Fortunate for Twilight and company, their trip did not include any more close calls or near-death-experiences. They reached the Canterlot gates....or at least an area nearby. Twilight didn't dare attempt to simply “stroll on in” as she feared she wasn't supposed to be there. The game plan as run through in the tents earlier was that Twilight would sneak in through some underground sewage pipes whist the others tried to find an Inn to rest at. This all seemed fine in theory, but in practice things weren't going to be so easy:

“Ah wanna come with!” Apple Bloom protested.

“No Apple Bloom, if I get caught....you wouldn't want to be with me.”  Twilight had never intended for the filly to be so attached to her, but at this point in time she might as well had been her surrogate sister; Apple Bloom refused to allow Twilight to go without her.

“Apple Bloom we'll be fine.” Spike said reassuringly, “We'll just find a place to crash and she'll be there not much later.”

“Exactly.” Twilight enjoyed the assistance in this.

“But—What...what if ya don't?” The filly wasn't letting this go without an effort.

“Apple Bloom..” Twilight pulled the filly into a hug, “I'll be fine. Think of it as a precautionary detour.”

“A precauti—what now?”

“I don't know if I'm allowed to be in Canterlot—they won't do anything to you guys if you are caught; myself however, for all I know I could be banished in a fiat sense. You'd be best to go with everypony else.”

“But--”

“Please? Do it for me Apple Bloom. I'm going to be worried about Spike and you the whole way there, that will be stressful enough.” Twilight said this last line sternly but kept a gentle smile on her face.

“Don't worry Apple Bloom, we'll be fine!” Scootaloo playfully nudged her friend,

“Yeah, the sooner we get to the—wherever we're going, the sooner this will all be over.” Sweetie Belle added.

The filly knew she was defeated. She let out a sigh, drooped her ears and sulked over to the group.

“Promise me you'll make it Twi.” Apple Bloom asked weakly.

“I promise.” Twilight smiled as she motioned Spike to follow her down a bluff that lead to the main septic gate.

The remaining ponies stood and watched them until they were out of sight. Rainbow Dash cleared her throat to get the groups' attention and restated the task at hand:

“Alright so this is what we're going to do: I will be waiting over at where Twilight and Spike will be coming from, and the rest of you can find a place to stay---uh---Fluttershy can be the lookout and find us when it's time.”

“Hey!” Scootaloo barked, “I wanna go too!”

“Ugh—really kid?” Rainbow face-hoofed, “We just dealt with your friends' little thing we don't need you being a wimp.” She glared at the filly who shrunk back in embarrassment.

“Sounds fine by me—nice and safe.” Rarity smiled. “Come along girls, let's find some comfortable accommodations.”

Rarity, Fluttershy, and two of the Cutie Mark Crusaders headed for the gate. One orange filly however sat back and pouted.

“Come on Scoots, we don't have time for this.” Rainbow growled, “Go with them.”

“No.” Scootaloo pouted, “I wanna go with you.”

Rarity stalled to see if Scootaloo was coming with. Rainbow looked between the two a few times and resigned.

“Fine. You can come. BUT, you need to stick with me got it?”

Scootaloo bounced with anticipation. “Yay! Thank you Rainbow Dash!”

“Uh-huh sure.” Rainbow muttered, mood unchanged as they forked in a different direction after they passed through the gates. The guards didn't alert to anything, nor did they seem suspicious of their presence, which was good for them at least.

Anyone who has been within the vicinity of a portable lavatory, sewage drain knows the horrific, static smell that seems to dwell within and around it. A compound of waste, dirty water, and a plethora of other unpleasant aromas. Twilight and Spike were not as fortunate as most as their plan of action mandated that they traverse the very corridors of offensive nasal assaults in order to avoid a potential banishment.

“Yeesh!” Spike groaned, “You'd think with the dainty food these Canterlot types eat their....stink wouldn't pack such a punch.” He had his nose plugged as they went along.

Twilight couldn't help but giggle at her assistant's discontent, “Well nopony said this was going to be an enjoyable trip now did they?”  

They met their first obstacle, an intersection between two lines of sewage. They were to head forward which meant they had to somehow get over this river of filth. Twilight could have very easily teleported across the way, but that luxury among several others was not available to them so they had to improvise.

“Hmmm” Twilight put a hoof to her chin. “You got any ideas on how we're going to cross this thing?”

“You got me.” Spike shrugged. “Dragon magic isn't capable of levitation or anything...All I can really do is burn stuff.”  

That gave Twilight a rather odd idea. “I see some loose bricks over on the other side...If I could just somehow get over there I could lay out a path for you to scurry over.”

“That's great but I think we still don't have the whole...getting you across part.” Spike quipped.

“True....but I think I might now.” Twilight winced.

“What is it?” Spike was curious as there was no visible sign of traps or mechanisms that would aid them at all.

“Torch my flank.”

“W—what?” Spike was stunned for a moment.

“My involuntary reaction will give me the lift I need to jettison to the other side....a few blisters and a bruise is well worth it—this is the only way to Canterlot covertly.”

“I don't think I've said this too many times Twilight but....that sound incredibly stupid.”

“You have any better ideas? Without my magic we're going to have to be a little rustic in our problem-solving department.”

“There has to be some other way!”

For the sake of entertaining the dragons' insistence, Twilight trotted to and fro looking for any loose masonry on their side of the aisle. No such luck. Spike attempted to melt the stones but it was far too cold and hardened.

“Damn.....okay Twilight. You can't say I didn't warn you.” Spike said.

“I know what I'm getting myself into Spike.” Twilight smiled, “Best we get moving so the girls don't have to worry.”

Twilight stood in front of the dragon and lifted her tail to avoid it being singed. Spike trembled and tweedled nervously before finally inhaling and letting our a meek flame. Enough to cause the unicorn to sling forward in a bodily reaction to being scorched. She didn't make it across but enough to scramble up the ledge. The current was incredibly vicious as she figured. They wouldn't have been able to cross that.

Covered almost to the neck in unsavory liquid with a throbbing, burning flank, Twilight turned her attention to the loose stones and pulled the out one by one. They were somewhat stubborn at first. But a few hard bucks at the wall was more than enough to loosen most of them.

The unicorn analyzed the current and calculated the placement required to make this a stable and reliable crossing despite the limited time. She placed them askew at various distances apart and motioned Spike to hop over. The dragon hopped as if one were playing hopscotch, not the best idea. The first stone skewed into the current with him nearly falling, the second one wobbled as well, the third however, he lost his footing and fell in. Scrambling to the ledge and being pulled up.

“That....was gross.” Spike looked back at the stones that had now washed into the main stream. Glaring at them with a look of hate.

“I'm afraid there's plenty more where that came from.” Twilight laughed, “Let's go.”

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

Back on the surface things were far more sanitized and far more forgiving.  At any rate they would likely be settled by now had it not been for Rarity's ridiculous selectiveness. “Too small”, “Too dark”, “Too claustrophobic” were among the many failing grades she assigned each Inn they reviewed.

Sweetie Belle was less than pleased.

“Sis, we're just staying for one night, Do you really need to be this picky?”

“Picky...Picky? Why I--” Rarity lectured, “One of these days you will learn to appreciate my fine-tuned preferences. A lady is not to be in desolate, deplorable, and downtrodden conditions!”

Apple Bloom and Fluttershy looked on in disbelief; this fashionista was getting in the way and they weren't quite sure what to do....until Apple Bloom got an idea:  

“Ah think ah know a way ta get us done with this whole thing.” The filly whispered.

“What were you thinking?” Fluttershy asked,

“Well~ seeing as she is goin' be takin' her sweet time stoppin' at every Inn in Cloudsdale, ah think that gives us more than enough time ta find a room, book it, an' give her no choice.”

“Oh but...Apple Bloom...” Fluttershy worried, “She will be very, very upset...and trust me, you won't like her when she is upset.”

“Well ah wanna be in a room so when mom—er ah meant Twilight gets here we ain't stuck out here window shoppin' with Miss Indecisive!”   Apple Bloom wasn't too sure why she slipped on the “m-word” though in her head she liked it a lot, and if anything it served to strengthen her resolve.v

“Psssst!” The filly was trying to get Sweetie Belle's attention.  “PSSSST!”

Sweetie Belle whirled around and looked at the filly who simpled motioned her to follow.

“What for? Rarity isn't--”

Sweetie Belle looked up at her sister who had not noticed their exchange, she was chastising yet another receptionist regarding the “demeaning” conditions of their “shameless establishment”.  Sweetie Belle needed no further prodding. She trotted their way and with a little nudging of Fluttershy, they were on their way to finishing their task.....without the paperweight.

Rainbow Dash sat perched on a stud that held a clothesline between two buildings in a alleyway. The buildings, as well as the ground beneath them were covered in moss, mud, and dirt. On one side however, was a manhole with a large grille. It lead to the subterranean system that Twilight and Spike were in and this would be their exit point. After some strange looks from some ponies who were asked of its location, they had finally found it.

Scootaloo was on this filthy ground. She had pawed a small enclave of cleanliness to sit on. She looked up at Rainbow Dash who made no effort to have the filly join her.  They hadn't talked much since they left the group earlier, both were still in an awkward stance against each-other. Scootaloo wanted very much to be with her but Rainbow Dash seemed very evasive of this “foal's business”.

“Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo asked in her signature rasp,

“What is it kid?” Rainbow asked,

“Why can't I be up there with you?” Scootaloo almost whined.

The cyan pegasus let out a sigh, “This isn't time for mushy stuff Squirt, this is important. I'm here to watch out for my friend, not foal-sit a whining pegasus.”

“But--”

“But if you'd like to keep whining about everything then why don't you go find your friends? I

m sure they're in a nice, cozy hotel room by now. Much nicer than sitting out here in the cold....in dirt.”

“I wouldn't be sitting in dirt if somepony decided to be cool for a change.”

“I wouldn't be distracted from my duty if I didn't have some filly complaining to me about stupid things!”

Scootaloo was silent. She didn't want to really go anywhere except up there. Every since the apology her fan-girlish obsession and sisterly love for Rainbow Dash had resurfaced after attempting to suppress it in order to maintain an image of independence. That wasn't working too well.

Rainbow looked down at the filly who was herself staring at the dirt below. Her hoof dancing about it, ears dropped and a sullen look on her face. She could've swore she hears sniffling too, though Scoots would never admit that—not to her anyway.

“Oh alright. I'll be down in a sec, Yeesh!” The cyan mare said defeated.

Scootaloo inflated and bounced happily as she way scooped up and brought on Rainbow Dashs' lap. Two hooves were wrapped around the filly as they gazed at the view before them at this elevation. Canterlot was like a gleaming diamond at night. The various lights from homes, offices, the floodlights of carious hues that lined the streets against a dark night sky with only a scant turnout of starts. It was a pleasant sight. Enough to stir some conversation at least.

“This is really—uh--neat isn't it?”  Scootaloo mused, selecting her words carefully. “beautiful” seemed a bit...soft.

“Yup.” The cyan pegasus replied briskly, She didn't want to really talk to the kid, not out of any resentment, that was never really there to begin with, the can of worms it would release however was something she didn't want to deal with.

Scootaloo had other plans.

“I wish I lived in Canterlot.” Scootaloo added, “...or anywhere really.”

Rainbow Dash bit her lip, into the spiral she plunged:  “I thought you were with Rarity?”

“I was but....I didn't feel like I belonged there. Rarity was nice and all but....that just wasn't for me.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.” Scootaloo made swirling motions nervously on her legs with her hoof.

“Can't say I know what that's like.” Rainbow blurted, “Must be rough.” That seemed a tad cold. Oh well, she had done worse to the filly so she doubted Scoots would really notice.

“It is.” Scootaloo sighed. This wasn't working.

“Do you even know where you're from?” Rainbow Dash asked casually.

“No...no actually.” Scootaloo answered. “All I can remember is being in the Ponyville orphanage and running away when I was little.”

“So....what did you do between that and Rarity?”

“I found this beat up tree-house near Sweet Apple Acres. I would sneak in there at night and sleep there...it got a little more comfortable once it became the 'Cutie Mark Crusader Clubhouse' but not much.”

“Hmm.” Rainbow wasn't sure how to respond to that. She had never figured all those times that filly had trailed her were likely out of wanting comfort and companionship than some obsessed fan.

“Do you know your parents?”

“Yeah. They live in Cloudsdale.” Rainbow replied, “No siblings though—only child. Probably explains a lot about me.” She chucked a bit.

The two grew silent again as they were pulled in by the view, it had changed and neither was too sure why. Both squinted a bit to make out whatever change had demanded their attention.

“You see something?”  Scootaloo asked, still looking forward,.

“I....don't know.” Rainbow Dash struggled to make out anything. Then she heard something, a low growling or rattling sound. She jerked her head to the right to look at the manhole to see if that was indeed the source. It didn't seem to be.

“Weird.” Rainbow muttered to herself.

Not too far from where the two pegasus were, Twilight and Spike were making filthy, smelly, wonderful progress. No real obstacles sans the usual impediment that summoned a variety of innovative ways to go over them. From flank-torching to throwing a dragon with your tail. All in all the whole trip had gone well. They had even found a large stick that served as a horribly odorous torch.

“Think we're almost there?” Spike asked aloud.

“I would think so...” Twilight was getting somewhat tired. “I never figured Canterlot was this large.”

“Yeah it does look pretty small from far away—you know, aside from the giant towers and stuff.”

“Yeah...” Twilight perked her ears up. She apparently heard something.

“What's up Twilight?” Spike asked.

“I...thought I heard something.” She said slowly as they continued walking.

“Probably just all the leaking pipes and stuff.” Spike panned, “The dripping noise is going to drive me crazy!”

“Hm.” Twilight laughed, “I guess my ears are a bit less sensitive...a good thing?”

“I guess.” The dragon replied.

They came around a corner to another stream. This one was a bit different though, to the right, not too far from where they were there was a large circular grille that, due to the darkness behind it, likely lead to more sewage.

“I don't think that's our exit.” Spike said.

Twilight froze. She heard it again, but so did Spike.

“W—what was that?” Spike shivered. Twilight shushed him and waited for the sound again.

It was a roaring sound, made by a pack of very hungry subterranean hounds. They weren't diamond dogs, they seemed incapable of speech, but as they emerged from the darkness and leered from behind the grille, they looked more than capable of feasting on their two new targets,

“What do we do?” Spike whispered fearfully.

Twilight was a bit scared as well... “Well..let's just try to do the usual—I toss you across and then we--”

No time for that, the beasts broke the grille and went charging for them.

Twilight bucked one of them into a wall though another lunged at her.  Spike attempted to burn the thing but his fire breath did not reach.Twilight lept into the current of filth to avoid certainly being decapitated. Spike managed to dodge most of them while he also managed to burn one of the beasts sending it retreating back into the darkness.

Though he joined his unicorn friend after taking a gruesome swiped to the cheek.

“Spike!” Twilight cried,

Spike was jumping into the river when one of the dogs snapped his tail with their teeth, summoning a scream of outright pain from the dragon who desperately attempted to burn the captor and break free. No use. Two of the beasts, including the one who held Spike bounded triumphantly into the darkness.

“SPIKE!” Twilight screamed as she pushed against the current and made it back onto the walkway. She went postal. Grabbing the still lit torch she swung it at one of the beasts, and while it hurt it by no means stalled him. She then bucked the animal with all her might into the wall and managed to strike the second beast as well. This gave her the all clear to head after Spike.

To say it was dark was a gross insult to the situation as a whole. Twilight could not see a thing and without her magic she could not illuminate this dark and scary place, though she could hear—and feel where she was going. She tripped several times into several ditches and walls. She felt blood tricking down her face but that was the least of her concerns. Her heart raced at a dangerous speed when she heard the dogs—and Spike.

Light gave way to a rather unwelcoming scene. Spike was not dead, or mauled surprisingly, though he was surrounded by a pack of furry killers who were feasting on other captured carcases as they licked their chops.

Spike took some time to notice Twilight. He lit up and made the horrific mistake or running for her. The dogs pinned his tail and me slammed into the concrete. Twilight blindly charged for them only to be met with a similar pain.

It was hopeless at this point. Both were pinned under the warm, grimy, furry paws of carnivorous monsters who were hellbent on making a meal of them.

Twilight thought to herself as her eyes were obscured by tears of what she would be leaving behind—her friends would fail, her death would be about as anti-climatic as ever, nopony would likely find them anyway—assuming the animals left anything behind.  

“Apple Bloom.” She whispered to herself. She choked up. She had promised that filly, and that filly was  on thin ice in more ways than one. Her death would likely prompt the unthinkable.

Her stream of thoughts were briskly interrupted by her captor being flung to an opposite wall. All Twilight could see through her blurred vision was a streak of many colors....

Rainbow Dash wasn't though just yet, gliding over the snapping teeth and gaping, hungry mouths of the beasts she plucked an unconscious Spike from his trap. Twilight mustered what she had and got up to see Rainbow and the remaining beats s charging towards their original path.

“Come on you stupid dogs! Come get me!”  A balsy orange filly taunted the ravaging monsters at they came barreling towards her. Scootaloo simply hopped like a feeble rabbit from one side of the sewage to another causing much confusion and collision. Using her wings to propel herself across, she was only brushed one with some teeth taking a piece of her tail.

“Is that all you got mutts?” Scootaloo let out a nice raspberry before heading back and forth again.

There will still two beasts that were mobile and they were pissed. Scootaloo had turned to move again when she was smacked by a paw and sent sailing into the concrete.  She landed on her injured hoof.  She tried to move but the pain overwhelmed any control of her limbs. She let out a blood-curdling scream as they beast who stuck her looked longingly at this new prize.

Twilight had bucked the other monster only to see this horror before her.

The eyes of the monster and the magenta eyes of the filly before it met. One with a look of victory and satisfaction, the other with abject fear and resignment. Just then the look of the beast turned to dilated pupils. Blood rapidly obscured the formerly hungry eyes as a brick kept slamming into the dogs' head.

It eventually was out and being swept down the current. Rainbow Dash scooped up the crying filly and held her close.

Twilight had Spike on her back, he was still unconscious.

“We have to get out of here and get him some help!” Twilight pleaded.

Rainbow snapped back to the situation at hand and puffed up her chest.

“Right!” She barked, “You go ahead, it's not too far from here.”

They hurried to the opening where Rainbow and Scootaloo had been before, The bright lights if the city were blinding to all of them. Though Twilight had a good memory of where the hospital was. She disregarded all of her fears and  and was bolting through the street, with a cyan pegasus above her.

She could not hear the disgruntled remarks of ponies who were knocked over, pushed, or narrowly evaded hrr incredible speed, she could not her Rainbow asking her something about capture. The only thing on her mind was the dragon on her back.

Rainbow was equally worried, though she didn't know they way so she had to keep pace with the unicorn below. Scootaloo was dizzy and sick from the whole experience. The impact in and of itself was enough to scare anypony. All of the were covered in sewage fir, dirt, and blood. A ghastly sight for anypony who might happen by them.

Neither could care less though. Whatever druthers they had did not exist, As the lights of the ER grew closer, the sight of the filly grew dim. Scootaloo was losing conciseness as well. Next Chapter: Welcome To Canterlot Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 8 Minutes