CRISIS: Equestria

by GanonFLCL

CRISIS: Equestria - Chapter Six

CRISIS: Equestria

Chapter Six: Initialization

“Listen, I appreciate the help and all, but if we’re all done buggering about?” Tick Tock rolled her eyes as Rarity started wiping dirt off of her cheek.

Pinkie snorted loudly into her hooves. “Buggering? Whaaat?”

Tick Tock glanced briefly at Pinkie, then back to Rarity. “Look, I’m going to try to explain this quickly. We don’t have a lot of time, hence why I didn’t want to muck about with all of this... this rubbish you’re doing.”

“Nonsense, dear,” Rarity said, running a brush through the other unicorn’s mane. She blanched when she caught sight of all the caked blood she’d gotten out. “You’re in quite a state. It simply won’t do for you to try and help us looking like this.”

Tick Tock grumbled. She was never too keen on accepting help from others, and being doted on was something she considered a colossal waste of time. They were just minor injuries, really, so they didn’t need to go to such lengths to help her.

Tick Tock’s wounds were deep and dirty. Twilight had insisted she get cleaned up first, so that she could assist with healing magic. Rarity ran hot water into some bowls and soaked some towels to use for cleaning Tick Tock’s cuts, while Fluttershy and Lockwood sought out the apartment’s first-aid kit. Once Fluttershy and Lockwood managed to find it under the sink, they began to sort out the cotton balls, rubbing alcohol, and bandages.

Tick Tock sighed. “If you insist, I suppose I can’t stop you.”

To her, it felt like she’d been shoved into a combination hospital and spa. Rarity seemed more concerned with mending Tick Tock’s appearance, from cleaning up dirt to trying to straighten up her outfit. She admitted that it needed it, and regretted that she wouldn’t be able to go back home to grab a replacement. Fluttershy, on the other hoof, was soaking cotton balls in the rubbing alcohol and placing them in another bowl for use.

“Anyway, it basically comes down to this: you six need to get home, and you need to get home fast. Your being here is going to have a pretty severe negative effect on your world the longer you’re here. If I don’t get you lot home soon, there won’t be a world for you to return to. Do you understand the gravity of the situation?”

The six mares looked at each other, faces downcast with worry.

Flathoof coughed and held the bridge of his nose. “Wait wait wait, you’re telling me that these girls are from another world? Pardon my saying so, miss, but maybe you hit your head one too many times?” He tapped the side of his head with his hoof.

“I assure you, I am perfectly sane and clear-headed, injuries aside. In plain and simple terms, yes, they’re from another world,” Tick Tock explained.

She winced as Fluttershy dabbed an alcohol-soaked cotton ball onto one of her more serious cuts. “Ow! Bloody hell, that stings!”

Pinkie snorted again. “Heh... bloody?”

“Oh... um... I’m sorry.” Fluttershy took a step back from the aggravated unicorn. “Um... b-but, you really need to get these t-taken care of. You could probably use a bath too... um... if you d-don’t mind my saying...”

Rarity frowned as she wiped a towel across Tick Tock’s forehead. “Good heavens darling, where did you get all these injuries anyway? You look an absolute mess.”

“Yeah,” Applejack said. “Y’all look like ya done got in a fight with a lawnmower.”

Tick Tock hesitated for a second. “I had a little... scuffle with somepony. Not everypony out there likes what my line of work entails, I suppose.”

Truth be told, she didn’t want to tell them she’d been subjected to attempted murder. First, because she didn’t know who that pegasus had been. Second, because she didn’t actually know what he was after her for, even if she had a good guess. Third, because worrying them about that kind of thing would just slow them down. Besides, once they got out of the city, he wouldn’t pose a problem. She’d handled herself decently on her own, so having others with her would surely increase her chances. Plus, whoever he’d been, he seemed the type to go for a covert attack, not to try and ambush them in the middle of the open desert. No, he would not pose a problem.

“What exactly is your job, if you don’t mind my asking?” Twilight asked. She followed along after Rarity and Fluttershy’s motions, healing the cuts with her magic as they cleaned them.

“I’m a Chronomancer,” Tick Tock said, throwing her hoof out dramatically. The blank looks everypony was giving her, even from Twilight Sparkle, were disappointing.

“A Chronomancer?”

“We take pride in being the guardians of the Equestria Multiverse, preventing the destruction of our worlds against the many natural forces that threaten to do so. We don’t get involved in the politics or wars or things like that. Those are superficial events that might tear apart a world at its surface, but time heals those sorts of wounds eventually. What we are concerned with, are the fundamental laws of magic and how they affect our worlds. Typically, we’re most focused on Void portals though. If left unchecked, a Void portal just expands and expands, and can eventually damage the foundation of a world itself.”

“Hmmm... interesting,” Twilight mused. “The concept sounds familiar. I’m certain I’ve read something along those lines before.” She tapped a hoof to her chin. “Well then, how exactly are we causing trouble back home by being here?”

“Because you’re the wielders of the Elements of Harmony,” Tick Tock said. All six looked at one another, eyes widened and mouths agape. Tick Tock continued, “Your very existence in your world keeps a seal on this Discord fellow, and with you six here, that seal is weakening fast. It’ll likely be broken within the the next three-to-four weeks. So we don’t have—"

Pinkie gasped. Loudly. “Oh gosh, Discord’s back? Girls! We have to get home soon! We’re gonna miss the free popcorn! Cotton candy clouds! Chocolate milk rain!”

“Wait, could you run that by me again?” Twilight asked. “Discord’s seal is breaking? Already? Princess Celestia’s seal took nearly a year to break entirely.”

Tick Tock sighed. “Apparently your seal was weaker, seeing as you’re all mortal ponies, while Celestia is an Alicorn.”

“Well that’s kind of a gip,” Rainbow said, crossing her hooves over her chest. “Our seal should be just as strong as the one the Princess used. That’s not fair.”

Tick Tock shrugged. “Well, that’s just how magic works. Celestia’s control of Law magic is significantly greater than any of yours, especially since only two of you are unicorns. At any rate, the longer you’re here, the faster the influx of Chaos magic will—"

Twilight waved a hoof to stop Tick Tock. “Hang on hang on. See, now you’re confusing me. Chaos and Law aren’t really those kind of forces, they’re more like classifications of magic, how certain types of magic work. They’re not—"

Tick Tock narrowed her eyes. “Are you really arguing with me on the semantics of how magic does or doesn’t work? We don’t have time for—"

“I’m just trying to understand it,” Twilight said. “The better I know what’s going on, the better I can think of a solution. I’ve studied magic for my entire life, so this just seems to go against everything I’ve ever learned. I mean, if you’re wrong about—"

“Wrong?!” Tick Tock shouted. “My dear Twilight Sparkle, I am a Chronomancer. We’re never wrong about these sorts of things. My counterpart from your world, Time Turner, is—"

“Mister Time Turner? The clockmaker?”

“Doctor Time Turner,” Tick Tock corrected.

“Oh. Right. Forgot how insistent he is about that. I’ve known him since I was just a filly. You mean he’s—" Twilight paused and she tapped her chin. “Huh. Well, I guess then that would make sense if he were a Chronomancer too. He always seemed to hang around the palace an awful lot for clockmaker. How do you know him?”

Tick Tock rolled her eyes. “Chronomancers can communicate with one another across the dimensions, to a certain extent.”

“How is Doctor Time Turner connected to all of this?”

“I’m trying to get to that,” Tick Tock said, snorting through her nostrils. “He’s the one who postulated this whole theory when he noticed the beginning of the problem after you six disappeared. He’s the one who came up with the plan to get you all home. And, I think he knows a little more about magic than you do, even if you’re the Element of Magic or whatever. He knows more than I do, that’s for certain, and I think even I’m a little more experienced than you are in these matters.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes. “Well that’s a little arro—"

Tick Tock returned the gaze. “Look, are you a Chronomancer? No? Well then you have no experience dealing with the three different forms of magic as intimately as we do. You think Law and Chaos are mere classifications?” She threw her hooves up. “For heaven’s sakes, I’m trying to help get you home, and you’re going to bleedin’ debate with me on- ow! Fluttershy.”

“Sorry!” Fluttershy gulped, jerking back another alcohol-soaked cotton ball. “You... you n-need to sit still... um... please?”

Twilight grunted. “Hmph, I guess you’re right. This is neither the time or place for this. I’ll discuss the issue with you later though, I assure you, because I still don’t think—"

“Come on now, Twi,” Applejack interrupted. “Let her finish the story, huh? She’s just tryin’ ta help.”

“Right... I didn’t mean to sound disagreeable,” Twilight said. “Go on then, Tick Tock. You say you have a plan?”

“Yes, of course.” Tick Tock took a deep breath. “The plan is to get you to Utopia, and to ask Harmonia for help. She’s the Goddess of Balance, and one of this world’s two Alicorns. She has the power to send you home. Granted, so does her counterpart Nihila, the Goddess of Disparity, but she would not likely be willing to help you. A bloody shame since you’re right at her doorstep. Sure would make my job easier, I tell you. I’m proper knackered running around all bleedin’ day, and now I have to do this too.”

Pinkie stifled another laugh. “Pfft... knackered.”

Twilight sighed. “I guess it’s pretty bad luck we ended up on the wrong side of the world, then.”

“It’s a natural occurrence. Bugger-all you could’ve done about that,” Tick Tock explained, shooting a look at Pinkie when the latter snorted again. “Void magicks don’t really work properly in the presence of abundant Law magic, and since the southern hemisphere has so much ambient Law magic in the air, Void portals can’t really manifest there on their own. Hence why we need so much power to make a portal that can sustain itself long enough to get you through it.”

“And we can’t just wait for another one to appear?” Rarity asked. “If it’s your job cleaning these awful things up, then it sounds as if they’re rather common.”

Tick Tock sighed. “There won’t be any more natural portals in this dimension for another month. The portal on this end you came through was one of many in a portal storm, and this world is now in the midst of the eye of that storm, so it’s going to be pretty calm as far as that is concerned. That’s where the unfortunate circumstance is, sadly.”

“So hang on then,” Rainbow said. “You said you knew a lot about us, but I’ve never met this ‘Doctor Time Turner’ guy. Twilight sounds like she has, so I guess I can believe you knowing about her if you can talk with him across worlds and junk. But what about the rest of us? How do you know our names and stuff?”

Tick Tock hesitated for a moment, then decided honesty was the best policy here. “I had to do a little... snooping, to find out who you were so that I could report back to Time Turner, so that he could figure out why things were going wrong in your world. I apologize for not revealing myself sooner. If it weren’t so imperative to rush you all home, it would be the preferred method to wait for a natural portal to send you through. I didn’t want to get your hopes up.”

“Spying on us, huh?” Rainbow narrowed her eyes and turned to Twilight. “I don’t know about you, Twi, but that sounds fishy. How do we know she just didn’t overhear us talking about going home, and is just making all this up to try and take us for a ride?”

Twilight eyed Tick Tock, giving her a brief once-over. “It is awfully convenient.”

Tick Tock’s jaw dropped. “You’re joking. You’ve got to be bloody joking!” she shouted. “I’m trying to help you, and—"

“But," Twilight interrupted, “she did mention Time Turner, and you’re right, I’m the only pony here who even knows him well. And, I never mentioned him once in all our time here. It would be a pretty ridiculous coincidence if she picked a name out of the blue like that, and picked the one pony that would probably know how to help.”

Rainbow nodded. “I guess that makes sense. Well, if you say so, Twi, I guess we can trust her.”

“So wait,” Flathoof said. All the mares jumped, having forgotten he and Lockwood were even still in the room. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around this... this. Let me get this straight. These six mares are from another world. Their being here is going to destroy their home if they don’t get back, and to do that you need to get them to Utopia, the other side of the world, in three-to-four weeks. Am I understanding this right?”

Tick Tock nodded. “That’s the gist of it, yes.”

“Well if you ask me, you’re attempting the impossible,” Flathoof said.

“And you are?”

Flathoof removed his hat and nodded. “Captain Flathoof, NPPD. I’m their parole officer. I’ve helped these young ladies get through their first twenty-four hours here pretty well, I’d like to think. If they need to get home that quickly, well, I suppose I’d be willing to help a little more.”

“Ya mean, y’all’re gonna help us?” Applejack asked.

Flathoof nodded.

“The better question is, you believe us?” Rainbow asked.

“Your whole plan is getting out of the city. If your original story were true, that means you’re just going right back out into the desert, and that’s plain dumb.” Flathoof shrugged. “So, what else is there to believe?”

“Well said,” Lockwood said, patting Flathoof on the shoulder. “If you eliminate the impossible until only the improbable is left, then the improbable must be true. I’m with Flathoof. Anything I can do to help, just ask.”

Flathoof turned to Tick Tock. “How exactly did you propose to get out of the city?”

Tick Tock groaned and touched the bridge of her nose. She winced and jerked her hoof away from the still-healing gash. “Oh bugger, I knew I forgot something. How am I going to get them out of the city? I didn’t really get time to think on it, what with the... scuffle.”

“What’s the big problem?” Twilight asked. “Why can’t we just leave?”

“The city’s government doesn’t take too kindly to losing taxpayers,” Lockwood said. Then, he shook his head, and gave Twilight a bright smile. “But now that I know you’re not from around here, I can assume you didn’t see the massive door that leads in and out of the city? That would be the Gate. Like the rest of the Outer Wall, it keeps threats out, keeps everything else in.”

“It’s like this,” Flathoof explained. “To get through the Gate, you need a passport. Simple concept, really. But passports are... expensive. Very expensive. Five years of my salary if I was working overtime every day, expensive. But—" He reached into his pocket and pulled out his ID card.

Twilight examined it and compared it to her own. “It’s similar, but I see the slight differences. This is a passport then?”

Applejack scratched her head. “I thought y’all said they were expensive?”

“I have one because NPPD officers of Captain rank get complimentary passes so that we can accompany the Chief on any of his personal trips to Utopia if he wishes us to go. Kind of a dumb reason, but I’m not complaining. It was free.” Flathoof shrugged. “You don’t refuse free stuff around here. Besides, you never know when one can come in handy.”

“I have one as well,” Tick Tock added. She fumbled in her vest pocket and fished hers out with her magic. “My... superiors ensured that I got one, for when I’m required to perform duties outside city boundaries.”

Flathoof breathed a sigh of relief. “Well that’s lucky. I was worried you’d need one too. So the problem here that we have is that we still need six passports.” He tapped his chin. “I suppose we could try to sneak you out. I know plenty of ponies every year try it.” He shook his head. “No, that’s risky. Breaches in the Outer Wall are few and far between, and most of them don’t lead into any neatly-organized areas that are safe from the dangers of the Wastelands. The Gate at least leads out into the open.”

Tick Tock sighed. “So the bloody Gate really is our only option.”

Pinkie didn’t try to hold in a giggle this time.

Tick Tock shot her another glare. “Oi! What in the bloody hell do you keep laughing at?!”

Pinkie shook her head. “Oh... nothing old bean. Sorry, sorry, go on, I’ll keep quiet.”

Tick Tock went to retort until Lockwood interjected with a cough. “I think, then, that I may provide a solution.”

“You? Lockwood, you know you don’t have the money for this sort of thing, not on your salary,” Flathoof said. “I don’t care what kind of connections you might have. Even with a discount, six passes would break your bank so fast your head would spin.”

“Heck, if we all pooled our money together we might be able to afford one,” Tick Tock suggested. Her head sank. “Next year. Maybe. With interest.”

“Ah, you underestimate my connections at times.” Lockwood rummaged through one of his coat pockets and pulled out his own ID card. “See, I also have a Gate Pass.”

Flathoof’s eyes widened as Lockwood waved the card in front of his face. “Where in the hay did you get the money to afford one of those? Why do you even have one?”

“Oh, I figured I might want to leave this little berg one day, see some greener pastures or so the saying goes.” Lockwood shrugged and gestured towards the air, spreading his wings slightly. “The sky’s the limit, though. I’ve just been saving up for an airship ticket, then I’m good to go. The going is slow, unfortunately. I don’t make too much, you’re right. I’ve been offered one before, but I’m determined to get one on my own. Principle of the thing.”

Flathoof grunted. “Right. Okay, but still, how did you afford it? What kind of discount did you get on that thing, hmm? What kind of favor did you call in? I can’t imagine the hoops you needed to jump through.”

“Show me your Gate Pass, Flathoof.”

“What?”

“Just let me see it.”

Flathoof took his out of his uniform pocket and handed it over.

Lockwood held both up in front of Flathoof’s face. “Now, I want you to tell me the difference between them. Aside from the personal information, of course.”

Flathoof looked between the two, and shook his head. “They look the same to me. Where are you going with this, Lockwood?”

“My Gate Passport is a fake.”

Flathoof’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding...”

“Not at all!” Lockwood laughed, shuffling his passport back into his coat and returning Flathoof’s to its owner. “Completely indiscernible from the real thing, yes?”

Flathoof held the bridge of his nose. “Lockwood, you know falsifying passports is illegal, right?”

“Is it? Huh, how about that.”

Flathoof stared blankly at Lockwood for a moment, then sighed. “Go on...”

Lockwood beamed, and continued. “Well, at any rate, it works well enough on more than just your eyes, too. It even fools the card readers at the Gate itself! I’ve tested it! It not only works, it works perfectly. If I had the money to afford an airship ticket, I would’ve done it ages ago. Can’t fake one of those, and I’m just not confident enough to try and make the trip on foot. Bit of a pickle, see.”

Flathoof crossed his hooves in front of his chest. “And I assume then, that your plan is to get more of these for these six here?”

“Precisely. I know just the pony to see.”

***

The Outer District was not known for many things: its cleanliness; its safety or security; its quality economic, employment, or educational offerings; its high-class medical services; its good-mannered social network; or, its helpful social workers and everyday citizenry.

Least of all, the percentage of ponies that wanted to move to and live there was legitimately zero. In fact, it had been statistically proven every single year since New Pandemonium City had ‘abandoned’ the Outer District in the process of moving most of the quality services and government offices into the Mid Districts. Nopony wanted to live there, and everypony who did live there wanted out.

In shorter terms, the place was a dump. A heap. A ghetto. A slum. A pig-sty. A rundown old town with more problems in a single city block than there were ponies that lived in that city block, and there were a lot of ponies living in the Outer District. It was twice the size of all of the Mid Districts combined, if one were to account for the Gate District in the southeast as a part of the Outer District, which technically it was. So long as one didn’t tell anypony living in the Gate District that, all was well.

It was not as densely packed as the Mid Districts. Both the Mid and Outer Districts actually had relatively comparable populations, but that didn’t change the fact that the ponies living there lived in what essentially amounted to squalor. They were impoverished, mostly unemployed, uneducated, and imperiled, and the ponies that could claim they were actually comparable in health and habit to the Mid District ponies were so few and far between it was like looking for a needle in stack of more needles.

Lockwood knew a few of these diamonds in the rough. One of them was a young unicorn mare named Keeneye, and she was going to help him with his most recent conundrum, or so he said. Her home was located in the southwest sector of the Outer District, relatively close to the Divider Wall that separated it from the Mid District both physically and symbolically.

The Ponyville natives looked on in rather depressed disbelief at the state of the Outer District.

“How can anypony live like this?” Twilight asked, scrunching her nose at the smell. “I don’t mean to sound rude, but this place is a...”

“Dump,” Rainbow finished, hovering just above the ground so as to avoid touching it.

“That’s putting it mildly darling. I can’t imagine the quality of ponies in this area if this is what their living conditions are like,” Rarity said. “Surely even Applejack can agree that this is perhaps just a little in need of some tidying up?”

“I reckon it could use a lil’ work, yeah,” Applejack said. “Rainbow’s right, this place is a dump.”

They tried not to look at the huddled groups of ponies gathered around smoldering trash cans, their hooves splotched with green.

“Hoof Rot.” Twilight gulped. “That news report was serious.”

“Golly, don’t the city care none ‘bout these ponies out here? Ain’t they gonna do somethin’?”

“Nnnnope, not a bit,” Flathoof said. “And it’s a shame, too. If we took better care of these ponies, perhaps the crime rate wouldn’t be quite so high. I know you can’t see much of it here by the Divider Wall, but if we went deeper in, well, I don’t think many of those ponies would be too frightened of just one NPPD officer, if you catch my drift?”

Rarity shuddered and slowed her pace to drift closer to him. “I don’t even want to think about it. Thank goodness we have you here though, Captain Flathoof. Please tell me we’re not going that deep in.”

“Nah, we’re sticking pretty close to the Wall. It’s not as bad as it could be though,” Lockwood stated proudly from the front of the line. “You should’ve seen how this part of the sector looked when I was just a little colt. Some volunteer organizations do an awful lot of work around here to make it less like the rest of the District. There’s a lot of ground to cover, but we do what we can.”

“Oh... y-you’re... a part of one of these... v-volunteer groups?” Fluttershy asked.

“Part of one? I helped found one.”

Lockwood smiled and tipped his hat, a wide-brimmed fedora that matched his jacket. It was something he always wore when he went outside, along with a little black umbrella. When asked why he carried an umbrella, he’s said that it was never a bad idea to be prepared for freak acid rain storms. This unsettled the Ponyville natives, even though he later assured them he was joking and the umbrella and hat were just what he liked to wear outside.

“Really?” Rarity asked, her eyes alight with curiosity. “You helped to found a charitable organization? Splendid! How noble! How in Equestria did you manage that?”

“Oh, I called in a few favors with some like-minded ponies, got together some supplies and foodstuffs. We run a little food donation drive once a month to try and help out the ponies around here. I know Dolor food’s not much, but all they’re able to afford out here is scanty supplies of Dolor Brown, and that’s just... ugh. Do you have any idea what that stuff tastes like?” The six mares gave him odd looks. He laughed. “Well, imagine eating dirt, with gravy made from more dirt. That’s pretty much what it tastes like.”

“Yuck,” Twilight said. “And that stuff’s considered edible?”

Lockwood shrugged. “Well, it has semi-decent nutritional value at least. More than Blue does, but Blue’s practically a drink anyway so it doesn’t count. Hey, don’t knock the Brown too badly though. It might taste like dirt, but it’s better than nothing.”

“Still, eww, that sounds just plain yucky,” Pinkie said, scrunching her nose. She threw her hooves in the air and made wide circles. “Ooh ooh! Idea! They should really make some of them cupcake-flavored! Dolor Pink! Or ice cream-flavored! Dolor White!”

“They have that,” Lockwood said. “Does have a sort of creamy taste to it. Really expensive though.”

Pinkie gasped. Loudly. “Ooh! Ooh! Better idea!”

She leapt in a cartwheel over Lockwood’s head. He came to a stop as she grabbed him by the shoulder and held her hoof out, presenting her idea to him as if it were floating in the air around them.

“Treat these weird ol’ Dolor foods like jelly beans, and make them every color you can, and give every color a different flavor! Like root beer, and candy cane, and peppermint, and cotton candy, and butterscotch, and chocolate, and strawberry shortcake.” Her mouth began to water. “Mmmm... strawberry shortcake. Aw phooey, I could really go for some jelly beans right now,” she complained, rubbing her stomach dejectedly.

Lockwood laughed. “Yes, well, I’ll be sure to run that by the employees at Dolor I know,” he said. “Anyway, we try to get these poor ponies some of the healthier stuff. Dolor Green, for example. Every now and then I try to slip in some Dolor Red, for the colts and fillies, yeah? The young ones love the stuff.”

“That’s my favorite flavor,” Tick Tock said.

“I’ve always been fond of Blue, myself,” Lockwood added. “Though I’m taking a liking to the new Black.”

Flathoof rolled his eyes. “Please. Everypony knows Orange is the best. You two are crazy.”

***

At long last they arrived at Keeneye’s house, giving Rarity a chance to rest her aching hooves. Walking around town all day, including up and down eighty flights of stairs, twice no less, was an exhausting experience. The house was noticeable enough for a pony looking for it, but not enough to make anypony think whoever lived there had enough bits on-hoof to be worth stealing. They didn’t live in apartment complexes out here. Though a vast majority of ponies lived on the streets, many lived in houses, though they were small and dirty. They weren’t even worthy of the assorted bugs and rodents that normally enjoyed such squalor.

Inside the house was a different story. It was neater and tidier, though still ‘dirty’ by Rarity’s standards. Everything was neatly organized and laid out, but there was a distinct layer of dust on nearly every object in every room. It was cramped, rather comparable to the six mares’ apartment, though built for one and housing one, rather than built for four and housing six.

Lockwood had asked Flathoof to remain outside, so as not to frighten Keeneye, who was about to do some very illegal things to help them out. Still, the house appeared empty at first glance. None of those who had entered the house, nor the home’s owner, were anywhere to be found. They were not in the den, they were not in the kitchen, nor were they in the bedroom.

Only a single light kept the basement lit, bright enough to prevent it from being in total darkness. The dust that caked the rest of the house’s furniture held little sway down here. It wasn’t spotless, certainly, but acceptable. Rarity expected Applejack’s or Rainbow Dash’s rooms to look like this when they were done cleaning. “Good enough”, she’d called it. There were two comfortable sofas and some tables with magazines down here, making the basement feel very much like a waiting room.

Everypony waited patiently on the sofas. Some of them had started reading magazines to pass the time. Rainbow entertained herself with an issue of Sky High Weekly, which had a pegasus wearing a very sleek flight suit on the cover. Pinkie had taken to an issue of the Dolor Foods Catalog, and was busily pointing out things to Lockwood, who was gladly going over the many different flavors of Dolor Foods with her. Rarity had discreetly snagged up a copy of Studs!, which she’d thought was self-explanatory and hid it behind an issue of Fashion!, which was also self-explanatory. Rarity snorted and threw the inner magazine aside after a few pages; home improvement was hardly what she’d expected. Twilight was reading instead from the far wall, where there was a list of pricing for all the things Keeneye was capable of doing for her customers, namely under the category labeled Forgeries.

“Keeneye must do things like this often,” Twilight said. “All this stuff seems awfully expensive. Thirty-five bits for a false identification?”

“You’re joking, right?” Rainbow asked, not taking her eyes off a page loaded with fancy flight goggles. “I got a fake ID when I was still in flight school. Cost me like five bits. Worked like a charm.”

Lockwood chuckled. “I suppose identification cards are easier to forge in your world then. Here, they’re very delicate. Remember, we use those cards for just about everything. The most important parts are the serial number, and the accuracy of the barcode.”

“How does she do it, anyway?” Twilight asked.

“Well, Gate passports are actually made by altering the bar code on your ID,” Lockwood explained. “Keeneye used to work for the NPRD a few years ago, until she found she could make better money selling her own Gate Passports than getting paid salary to make them legit. She claims the conversion process is so easy, that a pony with the right tools could make them herself for next to nothing. So, here we are.

“You saw the listings up there, Twilight. Two hundred bits for a fake one. That’s six month’s rent at your apartment. The real deal costs ten times that.”

Tick Tock crossed her hooves in front of her chest and leaned back into the sofa. “And these false passports are good enough quality to fool even the machines at the Gate? Seems a bit far-fetched.”

Lockwood laughed and straightened his collar. “Works like a charm. Tested my copy out myself, got to check out the Airship Dock and everything. Then I turned right back around when I saw the price of airship tickets.” He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “Darn shame you can’t fake those too. All digital, not little hard-copy things. And even if you could, I don’t think I’m brave enough to try. You can bribe yourself out of trouble with the NPPD, but the NPAF is a different story.”

“NPAF?” Twilight asked.

“Pandemonium’s military,” Tick Tock said.

“Military? This city has a military?” Twilight shook her head in disbelief. “I thought armed forces were for entire countries, not just cities. Granted, this city is probably big enough to be a country.”

“You have a military back in your world?” Lockwood asked. “I figured your home wasn’t quite like ours is.”

Twilight smiled and nodded. “Sure we do. They don’t see much action, though. Our little Equestria is relatively peaceful with its neighbors. They mostly worry about natural disasters and monsters from the Everfree Forest, though some exceptions pop up here and there.”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Ugh. Changelings.”

Rainbow bolted upright and pounded her chest. “Yeah! And my heroes, the Wonderbolts, serve a double purpose as the best stunt-fliers in all of Equestria, and as Equestria’s Air Force. I’ve been wanting to join them since I was little, they’re so awesome. Finally got into the Wonderbolt Academy too, so I’m like, this close to making it!”

Twilight tapped a hoof to her chin. “Actually, the Royal Guard is a division of the army too, now that I think about it. I guess we do have pretty active armed forces. I can’t imagine them dealing with the same things yours does over here though.”

Applejack nervously shuffled deeper into the sofa cushions, adjusting her hat over her eyes. “Can we change the subject? I ain’t feel too keen on talkin’ ‘bout these kinda things, if y’all don’t mind?”

Twilight hesitated. “Oh... sure thing, Applejack.”

A moment passed, and Keeneye herself finally stepped out of the side room, looking exhausted but quite satisfied with herself. She was a creamy orange unicorn with a bright green mane and tail, the former kept short in front, long in back, the latter tied in a bun. She wore a pale pink bathrobe, as they’d caught her in the shower. It did not hide her cutie mark, a magnifying glass, very well at all. She wore a large device over her right eye that looked like many, many magnifying glasses all on top of one another. The glasses got smaller as they got further away, making it look as if her eye was morphing into a drill in an attempt to get away from her face.

Keeneye lit up her horn and used her magic to toss one card each to the six mares from Ponyville. Rarity in particular carefully scrutinized hers to see if she could notice the difference between her original ID card and the modifications made to make it a valid passport. She did notice the slight differences in the barcode on the bottom, but that was about it.

Keeneye smiled and tilted her eye device up and over her head, then turned to Lockwood and swished over to him in all of about a second. “Now then, Woody,” she cooed, putting a hoof to his chest.

Lockwood coughed at her pet name for him, turning bright red. Some of the mares stifled giggles, though Rainbow Dash and Tick Tock were not trying too hard. He particularly tried to avoid Rarity’s scrutinizing gaze.

“I believe it’s time we discuss the issue of payment,” Keeneye continued. “Six Gate Passports normally run two hundred bits apiece. That’d be one thousand, two hundred bits total.” Lockwood’s nervous gaze made her giggle. She fluttered her eyelashes and put her other hoof on his chest too. “For you, well, I would consider other forms of payment.” She winked.

Lockwood coughed into his hoof. “Um... Keeneye, what—"

“Treat me to dinner this weekend?” she interrupted. “That new fancy place in Central Plaza, what was it called? Chez du Fromage de Terre? Something exotic like that. I hear they actually serve Dolor White, can you believe it? That’s Inner District-quality stuff right there. I don’t care what the ads say, that new Black stuff isn’t as good. Tastes like old licorice.”

Lockwood nervously adjusted his hat and collar. “Keeneye, sweetheart, as delightful as that sounds, I’m going to be taking a little... vacation for the next... undisclosed amount of time. Starting tonight.”

Keeneye pouted. “Well that’s sudden. Aw phooey.” She sighed. “Fine, I’ll just give you a little discount, it’s the least I can do. Six passports... for you, fifty percent. Six hundred.”

Lockwood reached into his deepest pocket and pulled out a small satchel. “I’ve got four. Make it that, and when I get back I’ll... give you a rain check on the dinner.”

“Deal!” Keeneye slapped his hoof in agreement, snagged his satchel, then twirled away from him. “Ooh, I can’t wait! I’m gonna use these bits to get myself the nicest dress, and you and me are gonna enjoy ourselves all evening.”

“Eh heh.” Lockwood tugged his collar. “R-right. Well, thanks Keeneye. I appreciate the help.” He turned to the mares. “Come on then ladies, time to get back home and prep up.”

As they headed up the stairs from the basement, Rarity sidled up to Lockwood. “So, you’ve decided to travel with us then?”

Lockwood nodded. “Sure have. Like I said, I’ve been trying to get an airship ticket for years, never had the guts to try the land route by myself. But now, I’ve got a whole group going! I can’t pass up that kind of opportunity.”

Rarity smiled and nodded appreciatively. “We’d be glad to have you along. I feel bad for Miss Keeneye though.”

Lockwood raised an eyebrow. “Eh?”

Rarity laughed. “Well the poor dear is being left behind while you go on this grand adventure. You never told us you had a girlfriend.”

“Huh?” Lockwood blinked. “Oh, you’re right, I didn’t. Well, I don’t have a... girlfriend.”

“Oh?” Rarity asked, eyebrow raised. “So, what’s the situation with you and Keeneye then, hmm? Am I just misreading the signs here, Woody?”

Rainbow Dash and Tick Tock didn’t try to stifle loud laughs this time, and Applejack and Pinkie Pie found themselves trying harder than before not to laugh alongside them.

“W-what?” Lockwood flustered as her words sunk in, then he turned a bright red and quickly waved his hoof in dismissal. “Oh... ohhh, ha ha, heavens no. Keeneye, she’s just a little... eccentric, is all. We’re not dating or anything like that. Not even anything physic... casual. She’s just a friend, nothing more. Besides, she’s not my type.”

Rarity smirked and leaned in close. “Oh? Then what exactly is your type, dear?”

Lockwood tugged his collar and pulled his hat just over his eyes. “W-well that’s a bit of an odd question. W-why would you...”

“Just a little curious, darling, nothing more,” Rarity laughed.

“Right... I say, Flathoof!” he called to his friend as they left the house. “We really must be going, yes? Yes... let’s head back to Southeast Point and pick up some supplies from my place before we get going. No need for... all these bizarre conversations.”

Rarity hummed as he slipped away, running over her growing checklist in her head:

Nice? Check. That was evident enough is his demeanor and polite manner of speaking. Generous and kind? Check. The good stallion had already helped them out an awful lot, and he had still yet to ask for a single thing in return. He was shaping up to be quite the gentleman. Decent-looking? Check. He was neat and tidy, took good care of himself, and was physically fit. Nothing spectacular, but then again Rarity had learned that her taste in stallions, as far as outward appearances were concerned, was perhaps a little misguided. Fashion sense? Well, perhaps not. The fedora was nice, but his raincoat wasn’t exactly stylish. But, then again, nopony in this city seemed to be much in touch with their fashionable sides anyway. Single? Check. She’d asked if he had a girlfriend, he’d said no. Simple as that.

Rarity stored that idea in the back of her thoughts, quite curious at the prospect of having him along for their little journey. This might just be exactly the opportunity I’ve been looking for.

Applejack smirked and nudged Rarity out of her train of thought. “Well now ain’t this a fine how d‘ya do? Is prissy missy Rarity gettin’ an eye for somepony? Lockwood don’t look fashionable enough fer yer tastes, if y’all ask me.”

Rarity stared at Applejack, then gave a dismissive laugh. She batted Applejack’s hat playfully. “Oh, heavens, Applejack, I am merely trying to make conversation. If the good stallion is going to be traveling with us, I want to make sure we know a little more about him, yes? Like if he’s leaving a significant other behind, for example? Nothing more than that. Whatever gave you that idea?”

“Uh-huh.” Applejack nodded, a wide grin spreading on her face as she leaned in for a whisper. “Just between you ‘n’ me, Flathoof let slip ol’ Lockwood’s into the more graceful type. If y’all catch my drift? Hint hint?”

“Oh ho ho!” Rarity chuckled, leaning into Applejack. “My dear Applejack, wherever did you learn such juicy information? Chatting it up with dear Captain Flathoof are we, hmm? Maybe I’m not the one who should be asking others if they have eyes for somepony?”

Applejack turned red and tugged her hat over her face to hide it. “W-what the hay is that s’posed ta mean? D-don’t go changin’ the subject, Rarity. I’m just tryin’ ta help.”

Applejack trotted ahead, leaving Rarity behind. The unicorn smiled and made another inward note or two. And he likes graceful mares, does he? This is just too perfect.

***

Rarity rounded the corner of Twentieth and Wallway, following behind the rest of her friends and keeping pace with Fluttershy, and began the approach to Southeast Point. They could see it looming in the distance now, only a few dozen blocks to go. It was beginning to get late, and everypony was eager to get their prospective supplies lined up, then get something to eat and get some sleep before they started off on their journey the next day. This was despite Tick Tock’s insistence that they get started immediately. Tick Tock found it hard to argue when Twilight pointed out her still-healing injuries, though.

Flathoof scratched his head and took a deep breath. “This is one of the weirdest things I’ve ever done since I joined the force, I tell you that. Bunch of mares show up out of nowhere, I get assigned to them, and now their crazy friend is telling me they’re from some other planet and they have to go home.”

“Y’all think that’s weird, ya should hear some o’ the stories about things we’ve done where we come from,” Applejack said. “Honestly, if I were in yer shoes, this wouldn’t’ve really surprised me all that much.”

“Well that’s just peachy. Lockwood, are you seriously going with them?”

Lockwood nodded. “As sure as the sky is smoggy and orange every day. I’ve been telling you for years that I wanted to get out of this stupid city. If you’re worried about your taxes—"

“Listen, idiot, I’m not worried about our damn taxes. I’m worried about you. You know ma’s gonna kill you when she finds out.”

“She’s just going to have to trust me on this, Flathoof. I promise once I get everything taken care of on the other side, I’ll send away and have the whole family transferred over.”

Flathoof rolled his eyes. “Delusions of grandeur aren’t helping your case any, Lockwood.” He sighed. “I’ll feel better once I get this all behind me. Tomorrow, I’ll escort you all to the Gate District and see to it that you get through without too much hassle.”

“I really must thank you again,” Twilight said. “You’ve done so much for us and asked for nothing in return, and you’ve only known us for one day. Even back home we don’t have many ponies willing to do that sort of thing.”

“Right, well...” Flathoof tugged his collar nervously. “All in a day’s work. You know the motto now, right? It’s a Living.”

Applejack frowned and nudged him in the side. “Ya sure y’all don’t wanna come with us? Lockwood’s comin’, I’m sure he’d be glad ta have ya. I know I’d enjoy... we’d enjoy yer company, I’m sure of it.” She shot a glance at Rarity, who grinned before turning her attention elsewhere.

“I’ve still got my duties here, sorry to say,” he said, adjusting his hat. “I’ll make sure everything goes smoothly getting you through the Gate, that’s about as much as I can do.”

“No worries, Flathoof,” Lockwood said, patting his friend on the shoulder. “I’ll take good care of them, I assure you. Just a short little jaunt across the Wastelands, a few other areas here and there, no worries, right? I still regret that we can’t make this easy and get some airship tickets there, but so it is. Besides, we’ve got Miss Tock with us as well, and she seems mighty resourceful wouldn’t you say?”

Flathoof sighed. “I suppose...”

Tick Tock snorted. “Yes, thank you for the vote of confidence.”

Pinkie Pie tripped on her skates and landed face-first on the cement. “Oof!”

Twilight stifled a laugh, and she and Rainbow each reached out a hoof to help Pinkie up. “Whoa there, Pinkie, maybe you should’ve practiced more with those roller skates, huh?”

Pinkie jolted upright, not grabbing either offered hoof. She then circled around them without a care in the world. “Nope, all okay, see! Not the skates’ fault, my knee just got all pinchy all of a sudden.”

Applejack tilted her head and gave a nervous smile. “Like... Pinkie pinchy, or regular pinchy?”

Pinkie continued to skate circles around the group, but leaned back to do so on her hind legs. She tapped a hoof to her chin, then nodded sagely. “Definitely Pinkie pinchy, yup yup. That’s weird, it hasn’t popped up at all since we got here! I was beginning to think this new world was making it not work at all, but I guess it still does. Just kind of spur... spar...”

“Sporadic,” Twilight said.

“Yeah, Spormatic.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Sporadic, just like back at home. Pinkie, this is no time for your nutty antics. We’re in a hurry. The last thing we need to worry about is falling potted plants or something silly like that.”

Tick Tock, Flathoof, and Lockwood all shared confused looks with one another.

“Uh... what’s going on here?” Flathoof asked.

“Well—" Twilight started to say. She paused, and sighed. “It’s hard to explain.”

“C’mon now, Twi, y’all know as well as anypony that Pinkie Sense works,” Applejack said.

“I’m not denying that it works, I’m just saying that we don’t need to worry about it. Potted plants and frogs are hardly what I consider worth worrying about.”

“How about anvils, pianos, and hay bales?” Rainbow asked, stifling a laugh.

Twilight’s eyebrow twitched. “Carry on...”

Applejack chuckled and tapped a hoof to her chin. “Anyway, y’all picked the wrong Sense too. Twitchy tail means ‘fallin’ objects’, not pinchy knee. That was pretty much the only one I ever got ta see. And the ’doozy’ one.”

“Didn’t pinchy knee mean ‘alligator in the tub’?” Twilight asked. “I’m a bit rusty on the Senses.”

“Nah, that was achy shoulder,” Rainbow said. “Pinkie’s gotten me out of one-too-many encounters with Gummy thanks to that one. Pinchy knee... pinchy knee.” She shrugged in defeat. “Huh. I forget which one that is, she doesn’t get it often.”

“What’s all this talk about?” Lockwood asked. “Pinchy knees? Alligators? What?”

“Oh, that’s Pinkie Pie’s Pinkie Sense.” Rainbow said, as if it were common knowledge. “It’s kinda like a sixth sense, I guess? Right?” She looked to Twilight for guidance.

“If there was anything to describe it, I guess that’d be it.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “It’s all still a mystery to me. I know I said I’d be a little more open-minded about it, but she’s really inconsistent. It only happens randomly, no rhyme or reason to it at all.”

Applejack chuckled. “C’mon Twi, y’all know ya can’t ask anything o’ Pinkie’s ta follow rhyme or reason.”

Lockwood shook his head in confusion. “I don’t follow. Flathoof? Did they mention any of this to you?”

“This is my first time hearing about it.” Flathoof shrugged and shook his head as well. “First they’re from another world, now the pink one has ESP or something. I tell you, I’m starting to think these past two days are just a really bad trip from some expired Dolor.”

Flathoof turned to his left. “Miss Tock, you and your story just keep getting weirder and weirder. Are you sure you’re sane?”

Tick Tock flustered and defensively pointed at herself. “M-me? I didn’t bring up any of this rubbish. I think it’s just as bloody ridiculous as you two do. Don’t go blaming this on me.”

“It’s not ridiculous,” Twilight said. She then sheepishly ran a hoof through her mane. “I mean, okay, it sounds a little strange, I’ll grant that. It usually just means something’s about to happen to somepony in Pinkie’s immediate proximity. Usually me,” she added, looking warily about herself. “I’m still a little skeptical on how exactly it works, but I admit it does have some merit. I’ve seen it in action.”

“Yeah, one too many doors in the face’ll convince you, I guess,” Rainbow said, failing to stifle her laugh this time.

Twilight glared at Rainbow, then sighed and gestured to Pinkie. “I think Pinkie Pie herself could explain it best.”

Pinkie gave an exasperated sigh. “About time you give me a chance to explain it, guys, instead of arguing about what sense means what. I mean, duh, you could’ve just asked me from the start what everything meant, instead of letting me be the only one trying to figure out what was making me feel it.”

She rolled her eyes. “Anywho, every now and then, I get little niggling feelings that mean different things. If my back gets itchy, that means it’s my lucky day!” Her tail started twitching too. “Aha! See, and twitchy tail means that stuff’s gonna start falling, so you should get under something sturdy. Pinchy knee means something scary is about to happen, but Dashie’s right, I don’t get it too often, since nothing scary ever—"

An ear-deafening explosion burst into the air several dozen feet directly over the heads of the group.

Above them, a raging fireball burst outwards from the eighty-second floor, spraying debris in all directions. Large chunks of metal, concrete, and glass rained from above. A few other floors below and above followed suit, blazing outwards with flame and spraying debris towards the city street below. It took them only a second to realize that, in their current position, they wouldn’t have time to move out of way and avoid being crushed.

A blazing light exploded from Twilight’s horn, and she and her friends became encased in a protective bubble that shattered and deflected the falling debris like clods of mud striking a wall. Every strike against the shield made Twilight wince sharply. Her magical shield flashed with every impact, but managed to withstand the weight and power that the debris struck with.

The sensation of the assault slowed to a crawl, then finally dissipated after several seconds. Twilight struggled to keep her shield up for a moment as everything settled down, as there was a lot of rubble remaining on top of them. Once the pressure on the bubble was stable and everything on top stopped shifting around, she could relax. For now, she focused herself to fit the shield in between the cracks, keeping the rubble out without expending too much energy.

The group looked above them at the dome of pink magic surrounding them and keeping them safe. It sparked in spots where the large chunks of metal and granite pressed most heavily. Twilight’s horn remained bright, and her breathing had slowly returned to normal.

“Is everypony okay?” Twilight asked, turning her head around to check those behind her.

“Yeah, physically at least,” Rainbow muttered, pounding a hoof against her ear. “Pretty shook up though. That was loud.”

“What the hay happened?!” Applejack asked, removing her hat and placing it over her chest. “I thought I was gonna kick it fer sure.”

“Phew! Well, I think I’ve had my fair share of near-death experiences for the day,” Lockwood breathed, fanning himself with his hat.

“Fascinating,” Tick Tock muttered. She turned to Twilight and gave her a slight smile. “I never pegged you to know a combat-oriented spell, Sparkle. Barrier spells are advanced magic. It takes years of study and practice to utilize one, and it’s usually very personal, not something somepony can extend over a group. Not without considerable skill, at least.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Combat-oriented? No no, I found this spell in Student Savings: How to Get Through College Without Breaking the Bank. It’s supposed to save money on umbrellas. There was also a chapter on utilizing burst spells to clean your teeth to save money on toothpaste.”

Tick Tock raised an eyebrow, and spoke slowly. “Saving money... on umbrellas and toothpaste. You learned highly-advanced combat magic... to save money on umbrellas and toothpaste.”

Twilight nodded, not seeing anything wrong with it at all.

Tick Tock shook her head in disbelief. “No wonder Time Turner spends more time in his T.A.R.D.I.S. than out in the field! Your world is bloody bonkers!”

“How in the hay are we gonna get outta here?” Applejack asked. “That’s a lot o’ rubble, I tell ya what.”

“Oh dear, I hope we don’t have to dig out,” Rarity muttered, flicking her mane in worry. “That seems dangerous.”

“Rarity’s right, digging out isn’t a valid option here,” Twilight said. She stepped forward to the front of the bubble and carefully examined the wall of rock outside it. “There’s a lot of debris on top of the shield. I can’t let it go without risking us getting crushed, so I can’t just blow a way through, and trying to teleport us out while keeping the shield up might be a little beyond me, I think.”

“Allow me to help, then.” Tick Tock stepped forward and ignited her horn. A light green glow lit up and settled itself in directly under Twilight’s. “My shield will underlay yours, so when yours drops, mine will take over. I use these kinds of spells often, though usually only on myself. I won’t be able to hold it for long, but it should be long enough for you to teleport us all out, if you’re as powerful as I think you are.”

“What if I can’t?” Twilight asked. She nervously looked around the bubble and bit the tip of her hoof. “Holding the shield isn’t taking too much effort, but teleporting nine ponies is a little bit of a different matter. Why can’t you—"

“Teleportation spells aren’t exactly my forte,” Tick Tock interrupted. “You’re going to have to take this, Sparkle. I was skeptical at first, but it seems you really do live up to your title as Element of Magic. I’ll hold the shield as long as I can, you just focus on the teleport.” She turned to the remaining unicorn. “Rarity, if you’d assist me?”

Rarity pointed at herself. “Me? Miss Tock, I’m afraid I don’t see how I can be of any assistance here. I’ve never had any experience with this kind of magic before. I don’t think—"

“Listen, all I need for you to do is reinforce my magic. I’ll hold the shield up, you just make sure my magic stays steady. Twilight may have enough magical power to hold the shield on her own, but I don’t. I’m going to need an extra horn, so to say.”

“Well... okay then, I suppose,” Rarity mused. “Um... how am I supposed to... help?”

Tick Tock gestured for Rarity to step closer. “Just channel your magic into your horn, and then will it to flow into my spell. It’ll boost the power. Any unicorn can do it, you just need the know-how.”

“I see... very well, I’ll give it a try.” Rarity ignited her own horn and let her magic flow outwards into the air, and concentrated on channeling it through Tick Tock’s own aura. A white tint enveloped the green glow of Tick Tock's horn.

Tick Tock took a sharp breath. “Whoa! Bloody hell, Rarity, you really put your all into it, didn’t you?”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “I... suppose I did. Are you sure this is enough?”

“Plenty.” Tick Tock turned to Twilight. “Go on then, Sparkle. I think we’ve got this proper covered.”

“Alright then, if you say so.” Twilight gulped and cracked her neck, then settled her hooves in place. “Here goes...”

Twilight dropped her shield, and instantly Tick Tock’s face changed from one of stern focus, to one of strained, painful concentration. Rarity puffed rapidly as she too felt the intense strain. Though her focus was elsewhere, in the back of her mind a thought began to take hold: How much power does Twilight have? Rarity knew Twilight had a lot of ability. She’d seen it for herself on many occasions. But, she’d never felt what that sort of strain was like before. Just a moment earlier, Twilight had been holding up this shield with minimal exertion for several minutes, and not just against the pressure of the rubble, but against the intense amount of force from debris slamming into it. Now, here Rarity was with Tick Tock, powering the same barrier spell together and struggling to maintain it for only a few seconds.

Twilight quickly ignited her horn again, creating and engulfing herself and her companions in a white light. Tick Tock yelped in pain as her shield began to snap under the pressure. Rarity flooded more of her own magic into Tick Tock’s spell, but her own power became just as strained, like a dying light bulb.

There was a bright flash. The shield shattered, and the rubble fell inward.

***

Everypony breathed a sigh of relief from their position many yards away from where they’d been buried only a moment before. The rubble crashed upon that spot and let loose a large cloud of dust and soot that spread out into the street. They looked around to make sure everypony else was okay, and clearly saw that their surroundings had been completely trashed. There was debris everywhere, little fires had sprung up, and a thin sheen of dust blanketed the air. Some large chunks of metal and concrete had slammed into other nearby buildings, tearing them apart and destroying everything inside.

It was a disaster.

“Come on girls, we need to get moving,” Flathoof said, adjusting his cap. “Get someplace safe, I’ll be back to you in a moment.”

The party started moving back the way they’d came. Flathoof, on the other hoof, headed the opposite direction, towards the building.

Applejack stopped and turned when she noticed. “Where y’all goin’?” she asked.

“Work,” he said. “Crowds are gonna start forming, and I’ve gotta try and keep everypony calm and orderly until more NPPD units show up to help evacuate the building. Please, just get someplace safe for now, okay? I’ll be back soon. I promise.”

“Can we be of any help?” Twilight asked, taking steps towards him. “I don’t feel right leaving all of this... disaster without trying to do something. I could’ve helped.”

“I think you’d be more help now trying to keep your friends calm.” Flathoof pointed back towards the others, particularly at Fluttershy, who was shaking in panic. “Just get someplace safe, let me do my job. That’s not me asking you, that’s me telling you.”

Twilight and Applejack reluctantly nodded, and returned to the huddled group. While the Pandemonium natives weren’t particularly shaken by the event, the six mares from Ponyville certainly were. Twilight frowned, knowing she’d only had time to shield herself and her companions. She hadn’t had time to save anypony else.

Some survivors huddled nearby in a state of shock, others had panicked and fled the area. Others hadn’t been lucky enough to get out of the way, and the debris had crushed many of the fleeing citizens. Twilight heard a voice cry for help, and stepped back into the street. The voice came from beneath a particularly large piece of debris. She latched onto it with her magic and lifted it away, but instantly regretted the decision upon seeing what lay beneath. She struggled not to retch at the sight, and failed miserably.

The earth pony mare had once been a light purple, but now was more black and red. Dirt and blood covered her coat. Lockwood was the first to rush in to the injured mare, and quickly shooed both Applejack and Tick Tock away when they moved to follow suit.

He grimaced and removed his hat, setting it aside, then leaned down and cradled her head. “Glitter Dew, can you hear me?”

The mare’s eyes fluttered open, and she weakly nodded.

Lockwood smiled. “Good. Hold on, sweetheart, paramedics are going to be here soon. It’s going to be okay.”

“Mister Lockwood... I... I can’t feel my legs...” She choked. “It’s bad... isn’t it?”

“Don’t worry about that, okay? Save your energy. I’m here for you. Just stay with me. Hey... hey, c’mon now. Stay. With. Me.”

The mare looked up at him. “I... I don’t want to die...” She coughed up blood.

“Shhh, c’mon, save your energy,” Lockwood pleaded.

“I d-don’t... want... to...”

Her eyes dimmed. Lockwood sighed and set her head down easy, then moved a hoof to her face and shut her eyes for her. He returned to the others, and Fluttershy began to cry, shuddering in fear as she clung to Rarity, who tried her best to soothe the pegasus even though she herself was shaking. Applejack removed her hat and held it over her chest in a showing of respect for the ponies that hadn’t been as fortunate as they had been.

“I... w-w-want to g-go home...” Fluttershy whimpered, clinging tightly to Rarity and burying her face in the unicorn’s chest.

“There there, dear, shhh,” Rarity said, stroking Fluttershy’s mane delicately. “We all want to go home.”

“I d-don’t... l-l-like this p-place anymore. I just... w-want to go h-home...”

“Hey now, Fluttershy, don’t cry,” Lockwood said, leaning in close to help. “It’ll all be okay. Bad things happen, but—"

Fluttershy caught sight of the blood on his jacket and hooves, and shied away from him. “I just want to go home!” she cried. “I hate this place! It’s so dark, and everypony’s so mean and rude, and there’s nothing natural or nice and everything’s scary and mean!” She curled up and began stroking her tail. “I w-want to go home... I want to see m-my little Angel again...”

Twilight looked on and shook her head, appalled at what had happened. Fluttershy was speaking what was on everypony’s minds, she knew it. She wanted to go home too. She didn’t like this place much either. She never had, and was certain the others felt the same. She was worried so much about Spike, her brother, her parents, the Princess, her friends’ families, and everypony back in Ponyville. That fear now grew inside her like a virus, because she knew that the longer she stayed, the worse things were going to get back home. And worse still, this world had, in a heartbeat, gone from mildly inconvenient, perhaps unpleasant, to openly deadly and hostile, with nopony in sight they could hold accountable. She worried more than ever whether their journey to Utopia would succeed and see them returned to their bright, sunny skies again, or if it would end in tragedy.

It was a rather sobering experience. Even Pinkie Pie was visibly shaken, holding tightly onto Rainbow Dash and shaking all the while.

“Oh Dashie, I was so scared for a minute there. Like real scared, the kind of scared that you can’t just laugh away,” Pinkie said, shaking her head in disbelief. “I... I didn’t think my Pinkie Sense could see things like that. That wasn’t just a teeny bit scary, that was downright life-threatening. I don’t want to think about what would’ve happened if I didn’t have these little feelings.”

Twilight stepped forward and gave Pinkie a warm smile. “You should feel proud of yourself, Pinkie Pie. Your Pinkie Sense just saved all our lives.”

“Yeah, kind of indirectly. You’re the one who saved us with all that fancy magic,” Rainbow said. Twilight shot her a stern gaze, and Rainbow quickly waved her hoof in defense. “I didn’t mean it like that. I know we all owe Pinkie Pie a lot too. If we hadn’t all been out here talking about it, we might’ve been inside the building when it started blowing up. We might’ve been caught in the blast, instead of just under a pile of rubble.”

Twilight sighed. “But if we’d known what to expect right from the start, we could’ve avoided this. None of us would have been in as much danger, and I... I could’ve helped.” She turned towards the ruined street and stamped her hoof on the sidewalk. “I could’ve saved some of these other ponies.”

“Come on now, Twi, you know you had to act fast,” Rainbow said, reaching up and patting Twilight on the shoulder. “Besides, if you’d tried to make that bubble bigger and protect more ponies, you might have overexerted yourself. And then where would we be, huh?”

Twilight frowned and joined Pinkie and Rainbow’s hug. “I should’ve paid more attention to you, Pinkie, like I said I was going to. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, Twilight,” Pinkie said, sniffing back tears. “I know you guys don’t always pay much attention, but at least you did when it mattered, right?”

“But I should’ve listened to you right away instead of arguing about it, again.” Twilight then looked in Pinkie’s eyes, firmly, not angrily. “From now on, Pinkie, if you get any of your ‘little niggling feelings’, you tell me immediately, okay? This whole journey we’re about to embark on sounds awfully dangerous, and if your Pinkie Sense can detect things like this, I want to know what else it can detect. You might just keep us alive through all of this.”

“That’s putting a little too much pressure on her, Twilight, don’t you think?” Rainbow said, ruffling Pinkie’s curls. “I know she just got a really big set of brownie points for this, but her Pinkie Sense isn’t always consis—"

“I’m not willing to take that risk, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight interrupted. “I’d rather listen to all of the silly ones and take them seriously, if it means every now and then we’re going to get one that keeps us from getting crushed by a landslide or walking over a sinkhole, not just getting hit on the head by an potted plant or walking into a door."

Pinkie nodded and hugged Twilight tighter. “If you say so, Twilight, sure, I’ll speak up about them from now on.”

“Good.”

Flathoof trotted over and began dusting off his uniform and cap. “Finally, some extra patrols showed up. Typical NPPD response time, business as usual. We should be able to get back to trying to get you all... oh...” He frowned as he looked at Fluttershy, who appeared to be in even worse straits than he’d left her in. “Is she okay? She’s not hurt, is she?”

“She’s just in shock,” Lockwood said. “I think this the first time she’s ever seen anypony... die.”

“It’s a first time for all of us.” Twilight stood up and trotted over to Flathoof. “I’ve seen dead ponies before, but those were just pictures and lab specimens, not... not this. This is new. For all of us.”

Flathoof nodded and put his hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “It’s not an easy thing to get over. I wish I could say I’m not affected by it, but I still am. Be glad that you are affected by it. You know there’s something wrong with you if death doesn’t shake you up a little.”

Tick Tock sighed. “Well, so much for going to Lockwood’s place to scrounge up supplies. I wonder what in the world caused all this?”

Flathoof snorted. “I’ll take a look at the reports tomorrow, but if I had a guess or two I’d think it was some sort of accident.” He turned to Tick Tock and narrowed his eyes. “A rather convenient accident, if I do say so myself. I saw where that first explosion started.”

“Hey now, it came from the eighty-second floor,” Lockwood said. “Looked to be about the twelve-thirty position too. It has to be related to that gas leak from yesterday.”

“Well now, wouldn’t it be convenient if somepony happened to have been spying on these six mares and heard you get called down to fix that?” Flathoof said, giving Tick Tock an icy glare.

Tick Tock’s eyes narrowed in response to his. She stood firm. “Are you accusing me of something?”

“Nnnope.” Flathoof poked Tick Tock’s nose scar, causing her to jerk back. “But, you said you got into a bit of a scuffle, was it? With somepony that didn’t like you or your line of work? Seems to me like you’ve made an enemy, Miss Tock, and whoever they are, they just tried to take you out so that you wouldn’t get away again. Just an observation, you understand. I’m no detective, but it doesn’t take one to put two and two together.”

Tick Tock nodded. “He must’ve followed me here and knew he couldn’t attack me with all the rest of you around. Bloody hell, causing so much destruction and killing so many just to get to me? Talk about overkill.”

Flathoof straightened his cap. “Well that settles it then. Change of plans. I’m going with you.”

Twilight was taken aback. “You are?”

Applejack shook her head. “But didn’t ya say y’all had responsibilities here?”

“Of course I do. I was just going to let you all head on off, though I made that decision with some difficulty. The Wastelands alone are dangerous enough, and there’s more places out there that might give you all some trouble in the long run. I didn’t want to let you all leave alone like that, but—" He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “It’s not my place. It’s your world in trouble, not mine, and I do have responsibilities here.”

“So why the change of heart?” Twilight asked.

“I don’t feel right sending you all out there if there’s some murderer chasing after your guide here,” he said, pointing a hoof at Tick Tock. “So, I suppose it’s time I took a little vacation.”

“Vacation?”

“NPPD officers get one week of paid vacation every year,” Flathoof explained. “It’s cumulative. I’ve been on the force for five years, so that means I’ve got five weeks stored up. More than enough to get you wherever you’re going and get home. I’ll head over to the station now and put in my application. Snapshot should be able to get me through the process pretty quickly. Lockwood?”

Lockwood raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“Time for me to ask another favor of you. These girls are going to need to recuperate after an experience like this, and you’re still going to need supplies for the journey.” He put his hoof on Lockwood’s shoulder. “Take them to my place instead. Get them all rested up, let my parents know what’s going on. They’ll be more willing to help if it were you asking anyway.”

Twilight smiled and nodded. “Really, Captain Flathoof, there’s no sense in going to that much trouble. Burdening your family with us now? I’m sure Mister Lockwood can find somepony to call in a few favors from and get us all stocked up, right?”

Lockwood nodded. “Yeah, I’ve got a few contacts in Dolor Manufacturing that can get us some food supplies, and—"

Flathoof stamped a hoof on the pavement. “Look, Lockwood, just do this for me, okay? Your contacts might get you what you need, but just look at her.” He pointed to Fluttershy, who was still huddled close to Rarity. “She’s a wreck. I know they need to make a rush job of this whole thing, but there’s no sense in trying to push them too hard.”

“I’m with ol’ Flathoof here,” Applejack said. “We’re all a lil’ shook up after this, an’ we do need ta stock up on supplies, right? I reckon gettin’ rested up too would be a good idea, don’t y’all think?”

Twilight shook her head. “I can’t argue with that, no. I just didn’t want to place more undue burden on him, is all. But if you insist.” She turned to Flathoof and smiled again. “Thank you, we appreciate your offer.”

Lockwood shrugged. “Well then, if we’re all in agreement, let’s be off. See you when you’re all done with this paperwork I suppose?”

“Right. Snapshot works quick, I should be right behind you,” Flathoof said. “You all rest up until then, then we can head out the Gate by nightfall and rest at the Airship Dock until morning.”

“Right then.” Lockwood waved a wing to the girls. “Come on ladies, follow me. We’re heading to Mid-North, which means it’s time to introduce you all to the wonders of the Pandemonium subway system.”

As the group started following Lockwood, Flathoof reached out a hoof and stopped Tick Tock from doing the same. “Hang on there, Miss Tock.”

Tick Tock blinked. “Hmm? Something the matter?”

“You’re coming with me.”

Tick Tock’s jaw dropped. “Say again? What, I don’t get to ‘rest and recuperate’ too? In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a bloody mess. Literally. I think I—"

Flathoof glared at her and stomped his hooves on the ground. “I don’t care if you’re missing all your hooves and your mane’s on fire! I’m not letting you out of my sight, and I sure ain’t gonna let you head on up to my family’s home when you’ve got some sort of psychopath chasing after you that’s willing to blow up half a damned residential complex just to get to one pony!”

Tick Tock backed off a little, as Flathoof was getting right in her face now.

“You’re coming with me, got it? If this lunatic comes after you with just me around, that’s a risk I’m willing to take. I’m not risking my family, my best friend, and six completely innocent strangers when I can take the burden up myself. You got a problem with that?”

Tick Tock shook her head. “Not at all, you make a reasonable point. Very well then, let’s quit sodding about here and get your little ‘vacation time’ settled up, hmm? You said it wouldn’t take long anyway, right? I still remind you, I’m bleedin’ knackered, I am.”

“It won’t take long at all,” Flathoof said. “Lockwood’s got his connections, I’ve got mine. Snapshot’ll take care of this all in a jiffy.”

***

The clerk office at NPPD’s Central Station was, as always, dead quiet. At least, it had been, until Flathoof and Tick Tock showed up, and the former noticed that a certain unicorn wasn’t sitting at her desk. So instead, he’d gone to the next desk over, that belonging to Firecracker, to investigate.

“What do you mean ‘she never came in today’?” Flathoof asked, his voice loud and angry. “She works every day. She’s never taken a day off the whole time she’s worked here.”

Firecracker barely paid any attention to him, and focused instead on filling out the myriad forms she had all over her desk. “I mean exactly what I said, big boy. She didn’t come in today. Figures, she leaves me with all the paperwork and junk the same day there’s some bombing or something down at Southeast Point. Do you have any idea how many forms I have to fill out for police reports? It’s a paperwork nightmare, is what it is, and—"

Flathoof pounded a hoof on the counter. “I don’t care about any of that. I want to know why nopony’s bothered to find out why she didn’t come in today. Surely somepony called her apartment when she was late this morning? Did she call in sick?”

“Pfh, as if.” Firecracker rolled her eyes and waved her pen in the air. “Probably too busy shacking up with that CIA stallion that was here last night. Either that or too busy crying her eyes out after he shot her down. I doubt she could’ve landed a stallion looking like he did. Guy looked like he could’ve handled two of me.”

“CIA? They had an Agent here last night asking for Snapshot?” He shook his head. “What in the world? Why?”

“Don’t know, don’t care,” she said, shrugging it off. “Dumb little filly got all hot and bothered the second he walked in too, I could see it a mile away. Maybe she got lucky and the idiot fell for that ‘nerd charm’ of hers. Hey, everypony’s gotta get lucky sometime.”

Flathoof glared. “And nopony bothered to inform the Chief about this, did they?”

“Duh, why would I?” Firecracker flicked her mane and idly eyed one of her hooves. “It’s not my business. They were still in questioning when my shift was over. I didn’t really feel like sticking around to see what they were talking about. What Snapshot gets up to on her own time is her own business. She’s not my friend, so I don’t really—"

Flathoof sighed and held the bridge of his nose. “Look, I’m going to just ignore the massive breaches in protocol that not reporting a CIA Agent being involved entails. I’ll even ignore your complete disregard for Snapshot’s well-being. So, you’re going to do me a favor.”

Firecracker rolled her eyes and fluttered her big wings. “Stallions. You’re all alike. Fine, I get off in a few hours, then we can head back to my place and—"

“What the—" Flathoof shook his head wildly. “Ha ha, what? No, you’ve got it all wrong. I need some paperwork filed. Not... whatever it is you thought I wanted. What in the hay made you think I’d—"

Firecracker was taken aback. “And what is that supposed to—" She cleared her throat and tucked her wings back in sharply. “Whatever. As you can see," she said, gesturing to a huge stack of folders and papers to her side, “Snapshot’s not here, so I’m working double duty on the busiest day we’ve had here in months. I’m a little backed up with paperwork as it is, so—"

Flathoof planted his hooves on the table and leaned forward. “Are you disobeying orders from a superior? Everypony around here knows I’m a hardass rules-jockey, so considering the circumstances I think I’ll bring up a few points. First, you’re already in breach of protocol by not filing a report on the involvement of a CIA Agent in a case—"

Firecracker scoffed. “That would be Snapshot’s job, she’s the one who—"

Flathoof slammed his hoof on the desk. “And Snapshot isn’t here today, which means all of her responsibilities fall to you, as you’ve been keen to point out. In case you haven’t noticed, the Chief doesn’t take too kindly to CIA Agents sneaking around his offices. He knows he can’t bar their entry, but he does want to know when they have any interaction with an officer. For breaching that protocol alone, you’re already looking at getting fired.”

Firecracker stuttered and looked around in a panic. “B-but—"

Flathoof leaned forward further. “And then, disobeying a request from a superior officer to file paperwork. Two rule infractions in the span of a few minutes? You’re lucky I’m in a patient mood. Now, are we going to have a disagreement here, or are you going to cooperate?”

Firecracker gulped and pushed her current load of paperwork aside. “W-what kind of paperwork am I taking care of for you, Captain Flathoof s-sir?”

“Oh, just a vacation application form,” Flathoof said, casually waving a hoof. “Starting tonight. See to it it gets through the system before the end of your shift, and I won’t worry about that CIA thing either. I’ll make sure Snapshot fills out the report when she returns.”

“R-right sir, of course.” Firecracker fumbled around her desk in search of the form.

Flathoof turned and left her behind, then came over to Tick Tock, who had been waiting patiently at the bench nearby. “Come on, we’re heading for Southwest Point.”

“What? I thought you said your family lives in Mid-North?” Tick Tock asked. “I remind you, we’re on a tight—"

Flathoof dismissed her with a hoof. “I know all that, but I’ve got to check up on something. Somepony...”

***

Tick Tock waited patiently behind Flathoof in the stairwell of the thirteenth floor of Southwest Point. She leaned against a wall in an attempt to relax, as they’d just finished running nearly fifty city blocks to get here. This time, at least, she hadn’t had to climb eighty-four floors to get to their destination; getting to Flathoof’s friend’s apartment had been much easier than getting to Twilight and her friends’. Even though Tick Tock was used to physical exertion, it didn’t somehow make it enjoyable. The stress of recent events overwhelmed her, making her feel tired and hungry. This had been a very long two days.

Flathoof knocked harshly on the door of Room thirteen and six.

“Snapshot!? Are you in there?!” he called.

No response.

He knocked again. “Snapshot!? Hello!? If you’re there, open the door! It’s me, Flathoof!”

Still no response.

“I don’t want to barge in there, Snapshot, but if you don’t open up, I’m going to have to! Snapshot!? Okay then, I’m coming in!”

Flathoof signalled for Tick Tock to come over to him. “You think you could do something for me?”

“Like what?”

“You can’t pick locks or anything like that with your fancy magic, can you?”

Tick Tock smirked. “Fancy that, an NPPD Captain asking me to commit a breaking and entering.” She narrowed her eyes. “This isn’t some sort of bloody trick so you can nick me, is it? I’m not going to be picking these locks and then you yell, ‘All right, all right, what’s all this then?’ right?”

Flathoof stared at her, his mouth slightly open. “What?”

“Nevermind,” Tick Tock mumbled.

Her horn glowed a bright yellow, and her magic latched onto the doorknob. She contorted her face in firm concentration, licking her lips as she worked her magic into the little crevices inside the lock. She could hear a few subtle clicks and snaps as the locking mechanisms of the door unlocked. Then, a sharp click, and Tick Tock let her horn’s glow dim.

“I wasn’t being serious, you know?” Flathoof said, scratching his head. “I was just going to bust the door down and needed a little extra ‘oomph’. Why in Equestria would you have any use for picking locks, anyway, huh? Something I should know about?”

Tick Tock turned pink and coughed into her hoof. “Uh... I forget my keys a lot. Why isn’t the bloody door opening though?”

Flathoof smiled. “Well, she’s got more than one. She had a break-in a year ago, asked me to help her upgrade her security.”

“Huh.” Tick Tock shrugged. “Righto then. Back to work.”

She lit her horn again and slid her magic through the crack in the door to access the other locks. She bit her tongue as she worked the next one. It gave a satisfying click, and she let out a breath of relief before moving on. Two down. She fiddled her magic around again. Click. Three down. Click. Four. Click. Five.

“Phew,” Tick Tock muttered as she started working on another lock. “I recognize some of these locks your friend uses, they’re pretty standard issue stuff. Bloody hell, though, why does she have six locks on her door, anyway? Excessive, eh?”

Flathoof looked at the door for a moment, then raised an eyebrow when he saw where the glow from Tick Tock’s magic was, just below the doorknob. “Six?”

Tick Tock stared at him, but continued to fumble with the lock. “Right, six. And this last one is giving me a proper hard time too. I think I’ve almost got it... and... aha!” Another click. “See? No problem.”

“Hang on a sec, you said six locks, right?” Flathoof stared at the door for a moment, then nervously pressed his ear against it.

Tick Tock rolled her eyes. “Again, yes. What of it? Are you bad with math or something? What are you doing?”

Flathoof narrowed his eyes and leaned in harder against the door, though he was seemingly trying not to open it. “I helped Snapshot install all these locks. She only has five.”

Tick Tock tilted her head. “What are you going on—"

He gestured for her to listen in too. She rolled her eyes and pressed her ear against the door. Her eyes widened when she heard a repeated clicking sound. “Oh. Ohhh, bugger.”

Flathoof gulped. “It might be best if we... stepped away from the door.”

Tick Tock and Flathoof twisted away from the door in a panic, barely avoiding tripping over one another. They leapt towards the stairwell, only to get enough distance from the door that the explosion behind them didn’t engulf them straight away.

Flathoof lost his footing and tripped on the first stair as a large chunk of the door shattered across the back of his head. He fell to the floor at the turn of the stairwell.

Tick Tock, meanwhile, was knocked over the stairwell railing by the force of the blast. She fell down two whole stories and crashed through the opposite railing onto the floor. She groaned, and held her head to ease the stiff ringing in her ears. She struggled to get up, and yowled in pain as she put weight on her left hind leg; it felt like it was broken.

A familiar, dark chuckle from behind her caught her attention. “Well, well, well, look what we have here.”

Her eyes widened, and she flashed her horn and let loose a burst of magic in time to slam a pegasus face-first into the wall.

He removed his face from the wall and chuckled again. She frantically scrambled to get up and distance herself from him.

The pegasus drew a knife from a strap on his right foreleg and went on the offensive. She had little time to react in the extremely tight space and barely managed to cast a barrier spell. His dagger flashed brightly as it deflected off her shield.

She staggered backward a little, trying to gain footing in the narrow walkway.

The pegasus dove at her again. Her shield flashed and reflected him away. He struck from different angles with every swipe, keeping himself unpredictable.

Tick Tock backed away, carefully stepping on the stairs behind her as his assault forced her around the corner.

“Why do you keep coming after me?!”

He forced her down the stairs with his assault.

“What did I ever do?!”

The pegasus sighed. “Why do you insist on asking?”

He used his tongue to twirl his knife around, then gripped it firmly again in his teeth. He feinted to her left, then as she directed her shield there, he quickly slashed instead to her right.

Again, her reflexes were a lifesaver. She cried out as the blade slashed its way across her cheek, then staggered back a few steps, almost losing her footing as the stairs ended and flattened out at the next floor.

“You’re going to be dead soon, Chronomancer. Would that kind of information matter?”

Tick Tock glared at him, her eyes filled with fury and fear.

She tried to strike out against him instead, firing off a volley of sparks. He twisted himself to the side and dodged them with ease.

She blasted another bolt at him. He merely shifted his weight to avoid it.

He didn’t let her keep up her approach, and continued to force her back with another strike, and another. She deflected them each in turn. She knew he could see the weariness in her eyes, the shortness of her breaths.

“What’s the matter, Chronomancer?” he taunted. “You look tired.”

He swept forward again, his eyes gleaming when she did not put up a shield.

Then, he hesitated, and slowed his assault. Tick Tock beamed, and her horn flashed. Got you.

For his effort, he was rewarded with an incredible injury to his right wing. He slammed into her, and they rolled together down the stairs. He collapsed further down than she did.

She knew the wound was severe. That it was deep. That his flying was now severely hampered. She could see the rage in his eyes.

She did not waste her advantage. In her magic, she wielded a sharp piece of the rusted metal railing.

Now it was his turn to be on the defensive. His grin returned, and it seemed to actually widen at the prospect.

Tick Tock fought pragmatically now. She was tired, and needed to conserve her magic. Telekinesis was less consuming than barriers.

“You fancy yourself a swordsmare, do you?” The pegasus snorted. He blocked her makeshift weapon with his dagger and pushed her away. “Maybe when you get a real sword I’ll consider you a threat.”

“Sod off!” she shouted.

He shifted his weight upwards to meet hers. She felt his ragged breath against her face. Tick Tock forced him away with a sharp push, then swung at him with a wide downward strike.

He stepped to the side to avoid it. “Clumsy.”

He lunged his shoulder in response and slammed her into the wall.

Tick Tock barely had enough room to avoid getting sliced across the eyes when he slashed at her again. She screamed in pain as the blade sliced across the scar that had yet to heal.

She lunged forward with a horizontal swing.

It was easy enough for him to duck under. “Pathetic.”

Her wide swing left her open to attack. He bucked her hard in the stomach and sent her reeling back, then flung his knife at her.

She panicked and raised a barrier spell again, sending his weapon flying into the wall beside her. The concentration on her telekinesis was broken, and her makeshift weapon fell into the emptiness of the open center of the stairwell. She hesitantly looked down after it.

In her distraction, he tackled her and forced her to the floor. She tried to struggle and force him off, but the energy bolt fizzled uselessly against his chest. Her magic had nearly dried up. Bugger all.

“I’ve been looking forward to this.” He chuckled darkly, pressing a hoof against her throat. “The chance to finally kill you, and be done with this silly game we’ve been playing.”

He pushed himself up and put most of his weight into his hoof.

She choked and made to grab at him, but he was too heavy.

“It’s been fun, Chronomancer.”

He pushed more weight downward, laughing again at her ragged, throaty gasps for air. Tears formed in her eyes. This is it then. I’m out of time.

“Freeze! NPPD!”

The stallion’s attention diverted behind him sharply, but he hadn’t much chance to avoid the crushing body of red and black. Flathoof crashed into him and slammed him hard against the nearby wall, then pressed his baton to the other stallion’s head and applied pressure to keep him pinned.

Tick Tock took in a deep gulp of air. “Oh bloody stars...”

“You’re under arrest for the murder of an NPPD officer!” Flathoof spat into the other stallion’s ear. “And for the countless other ponies at Southeast Point you killed in that explosion!”

The pegasus laughed, and flicked his good wing, striking Flathoof’s hind leg to throw him off balance. It was enough to let him squirm out of the hold.

“Ah, you must be Captain Flathoof,” the pegasus said, chuckling and distancing himself. “Snapshot spoke very highly of you.”

Flathoof barreled forward, reared, and brought his forelegs down in a crushing motion. The pegasus dodged backwards and moved downstairs.

Flathoof pressed his offensive and pounced at the pegasus, who shifted to the side and shouldered Flathoof into the wall. Flathoof’s baton dropped out of his mouth and rolled over the side of the stairwell.

“I’ll be sure to add Resisting Arrest to the list.” Flathoof snorted, shaking himself off and squaring off against the pegasus. “You will be brought to justice for your crimes!”

“Are you seriously considering turning me in?” the pegasus asked. “As if I haven’t broken out of a pathetic little jail cell before. May as well make them out of cardboard!”

The pegasus lunged forward and grappled with Flathoof. Flathoof shifted his weight, using his bulk to overpower the smaller pony. The pegasus chortled, and twisted around Flathoof’s weight to lock the bigger stallion in a chokehold.

Flathoof coughed, and slammed the pegasus in the gut with his hoof before shoving him off. The pegasus fluttered up over Flathoof’s head when he charged in again, kicking Flathoof in the back and knocking him down the rest of the stairs.

“Aww, and here I thought you’d want revenge. Your girlfriend was such a sweetheart, you know? You must not have been the best lay, because she was just dying to get to know me better.” He laughed loudly at his own joke.

“Shut up!”

Flathoof grit his teeth and rushed forward with a shoulder tackle. The pegasus twisted around to avoid it, and bucked Flathoof hard in the chest.

Flathoof staggered back and grunted as he hit the opposite wall. The pegasus had more than ample time to distance himself.

“Well, Captain, as delightful as this has been, I’ve grown tired of all of this fooling around.” The pegasus drew a second dagger from the strap on his left foreleg. “Time to play for keeps. I wonder, when I’m done with you, who’s going to take care of your crippled brother, hmm? Maybe I’ll pay him a little visit and put him out of his misery.”

Flathoof glared at the pegasus. “You’d best stop talking, flyboy, before I make you eat that knife of yours.”

The other stallion’s grin widened. “Ooh hoo hoo, did I strike a nerve? I’ll be happy to strike at more than that!”

He lunged forward and swung his knife at Flathoof’s chest. Flathoof grunted and staggered back. His hoof went to his chest, and drew back blood.

Flathoof backed down the next set of stairs, and ducked under another swing. He twisted himself around and tried to buck the pegasus, but the pegasus narrowly avoided it.

The pegasus lunged again, tackling Flathoof from behind. They struggled, and they grappled. Flathoof was stronger, and was able to crush the pegasus against the wall for a moment. But the pegasus was a dirty fighter, and bashed his head against Flathoof’s throat.

Flathoof choked and staggered back, then was slammed against the railing.

The pegasus leaned over him and grinned wide. “Looks like a long fall. A shame you don’t have wings, like—"

The pegasus howled in pain. His dagger jutted from the joint of his left wing, enshrouded in an aura of green magic.

Flathoof wasted no time in capitalizing on the opportunity, and sunk down and kicked his legs as hard as he could.

The pegasus careened over the railing, struggling to right himself as he fell. Neither of his wings were working. The stallion’s back slammed into the railing on the next floor down, and he fell, straight towards the bottom.

Flathoof breathed deeply and leaned against the wall, clutching his heart and panting heavily. He chanced a glance to the stairwell above. Tick Tock limped down to meet him, rubbing her throat the entire way down.

“Are you okay?” she asked, her voice hoarse.

“I’m fine,” Flathoof wheezed. “He mentioned going after my family. We should get a move on.”

“Can we... rest a bit? Please? I... I think my leg is—"

Flathoof pointed tersely at her. “No, we’ll rest later. We’re going to check and make sure he hit the bottom. If he did, I doubt he’ll be in shape to give us trouble anyway.”

“And if he didn’t?”

Flathoof started down the stairs. “All the more reason to hurry home.”

Comments

[-Pinkamena_Pie-]

So, first this guy commits terrorism, then genocide, then attempted murder...

Sounds like a nice pony.

[So_Many_Wonders]

Don't get me wrong, this fic is great. But it feels like the fight scenes aren't that on par with the rest of the story. (From this chapter and the other one) They don't seem to be as immersive for some reason, as I have read fics with generally worse writing but better fights. I am no writing expert but it could be because most of your fights are just back to back statements. Maybe you could try to be more descriptive and focus on showing not telling.

[Victoria]

The pegasus careened over the railing, struggling to right himself as he fell. Neither of his wings were working. The stallion’s back slammed into the railing on the next floor down, and he fell, straight towards the bottom.

I'd be celebrating his demise but something tells me he survived and will be back for revenge again. Villains like that always do in the stories.