Chapter 30: Take The Long Way Home
Ash and Sweetie walk through the woods both obviously very tired. "I think we'll reach civilization later today."
"Thank Celestia." Sweetie sighs. "Once we're relaxed you owe me a hoof rub."
"I owe you a hoof rub?" Ash asks raising an eyebrow as he does.
"Of course you do." Sweetie says as if it's the obvious thing in all of Equestria.
"And how exactly do you figure that?"
Sweetie smiles slyly and answers. "Cause I'll make it worth your while."
Ash chuckles. "Oh, I see how it is."
Sweetie busts out laughing. "How about if I just say please?"
Ash moves closer to Sweetie and kisses her softly. "Anything for you Sweetie."
Sweetie smiles. "Good."
The two of them walk for awhile when Ash suddenly stops. "What's the matter?" Sweetie asks.
"I thought I saw Rainbow Dash." Ash answers.
"Seriously?" Sweetie asks.
"Have you ever seen another pony leave a rainbow trail behind them?"
Sweetie shakes her head. "You think that they're looking for us?"
"I can't think of anypony else they'd be looking for."
==========
Meanwhile above the treetops Rainbow Dash flies over to Fluttershy. "Have any of the animals seen them?"
"I'm not sure." Fluttershy admits. "I'm having a hard time getting these animals to talk to me."
"The animals here don't know you like the ones back in Ponyville." Rainbow Dash says. "Probably not sure if they want to trust you or not. Can you really blame them?"
"I guess not." Fluttershy admits.
A flash of gold light pierces the canopy. "What was that?" Rainbow asks.
"It looked like a magical blast." Fluttershy says.
"Let's check it out." Rainbow says and she and Fluttershy fly toward where the light came from.
==========
"Do you think they saw it?" Sweetie asks.
"If they don't come down in a few minutes I'll send another up." Ash answers. "Last thing I want to do is accidentally blind somepony."
"I guess you have a point there."
"I thought so."
"Anypony down here?" Rainbow Dash asks as she descends beneath the canopy.
"Rainbow Dash is that you?" Ash calls out.
"Ash? Sweetie?" Rainbow asks.
"Here!" Ash calls up as he charges up his horn and uses it as a beacon.
Rainbow and Fluttershy come into eyesight of the two young ponies. “There you two are.” Rainbow says. “We’ve been looking for you.”
“Yeah sorry about that.” Ash says. “We can explain.”
“Save it for Twilight.” Rainbow says. “I’m not really in the mood to hear any excuses.”
“I guess we deserve that.” Ash admits.
Rainbow pushes a fore-hoof to her necklace. “Twilight, we found them.”
“Excellent!” Twilight says over the headset. “Bring them to the town square we can sleep at the town hall tonight.”
“Roger.” Rainbow says then looks at Ash and Sweetie both obviously exhausted. “All right, get walking.”
Ash sighs. “Lead on then.”
Rainbow laughs. “I’m just teasing. I’ll carry you Ash, Fluttershy, take Sweetie.” She swoops down and picks up Ash.
Fluttershy nods. “Okay.” She says as she flies down and carefully picks up Sweetie Belle. Then the two of them fly toward town.
=========
Twilight comes out of the mayor’s office in town hall. “I have news everypony.”
“What is it Twilight?” Trixie asks after the crowd hushes
“We’ve found them!” Twilight exclaims and the crowd cheers. “They’re on their way here." Twilight says "I want to thank everypony for their help.”
Written Script comes up to her. “We’re certainly glad that you found them, and we’re glad we could be of assistance. If there’s anything else you need please don’t hesitate to ask.”
At that moment Twilight’s stomach growls. “You know, now that I think about it I am rather hungry, and I bet my friends will be too.”
“I will task some of our residents to fix some food for you.”
“That would be great.” Twilight says. “I’m sure I can arrange some kind of payment.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Written says. “I’ll use the town funds to pay for it, it’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m positive.”
“Very well then, you should get to that.” Twilight says. “My friends are both pegasi, and I assure you they won’t dally getting back.”
“Of course.” Written Script says as she hurries out.
“Come on, we should watch for them.” Twilight says as she goes to leave the hall.
“Okay.” Trixie says as she follows her.
About 20 minutes later Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy fly land in the town square and put Sweetie Belle and Ash Fall down. “Good to see you two again.” Twilight says.
“Hi Twilight.” Ash and Sweetie say at the same time.
“Look, I’m mad at you, but explanations can wait.” Twilight says. “I can see you two are filthy, and the townsponies are making us some food. So let’s get you cleaned up and fed and then we’ll hear your reasons.”
“A shower does sound good.” Sweetie says.
“As does some real food.” Ash says and they all head into the town hall. Ash unties the bag on his back and sits it on the floor. “I wouldn’t touch that if I were you.” He says as he undoes his saddlebags and places them next to the bag.
“Come on, I hear the shower calling.” Sweetie says as she takes off her saddlebags and places them next to his before heading to the back Ash quickly following.
“Wait…” Twilight starts to say only to find Fluttershy’s forehoof in her face.
“Let them go.” Fluttershy says. “They’re not running away again.”
“Fine.” Twilight says. “I need to write a letter to Spike letting him know we found them.”
“Good idea.” Fluttershy says as Twilight takes out parchment and quill to write the letter.
Some time later, once everypony is fed they all lay on beds in the emergency sleeping area. “So what do you two have to say for yourselves?” Twilight asks. “You had us all worried. Especially Rarity. Sweetie did you even think about Rarity?”
“I just wanted to help Ash.” Sweetie says.
“You want to know what we were thinking?” Ash asks. “When I realized that I might possibly be having glimpses of memory and wanted to travel here we came to see you. We walked into your castle, and do you know what we saw?”
“No, enlighten me.” Twilight answers sarcastically
“We walked in to hear you and the others talking about how Princess Celestia didn’t want us to leave.” Ash says. “That you were willing to use Sweetie’s feelings for me as leverage to keep us in Ponyville.”
Twilight blushes heavily. “That’s not exactly..”
“Not exactly!?” Ash yells. “Let me see if I can remember what was said. Something about stalling us if we ask to leave, and you taking the liberty of lending Sweetie a spellbook after you found out we’d been intimate?”
“That is what was said.” Twilight admits.
“I should thank you, that book is quite interesting, and we’ve been making good use of it.”
“Oh that reminds me, I need more herbs to make moon tea.” Sweetie says. “I used the last of what I had this morning.”
Twilight blushes furiously. “I’m sure that we can arrange that.”
Trixie gets up. “Trixie will go get them. Trixie has a feeling she isn’t needed here at the moment anyway.”
“Thank you Trixie.” Twilight says and watches Trixie walk off. “Now, while you two were getting cleaned up I sent a letter to Spike telling him we’d found you two and we will be heading back to Ponyville tomorrow.”
“We can’t head back to Ponyville yet.” Ash says.
“And why is that?” Twilight asks.
“I need to go to Canterlot and talk to Princess Celestia.”
“What exactly did you two find out there?”
“The fortress that I grew up in.” Ash answers.
“That’s… that’s impossible.” Twilight stutters. “There’s no fortress in this area on any map I’ve ever seen.”
“Trust us, it’s there.” Sweetie says.
“But how?” Twilight asks.
Ash pulls the bag or armor to him and pulls a piece out. “That’s how.”
Twilight gasps. “What is it Twilight?” Fluttershy asks.
“That’s the original armor design for the Night Guard.” Twilight says. “It was changed slightly when Luna came back.” Twilight looks at Ash. “How did you get this?”
“The armor is mine.”
“You’re part of the Night Guard?”
Ash nods. “I was my mother’s lieutenant .”
“What?” Twilight and Sweetie look at Ash surprised.
“My mother was Commander of the fortress, and my father Lieutenant Commander. I was training to be the next captain and had already been appointed Lieutenant from my achievements in mock battles.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Sweetie asks.
“I didn’t want to brag or anything.” Ash answers.
“If you’re so successful why don’t you have your cutie mark?” Sweetie asks.
“I use to think I’d get it when I took over being Captain of the fortress.” Ash answers. “But now I’m not entirely sure.”
“Don’t worry Ash.” Sweetie says. “We’ll figure it out.”
“I’m sure we will.”
“We’ll worry about that later.” Twilight says. “You two get some sleep, I need to write a letter saying we’re going to Canterlot.”
“You mean we’re all going together?” Sweetie asks.
“I’m not going to separate you two if I can avoid it. I’m not that mean.” Twilight answers.
“Thank you, Twilight.” Ash says.
“Trixie has returned with the herbs.” Trixie says as she enters the hall.
“Thank you Trixie.” Sweetie says as she takes the herbs from her.
“Now let’s all go to bed.” Twilight suggests. “Tomorrow is probably going to be an interesting day.”