//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Fugitives // Story: Equestria Is Not Enough // by Canon Fodder //------------------------------// Chapter 6 Fugitives Nova's smile got bigger. "No contest? Your serious?" Twilight agreed. "Oh Yeah no contest. It's no contest that I will NEVER join with the likes of you!" Nova's smile quickly swept away from his face. "...What?" Twilight explained. "You see, I'm not a traitor to my Princess. I'm her most faithful student. Which means I will never leave her side. No matter what offer you throw at me." Sparks face turned to immediate anger. With that he struck Twilight across the face and knocked her down. "You think your going to defy me? You think you have the authority to talk back to me like that. I am science! I am among the gods. No I AM a god! Fine you don't want power? Fine! Comet get in here!" Comet peeks his head in through the door. "Yes sir?" "See to it that this waste of my time, and her other friends are killed at once. Shove them out the ship and tear off the wings of the two Pegasi before hand." Comet nodded. "At once sir. Dogs! Get in here!" Twilight began to panic. "No...Y-y-you can't do this...You can't! Please, please don't, please, please, please..." "I only give one chance to opportunities like this Miss Sparkle. Because I can't have you alive, knowing my secrets if you won't join me. Get her out of my site..." Nova said angerly. Twilight looked Sparks straight in the eyes. "Your powers are going to let you down Nova. That's not true magic. Your magic doesn't come from harmony and passion, it comes from hate, and vengence." He smiled once more. "And look where my magic's gotten me so far. I'm going to be dictator for a long time, and you nor anypony else will stop me...Farewell Twilight Sparkle." A tear ran down Twilight's cheek, the dogs ceased her and guided her down the halls, back to the cells. ----- Comet and the dogs returned to the cell room with Twilight. He sternly said. "Alright take them out except Celestia. Sparkle and the others are to be executed. Take em and shove them out the ship, rip off the blue and yellow ponies wings." A sudden look of shock went through everypony imprisoned, except Applejack and Rainbow Dash. They concealed a half smile. Bradshaw went over to unlock the cell door. AJ and Rainbow nodded to each other. As soon as the door was open, Rainbow, with her swift speed, charged immediately for Comet who wasn't expecting the ambush. Rainbow slammed into him, knocked him to the ground dazed and groggy. While Buckingham was distracted by the attack, Applejack tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around just to be bucked in the face. The dogs stepped into intervene but were snuck up on by Twilight who took the opportunity and knocked their heads together which shook them up a bit. Comet got up to use his magic but his cape that he put back on was magically wrapped around his head by Rarity. Pinkie went to save the Princess but was tackled by Bradshaw. He tried to hit her but was checked by Dash. One of the dogs went to club Rainbow in the head but then Fluttershy surprisingly shocked everypony when she violently struck the dog in the gut and cracked his neck. Applejack bucked Comet into one of the empty cells and took the lock that was hanging off the door of the cell they were in and locked it on Comet who was in the adjacent cell. Pinkie once again tried to get to the Princess but couldn't figure out the lock. She called out for Twilight, her magic couldn't break it. Meanwhile Rainbow was still taking it to the former jewel thief. The remaining dog went for back up but then was tripped up by Rarity who stuck out her hoof in the door way. He got up to find AJ in front of him who bucked the dog back in and smashed him against the cell bars. Dash was struck in the mouth by the brown colt. He got on top of the downed pony to strike her again but was kicked in the gut by her hoof and she took the opening shot and headbutted him. She got up and wiped the blood from her cheek. As Bradshaw staggered close to the opened cell door, Twilight used her magic and slammed it shut with Bradshaw in the middle. While all this was happening, Spike had escaped with Berry Punch to find a way out. Now that the security was temporarily downed, Twilight and the others escaped. Twilight promised the unconscience Princess that they would return to rescue her. While running down the lost hallways of the elaborate airship, they met up with Spike and Berry Punch who had waited just down the hall to make sure no one was coming. Twilight soon remembered where she had seen a map of the ship. "Girls! This way." She said when she pointed down a hallway intersection. "That was way to close fer comfort." Said the exhausted Applejack. "We gotta find a way outta here!" Said Rainbow. Twilight lead her friends up a flight of stairs. "This way girls! I seen a map just up this way." She said confidently. They got to the top of the stairs and Twilight took the map with her magic. Twilight skimmed through the blueprints as fast as she could. "Ok! Down this way!" She said while she pointed down another hallway. They ran, ran, and ran through the huge ship. They went left, right, down, all around. Applejack became confused. "Boy Howdy Twilight, where ya'll taking us?" Twilight, who galloped and still held the map suspended in the air with her magic, said. "It's a skydiving room, I guess they use it if they got to get down somewhere fast. Were going to escape out that way." "I hope the Princess is going to be ok." Pinkie said worriedly. "Don't worry we'll be back for her. I just need time to think. We can stop this girls." Twilight said. While Twilight galloped with the map in her face, she blindly ran into somepony. To her trepidation, it was Nova who was accompanied by his personal guard dogs. He was knocked down and immedialtely looked up, and stared at Twilight, very crossed. "Get her! GET THEM! KILL THEM ALL! Don't let them escape." Twilight and the others ran as fast as they could down the halls, now with dogs chasing behind them. They had to hurry. The thoughts of them being caught ran through Twilights head, they were now the only ones who could save Equestria. After many endless hallways they neared the doors of the escape route. Rainbow flew ahead to be ready to shut the door. "Come on girls! Hurry!" Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie, Spike, and Berry Punch rushed through the door with the dogs just behind them. Their perserverence was cut short when Rainbow slammed and locked the metal door behind them. Nova had caught up with the dogs. "Well? What are you baffoons waiting for? Knock the bucking door down! We can't let them escape!" The ponies inside looked all over in the lockers and closets that were there for the parachutes. "Where are they Twilight?" Asked an excited Pinkie Pie. "I don't know. It says that this room's the escape route. They got to be here somewhere, keep looking!" Twilight said. They hurried and still could find no parachutes. There was battering coming from the door. Fluttershy gasped. "Their trying to break in. We have to hurry." A few bolts from the door were knocked out from all the beating. They could here Nova on the other side. "Come on you bloody mutts! Get in there!" Rainbow halted momentarily, then jumped up with an epiphany. "I got it! Guys listen to me for a second." Twilight and the others tuned in. "Alright, Fluttershy? Me and you are going to take three each of these guys and fly as fast and as safe as we possibly can down to the ground. We have to do this Fluttershy, or were going to get caught. Three of you, grab on tight to my tail, and do the same with Fluttershy." Twilight, Applejack, and Berry Punch clinched on with their teeth. Pinkie, Rarity, and Spike held on to Fluttershy. Rainbow opened the door to the outside. The ship was hovering just above Sweet Apple Acres. "Alright guys, hold on tight, this is gonna be a bumpy ride. Twilight, remember to hold on to that map too!" And then suddenly, the metal door with the dogs behind, finally gave away. Nova said furiously. "CEASE THEM! QUICK!" Rainbow shouted. "Jump!" Dash, with Twilight, AJ, and Punch on back, leaped from the collosal ship to the outside...And Freedom. "Fluttershy...Jump!" Rainbow screamed. Fluttershy went to jump and was suddenly frozen in air by an immobilizing spell that was perpetuated from the super device on one of the dogs wrist. Rainbow was still high up enough to have realized what just happened. "No! Fluttershy!...Pinkie, Spike, Rarity!" Screamed the terrified pony. Berry Punches face showed a sense of hopelessness, Applejack lowered her head and folded her ears as she began to sob. Tears ran down Twilights face, she turned her head away. As they watched in horror, the door shut with Fluttershy, Rarity, Spike, and Pinkie tradgically still hostage. Terrible thoughts ran through their heads of what might happen to their friends. "We can't stay here girls...We got to go." Rainbow said as she sobbed. ----- Spike and the others were returned to their cells by the dogs who were followed by Nova. "Lock the bucking door." He said. He turned to notice Comet stirred up in another cell, one dog dead, another one still hazey on the ground and Bradshaw just getting up and staggering. "What the bloody buck happened in here?" Said the furious dictator. "Mr. Sparks, we can explain..." Bradshaw was cut off by Nova. "I don't care for your explaination Mr. Buckingham, with the technology I give you idiots, you should NOT have had any trouble getting rid of them, especially you Comet. Now thanks to you baffoons, half of them escaped. More importantly, Twilight Sparkle escaped! I suggest you start planning how your going to hunt down these ponies Mr. Buckingham or I will have your head! I can't have Miss Sparkle knowing the information she now knows! Now get up off your asses and get out there!" "...Right away sir." Bradshaw answered as he unlocked Comets cell. They both trotted off, whispering and arguing with one another. Nova turned to his two guard dogs. "Lock their cell up, we got work to do. I'm going to arrange a speech in the Ponyville town square. I want you two to round up as many as you can to surround the border on the outskirts of town, the least we can do is stop them from getting any further. Hmmmm There was a Pegasus with them wasn't there? Hmmm. Come on lets go...I'll deal with these four imbeciles later." As soon as they knew the corrupt ponies and canines were gone, the girls and Spike discussed how they were going to get out of their jam. They whispered to keep their discussion on a down low. "What are we gonna do girls?" Asked the worried Pinkie Pie. "There's not much we can do dear. My magic won't work against theirs." Rarity said. Fluttershy sat down and put her hooves over her face "Oooo I hope the other girls are ok." Spike went over and put his hand on Fluttershy's shoulder. "I'm sure their fine, Rainbow's a strong flyer. They'll make it down safe." "I can't believe I let myself get so excited over a tourist. I feel like such a fool..." Said Rarity as she her head lowered in shame. Spike assured. "Come on girls, don't lose faith. Twilight will think of something to get us out. I know she will." Pinkie's hair lost it's poof and flattened down. "But her magic isn't strong enough to defeat theirs. (She glanced over at Celestia) Not even the Princess's is enough." They were all silent as they prayed for their friends safety. Spike looked over to Celestia who was still hurt. "Girls...I think the only thing they can depend on...Is each other now. The same goes for everypony in Equestria...And around the world." ----- Rainbow safely landed in a field of Sweet Apple Acres. The skies were still clear and sunny out. It was almost dinner time. Applejack galloped as fast as the wind blew, to her house. She leaped the fences and dodged the apple trees. She got to her house and charged in the door way. To her much needed relief. The first face she seen was Appleblooms. Tears streamed down their faces in utter happiness. Applebloom couldn't be happier at that moment, she sprung right up to hug AJ. Applejack embraced her little sister, she felt the strength of her heart restore itself, now that she knew Applebloom was ok. They stood in the doorway, concealing and crying with each other for ten minutes. They didn't need to say anything to know that they were both happy to see once again be with each other. Applejack wiped the tears from her sister's eyes. "No need to cry anymore lil sis. Yer big sister Applejack is home now." The little one looked up at her sister still whimpering. "Where's Big Macintosh?" Applejack wept her tears away and thought about it for a second, she tried to think of something to tell her sister. But all she could think of, was the truth. "Big Macintosh was forced to work for that mean pony, but don't worry. Were goin to get em back. Where's everypony? Where's Granny Smith?" Applebloom stood up and rubbed her hoof over her face to remove the remaining tears. "Their all gone back to Appleloosa, except cousin Braeburn. He decided to stay to look after me and Granny Smith. Ya know, since Big Macintosh ain't here." Applejack sighed in big relief. "Oh Thank goodness. Cmon sugar cube, show me to Braeburn and Granny Smith." ----- Meanwhile out in the field, on their way to AJ's, Twilight told Rainbow of what went on when she was talking to Nova Sparks. "He wanted you to join him?" Rainbow said puzzledly. "Yeah and I told him I'd never turn my back on Equestria. I'm worried Rainbow...His magic IS more powerful then mine. It's something called manarite. A rock that has a magical essence inside. He used it to make powerful weapons made to enslave all of Equestria. Now the Princess is in danger. We just got to think of something!" Twilight exclaimed anxiously. Rainbow nodded in agreement. "I know. I really hope Fluttershy and the others are ok... The first chance I get, I'm goin after Nova!" Twilight explained. "Well it looks like your gonna have to wait Rainbow. Cause by the looks of it, he's going to be after us for a while. I'm going to do some research on this manarite. There's got to be someway to counter-act it. Everything has a weakness. But how can I get to the library with all those dogs and rebel ponies that are going to be roaming around?" Dash lowered her head to think. "I'm not sure..." Both of them, then looked puzzled at each other for a second and then looked at Berry Punch who was following behind them. Twilight and Rainbow Dash smiled and nodded at each other. Twilight approached Berry, "Miss Punch? Can I ask you a big favor?" She looked at Twilight happily, "Of course, it would be my pleasure for you two saving my life. What do you need?" Twilight looked down at the ground, and then back to Berry Punch, "Well...I need you to go the library in Ponyville and get an important book for me." Berry Punch was stumped, "But...What if they catch me?" Twilight shifted her eyes around, pondering an idea. "Hmmm...I got it! I know this identity changing spell, but it will only work for a certain amount of time so you'll have to move fast." She purposed. Berry Punch sat down and put her hoof on her forehead to think about it. After a brief five minutes of balancing the pros and cons, she replied, "Yes...For Equestria. I'll do it." Twilight and Rainbow's face lightened up and they gave an encouraging smile, "Alright, were just going to go check this over with AJ. Come on girls!" Twilight said proudly. ----- They went up to Applejack's and found her in her dining room, with Applebloom, Granny Smith, and her cousin Braeburn, "Oh Hey Braeburn." Greeted Twilight. "Howdy Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, (He looks at Berry) and you are? Berry Punch approached, "I'm Berry Punch." Rainbow quickly ran through the plan to Applejack, "AJ, Twilight is going to use her magic to change Berry Punch's identity. It's only temporary but it's enough time for her to run into town and grab a book for her." Applejack replied confused, "Well what in tarnation is so darn important about a book?" Twilight explained, "Applejack, the magic those ponies were using, it's not ordinary magic. It's something Nova Sparks called manarite. It's rock from a meteor that hit the planet thousands of years ago. Apparently the essence in those rocks are able to overthrow Equestrian magic. I need this book to find a way to stop it, or at least match my magic with theirs. If we can't stop this soon, Nova will keep discovering more powerful methods, and we can't let that happen to Equestria." Applejack agreed, "Yer right Twilight. Let's do it...But...What if there's no way?" Twilight focused her eyes on the southern mare and confidently assured, "There's always a way. You ready Berry?" Berry Punch nodded, "Alright let's go." Twilight said. Twilight and the other three mares went outside on the road to Ponyville. Twilight explained the plan to Punch, "Ok, you know your way to the library right?" "Yup." Berry Punch replied. Twilight continued, "Ok, I'm pretty sure the book were looking for is called Equestrian Geology, The Professors Guide. You'll find it in the educational section. This spell should last about an hour so you'll have to have it done in that time frame. Try to find the quickest way back...Remember, like you said...For Equestria." "For Equestria." Answered Berry Punch, smiling. With that, Twilight concentrated, closed her eyes. Her horn began to shine, glistening in the sun, sparkling. Twilight started to sweat. This was a powerful magic spell. Not many ponies knew how to do it well. Twilight mustered all of her strength and then a sudden burst of light struck Berry from Twilights horn. She began to shift, she grew taller, her face reconstructed, her mane shortened and changed from a magenta, to a blue ocean. Her tail also shortened and she changed to blue shade. But her cutie mark stayed the same. Twilight, now exhausted said, "Ok...we need something to cover up her cutie mark." "Wait right here I'll be back in a minute." Said Applejack. She returned with a Sweet Apple Acres saddlebag that went over both sides of her flank, "Here, this should do." "Thank's AJ. Ok Berry, good luck. We'll be here waiting for you." Twilight said. "Got it. I'll be back ladies." And with that, she trotted down her way to Ponyville. Their hope lied in her hooves now. She knew this was the only way. If she was caught, Nova's henchmen would surely kill her. These thoughts didn't shake Berry Punch. This was to save Equestria, and if it meant putting her own life in harms way...It had to be done. As Berry Punch headed east to Ponyville, she could see Nova Sparks massive ship lowering to Ponyville. It was obvious that this was to address their escape from them. Now the risk was even higher. But still, Berry Punch pushed forward, determined to find the book. She soon approached Ponyville with armoured dogs and ponies everywhere. She tried not to act nervous. At this very moment she now knew, that she and the others were...Fugitives, on the run. [...To be Continued]