//------------------------------// // Chapter 21- What we did when the Storm King dropped in... // Story: Restart // by Alden MacManx //------------------------------// The rest of our initial tour went as well as we could ask for, attracting big friendly crowds at every show. Harmonium did attract attention, but I defused a lot of potential anger by saying, in interviews before each show, that she is part of the Wonders specifically to ward off any potential instances like what happened in the Crystal Empire. She did, in fact, point out some hidden changelings trying to mooch off us, changelings of Chrysalis’ hive. They were run off before they could do any damage. That happened twice, in Manehattan and Las Pegasus. Post-tour, we returned to Ponyville for some well-deserved rest. It was our home and being home felt good after weeks of travel. Encore Act, Accurate Strike and Harmonium accompanied me to Canterlot for my monthly drop off with Topspin, and to get a report on our tour proceeds. We left Topspin’s that evening dazzled by the proceeds and weighted down by our cut of the first four shows. I’m glad for the First Canterlot Bank and their checks. That amount of bits would have made swaybacks out of ALL of us! At the castle that evening, Princess Celestia informed us of a Friendship Festival that is in the works, with Twilight Sparkle organizing, and asked us if we would like to participate. I showed no hesitation in accepting the offer and encountered no resistance when I suggested we appear without pay, any bits we would have been paid going to a charity of Twilight’s choice. Friendship Festival, you see. Twilight is my friend, and I’m always big in helping friends. What surprised me the most is that Encore Act supported my decision. He’s always out to get as many bits as he could get, for himself and Topspin Productions, but not this time. When Tempest Shadow appeared and petrified the Princesses, we were backstage getting ready for our appearance. A message from Twilight reached us, saying to get back to Ponyville by any means possible and protect the town from Tempest’s minions. We only hesitated long enough to determine just how we would get back to Ponyville, the decision being to go on hoof, abandoning the bigger instruments. Instruments could be replaced easily. Ponies are harder to come by. We decided to split into two groups. The thestrals and one pegasus formed one group, under Black Sky’s leadership, while I took the rest, keeping the other pegasus in case aerial recon was called for. Getting back to our suite, we packed our bags and in the immortal words of Colonel Sherman T. Potter, we BUGGED OUT! (Apologies were made to Harmonium when I could, explaining the term in enough detail that she didn’t take offense.) Accurate Strike, being a Solar Guard officer, knew the secret ins and outs of Canterlot Castle, as did Black Sky. The thestral contingent found a place to hide out until nightfall, while Accurate Strike led us to a hidden exit. From there, he led us to a good place to hide until it grew dark. We took the time to divest ourselves of our show attire, and I switched my shades for my favorite spare pair, the photograys Doctor Makeswell had given me months before. Less obvious, and the wards built into them would keep me from being blinded by a flash attack. So, it’s my well-known Achilles heel. I deal with it. All told, it took us two days to get to Ponyville, using the railroad tracks as a guide, travelling by night and remaining as inconspicuous as possible the whole time. The airborne contingent made the trip in one night, as expected, and spread the word throughout the town as to what happened in Canterlot. Once we arrived, I brought Mayor Mare to my house for consultations. After some talk, it was decided to shelter the foals in a safe place while the adults defended the town, if needed. I came up with a good place to hide the foals, the underground passageway between my house and Friendship Castle. Accurate Strike is to work with the Mayor arranging defenses while I kept the foals safe. Accurate Strike gathered the town’s ponies at Friendship Castle, deciding it is the most defensible building in case of trouble. I led the foals along with several adults (Miss Cheerilee, Granny Smith and Nurse Redheart, among others) into the passageway, with camping equipment and enough food for several days. We went through the castle entrance, the house entrance being a little too hard to pass about thirty-five ponies through easily. Harmonium stayed with the foals, while Silver Strings and I interfaced with the surface, bringing in supplies as needed. I put Encore Act in charge of logistics, which he took to like I hoped he would, thereby getting one worry off my mind. The only building that stayed occupied above ground the whole time we were in hiding was the telegraph office, in case any messages came in. We felt it was worth the risk, by maintaining an illusion that life here in Ponyville is going on as normal, while the Storm King did his thing in Canterlot. Sure, one overflight would dispel the illusion, but we guessed that the Storm King would be busy in Canterlot, which had far more unicorns in it than Ponyville did. We hid by day and scavenged by night, each scavenging team being escorted by several Guard ponies, both Ponyville Guard and the Wonders. I spent a lot of time with the foals, along with Silver Strings, keeping them occupied and entertained. Miss Cheerilee taught lessons, Granny Smith told stories, and Harmonium, Silver Strings and I alternated stories and music. All told, we kept the foals calm, which reduced the worries of the parents, so they could function. We stayed that way until we got word via telegraph of the Storm King’s defeat. Once that came in, I sent a squad of pegasi to Canterlot to confirm the report. Our response was Twilight’s arrival via teleport back at the castle for a detailed accounting, which was given. We were invited back to Canterlot for the resumption of the Friendship Festival, which we all agreed to, fortunately starting the next day, allowing for the trains to resume. The Friendship Festival was a smash hit for us, the good feelings generated being enough to saturate Harmonium despite her best efforts not to. Having Ponyville’s foals along, with their parents, with backstage passes, all train fares paid by me, may have had something to do with Harmonium’s nausea and bloating, but she waved off my apologies. “The foals loved it. It’s worth the discomfort,” she told us.