Smolder would like to think she had a strong stomach. She had seen plenty of gross things before, but seeing a head come off of a body was something not only new but beyond her willpower to handle. What was really shocking was how Keldeo, who had been so sweet and kind like a combination of Twilight and Fluttershy, was looking at the dead Diamond Dog body with such cold eyes when he did it. Her father had told her how you could tell how dangerous a creature was by looking at their eyes and while Keldeo had power in his eyes, Smolder didn’t see him as dangerous due to his friendly demeanour. Even if he was strong enough to smash rocks apart.
Now? She was quite certain he was currently the most dangerous being within the entire cavern system based on what she just saw. Whatever that energy blade thing was, it cut through the Diamond Dog like a hot knife through butter. And Keldeo did it without hesitation. She knew his world was a lot more violent but the fact that he could end a life without any sort of hesitation?
Where do you come from, Keldeo? Smolder thought with a grim worry. What kind of a world has a guy who can smile like you can yet kill with that hunter’s look in your eyes?
Once they had a moment to take a break from running, everyone took a moment to collect themselves. Yona and Ocellus were checking up on Gallus and Sandbar, who looked like they were about to have a panic attack. Their mortified expressions made Smolder now wish that she had her claws around the throat of whoever was behind this and...
Cut his head off?
Smolder winced and closed her eyes. She knew things were different in Equestria, and she wouldn’t lie and say that she had some of those beliefs over time. However, feeling this anger inside of her made her understand a bit more why Keldeo did what he did.
“Okay, now that we have a moment. What the hay was that?!” Ocellus shouted in both horror and disgust at Keldeo who looked at her with confusion. “You...you... you killed him! Just like that!”
“Well, yes?” Keldeo asked, “He was going to kill your friend. I had to stop him.”
“By cutting off his head?!” Ocellus screamed, probably louder than any other creature had heard, “You could have knocked him out?! Or pushed him away?! Or done something, I don’t know! But you didn’t need to kill him!”
Keldeo was about to say something but paused. One could see the thoughts running through his head, troubled by everyone’s reaction to his decision to take a life. Finally he breathed out a sigh, inhaled a deep breath and spoke, “Look, I know you’re upset of what I did but I had to choose either him or your friend, and I will not let a villain murder an innocent.”
“Did you kill others in your world?” Smolder asked hesitantly, which made Gallus and Sandbar raise their eyes up.
“Wait, he’s from another world?” Sandbar asked curiously.
“Yeah, he is. You know that portal we found that he came out of? Yeah, it connected to his world. He’s called a… Pokemon was it?” Smolder asked to which Keldeo nodded, “And from what he told us and from the looks of things, fighting is the norm in his world.”
“Look, I’m sorry that you saw that, I really am,” Keldeo whispered, sighing as he looked almost ashamed, “But like I said before, it was either your friend or him. I could have knocked him out for sure, but considering the situation your friend was in, he would have been dead if I didn’t put him out quickly.”
“...How many times did friend Keldeo kill?” Yona asked.
“I don’t know. I don't remember,” Keldeo pondered, his eyebrows furrowed as he tried to recall. Shaking his head upon failing to remember his past, he continued, “Look, I don’t enjoy fighting… Wait, no. Let me rephrase that. I don’t like killing, I take no pleasure in it. I’m not a predator so I don’t kill for a meal, neither am I a sadist who kills for sport. At least I think I don’t.”
“You think you don’t?” Gallus asked with a sour expression, “Are you or are you not? I don’t like half answers especially for a topic such as this. Either you enjoy it or-”
“I DON’T ENJOY IT!”
The students flinched as the Pokemon raised his voice for the first time.
“I take no pleasure in it, okay? I just… I can’t remember what I was before I woke up. Just pieces of what I am and what I am capable of doing. I may not remember but I feel every fibre in my body abhorring the act of murder.”
“Then why?”
The students and the Pokemon stopped on their tracks as their eyes turned to Ocellus who’s head hung low, hiding her expression.
“Why? No. How?” Ocellus’ muttering raised into a snarl of indignation, “How can you say that when you killed him so easily?”
“Whoa, Ocellus, calm down,” Smolder raised her claws up, attempting to calm the changeling.
“No, I will not calm down!!” Ocellus cried hysterically, “I cannot calm down! No one sane enough can calm down from what just happened!” She glared at Keldeo, tears trickling from her eyes, “And you! How could you say that while being so calm about taking a life? How could some creature like you cry, love and smile like you have when we first met, and then suddenly burn with such vindictive anger and sudden relief after taking a life?!!”
“Ocellus… What are you-?”
“I felt your emotions!” the changeling stomped a hoof, silencing Keldeo, “After you charged right into the room, I felt rage like I never felt before. Not even from the likes of Queen Chrysalis! And when we found you standing over the headless body, I felt relief. Not fear, not shock, not even the overwhelming anger from before, just relief. Like it was just a job well done!! How can you just talk like life is sacred to you yet kill another sapient being without a second thought?!“
Smolder turned to Keldeo, watching his dumbfounded expression as he struggled to answer Ocellus. To Smolder, it looked as though he had an answer but thought twice before saying it as he lowered his head, unable to look at any of them in the eye.
“He… He killed someone?”
All eyes turned to the gathered escapees in an open chamber, their eyes glued to the Pokemon with suspicion, fear and disgust.
“Did they say he killed somepony?”
“Not a pony. One of those dogs that foalnapped us here.”
“Good riddance I’d say! The less of them, the better.”
“How can you possibly say that?”
“They tormented, tortured and murdered several of us! They deserve nothing less than to be put down like the dogs they are!”
“That just makes us no different from those villains!”
“Yeah! All life is valued. The fact that this pony took a life without a second thought means he doesn’t care!”
“Oh crap,” Smolder breathed out. She turned to the rest of her friends and the Pokemon who were now looking unease by the sudden tension in the air.
“H-hey now, let’s not get distracted,” Gallus stammered, attempting to calm the crowd, “We still need to get out of here.”
“I’m not going anywhere with a killer among us,” called out one of the prisoners.
“That’s right! Villain or not, taking a life should not be tolerated!” yelled out another.
“It makes him no different from the monsters who put us here!” added another.
Keldeo’s ears flattened. Did I do wrong?
“Killer!”
Keldeo took a step back. Did I misjudge the situation?
“Monster!”
Keldeo took another step back, his body trembling from the onslaught of insults. Am I a-
“VILLAIN!”
A sharp sting throbbed into Keldeo’s chest, causing him to wince. He gritted his teeth, making every attempt to hold back the tears forming within him. He didn’t notice Gallus or Sandbar standing between him and the crowd as they attempted to calm them. He didn't notice Yona and Smolder tried to reassure him of what’s happening. He didn’t notice Ocellus staring at him with a mixture of shock, pain and guilt from what she unloaded onto him.
He felt his heart in his throat as it became harder to swallow or breath. In a desperate attempt not to cry, he shut his eyes close tight. He choked out a sob.
“What is going on here?!”
Flash Magnus accompanied by the freed guards whom Gallus and Sandbar recognised, marched in the middle of the room, silencing the mob. The students took a sigh of relief as he approached them.
“I did not get an answer, ponies,” he barked with his drill instructor tone, “What is going on in here?!”
“Captain Magnus,” one of the escapees called out and pointed at Keldeo, “that unicorn killed one of the goons who foalnapped us, sir.”
The pegasus captain raised an eyebrow. He turned his attention to Keldeo who refused to look up to him. “Is this true?” he asked sternly as he approached the students while maintaining his eyes on the Pokemon.
“Well… Um, that is…” Sandbar stammered as he tried to come up with an explanation.
“That goon tried to kill Sandbar so Keldeo axed him instead,” Smolder interjected.
Flash narrowed his eyes at them, studying their expressions; to which Keldeo withered further from his gaze. He closed his eyes and nodded knowingly, “I see.”
“Should we arrest him sir?” The guard Coppellion approached their captain.
“Arrest him?!” The pegasus sounded appalled by the question, “For what, saving one of us?!”
“With all due respect, Captain,” interjected the other guard, Wake Watcher, “he killed a sapient creature. That is in violation of Equestria’s Law of Life: No creature on Equestrian soil is to kill another. It is a crime punishable by Banishment into Tartarus or the Sun or Moon.”
Everyone flinched at the mention of Banishment.
Flash Magnus however stood firm. “Last I checked, the Law said murder, not kill. Do you mean to tell me that you would allow a murderer to live as he takes another one’s life rather than kill him to save a life?”
The guards’ ears flattened. “B-but we are under orders not to kill sir,” Coppellion defended.
“Yeah,” called out a random pony, “Princess Celestia never killed a single villain, not even Nightmare Moon when she tried to bring the world into eternal night!”
“And just how many of those villains have managed to kill anypony since Nightmare Moon’s return?” asked Flash sternly.
No answer came.
“A better question; how many of you managed to hold on your own against said villains?”
Again, no answer.
Flash shook his head, disappointed by what he saw. “Sometimes I think Celestia’s centuries of peace weakened our society,” he berated, “Back in my day, we struggled, bled and died to preserve our nation from the monsters we no longer see today. Every Warlord and Tyrant from the Draconian Wars to the Unicornian Rebellion. We took lives to protect our fledgling nation of Equestria which was barely a century old. Was it such a long time ago that our sacrifices are forgotten? Since when did the value of all life overrule our duty to protect the innocent?!”
The room fell silent as the pegasus' words echoed the chamber. Several ears flattened and heads lowered, ashamed expressions written on them. Flash turned to Keldeo who was sitting on his haunches, looking up to him. His eyes were damp from holding back tears, yet the pegasus saw a gleam of vindication in those eyes.
Flash Magnus gave him a reassuring smirk before returning to the rest of the gathered group. “Let me make one thing clear to all of you,” he continued his berating, “yes, all life is sacred, but sometimes the measures we take are worth the cost if it means protecting the innocent.
“Yes, we must endeavour to pursue the most peaceful option. But sometimes peace is not enough. And when that happens-"
"We must be quick to discern the situation and act on it, Keldeo. Any hesitation can mean the lives of you and your friends.”
Keldeo blinked. For a brief moment, Flash Magnus’ voice was replaced with a feminine one, along with another image from his forgotten memory. This time it was of a tall quadrupedal Pokemon with a triangular shaped headtop and a green leaf-like coat. She looked at him warmly and ignited a blade from her head.
“Remember this Keldeo; Justice must be swift but balanced. To delay or misjudge can and will cost an innocent life. That is the way of the Sword. That is the way of Justice.” The voice echoed into his mind before the vision vanished and Keldeo found himself returned to Captain Magnus as he continued his speech.
“-and The Pillars and I threw down the Necromancer and smote his ruin upon the cliffside.”
An awkward silence followed a few sniffles and gawked expressions of awe spread across the room.
“That was awesome,” a voice muttered, breaking the silence.
“Ahem, anyway,” the pegasus cleared his throat, breaking the tension, “the point is sometimes we can’t save everyone, even from themselves. Especially if they know what is coming for them. And when that time comes, any hesitation can mean the lives of you and your friends.” He paused for a moment, “Or you can choose it to be their lives.”
He turns around to the Pokemon, extending a hoof out. “Keldeo,” he said sternly, “on your hooves.”
Keldeo complied, grabbing the captain’s offered hoof with his own and stood up on all fours. His eyes turned towards the crowd; a mix of guilt and uncertainty were seen clear in their faces. There was something else he saw in their eyes.
Disappointment perhaps? No, disillusionment. Kind of like finding out your hero wasn’t who they think they are.
The students and Flash noticed this, but before anyone could say another word an explosion rocked the cavern, causing a portion to cave in right above Ocellus.
Without thinking, Keldeo lept into action as he charged into the changeling, tackling her into the other side of the cave in, cutting them off from the others.
“Ocellus! Keldeo!” cried out the students as the two disappeared from sight.
“Ocellus, are you okay?!”
Smolder began digging through the rubble, desperately praying that she didn’t just lose one of her closest friends.
“Speak to me Ocellus!!” she screeched hysterically as she dug madly, tears forming in her eyes.
From the other side, they heard a cough.
“I’m okay. We’re okay,” came a muffled response, “We managed to dodge the cave in and we aren’t injured as far as we know. What about your side?”
The students sighed in relief.
“We’re fine here,” replied Sandbar, “Luckily, nopony got caught in the cave in, but by the looks of it I think we just lost our direct exit.”
All eyes turned to the exit tunnel that also collapsed from the explosion.
“Which means we are also cut off from our reinforcements,” Flash Magnus huffed disappointedly.
“What about this way?” Yona pointed to another passage.
“That leads directly to the main cavern,” Sandbar shuddered, “We might be able to find an exit there, but-”
“But it will lead us directly to Big Boss and his goons,” Gallus finished, letting out a sigh.
A chilled atmosphere permeated across the crowd. Many shuddered in horror at the implication.
One of the ponies screams hysterically as she attempts to dig towards the blocked exit, “Noooo!! I won’t do it! I’d rather die than take my chances with that monster!”
“Ma’am, stop it! You’ll risk another cave in!” a fellow prisoner who happened to be a Diamond Dog tried to grab her from the blocked entrance.
“Let go of me! I can’t go anywhere near that freak again!!”
A few from the crowd along with the freed Royal Guards managed to restrain the mare. After coaxing the mare to calm down, Flash turned to the Diamond Dog.
“Do you think you and your boys can dig your way through?” he asked.
The Diamond Dog shook his head, “No can do. This is a mountain cavern, not an underground cavern. It takes a lot to cause a cave in which means someone rigged it to blow. Without the proper equipment and support beams we might risk a solid chunk of the mountain’s foundation to fall on us. And even if we do, there’s no telling if there aren't any more of the explosives that brought it down.”
“Tartarus,” spat out Flash, “Looks like we’re going to have to brute force our way out through the main cavern.” He made his way towards the cave in separating their group from Ocellus and Keldeo. “Kid, do you think you can teleport to our side?”
“I can’t do magic,” came Keldeo’s muffled reply, “I’m not a pony remember.”
Mutterings rang out among the crowd on hearing this.
“Wait, did he say he’s not a pony?”
“But he’s clearly a unicorn. Didn’t he have a horn?”
“No wonder he doesn’t think like a pony.”
“If he’s not a pony, what is he?”
“Doctor, does that mean he's an alien? Which planet do you think he came from?”
“Derpy, not now.”
Ignoring the crowd, Flash asked another question, “Ocellus, what about you? Can you teleport?”
“I haven’t learned any teleportation spells,” came the muffled reply, “but I could try to-”
“Ocellus, wait!” Gallus interrupted, “Don’t cast any spells here! This whole place is surrounded with Arcanite; any spell casting will set off a chain reaction.”
“Wait, did you say Arcanite?!” Flash Magnus gawked.
“Yeah, it’s the reason those thugs are here to begin with.”
“Excuse me, but what’s Arcanite?” asked Keldeo.
“It’s a very powerful and dangerous magical crystal, kid,” Flash Magnus answered for Gallus, “But that’s not important right now. We can’t use magic to teleport you out due to nopony here who’s experienced enough to cast that spell, and there’s the Arcanite around us. Do you think you can find another way out through your side of the tunnels?”
There was a pause.
“I can smell an air flow here,” came Keldeo’s reply, “There should be a way out if I follow the scent.”
“You do that kid,” ordered Flash, “See if you can get the rest of the backup if you reach the surface.”
“Yes sir! Good luck.”
As Keldeo and Ocellus left, Flash and the students turned to the freed prisoners. “Alright, listen up everpony,” he started as he attempts to rally the crowd, “I know many of you won’t like this, but I need volunteers to join me in storming the main chamber.”
While the crowd showed clear signs of hesitation, one talon raised up behind him.
“I will,” declared Gallus, “They have a friend of mine that is being held hostage. If I don’t show up, their boss will kill her and probably everyone else afterwards.”
“Wait, they kept Silver with them?” asked Smolder.
Sandbar answered for Gallus, “Yeah, they did. Kept her as a ransom for Gallus to participate in their Boss’ sick game. Apparently, has the hots for him.”
“Sandbar, don’t make it sound weirder than it is!” Gallus flustered.
“If bad guy has Silverstream with them then Yona volunteers!” declared the Yak, slamming a hoof over her chest.
Smolder snorted out fire. “Count me in.”
Sandbar shuddered for a moment, recalling the traumatic meeting with Big Boss. The brief thrill of horror that overwhelmed him suddenly felt washed away as the others rallied together. In its place he felt an urge to follow them.
“Sandbar, are you alright?” asked Gallus.
Taking a deep breath, the earth pony nodded, “Yeah. Let’s go save her. We’re not leaving a friend behind.”
Inspired by the young students’ determination and despite most of their fears, several from the crowd joined them.
"Keldeo, can we talk?"
Keldeo stopped on his tracks. The two of them have been traversing across the labyrinth of tunnels for a while now, following the scent of fresh air.
He turned towards Ocellus. “Can’t it wait til we’re out of these tunnels?” he asked cautiously, “I’m not even sure if we have enough time to-”
The Pokemon stopped when he noticed the changeling’s uncertain expression and drew a long sigh in resignation. Normal type move: Foresight. For the second time today his senses sharpened, allowing him a larger range of detail of his surroundings. The scent of outside air smelled sweeter in his nostrils, his eyes could make clear better details of the tunnels despite the dim light and his ears could pick the echoes within the halls.
"I don't sense anything near us or coming towards us," replied Keldeo, "We can talk, but we’ll need to keep moving quickly as we do.”
Ocellus nodded with an uneasy expression. Her eyes tell of uncertainty, self-doubt, and above all else, guilt. She followed limply behind, albeit in a fast enough pace to keep up with the Pokemon. She tries to start a conversation but ends up with false starts, mostly from clear hesitation.
Noticing this, Keldeo spoke, “You don’t have to force yourself if you don’t want to Ocellus. You can just wait after-”
“No, this can’t wait!” Ocellus interrupted, “I have to do this. I need to do this!” Taking a deep breath to calm herself she finally started, “I’m sorry. About what I said to you earlier, I’m sorry.”
The two stopped completely as Keldeo was taken aback from the sudden outburst.
Before he could react however, Ocellus continued, “You were lost, have no memories, and then suddenly thrown into all of this on your first day here. You did what you thought was the most logical thing to do in the given situation. And then I just… I just unloaded on you like that…” Tears welled in her eyes. “I was just so confused how when we first met you, I thought you were this large lost puppy we found and it turned out you weren’t a puppy and is more than capable of not only defending himself but also able to really hurt somepony.”
“And then when you killed that Dog,” Ocellus paused, sniffling a sob, “I thought you were a monster. I know you said you are a monster, but I mean an actual monster. I thought you arbitrarily killed him in cold blood!” She broke into crying, “It kept reminding me of her! It kept reminding me back in those days when we were still stealing love from the ponies! I don’t want to see those days in my dreams anymore!”
As she continued to cry, Keldeo just stood there dumbfounded.
What am I supposed to do in this situation? What do I say to that? Do I just hug her or would that be invasive? I mean, she did just say that I pretty much brought out some trauma and… Gah!! Arceus dammit, what do I do here?
"Never let a girl cry Keldeo. For guys like us, it is important to protect everyone's smiles. Especially those fair maidens."
Keldeo blinked. Another memory? His vision flashed to an empty quarry with a large Bovine Pokemon standing before him. It had a black, rounded forehead adorned with two brown, axe-like horns that curve forward. It had a large build and wore an equally large grin that screamed overconfidence but without a shred of arrogance. Judging from the voice he heard, Keldeo assumed it was a male and was made more apparent as it continued with a boisterous bellow.
“Our job as a Sword ain’t just about beating up the bad guys kiddo. It’s about protecting everyone’s hopes and dreams. What lady would not dream of being swept away from her feet by a Knight in Shining Armour? Justice is meaningless if it doesn’t protect innocent hope.”
Just like before, the image disappeared just as suddenly as it appeared. This again. How and why do they keep appearing in the most convenient timing? It’s almost ridiculous. Keldeo shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Focus Keldeo.
He turned to Ocellus who was quietly sobbing now and slowly approached her.
“Ocellus?” he whispered gently to which she briefly looked up before hanging her head low again. Before he realised, he reached a forehoof to her cheek attempting to wipe the tears off her eyes which prompted her to look up in surprise.
“Look, I’m sorry that you had to see what happened. No one should have to have their innocent outlook of the world torn apart like that.” He stared directly into her eyes with determination as he continued, “However I am not sorry for what I did. More lives would have been lost if I didn’t act quickly. Your friends would have been lost if I hadn’t moved quickly. But I promise you… No, I swear to you. By my sword, I will do nothing that is unjust. I will protect the lives and hopes of the innocent with my life; starting with you and your friends."
Ocellus' face flushed a bright crimson. Oh my gosh, did he just swear an oath to me? Get a grip Ocellus, he's an alien; he doesn't know Changeling Courting Rituals. His kind probably swears an oath for everything.
She shook her head from her thoughts before she returned her gaze to the Pokemon, still blushing from earlier, "Can you Pinkie Promise on that? You didn’t have to make an oath."
"Oh, you have those here?" Keldeo straightened up and held a hoof over his chest, "Cross my heart, hope to die. Stick a pin missile in my eye." He smiled sheepishly when he saw her reaction, "I take it that you do it differently here?"
Before Ocellus could answer a noise likened to a sharp explosion echoed across the tunnel. “W-What was that?” she stammered.
Keldeo’s ears flicked towards the source of the noise. “I don’t know,” he answered, “but it sounds like trouble. Quick, let’s leg it.”
Please be alright. Please be alright. Oh sweet Harmony, please be alright.
Silverstream sobbed quietly in a corner of the command tent, partly from the pain but mostly due to recent events. With Big Boss leading a hunt for the remainder of her friends and an explosion triggered not too long ago which collapsed the main tunnel entrance, her hopes of rescue slowly dwindled. She held on to her pendant, continuing her despite prayer.
The bulk of the dogs joined the hunt, leaving half a dozen of them to guard the Central Chamber. Two of which are watching over the FOB tent to which she is trapped in. A few captured ponies were still seen carting mined gems to another tunnel as the remaining guards oversaw their delivery.
“This stinks,” she heard one of the goons remark, clearly agitated, “Why am I always left on guard duty while everyone else gets to go on a hunt?”
“It’s ‘cause you can’t stop whinging like a drongo, ya git,” replied another.
“I think I have every right to complain, especially since I’ve done a fine job guarding this lot! No pony ever shirked their job while I’m around, so yeah, I think I’m entitled to join the hunt.”
“Hey, have you considered that the reason why you’re always on guard duty is ‘cause you’re good at it?” another added into the conversation.
The first one paused. “Huh, maybe I am.” He turned to the enslaved who were pushing the carts and sneered, “You hear that you runts? I guess I’m just good at my job!”
One of them turned to Silverstream and sneered. “Y’know, I don’t really get why Big Boss wants her dead, but if she’s gonna get chopped up anyway he wouldn’t mind if I have my fun with her first.” He brandished a shortsword as he lumbered towards her, “I hadn’t had a nice trophy to collect since we took this job. One of her wings will do nicely.”
Silverstream’s blood ran cold as she stared at him with wide-eyed horror. She attempted to escape from her corner but was caught by her mane and was dragged out the tent. She flailed desperately to free herself from his grip but was promptly held down on top of a stone table.
“Now hold still there, Pretty Pink. We wouldn’t want me to accidentally cut open an artery, now would we?” she heard him growl behind her ears along with the jeers of his compatriots.
Harmony Spirit, please! You promised me! PLEASE! Silverstream clenched her eyes shut as she screamed, “SAVE ME!”
The guard chuckled, “Nothing short of a miracle can save you now, lassi-”
His line was interrupted as a blue blur impacted his back and shoved him face first into the ground.
The blur stood up, grabbed the guard’s shortsword and stood in front of Silverstream. “Then you can call me Divine Intervention.”
“GALLUS!”
The griffon looked back to Silverstream's cry of relief and was horrified at what he saw. Her coat was matted with dust, dirt and debris, her cheek had a red smear of blood that looked dry, and there was visible bruising on her claw wrists and arms. He returned his glare at the dogs and snarled, pointing the shortsword towards them, "Don't move! I swear, the next one who even looks at her will get the shaft!"
The dogs burst into a fit of laughter.
"And how are you going to do that, little birdy?," one of them guffawed, "There are only two of you and six of us if you include the drongo you bowled over."
“Just six of you? We’ll take those odds.”
All turned towards the voice’s direction and were silenced. Standing behind Big Boss’ goons was a familiar iron and red clad pegasus, a young orange dragon, a sea-green earth pony, a yak, and a large group of ponies and other creatures standing behind them all carrying shovels, pickaxes, and other assortments of tools, all of which are encircling the group. Those without either flared their wings, ignited their horns or pawed the ground in a readied tackle.
“F-F-Flash Magnus?” one of the dogs gawked.
“And company,” the pegasus replied, gesturing with his head to the group, “Now if you know what’s good for you, you will throw down your weapons peacefully. Unless of course, you want this crowd to pound you into powder, especially considering all the misery you caused them.”
The goons promptly obeyed as the ground clattered with their weapons.
A wave of relief flooded Silverstream as she all but tackled Gallus to the ground and sobbed into his shoulders. Never before, in her entire life, had she ever cried as hard as she did in her life. Gallus sighed in relief and held her close as the rest of her friends all came and helped her up before hugging them. “C-C-Can we go home? Please?”
“Y-Yeah, let's go home,” Sandbar said as he nuzzled her to giver some comfort.
“Are you okay? Did they do anything to you?” Flash Magnus asked, stepping forward.
“T-T-T-They were going to kill me...just because he told them...” Silverstream wept as Gallus hugged her again. Many hearts were broken seeing the often happy and excited hippogriff reduce to such a sobbing state.
“Well,” Magnus said as he sighed. “Let’s get you all out of here, find the others, and get medic-”
BANG!
“GAH!” Flash shouted as a burst of crimson erupted from his shoulder and he went down much to everyone’s horror. They scream his name as they try to stop the bleeding, blood coming out of his wound and getting on their fur or feathers. The others all froze as the person leading them all but went down in a single blow that none of them saw.
Big Boss twirled his flintlock pistol and blew on the barrel before smirking.
“Leaving so soon? The fun has just begun. The show’s just about to reach its climax.”