Ow. My head.
The world was spinning in two directions. I still felt that pinch on my neck. What was it that caused that?
Okay. Try to remember what happened.
The last thing I could recall was that Resonance and I had gotten away from the timberwolves and were heading back to camp before hearing a voice. Whoever it was, they were silent enough to sneak up on Resonance despite her supernatural hearing.
Wait a minute! Where is she!?
I shake my head, in hopes of setting my vision straight. Once it was manageable I tried to get up but found myself in a cell chained up like a dog. There was a metal collar around me and a thick chain connecting to the cell wall. My wings were bound by rope.
“How much was it?” A voice asked.
“A few millin’, these rich folk hava’ deep pockets an’ they go real deep. Espesh’ for things such as these.” Another answered.
I looked past the bars of my cell to see where the voices were coming from. Two scruffy-looking earth ponies were standing on opposite sides of a wooden crate. On the crate was a pile of gold-colored coins. The one on the left was bulky and short, while the other one was thin and tall.
Then one of them turned to face me.
“Well. Lookie who’s finally up. Had a nice nap?” The bulky one spoke getting the attention of the skinny pony.
I didn’t say anything to them. I backed myself against the cell wall, feeling the cold stone wall.
Wait a minute.
I looked at myself, the only thing on me was the metal collar attached to the wall and nothing more. The guards took notice.
“Yah missin’ somethin’?” The skinny one spoke.
“Or somepony, or maybe both?” The bulky one finished.
“We’ve sold that really nice armor ya had on ye’. Teh boss was really happy about that and gave us some of teh cake.” The bulky pony pointed at the pile of money.
I don’t think I’ll get to know your names, so I refer to the two of you as Bulky and Skinny.
“Yeah. It’s handy having an inside pony in the castle. She’s been there for years and no pony has suspected a thing.” Skinny said, not even caring that he’s spilling secrets. “And have you heard? She’s gained Celestia’s trust! Can you imagine all the juicy secrets she’s gathered.” he laughed.
“Wander’ what they will pay for the bat?” Bulky chuckled.
What?
“What ta’ see her before she’s sold ta teh highest bettor?” Bulker moved away from view.
“You’re going to hate this kid.” Skinny smiled.
The sound of wheels made their way closer. Bulky was grunting a bit, meaning whatever he was pushing was heavy even for him.
When Bulky brought what he was pushing into view I felt my blood go cold. It was a wooden table, reinforced with iron, and there at the center laid Resonance. It was angled that I could see her entire body. All four of her legs were chained to the corners of the table. I could make out the dried tears on her face.
“Don’t worry, kid. We’ve done nothing to her. We’re not allowed to spoil the goods. Boss would have our heads if we gave the clients used goods.” Skinny tried to reassure me.
“But er' crying in pain was equally pleasing,” Bulky said pointing at a device strapped around Resonance’s head. “This thing hurts, but for the freaks like er', it’s worse.”
The devices tied around her head with two instruments poking into her ear canals. There’s no doubt that they used this tortured device on her highly sensitive hearing. If I could only find out if it’s just them or there are more bandits like them around here. Then I could somehow take them out by teleporting out of my restraint and sneak up on them.
“You know what? Why don’t we giv’ teh lil’ prince teh same show?”
Wait! NO!
“Could you not, please?”
Before Bulky could activate the device a voice interrupted him. From the same entrance that Bulky came from earlier, a mare with a cloak walked in. She had the hood down, so I could make out her features. She had a gray coat with ruby eyes. Even though the rest of her body was concealed by the cloak I could tell she was a pegasus.
“If there’s anything more painful than hearing you two laughing at the thing’s suffering it’s hearing its high pitched screeches.” The mare said.
“What brings you down here anyway, pegasus?” Skinny questioned her.
It was clear that there was little to no trust between them. It might have been because the three different pony races haven't all gotten along yet. They were probably working together only for the profit they were promised, but something told me that the job was done. And thus they no longer had to tolerate each other.
“Well the Hybrid was not where she was last placed, and she’s my responsibility. So if I want my pay, I need her in my sights."
"Looked to me you were havin' a nice nap."
"I have enough trouble taking care of fillies as it is in my day job.” She snapped.
“Whateva’ your not the boss. Besides, we already got our share. Don’t care bout you.”
Bulky ignores the mare’s request and activates the device. Resonance’s bloodshot eyes open up and she suddenly starts to screech in pain.
Stop it!
Stop it!
My silent cries reach no ponies’ ears. I jerk at the stupid chain holding me in place. Come on teleport. Why can’t I teleport!? I focus on the spot I want to appear to, but it's not working. I’m still chained up. I thrust myself in hopes of getting free.
“Aw look at em’. He’s tryin’ to come to teh rescue.” Bulky taunts.
The mysterious mare is also caught by my ruckus. She gets closer to the cell and squints down at me.
“What you doing? Don’t try anything funny. The boss says to keep him unspoiled as well.” Skinny warned her. As if his tone was threatening.
“Thought you already got paid?” She said to them
“We get another cut from him as well.”
The mare said nothing.
“You mad?” Bulky chucked.
The mare took another look at me and this time a hint of realization flashed across her face. She looked over to the two crooks and then back at me. Her mouth took shape of a grin.
“What!?” Bulky said irritated.
“He looks like somepony I know that’s all.” She said.
I don’t know if I should be confused or concerned about her comment. Before anypony else could say or do anything else, the mare pulled out a purple stone. The stone looked to be some sort of crystal, the shade of the stone was on the darker side, but it also seemed to be radiating a lighter shade of purple. The mare tossed the stone over to me.
As the stone landed at my hooves I felt my body exerting pressure. I then felt my body temperature drop rapidly. It felt like a chill doing up my spine, but it didn’t go away. I thought I would drop dead due to my body having no heat, but I remained standing.
Another thing I noticed was that my anger that had been rising was now extinguished. This feeling was familiar. I know I’ve felt this before, but where? And when?
“Huh, you made him quiet down, thanks,” Skinny said.
“Don’t thank me. This is revenge for cutting me out of this deal.” The mare said.
“Wot?”
“You’ll see.” She said before disappearing before our eyes.
“How she do that? I thought only them unicorns could teleport?”
The stone in front of me was dimming and a few seconds later it was nothing more than an ordinary rock. I felt cold at the end.
I felt my body move on its own. Or at least it felt that it was because I ordered my legs to move, but at the same time it felt I wasn’t in complete control.
Then my vision shifted, but not by much. The only difference was that I was no longer looking at the two bandits from behind the bars of the cell.
AAGH!
I gasped for air as one would do from waking up from a horrible nightmare. I could feel my heart beating through my chest like it was trying to break out. I could feel my fur wet without touching as the soft breeze made me shiver slightly, sweat.
I wanted to ask what had happened but I knew it was pointless to ask as I was alone.
Or was I?
I quickly looked around me and noticed that I was back in the forest. I was quickly met with the sight of Resonance. I wanted to let out a sigh of relief, but I quickly noticed that she was shaking and it was not from the cold. I could see the fear in her eyes.
As soon as I moved a hoof to get closer she flinched and pointed her spear at me. I was taken back at the sudden gesture, but when I put my hoof down it landed on something that did not feel like the dirt ground or rocks.
That’s when I realized the broken pieces of timber wolves all-around me. It was various limbs scattered around, front legs, back legs, and even a single head. The eyes were still glowing, probably meaning that it was still alive, but still too weak to properly regenerate its body.
“What… happened?” I asked.
Me finally speaking was enough for Resonance to break out of her fear. As if it signaled her that I was no longer a threat to her. What was it that happened between when I was out of the cell and now?
“You did.”
Before I could even ask what she meant by that a bunch of royal night guards showed up swarming the scene.
“MY CHILD! LUNAR!” A voice echoed throughout the forest.
I suddenly was swept off my hooves into the air and into an embrace. I didn’t need to look up to see who it was.
“What hast hath happened to thee!?” mother’s voice called.
Before I could say anything I felt everything in my body shutting down.
Ah! There goes the adrenalin.
“Report.”
Princess Luna’s voice was harsh and cold. It had been that way for a few days now. Ever since recovering Lunar, he had fallen into a coma and had not reacted to any of the treatments. She had pressured the doctors to do everything and had not allowed them to do anything less.
The guard before her was, unfortunately, receiving her wrath as well.
“The bandits that have awoken are all saying the same thing. A small colt tossing them around like dolls.”
“And so have the other before them. This means nothing to me!” She hissed. Her eyes suddenly becoming cat-like for a moment.
The guard, feeling like he was about to wet himself, could not help but tremble in fear.
“I shall speaketh to those fools myself.” She stepped down from her throne and past the guard who dared not move.
She passed by a few night guards and maids where normally she would greet them, but this time she didn’t bat an eye. They could tell that something was troubling their princess. A few tried to ask in concern but Luna either ignored or did not register them.
Once at the door of the dungeon’s entrance the guard that was stationed there moved out of the way. He could read out Luna’s eye and they spelled something frightful. She made her way down a few more flights of steps until she reached the cell where they locked the bandits up. It was big enough for all of them, ten in total but only six of them were conscious.
Luna stood in front of the cell holding the bandits. Thanks to Resonance they were able to learn and find their hideout. She wanted Resonance to tell her what exactly happened but she froze at the question. The doctors said that she was still in shock and to let her rest. She respected the doctor’s wishes and let Resonance rest in a guest bedroom instead of the barracks.
“Leave us.” She told the guards standing by.
The two guards wanted to protest, but a single glare from the princess told them otherwise. They left rather quickly. They did not want to face her wrath.
“Awaken fools!” She hissed.
The bandits jolted awake as they were lifted off the stone floor. A blue aura surrounded their necks. Some were struggling to breathe.
She yanked one of them closer, pressing him against the bars.
“Thee shalt tell me what I desire, fool.”
“We’ve said all we knows.” He whimpered.
“Tell me all and I may spareth thy pathetic life.” She hissed at him.
She brought him up to eye level. The poor soul could no longer recognize the pony before him. The pony was replaced by a taller one with a black coat. Her features became sharpened everything from her wings, horn, and even her pupils, becoming like a cat or a snake.
“W-what do you want!?” he started to cry in fear.
“What hath happened to mine own child, Lunar!?”
The pony pointed and the two ponies in the corner.
“A-Ask t-them! They w-were the ones in charge of him.”
She immediately dropped the pony and brought the other two in his place. One was noticeably taller and thin while the other was the opposite, but instead of fat, he was pure muscle. However, they were still out of it. Their minds, only half awake. This would not stop her from getting answers.
Her horn flashed with a dark color and the two bandits’ eyes glowed teal.
“Speak.”
“The job was to… look after the colt,” Skinny spoke.
“But then teh temporary help... chucked a prudy rock... at em’.” Bulky continued.
“What significance does this bringeth me?”
“She vanished... before our eyes, like a unicorn, except she... was a pegasus. Once she was gone… the colt went crazy.”
“Then this mare is the causeth of mine own son’s illness. Who is this wench?”
“We did not care to learn... the pegasus' name... not then...so we do not know now.”
A dead end. She felt her anger boiling inside, ready to burst any second now. She needed to vent it out somehow. Seeing how she had them by the neck, a malicious thought raced through her mind.
She was about to give in before hearing the voice of one of the maids calling out.
“Your highness! Your highness. The prince has awakened!”
Hearing this news caused her to let go of the prisoners. They landed with a hard thud, but she did not care for their well-being. Her son was the only thing on her mind, nothing else mattered. She shrank back down to her former size and features.
She raced up the stairs and out the entrance. The guards at the entrance noticed that there was some black mist that was trailing off of the princess, but it quickly dissipated. They quickly dismissed it as a hallucination from being frighted earlier by her.