Time and Masks

by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof

Dinky Hunted

Dinky ran. Her hooves clacked against the cobblestones as she moved down the street as quickly as she could. Her eyes scanned the area around her, trying to find a way to lose her pursuer and turn toward the castle.

The filly was tempted to look back, but it was not really necessary. She could hear Poison Prank's hooves clicking on the street as well. Besides, Dinky had to pay attention to where she was going, and try to figure out how to escape from the wicked unicorn.

So far all she had was a list of things she could not do. Running the rest of the day and all night was not an option, she would just get tired and the princesses had to know. She could hide and rest for a few minutes, but then what? Her Mare-Do-Well costume would be useful -- although it may not fit since has been nearly a year since she last wore it -- but she would need time to summon it and put it on. Plus, It was unlikely that Poison Prank was dumb enough to believe that Mare-Do-Well would show up the same time a filly being chased disappeared. For that same reason, magic was out. Poison Prank had heard the ticking sound of Dinky's magic from when Mare-Do-Well cast a spell. The color was fine, but the sound was too unique.

She needed to get back to the castle and send a letter to Ponyville.

Maybe that's it, Dinky suddenly thought, a letter. The idea, or the basics of one, began to form in her head. It was a bit of something she had never tried before, but it should work. Now she just needed a way get the supplies.

Seeing a cross road, she turned. The filly's hooves skidded on the cobblestones as she did, almost sliding past the intersection before getting herself to move forward. That was going to make getting away more difficult.

At the end stood two guards. They turned at the sound of running, seeing first the filly, then the costumed mare chasing after her.

"Halt!" one of the guards shouted. Dinky ran right between the pair, not stopping. She soon heard the sound of glass shattering twice, followed by coughing. It was tempting to look back and see if the guards were hit by Poison Joke or knocked out, but that would mean slowing down and making herself an easier target.

From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a pony in a hat. Looking at it fully, she felt a flutter of hope: the hat had a feather in it. Using her magic, the filly grabbed the feather as she ran past, If the pony noticed, Dinky never heard anything. She just kept running.

The filly turned onto another street then dove down an alley. Hope glimmered in her golden eyes as she saw the trash cans. As she reached them, she pushed at one of the lids, looking inside. With nothing on top, she reached in with one hoof and pushed some of the trash around. It almost felt like a miracle when she found a crumpled up piece of paper. Grabbing it, she continued to run down the alley.

"Oh, little pony," Poison Prank sang out, "come out come out and play." Her voice echoed along the alley, finding its way to Dinky. Poison Prank sounded so sweet and playful. If the filly did not know better, she would not have expected anything malicious.

At the back door to one of the businesses were several crates, barrels and large burlap sacks. There was a small space between some of the containers. Closing her eyes, she threw herself at the gap. Clenching and shifting, she squirmed and wiggled her way in. It was tight, uncomfortably so. Now she had to hope that she would go unnoticed, or at least to be hidden just long enough.

Dinky lifted one of her forelegs. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath...

And then bit into the skin of her ankle.

The bite sent pain through her limb, making her want to cry out and let go. Squeezing her eyes tighter, she gritted her teeth and pressed harder. It was when she tasted something wet and coppery fill her mouth that she finally let go. The filly quickly dipped the tip of the quill and placed it against the scrap of paper.

Princess,

Parasprites in Canterlot. Poison Prank and another pony responsibe. Poison chasing me. Other pony after Twinkle and Wind. Please send help

Dinky.

Dropping the quill, she closed her eyes again. This time she was focusing on her magic. This was a new take on a spell for her. She had teleported objects to her as well as back to where they had been, but both was using a fixed location she knew. This time, she was trying to send it to a specific pony.

Once the magic was released and the note disappeared, there was nothing left to do but pray it reached the princess.

"Come on little filly," Poison Prank called out. "Just come out and I promise I won't hurt you... too badly."

Dinky held her breath and tried her best not to move. Hidden in the gap face first, she had her back to the opening. It sounded like the mare was close though. Could she be right outside the opening?

"Ah-ha!" the mare called out.

An aura of energy surrounded Dinky, holding her tight. She kicked out with all four legs, scrabbling at the sides of the wooden containers and trying to find a spot to grip it tightly. Desperately, she pressed the tip into the wood as hard as she could, gauging a scratch deep into the surface as she was forced out of hiding.

Dinky slipped out of the gap with a pop. She floated in the air upside down, held in place by the magic of Poison Prank.

"Now really," the mare sniffed, "what, pray tell, was your plan?"

"Uhm..." Dinky tapped her hooves together, trying to look sheepish, "try to hide until you left or Mare-Do-Well arrived?" She grinned, hoping it looked embarrassed. Turning her head, she looked around and tried to think. The filly saw one of the burlap bags and got an idea.

"Mare-Do-Well?" Poison Prank asked in a huff, "Really? That... foolish foal is the one you were hoping to rescue you?"

"Well she did stop you twice before."

"ONCE!" the mare shouted before coughing and collecting herself. "She only defeated me once. And that was with cheating. With the..." She shuddered. "...snake. And... those horrible little vermin. It was all luck. Luck and cheating. Had she fought fair, I would have easily dealt with her."

"How is threatening an entire school with Poison Joke fair?"

"Worthless brat. You wouldn't understand."

One of the burlap sacks flew through the air, striking Poison Prank in the face. The coarse fabric caught on the mare's horn, tearing open a wide rip. Flour began to pour out from the tear, covering Poison Prank in the white powder and covering her face. The mare shook her head, and tried to wipe the flour from her eyes.

Feeling the magical grip weakened, Dinky started to struggle and squirm. She pushed at the weakened energy, finally feeling it give way and dropping her back onto the ground. A burst of white flooded her brain with a cracking sound as her jaw hit the stones.

Despite the pain and her mind being elsewhere, the filly managed to push herself up onto her hooves and began to move. Double-vision and vertigo caused her to stumble and stagger. One of her shoulders pressed against the wall, supporting most of her weight and keeping her upright. Moving slower than she would like (but at least I'm moving), she walked toward entrance to the alley.

"That is it!" Poison Prank snarled out. "I am through playing nice with you, you annoying little brat."

Dinky turned her head, feeling everything inside it swim for a moment. She saw a blurred, overlapping, double-image of the criminal, horn glowing. Floating next to her head (and in the middle of the other) was an orb filled with a silvery red substance. Poison Prank then threw it at the filly.

At the sight of the orb being thrown, Dinky tried to throw herself from the wall as far as she could and against the ground. There was a boom as the orb struck the wall, causing Dinky's ears to ring. A blast of heat struck her back and side, making it feel like something slammed into her. The area went numb, causing her to feel nothing. The smell of smoke was strong and acrid, mixing with the horrid stench of something burning. It was so pungent, she could taste it.

Everything but sight was unusable, and that was close to it as well. All she saw was just a shapeless blur of colors.

Poison Prank reached out with her magic, taking a hold of the filly and lifting her up in the air once again. The mare stomped over to the injured filly at the golden eyes that were not really looking anywhere.

"You," the villain snarled, "a very stubborn, very stupid foal. All you had to do was come quietly and everything would have been fine in the morning. But no. You just had to be a mule and fight. It was a nice move you had getting away from the explosive. Oh, but darling," she said with mock sympathy, "now you are so badly hurt. Maybe I should just put you out of your misery, and mine."

The air crackled with powerful magic. A golden white light burst in the air above the alley, filling the area and blinding Poison Prank.

Poison Prank cried out in pain as a golden aura engulfed the filly, the criminal mare feeling her own magic burned away by someone with greater power. The pain caused her to reel back, shaking her head. A thump of hooves drew her attention.

Standing before the criminal was Princess Celestia. The ruler's wings were spread wide and horn glowing brightly. Her head was held high as she looked at the criminal through narrow eyes. Her magic held the filly in the air, pulling her close.

Using her own magic, Poison Prank pulled out one of the purple orbs and threw it at the princess. Celestia horn flared and pulsed brighter. The orb burned away before it reached the princess, it and the powder turned to ash.

The criminal pulled out a gray one and threw it down in front of her, creating a cloud of smoke. The princess began to clear the smoke, but a groan from Dinky drew her attention. Remembering her student was injured, Celestia let her anger go and allowed Poison Prank to escape, for now. Once the filly was set on her back, the princess quickly made her way to Canterlot's hospital.

Comments

[Luckyfanisaac]

Now she just needed a way to get the supplies.