//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Escape From Fillydelphia // Story: Treasured Moon and Stars: Vol. 1 Luna's Treasured Moon // by TigerSwirl448 //------------------------------// Chapter 7 Escape From Fillydelphia Vinyl had just walked into the forbidden Slave Pit area to hear the start of another set in progress. She didn’t pay it any mind, only setting her bet at the counter and was handed a number. She only started out small, but after three wins she would make bigger bets. She watched as the crowd started screaming for the poor mare to run. No doubt it was the Sacrifice. Vinyl turned away from the arena feeling the pain from her memories as they flood back into her mind, hearing the mare scream for help. Vinyl chuckled sadly. The poor bitch must be new and didn’t know of the “No Talking” rule. The screaming and begging only gets the drugged stallions into a feeding frenzy for more. “Well, well, well, look who decided to drop on by.” Vinyl felt her ears flatten on her head as she turned to see Flim and Flam, ginning at her. Vinyl pulled down her goggles from her forehead to her eyes. To hide the fact that she was terrified of these stallions. She turned with her hands in her vest pockets with a raised brow, keeping the façade of somepony who doesn't care. “Flim, Flam, long time, no fuck?” The two brothers laughed but it sounded forced. Flam walked up, twirling his mustache. “What brings you back here? Care to rejoin our pit games?” Vinyl flicked her fingers at them. Flim understood the motion and reached into his pocket to produce a cigarette box and passed her a cigarette. Vinyl took it and sniffed it first to make sure there was no poison in it. Once she was satisfied, she reached into her vest pocket to pull out a match and lit her cigarette, taking a draw. She tossed the match away, looking at them. “I’m afraid I’m only here for money, boys, nothing more, nothing less.” Flim chuckled. “Then who are you betting for?” “Who do you think?” Vinyl asked with a raised brow. The brothers chuckled. “Well you’ll be surprised that the crowd loves this new doll.” Flam said chuckling. Flim nodded in agreement. “Yes, you should see her.” “And why should I watch a poor mare being tortured by drugged stallions?” Vinyl asked trying hard to keep from shaking. Flim chuckled. “You’ll be surprised. Many are voting for the stallions this time around.” Flim said as he and his brother walked away, laughing. “Why should I be worried?” Vinyl asked walking to an empty space at the fence to get a better look at the despicable mare below, tripping in the sand as the stallions hounded her like dogs to a kill. It disgusted her. She pulled another draw of the cigarette watching the show uninterested. The mare fell on the ground again, but this time the stallions were on her as she screamed for help. The audience started laughing and screaming back insults to her kind. Vinyl sighed letting the smoke out of her lungs then flicked the bud away ready to leave. But something made her stop. She looked down in the arena again, seeing a purple pendent around the mare’s neck. The mare looked up to no one in particular and Vinyl gasped seeing Princess Octavia! Vinyl lifted up her goggles to get a better look. It was her! The Royal bitch that she left to the corrupted Royal Guards! Of course Vinyl already knew this would happen but she didn’t think the Princess would be in the Sacrifice set, maybe a fighting ring but not this! Vinyl was surprised at herself for how she was acting upon seeing the Princess. She turned away, wanting to get away but Octavia’s screams broke her. She squeezed her eyes shut, gritting her teeth, placing her hands over her ears as the memories flooded back in her brain. Seeing her younger self in Octavia’s position screaming for her dad, for her mother, for anyone that can help her, but of course no help came but suffering. Vinyl opened her eyes, breathing hard, hearing Octavia’s cries. Just like back on the ERS cadenza... she had that two-sided feeling. Leave now and she’ll never see her again or save her now and never feel the horrible guilt she will face in the future. Vinyl groaned hearing Octavia’s voice telling her,”I understand. But I do mean what I said Captain Scratch, I really do thank you and your crew for saving me. If there is anything you need, you let me know.” Octavia said that to her, though she was going to trick her. Those words haunted Vinyl all through out the day. But what could she do? She groaned again, thinking that she had to do something. But what can she do? Vinyl turned seeing a weak section of the fence barrier and grinned, pulling down her goggles. She turned to see a very drunk spacer talking to a mare. Vinyl ran toward the spacer and shoved him into a huge stallion. The huge stallion glared at the spacer and punched him in the gut. The spacer’s buddies came running to help their comrade as the stallion called on his buddies, then the fight began. Soon more ponies and creatures joined the fray. Vinyl took this as her chance as she ran for the fence. Right when she got there she felt someone’s hands grab her vest and lifted her in the air, over his head, screaming a war cry and threw Vinyl into the weakened barrier. She looked down then the barrier snapped as she and several other drunken louts fell to the Pit. Vinyl quickly began to tuck and roll so that she would not get caught up in the massive pile-up that was about to happen, as the stallions and mares began falling in a pile in the Pit. Above her, she can tell Flim and Flam and their guards were trying to stop the violence now that part of their barrier was broken. Vinyl heard Octavia scream for help, again. Vinyl turned to see one stallion penning her on her back on the ground, howling, ready to ruin her life. Vinyl leaped up and reached for her laser pointer and pressed a button to let loose a red beam of light. Right when the red beam touched the first stallion, it burnt a hole in his chest causing him to yell in pain from the heat. The two other stallions looked up as Vinyl ran over to the stallion on top of Octavia and tackled him to the ground. She knocked him out with a solid knuckle blow to the temple. “Behind you!” Octavia screamed out too late as the third stallion wrapped his arms around Vinyl’s body in a bear hug, squeezing her, causing her to scream in pain. Vinyl concentrated hard to get her knife out of her pocket with her magic. Suddenly the drugged stallion howled and released Vinyl. Vinyl dropped and rolled away, turning to see Octavia with her laser pointer, pointing it at the stallion’s back giving him painful wounds by the laser. Vinyl ran to Octavia and grabbed her arm. Octavia at first was afraid, until Vinyl raised up her goggles and winked with a grin. “Hey Sweet Cheeks, miss me?” Octavia gasped with shock. “Captain Scratch?” “Would you quit with the fanciness, just call me Vinyl, kay Sweet Cheeks?” Vinyl said with a chuckle. She frowned, pushing Octavia to the side causing her to make a face plant in the sand as Vinyl dodged the mad stallion. Octavia sat up and rubbed her head. She gasped, seeing the stallion staring at her while walking towards her. Vinyl wouldn't allow Octavia to get hurt. She reached down to find a bottle. “Hey, Fat Ass, lose some weight” She screamed out. Apparently the stallion's weight was a sore point for him, since he turned around with and angry look on his face. He growled, starting to charge Vinyl instead. “That’s right Big Boy, come and get me.” Vinyl taunted as she turned and ran to a side of the stadium she knew the best. She reached the wall and started digging in the sand. “Come on, come on, the Flim and Flam bastards can’t possibly find you now,” Vinyl dug desperately into the sand until her finger tips scrapped at the surface of a wooden door. “Yes!” She exclaimed finding the cellar door where the secret cache of weapons were stashed. She reached inside for a blade but was grabbed by her mane and thrown back from the cache landing hard on her back. She gasped when the stallion pinned her to the ground wrapping his huge hands around her throat, choking her. Vinyl kicked and kicked hard, trying to get him off, but he was too big and too heavy. “That’s right, Hoss!” Vinyl turned to see Flim and Flam laughing at her. “Kill the bitch!” Flam called out. Vinyl growled then felt his hands tightening around her throat. It felt forever as Vinyl fought for air and for him to get off of her. She released his wrists feeling the life suck out of her. She can hear the laughter from her enemies until suddenly a loud ding of a bell rang and the grip lessened. The stallion stood up and ran to his gate. Vinyl gasped out for air coughing. She felt hands on her. Vinyl screamed out flailing her arms around. “Vinyl, it’s me,” Octavia yelled out. Vinyl looked up, seeing Octavia grinning at her. “What? How?” Vinyl asked with shock. Octavia helped her sit up. “It wasn’t easy finding that blasted bell. I just threw a rock and Ding!” Octavia helped Vinyl stand up as she coughed for more air. “Thanks,” Vinyl whispered grinning at her. “Hurry, we have to get you out of here.” Once Vinyl regained her strength, she and Octavia ran to the breached barrier. With her knife, Vinyl stabbed or sliced anypony that got in her way. Octavia used the laser pointer to zap or burn anypony who came close. The two climbed out of the stadium and started to push through the crowds. “Stop them!” Vinyl turned to see Royal Guards chasing after them with Flim and Flam’s goons. “Don’t stop, follow me!” Vinyl ordered sprinting with Octavia sprinting behind her. The way to the stadium was through skinny alley ways that only one pony can go through at a time. Vinyl would hit a corner and push off running. Octavia would follow too, but stumble through most of the run. “Vinyl.... slow.... down.” she panted. “Come on Princess, faster! This is a short cut!” Vinyl yelled out, making a hard turn. Octavia grabbed the corner to help her turn. She slid to a stop, seeing the tall fence as Vinyl started climbing on garbage cans just to reach the top and pulled herself onto the fence. She straddled the fence seeing Octavia winded and shaking from exhaustion and adrenaline. “I can’t make that.” she cried shaking her head. “Sure you can, I’ll use my magic to help you! Just climb those,” Vinyl said pointing to the trash cans and crates. Octavia nodded and started climbing up the crates and trash cans. “There they are!” a young mare’s voice called out. Octavia gasped seeing the Royal Guards running towards her. “Vinyl!” she screamed, leaping up, just short of the top. Vinyl grabbed the chain between her wrists and held on as she concentrated with her magic to make Octavia lighter. Octavia grinned reaching for the top of the fence. She screamed, feeling a strong hand around her ankle pulling her down. “Vinyl!” “I won’t let you go!” Vinyl screamed back, straining. “Oh no you don’t filly, you’re coming back with us!” The guard yelled out, pulling again. Octavia had a plan and kicked her heel into the guard’s face causing him to curse. She kicked him again and again, until finally she heard bone snap and the guard released her, screaming about his nose. Vinyl yelped out a curse. She had used too much magical force to throw Octavia, who was now sailing over her head, instead of being pulled to the top of the fence. Still holding on to the chain, the two mares fell on the other side of the fence into a fruit stand in the market. The pigs eating around the stand all squealed in fright after the crash. Everypony around the stand all dodged the falling mares. Many were laughing, while others moved on to their business. Vinyl sat up spitting out grapes and berries from her mouth. “Are you alright?” Vinyl asked helping Octavia sit up. Octavia had a banana wedged in her mouth giving her a smile. Vinyl started laughing as Octavia spat out the banana. “Of course I’m fine.” she said sarcastically. Vinyl helped her stand up getting yelled at by the stand vendor. “Are you sure?” Vinyl asked carefully, looking her over, ignoring the fruit vendor. Octavia pushed her away. “No, I’m not alright! Why did you-” “There! That’s them!” The two mares gasped seeing one of Flim, Flam’s goons pointing at them with a baton. “Get them!” “Run!” Vinyl screamed grabbing Octavia by her chain and started running. Once she got her footing, Octavia started to run next to Vinyl toward the pier. They dodged spacers and soldiers getting off of ships. Vinyl leapt over kegs and crates as Octavia dodged them and pushed past pedestrians, apologizing to the ponies as she ran. The guards shoved the pedestrians away or kicked away the debris in their path, giving chase. “Hurry, head for the last dock!” Vinyl screamed turning to the last dock on the line with Octavia slowing, lagging behind her, panting hard. Derpy looked up from her guard post at the gangplank. She sat up, pushing back her hat with her finger and placing her hand on the laser musket sitting on her lap. “Vinyl?” She asked. “Get that ship in the air, now!” Vinyl screamed out waving her arms. “Slavers!” She screamed again. Derpy gasped recognizing the Slavers running behind her friend. She flew up to the ship screaming for the engine to start. She ran to the quarterdeck at the controls, flipping switches and turning the wheel. Vinyl grabbed Octavia and pushed her ahead of her. Octavia leaped on the gangplank and ran aboard. Vinyl stayed behind, pulling out her knife again, ready to fight them off. She blinked and turned to see a rope tied to a post. She followed the line up to a net filled with barrels of rum, above her head. She grinned and sliced the rope and ran to the boat. The slavers stopped and screamed as the barrels crash on the deck and roll everywhere. Vinyl jumped the gap of seven feet and ran up the gangplank as the ship slowly drifted away from the dock. Vinyl turned and gasped to see three pegasi guards fly toward them. Vinyl spotted Derpy’s musket and grabbed it, she checked the charges and cursed, there was one charge left. The first guard made a dive toward her. Vinyl flipped the musket around like a club and swung hard, smashing the pegasus guard in the face. The first guard hit the boat rail with a bone crashing thud, then fell overboard. Derpy screamed as she ducked under an attacking guard. Octavia, hiding by the stairs, reached for the laser pointer and shined a red beam at the guard’s face causing him to scream and fly away with burns in his eyes. Octavia turned in time to see Vinyl stab the last soldier with her knife in the chest then throw her overboard, causing the guard to scream curses as she plummeted to the ground. “Get us out of here!” Vinyl screamed. Derpy ran to the gold tube at the side. “Let’s go,” she screamed through the tube. The rockets let loose the power and the ship blasted out of Fillydelphia Space Station. Once out in space, Vinyl went down on her knees, pulling off her hat and goggles with a sigh of relief. She retched and ran to the railing and vomited her dinner and drink. Octavia just sat there shaking as the adrenaline finally left her system. “Oh dear, we heard the screams,” Professor Do said walking over to Derpy and helping her stand up. She saw Octavia panting on the deck and Vinyl was half way over the rail breathing hard and spitting. “Is everypony alright?” Twilight asked behind the professor. Vinyl held a thumb’s up nodding. She spat again, turning back to her clients. “Yeah, but I suggest never to go back to Fillydelphia for a while.” That was when Derpy let out a shriek. Vinyl and the clients turned to see Derpy hugging Octavia, causing her to hack and cough for air. “Please let me go, I can’t breathe!” Octavia winced. “Derpy, let her go, she just got out of being... Uh,” Vinyl gulped remembering the clients standing near her. She smiled at the clients. “Oh uh... we just had a situation.” “Vinyl Scratch!” Vinyl jerked, then turned to see Octavia pushing Derpy off of her, standing up with a stormy glare. “Uh oh,” Vinyl whispered backing away. “You’re not that upset are you?” She asked chuckling nervously. Octavia stopped in front of Vinyl, growling inches from Vinyl’s face. “If I wasn’t a Princess, I would certainly have killed you right now! Do you have any idea what has happened to me?” “Uh yeah...” Vinyl answered wincing. “You...” Octavia’s face went red with anger. “You tricked me! You knew what the Royal Guards would do when they saw me! You knew they would throw me in those horrid slave cages, and yet you let me go? Why?” Vinyl blinked seeing Octavia in tears now. Vinyl sighed rubbing her forehead. “Listen Sweet-” “If you so dare call me that, again I will-” “Okay, Princess, calm down. Look, I’m sorry.” “Sorry? You’re sorry?! Sorry for what? For letting me be humiliated in front of those ponies, being beaten by the Royal Guard, and then worst of all...” She shuddered turning away. Vinyl sighed. “I’m sorry, okay? Look, let me take those off of you and I’ll get you some clothes okay?” Vinyl reached for her wrists. Octavia stiffened and slapped Vinyl in the face, making her wince, backing away. Vinyl opened her mouth to yell when she saw the point of her laser pointed between her eyes. Octavia was still angry and lightly tapping the button on the side of the pen. “I know how to use this, Captain Scratch. If you dare touch me again, I will melt your brains out.” Vinyl backed away, holding up her hands. “Okay, okay, not touching you.” “Ahem,” the two mares turned to the professor. “I don’t mean to interrupt your argument, but may I ask for your name miss?” Octavia squeaked looking down at her dirty shift and started to pull the hem lower. “Oh I am Octavia, Princess Octavia.” Vinyl heard Twilight gasp and the Professor looked shocked, fingering her chin. “Oh my,” she said in shock. Twilight walked over to Octavia. “Princess Octavia? But they said your ship was captured and pirates killed everypony, except somehow Prince Blueblood escaped with his guards claiming that you were killed by Nightmare Moon.” “Nightmare Moon?” Vinyl and Octavia asked at the same time. The two mares looked at one another in shock then glared, turning away, back to being enemies. “Who’s this Nightmare Moon?” Octavia asked. Twilight shook her head. “No need to worry about that until later. Why don’t you come with me and we’ll heal you up and get you into some proper clothes.” Octavia sighed in relief. “Thank you, at least somepony shows manners!” She barked at Vinyl, causing her to flinch, as Twilight guided Octavia up the steps, past the quarterdeck to the upper rooms behind the helm. Vinyl growled as the two young mares left their presence. Professor Do stood by her with a sigh. “Do you need to tell me something Captain?” Vinyl yelped turning to her with a glare. “Nothing, I need a drink.” Vinyl left the professor behind as she sulked to the stairs to the mess deck. Professor Do stroked her chin, looking back at the space station. She quirked her brow, watching Vinyl disappear below to the mess deck. “Hmmph, this might very well be an interesting journey. One of my best adventures by far.”