Chapter Forty Four: Grim, Dark Revenge
~BlackRoseRaven
There was no sense of days or nights in the prison: for Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and the few other prisoners scattered through the jail blocks and dungeons, time was measured only by the passage of the guards and when they were fed or watered, but even that followed no strict schedule.
Applejack rarely ate: she would absolutely not abide the presence or touch of any of Luna's demons or servants of darkness, shouting and yanking at her restraints, spitting food or water on them if they did manage to somehow force anything into her mouth. Soldiers she at least only tried to convince to let her down and ranted in disgust about Luna, but she would let them serve her food and water, cursing the entire time about not being allowed the dignity of feeding herself. Only one soldier had been stupid enough to free one of her hooves before: she had immediately yanked the keys away and then hit him in the face, and might have escaped if a Greater Nightmare hadn't intervened and knocked her unconscious with a spell.
Still, the earth pony was powered by madness, bitterness, and hatred, which kept her more vital than any amount of food or water could even as it left her more and more insane with every passing day. Rainbow Dash, meanwhile, felt himself slowly beginning to lose his mind in a much quieter, less-dignified way, as his pride started to crumble and he felt horrible stirrings of regret beginning to spread throughout his body.
Neither of them knew how long it had been since Apple Bloom and Big Mac had visited before Scrivener Blooms arrived, smiling calmly, his cloak flowing around him as he sat down between their cells. Applejack spat a curse at him, and Rainbow Dash blinked stupidly and looked up tiredly from a half-doze before he grimaced and muttered: “You're a sight that makes my eyes sorer.”
“That wasn't half-bad. Maybe all this time to think has helped you after all.” Scrivener said softly, and the Pegasus grunted in disgust before the poet looked back and forth as Applejack snarled at him. “I have a very simple deal for you two-”
“We don't want any of your goddamn deals or to play your sick games, you evil son of a bitch.” Applejack snapped, and Scrivener Blooms gave her a mild look as she yanked forwards against her restraints, saying darkly: “You're nothing but a monster. A freak and a coward. And we all know your deals only benefit you and Luna in the long run.”
“Oh really? Well, then what do you think of this very simple deal: all I want is an apology, a little bit of compassion from one of you, and I won't torture you.” Scrivener said gently, and Rainbow Dash paled a bit as Applejack's eyes widened slightly. It made the poet smile in response; terrible, because it was almost gentle, almost compassionate, and made a horrible contrast to the eager glimmer in his eyes. “The good news is that if I do torture you, I'll let you choose who I torture. The bad news is that I'm really going to lay into you both, because now there's no one left to protect you. Driving off your own family... you understand that they were the only reason we weren't hurting you yet, correct? But now you've thrown your own protectors away, and since you're so eager to call us evil and treat us as monsters, since so many of us here at Enstasis agree that you two deserve to be punished for what you've done, well... there's nothing stopping us. And I have been waiting so very long to finally exercise this... this dark little secret pleasure of mine...”
Scrivener closed his eyes, breathing slowly as he arched his back and tilted his head back with a smile that made Rainbow shudder and Applejack snarl in disgust, shaking her head and whispering: “I knew it. I knew you were-”
“Oh shut up, Applejack, no one wants to hear it anymore. If you accuse someone long enough of doing something, eventually they're going to think that since everyone already believes it, they might as well go ahead and do it anyway.” Scrivener said irritably, and the earth pony mare snarled and then spat at him, making him snort in dark entertainment. “Besides, fine, you were right: we are monsters. But you are not monster-slayers. Especially not in this predicament... to me, you are nothing more than meat. Meat that happened to hurt and offend me and my family very badly. Meat I am dearly, dearly looking forwards to turning into something... more appreciable to my senses. To putting to use for the only purpose it can serve, which is the entertainment and the sweet vengeance of myself and Luna.
“But, prove me wrong. Prove that you're capable of understanding that what you two did was wrong. You killed my daughter...” Scrivener closed his eyes, breathing slowly. “And you dishonored Sleipnir. Yes, he was an enemy, and he fought Luna and I... but always with nobility, dignity, honor. I... am proud to be called brother by him, and wish him all the very best in where he has gone onto. He was and is family and a friend. More than hurting us, you have hurt those important to myself and Luna. You almost ruined Equestria.”
“You self-righteous goddamn piece of crap! You garbage, you scum!” Applejack shouted, and Rainbow Dash gritted his teeth, standing up with a snarl and tears in his eyes as the mare yelled furiously at Scrivener: “You corrupted everything! Even my family!”
“Dammit, Scrivener Blooms, are you even in there anymore or are you just a monster, Luna's puppet, a... a traitor to everything you two ever stood for! Open your eyes!” Rainbow added fiercely, straining the chains as he shouted: “Listen to yourself, you sound like-”
Scrivener only flicked his horn, and it released a sharp crack of sound that silenced both ponies before he said calmly and coldly: “I am King of the Night. I am a god. And most important of all, I am the one currently standing here, offering you compassion for a simple, single apology, or I am going to be the one torturing you in ways you cannot even imagine. You keep calling me a monster, and evil, but you two cannot begin to grasp what I am...” Scrivener slowly glanced over his shoulder at the Pegasus, a cold grin on his face, making the saner pony quail even as Applejack only snarled furiously. “You remember the Tyrant Wyrm. There are eons of evil in my mind, eons of pain, torture and death. The knowledge I have is more terrible and beautiful than you can imagine... for now.”
He paused, then glanced back and forth before sitting on his haunches and saying quietly: “You have thirty seconds to say the simple words 'I'm sorry,' and then I'll go away. Simple as that. Otherwise, as the Pink Twins like to say... 'it's party time.'”
Scrivener closed his eyes, counting the seconds off in his head as Rainbow shuddered a bit, opening his mouth, but he was drowned out as Applejack yanked on her restraints and shouted furiously: “I ain't stupid enough to fall for that, Scrivener Blooms! I ain't no coward like you, I know you don't have the guts to do it, to do anything to us, because we ain't scared of you! Come on, do your worst, we're right here... why all these stupid games if you just wanna hurt us? Filthy goddamn monster!”
Scrivener only stayed silent, continuing to tick down the seconds as Rainbow looked desperately up, half-forming the words and trembling as he found himself half-believing them before Applejack looked across at him and half-ordered, half-pleaded: “Don't! We can't give in! We can't be weak, we ain't weak and we weren't wrong in what we did! Don'!”
“Ten seconds.” Scrivener commented quietly, and Rainbow looked back and forth, breathing hard, mouthing wildly as he began to panic, and Applejack snarled, tears forming in her eyes, trembling... and then, just as Rainbow began to yell, the poet interrupted calmly: “Time's up. Who do I start with?”
“Me!” Rainbow Dash shouted immediately, leaning forwards desperately as Applejack's eyes widened... and then Scrivener smiled calmly at the Pegasus as he leaned forwards, yelling furiously: “You... you start with me, leave her alone!”
“Rainbow, he... no, you don't...” Applejack began weakly, but Rainbow only glared at her, and she clenched her eyes shut as a tremble ran through her. “Scrivener, you bastard...”
“And here I thought you were so convinced I didn't have the guts... we haven't even gotten started yet and already you're acting like I've started having my fun.” Scrivener said softly, and then he smiled slightly over at the Pegasus, drawing his eyes over the pale-blue Pegasus. “Just like I expected, though. Loyal Rainbow Dash... so quick to volunteer himself. Because you know I'm serious, don't you?”
Rainbow only snarled in response, trembling a little as Applejack breathed hard in and out, and Scrivener smiled coldly as he said softly: “Very well, Rainbow Dash... I'll start with the worst possible way I can hurt you.”
Scrivener calmly pulled off his cloak as he sat back on his haunches, folding it leisurely with his front claws as the two watched, then stared as the poet turned towards Applejack's cell. With a flick of his horn, the cell door clacked before opening, and across the corridor Rainbow lunged forwards, making his chains rattle as he yanked painfully against the harness, shouting almost desperately: “No! No, you leave her alone, you bastard! You said-”
“I said I was going to hurt you in the worst possible way.” Scrivener said coldly over his shoulder as he strode into Applejack's cell, and then he grinned widely, his eyes beginning to glow, his teeth terrible, sharp and large in his jaws as he leaned up over her restrained body and slammed his claws into the wall on either side of her, Applejack snarling... but terror and disgust were beginning to outweigh loathing and hatred as Scrivener's body leaned forwards, the male saying coldly: “You tried to take our daughter's life. You tried to steal everything from her. So I'm going to do something to steal everything from you... to hurt you, Applejack, and you too, Rainbow, in the absolute worst possible way either of you can imagine...”
Applejack spat in his face, swinging her head forwards as she yelled wildly and yanked against her restraints, but it was useless as Scrivener only grinned, his features animal, body large, powerful, covering hers as the goldenrod mare clenched her eyes shut and screamed as she realized what he was about to do, Rainbow Dash yelling wildly, desperately...
But he didn't stop. Didn't listen. Only grinned, his claws on her body as she felt him, tears leaking down her cheeks as she screamed and he pressed against her. It was agonizing and brutal, and she was unable to move, unable to resist, panic giving away to a mindless, almost-numb sense of betrayal and loss and despair as Rainbow roared and yanked on his restraints as tears spilled down his cheeks, forced to watch, unable to look away, unable to do anything to make the monster stop or hesitate.
He took his time, drew it out for his pleasure, grinned at her, studied her, touched her almost gently; mocking her. And when he was finally spent and done, the reek of the act filling the air around them, the smell of his body staining hers as she hung limply from the wall, glassy-eyed, silent, he drew back and reached up to grasp the underside of her jaw and yank her head up, looking into her eyes, feeding off her pain, her tragedy, her misery, her brokenness as he said softly: “You are nothing more than meat to me. You cannot begin to imagine the pain I plan to put you through, because this is only the beginning.”
“You're a monster...” Applejack whispered, and Scrivener smiled and nodded calmly before he turned away, leaving her cell and heading across the corridor towards Rainbow Dash, tears leaking from the mare's eyes as she whimpered: “Leave him out of this...”
“Oh no. Rainbow volunteered and I'm only half-done his torture.” Scrivener said coldly, yanking the cell door open as the Pegasus snarled up at him, the male straining his chains and yet shivering at the same time as the Tyrant Wyrm leaned in, looking up and meeting his eyes as anger and fear mixed together. Then Scrivener's claws grasped either side of his face tightly, and Rainbow didn't even have the time to swing a hoof up before the monster's eyes glowed...
Something cracked in Rainbow's mind... and then his jaw dropped slack, his own eyes filled with horror and hellish light as he felt claws ripping through his mind, yanking up memories, emotions, dreams... and in their place, planting horrific thoughts. Memories of what had just occurred, and he began to howl miserably, trying to yank away as Scrivener shoved the feelings the Tyrant Wyrm had experienced, his pleasure in Applejack's pain as he'd raped her savagely, into Rainbow's mind, at the same time hungrily gobbling down the despair and agony of her husband as Scrivener whispered almost soothingly: “I'm not trying to kill you or drive you insane yet, don't worry. I just want to share my side of the story.”
Rainbow screamed, and then Scrivy finally let him yank away as the King of the Night grinned darkly, his eyes darkening as the connection faded out. Rainbow Dash staggered backwards, shoving himself against the wall, screaming in the corner as he grabbed at his face... his mind filled with horrible images, confused with Scrivener's sick pleasures, making him hate himself, shattering his pride as he howled: “What did you d-d-do to me? Y-You can't... you can't...”
“I can make you feel what I feel. And once you get weak enough, once I rip enough of what makes you, you,out of your brain, you'll start to think the way I think too.” Scrivener replied almost gently, and he smiled ruthlessly over his shoulder as the Pegasus looked up in terror at this. “I'd say... a week. Ten days at the most. A week or so that Luna and I are going to draw out and enjoy as much as possible as we hurt you in all the worst ways we can.”
With that, Scrivener strode over to pick up his cloak, then closed Rainbow's cell door before he left. The two prisoners were only able to stare at one another, Applejack slumping as tears dripped from her eyes, her body trembling violently as Rainbow Dash crawled towards her, unable to reach the bars of his cell, his mind and body going mad with bizarrely mixed images and feelings as he tried to tell her it would be okay despite knowing it wouldn't, and Applejack only looked broken and miserable...
And Scrivener came back that evening, this time with Luna in tow, and the winged unicorn licked her lips slowly as she made herself comfortable back against the bars of Rainbow's cell as Scrivener opened Applejack's, the goldenrod mare screaming at him, shouting obscenities and pleas before Luna said clearly over the din: “This time, husband, do not be so gentle. I want to see her bleeding. I want to watch her hurt.”
Rainbow's eyes widened at this, and then he leaned forwards, crying out: “How can you do this, Luna? How can you encourage him, what he's-”
He was cut off, tears filling his eyes as Applejack screamed, and it was drowned out by a horrible, bestial snarl as Scrivener's claws ripped into Applejack's shoulders as he pinned her back, his body flexing, his form savage, animal, as Luna grinned wider and her eyes glowed, mane swirling around her... and Rainbow clenched his eyes shut, sobbing once before he whispered: “You monsters... leave her alone, god... just... just leave her alone, p-please... I'll do anything, anything, anything at all...”
“Anything?” Luna grinned slowly over her shoulder, her eyes glowing brighter as Applejack's shrieks filled the air and blood spilled down the wall as Scrivener's cruel claws dug against her... and then the starry-maned mare smiled coldly at the Pegasus as he looked at her pleadingly, desperately, before she said calmly: “Beloved, stop.”
Scrivener growled but obeyed, breathing hard, Applejack turning her head away, shuddering, drool falling from her open mouth before she moaned in disgust when he drew away and back... and then she looked up fearfully, in terror, in horror, as Scrivener turned and crossed the corridor as Luna drew back, her features flushed and excited as she flicked her horn to open Rainbow's cell as he looked up at them, and Scrivener grinned widely, darkly, as he leaned over him. He was so large, so terrifying, so animal, and Rainbow had never been so terrified in all his life as a whimper escaped his throat, his eyes filled with fear and hatred and desperation as Applejack croaked: “N-No... no... ta-take me, you son of a bitch... you... m-m-monsters, you leave him alone...”
“Open your mouth.” Scrivener ordered, and yet his voice was almost soft as Rainbow looked up weakly, trembling... and then the poet leaned slowly down as Luna leaned on the cell bars, breathing harder as she watched with burning, hungry eyes. “Don't disappoint me. I'll go back to your wife if I have to.”
“Bastard...” Rainbow whispered weakly... and then he closed his eyes, swallowed thickly, trembled as his lips parted, and then he whimpered when Scrivener's claws seized his jaws and yanked them open...
It was the most grueling, painful, disgusting experience Rainbow could think of, as Applejack kept her head down, trying to block it out as she cried quietly, but she was unable to block out the sounds, Scrivener's snarls of victory, Luna's cruel laughter and enjoyment. She only brought her eyes up when it was over, as Rainbow leaned forwards and vomited, the Pegasus moaning weakly before Applejack's eyes widened in terror when she realized too late that Scrivener was coming towards her, shrieking, closing her eyes, trying to fight...
His claw seized her by the mane, yanked her head down as he looked up, locked eyes with her, and it felt like a sledgehammer slammed into her skull before he began to feed. And just as with Rainbow, he shoved his own dark glee, his own sick carnal pleasures into Applejack's mind, making her foam and wretch at the visions that filled her head before Scrivener finally shoved her skull back against the wall hard enough to knock her out, grinning as he whispered: “Sweet dreams.”
He licked his lips, and then Luna gently hugged him from behind, saying softly: “Enough, husband. We have hurt them enough for today. We shall give them the night to recover as much as they can and... return tomorrow.”
“Yes.” Scrivener rumbled darkly, lowering his head and shivering in excitement, and Luna smiled calmly as she kissed his cheek gently before they headed into the corridor, closed the cells, and left with loving, affectionate looks to one another. Rainbow's screams and sobs echoed down the halls after them... but when Scrivener returned the next morning, looking pleasant and refreshed, it was Applejack who was crying and awake and Rainbow who was laying unconscious.
The goldenrod mare shrieked at the sight of Scrivener standing outside her cell and leaning on the bars in his cloak, and the Pegasus started awake, then yelled incoherently as well before he shouted in fury that failed to mask absolute terror: “Haven't you done enough! You're... you're... you're a goddamn monster!”
“It's funny you two keep saying that, like I don't already know it. Like you're just understanding now that I truly am a monster; a Tyrant Wyrm, in fact, and unlike the other Wyrms I have... certain desires. Certain longings.” Scrivener replied with soft entertainment, and then he smiled and closed his eyes as the two stared at him, trembling. “But I am a Tyrant Wyrm all the same, face of a pony or not. I feed off pain: your pain is literally my pleasure, increased tenfold by the fact that this is cruel, callous revenge for what you did to us. How you hurt us, hurt our family, hurt Twilight, ruined our home, and most of all murdered Scarlet Sage.”
Scrivener's expression grew colder even as he continued to smile, looking slowly towards Applejack as he said softly: “We are going to use you two as a clear example of what will happen to those who stand against us. Who try and harm us... we will not be merciful. We will not be compassionate, or gentle. Luna and I are crueler than either of you can imagine to our foes... just as we are kinder than you can ever know to our allies. You thought you could hurt us? You think you know what pain and suffering is? We're just getting started with teaching you. With taking every last drop of everything away from you.”
Scrivener straightened, and then he smiled ruthlessly and rose a claw, and both Applejack and Rainbow Dash stared and trembled as Pinkamena calmly strode up beside Scrivener, the King of the Night saying softly: “But you know what? You two are so weak now you don't really need to be restrained anymore. Pinkamena offered to lend me a hoof getting you down from there, Applejack...”
Applejack only trembled, shivering, readying herself to fight as Pinkamena grinned: armor glinted over her body, and a deadly, crescent-bladed axe gleamed on her back as Scrivener easily tilted his horn and opened the cell, the two stepping inside before the demon reached up and knocked on a rusted manacle, saying mockingly: “Uh oh, Scrivy. This one looks fused shut. Here, we'll have to take her down another way.”
Pinkamena pulled the axe off her back, and Applejack stared before the weapon whickered forwards... and all she could do was scream, senseless, as pain filled her body. When she finally became coherent again, Scrivener and Pinkamena were gone... but so was one of her hind legs, the stump wrapped in dirty cloth bandages, tears spilling down her eyes as she lay on the floor.
Slowly, she stared up across the cell, saw Rainbow curled up and crying in the back corner, driven almost insane by another fearsome feeding from Scrivener... saw the ugly stitching over his back where his wings had once been. Hope, sanity, and so much else faded from Applejack's eyes as she slumped to the floor, whispering: “I'm s-s-sorry...”
On the third day, Scrivener came with a set of simple restraints. Applejack tried to fight, but her blows were weak, her body failing now after a lack of food, her will to live fading. Rainbow only stared numbly as Scrivener easily warded off the earth pony mare's attempts to fight and put her in restraints before he led her out into the hall to leash her calmly to the front of her cell. He approached Rainbow's and the Pegasus thought about fighting. Thought about how he'd used to be so strong, invincible, how he never stopped, never gave up...
But that was who he used to be, before this had happened. And instead, he only lowered his head in shame, trembling weakly. He kept his eyes away from Scrivener's face, terrified of being fed off again, terrified of being forced to feel the emotions of the Tyrant Wyrm, and weakly allowed himself to be guided outside, soft restraints tied around him as he sat back, leashed against his cell bars opposite Applejack, and then he flushed with humiliation when Scrivener almost tenderly stroked through the mane of the Pegasus and said with hideous tenderness: “Good. That's very good.”
Applejack stared weakly across at her husband, and Rainbow Dash only looked shamefully down before both their eyes roved upwards at the sight of a Greater Nightmare pushing a heavy steel cart towards them, and Scrivener smiled benevolently as he said kindly: “Today I've decided to be nice. To let you both recover. I don't want to kill you before the week is out... that would ruin all my fun.”
They stared as Scrivener turned and pulled the lid off a silver platter, and the smell of decadent baked goods filled the air, making both their stomachs clench. They hadn't eaten for the last two days, hadn't even had water, and Scrivener smiled as he picked up a bowl of delicious-smelling soup, asking with a smile and a cruel glint in his eye: “Who's hungry?”
They were both silent, and Scrivener shook his head slowly before he approached Applejack... and she shivered, turning her face away, clenching her eyes shut as she whispered: “I... I ain't... gonna let you break me...”
“Please. You're already nothing more than a broken toy.” Scrivener shook his head distastefully, then he turned his eyes to Rainbow Dash, who hurriedly dropped his gaze, the Pegasus whispering weak curses under his breath before Scrivener shrugged and sat back against the cart, saying softly: “Fine then.”
With that, he began to spoon up the soup, eating slowly before he simply rose a claw, and immediately the Greater Nightmare opened a bottle of cola for him and placed it into this, the King of the Night smiling over his shoulder and drinking slowly before he said mildly, Applejack and Rainbow Dash both staring with horror and longing and agony and hatred at his casualness, his food, his obvious comfort: “Luna's currently off with Twilight Shadow right now, planning diplomatic visits... and hey, you know Discombobulation is back, too. Somewhere, anyway... he hasn't visited you two? Of course not, he's trying to stay away from things.” He paused, eating another few spoonfuls, helping himself to a drink of cola. “You know, I've got lots on the cart. You two should really keep up your strength.”
Applejack only snarled, but Rainbow Dash trembled, looking weakly up. He was hungry, weak, tired, and his emotions, his mind felt jagged and shattered and ripped apart. And inside his head, he could faintly hear the whispers telling him to go ahead, to give in, that there was no point in resisting...
Scrivener finished the bowl of soup, then handed this up to the Greater Nightmare before he smiled slightly as the demon passed him down a dumpling, biting slowly into this and chewing as Applejack glared at him, tears leaking down her cheeks, and Rainbow shuddered, even the sight of the meat making him hungry now, as Scrivener said mildly: “Oh, don't worry. I packed some food just for myself, too. I thought we could all sit together, see, have a nice conversation while we ate, just like old times...”
“You sick bastard...” the goldenrod mare whispered, and she yanked against her restraints before she shouted in a hoarse, broken voice: “You won't win, you hear me?”
“I already have.” Scrivener said gently, then he tossed the rest of the dumpling into his mouth before Rainbow Dash looked towards him, beaten, tears leaking from his eyes, and Scrivener smiled as he asked gently: “How about we just start with some water? Would you like that?”
Rainbow's jaw fell open, breathing raggedly as Applejack shook her head weakly, looking over at the Pegasus disbelievingly before Rainbow Dash finally clenched his eyes shut, determined to resist... and then he felt a strangely-gentle grip on the back of his scalp, and when he looked weakly up, Scrivener was standing beside him, smiling down at him almost affectionately, a bottle of water in his other claw already opened and a single drip of liquid spilling down it, reflecting the dim light... “Here. Drink up.”
Rainbow didn't resist as it was guided to his jaws, even as Applejack looked at him desperately, trembling as Scrivener tilted the bottle upwards. The Pegasus drank, slowly at first, then almost greedily before he shivered when Scrivener drew the bottle away, saying softly: “I'll give you more in a minute. But want to avoid cramps and throwing up, right? You're already both so weak...”
“We are not weak! You.... what did you do to him? Goddammit Rainbow, you used to be more stubborn than me, what happened to you?” Applejack shouted furiously, leaning forwards, her eyes scared, furious, and hurt. “Rainbow Dash!”
“It... it doesn't matter, don't you get it?” Rainbow whispered, looking up brokenly. “It doesn't fucking matter anymore. He can do anything he wants to us and... Applejack, it's over. It's game over, we're dead, we're gonna die, I... and I'm so... s-so hungry... come on, just... let's... die with a meal in our stomachs, not...”
Applejack stared at him, looking betrayed, hurt, trembling... but Scrivener only smiled softly as he carried a bowl of soup over to Rainbow Dash, sitting beside the Pegasus as he said quietly: “Here. You can't feed yourself like that, so open up.”
Rainbow gazed over at him, but then only nodded mutely and closed his eyes as he opened his mouth, even as Applejack shouted at him: “And he's the one who put you in those goddamn restraints, who- Rainbow! Rainbow, listen to me, Rainbow!”
But even though the Pegasus was crying, even as he trembled, he let Scrivener gently spoon soup into his jaws, swallowing it... and it was delicious. The taste was made more exquisite by his hunger, and primal need to survive, for comfort, for food, drowned out the sense of humiliation in the broken Pegasus... made everything else matter less and less as the vicious voices in his head congratulated him, told him he was doing the right thing, blocked everything else out.
Scrivener fed him, smiling, treating the Pegasus almost like a baby as he spooned soup into his jaws and gave him sips of water every so often as Applejack stared, then broke down into tears... but still, she refused to eat, or drink. Finally, Scrivener glanced at the Greater Nightmare, and with a flick of its horn it knocked Applejack senseless with a spell, her mind blanking out as Scrivener approached and Rainbow looked up fearfully.
The Greater Nightmare only passed Scrivener a bottle of water, however, and the male smiled at the Pegasus as he said quietly: “I keep my word. I may be cruel, callous, and evil, but I keep my word... I'm not torturing you today. I'm trying to help you... even if I have to be a little forceful to do that.”
He gently tilted Applejack's jaws upwards, then poured the water into her mouth as he said softly: “She's not unconscious. Not even entirely unaware. Just... listening right now. She's dehydrated and hungry... I can't shove food down her throat like this but I can at least get some water in her, help her think a bit clearer. You feel clearer, don't you, Rainbow?”
Rainbow nodded hesitantly, staring weakly at Scrivener, trembling, fearful, before Scrivy smiled as he stepped away from Applejack before glancing at the Greater Nightmare and said calmly: “Clean out their cells. Then clean up Applejack... I'll help Rainbow Dash. You're going to cooperate after all, aren't you?”
Rainbow nodded mutely, and Scrivener smiled as he turned his attention back to the food cart, opening a lower door and pulling a bucket already filled with water free. He put this down beside the Pegasus, then undid his restraints, and Rainbow only sat limply before Scrivener pulled a wet sponge out of the bucket and said softly: “Good behavior will be rewarded, Dash. You're a good little colt, aren't you?”
The Pegasus opened his jaws, and then Scrivener looked up, his eyes locking with Rainbow's, and at first the Pegasus trembled and drew back... but this time, when he felt the connection, there was no pain, no awful flood of memories. Instead, there was a soothing sensation that spilled through his mind, a numbness, a... a pleasure... as he whispered: “D-Don't.. call me... that...”
“Fine, fine. A good stallion?” Scrivener asked gently, and Rainbow Dash shuddered a bit but didn't say anything this time before the connection faded, and Scrivener licked his lips slowly as he continued to gently clean the Pegasus's form, saying softly: “Just look at this state you're in...”
By the time he was done, Applejack was already back in her cell, laying prone on her side, the door closed... and Scrivener smiled as he gently guided Rainbow back inside his own cell. The Pegasus only stood there, looking lost, confused, broken, before the Tyrant Wyrm stepped forwards and hugged him gently, whispering into his ear: “Good stallions will be rewarded.”
Then he turned and left, Rainbow only continuing to stand, drooling a little, looking confused, lost, hollow, as Scrivener closed the door of the cell. When Applejack finally came to, she looked across the corridor to see the Pegasus curled up silently in his own clean cell, and she trembled at the sight of him, pressing against the bars of her cell and whispering: “Dash, don't give in... don't give in...”
The next day, it was Luna who arrived in the morning, Applejack snarling but Rainbow Dash only looking up disconsolately before the winged unicorn said calmly: “I have a curiosity I'd like answered. A simple question...”
“Screw you, that's your answer.” Applejack whispered, but she found it easier to glare at Luna than she did at Scrivener, stumbling forwards to the bars of her cell and snarling: “Sending that goddamn monster down here, laughing at us from some safe room... what a surprise to see you here and-”
“Thou may wish to be silent and listen to my offer before thou goes and ruins it, Applejack... 'twill not be thou who suffers, after all.” Luna replied coldly, and Applejack's eyes narrowed before Luna said with a calm smile, raising a hoof: “I wish to see if thou hast learned thy lessons yet. I shall offer my hoof to each of thee. Kiss it, and apologize for what thou hast done... and I shall spare thy partner from being tortured. If thou refuses... well, it will not be pleasant.”
With that, Luna turned calmly away from Applejack, striding across the corridor and smiling as she rose her hoof through the bars, Rainbow Dash staring weakly at this before Luna leaned forwards and encouraged gently: “Go ahead.”
“Don't do it! Let her do her worst!” Applejack shouted furiously, and she hammered against the bars of her cell, leaning forwards and snapping: “He ain't gonna... he...”
But then she broke off as Rainbow Dash reached forwards, taking Luna's hoof as tears shimmered in his eyes, leaning down and kissing it slowly as he whispered: “I'm sorry. For... for everything. Please don't hurt Applejack... p-please don't hurt her.”
“Wonderful, I am truly impressed.” Luna said gently, smiling benevolently before she drew her hoof back and turned slowly around to face Applejack... and the earth pony leaned forwards and spat in Luna's face, making the winged unicorn twitch back, then snarl slowly. “Applejack...”
“N-Never. Rainbow, goddammit, I love you and I'm sorry but... they're monsters. They're trying to break us. I won't let them break either of us.” Applejack said weakly, and Rainbow Dash looked up disbelievingly before the earth pony turned away, snarling: “Screw you, Luna.”
Luna's snarl turned to a cold smile as she reached up and wiped the spittle away from her face... and then she calmly turned around, looking coldly at Rainbow Dash as the Pegasus breathed hard, staring at her with a tremble before the winged unicorn said gently: “Let this be a lesson to thee, Rainbow Dash... I shall not harm thee.”
Applejack looked sharply over her shoulder as the Pegasus swallowed thickly, the stallion stumbling forwards and staring, but Luna only smiled, saying quietly: “We reward good stallions. We don't turn on and betray our allies, our friends, our loved ones... like some ponies do.”
And then she only turned and headed down the corridor, and Rainbow Dash trembled violently as Applejack swallowed thickly, pressing against the bars and whispering: “S-See, I... I knew she didn't have the guts to... t-to...”
Rainbow Dash only shook his head mutely, however, turning away and clenching his eyes shut as he headed to the back of his cell, covering his ears to try and ignore Applejack's desperate shouts... shouts that were like music to the ears of Luna and Scrivener as they stood only a short distance out of sight down the corridor, the winged unicorn reaching up and stroking down her husband's chest as she murmured: “I am truly impressed.”
“I'll finish Rainbow off tomorrow. His mind's corrupted by now, I can taste it in the air... it's absolutely delicious.” Scrivener said softly, smiling and arching his back with a soft sigh, and Luna grinned up at him callously, sliding herself closer with a shiver of excitement. “I almost want to keep him alive and around... he'd make such a handsome addition to our current set of toys.”
Luna laughed at this, shaking her head slowly... and the next day, both she and Scrivener calmly headed down the corridor just after noon, the winged unicorn's cyan eyes glowing and Scrivener licking his lips slowly. The silence spoke volumes, and he could feel the tension, the pain in the air before he glanced back and forth between the cells as he stepped between them.
Rainbow had his back turned, and Applejack was laying on her side and staring at a wall, before she looked up in tired disgust, whispering: “Just kill us already...”
“Kill you? Why would I kill you?” Scrivener smiled back at her, then his horn glowed before he flicked it gently... and Rainbow looked over his shoulder in surprise as his cell door opened before Scrivener said softly: “Come on, Dash. We're moving you to a new cell.”
“Good.” Dash whispered, and the Pegasus closed his eyes as he walked slowly out, not trying to run, not trying to fight, trembling when Scrivener wrapped a comforting claw around him but not throwing it off either as Applejack snarled and pressed against the cell door. “Let's... let's go.”
Scrivener nodded calmly, and he and Luna escorted the Pegasus onwards and away as Applejack only silently watched, trembling hard. Rainbow was silent, not fighting, not yelling, not doing anything but obeying as Scrivener said quietly: “Luna and I are very proud of you. We want to reward you...”
“Good stallions... are rewarded.” Rainbow mumbled and nodded, his eyes clouding over for a moment as a shiver passed through his body. “Good stallions are rewarded...”
“Yes, precisely.” Scrivener smiled as he nodded back, as they passed into the block of high security cells and guided Rainbow towards an open door... and the Pegasus stared in disbelief as he stepped inside and found comfortable bedding waiting for him, a table with a sumptuous meal laid out on it, a sink and toilet... and he gazed back and forth before Scrivener said softly, as Luna leaned in and kissed his cheek gently: “All yours. This is all yours now. I just want to do one last thing.”
Rainbow looked up at him, trembling, hesitating, and Scrivener reached up and calmly grasped his shoulders, their eyes locking as the King of the Night leaned forwards and said gently: “You're suffering, Dash. Look at you, hurting... I think you've been hurting for a long time, haven't you? Loyalty, you've demonstrated again and again that you are Loyalty, and courageous and honorable... but you got mixed up, didn't you? Luna and I don't blame you for that anymore... but we want to help you fix that problem. Shift those loyalties. Understand that sometimes to help the ponies you care for, even somepony as important as your wife... you must stop her. You must show her what she has done wrong. You must teach her, and through the only way she will listen. But first, let's wash away that pain. You know I can. You know that good stallions are rewarded.”
Dash stared weakly up at him, not realizing the connection was already being made from their locked gazes, that he was already being influenced as he nodded slowly, weakly, and Scrivener smiled for a moment before the Pegasus whispered: “I love her.”
“I know you do. I'm not asking you to stop loving her. I'm asking you to help her. To help us as well... we don't have to be enemies, after all. Just open your mind to me. Let me wash away the pain. Let me show you the truth.” Scrivener soothed, squeezing slowly in the shoulders of the Pegasus, and Rainbow shivered as Luna watched hungrily, eagerly, before the Pegasus's jaws opened, he trembled, he nodded... and Scrivener smiled softly as his eyes glowed dangerously. “Good.”
He felt Rainbow's mind opening like a flower blossoming, vulnerable, beautiful, fragile... and Scrivener's claws reached in, plucking at the petals, spreading his corruption into the mind of the Pegasus as Rainbow began to gargle before his eyes started to glow, his body started to shiver as alien emotions filled him, as his spirit and soul were warped, tarnished, darkened...
Scrivener and Luna calmly left Rainbow Dash in his prison cell to his own devices, closing the door but not locking it. Inside, they could hear the Pegasus rumbling, feeding eagerly off the food, a Greater Nightmare in attendance to provide him with whatever he desired. King and Queen smiled at each other, then headed down the corridor, ignoring Applejack entirely: for now, they turned their focus to other things, to let the corruption settle into Dash.
The next day, they checked first on the Pegasus... and found their expectations had been exceeded from what they witnessed in the cell. Eagerly, Scrivener hurried towards Applejack's cell, opening it with a cold grin as the goldenrod mare looked up, and he said gently: “Your husband wants to see you, Applejack. We aren't going to deny him that, are we?”
“You bastard... if you hurt him...” Applejack snarled... and then she gargled when Scrivener simply rose his horn, and telekinetic bands encircled the earth pony's body, squeezing painfully into her, lifting the three-legged pony into the air as she spasmed weakly.
“Why would we hurt him? He's a good stallion.” Scrivener said softly, mockingly, and Applejack snarled before she trembled as the male turned dragging her down the hall with telekinesis as he continued calmly: “You'll understand soon enough, Applejack, don't you worry about that... you should be excited, as a matter of fact. We might even let him live... although you, well. You most certainly are going to die one way or another...”
Applejack shivered, her stomach knotting, her eyes bulging as she was carried through the air to Rainbow's new cell, and Luna grinned as she opened the door before the earth pony mare was thrown inside, crashing and skidding across the floor. She cursed under her breath, then frowned as she looked up, seeing cloven hooves in front of her... and slowly, her eyes rose, widening as she gazed up at a hulking, terrible shape, dark veins pulsing through the creature's coat, huge, leathery wings flapping powerfully on its back, sharp fangs glinting unevenly out of its jaws as its eyes glowed with unholy light beneath vibrant rainbow locks...
And then she moaned desperately, half-scrambling backwards before the warped, corrupted Rainbow Dash pounced forwards and pinned her to the ground, his eyes blazing as he whispered: “They gave me such gifts, Applejack! They helped me see, see that we were fools, we were wrong to deny them...”
“Oh n-no, no! G-Get off me!” Applejack screamed, kicking her rear leg up into his stomach and knocking him back, and Rainbow snarled before stepping forwards and lashing his hoof forwards across her face, knocking her crashing down and snapping her cheekbone like a twig before he pounced on her back and pinned her, making her shriek as his hooves dug savagely into her spine.
“I'll do whatever I want to you! They promised me that I could, they promised me you if I listened to them and I have listened and feasted and drank at their table and how... how powerful I feel! I'm so strong now, stronger than I ever was!” Rainbow arched his back, laughing, demonic blood and Scrivener's corruption surging through his veins before he looked with a grin towards Scrivener and Luna, whispering eagerly: “Are... are you going to stay? Will you watch?”
“Of course.” Scrivener sat calmly back, Luna shivering in excitement as Applejack stared up with mindless horror, and the male smiled as he leaned forwards, saying quietly: “I told you we were going to take everything away from you, Applejack. Do you know how easy it was to curdle betrayed love into pure hate? Into a need for him to take his revenge on you in every possible way? To fill him with my animal, primal Tyrant Wyrm instincts, especially after he gobbled down all the food laced with demonic essence we offered him yesterday?”
Rainbow Dash snarled, looking eagerly, hungry, breathing hard as Luna added coldly: “In fact, if we did not know better... it would seem he wanted to join our side. Wanted to be one of us. Wanted to find true loyalty... not to a pathetic mare he loved once but was too blind with hate and prejudice to even spare her husband torment for a simple mouthed apology... but to us. To the night. To Equestria. To everything we stand for. Now hurt her, Rainbow Dash. Hurt her for how she has hurt thee. For how she hurt the nation thou loves, driving on the civil war. For how she hurt Big Macintosh. For how she hurt us. Hurt her.”
The half-demon roared eagerly, and Applejack screamed again... and several hours later, two Greater Nightmares dragged the corpse of the earth pony mare out of the room as Rainbow Dash rumbled, his mind broken, nothing but an obedient, animal pet. Scrivener sat over him, stroking gently, soothingly through his mane as he looked at Luna, then asked with a slight smile: “Can we keep him?”
“Thou already has Mephistopheles!” Luna argued grouchily, and Scrivener shrugged before he looked affectionately down at the warped, demonic Pegasus, and Luna sighed after a moment before she said moodily: “Oh, very well. But only because I wish to continue our experimentation. And only because it will show that we are in fact merciful to those who earn our favor... generous, even.”
Rainbow rumbled at this, shivering once before he whispered: “I'm a good stallion... I'll do anything for you, my master, anything at all, Scrivener Blooms, my King...”
“I know. And you will serve me well over the coming years... come, let's clean you up, and when Luna's in a better mood we'll find a good position for you to fill around Enstasis. She's just mad because you killed Applejack by accident.” Scrivener said gently, petting the monstrosity, and Rainbow rumbled before Scrivener added softly: “We should give him a new name.”
“Well, he is thy pet, thou can name him.” Luna said grumpily, and Scrivener laughed before he stood, and Luna sighed a little as Rainbow stood as well and shook himself out briskly, rumbling and smiling eagerly up at the two, animal, needy for attention. “But... he is handsome still, aye. And very strong... and I suspect with his new wings, he shall once more be king of the skies.”
Scrivener smiled, then he headed for the door of the blood-splattered cell, Rainbow following behind him and Luna bringing up the rear as she let her eyes draw with more interest along the once-Pegasus before Scrivener quoted thoughtfully: “'Oh fearsome dragon, winging yonder through the air, his shadow brings the night... upon Yggdrasil he bows, he preys, Midgard and Asgard's blight...'”
“Must all thy names came from old poetry?” Luna asked dryly, and when Scrivener nodded agreeably, she smiled and rolled her eyes before murmuring: “Then very well. Nidhogg he shall be renamed... reborn, to earn his redemption from his sins of the past in aiding Applejack's foolish plight.”
“Thank you... I promise, I swear I will...” newly-named Nidhogg whispered, bowing his head rapidly as he gazed ardently back and forth between his King and Queen of the Night. “I am not Rainbow Dash. I am Nidhogg. I am your servant, your pet... I am loyal. I am a good stallion, right, Scrivener Blooms?”
“And a better demon. To be even stronger, soon, too...” Scrivener promised, looking over his shoulder with a smile, and the half-demon nodded eagerly, leather wings flapping once before Scrivy looked forwards with a cold smile, saying quietly: “Your family, our family, will be pleased. Big Mac also accepted our gifts, my pet... he is Moon Blessed, taking loving care of Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage... and once you apologize to our daughter for what you did in the past, you will be permitted time to catch up with your old family. Do not go into details about what happened to Applejack... tell them... she is at peace if they ask. But they may not ask. They knew what fate awaited her for continuing to resist us.”
The former Rainbow Dash nodded with a rumble, looking all the more eager and excited now as they continued onwards... and in the morgue beneath the dungeons, Pinkamena smiled coldly as she scraped a pair of knives together in front of the metal table that Applejack's corpse was sprawled over, saying kindly: “I warned you not to screw with them, didn't I? I tried to help you. But look on the bright side... we won't be eating you. I just need to drain what little's left of the Ambrosia out of your blood, and then you get a nice, gentle burial, all your sins laid to rest in the grave with you. Too bad, all the same... but I bet you'll get a hell of a welcome downstairs.”
The demon grinned to herself, eyes glowing as she brought the knives forwards and went to work, humming cheerfully, recognizing that look of horror in Applejack's eyes all too well: not the terror of the finality of death, but that final moment in the passage between worlds when the heroine had realized it wasn't the skies of Valhalla she was seeing... but the burning, unforgiving ice of Helheim.