//------------------------------// // For Every Down, An Up // Story: Appledashery // by Just Essay //------------------------------// Through the translucent walls of the clock tower, the group could see several gyrocopters gliding by in the moonlight. "They're searching for us, aren't they?" Mulia Mild murmured, sitting with her back slump to Donut Joe's. "Yup." Rainbow Dash nodded, perched besides Gustave and Stu. She squinted out into the floating towers of Philanthropy beyond the distorted dream walls. "About their twelfth fly-by since we arrived here. They seem to have our general vicinity down pat, but they've no clue we're actually inside this tower." "All the reason for us to stick to this one spot," Donut Joe grunted. "And for how long?!" Gustave frowned through his beak. "I, for one, do not intend to become a mere footnote in... in..." He turned and squinted a hawkeye in the direction of the ponies next to him. "What is this place, again, exactly?" "Serenity Shindig's dream sphere," Stu Leaves muttered, eyes plastered to the landscape beyond. "Which—for some reason—is some steam-powered city floating inside a giant companion." "And populated by psychopaths," Rainbow Dash muttered. "Yeah! What's up with that?!" Stu frowned. "First, they take your wings... they take my wings..." "They take my horn..." Donut grumbled. "Right!" Stu nodded. "What for? To keep just Serenity and her two sons in power? Do they wanna feel special in this city that badly?!" "You've seen pics of Apple Jewell, right?" Rainbow Dash murmured. "The mare they've got AJ posing as?" "Boy, have I..." Stu cooed. Rainbow decided to ignore that. "She's still an earth pony, from the look of it. So, if she's heir apparent to Serenity's throne, then I don't think race has a part to play in it." "But it's playing a big enough part," Mulia muttered. "What's the point in purging when you've built a dream?!" "Maybe it's not the crazy dame's dream?!" Donut Joe exclaimed. "Maybe she—like—hijacked it from one of the dead alicorns or something?" "No, it's hers, alright," Rainbow said. "Or her sons'." "How in the heck do you know that?!" "Because I saw a model of this same friggin' town in the bottom foyer of Serenity's house," Rainbow explained. "It matches the skyscrapers and windmills of Philanthropy to a T." "Don't forget the name of Shindig's late husband," Stu added. "Right." "Huh?" Mulia glanced over. "'Philanthropy' is the name of the stallion Serenity was once married to. He... died a few years ago." She gulped. "And... uh... Stu and I found enough scribbled notes around the farmhouse to suggest..." "Suggest what?" Donut asked. "...that Serenity is somehow trying to salvage Philanthropy's soul and... I dunno... resurrect him in the dreamworld or something. It's totally insane." "And... she was aiming to do this by kidnapping us?" Mulia remarked. "They way we figure it, she was going to exchange one soul for another," Stu remarked. "You three and Applejack were... erm... her candidates for such a sacrifice." "Celestia Almighty." Mulia shuddered. "Mrmmmf!" Gustave frowned. "Never underestimate the mind of a mad pony! Capable of such great creativity... but with so many venomous bites!" "Are you mixing ponies up with snakes?" Stu remarked. "What the buck does it matter?!" Donut Joe snapped. "Shindig is the biggest snake pony creep ever, as far as I'm concerned!" "Look... one thing's for certain," Rainbow Dash said, waving her hooves. "They want Applejack. We take her away from them, we take away their strength. For all we know, as soon as the 'Cider Princess' is freed, this whole dream sim might collapse?" "And what then?" Mulia asked. "Will we get out of here safely? Or will we end up like those poor pretend-citizens in the lower depths?" "Or worse?" Donut Joe gulped. "Like Philanthropy?" "I dunno..." Rainbow Dash's eyes narrowed on a bobbing sight, and she stood up straight. "...but I think we're about to get on track." Stu also stood. Both ponies watched as a tiny dot bobbed and weaved through the air, casting spurts of steam in the starlight. Sailing straight for the tower, the brass-studded sphere rolled through the distorted webs of light. It landed awkwardly in Stu's forelimbs. FLASH! Epcot materialized—blinking—in Stu's forelimbs. She looked at the stallion and giggled. "Why, handsome mortal, I'm flattered! But I've no time for Body Tours!" Stu was too flabbergasted to speak. Rainbow Dash stuck her muzzle in, staring Epcot down. "Well? What'd you discover?" "She's there, alright!" "She's where?!" Rainbow sputtered. Stu helped Epcot down, and the chaperone smoothed the fabric of her skirt out while saying, "The tallest tower! Serenity Scraper! I must have circled it like a flying monorail twelve times! No doubt about it—the Cider Princess is on one of the upper floors! If what I heard from the local chopper patrols is correct, then the Queen and her Sons are up there as well!" "Well, great!" Donut Joe exclaimed. "Then zip back there and get her out!" "Mmmm..." Epcot chewed on her lip. "No can do." "Why not?!" "Well, if I could, I'd return to my normal self. But—as it stands in this place—I don't have the power to reach out to mortals save the ones I've already met! You ones!" She giggled and waved. "Hello, ones!" "Then can you lead me there?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Can you take me to the tower where Applejack's being held?" "Oh, I'd love to, but..." "But what?" "It's a bit dangerous, don'tcha thinkkkk?" Epcot pouted, her eyes sparkling. "Pffft!" Rainbow Dash frowned. "So? Blue Jay, remember?!" "She's got a point, Rainbow," Stu said. The mare looked at her as he said, "We all know that you're the most badflank pony here, but you're still just one pony. I'd join you to help AJ, but... well... it's not like my big friggin' Red Rook outfit can make it all the way up there under the cover of night." "Then it's just me and Epcot," Rainbow said. "Don't worry! We can make this work! We click really good together!" "Yes!" Epcot grinned, smiling with her eyes happily shut. "All one with the universe of energy!" "I'd... still feel better if you made sure you could get back in one piece," Donut Joe said. "Havin' Stu and the Red Rook here is nice n'all, but only a pony who got this far in could take us backout. Ya feel me?" "Yes. What Joe said," Mulia added. "Fine..." Rainbow sighed, eyes rolling. "Then I'm going to need an extra pair of wings." She turned and nudged the griffon beside her. "Eh, wings?" "Hmmm?" Gustave blinked her way. Rainbow glared. The griffon winced. "Oh poo..." "Woohoo!" Epcot pumped her hoof. "Let's go Soarin'!"