Scaled and Icy

by Dashie04

No Chances

“Dammit Prancey! We’re offline again!” Wingless proclaimed.

“I think they got the message,” I responded. “If we never leave this place, at least we made a difference.”

Wingless nodded. We could only sit and wait. Meanwhile, I flipped on the propaganda radio.

Any and all rebels who are escaping, you won’t get away with this. You have no chances.

This didn’t bode well.

---

I stood in the elevator, staring Ocin right down. It’s not like he could hurt me—

“Don’t be mistaken rebel, I can crush you in that armor like a tincan.”

That’d explain why he had me put this on. There must be a weak point or something. I just wanted to save Prancey and his stupid girlfriend. I nervously held the shotgun on my back, he could steal that and completely destroy me.

“I—“ I said.

The elevator then stopped and I prepared to fly to free Prancey. I opened my wings, and they hit the sides of the armor! The armor was too big! It was also slow and clunky, so by the time I got prepared to move, Ocin was already flying towards the jail cells. Lema radio was playing some dark and forboding song about how I had no chance, and it felt oddly appropriate.

Ocin wasn’t necessarily very fast, he was old after all, but all that mattered was that he was faster. He took the shotgun in his fly by and then took Prancey out of his cell and pulled the light blue batpony to his side, shotgun firmly against his temple. Ocin’s wings were out and he seemed to stand threateningly over me and Prancey, and not just because he was taller than I.

“Which one will you choose?” Ocin asked,”loyalty, or love?”

“Wait, what do you mean loyalty?!” I was terrified. “My leader is right there in front of me!”

“Wingless is in the other,” Ocin said.

That was an easy choice, kill his girlfriend and I’d have Prancey all to myself! But still, Prancey was looking at me with the face that told me to save Wingless. I couldn’t just not listen to Prancey.

“I can sit here all day...” Ocin said.

---

Pebble had apparently come to save me. She was in a massive suit of armor that was obviously too big for her. It looked like she was struggling to move.

I knew she wanted to save me, but I couldn’t let her. Wingless was just a better leader and a better pony. I had just seen her alive, I didn’t want her dead. Of course, if I said anything, Ocin would probably shoot. I could only plead with my eyes.

Suddenly, there was loud clang. I looked over as best I could to find Wingless had kicked the back of the bars.

I looked toward Pebble again, she was struggling to get out of her armor. Ocin was momentarily distracted by Wingless kicking the bars. When nothing happened, Ocin whipped his head back to me.

“You put her up to this, didn’t you!?”

I frantically shook my head. Pebble was still trying to get out of her suit of armor. Ocin’s eyes narrowed.

“I’ve conceded too much to you already, Prancey. You’ve been nothing but a thorn in my side. I should’ve just killed you when I had the chance.”

“Pebble, hurry up!” I exclaimed.

“Luckily, I have the chance now...”

A sudden chord of doom struck deep inside of me. There was a resounding BOOM, my ears started ringing, my head felt like mush, and everything faded to black.

---

What did he just bucking do!?

Outside of my cell, Prancey lied dead on the cold stone floor of the dungeon, it was an unpleasant scene, one which I looked away from immediately.

“You know,” I heard Ocin say, “I’ve got another shot left.”

He was just like my parents! He had no concern for pony life, he says he loves ponies, but then betrays them behind their back. I hated those people, it made me want to throw him in his own dungeon!

The light grey mare, who I presumed was Pebble, had finally gotten out of her armor, but it was too little too late. My plans always worked! But, maybe they didn’t work all the time.

Ocin, however, was still being the unicornshit insane pony he had become in the last ten minutes.

“You’ve all meddled with me too much. Lema was supposed to be a place where I could rule over Luna’s subjects. She created this town, and for hundreds of years, it’s been safe. That was until you,” he muttered, pointing the barrel at me, “and the pony who would do anything for you, ruined Lema.”

I had to make a mental timer timing just how long he was deciding to monologue for. Why do ponies think this is a good use of their time all the time.

“Next up, I’m going to have all the rebels purged so we can keep Luna’s spirit alive.”

Thankfully Pebble flew up and kicked him across the face so he’d shut up. She pulled the shotgun from his hooves, aimed it at him, and shot him point-blank.

As Ocin fell to the ground, Pebble flew up to the cell. She looked at the lock, took some ammo from the armor, and shot it off.

“Thanks,” I said, “he was starting to drive me crazy.”

Pebble said, “We need to go out and see Solarius. He’s some kind of military commander from Lema and he knows how to fix all this.”

I presumed that she was usually less cold and monotone when she was talking normally. Still, that name, that name didn’t bode well.

“Pebble, Solarius?”

“Yeah,” she said, sounding almost annoyed. “Something wrong with that?”

“First off, why are you talking to me like that.”

“Because Prancey loved you more than he loved me,” Pebble said.

“Why does everypony assume I have suitors?” I muttered. “Also, I’m asexual and I don’t care about any relationship whatsoever.”

“Really!” she exclaimed, “That’s great! What about this Solarius fellow?”

Pebble was very easy to make happy, duly noted. I however, had to answer her question, I said,”Pebble. Solarius was the name of my father.”