//------------------------------// // Unexpected detour // Story: Mind Games // by Brolkier //------------------------------// Around dusk, on-board a train at the station in Ponyville. Twilight and Spike waited on board for the train to leave for its next destination. After learning about the poorly thought out plan to stop Chrysalis, Twilight knew that their first priority would have to shift from helping their friends, to keeping all the ponies of Canterlot safe. “What’s taking so long? There’s not even anypony here to get on the train.” Twilight asked aloud. “They said they needed to get more coal to make it to Canterlot. It shouldn’t be much longer.” Spike told Twilight. “Well I hope they finish soon. We need to get to Canterlot if we want to stop Chrysalis from drinking that potion.” Twilight replied. “You know, in any other circumstance that probably wouldn’t be a bad idea.” Spike spoke. “I know, but not while she’s in Canterlot. There are too many innocent ponies there that could get hurt if she lost control of her changelings. Besides; its one thing to use poison joke to play a prank on somepony, but it’s another thing to use it in a way that could cause somepony serious harm, even if it is Chrysalis.” Twilight replied. As they continued to wait for the train to move, Spike looked out the window and saw Rainbow Dash flying nearby. “Hey look! It’s Rainbow Dash!” Spike told Twilight, before opening up the window to call out to Rainbow Dash. “Hey! Rainbow Dash! Over here!” Spike’s shouting caught her attention, and Rainbow Dash flew down alongside the train window. “There you guys are. I’ve been looking forever for you two. Where have you been?” Rainbow Dash spoke to her friends. “We got sidetracked by Trixie and the Flim Flam Brothers, but no time for that. We need to hurry and get to Canterlot.” Twilight told Rainbow Dash. “Huh? How come? I thought we were trying to help Pinkie Pie and Rarity remember who they were?” Rainbow Dash asked. “We still need to help them, but I’m afraid this takes precedence. There’s been a plan, although poorly thought out, to try and stop Chrysalis, but it puts all of the ponies in Canterlot in danger as well.” Twilight replied. “So what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Rainbow Dash responded, about to take off ahead of them. “We can’t.” Spike told Rainbow Dash. “Why not?” Rainbow Dash asked. “We’re still waiting for the train to leave again. They needed to restock on coal.” Spike answered. “Besides Rainbow Dash, I’d prefer it if you rode with us this time. I know you could get to Canterlot in no time, but things are a lot more serious this time, and I wouldn’t want you to cause a panic when you get there.” Twilight told Rainbow Dash “Oh, alright. I guess that makes sense.” Rainbow Dash replied. “I guess I better get a ticket then.” She spoke, flying over the train to the station on the other side. “No need to anymore Rainbow Dash.” Spike told Rainbow Dash as she landed, poking his head out the window. “Turns out, you don’t need to buy tickets for the train anymore.” “What? Why wouldn’t they make us buy tickets?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Apparently, since Chrysalis took over, she made all of the train rides in Equestria free.” Twilight answered. “And why would she do that?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I suppose it goes along with those Friendship Councils that you talked about before you turned back to normal. If Chrysalis wanted to drain as much love as she could, from as many ponies as possible all over Equestria, then it wouldn’t make sense to have a ticket fee if it kept ponies from being able to reach her.” Twilight explained. “That sounds…kinda nice actually.” Rainbow Dash replied, confused at the logic. “I know it does, but it still doesn’t change the fact that we need to stop her. We’ll just take advantage of it while we can.” Twilight told Rainbow Dash. Just then, the train whistle started to blow, as the conductor stuck his head out the window to call “All aboard!” “Alright, let’s go!” Rainbow Dash spoke, as she hopped through the window to get on. The train slowly started to pull away from the station, as it made its way towards the group’s next destination, Canterlot. /)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\ Meanwhile, inside Town Hall. Sweetie Belle and Derpy had returned, after chasing after the “evil Unicorn” and her pet dragon. They explained how they had chased after them, until they lost their trail. “And then they just disappeared. We looked all over town, but we couldn’t find them anywhere. Sorry Rarity.” Sweetie Belle told her sister, giving her a sad face. “Well, I suppose you two did do your best. We didn’t exactly have an easy time dealing with those other rapscallions ourselves.” Rarity replied. “I must say that I didn’t expect to get lectured in such a fashion. I couldn’t even move the entire time she was speaking.” Mayor Mare spoke. “Indeed. It was most unladylike, if not terrifying.” Rarity added. “The Unicorn and her dragon were calling for Pinkie Pie while we were chasing them, maybe we could ask her if she knows where they went.” Sweetie Belle asked. “No. As much as I would like to figure out what all of that was about, I don’t think talking to that walking sugar rush is going to help us at all. Rainbow Dash did say something about them trying to stop Queen Chrysalis, but I don’t understand why. She and the Wonderbolts have been loyal to Queen Chrysalis for years. It just seems odd that she would betray her majesty’s trust like that.” Rarity replied. “I also still find it strange that Fluttershy of all ponies would be helping them. From the few times I’ve seen her, she doesn’t seem like the type to really help anypony. She didn’t even seem that kind to Braeburn, and he’s from Appleloosa as well.” Mayor Mare added. “I suppose so. Though perhaps they found some way to reason with her.” Rarity replied. “Or maybe they tricked her?” Derpy asked. “That is also a possibility, although I’m not sure how they would do it.” Rarity answered. “What about asking the Gypsy Zecora? She was the one who captured the evil Unicorn and her dragon the first time.” Sweetie Belle spoke. “She lives out in the Everfree forest for a reason Sweetie Belle. It’s not exactly the kind of place the most ponies go to after all. Besides, how do we know that she didn’t just let them go, or give them a means to convince Fluttershy to help them? She is a gypsy after all.” Rarity responded. All the ponies continued to think about what to do for a minute, pondering on whether they should look for Pinkie as well, go talk to the Gypsy Zebra, or do nothing. Finally, after a few minutes of thinking, Mayor Mare spoke up. “I say we go and see what the Gypsy has to say.” Mayor Mare told the group. “Hmm, I suppose your right Mayor, although I just hope she doesn’t live in filth.” Rarity replied, before turning to speak to Derpy. “Derpy dear, would you mind watching the Town Hall while we’re gone?” “Oh, uh…sure.” Derpy replied. “Alright, let’s get going then. The moon is almost out, and I would like to get my beauty sleep. Come along Sweetie Belle.” Rarity spoke. “Okay sis.” Sweetie Belle replied. Mayor Mare, Rarity, and Sweetie Belle exited the Town Hall, while Derpy watched from the door. “Oh, I wanted to help to.” Derpy spoke to herself, looking down at the stairs. “By the way Derpy, there are fresh muffins on my desk in my office!” Mayor Mare called back to Derpy, putting a big smile on Derpy’s face. /)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\ Around the time of Chrysalis’ abduction, up in Cloudsdale. Spitfire lay asleep in her bed in her office, until a loud knocking at her door woke her up. “Captain Spitfire! Captain Spitfire!” Scootaloo called from outside the door. “Aww jeez.” Spitfire moaned to herself. “What is it squirt?” She called to the filly outside the door. “Twitters stopped by with another message!” Scootaloo replied. Hearing Scootaloo mention her double-agent’s name, prompted her to finally get out of bed. Spitfire walked over and opened the door. “What did he have to say?” Spitfire asked. “It’s really bad news Captain Spitfire! Really, really bad news!” Scootaloo replied. “What is it!?” Spitfire asked. “Twitters said that Soarin went missing, and that Queen Chrysalis has been ponynapped!” Scootaloo told Spitfire. A dumbstruck look came over Spitfire’s face, at the news of Chrysalis. “What!? How? What happened!?” Spitfire asked. “He said that Soarin was flying around outside the palace, when he got caught in a magic sphere, and disappeared!” Scootaloo replied. “Not Soarin, what happened to the Queen!?” Spitfire asked. “Oh, uh, Twitters said that she was ponynapped by a blue Unicorn.” Scootaloo answered. “Trixie! I knew we shouldn’t have trusted that little fraud! She’s going to ruin everything!” Spitfire thought to herself. “What should we do Captain?” Scootaloo asked, getting Spitfire’s attention once more. “I don’t know what we could do to help find the Queen at this hour, but I have an idea of who might know something.” Spitfire replied. “Who?” Scootaloo asked. “A couple of con-ponies that work in Rainbow Falls. I get the feeling that they’ll definitely have some clue as to what’s going on here.” Spitfire told Scootaloo, before walking back into her office. “Keep an eye on things around here Scootaloo, I’m going to go have a word with those two.” Spitfire told Scootaloo, as she grabbed her goggles and put on her Wonderbolts suit. “Yes ma’am!” Scootaloo replied, giving a salute. “I might not be back for a while, so try not to fall asleep while I’m gone.” Spitfire told Scootaloo, before taking off into the night’s sky. “You got it!” Scootaloo called out to Captain Spitfire, giving another salute. Scootaloo sat down in front of Captain Spitfire’s office, staying diligently alert for anypony who might come by. This lasted for all of five minutes, until she felt her eyelids start to get heavy, and fell asleep on the floor in front of the door. As Spitfire flew further and further away from Cloudsdale, she started going over everything in her head. Her hard worked plan seemed ruined, and fixing it wasn’t going to be an easy task. “This isn’t what was supposed to happen at all! They were supposed to make sure that the love poison made it into Canterlot, and that Chrysalis found it, not just up and abduct her! What does that little showboat think she’s doing! Those brothers better not have made a deal with her to change our plans! Although, I wouldn’t put it past them.” Spitfire thought to herself. Spitfire continued to fly through the sky, trying to find a way to salvage what was left of the original plan. “Gah! Nothing is lining up, and with Soarin missing, his use as a scapegoat is practically gone. Didn’t I tell him to go to the Queen’s chambers? He should have been able to find it easily.” Spitfire spoke aloud. Spitfire thought about things a little more, until she took a deep breath, realizing what she had to do. She turned around in the air, and headed back to Cloudsdale. “The original plan is a bust. With Chrysalis and Soarin missing, I’ll have to rely on my Plan B. I’ll send Twitters into Canterlot, have him pose as Soarin, and try to retrieve the love poison. One way or another, I’ll get that poison to that changeling, and end this.” Spitfire thought to herself. Spitfire flew back towards Cloudsdale to track down Twitters, whether he was in his disguise or not, she knew how to find him. After tracking Twitters down, and telling him of her new plan; Spitfire once again made her way to Rainbow Falls, picking up speed to make up for lost time.