Mutual Rescue

Rainbow saw the orphanage ahead, shivers running down her spine as she remembered her own times past in her old orphanage. Looking to the side she saw Fluttershy’s wings ruffling in agitation, knowing she was probably feeling the same as her Rainbow decided to ignore what ponies may say and draped her wing over Fluttershy’s back, offering her silent support.

Lyra the other side of Fluttershy nodded with a smile before turning back to the orphanage, her expression set.
The Princesses faces were unreadable, their eyes staring straight ahead, body posture ridged, each step taken with. . . Deliberate purpose Rainbow thought. Shining Armour by comparison was easy to read. He wanted answers and wanted them now.

Holding Fluttershy close with her wing as she felt her trembling Rainbow started whispering, trying her best to calm her down, her attention so focused on being there for her friend that they came upon the wrought iron gate faster than she expected.

Looking up to see why they had stopped she saw a chain and padlock wrapped around the bars, with a sign next to it informing anyone wishing to speak to the orphanage staff to go to the guard barracks in town.

“We advise thee to stand back.” Luna’s face may have been hard to read, but her voice was filled with suppressed emotion, Celestia’s own façade cracked at this, however it was simply to drape her own wing across her sister.
“Easy Luna, there are small colts and filly’s in there, you don’t want to scare them too much – the state you’re in right now obliterating the gate would not be a good idea. Do you want me to open it?”

Luna turned to face her sister, making eye contact she seemed to be unable to decide.
Long seconds passed as the two sisters stared into each-others’ eyes before Luna’s face showed the briefest flash of desperate acknowledgement before her public mask slipped back over her features.
With a nod she let Celestia take her place in front of the gate.

Rainbow watched as Celestia’s horn lit up with golden light suffusing her magical aura, at the same time the gate was surrounded by the same glow. At first Rainbow didn’t know what was happening, but then she spotted the anchor points on the wall were dissolving – the princess was literally rusting away the points. As soon as they were gone, the gate floated out the way to lean against the wall.

It took only moment before they stepped forward. No sooner had the princesses crossed the threshold however when they turned and Celestia commanded “Pegasi Forward!” The Pegasi in the air all shot forward as the rest of the ground forces picked the pace up – no sooner was Rainbow passed the gateway before she understood why – a powerful illusion and silencing spell must have been on the grounds.

The large building that was the orphanage that looked well maintained outside was in an almost condemning state of disrepair, the ground dead – not even grass grew. The playground to the side was similarly dilapidated, but what sent everyone thundering towards the building was the sound of crying. The sound was not of one or two foals, but of at least a couple hundred.

In the air the Pegasi and princesses flew ahead, the rest galloped up the path. As they got close enough to see in the windows, Rainbow watched as she saw a stallion striking a foal – a growl from her side ensured she knew a guard had seen it as well.
Looking up she saw the Pegasi guards smashing their way in the top floors before got to the front door which had already been forced open.

She looked around, horrified at what she saw, the inside of the building was –impossibly– even worse than what she had seen outside. Shaking her head she, Fluttershy and Lyra went up to the second floor where the sounds of crying were coming from.

They came to a large room; it was obvious that the inner walls had been removed to create one large dormitory. But instead of beds there were simply piles of moulding hay, threadbare blankets and at the end a curtained off area which from what they could make out contained a bath and toilet. 1 bath and toilet for all the foals in this room – there must have been over 100 frightened faces facing them.

The guards were carefully approaching each youngling, assessing their condition. If they were simply malnourished they were put in one group, injured another, and those that were sick put in another. The three mares looked at each other before a seemingly silent consensus was reached between them.

Rainbow made her way towards the malnourished group; to appear less threatening she made sure her injured wing was the one the foals saw first. She saw Lyra approaching the sick children a small magical field fading about her – rainbow recognised it as a spell medics used a lot as not to contract anything from their patients, before remembering Lyra was a reserve doctor – she could in an emergency be summoned to the hospital to aid the staff there.
Fluttershy was slowly her way to the last group, those that were simply physically injured.

‘Right, let’s get their minds off the noise downstairs’ The prismatic Pegasus thought.
Rainbow lay on the ground near the foals before she spoke quietly, not wishing to startle or scare the foals any more than they already were with the guards there. Seeing the fear in their eyes as they flinched away from her tore at her heart.
“Easy there, I’m not gonna hurt ya. We’re here to help. You won’t be hurt anymore ok?”

A Rust red earth pony colt with a blue mane and tail, larger than most in the group of foals stepped forward slightly – Rainbow guessed his age to be about eight or nine.
“How. . .*Gulp* . . . how do we know. . . .You’re not lying.” Rainbow decided to take a gamble here hoping it paid off.
“You’ve heard of the Elements of Harmony right? Even you little ones in here can’t have missed that news?” Gradually the colt nodded as a little green filly Pegasus with a purple mane pressed close to his side. She could only be four or five at the most. He carefully interposed himself between her and Rainbow.

Nodding his head, he indicated for her to continue.
‘This is horrible, no kid should be this world weary’ Rainbow thought before she spoke again.
“Ok, well I’m one of the bearers, I hold the element for Loyalty, and the yellow Pegasus patching your friends up over there” she pointed to Fluttershy who was busy wrapping a bandage around a filly’s leg. “She holds the element of Kindness.” The colts’ eyes widened slightly before narrowing.
“Prove it – prove you won’t just turn around and hurt us like every other adult.”

Rainbow shook her head, this kids trust in adults wasn’t just broken, it was shattered.
“What if I got Princess Celestia to tell you it’s true, would you believe it then?” She asked quietly.
*Snort* “Yeah right! Next you’ll tell me that you know Princess Luna too!” The colt said in a sarcastic tone.

“Actually. . .” Rainbow trailed off. The colt shook his head. “You prove that, then I’ll see what happens next. But you hurt any of the little foals you’ll regret it. We’ve taken care of each other when the staffs backs are turned – we can do so again.”
‘Gods are you sure you’re only eight or nine? With how you’re actin I’d a thought you were at least 15 – 16’ Rainbow thought, sadness following the thought of how much the kid had been forced to grow up.

Turning to the guard with her she asked him to take a message to the princesses. It was simply asking for one of them to join them and help calm the youngsters down.
The guard nodded before he made his way to the door. Rainbow looked over to Lyra, seeing tears falling from her face she caught her eye and gave her a wan smile. Helping all these foals was going to be a monumental task.

-o.O.O.o-

Celestia pounded through the front doors, she saw out the corner of her eye Rainbow and her two friends peel off with the second set of guards heading to where the younglings would be as she, her sister and Shining Armour led the second set of guards through the lower floors, following the screams from foals behind the door at the end.

As they got to the door she didn’t bother with finesse this time – a raw blast of magic wrenched the door open and left it hanging by a hinge as she thundered through, the sight she was met with would be burned into her memory forever.

A group of stallion was stood over a group of young fillies, a carters' whips was raised, one already coming down across the back of one youngster. They were all sat at next to a long trestle table – Fabrics spread out – Sewing machines in front of the fillies. Shaking her head in outrage at the cries the younglings were making and seeing the whip strike one, she let loose with her magic against the Stallion.

He was flung back against the wall as the guards poured in. Unexpectedly however the stallions all grabbed a filly and held them close. One of them spoke up in a dangerous tone. “Nobody come any closer If’nn you want these kiddies unharmed!”
Celestia’s blood roared. ‘How dare they use. . .Children as a shield!’ She raged in her mind as Luna growled next to her.

The fillies that hadn’t been grabbed fled, Celestia saw they were soon caught by the guard in the corridor, and gently herded to another room that was thankfully vacant.
Turning back to the stallions with hostages she addressed the one who had spoken.
“How can you live with yourself, how can you harm these little ones?” She didn’t want answers, she only wished to delay him having seen Shining Armour turn and head out the doors. She hoped if she kept their attention on her and her sister they wouldn’t notice when Pegasi smashed through the window.

“You want to know how we can do it highness” The way he addressed her, he made the honourific sound like he thought she was a mare of the night* and not a princess. “Simple, bits bags of bits.” He snarled out, his grip on the struggling filly tightening slightly. Luna had stepped to the side giving Celestia room to open her wings fully.

“You have precisely 10 seconds to let the fillies go.” Celestia warned the stallions. Each of them looked back without the merest hint of surrender. As the seconds went by in silence not a move was made. At the 10th second Celestia dropped her wings so fast that they seemed to blur, not a moment later did the windows implode causing the stallions to jump and loosen their grip on the little ones.

That was what Luna and Celestia were waiting for, before the Pegasi were even in the room the fillies were teleported en-masse to the waiting guards just behind the Princesses to put them with the others.
As the fillies disappeared the Guards swarmed over the stallions, subduing and restraining them. Once finished Luna stepped forwards to one of them.

“You, you are the one who ‘runs’ this place. You came to Canterlot not two years ago – petitioning for extra funding for the orphanage – we granted this. Now I ask you, where has the money gone? SPEAK!”
The stallion flinched but didn’t look away. Celestia keeping her temper locked down approached.
“Luna dear sister – take a look at his suit. Isn’t that an Original Rarity? One of the ‘One-Off Designs’ from last year? I believe the catalogue had it marked at 2,500 bits. . .” The stallions paling face was enough. She realised the truth – he was taking the money and pocketing most of it himself.

“Now, let’s start with where you sell your goods? From the patterns and materials here they look like. . .Guards . . .Unif. . .no. no no no.” Celestia’s words stumbled to a halt. She had decided a few years ago to contract out the making of the uniforms. At the time a company rep from ‘Uniforms-R-us’ had seemed the best value for money – they were able to quote half the price on the main competitors, and the samples provided were of a higher quality.
Now she saw the truth. The uniform supplier she had authorised was using foal-labour.

-o.O.O.o-

Luna saw the connection herself and growled. “Guards! Remove these filth to be detained at the nearest jail.” The stallions were summarily hauled away as Luna turned to her sister.
“Sister, you cannot blame thyself.” She whispered quietly as she went closer to the immobile form of the solar princess. As she got closer she saw she wasn’t as immobile as she looked. Celestia was trembling, and Luna could see that she would soon break.

“Guards leave us.” Luna commanded. As the guards filed out Only Shining Armour remained. He fixed the door and turned his back to the princesses to offer them some privacy, while he guarded the entryway. Luna nodded, even though he couldn’t see. She didn’t mind him being there being married to her niece after all he was closer to the princesses than most ponies.

Celestia started letting out small sobs as her head bowed towards the floor as tears slipped out from under her closed eyes. Collapsing to the floor as the sobs raised in frequency Luna looked on with sympathy in her gaze as she sat next to her sister, wrapping a wing about the older Alicorn.
“I. . .I failed them.” Celestia was mumbling.
“Sister? How can you say that? You have just helped to save them. They are going to be safe now.”
“Those young ones yes . . . but what about those.” With a shaky hoof she pointed to the onsite graveyard that had many recent graves.

Luna held her sister closer for a while, letting Celestia’s tears finish before they stood once more.
Luna cast a quick spell to clean Celestia’s face of the signs of crying before they turned to make their way out.
Stopping by Shining Armour Luna nodded her thanks as they went out the door.
No sooner were they through than a guard came up to them bearing a message from Rainbow Dash asking for their help on the second floor with assuring the fillies and colts there that things were now going to get better.

Celestia went ahead as Luna took charge below. She let her sister go on up as she had always been better with foals.
Luna turned to Shining Armour and addressed him.
“Let us see what misdeeds we can find evidence for in the manager’s office. This amount of embezzlement of funds would need some documentation.” Shining Armour nodded and followed as she made her way to the rear of the orphanage until she found the room she was searching for.

Upon entering she looked about the plain room – there were two filing cabinets to the side and a simple oak desk and chair in the corner. On the desk was what looked like an invoice form, looking over it she saw it was the latest invoice being drawn up for the next expected shipment of guard uniforms.
Shaking her head at this she went to the filing cabinets. Opening the top drawer of the first one she saw it was full of files with names on.
Pulling one out she realised these were the records of the younglings housed here. She took another look at the labels on the front of the cabinet and quickly opened the second draw.

Inside were files going back years of how money had been coming in, how it had been used, and who was getting what cuts of the profits. Looking at the breakdown again she wasn’t surprised the Colonel didn’t want this place investigating, he got ¼ of all their profits!
She shook her head at this, how someone had managed to rise through the guard ranks with such a dishonest soul she had no clue.
She hoped the Court Martial he was sure to face would drop a suitably harsh penalty against him.

From the other cabinet Shining Armour was heard to be swearing. A lot.
“Captain? What troubles thee?” Luna asked surprised to hear such vehemence out one she had heard chastise his own men for such language in front of her and other ladies. Shining Armour looked up fury contorting his features.
“Some of these children are not Orphans.” Was all he said.

-o.O.O.o-

Fluttershy was tending a badly sprained wing on the last little Pegasus in the group of foals she’d gone to. Her heart had nearly broke when she first started helping this one – her own shy quiet nature being the only reason he’d let her near without cowering in fear.
Every time the guardsmen walked past or up to her to see if she needed anything he’d trembled in her hooves.

“Easy little one, it’s ok.” She held him carefully as he shook, carefully keeping his wing still as she gently wrapped a bandage about his wing.
“Now I need to wrap another bandage around you, holding your wing still against your side. Will you be a brave little colt and stand still while I do this?” the young colts big brown eyes still full of innocence looked into her own aqua eyes. He nodded and stepped back a little so she could carry on.

She’d watched and noticed the little confrontation Rainbow had had with the older colt and hoped the princess would get there soon. She expertly finished applying the last bandage before sitting back and speaking to the young foal.
“All done little one. Do you want to join your friends?” she heard a little mumble from him.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.” She said, lying on her stomach, her legs curled up underneath her.

“Not got no friends.” The little colt said quietly, almost too quiet to be heard.
“I’m sure that’s not true – you must have at least one friend here?” Fluttershy asked concern lacing through her quiet voice.
The little foal shook his head.
“’M the weakest – if you’re weak you don’t got no use. I was waiting for them to take me for a walk.” He answered quietly.

“T – Take you. . .for a walk?” Fluttershy asked quietly, hoping beyond hope he didn’t mean what it sounded like.
“I. . . if you’re too weak to work, they. . . take you for a walk. They come back but you don’t. I think they take you to another orphanage, they always say the ones they take on a walk gone to a happier place.” He answered looking down to his hooves. Fluttershy was sat stock still – she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
Slowly as her tears started to fall she pulled him back into her arms, scaring him for a moment before he realised she was crying.

“It’s ok, I know plenty of ponies who’ll want to be you friend.” Fluttershy whispered. Silently vowing that this little colt would be getting a new home with her.
“So what’s your name little one?” She asked trying to get past what she had heard.
“Don’t gotta name, ‘m just called Runt.” He answered her with a somewhat depressed tone.
“That won’t do, I tell you what, once we’ve sorted everything out I’ll sit down with you and help you decide on a name ok?” Fluttershy finished with a smile.
He answered with a smile of his own. “I’d like that.

-o.O.O.o-

Rainbow Dash heard the doors the other end of the room open, and saw the colt who had been challenging her and trying to protect the other younger foals drop his mouth open in shock.
Moments later Rainbow heard the distinct step of one of the Princesses hooves striking the ground until it stopped.
“Miss. Dash, is this true? A young Colt got the better of you?” Celestia’s voice echoed throughout the room, laughter tinging the edge of her words.

Rainbow cringed for a moment, when the other girls heard about this there was no way they would let her live it down. She locked down her usual bravado answers to the challenge though, as she didn’t want to scare some of the more jumpy foals.
“I’m afraid so Princess. These younglings protector wouldn’t trust me if I didn’t prove my claim that I knew you.” Celestia chuckled at this slowly lowering herself to the ground next to where Rainbow was sat. Again the same Colt stepped forward and gave a bow before he spoke again.

“I. . . I didn’t. . . Oooooh Horsapples.” Rainbow chuckled at his flustered state.
“Easy there kiddo – so you up to telling us your name?” Celestia nodded her agreement to Rainbow’s question.
“I . . .I . . .it’s Applespark miss.” He answered her, more respect in his voice than when he had challenged her earlier.
With how frightened the foals had been then she thought it would be a while yet before that was given.

At his name Rainbows head shot up however, she remembered a conversation with Applejack about two years ago about a branch of the family in Fillydelphia losing their kid, he was her cousin. The one thing that stuck in her mind was how much like Applejack’s name his was, the only other detail that she was not looking forward to the kid finding out, was how his parents had died in a house fire a year later.
“Applespark? As in Applespark from Fillydelphia?” Rainbow asked quickly. Celestia looked around too Rainbow shock on her face. Applespark just nodded slowly.
“Yeeaaah, was taken off the street there on my way home from school. How do you know where I’m from?” He asked a cautious note to his voice.

‘Please, please, please have got it right’ Rainbow whispered in her mind.
“One more question then I’ll answer you. Is your cousins name Applejack?” Applespark’s head moved in another affirmative nod. Rainbow smiled one of the biggest smiles ever to grace her face.
“I know her” Turning to address the princess Rainbow continued. “Princess, permission to go and let Applejack know, just so you know she MAY beat me back here.” Celestia nodded her head and smiled at how Applesparks face lit up as well.
“you. . . you really. . . you know my family?” Rainbow nodded.
“Sure do kid. I’ll leave you lot in the capable hooves of the princess here, I’ll be back soon.” With that Rainbow got up, quickly stopped by Fluttershy and let her know what was happening before rushing out the building and ran as fast as she could to Sweet Apple Acres, cursing he fact she couldn’t fly.

-o.O.O.o-

Applejack was busy bucking in the south orchard when she heard the tell-tale thundering of a pony galloping.
Turning she saw Rainbow bearing down on her. “APPLEJACK!!!” Rainbow called her as soon as she was in reach. as Rainbow got too her she stood on the ground in front of her gasping for air.

“Easy There Rainbow, wha’s got yer tail in a twist?” Applejack asked concerned for her friend. The next words from Rainbow reignited a hope she’d long feared gone.
“We’ve found Applespark, Applejack. We’ve found him!” Applejack sat heavily on her rump a moment. “Wha. . .WHERE!” She demanded shooting straight back up planting her forehooves on Rainbows shoulders.
“Ponyville Orphanage! I just finished helping the raid that Shining Armour was doing and he was there. Applejack, he remembers you! Come on!” With that Rainbow turned and started Galloping towards town again. Applejack followed keeping pace with the injured Pegasus. Just.

No words were spoken on the run, with how fast they ran, they were through the town and on the path to the orphanage within 15 minutes.
Applejacks lungs were burning with the need for air this all out sprint was calling for, but she couldn’t stop – she needed to see for herself. This was her youngest cousin they were on about. When the news reached the farm he’d disappeared it hit the family hard. The Fillydelphian branch of the family visited at least once every 3 months, and she had been the one to help look after him the most, along with her sister Applebloom.

They thundered up the path, Rainbow just in front guiding Applejack in the doors and up the stairs, before stopping in front of a door at the top.
“Easy Applejack, catch your breath.” Rainbow said gasping herself for air.
Applejack hated to wait even a moment but nodded. She waited until she could actually breath before heading through the door, as she stepped through she looked around for the familiar red coat of her cousin.

“APPLEJACK” She heard Applespark’s voice from across the room and looked up to see a colt dart around princess Celestia and come charging down the length of the room towards her.
Her eyes watered up seeing him, she broke out into her own run meeting him half way pulling him into her forelegs and holding him tight, crying in her joy at seeing him alive.
She sat back and looked at him a moment before she had to pull him into another embrace, emotions forcing tears from her.

“I. . . I. . . oh Sparks. If I’d known you were here I . .” She felt his grip tighten around her as her words choked to a standstill.
“It’s ok Applejack. I’m ok. I. . . I missed you.” He whispered back to her.
It would take time for Applespark to fully come to terms with what he’d been through the past 2 years, but with Applejack, Big Mac and Appleblooms help Applejack hoped he would eventually be ok.
For now though, she was just happy to hold him, some choked sobs still escaping them both as they reaffirmed to each other that yes, they were real.

Applejack looked up through her tears to Rainbow who was sat near Fluttershy, tears falling from their own eyes.
“Thank you” She mouthed towards them, there were no words she knew to tell them how grateful she was for them finding her cousin.

-o.O.O.o-

Hours later the children had all been relocated to the Ponyville Barracks that were now manned by Shining Armours old unit. This was primarily because there was no other place big enough that was safe to accommodate them all in the short term.
The Princesses had ordered the old Orphanage building to be raised to the ground and a new building erected in its place – one that they would be sat on the management committee.
There was no way they were letting this happen again.
They had also extended Shining Armours vacation another week much to the Stallions surprise.

Walking away smiling at the fact they had surprised their Captain of the Guard, guiding her little sister with a nudge of her wing.
“With what has happened sister I would like your help.” Celestia started as they paced around the barracks.
“What with?” Luna asked surprised. She had already informed Celestia of her plan to reunite the kidnapped foals with their families so she knew Luna would be busy for a while.

“I am going to send out investigations into all the orphanages within Equestria’s borders, and make sure that all our orphans are truly cared for. I do not want to hear another report like the one of guard who overheard the little one talking to Fluttershy.” Shaking her head at that, Luna’s anger peaked.
“If I find out which one was responsible for the crimes on these ‘Walks’ I may take him for a walk myself!”

“I’m sorry Luna, but you know I can’t allow that. We have to make sure justice is done, but we cannot go beyond that. Believe me I’ve been tempted to but, if we cross that line once more . . .” She trailed off leaving Luna to pick up the thread.
“Another Nightmare Moon may happen” She finished depressingly.
“Or worse, Daymare Sun” Celestia threw out. The Princesses both shuddered at the thoughts.
“The help I want from you, is simple at the moment. I want you to re-form the ShadowBolts. I need fast flyers of the night to help with this.” Luna looked at her sister surprised.

“I don’t have a problem with this in theory sister, but if I did, I would want them based here at Ponyville, and I know she’s not capable of flying at the moment, but I will be leaving the captains slot open for Rainbow Dash – if she’ll take it.”
Luna understood what Celestia was asking. The wonderBolts were the Elite flyers of the military, but 1,000 years ago, if you needed a message delivering fast, and a flyer who could evade, fight and get out of trouble fast, and still deliver the message – a shadowBolt was the carrier.

They were also the only other elite flying display team. The difference being their displays were always held within a 2 month period, leaving the other 10 free for their families. Luna intended to keep this the same, she would also approach her sister with suggesting the same for her WonderBolts.

As her thoughts lingered on this they heard a young voices' wail full of grief, it tore right into their very beings. As they rounded the corner they saw Applejack supporting a shaking, sobbing Applespark.
“It’s Alraght, Ahm here, you can live mi’ me now. Ah know ya want ya mamma and papa, Ahm sorry, but they said there was no way to escape the fire.” Applejack had just finished explaining about his parents. No young colt should have to suffer that amount of grief, not after what he had already been through, Luna thought.
She and Celestia adjusted their steps to give the Apple’s some privacy. Both thinking on what the next day would bring.