//------------------------------// // A Town of Lies // Story: The Umbra Queen // by Car Cloth //------------------------------// “What’s going on here?” Sweetie Belle’s ears perked up when she heard Spike’s voice. Spike! Please find me! Sweetie Belle tried to move around, but one of the other fillies sat on the bag, trapping her underneath their weight. “Nothing, we’re just playing games,” Babs answered. “In the rain?” “It’s… fun in the rain.” Sweetie Belle tried to wiggle her way out but her head was still hurting and it was difficult to focus. Please see that they’re acting weird, Spike! You’ve known them for years! You must see something is wrong! “What’s in the bag?” Spike asked skeptically. Sweetie Belle could hear him moving closer. “The bag?” Scootaloo questioned, buying time to think of an excuse. “It’s, uh, a surprise!” “A surprise for whom?” “For Sweetie Belle! She’s going to meet us at our clubhouse! We were taking it there, weren’t we, girls?” “Yeah!” Babs and Apple Bloom answered in unison. “We better hurry! We don’t want our gift to get too soaked!” “Wait,” Spike said, tension in his voice. “I thought I heard Sweetie Belle yelling… That’s why I came running over here… Are you sure the three of you haven’t seen her? She might be in trouble…” I am in trouble! Please, Spike! Please don’t leave! Sweetie Belle bucked with her all her might, kicking the pony on top of her. It must have been enough because she heard Spike take another step closer. “Is the surprise alive?” Spike asked. Babs nervously laughed. “It’s, uh, a bunny. A cute little bunny. We, er, borrowed it… from some pony else. To play with. Like normal foals.” “Yes, like normal foals,” Apple Bloom awkwardly repeated. Sweetie Belle closed her eyes and honed in on her magic. If only she could loosen the rope around her mouth… Although she had a splitting headache, she managed to focus just enough to pull the restraint off. “SPIKE!” she immediately gasped. “Please help me!” “Sweetie Belle!?” Spike growled. “What’re you three doing to her!?” “Dang,” Babs spat. “We’ll have to get the dragon too…” Everything suddenly became hot and through the sack Sweetie Belle could see a bright green light. Spike was breathing fire all over the surrounding area; fire hot enough to burn despite the rain. Much to her surprise, the sack she was in was effortlessly picked up and she was being carried away. “Don’t let him get away!” Babs yelled. Sweetie Belle could hear Spike breathing and panting as he ran, zigzagging through town until he eventually stopped. He leaned against the sack and whispered, “Shh! I don’t think they saw me run in here…” Although Sweetie Belle couldn’t see anything outside her sack, she could hear ponies galloping by, most likely her friends. Once the clopping of hooves had passed, Spike opened up the bag and pulled Sweetie Belle out. “Are you okay?” he asked in concern. “I am now,” she breathed, taking a moment to stand. “Thank you, Spike… You rescued me…” “It was nothin’,” he commented, kicking the ground in modesty. “But now we need to tell Twilight what’s going on!” “I was running to her castle when they grabbed me! C’mon! It’s not far!” “Twilight isn’t there,” Spike said, grabbing her leg in order to stop her from running out into the street. “She went to Rarity’s boutique!” Rarity’s boutique is all the way across town, Sweetie Belle lamented. She quickly looked around. “Isn’t this the bakery? The one run by the Cake’s?” “Well, yeah,” Spike said, examining the wall. “So what?” “Let’s go in and tell them! The more ponies we have with us the less lightly we’ll be overtaken by Babs, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo!” “O-okay.” They both ran around the side of the building and straight for the front door. Without knocking they burst into the shop area and ran for the counter. Mrs. Cake was decorating a set of cupcakes, but looked up the instant Sweetie Belle entered. “Mrs. Cake! Something terrible is happening! Please come with us, for everypony’s safety!” Mrs. Cake nodded. “Of course, dear. Whatever you say.” Spike grabbed Sweetie Belle and pulled her back. “Where’s Mr. Cake?” “Mr. Cake? Well, he’s right behind you.” Sweetie Belle turned and saw Mr. Cake holding a butcher knife. Shocked and panicked, Sweetie Belle was frozen in place as Mr. Cake brought the knife up with his mouth in order to stab down. Spike wasn’t as afraid. He breathed green fire all over Mr. Cake, vanishing the knife as though it were a scroll. Grabbing Sweetie Belle, he ran from the shop and pushed Mr. Cake out of the way in one single lunge. “We can’t trust anypony!” he yelled. “We just have to make it to Twilight on our own!” Sweetie belle was impressed by Spike’s strength and ability to keep running despite the fact he was carrying her. “Everypony can’t be affected by this curse or spell, can they?” “I don’t know, but I don’t want to take any chances!” Spike groaned, running as fast as his dragon legs would carry him. Like moths drawn to a flame, the citizens of Ponyville began to exit their houses in droves. They were glaring at Sweetie Belle and Spike, some even running toward them with dark smiles. Two Pegasus swooped out of the sky through the rain, trying to grab Sweetie Belle off Spike’s back. “Hang on to me!” Spike commanded. “I’ll protect you!” Even though he was already breathing heavily, Spike picked up his speed. Earth ponies were running after them, some with weapons or objects of restraint. A group of unicorns stepped out in front of them, the whole town coordinating to somehow block them from getting to Rarity’s boutique. Spike barreled through, only partially slowed by their dark green magic. In order to avoid the town ponies, Spike ducked into an alley and attempted to run and hide through the shadows. He placed Sweetie Belle down so they could move with guile. As they hustled through the rain-soaked backstreets, Sweetie Belle kept her head low to the ground and her eyes on the road ahead. Her vision was blurring and she thought she might actually be suffering from a concussion… “Uff!” Sweetie Belle stepped out and ran into another pony. She gasped and backed away, startled to see Diamond Tiara standing before her. “What’s your problem, blank-flank?” Diamond Tiara spat. “Watch where you’re going!” Silver Spoon was next to her, holding an umbrella for the two of them. She glared at Sweetie Belle, but since the umbrella handle was in her mouth, said nothing. Spike immediately jumped in between Sweetie Belle and the two fillies. “Stay back!” he growled. Sweetie Belle grabbed him. “Wait, Spike! They aren’t affected!” “Are you sure?” “Positive!” “Affected by what?” Diamond Tiara asked, swishing her mane over her shoulder. “Come on, speak up. I don’t want to catch a cold or something.” Sweetie Belle threw herself at the hooves of Diamond Tiara and groveled in front of her. “Please, Diamond! You need to help me! Run out into the street and tell the ponies there you saw me running for Twilight’s castle! Tell them you saw me with Spike! Please!” Diamond Tiara narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Why would I do that? What’s going on?” “Ponies are looking for me… I desperately need this… I’ll do anything!” Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara exchanged odd glances. Diamond Tiara let out a single pompous laugh. “You desperately need me to go tell ponies you’re running for Twilight’s? You really are an odd pony, Sweetie Belle.” “C’mon!” Spike said, also pleading with her. He clasped his clawed hands together. “I promise I’ll get you time with Twilight! In a public place! Where everypony can see!” “Really?” Diamond Tiara perked up. “All right. I’ll do it.” “Okay, but when you’re done, come to the boutique! Don’t stay with the other ponies,” Sweetie Belle warned. “Don’t even look them in the eyes! Something is wrong with them and you can’t let them know you know.” “Fine, fine, whatever,” Diamond Tiara huffed, barely paying attention to Sweetie Belle’s ramblings. “I’ll go to the boutique afterward.” “Thank you,” Sweetie Belle breathed, hugging Diamond Tiara. The other filly pushed her off, looking confused and offended. “Don’t ever touch me again.” “Whatever you say!” Sweetie Belle replied happily. Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara ran off toward the other ponies in the street. Like they said they would, both of them began yelling out that they had seen Sweetie Belle and Spike near Twilight’s castle. Just as Sweetie Belle suspected, all the ponies of the town began running that way, leaving the roads clear to Rarity’s boutique. Okay, we’re almost there… Just a little bit further and Twilight will be able to save us all!