “I normally like it when they run...
but you’re making this so boring. Oh well...” A tendril of living blood lashed
out and grabbed his neck, dragging him back towards her. Her grin
widened as he began to scream.
“No! L-let me go! Please!” he cried, trying to run towards the only light
he could see. The light flickered and died, and his hopes died with it.
“See? Now was that so hard?”
“P-please! D-don’t!” he pleaded.
“Oh, but I need to, don’t you understand?” she pouted, “Don’t worry.
I’ll make this fun.”
The tendrils latched around other parts of his body and fluttered
around him. He shuddered in discontent as they stroked his wings. His
blood ran cold.
“♫The femur bone’s connected to the... pelvic bone.”
*SNAP*
“Auuuggghh!” he screamed.
“Ooh that’s good! Provide a nice little chorus for me. Where was I?
Oh, right. Ahem♫The pelvic bone’s connected to the... spinal bone.”
*SNAP*
“♫The spinal bone’s... connected... hey. Hey! Awww... shoot, there
goes another one. I’m never gonna finish that song...”
Chapter Ten
Interjection
“I'm still not sure I'm liking this plan,” Flathoof said pointedly, “When I
said you might know a faster route, this was not what I was expecting.”
“I was expecting an actual shortcut, to be honest,” Lockwood
frowned, “This is more of an alternate route, if I may be a stickler for
accuracy.”
“Well why didn't you say so before?” Tick Tock huffed.
“I did say so before!” both Flathoof and Lockwood said
simultaneously.
Lockwood continued, “Look, there has to be another way through or
around or something. I understand that time is of the essence, but charging
through an active volcano, a whole range of them I might add. Seems to
me to not be worth the risk.”
Behind them, only a few miles away, the terrain gradually shifted from
barren grays and browns into dark reds and blacks. Sharp inclines replaced
the flat stretches, and the relatively clear sky above them slowly became
one completely covered in smoke and ash. The Redblade Mountains were
nothing if not impressive to see. The group had made camp some distance
away, such that they wouldn’t be sleeping in range of any accidental
volcanic activity. A blue and purple flame flickered at the center of their
campsite, magically crafted by Twilight Sparkle. Nearby, their limited
collection of saddlebags rested in wait; they had dropped a few back at the
Gate in their hurry to escape, but luckily their supply was not entirely
dwindled.
The bags carried several rationed supplies of Dolor Blue and
Liquefied Dolor Green. The Blue, according to everypony present, tasted
like eating toothpaste. The Green tasted like slightly soggy green beans,
but since it was liquid it was like drinking very soggy green beans. But, as
Lockwood had made abundantly clear, they were healthy and filling and
easy to ration. Everypony agreed with him on that last point (“Well duh
they’re easy to ration,” Pinkie had complained, “They taste terrible.”) Their
other supplies had not been quite so lucky. Originally they’d collected some
low-quality but better-than-nothing sleeping bags for each of them, but now
they were down to three, two of which he had insisted be given to the less
hardy and robust members of the party, Rarity and Fluttershy. The other
was being given out in a rotation of sorts. They also had no changes in
clothes, something Rarity found to be an unmitigated disaster, so those
they had were starting to get rather uncomfortable. Other than that, their
journey hadn’t gotten off to too bad of a start.
“I understand your worry,” Tick Tock sighed, “But I'll say again, for the
tenth time now I think, this is the fastest route through to the coast. The
Redblade Mountains are only a few days' hike from the Gate, and traveling
across is only a few more. We'll be at Hope's Point in maybe a week, give
or take a day. The other route, across the Wastelands proper and the old
Gryphon Territories, is at least twice as long if we don't stop to rest often.
We can't risk that kind of time.”
“Still seems too risky,” Flathoof sighed, “Not all of us have extensive
mountain climbing experience, or can fly for that matter.”
“It's not a problem, really it isn't,” Tick Tock insisted, “I take this route
all the time to get to the coastal region.”
“I was just going along with what everypony else was saying. If I had
known these 'Redblade Mountains' were a range of volcanoes,” Twilight
interjected, “I might have voiced my disagreement sooner. How is this not a
problem? We’re risking eruptions, magma, and all that kind of stuff. This
place looks like a death trap.” Fluttershy visibly squeaked in worry at those
last words.
“Surely the heat alone would be a danger,” Rarity added, “Not to
mention the horrors it will reap upon my mane. Do you have any idea how
hard it is to keep my perfect shine when we have no resources to spare?”
“The heat is no trouble, I assure you of that,” Tick Tock explained,
“For somepony so well versed in magic, Twilight, I am surprised you don't
know about PTAs.”
“Personal Temperature Auras are designed to protect from cold and
heat, yes, but not at these extremes. At least not that I am aware of,”
Twilight said, narrowing her eyes, “Besides, you're joking about using one,
right? To protect the entire group? They’re called Personal for a reason.”
“Not at all! I use one to traverse the area all the time, it works
wonders. It doesn't guard you from all the heat, at least not enough to
make you comfortable, but it does protect from enough to allow safe travel.
And with your magical ability, it should be little trouble to extend the spell
over the entire group.”
“I have no idea what's going on,” huffed Rainbow Dash, “But it
sounds to me like everypony's agreeing to cross a mountain range of
volcanoes. Active. Volcanoes. Now, I’m no expert or nothin’, but does
anypony else think this sounds, well, stupid?”
“I'm wit' Dash,” nodded Applejack, “This sounds plum boneheaded,
if'n my opinion matters any. I ain’t never even seen a volcano up-close ‘n’
personal-like before, but I’ve heard of ‘em in plenty o’ stories when I was a
lil’ filly. Ain’t they super dangerous?”
“Of course they’re super dangerous!” Pinkie Pie jumped, “But using
common story logic, the adventurers must always pass over the most
dangerous regions if they wish to take the shortest route. I mean come on,
that’s like Cliche Number One. Or was it Three? Fourteen? I forget.”
“Pinkie Pie, this is real life, not one of your little story books,” Twilight
rolled her eyes.
Pinkie Pie looked off to the side somewhere. “Whatever you say,
Twilight,” she winked.
“We've already come all this way,” Tick Tock groaned, “If we changed
routes now, then the past three days will have been totally wasted. If you
didn't bloody want to come this way, you should have made your case
earlier. I gave you all the opportunity to-”
“You didn't tell us it was a damn volcano!” Rainbow blurted, stepping
forward aggressively, “You blindsided us! We all thought they were normal
mountains, not volcanoes! Get it through your head!”
“With Twilight's Aura spell up, it might as well be a bleedin’ regular
mountain range!” Tick Tock shouted back.
“You don't even know if she can do that!”
“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, Rainbow,” Twilight said flatly.
Rainbow turned red. “Th-that's not what I meant,” she flustered, “I just
mean, y’know, it’s risky to put all of our lives into the confidence that you’ll
be able to modify a spell you’ve never really used before.”
“Really, darling, you should have been up-front about this,” Rarity
frowned, “I would’ve gladly preferred to take a longer, safer route if I knew
this was the alternate option.”
“Um... if I can say something?” Fluttershy interjected. The arguers all
looked in her direction in surprise. “Oh... um, I mean... i-if that's okay with
you guys...”
“Go on, darling,” Rarity said sweetly, “What is it?”
“Well... um... I agree with Miss Tick Tock. We should cross these...
uh... volcanoes.”
“You... you do?” Rainbow said, jaw agape, “You can’t be serious.”
“I want to go home. I miss my little Angel...” she sniffed, “If... if I have
to brave these dangers to see him sooner... I will. I’ll do anything if it means
going home faster...”
“Well don't that beat all...” Applejack sighed, “Y'hear that, Rainbow?
Fluttershy here just 'out-braved' us. Now don’t I feel a mite small.”
Rainbow scuffed a hoof in the dirt. “I was willing to do it. I was... I was
just looking out for you guys, y'know? Not everyone can just fly over or
around like me. I’m no chicken.”
“Well if Fluttershy's up for it, I have no objections,” Twilight nodded.
“Me neither,” agreed Applejack.
“And to be honest, I would like the chance to test out this theory of
extending a PTA over a full traveling party. I don’t usually get a chance to
experiment with spells like that, it’s just easier to wear heavy clothes at
winter time.”
“Well, Tick Tock, I suppose you've got your majority vote,” Flathoof
sighed, “Against my better judgement, I guess this is what we're doing. I
sure hope you’ve got a plan.”
“Good, glad to hear it. We'll start our hike in the morning,” Tick Tock
smiled, “For now, we can get a good night's rest. We've been moving faster
than usual today.”
“How can you even tell what time of day it is?” Twilight said as she
looked skyward. The sky above was now much clearer than it had been
inside the city. A horribly ominous mix of oranges and reds and purples that
covered all they could see. No clouds, no stars, no sun, just a murky,
magical-looking smokey substance. “The sky looks pretty much exactly the
same, just less smog.”
“I've been wondering that myself,” Lockwood followed suit, “At least in
the city, you can gauge it based on pony activity and crowd size. I wish I’d
thought to bring a watch.”
Exasperated, Tick Tock raised an eyebrow. “Um... hello?
Chronomancer? Special talent deals with time? I'm a walking bloody clock.”
“And your name is Tick Tock,” Pinkie nodded knowingly.
“...right? Yes?” Tick Tock tilted her head, “Thank you for stating what
we already know.”
“And she's good friends with the Doc,” Pinkie nodded again.
“Yyyes?”
“And your knowledge of time, would you say you had a large stock?”
Pinkie said, waggling her eyebrows, “And you're using it help guide this
flock?”
“Okay I see where this is going,” Tick Tock sighed.
“You do? I'm shocked!” Pinkie gasped.
“You'd better cut it out, before I knock off your block, hmm?”
“Ooh, she's good,” Pinkie nodded in approval, “She's better than you,
Dashie.”
Rainbow rolled her eyes, “What a crock.” Pinkie snorted into her
hooves.
“If we're all done with the fun and games,” Flathoof sighed, “Tick Tock
is right, we should get some rest before the hike. I'll take first watch again.”
“But first, let's eat,” Twilight nodded as she opened some of the
saddlebags, floating out little blue and green packages to everypony.
*****
*****
Flathoof yawned heavily. The dim light of magically-crafted fire
flickered against his back. He fought the urge to tip his hat over his eyes
and get some well-deserved shut-eye. Bad idea, he thought, fighting the
idea away. While they'd yet to encounter any pursuers from the city, and he
very much doubted the NPAF cared enough to pursue a group of
obviously-out-of-their-minds ponies across the Redblade Mountains, he
was more concerned with any natural predators roaming around. He was
thankful it was the winter season; very few creatures hunted during the
winter as far as he was aware, a lucky break that all this trouble was
happening now. Most of them either hibernated or migrated away for food.
Still, if they attracted the attention of some of the still-active hunters, there'd
be a great deal of trouble.
“Y'all look like you could use a little break.”
Flathoof half-turned his head to acknowledge her presence, “Are you
still awake, Applejack? You really should be-” He interrupted himself with
another yawn. “Getting some sleep.”
“Y'all could say the same 'bout yerself,” she snickered.
“Twilight and Tick Tock said they'd take next watch. I've got maybe
an hour-” Another yawn, “Or so left.”
“Consider yerself relieved,” she smiled, “I ain't quite as tired yet. Ta
be honest, I should've been the one ta take first watch. I'm used ta long
days and late nights.”
“Nonsense, I wouldn't hear anything of the sort.”
“Don't try ta act all macho wit' me, sugar,” she smiled, “It really don't
suit ya.”
He chuckled, “Perhaps you're right.” With another look at the
smoldering red tops of the mountains in the distance, he delivered a heavy
sigh, “I suppose I'm just trying to keep my mind off certain... things.
Whenever I sleep... I dream. I’d rather put that off, if I could.”
She frowned, “It's 'bout her. Ain't it? If ya need ta get somethin’ off yer
chest, I’m here ta listen.”
Flathoof looked at the ground in thought, “Do they have
Magmaberries in your world?”
“What-berries?” she blinked, “I ain't heard o' nothing like that. What
are they?”
“They're a very rare delicacy around these parts. Sweet on the
outside, spicy on the inside... or was it the other way around? Very popular
in desserts around the holidays. My cousin Bundtcake works for a catering
company that specializes in working with them. Says the Redblade
Mountains are the only place in all of Equestria they grow, so they’re
usually pretty expensive.”
“Sounds awful fancy. I ain't never been one ta like them high-falootin'
foods. I prefer mah eats nice an' simple-like.”
“Trust me, if you can handle the spice, they're to die for,” he smiled,
“They're actually best raw, even better frozen. All the prep-work does is
tone down the spice. I think you'd like them.”
“If y'all say so,” she nodded.
“Anyway, my cousin always sends out a few Magmaberry treats
around the holidays. One year, I invited Snapshot over, since she and her
family were... kind of on the outs. Snapshot had never had Magmaberries
before.” He smiled a moment, “We all got a good laugh - she couldn't
handle it at first - but they grew on her.” His smile turned to a solemn frown.
“A few weeks ago, she asked me about this year's holiday, to know if we
were having them again. It’s only a month away, after all. She'd been doing
research on them, wanted to know about the different kinds of desserts.
She asked me if I could get her a very specific kind. Kept saying how she
wanted to take a trip out here one day, to see where they grow.” He sighed
again, “Seeing these damned mountains, knowing this is where she wanted
to come..."
Applejack remained silent a moment. Then, she removed her hat and
placed it over her chest. “I know too well how that feels, sugar. I...” She
hesitated, “I'm sorry. If I'd known what this here place meant to ya, I-”
“Don't blame yourself, Applejack,” he smiled, “I don't. I knew we were
coming this way, I chose not to argue it with Tick Tock, I chose to deal with
my memories. And I don't regret my decision. I’ve got to face these feelings
eventually, and as much as I want to put some of them off... I know there’s
no avoiding it.”
“Well that's awful strong o' y'all, she said. She frowned lightly, “I wish
I could say the same ‘bout mahself..."
After a few moments of silence, he turned to her and took a serious
tone, “Applejack... what happened to your parents?”
Surprised by the sudden question, she flustered for a moment. “It's...
a long story...” she said solemnly, “Ta be frank, I ain't told nopony 'bout it.
Mah friends know just the most basic thing: that they ain't with me no more.
I don't feel comfortable talkin' 'bout it much more’n that, so if we could-”
“I wouldn't force you to talk about something you don’t feel
comfortable with.”
“Thank ya kindly. I don't mean ta be a stick in the mud 'bout it, but-”
"I understand, Applejack. You don't need to make excuses for me.”
He yawned loudly again, “I hope those two get up soon. You're right, I need
some rest.”
“Mah offer still stands, sugar,” she smiled, “Go on, get some sleep. I'll
cover the rest o' yer shift.”
He smirked, “Fine. You win. You and your friends have a real way of
convincing me to do what you want. I’ll have to watch out for that.”
As he got up and headed back into camp, Applejack stopped him.
“Y'all sure ya don't need nothin' else?”
“Eeyup, pretty sure,” he smiled, continuing on his way, “Thanks
again, Applejack.”
Applejack nodded warily, “D-don't mention it, sugar.” As he left
earshot, Applejack shook her head dismissively, “Did he just say what I
think he did?”
Something in Applejack's head was deeply bothered by the utterance
of a single word. She didn't know why. She'd heard that same word
hundreds, perhaps thousands of times. Her brother used it. Her sister used
it sometimes when imitating him. She'd used it herself once or twice. Why
did it bother her all of a sudden?
“Applejack? Are you taking over for Flathoof?”
Applejack nearly jumped, “Oh! Twilight! Um... yeah, ol' Flathoof was
gettin' a mite tired. I don't think he's used to late nights like this. Sent him
off ta bed.”
Twilight tilted her head in concern, “Are... you alright, Applejack? You
look pale.”
“What? N-naw, I'm fine, sugarcube. Just... thinkin' 'bout somthin', no
big deal. Where's Tick Tock? Ain't she takin' second watch wit' ya?”
“She's on her way. Just gathering up that map again. She wanted to
show me what kind of route we're going to be taking and make a plan for
rest stops.”
“Y'all seem ta be gettin' along better wit' her, don't ya?” Applejack
chuckled, “Just a matter o' time 'fore y'all are the best of friends.”
Twilight rolled her eyes, “I wouldn't go that far. I like certain aspects of
her, to be sure. She is quite intelligent, really knows her stuff about this
world and all, but there’s a few things I think she’s gravely misinformed
about.”
Applejack raised an eyebrow, “Such as?”
“Well for one, that whole thing she tried to explain, about magic
forces and stuff? It still bothers me, and I'm still trying to understand why
she thinks like that. I’ve done a great deal of studying, and I know where
her point of view comes from, but... I know she’s mistaken. I don't know
why she's so adamant about it.”
“All that talk went over mah head last time y’all were arguin’ ‘bout it.
Care ta tell me what exactly don’t make sense? I don’t like seein’ ponies
arguin’ ‘bout somethin’ fer no good reason.”
“Well, she says we all represent Law forces, right?”
“Yeah.”
“And that we’re all opposed to Chaos forces, right?”
“Well yeah, that makes perfect sense ta me. We did fight off Discord
right? The... funda... aw shoot, I forgot what y’all called him.”
“The fundamental representation and manifestation of the powers of
Chaotic magicks?” Twilight said, eyes half-lidded.
Applejack nodded, “Yeah. All that hogwash.”
Twilight rolled her eyes, “Yes, well. Think about that for a second.
She’s asking us - me, rather - to believe that Pinkie Pie represents a force
of Law, not Chaos. Our Pinkie Pie.”
Applejack touched a hoof to her chin, “Now that y’all mention it, she
did sorta enjoy all o’ Discord’s magic-y stuff. Chocolate milk rain and all.”
“See? It doesn’t make sense. Don’t get me wrong, I love Pinkie Pie,
but she’s not exactly the most... ah... orderly?”
“Well I guess I can kinda see yer point, Twi,” Applejack said firmly,
“But do ya really need ta argue it so much wit’ her? It ain’t botherin’ nopony,
right?”
Twilight sighed, “It bothers me. But I guess it’s not so much that she’s
wrong, so much as she’s so sure she’s right and won’t listen to reason. She
still has a thing or two to change about her attitude.”
“And you still have a thing or two to learn about listening,” Tick Tock
coughed from behind them.
“Ah!" Twilight jumped, “Oh... uh, hey there Tick Tock. How... long
have you been standing there?”
“Long enough to know that I bloody well want to just get this all over
with, before you start trying to convince me I’m wrong about other
fundamental world concepts,” Tick Tock said flatly, “Like maybe telling me
that up is down or the moon is made of bloody cheese or something.”
“Well that’s just-” Twilight started.
Tick Tock interrupted, “Applejack, you can get to bed now, if you'd
like. Twilight and I have matters to discuss, and we may be up a while.”
“If'n y'all don't mind, I'd like ta stay. I... can't sleep. Don't feel that
tired,” Applejack said, looking off towards the camp. “I got a few too many
things on mah mind, ta be honest.”
“Oh? Well... actually, this is good,” Twilight smiled, “You've got better
mountain climbing experience than I do, and even from here I can tell this
range is rougher than Dragon Mountain back home. You’d probably make a
better judge of what looks like a safer route than I would, if I can be
honest.”
“Well thank ya kindly, Twi,” Applejack smiled, “I’d be more’n happy ta
help.”
“Good thinking, Sparkle. I suppose that experience might come in
handy, then,” Tick Tock agreed, “I usually take the quickest route through,
but I'm also usually by myself. Traveling as a group is a little different.”
“Fantastic,” Twilight beamed, “Let's get started, shall we?”
*****
“Look at them,” Rainbow Dash whispered. She pointed an accusing
hoof towards the trio of ponies, one earth pony and two unicorns, reading a
map by the light of one of the unicorn’s horns. “They’re all completely
suckered in by this stupid plan. I can’t believe we’re going along with this,
agreeing to go slogging through lava and rocks and smoke and ash, just
asking for trouble.”
“Well Dashie, she did say we could’ve objected at any time,” Pinkie
pointed out.
“Like I said, I didn’t know the mountains we were crossing were
actually volcanoes. Just how stupid does she think we are, taking us across
a dangerous place like that? I know I can just fly around it, but none of you
can.” Pinkie made to speak up, but Dash kept talking, “And no, don’t say
Fluttershy or Lockwood, either. All that volcanic ash gets caught in
feathers, so you have to be able to fly really fast to get through before it
makes it too difficult to fly. That, and I’m the only one with enough sense to
have a pair of flight goggles-”
“That Mister Flathoof helped you find,” Pinkie pointed out again.
“Whatever,” Rainbow rolled her eyes, “Point is, they can’t fly through
the ash anyway without getting blinded. So we’re all stuck walking along,
climbing mountains covered with death and with very minimal means of an
escape plan. If Twi’s busy focused on that aura spell or whatever, I doubt
she’d be able to get a teleport up for everypony in an emergency.”
“Well, Twilight and Applejack seem like they’ve got confidence in the
plan, and so does Tick Tock. She says-”
“That she has plenty of experience climbing through here, yeah, I
heard,” Rainbow grumbled, “I just don’t trust that we’re not being led into
some sort of... trap, or something. I don’t know, I just still really suspicious
of her motives. I get that we’re pressed for time. I get it. But that’s no
reason to be risking everypony’s lives like this.”
“Well at least you’ve moved on from not liking Mister Lockwood,”
Pinkie rolled her eyes, “Really Dashie, you need to relax. Twilight trusts
her, so we should trust her judgement. Right?”
“I suppose...” Rainbow sighed, “I’m just worried. Everything about this
whole world just makes me feel... uneasy. I don’t know what it is. It wasn’t
that bad at first, and I was even willing to give those guys a chance, but...
something just seems really suspicious about everything.”
“Cliche Number Fifteen,” Pinkie said matter-of-fact-ly, “When things
seem too convenient to be true, they usually are.”
“Exactly,” Rainbow pointed.
“I was joking, you weren’t supposed to agree-”
She ignored her and continued, “Sure we’ve gotten in a few scrapes
here and there, but other than that this whole thing has just been way too
convenient. We get transported to a new world, into a city with millions of
ponies, and the first one we really meet and talk to is Flathoof, who is... just
really a nice guy...” Rainbow frowned, “To be honest, I feel bad for him too.
I don't know what it feels like to lose somepony close to you...”
“Aww...” Pinkie smiled, “That's sweet of you, Dashie.”
“And he’s bestest friends with Lockwood, who is just the best pony
anypony can ever hope to know, who has a solution to everything and is
always willing to lend a helping hoof to everypony he knows," she said with
heavy sarcasm, "He’s too nice, if you ask me. I see the way he hangs
around with Fluttershy and Rarity.” And she sneered over in the direction of
another trio of sleeping bags nearby. “I’ve met guys like that before. You
think they’re all sweet and nice, but they really just want to get between
your legs.”
“Come on, you know those two-”
“Yeah yeah, I know Rarity’s not stupid enough to fall for those kinds
of cheap tricks. She’s dated enough guys to know what’s what,” Rainbow
said quickly, “And Fluttershy’s probably too nervous and shy to even think
about stuff like that anyway. She probably wouldn’t fall for it either, but it
still bugs me.”
Pinkie shrugged, “Look, you really just need to relax. Take it easy.
Hakuna Matata. Everything will work out okay.” Pinkie nuzzled in close to
Rainbow, “I don’t like seeing you like this, Dashie. It makes me nervous...”
Rainbow blinked, and nodded, “Sorry, Pinks. I just worry about all of
you...” She leaned into Pinkie and tucked her wing around her. “You most
of all.”
*****
“Um... Rarity? Are you awake?”
Rarity stirred slightly and began to mutter to herself in her sleep,
“Mmm... yes, I'll have the usual, please...”
Fluttershy prodded Rarity gently in the side. “Rarity? I... um... I need
to talk to you.”
Rarity got a pleased smile on her face. “Oh yes... that is simply
divine. A little lower please... ah... that's the spot...”
Fluttershy raised an eyebrow, “What? Oh dear...” She prodded a little
harder. “Rarity... wake up, please? You're having that dream again...”
“Mmm... such strong hooves. I bet you're talented in other-”
“Rarity!” Fluttershy hissed as quietly as she could before the unicorn’s
fantasies could continue.
“Eh?” Rarity mumbled groggily, “Fluttershy? Is it morning already?”
“No,” Fluttershy peeped, “I can't sleep. And... I was hoping I could talk
to you...?”
“Oh?” Rarity yawned, “I don't suppose this could wait until morning,
could it? I was having the most amazing dream.”
“I know. I... um, heard,” Fluttershy blushed.
“Oh, you did?” Rarity smiled. Then, she turned red as well. She
chuckled dismissively, “Oh... you did. Eh heh, ah... yes. Well. Um... w-what
did you want to talk about again, darling?”
"Well, I was wondering... do you think anypony is... upset with me?
For agreeing with Tick Tock?" Fluttershy flustered.
Rarity looked surprised. “Whatever do you mean? Why would you
think such a thing?”
“Well... I know that everypony was real upset that we were going to
go that way. I just... do you think anypony is upset that I pushed for us to go
along with it?”
“Ohh... heavens darling, I don't think you have to worry about
anything like that,” Rarity smiled, “They were all just upset that Miss Tick
Tock wasn't completely forward with the issue. I think Rainbow Dash and
Applejack are just surprised you of all ponies would be her advocate. I think
they’re more surprised actually that you made them feel less ‘big’, as
t’were? Nopony could ever be upset with you, Fluttershy.”
“I just... I want to go home, Rarity. I don't like this place. I miss the
colors and smells of home... I miss all my animal friends... Angel most of
all.”
Rarity frowned, “We all want to go home, my dear. We all have loved
ones we're worried about.”
Fluttershy sighed, “I... I know. But you all seem so much more... um...
accepting of things here. This place is nothing like home. It's dirty and cruel
and dangerous and smelly and gloomy and... I don't like it here at all. I... I'd
go as far to say I hate it here.”
Rarity frowned, “Oh... Fluttershy. You poor dear. Is there anything I
can do to make you feel better?” She placed a hoof gently on the timid
pegasus's shoulder. “Anything at all, you just say the word.”
“Just... I want to know thing are going to be okay. That we'll all be
safe," Fluttershy shuddered, "I'm so worried about everything. I... I'm
scared."
Rarity smiled lightly, “Don't worry, darling. Everything will be just fine.
After all, we all have each other here, right? And we have such
knowledgeable guides with us to keep us safe.”
“Well... I suppose that makes me feel a little better,” Fluttershy
nodded, “Miss Tick Tock does seem to know-”
“I was referring to Mister Lockwood, of course,” Rarity smirked, “He
has been a most gracious traveling companion, has he not?”
“Oh... well, yes,” Fluttershy squeaked, “He's... nice.”
“I should say so,” Rarity grinned, “After all, these sleeping bags he
provided are most comfortable, and they protect from the elements. A
shame that some of them were left behind, but he did insist that you get to
use one.”
“He insisted you get one as well,” Fluttershy pointed out.
“Because I'm your friend, of course. The poor dear is nervous, I can
tell. I think it's charming, actually.”
Fluttershy raised an eyebrow, “Nervous? Why would he be nervous?”
“Well think about it, darling. You're a beautiful young mare, and a
former model, might I add? You're delicate and graceful, and perhaps even
a little vulnerable. Sweet and kind, and-”
“W-wait, he's nervous... b-because of me?” Fluttershy stammered.
“Well of course, Fluttershy! And why not? To think that back at home
there are so few stallions with a real sense for mares, hmm? Imagine my
surprise when I noticed! Funny how things like this work out, that we had to
travel across dimensions to finally meet a decent stallion for such a
wonderful mare as yourself. It would make for a wonderful romantic novel,
don’t you think?”
“Oh... oh dear,” Fluttershy blushed, “I had no idea.”
“Oh I know, darling. He does such a fine job of hiding it, but a mare
with a keen eye for these sorts of things picks up on it quite quickly. The
poor dear must be terrified of rejection; no wonder he isn’t so up-front about
it. Why, I’m sure that’s the reason nopony back at home does it either,
come to think of it.”
Fluttershy made a tiny squeak, “Oh... b-but, what if-”
“I don't suppose you were paying much attention to certain things
back in the city, but really darling, I can safely say that you two would be
perfect for one another.”
Flutershy raised an eyebrow, “W-what makes you think-”
“I mean, he's such a sensitive individual, not unlike yourself. A little
bolder than you in some respects, but that’s just the kind of companion you
need. And while there aren’t many animals around for him to have much
opinion of, he does care about other ponies, especially those poor foals in
the slums.”
“Oh... that's right,” she nodded, “I thought that was awful nice of him. I
wish there had been something we could do to help.”
“And such a handsome gentlecolt too. It is a true shame that we are
not back at home with him. Why, I've been looking for a stallion with his
physique to try out some male fashion lines, maybe branch out a little in my
repertoire? Can you imagine him in a snappy tuxedo? Oh, or a sleek
collared vest. Ooh, the possibilities... I bet he could keep me busy for
weeks!” She winked, “If I could get him away from you, of course.”
Fluttershy turned a little pink, “W-well, that does sound... nice. And
I’m touched that you think he likes me and all, b-but what about that other
mare? Um... Keeneye, was it? They seem to have... something between
them. I wouldn't want to-”
Rarity gave a little laugh, "Oh, I assure you there is nothing going on
there, my dear. Not to worry, darling. I'll ensure everything works out
between you two, or my name isn't Rarity. After all, what could be more
generous than helping my closest, dearest friend find her one true love?”
She yawned lightly, “Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get back to my
beauty sleep.”
“Phew...” Fluttershy breathed. Then, her eyes shot open. “Wait,
what? I didn’t ask for you to help, Rarity. I’m certain if he... oh d-don’t fall
asleep...” She prodded Rarity lightly, but she'd already dozed off. “Rarity?
Rarity? Oh dear...”
*****
*****
*****
“This is stupid. We've been traveling for two whole days, and we still
haven't caught up with those losers. How are they still so far ahead of us?
They didn't get that big of a head-start.”
“Yes, Havocwing, and complaining about it is helping how, exactly?”
Starlight Shadow snapped, "Nopony wants to hear your whining.”
“But boss-” Havocwing started.
“Like, it's not all that bad,” Insipid interrupted with a smile, “If we take
a while, that's just, like, more time I get to spend with Curaçao! You’re
totally perfect and pretty and junk, Curie!”
Insipid nuzzled up against the blue pony, who sighed, “I do not know
which is worse: waiting to meet up with zose cretins, or 'aving to deal wiz...
zis. Zut alors...”
“Mmm... fancy talk...” Insipid cooed, “Teach moi to talk all fancy,
Curaçao sweetie. That would be, like, tres sweet of you, for sure.”
Curaçao rolled her eyes, “Per'aps anozer time, non?”
“We shouldn't be far behind them now,” Starlight explained, “They're
likely avoiding confrontation with any of the creatures out here, or at least
what few are even still around in the winter season. That gives us a speed
advantage. None of those bugs are getting in our way, that much is for
certain. I bet they’d tear those idiots apart.”
“That's my point!” Havocwing blurted, “We should've caught up by
now if that was the case. Are you sure we're going the right way?”
“Are you questioning my sense of direction?” Starlight glared,
“Because it sounds like you're questioning my sense of direction.”
Havocwing gulped, “Ah... n-no way boss, I was just repeating
something... um... Grayscale said! Yeah! That bucking traitor, how dare
she-”
Starlight looked upwards to where Grayscale was slowly fluttering
about. “Grayscale Force! Down here please. Now.”
Grayscale yawned and lazily glided down. “You called, boss?”
“Grayscale, have you been questioning my sense in direction?”
Grayscale shrugged, “Wherever you wanna go is fine with me, boss.”
Starlight glanced over at Havocwing, who gave a nervous smile. “I
figured as much. That will be all, Grayscale.”
“Whatever you say. I guess I’ll just get back to flying around, or
something.” She slowly took wing again.
Starlight’s horn began to glow dimly. “Now, what was all that I heard
about it being Grayscale who hated my idea? Hmm?”
Curaçao coughed, “If I may, ma capitaine? I zink zat ‘avocwing was
merely trying to understand zee situation. She is an idiot, after all, non?”
Havocwing glowered in her direction, but remained speechless.
Starlight glared at her again, and she shrugged nervously, “Ah... I just
mean... what if they're not taking this route? Then all of this is wasting our
time, giving them a bigger lead. Right?”
Starlight raised an eyebrow, “There are only two routes to the coast,
Havocwing, and they'd be beyond stupid and crazy to cross the Redblade
Mountains. No, they're headed for Goldridge Pass and the old Gryphon
Territories, it's the only logical choice. I know they’re stupid anyway, but
father insists that their guide, the Chronomancer, knows her way around
out here. At least she’s not stupid enough to lead them that route.”
“Oui, only a true imbecile would take zee ozer way,” Curaçao
chuckled, “I know I would not want to go zere. It would ruin my perfect
mane, non?”
“And it is perfect,” Insipid sighed as she stroked it, “I want a mane like
yours, Curie.”
“I'd go that way if it were me,” Havocwing smirked.
Curaçao laughed, “My point exactly.”
Havocwing shot a glare at her, “Because I can take the heat. Hello?
Fire-proof? Bucking idiot.”
“Like, watch your mouth, Havoc,” Insipid hissed, “Don’t go badmouthing Curaçao. Like, ponies get hurt when they start bad-mouthing
Curie around me.”
“Ah, my knight in shining armor,” Curaçao swooned with a sarcastic
tone. Insipid beamed extremely widely in response.
“Enough, all of you,” Starlight snapped.
“I don't know what everypony's getting all worked up for,” Velvet said,
suddenly appearing in the middle of the group. Curaçao, Insipid, and
Havocwing all jumped a bit in surprise. She was covered in a grimy
greenish-red substance.
“Quit doing that!” Havocwing spat, “Gonna give me a bucking heart
attack one of these days!”
“Mmm... myocardial infarction," she drooled.
“Yeah well, I... yeah! Take your... big words... and...” Havocwing
made to retort, then shuddered and decided instead to go on ahead.
“Whatever, creep-job.”
“As I was saying, I don't see what the big deal is. All these buggy
things we've been killing has made this little trip fun! So much blood...
mmmm...” She licked her lips and cleaned off some of the gunk, “Oh so
tasty~”
“Like, gross,” Insipid blanched, “Gag me with a spoon.”
“Yeah, I know. It's not quite as good as pony blood. I miss Mister
Jetstream already,” Velvet frowned dejectedly, “I should’ve rationed him a
little more, shouldn’t I? But pegasi wings are just so good!”
“Can we take a break, boss?” Insipid pouted, “All this walking is
making me just, like, so tired. And I'm hungry for some reason now, and-”
“Wait... hungry?” Starlight raised an eyebrow, “We ate an hour ago.
Why are you-”
“I dunno, like, Velvet mentioned food or something, and now I’m
hungry too.”
Suddenly, a voice from above said, “So basically you want to eat
ponies too?” Grayscale landed lightly amidst the group.
“Like, where did you come from?” Insipid blinked, “You never, like,
talk.”
“Oh, sorry. I thought you were gonna try being a cannibal now, and
needed the moral support. I guess if you don’t, that’s okay too.”
“Wait,” Insipid scratched her head, “Canni-oh! Like, total barf trip,
ewww, no! Booosss, Grayscale’s being totally mean.”
“Great, now you're whining too,” Starlight groaned, “I knew this trip
was going to get on my nerves.”
“Like, nuh-uh, I am totally not whining, boss. I'm complaining. Do you,
like, want to hear whining?”
“No!” Starlight waved her hooves. She coughed, and regained her
composure, “Ahem... no. Very well, I suppose we should be getting some
rest as well. Grayscale!”
She saluted, “Yeah boss?”
“We're making camp here. You have first watch.”
Grayscale shrugged, “I’m honored that I get to stand here motionless
for a few hours before everypony else.”
“Excellent,” Starlight nodded, “Havocwing!”
Havocwing swooped over, “Yeah yeah yeah, ‘get a fire started’, what
else is new.” She began to mutter to herself, “So stupid... taking a break
right now. I ain’t even buckin’ tired.”
Chapter Eleven
Inflammable
One thing was for certain, Twilight thought, and that was that she just
could not settle on a solution for one seemingly simple situation that was
sapping all her sensibility, slowly but surely stripping her of what small
sense of sanity she still sustained. The dilemma was perplexing at best,
confounding at worst. Was Tick Tock a complete and utter imbecile, or the
smartest pony alive? Normally, Twilight was able to discern quite quickly
another unicorn's intellect and aptitude with magicks, but she now admitted
that perhaps the scholarly and academic measurements weren't the
absolute answer. She knew spell modification was possible, but in her
experience it was mostly theories, rarely practice, and rarer still
commonplace. But Tick Tock had, with her usual attitude, guided Twilight
through a process she thought preposterous as if she were going over a
baking recipe. Twilight wasn't particularly awed, just rather put off that
somepony with such a lacking knowledge of fundamental magical forces
could have such a wide understanding of more obscure and specialized
areas. It was like meeting a brilliant arcane physicist who couldn’t do simple
addition. And now, here she was walking along and generating an aura of
powerful magicks that surrounded more than herself; her Personal
Temperate Aura was now more accurately a Party Temperate Aura. It
wasn't perfect, since they were pressed for time and traveling in a larger
group than Tick Tock would have liked, though she meant no offense to
either stallion accompanying them. Tick Tock maintained her own aura in
order to serve as lead and to relieve stress from Twilight, whose spell had
been manifested as a sort of bubble surrounding them. Not a very large
bubble, either, as keeping it too large took a lot of concentration, and she
had to keep it maintained for seemingly three full days, perhaps more if
their progress wasn’t as expedient as Tick Tock assured them it would be.
They were thereby forced to travel rather tightly-knit, in a rather
uncomfortable grouping that left them all in too close of proximity to one
another. And it was hot. Very hot. As Pinkie so bluntly put it, it was like
walking around near, well, an active volcano.
“I don't know which is worse,” Rarity groaned as the party rather
clumsily climbed a small steppe, “The ravaging all this heat is doing to my
beautiful mane, or the smell from the rest of you. Ugh... much too much
pony sweat for such a confined space, and I know some of us,” and she
glanced at Applejack and Rainbow Dash, “Haven't properly bathed once
since we got to this world.”
Applejack rolled her eyes, “Well shoot, Rarity, I know the answer ta
that - neither. What's worse is yer bitchin' 'n' moanin' about it, if'n y'all ‘ll
pardon mah language. Give mah ears a rest, sugarcube.”
“What stinks is that I'm not able to fly normally, not with this much
heat in the air,” Rainbow sighed as she uneasily flexed her wings, “It is way
too hot out there, a lot more than I thought it'd be. And there ain't any room
in this bubble either to really stretch out. I’m getting restless here. We
pegasi need lots of room, and we sure don’t like all this heat.”
“Well what did you expect?” Rarity huffed, “A sauna? If it were, you
would be certain I wouldn't be making any complaints. Heavens, I could
certainly use a trip to a spa when this is all over. I might even have to
spring for the Deluxe treatment! Oh... my poor mane.”
“There she goes again, thinkin’ more ‘bout herself than the rest o’ us,”
Applejack huffed.
“Why Applejack, what a thing to say! Surely you think this is a little
much, hmm? Why I’d bet you’d rather be back on the fields doing... ugh,
manual labor, than this horrid work?”
“Girls, really,” Twilight groaned, “It's enough trouble trying to focus on
keeping this spell steady without you all bickering back there. Can we at
least save the arguments until we hit the first checkpoint? Please?”
“How much longer is it, anyhow?” Rainbow asked, “We’ve been
walking for hours already, and all the heat is making me thirsty. I imagine
the prima donna here is the thirstiest of all of us, what with all the
complaining.”
Rarity narrowed her eyes, “Really, Rainbow Dash? Name-calling?
How uncouth.”
Tick Tock, from several paces ahead, called back, “It's beyond the
next ridge, not much longer. Come on, everypony, we're almost there.”
True enough, the climb wasn't very far, but it wasn't a matter of
distance so much as difficulty at this point. The group had to very
cautiously tread across ground that they would normally have been much
less concerned about. Coordinating climbs over boulders and crags,
crevices and cliffs, winding paths and twisting slopes, all proved to them
like trying to solve some sort of puzzle. Mostly the pegasi had to flutter low
while the earth ponies and unicorns were forced to crowd together, hence
Rarity's grievances. Tick Tock's separation from them in her own private
bubble made her slightly envious. Only slightly, of course, because Tick
Tock was responsible for helping the group cross other areas that alone
would seem only slightly exerting, but in this ball of ponies state were
proving rather impossible. Small chasms, no wider than the one Fluttershy
remembered from Dragon Mountain, became gorges. Such a problem
presented itself to them now, and for a brief moment they all became rather
worried that they’d made a terrible decision coming this way. This was no
matter a hop, skip, and a jump would solve; and looking down, of course,
always made matters worse. Falling miles to one's doom was bad enough.
At least in a long fall they could depend on Rainbow’s speed or even
Twilight’s magic to come to the rescue. Falling a few yards into a slowly
churning river of molten rock was a different kind of scary.
“This sure wasn't on the map,” Applejack frowned.
“No...no it wasn’t. Volcanic regions change their layout on a rather
consistent basis,” Tick Tock admitted glumly, “I have to update my map
every time I come. Most things tend to remain the same or similar, but this
is not a good change. I wonder when it happened? There used to be a very
nice rock bridge here.”
“Can't we just go around?” Rainbow asked.
“Sadly not. Until we hit the second ridge, this is only path in or out...
at least it will be for a few dozen years. When this magma cools, it'll make a
nice little shortcut... not that that helps us right now in the least.”
“Great. Just great. How are we supposed to cross this all at once?
We can't exactly jump it together, we'd risk misstepping and getting all of us
killed!” Rainbow grunted, “Some plan this was. What a waste of time.” She
turned quickly on Twilight, “See, I told you we should’ve just taken the
longer way.”
“Don't look at it so negatively, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said calmly,
“Think of it as a test. If we can solve this problem, we can solve others as
well. We just have to think it out a little, that’s all. We have the time, if this
route is going to save us as much of a trip as Tick Tock says it is. Just keep
calm, focus, and we’ll get through it.”
“Hmph, you would think of it like a test, Twilight,” Rainbow huffed.
“Is this test multiple choice? Or true-and-false?” Pinkie bounced, “Or
maybe it’s like an essay exam? Ooh, I hate those. Writing is so much
harder when you don’t have magic. I remember once I had to do one of
those for school and I was on kind of a sugar high and it ended up as just a
mess of scribbles and lines and I couldn’t even read it the next day! Hrrm...
nah, this looks more like fill-in-the-blank. See ‘cause there’s a big gap in the
middle that should be filled in with something else, and-”
“Not that kind of-” Twilight, exasperated, started, “Wait... say that last
part again?”
“Well, I was until I was interrupted,” Pinkie huffed, “Like I was saying,
there used to be a rock bridge here like Tick Tock said, right? So the
answer would be ‘rock bridge’ and the question would be like, ‘there used
to be a blank here’ and-”
“Before that, Pinkie,’ Twilight groaned.
“Oh, about my essay? Well the topic was about this book we were
reading, um... The Great... Gallopsby? I forget the title. I didn’t really like
the book too much there was a lot of really weird dialogue in it. Pfh, who
calls anyone ‘old sport’, really? I mean-” Twilight narrowed her eyes and
got a very suddenly grumpy look. Pinkie laughed nervously, “Oh, right.
Um... fill-in-the-blank?”
“Yes, thank you,” Twilight nodded. She hummed for a moment, then
brightened up suddenly. “Aha! That’s it! Pinkie Pie, I don’t often say this,
but you are a genius.”
“Well thanks, Twilight, I appreciate it,” Pinkie nodded gratefully, “Why
am I a genius again?”
“Tick Tock,” Twilight said quickly, “You can make this jump, can’t
you?”
“Seriously? It’s barely longer than I am. Foal’s play,” Tick Tock
replied.
“Go ahead and jump on over then.”
Tick Tock raised an eyebrow, “Very well. I suppose you have some
sort of idea...” She reared back and took a running jump over the gap.
Simple as it looked. “Well then, now that I’m over on the other side, care to
tell me what exactly we’re doing?”
“We’re going to ‘fill in the blank’, as Pinkie put it,” Twilight smirked,
“See, the problem here is that we can’t all jump at once in order to stay
under my aura, because that’s risky, as Rainbow Dash pointed out. So,
we’re going to put another bubble on the other side - the ‘blank’ spot - for
ponies on this side to jump into on that side - ‘filling’ it in. So Rarity, I need
you to help Tick Tock power her aura so that it expands outwards enough
to allow other ponies to stand inside it.”
Tick Tock’s smile faded. “Are you serious, Twilight? I don’t have that
kind of-”
“Rarity’s already proven herself able to charge your magic
exceedingly well, despite not having much prior knowledge of it. She’s a
natural! With her help, you were able to almost match my Barrier spell back
in the city, remember?”
Tick Tock fidgeted a little, “Yes, but only just barely, and not for very
long. I-”
“Look,” Twilight huffed, “You don’t need to match my aura, only
extend yours out a little. You can do that enough on your own, and with
Rarity’s help you can hold it long enough for everypony else to jump over. It
can’t be that difficult.”
“I... suppose...”
“Are you sure about this, Twilight?” Rainbow said quickly, “You’re
putting an awful lot of faith in her abilities.”
“And mine as well,” Rarity huffed, “I think I can handle my part of the
plan, if Twilight thinks I can. Have a little confidence, Rainbow Dash.”
“The longer we debate the issue, the less magic we’ll have to work
with,” Twilight said firmly, “Rarity and Tick Tock will likely have to drain an
awful lot of energy to make this work, so the quicker we get everypony
over, the better.”
“I have utmost confidence in Twilight’s idea,” Rarity agreed, “Let’s try
it. It certainly is a better solution than just standing here in all this heat.”
“If y’all ‘re sure ya can handle it...” Applejack gulped.
Rarity settled herself in and channeled her own magic, causing Tick
Tock's horn to glow bright blue. Tick Tock grit her teeth and fueled her own
spell with the additional force granted. Her aura pulsed outward, and soon
enough made a bubble large enough to hold several ponies. She blinked a
few times, surprised that this seemed so easy.
“Fascinating,” she said to herself more than anypony else, “Twilight’s
right, Rarity, I think you're getting better at this. I feel... much stronger than
usual. I can’t imagine what kind of power you could wield, Twilight, if Rarity
were to do this for you.”
“See?” Twilight smirked, “Told you you two could handle it together.
Now then, let's start getting you ponies across. Who wants to go first?
Hmm?”
“Piece of cake,” Rainbow boasted as she stepped forward, “Watch
and learn, ponies.” She snapped her wings open to flex them a bit, ignoring
a flustered sputter from both Rarity and Twilight who got faces full of
feathers before taking a graceful leap over the gap, taking the time to
casually flip around in the air. She instantly regretted taking too long
outside the bubbles, landing quickly and giving a loud wince.
“Ahhhhhhothot hooottt! Sweet Celestia, it’s like I just took a bath in boiling
water!”
“Well we are in the area of a few dozen active volcanoes,” Tick Tock
quipped, “One would think that makes it a tad hotter than usual, hmm?”
“Hey Twi!” Rainbow called over, ignoring Tick Tock, “Any way you
can extend that bubble of yours over a little, so we don’t have to be
exposed mid-jump? I feel like I’ve got a sunburn all over.”
“Right,” Twilight nodded, “Simple enough.” A little concentration later,
and her bubble changed shaped into a more elongated form, allowing it to
cover most of the gap. This forced the others on her side to crowd in a little,
much to Rarity’s displeasure. “Now then, we see that Tick Tock’s shield is
working fine, so who wants to go next?”
“Well shoot, I’ll do it,” Applejack nodded, “Looks easy enough. I've
jumped wider.”
“Careful now,” Twilight said cautiously, “Rainbow Dash is able to fly
across, you’re going to have to jump it, and there’s not much room for a
running start.”
“Shucks, sugarcube, that ain’t no trouble,” Applejack smirked, “These
legs o’ mine ain’t just good fer buckin’ apples, y’know?” She took a small
step backwards, then leapt forward and with a great push from her hind
legs, jumped across the gap. No trouble at all. “See?”
“This looks like fun!” Pinkie bounced, “I always did like the lava levels.
Can I go next? Huh? Can I can I can I?”
“Yes. Fine. Just be careful, Pinkie, this isn’t a-” Twilight began. Pinkie
had tuned her out in order to take a rather exaggerated leap across; she
gasped as Pinkie looked like her jump wasn’t anywhere near good enough
to make it across, “Pinkie!”
Rainbow Dash quickly bolted forward and made to charge out of her
side’s bubble to grab the tumbling earth pony; Pinkie was just barely about
to miss the other edge of the gap. But then to everypony’s surprise, Pinkie
somehow managed to bounce off of the other edge and bound well over
Rainbow’s head, clearing the gap with seemingly more ease than
Applejack had.
“How did... wait, what in the... did you just... how?” Rainbow flustered.
“Pshaw, piece of cake, Dashie. Or piece of Pie rather,” Pinkie
snickered, waving her hoof dismissively, “Tutorial levels are really forgiving
anyway. No trouble at all.”
“I have no words,” Tick Tock shook her head.
“Well... um, right,” Twilight coughed, “Okay then, I suppose we can
help clear some room for Flathoof and Rarity to make their jumps if the
other two pegasi go across. Fluttershy? Mister Lockwood? There’s enough
room now for you two to glide over.”
“Oh dear...” Fluttershy gulped, “D-do I h-have to?”
“Nothing to be afraid of, my dear,” Lockwood smiled earnestly.
“But it’s so... wide,” she shuddered, “I can’t do this.”
“Would... you like me to carry you across, perhaps?” he suggested.
“Oh, I d-don’t want to trouble-” she began to say. Just then, Rarity
shot her a very quick look, and Fluttershy gulped again, “W-well, I suppose
if... you want to.” Fluttershy awkwardly got onto his back and held on tight.
“Um... this is a little... awkward. I don’t usually take rides from anypony...”
“No trouble, just keep a loose grip and mind your legs,” Lockwood
huffed. The sudden addition of weight was noticeable enough, but he didn’t
seem too bothered by it as he spread his wings and pushed off one side of
the gap, and glided over towards the other. Carefully, he said behind him to
his passenger, “Just remember, don’t look down, okay?”
“D-down?” she peeped, unable to resist the temptation. The sight of
her and Lockwood slowly gliding over a river of deadly magma was enough
to make her squeak loudly and tighten her grip, enough that Lockwood had
to suppress a wheeze. When they landed safely on the other end, she
didn’t let go right away and it took some effort for Lockwood to make her
sudden choke hold on him apparent.
“M-miss Fluttershy,” he breathed, “Ah... if you could... loosen up a
tad-”
“Oh!” she realized in a fluster, releasing herself, “Oh d-dear, I’m sorry!
I just... um... got a little frightened and... oh no I hope I didn’t hurt you. Are
you okay?”
“I’m all right,” he said as he tugged at his collar, “A dainty thing like
you choking me to death would probably be the best thing to happen to me
out here.”
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, “Smooth.”
“Ahem!” Twilight called from the other side, “One more jumper,
everypony. Flathoof, I do believe it is your turn.”
“Right,” he nodded. He took a few steps back, and leapt across.
Flathoof inwardly brushed off the fact that he’d noticed Applejack had
cleared more distance than he had, with less of a start. He hoped nopony
else had noticed.
“Well now, that was all easy enough,” Tick Tock called over, “Just two
more.”
“Rainbow Dash,” Twilight called back, “You’re going to have to carry
Rarity across the gap. She can’t keep your side’s shield up while focusing
on making the jump. At least, I’d rather not risk it.”
“Piece of cake,” Rainbow smirked, gliding over in a flash, “Ready for
a ride there, O Delicate One?”
“Hmph,” Rarity huffed, “Just try not to get your filthy hooves all over
me. It’s bad enough I have to clean up all this mess I’m already in, without
you-”
“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’,” Rainbow interrupted, grabbing Rarity by the
sides and gliding back over.
“Rainbow Dash, you ruffian! I didn’t say I was ready!” Rarity snapped.
“And that just leaves me,” Twilight nodded, “One teleport spell,
coming up.” A brief amount of concentration caused Twilight’s projected
aura to shrink drastically, enough just to cover herself, but she knew she
didn’t need it right now. With a bright flash and a small popping sound,
Twilight was suddenly gone from one side of the gap, and then suddenly on
the other side in the midst of her companions. One deep breath later, and
she re-projected her own aura, allowing Rarity and Tick Tock to relax their
own.
With one obstacle behind them, the group continued forward towards
the top of the next ridge. They avoided the perilous pitfalls, shaky slopes,
and dangerous drops that barred their way, keeping calm and collected
despite the heat and the continued challenges presented by the steep
climb. Eventually, the top of the ridge was in sight, and at last they had a
chance to relax. Thankfully, Twilight's aura was a low-power spell, even
when it was, as Pinkie put it, "supercharged"; with a little help from Rarity,
who found the ease at which she could benefit the magic of other unicorns
to be a gift that kept on giving, Twilight was able to greatly extend the size
and effect of the bubble, letting all sit in relative comfort. And, thanks to
Tick Tock's map, the spot they'd chosen for their first rest stop was able to
provide them with something they all sorely needed - real food.
Alongside a slowly flowing river of deeply cooled magma, more black
than orange or red, sat a series of bushes loaded up with tons of little
berries that, apart from the three Pandemonium natives, nopony had seen
the likes of before. They eyed them with caution and concern, because to
be fair they didn’t appear very palatable. Red and black with orange veins
that pulsed and churned like the lava beside them, these berries didn’t just
look inedible, they looked downright deadly.
“So these are Magmaberries, huh?” Applejack mused as she
examined a bush. Unlike the berry trees and bushes she was accustomed
to, this one was completely devoid of leaves and almost entirely covered
with the berries. She was fascinated just at the prospect of such a thing;
the farmer in her could not resist the urge to figure out how this crop grew,
and how it worked. She wondered if this same kind of crop concept could
be applied to apple trees, allowing for a richer crop without all the hassle of
leaves and twigs to clean up. Then again, she was still a mite hesitant to
agree that these berries were anything but unsafe to eat. She knew enough
from survival training how to spot the difference between poisonous berries
and edible ones, but these just perplexed her.
“Eeyup,” Flathoof smiled. Applejack inwardly flinched at the word, but
brushed off the feeling. “From what Bundtcake said, this crop isn't even the
best. Those grow closer to the volcano tops. Let's see... what did she say
was the way you could tell the quality? Ahhh... oh! The color, that's right.”
He casually handled one of the berries in his hoof, showing it off to
Applejack, “See, the better quality ones are bright orange-red. These are
more of a red-black. She said that the closer the berry looked to hot lava,
the spicier, sweeter, and more nutritious it was.”
“I never pegged you for a berry expert, sugar,” Applejack smirked.
"Ah, I'm really not... though I always envied Bundtcake for knowing so
much about growing them. I was kind of hoping your farm knowledge would
be able to help me learn more."
“Well, without having much experience with 'em... I can't really
answer much. I ain't never seen berries like this before. How do these
things grow in these conditions?” she asked, “Nopony tends to 'em, right? I
can't imagine that'd be safe, 'less y'all were a unicorn.”
“I don't rightly know,” he shook his head, “But you did guess the
important bit - Bundtcake is a unicorn. And after all this, I see the trouble
she must go through to harvest these.”
“They're magical,” Tick Tock interjected, “The whole of the northern
continent is filled with latent Chaotic magicks,” and she shot a look at
Twilight, who ignored it, “It makes for some rather strange phenomena. As
for the details on these berries, that's not my cup o' tea. I just like to snack
on them.”
“Magic, huh? Shoot, that ain't nothin' I ain't familiar with. We got
magical fruits 'n' the like back home, too. Zap apples, drake figs, lovers'
fruit, things like that. All very unique fruits that only grow and 're ripe in just
the right conditions. Most o' them come originally from the Everfree
Forest... which ta be frank, sounds an awful lot like this whole, uh, 'Chaotic
magic' thing y'all keep talkin' 'bout.” She ignored Twilight's grumbling. “I'm
sure wit' a lil' time I could figure 'em out. Granny Smith didn't raise no fool.”
“Enough talk!” Pinkie pleaded, shoving her way over to the bush and
wedging herself between Applejack and Flathoof, “It's lunch time! I'm so
hungry, I could eat a... well, a very big thing!”
“W-wait!” Flathoof yelped as Pinkie grabbed a hoof-full and shoved
them in her mouth. Pinkie chewed and chomped and scarfed down the
whole mouthful, and he winced as she swallowed it. To his surprise, she
didn't react at all the way he was expecting.
“Oh. My. Celestia. Applejack!” And she grabbed the sides of the
orange pony's face. “Tell me there's some way you can grow these at
home! This is the best food in the universe! Oh boy, I can't wait to put these
in pies and cakes and punch and fizzy drinks and-”
“We get the idea,” Rainbow interrupted, putting a hoof over Pinkie's
ever-moving mouth.
“Uh... I'll try? Applejack said as she squirmed out of Pinkie's grip, “I
s'pose I could collect some seeds, give it a go when we get back. Won't
hurt ta give it a shot.”
“You ate half a dozen... all at once. How...” Flathoof said flatly,
“You're not supposed to eat more than one at a time without a break in
between. They're too spicy!”
Pinkie grabbed Flathoof's hoof and enthusiastically shook it, “Hi
there! My name's Pinkie Pie, and I love spicy stuff! I also love sweets, and
bite-sized snacks, so Magmaberries, which are all three, are the best food
ever! I also love parties and singing and making ponies laugh and balloons,
but that's all beside the point."
“Liking spicy food is one thing,” Flathoof shook his head, “This is
something totally different. How could you possibly build up that kind of
tolerance?”
“She puts hot sauce on everything,” Applejack explained, “Even ice
cream.”
“That's it? You... never cease to amaze and perplex me, Pinkie Pie,”
Flathoof sighed, “Most ponies can't stomach 'em, and you just made it look
easy.”
“Well y'all did say I'd like 'em,” Applejack shrugged, grabbing one for
herself.
She casually slipped into her mouth and bit into it. For a brief second,
she felt the urge to spit it out; the spice was overwhelming, like she'd bit
into a hot coal. Then, the sweet flavor rushed in and replaced the heat.
Applejack had tasted super sweet treats before; Zap Apples in particular
were known for their sweetness. But these tiny berries were packed with
the stuff, enough to make the fur on her neck stand on end.
“You okay there?” Flathoof smirked at her silence.
She turned a little red, embarrassed to be caught looking like she
couldn't handle it, and quickly swallowed her mouthful. “Hoo-whee! These
things got some kick, I tell ya.”
“Told you,” Flathoof smirked, chomping one down himself, “These
mild ones are good for starters. I hope our trail takes us near some of the
better crops. I bet Pinkie Pie won't be so gung-ho about shoveling them
down then, heh.”
“Okay, okay, move aside,” Rainbow commanded, pushing her way to
the front, “You guys aren't the only ones who're hungry, y'know.” She
grabbed one and popped into her mouth, chewing and swallowing quickly.
A few seconds later, her face flushed and she grabbed for a packet of
Dolor Blue “Hot! Bucking hell, it's like I just ate fire! Who eats this stuff?”
She started chugging down the packet, finding the unpleasant toothpaste
taste a fresh change from her tongue being on fire.
“Aww, buck up, Dashie,” Pinkie snickered as she chowed down on
another few, “They're not that spicy. Certainly not as spicy as a rainbow.
See, these have flavor. Plenty of bite to it, maybe a little aggressive, but
that's what gives it its charm.”
“Says the pony with the iron stomach,” Dash rolled her eyes, taking
another swig of unpleasant but soothing liquid, "I don't even know what any
of those words mean in context of food, Pinks."
Rarity chuckled as she hovered a berry over to herself, “They're
flavor descriptors, my dear. Usually for wines, mind you, but fruits and
berries are used to make wine so I suppose it might apply here. I never
knew you were a sommilier, Pinkie.”
“Goes with the territory,” Pinkie shrugged, “You never asked.”
Berries were soon enough passed around to the rest of the group.
The general consensus was that Magmaberries were really, really spicy,
but really sweet and tasty once you got past the initial kick. Rarity found
their flavor to be quite delightful, and privately hoped as much as Pinkie Pie
that Applejack could make them grow properly back at home; the
ramifications of making wine from such a delicacy made her a tad giddy,
and with Pinkie's out-of-nowhere knowledge on the subject she felt certain
there was a lot of enjoyment to be had. To the group's collective
amusement, Twilight proved once again to be utterly intolerant of spicy
foods, and was left a sputtering mess for most of their rest hour.
“Twilight, when will you learn?” Rainbow chuckled, having acquired a
better taste for the berries herself. She was still taking swigs from the little
packets of Dolor Blue, but much less often and with much less ferocity.
“Isth not mah fauht,” Twilight mumbled as she choked down a third
serving of bland blue liquid, “Pinkie thed dey were sthweet. I didid thin dey
would be dad hod.”
"Even after we all told you?" Tick Tock rolled her eyes, "Sometimes I
wonder about you, Sparkle."
“If the spice is giving you that much trouble, here,” Flathoof
interjected, offering Twilight what looked like one of the branches from the
bush. It was slightly burnt-looking, and quite thin, with a bright green
interior.
“Whas dis?” Twilight slurred as she accepted it.
“Bundtcake told me that the Magmaberry branches are like little
straws: you can suck on them and get to the tasty juices inside. The juice in
them is a little waxy in texture, but they're instantly soothing for the spice,
and it doesn't taste half bad. Here, like this.”
He chomped down on one end of the twig and suckled on it a bit to
demonstrate. Twilight followed suit, and her ears perked up as the rush of a
thick, sweet liquid washed over her tongue and, as advertised, took all the
unpleasant sting of spice with it. “Oh wow, that's incredible! Magical foods
never cease to amaze me. To think these wild berries are so spicy, their
branches have the method for counteracting it. It's like they want to be
eaten."
“Hey, how come you never told us about that little trick?” Rainbow
Dash mockingly accused.
“Truth be told, you're not really supposed to use too much of it, or you
might become dependent on it. Only ponies who can't handle the heat,
period, should be using it. Hence, Twilight's dilemma,” Flathoof explained,
“The branches only carry so much, and if everypony here were using it,
we'd run out of that before we ran out of berries.”
“Ah, the good ol' 'cookie-to-milk ratio', albeit with different variables,”
Pinkie nodded sagely, “Truly the second-greatest conundrum of our time,
just ahead of 'why are we here?' but behind 'shoot, where'd I leave my
house keys?'.”
“Well hopefully Applejack figures out a way to improve upon that,”
Twilight smirked, “I'd hate to miss out on these treats because I can't
handle the spice. Any ideas, Applejack?”
Applejack barely heard her. She was more focused on Flathoof, with
a magmaberry twig in his mouth. She couldn't explain why, but a heavy
feeling in her stomach made her think the sight was familiar, a mite too
familiar, and she didn't like that one bit. She couldn't put a hoof on it, and
that actually made her more worried.
“Applejack?” Twilight prodded again.
“Huh? Oh!” Applejack flustered, “Right. Um... well ta be frank, I'd
have ta spend a few harvests tryin' ta figure out their growth cycle 'fore I
started worryin' 'bout specializin' 'em. Heck, I ain't too sure on how spicy
they'd even be, seein' as there're different kinds. 'Til then, a good glass o'
ice cold milk should do the trick.”
It was good, being able to relax for a while, but their rest period soon
came to an end. They packed up, filling the empty spaces in their bags with
more berries; Applejack even bagged some of the seeds, hoping they'd
survive the trip. They continued back along their path, and barring a few
minor difficulties, it wasn't long before they reached the top of the last ridge
and stood under the massive crater of the first actual volcano in their path.
Tick Tock had to explain at great length to Twilight and Applejack the night
before that avoiding the volcanoes altogether was impossible; the only
route that would allow it was so roundabout that it would take triple the time
to traverse, had fewer flat areas where they could rest, and was riddled
with unstable areas that defeated the purpose of skipping the volcanoes at
all.
The closer they got to the top, the hotter it got, to the point that Rarity
had to assist Twilight to keep their bubble at a comfortable temperature.
Twilight protested at first, claiming she could handle it herself, but Rarity
indisted; she was willing to sacrifice some of her magic if it meant not
walking around dripping more sweat. What was worse, the only way past
the volcano was through it, via a large crack along the side that led further
in. As the others fussed about the heat, Tick Tock busied herself with her
magic. Her light blue aura sheathed a small strip of magma that dribbled
along the rock face.
Twilight, curious, asked, “What are you doing? Is that a... Scan spell?
It looks similar, though I can't really tell what you're scanning for.”
“Yes, it is, and what I'm doing with it is simple enough,” Tick Tock
said without taking her attention away, “I'm taking measurements.”
“Measurements of...?”
Tick Tock let out a breath, “Geothermal readings. Volcanic activity is
dangerous, and in this region is chaotic and unpredictable, to a degree.
While I can't be one-hundred percent certain, I can at least have an idea of
how likely a volcanic event is.”
“Great, now we have that to worry about, too,” Rainbow grumbled,
"Knew this was a bad idea."
“Unfortunately, without my Time-Keeper, I'm forced to rely on more...
elementary readings, nothing too precise. Still, I'd like to have some sort of
idea of what to expect, rather than just waltzing in like a bloody idiot.”
“And? What did you find out?” Twilight asked. She was curious as to
Tick Tock's methodology; Scan spells usually were used for medical
procedures and construction projects, so seeing one used for geology was
fascinating.
“If I'm interpreting the data correctly, I'd say there's a... fifty percent
chance of minor activity.”
“Fifty percent?!” exclaimed the entire group.
“Give or take twenty. Like I said, my readings might be a little
inaccurate. Margin of error and all that rubbish.”
“You've gotta be kidding,” Rainbow spat, “What are we standing
around here for?! This thing could pop its top any second!”
"You're telling me you basically just walked us up to a death trap?"
Flathoof said, pointing an accusing hoof, "Remind me again what part of
'safe' you didn't understand? Because this doesn't sound safe at all."
"Oh d-dear," Fluttershy whimpered, "M-maybe I shouldn't have been
so assertive..."
"Don't blame yourself, my dear," Lockwood said softly, "It's not your
fault Tick Tick failed to inform us of this kind of danger. Really now, we
should all be more concerned with getting out of here."
"Enough yammering, let's move!" Rainbow huffed.
“Everypony calm down, this is nothing to fret over,” Tick Tock said,
waving a hoof dismissively, “Minor activity does not include eruptions.
Minor activity would account for overflow, drainage, temperature
anomalies, etc. Par for the course. Eruptions are a major event.”
“That still doesn't make me feel any better,” Twilight said, “It's still an
awful risk of... well, all that other stuff. Isn't there any way to get around
this? If I'd known we were going to go through this much trouble, I'd have
reconsidered."
“Trust me, Sparkle, those things are of little concern. The passage is
short, we just need to make good time through and there won't be any
trouble.”
“So stupid,” muttered Rainbow, “Risking being inside the thing if it
blows. I swear, if we all die, I am so going to say 'told ya so'.”
"Rainbow Dash, please," Rarity chided, "You're not helping matters
any, and you're frightening poor Fluttershy."
“A major event,” Tick Tock said, shooting Rainbow a look, “Is even
easier to predict. By my calculations, there's less than a three percent
chance of an eruption, with a three percent margin of error. In my
experience, that means we’re fine.”
“That's still a three percent chance we all get killed,” Rainbow stated,
ignoring another whimper from Fluttershy, “Call me crazy, but I don't like
the sound of those odds one bit.”
“We really don't have a choice,” Tick Tock sighed, “The alternate
route is longer and no less dangerous, but those dangers are guaranteed,
not just probable. Call me crazy, but I'd rather risk a chance than chance a
certainty.”
“And the more time y'all spend arguin', the more likely we all are ta
take a bigger risk,” Applejack said, stamping a hoof, “So if y'all don't mind,
can we just get a-movin'?”
“Well said, Applejack,” nodded Tick Tock, “Trust me, this won't be
any problem at all. I've done this dozens of times, almost no incidents
whatsoever, and we have a much more varied and capable group than you
give credit for. We'll be fine.”
The party warily moved forward through a large crack in the side of
the volcano wall, wide enough for two ponies to comfortably go in side by
side, but not quite enough for three. If it was hot before outside, it was even
more so inside, enough that Rarity gladly helped Twilight maintain her spell
at a more appropriate level, without any protest. Tick Tock again took point,
explaining that because of volcanic activity, the volcano interior shifted
often and was never the same on subsequent visits. When the inside
cooled, it often left paths that could conveniently be traversed, though how
wide and stable they were was tenuous at best.
“You have to tread lightly,” she cautioned, demonstratably walking
over the rocky bridge, “Some sections might be weak until another lava
flow reinforces them. One wrong step and-”
*CRACK*
As Tick Tock set her hoof to the ground, it crumbled beneath her. She
tripped, and nearly fell into the gaping hole her misstep had left were not for
quick action of Rainbow Dash, who now held a dangling unicorn by her rear
hooves over a large drop into the volcanic center. Rainbow furiously beat
her wings to keep cool - the rush forward had taken her out of Twilight’s
aura long enough to expose her to the furious heat of the volcanic interior
for a brief second.
“Hang on, I gotcha,” Rainbow assured as she pulled her up. "Phew!"
she exclaimed as she looked back at her wings. The tips of some of the
feathers were singed, but luckily no permanent harm had been done.
Tick Tock, visibly shaken, lay flat on the more stable ground. “By the
stars... th-thanks, Rainbow Dash. You're the last pony I expected to rush to
my rescue. Nearly bought the ruddy farm, I did.”
“Yeah well, I need somepony to yell at. Y'know, if you wanted to
prove that we should watch our step, there were easier ways to do it,”
Rainbow chided, “And without cookin' my feathers, either. You alright?”
“I've been better. But yes... uh, ahem. Now you all see... that we just
need to tread lightly, and everything will be-”
*hic*
Tick Tock raised her ears at the sudden noise, “The bloody hell was
that?”
Pinkie Pie raised a hoof, and delivered another hiccup, “Sorry *hic*
but my Pink- *hic* Pink- *hic* Pinkie Sense *hic* is acting up *hic* again.
*hic* “
“Oh dear, what lucky coincidence is it this time?” Tick Tock rolled her
eyes.
“Hiccups... hiccups...” Twilight pondered aloud, “That's new to me. At
least it's not a 'doozy' though. That's what I'd be worried about.”
“I think it's *hic* worse than *hic* that, Twi-*hic* Twi-*hic* Twilight.”
“It is?” Rainbow asked, “I've never seen this one before either. Worse
than a doozy? Really?”
“Hic-*hic* hic-*hic* hiccups is for *hic* ear-*hic* ear-*hic* ear-*hic*-”
“Will somepony get her a glass of water? This is ridiculous. And it's
wasting time!” Tick Tock cried, exacerbated.
“Ear-*hic* ear-*hic* earth-*hic* earthquake!”
“See? She got it out,” Twilight nodded with a grin. Her smile drooped
quickly, “Wait, what?”
“Earthquake!” Pinkie yelped grabbing onto the sides if Twilight's face,
“We've gotta get out of here!”
“Okay everypony, don't panic,” Twilight quickly said to the rest,
“We've gotta move quickly, and carefully. No sense in causing trouble
getting out of trouble.”
“Oh please,” Tick Tock scoffed, “Are we really going through this
again?”
“Just because you doubt it,” Rainbow snapped, “Doesn't mean the
rest of us do. Haven't you seen enough to convince you? Even Twilight’s
come around, and she used to be the biggest doubter of all.”
“Coincidences, nothing more,” Tick Tock said flatly, “I’ve seen enough
real magic in my lifetime to make me fairly certain that these sort of...
premonitions are a bunch of bunk, no matter how contrived they may be.”
“Of all the-”
“We can argue later,” Twilight interrupted, “For now, we need to
move. Go. Go!”
“Fine, fine, but don't get sloppy just because you're in such a bloody
hurry,” Tick Tock sighed, “I still don’t see what all the fuss is. Earthquakes
aren’t just spur of the moment. If there were a quake, we would've felt a
tremor by-” She was interrupted by a fierce rumble that made the entire
volcano shake. “Why do I keep getting bleedin’ interrupted?!”
“Minor activity, huh?!” Rainbow spat.
Twilight shouted, “Move!”
Her horn shimmered brightly, bathing the group in a much larger aura
as they ran, letting them keep a fast pace without worry of separation. It
also served to protect them, as tumbling rocks and dirt fell around them.
The other end of the rocky path loomed ahead, a sliver of light their beacon
of hope for escape. A loud crack behind them signaled that the path was
crumbling in their wake; Twilight, who was taking up the rear, chanced a
glance behind and saw the thick cracks chasing them. The light got closer.
The cracks gave way to tumbling rock, revealing the hot glow of magma
below them. They could almost see outside again. The crackling earth
raced ahead, and Twilight nearly tripped as a long strip of rock beneath her
shattered. Applejack, who had taken the lead, could feel the ground
beneath her own hooves began to come apart; a yell behind her - the
ground had given way and was breaking away in full. With a strong push,
she jumped for the crumbling edge of the path. If she could make it, she
hoped, her friends could grab on to her and she'd help pull them up.
She fell terribly short.
Chapter Twelve
Infected
“This is so stupid,” Rainbow Dash groaned, “Yeah, let's go through
the big ol' active volcano. Brilliant idea. And now look at the mess we're in.”
Rainbow's face was scrunched up against the wall of a bubble of
magic. She, and all the others, were tightly wrapped in the field of energy
being maintained by the three unicorns, using the combination of a Barrier
and the Temperate Aura to protect them from the heat of the giant pool of
lava they floated around in, and of course the lava itself. The bubble was
forcibly small to conserve magic, and the strained look on the faces of
Twilight Sparkle, Tick Tock, and Rarity was a dismal sign that they could
not keep even this up forever.
“'Mess' is puttin' it mildly, sugarcube,” Applejack muttered, “And
whoever that is back there better watch where they're puttin' them hooves!
Don't think I don't feel ya.”
“Speak for yourself, Applejack,” Rarity huffed, “Pinkie Pie, your
derriere is right in my face. Kindly move.”
Pinkie teased, “Don't act like you don't like it. Hey Dashie, this
reminds me of that time we invited Bon-Bon and Lyra over, only there's
more hot lava and less hot fudge and whipped-”
“Uh... yeah, that’s right. Of course I remember the dessert party,
Pinkie,” Rainbow said quickly, “You made Bon-Bon’s favorite chocolate
sundae cake for her birthday. Yup. Nothing weird about that.”
Pinkie blinked a few times, then snorted a giggle, “You’re getting back
to your old self, Dashie. The last few days you’ve been really defensive
about this stuff. I thought for sure you’d be mad if I started talking about
that party, but I just couldn’t help myself. I mean, the way we’re all in this
little pile of ponies, so close to one another’s-”
“Oh right! Ha ha! Heartstrings wanted to play Twister,” Rainbow
added, “Yeah, that was a fun day. Eh heh... boy, it sure is hot in here
though, ain’t it Twi?”
“Yes... well, if we can ignore the mild discomfort and all the
distractions for a moment,” Twilight grumbled, “We need to think of a way
out of this. Anypony have any ideas?”
“It's not easy to think given the circumstances,” Lockwood said,
closing his eyes in content, “Mmmm... I know that most stallions would
dream of this kind of-”
“Not helping,” Flathoof chided, “Also, that’s my flank I think you’re
touching.”
Lockwood coughed and very handily tried to move his hoof away
from wherever it was. “Oh! Um... that would explain a lot. You working out
there, buddy?”
“Awww, you guys are cute,” Rainbow snickered.
“Our only chance out of here,” Tick Tock pointed with exasperation,
“Is up there - the top. As for getting up there... well I'm fresh out of ideas.
We'd need some sort of bloody miracle.”
“You know what's worse than all this stuffiness and heat?” Pinkie
groaned, “I'm getting sea-sick... er, lava-sick. ♫Don’t rock the bubble, don’t
knock the bubble over, don’t rock the... hurk... okay... bad idea. No more
singing from me...”
“Pinkie I swear, if you lose it all over the inside of this bubble...”
Twilight warned.
The little magic bubble bobbed and bounced through the churning
magma like a tiny boat at sea. The earthquake still rumbled off and on,
causing the lava to sink and rise and shift like a rough and stormy ocean of
oranges, reds, and yellows. Tick Tock observed with scrutiny, and her face
brightened at a sudden realization.
“My word,” she stated, “Rainbow Dash, it would seem your worries
were accurate - the volcano is definitely ready to erupt, and soon. Very
soon.”
“Great. Wonderful. Any more bad news?” Rainbow sighed,
“Sometimes I hate being right, y’know? This whole thing is straight out of
Daring Do and the Mystery of the Dragon's Eye.”
“On the contrary, this is quite a boon,” Tick Tock smirked, a certain
pep in her voice, “If we put enough force into our little shield, the eruption
would literally fire us out of the top, like a cannon.”
“Cool! Like a little pony-fueled and pony-filled cannonball! Ooh, that
gives me great idea for my next party,” Pinkie blurted happily.
Rainbow raised an eyebrow, “You're kidding. That'd work? Seems
awful... uh... contrived? Is that the word I’m looking for, Twi?”
“Yes, that would be appropriate,” Twilight agreed.
“Sure sounds like a long shot,” Applejack said, “But what choice do
we have? We’ll all be safe, right? No chance at us... y’know... gettin’ blown
ta bits or nothing’, right?”
“Not if we have enough power in the barrier, no,” Tick Tock shifted, “I
think we have more than enough force to handle it. Lucky for us, Twilight’s
got plenty of juice left, and with Rarity and I assisting her, there shouldn’t
be any issue. We might need a little extra ‘oomph’ though.”
“How much longer until the eruption?” Twilight asked, “And exactly
how much more power would the shield need to handle it?”
“Judging by the level of fluctuations... maybe ten to fifteen minutes.
And we wouldn't need much more power than this... hopefully. This is a
small volcano; it shouldn’t have enough force to break this barrier, even if
there was a pressure build up.”
“Guess we just hope for the best, then,” Flathoof sighed, “I hate
leaving things like this to chance.”
“Well, it could be worse,” Lockwood chuckled.
“I fail to see how it could be worse,” Rainbow rolled her eyes.
“It could be raining,” Lockwood smirked. Everypony loudly groaned,
minus one.
“Ha ha! Good one!” Pinkie Pie snorted.
Minutes passed, and the lava steadily began to rise and churn at a
faster rate. Tick Tock excitedly looked on, visibly doing calculations in her
head and frantically looking about the crater.
“Right! Here we go,” Tick Tock announced, “Twilight, Rarity - time to
crank up the juice. Ready? One... two...”
*****
*****
*****
“Ugh, another day completely wasted,” grumbled Havocwing, “I'm so
bored! Are we almost there, boss? Killing worthless bugs and shuffling
through the desert with nothing challenging to fight is driving me nuts.”
“For the thirtieth time, Havoc, yes, we're nearly there,” sighed
Starlight Shadow, “The checkpoint is-”
She suddenly stopped in her tracks, snapping her head to look west.
A fierce white glow from her eyes made everypony else step back a tad in
a mix of fear and wonder.
“Whoa... uh, boss? You okay?” Havocwing asked.
“Ooh ooh! I know that look!” Red Velvet bounced with excitement, “I
get that look when I smell blood. Oh boy oh boy oh boy! Do ya smell blood
boss? Huh? Do ya do ya do ya? I could really go for some right now. Some
toasted pegasus wings with a stuffed unicorn horn, dripping with blood
gravy. Aww... now I’m hungry again.”
“Idiot, she’s not a blood-starved maniac like you,” Havocwing
sneered.
“Twilight Sparkle...” Starlight seethed.
Havocwing raised an eyebrow, and shrugged in Curaçao's direction.
Curaçao stepped forward, “Ma capitaine, is zere une problème? What
about Twilight Sparkle?”
“To the west. The Redblade Mountains. I can feel... an intense magic.
Powerful. Nopony could possibly exert that much magic... except for
myself, and possibly her. They must have gone that direction after all.
Havocwing was right...”
“Ha! In your face, loser!” Havocwing taunted, prodding Curaçao in the
side, “How does it feel to be bucking wrong, huh?”
Curaçao flicked her mane, “Mais oui, you were right, little 'avocwing.
You must be so proud.”
“Aww...” Insipid frowned as she pawed at Curaçao’s tail, “Curie,
you’re not a loser. Don’t let that dumb meanie get you down. You’re, like,
tres awesome.”
Curaçao rolled her eyes, “Merci, Insipid, zat means so much coming
from you.” Insipid gave a giddy squeal in reply. “Ma capitaine, does zis
mean zat zey ‘ave given us zee slip? Papa will not be pleased... and zat is
tres mal.”
“No... they are definitely in that direction,” Starlight said with a firm
glare, “But they are not out of our reach. Strange... I sense that the magic is
traveling south, and traveling extremely fast. Strange...”
“So I guess we’re going in that direction then?” Grayscale Force
yawned with purposeful over-enthusiasm, “Whatever you want to do boss, I
guess.”
“We move southwest,” Starlight ordered, “Quickly!”
*****
*****
*****
The little ball of pony-filled magic screamed through the sky.
“Wheeeeee! Hee hee, this is great you guys! Feel that wind in your
faces!” Pinkie yelled over the sounds of the others' less enthusiastic
screaming.
“Well, at least we don't need that temperature spell to keep us cool
anymore!” Twilight said pointedly.
“Anypony else see that?!” Rainbow said, pointing a hoof towards the
sky, “The sky... is it getting bigger?!”
“It's not the sky!” Tick Tock explained, “It's the veil from the Beacon!
In the northern hemisphere you can't see the sky unless you go through it,
which we're about to do!”
The bubble crashed through clouds of thick black smoke, then the
orange and red layers of churning magic above. When they cleared that,
they could see the sky above them.
It was nighttime.
“Oooooh,” everypony but Tick Tock mouthed in awe.
A moment passed, and the bubble began to tumble downwards, back
through the layers of magic. They did not pass through any smoke this time
through, allowing a very clear look at the arid Wasteland for miles around;
they could even still catch a glimpse of the massive wall surrounding New
Pandemonium City from this height. Twilight’s eyes widened as she caught
sight of the ground far, far below them approaching at a dangerously fast
rate.
“Oh, not good! We’re coming in too fast!” she yelped.
“What’s the big deal?! This thing can take it!” Rainbow pointed out.
“Yeah, the bubble might survive the drop, but think of it like dropping
a box of eggs! If we hit the ground, the bubble might be fine, but we won’t!”
“I don’t wanna be eggs, though! I mean, I like eggs because we use
them in cakes and stuff but that doesn’t mean I wanna be an egg!” Pinkie
babbled.
“Aw, horseapples...” Rainbow muttered to herself, “Okay, I’ve got a
plan! I’ll push the bubble from the other side! That should slow it down,
right?!”
“Can ya do it by yerself?!” Applejack asked.
“Fluttershy and Lockwood can help!” Twilight shouted.
“Normally I wouldn’t risk it, but right now every little bit makes a
difference!” Rainbow agreed. She pushed against the side of the bubble to
try to get out, but found it still as solid as before. “How do we get out of this
thing?!”
“Just think about being on the other side with all your might! You’ll
pass right through it!”
Rainbow nodded in understanding and closed her eyes, then pushed
against the edge of the bubble. She found herself fall through the magical
field that formed it, and briefly bounced against the slick opposite side
which was still very much completely solid. Fluttershy and Lockwood
followed suit and flanked her at the sides, swooping quickly down to catch
up to the underside of the bubble.
“Well that worked!” Rainbow smiled, “C’mon you guys, time to push!
Ready... set... push!”
All three placed their hooves on the outside of the bubble, their backs
to the rapidly approaching ground below, and began to furiously flap their
wings in flight. Lockwood’s hat flew off his head and tumbled away into the
distance, much to his temporary disdain. The ground began to get closer,
but at a much slower rate, and soon enough the descent of the magical
bubble slowed to a crawl, just in time for Rainbow to see that they were
mere yards away. They placed the bubble carefully on the ground, and
Twilight, Rarity, and Tick Tock at last relaxed their magic, sending the
group of ponies inside tumbling about as they fell from the pile.
“Phew!” Applejack huffed, “That sure was a close call. Good thinkin’,
Dash.”
“Yeah well, I’m not Equestria’s top flier for nothin’ y’know. Anything
airborne, and I’m an expert on it,” Rainbow boasted as she trotted over and
began helping the others up, starting with Pinkie Pie.
“Way to go Dashie!” Pinkie cheered as she crushed the pegasus in a
hug, “You sure got us out of a jam. Mmmm... jam. Hey, I’m hungry.
Anypony got any of those yummy berries to eat? Or eggs?” Rainbow raised
an eyebrow in confusion. ”What? I don’t know, I’m just in the mood for eggs
all of a sudden. Or chocolate lava cake.” Rainbow narrowed her eyes in
disbelief and just sighed, patting Pinkie on the back.
“Aw horseapples...” Lockwood groaned as he patted his head, “That
was my last good fedora.”
“That’s not too much of a problem, given the circumstances,” Rarity
smiled, “It looked tacky on you anyway.” Lockwood made a visible frown,
which made Rarity chuckle, “Oh don’t fret, darling. You look much more
charming without it. I’m sure somepony,” making a very quick glance aside
to Fluttershy and back, “Would rather you showed off that well-groomed
mane of yours, hmm?”
Lockwood blinked, “My mane? It’s nothing special.”
“Au contraire! Fluttershy, darling, don’t you you think Mister
Lockwood does just a marvelous job at grooming his mane?”
Fluttershy blushed and hid behind her bangs, “Oh... um, yes? It’s...
nice.”
The group took a chance to take a very much needed break, relaxing
at last after what was easily the most harrowing adventure any of them had
ever had to go through. Tick Tock, the only pony present who did not take
advantage of the break time, hastily took out her map and began to
scrutinize it with vigor. Twilight noticed she looked rather troubled, and
trotted over.
“Hmmm...” Tick Tock hummed with worry, “Oh... this is not good.”
“Now what’s the matter?” Twilight inquired, “I’ll be honest, having all
these troubles come one after the other is getting rather tiring.”
“Well everypony, I’ve got some good news and some bad news,” she
announced, “Good news is, we all survived that little adventure.”
“Yeah, we all survived that death trap you led us into,” Rainbow
started, “Boy, I am sure am glad we listened to you about-”
Tick Tock cut her off, “More good news is that we managed to land
far enough south that we technically made some fantastic time.”
“Oh, well that’s good,” Twilight smiled, “Wait, ‘technically’?”
“The bad news is we landed too far east, on the wrong side of the
Redblade Mountains,” Tick Tock sighed, “In other words, it’s as if we
basically just wasted our time taking that route.”
“Fantastic. Great,” Flathoof spat, “Well, that’s just wonderful. We all
nearly get killed thanks to your brilliant idea, and we have nothing to show
for it.”
Tick Tock ignored him and continued, “Unfortunately, if we were to try
that route again - an idea I highly doubt anypony here would support given
the recent events - we’d end up taking a few days getting back. In other
words, it would be a complete and utter waste of our bloody time, which is
limited as it is. Some good news is, though, that we landed within a day’s
walk of the Goldridge Pass, which is the entrance to the longer, safer route
you all originally wanted to take.” She added the last bit with a roll of her
eyes before continuing, “So truth be told... assuming we had taken that
route in the first place, we’ve actually saved a day on our trip by landing
this close.”
“So basically we’re back at square one, but we gained an extra day?
Well, that’s not too bad,” Twilight mused, “If anything, that’s good news,
right? You’re acting as if that’s bad news.”
“Good news... oh dear, that’s far from the truth. The worse news is
that even though we’ve landed pretty close to the Goldridge Pass we
landed too far south, by maybe a couple of miles. Maybe if we’d had a little
more weight we wouldn’t have been launched as far, but that’s a pretty
minor chance.”
“So... where are we then that makes this so bad?” Rainbow Dash
asked
“We’ve landed in the largest region of Gargantuan nesting grounds
on this side of the Redblade Mountains. Bloody bad luck.”
“Garga-what?” Applejack blinked.
“Gorgonzola?” Pinkie mused, tapping a hoof to her chin.
“She didn’t say Gorgonzola,” Rainbow rolled her eyes, “She said
Gargleblasters.”
“What? No way, she said something about Garbanzos,” Pinkie said
firmly.
Rainbow raised her hooves in the air, “Like the beans? What? I’m
telling you, it was Gobbledygook!”
“Nice,” Pinkie nodded sagely, “Okay, you win. This time.” Rainbow
Dash pumped her hoof with pride.
“Gargantuans,” Tick Tock explained with impatience, “Are the fiercest
natural predators in the entirety of the Wastelands and indeed probably the
whole northern continent. Let’s just say that we’re lucky we haven’t seen
any yet. I’m actually kind of concerned that we haven’t, to tell the truth. All
the commotion from our landing should’ve attracted some attention...”
“Gargantuans... hmmm. I’m not too familiar with these creatures,”
Flathoof spoke.
“I’ve heard some stories about them from ponies that have ventured
out into the Wastelands before,” Lockwood mused, “Really terrible things.
Very violent, very dangerous. Ah... but I lack any firsthoof knowledge... Tick
Tock? Perhaps you could enlighten us a little more?”
“I’d love to explain, but we’re pressed for time,” Tick Tock said
quickly, “We need to get moving, and fast... but we also need to try to keep
from drawing any attention to ourselves... well, any more attention. We’re
only a few hours away from the region’s edge, and then we’ll be mostly
home-free. Come on, everypony, we need to get going. We can rest
properly when we’re out of danger.”
“Ugh... really, darling, this is most uncalled for,” Rarity grumbled, “I
ache all over from using all that magic. Is there really no time for a longer
break?”
“No, there isn’t. If we’re lucky, we won’t encounter any of the things,
but we need to get moving, and fast. Our landing has probably already
alerted some of them that there’s prey in the region, so if we could, let’s go.
Just because you don’t see any right now doesn’t mean they’re not coming
from far off.”
“This sounds serious,” Twilight nodded, “If you’re concerned about it,
it must be dangerous. Come on then, everypony, you heard her. We’d
better get moving.”
“I swear... when we get out of all of this...” Rainbow muttered.
The party got to their feet and began moving northeast at a brisk,
though exhausted pace. It was clear that none of them really had it in them
to run too fast or too far, but they seemed to have little choice in the
manner. Tick Tock kept referring to her map to check on their progress; her
worry about getting out of this area seemed to make everypony else more
worried. Twilight’s words sat firm with them all - if Tick Tock was concerned
with their safety and not just brushing things aside, as she’d been doing for
days now, then perhaps these Gargantuans were in fact quite dangerous.
They hadn’t seen her look this nervous since they’d met her, even including
nearly falling to her death due to a misstep in an active volcano.
A fierce rumble from the ground beneath alerted them to their
opportunity to test this theory. Bursting forth from the dry, cracked earth
ahead of them and creating a great rupture that sent chunks of rock and
dirt spaying, surprising everypony present and causing them all the screech
to a grinding halt, was a creature unlike any of them, again excluding Tick
Tock, had ever seen the likes of before. Jaws dropped and panic began to
set in; they could see clearly now why Tick Tock was so worried.
They had all seen insects, but this beast seemed to be a strange
amalgamation of so many different bugs that they couldn’t really tell what to
think. Its body was like that of a giant tarantula, and it was larger than them
by a factor of maybe three-to-one, perhaps the size of a large manticore. Its
eight great legs and indeed its entire body were covered in armored gray
exoskeleton that could be seen through its bristly brownish-red fur. Behind
it, curved up in an arc and pointed towards its prey was a large scorpionlike stinger. It stared at them with six red eyes, and began to approach,
swinging down one of its great mantis-like claws towards them like a knife.
As she was closest, Applejack was its first target, and she was forced to
leap aside lest she be impaled like an apple upon a skewer.
“Oh bugger,” Tick Tock flustered, “Everypony, whatever you do, do
not let that tail get near you!”
“Frankly dear,” Rarity yelped as it swung its claw at her this time, “I’m
more worried about getting sliced to bits! Take this you ruffian!” She fired
off a tiny spark of magic at its face, where it fizzled and burned fur but
seemingly did nothing to its armored hide, except attract its attention.
“Hey ugly!” Rainbow blurted, “Think fast!”
She rushed at it from the side, delivering a swift kick to its midsection.
She bounced away and grabbed her hoof in minor pain, and the creature
shifted away in discomfort, though it seemed relatively unharmed by the
assault.
“Don’t bother with any of that rubbish!” Tick Tock yelled as she fired a
spark of magic at the things face before it could turn on Rainbow Dash,
distracting it and bringing its attention to herself instead, “That exoskeleton
can shrug off anything you throw at it! We need to use magic, powerful
magic. Sparkle!”
“On it,” Twilight nodded.
“Oh my... please d-don’t be too rough on it,” Fluttershy peeped.
Lockwood, standing defensively beside her in case they attracted its
attention, gave her a look of confusion, “Rough? My dear, that thing is
trying to kill us. We’re merely defending ourselves.”
“Oh... b-but it’s just an animal. I know we’re its prey, but that’s... that’s
no reason to be cruel to it. It’s just doing what comes naturally. We just
need to... get away from it...”
“Don’t worry, Fluttershy,” Twilight assured her as she charged up a
spell, “I won’t kill it or anything. I’m just going to convince it that we’re not
worth the trouble.”
She fired a bolt of magic, catching the beast in its front leg. She
tugged her horn back, and the magic lassoed itself around the other legs
and formed a magical chain that wrapped itself around the beast and
tripped it up. One of its claws struck the rocky ground hard while trying to
break its fall, and it screeched with a high-pitched whine, seemingly in great
pain. Its claw looked mangled from landing in such an awkward position.
“Oh no... T-twilight, not so-”
“It’s down, time to bring the pain! Trying eat us, chump? Eat this!”
Rainbow hollered as she charged and kicked the beast again, aiming for an
exposed section of its armor. The kick knocked the insect off balance as it
stumbled to get back up, and it screeched again. It struggled to rise once
more, stymied by Twilight’s magic.
“P-please, Rainbow, d-don’t-”
The thing burst its legs out of Twilight’s magical chain and angrily
growled at Rainbow, swinging another claw at her. She effortlessly took off
out of its reach, making it sputter up at her in a rage. While it was
distracted, Applejack came around and kicked it as hard as she could in
one of its legs, hard enough to probably shatter one of her trees back
home. Everypony present could hear the snap; the thing stumbled around
and fell, screeching in more agony than before, its leg broken and bleeding
a sickly green ooze. Rainbow made to charge back in again, but stopped in
mid-air when a voice called out.
“Wait!” Fluttershy pleaded, her voice raised, “Please! That’s enough!
You’re hurting it!” With everypony frozen in surprise, she glided over to the
thing and pat it gently on its armored head.
“Fluttershy! Are you bleedin’ daft?! Get away from-” Tick Tock
exclaimed.
The creature made a soothed gurgle, and Fluttershy’s grin spread
wide, “There there, little guy,” she cooed, “Don’t worry, my friends aren’t
going to hurt you anymore. Isn’t that right girls?” she said, shooting a small
glare at Applejack and Rainbow Dash in particular. The two of them both
exchanged nervous glances.
“Well shoot, we were only defendin’ ourselves,” Applejack said
sheepishly.
“I didn’t think you could do that with all creatures,” Rainbow admitted,
“I mean... this thing didn’t look as, uh, ‘cuddly’ as a manticore. And you
didn’t use the Stare or nothin’, even.”
“Rainbow Dash, really... all creatures are my friends. This creature...
it was only looking for food. It’s not a monster. As for you, Twilight,” and
Fluttershy’s upset look transferred over to unicorn, “You can fix this
helpless thing’s injuries, right?”
Twilight flustered, “Y-yes, I suppose I could.”
“See?” Fluttershy cooed down at the thing, “My friends are going to
make up for all of what they did to you. Poor thing...”
Tick Tock breathed heavily, “Yes yes, that’s very nice, now get away
from it.”
“Relax, Tick Tock,” Twilight said, “Fluttershy’s got a gift with animals,
apparently even creatures in this world. I’m as surprised as you all are.”
Fluttershy smiled broadly, “I’m glad you understand. There was no
need for-”
She was cut off when the creature stabbed its stinger into her back.
She didn’t even get a chance to yelp in shock or surprise before she fell to
the dirt in a crumbled heap.
“Fluttershy!” the group collectively panicked.
“That’s it!” Rainbow shouted angrily, “You’re going down!” She
lurched forward to attack it again, but the creature merely slumped to the
earth as well, and its eyes dulled and black, completely lifeless. “What the...
hey, what gives? It just like... died on me. I didn’t even touch it! I swear!”
“No time to worry about that!” Twilight sputtered as she rushed in
and, with the others, gathered around Fluttershy who lay limp on the
ground, “Oh no... no no no no no...”
Rarity blurted, “Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Wake up, darling!” She reached
in and put her hooves on Fluttershy’s side and shook gingerly, “Wake up!”
“C’mon sugarcube, this is no time ta play possum,” Applejack
prodded.
Rarity gasped, “Oh dear. No... please... please no...” She snapped
her head around and glared at Tick Tock, “You! This is all your fault you
miserable-”
“Everypony relax,” Tick Tock said calmly, “She’s alive. Look, she’s
still breathing.”
True enough, she was. They all breathed a sigh of relief, but looked
at each other in deep worry. Fluttershy’s breaths were short, very labored,
and erratic. Rarity audibly sniffed, “Oh Fluttershy... thank goodness...”
Tick Tock muttered worriedly, “This is bad. This is very, very bad.”
“Is she going to be okay, Tick Tock?” Lockwood asked softly.
She remained silent for a moment, then breathed a heavy sigh, “No
point in sugar-coating it. She’s dying.”
Rarity nearly fainted. Lockwood stepped forward and stamped a hoof,
“Is there anything we can do? How strong is that stuff?”
“Well... yes. That was a young Gargantuan. Thankfully it wasn’t an
adult, or we wouldn’t be having this conversation. But I digress Gargantuan venom is... fatal to ponies, even average-size ones. A pony
with your size and tone, Applejack, would likely retain some level of
consciousness and be able to seek help... but even you’d succumb, and
likely perish in a matter of days. Fluttershy is... frailer.”
“How long does she have?” Rarity asked. Tick Tock gulped. Rarity
glared, “How long?!”
“If we’re lucky... maybe a little more than a day. I’ve seen average
ponies last about that long, so I can’t say for sure we’d have much more
time than that... if even that...”
Rarity looked at the limp pegasus with deep-seated fear. Lockwood
pressed again, “What can we do?”
Tick Tock pointed northeast, “Luckily, we’re less than a day’s run
from the Goldridge Pass checkpoint. If we hurry, we can make it there. I
know they have anti-venom, I’ve seen their stores myself; hell, even
brought ponies there for help myself, too. It’s extremely effective stuff,
definitely our best bet.”
“Well then what’re we waitin’ around flappin’ our gums fer?!”
Applejack spat.
“We need to get moving, yes...” Tick Tock nodded hastily, “But we
need to be much more careful now, we can’t just waltz out there and hope
for the best. Gargantuan venom also carries a very powerful pheromone
and it will definitely attract the attention of any and all nearby other young
Gargantuans... and possibly any adults. They tend not to leave the nesting
grounds, even to chase after prey, so if we can get out of this region we
should be fine.”
“Rarity, Lockwood,” Twilight said suddenly, “You two carry Fluttershy
together. Keep close to the rest of us. There’s no time to waste.”
Rarity blanched, “Move her? We can’t move her so suddenly, and
certainly not so brusquely! We’d risk hurting her even more!”
“Rarity, listen, we need to move quickly,” Twilight explained carefully.
She could see that Rarity was clearly in hysterics, and didn’t want to agitate
her.
“I understand that, Twilight, but she’s likely in pain - we need to be
concerned about making sure she’s comfortable. I know time is of the
essence, but-”
Lockwood interjected, “Rarity, Twilight’s right, we really should-”
“I will not risk her well-being just to make things go faster!” Rarity
spat.
Twilight’s horn flashed and Rarity felt a strong sting of magic flash
upon her cheek. “Rarity!” Twilight snapped, “Get a hold of yourself! If we
don’t get moving now, more of those things are coming, and then what?
We’d be putting ourselves and Fluttershy at risk! I understand you don’t
want to risk hurting her en route, but we don’t have a choice!”
Rarity flustered for a moment, then delivered an accepting sigh,
“Yes... yes you’re right, Twilight. I apologize... I’m just... terribly frightened.”
She cleared her throat and attempted to regain her composure. “Mister
Lockwood? Can I trust you to help me with her? She is my dearest friend...
and if I lose her-”
“You can count on me,” Lockwood nodded, “She’ll be in safe hooves
with you and I, I’m sure.”
Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to the others. “Pinkie,
Flathoof, and Tick Tock will lead ahead, and I’ll bring up the rear with
Rainbow and Applejack. If any of those things pop up, the rest of you keep
moving - the three of us will distract them and keep them busy, to keep
them away from you. Just keep moving. We’ll catch up.”
Flathoof nodded firmly, “I’ll keep us moving at the fastest pace we
can afford.”
“Yes sir, Officer Flathoof, sir!” Pinkie saluted, “You can count on us!
C’mon everypony! Time to hustle! Hup two hup two!”
“Move out!” Applejack called.
The group collectively began to move again. Fluttershy was carried
limply across the backs of both Lockwood and Rarity, who struggled to
keep up a fast pace to keep up with the others and ahead of the rear trio.
Tick Tock checked her map again, desperately hoping that they were
making good time. Only another mile or so to go, and they’d all be in
relative safety. The pace was kept brisk and they crossed the distance
quickly, but not without attracting more attention. Tick Tock’s note about the
venom was highly accurate, much to the dismay of the group. Several more
of the creatures burrowed out from the earth around them, surrounding the
traveling party and giving chase. They were fast too, easily quick enough to
begin gaining on the ponies. Twilight, Rainbow, and Applejack tailed behind
and took up positions; the only real way to guarantee they got Fluttershy
out of the Gargantuan territory and to safety was to slow down their
pursuers as much as possible.
“Applejack, duck!” Rainbow called out.
Applejack dived to the ground as one of the beasts swung a claw at
her head. She narrowly avoided losing it. “Thanks Rainbow! A little help
down here would be nice, though!”
“Yeah yeah, I've got you!” Rainbow replied.
She swooped in low and grabbed onto the stinger of a bug that was
moving in on Applejack from behind. She tugged, trying to knock it over,
but it was too heavy and its many legs kept it firmly grounded. She pulled
and pulled, but did nothing but distract it from its original target. It took a
haphazard swing with a claw in her direction; she yelped and released her
grip on its tail, snapping it hard into the thing's face and making it stumble
around in a daze.
“Rainbow! Be careful of the tails!” Twilight cried.
“They ain’t usin’ ‘em, Twi!” Rainbow shouted back, landing next to the
unicorn, “I don’t get it - if they’ve got so much venom, why aren’t they using
it? They’re just swinging those claws around.”
“Right now I’m not concerned with ‘why’, just be careful!” Twilight said
quickly.
She fired up her horn and projected a barrier to deflect the claw of
another of the creatures, and forced the bubble to pop and knock the
creature off balance. She lassoed another as she’d done before, carefully
swinging it into another one to knock them both off their feet.
“We ain’t got time fer this!” Applejack shouted as she bounded out of
the fray, “We gotta catch back up ta the others, Twi, ‘fore they get in trouble
wit’ any more o’ these here things showin’ up.”
“Agreed,” Twilight nodded, “You two go on, I’ll keep this batch busy
so you won’t have anything to slow you down.”
“Twi, we should really stick-”
“Just go! They might need your help, but you can’t get away if I’m not
distracting these ones.”
Applejack made to argue, but decided against it and nodded firmly,
“C’mon, Dash! We’re moseyin’ on outta here!”
“Right behind you, AJ!” Rainbow called, sweeping low and away from
the jumble, leaving Twilight to her decisive task.
The pair quickly moved back in the direction of the rest of the group,
noticing that more of the insects seemed to be bursting forth and giving
chase than they’d really expected. Their pace quickened when they caught
sight of their friends ahead being accosted by more of the things.
Lockwood stood in close to Fluttershy, ensuring that none of the beasts
that had surrounded them would harm her; Tick Tock and Rarity, in the
meanwhile, were working together to stun, trip, or otherwise shoo away
their attackers with their magic, while Flathoof and Pinkie Pie were using a
more physical method. Nothing was working too well, and all they seemed
to be able to do was keep the things at bay despite their slight numerical
advantage. Applejack and Rainbow Dash burst into the battle, quickly
allowing the group to start moving again.
“Where’s Twilight?” Tick Tock asked as they galloped forth.
“She’s right behind us,” replied Rainbow, “She’s rounding up more of
them to keep them off of us.”
“Well she’s not doing that great of a job, not that I can blame her.
There just too many of them,” Tick Tock observed dryly, “We’re almost the
edge of the territory, everypony! Just keep up the pace, and we’ll be-” *hic*
Tick Tock’s train of thought snapped as she shot a look back at Pinkie Pie,
who held a hoof over her mouth to stymie another barrage of hiccups.
“Oh... great. Well I suppose we’ll be having another earthquake soon?”
“So I guess you’re a believer now too? Well maybe this’ll be a good
thing, and it’ll scare off these bugs?” Rainbow interjected.
The ground began to rumble and lurch about, shaking with much
more intensity than the ponies remembered from the earlier quake. The
bugs seemed completely undaunted and continued their pursuit, much to
the party of ponies’ consternation as the Gargantuans seemed to have
better balance than they did. Suddenly, the ground in front of them burst
apart and spat chunks of rock and dirt everywhere in a great explosion;
again, the group came to a screeching halt under a hastily crafted barrier
from Tick Tock who struggled to live up to expectations of an absent
Twilight to protect them from a torrent of earthly debris. The massive tear in
the ground made the one left by their first encounter with the bugs look tiny.
This time, something much, much bigger ripped its way out from the earth.
“Whoa nelly...” Applejack muttered.
“Okay... scratch that. Earthquake, not good,” Rainbow Dash gulped.
“Oh bloody hell,” Tick Tock frowned, “I hate being right sometimes...”
The adult Gargantuan screeched at the party of ponies below it,
causing them to back away and shield their ears; the noise was so loud
that the glass on Rainbow’s goggles broke. It towered above them,
standing several ponies tall and even more wide and long; The Ponyville
natives amongst them were daunted by the sheer size of the thing - it made
the Ursa Minor look small in comparison, easily big enough to crush any of
their homes under a single leg. Rearing up a massive claw, easily the size
of several train cars and more than enough to crush the entire group, it
struck down at them. A small popping sound came from the center of their
group and the claw struck a powerful magic shield, bouncing back and
making the massive beast howl in surprised aggravation.
“Twilight!” Applejack blurted at the suddenly-teleported unicorn, “Just
in time, sugarcube.”
“I see we have a situation here,” Twilight breathed. Everypony could
see the exhaustion in her features.
“That’s one way to put it,” Tick Tock said flatly.
The creature struck at the barrier again, and Twilight visibly winced
as the blow rebounded off it. The shield’s color began to fade, and
Twilight’s breaths became rapid.
“I don’t know if I can hold against it too much longer...” Twilight
choked, “I haven’t had much chance to rest...”
“I don’t have much left in me either,” Tick Tock admitted, “But I’ll do
what I can...”
Tick Tock flared up her horn and tried to assist Twilight. Another slam
on the shield caused Tick Tock to flinch and stumble and her horn’s light to
flicker out, but the barrier held somewhat true. Rarity stepped forward and
attempted as much, and with another resounding strike the shield flickered,
but Rarity and Twilight stood firm. Firm, but visibly drained. Some of the
younger Gargantuans Twilight had left behind had caught up by now and
were joining in the assault, dwindling away at the barrier’s color and
solidity.
Twilight gulped audibly, “I don’t think I can last much longer.
Everypony, when I drop the shield... run. Run, as fast as you can... and
don’t stop. Don’t look back. Understood?”
“We ain’t gonna abandon ya, Twi,” Applejack said firmly, “We’re in
this together. Rainbow and I will distract it while y’all move out, and then-”
The adult reared its claw back again, and prepared to strike once more.
“Aw horseapples...”
“Too late!” Rainbow blurted.
The party all watched in fearful anticipation as the claw came rushing
downwards, until suddenly the beast let out a loud screech of pain. Twilight,
Applejack, Rainbow, everypony all looked out of the slowly fading shield to
see the monster suddenly and angrily swerve to its left, apparently
distracted by something in the air, something that had caused its injury. To
their surprise, they saw a single red pegasus in that direction gliding about
and seemingly in a strafing maneuver.
What she was doing was particularly surprising: she was launching
fireballs, each of them exploding with great force and loud blasts as they
struck the thing’s thick armored hide. The thing took a heavy swing
upwards at her, which she dodged with a dexterous twirl before firing blasts
at its claw. The monstrous thing screeched again. The pegasus had struck
well.
Twilight grimaced as her magic wore thin, and with a heavy groan the
bubble around her party died out at last. Though the adult was distracted
by the surprise assault, the young ones were not quite so hampered and
moved in quickly on what was now easy prey.
One of the bugs got close to an exhausted and distracted Applejack,
who in a futile attempt to protect herself, shielded her face as a claw came
rushing towards her. Luckily, this kept the sudden blood spatter from
covering too much of her. The insect squealed in agony and stumbled
away from Applejack, who looked on in surprise as the thing’s claw landed
several feet away, no longer attached.
“What in tarnation...?” Applejack muttered.
Then, she noticed a pink earth pony standing nearby, though she
couldn’t quite understand how said pony had managed to do what
apparently no normal pony could do. She didn’t look particularly strong,
wasn’t a unicorn, and in fact seemed slightly frail compared to even the
pegasus that had come to the rescue. Applejack had to do a double take,
and looked amongst the rest of her group to make sure that Pinkie Pie was
still with them.
“Who the hay are these guys?” Rainbow Dash blurted, pointing at
another pony that had joined them - a dull gray pegasus that had swooped
in from the air and literally landed on and smashed one of the creatures like
the bug it was.
Said bug splattered into bits that coated the face and body of the pink
pony, who had been moving in to attack it herself. Her face contorted in
disappointment and anger, though she didn’t appear bothered by being
covered in sticky blood and armor fragments. “Tch... kill stealer. Go find
your own target.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize this one had your name on it,” the gray
one said flatly as she fluttered away.
The pink one narrowed her eyes, “Yeah right, you’re sorry. Just keep
to your own side, before I carve my name into you.”
Twilight, who had had a chance to catch her breath, looked up with
incredulity at the fiery red pegasus that flew circles around the adult,
launching fireballs into the weak and sensitive joints to make the thing
angrier and angrier. “What I want to know is, are they using... magic?”
“Who cares?” Rainbow shrugged, “Whatever it is, it works. Ha! Check
that one out. Chucking fire... so awesome.”
“I don’t know what they’re usin’, but I’m wit’ Rainbow - who cares?
They just saved our bacon,” Applejack said.
Twilight hummed, “Very curious...”
The young Gargantuans that had surrounded Twilight’s group soon
dwindled down to nothing more than messy corpses, prompting the two
defenders to move against the adult one to assist their third. The gray one
flicked her wings towards the pink one, who suddenly and apparently
without her approval was sent flying upwards and onto the thing’s back
where she bounced a few times before managing to latch on; she was too
far away for Twilight’s group to see how she’d done it.
“Hey! Watch it!” she yelped.
The gray pegasus ignored her and went about delivering heavyweighted kicks to the creature’s legs; the thing became horribly
unbalanced, forcing the pink pony to move on with her assault with a bit of
awkward-looking climbing. She shrugged off her frustration and began
moving towards the head, where she approached one of the eyes and did
something to it that made the beast yowl again in pain and stumble a bit,
more than enough for the red pegasus to have the opening to fling a very
large fireball right at its mouth. The pink pony yelped again and dove off to
avoid being struck, and the group lost sight of her through the flames and
dust; the ball of fire exploded like a bomb, blowing off large chunks of
armored exoskeleton and flesh as the beast slumped forward into the dirt
with a crash, sending dust and earth blooming out in a weak cloud.
The Gargantuan defeated, the three rescuers settled in front of
Twilight and party... and immediately began arguing.
“Did you go blind or something, you feather-brain?! Watch where
you’re aiming! I know you’re just mad I’m winning, but cheating? Grow up,”
the pink one exclaimed in the red pegasus's direction. “And you!” she
pointed at the gray one, “Whatever happened to carrying ponies, y’know,
like a normal pegasus? Keep your stupid tricks to yourself.”
The gray pegasus shrugged, “My aim was perfect, you landed
precisely on the center of its back. I thought I was doing you a favor. Is it
my fault you didn’t react in time? No. But if you want to blame me, fine.
Whatever helps you sleep at night. I don’t really care.”
“Pfh, yeah, and it’s not my fault you decided to stand in the most
vulnerable spot,” the red one smirked, “Maybe next time you’ll leave the big
ones to me, yeah? Instead of being a little kill-stealer? I heard you down
there, buckin’ hypocrite.”
“Right, because you were doing so well by yourself up there. Last
time I checked it was my handiwork that made the thing even susceptible to
your little fireworks display. If you weren’t such a show-off, maybe you’d
have killed the thing yourself.”
“Whatever, moron,” the red one spat, “You’re just mad I got the kill
after all my hard work. I think that puts me at... what? Eighty-five? Guess I
just took the lead. Suck it, pink.”
“Horseapples it does! That still only counts as one!” The pink one
glared, “I’m not the moron, you’re the moron here. Just a weak little moron
with nothing to show but a bunch of pyrotechnics. And you suck at math,
too! You wanna let me prove it? I’ll cut you into little steaks!”
“Oh bring it on, freak show,” the red one snickered, igniting her
hooves.
“Girls girls girls, there’s no need to be at each other’s throats. Here,
I’ll settle this,” the gray one interjected. She pointed at the pink one, “You
think she’s a moron, yes? And you,” pointing at the red one, “Think she’s
the moron? The way I see it, you’re both right. Congratulations.”
The red one started, “Why I oughta-”
“Enough.” The voice came from several yards to the left; everypony
turned their heads at the source - a dark purple unicorn, flanked on either
side by a black unicorn and a blue earth pony. She trotted up to the three
others, who nervously stopped arguing and saluted. The unicorn snorted,
and turned to Twilight and the others. “Forgive my associates. Sometimes
they get a little... obnoxious. But I’m sure you know what that’s like, hmm?”
“Oh, don’t mention it,” Twilight smiled with a nod, “Frankly we’re just
glad to be alive. I want to thank your friends for-”
“Friends. Right. No need for any of that, I’m sure we all know how
grateful you are,” the unicorn said dismissively. Nothing was said for a
moment, and the unicorn simply stared at Twilight, scrutinizing her with no
small degree of curiosity. Twilight was slightly off-put by the examination.
The unicorn’s eyes flickered briefly, and she coughed, “No matter. It would
seem... introductions are in order.” Both the red pegasus and the blue earth
pony took steps forward, as if to interject, but the unicorn shot them both a
very coarse, knowing look; they both backed off, nodding in understanding.
“Ah, yes, I agree. Um... well since you’re the ones who saved us, I
suppose we should do the honor of going first? Right. Well, I’m Twilight
Sparkle, and these are my-”
Rarity stepped forward and interjected with a cough, “Twilight,
darling? While I would hate to appear rude to our saviors, don't you think
we have more pressing matters to attend to?”
“Oh? Oh! Of course, forgive me,” Twilight flustered, “I'm sorry, ladies,
but we're in a bit of a hurry. I'd hate to have you save us like that and not
give proper thanks, but we've got a pretty strict time limit.”
The purple unicorn raised an eyebrow, “Hmm? What seems to be the
problem?”
Twilight noted a twinge of anger but dismissed it, thinking that she
was hearing things and was perhaps distracted by all the goings-on and
her own exhaustion. She spoke, “Our friend, Fluttershy, she... she got
stung by one of those things. We’re headed for the checkpoint at...
Goldridge Pass? Is that right, Tick Tock? They have the anti-venom there.”
“Yes,” Tick Tock nodded, “And we really must be moving. Thank you
all very much for your time and for the rescue, but if we don’t get her
medical attention soon, we may likely lose her. I apologize if we seem
ungrateful, but-”
“Goldridge Pass? Why, we were headed in that direction ourselves,
weren’t we?” the purple unicorn smirked, addressing her own group as
much as Twilight’s, “And I’d hate to see you all go without getting proper
introductions - I do so like meeting new ponies. Tell you what, we’ll escort
you. Seeing as there’s still the possibility of attracting more unwanted
attention, it would be wise for you to take... precautions.”
Twilight hummed, “Well... that does seem reasonable. All right, I
suppose if you’re heading the same way there’s no harm in traveling
together. Thank you again. We can talk a little on the way and get properly
introduced then, I suppose.” She turned to her friends, “Come on girls, let’s
get moving.”
“Don’t mention it, Miss Sparkle. And yes, we’ll worry about
introductions en route.” She turned to her companions as Twilight and the
others began to canter off, and stamped her hoof commandingly, “Alright
troops, we’re providing escort for Twilight Sparkle and her companions. I’ll
bring up the rear and make sure no more of those things are coming this
way. Move out! And remember,” she said, shooting them a firm look, “Take
good care of our new friends, and be polite. Is that clear?” The others in the
group all looked at each other warily, but nodded and began to follow,
leaving the purple unicorn behind. The red pegasus and blue earth pony
deigned to remain behind as well, and did not meet with any disapproval
from the unicorn or their other associates.
As everypony got some distance away, and she was sure nopony
would hear her, Havocwing turned to Starlight Shadow and stamped a hoof
in frustration. “What gives, boss?” she sputtered, “They didn’t even
recognize us! They acted like nothing happened! Of all the-”
“Calm down, Havoc,” Starlight said firmly, “I’m just as perplexed as
you are, perhaps more so. Something doesn’t seem right about this. I can
remember the... incident,” her voice dripping with venom at the word, “Like
it was yesterday, and considering their role in it I find it very much unlikely
they don’t remember.”
Curaçao tapped a hoof to her chin, “C’est problématique. ‘ow can zis
be? I remember as vividly as you, ma capitaine. I assume ‘avocwing is zee
same, non?”
Starlight murmurred thoughtfully, “Either they’re faking it... or they
really don’t recognize us. Hmmm... very strange indeed.” Pacing around,
she began to ramble on mostly to herself, “If it’s the former, that would
certainly be quite cruel of them... rather out-of-character if father’s
assessment is accurate, and I wouldn’t dream of doubting father’s word.
But if it’s the latter... why? Why wouldn’t they remember?”
“What are we going to do, boss?” Havocwing shuffled, “I don’t like
this.”
“Ah, per’aps it would be a good plan to pretend we are in zee same
boat, non? Zat we do not know zem?” Curaçao suggested with some
hesitation. She stamped a hoof, “Zut! Zat may be tres difficile. We ‘ave to
trust zat zee ozers do not ruin zee illusion. I don’t suppose Grayscale would
do anyzing rash, non? But zee pink one, and ma copine? Zey are not so...
patient, nor are zey very bright. Not to mention ‘avocwing.”
“Hey! I can be just as much of a buckin’ lying sneak as you,”
Havocwing glared, “I ain’t gonna be the one to ruin this... this whatever
we’re doing. What are we going to do, boss? I still say we just kill them.
They’re too goody-goody to do what dad wants, anyway. You saw them.
‘Fluttershy this’ and ‘anti-venom that’. Buckin’ Fluttershy. Something about
that one makes me so mad.”
Starlight hummed a moment, then clicked her tongue, “Curaçao's
plan seems the most practical. I say we play along... for now. It would be in
our best interests to keep the illusion that we don’t recognize them either,
whether that’s the game they’re playing or if it’s genuine. It was just a...
happy coincidence that we came along and rescued them - that’s the story
we’re sticking with, understand?”
“Hmph,” Havocwing snorted, “Still don’t sit right with me, saving their
skins like that. Should’ve just killed them while we had a chance.”
“And upset father? I think not,” Starlight huffed, “Remember, killing
them is our last resort. Besides, where’s the fun in destroying them when
they’re at their weakest? There’s no sport in that. We stick to the plan, and
take as much advantage of our new-found status as ‘saviors’ as we can.
Just remember your targets, and do try not to screw anything up. Now then,
let us catch up to the rest of them, hmm? Wouldn’t want our new friends
getting suspicious now, would we?”
Chapter Thirteen
Instigation
Looking east, one could see the large stretch of mountains that made
up the Goldridge Pass. Even from here it was possible to see where the
range got its name - a long, jagged ridge of solid gold for miles and miles. It
was only mere hours away, but to Twilight and her friends, it may as well
be on the other side of the world. Non-stop. That's what the past twentyfour hours had been. The last extended break they'd taken had been back
on the volcano, and that seemed so long ago now. They were tired, hungry,
and the three unicorns felt completely drained of magic. If nothing else,
they were nearly broken with little left to spare and Fluttershy's condition
wasn't helping matters in the slightest. It actually made them a bit envious
of their new... escorts.
But at Tick Tock's insistence, the group had decided to take a much
needed rest. She assessed Fluttershy's condition with a great deal of care
under Rarity's scrutinous gaze, using the same magicks that Twilight had
used to repair her leg days ago. The venom was spreading fast, but Tick
Tock was relieved that she was remaining stable. They had anywhere
between seven and eight hours, based on the shortness of breath and the
bluish-green coloring around her lips. It was easy enough to convince
everypony that if they kept moving without a moment's rest, none of them
would have the energy to make it, and what good would that do? They
were a few hours away. They'd take a short break, long enough to just rest
their legs and catch their breath, no longer than an hour.
And besides, their new escorts had proven quite fascinating, and
everypony was rather curious about getting to know everypony else.
“I still don’t know if I should be leaving her,” Twilight said pointedly,
referring to the yellow pegasus over by their makeshift campfire, “I really
should be back there trying to help Tick Tock make sure everything is
okay.”
Starlight waved a hoof dismissively. “Sparkle, this is your time to rest
too. You’ve earned it more than anypony else, I should say. Let her handle
things - she seems to have at least a little knowledge of Gargantuan
venom. Even if she didn’t want a second opinion I was more than happy to
offer it, and I’d say her assessment is rather accurate.”
“And I thank you again, but... I’m just-”
“I understand your concern, Sparkle. Your friend is running out of
time. You’re putting her well-being in the hooves of a pony that you have
begun to doubt, and even though they certainly tried to keep matters
private, I did hear quite a bit of that argument you had back there with your
friends... ah, Rarity and Rainbow Dash, was it? Your friends’ faith in you in
waning, I think. Perhaps you are even beginning to doubt yourself?”
Twilight shifted uncomfortably, “Well... I... do sort of feel that some of
the things that have happened these past few days are my fault. But... how
could you have guessed that? You haven’t known me-”
“I am a very astute judge of character, my dear. I was once like you,
you know? I find you and your companions to be most interesting, quite a
captivating bunch. You're all so diverse. I believe I can relate it to my own
associates and I rather handily, though there are obviously a few minor
differences. And from my understanding, Sparkle,” Starlight smiled matterof-factly, “You are the leader of this group, are you not?”
“Well... I wouldn't exactly say that,” Twilight shuffled, “I just have good
organizational skills. I don't know if I'd call myself a 'leader' per se. More
like a manager.”
“Come now, don't be so modest. I saw how you took charge back
there, I see the way your friends look to you for guidance. I don't think any
of them would hesitate to nominate you if pressed. I also detected your
Barrier spell, and from no small distance. You wield some powerful magic,
my dear, powerful indeed. If not for you, your friends would not be here at
this camp right now, enjoying a simple rest - if I may borrow a bit of my
dear Havocwing’s words, they’d be ‘paste’ by now. Your friends need you.
Don't be shy to admit it.”
“Well... I suppose when you put it that way...” Twilight blushed, “I
don't like to brag though. I had a bad experience admitting that to myself in
the past, and I doubt my friends’ opinions on the matter would change just
due to recent events.”
“I know what it must feel like, Sparkle. Knowing that without your
intervention, your friends wouldn't get anything accomplished? It must be-”
“My friends and I don't have that kind of relationship,” Twilight said
suddenly, “I rely on my friends just as much as they rely on me. I value their
opinions, their contributions, and their friendship. Without them, I wouldn’t
be the pony I am today.”
Starlight smirked, “Perhaps if you didn't pay heed to others quite so
much, you wouldn't have found yourself in this little situation you're in.”
Twilight stopped a moment, then slowly responded, “What do you
mean by that?”
“This friend of yours, Tick Tock? You claim she's acting as your
guide, yes? And you claim that it was her idea to head along that foolishly
dangerous route through volcanic territory? My opinion is that that was a
pretty ridiculous plan. Even my group wouldn’t have gone that way, though
we certainly could have if we'd been heading that direction. You’d have to
be in some sort of a desperate hurry to think that route was worthwhile.”
“Well, yeah. We are on an awfully strict time limit,” Twilight nodded,
“But we’re not in that big of a hurry that we needed to endanger ourselves
so much. I mean, what was she-”
“Her? Oh no no no, my dear, I was referring to you.”
“Me?!” Twilight blurted, “B-b-but-”
Starlight chuckled, “See, here's where you appear to have reached a
bit of a dilemma, Sparkle. You knew that route was unnecessarily
dangerous, a foolish endeavor if there ever was one. Your friends knew it
too, and joined you in voicing your disagreement. But you listened to Tick
Tock anyway, despite your own misgivings, which you based entirely on
logic and fact, and the arguments from your friends who I remind you are
all rather perturbed that you went along with it.”
“She's our guide. She... she knows her way around out here.”
Starlight's smirk grew wide, “Does she now? Well, that’s what she
says, at any rate. But that's besides the point. No, the problem here is that
you failed to utilize your two greatest gifts to ensure the safety of yourself
and your friends, and instead relied entirely on the good faith of somepony
your friends just met, somepony who you’ve been keen to point out has a
track record for recklessness and arrogance, who some of your friends
distrust and others don’t particularly care for.”
“Greatest... gifts? And those would be...?”
“Why, your intellect for one. I can discern quite a lot just from how you
speak; you're well-educated, or at the very least extremely well-read if not a
combination of the two,” Starlight nodded knowingly. Twilight’s sheepish
look hinted at Starlight’s correct assessment, which widened her grin as
she continued, “You're smart enough to know wandering through an active
volcano is a real fool’s errand. Why you didn't assert yourself and your
superior intellect is beyond me.”
“She... she sounded so confident though. She said she'd done it
before,” Twilight admitted, “Dozens of times even. She... she wouldn't listen
to any arguments we had, anyway. She said she knew what she was
doing.”
“Ah. That brings me to my second point. While right now you are
certainly drained of most of your magic, I can sense the power it stems
from. You're no slouch, certainly more powerful than any other unicorn
here. Well... maybe not any unicorn. I can think of one with that kind of
power,” Starlight added with a wink.
Twilight nodded lightly. She too could feel the power that Starlight
radiated, and while she wouldn’t admit it to anypony else she felt a little...
jealous. Starlight had a great deal of magic, easily as much as she did, and
was not afraid to flaunt it either. Twilight knew that this unicorn certainly
had the magic to back up her boasting. “I appreciate the compliment... but I
don't follow,” Twilight blinked, her thoughts dashed as she remembered the
conversation.
Starlight grinned smugly, and gestured towards the camp. “You've
met my associates. You've seen the strength they possess. Do any of your
companions share that level of strength?” Twilight remained silent. “I
thought not. And yet, despite each having enough lethality in them that they
need not fear anything, there is something they all respect. Do you know
what that is? Me.” Twilight made to speak, but decided against it. Starlight
continued, “Don't get me wrong, Sparkle. I am more than willing to listen to
their ever-so-eager opinions, mostly to humor them if nothing else. I value
the input of my lieutenants true enough, but even they know that when it
comes down to it, what I say goes and there is no room for arguing. It helps
to keep them in line, and believe me when I say a group of such diversity
and complexity needs a little order. Surely you agree?”
“I agree that being orderly and disciplined is nice and everything but...
I don't know if I agree with your... methods,” Twilight hesitated, “You can't
treat your friends like... like tools. And you can’t rely on fear to-”
“Fear? Heavens no, I merely speak of my self-confidence. I know the
power I wield is far beyond their own, and so I am not afraid to face any
challenge presented to me by this harsh world, nor am I worried any of
them would challenge my authority.”
Twilight interrupted, “Your companions are awfully... um... violent. I’m
honestly amazed that you can keep them all in line. Are... are all ponies
around here quite so-”
Starlight rolled her eyes, “Understand, Sparkle, that the world outside
the city walls is a hazardous one. If you’re not willing to utilize all of your
power to defend yourself, you are liable to get yourself killed out here. The
Gargantuan may be the deadliest predator in the Wastelands, but their
territory is self-contained and easy to avoid. There are dangers that you
cannot simply find a detour around, however, and I warn you now that they
are much deadlier than those ridiculous creatures.”
Twilight nodded in a grim understanding. Greater dangers than the
ones they’d already faced? Perhaps Starlight had a point; perhaps it was
folly to hesitate in utilizing her power with confidence, to act as if Tick
Tock’s expertise was the end-all be-all solution to their problems. The few
times she’d relied entirely on Tick Tock so far, or rather any of their new
friends, they’d gotten themselves in very tight jams - nearly arrested at the
Gate, blown out of a volcano, assaulted by killer bugs. And each time,
she’d had to bail them out using her own vast amount of magic. Maybe
Starlight was right.
Starlight was unperturbed by Twilight’s apparent inner thoughts, and
continued her tirade. “As I was saying, my associates respect my
confidence. They follow me because I am an inspiration. From the way you
speak, Sparkle, you don’t like to show off your intellect and magical
prowess - that is where you have a problem. Your friends are hesitant to
follow you unquestioningly, because you don’t have the confidence to lead
them as you know, deep down, you are able to. You certainly don't have to
agree with my leadership qualities, I'm not forcing you. I'm merely
expressing concern that if you don't assert your authority more strongly,
you and your friends may be putting yourselves at risk. Do you want
another Fluttershy incident? I should say not.”
Twilight frowned and gave a small nod, “I... guess I can understand
that. Thank you for your concern, Starlight. I do appreciate the rescue
earlier, so I don't want come off as unappreciative. I just don’t know if I can
follow your example... I don’t think I have it in me, whether I agree with you
or not.”
“Please, don't mention it. After all, what's one little favor between two
like-minded individuals?” Starlight smirked, “I only ask that you consider my
suggestions. After my companions and I reach our destination, we will be
unable to escort you the rest of the way to... wherever it is you’re going.
Now then, since I'm done talking you ear off, where exactly are you headed
after Goldridge?”
*****
Applejack busied herself with Tick Tock's map, still utterly confused
how the thing worked. Magical fruits, yes, that was a field she felt wellversed in. Magical maps? Not so much. Twilight had insisted she try and
figure out a bit more about their upcoming route, but without Twilight or Tick
Tock to explain the map's intricate nature she may as well be reading
another language, Applejack thought. She figured this was just Twilight’s
way of trying to help Applejack learn more about the world around them; if
she could, Applejack figured, perhaps Twilight would have somepony she
truly trusted and had faith in to help direct them. Twilight hadn’t said as
much, but Applejack knew her well enough to guess. Applejack put forth
her most serious efforts; she feared that if she didn’t, they’d run the risk of
Tick Tock walking them into another ‘perfectly safe’ passage that would
lead them into danger. Granted she’d still have to rely on Tick Tock for
certain things, but at the very least it wouldn’t be a one-hundred percent
reliance.
She was able to figure out the basics, like what the tiny green dot with
Tick Tock's name above it was, or what all the other colored dots with
similar names above them were; Tick Tock had even updated the map to
include their new companions, at Twilight’s behest. The dotted green line
stretching northeast into the mountains was an easy guess too, as was the
red one leading southwest and starting from a sudden point back in the
nesting grounds of those creatures. What the other assorted symbols
meant, or how Tick Tock was able to zoom the map in on specific locations
as she'd done when planning the route through Redblade, or how the map
seemed to update itself automatically to fit whatever shape she held it in;
those were other matters entirely beyond Applejack’s grasp. But apart from
those, it was just a regular old map, and it was easy enough to see that the
fastest path to the checkpoint was directly east, through more of the
nesting grounds of those creatures. But was that the best decision?
Applejack wasn’t sure. Maybe their new companions would be willing to
provide escort through that way? It certainly would please Twilight and the
others, Rarity especially, to know that somepony was willing to help them
get Fluttershy help as quickly as possible.
“Ah, Miss Applejack, are you 'aving trouble wiz zee map?”
Applejack turned to face the voice, “Oh, howdy there Miss...”
Applejack looked intently at the map, and saw the dark blue dot that
matched this pony’s coat, “Cure-a-cow?”
“Curaçao,” the blue earth pony corrected, “Zee second ‘c’ is
pronounced like ‘s’, oui?”
“Oh... right. Sorry, I wasn’t payin’ much attention at the lil’
introductions thing y’all were doin’ earlier. I ain’t much used ta fancy names
like that, either. My tongue’s got a hard time sayin’ ‘em. Sorry.”
Curaçao chuckled, “It is quite alright, Applejack. You ‘ave only known
me a short time, non? It takes time to learn to pronounce such beautiful
names as mine.”
Applejack rolled her eyes. Just what she needed - another Rarity.
“Right... well, ta answer yer question, yes, I am havin’ some trouble tryin’ ta
figure out this here map. I ain’t much on magical things like this, y’see, and”
“May I?” Curaçao offered, “I ‘ave some experience wiz zese sorts of
zings. Like a fish to water, non?”
“Oh... uh, sure, I guess it won’t hurt none ta give ya a fair shot,”
Applejack raised an eyebrow, passing the map over, “I don’t rightly see
what y’all can do wit’ it, not havin’ any magic yerself, but-” Applejack
stopped as she watched the other earth pony crumble the map into a ball,
and blurted, “What in the hay are ya doin’?!”
“Ah, ‘ave no worries, dear Applejack,” Curaçao insisted as she kept
the ball away from Applejack’s grabbing hooves, “Watch and learn from
une professionnelle, hmm?” She finished molding the map into a ball, and
waited a brief moment. Applejack watched in surprise as the ball suddenly
glowed a dim white and formed itself into a perfect sphere. Upon it now
was the image of what Applejack could only guess was the map of the
entire globe of this Equestria. Having never seen it before, it was rather
fascinating. As Tick Tock had explained before, the world was divided
neatly into thirds - the middle third a massive ocean, the other two the
northern and southern continents.
“How’d y’all do that?” Applejack blinked.
“Oh, it was no trouble at all,” Curaçao shrugged as she unfurled the
map again into a neat and compact square where it reformed to appear as
a normal atlas, “Zese magical maps, zey are tres facile, non? Well, por moi,
at least. I understand if some ponies are less zan adept wiz zis sort of
zing.”
“So y’all ‘re an expert in maps, huh? Are y’all the navigator fer yer
group, too?” Applejack asked, “Yer Cutie Mark don’t really look like it
makes ya no expert in that kinda thing, if ya don’t mind mah pryin’.”
Curaçao shook her head, “Ah, per’aps I ‘ave a little talent wiz zee
navigation skills, but it is more of un... ‘obby, non? But Starlight Shadow,
she is zee leader, and if she wants to go anozer way, zat is ‘er decision and
it is our job to follow ‘er orders. I find it une bonne idée to ‘elp ensure zings
go smoozly zough, non? So she listens to my opinions, and I do zee best I
can to make sure we take zee best route. I am sure zat you do zee same
for your capitaine, oui?”
“Mah... capi-what?”
“Your leader. Zee one zat makes all zee important decisions. Ah!
Unless you are une petite démocratie?”
“Oh, ya mean Twilight? Well, I s’pose I do help a lot wit’ that kind o’
thing lately. Probably more‘n usual, what wit’ the probelm at the volcano ‘n’
all. Twilight respects mah know-how o’ mountain climbin’, and what wit’ us
goin’ into another range o’ mountains, well, I guess I can see why she’d
rely on me.”
“Zey trust you, zen?” Curaçao smirked.
“Well yeah,” Applejack smiled, “I’m the most trustworthy and hardest
workin’ pony there is. O’ course mah friends trust me, and they know they
can depend on me for just ‘bout anythin’ there is that needs doin’. I’ve
known ‘em all fer a long time, and they all know me better’n they know the
back of their hooves, if y’all don’t mind me bein’ a mite prideful. Ain’t nothin’
to it.”
“And you ‘ave so many friends, too! Tres merveilleux! I wish I knew
so many ponies so well. But ah, zis Tick Tock? She is a new friend, non?
Zat is what your Twilight explained.”
“Well... yeah, we only met her recently,” Applejack nodded, “Her, and
Mister Lockwood, and Flathoof.”
Curaçao smirked, “Just ‘Flathoof’, zen? No ‘Mister’? Ah, you two are
on a first-name basis zen, oui? You must zink ‘ighly of ‘im...”
Applejack hesitated, “Well... yeah I s’ppose y’all could put it that way.
I just feel more comfortable ‘round him, is all. He kinda reminds me o’
mahself, ta be frank wit’ ya. Got a nice family, hard-working, honest. Can’t
go wrong wit’ a combination like that, no sir-ee.”
“Ah, la famille is tres important to many ponies, oui? I can see why
you like ‘im so much.”
Applejack turned pink, “Whoa there, missy, don’t go makin’
assumptions like that.”
Curaçao frowned, “Oh, je m’excuse. I did not mean to intrude. Ah...
but you say you two are not... togezer, oui? Ooh la la, per’aps ‘e would be
interested in moi? ‘e is tres beau, wouldn’t you agree? Il est plutôt robuste,
oui?”
Applejack narrowed her eyes a little, “Naw, I don’t think he’d go for it.
Mister Lockwood might be more your type. He likes dainty lil’ things like
you, though y’all might be outta luck if Rarity gets her way.”
Curaçao smirked, “Oh, do not be such a stick in zee mud, Applejack.
I will not be stealing your boyfriend.”
Applejack flustered, “Now I just done told you-”
“Relax, c’est une plaisanterie. A joke. Blague à part, you say you ‘ave
a nice family, non? Tell me more about zem. I am curieuse.”
“I thought yer name was Curaçao? Don’t go changin’ on me now, I
told y’all I can’t-” Applejack started.
Curaçao raised a hoof, “Ah! Non non non, I am curious. Sometimes I
forget zat not all ponies pick up so easily on my native tongue.”
Applejack rolled her eyes, “Right. Well as much as I’d like ta go inta
the details an’ all, we’re kinda pressed fer time don’t ya think?”
Curaçao gave a big pout that reminded Applejack a little too much of
Rarity, “Oh no... just a little bit, s'il vous plaît? Por moi? Ah, tres bon, I
know. I’ll tell you about ma famille, so we are even, oui? You already know
zer names, oui?”
Applejack raised an eyebrow, “What? I don’t know anythin’ ‘bout yer
family. I ain’t never met y’all before.”
“Ah, but you do know zem. See? Look at your map, you can see zem
on zere.”
“Now that don’t make no-” Applejack started. Then she realized it.
“Ya... ya mean yer travelin’ companions? Well shoot, I getcha now Twilight and the others are just like ma family too.”
“Ah, but of course. ‘owever, we are more zan zat. You see, we are all
souers... ah, sisters. Adopted of course, but sisters none zee less.”
“Y’all ‘re adopted?” Applejack blinked, “Ya mean... none o’ y’all got
any parents?”
“Ah, non,” Curaçao shook her head, “Our only parent is our papa,
who took us all in and ‘as taken such good care of us since we were very
young, just little fillies. So we are all sisters, non? Our real parents... well, I
do not know what happened to zem. I was too young to remember...”
Applejack nodded glumly, “No parents... I...” She shook her head,
“Well, since y’all shared a bit ‘bout yerself I don’t feel right not tellin’ ya
somethin’ in return. I guess I could tell ya ‘bout the Apple Clan a lil’ bit.”
“C’est magnifique,” Curaçao grinned, “I am sure zis will be très
intéressant...”
*****
“Are you absolutely certain she's going to last long enough to make
it?” Rarity asked with concern. She stood worriedly over Fluttershy's
unconscious, limp form. The pegasus's breathing had steadied slightly, a
fact Tick Tock attributed to keeping her warm. Lockwood's jacket served as
a most excellent blanket, and he was now left rather embarrassingly
wearing just his simple white undershirt. The campsite's large fire blazed
only a few feet away, stoked occasionally by Havocwing at their behest,
and this helped matters greatly. Rarity reminded herself to thank the
pegasus later. “I swear to you, if this break you insisted on so much as
possibly risks us not making it in time to save her, I-”
Tick Tock waved a dismissive hoof and set back to work examining
Fluttershy’s condition. “The thing with Gargantuan venom is that it saps
body heat at an incredibly alarming rate. Think hypothermia on steroids and
with a personal trainer,” she explained, her horn aglow as she studied
Fluttershy’s back, where the stinger had original struck. “This should buy us
an extra thirty minutes or so, more than enough to excuse taking this little
breather. We'll be fine so long as we don't run into any more delays.”
“I don't see how any more delays would be possible,” Lockwood
smiled, “These new friends of ours are most appropriate bodyguards,
wouldn't you say?”
“Well they certainly did help us out of a jam,” Flathoof nodded, “And
they seem so interested in getting to know you girls. I get the feeling they
do a lot of traveling and spend most of their time alone together. Probably
don’t meet too many other ponies.”
“Friends. Right,” Tick Tock hesitated, “I’m glad to see they’re so
interested in us. I don’t know about you two, but they’ve hardly said a word
to me. In fact I think I’ve caught them looking at me a few times - not good
looks either, mind you - and to be honest I’m a little bothered by it.”
“Sounds like somepony’s jealous,” Lockwood smirked, “I’ll admit I feel
left out not getting to know six more fine young mares, but I suppose I can’t
win ‘em all. Shame too, they all seem to be hedonists.”
“They’re out in the Wastelands, there’s no law out here that they have
to wear anything,” Tick Tock pointed out, “To be frank I’m surprised you all
are still following it. And before you say anything, no I’m not being
hypocritical, my outfit has a practical purpose beyond just covering up.”
“Hey, I’m not complaining,” Lockwood nodded with a wide grin. He
turned to and addressed Rarity, “Seems odd to me that you other girls are
still following it even when you’re not from around here.”
“If you’re asking what I think you are-” Rarity narrowed her eyes.
Lockwood waved his hooves defensively, “Ha ha! Joking, joking! Just
trying to lighten the mood.”
Flathoof rolled his eyes, “As usual. Always good to see you’re not
letting things get you down, old friend. Though maybe you shouldn’t keep
thinking with your-” Rarity gave Flathoof a look, as if daring him to finish the
sentence with the word he was thinking of, but midway through the look a
greasy streak of yellow on black sidled up to Rarity from the darkness.
Insipid made her presence known rather suddenly: “Oh! Hey... Hey,”
she fumbled for a moment, apparently forgetting a moment who she’d
come for, “Hey... Rarity! Can I, like, borrow you for, like, just a teeny
minute?”
Rarity raised an eyebrow. She hadn't really spoken much with the
other unicorn outside of introductions, so this was a rather sudden surprise.
“Yes, darling? What is it?”
“Well, I wanted to, y’know, like... talk to you, like, um... alone? Um...
it's kinda embarrassing see, and I, like, really don't want anypony else
butting in?”
“To be honest darling, at the moment I am rather preoccupied. I really
must make sure that Fluttershy is taken care of,” Rarity replied.
Insipid looked at the limp yellow pegasus, “Oh yeah, she got, like,
stung by one of those things and junk? That’s totally sad! But... um... isn’t
your friend, like... like... Watchy... Clocky... Timey...”
“Tick Tock,” said the self-affirmed flatly.
“Tick Tock! It’s like, y’know, you’re the one taking the most, like, care
of her?”
“That would be the case,” Tick Tock said dismissively, “I’ve got things
handled here, Rarity. Fluttershy is going to be fine. If I need any assistance,
Lockwood’s here too. You can spend as much time as you’d like with her.”
“That’s right,” Lockwood nodded, “I’d be more than able to take care
of things in your stead, if Miss Insipid wishes to speak with you about
something.”
Rarity frowned and stroked Fluttershy’s mane, “I don’t know... I’d
really rather not leave her when she needs me the most...”
“Aww, c’mon,” Insipid pouted, “Your friends are, like, gonna take care
of her and stuff! It’ll be totally fine. I mean for serious, maybe you could
spare, like, a few minutes to help me solve a little problem? Prettiest
pleases?”
“Well... well,” and Rarity sighed, finding no polite escape, “I
suppose..."
“Oh! Thank you so, so, so totally much!”
Rarity turned to Tick Tock, “You'll come get me if anything changes
with Fluttershy's condition, won't you?”
“Of course,” Tick Tock nodded.
Rarity followed Insipid a small ways away from the campfire, not
really sure what to expect. Insipid suddenly stopped and turned to face her,
a scrutinous look on her face. “Darling,” Rarity asked, “What is this all-”
“Can you make me look... like, pretty?” Insipid blurted.
“I... beg your pardon?” Rarity blinked, "Whatever do you mean?”
“Pretty! I want to be pretty!” Insipid pouted, “I mean for real, like, just
look at me. I have no clue how to fix all of this... this.” She spun a hoof
round.
“Where are you pointing, darling? Stop wiggling so much, you’re just
gesturing everywhere,” Rarity said flatly.
“I know! Like, everywhere!” Insipid wailed, “I don't know what to do!”
“This is what you came to me about? Seriously?” Rarity frowned,
“You dragged me away from Fluttershy to give you a makeover?”
Insipid said rather matter-of-factly, as if there wasn’t any problem with
it at all, “Like, cha? It’s super serious, right!”
Rarity rolled her eyes, “I really must get back to her. Surely
somepony else would-”
“Pleasies?” Insipid pouted again, “I promise it won’t be, like, totally
super long and junk. I just need advice really, maybe a little work done or
whatever, not like, y’know, a full treatment or anything?”
“Well... I suppose I could do... something with you,” Rarity hesitated.
“You can?” Insipid said with wide eyes.
“For sure,” Rarity nodded. She suddenly realized what she’d said and
put a hoof to her face, “Oh wonderful, now you’ve got me doing it.” She
shook it off with a cough and begin to scrutinize her client with her expert
eyes. “Your coat needs a good wash, nothing I can do about that, but your
mane and tail I can help with. Not as much as I'm sure you'd like, since I
lack a brush or any product, but well enough for now. You’ve at the very
least got beautiful eyes, darling, no need to touch those at all. It’s actually
sort of strange... kind of like looking in a mirror.”
“Oh thank you thank you thank you!” Insipid squealed in delight, “Oh
this is going to be, like, so. Totally. Major... Fresh?”
Rarity blinked rapidly. This pony’s manner of speaking was truly
astonishing; she still was not quite able to tell when Insipid was asking or
telling her anything. “Right... well, I do have one question though, before I
get started on all of this. Why? Yes, okay, your look is certainly... unique,
but it is nothing I would consider too far below average standards. If
anything it looks like a cheap knock-off of my style, only you’ve got too
many cowlicks to make this kind of curl practical, and whoever did your
dye-job - and I do apologize if you did it yourself - hasn’t got a clue what
they’re doing and should have their license revoked immediately. Please
tell me you didn’t try this yourself, darling, because really now, using paint
is hardly a good idea. Ah, but I’ve gone off on a tangent again, forgive me. I
believe I was asking you why you wanted an expert’s advice, out here, in
the middle of nowhere? Normally I’d jump at the opportunity, but you’re
asking me to divide my attention away from something very important to
me.”
Insipid squirmed when she half-answered Rarity’s question after a
moment of visible self-discussion. “I... I can't... like, say?”
“And why not?”
“Um, duh, I don't want to? I mean, hell-oooo?”
Rarity rolled her eyes, “Darling, really-”
“Look, can you, like, help me or can't you?”
Rarity huffed, “Well, perhaps then you can you at least tell me why
you want my help in particular. Granted I certainly do look like I’d know my
stuff, but surely one of your friends would-”
“No! No-no-no-no. I totally don't, like, want them to know what I'm
trying to do - they’d make fun of me forever, for sure. For-ev-er! Like, you
see? So not fresh. And you... you're, like, the second-prettiest pony here,
so-”
Rarity balked, “Second?! Of all the uncouth--” her eyes narrowed,
“So, who's the first then, in your opinion?”
“Oh come on! Don't make me, like, say something all embarrassing?”
Insipid whined.
“If you won't tell me, then I won't help you. It’s as simple as that. My
assistance doesn’t normally come so cheap, you know, yet all I’m asking
for right now is a simple response to a simple question.”
Insipid flustered, “But... but... but... grrr, this is what I get for asking!
Hmph. Okay. Okay! Whatever! But, like, you promise you won't tell
anypony? Like, super swear?”
“Of course.” Rarity nodded with an easy smile, “Cross my heart and
hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”
Insipid blinked a few times, “Um...?”
Rarity shook her head, “Sorry. Old habit, I’m afraid. Let’s just say it
means I promise, yes? Now go on darling, you were saying?”
Insipid looked around to make sure nopony was eavesdropping. In a
hushed whisper, she said quietly into Rarity's ear, “Curaçao is the
prettiest.”
Rarity blinked, stunned, “You can't be serious...” Insipid remained
firm. “You are serious. I see.” Rarity looked off to the other side of the
camp, where the blue earth pony in question was busy chatting up a storm
with Applejack, much to her own curiosity; how those two could have
possibly hit it off was beyond her. No matter. How in Equestria this silly
unicorn could think that Curaçao was prettier than her, the alwaysfashionable Rarity, was preposterous. And yet, the longer she looked, the
more she began to think that perhaps the scatter-brained one was on to
something. “Hmmm... while I disagree with your position, I certainly can see
why you have it. She does have a certain fanciful quality to her, I'll give her
that. Her mane is styled wonderfully. Such a simple style that really fits her
facial structure and body tone, and she keeps the shine up perfectly. I'm
impressed, to be fair. Out in these conditions, I've found it difficult to
maintain my own looks, but Curaçao makes it look easy.”
Insipid continued for her as soon as Rarity ended her sentence,
apparently forgetting immediately she’d ever been whispering. “Oh I know,
her hair is all silky and smooth and there isn't a tangle or anything
anywhere, and it’s got like, this orange smell, totally fresh.”
“And her choice in accessories is simple and practical, but very well
done and not at all out of place. That headband perfectly matches both her
coat and hair, a very good choice for traveling conditions. And she keeps
herself in good shape as well, just the right amount of lean tone and sleek
structure.”
“Oh, tell me about it! She's got, like, no fat at all and is all poised and
trim? She's got, like, the totally perfect body! Y'know?”
“And she's fluent in Romantique! So few ponies speak it so well, even
fewer can even understand it. I'll admit I'm rather jealous. I’m still learning it
myself, but I think I still have a few years ahead of me before I can hope to
come close to her fluency. It’s like she was born speaking it.”
“I know! It sounds so totally pretty when she says it in, like, that voice
of hers? ‘May wee boo-coop!’” Insipid bubbled. Rarity suppressed the urge
to groan at the horribly mangled language. “She was, like, made for
speaking fancy!” Her face suddenly contorted into a pout, “It’s not fair. I’m
all, like, totally never gonna be as fancy as her. You said it takes, like,
years to go out and, like, learn that language? I totally don’t have that kind
of time. I want to learn it, and learn it now!”
“Well it does take a lot of time and effort, I assure you of that much.
Nothing a little diligence wouldn’t solve... though I suppose that is out of the
question for you at the moment. I could teach you a little bit, so long as
we’re traveling together for a while, if you’d like?”
“Ooh! Yeah, that would so totally work? Since as long as the boss
thinks I’m doing, like, a good job, she’ll let me talk to you?”
Rarity raised an eyebrow, “I beg your pardon?”
Insipid’s eyes widened, “In protecting you guys, I mean! Yeah, like, if
she thinks I’m... y’know, goofing off, or... um... something, she won’t let me,
like, do anything in my free time? She’s totally all super strict, y’know?”
Rarity’s eyes half-lidded. “Well wouldn’t asking me for a makeover
and fashion advice count as ‘goofing off’, darling?”
“Oh, like, not really, that’s all totally a part of the plan? Or whatever,”
Insipid nodded. She suddenly shook her head, “Because... Because! She,
like, wants me to make some new friends! Yeah, um... the plan is... like...
for me to make new friends, y’know? Yeah. Um... so, like, anyway... you
were, like, going to help me and stuff?”
Rarity rolled her eyes a bit. This one was a bit scatter-brained, but the
poor dear was obviously ecstatic to have an ‘outsider’ to help her with her
little problem, so she’d forgive a minor bit of nervousness. “So you want to
be as pretty as Curaçao, do you? Well... as I said, that is not going to be an
easy task. It takes a lot of work and dedication to be as pretty as she and I
are,” Rarity added, “And not just to get that initial look either. It takes
diligent discipline to maintain it, and you may not have that kind of luxury.”
“I so totally do not care how much work it takes or whatever. I just,
like, want to be pretty and fancy like her, y’know? I’ll do, like, anything!
Anything,” Insipid said quickly.
Rarity’s horn glowed and she began to use it to analyze Insipid’s
mane at first. This might take a while, she thought. Just from looking at
Insipid’s mane and tail she could see a few cowlicks, but combing through
it she could feel dozens more that she couldn’t see with her naked eye.
Taking a while was putting it mildly; this wasn’t just a job, this was a project.
It might be best to at least make conversation and lighten the mood, break
the silence. “So tell me, how long has your little troupe been traveling
together?”
“Um, like, as long as I can remember?” Insipid nodded, “So, like, a
super long time? What about you and your friends? You all seem, like,
totally close and junk.”
“Well, we all became friends as a group a few years ago, when
Twilight first moved to where we all live. A few of us knew one another from
before that, though. Rainbow Dash met Applejack when Rainbow first
moved to town; Applejack heads the agricultural committee, see, and has a
lot of input on the town’s ideal weather conditions, and Rainbow Dash was
appointed the head of weather control - a natural fit. They became fast
friends, since they share so much in common. Rainbow and Fluttershy
knew each other from flight school, at least until Fluttershy dropped out and
moved to a more ground-level city several months before Rainbow did.
That’s when I met Fluttershy - I saw an ad in the paper about the new
animal care-giver in town, and thought I’d drop by to see if she could help
with my precious Opalescence - my cat,” she added when she noticed the
confusion on Insipid's face, “Apart from her I had little interaction with the
others before Twilight arrived. Pinkie Pie once or twice for costumes, but
we rarely spoke much outside of business-related matters.”
“So you’ve, like, known... uh... Fluttershy the longest?” Insipid
prodded.
“Well, been close with her the longest, yes most definitely. Which of
your friends did you meet first?”
“Curaçao,” Insipid smiled, “She was the first thing I saw after the...
um, like, she was the first thing I ever saw that looked as beautiful as she
does or whatever? So she, like, opened my eyes, as if Curie was the first
thing... I ever saw? Um... yeah. We all met pretty much right after that, so
like, I’ve known the others nearly as long.”
Rarity smirked at Insipid’s fumbling. She knew that kind of
nervousness anywhere. “That’s quite a way to put it. You certainly are
trying to sound as romantic as I’m sure Curie is. Very poetic, darling.”
Insipid coughed, “So... um... do you and... Fluttershy, like, get along
really well and stuff? Utopia sounds like it has some, like, pretty tight-knit
communities?”
Rarity raised an eyebrow, “Utopia? I never mentioned anything about”
Insipid choked, “Ha-ha! I... was making, like, an assumption, y’know?
Yeah... um... because Pandemonium doesn’t have anything like those...
uh... agricultural things? I assume this little, like, journey of yours is trying to
go back home? Changed your mind or whatever? Decided to go back?”
“Yes... changed our minds,” Rarity smiled meekly.
“For sure. So... yeah, you... and Fluttershy? I’m like, on pins and
needles? You two: friendsies?”
“Heavens darling, that’s putting it mildly. She and I are the best of
friends. We do everything together, and she works so hard to live up to my
expectations in fashion. Did you know she knows nearly as much as I do?
Granted it was mostly sewing technique, but it’s a start. I was surprised she
knew so much and sprung it on me so suddenly. Poor dear didn’t want to
hurt my feelings when critiquing a dress I’d made for her. Do you and
Curaçao share anything like that? She seems to me like she’s your closest
friend.”
Insipid sighed, “I dunno! All I know is, like, Curie is the bestest pony in
all of Equestria. For. Sure. None of the others in my group even, like,
compare?”
“What about their gifts? That’s something they all have that Curaçao
lacks. I’m actually curious about how she ended up with you all - and you,
as well. I haven’t seen any similar abilities from the two of you. Do you
have gifts like those?”
“Well! Curie and Starlight said I should, y’know, keep mine on the,
like, down-low? Because it’s like, the boss doesn’t want me to, like, throw
away a good opportunity? Then she always says ‘as usual’ and, like, I don’t
see-” Insipid interrupted herself, and suddenly began to fluster and speak
even faster than she had already, “Oh. Oh! Oh-oh! B-because my power
kinda, like, is... throwing stuff away! Like garbage? So lame! And... dirty!
Dirt and stuff, and junk? Yeah! A total snore, like I’m sure, so I really don’t
like, like garbage and stuff even, and so, y’know, I’d rather not, like, talk
about trash, really grody! You totally wouldn’t want to hear about that stuff,
so forget it or whatever! Cha!” Rarity just stared at her. Awkwardly. Insipid
continued, unfazed, “And the others? Like, none of the others really have
much of what I would want anyway, y’know? Havocwing’s fire powers?
Like, yawn, bor-ing. I can’t fly, so Grayscale’s powers don’t really, y’know,
interest me. And Red’s? Um... like, gag me with a spoon! Let’s just say I’d,
like, rather not. Ever! Talk about hers,” she added with a shudder.
Rarity continued to stare, utterly perplexed by the black unicorn’s
stream of consciousness as it blurted out, and after a moment, Rarity
realized it had gotten quiet again. Insipid had stopped talking, and was
looking at Rarity expectantly. Not for the first time, she mentally flailed, and
tried to decipher the last thing that had been said. “Strange, to be honest I
never really saw much of Miss Velvet’s abilities to elicit such a reaction.
And... what about your leader? Her name was Starlight Shadow?” Rarity
fought back an urge to kick herself after realizing she’d turned a statement
into a question - just like Insipid. Being around this pony, Rarity decided
right then and there, was not healthy for her brain. Thankfully, Insipid didn’t
seem to notice the unintentional mimicry.
“Ooh, I wouldn’t, like, dare try to take... er, ah... fake her powers. I
don’t, y’know, think my body can, like, handle that much magic anyway?
Besides, Starlight isn’t anywhere near as pretty as Curie is - oh, but don’t
tell her I said that? She’d kill me. I’m totally not kidding.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it, darling,” Rarity smiled as she combed her
magics through Insipid’s mane once more. The other unicorn’s hair was
finally starting to straighten out, but Rarity found that without the proper
tools she was likely not going to make it hold up. Insipid had more cowlicks
than Rarity had ever seen in three ponies, let alone one. There were
atrocious split-ends at every turn, the hair just seemed to want to tangle
and knot at every opportunity, and it was a miracle most of the stuff hadn’t
just up and fallen out altogether with the horrendous condition of her roots.
Rarity was actually glad she wasn’t using a brush - even her highest quality
ones back at home would likely protest at the amount of work they’d need
to do. She was wondering if perhaps it would be better to try a new style
entirely, rather than try to beautify the disaster the poor girl called a mane.
“Sooo... like, how did... you and Fluttershy get to be such total BFFs
anyway?”
“Hmmm? Oh! Yes well, as I said I sought out her services to assist
me with caring for my dear Opalescence. She was just a kitten then, and I
was having trouble with figuring out her diet - cats are so finicky, you
understand, and kittens even moreso. Fluttershy was most helpful and
gave me just the best advice. I starting going back once a week to chat with
her about things, and we bonded together like two halves of a whole. I
began treating her to weekly spa visits to help her improve her look - the
dear doesn’t realize just how pretty she is. She used to be a model, you
know? I wanted her to look her finest, even if she was a little hesitant at
first. I’d do anything to make my friends happy, her most of all.”
“Cha... I know the feeling,” Insipid sighed, “I’d, like, do anything for
Curie, too.”
Rarity smirked, “I see. Is that why you want to look pretty, then? For
her? How romantic, darling! Trying to earn the affection of the one you love
by making yourself look your best, are we?”
Insipid hesitated, “Pfh, no? I just want to be as pretty as she is, for
sure. I mean, like, just look at her! Everything about her look is perfect. I
want that look... I want it! And I’d, like, do anything to get what I want. Don’t
you, like, have something that you’d do anything for or whatever? What
about Fluttershy? You’d, like, do anything to make her happy?”
Rarity smiled, “Of course, dear. She’s my dearest friend.”
“I’m just saying that makes me think, like, that you totally might want
her as more than a friend, y’know? See, I can, like, totally turn the tables
right back around on you,” Insipid added, sticking out her tongue.
It was Rarity’s turn to fluster, “Good... good heavens, darling, I... I
think you might just be over-thinking this just the tiniest bit. Fluttershy’s my
best friend. I’d do anything for her, yes. Anything to make her happy, no
matter what sort of pain that might bring to me. But I’d do that for any of
friends. Okay, I’ll admit, I’d jump through more hoops for Fluttershy than
for, say, Applejack. But that’s not because I like her... like her. I’ve just
known her longer, and the poor dear needs more support. Nothing more to
it than that.”
Insipid shrugged, “Okay, like, no need to get defensive. Anyway, are
we, like, almost done? I totally want to see how pretty I look?”
*****
Rainbow Dash let out a loud yawn. It had been a very long day, and
she was beginning to become agitated. She wasn’t used to pulling allnighters, and this was most definitely the longest time she’d ever gone
without sleep, a nap, or anything in between. But there were still a few
hours left on the road to the checkpoint, and with the possibility, distant
though it was according to Tick Tock, of more of those monsters popping
up or approaching from afar, Rainbow just didn’t feel that the safety of her
friends was in good shape. Thus, she’d taken it upon herself to maintain a
vigilant watch of the camp from high above; none of those Gargantuans
would get anywhere near the camp, big or small. Not on her watch. She
would’ve rather preferred to be closer to ground level so she could talk with
Pinkie Pie, but the abundantly excitable earth pony had made extremely
fast friends with the pink earth pony from the other group. Rainbow Dash
still felt very... strange, to say the least, whenever she looked at that one.
There was something distinctly familiar about her and yet different all the
same.
Rainbow Dash found, to her dismay, that she was not allowed to be
alone in her thoughts. Another pegasus lazily floated her way up to
Rainbow, making rather grand sweeps with her impressively large wings.
Rainbow was still rather awed at this other pegasus. Sure, she thought that
red one, Havocwing, had just the coolest ‘superpower’ - Pinkie’s word, not
hers - she’d ever seen. Throwing fireballs, how cool was that? But still, she
had to admit this one had style. Those metal boots she wore looked pretty
awesome, maybe even a hint of radical.
“Hey,” Grayscale said very simply.
“‘Sup?” Rainbow responded in a way she rarely felt was appreciated:
coolly.
“Not much. Just bored.”
“Same here.”
Rainbow just nodded. Grayscale responded in turn. Okay, Rainbow
thought, she seems cool. She offered a hoof up high just a little; Grayscale
put her own below it. Hoofbump. Yeah, Rainbow thought, definitely cool.
“You keepin’ watch?” Grayscale asked.
“Yeah. I’m not about to let one of those things get the jump on us
again.”
“Ah. But-”
“Yeah yeah, I know Tick Tock said we don’t need to worry about that
out here. But she’s messed up pretty bad today as far as saying things that
put me at ease, so I’m not really trusting her judgement right now, ya feel
me?”
“I hear ya.”
“I mean, ‘Hey everypony let’s walk through an active volcano’? I don’t
think her head’s on straight, if you know what I mean.”
“Right, right,” Grayscale said with a stretch of her legs, “You got a
problem with this filly?”
“I thinks she’s a total idiot and she’s gonna get us all killed at this
rate,” Rainbow said bluntly. She then suddenly reconsidered herself, “I
really shouldn’t be talking about this with anypony though. I mean, I don’t
want anypony getting the wrong idea or nothin’. Twilight already knows I
don’t really agree with Tick Tock, like, at all, but...”
Grayscale shrugged, “Hey, no big deal.”
“Yeah, yeah. Tick Tock is - well, whatever, it doesn’t matter.”
“If you don’t want to talk about it, sorry for bringing it up.”
“Eh. It’s okay.”
“She does seem like she’s a little... overbearing,” Grayscale said
slowly. Rainbow nodded deeply in response. “I wouldn’t like her either.”
There was a heavy pause. Rainbow drank it in; it wasn’t an awkward
pause that made her feel tense. It was a pause born from everything that
needed said having been said. She liked this pony. Definitely cool. And
more than that, she knew she was cool, and seemed to get that Rainbow
herself was cool. Hard to be cooler than that.
Grayscale yawned, and smoothly led with a neck crack back into the
topic anew. “Weird that she’s all important.”
Rainbow snorted, “Yeah. Twilight, AJ... well, basically everypony says
I’m being too harsh.”
“Eh, it’s not that, though. You just aren’t an idiot.”
Rainbow chuckled briefly, and put out a hoof again. Grayscale
bumped it again.
“Thanks.”
“Nothin’ big,” Grayscale shrugged again, “I’m just sayin’, is all.”
Rainbow snorted, “Yeah. I get you. I mean. It’s nice that they listen...”
Grayscale slid her eyes over to Rainbow Dash, nodding slowly. “Well, I
mean. They listen, you know? They’re always willing to listen to what I have
to say, even if they don’t agree with me. I’m probably thinking about it too
much. Not really my problem.” Grayscale shrugged, and Rainbow shrugged
with her. “I mean, okay,” Rainbow said suddenly, “It is a little odd.”
“Yeah?” Grayscale said it lightly, the question mark barely there in
her voice. Rainbow knew what she was asking.
“Odd that everypony listens to her over me, I mean. Tick Tock
supposedly knows her way around out here, even... if it hasn’t really felt like
it. I guess her words just have more weight, is all. I can’t really argue with
Twilight’s reasons for listening to her. Again. Can’t agree, but hey, I’m with
whatever they’re with, right?”
“Yeah, I get what you’re saying,” Grayscale nodded.
Rainbow stared intently at the ground for a moment, “Yeah... well. I’m
with them. I have to be. Sometimes, they’re... heh. I don’t know what they’d
do without me.”
They both chuckled this time. “I get you entirely. My team? Aside
from the boss, and maybe the fancy one,” and Rainbow grinned at this
description of Curaçao, “They’d fall apart. Hey. You and me though? I think
we’re on the level.”
“Haha, yeah. We’ve got our own fancy problems.”
“Somepony whose tongue’s full of shiny... probably fake words, huh?”
“Heh. Sometimes I wonder. Back in the city? Our shiny pony wanted
to decorate the apartment we were going to be in for like, a week? We’re
going home, and she wants to put up curtains or something.”
“Maybe she wanted to wallpaper the place, too. Get a bunch of tiny
pillows that nopony can even use.”
Rainbow laughed outright. “Yeah. I mean, I know they’re not trying to
be so...”
Grayscale gave her a look. “Unnecessary?”
“Yeah, but wow... and I know the place was pretty dreary, and
probably the scene of a murder... but a party made more sense than to get
ready to live there. Pinkie does that. She’s all about parties. I get parties.
But see, they’re, y’know...”
“Temporary?”
“Yeah! Because a party can start and stop whenever, it’s always a
good time to party.”
“That’s your pink friend’s thing, huh?”
Rainbow smiled into the distance for a moment before answering,
“Yeah.”
Grayscale nodded. “Heh... goofy, but her heart’s in the right place?”
“Yeah... and I mean, we argue with Rarity, but we’re still with her,
because that’s true for her too. We wouldn’t just abandon her. Pinkie and
me, I mean. And everypony else. Gotta stick together, no matter what, no
matter if some ponies like dumb pillows,” she dropped her voice, “And all
that’s behind us now anyway, we’re taking the safe route we all wanted to
take in the first place...”
“At last, huh?”
Rainbow frowned. “At least at this point, Tick Tock won’t suggest
anything too stupid.”
Grayscale began snickering, and Rainbow had to resist grinning
again, realizing how easy it would be to join in. “She can’t, right? Fluttershy
is on the line here.”
Rainbow frowned deeper as she spoke. It hadn't really occured to her
how much trust they were putting in Tick Tock to keep Fluttershy alive.
What if she was wrong? Again? “Rarity... she really cares about Fluttershy,
and... she trusts her enough, and if Rarity is willing to put Fluttershy's life in
her hooves, I... I guess I can't see how arguing with her would help.”
"And that stallion too, what was his name? I didn’t really pay any
attention to him.”
“Who, Lockwood?” Rainbow rolled her eyes, “Yeah, I bet he is.” She
caught herself. “Not that it matters anyway, Rarity’s there to make sure
nothing bad happens. I can trust her, at least.”
“Hm? Oh, I didn’t know you didn’t like him, either,” Grayscale
smirked, “I can’t imagine why.”
“Smooth talking stallions, so charming,” Rainbow said languidly, “He’s
just so nice. Too nice, if you ask me. Especially to Fluttershy and Rarity.”
“Sounds fishy.”
“Yeah, I was gonna say the same thing. Now, I’m gonna say: You
and me? We’re on the level, and we’ve got pretty good opinions.”
“Heh.”
“It’s nice to talk to somebody who gets it. I mean... I can always talk
about Lockwood with... everypony else too, I guess, but... you know. Gotta
keep the group together.”
Grayscale’s nod was very slight, and after a moment, she said
quietly. “I’m glad to give you an ear - and I can keep an eye on Lockwood
for you.”
“Thanks... sometimes I think everypony’s too nice to him.”
“Hey, it’s what they do, right?”
“Yeah... it's what they do. Back home, Pinkie knows everypony in
town and they all love her, and she loves them. She takes pride in that.”
“She’s your best friend?” Grayscale smiled at her. “I wouldn’t be
surprised if she helped you out when the group decides you’re being too
mean.”
“She-” Rainbow started. Then she remembered their conversation
from the campfire the night before last. Pinkie hadn’t agreed with her.
Pinkie didn’t think any lesser of either Lockwood or Tick Tock, despite
Rainbow’s passionate dislike of them both. She returned the smile to
Grayscale, spending all her concentration to keep it from shaking.
“Pinkie’s... always there for me.”
“Sounds pretty awesome. Maybe a little rad?”
“Y-yeah. Definitely.”
“You’re lucky to have such a loyal group of friends.”
Rainbow swallowed. A loyal group of friends that were all ignoring
almost all of her opinions, and instead listened to the two ponies she made
it clear she didn’t trust.
“A-and... I’m loyal to them, too. Through thick and thin.”
“Hey, very cool.”
Rainbow turned away, hoping it wasn’t too fast. “Y-yeah. Hey, um, I...
I need to get back to my watch. If that's cool?”
“Yeah, it's cool. Good talking to you, Dash.”
“Yeah. See you around, Gray.”
She took off in a slow, circling rise, letting the natural pattern of her
flight distance herself, worrying about the distance she could see in her
friends.
Grayscale watched her glide away, a faint wisp of a smile trailing on
her lips. Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper that died in the wind, “I
like it when they do the work for me.”
She yawned and glided off towards the ground upside-down,
forehooves behind her head, great, heavy wings catching the air currents
and dragging them down with her. Down and down, slowly but surely
breaking them beneath her.
*****
“-and see then the best part, is when you just get to slice right in. I
find that using a serrated blade is better, since it really gets through the
thick parts and gets down to the juicy business faster. Ooh, and it makes
nice, clean slices too - perfect for sharing with others, or making it easier to
save some for yourself for later. Sometimes they’re too big y’know, and you
can’t down it all in one go.”
“Oh I know, I love that part the most. The juices just gurgle and ooze
all over the place. I find that the thicker the flow, the better the quality. Also,
it makes it easier to keep together, nice and neat. Nopony wants to get that
stuff all over the place; it stains, y’know? I got a bunch of it all over the floor
once, and had to wash that rug like four times to get it out.”
“Oh absolutely, the messes are the worst. Sometimes you just gotta
get rid of the evidence, and stains make that a really tough job. Ooh, ooh,
and the colors are the best part. You can tell when you’ve got something
really good when it’s just the right shade of red. The darker, the better. If it’s
too bright you probably didn’t do it right.”
“Yeah, I definitely agree. What about smell? See, I’m of the opinion
that if you got the job done just right, you can smell all the insides and stuff
straight through, before you even start cutting. But I guess that depends on
how long you let it sit before you ate it. How long do you think is the best to
let it sit for before eating? I hear all sorts of different opinions on the matter.
Can you believe some ponies refrigerate it? Or worse, freeze it? Blech,
yuck. Then what do they do, microwave it? Just gross.”
“To hay with that, I eat it straight away! It’s best when it’s fresh and
warm, that’s when the juices really flow and stuff, and when the smell is the
best too. Piping hot and delicious. Oh and the toppings. See, depending on
the kind you’re eating, different things go better with it. It’s all very
scientific.”
“Oh, you have no idea how good it feels to have somepony to talk to
about this kind of stuff. Everypony else just doesn’t understand my passion,
y’know? But you, I’ve got a good feeling about you.”
“I know, right? It feels like we’re... kindred spirits or something! We
really need to share our recipes some time. I bet your cherry pie tastes
delicious.”
At last, Pinkie Pie raised an eyebrow, “Wait, we were talking about
cherry pie?”
“Well, duh,” Red Velvet rolled her eyes, “What did you think we were
talking about?”
“Strawberry pie, of course,” Pinkie said matter-of-factly, crossing her
hooves over her chest, “Though I can see where there might have been
some confusion for somepony that might have just wandered into the
conversation right in the middle of it.”
“Yeah, they might have thought we were talking about murdering,
cutting up, and then devouring some hapless pony. What a ridiculous idea.
Ha ha!” Red Velvet snickered.
Pinkie giggled, “Ha ha ha! Good one.”
“Ah... it’s a talent.” Velvet’s grin widened and she bared some teeth,
“Though now that you mention it, I could go for a good slice of pony right
now. You look pretty tasty yourself actually... Nice. And. Juicy...”
Pinkie raised an eyebrow, “What?”
Velvet snickered and growled low, approaching Pinkie with a
menacing grin, “I bet you taste really... sweet too...”
“Um... I w-wouldn’t know...” Pinkie backed up a step, “M-maybe ask
Rain-”
Red whispered from suddenly behind Pinkie, directly into her ear, “I
wonder what kind of pie you taste like...” Pinkie yelped and fell back on her
rump, and nearly scrambled away from Velvet as the other pink pony took
another intimidating step towards her. Then suddenly, Pinkie Pie burst into
laughter. Velvet’s grin shattered and turned into a look of utter surprise.
“What the-”
“Oh man, good one,” Pinkie chortled, “You had me goin’ there for a
second, Red. Pfft. Eating ponies. Ha! You’d have to be pretty twisted to do
that,” she added, crossing her eyes and twirling a hoof around her ear.
Velvet looked rather unsettled for a moment, “R-right. Ha ha...
twisted, yeah. I, uh... sure got you.”
Pinkie wiped her eye and gave a happy sigh, “No really, that was
great. You’d be a blast at my next Nightmare Night party... er, if you were
able to come, which I doubt you would be all things considered. Ooh, ooh, I
know! I should totally have Rarity make up a dress for me that looks like it
was sewn together from the coats of dozens of ponies, really add to the
image, y’know? I mean, even if you can’t be there yourself, you’ve given
me just the best idea to make next year's Nightmare Night the scariest
thing ever. Dashie'll get a total kick out of it, I just know it!”
Velvet merely stared in disbelief, “You... you want to scare other
ponies?” She couldn’t believe it. Wasn’t it her job to make this one think
those thoughts? She already had these kinds of thoughts on her own!
"What is this I don't even-"
“Pfft, no, not all the time or anything. But on Nightmare Night, there
are three super-duper really really critically important things you need to do
in order to call the night a complete success: One, you need lots and lots
and lots and lots of candy.”
“Lots of candy?” Velvet asked in interest.
“Lots of candy. Rule One is, chocolate is the best, followed by
caramels and taffy, with fruity stuff way down on the bottom. Rule Two is, if
your tummy isn’t full to to bursting by the end of the night, you're doing it
wrong. Rule Three is, eat as you go, to keep plenty of room in your pillow
case. Four, trick-or-treating ain't just for foals, and anypony who says so is
jealous of all your free candy.
“Two, you need the absolute perfect costume, and it doesn't really
matter what it is so much as the quality - last year, I went as a chicken.
Bugawk! Funny costumes are best for parties, while for everything else the
best bet is the scary stuff. I usually have two costumes every year - one for
scoring loads of candy, the other for joining Dashie on prank sprees. Your
costume alone should make other ponies ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ at how good it
looks, and if they run away from being scared that’s even better!”
“Costumes, got it,” Velvet nodded, “That part’s easy.”
“Three, you need to either get scared completely out of your wits, or
do the same to somepony else, preferably everypony you possibly can.
That's the whole point of the holiday after all! It’s also Dashie’s favorite part,
and she usually gets me really good because she’s so fast and sneaky.”
“A whole holiday dedicated to scaring ponies. Why am I just learning
about this now?” Velvet grumbled, “So you... don't get frightened very
easily I take it? Heck, on this one day in particular you actually enjoy it?
That's very... unexpected.”
“Well yeah! The way I look at it, there's nothing out there to be afraid
of that you can't stand up to. Dragons, spooky forests, haunted houses,
you name it!”
“Even, say, certain death?” Velvet grinned.
“Well you'd have to be just plain dumb to be unafraid of that,” Pinkie
rolled her eyes, “But you just gotta face your fears, and when it's all said
and done you can look back on it with your friends and laugh! Make those
death-defying adventures into stories to tell your friends and family. Like
today, sure we all got blasted out of volcano after falling to our certain
doom, but then we got to go soaring through the air, with the greatest of
ease! If you can't take what scares you and get some fun out of it, you may
as well just lock yourself in your house. Why, I even wrote a song about it!”
And Pinkie took a deep breath.
“A song? Right now?” Velvet said flatly, “You're not...”
“♫When I was just a filly and the sun was going down-”
“You are...” Velvet rolled her eyes.
*****
“So, what did she want to talk about?” Lockwood asked, “You were
over there a while.”
“The way you acted at first, I'm surprised you didn't come crawling
back,” Flathoof smirked.
Rarity, who had just returned from her talk with Insipid, smiled
knowingly, “Oh, just a little girl talk, mostly fashion and beauty, nothing any
of you boys would take interest in. How is she?”
Tick Tock wiped her brow with her sleeve, “I've gotten her mostly
stabilized. She's in a pretty deep sleep now so she won't be in any pain for
a while, hopefully at least until we hit the checkpoint. As soon as we're all
ready to move out, I'll prep her to move the rest of the way. She'll be fine,
Rarity. Trust me in this.”
Rarity sighed, “I am putting a lot of faith in you, Tick Tock. Your
judgement so far has been nothing but trouble... but what other choice do I
have? What exactly have you been doing to keep her from succumbing to
the illness, anyway? You’re clearly using magic, but haven’t asked either
myself nor Twilight for help.”
“Advanced Diagnostic spells. I’m pin-pointing the infected areas and
putting barriers around them to keep the infection from spreading as
quickly. I only wish I were as proficient at Restomancy as Twilight is, or had
her kind of power - I might be able to almost cure her. I'd ask for Twilight’s
assistance, but she has no idea what to look for and this is delicate work. I
do apologize for not being able to do more.”
“You’ve done your best,” Lockwood smiled, “And we’re all grateful to
you for it, I’m sure. Fluttershy’s important to...” He stopped a moment and
looked at Rarity briefly, thoughtfully. “To everypony.”
“Just remember, Tick Tock - if anything happens to her? I won't be
held responsible for what I might do to you,” Rarity threatened, “As much
as I appreciate your help, I still blame you for this happening to her in the
first place.”
Tick Tock raised an eyebrow, “Me? Where did that come from? I tried
to warn-”
Rarity ignored her and turned instead to Havocwing, who was
replenishing the campfire, “Miss Havocwing? I want to thank you again for
your concern for Fluttershy's well-being. This means a lot to me, really it
does.”
“Yeah yeah,” Havocwing said dismissively, “Look I'm just following
orders, okay? In my experience, we leave the weak links for dead. All they
do is slow you down, cause more trouble, and they don't contribute where it
counts. If you can't take the heat, don't play with fire, you get me? But the
boss says I gotta be... nice, so whatever, boom, campfire.”
Rarity remained firm, “All the more reason to appreciate your actions,
if you're doing it despite your grievances. I'll make sure Fluttershy knows of
your helping hoof. She'd want to thank you.” Tick Tock snorted, and Rarity
turned to her with a huff, “Don't worry, she'll know you helped too. I wouldn't
dream of forgetting to mention that.”
Tick Tock rolled her eyes, “Right! Well, at any rate! Fluttershy’s
condition is stable, and I can see I’m bloody well not wanted over here
anymore. I'm going to see if Twilight and Starlight are ready to move along
so we can get Fluttershy properly taken care of. I need to discuss our route
as well, to make sure we don’t wander into any trouble on the way.”
She left the campfire area and made her way for the two purple
unicorns. She shook her head to rid herself of sleep; it felt like days since
her last good rest, and now was not the time to lose herself. She'd really
wanted to talk with Twilight, and perhaps Applejack as well, about their new
'friends'. She'd been around the block too many times to not think that their
proposed 'coincidence' was not what they said it was. Starlight Shadow's
excuse of being able to detect strong magic and coming to investigate was
believable enough, and their own destination - the ruins of the Gryphon
Kingdom - certainly put them in the right place, but... Tick Tock just found it
awfully convenient. But then she'd been so kindly reminded that Flathoof,
Lockwood, and even herself had all come to meet Twilight's group through
the same sorts of circumstances.
Tick Tock approached Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Shadow, and
interrupted their conversation, “Twilight? Fluttershy's condition is stable,
and she is prepped to move again. We should get moving soon, and with
all due speed so we can ensure she gets the medical attention she needs.”
“Oh, that is most wonderful news,” Starlight smiled, “It gladdens me to
hear your little friend will make a recovery, Sparkle.”
“Myself as well. I'm glad to hear it, Tick Tock. I appreciate everything
you’ve done to help her,” Twilight nodded, “I think we're ready to move out
if nopony else has any objections, which all things considered I highly
doubt. We continue straight east, right? That’s where the checkpoint is?”
“Minus a small detour yes, straight east. The nesting grounds have a
lopsided shape, and a small bulge pops up directly east of us here. We'll
need to circle around it to avoid any complications. It adds perhaps an
extra hour to our travel time, not much more than that and with the time
we’re making we can certainly afford it. Fluttershy is stable, and-”
“And if your information and Starlight’s confirmation of said
information is accurate, she’s also dying a little more every second,”
Twilight frowned, “I'd really prefer to avoid risking not making it in time. I
thought you would be the first to agree to take a shorter path considering
our group’s collective time limit?”
“Look, I’m willing to risk volcanic territory because I’ve never had any
real trouble with it... well, until yesterday at least. I’m not as keen to venture
into Gargantuan territory willingly like some sort of lunatic. Listen Twilight,
she's easily got another eight hours in her. With the detour, we'll hit the
checkpoint in five hours, maximum, and assuming everypony really keeps
up their pace, we’ll make it in less. We can-”
Twilight narrowed her eyes, “And I'd really appreciate it if you'd stop
referring to my friend like a clock counting down.”
Tick Tock blinked in surprise, then shook her head, “I... I apologize. I
didn't even realize I was doing it. Force of habit, you understand? I always
tend to look at things in terms of time... I didn’t realize I was coming off as
insensitive. Right, um...”
“If I may?” Starlight smirked, “My companions and I are more than
capable of clearing the way for you to take a less strenuous route. If my
memory serves, the direct route east would get us to the checkpoint in
three hours just about, even accounting for relatively minor delays like
enormous mutant insects.”
“That sounds like a great idea, Starlight,” Twilight agreed with a broad
smile, “I didn’t want to impose on you and your friends. I appreciate the
offer.”
“As good as it sounds, Fluttershy is still giving off pheromones,” Tick
Tock explained, “We risk attracting a lot of attention.”
“Attention with I assure you my associates and I can handle. I could
probably escort your whole party across by myself, but why dirty my
hooves when even my subordinates could complete such a simple task?
Trust me Sparkle, we'll keep you safe, and ensure that friend of yours
reaches help in time.”
“I'm inclined to agree,” Twilight nodded, “After seeing just a little of
what your friends are capable of, I don't doubt your ability to keep us
covered.”
Tick Tock protested, “Really now, Twilight-”
“And that's my final decision,” Twilight stamped a hoof.
“Excellent. I'll go rally the troops, as the saying goes. Have
yourselves ready to depart in fifteen minutes,” Starlight smirked as she
trotted away.
Tick Tock stopped Twilight before the latter could go too far, “Sparkle.
We need to have a little chat.”
Twilight frowned, “If you're going to argue with me about my decision,
I-”
“Not about that, you’ve got no argument from me. I understand your
position, and even if I disagree with it, well, perhaps you have a point. I'm
just trying to make up for my mishaps earlier, is all. You understand it was
all circumstantial... right? I didn’t lead any of you into anything I didn’t think
we could handle. It’s just my bloody bad luck rearing its ugly head.”
Twilight remained silent a moment, the nodded, “Yes, a few
unforeseen elements came about that I really couldn’t have expected you
to predict. I can’t say I would’ve done much better given the circumstance. I
suppose I can't really blame you for that.”
“It's just... something about these new ‘friends’ bother me. I can’t put
a hoof on it, but... oh, nevermind. I'm just letting my paranoia get hold of me
again. I’ve been a little too jittery this whole week thanks to that psycho
back in the city, maybe I’m just seeing things that I normally wouldn’t.
Forget it, I didn’t come over here to make you listen to my bloody rambling.
Come along then, you can help me finish prepping Fluttershy for transport.”
Twilight nodded and started heading back towards the camp herself.
Tick Tock lagged behind a little, watching the figure of Starlight Shadow as
she walked off in the other direction. Tick Tock had yet to see the other
unicorn work any magic, but she could feel it all the same. The mare was
brimming with magical power, easily enough to compete with Twilight
Sparkle or better, but that didn't bother her. It was the kind of magic she
could sense that made her uneasy. It felt... familiar.
*****
*****
With a content and relieved sigh, the group at last arrived at the
checkpoint at the foot of the Goldridge Pass. It was a rather unimpressive
complex, barely larger than Twilight’s library and made of a rather drab
metal that did not appear as sturdy as the walls of New Pandemonium City
by a long shot. Their ears and hooves pounded slightly at the strange
sensation of rumbling that came from the ground below their feet as they
approached the complex perimeter, though they could not see the source.
Tick Tock approached the large door and knocked gingerly on it.
It was answered by a light brown unicorn stallion with short, spiky
black hair, wearing a very simple set of brown and green survival gear.
“Yeah yeah, I heard-” He stopped suddenly when he saw the group of
ponies standing outside his door, “Well shucks, I don’t usually see groups
this big.”
“And I also usually travel alone,” Tick Tock nodded with a smirk, “How
are you, Pewter? Holding up well in this little shack of yours?”
“Tick Tock! Long time no see!” he greeted with a grin, “It’s been ages.
How are you? Oh but I’m getting ahead of myself, you must be here on
business. What can I do you for? And good heavens, what has happened
to you? You look like you’ve seen a lot of action lately.”
“My companions and I are traveling through to the other side of the
Goldridge Pass, and we needed to stop here for a rest. We’ve had a pretty
hard day... rather, days. More importantly, we need some of your
Gargantuan Anti-venom. One of our friends got stung, see, and-”
“Say no more,” Pewter nodded, “Quickly, bring her inside. We’ll get
her treated up and ready for recovery. You can fill me in on the details
later.”
Chapter Fourteen
Inoculation
“So... how exactly does this stuff work anyway?” Twilight asked.
She, Tick Tock, Rarity, and Lockwood stood carefully around a small
sofa in the checkpoint's reading room. The walls were lined with books of
every size and genre, enough to threaten at distracting Twilight from more
important things. Things such as Fluttershy lying limp on the sofa they all
stood around, wrapped in Lockwood’s jacket as before; things like the large
needle that Pewter was carefully holding with his magic, poised to give
Fluttershy the treatment she desperately needed. They all felt rather glad
that this needle wasn’t going to be anywhere near them - the size of the
thing was honestly more than a little intimidating.
“It's complicated,” Pewter explained, flicking the needle tip with a
small spark of magic, “Tick Tock, help me locate the exact point of infection
please, while I enchant the solution?”
“Certainly,” Tick Tock nodded.
Her horn flickered to life and she concentrated her own magic to seek
out the focal point of Fluttershy's illness. She found the spot at the base of
Fluttershy's neck, and used her magic to highlight the exact spot, causing it
to glow a lime green. It was slightly smaller than a single bit piece, maybe
an inch or so around. Because of Tick Tock’s glow, they could all see the
entry wound clearly now. Before it had healed up so quickly and flawlessly
that even Rarity’s intense scrutiny could not detect it, but now they all could
see it clear as day. The wound itself was not particularly disturbing, but if
the traces of green magic that snaked outwards from it were what they
thought they were, then they all felt their worry was more than justified.
Pewter wiped his brow and lowered the needle tip to touch at the spot
precisely in the center, before forcing it gently through coat and skin. He felt
the slight pressure from reaching the needle’s grooved marking, and knew
he was at the proper depth to get the maximum effect. Squeezing the
plunger slowly, he forced a dull, dimly-glowing blue liquid through the
syringe and into Fluttershy’s system.
“Gargantuan anti-venom is extremely delicate,” he explained, “Since
the venom itself is magical in nature. It works by essentially injecting even
more venom into the patient, laced with magically-created anti-bodies that
instantly seek out and repair the damaged sections of tissue and nerves.
They keep working until there's no more infected area to repair, so I need
to inject them into the original source of impact, where the greatest
concentration of damage will be. Otherwise it’s all wasted.”
“They need to be mixed with more of the venom so that the venom
inside the patient doesn’t immediately try to fight off the cure,” Tick Tock
added, “We basically have to 'trick' the venom already inside her into
thinking that the anti-bodies are more venom, but the moment they’re
inside they start working, begin cleaning, and just plain make things better.
Bloody nasty stuff, Gargantuan venom. It almost works like a cancer, and
like a cancer it will do whatever it can to fight off the body’s defenses.”
“How long until she makes a recovery?” Rarity asked worriedly.
“She'll regain consciousness in a few hours,” Pewter nodded, “The
venom luckily didn't spread upwards to her brain or spinal column, so she'll
make a full recovery in a matter of days if not sooner. You can thank Tick
Tock for that - had the infection spread to more vital areas, your little friend
here may very well have lost control of basic motor skills or worse, brain
function.”
“Wow...” Twilight gulped, “Thank you, Tick Tock. You've done
Fluttershy a great service. You've done us all a great service.”
“Nothing to it,” Tick Tock shook her head, “Like I’ve said countless
times, she'll be fine. If there’s one thing working out here has taught me, it’s
how to deal with Gargantuan stings. What’s best, after the anti-venom
finishes working, the anti-bodies will remain in her bloodstream for several
weeks; as long as they are, she’s practically immune to further infection,
unless by a more mature Gargantuan. She just needs a little bed rest now
until she wakes up - until then, we wait, and we rest. Really rest this time,
with food and sleep and everything - for now, just let her breathe easy and
get some sleep. We’re going to need it ourselves, because as has been
said she won’t make a full recovery for a few days. Until then, she’s going
to be very weak and may need assistance moving.”
“Oh dear... my poor, sweet Fluttershy...” Rarity frowned, “Well... at
least she’s alive and she’ll eventually be back to normal, right? I couldn't
stand it if this horrid ordeal crippled her forever.”
“Right,” Pewter nodded, “As Tick Tock said, she just needs some bed
rest, and she needs to keep warm. That’s most important. This jacket of
yours, uh... Lockwood? Very exquisite fabric, it does its job nicely. I'm
certain you'd like it back though; I'll give you some blankets to replace it.”
“It was my pleasure,” Lockwood nodded, “You really don't need to go
through all that though... I'd be willing to let her keep using it, for as long as
needed.” Rarity smiled gently at the offer.
Pewter continued, “Very well then. I’ll mix up a batch of some my
special Gryphon Root stew for her as well, more than likely it’ll help speed
things along. Loaded with nutrients and it’ll keep her insides warm even if
she’s not under anything heavy. Some rest and a hearty meal will do her
good. Be back on her hooves and wings in no time.”
Rarity turned to Tick Tock and nodded deeply, “Thank you again,
darling. I apologize if I was... hostile earlier, but-”
“Save it,” Tick Tock held up a hoof, “I understand, you were worried
about your friend, I don’t fault you for it... even if I was a bit short with you in
return. The stress of it all has been getting to me these past couple of days.
As long as everything's behind us now, just forget about it. We’ll make it the
rest of the way without too much incident, hopefully.”
“Come along then,” Pewter beckoned as he headed for the door to
the main hall, “Your friends have likely all gotten the dining room prepared
by now, so I'll get started on dinner. Your friend Miss... Applejack, was it?
She said she’d help me fetch a few things from my garden, and I’d like not
to keep her waiting.”
“She wouldn’t rush you. In fact, I'm sure some of the others would be
glad to help you prepare anything you need help with. All of us would,”
Twilight said as she followed, “Um... but for our sake, please don’t ask
Rainbow Dash for help. She’s... not very good around a kitchen. What was
it that Pinkie said, Rarity?”
“She made Applejack’s Baked ‘Bads’ look like Baked ‘Okays’,” Rarity
snickered, “If there’s one thing Rainbow Dash is not at all good at, it’s
cooking.”
“Lockwood? Are you coming?” Tick Tock asked.
Lockwood had stayed rather firm at the sofa, not moving at all to
follow the others. “If it's all right, I'd like to stay here with Fluttershy. I'm not
that hungry... not really. I’d feel better if somepony were here with her.”
“We all want to be here to stay with her,” Twilight nodded, “But Tick
Tock is right - we're all exhausted, hungry, and need some rest, yourself
included. Even in hospitals they don’t let visitors in that soon after
treatment. Give her some time.”
“Oh, I know all that,” Lockwood replied, “And when she does wake
up, I'm sure we'll all want to be here. But until then, perhaps we should
watch in shifts, then? I’ll volunteer for the first one. I just don’t feel right
leaving her alone in a new place.”
Rarity smiled, “I appreciate that, Mister Lockwood. If you want to
watch over her in shifts, I think we can all agree to that. Tell you what. If
you take first shift, I’ll relieve you once I’m finished downstairs. After I've
had a good meal and a hot bath, that is. You could deal with one of each,
yourself - especially the latter,” she added with a smirk, “So I’ll try not to
dawdle.”
“All joking aside, you girls must be hungry. I'll stay here, and maybe
later I'll have something,” Lockwood nodded. “I'll be honest, I need a good
nap more than anything else,” he added with a yawn, snuggling himself into
the large, cozy chair nearby.
Tick Tock and Pewter led the way down the hall, quite a few paces
ahead of the other two unicorns. As those two headed out of the room and
into the hall, Rarity lightly tapped Twilight's shoulder to get her attention.
“Twilight, darling? I need to speak with you a moment.”
“Oh? Sure thing, Rarity. Can it wait though? I’m starving. We can talk
after-”
Rarity hissed quietly, “I'd prefer if we just get it out of the way now, if
we could? Privately?”
Twilight nodded with some uncertainty, “Oh... okay. Sure. Um...
what's on your mind?”
“Listen, Twilight. I know we already sort of discussed this a while ago,
but Rainbow Dash was present and frankly I would rather not give her any
reason to be more upset than she already is with you.” Twilight remained
silent, but nodded in understanding. If anypony in the group was ready to
blow up at any moment, it was Rainbow. “You're lucky that most of her
anger right now is being directed at Miss Tick Tock, but I don't fall in the
same boat, as t’were. I'm more observant than that. Thing is, darling... I'm
beginning to wonder if you know what you're doing?”
Twilight sighed. She knew this was coming - Starlight's assessment
was more than accurate enough that Twilight could see it now too. How
long would it be before the others would want to have this ‘talk’ with her?
“Rarity, please understand that I never wanted any of this. I... I honestly
thought Tick Tock knew what she was talking about with the volcanic
region, and... and that Fluttershy was in no danger around that thing. I’d
have never guessed that Fluttershy’s talent with animals wouldn’t work,
would you? I listened when I shouldn't have, and didn't when I should. I'm
sorry.”
Rarity huffed, “Sorry? Darling, your gross underestimating of the
situation nearly cost one of your friends - my dearest friend - her life. Sorry
doesn't cut it, Twilight. I want an assurance from you that this won't happen
again.”
“You know I can't-”
“Promise me, Twilight. We all look to you for guidance. You've always
been sort of our de facto leader-”
“I still would rather you all didn’t act like that,” Twilight frowned, “I
haven’t done anything to deserve that kind of position, really.”
“Princess Celestia certainly thinks you’re capable,” Rarity said
pointedly, “And all we want to know is whether you can be trusted with that
responsibility. The last thing I want is to fear for my life and the lives of my
friends because you can’t make up your mind on what the best course of
action is. Am I clear?”
Rarity’s intense look made Twilight nervous. But she knew Rarity was
right. “...yes. I promise, there won't be any repeats of this. I'll be more
observant in the future, and will take more diligence in analyzing Tick
Tock’s information. I already have Applejack helping to get our bearings a
bit better so that I can make more informed decisions about our route. And
I am trying to get us all to learn a little more about this world from our new
friends, so that’s a start, right?”
Rarity smiled and nodded, “It’s a good start, yes, and I am glad to see
you're involving us in that endeavor. Now come along, darling, with all that
out of the way we can hopefully put all this terrible business behind us. I am
absolutely famished, and if Mister Pewter is right in saying he has real food
to prepare, I should say this will be a most pleasant break from rations.”
*****
*****
Dinner had passed, and the night had worn on long enough that
some of the others had gone to sleep, while a few still were waiting their
turns in the washroom to get properly cleaned. Not Applejack though, she
wasn't feeling too tired yet, but she didn't feel too comfortable in her
assigned room at the moment; she also decided it a better idea to get
washed up when she wouldn’t be competing with other ponies for a spot in
line, maybe when she’d get some privacy. Heck, the only reason she even
was going to bother with it was because if she didn’t, she’d never hear the
end of it from Rarity. Outside was mostly quiet, so she could be alone with
her thoughts. ‘Mostly’, of course, only broken by the soft thumping from the
ground beneath her hooves that sent dusty powder bumping along with
every pass. Pewter had explained he had some devices under the ground
that drove away Gargantuans - it screwed with their senses, he said, so
they wouldn’t bother the checkpoint as long as they functioned. It was
soothing in a way to have the feeling of good, lively earth beneath her
hooves rather than the dead sand and cracked dirt of the rest of the
Wasteland, and this gave Applejack the calm she needed to think.
Something the past couple of days had been bothering her, and she
couldn't quite put a hoof on it. It was only a tiny thing though, not enough to
break her focus from more important tasks, but enough to divide her
attention whenever she had a free moment.
“Bit for your thoughts, darling?”
Applejack sighed. So much for being alone. “Howdy, Rarity. Didn't
expect you of all ponies ta want ta talk ta me. Y’all usually only talk when
ya need advice on bein’ a good sister. I figured y’all would be inside keepin’
watch on Fluttershy by now. That or gettin’ all fussied up fer no good
reason.”
“Fluttershy’s in good hooves for now, I have no doubts about that. I
am awfully concerned for her of course, but all of my friends are important
to me, dear Applejack, and when I heard you’d come out here all alone, I
was worried. I just wanted to make sure you were all right, darling. Why are
you out here all by yourself?”
“Just... just thinkin' 'bout a few things, nothin' important. What can I
do ya for? Did y'all need somethin'?”
“Actually, now that you mention it, perhaps you can help me with a
little problem? Besides my dear Fluttershy’s horrible illness and the worry
that stems from it, I've had another very bothersome thought on my mind
these past few days, something I was hoping you in particular could help
me with? Granted I’ve had more important matters on my mind, but these
thoughts don’t just go away.”
Applejack grew suspicious. “Me? What kinda problem 're y'all havin'
that ya need mah help?”
“Well, it involves you, for one,” Rarity said simply, “And Mister
Flathoof for two.”
Applejack kept a firm face, determined not to betray her surprise.
“What d'ya mean?”
“Well... to be honest, darling, I've noticed that lately you've been
acting... strange. Around him, I mean. Is there... something going on
between you two?”
“I don't think that's any of yer business,” Applejack replied shortly.
“I don't mean to intrude darling, I was just... curious, as t'were. I tend
to notice these sorts of things, you know. Some are more obvious than
others. Take my dear Fluttershy, for example.”
“Shoot, even Dash noticed what's what wit' her and Mister Lockwood,
what wit' you trustin' 'em alone tagether. She don't much like it, ta be
honest. Y'all 're treadin' on thin ice, tryin' ta set those two up, if'n ya ask me.
Don't sit right wit' me, 's all, tryin’ ta force that kind o’ thing on two ponies.
Didn’t y’all learn nothin’ from our lil’ sisters last Hearts ‘n’ Hooves Day?”
Rarity pouted, “Heavens, Applejack, you act as if I don't know what
I'm doing. I should say I am a little more discreet and intelligent about this
sort of thing than those little fillies are. After all, I do have more experience
in these matters, and I for one think those two would make a perfect
couple.”
“Uh-huh,” Applejack rolled her eyes, “Y’all never did explain that bit.
Why ya think they’re so perfect tagether ‘n’ all?”
Rarity hesitated a moment, then gave a coy laugh. “Well I’d go over it
with you, darling, but I am afraid I would jinx myself and what good would
that do them? But that's besides the point. I said I take notice of these sorts
of things, yes? Well, it doesn't take a genius to see the way you act around
Flathoof, and to guess there's something more to it. Though, I highly doubt
Rainbow Dash has noticed that yet, hmm?”
Applejack turned her head, “And so what if there is? Frankly Rarity,
I'd just as soon prefer y'all ta stay outta my personal matters.”
Rarity gave a tiny, knowing grin, “So there is something going on
between you two?”
“Shoot,” Applejack snorted, “Walked right inta that one.” She
hesitated a moment. “Not that it's any of yer business, but no, there ain't
nothin' goin' on 'tween the two o' us. It... it wouldn't be right ta think o'
nothin' like that, what wit' him not sure 'bout his feelin's fer Snapshot ‘n’ all.
Would leave a right bad taste in mah mouth.”
“I see,” Rarity nodded. She let out a heavy, relieved sigh, “Thank
goodness for that.”
Applejack faced Rarity again, a look of confused indignation on her
face. “Now what in the hay is that s’posed to mean?”
“Heavens, my dear Applejack, don't tell me you haven't noticed?” At
Applejack's blank look, Rarity put a hoof to her mouth in shock, “You
haven't! Oh you poor dear. Well you should be most thankful you didn't
start up a relationship, then. You certainly saved yourself a great deal of
trouble.”
“Ya lost me. What the hay ‘re y'all talkin' about?”
“My dear Applejack... ah, tell me, does Flathoof remind you of
anypony in particular?”
Applejack rolled her eyes, “Well shucks, ain’t that obvious? He's just
like me. Hard-workin', honest, strong family ties-”
“Heavens darling, that sounds like anypony in your family, truth be
told. Let me be more specific. Does he remind you of anypony else in your
immediate family? Think hard now. Somepony more... masculine,
perhaps?”
Applejack put a hoof to her chin, “Well... now that ya mention it... I
s'pose he kinda reminds me of mah big brother? Is that where y'all 're goin'
wit' this?”
“Precisely. Certainly better with words, if I may say so, but ah, I do
believe I am getting ahead of myself.”
“Well... yeah, okay. I... guess I can see that. Heck, they even... sorta
look alike...” Applejack admitted with some trepidation. Now that it’d been
brought up, she really couldn’t help but notice that Rarity had a point - the
two could almost be twins, only Big Macintosh was certainly better built and
Flathoof had more tidiness to him.
“Yes, of course. I was just about to add that as well,” Rarity nodded,
“And yes, like your brother he is honest and dedicated and has a strong
bond with his family. Anything I'm missing?”
“Well... no. That does sound an awful lot just like mah brother.”
“So you see where there may be a problem, then?”
Applejack chuckled in confusion, “Uh... no? Not really. Wouldn’t all
that be a good thing? How is that-”
“Oh Applejack, darling, you poor dear. You have no idea, do you?
He's just a few hairs short of being Big Macintosh. If you and he were to...
ahem, form a relationship, why, just think of the implications. Everypony
might start getting the wrong idea.”
“What kinda idea would that be?” Applejack glared, her eyes
narrowed.
“Why, that since you can't have your brother you may as well pick the
next closest stallion,” Rarity said so simply it may as well have been
assumed as a common fact.
Applejack’s face paled, her jaw dropped. Soon after, her cheeks
flared an angry red. She sputtered, “Of all the- listen, that there is just the
dumbest thing I ever did hear. I don't care what th' rumors are, th' Apple
Clan don't practice none o' that... that... that hogwash! Have you been
talkin' wit’ Dash again? I done told her those jokes weren't funny. When I
get mah hooves on her I’ll-”
“I didn't insinuate anything, darling, and I’m not getting this from
Rainbow Dash, or anypony else for that matter. I’m just making an
observation that I think other more... uncouth ponies may notice if it
becomes too obvious. If you want to make sure those rumors stay rumors
and don't turn into gossip, perhaps it would be best not to give anypony an
excuse? Why, if what you say is true, Rainbow Dash would have an
absolute field day.”
“Well it just so happens that I don't have any o' those kinda feelin's fer
Flathoof. So there ain't no worry wit' thinkin' I want nopony just 'cause
they're like mah brother, y'hear? Even if I did like ol’ Flathoof like that, y’all
can bet it would be ‘cause o’ his... ‘not-mah-brother’ qualities.” Applejack's
voice nearly cracked a few times saying it. Anger. Disappointment.
Confusion. She wasn't sure what emotion to convey at this moment.
“Glad to hear it darling. You're one of my dearest friends, you
understand, and I'd hate to see anypony else have a lower opinion of you
just because of your taste in stallions. Not there’s anything wrong with
Flathoof, to be sure, or Big Macintosh for that matter, but the implications
are there, and-”
“No more. I don’t wanna hear any more o’ this here nonsense,”
Applejack stamped a hoof, “Y'all just keep yer nosey business ta yerself
now, y'hear? And not a word o’ this ta anypony neither. Last thing I need is
fer anypony ta go gettin’ ideas.”
“Of course, darling, I wouldn't dream of it. Besides, just between you
and me? Even if there weren't any issues with you two getting together, I
don't think it would work out anyway.”
Applejack raised an eyebrow, “Now what the hay is that s’posed to
mean? Y'all sayin' I couldn't snag 'im even I did like 'im... w-which I remind
ya I don't?”
“Oh I'm sure you could if you wanted, darling... ah... work that rustic
charm of yours? But I should say that it is in bad form to try and 'snag' a
stallion who is so obviously attracted to somepony else.”
Applejack stared blankly, “What?”
“Like I said, I have an eye for these sorts of things. Let's just say that
I think our dear Flathoof is rather more attracted to unicorns.”
“Well... well yeah, I mean... he did say he was sorta wonderin’ what
Snapshot really meant ta him. But that wouldn’t-”
“Oh no no no, darling,” Rarity waved a hoof, “I’m not referring to...
Snapshot. I’m referring of course to somepony else in this very group. It
doesn’t surprise me, frankly. Unicorns are so much more elegant and
refined than earth ponies, and Flathoof seems the type to like a more
educated mare.”
Applejack’s first thought came to mind, and it was that there were
three unicorns traveling with them - not counting the two new additions,
who Rarity couldn’t have been inferring had caught Flathoof’s eye. And to
Applejack, this left only one real option. A unicorn who back at home
needed to fight off the stallions with a stick, and had on more than one
occasion made Applejack feel a fool because of it. She fought the urge to
spit fire, resorting instead to an angry sputter, “Why ya... ya doublecrossin'-”
Rarity’s eyes widened. “Calm yourself, Applejack,” she said quickly, “I
wasn't referring to myself, of course. He's not really my type anyway, I'm
more into a graceful and fancy pony, yes? Good heavens, what ever would
give you that idea?”
Applejack’s anger settled a little bit, and she was rather upset more
with herself for possibly blowing her cover. “Well... y’all said a unicorn wit’
elegance ‘n’-” Then Rarity’s last words struck her. “Education.” Applejack
let out a heavy sigh, “Well I s’pose I saw that comin’. I can’t say I’d find it
fair ta interfere wit’ Twi if’n she-”
Rarity laughed a little. “No no, of course I'm not referring to Twilight
either, poor dear wouldn't have the courage to go for it. Her head is all full
of books and spells and dealing with keeping everypony on track, I highly
doubt that thoughts of romance have even made themselves known. I was
thinking of somepony more... green?”
It hit Applejack like a truck. She narrowed her eyes, and hissed, “Tick
Tock?” Rarity nodded lightly in response. “Why that... that no good-”
“But what does it matter though, darling? You said you don't like him
like that anyway. Unless you were... lying, of course?”
The little twinge of doubt in Rarity’s voice made Applejack hesitate a
moment. She averted her eyes from Rarity, knowing full too well what
would happen if she didn’t. “I... no, y'all 're right, it don't matter. I'm just...
hurt that he didn't mention nothin' 'bout it. Thanks, sugarcube. I appreciate
yer... yer honesty.”
“My pleasure, Applejack. I'd hate to see you hurt, you understand. I'll
leave you alone with your thoughts - I am sorry if I interrupted. I really must
go back to tend to dear Fluttershy. She should be waking any time now.”
“It's fine. I'll come back inside later. And... thanks again, Rarity... fer
understandin'. And fer not makin’ a big ol’ deal outta this.”
Rarity trotted away. As soon as Applejack was sure she was out of
earshot, she slammed a hoof on a nearby rock. “Dagnabit!”
Applejack began to pace. She was incensed. And she felt rather
disappointed in herself for fibbing to Rarity, who she was sure wasn't
fooled. She admitted to herself a few nights ago that she was attracted to
him, and only found her efforts to get closer to him stymied by his niggling
doubts of his feelings for Snapshot. She hadn’t lied there - she found it in
bad taste to try and wiggle her way into his heart when he was pained by
loss. But Rarity’s words rang with a certain and disappointing truth. She
noticed the similarities now, and she realized why she felt disturbed when
he said or did things that were a little too close for comfort. No wonder she
was bothered by the utterance of a single word that never before in her life
bothered her; no wonder a simple twig meant the difference between
comfort and worry. All Applejack could think of was that if Flathoof were
any closer to being just like Big Macintosh, he may as well be Big
Macintosh.
Well, she thought, at least she could discount one shared quality honesty. Of all the downright, no-good, callous things to do, he'd gone
ahead and not only forged a relationship with somepony else and didn't tell
her or obviously anypony else, so he was a sneak too, but... well, she
admitted it hurt a lot more that it was with Tick Tock and not herself. It
wasn't until Flathoof himself came outside that Applejack really thought
about Rarity's words and how much they bothered her.
“Applejack? Oh, there you are,” he said as he poked his head out the
door and trotted over, “I thought for sure you’d be inside with Rainbow
checking out Pewter’s exercise room. This place sure is loaded with all
sorts of stuff. Can you believe there’s a whole ‘nother half underground?
What are you doing out here alone anyway?”
“Thinkin',” Applejack said shortly.
“Ha, I know what you mean. What about?”
“Nothin'. Y'all come out here fer a reason?”
Flathoof was put off a bit by Applejack's sudden sternness. “Ah... Tick
Tock and Twilight are looking for you. They want to start planning the route
through Goldridge, and want you there with to make sure you’re all in
agreement. Twilight said something about not making this a repeat
performance, if you catch my drift.”
“Right. Tell Tick Tock I'll be there in a moment. I’m sure she’d be glad
ta hear y’all tell ‘er.”
Flathoof remained still, unsure of how to respond. “Is... there
something wrong, Applejack? You seem a little upset by something.
Anything you want to talk about? Only fair that I listen to your troubles since
you’ve listened to mine.”
“Nnnope, I'm just dandy. If I wanted ta talk 'bout somethin' I'd go
lookin' fer somepony ta talk to.”
“Are you sure? Because-”
“I said I'm fine, Flathoof. Now if'n y'all'd excuse me?” And she
brusquely pushed her way past him.
Flathoof was perplexed. “What in the hay was that all about? Ugh...
forget it, all the stress is getting to me too. I’m just hearing things. Talking to
myself as well.” Shaking his head, he headed inside after her, but tried not
to follow too closely.
*****
*****
Fluttershy very slowly opened her eyes. The only thing on her mind
right now was how much she ached all over, especially her neck and back.
She couldn’t remember much of what had happened since she last felt
much of anything at all. She remembered... being in the arid wasteland.
There was a creature that her friends had been rather callous to, and she
remembered trying to tend to the poor thing. She remembered Tick Tock
yelling something. Something about getting away. Then, her mind went
blank and she didn’t remember much of anything else. Thus, she was
rather confused and a little frightened at the very sudden change in
surroundings. This wasn’t the desert, that much was for certain. This was a
nice, cozy little room, with books lining the walls, enough that for a fleeting
moment she thought that she’d see Twilight somewhere nearby gushing
about finally having a new book to read. Twilight. She remembered seeing
Twilight too, hearing her confidence in Fluttershy’s ability to handle the
creature they’d seen. But there were so many other curiosities.
Why was she on a sofa in this room? Why couldn’t she feel her legs
or her wings, and why was the only thing she could feel a stinging pain in
her neck? And what was this heavy thing covering her? It was warm, and it
smelled... nice. It looked familiar. Oh, that’s what it was - Fluttershy could
see it now. It was Lockwood’s jacket. Why was his jacket draped over her
like a blanket? And where was he? Better yet, where were any of her
friends? Where was she, for that matter? Fluttershy was filled with a
sudden worry and terrible fear. Had something happened? She couldn’t
remember. Was everypony okay? Where were they? Her friends who
would be honest about what had happened, who would stand loyally by to
keep her safe, to try and fill her heart with joy and laughter, and to
generously give all of their time and effort to make her feel safe.
A quiet snore, not loud enough to bother anypony already sleeping
but enough to alert somepony who was awake to its presence, came from
nearby. Fluttershy was startled and made to jump away defensively, but
couldn’t find the strength to move and the attempt to try pained her
immensely, like a fire ripping through her veins. She could still move her
neck, she found, though it hurt a little to do so; well, she thought, it was
better than not moving it at all and being caught completely unawares.
Moving her head left so that she could now see the rest of the room, she
spotted the large, cozy chair directly next to the sofa, and in particular the
familiar gray pegasus resting comfortably in it. Thank goodness, it was only
Lockwood. She let out a very quiet sigh of relief, so small that not even she
could hear it. Well, she thought, at least somepony’s here, she wasn’t all
alone. But now that bothered her a little more. Her friends must all still be
okay - at least, that’s what she hoped. So then, where were they? And why
was she herself here, lying on this sofa with a great deal of aches and
pains and barely able to move? Across the room, Fluttershy saw the door
creak open. She couldn’t help but attempt a smile - ah, there’s one of them
now, she thought. Whoever it was must have just gone out to the little filly’s
room or something. They wouldn’t leave her alone if they knew she felt like
this.
Her eager elation turned to dismal disappointment. Certainly none of
her closest friends were green. Tick Tock’s head poked quickly into the
door frame, and looked straight at Fluttershy. She barely tried to suppress
a smile, and entered the room as quietly as she could; clearly, she did not
want to wake Lockwood just yet.
“You’re up sooner than I expected. Maybe you’re made of tougher
stuff than I thought?” Tick Tock smirked as she took a seat beside the sofa.
Her horn began to glow immediately and started probing over Fluttershy’s
neck and back with her magic. Fluttershy felt some of the pain melt away,
but nowhere near all of it. What was Tick Tock doing back there?
“Miss Tick Tock?” Fluttershy nodded, “Um... w-where am I? Where
are my friends?”
Tick Tock was not distracted from whatever she was doing, but
answered Fluttershy with a calm manner that made the pegasus feel at
ease. “We’re at the checkpoint at Goldridge Pass. It’s a few miles east of
the Gargantuan nesting grounds we landed in. Your friends are all okay,
they’re all over the place now, either eating or resting.”
“B-but... why aren’t they h-here? Why is Mister Lockwood?”
Fluttershy sniffed.
“Oh, well... you can blame me for that,” Tick Tock admitted, “You
needed to rest, and so did the rest of us. You weren’t supposed to be up
yet, so they’re not here to switch shifts with him yet - see, he suggested we
take shifts looking over you.”
“Oh...” Why was Lockwood the first to want to watch over her? Surely
Twilight would, being the one with all the know-how. Or surely Rarity, her
closest friend. “Um... w-what happened out there? That they need to watch
over me, I mean.”
“You... uh... you had a pretty nasty experience out there. Gave us all
a bloody fright, I tell you.”
She remembered now. “Oh dear, is that... that poor creature okay?”
Fluttershy gasped, “Last thing I remember, I... I was tending to it after the
other girls attacked it...”
“Yes, well... it’s dead, you have no reason to fear it now,” Tick Tock
stated rather bluntly.
Fluttershy sniffed and frowned, though she was still quite weak and
one could barely see a difference. Her voice cracked, “Oh... oh dear... hhow could they-” What had her friends done? She had asked them to be
gentle. How could they betray her trust like that?
Tick Tock raised an eyebrow, “What’s the matter?” Then she
remembered Fluttershy’s pleading from earlier, and it made sense. “Oh...
ohhh... right, you think - I apologize,” she defensively waved a hoof, “Your
friends didn’t kill it or anything like that. It... killed itself. See, Gargantuan’s
share a lot of aspects with all sorts of insects. You’ve seen that they look
like a spider shagged a mantis, ah, if you’ll pardon my language,” she
added at Fluttershy’s discomfort, only apparent in her eyes, “Well, that big
stinger thing and the venom it carries, it works kind of like a bee’s. They
only sting as a last resort, because it kills them almost immediately. Their
bloodstream is chock full of venom, see, and stinging them sends them into
a shock that outright kills them."
“So... it... it stung somepony? Oh no... I told them to be gentle... and it
was probably defending itself. Are they okay? Who was hurt? Oh dear...”
“Well actually it stung... you, specifically.”
Fluttershy was perplexed. She was helping the poor thing, and it had
responded so kindly to her gesture as well. She said as much now to Tick
Tock, “Why... why w-would it sting me after I tried... to help it? No, t-there...
has to be some m-mistake. No animal would... would ever harm me.”
Tick Tock gave a heavy sigh. “Fluttershy, you have to understand.
Gargantuans are not normal animals, nor are they some sort of rare beast
that exist in storybooks like dragons or manticores - which I understand
exist in your world? Well, while those beasts are just things of dreams
Gargantuans are the stuff of nightmares, even in this world. I’d say
especially so if they existed in that candy-coated world you call home.”
“I don't believe it,” Fluttershy said rather firmly, for her anyway, “I was
just exhausted... that's all. Yes, I must've... f-fainted from all the excitement.
Oh no! T-that means that poor thing is still hurt out there! I should-”
Fluttershy attempted, in a futile effort, to squirm out of her rest area.
Tick Tock put a stop to it, tucking Lockwood's jacket under the sofa's folds
tightly so that Fluttershy was pressed against the cushions. She tried not to
be rough, but Fluttershy’s fidgeting made that difficult. “Fluttershy, listen I'm telling the truth. That thing attacked you the moment you dropped your
guard. It's what they do. They're heartless beasts, they are nothing like
animals from your world.”
Fluttershy struggled, and struggled, but could not get away. The poor
thing was hurt, it had to be. But the more she fought, the weaker she felt,
and eventually she relented. The story made some sense - the pain in her
neck, the numbness, the inability to remember any events in between?
They all seemed to point to her being stricken with a sudden malady. But
from the creature's sting? That still seemed a stretch. What would make
this animal strike at her, when no other animal ever had? “I... I don’t
understand. What makes them different?”
“Centuries of exposure to horrible Chaotic magicks and run-of-the-mill
mutations have turned what was once a rather tame and docile insect into
the beast it is today. Gargantuans are... monsters. They are heartless,
single-minded bloody killing machines. The only things that Gargantuans
care about are food, killing, killing for food, and breeding more of
themselves so that they can kill more things for more food. When there's
nothing to hunt, they kill each other for sport... and of course for food.
When they breed, the males kill each other for mating rights to a female,
who is bred, then kills her mate to serve as an incubator for its eggs, and
then promptly dies so that both parents can be cannibalized by the new
young, who then often kill one another out of instinctive territorial behaviors.
Killing and eating - that’s all they live for.”
Fluttershy's discomfort and horror were a little too apparent in her
eyes. No creature she’d ever known, even the fiercest of predators she
knew, were that cruel and violent. Not even counting the rarer beasts, she’d
handled hawks and lynxes and bears and even all the dangerous insects
that the Gargantuans themselves seemed to be similar too. Not a one of
them had ever attacked Fluttershy, even at her worst.
Tick Tock frowned but continued her explanation, “Forgive my
bluntness, and perhaps too-graphic descriptions of their habits, but... I need
you to understand. These creatures don't know compassion. They are born
from violence, they become violent at birth, they never will know a mother's
love and will never love their own young. They cannot be tamed, or
reasoned with, and in desperation they will use any trick they can to lure
their assailant into being set upon by the rest of their brood out of nothing
more than petty bleedin' revenge. They're monsters. Nothing more, nothing
less. I just want you to understand that, so you don't do some fool thing like
try to tend to one of those things again, should we encounter any in the
eastern Wasteland once we've crossed these mountains.”
Fluttershy whimpered, but nodded. She'd learned a hard lesson at
the Gala so long ago that perhaps her touch with animals was not
universal; she'd learned since then that she couldn't act as if she was the
end-all be-all animal specialist. But she'd long gotten over that experience,
and taken her lesson to heart - she’d been considerably more patient with
all animals, and more inclined to take things slowly and sweetly than trying
to force any animal to be her friend. But this world seemed to have a new
lesson in store for her. Here, where everything was drab and gray and filled
with so much sadness and anger, the one thing she felt confident she could
still contribute to the cause was her ability to befriend wild creatures and
perhaps keep her friends out of trouble. With that potential stripped from
her... what use was she? She didn't want to use 'The Stare' on anything
unless as an extreme measure... did it really have to come to that? Tick
Tock had to be just exaggerating. It seemed impossible to think any animal
could act with such... malice. But Fluttershy remained silent. She'd seen
the way Tick Tock argued with Twilight and Rainbow Dash, and if the green
unicorn was stubborn enough to argue with them, what chance did she
have?
“Now then,” Tick Tock said as she straightened herself and let her
magic relax - she was clearly done with whatever she was doing, which
Fluttershy now guessed was checking on her recovery, “I do believe that
my good friend Pewter has prepared some lovely herbal stew for you, to
help you along the road to wellness. I'll nip down and get it, you just take it
easy and stay in bed... er, on the sofa. You've got a long day ahead if you,
and some new ponies to meet.”
“New ponies?” Fluttershy asked.
“Long story,” Tick Tock rolled her eyes, “But don’t worry, they’re...
alright, I guess. A sweetheart like you won’t have any trouble making
friends. You’ll like Pewter at any rate - he’s a dear friend of mine. This is his
place we’re staying at, after all. Now - rest. Okay?”
As Tick Tock began to leave, Fluttershy peeped, “Oh... um, thank you
Miss Tick Tock. Um... w-where are my friends, if... if you don't mind my
asking again? Are they r-really all okay?”
“They're just fine. We all rushed to get you here, so they're all awfully
tuckered out. Rarity wanted to take the next shift for watching over you,”
Tick Tock replied simply, “But after dinner she said she 'desperately
needed a bath', and pushed her way past everypony else. Lockwood
volunteered to stay with you a while longer until she was all done. Heh,
poor bloke looks like he nodded off. He's been there all night, even skipped
a proper dinner. Want me to wake him?”
“No! Oh... um... n-no, that's fine. Just... um, tell Rarity I'm awake.
And... the others, if you could, please?”
“You really must get your rest, Fluttershy, and having your troupe all
here might well make a bloody mess of that. They can see you in the
morning. I'll make an exception for Rarity though, seeing as she was the
most concerned for you... n-not that your other friends were less- ah forget
it, you know what I meant.” Tick Tock quietly closed the door again,
heading out for this stew she'd mentioned.
Most concerned? Fluttershy was distraught by that. If she was so
concerned, why wasn't she here? Now? Couldn't the bath have waited?
And despite Tick Tock's attempt to brush it off, what did 'most' concerned
mean anyway? She remembered when Rainbow Dash had injured herself
in flight practice, on more than one occasion in fact; Fluttershy, and all her
friends, had made the effort to be there for her. But where were her friends
now, when she needed them?
A snort from the chair alerted her. Had she been able, it would have
made her leap into the air. But the re-acknowledgement of Lockwood's
presence was comforting. Had he really been here the whole night? And
without his jacket? He must be cold. Fluttershy turned a little pink; the
gesture was touching, and she had to admit it made her feel... nice. At least
somepony seemed concerned enough not to leave her alone. Strange it
was him, and not any of her other friends. Rarity's words about him,
however long ago that had been, seemed to weigh more now.
Lockwood awoke rather slowly, to see Fluttershy looking right at him.
By the time she'd noticed, it was too late to pretend she hadn't been.
“Ah... you're awake...” he mumbled. He started to drift back into his
sleep, before suddenly snapping awake again. “You're awake!”
“Um... hi,” Fluttershy squeaked.
Lockwood wasted no time getting out of his chair and making a
beeline for the door.
She peeped again, “W-where are you going?”
Hastily he answered, “Rarity asked me to get her as soon as you
woke up. I really should go fetch-”
“Um... well, Tick Tock was already here. She's getting Rarity... a-and
some dinner. For me, that is. So... um... y-you don't have to go. Besides,
um... Rarity's in a bath, so...”
Lockwood hesitated a moment near the door. “Hmmm...” He started.
Looking in Fluttershy's direction, and seeing a look of disappointment and
dejection in her eyes, he decided against the joke for once. He trotted over
to the sofa and stood by his seat. “Very well, at your insistence my lady, I'll
stick around until Tick Tock returns with dear Miss Rarity. Anything I can
get you?” he bowed.
She shook her head, “No... I'm fine, thank you.” She paused a
moment. It was a very pregnant pause. “Um... I want to thank you. For
watching over me. You didn't have to...”
He gave a light smile, “It was my pleasure, really. It's what I do caring for those in need. And right now, you seemed to be the one most in
need of a helping hoof.”
Fluttershy weakly nodded. Then she remembered something. His
jacket was draped over her like a blanket, leaving him standing there in just
a dull gray undershirt that was definitely not as warm. “Oh! Um... y-your
jacket...? You must be cold... you can have it back now.”
He waved a hoof, “For now, your blanket. Pewter said that keeping
you warm is important to helping your recovery. Just so happened I had the
only warm clothes that could cover you so fully; Miss Dash offered that
jacket of hers, but it didn't cover enough. Blasted shame we lost so many
supplies in that dang volcano... those sleeping bags could come in handy
right now.”
“Oh... I'm s-sorry I troubled you like this. I-”
“Really, my dear, don't fuss over it. I'd give it up in an instant if it
helped. I even suggested we just let you keep using my jacket, since it's
such good quality. It's made from a, and I quote, 'very exquisite fabric'.
Keeps you warm in the cold, cool in the heat, protects from winds and rains
- even acid rains like in the city - and is oh-so comfortable, wouldn't you
agree?”
“It's... very nice.” Fluttershy thought for a moment. She snuggled into
the leather. “I... wouldn't mind using it a little longer. I mean... i-if you don’t
mind...”
His smiled widened considerably. “I don't mind at all. Anything to help
you along your road to recovery.”
“I... oh, thank you Mister-”
“And please, no need to use the 'Mister' moniker anymore. We're
friends, right? It makes me feel like I'm an old stallion. I like to think I've still
got a few years left in me. What do you think? Still in my prime?” He
jokingly flexed a forearm and fluttered his wings, “Well okay, so maybe I'm
not Studs Monthly material, but what do you expect, hmm?”
Fluttershy laughed. It was nice having somepony to cheer her up.
Rarity was right - this stallion was something special. It wasn't so much his
sense of humor - Pinkie Pie had that. But what Pinkie lacked and
Lockwood had was... moderation. Control. Lockwood's humor was more
tame, and it made her feel at ease that he was trying to make her feel
better.
“I... um, I d-don’t think many stallions are Studs Monthly material,”
Fluttershy noted.
Lockwood raised an eyebrow, “Wait what? How do you know about
that magazine?”
Fluttershy flustered, “Um... w-we have that in our world t-too?” The
made Lockwood’s eyebrow raised further, threatening to disappear into his
hair. “N-not that I read them or anything. Um... b-but I suppose there’s not
much to read.” Lockwood didn’t stop giving her that utterly confused look.
“Oh... uh... R-Rarity reads them? But she says it’s only f-for the articles.”
“So... you don’t think I qualify? Or you do?”
“W-well like I said, I d-don’t read them myself but um... you’re tall
and... you have very good wing tone. Rarity said she thinks you’re groomed
well... um... I agree with that. And your... uh...” She found herself blushing
furiously, growing redder with every word until she was sure she would
explode from sheer embarrassment.
He chuckled, “Y'know, if you're trying to figure out what my Cutie
Mark means, it would be quicker to ask.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. Caught. “Oh! Oh... I d-didn't mean to sstare, I just-”
“Relax, Fluttershy, I'm just teasing. Yes yes, I know, none of you have
seen it yet. Always under my jacket. Can't help it, dang thing's too big, and I
don't quite have Flathoof's physique. Perfectly understandable to try and
figure it out.”
Lockwood's Cutie Mark was rather dull, which he admitted. Neither
flashy nor colorful, or even very decorative. Just a perfectly ordinary, drab,
but clean black umbrella. It rather matched his own umbrella which he'd
managed to hang onto that now lay against the side of the sofa.
He grinned, “It's actually a long, incredibly boring story. I hear you
need some bed rest, so if you want me to help you get to sleep I'd be
happy to oblige.”
“I'd... like to hear it.”
“Well... to be honest this is going to sound like a really convoluted
explanation. Flathoof jokes that I should just simplify it and say that I'm
good at keeping others out of the rain. What kind of a special talent is that?
No no, mine is more complicated than that. See, I've always been kind of a
rebel, as far as what my society expects of me. I grew up in the Lower
Districts, so nopony would've been surprised if I turned out to be a peddler
or a criminal, but... I just couldn't see myself falling into those expectations.
The state of things bothered me. The foals without parents or food or
schooling. The homeless beggars. All of them. I thought it wasn't fair, and I
wanted to help. But I didn't have the resources, the know-how, or the
connections.
“Then, I made a friend - Flathoof. And he used his talent for
protecting those who could not protect themselves - I was kind of a wimp in
school, see - to keep me out of trouble, and that inspired me to seek out a
way to do the same, in a way. From there, I made more friends. Those
friends introduced me to their other friends, and they introduced me to their
friends, and so on. I'm very friendly, see? Noticed a trend, yet? Eventually I
realized that I was really good at making friends, making connections with
other ponies of any social creed and standing. I formed myself a beautiful
little social network that I found I could use to start helping ponies in the
slums. My own 'umbrella' if you will. Hence, the Cutie Mark. Pretty silly,
eh?”
Fluttershy shook her head, “Oh... I don't think that's silly at all. It's...
nice. That you want to... help ponies in need. I thought that little charity
service you ran was really... sweet. I... I sort of do something... similar, only
with animals instead of ponies.”
Suddenly, the door to the room burst open and a white blur streaked
its way across the room like lightning, past Lockwood - who was shoved to
the side somewhat - and to the sofa. Rarity wasted no time in cradling
Fluttershy in her forelegs and peppering the yellow pegasus with
excitement and concern.
“Oh my dear, dear, dear Fluttershy!” Rarity blurted, “You're awake,
darling, oh thank goodness. Are you alright, sweetie? Do you need
anything? Are you warm enough? Are you comfortable, darling? Please tell
me you’re okay.”
“I'm... fine,” Fluttershy peeped, “Um... Rarity? Y-your mane is... wet.
Did you run straight here from your b-bath?”
Rarity paid no heed to the warning, so focused on devoting every
fiber of her energy on Fluttershy’s condition. “You’re not sore or anything?
Do you need a pillow? Are you hungry? More blankets? Oh dear, that's it
isn't it? Your poor, delicate nose isn’t used to the stark... pungency of
stallion sweat. Here, let me get this rank thing off-”
“N-no, that's okay. I'd... like to - w-well, Lockwood said I could-”
Rarity brightened as she remembered the earlier offer. “Oh that's
right, Mister Lockwood said you could. Well, if that's what you want, darling,
far be it from me to object. It is a most exquisite thing, even if does reek ofoh, nevermind. Thank you again Mister-”
Rarity turned to thank Lockwood, and was rather confused at his
state of appearance. His face was a very bright pink, his wings flared out to
a full wingspan, and he wore a nervous grin that belied his true thoughts.
“N-n-n-n-not... a p-p-prob-b-blem at-t-t all!” he sputtered, fidgeting
slightly and trying his best not to make sudden movements.
Rarity took a moment to put the pieces together. A normally very
calm and collected stallion, suddenly extremely nervous and sputtering
about like a colt that had just gotten his hoof caught in the cookie jar, his
wings erect and- Oh, she thought, Oh... No. No-no-no-no-no. She turned a
bright red from her muzzle all the way down to her flank.
“Um... p-p-p-perhaps I sh-sh-sh... should just leave y-y-y-ou two...
alone...” he said with a tug of his collar.
“Oh... t-that's okay,” Fluttershy smiled, “You don't have to-”
“Out!” Rarity blurted, starting to push the blushing stallion into the
hall, “Out out out! Oooh, I never expected such perversion, not from you!
Why, if I had the same candor as Applejack- ooh!”
“H-hey, w-w-wait! Y-you’re... the w-w-w-w-w... one that... just b-bbarged in-” Lockwood hazarded, despite looking as if he knew it was a
rather lame defense while he was being pushed rather unceremoniously
into the hall. His wings clipped the door, “h-hey! W-watch it t-t-those are ssensitivte!”
“Not another word!” Rarity scolded.
The door slammed shut behind him. “And it’s n-n-not my f-fault you fforgot your clothes!” his voice called from the other side.
“Maybe not! Oh! Of all the excuses! You can just wait out in the
hallway until I'm decent. Hmph!” And Rarity shut him out. “Ooh, the nerve.
Such a sneaky tactic, and from a pony I did not expect such things from at
that. Not that I blame him for wanting to see my gorgeous figure, but really,
in front of-" Rarity turned to Fluttershy, "I do apologize that you had to
witness that, darling. I’m sure the poor dear didn’t mean anything by it.
Really, I do suppose I should have grabbed something to wear on my way
out, but I just needed to see you.” She raised her voice so that anypony
outside the room could hear her, “But it’s his fault for just standing there
and staring like some hormone addled school-colt! Have you no shame?”
“You didn't have to chase him out,” Fluttershy said quietly, trying very
hard to keep a very small smile off her face, “I was enjoying...” She noticed
Rarity’s suddenly arched eyebrow, “... his company!”
“Be that as it may, darling, I just can't allow such... such...” Rarity
struggled for a word.
Fluttershy took on a look of calculated innocence. “Excitement?”
“...debauchery to take place in front of you, sweetie. Why, I imagine if
he’d stood a while longer we’d have to sterilize the room! A sensitive lady
like you shouldn’t have to see anything... that candid. Allow me to get
dressed, and I'll let him back in. Maybe by then he’ll have... calmed down a
little.”
Rarity fussed with one of the spare blankets that had been provided
but not been used. She dried her mane and coat and tail, then draped it
delicately along her back. She knew it was odd to fuss about it since she
was used to being around ponies in the nude back home, but Lockwood
considered nudity to be a taboo of sorts and as such she felt obligated to
hold herself to higher standards. When she was satisfied that the not-at-all
fashionable blanket would serve as a temporary covering, she opened the
door to let him back in, but stood firm in the door for a moment.
Rarity narrowed her eyes, “Ahem?”
Lockwood quickly looked to his sides and saw that his wings were still
slightly rigid. “Eh heh... r-right. Um...” Rarity rolled her eyes and let him in,
much to his relief. Fluttershy gave a tiny cough in acknowledgement of
his... predicament, which made him quickly tuck his wings as best he could
in at his sides. He really wished he had his jacket right about now.
“Well then, with that little debacle behind us, Tick Tock should be
coming up soon with a nice hot bowl of that stew Pewter made,” Rarity said
as she helped tuck Fluttershy better under her covers, “If it's anything as
good as dinner was, you'll enjoy it a great deal, darling. And complimentary
room service as well, how exquisite! It’s like being in a little hotel.”
“That sounds... nice,” Fluttershy nodded, “I'm... really hungry.”
“Then it looks like I've got perfect timing,” Tick Tock said from the
doorway.
“Oh! Goodness, Tick Tock,” Rarity jumped, “How about a little
warning next time you come into the room? Just about gave me a heart
attack. It really is most unladylike to startle others in such a manner.”
Tick Tock rolled her eyes, “Yes, well, anyway. Stew's here, so let me
through and I can-”
Rarity stopped her with a raised hoof, and her horn glowed dimly,
lightly shrouding the bowl with her own magic to cover Tick Tock’s. “Oh, no
need for any of that, darling. Allow me to take that off your hooves. You’ve
done so much already and certainly haven’t had any time to rest yourself,
so why don’t you take a load off? Besides, my dear Fluttershy would much
rather be tended to by a familiar face, isn't that right darling?”
“W-well, I suppose. I mean, if t-that's okay with you, Miss Tick Tock,”
Fluttershy squeaked.
“Far be it from me to argue the point,” Tick Tock shrugged, “Frankly I
could use a bath, you’re right. I daresay I’ve earned it. Here you are then.”
Rarity graciously took the bowl of steaming hot stew, which had a smell
that crinkled Rarity's nose. It was a rather pungent aroma not unlike
overcooked cabbage blended with radishes and too much garlic and too
many onions, though she could see none of the culprits in the stew itself. It
looked a sickly brown color with a thin, soupy texture, loaded with what
looked like off-black potato chunks and a stringy, green, leaf-like ingredient
that reminded her of wilted spinach. Did Fluttershy really have to eat this?
She shook off the distraction. “I hope you're ready to wait in line a
while,” Rarity said pointedly, “Imagine my surprise when Twilight Sparkle
was behind me in the queue. Surely by now she's taken advantage of my
departure - not at all a problem, of course - but a few of the others were
even behind her. I am most surprised that some ponies are even still
awake apart from those I expected to see. And you did insist they all wait
until morning to come see Fluttershy. Perhaps you should have let them
come if you wanted to get in the bath sooner, hmmm?” she added with a
smirk.
“That won't be any trouble,” Tick Tock said dismissively, “I know a
few ways to save some time in that regard, so don’t worry about me. I'll
leave you to your duties, if you insist on handling it yourself. Night, all. And
do try to get some sleep yourselves, eh? And let her get some sleep, or
you’ll just delay her recovery more, eh?”
“Of course, of course. Good night, darling, and thank you again,”
Rarity called in a sing-song voice. As Tick Tock left, Rarity quietly shut the
door and started to trot over to Fluttershy, until Lockwood sort of blocked
her path. He didn't bar her way so much make it known that he was
definitely in the room and didn’t want to be ignored, though the gesture was
without any kind of harmful intentions.
“Please, Rarity, allow me,” he smiled.
“Beg pardon?” Rarity blinked.
“I'll take it from here, I mean. You interrupted your bath and all to rush
down here, so I'll leave you to finish up while I-”
Rarity gave a sort of sarcastic chuckle, “Aha. No need for that, dear.
I'm here for her now, so I'll take care of it. You though, you could certainly
use some food and a bath - I wasn’t kidding when I said your jacket reeks
of... well, you. And dear Mister Pewter put some leftovers in the dining area
for you, so you can help yourself to those. I highly recommend the
Magmaberry salad, it is most exquisite.”
“All very nice, I assume, but at the moment, I'd rather make sure
Fluttershy is well fed. She needs it the most, you understand,” Lockwood
nodded, “I insist. You can go ahead and finish up your business, and I
promise this time that I‘ll avert my eyes,” he added with a coy smirk.
Rarity dismissively waved a hoof, “Oh but you've already done so
much. Please, let me handle this, it’s really no trouble at all. I wouldn't want
to burden you with more-”
“It's no burden at all. Please, let-”
“And besides, Miss Tick Tock did not bring any hot pads or anything
of the sort, and this is an awfully hot bowl, see?” Rarity insisted, hovering
the strong-smelled stew under his nose.
Lockwood's nose scrunched up as well. He coughed, “I've... dealt
with worse. I can take care of it.”
“Please, darling, I insist.”
“No really, allow me.”
Fluttershy retreated into the safety of her makeshift blanket fort. She
hated it when ponies fought, and somehow the fact that they were fighting
over her made it even worse. Even worse was that the last time she'd seen
them both together, they seemed so cordial. What had happened while she
was out? Hopefully not all of her friends were acting like this.
Rarity suddenly turned to Fluttershy, “Fluttershy, sweetie, wouldn’t
you rather your dearest friend Rarity see to it that you get a nice dinner?
After all, good Mister Lockwood here has already done so much, we
wouldn’t want to impose on him, would we?”
Fluttershy shied away a little from Rarity’s pleading tone. She knew
that tone, and knew that it would be better to relent. She did want Rarity
here, that was for certain, but she wasn’t so sure she wanted Lockwood to
leave just yet. “W-well, yes, I... um...”
“See, darling?” Rarity said with a smug confidence, “Go on then, my
good stallion, you can see her again in the morning. Get yourself some
food and a good bath, yes? After all, it won’t do any of us any favors if you
went around hungry and smelly, would it?”
Lockwood sighed, “Yes yes, all right.” He trotted over to Fluttershy
and gave her a soft pat on the back. There wasn’t any pain there anymore,
Fluttershy acknowledged. “You rest easy there, okay Fluttershy? It would
make me feel awful if you didn’t recover. Rarity will take good care of you.”
“I know she will,” Fluttershy smiled, “And t-thank you again... f-for
everything.”
“It was my pleasure,” he bowed. He cantered over to the hallway,
“Well then, off I go. Good night, ladies.”
*****
*****
“I'm glad all this is going to be behind us. I have a headache the size
of the bleedin’ moon, I ache in places I didn’t even know I had, and nothing
is going smoothly at all. The sooner I can get my group across the
mountains and into Hope's Point, the better. I've had all I can bloody well
take.”
Tick Tock lounged lazily on a cozy sofa, legs stretched out as she
relaxed for real for the first time in what felt like weeks, but she knew had
been just under forty-eight hours. She'd undressed for now, wearing a
white cotton bath robe while the rest of her clothes were being tended to by
Pewter, who busied himself using his magic to clean, straighten, and mend
them.
Pewter kept a steady voice, “You look like you've been through hell,
Tick Tock. I'm glad your crazy plans didn't get anypony killed. Your time
limit doesn't seem strict enough to risk Redblade., even for you. What’s the
big rush for anyway?”
Tick Tock sighed, “Ugh, you sound like Sparkle and Dash. ‘Why this’
and ‘why that’ and ‘you almost got us bloody killed’ and the list just goes on
and on. It’s not my fault I seem to be on some bad luck streak lately. All
they've been on about is how much of a bloody idiot I am, but it’s not my
fault.”
“Smart ponies,” Pewter smirked. Tick Tock threw a pillow at him,
hitting him square in the face. He laughed it off, spitting out a feather that
had come loose, “All kidding aside, Tick Tock... really, what in Equestria
were you thinking? Redblade is difficult enough to traverse with one pony
let alone two, but nine? Sounds to me like to overestimated yourself again.
You should count yourself lucky that Miss Sparkle is strong enough with
her magic that she could even-”
“That’s the entire reason I even attempted it,” Tick Tock interrupted,
“You don’t think I’m mental enough to try going that route if I wasn’t
confident we could even get through, do you?” Pewter’s decided silence
made Tick Tock frown. But he didn’t keep it up long, breaking into a very
tiny grin that she could see and made her relax. She rolled her eyes, “I
know I’m dumb enough to try a lot of things, Pewter, but that isn’t one of
them. I’m telling you, everything was going just swimmingly until that damn
earthquake. How could I have predicted that, you tell me?”
“I’m just a little hurt you were going to skip my little checkpoint in
order to get them home,” Pewter said with a mock pout.
Tick Tock chuckled lightly, “Oh, I would’ve stopped by on my way
back, Pewter. No need to get all mopey on me. And knock off the puppy
eyes, yeah? That trick doesn’t work on me, you know that.”
He lifted her sweater vest over to a nearby chair and laid it out neatly,
followed by her undershirt and bow tie. All of them looked like they were“Good as new,” Pewter said triumphantly, “Difficult work, but I think you’ll
find I did a better job than last time. I’m getting better at sewing, I think. I
must say though, I’m rather glad I don’t have to fix too many of your group’s
outfits. That any of them besides yourself even wanted anything repaired is
beyond me - that stupid law-”
“I know, I know, I told them, but some of them insist and I’ve had it up
to here with all the fights over stupid rubbish that I’ll just let them do what
they bloody well want. Honestly, I can’t blame Flathoof for wanting a few
touch-ups - he was born and raised under that kind of social stigma, so it
must be a hard habit to break. And you only got out of fixing anything of
Lockwood’s because that jacket of his is awfully durable, not that he’s
going to be wearing it much for a few days.”
“I’m more surprised that more of the girls didn’t want their stuff fixed
up, just that Rarity one. Between you and me though, I don’t think she’s
much going to like it - whoever did the stitch work on that dress of hers was
some sort of master; it’s like the dress is made of a few different dresses
entirely and they just sewed them together. But those other six you said
you met en route weren’t even wearing any clothes to begin with, so I
suppose at least some members of your little traveling party have the
common sense not to bother with it.”
“You make us sound like bleedin’ hypocrites,” Tick Tock smirked,
“What with us two wearing clothes and all but telling everypony else they
don’t need to.”
“Yes well, if they were wearing anything practical I might argue the
point, but all these outfits looked more designed for fashion. I must thank
your friends for leaving the stuff they didn’t want here though - the fabrics
will come in handy for fixing up a few things here and there, your own
clothes notwithstanding. Weren’t they all raised under that ‘social stigma’
as well? Strikes me as odd that they’d give up their clothes while Flathoof
and Lockwood won’t give up theirs.”
“Well... no,” Tick Tock hesitated, “They’re not exactly from around
here, you understand. Um... it’s a long story. Let’s just keep it simple and
leave it at that, eh? I really do not feel up to explaining it.”
“No problem,” Pewter smirked, “I assume this is all official
Chronomancer business then? Trying to keep it all hush-hush? Not that it
matters much to me, all that timey-wimey stuff goes right over my head.
Always has, always will. At least I understand it better than my father did.”
“Well, this particular job might just make you reconsider what counts
as ‘complicated’, so yes, let’s just leave it alone. Ugh... this whole week has
just been an absolute bleedin’ nightmare. I think I’ve rubbed elbows with
death a few too many times for my taste, so many I wouldn’t be surprised if
I’m on a list of his somewhere that keeps track of that sort of thing.”
“Thank the stars for that. I’m glad to see you’re okay, Tick Tock.”
Pewter frowned, “I didn’t think your duties usually included that much
danger. Is everything working out okay? You’re usually not this ruffled
about work.”
“Normally no, I don’t deal with much. Just your typically ‘crossing the
Wastelands’ dangers, nothing you don’t do on a daily basis. But ever since
those six... nevermind. Let’s just say that I’ve had a tough week, and the
sooner I get those girls to Utopia and out of my hair, the better off I’ll be.”
“You seemed awfully concerned about them for somepony that’s
acting like they just want to be rid of them. I take it they’re not your
friends?”
Tick Tock huffed, “Friends. Right. A few of them are friendly enough Fluttershy for example, and Pinkie even if she’s a tad on the mental side. I
think Applejack might still have some faith in me, but I doubt it. Rainbow
Dash hates everything about me, Sparkle and I don’t see eye to eye on
almost anything, and after that bloody Gargantuan situation I doubt I’m
much in Rarity’s good graces.” She shook her head, “But what does it
matter? As soon as I get them all to Utopia and handle all this, I can put it
all behind me. I’m going to need a nice, long vacation after that... if I even
get to keep my bloody job, that is.”
“Oh?”
“Hmph, every damn thing about this past week has just been loaded
with one protocol violation after another. I won’t be surprised if I get back
home and find a nice, fat pink slip on my door. ‘Congratulations’, it will read,
‘You totally buggered up! Enjoy your sacking!’ If I still have a job when I’m
through, I’ll be bloody surprised...”
“I wish you the best of luck then, in all of those endeavors” he smiled,
“I enjoy your visits, Tick Tock, as random and infrequent as they are. But I
don’t like seeing you upset. You’re usually a lot less... grumpy. My father
always liked your fine spirit.”
“Oh there’s a surprise. Your father always did like me better anyway,”
Tick Tock teased, “It’s not my fault you’re such a softy. Maybe when you
grow up and become a real stallion the old man will give you the respect
you deserve, eh? It must be hard, knowing you’ll always play second-fiddle
to a little filly like me.”
“Ha! He changed his tune when I killed my first Gargantuan, I tell you
that,” Pewter teased right back, “Unlike some mares in present company,
who still to this day haven’t accomplished the feat. You’re too squeamish,
Tick Tock. Always have been..”
“Hmph, well, I’ve never had to resort to more lethal methods to get
away from the blasted things. I’ve always had my own technique for
escaping unharmed, and that’s why you’ll never get one of those bloody
needles anywhere near me. I know you can’t say much for yourself. You
must be immune to their venom by now, with how many times you’ve been
stung. I think I’ve been keeping a tally of it.”
“Speaking of,” he said with a confused expression, “I searched
through your pockets while fixing your vest, and I haven’t seen you pull it
out either - where’s your little pocket watch? You’re always fiddling with the
thing. I thought it was work-related equipment, or am I wrong?”
Tick Tock buried her head in her hooves, “Urgh, don’t remind me. I’d
bet a million bits that if I had my Time Keeper, this whole journey would’ve
been almost done by now. We’d probably be past the last stretch of
Redblade, just a few miles to go before the home stretch, but no we’re
talking the wrong route that’s gonna take us bloody well twice as long, all
because of a bit of damned bad luck and because I lost my only piece of
gear like a stupid, stupid little foal. I’m damn near bloody useless without
the thing, I know that much now...”
“Come on now, Tick Tock, you know you’re not-”
“I am, okay!” Tick Tock blurted, tears beginning to form in her eyes,
“Just ask the mares downstairs! I’m a total screw-up without it. I can’t read
geothermal measurements accurately, I can’t detect the seismic anomalies
that Gargantuans create, I can’t even bloody well properly keep track of
magical output. Without my Time Keeper I’m just a bleedin’ tour guide, a
tour guide with an outdated map and less-than-stellar emergency capacity
who may as well just have handed them the damned map and let them go
off on their own...” She sniffed gingerly, “I’m such an idiot... I should’ve
never set the bloody thing down...”
Pewter frowned deeply, troubled by the sight of his closest friend in
such dire straits. He remained silent a long moment; then, an idea came to
him that made him remember something, and he hastily rushed over to his
desk. Tick Tock eyed him with strange curiosity as he fumbled through a
multitude of objects - a few bits of metal ore, some packets of seeds, a
pocket-sized pickax that matched his Cutie Mark down to everything but
the colors, a small glass case that he did not haphazardly toss but set
carefully down; finally, he came to what he was searching for, a tiny
wooden case, not much larger than a slice of bread. He brought it over to
the sofa with a coy grin on his face; Tick Tock wasn’t used to seeing him in
such an excitable mood and was genuinely curious why.
“What’s got you all chipper for?” she asked, wiping her eyes on her
bath robe, “You made a mess of your room, you dumb git.”
“I remembered something,” he said in a brief but whimsical manner, “I
know it’s not much, but... well, take a look.”
He opened the case. Tick Tock’s eyes widened, and her jaw dropped
a good couple of inches. “Is... is that what I-”
Inside, laid neatly on a well-kept piece of dark crimson silk, sat a tiny
golden pocket watch that did not even fill up the case it was in. It was very
plain, only a few inches around, and it looked very, very old, at least a
century or so, if not more. It was covered in small scratches and crude cuts
that showed the once-shiny but now quite dim silvery metal that the golden
paint covered, and it was worn and rugged as though it had seen better
days maybe a few dozen years past. The only space on the entire watch
that was still in great, perhaps perfect condition was the exact center,
where an engraving of bright, pristine gold contrasted greatly with the dirty
golds surrounding it. There was even a gash running directly through the
engraving, but only the gold flaking around the rest of the watch showed
any sign of damage. The engraving read simply the letter ‘Z’
“I know it doesn’t look like it’s in the best shape,” Pewter smirked with
candor and honesty, “But what can I say, that’s the condition I found it in.
Silly thing doesn’t respond well to any of the restoration attempts I’ve tried,
either. It’s like the thing is preserved as it was left, if that makes any sense.”
“Where... where did you get this?” Tick Tock demanded, her voice
soft with wonder as she floated it gently out of the box, letting its rusted old
copper chain fall limp. Her eyes were beginning to water up. She knew
exactly what it was.
“Found it while trekking through the caverns of Goldridge a few
months ago, sometime after your last visit. It wasn’t easy to find, I tell you,
what with the whole damn mountain range being the same color. If I were
to try and be exact... ah... I’d say I found it maybe a mile or so away from
the main passage into the old Gryphon Territories. Is it what I think it is,
Tick Tock? Please tell me I didn’t get your hopes up...”
Tick Tock nodded, letting a few tears drop off her face and to the
cushions. “A Time Keeper... and... and not just any Time Keeper, either.
This is... my mentor’s. It still looks like it did last time I-” She stopped
suddenly, and brought the thing closer to her, as if worried it might float
away.
Pewter smiled and nodded, “I thought it looked familiar. Ol’ Zenith
used to show this fool thing off to my father and I every time he came
through here, even before he started bringing you along. Before I found it,
the last time I’d seen it was... a very long time ago. I was just a little colt,
then, I think? This had to be... I don’t know, a few months before you came
around with one of your own.”
“And I was just a filly, yes... oh, that was so long ago. He... he died a
few months after that. My superiors never found-” She stopped again,
unsure of herself to finish that sentence, “That damned fool...” She took it
with hesitation and hung it around her neck. “I haven’t seen this in so long...
it brings back a lot of memories”
“I’m sorry I never found it sooner, Tick Tock...” Pewter said simply,
“The old stallion hid this thing good. I don’t think he meant for anypony like
me to find it.”
“It’s not your fault... and... and I thank you for finding it even when you
did. You have no idea how much this means to me...”
“Can it replace yours though? Will this work?” he asked, “I know it’s
old and all... but I just thought... maybe...?”
Tick Tock smiled weakly, “It certainly will be lacking some of the
features of the newer model, and I have to remember some of the
operation guidelines. Zenith never instructed me on using one himself, said
that our superiors insisted on training each Chronomancer with his or her
own individual Time Keeper. But... yes, this will work for now. I think. I
hope.”
She floated the watch itself up to eye level and clicked it open. For
the moment, it appeared as nothing more than a regular pocket watch, one
that she knew should have died a long time ago and thus could no longer
tell time. But here it was as accurate as ever, perfectly matching the very
same stopwatch that made up her Cutie Mark which was as accurate as
could possibly be. She clicked one of the buttons on the side, and the clock
face flickered momentarily before glowing a very dim green. The light
brightened slowly as Tick Tock turned a few nobs and adjusted a dial or
two that had appeared magically as she worked, until at last the glow was
bright enough to illuminate her face. On the clock face was no longer an
actual clock, but a display reading out a jumble of dated notes. Tick Tock
shuffled silently through them. She recognized the dates, each one
dictating how many days of service the Chronomancer who owned the
Time Keeper had been in service. She marveled a little at some of the
notes that had been taken after she’d first met him - had the old stallion
really been working that long? She smiled to herself; there’d be plenty of
time to wander aimlessly down memory lane later, but right now only one
note was of any interest to her. The last entry. She read it silently to herself:
Day 52173
Goldridge Pass, 27.4, 81.0
It has been a strange curiosity to myself and my predecessors
that the ruins of the ancient Gryphon Kingdom is amongst the only
places in all of Equestria-V that does not naturally experience any sort
of Void phenomena. Some of my predecessors have sought out
answers to this, others have ignored it and considered it no more
than a convenient excuse to not explore that old place. I myself have
always pondered the possibilities, but have never had the time or
diligence to act on my curiosity. It would be selfish of me to think of
my own lust for knowledge when I have duties to uphold.
In recent years, as my body grows older and weaker, I have
taken on an apprentice. She is an outstanding pupil and truly takes to
the matters of time and space-related matters with the sort of vigor
that I wish I had had even in my own youth, which my earlier notes
exposit on in greater detail. In months she has already learned more
than I expected in years, and I am thankful for her enthusiasm. I had
feared that I’d chosen an apprentice far too late in life, as my body
now at last grows old and frail, the magicks of our guild wearing thin
and unable to sustain me for much longer. She will be ready long
before I breathe my last, and it is with great trepidation that I choose
to take advantage of this.
I write this in the deepest reaches of the Goldridge Pass’s
sprawling caverns, en route into the ruins of the once great Gryphon
Kingdom. My pupil does not know this, involved as she is with
engaging in her official examinations to get her own Time Keeper and
officially replace me. I regret not saying goodbye to her, but it is too
late for regrets now. Nopony knows I am here, save for the caretaker
of the checkpoint, my good friend Obsidian, and I have sworn him to
secrecy. He and his son think I am venturing out for one last job
before I pass the torch, and from a certain point of view they may be
right.
But I leave this note not out of some fool attempt at some form
of immortality, or as a testament to my legacy. I leave this as a guide,
to my dear pupil who I hope beyond hope will one day find this note
herself. She was always filled to the brim with more curiosity and
eagerness than I could hope to contain, and I have no doubts that one
day, her thirst for discovery unsated, she will seek out answers that
none before her have come close to finding. As I travel into the
Gryphon Ruins for the first time, and the last time, I will die knowing
that one day, she may follow in my hoofsteps and uncover the truth
about that place.
To my dearest pupil Tick Tock, soon to be the newest
Chronomancer of Equestria-V,
Your mentor, and your dear friend,
Zenith
Tick Tock snapped the Time Keeper closed, and the dim green glow
died out in mere seconds as though it were a flickering candle. She fought
back the urge to cry; this was a lot to take in all at once. The visible effort
that was not missed by Pewter, who leaned down and wrapped her in a
sort of one-legged hug. She returned it with earnest, both forelegs wrapped
around his broad figure, her head finding a comfort in his chest.
“Thank you, Pewter. This... this is a great gift, far greater than I
deserve,” she said weakly. The words flowed thick from her, almost
hoarsely. She was unsure what to think exactly, but she was grateful. “You
really have no idea how much this means to me...”
Pewter smirked, “I'm glad I was able to brighten your spirits, Tick
Tock. I hate seeing you upset.”
“Your father raised you right,” she smiled, “Anypony else I know
wouldn’t have bothered to concern themselves with my sorry self.” She
sniffed, “What did I do to deserve a friend like you, Pewter?”
“Friend... yeah,” Pewter said under a forced smile, “I'll always be your
friend, Tick Tock. I only wish I could do more.”
Chapter Fifteen
Innocence
“Would you keep your voice down? This is completely necessary, and
pouting about it isn’t going to make any sort of difference,” Starlight huffed.
Havocwing grumbled, “This is so stupid. Why are we wasting our time
with this? Why are you making me waste my time with this? Again?”
Havocwing paced back and forth with an angry gait, threatening to
wear out the rug at the foot of her bed. Starlight had insisted on a meeting
here, in her room of all places, and in the dead of the night, when she was
trying to get some sleep. And then Starlight had insisted they review her
assignment. Again. It seemed a total waste of time and effort. Havocwing
hated a lot of things, but wasting time was amongst the greatest offenders.
It was so far beyond aggravating that it was actually infuriating. She huffed
and snorted and grumbled and rolled her eyes and just made such a
complete showing of discontent that an average onlooker would have
dropped the whole thing just to avoid a confrontation.
But Starlight was undeterred by Havocwing’s agitation, and continued
lecturing, "The situation has become more complicated since we left the
city, and I am inclined to ascertain your suitability to effectuate your orders.”
Havocwing started a good few moments, jaw agape and eyebrow
raised. “Um... what? Ease up on big words, boss,” she blinked, “What does
all that mean in plain pony-speak?”
Starlight narrowed her eyes a moment, then stuck her nose in the air
in irritation, “Let’s see, how would you put it then? Ah yes - I want to make
sure you don't screw up.”
“Me?!” Havocwing blurted, “I ain’t gonna screw up squat, boss. You
know damn well I’m the most reliable in the group.” Starlight gave her a
look of incredulity, but let her continue. “Working that wuss over is going to
be a piece of cake. What could be so different that we need to review?
None of others had to do this crap.”
“Well for one, I would theorize her opinion on things has perhaps
adjusted in light of recent events. After all, she has met her very first
Gargantuan, and most ponies have a little change of heart on a great many
things after their first encounter, wouldn't you agree?”
“Well duh, I was gonna-”
“But at the same time, another obstacle has placed itself in your path
- that Lockwood fellow. His genial nature may have an influence upon that
little cream puff of a pegasus, and that could complicate matters. He is
nothing if not unique amongst the general populace of Pandemonium, is he
not?”
“Yeah yeah, I get it. So we have a little problem with the guy,”
Havocwing smirked, “Want me to take care of him? I’d get a real kick out of
it if you did - ooh, I’ve already thought of so many ways to do it too! I could
blow him up, or set him on fire and let him burn to death, or make sure I
don’t make it in time to save him from some mutant bug, or-”
“What? No. No, you idiot,” Starlight sighed with a hoof to her face,
“Just... just be cautious with your assignment so long as he is present. I do
not see it being complicated convincing that diminutive weakling that her
compassion for nature is sorely misplaced; but this Lockwood, he will make
matters difficult. Rarity on the other hoof should not pose a threat - our dear
Insipid will see to that, I am certain.”
“Right right, whatever, ruin my fun” Havocwing shrugged, “You know,
this is probably the last chance you’ll get to change your mind about my
suggestion, boss. This joint's got a hell of a heating system - it’s a really big
boiler in the basement levels, hooked up to all sorts of things; it wouldn't be
hard to overload it, see, and blow it all to pieces. It would make things real
simple yeah? I could even make it look like an accident, if you know what I
mean? Dad wouldn’t think-”
Starlight rolled her eyes, “For the last time, Havoc - we will utilize
force only as a last resort, and lethal force is absolutely out of the question
until father is certain it is necessary. Whether you think father will suspect
anything is irrelevant, we’re not going that route except in an emergency. Is
that understood?”
“Which is such a shame, since I bet those guys taste reeeally good!”
Havocwing leapt several feet into the air at the sudden feeling of
something cold probing her wings. “Dammit Red! Stop buckin' doin' that!
One of these days, I’m gonna-”
Red Velvet slid her way out of the shadows of the corner of the room,
moving quite like a shadow herself. Tendrils of her blood retracted
themselves back into her body, their purpose in giving Havocwing a shock
served. Her smug smile infuriated Havocwing; she had to fight hard in
resisting the urge to throttle the pink pony, hooves ablaze, until there was
nothing left to strangle but a pile of ash.
She snickered, “Aww, don't be so jumpy, Havoc, you’re not on the
menu. Believe me, I’ve thought about it plenty of times since you’re really
lean and probably taste really good, but you'd probably give me heartburn.
Blech. No thanks.”
“Yeah well, you just stay the hell away from me,” Havocwing
sputtered, “And what are you doing here, anyway? I don’t remember
inviting you - get outta my room!”
“Hey boss,” Velvet saluted, ignoring Havocwing entirely, “You called?
I got a weird buzzy feelin’ in my head and stuff, and I figured it was you.
You learn that trick from daddy?”
Starlight nodded, “You're early, Velvet. I was not expecting anypony
else so soon. I was just finishing up with Havoc’s assignment.”
“Wait wait wait, you called her here, boss?" Havocwing blurted, “Aw
come on, I don't need this freak show in my room. Look, she's tracking
blood everywhere! Ponies'll think I was up to something and they might get
worried about being around me.”
“Aww, and here I thought you'd want everypony to think you were a
dangerous murdering sociopath,” Velvet smirked, “I understand if you need
the boost to your ego and I’d be happy to help. Not everypony can be as
intimidating as me, y’know.”
“I don't need your help proving it,” Havocwing spat, “If you want to
help, just stand still so I can cook ya! Then we’ll see who the intimidating
one is, ya bucking nutcase.”
“Oooh, I'm shakin' in my horseshoes here,” Velvet taunted, letting a
few strips of blood seep out, forming themselves into a variety of bladed
and pointed objects, “You’re gonna need more than threats if you want to
scare me, Havoc. Speaking of cooking-”
Starlight grunted in annoyance and stamped a hoof, “Enough! Both of
you! If you two wish to mutilate one another, it can wait until after we've
completed the assignment at hoof. Now Velvet, I summoned you to deliver
a status report. How fare you with Pinkie Pie?”
Velvet hesitated, “Well... uh... to be honest? Not so swell...”
Starlight narrowed her eyes, “How so? Your assignment is rather
elementary, Velvet. Father did not foresee any difficulties, and neither have
I. Is this Pinkie Pie giving you trouble?”
“She’s just... just... she's just impossible! Nothing I do frightens her for
longer than a few seconds, and when it’s all done she just... she laughs it
off! I’ve never seen anything like it, boss. I can't work under these
conditions!”
“Maybe you're just not putting forth an adequate-enough effort?”
Starlight hissed, “Try harder. I will not have our well-laid plans ruined
because you are getting sloppy.”
“Sloppy? Oh please, if I was allowed to be sloppy we wouldn't have
this problem, boss. Everything I'm doing would work on anypony else they’d be wetting themselves at night for weeks. Months! I mean look, this
stuff has no trouble giving even Havoc the heeby-jeebies.” Havocwing
made to protest, but reconsidered it; Velvet was gazing at her with a very
dark, very hungry look that sent chills down her spine and made her tuck in
her wings out of concern for their well-being. Seeing no interjection from
Havocwing, Velvet continued, “This pink putz must be immune or
something. She's a little touched in the head, I think.”
“Sounds like you two were made for each other,” Havocwing
snickered. Velvet shot that same hungry look at her, making Havocwing
shrink back a little.
“What exactly is making this situation difficult for you? What are you
doing that’s not working?” Starlight demanded.
Velvet rolled her eyes, “Well for one, if I were allowed to use all my
powers, I'd-”
“You'd accomplish nothing save for abandoning a key element of
surprise for any possible-though-unlikely future confrontations, and if you
did scare her in such a manner she would most certainly alert the others to
your doings and risk driving a decisive wedge between them and us, which
would ruin all of our efforts. No hemomancy. Deal with it. Have you tried-”
“Look boss, I've tried everything I can think of, and I’m totally using
the Grade-A material here too!” Velvet defended, “Nothing’s working; she
thinks it’s all some sort of game or something! Like, okay, see if you can
visualize this with me: I hide up on the ceiling y’know, like above her door
frame? I do that drippy blood bit where she looks up to see what it is, and
boom! She sees a murdered pony just hanging there! She jumped away
and everything, but the second she recognized it was me, she just laughed
it off and started babbling about a movie with aliens in it! She thinks my
special talent is pranks. Pranks, boss! I even tried to do that dream trick,
yeah?”
“Dream trick?” Havocwing asked.
“Yeah!” Velvet grinned in a way that sent shivers through
Havocwing’s body, “You know, where I just pop on into your head while
you’re asleep and give you nightmares? If I get a really good hold in there,
anything I do to you in dreamland happens to you in reality - it’s so totally
neat! Oh listen to me, I’m babbling like Insipid I’m so excited.”
“Y-you can do that?” Havocwing gulped, “Boss, can she do that?’
“If she can, it would come as a surprise to me,” Starlight tapped a
hoof to her chin, “It does sound quite effective though.”
“Aww, no way,” Havocwing nervously chuckled, “No way she can do
that... eh heh... g-good one, Red. You’re just bucking with me.”
Velvet smirked rather wide, causing Havocwing to gulp, before
shrugging and continuing on. “Anyway, that didn’t work either, her dreams
have way too much sunshine and gumdrops and lollipops and, well... all
that kind of happy lovey-dovey stuff. Sooo much of it, I bet it would make
Havoc here just puke her guts out. Mmmm... guts...” She stopped a
moment to lick her lips and make a pleasured noise that made Havocwing
extremely uncomfortable since it was her guts she was talking about.
“That’s how sickening it all is! Too much of it, boss, like I really... really
would rather not go back in there, yeah?” Her tone became slightly
nervous, “It felt weird. Super weird. Like, I felt like all that happiness and
stuff was just going to swallow me up and never let me go. Freaky. Listen,
maybe if I traded with Havoc? Her target should be so so so much easier
to scare.”
“Hey buck off, freak show!” Havocwing blurted, “Dad gave this
assignment to me. Just because you're losing your touch-”
“I don't want to hear any more excuses,” Starlight interrupted firmly,
“Red Velvet, you will re-evaluate your situation immediately. If need be,
elect a different approach and frighten that annoying joy out of that
ridiculous mare, or you'll soon find yourself trying to scare moon rocks for
the remainder of your sad, pitiful little existence. Am I clear?"
"But boss-"
"Am. I. Clear?"
Velvet nodded in defeat, "Crystal clear, boss..."
“Heh... looks like we’ve got a new pony on the bottom of the totem
pole,” Havocwing snickered. Velvet shot her an angry look, but Havocwing
was loaded with newfound confidence in light of Velvet’s losing face. “How
does it feel to replace Insipid down there, huh? I never thought anypony
would make that airhead look good.”
“I’d be glad to put you down on the bottom myself, Havoc,” Velvet
sneered, “Dead ponies might not look so good to the boss, y’know, since
they’re not gonna do anything but sit there and rot.”
“Aww, you’re cute when you’re angry,” Havocwing snickered again. A
knock at Havocwing’s door shook the tension out of the air. “Aww, now
what?” she groaned. She trotted over to the door, and was genuinely
surprised at who was on the other side. “Gray? The hell are you doing up
this late? What do you want?”
Grayscale completely ignored Havocwing’s presence entirely and
instead looked around behind her shoulder and saluted to Starlight, who
nodded back and beckoned her into the room with a simple tilt of her head.
Grayscale shoved her way past Havocwing, who watched the bigger
pegasus with irritated disdain.
“Ah, right on schedule,” Starlight smirked, “I expected you to arrive
late, as I have grown accustomed to. This is quite the surprise.”
“You needed something, boss?” Grayscale asked as she rubbed her
eyes and yawned. “You woke me up from my third nap. What's this all
about?”
“Father requested that I obtain a periodical status report from each of
you. Seeing as how we have completed our first day of activity, I feel it
would be wise to get some initial impressions, you understand. So then,
how would you gauge your progress with Rainbow Dash, Grayscale?”
“Ugh... can’t this wait until morning? I was having the most wonderful
dream about taking a nap on a cloud...” Grayscale suddenly lost herself in
thought.
“Geez, boss, why'd you invite them all to my room?” Havocwing
huffed, “I didn't need to attend any stupid meeting, and they all could’ve
met in your room. I could be sleeping-”
“Status report please, Grayscale,” Starlight interrupted, “You can
return to your little dreamland later.”
“Eh... to be honest there isn't much I really need to do to make this
work. Rainbow Dash doesn’t trust Tick Tock or Lockwood and is pretty
upset that her friends don’t feel the same. She just needs a little... push,”
Grayscale shrugged.
Starlight nodded, “Excellent. I am pleased that you are fulfilling
father’s expectations so admirably. If everypony else could accomplish your
results-” And she shot a look at Velvet, who shrunk back in
embarrassment, “We would be finished within the next couple of days. I will
admit, breaking apart these bonds of theirs is not proving a simple matter.
Not that I am having trouble of course.”
“Ah, speaking of which, that reminds me. I was taking a nap in the
hall after dinner and-”
“You were taking a nap... in the hall?” Havocwing interjected, “What
the hell is wrong with you? I knew you liked sleeping and stuff, but narca...
necro...”
“Narcolepsy. And unlike some of us,” Grayscale yawned, “I know the
importance of shutting up and listening. I could instruct you, but I doubt
you’d listen. That’s kind of the point though, isn’t it?”
“I'll teach you how to shut up,” Havocwing sneered beneath her
breath, “Bucking kiss-flank...”
“As I was saying,” Grayscale continued, “It was right after dinner, and
I saw Rarity waiting in the hall to use the washroom. Completely
predictable. Curaçao got there first I guess, I never saw her walk in. I saw...
uh... Applejack come up to talk to her about something though.
Unfortunately I didn't hear too much, they were real quiet about it, but it
must've been something important and it looked like a pretty heated
discussion. Any ideas?”
Starlight tapped a hoof to her chin, “Hmmm... this might pose
complications. Applejack is, according to father, probably the most difficult
mare in the group to persuade to our way of thinking. She's all about truth
and honesty and all that ridiculous bunk. If I were to guess, she's likely
good at spotting deceptions as well. That does sound most disconcerting,
especially if she suspects us.”
“Ooh ooh! Maybe Curaçao’s having trouble too?” Velvet suddenly
perked up, “Oh please oh please oh please. Being on bottom stinks.”
“So what you’re saying is,” Havocwing chortled, clapping her
forehooves together, “We may need to have somepony... taken care of?
Oh man this is just too-”
“Calm yourself, Havoc,” Starlight rolled her eyes, “It’s much too soon
to assume anything. I can only hope Curaçao is handling the situation, so
let’s see what she has to report. Hmmm... she should be here by now.
Curaçao is normally very punctual. Grayscale, check the hall.”
“Speak of the devil,” Grayscale gestured. Starlight popped her head
out into the hall with her and saw a very, very pleased Curaçao walking
fancifully towards Havocwing’s room, an energetic bounce in her step. The
blue earth pony bounded in without so much as acknowledging anypony
else at all. She ignored Starlight’s greeting completely and instead plopped
herself directly in front of the room’s grooming mirror, and began combing
and playing with her hair using the provided brush, humming a happy tune
that was only slightly off-key.
“What the-” Starlight muttered more to herself than anypony else,
“What has you so perky this evening, Curaçao?”
Curaçao ignored her again and just continued to groom and gaze at
herself.
“Curaçao?” Starlight coughed, “What in Equestria are you- forget it. I
summoned you here to deliver a status report. Grayscale made mention of
something suspicious about Applejack, and I would wager that you would
be able to entertain my curiosity?” Curaçao continued to ignore her and
carried on with fancying herself in the mirror. Starlight’s eye twitched.
“Curaçao! What is wrong with you?!”
“What’s up with her?” Havocwing whispered to Velvet of all ponies,
“She’s usually not so... um...”
“Weird?” Velvet raised an eyebrow.
“Yo, miss fancy pants!” Havocwing blurted, “The boss is talking to
you! Quit checking out your stupid mane, it’s already bucking perfect!”
“I know right!” Curaçao bubbled, “It’s, like, totally silky smooth and-”
She noticed that everypony was looking at her with absolute and complete
disbelief, and varying degrees of annoyance. “Oops.”
Starlight narrowed her eyes and her horn began to shine a brilliant
silver; the light bathed Curaçao, and as it passed over her inch by inch it
stripped away the illusion and revealed the blue earth pony instead as“Insipid,” Starlight huffed, not at all amused.
“Uh... h-hi?” Insipid flustered, a supreme dejection in her voice as she
looked at herself in the mirror, “Um, you like, caught me? Aww... did you
have to do that? I was, like, checking out how totally super pretty I-”
“Explain yourself. Now. Where is Curaçao?” Starlight demanded.
“She, like, told me not to tell!” Insipid blurted defensively, “She said
you’d all, like, totally ruin her plans if you knew! Ooh, she’s so sneaky! I am,
like, so super glad she wanted my help and junk. This is major fresh,
y’know?”
Starlight groaned, “Please tell me you’re- oh, why do I even bother? It
would be nonsensical asking you, you likely haven’t the foggiest what she’s
plotting anyway. And if Curaçao is working, I highly doubt I’ll get much out
of her either... she does tend to keep to herself, after all. How about you,
then? Status report, Insipid. How fares your assignment with Rarity?”
“Oh, she like, totally made my hair all pretty and junk, see?” Insipid
gushed, pointing at her hair. It was a little different, truth be told. The curls
were a little curlier and the straight bits were a little straighter. Not that did
much to it. It would seem that even Rarity’s expert touch could not make
Insipid prettier, and it certainly was no match for the former perfection that
her false guise of Curaçao had been, but to Insipid it seemed that it was the
thought that counted.
“It doesn’t look any different to me,” Havocwing shrugged, “You still
look like you brush your mane with a rake.”
“Like, what-ever,” Insipid pouted, “Curie liked it, and that’s, like, all
that matters. She said it was, uh... ‘tres moyen’? I totally don’t even know
what that means? But Curie said it so it must be good! Right?”
Starlight held the bridge of her nose with her hoof, “Insipid, how can I
make this simple enough for your primitive little brain to understand? I
asked how your progress was going with turning Rarity around to our way
of thinking, not if you managed to get her to gussy you up.”
“Oh? Ohhhh... right! Um... she’s, like, totally under my hoof? I mean, I
think I kinda figured out what she, like, wants, and I’m totally working on
getting her to go after it! That’s what I was supposed to do, yeah? Right?
Do you, like, want to hear the details or something?”
Starlight rolled her eyes, “Ugh... I think I’d rather not listen to your
brainless babble any longer. Very good, Insipid. Now then, I suppose that
would just leave Curaçao herself. Where is that devious little charlatan? It
is most unlike her to be tardy.”
“I bet she’s just taking another bath,” Havocwing suggested halfseriously, “Can’t have too many baths when you’re otherwise useless to us,
so you may as well make yourself look pretty, right? Not that she ever gets
her hooves dirty anyway.”
“Hey, like, that perfection of hers takes diligence?” Insipid pointed,
“That’s what, like, Rarity said anyway, and she’s totally, y’know, in-theknow? I mean, like, hell-oooo, you can’t look perfect like Curie does
without, y’know, a little effort and junk.”
“I don’t think she spends any time doing anything to it,” Grayscale
stated matter-of-factly, “I mean, she can change shape, so she’s probably
able to look however she wants without actually doing much.”
“Like, oh. My. Stars. You can’t be, like, serious?” Insipid blanched,
“She totally puts effort in, ‘cause, like, otherwise what’s the point? If she
was, like, cheating, it would be so. Major. Un-fresh. Totally not funny, Gray.
Totally. Not. Funny.”
Grayscale shrugged, “No you’re right. Because Curaçao couldn’t
possibly be cheating.” Insipid nodded in agreement, completely oblivious to
Grayscale’s sarcasm.
Havocwing blurted, “I don’t care how long she spends or how much
effort she takes, the fact is she doesn’t do squat otherwise! None of us
other than you have seen her all day, and you’re such a moron you
probably just served as her patsy so she could go off and not do anything
all night! If she spent as much time doing her job as she does looking
pretty,” she spat, “We’d all be done by now! She’d have probably done all
of our jobs for us.”
“What kinda jobs ‘re y’all talkin’ ‘bout?”
Everypony turned rapidly to the sudden new voice; Insipid, whose
back was to the door, did so too fast and tumbled face-first to the floor.
Applejack stood defensively in the hallway, an aggressive glare on her face
that made her look more than a little upset.
“Aww crap,” Havocwing blurted, “Um... h-hey there, Applejack, h-how
long have you been there?”
“Long enough...” Applejack frowned, taking a few defensive steps
back.
“What did you hear?” Starlight asked sternly, stepping out into the hall
with Havocwing at her side.
“I heard everythin’,” Applejack admitted firmly, stepping further back
down the hall to relative safety. Her eyes carefully flicked to the stairs to
judge the distance she’d need to go to escape, “I knew it! Tick Tock was
right, y’all ‘re up ta somethin’ fishy! I’m gettin’ Twilight, then we’ll see what
she-”
Starlight’s horn flashed and Applejack, who’d tried bounding for the
stairs at that instant, found herself bound rather awkwardly in magical
chains that had appeared from the floor, trapping her just a scant few feet
from the stairs that led to the next floor and her friends, which given the
circumstances was much too far. She squirmed and fought to free herself,
but the chains tightened with every attempt until she could barely move at
all. She was caught.
“Let me go ya sneaky-”
“Most unfortunate,” Starlight frowned, “I was hoping to have longer.
Seems my suspicions were accurate.”
“Boss, she heard way too much,” Havocwing observed, “We can’t just
let her go.”
“Quite,” Starlight smirked, “Let’s see, what should we-”
Insipid had gotten up by now and joined them all in the hall. Her eyes
brightened immensely and with a great leap all the way across the great
distance from Havocwing’s door she bounded to Applejack, and with such
an amazingly elated air that everypony in the vicinity could feel her sudden
and very much boundless excitement. It was almost sickening, and actually
made Velvet shirk away into the corner for fear that she’d lose her lunch all
over Havocwing’s floor.
“Insipid, what the-” Havocwing started, her voice filled with rage.
“What in tarnation ‘re y’all doin’?!” Applejack blurted as Insipid
wrapped her up in a tight hug. She struggled hard against the chains that
kept her bound, more desperate now than ever to get away. “Call ‘er off!
Y’all don’t need ta torture me, I promise I won’t talk! Just get her o-o-off...”
“Awww, it’s so, like, totally super cute when you try to be sneaky,”
Insipid cooed, nuzzling her cheek against Applejack’s, “You can’t fool me
though, Curie. Mmmm... you smell like oranges.”
Applejack grumbled, and then melted away into the familiar blue form
of Curaçao. “Merde. Zis is why I ‘ad to be careful, voyez-vous? You may
‘ave blown my cover, ma bête copine.”
“Curaçao? What in Equestria?” Starlight blinked as she released her
spell, not that it would help Curaçao get off the floor, not so long as Insipid
bound her even more tightly than the chains had been.
Grayscale nodded to herself, “Saw that coming.”
“Hee hee, I, like, totally told you she was good,” Insipid beamed,
stroking Curaçao’s mane with loving adoration, “She even fooled you, boss.
Like, how totally cool is that?”
“Yes. Quite,” Starlight said with disdain, “I suppose then that you
should be lucky Insipid ascertained the truth before I vaporized you,
Curaçao. I don’t much appreciate being duped. Accidents happen...”
Insipid’s face suddenly turned to panic, “Oh! Y-you weren’t really
going to vaporize her, right boss? Not my Curie... nooo...”
“Do not fear, ma copine, zee capitaine would not ‘ave killed
Applejack, no matter ‘ow much she knew. I was always in control,” Curaçao
smirked, “Je m’excuse, ma capitaine, I ‘ad to make sure zat my plan ‘ad
gone flawlessly, non? If even you could not spot zee ruse, zen I should say
my disguise is perfect enough to escape even magical detection. Why,
even when ma copine uses it, you could not tell zee difference, oui?”
Starlight bit her tongue, unnerved at Curaçao’s smug pride but impressed
all the same; Curaçao bore a confident grin that made Insipid proud just to
be nearby, “Do not worry about my status report, I assure you zat it will not
be long before zee Applejack falls far from zee tree, non?”
“Aww, she’s so clever!” Insipid bubbled, “I bet it’s, like, the perfect
plan!”
“What manner of plot are you scheming?” Starlight pressed, “The
others are all simple enough in concept, so much so that I’ve been able to
ascertain what was required of them and advised them from there without
any further guidance from father. Your quarry though... even father didn’t-”
“Ah, ne vous inquiétez pas, I ‘ave it all under control. Wiz mah génie,
zis ‘Applejack’ and zis ‘Rarity? Zey ‘ave formed un lien, oui? And when zat
crashes down around ma petit pomme - victoire.” She gave a vain, openmouthed laugh, quite pleased at the prospect and of the brilliant extent of
her plan; had she not needed to be quiet, it might have been rather loud
indeed. It left a few of the others a little concerned, though Insipid just
drank it in with a huge grin on her face.
“Ah, so that was you in the hall,” Grayscale nodded in understanding,
“Let me guess... you were... Applejack herself, then?”
“Oh la la, une magicienne never reveals ‘er secrets, non?” Curaçao
grinned, “It would ruin zee illusion.”
“I love it when she gets all, like, devious?” Insipid bubbled, “Oooh,
Curie you’re such a totally amazing actress. So. Major. Fresh.”
“Hmph... I suppose we have all settled matters for now, then. I am
most pleased with some of your reports, while others still leave a great deal
to be desired,” Starlight declared, Velvet visibly shrinking back again at
another back-hoofed commentary on her progress, “Morning approaches.
There is much work ahead of us if we are to continue our rate of success
without incident. Continue on as you have been - draw your marks aside
and engage them on a personal level, and leave matters to me to direct the
traffic, as it were. Dismissed.”
Starlight was the first to leave the room, her horn flashing a brilliant
silver as she teleported instantly to another location, leaving the others to
shield their eyes from the bright flash.
“About time,” Havocwing yawned, “Okay everypony, you heard the
boss, you’re all dismissed. That means: get the hell outta my room! Now!”
“Aww, sweet dreams, Havoc,” Velvet cooed as she trotted with a
carefree demeanor out the door, previous incidents behind her and
forgotten, “Oh, and don’t let the bedbugs bite, okay? I hear the ones out
here are pretty vicious. But hey, maybe you’ll dream about me?!” Her grin
widened and her teeth appeared pointed and fierce. “Be careful though, I
bite harder than bedbugs do...” Havocwing paled slightly, but maintained
her composure; Velvet wasn’t going to scare her anymore, not so long as
she was the weakest link in the chain.
“Oh Curie...” Insipid pouted, throwing herself at Curaçao’s hooves
and making a pleading gesture, “Pleeeease can I share a room with you?
I’m, like, not even next door to you! That dumb ol’ Pewter guy put me, like,
on the other end of the hall! I’m so totally totally lonely, and that is so totally
totally major un-cool. Like, tres bad. Um... how do you say it, Curie?”
“Mauvais...” Curaçao said flatly.
“Movie? Um... Curie, we, like, don’t have time for a movie?” Insipid
playfully rolled her eyes.
“Merde alors,” Curaçao quite seriously rolled her eyes in return, “You
can sleep on zee floor if you-”
“Yay!” Insipid cheered as she bounded around the corner, “This is
totally tres awesome, I can’t wait! I get to, like, sleep where your hooves
have been, wheeee~”
Curaçao and Grayscale were the last to leave, and walked down the
hall together, unperturbed by Havocwing slamming the door behind them.
The tense air between them belied a true camaraderie between the pair,
who nodded at one another with a firm understanding.
Grayscale chuckled, “Not that I care, Curaçao, but how do you put up
with it? Insipid I mean.”
Curaçao shrugged, “She is a useful pawn, non? I cannot object to
‘aving my own pet unicorn. Zey are so useful for zings zat we earth ponies
cannot do wiz just ‘ooves, oui?”
“I suppose. She completely broke character as you,” Grayscale
pointed, “Maybe you should give her acting lessons.”
It was Curaçao’s turn to chuckle, “Zis is quite unlike you, Grayscale.
Worried zat I may ‘ave my ‘ooves full?”
“Hey, whatever floats your cloud,” Grayscale yawned, “Oh, and by the
way? You were Applejack in the hallway after dinner, weren’t you?”
“Ah ah ah, I told you-”
Grayscale put up a hoof, “Cut the crap. You were Applejack in the
hall, not Rarity.”
Curaçao smirked, “Per’aps I was. Why, may I ask, do you care? It is
not like you.”
“I’m just trying to make sure I keep up. If I’m out of the loop, that
means I have to act on impulse, and when ponies act on impulse they work
harder and make dumb decisions. Ya feel me?”
Curaçao laughed, “Do as you wish, Grayscale. As long as you do not
interfere wiz my own plans, I suppose it will do no ‘arm. I will leave it to you
to figure out zee truth of ma magnifique représentation, but only because
you are one ‘oo would truly appreciate it, oui?”
“Yeah, whatever,” Grayscale shrugged, “I know I’m right, you can
play it off as long as you want for all I care. I’m off to bed. Hey, by the way?
I just hope your new pet is housebroken.”
*****
*****
*****
“Do you really have to go so soon?” Pewter asked with a depressed
sigh, “You only just got here. I was hoping for a chance to catch up, Tick
Tock...”
“I’m sorry, Pewter, I really am... but we're on a very tight schedule
and we have little choice. We've got another week and then some just to
get to Hope's Point, and I need to account for any other delays. We cannot
risk losing much more time...”
Tick Tock busied herself with sorting and checking supplies. Pewter
had graciously provided them with as much as he could spare, which
included a small supply of food rations, canteens of actual water, and other
survival equipment. Applejack was nearby helping go over the checklist,
though Tick Tock noted she was extra professional about it and barely said
two words to the others helping to pack everything together - Tick Tock
herself or Flathoof - but made a very strange exception for Curaçao, who
was teaching her to use the more advanced features of Tick Tock’s map.
Tick Tock was rather surprised the blue earth pony was so adept in taking
to using a magical object and even more surprised she could even work it
properly, not having magic herself. She attributed it perhaps to Curaçao’s
travels with Starlight Shadow, who was nothing if not imposing and
probably insisted on having a solid guide so she didn’t have to look at a
map herself.
It was a rather average morning outside the checkpoint, cold and
crisp and as dark as usual with nothing out of the ordinary to cause the
travelers any worries. Twilight and Rarity were taking time to use most their
old clothes to make a sort of carrying harness to make transporting
Fluttershy easier. This was except for Rarity's clothes, of course, as she
had insisted on keeping her dress which was now clean and tidy and had
had all the damage from heat and dirt and wind repaired. Fluttershy,
meanwhile, was taking quite well to Lockwood’s jacket and many
suggestions had been made to let her keep it for the remainder of their
travel, which brought no objection from the pegasus stallion in question; if
anything he seemed actually pleased at the prospect and took upon the
task of cleaning the jacket himself, at Rarity’s insistence of course. Starlight
assisted the pair with directions and instructions but did not bother utilizing
any magic of her own, certainly not when she could direct Insipid to do it
just as well despite the other unicorn’s much lower aptitude. When
completed, two ponies - Rarity and Lockwood the most likely volunteers would be able to carry the still very weak and limp Fluttershy between them
on what essentially amounted to a cot, making it easy for her to get as
much rest as possible without slowing down the group any.
Rainbow and Grayscale talked with one another far, far overhead,
mostly in whispers and with several occasional gestures in Lockwood's
direction, as he was the only one currently watching over Fluttershy who
slept quite soundly wrapped in his now-clean jacket, close enough to be
watched but not close enough to be woken by any of the myriad of
conversations going on around her; Havocwing, to only Grayscale’s notice,
was keeping her distance for now and simply observing, much to
Grayscale’s pleasant surprise; that Havocwing had even skipped breakfast
was of particular interest; what sort of game was she playing at, Grayscale
wondered. Velvet and Pinkie, on the other hoof, were busy chatting up a
storm and bouncing between the other groups with rather reckless
abandon; Pinkie's boundless energy was keeping all of her friends’ spirits
up, but Velvet was visibly exhausted by the ordeal, a quality that did not go
unnoticed by her companions. Occasional sideways glances from Starlight
made Velvet consistently work to stay close to Pinkie, ignoring her own
exhaustion and trying her best to keep up.
“I still say you have enough time to stay another night,” Pewter
smirked, “You even mentioned that your little accident in Redblade bought
you an extra day taking this route. Why not spend it here recuperating?
Fluttershy could certainly benefit the most from it, and-”
“As tempting as that all sounds, I'm afraid I must decline,” Tick Tock
frowned, “I really wish I could... but business is business.”
“And business before pleasure, I know, you always say that” Pewter
sighed, “A guy like me just can’t catch a break, huh? Well then, I wish you
all the best of luck. Is there anything else you think you'll need? I still have
some spare supplies here and there. I think I got together everything you’ll
need, but just in case?”
“I don't think we need much else, at least that I can think of...” Tick
Tock shook her head, “How about you, Applejack?”
“Yeah?” Applejack replied curtly, having ignored Tick Tock until now.
“Pewter wants to know if there’s anything we're missing that you think
we might need?”
“Nah, we're fine enough fer a week-long trip, I reckon. Plenty o’ food
‘n’ water - real food ‘n’ water at that - some travelin’ necessities like rope
and what-not, new saddlebags and sleeping bags ‘n’ such... nnnnope, I
don’t think there’s much else we could need.”
“Well then, there you have it, I think we’re all settled up and ready to
move out,” Tick Tock nodded. She moved in close enough to whisper,
“Thanks again, Pewter. For all of this... for last night... for everything. You
truly are too kind to me. What ever would I do without you?”
“You’d be a week away from Hope’s Point with nothing but a wing
and a prayer to get you there, that’s what,” Pewter smirked, “But all the
same, helping folks like you all get from the city to the coast is just in the
blood. Don’t be a stranger, Tick Tock... and do take care of yourself. You
don’t have any idea what I’d do if something happened to-”
“You worry too much. I’ll be fine, Pewter, I always have been. You do
the same, yeah?”
After everypony had gotten everything settled and taken care of, it
was time to leave the cozy little checkpoint and venture forth into the
unknown once again. They bid their farewells to Pewter and started their
way up the trail leading up, up, up into the mountains of Goldridge Pass.
It was clear from up close even more so than from the great distance
they’d observed from the day before where the mountains got their name.
Brilliant gold as far as they could see and most definitely further beyond, so
glorious in sheen and luster that if it weren’t for the massive shroud of
magic blocking out the sun, the entire mountain range would be able to
shine for miles and miles in all directions, a beacon of hope and solace to
ponies making the long journey to the coast. Rarity's keen eye for precious
metals and stones alerted her to the fact that it wasn't just color, either;
every rock and boulder, every tree and bush, and even every single tiny
speck of dirt they walked upon appeared to be made of solid, unblemished
gold.
Rarity requested the group stop rather suddenly at one junction
several hours into their walk, apparently distracted by something
particularly outstanding, particularly amazing, particularly wondrous. At
least, of course, to her.
“Oh my...” Rarity gasped, her eyes filled with a bedazzled splendor as
she looked upon a massive boulder that towered over the group by several
feet, easily as large as a very small house. Just like the rest of the
surrounding area, this huge rock was more than that - it was made of solid
gold, and of a most impeccable quality. She fanned herself gingerly a
moment, clearly struck in awe at the sight of the thing. “Oh my my my!
Magnificent... beautiful... this is simply... incredible.”
“It is?” Insipid beamed, “Ooh... well, like, maybe we could, y’know,
figure something out? Divy it up between us and junk? Ooh ooh, and I
totally call the biggest piece!”
“Here we go,” Havocwing rolled her eyes.
Rarity continued her fawning with unabashed shamelessness. “I have
never seen gold of such high quality, and certainly not in this great of
concentration. This is the find of the century- no, the millennium! Girls, do
you have any idea how much this absolutely gorgeous hunk of gold is
worth?"
“No but I suppose you’re gonna tell us?” Rainbow Dash sighed.
“It's worth squat, I dunno, maybe a few dozen bits just for the size,”
Tick Tock stated rather flatly, “Gold is practically worthless in
Pandemonium, precisely thanks to these bloody mountains. The whole
northern half of Goldridge is still being mined out for materials simply
because gold is a good electrical conductor, nothing more. Ruined the
whole bleedin’ value of bits, is what it did. Completely buggered up the
economy some few centuries back. If it weren’t so plentiful maybe it would
still be worth something, but-”
“Well of course I didn’t mean in Pandemonium, darling,” Rarity rolled
her eyes, “Heavens, why in Equestria would I want to go back there to
barter it? I meant back at home in Po- Utopia. This thing would be worth an
absolute fortune! Enough to buy a mansion on the beautiful coastline I’d
wager, custom-built and-” Rarity was all but drooling now. “Oooh! And with
all the amenities a pony with real class and sophistication could possibly
hope for, and then some! Oh my... this would make the homes of the rich
and famous look like little shacks! I bet I could live even more lavishly than
if I were a resident of the Royal Palace itself! Gracious, it is awfully
tempting to find some way to-”
“Oh no,” Twilight said quickly, “No no no, I am not lugging around a
giant rock again just because you think it’s valuable. Rarity we don’t have
time for any more window-shopping, can we just-”
“Oh please, darling, this delectable hunk of splendid metal is very,
very real. Oh just think of the possibilities...”
Insipid bounced, “Yeah yeah! Ooh, can we make, like, gold tiaras and
junk? I bet I’d look, like, super pretty in a little gold tiara. Can we can we
huh huh huh? Prettiest pleases? I’d be like a little princess!”
Applejack smirked and prodded Rarity playfully in the side, “What
would this one’s name be, Rarity? Dan, maybe? Y’know, ‘cause-”
Rarity narrowed her eyes, “Yes. Well. Let’s just drop it then, shall
we?”
“Gold est tres médiocre anyway,” Curaçao said with a little laugh,
“Surely you would prefer diamond, or per’aps platinum? Much more
exquisite materials, non?”
Insipid’s flightiness calmed down instantly and she stuck her nose up
in the air, “Yeah! Like, gold totally sucks? Psh, I mean, what were you
thinking there, Rarity? Like, gag me with a spoon. What kind of a dumb
idea was gold tiaras anyway? So. Tacky.”
“Gold? Tacky? Perish the thought!” Rarity flustered, “Maybe where
you come from, darling, but-”
“I thought y’all said y’all were gonna drop it?” Applejack rolled her
eyes.
Rarity looked mournfully at the giant golden rock and sighed, and
rejoined the rest of the group before they got too far ahead. Lockwood, still
rather attached to Rarity in a chain with Fluttershy between them, was
rather glad she did, as he didn’t want to fall much behind either.
The path twisted and winded up through the mountains for miles, and
for once Twilight and her friends were able to relax along their route,
relatively speaking. The Goldridge Pass trail was smooth and easy to
travel, without many steep climbs or harrowing cliffs as their chosen route
in Redblade had been, nor were they laden with other dangers like the heat
or magma or anything of the sort. This allowed them to occasionally gallop
along flat strips or to avoid climbing to take easier paths that they could run
along, saving time at each and every junction they came to.
Minutes rolled on and on into hours and more hours, but before long,
sometime close to the early evening on the first day, they finally reached
the crest of the first peak, allowing them to look over the Wasteland to the
west for a great distance. This would be their designated rest stop - not an
un-designated one caused by a white unicorn fawning over a rock allowing everypony to set aside their saddlebags and rest their hooves
before they moved forward again to the campsite for their first night, only a
few hours away and nestled nicely in a protected area between the first two
peaks. They’d made exceptional time getting here despite Rarity’s delay,
easily a few hours ahead of schedule. At this rate, Tick Tock posited, they’d
be through the entirety of Goldridge in a scant three days, rather than the
previously stated four. Things were finally starting to look up.
Twilight moved forward a little ways to climb up to the highest point of
the peak, where she could see further along their trail; she brought along
with her the traveling party’s ”focus group” as she called it, though Starlight
had been rather keen on the name “war council”. Twilight, Tick Tock,
Applejack, Starlight, and Curaçao formed the group, and together they
would look over the trail again with Tick Tock’s handy map as their guide.
Tick Tock was rather annoyed that they had to keep reviewing their route,
insistent that the path was unchanging and very straightforward, but
Twilight asserted with agreement from Applejack and no small amount of
prodding from Starlight that she’d fallen for Tick Tock’s overconfidence
once before and wasn’t about to do that again. Tick Tock grumbled and
followed them over, mumbling to herself about “never going to bloody live it
down”.
As for the others, they’d all sort of managed to find themselves little
niches by now that they could fill and fill right - Applejack of course filled in
the much-needed role as Twilight’s second-in-command of sorts, taking a
keen, level-headed practical approach that meshed well with Twilight’s
informative perusal of facts and data to give them a rather effective
combination not quite unlike the one shared by Starlight and Curaçao. It did
not go unnoticed, however, that Applejack was taking the role rather
seriously and was learning the lay of the land very quickly, to the point that
Tick Tock was feeling less and less important, especially what with Twilight
having the predisposition to listen to Applejack over her.
Rainbow, on the other hoof, felt more natural as her group’s scout
than as a co-lieutenant of Twilight’s, taking on the example set by
Grayscale who was cool enough to show her how to be a superb tracker,
as the smaller pegasus had always been one for thinking fast and acting
fast rather than taking the time to examine things. Rainbow was rather
confused about Grayscale’s lackadaisical methodology - “Don’t get me
wrong,” Rainbow had said, “I love napping on clouds and all but I don’t see
how it’s gonna help me keep an eye on my friends” - and decided herself to
be more diligent with her duties when it came down to it. But was thankful
to have the advice, and she was also glad she had one advantage that
helped in scouting this high up that Grayscale lacked - the flight goggles
that Pewter had graciously repaired and she’d found useful for protecting
her eyes from the fierce winds and cold as the pair climbed higher and
higher into the sky to observe.
“Wow...” Rainbow Dash gasped as they looked out into the distance
over the entirety of Goldridge Pass, “That’s a... big mountain range...”
“Eh, a few days of walking gets the average pony across,” Grayscale
explained, “Us fliers though, we can do it in half that.”
“Heh, I bet I can get over in one,” Rainbow boasted, “Fastest flier in
all of Equestria, y’know? If I didn’t have to keep together with my friends,
why, I bet I’d already be in Utopia. Piece of cake.”
“Pretty cool, being fast and all,” Grayscale nodded, “Shame your
friends can’t all fly, then maybe they wouldn’t be slowing you down.”
“Right... slow me down... oh, hey,” Rainbow pointed, “What’s with that
big... uh... valley in the middle there?”
Her hoof was directed at a very large break in the mountains that was
covered in green. From here, she could spot smatterings of what looked
like buildings that jutted up through the earth beneath them, quite
uncharacteristically of any buildings she’d ever seen in fact.
“Ruins of the Gryphon Kingdom,” Grayscale nodded, “Not much else
to it other than that. Nopony goes there.”
“They scared of it or somethin’?”
“I guess,” Grayscale shrugged, “Not my problem, I don’t care about
exploring and stuff. Anyway, enough of that stuff. We gotta work on your
observation techniques. Pull up a cloud.”
Even though Grayscale’s methods were perplexing to her, she didn’t
mind; it gave her somepony to talk to that truly understood what was going
on and was sympathetic to her problems. She could talk about how
Lockwood was still bothersome to her, now more so than ever thanks to the
bond he was forming with Fluttershy. She could talk about how she didn’t
like that Tick Tock was still somehow a part of Twilight’s inner circle, and
that she herself felt like she was being pushed out of it. It felt good to get
these thoughts off her chest with somepony that she could trust not to say
anything to anypony, and better yet wouldn’t insist on keeping up a false
face of acceptance. Most of all, Pinkie Pie still didn’t see any problem with
either of the two, and Rainbow Dash didn’t like that. She had little choice to
divert her time away from her best friend, to try and keep her mind on the
journey and on getting home, even if that meant for now leaving Pinkie’s
side. And besides, Pinkie Pie was always busy trying out new things with
that new friend of hers, why shouldn’t Rainbow Dash do the same with
somepony she felt a connection with?
Pinkie, of course, was abundantly energetic and over-enthusiastic to
the point of utter ridiculousness. With Velvet’s help, the two had gotten a
chance to try out some new baking recipes earlier that morning before
everypony left, and now were taking the time to get everypony that they
could get their hooves on to try some samples. Pinkie was growing more
and more ecstatic with every pleased response, and was more overeager
now to get home than ever; Pewter had, at her asking, provided them with
a great many seed pouches for all the different fruits that were native to the
northern continent and unique to this world: Magmaberries besides which
since they already had those, but also goldenfigs and dragon hearts (which
were not at all what Velvet thought they were to her incredibly massive
disappointment) and all sorts of other things that, like Magmaberries, were
magical fruits with very unique qualities that Pinkie was eagerly awaiting
discovering the great many possibilities of. She was absolutely, positively
certain when she brought them home and asked Applejack to help her start
up a crop, they could turn her from a baking master with no recognition into
a baking paragon with worldwide notoriety. Velvet was, on the other hoof,
becoming less and less enthused as the minutes passed, growing visibly
tired and clearly unable to keep up with Pinkie’s boundless energy and
excitement. She was genuinely worried - why was it that simply being
around all that happiness and joy made her feel weak?
*****
*****
As the second day of travel rolled on and on, Fluttershy woke with a
tiny yawn that did not alert anypony to her, allowing her reprieve and the
chance to become aware of her changing surroundings. She swayed gently
upon the cot-harness between Lockwood and... not Rarity, but Havocwing?
Fluttershy was a little confused at this. She looked around to see where
Rarity had gotten to, and caught sight of her up ahead, chatting with
Flathoof about something. Fluttershy had noticed that lately, Applejack had
not been talking as much with the stallion and kept more to herself than
anypony, mostly only talking with Twilight Sparkle about the path ahead.
Perhaps that had something to do with Rarity talking to him? It would
certainly explain why Havocwing was the other pony carrying her. She
shied away a moment, hoping that nopony would notice. It wasn’t so much
that she didn’t like Havocwing. She couldn’t really truly dislike anypony, in
her opinion. However, Havocwing was making that... difficult.
~~~~~~~~~~
She almost did not awake at all on the first day of travel aside from
the early morning when they prepped her for transport, and apart from
meager moments where she did not disturb anypony and therefore got right
back to sleep moments later, she may as well have been asleep the entire
day. She finally woke up for the second time very, very late that night,
alerted to the presence of other ponies as she heard Pinkie Pie’s babbling
and bubbling over this pie and that quiche and these croissants and so on
and so forth, as the excitable pink pony was still passing around samples of
treats she’d made long after Velvet had collapsed of exhaustion hours
earlier.
They’d arrived at the first campsite now, and were just winding away
hours before getting to sleep for the night to rest for the next day of travel.
Rarity grinned broadly as Fluttershy’s eyes fluttered open, her own
sleepiness washing away in an instant.
“Ah, Fluttershy darling, you’re awake,” Rarity nodded, “Are you
feeling okay? Are you hungry?”
“Oh... good morning, Rarity,” Fluttershy yawned.
“Good night, actually. And just in time, too. I was getting ready to
doze off myself, to tell the truth,” Rarity smiled, “You certainly are a very
sound sleeper, my dear. Perhaps you enjoyed the gentle rocking of being
carried between Mister Lockwood and myself? Why, that is just the most.
Adorable. Thing.”
“Oh dear... I’ve b-been asleep for... that long?” Fluttershy blushed, “I
d-don’t usually sleep in...”
“It’s quite alright, sweetie, don’t feel ashamed,” Rarity cooed, “You
need all the rest you can get. You do seem to be looking better - the color
is coming back to your face again and you don’t look quite as flushed or
clammy. Is there anything I can get you?”
“Oh... n-no, I’m fine, Rarity,” Fluttershy peeped, “W-where’s
Lockwood?”
“Ah, Mister Lockwood is having a little chat over there,” and she
pointed a ways off from the campsite to where the two stallions were
having a hushed discussion, “I must thank Mister Flathoof for pulling him
away for a moment - I don’t feel I get enough time to myself with you,
darling.”
“Oh... um... w-what are they talking about?” Fluttershy raised an
eyebrow.
“Well I don’t know for certain of course, but I do have my theories. If I
were to venture a guess,” and she looked around to make sure nopony
could hear her, before leaning down in a whisper, “I’d say it has something
to do with Applejack. I’ve noticed the poor dear has been rather...
overzealous in distancing herself from him.”
“Oh...” Fluttershy frowned, “Why would she-”
“Ah ah, nothing more on the subject. Private matters are private
matters and it wouldn’t do to pry into another pony’s personal life, would it?
Most unladylike.”
Fluttershy nodded in agreement. “Where... are we?” she asked.
“The second crest along the trail, somewhere midway between the
first two peaks of the ridge,” Rarity said simply as if citing directions from a
book - more accurately probably exactly as they’d been described to her by
Twilight, “Miss Tick Tock says we’ve been making incredibly good time
despite having such a full group. I think she expected all the commotion to
slow everypony down. Oh! Speaking of which, there’s somepony I most
definitely want you to meet.”
“Oh... b-but I already met all those... new ponies,” Fluttershy
flustered, “Um... let’s see... their names were... Starlight Shadow, and-”
“Yes yes, darling, I know you met all of them already, but not this one.
This pony wasn’t there at breakfast, to my sincere disappointment,” Rarity
pouted, “I did so want you to meet her earlier, but this seems as perfect an
opportunity as any seeing as she’s still awake, thank goodness. She is just
the most marvelous little pegasus, and was most helpful in keeping your
condition stable yesterday, after your encounter with that... that monster.”
“That animal,” Fluttershy corrected. Rarity didn’t seem to notice.
Rarity loosened herself from the harness and trotted over to the
central hub of the rest of the group, and began avidly talking with a red
pegasus that Fluttershy admitted she didn’t recognize. After a moment or
two, Rarity returned with the pegasus in tow, the pair chatting with
excitement. Fluttershy was sort of intimidated by the new pony - she was
lean muscled, appearing every bit as if she was built for heavy athletics.
Not quite as purely built like Grayscale Force was, but more lithe like
Rainbow Dash though with a certain sense of muscle and power over
aerodynamics and speed; for sure though, she was definitely not at all a
dainty little thing like she herself was, or refined and classy like Rarity. It
perplexed Fluttershy how they’d hit it off so well.
“Fluttershy, darling, I’d like you to meet Miss Havocwing,” Rarity said
with a smile, “Miss Havocwing, this is my darling friend Fluttershy.”
“Hey,” Havocwing said simply.
“Oh... um, h-hello,” Fluttershy nodded.
“Miss Havocwing here is the one that made us just the most cozy little
campfire the other night when you needed to keep warm. Tick Tock and
Pewter both agreed that that gesture had likely contributed a lot to your
well-being, and will likely aid in your speedy recovery as well. So I suppose,
in a way, you could say that Miss Havocwing is partly responsible for
saving your life?”
Well that explained it, Fluttershy thought. It made sense that Rarity
would treat somepony that had gone to such amazing lengths to keep her
safe and keep her well with such an amiable deposition.
“Eh... no need to go that far,” Havocwing shrugged, “I don’t like being
flattered so much with all that sappy stuff. It’s really not my style, you
understand.”
“Well... um... t-thank you anyway, Miss-” Fluttershy peeped.
“Don’t mention it,” Havocwing rolled her eyes, “No really, don’t
mention it. The others might think I’m going soft, see, and I can’t afford that
kind of hit to my reputation.”
“R-reputation?” Fluttershy nervously raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah! I’m my group’s heavy hitter, y’know?” Havocwing boasted,
pounding her chest with a metal-clad hoof, “Out here, every traveling party
needs somepony with guts. That’s me. Gutsiest pegasus alive.” Fluttershy
couldn’t tell if she should be impressed or worried, or perhaps both.
“And she made quite an impressive show of handling one of those
foul creatures, and a particularly large one as well,” Rarity nodded with
appreciation, “She didn’t just save you, darlng, she played a part in
rescuing all of us. Normally I am not such a proponent for violence, but I
should think that sometimes the situation calls for a little... less refined
tactics.”
A familiar black and yellow blur sidled up to Rarity in a flash, making
the white unicorn instantly put a hoof to her face, the presence of Insipid
utterly impossible to miss or worse yet ignore. “Hey Rarity! Um, like, could I
talk to you? I need some more, y’know, advice on keeping my totally super
fresh look, um... totally super fresh? I mean I can’t really be, like, expected
to do it all my myself? Bleh. Gag. No thank you.”
Rarity put a hoof up to stop her from continuing, “Yes, yes, all right
Insipid darling. I’ll be with you in a minute, just let finish up over here a
moment, will you?” Insipid squealed in delight and bounded away with joy,
leaving a very exacerbated Rarity behind. “Forgive me, Fluttershy dear, but
that poor mare has requisitioned my services as a stylist, it would seem.
You could probably tell that she is dire need of a little work, yes? Heavens,
the poor dear’s mane... it’s like she brushes it with a rake.” Havocwing
snickered lightly, but flustered a bit when she realized it had been out loud.
“Will you be okay if I go help her with this for just a teensy moment? I
promise I won’t be long. Oh... but I do hate to leave you alone...”
“Oh... n-no, that’s okay if you want to help her,” Fluttershy peeped,
“That’s... that’s just what you do.”
“Hey, I’ll stick around if you want,” Havocwing shrugged, “If it’ll get me
away from all the noise back there. Ugh... I can’t stand another minute
listening to that pink screwball friend of yours. No offense.”
“None taken, darling. Pinkie Pie can be very... erm... excitable. Poor
dear doesn’t realize that not everypony can keep up with her. Oh, but
where are my manners? You said you would be willing to keep Fluttershy
company a moment?” Rarity beamed, “Oh, thank you Miss Havocwing, that
means a lot to me. I’m sure Fluttershy would like to get to know you better
as well, wouldn’t you darling?”
“Oh... um... s-sure,” Fluttershy nodded, “I’m sure we’ll... g-get along
just fine...”
“Oh, I bet,” Havocwing smirked.
“I’ll be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail, sweetheart,” Rarity smiled
as she helped tuck Lockwood’s jacket around the yellow pegasus more
snugly. Fluttershy always enjoyed Rarity’s choice of animal metaphors; it
helped put her at ease. Rarity rolled her eyes and grinned playfully,
“Assuming of course that dear Insipid’s mane cooperates. Oh heavens...
her hair just is not at all easy to work with. So many knots and tangles and
split-ends - oh! The poor dear would drive stylists at home to weeping, of
that I am certain. Oh but listen to me, going on about her behind her back
like this. I really do sound like a hair-stylist, don’t I?” Turning to Havocwing,
Rarity continued, “Do take care of her, will you? The poor dear is very
sensitive, you understand, and very important to me. Very. Important.
Understand?”
“No sweat, how hard could it be? Ain’t like there’s anything in these
mountains to worry about anyway, your guys sure picked the boring way to
the coast,” Havocwing shrugged. Rarity waved a brief farewell to Fluttershy
and trotted away, leaving the two pegasi behind. A few moments of silence
passed; Fluttershy was rather glad for it and began to doze off again almost
instantly, still very much tired and achy. That was until Havocwing broke
the silence with a cough. “So... uh... hey,” she started. Fluttershy visibly
jumped at the sudden noise, clearly not expecting any conversation to
actually take place. “Whoa now, no need to get jumpy. Um... yeah, how ya
feelin’?”
“Oh... um... w-well, I still feel a little... weak,” Fluttershy admitted
meekly, “But... a-at least I don’t feel any pain anymore...”
“Getting the feeling back in your wings yet?” Havoc asked. Her teeth
grit together, but this went unnoticed.
“Y-yes, actually,” Fluttershy nodded. She tried to flex her wings a
little, but the jacket made that difficult to do. “Oh dear... the jacket’s too ttight...”
“Here, let me,” Havocwing offered. She leaned in and loosened the
jacket enough that Fluttershy could feel the air around her; it was cold, and
it made her shiver. She barely noticed that Havocwing was struggling to
keep a straight face.
“B-b-but they s-said I need t-t-to keep w-warm...” Fluttershy
chattered, terrified at how quickly a little breeze chilled her all the way to
the bone. This was nothing like having a bad cold, not at all.
Havocwing snapped her hoof against the ground and ignited a flame
which she kept in-hoof, letting Fluttershy watch it dance with surprise and
awe. As she blew into it a little and the heated air rushed through her
breath, it made Fluttershy feel a deep warmth envelop her like a freshlydried wool blanket, as if bathing in the fire itself without it burning her. She
was fascinated by the sight itself - this pony could make fire? Rarity had
mentioned that their new friends possessed strange magic quite unlike
anything they’d ever seen before, but she hadn’t expected this.
“That better?” Havocwing smiled much, much too widely.
“M-much better, yes,” Fluttershy nodded. She tried to flex her wings a
little again, and found that even though she could barely feel them, the
sensation was very much there. The more she let the warmth surround her,
the better they felt. It was... nice.
“Good, you’re recovering well then,” Havocwing nodded, tucking
Fluttershy back into the jacket. “Oh man this is harder than I thought...” she
muttered to herself.
Fluttershy perked up her ears, “What?”
“Nothing. What? I didn’t say anything. Right, well you should be good
to start walking again within a day I guess. Good for you, I’m sure your
friends will be glad. Not that they wouldn’t have to carry you anymore, I
mean, but that you’re getting better.” She muttered to herself again, “Phew,
caught that one.”
“What?”
“Nothing! You hearing things? Eh heh...” Havocwing flustered, “I was
just... uh... sayin’ that you’re making a good recovery is all, easily the best
I’ve ever seen. Yup.”
“Oh... y-you know about that... kind of stuff?” Fluttershy peeped.
“Psh, yeah, total expert here. I deal with those nasty monsters on a
pretty regular basis.”
“They’re not monsters...” Fluttershy frowned, “They’re animals...
they’re just... d-different...”
“Um... right, okay... animals. Whatever you say,” Havocwing
shrugged, “So I take it you really like animals then? That’s what your
friends said anyway, and you seem to fit the bill what with being so... eh...
timid. I bet you’re just a friend to all living things or something sappy like
that? Kind of a useless talent out here, if you’re actually as good as your
friends say you are. Weird that you still got attacked though, yeah? I take it
the stupid bug didn't respond to your charms?”
“It was... just a fluke,” Fluttershy hesitated. She was beginning to
doubt it more and more every time it got brought up.
“Well, that should just go to show that they're not animals. They're
just monsters. I mean think about it - if they were really animals, they'd
respond to you, right? I mean, all animals follow your beck and call, yeah?
That’s how your friends acted anyway. Too bad there ain’t any other
animals out here, ‘cept dead ones really.”
Fluttershy frowned, “W-well... yes. I mean, s-sometimes there's a little
hiccup, but-”
“So you don't always have success then? Hey listen, that's okay. I
mean, we all make mistakes. It's how you react afterwards that makes the
difference, yeah? Some ponies like to yell - I know my boss- uh, Starlight
does. Hoo boy, I tell ya you ain’t never gotten an earfull from anypony until
you have ol’ Starlight Shadow mad at you. Others just swear up a storm Curaçao might talk fancy and all, but when she gets mad she embarrasses
even me, and I don’t even know what half the words she says mean! Then,
there's me, the toughest pony in all Equestria. When I get mad, I like to hit
things. Usually whatever's making me mad. So I tend to hit things a lot, if
you follow me. How 'bout you? What do you do when you're mad?”
Fluttershy thought a moment. “W-well, sometimes... I... I get so upset
that I could scream? It n-never really comes out as much, though... I don’t
have a... a very loud voice...”
“But when you do it, doesn’t it make you feel better?” Havocwing
offered.
Fluttershy shook her head quickly, “Oh no no no... I don’t like b-being
mad at anypony. I’m worried I’ll upset-”
“All the better reason to let it out!” Havocwing interrupted, “If you let
all that anger sit inside you, you risk going off at the wrong moment. I
mean, you wouldn’t want to get all upset at some ‘little woodland creatures’
or whatever just because they got you a little upset, yeah?” Fluttershy
frowned, but let Havcowing continue. “You just gotta start slow-like, with the
easy stuff,” she waved a hoof, “If somepony tries to give you a hard time,
let them know that you don’t like it. Gotta show that you’re not gonna just
take it, y’know? Like some sort of... of doormat or something?”
Fluttershy nodded, but was skeptical - this sounded awful familiar.
“Um... actually... you k-kind of have a point,” she admitted, “B-but I really
don’t want to hurt anypony... or anything, for that matter. I d-don’t have it in
me. Um... besides, I’ve already kind of... had ‘assertiveness’ lessons. Lots
of them. They never worked quite right...”
“Then you had a crappy instructor,” Havocwing pointed, “Listen, out
here? You can’t afford to be a pushover. This ain’t like back in the city, or
wherever it is you’re going, because all you have to deal with there are
ponies. Out here, being soft is what gets you killed, believe me, I’ve seen it
too many times. That’s what happened when you tried to be nice to that
monster, yeah?”
Monster. There was that word again. It was disconcerting -no,
infuriating - to Fluttershy that all of her friends and even this new pony all
referred to those animals as monsters. They were just animals that were
doing what came naturally to them... right? Why did they have to keep
referring to them as monsters? Just because they attacked her? Monsters.
Hmph.
“Um... I d-don’t think they’re really monsters,” Fluttershy muttered
more to herself than to Havocwing, “They’re just animals. Um... they’re
predators sure, b-but hunting is what predators do. Tick Tock is right... I... I
j-just let my guard down around a... p-predator, that’s all. They’re not
monsters.”
Havocwing rolled her eyes, “How many times have I heard that
excuse? Listen sweetheart, those things aren’t animals, they’re just
monsters. Brutal, killing monsters. I’m gonna keep sayin’ it until you believe
me, because really I don’t want to be the one to clean up the mess. Lesson
one! When you know you’re right, don’t give up the fight!”
Fluttershy inwardly groaned. Oh dear, she thought, more rhymes to
remember. “They’re animals,” she asserted, “I know I’m r-right, so-”
“Believe what you want,” Havocwing shrugged, “I won’t be the one to
say ‘I told ya so’ when you try to get close to another one and it decides to
rip you apart.” Fluttershy made a protesting peep, causing Havocwing to
smirk. “That’s what they do, y’know? I’ve seen it. You’ve seen ‘em try and
do it to you. To your friends. Ponies trying to make it out of the city are a
Gargantuan’s favorite food, y’know?”
Be assertive, Fluttershy thought, defend your position. “W-well, like
with... with any predator, if you just s-stay out of their hunting grounds-”
“Ha! Good luck with that. You haven’t gotten to the eastern
Wasteland yet. That whole region is Gargantuan hunting territory, you can’t
go around it. Hell, why do you think so few ponies make it through there?
I’ve done the run a bunch of times though. Toughest pegasus this side of
Pandemonium. Nothing scares me. And I’ve seen things that would make
you reconsider that little ‘oh they’re just sweet little animals’ thing, believe
me.”
Fluttershy frowned, “Oh... b-but, even if... even if they-”
“I’ve seen ponies ripped to pieces, I’ve seen ponies stung just like
you and too far from any sort of treatment that they just collapse and die to
later be eaten like a buffet. No regular animal kills their prey like that,
y’know? Animals eat different. And only monsters hunt for sport.” Fluttershy
made to protest again, but Havocwing continued, “So you have to defend
yourself. I hear you tried to tame the thing last time? Well I’ll just warn you
now, do that again and your friends are gonna have to scoop you up with
spoons to take you home. Lesson two! To avoid a sticky end, you’ve gotta
learn to defend!”
Fluttershy whimpered, “P-please... I don’t want to hear any more...”
Havocwing waved a hoof, “Hey, look, I’m sorry you have to hear it.
I’m just looking out is all, since my boss says I gotta try and be... nicer. I’ve
seen too many ponies die to those things because they got careless. Out
here, you can’t afford to get careless - or too compassionate, for that
matter. Those things only respond to one kind of action - violence. Lesson
three! If mutants bugs have got you down, you gotta crush ‘em to the
ground!”
Fluttershy squeaked, not at all liking where this was going, “Oh... bbut I could never-”
“You’ll learn, trust me. Your friends didn’t seem to have a problem
with it,” Havocwing pointed out, “I hear they fought pretty hard even before
your little accident. Smart ponies. A little slow on the uptake though, they’re
lucky they were just fighting against a weak little one or they’d have never
gotten the chance. That’s why they almost all got killed after that, y’know?
They didn’t go for the kill. You gotta use lethal force on them, at all times, or
they just keep coming. The bugs are stupid, but they’re not crazy. They
won’t keep attacking something they think is too big a threat. Lesson four!
To save your time so you’re not late, don’t just fight, intimidate!”
“I... I don’t think-”
“And believe me when I tell you, they don’t respond to much else.
Besides, it’s fun! Dumb things have a really short memory span, they forget
what’s a threat to them within a few hours. So, heh, my group runs into
them all the time! We don’t skip around their territory and all that. I’ve got a
little bet running with Velvet and Grayscale on who can kill the most by the
time we get to where we’re headed - we do it every time we take a trip out
here. Yeah, for this one I took the lead back between rescuing all of you
and getting to the checkpoint. Oh man that was a blast!”
Fluttershy was shocked, “Y-you... keep track? Of k-k-killing them?”
“Yup. Great fun.”
“H-how could you?” Be assertive, Fluttershy thought. She narrowed
her eyes, “How could you?! They’re animals - living things!”
“Whoa-ho, relax,” Havocwing chuckled, “I told you, they’re not
animals, they’re monsters. Besides, even if they were animals or some
such, they’re not, like, ponies or anything important.”
"They're animals! They're just as important as any pony!" Fluttershy
was unable to not get upset. Ponies with bad attitudes, she could deal with.
Rudeness? Easy to handle. But outright callousness? That was something
she wasn’t used to.
“Look, they’re monsters, and they should be destroyed. That’s what
you do with monsters, that’s all they’re good for - target practice. They can’t
be reasoned with or tamed, they just kill kill kill kill, so why shouldn’t we do
the same to them? Lesson five! If somebody just won’t listen, it’s time teach
that punk a lesson! Come on, haven’t you ever had a real serious problem
that couldn’t just be talked down? That you just had to use force against?”
Fluttershy made to argue, but then came to a sudden realization - two
occasions had cropped up where she and her friends had been forced to
be more than assertive, to be more than diplomatic, where they were
forced to resort to, well, force. Nightmare Moon had planned to reduce
Equestria to a land of endless night, and there would be no reasoning with
her and her desire for revenge against a world she felt had snubbed her.
So they had to break her power using the Elements of Harmony, because
she would not give it up herself. Force. Against a monster. Then there was
Discord, who threatened to throw all of Equestria into eternal chaos, and
had actually nearly succeeded had it not been for the bonds of her
friendship with the others; and when it came down to it, the only thing he
responded to was using the Elements of Harmony to seal him away again.
Force. Against a monster.
Havocwing noticed Fluttershy’s thoughtfulness, and continued, “See
what I mean? Well, these monsters are like that. You can’t just try to tame
them and all that lovey-dovey junk. They only respond to force. If that’s
hard for you to do, well... I just hope your friends liked knowing you.”
Fluttershy shied away, “If... if y-you don’t mind... I’m feeling awful
tired... I’d like to go b-back to sleep...”
“Sure, no prob. Hey though, it was nice talkin’ to ya, yeah? Don’t let it
get you down though, trust me, you’ll feel better when you suck it up and
realize I’m right. Lesson six! I’m always right.”
“...is... is there more to that one?” Fluttershy peeped.
Havocwing shrugged, “Heh. No.”
Chapter Sixteen
Inferiority
“I’m telling you Sparkle, this fork is the better choice. It’s much faster,”
Tick Tock argued as she pointed along the left side of a path that split the
trail.
“An’ I’m tellin’ ya I disagree,” Applejack insisted, pointing at the right
side, “Yer path has too many dips ‘n’ turns ‘n’ cliffs in it, it’ll just slow us
down. This way 's a lil’ longer, but it’s smooth ‘n’ level. No climbin’ or
nothin’. So it’s the faster one.”
“We have equipment for climbing. Fancy that, we thought of
something ahead of time!” Tick Tock huffed, “I insist we take the shorter
route, Sparkle.”
“An’ I insist we take th' easier one, Twilight,” Applejack stared, “Ol’
know-it-all here don’t know squat.”
Tick Tock sneered, “Oh, insults now is it? Look here, you country
bumpkin-”
“Wanna run that by me again?” Applejack glared.
“Oh dear, here we go again...” Twilight groaned, “This is the fifth time
today, you two. I understand there's a difference in opinion here, but can
you at least be a little less hostile about it?”
“If I may?” Curaçao suggested, “Zee route Tick Tock is suggesting is
faster, oui.” Applejack looked dumbfounded; Tick Tock did not try to hide an
ecstatic smirk. “But," Curaçao continued, "It is only faster by... ah... maybe
‘alf an hour. Not a very good shortcut, oui?” Tick Tock’s smug smile melted
away instantly while Applejack’s returned, wider than ever.
“I’m inclined to agree,” Twilight nodded, “I know we’re on a tight
schedule, Tick Tock, but come on, thirty minutes? We’re making great time
as it is. I don’t mind if we take an easier route even if it’s just a tad longer,
and I don’t think anypony else minds either, Fluttershy most of all.”
Tick Tock sighed, “Fine. Have it your way.”
Twilight nodded and led everypony down the right side of the cliff,
Applejack and Curaçao just to her front with the map between them, carried
along by Twilight’s magic. Tick Tock took a moment to sit herself down on
the ground as the others passed her by taking a kerchief from her sweater
vest pocket and wiping her brow for no reason other than chasing away
nerves. She begrudgingly had to agree that the new navigation team of
Applejack and Curaçao was nothing if not efficient. Their route was faster
than hers by a fair margin in too many areas, and in places where her route
was the faster one it wasn’t by enough to make it worthwhile when theirs
was also easier. Combined with Twilight's greater insistence on proving her
magic capable of handling this new world, as much due to Starlight's
prodding as from her own concerns, it was clear that their rate of progress
had increased exponentially since they'd stopped relying on Tick Tock. The
weight of her own advice seemed to drop at every opportunity. She
replaced her kerchief and took out the tiny golden pocket watch, eying it
with sullen disappointment.
“I seem to be losing my touch,” she said to the watch. With a dejected
shake of her head and a sigh, she scrubbed off a bit of dirt that had
collected since she'd gotten it. Pewter had taken awful good care of it, and
she regretted that she could not claim the same. “I bet if you had been the
one with this assignment, they’d be home by now... damn it all. What would
you have done? What should I do?”
She didn’t expect a reply, and didn’t get one either. With another sigh,
she tucked it back into her pocket and cantered off to catch up to the
trailing figures of Fluttershy, Lockwood, and Havocwing, who were all
bringing up the rear.
*****
Another day had passed into the early evening, and on the night of
the third day the party arrived at the entrance to the large cave system that
ran through the Goldridge mountains. The massive opening stood several
dozen ponies wide, dark and foreboding to anypony that didn't know the
extent of the depths within. The caverns of Goldridge stretched far through
the mountains proper, conveniently positioned such that passing through
would save a traveling pony, or a group as the case may be, several hours
of time through the mountains and into the eastern Wasteland. They'd be
through the mountains by morning on the fourth day, well ahead of
schedule, and then they could rest up and be ready to move through the
eastern Wasteland proper.
“It looks... dark...” Twilight nodded, “Well luckily we have plenty of
unicorn magic to go around and light the way, right?”
“Ugh, I do hope it isn’t too filthy down there...” Rarity shuddered, “I
would be most displeased if I managed to make it all this way without
tarnishing my gorgeously-fixed dress only to get it dirty in some cave.”
She preened her dress ever so slightly in appreciation for its being
there. She had to admit, Pewter knew his way around a sewing machine,
she knew she could have done a better job herself, but there’d been more
important matters to attend to, and it certainly wasn’t bad in any sense of
the word. It still almost gleamed a silky white with the little pink lacy frills
she’d lavished onto it, and the seam-work on it now was done well enough
that it no longer appeared as cobbled together as she’d been forced to do
earlier. She’d rather hoped the others would have kept their outfits as well;
she’d wanted to see how they looked when properly touched up and not
hastily thrown together.
“Do we really have to go this way?” Rainbow huffed, “I'm getting tired
of taking routes that keep me grounded. Isn’t there a route that goes...
y’know, over the mountains instead of under them?”
“This is almost the fastest way through, ‘ccordin’ to the map,”
Applejack stated clearly as she prodded said map with a hoof, “An’ it's th’
easiest.”
“Easy for you, maybe,” Rainbow groaned, “It ain’t easy for us pegasi,
ain’t that right Grayscale?”
“Eh...” Grayscale shrugged.
“See? She doesn’t like it either.”
“Well forgive us ground-pounders fer wantin' ta take an easier way
through,” Applejack rolled her eyes, “Not all o' us can fly, y'know, so it ain't
our fault we gotta do this. Though the way yer talkin’, you make it sound
like it is our fault.”
“Pfh, whatever,” Rainbow snorted, “No need to get all defensive
about it.”
“Defensive? Y’all ‘re the one gettin’ defensive ‘bout me sayin’ this is
the best route.”
“Most of us don’t like it any more zan you do, Mademoiselle Dash,”
Curaçao blanched as she stroked her mane, “All zat dust and dirt... ooh!
Zink of what it would do to ma perfection! Quelle catastrophe!”
“Oh I know, darling,” Rarity chimed in, “Is there really no other way?”
“Not unless y’all wanna spend a few hours climbin’ through rocks ‘n’
cliffs,” Applejack said flatly, “Really, 't ain't much faster climbin' over, in mah
opinion.”
Flathoof pointed to the saddlebags he and Applejack were carrying.
“Well, Tick Tock did point out we have plenty of climbing equipment. You
say that this route isn't exactly the fastest either? Well... perhaps we should
think about her suggestion then, if it would save us that much time that is.”
“It certainly would avoid all the unpleasantness of the caverns that
many of you seem to want to avoid,” Tick Tock nodded, glad that
somepony had been listening to her, “My estimate is it would shave a few
hours or so off the time from taking the underground route. Certainly not a
bad shortcut by any means.”
“Figures y’all would step ta her defense,” Applejack muttered to
herself under her breath.
“Beg pardon?” Flathoof raised an eyebrow.
“What? I didn’t say nothin’,” Applejack stated firmly and standing tall.
“Yes you did,” Flathoof half-smirked, “I heard-”
“Y'all 're jus’ hearin' things," Applejack said, stamping a hoof in
finality.
Flathoof sighed and shook his head. The first words he and Applejack
had shared all day, he thought, and he still felt like he was getting the cold
shoulder treatment. What the hay had happened? Did he say something
wrong? Do something?
“Blech, I’ve had enough rock-climbing for one week,” Pinkie made a
face, “The cave sounds fun! So long as we don’t run into any orks or
balrogs or trolls or anything like that.”
“To be frank, I’m with Pinkie Pie,” Rarity nodded, “A little spelunking
sounds much more bearable than trying to scale another cliff or two,
especially if that would only save a few short hours. How about going
around then?”
“Going around? Out of zee question,” Curaçao sighed, “C’est une
perte de temps... ah, a waste of time. Zat way would take days, not hours.
We ‘ave little choice... c’est la vie.”
“Ah... yes, well, nevermind any of that then,” Rarity chuckled.
“Well look like y’all lost yer only supporters there, Dash,” Applejack
smirked, “‘cept fer Grayscale o' course, but I reckon she don't care either
way.”
“Eh...” Grayscale yawned, “Easier to go with the flow.”
“Fine fine, geez,” Rainbow huffed, “I was just making a point is all.”
“Your point's been heard, Rainbow,” Twilight interjected, “If we can
just get moving, we'll be on the opposite side in no time and you'll get your
precious sky back.”
Rainbow raised an eyebrow, “Hey now Twi, come on, I didn’t mean
nothin’ by it. No need to be-”
“I just don’t want to hear any more arguing, that’s all,” Twilight shook
her head.
Starlight barely contained a smug grin. “Well put, Sparkle. Now then,
if we've quite finished with this frivolous little discussion, may I suggest that
we press onward and not squander more precious minutes in meaningless
debate?”
“Aww, cheer up, Dashie, Applejack and Twilight didn’t mean anything
by it,” Pinkie said with a hoof to the pegasus's shoulder, “C'mon now, you
know I hate to see you all grumpy. Let's see a smile! Turn that frown upside
down!”
Rainbow stared a moment, then just shook her head and sighed,
“You just don't get it, Pinks...” She pat Pinkie on the head, “Thanks for
trying though...”
“I... I'm with Rainbow...” Fluttershy peeped much too late into the
argument, “B-but, only because it looks... dark. Oh, n-not that I’m going to...
um, argue against it, I just... agree with her. I... I want to get through faster
too, you know?”
By now, at some insistence from Havocwing and Tick Tock but
amidst protests from Rarity, Fluttershy had started walking again. She was
still a little wobbly, but Lockwood and Havocwing both helped her keep her
balance when she needed it, while Rarity still insisted the ‘poor dear' be
allowed to rest in the cot-harness. Fluttershy seemed less than keen on
that idea and actually rather liked feeling that she was helping progress her
own recovery. As Havocwing put it, if she let her friends do all the work and
just laid there begging for help, then she wouldn’t get very far on her own if
it ever came to it.
“Lesson nineteen!” she’d said, “If all you do is lay in bed, you may as
well be better off dead.”
They had all still insisted she keep warm, so now Lockwood's jacket
was pretty much her jacket, though wearing it compared to sleeping in it
made her realize it was a little too big; the sleeves had to be rolled up after
she’d tripped on them one time too many. Tick Tock was glad that at the
very least one of her fields of expertise was still valid in light of things, but
only just because Havocwing was the only other authority and Rarity was
constantly asking for second opinions, not that hers were any different.
“She won't recover faster by sleeping around all day,” Tick Tock had
said in agreement with Havocwing, “She should be getting as much
exercise as our time can afford.”
Rarity didn’t quite like that and had since stopped asking.
“So it's a little dark,” Havocwing smirked, “No big deal, it ain't that
spooky. Ya gotta put your chin up and deal with that kind of thing
sometimes. Anypony gives you a problem, just remember lesson twentytwo! Someone says you're scared of the dark, you show them your bite’s
worse than your bark!”
“Like... like a dog?” Fluttershy raised an eyebrow.
She had to admit, Havocwing’s rhyming technique was certainly
creative and very well done for being on-the-fly. Some lessons, nineteen in
particular, had been pretty out-there and made her realize Havocwing was
making it up as she went along. Fluttershy wondered who was better: the
fiery red pegasus, or Iron Will himself? They certainly must have both come
from the same school of thought.
“Like a wolf!” Havocwing pounded her chest again, “Gotta be fierce
about it! I get that you like animals and all that silly lovey-dovey junk, and I
ain’t gonna try and tell ya to change your passion or nothin’, but your
animal stuff needs some work. Think about big animals. Strong ones!
Vicious ones! Animals that will show everypony you're no doormat. You're
a strong mare that won't back down from anypony! Animals that will strike
some fear into your opponents! Lions, and tigers, and bears!”
“Oh my...” Fluttershy nodded, “That's... interesting though. Using
inspiration from my animal friends... to stand up for myself? Hmm...”
“Yeah! You gotta come outta your shell! Right now you’re like this...
scared little rabbit-” Havocwing blanched.
“Um... b-but rabbits don’t have shells...” Fluttershy noted, “That would
make me... more like a turtle... or a tortoise? Oh! I... used to have a pet
tortoise, but Rainbow adopted him. He’s... a tough cookie. Maybe I should
act more like him?”
Havocwing stared at her in disbelief, but shook her head and
continued. “Um, okay... a... a tortoise is fine too. Anyway, if you wanna be
able to handle yourself, you gotta go in fierce!”
“W-well... to me, animals aren’t fierce or... or vicious or anything like
that at all...” Fluttershy nodded, “Though... I notice that other ponies don’t...
um... quite share that opinion with me. So... to show I’m more
independent... I have to show them I can be as strong as a lion?”
“That’s it, you got it!” Havocwing nodded, “As fierce as a tiger!”
“And... as tough as a bear?”
“Boom! Exactly.”
“Oh but darling, none of those animals are as sweet and kind as you
are,” Rarity pointed, “Why, it would be most unladylike to act like a... a bear
or some such. Why not something more elegant? Like a peacock, or a
swan, or-”
“Pfh, those animals are cute and cuddly and stuff. They have no
place out here,” Havocwing stamped a hoof.
“Well certainly not, not when those monsters are running about,”
Rarity huffed. Fluttershy shot her a look, but it went unnoticed. “But when
she’s in a civilized location it would be most uncouth for her to act like
some lion-hearted troublemaker. If you insist on her taking inspiration from
her animal friends, then may I at least suggest you choose a proper
animal?”
“Proper? Look sweetheart, maybe you haven’t noticed, but I don’t do
proper. And y’know what? I’m alive and kicking after dealing with hundreds
of dangers that would scare all that fancy and elegant right out of you. If
Fluttershy wants to be independent and survive out here without relying on
all of you to leap to her defense, she needs to take charge!”
Fluttershy murmurred, “Oh... b-but I-”
“And who’s to say we won’t be glad to defend her, hmm?” Rarity
stared, “The poor dear doesn’t need to participate in any roughhousing,
and suggesting she do so would be quite unlike her. Any one of us would
gladly step to her defense at any opportunity.”
“Yeah, that’s been helping a ton,” Havocwing rolled her eyes.
“Are you insinuating something, dear?” Rarity glowered.
“Oh... p-please you two-” Fluttershy mumbled.
“Nope. Just sayin’ you guys did a bang-up job keepin’ her from gettin’
stung in the first place.”
“Oh! I see! So it’s our fault then?”
Havocwing smirked, “Well unless you’re sayin’ it’s her fault.”
Rarity’s eyes widened, “I... I said no such thing! Good heavens, why
would you even think I was. Hmph! It’s certainly not her fault we ran into a
hideous monster and all that.”
“Stop it! Both of you!” Fluttershy stamped a hoof. Havocwing and
Rarity both looked at her in sudden surprise. Fluttershy nervously hunkered
back down, “Oh... um... i-if you don’t m-mind, that is. I j-just don’t... like to
see my friends fighting...”
“See, this is what I mean,” Havocwing stepped in, “She can’t even
express herself without getting all nervous. I bet she’s used to all of you
speaking for her too?” She turned to Fluttershy, “C’mon, Fluttershy,
remember lesson nine! Don’t-”
“I should say not!” Rarity interrupted, “Fluttershy, darling, forgive my
rudeness, but this... this uncouth ruffian is just... just so- hmph! I am
beginning to regret introducing you two.”
“If you ladies are quite done, uh, shall we follow the others?”
Lockwood suggested, “They've already started moving into the caverns
while you two were arguing, again.”
Havocwing and Rarity jumped, and in a fluster hustled along to catch
up. Lockwood shook his head and sighed, then helped Fluttershy follow
along. Though she was gradually growing confident enough to handle
herself and trying not to rely on his support too much, Havocwing’s words
were nothing if not ringing true in her mind. She’d try to be more
independent, more assertive, if that’s what it took to show her friends she
was okay and that they didn’t need to worry about her so much. She was
glad they understood that she was not a tough and brave pony, but she
was beginning to have reservations about the way Rarity was acting lately.
She wasn’t a foal.
“Um... I'll be okay,” she peeped. “Y-you don't have to- oof!” Lockwood
caught her as she stumbled a little. “Oh... um... s-sorry. I guess I'm still a
little... weak in the knees...”
“Hey, don't worry about it. I'll stick with you for as long as you need
me,” he smiled. “Come on now, that cave really isn’t that bad. Just keep a
wing nearby, that way even if you can’t see me, you’ll know I’m there. It’ll
be fine, trust me.”
*****
*****
Dark had been a monumental understatement. The inside of the
caverns were the pitchest black they’d ever seen. Or not seen, rather, since
they couldn’t see anything but darkness ahead of them, save only for the
bright auras brimming forth from a few scant sources. Twilight in the lead
shone her light forward like a flashlight, letting her and Applejack and
Curaçao, who kept at Twilight's side, see ahead into the cavern; Tick Tock
was just behind them, illuminating their immediate surroundings so they
could read the map and navigate them through the twists and turns so that
they didn’t end up in a dead-end. Insipid kept her light as focused in one
location as she could, helping Applejack and Curaçao a great deal in
seeing the map even more clearly than had it been Tick Tock alone. Of
course, Insipid wasn’t trying to help anypony but herself, and was doing it
entirely so that she could still see Curaçao even in all the darkness.
Starlight elected not to utilize much magic on her own part and followed
closely behind Rainbow Dash and Grayscale, who were behind Pinkie and
Velvet. It was a matter of great confusion to some of those in Twilight’s
party that she hadn’t been using a single ounce of her magic since they’d
met her, but she still continued to assert that she didn’t need to. Her
subordinates could handle things just fine, and if she needed to use any
magic she would. Havocwing brought up the rear, her hooves all aglow with
fire that kept most of the group near her in the light. Occasionally her
flames flickered and sizzled when they hit the floor; the cave wasn't just
dark, it was damp to.
“I reckon this is where Pewter gets all his water?” Applejack muttered
as she stepped in another puddle, “Twilight could ya'll get that there light a
lil' lower? I can see the ceilin' just fine, but I can't see much o' the floor.”
“What’s the matter? Since when did you care about getting a little
wet?” Rainbow snickered from behind her.
“I don’t,” Applejack turned, “But I reckon it wouldn’t do us a lick o'
good if I fell into a puddle or somethin’ and got the map all wet.”
Twilight redirected the light as asked, twisting it around like a spotlight
until it came to the right position. As it twirled, the light bounced and
reflected off many, many different little surfaces that dotted the otherwise
dim lack walls. The caverns was dotted with the most brilliant gems
anypony could ever hope to see; Rarity continued to “ooh” and “ahh” at the
sight, more impressed at the splendor alone than wanting to take any of it
home anymore. There weren’t enough saddlebags or wagons or carts or
trains to carry all the wonders with her even if she wanted, anyway.
Resplendent rubies and sublime sapphires, excellent emeralds and
astounding amethysts, superb sunstones and magnificent moonstones and
the most divine diamonds, and those were just the precious gems, not even
ultra-precious. Perfect prism stars, impeccable infinity stones, gorgeous
gorgon’s eyes, marvelous meteor shards, and even the most exquisite
evening marks; the list went on and on. Rarity had never seen some of
these stones except in books.
“This entire mountain range is simply the most gorgeous thing I have
ever seen in all my years of gem-hunting...” Rarity awed, “Absolutely
marvelous. Oh how it pains me that this delicious little gem of a location will
soon be behind us...”
“See, now this,” Tick Tock smirked, “This is the good stuff. If I needed
the bleedin’ bits, you can bet I’d be trekking my flank out here every other
week and hauling some back.”
Even Curaçao looked around in awe. “C’est incroyable,” she blinked,
“I ‘ave never seen such... ah... near perfection.”
Insipid bounced along behind her, causing her light to randomly
flicker around and reflect off more gems. “Ooh, Curie, you are so totally
right! These gems and junk are, like, so pretty? But totally not like you,
you’re still the totally most majorest fresh.”
The group continued onward into the darkness, and minutes churned
on and on and turned into hours. A couple of hours in, roughly half-way
through the entirety of the cavern system, Starlight's attention was
suddenly drawn away by a voice from the darkness. “Boss? Hey, boss. I
need to talk to you.”
Starlight maintained a stoic look, not at all bothered by the fact that
the source of the voice was walking perfectly normally several paces ahead
and yet spoke directly into her ear. While certainly nopony could see her
face clearly anyway even if they wanted to, she was nothing if not adamant
to sticking to secrecy.
“Red Velvet. I assume you have an adequate explanation for
troubling me?” she spoke with her mind. It was a very subtle spell that
she’d devised entirely herself, using so little magic that it couldn’t be
detected whatsoever but required a great deal of focus. It’s only limiting
factor was that it was constrained to only six ponies: her five subordinates,
and her father.
“Boss... please, you gotta let me do something,” Velvet's voice
pleaded, “I can't take it... Pinkie's driving me up the wall. She's just too
happy! I think it’s starting to have some sort of weird effect on me to. I... I've
been feeling really weak the past day or so boss. You gotta help. I don’t like
this.”
“I am not concerned with your excuses. If that pathetic pink putz is
proving a problem, perhaps-”
“Please, boss... plea-he-hease? I can't take it, boss... I... I'm worried. I
haven’t eaten anything but stupid sugar treats and a bunch of those
crummy rations you all put up with, and I haven’t been able to scare
anypony in days. I’m running out of juice here boss. You gotta let me trade
with Havoc, you just gotta.”
“I do not ‘gotta’ do any such thing. Havocwing is making abundant
progress with her quarry, much unlike yourself. Frankly Velvet, I am finding
my patience running very thin, thinner still every time I have to listen to one
of your little whining fits. Father has had nothing but praise for you, and yet
now here you are failing to live up to his expectation by a significant
margin. I am disappointed in you, and I assure you he will be disappointed
as well when I inform him of this.”
“B-boss! Oh no no no, d-don’t tell daddy. Pleeeease don't tell daddy,”
Velvet’s voice panicked.
“If you don’t want me to alert father to your failure, then you had
better improve your situation immediately. Father doesn’t tolerate failure,
and neither do I.”
“But boss, I-”
“Enough,” Starlight abruptly cut off the conversation.
Enough. Velvet had certainly had enough, all right. For days she
hadn't eaten anything with any sustenance, and she was beginning to feel
sick because of it. She hadn't really scared anypony either. Havocwing was
slowly growing less and less jumpy around her, inspired by her own
successes and Velvet's failing. This lack of fear around her was making her
feel weaker and weaker by the second. She hated to admit it, but she was
terrified that nopony around her was scared of anything anymore. Starlight
didn’t seem to see it, to see that all the help they’d given to getting their
prey back on track and all the ‘advice’ they were giving was having an
adverse effect that made her job much harder. They were all brimming with
confidence and resolve. She needed to scare somepony, anypony.
Velvet strengthened her own resolve. Horseapples to what the boss
says, she thought. She wouldn't actually trade with Havocwing, fine. But
maybe if she just got a little taste of fear, real fear, she'd regain her
strength enough to keep at it with that bothersome party pony. Fluttershy
may have gained a great deal of confidence in the past day or so due to
Havocwing’s guidance, but she was nowhere near capable of handling a
good taste of Red Velvet. She disappeared into the shadows of the cavern.
Fluttershy huddled close in to Lockwood as the party walked through
the darkness. Not really for the support as far keeping steady, but because
she desperately wanted to have physical contact with another pony out of
fear that the darkness would swallow her up. Even with the red pegasus
right behind them with her hooves lit with bright fire, she could barely see
Havocwing; she could only just make out Rarity’s white coat directly ahead
by the light of her horn. It seemed that that deeper they went the darker it
got, and it seemed to be getting colder too. Much colder, in fact. The only
comfort she felt was that at least Lockwood’s jacket was exceedingly warm,
but she could feel him shivering next to her, and it made her feel very
concerned.
All of a sudden, Rarity's light flickered out. Fluttershy could not resist
the urge to immediately begin to panic and desperately look for her friend in
the darkness, but a comforting wing from Lockwood kept her mostly calm
enough to just fall into a shaking fit instead.
“Good heavens, of all the times to have a short,” Rarity muttered.
Well, Fluttershy thought, at least I can still hear- “Aiieeee!” Oh no. Oh no no
no no.
“Rarity?!” Lockwood blurted. He stepped forward as if to look for her.
“Hang on to me, Fluttershy, Rarity can’t have gone anywhere. Rarity?!”
Fluttershy weakly nodded and tried to cling to his side, but found that she
couldn’t move. She started to lose a grip of his wing; to her horror, the
second she lost her hold, Lockwood was swallowed up by the darkness
much the same as Rarity had been. Only the dim glow of Havocwing's fire
gave her company now. She whimpered quietly to herself and started to
scoot closer to the other pegasus.
“Oh this better not be what I think it is...” Havocwing muttered as her
hooves' fire began to flicker and die. “Fluttershy, just hang on to-” And
darkness swallowed her up.
“Havocwing?” Fluttershy peeped. She grasped at air. “No...”
She felt something touch her side. Her first instinct was to jump, but
she thought, no, knew that it was one of her friends come to save her from
the encroaching darkness. It had to be. She turned to see who it was to
come to her rescue.
Instead of a friendly face, she beheld a vision of unfathomable horror
unlike anything she had ever seen. It was so terrifying, so dreadful, so
beyond scary that if asked, Fluttershy would be unable to even begin to
describe it for fear of reliving the entire event, not that she could even hope
to describe it to begin with. All she could see in front of her was a horrible
field of black and red and pink mashed together in the form of pure,
unadulterated fear.
“Boo.”
And she began to squeal in terror, shutting her wings instantly closed
and fumbling to the floor. The horrible face crept upon her and breathed
into her with a stench of blood and death that made Fluttershy turn white. If
there was ever anything even Fluttershy would call a ‘monster’, then this
abomination was certainly that. It drew closer and closer, chilling her to the
bone and sending shivers down her spine and through her wings as it
threatened to cover her whole and swallow her up. She screamed as loud
as she could, desperate for somepony, anypony, to save her.
“What is going on back there?!” Twilight called from the front,
channeling more magic into her horn.
The entire cavern suddenly shined all the brilliant colors of the
rainbow, and everypony present could now see Fluttershy huddled in a
frightened heap, mere feet away from Lockwood, Rarity, Havocwing... and
Red Velvet, whose wide fanged grin clued in everypony to exactly what had
happened. Velvet looked around in disappointment and pulled herself back,
the illusion having long been shattered.
“Dammit Red, what the bucking hell is wrong with you?!” Havocwing
spat, putting so much bile and fire into her words they threatened to ignite
the air.
“Oh that was a most dreadful little prank, Miss Velvet,” Rarity
shuddered, “How in Equestria did you even do that?”
“Fluttershy? Are you alright?” Lockwood said softly as he bowed in
close to her. She shied away instinctively. He turned to Velvet with a frown,
“Good heavens, you've frightened the poor girl. That wasn't very funny at
all.”
Velvet ignored all of the anger and lecturing and all-around
annoyance coming her way, a supremely pleased expression on her face.
She licked her lips in appreciation for the massive influx of fear that flooded
her body. “Ahhh... I needed that...” she breathed with a pleasured sigh.
Pinkie Pie popped in very suddenly, “Hey! That wasn't very nice! I'm
all for a good prank and all, me and Dashie do that all the time, but we
know better than pranking Fluttershy. She's sensitive, y'know?”
“Yeah, you idiot!” Havocwing joined in, “What were you thinking, huh?
The boss told you-”
“I don't care,” Velvet shrugged, “Hey, I wouldn't have had to do this if
Pinkie would once, just once, get scared of my ‘pranks’. I can't go that long
without a good scare, and you.” she prodded Havocwing in the nose, “You
don't get scared at all anymore. You used to be my private little power
source. When did you grow a spine, huh? Huh? Ooh if I could just break
that spine all my troubles would go away!”
“Pfh, you've been trying to scare me?” Pinkie chuckled, “You're
barking up the wrong tree there, sister. That’s no excuse for going after
Fluttershy though, that’s just mean. I already told you, I don't scare easy.
Weren't you listening? I mean, duh. C'mon.”
“I'm sorry, I tend to tune you out sometimes,” Velvet shrugged.
“Well that's just plain rude,” Pinkie pouted, “Hmph! Here I thought you
were a pretty nice pony-”
“Terrible judge of character,” Havocwing muttered.
“But now I see you’re just a Meanie McMeanerson and that you’ve
got a degree in Rude-enomics with a minor in Grumpiness. A Grade-A
Meanie, is what that is.”
“Velvet,” Starlight sneered as she stepped in, “It would seem that you
require a little reprimanding. You’ve crossed a very dangerous line and now
tread upon thin ice. Very. Thin. Understand?”
“Oh, so now this is my fault?!” Velvet blurted, “If you would’ve just let
me trade like I-”
“Are you questioning my orders?!” Starlight growled.
“Red, shut up!” Havocwing snapped.
“You ain’t the boss of me, don’t tell me what to do!” Velvet snapped
back, “What’s the matter, Havoc, mad that maybe I made you lose all your
prog-”
“Velvet, enough!” Starlight commanded, a very fierce glare on her
face, “One more word out of you and I’ll see to it that you get to have a long
hard talk with the vacuum of space!”
“I think I've heard all I can stand,” Twilight stepped in.
“What?” Starlight, Havocwing, and Velvet asked in unison.
“While the rest of you were fighting over whatever it is you’re fighting
about, I was busy trying to tend to my friend. Look what she did to
Fluttershy.”
Twilight pointed in the aforementioned pegasus's direction. She was
trembling on the ground, huddled up tight in Lockwood's jacket; nopony
was able to get close to her to console her without her swatting them away.
At first Rarity was the most intent on bowing in to get her to open up, but all
Rarity got in return was a few tiny little squeaks and Fluttershy batting her
forehooves around; Lockwood tried the same method but she didn’t
respond to him any more than she had responded to Rarity.
Havocwing rolled her eyes, “I didn’t think she was serious when she
said was going to act like a tortoise...”
Twilight continued, “She is absolutely terrified right now. You went too
far, Miss Velvet.”
“Oh please, that was a low-grade bit,” Velvet waved a hoof, “Nothing
big, easily one of my least effective bits. She'll be fine. In a few hours. I
guess. Maybe.”
"Velvet, would you keep your stupid mouth shut. You are not helping
matters at all," Starlight hissed.
“Well maybe if she wasn’t such a wimp-” Velvet shrugged.
“Oh for buck’s sake!” Havocwing sputtered, “You are such an idiot!
You’re making this worse, freak show!”
“Will you all ease up on the fighting over there?” Lockwood pleaded,
“None of you are making this any better.” He elected a new method to
reach out to the shuddering pegasus, lowering himself to the ground as
much as he could and pleading as gently as possible, “Come on,
Fluttershy, that menace isn’t going to do anything more to scare you, I
promise.” Fluttershy poked her head out of the collar of the jacket just a tiny
little bit. “Well,” Lockwood sighed to himself, “It’s a start.”
“I apologize, Starlight,” Twilight nodded, “But I don't think Fluttershy
would feel very comfortable around Miss Velvet any more. I think it would
be in her best interests if we part ways.”
Everypony remained in total silence for a few moments.
“What,” Starlight blinked at last. It wasn’t so much a question as a
statement.
“I’m sorry. I know the rest of us like you all... but I don't want to place
a burden on her. She's gone through enough this week, and I’d rather not
force more worry on her than she can stand.”
“It was one time!” Velvet blurted. Her own group all looked at her with
sincere anger.
“Really, Sparkle, there’s no need for any of this,” Starlight said
sternly.
“Come on girls,” Twilight tilted her head, “We're leaving. Lockwood,
do you think Fluttershy is okay to move again?”
Rarity looked rather appalled that the question had not been posed to
her, but couldn’t object openly since the stallion was making progress
where she had not, much to her consternation. Fluttershy had pulled
herself out from the jacket somewhat more than before, and meekly
nodded in response herself, causing Lockwood to smile a little bit.
“Awww what?” Rainbow protested, “Really? But-”
“C'mon Dash, you heard Twilight,” Applejack said, “Y'all don't wanna
make things hard on Fluttershy, do ya?”
“Well no, but... aww... horseapples,” Rainbow sighed, “See ya later
Gray, I guess?” She knew she most likely wouldn’t, but the thought that
maybe she would brought her some degree of hope. She liked the other
pegasus and hated to lose a new friend so quickly. It wasn’t fair. Grayscale
stayed silent a moment, then nodded very simply. Still so cool, Rainbow
Dash thought. What a waste.
“Awww... c’mon you guys,” Insipid pleaded, “I, like, totally don’t want
you guys to leave. I mean, who’s gonna help me with my hair and junk?”
Curaçao put a hoof to Insipid’s mouth, “It might be best if you remain
quiet, ma copine...” She called out to the others, “Zis does not need to end
zis way, oui? Reconsider... s'il vous plaît?”
Applejack turned and frowned, “Sorry ‘bout this, Curaçao. But
Twilight’s right... an’ I...” Applejack sighed and turned away. She didn’t
have the heart to say what she really felt about the whole thing.
As Twilight's group turned and headed towards the exit again,
Havocwing leaned in close to Starlight. “Boss! We can't just let them leave!”
Curaçao added, “Ma capitaine, zere is little time, you ‘ave to do
somezing. Papa would not be pleased. Dépêchez-vous!”
“Don’t rush me, I'm thinking!” Starlight hissed. She remained silent for
a few moments of thought, then quickly stepped forward and called out,
“Sparkle! Wait!”
Twilight turned, “Yes?”
“Look, I apologize for my companion. She's not accustomed to long
journeys like this, and has acquired some sort of... cabin fever, if you will.
She can't help herself, and I believe that her inability to prank your friend
Pinkie-”
“She said ‘scare’,” Twilight pointed.
“Some pranks might elicit that sort of reaction, yes,” Starlight
defended, “But Pinkie just did not provide the same reaction my dear Red
Velvet is used to. She was desperate, you understand. I should have taken
better precautions. This is my fault, if anything. I didn’t foresee her having a
little outburst like that.”
Twilight nodded, “I know what it's like to be cooped up without
anything you enjoy, but that's no excuse. She overstepped. I know it was
all in good fun, but all of us know, even your own friends as Havocwing
proved, that Fluttershy is off-limits to that sort of thing, regardless of her
current state of health. I'm sorry, but I don't want to have another worrying
thought on my plate along with all the rest of our troubles.”
“It would be my problem to worry about, not yours,” Starlight insisted,
“I will keep her on a shorter leash. A much shorter leash," she added,
glaring back at Velvet, “Velvet owes you an apology besides, and I must
impress upon you that you will require our assistance in trekking through
the remainder of the Wasteland. So if we could just put this terrible little
misunderstanding behind us, I assure you it won't happen again.”
Twilight hummed, and turned to her friends who all gathered around
her in a big huddle, “What do you think, girls?”
“Absolutely not!” Rarity hissed, “That... that ruffian frightened my dear
Fluttershy half to death. Regardless of Miss Shadow's assertions, poor
Fluttershy is likely to be terrified just looking at that... that beast! Isn't that
right, darling?" Fluttershy gave a meek whimper in response. “See? And
besides which, I am not so keen on some of the others in their company
either. I should think we ought to return to our original make-up.”
“I say we stick with 'em,” Rainbow said, “Gray's pretty cool, I could
ask for her help in making sure Red doesn't do anything like that again.
She's reliable enough, I think, and she ain’t scared of nothin’ Red could do
anyway. They’re all pretty okay, to be honest. Red is the obvious exception
now, but that’s about it. It’s nice having some new ponies to talk to and all,
y’know?”
“Ya know what? I changed mah mind, I'm wit' Dash,” Applejack said
firmly, “They really are helpin' us get through our journey a mite faster. We
can't just pass that opportunity up lightly, no sir. We only got a few days left
after all, yeah? I reckon we all could keep our eyes on that Velvet
character, make sure she don’t try nothin’. Ain’t no trouble at all.” She gave
Fluttershy a sort of pleading look, hoping the timid pegasus could trust her
friends to handle this.
“Wellll,” Pinkie tapped her hoof to her chin, “I suppose I can forgive
and forget, even if I don’t like it the teeniest tiniest little bit. Because hey,
that’s what I do! I can’t stay mad at anypony, even they are a big ol’ Meanie
McMeaniepants. And y’know what, AJ’s right, I’ll keep my watchful eye on
Fluttershy, nooo problem! I’ll be like her personal watchdog! You’ll be safe
with your Auntie Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, you’ll see!”
Fluttershy narrowed her eyes and peeped, “I’m still a year-”
“Yeah yeah, older than me, and I still don’t know what that has to do
with anything,” Pinkie shrugged.
“In my opinion, I say we just move along on our own, like Rarity said.
Get back a little sense of normalcy,” Tick Tock stated, “Besides which, I
disagree with the sentiment that we need their help anyway. Applejack’s
been a good study of using my map, and I can fill in the blanks if need be.
Twilight, you have more than enough power to handle anything out there,
you just need to be more aggressive with it. To be honest, the eastern
Wasteland isn’t as bad as they all say it is, just the Gargantuan hunting
grounds are a bit wider and harder to avoid. I know all of that doesn’t mean
much coming from me anymore, but you asked so there it is anyway.”
Flathoof remained relatively silent, until prodded by Tick Tock.
Applejack shot her an angry look that she didn’t quite notice. “I really have
to say that I think we should consider going along with them as long as
they’re willing to let us. I’m not entirely confident in the supposed safety of
the eastern Wastelands. If they’re worse than the western end, then I don’t
see how we can expect to have much luck. It’s not like we’ve been faring
too well on this journey by ourselves, and even I can admit that these new
traveling companions have been quite helpful.”
“I’m with Rarity,” Lockwood nodded, “Fluttershy’s been recovering so
well, and I’d hate to see all that come undone because of the actions of
somepony else. I understand your reasons for wanting to stay with them...
but Tick Tock has a point, we have learned enough from them that we
shouldn't have trouble getting through the rest of the journey with or without
their direct influence. Though to be honest, personally I think this is all
meaningless,” he added, “We should be asking Fluttershy what she wants,
seeing as the whole reasons this situation cropped up is due to Twilight
wishing the best for her, is it not?”
“Well said, my dear Lockwood,” Rarity nodded, “Fluttershy darling, do
you want to keep traveling with that terrible little hooligan and her
roughhousing companions, or would you rather be safe and sound traveling
with your dear, dear friends?”
“Mind easin’ up on the sugar-coating there, Rarity?” Rainbow rolled
her eyes, “You’re not exactly playing fair. Come on Fluttershy, you don’t
want to split us all apart do you? These guys will keep us all safe and get
us home that much faster. You want to get back to Angel, don’t you?”
“Now who’s sugar-coating it?” Rarity snorted.
“Um...” Fluttershy muttered, “W-well... I really don't want to travel with
that... that mare anymore...”
“Aww, c'mon sugarcube,” Applejack pleaded, “Please? We could
really use their help. We'll keep ya safe from that mean ol’ Velvet, no
sweat.”
“Oh, I'm sure you could, b-but-”
“Goodness Applejack, the poor dear was frightened out of her wits,”
Rarity huffed, “Whether you could keep an eye on her or not is irrelevant.
She doesn't want to. So I should think that that is that then.”
Fluttershy frowned. Be assertive, she thought. Lesson nine. Don’t sit
on the shelf, speak up for yourself. “I... I can answer just fine for myself,
Rarity.”
Rarity flustered for a second, but maintained her composure. “Oh...
oh absolutely, darling, but-”
“Jus' drop it, Rarity,” Applejack snorted, “Fluttershy said her piece, an'
that's that. She don’t need y’all harpin’ in on it.”
“C'mon, Twilight,” Rainbow said, “Don't leave us hanging. You got
your opinion from everypony, now go on back and tell them you changed
your mind.”
Twilight hummed in thought again, then stepped forward towards
Starlight, “I’ve considered what my friends have to say about it and... again,
I must apologize-”
“What?!” Rainbow blurted, “Oh come on!”
“No sense in arguin’ it, Dash,” Applejack sighed, “Majority rules, ‘n’
we lost.”
“S-sorry...” Fluttershy sniffed, “P-please don’t be mad. I d-didn’t mean
to make you upset, girls, b-but-”
Applejack smiled, “Aw shucks, 't ain't yer fault sugarcube. Don't sweat
it none.”
Rainbow snorted, “Yeah... you’re not the one who made the final
call...”
Twilight ignored Rainbow’s attitude and continued, “I really am sorry,
Starlight. Rainbow Dash and Applejack are right - I did enjoy the company
of your group, but I think we just have a difference of opinion on the matter
of whether Fluttershy is going to be okay around your loose cannon there. I
really care about Fluttershy’s well-being, and if being around Miss Velvet is
going to have an adverse effect on her, I’d like very much to avoid that
possibility altogether. I don’t want to think about all my friends playing
watchdog because of somepony in our own traveling party, if you catch my
drift?”
“You’re serious,” Starlight frowned, “Even with the myriad of dangers
ahead of you, you’d risk those over allowing me to handle maintaining a
check upon Red Velvet? You’d choose the risk of danger, over the
guarantee of my control over my subordinate?”
“I know it sounds silly, but I’ll be honest, your advice lately has been
most invigorating for me,” Twilight smiled, “I’m a lot more confident that my
magic and leadership can get us through any problem. Besides, your group
isn’t actually going to Hope’s Point after all, right? You mentioned only
taking us as far as the coast itself, not all the way to our destination. I don’t
want to impose upon you all if I feel it’s also putting a burden on one of our
own.”
Havocwing muttered low to Starlight, “Looks like that one backfired
on ya, boss.” Starlight shot Havocwing a brief glare.
“I regret that it had to reach this miserable point, then,” Starlight
sighed.
“As do I. We’ll be taking our leave... um... and it would be best if you
all head back and get to your original route, wherever that was taking you.
Thanks again... for everything.”
Twilight’s group turned and headed back for the caverns ahead.
Rainbow Dash gave a rather longing look back towards Grayscale and the
others before sighing and joining up alongside her friends. Fluttershy was
hesitant to keep walking, but Lockwood and Rarity each held her up as
best they could. The cavern ahead shone bright with the light from
Twilight’s horn as she led the way.
Havocwing flustered again in Starlight’s ear, “Come on boss, if we
don’t do something soon, dad’s gonna be pissed. We’ve gotta take thing
into our own hooves - buck the nice-guy act!”
Starlight watched the other party begin to leave with regret and
disdain. She sighed, and nodded firmly to those behind her, “You have a
valid point. Havocwing. Grayscale,” and then pointed to the cavern’s
passage in front of Twilight, “It would seem we have to take drastic
measures.”
“With pleasure, boss,” Grayscale nodded with an eager grin.
“Of course,” Havocwing yawned.
The pair of them took wing and flew quickly to get in front of Twilight’s
group, causing them all the stop rather suddenly. Twilight frowned and
turned to Starlight. “Starlight... I’ve made my decision and-”
“My dear Twilight Sparkle,” Starlight sighed, “I urge you to reconsider.
I assure you, Velvet will not provide any difficulty for me to control. I truly
wish to continue traveling with all of you.”
Twilight sighed, “Starlight, really... oh, well, all right. Maybe there’s
some way we can compromise. Um... how about this? If you want to travel
that badly with us, maybe we should meet up again later? Just let
Fluttershy have some distance to calm down a little and get over this. Give
us a day apart or so. You can find us again, can’t you? You know the route
we’re taking after all, and I have no doubts your team probably could make
better time than we can.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad, boss,” Havocwing nodded hopefully.
Starlight’s fierce glare caused Havocwing to flinch back a bit. “Maybe not.
My mistake.”
“Or maybe we could all split up and journey as separate parties?”
Twilight suggested, “I mean... it will seem weird to split up like that, but it
may be for the best. It may take a little bit of planning to decide how the
groups will divide up, but it shouldn’t pose too serious a problem. We just
need to separate Fluttershy and Red Velvet. Easy enough.”
“Hey, that’s totally not a bad idea either!” Insipid bubbled, “Ooh ooh
ooooh! I call Curie’s party!” Starlight’s fierce gaze directed itself at her now,
causing her to fluster back again. “I m-mean... like, that’s if it’s okay with
you, boss?”
“I am afraid that splitting the party apart is out of the question,”
Starlight stamped a hoof, “And a rendezvous would prove needlessly
fruitless, as odds dictate that you will reach Hope’s Point and have
departed across the sea long before we could arrive, seeing as the only
way we can split up is if we take a much longer route of travel. Even if we
were to make that our new destination, I am certain you would not find it in
your best interests to wait for us to reach you. I won’t hear of it. I insist that
we stick together.”
Twilight sighed, “Look, Starlight, I appreciate that you want to help,
but... I just don’t feel right forcing Fluttershy to do something she doesn’t
want to.”
“Oh, but no problem making the rest of us do what we don’t want to,”
Rainbow grumbled rather audibly. Twilight shot her a look very much like
Starlight had done with her own party members, causing Rainbow to
narrow her own eyes in agitation.
“You don’t understand, Sparkle,” Starlight said firmly, “I want us all to
travel together. That was my plan. I do not feel any amount of joy when
things do not go according to plan. You’ve backed me into a corner here,
as the saying goes. So if you won’t follow along and accompany us
willingly,” and she nodded to Havocwing and Grayscale again, “I am afraid I
must insist you accompany us unwillingly. My apologies, but I have a
reputation to uphold you understand.”
Twilight narrowed her eyes, “You can’t be serious. You want to fight?
Over this?”
“Oh... she looks like she’s serious all right,” Tick Tock noted, pointing
at Havocwing and Grayscale, who readied themselves into fighting
stances.
“Well shoot,” Applejack sighed, “Didn’t see this comin’. I don’t reckon
this’ll end well...”
“Really now, Miss Shadow,” Rarity pouted, “It doesn’t need to come
to anything like this.”
Applejack leaned in to Twilight, “C’mon Twi, just humor her. I’m tellin’
ya, Fluttershy’ll be fine, won’t ya Fluttershy?”
“Oh... i-if it will keep everypony from fighting,” Fluttershy squeaked.
Rainbow rubbed her shoulder, “Yeah, I mean, I’m all for a little action
and all, but... uh... yeah, I think we might be in over our heads here, don’t
you think?”
Twilight groaned, “Look, you guys, if we back down now then we
won’t really be able to prove we can handle any challenges we might face
in the future. We can’t let other ponies push us around no matter who they
are. Think of it this way. If we can prove ourselves able to handle this, we
can handle anything else this world might throw at us. Have a little faith in
yourselves for once.”
“Easy for you to say,” Rainbow Dash huffed, “You’ve got all that
magic in you to fight with. What have we got to compete with the powers
they have?”
“You’ve got your speed,” Twilight pointed, “Rarity has her potency
with magic-sharing, and can certainly help Tick Tock function at nearly my
level-”
“How do I get involved in all this rubbish?” Tick Tock groaned.
“Applejack and Flathoof have their physical strength-”
“I know how you feel, Tick Tock,” Flathoof grumbled, “I just keep
getting pulled into these things. I really wish I’d still been a patrol pony,
maybe I’d be in better shape...”
“And Pinkie Pie is... well, Pinkie Pie. We can handle this, no
problem.”
“Woo! Yeeeaaah!” Pinkie Pie boxed her hooves, “I’ve got your back,
Twilight. How would Princess Luna say it? Ummm... ah!” And she pointed
an intimidating hoof at the other group of ponies, and raised an eyebrow as
high as it would go. “Let us prepareth to layeth the smacketh down, on allll
them candy-flanks! Ooh! Do we get candy if we win, Twilight?” Twilight put
a hoof to her face and just sighed.
“And us?” Lockwood gulped, referring to himself and Fluttershy, ”I...
uh... I’m not quite used to this kind of stuff, fighting that is If you don’t mind
my saying, and Fluttershy’s not exactly in prime condition to do anything of
the sort either, even if she wanted to.”
“And I d-d-don’t...” Fluttershy shook her head.
“You just stick close to Fluttershy, Lockwood. Keep her safe, got it?”
Twilight nodded.
“Right,” he said with a half-hearted salute, “Keep her safe from... the
superpower wielding mares... oh boy.”
“Last chance, Sparkle,” Starlight said firmly, “I’d really rather not have
to do this. Exerting effort is not on my list of things to do today. Just allow
Velvet to apologize and we’ll forget that this unfortunate debacle ever
happened.”
“Forget that you’re trying to force us to travel with you? I think not,”
Twilight narrowed her eyes.
Starlight sighed, “You don’t want this any more than I do, Sparkle,
and not just because it’s a terribly pathetic waste of time. You don’t want to
see your friends hurt, do you?”
“Oh, threats now too? No Starlight, I believe I’ll stand my ground,
thanks. I think we can handle this just fine,” Twilight stared, “We have you
outnumbered.”
“Glad to see you’re so confident, Twi,” Rainbow groaned.
Applejack sighed and set her hat aside near Fluttershy and
Lockwood, “I really hope we don’t have ta eat them words...”
Starlight shrugged, “Very well. When this is all over, you’ll thank me
for showing you just how wrong you are, Sparkle.” She turned and
addressed her companions, “It would seem we need to teach our former
traveling partners a little lesson in humility if we are to prove that they can’t
make it to their destination without us. Remember, no lethal force. We must
merely subdue them, no more. And I think just to clue them in to how over
their heads they are,” Starlight hummed, “I will not participate. Havocwing,
Grayscale, Insipid, Velvet? You four are more than capable of seeing this
through. Curaçao, you’re with me. We shall merely... observe.”
“Oui, ma capitaine,” Curaçao nodded, stepping off to the side and
following behind Starlight.
Starlight raised a hoof in realization, “And I suppose it wouldn’t do if
all this fighting was done in the dark, either. Seeing as how I have elected
to remain on the sidelines for now, allow me to illuminate things.” She gave
a smug grin and channeled a spell for only the briefest second before
letting it loose. A bolt of brilliant silver light struck the cavern wall, and very
suddenly the entirety of the vast cavern sparkled and glimmered as light
reflected off of itself from dozens upon dozens of surfaces. Where once it
was darker than the darkest night, now it was brighter than the clearest day
and shined all the brightest colors of the rainbow, providing a veritable
technicolor backdrop for the coming action.
Their other companions moved in and positioned themselves in a
semi-circle in front of Twilight and her friends. Rarity and Tick Tock took the
left side where Insipid had positioned herself; Rainbow Dash, Applejack,
Flathoof, and Twilight Sparkle took the front, facing down Havocwing and
Grayscale; Pinkie Pie bounded over to the right, staring down Red Velvet.
For several tense moments, not a word was said. They all merely stared
fierce daggers at one another, everypony present ready to go off like a
firecracker at any second.
Until Pinkie stepped forward, “Wait wait, hold on! If we’re gonna have
a big battle sequence, it calls for a little fighting music! I mean we got the
crazy cool location and everything, why not complete the picture?” And, to
the utter surprise of everypony present, somehow pulled a boom-box from
one of the saddlebags they’d set aside and set it to the the floor.
“Where did she get that?” Flathoof asked.
“I don’t remember packin’ it,” Applejack blinked.
Pinkie pressed ‘Play’, and it caused a beat to pound away in their
ears. Was that... music?
“Never ceases to amaze me,” Tick Tock said flatly.
“Pinkie... how? Why?” Twilight put a hoof to her face.
“Well at least she’s got good taste,” Rainbow shrugged, “Let’s get this
over with, yeah?” She was the first to step forward, and spoke directly to
Grayscale. “C’mon, Gray... don’t make me do this.” Grayscale remained
silent, her face unchanging whatsoever. “I don’t want to fight you, Gray.
And I know you don’t want to fight me either.” Still silent. “C’mon, say
something!”
Grayscaled shuffled a bit. She muttered, “Eh... something. Whatever.”
Havocwing stamped a hoof, “Gray! Are you gonna get on with this or
what?” Grayscale remained firmly silent. “Tch. Fine. I was gonna be nice
and split the action with ya, but I guess you don’t feel like teaching your
little punk friend a lesson. If you won’t, I will!”
Havocwing bolstered forward and charged at Rainbow Dash. She
leveled a forehoof at the cyan pegasus’s face.
Rainbow ducked and tackled upwards, knocking the wind out of the
red pegasus as they careened towards the ceiling. Havocwing kicked her
way out of Rainbow’s grip a few scant feet from crashing into several dozen
shining gems, knocking Rainbow off-course and giving chase.
Rainbow Dash naturally was much too fast; Havocwing was left
trailing behind, beating her wings as hard as she could to chase Rainbow in
great arcs around the cavern’s ceiling level.
“Fight me like a mare you stupid- oof!”
Rainbow Dash had screeched to a sudden halt and looped around in
an instant one-eighty, tackling Havocwing hard and tossing her the short
distance into the ceiling, where the red pegasus struck hard and faltered
towards the floor a bit.
“Careful what you wish for, dragon breath!” Rainbow chuckled as she
took off again.
“Get back here, Rainbow Crash!” Havocwing blurted.
“Geez that insult is getting old! Can’t anypony think of anything better
to work with?” Rainbow chuckled.
She charged up a tiny fireball and flung it just past Rainbow Dash’s
head. Dash looked behind her in surprise. “Whoa now! Thought your boss
said no lethal tactics?”
“Oh these?!” Havocwing chortled, “Too small to kill, but they hurt like
hell!”
She started firing off fireballs as fast as her hooves would let her,
causing Rainbow Dash to loop and dodge and roll as fast as she could to
avoid the sudden mass of exploding fire.
~~~~~
Grayscale was left facing down Applejack, Flathoof, and Twilight
Sparkle. “Well that’s a load off my hooves,” she said simply, “This is much
easier.”
“Heh. Y’all ‘re in over yer head,” Applejack smirked as she stamped a
hoof, “Three against one don’t look like mighty good odds.”
“I suppose not. You might need another pony or two to come close to
even,” Grayscale shrugged, “Orders are orders. No hard feelings.”
Grayscale flicked her wings as Applejack and Flathoof charged
forward. They both suddenly slowed to a crawl, and behind them even
Twilight suddenly felt like a great weight had pressed itself upon her
shoulders and was making it hard to breathe. Twilight charged her horn
and fired a bolt of magic; Grayscale moved as little the side as necessary
so that it screeched just barely past her and ricocheted off the wall behind.
“Gah... damn,” Flathoof swore as he tried to move, “The hay kind of
power is that? I thought she was just... super strong or something.”
Grayscale smirked and flicked her wings again, causing Flathoof and
Applejack to suddenly regain their footing. To their surprise, when they took
another bounding charge forward they didn’t stay very much close to the
ground.
“Whoa nelly!” Applejack flustered as she suddenly bounced into the
air, feeling like she suddenly weighed as light a feather.
Twilight smirked, “Well luckily I don’t have to move!” And she fired
another bolt of magic, more accurately now that she could stand.
Grayscale cracked her neck and flicked her wings again, causing
Applejack and Flathoof to very suddenly crash to the floor and for Twilight
to grimace as the same familiar weight pressed on her. She panicked; her
magic bolt was headed right for her partners. She tugged her magic as
hard as she could, willing it to careen off in a completely different direction.
“Man... yeah, I was right,” Grayscale yawned, “You guys are boring
like this.”
Applejack started to move forward, even under the crushing weight.
“Y’all ain’t... done wit’ me yet... feather-brain...”
Grayscale raised an eyebrow, “Hmm... you’re a strong one.” She
flicked her right wing only, causing Applejack to slam to the floor again.
“But I think I’m out of your league...”
Applejack slowly struggled to her feet. “Who’s... outta... whose...
league?” she huffed, moving slowly towards the gray pegasus.
“Curious,” Grayscale hummed. Flicking her right wing again,
Applejack crashed to the floor, but to Grayscale’s continued surprise
managed to fight her way to her feet once again. “Very curious. I could
defeat Flathoof easily enough like this, and Twilight Sparkle might require
extra effort... but you, you look like you require a different approach. Such a
waste of my time.”
“Jus’... shut yer... feather-stuffed... mouth...” Applejack spat, “An’
fight... like a mare!”
Grayscale smirked, “As you wish.” She flicked her wings again and
Applejack felt the intense pressure lift off her. As soon as she was able,
she charged forward again and leapt to tackle Grayscale, who flapped her
great wings as hard as she could, gaining a great deal of altitude for only
one flap. Applejack gawked; she wasn’t an expert by any stretch, but she
was fairly certain that a pegasus as hefty as Grayscale was couldn’t have
gotten that much altitude that fast, not unless she weighed as less than,
say, Fluttershy.
Applejack swore to herself, “Danged pegasi... rotten cheaters, all of
‘em!”
~~~~~
Insipid had already gotten well underway by now against Rarity and
Tick Tock. The former was helping the latter by empowering her magic,
allowing Tick Tock to strike at Insipid’s defense with a great deal of power.
Her shield was rather lopsided, not at all circular or spherical or even
cubic as most unicorn Barrier spells manifested as. Tick Tock fired bolts of
magic intended to stun, but each one struck the shield in a completely
different equally random spot and caused it to go careening into the nearby
walls.
Insipid was already getting winded, spending far too much energy
and focus to maintain her shield against a competent opponent.
“Like, hey! That is so totally unfair! This is totally unfair! So! Unfair!”
Insipid complained as she leapt aside to avoid another bolt of magic from
Tick Tock.
“Would you stop your bleedin’ whining and stand still?!” Tick Tock
snapped, “You’re making this bloody well more difficult than it needs to be!”
“Cha. Right? Like, that would be totally dumb?” Insipid rolled her
eyes, “Stand still? What, like I’m some sort of target dummy and junk?”
“‘Dummy’ would be pretty accurate!”
“Darling really, all this roughhousing is most unnecessary,” Rarity
pleaded, “Just stand down. With my magic at Miss Tick Tock’s side, she’s
easily more powerful than you are. I don’t want to hurt you, but I certainly
can’t speak for her.”
Another blast from Tick Tock struck Insipid’s shield dead-on and
knocked the black unicorn off her feet. “Um, you guys can totally, like, bite
me? The boss lady says I have to, y’know, subdue you and junk? Soooo...
yeah, bring it on!” Another blast of magic knocked her back again. “But hey,
like, take it easy!”
Curaçao shouted at her from behind, “Ma copine!”
Insipid perked up almost instantaneously, “Yes?”
“If you want to win zis, you ‘ave to go on zee offensive! Stop playing
zee turtle game and attack!”
“But Curie,” Insipid pouted, “I, like, suck at that kind of stuff...”
“How sad for you,” Tick Tock sighed, “Can we focus please?” She
fired another bolt, causing Insipid to leap aside, having dropped her shield
to talk to Curaçao.
“Hey, like, I am trying to have a conversation here!”
~~~~~
Velvet and Pinkie circled each other a moment before Pinkie
suddenly bounced up onto her hindhooves and started boxing with her
forehooves. “Alright c’mon, put ‘em up put ‘em uuuup! Hya! Ha! You’re
goin’ down you big meanie! Hooo-ah! Ya! Round one! Ready?! Fight!”
Velvet grinned wide, “Oh I’m going to enjoy this. Bring it on, airhead!”
Pinkie bounded forward, flailing her arms like a maniac and tussling
with Velvet almost instantly. Kick! Dodge. Chop! Dodge. Headbutt! Dodge.
Velvet was doing a decent enough job of avoiding the party pony’s wild and
unpredictable antics, but only just so.
“Oh, you’re good!” Pinkie giggled. Suddenly she panicked and
pointed frantically behind Velvet, “Hey! Watch out!”
“What?” Velvet raised an eyebrow, looking behind her. Nothing there.
She started to turn back around, but Pinkie suddenly pushed her to the
ground and bounded back almost as quickly.
“Oh wow, I can’t believe you fell for that. Seriously, that’s the oldest
trick in the book!” Pinkie laughed, “Hey, no hard feelings. Here, let me help
you.” She reached out a hoof to help Velvet up, who in a state of confusion
accepted it... and fell back to the floor as Pinkie pulled her hoof away. “Oh
come on, Red I can’t believe you fell for that too! I thought you were a
master of pranks!”
“I am not! A master! Of PRANKS!” Velvet snapped as she leapt in to
tackle again. Pinkie sidestepped effortlessly. Velvet glared at her as she
got back to her hooves.
“Are you sure?” Pinkie scratched her head, “‘cause, all that stuff you
did sure seem like pranks.”
“Those are meant to scare ponies, not embarrass them! Like I did to
that wimpy little pegasus! You’re the one who thinks they’re pranks you
nimrod!”
“Oooh, more name-calling? Well two can play at that game,
loudmouth.”
“Me? I’m the loudmouth? Just shut up you fat, stupid idiot!”
“Make me, bubble-butt.” Pinkie snorted, “See ‘cause you have the
same figure as me so if you think I’m fat, well then logically-”
“By the stars, do you ever stop talking?!”
“Nnnnope!”
“Gaaaahhhh!!”
~~~~~
Grayscale had taken to the air and was busy avoiding flourishes of
light that blasted forth from Twilight Sparkle. Applejack and Flathooof stood
rather begrudgingly at her sides, unable to help much as long as the
pegasus was in the air. They’d already tried to move elsewhere and help
their other friends, but Grayscale would buck a gem-covered rock from the
ceiling and send it careening down to bar their path; at this point, they
stood in a semi-circle of crushed rocks that kept them from moving much.
“C’mon down here and fight like a mare!” Applejack shouted, “Ya
danged coward!”
Another rock was bucked off the ceiling; it slammed into the floor near
Applejack with enough force to crush a house. Applejack was knocked
unsteady but otherwise okay.
“I’m not sure taunting the pegasus that can send rocks down at us
like bullets is such a good idea,” Flathoof said quickly, leaping aside to
avoid another one.
“Relax, Flathoof, I do this wit’ Dash all th’ time,” Applejack explained
under her breath, “Most pegasi got really big egos yeah? Think they’re so
darned great ‘cause they can fly ‘n’ all that? Well, I call ‘er a chicken, she
comes down here in a hissy fit ‘n’ fights us fair ‘n’ square.”
“That doesn’t seem to be working...” Flathoof sighed as he looked
upward.
“Jus’ gotta keep at it. Trust me,” Applejack nodded.
“I sure hope so,” Twilight huffed from behind them, “This is getting
aggravating. My accuracy isn’t so great at this distance, and she’s moving
to boot. Not to mention all those dang gems keep reflecting light in my
eyes, and-”
“Who there, take it easy sugarcube,” Applejack chuckled, “Ain’t
nopony givin’ y’all a hard time.” She began shouting again, “C’mon
Grayscale, ya darned chicken! Y’all too scared ta fight us mare-ta-mare...
ta-mare... ta-stallion...?!” Applejack hastily added as she remembered their
numbers, “You think y’all ‘re some kinda big shot, leavin’ us down here?!”
“Oh no, what ever shall I do?” Grayscale yawned as she avoided
another burst of energy from Twilight, “Miss Applejack is just so mean and
infuriating, I think... maybe I will come down there.”
“See?” Applejack smirked, “Just took a little-”
Grayscale dropped like a rock and slammed into the ground,
shattering rock and sending Applejack, Flathoof, and Twilight stumbling
backwards into the little barrier of boulders.
“Now, what was that about fighting mare-to-mare?” Grayscale
smirked.
~~~~~
“Stop moving so damn fast!” Havocwing shouted.
“Hey, if you can’t catch me, maybe you should just give up!” Rainbow
teased back.
Havocwing flicked her wings through the many explosions caused by
her wayward fireballs as she flew, causing them to trail behind her in a
blaze. As she did so, her wings seemed to actually catch fire. Wherever
she flew a trail of blazing fire would follow.
Rainbow realized this almost too late when she tried to loop around
behind Havocwing again and instead had to drop altitude to avoid crashing
into a wall of fire.
“Hey, what gives, Havoc? You too slow to catch me so you start
trying to lock me in?” Rainbow mocked, “You’re gonna have to do better
than that!”
“And you’re gonna run out of room eventually, flankface!” Havocwing
chortled, “And when you do, we’ll see how useful that speed of yours really
is!”
~~~~~
Insipid huffed and puffed and tried to catch her breath. Tick Tock
gave her a moment’s reprieve, but not much of one. As soon as Insipid was
back on her feet, she fired another spell and knocked the black unicorn
aside again.
“Like, okay, seriously, this sucks!” Insipid whined, “You guys are
mean!”
She fired a bolt of magic of her own, but it was so wildly inaccurate it
may as well not have been fired at all. Tick Tock responded with another
bolt, once again knocking Insipid off balance.
Curaçao shouted at the black unicorn, “Ma copine! Per’aps you
should extend zee ‘oof of surrender, non? You are clearly outmatched.”
Insipid gave a pleading look back at Curaçao, “B-but Curie... the boss
said-”
“Nonsense,” Curaçao called back, “Zee capitaine would not want you
to be seriously injured, and you are too weak to do zis on your own. Go on
zen. Offer zem zee ‘oof of surrender.”
“Okay, that’s like, the second time you said that? I have no idea what
that-”
Curaçao’s eyebrow twitched, “It means offer your ‘oof and... shake on
zee terms of your surrender. Shake. ‘ooves. Oui?”
Insipid’s eyes widened quickly, and she nodded, then called over to
Tick Tock and Rarity, “Okay okay, like, I give up! All this fighting is totally
icky and junk, I don’t wanna do it anymore.”
“Glad to see you’ve come to your senses,” Tick Tock stated firmly.
Rarity nodded, “I do hope you can forgive me for having to be so
rough with you, darling.”
“Like, yeah yeah, I get it, okay?” Insipid grumbled as she limped
forward, “I’m like, totally under your hooves? Can we just, like, get this over
with? Oof!” She stumbled forward and tripped to the ground.
Rarity stepped forward and offered a hoof to Insipid to help her up,
“Come along darling.”
Insipid grinned wide, “Gee, like, thanks!” She grabbed Rarity’s hoof.
“Ahhhhhhh!” Rarity squealed as what felt like a massive electrical
shock shot through her entire body.
Insipid pouted, “Like... um... sorry ‘bout this Rarity, but like, I gotta do
it. You understand, yeah? No hard feelings and junk? I still want, like,
advice on my hair and-”
“Rarity!” Tick Tock sputtered. She fired a spell, but Insipid was
suddenly able to put up a very effective barrier to block it, sending the bolt
reflecting away into a wall. “How the- you were out of magic!”
“Like, cha, right,” Insipid beamed, “Not when I’m, like, hooked up to
my own private battery? I mean hell-ooooo?”
“Let... go... of me...” Rarity panted as she tried to yank her hoof away,
“You uncouth... little... ahhhhhhhh!”
“Heeyyy, no need for that kind of, like, language?” Insipid rolled her
eyes, “I mean, like, how rude?”
Rarity fell limp to the ground as soon as Insipid felt she’d drained
enough. The black unicorn stepped to her hooves, renewed and
invigorated. Her hair had straightened out considerably and gained a
healthy luster to it; it actually looked halfway decent for once.
She cracked her neck a couple of times. “Ahh, that feels, like, totally
marvelous,” she giggled, “Let’s see... how does this work?” She let her horn
glow briefly and tried to figure out what she was supposed to do next.
“Um... like... okay, let’s try this!”
She let her magic flow through her and outwards into the room. At
first, nothing seemed to be happened. Tick Tock, who was closest, was the
first to feel it. It felt like she was being boosted in power, much as she
always felt when Rarity was assisting her. Insipid’s aura permeated further
out into the room, now passing through the barrier of rocks and coating
Twilight, Applejack, and Flathoof in magic.
“What in tarnation?” Applejack muttered, “What’s wit’ this-”
Grayscale suddenly came crashing down at her, but Applejack had
been too distracted to move; Applejack was sent flying into the rocks with
enough force that the one she slammed into shattered apart; she stumbled
around in a daze for a moment.
Twilight called, “Applejack! Are you okay?!”
“Jus’ fine, sugarcube,” Applejack shook her head to rid herself of the
daze, “A lil’ shook up but it don’t feel like nothin’ broke.”
“What the-” Grayscale blinked, “That should have knocked you out
co- and what’s with this weird sensation?” She flicked her wing once and to
her surprise found herself apply way too much pressure, crashing to the
floor faster than she could react. “Okay... ow...”
“I don’t know what it is, but I feel great,” Twilight smirked, firing a bolt
of magic like lightning at Grayscale, who couldn’t move fast enough to
avoid it and was sent flying towards the nearest wall.
Rainbow Dash swooped low to avoid more fireballs and to avoid
another blockade, and suddenly felt the same sensation flow over her. To
her surprise, she started moving even faster, faster even than she was
used to traveling when she was putting her all into it.
“Whoawhoawhoawhoa!” she panicked as she found it difficult to
maneuver with the sudden burst of speed, careening past Havocwing and
narrowly avoiding the walls of the cavern as she pulled out of a dive.
Havocwing tried firing more bursts at her, and was surprised that the
shots she fired were a lot bigger and faster than she’d intended to use, and
exploded with enough force that they blew apart whatever they hit. She
stared at her hooves for a moment to try and figure out what was the
matter. “What the- oof!”
Rainbow had gotten a hang of the speed now and tackled her hard
up into the ceiling.
“You gotta pay more attention there, firecracker. Later!” And zoomed
off again with such speed that Havocwing was blasted back into the ceiling
again.
Curaçao yelled, “Ma copine! Shut it off!”
Insipid panicked, dodging empowered blasts from Tick Tock again
and without enough focus to put up a shield to defend herself. “I have no
idea what I’m doing!” she blurted.
“I can see zat! Shut it off!” the blue earth pony snapped.
Insipid focused for a bit and shut her aura down, causing Tick Tock’s
next bolt to be considerably smaller and easier to dodge. “Ohhh, like, I get
it now. Okay... um... let’s see... if I make a little adjustment... um...” She
began to glow a brilliant silver. “Aha! Like, bingo!”
Tick Tock fired another bolt, which Insipid not only blocked but
reflected. Tick Tock barely reacted in time to avoid her own bolt of energy.
She was rather astounded by the black unicorn’s sudden grasp of
competency.
Insipid giggled, “So, um, I got the hang of it now? Okay then Click
Clock-”
“Tick Tock!” the green unicorn snapped.
“Um... what-ever, who, like, cares? I’m, like, totally fresh and junk
now. So, like, let’s get back to it?”
~~~~~
“I’m gonna tear you to pieces you little worm!” Velvet snapped as she
threw Pinkie off of her.
“I’m not a worm, I’m a pony!” Pinkie stated matter-of-factly, “C’mon
Red, pay attention yeah?”
“Just shut up!” Velvet blurted. She charged in, but Pinkie just
sidestepped and held out a hoof, causing Velvet to trip and fall face-first
into the floor.
“Red Velvet!” Starlight’s voice bellowed into Velvet’s head, “What are
you doing?”
“I’m trying to beat this little idiot into the ground!” Velvet snapped
back, “What does it look like I’m doing?!”
“It would seem to me that you’re failing. Miserably I might add. What
happened to the merciless murdering monster that made father so
pleased?”
“Boss, I’m still a little weary from all this idiot’s antics, and I’m not
getting any better, especially when I’m limited in capacity. Maybe if I was
allowed to go for broke?”
“...very well,” Starlight’s voice answered, “I’m authorizing use of your
hemomancy... but no lethal force, understood?”
Velvet was elated, “You mean it boss? Oh thank you thank you thank
you! I’ll just graze her a few times, I promise. The threat of serious injury
should scare her good!”
“Are you done talking to yourself over there?” Pinkie raised an
eyebrow.
“Yes!” Velvet smirked, “And I’ve got a surprise for you!”
“A surprise? For me?! Oh boy, what is it?” Pinkie bounced.
Velvet grinned extremely wide as she forced her old wounds to
reopen, letting the blood soak into her coat and drip to the floor of the
cavern. Pinkie gawked in a confused mix of curiosity and worry.
“You... uh... you okay there, Red?” Pinkie blinked, “Do you need a
bandage or something?”
“Oh no, you see... I haven’t felt this good in days...” Velvet snickered.
The blood on the floor began to pool and collect, and then acted upon
her whims to attach to her seeping wounds and form great tendrils of the
grimy red liquid. She formed them into mighty blades that sliced through
the air, eager to be allowed to breathe again.
“Okay... that’s a surprise all right,” Pinkie nodded sagely, “Cool trick.
Ooh! When the bad guy gets a power up, we gotta switch to the boss
music!” She bounced over to the boom-box in a single bound, and clicked
the ‘Next’ button. The ambient music changed into a completely different
tune. Pinkie bounded back over to her original position. “There, that’s more
like it. As I was saying, cool trick Red!”
“Trick? Oh... oh you have no idea how much I’m going to enjoy this...”
Velvet breathed.
She leapt forward and swung a blade at Pinkie’s side; Pinkie stepped
away to avoid it. “Hey wow, you can move them around too? That’s neato!”
she giggled, “No really, cool trick Red!”
“Stop laughing! It’s not a trick, it’s not funny!” Velvet sneered.
She sliced the other one down and missed again; Pinkie simply
ducked under it. “Oooh, no really, these are super fancy. How much did
those run you anyway? I bet special effects like that aren’t cheap.”
“Shut up!” Velvet snapped, swinging her first blade back across.
Pinkie Pie didn’t even attempt to duck under this one, standing completely
still with no concept of what was about to happen.
Velvet gaped in shock as Pinkie’s head was lopped clean off and fell
to the floor, spurting visceral liquid all over Velvet’s face. Normally she’d
have taken great pleasure in the sensation, but this was not at all according
to plan. Velvet picked Pinkie’s severed head up in a frantic panic and
desperately tried to reattach it like a foal who’d just got caught breaking
their mother’s favorite glass ornament, getting more of the evidence all over
herself with every movement.. “Oh no... no no no no what did I do?! Ohhh
horseapples, the boss is gonna be soooo mad! She’s gonna send me to
the sun I just know it! Oh... oh no... what if daddy finds out? Oh... oh
horseapples... I am so-”
“Wow, so those things are real? Now that’s neato.”
Velvet looked, completely dumbfounded, behind her. Pinkie Pie stood
there with a firm, scrutinous gaze, as if examining the scene of a crime.
Velvet found herself reduced to nothing more than incoherent babbling
“How- but- you- I- huh?”
“I feel kinda bad though. You totally ruined my stunt double...” Pinkie
groaned, “Man, and that was my best one, too!”
“Stunt double?” Velvet did a double take. The head she held in her
hooves was made of what now felt like paper mache instead of flesh and
bone, and the blood she thought she’d seen and felt and even tasted a
second ago was clearly brown and gooey. Chocolate. “What is this I don’t
even-”
“Yeah, you have no idea how hard it’s been to lug that baby around,
and all the chocolate got melted in that dumb volcano! But in the long run,
hey, it was worth it. I just knew I’d find a use for my Pinkie Piñata! Or
should it be Piñata Pie? Pinkie Piñata? Piñata Pie? Pinkie Piñata? Piñata
Pie?”
Velvet’s eye twitched with such intensity that it threatened to leap off
her head. “SHUT! UUUUUUPPPPP!!!!” she bellowed, ripping apart Pinkie
Piñata Pie. She brandished another grouping of bladed and pointed tendrils
of blood and glared at the babbling party pony, “I don’t care what the boss
says! I’m going to tear you limb from limb you annoying, infuriating, idiotic
pink nusance!”
“Whoa there Red. Whoa. Take a chill pill,” Pinkie giggled, “You look
like you’re gonna pop a gasket!”
“STOP LAUGHING AT ME!”
Velvet’s blades sliced through the air as quickly as she could,
stabbing spikes wherever there was free room, but Pinkie Pie was deftly
dodging about like it was a foal’s game. “This is fun! I am getting a ton of
exercise! Gotta work that flank, girl! And step, and dodge, and step and
step and dodge. To the left-” She dodged left. “To the right-” She dodged
right. “Now everypony get down!” She ducked, avoiding a wide horizontal
sweep.
“SHUT UP!”
Velvet began swinging blades more and more haphazardly, causing
long lashes of blood to spew out across the floor of the cave and splatter
against walls. The more her anger dictated her actions, the less control she
seemed to have, and Pinkie’s enjoyment was making her appear visibly
tired. Pinkie managed to avoid every attack with almost no effort at all, and
got an absolute kick out of every second of it.
“Oof!” Pinkie tripped over a rock.
“Got you!” Velvet blurted triumphantly.
She swung the largest blade she could handle at Pinkie intent on
repeating her accident from earlier. She looked forward to feeling the
sensation of slicing through flesh and bone.
*CLANG*
Clang? Ponies don’t go clang. Velvet’s jaw slacked, and Pinkie wiped
her brow.
“Phew... wow, that was a close one!” Pinkie chuckled.
Velvet eyed, with great confusion and anger, the massive metal
sword that Pinkie held steady with one hoof, blocking what would have
otherwise been a very, very lethal blow. The sword was decorated in silvers
and golds and tiny red gems and looked much too heavy to be possible for
the pink party pony to be handling with two hooves, let alone the one she
was doing it with, and Velvet had to wonder, how was she even holding it to
begin with?!
“Where did you get that?” Velvet asked, dumbfounded.
“Chapter Twenty,” Pinkie nodded sagely.
“Chapter Twenty?”
“Chapter Twenty.”
“That’s not even funny! That doesn’t even make any sense!”
“Well it will be funny!” Pinkie defended, “Watch!” Pinkie went on the
offensive, swinging her sword with minor difficulty but incredible
effectiveness, much to Velvet’s surprise as she, for the first time in her
memory, had to play things defensively. “Ho! Haha! Guard! Turn! Parry!
Dodge! Spin! Ha! Thrust!”
Pinkie suddenly sporadically bounced backwards, her nose
scrunched up into her face like somepony had punched her. Velvet tried to
capitalize on it, but Pinkie’s sudden jarring movements trying to get her
nose un-scrunched were causing her to automatically avoid every attack
Velvet threw at her.
“Will you stop moving around?!” Velvet snapped. She struck again,
and Pinkie straightened up and blocked it effortlessly with the sword that
had somehow managed to reappear in her hoof.
“Hang on hang on,” Pinkie replied in a serious manner, “I’ve gotta
review this. I think I missed a step. Let’s see... ho, haha, guard, turn, parry,
dodge, spin, ha, thrust?” Her nose scrunched up again. “I just don’t know
where I’m going wrong!”
Velvet seethed with so much raw anger that her pupils were dilating.
“Stop having so much damn fun you stupid cow!”
“Pony. Not a cow. Hmph, right, and I’m the stupid one,” Pinkie rolled
her eyes, “Oh hey, check this out!”
“Will you shut- oof!” Velvet huffed. Pinkie had suddenly leapt into the
air with an astounding flip, and came crashing back down towards her with
great speed. Velvet raised her defenses as quickly as she could to protect
herself. The blade of metal slammed hard into the blades of blood. Velvet
flinched and staggered back, falling off balance and stumbling to the floor.
The impact of the blow had caused her to sink into the dirt floor ever so
slightly.
“Awww yeah! Critical hit!” Pinkie cheered as she twirled the sword
around her head, “Da dada da da da, ba ba baaaa!”
“Stop doing that!” Velvet screamed as she charged in again, blood
flailing about in a tremendous rage.
~~~~~
Rainbow Dash avoided another barrage of bullet-like fireballs with
about as much effort as it took to take an everyday nap. It was hard not to
find this too easy. Every miss was about as wide as a large house, and
Rainbow Dash made that fact clear to Havocwing.
“You couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn with that aim, hot head!”
Rainbow taunted.
“Shut up! I’ll hit your barn!” Havocwing sputtered as she let loose
another volley.
“Hey, that was a good one! Real Grade-A material there, torchy!”
“Shut your bucking face already and let me hit you!”
“Whoa-ho, you kiss your dad with that mouth?”
Havocwing’s fireballs were getting bigger and bigger to the point that
instead of leaving scorch marks on the walls every time she missed, they
blew pieces apart. Rainbow Dash had begun to loop circles around her by
this point, and Havocwing was missing by increasingly wider margins every
cycle.
“You’ve gotta run outta juice eventually there, Havoc,” Rainbow
taunted again, “Just give it up, you can’t catch me! Fastest pegasus alive!
You’d have to fly like a jet to keep up with me!”
Havocwing seethed, “And you’ve gotta run out of gas eventually,
crash-master!” Wait a second, Havocwing thought. Jet? Jet. A wicked smile
crept across her face. “Oh Rainbow Da-ash, I think it’s time for a new
game!”
She fired a rapid-fire volley as close to Rainbow as she could,
causing the cyan pegasus to alter course and stop looping around,
breaking outwards and trying to regain some distance. Havocwing’s grin
widened even more considerably as she gave chase.
“New? Oh c’mon, this is the same thing you tried before!” Rainbow
mocked behind her, “But hey, if at first you don’t succeed, right?”
“You think you’re so fast, let’s see you stay ahead of me now!”
Havocwing taunted.
She clicked her hooves together, all of them, and kindled a flame in
each. The flames started off small, then grew larger and larger as she
focused on them. With a loud burst, the flames exploded into jets of
superheated fire, propelling her forward like a tiny, angry, foul-mouthed
rocket.
“What the-” Rainbow blurted as she chanced a glance behind her.
She swore silently to herself. She was flying as fast as she could
inside the cavern. She cursed the fact that of course they had to take the
cavern system, where she was extremely limited. The tight quarters
prevented her from flying as fast as she was capable, and even if
maneuverability wasn’t a factor she was certain she couldn’t rightly pull off
her fastest speeds without risking triggering a Rainboom and bringing down
the whole mountain.
“Not so fast now, are ya?!” Havocwing called.
Her voice was closer than ever, and she wasn’t bothering to shoot off
any fireballs now. She crept closer and closer, taking advantage of her
superior speed and, due to having four engines and wings, superior
maneuverability.
She caught up with Rainbow Dash a few moments later.
“Gotcha!”
And tackled her as hard as she could with a final great burst of speed
from her make-shift rocket engine.
“Buck off!” Rainbow spat as she tried to kick out of Havocwing’s grip.
“See you on the ground, Rainbow Crash!” Havocwing smirked.
Havocwing charged up a great amount of heat and caused a
reverberating explosion. The sound ricocheted off the walls of the cave like
cannon fire. The force of the explosion was enough to send Rainbow Dash
screeching like a bullet straight towards the cavern floor, and crashed hard
into the ground, a smoldering wreck.
~~~~~
Pinkie Pie’s eyes flickered up to wear the sound originated from. She
saw a too-familiar figure rocket towards the ground, a trail of smoke and
sparks behind her.
“Dashie?!” she blurted. She instantly and without warning completely
abandoned the fight with Velvet, right in the middle of a fierce clash
between them, causing the other pink pony to fall face-first to the ground
again.
“You pink idiot! Where do you think... you’re...” Velvet suddenly
stopped. It was a tiny, tiny little spark, but it was there. And it felt so. So.
Good. A massive grin spread across her face, threatening to tear her face
in half. “Jackpot...”
Pinkie bounded with unsurpassable speed in the direction of
Rainbow’s crash site. As she passed by a large ring of boulders, she called
inside it, “Twilight! Dashie’s hit! I need you over here, stat!”
“A little busy here, Pinkie!” Twilight called from the other end,
projecting another barrier to protect herself, Applejack, and Flathoof from
another strike from Grayscale.
“Twilight!” Pinkie called with a mix of anger and desperation.
“Okay okay, I’ll be over in a moment, just let me get an opening
here...”
“Go on, Twi,” Applejack assured her, “We’ll keep this feather-head
distracted fer as long as y’all need.” She and Flathoof had to leap aside to
avoid another crushing stomp.
“Yeah, not much else we can do but distract,” Flathoof panted as he
shook himself to his feet.
Twilight nodded and blasted her way out of the rocky barrier and
followed behind Pinkie Pie, who was several yards away from Rainbow
Dash. She chanced a glance skyward. Havocwing was making a beeline
right for Rainbow.
And suddenly Havocwing stopped, feet away from her target. Another
pony had arrived on the scene.
“Dammit Red, you already have a target!” Havocwing blurted, “Get
out of my way, she’s mine!”
“Back off,” Velvet said clearly and plainly.
“Red! That one’s mi-”
“I said,” Velvet turned around slowly, “BACK OFF!”
Havocwing turned white, horror screaming through every fiber of her
being. She gulped so loud that even the rapidly approaching Pinkie and
Twilight could hear it. “R-r-right, I’ll just... g-go pick somepony else then...
yeah... d-d-don’t sweat it, Red...” And she fluttered off weakly, hoping to
take a moment to gather her wits before getting back into anything.
“Now then,” Velvet smiled wide, “Where was I? Oh yes! Hi there
Dashie!” she chirped happily down at the cyan pegasus who was beginning
to come to.
“W-wha?” Rainbow blinked in a stupor, “P-Pinkie? Is that you?”
“Aww, it’s sweet that you would think that. I'm touched!” Velvet
chuckled as she brandished a great deal of blades and spikes and aimed
them down at Rainbow Dash, who blinked in confusion, “I'd imagine having
your last memory being of your little cuddlebuddy tearing you apart would
be just dreadful. Dreadfully delicious.”
“You get away from my Dashie!” Pinkie cried, leaping forward to
tackle Velvet. The two tumbled and fell and rolled several yards away from
Rainbow.
“What’s the matter, Pinkie?” Velvet grinned as she allowed the other
pink pony to draw her further away. “Scared?”
The opportunity was enough for Twilight to get in and cast a shield
over herself and Rainbow Dash.
“Hang on, Rainbow,” Twilight said quickly, “You’ll be fine in a sec,
okay?”
“Y-yeah,” Rainbow coughed, “Ugh... my head is killing me. Where’d
Pinks go?”
“She’s fighting off that Velvet character,” Twilight explained, “Just
relax okay? This might sting a little...”
“Back off! Nopony hurts my friends!” Pinkie shouted, swinging her
sword wildly. Velvet found that blocking the attacks was growing easier
every time now. It wasn’t hard to maneuver the fight towards the walls of
the cave and take on a passive offense, making Pinkie back away into a
corner without much effort on her part by simply pressing onwards but not
actually attacking.
“Awww... it seems I struck a nerve, my dear, dear Pinkie Pie. Don’t
worry. When I’m done with you, you won’t be able to care what I do to your
friends.”
“Shut up!” Pinkie challenged again, “You’ll have to get through me
first!” Her voice was shaky. Velvet’s grin widened, and she let the aura of
fear drape around her. Her eyes began to glow a dim red, and darkness
flowed outwards from her body like a vapor.
“Oooh, I hope so!” Velvet teased. “First, I’ll tear you into itty-bitty
shreds.” She slashed a blade at Pinkie and nicked her coat ever so slightly,
making Pinkie wince and put a hoof to it. When she drew it back - blood.
“But you’re just an appetizer! When I’m done with you, I’ll move on to the
main course! I’ll enjoy a nice plate of Applejack steak-” she sliced again,
just barely nicking skin under fur. “With a side of Flutter-fries, dripping with
Rarity sauce-” Brandished a tendril like a club and struck hard at Pinkie’s
side, knocking her down. “All accompanied by a fine little glass of Twilightblood wine! It sounds so delectable! And the best part is the dessert...
oooh, but what ever shall I do with dear Rainbow Dash? Maybe I’ll chop
your precious ‘Dashie’ up into tiny little bite-sized bits...”
Pinkie swung wildly in an attempt to fight back, and missed terribly.
“Stop it!”
“No no, that’s too simple, too boring. Where’s the pizazz? The flair?
The best part about the dessert is the presentation, wouldn't you agree?
Hmm, maybe a Rainbow Dash flambé? Oh, but I’d have to get Havoc’s
help for that and I don’t think she’d have the stomach for a sample...”
Velvet’s eyes grew redder, and her pupils began to dilate and turn a deep
black.
Pinkie thrust forward, “Shut up! Stop talking about-”
“Oooh, or maybe I’ll see how she tasted baked into... cupcakes!” She
held a hoof to her mouth in delight, “Wouldn’t that be just swell? Look, it
even matches my Cutie Mark! It’s perfect!” Her eyes were totally red now,
glowing with frightening intensity and oozing a black unworldly stuff.
“Maybe you could lend a hoof or two? You look like you’d be good at
helping me make some!”
“I said shut up!” Pinkie swung so wildly this time that she lost her grip
on her sword, causing it to fly a great distance and bury itself in the cavern
wall.
“Yes yes yes, I definitely think that’s probably the best way to go
about it. Cupcakes! Delicious little Rainbow Dash-flavored cupcakes! Why,
I’m so excited thinking about it, I might just break into song! Let’s see... first
though, we need some new background music, don’t you think? What was
that you said about the ‘bad guy’ getting a power up? Hmmm...”
A single tendril of Velvet’s blood snapped across the cavern all the
way to Pinkie’s boom-box and clicked a button labeled ‘USE ONLY IN
CASE OF ROCK-OUT EMERGENCY’. The boom-box churned and
sputtered, and then changed to a completely different tune.
“Oooh, that’s the good stuff right there,” Velvet sagely nodded, “Okay,
let’s see, now... how did that song go? Oh yes... ahem!
♫ All you have to do is take a cup of-”
Pinkie leapt to her feet and stared wide-eyed, “Heeyyy... t-that’s my
song! You don’t get to mess with my songs!” She tried to be as intimidating
as possible, but this amounted to very little.
“Oh is it? Well I like my version better. Perfect to sing along to while
I’m ripping apart your friends! Now then, don’t interrupt!” Velvet taunted as
she knocked Pinkie back down.
“♫ All you have to do is take a cup of blood-”
A shot of pain went through Pinkie’s head, and she caught a vision of
Applejack laying in a pool of her own blood. Pinkie backed away slowly.
How did Velvet do that? She didn’t like it when other ponies were messing
with her head.
“♫ Add it to the mix
Now just take a little something sweet, not sour
A bit of flesh, just an inch-”
Another flash of pain, and Pinkie could vividly see Fluttershy and
Rarity’s bodies, large sections of their coats and skin stripped away.
“♫ Baking these treats is such a cinch
Add a teaspoon of intestine-”
Another pained sensation. Twilight Sparkle, disemboweled. Pinkie
resisted the urge to vomit with all her might.
“♫ Add a little more, and you count to four
And you never get a fillin’
Of cupcakes! So sweet and tasty-”
Rainbow Dash... or what was left of her, in little bite-sized chunks...
“♫ Cupcakes! Don't be too hasty-”
...being added into a pastry dish...
“♫ Cupcakes! Cupcakes cupcakes CUPCAKES!!!”
And finally served on a plate as a display of cupcakes, decorated with
multi-colored frosting and topped with little emblems shaped like her Cutie
Mark.
“Shut up! Shut up shut up shut up! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!” Pinkie
yelled.
“Aww, and here I thought you’d be glad I wanted to serve dessert!”
Velvet chortled, her power growing by the second. It was an impossible
sound that chilled Pinkie Pie down to the bone.
~~~~~
Twilight shivered, “Whoa... d-did it just get really cold all of a
sudden?”
Rainbow Dash, who was steadily coming to her hooves, nodded, “Yyeah... wow it’s l-like I just s-stepped out into a b-b-blizzard...”
The bright colors of the surrounding cavern began to dim. Twilight
looked around in concern. “W-w-what the-” she turned to Starlight, “W-what
does s-s-she th-think she’s... d-d-doing?” Starlight’s horn was glowing as
bright as ever, but it seemed that darkness was swallowing up the rest of
the light in the room and covering her like a veil.
Ha! Ha ha ha haaaa!
Twilight and Rainbow Dash froze in terror.
“W-w-what the hell was that?” Rainbow Dash gulped.
~~~~~
Applejack dodged aside from another crashing stomp from
Grayscale, and again when she attempted to buck the pegasus said
pegasus just dodged away deftly.
“Y’all ‘re really gettin’ on mah nerves!” Applejack spat, “Stop flyin'
'round up there an' come down here and f-fight l-l-like a- dang it j-jus' got cc-cold all o’ a s-s-sudden!”
Flathoof nodded in response, struggling to his feet after being
knocked aside. “W-w-why is it g-g-getting so d-dark?” he chattered.
Grayscale took back to the air and prepared to flick her wings again,
but instead just stared down at them as if there was something strikingly
curious about the whole thing.
Ha ha haaa ha haaaa!
Applejack and Flathoof suddenly drew close to one another, back to
back.
“W-w-was t-that y-you?” Applejack gulped.
“N-n-nnnope,” Flathoof shuddered.
~~~~~
“You know,” Lockwood groaned as he got to his feet, “I think you
were right - it was stupid of me to think we could talk this out.”
“Yup,” Havocwing nodded, “You’re just lucky the boss said no lethal
force. All that trying to be all cordial and crap? Not cool, bro.”
“It was worth a try,” Lockwood sighed, running a hoof through his
singed mane, “Can’t blame a g-guy for t-try- w-whoa it j-just got r-really c-ccold. The h-h-hay?”
Havocwing smiled nervously, “Cold? What? Dude, you’ve still got
burn marks on your stupid shirt, how can you be cold?”
“W-w-what?” Lockwood raised an eyebrow, “I d-d-didn’t q-quite c-ccatch that. S-s-say again?”
Havocwing looked incensed and started shouting, but Lockwood
couldn’t hear a thing, and soon enough he began to lose sight of
Havocwing altogether. He took a step forward. “W-w-what the-” A sudden
terrifying thought made him turn behind him. Fluttershy. Oh no, he couldn’t
see her either. “F-Fluttershy? Fluttershy?! FLUTTERSHY?!”
A familiar voice chattered, “L-L-L-Lockw-w-wood?”
“F-Fluttershy? Is t-that you?! W-w-where are you?!”
Ha ha! Haaaaa ha ha ha haaa haaaa!
“Oh... t-that was d-d-definitely not F-Fluttershy...” he gulped.
~~~~~
Tick Tock blocked another few bolts of magic from Insipid, reflecting
them in random directions. She stood careful guard over Rarity, who was
panting heavily and trying to get back to her feet.
“Like, this is getting so boring,” Insipid yawned, “It’s like, um, I just
shoot and you just block and nothing else happens? I mean, like,
eventually you’re gonna run out of magic before I do? “
Tick Tock shivered and raised an eyebrow and looked at Rarity, “Tthe b-b-bloody hell d-did she say? And w-w-when d-did it g-get so bbleedin’ c-c-cold?!”
Rarity tucked herself defensively into a ball, “Oh... m-m-my... it’s f-f-ffreezing!”
Haaa ha ha! Haaa ha ha ha ha ha haaa haaaahaaa!
Tick Tock looked around in a panic, “Oh b-b-bugger, w-w-what was tthat?”
~~~~~
Red Velvet’s grin widened and her eyes started to roll back into her
head. “Oh... you have no idea how good this feels...” she breathed,
“There’s so much of it... so much fear. So much terror. And just think! I
have you to thank for it all!“ Velvet pat Pinkie gently on the head.
“S-s-stop it,” Pinkie shivered, “I w-won’t let you h-hurt them...”
Velvet sneered, “Still have some resolve in you, do you? Oh dear,
that is most troubling. But oh! I have just the most delicious idea! See, I
figure that if you’re dead, your friends will be even more terrified! It’ll be a
veritable smorgasbord of dread! And orgy of horror! Oooh, I’m getting that
giddy feeling again. I’ve just gotta sing!”
Pinkie felt herself lifted to the air by tendrils of Velvet’s blood. “L-l-let
me d-down!” she snapped. A tendril wrapped itself around one of her hind
legs and gripped with so much force that Pinkie gave a squeak in muffled
pain.
“And just for you,” Velvet grinned, eyes red and teeth fanged, “I’m
gonna go reeeaaalll slow. Ahem...
♫ You stick your left... leg... in...”
Pinkie squirmed as hard as she could to get out of the death grip her
leg was in, and winced as a sharp pain shot through it. It felt like a deep,
penetrating cold was reaching through right into her bones. She squealed
in pain as the cold grip began to tug.
“♫ I rip your left... leg... out...”
Chapter Seventeen
Insubordination
“♫ I rip your left... leg... out...”
Velvet yanked and jerked at Pinkie Pie’s leg, eagerly awaiting the
satisfying sensation and sound of bone and flesh snapping and ripping
apart under the pressure of her empowered bloody appendage. She’d
wanted to do this for days now, a nagging fantasy in the back of her head
that now was made manifest. The eagerness she felt made her salivate
uncontrollably. The terror in the air was absolutely palpable, from not just
the problematic pink pinhead but from all of her weak and helpless friends
as well. She drank in their worries and fears like the liquid sustenance it
was, letting it flow and strengthen her body and mind to levels she never
imagined she was capable of. Scaring one little simpleton of a pony like
Jetstream had been nothing, nothing, compared to what it felt like to terrify
an entire group of ponies that were much more powerful than he was. She
could almost taste the blood flowing through Pinkie’s veins, and she could
certainly feel it pulsing rapidly through her grip. She was going to enjoy
every second ofSuddenly, her tendril split apart inches away from Pinkie, and all the
blood that was gripping the party pony evaporated into thin air with a hiss.
Pinkie fell to the floor with a pained groan, and almost immediately began
to struggle to get upright. Velvet drew the corroded tendril in question to her
face and scrutinized it with intense confusion. At the split, the blood
appeared to be burning, sizzling away like oil in a pan. She could feel a
stinging pain coming from it, something she was quite unused to.
“Weird...” she blinked, “What gives? Hmmm... oh well! You know
what they say, if at first you don’t succeed,” she lashed the tendril
outwards, “Try, try again!”
It was deflected away the second it got within inches of Pinkie’s
cringing form, and this time Velvet winced audibly as the burning sensation
ripped straight through it and shot directly into her body. The appendage
itself sputtered and spat as it collapsed under an unseen pressure,
splashing harmlessly to the floor. She tried again with another lash. Same
result, only the burning was more intense and the blood didn’t just fizzle
and die, it burst apart and painted the surrounding area a deep red.
“WHAT? IS? HAPPENING?!” she boomed, lashing multiple tendrils
out all at once.
They all crashed only a few scant inches away from her this time,
exploding around her and coating her with her own visceral fluids. They’d
slammed directly into a spherical barrier that glowed a silvery-purple that
now surrounded her like a prison, sparkling and bright, a shimmering
beacon in the purest black that filled the cavern. From the darkness around
her, a figure pierced the veil with a bright silver light and stepped to the
edge of the barrier. Starlight Shadow was not at all pleased.
“Red Velvet,” she said firmly, “I do believe you have had your fill of
excitement for the day. Stand down.”
Velvet glared with such a fiery intensity that her reddened eyes
shimmered with anger, black pupils dilating to tiny specks and the black
ooze that had been seeping from them bubbling and popping like boiling
goo. “Boss? What in Equestria are you doing? I’m so close. So. Close! I
can taste her fear... I can taste her blood! Let me out this instant! I need
this, boss, I need to satisfy this urge.”
“Velvet,” Starlight stared, “Calm yourself. You are out of control. Have
you forgotten who you are? What we came here to do? You would throw all
that away for the temporary satisfaction of such a base desire?”
Velvet gnashed her teeth together and lashed out at the barrier, “How
dare you?! LET ME OUT!”
She ignored the intense burning the barrier was causing her, bashing
blades and spikes against it in an attempt to cut through. The barrier
flickered and sparked in places, weakening steadily from the assault. The
more she lashed out against it, the more her bloodied tendrils seemed to
keep their integrity. She could see Pinkie Pie huddling behind Starlight,
staring at her like she was some unfathomable beast come to destroy
everything she held dear. Velvet so desperately wanted to see that fear
made real that she was using up all of her reserves, dizzying herself from
the loss of blood. She would break through Starlight’s prison of light and
drown that infuriating idiot of a party pony in so much blood that she’d
never breathe again, or die trying.
Starlight raised an eyebrow and grit her teeth, “It would appear that
you have engorged yourself with such an abundance of terror that you’ve
grown in power, almost exponentially it would appear. I can see now why
father saw potential in you. You really are a murderous psychopath, so
determined to slaughter and terrify that you would even stand up against
my authority.”
She strengthened her magical charge, causing her horn to shine
brighter. The barrier reinforced itself, gaining in luster and its texture
becoming a complex honeycomb network of magical plates that bounced
and rebounded as Velvet struck at them. With every strike, every slash,
every blow, the barrier adjusted itself to the pressure and tightened itself
accordingly. A Barrier Prison spell at its finest, guaranteed to ensure that
whoever or whatever was contained within would be contained with
absolute certainty.
“Shut your stupid mouth and let me out you worthless coward! Are
you afraid to see what I can do! ARE YOU?!“
Starlight frowned dejectedly, “Dear sister... I really cannot allow you
to speak to me in such a manner. Need I remind you that I’m the one father
placed into this position of authority? I am the all-powerful one. I do not fear
you, no matter how strong you think you may have become. And I will not
say this again. Stand. Down. Now.”
Velvet roared from inside the bubble and even began to bash her
own body against it. “I’ll tear you apart! I’ll tear you all apart!” she shouted
in the direction of her other comrades, who she could see through the
darkness had gathered themselves in formation behind her.
They all eyed her with trepidation. None of them knew she contained
so much furious power when left unchecked, but truth be told they were all
a little more frightened of Starlight Shadow now. They’d heard countless
times from the unicorn that the power she wielded was beyond their
comprehension, and that if forced to use it against them they would regret
it.
Starlight narrowed her eyes and shook her head, “If you won’t stand
down of your own accord, then you leave me little choice Velvet. I cannot
allow a challenge to my authority to go unanswered.”
Starlight rooted her hooves into the cavern floor, and briskly
channeled her magic through her horn. Within moments, the entire cave
began to regain its luster, and the chill was removed from the air as
Starlight overpowered Velvet’s horror-inducing ambiance. Velvet herself
began to shrink back into the bubble, flinching away as the edges touched
her and snapped at her body with such intensity that it fired sparks
outwards beyond the bubble’s rapidly constricting reach.
Starlight turned to Pinkie Pie, here eyes aglow with white fire, “Go on,
whelp. Return to your friends. This one won’t cause you any more grief
today.”
Pinkie didn’t even think to argue, and rushed as quickly as she could
with her severe limp to where Rainbow Dash and Twilight were recovering.
She crushed Rainbow Dash in a hug that knocked the pegasus off balance,
burying her face into Rainbow’s mane and crying with all her might.
Genuine tears of the purest sadness and worry, more so than she’d ever
shed before.
“Oh Dashie...” she sniffed, “I s-saw things... she m-made me see
things...”
“Hey... relax, Pinks,” Rainbow replied weakly, “I’m here now, you’ll
be-”
“Not me Dashie... you! All of you!” Pinkie sobbed, “Oh Celestia... it
was horrible! You were all... d-dead! I... I can’t get the visions out of my
head...”
“Come on, Pinks...” Rainbow smirked, “Nothing’s gonna make me
kick the bucket just yet. Take it easy...”
Applejack, Flathoof, Tick Tock, and the others all staggered and
trotted and limped over as well and took positions around Twilight, who
stood upright and simply stared at Starlight Shadow. Rarity was limp and
weak, barely able to stay upright at all and leaning on Applejack of all
ponies for support, making the rough and tumble earth pony, who was
busying adjusting her hat back on her head, a mite nervous.
“The hay happened ta ya, Rarity?” Applejack blinked, “Y’all don’t look
so good.”
“I’m... oh my...” Rarity breathed weakly, “I feel like... I nearly had the...
the life drained... right out of me...”
“Well... at least you’re still breathin’, right?” Applejack smiled weakly,
“And hey now, at least yer dress don’t look like it got hurt none. That’s
somethin’, ain’t it?”
“Well...” Rarity groaned as she looked herself over, “At least... there’s
that...”
Flathoof raised an eyebrow, “The hay happened to you, Lockwood?”
“Walked into a furnace, it would seem,” Lockwood coughed, brushing
his shirt to rid it of burnt flecks, “Remind me to pack fireproof clothing next
time.” He ran a hoof through his singed mane and also tried to wipe some
of the ash marks from his face. He truly did look like he’d gone and walked
straight into a furnace.
He supported a trembling Fluttershy with a wing, a wing that the other
pegasus took to with a frightened zeal, desperate to have somepony,
anypony, close by to keep her away from the encroaching darkness that
was no longer there. She shivered and shook with worrying intensity. The
cold from that horrible experience was making her feel weak. Her legs were
numb and she could barely feel her wings at all. Her eyes darted rapidly
around the cave, desperate to make sure nothing was going to sneak up on
her again.
“Is everypony okay?” Twilight asked, not averting her gaze from
Starlight’s brightly glowing figure, which gained luminosity by the second.
Twilight was as determined and focused as ever, but now was more
concerned with the incredible amount of power she could sense. She’d
been able to detect Starlight’s impressive magical force before, but
Starlight was always keeping it under wraps, preferring instead to relegate
her duties to the others of her party. Even when the unicorn had illuminated
the entire cavern, the magic had been minuscule and unreadable. But now
that it was here, out in the open, Twilight was staggered. She’d never felt
anything like it in all her years, and this included seeing Princess Celestia
at work in raising the sun.
“As we’re ever gonna be,” Rainbow groaned as she flexed her wings,
“Thanks for the fix-up, Twi... I still hurt like hell, but hey, at least they work.”
Pinkie watched in worry, making gestures with her hooves as if she wanted
to force Rainbow to keep her wings tucked in and out of danger.
“Nopony else is hurt or anything, are they?” Lockwood asked,
bringing Fluttershy over to Applejack and, specifically, Rarity. The unicorn
smiled weakly and nodded to Fluttershy, who hesitated to get out from
under Lockwood’s wing but did at the very least nod back in response.
Rarity was relieved that Fluttershy was thankfully physically unharmed,
relatively speaking, and regretted that in her current state she wasn’t able
to do more to comfort her.
“I think we could all use a little patch-up...” Flathoof said as he
cracked his neck, “Yes, I definitely wish I was in better shape.”
“What the hay was all that?” Applejack asked.
“That,” Starlight called over, “Was just a taste of the power my dear
sister is capable of when she is operating at her peak, it would seem.
Absolutely outstanding. If only she could learn some self-control, isn’t that
right, Velvet?”
Velvet nodded with disdain from inside the bubble, “Yes...”
“Now, are you prepared to behave yourself and return to formation?
Or am I required to continue my display and prove to you why father
entrusted me to keep you all in line?”
“Yes... sir...”
“Good.” She released the barrier, and Velvet walked with a
melancholy gait back over to the others who all, including Grayscale Force,
took a step or two back and away from her. Starlight turned back to
Twilight’s group, her horn still glowing as bright as a star and her body
brimming with power. “Well then, Sparkle, you’ve witnessed merely a
sampling of what my subordinates are capable of. Their power against
yours is already insurmountable even when specifically ordered to utilize
less than their fullest might. But even all of them combined together with
the full capacities of their powers at their disposal does not compare to the
might that I can wield with but a fraction of my full potential.” She channeled
more force into her spell, causing the entire cavern to shine brighter than
ever, light reflecting off of one gem after another until the cave was shining
a brilliant white.
“Whoa... um... can the rest of you feel that too?” Rainbow gulped as
she and Pinkie backed into the rest of the group who were all also huddling
closer together.
“Yeah...” Applejack nodded, “What in tarnation?”
Twilight turned to them, “What? You guys are joking, right? Only
unicorns can physically sense another unicorn’s magic. Unless...” She
turned to Starlight again, “Oh... oh dear...”
“Do you understand now, Sparkle?” Starlight smirked, “More power
than anypony even in their wildest dreams could ever hope to imagine, and
only a pony with my capacity could possibly contain it. You possess a
similar force hidden deep within you. I can sense it, I can taste it, but you
lack the resolve to tap it. You are afraid of what this kind of power will grant
you, afraid at what you may become. But this is the might you must have to
even attempt the eastern Wasteland, to have any hope of crossing
anything and everything beyond. This is the power your party lacks. Allow
me to demonstrate!”
“This whole spiel sounds awfully familiar, don’t you all think?”
Rainbow Dash muttered to Applejack.
“I reckon it does...” Applejack sighed, “Only this’n looks like she can
dang well back up her boastin’...”
“And she certainly doesn’t look like she’s going to be creating flowers
out of thin air, either,” Rarity added.
More power raged loose from Starlight’s horn almost as if of its own
will rather than hers, causing arcs of black and purple magic to dance out
around her like lightning and fire. It hummed and churned in the air,
causing the hairs on the necks of everypony present to stand on end;
Starlight’s own party all stood with resolve behind her, speaking to one
another in hushed and eager tones. Twilight’s party, on the other hoof,
gathered closer together in anxious worry.
Tick Tock suddenly felt a buzzing sensation in her chest pocket. She
took out her mentor’s Time Keeper as quickly as she could, curious as to
what was making it react. A dim green light shined forth from the crack in
the hinge. She opened it and her eyes widened. “No... no, that can’t be
true. That’s simply not possible...” she whispered to herself. She did a
double-take between the watch and Starlight Shadow, using her magic to
twist knobs and adjust buttons. “This blasted thing’s just old. There’s no
way this is right...”
Starlight’s power wafted further out. They could all feel it now, and the
power was causing the ground to break beneath her hooves. Lightning
cracked forth from her horn and snapped against the cavern walls,
loosening rock and gemstone alike and shattering them to pieces. Dust and
dirt crumbled from the ceiling and they could feel the rumbling of the earth
beneath them.
Twilight stepped forward and said nervously, “Okay, okay... you made
your point. That’s a lot of magic and you and your friends are more than
enough of a match for us. Can we just drop all this and-”
“You still do not seem to understand, Sparkle,” Starlight grinned wide,
“I claimed I would demonstrate to you what true power is. I am not
finished!”
More and more magic seethed out of her with enough intensity to
actually began to crack and explode in the air around her. Twilight leapt
back as a bolt of magical energy lashed out to where she’d been standing,
ripping apart the earth like it was paper. The entire cavern began to shake
now with unmatched ferocity, causing rocks and gems to fall entirely of
their own accord. They gravitated towards the field of powerful energy
radiating from Starlight, crumbling to pieces as they drew close.
Twilight called with deep worry, “Starlight, enough! You’re going to
bring down the whole mountain on top of us!”
“I assure you that if that should occur I possess more than enough
capability to shield us all from harm! And when I am through here, you will
beg me to allow us to escort you! You will wish you’d never dared show
such insolence to a goddess amongst ponies!” Starlight laughed loudly,
“Oh it feels good to be able to let this all loose again!”
Tick Tock watched her stopwatch suddenly turn from green to a
bright and alarming red. She looked at Starlight Shadow with a sudden
understanding. With a determined frown and a shake of her head, she
began hurriedly adjusting dials again.
Rainbow stepped forward, “Twilight, she’s gone nuts! Do something!”
Twilight gulped, “I don’t think I can...”
“What d’ya mean ya don’t think ya can?” Applejack chimed in, “Y’all
‘re the Element of Magic. Show her what’s what!”
“I... I...”
“Twilight... darling,” Rarity pleaded, “If there was ever a time for you
to be concerned with showing off, now is not that time!”
“There’s... there’s too much...” Twilight said flatly, “I don’t have that
kind of power...”
“She just said you do!” Rainbow blurted, “You just gotta have faith in
it! Use it! This ain’t like that time with Trixie, Twi, this is seriously serious!”
Twilight shook her head, “I... I can’t...”
Tick Tock stepped forward with a confident stride, “Allow me.”
Everypony in Twilight’s group blinked.
“What?” Twilight said first.
“Trust me, Sparkle,” Tick Tock smiled, “I’ll get us out of this.” She
stepped forward further until she was mere feet away from the vortex of
magical power and stared straight at Starlight Shadow, the smuggest grin
possible spread across her face. “I say, Starlight? It would seem that we
might have a teensy little problem here.”
“Yes?” Starlight raised an eyebrow, “What is it you pitiful plebeian?”
“Well you see, this magic of yours? It’s bloody impressive and all, but
I can see clearly now it’s all just for show. I have to admit, your
Attitudinizing magic is exceptional. You really had me going for a minute.”
Twilight hissed in a panic, “Tick Tock what are you doing? That is not
a Atti-”
“Hush now, Sparkle,” Tick Tock smirked, “I’ve seen my fair share of
Attitudinizing spells, and I think I know when somepony is using one or not.
Fabulous stuff, that.”
“How dare you question me?!” Starlight glared, “You think this is
merely an illusion? You miserable little imbecile, this is the rawest magic
imaginable at its absolute finest!”
“Oh yes yes, sure it is,” Tick Tock yawned, “Like I said, very good
display of Attitudinizing magic, easily one of the better ones I’ve seen. See
though, the thing is while it’s very impressive, I’ve seen better.”
“This is not an... ‘Attitudinizing’ spell or whatever it is you’re saying!”
Starlight huffed. She turned to her comrades, “Curaçao, explain to this
imbecile that this is not an Attitudinizing spell!”
“I... oh...” Curaçao hesitated, “I ‘ave no idea what zat even is, ma
capitaine.”
“Ooh ohh!” Insipid waved a hoof, “Does it have something to do with,
like, attitudes?!”
“I would assume so,” Curaçao sighed, hoof to face.
“What do you mean you don’t know what it is?” Starlight snapped.
“Y’all got any idea what they all ‘re yammerin’ on ‘bout?” Applejack
asked Rainbow Dash in the moment of distraction.
Rainbow replied, “Not a clue. Attitudinizing sounds like some madeup word though.”
Rarity made a dainty little cough and drew their attention. Applejack
rolled her eyes and leaned over to Rarity. “I s’pose y’all know what’s what,
then? So... the hay is a ‘Aduzatta... Attinuzeday...’ the word Tick Tock
keeps sayin’. What kinda spell is it?”
“Attitudinizing. It’s kind of like... oh dear, what is it you rough and
tumble earth ponies do? It certainly doesn’t work very well if I can’t
remember it. Perhaps pegasi would be a better example. Rainbow, you’re a
pegasus. You know how, sometimes, you might... um... ‘show off’ your
wings? Like really show them off?”
Rainbow made a noise halfway between a nervous laugh and a
defeated sigh, “Yeah... yeah. I know.”
Applejack raised an eyebrow,“Y’all mean... like when they get all stiff
‘n’ stuff?”
“Yes, that’s it. That’s a physical form of ‘attitudinizing’, or at least
that’s a term used for medical or magical purposes, as far as I can tell. I
understand pegasi tend to use another name,” Rarity continued brightly,
“Isn’t that right Rainbow Dash?”
Rainbow coughed nervously into her hooves “wngbnr”
“Well, it’s sort of a courting gesture, understand?” Rarity winked.
“Wait,” Rainbow held up a hoof, “You’re all just yankin’ my chain,
right? No way that’s a real word. Attitudinizing? Really? You had me goin’
for a minute there, guys. Good one.”
Twilight rolled her eyes and groaned, “Oh... it’s a real word all right.
Look it up when we get back home.”
“So, Starlight is flirting with her?” Rainbow blinked, “Wait... Tick
Tock’s seen better?”
“I know, right?” Tick Tock smirked back, “Like I said, I’m not
impressed.”
“I am doing no such thing!” Starlight screamed, her face a furious red,
“This is not a-”
“Dreadfully sorry, Starlight dear, but you’re not my type!” Tick Tock
called, “I’m sure you’re just the rage back in the city though! Bet the
stallions just come for miles!”
“Oh Celestia she’s gonna get us all killed,” Rainbow Dash put a hoof
to her face.
“Was that double entendre what I think it was?” Rarity blinked, “Good
heavens... most unladylike...”
“Hell hath no fury like a mare scorned,” Lockwood gulped, “If you all
don’t mind, I think I’m prepared to switch into ‘panic’ mode now. Anypony
want to join me?”
“Right with you there, old friend,” Flathoof nodded.
“Tick Tock!” she snapped, “What in Equestria do you think you’re
doing?!”
Tick Tock ignored her, “In fact Starlight, I’d go as far to say that I don’t
think you can do much else with this fancy little display. Bloody shame that,
but there it is. I bet you’d be great for foals’ birthday parties though, this is
easily more impressive than any bleedin’ clown I’ve ever seen. You would
make some little colt or filly very happy, you know? Or maybe you’re more
suited to adult parties? Wink wink, nudge nudge?”
“You can’t be serious,” Starlight said flatly, “You are serious. How
droll.”
“Very serious, in fact,” Tick Tock smiled, “Where did you get your
training, by the way? I hear The Supreme Sunglow’s School of Sorcery has
a very well-regarded Attitudinizing program. Very affordable. You must
have graduated top of your class! Color me impressed. Not impressed
enough to go out with you of course, but-”
“You... you must be joking. This has to be a joke.” Starlight turned to
Insipid, “Insipid, did you hit this delusional idiot on the head once too
many?”
“Um... like, no?” Insipid shrugged.
Starlight turned back to Tick Tock, “I warn you and I will do so only
once, you green-tinted moron, I have very thin patience, and you are
treading dangerously close to a line that you cannot step back across. Shut
that impertinent mouth of yours or I’ll shut it for you.”
“Oooh, I am just quaking over here, like a little foal,” Tick Tock
laughed, “Don’t get your knickers in a twist there, Starlight, I’m just saying I
think you’re a wimp is all. Why, I bet you couldn't even make me shut this
great big mouth of mine even if you wanted to.”
“Oh sweet Celestia she is gonna get us all killed!” Rainbow blurted, “I
was joking before!”
“Tick Tock, have you gone insane?!” Flathoof yelled.
“Tick Tock, enough!” Twliight spat.
“Trust me, Twilight,” Tick Tock smirked behind her, “This feeble
showpony couldn’t blast her way out of a paper bag, I’m certain of it. Why,
I’d bet my life that she doesn’t have as much magic in that limp little horn of
hers than, say, Fluttershy has in a single feather.”
“Don’t you bring Fluttershy into this!” Rarity flustered.
“I... I don’t even have any magic...” Fluttershy peeped, “N-not really,
anyway...”
“My point exactly!” Tick Tock laughed, “Why, I bet Fluttershy here
could cast better spells than you, Starlight, and she doesn’t even have a
horn!”
“Enough!” Starlight snapped, “You must have a death wish, you
insufferable little idiot!”
“Ooh, moving up our insults, are we? Well, two can play at that game,
you gibbering git. I’ll try to use small words so that you can understand me,
you brain-dead buffoon.”
“Oh my Celestia,” Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped.
Tick Tick continued her tirade, “What your problem is is that you’re
the single most repulsive creature I have ever seen with my own two eyes.
I would say you were ugly, but that would be insulting the memories of the
thousands of mirrors that lost their lives in vain to the sight your hideous,
pus-ridden, foul, grime-encrusted visage.”
“This is not at all something any delicate ears should be hearing,”
Lockwood hastily said, placing his hooves over Fluttershy’s ears.
“If you’re quite finished, I’d like to simply kill-” Starlight seethed.
“I wasn’t finished, you pathetic excuse for a unicorn,” Tick Tock
interrupted, “Show some manners. You may be able to speak that way to
the germ-infested filth that you no doubt bathe in, or to the scum-ridden
foulest grunge of Equestria that likely share your intellect, but you don’t get
to speak like that to us normal ponies. Our ears don’t quite pick up on the
wavelength of your abhorrent dialect.”
“This is getting good,” Pinkie Pie nodded, reaching for another hooffull of popcorn she’d acquired from nowhere in particular, “This is gonna
totally be worth getting blasted for. Let ‘er have it Tick Tock!”
“Pinkie!” Rainbow flustered, “Keep quiet, you don’t want to be a target
too!”
“You’re nothing more than an egotistical, repugnant, puerile excuse
for a pony with nothing good to offer the world save for being the absolute
lowest bar set for the rest of the universe to measure themselves against,
so that even the worst of the worst can breathe a sigh of relief and say ‘well
at least I’m not Starlight Shadow’, and for that I applaud you, you
nauseating heap of excrement.”
“Oh man... this is rich,” Havocwing snickered into her hooves, “This is
bucking gold material right here, guys.”
“Should we, like, do something?” Insipid scratched her head, “The
boss looks totally. Major. Pissed.”
“What, and stop the nutjob from tearing the boss a verbal new one?
Hell no, this is hilarious.”
Starlight Shadow snapped at the green unicorn, “Will you shut up?!
You must have some sort of bizarre death wish!”
“Oh, forgive me, I said I wouldn’t use big words, didn’t I? Bloody
irresponsible of me. I’ll keep it simple then. You’re just a colossal clod. A
world-class moron. A Grade-A nimrod. An idiot. A stupid, stupid, stupid
idiot. You are nothing more than a knock-kneed, dim-witted, slack-jawed,
pug-nosed, malodorous trollop!”
Rarity swooned, “Oh good heavens!”
Starlight bellowed, “Death wish it is then! Twilight Sparkle! If I were
you, I would move yourself and your friends out of the way!”
“Let’s not argue with her, Twi,” Rainbow Dash hastily said as she
dragged Pinkie as quickly as she could and as far as she could away from
the line of fire.
“Tick Tock... I have no words...” Twilight shook her head in disbelief.
“Oh don’t fret yourself, Twilight,” Tick Tock grinned, “Go on, humor
the brainless twit. It will make her feel better about herself, and for that the
universe will thank you. The poor dear must have awfully low self-esteem.”
“Tick Tock, please, go on and apologize,” Twilight pleaded, “You...
you just got hit on the head too many times, right? Like Starlight said?”
“Oh goodness no, I’m quite sane at the moment,” Tick Tock shook
her head, “Go on then, humor her and move out of the way. It will amuse
me to see how terribly she can cast a spell, and after all that’s happened I
could use a good chuckle.”
“Starlight!” Twilight called, “Look... um... m-maybe we can put this all
behind-”
“Too late for apologies, Sparkle! So if you’re all quite done,” Starlight
spat with bile and hatred, “I have a unicorn to vaporize! Now, get out of my
way!”
Twilight gulped and hastily moved to where the rest of her friends had
gathered.
“Shouldn’t we do somethin’ Twi?” Applejack muttered.
“Like what?” Twilight frowned.
“Well... um... okay, good point,” Applejack sighed.
Starlight collected all of her ambient energy and fired an absolutely
massive blast of pure magic directly at Tick Tock. The magical beam tore
through the air, sending shockwaves of power rippling outwards and ripping
apart the ground and air alike and making wholly unsettling sound that if
compared to anything, sounded like electricity being forced to rip through
dynamite, explosive and crackling with enough energy to demolish an
entire city.
Tick Tock smirked, “About bloody time.”
She delivered a final farewell to her mentor’s Time Keeper before
throwing it with all her might directly into the path of the energy blasted
screeching towards her. The beam struck the device with a resounding
crack and reacted much unlike one would expect of such a meeting. It was
more like what one would expect to see if somepony were to try and strike
a towering iron wall with a little rock no larger than a pebble. Only here, the
rock was an immeasurable wave of magical energy and the wall was just a
teeny tiny pocket watch. Lightning and fire and energy and magic and dirt
and dust and all manners of magical debris exploded outwards from the
point of impact, and in a split second the little stopwatch shattered apart
and exploded in such a terrific flash of blinding, brilliant white light that were
they all outside, it could have been seen for miles upon miles around. As
the light and smoke cleared, Twilight and her friends unshielded their eyes
and cleared their throats in coughing fits. The sight they saw was beyond
description. Unimaginable. Unfathomable. Completely impossible. But, as
Tick Tock would say, there it was.
The massive burst of magical energy was, for lack of a better way to
describe it, frozen in mid-air, blasting forth from Starlight Shadow’s horn
like she was some terribly powerful laser cannon. Starlight was there, a
look of the purest, most absolutely unadulterated rage spread across her
face, shockwaves of incredible energy spreading out from her and from the
path of the energy blast and ripping apart the earth beneath her and
burning a scar along the cavern floor. All of them, frozen just as much as
the incredible energy beam. Behind her were her compatriots, all in various
states of being and all of them just as equally stuck solid in their last action.
Insipid’s jaw hung slack as she watched, as if she’d been in the middle of a
word of lavish praise or overjoyed excitement; Curaçao shielded her eyes
from the brilliance of the explosion of magic; Havocwing watched in eager
anticipation, her hooves preparing themselves for a cheer as the burst of
magic inevitably ripped apart Tick Tock’s body; Grayscale Force stood firm
and stared forward, expressionless as always to the point that one couldn’t
tell if she was actually frozen or just pretending; Red Velvet was in more a
eager state of anticipation than Havocwing, her tongue on her lips as if
she’d been caught in the middle of salivating.
And yet, Twilight and her friends soon found they could all move and
breathe and act as normal. Tick Tock strutted back to them with the same
smug smirk on her face that she’d worn when she’d first approached
Starlight Shadow.
“You’re welcome,” she said simply.
“You have got to be the stupidest pony I have ever met!” Flathoof
blurted, “What in the hay were you thinking?!”
“Almost gave me a heart attack,” Lockwood huffed, “Holy cow... I was
afraid that lunatic was going to blow us all up.”
“I have no idea what’s going on...” Rainbow awed.
“Oooh... neat!” Pinkie Pie limped over to Starlight, waving a hoof in
front of her face, “This is pretty cool!”
Twilight blinked, “Tick Tock... what did you do?”
“I activated the Time Keeper’s fail-safe emergency measure, which
only works in the presence of a cataclysmic-level Void-magic event,” Tick
Tock explained
“Wait... Time Keeper?” Twilight raised an eyebrow, “I thought you
said you lost yours.”
Tick Tock sighed, “Pewter... gave me a replacement of sorts. It
belonged to my predecessor and mentor. Sadly, I had to destroy it in order
to activate the fail-safe.”
“You did that... for us?” Rainbow blinked, “Wow Tick Tock. I never
knew you had it in you.”
“Don’t get all sappy on me,” Tick Tock laughed, “This is my job, after
all. I plan on seeing it through to the end.”
“So wait. I... don’t understand,” Twilight put a hoof to her chin, “You
mentioned Void magic. How is that possible?”
“Elementary, my dear Sparkle,” Tick Tock nodded, “Starlight’s magic
somehow stems from a Void source. I know it’s as impossible as it sounds,
but Time Keeper readings are one-hundred percent infallible. This would
explain how she has so much power. Void magic has nearly limitless
energy even in tiny amounts, and a body her size would theoretically
contain enough magic to trigger a cataclysmic-level event, if prodded.”
“So what gives with all of this?” Flathoof asked.
“Yes, I would like to know what’s going on,” Lockwood nodded, “This
is very... ah... interesting, and confusing.”
“The fail-safe measure quite literally reacts with Void magic to freeze
time for the activating Chronomancer and anypony whose magical
signature they have registered to their Time Keeper. I registered all of you
last night while you were sleeping... and I of course neglected to register
our new ‘friends’, so they are unaffected. I never trusted them, and now I
guess we can all see that I was right. Fancy that.”
“So... what does that have to do with all the insults?” Rainbow
scratched her head.
“Yes. I’d like to remind you that that was incredibly stupid,” Flathoof
huffed.
“Stupid, no. Crazy? Yes. Crazy clever, if I may be allowed to brag a
bit,” Tick Tock waved a hoof, “See, the fail-safe requires a massive amount
of Void magic to actually activate, and while she was closing in on that level
of magic, she wasn’t actually using it. I needed her to give me a source to
link the Time Keeper to, hence I had to goad her into utilizing force.”
“Well that certainly worked,” Flathoof shook his head.
“So we’re... frozen in time?” Applejack awed, “Golly...”
“Only for a small time-frame,” Tick Tock insisted, “So with that out of
the way, we should be getting a move on. The spell will wear off in a little
while, but we have more than enough time to buy ourselves some distance
and seal off our escape route so they can’t follow. Remember, we still have
the map whereas they do not, so we can navigate the caverns perfectly
and loop around them. We can still see them on the map after all.”
“Fascinating,” Twilight gasped in awe, “I knew time-alteration spells
were possible, but not at this capacity...”
“Why don’t we do something to them here?” Rainbow blurted,
charging over towards where Havocwing was, “We can like tie them up or
something so they waste time following us.”
“Doesn’t work that way,” Tick Tock shook her head, “While we’re in
this time-lapse, we cannot interact with the rest of the world in any way
besides moving our own bodies.”
Pinkie knocked her hoof on Starlight’s face a couple of times. “Eeyup,
she’s rock solid. Check it out you guys!” And she started making obnoxious
faces and sounds, at least until Rainbow Dash pulled her away. “Oh come
on Dashie, that was funny.”
Tick Tock sighed, “Which unfortunately also means... yes, we have to
abandon our supplies. Again. We’ll buy ourselves our distance, and as
soon as the spell wears off we seal our path and hustle the rest of the way
out. We can grab some water as we go, but food’s gonna be scarce until
we hit Hope’s Point...”
“Great...” Flathoof groaned, “We never manage to seem to hang onto
anything for longer than a few hours or days at best. Lose half our initial
supplies at the Gate, half of those at Redblade, and now we lose all our
replacement supplies here in a stupid cave...”
“Could be worse,” Lockwood shrugged.
“Oh here we go,” Flathoof rolled his eyes.
“Could be-”
“If you say ‘could be raining’ one more time!” Rainbow threatened.
“Yeah that joke’s getting old,” Pinkie shook her head. She patted a
very dejected Lockwood on the shoulder, “No really, Lockwood,
sweetheart, leave the jokes to the professionals.”
Twilight stamped a hoof, “Okay, c’mon everypony, enough joking
around. Let’s get moving. We need to get as much distance as this spell
will avail to us.”
“How much time do we have?” Rarity asked, “If it’s at all possible, I’d
like to have a few more moments to regain my strength. I still feel quite
sapped, as t’were.”
“We have roughly thirty minutes or so from the point of activation,”
Tick Tock nodded, “Give or take depending on sampling errors. Which
should leave us with... oh, about twenty-seven. Not enough time to rest up
really, but we have plenty of able-bodied ponies to help those of you that
might be feeling a tad under the weather, so to speak. We only need to
gain distance, and even twenty minutes should be more... than...
enough...?”
Tick Tock froze suddenly and looked directly at Starlight Shadow. Her
eyes widened. It was very subtle, but she could see that not only was the
magical burst radiating more light than before, but Starlight’s eyes seemed
to have moved. They were following them.
“Oh bugger,” Tick Tock swore, “She had more power than I thought!
Everypony, run!”
“What’s the-” Twilight started.
Tick Tock shouted back, “Her spell is overpowering the field! It’s
breaking too soon! RUN!”
“So much for a fail-safe,” Rainbow muttered as she and the others
began to run as fast as their hooves would take them.
Rainbow scooped up Pinkie Pie in her hooves; Applejack tossed
Rarity onto her back; Lockwood followed Rainbow’s lead with Fluttershy.
And they began to make good on their time to escape. They managed to
make it almost a mile further into the cavern before they heard the most
spectacular and terrifying explosion behind them as Starlight’s energy blast
unfroze itself from time and ripped a hole straight through the mountain,
causing the entire cavern to shake violently. No time to dawdle.
They could even sound the enraged yell of Starlight Shadow behind
them, “AFTER THEM!!”
They ran.
The caverns began to crumble around them.
“We’ll never get out of the mountains before the whole thing comes
down!” Rainbow shouted.
Tick Tock hurriedly looked at her map, “This way! It’s our only
chance!”
They took a different path, straight north according to the map’s
magical compass. Explosions and shouting behind them clued them in that
they were not just being pursued, they were being hunted.
As they rounded another corner, the cavern walls suddenly smoothed
out and turned to silvers and the gems dwindled instantly to nothing. They
didn’t have time to ask questions or wonder why, they just pressed on.
“I see them!” they heard Havocwing call. Then they heard the distinct
explosion of the pegasus’s rocket technique as she barreled forward to
catch up.
“Aw, horseapples!” Applejack swore.
Twilight was first to go through, followed by Applejack and Flathoof,
Rainbow and Pinkie, so on and so forth. For the brief second as they
passed through a grooved section, they felt a strange feeling wash over
them that was gone in an instant. Tick Tock was the last that passed
through, and she tripped over the groove.
“Tick Tock!” her friends all shouted in unison.
“Gotcha!” Havocwing yelled as she closed in.
*SMACK*
Havocwing slammed straight into something that was totally invisible
to everypony, slowly sliding downwards with a screeching noise. Tick Tock
didn’t waste time questioning it, and got to her hooves and ran after her
friends into the darkness of the smoothed cavern ahead.
Starlight and the others caught up to Havocwing, who was now busy
angrily lobbing fireballs at the hallway, ignoring the fact that they were
rebounding off and exploding on the cavern walls.
“Havocwing!” Starlight snapped, “Did you lose them?!”
“No way boss,” Havocwing hurriedly answered, “They went through
here, but there’s some sort of thing in the way!”
Starlight glared at the hall, “A force field? Ha! Fools.” She charged a
spell. “Watch, and-”
The spell was fired, and as soon as it hit the spot aligned with the
groove...
...absolutely nothing happened.
“-learn?” Starlight blinked.
Havocwing stared a moment. “Um... was... was something supposed
to happen?”
Starlight shook her head. “Ah... heh... must be a truly invisible barrier.
I didn’t even see it get Dispelled. Ha! Go on Havocwing, test it.”
“What.”
“Test it,” Starlight narrowed her eyes, “See if my Dispel worked.”
“Oh... um... okay...” Havocwing flustered. She chucked a tiny fireball
straight at it. It bounced off and blew up in the face of Insipid, who
screeched and frantically rubbed her face to clear it of soot.
“Um... oops?” Havocwing shrugged, barely containing a laugh.
“Impossible...” Starlight flustered, “Simply impossible!” She fired
another spell. Nothing. Another. Nothing. Another. Nothing.
This continued on for several minutes before Curaçao stepped
forward, “Ah... ma capitaine?”
“What? Can’t you see that I’m busy?!” Starlight snapped.
“Ah... oui... b-but, zis seems to be... ah... somezing beyond your great
and insurmountable power, non? Per’aps somezing about zis barrier
cannot be affected wiz magic? Similar to zee Gate, back at home? Zis is
zee entrance to zee Gryphon Ruins. Per’aps somepony else would know
better how to proceed?”
“And that is supposed to mean what exactly?” Starlight glared, “Are
you saying that my magic is flawed? Inferior?”
“N-non, not at all, ma capitaine, merely zat zis force field is beyond
our understanding, oui?” Curaçao coughed.
“Who could possibly know more about magic than me?!”
“Well, per’aps zee one who built zee Gate would know ‘ow to deal wiz
zis sort of probleme, non?”
Starlight grumbled, “You are suggesting that we inquire as to this
with... father?”
Curaçao said very simply, “Oui.”
Starlight impatiently stamped a hoof, “Absolutely not! I will not risk
him learning of my- of your failures! Why, just imagine how he would punish
you all! I have nothing to fear, of course, but-”
Havocwing rolled her eyes, “Relax, boss, he’ll understand. It ain’t our
fault there’s this field in the way. He might know a way through. Besides,
they can’t have gone too far. We’ll catch ‘em on the other side of the
mountains, no big deal.”
Starlight huffed, “If you’re so confident, then fine, let’s go see father!”
“Awww... b-but boss,” Insipid whined, “I don’t wanna walk, like, all the
way back.”
Curaçao put a hoof to her face, “Ma copine... zee capitaine knows
teleportation magic. She can whisk us back zere en un instant.”
“Oh. Oh good,” Insipid nodded, “Phew, I was, like, totally worried for a
second there? Walking again. Like, eww, no? Totally. Major. Lame-o.”
Starlight furiously channeled another spell, and she and all of her
group glowed a brilliant white, and then were gone in a flash.
*****
*****
Shroud was always finding herself saddled with more paperwork than
she felt one mare was capable of doing, but somehow she always
managed to come through. If there was one thing she’d learned from years
of experience as Lord Silvertongue’s personal secretary, it was that
diligence and hard work paid off, and that complaining did not. Days earlier
in the week, there had been nothing but excitement. She’d never seen her
boss so active than those few days, but the past few he’d been strangely
quiet, locked in his private quarters and rarely taking meals and even more
rarely leaving. It made the overworked unicorn mare a little nervous. Was
he upset with something? With somepony? She shook her head and flicked
her sweaty red mane out of her eyes. There was no time for that, he still
expected his daily reports on city activity as he had been for as long as
she’d been in his employ, and categorizing everything that had happened
in a single day in the chaotic little burg was a monumental task.
Today had been nothing but boredom layered on boredom, with the
exception of the past ten minutes or so. Reports were filing in rapidly now,
and she could see it on the news channels plastered on the various
television sets she had set up that an incident had occurred. Witnesses
reported sighting of a massive blast of magic ripping across the sky above
the city, tearing through the smog and even the cloud of magic further
above that and exposing the real sky through the gaping hole it left in its
wake. Had the angle the blast had come from been a few degrees lower,
experts said, it would have tore a path directly through the city walls and
likely most of the Mid-East District.
The air inside the tiny office cracked and sizzled, and in a flash where
there had been one pony there were now seven. Shroud was used to
teleportation theatrics. Silvertongue himself often paid personal visits to her
when he needed clarification or confirmation on certain documents, and as
such she did not react strongly to the sudden influx of magic. She
recognized the six mares that had just warped in as well, and was
surprised to see them. Silvertongue’s supposed ‘adopted’ daughters, if she
was not mistaken. Where they’d come from in the first place was beyond
her. She was not privy to that information. The purple one, Starlight
Shadow if she remembered correctly, stepped forward and with a
determined look on her face she asked a very simple question.
“Where is our father? We wish to speak with him.”
Shroud raised an eyebrow, surprised at the unicorn’s bluntness and
stern voice. She sounded just like Silvertongue did when he was
particularly aggravated. “Forgive me ladies, but Lord SIlvertongue has been
in his chambers for the past two days and hasn’t been accepting visitors of
any kind. Even I haven’t seen or heard anything from-”
“Come along girls,” the purple unicorn stated firmly to the others. She
wandered over to them and with a bright flash from her horn, they were
gone again as quickly as they had came.
“N-no wait!” Shroud called. But they were gone. She shook her head
and got back to work. There was too much work to do to worry about little
things like this, and Silvertongue always did seem to raise in spirits when
those six were involved. He wouldn’t be upset with her... would he?
*****
Silvertongue threw another datapad aside. It landed in the pile behind
him, which was slowly gaining enough girth that it took up the entire corner
of his very large personal chambers, stretching up high towards the ceiling
and towering over any average-sized pony that may have happened to
enter. Pulling another datapad to him from the slowly emptying shelf near
his desk, he set it upon said desk and began to peruse with diligent
determination. His eyes flickered back and forth across the words on the
page-like display, his magic holding it steady and scrolling down as he
read. His normal eye was bloodshot and half-lidded, exhausted from days
without rest. His other eye, the ‘new’ one with its blackened sclera and
golden iris-less pupil, was not so tired in appearance, and in fact seemed to
be growing more healthy by the day. The golden pupil was now normalsized, no longer a tiny speck in the darkness. His hair was ragged and
sloppy, his coat was ragged and dirty from days without washing, and his
normally impeccable black and red uniform was disheveled and had no
luster whatsoever. With a grumble, he threw the new datapad aside and
reached out for another to replace it.
His thoughts were dashed when he heard the crackling of air behind
him in his quarters. His golden pupil pulsed wildly, and a smile crept upon
his face. Starlight Shadow had arrived. He could recognize that unique
magic of hers anywhere. He turned to the slowly warping-in figures of the
six mares he had pinned such high hopes on. He was curious why they
were here though. The teleportation completed and the six mares stepped
forward to attention instantly, though they all eyed him with varying
expressions of worry and curiosity.
“Ah, my daughters, you have returned. And so soon?” Silvertongue
nodded with an unusually proud smile, “This is quite the surprise. Oh, but
such long faces on you all. Is there something the matter? Go on then, out
with it.”
“Father,” Starlight Shadow bowed slowly, “Ah... if you do not mind my
asking... are you well? You appear to be... um...”
“You look like hell, pops,” Havocwing blurted. Starlight shot her a
look, making Havocwing shrug nervously, “What? Somepony needed to
say it.”.
“Ah, of course. Well over the scant few days since your departure, I
have busied myself with researching some... ah... personal matters. Private
curiosities, nothing more than that I’m afraid. I do suppose I look rather
unprofessional. My daughters, I apologize if I am causing any worry; what
my research entails is of no concern to any of you though, so do not fret
upon it. I am merely being perhaps too diligent, but my private business
can wait. Your business is significantly more important to me at the
moment anyhow, and I do so wish to hear about it. Now then, you have
returned. I can assume then that your mission was a success?”
Starlight Shadow shifted nervously, “Right... well father, you see... we
seem to have encountered a minor... conundrum.”
Silvertongue’s smile faded, “A conundrum, you say? Whatever seems
to be the problem? Don’t tell me you did not encounter your targets?”
“Oh no, we managed to rendezvous with them, father,” Starlight
nodded, “They encountered some trouble while crossing the Redblade
Mountains.”
“So they did take the Redblade route?” Silvertongue mused, “That
Chronomancer is gutsier than I initially had been led to believe. Curious,
but no matter, you managed to link up with their party. What happened
then? Did your attempts to persuade them not take hold?”
Starlight looked to the others in her group, and nodded firmly, “It is
our belief that the situation was well under control. A few more days and
there is no doubt that they would have surely fallen into our grasp
completely.”
“I fail to see, then, where there could have been a problem.”
“A... bit of a disagreement occurred between us and those other six,”
Starlight said carefully, “At first it was met with words, and shortly after...
with actions. I regret that we were unable to avoid it, father, but-”
“I see,” Silvertongue frowned, “Most troubling indeed...”
“We then attempted to capture them and deliver them here to you.
We still intend for that to be our next move, but...” Starlight hesitated, “...
they retreated into the Gryphon Ruins, judging from my and Curaçao’s
directions.” Curaçao turned to the others and shrugged rather
incredulously. She’d been the one to determine where they’d lost their
quarry, not Starlight. “There was some manner of force field around it, and
even my immeasurable magic could not pierce it. We were hoping you
would be able to concoct a solution.”
Silvertongue waved a hoof, “That is of minor importance. The barrier
surrounding the ruins is of a most ancient magic far beyond your
understanding. It is truly unbreakable... but... that leads me to wonder how
those six, and their friends too you say? How did they venture past the
threshold? Hmmm... perhaps it has something to do with... ah, as I said, no
matter. You will surely encounter them again in the near future, so this is
only a minor delay at best.”
Starlight looked to the others, and raised an eyebrow, “Oh... so... you
are not upset?”
Silvertongue laughed, “Upset? Oh my dear Starlight Shadow, I am
absolutely furious right now.”
Starlight gulped, “F-furious, father?”
“Y-you don’t look mad, pops,” Havocwing chuckled nervously.
“Yes he does,” Grayscale said very simply, “I can see it in his eyes.
Er... eye.”
“Ahh... it astounds me to no end how every single time those six
mares become involved, or that accursed Chronomancer as well, I seem to
have the most astoundingly poor performances from my subordinates.
Subordinates who have never once failed me have suddenly become as
much as useless fools in the wake of things. I am beginning to think there is
some higher power at work here, trying to protect them from my plans for
them,” Silvertongue ranted. He breathed a sigh of calm, and spoke as
cordially as he could to the six mares before him. “Now then, I suppose it
would do good to remind you that they will have to leave the ruins
eventually and cross the eastern Wasteland if they hope to reach their
destination. You are all to wait for them there and deliver them back here to
me, as you intended. What little time you managed to spend with them has
likely already placed the seeds of corruption in their minds. I will simply
force those seeds to blossom.”
“Oh... well, if that is all your require of us,” Starlight nodded, “We’ll
just take our leave, father. Forgive us for-”
“Hold,” Silvertongue said firmly, “I wish to have a more detailed report
of what happened, of what instigated this mishap. I am tired of wasting
resources on those six and not getting results, and I need to know why I am
not getting results. So please, explain to me exactly how you failed.”
“Well... they escaped when they retreated through the force field,”
Starlight nervously tapped a hoof to her chin, trying her best not to look at
anypony in her group, “I do not believe they knew the force field was even
present, they appeared as surprised as we were when they witnessed it.”
“Yeah, that Chronomancer looked like she was ready to die when I
got to her,” Havocwing explained, “Then I ran into- um, hit the force field.
With a fireball. Not my face or anything lame like that.”
“You said this all occurred after you were forced to take actions
against them. What allowed them to escape your grasp?” Silvertongue
asked.
“The Chronomancer,” Starlight sneered, “She used that little
stopwatch to do... something. It reacted against my magic and let them
freeze or manipulate time somehow, if my theory is correct. I overpowered
the spell and saw them flee just barely, but the effect was too potent and
they acquired an insurmountable lead.”
Silvertongue swore, “Damn that blasted Chronomancer. She is an
ever-present thorn in my side and I grow tired of hearing of it. Seeing as I
have altered your orders to ‘capt