//------------------------------// // chapter 2 (edited) // Story: The Lone hunter // by Viper Pit //------------------------------// I continue to glare at the purple one from inside this infernal cage, I absolutely hate feeling so vulnerable like this. Fluttershy is currently trying to keep the purple one from examining me closer. She has a name, but that whatever she is doesn't deserve to be called by it after probing me. After some time passes there was a loud knock at the front door, then some new ponies walk through the opened door. Seeing that this distracted them, the purple one mainly, I spring into action and ram my body into one side of the cage. This succeeds in tipping it over the counter, however, I didn't account for the fall. The cage dropped to a fluffy surface like the one in Fluttershy's bathroom. This muffled the sound so I quickly fiddle around with the door which proves to be irritating. Once I open it I quickly race out of that prison then lunge at the purple one again. Suddenly, a hard and what I assume to be metal object swings at me with full force. I crash into the wall where some sharp things are used to restrain me against the now dented surface without inflicting any physical harm. I believe I prefer the cage because I could at least move around on there! It took a moment for me to get over the initial shock, but rather than being just angry I was slightly impressed. I look to see one pony that was at the door held a long shiny sharp pole. His coat color was a very bloody shade of red and he had no extra extremities. “Do you mind explaining why your so set on attacking Twilight?” asks Fluttershy in a worried tone. I still felt embarrassment from before which turned into frustration so I decide to speak up for myself and continue with the tradition. “That one with both wings and a horn attacked me while I was simply sitting in the bathtub. Thus enacting the law of my previous nest to deal with opponents who share species with us. We fight either to death were one of us dies or the assailant submits into servitude, ” I explain feeling that they should already know this. I struggle against these restraints to no avail this forces me to seek slight help. “You, “ all of them look toward my directed, “red one, release me so I can recompense the battle.” “Nnnnope.” “Why not?! I must fight against her assault!” I shout in protest. “My brother ain't gonna release somethin as dangerous as you. Not till ya stop it with all this battlin to the death nonsense, ” said a new female voice. I look toward the doorway to see a pony like the male who lacks a horn or wings. This one had orange fur and a light yellow mane with a strange light brown object that rested on her head. Wait, did she just call the male brother so there siblings… Focus Viper! “No way would I ever stop! What you are asking me to do is impossible, ” I explain infuriated at this female's disrespect. “And why's that exactly?” she asks looking smug. The nerve! “If I ever abandoned the law of the nest then that would be death sentence. It's seen as a sign of disloyalty, and insubordination, ” I respond. Not in a million years would I ever abandon my fundamental way of life because another species asks me to. What they demand is utter nonsense! I notice that the red giant seems visibly irritated and the three females have begun to discuss something. Now, I am here waiting still restrained to the wall as they keep talking. One thing I have noticed is that the red male chimes in occasionally only speaking by using one word. Looks like he isn't much of a talker. That's fine I prefer my potential mates to leave the talking to me. He appears to be on the brawny side, but isn't a muscle bound blockhead like Uncle Pytheon. Now, just how will I convince him to leave his current nest to start one with me… At least that new female won't be competition, hopefully, do ponies allow inbreeding? As I ponder over these these thoughts, the females and male finish discussing their topic. Fluttershy approaches me, and begins speaking “Listen, you wouldn't be abandoning the law of your nest. You would simply follow the rules… er laws while in another groups territory. Your technically a guest so it's common courtesy to follow the hosts laws.” Out of all the new things I've experienced today this is probably strangest due to this ideas logic. “Guest? Host? Courtesy? I knew ponies were supposedly strange, but your laws are just… Why would I follow another set of laws different from my nests?” I ask. My anger had dulled somewhat with my curiosity starting to surface. Fluttershy hesitated so I look around the room to see that the three others were holding a discussion again. I examined the red males form just taking in his strong he must be. I’m trying to figure out how ponies nests work, are females the leaders like in changelings? There seems to be abundance of that gender, but they still treat males with the same respect as another female. There's the possibility of multiple leaders as well, I think. The purple one whispers something into Fluttershy's ear then the yellow pegasus begins speaking again. “H-Haven't we proven we are stronger than you? So, shouldn't you be following what we say at least a small bit, “ she asks. “Yeah, when you hold weapons!” “What are you yellin about now?” the male’s sister asks. “The male defended the purple one with that long weapon. In a one on one fight, your supposed to battle fairly without using any tricks. My nest would always make sure that whoever's opponent had no reinforcements so they could not ambush any of us, ” I explain. They should know these thing already, it's like I am being forced to teach law basics to my brothers larvae offspring again. “Well… We ponies tend to lean toward a less violent approach when settling disputes, but didn't you use a trick when lunging at Twilight. You waited until her attention was at the door where she had no choice to defend herself, ” replies Fluttershy. My annoyed expression immediately dropped to one of pure shock. Thinking back to it I had been so dead set on following the battle part of the law that I completely discarded the fair part. I knew my burning feeling in my cheeks that a blush was beginning to form. “I… Yes, but she still attacked me first, ” I admit ashamed of my actions to some extent. “Still your reasons for attacking Twilight at similar to just going to war over a small misunderstanding, “ says Fluttershy. “Darn tootin all this nest law stuff sounds like a bunch of hooey to us right, Big Mac?” says the orange female. He responds with, “Eeyup.” Meanwhile, the purple one is busy searching for something, “I need to find my clipboard to write all of this down. There's no mention of such a violent law in Scorponies higheratchy.” “Nests go to war with each other all the time, why would this be any different? Newly formed ones get so cocky that they think they stand a chance against already established nests. Yet it usually older ones that kick them out of our territory. Food tends to be okay for the most part, ” I say. The only time they didn't go to war was during periods of vulnerability. Even if ponies are strong they enter times like that as well. “Oooh, I get it your group was recently weakened so you don't want to lose anyone else.” Maybe if I try to understand them then I'll get closer to convincing the male to become my mate. “Nnnope.” I almost thought I had heard things wrong until the orange one spoke, “Things are different here in Equestria. We don't go to war out of the blue. In fact there hasn't been a real since Sombra got banished.” Just then another pony rushes into the room and goes straight for a container on the counter. It has a picture of something round with black and brown on the side. This pony is light pink with a darker pink mane and lacks any extra extremities like Big Mac. Just as quickly as this new pony appeared she ran out of Fluttershy's cottage container in tow. When I return my sight onto the remaining group I see that none of them are surprised in the slightest. And these ponies continue to get stranger by the minute to me… All four begin discussing another topic leaving me to realize the position I've managed to get in. Fluttershy may have saved me, but now since that purple one attacked then these to got involved. I’m in new enemy territory completely restrained because my curiosity overwhelmed me to learn more about them. Not only is their logic strange they have a weapon and can use powerful magic that can restrain me in an instant. I've even disrespected my nests law in anger, what would my family think of me now. Mother will never look me in the eye again if she finds out about this. I would cover eyes with my front hooves if I could move them. A strange sound jarred me from my thoughts as I look to see the cage being lifted by a magenta aura. The purple one's horn is glowing and soon envelops me once again. She removes the restraints then places me in the cage securing the door with a metal thing. I try to protest by punching her with my hoof only the harder I tried to reach outside the cage. The heavier my hooves became, must be able to use magic other than levitation. “Twilight, are ya sure that's the only option?” asks the orange female. This confused me until I heard her respond to the question. “Don't worry, Applejack, if I serve under her then I can make sure she doesn't get into any trouble. This also allows me to study the Scorponies up close without her being so hostile towards me, “ the purple one responded. She did something with her fingers when saying the word serve. Yet I was quite surprised at the male and Fluttershy who accepted this. “She isn't that bad once you get to know the dear, sorry about the cage…” said Fluttershy. “I'll take yer word for it, but I still think this is dangerous, “ says Applejack. “Eeyup.” The purple one is about to pick up the cage until I start speaking. “Wait just a moment. She's going to become my servant, right?” I ask. “Yes, but I'm more like your caretaker. You lack knowledge that's normal for ponies, but knowledge about your kind is on a similar level to the Cutie Mark Crusaders, ” my new servant answers. “Caretaker? Your still my servant and I don't really have much of a choice. So, I'll go along with this for now, “ I say smiling to myself. In the history of my old nest, any fights for the law would have the opponent rather die than be a servant. I felt proud that I gained one that was a different species. “Movin on if she causes ya any trouble Twilight then just give the girls and me a holler, ” assures the orange one. With that my new servant picks up the cage and heads out of the front door. She begins walking down the path Fluttershy had traversed some time ago. After a few minutes of this we reach a road like the one before I feel a bit shaken. Something almost crashed into me on one of these so it was reasonable. As my servant walked along the road some houses came into view only they weren't like Fluttershy's. Not only that I spotted many ponies who starred at my cage as we passed by them. Some had horns, some wings, and some with neither. I thought about it for a moment, hold on my servant has both so why don't I see any others like her. I witness a few pegasi take off into the clouds above when we reached a less crowded spot my servant asked me something. “Can you tell me your name? Completely slipped my mind to ask back at Fluttershy's.” I suppose it is proper for a lackey to know their master’s name. “I'll tell you when you undo whatever causes me to become heavier, “ I responds. She knows what I'm talking about and after her from glows. I test it out to find my hooves no longer feel so heavy when I stick them outside the cage. “My name is Viper Pit, but I expect you to address me as your Master, ” I proudly say. She lets out a laugh and says, “Afraid I cannot call you that since I’m your Caretaker. Do you something else I can call you instead.” I'm angered by her insolence, but considering my current position. “Fine… you can address me simply as Miss Viper, “ I answer. My brothers used to call me that as an annoying taught, but when they hear my servant say it they'll be dumbstruck. I see a few ponies look around to find who my servant is talking to. “Alright then, Miss Viper, what exactly are you doing so far inside Equestria when your kind lives in the Badlands?” “My nest was getting to crowded so some of us split off to start our own nests. Like I said before food was okay, but it was starting to take longer to find a good source. We feed off magic so I followed a Changeling chock full of it north before losing its trail, “ I answer just before the cage shakes wildly. “WHAT THE HECK?!” “Sorry, sorry. Nearly tripped on a rock. So you were saying that Scorponies eat magic., “ I nod as she continues, “and you chased a Changeling this far north?” Once I again I give a quick nod as she keeps walking. “How long were you chasing it?” “A few days… around the time length of a typical laying cycle to be exact. I think you ponies call that a week and a half, “ I reply. Her questions are starting to get annoying so I decide to ask a few myself. “My turn, what kinds of ponies are there? I know what a pegasus is the wings with wings. And how come I haven't seen another pony with both like you?” “Well, the ponies with a horn are called Unicorns while those without any are called Earth Ponies. As for me, I'm an Alicorn there is only four of us in Equestria. We have traits from all three tribes: wings to fly, a horn to cast magic, and the connection to the land. I received my wings a while ago and I’m originally a unicorn. We are all princesses, “ she responds. Wait if there are just four in Equestria and their princesses. Then that means I have a rare breed of servant. But, what's a princess exactly? “So, how do you consume magic? Do you ssiphonit through the air or physically extract the magical essence?” “We usually team up with our nests to take down a few targets with magic. A quick bite full of venom usually kills them then a bite to the horn allows us to drain their magic. There are rare cases where I keep targets alive, my family thinks you should just take it all instead of my strategy. I drain just enough to make them able to recharge the amount drained so I can come back later for more, “ I answer winded from that mouthful. I observe my servant physically tense up a bit, “... I see, do you exclusively eat magic? Are you capable of eating anything physical?” “No and yes. We can eat other things, but must maintain a reserve of magic to stay battle ready. I happen to enjoy eating cactus flowers back in the Badlands but those were hard to come by, “ I explain. She relaxes quite a bit so I decide to ask another question, “So where are we heading to?” “My house the Golden Oaks Library. It's an actual tree home similar to Fluttershy's cottage, ” says my servant. “Library? What's that?” “It's a place built specifically to contain books for ponies living in this town to check out. Books are made out of a material called paper and have writing inside of them. And just to be clear even though I'm your Caretaker it would be in your best options to never purposely damage one of my books, “ she explains with a sharp voice. I can tell she means business when talking about these books and considering she can disarm me. Even if in my servitude, I have a strong feeling that she'll attack me. “Unless these books attack me, then I won't attack first. And for your first order let me out of here, ” I command in my best stern voice. “When we arrive at the Golden Oaks then I'll let you out. If I did that right now that would cause a scene, “ she says calmly. "No, I want out right now, “ I order again. "I told you I will when we get home.” This alicorn sure is one stubborn servant still better than no servant. "Now." "No" "Yes" "Nope" "You do realize I'm your master right?" "And I'm your caretaker. Letting you out would probably scare half the town. They tend to overreact to something new especially with creatures they don't understand." "Out" "Not happening, " She is holding her ground in this little game.