"I think this one's gonna be a challenge, Dustie." Mindy chirps as she hands me a piece of paper.
I look at the address, "Tacoma Washington. Not too far. Why do you think it will be a challenge?"
"Well." She bites her lower lip, "I'm not entirely certain there is a pony there to be rescued."
"Okay, but you think there is one?"
She nods happily, "Oh, yes. Tracking web searches from that location makes me really think there is a pony there. But the searching is inconsistent. I'm not certain there are ponies there, or curious humans who know some ponies in the midst of their transformation."
Sounds like a wild goose chase, "Where is Winter's team?"
"The Philippines. A personal favor for the man in office. He called personally and asked. He said the government there was not really being helpful, and he felt that our team would do the best job.
I shrug my wings, "Well, a mission is a mission. I hope there is a pony there."
"Ponies, the searches include unicorn and pegasi."
I smile, "The more the merrier."
"The chariot is being readied, and two more former chariot pegasi have volunteered. They did it for a living back in Equestria."
I scoff, "For that short a trip."
She interrupts me, "The chariot would be faster than anything else. Unless you want to leave Irony and Moon Shadow behind."
I wilt a little, "True."
***
I land shortly before my friends. I'm not getting in a chariot if I don't have to. But soon we are looking at the twenty five story building. I bring the pegasi of our team close.
"Cloud, Blossom, we need to find where the ponies are. With a building this big, I know there is a lot we can't see from outside, but check every window you can. If we see ponies we'll figure out what to do then.
We are in luck, the sun has just set, so the inside lights of the building are helping us, we can look through the windows without being spotted. All three of us pegasi are flitting around the building. After nearly an hour of searching, we join the rest of the team near the loading docks of the building.
I look over at the two idling panel trucks, both are closed, but no drivers are evident, so I ignore them for the time being. I look back at my team, "Anything?"
Two lowered sets of ears tell me everything. I look at Irony, "You think we should search the building from the inside?"
"It's either that or go home."
I look at the large building and back at my team, "If there are ponies in there, we need to find them."
"What do we do with any humans?"
I smile, "Let's see if we can nice our way through this one. Be polite, respectful, but insistent. See if we can get the security guards to let us walk through the public areas of the building. And see if we can see any signs of anything. Cloud Kicker and I can start on the roof, and see if we can find anything."
"And if we find anything, we will get the ponies, over the objection of the guards if need be. But let the guards know that this is going to happen. But don't let them know Cloud and I are going to be coming from the roof."
I get nods all around, and Cloud Kicker and I end up on the roof.
She looks around and points, "There's the roof access door." And in moments we are on the twenty third floor. The top two floors being machinery and open space, nothing to hide a pony. We trot down the hallway. We come to a T. I look left and right.
"Cloud, you go left, I'll go right."
"Dust, we should stay together."
I scoff, "Cloud, we can cover more if we split up."
"We are safer if we stay together."
I think about it for a moment, "You've got a good point Cloud Kicker."
She smiles at me, "All part of the service."
We trot down the hallway, checking doors, two out of three open easily, but usually after a head is stuck in, we can call the room clear. We cautiously head down the stairs to the twenty second. This one seems a little different, some kind of office level, with a huge set of cubicles, which we rapidly clear by simply flying over the half walls.
The twenty first floor however is vastly different. Not anonymous corridors with plenty of offices, but more of a mixed office setup, with a large open room. And right near the stairs is a reception area. I push gently on the glass doors, and they open easily. I smile. They must trust their security guards to protect everything. I keep my ears perked. We haven't seen anything, or even heard any humans or ponies.
I cautiously push through a door, and I see lights on down the hallway. I quickly trot down the hall with Cloud Kicker in tow. A cautious test shows the door is unlocked, so I push the door open. I get a few steps in when I hear Cloud scream. I whirl around and as I see Cloud Kicker collapse to the ground, a man in black holding something to her neck, I snarl as I take a step towards him, when I feel something jab against my shoulder, I scream as fifty thousand volts surge through my body. And my consciousness flees as everything goes black.
***Cloud Kicker***
Oh man. I put a hoof to my head. That hurt. I've been tazed before, but never as a pony. Damn. I finally am able to open my eyes.
"Dust, you okay?"
I look around I'm not where I was before, I'm in the lobby, right next to the glass doors and across from the elevators. I stand up and try to get my bearings. I look at the doors, two inch thick glass. I push on them, and this time, they are locked. I push on them harder. Nothing. I whirl around and buck them for all I'm worth. The thick glass doesn't even notice. I growl and look around.
"Dust, where are you?" This lobby is pretty small. I'm the only pony here. What the hell? After a few futile minutes, I finally hit the down button on the elevator.
It takes a frantic twenty minutes to find Irony, Blossomforth and Moon Shadow and apprise them of the situation. Soon we all are in front of the massive glass doors. Two security guards in tow.
Irony gestures to the doors, "Open them."
The older guard spreads his hands, "I don't have the keys, ma'am."
Irony growls, "Damnit, I shouldn't have left my mace and armor back at the chariot."
Moon Shadow giggles, "But you brought me along, love." Her horn lights and the doors try to resist her, but the hinges fail, toppling the massive doors. I flash over the open doors, calling for them to follow me. I can hear them following, and I ache to go faster, but I need them with me. Soon we are at the door where Dust and I got hit.
"It was right here, they got us." I say as I buck the door open. We rush through the door.
Nothing. An office desk, a computer, a chair, no Dust. Nothing.
Irony screams in rage and picks up the younger guard by the neck, "Who's space is this?" She screams in his face.
The older guard answers, "The Spectrum group."
She tosses the human aside, "We need to get downstairs, they have to be getting away with Dust."
Blossomforth and I flash to the stairs where we fly up and out of the building, then down to the ground. Moon Shadow and Irony beat us, by simply teleporting. We look around.
"Around the building, now!" Irony screams as we split to search around the building. We end up at the loading docks in the back, "Damn it. Where is she?"
I look around. Oh shit, "Irony, both of the trucks are gone."
"Let's go!" She shouts as we head to the chariot, once in the air, Blossomforth and I quarter back and forth, looking for any sign of the trucks. We keep searching throughout the night, and into the day, we finally decide we can't find them by flying around. We need help. Irony pulls out her phone. "Mindy, we need the backup team, and you. We need help."
***Lightning Dust***
I come to in a truck. At least I think it's a truck. It's moving, I can tell you that. I slowly open my eyes. The lights are on in the truck, and I'm not alone. My nose flares as I smell the human smell in the truck. But my vision is too blurry to make anything out. I try to stand, then discover that I'm restrained, and I'm in a cage. What the fuck? I've got hobbles on all four hooves, all with massive chains and they are welded to a pin in the floor. I lift a hoof, it's heavy. I don't think I've got enough strength to break the chains. Whomever they were, they were ready for a pegasus. I grin, but they couldn't be ready for a pegasus with magic.
I flash a wing forward, throwing a bolt at the cage door. My grim mirth is strangled as the bolt reflects off the thick steel bars of the cage and hits me. I suppress a scream as the voltage surges through me. I try a second time, with the same results.
"Don't bother." A voice interrupts. Jerking my attention to the human in the back of the truck with me. I blink a few more times, and finally enough tears allow my vision to actually clear.
Then I finally recognize who was talking, "You!" I shout, and I strain against my restraints.
The same man from the farm brings up a stool just outside the cage. He is in khakis again, but his polo shirt is green this time. He sits down and looks at me. "I told you it wouldn't be the last you saw of me, Mr. Shaw."
"It's Lightning Dust, you bastard."
He chuckles, "I prefer your human name, but then again, you've embraced being a freak of nature. So, I guess I'll call you by that name."
"You haven't told me your name."
He smiles, "And I don't plan to." He taps the bars of the cage with a finger, "And you are going to be our guest for quite a while, Miss Dust. Though we are going to have to do something about that troubling ability you seem to have."
I smirk, "Good luck. It's part of me. You would have to kill me to get rid of it."
He smiles, "I don't know about that." He gestures around him, "This truck is heading to some of my…" he pauses for a moment, an evil grin blossoming on his face, "associates. They are going to make use of you." His grin turns even more evil as he continues, "But not in the way that you are thinking. You are an anomaly, Miss Dust. Ponies aren't sapient. And yet, you are here. I've learned some about what was going on. And I must say, you should have all gone through that portal, and left our world in peace."
I flare my wings aggressively, "There are still humans transforming into ponies, I can't go home until all the ponies that want to go home get to Equestria."
"How unfortunate, for you. Miss Dust. Because you won't be seeing any more of your precious ponies ever again."
He stands up and moves to the front of the cargo box. After knocking on the sheet metal a few times, the truck pulls to a stop and the doors are opened. A half dozen men climb into the truck. He looks at them.
"Clip her wings, gentlemen." I back away from the door of the cage as they advance. I try to throw a bolt at them, but it's again reflected at me, dazing me. They take that opportunity to open the cage and one of them tackles me.
"Hey, get off me!" I scream as another man jumps on me, my back legs are splayed behind me, my front legs are pushed to the front, I have no leverage to buck them off. I feel my wings being spread, I can't move them where I want to move them, they are being held too tight. I curse at them, and scream. One of them grabs a large pair of pliers.
"What the fuck are you going to do with those?" I shout, and I get my answer quickly. I feel a stab of pain as a primary feather is ripped from my wing. I suppress my cry of pain as a second primary feather is yanked out. I struggle with all of my might, but I can't stop them, and soon the pain overwhelms me with every yank. I feel tears roll down my face as more and more of my long flight feathers are pulled out, one by one. My blood is running freely now. I am reduced to just being able to scream.
Finally they are done, they leave me in a crying, bloody mess, all of my flight feathers are scattered around. I look at my bleeding wings. I feel my magic, and try to push it through my wing, the cage is still open. But nothing happens. My feathers are the conduit for the magic. I sag to the floor in defeat.
"There now, that wasn't so bad, wasn't it?"
I can't stop the tears right now, but I'm able to produce saliva. I spit at him, "Fuck you, asshole!"
"No, I think your new handler can take care of that."
***
Three days of hell in that truck. No food, no water, and two wings that are absolutely on fire. And to top it off, I was in the dark for those three days. After that asshole and his apparent employees left. I was stuck in the dark. Nothing but the steady movement of the truck, though I could tell when we stopped for fuel. But my throat was so parched by that point, I couldn't do more than whisper, much less make enough noise to attract any attention. Finally the truck bounces down what is apparently an unpaved road. I hear the roar of other engines, but I don't know what's going on.
Then the door is opened, and I am completely blinded. I blink my eyes to allow myself to acclimate to the onslaught of light. I feel the body of the truck shift as someone comes in. By the sour smell of their sweat, they are human. The door to the cage is opened and a large metal bowl is gently placed in front of me. I look at it, it's full of water. I try to pick it up, but it's too big. I take the edge in my lips and tilt it down, spilling more on my face than what makes it in my mouth. For my trouble a booted foot slams into the side of my head. Knocking me to the extent of my restraints.
"You stupid bitch, drink."
I've got enough water to wet my throat, "I was trying."
Another kick, "No, you dumb fuck. It's a bowl, drink it."
I move to tilt the bowl to sip the water again, and get another boot to the side of the head for my trouble.
"Are you not listening? You must be really fucking dumb. Drink the fucking water before the plane is ready."
I shake my head, then what he was wanting finally dawns on me, I shoot him a venomous glare, "I'm not a common animal." I again try to get my hooves under the bowl so I can pick it up. This time my head is roughly grabbed, and my muzzle is shoved into the water. I have no choice at this point, I extend my tongue and start lapping up the water, the hands withdraw as I keep drinking. Feeling more and more degraded with every lap. I look up as best I can while doing so, and all I see are boots. I see fresh blood on the toe of one. I know that was my blood. I keep my temper as best as I can, but I do glare at the boots as I finally empty the bowl. My stomach protests the sudden onset of liquid, and I have to suppress the urge to vomit from drinking too much. I sit on my haunches while I'm trying to overcome my sudden nausea. Then hands come around and I feel a sharp click as a steel collar is snapped around my neck. I rear back, only to be restrained by the hobbles and the collar.
"What the fuck?" I am able to croak. This time the boot finds my ribs, knocking me on my side. Ow, that hurt like a son of a bitch. I stagger to my hooves. A ratchet is brought out, unbolting the pin from the bed of the truck. Then bolt cutters cut the chains from the hobbles, leaving my front legs tied together, and another set on my rear legs. I can walk, but only short, mincing steps. I extend my wings for balance, only to get another boot to the ribs. Fine, message received, keep the wings folded. I'm not helped the three feet out of the truck. I have to jump, ending up on my face. The chain on my new collar tightens, prompting me to get up. I can hear them talking.
"The border patrols have been stepped up again, we have to fly south."
"Why are we taking that stupid thing?" The second voice says.
The man holding the other end of my chain responds, "Because our employer told us to. Get this trash across the border, then we can get paid for this job."
I sigh, and try not to let my tears fall. I've done enough crying back on the truck. It's time to focus on survival. Though after three unsuccessful attempts at trying to climb into the plane, I'm finally picked up and all but thrown into the cargo area of the small plane. I simply lay there as the plane taxies over the rough ground, then accelerates into the sky.
Hours pass as we fly. I was expecting a short trip to get across the border, but apparently they aren't planning on staying close to the States. I am eventually lulled to sleep by the gentle motions of the plane.
Which eventually wakes me up as it lands. I groan as the plane taxies to a stop, and in a rush, I'm in the back of another truck. This one has an open top. So I can see as the sun sets as we travel. I've lost count of how long this trip has been. But well after full dark, the truck slows down and turns onto a gravel path. Finally the truck stops, then backs up a short distance. I'm not even given the chance to do anything as I'm roughly picked up and unceremoniously tossed onto the ground. I'm so exhausted, I fall asleep nearly immediately.
***
"Get the fuck up." I know that voice, it's the same voice from the truck. I look as another bowl of water is set in front of me. I consider trying to drink normally out of it. But I decide that isn't a good idea. I obediently lap up the water.
"So, you can learn." To which I stop and shoot him a dirty look. But I go back to drinking quickly. Finally I'm done. And I'm starving, but otherwise, my head doesn't hurt as much. I finally back away from the bowl.
"Thank you." I allow, only to have his boot flash out and connect with my temple.
"I don't need your gratitude." Well, any nice feelings wither up and die at that point.
I don't know what he's wanting at this point, so I sit on my haunches and study him. He's wearing camouflage pants and a black t-shirt. He's white. At least I think he is. He's heavily suntanned, and his narrow face smiles at me. But I don't like that smile. I feel like a slab of meat being scrutinized. Finally he grabs the chain to my collar and leads me into a building off the paddock that I was dumped into. The pull chain light is switched on. And I can see him even better than the low lights in the yard. He smiles again, showing half his teeth are missing. I really don't like his smile.
"So. What now?" I ask. And to my relief, his foot doesn't lash out at me again. His grin only gets wider. He walks around me slowly, and hooks the chain to a hook on the rafter, wrapping it a few times so I can't simply flip the chain to get it loose. Then he continues walking around me. I move as best as I can to keep him in front of me, but soon I'm at the limit of what they chain will twist. I feel my wings extend. I'm getting pissed at his silence and that disturbing grin. Unfortunately, that makes his grin widen. The collar is preventing me from turning my neck any further. I hear something coming from him. Oh no. I know the sound of a zipper. I hear the soft sounds of cloth being moved. Is he doing what I'm thinking he's getting ready to do?
"What the fuck?" I scream as hands grab both of my wings at their roots. They are still extremely sensitive after the feathers being removed. I don't have any time to think of anything before he enters me.
I scream as he starts moving, I clamp my wings to my side, trying to do something, anything to get this invasion to stop. But he keeps going, getting into a rhythm. I try moving away, but the collar around my neck combined with him holding me doesn't allow me to do anything but write in his grip.
"You sad motherfucker. You have to take women when they are unable to fight back. You let me go, and I'll show you what it's like with someone who can fight back." I scream. I try to rear my head back to bite him. But that damned collar cuts off my airflow.
He keeps it up, "You know, I was a man before this change. I was bigger to." Damn, no reaction at all, except the rhythmic pumping.
"You miserable fuck!" I scream again, "Only the lowest of animals rape. You dumb son of a bitch. I bet you raped your mother. You miserable excuse for a dumb fuck sick sumbitch!"
He's still going, what the fuck! The hobbles around my legs keep me from kicking, I can't do anything. As he continues, I feel tears leaking from my eyes. My ineffective shouting eventually devolves into nothing more than a long wail. This is too much for me. I want to lose consciousness, I want to die, I want anything but more of this. But still he's not done. Finally, after what seems like forever, his pace quickens. And he shudders against me. He finally lets me go, where I collapse, only being held up by my neck. Maybe I can suffocate like this. But no, he reaches up and loosens the chain so my head is able to lay on the ground.
"Must keep you alive, boss' orders."
I hear him reassemble his clothes. And he passes my vision as he heads to the door.
"I lasted longer as a guy, you miserable fuck."
He chuckles, "Maybe, but I've got you. And you are mine to do with as I please." He pulls the chain, plunging the stable into darkness as he slams the door behind him.
I can only lay there, and cry.