Five hundred ponies set out from Canterlot and Ponyville. All of them were captured and enslaved by the Fair Folk, trapped in a desert out of sync with the rest of Equestria. Now it's up to Spike to get to Celestia and get the ponies home.
Every year, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim ponies set out on a long trek all over Equestria to build comraderie between the different faiths of the book. By this point, there are no surprises: it's a long walk of friends chatting to each other and nothing really faith-shaking happening for nine days.
This year, however, things are different.
This year, the Fair Folk, sealed away by Princess Celestia, steal the pilgrims away, including all of the former bearers of the Elements of Harmony, suppress their powers, and put them to work as cheap labor. Their hopes for escape lie with one baby dragon, but even then, they can only pray for to be delivered.
The sun beat down mercilessly on the desert city, not that the Fair Folk noticed. It was a beautiful city, built from beautiful stone slabs and elaborately painted. The humanoid people who lived there were beautiful, garbed beautifully and fed with the most luxurious of food and drink. They wanted for nothing.
Their slaves, however, wanted for everything. Captured on pilgrimage, they were the forces behind the city, from the mines to the brick-making to the cooking, cleaning, and fixing. They were worked long into the day to such a degree that their strongest could barely stand when he was relieved of duty. Every day, they raised their eyes to the sun and said aloud two simple supplications.
God help us. Celestia find us.
“MOVE!”
The whip cracked across the back of a red stallion pulling a block of stone, who grimaced and shook it off. It was nothing to worry about now. Big Macintosh had gotten used to the pain and the work the fastest. Thus, he was the spokespony for the Equestrians. It wasn’t a particularly grand position: it just meant that on a good day he had the best chance of convincing their captors to let up. Sadly, good days were few and far between.
A loud whistle sounded across the sands, and several mares and fillies came forward bearing food and water. A purple mare brought Big Macintosh a flavorless loaf of bread and some murky water. Big Macintosh looked at his first team of the day. Two had passed out, but they were probably going to recover. Otherwise, the group was just dehydrated.
“Alright,” Big Macintosh called out, “Team 3, switch out. Team 4, make sure your harnesses are secure before you start pulli...”
“Ah!”
Big Mac whipped his head around. Laying on her side was a very scarred pink filly, empty buckets yoked to her and water spilled out into the sand. Diamond Tiara shakily pulled herself back onto her hooves, but a guard had already noticed and was moving towards her. She noticed and backed away, but a spell from the guard weighed her hooves down so that she was immobilized. She struggled against the spell, then quivered as the guard drew his knife. The guard’s knife rose and fell.
He missed because a tan stallion leapt onto the guard with a yell, throwing the guard off-balance and dropping him to the ground. The guard rolled aside and stabbed Filthy Rich in the chest. The stallion slumped instantly. The guard looked at the filly, removed his spell, and walked away. When the guard was far enough away, Diamond Tiara ran forward to her father, shaking him several times. Eventually she stopped, hunched over his body, and began to cry. An orange stallion walked up to her and placed a hoof on her shoulder. Eventually, she rose and walked away with him, tears still falling.
<*>
Hidden far away in a dark kitchen were the six bearers of the Elements of Harmony. The purple winged unicorn had drawn out a plan of the city as well as six arrows on a tabletop. The other five were laden with heavy bags. “Alright, ponies, I don’t know if we’re going to live past this. Just…”
The orange pony raised her hoof. “We know. We’re doing this anyways.”
The other ponies solemnly nodded.
Twilight turned to a purple baby dragon. “You ready?”
Spike nodded. “Yeah.”
Twilight turned back to the other ponies. “Alright, let’s do this.”
<*>
The guards first noticed Rainbow Dash running along the rooftops. She was brought down with a knife to the shoulder. Fluttershy was cornered on the ground. Pinkie Pie was caught in a net and Applejack was incapacitated by a dagger slash to the legs. Finally, Rarity was turned around and lassoed. Now the five were trapped in the dungeon.
None of the guards noticed the two leaving through the drainage system.
The two came out of a drain near the river. “OK, Spike,” Twilight said, “I’ve packed enough to last you until you get to the first mining camp. Then, however, you’re...”
Twilight stopped. Spike looked up from the basket in the reeds. “Twilight?”
Twilight shook her head. “It’s OK, it’s just…” she sighed. “I wish I could fit in the basket.”
Spike walked over to Twilight. “It’ll be alright. I can do this.”
“I know. I’m sorry, Spike. You’ve had to face King Sombra after all. Just, this is the first time I’ve sent you into a situation like this alone.” She placed a hoof under his chin. “You know, you’ve always been like a…”
Spike placed a hand on her cheek. “I know.” Spike pulled her into a hug. “I’ll be back, I promise.”
Twilight squeezed him. “I love you, Spike. Be careful.”
“You too.”
The two released. Spike walked over to the basket and hopped in. Twilight pushed the basket into the river. The two shared a final wave before Spike pulled the lid on over himself and Twilight forced herself to climb back into the drain.
A few minutes later, the basket had drifted into a harbor. Spike peeked out from under the lid, then pulled out a small oar and started rowing towards one of the boats. As he got in close, he pulled out a small chisel with a rope attached to it and pulled his arm back.
An oar smacked Spike on the head, sending Spike into the water and knocking the basket over . Spike quickly tried to grab everything and shove it back into the basket, but the opening was too big. Then Spike smacked himself on the head and righted the basket close to the boat so that the oars wouldn’t knock it over. Then he started grabbing things and dropping them into the basket. However, after one trip, Spike noticed the oars moving.
He looked quickly down into the depths. Thankfully, the chisel was tied to the basket, so Spike just had to grab the rope and pull the chisel up. Several seconds later and the boat was almost out of range. Spike just barely broke the surface of the water and jabbed the chisel into the boat’s keel. He then grabbed onto the basket and pulled himself in, pulling the lid back on top of himself.
He’d lost most of his food as well as his protection from the sun, but he figured he could find replacements at the mining camp. The map was still alright, and that was what mattered. He hugged it. “It’s alright, guys,” he whispered. “I’ll make it.”
<*>
Twilight was found two minutes later, laiden with a pack like the others. Like the others, she was taken into the dungeon. On the way, though, a grey pegasus mare looked up at her, and Twilight nodded. The pegasus nodded back, and a little purple dragon was the subject of everypony’s prayers that night.
“Well, the organizers have really outdone themselves this year.”
Twilight Sparkle wandered around the Ponies of the Book festival with a plate of marzipan. The town square of Ponyville had turned into a campground of blue, white, and green tents, some offering food, some offering crafts, and some serving as the home of performances. Twilight Sparkle’s saddlebags were bulging with the wares of several tents, and her number one baby dragon was carrying a book bag with more stuff. “Haven’t you only been to this one?” Spike asked.
Twilight blushed. “Well it looks like the organizers outdid themselves this year.”
“Oh, thanks Twilight!”
Twilight was suddenly hugged by Pinkie, dressed in a green sash, thankfully at a lower pressure and for a briefer period than normal. “I’m so glad that you like it! I mean, I wondered if you spent your first year in Ponyville reading because you didn’t want to come even though I invited you personally so that you could meet my congregation because you were curious about the idea of religion and you missed next year’s because...”
Pinkie was stopped by a blue hoof in her mouth. “Well, she’s here now,” Rainbow Dash said, similarly greenly attired. She turned to Twilight. “What’s that look supposed to mean?”
Twilight blushed again. “Sorry, I just…”
Rainbow Dash frowned. “You thought I couldn’t be a Muslim?”
“Well you don’t exactly observe the customs!” Twilight blurted out. “During every Ramadan I’ve been here, you actually taunted Pinkie with cupcakes every day of the month.”
“I’m an athlete, I’m exempt!”
“Not like you need a reason slack off from anything.”
Rarity and Sweetie Belle walked up in blue sashes. “Hey,” Pinkie said. “How’s everything going?”
Rarity rolled her eyes. “Better now that the big recital is over. Diamond Tiara pushed everyone in the children’s choir so hard that I think it damaged them. Every sentence Sweetie Belle says digs their big song deeper and deeper into my head! I don’t know if I’m ever going to get it out!”
“סליחה!” Sweetie Belle cried, “ אני לא יכול לעצור את עצמי!”
“Why does she have to come?” a blue-sashed Scootaloo groused. “Can’t her dad just leave her at home with Randolph or something?”
“Don’t Ah wish,” Apple Bloom sighed.
The rest of the Apples came up beside her, all wearing white. “So, Twilight, Spike,” Applejack started, “what d’ya think?”
“Very interesting,” Twilight said. “I can’t wait for the pilgrimage to start tomorrow, all the interesting places along the route.”
“I’m not looking forward to walking, though,” Spike groaned.
“Yeah,” Granny Smith sighed, “that’s why Ah have t’ stay home now. Ah don’ think mah joints are quite up to th’ task anymore.” She smiled. “Ah, well, ‘least Ah got t’ see Apple Bloom take mah place.”
Apple Bloom nodded. “Mm-hmm. Cutie Mark Crusaders…”
“PILGRIMAGE WALKERS!”
Rarity smiled. “They really are growing up, aren’t they?”
Spike frowned. “Mm-hmm.”
Rarity noticed Spike’s change in mood and quickly kissed him on the top of the head. “I’m so glad you decided to come, Spike. With Dad busy at school and Mum busy with the restaurant, I’m happy you had the time for an old flame.”
Spike smiled. “You’re an old friend, how could I say no? How’s Couture doing?”
“Better, actually. He’s finally told his parents about us dating. Ooh, I wish he lived here and not in Baltimare.”
Spike shrugged. “Aw well. Even if he’s missing, this should still be fun.”
<*>
“So,” the Interrogator mused in a perfectly normal voice. The six escapee ponies were bound in chains before him, untouched except for the pink one’s gag. “So, I understand you recently attempted to escape our fair city. Is our hospitality not good enough for you?”
None of the ponies answered. “I understand this is not your first trip to my humble abode,” the Inquisitor continued. “One of you, I believe, has stayed here almost a dozen times.”
He looked at Rainbow Dash, who snorted. “Y’know, I’m thinking of changing prisons, I’ve been asking for a penthouse cell for ages.”
The Inquisitor walked up to her. “Indeed you have.” He then stuck his fingers into Dash’s injured shoulder, which caused her to wince. “Unfortunately, we don’t have the money. We’ve even had to lay off some of the torturers.”
He removed his fingers and Dash hung loose. “We’ve also had to cut back on meals, so you’ll be eating a little light for the next few days. Farewell.”
He bowed and departed from the room.
“Well,” Rainbow Dash said, “here we are again.”
“Yep,” Applejack said, “nuttin’ t’ do but wait.”
Rarity groaned. “I’m going to feel so soah once we get down.”
“Please, I’m gonna’ be so bored until we get down. Now, what can I do while I’m chained up here?”
“Nothing.”
Rainbow Dash looked up at Twilight, who jerked her head over at Fluttershy, who was barely holding a whimper in. “Oh,” Dash said. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy: it’s gonna’ be fine.”
“Yeah,” Applejack added. “Ferget all the rumors yeh’ve heard ‘bout this place. The guards are no more interested in us than if we were made o’ cheese.”
“B-but…”
“OK, yeah, they beat us, starve us, and keep us awake until we’re zombies, but that’s all. They’ll only keep us for three days; after that, they have to let us go back to work.”
“But what abo-”
“OK, they maiht kill us, but that’s rare. ‘Asides, most of the ones who don’t come out were just kidnapped to serve hah-class jobs. Odds are we’ll make it, Ah promise.”
Fluttershy looked at Applejack for a while, then Rainbow Dash, who nodded. Her face didn’t change, but she sighed. “OK, I can do this. I’ve faced down all sorts of nasty things, this should be easy.”
“Of course it will,” Twilight said. “We’re together.”
All six nodded. They hung in silence for a moment before Rarity spoke up.
“Uh, Rainbow Dash, when is ahr jaileh coming back?”
Rainbow Dash groaned. “I told you to go before we started!”
“Yer one t’ talk,” Applejack mumbled.
“Hey, I didn’t know!”
<*>
An hour later and the barge had docked. A few yards from the dock, Spike disconnected his basket and quickly rowed under the dock. Once the coast was clear, he navigated to the shore and kicked out the sealed holes in the basket bottom. The next hour was spent navigating around the dock disguised as a basket, dropping to the ground whenever someone got close, then getting back up when they had turned away. Nerve-wrecking, but he finally made it to the other side of the camp.
Outside of a mine shaft was a large tent which Spike slipped into. Here young ones were kept while they rested with various injuries sustained in various ways. He looked across the tent and finally spied who he was looking for. Several foals let him pass as he slipped under the table, out of the guards’ sight and quickly made his way to the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
The three had aged before their time. Sweetie Belle was now covered in scars and cuts from falling rocks and whips. Scootaloo favored one of her hooves and had lost a few teeth. Worst of them was Apple Bloom, who now wore an improvised eyepatch over her left eye socket. All of them were skinny and fatigued, and all of them were surprised when Spike popped out from under their table.
“Spike?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Is that you?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“What happened?” Scootaloo said.
Spike shushed them. “Twilight managed to sneak me out of the city, but I lost my supplies. I need enough food for a week. Can you help me?”
“Well,” Sweetie Belle said, “I don’t know if we’ve got any food food, but we might be able to sneak you into the ore warehouse.”
Spike blanched. “I’d rather check the kitchens first,” he said.
Scootaloo hobbled forward. “I’ll check to see if they-”
“No, Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom said, “yer leg’s still injured. Ah’ll go.”
Apple Bloom slipped out of the tent. “So,” Scootaloo asked, “how’s everything?”
Spike shrugged. “Alright. I mean, Twilight and the others are in the dungeons right now, but otherwise business as usual.”
“How’d you get out?”
“Basket on the river. I was too small for the Net to catch. Hence why the other six aren’t here now.”
Spike fell silent, then Sweetie Belle laid a hoof on his shoulder. “You want to be with them, don’t you?”
Spike shook his head. “Of course not. I know what I’m supposed to be doing, and I know that it’s more important.”
“But you still don’t want to leave them.”
Apple Bloom re-entered the tent. “No luck. The chow wagon’s gone for th’ day. Looks like yeh don’t have a choice, Spahke, yeh’ll have ta’ take gems.”
“What’s the matter?”
The three whipped around to see Silver Spoon standing behind them. Her glasses were gone, but she barely needed them to begin with. “How long’ve yeh bin standin’ there?” Apple Bloom hissed.
“Long enough to know you need to get a lookout. And what’s wrong with gems, doesn’t Spike eat gems?”
Spike’s frown deepened. “Spoon,” Sweetie Belle started, “do you remember when Spike turned into a big dragon and tried to steal the whole town?”
“Yeah, but he’s better now, right?”
“Not really,” Spike said. “I’ve got a problem and I have to take a certain potion every day to keep my hormones in check. Otherwise I could start going kaiju again.”
“Ah.”
“Well,” Scootaloo said, “the ore warehouse is going to be pretty well defended. It’ll be impossible for us to get in unless we’re on a work detail, and we just got off our shi-.”
Silver Spoon dropped a small bag from out of nowhere at Spike’s feet. “Here. You need them more than I do.”
Spike took the bag and looked through it to find all kinds of gems. He paused for a moment at one point and smacked himself. Finally he said. “Yeah, this should do it.”
“What were you saving up for?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Spoon looked away. “Nothing.”
No-one believed her, but neither did they push the matter. Spike dropped the bag into the basket, pulled the drawstring closed and fastened the lid to the basket. He then put the basket on his back, holding it up with two straps his arms went into. “Thanks. Spoon.” He turned back to the other three. “Good luck.”
The three nodded. “We’ll cause a distraction,” Apple Bloom whispered, “you run.” Then the four fillies left.
Sure enough, there was a considerable amount of noise ten seconds later. The owners of angry voices ran down the lane next to the building. Spike took this as his cue to slip under the wall on the other side of the tent and make a break for it.
Spike didn’t stop until he was certain the guards wouldn’t see him, half-a-mile into the desert. Finally he slowed down and pulled off the backpack, pulling out the map. For a moment, he lingered over it, thinking of the mare who had drawn it up. Then, however, he stowed it into the basket and walked off into the desert.