Chapter Seventy-Seven: Arrival

A couple of days later saw the mares and troupe of stallions rolling up towards the outskirts of their destination.

"Well… here we are," said Twilight Sparkle, eyes pinned to the sign that read 'LAS PEGASUS CITY LIMITS: ONE MILE' before it was passed. Transferring her attention to the pair of stallions drawing the cart, she called out. "All right, you can stop and drop us off here!

"Thank you all for bringing us all the way here. That was awful nice of you."

"Yeh, outside'a tryin' to rob us, y'all ain't too bad fer pony folk," stated Applejack with a chuckle. Though she had long since forgiven them, she couldn't help but tease them about it anyway, as if it were some sort of crude joke she would never let them live down.

Starshooter cast his gaze over to the collected buildings that made up the city in the distance.

"No problem, ladies. I just hope you find your friend."

"Yeah, and we'll be waitin' for you to come back someday and show us how to farm," added one of the pintos as the mares hopped off the carriage.

"We shouldn't be very long. Once we get our friend we'll be heading right back to Ponyville," Twilight Sparkle relayed, much to Pinkie Pie's disappointed bewilderment.

"What? But, Las Pega-"

"Right. Back. To Ponyville," the alicorn emphasized, without even looking at the pink mare. The curly-maned mare pouted a bit, joined closely by Rarity, who also appeared to be strangely irked by this snub. Giving both Sharpshooter and Starshooter a quick hug, the princess turned to her friends to nod to them once before cantering off towards town-Fluttershy immediately positioning herself at her heels.

"So, how long do you think we might be lookin' fer Smokey?" Applejack inquired. "Two days? Three?"

"However long it takes," Rainbow Dash answered, flapping her wings to hover above her friends. "If they've packed up, we'll follow them."

"Hopefully, it shouldn't take too long," Fluttershy said, her eyes ground-ward.

"I think it'll take us an hour!" Pinkie Pie spoke up.

"An hour?" the farmer mare mirrored, her and the others fixating their attention to her. "Pinkie, now why in the hoo-ha would you say that?"

"Because of that!" Pinkie Pie replied, pointing a hoof above the treeline, to where the upper arch of a big top could clearly be seen approximately a mile away.

"Well, Ah'll be. Do y'think-"

"It's them!" Fluttershy squeaked with surprising volume. It's got to be!"

Without even waiting for the others, she began to gallop headlong directly towards it, weaving through trees and bushes as she headed from the path to cut through the section of flora to where the traveling circus set up camp.

"Fluttershy, wait up!" Rainbow Dash called after her, but most likely fell upon deaf ears. In a split-second, she was in pursuit of the yellow pegasus with the others following.

They did not stop until they were a few dozen yards away from the big top, Applejack being the first on ground to reach Fluttershy with Pinkie Pie skidding into a close second (with an odd screeching of tires emanating from her hooves as she did so).

"Wowee!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "Is it just me, or did the big top get even bigger since last time?"

"Who cares? We need to find Smokey!" said Rainbow Dash as she touched ground and approached the tent to slide her head underneath it to peek inside. She saw several stands for the audience to sit with a clearing in the middle that was surrounded near the back by exotic animals, but saw no signs of the sought dragon.

Fluttershy positioned herself at Rainbow Dash's side, slipping her head underneath the tent as well. Eyes sliding from side to side, she withdrew her head as Pinkie Pie shoved her head under as well.

"Oooh! What are we looking at?" Pinkie Pie bubbly inquired.

"He's not here," Fluttershy replied, turning to the others. "Let's split up and search the grounds. Give a signal if you find anything, and we'll meet back here in an hour!"

There was a pause, with Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie staring at her in mild bewilderment.

"… Um… that is, if that's… okay with you?"

"Er, that's fine, darling, but, are you feeling all right?" Rarity asked, looking a little more relieved after Fluttershy reverted to her meeker demeanor.

"Yeh, Ah usually expect Twilight to say stuff like that." Applejack gave a tilt of her head. "Not you!"

A short distance off, a particular filly's ears twitched as she heard unfamiliar voices gathered outside of the car she was staying in. Standing on her cot on her hind legs and just barely peering over the rim of the window, she blinked when she thought she recognized the six mares from the photo album Smokey showed her. Gasping and falling aback onto the bed, she turned to jump off and run out the door. Dashing down the small steps, she galloped around the side of the tent to obscure herself from their perspective.

"I'll look over here!" Rainbow Dash volunteered. Sliding underneath the tent, the prism-maned mare careened to the left and near the back where a few cages were set up. Some were behind others and it was impossible to distinguish what was confined in the back.

Pinkie Pie bounced off into the opposite direction, as Fluttershy appeared a little mortified of Twilight Sparkle.

"I-I-I'm sorry, Twilight," Fluttershy apologized. "I-I…"

"It's all right, Fluttershy," Twilight Sparkle said in a disarming intonation, coming forth to hug her. As she drew back, she put on a grin. "I'm proud that you're actually stepping up and showing some courage!"

"It's a marked improvement!" Rarity beamed. "I don't think I've seen you so… bold and confident before! Well, except with that minotaur-but this is a good change! Not like… what HE taught you."

Smile tipping her lips, the yellow pegasus sighed.

"Well, leader?" The alicorn chuckled. "We meet here in an hour, right?"

"Um… yes. That is, if you don't mind-"

"Aye-aye, ma'am!"

The princess issued a salute, spreading her wings. With that, she turned off to follow Pinkie Pie. Rarity and Applejack departed into the direction of Rainbow Dash then branched off.

Emitting another sigh, Fluttershy spun around to meet the face of Terra Cotta, who just sat there, staring up at her.

"Oh! Well, hello, there." She had almost jumped at the sudden appearance of the filly, and was quickly calming as she wondered where the child came from. "Where did you come from? Are you lost?"

Without answering, the child whirled around to run off, turning her gaze over her shoulder as if to non-verbally request the mare to follow her. Confused, the older equine did just that.

Behind the tent, behind rows of cages and tucked underneath the overgrown branches of a tree was Smokey, pulling at his chains and snarling. Once he saw Terra Cotta with Fluttershy in tow, that only aggravated him even further. Lips curled up with fangs bared, he roared and hissed ferociously at the two ponies as they approached.

He didn't even recognize them.

Terra Cotta gazed mournfully up at Fluttershy as she led her past the rows of animals. Once they were in view of the dragon's cage, the pink-haired mare gasped in horror as Smokey fought against his restraints. Tears coming to her eyes, she stepped forward.

"Oh… my… goodness…"

The filly squeaked, jumping onto Fluttershy's back and shaking her head vigorously as if to tell her "no", though the pegasus paused only a couple of steps away from the bars. Tears streaming down the mare's face, she raised a hoof to slide it gently down one of the bars.

"Smokey…" she half-whispered, half-sobbed. "… What has he DONE to you…?"

Crazed eyes focusing on the pegasus leaning against his cage, the winged beast lunged forth with wide open jaws, only for his attack to be cut short by the chains binding him. His teeth snapped several times in the mare's direction, determined to tear into flesh.

Fluttershy bit her lip, her hoof still on the bar. She was just far away enough that if she were to reach her foreleg between bars she would be able to stroke her hoof across his muzzle… if she wasn't at mortal risk of having said foreleg violently ripped off.

Stepping back, she closed her eyes, before turning to the filly as she slid off her back.

"Do… do you live here? Work… here? With the… other performers?" she asked.

Terra Cotta nodded.

"Do you know Pendulum?" Again, Fluttershy received an affirming nod. "Good. Please. Take me to him."

Even as Terra Cotta led Fluttershy away, the draconic being continued to roar and snarl while tugging at his restraints. If a non-breakable spell hadn't been applied to them, he would have broken them the first time he attempted to free himself. The mare pinned her ears as her cherished companion's rage burrowed into head. It tore at her heart seeing the once gentle and kind dragon in such a state. She internally made a vow that she would not leave until she saved him.