• Published 18th Oct 2018
  • 726 Views, 10 Comments

Chase - Farenth Vega



Racing through the woods, Twilight Sparkle tries to put as much ground as possible between her and her pursuer.

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Chapter 3

You can't remember a better night's sleep. Between the warm sleeping bag and not having to worry about some human sneaking up on you, you'd slept like a rock. So well, in fact, he had to wake you up with a some light nudging.

You were inclined to ignore him, but enough prodding with his boot rolls you onto your back to face him.
Wow he's a lot taller than you remember. Subconsciously you pull your forehooves a bit closer.

"Got some breakfast for ya sparky."

He drops a single blueberry directly onto your chest fluff.

Oh, those are the good ones! hard to find, but tasty. You crane your neck a bit to snatch up the berry.

"Thought you'd like those. Well, actually I've seen you eat em, so I knew you'd like em."

It really shouldn't be surprising he spied on you. Part of his job was finding the right opportunity, so recon makes sense. When was he watching though? For how long? The idea of unseen eyes creeping on you 24/7 is not a comfortable one.

Ignorant to your pondering the human kneels down and holds another berry right above your mouth.

Ok last night was one thing, the food was hot off the skillet and you were a bit shell shocked. If he thinks you're gonna let him hand feed you everytime time he has another thing coming. You shoot him a frown and roll onto your stomach.

"Not hungry?"

"I can feed myself."

It's a risky move, but you've got to get a feel for how he deals with resistance.

If it upsets him he doesn't show it, seems to be a pretty easy going type? He just shrugs and places the food on the edge of your sleeping bag. You'll eat it, but you're not going to thank him.

Fortunately he seems he didn't expect you too. He's already wandered back to his seat by the fire, looks like he's boiling some water?

"Well, I'd offer you some oatmeal but if you don't want to be fed..."

Oats? Oats sound really good...

No, you won't let him trick you! You've got enough fruit to tide you over, it's fine. Ugh it smells so good though. Focus Twilight! You've got to get out of here!

"So what now?"

"Now? Now we eat breakfast."

Smartass earns himself a glare.

"Don't worry about it sheila. Your job is to sit there, stay safe, and be good. I'll radio out later today and see how the river looks, if everything's alright we can be on our way."

Be good. Just so you can be dragged off to your doom? As if.

The radio part has you curious though, can he do that here, or will he have to leave you alone for a bit?

"What do you mean the river?"

"Guess you haven't left this area in a while. That river between here and the everfree? We just call it the everfree river. Anyway it's pretty prone to flooding nowadays. With less bird horses to manage the clouds there's some pretty wild weather along the west coast.

"Pegasi."

"Huh?"

"They're called pegasi."

"Ah, you know what I mean. Bottom line is I gotta check if we can get out of here safely."

Your heart surges when he stands and grabs his bag and weapon. He is leaving you alone! This is your chance. Just play it cool Twilight.

"You're leaving me like this?"

You wiggle your bound forelegs at him with a frown.

"What if something comes? This isn't the everfree, but it's still not safe, there's all kinds of predators around here."

He chuckles and shakes a finger at you.

"Nice try sparky, but you aren't my first catch. Nothing will come near here I promise, you'll just have to trust me."

"Can't you at least loosen them?"

Wait, is he actually going to do it? The human squats down in front of you and picks up your bound hooves. His hands feel weird... so many little digits cradling your hoof on every side. He takes a moment to inspect and poke at the bindings.

"Sorry horsey but this is as loose as they get. just be glad I use the soft ones."

Worth a try.

He goes back to his tent before returning with a small basket.

"I'll be gone a few hours so here's something to munch on if you get a bit peckish. Not much I can do about the boredom, but just stay put, alright?"

Like it's optional. He takes lack of questions as an affirmative and heads out.

A few hours huh?

You lounge around a bit to make sure he doesn't double back or something. Looks like he's actually gone. Hopefully he's a long way off because it's time to get out of here.

You struggle with the hoof bindings for a more minutes just to try. You didn't think they'd give, but it would have made this a whole lot easier. Nono matter, you've still got your ace in the hole, your horn.

Most unicorn horns are varying degrees of rounded near the tip, but that's most horns. Alicorn horns are said to be sharp enough to pierce the very heavens. You're no alicorn, but a lot of the canterlot noble families are said to carry a drop of alicorn blood from long long ago. Myth or not canterlot horns are sharp, and yours is a razor if you don't have it regularly filed.

Lucky for you you've been living in the woods for the past few years.

You pull the rope taunt. If you can stab it with your horn you might can cut it. The awkward angle makes you neck sore, but it's worth it when you see the line start to fray. This is it! Just a little more and you can make a break for it before he gets back.

You did it!

Sure, you roll backwards when the line finally snaps, but you're free!

Ugh, mostly free. You're legs are still bound forcing you to move like some kind of weird two legged caterpillar pony.

You shove your snout in the basket he left you and grab an apple before making your great escape. Your great, slow, and awkward escape.

Hopefully you've got some time before he returns, because this isn't going nearly as quickly as you'd hoped. It takes all your effort not to simply fall down on your side like an idiot.

You make it a few hundred meters out, but the anti-magic whatever still persists. Either the range of their fields has been improved dramatically, or he actually damaged your horn in some way. You really hope it's the former. He seems to care about your well being, even if it's just so you'll fetch a higher price, so you just hope he wouldn't permanently damage the goods.

If only you could teleport. This stupid half crawling half hopping thing your doing is exhausting, without these dumb cuffs you'd be halfway across the forest by now.

Ok, time for a break. You carefully sit yourself down on the edge of the tiny creek you just crossed, if humans track by scent hopefully it'll throw him off your trail.

Knowing so little about humans puts you at a distinct disadvantage. Hows their sense of Smell? Hearing? Sight? Based on the little you'd seen of his teeth they seem to be omnivores, so they must have some natural hunting skills.

Omnivores. You immediately suppress any wild notions as to why a meat eater would want to capture you. There must be much easier sources of meat than intelligent life. Despite your efforts a chill shoots up your spine. Meat, flesh, being eaten, ugh being a prey species sucks. Why can't everyone just eat nice little plants and live in harmony?

Well actually it's because meat provides more energy helpful in develop more advanced brains leading to - ok shut up now brain!

Stupid aliens... was that how he tracked you last time, via your wounded leg? Some sort of smell of blood sense? You really needed more information, but there's no good way to get any out here. Best to keep moving. You struggle back to your effective two limbs and continue your clumsy exodus. Hopefully if you can clear that ridge and your magic will return, if nothing else you-

What was that? Your ear swivels towards the noise behind you.


*Snap*

Crap crap crap! Got to move!

The awkward shuffle you've been reduced to must look pretty silly, but it's the best you can do.

If that's a predator you can't get caught! If it's him you really really can't get caught! You can just hide behind that rock and-

Ow!

A glance backwards confirms your fears. It's a green splotch this time, but the numbing sensation is the same.

"No! No, leave me alone!"

Arnold pushes his way through the underbrush like it's not big deal. He doesn't even look mad.

"Please, please just let me go!"

The man squats down and scoops up your whole body with ease, just how strong is this guy? Settling you around his shoulders, with a pair of legs on each side, he sets off towards the camp.

"I can understand wanting to run away sheila but you'll not get very far like this. It's not safe this far from camp either, you'll get eaten up by a bear or something."

"I'd rather be eaten than enslaved! Let me go!"

You'd be thrashing like a madmare if you could. Whatever he hit you with seems to have paralyzed you instead of knocking you out like last time.

"Bah, you don't mean that. You're a healthy one and a cute one. With a little luck and some good behavior you'll end up in a nice home minding the little rug rats or cleanin up the place. Why would you want some beasty to tear you into kibbles and bits instead?"

"You can't trick me. I was here when the humans arrived. I saw the beatings, the cages, the foals ripped from their mother's hooves!"

He reaches back and flicks your horn! Ow, that stings! Your eyes water up a little as your head aches.

"You don't have to yell in my ear. I'm not sure what you saw back then, It probably was awful at the time, but things are different now. The place I'm gonna drop you off is nice. They'll give you a bit of training in manners then ship you out the door to a nice home."

It's a little embarrassing to see how far you actually made it. The trip that took you an hour barely even takes him 10 minutes.

He drops you onto your sleeping bag a little hard. Stupid human facial expressions, you can't tell if he's mad or what.

He leaves you unattended as he turns towards his tent, but you don't dare move. What are you going to do anyway? Hobble away again?

"I was worried you know. Came back and found your lead torn like that? It looked like something got to you."

No more little thin rope it looks like. The human returns to your side and clips a metal chain to your bridle.

You whimper in distress as he pulls you closer and closer to the stake you'd been tied to before.

Too short! Your head can't reach the ground!

"A-arnold please..."

Struggling to a seated position helps, but it's clear this is still a punishment. There's no way you can sleep tonight if you can't even rest your head.

"Please it's too short."

"I'll let you down later. You gave me a scare there, there's got to be some consequences."

As far as punishments go this is pretty mild, but still degrading. Compared to some things you'd seen when poking around occupied towns though it could be much worse.

"Worried about your money?"

"Well, a little yeah, but I didn't want you getting hurt either."

"But you'll take me against my will... why are you even doing this?"

"I've always been a hunter, you name it I've bagged one or two. There's a spiritual connection between man and beast during the hunt."

Spiritual connection? ha ok, weirdo.

"When I saw the pay for bringing in ponies I figured I'd give it a try. Most are pretty easy, city folk on the run who don't know how to cover their tracks. You and your little magic trick though, you've been some of the most fun I've ever had."

"So glad you were entertained..."

"I like that fire of yours too."

He fishes an apple out from behind him and throws it to you. Somehow you manage to catch it in your mouth.

Is this your prize for amusing him? Whatever, it's good, if a bit awkward to eating with your hooves like this.

"So, you don't feel bad about this? Not even a little?"

"Way I see it you're currently living in the woods foraging to survive. You'd be safer and happier in a real home just being to carry your own weight than being chased by lions, tigers, bears, or whatever you have out here."

"I'm living in the woods because some humans took over my country!"

"You're right, but that wasn't me. I've got no interest in changing the past, just living in the present."

"But, the fact I don't want to go doesn't matter? Just another unenlightened inferior to be shown her place?!"

"Woah woah relax. From what I've seen you're plenty smart, just afraid. I can't say I blame you, but I can also promise you there's a better life out there than this."

"If I submit?"

"If you behave."

This is getting you nowhere...

"Anyway i've got news, bad news that is, river's flooded. My man on the other side says the weather's only grown worse up there. Hopefully it'll be passable soon but it's hard to say."

"So we're stuck together until it goes down."

"Afraid so."

"Please tell me you aren't going to leave me tied up like this the whole time. My hooves are already sore from earlier!"

"Just tried to run away and you want me to untie you? We can see about it in the future, if you don't give me more trouble that is."

You give a dramatic sigh and pull at your chain with your hooves a little. No luck but what better do you have to do? Having got the frustration out of your system you lean up against the post and slump as far as you can.

"Fine..."

New tactic. Appealing to his morals didn't work, maybe appealing to his interests will.


"You know, If we're stuck here for so long... and you had so much fun chasing me..."

That at least makes him snorts and gives you a lopsided smile.

"You expect me to believe you enjoyed playing prey?"

Technically ponies literally are prey animals but no need to mention that.

"It can't be worse than being tied down for days!"

"Wouldn't be a fair fight anymore. That magic of yours doesn't work right now does it?"

That gets your attention.

"Yeah it doesn't... What did you do?"

"Trade secret, just a bit of tech."

Must be a generator of some sort then. If you can just put enough distance between you and his camp you should be fine.

"What's the risk then? I'd rather not just sit here for who knows how long."

"Ha, we'll see sheila. River might dry up tomorrow for all we know, you just relax."

The conversation ebbs in and out as dusk approaches. You managed to get him to talk a bit about the state of the world outside. You don't learn anything terribly useful but it helps expand your worldview beyond brooks and brambles.

In return he asks you a bit about your past: friends, family, old equestria, even your time on the run.

"So you're the one that ran me out of my cave!?"

"It was a pretty nice little setup you had going there. I feel a bit bad about that one."

"Yeah it was! I had food saved there!"

"Oh yeah, thanks for those."

"Hey!"

He just laughs and offers you more dinner.

You still make him put it on your sleeping bag instead of hand feeding you, but he doesn't mind.

"I'm making it up to you aren't I? I'm cooking for you right now."

You snuggle further back into your sleeping bag and munch some more. He'd returned the slack to your chain and ended your punishment earlier so it was easy to get comfy.

"Not really sure this counts..."

"You're a hard one to please you know that? I like that though, none of the other ponies I've found would have anything to do with me. A little conversation does everyone good, especially out here in the middle of nowhere."

"Been awhile since i've had someone to talk to as well..."

"Seems you somehow managed to keep your head out here all alone, so that's good."

Whatever else he was going to say is interrupted by a yawn.

"Time for me to turn in. I'll check the conditions again tomorrow and we'll go from there."

He crawl off into the small tent and zips it behind him. You're a bit jealous he has a place to hide for the night, but a brake from being around him suits you well enough.

Today didn't quite go as planned. Your horn was your one act in the hole, and it's not going to work on this tough chain.

At this point you either have to wait until he somehow slips up or take a different approach.

Gain his trust? If the weather holds out, and two of you are stuck here for a while it just might work. He really can't leave you on the chain forever especially if the days drag on.

There's also the option of playing on his enjoyment of hunting.

Deliberately offering yourself up as prey feels wrong but he's not a predator, not really. Worse case scenario he'll drop you again then carry you back to camp to house and feed, best case you get away. That one's a long shot for sure, but still worth considering.

Anything's worth considering at this point, anything that keeps you on the plant you belong.