Chapter 9: Lost in the Woods.
"Cold...s-s-so cold…"
~Pinkie shook and shivered as the night wind blew past her coldly. Her arms had goosebumps all over and she tried to warm herself up with something but all she could find was an old, damaged newspaper. Still, she used it as a blanket and covered herself up with it. She had her back against a large dustbin filled with rubbish as well as surrounded by a ton of rubbish bags full of rubbish. The smell, the smell was horrid, but Pinkie got used to it. Weary hours dragged by, and Pinkie finally breathed one gigantic sigh.~
"I still don't need anyone…" She lied to herself. "I can look after myself...this is fine…"
~Pinkie suddenly heard noises so she threw herself up to her feet rapidly, ready to defend herself. She began kicking and punching the air as well as the rubbish surrounding her. She stomped down on a bin and made the lid go flying straight up, it spun all around too as it flew. When she then realised nothing was there, Pinkie lowered her fists. She collapsed to the ground again to catch her breath, as well as calm down from that excitement. She stood back up after half a minute, only to fall back down when the lid of the bin she stomped on came back down and clouted her on the head.~
"Oww!"
~The pink girl groaned before throwing the lid off her head and onto the ground. It made a clanking sound once it made contact. Pinkie then groaned even more and clutched her head afterwards. She stood up again, and went to wander around to help her sore head, but her foot wouldn't move. She looked down and saw that a sticky substance was oozing from one of the rubbish bags, it had split open completely and all the rubbish inside began spilling out, and straight onto her foot. Pinkie sighed in tremendous irritation.~
"This...this is a good character building moment…" She mumbled. "Ah-Come on, Pinkie, toughen it out! You are a highly-trained secret agent! You can do this, You can find Jace! You don't need the girls, and you certainly don't need Rainbow Dash! So what, if she helps me make cupcakes and pies?! And listens to my problems? And comforts me every time I feel sad…? And...always has my back when evil magic is afoot...?! WHAT HAVE I DONE?!" Warm tears began to pour down Pinkie's face. "DASHIE!" She wailed.
~No longer minding what was around her, she flopped down and sobbed her heart out. The newspaper blew over her completely and she curled up in a ball.~
~The caravan engines began revving up again. All the boys got into each of their vans and the drivers of them put in the clutch and pressed down the accelerator; the vehicles slid off down the roads. The mother of Fraddie and Rube was just about climbing into her van, preparing to leave.~
"Come on, Rube!" She called. "Time to go to Boyland!"
Rube hurriedly threw his backpack on his shoulders. "Alright! Boyland, here we come! I'm pretty excited. I'm looking forward to the bumper cars, the toy train, the waterslides and the pool, and the buffet! How 'bout you, Frad?"
~Frad didn't answer. He was already in the van, lying on the car seats, headphones plugged in his ears and everything. He constantly kept groaning though as well, his entire leg and foot were killing him. Honestly, he just wanted to close his eyes and perish. Rube climbed into the van and saw his brother in a state, but said nothing to make him feel better. He just ignored him and sat down on the floor, since Frad was taking up all the seats.~
"Keep that ice pack on, bro." Rube smugged.
"SHUT UP!" Frad shouted.
~The caravan moved quickly out of the camp and back onto the road. And just as it was coming out of the camp's sight, Stitch and Spike poked their heads above a hill just beyond the camp. They hopped up and over it swiftly to reach it down below. Next, The six Rainbooms appeared and stood on the hillside top. For a brief moment, the camp looked beautiful, but they dared not be fooled. Its momentary splendour hid the deep evil within its walls. They slid down the steep slope and entered through its gates.~
"So, where are they keeping Jace?" asked Sunset.
"In a tent. Over...there?" Spike pointed his snout in the direction of a tent, but it had been taken down.
"The place is deserted, y'all." observed Applejack.
"But, they were here. L-Last night, we swear!" Lightning exclaimed.
"Oh, no, I believe you guys. Whoa…"
"What?"
"Looks like there's been a struggle."
~Applejack leapt and entered in a large rut in the shape of a circle. She looked among the dry grass and dirt to see footprints. Footprints scattered everywhere. They came in all different shapes and sizes, some of them even clashed with other prints on the ground too. The cowgirl kneeled down and examined one of the clear prints up closely. Lightning and Rainbow also peeked at it over her shoulders.~
"Hey, Those are Fluttershy's footprints! I recognise the pattern of her boots!" Rainbow gasped.
"A-And those are Jace's!" Lightning exclaimed, pointing at another print. "I also recognise the pattern on the bottom of his shoes."
Twilight looked at all the prints. "It seems to me that Jace and Fluttershy tried to fend off their attackers. However, I'm not sure if they were successful or not."
"Hey, Master! Look at this." barked Stitch.
~After he pawed at the floor, Stitch turned back at what he was staring at. Applejack looked above him to also discover what was interesting him. She put her hand on her hat in shock, then nodded seriously.~
"And here is where it happened."
Rainbow pouted. "What is it? What are we looking at?"
"Nothin', Rainbow Dash. Nothin' because the tracks end right here."
"Meaning, that they might have been caught trying to escape." sighed Twilight. "The kidnappers must have also realised that isn't a good place to confine them, so they moved."
"That would explain why this place is deserted." Rarity nodded, waving her arms around.
Everyone sighed in annoyance, but Rainbow sighed in anger. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" She shouted, facepalming hard.
"Where do you think they went then, Twi?" Sunset turned to Twilight.
"How should I know?" She replied, shrugging unsurely. "I'm just using the evidence we've got right here, I'm not a psychic."
"Ok, What do you think, Lightning?"
"Gee, I don't know." Lightning said. "If only we had another sort of lead."
"How about this?"
~Spike's voice sounded mumbled. In his mouth was a colourful leaflet, packed with pictures of fun amusements. The wording was also fun and colourful, like it was supposed to be appealing to young people such as themselves. He spat it out into Lightning's hand and she began to unwrap it, as well as wipe some of the dog saliva off of it.~
"Boyland?" Lightning began to read. "The amusement park that brings joy to all boys. No Girls allowed. " She stopped there. "The heck kind of place is that?! Doesn't allow girls, honestly..."
"Where did you find this?" asked Sunset, looking down at the pup.
"Just here on the ground. Maybe that's where they're taking Jace and Fluttershy next." Spike said confidently, wagging his tail.
"Spike, this is just an old leaflet." Lightning shrugged. "Besides, how can we be sure they dropped this? It could have been dropped by someone else long ago."
"Might wanna check again, Lightning. Look."
~Looking in the direction Twilight was pointing on the leaflet, Lightning spotted something written in black marker on one of the sides. It said, 'Hope Jace has a grand old time here again. This will get him back for sure. -Topas.' Lightning softly blinked.~
"Ok. Maybe they did drop it."
Rainbow snatched the leaflet. "Great! We have another lead! Let's go!"
"Rainbow, darling, we don't know which way we're going again…" Rarity called out.
"Oh, yes we do. The road signs will show us." Twilight pointed across the road and at the green signs showing them the way to the amusement park.
Lightning was relieved. "Oh. Good. I don't have to fly. My tail is still feeling a bit sore. I wanna use my legs now."
"Come on then, y'all. Let's hurry!"
~The girls hurriedly exited the camp, and with Applejack taking the lead, they set off on the roads, following the signs to Boyland.~
~In a short time, the caravans of the boys parked in a car park field and approached a grand old amusement park. It only had cold themed colours and stoned walls with barbed wire on top circling around it. Security were hanging on these walls and were surveying the area for any feminine people. But other than that, the park looked fun. Rube jumped out and, looking up at the ferris wheel and smelling the air of popcorn and peanuts, he smiled excitedly.~
"Password?" asked the guard at the front entrance.
"Comics."
~The guard examined Rube and Frad and let them in. The mother remained in the van, and waved goodbye to them. Rube was helping his brother walk, despite him constantly trying to shove him away and trying to walk by himself. Once two boys went through the wall and saw the sun again, they heard a large toy train chug past them. The rails circled the inside of the park and behind an abandoned building the designers were supposed to tear down last year. The train went behind and out from the building, went through a long tunnel and stopped at the station to allow the boys travelling it to get off. After it stopped, the boys could hear the musical roars of the rides and carnival games. Rube smiled once more.~
"Would you take a gander at this? Wow. The guys really improved from last year. This, Frad, puts a 'B' in 'Boy.'"
"Rube, I don't want to do this." Frad huffed silently.
"It's kinda late to back out now, don't you think? Come on man. Your ankle and leg aren't that bad. Although it doesn't really make you look sophisticated."
"Oh, SHUT. UP!"
"Ok, sorry..."
~On another road, leading away from everything, Topas and Luda were driving away sulkily. Luda had a big frown on his face, while Topas was on the verge of crying. He blew into his nose with his hand while wiping a tear from his cheek.~
"What in the world is wrong with him, Luda? Why doesn't he want to be with us, Luda? What did we ever do, Luda?!"
"Topas, calm down. It's pretty clear and obvious to what Jace wants. He doesn't want to hang with us anymore. He's moving on. He had new friends, friends that are girls, and are not psychopaths like Frad." Luda growled. "I knew he was a reason Jace quit us."
"No, I refuse to believe that. He will probably come to his senses soon. I guarantee it."
"I doubt it. If he's moving on, we have to as well. Accept it."
~Topas said nothing and just stared out of the window, lost.~
~Meanwhile, in the depths of the forest, Jace and Fluttershy journeyed through the trees in hopes of finding the way back home. As the forest thinned out, the air grew cooler. Jace reckoned that the thinner it gets, the chances they'll be out of the forest. He just had to believe in himself and not take the wrong turn.~
"Is this the way back home? Or is it this way?" Jace crossed his arms and pointed in both directions.
"We're not lost, are we, Jace?" Fluttershy asked him.
"Oh! No, of course not-Ok, maybe we are. It's ok though. We'll find a way. Where there's a will, there's a way."
Fluttershy looked beyond the trees. "Maybe I can ask somebody for directions."
"But, there isn't anybody around here."
"Aren't there?"
~Softly, Fluttershy whistled out in the open for a bunch of bright beady eyes to open up in the darkness. Jace backed away. All the eyes came forward and revealed themselves as adorable baby squirrels, rabbits, birds and hedgehogs. They crowded around Fluttershy as she got down on his knees. One rabbit hopped up and placed its paws on her legs.~
"Wow…" Jace said in awe.
"Hello my friends," Fluttershy greeted. "We are trying to find our way back to Pixel High, but we're lost...Could you help us?"
~The animals squeaked altogether before pointing in the direction of a pond. It was surrounded by tall reeds growing in the shallow water and was connected to a river leading upwards.~
"Oh. Ok, so if we follow the river, we'll find the city?"
~They all nodded.~
"Well. thank you. Thank you very much!"
~Fluttershy kissed the rabbit on its fuzzy forehead before leaping up to her feet. She stroked the other animals goodbye as she walked past them and over to the river. Jace was nervous, but he followed Fluttershy immediately through the animals. However, a small squirrel approached him, blocked his path and chittered happily at him. He froze, but then, with what little courage he had, he kneeled down and scritched the squirrel's tiny ear with his fingernail. He smiled and enjoyed it very much. After he was done, and he carried on his way and caught up with Fluttershy to the river.~
"I love your ability to talk to animals, Fluttershy. It's both cute and helpful." He said with a grin.
The girl blushed. "Thank you. I'm really pleased that I can understand them now. For the longest time all I've heard from them were sweet little chitters."
"You know, For as long as I can remember, I've always been afraid of wild animals, but there, I didn't feel fear at all."
"How can you be afraid of those sweet little things? They don't mean harm, they are just-"
"Whoa!" Jace interrupted. "What kind of monstrosity is that?!"
~Jace and Fluttershy leapt up with a start at the strange sound of a creature coming around the trees and by a river. It was a furry, smelly dog-like creature. Brown mud covered its front from head to toe and it droopily continued to drag its feet around, as well as something stuck on the heel of its foot.~
"Eep!" Fluttershy blinked, cowering behind Jace if she could.
"Um, can your power be of use here? Monsters are technically creatures right?!" Jace asked.
"Well, only if they are cute and kind and small, but this one doesn't look like he is!"
"Wait a minute...Pinkie?!"
~Pinkie Pie looked up at the people who greeted her. However, she continued galumphing around, almost looking like she was about to give up and faint. Jace and Fluttershy approached her face to face.~
"Huh? Oh hey." She croaked in response.
"What-What are you doing here? And...what happened to you? You look like a talking mud-pie. Where are the others?"
"Oh...they're rescuing Jace and Fluttershy…" answered Pinkie. "Hey Fluttershy."
"Umm...Pinkie, are you okay?"
"Yeah, what's going on? Why do you look like that?"
"Oh...trash can be playful sometimes and mud...it's just everywhere...Seemed only a matter of time before I fell face down in the shallow bog." said Pinkie, glancing down at her bedraggled clothes. "Whoever thought mud needed to be in the forest should have their head examined."
"I think it's you that needs your head examined." Jace replied with a frown. "But seriously, where are the others?"
"Like I said, they're saving Jace and Fluttershy. They went that way." Her crooked finger pointed right, then down.
"Wait...to the camp?"
"They must be following the RV we were stuck in." said Fluttershy.
"But, We only stay there for the night, then we go to...Boyland." Jace suddenly realised. "Oh no…"
"What's wrong?"
"They are going to Boyland! This is terrible!"
Pinkie, still feeling dazed, nodded. "Boyland? Nice...Tell them to get me something there."
"No, Pinkie! You don't understand. Boyland is an amusement park for Boys only. And these boys hate girls. Dearly. It's also heavily guarded by guards and they will shoot at any girl on sight. Our friends are in serious danger!" Jace explained, tugging on Pinkie's bedraggled shirt.
"We have to go back and help!" Fluttershy gasped.
"Okay! Well, Have fun then!"
"Pinkie, what's the matter with you? Snap out of it!"
~Jace threw his hand into the pond and cupped a tiny handful of water. Then, without warning, he splashed it straight into Pinkie's face. She made all sorts of glugging and gurgling noises in her throat once the water hit her face and up her nose. The mud slid down her cheeks and she gazed at Jace and groaned.~
"Ughhhh...Ahh...Jace? Fluttershy?! Where did you come from? Did I save you? By myself?"
"No! Don't you see though?! Lightning, Twilight, Sunset, Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow! Stitch and Spike too perhaps! They will all be torn to pieces!"
"Torn to...pizzas?"
"Pieces!"
"PIECES?! Rainbow's in trouble?!"
"Uh-huh...and the others too!" Fluttershy panicked.
"Well, why didn't you say so?! RAINBOW DASH, DON'T WORRY! I'M COMING TO SAVE YOU!" Pinkie set off northwards, holding her fist up high.
"You're going the wrong way!" Jace yelled.
"No, I'm not-"
~She never finished her sentence, for suddenly she felt the ground tremble beneath her feet and make way into another steep ditch. She thumped on the ground and dust filled the air around her.~
"Oh, COME ON!"