//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 - The Interrogation // Story: How to Escape from Tartarus // by The Engineer Pony //------------------------------// Applejack strode carefully but purposefully up the crumbling stairs. One wrong step could send her plummeting down into the dark abyss, and the stone path she climbed had clearly seen better days. The slow wear of time, along with damage sustained in whatever escape attempts the inhabitants of Tartarus had enacted, had left the staircase in ruin. At any moment, a rock could dislodge beneath Applejack’s hoof and cause her to topple over the edge. But Applejack was used to walking over unstable ground. Of course, she was far less nervous of falling than the pegasus shuffling timidly behind her. And as for the unicorn at the back of the group—well, she seemed more concerned about getting dirt on her hooves than about possibly falling to her death. Typical. Eventually Applejack reached the top of the steps and walked out onto the plateau where Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were chained. As Rarity and Fluttershy came up behind her, Applejack considered the appearances of Tartarus’ two most recent prisoners. One vibrated with contagious excitement, while the other lay sprawled in a pose of pure boredom. Neither looked at all remorseful about causing the disappearance of their friend and princess, Twilight Sparkle. “Well, what do you have to say for yourselves?” Applejack snapped without preamble. “Y’all have kidnapped a princess and lied about where you’re keeping her. If you want to ever see the light of day again, you’d best be tellin’ us exactly what you did with her.” Dash lifted her head from the ground, as if she had just woken from a long nap. “Seriously, AJ? We told you already, Twilight was right there with us in the castle. We don’t know what happened to her.” “Uh, huh,” Applejack replied, not at all convinced. “And you expect me to believe that she just got up and walked away while we were standing right outside the door?” “Well,” said Rainbow Dash defensively, “maybe she used magic to escape.” “No, that couldn’t have been it,” Pinkie Pie interjected, “because of the poison joke we put in there with her. Wow, you just keep forgetting about that, don’t you?” Dash glared at Pinkie. “Yeah, thanks for reminding me again.” “You’re welcome.” Pinkie grinned. “I’m always glad to help.” Rarity daintily cleared her throat. “She does bring up a good point. If Twilight was unable to use her magic, then it is doubtful she could have left the room without any of us noticing her. Besides, it would be quite unlike her to slip away discreetly when it was quite plain her friends had come to rescue her.” “Exactly,” Applejack said. “It’s much more likely she wasn’t there to begin with.” “But she was!” Rainbow Dash pleaded. “I’m telling you, I checked that Twilight was in the room a few seconds before you guys got there.” “Really?” Applejack burst out in frustration. “You know what, I think you may be lyin’ to us. There ain’t no good reason why Twilight would be there one moment and gone the next.” “Hey, who are you calling a liar?” Rainbow Dash leapt to her hooves. Applejack lowered her neck and snorted angrily. “All I’m sayin’ is I have a hard time trustin’ the word of a kidnapper.” Before Dash could snap back a retort, Fluttershy quietly spoke up from behind Applejack. “For what it’s worth, I believe you, Rainbow Dash.” Applejack whipped around to face her friend. “Whose side are you on?” “Please, Applejack,” Rarity interjected, “there is no need to be cross with Fluttershy. I, too, am of the opinion that our friends are telling the truth. They have nothing to gain with falsehood, so I see no reason to doubt their sincerity.” “So the only pony who thinks they may be lyin’,” said Applejack, “is the element of honesty? I’m pretty sure I can recognize the truth when I hear it.” “Yes, darling, but have you considered the possibility your emotions are clouding your better judgment? You do seem a bit…distraught, if I may say so.” “I’m what now?” Applejack practically shouted. “Um, how do I put this?” said Rarity. She hummed for a moment as she sought for the right words. “It appears you are taking out on Rainbow Dash your anxiety over the disappearance of our friend Twilight.” “And why not? She’s the one who kidnapped her, wasn’t she?” “Don’t forget me!” Pinkie Pie added. “I helped!” “Hey,” Rainbow Dash complained, “it was your idea.” She pointed an accusing hoof at Pinkie. “You make it sound like this was mainly my fault. I mean, there was no way you could have succeeded without me, but you were the evil mastermind.” “You take that back!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed indignantly. “I’m more of a malevolent architect than an evil mastermind.” “I’ve good reason to be anxious,” Applejack barked at Rarity. “A princess has disappeared!” “Which is certainly the first time that has ever happened,” Rarity replied acidly. “But we must consider the matter carefully if we hope to find her.” “Well, excuse me for caring about Twilight’s safety!” shouted Applejack. “And excuse me for wanting to be sensible about this!” Rarity retorted. “Excuse me for using the wrong term for your stupid plan!” Rainbow yelled at Pinkie. “Well, excuse me for trying to replace you with a talking bag of flour!” Pinkie screamed back irritably. “Even if she was better company than you.” A brief silence fell as all of the side arguments ceased and everypony turned to stare at Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy hesitantly spoke up. “What if…what if something else came and took Twilight away?” “What in tarnation?” Applejack exclaimed in surprise. “We are,” piped up Pinkie Pie. “We’re what?” Applejack asked in confusion. “Never mind.” Applejack gave Pinkie a quizzical look before turning back toward Fluttershy. “You were sayin’?” “I mean,” Fluttershy continued, “What if it wasn’t Twilight’s magic that made her disappear? What if somepony else took her before we were able to rescue her?” “Perhaps you are correct, dear,” Rarity said. “After all, we weren’t the only ponies present at the time.” “Yeah, but I think Celestia would have mentioned it if any of the royal guards had found Twilight,” Rainbow Dash countered. “Well, maybe it wasn’t her,” Applejack mused. “Maybe somepony else snuck in a stole Twilight out from under us while we were busy arguing. But I suppose they would have to have been either real sneaky or real powerful to get past Princess Celestia’s shield.” “Ooh, yeah,” Pinkie Pie said excitedly. “I bet it was some powerful new threat to Equestria with magic far stronger than the princesses. And without Twilight to help us, we won’t be able to use our friendship magic to stop it, so all of Equestria will soon be obliterated in a blazing inferno of destruction and despair!” She smiled serenely. Her friends gaped at her in horror. “Or something like that.”