//------------------------------//
// 20 – Endure 
// Story: Five Score – A Prench Tale Vol.1 
// by Alsey 
//------------------------------//


[Content Warning: Violence, Blood, Gore]







Amber's View



I look around me, and it's as if a dark cloud had fallen over the farm...

Ponies are either sitting alone, or in little groups, talking quietly, irrespective of tribe. Probably old friends, kept apart by the politics of our community until now, and yet there's nary a smile on their faces. Even the foals, usually spared by most concerns, look sad and melancholic.

Some are looking at their own hooves like they're seeing them for the first time, and I can only wonder: did this tacit agreement, of not talking about the 'pre-hooves days', really hold so much power over the minds and lives of these ponies? Though who am I to talk... I just have to remind myself how easy and tempting it was to let Amber Spire take over, to understand them..!

It's possible that I only fared better because I didn't have much to regret losing along with my humanity... I had no family or friends to speak of, I didn't have a life that couldn't be carried on my back.

But I also remember the few months of pure hell after my parents threw me out... How painful it'd be to think back over everything I'd lost, and how liberating it was to distance myself from these traumatic memories. To just live one day after the other, focusing mainly on the present, sometimes on the future, never on the past. Maybe, for them, it was something like that... And now the harsh reality slapped them in the face without warning.

It's like some kind of spell has been broken, never to be recaptured. They don't really look like ponies anymore; just grieving, traumatized humans...

One little group stands out from the others. Olivier, the mule stallion, is smiling softly, eyes tingled with small tears, as he talks warmly with three other ponies: Feldspark, Misty Down the teal pegasus teen, and Fleur de Bruyère the young earth mare. The three look contrite but also relieved, in a way. A group of friends, torn along the tribal lines, reuniting at last... It's still bittersweet, but I'd say this is the most immediate good side of this whole situation.

Fenchone doesn't seem to share my opinion though, glaring at them as in reproach. Well, she's glaring at everypony in turn, to be honest; maybe, more than anypony else, she was finding solace in the belief that we were a unified, functional community. It's no surprise that most of her ire is directed at a despondent Keensight, who is conferring with a confused Sassaflash, but for some reason she looks just as angrily at Mom, who is busy trying to comfort little Musème, and also at Laurence.

My eyes meet with the pegasus's, and I recognize the silent pleading for somepony to talk to. Getting up, I trot up to her and Dusky. The foal looks more bored by the whole situation than anything else, but that doesn't prevent him from giving me the stink eye when he sees me approaching, which of course goes completely unnoticed by Laurence... But anyway! Just ignore him, Amber, and focus on Laurence: “Hey... You all right?”

Her face doesn't show much more than 'bothered', but the way her voice cracks in anguish is quite telling: “Amber, I... I know what I did isn't wrong, that they had to hear it sooner or later, but...”

She did hijack the green pegasus's speech with her very blunt comments, while everypony was listening attentively... This particular subject would've probably been better served by being broached in a different context, sure, but that's how things are... “It's not your fault, you were trying to take Keensight down a much-needed peg.”

That doesn't comfort her though: “It just all flowed out of my mouth, I wanted to... I wanted to get back at her.”, she admits, ashamed. “When I saw the opportunity, I jumped on it, without thinking about the consequences – it was the pragmatic thing to do. But I'm supposed to protect you all... Was it protecting you from yourselves, or... Or just self-centered cruelty..?”

“Isn't that a little harsh on yourself? She was the one antagonizing everybody, maybe now she'll think twice before acting that way.”

She shakes her head. “I wasn't making it up, Amber. She's like me. I could have been like her, if... Well, if I had any issue with being alone or looked down, I guess...”

“I don't know if it's that simple, Laurence... But then, once things have settled down a little, maybe it'd be worth talking with her, rather than arguing?”

The mare shrugs. “Wouldn't bet on her wanting to have anything to do with me anytime soon...”

“She got what she deserved, don't concern yourself so much.”, Dusky chimes in coldly.

... This foal is really rude. I can't understand what Laurence sees in him! Seriously, does he have to always act like this!? What the heck did I do to him, is he just that jealous!?

*sigh*

All right Amber, that's enough of being riled by this foalish behavior... We're all a little tense and hurt, that's all. I suppose that a distraction could be a very good thing right now, for everypony...

Glancing at the well, left untouched since Keensight's arrival, I think that this could maybe do it!

Walking up to Feldspark and his three friends, I wait for an opportunity to grab his attention without barging right in the middle of their conversation. The nerdy-looking unicorn straightens himself when he finally notices me, and I take it as my cue: “Sorry to bother you Feldspark, but would you still be willing to help me fish whatever's at the bottom of that well?”

“Oh, uh, yes, that is what we were about to do before, well, all this...”, he stammers, adjusting his glasses with a touch of silvery magic; it's when I look at him that I'm the most relieved that I don't need eyewear anymore, human glasses really aren't made with pony snouts in mind... “Would you excuse me, Oli, girls?”

“But of course Sparkie!”, Misty Down replies with a wink that may've been supposed to be discreet.

With this the both of us head for the well. Feldspark and I are roughly the same age I think, but he's a bit of a wallflower, always so shy when I try to talk to him. Even right now I feel he's slightly uncomfortable around me, though he's always been a perfect gentlecolt so I don't know why. I hope this won't impact our work, because as I stare once again into the well's inky blackness, the sun still far from reaching its zenith, I know I'll need his help and then some...

“Lead the way, you, uh, you already have a feel for it.”, he tells me with a slight blush on his gray cheeks, and I nod with some nervousness of my own, starting to gather magic in my horn.

This is an exercise I've tried with Mom once, so I know what to expect, and yet, when his horn touches mine, I'm still surprised by this electric sensation tingling from the point of contact all the way to the tip of my tail..! It passes quickly, fortunately, so I can begin to channel my energy into a levitation spell. At this point it has become so instinctive that I don't have to think about it, it counts as much as a spell as moving my leg, really, but the unusual part begins when his magic starts mingling with mine, following along the invisible lines I'm drawing.

I can't say if this powdery, earthy scent comes from my nose, or if it's something his unique flavor of magic evokes to my subconscious...

Directing my enhanced perceptions downward, I only stop when I encounter the slightly elastic feel of a water surface, pretty much like cellophane stretched over an empty container. A quick 'look' around and I feel the firmer texture of one of the mysterious barrels, or at least just the part that juts out of the water.

Now for the first hard part: to seize the barrel, and only the barrel, with our combined magic.

Guided by my memory, it's far easier this time around to quite literally wrap my mind around the foreign object, isolating its specific texture even while it's surrounded by water, which is a lot more heavy and disruptive than air.

And now for the second hard part, the one where Feldspark's contribution will really be essential...

I concentrate more and more magic under the barrel, pushing upwards, giving little nudges from the sides to keep it stable, but it's still so darn heavy..! Like Laurence said, the barrel must be almost completely full, either of water or of whatever's inside in the first place... Fortunately, I can feel that the barrel's cap is missing, so I redirect our efforts to orient the barrel with its opening facing down. That way when we manage to lift it above the water's surface it should empty itself on its own!

The only shortcoming of that plan is that we must still be able to get the barrel up... The barrel's taller than it is wide, so holding it upside-down is more difficult to balance, but I know it's still the best way! With Feldspark's magic to supplement my own we do manage to get the barrel almost half the way out of the water, but it's—

I almost lose all my focus when a third flavor of magic joins the mix, its owner's horn resting against mine. This aura is pale yellow and feels like ozone and sparkling light, somehow, so I know it comes from Éclat d'Astre before I've even noticed the tall white form of the unicorn mare standing next to me. She could've been more gentle, but her power is a significant boost to our efforts, so I certainly won't complain!

Soon a fourth source of magic joins us, though it must've linked with either Feldspark or Éclat as I don't feel any new physical contact. I immediately recognize Mom's powerful aura, but with three foreign auras mixing with mine things are becoming a little unstable!

I stop trying to get the barrel any higher, and focus on keeping it stable, letting out a steady flow of magic. Like I hoped, after giving a little too much or too quickly, the other three begin to harmonize with my pattern, until we're only forming a single, unified one!

Only then, little by little, do we return to lifting the barrel. Slowly but steadily it rises, until it's finally high enough for water to start pouring out! As the weight decreases rapidly I adapt our magic output to match, lest the barrel ends up shooting up straight in our faces, and soon getting the emptied barrel out of the well couldn't be easier!

We pull back as the blue plastic barrel emerges at last, the other unicorns withdrawing one by one to let me finish putting it on the ground, and I can finally stop channeling. I feel a little dizzy, but it was worth it!

I move to get a closer look at that hard-won barrel, and my eyes immediately zero in on the white security ring around the almost hoof-wide opening. The color, material, and size are a perfect match for that lid I found four days ago, near the forest! I'd completely forgot about that... And all this time in the well would explain why the paper label on the barrel's side suffered so much from water. I'm still able to make out some words though, like the largest one ending with '-GERM', and the four black-and-red pictograms: 'Harmful', 'Corrosive', 'Environmental hazard', and 'Health hazard'...

My inspection's interrupted by a shadow looming over me. Glancing at its source, I can't help but shy away from Fenchone and her grim expression as she examines the barrel. Standing up, her fierce gaze snaps directly to Keensight, who's watching the scene from afar:

“You have anything to do with this!?”, the earth mare growls at the pegasus.

Before Keensight can answer, Golden Gale comes forward, wings half-spread in defiance: “Hey, she may have issues, but she'd never do something like that!”, he shoots back.

Fenchone's hardly dissuaded, ignoring the stallion and stomping towards the green mare. Mom tries to interpose herself: “Please Fenchone, despite her... bellicose behavior, there's no reason to think she would go to such extremes!”

“Stop finding her excuses!”, the earth mare barks, pushing Mom away to get to her target, who is standing tall and firm despite being almost half a head shorter than her accuser.

“I've never seen this thing before.”, Keensight states with perfect aplomb. “And I've no idea how it ended up here.”

“As if we could trust anything coming out of your mouth..!”, Fenchone hisses through gritted teeth.

“She's probably telling the truth!”, I blurt out, though my own poise crumbles easily when the earth mare turns her angry glare on me..! “I, er... I mean, I found the lid of a barrel like this one last Tuesday in the woods, and I doubt she could've found or even transported this kind of stuff that easily anyway, there were at least two barrels down there...”, I blabber like an idiot.

Laurence comes to my rescue: “What is that 'stuff', exactly..?”

“It's disinfectant, industrial grade.”, I answer more confidently. “It's usually not sold to the general population.”

Fenchone keeps fuming, but begrudgingly turns away from Keensight, walking back towards the empty barrel. “Alright... And how come we didn't notice this crap in our water until now?”

“These products can be both colorless and odorless, actually.”, I provide.

“But it stinks so much!”, a little voice exclaims, and we all turn towards the white-and-brown stripped filly, Mesembrine. “You really don't smell it?”

“Er... I suppose you could have a talent for detecting this kind of substance..?”, I suggest.

Her face lights up, ears perked. “You mean like a special talent!?” She looks expectantly at her flank, and her sudden delight becomes utter disappointment at seeing it still blank.

“Maybe it's only one part of your talent?”, I propose, trying to make her see the bright side of the situation. “Like, now you know which way to keep looking!”

“I guess so...”, she answers with a pout.

“So now what..?”, Fenchone grumbles, bringing our focus back to the situation at hoof. “We may know what has killed all our plants, great, but that doesn't change anything...”

“I wouldn't be so sure.”, Laurence argues. “Pippin?”

Only now do I realizes that I haven't seen the bat-winged mare for a bit. Asking my magic for a path in her direction, I turn my head towards the well, and I can't help an amused smile at seeing Pippinstrelle trying to look inconspicuous behind it, even though the tip of her large ears and the top of her cute hat are still in plain view.

Laurence has noticed where I'm staring, and walks slowly around the well: “It's okay Pippin, you can come out.”

“You said no more yelling..!”, comes the high-pitched complaint.

“Uh, yeah, sorry about that,” Laurence mutters, throwing an annoyed glance at Fenchone, “I'll make sure they behave as they should from now on.”

This is enough to reassure the shy mare, who stands up from her hiding spot and follows closely behind Laurence, even though she's still clearly nervous.

“What the heck are you..?”, Fenchone asks bluntly, gawking at Pippinstrelle from head to hooves.

“She's a pony willing to help.”, Laurence squints severely, the earth mare huffing a 'whatever'. The pegasus then turns to the batpony: “So, I saw you and Mesembrine doing more tests, could you tell us what you've found?”

“Oh yes yes yes!”, Pippinstrelle nods vigorously. “It's only the first three or four centimeters!”

“Got it, it only affects the uppermost layer of soil, just as you predicted.”, Laurence translates for us lacking a Pippinctionary. “Do you have any idea of what we should do now?”

“Lots!”, she replies. “Compost pile first! Would be better if we had some old compost for the good microorganisms that's too bad but not essential, then forty percent brown matter for carbon – could be saw dust, strips of paper, cardboard, good to have some on the side anyway to add if microorganisms get too active – then forty percents green matter, and twenty percents manure for high nitrogen, then lots of water but not too much, and it could even be used for hot water! Oh, for even more hot water by the way it's easy with a big black container, some glass, and we double reserves! Where was I? Ah yes, humanure toilets, too! Or is it ponure toilets now? Though only for the food forest, just in case, and it won't be good until a year, and—”

“It sounds really great Pippin,” Laurence thankfully interrupts, “but we also need something for, well, right now...”

“Oh. Right.”, she blinks. “Toilets in the back are no good yet, forest soil would do but not optimal...”

“We can always buy some fertilizer later on, wouldn't that work too?”, asks Fenchone.

Pippinstrelle doesn't answer right away, eyeing the earth mare suspiciously. “Adequate mixed with forest soil, yes...”

“So we would add more healthy soil over the contaminated one, is that correct..?”, Mom tries to clarify.

But Pippinstrelle shakes her head: “No, only after extracting the contaminated.”

“You didn't say anything about that...”, Fenchone frowns.

The batpony cocks her head, one ear twitching, humming to herself for a couple seconds as if deep in thought. “You appear to be correct.”, she admits. “We extract the contaminated soil and replace it with the healthy one.”

“That's a lot of work... Don't we have any alternative, Pippin?”

“Can wait for lots of rain.”, she shrugs.

“It's not necessarily a bad thing...”, Olivier muses, joining the discussion. “Look around you, these ponies need something to get their hooves busy.”

He's not wrong... I hoped getting the barrels out of the well would be a good distraction for everypony, but most of them are still stuck in their brooding. I don't have to imagine what they must all be thinking about... Lives turned upside-down almost overnight, teared away from home, friends and family, a new foreign body to call one's own...

“I know this isn't helping right now, but I don't want to have to break them like this a second time...”, Laurence objects, ears folding back. “Being confronted to the truth is important, we shouldn't give them an opportunity to sweep it all under the rug so soon.”

“You're right, it isn't helping at all...”, Fenchone glares at my friend.

“She still has a point...”, I dare to speak up. “We have to make sure everybody has a chance to find their happy medium, it'd be too easy to just go back to the usual routine and forget it all once more, like it never happened.”

The earth mare snorts in overt disdain. “'Happy medium'... What's this new absurdity..?”

“I think I know what you mean...”, Olivier nods to me. “But I'm not sure this is something that can be brought forth in a matter of minutes, or in these conditions.”

Once again, he's not wrong. It's impossible to solve all these issues with just a couple words, true, but... But we can at least make sure they make the first step in the right direction! I believe in my idea, and I'm sure this is the correct way to go! We... We just need to implement it!

I look expectantly at the ponies around me, yet in their eyes I only see indecision, doubt, or outright derision... Am I the only one willing to at least try?

That can't be... I mean, I can't do this all on my own! “Mom..?”

“Amber, I... I don't think this is something you can force on ponies. They have to come up with an answer on their own, like you did.”, she tells me, sounding sorry for what she has to say.

But I didn't do it all on my own! I only followed Laurence's advice! I turn to the pegasus: “Laurence, we have to do something!”

“Uh... I don't know what we can do, exactly...”, she winces. “We've planted a seed, it needs time to germinate, you know? And I... I think I've bothered these ponies well enough for one day...”

Yes time's important, but a seed needs more than that, it needs good water, and sunlight! Er, I mean, it needs positive reinforcement, in this case, and we have to make hay while the sun shines! Or... Or is it me being too optimistic, again..?

Well buck it, I like being optimistic! It's part of my own happy medium!

This...

This is a decision I must take, right..?

I glance at all these ponies, sitting around, sad and despondent... Would they really turn down unsolicited advice, even if it's good advice?

Well Amber, only one way to find out!!

I trot towards the closest pair of ponies, though, er, I then decide to first try my hoof at the second closest, considering the first one included Keensight; better start with a slightly less challenging audience! And what's even more to my advantage, this second pair includes Luisard!

The pegasus stallion doesn't seem to notice my approach as he confers with Perchelongue. “Hey guys...”, I greet them with a cautious smile. “How are you holding up?”

They both turn their attention on me. “What do you want, Amber?”, asks Luisard with some annoyance in his voice.

“Nothing! Well, actually there is one thing... You know, I... I understand that it can be painful to think about the past, and what we've lost, or think we've lost, and who we were, and—”

“Yeah, no kiddin'...”, Perchelongue mutters, rolling his eyes.

“If you understand so well, Amber, maybe you should tell your 'human' friend to be more mindful of what's coming out of her mouth in the future...”

“Hey, sure she can be blunt, but she still pointed out something important!”, I protest.

“And a buckload of good it's doing for us...”, the big earth stallion grumbles. “We all went through the same thing, what's the point of bringing it all back?”

“Well clearly it's still something relevant, otherwise it wouldn't affect us all so much. The point is—”

“There's no point!”, Luisard argues. “What would you have us do, spend an hour each day crying all together over the past!? Maybe some of us are happy to leave the past in the buckin' past!”

“As I was saying,” I try again, keeping my calm, “the point is that taking refuge in the identity of the ponies we harbor shouldn't be done thoughtlessly. They can give us many good things, yes, but we shouldn't get ourselves lost in them. We have to aim for a happy medium between them, and who we really are! Don't you think?”

“Oh yes, definitely!”, Perchelongue says, and for an instant I'm hopeful, before it devolves into full-on snark: “My parents will be soooo happy that their little girl's now big enough to lift their freakin' car..! I mean, I could even try to get back into my old pants for the occasion, though I can tell you this kind of medium certainly doesn't fit anymore!”

“This change's cut us off from everything,” Luisard goes on, “everything except other ponies. What would you have us do, act like your friend, who's disgusted by her own body, who's constantly hiding from what she is now? How's that any better!?”

“She's trying really hard to improve!”, I protest. “And I'm not saying to be more like her, but to be more like, er, well, like me!”

Perchelongue snorts. “What, like you, Mommy's little filly..? How's that for 'not getting lost' in your pony, huh?”

“But that's, I mean, that's exactly it, at first I—”

“Get real Amber!”, the pegasus interrupts. “We're long past the point of no return, the best we can do is rebuild ourselves with the cards we've been dealt, may we like them or not.”

“Oh yeah, and how has it worked out for you so far, Luisard..?”, I counter, my patience wearing thin now. “You're always ranting about our 'political system' like it's something that isn't completely arbitrary horseapple that's been jury-rigged in two weeks! And let me guess, you befriended Perchelongue here before you both got on the farm, right? Yet it must be like the second time I've seen you talk to each other, and why? Because people here are so busy acting 'as ponies should', whatever that's supposed to mean, that they didn't even stop to think if there were any logic in segregating us all into tribes! The point of my 'happy medium' isn't to torture yourself, it's to stop acting blind to this kind of utter ridiculousness and to accept to face reality!”

I catch my breath after that tirade, the two stallions staring at me like I'm the one who is irrational here...

“So, er... Think about it, okay?”, I conclude, beating a hasty retreat away from them.

Gosh that could've gone a lot better..! But at least I've said my part, and I'll do better for the next one!

Like there, there's Sangaree Spice, sitting with Marnepâle! Sangaree's a unicorn, we've talked before, that should go a lot better than with these two goons!

“Don't even try Amber...”, Sangaree tells me before I can even open my mouth! “I know you mean well, but it's for a good reason that we don't talk about these things... Maybe you didn't have to experience how it feels to lose almost everyone you ever cared about – heck, you're the only one who's actually gained a family member out of the whole deal – because I can tell you, it's not something you like to dwell upon...”

“I... I know, Sangie, and I assure you, I know how that feels like, and it's not... It's not what we've lost that I think we should keep in mind, but just who we are, as individuals! We're more than the ponies we appear to be, you know that!”

“Yeah, sure...”, she shrugs sadly. “But Bastien is a lone, bitter human, and Sangaree's a mostly happy unicorn with at least some kind of future in front of her. Choice's easy to make...”

I chew on my lower lip, not sure how to respond. I can't help but think that crossing out twenty-five years of human existence just like that is a mistake, that sooner or later they'll regret it, and yet... If that's their choice, their own form of a happy medium...

“I, for one, agree with you and Laurence.”, Marnepâle states, surprising us both.

“Ah, thank you!”, I blurt out, relieved that at least somepony else can see my issue with all this!

“But if they were willing to listen to reason, things would be quite different.”

... Why did you have to add this part, Marnepâle..?

“Really Amber, it's for the best.”, Sangaree tries to comfort me. “Maybe, in a couple months, or at least once our situation here is a little more stable, we could try to discuss these things, just... Not right now. You understand?”

I do understand, but... “So what were you talking about with Marnepâle..? Actually, what are you all talking about,” I declare loudly, gesturing to all the ponies around us, “if not about this thing you claim is too hard to confront!? I think you're all ready to face it, that you've always been ready, but that until now you've just let yourselves be lulled by the false comforts of following the herd... But this has to stop! Look how you all behaved these past few days, bickering with your friends and arguing endlessly, for no good reason! I know you can do better! I know we can do better! We just have to find our happy medium, in ourselves, between the old and the new, but also in our very community...”

They're all looking at me, now.

Some are annoyed. Others almost hopeful, I'd like to think. For almost all, I can see this underlying, unspoken pain, only now starting to peek through.

I take a deep, centering breath, and I decide to follow the way tracing itself in front of me to the very end...

“I know things may sound bleak,”, I tell them, “but this is not the end!
Come on ponies, whatever grief, we can amend!
Yes, this happy medium, it is a bit of work,
Yet believe me, it's all worth it, you shouldn't shirk!”

But instead of being convinced, Luisard ruffles his feathers, looking either frustrated, concerned, or both:

“Don't you see? It's too late!
That's not up for debate!”

Sangaree picks up right after him, mournful:

“We left so much behind...
Some things you can't rewind!”

And Perchelongue adds his own cynical bit:

“What would you have us do,
deprived of all we knew?”

The three beset me, as if daring me to go on... But behind my direct opponents ponies are gathering around, mares and stallions and adults and foals alike, and in many of them I feel not enmity but a nascent eagerness! They want to believe, are ready to embrace it! For them, I can't cease!

“We can't go back to what once was, yes I won't lie,
But who we used to be, neither should we deny!
Now with hooves, tail and more, our world gone round the bend,
But still deep down, our heart's the same, let's not pretend!”

I can see that Sangaree and Perchelongue are beginning to rethink their views as they are surrounded by their friends, old and new, hope in their eyes and swaying in unison... Facing hardships and tough times is easier when we all support each other, when we stop acting as if everything were fine!

Even Luisard is slowly but surely coming around; he tries to hide it behind his proud façade, but I know him better than that!

Just a little more..! 

“Hiding this truth can only hurt, make us awry,
To be whole and balanced again, this masquerade we must defy!
Yes, this happy medium, it is a bit of work,
Yet believe me, it's all worth it, you shouldn't shirk!”

Ponies are humming their assent loudly, it's like I could almost hear them all echoing my words..! They are still mired by this heavy air of melancholy, of course, but they're also determined to do something about it now, instead of continually eschewing the idea! My heart is beating in elation, with this mounting certitude that yes, they heard me, and yes, I really did the right thing!

My gaze meets Luisard's, and he gives me a reluctant nod. He still won't admit it, holding on to his initial decision, stubborn stallion that he is, but he can't completely hide how his wings are more relaxed, and his ears are back pointing forwards!

Now we just—

We all freeze, shaken by that forceful stomp which reverberated through the ground, and all eyes turn to something behind me.

I gulp, and force my suddenly stiff body to twist so I can face my challenger. It's none other than Fenchone, the bulky earth mare making a beeline for me, ponies shying away from her as she approaches. She's staring me down with such fiery intensity, I can't help but take a nervous step back..!

“So that's your answer to our plight..?”, Fenchone comments snidely.
“You really think it's that simple,
That everything will be all right,
And just by bursting that pimple!?
You believe you're the better guide?
Let's see how much you can abide!”, she snaps, rapping me on the chest and almost making me topple over with her strength!

Why is she doing this!? It can't all be wounded pride, can it!? I'm just trying to help, I didn't want to upstage her or anything!

“But in this she won't be alone!”, comes Mom's voice as she trots up to me, facing down Fenchone with a furious scowl!
“If you prefer to stop trying,”, she tells the mare,
“Rather than striving to atone,
Maybe at last we'll be thriving!”

And now all the other unicorns are converging at Mom's side, looking just as combative!

“This sham no more will we condone!”, they call defiantly!
“Spells and magic, we'll be leading!”

Wait, what!? Are they trying to take over!? That's not what we're supposed to do!

And of course, with their incensed matriarch so overtly provoked, the earth ponies are responding in kind, gathering around Fenchone, ready to battle it out!

If that wasn't enough, the pegasi are also flocking to Keensight, the mare who always fought on their behalf, even if it wasn't for good reasons, exhorting her to act, to not let the other tribes take control so easily!

No no no no no..! It was going so well!

I'm forced to get away from Mom as they're all becoming awfully rowdy, and I don't want to be caught in the middle. Can't they understand that whatever tribe we happen to be, we're also still ponies? Just as we're all humans, however altered? Our commonalities are so much greater than our differences, but how to make them see it!?

There must be something, some way to make them understand, to finally derail this never-ending rivalry! It's like they're always afraid that the other tribes would accumulate all the privileges for themselves if they were allowed to... What could convince them that this will not happen, whoever ends up in charge..?

I'm drawing a blank however, while the three tribe keep on riling themselves up..! I turn towards Laurence and the other 'weirdos' for help, as they're looking on in despair at everything taking a turn for the worst, and—

Oh..!

Here's the idea!! I'd snap my fingers, if I still had some!

I canter to my friends, but it's almost too late, it feels like the tribes are going to go at it any second now!! I only have time to offer an apologetic look to Olivier before seizing the empty plastic barrel in my magic, and pounding three times on the well's concrete rim with it, sending droplets of water all over!

The loud percussive sounds are barely enough to attract the attention of the belligerent ponies, but it does work, all of them turning to me once more. All right Amber, you've got this..!

“No, we're all ponies, this isn't how it should be!”, I admonish.
“I beg you, remove your blinkers, and hear my plea!
Earth, unicorn, pegasi, and every equine,
In truth we should be holding together like twine!
Friendship should not stop at wings, horns, or cutie marks,
It is like this that our potential truly sparks!”

I then point at Olivier, the mule stallion looking at me with wide, surprised eyes, and I propose my desperate solution:

“And so, with a mediator, we could make it work!
As one inside and outside, we'll shine through the murk!”

The whole farm goes silent.

...

Well, er, at least they've stopped fighting, right..?

Some ponies, Fenchone first and foremost, are gawking at Olivier and I as if we were some kind of interlopers... But to my relief, the majority seems to have been touched by my words, and maybe by my suggestion too; they look contrite, or curious, or even relieved, something I certainly relate to. Though, to be honest, I don't even know if my 'solution' is willing to act the part I just thrust onto him!

Oh Olivier I'm so sorry to put you on the spot like that, but I... I still think that you're our best option! Please be okay with it, please be okay with it..!

I finally dare glancing at him, holding my breath...

... And I feel a cold sweat trickling down the back of my neck, seeing the stallion glaring indignantly at me.

'Sorry', I mouth lamely, as if it would change anything now...

Olivier then directs his gaze at the crowd of ponies, especially in the direction of Fenchone and each of his friends, I believe, before letting out a deep sigh, eyes shut. When he reopens them, the resoluteness inside is unmistakable, and to my everlasting gratitude, he starts walking towards the gathered tribes.

“Here from the start,” he recounts with his deep, resounding voice, “always trying to stay neutral,
A pal in each tribe, so sad to see them quarrel...”

The three 'pals', Fleur de Bruyère, Feldspark and Misty Down, leave their respective group and go up to him as he approaches.

“If once more we can all stand together as friends,” he goes on,
“Then maybe we will be able to make amends..!”

The four equines stand together once more, a weirdo, an earth pony, a unicorn, a pegasus, and they hug each other tenderly, casting off for good all the silly and arbitrary divisions that drove them apart. It's truly heartwarming to see, and I'm far from the only one thinking so, the silence being this time one of respect as the four friends celebrate their reunion.

When they pull back, Olivier takes a brief moment before speaking again:

“One stallion who stood aside, in resignation...”, he utters morosely, a forehoof against his own chest, before moving to meet Fenchone.

“One mare, who tried her best to hold things in one piece...”, he tells her as they come face to face.

Fenchone doesn't react at first, glowering at him with a pained grimace, but when Olivier leans forward, she presses her brow to his. She lets out a weary sigh, and so much tension leaves her body it's almost like she's deflating. I even catch the faint glint of tears near her closed eyes...

“Had to look strong, even when I felt powerless,” the earth mare admits, voice shaking,
“It's time to stop using rage to mask my distress..!”

When she and Olivier pull apart, I can barely recognize Fenchone; she's a far cry from the mare who so fiercely bore down on me, or even from the confident one I met on my first day in Coursac. Now for the first time she appears vulnerable, and oh so very tired...

But the stallion isn't finished, and he now turns towards Mom:

“Another, not daring more than mediation...”

She answers with a determined nod:

“Not making any waves just to avoid a row,
Well enough of that, I must remember my vow!”

He nods in kind, then heads back towards the well.

“And—”, he begins, but stops almost right away, blinking in apparent confusion.

Following his gaze, I find a conspicuously empty spot where Laurence was sitting not two minutes ago, while a curious Pippinstrelle looks at somepony hiding behind the well...

Oh come on Laurence, not now!

Stopped in his tracks, Olivier's clearly not sure how to proceed, and the whole crowd's getting more than a little uncomfortable at the interruption.

Well I suppose it's up to me now, and we're not left with much choice..!

I trot up to the pegasi's group, quickly locating Keensight. The green mare is sitting in the back, forlorn, as her tribemates are still focusing on Olivier and one missing blue pegasus. When she notices me she starts in surprise, knowing full well that me coming towards her can only mean one thing...

“And a fourth,” I tell her loudly to be sure everypony's hearing us, and extending my hoof, “who could have a chance at making peace...”

I expected Keensight to jump on the opportunity, and yet she takes a long time to come up with an answer, enough that Olivier, Fenchone, and Mom have the time to gather around us.

“Struggling to hide my pain, but strife is all I brought,”, she mutters bitterly, before standing up and accepting my hoofshake,
“I'll honor this offered hoof, it won't be for naught!”

The four leaders stand together, and even if I can tell that the old enmities haven't completely vanished, they seem willing to move past that, for the common good. As long as they learn from their past mistakes, I'm sure they'll do an admirable job!

If I'm to judge from everypony's hopeful smiles around us, I'm not the only one feeling more confident about our immediate future. Maybe the retooling of our leadership has somewhat taken precedence over the introspection issue, but the former is still a very important, essential thing, that'll allow ponies to explore the latter more comfortably... In any case, it's a victory!

“Earth, unicorn, pegasi, and every equine,”, I intone once more,
“Like this we will be holding together like twine!
Friendship will not stop at wings, horns, or cutie marks,
It is like this that our potential truly sparks!
Yes, walking together, it is a bit of work,
Yet believe me, it's all worth it, you shouldn't shirk!”

And just like I hoped, everypony joins me for the last part:

“Walking all together, it is a bit of work,
But it is all worth it, and thus we will not shirk!
Finding our happy medium, one body and mind,
Everyone standing side by side, all intertwined,
Finally on our road toward prosperity,
As one in our little pony community!”

I fall back to my hooves with a contented smile, having found the sudden urge of rearing up during the conclusion of my speech. Dang that felt good! And what's more, all the ponies around me seem to be just as happy and satisfied; with how uncertain this day started, I don't think we could've dreamed of a better outcome!

While pegasi, unicorns, earth ponies and former outcasts like Mesembrine have been mingling merrily with each other, the four leaders have been discussing matters, and Olivier now calls for our attention. He looks a little less relaxed and self-assured than earlier, though:

“So, uh... Well, we took some time talking things through, and we have determined a course of action to deal with the blight. We'll need a lot of volunteers to help, so if you're interested, just say so. It'll be hard work, but we believe it's necessary! And afterward, well... I suppose we'll all have much to talk about. For now let's all go take a quick brunch, there's a long day ahead of us!”

The declaration is met with a big cheer, and the crowd of ponies begins to migrate towards the garage.

Before I can follow after Mom, though, Olivier takes me aside: “Amber, I... Well, I was going to say 'thank you', but seriously, don't pull something like that on me ever again... Is that clear?”, he notes dryly.

“Oh, er, of course, sorry...”, I reply sheepishly, unable to meet his eyes.

“But, all the same... Yes, thank you. You had the guts to act when it was needed, for the better. Now I'd just ask if you could go talk with Laurence, please? She's the one who works best with Pippin, and we'll need detailed procedures to follow today. You can do that?”

“Yes, right away!”, I nod, immediately going back towards the well.

I find Laurence sitting behind it, as expected, with Pippinstrelle on one side and Dusky on the other. She's almost ready to bolt away when she hears my hoofbeats, and it's the bat-winged mare who reins her in, ironically: “It's all right, it's the finder pony.”

“Amber...”, the pegasus mutters, ears folded back and avoiding my gaze, as I come to sit in front of her.

“You kinda left us in the lurch earlier...”, I grumble. “We're lucky Keensight seems to have learned her lesson.”

She at least sounds remorseful: “I saw it coming a kilometer away, and... It would have ended badly otherwise, I'm sorry.”

I'm about to argue the point when another set of hoofbeats approaches, and a curious if tired-looking Crispy comes round the barn's corner:

“Hey, I overslept... What was all this ruckus about?”

“Well you and Chard missed something pretty important!”, I laugh. “The others just went to the garage, if you want the full story.”

Laurence's ears perk, and she twists her neck to look at the mare: “Where's Chard..?”

Ah, she must be worried about Pippinstrelle, who's afraid of the stallion. Crispy doesn't answer, though.

“Crispy, where's Sweetchard?”, Laurence asks again, with surprising urgency.

Still no answer. The earth mare doesn't even look at us now, but her body language talks for her; something happened.

... Why do I have this dreadful feeling of déjà vu...?











Sweetchard's View



The first thing I notice is a smell. I can't tell what it is, but I know it's not pleasant. At least it's faint, like a lingering scent left after trying to wash it away completely didn't work...

Did somepony had a fart fest during the night or what..?

But... I should still be able to smell them, or at least Crispy. Where is she? And why is it so cold here..?

I crack an eye open, and I don't understand. This isn't the barn.

What the heck..?

It takes a couple minutes for my brain to fully wake up, and really take stock of my current situation. I'm lying on my right side, over cold metal bars, and I can't move any of my legs – they're tied up, probably to the bars, with a bunch of plastic straps that bite into my skin. Without moving my head, and with just the one eye, I can already see that the place is all white and smooth surfaces, with metal equipment I don't recognize. I can see daylight through windows placed high up the walls, though the big room I'm in is still mostly dark.

Daylight... How long have I been asleep!?

“Hey, I think it's finally awake...”, I hear some guy say, out of my field of view, and from some distance away. “Told you just one dose was enough to knock it down.”

“You saw how heavy it was. With this kind of animal it's better safe than sorry.”, another answers, his voice more gruff.

“Keep an eye on it, I'll call the others.”

Footsteps echo briefly then stop after the sound of a heavy door opening and closing.

'Dose'... 'Animal'... Oh please don't tell me they're, like animal control and think I escaped from a farm or something!? That'd be just my luck!

But anyways, they know I'm conscious now, so I take the chance of opening both eyes and twisting my neck to get a better look around. Like I've already seen, I'm in a large white room, with a faded yellow floor. Lining the walls are metal tables with stuff ranging from hoses to buckets and strange machines, organized a bit like successive work stations in a factory, and there's a wide metal grid on the floor next to me. I'm near one of the corners of the room, close to a door, though it's mostly isolated from the rest by opaque panels, forming like some sort of corridor between the door and where I am. Curiously, that door's actually set at a slightly lower level than the rest of the floor, so that 'corridor' is also a ramp with a gentle slope.

And then I notice the hanging rail above me, coursing from here to all around the room, ending near another door in the opposite corner, right next to some sort of conveyor belt. What makes my eyes go wide, though, are the meat hooks suspended to that rail.

It's... It's a freakin' slaughterhouse..!

Startled by all the lights of the room suddenly being turned on, I instinctively try to run away, but the only thing it does is remind me of how tightly I'm bound to the metal bars..! Blinking the dark spots away, I see one man standing in the corner I hadn't inspected yet, next to a third door opening into the same wall as the second one. This new door opens, and four other men enter the room.

The one who was already here has close-cropped dark hair, is holding a big knife, and looks at me almost hungrily... He's the shortest of them, while the second shortest's a thin blond guy in black sports clothes. We also have one with a goatee who wears a holstered gun at his belt, another who looks like he just went out on a hunting trip, a cap and sunglasses hiding his eyes, and finally... Wait, this last one, the tallest, who's staggering towards me, I... I remember him!! He's wearing the exact same camo gear as that man who caught me and put me in a cage last time, ski mask and all! Did he follow me all the way here!?

But... This 'CamoGuy', who delivered me to Crispy's father back then... Wasn't he one of those Brigade bastards too!?

I can't hold back a frustrated groan as the five idiots gather around me: “Not again..! Seriously, can't you just leave us alone!? And if you really had to kidnap someone, couldn't you go for Rafale this time? She's really the life of the party you know, she'd give you a run for your money...”

The reactions to my maybe ill-advised outburst are mostly sneers and frowns, except for 'Sports', who's gawking at me with wide eyes: “It– it talks!”

“Of course it talks, that's exactly why we brought it here, dumbass!”, 'Goatee' berates him.

“But—”

“What did you not understand when we said 'we gotta catch one of them and make it talk'!?”

“I didn't think it was so literal!”

“Enough!”, 'Hunter' snaps. “We're not here to fuck around! We're here to gather information, and we will get it...”, he now tells me menacingly.

Oh, really? Well, I'll talk, alright! After making a show of looking around, I turn to Hunter, who seems to be the leader: “Soooo, let me guess, you didn't think of anything better than a slaughterhouse to try to give me the willies? Real subtle here, guys...”

It's 'Knife' who answers: “Well, there is that, and other practical concerns. Ever heard of that old butcher trick, beast: cut off the head, and suddenly a skinned stray cat looks an awful lot like a big juicy rabbit...”, he smirks darkly, letting that sink in. “No-one will ever have any idea where you've gone... Just a slab of meat like any other..!”

“But we won't have to go to such extremities if you cooperate.”, Hunter's quick to add.

I smirk at Knife: “Dude, not to break that sick groove of yours, but I think that quality and origin of meat products are far more controlled than that.”

He easily sees through my bravado though, and leans over me, his blade pointing at my sides. “I wonder... Will you end up sold as minced 'beef' meat for lasagnas? Or maybe just plain horse chops, I heard it's making a bit of a comeback these days...”

“Don't get too close, these things are stronger and faster than they look...”, CamoGuy remarks.

Hmm. I'm pretty sure it's the first time I've heard this guy's voice, and yet, for some reason I feel like it sounds familiar... But from where?

“Stop the chitchat already,” Hunter grumbles, “and set us up.”

Knife looks almost sad to have to sheath his blade, as he goes to one of the tables and retrieves a camcorder, setting it on a tripod next to us. Cool, I'm gonna be a movie star...

Once the little red light shines on the device, Hunter takes a rigid stance in front of me, hands behind his back. “We want the truth about you beasts.”, he states all military-like.

“Well, you just had to ask, no need for all this decorum...”, I reply with an attempt at a shrug. “What do you wanna know, exactly? 'The truth' is kind of an open-ended question.”

He narrows his eyes, not caring for my non-answer. “What are you doing here, of all places?”

“The call of country life, you know. Woods and wide open fields and stuff.”

“How many of you are there on this farm?”

“What farm..?”, I ask, feigning surprise.

So they didn't just randomly happen to be in the vicinity... They must've been spying on us! Do they work with those two photographers? Didn't they say they had seen other humans around, actually..?

“Don't play coy...”, Hunter warns me. “Thanks to the contribution of a concerned citizen, we know perfectly well where you're all hiding. What are your plans?”

“'Plans'..?”, I repeat, chuckling. “Man, we're barely able to fend for ourselves, our only 'plan' is just to have enough food at the end of the day! Oh, by the way, speaking of food, you wouldn't have anything to do with the funky blight that killed our crops, huh?”

Knife smirks again, giving me my answer, though on the other hoof Hunter doesn't seem to be satisfied with what I've said: “Don't toy with us! You have been targeting our operations, taking the lives of many good men!”

“Or maybe you have been targeting us, and we're just fighting back; ever thought of that? In fact you should just ask CamoGuy over there, he knows exactly how things got to that point last time...”

But, of course, this explanation doesn't cut it for them either... At least they're frustrated enough to change subject: “Where do you come from?”, Hunter asks.

“I was born in Marseilles, in fact.”, I answer honestly.

“For your own good I'd advise you to stop fucking around!”, Goatee snarls.

“And I'm not!”, I shoot back. “Seriously, what do you guys think we are?”

“It's us who ask the questions here!”

This is just eyeroll-worthy. “Then go ahead. I'm not going anywhere, obviously...”

“What are you, then?”

“A pony.”

“Horses don't talk!”

“Well some do, now.”

I can hear the frustration rising more and more in my interrogator's voice, and even though I'll admit it's probably not the smartest thing to do in my position, it's still very pleasant to get some payback.

“Are you some kind of... genetic experiment?”, Sports wonders.

“Nah, it's all magic, believe it or not.”

Knife snorts in disbelief. “Yeah, right...”

“For this at least it's actually telling the truth.”, Goatee confirms, to Knife's surprise. “I've seen some of them doing things that can't be explained otherwise...”

“Like what?”

“Like holding up a gun to your face without even having to touch it.”

“Or cutting a grown man in half...”, CamoGuy adds grimly.

Sports and Knife stare at him, shocked, then at me: “So you're, what, some sort of demons..?”

These guys really are out of their depth... “Okay, I'll be frank here. We're former humans housing the spirits of dead ponies from another world, banished here by a monster. If you want more info, go watch My Little Pony.”

For real, with all the fuss they make about us, you'd expect that they'd do a little more research. I know it's not that popular, but at least one person in their wacky organization must 've heard of it, no? Or have a little sister who was really into it?

Who am I kidding – obviously not, because they all look at me as if I'd grown a second head out of my tail... It's like, what's the point of bothering with being cooperative and telling the truth if it's not what they want me to say anyway?

“You're magic aliens..?”, Hunter questions, as if I hadn't been clear enough.

But Sports was paying attention: “Wait, 'former humans'? What are you talking about?”

“Up until a few weeks ago we were all normal human beings, just like you. And the thing is... It's completely possible that one of your friends or family members could gain hooves like mine in the coming days. Or, even, that you could get them...”

“That's a fuckin' lie!”, CamoGuy barks, losing all pretense of composure.

“What,” I scoff, “it's so much more unbelievable than the rest?”

Hunter tries to look calm, but he too has been affected by the latest revelation, just from the way he's now fiddling with his hands: “So how did that happen? You made a pact or something?”

“Nope. Completely random, as far as we've figured out, and completely out of our control.”

CamoGuy's still fuming, but his four colleagues look decidedly less sure of themselves. Like I thought, critical lack of research! I guess it's easier to think of your big dastardly enemy as, what, mutants running amok or demons vying for your soul, rather than regular people who just happen to have been thrown into exceptional circumstances through no fault of their own...

Maybe there's still some sliver of hope for these jerks though, as they turn off their camcorder and walk back towards the door they came out of. They start whispering among themselves, but of course they didn't take into account how good my ears are; I rest my head down, not looking at them in case that'd clue then in, and listen closely...

Sports is the first to voice his concerns: “I... I was told these are monsters, aliens, but... That's just a talking pony..! A talking pony who used to be human..!”

“Don't believe it so easily, and stop acting like a wimp already...”, Knife scolds him.

“They're freaks of nature, dangerous freaks..!”, CamoGuy growls, barely trying to be quiet. “You all saw the pictures..! What they did to our comrades..! And I was there, and fought against them..!”

Ah, that would explain why he's limping, and I also noticed that he has some trouble moving his left arm. Was he one of the bastards who tried to kill Rafale..? That'd make sense, the Brigade must've send everything they had to try and take us do—

Wait.

No...

No, you're kiddin' me, right..? That guy..! His voice..! That can't be Charles!?

Last time I heard of him was... well, when he cornered us in that depot, where Rafale lost her eye, so... Dang it, it is him!!

That complete fucker of a boss was in the Brigade all along!? And he was the one who kidnapped me the first time too!?

Okay Chard, calm down, please; this is an advantage for you! You know how he works, what kind of guy he is, and you know something he doesn't! Just keep biding your time...

Aw shucks, with all this I stopped paying attention, what are they whispering about now?

I catch Goatee's voice in the middle of a sentence: “... backed by the authorities, they're complicit, trying to hide the truth..! Officials intervened to collect the two we found in Toulouse, and did nothing..!”

“That's why we must complete this mission,” Charles adds, “too many are getting cold feet, every piece of info we can get for the Generals could be determinant..!”

“We have to admit the possibility it's right, and it is new information...”, Hunter contests, sounding surprisingly sensible. “Those in Toulouse were claiming human identities, were they not..?”

“It's a lie!”, Charles snarls out loud. “They're monsters!”

“Be as it may, we still have to explore the possibility, that's what we're here for...”

Eh... I can hear Charles grumbling from here! Even your 'comrades' think you're full of crap, you jagweed!

The sound of footsteps grow closer, and soon the camcorder's recording again, Hunter standing above me: “We want to know everything.”, he demands simply.

“And maybe now you'll stop clowning around, huh..?”, Charles sneers from behind his ridiculous ski mask. “As if we couldn't see how you've been shaking with fear ever since you woke up!”

What!? I've no idea what that bastard's talking about! I'm perfectly in control!! Stupid humans, not even capable of understanding pony body language!

But whatever, they want everything!? They'll get it! “Alright, guys. I've lived twenty-five years of absolutely normal, if somewhat crappy life, until my birthday four weeks ago. That's when I found myself with a cutie mark – yes that's the official name for the butt tattoos, I'm not joking, look it up.”, I add specifically for the camcorder. “Anyways, in a matter of days my whole body changed to match, modeling itself after a stallion named Sweetchard who lived in the magical land of Equestria before, well... Before being cursed, and dying. Oh, and by the way, we know about that Equestria because it's been used to make cartoons for little girls – 'cause little girls dig ponies, wouldn't ya know. So there, you have it. Everything, bar a couple personal details.”

...

It's an incredible story I know, but they could try to look a little more convinced! As it is, only Sports seems to believe me! You bunch of fickle bastards, here's your truth!!

“Let's admit for a minute that this spiel holds any water...”, Hunter begins, voice dripping with condescension. “Why didn't you try to stop it? Did you even go to the hospital, or call the police?”

How can someone be so dense!? “Hey, it was magic, remember..? What do you expect doctors or the police to do about that? And no, there wasn't anything we could do on our side either, trust me, I know a pony who tried...”

“You describe it like it's something that's been inflicted upon you, yet you don't sound especially grief-stricken...”

“Well as it turns out being a pony's pretty great, you know!”, I shoot back.

But once again, that's clearly not what they wanted to hear, oh no no no..! Now they're staring at me like I'm some sort of madstallion, and for what!? Just for saying that I dare to like what happened to me!? How couldn't I fuckin' love what happened to me!?

“What, you don't believe me either!?”, I snap. “What do you want me to say, that it's a curse, that it's awful!? 'Cause it's really not! You wanna know how was my life before that!? I've toiled almost all my life taking care of my brothers, 'cause that's what I had to do, Mom was always so busy! And what happens when finally I can strike out on my own and live for myself!? Job after job after job, they always end up kicking me out, or they go bankrupt, or they treat me like shit! But did I back down, did I stop trying!? Nooo, I've always worked my fingers to the bone, always tried to do better, to get what I deserved! You've no idea how many times I cried, thinking it'd be just sooo much easier to just give up, that I'd never achieve any of my dreams! And then what's Life's latest curveball, the latest thing to kick me in the teeth!? 'Cause of course it wasn't enough, oh no no no, I had to lose absolutely fuckin' everything, be forced to start over with nothing but the clothes on my back! But wait, that's no all, oh no, that'd be too easy otherwise! The fun part's that I can't even put on any damn clothes now!! Seriously, that's goddamn hilarious, don't you think!? So here I am now, and I'm a guy, and I've no idea what to do! You think it came with a manual!? I've no fuckin' idea what I'm doing!! The more I try the harder it explodes in my face every single damn time! I dared to think that through all this clusterfuck maybe I could gain something, a real talent that'd finally allow me to achieve something worthwhile, I was fuckin' owed to get something out of it in exchange for my name, my family, my life, but did it work!? Ah! The only thing I achieved is keeping aaaaall my fuckin' bad luck with me, even after changing species! 'Cause even when I thought I could maaaaybe have a little reprieve thanks to this gorgeous mare, just guess what happens! I try to act the perfect coltfriend, and it's only to learn it was all a fuckin' lie since the beginning! So how could you bastard think I wouldn't be happy like this!? Of course I'm happy!! My whole life's been thrown in the trash, and every single thing I try to build back just slips from my hooves and crashes even harder!”

I pant, out of breath, my blood boiling and my fetlocks burning from the straps chaffing away at my coat, but it felt so goddamn good to show these idiots just how wrong they are! Of course I'm happy, there's...

There's no other way... I have to be..!

“Finished already..?”, a bored-sounding Charles taunts me. “You can cry all you want, that won't make it more true. And something tells me this is your own damn fault in the first pla—”

“It's NOT!!”, I scream, snapping my teeth at him, but all it gets me is a vicious blow right on my muzzle, blood spurting from my nose..!

“Hey, cut it out!”, Sports shouts at Charles, pushing him away from me. “This is supposed to be an interrogation, not a way to vent your anger!”

But I know Charles hates being challenged, and now's no different – he bears down on Sports, towering over him: “If you don't have the stomach to do what needs to be done, then maybe you should go find something else to do in the meantime..!”

To his credit, Sports doesn't show any sign of fear, but then Knife moves to stand next to Charles, and before any scuffle can break out, Hunter puts a hand on Sports' shoulder: “Come talk with me a moment, please...”

As they both walk out of the room, Sports glancing briefly at me, Knife whispers to Charles: “Seriously, where did he find this pansy..?”

“Got this place thanks to him...”, Charles admits, reluctantly. “He's just a civilian, and the squeamish sort, but he'll do what needs to be done for his country, trust me... And once we have everything on tape, all the others will do the same. We've already poisoned them, but like I told the Generals we need more men to mount a real assault... Can't allow these beasts to take our own land right under our nose..!”

Knife answers with a firm nod, and by pawing at his knife, all too eager to use it. Thankfully, Hunter comes back before the temptation's too great, though he's alone now, and I really don't like his grim expression...

“What are you planning..?”, he asks me again, almost wearily!

“Are you fuckin' deaf!? I told you there's no plan!”

For my trouble Charles punches me again in the face, and this time there's nobody to protest against it.

“We're the victims here! We're just humans trying to survive!”

Their only answer is another punch.











Laurence's View



Damn, damn, triple damn..! I knew Chard was unstable, I should've kept a closer eye on him in the first place!

Alex and I have been searching the forest for hours, but still no sign of him, apart from maybe a short track of hoofprints near the stone wall. I hoped that Amber would be wrong, when she said that she couldn't feel a direct way to him, but like Crispy feared he may really have left the farm...

What's with this stallion and running away from safe places, seriously!?

I grilled the mare thoroughly, trying to extract any useful detail, but she's been very tight-lipped about the circumstances of Chard's departure. It's still obvious that they clashed in some way, and I'd bet it has been serious – Crispy's usually much better at masking her emotions.

Despite the situation, Olivier and the others didn't want to push back the beginning of their work, to 'capitalize on the positive mood', or so he said. The advantage is that at least the majority of ponies are busy extracting and moving soil all over the farm, instead of worrying themselves. Drawback being that I could only get Alex to help me search, and now the forest floor is thoroughly trampled, and there's nothing to do but wait...

Damn I hate feeling powerless like this..!

But I have to remind myself that we've already done everything we could on our side, and that Clem has picked up the search for the time being... I should act pragmatically, and not let myself be paralyzed by stress. Assisting Pippin until she could crawl back to bed then helping ponies where I could has been helpful, even with this nagging voice in my head that farming isn't what I should be doing right now...

Fortunately, my lifesaver's back at last!

I drop my shovel and run down the path toward the farm gates, where Clem just parked her car. However my relief's short-lived, as there's no pony getting out of the vehicle alongside her...

“Any news?”, I ask the woman, and only then taking time to catch my breath.

“I'm afraid not...”, she says, biting at her lip. “Toured the roads around here, nothing. No words from locals either yet, but I've asked my boys to give me a call if they hear anyth—”

Clem's phone starts to ring, and it doesn't have time to make a full tone before she has picked it up and brought it to her ear: “Yes?”

I can only catch the barest echoes of a deformed voice from here, but clearly the person on the other end has things to say, and from Clem's paling face I can only imagine that they're not good..!

“What is it..?”

“One moment,” Clem tells her interlocutor, swiftly activating the speakers, “could you repeat that please?”

“The guy said they have a talking horse at the abattoir in les Cazes.”, comes an older man's voice amid the cracklings.

The blood freezes in my veins. An abattoir!?

“Any more details?”

“Only four suspects, according to him, but armed. Let me guess, this has something to do with your 'top secret assignment'..?”

“I'm afraid so, Didier. This is a priority IARD situation, call Ben and keep me apprised, I'll take care of the rest and meet you there. Be careful!”

“Where's les Cazes?”, I ask as soon as she hangs up.

“Half an hour, three quarters at most south from here by car. I have to call my superiors, this is a major issue.”

One of my ponies is detained by armed men, of course it's a major issue! I don't think abattoir workers usually carry weapons, so this isn't just an accident, Chard must've been captured! I need to do something..!

Come on Laurence, think! Clem's organizing the police on her side, what can you do?

They're only three officers though, including her... Not only it's a numerical disadvantage, but it also means that they'll probably wait for reinforcements to arrive before beginning the operation, and that could make us waste far too much time – precious time. It's been drilled into our heads that ponies aren't allowed outside of the allocated zone, but this is a force majeure situation! I don't care what they'll say, they won't stop me from coming along – and I won't be alone!

Clem is back on the phone, but I can mime well enough to make her understand that I need the whistle she always has at her belt. Holding the little metal instrument between two primaries, I run back to the middle of the farm grounds, and after fumbling ridiculously while trying to bring it to my lips, I blow for all I'm worth.

Mixed groups of earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns from all over the farm turn toward me in surprise, but that's not what I'm after – like I hoped, Alex has taken to the air to investigate the sharp, shrill sound. Not the most elegant way to get a pony's attention I know, but Clem could get on her way any second now and we need her car!

I flag the stallion with a wing, and he darts toward me: “Laurence? What is it?”, he asks in his much-improved French.

There's no reason to beat around the bush with him, but I still try to not be heard by other ponies for now: “We have a situation, Chard has been captured, and we're going to rescue him. Can I count on you?”

“Of course Sarge!”, he salutes. Ugh, wish he hadn't taken this up from Amber, but whatever!

Speaking of, I do a quick scan of the surrounding fields and soon spot the distinctive blond locks of the young unicorn, who's working with Luisard and Marnepâle not too far from here. I jog toward her, and she trots to meet me. I'm to the point: “Amber, I need you.”

“Yes Sarge!”, she replies without hesitation. “What can I do?”

Before I can get her abreast, Vi canters between us, squinting suspiciously: “Wait a minute, you two! What's going on? You're looking far too serious to my liking...”

She's quickly joined by her three fellow leaders, which at least spares me the hassle of going after them myself. “What's the matter?”, Olivier questions. “That was you with the whistle?”

“Yes. We found Chard, but that idiot's up to his neck in trouble, for a change.”

Fenchone picks up easily on the implications. “Are you planning on rescuing him, then..?”

I nod. “We're leaving as soon as possible.”

Like I should've expected, many ponies have gathered around us following their leaders, and one of them, that blue-gray stallion whose name begins with 'Sel', comes forward: “If Chard's in trouble, we have to do something! I'm a volunteer firefighter, can I be of any help?”

I don't know him personally, but another pony used to follow orders in tense situations is a real boon, and his strength could be an asset. “We can always use an earth pony touch, sure.”

“Anyone else?”, Fenchone asks around, and I can already see some of them thinking about it – but that's not what I need.

“No, the four of us will have to do.”, I state firmly. “Transport is limited, but more importantly trouble could find us here, too. We need to have as many ponies ready to defend the farm if worst comes to worst, for all we know this could be a diversion – and I won't let us fall for this kind of trick ever again. Until this situation's resolved, I want you all to stay inside, and not in the barn, it's the first place they'd go for. You keep to the house, doors locked and away from windows. Do we all agree?”, I say to the leaders specifically, and Keensight in particular. If the mare really wants to prove she can be more than a hypocrite and a liar, now's the time.

To my relief, three out of four nod their assent, but Vi still isn't satisfied: “Not so fast Laurence, why would you need Amber if you already know where Chard is? And how dangerous is this 'trouble', really? If you need a unicorn so badly, I can—”

“Mom!”, Amber stomps, indignant. “If she says she needs me, then it's because it's a necessity! We've trained together so she knows exactly what I can or can't do, and I'm going with her!”

They glare at each other, and this time it's the mother who relents first: “All right, all right! I trust you, Amber... And you,” she adds, looking dangerously at me, “you better make sure nothing happens to her, is that clear?”

“I wouldn't have it any other way.”, I answer sternly.

“Alright ponies, you heard her!”, Olivier calls to the crowd. “Everybody drop what they're doing, check if anyone's still digging in the woods, then all back to the house!”

We leave the leaders to their work, running back to Clem and her car before she leaves without us – and not a second too late, she's about to get inside!

“Alex, delay her!”, I bark!

“On it!”

The pegasus dashes through the air, swooping just quickly enough to be able to jam a forehoof in the door!

“What's the meaning of this, Laurence!?”, Clem almost roars at me once we reach them. “You know we don't have time for this!”

“And that's why I've no time to argue!”, I shoot back. “We're coming with you!”

“What? No! That's out of the question, there's already too many ponies out of containment as it is!”

“And you know full well that it's my mission to protect them! Either you help me carry it out, or I'll get there by my own damn self!!”

She tries to stare me down, to make use of all her natural and official authority to force me to back down, but I don't budge a muscle, and my resolve doesn't waver in the slightest. She can glower all she wants, I know that she knows that I've meant every single word, and that she will not be able to stop me.

“Fine, fine!!”, she yells, throwing her hands up in frustration. “You're lucky I like you, Big Boss..! But if I lose my job because of you, that's gonna change big time, trust me on that!”

“Fair enough..!”, I smirk. “Now get in the car, ponies!”

As I'm about to do the same, my ears swivel to the sounds of pegasi flying down toward us, and—

“Dusky! Come here right now!”, comes a furious Keensight's voice.

The little colt alights on the car's hood, looking panicked: “You can't go!”, he begs me.

“We don't have time for this Dusky,” I tell him, probably a bit too bluntly, “Chard needs us. So get back to—”

“You can't, they're dangerous! We should just leave and—”

He jumps in surprise as Clem smashes the horn angrily: “Enough of this! We're going!”

Keensight takes the opportunity to catch the dazed foal in her forelegs, nodding tersely at me, but he seems ready to try wiggling away.

“I'll come back, Dusky!”, I shout as I finally get in the car. “Stay safe in the meantime, and make sure she behaves, that's your mission! Got it?”

We're already moving before I can hear his answer, but Clem's right – no more time to waste. Chard needs us.

And if they've hurt one of my ponies...

... They're going to regret it..!











Sweetchard's View



I cough red after that last hit in the ribs..!

At least the bastard's mixing things up a little, I was getting bored of having my face pummeled...

“For the last time, where do you really come from?”, Hunter drones, sounding more and more peeved that I'm still not playing along. And I mean, I've tried, really! It's just that they're the only ones to know the rules of the game – if there's even rules in the first place.

When they didn't like the truth, I switched to the first things that came to mind, but they didn't like it either... So back to the truth it is, but nah... Still don't like it...

It's as if these guys aren't really interested in what I have to say, huh..?

Maybe a little truth will work this time? You never know.

“Told you... I'm from the same cesspool of a country as you are..! Is that really that hard to believe, seriously? I've always been told I've a very distinctive accent...”

But no, wrong answer again – Charles strikes me on the withers with that truncheon Goatee gave him, making me hack and cough again. Damn bastard's gonna dislocate my shoulder at this rate... So noble and manly of him really, to keep beating a tied-up pony..!

“Please,” Hunter growls through gritted teeth, “we don't have to do this, just answer our questions!”

“You're bringing this down on yourself, beast.”, Charles sneers, clearly enjoying himself. “You better start talking, or soon you won't be able to...”

“So now it's my fault you still don't wanna believe me..?”, I mutter. Very well then, I've had enough of this nonsense, if I won't get away from this place anyway, at least I'll give them a good show and milk my ace in the hole for all it's worth! “Hey, Charles..!”, I call to the camo-philiac man.

He looks down at me with utter disgust, probably not expecting I'd know his name despite his mask. At least his friends seem a lot more surprised, I'd be disappointed otherwise!

“Come on Charles, don't be shy..! Tell your little 'comrades' how we worked together at Sensaz..!”

“Lies!”, he spits, but you won't be able to escape this truth, buddy..!

“Oh don't tell me you've already forgotten me? Do I have to tell you my old name again? 'Sarah Mokrani', still doesn't ring any bell, really..?”

Ah, no answer to that, huh? You didn't react when I gave my name earlier, except by hitting me even harder, but you never imagined I would recognize you..? Oh you can glare as many daggers at me as you want, that won't stop me now!

“Or maybe it's just that you don't want to tell to the rest of the group how much you wanted to get into my pants..? You should be happy, I'm not wearing any right now, you get full access to my big fat horse di—”

He strikes me on the snout, but even with the new trickle of blood it's not enough to make my smirk go away..!

“Sensitive spot, is it..? I mean, twice you catch me when I'm out running; if that's not stalking then I don't know what is!”

Charles moves to hit me again, but he restrains himself at the last minute, panting in rage. He must've noticed how the others are looking at him now... Knife seems more curious than anything, but Goatee's frowning, and even with the sunglasses I can see that Hunter's almost outraged. So Charles, even some of your little fascist friends are starting to think you've gone batshit crazy, how does it feel, huh..?

I know your type, Charles, and I know you – you always hated that people wouldn't do what you want them to, that they wouldn't see you for the big strong man you think you are... But you're only proving that you're a pathetic maggot who gets high by bringing others down!

So what now, huh? Gonna keep hitting me 'til I pass out? Don't think your 'Generals' would like that now, would they?

But no. What he says next is enough to send chills down my battered body: 

“Cut the camera...”

Knife moves to do it, but Hunter tries to intervene: “This isn't—”

“Cut the fucking camera!!”, Charles bellows, and Hunter, who I thought was kind of the leader here, doesn't move another finger to stop the little red dot from being turned off.

... I don't like this.

Dropping his truncheon on a table, Charles leans in front of me, his clear green eyes boring into mine: “You don't seem to realize what's going on, do you..? Trust me, it won't go like last time..!” To my surprise he then pulls his ski mask off, revealing his mop of disheveled dirty blond hair, as well as the stubble and the scars that now adorn his face. “So now, let's get some things very straight...”

He draws back, and walks slowly towards another table, taking a large butchering knife in his good hand, studying it. “I could start by making a gelding out of you, beast...” He puts the knife back, and grabs what looks like a circular saw. “... But we will keep that in mind, as an incentive, for later.”

Coming back with his tool in hand, power cable trailing behind, he allows me to get a good view of the saw. He... He's not thinking about what I'm thinking, is he!?

“We're guardians. Protectors.”, he declares to his friends, trying vainly to put a semblance of nobility to this barbaric farce. “We will go to any length, accept any sacrifice, to protect this country and its people from what threatens them. These creatures are invaders, and more numerous by the day! If we let them, they could end up overthrowing us! This is a competition for which species deserves to rule, and I will make damn sure that we are the ones to prevail!” He then gestures at me: “Hold it down!”

Hunter doesn't budge, but Goatee and Knife do come around me and press my body against the metal bars I'm lying on, not caring for my wounds!

Charles is back just in front of me: “We still want our answers, and we'll keep you as long as needed for that. So first off, let's make sure you're not going anywhere any time soon...” And leaning in even further, pure hate in his eyes, he whispers to me: “An arm for an arm, you bastard..!”

What!?

“Come on guys, this is getting ridiculous!!”, I exclaim, looking feverishly at each in turn, and only seeing either sadistic determination or forced indifference. “I've already told you everything and then some!!”

“A shame we can't take this on faith alone...”, Charles lies through his teeth! “But don't worry, soon enough you'll have three good reasons left to stop lying to us.”

He turns the saw on, the terrible shrill noise ringing out in the room, and moves the spinning blade to my tied-up foreleg!!

I don't even think, I lunge at him as much as I can, the single hand trying to hold my neck down being no match for my strength, and I try to bite at Charles's lame arm, the one he's using to prop up the saw!

He jerks back in surprise, even if I came too short, and almost slices through Goatee's shoulder before he can shut the saw off!

“Fuck, it's stronger than I thought..!”, Knife grunts as he tries to bring my neck down, and still fails – I'm not gonna make it easy for you, you puny bastards!!

“No matter!”, Charles snarls, moving away from my head, and towards my hindlegs. “We'll just have to begin with the back, that's all!”

I try to buck, to get away, but the straps holding me down refuse to give, the metal bars groaning uselessly!!

Desperate I try to chew the damn straps around my forehooves, but Knife grasps my neck with both arms and pulls back with all his weight, strangling me and forcing my mouth away!

A death grip around my neck, hands clutching painfully at my sides to keep me down, and Charles moving ever closer!! No! Please no!!

Somepony help, I beg you!! Crispy, please!! Save me, Cris—

The saw starts buzzing again, and I have a sudden instant of clarity, time seeming to slow to a crawl.

Charles was CamoGuy all along.

And he was working with Crispy's father.

They knew we were humans.

So that means...

Charles knew..! He always knew!!

... He knows perfectly well I'm telling the truth!!

“STOP!!”, I scream at the top of my lungs! “He knows!! He knows we're humans!!”

But either they can't hear me over the saw's noise – or they just don't fuckin' care!!

Please stop, I beg you!!

STOP!!

STOOOOOP!!











Laurence's View



It's been almost five minutes since we got here, and still no sign of the reinforcements we were promised... Clem's two colleagues are here, in their respective cars, but they insist on waiting a little more for the gendarmes. I'm pretty sure the only reason is that they don't want more ponies to be involved, and without our support it's only three officers against at least four armed felons.

But we didn't come here to loaf about.

“What about this entry point, Amber..?”

“I... I think I have it.”, she answers, eyes still closed in concentration. “There's a way in right in the front, I don't think it's locked... From there we go to the left two times, and... And we'll find Chard.”

“Can you detect any of his abductors?”, asks Sèlengrain.

“No sorry, it doesn't work like that...”

“Still mighty useful, this trick... If it really does work.”, Clem mutters from the driver's seat.

“Trust me, it does.”, I confirm, looking through the windshield at the ugly, dark gray building where Chard's detained.

We're lucky enough that the surroundings aren't too busy, for a Saturday at almost noon. Only issue would be the small diner close by and its few patrons, but Clem told them to stay inside, just in case.

My heart's hammering in my chest, this senseless wait excrucia—

A scream.

Very faint, almost drowned by other sounds, but I am ninety-nine percents sure.

What I've no doubt about, though, is that it's Chard's voice.

The ponies' ears are perked – they heard too. Only Clem doesn't show any sign of noticing anything.

“We're going in!”, I bark, moving for the door, but a hand grabs my shoulder:

“Certainly not!”, Clem orders. “What's gotten into you!?”

“There was a scream!”, Amber blurts out fearfully.

“I didn't hear—”

“They have better ears than you do!”, I cut her off. “And it was Chard's!”

But she doesn't listen, not letting go: “I said, you stay here, all of you! Let me call—”

“No time for that!”, I snap back. “The only way you'll keep me in this car is if you shoot me!!”

My choice of words stuns her long enough for me to escape her grip and get out, quickly followed by the three ponies, hooves clacking on the asphalt.

“Okay, just like we discussed!”, I tell them. “Alex and I in the front, Amber and Sel in the back! Let's move out!”

We jog directly toward the gray building, Amber pointing to a glass door in the right corner. There's no windows except for daylighting just below the roof, no apparent security system, so the only danger right now is that we're completely exposed to the road behind us and the buildings around the abattoir – better be quick!

“Hey you idiots, wait for me..!”, Clem grumbles as she leaves her car and runs after us, hands going for her sidearm and her radio.

Just like Amber predicted, the door's been left open. We arrive in a long corridor, with a series of doors on the left side, pictures of cows and other livestock hung on the right. Now that we're inside, the screams of pain are even clearer, and my lungs burn thinking of what I'm going to do to them for hurting him..!

We get to the end of the corridor, and a flick of magic opens the last door. It's a locker room, thankfully deserted. Chard seems to be even closer, wailing and crying, but—

I stop, holding a wing out to signal my ponies to do the same.

Just as we were arriving in view of the doors with the 'Slaughter Hall' sign, I caught voices from the other side. Two masculine voices.

Slinking alone right next to the door, I listen in...

“What are you trying to accomplish here, exactly!?”, says the first man. “We're not taking all these risks just to satisfy your personal vendetta!”

“We have to make sure!”, retorts the second, with a... strangely familiar voice. “Now it knows we mean business, and it'll stop lying!”

“And what if he's not lying? It's no more incredible than the alternatives.”

“That's preposterous! We'll keep removing bit after bit, until it finally tells the truth or dies!”

“But if—”

“There's no 'ifs'! We have to stand as one against these beasts! You can't trust them, you'll see..!”

Their voices grow indistinct as they walk away from the door, probably back to Chard. I signal for my team to join me:

“All right, this is it...”, I whisper. “The priority is to secure Chard. Alex, get ready to fly, Sel, locate Chard and protect him, Clem you're with me, we take these two, and Amber, you stay in support. Got it?”

I wait for each one of them to nod, and then Alex and I barrel through the door.

The room's large, but cluttered with various pieces of equipment. The two men in the middle of the room, one wearing camouflage-pattern clothes and the other a hunting vest, have their back to us. Further in front of them is Chard, according to my ears, right in the opposite corner from our door, with another man standing nearby. Wait, we're missing one..!

Alex takes wing, the ceiling being high enough to allow him decent mobility, and he dashes to the other side of the room, swooping down on the man next to Chard.

“Police!”, Clem yells, her weapon at the ready, and after an instant of shock at Alex flying over them, the two men in the middle turn to us.

And I recognize him..!

I recognize immediately that asshole in the blood-stained camouflage!!

“CHARLES!”, I snarl, the wings on my back spreading in absolute fury!

“YOU!”, he cries out, his face contorting with rage!

Before I've even had time to think I've rushed to him, delivering a punch right into his stomach! It makes him double over, but there was something hard under his clothes, hard enough to absorb part of the impact. What is he—

I'm pulled back violently by the right wing, losing balance and falling over! Damn, I forgot the other guy on my blind side!!

Rolling away to get back on my feet, I barely avoid Charles's boot in my face, and I take advantage of his extended leg to trip him! As he staggers away, somehow managing to stay upright, Clem catches up with me and holds him at gunpoint: “On the ground, now!”

A deafening gunshot resounds in the room, but it wasn't from Clem – here's the fourth guy, who was hidden behind some kind of stall, and with a gun of his own!

I see Clem falling to her knee, but I don't have time to get to her, the man with the hunting vest's bearing down on me with a knife! His first slash is clumsy, but he has good legwork and avoids my low kick – at least it leaves me a little space to get back upright. But behind him I catch sight of the fourth man going around the room, and aiming his gun at Sel and Alex as they're still fighting against the third! Dammit, I—

There's a bright flash of red light from one side of the room to the other, a small explosion, and a man screaming in agony! I fight off the temptation to look, contrary to my opponent, and he gets a face-full of hard keratin, shattering his sunglasses and sending him out cold on the floor!

This specific threat dealt with, I look around but don't see Charles anywhere. My ear flicks to some sound behind me, and turning around I find Clem walking up to me, her right arm hanging limp at her side! “I'm okay, just grazed me..!”, she grumbles, and I'm forced to trust her for the moment.

Gazing back toward Chard, I'm relieved to see that my two stallions have finally subdued the third guy! I knew Alex didn't have any combat experience despite his martial bearing, but I hoped that his natural speed would make up for it..!

Only now does my mind take the time to notice the smells of burnt air and seared flesh, as well as these wails that aren't from Chard, and I realize I don't see Amber.

Whirling around, I spot her behind Clem and me, leaning back against a wall. She's panting, but look otherwise fine. Was it... Was it one of her laser beams..? It saved us some trouble in any case!

“Clem, help Amber to the others, do whatever you can for Chard, then take care of that screaming guy!”

She nods, already on her way to the young unicorn, but stops in her tracks when she notices I'm not coming with her: “Wait, where are you going!?”

“There's still a bastard on the loose!”, I shoot back, following the trail of red drops on the yellow floor out of the room. “And he's not gonna get away from me that easily!!”

I slam the new door open, ready for anything. I end up in what looks like a big communal shower, but I doubt its users are usually of the living, breathing sort... The droplets of blood are still obvious, maybe even too obvious, but it's also my best bet. Just have to be a little more mindful of my blind side this time..!

Walking slowly through the stalls and conveyor belts, my attention's drawn to a speck of blue in this room of white, yellow, and red. There, in a corner, next to a sprayer-like apparatus, are a couple blue plastic barrels with white lids – identical to the one we fished out of our well... So that came from here, huh? I shouldn't be surprised...

Still no sign of Charles though, except for the red trail, and even that is growing thin. God, it must be Chard's blood..! And I even have some on me now...

Whatever, focus!

If I were him, I'd lie in wait somewhere, ready to strike as soon as my enemy would get where I want them to be... He knows the place better than I do, getting the drop on him's unlikely – especially with these damn hooves that get so noisy as soon as I'm not shuffling..! I can only count on my instincts...

The last trace of blood leads me to what must be the cold storage room, the heavy door closing down automatically after me. No rushing steps from outside to lock me in, so I guess he's really in here. Empty bags and animal carcasses are hanging in rows around me, many of them swaying gently.

It's certainly not a coincidence...

“Hey, you bastard!”, I call. “Get out of your hole and fight me!”

No answer.

I walk further into the room, my breath misting, trying to keep my head and my ears moving to compensate for my truncated vision.

Would be more effective if my right ear worked right...

“Come on, Charles!”, I go on, my best chance being to goad him into revealing himself. “You thought you could just go and kill one of my ponies..? I'll show you what I do to those who try!”

...

Still no reaction, though I'm pretty sure I've heard muffled footsteps somewhere...

“Are you going to hide 'til we both freeze to death!? I've been itching for a proper fight for weeks, and that's what you give me, Charles!? Afraid that I'd do to you the same thing I did to your Brigade friends?”

My own words sicken me, but as long as I can—

“I hoped you'd be here..!”, Charles's voice comes from one corner of the room, oozing hate and anger.

Got you, idiot..!

“Really? I'm honored! I suppose you Brigade bunch are still talking about the glorious spanking I gave you, huh?”

“Good men died that night, do not sully their memory..!”, he growls from my left.

“You're joking, right?”, I keep on taunting. “These guys were ridiculous, they started shooting and throwing explosives without regard for their own! They basically defeated themselves!”

“LIES!”, he yells, further behind me. “I was there! I was there and we almost got you! But you cost me my arm..! Did you know, that I couldn't type with that hand anymore!? Because of you I couldn't work anymore, my own company sunk, and the cops hounded me!! Because of you, it all w—”

That's one sentence too much for him – now certain of his position, I dash toward him, using the wings to boost my speed, and land a flying kick right into hi—

My foot connects with the sound of hoof against metal, but Charles pushes back, and if not for my wings I wouldn't have been able to correct my fall! Jumping away to maintain some distance, I see Charles getting from behind a hanging bag, a wooden baseball bat spiked with large wicked nails held firmly in his right hand, and a shield-like plate of metal strapped to his left arm – what I kicked against.

Seriously..? The 'noble knight' look doesn't suit... “The Middle Ages ended a while ago, you know!”, I mock him. “Though I guess your mindset hasn't changed much, huh?”

“ENOUGH!”

Charles charges, swinging his bat like a morning star, and with the rows of bags and bodies on either side it's difficult to dodge – I roll under his attack, but he still manages a glancing blow, the nails raking my right shoulder!

Springing back from my roll, I go for a low kick, but using his shield to increase his momentum he spins in place and strikes at my leg! This time it's more than glancing, the nails harrowing the inside of the leg from top to bottom..!

I stagger back, but he doesn't let me escape, pressing his advantage until I'm back against the door!

He goes for an overhead strike now, but this excess of confidence will cost him! I shift to the right, exploiting the space between wall and hanging stuff, and counter-attack with a punch to the stomach!

And yet he barely flinches this time – bastard's even got some sort of body armor under his clothes..! I don't have time to try to hit him somewhere else, he slaps me away with his shield, almost stunning me and sending me crashing against a piece of dead cow..!

“You thought I'd be an easy prey, didn't you!?”, he rants as I force myself upright, my leg burning. “But I won't underestimate your kind ever again! I'll protect us all from whatever your corruption is, and—”

“'Protect'!?”, I shoot back with a sneer, trying to stay on my feet. “That's bullshit and you know it, Charles! Kidnapping and torturing people, that's your idea of 'protecting'!? You've no idea what it means, to have this responsibility, to sacrifice yourself for their sake! You're just a damn bully, looking for an easy excuse to beat and maim an—”

He charges me again before I've finished, and the deadly dance resumes anew. He begins to exploit my blind spot with wide swings, but in turn that makes him more vulnerable to my strikes. I aim for the joints as much as possible, trying to forget the burn coming from where his weapon hit true, yet the bastard's tenacious, I'll give him that! Trusting in his shield and armor he rushes me again and again, while I'm beginning to tire and lose blood. I use every opportunity to land a punch, but even if I'm sure that each successful one wears him down a little, he keeps on coming – this is turning into a damn battle of attrition..!

Another swing of his bat brushing far too close to my neck, another jab of mine that barely slows him down, but this time I'm just a little too slow to draw back, my injured leg buckling – and I take a hit from his shield right in my face..!

I see stars and fall on my back. Before I can react a boot kicks at my ribs, and I roll barely fast enough to avoid the following downward swing of his bat..!

“Why do you keep on fighting..?”, Charles grunts, staggering toward me as I crawl away. “If you really were human once, how can you even accept to have become barely more than an animal!? Putting you down would be a mercy..!”

Eh... That's a good question, isn't it..? Giving in would be so much easier!

But...

“You want to know why..?”, I mutter as he closes in on me again, weapon ready, while I'm still on the floor.

He doesn't answer. He probably doesn't care, anyway...

What he will care about is the vicious kick aimed at his knee! He wasn't expecting it, and I take the opportunity to try to punch him right in the face!

My aim's just a little off unfortunately, and the hoof that should've flattened his nose only gets the side of his left cheekbone..!

He roars in rage, hitting me again with his shield, but this time I parry it well enough to stay on my feet – even if it's still on all-four.

“Damn you bitch..!”, Charles pants, standing back up. “You really don't know when to just give up, do you!?”

I spit some blood from his last attack, and stare right at him: “Well there's something you need to know about me, asshole... I NEVER YIELD!!”

His only answer's to raise his bat once more, coming for a final, deadly strike. I stand my ground, my gaze still locked on him, as a strange feeling of certainty washes over me.

It's like I've already been in this very situation.

There's a tingling against my upper thighs, and my body seems to go on autopilot. I can feel the rush of energy flowing in the wings, forehooves leaving the ground as I rear up, the surrounding air being sucked into twin vortices under my glowing feathers.

He understands what's happening, but far too late.

I let fly the terrible blasts of wind like dual hammers, and his bat explodes in smithereens, his wrist snapping like a twig under the force of the blow!

Charles falls back, screaming in pain, shards of wood and bits of nails embedded in his face.

The wings fold back to my sides on their own, strangely warm after having discharged their magic. I... I'm not sure what happened, exactly, but... But now I know how..!

I'm startled by the storage room's door being pushed open by two gendarmes, Clem alongside them. Talk about arriving after the battle..!

The policewoman hurries to my side despite her own wound, and her support is more than welcome...

“What happened?”, she asks, looking at Charles, still writhing and moaning on the floor.

I glare at the would-be 'protector'. “He'll never hurt anybody. Ever. Again..!”











Amber's View



My eyes keep on wanting to close themselves, but I don't let them. Not yet, even with this pounding headache. Not until we're home...

This place, it was... It was a nightmare..!

So much blood, and the screams, and– and Chard!

But it's over now, that's what I must remember, this... This sordid, horrible thing, it's behind us!

At least I'm only coming back with a bad case of magical exhaustion. Not like Sweetchard...

The poor stallion's still in shock, lying down on the car's back seats with a blanket covering everything but his face. I didn't know that the authorities had appointed a veterinarian specifically for us; he's not the most pleasant man, but he saved Sweetchard, and that's all that matters. Everypony needed some patching up too, except for me.

That should be some kind of relief, but it isn't... I panicked, when I saw this man with his gun, and he was one of the dirty cops in Toulouse, too! He was about to fire, and... I had to stop him, he could've hurt any of the stallions! I had used up a lot of magic with the well earlier, I wasn't sure I'd have enough for a beam, so I put everything I had! I was only aiming for the weapon, I didn't think it would... That it would explode..!

And I could barely stand, after that... Clémence had to deal with Sweetchard, and I couldn't help Laurence, while she was being beaten up to a pulp..!

I could've done so much better. I should have done better..!

*sigh*

Come on Amber, enough berating yourself... It won't change anything, and that's not healthy. You did lots of good this morning, after all!

Speaking of, we finally arrive at the farm. Considering the situation, this time we don't stop at the stone wall, driving all the way up the path to stop in front of the house. The second car parks next to ours, the other ponies getting out, and only then does the house's front door open. Our four leaders walk up to the wobbling Laurence, and I can see the looks of horror on their faces as she tells them what happened. Mom in particular is aghast, and I get out of the car before she starts asking about me.

Of course she's on me almost immediately, nuzzling at my neck in relief. “It's all right Mom, I'm okay, just tired...”

“Vi, we... We will need you, for getting him inside.”, Laurence reminds her.

Nodding grimly, Mom carefully gets Sweetchard out of the car, and carries him into the house, still under his blanket. The foals, or anypony really, shouldn't have to see what these humans did to him...

Meanwhile, Laurence has been saying goodbye to Clémence, and the pegasus and I watch as both cars leave the farm. “Crazy day, huh..?”, Laurence chuckles, though it's without humor. “And to think it's not even five in the afternoon.”

“Don't tell me about it..!”, I groan. “As soon as I can get something in my stomach I'm going to bed!”

“Wise choice.”, she nods. “Oh, and Amber? You still did good today.”

“Thanks, Laurence...”

We turn back towards the house, Mom already waiting for us by the door, and follow her inside.

Maybe the bed will come before food, at least for a little while... I can barely put one hoof in front of the other..!







... I'm running, running away from all the red dripping from the walls...

... The walls are screaming, screaming and screaming, unending, and still I run... I know the Horseman's somewhere, ready to catch me.

Running for what feels like an eternity, until I spot a light, in the distance! I trot forward, but freeze when I recognize the gardens of Canterlot castle..! No no no no, not that! The blood and the screams are still better than whatever's waiting for me there!

Bolting back from where I came, the red slowly morphs into pink, like the pink of bricks... Walking in the streets of the city of my birth, my hooves clicking on the pavement, I can't help but turn into my own room.

So long since I've been there... Here at least, it's still the same. It's only me who has changed.

I pull my bed a little, and there it is: the book that changed my life. Even back then I knew if was forbidden knowledge, that it had to be hidden, lest it be taken from me. I levitate the battered softcover to me, and of course, that's when it all goes to hell...

“What is this thing?”, comes my father's voice, still as stern and unforgiving as always.

“It's just a book, dad!”, I answer, futilely.

“Something tells me it is much more than that, for you to hide it.”

And, of course, I have no good justification. It wouldn't be a tragedy, if it were so easily avoided.

The book's in his hands now. “Is it this drivel that gave you these ideas?”

How could I deny? It's the truth, after all.

“So? What do you have to say in your defense?”

Nothing that'd help me, so what would be the point of lying? “Dad, I... I'm a unicorn.”

“Son, I'm going to pretend that I didn't hear this ludicrous thing.”, he huffs.

But hear it he did, and he wouldn't forget, and it'd slowly bring the—

“Excuse me, but is this in French?”

I turn to the dark blue alicorn standing next to me: “Well yes, of course it is, what would... you...”

That's when I really notice I'm dreaming.

And that I'm not alone.