Lairs & Lycanthropy: Revival

by NeoNagasaki

En Passant

Twilight sat quietly as she stared daggers at the labpony. After an uncomfortable amount of silence she finally addressed him. “Can you at least check on her?” The purple mare asked, motioning to Rarity. Her friend was breathing, but beyond that she hadn’t moved since the knight left.

The stallion looked up briefly, and then back to the panels, “The moment we can get the doors open she’ll be taken care of by our medical staff.”

An irritated look flared in Twilight’s eyes, “The least you could do is make sure she’s alright.”

“I’m not going anywhere near either of you. I don’t have the keys to those manacles, but I don’t doubt you’d kill me out of spite.”

Twilight shot another look to the motionless pile of pony with belaboured breathing on the floor before she returned her attention to him, “She can barely breathe! She’s not a threat to you.”

“Look, I’m not that kind of doctor. She’ll get help when the doors are fixed.”

Twilight gave a defeated sigh, “I suppose at least she’ll live, unless that knight gets his hooves on her again.” The labpony’s head visibly lowered as he pulled a switch on one of the larger control panels. “What is it? Is there a spark of a conscience somewhere in there?”

The labpony turned about angrily, but visibly restrained himself, “No. The rest of your team killed Commander Calescent. His hooves won’t be going near anypony ever again.”

A bright spark of hope flourished in Twilight’s chest. Her friends still had a chance! Until she could unlock the escape pods it was a slim chance, but it was better than being butchered by one of Discord’s knights.

“Don’t get your hopes up.” The labpony muttered, taking a seat in front of the controls, “I let a shadowspider loose from the testing labs.”

“What!” Twilight screamed, her wrist aching as she pulled herself as far as she could trying to get at him. “What the hell is wrong with you?” she asked, practically spitting in her anger.

“It’s a dangerous creature, but it captures its prey and keeps it alive to ensure freshness. Hopefully it’ll just detain them and the marines can get in there to arrest them before it eats.”

“What do you care?” Twilight snapped at him.

The stallion shook his head and moved as though to turn back, but hesitated, “What makes you think I -want- ponies to die. You’re acting like I’m harboring some extreme hatred towards you...and I don’t get it.”

Twilight blinked in confusion, “You’re on Shadow Station, you work for Viceroy Shadowflame.”

The stallion nodded, “Yes, praise the viceroy, long may he live. What’s your point?”

“You’re helping him overthrow Princess Celestia!” Twilight closed her eyes in exasperation, “That’s...evil!”

The stallion gave a chuckle, but after receiving a death glare from Twilight gave a quick apology, “Viceroy Shadowflame is one of Celestia’s Viceroys. He -helps- rule her land. Kind of the opposite of overthrowing her.”

Another spark of hope lit Twilight up. Surely thousands of ponies were in on Viceroy Shadowflame’s scheme. A plot this large took major networks of support, but this pony might not be one of them, “Look, maybe we got off on the wrong hoof. My name’s Twilight, what’s yours?”

“I’m Cedar.” He said, but quickly followed it up with, “But there’s no way you’re talking me into letting you go.”

“Look Cedar, Celestia is being held captive by the viceroy! He stole the Elements of Harmony and he’s stuck them here.”

The stallion just watched her for a few moments, then turned the rest of his body to sit and watch her. “I’m sure if the viceroy sent the Elements of Harmony here Celestia knows about it. It’s probably to make them more compatible with the bearers.”

A twinge of anger shot through Twilight, “We’re the bearers of the elements!”

A strange, almost amused look crossed his face, “The bearers of the Elements of Harmony are sweet wonderful ponies that embody all that’s good with friendship. They aren’t a bunch of terrorists who break into Celestia’s military bases issuing death threats and murdering knights.”

Twilight shook her head, how could she get this pony to understand? “It didn’t start this way,” she said, “We diplomatically stopped skirmishes between farmers and barbarians, but Viceroy Shadowflame is an evil part of an otherwise good system. We have to stop him even if it breaks the rules, it’s for the greater good of all ponykind.”

The stallion nodded slowly before looking to the door, “I don’t believe you, but it doesn’t really matter if I did, I still wouldn’t help.”

“Why not?” Twilight spat.

“It’s not a case of what’s right and what’s wrong. All the ponies at the top of the food chain with their royal titles and money can squabble over land, but it doesn’t mean much this far down the pecking order.”

“There’s nothing that matters more!” Twilight insisted, “This affects everyone across all of Equestria.”

The stallion took two steps toward Twilight, but stopped, “It doesn’t matter much who’s in charge. The best I hope for in life, the best any of us low level grunts hope for, is a warm bed, some mead, and the safety of our families.”

Twilight’s lips pursed as she listened to him, “When Celestia finishes fixing everything every pony can have those things and more. What could be more important?”

The stallion paused thoughtfully for a moment or two, but then nodded his head as if he’d decided upon something. “Let me tell you about my wife.” Twilight hesitated, but calmly decided to listen, leaning up against the wall, “When I was young I worked at my father’s store, it was a general store, nothing major. One day I met this girl and I fell in love with her on the spot, she was beautiful and charming, but I knew a stallion like me never stood a chance with her. I ended up spending a full year taking all my free time and learning from his strange farmer in our town. She was studying how breeding plants together could make them different, brilliant pony, I learned a lot from her. I spent nine months growing this perfect rose that I gave to her when I asked her out. She loved the rose and went out with me. It was five years later that we got married and she became pregnant with our child. It was her turn to spend nine months growing a perfect baby filly, we named her Rose. When Rose was five her mother died to a bandit raid. I promised my wife I’d take care of our Rose forever and moved here. Rose is nine now, and I plan on keeping that promise. So when I say I want a warm bed, some mead, and the safety of my family...That’s more important to me then all of Celestia damned creation.” By the time he finished telling his story his eyes were watering and his teeth were grit.

Twilight hesitated as she tripped over her own words, “I’m...I’m sorry. I didn’t...”

“Don’t apologize.” Cedar told her, turning away, “You’re a terrorist, and I’m going to keep my head down and keep Rose safe. I’m not going to jeopardize her safety for some pony that attacked a military installation.” He sighed as he looked over the panels, “Your friends killed the shadowspider. He looked over to the controls for the lab cages once more.

“Cedar...please. Don’t kill my friends, they can’t hurt you or your family.”

Cedar raised a hoof, then hesitated and lowered it. Then he moved over to another panel. “I’ve established enough power in the door controls that I can transfer control over to another security station. As long as your friends surrender they won’t be killed...not without a trial first anyway.”

The stallion hit a few switches and sat back, looking at the controls. Silence clouded the room for a few moments before Cedar lowered his head, “The marines are coming in, it won’t be too long before they get to the room your friends are in. Hopefully-”

With a loud pop suddenly Pinkie burst into existence upside down on the control panel. With a look of shock Cedar took a step back and cried out in surprise. “Hi there!” Pinkie announced cheerfully as she leveled the crossbow and shot him in the face at three paces. The bolt zipped into his mouth and exploded out the back of his head, leaving him to make a gasping choking sound in protest before slumping to the floor unmoving.

With a smile the blood and web covered pony rolled off of the control panel and landed on the ground, flashing Twilight a smile.

In shock Twilight could barely manage a stutter “Y-you killed him...”

Pinkie paused to look down at Cedar’s corpse and the growing pool of blood from the ragged hole in the back of his spine, “Well of course silly! He’s the pony holding you hostage!”

Twilight stared on numbly at Cedar, “But...I...” her attention was ripped away from the fresh corpse by the sound of a click. Her gaze snapped up to the blood covered pony sitting next to the controls. “Pinkie? Did you hit one of those levers?”

“No...”

“Pinkie, those are the levers to the dangerous animal cages. The animals on the same floor as our friends.”

Pinkie looked over to them briefly, “I didn’t touch them.”

“Pinkie! I heard you pull a lever!”

“Did it sound like this?” Pinkie asked as she reached over and yanked another two levers with a resounding click.

A spreading panic rose in Twilight’s chest as she stared at the controls, “Pinkie! Don’t touch those!”

“Sorry Twilight, I’ll put them back.” Three clicks in rapid succession.

“Pinkie! Those were three completely different levers!”

“Ooops! Were these the right ones?” Click, click, click

“Pinkie! No more touching the levers! Get away from them!”

The pink mare paused, looked over at Twilight, then proceeded to pull every remaining lever as fast as she could before stepping away from the levers “Ok Twilight! No more levers!”

“Are you insane!” Twilight asked as Pinkie crossed the room to check on Rarity.

Her friend shrugged as she drew a knife, “I dunno, what’s it feel like to be....insane?”

Twilight’s wrist lashed out in pain as Twilight wrenched against it, “Pinkie! What’re you doing!”

“I’m going to cut Rarity’s hoof off.” Pinkie lowered the blade to Rarity’s fur, furrowing her brow in concentration.

“Pinkie!” Twilight screamed, “Don’t cut anything off anypony!”

A look of sadness had filled Pinkie’s eyes as she glanced over to Twilight, “It’s you or her Twilight, and she’s already unconscious.”

“What?” Twilight asked, “Why do you have to cut off pony hooves?”

Pinkie let out a sigh as she gestured toward the door with the knife, “Twilight we have maybe one minute before that door bursts open and marines come in to kill us for treason. This amulet can get me another teleport out of here, but that’s it. I’m too badly beaten to fight, Rarity’s too badly beaten to open her eyes. I need to get all of us out right now, and the two of you are so far away I can’t teleport us all. One of you needs to get free and come closer, just be happy that decision doesn’t have to be on your conscience.”

Pinkie turned back and set the blade against Rarity’s hoof. For a moment Twilight hesitated. The offer was tempting, all three of them could get away alive and all it would cost is one hoof. Rarity wouldn’t even blame her, Pinkie would take full responsibility. Then again, this entire mess was Twilight’s fault. What right did she have to have Rarity live her life as a cripple?

“Pinkie stop...I have a plan.”

The pink mare was staring intently at the knife in her hoof, probably trying to get it to stop trembling long enough to actually start cutting. “W-what’s your plan Twilight?”

“Just take Rarity and go. I can get out on my own.”

Pinkie turned about to look angrily at Twilight “I am not leaving you behind! I’ve got exactly five real friends left in the world! I’m not going to lose one to self sacrifice...again!”

“I can get out on my own, you and Rarity need to get out first.”

“Is it so hard to live with a guilty conscience Twilight? So hard you have to die to avoid it?”

The mage reeled as though she had been struck. Pinkie was probably referring to the guilt of Rarity losing a hoof...but the sentiment was too close to home. She didn’t want to live with the guilt of dragging all her friends here. The truth was she was willing to die to stop it, she wouldn’t have thrown herself into a fight against someone as powerful as Discord otherwise. That begged the question of why everypony else had followed her, and the answer to that question was why she couldn’t let Pinkie go through with this. They were friends.

“I’ll make it out Pinkie. I have a plan, trust me.” Doubtful eyes probed Twilight’s face for signs of deception, “Pinkie we don’t have time, decide if you’re trusting me or not quickly. I need your spell component pouch, and I need you to take Cedar with you.”

“Cedar?”

“The stallion you shot in the face.”

Pinkie stared for a few seconds, just stared. The sounds began to resonate outside of the door as the controls to the room doors were activated. They were out of time. With a cry of frustration Pinkie darted across the room and grabbed Cedar, then she began to drag him back to Rarity. A pink pouch landed next to Twilight as Pinkie slumped next to Rarity and the corpse.

Twilight opened her mouth to say something, but Pinkie quickly cut her off, “If you don’t come back, I’ll never forgive you...” or myself Twilight read in Pinkie’s eyes. Then with a loud pop Pinkie, Cedar and Rarity had vanished.

Thirty or forty seconds later the steel plating on the door drew back and fifty armed marines rushed into the room. The lieutenant in charge stopped and looked about the room with a look of confusion. Empty save for a single pony chained to the wall, one he apparently recognized.

“Marines!” The lieutenant yelled, “take back the room and lock down the escape pods.” Then he approached the chained up pony on the wall, “Cedar, are you alright? I thought Commander Calescent took control of the room. We even got control of the doors back.”

“He did.” Twilight said, watching his reaction through hazel eyes, “He went down onto the floor to fight the terrorists, they had a powerful magician with them who got loose and chained me up instead. My pride is hurt, but I’m okay.”

The lieutenant leaned down and unlocked Twilight’s manacles, letting her pull her hoof free. Quickly she stood up and smoothed out her labcoat, “What about the other terrorists?” she asked quickly.

“We’re experiencing heavy resistance, I can’t get a clear report at the moment, it’s a warzone in there. The admiral has ordered most of the marines to defend the upper decks. What was down here that was so important?”

Defend the upper decks? From what? Twilight opened her mouth, but the way the stallion spoke it was clear Cedar would understand. “The terrorists are trying to steal the Elements of Harmony.”

The lieutenant’s face paled, “Merciful Celestia...we need to stop this, or at least hold here until that extra ship of marines comes in.”

Twilight gave a nod, “Okay, you’ve got things here, I’m gonna go, there’s nothing more I can do.”

A forceful hoof grabbed Twilight’s labcoat, “What? No!” the lieutenant said, “The station isn’t safe and you’re a valuable researcher Cedar. I can’t let you go out there alone and we have orders to hold here!”

Twilight turned back to the lieutenant, letting her eyes swell as she cast about frantically for an idea. She got one, unfortunately it was a plan that made her sick to the stomach. It wasn’t bad enough she was wearing a dead pony’s form, now... “Please, Rose is out there alone and scared. After her mother...look, I can’t leave her alone.”

The lieutenant's face softened, “I know Rose has been through alot but she’ll be okay.”

“Please.” Twilight insisted, trying not to think of the filly crying in her room that didn’t know her father was never coming back, “I’m begging you as a father and a stallion. Let me be with my daughter.”

Slowly the hoof let go of her labcoat and fell to the floor, “Go get Rose.” he muttered, “She shouldn’t have to be alone for this. But...be careful Cedar.”

Twilight gave the man a small appreciative nod before rushing through the door and leaving the security center behind.

The pony swiftly made her way to the stairs and pushed the knot of moral uncertainty to the back of her mind. She’d have more time to deal with the weight on her conscience after she got out of here alive. What was the best way though? She could hit a different floor and go for the escape pods, but they were probably locked down by now. It was very early in the morning, maybe she could sneak out?

Another lump of guilt formed as she thought of her friends downstairs. They were cut off from any form of rescue by all manner of beast as well as a contingent of marines. She felt bad, but going down there would just get her killed. Hopefully they were just captured. She could find a way out now, then regroup with Pinkie and Rarity and come up with a rescue plan. That plan was the best - it was the most logical after all...it didn’t have anything to do with her being a coward. Right?

As she reached the top of the stairs she hesitated and listened closer, the sound of battle bled through the door clearly. Who would attack a military base? Raiders or pirates perhaps? Slowly she peeked out the door and let in a breath of surprise. The Starsoul Knights had come, and they brought friends. Three ships sat docked right up beside the station and connecting gangplanks provided easy access for soldiers to rush onto the boat. Wait, no. There was a fourth ship, but it wasn’t the Starsoul Knights, it was a pink striped...it was the Wave Crester! The thing was a tiny little vessel in comparison to the grand galleons of Celestia’s finest warships, but it was here.

With a smile Twilight rushed out of the door and onto the deck, but was instantly intercepted by a marine, “What are you doing?” the marine demanded, “This is a-” The marine’s words were cut short as a spray of glass and scotch erupted over the back of his head and scattered all over the floor around her. The marine staggered for a moment, then collapsed to the floor.

A moment later a bearded pony with patched up leather armor and an eyepatch swayed drunkenly up to Twilight, “Back o’ tha head! That’s ‘bout twelve points I’d say!” Drunkenly he lurched back onto his rear hooves and pulled a rather vicious looking dusack out and held it up threateningly. “Now it’s yer turn! Where’dya want it? Neck or your yellow belly?”

For a moment Twilight could only blink. Hesitantly she cringed back from the heavy stink of scotch that flooded the air each time he exhaled, “Captain...Captain Anjin?”

Captain Anjin weaved slightly with a confused look on his face before muttering, “I might know where he is, who’s asking?”

“It’s me!” Twilight insisted with a smile “Twilight Sparkle!”

“You sir, have a very strange name. Your parents musht’a hated you.” Quickly he looked down to the blade, then back, “I don’t usually have conversations with people I’m about to stab, it’s making me feel...very awkward.”

In confusion Twilight looked down at her brown fur and lab coat. Right, it made sense he didn’t recognize her when she looked like Cedar. With a concentrated thought she dispelled the disguise and looked to him, “No, it’s me Twilight Sparkle. I had to take a disguise to escape.”

The captain’s one good eye widened, “Well, you’re a mare. Now the silly name makes more sense...have we met?”

Twilight couldn’t help but let out a huff of irritation, “Yes we’ve met! I spent four days on your ship!”

“My ship?”

“Yes! Your ship!”

“Still a little fuzzy. Lots of people come on my ship.”

Twilight put a hoof on her face as she tried to keep from screaming, “It was two weeks ago! You surrendered us to Commander Calescent!”

“I don’t quite recall that, was mayhaps I be drinking?”

Twilight raised her head to look him in the eye, “Do you ever stop?” she asked sarcastically.

The captain gave a hearty laugh as he dropped to all fours and sheathed his blade, “You’ve got me there! What’re you...hold on.” The old stallion rose to two legs once more as he parried the incoming sword of a marine, then punched him once across the face with his opposite hoof. The marine stumbled back a few feet then started to rush Captain Anjin before a heavy bottle of something collided with his face and caused him to drop like a stone.

Slowly the old captain turned back to Twilight, “Oh, hello Twilight. What’re ya doin here?”

Twilight let out a long slow exhale before trying again, “I need to talk to whomever is in charge of these ships!”

The captain nodded, “I could use a drink, I’ll go with you!” he said with a smile.

Carefully they skirted around the fighting and made it back to one of Celestia’s galleons. On the deck a large pony in full Starsoul Knight platemail was calling out orders. With a rush of hope Twilight ran down the gangplank and came up beside him, “Commander!” She said quickly, “My friends, the bearers of the Elements of Harmony are downstairs along with the elements. For the good of Celestia and all of Equestria you have to save them!”

The commander looked over to her for a moment before looking back to the battle, “Funny,” he told her, “That’s basically what they said.” Quickly he raised a hoof to indicate the three ponies at the back of the boat.

Behind him was a yellow mare who sat quietly, an orange pony who was quickly strapping on starsoul weapons and armor, and a light blue pony who was yelling that she needed a -bigger- sword. Locking eyes with her, however, was one of the last ponies she was expecting. “Derpy?” Twilight asked incredulously.

Author's Note:

500 people gave the story a shot? Damn...that's hardcore, thanks guys.

Comments

[Scurvy]

Twilight being sneaky, I approve. How many points does Pinkie have in UMD?