Book 2: Equestria Lost
Chapter 22
“I really can't thank you enough for this,” Apollo Dawn said to High Stakes. “It's just amazing!” There was indeed quite a spread on the breakfast table, worthy of the casino even in its prime.
“Don't mention it,” The orangeish pony replied. “Back in the day I might have made most of my money dancin' and gamblin', but I did my time helping with the chefs too, and I learned a thing or two!” He brushed a hoof through his yellow mane. “Anyway... are you all going to be staying long?”
Apollo looked around the table. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do, actually. To his left, Splints just sat grumpily. She apparently hadn't appreciated it when Trigger had woken her up. Albatross and Shimmer Spell sat to his right, and Apollo thought it strange that while Shimmer had been painfully shy, and even afraid of Twilight earlier, now the two unicorns were sitting there staring at each other, without a hint of fear or animosity... Had something happened between those two? Across from him, Needle Point sat sullenly... her eyes were very red... and if the way Pebbles was sitting close, giving silent comfort, was any indication, the shy little mare must have been crying all night last night. For a moment, he wondered who she thought she lost... but soon his thoughts returned to the present. He had more urgent concerns.
His thoughts were interrupted for a moment by another loud crash from down in the empty gaming floor. Trigger and the new little filly, Sunny Daze, had been playing down there since they woke up, with only a tiny break to wolf down a bit of breakfast. What had the two destroyed this time?
He shoved thoughts of that aside for the moment though, instead focusing on the more important issue: talking to his crew. “So, I guess every town in Equestria is going to be like this,” he said, looking around the table, “And that means we've got to decide what we're going to do now.” That got their attention... as well as the attention of High Stakes, who seemed to take that as the answer to his earlier question. The rest of the ponies around the table just looked nervous or apprehensive... except for Splints, who was still keeping to her grumpy visage.
“The exploration missions for the university are canceled, of course, and since they won't be paying us anymore, all our contracts are canceled too.” He glanced around, looking each of them in the eye... well, those who would make eye contact anyway. “But... anypony who wants to stay with the crew... we'll stick together, and we'll find a way to move on.”
He saw Twilight's face suddenly lift up and look at him as if she had just suddenly noticed he was there... now what was up with that? From his own crew though, he saw nods and looks of faint hope. He could see that they wanted to stay together. He looked closely at Splints who still hadn't moved. She looked back at him, still with an annoyed look on her face... but for a moment, he saw something stranger and deeper in her eyes... She made a barely perceptible nod before quickly returning to her scowl.
“So, I think we should find a place to settle in and rebuild, somewhere safe...” He looked around at the casino. “This place is nice... but it's still pretty far north... and after what we saw on the way in, I don't think we want to risk spending the winter so far north with this crazy weather going on.”
He saw a few vehement nods of agreement from around the table, though High Stakes looked a little crestfallen. Apparently his crew had seen more than enough snow! “We can't all go back to my hometown... Cloudsdale wouldn't work so well for our wingless friends!” He paused for the laugh, hoping to relieve a little tension with humor... and received only silence in return. Apparently the mood around the table was too dark for that. A little embarrassed, he continued, “So... any suggestions?”
“Canterlot?” Quartermaster spoke up, “What city could be better than that?”
Before Apollo could reply, Twilight Sparkle cut in. “NO. You don't want to go there!” Everypony at the table turned to look at her, and she looked a little abashed after her outburst, but she explained herself. “That's where Pestilence has been living most of the time. You don't want to go there... you'll just end up being her...” she winced, “playthings.”
“Who?” Quartermaster asked, confused.
“Pestilence is the draconequus who caused all this... She made this disease, and she killed the princesses.” Twilight looked sickened for a moment. “And she really likes dead things... And now she lives in Canterlot. I barely got out alive when I went there looking for my friends.” She hung her lead low. “And it's all for nothing with that thing still out there! She'll keep killing, and everything we rebuild will be lost again.”
“We can't just give up,” Apollo replied. “We have to try something, and we can't stay here.”
“What about Trottingham?” Splints asked. A few murmurs of agreement from around the table came in reply.
Twilight just shook her head. “Some stallion named Black Diamond is running a nasty gang there... When I visited there, they tried to force me and Sunny to stay and work for them... If you go there, you're in for either a big fight or a future of slavery...”
A few ponies around the table winced. “Which brings to mind,” Apollo cut in, “we could use someplace defensible... you never know what might be coming, and the royal guard won't be around to solve our problems anymore.”
Thoughtful silence filled the table as each pony sat and tried to think of a good place to go. Suddenly, Albatross jerked up, 'I've got an idea!' broadcast on his face. “I think I might know a place!” he said.
Apollo looked over at him questioningly. “Where?”
“Just outside of where I grew up in Las Pegasus, there's a place called Griffon's Gate Castle. It was built for the griffon wars way back, and then used as the immigration checkpoint for the first treaty with them... but ever since the new treaty a few hundred years ago, it hasn't been used at all.”
Apollo – together with most of the other ponies at the table – looked over at Twilight expectantly.
She, though, hadn't expected to be the center of attention, and looked around uncomprehendingly for a moment before she realized what they were all waiting for. “I don't know anything bad about it,” she said. “The plague hit Las Pegasus hard... I didn't see any other living ponies when I was there.”
Apollo nodded to himself. “An old castle will have strong walls, and it won't depend on modern technology...”
Albatross cut in, “And I heard there's a natural spring in the middle.”
With a smile and rolled eyes, Apollo continued. “So it seems like a pretty good place to go.” He looked around the table once more. “Any objections?”
Only silence greeted him in return. “Well then, it's settled. Let's set off for Las Pegasus tomorrow morning. Today, we'll gather supplies.” He looked to his right, then to his left. “Splints, Albie, we'll be taking the most dangerous assignment. We still need medical supplies.” He looked back to the rest of the table. “Quarter, I want you to take the rest and gather up all the other supplies we'll need for the trip to Las Pegasus... food, water, and anything else you think we'll need.” He knew he could count on the old pony to get just the right supplies. Somehow he always knew exactly what would be needed... some of that elusive earth pony magic, maybe?
As he looked around, Albatross looked back at him a little apprehensively, and Apollo didn't blame him. Going to any kind of medical center would be risky... they might get infected from some lingering disease. He couldn't allow the risk of continuing on in this dangerous environment with no first aid supplies though. As he was about to get up, he heard Twilight clear her throat shyly...
“Um... well,” She dithered, “Sunny and I have nowhere to go now... and I was thinking... maybe... well, maybe we could come with you, too?”
Apollo's first impulse was to refuse. He still remembered the pony from yesterday, who had thought that a few books would be sufficient to get her to Fairflanks... he supposed that his crew could use all the help they could get though. He sighed. “Okay, you can come along... just try not to get in the way, okay?” He looked over to High Stakes. “Are you coming, too?”
The slick-maned pony laughed, “Oh no. This place is my life... has been forever. I'll stay here, for better or for worse.”
Apollo thought him foolish, perhaps even more so than the purple unicorn across the table, but he had no right to force the pony to leave... “Well, it's going to get cold, remember... and if you change your mind, you're welcome to come along, too.”
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