Chapter Five:
Twilight worked far into the wee hours of the morning, trying hard to figure out how the monster's weapon had worked.
The small brass case that had been located was hollow, but it must have contained something at one point. It smelt like sulfur and smoke.
The object retrieved from Rainbow Dash's wing was small, but it was imperfect; it had been crushed. Even pony not as smart as Twilight would probably figure out that the flying object had once been pointed to cause damage, and that the brass case was what held it.
The case probably held some sort of magic, chemical or substance that had been ignited when the monster pulled the little switch on the bottom side of the weapon.
Thinking back, Twilight remembered that she had seen part of the weapon slide back and forth very quickly, lightning fast, at the same time that the small explosion occurred. Yes, she was sure of it. Activating the trigger somehow launched a projectile at high speeds - very, very high speeds - directly in front of the tube in which it was launched out of.
Twilight couldn't help but congratulate herself on figuring out so quickly. In only five hours! Good job!
[/hr]
Well, psycho ponies with technology-that-is-not-supposed-to-be-in-their-time roam the forest. Gotta keep my guard up....
It was finally beginning to be morning and Alec, just getting finished with being chased by a very scary pony, was wide awake. It seemed as if he overestimated the time that it would take for the Dragon's corpse to burn, because the smoke cloud was dispersing.
Maybe he had a fire-bladder or something that caught fire and sped it up?
Alec trotted over to the cave and went inside. He had been correct; the corpse was pretty much just bone, and it smelt pretty good. Maybe he should've cut some meat off of it...nah, he didn't to risk being killed by some poison or something.
[/hr]
Applebloom was just on her way back from a Crusader's meeting, wondering about all of this items going missing in Ponyville recently, when she realized something. Or rather, that something was missing. It was Wednesday. And there was no Zecora. Zecora always came to town, every single Wednesday, without fail. She had failed, and it was past six 'o clock.
Remembering the monster who had attacked Twilight and Rainbow Dash, then ran into the forest, she gasped. How could she have completely forgotten?
She took off as she could to the closest, oldest person that she knew: Twilight. The Library was just down the street.
Applebloom hurried as fast as her freaking adorable little legs would carry her, and she began to knock rapidly.
Spike answered the door and yelled in surprise when the frightened little filly burst past him.
"Where is she? Where is she? Where's Twi'?" She asked, frantically looking around.
"Uh, she's downstairs in her lab, what's the hurry?"
Too late, Applebloom was gone.
"Twi'! Twi'! Twilight!" She called.
The Alicorn looked up from her work, a confused and concerned look on her face.
"Applebloom? What are you doing here? What's wrong?"
Applebloom reached Twilight and began speaking rapidly.
"Zecora! She usually comes into town every Wednesday! An' she didn't today! The monster! He's in the Everfree forest too!"
Twilight's eyes widened as she gasped. Of course! How could she have forgotten the ill-fated Zebra.
"Okay Applebloom, listen to me. I want you to hurry and get Applejack, and tell her to get the rest of the Elements, then meet me near the edge of the forest. You stay home."
Applebloom nodded. She was a little disappointed that she couldn't come, but she was in too much of a hurry to care.
[/hr]
Ten minutes later, everyone but Rainbow Dash was at the edge of the forest. Sad, considering she probably wanted revenge.
"Okay, is everypony here? Good. Let's go!"
They all hurried into the forest, quickly, but quietly and cautious. Fluttershy tried to ditch them and return home twice.
[/hr]
Rainbow Dash wasn't the only one who wanted revenge, however. Alec had recently thought of a better use for Zecora then just leaving here there: bait of course!
The Zebra hung upside down, bound and gagged, a frantic look in her eyes. Her large earrings clinked around as she moved her head back and forth, trying to loose the gag.
Alec leaned with his elbow in her flank, rather painfully to Zecora, and waited. He knew that it probably would't be long, and he was correct.
All of his traps had been set and he was ready. He listened, and he heard them.
"Cheerio Zebra: I've got a mean pony to capture," he leaned over and whispered into the quivering Zebra's ear.
He launched himself into the bushes and waited.
Soon, he heard the clopping of several pairs of hoofs. Perfect.
From his hiding spot, Alec could see the entrance to the clearing where the Zebra's tree was located, the tree itself, and moist everything.
The walking became closer and closer.
The Zebra's eyes widened and she began to mumble loudly, shaking her head violently, trying to warn her would-be rescuers off.
"There she is!" gasping, "She's hurt! Look at that bruise! That monster is going to pay..."
Twilight entered to clearing and Alec grinned quite evilly. Before any of the other ponies could enter, he flipped open the clear lid on the detonator and hit it.
There was a large boom on a nearby hill, and boulders began to rumble down, to block the other pony's path. It worked. Before any of the others could reach either Twilight or the Zebra, there was a massive pile of boulders and a couple dropped tress in the way. If everything worked perfectly, there would also be a now-exposed pit in front if the fallen rock-slide, preventing from any of them from trying to climb it.
Alec had to act fast for this to work.
He burst from the bushes with a vine lasso with a shout of, "Fus Ro Dah!" (Another pre-war item, too lazy to explain it)
And sent the loop flying directly in front of the pony who was no flying away. It caught her by the neck and Alec tightened down, pulling as hard as he could. Before the pony could use any magic, Alec used the pile of boulder and a strong push of his legs to launch himself far enough into the air, and he landed on top of the pony.
She was strong, but she was obviously not a fighter. (Alec would have never tried this on that Rainbow pony...shiver)
"Girls! Run! Go! GO!" She shouted. How honorable.
Several exclamations of "no," found their way over the pile, but Twilight couldn't respond: now she was gagged.
Alec knew that the ponies would find their way into the clearing soon, so, holding a bound purple pony, he dashed into the forest.
Alec noticed that she was building up her magic again, and he opened up his canteen and doused the aura. He wasn't sure that that would work, but apparently it does.
He had to hold the struggling pony down, repeatedly douse her aura, and, now, prevent Zecora from talking once the other ponies had rescued her.
Right after that thought went through his head, the orange one found a way around the pile and motioned the others.
One-by-one, they all found their ways into the clearing, and they went over to Zecora.
Alec looked around and made sure that all of the rocks and thick leaves were in place, and pulled out his .45.
If you're wondering what all of these rocks and thick leaves do...well, actually, it's quite ingenious. Alec, having gone through all that he has, had learned some interesting things, including how to angle surroundings to make a gunshot sound as if it were coming from somewhere else. Like I said, ingenious.
He aimed (No, Zecora will live, don't worry) and fired. Not at the Zebra, but at the rope. It snapped and the Zebra fell head-first on the rock that Alec had placed. Success. She was unconscious.
"Zecora! Where did that come from? Is she okay? Where's Twilight? It came from over there!"
Alec smiled. He had them duped. The 'monster' hoisted his struggling prize and headed back to his cave.