Trapped In Canterlot

by TartarusFire

C38 - Dawn of The Final Day

Deepsky breathed in. Thousands of hooves and murmurs of the populace bounced around the near-empty castle. "It’s starting."

Celestia had been waving this in front of the nobles faces all of yesterday. It was the gossip and the talk of Canterlot; a speech that promised answers. She did order an edict that all ponies available, nix foals schoolteachers, doctors, and critical ponies to come to the speech, bit gossip worked just as well, perhaps better.

"My faithful subjects..." She paused, her speech was revised by several ponies, each believing a dramatic pause at the beginning would enrapture her subjects in this era. She mused on how times had changed. "Let it be known that there was an incident two and three days ago.

"As you know, we had prior intelligence that something was going to happen." The crowd spoke in low tones about inaction and corruption. "It was not my intent for something this heinous to take place in our glorious city. However, out of respect for you, we had to adhere to civil liberties and wait for more time to pass." She gazed across the crowd, seeing only minor contempt.

"I am not blaming you or the system. I am explaining only what was just at the time... We had launched several scouting parties on the night of the incident, investigating numerous locations and places of interest. However, as Fate would have it, the incident occurred on this very night." Some words about coincidence incited some contempt in the higher class of nobles.

"I will tell you this. We did intercept the offender, but failed." Ever pony started to speak, demanding for one outcome or another. Celestia waved her hooves over the crowd, and created a flash from magic; they fell silent. "It was another unfortunate coincidence. A scouting guard squad had split up to scout domiciles. One of the five groups of the squad encountered a vicious pony.

"Initially dismissing the officers, she decided to resist questioning and the two guardsponies entered combat. Once again, it was though chance that the mare in question managed to temporarily end the fight and dangerously harm the protectors of the city.

"They called in, and we had been notified, and when al guards were quickly briefed, they came to arms. Unfortunately, they were just out of range for a long enough time for the victim and perpetrator to continue their struggle.

"A young daughter to this mare was running away for her life. Her mother was chasing her down, attempting to commit murder." The recently silent ponies became much more active with gasps and voices of insecurity. "This is why guards have blocked off East Street to part of the center of Canterlot.

"Their course of action led to the filly to be left in critical condition who was ferried to the castle’s infirmary. As there are details I cannot reveal, I have had Forgotten Relic oversee the safekeeping of the ponies directly involved.

"...Which leads to the conclusion of the event: the mare escaped." A pin dropped in the crowd. "I know... It is an unacceptable outcome. Even fully prepared, we were unable to succeed by a fraction of a hair... It is with great displeasure, that we will have to brand one of our own as a fugitive, a criminal, and most importantly: a murderer to other nations.

Celestia slammed a hoof down, breaking the wood railing. "I will not allow harm come to any one of you. I swear. I have already sworn, hundreds of times, but I do so again." She took a moment to collect her breath. "There is also the matter of the father.

"As you recall, this crazed mare was the filly’s mother. The filly’s father on the other hoof... was unable to be found. This was out early tipoff which allowed us to prepared a dozen squads of night guards, so few, long nights ago. The crime scene suggests otherwise, but as of now, there is a watch for the guard, Adept Tracker. He is a navy unicorn, trained in minor medical spells. The marehunt is on lookout for a dark pink unicorn, named Empathy.

"May you stay safe and alert. An official report will be released by the end of the week." She turned and walked out of the view of ponies.

Inside her prep room, she shuddered and sagged onto a couch. "Ah, NutterButter," her servant bowed toward Celestia, "I need something good.. And get something for yourself. I’m going to need it for the upcoming weeks."

***

"It’s over..." Deepsky had been lounging on his bed, listening to the dull roar of the crowd dispersing. He fell limp at the end of the speech.

Evershade was gleeful as a colt. "Ah, cheer up, ‘Sky. We’re free to get as drunk as we want now!"

"Sounds like a plan. Though..." He popped his legs and good wing. "I’m exhausted. G’ night—or day rather. We sleep in the day."

"Eh, killjoy." He shrugged and turned over, going to sleep himself. After an hour, all the patients were asleep, some slept better than others.

"I’m leaving now." Relic stood up from his sentry post, a cheap chair. "I’ve been recalled. Have a good day." The day replacement ponies didn’t even care. Relic shrugged, and left.

***

"Say, Twilight."

"Yes Spike?" She had a book on the top of her head, wedged to hold a page open.

"Did you even take a test?"

"Grrr. I swear, sometimes you just try to point out the worst things..."

He held his claws up defensively. "No, no, I didn’t mean it like that. I was just asking because you have all these books open still."

Twilight yawned for a long time. "Sorry about that. I didn’t sleep much at all. Besides, I could be studying for a future test you know."

"Take another look." Spike walked around the pony/book pile, "Example A: Twilight is lounging in books instead of sitting and taking books out of stacks, many stacks, not a pile."

"Well.. I’m tired." She wanted to sound assuring, but it fell on deaf ears.

"Well, deny that, and we have Example B: Twilight is mistreating books."

She shot up. "Take that back. I haven’t done such a thing."

Spike deadpanned. "You’ve creased several pages accidentally and have a book on your head, forced open wide and damaging the spine."

"..."

"What’re you working on?" He sat down, next to her, looking at some biology book.

"Honestly, I don’t know why I kept it a secret, except that it’s a personal project." She nuzzled Spike. "Thanks for that. I can stop damaging these poor books now." Open books under her front hooves were flattened and creased back while the book on her head was floated to a table.

"The question I’m looking at is why we have so much more magic than other species. And I’m getting close."

Author's Note:

Ha, told you I'd do a better title pun (Because Majora's Mask and plot puns). In all seriousness, no seriously, as much as I do like puns, it really is going to get worse from here... perhaps something interesting as well?