//------------------------------// // A Stallion's Dream? // Story: Soren The Alicorn Part 4: The Rift // by KingNyroc15 //------------------------------// The pillar of flame almost made contact with the two mares, but Twilight teleported them away just in time. The two reappeared behind Soren and Sunny, then Twilight teleported Soren and Rainbow away. Stalwart, Twilight stared down at the enraged Sunny Star or, as Soren calls her in this form, Blazing Sun. "Do you honestly think this form is any more impress—Ahh!" As Twilight wasted time to insult her, Sunny blasted the alicorn with fire. Recovering, Twilight now looked irritated. "I'm going to enjoy breaking you." Meanwhile, Rainbow and Soren appeared a fair distance away from Twilight and Sunny. Soren, who was also irritated at this point, looked at Rainbow. "It doesn't have to be this way, Rainbow Dash," he said. "Fighting shouldn't be the answer." "Are you giving up? I thought you were so confident." "I never said that. I'm making sure we don't hurt you girls. I can't imagine my own friends getting hurt. Imagine actually being the one who hurts them. Even though you all want to kill me, I still want to treat you how I would treat my friends. I don't want to hurt you girls." "Such a sap." Rainbow rocketed forward and tackled Soren to the ground. He saw Rainbow lift a hoof and charge it with electricity. How much magic did Twilight give them?! Soren wondered. She hit him in the chest, electrocuting both of them. Rainbow was sent off of Soren, and Soren almost felt his heart stop. Unable to move immediately, Soren called out to Rainbow. "Why? Why did you...do that? You just...hurt yourself." "Cuz you're an idiot." Soren's eyes widened; his Rainbow Dash says the same thing quite a lot. Rainbow recovered quickly; she walked over to Soren and stood above him. She didn't say anything. She simply walked away. Soren finally found the strength to stand normally. He watched Rainbow walk over to the battle between Twilight and Sunny. Sunny was sending a pillar of fire at Twilight while the alicorn was sending a beam of magic at her. "Twilight!" Rainbow yelled. "We're done here!" "What are you talking about?" Twilight strained. "Did you win?" "No." Soren found that extremely odd. Not only because she almost killed him but because Rainbow gave up. "Rainbow—" Soren started. "Shut your mouth! Let's get out of here Twilight before you get burned." Sighing, the alicorn teleported away, allowing the pillar of fire to continue on its course. She reappeared in front of Rainbow. "You're going to have to explain how you lost." "I'll be glad to," Rainbow smiled. "This isn't over yet in any case." The two teleported away, leaving a flaming Sunny and a shaken Soren on the field. Blazing Sun walked over to Soren, who decided to sit down and rest. He couldn't find the strength to stand after witnessing the lie that Rainbow told Twilight. Why would she do that? There's no way she would forfeit for no reason. He stopped his train of thought after seeing Sunny in front of him. She hasn't reverted back to normal yet; this worried him. "Sunny? Can you change back?" "They left." "I know, so please change back." No response. "Sunny, this isn't good. You need to become a crystal pony again." Still no answer. Just an intense stare. Soren chose to do, in the words of Rainbow, another idiotic thing. It worked with Rainbow, so it has to work with Sunny. He sat both of them down and grabbed Sunny's hooves. They burned him and he yelled in pain, but he had to hold on. Using his magic, he constantly covered his hooves in ice so they wouldn't burn as easily, but he still felt pain. "Sunny," he strained, "I need you to listen to me. Change back. I know you can do it." No response. She isn't in control anymore. I know she wants to come back. Staring into those burning eyes, Soren was worried about what to do. He felt that she could maim him at any second. I pray you don't remember this. This worked for Rainbow. Taking a deep breath in and out, Soren committed to his plan. He quickly leaned forward and kissed Sunny. The temperature began decreasing. Knowing she is calming down, Soren pulled away. "That was very awkward," he commented to himself. "Somehow it always relaxes ponies into reverting back from a different state." He watched as Sunny's fire body changed back into a normal crystal coat. Pretty soon, his friend was back with him. Hanging her head from exhaustion, Sunny eventually fell forward but was caught by Soren. "Are you ok?" he asked. She nodded. "I know you're exhausted." He turned around; he didn't know why. Soren saw the forest near them and had an idea. "Do you want some berries to eat until we get back to Appaloosa?" She shrugged. "Alright, just lay here. I'll be back." After laying Sunny down, Soren trotted to the edge of the forest. He looked back at his exhausted friend, faced the forest, and sprinted inside. ------------- About thirty minutes later, Soren was levitating a collection of berries in a make-shift wooden basket he had to create. The forest was relatively easy to navigate; he thanked the goddesses that he hasn't seen a forest equivalent to the Everfree. It didn't take him long approach the edge and see the field through the brush. I hope Sunny is doing better. Stepping out of the forest, Soren couldn't see Sunny where he left her. "I think I came out of the wrong place," he muttered. "I guess I'll just follow the edge." "Where's the rush~?" "Wha—Ah!" Before Soren could face whoever was talking to him, he received a knife to his rear leg. Sitting down and holding the wound, Soren finally saw who spoke to him. It was the evil version of Pinkie Pie. Of all of the six mares, this Pinkie looked the most different to Soren. Her mane was long and flat, her eyes spelled death, and her smile...Soren couldn't look at it for too long. "You're coming with me. Think of that any way you want." Pinkie used the handle of the knife to bash Soren on his forehead. ------------- Oww... Why am I always the one to be abused by mares? I blame the fact that I'm the Doctor. He always gets slapped. ...but this is ridiculous. "A knife. Really?!" he groaned out loud. "Complain all you want," Pinkie replied. "It won't make the bleeding stop." Soren tried to turn his body to face her but was unable to. He was on his back, laying on a steel table in some small cave; his four legs, his head, and his stomach were all strapped down. Using his peripheral vision, Soren was barely able to see Pinkie sharpening a bloody blade that he assumed was the one she used to stab him. "Pinkie..." "Let me stop you right there. It's Pinkamena. Also, be quiet. You'll be making enough noise once we start." "What are you going to do? Torture me? Can you villains be any more predictable?" Soren became nervous after seeing Pinkamena's devilish grin. "You wish I was only torturing you. No, you will receive something special. Not many ponies have been through this since it needs to be a special kind of day for me to be in the mood." Pinkamena tosses the knife away and walks up to Soren. The two maintain eye contact from a short distance away. "Don't bother using magic. The enchanted straps will negate anything you try." "Give me your best shot. I'll survive whatever—" Widening his eyes and trying to flail his limbs, Soren tried to fight the onslaught of Pinkamena's kiss. Unfortunately, he had to wait for her to stop. After she did, she smiled at him. Soren, however, was mortified. "Luna-dammit, why can't I only receive that kind of affection from Rainbow Dash?! I don't need you coming onto me!" "Forget your Rainbow Dash. You're in my play place now." "Let me go!" "Why can't you just cooperate?" "I have a marefriend!" "Sigh, if you're going to be difficult, I might have to use force." "I'm pretty sure you just did!" "Tsk tsk tsk, not a very trusting pony, are you?" Pinkamena jumped onto the table and sat on Soren's stomach. I don't need to see that, he thought while being forced to look at a certain something. "Since I'm nice, let's get this over with." "Why are you doing this?" Please let this work. "Surely all of you have had some admirers." "Really?" she asked in an irritated tone. "You honestly believe stallions will seek us? The very mares who have killed countless ponies?" "I would, if I wasn't already taken." "You're just talking out of your flank." "I can prove it." "How?" "Let's get to know each other. You know what I have done, but you don't know who I am. The same goes for me; I don't know who you are. I'm sure no pony has taken the time to get to know some of you." "That's because we are evil." "Sure you girls have sinned, but deep down I think some of you regret it." "Then why would we continue to sin?" "Because there is a pony, or ponies, stronger than all of you. They're the ones who gave you your knowledge, and they're the ones who can kill you if you step out of line. Can't you see that they are using you? You may get what you want, but how can all of you be certain that those ponies won't remove you from the picture when they see fit?" "You son of a..." Pinkamena jumped to the floor, grabbed the knife, and walked back over to where Soren's head was. She stared evenly at Soren, who looked nervous once again. Standing on her hind legs, Pinkamena raised the knife and brought it down on Soren. He shut his eyes before impact but felt nothing after the blade struck. He heard a ting and opened his eyes. He saw Pinkamena cutting off every strap on him, each sounding with a ting every time. Once he was free, Soren jumped off of the table and looked at the mare. She looked back with irritation. "You're a manipulative stallion, you know that?" she said. She then slapped him and kissed him. "And I like that." "Can you stop that, please?! It was awkward enough with Sunny. Now I just feel violated...and abused." "If you would have let me finish, I would have let you finish." She nudged him twice. "Of all the ponies that would use sexual innuendos, it had to be Pinkie Pie...or Pinkamena in this case." "Now then," she started, "let's get to know each other." She patted the steel table for Soren to sit. He obliged and sat next to her. This is going to be a long day.