We run cheerfully back towards Ponyville. “This Cutiemark Crusader thing is fun!” I exclaim to the three fillies behind me.
“Of course! It’s fun and we get to try all these new things which might get us Cutiemarks!” Scootaloo replies. “But it can get a little frustrating at times.”
“What do you mean?” I ask
“Well sometimes you are so sure that ya got it, but when you check, ya realise that nothing has changed on yer flank.” Applebloom replies.
“Really?”
“Well, this Cutiemark thing is harder than it looks,” Sweetie Belle adds.
We gallop past the bridge whilst many curious eyes glance in my direction. I slow down, and merge myself between the group as Applebloom takes the lead toward a certain Sugarcube Corner.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Iron Hoof trudged slowly as the four fillies disappeared into the sweet shop. He muttered something under his breath as he walked toward the shop.
Suddenly a Pink Pony appeared out of nowhere into his face. “Hi there! I’m Pinkie Pie and I haven’t seen you around before! That means you’re new, and you’re also wearing those shiny helmets that those Royal guards wear that means *GASP* your part of the Royal guard and you work for Celestia!”
Iron Hoof gritted his teeth and continued to trot towards the dessert shop. The Pink Pony however, was not deterred. She continued to bounce alongside him. “What’s it like being in the guard? It must be so super duper cool! Oh my gosh, how much do you get paid? How do we sign up for the guard? Do you get good food there? Is there cake?”
His eye twitched again. This Pink Pony was rapidly turning his headache into an abyss of pain. He turned around violently. “Look, I’m going to have to ask you to leave Ms....”
“Pinkamena Diane Pie! Or you can call me Pinkie Pie, or Pinkie!” She answered cheerfully.
“Wait... I’m forgetting something...” He thought.
Then he remembered. “My orders were to....”
Stay hidden for as long as possible.
He groaned in frustration, a demotion seemed pretty likely at this stage. Today was one of those days where everything seemed to go horribly wrong.
“So what’s your name?” Pinkie asked.
“Go away Ms. Pie, I have something important to do.” He growled at her.
“Like stalking a filly princess who probably already knows somepony is following her?” The Pink Pony answered whilst smiling.
“W-what did you just say?!” Iron Hoof stammered in surprise.
“Nothing!” the Pink Pony replies innocently in a sing-song voice before bouncing along humming a tuneless melody.
“lalalala~~~”
Iron Hoof stared after the Pink Pony as she bounced away, and shook his head, unsure to make of what he just heard.
“All of the Ponies in this town are CRAZY!!” He mutters to himself and walks towards Sugarcube Corner.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fluttershy flew gently towards the library. “Twilight is going to be so happy when she finds out that Dawn isn’t mad with her.” She thought happily to herself. “I hope Twilight’s inside...”
She tapped the door softly. There was no reply.
“Oh... Okay then....” she said before turning around. “I’ll try again later.”
As she turned to leave, the door opened. “Oh hey Fluttershy, come on in!” The purple dragon said.
“Hello Spike, is Twilight around? I have a very important message to tell her.” She stated.
Spike shook his head. “Sorry, Twilight went off somewhere before waking me up, I haven’t seen her all day!”
“That’s strange, I thought she was teaching Dawn how to read an hour ago...” Fluttershy said in confusion. Spike scratched his chin tiredly. “Sorry Fluttershy, I just woke up. Twilight had another of her late-night Study sessions last night.”
“I understand. Well...I better be on my way then.” She said.
Spike nodded. “Why do you need her?” He asks.
“Well, it’s a long story...sorry but I really need to go find Twilight first.” Fluttershy replied.
Spike sighed. “I understand.”
With that Fluttershy flew off.
Spike closed the door and returned inside the library. Upon entering the second room, now converted into a classroom of some sort he noticed that the alphabet had been scrawled over the blackboard. “What has Twilight been doing?” He wonders.
Fluttershy took to the skies at her usual graceful speed. “Well she isn’t in the library, let’s try the park....”
As she flew, she noticed a certain four fillies run into Sugarcube Corner. However, what caught her attention particularly was a battered looking royal guard which trudged after them, uncaring of his appearance, or the staring eyes of the residents of ponyville. “Ooh those girls didn’t listen! I told them to stay in my home!.........I hope they didn’t break or scare anything...” She thought morosely to herself.
However, that was not important to her right now. Twilight needed to be told where Dawn was located as soon as possible before she or the little alicorn does anything drastic...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was already late afternoon, and all the students had long since gone to their homes. Cheerilee hummed, as she prepared the lesson for the next day. She glanced at the window and noticed two ponies approach. She sighed tiredly, It had been a long day. She had not been present in Ponyville during arrival of the so-called third alicorn, remaining true to her duties as a teacher during the time.
Twilight and Applejack knocked on the door of Ponyville Junior School.
The magenta school teacher opened the door. “Hello Twilight, hello Applejack, how can I help you today?” Cheerilee asked. Upon noticing Twilight’s frazzled mane and semi crazed expression, she immediately knew something was wrong.
“There’s something wrong isn’t there.” She stated flatly.
“Eeyup.” Applejack replied.
“Of course nothing is wrong, everything is fine, I mean it's going to be fine, I mean it has to be!” Twilight blurted out.
“Here we go again...” Cheerilee thought to herself whilst rolling her eyes.
Applejack turned to her. “Twi? Ya sure ya don’t wanna take this a little easier?”
Cheerilee raised her eyebrow. “How can I help you today...” She repeated herself cautiously.
Twilight jumped in her face. “Why hi there Cheerilee! I was wondering if you have seen a small, dark blue, filly alicorn with the name ‘Dawn’ wandering around by any chance?”
Cheerilee took a step back. “Well, no...bu-”
“WELL! That’s too bad then, and if you do by any chance see her, please contact me as soon as possible!”
“Okay....”
“One must be a little careful around her. Why, she’s only a filly after all! A filly with enough raw magic to level the town along with half the Everfree forest! Please, if you see her, tell her that - I AS A GOOD FRIEND- miss her very much, and I would like to talk to her.” Twilight said crazily pressing her nose into Cheerilee’s. Twilight’s nonsensical eyes seemed to bore into her soul whilst she maintained her crazed grin.
Cheerilee gulped. “I-I’ll keep that in mind!”
Suddenly Twilight was pulled back away from Cheerilee.
Applejack spat out Twilight’s tail. “Ah’m real sorry Ms. Cheerilee, but as you can see, we got a real big problem on ah’re hooves....In fact make it two.” She says whilst glaring at Twilight. “Snap out of it!” She yelled at the Purple Unicorn.
“Huh-wha? Where?” Twilight blurted in confusion as some sense returned into her eyes. Suddenly her eyes began to dart wildly again. “Did we find Dawn? Where are we? Has anything exploded yet?” She asks frantically.
“No sugarcube, now look at me...” Applejack said assertively. Twilight’s panicked eyes met hers. “Now I need you ta trust me when ah say everything is going to be A-OK.” She said slowly and directly.
Twilight’s breathing slowed. “You’re right AJ, I just need to set my head straight and calm down. I will find her, and everything will be alright.”
She turns to Cheerilee. “I’m sorry if I scared you there Cheerilee.” The teacher smiled at her. “It’s quite alright Twilight Sparkle, I can understand the pressure you are under. After all, this is Luna’s child, taking care of her would be a huge responsibility.” Twilight sighed. “Thanks Cheerilee, we should really continue our search, sorry for bothering you.”
Cheerilee replied, “Not at all! Good luck on your search girls!”
With that, Twilight and Applejack waved goodbye and galloped back towards the town.
As soon as they disappeared from sight, Cheerilee’s body relaxed as she gave a sigh of relief. She walked toward her desk and pulled out a blue hardcover book from the bottom drawer. She opened the book’s compartment and took out a silver flask, unstoppered the lid and took a good long swig, feeling the burning apple flavoured liquid slide down her throat, warming her stomach. She felt her body relax. She giggled as the hard cider began to take its intoxicating effect. “Confound these ponies.” She thought to herself before taking another swig. “They drive me to drink.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“.....Are you sure you girls can handle all this work?” Mr Cake asked us as we struggled to get in several aprons. “Your majesty? Are you sure you want to do this?” He asked me as I mentally tie the strings of the apron around my back.
“Of Course Mr Cake! and please don’t call me your majesty, just call me Dawn...” I answer.
He smiles. “Thank you so much for the help girls, with Mrs Cake away, an extra hoof to help is always appreciated.”
He turns around.
Pinkie Pie suddenly dashes in through the door and into the kitchen.I notice an armoured pony follow inside from the corner of my eye.
"Pinkie? Could you watch over the girls while I go to the hospital to check on Mrs Pie?"
"Okie Dokie Lokie! No problemo!" She replies.
“what’s a guard doing here?” I wonder to myself. He takes off his helmet, and I feel a very familiar aura appear. “So he was the one following me all along...”
I turn to the CMC’s whom were mixing various sugary ingredients together with cookie dough. “Be right back girls, I need to do something very quickly.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Iron Hoof pulled out the vial from his armour. It was cracked, but thankfully remained watertight. He glanced at the green translucent liquid and gave a sigh. There really wasn't a better time to take it. He finds an empty table and takes a seat. Curious eyes from other patrons in the shop glanced in his direction but he paid no heed.
He opened the vial, breathed deeply as the aroma of the tonic filled his nostrils. He lifted the vial to his mouth and-
“Who are you and why are you following me? Said a blue little alicorn which suddenly appeared in front of his face.
His hoof lifted and he swallowed on reflex. His eyes widened and he began gagging desperately. “Oh my gosh, are you alright?” The alicorn asks.
Take no more than one sip...
He raised the vial to his eyes.
He had to know.
It was nearly empty.
He sighed.
“I don't even care anymore!” He thought to himself in resignation as he felt his body start to twitch uncontrollably as his vision began to blur.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Ummm....sir are you okay?” I ask the armoured figure.
He begins to laugh creepily before giving me a very wide grin, his body shuddering. “You are the subject!” He states bluntly.
“Umm...What?!!” I ask incredulously.
“You are the Subject!” He repeats himself excitedly. “And I must follow you!”
“Okay....” I began to take a few steps back, slightly scared from the guard’s behaviour. He rises from his seat and begins to take steps towards me in accordance to my speed, maintaining his ever creepy grin.
I gulp.
“I’m gonna getcha!” He says crazily and lunges towards me.
I turn around and gallop away as fast as I can, and I can hear him in close pursuit.
“Hey! Leave her alone!” I hear Applebloom call out after him. “Come on girls lets save Dawn!!”
“Oooh! Oooh! you girls are playing tag! I wanna play too!” Pinkie Pie’s voice follows
“YOU CAN’T RUN FROM MEEEEE!!!” I hear the creepy guard call out from behind.
I begin to scream.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The residents of Ponyville stared in surprise for the second time that day. There was the alicorn, running and screaming, being chased by a guard, followed by the infamous Cutie Mark Crusaders...... and Pinkie Pie bouncing behind them giggling and spouting nonsense excitedly.
Twilight’s ears twitched as she crossed the bridge. “Do you hear that AJ?”
Applejack listened intently. “It sounds like somepony’s in trouble”
“No AJ, It sounds like Dawn screaming! Come on, I think she’s in trouble!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lieutenant cloud breaker scouted around the town. Another uneventful sweep, as usual.
He sighed, after joining the guard, it had been nothing but parades, and the rather annoying task of not blinking in public. Nothing eventful ever happens!
Nothing except-
“YOU CAN’T RUN FROM MEEEEE!!!” A voice suddenly calls from under, and realises that it was from Iron Hoof. He turned around and stared at the spectacle before him.
“Wait...what the hay is Iron Hoof doing?!” He thought to himself in surprise before circling around and descending towards the rather interesting scene. He shot himself toward his normally stoic commander, hoping to stop him before he embarrassed himself and the royal guard any further.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Celestia yelled as she blasted the dragon before her with a solar flare. The green dragon raised his claws to protect his face. The beam scorched the dragon and melted the cave wall behind him.
“Alright! Alright! I’ll make sure they behave, just leave me alone!!” He cried out.
“WILT THOU KEEP THY WORD?” Luna’s voice boomed afterwards.
“YES AND PLEASE STOP YELLING AT ME!” The Elder dragon cried.
The two royal sisters nodded at each other and exited the cavern, their work done.
“Two down, seven more to go...” Luna muttered under her breath as they soared through the air.
“What’s the matter little sister? you seem a little tense..” Celestia asked in concern.
“It’s nothing Tia, I’m just wondering what Dawn is up to at the moment.....”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My eyes dart from cover to cover as I gasp for breath in an alley littered with barrels. Seeing this opportunity, I leap inside one. My Pursuer was nowhere to be seen. As my breathing slows, I calm myself down. Suddenly a Pink Face appears in mine
“HEYA DAWN! Are we playing hide and seek now?” Pinkie Pie asks cheerfully.
“Where? How? Huh?!! How did she even get inside a barrel?” My mind tries to comprehend.
“Shhh! There’s this creepy guy who's trying to get me!” I whisper urgently.
“Oh silly, of course he is! Somepony has to be it in hide and seek!”
I groan inwardly in frustration. “Look, just stay really quiet alright? I don’t want him to find me”
“Okie Dokie Lokie!” She says again in her irritatingly care-free manner.
I detect movement from around the corner. “Shhh somepony’s Coming!!” I whisper through gritted teeth.
I listen carefully. There was the sounds of a scuffle.
“Where is she?! WHERE IS SHE?!! I MUST FIND THE SUBJECT!!”
“Leave her alone you brute!” Scootaloo’s voice calls out.
“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to calm down” A foreign voice calls.
“Thish onesh a hooffull.” A voice said through gritted teeth. “Give ush an hoof will yer?”
“Dawn? where are you?” Twilight’s voice called out.
“Twilight!” I cry out, happy to hear her voice. I leap out of the barrel.
“Hey!” Pinkie Pie says in annoyance. “It’s no fun if you show them where we are!”
Ignoring her I leap from my cover. “Twilight!” I call for her again.
“Dawn where are you?!” Her voice calls for me.
“In here! In the alley!” I reply. I walk towards the opening and see her walking toward me. I jump and hug her, much to her surprise. “I’m sorry I ran away! I promise I’ll never do it again!”
She blinks in surprise before returning the hug. “It’s alright Dawn, It was wrong of me to force you to do something you didn’t want to do.”
However our moment of reconciliation was short lived.
“Whoa Nelly! Ah can’t. Hold. Him!” Applejack’s voice strains with exertion. “He’s about to break loose!”
“He’s too strong!” Applebloom adds
“Sir Don’t do it!” The Other voice calls out calls out.
“MUST. FIND. AND. FOLLOW. SUBJECT!!!!” The fourth voice yells with imperative, followed by the snapping of rope and a cry of surprise from several voices.
“Lookout! He’s breaking loose!” Sweetie belle cries out in alarm.
“AAAAARGH!” *snap*
I watch in fear as several ponies, one another royal guard, fly in different directions, all with pieces of rope in their mouths.
The crazed stallion appears at the opening of the alleyway and turns in our direction. “Oh I’ve got you now!”
I look at Twilight who’s eyes narrowed, and her expression determined. She stands in front of me. “Close your eyes Dawn.” She instructs and I do so.
“Ready or not! Here I come!” I hear the stallion call out followed by the sound of galloping hooves toward us. I brace for impact, when a crackling sound fills the air. I open my eyes and realise that we were surrounded by a purple energy field, the stallion shaking his head. He raises his hoof and begins pounding on the shield, bursts of energy escaping with each punch.
Twilight gasps for breath, straining uphold the protective barrier, she looked tired, as though as she was about to collapse. “Twilight!” I cry out for her in concern, and watch on in horror as the stallion continued his onslaught. “I’VE GOT YOU!!” He calls out eagerly to me.
With a crash, the barrier collapses, and the magical energies lashed back towards Twilight and I, sending us flying into the alley wall behind us. I feel the air rush out of my lungs as I impact the wall. I shake my head, and see that Twilight was lying still, unmoving.
“Twilight?” I nudge her gently. There was no reaction from her. “Twilight! Please wake up!” I plead desperately.
“He he he...” The sound of laughing draws my attention back to the armoured stallion. Whom was now walking slowly toward me. I walk back slowly, afraid, until my flank touched the wall of the alleyway.
I was trapped, nowhere left to run.
He grins. “I’ve got you now!” He steps over the prone form of Twilight. Pinkie Pie jumps in front of me. “Hey! Leave her alone!” She growls, standing on two hooves, whilst holding up the other two in a comical fighting stance. The stallion laughs and shoves her against a wall. There was a sickening crunch, and she too falls down limp.
His hooves reach out for me. I move away from him in disgust. “GET AWAY FROM ME!” I scream at him, but to no avail. He comes even closer. I close my eyes, unable to watch.
His hoof brushes my face. “Don’t. Touch. Me.”
My whole body recoiled. “GO AWAY!” My mind screamed, and I mentally push at the stallion as hard as I could. I hear several cracking noises and open my eyes. The stallion was nowhere to be seen, and the alley walls surrounding me had split, cracks running alongside the stone walls, the barrels inside the alley, shattered, their splinters and pieces littered the floor. I blink in surprise. “What just happened?” I thought to myself in wonder.
Snapping out of my stupor, I run to the prone forms of Twilight and Pinkie Pie. I shake Twilight desperately. “Ooh, Please wake up!” When that had no discernible effect I shook Pinkie. She Shimmies her head before bursting into a goofy grin. “Oh heya Dawn!”
However I was in a state of panic. “Please, You’ve gotta help Twilight! I think she’s hurt, she isn’t moving!”
I point to the prone purple unicorn. Pinkie’s expression drops. “Oh dear.” She says, her face now worried.
“Twilight Please wake up!” I plead and hug her. “I’m sorry! Please wake up!”
“Sorry about what?” I hear her voice mutter.
I feel a pang of happiness “Twilight you’re alright!” I exclaim before happily hugging her even tighter. Her neck stiffens.
“Dawn. Your. Choking...me!” She gasps.
“Oh..” I quickly loosen my grip, blushing. “Sorry about that.
She smiles to me, and I no longer felt uncomfortable near her. “Where did the stallion go? She asks me.”
“I’m...not sure...” I reply
I notice an empty suit of armour on the ground.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lieutenant Storm Weaver frowned as the alicorn’s aura began to shift once again, from the west of ponyville towards the market place in the South, followed by the familiar aura of Iron Hoof along with that of Twilight Sparkle’s and a few other unknown presences. “She sure is an active one, this filly...” He thought. “Also, what the hay is that foal doing? He’s supposed to remain under cover!” The auras stop moving.
“What the hay is going on?”
Suddenly a overwhelming wave of magic washes over the area, causing him to shudder and gasp for breath. “What was that?!”
Iron Hoofs presence vanished, and Weaver feared the worst. However, as with protocol, he must remain where he was, until further orders are received.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Starry Quills watched impassively from the crystal ball on his desk. “There goes my spy..”
The young alicorn had not realised it, but she had killed the soldier, the force of her blast simply obliterating him from existence. Only his magic resistant helmet would remain.
“Such is the might of the Alicorns, that is why, we do not anger the princesses” he noted with muse.
He grinned, “ She is exceeding all expectations...I think I might have to pay her a little visit myself...”
He rose from his desk. “Spicy Mix!” He called to his assistant who quickly entered the room. “Yes sir?”
“Pack our bags, I think we’re going to take a little trip to Ponyville.”
“To study Luna’s daughter sir?”
“Yes, you can put it that way...”
The assistant left the room. Starry walked towards his desk and opens the 2nd drawer. He pulls out a platinum necklace with a dark crystalline gem. “This should make you a little more manageable, my little pony!” He grins.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I walk gingerly from the alley with Pinkie Pie and Twilight behind me. I notice that the ponies had set up a barricade made of tables and several of the ponies were wearing metal pots and pans on their heads. A net falls over my head, whilst a pie flies onto my knee. I blink in surprise, it was strangely.... humiliating...
“Wait! Hold it, It’s Dawn!” Applebloom cries out, and takes the pan off her head.
“Twilight! I’m so glad to see that yer alright!” Applejack says happily, however seeing Pinkie Pie, her expression became a confused one. “Umm Pinkie? How the hay were you inside the alley?”
A thought suddenly hit me. “Wait” I say out loud before Pinkie could answer. “If we all left Sugarcube corner, who’s watching the oven...”
*BOOOOOOM* A flash of light brightens the afternoon air.
I gulp. “Uh oh.”