Thundershock

North would growl at Mud again. "You have it far better here than you even deserve, earth pony!" He'd pause for a moment before continuing. "Honestly my best idea right now is trying to carry her out of this city personally, but I don't think I can outrun the thunderbird..."

After a moment he'd get an idea, moving over towards Mud. "How many ponies are in this 'Ground' you talked about?"

Mud scowled at North, but made no comment. "That's more than your business to know." she said.

North groaned at her response, it only annoying him further. "Fine... I was going to suggest that if you have the numbers, and the supplies, you could probably cause quite a large distraction in the Earth Pony section. Large enough to pull in enough guards, and maybe the thunderbird, to give us time to... get out. Somehow." He'd throw his hooves up, not having an idea how they'd get out even with a big distraction going on.

"But then how would the ponies of the Ground escape, if all the attention is on them?" Mud asked. "This isn't just about you and your outsider fillyfriend. We need a way to get everypony out. Everypony in the Ground."

North glared at her, a bit of red growing across his face.  "F-fillyfriend?  Why you..."  He'd become angry, but me managed to compose himself enough to continue.  "You really think you can get everypony of your little 'Ground' out?  There's no way we could get more than a few out, and even that is a longshot.  There's not a ship in this city that could carry more than a small group out!  And we don't have the time to build one."

"There are cargo ships. And they can hold plenty of ponies if they're not carrying cargo! Although that means we'd need a second ship for food and water." Mud argued. She narrowed her eyes and her tone became triumphant, and perhaps even a little smug. "We're not leaving anypony behind, pegasus, and there's nothing you can do about it. You can't leave without our help, and if you and Penstroke are executed before we escape, that only means we get more time to make a better plan. You need us."

North growled at her before trotting up to be mere inches from her face. His expression would show that he'd be incredibly angry. After a few seconds of staring he'd laugh. "You think you hold all the cards? I could have you executed tonight for just uttering half the words you've said. You meet me halfway, or I make sure you reach your 'goal' in person. I hear it's quite a nice view between here and the ground." His voice sounded completely serious, and with more than a hint of hostility.

"Do you think I'm afraid of death?" Mud asked evenly, "The Ground can live without me. It will certainly outlive you if you double-cross me."

North scowled at her again, though he backs up a bit. "You really think so? What's keeping me, or Penstroke, from undermining your whole, traitorous group? We turn in a few of your heads, we become branded as heroes! Your kind has it far easier than you realize, and when word reaches the Princesses about your capabilities, well... I think you'll see what true 'oppression' is!" He'd trot away from her, over towards a nearby wall. He leaned down against it, his head hanging as he attempts to calm himself.

"You're just as blind as the rest of the pegasi if you think we know nothing of oppression." Mud growled. "And you have no hope of truly undermining us. You've been trying for decades, and yet here we are, and growing stronger every day. Killing a hoofful of us will do nothing, we're used to being thrown out!" She'd escalated to a shout, slowly moving closer to North all the while but still keeping a generous distance from the slumped stallion. Then, quietly again, "You may die heroes, but you'll still be dead. I'll be dead, too. A few more earth ponies will be dead, but what is a few more dead earth ponies, right? Either way, the Ground will escape. The only question left is will you cooperate? Or will you try to push us with advantages that you don't have and get yourself and Penstroke killed in the process?"

North moved away from the wall as Mud finished her sentence. Still angered, he marches closer to her. He opened his mouth to make a rebuttal, but closed it after a few seconds, though he'd be unsure why. He sighed, lowering his head for a short moment before looking back into Mud's eyes. "Fine, I'll cooperate, but if you so much as try to betray Penstroke... It may not hurt your precious 'Ground', but I will make sure every single Earth Pony suffers. Understood?" He'd hold himself back, clearly wanting to attack Mud for the things she said, but something holds him back.

He'd look away, taking in a deep breath before speaking once more. "What do you need?"

"Desperate measures." Mud said. "If we're all getting out of here, we need to act fast and hard. And there's only one way we can do that...

"It's experimental. All of it. But it's our best chance: we have potions that... empower ponies, and if we use them, we can have power that surpasses the unicorns."

North's eyes widened upon hearing this before he slowly shook his head, seeming to not believe what she had just told him.  

"What do you mean?  What... potions could do something like that?  How did you Earth Ponies even get a hold of them?"  

North looked down in thought before he gave a short sigh and raised his head.  "Alright.  What's the plan then?  Where and when are you going to use those things?"

"That's what we need to figure out." Mud said, "It would be best to... go after the harbor. But the Princesses will probably be expecting that, and we..." She paused, considering her words carefully. "We'd prefer not to deal with the Thunderbird.

"So..." Suddenly, she grinned, as if she'd just had a clever idea. "Maybe a certain pegasus can pull a few strings in certain places, and a certain outsider could use her enhanced unicorn powers to battle the Thunderbird." It was only an idea. She wasn't actually all that sure of North's influence or knowledge, or of Penstroke's capabilities (if she were really so strong as outsider unicorns were supposed to be, she would've escaped by now, Mud reasoned), so there would need to be a lot of ironing out and planning. And if that simply couldn't work... Mud was already pushing her luck with North's temper, she wasn't sure how well he'd take her other ideas.

North simply shook his head before he spoke.  "I'm not sure what kind of strings you expect me to pull.  I'm not a high ranking guard, not even really a respected one."  He let out a low growl as he said this part, clearly angered further by the truth behind it.  "The harbor is also one of the most guarded spots in the city." he said, "Most likely more-so now with the craziness that's been happening.  Although...  Hmm.  I might be able to pull some guards away from it, at the very least."  He paused once more, his head lowered.  He seemed to be struggling more and more as he talked about this, clearly not handling the thought of treachery well.

North then took in a deep breath before he continued.  "And unless Penstroke has been putting on an act I'm certain she's no stronger than any unicorns here.  In fact, she seems far weaker, though her ability to use magic certainly has been hampered since she arrived."  He then mulled this fact over in his mind as he finished speaking.  I need to ask her about this once I leave this damned alley.

"But surely you know things? Things that would help us? In any way?" Mud asked, "And I'll talk to Penstroke. I'm sure she can do something."

North opened his mouth to speak, but closed it a moment later. It was clear he did know things, but, at least for the moment, he refused to disclose it. He looked away, further down the alley. "I'll have to do some personal scouting of the harbor. I... don't remember much about it." He lied, of course, but his tone sounded mostly sincere.

He then glanced back to Mud. "I'm not sure how you intend to talk to Penstroke. She's... currently in Pegatropolis."

"Imprisoned?" Mud asked, concerned.

North let out a short laugh before shaking his head. "No, not necessarily. I figured it'd be the safest place for her in the city. No one would search for a Unicorn in the clouds of Pegatropolis. They'd never even be able to get there." He paused for a moment before continuing. "At least, not without help from a Pegasus."

Mud blinked. Slowly. And she scowled. Slowly. "...you're telling me you hid her in your house?!" she hissed.

North reeled back a bit at this, a small tint of red formed across his muzzle. "Y-yeah! I mean, maybe... Look, it's one of the best, safest spots for her right now!" he argued, "The Princesses ordered the Guard to basically tear apart Unicornia and Earth bit by bit until she and any conspirators were found. The only safe place in this entire city for her right now is right under the Princesses' muzzles."

"Wasn't she being captured earlier?" Mud asked, "If so, wouldn't they expect her to be in prison?

"Where are they gonna look if the unicorn that a certain pegasus, a certain stupid pegasus, grew fond of turned out not to be in prison?"

North again shook his head, before growling, further angered by her insult.  "You're sorely misinformed, Earth Pony.  She was 'captured' in the sense that guards dragged her to the castle.  However, a certain 'stupid' Pegasus corrected their mistake.  They caught a druggie, not the missing outsider.  That 'druggie' is currently missing, not that anyone really cares, mind you."  

He then stepped closer to Mud, his face contorted a bit from his annoyance.  "I'd appreciate it if you didn't call me 'stupid,' Earth Pony."

"I'm only saying what everypony thinks." Mud retorted, eyes narrowed. "And the druggie, that you for some reason care about, is... gone? And you don't think anypony's going to suspect that in a time like this?"

North growled further, his hooves digging into the pavement below.  He practically barked his next few statements at her.  "Do you have no clue what the buck is going on in this city?  There's a city wide marehunt going on, Guard's are tearing the city apart looking for an outsider, the Princesses are getting ready to let loose the Thunderbird, and you think any pony gives a single buck about a missing druggie?  It wasn't even recorded in any logs, or scrolls.  The guards who caught her all left and are probably sleeping now after their failed search."  He sounded and looked as though he was mere moments from striking Mud.