It was late at night. A tan-colored earth stallion laid down on a couch. His muzzle was off-yellow, almost white. His legs laid on one armrest, his head on the other. The house was empty except for him as he enjoyed his time alone. In his hooves, he held the Neightendo Gamecolt. Lights from the screen flashed on and off as music played. The game character, a colt with a Green Hat, walked into a large circular room. The gate closed behind him as the screen went black. The stallion bumped his device with his hooves. The device laughed maniacally as the device’s screen turned white and dimly lit the room for a few seconds.
“Oh my Celestia! I finally reached the end of the dungeon,” he said happily to himself as he focused on beating a dungeon master. The game held his total concentration.
The stallion jumped when he heard a knock on the door.
A small light on the contraption started flashing red, indicating it was almost out of power. The stallion screamed angrily, “Oh come on! Just a few more minutes.”
The door knocked again. The stallion sat up and screamed, “You can stop! The door is unlocked.”
His father, named Flag Wave, walked in. He looked at his son with tired eyes and asked, “What are you doing up at this time of the night?”
The stallion didn’t glance at his father. Instead, he said impatiently, “Not now. I am trying to beat the twin witches of ice and fire. Once I do, then I can fight the main villain and finally save The Kingdom of Pangea.”
Flag Wave sighed and retorted, “You should have been in bed four hours ago.”
The stallion bit his lip. “I need to save the kingdom.”
Flag Wave responded, “You can do that tomorrow, Signal Box.”
The stallion grit his teeth, “My name is Axel.”
Flag Wave looked at his son and responded. “you shouldn’t rename yourself until at least you get your cutie mark.”
The son scoffed. “you don’t know anything. Signal Box is a lame name.”
The device glows with a red hue. The text Game Over appeared on the screen. The stallion yelled, “You made me die. Now I have to start over.”
Axel walked into the kitchen and opened a drawer. He slammed it when he saw that it was empty. Axel struggled to breathe. “We can’t be out of power crystals.”
Axel weakly walked into the living room and yelled at Flag Wave with a shaky voice. Axel put on a sympathetic face and asked, “Where the power crystals? I needs a new one, for the thing.” He held up the game system.
Flag Wave said, “I hid them.”
Axel screamed, “Why would you do that?”
Flag Wave said, “I will give them to you tomorrow. First, you need to get some sleep.” Flag Wave sniffed the air, “You have not even showered.”
Axel whined, “You don’t know anything. I showered yesterday.”
Axel looked at the clock. “It is two.” He blushed. He said with confusion. “Carry the one. I showered two days ago.”
Flag Wave said, “Look at what you have been doing all day. You are 22 years old. You need to get some sleep, take a shower, and consider getting a job.” Flag Wave cleared his throat. “The station is hiring, and you might get your cutie mark.”
Axel screamed, “I don’t want to work at the station. I want to go on an adventure and save a princess.”
Flag Wave retorted, “Get a job working at the station. Then you could travel all around Equestria.”
Axel responded, “I don’t want to go on an adventure. I want to get a cutie mark playing video games.”
Flag Wave said sternly, “You are not going to get a cutie mark playing games.”
Axel screamed, “Let’s Game did, and he became famous.”
Flag Wave responds, “Not everypony is Let’s Game.”
Axel slammed the drawer shut, and the wood cracked. Tears started to stream down his face.
Flag Wave asked, “Would you calm down?”
Axel snapped back, “Just show me where the crystals are.”
Flag Wave said, “After you get some sleep.”
Axel responded, “You’re a bag of horse apples.”
Flag Wave grit his teeth. He knew that if he yelled, he would lose the argument. Flag Wave breathed out slowly and said kindly. “Go get some sleep. You can play your games tomorrow.”
Axel shouted, “I hate you!”
Flag Wave said sarcastically, “You liked me when I gave you food, power crystals, and video games.” He breathed out. “Go get some sleep now!”
Axel said, “I am not a little colt. I can go to bed when I want. Just let me finish.”
Flag Wave said, “No! this is my house. I said go to your room and get some sleep.”
Axel galloped to the door while screaming. “Fine, I don’t want to live here anymore.” he ran out the door and into the night.
Flag Wave stomped his hoof angrily. He told himself in his head, Great job, Flag Wave. Now you did it. He screamed. “Stop! Come back!” He then ran after his son.
Axel galloped until he ran out of air. Quickly he hid behind a pile of barrels. He watched as his father ran past him.
Axel snickered to himself. “Stupid old buck! That should show him. After a few hours, he will beg me to come back.”
Axel considered what he would do next. “All I need to do is go to the arcade and borrow some bits from Button Mash.”
Just as he leaned up to the wall, he realized a dark figure was walking around the corner. Axel gasped and turned to run away. His body hit something hard. Did I hit a wall? He saw a clawed paw grab him. Another dark figure put a rope around his body. He opened his mouth to scream, only for the figure behind him to reach around and grab his muzzle. The figure held up a giant knife and said in a grizzly voice. “You scream, and I check to see if ponies are filled with glitter. Do you understand?”
Axel stood frozen, afraid to move. The clawed figure smacked him with the handle across the face. Axel looked with wide eyes. The figure grabbed him by the muzzle and shook it. “I can’t hear you.” He gently placed the sword tip onto Axel. “It is a simple yes or no question. Do you understand what I am saying?” Axel felt the end of the knife start to press into his chest. Axel tried to scream from the pain. He tried to wiggle to himself free, but the figure behind him held him tight. The figure in front of him shook his muzzle until his neck hurt.
The figure went within a few inches of his muzzle and said, “What did I say about screaming?”
The figure grinned about an inch from his face. “You make any more noise, and I am going to have to get your daddy over there.” He pointed with the sword in the direction that flag Wave ran. “And slit his throat. I am not playing. Do you understand me?”
Axel nodded quietly.
The figure in front of him grinned and smacked him across the face again. “Good. You can listen.”
The figure behind him started to lick his face. “I bet he is going to taste good. Captain Claw, can we eat BBQ?”
Captain Claw licked his lips. “I could go for some BBQ. Good idea, Rocko.”
Axels struggled again. Captain Claw took the sword and placed it at Axel’s throat. “Keep quiet, and I make it quick. Make any more sound, and I will make you watch as I cut you into steaks.”
Rocko replied, “Steaks are good too.” Rocko put his mouth to Axel’s ear. “You are going to make a good lunch.”
Tears streamed down Axel’s face as Rocko pushed him until he followed Captain Claw.
Captain Claw tied a rope around Axel’s waist and then pulled him from the farm. Axel started to wish he had just gone to bed when his father told him to.
King Archimedes and his troops marched up a hill towards Equestria. The Morning Line lay in front of them. The king’s carriage struggled to get up the incline and moved slowly. Other wagons full of supplies and troops passed them. Once it crossed the Morning Line, the king sighed. He stuck his head out a window and shouted, “Right here is fine. Let’s stop for the day and set up camp.”
The troops stopped marching, and the king’s carriage stopped moving. The king exited the carriage and shouted, “We will wait here for the night. I need you all to rest so that you can fight the good fight if it comes to that.”
The Lycan army all cheered.
Rubric goes up to the machine and starts to fiddle with the pipes. “Give me a few hours, and I will adjust it so we can go faster.”
The king grinned, “We can not waste any more than five hours. Can you work while the rest of the troops rest?”
Rubric looked back and saluted, “It will be my pleasure.”
Rubric pulled a wrench out of a box and started making some adjustments to the machine. Rubric wiped his brow. Then he picked up a bucket. “I will be right back. It needs more water.”
The king gave a grin as Rubric walked away. His eyes searched the crowd to make sure that everyone was on task until his eyes landed on General Claw. General Claw fought his way through the crowds of troops to get to the king.
The king saw General Claw and greeted him. “I hope you had safe travels.”
General Claw nodded. “They were, and we even got a prize.”
General Claw, Diego and Rocko all smiled, hoping that the king would be satisfied with their gift to him.
King Archimedes looked at the tan stallion. The stallion had a rope around his muzzle so that he couldn’t speak. He had another rope around his waist that Captain Claw was using to lead him places. Several bruises and cuts lined the stallion’s body. The king looked at Claw and raised an eyebrow, “Who is our guest?”
Rocko licked his lips, “He is dinner.”
King Archimedes rubbed his front temple. “That better be his name.”
Nobody spoke. The king clasped his front paws together and asked the group, “Who’s idea was this?” Nobody answered. He grinned and slightly chuckled while trying to control his temper. He tapped his claws on the ground and looked somewhat annoyed.
Calmly he raised a claw and asked, “What is the most important rule? NO! The single most important law of the Lycan Empire?”
Nobody answered. The king responded to their silence, “We Lycans do partake in the delicacy of eating meat. The problem with this is that many of the animals have cities of their own. If we ate everypony we would always be at war. So what simple law is in place.”
Diego stared into the distance, “If it talks, it walks.”
The king ripped the rope off of Axel’s muzzle. He put one arm around Axel and looked him in the eyes. “Boy, I order you to speak!”
Axel rubbed his muzzle and fell silent.
The king, with a low growl, went up to Axel’s ear and said. “If you know what is good for you, then listen to my orders. I demand you to speak!”
Axel rubbed his muzzle. “Take me home!”
The king placed a paw up to Axel’s face and said, calmly. “Jolly good. Now be quiet, or I will kill you.”
Rocko said, “Yeah, bosss. He sure does speak.”
Captain Claw spoke, “It was all Rocko’s idea.”
King Archimedes grabbed Rocko by the muzzle and shook him. “The boy can speak,” he said with a deep growl. “Then why did you feel the need to kidnap The colt?”
Axel interrupted, “I am 20? I think.”
The king turned to Axel and looked into his eyes as he said, “I am growing tired of your disobedience, child. Do shut up!”
The Lycan didn’t say anything. Finally, the king shook his head slightly and said, “Hmmm. I didn’t hear you.”
Rocko responded, “I was hungry.”
The king shut his eyes and breathed in. The king rubbed the top of Rockos muzzle and looked at the crowd of Lycans. “He was hungry. That is understandable.”
Rocko slightly wagged his tail as he asked, “Really?”
The king roared a yell, “Ahhhhhh!” and slammed Rockos head into the ground. The ground shook, and the group of Lycans jumped. Then, a loud snap filled the air as the Lycans body fell limp.
King Archimedes breathed in deep. He combed his hair back with a paw and cracked his neck. Then, he said calmly to the growing audience. “Understandable, but it is still breaking the law. My Law.”
The king scanned the crowd so every one of them would have to look into his eyes. “I do not take pleasure in doing my duty by punishing those who break the law.”
He looked directly at Claws group. “But rules are rules. Without them, we are no different than the animals of the forest. Rules are there for a reason and must be upheld.”
General Pawton went over and checked out Rocko. General Pawton shut his eyes and spoke under his breath. Then he turned to the king. “What should I do with his body. Should I start a pyre?”
The king responded, “Leave it. He broke the law. He shall not be honored. He will not join Luna in the night sky. He has disgraced his ancestors.”
Rubric walked back up to the king’s carriage and nearly dropped the bucket when he saw Rocko’s body.
Rubric said, “What if the ponies find him?”
The king responded, “Worry not. The crows can deal with him.”
King Archimedes pat Axel on the back. The king said in a booming voice. “Listen up. If anyone touches Dinnerbone, then I will be forced to punish them as well.” The king looked at Captain Claw, “Do I make myself clear?”
Axel looked up. “That is not my name.”
The king said, “Listen boy, I don’t think you understand how much trouble you are in right now. You saw what I did to him?”
King Archimedes pointed to Rocko. “I liked him.”
The king said in a low growl. “If I tell you to jump, you ask how high. If I tell you to do something, you best do it. If I tell you that your name is Dinnerbone, you say, ‘yes, sir.’ Do you understand me?”
Dinnerbone sat there and said. “Yeah.”
The king slapped Axel on the back a few times, and he demanded, “What did I just say?”
Dinnerbone sat down and said, “Yes, sir.”
The king gently pet Dinnerbone on the head, “Good boy.”
The king snapped his claws, and Rubric brought the rope over and tied Dinnerbone’s hooves together. Dinnerbone started to say something, and Rubric placed the rope around his muzzle. Rubric whispered into his ear. “If you ever want to see your family again, do not say a word.” Rubric then pulled Dinnerbone next to the king’s carriage and locked him to it so that he couldn’t get away.
Rubric pat Dinnerbone on the head and said, “There. Now nopony can see you.”
The king turned to the crowds of troops around him. He put his arms up in the air and said, “Now that punishment has been dealt, why does everyone look so glum? We need to rest so that we can prepare to kick Celestia in the flank tomorrow.”
The crowd gave a more than loud “Yeah.”
The king yelled with enthusiasm and zest, “Harmony Bell, let’s get a party started.”
A female earth lycan walked off of a wooden wagon. She had a black coat with red highlights. She whistled, and two more Lycans started taking boxes off of a wagon. She started opening up crates from her wagon. “Yes, sir. In a few minutes, we can get started.” She opened the back of a guitar and put a blue crystal into it. A bright light on it started to glow. She strummed it slowly, and it made a sound.
She picked up a microphone and spoke into it, silence. She then put another crystal into the bottom of the mic, and it started to glow as it roared to life. She spoke through it. “Mic check.” Her voice echoed through the trees. “Ok, my fellow lycans. Are you ready to Rock?”
The crowd responded with a very enthusiastic, “Yeah.” Harmony Bell stuck both paws up in the air as the crowd cheered.
General Pawton replied, “Are you sure this is wise? Somepony could hear us.”
The king turned to Pawton and smiled with a toothy grin. “Oh, let them have some fun.”
Harmony Bell pulled a scarf out of a trunk and threw it over her shoulders. She then stood on top of the chest. She looked at the crowd and winked. “I can’t hear you.”
The crowd roared, “Yeah!”
One of the Lycans pushed the keys of an electric keyboard. When the crowd calmed down, he nodded to Harmony Bell. The drummer and guitarist both nodded to each other and started playing.
Harmony Bell walked around the stage, scanning the audience.
“At the end of a hard, long day.”
“That is when the lycans come out to play.”
“When the sun goes down.”
“That’s when we march to town.”
“In this world danger is all around.”
“Pack strength is what we have found.”
“We are strong from fighting all day.”
“So, the ponies better get out of our way.”
“We are those, that Luna could save.”
“Led by our king so brave.”
“We howl in the moonlight.”
“We are the Children of the Night.”
Rubric sat on a fallen tree near Dinnerbone. He opened a small box and started looking through it for something to eat.
Dinnerbone’s ears perked when he heard the singer. Dinnerbone stretched the rope around his neck and moved his body so he could sit on the log. Dinnerbone, kind of, succeeded. He was able to sit on the fallen log, but he struggled to breathe.
Rubric looked over at Dinnerbone and watched how he was struggling.
Rubric put down his lunch and walked up to Dinnerbone. He kneeled and looked the pony in the face, “The idea was to try to hide you.”
Dinnerbone groned at Rubric. Dinnerbone still had the rope around his muzzle. Rubric couldn’t understand him, but he was sure that whatever it was, was not good.
Rubric sighed, “I am going to untie you. But I suggest that you don’t yell. In this crowd, you will regret it.”
Rubric put his paw behind Dinnerbones head. “Do you understand?”
Dinnerbone looked at the Lycan Army and Harmony Bell.
Harmony Bell sang.
“We will never give up the fight.”
“For Luna, princess of the night.”
“Mining all day, we are iron-strong.”
“With the ponies, we will never get along.”
“We are those that Luna could save.”
“Led by our king so brave.”
“We howl in the moonlight.”
“We are the Children of the Night.”
The Lycan army stomped together and cheered.
Rubric carefully took the rope off of Dinnerbone. However, he still left the lead around Dinnerbone’s waist.
Dinnerbone looked at Rubric, “You can’t hide me when everyone is having a party.” He watched the silhouette of the Lycans dancing against the fire. Dinnerbone looked at Harmony, “She is an angel.”
Rubric responded, “Don’t trust your eyes. She can take down a titan just like the rest of them.”
Dinnerbone said, “So… she can beat a boss?”
Rubric explained, “Not quite a boss, but they are large.”
Dinnerbone said, “What is a titan?”
Rubric said, “Where I come from, there are large creatures made out of the elements of Rock, Fire, Wind, Water, and Plant.”
Dinnerbone eagerly watched as Rubric explained.
Rubric continued. “These Titans are so mighty that teams are needed to get rid of them. The king expects warriors to hunt and kill a titan before they can join his army.”
Dinnerbone said, “So can you destroy a titan?”
Rubric laughed, “Maybe, but I am a mechanic. I do not need to.”
Dinnerbone tilted his head, “So not everypony is a warrior.”
Rubric thought, “Does a word like ‘everypony’ fit creatures like the Lycans?”
Dinnerbone blushed, “So every-lycan?”
Rubric grinned, “I would prefer everyone.”
Dinnerbone repeated, “What kind of jobs can anyone get?”
Rubric explained. “In my home, everyone has to have a job. Unless you have a special talent, the king will assign you to be a Warrior or a Miner.”
Dinnerbone’s ears perked up, “A special talent? So you can get cutie marks?”
Rubric answered, “Lycans do not get cutie marks. I mean that I was smarter than many other lycans, so the king let me be a mechanic. If a lycan is good at medicine, they can be a medic. In Harmony Bell’s case, she was a good singer, so she is a singer.”
Dinnerbone smiled, “Harmony Bell.”
Rubric pat Dinnerbone on the back. “For the pack to be strong, everyone has a job to do.”
Rubric picked an apple out of the box and offered it to Dinnerbone. “You really should eat.”
Dinnerbone replied, “I am not hungry.” His stomach protested. Dinnerbone looked down at the ground and gently played with a small rock. After a few minutes, he looked up and asked, “How could you eat after watching that? The king hurt that guy with one hand.”
Rubric shrugged, “Rocko broke the law, So the king needed to punish him. I do not blame the king for serving justice.”
Dinnerbone said, “How could you follow a king like that. He should be kind like Celestia.”
Rubric retorted, “Kindness means nothing. In a dangerous world, King Archimedes has kept us safe.”
Dinnerbone said, “I am sure that Rocko feels very safe.”
Rubric responded, “You should be thankful the king did what he did. If the king agreed with Rocko, then you would be on the menu. He didn’t, so you are alive.”
Dinnerbone asked, “Yeah, but what is the point? It would be better if I were dead.”
Rubric sighed, “That is not nice. You must have a family.”
Dinnerbone replied, “It doesn’t matter. I am never going to see him again anyway.”
Rubric smiled softly at Dinnerbone, “You might. If my king wanted you dead, he would have already done it.”
Rubric took a bite of jerky, “So you listen to the king, and I am sure he will let you see your family again.”
Dinnerbone replied, “I am such a jerk. The last thing I told my Dad was that I hated him.” Then, Dinnerbone broke into tears.
Rubric picked up the apple. “You can’t fix it now, but you will not see him again if you starve.”
Dinnerbone wiped his face and grabbed the apple with his mouth. He held it for a few seconds. Then he put it back down.
Dinnerbone sighed, “I wish I could see him again.”
Rubric took a bite of jerky. “Do what the king tells you, and you will do fine.”
Dinnerbone winced. “Is that a pony?”
Rubric laughed, “No, it is fish that I bought before I left. I dried it myself. I would offer you some.” Rubric held up the apple. “I thought you would prefer an apple.”
Dinnerbone took a bite of the apple. “Yeah, I prefer the taste of apples.”
The king sat in his carriage and watched as Harmony Bell danced. She took the scarf and wrapped it around the top half of her body while she sang only to take it off and swing it at the crowd of lycans. He looked over to see Rubric talking to Dinnerbone. He rubbed his chin. “Rocko has caused me so many problems.”
General Pawton sat next to him, “Yes sir.” He turned to the king. “I would not question your actions in front of the men.”
The king replied, “And if you do, then I would need to punish you.”
General Pawton thought about his following words carefully. “But did you have to kill Rocko? He was an innocent fool.”
The king looked at his general. “Would you rather have me kill the pack? His sacrifice was needed. Now the pack knows that if they touch the pony, they will receive the same fate.”
General Pawton bit his lip. “Should I take the pony out into the forest and deal with him?”
The king rubbed his goatee, “I don’t want to kill the colt. He is just a boy, but if I let him go then he may warn Celestia. If anyone sees him with us, that could also cause problems.”
General Pawton responded, “Well, wouldn’t the army of Lycans cause a problem? We will not be able to sneak around forever.”
The king snickered. “With the Gala happening in just 14 hours, most ponies would assume that we are traveling to the Gala. Every leader is going to have some guards, so we are safe.”
Rubric asked, “but if the guards see the pony.”
King Archimedes sighed, “The colt may prove to be useful. But, for now, empty a crate and shove him in there. At least then we don’t have to worry about anybody seeing him.”
Rubric nodded, “Yes, Sir.”
King Archidedes shouted to Pawton, “Oh, and tell Rubric that I want to speak to him.”
Pawton walked over to Dinnerbone. He overheard their conversation.
Rubric shouted, “Really? So last year, a five-year-old almost erased all magic? Come on. You’re joking.”
Dinnerbone laughed, “I am serious. Dude, I couldn’t play any video games for two days. It was horrible.”
General Pawton tapped Rubric on the back, “The king wants to speak with you.”
Rubric smacked Dinnerbone on the back, “See you later, kid. Remember what I said.”
Rubric walked up to the king’s carriage, “Yes, sir? you wanted to speak to me.”
King Archimedes responded, “Yes.”
Rubric reached for the handle. The king stopped him.
The king said, “Out there will be fine. I don’t want to mess up the interior.”
Rubric laughed nervously, “It is nice. Only the best for the king.”
The king pulled out a knife and started sharpening it. “While you were acting friendly, did you do what I asked you to?”
Rubric gulped. “He told me a few useful things. What would you like to know?”
The king asked, “Well, I heard you talking. What was he saying about Luna?”
Rubric responded, “Not much, just that Luna is going to be at the Gala tonight.”
The king cut his nails with the knife sharpening them to a point. “Very interesting. Is she the real Luna or a fake planted?”
Rubric responded, “He thinks she is real.”
The king asked, “What do you mean by that?”
Rubric said, “If she is not the real Luna, he is not aware.”
The king put down the knife and looked Rubric in the face. “What else have you learned about the young pony?”
Rubric said. “He is terrified of you.”
The king replied, “A little fear is a good thing. Hopefully, it will make him more compliant.”
Rubric rubbed his chin, “He looks to be about 20 years old, but he is immature and acts like he is much younger, maybe about 15. He does not have a cutie mark and mentions video games in every other sentence.”
The king responded, “Those ponies have so much power, and yet they waste it.”
Rubric concluded, “Most likely if you let him go, there will be minimal impact on the mission. If any.”
The king said, “Good thing I am not asking you for your opinion. I will get my son back, and nopony is going to stop him. Even if this army has to tear Canterlot apart.”
Rubric asked, “And what about that ponies family? They are going to be worried.”
The king responded, “That is why I am not going to kill him. He is a child, and we can use him to bargain if we need to.”
Rubric asked, “What about Rocko’s body?”
The king said, “A necessary sacrifice. Leave it. Captain Claw can use it as a reminder.”
Rubric said, “It is still a big chance.”
The king answered, “Are you questioning me?”
Rubric answered, “Not at all, my king.” And bows down with his eyes shut.
A scream came from the party, and the music stopped. Rubric turned around to see what happened. A group of Lycans had formed around Dinnerbone and a chest. Harmony Bell pushed, and Pawton pulled Dinnerbone toward the chest. Dinnerbone had his hoofs dug into the ground.
Rubric yelled at Dinnerbone. “What did I say?”
Rubric motioned to run away and help Dinnerbone.
The king sternly told Rubric, “Did I tell you that you could leave?”
Rubric put a finger up to his lips. Dinnerbone watched. Dinnerbone bit his lip and slowly walked toward the chest. He walked into it and put his head down. General Pawton closed the lid and locked it.
Rubric turned around and looked at the king. The king had an ear raised and was holding his knife. The king bowed his head at Rubric. “Most impressive.”
Rubric sighed relief. Rubric bowed his body at the king, “Anything for you, my king.”
The king gave a slight grin, “You have a reputation with the stallion. I want you to take care of him. He is your responsibility. If anything happens to him, I will punish you.”
The king stabbed the wood of the window frame.
Rubric winced, “Anything for you, my king.”
The king continued, “Get some rest. In a few hours, we will march into Canterlot!”