Sunny could barely get a sound out before Curio pulled a blue object out of his knapsack, fear in his eyes. The object looked like a big blueberry. Sunny tensed up as Curio threw the object at her. A screeching burst of icy blue particles enveloped her and froze her senses. A feeling akin to sleep overtook her.
* * *
When Sunny came to, her body was still cold. She shivered. Sunny was lying on cold stone. There was some straw, and one might call it a bed, but only if they had never seen a proper one before. Sunny investigated her new surroundings.
She was finally in the dungeons, just as Sir Bastion had promised. There was ample room for her to move about should she wish, and enough orange light from the tiny, barred windows near the tops of the walls so she could see. A tin tray with some wheat on it, and some old vegetables, was nearby. She looked past the iron bars in front of her.
“Hitch?!”
Sure enough, Hitch Trailblazer was in the cell opposite hers. He was staring with wide eyes blankly through the bars.
“Ah, you are awake Sunny Starscout. That is good. Did you know that there are 68 different reasons why Hornheads are evil? I will list them now—”
He droned on and on. Sunny tried to interrupt.
“Uhh Hitch?”
“… 5, they smell; 6, they are loud; 7, they have no taste in upholstery; 8…”
Sunny readjusted so she was sitting on her rump. She hugged herself and rubbed the upper portion of her legs, her teeth chattering. There was a bluish hue to her coat, as if she were still defrosting.
“…19, they can kill you with one zap of their horn; 20, they are dumb; 21, Hornheads do not recycle…”
“Hitch – Hitch! Snap out of it!”
Hitch’s eye twitched and he stopped mid-sentence.
“Uhhh… Sunny! M-my brain… so much… education… so many… lists…”
Hitch groaned and fell over. He sighed loudly like a tired old dog laying down for a nap.
“I take it… you didn’t succeed with Curio?”
Sunny closed her eyes and shook her head sadly.
“I spoke from the heart - but it wasn’t enough. At least, not for him.” She looked up and cocked her head. “Curio, you said? I never did ask him who he was. Is he one of the Knights?”
He shook his head as if waking up and swivelled around on his butt, sitting like Sunny.
“You didn’t know? Sunny, he’s the Right Hoof! Like Bastion but, well, not Bastion – but the same rank! Did you give him the business? The full song and dance—jeez I hope not literally Sunny!”
Sunny’s mouth screwed into a diagonal line and she slowly shook her head. Hitch smacked the ground.
“Darn. But maybe you can still sway the Protector! She’s a lot like you, she might be able to understand you better than old Curio Brightland. He’s older than the Smokey Mountains.
You—” Hitch blinked. “Wait, why are you blue?”
Sunny rubbed her hoof.
“Well, you see, I sort of screamed really loud and it uhhh became like this wave thing and pushed that guy into his desk and shattered his window… hehe.”
She looked back at Hitch with a big, guilty grin. Hitch shook his head and blinked.
“Waitwaitwait… HUH?!”
“Ummm… Sunny?”
It was Izzy’s voice. Sunny wanted to press against the bars to look for her friend, but her hooves were too cold and her body too tired. When she shifted to get up, she instead fell down chin first onto the stone, grunting from the throbbing pain that spread from her jaw.
“Ow – Izzy?! You’re in here somewhere?”
Izzy mhm’d loud enough so they could hear. Hitch went up to the bars and tried his best to look down the hall to the left, towards the noise.
“Oh I see her! It’s the Unicorn!”
He waved.
“Heh, never thought I’d be glad to see a Unicorn before.”
Sunny slowly moved her body toward the bars with her chin. When she was as close as possible she smushed her face against the bars and could barely see Izzy’s hoof waving down the hall, from behind her own cell bars.
“Izzy! I’m so glad you’re here too! Did they hurt you at all? Because if they did ohhhh man I’m gonna—”
“No, no. I’m okay, Sunny. Sorry to make you worry…”
Sunny and Hitch heard a quiet sigh.
“But they weren’t very nice, either. What happened to you?! Some guards brought you in earlier and you were covered in ice!”
Sunny glared at the stone floor.
“I was speaking with one of the top Knights around here, and then like I said – did you hear about the scream thing?”
“Y-yeah… I did.”
“After I did that he freaked out and threw this blue orb at me, and then I got all cold. It must have turned me into ice like you said.”
Hitch chimed in.
“We should all conserve our energy. Tomorrow we need to learn more about the glorious nation of the Real—I mean we need to try again! Sunny, you can still go through Re-Education, and, well, Izzy—”
“Izzy will be fine.”
Sunny was determined.
“I’ll get us out of here. I think I need to change the plan, because I don’t think there is any hope in convincing the Protector at this point. If we stay too long, Bastion’s going to get involved again – and we all know what that will mean. Has anypony seen him?”
“Not me Sunny.”
Hitch responded too.
“I haven’t either. I think the Knights had their meeting earlier, or maybe they still are, but Bastion usually doesn’t go to those. He basically just spends all his time training or capturing ponies. If I had to guess, he was probably chomping at the bit to go get those prisoners we helped escape.”
Izzy made a yelping noise.
“Oh no! Maybe he went to go find Rye Rye! When we were in those cages yesterday I heard the soldiers talk about how that meaniehooves bucked him away…”
Izzy whimpered.
“Sorry… I’m just so worried…”
Hitch chuckled.
“I think the Drake can handle himself just fine. I heard that he can turn into a huge dragon, like the ones in the old fairy tales. I bet he could eat Bastion in one bite if he really wanted to – but I think he’d be looking for you, don’t you think Izzy?”
“M-Maybe…”
Sunny’s ear twitched. She looked back up, through the bars and down the hall. Something caught her eye. It was white and floating in the air. Sunny squinted, and whatever the thing was it looked more like a smile.
“Huh?”
The smile disappeared. Sunny blinked a few times.
“…Sunny? Are you listening?”
It was Hitch. Sunny cleared her throat.
“No, s-sorry, I thought I saw something.”
“Was it a mouse? There’s nothing down here except us and them – I have a few in my cell here.”
Sunny looked over. Four tiny mice were lined up in Hitch’s cell, staring up at him. When she met his eyes, Hitch shrugged.
“Yeah I dunno, animals love me for some reason. If we weren’t so close to Bastion on our way here, you’d have seen a little group of them following me.” He smiled smugly. “Must be my Hitch charm, don’t ya think?”
Sunny whinnied and looked away again.
“Okay okay Sunny, I’m joking. I was just saying – why do you think my plan to hold out and convince the Protector’s sister won’t work?”
Sunny’s shoulders tensed and she breathed out as if deep in thought. A moment passed before she continued.
“I think… I think I made another enemy with my big mouth.”
Hitch went deadpan.
“Oh now two Hooves hate you.”
“Both Hooves.”
“The set, huh?”
“You got it.”
Hitch facehoofed.
“I shouldn’t be surprised. I would probably react the same way if you magically moved me w—”
“YouThinkIt’sMagic?!”
Sunny’s tail was wagging, her face becoming like a filly’s. Hitch forced a tiny grin.
“Figure of speech! Earth Ponies can’t do magic! I just meant—”
“ButWeDon’TKnowThatForSureHitch!”
She pressed her face to the bars, grinning wide.
“Hitch, I’m magical!”
Hitch waved his hoof incredulously.
“Apparently!”
Sunny’s grin got bigger.
“Maybe maybe maybe I’m like descended from Unicorns or something and there’s still some magic left in my blood! You know?”
Izzy giggled. Hitch frowned.
“Maybe that’s exactly what the Right Hoof thinks.” Hitch put a hoof to his cheek and hummed. “We should probably get out of here and figure this out when we have more free time.” He spoke quieter. “I can bend these bars and break us out of here. I could try to get you to the Protector, if you think you have a shot at turning this all around, but if you can’t convince her I think we – and my chances of finding Halter – are toast.”
“You’d risk the chance to find your brother for me?”
Hitch smiled and shrugged.
“Ehhh, I haven’t had any luck going solo. And I don’t want to have to go look for him myself.” He swallowed. “In Unicorn land.”
Izzy spoke up, louder and more enthusiastic than before.
“We’ll help you, Mr. Hitch! I know Unicornia like the back of my hoof. If your big brother is there, we’ll find him!” She paused. “Sorry, is that okay Sunny? I just figured, since we are going there anyway.”
Sunny shot Hitch a grin and wrapped a hoof around one of the bars, her warmth and strength returning.
“Of course it is Izzy, but I didn’t know you decided to come with me now! You could get in a lot of trouble for helping me with this, couldn’t you?”
Izzy did not speak right away.
“I think I’m in trouble no matter what I do…”
Izzy sighed. Sunny looked over to Hitch who reassured her with his smile.
“I would be honoured to have your help, you two. I know I seem like a courageous, handsome lion and all” — Sunny rolled her eyes, Izzy fake giggled — “But the thought of going into Unicorn territory alone was honestly pretty terrifying.”
Sunny hummed with thought.
“Okay, that’s great, but I’m not sure if I should try to get the Protector’s blessing, or if we should just break out. Could you manage the escape, Hitch?”
Hitch nodded, seriousness weighing his brow.
“It’s possible – but I mean only just possible. Getting out of the dungeons and up to the Protector’s Chambers, yes I can do that for sure. But once we bust out of the dungeons, it won’t be long before the alarm is sounded, and escaping the Castle entirely is a different bucket of oats.”
Sunny shook her head.
“I’m not going to risk you two on my convincing the Protector. I’m zero for three so far on convincing ponies – or maybe even worse than that, I think I lost count. At least with escaping the Castle, we have a shot at all getting free.”
She paused.
“If I want to convince the stubborn Earth Ponies, I’ll have to get the Unicorns and Pegasi on board first. They should be more reasonable. Right, Izzy?”
Izzy made a worried noise.
“W-well…”
Sunny jumped to her hooves, not realizing she had regained enough strength to do so. She smiled at her hooves and jiggled them around. She shared the smile with Hitch though he was still apprehensive. She continued happily.
“Once we get out of here, we can head north to Tall Tale. Whatshisface said that I have a grandmother there, and family! I think they can help us out, and maybe I can learn more about that shout power thing I may or may not have.”
Hitch rubbed his chin.
“Yeah… Tall Tale IS the place to be to hear all kinds of rumors. Or so the rumors say.” He shot Sunny a cheeky grin and she chuckled. “We may even hear about Halter, too! I never thought to go there before since it seems like a long shot. I mean, Halter never went to Tall Tale – he hates that superstition stuff. But it’s worth a shot, and as long as you two are headed to Unitopia eventually, I’m where you are.”
Sunny snickered.
“Unicornia.”
Hitch rolled his eyes.
“Cut me some slack. It was crazy Hornhead land a few days ago.”
He laid down, hooves behind his head.
“And hey! Maybe Halter didn’t get foalnapped after all! Maybe he went up north to be where it’s colder. Maybe he just forgot to send a postcard.”
Sunny saw the struggle in her new friend’s face to maintain his happy look. She frowned.
“Sorry you two, but before we go anywhere, can we rest first? I’m not a fast runner, and I think we’ll have to do a lot of that.”
Sunny smiled.
“I remember Izzy. Okay, let’s just relax for now. And if we hear them try to take you in the meantime, Izzy, we’ll jump in.” Sunny laid down. “Sound good?”
Izzy agreed. Hitch nodded.
“I’ll have to try and remember the layout from here to the closest exit, and the best way to go. I mean it when I say this will be a close call.”
Sunny curled into a laying down position.
“Right… okay.”
* * *
Sir Curio Brightland finished his speech to the individuals gathered around the Stone Table. He had been surprised to see so few – when he used to appear at such meetings, there would have been all or close to all 12 Knights gathered (back when there WAS a full set of 12), plus the heads of the Hooffield and McColt families. But that day, after his exchange with Sunny Starscout, after his frantic fear led him to actually attend a meeting, there were only 2 Knights present – and that included Curio himself.
The page Cabot was standing off to one side, patiently recording even the murmurs in the room onto his parchment.
“That’s—” Aurelia Shieldheart, Protector of the Realm and the pony seated at the largest of the chairs, looked to her Right Hoof with scrutiny. “Sir Curio, is what you said true? Maybe it was some trick, or…”
“Aurelia, would I have missed my nap to come here if I wasn’t ABSOLUTELY sure it was real? That Starscout mare used some form of magic with her voice – and she has been cohorting with a Unicorn! This is dangerous. I have no idea what it might be, but we should use the Blackmire Brew on her.” The others in the room gasped, though Lady Aurelia merely stared with a resolute gaze, sitting tall and poised on her chair, her magenta irises bright with focus. “I know, we only have one dose left, and it might not be possible to make any more. But if my fears are correct, this will save the Realm from another incident like the Everfree one.”
Dame Terra spoke up with a clop of her hoof against the table.
“My Lady, Sir Curio, I concur with that proposal. It would be unacceptable to let such a threat persist here unabated.”
Orson Roundplot, a fat and jubilant page appearing on behalf of two Knights, rose his chunky purple hoof. His armor barely fit – his curly dark purple mane bounced as he waved.
“Yea yea, vee agree! Errr, zhat is to say, I agree for Sirs McColt und Hooffield – I do!”
Nate Chivaltarry shakily raised his hoof.
“I t-think we should wait to hear what Sir Bastion has to say…”
A well-to-do mare seated beside the Protector waved a fan in front of her face and hummed in agreement with the page, nodding her head toward him. Her hair was done up into a style common among the McColt and Hooffield mares – a swooping style that made her dark blue-grey mane look like a wavy sculpture made of blueberry pudding. Her mane was typical of the McColt families, being a darker shade of teal. A beauty mark sat on her right cheek – the least intrusive part of the make-up plastering her face. When she spoke, nopony could ignore the volume and fire in her tone.
“Yes, no decisions on this here matter ought to be made without Sir Bastion’s say. He’s our hero after all.”
A masculine guffaw on the other side of the Protector was followed by a hoof clap.
“Here here! Mary-Ellen McColt, you most certainly are a mare after my own heart. Ah agree as well. Sir Bastion will probably side with the proposal, but” — He winked and chuckled at Sir Curio, who did not hide his contempt — “Just in case.”
Henry Hooffield wore a ten gallon hat of pure alabaster faux leather – a gift from the famous White Hat. That same material covered his body in a gold-button-studded outfit. His bushy brown moustache rivalled Sir Bastion’s – he liked to compare the two, though the Left Hoof really could care less about such things. Henry, like most Hooffields, had a light brown coat of fur.
Sir Curio looked around at the various faces before settling on Aurelia’s, his stare loosening its grumpy state.
“Aurelia – please. The Drake is still at large! This can’t all be a coincidence! Something is going to happen, I just know it, and that Starscout is involved!”
Mary-Ellen McColt chuckled.
“Dear ol’ Curio, little miss Starscout is locked up in the dungeons, and Sir Bastion is heading back to get that big mean and nasty Hornhead freakazoid as we speak. Won’t be an issue for much longer, plus we’ll get another valuable little prize to use against that dreadful Warlock King. You of all ponies ought to trust Sir Bastion more!”
Henry Hooffield agreed.
“Indeed. Those Hornheads do have their shiny toys, and their trinkets, and their machines, what have you…”
He slammed his hoof on the Table.
“But hay in a hoofbasket, we have good ol’ Earth Pony power and stubbornosity! That’s worth more than all the gold in my mansion, Ah'd reckon!”
Orson Roundplot hoofclapped rapidly.
“Bravo! Vee agree! I mean, I change my mind – Sirs McColt and Hooffield side vith Sir Bastion – err, Mr. Hooffield. Yeah!”
Nate Chivaltarry forced a toothy smile when the head of the Hooffields looked his way. Nate slowly turned to Sir Curio, who was bearing into him with a glare. Nate quickly looked down. When Henry Hooffield looked at Dame Terra, she cleared her throat and stared straight ahead.
“Perhaps I will… reserve my decision – for now.”
Aurelia Shieldheart facehoofed. Her reaction was muffled.
“We will postpone the remainder of the meeting until two days from now – to ensure we have Sir Bastion’s presence.”
Sir Curio stood up.
“Aurelia that’s nonsense! We need to—”
Glares from the heads of the two most important families in the Realm stopped him.
“WE,” Mary-Ellen McColt began, “Need to remind ourselves, Curio – and I mean YOU in particular – that WE ain’t in charge all by our lonesome.”
Henry Hooffield grumbled.
“Yes. That Blackmire Brew could buy up all the land in the Realm - save for Hooffield Heights and McColt Manor, mind you - what with how valuable it is. And you want to go around using it like it’s just any old common sarsaparilla!” He lowered his brow. “What would your mentor think of you now, Curio, talkin’ so hastily like?”
Sir Curio growled and left the Table. His daughter held out a hoof as he stomped by. She looked at the Earth Ponies gathered for the meeting, her brow tightening near the bridge of her snout. She quickly followed her father out of the room and the guards closed the groaning double doors shut with a thud.
When the awkward silence dissipated, Henry Hooffield turned to the Protector.
“Shucks – where were we? Talkin’ bout your brother up Vanhoover way, ah think?”
* * *
Sunny, Hitch, and Izzy rested for a few hours, until the light from the barred windows became muted. There was some moonlight, but not nearly enough to illuminate the darkened dungeons. She ate the petty morsels that had been provided to feed her brain. It was better than the gruel she had eaten earlier that day, but not by much. Twice a guard came by to check on the prisoners, and each time that particular guard chastised Izzy. Sunny, of course, paid him back twice as bad.
Eventually, Sunny felt sleep trying to wrap its tendrils around her, but she fought back. Hitch wasn’t far off either.
“Izzy?”
“I’m still awake Sunny.”
Sunny breathed out uneasily.
“Okay, let’s do it Hitch.” She looked at where she thought he was, and when the sparse moonlight caught his eyes staring back she knew he was there. “Time to initiate Plan—”
A siren bell clanged outside the castle, and then it spread inside the dungeons. The metal screamed and echoed throughout the cells – Sunny covered her ears. Even still, she could still hear the jarring noise – and, also, shouting and a creaking metallic noise. She removed her hooves and strained to listen closely.
“What the hay?” Hitch exclaimed.
A whirling noise that Sunny couldn’t quite place, like a small but vicious tornado, seemed to come from not far away beyond the walls. Izzy cried out.
“Get down!”
Sunny had no time to do so, nor Hitch. An explosion rocked the dungeons, instantly throwing dust and tiny rocks into every cell and blinding the ponies even more than the dark of night already had done. A constant, loud whirring was throbbing in Sunny’s ears. Disoriented, Sunny searched with her hooves to find the bars. When she did, she used a hoof to rub her eyes and ventured a look around. Amidst the falling dust a figure stood outside the bent bars of Sunny’s.
The figure’s smile looked just like the floating white object Sunny had seen previously. The pony-shaped figure laughed before speaking, loud enough to be heard over the whirring nearby but muffled as if behind a mask.
“Buenas noches, my little pony. Joo stay put while we take back our little hermana.”
The dust was subsiding and a bright white light coming from the source of the explosion down the hall revealed more of the pony – and made it clear that she was indeed a Unicorn, albeit one in a suit like the Drake. The suit was a hot pick color with black lines criss-crossing the material, and it looked shiny and metallic almost. The Unicorn’s face itself could not be seen but the mask covering it made her look like a lizard with ridges over her giant, spherical eyes.
Hitch screamed.
“Unicorn attack! Again!”
Sunny glared.
“They want Izzy! Hitch, get us out of here!”
The Unicorn frowned, then its suit lost its color and she slowly disappeared – literally, as if into thin air. Her voice could still be heard.
“Diablo! Joo will not keep her here any longer! This is prison break – have funnn!”
From the spot where the Unicorn previously was a loud popping sound and then a whizzing noise rang out. Something shot at Sunny and, when it hit her, it took her breath away and cast out an entire net of rope. The net surrounded Sunny’s body and tightened immediately, folding her up into the closest thing to a little Earth Pony ball she could become without crushing her completely.
“Hitch!” she cried with a very strained, very wheezy voice. Hitch quickly bent his cell bars, though it took some effort, then tackled through Sunny’s where they were already damaged from the blast. He worked at getting off the ropes, and even with his strength he was grunting while ripping them from Sunny. He was able to loosen them enough for Sunny to crawl out. She regained her breath then looked down the hallway.
“IZZY!”
It was the Drake – there could be no doubt as Sunny watched the pony-sized dragon-suited Unicorn with the funny horn wrap Izzy with his leather-like green suit wing. It was clear she was struggling as he tried to move back toward the blown out wall.
“No Rye Rye, I’m going to stay! Please!”
Bluish flames like the ones Sunny saw the day before sat just behind his suit’s eye sockets.
“You’re insane, Izzy! We have to go! Eagle Eye already took out one of the Crawlers, and the soldiers will be here any minute! We’re losing ponies here!”
Sunny turned to the loud whirring device half-lodged in the broken dungeon wall and hovered a hoof over her brow, the bright white light coming from it almost blinding her. Whatever it was, seeing its odd and off-putting appearance made Sunny take a step back.
It was some sort of machine she had never seen before – certainly something she could have never conceived in her own mind. Its body — like a spider’s, or maybe even an octopus’s — was constructed of a shiny, silver metal and it had multiple, long limbs coming out from it in all directions. Many of them were attached to the outside of the castle, holding the machine in place, while a few limbs were floating about inside the dungeons. One such limb was flashing the bright white light.
Inside the spherical body of the octo-spider (as Sunny had named it in her head) was enough room for ponies to go inside – a few Unicorns were already there, dressed in similar suits of a grey material contrasted to the more colourful Drake and whoever the other Unicorn with the accent was.
Sunny felt Hitch beside her, and heard his confusion.
“OKAY SOMEEARTHPONY – OR UNICORN – TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON!”
An invisible force smacked into Hitch and sent him back to the other end of the hall, slamming against the wall with a thud.
“C-can everyearthpony – and Unicorn – please stop slamming me into things…”
Sunny looked around. She knew that that other Unicorn was hiding somewhere but had become invisible somehow. More importantly, though, her head snapped to Izzy being dragged off. The Drake turned his massive, draconic face toward Sunny, and if looks could kill, Sunny would have been a goner.
“Go back into your cell, dirthorse! You don’t see anything!”
Something grabbed Sunny by the scruff of her neck and pulled her forward.
“No Rylar – let us take this little chicka with us. Maybe she knows something worth telling the Honored Voice.”
Izzy shouted. Sunny saw a look of abject terror on the face of her friend, as if it took all her courage to speak.
“No, let Sunny go! I’ll come with you, just don’t—”
A burst of bluish flames shot out from the Drake’s mask.
“ENOUGH! Izzy, don’t you get the trouble we’re in? Forget about your brother – all Five Tribes are going to be in an uproar about this!”
Heavy clipclopping from behind drew Sunny’s gaze, despite the tight hold on her neck.
“Hitch to the rescue, baby!”
Hitch slammed into the invisible Unicorn and sent her flying backward, her hot pink suit coming back into the visible world as she slammed into the Drake. Right after, Sunny was yanked and throw onto Hitch’s back, then he rushed over, grabbed Izzy with one of his hooves, and trotted as fast as his remaining three hooves could go toward the exit.
“You girls… need to… continue the… rest of the way… after I break… the door!”
Sunny looked back – one of the octo-spider’s long limbs was slithering toward them. The Drake appeared as well.
“NO! IZZY!”
Hitch stopped in front of the huge wooden door leading out of the dungeons, reared onto his hind legs, and smashed through it. In the aftermath, his head spun.
“O-okay… Hitch rescue… successful… w-whoa…”
Everypony ran up the stairs outside the dungeon door, Izzy whimpering and remaining to watch her friend in the distance only momentarily. Here and there a torch on the wall illuminated their upward journey. The ringing siren was still blaring, seemingly everywhere in the castle at once, and soldiers were shouting from somewhere beyond the top of the long stairs.
“Right!” Hitch shouted. “This is gonna be hairy, but we need to find the booking room before we split! Our stuff might be in there!”
“Our stuff?” Sunny asked, just as loud.
“Our stuff that Bastion took at the barracks yesterday! My stuff, your stuff, Izzy’s bag of bits!!! Don’t think I didn’t notice, Moneyhooves!”
Izzy found it hard to breathe.
“You guys… I’m sorry. I know I’m… so much trouble… but I can’t… I can’t go back… now…”
Sunny looked at Izzy as she ran, brazen with worry.
“But Izzy you’ll be safe if you go with them! They’re your ponies, aren’t they?”
Izzy looked at the steps just in front of her galloping hooves.
“My brother… isn’t well. He’s mean. If I go back… it’s just…”
Sunny nodded.
“Okay, I understand. Save your breath! We’ll go back to Unicornia together and talk some sense into him!” Izzy looked over, the tiniest smile gracing her lips. Sunny grinned. “I’m sure the Drake will be fine, Sir Bastion isn’t at the Castle right now.”
Hitch spoke up from the front of the pack.
“You’re assuming that Eagle Eye isn’t more dangerous. Didn’t you hear? He already took down one of those metal machine thingajiggers! He actually sleeps up on the Northeast tower! Unless those Unicorns are planning on going underground, Sir Curio can hit them.” Hitch looked back as he ran. “Once I saw him hit the narrow side of a barn – from a mile away – with a slingshot!”
Sunny glared.
“Hitch that’s not exactly going to make Izzy feel better!”
She looked over to her Unicorn friend. Izzy’s brow was curved downward.
“It’s okay… Sunny. I won’t worry… about Rye Rye… anymore!”
All three ponies finally reached the top of the stairs. There was no physical door separating the dungeon stairs and the main corridor, so they all tumbled through the opening at once. Earth Pony soldiers wearing stone armor were waiting for them.
“The Prisoners!” one cried. Hitch hit them with his twinkling smile.
“Oh, hey there everyearthpony. Looking good – especially you on the right, cutie.”
“Hitch!”
“Right, right…”
The soldiers pounced, spears at the ready. Hitch grimaced and pushed Sunny and Izzy aside, then flopped onto the ground as five spears stabbed through his mane. Sunny turned back around and tackled into the closest soldier. Izzy stood still, shaking.
Hitch got up with a yelp and sent all five soldiers flying back in various directions using his head. He rubbed the top of it and his hoof flinched back touching a sore spot.
“Ow! That stone armor is really hard! Let’s get going, this kind of thing really takes its toll on me!”
Sunny cracked a grin.
“Not really all that much like Rockhoof, are you, Casanova?”
“Distant relative! Very distant!!!”
Hitch went first, then Sunny followed after. She turned back to the stationary Unicorn looking sadly back down the stairs.
“Izzy! We have to hurry!”
Izzy snapped out of it and caught up, her breath failing her.
“I’m not… the best… runner… remember?”
Sunny stopped, scurried underneath Izzy, and scooped her onto her back. Izzy blushed – Sunny’s hooves were shaky, but she ran forward nonetheless. Hitch stretched a hoof out after her.
“Hey – Hey! I could carry her!”
“Well… you didn’t… so let’s… go!”
Izzy was frantic.
“Sunny please! You can’t! I’m being too troublesome, I only wanted to help you but now I’m a burden! I’m sorry!”
Sunny gritted her teeth from the physical stress. Hitch stopped in front of a huge door and Sunny followed suit.
“You… will. In your… own way. Trust me…”
She gingerly lowered Izzy by bending her knees and letting Izzy dismount.
“Hitch, hurry up in there!” Sunny cried.
Hitch had smashed the door of the booking room with a grunt and ran inside. He came back out a moment later, saddlebags in tow, as shouting down the hall made Izzy’s skin crawl and Sunny’s hair stand up.
“See! I told you ladies! I knew Bastion wouldn’t leave this stuff by the river!”
Sunny blinked and grabbed her side bag. Izzy quickly snapped hers to her behind. Hitch held his things in his mouth.
“We’ll talk later!” He said, the words muffled. “Let’s get out of here!”
Nopony had to be told twice. Hitch tossed Izzy onto his back and stuck out his tongue at Sunny, who grinned back. They set off even faster than before, hearing commotion at their backs. When Sunny hazarded a backward glance, she gasped.
The octo-spider was hot on their tails, crawling down the hallway just as fast as Sunny and Hitch could run, tearing up the stones as it did so. The Earth Pony soldiers had been incapacitated and the wall blown away behind them. A voice called out from the body of the octo-spider.
“I won’t let them take you, Izzy!”
Sunny watched in terror as the end of one of the limbs opened up, revealing a steadily growing ball of green energy.
“Keep your head down – this is the only way to save you!”