The captive foals struggled dearly, but Skadi’s hi-tech snares were beyond their comprehension, and they thus couldn’t escape. The more aggressive members stubbornly tried to brute force their way to freedom, but the others decided to conserve their strength. Valkyrie was especially infuriated given the circumstances of who their captor was and nearly tired herself trying to break free, no doubt with the intent to snap the councilor’s neck. Skadi herself shook her head and rolled her eyes at the charade, as if it was nothing more than obnoxious background noise, which it likely was. Above all the foals collectively felt one thing: defeat.
“THERE’S A WORLD OF HURT WAITING FOR YOU ONCE I GET MY TALONS ON YOU, SKADI!!!” Valkyrie shouted.
Skadi sighed. “You’ve done a poor job telegraphing those feelings, my dear.” She said smarmily. When something came into sight, she smiled. “Ahh…. Home, sweet home.”
On the immediate horizon was a series of black spires and towers surrounded by blood-red light. As they drew closer, its shape became much clearer. The foals couldn’t mistake the images that Frostbite had described, who himself knew that he was in the right place. It was a titanic fortress of a city-like structure with buildings straight out of a sci-fi film. They were obviously comprised of the black metal that the robots were made of and had red lines running up them that seemed glow as if to indicate a flow of some kind of energy. Everything about it seemed so….otherworldly robotic that it felt strangely dead despite the activity.
As was suggested earlier by Skadi, the number of mechs around the metropolis was relatively few and far between, but still enough that she could put up a strong resistance if invaded. As they floated by in their aerial cages, the foals tried to map out and recognize what they could of the area, but everything looked too similar to even begin to plan an effective escape route. All they could do was quietly observe their surroundings until they were finally ushered into what they could only assume was a prison complex, or what Skadi was using as one at least; the giant mecha python slithered away to wherever. Their cages then stopped and hovered just above the floor when they came into a large hallway with cell blocks on either side, and Skadi stepped off of her platform.
“Now then, about those weapons of yours…” Skadi said. Two of the bipedal robots they had seen before marched from behind her and forcefully confiscated the foals’ weapons and armor despite how much they might have struggled against them. They all glared at her in their own way. “Oh, don’t worry. I’m not going to destroy them. If anything their worth studying just for how well they must have served you thus far apart from your natural abilities.” She then eyed Zebota, whose brooch she didn’t take. “You’re lucky you’ll be useful for controlling that pet of yours.”
“Shrapnel and I will serve no purpose of yours, witch!” Zebota declared.
Skadi shook her head. “Tut, tut. And here I was thinking you were truly wise beyond your years, little zebra.” She reached into her coat and pulled out a small remote control and pressed a button on it. Shrapnel’s cage suddenly began shocking him violently, causing him to cry out in agony.
“SHRAPNEL!!” Zebota shouted. The shock lasted for a short moment before subsiding, leaving the wooden titan weak from the torture. He whimpered pitifully to his master. “You…” he hissed.
“Z-Zebota….just….go along with it for now.” Quantum Tech said.
Skadi smiled at her. “Ah! So you are the smart one. Not much surprise given the admittedly impressive little toy you’ve managed to construct for yourself.”
“Hmph! I’ll thank you not to refer to my work in such a demeaning manner.” Quantum said.
“Oh, yes! Pardon me, please.” Skadi said sarcastically. “Regardless, you’ll make a fine assistant. Having a mind second to my own will make studying and managing these astounding creations so much less of a chore.”
“Grrr….” Quantum Tech was reluctant, but she knew she’d have to cooperate with Skadi until they could all find a way to outsmart her. “If you insist….but only if it will not mean harming my friends”
Skadi chuckled. “So long as you all behave yourselves, I don’t think that will be an issue at all.” She pressed a button on her remote that released Quantum from her cage, dropping her to the floor. One of the robot guards then slipped an anti-magic cloth over her horn while the other must have used a security access it possessed to open some of the cell doors. The other foals save for Zebota and Shrapnel were floated into the cells, two each while Crazylocks was isolated before their cages were released and the doors behind them shut. Fire Fight and Spiral Galaxy had magic inhibitors placed on their horns as well.
As she was being roomed with Valkyrie, Bullseye became frantically hostile as she watched Crazylocks be sent into a cell alone. “HEY!! SHE DOESN’T GO ALONE!! I’M WITH HER, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT!?!?” Skadi ignored her pleas and let their fates be sealed. The doors closed with a resounding thud, and Bullseye could only recall seeing Crazylocks’ manic eyes looking back at her, somehow able to sense her fear.
Skadi kept Zebota and Shrapnel in their cages as she ushered them and Quantum out of the hallway. “Troublesome friends you’ve made, little one.”
“They’re worth it.” Quantum said, heartbroken as she could only watch her friends be caged like animals.
In the cells, the cellmates consisted of Fire Fight and Turf War, Spiral Galaxy and Tidal Wave, Bullseye and Valkyrie, Air Slash and Greensprout, and Kickback and Frostbite. Valkyrie and Bullseye just about tired themselves from banging on their cell door in a fit of rage, as did Frostbite, who even tried blasting his way out with ice, but to no avail as the door barely even dented; Kickback just let him vent his anger as he solemnly but calmly sat in the corner. Turf War had wised up and didn’t even try, knowing that he couldn’t make a dent himself even with Fire Fight there to help him.
“Guys!? Can you all hear me?” Fire Fight called out. No answer. It stood to reason that Skadi must have soundproofed the rooms to prevent communication between them.
“Just me, bruh…” Turf War muttered. Fire Fight could tell that he felt more frustrated than anything else. He was suddenly reminded of when they first met and the blow to his pride he’d sustained during the whole incident with Officer Curfew. He slammed his hoof into the floor. “What the f*** we s’posed to do now!?”
“I…..I-I….don’t know….” Fire Fight felt more like a failure than ever. “Turf War, I’m….I’m so sorry.”
“Fo’ what?”
“I…..failed you guys…. We got captured by Skadi, and….” Fire Fight could feel a tear rolling down his face.
“Bruh, it’s cool.” Turf War said. “We been through worse, right? We just gotta-”
“But each time, we came out on top! Now we could be in more serious danger than we’ve ever been! All because we weren’t prepared for anything like this….” Fire Fight said. “You think maybe we just got in over our heads?”
“Uh-uh!” Turf War said. “C’mon! Where dat fearless leader I left Detrot behind fo’? Where that homie who picked me up when I was my lowest? Where he at? I know you ain’t ‘bout to start trippin’ just ‘cause we let ourselves get caged by a bird! It’s only her against fourteen o’ us! I know she got those whack-a** robots, but they ain’t doin’ nuttin’ but followin’ her orders. She ain’t s*** without ‘em. All we gotta do is bust ‘em up, n’ what she gonna do, peck us? I hope her breath is fresh.” His joke at the end made Fire Fight crack a little smile. “Point is that we just gotta keep our heads high, son. I don’t how we gonna beat her, but that Gene Splice m*********** ain’t had no weaknesses we exploited; we just beat his a** up ‘til Shroud made him rest in peace”
Turf War’s pep talk brought Fire Fight’s spirits back up, and he was reminded of the faith that even the princess of the night put in him. “Thanks, man…” he said, but then something immediately crossed his mind at the mention of Shadow Shroud’s name. “Wait….she was here with us……right?”
*****
Spiral Galaxy and Tidal Wave weren’t faring a whole lot better in their captive space. Spiral tried to remove the band from her horn, but Skadi must have laced it with some kind of adhesive that locked onto her horn, and it hurt. Tidal Wave tried to hide his anxiety by frantically examining the door for any weaknesses in its systems, but to no avail.
“O-Ok… Umm… Maybe this? N-No….crap. Alright. W-Well…” Tidal Wave felt especially naked now that he had been separated from his water gem.
“Tidal Wave….just stop.” Spiral muttered. “We can’t do anything right now.”
Tidal Wave turned to her, trying to keep a straight face. “Wh-Wh-What? What’re you talking about? Of course we can! We just….gotta figure out what it is we can do, you know?” he stammered.
“Don’t waste your energy, dude. We’ve just….gotta be patient and see what happens.” Spiral said.
“Spiral, don’t tell me you’re giving up! We can’t just let ourselves be held hostage like this!” Tidal Wave argued.
“I’m not giving up!” Spiral retorted. “But we barely have any idea of what to do, let alone what other kinds of nasty surprises might await us in here.”
“I-I know, but….” Tidal Wave began tearing up and fell to his hooves sobbing. Spiral went over and embraced him.
Spiral gently caressed his back as she let him cry out his fear. “I’m scared too…..” she whispered.
Tidal Wave sobbed on her shoulder for a moment before being able to speak. “I’m sorry….<sob>…. I just don’t know what else to do.” He sniffled a little bit, making his voice a little less muffled. “Maybe…..maybe I shouldn’t have left Cloudsdale. Maybe I just got excited about going on an adventure, and…..and this happened.”
Spiral lifted his head away so that she could face him. “Don’t talk like that, Tidal Wave. I know you’re braver than that.” She said. “You’ve been braver than I think you realize. You jumped all the way up from Cloudsdale, got information about Valkyrie, and saved us from those harpies all by yourself, not to mention that giant eel you said you fought. Plus, I don’t think Zebota would have given you a water-controlling brooch if he knew you had a fearful heart.” Tidal Wave seemed to calm down from Spiral encouraging him, and his sobbing became far less profuse. “And….I want you here, dude. You’ve…..been just a great friend and teammate. You more than have a place in the Battle Foals. I’ve been able to talk to you, meditate with you, laugh with you, all of that.”
Tidal Wave could notice her blushing a little bit, and he suddenly stopped crying altogether, especially when thinking about the few but memorable moments he’d shared with her and everypony else. “Yeah. You’re right…. Thanks….” He said.
“Yeah, man…” Spiral said. Tidal Wave was caught off guard when she suddenly kissed his cheek before resting her head on his shoulder. “Any time.”
Tidal Wave found himself blushing as he processed what just happened, and he happily embraced Spiral back and started gently nuzzling her neck, which tickled her a little. Just then, something crossed his mind. “Wait….. Is it just me, or…. Was somepony not here?”
*****
Air Slash laid down on the cold metal floor, largely keeping to himself. Feeling powerless without his swords, he could only be occupied with his thoughts, contemplating any sort of plan of attack.
“Air Slash?” Greensprout said. “Are you okay?”
Air Slash simply eyed up to her. “Nevermind me. Are you?”
“Yes. Thank you.” Greensprout said. She laid down next to the sullen samurai and put her arms around his neck and kissed him. “Don’t despair. We’ll find a way out of this mess.”
“If I had been stronger…. We may not even in it to begin with.” Air Slash said. “I’m sorry, Greensprout.”
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault. We couldn’t have seen this coming.” Greensprout said.
Air Slash sighed. “Forgive me, I….I suppose I’m not very used to failure.”
“We haven’t failed yet, Air Slash. I’m sure we’ll find a way to best her with time.” Greensprout said.
“Yes…” Air Slash said. He managed to crease a little smile. “I’m just glad you’re okay, Greensprout.” He lightly pecked her.
“You too.” Greensprout said. They warmly embraced for a moment before a thought popped into Air Slash’s head.
“Wait! Where was Shadow Shroud?”
*****
Bullseye and Valkyrie had put more dents in their fists than they did in their cell door, and they laid on the floor in pain and pure frustration. The atmosphere of their shared space was tainted with anger, betrayal, and despair. Bullseye managed to peek out of the little window in their door to see Crazylocks’ cell just across from theirs, but nopony was peeking back at her. Apart from that, Valkyrie was banging her fist on the ground, furious at Skadi for her treachery, and without her armaments or the Valhalla, she felt as though she had failed her bloodline.
“Skadi….” Valkyrie hissed. “Just wait ‘til I get my talons on you!”
“Save some room for me, feather face. I want to f*** her up too.” Bullseye said.
“I’m sure you all do.” Valkyrie said. “But I’ve got more of a bone to pick with her than the rest of you.”
Bullseye chuckled. “Not so much about your ancestry now, huh? Just want revenge? I like that.”
Valkyrie snarled at her. “Don’t think for a second that I’d stoop to your level. Skadi owes more to me and Griffonstone than you could imagine!”
“Yeah, yeah. I get the picture, but I’ve got rights to her bones too. She took my bow and locked Crazylocks up by herself.” Bullseye said.
“It’s more than that…” Valkyrie said. “When I was little, my dad had the Valhalla, and one day, we got attacked by a swarm of harpies. We managed to push them back, but….he got mortally wounded in the process. I inherited that thing with the burden of carrying his regrets. And now…” Valkyrie let a tear roll down her face as she thought of that tragic day. “I couldn’t even protect his honor from being spat on by some stupid traitor, nevermind Siegfried.”
Bullseye softened up a little on the inside, but not so much that she expressed any sympathy. “So wipe away that spit and throw back in her face. I’m sure your dad and Siegfried got s*** on by all sorts of stuff before they beat them right back. I know I sure would.”
“Yeah, but you just care beating up everything you don’t like.” Valkyrie said.
“Example A: Skadi, and I’ve got a damn good reason for not liking her. Same went for my parents and those robots. So yeah, I’m just an angry little b****; sue me, but even I don’t get pissed without reason, unless it’s just Monday, but whatever.” Bullseye said. “It doesn’t change the fact that you and have both want Skadi’s throat.”
Valkyrie thought for a moment and smiled. “Yeah….true. Tell you what, first one to catch her has her way with the old hag.”
Bullseye wickedly snickered. “Sounds fun, but just warning you, I play real dirty.”
“I figured.” Valkyrie said. “Just try to leave her alive if you win. She needs to face trial before the kind for her
transgressions.”
Bullseye smiled sadistically. “I’ll try…”
*****
Frostbite kept blasting a bashing at his cell door with all of his draconic strength and ice powers, but he could only scratch the paint. As he was becoming tired, his frustration only grew. “Rrgh! You gotta be kidding me!”
Kickback calmly sat in the corner watching him. “Simmer down, partner.”
“Why!? I’m making progress!” Frostbite exclaimed. “He clawed away at the door with the same results as before. “It’s not much, but….”
“Yer just gonna wear yerself out. Just be patient, n’ somethin’ will come to us.” Kickback said.
Frostbite leered at him. “How can you be so calm? How are you not angry or worried?” he demanded.
“Would it help?” Kickback asked.
“Oh, wise guy, huh?” Frostbite said.
“So yer scared?” Kickback inquired.
“Wh-What!? No! Don’t be ridiculous! I-I’m just trying to get us out of here!” Frostbite stammered.
“Don’t need to hide it, partner. It’s better than actin’ like a dang fool.” Kickback said.
“Pfft! You’re one to talk, mister calm and collected. I bet you’re shaking like a leaf on the inside!” Frostbite accused.
Kickback lowered his hat. “Ah’d be lyin’ if I said I wasn’t a little bit worried, but Ah’d rather still be thinking with mah mind n’ not my muscles. They don’t matter right this minute.”
Frostbite growled as he realized that Kickback was right. He wanted to be able to do something, but right now, he was about as helpless as a dragon hatchling. “I really can’t do anything, can I?”
“Well now what makes ya say that?” Kickback said.
Frostbite heavily sighed. “Ok, I’ll come clean. Yeah, my ice breath pretty much put me at the bottom of the food chain. Every dragon would find some kind of pathetic excuse to humiliate me, tease me, or even steal food from me, all because I wasn’t ‘cool’ or anything. I finally got the guts to pack up and leave, far away where no one could find me. I heard that they’ve become a little more reasonable since Ember came into power, but….”
Kickback raised his hat and looked the drake in his eyes. “Well, Ah’m awful sorry that happened to ya, Frostbite.”
“Tch. I don’t need your pity. I know I’m tough and capable and…..cool.” Frostbite said. He held back tears recalling the torment he’d endured.
“Well, that’s good! It means yer spirit’s strong too. That’s always a plus in mah book.” Kickback said.
Frostbite chuckled. “Yeah, you just watch me! I’ll tear this whole to the ground and freeze it over so it can’t rise again!” he declared. Kickback simply smiled and tipped his hat in response, but then something crossed the icy drake’s mind. “Hey….was that ‘Shadow Shroud’ filly with us?”
Meanwhile….
Just outside of Skadi’s fortress high atop a mesa, Shadow Shroud and Dark Veil quietly observed their surroundings. Both were terrified that such a place could exist, but their common goal kept their nerves steady, as did their discipline.
Shadow Shroud noticed the robotic python that was responsible for her friends’ capture. “That little pest is going to be our biggest problem. We have to do away with it somehow first and foremost.”
“Leave it to me. I may not be as light on hooves as you are, but I was a ruling tyrant in combat training.” Dark Veil said.
Shroud chuckled. “Suddenly I remember struggling against you.” She said. “I gathered that Skadi is short on resources for how big of a force she controls, so I don’t think we’ll have to worry about very heavy reinforcements.”
“But an alert to an intruder’s presence would certainly prompt her to tighten security, making those foals far less accessible.” Dark Veil added. “So Robo Snake is gonna have to be dealt with quietly.”
“That, and I need to locate my friends first and see what their situation is.” Shroud said.
“And if we encounter Skadi, we kill her.” Dark Veil said.
“Not so fast, rookie. She’s a citizen of Griffonstone, and her offenses are more immediately directed towards them. They should decide her fate.” Shroud said. “Though that’s not to say that she shouldn’t be impaired to any degree. We may have to improvise…..a lot.”
“Hmm…..true.” Dark Veil said. “Alright, once the guards on this side start to become more sparse, we’ll get closer and see if we can’t find a way in.”
Shroud nodded. “Sounds like a plan. Walk with the shadows, brother.” She said as she and Dark Veil donned their masks and quietly made their way down to the desert floor.