//------------------------------// // The Unconquered Inn // Story: To The End of Drudges // by GWFan //------------------------------// Chapter 3: The Unconquered Inn It was a long trek, and although there had been quite a number of arguments along the way, the small band of ponies finally found themselves overlooking a lone building in the distance. The road led directly to it and three other roads led in the other directions away from it. It stood right in the middle of the intersection, surrounded by a few trees, and an ancient looking well. “Is that supposed to be some kind of hotel?” Rarity asked nopony in particular. “That is the Unconquered Inn, last stop before we’re no longer in Equestria,” George announced. “It’s called unconquered because it sits right on the boarder and holds no elegance to either our country or the next.” “And the Temple of Discord is somewhere in that other country?” Fluttershy asked, sounding a little worried. “Yes. It’s still quite a ways though and we probably won’t reach the temple for at least two more days.” “What a bother. I’m not used to covering so much ground so fast,” Burgle sighed. “What did I say about whining?” Rarity warned him. “Not now you two. Let’s just go. It’s almost dark and I’m ready to hit the hay,” Twilight said, trying to avoid yet another argument. The ponies hiked the remaining twenty minute distance across the dirt road to the inn. As they got closer, it became more and more apparent how large the establishment really was. Not to mention how desperately it needed repair. “This is an inn?” Rarity snorted. “I’ve slept in tents nicer than this.” “It might as well be a shack,” Burgle added. “I’m surprised to hear you say that, junior,” Davenport said. “Aren’t you used to being on the lam and sleeping in dirty places?” “Hey! I may not make an honest living but I have better taste than this.” “That’s nice,” Twilight said with no emotion. “I’m going in now.” After listening to her traveling partners bicker the whole way there, Twilight just wanted to get into a nice quiet room and maybe read a little before bed. “Keep you’re guard up, Twilight Sparkle,” George suddenly said. “Like I said earlier, this place has no elegances so we could find any manner of creature in there.” Twilight stopped with the door halfway open. He only thought to tell them that now? They had just past a town maybe five miles back, not much smaller than Ponyville. Burgle had mentioned in passing that it was called Colton and had a four star hotel. “Oh, whatever,” Twilight sighed. “It can’t be worse than the Drudges.” She opened the door the rest of the way, which made an eerie creaking noise, and stepped into the lobby. The inside was actually a little nicer than the outside, though not that much. At least the floor didn’t look like it would give if anypony stepped on it. Twilight took the initiative to test that as she walked across a worn carpet to the front desk. The sleepy-eyed earth pony behind the counter didn’t even look up from his Sudoku puzzle. A very young bellhop pony sat on a chair next to the desk, asleep. Drool hung from his mouth, threatening to touch the floor. “Ahem,” Twilight said expectantly. The clerk silently wrote a number on his puzzle. “Ahem!” she said louder. The clerk scratched his nose. George walked up next to her and gently tapped his hoof on the service bell. The clerk looked at them lazily. “Can I help you?” “We need some rooms for a party of eight,” George said rather cheerfully for once. “Let me see what we got.” The clerk turned around and looked at a wall of keys behind him. “Oh boy,” Twilight grumbled. Why had George insisted on staying in this inn of all places? Twilight turned toward another much larger doorway to her right and noted that it was some kind of dining room. There were a few ponies sitting around eating hay on one table, which seemed perfectly normal. But, at another table, there were three rather tough looking griffins playing cards. And in the back of the room at an even larger table, a manticore busily lapped up milk from a saucer. Twilight gulped. “Okay, I’ve got your room numbers. That’ll be 152 bits, please.” George nodded his head in approval. “Well, you heard him Twilight Sparkle. Pay the man.” “Me? Why do I have to pay?” “Don’t worry. I’m sure Princess Celestia will reimburse you when the quest is over.” Twilight groaned and pulled a series of bits from her saddlebag, using her magic. After handing it over, the clerk took almost five minutes to count it. “Looks like it’s all here. Just sign your names to the guest book and I’ll get you your keys.” The clerk reached under the desk and dumped a large book on the counter, kicking up all kinds of ancient dust on Twilight’s face. “Thanks,” Twilight answered exasperated. She grabbed up a quill with her magic and signed her name harshly in the book. Each of the others in turn signed their names as well. That is, until it was Davenport’s turn. Davenport walked up to the counter with a smile and held out his hoof. “Hello there, kind sir. My names Davenport and I couldn’t help but notice that your inn could really use some sprucing up.” The clerk stared at him, the first sign of any emotion other than boredom crossing his face. He didn’t shake Davenports hoof. “Do you realize what a difference a grand sofa can make in a simple room such as this?” Twilight wasn’t the only one who looked at Davenport with disbelief. The clerk raised an eyebrow and pointed to the corner of the room where a dust covered sofa sat. “We have a sofa.” “I have an eye for sofas my friend and I can see that that sofa has seen better days. It’s time for a replacement and I’m just the pony to sell it too you.” The clerk clicked his tongue once. “Sooo, you gonna sign the book or…?” “And another thing my friend, this quill has a slightly bent tip. I happen to have several high quality quills with me that I can sell you for a great price.” The clerk stared at him lazily and snorted. “Look, buddy, either sign the book or sleep outside. You’re choice.” “You don’t seem to understand, sir,” Davenport put his front hooves on the counter. “My business, Quills and Sofas, has a wide variety of items that could easily change your life.” “Do you have to do this now?” Twilight asked him. This was just getting embarrassing. She was considering pulling him away from the counter and signing his name for him when she noticed the clerk looking, not at him specifically, but at his chest. “You know, you got a little something there.” Twilight’s eyes widened when the clerk started reaching for the Drudge. “Oh that thing?” Rarity suddenly jumped in. “My friend here just had an unfortunate accident with uh… tree sap and a rat. The poor thing has been stuck on him for miles.” “It looks like a bug.” “That’s because it’s a… insect rat,” Twilight smiled. “You don’t really see them that often.” “This isn’t a rat,” Davenport said. “Shut up, moron. Ponies are staring,” George said through clenched teeth. “And other things are too.” Twilight looked around and noted that the occupants of the dining room were all looking at them. More specifically, their eyes seemed to be on the Drudges. Many of them had noticed that there was more than just the one on Davenport. Even the bellhop had woken up, though he looked so nervously at the Drudge on Davenport’s chest that it almost seemed like he knew what it was. “Davenport, just sign the book,” Twilight whispered to him. “But Twilight, I have a potential sell here.” “Just sign the darn book!” Twilight and the others all shouted together. Only Fluttershy stayed silent, feeling increasingly nervous from all the stares in the room. Davenport quickly signed his name and replaced the quill in its inkpot. “You know, if you change your mind about the sofa, you can always look me up. Whoa!” Twilight grabbed him with her unicorn magic and pulled him away from the counter. “Thank you for the rooms, sir. We’ll be going upstairs now. Bye.” Twilight bolted up the stairwell, dragging Davenport the whole way. As soon as she got to the first room, she stopped and dropped him harshly. “Davenport, do you even remember why we’re on this quest? The Drudges are dangerous. We have to keep them as secret as possible. Did you see all the ponies and things who were looking at us?” “Gosh, I’m sorry Twilight. But I have to think about my business.” “Can’t that wait until after the quest is over? You’re business is fine.” “I guess. Still…,” Twilight wanted to tear her hair out but decided against it. It just wasn’t worth it. “Twilight?” She looked back down into the stairwell and saw Rarity and Fluttershy coming up after her. “Are you all right?” Fluttershy asked her. “I’m just frustrated. Everything about this quest is a walking disaster. We almost blew it down there.” “Just take a deep breath, darling. Too much stress will give you premature wrinkles and we wouldn’t want that now would we?” Rarity said sarcastically. Twilight let out a brief laugh, feeling a little better for the small joke but the situation still frustrated her. “Here,” Rarity handed her a key. “The boys are sharing one room and us girls are sharing the other. It’s a little further down the hall, room 134.” “All the boys are sharing a room? All five of them?” Twilight asked. “Well, in light of all the attention downstairs, the guards decided to take turns and put up a watch. I guess they’ll be patrolling the halls or something. In any case, it won’t be too crowded for them.” Twilight nodded. She should have guessed the guards would still want to do something related to their usual job. “Anyway, I’m going on ahead. After all that traveling, I need to take a shower.” “See you in the room, Twilight,” Fluttershy said as she and Rarity went further down the hall. “This quest still sucks,” Burgle said, walking up the stairs. “I’m kind of starting to agree, but no one ever said that quests were supposed to be easy.” “Whatever. Maybe the moon wouldn’t be that bad after all.” Twilight had almost forgotten why the thief was even on the quest with them. It probably would be best if he didn’t find out that Luna hadn’t been serious. “So what room are you in?” “103. The one Pops happens to be standing in front of.” Burgle actually shoved Davenport out of the way and unlocked the door. All three of them looked inside as the door creaked open. “Twilight, I don’t think I’m going to be able to sleep in there. Look,” Davenport pointed. Twilight scanned the room again. “Okay… what am I looking at?” The room looked pretty much like one might expect an inn room to look like while on a quest. A cramped little room with four beds, some nightstands, a writing desk, some chairs, a table to eat at, bathroom door, and two windows in the back. True it was a little dirty but still… “There. Right there. Do you see it?” Twilight looked again. “See what?” “A lounge chair.” Twilight raised an eyebrow, noting the single lounge chair that one might find in any inn room. It stood silently, looking heavily used as if it had seen many pony rumps throughout the years. “I don’t get it. What’s wrong with the chair?” “It’s a lounge chair. Don’t you see? It’s my worst enemy.” Davenport shook his hoof at the evil lounge chair. “It’s just a chair.” “Not at all. The lounge chair has been undermining the sofa for years. Little by little, ponies are preferring to sit in lounge chairs rather than indulge in the comfort of a well-made sofa. I just don’t think I can sleep in the same room with that… that thing.” Twilight could feel a vein threatening to pop out of her head. “So teach it a lesson and don’t sit in it.” “Yeah… yeah! You’re right. I’ll show that dirty lounge chair. Nopony will sit in you all night.” Davenport walked into the room, seemingly more determined and uplifted. “You have serious issues,” Twilight said quietly. She turned away from the room and saw Burgle standing there. “What? Don’t tell me you have a problem with the furniture too.” “No, it’s not that. It’s just…,” Burgle glanced into the room briefly. “Do I really have to share a room with him? He’s weird… and he kind of scares me… and he’s got that Drudge on him.” At least Burgle’s concerns were more legitimate. “Just don’t bring up quills or sofas or that lounge chair and he probably won’t bother you. And don’t worry about the Drudge. If it does something then you’ve got George in there to handle it.” “George?” Burgle scoffed. “That old coot is sleeping in the luxury suite upstairs.” “He’s what?” “He said it’s always reserved for him since he’s so great.” Twilight facehoofed. “I don’t believe this. And he made me pay for the rooms? No wonder it cost so much.” And no wonder he wanted to stay at this particular inn. “If you’d like, I’ll go boot him out of there for five bits.” “It’s tempting but forget it. Let him have his luxury suite.” Twilight sighed in exasperation. “Anyway, Fluttershy, Rarity, and I are going to be just down the hall. I guess Rhubarb and Grey are going keep up a watch, so sorry if they’re coming in and out of your room all night.” “Like I could sleep in a hovel like this anyway. Especially with him in there.” Burgle trudged into the room, only looking a little weary of Davenport, and closed the door. “Why does it feel like it’s going to be a long night?” Twilight sighed again and went down the hall in search of room 134. Rarity stepped out of the bathroom with a bathrobe on and a towel wrapped around her hair. She breathed in calmly though she looked rather depressed. “What’s wrong? Didn’t you like the shower?” Fluttershy asked her. “How could I? I don’t feel comfortable getting under the water with this thing on me.” Rarity gestured to the Drudge with her horn. “Besides, have you seen how dirty it is in there? All I did was wet my hair and even that wasn’t very pleasant.” “Maybe it’s for the better,” Twilight said from where she was reading a book. Out of pure disgust for Davenport’s absurdity earlier, she had decided to read while sitting in the room’s lounge chair. “That Drudge used fire earlier, remember? So maybe it wouldn’t like getting wet.” “There’s no reason to accommodate the darn thing,” Rarity said angrily as she started to rummage through her saddlebag. “There is if it decides to burn the building down.” “I suppose you’re right,” Rarity conceded. She pulled out a couple of dresses from the saddlebag and started examining them. “Where did you get those? I thought Luna only gave us food and survival gear?” Fluttershy asked, noting that some of the dresses looked rather expensive. “She did, but I’m not leaving Equestria looking like some simple pony. So I asked some of the servants to do some shopping for me while we were waiting. Honestly, they didn’t make half-bad choices either. I think I could almost wear these as is.” “Almost? Don’t tell me you’re going to be sowing all night,” Twilight asked, concerned that she wasn’t going to be getting much sleep. “Not really. I just need to put something together that can cover up the Drudge. Ponies were staring at me and not in nice ways.” “Maybe it’s just because it’s on you’re… um… you know…,” Fluttershy stammered. “You can say it Fluttershy. It’s attached to my big butt.” “I wasn’t going to say big,” Fluttershy said quietly. “But seriously, if it had to stick to me, why did it have to be back there? I feel so violated. At least that one is on your back.” “I guess I really can’t complain when you put it that way.” Fluttershy craned her neck, but she could just barely make out the Drudge there. Rip Van Winkle hadn’t so much as breathed since attaching to her and sometimes she forgot he was even there, except for the slight tingling she constantly felt from its legs digging into her. The Drudge was actually quieter than she was. “I wonder what would be the best look to cover it with? This Drudge certainly doesn’t make it easy to choose a dress style.” Rarity draped a dress over her tail and tried adjusting how tightly it wrapped around her backside without upsetting the Drudge. “Which do you think is more in fashion right now, big behinds or small behinds?” Twilight and Fluttershy looked at each other. “No offense Rarity, but didn’t you just say yours was big?” Twilight said carefully. “That’s not what I asked,” Rarity said, rolling her eyes. “Oh never mind. Where is that strawberry dress they bought?” Rarity used her unicorn magic to lift the saddlebag and shake it upside-down, but she was surprised when she shook it too hard and it slammed down on the bed. “Yeesh. Sorry Rarity. I didn’t know you were that sensitive about it,” Twilight said, almost dropping her book. Rarity looked at her rather astonished. “I… I didn’t mean to do that. It just sort of…,” Rarity tried picking the bag up again but this time it flew upwards, nearly hitting the ceiling before she caught it. “Rarity?” Fluttershy asked. Again, Rarity slammed the bag down on the bed, making one of the legs break. Rarity looked horrified. “I swear I didn’t mean to do that,” she apologized. “I don’t understand. I mean I usually have such precision, but right now…,” “Wait just a moment,” Twilight put her book down. “Rarity, do you know how magic arm wrestling works?” “Of course I do. Practically every young unicorn plays it in school at some time or another. Why do you…?” Rarity paused, realizing what she was implying. She gulped. “Right now?” “I think it might be worth the test.” Rarity removed the towel from her hair and set it on the bed she had just broken. Then she and Twilight stood facing each other, both of their horns igniting in magical light. “Ready?” Twilight asked. “I hope so.” “Go.” In the air between them, two waves of light collided, forcing against one another. The concentration on both unicorns’ faces intensified, as they both tried to focus all their power into it. Twilight was emanating so much power, her eyes started to glow, but Rarity’s magic force wasn’t wavering. In fact, it started to push Twilight back. “Time out!” Twilight shouted. The two waves vanished almost simultaneously and Twilight puffed in exhaustion. Rarity however just looked stunned. “Twilight, please tell me you were holding back.” But the lavender unicorn shook her head. “I actually gave it everything I had. I almost lost control there. I haven’t done that since the entrance exam when I was still a filly. And still, you were starting to beat me.” “But… but I can’t be stronger than you. That doesn’t make any sense. I thought the Drudge was supposed to be eating my energy. Why would I be getting stronger and in so short a time? It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours yet.” “I… don’t know.” “Do you think perhaps I tapped into the Drudge’s power or something?” “I don’t know,” Twilight shook her head. “I’ve never heard of anything like this.” She tiredly sat back down in the lounge chair. “We’ll just have to ask George about it in the morning. I don’t know what else to tell you.” “Oh my stars….” Rarity moped, walked to one of the beds, and collapsed into it. “This is just too much. My heads starting to hurt,” she said as she put her foreleg over her eyes, dramatically. “Do you need some ice?” Fluttershy offered. “It’s not necessary, thank you. A wet rag will work fine.” Fluttershy smiled warmly. “It’s okay, I don’t mind. I’ll go get you some ice.” She picked up an ice bucket off the table with her mouth and went out the door in search of an ice machine. “That Fluttershy. She never stops thinking about others, does she?” Rarity smiled. “Say, if my Drudge is making me stronger, do you think Fluttershy’s Drudge is making her stronger too?” “Could be. I guess we’ll know if she starts making Sonic Rainbooms.” Rarity giggled. “I’d love to see the look on Rainbow Dash’s face if she did that.” Finished giggling, Rarity lifted her foreleg enough to look at Twilight with one eye. “Do you think our friends are all right in Canterlot?” Twilight breathed in and out slowly. “George did say the diamondization was reversible. I’m sure they’re fine.” Even so, she missed her other friends terribly. And no matter how much George insisted everything would work out, she couldn’t help but worry about them. Twilight woke from her thoughts when she heard a knock at the door. “Is Fluttershy back already?” she asked aloud and went to answer the door. Before she got to it, the knocking got even louder. “That doesn’t sound like Fluttershy,” Rarity said, sitting up slightly, though not enough to crush the Drudge on her rump. The knocking continued to intensify, leaving the two unicorns feeling uneasy, not just for themselves but for Fluttershy. After closing the door behind her, Fluttershy walked down the hallway. She hadn’t seen an ice machine on the way to the room earlier so she figured it must be further in the back of the inn. She heard a chime somewhere strike ten o’clock. Even though it was pretty late, it was rather unnerving for the inn to be so quiet. She didn’t even hear snoring as she passed by various rooms. Which room were the boys staying in again? Now that she thought about it, it was in the opposite direction. Otherwise, she probably would have seen Rhubarb or Grey in the hallway. Come to think of it, why weren’t either of the two guards patrolling yet? Trying to shake the heebie-jeebies from her mind, Fluttershy kept walking. Further ahead, there was a small light illuminating the ice machine. And right next to the machine stood a pony. Fluttershy slowed her approach. The pony was a young male, maybe just a little younger than herself. He was a dusty color, and otherwise had no other particularly distinguishing features other than that he was an earth pony. The pony just stood there, watching her slowly walk closer. He seemed to be breathing rather fast, though not particularly heavy. Before she got too much closer, Fluttershy stopped. Being a shy pony herself, Fluttershy didn’t know what to say. That and the fact that she had an ice bucket in her mouth. He continued to stare at her and she turned her head away, not sure where to look. It wasn’t like her to start up a conversation with somepony she had just met and apparently, it wasn’t like him either. But she still needed to get ice. Finally, not sure what else to do, but still not brave enough to speak, she smiled and nodded her head at him as she started for the ice machine again. He slowly nodded his head and strangely enough started trembling a bit. Fluttershy walked next to him, put her bucket in the ice machine and smiled politely at him again. From this angle, she could see his cutie mark, which resembled a hammer. The poor young pony was sweating profusely. “Are… are you okay?” Fluttershy ventured. The sound of her quiet voice breaking the silence almost seemed deafening in the eerie hallway. The strange trembling pony licked his lips and finally spoke. “Drudge…” The very word made Fluttershy freeze, not that she had really been moving much already, but she certainly felt a chill. “Please… Master Drudge… tell me what I’m supposed to do,” he said slowly. Fluttershy started to back away when she realized she was right up against the ice machine. The other pony reached his hoof out to her. “Please… I’ve come all this way and I don’t know why. Tell me what to do.” “I-I-I-I’m sorry sir, but I really don’t know what-” “Drudge.” Fluttershy turned her head when another voice sounded out in the silence. A unicorn with a hair full of curlers was standing at the end of the hallway. “You found one?” “I found one,” the young earth pony answered. “We’ve been looking for you. Tell us what to do.” “Tell us what to do!” Fluttershy’s legs nearly gave out. There were six other ponies walking right behind the unicorn, all asking the same question. Fluttershy jumped when the young earth pony touched a hoof to her shoulder. “The Drudge… please give us the Drudge… Master… Master Rip Van Winkle!” “P-please. Stop,” Fluttershy pleaded, but the group of ponies were closing in. She had nowhere to go. They were all reaching their hooves out to her, trying to touch her. Fluttershy wanted to scream. “Excuse me.” The young earth pony turned his head when a hoof suddenly tapped him on the shoulder. In the next moment, two back hooves bucked him right in the side of the head, launching him into the group of advancing ponies. Fluttershy watched him hit the ponies and knock them all over like bowling pins. “Young lady, are you all right?” Fluttershy turned in surprise and saw one of the two guards standing there. He had come to her rescue. Wait… young lady? Was he the same guard who had tried to save her from Rip Van Winkle that same morning? “Thank you so much, sir.” Fluttershy said in relief. “Sir? Sir is too formal. We’re questing together aren’t we? So you can call me Grey if you want.” “Oh. You’re Grey? I’m sorry, I can’t tell you apart from Rhubarb.” Grey silently scratched his nose. “Yeah. We guards tend to get that a lot.” Fluttershy smiled, but then she looked back at the ponies who had just about attacked her. “Who are those ponies?” “No idea. They just came upstairs all of a sudden. There’s actually more down the hall.” Fluttershy stared at him in shock. There were more? The ponies Grey had knocked down began to get up. Still, they were asking the Drudge what they were supposed to do. Only the unicorn seemed concerned that the young earth pony was knocked out. “Come on, young lady,” Grey motioned for her to come back with him the way she had come. “Let’s go back to your room and get your friends. We need to get everypony out of here.” “Okay,” Fluttershy said quietly as she started to follow him. But abruptly he stopped. “Do you smell something?” he asked. Fluttershy sniffed the air. It kind of smelled like… The wall slid open silently and a pony walked into the room quietly. Two of the beds were occupied. One of them undoubtedly held what the pony was looking for. He inched his way over, focused on the nearest bed, when two hooves suddenly grabbed him. “Sorry, kid,” Burgle apologized, pushed the pony against the wall and held up a knife with his magic. “It’s kinda hard to sneak up on a seasoned thief. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice that false wall?” “P-please…” the pony pleaded. “Hush,” Burgle warned him and held the knife closer. “Pops! Wake up!” “Huh? Sofas?” Davenport rubbed his eyes and switched on the lamp on the nightstand. In the low light, it was clear that the other bed only had a few pillows sleeping in it. “This kid just tried to sneak up on us,” Burgle informed him, before looking at the pony again. “Wait a minute… You’re that bellhop from downstairs!” Burgle was a bit surprised. “What are you doing up here? Trying to rob us?” “It’s the Drudge,” he answered. “Master Drudge! Master! Please… Give me an order. I… I have to listen.” “Hey, what’s wrong with him?” Davenport asked, getting out bed. “Is he all right?” “You are… you are…” Despite Burgle holding him back, the bellhop reached his hooves out toward Davenport. “Isis!” At the sound of the Drudge’s name, Davenport’s eyes widened. He felt Isis move on his chest ever so slightly and then… My little ponies… “What? What did you say?” Davenport asked. “Pops?” “What are you…” Davenport covered his ears. My little ponies… “Stop it! Stop!” Davenport screamed, almost cowering in place. “Isis! I know you somehow! I’ve come to follow you! Please tell me what I’m supposed to do!” the bellhop yelled. “Everypony’s gone nuts,” Burgle yelped, trying to make sense of what was going on. He didn’t have long to think though. The door suddenly flew open and one of the guards sprang in. He slammed the door behind him and heaved himself against it, just as something on the other side tried to open it. “Hey, guard guy, what the hay is going on?” Burgle asked. “There’s a mob out there.” “A mob?” “Grey just ran over to the girls’ room to get them out.” So this guard must have been Rhubarb. Burgle had no idea why palace guards all looked alike since it seemed terribly inconvenient. “We need to get out too, but-” Something hit the door and Rhubarb bounced against it, trying to hold it shut. “My little ponies… My little ponies…,” Davenport started chanting. “Mistress Isis!” The bellhop called out. “Curses and mules,” Burgle said in frustration. Using his magic, he weaved a small spell to put the bellhop to sleep. It was probably his second most practiced spell, after unlocking doors. “Don’t just stand there, help me bar the door! Get some furniture over here!” Rhubarb commanded. Burgle quickly used his magic to slowly scoot one of the beds over to the door. “Where did this mob come from?” “I don’t know. A bunch of ponies just came charging up the stairs.” Something pounded against the door again and Rhubarb nearly lost his footing. Rhubarb looked back to tell Burgle to hurry up, but his sharp eyes quickly fell on the window. “Burgle! Pegasus in the window!” “Wha?” Burgle turned but it was too late. A pegasus crashed through the window hard enough to knock himself out. Why were these ponies so determined? “My little ponies… My little ponies…,” Davenport sang, reaching out for the window. His face was split by a wild smile. Burgle switched tactics and used every last ounce of magical strength he had to toss the bed against the window just as another pegasus tried to fly through it. “Shoot. We’re trapped,” Rhubarb cried, nearly losing his struggle with the door again. “No we’re not. There’s a secret entrance in the wall,” Burgle pointed to where the wall was still slightly ajar. For a brief moment, Burgle wondered why he was thinking of anyone other than himself. He had a clear shot to the hidden wall. Finally, he said, “I’ll grab Pops. On the count of three, get away from the door and…” He sniffed the air. “Do you smell smoke?” Rhubarb sniffed loudly. It was smoke. But from where? And why?