Though she was exhausted from the days journey, Twilight's concern for Rainbow Dash's safety along with the flood of emotions from the horrors she had witnessed kept her from sleeping. Through out the night Twilight checked on Rainbow Dash's condition. Her wound was festering. Blackened veins could be seen through her fur splaying from the wound. As bacteria ate her flesh a smell of cheese permeated the air in the tent. With out more advanced medical treatment the infection would eventually consume her. For the moment she was sleeping and Twilight found some comfort in that.
That morning, after the supplies had been packed, Twilight addressed the other ponies. “We need to get Rainbow back to Ponyville. She will not survive unless she gets some treatment. I would like Rarity and Fluttershy to bring her to the hospital. Rarity can carry her and Fluttershy can help with the creatures in the forest. Pinky, Apple Jack and I will continue to the City of Lost Children.” Twilight had half expected to receive retorts from the group, however they complied with out question. “The journey back to Ponyville will take the better portion of the day so take some supplies with you.”
“She will never make it you know”, Stalic's voice appeared.
“RD is stronger than you think”, Apple Jack shouted.
“RD is stronger than you think! Hyuck Huyck”, Stalic responded mockingly in an over embellished southern accent. “I am the maw of my sister! Hyuck! Hyuck!” Apple Jack blushed and looked down bashfully.
“Just ignore him, he is wasting our time”, Twilight said to the ponies.
“Just ignore him” Salic's voice said half in surprise and half mocking, “You should be listening to me. After all, I control the lives of two dear princesses. I might say something important.”
“Unless you are going to give us a cure, I have no interest in talking to you”, Twilight said.
“Nope no cure, but I do have some tips that can help you. That is if you want my help”, Stalic said.
Twilight did not respond to Stalic. She looked to Fluttershy and Rarity who had packed some supplies for the trip back. They simply nodded to Twilight knowing that Stalic would hear anything the would say. Not giving him the satisfaction, Twilight nodded back. With out sharing words the three ponies left back to Ponyville.
“Well if that is the way you are going to be then I will just talk to you. See, one of the cool things about these nanites is that you can't block the sweet sweet sound of my voice. There are things I want to say, but I am afraid I am a very busy man so I will make it quick”, Stalic said. There was some other noise in the background of the transmission this time. If Twilight were to guess it sounded like shuffling papers. “Right, so don't be fooled by the name of the city. It may be full of lost children, but they are swindling back stabbing corrupt mud eaters. Most of the inhabitants ended up there as children, neglected, broken, forgotten; only to grow up in a society with out rules and regulations.
It is fascinating to study. Even in anarchy, the population managed to come together to build a large city. The city is infested by three large gangs. The Clicklids, the Yumitudes, and the Twisted Carnival. You really don't need to know much about them except for the fact that if any of them find you they will probably kill you. Ponies have often been a source of sadistic fun for these gangs.
That brings me to my next point. You need to get to the Inn run by Clyde Sandersun as quickly as possible. He is an undercover agent of mine doing studies from the inside. His Inn is located in Twisted Carnival territory marked by the flesh of their enemies hanging from the lamp posts. You will need to deliver a box to him that is located outside of the main gate. I will let you know what rock to look under to get the box. If you give it to him he will let you into the underground passage to my Lab of Life. Catchy name is it not.
Ah, well look at the time. I am on the verge of something that is well beyond the cusp of invention. It is unlike anything you have ever seen. It is truly awe-inspiring, a wonder to behold.
I am rambling again. Fulgrim! To the lab!”
The communication between the ponies and Stalic was terminated. Twilight noticed a numbing feeling in her mind. She rubbed her forehead with her hoof. Apple Jack and Pinky were doing the same.
Twilight chuckled a bit still rubbing her head, “So anypony find that as mind numbing as me?”
“Oooh, I never have had a brain ache like this like this since the all you could eat ice cream party at Sugar Cube Corner”, Pinky Pie said.
“You mean head ache right Pinky”, Apple Jack said.
“Head ache? No silly my head is fine. It is my brain that hurts”, Pinky Pie responded. Apple Jack hung her head content not to argue the point with Pinky Pie.
Apple Jack still pulled the cart as they advanced towards the City of Lost Children. The path they were on cut through the endless field of grass like a snake. It swerved over the countless rolling hills. The path was well maintained although it looked hardly used. The grass along the edge of the path was well manicured, cut short and even. The path itself was smooth with out ruts or washboards.
“Under different circumstances, Ah think Ah would like to come back here”, Apple Jack said as she looked side to side partially looking at the scenery, partly looking for enemies.
Talking was kept to a minimum as they walked along. There was a silent consensus that the less that Stalic knew the better. Twilight hoped that he couldn't read the thoughts that she was thinking. She was constantly coming up with plans, trying to figure out what was in store.
As they walked along the crisp clean air became thick with an industrial fog. The smell of burning chemicals became more potent as the smog became thick. Large crude walls of twisted pipes formed a wall around the city. The dilapidated state of the city was a stark contrast to the field the ponies had just traveled through. Their progress was halted by a gate that was chained closed despite only hanging on one of one of the hinges.
“Hey Twilight”, Stalic's voice said. Twilight did not respond. “Awww, come on. Don't be that way. We can still be friends.”
The way his snide voice came over the transmission made Twilight's temper burn, “You and I will never be friends. You have poisoned the princesses, killed Zecora, really hurt Rainbow Dash, and told hurtful lies about my friends. On top of all of that you are making us go through all these games to get the cure. No, you and I will never be friends!”
“Well first off, Apple...”, Stalic was cut off by Twilight.
“First off nothing! You are a horrible disgusting creature, hurting ponies for your own sadistic pleasure!”
“Oh, please tell me how you really feel”, Stalic said sarcastically. “Now to your right there is a large round rock. Under that is a hole and in the hole is a supply box for Clyde. You will deliver this to him or I will have some more of my, how did you put it, 'sadistic fun'.”
There was a ring of small sized rocks to the right of Twilight. One of the rocks was conspicuously larger than the other ones. Under the assumption that this is where Stalic had hid the supply box, Twilight used her magic to move the rock. As promised there was an olive drab metal box in a hole under the rock. Twilight discarded the rock to investigate the box.
The box was simple enough. A clamp on the front kept the box closed while a hinge on the back of the lid only allowed the box to be open from the front. There was yellow words painted on either side of the box that Twilight was unable to distinguish, however, the words on the top of the box were written in a language that Twilight understood and it read “Clyde's Supplies”.
“Well, aren't you going to open it”, Apple Jack asked sounding almost impatient.
“It might be a trap”. Twilight said still trying to make out the writing on the box.
“Or that might be what he wants you to think and inside is really the cure. We will have it until we reach Stalic and he will be like”, Pinky Pie said changing her voice to mimic Stalic's voice, “Ha Twilight! You had the cure all along.”
“I don't think provoking Stalic is a good idea Pinky”, Twilight responded putting the box in the cart Apple Jack was pulling. “Besides, I want to meet Stalic. I will make sure that something like this never happens again.”