ACT FIVE
Rarity was taken immediately to the Ponyville General Hospital where she was rushed into emergency and revitalized.
She groaned so softly as she awakened.
“Where… am I…?”
“Shh, it’s okay, Rarity. You’re going to be okay.” said Twilight.
Rarity sat upright to see she was in a hospital bed in a long ward, surrounded by all her friends.
“We heard what happened to you.” said Fluttershy.
“And wouldn’t you know it…” added Applejack “We arrived just in time to be too late.”
“Are you okay?” Spike asked with deep sincerity.
All this made Rarity remember, “That stranger!” and she clutched her neck, “…He did this to me!”
She also noticed Twilight had a bandage over her face covering a bruise she had suffered, while Cadance had a smaller one on her upper front right leg.
Pinkie hadn’t a scratch, but she was seething with rage. “That creep! Just let me find him! I’ll make him pay! I’ll… I’ll!”
“Shh…!” she was hushed by Nurse Redheart, and she motioned to others in the ward.
There were many other ponies brought in-- the invalids from down the street who were hit as badly as Rarity was. The doctors and nurses were working hard to nurse them back to full, which wasn’t too hard…
…The hospital had a good supply of special medication which had the same properties as Cadance’s love energy for healing, thus restoring the invalids to normal, but no pony was too thrilled with it, knowing that “creature” was still out there, and likely to strike again.
“Who is this creep anyway?” asked Rainbow.
Cadance explained, “He calls himself “Danger Zone.” and she told the others what Danger Zone hissed to her.
“…If I cannot have the love I desire, then there will be no love left for anyone!”
“…Sounds like this guy has it in for love.” said Spike.
“It all makes sense.” added Twilight, “He steals love and life energy from his victims to increase his strength and power, leaving the victims in a cold and deathly state.”
Fluttershy felt a shiver run down her back, “That’s not fair-- trying to destroy all love and hurt innocent ponies in the process. We can’t let him do this.”
“…You’re so right we won’t!” hollered Pinkie, acting like a brave soldier. “We’ll search high and low, and every rock and haystack until we find this monster and bring him… to justice!!”
She was once again hushed by Nurse Redheart, who gave her an angry stare, warning her not to do it again or she’d be thrown out, making Pinkie feel so embarrassed.
Since Rarity had already recovered her full strength, she was already dismissed and permitted to return home, so the friends all left the hospital.
“I’ve got to write to Celestia, she must know about this!” insisted Twilight.
“…I already know.” said a familiar voice.
There, surprisingly stood Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.
Respectably, everyone bowed to the sisters.
“When did you two get her?” Twilight asked.
“Just moments ago.” replied Celestia. “Princess Luna and I sensed an evil presence lurking about.”
Luna nodded and added, “I was hoping with all my might that we were mistaken, but that obviously is not the case.”
“Can you help us at all?” asked Twilight.
Celestia shook her head shamefully, “I’m afraid we only know as much as any of you do now. This Danger Zone, whomever he is, is not like anything we have ever seen, but he is dangerous, and there is no telling where he has gone or when and how he will strike again…
…We only can rest assured that he will!”
Luna then levitated up law decrees that she and Celestia were posting all over town, and all Equestria declaring a state of emergency.
The decree read, that in view of Danger Zone’s threat, and until the threat was neutralized…
“Citizens are advised to minimize time outdoors and any activity of importance are to be escorted by royal guards.
All major events and celebrations, as well as recreational or traditional are postponed until further notice.
All long-distance travels by train are cancelled to reduce the chance of an attack on the go.”
“What?!” cried Fluttershy. “But that means Princess Cadance can’t go home to the Crystal Empire!”
“Uh, remind me again why you take the train when you can fly?” Rainbow asked Cadance.
The sisters didn’t give her a chance to answer that.
“I’m sorry, Cadance.” said Celestia. “I realize this is difficult, but we cannot take any risks. I have already notified your husband back home.”
Cadance looked rather grim about not being able to go home, but she fully accepted it, and she reminded everyone, “Danger Zone seems more interested in me than any others, and I think I know why…”
Twilight also had the same idea, “…It’s because you have more love-energy within you than any other. If he were to tap your strength, he may gain untold power!”
Everyone felt their blood run cold at such a thought.
“That’s not even funny!” wailed Spike.
“Indeed, it is not.” agreed Luna. Both she and her sister were shocked to hear of this revelation.
Cadance didn’t like the look in her aunts’ eyes, and she could tell what was about to happen.
Before long, Cadance was at the Rainbow Castle, or rather deep within the castle cellar far below the ground.
Twilight had often feared that someday, certain citizens or creatures would require extra protection or a safe place to hide. So, she and her friends built a special bunker deep within the castle’s cellar. Here, a pony, or several could hide from whomever was perusing them without much fear of being hunted down, or even sensed due to being underground.
It was always kept ready, but never really used… until now.
No one outside the group knew of this place-- seeing as no one else had ever stayed there before. Making it and ideal place to hide.
The entrance was hidden behind a sliding wall of concrete, and this could only be opened from outside.
The secret switch was a fake stone slab in the wall-- when pressed, the wall would slide open revealing the entrance into the bunker.
The bunker itself was about twice the size of Twilight’s Bedroom, with a dozen cots lining the back of the room, with pillows, covers and all.
The floor was carpeted, and the walls were padded to keep the place nice and warm.
Two large chandeliers with magic candles, and lanterns along the walls to give the room light.
Other than all this, the room was practically empty, without much to do. It was practically like a jail cell, but the friends were not about to just leave Cadance alone in this place with nothing to do.
Twilight brought her lots of books to read. Pinkie and Applejack brought loads of food and goodies. Fluttershy brought fresh pails of drinking water, and Rarity brought Cadance fancy pillows and bedsheets she had made.
“This is all so nice of you all.” said Cadance.
“We just want you to be as comfy as you can be.” Fluttershy said, trying to hide her sadness.
“This isn’t fair!” wailed Pinkie. “Why should Cadance be punished for all this?”
Cadance corrected her, “It’s not a punishment, Pinkie, it’s protection. I can’t let Danger Zone find me. I’m more than willing to do this.”
Still, nobody liked this one bit.
“You think you have it bad?” said Rainbow. “Just think of how all Equestria is feeling. I was going to be in a show with the Wonderbolts, and now it’s canceled.”
Applejack wanted to scold Rainbow, but she, herself, couldn’t help but add, “The annual Apple Picking contest ain’t going to be happening now. Applebloom and I were looking forward to it.”
Rarity sighed miserably, “I was going to show off my latest fashion designs in an expose at my Canterlot Store, and now I.. I…” she couldn’t’ bring herself to finish that sentence. “Oh, Why-ha-ha-hyyy!”
Her whining voice echoed throughout the bunker, making everyone cover their ears.
Twilight stomped her hoof and declared, “This only means we need to stop Danger Zone all the faster.”
The friends all agreed. They had a lot of work to do… upstairs… and back at their own homes to help prepare for the lockdown, knowing other ponies were bound to not take it well.
The other ponies hugged Cadance goodbye and wished her “Good Luck” before leaving.
Twilight and Spike were the only ones left, still hesitant to leave her all alone in this place, but Cadance again assured them, “I’ll be alright. You two go ahead.”
With a heavy heart Twilight agreed, “Fine, but we’re going to check on you every so-and-so.”
Spike even handed Cadance a special magic pad with a pen. “You can use this to write to us in case you need anything.”
Then he held up a second pad, which could receive messages written on the first one-- like instant magical messages.
Cadance smiled thankfully, and finally Twilight and Spike left her… all alone.
The poor princess could only sigh and began pacing around the room.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcSS_8veCZI
Spike sniffled as he and Twilight walked up the flight of stairs to the castle above ground. “Gee, Twilight… I don’t think I can get over this.”
“I know how you feel.” replied Twilight. “But we’ve got keep our heads. There’s a mad pony out there, and we’ve got to stop him.
The first thing we must do is find him.”
“I don’t think that’ll be too easy.” said Spike. “He could be anywhere in all of Equestria.”
This made Twilight only more eager to get started with her research and experiments-- anything for a clue.
Meanwhile, Celestia and Luna had posted as many decree documents as they could, and every place in Equestria they went, they made announcements using their Royal Canterlot Voices for all to hear, stating that the lockdown was officially in effect.
You can bet, ponies and creatures were very upset and shocked to hear of this, and while most creatures were understanding of it all, others weren’t taking it so well. Some were looking forward to events and celebrations that were now cancelled, while others weren’t too keen on the idea of being cooped up indoors more often. Others, that were on vacation from out of their respective towns, were now unable to return home, to their families, to their work, to their normal lives.
The hotels where they stayed were nice enough to extend their stays for no extra charges, and this included the Ponyville Arms where Strings was staying.
He, among all the patrons of the hotel were gathered in the lobby, hearing the announcement from the desk clerk, as well as gathering around to read the document.
Groans and complaints were chattered among the disappointed ponies…
“I promised my kids I’d be home.”
“I’ve got a business deal waiting.”
“I just want to go home.”
“I’m sorry, every pony,” replied the desk clerk, “But the Princesses have spoken, and it’s for our everyone’s safety.
We’ll do our best to help make your stays as comfortable as possible, but you must cooperate with us.”
Disheartened and upset, most of the ponies slumped sadly back to their rooms, while Strings remained behind looking at the document.
He was particularly taken in by the evil pony’s name inscribed.
“…Danger Zone?” for some strange reason, that name rang through his head like a bell, but he couldn’t figure out why.
He hadn’t been feeling too good since awakening on the floor in his suite. He felt weary and confused, still not remembering anything that happened upon his audience with Twilight and Cadance that morning.
“Maybe I was just overly upset.” he said to himself, and he felt a little of his sadness starting to build up again. “I’ve got to do something to take my mind off of all this.”
Then he got an idea. “Maybe I should write up a new song. After all, I got lots of free time now, but what should I sing about?”
All he could think about now was the name. “Danger Zone”
“Hmmm…” he wondered, and he headed off for his room.
Meanwhile, he wasn’t the only pony with a lot on his mind…
Several blocks away from the hotel, Sun Rae lived in a quaint little house, and she could see the hotel from her bedroom window.
She knew that Strings was staying there-- pretty much every pony in town knew, and her frustrations of not having him love her was still getting to her.
She slumped down on her bed. Then she opened a drawer on her nightstand, and she pulled out a tiny heart-shaped frame, with a little picture of Strings in it.
“There’s got to be a way.” she said to herself. Then she broke out into a song called “Can’t Give Up.”
All the while, singing and dancing around her room, twirling the picture in her hoof, and also revealing she had a small shrine to Strings in the back of closet, revealing her highly unhealthy obsession-- worse than Strings’.
She even had a fantasy of Strings finally accepting her, dipping her back in his limbs, and about to kiss her deeply…
…Only for her fantasy to abruptly end as she fell off her bed. Thus, snapping her back into reality.
She burst upright growling in frustration. “A’RGH!! How?!” she yelled softly. “Even Princess Twilight and Cadance couldn’t snap him out of it.”
Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck her mind, and her eyes lit up like the stars. “Yes! That’s it!!”
She leapt up onto her feet declaring, “I know how to become the Pony of Strings’ heart now.”