Battle For Equestria

by Cutiemarkcrusader

Chapter Fourteen

It took the efforts of both Hail Storm and Fluutershy to pry Pinkie Pie off of Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash clutched her neck painfully as Pinkie Pie clung onto the other two pegasi.

"Gosh," she muttered under her breath, "It's been a while, Pinkie, but you don't have to kill me over it."

"Oh, it's…so-oof-great that you're s-safe," Fluttershy's thimble arms were struggling to hold onto Pinkie Pie.

"Here, I-I've got her," Hail Storm locked her front legs around Pinkie's torso to prevent her from doing even more damage to Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy helped Rainbow Dash get up off of her feet with a concerned Zecora standing off to the side.

"Why, my dear Fluttershy, you are so very nice. Rainbow Dash, do you want some ice?" Zecora winced at the red hoof marks on Dash's neck.

"No, no," Rainbow Dash inhaled heavily, "I'm good. I'm fine. Just dandy."

"We were looking for you at the hospital," Fluttershy said, "I heard what happened to Sandalwood. I'm so sorry, Dash."

Dash's eyes became stiff and her expression turned stony, "Me too. It just happened out of nowhere. And it's my fault he was in that condition. I left him."

"What?" Fluttershy's eyes blinked rapidly. This was unheard of from Rainbow Dash.

"He told me to go without him and deliver the elements to you…and I did. I never should have! He could be dying because of me."

"Rainbow Dash, it's not your fault at all. In fact, if it's anypony's fault, it would be the-the anti-scouts," came Pinkie Pie's voice from across the room. Hail Storm had loosened her grip on her.

"Those weren't the anti-scouts," Hail Storm said almost to herself, "They were clones. We already have a hunch that it's Chrysalis behind it all."

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash nodded her head in approval, "She's located in Canterlot. That's the only place that isn't completely in utter ruin. Plus, that's where the princesses lived anyway, so it would make perfect sense for her to be there."

"So, what are we supposed to do about it? It's not as though we can simply march right on over to the castle, completely undetected, right?" Pinkie Pie's head was cocked in confusion.

"Actually, that's exactly what we were planning."

Zecora's eyes flickered over to Fluttershy, "Don't worry, for Rainbow Dash is one to plan a lot. For one does not simply walk to Canterlot."

"Zecora's right," Fluttershy replied softly, "You need to really be able to plan this through. And it's not as though we're the only ones to have attempted doing a thing…like this. I mean, well, if they really are changelings…they could change into one of us easily and if the elements get into the wrong hooves…"

"You think I honestly didn't even think about that? Why do you think I was over here in the first place? I came to Zecora to get a few potions to mix together to see if we can make one that can allow us to have a changeling's ability too. Kinda like the Horsey Potter series where they have that Ponyjuice potion stuff."

"You read the Horsey Potter books?" smiled Pinkie Pie, now fully out of Hail Storm's grasp.

"What?" Dash nervously laughed as she waved a hoof dismissively at Pinkie, "Pfff…don't be ridiculous Pinkie. I only skimmed a few pages…or more. But that's not the point. The point is…we could make potions that can change who we are. Even if it's only for an hour."

"So the plan is that we mix up a few brews and then…"

"We find Rarity and Twilight," Rainbow Dash finished for Fluttershy, "And then we try to find AppleJack. We'll need all the elements to send Chrysalis back to the Badlands from where she came anyway."

Fluttershy raised a hoof as if asking a question in class, "Um, but Rainbow Dash…doesn't love send the clones back to the Badlands…not, uh, the elements."

"Well, we'll just have to make do with what we have right now. And all we have is the elements…oh."

Hail Storm's eyes met Dash's, "Wait, you have the elements? I-is that what the scouts were chasing you for?"

"Yes," Dash looked down, "It was. That's why Sandalwood made me leave him behind."

"Why didn't you leave them here?" Hail's voice was steadily becoming more and more raised, "You guys wouldn't have been chased."

"They would've cloned us and thrown us away. At the time, I was just going to show the elements to Fluttershy and then fly her and the elements back to Zecora. That was my original plan at least."

"And what good did it do? If anything, it made things a lot worse!"

"Stop yelling at me!" Rainbow Dash's nostrils flared, "You think I don't feel guilty just at the thought of Sandalwood's condition right now? I've been crying for hours because I already know that it's my fault! But would it have been any better if they cloned us and threw us in a dungeon with everypony else? Would it have been any better if Fluttershy had no idea what was wrong with me and I had turned against her? Would it?!"

Hail Storm grew quiet. She sat down in her place, defeated by Dash's harsh-yet-true words still ringing in her head. Rainbow Dash was right. This wasn't the best scenario for them to be in right now, but it wasn't the worst either. Hail Storm's head fell slightly as she nodded.

"You're right…" she looked back up at Dash, even though she knew her apology might have been too late, "I-I'm sorry. I'm just so stressed out. I-

Rainbow Dash let out a sigh, "It's fine Hail. We're all feeling a bit burned out. It's not been your average day, huh?"

A dry laugh escaped Hail Storm's lips, "No, it hasn't. Not one bit."

Zecora cleared her throat, "I'm so sorry to interrupt all of these words, but may I ask what happened to the birds?"

"What birds?" Pinkie Pie's eyes fluttered around the room.

Fluttershy spoke up from her spot near the fireplace, "There were a lot of birds chirping when we entered Zecora's house, but…it's silent."

"So what? The birds decided to leave, so what?" Rainbow Dash retorted sarcastically, "There's nothing scary about that."

"It's the silence that concerns me the most," Zecora walked over to the window cautiously, "And I do not mean to roast…but by any chance, were you three followed?"

Pinkie Pie, Hail Storm, and Fluttershy exchanged frightened looks as Zecora peered outside. She swiveled back to face the others, still sounding quite calm.

"It seems as though a there are some pegasi standing outside my shack. But do not fret my friends, for there is a hiding place in the back," she galloped over to what looked like a closet, opening the handle with her mouth.

Fluttershy grabbed ahold of her saddlebag as quickly as she could before tripping over her long, pink hair. Rainbow Dash helped her friend up as they rushed over to Zecora's side and by the open door of the closet.

Inside was the contents of a closet, but when Fluttershy turned to look at Zecora with a confounded look upon her face, she saw that Zecora was now opening another door inside the closet.

"Hurry ponies, come inside," Zecora whispered hurriedly, "While I talk, you all must hide."

The four ponies went inside the dark space one by one. The door swung shut behind them and they listened intently at the sound of Zecora's hoof steps leading toward her front door.

"Excuse me, but may I just ask why you are in my yard?" they held their breath as Zecora's voice carried out from the threshold of her doorway.

"We are from the scouting unit from Cloudsdale. We believe that two pegasi are in this vicinity with…a certain weapon."

"Then why stop here if they are on your side? Why go looking for them far and wide? Why ask for the help of someone against war? So leave, be away with you with your blood and your gore!"

"If you don't comply, we can have you taken with us. No pony will ever know," came a gruff voice that sounded a bit familiar.

"Milky Way?" Hail Storm murmured under her breath.

"Fine, go search my hut," Zecora spat at the pegasi, "What you'll find, I don't know what."

Multiple sounds of hooves upon creaking floorboards were heard from the crack of the doorway. Zecora closed the door.

"What's this?" Milky Way shouted at Zecora impatiently.

"Hey, that is a treasured gem," the deep voice of Zecora answered, "They are from-hey, what is going on with them?"

"Who?"

"Those buffoons straight ahead. Hey. Hey! Stay out of my shed!"

The four ponies trapped in the closet's manes stood on end when there came the sound of the closet door opening. There was a great deal of rummaging from outside their door. A sound of a loud slap stopped the pegasi short from reaching the doorknob.

"You'll pay for that," the pegasi screetched in pain.

"No, leave her be," Milky Way snapped as he too began to rummage around the closet, "If she had to resort to violence, that means she is definitely hiding something."

"The only thing I'm hiding are my prized artifacts, which took many a year to collect and find. So please, don't be so blind. You barge in and I gave you permission to do so. You can search high and you can search low. But don't touch my possessions; they are worth more than you and me. You see?"

Milky Way did not reply. That only made the ponies even more nervous. A speck of dust floated over around them, tickling their snouts. Fluttershy inhaled rapidly as the others struggled to cover her mouth.

"Let's go," Milky Way finally announced, "There's nothing here but a lonely zebra and her stuff anyway. We have better places to be anyway."

"Where are we going sir?"

"We're going to pay Fillydelphia a visit. Without the anti-scouts, they're sitting ducks. And that is just what we need."

Fluttershy gasped over the six pairs of hooves covering her mouth. She looked up to see the worried expressions of Rainbow Dash and Hail Storm. After a few minutes there came a knock upon the door. Zecora opened it slowly.

"Are you four alright? That was the worst fright-

"Zecora, we have to go to Fillydelphia right now! We need every throwing knife you have, every flammable device you have on you, right this instant!" Rainbow Dash shouted in a hushed whisper.

"I'm sorry, my four. But I got rid of those a few days after the war."

"Look, Zecora," Dash sighed, "We can make the potions later, but for now, we have to defend Fillydelphia. If they burn down the hospital or take captives…"

Zecora sighed too, "Alright, I see what you must do. But if you want, you can take these two."

Zecora took out a small bag that was on the table and opened it. Out of its contents came out two daggers.

Hail Storm's eyebrows shot up, "I thought you got rid of-

"Tis a lie I made up to save you. But now I realize that the time is too few. I cannot hold you four back. So by all means, attack. But meet back here after the fighting and you four commence. Pinkie, you stay with me. I need your Pinkie Sense."

Pinkie gave a hoof salute to Zecora and hopped on over to the table to sit beside her. Fluttershy meanwhile cleared her throat.

"Um, Zecora. Could I stay behind too? I'm not much of a fighter."

"Hay," Rainbow Dash rested her hoof on her faint-hearted friend, "If you've helped defeat clones before, then you can do it again. It's easy as pie."

"OOH, where? Where?" Pinkie looked around the room excitedly.

"There's no pie, Pinkie," Hail Storm snapped.

"Well, Dash…" Fluttershy gulped, "It was easier then when we had six of us…and not three."

"So? That means we have more wing power. Look, just stay on the ground and find Sandalwood before the pegasi do. Hail and I can do the nitty gritty work."

"If you're sure…"

"Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash looked deeply into her friend's eyes, "I've never been more sure about anything in my life. Now...let's go!"

Zecora had already gotten to the door and opened it for them, "Bring Sandalwood and your friends back to my shack. Trust me, there is more than that secret closet in the back."

Rainbow Dash and Hail Storm opened their wings and were already in position to fly out with Fluttershy lingering behind them. Fluttershy felt her stomach take a swan dive leap off of a five story building as she glanced back at the shrinking figures of Zecora and Pinkie Pie. And then with the swift close of the door, they vanished.