Nectar

Chapter 2

"Wait till you see the hotel we got for you!"

Treetop smiled more broadly than he had in a long time as he trotted toward the familiar pony. He got about halfway there and then stopped, staring intently at Checker.

Even from a distance, Checker seemed different from their days back on Marenia. His swaying island gait had been replaced by the upright formal step of the banking elite. His once long, frazzled mane had been trimmed and slicked back. Treetop had seen photos of him dressed in his fitted banker's suit, but it seemed stranger now that he was seeing him in person. The two pegasi still resembled each other in their tiny islander build and size, but the similarities stopped there: they obviously inhabited completely different worlds. When Checker finally reached him, he paused and frowned. "Well, don't look so excited to see me or anything. What's wrong?"

Treetop shook his head and smiled. "I'm sorry. It's nothing. It's just... it's been so long. It only just now dawned on me how much we've really lost touch."

Checker nodded. "I know. I know. It's really been awhile. But no better place to reunite than Canterlot, huh? How does our dusty old island look now, eh? Speaking of which!" he exclaimed as he swung his front leg around Treetop's neck, making him jump. "There's a connecting railway we need to catch that'll take us right to your hotel! Oh man, wait till you see it. It's a top-of-the-line banker suite at the Cloudfront Hotel! I spared no expense; I want this to be absolutely perfect. C'mon, we can talk more on the way there!"

Treetop laughed as his enthusiastic friend led him over to a wing of the station off to the side of where the train had arrived. Checker may have become civilized, but he still had his bubbling island spirit.

They began to chat, but were cut off as loud, harsh alarm rang throughout the entire station, and continued for several seconds. When it stopped ringing, the jumble of shouting and commotion that had filled the station not moments ago had ceased. It was deathly quiet, and everypony had turned to face an enormous tv monitor that filled half the wall opposite to the train. In one sweeping motion, they all bowed down on their front hooves.

Following suit, Treetop started to whisper "What's going on?" , but was quickly shushed by Checker. The TV screen flickered to life.

Filling up the blank screen now was the face of Princess Celestia herself. She looked as young, fresh, and energetic as she always had, but her composure still had the maturity of a being that was thousands of years old. When she spoke, her sweet voice echoed throughout the halls of the station.

"Good day, my little ponies! As always, the morning update brings nothing but good news for our glorious nation of Equestria. Our markets are poised for huge growth. The PLOW industrial average is up 235 points, and worker productivity is up 2.5%! Good day, my citizens, and as always, your princess presides and keeps a watchful eye over you!"

At this time, everypony (save Treetop) chanted simultaneously, "May our good princess preside and protect forever! Long live Celestia!" And with that, the TV screen flickered off. The silence broke, and the clamor and commotion in the station resumed as though nothing had happened. Checker began to trot off, but Treetop remained rooted to the spot for a moment before catching up with him.

"What was all that about?" he asked, completely bewildered at what had just taken place.

Checker shook his head in mock disappointment. "Good heavens, Marenia really is out in the sticks, isn't it? Jeez, man, I hope you at least know that was Princess Celestia!"

Treetop scoffed. "Of course."

They had reached their connecting tram in another wing of the station and boarded the train, immediately taking a couple of seats against the window. The electric doors slid shut as dozens of other ponies crammed in around them. Checker continued, "Well, the princesses give bi-daily reports on the financial state of Equestria - Celestia in the morning and Luna at night. It's just their way of reminding us citizens that they're still keeping a constant watch over us."

"But what was with the chanting?"

"Well, they are the living embodiments of the sun and the moon, and on top of that, they rule the most prosperous empire in the world! I think that deserves a bit of worship, don't you? Even if they haven't left the castle in two hundred years."

Treetop was shocked to hear this. "Why don't they leave the castle?"

"Have you even looked outside? A city like Canterlot is way too dangerous for two individuals as important as they are, even if they do rule it."

Treetop thought about this a moment. "I guess that makes sense. It actually reminds me of something I wanted to ask you. Will I get to see Canterlot Castle on this trip? Even if it's just on a tour?"

At this, Checker laughed long and hard, causing a few ponies to cast disapproving glances their way. "Oh man, that's a good one! Treetop, listen: the castle got buried beneath street layers hundreds of years ago! Even if anypony found it, it would be heavily guarded and they would never let them in. The only ponies allowed in the castle are the princesses, some of the nobles, and a few trusted royal guards. I don't even know where it is, although my guess is it's probably somewhere around the WENC headquarters section of the city. Hell, there are probably even chief executives who don't know where it is!"

"Okay. I'm sorry I'm not up to date on Canterlotian history. Sheesh." Falling against his window, Treetop felt disappointed at his hopes of seeing the castle being dashed down, as well as slightly irked at Checker's very patronizing and sarcastic tone with him. He was really making him feel out of touch with civilization.

After traveling in between two street levels for a few minutes, where they only caught fleeting glimpses of the sky, the tram passed out of the claustrophobic enclosure and briefly travelled over a flat, open section of the city, giving them a much wider view. Checker nudged Treetop and indicated through the window the hotel they were coming up to. It was a beautiful glass tower, rising in a gentle spiral from the ground and tapering into an elegant spire at the tip.

The tram stopped at a station close to the middle of the tower. As he stepped off, Treetop felt both excited and agitated. After a few minutes of dealing with a snooty receptionist and groveling hotel attendants, they boarded an external elevator, which accelerated quickly toward the top of the tower.

Before Treetop knew it, he was standing inside a luxurious executive suite close to the spire. From the window, he could see the entire city except for some of the taller skyscrapers, and he could even spot Cloudsdale far above.

Joining him at the window, Checker said, "Listen, I'm on break, and I have to get back to work now. I'm sorry I can't show you around. Maybe later. Just try to make yourself comfortable, okay?"

"Sounds good. But first, um..." Treetop trailed off, slightly embarrassed. "Do you know where I could get some nectar? I haven't had any in a while and I'm getting a little antsy."

Checker laughed. "We all feel ya, brother! There are some really good cafes close to here. Why don't you explore a little? Just don't wander too far, I wouldn't want you getting lost in this jungle - especially on your first day!" He checked the wall clock. "Well, I have to bounce. I'll meet you here at six, okay?" And with that, he left.

Leafwing was now left to his own accord. First thing was first - he took a bath in the suite's huge, luxurious jacuzzi, letting the expensive bath salts soak into his tired and ragged mane. After drying off with an automated full-body blow dryer, he decided to find one of the cafes Checker had mentioned. He was itching to see more of the city.
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After taking the elevator back to the floor they came in on, he timidly approached the concierge desk and asked where the best cafe close to the hotel was. The earth pony working there pointed him in the direction of one that was only a ten minute's walk away, and provided him with a few maps. He gratefully stuffed them into the pouch around his neck with the address he had received earlier, and headed out.

Canterlot had an entirely different feel once Treetop was immersed in it. He hadn't been walking on the street for more than two minutes before he felt claustrophobic and suffocated. It didn't help that Marenian ponies had become relatively small over time, while Canterlotians had evolved into a tall, thick, muscular breed of pony. Trying to focus on following the confusing directions the concierge had given him, he barely even took notice of the sights around him. Ponies pressed into him from all sides, and it seemed like he kept getting his wings snagged on some colt's trenchcoat or some mare's purse. By the time he reached the outdoor cafe, he could hardly breathe.

After managing to find an empty table, he plopped down and was able to relax a little bit. When the waiter came, he ordered a bagel and pouch of chilled nectar off the menu and looked around. The cafe was in a beautiful plaza at the crossroads of two busy streets. The hanging gardens of Canterlot Softspeak were at their apex of beauty in this section of town - a myriad of flowers, moss, and vines overflowed from planters along the facade of the shopping center. Glass panels in the floor allowed him to look down at the hundreds of street layers below, and Treetop thought he could even spot the trench of one of the slums.

When his food came, he took a sip of nectar, just enough to calm his nerves, and began pony-watching. Most of the ponies simply walked hurriedly through the street, focused on their destination and nothing else. A few young teen earth ponies were mincing words with the first police officer Treetop had seen on his journey. A block away, a street dj was playing some tracks on her turntable while passers-by tossed coins into a cup.

And yet, amid all the buzz and activity, Treetop noticed something strange - the ponies here, although in constant motion, seemed to lack a certain energy - almost as though they were under the effects of some kind of mass depression. Back on Marenia, what the population lacked in size it made up for in spunk.

Suddenly, a chill went down Treetop's spine as he realized that the ponies here lacked energy because most of them were strung out on nectar. With minor disgust, Treetop shoved the remainder of his drink away from him. That was enough of that.

As he settled into his seat and stared at the beautiful architecture of the city, and despite the oddities of the city, Treetop felt completely relaxed for the first time that day.

And that was when the riot started.
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The earth ponies Treetop had seen arguing with the police officer before had apparently gone inside the cafe and taken up an argument with the cashier. The policepony and one of his colleagues followed them in and asked them to leave the property. It quickly turned into an outright shouting match between the police officers and several patrons of the cafe. A third policepony on patrol showed up to break up the fight - by bucking one of the teens into the wall, where he fell limp.

A few onlookers tried to rush to his aid, but the other two policeponies held them back. Ponies on the street rushed inside to see what was happening, and the whole scene devolved when somepony bucked one of the officers in the jaw, which emitted a loud crack. The inside of the cafe was at the entrance to a large shopping center poised on top of a column that cut through the street levels to the ground. The ponies inside realized that a huge fight was unfolding and that it was probably time to leave. Suddenly, several hundred earth ponies and pegasi began rushing towards the doors of the shopping center.

Treetop, in his relaxed state, had barely taken notice of the fight developing inside, and so was taken by surprise when a huge flood of ponies came pouring out onto the plaza, pounding their hooves at the ground. Before he had time to react, the wave reached him, and he was swept out of his seat and into the torrent of ponies heading towards the street. Dwarfed in the crowd, he had to move his hooves quickly to avoid being trampled. In the commotion, several more fights had broken out, and Treetop tried to squeeze his way over to a railing overlooking the street level below, where he could wait out the riot. He had to avoid getting lost at all costs.

As he tried to shove his way to the side of the crowd, he could hear somepony screaming over the noise, "They called the riot police! They called the riot police!" At this, the frantic confusion of the riot only intensified. Treetop found he was making no progress towards the railing.

Not ten seconds after the crowd had heard the warning, the riot police reached the scene. Two midnight-black, bulky hovercrafts came soaring over the crowd, hanging in air a few feet above the ponies' heads. At the sight of them, Treetop was both amazed and bewildered - he hadn't seen or heard them coming from any direction; they seemed to simply melt into view.

A voice blared from a loudspeaker on the car, cutting through the noise of the crowd: "Rioting is considered terrorist activity and a felony. Please disperse in an orderly fashion or face arrest and prosecution."

Two black canisters were fired from a gun barrel on the crafts and into the crowd, only a few feet away from Treetop. Several screams were emitted when they hit the ground, and the direction of the crowd changed; they were now simply trying to get as far as they could from where the canisters landed.

Treetop moved as quickly as he could, and could hear a loud humming sounding out from the canister. With a crack, a blast of energy issued forth from the canister. A wave of heat hit Treetop, and he, along with dozens of other ponies, were sent reeling through the air.

The shock of the explosion made Treetop completely lose control of his wings. Tumbling head over over hoof, his breath caught in his throat and time stood still as he could see the tip of WENC headquarters one second, and the next second he was going over the railing of the plaza, completely airborne. He began plummeting downward.

A piercing shot of adrenaline hit him as he was stopped midair by an unseen force. He found himself suspended in the air, a blue haze around his body, thousands of feet above the ground. Canterlot stretched down below him.

He'd been caught by the safety net spell that was cast below every street level; they were originally installed as a way to combat escalating suicide rates. After regaining his sense of bearing, he flapped his wings and flipped himself right side up.

Immediately, he noticed that he'd been blasted farther away from the others. A larger group of distressed ponies were several meters away, struggling to swim around in the peculiar magical net. Treetop tried to flap his wings again and found it difficult - the net somehow made the air thicker. He began to swim through the air back to the larger group, but stopped when he saw three of the riot police pegasi swoop down from the cars, clad in white bionic armor and face-concealing helmets. The immediately started cuffing ponies legs and pulling black bags over their heads.

Now, running from the police was something Treetop had told himself he would never do - but then again, he'd never been in a situation that might have called for it. The police hadn't seemed to have noticed him, and he was terrified of the prospect of being arrested on such an important occassion. Plus, who knew what jails were like in such a crowded, overpopulated city? The brutal manner in which the police were arresting citizens gave him a clue. Panicking, he flapped his wings furiously, bursting above the top of the magical net. He spotted a very small balcony on the column that was holding the entire shopping center in the air.

He touched down, now out of sight from the police. An elevator door appeared to provide an inlet to the column, but Treetop couldn't get it to budge. Looking around frantically, he noticed that the metal walls in the corner of the balcony had rusted so badly that a narrow hole had formed. His petite body was able to squeeze through it with relative ease. On the other side, he found himself balancing precariously on a metal beam.

Once his eyes adjusted to the dim light, Treetop found that he was inside a badly neglected service elevator shaft. Moving away from the hole in the wall, he decided to sit and rest for a minute. He needed to regain his bearings and decide what to do next.

Suddenly, the wall rattled as something large thumped into it. Adjusting his head so he could peek out the hole in the wall, Treetop could see a an enormous pegasus on the balcony, who'd apparently had the same idea as Treetop. He was now trying to squeeze through the hole, but his stocky Canterlot stature was preventing him from doing so.

"Give a pegasus some help, man!" he cried. Treetop jumped and quickly moved to help him. His head and front legs were through the hole. Wrapping his legs under and over his back, Treetop began pulling as hard as he could. The stuck pegasus barked, "Pull harder!" when he didn't budge.

"I'm trying, I'm trying!" grunted Treetop.

"Ah, to hell with this! Let go of me!" Treetop released him, and the pegasus pushed himself back out the way he came. He disappeared for a moment and cried, "Get out of the way!"

Unsure of what to expect, Treetop leaped into the air and flapped his wings, flying up and out of the way. A second later, the pegasus bucked hard next to the hole, tearing down another rusted section of the wall.

He now simply stepped through the hole and into the shaft. He groaned and stretched out his wings to their full enormous span in the light coming from the hole. Treetop, still in the air, gasped. One of his wings was normal, but the other one...well, he didn't have another wing. Where it should have been, there was a fully bionic wing in place. The pegasus noticed Treetop's stare and said, hurriedly, "It's the wing, right? Nasty accident a few years ago. Not the time to talk about it."

At that point, he looked back at the hole he'd kicked in the wall. "Sorry about that bit of hysteria just now. I had to get in here before the riot police bagged me. I definitely don't have time to be dealing with any arrests right now," he laughed.

"Yeah, me neither," Treetop replied, his voice quavering. He didn't understand how his new companion could laugh the whole affair off so easily.

"Well, we can't stick around here," said the other. "My name's Thaltor, by the way. Come on, we need to get moving. I have an apartment in this sector of the city, it's just a bit ways down."

"Wait-!" said Treetop, a little bewildered. "I - I'm not from here, and I have to get back to my hotel. I can't go with you."

Thaltor turned around to face him and shook his head. "Sorry, but that's not really an option right now. Go out there now and you'll get arrested for sure. Even if you waited until later, and it looked like it was safe, they would be patroling that street level for anypony around the safety net. So, stay here if you want, but I'm telling you that it would be better if you came with me."

Treetop looked back at the hole for a moment, and then turned back towards Thaltor. "Okay. I'll go with you."

Thaltor smiled again. "Good decision." He looked down into the darkness of the shaft below and sighed. "It looks like we're going to have to fly down. We'll look for an outlet while we go, but from the looks of this thing, there probably isn't one. It'll be faster if we dive."

"How far down do you live?" asked Treetop.

Thaltor looked back at him and laughed. "I live in the slums, bud."

And with that, Thaltor folded his wings back and let himself fall into a dive, letting out an excited whoop as he shot down deeper into the shaft.

Treetop was finally able to smile. What he may have lacked in strength and size he made up with agility. Years of brambling around in the bush of Marenia had taught him to be quick on his hooves and wings in the prescence of predators.

With a nervous laugh, he shot off into the darkness after Thaltor.