For the rest of the day and most of the next, Shiva sat in that cage; waiting for the chance to escape. She kept her ears open and her nose ready, trying to gather as much information as she could, tracking the wagon’s process as it made its way along a large stone mountain path.
Yet, even as Shiva waited for an escape, she still found herself pondering what the ponies had meant. Who was Princess Celestia? Who was her student? While the three talked about them with a certain reverence in their voices, there was also a bit of resentment. Like one of the two had done something they didn’t like. And it seemed to revolve primarily around these ‘diamond dogs.’ Creatures that they seemed to think Shiva was one of.
But what did we do? Shiva wondered. Why are they doing this to us?
They didn’t seem to want them dead: Summer always came by with food or to ensure the cage didn’t stink. But every time she came by, it was with Breaker and that insufferable whip. And no matter how fast Shiva moved or how obedient she tried to be, that unicorn always found a reason to crack that whip at her. He thankfully never hit her again, but every time she started to feel the hum of lightning, there was an odd glow from the band around her snout. And on the rare occasions the hum happened when her band was off, a hoof would fly at Shiva’s face, and the next thing she’d know, she’d be back in her cage with nothing but an empty stomach to keep her company.
By the time they reached the ponies’ home, Shiva could barely see out of the two black eyes she had been given, and the whip had left an incessant ringing buzz in her right ear. Yet, as they approached their destination, smell and sound helped Shiva figure out where they were: a large stone cavern at the top of a mountain, big enough to hold all of Master’s old territory. The stone ceiling stretched above them as they entered, and Shiva got the feeling of being swallowed as shadows fell over the caravan.
As they drove deeper into the cave, Shiva’s ears picked up noises; roars, whines and hisses like some kind of zoo. Her nose also picked up a cavalcade of scents: something reptilian, like a lizard. Something smooth like wax, yet irritating like pollen, almost like an insect. And a particularly delicious combination scent of bird and cat.
Then the caravan turned, and Shiva saw the source:
An arena lay before her: a large patch of sand big enough for a dog Shiva's size to run laps around and get a decent excercise out of. The walls of the arena were cages, and inside each cage, a different type of animal sat, staring up nervously at the seats and stands that had been built on the roofs of their cages. The bars looked thick enough, but if the ponies sitting on those stands got too riled up, Shiva felt assured that they could collapse the cage and cause the stands to crush the animals underneath.
The animals seemed to know it too. Shiva saw a winged lizard, about the size of her master, glaring up at the roof with a resigned anger. She saw some kind of bird with the back half of a cat. And she saw some kind of weird pony-bug hybrid. There was even a creature that looked almost like a male version of Master, though the thick hooves that served as legs and the bull head ruined the image. And... Shiva gasped as she saw a dog that looked exactly like her. Same canine features plastered onto humanoid bodies. But this diamond dog was male, with dark - almost blue fur - and a toned, muscular physique.
Though he, and the rest of the animals, all looked beaten down. Scars like the ones likely forming on Shiva’s back crisscrossed the diamond dog's body. The lizard’s wing was bent at a bad angle, the bug-pony’s legs were chipped and had holes in them, the bird-cat was shedding feathers like crazy, and one of the bull-man’s horns were broken.
The worst part, though, was the look in their eyes. A thousand-yard stare, a bare spark of curiosity as they saw Shiva getting wheeled in.
Shiva knew right then and there: these beasts had been broken by these ponies.
And Shiva was likely going to be next.
With her body shuddering from fear, she didn’t realize the caravan had stopped. Thus, her heart jumped into her throat when Breaker and his cronies appeared, and opened the cage door.
Breaker flicked his whip at the wolf. “Out.”
Resigned to the routine, Shiva complied. She didn’t dare resist as Breaker forced her to the ground with a kick to her legs and Walker shackled her. Thankfully, no further punishment came her way. At least for now.
Breaker gave a sharp yank, and Shiva quickly fell in line behind him. He led her past the other beasts, who gazed at her forlornly.
What did they do to all of you? Shiva couldn’t help but think. What did we do to deserve this?
She was answered as Breaker led her through an empty cage and onto the sands of the arena. The crowd of ponies went quiet, watching with intrigue as Breaker threw Shiva onto the ground before them.
“Breaker!” a new voice yelled. Shiva flinched, turning as a unicorn stood above the crowd. His blue eyes regarded Shiva like she was a particularly interesting bit of trash before turning to her handler. “What is this?”
“A diamond dog unlike anything I’ve seen before, Boss,” Breaker insisted. The end of his whip handle rested under Shiva’s chin. She found herself rising to her hind legs to keep it away from her skin. "Should make the fights a little more interesting."
The ‘boss’ unicorn regarded Shiva again, and she wished for her lightning power so she could blast that superior expression off his face.
“So, it’s a slightly more appealing color,” he replied. "How will that help it here?"
"Well,” Breaker replied. “Have you ever seen them do this?”
Suddenly, he yanked the band off. Shiva rubbed at her snout, finally bare for the first time in almost two days. In her elation, she didn’t realize what Breaker was doing until it already happened.
The crack of the whip sounded. The familiar white hot pain seared into her back, and Shiva jumped away, shrieking as her lightning finally answered her call. Golden streaks of light zigzagged over her form, surging into a protective shield that formed far too late.
A gasp of horror rose up; not just from the boss, but from every pony and even a few of the captives. Shiva snarled up at them. Lightning gathered around her claws, and she hurled it at Breaker as he ducked behind the cages.
However, her spell fizzled out, as a barrier flashed before her eyes. Her ears flattening and her tail tucking, she reluctantly loosed another spell at the laughing ponies. The barrier flickered again, deflecting her shot and doing nothing but amusing the equines.
The only one that wasn't laughing was the boss unicorn. He glared down at her like she had just flashed him a rude gesture.
“Where did you learn to do that?!” the boss unicorn was demanding. “Who did you steal that magic from?”
Shiva snarled. Sadly, snarling did nothing but cause the ponies to laugh, while the boss unicorn snorted. He turned back to Breaker.
“Well, flash is one thing," he said. "But let's see her actually back it up."
He nodded to Breaker, who flared his horn. Instantly, the cage holding the male diamond dog popped open. And the canine reluctantly strode out, watching Shiva with a cautious air.
"Did you know about the power your kind could have, dirt dog?" the unicorn asked grandly. "Well, let's see how the old does against the new."
Breaker and another stallion took positions on the stands. They lifted their whips, eyes glittering with hate.
"Fight!" they boomed, before lashing their whips, urging Shiva and the dog towards each other.
Shiva gave a frightened look to the dog. But he merely gazed at her magic with a resigned air.
"Can you just make it fast and kill me?" he asked.
Guilt fought against despair. Shiva didn't want to kill him. Not when he already looked so sad. But the whip slashed through the air. And she was left with either attacking or getting whipped.
Luckily, her powers gave her a chance for a compromise. As she and the male lunged at each other, Shiva's claws closed around his head. And as her magic flashed and twined around the male like a spider-web, Shiva felt her senses open up.
She saw a vision: of the diamond dog getting captured by these ponies. Forced to fight for their amusement. Every time he resisted, they whipped him. The only relief came from winning, and even then, the ponies took all the credit.
"It's hopeless," he whispered. "There's no way out."
But Shiva couldn't bring herself to believe that. Not yet, at least. Not with this magic at her disposal.
"Listen to me... what's your name?" Shiva asked.
Before the male could ask, Shiva found it floating in his thoughts. Luke.
"Luke," she said. "I'm not staying."
Luke chuckled. "Oh, you poor thing," he whispered. "We have to stay. It's what they want."
"Well, it's not what I want!" Shiva snapped. Breaking out of their hold, she threw Luke at the stands. The magic barrier stopped him, bouncing him back into the arena. And as he hit the ground, Breaker's whip slashed into Shiva's back.
"Focus on your opponent," he boomed. "Not the crowd!"
Shiva snarled up at him. Hating him for putting her into this mess. For treating her like some dumb animal. She was more than that. He didn't deserve her.
Ignoring Luke, she lunged at the bars, trying to open them. The ponies merely laughed at her attempts. Seething as their obnoxious cackles rang in her ears, Shiva turned to try and talk to Luke again.
But the male simply gave her a sad look, before his paw caught her by the face. The back of her head hit the bars hard. And she lost her grip on consiousness.
#
Briefly, Shiva surfaced back in the present. She faintly made out Luna, staring down at her with horror etched across her face. But, like a drowning wolf at sea, Shiva sunk back into the memories one final time.
#
When Shiva regained consiousness, she was back in the cell. On one side, the arena stood before her, with a griffon and a dragon now fighting. On two other sides, the bull man and the other diamond dog sat, the latter looking at Shiva with a regretful air.
But on the fourth and final side, Breaker was glowering at her.
"Whoever your previous owner was," Breaker mused. "He clearly had no idea how to handle you properly." He paused. "Unless you didn't really have a master. No pony would dare justify such outrageous behavior." He summoned his whip. "But that's over now." His eyes glittered as he raised the whip. "Because I'm going to break you!"
And so, Shiva endured another round of beatings. Any attempt at defending herself with magic only bounced off another one of those infuriating magical barriers, and encouraged the insane unicorn to continue his torment. When he finally left, Shiva lay battered and bleeding. But she refused to fall broken. She stared at Breaker, wishing her fury could set him alight. But he stared right back with a smirk. He had all the power. And she had nothing.
Slowly, she sunk to the ground.
"Win the next match," he growled at her. "Or you'll get worse." Then he sauntered off, leaving Shiva bleeding and nearly broken.
The male diamond dog sighed, catching Shiva's attention.
"You can't fight them," he insisted. "Why are you hurting yourself for nothing?"
Shiva glanced back at where Breaker had been. "Because it's not fair," she insisted. "He shouldn't be allowed to treat us like this."
Luke shrugged. "But he does anyway."
Shiva nodded, glancing over at him. "We should do something about it," she insisted.
He shook his head. "This is your new home now," he told her. He glanced back at the arena as the griffon shrieked in pain. "And it's Tartarus."
#
The memories finally ceased. Luna stepped back, shaking her head and covering her eyes.
"P-Princess?" Twilight asked.
"It... can't be," Luna insisted. "What was done to her, I..." She turned to Twilight. “Twilight Sparkle; you went there before, yes? Tell me she’s…”
“She’s not lying,” a voice said.
Twilight and Luna froze, looking towards the door. Shiva looked up as well, and her ears perked in hope.
Standing in the doorway was a familiar tiny purple dragon, his green eyes narrowed at Twilight.
“Spike,” Twilight stammered. “How did you get in…?”
“I couldn’t stand by,” Spike said. “Not for this.”
“Spike?” Shiva asked, lifting her head. “Spike, are you okay?”
“Dragon," Luna said, her voice weary. "You need to leave."
Twilight nodded and tried to herd Spike out. But the dragon stood his ground.
“No. I can’t let you hurt the wolf who saved me.”