//------------------------------// // Chapter 12 // Story: The Pale Land // by OrphiusOlyandra //------------------------------// They were so cute and adorable. Sure, she was no stranger to foals, but they had always been pegasus foals and she'd never seen a unicorn or earth pony foal before! Just look at them with their round faces and wittle looks of confusion and- Oooooooh, so soft and snuggly, just like how she always imagined. They really were like adult ponies shrunk down weren't they? Why, the unicorn foal even had a horn! It was kinda stubbly looking, but it was so cuuuuuute. And was that magic!? They knew how to do magic. Oh look at her with her wittle horn and look at her struggle. Come on little filly, just a bit more, just a bit more. Any second now aaaaaaaaand... Yes! She did- "Um, excuse me ma'am." With a small meep, Fluttershy hid behind her mane before her eyes widened as she stared at the earth pony before her. He spoke. He actually spoke. What else could they do? Could they write? Could- could they make things? Like tools? Could they use tools? Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes, ple- "Ma'am?" replied the stallion. "S-Sorry," whispered Fluttershy. "It's fine, ma'am, I was just wondering if you wanted some apples." At Fluttershy's look of shock, he continued, "Don't worry, they're not as rare here as they are elsewhere. I Pinkie Promise." And they were so polite as well. How long did it take to teach them that? A week? A month? Surely not a year, after all, Fluttershy had managed to get timberwolves to shake paws with her in a year. A very long year of very hard work, but still, it had been done in a year, and surely earth ponies weren't as stupid as timberwolves. Were they? "S-Sure," whispered Fluttershy as she took the bowl. "Thanks." "You're welcome, ma'am." He began walking away only to stop mid-step and tilt his head politely. "The name's Orange Peel, feel free to ask for me if you need help settling in." Fluttershy watched in silent astonishment as he walked away, leaving behind a bowl of the most delicious salad she had ever seen. And that's when she noticed the unicorn one table over using a spoon. A spoon! Like a civilized creature. Who taught them these tricks, and how long did it take? It was a miracle, it had to be a miracle. If they could use spoons, could timberwolves? It certainly seemed possible. Leaning forward, Fluttershy began to nibble on the food, shivers of delight flowing down her spine at just how delicious it was. Was this cooked by a unicorn as well? Maybe an earth pony? Regardless, the mere thought that they could learn to cook… they were smart enough and had the mental capabilities for such complex thoughts and actions was such a dream come true. They were intelligent, smart even. Far smarter than any pet Fluttershy had ever had or wanted for that matter. "You must be new here." Fluttershy's head snapped across and stared at the unicorn talking to her. "Name's Lyra, and don't worry, once you're here long enough, you can pick out who's new and who's not." "Um... Fluttershy..." she squeaked. "Hey, no need to be so shy! It's not like I'm one of those humans who munch on pony bones and the like." Lyra threw her hooves around Fluttershy's shoulders. "Anyways, eat up, we've got the best grub around! Probably because there's nothing else around, but shhhhh, I didn't say that." "I think I just lost my lunch," moaned a pegasus next to them. "Lyra? Acting happy? Excuse me while I throw up." "Oh har, har, real funny, now shut up before I decide that you're my new training partner," snapped Lyra before grinning at Fluttershy. "Don't worry, it's just some harmless fun." The pegasus snorted. "Says the pony who spars like a human. All those cheap, dirty tactics and nothing but brute force." "Hey, humans are cool!" Fluttershy gulped and shrunk back, looking at Lyra through her mane. This unicorn liked humans? Those meat eating, bone crunching, filthy creatures from mythology? Who- Who could like such a thing! They were worse than gryphons if the stories were true. “Plus, admit it, you’ve wanted to crunch on a pony bone before.” At the combined looks of disgust, Lyra blinked in surprise. “No? Just me? Come on, there must be some pony out there you hate that much.” “N-No, not really,” said Fluttershy, trying her hardest to not imagine the scene. “And I have no idea why you’d want to eat the pony you hate. Also, eating them? Ew. Seriously.” The mare pushed her bowl of food away from her. “I think I just lost my appetite.” Looking down at her own bowl, Fluttershy had to try to not throw up right there and then. With how red the apples looked and the way Lyra happily crunched away, it just sent shudders down her spine. And then there were the juices dripping down Lyra’s chin and the way she happily slurped away. It was almost like she was deliberately eating with her mouth open, making a show out of it, and it turned Fluttershy’s stomach inside out. “Hey, you alright?” The pegasus mare looked down at her in concern. “You’re looking a little green there.” “Y-Yeah.” Fluttershy swallowed and stood up, only to stumble slightly. “Whoa there!” The mare was immediately beside her. “You don’t look fine. You just got in right? Hey Lyra, I’m gonna take Fluttershy here to the infirmary and have her checked up. You know how it is with new recruits, always thinking they’re not good enough or that they don’t deserve it, and they come in half starving, unwilling to eat anything to save rations and stuff.” “N-No it-” “It’s no bother!” The pegasus began nudging Fluttershy along, dragging the shy mare along. “Also, the name’s Winter Breeze. Winter for short.” “I’m fine you know,” muttered Fluttershy under her breath. “What was that?” “N-Nothing!” Once more she retreated behind her mane. "Huh, I thought you said something." With a shrug, Winter turned away, and Fluttershy rolled her eyes. "Anyways, it's down this way. Hopefully they won't be too busy with injuries. I swear, we get more injuries from colts play fighting and training than actually out in the field." "D-Do you need medics?" asked Fluttershy. "You're a medic?" Fluttershy scowled at how surprised Winter sounded, but with her face hidden, it's not as if Winter would have been able to see it. "If you are, that'd be a blessing from the Sun itself. Everyone wants to be on the front lines and we're starved of medics right now." "Well I, um, can help out in the medic bay." Fluttershy rubbed the back of her foreleg. It was times like these that she actually missed having Dash around to explain just who she was. "I've, er, got experience." "That's better than most," sighed Winter as she lead Fluttershy down an earthen corridor. Even though they hadn't reached the door yet, the familiar scent of puss and blood made itself known, and Fluttershy took a deep breath, savoring the smell . After so long on the road, with the fear of being caught and killed constantly looming over her, something so familiar and comforting. A happy sigh escaped, and ignoring the weird look she got, Fluttershy half skipped, half glided over to the door, threw it open and stepped through without even batting an eye. Outside, in all that snow and ice, that was Rainbow Dash's domain. That was where she was at ease, where she was in her element, but here? Her eyes drifted over the room, over all the ponies lying in beds, groaning in pain and looking up with hollow eyes. All those bloody bandages and screams as arrows were cut free and wounds sown shut. Even now, she could see two ponies who would die soon, another six that could go either way, and a couple with broken bones. Beds stacked on beds, with trolleys everywhere and soiled bandages along the wall. Now this was a real hospital, not the tiny room Fluttershy was forced to work in back at the base. There was more than enough room here to contain a couple dozen ponies at a time. In here, with all this suffering and pain, where one wrong call could kill a pony? This was where she thrived. This was where she was in her element. Dash had her battlefield, but this was where the battle truly mattered. All these ponies counted on her, and she was going to earn that trust. Without waiting for permission, Fluttershy strolled up to the nearest bed and immediately began changing the bandages. As each layer came off, the smell of puss became stronger, and as the last layer came off, bile rose in her throat, but she kept it down. It wasn't the worst wound she had ever seen, and even if it was, there'd be worse out there. She had a job to do, and she was going to do it. Grabbing a bottle of water, she crawled on top the earth pony, pinning him down as she began squirting water into the wound to clean it out. Though he yelled and tried to get away, with her wings for balance, Fluttershy easily kept him locked down until the wound was clean. Ignoring his sweaty frame and panting body, she hopped off, placed the bottle back where it belonged and began wrapping up his wound, making sure to use fresh towels that had been heated by the fire. Within seconds, everything was covered up and he was one step closer to actually staying alive. "So... you kinda have experience you say?" Fluttershy leapt back, shrinking back into the ground as Winter's face was suddenly inches from hers. "You shouldn't be so modest, you know. Most ponies wouldn't have been able to do that by themselves." "Well... um... you see-" "Nah, don't sweat it, just surprised me was all." Winter slung a hoof around Fluttershy's shoulder causing a small whimper to escape the shy mare's lips. "Here I was thinking it was stuff like hoofing bandages around or cleaning stuff, not, you know, that. That was awesome by the way. Brutal, but awesome." "Oh, well, um, I didn't-" "Winter!" Both their heads snapped across as a unicorn stallion approached. "Who is this filly and where the fuck did you find her?" "She found us apparently," replied Winter with a shrug. "Well now, is that so? A frail thing like you braving the outside alone?" Behind her mane, Fluttershy scowled once more. "Then again, considering how you handled that whiny little bastard, you could do it. Name's Bleeding Heart, and you're the pegasus we've been looking for." "I-I am?" "Yes you are. Here's the deal, we're low on medics, but more than that, we need somepony to teach this rabble how to do shit. Now, I can teach the unicorns all I know and I can teach the pegasi, but they ain't got magic and they have wings." He peered down at her. "Wings that you used to balance yourself while restraining him, which is something I cannot teach. We need a pegasus like you to teach this rabble how to be proper medics. You up for the challenge?" "Well, um..." Fluttershy licked her dry lips, eye running over the rows upon rows of ponies. It was warm here, and it was clean despite being underground, and it looked like they actually cared. It didn't matter if it was an earth pony or a pegasus or a unicorn, they all cared for each other. Compared to how hard she had to push and whine and force Dash to just move the slaves, this was a miracle. Of course, there were issues with treating pets and ponies in the same place, but that could be easily fixed. Not to men- Wait, a unicorn doctor? This pony before her, the pony who was offering her this job was a unicorn. A horned freak. They- they could learn how to treat other ponies!? No doubt it wouldn't be anything too great or sophisticated, but the mere thought of all the ideas, concepts, things that they could grasp—had to grasp in order to be a medic was just staggering. The implications it would have were just... She wanted to see how far they could go. How much they could learn, how deep their thoughts ran. Back at the fort, she had been forced to sneak around, to go behind every pegasi's back, even Dash's, but here? Here she had free rein, she could figure out everything she had ever wanted to know. Sure, Twilight had been useful, giving Fluttershy far more information than she could have dreamed, but not enough. All the stories talked about earth ponies as fallen pegasi, too cowardly to fight, and unicorns as those who had rebelled against the sun and lost. They had lost their wings, their minds and their souls in one single moment in history, and yet here they were. Degenerate beasts who had relearned the ability to talk and more? "Well?" asked Bleeding Heart. "Y-Yes." Fluttershy took a deep breath looked the stallion straight in the eye. "Yes, I'd like to help out." "Great! Now we've got this-" Winter coughed politely. "Sorry to interrupt your love story, but I bought Fluttershy here for a checkup." "Do you need a checkup?" asked Bleeding, glancing over at Fluttershy. "And don't think about lying to me missy." "Not really," whispered Fluttershy. "Good enough for me! First rule about medics, if they know what they're doing, they can look after themselves," said Bleeding and behind him, Winter rolled her eyes while mouthing something. "Anyways, there's this pegasus that's injured her wing, and I need you to tell me how to fix it up. I've got some idea, but none of us have enough experience with pegasi." "Broken wing or strained?" asked Fluttershy. "Wing was cut up pretty badly. It's common enough since our armor isn't that great. Not very deep, but there must be a way to stop the blood loss and patch it up quicker. He's in here." He opened the door and Fluttershy blinked in surprise. They actually had separate rooms for serious injuries? How long had she bugged Dash for that only to be constantly told they couldn't sacrifice earth ponies to dig out the areas? Stepping through, Fluttershy looked down at the sleeping pegasus, eyes running over his toned body and along those broad wings. Even though she wasn't the strongest flyer ever, even she felt her wings tighten around her body at the sight of all those scars and cuts. From all the bloody bandages, it was obvious one of the major arteries had been cut and it looked as though one of the muscles was strained as well. "Is it alright if I-" Before she had even finished speaking, the pegasus nodded. With a tender hoof, she lightly pulled the wing open, watching as the muscles flexed and the way he tensed up under hoof. When she moved onto the right wing, the stallion gasped in pain, but after a couple of seconds, it seemed to die down slightly. She gently nudged the wing up, watching how the muscles moved before turning to Bleeding Heart. "This muscle along here, that runs down the back? That's strained, you can tell by the way they're moving and bunching up wrong. If you lift the other wing—thank you— look see? It's a lot... smoother, I suppose you could call it. More fluid. If it's severed then it's very distinct." "This one along here?" Fluttershy caught his hoof just before it could touch the patients back. "No touching the wings without permission, that includes the back muscles. Medics can get away with it, but don't do it too much. It's, well-" A blush stained her cheeks. "Just don't." He nodded slowly before pulling his hoof back and tracing the muscle in the air. "But it's that strand there. Correct?" "Yes." Fluttershy put the wing down before undoing the bandages. "From the looks of things, he cut his major artery that runs along the wing. This method of bandaging does work, but it's not the best. What you want to do is something lighter and more breathable, and definitely not as restrictive. The wing is a very fragile thing despite how sturdy it is and it needs to breathe. You cannot wrap it up like this." "Gotcha." "Hm..." Fluttershy stepped back and peered at the injury. "Also, you'll want them to keep off their wing for a long while. Roughly fifty to one hundred percent longer than a similar injury to another limb. And do not let them fly. Depending on the wound, they can stretch it and move it around, but no flying. Like I said the-" "They're fragile things. I see," chuckled Bleeding Heart. "I fear we've been treating them too much like legs. But surely you need to exercise them?" "Weights. There are weights designed for pegasus wings, right?" "Oh. Oh!" There was a light in his eyes. "Of course! I see now, yes, the pegasi had been wanting those, but with how tight resources are, we couldn't make them, but if it's got medical benefits..." "And one more thing. There's a spot here on the back that's just slightly off to the side near where the wings join." Fluttershy pointed at the spot. "This is a major artery, and it is also where the wing muscles and leg muscles overlap slightly. A deep enough wound here could sever both. I've never seen it happen, but..." "And that's why that area is so well plated." "Rainbow Dash would know better than me, but I assume so." "So what's the diagnosis, doc?" "He seems healthy enough. I mean, his injuries look bad, but now I've had a better look at it, give him a couple more days, a week max, then discharge him. Don't use the wing for a fortnight, and don't give me that look, I will chain your wings to your body if I have to, mister, don't think I won't. Be stern. Telling a pegasus not to fly is like..." Her eyes were naturally drawn to the horn on his head. "Is like telling a unicorn not to use magic. They'll want to use it. Just tell them if they do, they might never fly again and they'll comply. Won't you?" The pegasus nodded all to quickly for her liking. "Good." Suddenly remembering where she was, Fluttershy shrank back behind her mane with a small meep. Bleeding Heart looked at her curiously. "Very well, how about we do a round of the area and I can tell you about unicorns and you can tell me about pegasi." "I um, that is, I thought you'd have more pegasus medics," whispered Fluttershy as they left the room. "Eh. Pegasi are a tough bunch, fanatically loyal to High Commander Hurricane, I mean, I doubt we have more than forty or so pegasi in this entire place, and we've probably got three, maybe four hundred ponies in here? Yeah, something like that. Like I said, fanatically loyal." "Oh, well, um, sorry?" "No need to apologize! You’re here aren't you? Now we've finally got a medic in this place, the few pegasi we do have won't be dying on us as easily. Now come on, time to make the rounds and teach these worthless sods what a real doctor is!" "Um... yay?" asked Fluttershy at his expectant look. "Ha! We'll slam some liveliness into you yet." The pat on her back sent her stumbling forward and left a sting, but he was just being polite. "Now hop along, we've got a lot of patients to go through and I won't slow down just for you." Now what would Rainbow Dash say in a situation like this? "Um... Try to keep up then? If, that's no-" The rest of her words were cut off as Bleeding Heart guffawed. "You're on missy. You.Are. On." "Come on Scoots, you can do it!" "Yeah Scoots! Go, go, go, don't let that meanie nab ya!" "Left! Go left! No your other le-" An orange blur slammed into the wall at breakneck speeds, just barely managing to stop herself from running into the other fillies. With a hoof on the dirt wall, she panted heavily, sweat dripping down her brow. "I thought you were a goner," said Red as he patted Scoots on the shoulder. "One-on-one with Trumpet there? Few could have won." "But if anypony could beat him, it'd be Scoots though," said Dew Drops with a nod. "But still, that was really damn close." "T...Thanks," panted Scoots as she wiped her brow before taking a large gulp from her water flask. "Alright, Trumpet, who's next?Ready for another flank kicking?" He simply rolled his eyes and ran his eyes over those present. "Hm... How about, all those older than me?" Dew Drops groaned. "Oh come on! I'm the only one here that's older than you. You rotten little cheat." "Rules are rules." He grinned and flexed his wings, causing sparks of resentment in Scoots. "Come on Dew Drops, you and me." "Fine," she mumbled as she stretched out her legs. Strolling along the wall, she made a couple of feints, but not once did Trumpet fall for it. Instead, he just yawned and looked at her flatly. "Oh, that's it." With a glare, she began charging forward, immediately feinting to the left before skipping to the right and around Trumpet. "Go, go, go!" screamed Orion. "Oh no you don't!" yelled Trumpet as he suddenly dived forward, just managing to latch onto Dew's hind legs. "I can't watch." "Come Dew, you can do it!" "Buck! Buck like you've never bucked before!" "Just a bit more, you're almost home free!" added Scoots. But the two slammed into the ground, tossing and turning in the dirt as Dew tried to free herself. No matter how hard she twisted, Trumpet was right there, hooves and wings working overtime to keep her pinned down. In the end though, Dew was pinned to the ground and that was that. Panting hard, Trumpet got up and helped Dew onto her feet, and the two of them stood there, leaning against each other for support. "So... who's our next victim?" asked Dew. "I dunno, I'd rather not take on Scoots again if that's alright with you." "Hm... all... the... males!" A collective groan went up. "Come on Orion, you and me buddy," grinned Dew. "You got me last time, now it's time for payback." "Looks like it's us two Red," sighed Orion. "Good luck boys," chuckled Scoots. "Don't let Dew Drops kick your flanks like yesterday." "Har, har. If I get caught, you're next Scoots. Three against one? We'd win and you know it," said Red. "Less talk, more running!" said Trumpet with a grin. "Oh, you're on!" Orion grinned over at Red. "Plan Alpha?" "Plan Alpha," he replied with a nod. "What in the world is Plan Alpha?" asked Dew. "Who cares, they're going down either way," replied Trumpet. "This!" Orion charged forward, and just as he was about to reach them, he suddenly dropped down into a low skid while Red leapt over the top, using his wings to get a bit of extra height. Both attackers were left fumbling as the two males sailed past harmlessly and blitzed the rest of the distance. "Damn, that was pretty damn awesome," whistled Moonshine. "Y-Yeah," said Scoots before clearing her throat. "But I could so do that myself." "Oh, is that so?" smirked Dew. "Care to walk the walk?" "Piece.Of.Cake." "As much as I'd like to see Scoots kick all your flanks, I'm afraid I need to talk to her," said Pinkie as she came up the stairs. "Auntie Pinkie!" they all screamed as they rushed towards the older mare, swamping her in hugs. "Heya kiddo." She leaned down and ruffled all of their manes one by one. "You all been playing safe? Being careful not to hurt each other." "Yes Auntie," they chorused. "Goodie! That's what Auntie Pinkie likes to hear ." She grinned down at Scoots and the filly found herself smiling back. "Aaaaaaaaaaanyways, I just need to borrow Scoots for a bit if that's alright." "Sure!" Scoots skipped after Pinkie as they made their way down out of the large underground playing field and up the stairs. "What do you need me for?" "A super-secret awesome mission. Think you're up to it?" "Buck yeah!" "Alright, but Scoots listen to me." Pinkie knelt down before the filly, holding her head so that they stared each other in the eye. "Listen to me alright? This is dangerous, right? I-I wouldn't normally ask this of a filly, but Twil-" "Twilight's here!?" "Yes, yes she is and you can visit her afterwards, but..." Pinkie sighed and ran a hoof through her mane. "Look, I need you to talk to somepony and, well, she's..." "A feath-" "Scootaloo!" She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine, a pegasus then. She's a fucking pegasus." "Yes." Pinkie groaned and closed her eyes. "Look, if it was up to me, I wouldn't put you within a mile of that racist bitch, but... for whatever reason, Twilight thinks it's a good idea." "Well if Twilight thinks it's a good idea, it probably is," mumbled Scoots. "As much as I hate to say it, you're probably right." Pinkie sighed yet again as they moved into the corridor. "Just... call out if you need me, alright?" Despite everything, Scoots grinned and licked her lips in anticipation. "Don't worry, Eclipse has been teaching us how to fight." "Scoots," growled Pinkie. "Alright, alright, geez, you're worse than Twilight." Scoots ran a hoof through her mane. "Where is this fea- pegasus?" "Where else?" replied Pinkie as she turned the corner and went down another set of stairs. Eventually they came to a corridor where the doors were reinforced, locks were on the outside, and everything was dark and damp. "She's in here, and I'm being serious, you don't have to do this." "I'll be fine." Scoots gave Pinkie the most reassuring grin she could manage. "I'm tough you know." "Yeah... yeah you are..." Pinkie ruffled Scoots' mane, a sad smile on her face. "Toughest filly around." "Hey..." Scoots balanced awkwardly on her hind hooves and hugged Pinkie close. "It's fine. Everything's fine. I've got you, and Twilight, and everypony else right?" "Y-Yeah." "I'll be fine, you'll see." Scoots gave her the traditional cocky grin. "Nothing can keep me down." "Maybe I should go in first an-" "Pinkie, I'm fine, you can't protect me forever." Scoots smiled up at the older mare. "One day, I'll be the one to protect you. And Twilight. And every pony in this place. Just watch, I'll be the one to protect you all." "Scoots..." "Don't worry, you'll see, I'll make you proud." Stepping back, Scoots unlocked the door and grinned up at Pinkie. "I'll make you all proud." Then she stepped into the room, and the last thing she saw before it closed was Pinkie's tear stained smile. No matter how many times she caught that look on Pinkie's face, it always felt as weird as the first time. There was just something so sad about it, it would just tug at her heartstrings and make her want to hug Pinkie as hard as possible. Every so often she'd catch that look, it almost reminded her of how Lyra had looked after she had her heart broken. That longing, sadness and... it was just so weird. With a sigh, Scoots shook her head and turned around, ready to face the worthless feathered freak before her. And there, on the bed, lay a pegasus with chromatic mane, lazily bouncing a ball against the wall. Opening her mouth, Scoots tried to think of something to say, something to get that freak’s attention, but nothing would come out. Instead, all she could feel was a rolling anger that bubbled away in the pit of her stomach. "Get lost kid," said the pegasus into the silence. "You make it sound like I want to be here," spat Scoots, pure venom lacing every single last word. "Then get lost, I'd rather not waste time talking to a dirt pony." A red haze descended and Scoots could feel her limbs shaking. This pegasus, this freak, this bloody monster stood for everything she hated. Everything she despised and loathed and wanted to kill. It was pegasi like her that had done this. If being a pegasus meant being like the monster before her, then Scoots would rather be an earth pony any day. "Better than being a feathered freak," she shot back. "What did you say?" Dash was on her hooves and inches from Scoot's face. "You think you're better than us?" "I know it." Scoots took a step forward, pressing her snout against Dash's even as a growl rumbled in the back of her throat. "At least they don't make up stupid excuses as to why they're better." "And what's that supposed to mean?" "You know what I mean. All that stupid shit about the earth ponies and unicorns being punished for not fighting or for rebelling against the sun and moon. You're so scared that you have to make up crap to make yourself seem tougher and better than everypony," snarled Scootaloo, "when you're the dumb ones. The stupid ones.The ones who are weak." Just like her mother. Just like her father. Just like all those pegasi from back then. Fuck them all to Tartarus. "It's. The.Truth." "It's a lie. You're the monsters, you're the ones who have no idea what the fuck is going on, you're th-" Scootaloo was thrown to the ground as Dash backhoofed her. Though pain laced its way through her, all it did was serve to clear her mind. She could see clearer than she ever had. Standing up, Scoots spat to the side and glared at Dash. "You see? This is what I'm talking about. Every time somepony says something that you don't agree with, you attack them. Beat them. Crush them. Whoever has the power has the right to rule. Survival of the strongest. Trample all others underhoof. Toss out the weak into the cold and see if they survive." "You have no fucking clue what you're talking about. Now get lost before I decide to kill you." "You know exactly what I'm talking about, or have you forgotten training already? Every morning we'd thank the sun for blessing us, for giving us High General Hurricane to lead us to victory, to give us the strength to win, to trample all others underhoof. We'd be drilled until we dropped and then drilled some more, and the ones who dropped first were always the ones punished. It wasn't about keeping your pegasi safe, it was about coming first, winning no matter what it took. Everypegasus wanted to be next Spitfire, to do that one all-in move that was super high risk, but super high reward. They wanted another Battle of Castle Snowfall." Dash frowned and stared at the filly. "How do y-" "How do I know that?" Scoots shook her head. "Let's just say I'd prefer to have been born an earth pony and leave it at that." "You fucking traitor!" screamed Dash and Scoots found herself pinned against the wall. "I should fucking kill you now and sa-" "Traitor? I'm the traitor?" She couldn't keep the amusement out of her voice. Trust a stupid feathered freak to come up with some lame excuse like that. "They betrayed me and if it wasn't for Pinkie, I'd be dead by now. Food for the timberwolves, no doubt, since I wasn't even fit for the breeding pens." "Oh shut you trap, anything you sa-" "Will be a lie? Let me go then and I'll show you exactly what they did to me." Dash snorted, but Scoots continued, "No tricks, no weird stuff, all you need to do is look." Silence descended as the two regarded each other. "Fine, whatever. As if anything you say or do could change my opinion of how worthless you are," said Dash as she stepped back. Scoots rolled her eyes and turned around so that her back was to Dash. The sound of a zipper being undone could be heard and the jacket began slipping off Scootaloo's shoulder. Soon the under layer followed, and as more of her back was revealed, that stupid pegasus turned green, no doubt trying to tear her eyes away, but finding it impossible. Scoots could see how that freak wrapped her wings around her tighter, probably reminding herself that they were there. So what if she had one wing instead of two? So what if all that was left was some measly stump that was red and covered with scar tissue? Already she could feel the tears prickling the edges of her eyes, but Scoots held them back. She wouldn't cry, not in front of this monster. This freak.This thing that stood for everything that she hated. She would not show weakness, she would not cry, she would stare the monster straight in the face and spit in its eye. And then the stump was completely revealed and Dash was forced to look away, looking as though she was about to throw up. All red and covered with scar tissue. A misshapen lump on her back instead of a gorgeous wing like the other one. Two wings, she was meant to have two beautiful wings, perfect for sharp turns and quick darts and... Even though she had never flown, she always felt the call of the sky. "My parents cut it off." That pegasus blinked in surprise, mouthing opening to say something, only to close again after a couple of seconds. "I was five years old and I couldn't fly. My wings were too small or something, I don't know, but they said I was obviously one of those pegasi. You know, the ones that should have been an earth pony, but somehow managed to be reborn as a pegasus. They said I was tainted, wrong, vile. That if I stayed it'd spread and that..." Scoots took a deep breath and zipped up her clothes. "So you know what? Fuck them. Fuck the pegasi. Who needs them!?" "Look, kid, they must had a good reason t-" "A good reason!?" she screamed, as the tears finally broke out and she hated herself for it. Oh how she hated herself for it. Twilight never cried. Neither did Pinkie. And yet here she was, brawling her eyes out like a foal. She needed to be strong, damn it! "I was a foal! What reason could they have possibly had!? Some obscure piece of fucking religion no one gives two shits about? I-I was fine. I was happy. Bleeding Heart says if they hadn't cut it off, I could have flown and they took that from me. So tell me now, Rainbow Dash, who's the fucking traitor? Me, or them?" "I- That is- It's obviously more complicated than... that..." Even that monster knew how weak that was with the way her voice trailed off. The uncertainty could be seen in her eyes, the confusion and fear. "There has to be an explanation. A reason! Anything to explain why!" yelled Dash. "Then give me one?" Scoots sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Tell me why they'd do this." But there was nothing. All Dash could do was stare blankly at the filly, mouth working uselessly as she tried to come up with something. "Exactly. Now fuck off," growled Scoots as she opened the door. "Wait!" Scoots stopped for a split second before trotting out and slamming the door shut. "Hey, you alright?" Pinkie laid a gentle hoof on her shoulder. "Yeah... I-I'll be fine." Scoots sniffed and rubbed her puffy eyes. "After all, I've got everypony here, right?" Pinkie could only nod mutely. "I... I'm not ashamed of it. I may not be able to fly, but..." She smiled up at Pinkie. "I've got all my friends, and that's better than flying any day. Better than being able to do magic, or books, but don't tell Twilight I said that last one." A small hiccup and giggle escaped Pinkie as she rubbed her eyes. "Promise. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." "Thanks Pinkie. For everything." "You're welcome kiddo." As the final bandages were rolled around the bleeding hoof, Applejack stepped back to admire her work. While it wasn't the best she had ever done, at least the wound on Rarity's leg was no longer bleeding everywhere. If anything, the mare looked peaceful now with the way she had her eyes closed and how she was breathing slowly. It was so weird, so... wrong almost, to be taking care of a horned freak like this, but at the same time, it was right. She had done this, and now she had to make up for it, after all, Rarity wasn't responsible for what had happened to her. Taking care of one unicorn wasn't enough though. She had seen the evil in her brother, that vindictiveness and brutality. That glee at being able to hurt another being, to make them beg and scream and cry. There was a darkness there, the same darkness that made the ancestors of the pegasi and unicorns seek powers beyond their comprehension. A sickness of the soul, a desire to be more powerful than they ought to be, an arrogance of the highest order. Was she the only one who remembered the teachings? The stories?The hymns? Perhaps it was because she had so little of her mother left that she clung to every single last scrap she could remember. The sickness ran so deep here, to the point that if she stuck a horn on MacIntosh's head, it would not have seemed out of place. If she really wanted paradise, if she really wanted a place where she could live in peace, ponies like him needed to be eliminated. They all needed to be eliminated so the world could start anew. Ponies like him were the monsters and she wouldn't let something as flimsy as family stand in her way. Standing up, Applejack made for the door, but a light touch on her back stopped her mid-step. Blue eyes met green as Rarity stared up at her with pleading eyes. "Please don't go," she whispered and Applejack found something lodged in her throat. She knew that look, she knew that voice as well. It was the exact same one she had used so long ago, except back then, she had her mother still. She had someone she trusted and knew and loved. But this horned freak? She had nothing, she was trapped in a world of somepony else's making, and it terrified her. Applejack knew that look and feeling all too well. With a small nod, Applejack stepped back and sat down next to the bed. She had caused this suffering, this pain, and it was up to her to mend it somehow. To think that this mare would trust her, would reach out to Applejack after everything. If their situations had been reversed, Applejack knew without a shred of doubt that she'd be attacking and hissing right now. "Thank you," whispered Rarity as she closed her eyes once more. A very weird mare indeed. Then again, who else did she know in this forsaken place? Better an enemy you know than an enemy you don't, she supposed. Still, something about the entire thing rubbed her the wrong way, it felt too easy in a way. Where was the fear? The cautiousness?The anger? "I'm still curious as to 'why' you know," said Rarity, her eyes still closed. "I assume it was your conscious finally getting the better of you, but that has never stopped anypony, has it darling?" Perhaps she wasn't such an idiot after all. Instead of replying though, Applejack merely shrugged and looked away. "Ah, back to the silent treatment I see." Rarity opened an eye and grinned up at the earth pony, looking all too amused for her own good. Applejack rolled her eyes and snorted. "Very well, whatever you wish dear." Rarity sighed and gazed off into the distance. "I do hope Sweetie and mother are alright." "Sorry." "My, my, so that wasn't a dream after all, you had me worried there for a second," chuckled Rarity. "Tis fine, going back would have ensured my own death after all." She sighed and touched the collar around her neck. "Though, did you have to pick such a ghastly color? Green does not suit me at all, I fear." That got an amused eye roll out of Applejack. "I should have known you would select this color just to annoy me," scowled Rarity before she sighed again and closed her eyes. It was only when the silence returned that Applejack found herself frowning. Why had things been so easy just then? They had slipped back into their old roles just like that, with Rarity talking about something useless, and her replying with actions rather than words. It just felt so... simple. So right. This horned freak... whatever spell had been cast on her must still have been lingering. It was obvious now in hindsight, but it made no difference. Not really. All it meant was that she had to keep a close eye on her own emotions, keep them bottled up and out of the way. If anything, that spell helped her see the truth, helped her see what was truly important and revealed the true nature of MacIntosh to her. Perhaps, if she were to be honest with herself, perhaps she even owed that horned freak something. The thought was definitely an odd one, but Applejack didn't mind, after all, saving that mare had already paid back the debt. Shaking her head, Applejack stood up and made her way towards the door, and this time, Rarity did not stop her. Despite herself, a small smile touched her lips as she glanced back at the sleeping unicorn. Then, with soft hoofsteps, she slipped out of the room and locked it behind her with her key. As she strolled down the corridor, she nodded politely to the other ponies, but otherwise kept to herself. Though a couple tried to approach, a simple glare or small shake of her head convinced them to go elsewhere. As she turned the corner and entered the huge dining hall, Applejack made her way along the wall, keeping out of sight. Her eyes constantly moved, darting from place to place, looking for that familiar black pony with the light blue mane. Ignoring all the scents around her, she slipped from table to table, using everything she had learnt as a slave to look as uninteresting as possible. And there he was, sitting at a table off in one of the corners, munching away while ponies joked all around him. Instead of approaching, Applejack found herself a nice spot off to the side, watching silently as she grabbed some food herself. Eventually though, that stallion stood up and left, and Applejack was immediately hot on his hooves. Instead of grabbing his attention though, she trailed him until they made it into the corridor with all the bedrooms before calling out, "Hey, wait up!" He immediately stopped and glanced around, before his eyes landed on Applejack. "You're that new mare, right? Look, I'm sorry, but I'm really tired an-" "Ah'm here to talk about what happened with the horned freak," said Applejack and his face immediately went green. "Look, it ain't anything bad, but Ah saw the way ya looked at MacIntosh. Can we talk? Somewhere private." For a brief second, it looked as though he was going to refuse, before he sighed, "Sure, we can use my room, it should be empty." Together, the two made their way down a side corridor and into a room that could barely fit three ponies and yet still somehow managed to hold four beds and a single table. Closing the door behind him, he flopped onto one of the beds and looked at Applejack. "So what do you want?" "Ah noticed that look ya gave MacIntosh, ya're scared of him, ain't ya?" "Of course not! He-" "It's fine sugarcube. Relax. Personally, Ah think he enjoyed what happened too much, and Ah think ya think the same." He opened his mouth to say something, but Applejack held up a hoof for silence. "That look he had, it reminded me of my ol' slave master, how he'd beat us for looking at him funny and he'd enjoy every last second of it." She took a deep, shuddering breathing. "Ah think, and correct me if Ah'm wrong, but Ah think if we're going to win this war, we cannot stoop to their levels. To enjoy it as he did, that is to be a monster, an' we're better than that. Ain't we sugarcube?" He nodded slowly and licked his lips. "Suppose I agree with you, what then?" "We find other ponies who think the same. Other ponies who ain't willing to give up everything to win." A smirk appeared on Applejack's lips. "And then, once we have enough, we force change. We get them to change. We convince them that we're better than that." "You're talking about a coup!" he hissed. "Ah don't care if MacIntosh stays in charge or not, what Ah care about is winning the right way. Ah refuse to be a monster to defeat them, and Ah think ya feel the same way." He hesitated before looking away, unable to meet her gaze. "Listen, Ah'm in the room at the end of the main corridor, if ya change ya mind, feel free to knock." Applejack inclined her head politely before she opened the door. "Wait!" Applejack glanced back at the stallion. "I think... you're right, but..." Applejack merely smiled and nodded slowly before closing the door behind her. He would come around. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but he would eventually come around. She saw how sick he was, disgusted and troubled by what had happened to Rarity. All she needed to do was plant that seed, and now that it was in, all that was left was to cultivate it. Change would come, one way or another, and there was nothing anypony could do to stop it. They were going to win the war, but they'd win it the right way. The proper way. Applejack was going to make sure of that.