//------------------------------// // 32. Blank Flank Redemption // Story: Scootaloo the Fugitive // by Kaidan //------------------------------// Scootaloo wasn’t sure it had been worth it to argue so much with the diamond dog. Did it really matter how many gems there were? Now, she had spent the night sleeping alone and nursing her injuries. Scootaloo knew Dash was on the way, and she just had to hold out a little longer. She extended her right foreleg and looked at the purple bruise that had formed. It made her look like she had been run over by a carriage, the deep purple discoloring her orange fur. The door to the cell swung open, and she walked out, following the dog. Scootaloo was led to a mine cart full of gems and hitched to it. She began to haul the heavy load around with dozens of other ponies. Some were also fillies, a few were mares and one or two looked like the ghostly skeletons of stallions. The only food they bothered to bring down was grain. A bland, but nutritious, commodity they could bring down by the bagful. Today was passing just like yesterday, only she had not argued with her captors. They had already promised she would be seeing Spot again soon. He thought he could beat her into obedience. He was wrong. “Scootaloo?” a voice said. “Huh?” She turned to face the pony speaking. It was Berry Punch, the pony who ran a local vineyard outside Ponyville. “Oh, then it is true. I heard they had captured you, are you okay?” She stopped pulling her cart to continue talking. With a smile, Scootaloo puffed out her chest and grimaced at the pain. “Yeah, it’s worse than it looks. How long have you all been down here?” “Anywhere from a week to a month. . . I don’t know how they’re keeping this operation hidden, but I doubt anypony will find us.” “Hey, you two! Back to work!” A whip cracked in the air, causing several ponies to flinch. “Scootaloo,” Berry said, “just do what they say. Stay safe.” “Dash will rescue me, she always does, and I’m not gonna listen to these filthy mutts!” The crack of the whip was followed shortly by the feeling of a deep sting cutting into Scootaloo’s flank. “Gah!” “Pony,” Boss said. “Are you that eager to visit Spot again? He’s made such good mules out of the rest of you.” He glanced at the nearest ponies. “Isn’t that right?” While the others looked away, Scootaloo looked up at him with fire in her eyes. “If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that bad ponies get what’s coming to them! I’m not only gonna resist you, but soon enough, you’ll be begging me to forgive you!” The whip cracked again and Scootaloo turned her head just in time so that it landed on her neck instead. “Pony wants to start a rebellion? It was so fun last time.” He took the whip in both hands and used it to encircle her neck, forcing her to look up into his eyes. “One pony nearly made it to the surface. I skewered her with a spear.” He licked his lips. “Have you ever tasted pony? I hope you do try to escape.” “Pfft, I’m not falling for your bluffs. You need us because you’re too lazy to mine for yourselves. I doubt you could pull a cart half as heavy.” Boss tilted his head in confusion, for nopony ever had such a death wish. Usually they just did what he said, and occasionally he’d have to intimidate them. “What makes you special? You’re just a pony.” Scootaloo blinked, wincing at the stinging cuts on her. “I’m Scootaloo, and I’m nopony’s slave. I’m done hauling your carts, do your worst. Let everypony here see what a coward you are, whipping a little filly because you can’t win a fair fight.” Boss raised the whip, but this time Scootaloo met his stare and didn’t flinch as it came down across her spine. She grit her teeth and didn’t yelp at all. “Pony you are near the end of my patience. You think I’m scared of a baby pony? I could kill you with one paw behind my back.” “If that’s all you’ve got? I doubt it. I’ve met mares twice as cruel as you, though at least they took a bath once in a while.” Several of the ponies nearby began to chuckle. When Boss looked at them, they quickly glanced away and resumed whatever task had been given to them. “Sledge!” A nearby dog ran out of a small alcove. “Yes, Boss?” “Take this one to Spot, before I change my mind.” Scootaloo swelled with pride, and then said something exceedingly stupid. “Yeah, who is the bitch now?” The entire cavern fell silent just in time to hear Boss’ paw collide with Scootaloo’s jaw. She rolled across the ground and was too dazed to stand back up. “Wait!” Sledge shouted. Scootaloo saw him spin into focus as her eyes adjusted. He was all that was standing between her and the furious pack alpha. Sledge lowered his voice. “Boss, if you kill pony in front of the others, they’ll think she’s a hero! No, send her to Spot, let them see her broken! Then, they’ll all now Boss is the brightest leader.” Boss was grinding his teeth as he stared at Scootaloo. From his current vantage point, the filly looked pathetic, unable to even stand. She held her breath as he opened his mouth. “Fine.” Scootaloo exhaled, and was soon helped to her feet by Sledge. He quickly led her out of the cavern and down a nearby tunnel. She stayed close to him, and occasionally he had to catch her to prevent her from falling over. “Your welcome, Pony,” Sledge said. “Huh?” Scootaloo mumbled. Sledge sat her down on a mat. Somehow she had wound up in his small lab, where he took care of the Diamond Dog’s medical needs. “He almost killed you. Not a good idea, to resist. Sledge thinks you do have a death wish.” “I’d rather die free than live as a slave to anypony.” “Noble, very noble, but foolish. Sledge told you, he does not like to bury ponies. The other ponies, Sledge thinks they like you very much. If it’s true and your friends are coming, then don’t provoke Boss, okay? I wouldn’t want you dead, friends would blame me too. Could bring the wrath of the Sun Queen down on us all.” “Sun Queen?” Scootaloo tilted her head and stared at her hoof as if it held the answer. Finally she realized he meant Celestia. “Yes, told Boss this was bad idea. Kidnap lots of ponies, Sun Queen will come. Wyvern once told me she vaporized two dozen for eating a pony. Sun Queen is a wrathful ruler.” Scootaloo couldn’t help but laugh at the image. “I’m sorry, it’s just I’ve met the Sun Queen. We call her Celestia, and she’s a fair and noble ruler. Then again, I’ve never seen how she reacts to ponynapping. . .” “Hold still, this will sting,” Sledge said. He rubbed something into the cuts she had gotten from the Boss’ whip. “This will prevent the fire from spreading from the wounds. Tell nopony Sledge is so nice, Sledge is not supposed to waste our medicine on ponies.” Scootaloo smiled as the balm cooled her cuts. Just when she was about to ask why it didn’t hurt, the balm began to burn in the wounds. It stung worse than when she’d had nothing to eat but a lemon, and it’d squirted in her eyes. The stinging got to an unbearable level, before numbing the pain completely. “And this, go to Spot now you will. This will help with the pain. Sledge does not think you will fall for his tricks,” he said. Scootaloo took a small cup from him that contained some kind of medicine. “Why are you helping me again? You could just treat us like the other dogs, and nopony would be the wiser.” Sledge sighed, and looked over to his kit of medical supplies. “Sledge was once a pack alpha, very cruel. Whole pack killed fighting for territory with other dogs, and I was left to die. A zebra found me, healed me, even taught me. She made Sledge promise to teach other Diamond Dogs about medicine, swear to never fight again. Sledge thought he’d even stop all the other dogs from fighting. But I ran into Boss, and he kept all the medicine for himself. Now, I’m as much a prisoner here as you.” Scootaloo looked down at the medicine, and decided to trust him. It tasted bitter, and made her stomach feel odd. “So, you're sure there are four gems?” He began to laugh and shake his head. “Well, I guess I’ll be seeing you in a couple hours to carry you back to your cell.” “Thanks, I think. . .” Scootaloo stood up and found that all her sore spots no longer ached. “Whoa, you’re good at this. My foreleg isn’t so bad anymore.” Sledge opened the door and led Scootaloo down the hallway towards a familiar passageway. As she neared the door to Spot’s torture chamber, she began to feel dizzy. “Just a little further pony, not yet.” “Huh?” Scootaloo put a hoof against the wall to brace herself. Sledge propped her up and opened the door. “In, in you go. Sorry, Scootaloo, but this is for the best.” He nudged her in and she stumbled dizzily into the chamber. “Spot, Boss said to give this one another session, yes he did.” “You remember. . . my name?” she asked. The dogs didn’t seem to hear. “Ah, Sledge. I see you’re still the bumbling fool who thought a little medicine would make him King of the Diamond Dogs. Now look at you, King of the Ponies.” Spot laughed as he rifled through a container with some of his toys in it. Scootaloo felt like she was going to vomit. Her stomach was churning and she reached out, trying to grab Sledge. She managed to snag his paw. “Sledge, did you break the pony?” Spot asked. “No, pony got in a fight with Boss, see?” He pointed at her wounds. Scootaloo followed his finger until she saw her flank, now stained from the blood dripping from the cut. Scootaloo promptly lost her balance and fell on her side. She was so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open. She closed them and wondered if this was what he had put in her medicine. “Damn,” Spot said. “He must have beat her good, I can’t work with her like this.” “Oh, well Sledge can take her back to cell. Maybe you have better luck tomorrow?” he offered. “Whatever, I’m tired of kicking her around anyway.” Scootaloo felt a couple arms scoop her up before falling asleep.