Sometimes, it's the most ordinary of days that wind up being the most extraordinary.
“C'mon, Scoots!” Rainbow Dash laughed as she propelled herself through the sky, maintaining a pace that allowed her to keep a close eye on the filly racing several meters below her. She twirled as she flapped her wings, reveling in the feel of the wind on her face.
“I'm totally gonna win!” Scootaloo called out, weaving around ponies and dodging obstacles as she rode her scooter through the city street. Despite her thrumming wings and resolute determination, she struggled to match the older pegasus's speed as she soared in the air.
Rainbow subtly slowed her pace, letting herself drift on the breeze for a moment before zooming forward once more. “Just TRY and beat me!” She challenged, knowing full well that she intended to let her have this win. As much as she hated defeat and prided herself on her competitive nature, she had a soft spot for the young filly that had grown to become the equivalent of a little sister to her. And so it was with much horror that she cast her gaze downward to find Scootaloo headed right towards a cart moving at a dangerously fast speed.
She shot down like a bolt of lightning, yelling out a warning and urging her to stop as the runaway wagon came barreling down the street. Ponies shouted in alarm and hugged the edges of the road, giving Scootaloo no option to roll to the side or evade the cart entirely. All she could do was attempt to brake as it flew at her head-on. In a flash, Rainbow Dash was in front of her, grabbing onto her scooter and planting her hooves on the ground in order to skid to a stop before shoving her out of harm's way.
The cart, which, upon further inspection, was full of an assortment of books and other novelties, showed no sign of stopping. Rainbow flew into action once again, placing herself in front of the cart and pushing her full weight against it in the hopes that she could slowly bring it to a halt by applying as much friction as possible. She squeezed her eyes shut as she strained to keep upright against the sheer momentum of the object and wondered if she truly had the power to stop it.
“Watch out!” An onlooker cried, prompting her to open her eyes in alarm and glance up just as she slammed into the concrete ledge that made up the outer part of the fountain in the center of town. Her breath was knocked out of her on impact; her body squished like a bug between a literal rock and a hard place. She let out a groan as she pushed the cart away from her and made an attempt to sit up. She was bruised, surely, and her vision was a little spotty, but she was alive.
Just as a few nearby ponies rushed to help her, a large crack rang out through the town square. Dazed and disoriented, she could only sit and watch with delayed horror as the fountain's stone statue splintered in half and came crashing down on top of her.
Rainbow Dash woke to a prickling feeling against her backside. She groaned as she sat up groggily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and taking in her surroundings. She definitely wasn't in her own bed, that was for sure. The unfamiliarity of her location hit her like a ton of bricks. She shot up, glaring down at the dense shrubbery that had caused her discomfort, tingling her back as she slept.
Her eyes scanned the barren land around her, miles and miles of nothing but cracked, dry chunks of solid dirt ground sprinkled with the occasional patch of green—sparse bushes and ugly, naked trees. The sight was foreboding.
She racked her brain for the memories that had led up to that moment, trying to piece together how she had wound up in such a strange place and where exactly that strange place was, to begin with. She recalled racing with Scootaloo, one of her favorite weekly activities, and it was then that it dawned on her. She'd been in an accident. As panic bubbled up within her, she attempted to calm herself down by assuring herself that Scootaloo was fine, she'd prevented a worse outcome, and she didn't seem to be hurt herself.
She stretched her wings and rose to her legs, skipping a few steps to test out her limbs. She didn't have a single injury. Although that fact lingered in her mind as peculiar, she brushed it off and mentally patted herself on the back for not only pulling off such a risky maneuver but managing to do so without getting hurt.
Focus, Dash. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She didn't know where she was, and as far as she could tell, there was nopony around that could provide her with an answer. Considering her dilemma, she slowly rose into the air, applying caution with the use of her wings in case of a sprain or pulled muscle she had yet to be made aware of. As she lifted herself higher and higher, scanning the land she had come to inhabit, her eyes landed on something she was surprised she'd failed to notice thus far.
Outlined on the distant horizon was a mass of tall buildings stretching several miles wide. They gleamed under the bright light of the sun, which seemed to be hovering just over the city. From her position in the sky, Rainbow Dash couldn't get a good enough view to recognize any landmarks accompanying the town, but she assumed it was one she had yet to visit based on the landscape surrounding it. With no other options but to find out for herself, she began flying towards that faraway city with a newfound determination.
The desert she journeyed through was unfamiliar, but she held onto the hope that she was in some obscure corner of Equestria that she had yet to visit and could simply ask for directions from the locals and be on her merry way. Still, it didn't explain her sudden appearance in the middle of nowhere. She chose not to linger on that thought, instead focusing on the path ahead as she swiftly approached the entrance to the city.
As she neared it, she marveled at the unique design of the buildings spiraling upwards and into the sky, their sleek metal exteriors reflecting the glare of the sun and allowing in light through large, open-paned windows. It wasn't like anything she had seen before, and it was with great anticipation that she finally reached the entrance to this mysterious city.
A vast expanse of wall went on for as far as the eye could see, stretching for miles around the city’s exterior. At its front stood a grand gate, barring her entry down the path that led inwards. She descended from the air, coming to rest on the cobblestone road that led up to those gigantic doors. She got the feeling that ponies weren't supposed to just fly over such an impressive-looking gate. She took a step back and glanced around, looking for some sort of lever or doorknob she could use to make her way inside. Nothing was noticeable on the metal door, except for a strange assortment of cogs that ran up and down its sides.
“Hello?” She called out, peering up at the top of the gate in the hopes that somepony would hear her and grant her access to the city. After a moment, she rose a hoof and knocked on the gate, emitting a hollow thud that reverberated through the air. Movement above her caught her eye, and she looked upwards once more to see a bizarre creature staring back at her. It had remarkably pony-like features, yet was entirely alien. Its dark green eyes bore into her with a strange intensity, and the navy blue fur of its face and neck were laden with an array of white markings. The most striking feature of the foreign individual, besides its lack of a mane, were its ears. Unlike her own, they ended in jagged, crooked points, as if chunks had been carved out from their outer edges.
Rainbow tried not to shudder as she greeted the creature meekly, giving it a small wave and trying to muster up a polite mask of friendliness as they took one another in. It simply stared, squinting down at her with a calculating look before its head shot back out of sight and a mechanical groan emanated from the gate in front of her. She retreated a few steps and watched in fascination as the gears surrounding the wall whirred to life, pulling the doors open and allowing her entrance.
She cautiously made her way through the gates and inside, but her wariness was soon forgotten as she beheld what waited for her just past the threshold. The path of cobblestone continued forward, lined by a mismatched selection of vendors selling their wares. Several booths of simple design and muted colors served as the home base for a variety of different businesses, marketing everything from clothing to food to hoof-made trinkets. What awed her the most, however, were the ponies—or, rather, not-ponies—milling about the road, hopping from vendor to vendor and striking up trades with one another in order to exchange their bits for whichever item they'd set their sights on. If she squinted a little, the open-air market reminded her of the one she frequented in Ponyville. She found this rather comforting.
The creatures bore a similar appearance to the one she had seen previously, but now she could look upon them in their entirety. Although their body shape was similar to that of a pony's, it had become increasingly evident that they were anything but. Unlike her and every other pony she'd met, they did not possess cutie marks on their flanks. Instead, the strange markings she had spotted on the sentry were present on every creature's face, ranging from simple dots to ornate squiggles, each in hues of black and white. The symbols continued down the creatures' tails, which, instead of being made of a skirt of hair, were almost reptilian in their shape; an extension of their body that trailed down onto the floor and ended in a point lined with a few web-like spikes. She could almost compare it to Spike's tail, yet unlike his, it was made up of the same fur that covered the creatures' bodies rather than the scales of a dragon. She was relieved to note some similarities to her own makeup, as they, too, walked on four legs that ended in hooves—albeit, hooves with those same spikes protruding from the backs of them.
The dread that had been coiling in her gut up until that moment began to unravel at the idea of exploring this new city that seemed to hold so much promise. Before she could make her way into the crowd and approach some of the locals, the guard that had been stationed atop the gate appeared before her. He wore a silver jumpsuit with black stitching that shone against his dark blue coat, and Rainbow noted a small badge pinned to its front that read “Council Guard.”
She opened her mouth to say something, to thank him for his help and ask exactly where she was, but the stern, cold expression on his face stopped her in her tracks. She took a step back as another creature clad in a similar uniform approached them. Then another. And another.
Okay. Something weird was definitely going on. She retreated backwards only to collide with something soft, but immovable. She turned around to see yet another guard with a similarly hostile appearance. Suddenly, they were upon her.
A hoof shot out from behind to put pressure on her shoulder, forcing her down as the others surrounded and immobilized her. Whatever motive they might have had for attacking her, Rainbow Dash knew one thing: she wasn't about to go down without a fight.
“Let me go!” She bucked against them, landing several clean blows to their sides and eliciting a few grunts and growls as her hits connected. Still, there were too many of them. She attempted to fly up and out of their grasp, but they grabbed her by the hindlegs, managing to pin her to the ground and, with much effort, clamped some sort of circular device around her midsection.
With that, they relinquished their hold on her, allowing her to shoot to her feet and take a defensive stance, snorting through her nose furiously like a caged animal as she eyed them with disdain. They kept a tight ring around her, allowing not even the slightest chance of escaping their ranks. She glanced back to her flank, ogling the strange contraption that had been forced onto her. It was made of a thick metal, and next to the chrome strap that had clicked shut upon its placement shone a small blinking red light. She struggled against it, straining to lift her wings and fly far, far away from this unfamiliar place. It was no use. Whatever they had done to her, she had no means of escaping.
“You will come with us.” One of the creatures suddenly spoke, prompting Rainbow to look up from where she had been engaged in her own whirlwind of panicked thoughts.
Her eyes bore into them with disbelief, unable to discern their true intentions from their blank stares. It was then that she noticed the crowd that had gathered behind them. She turned in place to notice that a large number of those creatures had amassed around them; vendors, customers, and random bystanders alike watched as the scene unfolded before them. A shove from behind ushered her forward, and with an indignant stomp of her hooves, she obliged. Without the option to flee or fight back, she had no choice but to march forwards as the troop of guards escorted her further into the city.
A chorus of hollers rang out from the crowd of onlookers, jeers and whistles accompanied by contemptuous scowls. Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth and held her head high, matching their intensity with a glare of her own. She attempted to salvage a morsel of her dignity in her refusal to show fear, but the thoughts racing through her mind at that moment were anything but calm. Where in Equestria was she? What were these creatures? Why would they treat her with such hostility? She had no choice but to swallow her pride and see what awaited her in the inner city.
Bang!
A deafening noise erupted to her right, accompanied by a barrage of crackles and snaps and an array of sparks shooting up and above the throng of spectators. Her head swiveled towards the sound, watching as the garish flickers of fire went out as quickly as they had come to life. A harsh voice rang out over the noise, and she could just make out their words over the din of the crowd: “Council pigs!”
A string of colorful words followed as several others joined in with this neighsayer, spitting onto the pavement as they boldly criticized the officials and demanded her release. Rainbow Dash was astonished at the sudden change in demeanor, wondering what had caused such a shift in the reception of her presence. A glimmer of optimism was lit inside her at their protest. She harbored, for the first time since she'd arrived, a sliver of hope that she might not be alone in whatever trouble she'd managed to find herself in the middle of.
The crowd thinned as they ventured further into the city, and Rainbow marveled at the architecture she had yet to see up close. The large steel buildings were impressive in their monumental size yet entirely dull in their monochrome coloring. They were the tallest structures she'd ever seen, and even the skyscrapers of Manehattan paled in comparison. Some of the designs were entirely foreign as well, performing impressive twists and curves she hadn't known were physically possible as they spiraled upwards.
The cobblestone road developed into an organized collection of paved streets that served as the main use for travel, as several creatures trotted up and down the sides of them. Their fur colors ranged from faded blues and blacks to vibrant yellows and pinks, but the clothing they wore was extremely similar, if not identical. Their drab attire was decorated in muted shades of color and minimal accessories—simple jumpsuits and dresses or nothing at all.
What really caught her eye, however, were the vehicles crossing through town at an impressive speed—they were nothing like the horse-drawn carriages that were common practice back home. No, these were sleek, motorized carts that moved of their own accord with the exception of the creature navigating them from within. They were brown and gold in color, and she could see those same gears that had been present on the front gate adorn their sides as they powered onwards.
She peered through one of the expansive windows of a restaurant facing the street, taking in the interior’s simple yet modern decoration and the creatures that sat at low-lying tables and feasted upon something that definitely wasn't hay. She grimaced and kept walking.
Dash observed several signs plastered on the sides of the buildings and on the benches lining the streets, feeling a pinch of relief that the messages upon them were written in a language she recognized. She scrutinized the sentences, noticing that a recurring factor of many of the bulletins was the use of the word “Pon.” Her eyes fixed on a large billboard that displayed one of those creatures in a modest pink dress waving cheerfully, a big smile plastered on her face. It read: “Welcome to Pontropolis!” Well, that was helpful. If only her friends could have seen her then, being so observant and alert. Not that she had much of a choice, anyway.
“Where are we going?” she huffed, attempting to converse with the guards around her. “What is this place?” No response. “Why are your ears so pointy?” They kept their heads facing forward, refusing to spare even a glance in her direction or humor her incessant line of questioning. Great.
The guards escorted her through the roads, clinging to the side of the pavement as they made their way towards what was perhaps the grandest building Rainbow Dash had seen thus far. It must have stretched dozens of stories high, and her neck ached with the effort it took to crane it upwards, tracing the expanse of gray with her eyes as it rose into the sky and ended in several jagged points. She squinted at the bright light that shone above the topmost steel point. To her shock, it was almost as if the sun was hovering directly above the building, drawn in by some sort of magnetism to the wretched gray spikes jutting into the sky. She gulped, frozen in place. Was this some sort of magic?
A sharp nudge to her hindquarters prompted her forward, and she took a tentative few steps before ascending the concrete stairs that led up to the entrance with a mounting sense of trepidation. Revolving glass doors stood tall, the only means of access to whatever awaited her inside. She raised her head high and narrowed her eyes determinedly as she made her way through the spinning doorway with her captors flanking her on either side.
She stepped into a grandiose lobby fit with sleek marble floors and lined with a deep red wallpaper that boasted intricate floral designs. Several creatures meandered through the lobby and sat on plush benches that lined the walls, most engaged in their own business, reading a book or shuffling through documents held in their hooves. They seemed to be a classier sort than the others she'd encountered, clad in lavish suits and elegant dresses, not dissimilar to the types of fashion popular in Equestria. After all, at this point in her journey, she could only assume she was, in fact, no longer in Equestria.
Her hooves clacked against the polished floor, and she left a trail of dirt and dust as she entered, the fur of her coat covered in a layer of filth after her tussle with the guards. Not to mention the fact that she had initially woken up in a bush. If she were more like Rarity, she would be concerned about the state of her mane and rush for the nearest mirror. She felt a pang in her chest at the thought, her friends slipping into her mind again with a somber ache. She wished they were by her side on this strange adventure she'd been thrown into. Rainbow was sure that if Twilight were there, she'd know exactly what to do.
The guards guided her toward the center of the room, where a receptionist sat behind an ornate wooden desk. She had salmon-colored fur and wore a pair of glasses on a chain around her neck. As the lot of them approached, she looked up with a fearful expression and hurriedly pushed the glasses atop her nose. She forced a smile and addressed them cheerfully, “H-How can I help you?”
Rainbow Dash felt the eyes of everypony in the room land on her. Silence fell upon the lobby as they watched with bated breath, gawking at Rainbow as if she were some sort of fugitive. Considering how things were going, though, she didn't put the idea entirely out of her mind.
The guard from the gate walked up to the counter and spoke with a deep, gruff voice. “We're here to see the Council.”
Shocked murmurs broke out amongst the group of individuals gathered in the lobby, the earlier tense silence forgotten as they speculated on Rainbow and the guards that surrounded her. The creature that had spoken finally lost his composure as a disapproving scowl worked its way onto his face. He stomped his hoof onto the granite floor, emitting a ringing strike that echoed throughout the establishment. The previous quiet atmosphere returned.
“Of course, sir.” The receptionist flipped through a few documents on her desk before pressing her hoof to a button on the backside of the counter that let out a high-pitched buzzing noise. “It'll be just a few minutes, but you can wait in the chamber until then.”
He snorted and fixed his gaze on Rainbow Dash, motioning for her and the others to follow the receptionist as she rose from her seat and led them past the counter and through another set of glass double doors to a hallway beyond. The pegasus sulked as they trotted down the narrow, carpeted halls, muttering to herself about how easily she could crash through those flimsy glass doors and make a grand escape befitting Daring Do if only she had the use of her wings.
They climbed at least a dozen flights of stairs before stopping outside a pair of impressive oak doors, and the receptionist bowed politely before scurrying away down the hall. Two of the guards pushed the doors open simultaneously, and Rainbow Dash blinked in awe as she entered what could only be described as a gaping cavern of a room. The same marble covered the floor, and the room was shrouded in mahogany panels, save for the gaping window that swallowed the entire back wall and provided a view into the sky beyond. It was even grander than the lobby had been, its yawning chasmal feel a result of its imposing vaulted ceilings, from which hung a collection of dangling light fixtures that glowed from within. Huge crystal obelisks were stationed in each of the chamber's corners, and towards the back were five large rectangular desks that faced the entrance. The same plush benches as before lined the edges of the room, and stationed before those massive desks in the center was a comparably small podium and a few seats.
She was ushered into one of the seats beside the podium, and once again, her questions and protests were completely ignored. They sat in miserable silence, the guards stationed around her like she was visiting royalty. Rainbow wiggled in her seat, rocking her stool from side to side as she tried to squirm her wings under the brace locked around her middle. Just as expected, it was stuck tight.
They waited for what felt like hours, and Rainbow Dash might have died from boredom if she hadn't been so anxious about what was to come. Finally, the doors opened once more. Rainbow turned in her seat and watched as three important-looking individuals sauntered in, not sparing so much as a glance in her direction as they made their way past her and to the desks beyond. The creature that sat at one of the side tables wore an expensive fur coat, her veridian face partially obscured by the brim of the floppy, feathered hat atop her head. The other two wore similarly styled pinstripe suits of varying shades of brown that accented their coal-colored coats, and those beady eyes of theirs left a bad taste in Dash's mouth.
The taller of the two cleared his throat and tapped his stack of documents on his desk, aligning the edges. “Head Councilpon Mardeen will not be joining us today, nor will Councilpon Lughis. Thus, I will be leading this procession. Please state your business.”
“Councilpon Damon,” The guard who had been nothing but a thorn in Rainbow's side since she'd arrived bowed his head slightly as he spoke. “My name is Bernid. I am but a lowly Council Guard member, and I have been stationed atop the gate since this morning on the day shift.” His words were clear, but there was a sort of anxiousness to him that made the pegasus hold her tongue, her piqued curiosity winning over her growing frustration as she listened to him continue.
“When this... pony... showed up at our door,” He spat the word like acid on his tongue, gesturing to her as he said it. “I followed standard procedure, sir. I let her in and gathered a few guard members to help me detain her and place a deficiency ring on her.”
Her ears perked up at this last part. A deficiency ring? She glared down at the metal biting into her back.
“Very well,” Damon replied apathetically. “A good job to yourself, then. We thank you for showing what it means to be an upstanding citizen of Pontropolis.” The guard straightened up at this, his nervousness washing away as a look of pride appeared on his face. “I'll see to it that you are rewarded for your dedication to your duties and your display of loyalty to our city.”
“Whoa, what?” The words were out of her mouth before she could consider them. “They jumped me for no reason and get a raise for it? That can't be right. This has to be some sort of misunderstanding. If you just let me explain—”
“ENOUGH.” The thundering boom of a horseshoe banging onto the wood of the table reverberated throughout the chamber, and the furious voice of the Councilpon served as a total 180 from his previous demeanor. His eyebrows knitted together as he stared at her with derision. “You will not speak unless spoken to, pony.”
Rainbow Dash blinked a few times as his hateful words washed over her. She felt a mixture of confusion and anger as she processed what had happened, recoiling as the venom dripping from his words seeped into her like poison. She still hadn't recovered by the time he continued speaking, sitting in stunned silence as the creatures carried on indifferently. After a moment, the familiar sharp strike of metal on wood snapped her to attention, eyeing the horseshoe with annoyance.
“Ponies are a foreign, dangerous species that pose a serious threat to our society. Nay, to all of Ponkind. In order to keep the peace, we must be vigilant. That being said, we are not cruel. The subject will be incarcerated until tomorrow, when she will receive a fair trial with all Council members present.” The head of authority turned to his peers, murmuring a few unintelligible words and nodding in agreement before turning back towards Rainbow Dash and declaring: “You are dismissed.”
Everypony present stood in one fluid motion, and Rainbow shifted her head back and forth frantically as the guards shuffled her back and out of the room. “No, wait!” She cried, attempting to press against them and capture the attention of the Council. “You've gotta listen to me! I shouldn't be here! My friends—”
She was cut off as she was shoved forward by one of them, followed by a grunted, “Move it.”
“Move your face,” She snorted, the tension and irritation that had been building up inside her threatening to spill over. She dug her hooves into the floor, trying to hold her ground against the slippery marble tiles. “I've had enough of you boneheads treating me like some kind of prisoner. I haven't done a thing to you or anypony else, so what's the big deal?” The guards stared at her as if taken aback. She couldn't tell if they were offended by what she'd said or surprised she had said anything at all. “What? Do I need to buy my way out of this or something? It wouldn't be the first time.” One of the younger-looking creatures—Pons, she reminded herself—glanced over his shoulder nervously to where the head guard had lingered behind, discussing something with Councilpon Damon.
“I thought ponies were supposed to be—” A hoof cuffed him over the back of his head, roughly quieting him. The older guard beside him gave him a disapproving frown.
“Look, she's already gotten in your head, bits-for-brains,” he scolded, turning to the three other guards. “Let this be a warning. No matter what they say, you can't believe them. Ponies can't be trusted.”
“Ponies can't be trusted,” They repeated in unison, each giving a matter-of-fact nod as if reciting something they'd been taught their entire lives.
“What kind of—” Rainbow received a similar blow to the back of her head. She winced at the impact, staggering forward slightly as the unexpected but not entirely painful hit threw her off balance.
“And that's enough out of you. If you know what's good for you, you'll keep quiet.” The older guard ushered them forward once more, leading the squadron out of the chamber and back into the stuffy hallway, where they retreated back down the plush, carpeted floors and descended the stairs back to the main floor. She was led out of the lobby and down a corridor that extended into a much more deserted wing of the building. Several doors lined the halls, and after a few minutes of walking, they stopped in front of one.
Two of the guards were sent in first to ensure it was secure before they came back out and directed her inside, only to slam the door shut in her face when she turned to see if they were following. A click sounded, followed by the shuffling of hooves as they presumably locked her in, then left, leaving her to fend for herself inside.
The room wasn't entirely what she expected, considering she was technically being held captive. The cold, smelly dungeon she'd envisioned in her head could not have been further from the truth. The bedroom was far from the gaudy luxuries of the other areas she'd seen in the building, sure, but it had a freshly-made bed, a few cozy-looking armchairs, and... iron bars covering the windows. Right. She'd almost forgotten.
Okay, Dash, think. She trotted over to the nightstand beside the bed, rummaging through it in the hopes of finding something she could use to pry the “deficiency ring” off her back.
The day's events rushed through her head over and over, creating a chaotic tornado of thoughts that did more to rile her up than help her situation. She paced around the room, panic threatening to overtake her as she weighed her options. She didn't have many. Although she could take her chances and see how her “trial” would go tomorrow, it didn't seem like the odds were in her favor.
Something about that assembly gave Rainbow a bad feeling, and the pit of anxiety that had been lying dormant in her gut reared its head once again. She chewed the tip of her hoof, mulling over what had taken place in that chamber, the way they had spoken to her like she was nothing but a nuisance.
She came to a decision: she couldn't show up to that meeting tomorrow. Whatever those pretentious Councilpons' true intentions were, she refused to take a gamble on her own well-being when they had made it increasingly evident that they did not have her best interests in mind.
And so, she got to work.
As evening approached, the strange lamps that lined the walls of her room shimmered to life, emitting a soft red glow that became brighter as the shadows lengthened. A tray slid under the door and into her room containing an unfamiliar assortment of foods. A strange, rectangular block of... something... was served as the meal's main entrée, and its ambiguous brown color worked wonders in quelling her appetite. The oozing blob of red plopped onto the plate beside it was somehow even more unpalatable.
After the food was delivered, she pressed her ear up to the door to listen to the guards outside. Two of them had been posted just outside her room, presumably to keep her from trying anything funny. She listened to their conversations, glancing up at the clock above the door frequently to ensure that she timed things right. She slid the tray away from the front of the door as she heard the two guards step away. She had 30 seconds.
She backed up as far as she could before propelling herself off the wall with her hindlegs, breaking into a gallop and aiming herself towards the center of the door. She collided with its wooden panels hard, ricocheting backward and onto the floor with a crash. She groaned as she rubbed the shoulder that had made contact with what felt like a brick wall; there was no way that thing was made out of wood. Before she could gear up to give it another go, she heard the sound of hoofsteps approaching from the hallway and stationing themselves in front of the entry.
Great. The only plan she could come up with to escape, and she'd gotten nothing but a banged-up shoulder and a bruised ego. Considering how her day was going, this was just the icing on top. No idea where she was or how she got there, no friends by her side, no wings, and now? No way of escaping.
She plopped onto the bed with a self-pitying laugh, hating herself for how badly she wanted to give in to the comfort of its plush pillows and soft sheets. Before she could throw herself under the covers and wallow in her misery, she heard a tapping at her window.
What in the hay? She glanced over at the barred panels, squinting to make out the shadow peering in at her through the window. She shot to her hooves, trotting over to investigate the strange appearance.
The mysterious figure was clad in a dark, heavy cloak with a hood that hung low over their face, shrouding their features in darkness. They gestured to the window, and Rainbow reached her hoof through a small gap in the iron rails to unlatch its hook and push it open.
The pony stepped forward, reaching into their cloak to pull out a small rectangular object and holding it up in the light before pressing a small button on its side. From its top, a small blade emerged, producing a low whirring noise as it began to glow faintly in the darkness. They pressed it into the bars slowly, the thin, heated edge cutting through the iron like butter.
Rainbow's eyes widened as she realized what the figure was doing, helping to take the bars in her hooves and set them gently onto the ground after they had been cut. Once a big enough hole had been formed, the pegasus stood on her hindlegs, hoisting herself onto the windowsill and out into the night.
That cryptic pony extended a hoof to help her out, giving her a matching robe to conceal herself and whispering two words: “Follow me.”
Rainbow did as she was told, throwing on the cloak and allowing them to guide her around the building and into an alleyway where they would be less conspicuous as they put as much distance as possible between them and the makeshift prison.
When they'd covered a few blocks, they broke into a gallop, navigating through the city streets and maneuvering around passersby with stealth and precision. It wouldn't be long until the guards noticed her absence, after all. They had to make every second count.
A myriad of questions swam around in her head as she trailed after her savior, wishing for what must have been the hundredth time that day that she could unfurl her wings and zoom into the sky with a speed she had taken for granted until now. She hadn't truly understood how essential her wings were to her sense of self until the ability to use them was unwillingly wrenched away from her.
The two of them finally came to a stop outside of a small run-down shop on the outskirts of the city. Rainbow was so focused on keeping up with her guide that she hadn't noticed how far they'd come—she could make out the outline of the great wall that wound for miles around the exterior of the city, acting as a barrier to any outsiders. Except for her, she supposed. Why build a wall to keep out unwanted visitors if they're going to be let in and locked up anyways?
She shook her head to clear her mind and turned to who she hoped was a new ally. “Who—”
“Not here.” The stranger's voice was clear as a bell, but her words were sharp and chastising. She glanced around at the empty street of ramshackle buildings, then gestured for Dash to follow, slipping to the side of the building and leading her down a set of dusty stairs that descended down a pitch-black stairwell and into what she could only assume was the basement of the shop.
She opened her mouth to protest, then thought better of it. She hesitantly made her way down the steps and through the doorway, where a light had been cast in the interior of the cellar. The mare shut the door behind them with a groaning creak, followed by the click of a lock latching shut. Rainbow scanned the unfamiliar space, taking in the shelves of equipment that lined the exposed brick walls. They were stocked full of all kinds of things: piles of gears and tools, mostly, but there was also an array of different metal contraptions. She couldn't tell what some of them were at first glance, but she recognized a few common household items that had been modified to fit a new purpose, such as a broom that seemed to operate of its own accord. There was entirely too much to look at.
Rainbow turned to face the cloaked stranger and lowered her hood. Finally, she could get some answers. “Who are you?”
The figure trotted past her and made her way over to a workbench set up against the left side of the room. She tapped a sconce hanging on the wall, and it produced a soft, dim glow that illuminated the table before her. She reached a hoof up and pushed the hood of her cloak backward before turning to Rainbow.
The fur of her coat was akin to that of the leaves in autumn, a faded maroon that only deepened the intensity of her piercing green eyes as met the blue mare's own magenta ones. Her pointed, ribbed ears confirmed for Rainbow Dash what she had secretly been wondering: her savior was definitely not a pony. A pattern of wavy white lines ran from the top of her head down to her muzzle, and as she completely removed her cloak, she noticed the same symbols on her tail.
The Pon gave her a calculating look as their eyes met, and after a moment, she turned back towards the tools on the work table, pulling out the blade she'd used earlier and turning it over in her hoof under the light. “I'm Avina,” was all she offered.
Rainbow sidled up next to her, peering down at the contraption she used a small cylindrical tool to tinker with. “Avina,” She tested out the name, relieved to finally have somepony to talk to; even if she wasn't a pony at all. “Nice to meet you.” She bit her lip in an attempt to keep the torrent of questions from spilling out of her like an avalanche, but Avina's silence immediately following her words was too much to bear. She took in a deep breath before her words came tumbling out. “Why'd you help me? And why am I basically a wanted criminal? What is a 'Pon?' I kinda get it, but also, I don't. Do you know how I ended up here? Also, where is here, anyway? It can't be in Equestria. Right? Then how do I get home if—” A webbed hoof shot up to her mouth, putting a dam in the stream of questions that had come pouring out of her as Avina looked at her with a mixture of annoyance and surprise.
“Hold on, wow, that's a lot of questions. Calm down. I didn't want to overwhelm you with a ton of information all at once, but clearly, you want answers.” She gestured to a wooden bench beside the worktable, and Rainbow hesitantly took a seat.
“Well, for starters, you sort of are a wanted criminal,” Avina returned to her work, occasionally glancing over at the pony as she spoke. “As for why I helped you... let's just say that most of the ponies that are judged before the Council don't come back out. We save as many of them as we can."
Rainbow Dash's eyes widened at this, biting her tongue as Avina continued down the line of questions she'd asked.
"A Pon is what I am. Scientific name: Pon'neza, commonly shortened to Pon. Not a pony. Pon. Got it?” She lifted a brow in Rainbow's direction, and the pony nodded vehemently. “I don't know how you ended up here. We haven't been able to figure out where your kind comes from or how they get here. Every pony I've met has been just as clueless as you.”
“You've met a lot, then?” Rainbow Dash straightened in her seat.
“A few, yes. Most of them end up here by accident.” Avina hummed in thought before swiping a scroll of paper off a nearby shelf and unfurling it, revealing a map. She pointed down at a marker representing a large city. “And... your last question. Here. Here is Pontropolis, in the land of Reptarus. I don't know where Equestria is or how to get there,” Her matter-of-fact tone softened a bit at this, and she spared what might have been a sympathetic glance in Rainbow's direction. She rolled up the map and returned it to its home before turning to face her fully. “Now, who are you?”
“I'm Rainbow Dash,” She puffed up a bit as if, for a moment, she expected Avina to recognize her by name. “They call me the Element of Loyalty back home, so, y'know... kind of a big shot.” She blew on a hoof and rubbed it against the fur of her chest with a cheeky grin.
“Glad to see you're taking all this in stride,” she scoffed. “It doesn't really matter what Froo-Froo Element nonsense you were back in Equestria, hot stuff. I hate to break it to you, but here in Pontropolis, you're either one of us or you aren't.” The Pon gave her a warning look. “I think you might have learned that the hard way already.”
“Psh, yeah, I'd say so.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “What's up with that, anyway? All the 'ponies can't be trusted' brainwashing nonsense? Gave me the heebie-jeebies.” She shuddered, recalling the strange interaction she'd had with the Council Guard after her hearing.
“That's a... long story, really,” Just as she was about to ask her to elaborate, the thud of large hoofsteps sounded from the stairs leading down to the basement. Rainbow was immediately on her guard, shooting out of her seat and jumping into a defensive position facing the door as it unlatched and creaked open.
A hefty Pon strode into the room before shutting the door behind him with a click. His fur was a dark brown, and an array of black spots lined his face and tail. He set his blue-eyed stare on the two of them as he entered, his neutral look dissolving into a mirthful smile as his gaze settled on Rainbow's exaggeratedly defensive stance. He let out a hearty laugh and held up his hooves in surrender. “Whoa, whoa, calm down. I mean you no harm.”
Rainbow spared a glance over at Avina, who simply nodded in agreement. “Rainbow Dash, this is Orwin. He owns the shop upstairs.”
“It's a pleasure,” He greeted her, offering his hoof out to shake. She took it with some reluctance, but he earned her trust with his next few words. “Well, Miss Dash, if you'll allow me, I can get that contraption off of you.”
“You can?!” Her eyes shone with excitement, and he laughed again.
The older Pon shooed Avina away from the workbench, where he collected a few tools and got to work. “I'm a tinkerer,” He explained as he chipped away at the metal constraining her wings. “I build gadgets and fix things that are brought to me, or even make them better.”
Rainbow looked over at the inventions lining the walls. “So, you build... these?” She gestured to the ring around her back.
“No.” His voice was suddenly stern, and his jovial expression had vanished. “These... 'deficiency rings' are the work of the Council.”
Rainbow gulped, taken aback by his sudden change in demeanor. “...Why do they make them?”
Orwin sighed and looked up at her somberly. “These devices... they're magic deficiency rings," he explained. "They're a product of fear. And fear comes from ignorance. They seek to control what they do not understand—like your magic.”
His answer only sprouted more questions in her mind, but a sharp click and a sudden shift in the weight on her back prompted her to jump off the stool and spring into the air as the metal ring fell to the ground with a clang.
“Woo hoo!” She looped and flipped and zig-zagged in the air, trying to control her tricks as best as possible within the small space. The two Pons didn't attempt to stop her, simply watching in amusement as she shot across the room.
She finally came to a halt and landed back on the wooden panels beneath her, stretching her wings with a satisfied smile. “Sure feels good to have these babies out again,” She grinned, finally feeling like herself. She looked over at Orwin, who gave her an amused nod of his head. “Thanks, dude!”
“Anytime.” He waved a hoof at her nonchalantly as he cleaned up his tools.
“Well, now that that's done,” Avina cut in, trotting over to Rainbow. “Let's get you settled.”
“Wait a sec,” Rainbow frowned, glancing up at the two of them apologetically. “I can't stay here. I appreciate all that you've done for me, but... I've gotta get home. My friends will be wondering where I am.”
The Pons exchanged worried looks.
“Didn't you tell her?” Orwin's whispered words weren't as discreet as he wished them to be.
“Of course I did,” Avina rolled her eyes. “Typical pony. She probably didn't listen to a word I said.”
“You know I can hear you guys, right?” Rainbow stomped her hoof into the ground, irritated.
“You. Can't. Go. Home.” She huffed, losing her patience. The kind expression that had flickered across her features earlier was nowhere to be seen, replaced instead with a storm blazing behind her eyes. “Okay? You're stuck here, whether you like it or not.”
Orwin nudged her in the shoulder harshly, giving her a stern look. “Seriously, Avina.” His gruff voice was exasperated, but he took on a softer tone as he addressed the pegasus. “For now. You're stuck here for now. Nopon can leave Pontropolis without permission from the Council,” he explained begrudgingly. “The Orb's forcefield keeps us in and intruders out. But you're welcome to stay here until we get things figured out.”
Rainbow felt her chest tighten up and her breathing quicken. Her ears had begun to ring upon hearing Avina's blunt words, and she'd barely caught what Orwin had said. She plopped onto the floor, her wings splaying out behind her as she sat on the cold basement floor. She should have seen this coming, of course, but the information still hit her like a ton of bricks. She was going to be stuck in this strange, unfamiliar city full of creatures that hated every facet of her being simply because she was a pony. She wasn't sure if things could get any worse.
“Are you alright?” Orwin laid a steady hoof on her shoulder in an attempt to soothe her. “I know it's a lot to take in, but-”
“I'm fine,” she snapped, getting to her hooves. She pushed down the fear rising up inside her and took a deep breath before mustering a ghost of a smile. “Sorry, it's just... well, like you said. A lot.”
Orwin gave her a sympathetic look, and Avina frowned before tilting her head towards a door at the back of the basement and motioning for her to follow. Rainbow trotted after her with a roll of her eyes and a quick goodbye to the brown Pon, who assured her that he would be back with dinner as he retreated up the stairs and out into the night.
The door opened into a modest, sparsely decorated room. A cot sat against the back wall, along with a small table and a bench on the opposite side of it. The walls were blank, and the blankets stacked atop the rickety bed were the only splash of color, except for a small lamp in the corner that served as the room's only source of light.
“Here you are,” Avina swung her hoof out extravagantly, as if she had just shown Rainbow to the finest hotel room in Canterlot.
“Gee, thanks,” the blue mare hesitantly entered what could only be described as a prison room, silently wishing she had something like her Wonderbolts posters to hang on the dreary walls and liven up the space. “Do you-” She trailed off as she turned to find that the Pon was nowhere to be seen. What a wonderful host.
Rainbow shut the door and plopped onto her bed with a sigh, ruminating on everything she'd experienced. What had only been a day felt like it had stretched on for weeks, and she buried her face in her pillow before letting out a scream, the sound muffled against the down. She fought the tears threatening to spill as they welled up in her eyes, wiping a hoof across her face with a sniff before flopping onto her back and staring up at the ceiling. Her mind drifted to her friends, wondering what they were doing back in Ponyville at the same time that she was stuck in this bizarre world that seemed to have it out for her. She thought of Scootaloo, of that morning they'd shared together, and pondered the events that had occurred immediately after.
Regardless of how it had happened, she was in Pontropolis now. And if she had any hope of finding a way to make it back to her friends, she would need to stay focused. Whatever came her way next, she would be prepared. She would make it out of this.
She just hoped she didn't lose herself along the way.
“Is she gonna be alright?” Applejack's words were laced with concern, and her face pinched with worry as she stared down at her friend.
“Well, she suffered some non-life-threatening injuries from her collision with the fountain. However, the rubble that made contact with her head caused some serious damage; she likely has a severe concussion and a few broken ribs. Still, she should be able to pull through.” The doctor said, reading off the clipboard he had been scribbling notes on since they had all arrived.
Rainbow Dash's friends were gathered in the hospital room, circling the bed she lay unconscious upon and asking a multitude of questions to the stallion that had been looking after her since she'd first arrived.
“She SHOULD be able to?! Oh, I feel faint...” Rarity's hoof shot up to her face in distress at the news, her eyes fluttering shut as she fell backward onto a chaise lounge that had been conveniently placed behind her.
“Oh, dear...” Fluttershy murmured, attempting to comfort Rarity as she fanned herself dramatically on the couch.
“Pardon me. She will pull through. It should only be a matter of time before she regains consciousness, and from there, we'll keep a close eye on her to determine when she will be ready to return home.” He nodded at the patient, noting the faint rise and fall of her chest under her hospital gown. “She was knocked out cold, so she'll probably be asleep a while longer. I would suggest heading home to rest before returning or preparing to stay here for the long haul.”
“We're not just gonna leave her!” Pinkie Pie replied, aghast. “Who's gonna be here to cheer her up when she finishes her nap?”
“We'll stay,” Twilight said firmly, her eyes not leaving the sleeping form of her friend. “The least we can do is be here for her.”
“Suit yourself,” The doctor told them simply but not unkindly. “She will be monitored, of course, and one of the nurses will be in to check on her frequently. Feel free to call for one of us if something out of the ordinary occurs. Have a good night.” With that, he left them to their privacy, shutting the door behind him as he exited the room.
The five of them exchanged uneasy looks as they made themselves comfortable on the spare chairs and pillows provided in the coldly clinical hospital room. Twilight let out a sigh before pulling out one of the medical books she had thought to bring with her, hoping to find something, anything she could do to help, even if it was minuscule. She hated feeling helpless in the face of her friend's suffering.
They whispered amongst themselves to pass the time, sharing stories to comfort one another and speculating on what kind of reaction Rainbow Dash would have when she woke up to see all of them staking out in her room. This did wonders in lifting their spirits, the lot of them sharing a laugh as they imagined their friend rousing and wondering why they were all sitting around her bed like a bunch of weirdos. She would call Twilight an egghead for reading a book on medicine just for the sake of it, roll her eyes at Rarity's dramatics, and poke fun at Pinkie Pie for the tears she would inevitably shed upon her awakening.
As the night stretched on, the hope that Rainbow would wake by the end of the day dwindled, and Pinkie and Fluttershy were sent out of the hospital to gather drinks, snacks, and other supplies they would need for their overnighter. When they returned, they brought a new addition to their party—Scootaloo. The young filly rushed into the room, approaching the hospital bed and propping her hooves up on the edge to get a better view of the pony lying within it. She sniffled as she took in the sight of her sister, still unconscious, eyeing the bandages that adorned her head.
“Why isn't she awake?” She had the sense to whisper, turning back to look at the older ponies with watery eyes. A few scratches were visible on the filly's legs from where she'd skidded off her scooter during the incident, but she'd otherwise managed to escape relatively unscathed.
“Oh, you poor dear,” Rarity choked out, tears springing to her own eyes as she took in the foal's heartbroken expression. She pulled her into a hug, and the rest of them joined in comforting her.
“It really is gettin' late, sugar cube,” Applejack said to her gently after about an hour or so had passed of her sitting beside the bed, unwilling to leave Rainbow Dash's side. “I really think you should go on home and get some shut-eye before comin' back in the morning.”
“But—”
“No buts.” Applejack stood her ground, looking down at the filly with a firm but kind expression. “We're just as worried as you are, hon. We'll stay and watch over her for the night so you can be here bright n' early tomorrow. You'll want to be well-rested for when she wakes up, right?”
“...Right...” Scootaloo spared one more glance at Rainbow Dash before sighing and getting up to stretch her legs. “I guess I can't argue with that,” She mumbled, tail drooping as she made to leave. The others gave her words of comfort and agreed with Applejack, telling her to get some sleep and to come back in the morning with the other crusaders by her side. This last part seemed to be the final push to get her to leave, as she perked up at the thought of having her friends by her side to support Rainbow tomorrow.
As she left, the older ponies allowed their worried expressions to return to their faces, concern growing with every minute that passed. “Shouldn't she be awake by now?” Fluttershy queried, laying her head down on her front hooves.
“I honestly thought she would be,” Twilight frowned, still deeply engrossed with her book. “I think the doctors did, too.”
The nurse assigned to Rainbow had made frequent stops by the room at first, checking in on the patient every half-hour or so. As the night had progressed, however, those check-ups had become increasingly sporadic, and it had been at least a few hours since they'd last seen her.
Fluttershy was the first to fall asleep, followed shortly by Pinkie Pie, then Rarity, until finally, it was just Twilight and Applejack remaining awake. The farm pony silently trotted over to sit next to Twilight, peering over her shoulder at the pages she'd been studying by the faint light of her horn. “Find anything useful?”
“No,” The alicorn sighed, shutting the book and turning to face her friend. “I'm surprised you're not asleep yet.”
Applejack took off her hat and set it beside her with a downtrodden look before replying, “Too darn worried to sleep, to be honest. My stomach's a mess.”
“I get it,” Twilight whispered back, putting a comforting hoof on her shoulder. “I'm worried, too. But you know Rainbow Dash. She's been in worse incidents than this and lived to tell the tale. I think if we just give her a bit of time, she'll wake up and be back to causing trouble before we know it.”
“I sure hope you're right, Twilight.”
“Yeah,” Twilight responded, resting her head on a pillow as she looked up at the unconscious figure of her friend. “Me too.”