The Lost One

by thedarktome

Chapter 34 - Intermission

Author's Note:

Just a slight intermission, not much. Enjoy! :)

The Royal Guard in the Crystal Empire had blocked off a street on the outside of the city, attracting only minor attention from the crystal ponies that moved along their day. Oblivious to the disaster that had been discovered. Just how the Princesses, Rainbow Dash, Pencil Sketch, and Scootaloo preferred it.

While the Princesses and Twilight were speaking with Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo was speaking with Gray Fire about anything she's seen and/or heard. They walked away from Rainbow Dash and settled down behind the other foals. "Do you remember when it happened?" Scootaloo asked.

Gray fire sat down and held up her stinted hoof for a guard to look at and answered, "Yeah. I was maybe three at the time. I was pretty much a take charge kind of pony anyway, so they left me to my own devices at the house. Well...they never came back. So I went out and looked for them. I knew the path they always took. It was quiet and very beautiful, on the outside of town where the snow meets the soil. Full of trees, wind, and silence. They always took it when they wanted some alone time. So I took it too. Well instead of silence, I heard....screams. screams, and shouts for help. I quickly ran in down the path and saw..." Gray fire took in a deep breath for a moment. "I saw these pitch black things. It was like they were bears made out of water. Black water with red eyes, sharp claws and sharp teeth. There were three of them and they had my parents surrounded. My dad was a unicorn and was firing spell after spell. But it was like those things weren't even there. Well, mom spotted me and yelled for me to run. The creatures spotted me too. That's when the standoff was over and everypony jumped at each other. All I heard were screams. And I never saw them again. When I went home within that very hour...."

"The house was no longer there, and nopony could see you," Scootaloo assumed.

Gray Fire nodded before a team of nurses came over to put her hoof in a cast. "Yeah. Nopony saw me or heard me for a few months. Within that time, I saw more fillies and colts having the same issue. We all banded together and did what we could to survive, eventually giving up yelling for help. We've been growing in numbers ever since, living on our own. Whatever those things were, they've been eating parents and leaving the foals to fend for themselves. Well I decided to defend for them and provide for all of us."

Scootaloo nodded and said, "I've been doing the same thing until I had one pony I could talk to about the situation. Those things actually attacked our town."

That got Gray Fire's attention. She swiveled her head and asked incredulously, "The whole town? Like, the foals or—"

"No. Everypony. They flew out in a swarm from the woods in Ponyville and two more towns. They were stopped but they still came out."

"How can you stop them? My dad was a very powerful Unicorn and his spells weren't even working."

"Only one pony can take them out that knows how."

"The Princesses?"

"Nope, not even close. They're not even royalty. But they're really really good."

"Who is it?"

Before she could answer, somepony touched Scootaloo on her back, grabbing her and Gray Fire's attention. Buff was standing there with Twilight, both offering reassuring smiles. "Alright, Scootaloo! Time to head back home!"

Scootaloo looked around for Rainbow. But saw only the foals, Gray Fire, the Royal Guard, nurses, and the Princesses. She looked to Buff and asked, "Where is she?"

"She went ahead. Princess Celestia wants to place all the foals in Manehattan. Including your new friend, who I'm guessing is in charge?"

"That's right," Gray Fire confirmed with pride. "Where are my ponies going?"

Twilight almost fawned over. Instead, she reeled herself in and answered, "'Your ponies' are going to an unspecified location in Manehattan. Reason why it's unspecified is because all of this is secret. Everything involving you foals are a secret, including Scootaloo. Even though she's a special case. There's a hospital in Manehattan they're heading to first. Then to the location. However, you're going to a special location, Gray Fire. Because somepony has a plan in place that I don't know about. You'll still be in the same city with 'your ponies.'"

"Trust me, you'll like it," Buff added. Gray Fire and Scootaloo shared a look before they both stood up. Following them towards the chariots.

***

The Crystal Empire was ordered on a tight lockdown. All ponies were inside with closed window shades, locked doors, and lights off. What for, they had no idea. But the guards trotting outside were saying that unreformed Changelings were running amock in the city. Anypony that were outside would be arrested and held until said otherwise. The perfect excuse for the forty-something foals to be transported to the train station by chariot.

Scootaloo was riding on Buff's back with Gray Fire, who was trying to help console the younger foals with the guard. They were mostly listening to her rather than the older mares assisting in the transport. Amusing even Twilight when they came to a stop in front of the abandoned train station.

The Guards placed steps next to the chariot so they could get off safely. Then directed them up the steps to the silent train platform. They were going to have to wait for a few minutes before the friendship express came through. Until then, everypony were asking the foals questions and taking notes on their predicaments. It baffled Gray Fire why they weren't asking her or anything like that. Scootaloo reassured her that she'd be asked some questions on the train. By who though? From what she heard, a majority of the Royal Guard weren't boarding the train. They were staying in the Crystal Empire.

She didn't have anytime to dwell on it because heard and saw the train approaching the station from the distance. All the foals watched it approach, blowing out steam from the engine, inching closer and closer. It slowed down and then stopped in front of the foals. Once the steam was let out and the doors slid open, the Guard began directing the foals through the doorway and onto the train. Followed by two guards per train. "Uhhh..." Gray Fire stammered, still on the platform with Scootaloo, Buff, and Twilight. "I thought we were getting on the train."

"We are," Twilight responded. "Just not these cars. Let's go." She and Buff turned left, trotting left down the stone platform towards a sleek black long car. Gray Fire had her mouth partly opened as they approached it. How did she not see this before? It was the only thing colored black all around them!

Buff stopped in front of it while Twilight reached in his bags and pulled out a card with her magic. Then slid it into a crack beside the door, which pushed out once it was inside fully. Buff quickly bounced into the lavish car, followed by Twilight once she retrieved the key. Right after the door shut, the train whistle blew and they were on the move. While it moved along, Buff bent low and let the two fillies off. Gray Fire was more in shock about it, staring at the velvet seats, tinted windows, extremely detailed paintings, and food on a table that Scootaloo was munching on.

"Are you just going to stand there?" She asked around a mouthful of cherries. "Come on! Get up here!"

Snapping out of here phase, Gray Fire carefully walked towards Scootaloo with her injured hoof. Then jumped onto the seat next to her, staring at the cherries. Rolling her eyes, Scootaloo grabbed some with her mouth and placed them on the seat. "You can have some."

"Are you sure?" She responded timidly. "The owner of this train won't be mad?"

Twilight chuckled and answered, "Far from it."

Finding her words okay, Gray picked up the cherries and ate one. Then four. This was going to be a long ride.

---

After the foals had boarded the train, Rainbow Dash had shadow teleported back to the Crystal Empire to grab the Princesses. Then back to the mansion. Cadance had never been there before, so she was in awe of everything. Even the painting of Rainbow Dash herself setup inside of Pencil's paint wing. Made only for painting and art. "So how exactly are you going to play this out?" Celestia asked, once they were all settled inside of her study. "Both the Therohs and your unveiling?"

"All I need from you Princess is to be there at the unveiling," Rainbow responded. "There will be details in the newspaper by tomorrow afternoon and I'll be sending you extra information. I have a radio interview in the morning and will be telling the world about the event. Most of the ponies attending will be press, VIPs—such as you three—and maybe the others. We'll see if they show up on my doorstep by dinner time tomorrow evening. Yep, you heard right. I said 'dinner time'. I'm turning into a bucking family mare. I need a drink." She got up from her chair and pulled open her bookcase of wine to pour a cup of Blueberry Zebra. "Would you ladies like a glass?"

"No thank you."

"I'm okay."

"Sure." Celestia and Cadance turned to Luna like she was nuts. She threw her hooves out in mock offense. "What? I researched Blueberry Zebra on my offtime. It is a very expensive wine that is only filled for five bottles every two months."

"And I am the first to get every single private distribution." Rainbow floated the cup over to Luna, who grabbed it in her own magic. "It's non-alcoholic. Come on, I have a foal that lives with me."

"So I've heard," Cadance commented knowingly. She smirked knowingly and stated, "A little birdie told me—"

"Celestia," Rainbow guessed. Luna choked a little on her drink at Celestia's red cheeks.

"—that you were planning on adopting Scootaloo. That would take a while since Scootaloo's personal records have all been erased from existence."

"I know. But I have all the time in the world. Now about those Therohs in the Crystal Empire. We all know they're there, and are doing the same thing that they did in Ponyville. Grabbing ponies, eating them, and leaving the foals. Question is, why? Hopefully these new foals can provide some clues. Including the names of parents. In the meantime, this is what I suggest we do." She took a sip from her glass then set it back down, sighing in relief.

"Which is..." Celestia pushed.

"Create a copy of every single pony's identity and stash it under lock and key. Every. Single. One. Even the deceased. Whoever this perpetrator is they don't want any clue of these ponies existing. No government officials are doing this task. Only you three and Twilight, nopony else in the government, past government, or future government. Not even assistants. We know this pony has political power."

"So they may have political spies as well," Cadance guessed. "A pony this powerful has to have a firm hoof. They could possibly be influencing other ponies through blackmail, or they could also be volunteers. Going after what they're after."

"But what are they after?" Celestia asked.

Rainbow sighed and said, "One step at a time. Goal One? Find out the plot. Step one in goal one? Track down parents and find a simililarity point. What do all these victims have in common? To find these ponies, we need to create the copies of current records and store them. Keep it secret. Nopony is to know about this except you three, myself, and Twilight. Anypony else? Absolutely not. Under any circumstances. Understand?"

"Of course. Amazing drink by the way," Luna responded. She levitated the empty cup back onto Rainbow's desk. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. I have to send a letter to Buff and Twilight about how to get into town without being spotted. Then I have to prepare for tomorrow. Next month is going to be tense and fierce, I can already feel it."

Comments

[Golden Fang Ryu Shenron]

"You're welcome. I have to send a letter to Buff and Twilight about how to get into town without being spotted. Then I have to prepare for tomorrow. Next month is going to be tense and fierce, I can already feel it."

Oh I can feel that it will be.

[Whinifree]

Tis the calm before the storm.