Sword, Shield, and Scabbard

by Shadowslash101

the Bowels of Arigos

Chapter 15
the Bowels of Arigos

` Helpful and company followed Rigel deeper into the mechanical mayhem of Arigos. The steel walls turned from silver to red and the air became hot, like an oven almost. “Jeez, Rigel,” said Boltage as he began to sweat, “Could you turn down the thermostat in this place? It’s so hot!”

“My apologies,” Rigel replied, “but my prison works under these conditions endlessly. It’s a simple part of the punishment that our prisoners deal with everyday. It’s supposed to make them have regrets.”

“Why would you work them to work like this?” asked Gilda.

Rigel stopped in front of a wide window, “See for yourself,” he said and everypony walked up to the window and peered through the glass. What they saw shocked them. It was like seeing the inside of a giant clock, but with molten magma being poured and moved around, while prisoners work, pulling levers and breaking rocks with pickaxes on long assembly lines above. Most prisoners worked the assembly line as a few worked the levers, the rest: a small hoof-full of prisoners, sat around and hugged their hind legs. None of the group could see their faces as they were turned around.

“W-What’re they doing?” Helpful asked, nervously curious.

“They are preparing,” Rigel told him, “As punishment for their misdeeds and rejection of peace, they were sent here and be forced to work for the Star Symbols in the most brutal fashion.”

“I see that’s labor,” Bolt said, thinking he had the right idea.

“That’s a mere portion of it, Boltage,” replied Rigel as he tapped his war hammer onto the glass of the window, gently, and he small group of ponies huddling around each other and turned their attention toward them. Everypony except Rigel and Magi gasped in shock at the sight of their faces. Their eyes and mouths were sewn shut with small dry trails of blood from their wounds. They all quickly stumbled to the window, muffling sounds and moans as they placed their hooves and faces against the glass.

“This is what happens to those who will defy their punishment,” explained Rigel to the horrified group, “If they wish to see the light of day and breath the air of freedom, then they have no need for their senses for they had none to begin with.”

“That’s insane!” Trixie shouted, misunderstanding, “How could you do something so cruel to them!? They probably had families! Parents! Friends that loved them dearly and you put them in here! You… You monster!”

Rigel gave Trixie a hard glare, “You believe I’m the monster?” he said, “Do you have any idea how many lives these ponies took? The amount of mares they ambushed in the night? Stealing their flowers? Then, leave them to die; bleeding what little life they had left? Do you know how many laws they have each broken? How much chaos they’ve began? What lives they’ve ruined because they were too busy seeking for pleasure, when what they should’ve been seeking was obedience!” a great silence took place at that moment, “If you believe I do not care for these poor, forgotten souls: that is your decision, but I will say this. There isn’t a mere second that goes by without my pity on them. They had so much more to live for, so much promise, but they threw it away, worrying about themselves,” he swung his hammer and pointed at the window, “and that was their fate!” Trixie grew silent on the matter as she listened to him, “Ponies that believe they can live their lives for themselves only fall here!”

“But why not give them a second chance?” Trixie asked him, trying to show a little mercy.

Rigel lowered his hammer and gained back his composure, “Everypony like them are given thousands upon thousands of chances,” he replied, “Some are given chances every day, others, not so often. It staggers the imagination of how often they’re given mercy in their lives and they don’t see it.”

“I…I…” Trixie lowered her head in sadness. The words he said scare her. She has been trying her best to live her life better than her selfish ways, but now, she feels like she was sent hurtling downwards to the ground, hard, and she can’t get up. Was this the fate of the selfish? Boltage began to notice her silence and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, holding her close.

“Hey, Trix,” Bolt grabbed her attention, “It’s okay. I know it hurts, but…they could’ve saved themselves before.”

“I don’t understand,” Trixie whimpered as tears formed in her eyes, “Why? Why couldn’t they stop their ways? Why? Why, why, why, why, why!” she began crying and Boltage held her close, “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

“It’s alright, Trix,” Boltage told her, “Everything’ll be alright. We’ll be back home soon.”

Rigel walked over to them and placed a hoof onto Trixie’s shoulder, “I’m sorry that I grieved you so much, dear pony,” he apologized to her.

“Well, all this punishment brings an important question,” said Helpful, “what are they making?”

Meanwhile, in Raziel’s Castle, Rarity, the CMC and the Diamond Dogs met back with each other back on the top of the stairs of the main hall. “Did you find anything?” Rarity hurriedly asked.

“We’re sorry, Lady Rarity,” Fido told her, “We haven’t found anything that’ll lead us down there.”

“Neither did we,” Applebloom added, “Sorry, Rarity.”

“Ooh!” Rarity moaned as she began to trot in place a bit, “Do you think he’s okay?”

“We’re not sure, sis,” Sweetie Belle told her, “but we’ll get to him soon enough, okay?” The CMC all smiled to comfort Rarity, but she ignored them, pacing in place, while muttering to herself.

“Rarity,” Scootaloo tried to grab her attention, “Please, calm down!”

“’Calm down’?” Rarity looked at her in surprise, “How can any of you stay calm!? Eli’s probably lost and alone, cold and maybe even hungry! How long has it been since he ate!?”

“You’re worried about his stomach?” Scoot asked with an odd look.

“Well, wouldn’t you be worried too?” the white unicorn asked them, “Eli’s in so much trouble!”

“Okay, Rare,” said Applebloom as her friends and she walked over to stop her pacing, “It’s time to take a little breather.”

Rarity sighed and smiled at them, “You’re right, Applebloom,” she replied, “It’s just that Equestria’s only hope is now probably lost to us, and there’s nothing I can do!” Rarity flailed an arm and the fillies all ducked as the arm flew and smacked the frame of a blank and torn portrait, causing it to abruptly fall onto the floor and slowly, creakily fell onto the whole group, making them break through the dilapidated paper. Rarity had an outraged look on her face and the others became uneasy as they back away.

“Where’s Eli!?” Rarity screamed at the top of her lungs. Everyone held onto their ears from Rarity’s sonic blast of a scream, and once she was finished, Scootaloo noticed an open shaft in the wall that the picture was hung from.

“Hey, look!” Scoots grabbed everyone’s attention as she pointed to the shaft, “That looks like a way down!”

Rarity wasted no time as she jumped down the shaft with a shout, “I’m coming, Eli!”

Meanwhile, in Spike’s Dream Reality, Snips and Snails sneak back into Ponyville, and make their way to a window of Town Hall. They peer through the glass to find Spike standing with a rope tied around his wrist and tied to Rarity, who stood beside him with a large, excited grin. Mayor Rare stood at the pedestal as everypony talked among themselves and squealed their love to Spike, who began to grow nervous for his life.

Mayor Rare cleared her throat to grab everypony’s attention, “Filly’s and Gentle-Rares,” she started, “We are all gathered here today to discuss our yearly schedule for who gets the Spike privileges.”

“I get first dibs!” Bonity shouted as she jumped in the midst of the crowd, which created a big argument, and Mayor Rare shouted, “Quiet! Quiet!” they all hushed, “Anyways, seeing that our Ponyville is populated with over three-hundred sixty-five mare, each of us be assigned an annual days of the year to take care of our little Spiky Wikey!”

“Wait,” Spike whispered to himself, “Three-hundred sixty-five mare are taking care of me?” he looked out to the immense crowd and shuddered, harshly, “I think I’ll pass for the next lucky dragon!”

“Oh, now come, Spiky,” Rarity told him, “You know you love us, and we love you, so come here and give you wuving marefriend a hug!” she opened up her arms and scooped up Spiky, cradling him like a little baby, “I love you, my wittle Spiky Wikey.” Spike screamed at the top of his lungs and everypony laughed.

Snips and Snails turned away from the window, “Wow! Things have gotten worse than we imagined!” Snips told his brother.

“Yeah!” Snails nodded, “To think that there’s three hundred, sixty-five mares in one town. How much male population is left! I mean, it may become the planet of the mares!”

“No, no, no, you blockhead!” shouted Snips, annoyed, “The three hundred, sixty-five mares is how many mares he’s seen, not the entire population of Ponyville!”

“Oh… But how’re we gonna get in and save Spike?”

“Easy! I’ve got a plan!” Snips said as he rubbed both of his stubby hooves together, making a mischievous look.

“We’re going to throw pudding at them?” Snails asked, still not following him.

“Wait. What? Huh. Er…” Snips shook his head, “Aw, c’mon!” The small unicorn gestured for him to follow as he walked away, and his brother followed.

Meanwhile, in Arigos, Rigel stopped before a great iron door that seemed to have nothing to open it with, but before them was a gear attached to the floor, which through the glass on the floor, they could see many other gears below them. Rigel flipped around his weapon and turned the pyramid counterweight and the group saw the hammer side open up into four parts. “Stand back,” Rigel told them and everypony stepped backward, giving him space. The Star slammed the open hammer side into the gear, making a perfect fit in the gear’s teeth. He pushed it around, like a huge crank. The gears below made a great creak at first, and they all began to move, forcing the iron door to open, revealing an ancient chamber.

“Whoa,” everypony remarked in awe as the door opened.

Rigel stopped and pulled his weapon out, “Enter,” he told them and they followed Rigel. Once inside, they found long rows of pony-like machines, each of them chrome colored and unmoving, hooked up to the walls behind them with wires and pipes. They stopped at the middle of the hall, and stared at the vast array of machines in awe. The rest of the hall before the hall seemed to be vast, and endless. Gilda came to the side and placed her claw on a force field, which made a bouncing noise with a wave of white streaming through it.

“What are these, Rigel?” Helpful asked the Star, “What is this place?”

“We’re close to the heart of Arigos,” Rigel told him, “These machines are the army the Star Symbols have plans for. However, I know not of their purpose, I only serve.”

“Which you stopped doing once they took your wife,” Gilda scoffed with crossed arms.

“Gilda…” said Trixie, motioning her to be silent.

“Again, I apologize,” bowed Rigel to Gilda, “I had no way to fight against Kronos.”

“You have done nothing wrong, Rigel,” Magi assured him, “Kronos merely had you pacified, and we forgive you.”

“Magi, do you know why these machines are made here?” Bolt asked the old scorcerer.

“You are right to ask, Storm Charger,” nodded the old unicorn, “I’m afraid even I wouldn’t know. The Star Symbols don’t tell us everything, and sometimes, they don’t tell us anything.”

“What makes you think they’re on our side?” Gilda asked, “I mean, really. Think about it. They’ve done nothing, but make everypony else do work. Now, they’re building an army, a vast legion of machines!” she gestured a claw to the machines around them, “They don’t tell us all the information we need! They don’t tell us anything! They’re a bunch of cowards!”

“Silence!” Rigel shouted in rage, making Gilda and the others jump, and, “Do not speak of my masters in such disdain! You do not know what they sacrifice to protect our planet, our world! Most of my brothers have died in the Human and Pony War with great valor, and you have the nerve to desecrate their deaths with your words of slander! The Star Symbols dedicate their lives to protect us and yet you have the nerve to speak of them so lowly! You have no idea how much rage you can invoke with only a few careless words! If I didn’t know any better, you sound jus--!”

“Rigel!” Magi grabbed Rigel’s attention with a stern shout, “That’s enough. You’ve made your point.” Rigel looked over to Magi and sighed, regaining his composure.

“I will give you this warning, Gilda,” the Star told her with a hateful glare, “Your carelessness will lead to suffering and anguish.”

Gilda just glared back and turned away, “Whatever,” she said, and Helpful and Boltage exchanged looks as Trixie remained silent. A long silence passed.

“We must go on, Rigel,” Magi told the Star, “We don’t have much time.”

Rigel nodded to Magi, “Follow me,” he said as he walked back to the exit with the group and closed the door with a great slam.

Meanwhile, in Spike’s World, Spike was dragged by Rarity through the dirt as they came into her boutique. “Oh, I can’t wait to begin our day, Spiky Wikey!” Rarity giggled, “I’ve got so many outfits for you to try!”

“Oh, no!” the baby dragon shouted as he squirmed in the dirt, being pulled by the rope, “Please, don’t! I don’t wanna live like this! Please!” he began to cry as Rarity picked him up and gave him a big kiss on the forehead, then cradled him as she walked inside, closing the door behind her.

Snips popped his head out from the brush beside the door, “Snails,” he whispered to the other bush, “Are you ready?”

“Yep!” Snails yelled loudly as he popped out his head, “Ready for what?”

“Shh!” shushed Snips as he flailed his arms a little “Be quiet!”

“Oh, sorry,” the taller colt nodded.

“Do you remember the plan?”

“You mean the one that involves all this caramel that you asked me to confiscate from Sugar Cube Corner?” asked Snails as he pulled out a huge barrel of caramel from the bush.

“That’s the one,” giggled Snips.

“Can you run that by me again?” asked Snails, “I think I might’ve forgot.”

Snips sighed with a facehoof and looked up to Snails, “Fine. First: we take the barrel up to the roof of Rarity’s boutique, and we secretly cut a hole through the roof, next: we patiently wait for Rarity to walk under the hole and we pour the caramel on top of her, next: we jump inside, like ninjas, and cut the bonds between Rarity and him, finally: while Rarity’s distracted by her dirtied up mane, we ride the flying tiger to freedom!”

“But, Snips, we don’t a flying tiger,” Snails told his brother, “We don’t have a flying anything, and I don’t think Spike’s figured out how to properly use his mind… I don’t think he’s learned anything other than Rarity being a complete obsessive maniac, and that he hangs out with too many girls.”

Snips made a long sigh, “Just follow my lead, please?”

“Okay then!” Snails nodded. Inside, Rarity carried Spike and sat him in front of the table.

“Now, Spiky,” she said as she began to browse through her cabinets, “I have just the thing to cheer you up,” the white unicorn turned around and placed a cake in front of Spike. It was a several inches high and round, covered with white icing and lined with purple icing on the bottom, and green icing on the top, and written in green icing had, “Welcome Spiky Wikey!”

Spike looked at the cake and wiped off his dry face, “What is this?” he asked, uncertain.

“It’s a gemstone cake!” Rarity squealed as she pulled as she cut out a slice and gave it Spike, “Go ahead and taste it!”

Spike took his fork and dug a chunk off the cake, holding it up to his face, uncertain still since all the Raritys here are complete psychopaths. The baby dragon looked back to Rarity and she sat near him, leaning over the table, holding her head up with her hooves.

After a long moment of silence, Spike could hear some noise from above, like sawing. He looked up to see a saw cut through the ceiling and make a hole, right above Rarity, and watched as the ceiling piece was caught and pulled up. Spike could then see Snips and Snails above with a big barrel, “Now!” Snips shouted and they poured caramel from the barrel onto the shocked Rarity, who freaked out. Snips and Snails jumped down and used their magic to break Spike loose from the rope. The chubby unicorn knocked out the fork from Spike’s claw, “No!” he sighed, “It’s good thing we came back for you, or you would’ve been stuck here forever!”

“Or at least, till we decided to come back for you,” Snails chuckled, unwittingly. Snips and Spike made an indifferent look at Snails, who noticed, “What?”

“Nothing,” Spike said as he turned to the door, “Let’s get outta here!”

Snips and Snails followed him as they ran, “Right behind you!” they shouted, and Spike stopped at the door, “Great! Almost out! Now what’s the plan on getting out of Ponyville, avoid the Raritys and whatever next you both have in store for me?”

“Uhmmmm, heh, heh…” Snips nervously chuckled.

“Wait…” the baby dragon turned to them with a look of indifference, “You haven’t got one, do you?”

“No,” the unicorn brothers concurrently answered. Spike facepalmed hard. Morons. Suddenly, the sound of heavy breathing could be heard from behind as Snips and Snails felt the breathing behind them. Spike opened his eyes wide as he noticed the caramel-covered, outraged Rarity behind Snips and Snails, who looked oblivious to it.

“Uh,” Spike pointed behind them, “Guys…”

“What?” Snails asked him.

“L-Look behind you,” stuttered the baby dragon and the unicorns looked back to see the outraged mare. Snails had his usual dull look as Snips was wide-eyed with alert.

“Oh. Well that lasted shorter than we thought,” said Snails.

“Run!” Snips shouted as he reared and Spike opened the door, letting the little unicorns run out and he hitched a ride by grabbing the tail of Snails. Spike pulled himself onto Snips’ back, and he looked back to see the Rarity give chase.

“Theives!” the white unicorn shouted, “Those little thieves are stealing Spiky Wikey!” Immediately, the town shook as a herd of Raritys gave chase and galloped right behind the three escapees.

“Guys!” Spike cringed as he saw the Raritys gaining on him, “They’re gaining on us!”

“We’re going as fast as we can!” Snips shouted. Suddenly, another herd of Raritys appeared before them, headed by Sparity.

“Halt thieves!” the Twilight-Rarity shouted at them.

Spike yelped and began to run out of ideas, but he remembered something. Something he promised he would never do again so long as he lived, but now he has no choice. He took his tail and made a frown of determination, “Sorry, tail,” he said and took a deep breath, and bit his tail. The pain surged through his body, causing his reaction of self-defense and he blasted a concentrated green flame. He held onto Snips as they gained speed and Snails jumped onto Spike, and they came straight toward the gang headed by Sparity. “We’re gonna hit them!” Snails shouted, and right when they would’ve hit them, Spike shot them skyward and they flew directly over Ponyville.

“Whoohoo!” Snips and Snails both shouted in triumph, but then Spike’s fire began to sputter and weaken, and soon they were all sent hurtling toward the forest of Everfree, each screaming on the way down.

Meanwhile, at Raziel’s Castle, Rarity fell down the shaft for a few moments and then she hit a slide, causing her to move forward and around in circles, and soon, she came to an opening and slid into a complete stop. She laid there on the dusty stone floor with her eyes rolling in the dark. The circling left her stomach upset. “Ohh…” moaned Rarity and she halted a vomit with her hooves and swallowed it back down, “Ugh! That’s nasty! I just… Ew!” her ears perked to the sound of galloping, and she sat up, looking around for the source, “Hello? Who’s there?” said she as the white unicorn peered through the shadows. The galloping grew closer and closer, “Eli?” Rarity said, “Is that you? Where are you, darling?” the galloping came so close that she could find the source, and she turned, “Eli?” Wham!