Chapter Five: Deception
The green waves of the Canterlot mountains curved infinitely inward into the valley path that led to the white city, drawing the fugitives’ attention to the mottle of guards approaching them. As Gabby whistled a tune of old, the three foals conspired in the cart.
“We can’t pull off the same thing we did on the train, these ponies actually know what they’re doing. As opposed to that weirdo alicorn.” Cheesy chuckled.
“This isn’t a train, though… no seats to hide under. And there’s not a single tree in sight for miles, it’s all flat!” This clearly bothered poor old Muffin, only familiar with orchards as far as the eye could see.
“Not exactly flat, though, is it? It’s hilly!” Cheesy poked. Muffin gave her a stare, but then sank.
“Good point, I guess…”
“Hmm… Gabby, do you have any ideas?” Cozy interrupted the griffon’s tune.
“Oh? I do, yes, but I want to see what you three come up with! Mine’s boring, anyway.” She went back to whistling.
“What?! This is urgent! If they even see us, it’s over!”
“Us? Weren’t they only looking for you?” Muffin inquired.
“I would say that, but after the train fiasco, a lot of those guards saw you two with me, protecting me… it’s safe to say that you are both on the run just as much as I am, at this point.”
Muffin and Cheesy watched Cozy in amazement. “Aw, yeah!” they exclaimed, striking hooves and cheering.
What in the…
“What are you two so happy about? You’re criminals now, don’t you get it?”
Cheesy swooped in with a reassuring hoof. “Oh, Comfy… it seems like you’re not the best at picking up cues, aren’t ya?” Cozy pouted. “It was our choice to join you, silly! Even if it means we’re outlaws, we’re outlaws with you.”
Muffin winked at Cozy. A pit at the bottom of the pegasus’ stomach formed.
“Plus, as soon as this whole changeling thing blows over, I’m sure we’re all be pardoned and rewarded for being heroes of Equestria. Ooh, Muffin, maybe we’ll get a super cool ceremony like my mom and your uncle did when they defeated Discord!”
As the two kids glowed over their imaginary future, Cozy couldn’t help but feel strange. She’d used ponies in this way before, but never had they actually gone out of their way to save her… at least, never as much as these two knuckleheads. Why do they even like me this much… what did I ever do to them? And of course, any thought of them now could only be conflated with one after the fact: Cozy would bring Tirek and Chrysalis back. Perhaps I’ll grant myself control over Ponyville when all is said and done… at least prevent it from being messed with too much… Using them like this almost seemed ironic considering the tall tale Cozy had weaved thus far.
Using them like this… Cozy audibly gasped. “Ah-ha!”
Everyone present turned their heads.
“I have an idea of how we can get past these guards… but I’m going to need all of your help.”
“Are you kidding? All you had to do was say it!” Cheesy hugged Cozy.
“And Gabby…”
The bird’s eyes lit up. “...yes?”
“Do you mind if we use some of these fabrics?”
“Well… pfft, Rarity won’t mind, they’re only super rare Saddle Arabian silk that cost her both hindlegs…”
The trio looked worried.
“Puh, she’ll understand when Equestria is saved, won’t she? A drama queen can only be so dramatic.” Gabby giggled to herself.
The plan was ahoof.
Cozy grinned. “Let’s play dress-up, then.”
Muffin and Cheesy glanced at each other, sheepish.
Flurry swooped around the gargantuan Canterlot peaks, extending down further than she could even see. Not important, though, since she was looking for something slightly more specific.
Where are those darn tracks… “Aha!”
In the vast distance, a pinprick of pony-made structure glistened with the help of Celestia’s sun, and curved through the hills and into tunnels. The tracks highlighted the landscape.
Somewhere around here I should be able to find clues about—
“*gasp*!” Flurry drew her hooves to her mouth instinctively. Just around the corner of a peak, a massacre of steel lay bare for the world to see. Wagons lay twisted and crushed, on their side, and far from the rails. The swoosh of the wind turned into dreadful noise as a very real possibility dawned on Flurry.
She blinked toward the disaster. The broken parts lay still like a painting. Flurry floated over the warped tracks and noticed the fresh claw prints that led down toward the cliff neighboring the train. Whatever had come out of there, it must’ve been huge. She’d never seen a Winterzilla before, and imagined some of these poor ponies hadn't, either. The array of chaotic hoofmarks trailing away into the distance confirmed this theory.
There has to be some proof of Cozy, Lil’ Cheese and Muffin around here...
“Right, the caboose!” Flurry turned and found the wagon flipped on its side, and another strike against her heart resonated. Popping inside, the gnarled frame led way to sunlight, which trickled over the dangling seats and broken glass.
“...ugh…” a grunt seeped from somewhere.
Flurry gasped in silence. “Hello? Anypony there?” she searched the wreck, tip-hoofing toward the origin point of this pained sound. She finally spotted what looked like a tail, shivering softly underneath a collapsed wall.
Lifting the metal with her magic, Flurry stood over the coughing and drowsy royal guardpony.
“Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Argh… no, Princess. Just my pride…” he tried sitting up but his forehoof shook and buckled under the pressure. He landed on his chin and grimaced. “Well, maybe that, too.”
Flurry’s horn glowed, and a soothing heat wrapped around the guardpony’s leg.
“Hmm… this might hurt for a moment.”
“How so— Y’OW!” a snap was heard as the hoof fit back into position. The heat dissipated and he stood up, no problem.
“Gee, thanks, Princess—”
“We’ve got no time for pleasantries, Mr…”
“My name is Lofty Lance, Princess. And you’re right. What is your purpose here?”
“You were on this train earlier this morning, were you not?”
“Before the Winterzilla attack? Not quite. We were running a checkpoint under Cadence’s orders to find Cozy Glow. It was myself and three others…” He pondered for a moment, then whooped. “Steel Shield was also with me! Oh, no, is he—”
“He’s safe and sound in Canterlot.”
Lance sighed heavily.
Flurry continued. “Now, you stopped the train and got on, good. Did you find her inside the train before the attack? Were there others with her?”
“We didn’t find her at first, there were two foals hiding her below the train seats.”
Flurry kicked the ground and huffed. Applebloom was right… these kids made a total fool out of me!
“Uh… everything alright, Princess?”
“*sigh*...Nothing, please proceed.” Flurry faked a smile.
“Well, we were about to take her with us when that giant rodent came in and kicked the caboose around. That’s about the point I remember, really. Must’ve been knocked out then.”
Drat, there’s not much to go on from this.
“Any clue as to where they could’ve gone?”
“Hmm… the trade route to Canterlot is not much further past where we are. If they would’ve escaped, it would make sense for them to go that way.”
“Okay, seems like a good place to start. Thank you for your service, Mr. Lance. Will you be able to head back to Canterlot like this?”
“With your help I will be. Not sure how far I would’ve gotten with that hoof. Thank you again, Princess.” Lance bowed slightly and lay a hoof across his chest.
Flurry smiled, for real this time.
Flying out of the wagon, Flurry dashed past the engine.
Wait!
Screeching to a halt on the dirt path, the scene she came across was haunting.
A mass of hoofsteps in the almost-gone snow led past the engine, but others diverted into it as well. Around these were the massive holes left by the Zilla’s claws.
Peeking into the locomotive, Flurry caught a glimpse of something glistening against the rusty black metal: a light blue hair stuck between some machinery.
They slept here…
Due to some celestial odd, these three little ponies had managed to make it out safely. Not only that, but had escaped the clutches of persecution and kept pushing themselves further and further toward their goal. Why are they always one step ahead?
Stepping back outside, Flurry saw the trade path up towards Canterlot surfing the valley. I’m done being slow. I’m taking those two foals back to their homes… and Cozy…
She took off with a bang and into the sky.
Three guardponies marched in lockstep down the mountain. They had spotted some kind of cart in the distance, and were expressly warned, if they came across anyone seeking to enter Canterlot, to stop and search them no matter what. Apparently an old enemy of Equestria had plans to take the capital, but her description was bizarre at best. A tiny little pink filly with a yellow bow? Holding two other foals hostage?
“Hey, do any of you think this whole thing is a little weird?” one asked his two companions.
“Weird how?”
“Think about it. Out of nowhere there’s a state of emergency in the city and we’re told to patrol the travel road leading away from it. We’re told to seek a foal, of all things, because, apparently, she’s the most evil, cunning pony to ever touch these lands and her return marks the end times. We’ve never even heard of her before!”
“Puah! Talk about yourself, Helm. Hilt and I are actually erudite in Equestrian history, thank you very much. And yes, Cozy Glow is very much a real threat.”
“Oh yeah? Well, how does a tiny little kid manage to outsmart all of Equestria, then, Mace? Putting up a cutesy face and pouting?”
“Pretty much…” Cross Hilt didn’t look exactly proud of his kingdom at this moment.
Helm was physically taken aback. “You mean to tell me that the Elements of Harmony and all their friends couldn’t see past this child being fake-nice?” He facepalmed. “I thought it was just a prank from Shining Armor, honestly. Making us come out here, chasing some little filly, laughing behind our back.”
“Maybe she’s in that cart being pulled up ahead, who knows? Might be our lucky day.” Mace replied.
As the trio approached the pony ahead, something wasn’t right.
“Wait… that’s definitely a filly pulling that cart.” Helm hesitantly kept walking.
“What, are you scared of her? Just like Princess Twilight back in the day?” Mace and Cross Hilt chuckled to each other. “*sigh*... Alright, enough with this, let’s get back to business and see what’s going on here”.
The filly was covered in a fine crimson fabric, cloaked over her entire body. Only the tips of her hooves and her muzzle were visible… and they were pink.
Helm felt a drop drizzle out of his temple. He leaned toward Mace’s ear. “I’m not going crazy, am I?” he whispered.
The filly was undeterred even as the three guards were at talking length.
Mace whispered behind him. “Why don’t you go and greet her? You look like you need to remember that you’re a guard. It’s your duty!” he smacked Helm in the rear and let him trot ahead.
Helm swallowed up his fear and raised a hoof. “You there! Cease your walking, citizen.”
The filly stopped, the breeze hitting an eerie tone as the wheels of the cart squeaked to a halt.
“We have been informed of a threat coming into Canterlot, and are required to confirm identity and reason for visitation into the city. State your business.”
Silence. The filly seemed to be a statue.
“Did you hear me? I said—”
SWOOSH. A dashing sound up above distracted Mace, making him turn. “What was that?!”
Helm saw Mace stripped bare of his tough exterior, shivering like a lost sheep. “Cross Hilt, are you goo—”
Where Cross Hilt was supposed to be, another foal cloaked in red stood instead.
“Ah—!” the two guards jumped back. “Wha-wha-what did you do to Cross Hilt, you—”
He faced the cart again, but there was nopony in sight. SWOOSH. His brain flew into a panic. As he swiveled back around, Helm was also replaced by a third cloaked foal.
Mace was frozen. SWOOSH. Behind him stood a towering, draped figure, claws and talons piercing the crimson cloth and glistening in the sunlight, eyes angled like daggers.
“Go back home, colt. And don’t dare tell anypony what you saw. ” The raspy voice of the figure muttered as the hooks at the end of its fingers danced.
Without a moment of hesitation, the whimpering guardpony scampered and tripped up the path to the white city.
When the guardpony was just out of viewing distance, the cloaks flew up into the air and revealed the group. Cheering and hollering followed suit, as Cozy popped up from the mess of fabrics on the cart.
“I can’t believe it!” Cheesy jumped on her hindlegs. “Those guards totally bought it!”
“And you’re sure they’re safe, Gabby? For all that one knows, his two friends might be in danger.” Muffin wondered.
“Oh, they’re just knocked out, that's all. Gave them a little bonk on the head, nothing to be worried about. They’re right there in the grass, though, I can see why that last one didn’t notice, since he was, you know… fearing for his life and all.” The griffon chuckled sincerely. And sure enough, the two guards were cuddled up, breathing softly within some tall grass.
Cozy tapped her chin in thought. “That’s some mighty flying, Gabby. Faster than I thought you could pull off.”
The bird gasped and drew a claw to her chest. “Excuse me?! I once outflew Rainbow Dash, you know, sometime in my youth!”
“Really, huh? Hmm... I think I have an idea of how to get into the city.”
“What do you mean?” said Cheesy.
“Well, the city is most likely flooded with guards on the ground. They’re sure to have every entrance and opening covered up. Except for one…”
Cozy looked up into the cerulean sea.
Oh, Canterlot… you’re not ready for me.