//------------------------------// // A gunshot changes lives. // Story: Twilight Sparkle, crazy ruler of the universe under Celestia's muzzle. // by surprisepony //------------------------------// They all rushed to Rainbow Dash, who was trying desperately trying to use her wing feathers as a lockpick. Not that she couldn't do it, but it had been years from when she was ten and getting into padlocked diaries, which were all the thing back then, an opportunity to keep your secrets safe. She'd lost the key for her's and pretty soon, she could pick any lock. No, no, remembering was the problem. They came, with Applejack as the first in line. "Lemme help ya there." and with that, she busted the iron with her two, strong, apple-bucking back legs. There was literally a cloud of rust, made up of fragments which had flew of the iron bars from the impact of AJ's hooves. Only a small glimmer of the reflections that shone off the coats of the 'mane four' could be seen in the darkness of Cadence's cell. Rarity manged to light the way with her horn, and Pinkie and Applejack soon had Cadence spread across their backs. The narrow tunnel had just enough room for the two ponies to lift Cadence back down the tunnel. They left the busted iron bars, forgetting to magically repair them. Rarity forgot to do this, because keeping a wide spread of light alive takes much concentration, so much that her face was screwed up and she was sweating heavily by the time light in the tunnel reappeared in the form of torches. On the way back to the junction where you could see the four tunnels, they talked about what they were going to do to Cadence; "Maybe we could go an' return her to the Crystal Empire." "I don't know AJ. It seems like a pretty long journey, considering that we all have to share a bank account with Twilight now, on a CREDIT ONLY BASIS, and she's the only one who knows where the credit card is. We can't take the train. We could borrow money, but it's quite a lot to borrow. Four ponies plus um...luggage to the Crystal Empire, come on!" "Only Fluttershy makes money at her secret Saturday job at the hair salon, but Celestia knows where she is!" "I could loan some money of the Cakes! Aw...I already owe them...I guess I'll have to ask Twilight for a Twenty in bits." said a half-depressed Pinkie Pie. The farm pony thought for a second. "Maybe we could just keep some of the bits secretly for ourselves. You know, say we all had a drop in sales, say that you were sick for three days and couldn't get paid for them, say that you closed for maintainence for a couple days. We wouldn't have to hand the bits to Twilight. Or we could sell some things-" "Like my life size inflatable collections!" beamed Pinkie, hauling an realistic, inflatable Fluttershy out of nowhere. "You mean, collection and not, collections?" inquired RD. "Nope! I mean collections! My cutie mark crusaders collection, my Canterlot ponies collections, Elements of Harmony, Crystalised Elements of Harmony, the Princesses, power po-". She cut of abruptly when a cyan hoof covered her mouth. "That's kinda creepy but impressive. But, then again, who would buy them?" Pinkie's face changed from excited to thinking. "Well, I don't use them, but maybe I could blow them all up one last time..? Before I bin them or give them to somepony. I mean, I do have the wonderbolts," R.D's ears pricked up with interest."and a fan might want them or even the power ponies." Rainbow Dash leaned over to Pinkie's ear, and in a low whisper said, "We'll discuss the goods later..." "Well, I on one hoof, think Applejack's idea is splendid!" Announced Rarity . The farm pony's cheeks changed color; from orange to Pinkie's mane. She tried to change the subject, she always felt uncomfortable accepting praise. Accepting praise just reminded her of the book, A True Manehattanite's Guide to Proper Etiquette and Manners , and it told her that when a pony get's complimented, they should soak it up, wear it, to seem confident. Muttering in her head "Well boasting ain't good manners." she continued reading, under careful watch of Aunt Orange, who told her to recite everything she read, or a beating was in the deal. Aunt Orange may have seemed nice enough, but she wanted so badly to have a brilliant child, she took to violence. She thought of her Manehatten school, Miss Top-Notch's all fillies Academy. Half of the lessons were based around that book, and Monday was a doomsday. All Monday was spent on manners. Manner Monday they called it. Thank Celestia she was only there for three weeks, going back to Ponyville, right before the next Manner Monday was based around cutlery. She washed away these thoughts, and started a conversation. "Ever realize how Twilight's...kinda snobby these days?" Said an orange mare. There were mutters of argreement, and they kept walking, until a distant scream interrupted them. "RRRAAAARRRRIIIITYYY!!!!!! WHY ARE YOU NOT IN YOUR SHOP, I NEED MY QUEEN CORONATION GOWN!!!" All were silent in the tunnel, and not a single breath escaped any of their mouths. Rarity looked especially terrified, and she shut her eyes tightly. Then they found out why Twilight was especially ticked off at them. "I FOUND THAT NOTE YOU WROTE ABOUT ME!!!! THE ONE WHERE YOU SAID I WAS CRAZY AND INSANE!!!!" The elements looked at each other with wide and worried eyes. There was a pause, and a deep breath from the purple alicorn before her screaming continued. They all knew what she was talking about. The notes they had mailed to each other to be sure Twilight wouldn't hear their conversations. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!!!!!!!" The final scream echoed all throughout the castle, bouncing off every wall. Then, a long pause afterwards, the sound of a door slamming could be heard in the tunnel. All of the mane four were frozen in place, standing still like statues, not even blinking or breathing. It looked a bit like Twilight had realeased a cockatrice in the tunnel, and it caught all the remaining elements with it's eerie, deadly gaze. Finally, the silence was broken when Cadence slipped off AJ and Pinkie's backs. "Oh.." said Rarity. "Maybe if I just get back to the boutique, finish up Twilight's gown, she'll forgive me." said a slightly optimistic Rarity, though her lips quivered and a single tear rolled down her face. AJ picked up Cadence along with Pinkie. She was still unconcious, unmoving, eerily still and cold. Twilight had captured Lyra for a couple of photos, so Celestia knows what she would do to Rarity. The four continued walking, and when they left the castle, Cadence was hidden at Sweet Apple Acres, without causing any attention, thanks to Rarity's teleportation. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Applejack and Rainbow Dash headed to the barn to hide Cadence whilst Rarity worked on Twilight's gown at the boutique, and Pinkie went with Rarity, to get some space to blow up her inflatables. ---- Rarity was just adding another layer to the gown, the final one before the sequins came on, and Pinkie was deflating her mane six, the last of her collection to deflate. "I'm just going to get the sequins, ribbons and gems, will you be a dear and watch the shop for me Pinkie?" "Okay!" replied Pinkie, grinning enthusiastically as Rarity went into the storage room, where bolts and bolts of material lay shelve after shelve. Pinkie had finished deflating R.D and was about to move on to her last inflatable, Rarity, when Twilight burst through the door. "That is IT!" she screamed at the smiling, inflatable Rarity. "You didn't bring my gown, and now you'll pay!!" she screeched. Pinkie Pie watched in horror, and hid behind the counter. She stayed as a small, pink, shivering ball, and looked up above the counter. What she saw petrified her, and left her gasping. The powerful, enraged alicorn's horn fired up, and shot the inflatable Rarity. She turned around quickly and ran before anypony noticed, thinking the 'BANG!' of inflatable Rarity was just her horn. Twilight ran away, thinking Rarity was dead, while really, she had only shot an inflatable. Just as Twilight opened the door to make her escape, Rarity came down the stairs, unsure of the banging noise. She came quickly, and looked worried when she appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Pinkie Pie was in genuine shock, confused as to what to tell Rarity. "You might want to hide for a while..." said Pinkie, as she tugged Rarity up the stairs, away from the windows that she couldn't be seen through for some time.