//------------------------------// // A Night in Canterlot // Story: Survivor Shy // by Mattatatta //------------------------------// A phoenix! I was sure of it! But where was the sound coming from?   My vision slowly faded from blinding white to a dull grey. My eyes strained, trying to find the exotic bird. I twisted my head left and right, taking in my surroundings. A rocky wall to my right towered into the mist, and a grassy ledge to my left opened up to a vast expanse of fog and sheer drop below. This was the road to Canterlot, along the sheltered side of the mountain.   If I’m here, then that means… My gaze drifted to my hooves and caught sight of my chest. I don’t have my Element yet. Wait. I’m remembering my journey to Canterlot! The dense fog gave way to a piercing gold light, and like a shooting star it flew overhead at great speed. The phoenix let out another cry, this time in triumph, as its blazing form curved around to land. My jaw fell open at the sight, and not a muscle twitched as the large bird extinguished its flames, and landed on my back with a hunter’s precision.   Warmth radiated from the phoenix, chasing away the mist surrounding us, and bathing me in her gentle glow. She looked relieved, and gave a quiet coo to me.   “Philomena?” I whispered.   She nodded to me.   My heart leapt up in my chest. “It really is you! What are you doing out here? Did Princess Celestia send you? Are my friends okay? Is everypony safe? Does anypony know what happen-”   Philomena screeched for me to hush, and raised a talon toward me, showing a capsule attached to her leg, emblazoned with Princess Celestia’s Cutie Mark.   “A message?” I frowned as the phoenix hopped off my back. She looked at me and nodded, and I carefully opened the capsule and pulled out the rolled up parchment inside. Before I unraveled it and started reading, I pulled an apple from my saddlebags and gave it to Philomena to thank her. She sliced into the fruit with her beak and started munching ferociously. When was the last time she ate?   I pulled my stare from Philomena, and carefully unrolled the message. Before I had even revealed the whole message, I was already processing it.   My Dearest Cadance, Please have your subjects search the library again. I know that we’re close to solving this mystery, but I fear that time is not on our side. Send Philomena back with any information you discover. Kindest regards, Celestia. This didn’t make any sense. Why had Philomena delivered this to me? Princess Cadence was in the Crystal Empire as far as I knew. And I wouldn’t be able to reach the Crystal Empire any faster than a phoenix, or a dedicated Pegasus messenger – even with a tail wind.   I raised my head up to look at Philomena, who had rapidly reduced the apple to a core. She turned her head to me, her eyes warning of bad news. I almost abandoned my question before I started it.   “Philomena, when did you leave Canterlot with this message?”   The phoenix let out a saddened cry. Eight days ago. That was the day before the spell struck. I could feel my stomach wringing itself as I spoke again. “Did you reach the Crystal Empire?” I asked, to which Philomena nodded in response. “When was that?”   Her fiery eyes lost some of its heat. Seven days ago. “Did you see a shock wave sweep over Equestria while travelling there?”   Philomena nodded, and let out a series of short cries. She didn’t turn back when she saw it. She came back after finding the Crystal Empire without any ponies, after waiting in case somepony showed up. Philomena returned a day ago, her message undelivered until now.   I nuzzled Philomena’s beak, trying to hide the suffocating feeling in my chest. “It’s going to be okay, Philomena. I-I’ll get to the bottom of this.” I lifted my head up and looked upon the road leading up the mountain. “Or maybe the top.” I tried to chuckle, but it came out as short gasps. My eyes welled up.   Deep breaths, Fluttershy, stay calm. “We’re going to Canterlot.” I said evenly, brushing my bandaged leg over my eyes.   Philomena leapt up and screeched in alarm. Canterlot wasn’t silent like the rest of Equestria; it was overrun with strange creatures. When I asked what the creatures were, Philomena struggled to describe them, eventually settling on “Big dogs that walk on two legs”.   I thought of the hound I fled from in Ponyville. I thought of how his massive claws came inches from slicing me in twain. I shuddered.   “We can get past them if we’re careful.” I assured - more to myself than to Philomena.   Philomena shook her head. There was more. There were Dragons, too.   A familiar lead ball dropped into the pit of my twisted insides. I swallowed down what was pushed up.   I looked directly at the phoenix, and shakily said “I have to go to Canterlot. My friends are stuck in there and need my help. I can’t let them down.”   Philomena unfurled her wings, her body of striking reds and oranges shimmering and glowing brightly. She tried to reason with me; if she went, they would see her. Both Dragons and Diamond Dogs had chased her out of Canterlot already.   “I understand, Philomena. Could you wait for me somewhere?”   She shook her head at me, pointing an extended wing into the mist with a screech. Snow front moving in. Too harsh for a phoenix to weather. I stared off into the grey sky. I pointed my ears to the breeze and felt it nip at the tips. The temperature was colder than it had been, but I couldn’t believe that winter weather would be coming before Fall had even started. I didn’t want to argue, though, I was running out of time to reach my friends before something happened to them.   I wish it didn’t have to be this way. “Are you sure you can take care of yourself, Philomena?”   The Royal Bird closed its wings and nodded deliberately. She was confident, or good at keeping things secret at least, because I thought I saw her shiver. I looked down at my hooves, noticing the unraveled message waving in the breeze, and began rolling it back up.   A thought popped into my head.   “If you ever change your mind,” I said as I placed the message back inside the capsule. “And the weather allows it, you can head for the old castle ruins in the Everfree Forest. I spent a night there, and it isn’t too far away from Ponyville – just be very careful of the Timberwolves, okay?”   I ran my hoof under the rare creature’s jaw, thankful for the few moments of company since the disaster over a week ago. I felt my mouth curve into a reassuring smile, and thoughts of being brave and hopeful followed.   Philomena saluted with a wing and took off into the mist, her body’s warmth quickly trailing after her. A shiver ran up my spine. Had the wind always been this cold?   I watched Philomena circle above, her body quickly igniting into a molten orange that shone through even the thickest patches of the mist. I followed her with my eyes until she disappeared entirely from view.   Alone again.   My gaze fell to my hooves, and my head tipped to the side. On the ground was one of Philomena’s feathers. It was nowhere near as long as the one she had given to me when she was reborn (which was in my cottage, or at least I hoped it still was), but it was still a beautiful, blazing red. Without any thought, I stashed the feather away in my bags.   I turned to face the path to Canterlot, if I kept a quick pace, I could reach the city by nightfall. If the city was that overrun by Diamond Dogs and Dragons, then the darkness and buildings would help me slip past them all. I would find my friends soon, and together, we would find a way to solve this.   What about Princess Celestia? Would she be there? I couldn’t imagine her letting Canterlot be invaded by Diamond Dogs or Dragons, but if it was just her, Princess Luna, and my friends in Canterlot, perhaps she wouldn’t have had a choice. And because of the Dragons, Philomena wouldn’t have been able to find the Princesses when she returned, and couldn’t say if there was anypony in Canterlot other than the Diamond Dogs in the streets.   What did those Diamond Dogs want? What did the Dragons want? Who or what had caused that powerful spell in the first place? I wanted to know. For the first time in my life, I felt the pull of curiosity lead me. Ushering me on to Canterlot, to a definitely dangerous place, and I was okay with that.   I need the truth. I thought, though a pang in the back of my mind warned that it was different truth I was searching for. It warned of a truth that was driven much more by morbid curiosity, rather than fearless desire. I blinked away the thoughts, and my attention fell to the present.   I took a deep breath, and started to trot up the misty path.   I had to get to Canterlot.     I should not have come to Canterlot.   The whole city was burning. Dragons roared and flew all around, raining fire down on anything they saw as a threat. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Diamond Dogs were pouring into the town and scurrying across the streets.   They must have come through the abandoned mines Twilight told me about, I concluded, keeping my eyes and ears trained to spot the slightest hint of danger. There were no Diamond Dogs taking the road up the mountain, and it would explain the bottomless pits scattered throughout the city. I huddled myself under a pile of rubble, the remains suggested there used to be a café here. Now, however, it was nothing more than bricks and bent rebar, with twisted iron suggesting there used to be some fancy chairs and tables outside.   This couldn’t be Canterlot. Not with the chaos and fighting going on all around me.   A dozen armed hounds bounded past my hiding place, heading down the street. I saw one of them look up and skid to a stop, and one by one the rest did the same. I peeked out from my cover, and felt every muscle in my body freeze.   A green Dragon dropped down from the moonlit sky, crushing a building under its enormous form. The group of dogs split off from each other; some dug themselves to safety, while others fled into buildings or back up the street towards me. The Dragon opened his colossal maw and breathed fire up the road. Somehow, I found a way to break my horrified stare and duck back into cover, narrowly escaping the heat of the Dragon’s flames with just a light scorch on my coat. I heard the dogs howl in pain. Before I could think I was peeking out again to see if they weren’t badly hurt. I saw them flee around a corner, the fur now burnt off their backs. I hoped they wouldn’t be too far from help.   I twisted my head around to catch sight of the Dragon. The massive beast had crushed a jewelry shop, and was now picking through its contents, stealing anything valuable.   I’ve got to get out of here, before I get caught up in this. I shimmied out from my temporary shelter, and stood up in the open. This was crazy. If I froze up now, I’d be in terrible danger. Calm breaths, one step at a time. My quivering legs steadied themselves and shut out images of the Dragon breathing fire at me. Just be quiet and careful. The Dragon continued looting, and seemed oblivious that I was creeping across the road behind him. Silent prayers escaped my lips, begging for me to not be spotted while I crossed into an alley.   Now comfortably within the shadows, I let out a tense sigh. I wasn’t too far now, I could see Canterlot Castle. Some of the beautiful towers had been destroyed, and I could see some parts of the Castle had been partially sacked – likely abandoned by the looters when the two factions met one another.   I hurried myself along, constantly twisting my ears around for any sounds to hide from. The clattering of spears and armoured Diamond Dogs filled my head, along with the rumble of Dragons flying overhead, and the sound of dust being pushed in their wake. Everything I heard was a threat, but I had to decide which threats were worth hiding from if I wanted to make any progress. How I wished I was in the comfort of a meadow or in my own home! This pressure wanted me to snap, but I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t let my friends down.   I finally met the perimeter wall of the Castle, and quickly dove into a bush to plan my next move. I didn't want to fly. Not with the Dragons circling around the city. Being spotted by them, seeing their sharp claws and jagged teeth come for me was a nightmare I didn’t want to live through.   My eyes scanned around, my ears still twitching and twisting at every roar, crash, and cry. There was no other way in that was safer. Flying over the wall was the only option I had.   Just a few seconds, that’s all I need. My wings pressed themselves closer against me. I’m doing this. I can do this.   The opportunity came - a lull in the battle. The Dragons disappeared into the night, flying over a different part of the city, and not a single lumbering shadow of a Diamond Dog could be seen. I held my breath and leapt out from the bush. I struggled to unfurl my wings, my heart racing at the precious few seconds dwindling away.   Come on, come on! A roar rang through my eardrums, and I flinched, whipping my head up. The distant silhouette of a Dragon was approaching. I was running out of time.   Instead of hiding again, I forced my wings to unfurl, and stiffly made them work. The Dragon was getting closer; he was going to see me!   Hurry! I leapt into the air, pumping my wings in a panic. I sailed over the wall and dove back down the other side, crashing into the ground. There was nowhere to hide on this side of the wall.   I rolled onto my back in a daze, just as the massive body of the Dragon flew over, blocking out my view of the moon and stars. I froze up. My gaze followed him in terror, expecting him to turn around at any moment and chase me. Instead, the Dragon carried on. Maybe I was lucky and he didn’t see me.   Why did I do that? I didn’t need to take that risk! I picked myself up and made sure I hadn’t dropped anything from my saddlebags, and then broke out into a full gallop across the Castle’s lawn. I was almost there; I just had to find where my friends were hiding. Hopefully they had a plan. Hopefully Twilight knew what to do. Everything was going to be okay.   I rounded a blind corner straight into the sight of a brown Dragon with crimson scales running along his spine. He held in his arms a hoard of priceless treasures, all of which seemed worthless to him as he dumped it on the ground, narrowing his icy eyes at me.     Oh no. There wasn’t enough air to fill my lungs, I was being strangled by my own fear. The Dragon craned his neck down, leveling his eyes to my petrified stare.   “Do you dare trespass on Dragon territory?” He growled at me, smoke puffing out of his nostrils.   I squeaked and started to back away, which only angered the Dragon more.   The Dragon kept his eyes fixed on me, and took in a breath.   Run! Oh goodness, run! I spun around and galloped away. The Dragon roaring and breathing fire after me, I swung round a random path, escaping with just a lick of flames on the back of my hind legs. I heard the Dragon roar again and take to the air.   Moments later, I saw the Dragon fly straight over me. “Trespassers will not be spared!” The massive creature vowed.   I kept on galloping, trying to find a place to hide. But how could I hide when he was watching my every move? I shut my eyes tight, squeezing out the only tears I was going to let myself shed. No, those thoughts were poisonous. I couldn’t believe them. There had to be a way.   The Dragon suddenly dropped down from the sky, and landed in front of me with a massive crash. I struggled to keep my balance as the ground shook violently. The beast had cut off my path! With no time to stop and change direction, I barreled towards him. He breathed fire again, and I threw myself airborne. My wings barely caught me and hoisted me clear, the heat singeing my hooves. I pumped my wings as hard as I could, making twists and turns I had never trained to do. I had to dodge the Dragon’s attacks if I were to get past him. I narrowly missed his claws as he swatted at me, and flew over his shoulder.   Out of my peripherals, I caught a glimpse of the Dragon's tail, but far too late to react. I was smacked out of the air, launched off over a few buildings before crashing through a massive window. My body flared up with sharp pangs as the shards cut into me. I hit the floor, screaming at the shock and burning sensation of glass cutting me up. Finally, I came to a rest among the remains of the shattered window. Keeping my eyes shut so I wouldn’t see the end coming.   Moments later, I heard the roars of the Dragon and the great beats of his wings as he flew over the building I had been thrown into. The windows rattled and chattered as the giant beast flew overhead, as terrified of the creature as I was. I opened my eyes a crack to see. The Dragon had lost me - for now.   Knowing I didn't have much time, I tried to clamber onto my hooves. Intense pain washed over me, and I cried out in pain. This was worse than the cut on my foreleg, this was worse than the bruises from the train crash. I could see my blood.   I forced myself upright, biting my tongue and shuddering at every throb. I limped over to my saddlebags, the crash had knocked them off of me and scattered my supplies onto the large floor.   I concentrated, clearing my head of the agony and trying to not panic at the sight of my blood. I gathered my belongings together, and set to work on dealing with the worst of my cuts. I grit my teeth together as I pulled shards of glass out of my wounds, and poured water over my cuts from my canteen. The blood mixed and faded, washing onto the floor, leaving a reddish pattern of swirls in the resulting puddle.   A roar shook the building, and I spun around where I stood. I haven’t got any time for bandages or painkillers. I thought as examined the worst of my cuts. I just hope these will heal by themselves soon. I heard the Dragon fly over again. He wasn’t going to give up. I watched his shadow loom over the windows, hoping he wouldn’t see the broken one. My gaze fell upon the surviving windows. They were stained glass windows, and in the moonlight I could see my friends, I could see Spike, Discord too.   This is Canterlot Tower! The Elements of Harmony are stored here!  I started to run again, this time making my way for the end of the long hall. The most secure room in Canterlot was the same room the Elements of Harmony were kept in. If everypony needed a place to hide, the vault-like protection of the Elements’ room was a great choice.   I skidded to a stop. The door that protected the Elements was open, and a chest and a dozen items lay in front of me.   All six of the Elements lay strewn across the floor, and among them were the crown, shoes, and chest-plate that belonged to Princess Celestia.   No… I was looking at the very last place the Princess was before she disappeared.   Oh no, please no. The Elements were not with my friends.   I was the first pony to find the Elements, a week after the disaster took everypony away. Twilight wasn’t in Canterlot, nopony was - nopony except for me.   I’m the only pony left in Equestria. I ambled up to the Elements on the floor. Tears fell down my cheeks, but I didn’t care to stop them. The burning pain a few moments ago was replaced by an empty numbness that made my legs feel heavy and cumbersome.   Everything I had hoped for was not going to happen. The whole time I had the truth in front of me; the desolate towns, the thousands of ponies mysteriously gone – how could I have fooled myself into believing that my friends and the Princesses had pulled through like I had?   There was nothing I could do to help them. I had the Elements of Harmony right here, but only one bearer was here to wield hers.   Slowly, I leant down to collect everything I could carry. I was stopped by a series of crashes and splintering glass filling the room. I whirled around, and saw the large hall I was in being filled with dozens of Diamond Dogs climbing through the windows. Some were small and armed with spears, others carrying empty sacks, and a small number of them towered above the rest, brandishing their freakishly long claws.   I took a few steps back, feeling hundreds of eyes all focused on me. I was exposed.   Before the dogs charged forward, their eyes turned upwards just as an enormous cacophony or smashed stone filled the room. I felt the heat on my back first – the breath of the beast.   Hesitantly, my own gaze followed the Diamond Dogs. The brown Dragon I had fled from towered above me, sitting where the most secure room in Canterlot used to be. He narrowed has glare at the scores of Diamond Dogs in the room, many of whom where readying their weapons and howling.   I looked down at my hooves, at all the golden items and shiny gemstones they all lusted after. This was the worst place for me to be stood.   I wasn’t sure who made the first move. The Dragon leant forward and sent a fireball hurtling over me, scattering a group of dogs before the molten orb crashed on top of them, scorching the floor. The Diamond Dogs all charged, barking and howling and gnashing their teeth. Some were intent on fighting the Dragon, others had their eyes locked on me and the treasure I was stood in. With only a few seconds before they reached me, I grabbed the closest thing to me; Princess Celestia’s crown.   A massive hound leapt at me, his razor sharp claws extended and ready. I dropped to the floor, and stared up in sheer terror as he sailed over, barely taking a few strands from my mane with a last-ditch swipe. I rolled to side just as another hound slid past, knocking the Elements and the Princess’s jewelry away from me. A gasp escaped my lungs as they each slid underneath the scrambling paws of the dogs, disappearing from view.   “Get that pony!” a gruff voice shouted, “I want that crown!” Oh no!   “Forget you – it’s mine!” hissed another dog.   I started to dart through the gaps in the battle, tears flowing free from my eyes.   “Bah a crown is nothing! I’ll take the pony!”   “Please, no! Leave me alone! Leave me alone!” I wailed, galloping out of the hall and into the rest of Canterlot Castle. I didn’t need to look behind – I didn’t dare to – I knew that the hunt was on, and that I was the prize.   It was like that nightmare I had in the Everfree Forest – running blindly around corners, praying that I wouldn’t make a mistake. Oh please, don’t make a mistake! I didn’t want to imagine what they wanted with me, and the horror of what it could be spurred me on harder. I leapt over piles of rubble, stealing a glance out the destroyed walls. Canterlot was burning. Dragons and Dogs were fighting. It was horrible.   Where was I even going? Why wasn’t I losing them? I couldn’t run fast enough to escape. I couldn’t fly away – my wings were stuck to my sides. The dogs were going to catch me if I couldn’t find a way to shake them.   I skidded as more dogs appeared ahead, cutting me off. I didn’t stop though, only changed direction, finding myself rocketing up a flight of stairs, the breaths of hunting hounds following close behind.   I bounded down another long corridor, my eyes focused on nothing but the stairs going up at the end. A door slammed shut as I sprinted past, and I sprung up into the air with a shriek. My wings! They were carrying me! But who shut the…?   My eyes fell on the gang of Diamond Dogs chasing, their beady eyes hungrily trained on me. No time for questions. I had to get out of here!   With my wings working overtime, I tore down the corridor, and reached the end in a matter of seconds. My gaze followed the stairs before me, watching them spiral high up above me. So many stairs… So high up. I gulped. Had I always been afraid of stairs? When did acrophobia become a problem again?   With a determined flap, I began to propel myself upward, flying up inside the spiral, reaching the top of the stair in the fraction of the time it would take the dogs to. A single door waited for me, and I didn’t hesitate to throw it shove it open and slam it behind me. I scanned the room frantically, and saw the way to an open balcony. I was going to make it out.   I flew towards to the railing, but dropped down to my hooves when my eyes landed on a pile of accessories on the floor, shining in the doorway. They were a deep, dark blue, and caught the moonlight in a gentle glow. I had seen these before, but not with their owner, not without Princess Luna wearing them.   My body froze in place, my mouth falling open in a pained gasp. Slowly, I looked around the room, processing what I saw. A large table stood to one side. On it, a large map of Equestria was spread out in the center, with stacks of books and dozens of scrolls taking up what space remained. More books rested on the floor, some seemingly open on specific pages, while others lay open and face-down –tossed aside in frustration.   I approached the table, and noticed five tiny little flags placed on certain locations of the map. Together, they marked Tall Tale, Baltimare, Manehatten, Little Shoehorn, and Appleloosa.   A sharp cry rang out in the room, and I shuddered and tried to take deep breaths. I stared at the map on the table, hearing the name of those five places echo in my head, until I turned away to weep. My tears fell to the floor, but dripped onto an unrolled and fresh scroll. I pressed it flat with my hoof, and recognised the writing – my writing.   I closed my eyes, only hearing my stifled sobs in the room. All this way, all this time, and every bit of it meant nothing. Everypony had vanished, leaving me behind, and I could do nothing. Without even her friends, what could one pony hope to do? They were all gone, and so was the biggest joy in my life.   My eyelids slowly opened, and I turned back to face the map. With a single swipe, I cleared the books, scrolls, and flags off of the map – leaving little tears over the five places that had been marked. Quickly, I folded the thick parchment up, stashing it in my saddlebags. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but one way or another, I was going to need that map.   The door broke apart as a pair of claws slashed through it, followed by a Diamond Dog tearing through it with brute force. In seconds, the room was being overtaken by the hounds, and I hurried over to the balcony, grabbing Luna’s crown with my teeth as I made for the rail.   I felt a tug at my tail, but it narrowly evaded a Diamond Dog’s grasp. For a few seconds, I felt the open air embrace me, and the awareness of there being no floor close beneath ripple through my mind. The arc of my leap started to descend, and my wings shot out to carry me away, quickly catching a strong gust of wind. My body twisted around to follow the wind, and I glided high over Canterlot. Below were dozens of fires lighting up the city, and hundreds of shadows dancing in them. I counted four Dragons flying around, all with their eyes fixed on the ground. Canterlot Tower was ablaze, parts of it had already collapsed, and I could see a small party of Diamond Dogs fleeing from the site.   Suddenly, the darkened silhouette of a Dragon emerged from the castle, and with thundering steps he quickly closed in on the fleeing dogs. The smaller creatures leapt into a different part of the palace, but not without their hunter seeing them. He roared in an intense fury that sounded full of pain, and began tearing the walls down.   I glided out of Canterlot, and was quickly seized and whisked away by a strong air current, taking me far away from the mountain, down to the valley below.   I should not have gone to Canterlot.