//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: A Distressing Situation // Story: Power Ponies: The Nightmare During Hearths Warming // by Deathscar //------------------------------// At the docks in the city, Fili-second sat inside on the second floor of a warehouse, her hooves bound tightly to the side of her body with candy cane-colored rope. More rope wrapped her tightly around one of the pillars, pinning her helplessly against it. Fili-second squirmed and struggled, hoping to get some sort of opening for her to break out, but none presented itself. “Ho ho ho, your pony powers can’t save you now,” Slay Bells taunted, having to lower himself just to meet Fili-second eye to eye. “Tell me something, blobby bells.” Fili-second grunted softly as she continued to struggle against her bindings. “You said I was supposed to be the subject of some sort of test machine. Are you taking your own sweet time? Or is your brain the size of a pea?” “Oh, my little elf. I just needed to grab some resources,” he bellowed to the mare. From the lower part of the warehouse, he grabbed a hair-dryer looking object, lifting it up high. “Behold, the Hearths Warming Absorber!” FIli-second gave a few confused blinks. “…I’m sorry, what?” “Oh, snowstruck by the chilling design?” he spoke, rubbing the green-colored device. “More of dumbstruck by your puns,” Fili-second taunted. “Oh, taunt me all your want, but you can’t chill a pony who has a heart of ice, my elf.” Slay Bells lowered the device, the pointed end facing towards Fili-second. “As you can see, I have decorations for Hearths Warming around my warehouse!” he gestured around the hideout, where large trees, novelty objects and tinsels were hung. Lights covered the inner walls and cotton snow was strewn about the first floor. “But I’m afraid I don’t have enough! This device will absorb all the Hearths Warming spirit a pony may have and turn it into decorations!” “Wait a minute, you weren’t destroying the decorations in the town… you were,” Fili-second’s eyes widened in realization. “Collecting them. Yes,” Slay Bells released a maniacal laughter. “Well, have fun without having your Hearths Warming spirit!” He pulled the trigger, sending a red and green beam towards Fili-second. Fili-second closed her eyes tight, turning away. However, the only thing she heard was a loud blasting noise and the smell of mint filling her muzzle. Once the beam had stopped, Slay Bells stared at the other end of the device in shock. “W-why aren’t there any ornaments coming out!?” FIli-second gave a small smirk. “I hate to break it to you but you can’t steal something that I don’t have.” “W-what!? But that’s impossible! Everypony in Maretropolis is always so happy during Hearths Warming!” “Sorry, but your definition of everypony doesn’t include me! Trust me, I’m not happy in this holiday.” Fili-second turned away, whispering the next few words under her breath, “though I wish I was.” “Hmm...interesting. Tell me, elf. Would you like to join Santa in retrieving all the decorations for the city? Then we both could have the best Hearths Warming ever!” Slay Bells lowered his hoof to Fili-second. Fili-second stared at the hoof in front of her, silent for a few seconds. Soon, she shook her head violently. “Sorry Beauty, I don’t work with villains who don’t take showers.” Slay Bells smirked, retracting his hoof. “Well, no matter. You appear to be useless to me now.” With a light tap to the floor, the ropes around Fili-second tightened significantly, causing her to grunt loudly from the pain. “Enjoy your stay here, it’ll be your last!” Fili-second watched as Slay Bells trotted out of the warehouse through the huge front doors, feeling the ropes around her hooves tighten with each passing minute. Trying to shout, she merely let out a gasp and mutter, “P-power ponies…Somepony…help…” Saddle Rager kicked the cans on the cold, empty streets. Staring up, she saw only the twinkling of the stars. She turned her head back down, sighing loudly as she continued to trot. “Saddle Rager?” a voice called out to her from behind. “Huh?” Turning around, she saw the familiar blue and red colors of a dear friend. “Hum Drum?” “Yeah!” Hum Drum ran with his short legs, gripping several bags in his claws. “Where did you go? Matterhorn said that—“ “I went to get gifts for all of you!” Hum Drum stopped in front of the pink-maned mare. “See! I got one for you…here!” he spoke, pulling out small box wrapped in rose wrapper. Saddle Rager recoiled a little, giving a soft smile as she grasped the package. “O-oh, Hum Drum. You...you shouldn’t…” “Heh, it was no trouble, Saddle Rager!” Hum Drum said with a grin. “I know I’m not the most useful sidekick when it comes to your plans but I just wanna say that—“ Saddle Ranger leaned it, kissing Hum Drum on the nose. “Hey, you’re a great sidekick. You always give all you can, and that’s all we can ask for!” “Heh heh,” Hum Drum’s cheeks turned a tinge of red. “Tis the season!” Saddle Rager’s smile grew wider. “Tis the season...” “So where’s the rest of the family?” Hum Drum asked, picks up the bags. “…Family?” Saddle Rager gave an inquisitive stare. “Yeah! Radiance, Zapp, Mistress Marevelous! Where are they all?” Saddle Rager paused for a moment as her eyes grew wider. “Family…” In one fell swoop she scooped the tiny dragon up. “Hum Drum, our family is a little broken right now. But we’ll fix it. First thing’s first, I need you to find out where Fili-second is being held, she’s been captured by a villain known as Slay Bells.” Hum Drum gasped. “What!?” “Right! She’s in serious trouble! Go!” Hum Drum gave a quick nod, before zipping down the streets. “As for me, I’ve got some patching up to do,” Saddle Rager galloped from where she came, her eyes wide with determination, beaming from ear to ear. “So let me get this straight, Fili-second has been captured and could be subjected to Celestia knows what right now. Mistress Marevelous has ran and so has Saddle Rager and we have no idea what Slay Bells is up to?” Both Zapp and Masked Matterhorn gave a sigh before nodding. “Oh dear… then we better hurry,” Radiance stood up from the table, turning towards the door. “Radiance! Where are you going!?” Matterhorn shouted, causing Radiance to turn back around. “I’m going to help Fili-second and Maretropolis.” “But Marevelous and Saddle Rager aren’t with us. We can’t just charge at Slay Bells ike that. If all five of us couldn’t do it, what chance do we have?” “True, our chances are slim, but by sitting here doing nothing, our chances decrease to none. What’s more, Fili-second needs our help and I’m sure as Celestia am not going to sit around and wonder what’s happening to our dear friend.” Silence filled the room as Radiance turned back around, continuing her trot towards the door. “I agree with Radiance,” Zapp spoke out, standing up from her seat. “I shall not sit idly by and wait until it is too late,” she galloped to catch up with Radiance. “Matterhorn, as a leader, I admire you greatly. However, our friends and Maretropolis is in danger. I did not become a Power Pony to watch. I became a Power Pony, much against my will at first, to act. And that is precisely what I shall do!” Matterhorn chuckled a little, turning her attention to the table. Using her hoof, she felt the small Power Pony icon where she sat, her own name inscribed in the very table itself. “You two are crazy. But…in a good way. If I’m going to lead you guys, I’m going to have to learn.” Using the table as a support, she pushed herself up. “Let’s go. We have no more time to waste.” Once she had joined with the other two mares, they sped towards the elevator. Suddenly, the elevator gave a loud ‘ding’ and the doors opened, revealing Saddle Ranger, a wide grin on her face. “Saddle Rager!” the three cried out in unison. “The one and only! I came here to hopefully get you three back on your hooves. Looks like you all don’t need my help after all.” Radiance gave a firm nod. “We need to move quickly, who knows what Slay Bells might be doing right this instant! “Got it.” Saddle Rager pushed the button on the elevator, sending it rocketing upwards. “I also met Hum Drum, I’ll tell you all on the way.” Hum Drum pressed himself against a warehouse wall. “Ponies say they saw a large pony in a red and white costume coming through here.” Leaping upwards, he caught onto a ladder and pulled himself up. “Let’s hope I’m not too late!” he whispered, gritting his teeth together as he climbed. Once he was at the top, he peered into one of the windows. “I can’t see anything with all this dust!” With a mop of his claw, he cleared away the thick layer of dirt that had accumulated. Sticking his eyes into the window, he let out a loud gasp. Fili-second was still tied to the support beam, her face white as a ghost. Hum Drum didn’t need any super-powers to see how much pain Fili-second was in, desperately clamoring for any bit of air she could. Wasting no time, Hum Drum unsheathed his claws and sliced a hold in the glass before smashing it open with his elbow. Fili-second heard a sudden crash coming from somewhere in the warehouse, however, all her focus was drawn to surviving this ordeal rather than any ambient noise that may occur in this large place. The ropes tightened even more, starting to squeeze any remaining air from Fili-second’s body and making it impossible for her to gasp for more. Only when she saw a familiar blue and red figure in her vision, did hope reignite in her. “Hu— Hel—“ Fili-second tried to stammer out, her vision fading quickly. “Come on! Break free!” Hum Drum shouted, pulling at the ropes as hard as he could, but the bindings would not as much as budge. “Come on Hum Drum! If there’s a moment to be useful, this would be it!” Fili-second closed her eyes, feeling the bonds tighten one more time and feeling the last bit of air escape her. “Fili-second! Don’t give up! Come on!” Without warning, another loud crash echoed through the warehouse. Hum Drum turned his attention to the source and saw a shadow zip pass before landing beside him. “Mistress Marevelous!” Hum Drum shouted in joy. The Mistress didn’t reply, quickling taking out her hoofrangs and slicing the ropes from FIli-second, causing the mare to fall to the ground coughing and gasping violently. Some parts of her suit had been ripped badly, and bright red marks left on her coat from the device. Both Marevelous and Hum Drum picked Fili-second off the floor, holding her softly. “Good. Just in time.” Marevelous spoke, lassoing a glass of milk from a nearby table and feeding it to Fili-second, who drank it up fervently. “How did you fin—“ Hum Drum tried to ask, but was almost immediately interrupted by Marevelous. “Followed you,” she swiftly replied, tilting the glass of milk to Fili-second until she had drank it all. Once she had finished drinking, Fili-second gave a nod to both superheroes, signaling them to lift her up onto her hooves, where she stood shakily. “You sure you’re alright, Fili-second?” Hum Drum asked, still holding onto a hoof. “Other than the near-death experience.” Fili-second gave a loud cough. “I’m fine.” “Did Slay Bells tell you what his plan was?” Marevelous locked her eyes on Fili-second, ready to react at the slightest need. “Yeah. He’s not trying to stop Hearths Warming.” Fili-second rubbed her forehoof. “He’s seems to be trying to take Hearths Warming for himself!” “That would explain all the Hearths Warming decorations here.” Hum Drum peered over a nearby railing, staring down. “He also created some sort of device that’s meant to suck all Hearths Warming passion from ponies and turn it into ornaments.” Fili-second bent down, stretching. “Then we can’t wait. We need to—“ “Already ahead of you.” Fili-second pulled both of them close. “Hang on tight.” She smirked, disappearing in a blink of an eye.