Book 1 - The Behemoth came to Canterlot

by Equimorto

Break

Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and the guard with them immediately turned. The sound wasn't close, but it was worryingly loud, and almost reminiscent of a branch snapping during a heavy storm. Looking back, they saw the central tower of the Crystal Empire, the tallest building in the city by a huge margin, slowly falling down to a side. Not in its entirety, but a large portion of it. There was a sort of cut near the bottom, past the point where its base joined together into a single structure, and everything upwards from there was sliding off and tilting over. Still all a single chunk, but cracks were already starting to appear.

In the time it took the group to realise what they were seeing, however, something else made its way to the broken building much quicker than they could have. Before the top portion of the palace could start to truly fall, its entirety was wrapped into the purple glow of Twilight's magic, and its movements were slowed.

Applejack was the first to shake herself out. "She can deal with it," she said, watching as the magical aura dissipated but the building remained in the same position, like frozen in time, ignoring gravity. "It just means she needs us to do our thing while they're busy taking care of that mess."

After a moment, Pinkie turned away from the sight. "You're right." They all nodded to each other, and more quickly began to walk down the road. Pinkie would every few buildings climb onto a rooftop to get a look around, and the group would occasionally wait a moment at her instruction, but aside from that they continued on without major setbacks.

Applejack was not confident in the way they seemed to be making progress. "I don't get it. You'd think they'd have more guards coming this way, instead this whole path has been clear."

"I don't get how they hit the central palace already either," Pinkie replied, "but we don't get to know that. The mission is still the same whatever else has happened, it's useful under all circumstances." She hopped onto another building up ahead, climbing up the partly crumbled wall, and had another look around. She stayed there a little longer, and the rest of the ponies stopped once they caught up with her.

"Is something wrong?" Applejack asked.

Pinkie dropped back down. "I don't trust this either. They're not just busy with scuffles elsewhere, they're straight up ignoring this road when sending soldiers forward."

"But it is the fastest way to get there." Applejack chewed on nothing for a moment. "Do you think they've caught on to what we're doing? Do you think this is a trap?"

"The alternatives wouldn't be better even if it was," said Pinkie. "Which I guess means it's a good trap. But I don't think it's about us specifically. I think they're testing the way our troops are programmed to act." She frowned, jumped up on the building again, then came back down. "They're letting us advance too far," she said in a worried tone. "They're not holding a single front on this side." She had a look around. "I think they're planning to cut off part of our troops."

Comments

[Speckle]

Nip this trap in the bud!