In Pursuit of...

Chapter 17: Underground

Approaching Canterlot’s airspace, Nimbus immediately knew something was wrong. By now, he should have been approached by at least two armed Pegasi escorts. There were none. Instead, there was only silence.

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Rainbow Dash whispered.

Nimbus nodded. “Same here. I think we need to try to be as stealthy as possible from here on out. I really don’t like this.”

He adjusted his altitude to just above the treeline, coming to a stop at the falls, near the great city’s gate. As he unhitched, Mecha walked up to him.

“From the looks of things, Eclipse has control of Canterlot now. I don’t know how he managed to do it so quickly, but I’d guess it’s because he has the Unifier. For now, we have to assume that every pony here, and possibly in all of Equestria, is under his influence.”

“Right,” Nimbus nodded. Rainbow Dash walked up next to him.

“I just checked out the gate, and I saw the weirdest thing!”

“Well,” said Rarity, climbing out of the chariot gingerly, “please share your observations with the rest of us!”

“No guards,” Dash said simply. “I didn’t see any guards anywhere! This is Equestria’s capital, and the gates are wide open. If that’s not weird, than I don’t know what is.”

“You’re right,” said Twilight, “but that might just help us get inside.”

“Absolutely,” Applejack agreed. “Just try to keep a low profile, and hopefully, nopony will know we’re here.”

The ponies crouched low, slinking through some bushes and small trees until they saw the gates of Canterlot.

“Okay,” Twilight Sparkle whispered, “when we walk out there, we’ll go in single file. Act like nothing’s out of the ordinary and follow me. I know a place where we might be safe.”

Mecha nodded. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

“Okay,” Twilight said, “then let’s go.”

Slowly they exited the safety of the foliage and walked towards the gate. As they turned the corner and entered the city, they couldn’t have been more surprised. Nopony was out. All of Canterlot’s windows were dark, and the streets were empty. Everything seemed lifeless… except the palace!

“Hey, everypony- check this out,” Applejack said, taking a piece of paper off of the inside of the gate. On it was a picture of Canterlot Palace.

“What’s it say?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Applejack cleared her throat. “It says: “citizens of Equestria, the Grand Galloping Gala has officially returned in honor of the demise of those who would…” She looked up from the paper, eyes wide, “threaten its existence. That’s us!” She bent down and continued reading. “The Gala will be held tonight in the Canterlot Palace. No charge at the gates, just be there!”

“To hear him talk, you’d think the ponies of Equestria actually liked the guy!” Nimbus said.

“Well, I have to wonder…” Twilight said, looking at the dark houses and shops.

“Wonder about what?” Rarity asked.

“Well, I can’t imagine a nation of ponies would all just give in to Eclipse willingly. I wonder if perhaps-“ she stopped. “Never mind. I’ll figure this out later.”

“So what’ll we do, then?” Fluttershy asked. “We can’t possibly get close to Eclipse; he’s up in the castle surrounded by guards and ponies, and- oh, I just don’t see what we can do!”

“I think I do,” said Rarity.

“Huh?” the ponies said, looking straight at Rarity in surprise.

“I just need a room, some fabric, and a sewing machine.”

Mecha smiled. “I think I can provide that. Everyone meet me back at my Canterlot shop in an hour. Grab all your things from your apartments. I think I know what Rarity’s getting at here.”

Everyone agreed, splitting off in different directions. Rarity stayed behind with Mecha, who turned to her.

“I’ve got the machine you need in my shop,” he explained, “and probably enough fabric to get you started. How fast can you work?”

Rarity grinned from ear to ear. “Did you see me with the stilettos?”

Mecha winced, recalling how hard she’d been to defeat. “Yes I do.”

“Double that,” Rarity said, “and you’ll have some idea of how quickly I can work.”

Mecha whistled, impressed. “Now what about integrating weapons...?”

“Let’s get to your store,” Rarity answered, “there I’ll see what I can do.”

…

Twilight Sparkle was the first to discover just how amiss everything in Canterlot was. She and the rest of the mares, with the exception of Rarity, walked up to their rented home. As before, it seemed all lights were off except for one: Twilight’s room.

“Oh good,” Twilight said, “it looks like Spike’s home!”

She walked up the porch steps, taking the house key out of her saddlebag and unlocking the door.

“I’m back, Spike!” she called, brushing her hooves off on the welcome mat. She went upstairs and turned left, heading for her room. The light was indeed on, but the door was closed. Confused, Twilight nudged the door open. Inside, her room was a complete mess, with books and other objects scattered everywhere. In fact, it looked exactly as she’d left it when she had entrusted the room’s care to Spike. The sound of footsteps in the hall caused her to turn around suddenly, expecting to see one of her friends, perhaps. Instead, she saw nothing. Twilight’s eye twitched once, and she returned to her room, looking for anything she might need, including the Elements of Harmony. She slid a small blue box out from underneath her bed. This, she knew, was where Spike had kept the Elements while she was gone. She opened the box and froze. Nothing was inside.

She turned around, about to ask her friends if they’d touched the Elements at all, and came face-to-face with Spike!

Twilight gasped in surprise and fell down, staring in horror at Spike’s face. He looked fine, but his eyes were glowing with an eerie blue light.

“S- Spike?” Twilight stammered. The little dragon did nothing, only staring at her.

“Where are the Elements?” Twilight asked. Spike simply shook his head.

“Spike!” Twilight said, “snap out of it!” Still, Spike didn’t respond. Twilight groaned. “Girls! Come up here for a second!”

The sound of hooves trotting ensured Twilight that her friends  were on the way. In the meantime, she gazed deep into Spike’s eyes, trying to get a reaction. Spike, however, was as still as a statue. Finally, the other ponies burst into the room.

“Spike!” Pinkie Pie said, “why so-“ she attempted to imitate Spike’s blank stare and almost fell over, laughing.

“Looks like he’s been brainwashed to me,” Applejack confided.

“Yeah,” said Twilight, “do you think this is what’s happened to everypony else?”

“Could be,” said Rainbow Dash, “and if that’s the case, then Eclipse can order them to do whatever he wants.”

“He must have told Spike to hide the Elements of Harmony,” Twilight said. “I can’t find them anywhere.”

“Well fire up that magic of yours and let’s see if we can bring Spike back,” said Applejack.

Twilight closed her eyes and began to concentrate, magic flowing to the tip of her horn. When she was ready, she touched her horn to Spike’s forehead. Almost instantly, the blue light in his eyes faded, and he collapsed to the floor.

“Alright!” Pinkie squealed, “we did it!”

“Huh?” Spike said, sitting up and shaking his head.

“Spike, are you okay?” Twilight asked, holding up a hoof. “How many fingers?”

“Fingers?” Spike said, “you’ve got hooves!”

“He’s good to go,” Twilight said to the others. “Now Spike,” she said, “what happened here? Can you remember?”

Spike looked thoughtful. “Well, I went to some town meeting, and there was a pony there claiming to be the rightful ruler of Equestria or something like that. I was about to leave, but something happened. I don’t know what it was, but everything up until now feels like a dream. I can’t remember much…”

“The Elements,” Twilight said, looking up at a clock on the wall. An hour had almost passed, “do you know what you did with the Elements of Harmony?”

“I- maybe. I don’t know. I need time to think.”

“Spike, we don’t have time!” Twilight said. Then she looked to Rainbow Dash. “Get Rarity’s fabric from downstairs and head over to Mecha’s. Whatever plan he’s got going on, the rest of us will have to sit out. Just let him know why we won’t be there.”

Rainbow Dash nodded and flew downstairs, picking up Rarity’s heavy fabric bag. On her way out, she glanced at the wall. She had two minutes.

“Alright,” she said, “let’s see how fast I can go!”

…

Nimbus, meanwhile, was rummaging through his belongings. So far nothing seemed necessary. He was about to pack up and go, when, as he was closing his drawer, he noticed something- a small, locked case in his military items bag. It was a case he’d carried along for almost all of his life. He’d even taken it with him to the Equestrian Air Force Academy. He’d just never been able to open it before. Slowly, he took it out. The keyhole was a vertical slit, and didn’t seem to fit any kind of lock. He was about to put it away when he remembered how Twilight had broken into Soarin’s room a few days ago.

“This is a Safecloud lock,” she’d said,  “they won’t open unless they come into contact with a feather from the owner.”

“I wonder…” Nimbus said, inserting one of his wing feathers into the lock. The lock popped open, and the case opened up.

Nimbus peered inside. There were two objects inside the case: a note, and a smooth, orange stone, polished by a river long ago. Nimbus took out the rock, setting it on his bed without a second glance, and read the note.

Dear Nimbus,

Someday you will come to find that things are not exactly as they seem, and that not everything your parents and I taught you is true. In case you have not found out already, I’m not really your grandfather. I’m simply a Pegasus from a long time ago, appointed as the Unifier’s guardian. The Unifier is a device of great power. What it actually is, and what it does, I cannot tell you, but I promise that you will find out in time. When I was chosen for the position of guardian, I was told that before my death, I would have to appoint a successor. That successor, I’ve decided after centuries of observation, is you. The stone you’ve been given is your birth sign, given to you at birth and safeguarded until you were old enough to receive it. It holds no magic, and it can’t, Celestia forbid, travel through time, but it does hold a sort of power in itself. When you look at it, I want you to remember who you are, and why you’re here. And know this- no matter how steep the odds, or how hard the journey, know that you can always count on your friends for support.

Now, I’d best let you go. Celestia willing, you’re not reading this in the middle of some national crisis, but if you are, get out there and make me proud!

Love,

Your Guardian, Thunderbolt

At the end of the note, Nimbus could feel tears streaming down his cheeks. He picked up the stone again and turned it over. On the other side was the family crest, etched into the smooth surface. It was just like the one his family owned! He grabbed his saddlebag and placed the stone inside. Somehow, he felt things wouldn’t be the same without it, now.

Nimbus slung the bag over his flank and closed his drawer. Slowly, he walked downstairs and out the door. It was time to see what Mecha and Rarity were up to.

…

Mecha turned when he heard a knock at his door.

“Just in time,” he said to Rarity, who had essentially set up a sewing shop in his workroom. Mecha went to the door and opened it. On the porch were Rainbow Dash and Nimbus.

“Come on in,” said Mecha, “Rarity’s ready to go.”

“What exactly are we doing?” Nimbus asked, just as Rarity grabbed him and began taking measurements with a measuring tape and notebook.

“I’d like to wait for Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy, if that’s alright.”

“They’re not coming,” said Applejack.

“Not coming?” said Mecha, “why?”

“A little trouble with a formerly brainwashed dragon,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Brainwashed?” Nimbus asked, getting spun around by the magically-wielded tape measure, “do you think that’s what Eclipse has done to everypony?”

“More than likely,” said Mecha. “So far, that theory makes the most sense.”

Nimbus nodded. “Well that’s great to know. Now I want to know why you’re putting me through this.” He shot a quick glare at Rarity, who had just finished up his measurements and was moving on to Rainbow Dash.

“Let’s put it this way- ever crashed a gala before?”

Nimbus smiled. “Come to think of it, I can’t say I have, but you know what they say-“

“And what’s that?”

“There’s a first time for everything.”