To Find an Alicorn

by Shadowsnake89

The Chase Begins

“You idiots!” Goldcap shouted as she slapped her compatriot on the head repeatedly with a rolled up newspaper. “How could you do this to me? I offered you ultimate power, fame, fortune and this is how you repay me? By stealing a baby?”

“Ow ow ow! In my defense, how were we supposed to know they remodeled the castle and moved the treasure room?” Zappity said as the baby princess cried. The two and their male comrade had made their way out of the frozen north and southward just outside of a small town. They had made camp while they awaited Decepticolt's return as he had gone into the settlement to get supplies without drawing too much attention.

“You should know the difference between solid gold coins and a rubber duck!” Flurryheart wailed even louder after Goldcap's outburst. “And shut that thing up! It hasn't stopped crying since we left the last town.”

“Beg your pardon but 'it' is a she.”

“Well she is going to give us away if you don't keep her quiet. Use that stupid baby book we spent our hard earned cash on and figure out what she wants."

Zappity pulls out the book from her saddle bag and begins reading. “Let's see. Crying. Diaper change? Nope, did that five minutes ago. Ew by the way. Here we are, she's hungry.”

“We're all out of food. Find her some grass or something to munch on.”

“Says here baby ponies can't digest most solids.” She continued reading. “Says here a mother should...oh my.” Her cheeks turned an even darker shade of red as she blushed from what she had read.

“What?” Goldcap levitated the book from her and read it herself before she had a similar expression. “Oh...well, you'd better...get to it.”

“I'm not doing that. It's gross.”

“It's not gross. It's a completely natural thing for a mare to do.”

“Then you do it.”

“No way, that's gross.

“See!”

“Both of you calm down.” Decepticolt scolded as he returned from his trip with supplies and sat them down in front of them. “Give me the baby.” He levitated her over to him and pulled out a bottle of milk.

“This is it?” Goldcap chastised. “These are all the supplies you could scrounge up?”

“What did you expect? We barely had enough to make the trip out to the Crystal Empire in the first place. We're lucky to get this much.”

Speaking of which,” Zappity interjected. “What are we going to do about not having the hoard of priceless reckless we promised to a dangerous criminal?”

Goldcap instantly shot up in distress, having been so preoccupied with trying to lose the royal guard that she hadn't even thought about the sole reason they had embarked on this escapade. “That...is a definite problem. We are two days overdue and he will find us and make us pay for not having what I promised. Unless of course...” She looked over to the alicorn infant.

Decepticolt gave her a raised eyebrow in response. “You really think Overcoat wants to have the entire Equestrian military knocking down his front door to get this kid back?”

“Maybe we could ransom her back to the royals for what we need?” Zappity suggested as she took Flurry Heart back from her companion.

“A good idea. But we'll need some place to lay low if we are going to do that.”

“Well we can't go back to my mom's place. That will be the first place those goons will be looking for us.” Decepticolt began to pack up their supplies as Goldcap thought for a moment.

“I think I might just know the perfect place we can go where no one would ever think to look for us.”

Earlier

Donned in a black cloak, having left his armor behind in the Empire, Flash Sentry entered a two-level structure on the side of a forest road. The building acted as a rest stop of sorts for weary travelers taking these lonely roads. He entered bringing attention to himself as the sound of the door swinging open and the light seeping in caused the patrons to turn to his location. Flash calmly walked over to the barkeep, momentarily locking eyes with each shady looking mare and stallion that had their eyes trained on him.

“What'll it be, bub?” The unicorn barkeep asked as he polished a glass.

Flash stealthily placed several bits on the counter. “I was told someone was expecting me.”

The unicorn levitated the coins over to his side and slid them under the counter. “Upstairs. Might want to warn you, though. She might be a little antsy.” The muffled sound of glass breaking came from the second floor. “That would be your friend, I assume. Second door on the right.”

Flash made his way up the stairs and crept to the door and found it was unlocked and opened it slowly to see the lone occupant, a purple pegasus with green mohawk mane, slumped on the lone bed in the room with the earlier shattered mug on the floor. The liquid contents were spilled over the floor and the guard took care where he stepped as he cleared his throat to address the mare in front of him. “You must be the friend the princess mentioned.”

She turned her head to him and squinted for a few seconds before coming to a realization. “Oh no. They made you a royal guard? They made Slowpoke Sentry a royal guard? Oh, this is rich.” She chuckled as she sat up.

“Slowpoke? Who...” Flash paused before realizing something himself. “Lightning Dust?”

She smiled as she hopped down. “It's Overcast these days. Needed to try something new in my life. That other pony ain't exactly popular anymore.”

“Still, it's good to see you, so to speak.”

She flew over and wrapped a hoof around him in a hug. “Never thought the terrible two would be back together again.” She playfully brushed his mane before she got serious again. “Wish it was under better circumstances though.”

“Speaking of which, I'm sure Cadence has filled you in on the details.”

“I've got the gist of it.” Overcast flew over the spilled drink and to a table where a map was laid out.

“Not thirsty?” Flash asked simply as Overcast went starred down at the map.

“Found I lost my taste for cider a while ago. Just...an old habit rearing its head.” She waved him over as he found she'd marked a series of routes and out of the way locations. “If these ponies you all are after are moving like I think they are, then they aren't taking any main roads or any type of public transportation.”

“We've already ruled out trains and airships.”

“Cadence said there haven't been any ransom demands.”

“Nothing that we've received.”

“Then they can't want money, at least not from the royals.”

“Might be Changelings. Haven't seen them in force since Canterlot.”

“Could be, but they fly and shapeshift. Wouldn't be too hard to get away. I'm thinking whoever it is is grounded which means...” She circled an area on the map south of the Crystal Empire. “In the time span since the kidnapping, even if they aren't resting, they can't have made it further than this. There's our start. You ready to do this?” She held up her hoof.

Flash smirked and locked hooves with her. “Is your new coat color an eye sore?”

“Very funny, Slowpoke.”

Author's Note:

It's been a while since the last time I posted. I've been suffering some minor bouts of depression and it's effected my writing. I just haven't been able to get myself motivated like I used to. Did a short chapter just to get back into the grove. Next chapter onward is where things get interesting.