Chapter 6: You're not my mom!
The Mayor sat on the roof and waited for the construction team to get a tarp for her to jump into, she was over the bubble layer which had popped during the night making it a sinister cloud layer, and no Pegasi could make the trip up to get her. From what she could tell, the evacuation was going well. Without Spike she was having volunteers go from home to home picking up refugees before returning, and, unless her memory failed her, almost seventy-five percent of the populace had been evacuated, her team included. The sun rose over the horizon before the tarp was ready. Before she leapt down she looked towards Cantorlot and peered through the gases. Shapes glided through the mud... She recognized the Equestrian flag flapping proudly and her heart rejoiced. She closed her eyes, plugged her ears and held her breath as she fell through the cloud layer, her tattered bandage falling off and her skin smarted as the gas attacked her pores. The bug bites hurt. She fell into the tarp and was slowly laid down.
"Thank you sirs," She got up shakily. She felt angry for some reason, but years of political experience held her in check. "I have good news everypony!" She trotted towards the largest gathering of ponies she could immediately see. "I just spotted the Cantorlot relief team! Celestia's help will be here any minute!"
"YEAH!!" Bulk Biceps screamed in approval.
The Mayor cleared her throat to draw the attention back to her, furious at the interruption, "But! Just because we have help doesn't mean we should stop evacuating! I want to see those boats out again as soon as they get here! That means we will need to replace the drivers and oarponies! Do I have any volunteers for the next one?" She looked over the crowd and saw a few wary hooves. "Come on everypony! We need to give our friends a rest! Some of you have friends and family still out there!" More were raised. "Thank you! You five, Bulk, Time Turner, Lyra, Bon Bon, and Cherilee! You're on the next one." She trotted over to last month's census and read the names that had yet to be checked off. "You'll be heading to Southern Ponyville..." She made a list of ponies that lived there and their addresses. "Remember, don't be too hasty. They may be scared or asleep, so make sure you make your intentions clear and noticeable."
"Of course, Mayor." Cherilee smiled.
"Thank you all, now if you don't mind I'll need to be there to greet the relief team. Good luck if I don't see you before you leave." She smiled, for some reason Cherilee was really getting on her nerves. They were friends and have had their share of arguments, but for some reason... She sighed and trotted over to the dock. Her leg hurt, but she had other things to do.
The boats were making good progress towards the dock and she could see Princess Celestia standing at the helm, lighting the path. "It's about time..." The Mayor whispered. Her eyes widened... why had she said that!? The boat docked and the Princess got off, the Mayor slowly bowed, "Your Majesty, thank you for coming so far at such a short notice." She thanked her curtly.
Celestia immediately detected something wrong with the Mayor. "Hello Mayor Mare. Are you okay?" She asked, concerned for her subject.
"Oh yes of course! My town is just under seven feet of mud with Hydras running around! Couldn't be better!" The Mayor snapped. She shook her head to clear it and shot straight up. "Oh my... I'm so sorry, I... I don't know what came over me!"
Celestia noticed how forced the movements were, along with the bags under the mare's eyes. She looked at the bedraggled mare closer. The Mayor backed up a little as the Princess leaned in, but still Celestia got a close enough look. Her eyes were baggy, she was having difficulty standing, and the strange gas that filled the sky leaked from her back leg.
"Hold still please," The Princess ordered as she went to inspect the leg, as she circled she continued, "Mayor, you look exhausted, when is the last time you slept?"
"Well, about sixteen hours ago I woke up from a small... well it was a small coma really. I was under for a few hours." The Mayor shuffled a bit.
"You need to slee..." Celestia saw the gash. "Nix that... you need to see a doctor NOW." She ordered.
"Oh that? It'll be fine until everypony is evacuated, I'm sure." The Mayor rolled her eyes as the Princess looked at the wound like a concerned mother who's filly just got their first bruise. She yanked her leg away and complained, "Princess, I'm fine! Now we do have some bigger concerns." She gestured to the town.
"Mayor, it's infected! You are taking a boat out NOW! That's the end of it." The Princess ordered. "Luna's at the refugee camp, she'll take care of you."
The Mayor glared at the Princess. "Fine." She said coldly. "At least let me take my own crew, yours is too well trained. They'll be more useful here."
"Good. You can take whomever you feel like with you, get in that boat and I'll collect them. Who did you want?"
"I'll fetch them myself thank you." The Mayor said smugly before sauntering towards the group she had arranged previously. She got their attention and relayed unto them her version of Celestia's orders. "The Princess wants us to go check on Princess Twilight and the other bearers of the Elements of Harmony, then to return to the refugee camp. She has supplied a boat. I recommend we depart immediately."
The others nodded or let out a healthy "YEAH" in agreement before galloping into the boat and getting ready.
The Mayor picked up the Census and gave it to Celestia, "These are the ponies that still need to be evacuated, I'm sorry for my insubordination earlier. I'm just so tired and angry at... the world I guess."
Celestia could tell something was up, but knew she couldn't spare the time or Ponies to ensure the Mayor followed her word. "It's fine, just please... try and get better. Ponyville will need you in the months to come." The Mayor smiled and slowly trotted to the boat. A guard next to her faked a cough. "Oh hush, I know she's not going to listen, but it's her choice and if I make her ponies will suffer."
"Sure."
"You know you're a guard right? I could replace you in a heartbeat." She scowled.
"Yep."
A few moments of palpable silence filled the air as she scowled at him. His expression did not change. "I'm going to keep you." She wrote a quick note and sent it to her captain of the guard, ordering the transfer of the guard from Cantorlot proper to the castle. He'd keep her honest.
***
Twilight used a spell that cleared the remaining poisonous fog from their systems. Her friends were no longer so aggressive and belligerent, nor as tired. Excluding Rainbow Dash and Pinkie who were down and out after dragging the boats through the swamp and out of the dangerous bubble. With any luck, they'd all get turns at sleeping before the Hydras came back to this part of the swamp. Still, she kept a wary eye out for the fourth as well as anything else dangerous. As the hours trailed by the bugs circling her got more and more annoying. She saw a large dark form moving through the fog. It was a while off, but was coming fast! It was huge! Taller than the town hall by the looks of it! The bugs immediately forgotten she pulled out her binoculars and focused all of her attention on the figure. It had spikes on its head... so it wasn't a hydra...
"Girls! Wake up! Something is out there!" She felt the boat dip slightly and all but Fluttershy stood next to her, staring straight ahead.
"Um... girls?" Fluttershy whispered.
"What do y'all reckon that thing is!?" Applejack leaned forward squinting.
"I dunno, I'll get a closer look!" Rainbow opened her wings.
"Girls!" Fluttershy stated in a panic finally reaching normal speaking volume.
"Don't fly silly! Those bubbles look ready to burst! Take the bog scooter!" Pinkie snorted.
"Girls!" Fluttershy yelled, tugging on Rarity's mane.
"Oh what is it de..." Rarity's voice died when she turned.
Behind them in striking position was the fourth Hydra. Larger than the others, it must've been the main head. The others turned just in time to jump out of the way of the first strike. Twilight hovered just under the fog, her wing tips grazing the surface of the mud. She watched in horror as the beast's head rose from the wreckage of their boats, anger in its eyes. She was snapped out of her trance by a tremendous roar and flew to Rarity's aid.