A New World, A New Conflict

by Evowizard25


Worries {Day 7}

Living in the Hyena Dog caves for as long as she did was challenging for Loving Note for a variety of reasons. Hygiene was the greatest of them all. A place filled with nary a bath and dogs that had no idea how to use soap was taxing on her. The second was the company. Ponies are naturally social creatures. It’s in their very genes to seek others to live and hold dear. The Hyena Dogs had sort of become her family of sorts, but they weren’t that interesting to talk to. She felt like an outsider.

It didn’t help that the other slaves hated her. Loving Note was the favorite of Skulltaka, so she had privileges and such the others didn’t. She didn’t have to work in the mines or lift a hoof. She knew what they called her behind her back and she knew they’d kill her if they could. They wouldn’t because Skulltaka would do what they did to her and ten times worse. She didn’t hate them for feeling this way, but she was still lonely.

So imagine her delight when she got the cutest little creature she had ever seen to live with her.

“You have such a fine mane,” Loving Note smiled. She and Lia were sitting inside her ‘room’ with the duo in front of a mirror. Loving’s magic stroked a brush through the little mon’s mane. “I would think it was crafted by Celestia herself, if I wasn’t mistaken.”

“Uh-huh,” Lia mumbled.

Loving Note kept smiling in hopes of brightening up the little girl. “You know what would make it even prettier? A braid. It’s a shame to hide even a smidgen of that pretty face of yours.”

“Uh-huh.”

As Loving Note used her magic to braid it, she sighed. “I know this all might seem like too much-”

“Too much?” Lia crossed her arms. “Oh no. It isn’t too much. I’ve just been kidnapped and beaten. That’s a walk in the park.”

Loving Note put a hoof to her forehead. “Look, I don’t like it either, but what’s done is done.”

“Liar,” Lia scowled. “You’re a big meanie like the rest of them.”

“I am not a big meanie.”

“Then let me go home,” Lia turned around. Her eyes were glistening with tears. “I want to go home. Please, miss Note. Please.”

“I….” Loving Note gulped. Her normally adorable face looked so forlorn that she couldn’t help but hurt inside. She hugged the little mon. “I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry, but you can’t leave. None of us can.”

“But I don’t want to stay,” Lia sniffed. “I want to go home.”

“It’s not so bad here,” Loving tried to assure her. “Us girls can survive here no problem. No one’s going to hurt a single hair on your head. We can even have little plays and tea parties and all of that. Doesn’t that sound good?”

“I don’t care,” Lia forcefully said. “I want my mommy. I want my big brother.”

“You….learn to live without them,” Loving Note closed her eyes, cutting off those memories. “This is your new home now. So please, don’t fight against it.”

“I will,” Lia cried. “I don’t want to live in a cave. I want to go eat icecream with mommy. She always cleans my face when I eat it, cause I get it all over my face. I want to have a tea party with my big brother. I just want out of here!”

“You can’t leave,” Loving sighed. “None of us can ever leave, but it isn’t so bad. We can be your new family and do all of that.”

“Why?”

That was the question that cut her to the core. Why? Loving had asked herself that very question so many times in the last few years that she lost count. She’d have guessed it’d number in the thousands.

“Because….” Loving started. “Because that’s just how it is.” All she received was more crying. Doing her best to cradle the young mon and stroke her head, she began to talk. “Before I came here, I was a pony of the stage. Ponies from all around Equestria would come to watch me perform any number of plays. My favorites were the musicals. Oh I remember the roars of the crowds, the fame, the countless parties.”

“But you’re here now.”

“Yes...I’m here now.” Loving Note held in a few tears, putting on her best smile as she looked into Lia’s face. “And I’m happy, see?”

“You’re faking it,” Lia sniffled, trying to wipe away her tears.

“Maybe a little,” Loving used her magic to conjure up a tissue to clean up the little girls’ face. “I didn’t like it here at first, but now I have a home and someone who cares about me.”

“But don’t you miss acting?”

“Everyday of my life,” Loving said. “I can’t go back and sometimes I’m not sure if I want to...Oh look at me, throwing this all on you. How dreadful. Wait, this has given me the grandest of ideas. How about we put on a play?”

“A play?”

Loving nodded, seeing Lia’s curiosity peaked. “Oh yes. A lovely thing like you would be the highlight of any theatre.”

“That does sound like fun,” Lia relented. “But how?”

“Skulltaka listens to me,” Loving said. “He’ll take care of it. So cheer up and let’s get to practicing.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

“Is something wrong with your tea?” Tica asked, glancing at her long time friend. The two of them were perhaps among the oldest members in the PLA and had seen much. Far too much if you were to ask them. It didn’t help that they were one of the few sane members in the army.

“No,” Joy said, wearing a comfortable . She was doing a very good impression of an Audino during an earthquake with all of her shaking. Her tea spilled out of her cup as she shook it so. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“Then perhaps I am mistaken,” Tica relented. “For a moment, I had thought there was an earthquake about.”

Joy sighed. “It’s that obvious?”

Tica nodded. She knew perfectly why and it wasn’t just because the woman used to be human. Joy was an exceptional fighter and marksman. She wouldn’t run from a fight. Joy even sparred with some of the pokemon and won.

“I’m sorry,” Joy said. “It’s just-”

“You’re worried for them.”

“Sev can handle himself,” Joy smirked. “He’s my son.”

“And my pupil,” Tica smiled. “He was such a hopeless fighter when he came to me. His dancing….was something I do not wish to speak about.”

Joy laughed. “Of course, but you taught him better than I could in that regard.”

“I still sometimes wonder how you humans were so agile with those gangly limbs,” Tica chuckled.

“I still wonder how you could do anything without thumbs,” Joy waggled her fingers.

“It appears the shots have been fired,” Vapora waltzed on by. The vaporeon took her seat. “A little get together, without mwa? I’m annoyed and you won’t like me when I’m annoyed.”

“I’m trembling,” Joy rolled her eyes. “It was just a little talk between us mature ladies.”

“I am mature,” Vapora stuck her nose up in the air.

“A mature woman wouldn’t jump their beloveds like a mon in heat every second of the day,” Tica said, smirking at the younger mon’s blush.

“What can I say,” Vapora shrugged. “He’s cute.”

“Char is that,” Joy nodded. “I’m sure you’ll make a wonderful couple.”

“I hope so…” Vapora said. “I just wish he wouldn’t run off like he does all the time. How do you manage?”

Joy frowned. “I don’t….The worry just eats me alive that I….I….” Without any further ado, she burst into tears. “I WANT MY BABIES BACK!” She buried her face in her arms.

“Oops,” Vapora smacked herself.

Tica quickly pulled Joy into a hug. “They’ll be alright.”

“But my little girls’ kidnapped and I can’t save her now,” Joy sniffed. “I’m a little chubby Audino...No offense.” She added.

“You’re not used to your body yet,” Tica said. “You will.”

“And you’ll be kicking butt in no time,” Vapora joined in on the hug. “Now, how about we get our minds off this and go shopping~”

“I am a grown mon,” Tica said. “I will not-”

“That sounds lovely,” Joy said. “It’ll get my mind off this...My boy always does the impossible anyways. He’ll find them soon.”

“Of course he will,” Tica said. “Gard gave him the idea of who his target was.”

“He what?” Joy looked taken aback. “What did he do to my little snake?”

“Nothing much,” Tica said. “Just quickly messaged him about the Hyena Dogs. He wasn’t able to get a lot though. There seems to be something blocking long range telepathy.”

“That doesn’t sound ominous at all,” Vapora rolled her eyes.

_______________________________________________________________________

Rio was an impatient mon. The calm before the storm was always his most despised moment of any day. He wanted to punch something so bad and it didn’t help none that Lia was captured to. Now his blood was really heated. So he couldn’t sleep, he couldn’t stand still. He needed to keep moving. That’s why he was pacing between the cars and why the other creatures in said cars gave him his space. Even his kids on board didn’t want to tussle with him, well, at least not now. They were still his kids after all.

Rio eventually made his way to the last car. He was going to let off a little steam with some practice, but he discovered someone else was doing that here anyways. Quietly, he walked over and peered around a crate. There was his youngest son, Lu, training. He was kicking, practicing his aura senses, all that fun stuff. Rio was honestly impressed. His little son was faster than he gave him credit for. His aura was certainly something too. ‘Can’t believe ah missed that.’ He made a mental note to do a little more personal training with Lu after this was over.

Little Lu stopped, panting slightly. “Ah’m comin’ Lia. Ain’t nothin’ stoppin’ me.”

Rio chuckled and walked out of his hiding. “Well don’t this beat all. Weren’t ya supposed ta stay home with yer ma?”

Lu yelped and jumped backwards. Then the little guy put on a tough front. “Ah’m comin’ pa. Lia’s my best friend. Ah ain’t gonna let nomon take her away.”

Rio held up his arms in a defensive posture, but his smirk remained. “Ah get it. Felt the same when ah was yer age with yer ma. Taught those trainers a thing or two back then.” He chuckled. “Ah’m not gonna put ya to the side. Ya can fight, but yer mom’s gonna kill us either way.”

Lu gulped. His mother was certainly a force to be reckoned with, especially with her kids. He was just amazed he got away from her in the first place. He simply nodded in response.

“Now come on,” Rio beckoned his son closer. “Let’s go get some grub. Can’t fight those dogs on an empty stomach….Still don’t know how we knew what they were….Eh, probably Gard.” He shrugged. The two of them started off.

“Pa,” Lu spoke up. “How do we know where they are?”

“We don’t,” Rio smirked. “But that’s how we’ve always done it. We’re lucky like that.”

Just as the two walked outside in between cars, a PLA Swellow swooped down and saluted. “Sergeant Low reporting, sir.”

Rio returned the salute. “Report.”

“I’ve found the enemies base,” Low said, grinning widely. “Those sons of bitches are less than a mile away to the east.”

Rio laughed and ruffled his boy’s head. “Hear that? Ah told ya we’d find ‘em.”