//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 // Story: Tick-Tock The Bet is Up // by Black Hailstorm //------------------------------// Chapter 15: The Circus is the Town “We’re in trouble. Big, big trouble.” Location: Canterlot; Train Tracks. Time: 11:32 p.m.-Day 4 The sound of hooves clicking on cement echoed throughout the streets of Canterlot city as the group of five made their way into the town. It had taken Ben and the others a considerable amount of time to walk from Ponyville to Canterlot, after the group had discovered the train systems weren’t functioning. Most likely because of whatever Zombozo had done he’d made sure to affect any means of transportation as well. “Definitely smarter than he was on Earth” Kevin grumbled as the group trotted into the empty streets of the capital. “Well at least we can put a stop to this now that we’re here” Gwen stated. “Yes but there is one thing that bothers me” Rook stated as they came to a stop for a moment’s rest. “What’s that?” Ben asked. “Have you noticed how there is nobody here?” he said, his voice now seeming to echo across the entire emptiness of the city. Dash landed beside her allies, looking around. “It is pretty late at night. Shouldn’t that be normal?” “I suppose” Ben said rubbing his chin. “Come on” he said leading the way. “Let’s make sure Zombozo hasn’t had enough time to get his influence on everyone here.” The group trotted down the dark empty streets for quite some time in silence. None saying a word as they moved, all of them having the sense that if they did say something it would only attract the attention of the now languish possibly brainwashed ponies. Minutes passed and the group began to finally enter actual town proximity, seeing buildings here and there as they passed. And every building they passed had all it’s lights shut off. Be it a shop, a restaurant or a home, not a single light was on in the room. Not a single one. A few more minutes passed as the group continued to follow Rainbow Dash who had now taken the lead again, heading in the direction of the castle only for the cyan pegasus to stop rather abruptly staring ahead. “Dash what is it?” Be asked moving forward to see what she was looking at. The mare didn’t respond she merely raised a hoof towards a store that based on the giant circle on the very top of it’s roof, was a donut shop. “A donut store?” Kevin said with interest. “I didn’t think you guys had donuts let alone anything actually good out here” he said moving towards the only building with a light on in the entire vicinity. “Kevin, don’t you think this is a trap?” Gwen called after the steel stallion. The flick of Kevin’s tail however told everyone that their friend just didn’t give a damn. He was in it for the donuts. Rook, Dash, and Ben looked at Gwen. After a few seconds of silence and noticing the pleading look in Ben’s eye the dracony sighed in defeat. “Fine, let’s check it out.” “YES!” Ben said before zooming off after Kevin, leaving the others behind. Gwen merely stood there with a paw over her face, shaking her head in disappoint. He was doing so well also she thought with another sigh before following her cousin and boyfriend into the shop. Rainbow Dash merely watched the scene unfold with a look of confusion, slightly surprised by the level of immaturity the hero who had claimed to saved billions of lives repeatedly just displayed. Rook passed by Dash with a small smile on his face as he to shook his head and went into the shop. “Before you ask” he said as Dash followed after regaining her composure. “Yes, he does act like that. In fact, he’s always like that.” The front door sung with the ding of the bell over it. Dash being the last to enter now saw Gwen watching her cousin and boyfriend gorging themselves on a large plateful of donuts, the pegasus couldn’t help herself but chuckle at Gwen’s more than displeased face. “Can you guys please focus! We came here to stop a sociopath not to let you two fill up on pastries!” she stated with a frown. “C’mon Gwen loosen up a bit, we did walk all this way here after all” Ben said with a mouthful of donuts. He swallowed. “Besides even if Zombozo’s powers have grown a bit in power he’s still no match for us.” “Tennyson’s right Gwen” Kevin stated after lifting his muzzle out of his bowl, sprinkles and frosting all over his lips. “We’ll be fine, all we need to do is find Zombozo. Kick his butt and have him reverse everything back to normal. No biggy.” “I’m glad you two are so optimistic, but I believe we should really get back to the matter at hand once you finish-” Rook’s nose crinkled a bit in slight disgust by the way his partner and friend were ‘chowing’ down. “We should really get back on the job.” “Alright alright! Fine, we’ll get back on the job” Ben groaned. Rook and Gwen smiled. Kevin glanced over to his friend with a curious look in his eye, obviously expecting something else to happen. He was correct in doing so. “After we finish our second round of donuts!” Ben said clapping his hooves together in delight. Both Gwen and Rook just shook their heads, as Rainbow Dash laughed in joviality as the two stallions began to pig out again. Eventually after a few seconds Dash heard the clopping of hooves as they rounded a corner and came to the register. When she turned, the mare was surprised to see none other than Donut Joe, standing there with a calm expression on his face as he turned to his product display and refilled a pastry shelf. “Donut Joe?” Dash said in surprise. The stallion turned his head towards the mare and without changing his expression in the slightest cocked a brow. “Rainbow Dash?” he said with some surprise. “What are you doing out here so late at night. And who are these guys here, do you know ‘em?” She nodded. “Their my friends, they came to help me with a certain roach infestation here.” The stallion chuckled, “Well I can assure you there are no roaches in my shop.” “Don’t worry” she said with a calm wave of her hoof. “Those aren’t the kind of roaches I was talking about.” “Is that so?” Donut Joe said turning back to his customers as he finished loading up another tray of donuts. “Well whatever you’re looking for I hope you find them soon.” “Thanks Joe I-” she paused. “...Hey Joe, has your coat always been so pale before?” At this Ben and the others stopped any form of bickering or eating and looked up at the pegasus confronting the donut shop owner. “Dash, I’ve got no clue what you’re talking about” the slightly pale amber stallion said. “Now you sirs over there would you like another plate of donuts before I close up for the night?” “That’s not even a question you need to ask” Ben said with a grin as he licked his lips. “Send them over!” “Alright then. And just so I can get your names down, what are they?” the stallion asked as he took out a note pad and pencil. “Ben Tennyson” “Kevin Levin.” Instantly almost everything went quiet in the room. Donut Joe froze completely when he heard those names, a slight tension filling the air as the stallion’s muscles relaxed after a few seconds. Writing them down, he nodded. “Ben Tennyson and Kevin Levin huh? Strange names” he said with a half smile, half confused/nervous expression. “We get that a lot” Ben said with a watchful eye. “I suppose you would” Donut Joe said his eyes now acknowledging the existence of Gwen and ,Rook for the first time. Slipping his hoof under the counter the stallion stealthily hit a button underneath it. Rook’s ear twitch went unnoticed. “Well then” he said with a smile. “Here are your donuts” he stated. Lifting a tray of donuts with his tail, walking away from the counter and sliding it on the table, the stallion nodded to the entire group as he trotted around the corner to the back, of the door. “I hope you enjoy it.” No sooner had the stallion disappeared behind the back door, did chaos immediately ensue. Batponies came crashing through the windows, accompanied by pegasi. Unicorns immediately teleported into the seats of the pastry establishment, and a group of shadows that Dash could only assume as earth ponies stood their ground guarding the main entrance of the store on all sides. “We’re surrounded” Gwen sighed. “This is why I never let you guys stop for a snack till the job is done.” “Agreed” Rook said rather, curtly looking at the two who were still eating, although much slower now. Dash had now backed up to stand near her friends table, her wings spread with animosity as a few more unicorns teleported into the room and pegasi, bat pony alike flew in through shattered windows. All of them having the same grayish appearance, like the others back in Ponyville. “So” Dash whispered to Kevin and Ben who were now just finishing the last of their donuts. “What exactly is happening right now?” “We’re surrounded what else does it look like Skittles?” Kevin said finishing his last donut. Rainbow Dash not knowing what skittles are simply ignored the statement and directed her question to Gwen who shot Kevin a look before replying. “Most likely Zombozo’s taken control of the entire city” she muttered as a few more troops flew into the now cramped space. “But that’s roughly a thousand and four hundred ponies!! There’s no way he could get that many equines under his control that quickly!” “We did say that his powers could have been increased since coming here. So it only makes sense that his ability would pervade so quickly as well” Rook answered. “Ben Tennyson, Kevin E Levin, Rook, Gwen Tennyson” stated a batpony with three stars on his armor. “I am Lunar Imperial, Nightwalker. We have been ordered to capture you four for trespassing on capital ground.” “On what grounds?” Rook asked, stepping forward, only to be greeted by a blast of magical aura inches away from his hooves. The Revonnahgander looked up at the unicorn that had fired warning shot, his eyes narrowed Rook took in a deep breath and calmed himself. “I will repeat my question again without taking another step. “On what grounds are we trespassing?” “Classified information” Nightwalker stated. “Whose orders?” Gwen questioned rising from her seat. “Classified information” Nightwalker repeated. “Hey!” Dash yelled grabbing everyponies attention. “What do you mean classified where are Princess Luna and Princess Celestia?” “We do not know. We have our orders from a higher power and were instructed not to worry about the princesses.” “And you believed that hogwash?!” Dash yelled. One of the unicorn’s horns began to glow. Rook quickly held his hoof up to signal the rainbow maned pegasus to calm down. She took the hint but not before she snorted in anger. “So, what’s the plan?” Rook asked turning his attention back to the others. “We could just yield and have them take us to Zombozo” Kevin said wiping his muzzle of the frosting on his lips. “There’s no way Zombozo would just have us lead to him. The guy unlike some of our past villains actually learns from his mistakes” Gwen stated. “Good point, then what do we do?” Shuffling in the far right seat next to them made the group turn their attention to Ben who was now licking his lips of the frosting on them. Raising a hoof and wiping his mouth completely Ben’s eyes glinted with that excited look in his eye, whenever he was ready for a battle. After leaving the table, Ben now took his position next to Rook, several horns glowed in his direction and one of the pegasi snarled for him to stop. He did as such, a calm look on his face. “So what happens if we refuse to come quietly?” Ben asked, winking at Rook who took the hint. Four other unicorns horns glowed. “Then we use force” Nightwalker stated as he spread his wings. “Force huh?” Ben said with a slight grin. “You hear that guys?” he said glancing over his shoulder to Gwen, Dash and Kevin. “He’s going to use force. Gwen, he’s going to use force.” It took a second but Gwen’s confused expression brightened. She nodded. Turning his attention back to the small platoon, Ben held his confident grin nudging Rook. “Looks like we got a fight.” With that the two fell to the ground with a thud, placing their hooves over their heads. Quickly standing up Gwen’s paws glowed in pink mana, before she thrusted both her wolf paws towards the platoon, the mana around her paws growing in size before a second later a blast was sent towards the group right over Rook and Ben’s heads. Nightwalker, his fellow batponies, three of the pegasi in the room and several unicorns didn’t see the large blast coming till it was too late. Donut Joe’s pastry store had a large donut sized hole in it once the blast had connected with its targets. “Do we have any idea of where we are even going?!” Rook shouted as another blast of magical energy soared right past him. “Not a clue!” Kevin shouted, as he lifted his hoof and knocked a oncoming pegasus out of his way. “Could we at least try not to injure these guys too much! They’re still citizens of this town and under Zombozo’s control!” “Gwen, I would love to do what you’re asking right now” Ben said, coming up the rear of his team. “But right now I think we should focus more on running, especially after you literally blew away Nightwalker and three of the other leaders of the Royal and Crescent guard back in that room.” “Hey you said force. I was just delivering, besides it was the only way to give us the chance to escape!” she retorted. “Can we please talk about this later!” Rook shouted, as they all turned a corner into an alley. “We need to stay hidden if the entire capital is now on the lookout for us” he muttered. “I agree with Rook” Dash said landing next to the zebra. “Dash you know this place better than any of us can’t you-” “Found them!” said a pegasus from above. “Damn it!” Ben shouted. “Let’s go, move it!” Kevin stated taking the lead, Gwen and Dash following him out of the alley and off into the streets. Ben and Rook gave chase a few seconds after taking a second to catch their breath. “So what’s the plan right now?” Kevin asked once the two had caught up. “Because eventually we’re going to need to face them” he stated, ducking just in time as a blue ray of aura shot past his head. “If we can make it across town to the castle then we can barricade ourselves in there till we can locate the princesses” Dash stated, her eyes focused on the figures above them. “Good how far away is the castle?” Gwen asked. “About ten minutes off.” “If only I had the omnitrix” Ben muttered, jumping out of the way as a red stream of magic destroyed the very spot he’d been standing on. “We can worry about that later, right now we need to-” Rook never got to finish his sentence as he was tackled away by an earth pony. Everyone halted as they watched the stallion roll away with their friend, both trading hoofed blows. “Rook!” Ben yelled. The clad of iron hoofed shoes was the next sound that echoed across the streets of Canterlot, as Nightwalker and Solar Lexus floated above the heroes, ignoring the fight between the zebra and one of their own soldiers as unicorns stepped forward and surrounded Ben and the others. Blocking them off from any means of reaching the zebra. “This chase ends now” a slightly dirty Solar Lexus stated solemnly. “Look we’re just trying to help you guys! Let us through!” Dash ordered. The beating of wings, followed by four pegasi and three batponies surrounding her was the only answer she got to that statement. From the shadows Gwen spotted several townsfolk that also had the same grayish or pale color in coat passby. Some looking dispirited and a few strangely laughing. The dracony then surveyed the rest of the surrounding area to see that other ponyfolk were now emerging and passing by, completely ignoring the group like nothing wrong was happening at all. “This entire town is completely infected. It doesn’t seem like they’re paying us any mind though” she muttered to the others. “Wait until we break through this small brigade. They’ll be after us like the ponies were after the Cake’s kids” Kevin said with a grimace, as he absorbed the earth below. A flash of light came in Rook’s last known direction before a loud thud came. Launching up into the air and over the crowd of guards that had surrounded his friends was the perriwinkle zebra landing right beside Ben, his mane a mess and a horseshoe mark on his armor. The Revonnahgander breathed heavily, obviously a look of irritation on his face from how he now stared at the brainwashed guards. “So” he said after a few more seconds of panting. “What’s the plan?” “There is no plan” Nightwalker’s voice stated firmly from above. “You all now have two choices. Come with us quietly and become subdued. Or fight, and die.” The unicorns and earth pony guards that surrounded the group together slammed their hooves into the ground simultaneously pawing the ground in unison. Their metal clad hooves clicking roughly into the dirt. Ben grimaced, watching his allies now take defensive positions. He knew that they could overpower them, with time. But if they were now going to fight for life, he’d have to weigh in the fact that some of these sentient beings, some of these fathers, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters wouldn’t be coming out of it completely unharmed once they’d gotten to Zombozo. Worst case scenario his friends get seriously injured in the process. Ben’s grimace increased as Solar Lexus and Nightwalker stared at the hero, eyes bereft of any emotion save for the will to obey the orders they had been given. “Your choice Ben” Solar Lexus said gravely. “Fight and die, or come with us quietly and meet your fate. You decide hero.”