//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: The Pale Land 
// by OrphiusOlyandra 
//------------------------------//

	"Really 'Shy, I don't see why you always help these dogs out." Rainbow Dash glared at the filthy slave in the corner. The only thing worse than the way they looked, was the way they smelled. "I mean, just look at them!"

"You didn't have to come with me," whispered Fluttershy as she splinted an earth pony's foreleg. "Now Butterscotch, remember to keep your weight off the leg alright? I know it'll be hard, but keep your head down and try not to talk back to Thunderlane alright?"

The cream earth pony immediately snatched the leg back and scrambled back into a dark corner of the room. There was no 'Thank you' or even a smile. Instead all Fluttershy got was a snarl from one of the other earth ponies as they glared at her and pressed their backs against the earthen wall.

Dash took a step forward and snarled, "What? You got something to sa-"

Fluttershy merely gave a small shake of her head.

"Fine, whatever." The cyan pegasus stepped back and leaned against the doorframe. "Just hurry it up will you? If we get caught again, I might not be able to save us like last time."

"Um... you know you don't have to do this, right?" Fluttershy pulled out a bottle of antiseptic and began applying it to a cut on a filly's leg. "That is, not that I'm saying you shouldn't- I mean I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but... um... oh dear... I mean, I know you dream of becoming a Wonderbolt and-"

"'Shy, shut up." Dash pushed a lock of mane out of her eyes and glared at an earth pony who got a bit too close to Fluttershy. "You're more important than the fucking Wonderbolts."

"I'm not, you know. Not really, you just say that... not that I'm calling you a liar or anything, but... um... how do I put this..." In the darkness of the dungeon, the only light source was the single candle Dash carried with her, making it difficult to figure out what Fluttershy was doing, but there was no doubt in Dash's mind that it was some medical stuff. "Um... Dash, do you think we could move their housing to somewhere less... damp? This is not good for their health and- Only if it won't get you in trouble of course!"

"Why? They're dirt, let them wallow in their own filth." A pair of blue eyes glared at Dash. "It was a joke! Ha, ha, ha...? Fine, I'll see what I can do. Probably try and bullshit my way through with some sort of 'Not being buried alive means they live longer, which means more food for us in the long term and less dangerous raids!' No promises though."

"Thank y-"

"And definitely no hugs," said Dash as she held her friend at bay. "Not until you've showered at least. Who knows what sort of diseases they carry. So you done here?"

"Um..."

"You're done here," said Dash firmly as she growled at the earth ponies. Disgusting bunch. "Pack your stuff up 'Shy and get out while I lock up."

"But-"

"No buts." The two stared at each other, but like always, Fluttershy hid behind her mane and began collecting her medical supplies. Once she was gone, Dash began walking forwards, a low growl in the back of her throat. "As for the rest of you, if any of you even thinks about telling, I will make their life so miserable, Tartarus will look like a blessing. And if I don't know who it was, you all suffer. Got that?"

None could meet her gaze.

"Good." Dash paused as she reached the door. "Oh, and don't think I can't do it even if I get in trouble. Turn on me and I will fuck you with a rusty spike."

The door slammed shut, leaving the slaves in total darkness and Dash took a second to gather up her nerves. Experiencing the whipping post once was one too many, she did not want to go through that again. Once she was sure her knees were no longer shaking and that her fur most certainly was not matted with sweat, she began the long journey out with a torch firmly in her mouth. Earthen walls pressed in on all sides, and no matter how many times she told herself they were not getting any closer, it did not reassure her in the slightest. Her breath misted before her and she tightened her scarf and put on her heavy duty parka. After a second of struggling, she forced her wings through the wing slits at the back and buttoned the entire thing off.

"Dash?" called Fluttershy from above.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Dash ran up the stairs two steps at a time as she threw on her goggles and made sure she was properly covered up. By the time she reached Fluttershy, Dash was covered in a layer of sweat in addition to all the layers of fabric. "You ready?"

"Y-Yes," replied Fluttershy.

Before either of them could open the door, the burst open. The two groups stared at each other before Dash noticed the lightning bolt with wings badge on his chest. Throwing a hasty salute, she immediately scrambled to the side of the passage to let him through while dragging Fluttershy along. With the barest of nods in acknowledgement, he stepped through and kicked the door shut. Off came the goggles and mask and the parka was unbuttoned revealing a male blue pegasus with green eyes and dark blue mane.

It was Soarin! Here! A Wonderbolt in the middle of nowhere! And that could only mean one thing. Some pegasus was about to be asked to join the Wonderbolts, and who better than Rainbow Dash? Sure, she was only a flight lieutenant, but who cares? Wonderbolt Soarin was here! And that meant Dash would finally be part of the specialist squadron. She'd be running the most dangerous missions, she'd have pegasi looking up to her, she'd have everything she'd ever wanted.

Rainbow Dash would not giggle though. She would not let any sense of just how awesome today was slip through. Okay, maybe a tiny giggle under her breath slipped out, but that was it!

Wait till Lightning Dust hears about this! She'll be sooooo jealous an-

Wait, what if Soarin was here for Lightning?

All that joy and excitement and giddiness fled and was replaced by jealousy and anger. A second later though, and she squished it like an earth pony. Even if Soarin was here for Lightning, and not the coolest pegasus ever, Dash had to admit that Lightning deserved the spot. She was good, almost as good as herself truth be told, and... well... Dash couldn't think of any pegasus else more worthy of being a Wonderbolt. Other than herself of course.

"Rainbow Dash, correct?" Though it was phrased as a question, it was clearly a statement and that giddiness was back. Soarin knew her name! "And Fluttershy. What are you two doing down here at this hour?"

A sense of dread washed over Dash, but she quickly recovered, "Checking on the slaves sir. This is a farming encampment, so the safety of the slaves is paramount. Without them our production would decrease to unacceptable levels."

"Rather than spending time on defense drills or making sure the area is adequately fortified against unicorn raids or monster attacks?"

"We're far enough from the border that I felt the slaves took priority over defenses," came the nervous reply. Please don't let this end in another whipping...

"Despite the recent hit on Outpost Farsight just north east of here?" A scowl touched Soarin's face. "That pink menace has been striking us all along the border on opposite ends. How she appears on one side and then the other in the space of a day is beyond frustrating." His eyes darted side to side before leaning in to speak in a hushed whisper, "Some say the souls of the fallen warm her hooves and that she killed a dragon with her bare hooves, but all we know is that she's pink. Disgustingly bright pink might I had."

Dash just blinked.

"Walk with me." Soarin merely nodded and began descending. After a second of tense silence he added, "The only thing that's always worthy of time is cooking. Baking specifically."

Dash traded a totally confused glance with Fluttershy, but Soarin continued with a serious look on his face, "Food is important for morale! Never forget that."

"Um... of course sir, thank you for the advice sir...?" Once more a confused expression was exchanged. "Fluttershy, return to base and prepare a room and meal. Inform Lightning Dust of our guest," ordered Dash once she had recovered.

"That won't be necessary, I will be leaving shortly," said Soarin without looking over his shoulder. "Return to base and forget I was ever here."

"Y-Yes sir," said Fluttershy as she made for the door.

"Actually, do you have pies?"

"P-Pies sir?" asked Fluttershy as she let her mane shield her face. "Um... I-I don't believe so... Sorry sir..."

"Ah, no worries then. I won't be staying for long in that case." He threw a goofy grin over to Dash. "Pies boost morale the most. Remember that."

"Ye-Yes sir." Dash made a shooing motion to Fluttershy before quickly following after Soarin. She knew he was a tad... off... ever since that Everfree mission, but that was just plain weird.

After a couple seconds of walking down the steps silently, he stopped and turned to face the blue pegasus. "Flight lieutenant, you are about to be briefed on your upcoming task, and we will not accept 'no' as an answer." Pause. "Though just between the two of us, that's only because Spitfire would totally kick my flank if you said 'no' and trust me, there's a reason why she's called that."

For a second Dash just stared at Soarin, before she remembered his rank and immediately snapped to attention. This was it, the test. She needed to pass this with flying colors or she could kiss all her dreams goodbye. Lowest ranking officer to get into the Wonderbolts was in her reach as long as she didn't fuck up. Deep breaths, and remember what Fluttershy always says, 'Think before you speak.'

"There is a single unicorn headed in your direction and will arrive shortly. You will not engage in combat, you will barter with her and see what information you can pull from her. As long as what she wants does not endanger any pegasi or reveal any secrets you are allowed to trade it. Understood?"

"Sir, yes sir!" replied Dash with a salute, though in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but wonder just what the fuck was going on. Trading with a unicorn? That was a death sentence for the lucky ones, and yet, here was a Wonderbolt telling her to do exactly that. Whatever, Dash didn't care about the politics or all that other crap, all she cared about was becoming a Wonderbolt and kicking flank.

"Good. Now as far as you're concerned, this conversation never took place and I was never here. Think of this as that one mission I ran back when I was green recruit as part of the Wonderbolts. You know, the one where we totally kicked those uni- Actually, that's classified. Forget I said anything."Once more with that goofy grin and Dash could only stare at him in surprise. "For my duration here I am merely another nameless recruit. You will lead myself and two other ponies out to confront this unicorn. You will handle the bargaining, but know this, I still have authority, so don't buck up. Heh, I should tell about the third Canterlot mission sometime. Have you ever seen a pink Spitfire in a dress? Best. Thing. Ever."

"Sir, yes sir!...?"

He nodded in approval. "Seems like that last whipping finally put some obedience into you. Now who will you take with us?"

"Lightning Dust and Fluttershy, sir," replied Dash without missing a beat.

"I see. Good choices soldier." Soarin began walking back up the steps. "Fluttershy... she's turning fourteen soon right?"

"Yes sir..." A sense of dread crawled up Dash's spine.

"Has she picked a mate yet?"

"N-Not that I'm aware of," a bit of concern crept into her voice before she hastily added, "Sir."

"A pretty little thing, isn't she?" His tone was oddly neutral and that just made Dash sweat even more. She knew there were rumors of her sexuality flying around despite her best efforts to squash them; she still caught whispers of it every so often. There were even rumors of her and Fluttershy being an item or her and Lightning Dust, and if there was ever a sentence worse than collaborating with the enemies, that was it.

"Sir, permission to speak freely."

"Of course! Er... I mean permission granted," he chuckled and winked.

"Fluttershy's not ready!" she blurted. "She can barely say 'sex' without fainting, let alone actually have sex with a male. She'd probably die or something! "

"You seem to care an awful lot." Though Dash couldn't see Soarin's face, she got the distinct impression that he was somewhat amused by her reaction.

"I care about every pegasus in my care. From Fluttershy to Thunderlane, and yes, even Cloud Kicker. They're under my care, they're my responsibility, and I care about every single last one of them! And I can tell you for a fact Fluttershy is not ready. She hasn't even shown interest in any of the stallions for fuck's sake!" In the following silence, her words echoed back to them and she added, "Sir."

"The law is the law and it cannot be broken, no matter how much we may wish otherwise," he said in a subdued tone of voice. "But regardless, the laws bend for no one. I suggest you find a stallion willing to play the part and leave it at that."

Easier said than done. All the stallions around here ever cared about was finding some hot mare to warm their beds at night. None of them actually cared about what they were actually like as ponies. As far as Dash was concerned, none of them even came close to deserving Fluttershy, and there was no way in Tartarus was going to let Fluttershy be pressured into something like that. A respectable stallion? Ha! As if such a thing exists.

Soarin must have taken Dash's silence for agreement or something for he began walking up the stairs once more and she was forced to trudge after him. Once more the heavy layers were thrown on and Dash no longer felt the giddiness from before. Sure, it was Soarin, but...

With a sigh, she shook her head. She'd tell Lightning Dust about it later, but right now she had a Wonderbolt to impress. One that had his eyes on Flutte-

"Wait, aren't you married to Spitfire!?" Soarin's head snapped back and Dash backpedaled away from the glare that was directed at her. "No offense sir. Sorry sir. Won't happen again sir."

"Make sure it doesn't Flight Lieutenant."

Dash gulped, nodding so fast she was afraid it'd pop right off. "Yes sir, of course sir, deeply sorry about that sir."

"Recruit?"

"Yes sir."

"Get me a pie and you're forgiven."

What.

Before Dash could even process that request, Soarin threw the door open and leapt into the freezing air as though it was the most natural thing to do in the world. It took five seconds before Dash managed to overcome her confusion and close the door before leaping up into the air after that insane pegasus. Despite the heavy layers, she could already feel the chill reaching her bones and she pushed herself just that bit harder.

All she could see was white. The white sky, the white barren ground, the white snow that fell in torrents. Though Dash hated wearing all those layers of clothing, she knew she'd die if she didn’t. But... every fiber of her body screamed at her to toss them off, to see just how fast she was without restrictions. She had so many tricks and ideas and plans in her mind, but every single one of them was impossible while bundled up so tight. 

One day she'd say 'Fuck it' and shed all those useless layers. One day she'd take to the sky and perform those tricks. One day she'd actually be able to push her limits to the extremes.

One day...

Yeah, and maybe one day the mythical 'sun' would appear as well. As if. It was a stupid fillyhood dream and she knew it.

With a sigh she glided into the sky fortress. Instead of landing outside and walking in through, she gave a strong flap of her wings as she narrowed in on the entrance. Wings snapping shut at the last possible second, Dash zipped in without clipping anything. Hooves came out, wings flared open, and she skidded to a stop inches from the wall.

Perfect as always.

"Not bad, not bad." Dash glanced over her shoulder at Lightning Dash. "I'd give that a four out of ten."

"Is that so? That's four marks better than what you would have gotten." The two slapped wings followed by bumping hips. "How was training?"

"Boring. Dull. There are one or two decent new recruits in the bunch," replied Lightning with a shrug.

All it took was a quick glance over Lightning's shoulder and Dash ended up slamming her face into the cloud wall. "What did you do this time? They look like they just fought a dragon!" The new recruits were covered with cuts from head to toe and there was little doubt there were a couple of bruises hidden under all that clothing. One even looked as though he had sprained his wing. "Fluttershy! Some pegasus please get Fluttershy for me."

"Chill Dash. Seriously, it was just a bump here and bump there, nothing serious." Lightning took off her goggles. "Plus, if they don't push their limits, how are they meant to improve? It's not my fault they can't keep up with me. None of them even made it through the Whirlwind Maze course."

"Lightning Dust! Pushing is one thing, but the Whirlwind Maze? Really!? They could have been seriously injured!" Wings flared, Dash began advancing on her friend. "I've told you before to stop putting pegasi into unnecessary danger!"

"Geez Dash, have you forgotten what we went through when we came here? I was put in charge of breaking in the new recruits, not you, so get your flank out of my business." There wasn't even a hint of remorse in her tone. "I know what I'm doing so trust me. Haven't lost a pegasus yet."

"Tartarus knows how considering how hard you try," muttered Dash. "Fine, whatever. But seriously? Whirlwind Maze is off limits."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." With a wave of her hoof, she began trotting off, her flank swaying side to side in that seductive way of hers. "Recruits? Not bad. Go get some rest or whatever, I'm done for the day."

"Lightning Dust!" snapped Dash. "Get back here, I've got a mission for you."

"Really?" Dash reared back in surprise as Lightning pressed her muzzle so close they were almost kissing. "About damn time. What is it this time? Something awesome I hope. Hey, remember that time we created that tornado to clean out the avalanche? Totally. Awesome."

"Um... yeah..." Dash glanced over to the new recruits and snapped, "Didn't you hear? You're dismissed!" And just like that, they raced away. "Anyways, let's go to my room for some privacy."

"Oh, I see..." said Lightning with a smile, "Yes, I think that should be discussed in private."

"Stop joking around," said Dash even as her cheeks heated up. A quick glance over at Soarin revealed he was too busy talking to Fluttershy to have noticed that exchange. "That stallion over there? That's Soarin in disguise and he's given me a mission and I've picked you and Fluttershy to accompany. It's more secret than top secret. It's Wonderbolt level classified."

Lightning Dust whistled in surprise. "So is this...?"

"I don't know. But whatever the case, we're kicking flank tonight," whispered Dash before turning to Soarin and yelling, "You! Recruit! In my office, now! Fluttershy, I want you too."

"Yes ma'am!" With a smart salute Soarin immediately began following the two while Fluttershy meekly followed behind them all. A part of Dash hated ordering her friends around, but as the highest ranking officer in the compound, it was her duty. And then there was the matter of Fluttershy's upcoming birthday...

One thing at a time. Get through this alive first, then focus on that issue.

Thankfully it was a slow day and they managed to reach Dash's office in ten minutes. The look of dismay on Fluttershy and Soarin's faces made Dash laugh, but she managed to stifle it. Pieces of paper were everywhere, the bin was overflowing with junk and- Huh, so that's were breakfast went. So maybe bringing Soarin here wasn't the best idea after all. Though his expression was totally worth it. It was small, it was cramped, and they barely fit inside, but it was her room.

"So here's the deal," said Dash as she sat down in her chair. "This pegasus scout has spotted a unicorn in the woods and we are going to barter with it. This is top secret and word will not leave this room. Got that?"

"Yes ma'am!" they replied as one.

"Good." Dash grabbed the map from off the ground and laid it on the table. Soarin actually seemed surprised that she could find anything in the room while Lightning shared a smirk with the blue pegasus. She had been in my room often enough to know how my system of organization worked.

"She was spotted here, in the north western quadrant," said Soarin as he pointed at the spot on the map by the Gem Fields. "We believe she's been using the abandoned diamond dog cave system as shelter from the cold at night. We should move to the edge of the scrubland and wait for her there, as it's close to the emergency shelter while staying out of sight of the prying eyes. I left behind another scout who'll be keeping an eye on things and has agreed to rendezvous with us there. Heh, I can't wait to see him and his frozen butt again."

There was a moment of silences as Dash devoured that piece of news. "Okay...? We're leaving now so every pegasus gear up, grab a snack and meet me out front in five."

Fluttershy and Lightning Dust just stared at Dash while Soarin looked on in confusion.

"Dust, don't te-"

"Lightning! The name's Lightning, it sounds cooler."

"Which is why I call you Dust," chuckled Dash. "But seriously, don't tell me the shipment of gear hasn't come in."

"The shipment of gear has totally come in!" Dash let out a sigh of relief, but that was when Lightning added, "If by shipment you mean a letter telling us that there are higher priority areas that require the gear."

"Fucking Tartarus!" growled the chromatic pegasus as she ran a hoof through her mane. "Fine. Grab something to eat, go to the bathroom, whatever. We're leaving now."

"Um... should I, that is... I know you said there won't be any fighting, but, um, should I bring my first aid kit?" squeaked Fluttershy.

"Knowing this filly?" Dash jerked her head in the direction of Lightning. "Some pegasus will be injured by the end of the trip. Somehow."

"No pain, no gain!" Lightning declared with a snap of her wings. "Gotta push to be the best."

"Gotta live to be the best as well," replied Dash. "And I can still kick your flank despite landing in this desk job."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!" Dash pressed her forehead against Lightning's, the two staring each other in the eye. "I can kick your flank so hard pegasi will still be talking about it ten years later. It'll go down in history as the most one sided battle ever!"

"Is that so?" Lightning grabbed the map and looked over it. "Race you there, loser is the slave for a day."

"Better dust off that col-"

"Mares, if I may interrupt, we've got a mission to go on," said Soarin politely as he suddenly found himself under the scrutiny of two very pissed off mares. "And we really should leave now, otherwise it might start getting dark before we can return and that's a death sentence."

"You clearly haven't seen how fast we can move then," said Dash with a cocky grin. "There and back in ten seconds flat."

"Too bad we've got these two dead weights with us," sighed Lightning. "Fine, we're racing tomorrow, so you better have some water ready to wash the taste of my dust out of your mouth."

"Keep dreaming." With a flick of her tail, Dash smacked Lightning the face as she walked past. "Now come, we've got to get going."

Lightning immediately rushed to walk beside Dash and whispered, "Hey Dash, think you can get Soarin wet?"

"Why?"

"I wanna see him without all those layers of clothing. Bet he looks absolutely delicious under all that and while I've seen pictures, there's nothing like that real deal."

"Wait, you have pictures?" hissed Dash. "And you never told me?"

"Win the race tomorrow and I might just share them," said Lightning.

"As if there was any doubt to begin with," said Dash.

The two shared a smirk as they snapped their goggles into place. They zipped up their clothes, slipped on some wingblades just in case, and grabbed a dagger and set of gauntlets each. A quick glance behind her told Dash that Soarin was sticking to whatever it was Wonderbolt's used and that Fluttershy was carrying a dagger as usual, despite never actually using it, and her medicine kit.

"Every pegasus ready?" asked Dash and at their nods she leapt into the sky. "Scout, take the lead."

With a salute, Soarin immediately zipped up front and began flying along at a leisurely pace. A quick glance over her shoulder told Dash that Fluttershy was keeping up without any real issue and it's not like either any of them was going to complain. After all, the slower flight meant more time admiring the view, though it would have been a lot better if there weren't so much clothing in the way. It was clear Lightning was annoyed at the slow pace, but just like Dash, the scenery was enough to cause her to bite her tongue.

Though Dash knew it would be there and that it wouldn't have moved or changed, she still looked to the north and saw the towering mass of swirling wind and ice that connected the land and sky. It was thousands, perhaps even millions of miles away, but it still dominated the entire skyline, making the mountain range behind it look tiny in comparison. It was a force of nature beyond all others.

It easily took three times as long to get to their destination as it normally would have and by the time they arrived, a pony wrapped in fur stood there waiting for them. The quartet quickly descended into the clearing and though Dash could not see the eyes of the unicorn, she could see how tense the other was from the way it stood.

"You're here," said the mare with a slight inclination of her head.

"You know, the polite thing is to say 'Hello' right?" said Soarin.

"Funny, I thought the polite thing was to arrive on time," she replied before adding, "and to introduce me to your companions. I do not believe I have met them before."

"Hey horned freak, watch it," growled Dash as she stepped forward. "Nothing insults my pegasi like that."

Instead of being intimidated like Dash had hoped, the unicorn merely looked at her before her gaze slid back to Soarin. The way it just seemed to slide off Dash as though she wasn't important sent a bolt of anger through her body.

"Really? That is a horrible way to start off a bargain," the unicorn said to Soarin.

"Hey!" Dash pushed herself between Soarin and the mysterious mare. "I'm the one in charge here, talk to me."

"And he's secretly a female right? Please, Soarin outranks you," replied the mare. "Also, it might help if I knew your name and if you stopped calling me 'horned freak' and addressed me as an equal."

"Well you haven't told us your name!" snapped Lightning.

There was a beat of silence, and to Dash there was a flash of amusement in the mare's eyes despite the thick goggles in the way. "Very well, my name is Twilight Sparkle." The amusement in her voice only fuelled Dash's annoyance.

"Flight Lieutenant Rainbow Dash," grunted the cyan mare before she gestured to those behind her, "Lightning Dust and Fluttershy."

"As I was saying, Soarin outranks you since he's a Wonderbolt and all," replied Twilight. "Also, you might want to call in Fleetfoot and Misty before they freeze their tails off. As flattered as I am by the close eye you have kept on me, I think they would appreciate being somewhere dry and warm."

"In this situation, the outpost is under Rainbow's command and as such it is her decision," growled Soarin.

"How curious..." This time, the unicorn actually spent time assessing Dash and her companions. "Very well then. Flight Lieutenant Rainbow Dash, I humbly request access to your library and all books in your possession."

"Books?" Dash glanced over at Soarin to make sure the mare wasn't just messing with her, but from the way he was acting, it was clear that this was totally serious. "Books. You want access to books. I think we've got some stashed away in the emergency firewood store."

"You what!?" Even through the thick lens, Dash could see the shock in Twilight's eyes and that merely served to warm her heart. "You- Those- I- But- Argh!"

"I think you broke her," whispered Soarin.

"Those books could contain the answer!" Twilight was suddenly in Dash's face. "You could have destroyed valuable information that could save everypony!"

"Wait, we're talking about books right? As in leafs of paper with words on it?" At Twilight's indigent nod, Dash broke out laughing. "Apart from being fuel to fire, they won't save any pegasus."

"And you're telling me she's in charge!?" Twilight stomped her hoof as she glared at Soarin who merely returned a sheepish smile. "That's it! I am going in there and saving those books." That announcement merely sent Lightning into a laughing fit and she soon joined Dash on the ground clutching her stomach.

"S-Silence!" Her attempts at an angry hoof stomp only made them laugh harder. "This is important!"

"Books are never important," replied Dash from the ground.

"Books contain knowledge, and knowledge is power." Twilight ripped off her goggles and Dash suddenly found herself on the receiving end of a very angry glare. "I am searching for a way of removing this eternal blizzard, and the answer may lie in those books that you so willing toss aside.

"Wait, what?" Dash blinked in surprise. "What are y-"

"That is confidential information," replied Soarin. "And I'd appreciate it if it was kept such."

The unicorn snorted. "Information and knowledge should never be censored. If it wasn't, my journey might already be over."

"This is neither the time nor the place for such discussions, and I still have nightmares over last time that happened," snapped Soarin. "Those should be held over a table of warm soup and fresh pies."

"You and your food," snorted Twilight in amusement. "Regardless, can we get out of the cold now?"

"No. Not until you give us something in return," Dash said as she glared at the unicorn.

"I will tell you where the unicorns are most likely to strike next," replied Twilight. "I don't know the exact location for obvious reasons, but I did overhear some interesting information about..."

Whatever else was said was lost to Dash's eyes narrowed and her hooves began to tremble. This- This mare would just toss her species out to die! Throw her fellow unicorns into the cold embrace of winter just for some books!? How many would die as a result of her actions? How many lives lost, enslaved, or ruined? The mere thought that the unicorn was willing to do such a monstrous act sent anger coursing through Dash's body. Every fiber of her being was screaming at her to buck to the unicorn in the head, to draw a dagger across Twilight's throat while she slept.

Every pegasus knew unicorns were freaks of nature, possessing powers that they should not rightfully have, and that their hubris caused the constant snowfall. But this... this creature took it to all new heights. Twilight wasn't a pony, she wasn't even a female. As far as Dash was concerned, Twilight Sparkle was a thing. The pronoun 'she' could not be applied to this creature that stood before her right now.

Dash could only watch numbly as Soarin and Twilight shook on the deal.

Fuck.













Her eye was swollen and the cut along her flank burned, but Applejack kept the snarl on her face as she gazed at the white unicorn before her. Sure, the earth pony might have been beaten, tossed around and spat on, but there was no way she was going to just roll over and play dead like some sort of well-trained pet. She couldn't remember much of anything before this, before this humiliation and life, but she did remember a voice whispering in her ear. A soft, kind voice telling her to never give in, to never give up, to always fight.

And so, Applejack glared up at the unicorn, a growl rumbling in the back of her throat. With that silky coat, pristine purple mane, and lack of muscle, it was obvious this horned freak had never worked a day in her life. A disgusted snort escaped as Applejack pawed at the ground. The guard immediately went to smack her with the back of his spear, but the white mare held out a hoof.

"M'lady, are you certain?" The guard looked at the white mare curiously. "There are far better workers than this one. She is strong, yes, but she has been bought and sold more times than I can count. Every owner thinks they can break her,bu-"

"Bulwark darling, I am absolutely certain. This mare is essential for my next big project, so please be a dear and pay Nine Tails the required sum," replied the mare.

She took a single step into Applejack's cell and the earth pony lunged forward, aiming directly for that pretty face. A shimmering red barrier appeared at the last second, causing Applejack to slam into it head face and stumble back dazed.

"Lady Rarity, are you certain?" asked Bulwark as he pressed his spear against Applejack's throat to keep her down. "She is a danger to your life."

"Bulwark, please pay the owner of this mare the allocated amount, or need I raise my voice?" 

As far as threats went, it was the worst Applejack had ever heard, but for whatever reason, Bulwark immediately backed off with a low bow and said, "As you command m'lady."

Once he was out of sight, the white unicorn turned to Applejack with a small smile on her face. "Terribly sorry about that darling, Bulwark means well, and he is a fabulous guard, but I'm afraid he doesn't understand some of the... finer points in life."

The slave stood up slowly, casting a curious and very cautious glance at Rarity who merely sat there in her cell as though she wasn't in any danger at all. Not only was she some prissy mare, but she was also an idiot. Or perhaps just naive, but in Applejack's mind, that was not an improvement.

From the silence, it was clear Rarity expected some sort of reply and when she didn't get one, her smile faltered just a bit. "I suppose your silence is not uncommon. You must have been rendered speechless by my divine grace and charm!"

Applejack merely cocked an eyebrow. Now things were starting to get weird.

"Fine, be that way," said Rarity as she turned around with a huff. "See if I care."

Silence.

Rarity's shoulders slumped and she walked out the door, gently closing it behind her, leaving Applejack in darkness with nothing to light up the room apart from some glowing moss in a particularly damp corner. Silently, she moved back into the corner of the room that she used for sleeping and lay down on the hard, cold ground. There were no furnishings, no color, nothing. Dirt as far as the eye could see. Even beyond the bars that served as her door, all she could see was dirt.

After a minute or two, a shadow passed over the door and it creaked open. Before Applejack could even react, she was violently thrown against the wall, light blue chains keeping her in place as a muzzle was placed over her face followed by chains to restrict her movement. Though she couldn't see anything, she could feel Nine Tails' hot breath against her neck.

"Goodbye my pretty, I'm going to miss you, you know." His hoof trailed along Applejack's cheek, and if it weren't for the muzzle, she would have bitten off the limb entirely. "Hopefully your new mistress will love you just as much as I did. If I didn't need the bits so badly, I would never let you go."

He took a single step to the side and tossed her out the door, causing Applejack to roll across the ground until she slammed into the wall. Groaning, Applejack shifted slightly and felt blood trickle through her fur as the wound on her thigh opened up. The pain barely registered as she stood up, a snarl on her face as she faced Nine Tails. The unicorn merely smiled sweetly as he began dragging her along the ground, deliberately binding her legs so that there was no way she'd be able to walk or fight back. Stones dug into her body, the dirt was smeared across her coat, and Applejack growled up a storm.

Eventually though, the ground changed to the smooth surface of polished marble and she found herself tossed across the ground yet again. Muscles tensed as she waited for that jolt of pain from her bones breaking on impact, but there was nothing. Her good eye cracked open, revealing a pair of pure white hooves as she felt herself being lowered onto the ground.

"Bulwark, be a dear and pay Nine Tails half of the agreed amount," said Rarity.

"What! You canno-"

"Can't I?" The pleasantness in Rarity's voice scared Applejack far more than any threat Nine Tails had ever made. "Tell me, what sort of buyer would pay for a slave in this condition? Especially since I last saw her healthy and fit, if a bit bruised. Mister Nine Tails, the cost of healing her and the time she cannot work will exceed my payment to you. So, I have a very simple offer to you, either take the half payment or take her back."

"How da-"

"Oh, I dare." Now there was an edge in Rarity's voice. "Now, I'm a busy mare Mister Nine Tails, so pick."

For the next ten seconds he spluttered in rage, and if not for the guard, there was little doubt he would have struck Rarity. With a final snarl of frustration, he spat out, "Half price then."

"Pleasure doing business with you. Bulwark, pay the good sir." The spells binding Applejack were shattered. "Come now dear, let us be off. Do you have any warm clothing? No? Well now, that won't do at all. Bulwark darling, please teleport us out."

Before Applejack could get a single sound out, she was blinded by a brilliant flash of red light and she found herself on some stone floor somewhere. Raising shakily onto her legs, the world around her spun and she collapsed back down onto the ground.

"Stitch! Quick Stitch, get down here, there's some pony that needs medical attention," called Rarity before turning to Bulwark. "Darling, if it's not too much hassle, could you please tell the guards about Nine Tail's mistreatment of his slaves? Be sure to mention that he has earth ponies and that they are a valuable commodity in the current climate."

Once more with that silent bow before teleporting away. A second later, heavy hoofbeats filled the air as a dark green unicorn stumbled into view with medical kit held in her magic. Though she tripped on the last step, Quick Stitch managed to catch herself and came to a skidding halt before Applejack.

"Really Rarity? You called me down to patch up this piece of filth?" she asked.

"Please be a dear and stitch up her leg and send her up to my workroom once you are done." Rarity paused at the steps and threw a smile over her shoulder. "I also hope Sweetie wasn't too much hassle to take care of."

"Of course not. Now do your work Rarity, you've got a lot of orders to fill by next week."

"Yes dear," chuckled the white mare as she vanished from sight.

"That filly, I swear she'll work herself to death one day," muttered Quick Stitch as she pulled out a needle and some thread. "Now, are you going to stay still and let me do what I need to, or will I have to tie you down?"

Applejack deliberately moved back in a show of defiance.

"Very well." With a dramatic sigh, Stitch's horn lit up and the earth pony suddenly found herself bound in magical chains. "Now this will hurt you a lot more than it does me."

The needle stabbed into Applejack's flank causing her wince in pain. Truth be told, it wasn't that painful, in fact, she barely felt it. But just seeing that needle go in again and again made her skin crawl. Within seconds the wound was sewn shut and the blood washed off while Stitch hummed a perky song.

"Now be a good filly and go see Rarity before she starts calling for you." When Applejack didn't move, Quick Stitch sighed. "Look, I don't like you at all. In fact, I wouldn't care if you ended up outside in the freezing cold and dead, so I suggest you do as I ask or I will use force to get you moving."

Once more with the deliberate move backwards.

And once more Applejack found herself bound up in magic. Instead of being dragged across the ground though, she hovered in mid-air behind Quick Stitch as they made their way up the steps and into the single messiest room she had ever laid eyes on. Fabric lay everywhere, paper littered the ground, objects that could only be described as things from Applejack's nightmares spun around in a miniature tornado, and at the center of it all was Rarity. Mane a mess and coat slick with sweat, her eyes darted between two sketches before her.

"Quick Sketch! I need that-"

The green unicorn coughed politely.

"Oh! Quick Sketch, there are you, and you have the earth pony with you? Perfect. Place her on the pedestal please." Without even glancing in their direction, Rarity rushed out the side door and came back a second later with a roll of light blue fabric.

For a split second, Applejack considered struggling, but what was the point? It's not as though she could have broken the hold or escaped, and it's not like she was in any immediate danger. So instead she let herself be manipulated and tied down to the small, round platform. Even before she had been fully secured, fabrics began wrapping around her body this way and that, while Rarity muttered under her breath.

A shudder passed through Applejack's body as she felt Rarity's chest brush up against her shoulder, and when the unicorn's hoof roamed over Applejack's flank to smooth down the fabric, her back hooves lashed out in a powerful buck. The only thing that stopped Rarity's head from being caved in were the magical tethers that prevented Applejack's legs from raising more than an inch off the ground. Completely oblivious to her near death experience, Rarity continued on with her work, smoothing out the fabric here and there. Every single last touch, no matter how light, sent disgust through her body, and more than once she tried to attack her new master.

Still, the white unicorn worked away. Eventually she stepped back to admire her work before her horn began glowing while it was pointed straight at Applejack. Fear immediately gripped the earth pony as she struggled against the bonds, trying her hardest to get out of the line of fire. If there was one thing she had learnt while being a slave, it was to never ever stand in front of a unicorn when they were using that much magic. Very bad things tended to happen, like missing limbs or a new hole appearing.

"Miss Rarity, perhaps removing the clothes first would be a good idea?" said Quick Stitch.

For a second, Rarity just stared at her helper as though she was some foreigner.

"Oh, right, how silly of me." The clothes were stripped off Applejack's sweat soaked body and Rarity laid them out on the table beside her. Once more her horn powered up and the clothes began glowing bright blue, burning weird symbols into the fabric. Whatever it was she was doing though, she seemed satisfied with it as she handed it over to Quick Stitch and drew out even more fabric.With a gulp, Applejack glanced over at Quick Stitch who merely replied with an all too sweet smile.

At least it was better than working in the freezing fields.

"Darling, you haven't even told me your name, I can't just keep calling you 'pony' after all. That'd be so terribly uncouth me of me," said Rarity.

A snort escaped from Applejack as she glared at the white mare. Did this unicorn really think she was that stupid? That was the first move any unicorn did when trying to win a slave's trust, and as the countless stories revealed, it was always a lie. Plus, her name was something her mother had given her. The only thing her mother had given her and this mare just expected her to give that up so easily?

No.

It was Applejack's and Applejack's alone. It was her treasure. It was the greatest treasure that ever existed, and it was not something she was going to give up so easily. It was something she would never give up willingly, especially not to some horned freak of nature.

After a full minute of silence, Rarity sighed and turned back to her work.

"A mute, Mistress?" asked Quick Fix with a frown. "I know you were looking for a model, but a mute dirt pony?"

A model? At those words, Applejack cocked an eyebrow at Rarity in surprise.

A soft chuckle escaped when Rarity noticed the confused expression from both ponies. "Muscular female earth ponies have a similar body shape and muscle mass to the guards, and considering the amount of orders I have to make for the army, I need a permanent model in store. As for being mute... well... that was unexpected, but not necessarily a bad thing."

"Reprieve from your dear sister?" chuckled Quick Stitch.

"Quite right, though another unic- pony to chat with would not be amiss." Rarity paused and eyed the earth pony critically. "Quick Stitch, please remind me to make a new collar for the mare and to clean her up. Just because she is an earthy pony does not mean she should stay dirty." A shudder passed through her thin frame. "I'd feel better if she were clean."

Rarity began trailing her hooves over Applejack's body again, seeing how the clothing fit and how it acted when she moved. At first, Applejack's growl was barely audible, but as the number of touches increased, so did the volume until it was impossible even for Rarity to ignore. A nervous giggle escaped her as she took a step back from the earth pony. For the next ten seconds, they regarded each other silently before Rarity sighed and put her tools down.

"Very well. Quick Stitch, please take..." She paused, waiting for Applejack to give a name, but when none came, she sighed yet again and continued, "Please take her to her room and ensure she knows where the bathroom is."

"Of course Lady Rarity." She gave a deep bow and picked the earth pony up with her magic. "Is it alright if I take the rest of the night off? My brother will be home from deployment tonight and I-"

"Oh! Of course." The glow around Applejack changed to Rarity's light blue aura. "You head on out and I'll take care of the latest addition to our household. And no arguments you hear? Go! Get."

Laughter echoed through the room as Quick Stitch was pushed out the door.

"As for you." Rarity whirled around to face Applejack. "A bath would do you a world of good and make you feel so much better. 'Tis a shame we only have enough water for one bath though. Ah well, on the morrow fair knight!"

Yet another flash of light, yet more dizziness, and it was only after a long minute that she realized she was sitting in a hole carved in stone that was full of water. A quick survey told Applejack that the white mare was nowhere in sight, and that it was probably the fanciest bathroom she had even seen. The mere fact that it had a door put it miles ahead of what she had access to in the past. For a brief second, she entertained the idea of just getting out without washing anything off, just to piss off that mare. Plus, it's not as though she wasn't used to being dirty for long periods of time.

But...

Just being there in a pool of warm water, letting it soak her fur and ease her joints was like Elysium itself and... there'd be time for rebelling later. For now though, she would soak in the bath for a little while, maybe wash out the some of the dirt if she felt like it. For now though, she was just going to lie in this very hard and uncomfortable pit full of very warm and perfect water while she absolutely did not wash the dirt out of her fur. And she most certainly did not enjoy every single last second of it either.

Though the water had grown cold and it had turned a dark brown color filled with dead bugs, Applejack continued to lounge in a completely uncomfortable position, doing an activity she most assuredly did not enjoy. It was only when the water was practically black and as cold as outside that she finally brought herself to get out and noticed the glowing blue shield around her wound. With a shrug, she began drying herself off before tossing the towel on the ground and stepping out.

As soon as the door was opened, Rarity stood there with an all too wide grin on her face. "Looks like some unico-pony enjoyed their bath." Her gaze raked over Applejack's body, almost as though she was drinking everything in. "And I must say, you clean up very nicely. Very nicely indeed. I will admit I was uncertain about buying a slave, but your body is exquisite. Almost perfectly in line with the average male warrior, though a tad too bulky for females."

For her part, Applejack merely cocked an eyebrow.

"Ah yes, that reminds me, your room!" Rarity began walking up the stairs and Applejack followed silently. "You shall be staying in the guest room beside my own. It's a bit on the small side, but it should be large enough for your needs."

The door swung open to reveal the largest bedroom the Applejack had ever seen. Four ponies long and four ponies wide, it was just large enough to fit a bed in there and it even had a small bedside table that looked as though it was going to fall apart at any second. Still, it had a door, and she wouldn't be sleeping on the ground, so it was well beyond what she was used to.

"Well my room is just across the hallway. Feel free to knock if you need anything." Once more with that pleasant smile, and once more she was ignored. "A-Alright then... Good night darling."

The door shut with a soft click and Applejack waited for the inevitable sound of the door being locked. When none came, she placed a hoof on the door handle and slowly turned it, blinking in surprise when it creaked open. The door was immediately shut as Applejack took in a deep breath. Was this a trick? A test? Yes, that was it, it was all a trick. Leave the door unlocked, so that when she stepped outside they'd have an excuse to whip her. Well she wasn't falling for that. In fact, the whole 'be nice' trick was so overdone and so blatant, it was rather insulting that they thought she'd fall for it. Sure, Applejack may not have been educated, but that did not make her an idiot.

As inviting the bed looked though, Applejack tore herself away and instead curled up on the ground. Sure it was cold and hard and the most uncomfortable ground she had ever slept on, but she was not about to sleep on the bed. A bath was where she drew the line and not one step further.

She shuffled and rolled and stretched and shifted, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not get comfortable. In the end though, after a minute, or maybe an hour, she finally fell into a deep slumber.