The Gentlecolts Club

The morning of the ceremony in Manehatten at the docks went as smooth as possible.  The promenade was spectacular, the speeches met with jubilee and the festival full of elation and glee.  It spread through the town to the shore where many ponies watched as the ship pulled away including Soarin and Thunderlne standing near the doctor.

“Seems like a rather quiet day Doc”  Thunderlane said watching the ship from afar.  “So far nothing has happened.  Think there’s still some sort of risk?”

As he looked to him, he nodded.  “Well, I didn’t spend several hours on a train ride to just sit here.  If nothing happens at all, it’ll make an easy day for me and I welcome it.”

Next to the doctor on his opposite side stood several ponies including Mr. Cake and his family.  As the doctor noticed him, he leaned over and whispered into his ear.

“He’s onboard, right?”  The doctor said quietly.

“Everything was taken care of.  It’s up to him now” Mr. Cake said in his ear as the crowd around them talked loudly.

On board still huddled in a crate, Mr. Red could feel the ship shift for the first time in hours.  Slowly pushing the wall of the crate open, he slipped out of it in the darkness of the hold.  In tight black wrappings all over him, Red stuck to the walls and quietly tip-toed from one shadow to the next as he made his way to the galley.  Moving behind the guards to the shadows, he paused as he came near where Celestia and the high brass had their party.

Princess Celestia had already given her speech and the Wonderbolts performed flawlessly just a few hours before.  Everypony stayed aboard the ship for a later performance for when the ship would return to the dock.  Two of them in particular aboard the Celestia 2 however had different plans with another pony currently waiting on the large dinner table where the princess sat.

“Wait, what is the special?”  An old sea captain said looking at the menu.

“Finely minced seaweed with four cheese sauce over pasta.”  The Black unicorn waiter said calmly as he stood next to him in the galley with notepad in hoof and a pencil in his mouth.

“Right, sounds good to me.  Be off with ya, then.”  The old captain said waving a hoof away.

The black unicorn quietly bared his teeth and turned away as he moved toward the next patron at the table.  Looking toward the end of the room, he noticed two ponies one orange and the other turquoise coming upstairs from a stairwell from below still dressed in Wonderbolt costumes.  As they came to the table, A nearby door guard blocked them.

“Halt!  State your business!” He said standing tall before the table.

“Whoa!”  One pony in the uniform said raising a hoof.  “We’re just here to have a look before we go below again.  We don’t get to see a party this large that often.”   He stated with his flight goggles on.  The mare in costume next to him continued.  “Yeah!  I mean look at this group!  What a gathering!”

“The princess is not to be disturbed at this time.  Please return below.”   The guard said as he held a spear across them from the table.

The waiter noticed the two held up by the guard.  Moving around two ponies, he slowly walked directly to the princess at the end of the table.

“Are you ready prepared to order anything special?”  The waiter said edging closer to her.

“I’m sorry, but I believe these two fine ponies were in line before me.”  She said curiously as she pointed a hoof to the two next to her.

“I’m afraid not my dear.”  The unicorn said as he turned to the Wonderbolts at the other end of the table.  Standing up, he raised a hoof and yelled at them from across the room.  “Do it now!”

The pair in the Wonderbolt costumes bolted forward knocking down the guard and jumped up taking flight above the table.  The black unicorn faced the princess as his horn glowed surrounding her with a blue light.  As she briefly stepped back, she quickly froze in place unable to move surrounded by the light.

Red could hear the moving and stomping of hooves on the dining area he made progress towards.  Opening a door, he looked inside to see two pegasi dive and kick at various ponies in the room while at the back a single unicorn pulled at the princess onto a carpet near a rear exit door.

Throwing the door wide and bursting in, Red ran across on the ground and forward at the nearest pegasi in the room.  Pulling out a long rod holding it to his side, he jumped in the air and swung at the turquoise pony in the air one barely missing as the pegasi flew higher to avoid him.  From behind him, the other pegasi in orange dove at him as Red rolled out of the way.

Red held steady looking around and noticing the few guards in the room lay on the floor unconscious and others held back in the corner out of fear.  Squander and swindle stood on the ground at the ready on both sides of the room focused on Red at the ready.  Red watched the pair with one in front and behind with rod in hoof.

“Swindle!  Squander!  Stop him!”  The unicorn said as he opened the galley exit door and his horn glowed ever brighter.  The carpet below him with the princess and himself on it lifted up and slowly pulled out the door.

Squander jumped up and dove at Red as he rolled away and the rod swung wide hitting him behind a leg causing him to lose his balance and careen into a wall.  Approaching it at an angle, he galloped along the inside wall and turned to face Red again.  Swindle gained speed and came in low and flat towards Red as the pony jumped into the air and landed on her taking the pair to the ground tumbling to a wall.

As Red held Swindle down, Squander came at him full speed and turned towards him rear hooves first.  Red watching jumped out of the way at the last second and rolled across the floor.  Turning around, he saw as Squander picked up Swindle and both pegasi became airborne again.

“Enough!”  The black unicorn yelled as the carpet slowly left through the exit door with the princess and himself on it.  “We leave now!”

Both pegasi turned and galloped to the exit leaving red behind.  Having heard him, Red fought to catch up with rod still in hoof.  As both Swindle and Squander shot out the exit following the carpet riders,  Red brought out the rod before him and at the front of the ship used the rod the catapult himself off the bow and leap into the air reaching for the corner of the carpet hanging onto the edge.

“That doesn’t look normal.”  Thunderlane said squinting in the distance.  “Something seems to be floating in the air off the bow of the ship ther.”  He said pointing a hoof.

The doctor and Soarin looked out into the distance trying to make out anything at so far away.

Red on the other hand fought to hold on.  As he did so, he reached into a pocket and pulled out a smal rocket and stuck it into a fold of the cloth he wore.  Sceptre looked down at the corner from atop the carpet and noticed the castaway.

He brought up a hoof to that of Red.  “End of the line, you cur.”  Sceptre said as he looked down at the pony menacingly.  Red on the other end quickly lit a match and ignited the fuse on the rocket, pulled it from his clothes and threw it into the air just as the hoof of Sceptre came down on his.

As the rocket went up and Red went down, the ponies from the shore noticed the action.  The flare Red ignited went upwards a short distance before it exploded in a red shower of sparks.  A splash could be seen a pony hit the water.

“Something isn’t right.”  The doctor said worried.  “That’s Red’s signal flare.”  He turned to Soarin and Thunderlane.  “I need you two to head out there and see what’s going on.

“Can do.  C’mon Thunderlane.”  Soarin said as he took flight with Thunderlane close behind.

Watching from the water, Red raised a hoof and flagged them down from the water below.  After a few minutes, the pair came close and flew down near him.

“We have to go that way!”  He yelled pointing a hoof.  “Give me lift!”

As Soarin and Thunderlane grabbed a hoof each, they lifted Red and took to the air after the carpet rider and company.

**************************************

As Soarin and Thunderlane carried Red through the air, two other ponies flew up alongside them from behind.  Looking over the trio noticed it was Spitfire and Rainbow Dash.

Thunderlane yelled out into the air.  “What are you two doing here?”

“We came out looking for answers from the doctor and Derpy told us where you two went.  It seems you need a bit of help.”  Spitfire yelled back.  Dash noded in agreement.  “We saw the signal flare and knew something had to be wrong from what Derpy explained to us.”

“We think some pony has the princess and is taking her a way, but we don’t know why.”  Soarin yelled through the air.

“Lets hurry up already!”  Dash followed up.

As the five ponies continued along, they noticed the two pegasi in Wonderbolt cosume escorting the black unicorn riding the carpet.

“There!”  Spitfire was the first to see.  “They have the princess!”

In the meantime, Swindle was the first of the three ahead to look back and notice the small group advancing on them.  “Boss!”  She said pointing a hoof behind her.  “We have company!”

Sceptre looked back and cursed.  “You two take care of them!  I have to get back to the cave!”

Splitting off, Swindle and Squander reversed direction as they gained altitude and quickly dove down at the group.

Spitfire yelled out the group.  “Me and tash can take care of these two!  Get the princess to safety!”  She yelled.

Soarin and Thunderlane continued on carrying Red as Dash and Spitfire started arial acrobatics with Swindle and Squander tryin to get the upper hoof and grab them while fighting in the air.

“I hope they know what they’re doing!”  Soarin yelled as he fought to hang onto Red.

“Just don’t let go!”  Red yelled trying not to look down.

In the distance the three watched as the carpet riding unicorn sped toward the ground and dove into the mouth of a cave.

“There!  That must be the hideout!”  Soarin yelled.  Thunderlane nodded in agreement.  “Yeah!  Lets hurry up already!”

**************************************

Coming into the mouth of the cave, Soarin and Thunderlane gently lowered Red to the ground before the pair landed.  Walking forward, the three came upon a bright blue glow coming from the depths.  Continuing on, they looked around to see the room illuminated brightly by the glow as they took in the sight.

Princess Celestia stood frozen in the center of a large rune circle that rotated slowly below her.  Red was the first to speak as he pointed a hoof.  “There’s the princess!  Quick, we have to help her!”  He said.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you”  A voice said in the darkness unseen.

A wicked cackle is heard all around them as they tried to see whom was speaking.  “Who are you!”  Soarin yelled.  “Show yourself!”

From the darkness next to the princess, Sceptre stood out with the spellbook floating next to him and his horn glowing brightly.  “Who am I?”  He said inquisitivly.  “I am Sceptre.  Spellcaster and Grandson to Morning Star the leader of the Gentlecolts Raiders.

Soarin quickly spoke up.  “You!  Your grandfather was the whistleblower for the gentlecolts!”

“No!”  Sceptre yelled.  “He brought those snivling cowards to thair knees for what they did to him!  Celestia gave him his power and she took it from him!  I will restore the balance we once had!”

“But this was years ago!  Long before our time!”  Soarin explained.  “To change things now doesn’t make sense!”

“It does to me!”  Sceptre pointed to himself.  “She is the only living remanant of those times and she took everything from my grandfather!  She will pay!”

“Over my cold body she will.”  Red said as he sprinted into a full gallop towards Sceptre.  Looking at hm as he approached, the black unicorn brought the book up, read it briefly and waved a hoof as a pulse of energy fired forward striking Red and knocking him back.  Trying to roll, he tumbled and bounced coming to a stop.  He fought standing up as Soarin came over.

“Are you okay?”  He asked.  With a grunt, Red nodded.  “My side and arm hurts, but nothing new.”  Red pointed at the unicorn.  “That spellcaster isn’t going to be easy to stop.  He’s got that darned spellbook.”

“Fool!”  Sceptre yelled from the center of the room.  “Do you really think it could be that easy to stop me?” He laughed shortly before he laid a hoof on the frozen princess.  “After I send the princess to next dimension, you three are next!”

Sceptre placed a hoof on the ground and pushed the circle on the ground.  As it spun, it sped up slowly as the unicorn stepped back.  As Soarin looked next to him, he noticed Thunderlane dissappeared.

“Thunderlane?”  Soarin said as Red quickly tapped him on the shoulder and looked over behind Sceptre.  Thunderlane crouched in the shadows stood directly behind Sceptre on the other side of the room.

Red again ran at Sceptre full charge.  Looking at him comically he laughed as he brought the book up again.  “Some ponies just don’t learn.”

This time, Thunderlane tackled Sceptre from behind and the spellbook went flying through the air.  Just as the pair went to the ground, Red lifted both front hooves dove at the princess pulling her out of the circle.  Still moving faster, it continued to spin speeding up and a vacuum started to pull eveything in.

Soarin ran over and picked up the spellbook that landed near him.  As he looked to the other ponies, he yelled out.  “What do I do!?”

Sceptre turned over and struggled against Thunderlane kicking him off.  Standing up, he ran at Soarin in a full gallop.  “Give me back that book!” he yelled as be bared down on him.  Just as Thunderlane turned over to see Sceptre nearly on Soarin he yelled at him as loud as he could.  "Throw the book into the circle Soarin!  Do it now!"

As scattered items flew in towards the center of the room, a vortex started to pull the ponies into the center.  Soarin thinking quickly just before Sceptre could get to him threw the book into the vortex.

“NO!”  Sceptre yelled diving at the book in mid flight.  As he and it were pulled in, a flash of light burst out as he screamed and his pitch became an echo going silent as the circle waned in power becoming dimmer slowing in speed.  As the circle faded out and went dark, the whole room went black.

Heavy breathing is heard around the room for a moment as Soarin asked a question.  “Is eveypony alright?”  A dim light in the cave became brighter as the three ponies inside looked toward it.

From the horn of Celestia, the room flooded with light as she watched as the three came to her and kneeled in front.  With a calm smile raised a hoof.  “Please rise my ponies.”

From the mouth of the cave came in Rainbow Dash with Spitfire with Swindle and Squander tied to ropes as captives.  Shortly behind them followed the Doctor, Mr. Cake, Filthy Rich, and Fancy Pants.  Derpy hobbled in using three hooves from the rear.

“I see the whole party is here instead on the ship.”  The Doctor said looking around.  As they approached the princess, they bowed to her.

She raised a hoof again.  “Also rise my ponies.”

Soarin looked to the doctor quizzically.  “How did you know to arrive at the cave here?”  He asked.

He pointed to Swindle as he replied.  “We managed to get the information from her and Rainbow Dash came back to get us.  We quickly made our way over once we knew where it was.”  He then looked over to Thunderlane and Soarin.  “We still have a few problems to work out now that we’re all here.”

“What would that be?”  the princess said in question.

“Well, for one Thunderlane is in a bit of hot water at work.  Is there any way to clear up his record?”

“Only if he comes to work on time.”  The princess said with a smile.  Thunderlane looked at her sheepishly.  “Not to worry, I’ll spend the bits for an alarm clock.”

“And my friend Soarin here is afraid of losing his job.”  He turned to Spitfire.  “But I think you can take care of that.”

Spitfire nodded.  “If I had known a certain scoundrel here on the end of this rope started this, nothing would have happened.”  Swindle looked back at her and grumbled unhappily.

Soarin then looked to the doctor.  “What about the Gentlecolts?”  As the Doctor looked back at him surprised and wide eyes, he lifted a hoof as if to keep quiet.

The princess looked to the doctor with a hint of surprise.  “Did he just say Gentlecolts?  Is that what this was about?”

The doctor sighed as nodded nervously.  “Yes my princess.  I have restarted the existence of the Gentlecolts club to search for this threat.  Now that we have succeeded, I suppose you’ll want us disbanded…”  He added sounding disappointed.

“Actually” The princess continued.  “I regret the loss of the group.  They were the most dedicated and hardest working organization that served Equestra until it vanished.  I certainly have a need of them.”

As she paused, she contemplated on a decision before she spoke again.  “I propose a new contract to fix all problems here so long as one condition is met.”

The doctor gulped nervously.  “And what would that be my princess?”

“To continue to serve Equestria as they have once before.”  She replied.  “Anything I have left in my possession that related to it I will provide to you for your resources.  What do you say?”  She said.

The doctor smiled widely as he bowed to her.  “We will serve you to the ends of Equestria.”

With a nod, she looked around.  “So be it.  Let be known that ponies Soarin, Thunderlane, Rainbow Dash, Spitfire, Mr. Cake, Filthy Rich, Fancy Pants, Derpy, the Doctor and…”  She looked curiously at the black robed red hoofed pony curiously.  “I’m sorry, who are you?”

“I’d rather not say.”  Red replied in a concerned tone.

“Is there any way we could convince you otherwise?”  She asked with a curious smile.

Red brought out a small stem of straw and placed it between the robes as he chewed on it.  “Nope.”

The doctor waved a hoof.  “I’m sorry, that’s just how he is.  A bit secretive really.”

The princess laughed.  “So be it as Mr. Red then.  I announce to you all as the new organization of Gentlecolts from here forward.  May the path forward be successful to you all.”

“How does tea for everyone back at my study sound!?”  The doctor yelled.  A resounding cheer went all around as every pony agreed.  Derpy quickly piped up.  “And muffins!”  Everypony also laughed in agreement.

As the doctor smiled, he quickly thought for a second as he shot a look at Soarin.  “Wait!  One last thing has to be cleared up!”

“What’s that Doctor?”  Thunderlane said looking at him.

The doctor went over to Spitfire and walked her over to Soarin then went to Rainbow dash and walked her over to Soarin.  As he placed a hoof from each of them on Soarin, he looked at him curiously.

“Soarin, how do you feel?”  The doctor asked.

Soarin looked at each pony on either side of him and he looked nervous as can be.  “I’m a bit scared doctor.”  He replied.

With a look of disappointment, the Doctor shook his head.  “Oh not again…”

“No!  It’s not that!”  Soarin said as he looked back at the doctor happily.  “I’m scared of the competition now!”  Soarin said as he laughed and kissed Rainbow Dash and Spitfire on the cheek and pulled them both in close to himself.

With a hoot he smiled as he gave a cry of relief.  "Yes!  It worked this time" The room burst out in elation as everypony joined in on the laughter as the doctor danced a small jig.

"So..."  Spitfire looked to Soarin as he held her close.  "Can you come on over and see me sometime?"  She whispered in his ear as she gave a light nip.  Rainbow dash hearing her from the other side replied to her defense.  "Not if some other pony is more interesting to see, right Soarin?"  She whispered to him in the other and nuzzled against his neck.

Soarin caught in the moment felt stuck as he thought to himself.  "Oh Celestia, here we go again..."

Fin

Thank you for reading and carry on Fanfic readers and writers.  : )