Renegade

by Slendy

2-4 You Must Play To Lose

Canterlot was considered a wondrous place to visit, the capital of Equestria itself was an architectural marvel in history. Yet it was dark today, grey skies leaked rain, turning the streets gloomy and tasteless. If you believe those that lived in its shadows, then you'd know this was what many believed Canterlot was. A place for the greedy, snobby upper-class while those underneath aren't spared a second thought. Sometimes, that reality can be almost concealed by all the sunshine except for days like these.

Any that roamed the streets still quickly forgot about the rain upon spotting Cliffheart and the Royal Guard pulling along a large cart with a cage. Inside was the beast on display like she were a zoo animal. W sat there with her legs cross, head down at her bound wrists, her weapons, and bag held by another pony she couldn't see. Her face was devoid of emotion, even the burning sight of her demonic eyes had lost their glow like the day, she was simply a shell. Each bump in the road served to keep her alert though, listening to the murmurs and the clipping of hooves, even the grind of the wheels against gravel.

She didn't really care where she was taken only that she knew nothing would help her escape this now. She ran and ran, now, she had to simply wait or die in a cell. Already she thought of Astra with her head stuck in a good book again at the ruined castle, piles lining her sides. Cinder polishing his sword, somehow making a blade that looked so worn so sharp or when he showed his nerdy side after all these years. Sora... if one thing made her curl up a little it was the idea she might not see him again. What did that say about her feelings?

"-hey, wake up." She wasn't even asleep but her head was low enough to obscure her face. They had stopped before a large building, another castle. It was a large courtyard with many other buildings but not much else stood out in the rain, not that W cared. The cage was opened and her cuffs were yanked forward by magic, tossing her onto her hands and knees into the mud. "Get up, creature or do you wish to crawl in the mud?"

Slowly, W rose to her full height, seeing magic enchant her restraints to keep her steady, again, she couldn't stand properly given her injures so escape was impossible. Once ready, Cliffheart waved his hoof to move everyone along and out of the rain, that was good, it helped W clean off the dirt and blood that clung to her body. Soon they were inside and out of the cold, taking time to dry themselves in the warmth of the entrance hall, itself bright and immaculate. Although not a soul dared to so much as dry W, her guess is they wanted her to feel as uncomfortable as possible while ensuring she was as beastly as possible.

Cliffheart turned to her, orange eyes brighter than her dull orbs. "Wait," He held up his troops to approach W and cast a small spell over her body, she flinched but relaxed once she felt her body shiver at the warmth that dried up the rain over her body. "Can't have her tracking puddles everywhere."

"But sir-"

"-She is to see Princess Celestia, regardless of who she is I'd rather not explain to her why I brought a creature that looked like it had been dragged through the mud to her hooves." Cliffheart sighed then led them on without a word. Another painful tug on her chains and W moved once more, wrapping her tail around her waist.

W's eyes wandered the castle walls, it wasn't much on the outside but within? Well, she had to bet a fortune of a thousand was around every corner. It had a red carpet decorating the middle of every hallway. Tapestries of the Lunar and Royal Guards. She even saw some Bat Ponies too, that got a few heads turning once they saw W and her lifeless posture. Most of the walk left W's mind to wander until something happened, and for the longest time, nothing ever did until a large pair of oak doors stood between her and the Monarchy. Gold embroiled the doors as magic pushed them apart, guards waiting inside only gasped in shock at the sight of the demonic-looking woman who was tugged in by ponies.

There she was. W lifted an eye to the end of the carpet where three thrones sat. two were unoccupied say for the centerpiece of this whole world, the very embodiment of the sun itself. Princess Celestia. She was everything ponies and W's own memory could recall, regal in appearance yet calm on the surface of such power to move the sun itself. Her pink eyes landed on Cliffheart then finally met the silent state that was W with shock until her expression fell to an impassive stare. She was judging the woman and said woman couldn't care less.

"Princess," All that entered bowed before her say for one that tried to pull W onto her knees. She didn't even budge.

"Hey, on your knees before the Princess!" W said nothing, nor did she feel the need to even look at the monarch anymore. She wasn't W's ruler, hell, she wasn't even from the UK so she had no reason to care for a 'Queen' at all. Princess Celestia was only the name of a bitch who happened to be Sora's adopted mother, but since he wasn't here she didn't have to bite her tongue. "I said, kneel, creature!"

Something sudden stung across W's back, like a lightning bolt struck her spine, causing her to grunt and fall to her knees in a heap, the lack of energy she had making it impossible to stand for a time. Panting through her teeth she remained silent, staring at the floor and the sight of her own sweat dripping off her nose. "My apologizes Princess, the creature has been very unresponsive to commands since we captured her." One Guard excused.

Celestia nodded then spoke as only a few Guards remained standing by W to keep her still. Cliffheart standing in front of the silverette. The red stallion cleared his throat. "It took some time but it seems she was present under the mountain where the rumblings were taking place. My only guess is that she was the one responsible for the quakes, since then, nothing else has been reported, even Lord Cinder was present to confirm this."

W smiled slightly for a moment, she knew he'd play the role perfectly. Up above, Celestia considered the words of her subjects before speaking up. "Cliffheart, I can't thank you and your forces enough for all you've done," He bowed his head with a bashful smile.

"All in a day's work but I gotta be blunt, Princess, we found her barely able to lift a hoof, my guess she was caught in the middle of a fight, maybe with Lord Cinder but I'm unaware." Cliffheart wasn't so keen on the idea of taking credit for another's work but since he had no reports it left his findings scarce. "I'll hopefully get in touch with him soon to confirm this."

"I understand," Her ancient gaze fell on the kneeling human similar to Sora, and asked softly. "If I am correct your name is W, or so you've claimed?"

Again, not a soul heard W speak. While Cliffheart was agitated he felt... conflicted about all of this. Why was W simply on her last legs when they found her? Why didn't Lord Cinder mention her before? In every attempt to capture her W seemed to somewhat enjoy the thrill of it, he had to admit, he felt like his old self again thanks to her. And now here she was, capture as he wanted and yet it felt so lackluster, she didn't even crack a smile.

Celestia tried again. "What were your intentions down in the old mines under Canterlot?" Repeating herself did nothing more than the first question. W was simply without answers. Her lack of replies led to one guard punching her shoulder, hearing her wince from the burn mark across her shoulder.

"The Princess has asked you a question so speak up!" He snapped and earned nothing, even as he grabbed her horn, yanking her face at an angle to reveal her eyes to the world. "Perhaps that little brat you had with you will - !!!"

Everypony stopped breathing for a second, the very guard clutching her horn stumbling away in terror as Celestia received a response from W. Her hair had fallen back, revealing her blazing eyes to them all, specifically toward the guard that threatened Astra. There was no other gaze like it, something to rival Celestia's own as the pupils looked uncanny to that of a jagged cross. Whatever was wrong with W she was still certainly listening.

Cliffheart huffed as W lowered her head to her cuffs. "Guards, take her to the dungeons, and ensure nopony leaves her alone for the remainder of the day, do you understand?" Those present saluted their captain as W was pulled to her feet, her face shrouded by her hair once more. "And... refrain from bringing up the filly." "For all our sakes." Whatever W's intentions were with the filly, Astra, it was something he didn't feel like evoking again.

However, those same eyes led Celestia to meet with W again later that same day.

It was a long and winding story, told with replacements for Sora and Cinder to conceal their identities. No one was sure how long the tale lasted before W leaned against the wall of her cell, no longer smiling as she had from the beginning of her tale to Celestia. The old mare had listened to every word without need to ask questions, she simply wished to know it all before applying anything that may silence the woman again.

"And now you know everything I know, sorry about the repeat of the last part but I felt we could all use a refresher on the shafting that is today for me," Her vulgar language was also something the Princess simply ignored, again, to keep W from growing silent again. Despite how uncomfortable W's cell was she found a nice groove in the cobblestone to act as a seat since she only had a bed that felt like sleeping on slate. W wiggled her head almost sarcastically. "Well? Any burning questions, your majesty?"

"One more disrespectful line from you, and I swear-" A guard was cut dry by W hoarse laughter, seeing her grin while chafing her wrists against her shackles to lean forward.

"Oh? What, you gonna poke me with that stick of yours? I'm trembling in my skin," She cooed softly, licking her dry lips. "But please, the grown-ups are talking so sit there and stay quiet - sorry, you were gonna say, Sun-Butt?" Despite the tone, Celestia noticed that her eyes refused to look up at her half the time, her spirit wasn't as sturdy as it was in Cliffheart's reports, the only other time she saw that light was when the filly was brought up before when said little pony scolded her for attacking her party member. A sense of motherly pride it seemed.

"You spoke before about this 'Kranon the Collapse Dragon', is this the creature that has orchestrated everything?" Celestia asked and W couldn't place if she believed her story or not, honestly, she would be lying if that wasn't her intention.

"And about this corruption, I don't feel any different, nor have the other Elements last I spoke with them." Cliffheart defended though it was clear he too was skeptical of his own defense.

"Why bother, you don't believe me so stop humoring me already," W sighed, slumping in her chains, not even with a dramatic pose or emphasis for her words. "Doesn't matter now, I'm in here, you're out there and Kranon's now got nothing left to lose, who cares what you think of me." It wasn't as if she had given up, rather, there was simply nothing left to say. Any questions they had they could find in the retelling of her life in this world. W had effectively answered any questions that weren't of personal bias.

Celestia couldn't hide the fact much of her tale left her speculative herself. What grounded it all was that her own son was what she claimed to be, a Displaced, so was Cinder. The issue was is that they gave their lives for Eqeustrea where W sought to cause discord. Something didn't add up. "And how do you know I might not take your word and say that what you've spent the last two hours telling me isn't true?" That did cause an antenna to raise.

"Then I'd say, 'where the hell was that kindness when I showed up in your stupid world'?" Her voice, for the first time that day, spat with such potent venom. Her eyes weren't filled with anger, all Celestia could feel was grief and shattered trust. Whatever W was, Celestia felt she knew almost nothing now.

With a short bow, Celestia stood up. "Cliffheart, please ensure guards are on patrol regularly and make sure to get some rest for your work," Facing W who now lowered her head, adjusting her posture to keep the blood from draining out of her arms, the white alicorn added. "Thank you for your time."

"..." The Sarkaz said nothing, returning her eyes to the sun that now peeked out from the clouds from the small window, it was the afternoon.

W frowned at the sunlight, lowering her head again. "I miss you guys; What would you think of Aoi if you saw her now?"

Inside a private living room for herself and her sister, Celestia sat upon a sofa next to her sister who had been waiting for her. "So, how did the interrogation go, sister? You took... far longer than I was expecting," This was evident by Luna yawning to herself.

"Sorry, but I believe I have been met with a near abundance of information, though I am unsure of where to start," Her features were creased when she was overthinking things, it happened more often than ponies realized. Luna, with her sisterly charm, smacked Celestia on the back of the head. "Ow!"

"Better?" The younger sibling smiled slyly to the silly pout on her elder sibling's face. Clopping her hooves together, Luna sat closer. "So, what is it you wish to know?"

"Are you a fortune-teller now?" She merely received a curious stare from Luna. Taking in a breath she played along. "Something doesn't quite add up when concerning Cinder and Sora."

"Were they not on a training journey together?" Luna questioned from what she heard from her Guard.

"They are, though Cliffheart's platoon had no record of sighting Sora during his investigation of the underground mines, not unless he told him to remain at Hoofprint which I highly doubt knowing Sora," Celestia tried not to smirk at her son's inability to sit out of an interesting event or two without flying off his seat to poke his nose about. "However, it's about another character in her story. Him, Gambit."

That name brought Luna's mood down significantly, almost to the point her muzzle faded of color. "S-sister... are you sure this was the name it gave you? C-could it have been the-"

"No, she spoke clearly and confidently, every detail, his personality, all down to the letter," Celestia worded so firmly it could snap bone. The name itself terrified the sun princess herself. To believe that... He was here and had spoken and dealt with W directly. The last she heard of this was with Cinder himself. "Luna, I believe we have a great deal of work ahead of us."

"So the usual." She mirthlessly drawled, thankfully returning the far less pensive mood.

"Yes, the usual." Although Celestia wished that were the case now more than ever.

Day two since W's incarceration was much like the last. Her wrists were raw from the chains and her tail too. They upgraded her cell a little. Now she shared it with one of her only nearby neighbors and a ball and chain kept her tail from moving while her feet were free. Sadly, her attempts to break free were ineffective. It was hard to tell the time when the sky was cloudy but she could roughly guess it was lunchtime as the guards brought food, actual food though it looked pretty basic and bare. Water and bread. Lovely.

A guard kept his eyes on them while the other pushed the tray inside, snorting at the sight of W's slumped state as she peered between her bangs. "Tch, maybe if it gets desperate it'll eat the other prisoner." The tasteless joke got a small chuff out of the hooded thief.

"Charming, I'll be sure to put you on her menu," He hummed, enjoying the dissatisfied look on their muzzles. Once the gate was shut he shuffled over to procure the trays, plopping down before W with a lazy grin. "Well, guess we're stuck like this together, let's say we skip the part where you intimidate me and just jump to the good stuff? They call me Courier."

"W, a mercenary," She murmured before a piece of bread was held out to her. "Heh, guess they don't really understand I can't eat without my hands," She jiggled her arms before taking the offered food with a nod to the pony who took his hood down. His coat was ash grey in the light and his mane was a warm black and curled at the tips, some bangs covering his right eye where it appeared to be a scar underneath. "You heard my so-and-so crimes, what about you?"

After taking a drink then offering one to her he seemed to ponder. "Done alot of things, sister. Most of which ponies call 'illegal', hmph, shows what they know," He patted his chest. "Back where I supplied place had folks that couldn't make a bit or had nowhere to go, ponies there treat each other like allies, not all buddy-buddy but mutual respect, that kept them going, kept all of us going where these snobs don't care to bat an eye for." His voice was gravelly but deep when speaking about nobles.

"So you hate Sun-Butt too?" W guessed, swallowing another piece of bread.

Courier shrugged, "She's without question the most stressed of the bunch, can't say keeping track on all the ins and outs of this place is doing her any good," He didn't hate her given the importance of her role but it didn't excuse her lack of aid. However, one thing did make him chuckle. "Now there's somepony to keep an eye on, bet you'd like him sister, calls himself Sora, according to sources he's the monarch's adopted son." He seemed especially giddy at the mysterious gossip he picked up on.

W kept her smile hidden, a pain stabbing in her chest. "...is that so? What's... what's he like?" She leaned back, staring toward the only source of sunlight.

"Hrm, met him once - brother helped out without anypony noticing. Cleaned up our home a fair bit, even stuck around to give out supplies he had, even taught our shotty guards how to do their jobs better!" He laughed lightly, gulping the last of his water. "He's a little green but got a better heart than most, anypony who gets on his bad side I feel for... well only slightly." He squeezed his hooves together to emphasize.

"Yeah..." W felt breathless, eyes sunken. "He really is an amazing dork..."

Another day and W wasn't fairing any better. She wasn't as well kept as the other inmates, another thing she could thank Kranon personally if her hunch was correct but even she refused to ask Gambit for that kind of answer, it was painfully obvious he'd sooner roll in his chair laughing. W was in her cell alone, Courier returned to another cell until Cliffheart arrived. Apparently, he wanted to ask W a question, and much like an old doll, her lips were stitched up tight.

Her body was cold given the gloomy day, but most of her time felt that way. Her wounds from her battle with Forsaken were still healing since the lovely ponies of Canterlot Castle, surprise, didn't like her very much. And the rags they had her wear in place of her combat skirt and clothing weren't ideal for comfort or insulation. While Courier was asleep on his bed, W noticed two guards coming into view of her cell. Adjusting her dead-weight posture she knew what was to come.

"Why does the Princess even allow some filthy creature to rot in the dungeon?" The one to her left scoffed so her lips curled back.

"They let you stay here, don't they?" If Courier was awake he'd have called out the burn but sadly it was just herself and two lovely ponies.

The right bashed on the bars in some vain attempt at intimidation. "Watch it, creature, less we stick a muzzle on you!" He hissed, that one action practically refilling W's ammo. Her hand curled in its chain to point his way.

"Cleaver, did you come up with that one on your own?" She cooed, stifling her snicker when his face crinkled with spite. Kranon was very methodical, he targetted a key few that would set W's image to Equestria ablaze, after all the taunting she's pulled over Cliffheart and his men that reputation was now snaking back around to bite at her wrists. She effectively brewed their hated of her and Kranon had no need to raise a finger.

*Bam!*

W felt her lungs empty without realizing what had happened. Her world fell forward and into a white hoof as it struck across her cheek, another bucking her side as she yelped. For the first time since her imprisonment two guards had finally had enough of her insults. The door was wide open but W had no strength or movement with her hands to try. All she could do was hang there like a tapestry against the wall as the guards kicked and punched her relentlessly.

Once the punching had ceased W spat out a glob of blood, coughing and hacking while her vision spun a little. By now, Courier had woken from his light snooze to find two guards pinning W against the wall, blood dripping down her chin. "Hey-hey, what the hell are you two up to, huh!? Oi, answer me you hoof-kissers!?" Panic began to settle in from his side of the dungeon, banging on the bars to try and draw their attention elsewhere and to draw attention from other guards nearby.

They ignored his attempts as the white one held W's face up by one of her antennae, seeing her face wince from the sharp tug on the sensory appendage. "Y' know, doubt anyone really cares what state this thing's in anyhow - still looks better than most mares." Had W not felt cold before, ice froze up her veins at the insinuating tone. Yet it felt like it wasn't the first time she's heard that, no matter the vagueness, her blood turned to ice.

"Hey, your call I ain't biting," The other huffed, turning away as W felt her head thrown down and a hoof move against her leg.

"Get off of her, you hear me!?" Courier continued to bash on the bars until his hoof felt it would break, bashing the length of his forehoof against the surface. "Dammit, where the hell is the other guards!?"

Ignorance was the guards' major flaw and W would pay that price dearly while feeling her tattered, oversize shirt lift inch-by-inch. Her heart was racing in her ears before blood burned under her skin, had the second guard seen this he might have caught a glimpse of the satanic eyes glowering into the back of his head. "...sorry but..." W whispered until the white pony was close to unveiling his prize, that was when her right leg curled up and around. "...this fine ass is taken!"

Striking like a jackhammer her shin rose and struck across the pony's jaw, tripping over her left as both wrapped up and around to squeeze the white pervert between her steel-like chokehold. His hooves flailed in vain to escape, face turning red as W squeezed harder, wanting to hear something pop or even snap with a single twist. By now the other guard noticed the sudden retaliation and rushed to knock W out. Not wanting them to have their way with her unconscious body her heart flooded her body with enough adrenaline that the wind picked up around her, and a small burst of serrated wind tore across her cell.

Blood flew from gashes and light cuts, dozens of incisions lined the walls and floor around W's form while she felt herself flop onto her ass, releasing the passed-out guard from her legs, the other laying head-first against the far side of the cell. By the time hooves clopped into view, W panted, feeling a great deal of relief as Courier did. "Told ya I'm no pushover, Gandalf." "Huh, who did I call that again...?"

"W-what happened here!?" Cliffheart's orange eyes flickered amongst the unconscious guards then to the bloodied and beaten W who panted against her cell's wall. To his right Courier waved a hoof with anger in his one visible eye.

"Those two might've had their fun with her and trust me, you would've heard it, tin pony." A common slur used by those that didn't particularly favor the Royal Guard.

Cliffheart analyzed the cell and the frazzled state W was in before sighing through his teeth, glaring down at the ponies. "Jumper, Cross, get those two out of my sight and lock them up, now." Not one pony dared to so much as suggesting otherwise, none noticing the conflicted state on Cliff's face before he ran a hoof through his mane, approaching W who suddenly pressed her back to the wall. She... was frightened by him? "...W, what hap-"

"I just told ya, tin pony, one was about to have their way with her 'till she snapped." Courier relayed angrily. Keeping silent, Cliffheart fought against some strange notion he should be leaving her here to rot and instead focused a spell around her bruises and blemishes.

"Fuck off..." W spat by his hooves, and while her eyes had regained that fire he felt no such pride in seeing it as it were now. She was on the defense, if he allowed it she might even attack him. Her face scrunched up from the warmth that spread across her wounds, clotting them gradually while Cliffheart wiped his brow of sweat. "...having a change of heart... get lost, thought you wanted this?"

"Not like this, and you know it," He admitted, knowing that baseless talk of his own glory would shut her up completely. "W, what exactly is Kranon planning? If even a shred of what you told the Princess is true, wouldn't he just build another Lure someplace else?"

That was one of the many thoughts that ravaged her head but something stuck out in Gambit's visions of Kranon's gradual control over Robin's body and power. Every world's Displaced that he slew and stole the powers of he used Lures that harmonized with the Displaced, the Tethers. Once active, the second he leaves the world behind no trace of the Displaced or Kranon remained, just... a crater.

"You never wondered why there are three of us in Equestria?" Her words were hollow for a moment, picking her head up as his magic faded to stare at her evenly, seeing her fists shake in her shackles. "Why three Displaced exist, why he hasn't made himself known to any of you? Using me as his little scapegoat?" The words were strained but Cliffheart felt it again, conflict in his own head, it felt like white noise to his ears.

"How do you know about Lord Cinder and Price So-"

"Kranon, he doesn't need us anymore, he would've done away with this world painlessly but now all he craves is release," W lifted her head, eyes slanted but fueled with anger. "Even if the world and beyond knows he doesn't care because he'll finally be free, he'll create a disaster that will destroy this world's timeline, and when it all falls apart he'll be reborn in the fallout, the sacrifices of hundreds will be undone in one action alone."

"What... disaster?" Cliffheart shivered and W never lost contact with his tensed stare.

"Like the world my body comes from, he'll create a Catastrophe that will annihilate the kingdom, any that survive will be like me, Infected." The Abyss couldn't be controlled, DnD was much the same with its creatures, and Grimm were too easily stopped with divine magic. But the Infected? They resisted magic, they could be controlled.

"Let me ask you again. Are you happy Captain? Is my imprisonment given you what you wanted, well, has it?" Her voice broke a little before W sunk her head, no longer wishing to speak with anyone after today. "If I'm honest... you can all burn with me."

How long has it been since W was locked up here? She couldn't really care if it had been days or weeks, what else mattered while she remained chained to the same wall since she got here? Sat atop her bed her eyes could make out the sight of moonlight through the porthole of the dungeon, the only real way to tell the world hadn't ended yet. Kranon wasn't going to wait much longer, he would attack any moment now and she had neither the weapons nor the allies to help her.

Why?

That was the one word W hated most as it plagued her for weeks. Why her? Why all of this plotting? Why... did she bother at all? The more she pondered, every day she kept asking herself the big question; This world tormented her, abused her mind and body to the point any human would just break. It was a giddy concept, to sit back and let this whole world burn, let it all rot for what it did, sure, they technically weren't at fault but it was their magic, their hooves, and their faces imprinted in her mind. Would anyone blame her if she just... gave up?

Her home wouldn't know, her actions have set off a domino effect. Despite how much she hated this world it had pieces that made her hold on, more so for her Earth. If she didn't do something they would suffer for her actions, Kranon would do the same to Earth, then the next, and the next until he was satisfied. An endless cycle of death brought about by a lack of action to try just a little more, to simply... move on.

She missed seeing Astra copy her antics, learning about the world and herself, even scolding the Sarkaz for her recklessness. She wanted to fight Cinder again, the first real challenge that didn't feel like her life was on the line, he was someone who understood her and would fight fairly with a cunning merc like herself, she wanted to hear more about his favorite shows too, that old fanboy still buried inside that armor. Sora... her eyes softened, lifting a chained hand toward the moonlight.

He must have been angry with her for doing this. She could see it now, feeling his fist strike her shoulder while he yelled at her, for a nervous Prince he sure didn't act like one, he cared more than she was willing to admit. In only a week-and-a-half he had seen more of Aoi than most have seen in years. That stupid smile, his laugh, the way he just... accepted her antics and then some. Unlike with Astra, where W knew the kid needed her to grow. W felt... safe again with Sora, the burden of saving the world felt so much lighter. All of them just made the burden... easier.

"You look like you've got quite the story to share," Courier spoke up beside her, his own back against his awful bed, his eyes were hidden by his mane and hood say for a small smile. "Go on, sister, I won't bite."

W was reluctant at first but then thought about everything before Equestria. "I... was at a convention with my two friends, they... heh, they were seriously a handful, maybe because I was more inclined to keep to myself," It was funny, if she didn't give in to their whining she might not be here. Lifting her hand as close to her neck as possible W scowled. "If I just didn't pick up that scarf... I'd still get to see them, hear them bicker like children 'cause they wouldn't hurry up and admit they liked each other, how freakin' stupid is that?"

"Here I have people now, I feel like the more I just kept moving, focused on what was ahead then I could... I-I could try to forget about what was stolen from me," W's voice was starting to break, eyes hesitant and misty. "I... the more I fought, the more fabricated memories that appeared the harder it was to forget... that I can't ever see them again." Biting her lip until it bled, W felt her whole body tremble.

"Just us sister, ain't no pony judging down here, that's what a court's for," Courier murmured gently, keeping his eyes hidden as he heard her hold back a sob.

"I-I miss them... so much... my parents, my friends... I-I can't ever see them again," Closing her eyes W tried to get comfortable, curling up slightly on her rough cot, shaking from the cold and the reality she tried to hide for so long from the world.

To Be Continued...