//------------------------------// // The Mines // Story: The Lunar Empire // by Shaddeluim //------------------------------// I was only a filly when it all begun, I still remember that night like it was yesterday, all that destruction and death. Seeing that stuff changes a filly, but not me, it made me want to fight back. To fight for our freedom, to fight for the beautiful sight of our beloved sun. But I can't do that, not while I'm stuck in the mines, my friend Scootaloo and I have been here for ten years now. We've seen ponies arrive and die in these mines, no one ever leaves and no one ever escapes (Ponies usually don't live long enough to). That's all gonna change though, because we have a plan, but for the time being we work and we scheme. I walk down a mineshaft with a pickaxe held firmly in my mouth, there are ponies marching all around me all heading to the same place, their once bright colors have been dulled by the lack of sun and the dust from the mines. Most of them are either pegasi, like myself, or unicorns, with the occasional earth pony every once in while. There are guards standing on platforms above us, cracking whips every once in awhile. The guards assigned to watch over the mine are (or use to be) mostly unicorns, with a few pegasi to help chase ponies down if needed, but they're all as ruthless as Timberwolves. We call the guards, and all soldiers of the night, corrupted; because that's what they are, corrupted versions of themselves doomed to serve Nightmare Moon and her generals for ever. When a pony is corrupted they lose most of their physical appearances; their fur, skin, and muscles turn into a smoke like substance. Their bones become black and are visible beneath the smoke and the armour they wear, and their eyes are a menacing shade of red that leaves a pony shaking just by looking at them. "KEEP MOVING YOU WORTHLESS BUNCH!!" One guard yelled as he cracks his whip over the heads of the ponies in front of him. I looked over to my left to see Scootaloo ducking to avoid getting hit by the whip, although she'll never attempt it, but she has developed a slight fear whips during our time in the mines. It all started after we first arrived, a whip struck her face just above her right eye when she was trying to defend a group of younger fillies, it hit her hard enough to break the skin, she still has the scar it left behind, although her fur has grown over it over the years. I continue to look at her for bit, to make sure she was alright, after I was sure she was I looked straight ahead to see the end of the mineshaft. The main mine shaft goes from the living area to a giant atrium of walkways and other smaller mineshafts, we slaves gather at the same spot every day in this giant room to wait to find out where the different groups will be working. We all stood in the atrium pickaxes at the ready, the head guard, a unicorn stallion by the name of Drax (at least that's what the other guards call him), stood on top of a rock reading off the list of groups telling us which group is going where. The groups began to move to their areas and begun to work, leaving my group to be last one, the infamous Group D, full of the rebellious delinquents and troublemaker. Unlike the other groups which have about 25-35 ponies each, there are six members in my group including me and Scootaloo. "And finally Group D, you'll be going to shaft 13. I don't want any mishaps, the guards have been instructed to do what they wish with you six if you cause trouble. Now get to work!" The head guard yelled, my group began to walk towards our assigned area while I stayed behind. The guards begin close in around me, waiting to see what I do, I drop my pickaxe on the ground and sat down on the ground in silence. "Meadow Breeze isn't it?" The head guard ask me. I stare right into his red eyes and say nothing, the other guards begin to close in around me as i do so. "Why do you always cause trouble? It never goes well for you." "I don't Know, why do you always act like you care? I mean come on curve horn my good stallion, we all know you don't." I said trying push as many of his buttons as possible. "Actually....I'm not sure if you're even classified as a stallion anymore, you know being corrupted and all." I can see his anger growing with each word that I spoke, but before I could speak again, a heavy strike hit my left side just barely missing my wing. I fell to the ground gasping for air, I begin to shift my body in pain as I try to make sense of what just happened. Standing over me was one of the guards with a giant war hammer in his magical grasp, he looked down at me ready to strike at a moment's notice. I try to stand back up, but was stopped a kick to the side. "Not so tough now are you?" Drax asked me as he walked around me. "Your lucky I don't have you thrown in the pit for this insolence, but I know you'll do this again in a heartbeat. So here's what I'm gonna do: I'm gonna have you beaten and then thrown into the mines to work with the others, and if you stop at all, even if you are clearing rock out of your way, you're gonna get the whip. Have fun with the beating boys, I’ve got paperwork to do." Drax walked away after that, leaving the guards to have their sadistic fun, they kicked me, hit me with their whips and hammers. I'm clinging on to life at this point, the guards did a real number on me; my body hurts all over, my vision is blurred, I could feel blood seeping from my forehead and places on back. On top of all that my right front leg is badly hurt, it's not broken but I'll definitely wont be walking on it for awhile. I've been working like this for hours, every strike against a rock sends vibrations through my aching body, I begin to grow tired for the combination endless work and blood loss. I eventually collapse from exhaustion. "Get working or taste my whip slave!" The guard yelled when when he saw me. "I said get up!" He swung his whip towards me, I closed my eyes bracing myself waiting for more pain to come, but it never did. I opened my eyes to a yellow furred leg in front of my face and shadow covering me, I looked up to see an earth pony mare standing above me to act as a shield. The mare was around my age, her still brightish yellow fur and red mane suggest that she's new around here. Why is she here? Earth ponies are usually sent to the lunar farms not the mines, unless that she has a rebellious attitude of course, after all that's how I got sent here. "How about ya let her take a break, I mean look at her, she's about to pass out from how hard she's being work'd." The mare said. Her voice has a slight country accent to it, which is a little cute to listen to.... What's that around her neck? It's a red bandana, must be something important to her for her to wear it like that. "What's your name slave?" "Ma name is Applebloom." Applebloom? Where have I heard that before? "Fine, you all have thirty minutes to take a break, but don't expect to get another one any time soon." The guard said walking toward the mine's entrance. Applebloom moved from on top of me and began to help me to my hooves, Scootaloo quickly rushed to my side began to help as well. "Why did you do that?" I asked her leaning against Scootaloo's side "Yeah are you crazy? He could've killed you for that." Scootaloo said clearly and little annoyed by this new pony's actions. Applebloom seemed to be surprised by her attitude toward her, I looked over to Scootaloo, I could see the annoyance on her face, as well a bit of fear in her eyes. “Scoots it's ok. Don't sweat it Applebloom, Whiptail there is a bit spineless.” Applebloom seemed to relax a bit. “Thank you Applebloom, you really did help us out there.” I said as the other ponies in our group gathered around. We only do this when we’re not being watched by the guards, that’s usually at night in our bunks, every once and awhile we’ll get a chance during working hours. “Alright status report, how everypony doing on their missions?” A unicorn stallion by the name of Thunder Horn said once everyone was close enough. Thunder Horn is a bit bossy and arrogant for his own good, and he is the one pony that annoys me more than Drax. The beautiful voice of a young unicorn filled my ears, I couldn’t help but smile hearing it. The voice belonged to the beautiful Sweetie Bell, she’s a newer member of our group, but also one the only innocent ponie left in this cursed place. “We have everything we need, we’re just waiting for the other groups to get what they need” Sweetie said being careful she’s not to loud. The guards may be stupid but they have incredible hearing, on that note why are we talking about our plan now? “How about you Meadow, how are you holding up?” Thunder Horn asked me gently. “I’ve been better, but I'll live.” Thunder Horn may bug at times, but one thing is for sure about him, he cares about the wellbeing of others. “Thank you for asking.” “Your welcome, alright everyone if all goes well we’ll be out of this death hole by tomorrow.” “Breaks over slaves, get back to work!” Whiptail yelled snapping his whip in the air. We’ve been working for hours before we got to go back to the village, that is if you can call it a village. It’s just a bunch of shacks, that everyone has to share, a well and a farm to keep us alive. I forget how far underground we have to walk each morning, it doesn't help that it's downhill. I can hear whispers amongst the others, I'm not sure what they're saying but I’m too tired to care. I walk into my group’s shack and flopped onto my bunk, silently thanking Curve Horn for assigning me the bottom bunk. “Wake me when we’re free.” I said weakly to whoever was listening. “Wake up Meadow, we have a meeting first.” Scootaloo said walking past me. “Don't worry it’s in our shack this time.” “How did you manage that?” I asked picking my head up. “Wasn't me. It was all Thunder Horn.” “Remind me to thank him later.” I said sitting up in my bed right as the group leaders started to fill the shack. It’s time for the weekly meeting for the escape plan, it’s time to see where we are in the plan. Hopefully we can escape soon, I don't think I can last much longer doing this.