Rough Landing: A Desert Geek's Experience of Equestria

by DrZed

Emancipation

I wake up in the dim light, Rarity is huddled against the bars right next to me, sharing warmth.

I reach down and lightly scratch her ears.

She murrs softly and her eyes open halfway, “Mmm?”

“shhh, It's just me.”

She gives a little smile, “That feels nice. Those claws you have are amazing.”

“Hands, they are called hands. And yes, they are. Humans as a race have made many tools with and for hands like mine. We're quite versatile, as a race.”

We remain like that for a little while, then I pull my hand back as one of the guard dogs approaches. “Time for work!”

---

Rarity and I are sent to another tunnel. yes, another dusty cave, more hard digging.

After a while Rarity gives a start. “I feel a change in the magic....” she glances around. “Someone's casting major spells!”

Then suddenly there's an explosion far down the passage, the shouting of dogs and the screaming of ponies. And a guard bulldog comes running by “The Guard Ponies have found us!”

Asshole growls, “Take these two away, get them out of here! Move Ape Beast!” Asshole moves closer and raises his stick. He swings it at my arm.

“Not this time!” I growl at him, catching the stick, and pulling it out of his grasp.

“It talks?!” the runt steps back, flabbergasted.

“Better than you!” with that I kick him in the stomach sending him flying into two guard dogs.

”Rarity, We are leaving this hellhole!” I stand up tall and beckon to her, “Follow the voices, let's go! I'll keep you safe!”

The two of us sprint past several guard dogs, I lay in with my digging tool like a club, putting dents in helmets and clearing a way.

As we pass other captured ponies, I slide to a halt and swing the pickaxe, breaking the link in a chain holding a line of ponies together.

Rarity calls out to them, “Everypony Escape! We're Free!” They get the message quickly, some using rocks to smash their tethers, other just tearing the chains from the walls. The other prisoners shrink as they see me but start following a distance behind Rarity as we head toward the sounds of fighting. Soon we have a herd of escapees helping others.

I see the melee and slow down holding up a hand to stop the others, “Wait here!”

I take a deep breath and give a battle cry, while charging forward.

Many of fighting dogs pause as they look back to see the source of the noise. As the dogs see me charging in they panic “APE BEAST IS LOOSE!”

"NOT JUST LOOSE! APE BEAST IS MAD!" I shout back, grabbing a smaller dog and pitching him over my shoulder.

I step into the fray and lay in with my tool, clubbing and kicking the dogs against the sides of the cave, routing them. I halt before I reach the royal guards at the other side. I shout, “CLEAR A PATH! I have free ponies!”

The guards looked shocked at my words but form a shield wall pushing the mutts against one side of the cave. I look back to Rarity and the others and wave them through, “GO GO GO!”

A stampede of ponies charge through the gap and escape.

Rarity stops and looks back “Aren't you coming?!”

I grin, “Not yet. These mutts have some things of mine! Go on, get out of this dirt hole, I'll see you when it's over!”

I scoop up a rusty shield from where a dog abandoned it and begin heading back down the tunnel.

I headed back down a side tunnel and approached the center of the dog's caves, the Alpha's room.

I opened up on any dogs in my path, swinging with the pick and the shield and sending them running away shrieking.

I finally made it to the boss dog's chamber, which was abandoned and grimaced when I realized he'd been using my burgundy full circle cloak as a chair cover, I shook my head at the stains but pulled it on anyway, pulling the hood over my head. I was somewhat grossed out but grateful the hood didn't smell funny.

I also found my hand and a half sword in it's scabbard next to the 'throne' as well. Big fat dog needs a big sword, I guess. I scooped up my belt and pouches, stuffing what I could find of their contents back into them. I threw on the belt and drew the sword, smiling wickedly as four feet of steel blade meet the air.

Glancing around the room I take a quick look at all the loot had been stashed here. I was surprised by the variety, jewelery, pocket watches, fancy hats.. I dug around and found two sets of saddlebags, and loaded up as much as I could carry so they can be returned to their rightful owners. Throwing the bags over my shoulders I headed back out of the cave system, sword at the ready.

Leaving was not easy and blood was spilt, but after a while the sounds of battle had faded, and I walked calmly toward the last place I had seen the Royal guards.

“HALT!” came the booming voice of an armored stallion.

I stopped and sheathed my sword, pulling back my hood “I was a prisoner here as well!”

A group of guards approached me, weapons ready, wary of the tall cloaked figure.

I raised my hands above my head. "I surrender."

“Cedric!” Rarity's voice cut through the tension like a knife. “He's telling the truth! Let him by!”

The guard captain, a white unicorn possessing a blue and white mane and a shield on his flank called out, “Weapons down! Let him through!”

I breathed a deep sigh of relief as the guards moved past me further down the tunnel.

Rarity ran up and I knelt as she hugged me tightly, “You're safe!”

I grinned, “Of course I am, Let's get out of here.”