Pain.
If ever there was a reminder to everypony that they were mortal, it was pain. Physiological, emotional, mental and even spiritual pains. The most common being physical, and thus the one I'm feeling right now. Bolts of electrical impulses sent all the way from the nerve endings spread throughout my body straight to my brain to gently remind me with all the subtlety of a goddamn Sledgehammer. Do you know how subtle a sledgehammer is?
NOT VERY FUCKING SUBTLE!
It's in my flesh, my muscles, my bones, the very pores of my skin. I can feel it everywhere. Even in places I didn't even know I had! My ears even hurt, and I can feel something inside my ear hurting. Hell, I can even feel pain in places that I really shouldn't be feeling pain in right now, unless I'd just had a rectal examination or something, or more. I'm not even kidding. Pain should not exist. I curse the pony who invented pain. I curse them down to the deepest, darkest pits of Tartarus itself. I will find him and inflict that much pain upon him that life itself will lose all meaning. Then I will kill him. Slowly. Very slowly. Making sure he experienced as much of his creation as possible.
Gods above, below, on this plane or any other, I hate pain.
With a low groan, I opened my eyes painfully. Oh right, everything is painful. Anyway, it's dark out. Still dark. Either I've gone and slept for only an hour or so, or I've been asleep for some time. I can't decide which, hopefully only an hour or two. No promises of course, but there you go.
"I see you are awakened, small equine. We trust you will not scream again and harm our ears."
I froze and turned my head painstakingly slowly, literally, to look at the massive hound glaring balefully at me. I gulped and shook my head, grimacing at the pain. Fuck you pain. Fuck you. The hound snorted, apparently satisfied.
"That is satisfactory. Please do not struggle against your bonds. They are there for your own protection,and will not come off unless MoonDust permits it."
Bonds?
I tugged experimentally and found my left hoof was shackled, yes, shackled to the floor! With a surprised yelp I tried to yank myself free only to find the rest of me shackled as well! With a cry of dismay I started to struggle, the metallic chains clanking against their links and the floor. This went on for almost a minute before a loud bark silenced me, making me still and look at the terrifyingly massive hound before me with a nervous gulp. He looked pissed. But then, he always seemed to look pissed from what I've seen.
"Will you please be quiet!? I have a big enough headache as it is. Simply having to look after you is irritating enough without you going and a bigger headache. So do yourself a favor and shut. Up. It'd be such a pity for you to lose your vocal cords."
Holy crap. I am in so much trouble right now. I nodded rapidly to him. It's not that I was afraid! No way! I was definitively NOT afraid of the really big black and red hound with really big teeth and the eyes of a killer. Nu-uh. No way. Impossible. I was just... quiet because I needed to think! Yes. I need to figure out how to get out of here. I have no doubt that if I tried to use magic he'd be on me in a moment. I'm not ready to get on his bad side though. Not that I'm afraid of him! No way. Just because he's bigger than me by about two feet...
Shutup.
~*~
An hour passed, and the cold of the metal shackles chilled my fetlocks and I was getting cramps in my hind legs. The hound was curled up in the corner, watching me closely. It's a bit creepy, the way he's been watching me. Another hour passes and I can no longer feel my forehooves and I'm desperately trying to restrain my groans of pain from the agony I can feel in my hind legs. I looked at the hound, or glare would probably be a better word. He glared back at me. With a lack of anything better to do, I decided it probably couldn't harm me any more than it already had.
"You know," I said quietly, catching his attention, "Restraining a pony against their will is illegal, just as owning shackles is unless you're an officer of the law or a guard. You can be arrested for it."
The hound raised an eyebrow, as if he was amused.
"If you can find a lawman in Spurs Hollow, then go ahead and tell them, but the closest thing we have is the self proclaimed sheriff, Gold Star. I'm sure he'd see Moon Dust's side of things. It's for your own good."
I felt a rather rational surge of anger at this and I felt the rage in my voice as I spoke without thought.
"I've been shackled to the floor by cold fucking shackles in possibly the most uncomfortable way possible to give me cramps that increase in intensity until I feel like a shiv's been shoved through both legs and I'll never walk again you great oaf!"
Almost instantly after I said it, I had a deep feeling of dread, like I was going to regret ever uttering those words to this creature. Contrary to my expectations however, he smirked smugly, and I can see the effort he put in not to smile any wider.
"Well, I do have a reputation to keep up. Hellhounds aren't known for their generosity."
Hellhound? Hellhound? Bullshit, Hellhounds don't exist. Their stories. Tales. Myths. They've never been recorded to even begin existing and, even if they did, they didn't live on this plane. Stupidity. This is probably some normal dog with a spell cast on it to make it speak in our language, nothing more. An elaborate hoax. A canine conundrum, A trickster's trolling, a fools jest. Hellhounds don't exist!
Do they?
A rolling laugh filled the room and I glared at the hound, the source of the laughter and my discomfort.
"You do not believe me. I can see it in your eyes. Think what you will, I have told you of what I am. It is up to you to decide to believe me or not. Either way, Moondust will decide if you go free or if you stay for longer. You need rest. And a lesson in hospitality."
I won't even grace that with an answer.
I looked away, frowning deeply. I really shouldn't be here, and lying like this any longer was probably going to lose me my legs. I just know it. Already I can feel them start to pain me, throbbing and aching. It's not a pleasant feeling, and it's one I dread. If I lose anything now, I'll never get to the glades, and I'll never get the cure for Cadenza.
I guess I have a long time to think.
~*~
Why am I doing this? Why am I doing this in the first place? Is it because my name has been sullied with slights not of my doing? Am I really that selfish that I would forsake everything simply to save myself? Am I really that pathetic?
I'm not sure if I can answer that.
My whole life was me trying to prove myself. My father was a guard, my mother was a powerful spell caster. Of course I had big shoes to fill, but how could I? I barely graduated Magic School and I'm wiry, thing and gangly, not suiting of a guard at all. My armour had to be tailored to my fit since I'm so thin, I don't wield any weapons and my magic is practically nonexistent. And yet a talent in illusion and combat magic? What good is that if I can barely cast the spells? Is that why I'm trying so hard, so desperate to get to the Somerset Glades? To prove myself? I have a lot to prove... but mother left Canterlot years ago, I don't even know where she went, and father was put into a coma by a mugger in an alley when he was off duty. I have nopony to prove anything to, so why would I be trying to prove anything when there's nopony to prove myself to?
None of this makes any sense.
Maybe it's because I swore to defend the Royal family. Princess Mi Amore is Celestia's niece after all, so she is part of the royal family. Her life is in critical danger, so I suppose maybe that's it? I don't know her terribly well, and we didn't really have the best first meeting in the world, but I harbor her no ill will. Perhaps that is it. Just trying to protect the family, and clear my name.
Ugh, this is destroying my brain.
A clink and the rattle of chains broke my train of thought and I looked up to see the two shackles holding my hind legs down being opened by the hound. As soon as they were free I tried to sit up, then was brutally reminded about the pair on my forehooves as I near yanked my shoulders from their sockets. With an irritable grumble the hound undid one of the shackles, then sat back where he was and watched me. With this much freedom, I could certainly move into a more comfortable position and, watching the hound carefully, I slowly did so, rotating my body around until I was on my stomach, hind legs pressed against my sides and I could lay comfortably, one forehoof rubbing the other to try and restore as much circulation as I could. I was still restricted of course, and fairly heavily, but not as much. It glanced suspiciously at the hound.
"Why did you do that? I thought you said-"
"She is not home yet," Interrupted the hound, "And had I left it any longer, there would be a good chance your legs wouldn't function properly for some time."
Well, that was the most obvious observation I've heard all year. Let's have a medal for the terribly observant mutt before my eyes shall we? Yes, I think that might be appropriate. Perhaps a badge! Captain Obvious! And I can be lieutenant sarcasm, running amok causing shenanigans.
Bloody stupid mutt.
I don't like this dog, in case I needed to reiterate that fact. I don't even know it's name and I hate this dog. This fleabitten, lice ridden, big nosed, fat headed mongrel of a thing that looked vaguely like a dog. Not happy at all.
"However I will not remove the last shackle. And to put your fears at ease, Moondust has a permit for them."
Oh, right. Like telling me the shackles I had on were permitted to be used by the owner was really going to put my mind at ease. What does she use them for? Interrogation? Celestia's mane, this was getting more and more ridiculous. Because I'm totally going to get all relaxed because the shackles I have on are legally owned. What is she, a policepony? If so, I'm royally screwed. And not in the good way either.
"Well, I feel so much better knowing that my jailer has a bloody permit for a set of shackles. I feel so much at ease."
The dog growled evilly at me and I could feel myself shrink away from its glare.
"Be glad she did not follow my advice to kick you out on your own with nothing on your back but your cloak, else you would probably be dead by now. Her kind heart has kept your ungrateful self alive, so sit there and shutup."
I don't see how on Equestria I'm only alive because of somepony who now has me imprisoned in her home. It's not like my life was threatened by that tumble I had, it's absurd. It wasn't that bad.
"You had six broken bones, three fractured ribs and a very small fracture in your skull close to your horn. Apparently, that's dangerous for your kind."
Shit. Guess I was in danger. Not going to let this dick kno-
Wait up, if I was in such danger, how the hell long was I out!? And I can't feel any difference in my bones. They still hurt like hell. Did they bother to even treat my broken and busted bones? I doubt it. It doesn't feel like it. Probably didn't even care. Just brought me in so they didn't feel guilty. I'm not staying here though. No way. As soon as I can, I'm getting out of here, whether they like it or not.
"Frankie! I'm Hoome~!"
The dog's ears perked up and swiveled with his head to the doorway as the familiar voice ripped through my aching head.I had heard that voice before. It was before I hit my head on the ground I believe. Before I really hurt my head falling off that bloody ramp to the house I was in. Probably still in.
With a hop and a skip, in came a white pegasus with bright, bright multicoloured mane and tail. Her tail was cut severely short and a big pink bow decorated the base of her tail. Her eyes were a bright, bright green and she was big.
Bigger than me anyway.
"Frankie! Is our- Oh! he is! Hello! Sorry about the whole shackle thing, it was for your own good."
She was cute. I've never met a tall mare I could call cute, but this mare was certainly cute. It took me a moment to actually get my thoughts into order that I could respond, and when I did it was angry and heated.
"Yes, because shackling me and leaving me in the company of a talking hound who was more likely to rip my throat out than let me change my position is totally for my own good."
She went to speak, but my rant was far from over.
"Not to mention not treating my apparent broken bones and such things because you couldn't be bothered to help me out rather than to lock me up in your bloody house using shackles you apparently have a permit for, but that I haven't seen yet. And where the hell are my saddlebags!? And what bloody day is it? How long have I been asleep?"
There was a long moment of silence from the entirety of the room as they stared at me, no doubt shocked by my outburst. I myself could scarcely believe I just said what I said, but I stand by it none the less. I can feel the oppressive pains in my chest and limbs right now, reminding me just how much damage I'd done, and how lax she'd been in my keeping.
"Not treating you? Don't be silly! What a mean, thoughtless and rude thing to say! You should be ashamed of yourself!"
I found myself blinking stupidly at the mare before me, who didn't seem angry so much as disappointed.
"Of course I found you some help for your injuries! You still have to put up with the pain of them healing though! Your bags are on the kitchen table, I do have a permit for those, written by Celly herself-"
My mind latched onto that. Celly.
Celly?
The only pony with a name I could think of that fit the pet name was Princess Celestia, and she did have the authority to give permits for the owning and use of shackles to a point. But that's absurd. Why on Equestria, or rather how, could Moondust possibly know the princess? Let alone well enough to call her 'Celly'. That's absurd. Stupid. Wacko. No way could she be on pet-name-basis with the most powerful, or one of, pony in the entire kingdom. Not even possible. Not even close. Princess Celestia is nice, but she's simply too busy to get to know anypony on a pet-name-basis, let alone a first name basis. Most times she calls you 'My little Pony'.
I must have said it out loud, because she was looking at me funny.
"Of course! Who else would I get it off of? My mother worked on your bones I'll have you know, and she's the bestest nurse in all of Equestria!"
Well of course it was her mother. Of course she's the best nurse in all of Equestria. It sounds perfect. Best treatment in the entirety of Equestria.
I'm doomed.