Chapter 16: Desperate Crisis
This was a complete disaster. Who would've thought something like this could happen? And of all days, it had to be today!
"Princess!" —said somepony.
—"Yes?"
—"We've reached a total count."
—"How much?"
—"29."
—"29? Well, I'm relieved."
—"I'm sorry?"
—"I mean, I'm glad the number is low. It could've been worse."
—"Yes, indeed, your highness. Although I must say, I never thought I'd never see the day when a foaltale like this could turn out to be real. First Nightmare Moon, and now this."
—"I concur, private. Dismissed."
—"Aye!" —saluted the guard as he walked away to carry on with his duties.
—"Princess!" —another guard called. "We found something we think you'd like to see!"
With that cue, Princess Celestia turned and walked towards the guards who were just a few feet away from a corner. The building had sustained a lot of damage and the store on the bottom floor facing the opposite corner was left completely burned, its contents turned to ashes and black smoke still spewing out of it. With that kind of picture on the newspaper the next day, it was surprising that there were only 29 ponies injured.
—"What is it, sergeant?"
—"We found this lying on the floor."
The guard then handed her a brown Stetson, identical to the one a certain earth pony she knew always wore. She inspected it carefully, lifting it with her magic, and smelled it. Apples. It was definitely Applejack's hat. But what was she doing here? Wasn't she supposed to be back in Ponyville?
—"Any indication as to where its owner is?"
—"I'm afraid I don't know, your majesty."
—"Well, carry on then."
—"Princess!"
This was getting tiring and repetitive.
—"What is it now?"
—"The local authorities have captured a stallion. A local lifeguard. He says he knows who the one responsible for this was."
—"Where is he?"
—"He is being held in the local police headquarters."
—"Well, let's go then."
___
He waited for a very long time and was starting to get bored. Why had they caught him? His train of thought was suddenly interrupted.
"Here he is" —said a pony as he lifted his hoof as to signal the way for someone to enter.
At that moment arrived Princess Celestia herself, followed closely by her personal guards.
"Princess Celestia!" —he said as he bowed.
—"At ease, young colt."
He rose back to his hooves and looked at the royal alicorn before him.
"You say you know who caused this… Am I correct?"
—"Well, yes."
—"Can you tell me who it was?"
He thought for a moment before speaking.
—"Yes. It was a couple of… Mares."
—"A couple of mares?"
—"Yes. I just know it was them."
—"On what basis?"
—"Well… Um… Well, I don't know."
—"Then why are you making such an accusation?"
—"Because the moment I saw them I knew they were… Different."
—"How?"
He stayed silent for a moment. Should he say it? Would the princess understand? She should, seeing as how that other spoke the other day.
"Like they were not from here? Is that what you mean?"
Yes. That was a very good excuse.
—"Yes, your majesty."
—"Very well then. Can you describe them?"
—"Well, one was orange and wore a Stetson. The other one had a rainbow mane."
So her suspicions were correct.
—"Do you know where they might be?"
—"I'm sorry Princess. But I'm afraid I don't. Last time I saw them, they were on the edge of the Everfree Forest."
Then she connected the dots. A couple of reports also spoke of ponies going into the forest to hide. Could it be that they fled to the Everfree to shelter themselves? Great. Just great. Now the total toll was 29 injured and two disappeared.
—"Very well then. I am finished here."
Celestia ordered the young lifeguard to be released. She then approached one of her guards.
"Have all other police ponies and guards look for two mares on the Everfree Forest. Don't announce this to anypony. If you find them, then you can speak of it, but for now, let's just stay silent. We don't want to cause more panic than what we already have."
—"Understood."
—"Oh, and, captain?"
—"Yes, your majesty?"
—"Have this Stetson be delivered to the Apple Family on Ponyville as soon as possible."
Tomorrow was going to be a very hard day.
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She could hear her heart beating slowly. She was panting heavily and the whole world was a huge blur. Her head was a mess and she could barely make her brain work.
"Oops" —said a voice.
She then felt herself be launched upwards and fall on something.
"Ah'm sorry, Rainbow. It's just that it's mighty hard carrying ya while carrying mah saddlebags."
With that, Applejack adjusted Rainbow's weigh once more as she continued to walk through the Everfree. Her incredible sense of orientation guided her as she could picture a mental map of where she was going. She could not tell from one part of the Everfree from another, but she knew when she had turned wrong. She walked very slowly, careful not to step or trip on something, for if she was to do so, not only her leg would pay her back as she limped, but the limp pegasus on her back would fall, and she was in a delicate state, so sudden movements were out of the question for both. She continued her way carrying her friend in the back while sucking up the pain in her leg. Unsure of how long they had traveled, Applejack lowered Rainbow to the ground and tucked her inside a tree's roots big enough to hold them both and AJ's saddlebags.
"Come on, RD. Let's rest."
Applejack took out Rainbow's green blanket and draped it over them as sleep took her into a long slumber. One she hadn't experienced in quite some time.
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The Ponyville Express had its issue printed the next day, and news started circling all over the land about the Garkarog attack on Cape Howl. The final number was 29 injured ponies that were being attended in the local hospital. The Summer Sun Celebration had been canceled there, with the usual ceremonies taking place on the other cities of Equestria. Two days after that, the attack was all ponies could talk about, many not believing that these legendary birds would exist. A few other ponies were all over the newspapers being all presumptuous in their "See? I told you!" attitude. However, a few of the ponies that had returned from the Howl told about rumors of ponies that had disappeared into the Everfree Forest. This gossip spread like wildfire and soon found itself in Ponyville.
"Good morning Lilly!" —said Mrs. Cake.
—"Good morning Mrs. Cake! How is everypony?"
—"Oh, just the usual. Mr. Cake is putting the foals to sleep."
—"Good. How is Pinkie?"
—"Well, she's still depressed."
—"About what?"
—"Luna knows. She just started crying three days ago before the Summer Sun Celebration Eve."
—"Well, has she heard about the news?"
—"Not yet. She has hardly left her room ever since."
—"Well, I would count myself lucky. We've got a problem. Some of her friends were on Cape Howl at the time of the attack."
—"Really?"
—"Yes. Rainbow Dash left Ponyville because she caused the storm that made our Summer Sun Celebration all muddy. I figure she headed there."
—"Oh dear."
—"Yeah, and not only that. You know McIntosh's sister who also left Ponyville about four days ago?"
—"Applejack?"
Lilly then tossed Mrs. Cake the day's edition of the Ponyville Express with an article circled in red.
—"Killed in Cape Howl."
Mrs. Cake then looked like she could just collapse at any second.
—"How… How do you…?"
—"Some colt came by to ask for flowers the other day. Had a little chit chat with him, one thing led to another, and we soon found ourselves talking about the attack. He said he was on the crowd when the bird started throwing fireballs and saw a blue pegasus with a multi-colored mane and an orange earth pony with a brown Stetson."
—"Well, that sure sounds like Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Do you think the Apples know?"
—"No, I don't think so… They'll know, alright. But at least not yet. If I were you I'd better not tell them."
—"Shouldn't we do it? As their friends?"
—"And how do you think they would react?"
Mrs. Cake stood behind the counter expressionless. She was obviously thinking if telling Granny Smith or McIntosh was a good idea at all. Lilly was right, they had no idea how they would react, especially if Mrs. Cake told them rather than, say, the mayor or Princess Celestia herself.
—"So what should we do?"
—"At least stay silent until the news is confirmed. We don't want the Apples to freak out, or even worse, Pinkie Pie and her friends."
—"Well, that is true."
Lilly then got down to business and bought two cakes and a box of doughnuts. Mrs. Cake was still shocked by the news Lilly had given her, and she still thought about the pink party pony that had locked herself upstairs. She returned to work with a sigh and refilled the counter with more sweets.
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It was already dark and she was hungry. Her sniffles would still sound every once in a while as she tried to get over the events that had haunted her in that fateful day. She didn't know how much time had passed She stood up and looked around. Darkness. Nothing but darkness. Still, she had found a way to memorize the path and got around it with ease. She arrived to her destination and held out a hoof. Nothing. Had she ran out? She turned and got down the stairs as she made her way to the kitchen.
Pinkie Pie opened up the fridge and took out a midnight snack. She looked up and down and found a slice of cake that was left from earlier in the day. She placed it in a plate and poured herself a glass of milk. She put her supper on the table and began eating, when all of a sudden she found a bunch of papers she hadn't seen. She got near and could find a big red circle over one article of what she had realized to be not a stack of papers but rather a newspaper.
(Continued from page 2) Reported only 29 injured on yesterday's attack. Although authorities have been silent on the subject, there have been rumors going on about ponies disappearing into the Everfree Forest. How many of them have gone is uncertain. Princess Celestia is still busy from all the trouble caused and has yet to release a statement.
And then she felt it. Twitchy eye. Danger.
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"Pinkie! Come out!" —implored Twilight. Silence.
"Come on! It's the Summer Sun Celebration and only Fluttershy, Rarity and I are available. Come on out!"
—"Pinkie Pie, please, dear. We've been worried about you for quite some time. Applejack and Rainbow Dash are not here, so we are only missing you. We certainly don't want a dull Celebration going on" —said Rarity.
None of those statements could make her come out.
—"Um… Pinkie?" —said a shy voice.
"I know it's hard for you to get out without either Applejack or Rainbow to chat, but you're important to… us. Please, please come out."
Finally they seemed to give up.
—"Come on girls. Let's go. Let's just hope Applejack is having fun with Rainbow Dash in Cape Howl."
Applejack and Rainbow Dash were in the Howl? Good. They might as well get struck by a tsunami while they're there. Only that can make a small fraction of the sadness she felt.
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Regretting her previous attitude of two days ago, Pinkie felt once again as if her whole world crumbled underneath her as guilt gripped her. With nothing else on her mind, she could just utter a heartbreaking scream that would awaken the Cakes and their foals as they found three crying ponies they desperately tried to console.