***Monday, Day 30, just after midnight***
*click*
My ears perk up at the sound of the unlocking door and its accompanying whispers.
“Alright, we’re in.”
The small door in the outer castle wall emits no sound from its well-oiled hinges as it swings open to allow the others inside.
“What took you guys so long?”
The others jump as my voice startles them. All of them looking at me wide-eyed as Hydro voices the obvious question, “What the, how did you get in here before us?”
I give them all a deadpan look as I lay comfortably inside the bush I had been relaxing in for the last few minutes, my coat making it almost impossible to tell I’m there, “Hey, I tried to call out when you guys rushed off to find the best way to break into the gate when we first spotted it. You do realize that although they have a barrier above the walls for pegasi… the same precautions aren’t as all-encompassing for unicorns?”
Atom shakes his head in disbelief, “No way, all doors in the castle are enchanted to allow only certain magic to work on them.”
I continue giving them a deadpan look as I stand up, “Yes, which is why I simply Blinked past the door, negating that particular defense. I would have done the same for the rest of you, but you had to go run off before I could tell you this.”
Sheepish looks go all around before Blue speaks up, “Well, anyway, we’re in. Which way to the dungeons, Atom?”
A hoof pointing in the desired direction and we are off once again. Progress is the usual pace of stealth missions, slow but steady… which means somepony is going to get bored eventually.
“Hey, I have a question.”
Blue glances at Volt, “Really?”
The electric unicorn nods, “Why are we sneaking?”
Blue gives him a snarky look, “So we don’t get caught.”
“What would we be caught doing? Walking in the garden?”
I put in my two bits as I think about what Volt is saying, “Actually now that I think about it… only the interior of the castle is off-limits…”
Volt nods, “Exactly, so why don’t we cut out the sneaking and only sneak once we get to the places we aren’t supposed to be?”
As one of my earlier reasons for sneaking pops into my head I respond to Volt, “Because Atom here is supposed to be under house arrest in Ponyville. Not sure exactly how much trouble we are going to be in if they recognize him, but I’d honestly rather just avoid them knowing we were here at all.”
He counters, “But wouldn’t the chances of them bothering to recognize him in our group be slim? And wouldn’t those chances be significantly increased by the fact that we are sneaking, thus making us instantly suspicious to anypony who actually does manage to spot us, and making it more likely they take more than a passing glance?”
An unfamiliar voice behind us answers, “I’d say that’s about right.”
I glance at the other unicorn of the group, “When we get back to Ponyville, you and I are having a discussion about baiting the universe.”
Our group turns around to see an orange pegasus mare with fiery red and orange mane and flaming lightning bolt cutie mark. She has what I would describe as an “explain yourself” face.
Atom, instead of the reaction I expected, smiles at the mare, “Spitfire? Long time no see.”
Blue shakes his head with a confused look on his face, “THE Spitfire?”
The fiery mare has not changed her expression despite the responses of some of our group, “So, mind telling me why you are here, when apparently you’re supposed to be in Ponyville?”
Atom walks her away from us a short distance before whispering hurriedly to her, presumably about what we have been, and are currently, up to. The two pegasi come back with Spitfire looking not quite convinced, which does not bode well for us. Suddenly, she grabs one of Hydro’s ears and drags him away from the rest of the group slightly farther away than she and Atom went. Judging by her posture and aggressive stance, she seems to be grilling him about something. After Hydro sinks down slightly at her aggression, their conversation seems to calm her down and the two return to us.
Atom cocks an eyebrow at her, “What was that about?”
For the first time, she smiles, “Had to confirm your story. No way could you guys parrot out something that crazy, so accurately, without hearing what I asked the other one, unless it’s true. Plus, you guys aren’t the only ones that had a few reservations about some of the things going on around here.”
Blue perks up, “Why are you here and how did you spot us anyway?”
She shrugs, “The Wonderbolts have a little barracks set up here in between season since we are technically part of the military. I was doing a little night flying to relax a bit and try to get some sleep when I saw you guys a few minutes ago. Like your friend here said, trying to be stealthy, and failing, only makes you look suspicious.”
I try to be as tactful as I can with my next statement, “And in regards to why we were sneaking?”
“If you’re asking whether I’m going to stop you… the answer is no. In fact, I think I’ll help you guys since all of what you discovered definitely has me suspicious too now.”
I raise a skeptical eyebrow, “Just like that? You’ll help us?”
She shrugs again, “Atom and I grew up together, and last I checked I owed him one. Friends should stick together right?”
Atom nods, “Right, come on, let’s go free some ponies, clear my name, and maybe beat down a bad guy or two.”
The addition of our newest member to our little investigation team proved to be very useful. When it finally came time for us to get into the castle proper, her bright coloring got her noticed before the rest of us, and because of her Wonderbolt status we got in on her word of “They’re with me.” Then we had to fall right back to sneaking, granted not nearly as much cover of either the material or darkness sense since we were inside a castle. So it’s mostly just checking around corners and making sure not to stay in one place too long. We arrive outside one set of many large ornamental doors and Atom holds a hoof up to halt us.
He looks at me, “Rhino, what time is it?”
I check my watch, “About 1 in the morning, why?”
He smiles, “Perfect, the guard changed should be happening in a moment.”
Hydro makes a remark, “You know, I have a bit of respect for the guard here in the castle. If I stood in the same spot all day, I think I’d go crazy.”
The doors to the room in front of us open as we take cover behind the usual wealthy luxury item of overly large vases. Two pegasi guards walk out, looking like they are glad for the end of their shift. One of them has what looks like a platter on his back.
The first guard looks at the other one with a look of exasperation as he speaks, “Do not do this.”
The second one looks to the first, “Are you kidding me?” He nods his head towards the platter on his back, “Look at the variety!”
They walk right by us as they continue, “This is some manure.”
“You know how I get when I’m around assorted cheeses… HELP ME!”
“The only way to help you is to eat all the cheeses before you do.”
The second guard gets an excited look on his face, “Yeah, I know, let’s make this a bucking competition!”
“Alright, but you need to control yourself.”
As they turn the corner we hear the platter guard’s reply, “Buck you, I’m always in control!”
Hydro looks after the guards, “I suddenly have less respect for guards.”
Atom rubs the back of his head sheepishly, “Hey, that’s the dining room, you try standing still all day not being allowed to eat anything or to have a lunch break, and then being given your choice of one food item to bring home at the end of the day and see how long you stay sane.”
“Alright, fair point.”
We walk through the dining room and soon find ourselves in a corridor heading downward. The smooth walls soon make way to stone walls, and less and less decorative items make their presences known. We soon reach a door near at the end of the hallway, creaking it open to see a single guard sitting behind his desk near the archway leading to the cells. A quick whispered discussion and a hoof to the back of his head sees us heading down the hallway of mysteriously empty cells. We search for a time before Atom suggests checking the high security cells, seeing as these were more holding cells than anything else. A few minutes later and we are in a classic dungeon, chains on the walls and all.
We peek into them as quietly as we can. Every other cell has a pony, some seem like guards while others seem like citizens. None of them seem like criminals. As we reach one of the last cells, a gold pegasus with yellow and white main groans and opens an eye to see us looking at his cell.
He speaks, “Atom?”
“Glare?”