It had taken him a good part of the day and cost him his entire allowance, but he had done it. The shingles came from the Apples, the tar, he bought from Filthy Rich’s store. The wood, too, had come from the Apples. The fabric was old stock from Rarity’s store that he had found in her basement and he was able to buy it cheap. He had lugged everything to the backyard himself, and now it was time to get to work.
He had borrowed the tools from his dad, but he knew if his dad saw him do this, he’d be dead. Picking up the bucket and brush, he began laying down a strip of tar along the lower edge of the roof. At the same time, he followed it with the wooden shingle panels, hammering them down with two nails each. It took all his concentration and focus, but he found he was able do the different jobs at the same time.
What would normally take three ponies hours to do, he was speeding through, drawing materials from the wagon as he worked. All his attention was on his magic, all his focus on the task at hoof- his Fundamentals training was truly paying off.
“Snails!” Applebloom called out from behind the colt. Had Sweetie Belle or Dinky been there, they might have known better, but for Applebloom, it was just another day.
Snails fell off his perch on top of the wagon, the bucket of tar flipping and falling top down on the poor colt’s head. The shingles fell to the ground with a clatter, followed by the nails and hammer.
Slowly, Snails turned his head to look at the filly, moving the bucket up with one hoof. With a dopey grin, he tilted his head. “Yes?”
Applebloom cringed, turning her head and hiding her eyes with a hoof. “Umm, oops, sorry. Twilight and the gang are heading out of town- there’s some kind of an emergency. Umm… she wanted to see Escargot.”
The bucket fell forward over Snails’ eyes, “Why me?”
Part 26
We’ve Found The One!
“At least it grew back when you changed.” Gisa said, giggling from her perch on Escargot’s back.
Escargot looked over his shoulder and blinked. “Yeah, In filly form. With my luck, I’ll have no mane or hair on my head and neck when I change back. Stupid tar.”
“True, but you’d have looked worse as Escargot. And had more explaining to do.” Gisa laughed as Escargot stopped at the castle door, taking a deep breath and bracing himself.
Twilight opened the door and stopped as she saw Escargot sitting there. “Oh, you made it.”
“Is something wrong?” Escargot asked, worried.
From his seat on Twilight’s back, Spike looked at Gisa sitting on Escargot and chuckled, “We’re off to save Equestria again!”
“Well, not really. There’s some kind of emergency at one of Applejack’s uncle’s farms, so the girls and I are going to see if we can help.” Twilight glanced back at spike. “We could be gone a couple of days, so I left the lessons for Dinky, Sweetie Belle and you on the table in the study.”
“Yes ma’am.” Escargot said, as Twilight started trotting for the train station.
“Look after things while I’m gone.” Twilight added, before breaking into a run as the train whistle blew.
Escargot watched them gallop off before heading inside. The library had almost become a second home, which was strange, since he had always hated reading. He still did, but Twilight always helped and never judged.
Sitting down, he looked at the lesson plan- Twilight had laid out nearly a week’s worth of notes, study points, and work, complete with diagrams. The pictures helped a lot for his magical training, more than just the words, as it made it easier for him to understand.
“So, you have the castle to yourself.” Gisa said with a laugh, “Time to put socks on and dance around singing to old records?”
“Do griffins even wear socks?” Escargot asked, blinking.
“I… don’t think so.” Gisa pondered, looking at her claws. “If we did, we’d put holes in them constantly.
“We’re busy.” Escargot heard Dinky say firmly from outside.
“Oh scratch socks, girls are here!” Gisa said.
Laughing, Escargot ran downstairs and opened the door to see Dinky and Belle carrying their books, Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara trotting nearby.
“Since the commoners now have their own tiaras, Dad thought it was time for an upgrade.” she turned her head slightly to show off her new fashion accessory, “It’s crafted by the hooves and magic of Canterlot’s premiere jeweler, with pearls from the Celestial Sea imported from Griffinstone, set in the purest silver from the Yaket ranges.”
Escargot tilted his head, blinking, “It… looks just like your old one.”
“HAH! That proves you’re a commoner.” Diamond Tiara said with a flip of her mane as she posed outside the castle.
Escargot held the door wide, “Come on in, Twilight isn’t here right now, but she left our lessons out for us.”
“If Twilight isn’t here, what are you doing in her castle?” Diamond Tiara inquired with a huff.
Gisa smiled and perked her head up, “Twilight had to go off to save the world, so she left Escargot in charge.”
“WHAT!” Was the last understandable thing Escargot heard before Sweetie Belle closed the door.
Sweetie Belle puffed out her cheeks and growled. “I swear, if Diamond Tiara only knew the truth about you…”
“She would go to her dad, and my father would lose his job, my mother would be in trouble, and I’d be held responsible.” Escargot said, looking at Sweetie Belle.
Sighing softly, Belle looked at Dinky, “Well, somepony needs to put her in her place.”
Escargot shook his head, “Naw, you shouldn’t think about revenge. Just put her out of mind. If you don’t think about her, you won’t worry about her.”
Dinky hugged Sweetie Belle tightly, “It’s ok. We know better. She’s just a pompous stuck up neighsayer.”
“So, what’s Twilight got for us today?” Sweetie Belle said looking at the papers.
Looking at the papers, Escargot laughed, “Fundamentals are on the top of the list. Floating four balls around ourselves, keeping them evenly spaced as they move.”
“Awww come on!” Sweetie Belle said, rubbing her horn. “I have enough trouble with one feather.”
“It’s not that hard.” Escargot said and floated the ball over to Sweetie Belle.
“This coming from the pony that was doing three different roofing jobs at the same time with their magic.” Dinky said with a smile.
“Oh, you heard about that.” Escargot looked down, blushing.
“Also heard about the tar… lucky Gisa wasn’t there.” Dinky said with a giggle.
Escargot blinked and tilted his head. “Umm, why?”
“Because you’d have picked up her loose feathers… then you’d have been tarred AND feathered.” Dinky said, causing the other to foals to groan.
Sweetie Belle puffed out her cheeks, concentrating as her horn sputtered. A glow flickering around the ball. “Almost… got…”
The castle door flung open and Applebloom ran in screaming, followed by Scootaloo, who spun around, slamming the door behind her. At the sound of the scream, Belle’s horn flashed and the ball shot off, bouncing around the room, breaking a lamp, knocking over a vase, and blowing a hole in a painting, before eventually coming to a rest, spinning on the table with the other balls.
Dinky blinked a few times, “Nice shot!”
Escargot blinked at Scootaloo, who was panting and leaning against the door, her eyes wide with fear.
“What’s wrong?” Sweetie Belle asked as she ran up to Applebloom and Scootaloo.
“Some creature… attacking Ponyville… bad…” Scootaloo said between gasps.
“Come on!” Escargot said and ran for the stairway to the balcony. It was the best place to look out at Ponyville, to see what was going on. Charging up the stairs, Escargot ran down the hallway and skidded to a stop, opening the doors to the balcony.
The creature was something he was not prepared for. Had it been Timberwolves or maybe a rockadile, he might have had some idea, a hope, but this, this was truly terrifying.
The creature was a dark green and black reptile with a massive head, like some type of prehistoric creature, its great jaws filled with misshapen teeth. The creature had eight legs, each ending in four deadly claws, claws so sharp they dug into the ground with each step it took. It skittered around, chasing ponies. Screams of terror filled the air. Behind it, statue-like stone ponies stood in silent horror, petrified by its chaotic magic.
“A- a basilisk!” Gisa said in shock.
Slamming the door shut, Escargot backed away slowly.
“Escargot, what are we going to do?” Dinky asked pleadingly, “My mom’s out there, she could already be...”
Applebloom shook her head, “My sister would know what to do, or Twilight, or Rarity even, but what can-”
Applebloom was cut off by a nasty glance from Sweetie Belle, who puffed out her cheeks, “Escargot isn’t stupid.”
Scootaloo looked at Escargot, “Any bright ideas?”
“The throne room- maybe we can contact Twilight from there.” Escargot said, quickly and turned, running. “The map sends them signals when there’s trouble.”
The girls followed Escargot into the room. Applebloom walked in and slowly climbed into her sister’s chair. Escargot went to work trying to find some way of alerting or signaling the girls.
Scootaloo climbed up into Rainbow Dash’s chair, “Anything?”
Escargot shook his head, “Not yet, but there has to be something.”
Sweetie Belle sat in Rarity’s chair, “I believe in you, Escargot.”
Dinky climbed into Pinkie’s chair and sighed, “You’re our friend no matter what. I feel safe just being with you.”
Noi nodded as she climbed into Fluttershy’s chair. “I know you had to keep this whole thing a secret.”
Escargot sighed and shook his head, climbing into Twilight’s, “You really are my best friends, I’m sorry I couldn’t just come out and tell you. And no, there doesn't seem to be a way to contact them.”
Applebloom huffed and looked down. “I’m- I’m sorry… I know you didn’t want to hurt us… and you gave up your chance to have the curse cured to save us… you really are a true friend.”
The apple emblem on Applejack’s chair glowed, and a beam of light shone down on Applebloom, a small orange gem appearing on the center of her ribbon. Squeaking, Sweetie Belle pointed at Rarity’s gem as it glowed brightly. The beam from it lit Sweetie Belle’s head as a blue mane bow appeared on her head, with a purple diamond on it.
Rainbow Dash’s emblem was next- as the light covered Scootaloo, an adorable orange ribbon appeared in her mane with a gem matching Dash’s red lightning bolt on the front of it. “A ribbon? Really? Why did it have to be a ribbon?”
Noi blinked as her ribbon appeared, the pink butterfly gem on a dark pink ribbon. Reaching up to touch it she looked up at the chair. “The elements?”
A violet ribbon appeared on Dinky’s head with a blue balloon. Touching her ribbon, she blinked, “Are we supposed to be the elements?”
Escargot shook his head slowly, “Can’t be- the symbols are the same as the grownups, and the elements are smaller than before… maybe it just wants us to act as stand-ins?” Escargot blinked and looked up at Twilight’s symbol. Glowing softly, the beam centered on Escargot’s head- a silver tiara, with a pair of unicorn heads carved into it, and where their horns touched, the pink star of Twilight’s mark.
“A crown, you got a crown!” Applebloom said, “It’s so pretty!”
Poking the tiara, Escargot moaned. “How come everything I get is so girly.”
“Tell me about it.” Scootaloo said, poking her bow. “Dash wouldn’t be caught dead wearing this.”
“Why us?” Noi asked.
“The girls are gone, and we have the… ability… to help?” Escargot said, “The town needs us, come on!”
Taking a deep breath, Escargot got up and walked down to the front door. Stopping, she looked over her shoulders to make sure the girls were following. Nodding once, they all took a last deep breath before the door opened.
The creature had one claw on a statue of Derpy, hissing loudly at a few remaining ponies who had survived its attacks and taken refuge in houses. Several of the smaller houses had been ripped open already. The were fires around town from destroyed stoves and lamps.
“I…. I don’t want to do this…” Noi said trembling.
“Stay behind me.” Escargot said firmly. “If it doesn’t work, I’ll hold it off as best I can, so you can run.”
Applebloom looked at Escargot and blinked, before putting her hoof down beside Escargot. “No… We stand together.”
Dinky was in tears and snarled fiercely as she put her hoof down on the other side of Escargot, “It hurt mommy. I’m not going anywhere.”
Picking up a few rocks, Escargot fired them rapid fire into the back of the creature. The impacts had little effect, but did get its attention. Turning, the creature roared and charged the girls. For better or worse, they were now committed.
The creature covered the distance at an amazing speed. As it did, its mouth opened and shot a spray of deadly fluids at the girls. Lighting his horn, Escargot created a dome shield over them, just as Twilight had taught him. Time and time again, Twilight had made him put the shield up then hit it with spells. Now it was being used for real. Closing his eyes out of reflex, and turning his head, the spray splashed against the shield and fanned out around it, leaving the girls unharmed.
The creature leaped and bared its claws, ready to hit the shield. Its weight, its strength, would be more than enough to deal with most unicorns. The force of its chaos magic, able to overpower the untrained, and even some royal guards. It should have been an easy attack. But the map had other ideas.
The moment it hit the shield, all of the elements sprung to life at once. The rainbow of energy lashed out and wrapped around the creature. Screaming, the creature was driven back before it even realized what was happening. Slowly, the elements turned it to stone, its claws and legs locking in place, its tail freezing in a lethal slash. As the energy worked its way up the creature’s body, it tried to move or strike them down, but found it couldn’t. Finally, its head froze, its mouth agape in one last defiant roar.
A moment later, the rainbow exploded outwards from the creature, seeking out all of the its victims. One by one, they reverted back to living ponies. One by one, they turned back to flesh and blood from the stone.
Dinky screamed and ran as fast as she could to hug her mom. Noi ran up and hugged Golden Harvest tightly.
Escargot looked side to side at the other girls. “You did it!”
Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle hugged Escargot with all their might. “We did it girls!”
Shaking her legs out, Diamond Tiara looked at Silver Spoon. “We’re safe!”
Silver Spoon adjusted her glasses and nodded, “Oh, wow, it’s Escargot.”
“So? What’s that commoner got to do with-” Diamond Tiara started before Silver Spoon pointed.
“She’s wearing a true princess's crown.” Silver Spoon interrupted in awe as the glow slowly faded from the gem.
Blinking Diamond Tiara snarled, “She is so dead.”