The Revolutionaries

by Sketchy Pen

Chapter 2

The headquarters of Commander Ditzy’s rebellion were nothing particularly fancy. Just on the outskirts of the Everfree away from prying Corona eyes and hidden in what was formerly a large rabbit warren, what everyone called “that old hole in the ground” was a point of much pride to Ditzy, even if she couldn’t share that pride with anyone but the four still-living rebels.

“Be very quiet,” Ditzy whispered to the Doctor as she led him to the warren. It was slightly louder than she’d intended, and the Doctor was either too polite to say so or hadn’t noticed.

Part of Ditzy’s mind wondered if she was still sane, leading a stallion she’d met five minutes ago into a secret place only she and a handful of other ponies knew. She’d heard mares in the mail business telling horror stories about stallions they’d just met. Nine times out of ten, they had the creepiest fetishes and turn-ons ever. Ditzy suspected that was just gossipy hens being gossipy hens(no offense intended towards Fluttershy’s chickens), but there was a certain grain of truth in dating horror stories.

Perhaps Ditzy was going insane, but she could tell there was something... different about this pony. Sort of like time slowed down when the two were together. She knew he was no ordinary Earth Pony.

“That’s because he’s the STALLION of your DREAMS!” she could hear her old friend DD squealing in her head.

Ditzy cringed at hearing DD in her head. That wasn’t normal. Ditzy didn’t think like that.

“Something wrong?” the Doctor asked.

“Hm? No, nothing,” Ditzy said hurriedly. “Just thinking, I guess. Oh look, we’re here.”

Ditzy pawed at the ground in front of a hedge on the edge of the Everfree. The Doctor watched in confusion as Ditzy did something very weird.

She stuck her head into the shrub and whispered the word.

“Muffin.”

The Doctor had certainly not expected that, but then again, Ditzy was the kind of mare one didn’t expect normal things from, if that made any sense.

It was at this point Ditzy shoved her whole body in and beckoned for the doctor to follow her with a hoof.

“Are you sure about--” the Doctor began. He was cut off by the muffled sound of a door swishing open. He was about to comment on this when Ditzy, whose wing he had been standing on and whose back left knee was jabbing him in the ribs, vanished.

Of course, she didn’t actually vanish, but this was what the Doctor processed through the leafy foliage of the shrub.

And with a soft thump, he landed in a slightly disoriented pile behind the already-standing Ditzy.

“Who the hay is he?” the irritated voice of a mare demanded. “I mean, Ditzy! Have you lost your mind?”

“Relax, Vinyl, he’s on our side,” said Ditzy as the Doctor slowly got to his feet and took in his surroundings.

He, Ditzy, and three other mares were all inside a dirt room. It was fairly large but still rather cozy. The ceiling was sloped towards the center of the ceiling, secured with gnarled roots. A makeshift door hung on one wall, through the gaps of the door the Doctor glimpsed a glimmer of metal. A large, black box on wheels sat next to what seemed to be a shotgun. An off-white unicorn mare with a violently blue mane had been jabbing a hoof violently at the Doctor when he fell in. She looked at him like he was the friend of someone she hated with vibrant red eyes, a pair of violet sunglasses perched on her forehead. A french gray Earth Pony mare with a dark gray mane was sitting against a wall while polishing a long, curved, wickedly sharp knife as long as her foreleg. She rolled her violet eyes a little at the unicorn’s angry tone, as if something like that had happened before. Lastly a cream-colored Earth Pony with a navy blue and pink curled mane had paused in her drawing in a notebook, copying a drawing from the book she was reading.

“Fascinating,” he said as he looked around. “Was this the resistance you told me about? I must say, I was expecting something...more.”

“Then find another universe,” the cream-colored mare deadpanned.

“I know it isn’t much,” said Ditzy patiently. “But it’ll save the world, I’m possible.”

“I think you mean ‘positive,’” said the cream mare.

“Right. Yes. Thank you, Bonbon,” Ditzy said with a nod. “I’m positive.”

“Well then, if we’re going to save the world and set things right again, we need a plan!” the Doctor said cheerfully.

“What’s with this ‘we’ stuff?” the white mare demanded, glaring at the Doctor. “Who the hay are you, anyway?”

“I’m the Doctor,” said the Doctor proudly.

“Doctor who?” the white mare asked.

“Exactly,” both the Doctor and Ditzy say at the same time, the Doctor proudly, Ditzy with an exasperated sigh.

“Well, so long as we’re doing introductions,” said the gray mare briskly as she stood up. “I’m Octavia Philharmonica, but most just call me--”

“Octy,” the white mare jumped in. “She loves being called Octy. Call her that as much as possible.”

“Vinyl!” Octavia snaps. “That is a lie, don’t believe anything she says. Call me Octavia.”

“You’re such a spoilsport, Octy,” says the white mare with mock hurt, sticking her tongue out playfully at Octavia. “I’m Vinyl Scratch, also known as DJ-P0N-3, only THE BEST DJ in Equestria!”

She finished the slightly hammy introduction with a proud flourish, powersliding on the dirt floor and striking a pose like she was waiting for someone in the sky to come tackle-hug her.

“And you are?” said the Doctor, turning to Bonbon.

“Bonbon,” says the mare curtly, bobbing her head in the Doctor’s direction. “Just Bonbon.”

“Well then!” said the Doctor brightly. “I suppose you lot have some sort of plan?”

“Sort of,” Ditzy said, turning to Bonbon. “Bonbon, you’re on chapter seven, right?”

Bonbon nodded.

“Wait, what?” the Doctor says, confused.

Bonbon closed the book she was reading and held it up with a hoof. It’s a simple-looking red leather journal with a spine that’s falling apart at the ends and a few loose, yellowing pages. The cursive name Heartstrings and a small lyre was stitched across the cover in yellow thread.

“This is a journal of strategies,” Bonbon explained. “My... friend Lyra wrote it years ago. Chapter seven is different plans for reconnaissance missions.”

“If you don’t mind my asking, why haven’t you lot done anything yet?” the Doctor asked with a notation that could only be described as innocent.

Ditzy resisted the urge to buck him across the face. He was just a visitor, he didn’t even know who Queen Corona was, he didn’t know anything. No need to give him a concussion.

“Look,” said Bonbon as she spread a map of Queen Corona’s palace on the rock-constructed table. “There are guards here, here, here, and here,”--she points in turn to all four entrances to the palace-- “As well as a constant rotating patrol around the battlements on the ground floor, the walkway encircling it twenty feet up, and the roof of the battlements, as well as circular watchtowers every forty feet around the premises both outside, on, and within the battlements.” With that, Bonbon moves her hoof to the palace’s high roof in the center. “Add a 24/7 watch force on the roof, and that equals no plausible way for anyone to get in. Corona really doesn’t want visitors.”
 “So you believe it’s impossible,” said the Doctor.

“Essentially, yes,” Ditzy added. “I don’t suppose you have a way to teleport or something?”

“Well, yes,” the Doctor admitted. “But it makes a lot of noise, and I don’t suppose you’d want that on a reconnaissance mission. Is there a-a-an underground passage or somesuch thing?”

Bonbon opened the journal and briefly flipped through the pages. “Well...” she begins carefully. “Lyra does say something about a cellar. But the doors are probably locked.”

“Oh, that won’t be a problem!” said the Doctor cheerfully, pulling out his faithful sonic screwdriver. “Thish ‘ill devishe ish exchellench a’ op’nin lockhs,” he said with the screwdriver in his mouth in the absence of hands.

Vinyl stood up proudly, snatching the shotgun in a magical grip. “Well alright then! Let’s kick some flank!” she said with a giant grin on her face.

“Hold your horses, Vinyl,” said Ditzy. “We’re still not sure about whether the entrance even exists or not.”

“We would need a small party,” Octavia contributed. “Ditzy is the prime choice, being a pegasus.”

“Then I’ll take the Doctor,” said Ditzy. “He is the one with the open-lock-device-thingy.”

“So it’s decided,” said Octavia as Ditzy and the Doctor walk for the exit. “Just be careful out there.”

“Don’t worry, Octavia,” said Ditzy as she walked face-first into the side of the door with an ouch.

“Should... should I trust her flying?” the Doctor asked cautiously.

“I can see in all five dimensions just fine,” Ditzy said nonchalantly, taking the Doctor’s forehoof. “Now let’s go, spaceman, time’s a-wasting.”

“Five? Five?” the Doctor asked, a bit panicky, as Ditzy tugs him away.

Vinyl walked over to Octavia as the two left. “You hear DD too, right?” she asked, which is responded to with a nod.

Author's Note:

Oh look, I updated!

Comments

[Nolongerposting]

Hello. Im back and I read the update. Thought it was awesome. My only question is who is DD? Other than that excellent job and can't wait for the next update.

[Sketchy Pen]

2403620 Dolphin Dream, AKA Sea Swirl. She's another background pony and a former member of Ditzy's rebelion. She has the special ability to sense love between ponies, and also ships everyone she sees. She'll be mentioned more later, mostly in flashbacks, and her personality for the most part belongs to the artist of the following picture. http://detectiverobomonkey.deviantart.com/art/MACRO-Sea-Swirl-approves-of-this-ship-340010957?q=favby%3Adetectiverobomonkey%2F53455938&qo=19
Anyway, thank you for your review!