On paper, it was ludicrous. Who would actually do something like that? Was I already crazy? Had I already lost my mind? I had no idea. But I absolutely could not allow her to reach Ponyville in such a crazed, demented state. So I had to do the unthinkable to counteract the unthinkable. The train’s whistle had already sounded off, so I only had a few seconds to enact what I planned to do.
“One...two...and...go.”
I jumped from the balcony while I held onto the parachute dress to float down. I used it as a makeshift hang glider in order to drop quickly and reach the very back of the train just before it left the station. I noticed a few ponies and other individuals shot me weird looks as I floated down, but I paid it no mind.
“Oof.”
The landing was harsh, but solid. I stumbled a bit, and got tangled within the confines of the dress for a moment. “Stupid green fabric...who even wears these types of things?!” I found myself rolled up in it like a cocoon before I realized I could just crawl out--the struggle wasn’t necessary. “Yeesh. Okay, now where am I?” I looked around. I was on the back of the train’s caboose, and the door to the inside was right in front of me. We were leaving Canterlot, and heading towards the Ponyville. No time to waste.
I folded the dress up, and stepped inside the door. The caboose was simply a supply car filled with coal, brooms, and other items that the attendants would use. Okay, nothing crazy here. “Hm...well, she’s obviously in a passenger car,” I said as I put the dress on a nearby shelf, “I just have to engage and get her away from as many civilians as possible. Simple.”
With a plan in motion, I headed deeper into the train. The next car was another supply car. But it was filled with paperwork and other office stationeries. Okay, next. I pranced on, and entered the first passenger car. But after a careful scan of the room, I concluded that Fleur wasn’t in here. Alright, next.
Yet again, another car that didn’t feature her, and another. Hmph. This was getting tedious. The next passenger car was the last one before I would arrive at the train’s engine room where it got its power from coal and steam. If she wasn’t there, then that would mean she had taken shelter within the front car and would likely cause damage to the train itself should she be left alone in her manic state. But as I passed through, I felt a familiar aura. Was it somepony I knew? No, I didn’t have time to fret about such things.
“Come on...don’t be foolish…”
I stepped into the next passenger car. At last, luck was on my side for a change. I saw the white unicorn with the pink mane way at the front of the car. She looked as if she had calmed down somewhat, so this made her a bit more approachable. But I had to think. There were too many civilians on this train to risk a situation in which she could lash out due to the abundance of magic that had overtaken her body. Would it be better to engage now or wait until the train stopped and take her on in a more secluded location? Think, Pale. Think.
Okay, I made my choice.
I decided to handle things once the train came to a stop and she would be able to exit. As of that moment, she had no idea that I was here, so I could use it to my advantage and cut her off before she went wherever she claimed she was going. Simple. I took a seat, and waited for the train to arrive at her stop.
The train came to a screeching halt at the Ponyville station. Those who were getting off--Fleur included--rose from their seats, trotted off the car, and onto the loading platform. Everypony went their separate ways, but Fleur in particular started to walk towards Carousel Boutique. Okay, that made sense. But I wasn’t going to allow her to get there. Not in her current state. But now I had another conflict.
Just how would I isolate her without it appearing suspicious? Hrm…
First thing’s first, I had to start tailing her. By doing that, I could observe her movement patterns and make sure that she didn’t cause trouble.
I exited the train, and kept a keen sense of observation on Fleur from a distance. So far, all she did was stumble a bit in her step due to how much magic was overloading her system. It was likely weighing down heavily upon her and she was extremely close to giving in to its full potential. Which could spell bad news for all of us should she lose herself. I could feel it through the ground, and see it in her bones. This wouldn’t last very long.
At the same time, however, I respected the mare’s drive. The diligence to finish any project she started was a quality that was missing on many ponies both from my, and the new generation. However, she was taking it to such an extreme that her life was now at risk. And despite my personal disdain for a pony with biases such as herself, it was my job to approach things from a fair, lawful perspective. Even if it meant rescuing those I disliked.
Anyhow, her fans started to crowd her, and were none the wiser about her current internal state. All she did was smile and wave at the congregation that formed. I simply walked along a nearby path to keep an eye on her while also avoiding suspicion myself. The Boutique was about a few dozen yards away so I had to act swiftly if I wanted to remove her from the public eye.
After a while, she managed to shake everypony off. Something about desiring personal space for the time being. Her loyal fans accepted the request, and started to back away. This was about to be my chance. I just needed to persuade her to drop what she was doing in order to help her. But how was I going to do that? Gah, this was hurting my head.
Then I felt it again. That familiar aura. One of a close friend. But they had apparently also boarded the train earlier. Could it be… “Did she really...wow.” I stopped in my tracks. If things were about to shake down like I could sense they were, then we were in for a crazy time.
Still, I kept my pace. From a range, I stalked the model of a unicorn until she reached the Boutique. Once she entered the building, and shut the door behind her, I could already tell what was about to happen.
I even started a countdown.
“And in three...two...one…”
CRASH! BANG! BOOM!
Just as I expected.
I raced to the window and saw nopony there. The noises sounded as if they came from the rear end of the building, so that’s where I went next. Surely enough, I found my familiar face that I had been sensing the whole way here.
Quick Draw had taken a tumble with Fleur until they were both outside, and stood across from each other in a standoff sort of way in the middle of the open grassland.
“Well now,” I spoke as I happened upon the scene, “Talk about a way of coming back to us, huh Quickie?”
“Gah…” The yellow mare groaned, and shook her head. “I came all the way down here after finishing my final therapy sesh and that’s how you greet me?” she said with a teasing smirk on her face, “How rude.”
Fleur interrupted our small moment of reunion with a stomp of her hoof. “You!” She pointed at Quick. “Why are you doing this?! Are you jealous?! Can’t stand how beautiful I am, can you?!”
The earth pony mare scoffed, and chuckled. “Pssh. Jeez, who fraggled your floozy this morning? Can’t you see--er, feel it?” she pointed a hoof at FDL’s swollen horn, “Your entire body’s being overtaken by some wacko’s nutcase magic experiment. Do you really wanna go through this? If you do, you’ll probably end up actually ugly and never have any fans again. Not sure if you wanna take that risk, just saying.”
“Ngh! Gah!” But the white unicorn refused to listen. Her horn grew sharp, and her teeth became serrated as a purple flame started to flare out of both of her eyes. “You...you whorse! You lie! You just want me to give everything up and see me fall! Just as everypony in my childhood did! Eeheheee! Well tough caltrops, missy!” Her horn lit up. She was about to launch a powerful magical attack! “I’m going to remain the prettiest mare in Equestria if it’s the last thing I--”
SHING!
A split-second before Fleur fired off her spell, I barely managed to see a dagger fly through the air, and nick the mare’s horn. The cut wasn’t large, but it was enough to throw her off-balance and fire the spell harmlessly into the sky.
“Grr! What the--how?!” Fleur stammered.
“There’s an old saying…” Quick Draw smirked once more as the dagger returned to her body. She casually spun it around on her hoof before she gripped it once more. “The hoof is quicker than the eye.”
Quick really did live up to her name when it came to combat. She was a more defensive type that chose to primarily react to her opponent’s missteps in order to pinpoint their weakness and take advantage of it. Just how did she do this? You could say it was her Earth Pony Magic. Like myself, we both had greater connections to living things through the earth. I tended to use my abilities for the purpose of tailing and tracing. Quick, on the other hoof, used her aura-sensing abilities to predict, and react to the movements of others before they even made them. Stellar, really.
Her hooves were also fitted with magnetically enhanced horseshoes that allowed her to fling out, and call back her knives faster than a pony could blink. Truly a mare that lived up to her name. Of course, the pair of hoofcuffs on her flank as a cutie mark represented her talent for stopping bad guys--or something. I don’t remember exactly.
Anyhow, it was fun to watch her finally fight again. And have the chance to fight alongside her. If only Cork was here, then it’d really be like the old days…
“Grr...rraggh…” Fleur snarled with her mascara running down her face in gross trails of black, “You will pay!”
And yet, Quick was not intimidated. In fact, she shot me a casual glance. “Hey, brother. Wanna help me out?”
Well now, that warmed my heart to even hear. It had been ages since she referred to me as her sibling from another parent. Who was I to refuse her?
I cricked my neck both ways, and grinned. “Thought you’d never ask, sister.”