“Uh-huh.” Pinkie nodded, listening as a mover pony rambled on about being short-staffed. The mare showed considerable patience as the stallion continued whining.
“Foals these days have no work ethics.” Ship Shape said. “They’d rather waste time on these newfangled computers doing Shocker knows what on the internet! I’ve surfed the webs before, ain’t nothing decent about the place. No wonder foals ain’t have the guff to keep a proper job these days!”
Pinkie continued to nod, and Rarity wondered if she was really listening. She sure wasn’t. Finally, the stallion got the point.
“Blue mare, white mane, obnoxious attitude?” Ship Shape asked. “Can’t say I’ve seen them.”
“Ah, that’s a shame, Shippy! Keep in touch if you see anything!” Pinkie bounced away with Rarity in tow.
“I see why Shocker isn’t too fond of Trixie. She’s a devil to track down.” Rarity had only met the alternate timeline Trixie once. The best description of the mare was overbearing. Somehow, she doubted this Trixie would prove much different.
“We’ll find her! I gotta gut feeling we’re close!” Pinkie waved over the weatherpony she’d spotted flying by. “Cloud Kicker!”
“Hey Pinks, what’s happening?” The pegasus said. The two broke into small talk. It marveled Rarity how comfortable Pinkie made other ponies, loosening their lips. For somepony so obvious and loud, Pinkie would make a fantastic spy.
“A cloaked mare? Haven’t seen her, sorry.” Cloudkicker paused, considering. “Though my cousin Night Glider might know something. She runs a local grocery store and sees more than ponies expect.”
“Thank you for your help, darling.” Rarity said. “It’s most appreciated.”
“Anything for a lady,” Cloudkicker said, not hiding her flirtatious interest. “How about coming over to my place later? We can bang?”
“My. That’s forthright of you.” Rarity said, somewhat lost for words.
“I don’t like to complicate things,” Cloudkicker replied, waggling her eyebrows. “If a mare’s hot, you need to say something.”
“I’m sorry, dear, but our work is urgent.” Rarity said, already edging away. Like it wasn’t bad enough when gross stallions hit on her. “We’re on a special mission for the princess. Can’t dawdle. Tootles.”
“What an interesting character.” Rarity said as they got further away. While the mare wasn’t unattractive, her attitude left much to be desired. A lady had to have standards.
Pinkie shook her head forlornly. “She’s a good pony, but a hoof’s full sometimes. I think she’d be more successful if she kept her mouth shut.”
Ponyville was sure a colorful place. Being from Appleloosa originally, Rarity was more used to the conservative, rough-and-tumble ponies. But Equestria’s capital attracted all types, a melting pot of a myriad of cultures and races. Before coming to Ponyville, she’d never met a griffon before.
“Cloaked pony?” Night Glider said, placing a canned fruit on a shelf. Her shop was a mom-and-pop place that tended to the needs of the nearby apartment blocks. But it was clean and well-stocked. Ponies were milling about the shelves as they spoke.
“I’ve seen her around the shop a few times.” The pegasus said. “Always hides her cutie mark with that dusty cloak of hers.”
“Do you know where she might live?” Rarity said, hope blooming in her chest.
“Beats me.” Night Glider shrugged. “Always pays with cash. She’s new, I guess? She started showing up a couple of weeks ago.”
The door’s bell rang as they exited the shop. While not the best lead, it told them Trixie lived in this general area. They passed some graffitied walls as they spoke to random passersby. They’d entered a less-than-pristine part of Ponyville as they continued their search. But Rarity was confident they’d caught the right scent.
“Yeah, I’ve seen her around.” A stallion said. “She’s squatting in this abandoned apartment building a couple of blocks away.”
“Smashing, darling.” Rarity said. “Lead the way.”
The streets became less appetizing as they followed their guide, eyes watching them from hidden places. But Rarity kept her calm, no stranger to danger. The stallion pushed aside a wooden plank nailed to a door to a condemned building, following him inside.
Pinkie wrinkled her nose as mildew and decay struck it. Trash covered the floor from previous swatters. Graffiti covered almost every wall. “This place needs some sprucing up. We should start a house cleaning party! Then Trixie won’t have to live in such a dirty place!”
“A party?” A stallion entered from a far door. “Why wait? We can have one right now. With two ladies, it’ll be a lively one.” More rough-looking stallions entered, blocking any escape.
Pinkie’s eyes lit up when the newcomer mentioned a party. “Oh! Is there cake?! Party games? I love Pin the Tail on the Pony! You could have picked a better location. I know! There’s a Pizza Plaza a couple of blocks away. We should have it there! Then we can have pizza and play some Skee Ball!”
“Uh.” Their guide said, confused by Pinkie’s behavior, not getting the fear reaction he’d intended.
“Skee ball! I haven’t played that in ages!” A thug said, his eyes lighting up. “Do they have those shooting games, too? I love those!” He shrunk as his fellows glared daggers at him.
“No. This isn’t that kind of party.” Their guide said. “It will be much more fun.”
Pinkie gasped in shock. “More fun than Skee Ball? Impossible!”
“Yeah, that’s like blasphemy, dude.” Another thug said. Some other ruffians nodded their agreement.
“You dolts.” The guide rubbed his brow with a hoof. “Remember what we’re here for.”
“The party!” Pinkie said, putting up some colorful streamers. While they weren’t looking, the party pony had been busy decorating the place. A banner reading ‘New Friends Party’ hung from the ceiling across the room.
“What?” The head thug said, his mouth agape.
“I’ll be right back. I need to get some party snacks from Night Glider’s shop.”
“Nopony going anywhere!” Rarity detected their guide was quickly losing control of the situation.
“You can’t have a party without party snacks,” Pinkie said, rolling her eyes. A goon raised his hoof to request something but lowered it when his leader glared at him.
“No, dammit all!” The head thug said, throwing a tantrum as his control of the situation slipped further away. “No parties!”
“Aw!” Pinkie said, dropping the balloon she was blowing up.
The head thug coughed into his hoof, pretending he’d never lost his cool. Before he could continue, one of his ponies raised a hoof. “What is it, Genome? It better be important.”
“Uh.” The stallion paused, considering. “Uh, sorry, Boss. It slipped my mind.”
“Then you shouldn’t have bothered me, you idiot!” The leader said, his breath heaving.
“You work in a really toxic environment, Genome,” Pinkie said, consoling the discouraged stallion. “He shouldn’t speak to you that way, the meanie!” Genome didn’t reply and only nodded in response.
“As I was saying, pretty fillies like yourself shouldn’t…”
“He’s always just so mean. I try my best, but he always only insults me.” Genome said, accepting Pinkie’s back pat with a grateful, weak smile. “I kept quiet because I need this job!”
“You deserve much better!” Pinkie said with honest passion. “Ponies should work where they feel appreciated.”
“Excuse me…” But the boss’s pleas fell on deaf ears.
“You know what? You’re right, Pinkie! I shouldn’t tolerate this abuse any further. Boss, I’m quitting!”
“What?! You can’t quit!”
“I can, and I will.” With a huff, Genome exited the building, nose raised high.
“Me too!” Said another thug, following his friend. “I’m done!”
“Wha? But!” The head thug watched helplessly as his goon squad abandoned him.
“Absolutely shameful!” Pinkie shook her head, disgusted.
“Masterfully played.” Rarity had underestimated the cunning beneath that poofy pink mane. When they’d gotten surrounded, she’d expected she’d need to teach these ruffians a lesson with her hooves. But this made their information gathering simpler.
“I just don’t like toxic work environments,” Pinkie replied nonchalant.
“Well, dear. It seems you’re all alone.” Rarity said to the remaining thug. “Now, how about you answer some questions?”
“Ha! You don’t know who you’re talking to!” The stallion waved a knife around, slashing wild patterns into the air. “I’m a deadly weapon, baby! Even my eyelashes can ki...” Before he could finish his sentence, Rarity had flipped him onto his back and put a leg into a restraining hold.
“So cool! You rock, Rare!” Pinkie yelled, clapping her hooves together.
“Thank you, darling.” Rarity replied. The stallion howled as she put more pressure into her hold. “As I explained, I want some answers. I bet I’ll get them.”
“Ow! Mercy! Mercy!” The stallion replied. “It was me, alright! I was having an affair with Silver Streak’s wife! I’m actually Grift’s father! Please don’t kill me! I’m sorry!”
“What?!” Pinkie gasped in shock. “Poor Heavy Bolt is going to be crushed!”
An awkward pause hung in the room as Pinkie glared at the stallion. A chill traveled down Rarity’s spine. She’d never seen this side of Pinkie before. What had she wandered into? The mare looked ready to kill somepony.
Rarity coughed, trying to get the situation back on track. “Not quite what I had intended, dear. You know the streets. I’m looking for somepony! Have you seen a mare in a brown cloak lurking around here?”
When the stallion didn’t reply, Pinkie pulled out a cake knife. It landed with a thud as it sank into the floorboards, inches from the stallion’s face. “Talk. Or I’ll use this.”
“Alright!” The stallion turned white as a sheet. “I have! Around Rockaway Street! That’s all I know! Please don’t hurt me!”
“Thank you, dear.” Rarity said, releasing the stallion. She had excellent instincts for detecting liars.
“Thank you! Thank you!” The stallion rushed towards the door.
“Oh! By the way!” Pinkie’s expression darkened further, pulling the cake knife from the floor. “If I ever catch you in Ponyville again, we’re having a very special party.”
The stallion yelped in terror, fleeing like the devil himself was chasing him. When Rarity gave her friend a horrified look, Pinkie offered an apologetic smile.
“Sorry, Rare. I just don’t like it when somepony hurts a friend.”
Rarity gave a dumb nod, never realizing the bubbly mare had such a dark side. Facing the Great Leader himself seemed preferable. “You’re right. We should get going.”
“Right. We have a filly to save!”
“Um, you’re not planning to give Trixie one of your special parties, are you?”
---
“Move, you stupid thing!” Dinky gave the loose brick another hearty kick, cursing her short, stubby legs.
Freedom was close enough to taste, specks of light seeping through the cracks. But it remained elusive until this stupid brick cooperated. Dinky ran to the other side of her cell and charged full blast, horn lowered. The brick rattled, ready to slip free.
“This is for momma!” The brick clattered to the floor after her next charging jump kick.
Thank Shocker! Dinky wanted to sing and dance. But she couldn’t afford to celebrate until she escaped. Trixie was investigating a supposed Shocker attack on Equestria’s capital and would return soon. The small rectangular opening pressed hard against her body as Dinky pushed herself through, her diminutive size working to her advantage for once.
Dinky teared up as her hooves touched the wet, slimy floor, freedom tasting sweeter than any muffin. She peered into the corridor, finding little beyond the light trickling from a grate above. Was she in the sewer system? A sense of apprehension washed over Dinky. How was she going to escape? She could find a ladder to the surface, but weren’t ponyhole covers super heavy?
I’ll just cry out and hope somepony besides Trixie hears me. Her steps were quiet as a mouse as she stepped through a small stream of something she’d prefer not to consider.
Darkness consumed her as she explored deeper through the sewer system. These tunnels seemed to continue forever, twisting and turning in confusing patterns. As she got further from her former prison, a pang of strange guilt formed in her stomach for reasons Dinky couldn’t explain.
Didn’t she hate Trixie? The mare was loud, annoying, inconsiderate, hated Shocker, and snored! But she had shown kindness to her, however half-baked. And Shocker had treated her terribly. Nopony deserved to be thrown away.
Don’t be stupid, Dinky. She’s a villain through and through. None of it justifies hurting your momma! She couldn’t allow sympathy to interfere with her judgment.
“Dinky!” That single word echoed through the sewer system with terrifying venom.
Curses! Trixie knows I’ve escaped. Dinky cursed her short legs. They ensured she couldn’t have gotten too far. If Trixie caught her scent, she’d never escape.
But Dinky refused to quit, squinting down a corridor. Was it her imagination, or was that metal glistening in the sunlight? It was a ladder, thank Shocker! The problem was removing the cover. What if Trixie heard her screams for help?
She’d have to risk it. Dinky pushed her pace faster while also avoiding making too much noise. Her heart raced as a group of rats watched her approach them.
“Nice rats. Good rats.” Dinky cringed as she approached, trying to edge around the gross creatures. Terror seized her heart, fearing they might want fresh Dinky for supper. Much to her relief, they scurried away as she approached, but not before passing underneath her legs. She made an involuntary yelp of fright.
“Found you!” Trixie’s voice echoed down the corridor, coming from everywhere.
“Oh, come on!” Dinky howled to the heavens for the unfairness of it all. She rushed towards the ladder, hoping there might be some police officers around to help her.
Dinky’s tiny frame offered her no favors as she climbed the metal steps. She didn’t bother trying to lift the lid, instead pounding on it to draw attention. The ground above rumbled as a car passed over.
“Somepony, anypony! I need your help.” If anypony heard her, Dinky couldn’t tell. She continued to pound and scream, but nopony seemed around. Her hits against the cover hole weakened as Dinky started losing hope.
“Hiya!” A pink figure said, appearing from nowhere. Dinky jerked in surprise, flailing midair as her hooves slipped from the metal bars. Pain coursed through her as she landed hard against the concrete floor. Wincing, Dinky looked up toward her would-be rescuer.
“Uh, hello!” Dinky said, uncertainly towards the eye peering through the cover’s hole. “Can you help me? I’m trapped down here.”
The pink pony gasped. “Oh my gosh, are you being chased by an evil clown? Quick, think happy, confident thoughts! That creature feeds off of fear!”
“What?! No! Somepony foalnapped me and trapped me down here!”
“Is it a meanie pants named Trixie Lulamoon?”
“Yes!” Dinky said, her tone venomous. “Help me! She’ll be here any minute!”
“Hey, Rares!” The pink mare yelled towards somepony. “I’ve found Dinky!”
They know my name? Oh, of course! My momma must have sent them! Thank Shocker! Trixie was so wrong about them being bad guys!
“That’s wonderful! Coming, darling!” A pony with a high-class, rich accent said.
With effort, Dinky pulled herself back up the ladder’s stairs. “Can you get the cover off?”
Before Dinky even finished that sentence, the pink mare pulled the cover off with no apparent effort with her bare hooves. She tossed it aside, assisting Dinky out of the smelly sewers.
Amazing. Shocker must have augmented her to be that strong! I’m in good hooves! Dinky embraced her rescuer with a hug, and tears stung her eyes. “Thank you so much! “
With gentle hooves, the pink mare stroked her hair. “Don’t worry, you’re safe now from that meanie’s face!”
“That’s right, dear. We’ll reunite you with your mother soon!” Her other rescuer, a white unicorn, said. She spoke into her ear, presumably using some comm unit.
“Not if I can help it!” Trixie launched out of the sewer, landing with a cat’s grace.
“I wouldn’t let you hurt her!” The pink mare said, pulling Dinky protectively behind her. “So back off, or you’ll regret it!”
“Really?” Trixie said, unimpressed. Her expression turned devilish as she directed her ire toward Dinky’s rescuers.
“Hold on.” The white mare said. “Help’s on the way!”
“Momma?” Dinky said, eyes brimming with hope. It’d be so satisfying to see her momma beat up this joker.
“Nope!” The pink mare replied, beaming. “Somepony much better!”
“Now you’ve caught my interest!” Trixie said, crossing her hooves and sitting down.
“Uh, you’re not going to fight us in a desperate struggle while we await help, which will surely arrive at the last, most dire moment?” The pink mare asked.
“No, I became a Kamen Rider to fight Shocker filth,” Trixie said. “I’m not interested in you, small fry.”
A rumble reverberated through the empty lot, coming closer by the moment. Dinky tensed in eager anticipation. It had to be Commander Cadance, Kamen Rider Cupido! The heroic alicorn was famous for her motorbiking skills.
“Stop right there!” The dark figure said, charging toward them.
“Yes! Get her!” Dinky whooped and cheered. “Go, Cupido!”
Trixie remained firmly planted as the motorcycle charged toward her, unconcerned that it might crash into her. The rider skidded away moments before striking her.
“So we meet again.” The rider lifted her helmet’s visor, revealing somepony Dinky hadn’t expected.
“I didn’t expect this encounter again so soon, but I’m not complaining. I’ve been bored.” Trixie said, smirking. “Kamen Rider Lux. Or should I say the Princess Holiness of House Sparkle or whatever?”
“Lux?” What the hay was she doing here?
“You might share her face, but you’re nothing like my Trixie,” Lux said, dismounting from her bike. “She would never foalnap a filly.”
“I don’t know about this other Trixie, but I am her, only better.” Trixie’s face contorted in pain, and a belt grew from her torso. “And I only foalnapped Dinky to draw out the real villains.”
“You’re also Shocker’s enemy,” Lux said thoughtfully. “We don’t need to be enemies. Just release Dinky, and we’ll talk.”
Twilight jerked back in surprise as a hoof flew past her face, almost striking her. She blocked the next incoming punch. “I’m Shocker’s enemy, but I’m not your friend, either. I didn’t intend this fight so soon, but what the heck? Besides, you look eager for a fight, anyway. This is payback for the hell your mother put me through. I’m going to enjoy caving your pretty little face in.”
The combatants pirouetted away to a safe distance, glaring at each other. “I don’t want to be your friend, either.” Twilight threw a belt around her waist, taking a battle position. “Pinkie, get Dinky out of here. I’ll handle this.”
Dinky jerked as a pink hoof grabbed her from behind. “Righto!”
“Good luck, darling!” The white mare said, retreating with Dinky’s pink rescuer.
Twilight’s muzzle extended into a slight smile before returning her attention to the battle at hoof. “Henshin!”
Trixie punched the ground hard before raising her head up, smirking. “Henshin!”