Equestria: Underground Assualt

"Wow, that there's a lotta bits Sweetie Belle." Applebloom remarked, adding up all of the bits said filly managed to grab. Roughly ninety bits, much more than the three fillies had ever had at one time, and all that had come from Rarity's safe. Apple Bloom herself had managed to swipe twenty-three bits along with several apples and black cloaks, which would be enough to cover their expenses for a train and cover their food and disguises.

"Well, at least we'll be able to stay hidden if they come to the town we're in. Anyway, Apple Bloom, the most cheapest train is the one to Apploosa." Scootaloo informed her. Not good at all.

"More of the apple family live there. Heck, the family even built that town this year, why do you think it's called "Apple"-oosa, Scoot?" Apple Bloom asked. The Apple family must be quite into their birthright if they make a farm on what's basically a desert Apple Bloom had thought when she was told of the place.

"Well, if you want to save our bits, that's our best bet at five bits per ticket." Goody, she remembered AJ saying Apploosa tickets were two bits per ticket. Seriously? Something must be going on.

"You guys, the two cheapest tickets on the trains are five bits to Apploosa, and ten for Canterlot. Anywhere else is like twenty and higher." Sweetie Belle squinted at the numbers. "Check that, twenty-three and higher, Filly Delphia and others."

"Well, we can't go ta Canterlot then, that's right under the snout of Princess Celestia, who would surely send us right back ta Ponyville. Manehatten and Filly Delphia are kinda iffy, Applejack says bad ponies live there."

As the three quietly discussed which ticket to take, two cloaked stallions trotted up to the train scedule board. It wasn't exactly hard to eavesdrop on the three.

"But we have ta go somewhere! We can't go by road, Applejack and the others would just track us down, if they even bothered ta at all."

"But Apple Bloom, taking a train anywhere farther than Canterlot would drain our bits that we would need for food. A pony can't live on apples alone."

"You guys, the train is going to leave in ten minutes, we have to make our decision quickly."

"Dear Celestia, I thought they were going to miss the train because of their little debate." The earth pony whispered to his companion pegasus, who snickered in response.

"Well, maybe they could've used some help. Too bad they come from bad clients." The pegasus flared his wings, accidentally clipping the other stallion, who growled and roughly pushed the pegasus away.

"Ouch. Sorry bro. But still," The pegasus stretched, grunting as he heard a couple of pops. "You've got to admit, She was asking for some new blood, so why don't we give it to her?"

The earth pony nodded in understanding and turned, lowering down his hood to reveal he has a blue sapphire coat with a short coltish blueish green mane. "If you want to get outta town so badly, why didn't you just ask us for help? We'll gladly pay for your tickets." Scootaloo whipped around immediately, her small wings flaring in surprise and aggression.

"Yeah, what do you take us for? Foals? We can't talk to strangers, so why don't you take a hike?" The Earth Stallion chuckled as he heard this, shaking his head.

"Looks like you don't have a choice if you want to save that bit of change you have on your hooves there. That, and you are foals, no offense." Not getting much of any response for the earth stallion at that statement, the pegasus lowered his hood as well. His color scheme was just reversed, having a blue sapphire mane and blueish green coat.

"Just be glad we're not asking what you're doing at the train station at this time of night. Just where are you going to go?" That question didn't get a response right away. It was true enough that train tickets were extremely expensive during certain times of the year, but recently they started charging more and more.

'And all because of what's called a crime wave in some other town, whatever that means.' Apple Bloom thought, rolling her eyes. But then, a wave of her own washed over her. They would never guess that the three of them had went to that place, and these two were offering to pay for their tickets. Well, AJ admittedly thinks everything other than Ponyville, Canterlot and Apploosa has bad ponies in it.

"Wait, where are yew two fine gentlecolts going?" Apple Bloom asked the two in front of them, who raised their eyebrows in unison and smiled in amusement.

"My, oh my, I've heard the Apple family wasn't much for manners." The Earth stallion did a light bow, the fillies not exactly sure wether the tone was mocking or not. "The name's Hood Wink, and my brother here is called Shady Deal. You three seem to be good fillies, so we'll tell you where we are going."

"We actually live over in Stalliongrad, so that's where we're going." Shady Deal said, looking awfully smug. "We used to live in Canterlot, but then our current boss found us there and offered us a chance to show off our stuff. Needless to say, we have a new job and earning more bits than we have ever dreamed of!"

"Shady, calm the hel down." Hood Wink shook his head and turned back to the Crusaders. "Excuse him, he tends to get over-excited at times. So, where were you going exactly?"

Apple Bloom instantly pulled Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle into a huddle at Hood Wink's words. She can't very well accept the tickets without at least checking with her friends can she?

"Why don't we just go with them? It'll be so much cheaper and they'll never guess where we've gone." Apple Bloom paused when Scootaloo raised her hoof.

"I don't trust these ponies. Hood Wink seems alright I suppose," Scootaloo stole a quick look at the duo, who smiled all friendly-like. "but I don't like Shady Deal, I mean, have you even heard his name? "Shady" doesn't sound like a pony anypony should trust!"

"Scootaloo's right Apple Bloom; we can't trust strangers with names like those. And what do you mean go with them? Surely you don't mean all the way to Stalliongrad?" Sweetie Belle scrunched up her face. "There's a major crime wave that had started there, or at least around that place."

"Oh yeah, I remember you telling us about that a few weeks ago." Scootaloo said, narrowing her eyes in distrust at Shady Deal, who waved with that smile on his face. Seems like they were having a little talk of their own. "The train's going to leave without us if we're not going to make this decision right away."

"Alright, alright. It's decided." Apple Bloom withdrew from the huddle, breaking it up as she went up to the ponies. "We're going to Stalliongrad too!"

While her friends were in shock, the two stallions smiles grew bigger as they herded the three of them into the train. "Fantastic!" Hood Wink had said, picking up Sweetie Belle by her tail while Shady Deal lightly pushed Scootaloo and Apple Bloom unto the train.

"You'll love it over there! Don't worry, with us, you'll be much safer." Shady reassured Scootaloo. "Who knows what bad ponies would do to poor little fillies like yourselves."

You'd think Apple Bloom would notice how strange the stallions were acting, but no. Instead, she just thought about herself.