//------------------------------// // Chapter Three – Hearing the News // Story: Escape from Arora Ridge Quarry // by Glimbursts //------------------------------// After Sunset and Starlight had returned to their own time. Starlight’s little bedroom had been made into a guest room.2 Meanwhile, Pipp had turned the area where Sunset’s bed had been positioned into a small filming studio for her videos and livestreams.3 This consisted of nothing more advanced than a sofa, a green-painted wall, a camera, and a set of lights. Pipp had also added bookshelves on either side which she’d filled with various items that related to her channels. Pipp grinned as she sat on the sofa shooting a news update. She preferred to livestream these but had taken the wishes of her star guest into consideration. Misty sat nervously next to Pipp on the sofa. Trying to smile into the camera as her friend started recording. “Hey there, Pippsqueaks. Ya girl Pipp here with a Brighthouse news update. This time we’ve got two massive items of news for you. A grand opening and a grand battle! “Next to me, is our very own Misty Brightdawn. Fresh from her one-on-one battle with a terrifying out-of-control giant flytrap that tried to gobble up the residents of Bridlewood.” Misty couldn’t help squeaking as Pipp held a hoof in her direction and plastered a terrified grin on her face. “H…Hi,” she said meekly. Pipp slumped forward and sighed as she pressed a button on her remote to stop the camera recording. “Oh, come on, Misty,” she wined. “You can do better than that.” Misty sighed, looking at Pipp with sorrow-filled eyes. “I…I can’t. It’s too scary, all those ponies watching.” “But they’re not watching,” Pipp blinked. “Not yet anyway. I told you. I’ll make sure the best take is used.” “I know, but just the thought that all those ponies will be watching me makes my fur tingle,” Misty sighed. Pipp sighed and looked at Misty with concern. “But Misty, you did that interview for the television.” Misty sighed and looked at Pipp with sorrow. “Yeah, but I didn’t do it very well.” Pipp blinked with confusion. “Misty, I’ve seen it. You were brilliant.” “No, I wasn’t,” Misty sighed. “I was terrified, and they didn’t get anything useful at all.” Pipp frowned, she’d seen the interview in question. Misty had been chatty and bubbly, just as she was around her friends. Suddenly, Pipp realised how they could have done it. Carefully, she set the camera recording again without Misty noticing. “Misty, you saved so many ponies,” Pipp smiled. “You’re a hero.” “I didn’t feel like a hero,” Misty admitted. “I just did what I could to help. I wasn’t brave. I was terrified.” “But you overcame that fear,” Pipp beamed. “You managed to put it to one side and not let it stop you from helping. That makes you the bravest pony I know.” Misty blushed slightly, looking down bashfully. “Come on, Misty,” Pipp smiled warmly. “I want to hear you tell me what happened, in your own words.” Misty sighed and looked back at Pipp’s smiling face. “Well, my dad and I were….” When Pipp eventually finished the video a few days later she made sure Misty was the first to see it. They both sat in the living area as Pipp cast it to the TV. Outside, the rain that had been forecast had finally arrived with a vengeance. Misty sighed as the video finished. “So, you filmed me without me knowing?” “I did,” Pipp sighed. “I hope that’s okay, Misty. But if you don’t like how I did it, I won’t upload it.” “Of course, you should upload it,” Misty gasped. “I think you did the right thing. As awful as that may sound. I just get so worried and scared sometimes that I can’t think straight.” Pipp smiled as she put a reassuring hoof around Misty. “I’d never put anything up without you or anypony else knowing. I just wanted to make sure you came across in the video the same as we all see you.” “I know,” Misty smiled. “I trust you, Pipp. Thank you for being honest. Hit that upload button.” Pipp smiled as she did so. Blinking as Izzy and Zipp entered and sat down. “You done with the TV?” Zipp asked. “We wanted to check the news bulletin.” “Why?” Pipp frowned. “The TV News is always so behind.” “Yeah, but we wanted to see if Misty or Sunny appeared again,” Izzy beamed. “Also, mom said we should watch, remember,” Zipp winked. “Oh, I’d forgotten about that,” Pipp frowned. “I wonder why.” Zipp smiled as she picked up the remote and pressed a few buttons. “Well let’s find out.” “Sunny!” Izzy shouted as the TV burst into life. “You joining us?” “In a minute,” Sunny shouted absently from the kitchen. On the TV, a jingle played as the camera swooped down towards a desk where two familiar ponies were sitting. “This is Sky Silver here alongside Dazzle Feather,” Sky smiled. “Bringing you the latest news from across all Equestria,” Dazzle grinned. Then, Sky looked seriously into the camera as a graphic appeared behind them both. “Our top story tonight is the protests by extremist group, Pegasus for Pegasi.” “They brought the centre of ZH to a standstill this morning,” Dazzle explained. “As they protested against the rising number of Earth Ponies moving from Maretime Bay to Zephyr Heights.” “Protesters carried out a slow walk and fly through the streets for many hours this morning. Causing untold delays and disruption to many ZH residents,” Sky explained. “Our very own Dazzle Feather managed to get this report from the scene.” The screen cuts to a group of Pegasi slowly walking and flying through the centre of Zephyr Heights. All carrying placards with various anti-unity slogans painted on them. They created a wall of Pegasi, stopping others from easily flying or walking past. At the front, a mint green Pegasus mare was shouting. “Earth Ponies are moving in and taking our homes and jobs,” she shouted. “ZH is for Pegasi and Pegasi alone. We shouldn’t be standing idly by and seeing our proud Pegasus heritage being undermined.” Then, Dazzle came alongside the Pegasus, holding a microphone. Her camerapony clearly walking backwards to get the shot. “Excuse me, Dazzle Feather here from Equestria News. Could you tell everypony back home who you are and what your protest is about?” “I’m Minty Cloudstrike, leader of the Pegasus for Pegasi movement. There are far too many Earth Ponies moving into Zephyr Heights. They’re taking Pegasi jobs and Pegasi homes. Our aims are simple, to highlight the issue and demand something be done about it. Queen Haven, you’d better be listening to this.” “Thank you, Miss Minty Cloudstrike,” Dazzle smiled before she hurried away. The TV cuts back to the studio to see Sky smiling into the camera. “We contacted the castle for comment and received this statement.” The screen cut to a written statement that Sky read out. All within the Castle of Zephyr Heights are saddened by these displays of Anti-Unity. We remind all ponies that amendments to employment law have been made to ensure equal opportunities. Candidates for roles that could be carried out by any race of pony should not receive discrimination. There is equal opportunity for all in Zephyr Heights, the same as there is in Maretime Bay and Bridlewood. We actively encourage the movement of Ponies between our communities to increase diversity. Work to increase the amount of affordable housing within all communities to accommodate this is ongoing. The greatest period of Equestrian history occurred during a time of cooperation between all three pony kinds. However, the independent heritage of Pegasi, Unicorns and Earth Ponies is equally important, and we strive to protect it. Queen Haven encourages the members of Pegasus for Pegasi to meet with her to discuss their concerns and worries. Pipp sighed as she looked at Zipp. “I can’t believe that Minty really still hates Earth Ponies.” “You know her?” Izzy gasped. “Yeah, she was one of the cooks in the palace,” Zipp explained. “She left after unification.” “She’s been popping up at all sorts of protest rallies since,” Pipp sighed. “She’s turned into an extremist campaigner.” “Isn’t that similar to Sunny?” Misty asked. “She campaigns for all sorts of things as well.” “Yeah, but Sunny campaigns for new things that can improve our lives,” Zipp explained. “Like the community garden,” Pipp smiled. “Exactly,” Zipp grinned. “Minty Cloudstrike is campaigning against things. She wants to stop things, like that new Hydro Plant CanterBlocks are building.” “Oh yeah, she’s got a whole social media campaign going against that,” Pipp nodded. “All she seems to want to do is stop things from happening.” Suddenly, their discussion was interrupted by the doorbell. Sunny immediately hurried from the kitchen to the door. Almost like she’d been expecting it. Sunny opened the door to find a wet and bedraggled Phyllis standing in the rain. However, she was clearly far more worried than you would expect from being wet. “Phyllis, come in, come in,” Sunny gasped. “T…Thank you, Sunny,” Phyllis said worriedly. “Is Hitch here?” “Not yet,” Sunny sighed. “I haven’t said anything to the others yet either. We need him to be here first.” Phyllis nodded as she walked through the door. The others looked at each other with confusion. Something was clearly happening, but they weren’t in the loop. Sunny was just about to close the door when her ear twitched. She thought she’d heard a voice and looked outside to see Hitch galloping through the rain towards the Brighthouse. She held the door open as he skidded to a stop inside. “Thanks, Sunny,” Hitch gasped as he shook his mane. “Sorry, I wanted to beat Phyllis here but couldn’t get away from the office.” “It’s okay, Hitch,” Sunny smiled. “You’re not that far behind her.” Zipp frowned as she stood up and looked towards the trio, “Yo, Sunny. Want to fill us in? What’s up?” “Sorry, Zipp,” Sunny sighed. “There’s some trouble and I needed to wait for Phyllis and Hitch to be here to explain. They know all the details better than I do.” Pipp frowned as she turned off the TV. “Okay, this sounds serious.” “It kind of is, Pipp,” Hitch sighed as he walked into the living area proper. “Ponies are going missing.” “Missing,” Misty gasped, her eyes widening in shock. “Who?” “Workers from my remote hydroelectric construction sites,” Phyllis sighed as she sat down. “Specifically, Earth Ponies. I’ve been going back and forth between here and there so many times since the Museum opened. It’s wearing me out.” “So, how does this involve us?” Pipp frowned before she looked around at the others. “I don’t like hearing Ponies are disappearing but is that part of what we do?” “Phyllis spoke to both me and Sunny after the Museum opening,” Hitch explained. “Skywalk and I sent Sprout to keep an eye on things and gather information. But we haven’t heard anything from him since.” Phyllis suddenly seemed to look even more distressed than she was already. “I found out today. H…He’s one of the ponies that disappeared. His phone was found on the ground this morning. It looks like it had been there for a few days. My Baby has just vanished into thin air.” “Two others disappeared as well,” Hitch revealed. “This is getting bigger than I can handle and Queen Haven is trying to avoid calling in the Equestria Guard.” “Woah, woah, woah,” Zipp frowned as she shook her hoofs. “Okay, firstly why wasn’t I told earlier? I’m the detective here. Secondly, why avoid calling in the Guard?” Hitch sighed and looked down at the ground with resignation. “We couldn’t involve too many ponies until we had more information. I wanted to tell you but was overruled.” “We had no clue what was happening,” Phyllis sighed. “My workers could have just been leaving without telling me. I gave Sprout complete authorization to go everywhere without question. So, we didn’t realise he was gone, and it tears me up.” “Things have changed rapidly since Sprout’s disappearance was confirmed,” Hitch clarified. “The hydroelectric scheme is a big deal.” “There are multiple sites for the scheme,” Phyllis explained. “However, the whole project is far bigger than that. At the moment, Queen Haven wants to keep the entire scope as secret as possible. But, I’m able to tell you. “Whilst constructing the power plant, we’re developing new tunnelling technologies. Technology that will be needed for the next phase of the project, connecting Maretime Bay, Bridlewood and Zephyr Heights together by rail.” “Really!” Izzy exclaimed. “That’s amazing!” “That will transform so many lives,” Pipp gasped. “Instead of it taking days to trot between everywhere it’ll…” “Take an hour or two at most,” Sunny continued. “Honestly, I had an inkling. During one of my meetings with Phyllis about repairing this place. She asked me about how rail worked in the Time of Harmony.” “I spoke to Sunset and Starlight about it too,” Phyllis confirmed. “Sunset mentioned how in her Human World they used electricity to power their trains. That’s what we’re looking to do. Given Maretime Bay has trams we’ve been given the lead on the project.” “So that’s why you need the power plant,” Misty blinked. “Yes, but there’s a growing number of ponies that see it as destructive,” Phyllis sighed. “They see the power plant as unnecessary and can only see the damage that building it causes to the natural environment.” “Minty Cloudstrike,” Zipp gasped. “Everything she’s campaigning against is in direct competition with what CanterBlocks is doing.” “And her followers are growing by the day,” Hitch revealed. “That’s why Queen Haven wanted to keep these disappearances quiet. She’s worried about interspecies relationships breaking down.” “Wait? Why would that happen?” Zipp frowned. “You’re going to tell me there’s more to this aren’t you.” “There’s another complication,” Sunny sighed. “Earth Ponies aren’t just disappearing from the construction sites. They’re disappearing from Zephyr Heights as well.” “News of the disappearances has been kept as quiet as possible,” Hitch explained. “Queen Haven wanted to avoid a panic, or hoofs being pointed.” “Hoofs that would be pointed at Pegasus for Pegasi,” Zipp frowned. “Their sudden rise seems oddly coincidental to all this.” “Okay, this is getting more and more serious by the second,” Izzy gasped. “Everything you’re saying is bad news.” “Well, we’re going to turn that around,” Sunny said confidently. “I spoke to Queen Haven this afternoon. I’ve offered our assistance.” “Okay, that’s fine but I still could have been way further along in solving this if you’d told me sooner,” Zipp sighed. Sunny grinned confidently, “Don’t worry, Zipp. I already have a plan to speed things along. It’s only Earth Ponies that have gone missing and I’m an Earth Pony who has magic.” Her powers activated, her wings spreading wide for emphasis. “I’ll be able to catch these activists in the act and hopefully persuade them that it’s the wrong cause to be fighting for.” “Woah, woah, woah! Cool your jets, Sunny!” Zipp exclaimed as she waved her hoofs back and forth. “We’re nowhere near ready for any sort of action like that. Hitch, I want all the information you have on these disappearances. Then I can investigate this properly and we can take it from there.” Sunny frowned as Hitch produced a folder. He placed it on the coffee table and extracted the papers, spreading them out on the table. “I knew you’d say that and that’s why I wasn’t here sooner,” Hitch smiled. “This is all the information I have right now. More and more information is coming too. Yellow paper for the construction sites, green for Zephyr Heights.” Zipp immediately began picking up papers and reading through them. Sunny looked and blinked with surprise as she spotted the photo of one of the victims. “Sugar?” she breathed. “What was that, Sunny?” Misty asked. “Oh, it’s nothing important, Misty,” Sunny smiled. “Come on, let’s leave Detective Zipp to her work. Phyllis, you look like you could do with something to eat.” “Oh, only if that’s not too much trouble, Sunny,” Phyllis gasped. “I…I’m just so worried about my baby Sprout.” “I’m sure he’ll be fine, Phyllis,” Sunny smiled. “I bet the training he got from the Guard has put him in good stead for this. Come on, I’ll make you something. It’s no trouble at all.” “Don’t stay up too late, Zipp,” Pipp frowned as she followed Sunny and the others to the kitchen. “I won’t,” Zipp responded. “There’s not that much here.” The next morning when the others came down for breakfast. They found Zipp waiting for them in front of a case board. The images and names of the ponies that had disappeared were positioned around the edge. Red threads connected the images to anything which linked more than one pony together. “Woah, you’ve been busy,” Izzy gasped. “You didn’t stay up all night, did you?” Pipp frowned. Zipp smirked, “Do I look sleep-deprived to you? Honestly, this was pretty easy. With the names of the ponies, I could dig up all their info pretty quickly and then connect things together. There is one massive problem though.” “Which is?” Sunny frowned. “There is only one thing that links all the victims together,” Zipp explained. “The fact they are all Earth Ponies.” “There’s still lots of lines here though,” Izzy smiled. “It looks like a pretty spider web.” “There are lots of lines because the ponies either live in Zephyr Heights or work at the Construction Sites,” Zipp clarified. “There’s only one or two that live in Zephyr Heights and work for CanterBlocks as well.” “So, we can rule out the possibility that CanterBlocks is being specifically targeted,” Hitch deduced. “Zephyr Heights is huge; do we know where the ponies were disappearing specifically?” “Thanks to some CCTV help we do,” Zipp smiled. “They all disappeared from one park.” Zipp flipped the board over. The same photos ran around the edge of the board. However, in the middle, there were two maps. One of the construction sites and one of a park. There were red and yellow threads this time. They ran from the pictures to a point on either of the two maps. “Red threads show we know the exact position of the disappearances,” Zipp explained. “Yellow, we don’t know exactly. In the case of the park, they show where the pony entered. Annoyingly, the CCTV in the park has been on the fritz for moons.” “So, do we know who’s entered and exited the park around the times of the disappearances?” Sunny asked. Zipp looked down and sighed, “That’s being worked on currently. But early indications are there’s no commonality. Just ponies going around their normal business. The only common thing is it’s normally late at night and therefore the park is quiet.” “Soooo, was anything left behind in the park?” Misty asked, trying to be helpful. “Same as all the victims we know the locations for,” Zipp explained. “Anything they had which is electronic was left behind.” “That’s oddly specific,” Pipp gasped. “Not really,” Zipp countered. “If you’re ponynapping somepony you don’t want them to have their phone. If they did, they could be tracked. Experts at Zephyr Heights have already been gathering info off the victims' phones. If we have their phone, we know roughly when they disappeared.” Misty frowned, holding a hoof up to her chin in thought. “What about magic? I think I remember seeing a tracing spell in one of the books.” “The park is a public place,” Zipp sighed. “Unicorns use it all the time, there’s nothing to stop them from using magic there.” “Phyllis confirmed they use magic at the Construction Sites too,” Hitch added. “Moms already had the park closed,” Zipp informed. “Officially it’s closed for maintenance. There is one final clue though.” “Which is?” Sunny frowned. “There’s a time pattern,” Zipp replied. “The disappearances appear to occur on a set schedule.” “I hate to say it,” Pipp sighed. “But I’ve thought of the one thing that ties everything together.” “Which is?” Hitch frowned. “Minty Cloudstrike,” Pipp replied. “Well ahead of you there, Sis,” Zipp responded. “Her campaigning makes her the prime suspect. Not only is she against Earth Ponies being in Zephyr Heights but she’s also against the Hydroelectric Scheme.” “If she knew about the rail links, I bet she’d be against that too,” Pipp added. “It would conflict with her campaign about preserving Pegasus heritage.” Sunny grinned, stepping forward as her powers activated and she spread her wings wide. “Which means with all that information we need action. I can be the bait to draw out Minty Cloudstrike. “Then I’ll have a one-on-one discussion with her. Campaigner to campaigner. The Time of Separation is just as much a part of our history as the Time of Harmony. There’s a whole floor in the new Museum dedicated to that time and the individual history and customs we created.” “What? No, Sunny,” Hitch gasped. “That won’t work. How can you of all ponies be bait? Everypony knows you have powers.” “Besides, we ought to gather more intel first,” Zipp responded. “Based on the schedule, the next disappearance would be tomorrow night at the park. Then there’s a gap before the next one at the construction site. We can check it out and see what happens. Then, we’ll know what we're up against and have time to plan a proper sting operation before the next one.” “But just think of all those poor Earth Ponies who are who knows where,” Pipp argued. “We need to find them, and once Izzy and I are done with Sunny nopony will recognise her.” “Yeah, we can’t leave them trapped wherever they are for that long,” Izzy grinned. “Sunny will be able to talk some sense into these activists. I know she will.” “But we don’t even know for sure it’s Minty Cloudstrike behind it,” Zipp argued. “I mean, she’s prime suspect right now but I want to check out what she’s been doing. I can’t because I’m waiting on the access to do so. Sunny, you could be taken anywhere and have no way of contacting us.” “Yes, she will,” Misty said confidently before squeaking as all eyes turned towards her. “Ah, urm. That is, I’ve just gotten this spell book that includes a chapter on messaging spells. The simplest one would allow Sunny to communicate with me directly.” Sunny grinned, stomping her hoofs with excitement. “eee, that means I’ll not only be disguised. I’ll be able to tell you where I am so you can come and help me save everypony.” “That’s only if you’re actually taken,” Pipp grinned. “We can catch the culprit red hoofed. Then they can tell us where the ponies are.” “Are you sure they’d have red hoofs?” Izzy blinked. “Ponies have all sorts of different coloured hoofs. Isn’t hoof polish expensive in that colour?” As Sunny, Izzy, Pipp, and Misty continued to plan. Zipp and Hitch looked at each other with bewilderment. It seemed they’d somehow been outvoted despite their increased experience in these matters.