Chapter Seven: Catacomb Rescue Part 1: Star-Swirl
It was a starry night in Ponyville with a full moon. While it was a beautiful night for most, for Celestia, Luna, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Applebloom, this meant only one thing: Sombra's soldiers could spot them very easily. They had to be extra careful, and every time a soldier began to come, they would hide behind a building.
"Luna, why are we being so careful tonight?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Because tonight's meeting is especially dangerous, Rainbow." Luna explained. "Celestia's friend Star-Swirl will be there, and Sombra would love to capture him because he's told so many people the stories of Jesus."
"I think it's safe now." Celestia whispered before he was proven wrong when Cadence and Chrysalis were questioning a young mare.
"You there!" Cadence said to the mare. "We're looking for a stallion named Star-Swirl, a Christian. Do you know him?"
"No I don't." The mare said simply.
"Alright." Cadence said plainly when Chrysalis shoved her aside.
"You call that an interrogation, Cadence?" Chrysalis scoffed. "I'll show you."
Chrysalis easily lifted the mare up and held her close.
"Do you know a Christian named Star-Swirl?" Chrysalis asked.
"No, I swear!" The mare said, easily frightened by Chrysalis' visage.
"You don't only know him, you are Star-Swirl, aren't you?" Chrysalis said as she attacked the mare with magical lightning. "I say you're Star-Swirl! You're Star-Swirl the Story Keeper!"
"Yes!" The mare said, scared out of her wits. "Yes, anything you say!"
"Liar." Chrysalis said with a smirk as she tossed the mare into a troth of water.
"That my friend is how it's done." Chrysalis told Cadence smugly.
"Why do they have to be so cruel?" Fluttershy asked.
"They beat my daddy like that." Applejack said bitterly. "Before they took them away."
The guards walked off as Applejack looked angrily at them.
()()()()()
The meeting that night took place in a secret underground house with Twilight acting as a lookout as usual; they also made sure all who entered knew the sign of the fish to prove their Christianity.
After awhile, Celestia and the others arrived, and Twilight greeted them just as Star-Swirl arrived. Star-Swirl was an elderly stallion with a gray coat and a long white beard.
"Celestia, how are you doing?" Star-Swirl said as he and Celestia hugged.
"Star-Swirl!" Celestia called out. "I'm so glad you made it! Everyone's been looking forward to hearing your stories."
Celestia then turned and addressed the crowd.
"Friends of Jesus, please welcome Star-Swirl, the Master Story Teller!" Obi-Wan called out.
"Ah, Celestia is too kind." Star-Swirl said with a smile. "For she knows that I'm nothing compared to the greatest storyteller of all. Why I remember hearing Jesus teaching in Galoplee, and as he spoke, a mare stepped forward.
"'What must I do to live in God's new way?' The mare asked arrogantly.
"'What do the Scriptures say?' Jesus asked in response.
"'They say we must love God and our neighbor as ourselves.' The mare recited.
"'Yes.' Jesus said. 'Do this and you will live.'"
"'But who is my neighbor?' The mare asked again.
"Jesus took a stick and drew a line in the road.
"'There was a stallion traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho.' Jesus began. 'But some men put a trap on the road, and when the man came by, they robbed and beat him. Leaving him there, bleeding and alone. A priest was going down the same road, but he refused to stop and help. Then a Levite came by, on his way to the temple where he worked, but he didn't stop either. Then just as the man thought he would die, a Samaritan came over. The wounded man didn't think a stranger from Samaria would help, but the foreigner took pity on him and stopped. After tending to the man's wounds, the Samaritan took him to an inn.
"'"This stallion needs help." The Samaritan told the innkeeper.
"'"Do you know this stallion?" The innkeeper asked.
"'"No, but please take care of him for me." The Samaritan requested and gave the stallion several coins. "If it costs more than this, I'll pay you on the way back."
"'The innkeeper was amazed. Samaritans and Jews don't usually talk to one another, and yet the priest and Levite had broken their own law by not helping the man. Now, which one of those stallions who passed by the wounded traveler was his neighbor?"
"'The one who was kind to him.' The mare said, understanding.
"'Exactly.' Jesus said as he put a hoof on the mare's shoulder. 'Now you go, and do the same.'"
"Now there was a master story teller." Star-Swirl finished with a smile.
"Ah yes." Celestia said with a smile.
While Celestia went to introduce Star-Swirl to the others, a pale yellow mare with a bushy orange mane bumped into Twilight as she stared at her quizzically.
"I don't remember seeing you before." Twilight said plainly.
"Who me?" The mare asked. "Well I'm visiting. I'm visiting my uncle, yes. And there he is. Oh uncle!"
Twilight rubbed her muzzle as the mare rushed off. There was something about that girl she didn't like, but she couldn't put her hoof on it.
()()()()()
"And finally, this is Applebloom, and her sister Applejack." Celestia said after introducing everyone to Star-Swirl.
"I am pleased to meet you all." Star-Swirl said.
"Come on to the school." Celestia said. "Luna has a feast waiting for us. After dinner, I'll tell you about our plans." Celestia said with a smile. "Believe me, we'll have you out of the city before Sombra even knows you're here."
()()()()()
"What do you mean he's here?!" Sombra shouted. "Who's here?"
"The one who spread all that Jesus nonsense throughout Fillydelphia." Sombra's spy, Adagio Dazzle said as she shook.
Cadence couldn't blame her. She doubted she'd be very brave when it came down to a face-to-face talk with Sombra.
"Oh… Him." Sombra said, realizing Adagio was talking about Star-Swirl. "Why the unmitigated dog! It's bad enough he spreads that poison out in the rest of the world, but to come here… Adagio, thank you for bringing this to my attention.
"You're welcome." Adagio said.
"Cadence," Sombra said. "Why isn't this Christian here now begging for his life?"
"Well sir, my mares haven't found him yet, but I have them on the lookout for any unusual activity." Cadence responded.
"If your men are able to look for anything at all, that would be unusual activity." Chrysalis said with a sneer. She and Chrysalis were natural rivals as they were both very high up in the army and had such opposing views.
"Do you mean that Adagio is the only one who knows where this Christian is?" Sombra asked incredulously. "That Adagio is the one true everlasting friend of the Crystal Empire?"
"Well…" Adagio said. "I didn't actually see where he went."
Adagio growled angrily and then smirked as he used magical lightning to electrocute Adagio to death.
"Now, where were we?" Sombra mused.
"The search for the Christian is a matter for my Changeling Guard." Chrysalis said quickly. "Not these common foot soldiers. Let me do this my way, and I guarantee we'll have this Christian in chains by sunrise."
"The only thing you can guarantee, Chrysalis is brutality and destruction!" Cadence called out angrily.
"Brutality and destruction?" Sombra asked with a smirk. "Why Cadence, what an excellent idea. I want you and Chrysalis to work together."
"Sir!" Chrysalis protested.
"Silence!" Sombra ordered. "Now close the city gates, and let no one travel the hyper space routes of the empire without my official seal!"
Sombra then put down two sets of papers, poured some melted wax from a candle onto them, and pressed down on them with a stamp, leaving his mark on the papers.
"I want that Christian dead." Sombra said as he handed the papers to Cadence and Chrysalis. "As well as anyone caught hiding him. You have your orders, now go!"
Uh-oh. Things look bad for the gang now, don't they?