//------------------------------// // All the Modes of Distress // Story: We'll Always Have Canterlot // by Tortfeasor //------------------------------// We’ll Always Have Canterlot Disclaimer: You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth! The truth is I don’t own My Little Pony Chapter Eight: All the Modes of Distress Defying gravity was the best! If she’d had her way she would only come down to the ground to sleep. All too soon though, the wheels of her scooter impacted the ground and Scootaloo rejoined the world of ponies with all their hooves stuck on the ground. At least she still had speed going for her. If she closed her eyes and flapped her wings hard enough it was easy to imagine she was flying through the sky. Of course, closing her eyes brought other problems. A cry of alarm gave her just enough time to open her eyes and avoid hitting Bon-Bon with a particularly daring move. She shouted an apology back to the candy maker as she kept on towards the edge of Ponyville. It was a long way from the schoolhouse, but the piles of earth, stone, and wood made the best possible ground for her to practice her moves. And, she thought, there wasn't anyone for her to hit out here if she indulged in a literal flight of fancy. Although with her destination coming into sight she wouldn't have any time for anything that wasn't practice. She stopped at the edge of a bowl, checked to make sure her helmet was on tight, and then threw herself off the edge. It might not have been flight, but Scootaloo could think of nothing closer as she soared between two ramps she’d put together a few months back. Okay, maybe she could pretend to fly just once or twice. If she hit one of the ramps fast enough she’d have several seconds before she hit the ground again. Plenty of time for someone as skilled as her to close her eyes for a bit and let her mind go. Scootaloo lined herself up, started flapping her wings as fast as they would go, and leapt off the ramp into the glorious blue sky. She closed her eyes and imagined that Rainbow Dash, captain of the Wonderbolts of course, was taking her on a congratulatory flight as the newest member of that elite group. Then she frowned. She should have hit the ground by now. She opened her eyes to see the world glowing just before it all turned white and she disappeared. Scootaloo opened her eyes from the bright flash to find her surroundings had become pitch black. She seemed to be on a chair, but she wasn't tied up, and her scooter wasn't anywhere to be found! “Don’t worry Scootaloo.” She didn't need to be a unicorn to recognize one using magic to disguise their voice. “You’re quite safe. I just have a few questions and you’ll be free to go, you and your scooter both.” As her eyes adjusted to the darkness Scootaloo could make out the slight glow of a unicorn’s horn using magic. “Twilight Sparkle? Is that you?” Twilight Sparkle could only sputter in indignation. Yes Scootaloo knew her, and yes, she should have been able to figure it out eventually, but this was just humiliating. Clearly subterfuge was not a fallback career if both librarian and magical prodigy didn't pan out. It was a simple spell to turn up the lights of the library basement. No longer in the darkness she took hold of a chair with her magic and sat down in front of Scootaloo. “Sorry about snatching you out of the air like I did. But you probably know by now that my brother and I are the most wanted ponies in all Equestria, so meeting for cake at Sugarcube Corner was kind of out.” “You’re not actually...” Scootaloo suddenly remembered Applejack and Rarity telling her and the other Crusaders that Twilight Sparkle and her brother were not themselves and could be very dangerous if provoked. “My brother and I are completely ourselves. You remember Nightmare Moon?” Twilight waited for Scootaloo to nod. “The last time we beat her we didn’t do a good enough job. She’s come back and taken over Cadance. She’s using Cadance’s powers to force ponies to love her, and that includes all my friends. That’s why I teleported you here. I didn’t know if they were watching you, so I couldn't take any chances.” Scootaloo looked down at the ground. “I really haven’t seen much of them. Applejack and Rarity stopped by a few days ago. They said they were on some super secret mission from Princess Cadance to save Equestria from the Changelings. They said that you and your brother had been captured, and that if we saw either of you we should let them know right away. But both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom said something was off with them. They couldn't really put it in words, and we were going to try to get to the bottom of it to get our cutie marks, but they left before we could.” Twilight started to scratch her mane in thought, and then stopped abruptly as she almost knocked the Element of Magic off her head. She was willing to bet that 'a few days ago' meant the day after she and Shining Armor had rescued Chrysalis. Cadance obviously hadn't wasted much time in predicting her next moves. If she made it through all this she owed all three Cutie Mark Crusaders lunch at Sugarcube Corner as thanks for them spotting something being off with Rarity and Applejack. “I’m not surprised to hear that. Other ponies I've talked to who were around ponies being controlled by Cadance said the same thing. Just be careful around them, I don’t want you getting hurt. Did they mention anything about Rainbow Dash, or have you seen her since I disappeared? My brother and I tried to free Cadance in Manehatten yesterday, and everyone except Rainbow Dash was there. We barely got out, and if she’d been there things might have gone... well, bad. I think Cadance would have had her there if Rainbow Dash was under her control. And if Rainbow Dash did escape I can’t think of anyone else she’d trust with where she was hiding out or where she was going.” Twilight watched Scootaloo’s eyes brighten at the thought her idol might have such trust in her. Then they dimmed and Twilight had her answer even before Scootaloo spoke. “Sorry, I haven’t seen Rainbow Dash. And Rarity and Applejack didn’t say anything about her. They spent most of their time talking about how great Cadance was, and how proud they were to be helping her.” It took all of Twilight’s self control to keep from outright scowling at her hunch being so thoroughly demolished. “It’s okay Scootaloo, it’s not your fault. Just wait here a bit. I need to go take care of something. As soon as that’s done I’ll come back and send you back to where you were.” Twilight didn’t wait for a response as she stepped through the door to where Chrysalis and her brother were waiting. They’d been listening in the whole time, so she wasn't at all surprised by their frowns. “I've told my children across Equestria to keep an eye out for this pegasus of yours.” Chrysalis broke the silence. “But it will take some time for my wishes to spread to them, and many of them to distinguish between you ponies.” Part of Twilight was glad to see Chrysalis actually working with her, but she would have traded that in an instant to have finished things back in Manehatten. “And that won’t do us any good if Rainbow Dash decided to bury herself in some cave somewhere and wait all this out. Hopefully Rainbow Dash decided to hide somewhere around here if she actually got away. If she thinks I’m one of Cadance’s puppets though, she’ll just go deeper if she thinks I’m trying to find her.” “What are you trying to say little sis?” Shining Armor had a look full of suspicion on his face. “Remember how I said you two were going to start doing everything together?” Twilight couldn’t quite keep a smirk off her face. “Well you’re going to start by looking around Ponyville for any clues about where Rainbow Dash might be.” “I don’t know the first place to start.” Shining Armor protested. “Or what we’re looking for for that matter. Twiley, this is your friend and your town, you should be doing this.” Twilight lit her horn with magic. “One, this is my town so everyone will recognize me. The spell I just put on you to make ponies look past you wouldn't work five minutes on me. Two, I don’t know what to look for either. Rainbow Dash is normally a very showy pony, so hiding out isn't in her nature. The only thing I can think to tell you two is that any clues she left behind will probably be clumsily hidden. That, and make sure you check the newspaper. We’re probably page one, but who knows what we’ll find in there.” “And if this doesn't work?” Green flames surrounded Chrysalis leaving behind the white coated unicorn she’d originally chosen in Manehatten. “We can’t exactly put up a great big sign of our own to get her attention. And if you thought the filly in there wasn't being watched you wouldn't have gone to such lengths to acquire her without anyone noticing.” Twilight chewed a lip in thought. “Rainbow Dash was friends with a griffon a long time back, and I can’t imagine Cadance has a large presence in the griffon lands. But I thought the same thing about Appleloosa. Plus, Rainbow Dash and Gilda didn’t exactly part on the best of terms. I’d only suggest going there as a last resort, but if Rainbow Dash didn’t think she could trust any pony she might have decided to see if she could trust a griffon.” “I’d rather not get near any griffons.” Chrysalis had a rather distasteful look on her face. “Their emotions are tough, scanty, and they taste like... I don’t think you have the words to describe how bad griffon emotions taste.” “Well then, that should be all the more reason for you two to find Rainbow Dash here in Equestria. I’ll finish talking to Scootaloo and send her back. She was practicing a bit outside of town, so hopefully no one noticed her go, and no one will notice her come back.” Twilight watched Chrysalis and her brother head up onto the main floor of the library with some apprehension. Those two pushed each others buttons with ease. Under other circumstances she would have enjoyed teasing her straight laced brother, and aggravating Chrysalis would have been endlessly funny if they weren't in a life or death struggle. But they were in a life or death struggle, and that meant she had to hope they could keep their tempers under control enough to be of use. It was out of her hooves now anyways, and she still had to tend to Scootaloo. Twilight walked back into the small basement room. The orange filly was idly kicking her legs from the chair, the picture of innocence. All of Twilight’s panic alarms instantly went off, that look could only mean disaster. She didn’t think she’d left anything that could be broken, tinkered with, knocked about, or otherwise ruined by an inquisitive Cutie Mark Crusader, but she’d learned from hard experience not to underestimate them. She couldn't see anything instantly amiss though, and even if she had seen something awry Twilight had bigger problems. “Sorry about that, I probably don’t need to tell you this, but when I send you back out to where you were you shouldn't mention this to anyone. And anyone means even Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. I know they’re your friends, and I don’t think they’d ever intentionally let anything slip, but I don’t know what Rarity and Applejack are capable of.” Scootaloo nodded and then smiled. “Hey, I've got an idea. Why don’t you take me with you? I won’t be able to tell anyone then, and I can totally help you!” Twilight shook her head. “Sorry, but no. I know you want to help, and believe me, I’d take any help I could get. But I don’t have any way to keep Cadance from doing to you what she did to Rarity and Applejack. What you need to do is lay low and keep quiet. If my brother and I fail then you three will be some of the only ponies in Equestria who know anything about the Elements of Harmony. They’ll eventually find new ponies, and you’d have to find and guide them so they could defeat Cadance.” Scootaloo looked disappointed at being left behind, but as Twilight had thought, the prospect of being useful on her own seemed to calm her down enough. She hadn't mentioned Spike, but she'd been telling the truth when she said she didn't know what means Cadance had to gather information, so she decided against the risk. “That’s not saying you need to go out looking for your cutie marks in finding ponies who can use the Elements of Harmony. As long as I’m running around, and I hope Rainbow Dash too, then the others are safe and the Elements will stay with us.” “I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Scootaloo sighed, “But I hope I don’t get to go on this particular cutie mark crusade.” “I hope you don’t either," Twilight said. “I’ll go ahead and send you back now. We’ll hide here a few more days while we look for Rainbow Dash around Ponyville, so if you find anything let me know right away. But make sure that no one comes with you, and that no one is following you either.” “Right!” Scootaloo saluted flamboyantly. “Cutie Mark Crusader Rainbow Dash Investigator Scootaloo is on the case!” “Just, don’t get too carried away. One last thing, how did you know it was me at the start?” Scootaloo paused a few seconds to organize her thoughts. “Well, I don’t know any other ponies who can teleport, so that was kind of a big give away. And you didn’t tie me up or yell at me like the villains in all the Daring-Do novels. I figured you’d only be all nice if you were someone who knew me. Since Rainbow Dash couldn't have teleported me that means you were the only one left who would be doing something all sneaky like that.” “Thanks,” Twilight smiled. Inside though, she cringed. Subterfuge really was not her strong point. “Go grab your scooter and I’ll send you back outside.” Scootaloo jumped off the chair, grabbed her scooter, and stood in front of Twilight. “Do you think you can put me a bit up in the air? I could do some awesome tricks if I just started off falling!” “Not without anyone there to watch you.” Twilight shook her head. “Now hang on, here goes.” Her horn flared with magic, and when the light dissipated Twilight Sparkle was alone again in the library. - When he first stepped out into the sun, Shining Armor had braced himself for an immediate cry of alarm followed by a frantic flight back into the library and a desperate teleport away from Ponyville. Instead he looked out on ordinary ponies going about a perfectly ordinary day in placid Ponyville who couldn't care less about the extra ponies, well pony and Changeling, among them. “Whatever Twilight did to keep ponies from noticing me, it seems to be working.” He didn’t like talking to Chrysalis any more than he absolutely had to, but there were times it couldn't be avoided. “Wonderful for you.” The enthusiasm behind her words was rather lacking. “Now let’s go take a stroll around town, find what we can, and get back here so I don’t have to look at your idiotic face any more.” “Idiot?” Shining Armor started walking away from the library. “Are you still mad about Manehatten? Well forgive me oh high and mighty queen, I’m sorry that I actually have a heart and didn’t want to hurt my wife. Love might be just food to you, but it’s actually important to us ponies.” He was getting far too used to Chrysalis’ look that said she thought him an idiot. “Goody for you and your heart. I do hope it was worth it, because you very possibly just wasted the best opportunity we’ll have to save your dear wife. And, oh yes, to save you ponies from being turned into mindless slaves and my children from slow starvation. We understand compassion and affection just fine. We simply have a better hold of it, like say, not throwing away our chance for victory because a horrible creature is wearing a pretty face.” Shining Armor glared at his most unwilling companion as he threw a few bits down for a newspaper. Their heated argument had drawn a small bit of notice, but compared to mad goddesses, chaos gods, Parasprite invasions, Ursas, well... an unfamiliar couple arguing was not a sight worth getting riled up over for the ponies who lived in Ponyville. Absorbed in pushing each others buttons neither Shining Armor nor Chrysalis noticed any of this as they continued walking. “You think you understand compassion? How compassionate is it to grab ponies out of their homes and replace them with Changelings who will suck their family dry? How compassionate is it to give ponies a false friend who really just sees them as a five course meal? How do you think these ponies would take it if they learned their favorite candies came with a little extra, your love being drained!” Chrysalis rolled her eyes in irritation. “Judging by your sister, I think these ponies would take news of my child quite well. She sells delicious candies, takes only what they aren't using, and by all appearances she’s blended in quite well. In fact, she may have blended a bit too well, but as long as she continues to bring in as much love as she has I’ll overlook a few quirks.” “That’s just like you Changelings.” Shining Armor snorted. “As long as you have enough ponies to drain into withered husks you don’t care what damage you do. Invading Canterlot, enslaving a whole civilization, ripping apart families, it’s all just a day at the office to you isn't it?” “Oh don’t prattle on to me about how good and nice you ponies are.” Chrysalis got close enough he could see the anger burning in her eyes. “You think you’re being so giving allowing a handful of Changelings into your precious kingdom. Of course the masses can never know of it, and my children will hardly be free. They’ll live off the dregs of your society and send us the few scraps you toss them. Twilight Sparkle talks about a chance for peace between us, I only see desperation. If you didn’t need my help to save yourselves, you’d be perfectly content to let us languish in our misery. I rather suspect you'd enjoy watching it.” “Misery?” Shining Armor didn’t flinch at all from Chrysalis being right in his face, rather he thrust himself forward to put himself in her comfort zone. “That was hardly a poor little us swarm of Changelings that invaded Canterlot. Would you like to know the names of all the ponies who died because of you that day? I've memorized all of them, a promise to never let anything like that happen again. Have you ever seen what’s left of a pony when your ‘children’ are done with them? Have you ever talked to a grieving parent who just realized the foal they loved was a monster and they’ll never see their real child again?” “You want to talk about suffering?” At this point they were practically on top of each other. “Do you know how many Changeling nymphs die each year because they don’t get enough to eat? Disease, wounds, in truly hard times we have to choose which nymphs to feed so even a few will survive to grow up. All because you ponies are so arrogant you can’t bear the thought of sparing even a loving thought for anything that doesn't fit perfectly into your paradise. My children who live among you keep us from starving, but that’s all they do. Hunger is the most constant companion of any Changeling.” “You think we don’t know how lucky we are to have all this?” Shining Armor’s wave encompassed the beautiful day around them. “Every year we tell the Hearth’s Warming Eve story of how ponies suffered to even reach Equestria. We had to carve our homes and lives from creatures that saw us as nothing more than their next meal. Griffons tried to invade us, tyrants tried to rule us, generations of ponies lived in agony under Discord. We worked hard for our peaceful lives, we’re still working hard to deserve those peaceful lives.” It took them a little more than an hour to walk a circle of Ponyville. In that time their heated argument flagged not a bit. Rather, they let themselves get totally carried away in their passions. The few ponies who were nearby as they neared the library once more would have been not at all surprised to see one of the two jump the other at any moment. To Chrysalis and Shining Armor it was almost a surprise to find themselves back where they had started. Arguing, though not at all fun, made the time pass almost as fast. White coats did nothing to prevent a blush, so as they realized that in a whole hour on their own all they had accomplished was to buy a newspaper they both turned quite red. “I have never met another being as infuriating as you.” Chrysalis recovered from their stupor first. “When all this is over I’m taking my swarm to the other side of the world. I don't know how she puts up with you, but Cadance is welcome to you as far as I’m concerned.” “I’ll be the happiest pony in the world to see you go, but we have to save Cadance first. Rainbow Dash could have flown in front of us a dozen times and we never would have noticed. I feel like I should wash my mouth with soap for saying this, but we need to work together or we’ll never be rid of each other.” Chrysalis looked sick, whether it was the thought of working with Shining Armor or being stuck with him was a question not even she knew the answer to. “Agreed, we work together to be rid of each other.” The first test of their new detente would be dealing with Twilight Sparkle’s inevitable anger at their utter failure. However as they were calling down into the basement of the library to summon her they were interrupted by the most terrifying thing in the world, a knock on the door. Twilight mounted the stairs just in time to see twin looks of horror face her as there was another soft knock at the door. The library had been closed since she fled. No one should have had any reason to come here. Twilight frantically motioned to her brother to get the door while she and Chrysalis moved off to the sides and prepared to magically assault whoever came through at them. Shining Armor walked up to the door as silently as his training allowed. Making sure he had both Twilight and Chrysalis’ attention, he counted silently to three and jerked the door open. “Your highness, I’m glad to see you’re alright.” Fancypants wasn't the last pony he’d expected to see on the other side of the door, but then he wasn't exactly high on the list either. “Forgive me if I’m not as welcoming as I should be.” Shining Armor motioned to Twilight and Chrysalis to not let loose just yet. “But these days it’s kind of hard to tell who’s a friend and who’s an enemy wearing a friends face.” “That’s why I’m here.” Fancypants looked nervously about, as though he was concerned someone would we watching them. “I think we’d both rather have no one else know that you’re here. Would you object terribly to us moving this indoors?” Shining Armor glanced back to see Chrysalis had already disappeared and Twilight had hidden the Element of Magic. He took that as a sign that it was okay with them to let Fancypants in and stepped aside from the door. “Sorry about the less than warm welcome.” Twilight stepped out of the shadows as the door closed. “But like my brother said, we have to be more than a little careful about who we talk to right now.” “I perfectly understand.” If Fancypants was surprised at Twilight’s abrupt appearance he hid it well. “There’s been a great deal about you two and Changelings in the news the past few days. Myself and a select few other ponies have serious doubts about Princess Cadance’s official story.” “You should be very careful about who you say that to.” Shining Armor glanced out the windows just to make sure no one was watching the library. “Cadance isn't herself right now, and she can make good ponies do horrible things if she gets a hold of them.” “Like I said, a select few other ponies. You two seem to be immune to whatever she’s doing, or at least you seem to have some protection against it. I rather suspect that if the truth were otherwise you wouldn't have confronted her in Manehatten.” Twilight kept a perfectly calm face. “I hope you don’t mind, but before we go answering too many questions I’m very curious about how you found us.” “I suppose you would be in your position.” Fancypants allowed himself a very small smile. “I must confess a small part of luck on my part to be here in particular. The group of concerned ponies I represent has been looking for you since this began. Ponyville was a logical place to look since it’s your home, it’s close enough to Canterlot for you to strike quickly if an opportunity arises, and yet you can slip into the Everfree Forest and disappear if needed. I’m confident none of the locals could have seen through your brother’s magical protections, but having known him in Canterlot I was able to recognize him with only a little difficulty.” Twilight felt her calm facade almost slip as she raged at herself inwardly. Of course Ponyville was a logical place for them to recover after the disaster that was Manehatten, but it was too logical. Anyone looking for them would put Ponyville at or near the top of their list. Still, she had backed herself into a corner where she had to provide some sort of answer. “I think I can speak for both my brother and I when I say that we’re glad to hear other ponies know what’s going on, and that they’re trying to do something about it. I wish we could help you, really, I’d take any help I could get at this point. But our ‘protection’ is a series of spells that I’m just not capable of. It taxed even Celestia when she put them on me, and the only reason I had the protections was that as her student I had unquestioned access to her, so if someone took control of me I’d be a perfect assassin. Shining Armor is the captain of the Canterlot royal guards, and even he didn’t get them until the Changelings showed he was a definite target.” “That’s... unfortunate.” Fancypants was clearly a master of hiding what he was thinking. “If there’s any other way we can help I assure you that we’re at your disposal.” “The best thing you can do is keep your heads down,” Twilight said. “Cadance gets more powerful the more ponies she puts under her control. Keep your heads low, keep other ponies from drawing her notice, and that will make our job earlier.” Twilight would have normally relished the chance to pump such a knowledgeable pony for information about the goings on in Canterlot, instead she hustled him out the door considerably quicker than polite society would have called polite. “What was with that?” Shining Armor said to her as she looked out the windows. “I thought you said we needed all the help we can get.” “We do, but we can’t use it. If he’s telling the truth it’s the same story as Spike. The Elements of Harmony are the only things that can protect a normal pony from Cadance’s magic, so it really is safer for him and his friends to keep their heads low. If Cadance already has him under her control then hopefully it sets her on the wrong path if she’s trying to take control of either of us. And speaking of Cadance, we need to get out of here right now.” “Already a step ahead of you.” Chrysalis emerged from the basement with all their bags packed. “I slipped on a few face and took a look around while you were talking. Nothing terribly suspicious, but that could all change very fast.” Panic clearly did wonders at making Chrysalis a team player. All the same, Twilight hoped they didn’t find themselves in many more positions like this. Snark between her brother and the Changeling Queen at least meant they weren’t in immediate danger. Twilight put the Element of Magic back on her head, put her saddlebags on, and after a quick check the Golden Oaks Library was again truly closed for business.