Nex, Gladiator

by That_Random_Pony

Prologue

Canterlot Castle. Solar Barracks

"Geez... 500,000 bits... for a kid!" a guard silently exclaimed, running his hands through his dull green mane. "We could buy a mansion after we go 50/50. Think about it!"

The guard he was referring to, a brown pegasus with a caramel mane, anxiously rubbed his fingers together. "But... we're stealing a kid," he reminded him, uneasy with the mere thought of it. "Foalnapping, which is at least 10 years, and what happens if inmates find out? We'll be dead before an execution can be arranged for breaking our oath!"

"Which is why we don't get caught!" the beige stallion told him. "We need somepony inconspicuous. Somepony that won't draw attention... hmm... the orphanage!"

"Celestia, Buckle, is it really worth that much to you?!" he quickly whispered. "You'd ruin a kid's life who's already got nothing?!"

Buckle shook his head. "These kids aren't gonna be leaving that inn any time soon. We're in Canterlot! Canterlot, Split! Kids run away from that place all the time," he coldly remarked. "The guys over in downtown had to arrest a couple of them for stealing!"

"But we're Solar Guards!" Split Second cried, visibly seething. "How can you talk like that and not feel disgusted?!"

Loose Buckle sighed and walked over to his friend. "Split, with the bits you get you could pay for the surgery your Pa needs, right?" he asked. Split glared up at him, then softened his expression as the words rang in his head. "No pony gets hurt. No pony finds out."

Split moved away, sitting on his bunk as he lowered his head. His job as a Solar Guard wasn't exactly the best paying job, and just a month before his father had been diagnosed with severe wing failure. They were running out of money to keep him in a hospital bed, and soon they'd have to check him out. If that happened... Split didn't even want to think about that. The whopping 250k would make anypony jump at the offer, but it was at the cost of his moral value.

"No pony knows these kids... right?" Split questioned, refusing to look his dearest friend in the eye.

If he had, he would have seen the biggest smile Buckle had ever made. "They're orphans. I even had a chat with the lady that runs it. Some kids leave and never come back," he grimly chuckled. "Piece of cake. The kid just happened to run away. If things get bad, we just keep up the standard guard behavior. No pony asks us what we're doing, anyway."

Split felt a chill make his feathers stand up. It was frightening to know that he was being honest and right. Who would think that a Solar Guard, one of Celestia's guards, would be doing anything remotely out of his jurisdiction? The filly or colt could kick and scream all they wanted, but no pony would stop them.

"Did you pick one, or do I need to be there to pick?" Split asked, deciding to put aside his shame for later.

Eerily enough, Buckle's smile grew. "Oh, don't worry. I picked the one thing no pony will ever miss," he assured Split. "We'll talk it out later, but we gotta get the brat by tomorrow night. Then we take him to the dealer and - badaboom! - we get rich, and you help your dad."

There was a knock on the door, just before Captain Iron Head marched in. "What are you two colts doing?" he barked, the two scrambling for their armor. "You're both two minutes late to your posts! Now getting goin' before you're on toilet duty for a month!"

Buckle marched beside Split, and the two looked to one another. The former smiled and nodded his head. "This is gonna work out, S. I can feel it."

The next day's dusk....

"Okay, children, dinner time," a sweet voice rang out. Sixteen rambunctious fillies and colts of varying ages rushed into the crowded kitchen, pushing at each other for a seat. "Settle down, everypony, there isn't much so be careful."

"Do we have to feed him?" a filly scoffed. "He doesn't even like this stuff."

"There'd be more if we weren't still serving it," an older colt grumbled, taking a bowl of lumpy vegetable soup.

"Who's turn is it to bring it up to him, anyway?" another colt questioned.

A number of ponies quickly stated, "Not me!" before all eyes moved to a unicorn teen sitting closest to the door. "Fine," he groaned, swiping the bowl up and trudging himself to the stairs.

The loose floorboards creaked and groaned as he made his way up to the attic, the light of the candles downstairs dimming to black as he reached the small hall to its room. He pounded on the door three times before a frail voice asked, "Who is it?"

"Me, you booger," the colt sneered, rattling the doorknob. "Isle made soup. Open up so I can give you it."

On the other side of the door, the boy cringed as he remembered the voice vividly. His spindly fingers hesitated near the knob, and he retracted them quickly before gulping down the lump in his throat.

"Leave on floor!" he called, putting an ear to the door.

There was a low grunt, just before the door smacked into his face and knocked him down. He recoiled as he felt a hand grab his ragged shirt, tearing it even further as he was lifted up. "When I say open the door, you open the door, weirdo."

The colt dropped him, then poured the lukewarm meal on him. He tossed the bowl to the side before spitting and turning to leave.

"You're lucky Isle took you in, you little freak. Next time you listen or I make sure you never eat again," he practically growled. "Stupid monkey."

The boy sniffled as the door slammed shut. He wiped the clumpy dinner off of him, then wiped his eyes on his shirt. The smell would surely add another smell to his bed, and any stains would be permanent until Isle washed their laundry. He left the mess of food on the floor as he climbed into his bed and covered himself with the smallest blanket in the house.

He never understood why no pony liked him. No... he didn't understand why they hated him. They all had wonderful traits: a horn, wings, or strength and a connection to nature. He was plain. They were furry and colored uniquely. He was tannish with a bit of black fur on his head. Aside from that, they talked and walked like him. So what made him so distant?

He curled up in his bed and cried. He'd spent the night that same way for far too many times to remember. It was all he could do. They would glare at him if he stepped foot on the staircase, but laughed and cackled as they mocked and bullied him. His shudders rocked the bed, while his tears dried as he drifted off into a painful sleep.

There was a clang against his window, then the sound of creaking wood. His snores blocked out the sound of his window's rusted hinges. Golden greaves gently glided across the floor boards, a form moving over to his bed. The boy grunted as he was picked up and slouched over something sturdy.

"Careful. We don't need it making a scene."

"Just keep the ladder still."

Buckle stepped off the last rung, and Split folded it back up and placed it next to the building's shed. They looked down each street as they made their way down the market districts. Although the city was supposed to be bustling as usual, with the performance of the up and coming Sapphire Shores the city was mostly clear. There were still some ponies around, and they looked to the small creature Buckle was carrying with disgust and interest, but no one said anything.

"Where did this thing come from, anyway?" Split whispered, trying to retain the stoic gaze of the Guard.

Buckle, as usual, shrugged and grinned. "Beats me. But they said a kid, so this thing should be a good trade."

One of the shopkeepers stared at the creature while he closed down his shop. As he pulled down the metal gate, he obliviously let it slip and cringed at the sound of metal on concrete. Buckle and Split jumped, and they panicked when they heard small gasp afterwards.

"W-Wha- Let go!" it yelled, thrashing violently. "Let go! Isle! Somepony!"

His thrashing forced Buckle to grip him tighter, and Split's expression bordered between fear and terror. "Get him quiet!" he urgently whispered.

With a sharp jerk, Buckle secured the boy and sneered, "Nopony cares about this freak. Look."

Split glanced around, noticing some couples and civilians watching them. But none of them looked even remotely disturbed by the scene. In fact, some looked relieved to see Buckle handling the thing so firmly.

The boy, on the other hand, continued to scream and shout at anypony they passed. He hollered at the nearest person, managing to frighten them but nothing more. He resorted to kicking the guard with his legs, bruising himself against the golden plate of armor. Wiggling his way out wouldn't work either, since the guard had an iron grip around his shoulders to keep him still.

"Please! Somepony!" he cried. "Please! Please! I do nothing!"

He met their eyes. They all had beautiful eyes, even the men. But in those wonderful colors, he saw hatred. Malice. Fear. He'd never met them. He never did anything to frighten them until now. And yet they had forsaken him. Something welled up in his chest, and his face scrunched up into a snarl.

"ANYPONY!" he sobbed. "WHY NO HELP?! PLEASE! I NO BAD!"

But they just left him. The closer they got to their destination, the less and less he tried. His screams and yells deteriorated to silent sobs and sniffles. Never had he felt so alone. So outcasted...

...so hated.

And although he didn't know what it was, Split couldn't help but feel sympathy for it. The remorseful side of his mind nagged at him to stop this. If he said anything, Buckle would have no choice but to release him. But they'd reached the point of no return. Should it go to somepony willing to listen, they would be indicted and put to death for something as awful as what they were doing.

Either he lived, or he died. And death scared him far more than an enemy.

"Finally," Buckle groaned, rubbing his temple. "Thought it would never pipe down."

It sniffled again, looking down to the floor as his clothes got more and more damp. "What I do?" he whispered, sobbing once again. "Why... why everypony hate me... why?"

Before Split could speak, Buckle made a sudden turn into an alley. He hurried to catch up, but bumped into his partner when he made another abrupt stop. Rubbing his nose, he peered past him and saw a silhouette gradually moving out from the dark. A smile graced Buckle's lips as a grey coated stallion with a dull blue mane made himself visible. His right hand held a briefcase, and his left held a small sack.

"Is it a colt or a filly?" Split felt a coldness in his hands when he heard the stallion’s mechanical voice.

Grunting softly, Buckle pulled the creature off from his shoulder and stood him in front of the dealer. When they'd first arranged the meeting, he hadn't seen the stallion show any sort of emotion. But once the creature was out in the open, his eyes widened and his mouth opened gradually.

"Pretty sure it's a colt," he chuckled, pushing it over to him. "Feisty little guy, but he calmed down."

"And no pony saw you?" he asked, stepping towards the furless animal.

"Well... some ponies did," Split stammered, glancing to Buckle with an anxious frown.

"No pony wants this thing around, anyhow," Buckle stated, crossing his arms over his chest. "Folks looked glad to see him with us."

It didn't quite settle his mind, but the dealer was sure a creature like him wouldn't be a concern in the prejudice society of Canterlot. He came closer to his item and started to feel his arms, then legs, and a number of other procedures. The boy didn't dare move without his consent, and he only spoke when asked to. Split could see how giddy the stallion was, even though his face shared their usual stoic glares. When he looked into the boy's mouth, he rose a brow before reaching into the sack and grabbing a blindfold.

"He's a bit malnourished, but other than that he's an interesting specimen," he concluded, wrapping the cloth over his eyes. "I thought you'd be bringing us a normal child. Now that it's clear, I'd like to adjust our offer."

"What do you mean by 'adjust'?" Buckle snorted, glaring at him threateningly.

He merely chuckled at Buckle's reaction before waving a hand. "We are, how you say, mindful of our bargains. We pay for an item that is worth a certain amount of money, and our sellers offer us that," he smiled, finishing a knot on the rope around the boy's arms. "Not only is this a new species, but a fascinating one at that. It's a child, which makes it much more valuable, and it's nameless."

"Get to the point," Buckle grunted.

"My point, is that you've given us a once in a lifetime opportunity," he nodded, handing over the briefcase. "The most I can say, is that you'll be seeing much more than this. My master will be very excited, and he'll want for repay you in full."

It was music to Buckle's ears. He took the case with gusto and shook his hand. "We're looking forward to it," he laughed, glancing to Split cheerily.

The two parties returned down the paths they came, vanishing from the area within the hour. The boy whimpered as he was thrown into a cart and grabbed my numerous hands.

"What is your name?" the dealer asked, nodding to the driver.

"...no... no have..."

Yet another smile made its way across the dealer's face as he let out a content sigh. "Mr. Buckle has certainly graced us with this," he chuckled, followed by two other voices doing the same.

It was now that he heard two smaller, lighter voices. One was whispering prayers while the other cried and occasionally whimpered. "We get through this... we need be strong," he whispered, his vision obscured by the sack over his head.

"I want my mommy," a filly's voice sniffled. "I want my blankie."

"I'm not a bad colt," the other foal cried. "I want my daddy."

He reached behind himself and touched their hands, grasping them firmly. "Names?"

The colt snorted harshly, then murmured, "Steel Kick."

"Rose Bowl," the filly weakly replied. "What... what about you?"

He sighed softly before swallowing the lump in his throat. "I don't know." The other two were silent, and they stayed that way for the rest of the ride.

3 days later...

The ear-piercing shriek of the train woke him up, along with the dozens with him. They weren't tossing or shaking like they'd been over the past few days, and it worried them greatly. Sacks stilled covered heads, and their blindness to what was happening made it even worse. They flinched at a loud bang resounded in their car, and waited anxiously as the bolt unlocked and the door was opened.

"Everypony outside," a soothing voice told them.

Nothing could seem comparable to her angelic voice, and it dissuaded any apprehension from earlier. They carefully walked down a set ramp, then gasped as the cool grass and earth beneath their feet tickled them. Other people could be heard talking a strange language, and they circled around the children. One by one, the fillies and colts were allowed to see, until all that was left was the boy. He grunted as it tugged at his jaw, then slipped over his head. There really were dozens of children that had been brought with him. He couldn't count high enough to get an actual estimate of their numbers, but he counted to ten five times.

Surrounding them were nothing but vast forests and clear skies, the sun coming down from its zenith. Six men, each wearing professional suits, stood in front of them and observed their batch quietly. They pointed and talked in their tongue, chuckling darkly at some remarks while insistently arguing with others. It was almost like they weren't even there. Some of the others glanced around, slowly losing their patience and cool as they waited there.

"Why are we here?!" a filly screeched, finding enough tears to express her frustration.

The men looked down at her, annoyed and amused all at once. "To survive."

That was his answer. Short... sweet... to the point...

...and the only thing they needed to hear to start running. Nearly fifty children bolted in whatever direction they thought best. Some stuck together, others tried running alone, but they it mattered little. If they were strong, they would survive. Any bit of weakness would be their demise.

"Release them." The men boarded the train, but one walked over to the last two cars and pulled the levers to open their doors.

A sleeping manticore rested in one, and a pack of timberwolves laid in the other. He banged on the walls to wake the pack up, their growls serving to wake the manticore. The monsters jumped out from their respective cars and snarled at the unicorn. His horn flashed, then their snarls died away.

"You will head north." The manticore roared ferociously before taking off in its designated direction. "Your pack will head south. Don't attack any until you reach border of the forest and turn back."

The alpha of them nodded, then howled to its pack. The wolves followed their leader as he sprinted into the thicket, right behind the little unicorns, pegasi and earthen. He closed the car doors and stepped into the same passenger car the others had. They nodded to one another, then pulled a lever beside the door. The whistle pierced the air, steam hissed from the sides, and it set off.

"How many does the boss think are coming back?" one of the men questioned, smiling in amusement.

"Only four or so," another sighed, resting his head back. "Although, I do hope the little thing survives. I'd appreciate learning more about what it is."

Author's Note:

Hey guys! So, to all of you waiting on the other stories, I'm sorry but Writer's Block has hit me and I realized something that I will share in time.

For all newcomers to my story: WELCOME! I've worked for months on this idea, and I'm still ironing out the details, but I hope you all stick around for what's to come! So, don't forget to like, fav, comment, and have an awesome day or night! Peaces!

Comments

[Staccet]

i.imgur.com/Ip6MxhD.jpg
INTERDASTING

[Von Voctavia]

Is this anthro?

[Die Pie WiM]

Pretty interesting so far, I'm glad there are a few more chapters already out ^_^ definitely going to be reading this through to the end. Great job with the prologue.

[VikingOtaku6]

7303303 Ponies have hands, so the answer is "yes".

[Truthseeker]

This is horrible... and yet I must read more.

[Rainbow skies]

I cant help but feel... sad yet I have the curiosity to keep reading

[Gizmo Gear]

8145175
7744327
Indeed. But we know our fellow human will more than survive.

7303132
Yus.

7303303
7531967
Duh. Also, read the tags.......

[Earthpatriot117]

Shouldn't they be referred to as stallions or something instead of men? I was confused thinking they were humans at first.
Also, those fucking bastards need to die!