Chapter 11 - Transport
Later the next day, Arc and Scootaloo awaken and head back into town. They spot the two fillies from yesterday playing happily. Everypony stops and waves to Scootaloo as she passes. Arc calls out to her telepathically.
“Looks like you’re getting pretty popular.”
Scootaloo sighs. “I guess. However, it’s not really me they’re waving to, but the Scarlet Filly.”
“Yes, well… let’s get to the Sheriff’s Office and see what’s up.”
Entering the office, they see the sheriff pacing nervously. He runs over to them.
“Perfect timing, Scarlet Filly!”
“What’s the problem?”
“Canterlot has ordered me to transport these criminals to the castle for trials.”
“That’s good.”
She looks over at the crowded cells.
“After all, you don’t really have the space here for everypony.”
“However, it’s a good bet that this will give the rest of the gang a perfect chance to rescue their comrades.”
“I suppose it would. So will you be joining them on the train?”
“Normally, yes. But if the gang sees me do so, they might decide to attack the town in my absence.”
“How can we help?”
“Canterlot is offering a ten thousand bits reward to anypony whom can safeguard the train and it’s prisoners on their journey. That’s where you come in. I need you to make sure nopony prevents the train from reaching its destination.”
Arc grins. “Tell him we’ll take the job.”
Scootaloo nods. “I can do that. When do we leave?”
“A specially scheduled prisoner transport train will arrive in a few hours at noon. I will escort the prisoners to the station and make sure they’re secured before disembarking. You’ll take it from there.”
“Okay. I have a few things to take care of before then, so I’ll meet you at the station.”
“Very well. Just don’t be late.”
Scootaloo nods and leaves the office. Walking down the road she calls out to Arc.
“This should get us part way to Vanhoover at least.”
“Yeah. That much less walking anyways.”
He pulls out the map and looks it over.
“That’s about half our travel time.”
“We could probably even catch a train from Canterlot to Vanhoover if you didn’t want to walk.”
Arc shakes his head. “Nah. I don’t like the idea of taking a public train. Too many eyes.”
Scootaloo appears relieved. “Okay. That will give me more time with you before… um…”
“You know, I could stick around Vanhoover after I take you to the orphanage.”
“Really?!”
“Yes. After all, I don’t really have anywhere else to go.”
“Thanks! That’d be great!”
“I’ll stay there until you’re adopted anyways.”
Scootaloo looks away. “That might take a long time. After all, who wants a broken and deformed filly like me?”
“You can’t control what your body looks like, Scootaloo. But you can keep being the cutest and bravest filly out there.”
“I’ll try to anyways. So, are we heading back to camp?”
Arc shakes his head. “No. There’s someone we have to say goodbye to first.”
Leaving town, they head for Cherry Hill Ranch. Spotting Ruby on a laddet they hurry over to her.
“Miss Ruby?”
Smiling at her, Ruby climbs down the ladder and walks over to the filly.
“Hello again. What brings you here today?”
“I… actually came by to say goodbye.”
“Leaving town already?”
Scootaloo nods. “Yeah. The sheriff asked us to escort the prisoners we caught to Canterlot.”
“Oh my! Are you coming back soon?!”
“No, ma’am. We’ll be moving on from there to… elsewhere. I don’t think we’ll be heading this way again either.”
“Well, in that case, thank you very much for all your hard work. And do be careful out there. Those scoundrels are up to no good! I can just feel it!”
“We will. Take care of yourself, Miss Ruby.”
With a wave, Scootaloo turns and walks away. Ruby sighs and goes back to work.
“That is the bravest little filly I’ve ever seen. I do wish Arc could have met her.”
She sighs and forces a smile.
“If he had been a pony, I would have believed she was his daughter.”
Meanwhile, Arc and Scootaloo return to their camp. Packing up, they head to the train station. Spotting a bench on the platform, they sit down to wait.
“Big Brother?”
“Hm?”
“Do you think the bad stallions will try to stop the train?”
“It’s an even money bet, yes.”
“How do you think they’ll do it? Blow up the tracks and derail the train?”
Arc shakes his head. “Probably not that way. They’d run the risk of killing our prisoners. That and I don’t think the capital would still view them as small time bandits after such a brazen attack. It might even give them an excuse to deploy the military on them.”
“Makes sense. So… what now?”
“Just wait for the train and the sheriff to arrive. You sleepy?”
“A little.”
“You can take a nap if you want.”
“But shouldn’t I be more concerned with my… with the Scarlet Filly’s image?”
“I suppose so.”
Arc looks around for a few moments before turning back to Scootaloo and opening his magic cloak.
“Hop in.”
“Um… okay.”
Doing as she is told, Scootaloo enters the cloak and sits down on Arc’s lap. He pulls her back against his chest before picking her carefully up to hold like a baby. She giggles.
“This… might just work.”
Arc nods. “At least no one can see you in here.”
Scootaloo smiles and closes her eyes. “Yeah. This kinda reminds me of my mom holding me when I was little. Back when the world was simple and good.”
“Well, you can go back to that for a bit. I’ll keep a lookout.”
“Thanks, Big Brother.”
Arc thinks to himself as Scootaloo dozes in his arms.
“Is this really for the best? Having Scootaloo with me? I mean… I guess it can’t be helped for now. After all, it’s not like anyone else could take her to the orphanage, right?”
Laying his head back, Arc considers the question.
“I guess Ruby could. She seems like a decent enough mare. Or the sheriff. He could see to it she made it there safely with a deputy… or something.”
Looking down at the filly sleeping in his arms, Arc smiles.
“I’d love to keep you, Scootaloo. But that just wouldn’t be fair to you. You deserve a proper family… and the chance to be adopted.”
Sometime later a train pulls up to the station. The sound of it rolling along wakes Scootaloo from her nap.
“I’m up! What did I miss?!”
“Nothing yet. The train just pulled up to the platform.”
“Anypony around?”
“Not that I can see. Want me to put you down now?”
“Yes, please.”
Arc carefully sets Scootaloo in his lap and allows her to step out of his cloak. She hops down from the bench and walks toward the train. A few minutes later the sheriff walks onto the platform leading the stallions. They are flanked by a number of armed volunteers. He opens the door and looks back to the bandits.
“Get aboard and into the cell. Roll call is in two minutes.”
The stallions slowly obey as the sheriff turns to Scootaloo.
“They shouldn’t give you any trouble, being locked up and all. Your only issue would come from outside interference.”
“I can handle it.”
“Yes, I’m sure you can. Now, for the sake of safety, the train’s crew will be locked in the engine car. They’ll be relatively safe in there from anypony trying to hijack the train. Only problem is that if something does go wrong, they won’t be able to help you.”
Scootaloo nods soberly. “Understood.”
The sheriff holds out a key.
“These open the doors aboard the train in addition to the cell inside. Don’t let anypony else have it.”
Scootaloo nods as she takes the key. The sheriff sighs.
“Any questions?”
“No, I think I’m good.”
“Perfect. Now then, the train should arrive in Canterlot first thing tomorrow morning. You’ll be met at the station before it opens to the public by a representative. Give him that key so he can take the prisoners off your hooves and pay your fee.”
“Sounds like a plan. But when this job is done, I’m moving on.”
“Very well. Thank you for all your help, Scarlet Filly. I hope you find whatever it is you’re looking for out there.”
Scootaloo turns to the train and boards.
“So do I.”
The sheriff heads to the prisoner’s car. Locking the cells, he takes a roll call before heading to the other passenger car. Scootaloo sits on a bench in the otherwise empty car.
“All prisoners have been accounted for. The doors are locked and you’re ready to proceed.”
“Alright. Take care of this town, sheriff. I’ll make sure these stallions get what’s coming to them.”
Extending a small hoof, Scootaloo and the sheriff shake on the matter. Departing the train, he walks down the platform and into the building. Entering a small office, the sheriff picks up a radio and speaks into it.
“Canterlot bound, you’re clear to head out. Good luck.”
The conductor nods out the window as he speaks into the radio. “Thank you, Dodge Junction station. Moving out.”
With a whistle and a puff of steam, the train slowly pulls away from the station. Scootaloo falls onto the floor.
“Whoa!”
“You okay?”
Scootaloo grimaces as she stands up. “Y-yeah. That was just a bit… surprising, that’s all.”
“Makes sense. After all, I didn’t see anything like this back in Knothole Village.”
They ride in uneventful peace for some time. Eventually the sun begins to slip beneath the horizon. Scootaloo rests on a bench as Arc watches the terrain fly by.
“You know, this land really is scenic.”
“Yeah, I guess it is.”
“Kinda makes me wish I knew where my place in it was.”
“We could’ve asked Miss Ruby about that. You said you remembered something about her.”
Arc shudders. “Her hitting me. Maybe she was an ex-girlfriend, or something.”
“Maybe.”
“Well, I guess now we’ll never know.”
Scootaloo turns to look behind them. “We could go back.”
“Nah. I still need to get you to…”
The frantic voice of the conductor suddenly comes over the cabin speakers.
“Scarlet Filly! A large group of stallions is rushing the train!”
Arc runs over to an intercom with Scootaloo. Holding her up to the speaker, she presses a button.
“From which direction?!”
“Both sides and behind!”
“I’ll take care of them.”
She hurries back toward her seat and picks up the key. Tossing is to Arc she sighs.
“Think you can hold onto this?”
“Sure. But we need to get to the roof.”
“Why there?”
“So we can see what their plan of attack is.”
Running toward the back of the car, Arc climbs a ladder which leads to a hatch. Opening it he jumps onto the roof and reaches down to help Scootaloo. Slamming the hatch shut they look around to see fifty or so stallions approaching the train.
“Follow me!”
Running along the roof, they come to the prison car. Jumping to it, he makes his way over to the hatch that leads to the cells.
“I think they’ll try to get in through here!”
Scootaloo nods. “Agreed! What do we do?!”
“Try to hold out until the moon rises! Then we can use it to go into our Crimson Forms and destroy these guys!”
“There might be too many of them, even for that!”
“You have a better idea?”
Scootaloo sighs. “No.”
“Then let’s do it!”
The stallions grab onto the ladders on either side of the train cars and begin climbing. Reaching the roof, they run toward Scootaloo as she calls out to them angrily.
“Everypony, this train is bound for Canterlot. I’m going to have to ask you to get off and find your own ride.”
A large stallion frowns and shakes his head. “Nah! YOU get off!”
Rushing forward, Scootaloo lunges at the stallions. Arc catches her in midair and holds her up as she swings her hooves. Watching her movements closely, Arc hits the stallions in tandem with Scootaloo. Several of them fall off and roll to a stop next to the tracks. The stallions back up nervously.
“How… how can a pony fly like that without wings?!”
“Wouldn’t you like to know! Now give up and get out of here!”
“NEVER!”
They charge forward to engage Scootaloo again. She and Arc continue fighting them off. As they fight on, the train begins to slow down.
“What the…?”
Turning, she spots a stallion climbing up to the roof via the front ladder. He holds up a pin in his hoof and grins. Arc and Scootaloo watch as the passenger car along with the engine roar off into the sunset. Scootaloo turns to Arc as the car begins to slow down.
“What now, Big Brother?!”
“Now we have no choice but to take them all on!”
“Why don’t you use your knives?!”
“Because I don’t really want to hurt these guys that bad!
Scootaloo frowns. You did it before!”
“Those kidnappers had it coming though!”
The pair continue knocking the stallions away from the hatch and off the slowing train car. Before long it comes to a stop. The bandits begin climbing up the car unhindered as the moon comes out. Scootaloo grimaces.
“Now, Big Brother?!”
“Yeah!”
They look at the moon and transform into their Crimson forms. Scootaloo plants her hooves firmly as innumerable stallions walk toward them. Still others move to surround the car as a large stallion walks toward them.
“That must be their leader.”
“Yup. Still think we can take these guys on AND him?”
“Um… it might be a stretch. You have any ideas?”
“Working on it.”
The leader looks up at the Scarlet Filly and grins.
“Nice to finally meet you, troublemaker.”
Scootaloo points a hoof at him. “You’re the one hurting others!”
“So what?! If they can’t defend themselves, they get what they deserve!”
He chuckles and looks to the others.
“Get ready, fellas!”
Scootaloo backs up. “Big Brother…?”
“I have an idea.”
“Great! What is it?!”
“Into the car! Hurry!”
Scootaloo runs toward the hatch. Arc quickly unlocks it, throws the hatch open, and grabs his little friend as he jumps down. Reaching up he slams the hatch shut and locks it behind them. The stallions begin pounding at it and the door.”
“Great. Now we’re trapped in here.”
Arc grimaces. “Our last stand.”
“Hopefully not.”
“Ready for part two of my plan?”
Scootaloo sighs. “I hope it’s better than the first one.”
“Not really, but it’s all I got.”
A few minutes later the leader finishes bashing the hatch in. He jumps down into the car with the rest of his forces.
“What the…?”
Looking ahead, he spies his captured stallions standing outside the cells wordlessly as the Scarlet Filly sits in the middle of the large cell. Walking over to her, he grins.
“So you decided to release them AND imprison yourself, eh?”
“Not exactly.”
The leader raises an eyebrow. “Oh really. What else could you be doing?”
“Locked in here, I’m safe from you and your stallions.”
“And you’ll just sit there while we make our getaway with the others?”
Scootaloo shakes her head. “Nah. Our reinforcements will take care of you.”
The stallion laughs heartily. “Reinforcements?! We’re in the middle of nowhere?! How are you going to call for…?!”
Clearing his throat, Arc calls out.
“Servants, take these invaders out.”
The leader raises an eyebrow. “What…?”
He gasps as the captured stallions start walking toward them with empty looks in their eyes. Arc grins.
“Don’t let any of them escape! Charge!”
The stallions run at their former friends. Forced to take on their comrades, confusion breaks out as the fight expands outside the car. Scootaloo breathes a sigh of relief as a stallion smashes against their cell.
“We’re safe in here.”
Arc nods and holds up the key.
“Yup. And as soon as their done, we’ll let ourselves out to clean up the mess.”
As the din of battle lessens, Scootaloo takes the key and unlocks their cell door. Stepping out of the train car they look around. Stallions lay on the ground moaning in pain. A few of Arc’s servants stand around motionlessly.
“Looks like that’s taken care of. What now though, Big Brother?”
“I’m guessing the engine will be back sooner or later. But we need to be ready for them.”
Early the next morning, a platoon of Royal Guards stands ready at the Canterlot Station. The train pulls up and comes to a stop. Everyone gasps as they see the damage to the prison car. A few moments later a robed filly steps out of the passenger car and hops down onto the platform. As she waits patiently, a stallion walks toward them and looks down with obvious disdain.
“I am Captain Decimus. Who is in charge of this transport?”
Scootaloo looks up at him. “That would be me.”
“You?”
“Yes.”
“And where are the rest?!”
“It’s just me.”
Decimus gestures to the ruined train car. “That would explain the damage! What was that sheriff THINKING?! Leaving a filly in charge! Is he MAD?!”
Scootaloo holds up the key. “I was successful in my mission.”
Decimus frowns as he grabs it and tosses it to a subordinate. “Unlikely. But let us see.”
He motions for his forces to board the train. They begin unloading the prisoners and lining them up. Sandstorm Mirage hurries over to Decimus with a clipboard as he finishes counting.
“Report.”
“There appears to have been a clerical error, sir. By my count there are four dozen stallions extra!”
“Count them again!”
“I did, sir. Three times.”
Decimus turns to Scootaloo.
“How is this possible?! Are those yokels in Dodge Junction so daft that they can’t properly count prisoners?!”
“The count was correct when we left. However, on the way we took some extra prisoners.”
“Where from?!”
“A force attempted to overtake the train and free their friends. As you can see, they failed and were taken prisoner themselves.”
Sandstorm Mirage grins. “Very impressive!”
Decimus glares at him. “Shut up, sergeant.”
“Yes sir.”
Decimus looks Scootaloo up and down silently. “What’s your name?”
“I’m the Scarlet Filly.”
“Obviously I mean your real name!”
Scootaloo frowns. “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, captain. I got the prisoners here, plus extra. Now you owe me some bits.”
Decimus nods soberly before grinning. “All business, eh? Well, I suppose I can’t argue with results. The sergeant will see to it your payment is deposited in the Canterlot Back. You can pick it up there.”
“Along with the extra bounties, correct?”
Decimus nods. “Oh yes. I always pay out for a job well done. Now then, if you’re looking to make some big money, I have a mark for you to hunt. You interested?”
“Always. You have a picture?”
“I do.”
He motions for a soldier to approach. Taking a paper from a stack in his hooves, the captain looks it over for a moment as he grits his teeth.
“This is our nation’s most wanted criminal. There’s a one-million bit reward for either their capture or proof of death.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“You do that. Judging from the results of this little operation, I’d say you’re eminently qualified for this job.”
He folds the paper twice and gives it to Scootaloo. She accepts it as the captain turns to the sergeant.
“See to it the rest of those posters are put up all over town. Also print stacks to be sent to every town in the country.”
“Yes sir.”
He scurries away as Decimus turns back to Scootaloo.
“I’m looking forward to hearing from you… Scarlet Filly.”
With a nod, he turns and walks away. Boarding a royal carriage, he grins.
“That so-called Scarlet Filly is just dripping with Dark Magic. I wonder if she’s another creation of the Dark One.”
Chuckling, he leans back in his seat.
“Either way, with her power and resourcefulness, she shouldn’t have any trouble tracking that filth down.”
Meanwhile, Arc and Scootaloo walk down the street together. Spotting an alley, they walk down it and sit behind a dumpster.
“That went well.”
“Y-yeah.”
“Something wrong, Big Brother?”
“That captain… I know him.”
“You sure?”
Arc nods. “I am.”
“Then why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because I had a feeling him and I didn’t get along.”
“Not get along with a military officer?”
“Right. I still have that memory of him and me fighting. But I thought I killed him.”
“Maybe it’s a good think you didn’t say anything.”
“In any case, we need to move on.”
Scootaloo holds up the paper. “What about this bounty? We could live on that for life!”
“I suppose if we run into them we could nab ‘em and collect. Let’s see who our target is?”
Scootaloo gives Arc the paper. He unfolds it and looks the wanted poster over for a long moment. Eventually Scootaloo speaks.
“So who’s it for?”
Arc looks to her nervously.
“Me.”
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11063142
he he heah just like ruby was saying "her imaginary friend"
11062844
ha that's funny
ah shit, how did...mirage
some how my browser must have goofed up all your last replay's are 5hours old and mark'd as read, weard Oo
Time to get the hay outta Dodge, and Dodge?
11063224
I too have issues with the website sometimes. A few times, after publishing a chapter, I've been messaged by readers that it's blank. So now I have to verify that a chapter actually posted before I head off.
11063234
Indeed. Sometimes retreating really is the best course of action.