King Sombra's Slaves

by Mocha Jon

Part 3

The three entered the labyrinth after Caramel assaulted Mocha Jon, they all tried to ignore the beating but Caramel was insistent that he was sorry for hitting him like he did and refused to drop the subject. Jon himself was not sure how to feel, part of him wanted to feel angry and betrayed that his friend did that but another part of him understood that his friend didn't want to do that and it was all the hypnosis but the rest of him felt like he had received a form of karma for the pain he caused Shining Armor and Big Macintosh. He felt that if he didn't temp king Sombra's wrath with his sarcasm or angry reactions than he wouldn't have been as hurt physically or emotionally. "Look guys... I'm sorry..." He said as they took the first turn.

"What do you have to be sorry for? I'm the one who hurt you for thinking you were rescuing me and saving my life. I'm the one who's sorry" Caramel tried to say to comfort his friend. Jon himself did feel a bit more comfortable knowing Caramel still cared for him despite the brainwashing.

"I know what you meant. We aren't mad at you and we understand why you were so scared, we made the same mistakes before too." Shining added with Big Mac agreeing, understanding Jon's guilt.

"Eeyup, and Master would make us do that stuff anyway and we're happy to take a little pain as long as it makes him happy."

Jon turned once more and wasn't sure how to feel, "Well it's like firing someone from a job even though you knew he's gonna get fired from another manager, you still don't feel good for doing it." He looked over at them all and noticed that despite the fact that they're talking completely normal and not zombie-like, they were walking in a specific straight line like it was rehearsed and implanted in them to take the path like this.

"Don't worry about Toby, Master may be evil and sadistic but he sure isn't a liar, nope, he will bring him back and we're gonna make sure it happens, eeyup." Big Macintosh tried to comfort him, sounding a little slow, almost like he had the statement memorized because he had too, which made Jon wince an eye a bit but he was too sore to care.

"Seriously, if I were you I would be thinking of some clever jokes about what happened like you normally do," Shining added, sounding normal.

"Yeah, honestly this is the best time you ever could make an We don't need no stinkin' badgers! quip." Caramel said. He looked over and noticed that that joke actually was hitting hard at Jon because while Caramel believes the badger will come back, Jon doesn't know.

"Hey, that's too far, believe it or not I really do need that stinkin' badger..." Jon just sighed because that comment actually hurt just as much as Caramel's punches. Jon wanted to just get this weird challenge over with anyway and just followed the path of the labyrinth more quickly.

Caramel suddenly started to shed a tear a bit and looked down at his hooves in guilt, he doesn't want to hurt Jon anymore. "I... I'm sorry. I know you're still hurting..." Jon looked over and noticed Caramel crying and felt a little bit of guilt himself.

After about seven hours passed, the four managed to reach about half way across the labyrinth and also looked a little exhausted from the long walk. There was still plenty of sunlight so they were not concerned about approaching the deadline just yet. The group kept quiet for the majority of the time and left them all to their own thoughts. In an attempt to keep his mind of his dead pet, Jon started to think about why he was chosen to do this test and why the test was what it was.

"Ya know I'm surprised we haven't gotten lost yet, we haven't his any dead ends yet!" Big Mac said in pride, Shining and Caramel happily nodding in agreement, but Jon gained a form of paranoia at that comment...

"But that wasn't part of the test..." Jon added to the shock of all three, "He didn't expect us to get lost in here, he said he replaced the Maze with a Labyrinth. Labyrinths don't have dead ends, they're just one long continuous hallways from one end to the other." The three all looked a bit shocked that he knew that, like they were hoping he wouldn't.

"Seriously? That's the difference between a maze and a labyrinth?" Shining asked in a seemingly ignorant manner.

"Come on your sister's Twilight you should know that!" Jon snarked, "Sombra didn't expect me top get lost in here, he knows I'm gonna make it out so he has some other plans for me and..." Suddenly a large cloud of smoke formed around the four stallions and suddenly King Sombra appeared right in front of Jon much to his fear...

"You're a smart boy..." Jon's heart started to beat more and more, his exhausted state was making him feel like he could fall asleep and sink into a worse nightmare than this day... "This challenge is too easy for you... Let me spice it up..." At that moment all of the smoke faded away but not only did Sombra vanish, so did the other stallions.

"What the hell?" Jon looked around for his friends, "Big Mac? Shining Armor? Caramel? Where'd you go?" Jon knew that this was some trick by King Sombra just to make him freak out, but Jon didn't want to give Sombra the satisfaction. "So I'm alone in a long hallway now huh? Sombra sent me back to grade school I guess..." He sarcastically said as he continued along the path, but still wondering where the guys went.

After another hour or so Jon just walked alone in the hot passage making sarcastic comments about how the gypsy woman he pays 20 bits every month to tell his fortune conveniently forgot to talk about this day... After turning right at a corner Jon could see some strange things in the distance. When he got closer up he noticed the largest object was Shining Armor, eating what looked like the same meat out of a dog bowl from the initial meeting in the castle again. This peaked Jon's interest because it looked like such a random appearance, Sombra could have had Shining Armor do anything right now like start a fire or something, why this? Getting closer Jon noticed there seemed to be old stuffed animals and rubber toys around the area and the such. Shining looked up, sniffed the air and then instantly rushed over to Jon and was extremely ecstatic to see him.

"Mocha Jon there you! I was waiting for you for so long it felt like forever! Can we play together!?" Shining asked excitedly, panting a little and seemingly holding his tongue out periodically.

Jon was getting creeped out but this specific part of his day was the least of his worries, it was more annoying than anything, "Okay first of all you know I can't stop now cause I'm on a timed schedule, and two, what's with the toys and the super pushy attitude, I swear all you gotta do is pull someone's socks off with your mouth and you'll be a dog..." Jon initially said out of sarcasm but he looked over by the corner and noticed Shining actually did steal someone's socks... "Okay why the hell did he make you a dog-pony?" Jon asked out of annoyance.

Shining looked up at Jon with begging eyes to try to get him to not be so critical, Shining was thinking Jon could be a great owner after all and would settle for a pet on the head. What Jon noticed about his eyes however is that the colors changed. The swirls that were normally green and purple had become light blue and orange and lacked any hint of sadness or fear, "Come on I know you're looking for a new pet and I would be a great fit! I'm very loyal and obedient and am well trained!" Shining tried to beg, his begging reminded Jon of how Shining was as a pony solider, his training and loyalty and obedience made him a great royal guard after all; he seemed to legitimately want Jon to take him.

Jon knew something was up, but he didn't have time for this, he decided to simply humor Shining Armor a little bit and take him with him to get out of the labyrinth and deal with him later. "Oh okay... If you want to be my dog you can come with me. You can even bring your favorite toy with you to keep you busy while we get out of here." Jon looked over at all those stuffed animals, kind of hoping he would pick the badger toy... however Shining just came back with the old socks in his mouth... Jon was not gonna let that go with no sarcastic comment, "I had to eat my own pet and that's not the grossest thing anypony has put in his mouth today... I really don't get dogs..." They then just walked off.

Jon was wondering why King Sombra would make Shining Armor want to be his dog? While that is weird and definitely disturbing, Shining was acting legitimately happy seeing Jon and was eager to make him just as happy. Kind of an odd choice for the King of Fear and Hatred. Jon continued walking even though he could tell Shining was sniffing him all over, while that was very disturbing and uncomfortable, Jon expected any dog to do that.

"You know you smell really good!" Shining said happily, making Jon roll his eyes.

"I'm covered in sweat and some of my blood, but I guess dogs have a taste for the disturbing area..." Jon responded as Shining started sniffing more slowly and deeply.

"No... I mean you really smell good..." He added, sounding a little more slowly and emphasized...

Jon didn't look over and ignored the comment, "I'll get the cologne to replicate it tomorrow," he sarcastically said until he felt a sharp pain on his back... "OUCH!" Jon yelled as he felt what seemed like a bite and looked back over at Shining and noticed the blue and orange swirls in his eyes were replaced by pure blood red glows...

Shining started to faintly growl a little bit as he sniffed Jon once more... "It looks like the hunting animal found its dinner..." After that Shining started to look up at the sky and he let out a huge howl like a coyote... "Auh AUH AAAUUUHHH!!!" Needless to say Jon knew exactly what was about to happen next and he didn't hesitate in leaving as soon as he could!

"Shining what are you doing!?!?!?" He yelled as he ran for his life, Shining being able to catch up fairly well, though his stamina took a toll by sitting around as Sombra's slave for so long. This kept him from catching up to Jon.

"A coyote's gotta hunt doesn't he?" Shining taunted, "Keep running, all that sweat just makes you smell even more delicious!"

While Jon wanted to get out of this hedge mess from the beginning, he needed to get out more than ever before one of his best friends ends up eating him like Jon did to Toby...

Comments

[Aqua Drops]

That first sentence is really long.

[Mocha Jon]

7530356 yeah, I have a problem with run on sentences and tend to explain way more than I need too in intros

[Aqua Drops]

7531349 that's alright, the story is interesting so far

[Mocha Jon]

7531830 Thanks, there's about two more parts left then it will be done.