Chapter 18

Never Split the Party

Twilight and her friends sat around the table, looking to one another puzzled. Rainbow Dash was the first to finally ask Roller, "Um, what exactly just happened? How'd we get separated like that and what happened to the mines?"

Roller told them, "If I were to tell you that then there wouldn't be any mystery and the story would be spoiled. It's up to you guys to figure this out, I'm just the narrator."

The six mares were quiet for a moment before rearranging their seating so that they were next to whoever their character was with. Twilight and Applejack sat on one side of the table, Rarity and Pinkie Pie on another and Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy took the last side. Roller smiled and said, "That should make things a lot easier to organize..."

"... Now, where were we?"

Jack and Twin Star followed their new companion through dark alleyways and vacant streets, trying to be as quiet as they could. Eventually, they came to the back door of a small house and their guide knocked on the door three times. After about a minute, the door opened a crack and a single eye could be seen peeking through. "What's the password?" came a hushed voice from inside the door.

The guide cleared his throat and whispered, "Save the queen," before taking a step back. The door shut again and the sounds of a bolt lock being undone were heard before the door opened all the way and another hooded figure gestured for them to enter. Once they were all inside, the door was shut again.

The room they now stood in was dimly lit, but they could tell from the stove in the corner and the cupboards along the wall that it was a kitchen. Three more hooded ponies sat at a table in the middle of the room, looking at the two adventurers. "What's this that you've brought us?" one of them asked, "Are they from the camp?"

Jack and Twin Star looked to each other before asking in unison, "What camp?" and immediately being told to hush. The other ponies looked at them with suspicion except for their guide.

"Apologies," the guide said, "but, our group would appreciate it if you kept your voices down. It is past curfew."

Twin Star spoke in a hushed tone, "Sorry, we didn't know. What's this about a camp? Where are we? What's going on?"

Another pony at the table answered, "You must be new to The Colony, so let me explain. This may look like a city, but it's really a prison. The ponies here were once working folk from the forests and mines, but we were captured and now serve as unwilling subjects to something called The Kingdom of the Second Sun. Life is hard here, but we're at least better off than those that get sent to the labor camps."

"Y'all are gonna have to explain how exactly we got here," Jack told them, "I don't remember walkin' that much. Where is this kingdom?"

Another hooded pony answered, "We're not entirely sure ourselves. My brothers and I were working in the mines when we were captured by Diamond Dogs. They threw us into some big, purple thing and when I woke up, the guard dogs here put me to work hauling carts."

Just then, there was a knock at the front door and a Diamond Dog's voice shouting "Open door! We saw new ponies run in there! It past bedtime for stupid ponies!" Everyone around the table froze but the guide, who darted out of the room and motioned for the two adventurers to follow him. After a quick trip down a small staircase, they found themselves in a basement and the door closed behind them.

The guide moved to one corner of the basement and lifted up a rug, revealing a trap door. He opened it and said, "We made a tunnel that goes to the sewers down here. If you can ignore the smell and follow the arrows we painted on the walls then that should get you to another safe house. Somepony will answer your questions there."

"You're not coming with us?" Twin Star asked, "Why not?

The other pony began back up the stairs and said, "Somepony has to divert the attention of the guards and keep this place hidden," before opening the door , he gave a smart smirk and said, "Wish me luck."

Jack and Twin Star dove into the trap door, closing it behind them. After only a few steps, they found themselves ankle-deep in foul-smelling water. The tunnel was wide enough for the both of them, and even though they both felt sick from the smell they pressed onward.

Reyna and Flute were still wandering through the overgrown hedges they woke up in. The barbarian led the way while her quiet friend followed a few steps behind. While Reyna was being cautious enough to stop before turning around corners, Flute didn't pick up on this and accidentally bumped into her on more than one occasion.

Finally, Reyna looked back and scolded, "Could you back up a few steps? It's not even that scary in here."

"Sorry," Flute apologized, "It's just that it's dark and kind of creepy."

The barbarian let out a sigh, "Aren't you a forest pony? Aren't overgrown plants kind of your home or something?"

"Actually," the quiet pony started, but stopped when they heard something moving in nearby hedges. Over the top of the next giant shrub, they could see the shining metal tip of a spear. Flute whimpered in fright and backed up several steps.

The barbarian lunged through the foliage despite her injury. As she broke through the other side, her front hooves collided with a Diamond Dog's iron breastplate and let out a loud clanging noise. As Reyna stumbled back from the recoil, a huge paw closed around her neck and hoisted her into the air.

Reyna called back, "Flute! Run!" but only heard another hound behind her giving a low chuckle. From the whole she made in the plant life emerged her friend and another dog, this one pointing the end of a spear at the forest pony's rear.

"Um, R-reyna?" Flute's voice was shaking, "I th-think we've been c-captured again."

"Don't you know? You never split the party!" Pin Kay was singing a cheery tune, "Keep the healer in the back, keep those fighters feeling hearty!"

Styles let out a sigh. The two had been wandering the halls for a while now, but couldn't find anything of interest. Yes, there were fine paintings hanging all over the walls and many doors that surely led to interesting places, but guards were standing watch in front of every door and at ever corner of every turn. The thief could do nothing without being seen and the bard's song was starting to get on her nerves.

"The wizard in the middle so she can shed some light and you never let that darn thief out of sight," Pin Kay drew out the last note before taking a big breath and cheering, "Second verse, same as the first!" and starting over again, "Don't you know...?"

Lady Styles' hoof pressed against the bard's lips and only a few muffled notes escaped before Pin Kay tilted her head in confusion. "Miss Kay," Styles tried to keep her composure, "I like a good song as much as the next pony, but if I hear that verse one more time then I am going to scream. Do you understand?"

The bard nodded and her companion uncovered her mouth. She stayed quiet for all of a few seconds before starting to hum the song she had been singing earlier. The thief was about to turn around and pummel the poor pony, but something out a nearby window caught her eye.

"Pin," Styles pointed out the window, "is that the same courtyard we could see out my bedroom window?"

Pin Kay looked to where her friend was pointing and nodded, "Yep. That's the courtyard," before noticing something and waving, "Hey! It's Flute and Reyna out there! Hi, Flute! Hi, Reyna!"

Styles smacked a hoof against her own forehead and told her friend flatly, "They're being captured by Diamond Dogs."

Pin took a second glance and could see her friends being carried over the shoulders of a rather large guard while another guard behind him held a spear in their face threateningly. Her expression turned from joy to concern as she gasped, "Oh no. What do we do? I'm powerless without my guitar."

Styles shook her head, "I don't know, but there has to be some way to rescue them. We'll think of something, Pin Kay."

Jack and Twin Star continued their trek through the sewers, following a series of arrows that had been painted on the walls. They had started to get used to the foul smell of this place, though Twin Star still felt sick to her stomach. It wasn't long before they came to what seemed to be a dead end.

Twin Star looked around, but couldn't see anything but more sewer. "Where's the safe house?" she asked, "This was supposed to take us to a safe house. Wasn't it?"

Before Jack could answer, a hatch opened above them and light poured into the narrow tunnel. A voice called quietly, "Quick! Up here!" and the two adventurers obeyed.

The knight and the sorceress were now in another cellar, this one full of crates. On one of the crates stood another hooded pony who asked them, "Who are you? I thought only we knew about this place? Where's Oliver's group?"

Twin Star shook her head, "I don't even know who Oliver is. We just got to town and somepony took us to a place he thought was safe, but Diamond Dogs found us. He told us to jump into the sewers and follow the arrows."

The pony on the crate looked at them with suspicion, "Well, you do look like outsiders. If Oliver and his group have been lost, we'll know for sure in the morning," he turned and jumped down from his perch, "Stay down here. I'll be back for you later. If you're telling the truth then I won't have to bring any friends."

Twin Star and Jack closed the hatch to their entrance and sat down for a rest. For the moment, it seemed as though they were safe.

Reyna and Flute both let out a grunt of pain as they hit the floor of a cold, stone cell. The dog that threw them in their smiled as it locked the iron bar door. The barbarian got to her feet and started kicking to bars with all of her remaining strength, but it was no use. "I want my due process!" She shouted.

In a few moments, hoofsteps could be heard coming down the corridor outside their cell. The pony with indigo robes from the alter soon stood outside their cell. He gloated, "Well, the barbarian and the shape-shifter are also in my clutches. Not as fair as the thief, but still prizes worthy of the effort."

"You!" Reyna shouted, "Who do you think you are? You can't just lock ponies up like this!"

"Can't I?" he retorted, "Last time I checked, you trespassed on my property. Where I come from, that comes with penalties," he then let out a slow, deep laugh.

The barbarian stepped right up to the bars of her cell and challenged, "Let's see if you're still laughing after I knock all your teeth out! Unlock this cell!"

Their captor turned and left them with, "No, I don't think I will. Pretty things get displayed in the main hall. Trash stays down here," Followed by loud, mocking laughter.

"TRASH?"

Rainbow Dash had jumped across the table and had Roller pinned to the floor. Her hooves weighed heavily on his chest as she warned, "Say that again, writer boy! I dare you!"

Between gasps for breath, the author stated, "Just... playing... character... get... off... can't... breathe."

The pegasus was lifted off the stallion by Fluttershy and Applejack. Twilight's eyes were wide as she suggested, "Maybe we should stop here."

From the floor, Roller raised up a hoof and said, "I second that motion. Things are getting a little too intense."

"Y-yeah," Fluttershy agreed as she nervously shuffled her hooves back and forth, "good idea."

Five guests picked up their character sheets, said their goodbyes and left the shop. Roller Called after them, "Same time tomorrow if you can make it," before getting up, turning around and finding Twilight Sparkle had not left. He stammered, "Uh, c-can I help you?"

Twilight pointed to the poster of the three heroes he had hanging in his shop and told him, "It's just the two of us now and you keep talking to a poster when you think nopony is around. Mind telling me why? I won't tell the others."

Roller looked down and away before looking back to Twilight. "I'm sorry," his voice shook and was very quiet, "I can't. Not right now." The author proceeded to pick up the game as he said in a sad tone, "Maybe I'll tell somepony some day, but not today. Go home, Twilight Sparkle."

The purple unicorn wanted to ask again, but couldn't bring herself to do it. As she left the shop, she turned around and said, "Roller, I just want you to know that you can talk to me. We are friends, after all."

As she left, her words seemed to hang in the air. Roller tried to focus on making notes about what happened in the game and putting away the pieces, but his mind kept repeating the same word over and over in her voice. "Friends," he eventually muttered to himself. He looked once again at the poster in his shop and stated, "I'm not sure what to think of that word anymore."

A/N: The song used is a very slightly modified and looping version of "Never Split the Party" by Emerald Rose.