Cutie Mark Crusader Caste System!

by Brosparkles

Crash

A loud crash. The three were slammed into the back wall of the train, shocking Sweetie and Scootaloo awake. Rally gave a preemptive gesture for them to keep quiet, not sure what was happening. Muffled voices surrounded them, and the train had stopped. The door to the train car flew open, the bright light stinging their eyes. Their steel pikes shimmered as the troops flooded inside. A large, intimidating stallion stormed them, grabbing Rally in his hooves. The half-marks were surrounded.

“Don’t run. We’ll catch you.” the soldier said.

“I couldn't if I wanted to.” Rally said.

“Search him.” the soldier said.

Scootaloo took off running, hyperventilating and wide eyed. She jumped in the air and tried her hardest to fly, managing to hover for a few seconds, her wings flapping wildly. A soldier smacked her with the blunt side of his pike, knocking her to the ground brutally. Sweetie sat in shock, unable to move.

“So, this is the infamous Rally? A crippled stallion hiding in the dark? This is what the captain was so worried about?” the soldier said.

“I don’t see why either. I’m helpless.” Rally said, sliding his hoof ever so slightly towards his pack.

“I’m gonna have fun breaking you, sick little man. I don’t even want to know what you’ve been doing with these girls.” the soldier said.

The booming noise of heavy hooves on metal rang through the train as the captain entered. His purple armor familiar to the girls, they immediately recognized the white stallion as Shining Armor.

“Lieutenant, stand down. I will not allow you to punish him, provided he comes peacefully.” Shining said.

“They sent the captain of the guard himself? For me? I’m honored.” Rally said earnestly.

“I wanted to be the one to catch you myself. Two half-marks went missing? Who else could it be? Besides, my sister is personally involved in this one, you’ve got her worried sick with these two. We’ll treat you well enough, it’s a shame about the execution, but it’s not my command. “ Shining said.

“Well, it’s quite a shame she has to worry so much. Too bad now she’ll have a brother to worry about too!” Rally said.

Rally flicked his wrist, and smoke filled the car. He pulled a small dagger from his pack and jammed it into the soldier holding his wrist, causing him to let go. He grabbed Sweetie and quickly tumbled out of the train, Surrounded by more soldiers, powerless once more. He panted heavily, collapsed to the ground.

“Has my body really become so weak?” Rally said.

“Now you can punish him.” Shining said.

A soldier charged him, pinning him to the ground. Sweetie was surrounded, and her mind tried it’s best to block out the trauma ahead of her. Scootaloo lie on the ground bruised from the pike bashing, not unconscious, but dazed. The soldier proceeded to stomp Rally repeatedly with his fists, blood spouting from his now broken nose. Another took his pack, beginning the search. Shining walked over to the girls, appalled at the state of Scootaloo’s bruised side.

“Which one of you did this?” Shining said.

“She was getting away-” the soldier said.

“We’re here to rescue these children! We’re after the criminal! Look what you’ve done to this child! I specifically ordered you to take them unharmed! I’ll deal with you later, private.” Shining yelled in the soldier’s face.

The soldier continued to beat upon Rally, the ear-splitting crack of his legs breaking rang through the air.

“Medic! Bandage the girl and the lieutenant.” Shining said.

“Yes sir.” A field medic said.

The young stallion began his work on Scootaloo’s side, and on the lieutenant’s wrist.

“That’s enough, we’re supposed to capture him alive.” Shining said.

The soldier backed off of Rally reluctantly, leaving him in a pool of his own blood. The soldier going through the pack had finished, and handed it to Shining.

“Medic, now you can get to work on the criminal’s face, I don’t want him to bleed out on the way there.” Shining said.

“Yes sir.” the stallion said once again.

“I was hoping you would face your death with a little dignity. I had heard tales that you were, at the very least, honorable. But I guess not.” Shining said.

“What are you going to do to us?” Sweetie said.

“Return you to your families. They must be worried sick. I just need to know what he did to you.” Shining said.

Rally gave her a nod, as if to say that she should say what he told her.

“He...he didn’t do anything but offer us freedom.” Sweetie said.

“What?” Shining said.

“We went with him. He promised us a way out of the urges. That’s all I’ll say.” Sweetie said.

“If you weren’t a child I’d question you more aggressively, you know.” Shining said.

“It wouldn’t do anything anyway. I have them under a spell, controlled by the necklace in my pack. But I figure I may as well come clean with this now, after what you said about my honor. Just break the chain.” Rally said.

Shining went through the pack, pulling out all the contents. He pulled out the necklace and the sun dew. He magicked the sword out of his sheath, and smashed them both.

“So, that adds up to kidnapping, assault of a soldier, evading arrest, possession of drugs, and whatever sick perverted thing you’ve no doubt taken these girls for. Chain him up.” Shining said.

“But how did you know?” Rally said, the medic patching up his broken nose as he was being chained.

“Your friend at the train station sold you out. We hired him to keep tabs on you.” Shining said.

“Damn him!” Rally said.

“We’ll get you girls home soon, once we’re at the falls there should be a train heading back to Ponyville. And we’ll make sure to punish this bastard for what he did to you.” Shining said.

The train started up again, this time the doors were left open. The pain and defeat in Rally’s eyes was obvious, but he was at peace with death, and knew it would come at any moment. Rally tried his hardest to move closer to the edge of the train, where he could slide beneath the wheels, but was restrained. Unable to even die the way he wanted, he simply waited in defeat, and closed his eyes. Sweetie watched the trees go by, believing this may be her last free moment, tearing up. She cried, but made no noise. Scootaloo woke up around this time, and struggled once more, but was quickly restrained as well.

“”I hate you! Let me go!” Scootaloo said, kicking wildly.

“The spell must take a while to fade.” Rally said.

Defeated, Scootaloo sat with Sweetie, in an attempt to comfort her. But soon she began to weep as well, although she tried to hide it.

“We were so close.” Scootaloo said.

Sweetie just stared at the trees some more, and the train pulled into Neighagra falls.

Comments

[Brosparkles]

Sorry for the continually shortening chapters, the next one will be a bit longer I hope. It was just a good place to end that one.

[Changeling-Drone]

I bet it is a rescue beacon that activates when destroyed