Chapter 2: Interrogation
Twilight felt uncomfortable using the new castle’s dungeon. So be it that Equestria has had many of deadly foe, but even then she deemed it not pony-like to hold some prisoner in such a…. grim-named place. Even more so that possibly this dog wasn’t even an enemy to pony-kind. When he was brought back to the castle he was given the best medical treatment they could offer. He was a bit dinged up but it was manageable. The guards earlier had noted that he was conscious but wasn’t very responsive. Twilight decided it was time to pay a visit to the castle’s new guest in hopes of finding out what had crashed landed in the Everfree Forest.
“This way…” an earth-pony guard said as he guided the way to the cell.
“Is he capable of talking?” Twilight asked.
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
One thing that made Twilight anxious would be if a language barrier would prevent her from finding out more information from a prime source. Deciding that it be best to stay positive she focused on what questions she would ask if they could communicate. ‘Who are you and what do you want?’… no no no that seemed too aggressive. ‘So what made you stop by in Ponyville?’ … meh, no. The question was too vague and wasn’t decisive enough. Maybe-
“Here he is.” The guard said gesturing to the jail cell left of him, interrupting Twilight’s train of thought. The dog seemed to be curled up on the floor in some sort of resting position with his head resting unsupported on the ground; pointing towards Twilight. She looked at him. His vigilant eyes icily stared back at her; taking in everything she said, did, and even smelled like.
“Hello…” Twilight said uneasily. The dog’s uncomfortable silence but wariness made the situation seem eerie, “I’m Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship.” The dog continued to gaze at her, not saying a word. She slowly moved closer to the jail cell’s bars; his beady, black eyes followed. “So what was that metal-contraption thing you landed in back in the forest?” Dumbest question ever. He still didn't speak. This was becoming difficult. Twilight hadn't practiced any of her conversation starters from the book she read, Conversation Starters for the Social Pony. She was about to give up when the dog finally said something.
“Take me back.”
“I’m sorry?” Twilight responded.
“Take me back to the fortress.” The dog said, giving a less but still vague request
“What fortress?”
“The ‘metal thing’ back in the forest. Take me back.”
“umm. Suuuuure.” She wasn’t sure if you were suppose to let prisoners out of their cells to show them where they were found but Twilight didn’t want to think about this dog as a prisoner and rather as a guest so she agreed. She looked over at the guard who had been standing at attention and nodded. He bowed his head and trotted over to the jail cell door unlocking it. The dog immediately got up and walked, without instruction, to the jail cell door.
He stopped at the doorway and looked at Twilight, “The name’s Lucky Strike.”
“Alright Strike-“
“Please, call me Lucky” cutting off Twilight
“Okay then. Lucky I’ll assemble some guards and we can head back.” Twilight continued. Twilight, Lucky and the guard walked back up to the main floor of the castle, out of the dungeon. The guard departed to assemble a few more of them to escort Twilight back to the wreckage. “There are something’s that I think belongs to you.” Twilight said as she used her magic to levitate what appeared to her as two slightly, different shaped metal boxes and a metallic stick with a handle. “We took these off of you while you were unconscious. Sorry about that.” The dog took the metal boxes and put them in his olive green jumpsuit. He then cautiously picked up the metal stick.
“You’re letting me take this too?” Lucky asked as he slid the object into a special pocket that looked like it was shaped just for this item on the side of his suit.
“Sure. That is unless you want us to keep it safe.” Twilight replied.
“No I’m good.”
*
Twilight, Lucky Strike, and 4 other pegasus pony guards, including Sky Dodger were about to approach the downed behemoth once again. This would be the second time Twilight, Sky Dodger and Lucky Strike were here in 48 hours. They sat at the tree line before the clearing of the crash site.
“Why are we hiding? We were just here.” Twilight asked.
“Because we don’t know if any of HIS people” Sky Dodger said, pointing at Lucky Strike, “came looking for him. This area could very well be dangerous despite our recent presence.”
“Alright.” Twilight said as she readjusted her head to be more comfortable in the bush she was peeking through. They waited for probably a minute before Sky Dodger gave an all clear. Lucky was one of the first to leave the cover of the bushes. He walked up along side the metal behemoth and ran his hand over some art that drawn near the front on the nose.
“Were there… any bodies?” Lucky asked.
“No, except for you.” Twilight said, “but we did hear someone call out for your name on that small box you got there.” She pointed to one of his chest pockets on his suit that contained the box.
“My radio?” he asked.
“That’s a radio? In Equestria we have something similar but it’s more stationary and is used more for listening to music. Even so, most the music you hear is live performance so we don’t use it too often.” Twilight replied.
“Wait, wait, wait, wait. You said someone was calling for me on this?” Lucky said gesturing to his chest.
“Yes.”
“They’re alive!” He cheered, a dramatic change from his so-far consistent firmness.
“Who’s alive?” Twilight inquired.
“I didn’t want to admit it at first but so far you’ve shown me your trust and I must honor that by giving you mine. When this thing went down,” Lucky strike said as he waved his paw in the general direction of the behemoth, “there were 5 others with me. When this thing suffered from engine failure-“
“Engine failure?” Sky Dodger asked, “Like a steam engine? Those things weigh so much. There is no possible way that thing flew with a steam engine on it!”
“Precisely, except it isn’t a steam engine, I am talking about an internal combustion engine powered by diesel fuel.”
“Diesel?” Twilight asked confused. So many new things were being told to her in such a short span of time.
“Yes! I’ll explain later. Anyway, when this thing’s engines caught fire it exploded and shrapnel went through the windshield.” Lucky Strike said as he pointed to the busted out windows that were next to where the closer of the two engines were. “It was down to pilot to get everybody off the aircraft-“
“Aircraf-“ Sky Dodger interrupted before being interrupted himself.
“You know what? Ask me these questions later; I’m trying to explain the situation and where it puts you and me right now.” Lucky stated.
“Alright. Go ahead.” Sky apologized.
‘Thank you. Anyway, where was I? Oh right. Okay so in the situation of bailing out of the aircraft,” he emphasized the word ‘aircraft’, “Which ever pilot is not currently flying or if he is able to get someone else to fly for him for a few minutes, he goes to the back of the aircraft where the rest of the crew are waiting with parachutes. He then prompts them out one by one. Problem was I was in charge of keeping the aircraft airborne while the Pilot did this as for aircraft's co-pilot was injured in that explosion I was talking about. I was flying hoping he’d get back soon but he was new and apparently didn’t know he was suppose to come back to the controls, or in other words, the area where you control the plane. So he jumped out with the rest of the crew without telling me. I quickly figured this out but not quick enough. It was apparent the aircraft was too low to jump so I had to ditch it in the woods.” Lucky Strike said as he used both of his paws to show trail of risen earth that followed the metal behemoth’s landing. “I immediately was knocked out of the co-pilots seat and down to where I usually am, the nose of the plane. When the aircraft finally stopped I propped my self up on the bombardier’s seat and took a few deep breathes before falling unconscious.”
“And that ends with us retrieving you and being back to the castle?” Twilight said, trying to make what she was saying a statement but truly was more of uncertainty.
“Exactly. You told me that someone had called for me on my handheld radio before, right? Well that thing has short distance retrieving and transmitting so that means it’s probably the rest of the crew, especially if they referred to me by name.” Strike said almost as he was solving a murder case as he spoke, pacing.
Then him, Twilight, and Sky Dodger said at the same time, “They must be close by….”
“Please, Princess. We must go and find my crew. They are probably still stranded; without supplies like food and water.” Lucky formally asked.
Twilight glanced at Sky Dodger; he nodded his head. She looked back at Lucky. I guess we’ll do it. Let me round up the rest of my friends back at the castle and we’ll go on a ponyhunt.” Twilight said, “erm…or a doghunt I should stay.”
“Deal” Lucky said with confidence.