Daniel is back to his consciousness, only to be greeted by the pain that's coming from his head once more. That bastard, I swear I'll kill him, he thought about what happened before. The other pony levitate a large vase from nowhere and hit him at the back of his head. He still tied up and in the same room but there's no one around. He wonder where Sombra might be and his... assistant he assume. In front of him, is the balcony.
The sun is still shining brightly enough to illuminate the large room. Wonder what time is it. To his right, he sees the throne and a table in front of it. He focused his eyes to the objects at the table and he realised that his walkie is laying there. Seriously? I need to get that thing. He's desperately search for any plans that might come out from his mind, but the chains were the only problem. He can't get to the walkie like this. Heck, he couldn't get out of there if he's all tied up.
Suddenly, he heard muffled voices coming from the door. Daniel quickly shut his eyes and pretend that he still unconscious. Just as he thought, the door opens and reveals two unicorns walking inside; but no Sombra.
"I want you to guard him for the mean time," he knew that voice. The one that make him unconscious twice.
"So," the other one speaks, "I'll watch him alone?"
"All of the guards are busy except you are busy. Besides, you just recovered from the assault yesterday are you?" So these guys have a heart after all.
Daniel heard a big sigh before one of them answered, "Yeah, alright. I'll watch him."
"Awesome, I'll see you in a bit." With that, the door closes and Daniel could hear a clip clop coming to him. One man, one chance. As the hoofsteps getting closer, Daniel slowly opens his eyes back and let out a fake groan.
"Hey, you alright?" The voice asked.
"Yeah," Daniel replies shaking his head, "I'm fi-" When he see the unicorn, that's when it shocked him. "Silver Storm?"
The unicorn gasp, "You?" There's a heavy silence fills the room. Both of them just staring each other and Daniel couldn't believe about what he saw right now. He blink several times, making sure that this is just a dream but the unicorn is still there. "How can you be caught?" Silver asked, now he's more relaxed than before.
"It's a long story dude," the young ranger replies, "They got me fucked up back there."
"You mean in Dodge City?" Silver tilt his head, "Because I heard they made a movement there before you get tied up here."
Daniel just nod limply, he realised that he's not going to get out of this easily without help. All he have to do now, is wait.
"I can help you get out of here," Silver suddenly speaks. Daniel instantly perked up at this and looked at Silver in disbelief. His eyes widened.
"What the hell do you mean?" He asked still processing the sentence.
"Well duh," Silver let out a chuckle, "You saved my ass back there, guess I owe you one."
Daniel still couldn't believe that Silver just said that. He looked to the ground and then back to Silver, he opens his mouth trying to speak but no word came out from his mind. Silver laughs at his expression.
"But we have to move at the right time... uhh, what's your name?"
"Daniel."
"Right, we need to find the right time Daniel," Silver begin to explain, "If you get out of here this afternoon you'll just ended up tied again back here. The guards were active by the daylight, so I guess I should help you by dawn."
"That's what I thought earlier," Daniel chuckles. Daniel looked at his walkie and an idea pops into his mind. He turn his gaze to Silver. "Hey Silver, mind if you bring me the walkie?"
"The what now?" Silver confused.
Daniel rolls his eyes, "You see that thing over the table?" Silver nods, "That's a walkie."
With an 'ooo' Silver levitate the walkie with his magic and hoover it in front of Daniel's face.
"Turn it on," Daniel said.
"Uhh... how?"
"Just press the button on top of it," Daniel replies impatiently, "That should do it."
Silver was about to press the button but suddenly, the throne door opens. Silver quickly hide the walkie under the chair and stood firmly next to the prisoner while Daniel pretending to pass out again. But seriously, his head is still fucking dizzy. If Silver didn't come to him maybe he'll be sleeping for the rest of the day.
"He still unconscious?" The voice is belong to Sombra. Daniel immediately recognise him.
Silver look to Daniel and realised his game. "Yes My Liege," he nod to Sombra, "He haven't wake up since I got here."
Sombra didn't say a word, instead he walks to the balcony and stood right there looking at the empire. Silver quickly nudge Daniel by his arm. "This is gonna be a long day," he whispers to Daniel, "We need to wait until he leaves."
"Fuck," was the only word that could come out from the kid's mouth.
______________________________________________
Johnson, Zano, Chet and Carl are sitting in the throne room of Twilight's castle along with the ponies. Heavy silence filled the room and they couldn't stop thinking about the young ranger. Especially what Sombra is about to do with him.
"They know yet?" Zano asks breaking the silence.
"Dammit, if Chase and Jerry know about this they would do anything to bring that kid back," Chet said, "Alive."
"They have to know," Johnson replies, "Even if they mad at us... yeah it's our fault. He's just a little kid."
"Yeah," Zano chimed in, "Now we have to figure out a plan to get him out of that hell."
Chet sighs, "If Daniel's here he knows what to do."
All of them fell silence after that. Only the sound of birds chirping and rustle of the leafs filled the room. Not long after that, they heard the main door opened and footsteps coming from the hallway. Just then, reveals another rangers. Forbes, Chase and Jerry have come back from Appleloosa.
"What's wrong?" Forbes asks walking to them. They realised that the rangers are all look depressed. All of their eyes just stare at the middle of the table with their hands on their chin.
"Uhh... guys?" Chase asked while snapping his fingers. The rangers still didn't answer, even the ponies didn't open their mouths.
"Hey," Jerry says as he looked around, "Where's Daniel?"
"Here we go again," Zano sighs.
"What happened?" Forbes asks firmly this time, "Where is Daniel, private?" Zano didn't answer, nor looking at him. "Private?!" This time Forbes yelled, making the ponies jumped slightly at his tone.
Carl let out a big sigh, "He fell from the chopper."
Chase looked at him with wide eyes, "He what?" He then looked at Zano with fire in his eyes. Without another word, he walked to Zano and grab him by his collar. "Why the fuck didn't you save him?!"
"We can't asshole!" Zano shrieks and push Chase away. The ponies are now felt their heartbeats going a mile a minute, except for the Royal Sisters. "It was him who want us to leave in the first place! Plus if we save him, we all die! There's hundreds of them!"
"WE NEVER LEAVE A MAN BEHIND!" Chase shouted back.
"ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU!" Jerry yelled and pointing his gun to them.
"Don't you dare do that son," Forbes pulled out his Deagle and pointed to Jerry's head.
The tank commander stood up from his chair and do the same thing with his Deagle, aiming at the sergeant's head, "Neither do you." All of the ponies eyes widened at the sight. The rangers now are not the rangers they know, this is their dark sides. Celestia and Luna are starting to freak out.
"GUYS, GUYS THAT'S ENOUGH DAMMIT!" Carl shouted getting all of the rangers attention. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?! OUR FRIEND IS OUT THERE AND THIS IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE ANY OF OUR GODDAMN PROBLEM!!"
The rangers were taken aback by Carl. Slowly, they lowered their weapons and their heads in shame.
"He's not dead?" Jerry asked.
"NOT YET!" Carl shouted again, "He's now in the Crystal Empire... I guess, captured by Sombra." Carl manage to calm down.
"Sorry," Chase apologies, "I got a little carried away."
"Same here," Jerry says.
Before anyone could respond, Forbes snaps his fingers and looked to the rangers. "I think I know a way to get him out of there."
"Well," Chet says taking a seat, "Let's hear it."
"Like usual," Forbes begin, "By dawn, we're gonna rescue that kid."
"But how the heck are we gonna rescue him?" Zano asked, "He's in their HQ and probably we're not going to make it alive, even if we're moving at dawn."
"Yeah," Jerry chimed in, "There must be thousands of them out there."
Forbes thought about it for a minute until another idea came from his mind. "Alright maybe you're right," he said with crossed arms, "But if some of us-" His explanation got cut off by a sudden sound of the walkie.
"Zano, Johnson, does anyone copy?"
______________________________________________
Daniel and Silver waited patiently for Sombra to get out of the room. Daniel still closing his eyes, pretending that he's still in the land of dreams. Just then, Sombra came from the balcony and walk towards the two of them.
"He hasn't wake up yet?" Sombra asked to Silver.
"Not yet My Liege," Silver replies, "I don't think he'll wake up for the next couple of hours."
Sombra let out a big sigh before he trotted off to the door and opens it with his magic. He looked to Silver from his shoulder, "Tell me if he wakes up, I'm gonna head to talk with the General."
"Yes My Liege." Sombra then closed the door and walk to find his General. Silver let out a sigh of relief and quickly looked at Daniel, who is now staring at him too.
"Thanks," Daniel forms a smile on his face.
"For what?" Silver asked, "I already told you that I owe you, besides it was me who supposed to say thanks." They both share a warm laugh together. After the laughter died, Silver asked again, "So, what are we gonna do now?"
Daniel thought for a minute, "I don't know," he then looked to Silver, "How many of you in this empire, I mean all of the troops?"
Silver looked at the balcony, then back to the ranger, "There's a lot of us, thousands probably." Daniel let out a desperate sigh.
"Well, it's gonna get a lot harder than I thought."
"Not if we call for help," Silver dragged the walkie from underneath the chair and shakes it in front of the ranger's face.
Daniel grin at him, "Is it just me, or Sombra is an absolute idiot for not notice the walkie?" Silver just shrugged.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Do it, before anyone sees us."
Daniel tilts his head and raised an eyebrow, "How am I gonna speak if you haven't turn it on?"
"Oh yeah, my bad." Daniel chuckles slightly. After the walkie goes on, Daniel immediately speaks through it.
"Zano, Johnson, does anyone copy?" Daniel and Silver waited for a respond but nothing came out. Silver was about to ask but then, the walkie speaks up.
"This is Forbes, Daniel what happened to you?"
"It's a long damn story," Daniel replies with a chuckle, "Anyway, you guys won't save me?" He asked with a smirk.
"Heck yeah we're gonna save you my friend, but where are you now?"
"I'm in the Crystal Castle now. Being tied up with a fucking chain. Damn it hurts."
"Wait, how can you talk if you're tied up?"
"Got a little help here," Daniel smiles at Silver, who is smiling back at him, "Look, I need to get out of here, Sombra's been a bitch lately."
"Don't worry kid, we'll be there and get you out as soon as we can. We'll plan it at dawn. You think you can buy us some time with that?"
Daniel sighs, "This is gonna be one hell of a day, but I'll try. And remember, direct assault will useless here, there are thousands of 'em in this place."
"Okay kid, don't worry, you'll be out in no time. Good luck."
"Damn you," Daniel says jokingly at the end of their conversation. With the talk's done, he turn his gaze to Silver. "Put that thing back at the table, I don't want to get flogged again." Silver winced but quickly places the walkie back to it's place. "Silver, mind if you take a look at my watch, see what time it is." Daniel asked before showing him his watch on his left hand. Silver leans his head for a moment then back to his upright position.
"16:35," he answered. Before Daniel say anything, the door suddenly opens and then Sombra walks in. He realises that his prisoner have waken up and walk slowly towards him.
"Well, well, well," he said with a devil smile on his face, "You're awake."
"Unfortunately, yeah," replied the sergeant.
Sombra then looked to Silver and speak, "Untied him from the chair."
Silver was taken aback by this, but he decided to play along, "You can't be serious My Liege."
"That's an order," Sombra speaks again before he walk to his throne. Silver looked to Daniel with a concern look. But Daniel didn't seem to be afraid, in fact he's putting a smile and nods at Silver.
"You know you're gonna get beaten up," Silver whispers.
"It's alright," Daniel replies, "Besides, I'm born to this. Let's just play his game for a moment." Hesitate, Silver slowly realise the chain and Daniel quickly stretch his arms and let out a long groan.
"Bring him to me with the chain still around him," Sombra said and now sitting on his throne. Silver quickly did as he told and slowly nudge Daniel to walk forward. The young ranger walk slowly and limply, 'cause God knows how long he's been sitting there. Stopping right in front of the evil king, Daniel looked at him with his flat face.
"I want to know more," Sombra started, "About Celestia and her army. Of course with all of your friends."
"What do you want to know?" Daniel asked.
"Everything."
Daniel just shrugged, "Well... over my dead body." Silver who was behind him looked shock. Did he just really say that? Sombra let out a growl and rise from his seat. His horn glows and in a mere seconds, the whip was hoovering in front of him.
"I'm gonna ask you one more time," Sombra walks slowly to him, "Tell me everything you know." Daniel put on a smirk and shook his head. Sombra was now furious. His eyes turned to that nightmare eyes once more.
WHACK!