//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 - The Escape // Story: Pinkamena: The Dark Descent // by Wolokai //------------------------------// Chapter 3…The Escape Scootaloo was zooming down the street with blinding speed, weaving in and out of crowds of Ponies with a fit of giggling laughter. It was her turn today to tidy up the clubhouse for the Crusaders, and if she didn’t hurry, she’d miss the party at Sugar Cube Corner by the time the cleaning had been done. She turned onto the road towards Sweet Apple Acres but suddenly skidded to a stop, eyes slightly wide at the sight in front of her. Pinkie Pie was running with a speed she never knew an Earth Pony could possess, with an unconscious, red hoofed Fluttershy on her back, bouncing along in time with Pinkie’s galloping. The tiny orange filly took a few glances back towards the far side of Ponyville, and blinked in surprise when she saw several Royal Guards taking to the skies, searching high and low for something. There was definitely something fishy going on, and Scootaloo decided it would be best to follow Pinkie to see what was going on. She flared her tiny wings and beat them fast, the scooter quickly picking up speed and propelling her forward rapidly. Pinkie Pie had found the clubhouse easily enough, as she had a tea party with the girls here not too long ago, just for fun. She burst into the door, looking around frantically for her saddlebags. She had left them here for Sweetie Belle to play with and examine, saying she wanted to study the stitching so she could help Rarity in the boutique (Because apparently saddlebags were in this season). She found them laying in a nearby corner and she quickly rushed over to them, checking their contents. She found them empty and sighed, looking around for a pencil and paper. The Crusaders had a few arts and crafts supplies strewn about, and she quickly picked up a crayon and rushed over to the table, forgetting the paper and simply writing on the wood. She started to sob as she wrote, her writing streaks frantic and rushed. It was during this time that Scootaloo poked her head in the front window, observing Pinkie Pie in her panicked state. She silently crept into the clubhouse, heading for the saddlebags. She didn’t know what Pinkie Pie was up to, but whatever it was, she wanted to figure it out. Maybe she could investigate Pinkie Pie’s distress, and see if she could do anything to help! This could even be her chance for a Cutie Mark! “Cutie Mark Crusader Investigators, YEAH!” She thought with glee, gently and quietly slipping into the saddlebags. Pinkie Pie finished her scrawl, hastily picking up the saddlebags, not even noticing the change of weight. She heaved them on and bolted back out the front door as she heard Royal Guards shouting the distance, coming closer and closer. Meanwhile, at Sweet Apple Acres, the Royal Guards shouted at the big, Red Stallion, Big Macintosh, who looked just as pissed as the Royal Guard, probably because of their manners. “You’re SURE you didn’t see a Pink Mare pass by here? The Party Pony?” shouted one Royal Guard, receiving only a shake of the work horse’s head and a neutral toned “Eee…nope” Beside him, Applebloom stood, scratching her noggin and mumbling up at her big brother “Um…Macintosh, are they talking bout’ Pinkie Pie? She had a tea party with us at the clubhouse a few days ago, right? Why do the guards want to talk…” But at hearing this, the Royal Guards’ wings flared and one shouted “The clubhouse! Where is it located!?” Big Macintosh simply pointed a hoof in its direction and watched with wonder as they blasted off without another word. Applejack trotted up, tipping her hat back with a stunned expression and a loud shout “Well what in the hay was that all about? Ya’ll done stirred up trouble again?” Big Macintosh simply shook his head and looked in the direction of the clubhouse and sighed “Eee…nope. I don’t reckon’ it’s us the guards are ah lookin’ for…” The Guards burst through the trees, coming across the clubhouse, a lone scooter and matching helmet parked by the tree the house rested on. The door was bucked in and moments later the two guards rushed inside, looking about but finding nopony. One of the guards swore loudly but suddenly looked over to his companion who shouted “SIR! Over here, the table!” The guard walked over and blinked in surprise, reading the red letters etched with crayon on the table. I am innocent, oh please believe me I am innocent!!! Please let Fluttershy go, she didn’t do anything! Please, Twilight, find the truth!!! BELIEVE ME!!! – Pinkie Pie Moments later, Inspector Trottington came rushing in as well, a very confused Applejack and more guards following. Applejack panted, shouting loudly “Now just what in TARNATION are ya’ll doing on Apple Family Property! We done already been inspected this month Trottington, so if you think you’re going to condemn my little sister’s clubhouse then you’re buckin’ up the wrong tree!” at this Trottington snarled and rounded on Applejack “SHUT UP you hic’! I’m hunting a MURDERER and your silly talk is not helping at all!” Applejack glared at Trottington and muttered darkly “Aww HAY no! You did not just call me…” She was cut off as Trottington shouted to the guards “Where did she go!? Where is she!?” He read the message on the table quickly as no one had answered him and turned only when a guard called out from outside. The ponies inside rushed to the windows and peered their heads outside, seeing a guard examining a scooter and helmet. Applejack gasped and shouted “That’s SCOOTALOO’S scooter! What in the hay is that doing here!?” The color seemed to drain from Trottington’s face as she practically shrieked “Good heavens alert the entire guard!!! She’s PONYNAPPED A FILLY! Inform Canterlot at once, we need everypony to help search for them!” the ponies all darted out of the clubhouse except Applejack, who could only sit on her haunches, dumbfounded. Someone ponynapped Scootaloo? Who in the sam hell would want to ponynap a poor little filly…it was unheard of in Equestria! She needed to get to Twilight and find out just what in the world was going on. Meanwhile, in the Everfree Forest, Pinkie Pie’s straight, smooth hair had been pelted with twigs and loose leaves from trees. She refused to stop, even with her body on fire from so much exertion and adrenaline. She couldn’t stop, she couldn’t STOP! Fluttershy was in serious danger and there was no telling what the Guards would do if they caught up to them. At the very thought of her name, Fluttershy let out a tiny squeak and began to wake up. Pinkie stopped suddenly and knelt, turning her head to her friend and panting heavily, shouting frantically “Fluttershy…Fluttershy! Wake up, please wake up it’s an emergency!” Fluttershy groaned and opened her eyes, mumbling “What…huh?” Pinkie Pie gently slid her off her back and turned to face her friend, crying frantically “Fluttershy we have to go, please stand up, hurry!” Fluttershy’s eyes shot open and she looked up at Pinkie Pie with fear, suddenly overcome with the memories of earlier. Pinkie Pie saw this and quickly took Fluttershy’s face in her hooves, shouting “Don’t you DARE, don’t you dare believe it!!! I’m Pinkie Pie, your best friend, you know I wouldn’t, couldn’t, do this…not to anypony!” Fluttershy nodded slowly, whispering quietly “I…I know…but…Pinkie Pie they blamed me too, what are we going to do?” Pinkie Pie looked about the Everfree Forest, tears brimming her eyes as she pawed at her own straight hair, panicked and whimpering “I don’t know, I don’t know!” is all she could squeak, rocking back and forth on her haunches and sobbing. It was then that she suddenly stopped, as Fluttershy had pushed her muzzle against Pinkie’s cheek and was now hushing her gently. “Shhh…hush now…quiet now…its ok Pinkie Pie…it’s going to be ok.” For some reason, Pinkie Pie was suddenly without worry, and without doubt, and simply sighed contently. She nodded slowly, taking a deep breath of air and exhaling, turning her head to Fluttershy “Now what…?” Fluttershy looked around the forest, a look of recognition on her face as she said in her timid voice “Well…I know of a river nearby that I have a raft waiting on, it’s one I used to use to help the baby ducklings get across the scary water.” Pinkie Pie looked in the direction of the river, she too knowing of its location. “Where does the river go?” Pinkie Pie asked, getting up on her hooves and running alongside Fluttershy towards the river. The sudden shouts of Guards were heard somewhere in the forest which doubled the mares’ speed. Fluttershy spoke as they galloped, dashing through trees and leaping over logs “It goes for a long, long while. It may even go all the way to Hoofington.” Pinkie Pie nodded and soon enough they had arrived at the river, going down its watery edge to find the raft. Fluttershy pointed it out to Pinkie, and she herself saw it floating idly on the river, tied to a tree near the water. They both rushed up to the raft, Pinkie reaching it first and gnawing on the rope, trying to get it free. She spoke, muffled, as she tried to tear through the rope “Alright Fluttershy, we’ll go to Hoofington, and we’ll hide out awhile. We were framed but that’s ok, Twilight is smarty-hearty pony, she can help us, she’ll find out the truth.” Fluttershy only looked down, and stole a glance towards the forest, hearing the voices of Guards come closer and closer. She watched Pinkie Pie gnawing the rope and walked quietly out of her sight towards a nearby tree, dead and leafless. She reached down and picked up a thick branch in her mouth, walking back quietly to Pinkie Pie. Pinkie continued to speak, nearly getting through the rope “Ok, almost there Fluttershy, we’ll be fine, we’re going to… -‘TWHACK’”. Pinkie felt pain explode in the back of her head and she fell, twitching a little as she felt her tail being tugged and her body dragged. In a few moments she felt as if she was floating, and it was hard to hold onto her consciousness. She looked up with half-closed, dreary eyes as she saw Fluttershy gnawing through the last strands of rope and moving to push the raft away. Pinkie held a hoof out to Fluttershy and whimpered “W…why?” Fluttershy herself had started to cry, looking at Pinkie Pie with such sorrow, such anguish. She held the raft with her hooves, nuzzling Pinkie Pie hard and crying loudly “They’ll search the river, they’ll follow it to Hoofington and find us Pinkie, and you know we won’t make it. I’ll lead them away, you’ll be ok, you’ll come back a free mare, I promise!” The raft was starting to slip from Fluttershy’s grasp as Pinkie Pie put a hoof on Fluttershy’s face, gently rubbing her with tears of her own flowing. She cried “Don’t, don’t leave me Fluttershy! Come with me, we can make it!” Fluttershy simply shook her head and nuzzled her harder, sobbing “No! You and the others are always telling me to be brave…I won’t let them hurt my friends anymore. Twilight will find the truth, she’ll free us both, now go! Go Pinkie Pie, and don’t come back!” With this, Fluttershy let go of the raft and the current quickly caught it, pushing it down the river faster and faster. Pinkie Pie leaned her head back to look at Fluttershy, who was staring back, tears flowing from her eyes. She saw her mouth the words ‘Goodbye…my best friend’ and turn on her hooves, galloping back into the forest. It was not long after this that the guards had frantically begun to shout “THERE!!! THE YELLOW ONE!!! GET HER!!! AFTER HER!!!” Pinkie Pie could do nothing except lay there, dazed badly by Fluttershy’s strike, and hold out a hoof towards the spot where Fluttershy had stood only moments before. She called out weakly “Fluttershy…Fluttershy!!!” The shouts of the guards grew quiet over time, and Pinkie did nothing but whimper her friend’s name as she floated along. She then felt it, the cold wave of distress and fear wash over her that she had always dreaded. It was her Pinkie Sense…telling her that her friends were hurt…and it was enough for the Pink Mare to shout at the top of her lungs as she rapidly floated down the river…one name…one sorrowful…pain-riddled name of utter anguish “FLUTTERSHY!!!!!!!”