Chapter 2
Two hours had passed since the conclusion of the quick-fought battle, if Copper could even call it that. The stallion knew the human as a good friend as well as the plan erected in order to stop the Equestrians. After all, he was a critical voice in the entire planning process. Though for some reason, after seeing the carnage of the plan he himself had helped create, the young stallion grew to respect and albeit, minimally fear the human and his destructive capabilities. All in all, the copper coated earth pony with a brown mane was just happy that the human was on their side. He shuddered at the thoughts of what the human could accomplish, given the resources of a larger nation such as Equestria or Gryphonia.
“Sir, we have completed several more scans of the area and have removed almost all of the injured for medical treatment. As for those who surrendered, we have escorted them to the dungeons to await the verdict of our queens,” a young changeling stated, bringing the higher-ranking officer out of his thoughts.
“Very good private. Have we tallied up the total number of captured and injured survivors of the fight?” Copper questioned. The changeling grew silent for a moment as her face showed minimal signs of sorrow.
“As of our count right now, we have over three-hundred prisoners and five-hundred wounded from combat. The rest have either perished in battle or managed to escape into the forest and are heading back to Equestria as we speak.” Copper nodded his head with a few thoughts, though pushed them out of his mind for the moment.
“Understood private. Please see to it that we rescue any other survivors in the area and transport them immediately for medical treatment.” The changeling was quick to salute her superior with a ‘yes sir’ before venturing off to help aid in the rescue mission. With a heavy sigh, Copper was soon lost in his own thoughts again.
“Fucking idiots,” he mumbled under his breath, surveying the crater filled with dead bodies of his fallen enemy. The sight of thousands of multicolored manes and coats caked in dust and debris filled the young officer’s sight. The sight alone would have been enough to make him sick to his stomach, if not for the fact that he had seen worse.
“We never wanted any of this. You all died for a worthless cause and for that, I am sorry.” Lowering his head, the stallion gave a moment of silence for all of those who had lost their lives. Despite the short scuffle with the few remaining enemy soldiers, no friendly soldiers had lost their lives. This was a fact that the young officer was very grateful for. Lifting his head from his moment of silence, the stallion’s eyes soon glared down at a certain alicorn princess that was being pulled from the debris of battle.
Quickly making his way down the steep-slope, Copper all but ran at the unconscious alicorn princess before stopping in front of the three soldiers pulling her battered, but unbroken body from the Earth.
“Is she still alive?” Copper questioned. All of the soldiers could tell the officer was none-too-pleased with whomever they had just rescued.
“Yes sir. She is unconscious but still breathing. We were going to transport her to the medical wing for immediate treatment.
“No you will not. I want you three to transport her to interrogation room two. Tie her down to the chair and put an inhibitor ring on her horn. Is that understood?” Copper was quick to receive a volley of ‘yes sirs’ from his subordinates before they began on the task of transporting the alicorn to the prescribed location. All the while, Copper’s face contorted into a vengeful smile.
“Lumen is going to be very pleased. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for you,” Copper added before venturing off the battlefield and towards the location of a certain grey-coated bat-mare.
Derrick and his newly acquired changling scout were fast asleep on the massive bed. Their bodies were exhausted and entangled with one another from the day’s earlier activities, though ultimately satisfied. Lumen however, was propped up on her side with a soft smile on her face. She used her free hand to gently play with her lover’s short-black mane, all the while smiling over the human and a potential candidate for their herd. The mare knew good and well that if something ever were to happen to her, it would leave Derrick a complete wreck. She knew how much he cared for her and it would be selfish to deny her mate a chance to grieve with someone else he cared for. That of course was a worse case scenario. What the bat-mare was expecting to come out of a situation like this to just be an addition to what she considered her family. Besides, the changeling was rather cute if she had to say so.
“Lumen, I see that you are awake and well,” A soft, male voice spoke from across the room. It was one of the times that the mare enjoyed having enhanced hearing, as to not wake her lover. Leaning down and planting a small kiss upon her human’s cheek, Lumen carefully lifted herself from the bed before making her way outside the room to talk with Copper.
“And it seems that you didn’t bite the dust in that last battle. What a shame,” Lumen playfully chided. Copper could only roll his eyes before smiling deviously at the mare.
“You would like that, wouldn’t you? I’m the only other pony that has such a strong relationship with Derrick. I’m telling you, if I was gay, I would be coming for your human,” Copper playfully retorted. It was Lumen’s turn to roll her eyes as the two started their venture towards the end of the hall.
“You and I both know that Derrick isn’t into masculine stallions. Maybe if you femmed up a bit, he would be more likely to accept your advances. I mean, I do think you would make a rather cute femcolt.” Copper could hardly contain the blush on both of his cheeks before quickly changing the subject.
“There is a reason I came to get you. You will be happy to know that I have a certain present waiting for you in interrogation room two. You told me that if I were to find her alive that you wanted to be the first one to ‘talk’ to her,” Copper reiterated. Lumen soon grew a sinister smile as she threw an arm around her friend.
“You know what Copper, I don’t care what the others say about you. You’re all right in my book,” Lumen added with a smile.
“Heh, thanks... hey!” Before Copper could get in another word, the bat-mare was quickly descending the stairs in a bout of laughter.
It didn’t take the mare long to reach her destination, followed by a slightly annoyed looking stallion behind her.
“And here we are. She has been restrained, though appears to still be unconscious. I had one of our doctors look at her and she seems to be stable, just a bit battered and bruised,” Copper relayed. Lumen nodded her head in understanding before reaching a hand towards the door. Before the mare could turn the handle and make her way inside, Copper placed a firm hand upon her shoulder, thus gaining the stallion her attention.
“Lumen, I know how you work and what she did to Derrick. All that I ask is she remain alive and in one piece.” Lumen frowned for a brief moment before making her way into the room for a little talk.
The room itself was nothing special, just a large concrete square with a small metal table and two metal chairs, one of which was currently occupied by an unresponsive blue alicorn. Lumen immediately went to work in fixing that certain issue. Grabbing an already filled syringe from the metal table, Lumen forcibly stabbed the shot into the mare’s neck as she injected its contents into the bloodstream. Within seconds, the blue alicorn was withering in pain, having been woken up from her unconscious state. Satisfied with waking her victim, Lumen gingerly used a hand to right the mare’s head so the two were eye level.
“Hello princess, do you know who I am?” Lumen politely questioned. The disoriented alicorn could only respond with a groan of pain as she forced her eyes open to stare at the mare.
“Where am I?” Luna weakly questioned. The alicorn was quick to receive a swift fist to the side of the face with a none-too-pleased looking mare frowning at her.
“You will answer my questions and that is all. You will speak only when I give you permission or if I ask a question. Is that understood?” Despite the rough state of the princess, Luna reacted in a typical-like fashion for someone in her position.
“Fuck you,” Luna uttered out as she managed to hack a wad of spit at the unsuspecting Lumen. The mare quickly offered another hit to the restrained princesses’ face before grabbing for a towel and wiping the spit from her face. If she had to be honest with herself, Lumen was rather glad the alicorn was a fighter. She was going to enjoy watching the once and mighty princess break beneath her care, as would be the case with anyone who dare lay a hand on what she rightfully claimed.
“You know princess, I was going to let you off easy. Maybe a few broken bones and a dislocated wing, but perhaps I should approach the situation from a new angle?” Lumen grabbed the second metal chair in the room, spinning it around so that she was propped up against its back and situated across from the alicorn.
“I’m going to tell you a story of what life was like before your so called evil-self and changeling took control of our kingdom. So you best listen well princess; for if I even think you are ignoring my words,” Lumen paused for a moment as she grabbed one of the several blades laid out on the table before her, her eyes scanning the perfectly crafted piece of steel. With a quick motion of the mare’s right hand, the blade sunk deeply into the princesses’ leg, earning the mare a loud shriek of pain from the prisoner.
“Now then, where should I begin?”