The Disharmonizers

Hijacked

The train was empty except for the last two cars, the first of which held the six women, their sisters, and Spike, all of them agitated and nervous, and the final car, which held the prisoner and six heavily armed guardsmen, all watching her every move. The last car of the train had been specially designed as a prison car, and was used to transport traitors and criminals who were either too young or too old to receive the standard punishment, or those who were considered special threats and would be taken to Canterlot for questioning.

Rainbow Dash was still furious. "This is ridiculous. Twist is harmless."

"Celestia doesn't accuse people for no reason, Dashie." Fluttershy kept her eyes on her hands, which were folded in her lap. She hated seeing people dragged away for treason, but the fear of Discord and the Disharmony movement silenced any protest she might have. The shy young woman lived her life in a perpetual state of paranoia, forever fearful that she might fall victim to the invisible threat that stalked their streets. Dangers she could see were bad enough. One that was unseeable, but always there, breathing down her neck...it gave her nightmares.

"Ah think there's just been some kind of mistake. Twist ain't done nothin' wrong, and once we clear it up with the Princess, we'll all be able to go home." Applejack comfortingly ruffled her little sister's red hair, which Apple Bloom immediately reached up to straighten and adjust the red bow that always adorned her ponytail.

Even Pinkie Pie was less bubbly than usual. She had seen Twist frequently at Sugarcube Corner, where the little girl had asked for ingredients to make her own candies. Now the pink-haired woman stared out the window, absently playing with the hem of her sky-blue t-shirt. She was running through every conversation she had ever had with Twist in her head, trying to figure out if she had accidentally revealed anything incriminating to the child. If Twist informed on her...well, no one knew what happened to somebody once the Disharmonizers got ahold of them. Stories told of people cut apart and their pieces scattered all over their city like some kind of sick Easter egg hunt. Some people said that Discord drank the blood of his victims, others that he hung them from the ceiling by hooks in their skin until they rotted and fell out. None of the stories were pleasant, and Pinkie's vivid imagination did nothing to help the matter.

Rarity was brushing Sweetie Belle's pink and purple hair with obsessive precision, keeping her mind occupied with making sure every curl was perfect instead of thinking about the current situation. It was terrifying, really, to think that such young children might be pulled into the Disharmony Movement. Twist was no older than Sweetie Belle and her friends. What would she do if her little sister joined the rebels? It was a horrifying thought. Her darling sister, whom she loved more than anything, could possibly be secretly plotting the downfall of all Equestria? It just didn't seem possible.

Twilight hadn't stopped pacing the length of the car since they had boarded. She was worried what seeing Twist would do to Princess Celestia. The ruler had been stressed already, and now she was about to be presented with a seven-year-old girl who had been swayed by the Disharmonizers. The usual sentence for the crime of disloyalty was immediate execution by a shot in the head, but when someone was exceptionally young or old and they were found to be traitorous, they were taken to Canterlot for individual judgement. Twilight had never been present for these trials, and did not know the outcome, but none of those accused had ever returned to their homes, so she assumed it was some kind of imprisonment. No matter who they were, traitors couldn't just be set free. Discord would find them, and their punishment for being caught wouldn't be nearly as merciful as a swift bullet to the head.

Twilight groaned. The last thing the Princess needed right now was to have the heroes of Equestria show up in defense of a young traitor. It would have been better if they had just sent Twist by herself. Celestia would be just, as always. It was highly unlikely that they would be able to alter her sentence in any way.