//------------------------------// // Fair is Foul, and Foul is Fair // Story: Hoofed by Your Own Petard // by Tortfeasor //------------------------------// Hoofed by Your Own Petard Disclaimer: The power of Twilight Sparkle compels you to realize I don’t own My Little Pony. Chapter Eight: Fair is Foul, and Foul is Fair It had been far too long since Rainbow Dash had been able to simply fly. And as far as she was concerned that clock was still running. Sure she’d used her wings plenty on the trip to Manehatten but that had been fighting or scouting. And now that they’d made it to Manehatten did she have time to just fly about the city and enjoy the feelings of defying gravity? Of course not, she had to go fly inconspicuously about the library Applejack wanted them to break into. They were definitely going to be breaking into the library from the looks of things. The Manehatten Central Library was a sprawling structure of mostly marble facing. The original core of the building was done in a very classical style but its several wings had been added on in whatever style was popular at the time they were built. At the moment ‘impenetrable fortress’ seemed to be the popular style. Rainbow Dash might have been joking if she said there were a dozen royal guards between here and Canterlot, or she might not have been joking. There was definitely something in there Nightmare Moon didn’t want them finding. Rainbow Dash sighed and was about to head back to Applejack’s apartment when something caught her eye. Amidst the white and gold of the royal guards and the black robes of the Nightmare Children with them a teal unicorn with a white mane stuck out like a sore hoof. She’d never seen Celestia’s traitorous student before now, but Rarity and Twilight had been able to give a quite accurate description of Trixie. Suppressing a groan at being out here even longer Rainbow Dash gradually lowered her orbits around the library to get a closer look. That proved to be a mistake. High up in the night sky Rainbow Dash was just another pegasus flying about. Once she came down though her rainbow mane stood out enough for anypony who had been told about the ponies behind the trouble in Coltcinnati to immediately pick her out of the crowd. That was exactly what happened when Trixie shouted, pointed a hoof at Rainbow Dash, and followed up the hoof with a bolt of lightning that narrowly missed the now fleeing pegasus. Had that been the end of it Rainbow Dash would have gotten away completely unscathed. A number of pegasi in gold armor took to their wings upon seeing Trixie’s hoof and were in hot pursuit almost before the unicorn had sent off her bolt of lightning. Rainbow Dash was by no means a bad flier, but the royal guards could probably out fly anypony short of the Wonderbolts. Pumping her wings with all her might Rainbow Dash sped away from her pursuers into the maze created by the many skyscrapers of Manehatten. The guards certainly had the numbers to swarm large areas but Manehatten was a very large city and Rainbow Dash was one small pony in that very large city. For all those advantages she still had a number of close calls swooping between the brightly lit buildings. And even mind controlled by Nightmare Moon, Celestia’s guards were proving nothing if not persistent. More than that they were as good as everypony said they were. They nearly collided with each other or with buildings several times while chasing Rainbow Dash, but nearly was always the key word. For her part though Rainbow Dash was flying for her life, and that meant she was flying with a speed and skill she’d never known she possessed. Under skybridges, between overhangs, and in one case through the girders of a construction crane she weaved a chaotic high speed course she hoped would shake her pursuers. Part of her worried about getting lost, but that was a problem for later. Gradually some of the guards simply became unable to keep up with the madly careening pegasus and had to drop off or risk injury. She noticed however as more and more of the guards fell behind that a small group of pegasi was keeping pace. Unlike the rest of her pursuers these pegasi were not white with gold armor. Rather they were garbed in dark flight suits with a winged skull where their cutie marks normally would be. Rainbow Dash looked around and saw no royal guards still pursuing her. Knowing that she could never hope to outrun the Shadowbolts she landed on a rooftop to see if she could talk her way out of her predicament. “I thought you were going to give me time to think.” Rainbow Dash said as she looked around for any signs of other pursuit. “You needn’t worry that we’ll be interrupted.” One of the Shadowbolts, leader or merely spokespony Rainbow Dash couldn’t have said, calmly walked up to her. “And we’ve given you five days of time to think our offer through. Your ‘friends’ won’t be too happy to hear that you’ve tipped Trixie off to your being in Manehatten. We merely thought we’d give you the option of coming with us rather than subject yourself to their anger again.” Rainbow Dash stood and thought about that. She had just blown the element of surprise. Otherwise known as the only thing they had going for them in this crazy adventure. But Applejack had taken her aside on their way to Manehatten and made sure that she knew the other pony wasn’t mad at her for her actions in starting the riot back in Coltcinnati. Plus there was her promise with Twilight Sparkle to get their cutie marks fighting Nightmare Moon. And could she really abandon Fluttershy after everything the other pony had done for her over the years? Finally Rainbow Dash said, “Is there any way my friends can come along? I know that most of them aren’t pegasi and can’t join the Shadowbolts but they’re all smart, talented ponies who could do a lot of good for Equestria.” The Shadowbolt sounded awfully insistent. “It has to be you, or do you really think any of your friends would ever think of this as anything other than betraying Celestia? You’re the only one with horizons wide enough to see that helping us is helping Equestria, and helping your friends. And we can protect them too. They would certainly be prisoners, but the others would never stop long enough to take your friends alive.” Rainbow Dash thought again. The others truly did seem to only be thinking in terms of bringing Celestia back. With her history of one failure after another Rainbow Dash may well have been the only one of the group to actually think about the possibility that they couldn’t beat Nightmare Moon. She thought Twilight might have been able to think along the same lines but the lavender unicorn was so caught up in worrying about her magic and depression over the others finding out that she used to be a stripper that there was room for nothing else in her head. But if she said yes here and now it would feel like nothing else but leaving her friends hanging. She had to talk to them about this and maybe talk them into this. Rainbow Dash was certain that even broaching the topic of failure, let alone trying to plan for it, would meet a rather hostile reception. She would need a way to make her friends see the possibility of failure without sabotaging anything. And just maybe her latest screw up would be the opportunity she needed. “I need more time,” she said at last, “I understand what you’re saying but going with you right now would feel like I’m abandoning my friends. Just give me some time to try and talk to them. I don’t know that I can convince them that this would be best for Equestria but I have to try.” “Take all the time you need,” the Shadowbolt who was speaking with her smiled. “You know the night will last forever so you have all the time in the world. We’ll wait for you to talk with your friends and see how things go from there.” -- Twilight Sparkle sat on Applejack’s couch and watched the lights of Manehatten. Canterlot had more ponies living within but so many of those were underground that it never seemed like such a press of ponies as this. And despite all those ponies around her Twilight had never felt more alone in her life. Her once upon a time friends insisted that knowing about her past didn’t change anything, but Twilight knew better. Her roommates had never treated her quite the same after finding out. He hadn’t said anything but she’d seen the look on Bow Tie’s face when he read that particular line on her resume. And the handful of others who had found out always thought less of her. As much as Twilight appreciated their kindness and generosity in keeping her around a bit of honesty would be refreshing if only to put her on familiar ground. A knock at the window briefly startled her until she looked up to see Rainbow Dash waiting outside. “There’s a perfectly good door Rainbow Dash.” Twilight said as she opened the window to let the other pony inside. “This is faster. You finally finished with your mope parade?” “It’s not a mope parade,” Twilight glared at the other pony. “Why don’t you just say what you think of the stripper already?” “We’ve already had that conversation several times Twilight,” Applejack walked into the room. “So how did it go Rainbow Dash?” “I think we’re in trouble. I thought I saw Trixie at the library and when I went in for a closer look to make sure they saw me. I managed to lose them before I came back here but they’re going to be waiting for us. I think we need to start thinking about a plan b.” “Nonsense Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said as she, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy all came into the room, “I think we came out quite ahead on that exchange. From the number of guards you’ve seen before it’s clear that what we’re looking for is in there. We now know we have a new enemy to get past and I don’t see how they can do much more to block us off from the library.” “Can’t do much more?” Rainbow Dash looked at Rarity like the other pony had just spoken in a language she’d never heard. “In a few days they’re going to have so many guards in that library it’ll be impossible to sneak in. We’re all smart and talented ponies. I’m sure we can convince Nightmare Moon to spare our lives. I bet we could even do pretty well for ourselves if we work together.” “Oh Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie Pie snorted before dissolving into giggles along with everypony except Twilight Sparkle who was still thoroughly mired in sulking. “You guys I’m serious,” Rainbow Dash glared at her friends. “I’m pretty sure I’ve tanked this whole beat Nightmare Moon plan.” “It was always a long-shot,” Fluttershy said a she recovered from laughing, “but we all knew that from the beginning. And we haven’t just been sitting around here while you were out scouting. Applejack knows the layout pretty well and we’ve been planning how to search such a large building in a hurry. It might make getting in there a little harder but once we’re in we can pull this off.” “Look,” Applejack said, “we all knew it was only a matter of time before they found out where we were and what we were up to. This way they don’t know anything more than that we’re in Manehatten so we’re still safe in my apartment. They were already looking for this book we need to find so all they gain is confirming that we’re on to them. And knowing that Trixie is here as well means one less surprise that Nightmare Moon can spring on us tomorrow. I know that anything less than perfection feels like a failure to you but I think I speak for all of us when I say that we came out ahead today.” “Wait.” Rainbow Dash held up a hoof. “Tomorrow? As in we go to sleep and when we wake up we go do this tomorrow?” “We’re nearly as ready as we’ll ever be,” Applejack replied. “I’ll drop by my aunt and uncle’s apartment later tonight to say my goodbyes and when I return we can put the finishing touches on our plan. Any delay at this point just lets Nightmare Moon get closer to having enough guards in the library to make sneaking in or out impossible.” Rainbow Dash looked in disbelief at her friends. “This is…” “Crazy enough to work,” Rarity interrupted. “We know there’s a book in that library that will tell us how to defeat Nightmare Moon. If we can get in there, get that book, and get out alive this goes from being a crazy scheme to something we really can pull off.” Rainbow Dash had no response to that. -- “It’s taken some doing but I think I can manage Twilight’s quite spell well enough to help us. Twilight, do you feel up to muffling our sounds for a long time? Twilight? Twilight Sparkle, are you listening?” The lavender unicorn was in fact not listening but was wallowing herself deeper and deeper into self-pity until a poke from Pinkie Pie made her jump halfway to the ceiling. “What was that for?” Twilight shot a rather offended look at the pink earth pony. “Twilight we’re trying to make sure we all know our parts for tomorrow,” Applejack answered. “Are you still with us even a little bit?” “Not really,” Twilight said, “it’s obvious you don’t need me. And I really don’t appreciate all the pity going to poor little Twilight Sparkle. I’m a big pony and I can deal with you not liking me anymore because of what I used to do. So just get it all out of the way and I can be out of your manes so I’m not holding you back tomorrow.” “That’s not true,” Fluttershy’s gasp still sounded offended even after all Twilight’s protests. “You’re our friend Twilight, and we don’t care what you did to make it through school before you met us. You wouldn’t have to do that now but if you’d known us then you wouldn’t be the Twilight Sparkle sitting here right now.” “She’s right,” Rainbow Dash said, “I’d give my back left hoof for Fluttershy to not have fallen off that cloud all those years ago but there’s nothing I can do about it now. It’s part of me but I manage to not think about it every time I look in the mirror. Working at a strip club will always be part of you but you have to stop thinking that you’re a stripper every time you look in the mirror. We don’t think that about you. The only one who can think that and kick you out is you.” “Thanks for the thought you two. It’s definitely the kindest send off I’ve ever gotten but all the strip clubs were on the lower levels of the undercity for a reason. Someday I’ll find somewhere I can get a new start without anypony finding out about my past, and I really wish it had been with you girls. But I learned long ago to not want anything because life is just going to make sure I don’t get it in the cruelest way possible.” Twilight stood up and her horn began to glow as she summoned her saddlebags. The small bags floated into the front room until they met Applejack’s hoof and stopped. “Sit down,” Applejack fixed her best imitation of her grandmothers’ stare at the unicorn and it did the job. “Now what makes you think any of us care where you worked? If you think that I never saw the worst parts of Equestria working as a reporter then you really aren’t half as smart as you think you are. I saw plenty of ponies who lived hoof to mouth without anything resembling hope. All they wanted was their next hit of whatever they used to escape the pain, and they didn’t particularly care what they had to do to get the bits for it. You weren’t lying to us when you said you’d never done any of that were you?” “Of course not!” Twilight protested. “But the next pony who believes me or cares will be the first. Really, I appreciate the kindness you’ve shown me and letting me stay here a few nights is incredibly generous but I know how this works. It’s only a matter of time before you ask me to leave and I’d rather leave on my own terms before that.” Applejack buried her face in a hoof. “The only thing that’s making me want to throw you out on your tail is your poor little me whine whine whine act. I know some of us have done better than others but none of us was born with a silver spoon in her hoof. I know you’ve had it the worst but we all had to work to get to where we are today. And none of us will judge you for working to get ahead in the world. Anypony who did or does judge you doesn’t deserve to call themself your friend. So let me ask you one more time, are you ready to get off your pity train and help us save the world?” Twilight opened her mouth several times and never met Applejack’s eyes but she stayed put. Applejack put a hoof under Twilight’s jaw and brought the other pony’s eyes to her own. “Now listen, what I’m saying to you is the honest truth. We know Twilight Sparkle. We know that Twilight Sparkle used to work at a strip club to pay for college. We liked Twilight Sparkle before we knew she worked at a strip club. And we still like Twilight Sparkle knowing she worked at a strip club. You’re our friend Twilight, and you’re going to have to try a lot harder than working at a strip club to make us stop being your friends.” Twilight was silent for nearly a minute before tears started welling up in her eyes. In short order she was crying like she’d never cried before into Applejack’s mane. “You really mean it? You still want to be my friends?” “Of course we do silly!” Pinkie Pie made an impressive leap onto Twilight Sparkle. “Why would we care that you spent some time walking around like we almost always do? I mean seriously, why do ponies even go to places like that? Wouldn’t it just be easier and cheaper to sit by the street and watch ponies go by?” Twilight couldn’t hold in her laugh. “Pinkie Pie, I’ve been wondering that since about a week after I started. I still don’t have an answer.” “Twilight, darling, why ever would you think we would care about something like that?” Twilight looked to see that Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash had all joined the group hug. “I’ve seen you perform downright terrifying magic and I’m still proud to call myself your friend. Applejack is right dear, you’ll have to work much harder to stop being our friend.” “She’s right,” Fluttershy said, “there’s nothing wrong with what you did. And even if it was wrong, what kind of friends would we be if we didn’t forgive you?” “Yeah,” Rainbow Dash added, “we’d never leave you hanging.” “I’m sorry girls,” Twilight sniffled. “It’s just that other than my parents nopony ever really cared about me. And I hope you can understand that I really didn’t want them finding out about my job. There was one pony who worked with me I thought was different, but Rarity can tell you how that turned out.” “Not well, I assure you. Now I don’t mean to sound insensitive Twilight, but if it’s not too much trouble we really should get back to planning how we’re going to break into the library tomorrow morning.” Twilight rubbed her face with her hooves. “Right, I promised myself I never wanted to think about that place again and I won’t! Let’s figure out how to get this book out from under Trixie’s grubby little hoofs.” “That’s the spirit!” Applejack slapped Twilight on the back. “Now, Rarity was saying that she can use your quiet spell to get us into the library through the sewers.” “Only under protest,” Rarity interrupted, “I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to get the smell out of my coat or my mane back to what it was before all this began.” “I’m sure you’ll survive,” Applejack deadpanned. “As I was saying, Rarity can get us into the library. Hopefully once we’re in we won’t need to be as quiet since it appears that most of their effort is being directed towards keeping us out in the first place. If you can manage to silence yourself and Rainbow Dash I think it would be best to have only you two looking. I know you two don’t want to split up the group but stealth will be our only hope and the smaller our numbers in any one place the better.” “As long as I don’t have to keep it up all the time I should be able to manage two ponies. Say, if I only have to do it when we land or if we spot somepony and need to hide.” “Wonderful,” Rarity said, “covering four ponies won’t be particularly easy. But if we can find a dark corner and stay still it shouldn’t be too hard to keep up while you two search for a likely book.” At that moment a swirl of green fire erupted over Rarity’s head and solidified into a corner of paper that floated down in front of the surprised ponies. After staring at it for several long seconds Rarity plucked the paper from the air with her magic and read it. “The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide, I recognize this handwriting! Celestia’s dragon, Spike, must have overheard Nightmare Moon and Trixie talking and somehow managed to send this to us. Oh I don’t know how he managed to do this but bless his little heart.” “This is it!” Twilight took the piece of paper. “This must be the look we’re looking for. I don’t know what these ‘Elements of Harmony’ are supposed to be, but if this tells us where we have to go to find them we could have a real chance of beating Nightmare Moon!” “I don’t recognize the title,” Applejack said, “but I do know where they keep all the reference materials. Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, I think with this in our hooves you two should simply speed through that particular part of the library to find the book. We’re certainly going to have to make sure that we’re all ready to leave Manehatten in a hurry tomorrow. I don’t think we’re coming back here and I don’t think we’ll have many chances to rest once we get this book.” The next hour or so was spent cramming what useful goods they could into their saddlebags and making a list of what they still needed. After a simple but welcome dinner Applejack and Fluttershy, the only two with a chance of not bringing the guards down on them, set out to buy what they could off the list of things they still needed to live cut off from towns and cities. Stores were still selling but both of them were shocked at how much prices had skyrocketed in the two weeks since Nightmare Moon had come to power. Suddenly that large store of bits they had didn’t seem so large anymore. “I think that’s everything we’re going to be able to get.” Applejack looked at their list as they walked out of a store. “Or at least that’s as many bits as I feel comfortable spending right now when we don’t know when we’ll be able to get more.” “We have to stop Nightmare Moon,” Fluttershy said, “if we don’t stop her soon ponies are going to start starving soon because they can’t afford food. I’ll go back to your apartment now if you want to go say goodbye to your aunt and uncle.” “Thanks,” Applejack said, “I won’t stay long. We’re all going to need our sleep if we’re going to be ready for tomorrow.” Applejack waved to the other pony and started off towards her aunt and uncle’s condominium dearly hoping it wouldn’t be the last time she ever saw them.