//------------------------------// // Cutie Mark Crusaders Missing Filly Finders // Story: Regarding the Bull of Bashan Affair // by Lisboa //------------------------------// Ponyville Schoolhouse. Two weeks later. “Apple Bloom?” “Here, Miss Cheerilee.” “Diamond Tiara?” “Here.” “Dinky?” “Here.” “Featherweight?” “Here, miss.” Teacher Cheerlilee as every morning was giving a roll call. She paused for a few seconds and continued. “…Sweetie Belle?” “Here, Miss Cheerilee.” Apple Bloom looked at Sweetie Belle. Apple Bloom shrugged. Scootaloo, Rumble and other schoolmates got skipped off the list, again. Her friends looked for her and asked to anypony who knew her, but nopony knew what was going on. Two weeks ago hundreds of pamphlets rained from the sky during class. Only adults were allowed to pick those up, and before classes were over, the streets got clean of them. That was the first day that Scootaloo got absent. Apple Bloom found one of those flyers stuck in a tree in her house. It didn’t say much, but she thought that together with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo they could investigate the matter as a Cutie Mark Crusade. But they never found Scootaloo. When the pair went to her house it was deserted. Even the door was open. Some stuff was there, but most of the house looked like it was ransacked. Even her scooter was left behind. The days passed and Scootaloo never reported to the schoolhouse. It was as if she vanished. Others were as concerned as them, Applejack and Rarity for example. Fluttershy asked as a favor to Applejack to look after her house for a while and she never came back since. Rainbow Dash was as absent as ever, but Fluttershy simply leaving was a total mystery. “Miss Cheerilee, what happened to Scootaloo? She hasn’t come in two weeks and you’ve been skipping her from the list.” Asked Sweetie Belle. Miss Cheerilee paid no heed to her question. “Ok class; please open your books on page fifty-seven…” “Miss?” Apple Bloom raised her hoof. “…and I’ll guide you to the complex forms of speech…” “Miss Cheerilee, excuse me.” Sweetie Belle insisted. “…which make our language rich and diverse…” “Miss, please…” Suddenly, Cheerilee lost her temper: “Girls, please stop asking!”. The class got dead-silent. “I know you are worried about them and so am I, but I can’t give you any information because I am not entirely sure myself. All we know is that those who aren’t in class are with their parents and are safe. I wish I had more to tell you, but I don’t.” The classroom was filled with whispers and gossip. Cheerilee cut them short. “Quiet! Let’s continue.” And with that, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom just stared at their desk and at each other. They nodded. That was it. They were going to investigate what the hay was going on. It was time to look at the pamphlet Apple Bloom found. Something caught Sweetie Belle’s eye. It was as if somepony behind was staring at them. She turned and only saw Featherweight. The awkward pegasus was one of the only two known pegasi who remained at Ponyville. He had his great-uncle as his only known relative. The pegasus colt of the Cakes, Pound Cake, was the other. The class went by. The recess was as usual, just with fewer foals to play with. “Some answer we got from Miss Cheerilee, right?” commented Apple Bloom. “I know, right? She really didn’t want to talk about it at all!” answered Sweetie Belle as they got closer to the playground. “Still, that answer didn’t say much.” Apple Bloom unpacked her lunch. It contained, surprisingly, apples. “Well, we have no other choice but to stick with clue number one, again.” “When do we start?” “Right now, after school.” said Apple Bloom, as she gave her sandwich a bite. “Applejack will go to Fluttershy’s house to look after her animals again. She won’t bother us.” Sweetie Belle was about to tell her about other classmate who mysteriously disappeared too, but again, something caught her eye. “Hey, is it me or Featherweight is looking too much this way?” Apple Bloom looked over her shoulder as she drank from her juice box. There he was, hiding his face with a newspaper. He glanced at them, and looked as if he knew he got busted. A group of foals galloped in front of their eyes, leaving a trail of dust and dirt. Once the foals crossed, only the paper and the chair were there. “Sneaky boy. Looks like he left the Foal Free Press just to keep stalking ponies again.” “Maybe he is as curious as we are.” “Then why he doesn’t talk to us? Ah think he is stalking you!” said Apple Bloom with a mischievous smile. “What?” squeaked Sweetie Belle. “It’s obvious Featherweight likes you and your pretty mane!” kept teasing Apple Bloom while combing her mane imitating a refined mare. Sweetie Belle just frowned. “No, maybe he is stalking you and your funny accent!” Now Apple Bloom was caught off guard. “Are you sayin’ ah talk funny? - From behind a tree Featherweight was hearing everything. Besides the childish fight, romantic allegations and name-calling exchange of the two fillies, he heard that they will be at Sweet Apple Acres after school. He knew them. Thanks to them he held the Chief Editor position of the Foal Free Press for a few months after the Gabby Gumms incident. He resigned to go back to the field, not exactly gathering information for the school paper. He just knew that behind a desk the thrill was not the same. Observation was his talent. That’s why he knew that those three fillies had more that meets the eye. One day he saw them sneaking into the train bound to the Crystal Empire, along with a small dragon and a bunch of crazy animals. If they could do it, he could do it too. And the Crystal Empire was where he needed to go. Alone. - Sweet Apple Acres. Afternoon. “So we've been reading this pamphlet over an hour, and besides some words we had to consult a dictionary to get, we are pretty much still confused.” said Sweetie Belle with a bored expression. “To recap” Apple Bloom walked in circles, holding the pamphlet “, the pegasus ponies are in Cloudsdale workin’ and they needed more ponies to work, so that’s why everypony had to go there.” “But two weeks? Without even coming back to look at their homes?” asked Sweetie Belle. “Not even Fluttershy, who cares about her animals more than anything.” Said Apple Bloom as a matter of fact manner, as she placed a pin on her picture. They had a board with pictures of everypony they knew. Those who disappeared were circled with a red crayon. Those who weren’t were classified as adults or classmates who had a close relative who disappeared, and those who didn’t knew or cared what happened, along with a small description. Childish, but very thorough work of investigation they had. The pictures where united with a line on basis of what they assumed they shared in common. Things as the flavor of milkshakes they preferred was a line that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon shared, along with a description that read: proceed with caution. Fluttershy’s picture was encircled with red, along with the line: unlikely to leave her animal house. This alone means that something is fishy. Rainbow Dash’s picture was also encircled with red. Her description reads: key pony. Missing from a long time. Unconfirmed sighting one day before Scootaloo’s vanishing. Scootaloo’s picture was circled with red many times, and her description read: Number One Objective. Find at all costs. Sweetie Belle crossed Miss Cheerilee picture with a green crayon. “She doesn`t know a thing either.” Others they knew and trust that weren’t able to help included Rarity and Applejack, Big Mac, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Granny Smith and Spike. All of them where crossed with a green crayon. “Looks like we will have to put some missing filly posters across town.” said Apple Bloom with a bunch of papers and a stapler. “Yeah, this board thingy didn’t help.” Sweetie Belle sighed. They really were at a dead end. - Near Ponyville City Hall. Late afternoon. The two fillies covered every post and wall they could find to place a missing filly poster with the picture of Scootaloo in it. The adults who were watching just shook their heads with pity. Some just sadly whispered among each other. Suddenly across the street a few ponies gathered, completely ignoring them. “Hey boy, where’s your daddy?”, a blue coated stallion asked a small white pegasus colt. The boy ignored him and kept walking. “Hey brat! I asked you a question!” the stallion demanded, walking faster. The pegasus colt noticed and attempted to fly. “That’s it! A pegasus! Bring the ropes! We got ourselves one! Catch that colt!” The colt whimpered while flying as fast as his wings let him. “Hey! He is the Cakes’ son, you idiot!” somepony shouted. The boy finally stopped and hid behind his father’s legs. “HE IS MY SON, YOU MORON!” Mr. Cake looked angrily at the blue stallion. “What the hell where you trying to do?” “Pegasi shouldn’t be seen alone or they would be subject to question.” answered with little remorse. “Are you the law now? Why should we answer to a bunch of racist vigilantes?” Mr. Cake was losing his temper. Mrs. Cake placed a hoof on his shoulder to try and calm him down. The stallion turned and defiantly looked into his eyes. “Now you should watch your mouth, Cake. I give a damn how good your reputation is here, but as soon as this weak local government is down, we, the descendants of the true founders of this town will make some changes around. And if you want to remain here, you should keep that feathery pest close, because neither their kind nor those who defend them will be welcome here.” Mr. Cake delivered a swift hoof to his jaw, much to the horror of Mrs. Cake. Seeing his usually laid-back husband in a fit of rage was quite a sighting. “Honey, no! Stop it!” “NOPONY THREATS MY SON OR MY FAMILY!” said Carrot Cake, while pummeling the blue stallion’s face after each word. Two of the blue stallion’s collaborators separated them, while everypony else watched in shock, some agreeing, others disapproving, most being awkwardly indecisive. The bruised stallion stood up and challenged. “This is it, Cake! You are betraying your race! Consider yourself banished!”, and he left. His goons stared at Mrs. Cake, then at Pound Cake, while walking away. “So…are you sure it’s your son?” asked one of them, mockingly. Mr. Cake was about to tackle him but Mrs. Cake stopped him. “Honey, please don't. It’s not worth it.” “HE IS MY SON! I’m as sure as I’m alive, you bastards!” shouted at him, walking towards Sugarcube Corner, with a bruised hoof and reassuring his wife. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked in disbelief. They have never seen Mr. Cake so angry. “Serves them earth-kissers right for messin' with their foal.” said Apple Bloom. “Stupid Rickshaw and his crazy friends. They are like the black sheep of the family.” The two kept covering every wall they saw with the picture of their friend. - Unbeknownst to them, they were watched by those three stallions. “Yo Rickshaw, check this out.” a pale brown stallion pointed out to them. “Those fillies are placing this in the walls.” Rickshaw looked at Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle on the distance and looked at the ripped paper. He had to focus more to notice the picture was a pegasus due to his bruises. “Looks like my niece there is looking for her pegasus friend”, he finally said. “Poor girls. So young and naïve.” said other of his goons, a white stallion with a cap. Then he pointed out: “They shouldn’t advertise there. It’s like, littering”. “Let them be, Root Beer. I’m thinking of something.” “What now?” asked the brown one. “No foal should be worried ‘bout this thing if they didn’t know about the pamphlet in the first place. You know, the one no kid was allowed to read?” “Your point?” asked Root Beer. “Well, if they ignored their parents and found out anyway, then they can ignore law and try and find their friend on their own. I think we should keep an eye on them. Never underestimate kids when they want to find something.” “Whoa, whoa Rickshaw” Root Beer contradicted. “We can’t just stalk two fillies! We are already tagged after that Fluttershy house thing you ordered.” “Are you being coward now? More reckless things we must do for this town our ancestors work so hard to build! I don’t care about my bruises; I wear them with pride if I took a beating for our pure earth children’s sake.” Root Beer sweated, considering the words of his boss. “Besides, I’m sure if we find one, we’ll find them all. I don’t buy that crap that they went to the sky to fix stuff.” Rickshaw turned to the brown one. “Stainmudd, what you say?” “I say we go. Just to be clear: we won’t do harm to them fillies, right?” Rickshaw found himself lost in thought. Then he vaguely said: “…if they stay out of our way when we purify the land of that feathered vermin, they have nuthin' to worry about. It’s my niece we are talking about, after all.” Root Beer just shook his head. “This better be worthy of our necks if anypony finds out, Rickshaw!” - Sweetie Belle placed the last staple in a big suitcase which was in a sidewalk. “I’m done!” shouted to Apple Bloom who was a block away. “I’m done too. Let’s go back to my place!” Then from the suitcase Sweetie Belle heard something. She turned to see the suitcase opening from the inside and a colt whispering. “Psst, girls! Over here!” Then he closed shut the suitcase. “Featherweight?”, Sweetie Belle turned and walked towards the big suitcase. It was placed over a cart right in the middle of the sidewalk. “Hey Sweetie Belle. I need your help”, whispered gently from the suitcase. “Apple Bloom’s too, so please call her in”. “Don’t you dare shouting out to her!” he clarified just as Sweetie Belle was inhaling deeply to shout at her friend. “She’s coming. Hey, are you stalking us?” “Looks like it, but I was just looking at the right time to talk to you.” Sweetie Belle felt a faint blush in her cheeks. “Not what you think. I need your help.” It seemed that Featherweight could see from a small hole in the suitcase. She pouted. “What’s goin’ on?” Apple Bloom caught with them. “What’s with that suitcase?” “Apple Bloom.” was heard from the suitcase. “My stars, it talks!” “Shhhh! It’s me, Featherweight! Nopony must know I’m here!” “What the hay are you doing in a suitcase? Don’t you need air or something?” Apple Bloom asked. “I equipped it with air, food and stuff, so I’ll be fine. Now, can you please let me talk?” “Yeah, he needs our help in something.” Nodded Sweetie Belle. “Our help?” “Yeah. I’m inside this suitcase because I need to go to the Crystal Empire.” “And why do you think we can help?” Apple Bloom chuckled. “I know you sneaked into the train with a bunch of pets.” The girls just awkwardly rubbed the back of their heads when they remembered that incident. They really didn't know somepony was watching closely. “But that’s no brainer!” Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. “Just bribe the conductor and he’ll let you pass. That’s how we got there.” “…the thing is, nopony must know I’m going there. Not even bribing the conductor. I got the money, but he can’t know I’m there, you get me?” “What’s your plan, then?” asked Apple Bloom, a little confused. “Pull this suitcase to the station, bribe the conductor with the bits I’ll give you, place the suitcase in a wagon and get off before it leaves. “Sounds like a plan to me!” Sweetie Belle agreed. Apple Bloom wasn’t very convinced. “That’s good an’ all, but what’s in it for us?” The suitcase opened a little and Featherweight sticked out a pair of hundred bits bills. “Clever, boy. But mah sister will definitely notice if I suddenly appear with a new doll or with a stuffed tummy after eating a lot of candy.” Sweetie Belle pouted again after Featherweight pulled the bills back inside at Apple Bloom’s answer. She really wanted a new doll and to stuff her tummy with candy. She sighed and asked “Why are you going to the Crystal Empire, anyway? Are you running away?” “I can’t tell you that. It’s confidential.” “Come on, Featherwight!” Sweetie Belle pleaded. “You don’t need to beg, dumbhorn! He can’t go nowhere without our help.” “I don’t like where this is going.” Featherwight lamented. “Tell us or you can just stay there ‘till you melt!” “Not fair, girls! I really really can’t tell you!” “Tell us what you can, then!” Sweetie Belle offered. “It’s a mission, alright? I must go there on a mission to collect…information.” “On your own?” “Technically I have my great-uncles’s permission to go there.” “Why inside a suitcase?” “...I have his permission to break the law, alright? The fewer ponies know I’m going, the better. I am labeled a sneaker after Gabby Gumms with that Princess picture, so if anypony finds out I’m at the Crystal Empire they’ll be hunting me. If I bribe the conductor he’ll spill the beans for a higher price. That’s how snitching works.” Sweetie Belle stared at Apple Bloom.“And what kind of information?” “Can’t tell you that.” “We can just leave you here” “Sorry, it’s very, very confidential” “Is it about a treasure?” “Maybe” “Is it about a celebrity?” "Maybe” “What about the weather? Is it about the weather?” “No.” “Tell us.” “Not gonna happen.” “That’s it! You try to sneak into the train in your own!” Apple Bloom angrily gave a faint buck to the suitcase. “Let’s go, Sweetie Belle!” From inside the suitcase, Featherweight panicked as he heard the girl’s trotting. He had to find something to convince them. He looked through the holes. He saw the pair leaving, but couldn’t see clearly since there was something obscuring his vision. He opened the suitcase and sticked a hoof out to reach whatever was blocking is sight. He grasped a piece of paper and tore it away. Back inside he looked at the paper… and slammed his head to the padded wall of the suitcase. That was it! “I see you are looking for Scootaloo, right?” Silence. “Girls?” More silence. He got nervous. He couldn’t shout or speak louder or somepony would notice him. “This is bad.” He suddenly heard a fast trotting coming his way. He peeked through the holes and saw Apple Bloom’s eyes staring back at him. Next thing he knew he felt the cart the suitcase was in to move. “Bits.” Apple Bloom demanded. “Here you go. Thanks!” Featherweight handed the bribe bits to her. “Now, what do you know about Scootaloo?” Apple Bloom asked, while Sweetie Belle pulled the cart. “More information once I’m in the train station. Try to leave me again and I won’t say a thing!” “That’s where we are heading, right Sweetie Belle?” “Yeah right, Ah’ll be the one interrogating while you are the pulling mule!” Sweetie Belle squeaked annoyed at her, imitating her accent. “At least 75 percent of what I’m pulling is your rump!” Apple Bloom looked at her tummy. Was she really that fat? Featherweight interrupted. “Right, in the meantime, I’ll brief you with this: the night before pegasi dropped the pamphlets over Ponyville, there was a secret reunion at Fluttershy’s house. You’ll never guess who was there.” Apple Bloom reacted quickly: “My gosh! Rainbow Dash?” “Exactly.” “What happened at that reunion?” “Couldn’t hear all of it but I can tell you this much: pegasi aren’t on the sky.” “Then where?” “Where Scootaloo is.” “Featherwight!” “Sorry, can’t tell you that until I’m sure I’m inside the train bound to the Crystal Empire. And don’t close my eyeholes.” Apple Bloom had her cheeks red with frustration, and then gave up. “Argh, fine!" After a few minutes, the station could be seen in the distance. “Why did you bother investigating that? Did you knew that anypony, especially those earth-kissers will do anything for that information?” “My great-uncle had this hunch, that pegasi were up to something, and he commissioned me to check it out. Once I had this information and passed it up to him he confirmed his suspicions.” “Will he make it public?” “That was his intention at first, but when he gave me the mission I’m going now, he told me to give that information to somepony which I trust.” She looked at the suitcase. “And you choose us?” “Well if I’m entrusting my whole being hoping that you will sneak me to the station, then I think I can say I trust you right? If I trust you, then I can give it away with no fear. Besides, it must be awful to know that a dear friend of yours is missing.” “No kiddin’” “I know you three have been the best of friends since day one. It wouldn’t be fair of me to keep quiet.” - Ponyville Train Staition. Evening. “Hey, we are here. Quiet you two.” whispered Sweetie Belle as they entered the waiting hallway. Apple Bloom jumped off the cart and joined her friend. “The train bound to the Crystal Empire will leave in ten minutes!” a conductor was heard shouting. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle sprinted to him, dragging the suitcase with them. The speed flipped it to a side. “Ow.” “Good afternoon, ladies. Is that your luggage?” “Yes sir!” Sweetie Belle answered. Just a few girls stuff. “I see, well can you show me your tickets?” “Oh my, let me see…I think I lost them!” “…where are your parents or an adult I can talk with?” the conductor asked suspiciously. “Oh look, I have them right here!” “Well I still need an adult to confirm that…oh” he said as he was handed two bills of five hundred bits. “You are too young to be running away from home. Can’t say I approve it….” Apple Bloom showed him some puppy eyes. So did Sweetie Belle. “…can’t stay in the way of love. On board little ladies, this earns your luggage an inspection-free pass.”, finally said with a wink, folding the bills in his pocket. A sturdy pony grabbed the suitcase and went towards the luggage wagon where it tossed it. Sweetie Belle gave a pained expression when she heard the suitcase loudly crashing into the rest of the luggage. After this, they were on board. They ran towards the luggage wagon to find Featherweight. In the way Apple Bloom finally asked: “Did the conductor just said…?” “Yeah” “Because he thinks that you and I…” “Oh yeah he did.” She blushed a bit. Then she laughed. “What a dummy.” They sneaked inside the luggage wagon and searched for Featherweight.“Featherwight!” Sweetie Belle whispered loudly, if it was even possible. “Owwwww….” a pained moan was heard from the suitcase. “What the hell was that?” “You are now inside the train, and it will leave soon. Now tell us as you promised.” “Right, about that.”, he answered, still dizzy. “Come on, we need to get off in time before the train leaves!” Sweetie Belle urged. “Remember when you said that those earth-kissers would do anything for this information?”, Featherwight began. “Yes.” “Well, three things before I tell you: one, don’t tell anypony else about it; two, keep in mind that pegasi don’t want to be found. If they catch you, you won’t be able to leave; and three: please DON’T’ let anypony follow you.” The two fillies looked at eachother and nodded. “Got it. Anything else?” A whistle was heard and the train slowly began to move. “Oh BUCK! Featherweight, come on!” The suitcase opened and Featherwight handed Apple Bloom a piece of paper. It was Scootaloo’s poster with some scribbling behind. It looked like a sketchy map. “There you go. Don’t trail off or you’ll be lost!” He closed the suitcase and secured himself in. The train slowly increased the speed. It was time to make a jump. Apple Bloom looked at the map. it didn't look like anywhere she knew. “What the hay, Featherweight! Where are we supposed to search?” “Your house, Apple Bloom!” “What?” “Two miles south! Don’t let the mist to confuse you!” “We gotta jump now!” Sweetie Belle squeaked, as she climbed a plie of luggage that leaded to a window. “Remember what I said you two, and thanks!” “Thank you Featherweight. We owe you big time.” And yelling, they jumped off the train as it headed full speed to the Crystal Empire. “Where are we heading now?”, asked Sweetie Belle, panting. “Looks like we’ll have a sleepover in my house.”, she answered, looking at the map. Finally they ran off the station heading to Sweet Apple Acres, as they where watched closely by Stainmudd. - Friendship Express Train. Evening. Inside the suitcaise Featherweight heard clearly the announcement: Thank you for choosing the Friendship Express! You are on board of the train heading to the Crystal Empire with a stop on Canterlot. Enjoy your trip! He sighed in relief. After making himself comfortable as the small space inside offered he picked an envelope from inside his bag. He tore it and pulled a folder with a letter of instructions. Hello, Son. The reason of this much secrecy is because of the delicate nature of the information you have to get, and because the stability of Equestria is at stake now, so you must protect that information at all costs. Do not worry, I have confidence of you, but do not take any unnecessary risks. Love you boy. Uncle Phony. Featherweight rolled his eyes. “Unnecessary risks, right.” He turned the page and he felt a cold shiver. Mission: Stick to Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and follow her every move. EVERY MOVE. Find any chance to photograph her and take it. Captain Shining Armor is suspecting adultery. Any time she leaves her palace you must follow. Everypony who speaks to her is a suspect. Overlook nothing. Secondary mission: While The Princess is priority, try to observe any suspicious activity from the captain as well and take any chance to photograph him. Third mission: Keep yourself from being caught. “This is going to be fun. Life-threatening fun.” Featherweight thought with a smirk.