Chapter 12:The best day
The sky was blue as blue could be blue that fateful day. There was no way she could stay inside on a day like this! Not to mention it was her day off... Quarry work is tough on a pony! As she left her house in Fillydelphia in search of "The Sugarplum Bakery" Sparkboom relished the rare weather. Usually the pegasi made this time of year rainy and gloomy but not today! She ventured out onto Mane Street and trotted toward the sweet smells that emanated from the bakery down the street. Nothing could ruin today! She got there and was greeted by Mr. and Mrs. SugarPlum in their usual matter and she ordered a cupcake. She watched from the window as busy ponies walk, galloped, trotted, or even sprinted down the road. Why could none of them appreciate the glory of this wondrous day? She looked at the crowd and her heart nearly stopped. W-was that the neon green cloak and purple hat of the one pony she yearned to see again the most? No... it was only a couple circus ponies dancing prancing about... It had been so long since that last argument with Flashburn. She couldn't even remember what it was about... He probably burned something by accident, again. It all seemed so petty now.
Enough with reminiscing the past for today! Today was wonderful and deserved her full attention. Where to go? She could go bowling, hiking, swimming, or even practice her magic. It had been awhile since she had last hiked! Today was a day for adventure and by golly she was going to have one. The time for sitting idly in the bakery was over! She got up and yelled, "CARPE DEIM!!!!!!!" , at the top of her lungs. Then dashed out of the room and toward the hills.
It was a glorious afternoon and the hills were great. She breathed deeply and absorbed the scenery for a few seconds longer. It was time to go as she was out of food and the sun had begun to drop below the horizon line. "This was a good day." She reminisced. She wouldn't be able to come out again to enjoy this for... weeks at minimum but months at most.
The stars were out before she finally returned home that night. She had a late dinner and went to bed after a quick shower. As she lay in bed wondering about what her tomorrow looked like, all the boring routine of blow this up and explode that, she sighed, "Days like this are all I have left..." She fell asleep and dreamed dreams of adventure and fun.
***
Sparkboom awoke to a dark rainy sky and yet another day of work. It would seem she would have to pay for her last day fun. All that was perfect yesterday was terrible today. It had rained heavily that night so the road was a thick sludge and rain pelted down from above. She had forgotten her rain gear at work the previous day and all the shops were closed. Ponies hurried past her just as normal but with hoods up. Even the Circus Ponies had left. She was almost out of town toward the quarry when she saw it. A pony in a neon green cloak leaning on a couple Cantorlotion guards. A male pegasi and a female earth pony. The beat at the door of a supply shop. "Oh my goodness Flashy, what have you done this time?" She readied herself. She knew that Flash had too much on his record to be caught and given a fair trial so she had to save him.
***
Flashburn was having a bad day. His wounds from a week ago still bothered him and he was forced to lean heavily on Auto and Shadow who wore their armor in the town. "That can't feel good in this deluge!"
"It usually opens doors that would otherwise remain closed!" Shadow yelled back as the knocked on the door to a travel store. As the door opened a great explosion knocked Flashburn back and Auto and Shadow to the right and left of him. "What in the name of Luna!?" Shadow called.
A hoof grabbed Flash and pulled him into an alley. "What have you done this time, Flash? Oh nevermind, we have to run now!" Boomie? Flash thought. The figure dashed down the alley and he followed as best he could. "Keep up!" The figure yelled. Flash ran as fast as his wounds would allow him and was lead to a small house in the city. "Get in before they find you!"
Flashburn slipped inside and asked, "Boomie is that you my sparky?"
"Why yes, yes it is." She said happily, "So what did you do this time?"
"This is time?"
"Well you were with the cops..."
"Oh, I actually joined up with a very important cause! We are going to save Equestria!"
"What!? You joined the military!?" Sparkboom guffawed.
"Well, yeah... at first I thought it was just another bandit gang but they are the real deal. I met Celestia again. She actually invaded my mind to test my loyalty to the citizens of Equestria!" He smiled and nodded vigorously.
"And I thought you were crazy when I first met you. Now you're just plain bonkers you know that? Of all the things you were never going to do again it was stress your magic and here you are going off to war, just another faithful soldier. You know she acts like she cares but the Princess only cares for securing her power. She wouldn't give a flying feather if you got hurt or not."
"Oh Boomie... I missed your cynicism but trust me, I'm in it for myself not Celestia. I think I can clear my record! Think about it, all those mysterious fires removed from my list of past crimes... I could finally get a fair trial when I didn't cause the fire..."
"Do you want my help?"
"Boomie, I have missed you so much but, we cannot risk it. Remember what our arguments caused? The devastation? The explosions and fire, I'm sorry but we are a volatile mixture. Maybe one day, when I can control myself more. But I can't now. You of all ponies can understand how much I wish we could be together again but you also know that I cannot forget or forgive myself for what happened." He shook his head and a tear rolled down his cheek.
"It wasn't your fault Flash."
"I wish I could believe that but please understand. Just think about my name. Every time I hear it all I hear is Burn. It resonates in my mind thousands of time over. Please understand." He rushed outside the house and into the rain.
***
It was a good thing it was raining. Flash wasn't able to tell the difference between his tears and the rain streaming down his face. It wasn't until hours later that he noticed his hat had fallen off and his brown mane stuck to his purple coat on the back of his neck.
***
Many times Sparkboom had hated her special talent but never so much as right now. She loved Flashburn as much as he loved her but whenever they stayed close for long destruction followed. She wanted to help him through the hard parts of his life and past and build a bright future but the wounds of the past dug too deep. She watched him dash down the street and his hat fell upon the ground. She meant to call out to him but her voice choked in a sob. Slowly she ventured outside and grabbed the hat. There was no way she could go to work today.
***
"Oh my sweet Celestia! Flashburn what happened? Are you alright? Your bleeding again and... have you been crying?" Rogue landed next to him as he trudged into camp. "Wildpaw go get Auto, Shadow, and James tell them he returned to camp and to stop searching."
"Yes Aunty Rogue." Wildpaw flew off.
"Are you okay Flash?" Anti asked.
"I met an old friend is all..." Flash began to explain.
"Some friend... nearly blows you up and you return without your hat and sobbing." Rogue commented.
"She thought I had gotten mixed up with the law again and was trying to rescue me... She awoke feelings I had thought buried long ago. I wish I could have stayed or brought her with me..."
"Why didn't you?"
"Out of anypony here I should know best of all not to play with fire..."
***
"Do we have to go through there!" Rarity complained. "It's just so gross and sticky and... well... not very clean."
"None of us want to look like a hog, but the fastest way is through this bog." Zecora explained again. "The empire is right ahead, so we cannot take the road instead."
"Pinkie Pie would think of some wacky solution right about now." Rarity sighed sadly.
"We will see her soon, besides having you is a boon. Imagine if you had been captured! Who would have kept Ponyville in rapture? We will find a way through, but there is some dirty work left to do. Keep your spirits high, and we won't have to think about saying goodbye." Zecora comforted.
"Thank you Zecora. I hope we have good luck." She stepped in a pool of muck. "Oh yuck!" She gasped. "Zecora you're rubbing off on me." They laughed.
***
As Captain Auto left Fillydelphia, Celestia's and Evandra's forces met on the field of battle for the first time. It was a small skirmish but now both sides knew where the line had been drawn and fortifications were built. The forest that separated the two was quickly reduced to a barren wasteland from all of the explosions of magic and clear cutting for resources. Absol had returned to lead one side and an old veteran was called to defend on the Equestrian side. Known to his troops as "Old Iron Sides" Captain Iron Hoof had long since retired but when the call came so did he. He was as stubborn as he was strong and he refused to retreat. Not an inch was given on either side. The no ponies land in between had craters the size of houses and huge blocks of ice. The fighting continued as Auto marched ever onward.
***
Zecora had lead Rarity and the other Zebras through the swamp where the hid for now, watching and waiting. "What news from you, the scout? Do the prisoners have a way out?" Zecora asked a Zebra that was painted all black and had fake fangs, wings, and horn.
"They are being held in the palace. I do not think they can and the air is heavy with malice. More time is needed if caution is to be heeded." He replied and left.
"We will wait a few more days. We must find at least two ways." Zecora told Rarity.
"Why?"
"If plan a goes afoul, we do not wish to be under Chrysalis's cowl."
***
"So, through the bog it is?" Flash questioned Auto skeptically.
"Yup."
"Ponyfeathers." He murmured as it began to rain overhead. "I wish I still had my hat..."
"WE KNOW FLASH." They all replied in unison.
"Come on everypony pack up camp, we need to make a lot of ground today, unless you want to sleep in that muck." Rogue said.
Wildpaw jumped straight off her bedroll and rolled it up. "I know I don't!"
"Shhh, we are in enemy territory remember! We have to remain quite." James shushed her.
Wildpaw began to say something really uppity before Anti interrupted with, "He's right you know. We have to be silent and swift lest we be discovered."
"Besides I don't think any of us want to sleep in there Paw." Shadow giggled as she sharpened her saber. "So Flash lucky you we didn't run into that special somepony of yours in Fillydelphia 'eh?"
"And who says we didn't? I saw her and she kicked you and Auto onto your flanks, don't you remember?" He laughed with an evil grin on his face.
"That was her!? Well, I can see why you didn't want her along, imagine all that difficult to control your magic mixed together! I mean seriously one argument and poof! Either a crater or a forest fire."
"Wouldn't be the first time... Is everypony ready?" They all nodded. "Shall we depart Captain?"
"Aye. We've been here too long as is." They marched into the muck of the swamp.
***
"Zecora! News from the bog! It is me the one who is disguised as a log. Ponies dressed in strange clothes approach from our rear. Do you think they work for Chrysalis? Why else would they be so near?"
"Maybe the Princess sent help!" Rarity exclaimed optimistically.
"We shall see, now where did you see?" Zecora questioned.
"Follow and I shall guide you. We may need to take an additional one or two." He motioned for them to follow and for a couple of Zebras to join them.
***
"I met Pinkie Pie once." Flash said as he hopped over a log. "She was a little off, but very fun to be around!"
"Really? What did you do?" Wildpaw asked.
"Well, I went to this place called "Sugar Cube Corner" and they were hosting a party. She was running the whole shindig and the catering was to die for. She was playing that one song... The Pony Pokey! It was very exciting. I got to light the candles on the cake because Twilight couldn't make it and Pinkie didn't have a match."
"That's cool, I met Fluttershy once. Well kinda, I said hi and she kinda mumbled back. It was really awkward at first but by the end of the day we were chatting about the care of carnivorous animals alongside herbivores. It was very enlightening. She actually learned how to make a bear live completely off of a vegetarian diet!"
"I can't wait until we find them!"
***
"... Find them!" Zecora and Rarity and the other Zebras heard from a bush where the waited.
"Do you hear that!?" Rarity whispered franticly, "They want to find us! We have been discovered! We need to run and find a new place to hide!"
"Hold Rarity, there is still much to see. How can we know, to whom their allegiances are owed? Watch for a bit longer, lest we find that our assumptions are incorrect for if they are, we may be goners. Now would you, listen for a clue?"
"Alright." Rarity huffed.
The strange ponies continued their conversation, "So why do you think Chrysalis took them?" The male Unicorn asked the female Pegasus.
"Probably to make us lose the war." She replied.
"Well I guess that makes sense. I guess that's why we were recruited. To either replace them or just to stall for their return. Maybe Celestia knew they had been captured the whole time and this was our goal all along!" He excitedly babbled.
"I don't think so, I mean I love Celestia and all but if she had known... We wouldn't have been sent north first..." They passed out of earshot.
When they were sure that they had truly left Rarity turned to Zecora. "It seems I jumped the gun, they must be reinforcements from Cantorlot."
"None of us called for aid... Now we see that the tides have swayed! With this new ponies we can defeat those phonies! I will speak with them before long but watch my back lest I be wrong." Zecora said.
"No need to worry, if trouble arrives we will be there in a hurry." One of the Zebra responded.
Zecora followed the strange ponies and could once again hear their conversation. The Male pony seemed to be responding defensively, "What's with all this sudden interest in me and Boomie?"
"I'm just curios is all! Is she your special somepony? Did you break up? If you did then why... Look Flash, I have lived alone in the woods for a long time and let's face it, squirrels have the worst gossip."
"I can imagine."
Zecora decided to take a chance and engage in the conversation right then and there. "Did Celestia send you? And are there more or just you two?" The two strangers immediately stood very rigid and the pegasus turned very slowly to face Zecora. The unicorn spun about quickly and formed a shell of fire around the both of them. "I mean you not any harm! Now quickly quite down so as to not raise alarm!" The fires slowed down.
"Who are you?" The unicorn questioned. As the fire dissipated Zecora noticed that the pegasus had drawn a bow and notched an arrow.
"Zecora is my name, as I have answered you will, you not do the same?"
"Howdy Zecora, I'm Flashburn." He said evenly never once dropping his guard.
"I'm Wildpaw. What did you say about Celestia?" She still had her bow ready to fire and pointed at Zecora.
"I'm here to ask if you were sent to find Twilight and her friends, for if you are, we are working towards the same ends."
"Flash go get the Captain." Wildpaw whispered under her breath. Flashburn nodded and slunk into the darkness. Zecora hoped that they were right and that these ponies could be trusted.
They stood in that grove alone together for only a few minutes but to both of them it felt like hours. Not once was the bow lowered and not once did Zecora move. They did not speak to each other at all, only stared. Neither of them even flinched when a heavily armored male pegasus walked into the small clearing. He began, "Greetings Zecora, if you are in fact she, allow me to introduce myself. I am Captain Auto Tomaton of the Cantorlot Guards. I was sent here to rescue Twilight and her friends from the clutches of the Queen of the Changelings. If you are Zecora, you will understand the importance of my next words. "Beware! Beware you pony folk! Those leaves of are not a joke!" Now tell me, "Zecora" what were the leaves of?"
"The leaves were of blue, that was my warning when I first met Twilight and her crew." She answered evenly.
"Lower your bow, Wildpaw. We are in the presence of the real Zecora, either that or a changeling that deserves to get the drop on us." The captain ordered. "Now Zecora, we know you aren't a changeling but how can you know if we aren't? Give us a test."
"A changeling cannot hold its alternate form whilst asleep. Drink this and then start counting sheep." She offered a small bottle of liquid to Auto.
"Auto no! We will need you awake for negotiations! Let me drink it." Rogue offered.
"Neigh let I! We need her wings and horn. I have neither, let me drink it." James offered.
"He is correct Rogue. You can carry a sleeping pony out of danger, but none of us could carry an alicorn out especially with wings such as yours. James, are you sure?"
"Sir yes Sir." He took the bottle and drank its entire contents in a single gulp. He coughed, "Mhg spicy." He coughed again swayed a bit then fell to the earth with a snore.
"And so we have proven our worth! At camp there will be much mirth! Follow me and you will see." Zecora galloped off down a hidden trail and was soon joined by other Zebra and an alabaster unicorn.
"Is that Rarity?" Anti asked Shadow.
"I've never met her." She shrugged back.
***
They reached the camp in the swamp and confirmed that it was Rarity. Then they were caught up on the situation. Auto was in the middle of strategy talks with Zecora when Anti and Rogue ventured out to mingle with the Zebra. "Hello! I'm Anti-Freeze who are you?" Anti said to the first Zebra they met.
"I am known as Zeka Caan, where are you from?" He responded cheerfully.
"I'm from up in Equestria, my family wandered for long time so the road is my home."
"And who are you? I would like to know both of the two."
"I am Rogue, from a little nameless town that long removed from all but the most detailed maps." They continued to chat as they walked through the camp together.
***
"This strategy is the dumbest plan I have ever heard of! There is no way the Queen would risk so much for the illusion of love!" Zecora fumed.
"You forget that love is their food! Besides, she only needs to fall for it for a few hours or even less! All we have to do is hide a love letter where the Changelings will find it! One that alludes to a meeting of to star-crossed lovers under the pale moon on the darkest of nights in a ravine only a few short miles from the Empire's Equestrian border! The plan is full proof! Even if it only removes a few guards we need every advantage we can get!" Auto argued.
"Fine but I hope you know what you are getting us into. When shall we rendezvous?"
"As soon as we are ready."
***
The news spread through the camp like wild fire! A trap was to be set and if the bait was taken, even slightly, they would finally seize the day and save Rarity's friends! Every Zebra and Pony prepared in their own way, be it applying camouflage or readying spells, the Empire would soon regret this day! Auto and his team readied the letter and one of Zecora's Zebra ran it to a likely location. It was discovered caught on a branch after, apparently, floating on a breeze. Changelings were dispatched at once.
***
"Girls! My Pinkie sense is tingling! Something is happening!" Pinkie whispered as her entire body began to shake. "This one is a doozey!"
"Do you think it's rescue?" Twilight whispered back.
"I don't know. But it's coming from over in the swamp!"
"Finally I will be able to fly again! I'm so excited!" Rainbowdash quipped.
"But what if it's bmghmmmm...." Fluttershy mumbled.
"What's that Sugar Cube? " Applejack asked.
"what if it's bmghmmmm..." Fluttershy mumbled back.
"Please speak up Fluttershy." Twilight beseeched.
"Whatifit'sbad!" Fluttershy blurted.
"What if it's bad? I hadn't thought of that..." Twilight said worriedly.
"Oh come on! How could it be bad! We are in prison! How much worse could it be! This doozey is definitely good!" Rainbowdash reassured them.
To which Twilight responded, "I sincerely hope so..."