The climb down the mountain proved challenging at best. Rainbow flew as often as she could, but her underused wings couldn't support her for long. She was then forced to walk, and whenever she walked for too long, her crooked hind leg would hurt. She stumbled and fell more than once. It took an hour for Twilight to suggest she shouldn't be walking at all, and as much as Rainbow wanted to argue, the pain in her leg forced her to relent. Shining Armor managed to build an improvised gurney out of branches and Alicia's dress. The duchess complained tremendously as her garment was ripped, but her whining remained ignored.
Pinkie volunteered to drag the gurney. Rainbow winced a few times as she was accidentally bumped into rocks. To Pinkie's credit, she did try to avoid them as much as she could. The path was a bumpy one though. On a few occasions, Twilight or Shining had to levitate the gurney while Rainbow flew over cliffs, boulders, or other obstacles by herself.
The group remained mostly silent as they traveled. Pinkie tried to make a few jokes to lighten the mood, but she was met with silence at best, scoffs from the griffons at worst. Rainbow's eye met Alicia's on a few occasions. She couldn't help herself but to growl at the monster responsible for her capture and torture. Alicia was right here, wings bound and at their mercy. Twilight would probably advocate for gentle treatment, perhaps even forgiveness. Alicia Bouvier didn't deserve any.
Before this is all over, I will kill her, Rainbow promised herself as she stared at the starry sky. The same goes for Gilda. Neither of them deserve any kind of mercy.
Rainbow wasn't sure how long they traveled. They went down the mountain and into a pine tree forest. There was no clear path they could travel, and the ground proved to be just as rocky and bumpy as it had been when they went down the mountain.
"Stop," Shining ordered. "There's a cave over there. We should rest up. Most of you look exhausted."
"Good idea," Twilight said. "We should look for berries, roots, or anything else we can eat."
Rainbow was dragged toward the cave. "It's okay, Pinkie. I can move on my own from here," she said as she stood and limped inside the cave. It was barely large enough to provide them all room to sleep. She moved closer to the cave wall, where something seemed to be growing. "I found mushrooms," she said.
Twilight walked next to her. "Hmm, I don't think these are poisonous, but it's been a while since I read the complete guide to Griffingard mushrooms."
"They're fine," Gilda said as she sat in a corner. "They taste horrible, but they're not poisonous."
"Oh, thank you," Twilight said as Dash rolled her eye.
"Delicious!" Pinkie cheered, her mouth already full.
"Wait," Rainbow said. "You just took her word for it?"
Pinkie shrugged. "Why wouldn't I?"
"Maybe because she tortured me for months?" Rainbow snapped. "You coerce her into helping you, and suddenly she's everypony's best friend? I don't buy it."
Gilda sighed. "Look, Dash. You have every right to hate me, and I don't ever expect you to forgive me. What I did though, I did to keep you safe. Trust me, things could have been much worse if I hadn't intervened."
"You keep telling yourself that," Rainbow said. "I still remember you handing me over to them in the first place."
Pinkie placed a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. "I understand how you feel, Dashie, but she really did help us. We couldn't have freed you without her."
"Whatever," Rainbow said, pushing Pinkie away. She sat in a dark corner and nibbled on a mushroom. It tasted bland, but at least it was better than the moldy hay she'd been fed in prison.
Twilight took out Valerak's journal from her bag. "While we rest, we might as well figure out what these experiments were all about." She began reading as she munched on a mushroom.
After a few minutes of silence, Twilight's head rose from the notebook. "According to this, Valerak was one of the few centaurs who studied Tirek's magic, back in Netherin. King Scorpan outlawed magic-stealing spells a long time ago, but a few rebel spellcasters still practiced it."
"That sounds about right," Rainbow said, painfully remembering having her magic and cutie mark taken.
"Apparently, she met with a visiting griffon military officer who showed interest in her research," Twilight continued. "His name was Centurion Ignacio Bouvier."
"Her husband," Shining said as he tipped his head toward their prisoner. "Things are starting to make sense now."
Heads turned toward Alicia, but she scoffed and remained quiet. Twilight took a short breath and kept going through the notes. "This is troubling. Apparently, Valerak was trying to build a machine that would raise the sun and moon." Her eyes opened wide as she kept reading. "My goodness! She drained dozens of ponies of their magic. Many didn't even survive the process. When she realized that it wouldn't be enough to just add up a lot of magic, she started obsessing about..." Twilight stopped reading as she gulped and stared blankly at the cave wall.
"About what?" Pinkie asked.
"About me," Twilight said, her voice barely a whisper. She took a deep breath before reading out loud. "'The pegasus known as Rainbow Dash has proven resistant. We believe that we successfully destroyed her pride and troublesome rebellious personality. Still, she claims not to know how to release the alicorn from her protective shield. From the interrogation reports I read, it would seem that she's been broken to the point of forgetting key aspects of her past life. I therefore recommended placing her in contact with the alicorn. Perhaps draining her magic can also offer insight into the unique powers the ponies seem to possess. I also recommended sleep deprivation. She is to be fed only the bare minimum, and not allowed sufficient time to rest. Perhaps in time, pain will stimulate her memory'."
Twilight stopped reading. Tears fell down her cheeks as she turned toward Rainbow. "Is it true? Did you go through all of that to protect me?"
Rainbow averted her eye. "I told you. I don't want to talk about it."
"You should have freed me," Twilight said, tentatively placing a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. "We could have survived this together."
"No we couldn't have!" Rainbow snapped as she pushed Twilight's leg away. "Do you really think we would have even been kept together? They would have tortured you. They would have taken your magic, and then beaten you daily for fun. Did you know one of them took a hammer to my teeth out of boredom?" She pointed at Gilda. "This one watched."
"I... I'm sorry Rainbow," Twilight said. "I truly had no idea."
Rainbow curled up in a ball and looked away. "Like I said, I don't want to talk about it."
"Well, I'll be here when you feel ready," Twilight said. Rainbow turned her gaze back toward her friend, but sighed and remained silent.
"Me too, Dashie," Pinkie added.
Twilight took another deep breath. She closed the notebook and rose to her hooves, turning toward Alicia. "Now, is all of this true?" She spoke in an eerily calm voice.
"Why should I tell you?" Alicia spat.
Twilight's horn lit brightly as she outstretched her wings. "After what you did to my friend, don't you dare defy me. You wanted to know about alicorn magic?" Twilight's tone rose, as the cave heated up. Powerful wind blew from her horn as her blinding magical hue doubled in intensity. Even her eyes seemed to radiate magic. Alicia and everyone else in the room was pushed against the cave walls. Rainbow crawled in a corner and shielded her eye. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't acquaint you more directly with my magic?"
Alicia shook as she tried to back away. She strained against her bondage, trying desperately to unfold her wings. "It's all true! It's all true!" she pleaded. Rainbow's head perked up as she struggled to see Alicia's panicked expression through the magical light.
Twilight's horn slowly returned to its normal state. She kept glaring at Alicia. "This was your plan? Take out every alicorn so you could raise the sun and moon?"
"Why not?" Alicia said, defiance back in her voice. "You ponies have dominated the world for centuries. Griffingard's borders should have extended all over this continent, but Princess Celestia insisted on stopping us. Worst of all, we were forced to be thankful and to pretend that she freed us from war by her benevolence alone."
"You really believe that war was what your citizens wanted?" Twilight said incredulously.
"I wouldn't expect you to understand," Alicia spat. "How did Princess Celestia groom you for the throne exactly? She took you from a family with no prestige, tutored you in magic for a few years, and then dumped you in a backwater farming town. Yet after her death, she wanted you and a tyrant who tried on two occasions to destroy the world by depriving it of the sun, to rule in her stead."
"And you felt you'd do a better job?" Twilight asked. "How does torturing innocents and starting wars make you suited to rule over anyone?"
To Rainbow's surprise, Alicia grinned. "It's funny you say that, as you threatened me with torture mere moments ago. There is more to ruling than your limited experience will tell you, Twilight Sparkle. You should just leave it to more capable individuals."
Twilight took a deep breath. She brought her hoof to her chest, and exhaled slowly. "I'm not going to play your games, Duchess. Your plan has failed."
"We shall see," Alicia said in a low voice.
Shining rose and levitated a dirty rag. "I think we've heard enough. Duchess, your machine is destroyed, your centaur dead, and her notes with us. Your plan will soon be revealed to the world, and King Aurélien will turn on the Lodge." He solidly gagged her and bound her legs together, then turned to Twilight. "Here, we wouldn't want her running away while we sleep." Rainbow allowed herself a sense of satisfaction at the sight of Alicia trying to complain through her gag.
"Good thinking," Twilight said with a nod. "Now, we should figure out how exactly we'll return to Equestria. They must be looking for us in the city."
"I saw little villages along the coast," Pinkie said. "Maybe we'll get lucky there?"
"And what then?" Gilda asked.
Twilight tapped her hoof to her chin. "They might still want to keep my kidnapping quiet. I wouldn't be surprised if the villagers have no idea what's going on. If anything, it could give us a chance to find out what tools we have at our disposal."
"Well, we won't get any brilliant ideas without a few hours of sleep," Shining said. "I'll take the first watch."
Rainbow yawned from her dark corner of the cave. Shining was right. Sleep would be welcome.
The dark silhouette approached her. What little light was present reflected off the sharpened butcher's knife drawing closer and closer. Rainbow tried to scream, but no sound would escape her lungs.
"Time to take out that other eye," Crackbeak's vicious voice mocked, except Crackbeak wasn't the one approaching her. This griffon was fat, and wore an apron covered in blood. "Maybe a leg after, or a wing."
Rainbow struggled, but she was tightly bound to a cold surface. The knife met with her skin, slowly burning it as it sliced through. "I'm sorry," she managed to plead. "I'll never try to escape again! I'm so sorry!"
She opened her eye with a gasp and found herself lying on cold stone. She turned around and had a moment of disorientation as she didn't recognize her cell. Her heartbeat started to race, and she sweat profusely. A cave opening lay before her. And she remembered. I escaped. Pinkie freed me.
Rainbow looked around the cave. It was dark and everyone was sleeping. Closest to her was Pinkie, who snored softly. Rainbow closed her eye again, but saw Crackbeak's face mocking her. She turned around. She was exhausted, but knew she wouldn't find sleep again.
And the one responsible is right here. Twilight would always come up with excuses as to why Rainbow couldn't get her revenge. She never had to live through any of the horrors, safely hidden inside her shield while Rainbow fought and suffered. She turned and watched the bound Alicia sleep. The duchess winced uncomfortably, probably not used to sleeping on rough stone.
Rainbow rose and made her way toward the sleeping griffon. Every night Rainbow was tortured, this one was sleeping comfortably underneath silk sheets. Probably for the first time in her life, she had to go through an uncomfortable night, and she had the audacity to grimace as if she was in pain? Alicia Bouvier did not understand pain, but that would change.
Rainbow leaned down and pressed her hooves on the griffon's throat. She managed to do so with enough strength that her victim couldn't scream. Alicia's eyes opened wide and she stared at Rainbow with panic, pleading through her tears and trying to scream through her gag. Rainbow bared her teeth as she kept pushing. You're going to die, Alicia. You're going to die, and your final thoughts will be of me and what you did to me.
No happiness came to Rainbow as she choked the life out of her tormentor. Even as Alicia pleaded with her eyes, Rainbow kept mechanically pushing on her throat. She felt the life draining out of her victim as something grabbed her from behind.
Rainbow was dragged through the air out of the cave. "Let me go!" she shouted, fighting against her assailant.
"Not until we settle this once and for all," Gilda replied. She held on to Rainbow in a tight grip as she flew through the woods.
Rainbow managed to turn around and hit Gilda in the face with the back of her hoof. It was just enough to make Gilda lose balance and collide with a branch. They both fell to the ground and rolled in the dirt. A tree put a stop to Rainbow's tumbling as she collided with its trunk.
Rainbow rose and faced her enemy, who massaged her own bruised shoulder. "You're really not making this easy, Dash."
"Shut up!" Rainbow yelled. "You don't get to play high and mighty, not after what you did."
Gilda approached Rainbow. "You want to lash out? Fine, hit me." Gilda yelled back. "I deserve it, I betrayed you. I'm the villain; happy now?"
"I don't want to hit you," Rainbow said, barely containing her rage. "I want to kill you. You don't deserve to live, the same goes for your superior back in the cave."
Gilda sighed and averted her eyes. "I get it Dash, you're angry. I'm not going to pretend I understand what you're going through. Don't think for a moment that any of it was easy for me. When I rescued you from that battle, I never intended for my superior to find us."
"A likely story," Rainbow spat.
"Shut up and let me confess," Gilda said. She took a deep breath. "Honestly, I never thought things would go this far. I thought you'd be questioned, maybe ransomed back or something. Once I realized what was in store for you, it was too late."
"So you just watched."
"I was offered any posting I wanted. I could have asked for a comfortable palace guard posting, where I'd finish my service and earn my citizenship. Instead, I asked to stay as your jailer. Do you have any idea the things I prevented? Notice you still have working wings? I talked them out of ripping one off. I barely convinced them not to burn your remaining eye with acid. I protected you more than you know, Dash."
Rainbow glared at her former captor. "It doesn't change what you did, and it doesn't change that Alicia has to die."
Gilda sighed. "Look, I'm a monster, I get it. Nothing I ever do will make up for destroying your life. After this is all over, we'll part ways and never see each other again. Can we at least get back to Equestria without you trying to kill anyone else?"
"No promises," Dash mumbled under her breath.
Gilda grabbed Rainbow's head and turned it back toward her. "Darn it, Dash. Talk to me! You're mad, that's good. You're supposed to be. Hit me, yell at me, get it out of your system."
"What makes you think talking will solve anything?" Rainbow pushed Gilda away.
"I don't know, it might help," Gilda said. "I agree with you. Alicia's a monster. She doesn't deserve the kindness she'll receive in Equestria. I've been saying for years that you ponies are too soft. Your friend Twilight, she needs her alive though. So please, don't kill her. Don't do it for you or me, do it for your friends. Right now, they're all you have left. Don't lose them, too."
Rainbow turned around as she erratically breathed in and out. Gilda was right. Twilight would never forgive her. She silently limped into the dark forest. She heard Gilda fly after her, but knew better than to try and escape her.
"Look, maybe you should talk to Pinkie or something?" Gilda suggested.
Rainbow took a deep breath and turned back to face Gilda. She spoke in a soft voice. "Do you remember when we were near Dodge Junction?"
"The night I was on guard duty," Gilda said, avoiding Rainbow's gaze.
"I awoke and saw you. You could have ended it all right there. You could have let me go like I asked. I'd have flown to the city and hid there."
"But I chose to obey orders," Gilda continued. "I was afraid of what would happen to me if I let you go."
"Whatever you did to help my friends rescue me, it means nothing. You had one chance to make things right. All you had to do was unbind me that night, and let me fly away. Everything that happened after is on you."
"Fine," Gilda said. "It's my fault. I should have freed you when I had the chance. You think I haven't told myself that before? You think I haven't spent entire nights up, blaming myself for what happened to you? So here, I was wrong, and I deserve to be punished. Happy now?"
Rainbow breathed in and out. Tears welled up in her eye as she punched Gilda's face with all of her strength. The griffon fell to the ground. "You destroyed my life!" She kicked her tormentor, who grimaced in pain. "Do you think I'll ever be able to fly like I used to? That this useless leg will ever work again?" Gilda moved to get up, but Rainbow kicked her again for good measure. "I hate you!" She spat on her.
Gilda spat some blood as she slowly got up. "Feeling better?" she asked.
"No," Dash said. "But I won't kill anyone, at least not for now."
"Let's get back," Gilda said with a quick nod. "We probably woke everyone up."
They flew back to the cave, where everyone was awake and staring at them. "We're good," Gilda said as she walked back inside and returned to her sleeping spot. Rainbow nodded as she followed her in.
The group slept for a few hours before getting back on their way. Rainbow hadn't managed to find any meaningful rest. She kept staring at the cave wall, torn between the shame of letting Twilight see what she'd become and how much she hated herself for failing to kill her tormentor. She remained motionless until the others rose from their slumber.
Pinkie offered to keep pulling Rainbow on the gurney once they got back on their way, but she refused. If she couldn't kill Alicia, she would at least show her that she wasn't broken. Flying was painful. Her muscles had atrophied, and she lamented the loss of the feathers Crackbeak had pulled. Still, she pressed on. If she could still fly, then perhaps part of who she used to be could survive.
Pinkie tried to approach Rainbow on a few occasions as they walked, but Rainbow pushed her away. She felt Twilight's judgmental gaze on her the entire time. At best, she was a victim. At worst, she was a murderer. Even if Rainbow had managed to kill Alicia, the griffon duchess had already won.
The group moved slowly, mostly due to Alicia being unable to keep the pace. Even if her muscles ached, Rainbow forced herself to keep going. Anything to make the haughty griffon suffer. When they took breaks, she used the opportunity to stretch her wing muscles. Twilight and Pinkie both protested that she'd over-strain herself, but she ignored them.
It took about four hours to reach the coast. Shining gagged Alicia as they got close, so she wouldn't call for help. They climbed up a cliff and hid in tall grass, up a slope overlooking a small village. A row of clay houses stood next to the coast, leading to a wooden dock. While they were too far to make out specific features, Rainbow spied a few donkeys walking about. Some of them sat at the dock holding wooden sticks. Finding out what was going on proved impossible without approaching and risking detection.
"Those are fishing poles," Gilda explained. "They're capturing fish to feed High Roost's population."
"Nopony asked you," Rainbow said without bothering to look at Gilda.
"Poor little fishies," Pinkie said as her ears flattened.
"Well, we reached the coast," Shining said as he walked forward and joined them, eying the village with a frown. "What now?"
"I imagine they're still looking for us in the city," Twilight said. "What about the ship that brought you here? Discord could take it out to sea."
Gilda shook her head. "I can guarantee that no ship will leave until we're found. You're way too valuable to them, Princess. The long night also gives them an excuse to close down the docks."
"So?" Rainbow asked. "Doesn't Discord have his freaky magic?"
Shining scratched his head. "I'm not sure. He took the form of a pony, and only revealed himself after Pinkie recognized him. I think something might be limiting his abilities."
"Or he wants to limit his involvment," Twilight pondered, her eyes glued on the ocean. "Either way, it seems like we need to do three things. First, we need to send a message to Discord, and whoever else is on that ship. Second, we need to figure out a way to get him out of the port. Finally, we need to head out to sea ourselves."
"Third one's easy," Pinkie said with a smile. "There's a rowboat just off this dock, over there." She pointed at a small wooden embarkation.
"Let's just hope the villagers are willing to sell it to us," Twilight said. "I could write them a note, promising them multiple times the boat's value if they redeem it in Equestria."
Gilda rolled her eyes. "It'd be simpler to just take it."
"I'm not a thief," Twilight said.
"Then just leave the note behind," Shining said. "This is an emergency, Twily. We can't take chances."
"Fine," Twilight said with a sigh.
Gilda scratched her chin and turned her head toward the city. "I can probably deliver the message to Discord. If I ditch my armor, I can pass as a civilian. What's the name of the ship?"
"The Siren's Madness," Pinkie said. "When you see Discord, tell him to free the arimaspi, too."
"Really?" Gilda said incredulously.
"I made a promise," Pinkie firmly replied.
"We still don't know how we'll get the ship out to sea," Gilda continued.
"Or how we can get to this boat without the entire village seeing us," Shining added. "Seeing Alicia here as our prisoner will definitely turn them against us."
The Duchess growled through her gag, and her wings struggled against their bondage.
"It's night," Pinkie said. "Maybe we can hide ourselves somehow?"
Rainbow's ears perked. "Fog!" she said.
Twilight turned toward her and grinned maniacally. "Rainbow, that's brilliant!"
"Wait, wait," Gilda replied, shaking her claws. "You want to create fog?"
Rainbow shrugged. "Why not?"
"Enough fog to cover everything, from here to High Roost?"
Twilight nodded. "Alicorn magic does come in handy. It's a large area, but fog is pretty easy to work with. I should be able to have it last a few hours. Rainbow, I could use your help."
Rainbow scratched her head. "What should I do?"
"Use your wings to create the fog," Twilight said. "I'll use my magic to extend it. Between the two of us, we should be able to cover the entire area."
"I hope so," Rainbow said with a gulp.
Pinkie patted her on the back. "You can do it, Dashie." She smiled at her.
"Hopefully this fog'll last long enough to get far away," Shining said with a frown. "I don't want the Griffingard imperial navy on our tail all the way back to Equestria."
Twilight clapped her hooves together. "Alright, it's decided. Gilda, fly back to the Siren's Madness. Tell them the entire plan. I'll give you two hours before I raise the fog, will it be enough?"
"Plenty," Gilda said with a nod.
"Once we're ready, I'll raise the fog and we can get on our way," Twilight continued. She turned to Alicia and inspected her pearl necklace. "This looks valuable. I'll leave it behind as payment for the boat. Consider it part of your punishment for your actions."
"Hmmmph," Alicia replied through her gag, glaring angrily at Twilight.
"Where you're going, you won't have to worry about jewelry," Shining said. "Now stay quiet."
Gilda nodded. "Alright, I guess I should get going." She stepped further away from the village so she could remove her armor.
Rainbow sighed and walked toward Gilda, away from the group. "Gilda, wait."
"Yes Dash?"
"Thank you for helping my friends rescue me," Rainbow said, her voice weak and hesitant. She took another breath as she glared at Gilda. "But it doesn't change what I said. After you deliver your message, don't leave on the ship. Disappear somewhere. I don't care where. I never want to see you again."
Gilda sighed. "I understand. For what it's worth, Dash, I enjoyed being your friend."
"Just go," Rainbow said as she turned back toward the group. She didn't look back.
They had been rowing for what felt like an hour. Once Twilight had summoned the fog, stealing the boat proved easy enough. Alicia tried to scream through her gag, but Twilight used a sound bubble spell. "Ironically, this was the same spell that kept all of you from hearing my fight with Chrysalis," she explained once they were out at sea.
If escaping the coast proved easy, finding the Siren's Madness was not. In their haste to escape, none of them had considered one important detail: The fog blinded them just as much as it blinded the griffons.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Pinkie said as the waves rocked the small boat.
Shining raised an eyebrow. "I told you, Pinkie. You shouldn't have eaten all those mushrooms."
Rainbow groaned in annoyance. "Twilight, can't you use a spell to find them or something?"
Twilight shook her head. "I'm sorry Rainbow. I'm pretty drained after summoning this fog. Besides, any magical flare would let the griffons know where we are."
Rainbow looked up in the air. She could barely see the sky through the thick fog. "What if I fly up there? Maybe I can find the boat."
"Then you won't be able to find us again," Shining said. "I'm not risking losing you at sea."
"We can wait some more," Twilight said. "The fog should still last for a while, at least. Hopefully the griffons don't clear it too fast."
"You'd be surprised," Rainbow said. "Gilda was really good at it back in flight school." Thinking about her old friend made Rainbow scowl. I can't think of her that way. No matter what we did together as kids, it doesn't change what she did to me.
Pinkie leaned back into the boat, her tongue rolling out. "I don't know how much more of this I can take."
"It'll pass, I'm sure," Shining said as he smiled at Pinkie. "You did fine on the way here."
Rainbow sighed again. She raised her head and something caught her attention in the corner of her eye. She turned around, and saw a shadow moving toward them. "Something's coming," she whispered.
The others barely had time to react as a wooden ship's hull came into view. Rainbow gulped. "I hope these are the good guys."
Shining smiled and pointed at the bronze sea horse at the prow of the ship. "It looks like the Siren's Madness to me."
A ladder was thrown down, and a pony's silhouette showed itself. "Quick, climb up!" A cheerful female voice said.
Pinkie climbed up the ladder first as Rainbow and Twilight flew up. Twilight carried the still bound and gagged Alicia. A light green pegasus mare wearing a bandana over her blond mane helped Rainbow up. "Rainbow Dash?" she asked excitingly. "What happened to you? Are you okay? I'm such a huge fan. Do you think you could do a sonic Rainboom when we get back to Equestria?"
Rainbow glared at her. "Do I look like I'm in any shape to fly that fast?" She pushed the annoying pegasus away and sat against a wooden crate.
Twilight dropped Alicia. "I apologize for Rainbow. She's been through a lot."
The green pegasus mare bowed the moment she saw Twilight. "Your Royal Highness, my name is First Mate... Uhm, I mean Captain Coral Drifter. My ship and crew are at your command."
"Thank you," Twilight said. "Please rise. I'd rather we forgo the formalities and get out of here before the griffons clear the fog."
"Of course, Your Highness," Coral replied. She turned to a unicorn stallion. "Full speed ahead to Equestria."
"Aye aye, Captain," the sailor said as he rushed to pass on her order.
Shining climbed over the ladder. "What happened to the previous captain?"
"He gave me the ship," Coral said. "I was a bit surprised to find out that he was Discord all along. He said that he still wanted to have some fun in High Roost, whatever that meant. He also gave me this." She revealed a small object from a bag. A strong rotten cheese smell overpowered Rainbow's nostrils.
Pinkie vomited. "This smells worse than the time I made pickle-flavored cupcakes."
"It's a compass that always points to Princess Twilight," Coral explained. "Discord said it would help me find you. It also smelled stronger as we got closer."
"Let me see," Twilight said as she extended her hoof and picked up the object. It immediately exploded into a rainbow of candy.
Coral smiled sheepishly. "He also said it would destroy itself once we found you."
"I'll keep some candy for later," Pinkie weakly said as she gathered the leftovers from the explosion.
Twilight took a deep breath. "Alright, it's time to get back to Equestria." She nodded at everyone present in turn. "Captain, please take this prisoner to your brig. Also, do you have quarters for my friends and I?"
"I'll give you my own cabin," Coral said. "The others will have to sleep with the crew." She turned to a female griffon in a corner. "Gabrielle, can you take this prisoner down to the brig?"
"Will do," the griffon, apparently called Gabrielle, said.
"Rainbow, you're staying with me," Twilight ordered. She smiled weakly as she placed a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. "I know you're not ready to talk. When you are, I'll be here for you."
"Me too," Pinkie added.
Twilight smiled "Alright, the two of you can stay with me."
"One last thing, Your Highness," Coral said. "You need to decide, which city do you want us to head for?"
"Give me a rundown of the political situation," Twilight said.
"Baltimare and Fillydelphia are both loyal to Blueblood and Canterlot," Shining said. "Like I told you earlier, Rarity married Blueblood, but I don't think her authority extends that far." Twilight frowned at the mention of Rarity. Rainbow rolled her eye.
"What about Manehattan?" Twilight asked as she scratched her chin.
"Loyal to Princess Luna," Shining said. "They were neutral for a long time, but decided to swear allegiance to Luna after failed peace talks. All I know is that the battle that followed claimed many lives."
Rainbow limped forward. "Wait, do you know who's in charge in Manehattan? Which officer, I mean."
Shining scratched his head. "A Commander Tinkerboom, I think?"
A smile formed on Rainbow's lips. "I knew she was going places." She turned toward Twilight. "She served under me in Cloudsdale. She'll obey your orders."
"Are you sure about this, Rainbow?" Twilight asked.
Rainbow took a deep breath. "It feels like another lifetime ago, but I remember when Spitfire first recruited me. She promised me that should we find you, we'd save you. The goal has always been for you to sit the throne with Princess Luna. I made sure all of my officers knew this, too. Tinkerboom will help us."
Twilight smiled. "Good enough for me. Captain Coral Drifter, set sail for Manehattan."