//------------------------------// // Captivity // Story: Revenge // by HeroeDeLaVida //------------------------------// Why can I never just go to sleep in this world? Why must it always be being knocked out, passing out, or being drugged by colorful talking ponies? When I woke up it felt like I was laying on a cloud. Opening my eyes, I realized that’s because I was. What the hell? How is this even… ahh screw it. No point in trying to understand it. Still a little woozy from the spiked punch, I slowly pulled myself to the edge of the cloud I was on. I looked over the edge. Not the best idea. The ground was thousands of feet below me. It was a dizzying drop, and added with the cloudiness in my mind from the punch, I nearly fell. Looking out, I found I floated far out from the small town of Ponyville, which was a small cluster on the horizon. It was early morning. I backed up and looked around my cloud. It was about 7 feet from end to end. And no way down. That means I’m…. my mind started to panic. I could feel the wave of fear wash over me. I was being held captive. Again. Blood, gore, slash, stab, fight, kill or die. Memories of the Pit began to force themselves into my head. No, no, no. These are peace loving ponies. They won’t do that. It would appall them to even think about it. The rational side of my brain countered, but the bloody memories wouldn’t stop. “Are you ok?” The question broke through my revelry. Looking up I noticed for the first time, Twilight Sparkle laying on a cloud, maybe ten feet from my own. Close enough to talk, but far enough to be safe. Next to her, laying on the cloud was the book she wrote all she heard me talking about humanity in. She had probably been reading it, contemplating on all it meant. “No.” I answered, voice shaky. No use denying it. My face was no doubt pale, and I could feel myself shaking. “Can you get me a block of wood, maybe 6 inches by 6 inches?” I asked, remembering what I had been told about dealing with the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Do something to distract your mind. “Ok, I guess.” She said, not sure what to make of the request. Then looking up she called, “Hey Rainbow Dash, can you go get me a block of wood?” Looking up as well, I saw yet another cloud, this one had an idle cyan pegasus, with a rainbow mane laying on it, napping. There was a groggy “fine” followed by a blue form falling, to later start flapping her wings as she flew to the distant Ponyville. “How long?” I ask, struggling to keep the irrational fear from showing. “About two days…” Twilight answered hesitantly. Two days. I’ve been a captive for two days, and they haven’t done anything, why would they do anything now. the rational part of me said. Because you can’t fight to the death if your asleep! my irrational side argued. “Why?” I asked, trying not to yell. “Because, you told us those stories, about how violent and destructive humans are. I didn’t know what else to do, I wanted to make sure you don’t hurt anypony!” She said quickly, trying to justify herself under my fierce gaze. “Besides, I… I… oh look, Dash is back with your wood block.” She said awkwardly, trying to force a smile. Sure enough, Rainbow Dash popped back above my cloud and hoofed over a small wood block to Twilight, who then floated it over to me. The rainbow pegasus look between us, then said something about scheduling a rainstorm as she flew off. I looked at the wood block in my hand. It was soft pine, perfect. “What are you going to do with that?” Twilight asked, al past fear gone in a wave of interest. I pulled my knife from it’s sheath, mildly surprised they didn’t bother disarming me. “Carving. It’s something my dad taught me when I was young, and I do it to calm my mind.” I stared at the blade in my hand. It had a wire wrapped hilt, which shined a dim bronze in the sunlight. The blade itself was simple, one-sided, with a serrated edge the first 2 inches up the blade. All in all, nothing special. But the story behind it… “Would you mind,” I said, levelly, while I started to carve. “If I told you another story, to pass the time?” The purple unicorn looked to me, happy with the less ‘hostile’ circumstances. “Sure,” She said eagerly, then added. “is it going to be another story about war and death?” She asked, obviously not as excited about the possibility of more mental images, that no doubt gave her nightmares. “Sadly, yes. But this one is different. This one is special.” I said solemnly, not looking up from my work, but in the corner of my eye, I saw her ears perk up. “Why?” “Because this one, is about me.” “I was 17 at the time, just finished with basic training, and was on my first tour of duty. I was stationed to defend a base on the frontlines in Siberia. Russia had been attacked early in the war, when it had sided with America during the conflict. In retaliation, Mongolia sided with China, and invaded the southern boarders of Russia, driving back the Red Army and capturing many southern towns.” “It was the last month of my rotation, so I was ready to go home. Of course that was when something would go wrong. I was on the last patrol of the night shift, and it was about an hour until dawn. The guards were tired and it was almost time to change shifts. I was thinking about the slight warmth of the barracks, how it would be so much better than being out in this freezing cold blizzard. We never saw it coming.” “They rose up out of the snow, hundreds of them. They had been concealed from sight and thermal scans by the blizzard and snow. The Mongolian soldiers swarmed the base, killing anyone who didn’t surrender, and half the people that did. A stray bullet grazed my thigh, and when I hit the ground I took the butt of a rifle to the head to keep me there.” “When I woke up, I was tied up on a train back south, no doubt to be put in a POW camp. When we got there, turns out they were as bad as rumored. The cells were hardly shacks, we were fed next to nothing, and you even glance at the wrong person and you get the shit beat out of you.” I heard Twilight give a little gasp as I re-told the story about my first ans last time as a captive. “One day, I stood up for one of my fellow captives. He was a Russian soldier, I didn’t even know his name. But someone in the camp decided I had enough fight in me to be in the Pit.” A questioning glance from Twilight told me to explain. She was once again writing furiously in her book. “The had given someone high up in this POW camp a sick sense of humor, and combine that with a need to raise moral, you get the Pit. Where enemy soldiers where forced to fight it out with starved wild animals, volunteer Mongol soldiers who want a little extra experience (Those fights were only until the soldier calls it off or the prisoner is dead.) or for a special treat, they’d make us fight to the death with other prisoners, the winner of 50 rounds being promised to be set free.” “That’s horrible!” Twilight retorted. “Yea, yea it was. After they got done whipping me for breaking a guard’s jaw, they threw me in the Bloodworks. It was slightly better then my old cell, because there was room for me to get warmed up before a fight. Wouldn’t want me to die out there too fast. I also got an extra blanket, because if I died of hypothermia, they wouldn‘t get there entertainments worth.” Thinking about the Pit caused the knife to slip in my hand, and I almost cut myself. “My first fight was hardly enough to be called that. I was thrown into the pit and the let out one malnourished wolf. When it jumped on me, I grabbed it’s head and snapped it’s neck. I quick, painless death.” Even though I explained it as that, I still saw Twilight cringe. “The next few were just as uneventful, and the audience was getting board. So naturally, they got a volunteer. It was to be fist on fist, till he was unconscious or I was dead. Obviously, since I’m not dead, I won. The bastard didn’t even get a punch in.” “I began to win again, but the Mongol I showed up in the Pit wasn’t happy. And he wasn’t about to let some prisoner make him the laughingstock of the camp, so he challenged me again, but this time, the rules where, we get’s to use a knife, I get to die.” I stared down at the blade in my hand. “This knife. He was going to kill me with it, slowly.” “Why do you carry it around then?” Twilight asked, also captivated by the knife in my hand. “To remind me. He cut me up, I was bleeding, a lot. The snow was crimson from my blood, but I didn’t know what to do. I stared up at him, my vision going dark around the edges. I was on my knees, and he had the blade posed to plunge it into my heart, and something in that made me realize, I can’t die here, I won’t die here. I needed to go home, I needed to be with My sister Kitty, and I still hadn’t told Crystal how I felt about her, I had planned to do it in some romantic way when I got back from my tour of duty. I needed to protect them, because if I didn’t, who would?” “So I grabbed his hand and twisted the knife out of it, the slashed him across the knees and hit him in the temple, knocking him out. I took the knife and went back to the Bloodworks. I carried it with me to remind me of my promise to myself, that I needed to protect Kitty and Crystal. Now I just carry it to remind me of my failure.” “What do you mean?” “I failed. I failed them, and they paid the price for it.” I said, trying again not to yell. “But that’s another story for another place. After I got the knife, they decided to release all the horrors they could on me. Wolves, a bear, other prisoners, who where crazed beyond help. The fights kept getting longer. One day I was up for 43 hours strait in the bit, as they sent wolves at me, one at a time, to see if I would get tired. Another time, they had put some hallucinogen in my food that made it impossible to tell what was real and fake. So I killed anything that came at me. I don’t even think I was fighting anyone that day. “And it got worse. So much worse. I was there for 2 months. Then finally it was time for my 50th and final fight. The high-ups never had to deal with this before. No-one else ever made it this far. When I did, they decided to throw everything they had at me. It was Russian Roulette, 6 bullets in the barrel, and I was the only one playing.” Twilight raised an eyebrow at the saying. I waved a hand at her in a dismissive gesture. “It was suicide. But I had to keep going. I got no sleep that night. I got little sleep any night. But this night I spent wondering what new horrors awaited me in the ring.” “I was almost relieved when I came into the Pit to find it barren of all traps and dangers, just a snow stricken plane, surrounded in walls for people to watch from. No one was on the walls today. In the center of the field, there was no army of horrors. Just a firing line. Behind them was the Warden. When I reached the firing line, I stopped, about ten feet away, and waited. The Warden stepped out of line, and started reading a list of charges. I was to be executed as a criminal of war.” “B-but… you were supposed to be let free if you survived…” Twilight stammered, finding it hard to take in all the murder and deceit at once. “That was if I survived. And he was going to make sure I didn’t. When he got done reading the charges, everyone I killed in the Pit, he turned and took place behind the firing line, and said for them to precede.” “W-what happened? Your obviously not dead?” “Well there was a gunshot, but it wasn’t from the firing line. The soldiers turned to find the Warden had a bullet in his head. Long range sniper. Very accurate, very deadly. Before I knew what was happening, I had turned around and run back to the Bloodworks. When I was in I did my best to barricade the door, and wait. I don’t know how long I waited in there, as I listened to the massive firefight outside. It must be a full scale attack.” “After an hour or so, the gunshots died down, and I assumed that meant one side had won. There was a banging on the door, followed by it being kicked in. I looked up from where I was huddled in the corner, trying to keep what little warmth I had. There was a young soldier in the door away. He took one look at me and called into the hallway, ‘Hey, sarge, we got another one! He’s looks to be in pretty rough condition though’ I suppose I was. I had cuts, burns, bites, and bruises all over me. Many were infected. I was rushed to the nearest field hospital, then to a real hospital in Moscow.” “From there, I went home. Kitty was so happy to see me alive. They had both been told I was assumed dead. And Crystal. She was so happy she ran up to me and kissed me without thinking. We had never so much as held hands before. I was happy. So generally that meant something bad was about to happen.” I finished my telling of the Pit. Looking up I saw an awestruck Twilight. “Wow… Humans are resilient.” “Yea I guess we are.” I looked around. The sun was beginning to set. Did I really just spend another day talking to Twilight about humanity. At least it got my mind of captivity. Almost. There had still been that fear nagging at the back of my mind, saying I needed to run, needed to escape. Looking over the edge of my cloud again, I found myself marveling at the beauty of Equestria. So colorful, so peaceful. There where rolling hills from the forest to Ponyville. My cloud floated above a serene lake. Rainbow Dash had rejoined us and was once again napping in a cloud above mine. I was putting the final touches on the wooden statuette I had been carving. Done. I looked it over then nodded. “Hey Twilight, Catch.” I said as I tossed it to her. She caught the piece of wood with her magic, and brought it closer to examine it. Her jaw dropped and I felt a twinge of pride. “Where did you learn to do this?” She asked as she stared at the statuette. Staring back at her was a perfect likeliness of Twilight Sparkle, laying down and listening intently. “My father taught me how to do it when I was young. Since then I’ve gotten better at it, and use carving as a way to calm my nerves.” I stood up and walked around my cloud. I walked to the edge, then turned around and said. “Another thing, Twilight.” I pulled the chain from around my neck, twirled it on my finger once, and sent it hurling across the gap between us. “What is it?” She asked as she caught it in her magic. Pulling it up to her face so she could read the words imprinted on it. “Dogtags. Soldiers wear them, so that if they die, fellow soldiers may take there tags so they will be remembered. In case they can’t retrieve the body.” Or its so mangled it unrecognizable. I left that part out, not needing to scar Twilight more. “So then that soldier can be remembered. They are taken from the dead, dying, or those who know for sure they may die, give them to someone, just in case.” I thought I saw gears turning behind her purple eyes. “Well here you go.” She said as she started to float them back towards me. I held up my hand. “No, you keep them.” I watched as the gears clicked in her head. As she put together my earlier look of fear, the story of the Pit, and the dogtags together, her eyes widened. “No, Sol you don’t have to. We would never… it’s only until Celestia can get here. I sent her a letter, and she said she would come when she gets a chance. You don’t have to..” “And what happens when she gets here? Looks me over? Views me as a threat? I get thrown in jail? I’m sorry, Twi, but I can’t take the risk. I cant be in captivity. The Pit left its mark.” I began to lean back. “NO SOL!” I heard her yell, but it was to late, I was already falling. Wind whipped past my face as I dived face first towards the ground. The plan was to land in the lake, then get to the forest so I could lick my wounds, and maybe find someplace quiet to hole-up. Too bad things rarely go as planned. Above me I could faintly hear Twilight calling for Rainbow Dash to wake up. I expected that. Glancing over my shoulder I saw that Dash was now diving after me. And she was gaining, fast. I need to time this perfectly. Another glance told me Dash was even closer. Not yet, not yet. the water of the lake was getting closer fast. One last glance told me The cyan pegasus was right behind me. Now. Multiple things happened at once. I spread my body out. It wasn’t much, but it was just enough for Dash to shoot past me. What happened next, there was no way for me to predict. As she shot past me, I noticed a mach cone around her. What…? Dong she moves… Boom The air around Rainbow Dash literally exploded in color. The sound was deafening and the shock wave sent me flying though the air, away from the lake and towards the forest. Ok, looks like I’m skipping a step. Then I started getting hit with tree branches. ‘Whack’ Son ‘Whack’ Of ‘Whack’ a ‘Whack’ Bitch ‘Splash.’ I landed not too gracefully in a river that ran through the forest. Well at least I’m not dead. I thought as I pulled myself out of the river. Ouch… defiantly more broken ribs. What the hell was that I looked up to where a rainbow explosion was now coloring the sky. Whatever. I needed to get going, so I stood and ran into the brush in next to the river. While I climbed through the thick shrubs, branches kept snapping back and hitting my wounded ribs. On second thought, I can follow the river. I headed upstream, staying in the brush next to the beach. Above, I caught glimpses of Rainbow Dash combing the woods for me. Let her try to find me, I’ve played this game before. I kept moving along the bank, keeping out of sight. I stopped multiple times when I thought I heard someone moving around me. Or would that be somepony? My thinking was cut short by a voice to my left. “Where is it? I felt it near the mountain, but I looked all over that entire area, and nothing. Maybe Tia was right, and it was nothing…” The voice sounded, soft, comforting. The first thing that popped into my head was It sounds like the night sky. Wait, what? The night sky doesn’t sound like anything. I shook my head. Yep, I’m defiantly going crazy. Then again, world of talking ponies. What’a ya know, I’m already there. I looked out of the bush to see, laying on the river bank was a purple-blue pony, with a light blue mane and tail. She wore a small black tiara, along with light blue shoes and a black necklace with a crescent moon on it. But it was none of that, nor her cutie mark, which was a black mark on her flank with a crescent moon. What caught my eye, was her long slender horn, and wings. Something tells me things just got complicated.