Attack of the Equine Empire

The stench was certainly the worst part of the whole thing. Rarity could hardly breathe, and it didn't get any better as she and Pinkie walked through the filth. It got to the point in which she could almost taste the air. "Pinkie," she asked, "do you know where we are even going?" Almost as terrible as the smell was the sense of disillusion the situation had created. Rarity wasn't quite sure what was going on. It was bad, though. That much she knew. After Rarity and Pinkie Pie dived into the sewers, Royal Guards came in after them. The two mares hugged the wall of an adjacent tunnel and spied the squad of guards who moved almost silently through the dank passageways. The only noises they made were the sounds of their legs slowly wading through the sewage, and their leader's occasional calls out to the girls.

In a soft tone, he would yell reassurances to them, that they should come out and they wouldn't be harmed.  The guards kept their weapons at the ready, and Pinkie's Pinkie Sense caused her to continuously shake. It was all Rarity could do to hold her steady so that she didn't make too much noise. The two ponies thankfully remained unseen. They waited for the squad to pass before going in the opposite direction.

The sewers were large, uniform passageways filled more than knee high with waste. The Palace was large, so it obviously needed large sewers like that. Flickering Flame mentioned that they connected to the rest of Bastion, so that was where they needed to go. Pinkie led the way, insisting she could find a way through the large, interconnected marble tunnels. Rarity wasn't too confident that she knew how to get out of the sewers and into the city, but the pink mare had surprised her before, so she gave her the benefit of the doubt. Each hour underground caused her confidence to wane a little more.

"Pinkie," she said, "you didn't answer my question."

"We're going to find a way out of these sewers, silly," Pinkie replied. She smiled and hopped as she went through the sewers, causing small splashes of waste land on Rarity. It didn't help her mood.

"Pinkie, I'd hate to say it, but I don't think you're taking the situation very seriously."

"Things aren't too serious yet."

Rarity had to do a double-take. "Not too serious? Pinkie, there is a giant magical bubble over the city, the Royal Guards are hunting us, we have no idea what has happened to any of our friends, and furthermore, my mane is absolutely ruined. I see that as plenty serious." Pinkie returned the rational thinking with her usual smile and went back to her hopping.

"Things won't get too serious until later," she said. "For now, we're alright."

"What does that even mean, Pinkie? You're not making any sort of sen-" Pinkie stopped moving suddenly, causing Rarity to bump into her. The pink mare looked upwards, and her friend did the same.

"Look, there's a way out," Pinkie said. Rarity saw a light coming down through a hole in the ceiling. In fact, she saw several lights coming from various sized holes running all along the ceiling of the passageway, each spaced out slightly different, and going as far as the sewer seemed to. She looked back up and frowned.

"Why this one?" Rarity asked.

"Look at all the others. They're too small. This one will be a tight fit, but we'll be able to get through. Just give me a boost, okay?" Pinkie said.

"Dear, I'm not sure if I'll be able to lift you, and it seems awfully high."

"Don't worry about it, just do it," Pinkie said gleefully before jumping into Rarity's hooves. Rarity did all she could not to fall backwards as she awkwardly stood on her hind legs. She was surprised by how light her friend was, and how easy it was to at least hold her up. Pinkie must hardly weigh anything, she thought, even with all the sweets she eats all the time. I wish I knew how she did it. Rarity didn't have much time for her thoughts, as despite Pinkie's weight she found her legs starting to shake more and more the longer she stood there holding her. She summoned all the strength she had and forced her front legs upward as hard as she could.

Pinkie flew into the air. She slowed as she went higher, and Rarity didn't know if she'd even make it. She released her breath when Pinkie reached the edges and pulled herself up. For a moment she stayed there, halfway through the hole. Rarity heard movement, then a muffled "Hello," from Pinkie, then very clear screaming. Pinkie disappeared for a brief second before looking back down the hole and smiling. "Jump and I'll pull you up," she said, extending her hoof.

Rarity sighed and leapt into the air, grabbing Pinkie's hoof with her own. She crawled her way through the opening, and she felt her stomach churn when she realized what she was in. "Pinkie," she said, "if you mention to anypony that I entered somepony's home through their toilet, I will end you."

"Pinkie Promise that I won't," she giggled. Rarity struggled out of the toilet and onto the bathroom floor. She looked up to see a stallion standing in the doorway holding a wooden broom in a defensive position.

"I don't know who you are," he shouted, "but if you don't get out of my house in the next five seconds I swear to the gods I will use this."

"The broom?" Rarity asked. He looked at his weapon of choice and shrank a bit, but regained his battle stance mere moments later.

"Yes the broom. I know how to use it, don't doubt that. And I will. Just get out, okay? We don't want anymore trouble than we've already had." Rarity got back on her hooves slowly, all while making no sudden movements towards the pony. His broom was still as stone, along with the rest of him. Pinkie just kept smiling as Rarity sought a way to diffuse the situation.

"We're so sorry to intrude. We'll be on our way."

"Why did you come out of my toilet?" Rarity blushed, not knowing what to say. Pinkie answered for her.

"We're running from the Royal Guards," she said. Rarity covered Pinkie's mouth and smiled as big as she could at the stallion.

"No, you see, we're just... umm..."

"We don't need criminals in our home," he said sternly.

"We're not criminals. We don't even know what's going on. We were chased out of the castle and-"

"You came from the castle?" he asked, lowering the broom.

"Yeah," Pinkie interjected, "we were invited there to meet the Princess but then we were warned that something bad was going to happen and then it did then the bubble appeared out of nowhere then we went into the sewers then the Guards came after us and then we ran from them." She took a deep breath. "Then we wound up here."

He stared at the two of them. His face was unreadable. To Rarity, he seemed just as likely to let them go as he was to beat them to death right then and there. He stood there silently for what seemed like ages. Rarity made ready for anything. "You both smell terrible," he finally said. "Clean yourselves up. I'll be waiting to talk to you in the next room." He closed the door as he left the bathroom. Rarity stood with her mouth gaping open as she stared at the door. She stammered to say something while Pinkie turned on the shower. After washing up, they slowly walked out of the bathroom to see the stallion sitting at the kitchen table.

The house was small and cramped. Rarity could tell it was old. It looked lived in for some time. The walls were blandly painted white, with some of the paint beginning to peel. There was a bit of dust on some of the shelves and surfaces, and the floor creaked just a little as they walked on it. Rarity had a chance to look over the stallion without fearing for her life. He was an earth pony with a dull brown coat and a mane that was a lighter shade of brown with a bit of grey here and there. He was clean shaven and middle aged, though the only real indicator of that was his mane. "I want the both of you out of here. Now," he said.

"Can we have some food first? I'm really hungry," Pinkie said. Rarity shushed her.

"Pinkie," she whispered, "he's done enough for us already."

The stallion seemed to ignore what Rarity said. "I'm sorry. We barely have enough food for my daughter and I. She's going to be home from school in a few minutes, so again I ask you to leave."

They headed to the door, but a thought made Rarity stop and turn back to the stallion. "You were ready to attack us earlier, when you found us in your house. What changed?" she asked. He looked down at the table. The door behind them slammed open.

"Daddy! I'm home!" a young, white coated filly exclaimed. She flew past Pinkie and Rarity and into the stallion's embrace.

"Calm down there," he said as she hugged him. She looked back at Rarity and Pinkie.

"Daddy, who are these ponies in our house?"

"We're just friends of your father," Rarity said. "We were just about to leave. It's been nice meeting you miss...?"

"My name is Fruity Zest," she said as she smiled. Rarity smiled back, and once again turned back to exit the house. She reached the door and touched the knob. She paused just a second before turning it. She thought about the stallion for just one second more than she really needed to.

Then there was a knock at the door. The stallion put Fruity down and jumped out of his seat. Rarity and Pinkie stepped back a few steps. Another knock sounded on the door. The stallion pushed them aside. "Hide. Now," he whispered. Without even thinking, Pinkie grabbed Fruity Zest and dove behind the nearby couch in the next room and Rarity followed suit. On the floor, they crawled under the couch and looked out the other side at the stallion's hooves. Rarity heard the stallion take a deep breath and saw the door swing open. "Can I help you, sirs?" Rarity heard him say. She hugged the floor and looked at Pinkie, who had her hoof over Fruity's mouth.

"Have you seen any of these five ponies?" a stallion's voice asked. Rarity saw two sets of armored hooves standing in the doorway.

"No, I'm afraid I haven't. Is this all you've come to talk to me about?" There was a pause before a second stallion spoke up.

"Look, Mr. Hammer, this isn't a random search. We're checking up those who are most likely to harbor these sort of fugitives first, and we've seen your record. We're going to have to search your home." One of them took a step forward before being stopped by the older stallion.

"If you really have seen my record then you know why that is such a bad idea," Fruity Zest's father said. Rarity then heard something else after that. It sounded like whispers, but she couldn't make out exactly what it was. Another moment passed. Rarity looked over to Pinkie. Her eyes were full of worry for what seemed like the first time in a long time. Rarity could guess that her own eyes looked the same. A bit longer and we just run for it, she thought. She only hoped Pinkie thought it too. She didn't want to be alone in all of this. The sound of a voice startled her and brought her back to the living room floor.

"Sorry to disturb you. We'll be on our way," one of the stallions said. The door closed and Rarity could breathe again. She, Pinkie, and Fruity crawled out from under the couch and got up from the floor. While Rarity and Pinkie fell onto the couch and took a few much needed breaths, Fruity immediately went to her father.

"What was all that about?" she asked. Rarity stood up and saw clear confusion on the little filly's face. Something about it reminded her of Sweetie Belle. They're about the same age too, she thought.

"Just the Royal Guards coming to ask me something. Now go to your room and do your homework," he told her.

"Oh, I don't have any homework today." His face didn't change as he stared at her. She made a low and whiny groan. "But I don't wanna." Still not saying a word, her father's expression turned into a frown. "Ugh, fine," she said as she grabbed her bag and flew off down the hallway.

"I'm sorry for that," he said once Fruity was gone.

"Oh, it's quite alright," Rarity said, walking over to him. "My little sister gets that way sometimes."

"Not that. I'm talking about what happened with those guards." He walked back to the kitchen and sat down at the table. "You should wait here for a while. You'll have a better time slipping away when all of this blows over. My name's Iron Hammer, by the way. I realized I hadn't properly introduced myself before now."

"Thank you so much," Rarity said. "It's more than either of us could have expected. I just have one question. Why? Why help us?" Iron Hammer shifted in his seat for a moment before speaking.

"I have my reasons, and right now they're not important. For now, just accept my generosity. I recommend that you and your friend get some rest. You may not get the chance later." Rarity simply nodded and turned to Pinkie, who wasn't there. Where did she run off to now? she thought. She gazed down the nearby hallway and saw a light coming from one of the rooms. She trotted up to it and opened the door.

"How much do you know about math?" Fruity Zest asked Pinkie. The filly and the mare were both sitting on Fruity's bed, pouring over her homework assignments.

"Not much," Pinkie said. "Just some stuff that I have to know, like how many cupcakes are in a baker's dozen."

"How many is that?"

"Thirteen."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"I don't understand math most of the time," Pinkie said as she giggled. Her laughter was infectious, and Fruity started to giggle as well. Even Rarity smiled a little before realizing what she wanted to talk to Pinkie about.

"Excuse me Fruity, but may I borrow Pinkie for a moment?" she asked.

"Okay," Fruity said. Pinkie hopped off the bed and followed Rarity out to the hallway.

"What's the matter?" Pinkie asked. Rarity peered over Pinkie's shoulder to where the kitchen was.

"I'm not so sure that we can trust Iron Hammer," she whispered.

"Iron Hammer?" Pinkie said. "Oh, you mean Fruity's dad. Why not?"

"He was ready to throw us out of here when he thought we were merely intruders. Now that he knows we could be even more of a danger for him and his daughter he helps us."

"Hmmm," Pinkie said as she rubbed her chin with her hoof, "that is suspicious."

"He says he has his reasons, but he won't tell us. I hate this way since he's done some much for us, but something about him just..." She thought about what was whispered between Iron and the guard. "I don't know. I just think we should be cautious from here on out."

"Okie Dokie Lokie," Pinkie said, saluting Rarity and then going back into Fruity's room. Rarity smiled, but it didn't last long. She joined Pinkie in helping the little filly with her work.