Chapter 12: Businessman
Roses are Red: Chapter 12
The streets fell silent and ponies stepped out of the way as Lilo, Carbon, and the guard made their way towards the poorer districts of Canterlot. All eyes were focused on Lilo, staring at her black chitin and large, pink eyes with curiosity, terror, and disgust. Some ponies gathered up their foals, friends, or significant others and led them down side streets and alleyways in an attempt to avoid the oncoming party, sometimes scoffing or mouthing a few words of dissent.
Lilo walked closer to Carbon, keeping their sides pressed up against each other while the guard walked behind them. Every time Lilo’s eyes made contact with another pony in the street, the pony would immediately look or shuffle away, or sometimes even glare at her in return. She folded her ears back and felt content to look at the ground, counting the dirty cobblestones that passed under her hooves.
“Insect.”
“Cretin.”
Lilo flinched, but she kept her head down as more insults were flung her way. They were far from the market square by now, and the houses that passed by started to slowly degenerate into destitute dwellings and shanties. The apartment that Carbon lived at, however, was still several streets away from them, and the ponies that the trio passed by appeared to be getting more and more agitated by Lilo’s presence.
“Why isn’t it locked up in Canterlot Castle?”
“Perhaps it is being used to search for more of those foul beasts.”
Lilo felt Carbon nudge the side of her head. She looked up, dodging the piercing eyes of the ponies around them.
“Don’t worry about them, Lilo,” Carbon said. “You did something today that they could never hope to do.”
“It was quite impressive,” the guard behind them added, nodding his head. “Probably wouldn’t have done what you did up there.”
“And you swooped out of nowhere and protected me against those guards, Carbon,” Lilo said, nudging her flank against Carbon. “There was just something different having you there. I felt like I could help Chrysalis.”
Carbon glanced around them, noticing that the ponies were starting to become more clustered as they neared the apartment. He leaned close to Lilo once again.
“I think we should pick up the pace,” Carbon whispered, making his voice loud enough for the guard to hear behind them. “It would be best if we got off the streets as quickly as possible before these ponies feel the need to ‘act.’ “
“There is an alley approaching on the left,” the guard said. “Your apartment building should be on the next street over; we could use it to avoid further contact with these crowds.”
Carbon glanced back for a moment. He then nodded his head and said, “Yes, you are right. Follow me.”
The alley the guard mentioned quickly came up on their left, and the party ducked into the alley away from the ponies in the street. A few more shouts and insults rose from behind them, but when Lilo looked back, she saw that none of the ponies from the street were following them. She sighed and turned back around, only for her breath to be caught in her throat. Standing at the end of the alley were two pegasi ponies, one of which Lilo instantly recognized.
“You been keepin’ yurself pretty well hidden” the light grey pegasus said. He had a messy orange mane and tail, as well as a large scar that traced over his left eye. “We were sure that you had left the city by now, but it seems like luck would have it that we found you again at a prissy little restaurant with this here handsome pegasus.”
Lilo and Carbon stopped walking, eyeing the two pegasi in front of them carefully. The other pegasus had a light orange coat with a white mane and tail.
“I’d suggest you move out of the way,” Carbon threatened. “We have orders to report back to Princess Celestia, and we have an armed guard escort.”
“Is that so?” the light grey pegasus sneered. “I just see Hot Rocket standin’ behind ya. Royal Guards don’t usually trek this far into the city.”
Lilo and Carbon whirled around to face the guard behind them, but they were instantly slammed into the walls opposite of each other. Lilo slumped against the wall and rolled onto her stomach. Across from her, Carbon groaned as he struggled to get back to his hooves. Lilo made to do the same, but she was instantly shoved back onto the ground by the false pegasus guard. He looked down at her and grinned.
Growling, Lilo opened her mouth and sunk her teeth into Hot Rocket’s leg, eliciting a yelp from the pegasus. He stepped back, releasing his leg from Lilo’s fangs, but before she could get on her hooves he was back on her and shoving her face into the cobblestones using one of his enormous hooves.
“Hey Falchion,” Hot Rocket said, glancing at the light grey pegasus, “looks like the bug grew somewhat of a spine since we last saw her.”
“Is that so?” Falchion asked, looking back over at Lilo and Hot Rocket. “Well, looks like we’ll need to fix that.” He turned back to look down at Carbon, who was still reeling on the ground and struggling to get to his hooves. “I suggest that you don’t get up,” Falchion said as he swiped Carbon’s hooves out from under him and then kicked him in the stomach. “That would be a very bad idea.”
Carbon wheezed, glancing at Lilo for a moment before casting his gaze back up at Falchion.
“Why are you doing this?” Carbon asked.
Falchion rolled his eyes, then lowered himself so he was eye level with Carbon.
“This ain’t some action adventure story where you can play the white knight,” he said. “We’re here representin’ a business, reclaimin’ some merchandise that mysteriously disappeared a few weeks ago. Simple as that. I suggest that you let this whole thing drop or you might be wishin’ those guards hadn’t hesitated up on that stage.”
Carbon coughed. “Merchandise? How can you call a pony merchandise; somepony who has thoughts, opinions, and feelings?”
Falchion raised himself back to his hooves and stepped aside, allowing for Carbon to look at Lilo again.
“That ain’t a pony,” Falchion stated. “Besides, that thing signed a contract with Zumas. We’re here to make sure it is going to fulfill that contract.”
Falchion nodded, causing Hot Rocket to pull one of his hooves back and then slam it into Lilo’s stomach. She gasped for air and doubled up, and Hot Rocket merely looked down at her and smirked.
“No, stop! Don’t hit her,” Carbon said, looking back at Falchion.
“ ‘Don’t hit her’?” the grey pegasus inquired. “Oh, that’s right. You love her, don’t ya?” He signaled for Hot Rocket to kick Lilo in the stomach again, causing Carbon to look away. “It seems as if I’m not being clear here. Drop these stupid bug fancies of yours and we’ll let you return to your normal, everyday life.”
Carbon tried to lift himself up again, but Falchion quickly brought his hoof back down onto the back of Carbon’s head. His eyes flashed.
“Ponies like you disgust me,” he said, kicking Carbon’s cheek to force him onto his back. “You fight against those that you can’t hope to defeat; and for what? Some stupid goal? Some stupid emotion? Some stupid moral? You’re not goin’ to find any of that! Life is not like those precious stories you read or those heroic tales that you hear ‘bout. No, life is tougher and less forgiving.”
Falchion stood over Carbon now, looking down at him with a snarl.
“Hold out your foreleg.” Falchion demanded.
Carbon looked at one of his forelegs, then back up at the pegasus.
“Do it!”
Slowly Carbon extended one of his forelegs to the side, and Falchion quickly pinned it against the ground. Carbon’s eyes widened when he saw Falchion place his other hoof down in the middle of his foreleg.
“How about I show you a taste of how forgiving life is like.”
“No! Please don-” Before Lilo could say anymore, Hot Rocket had slammed his hoof into her stomach once again.
A scream filled the alley as Falchion brought his hoof down upon Carbon’s foreleg. The snap from his bones was heard clearly by the two other pegasi, and tears filled Lilo’s eyes as she gazed at Carbon’s misshapen limb.
After a moment of letting Carbon shriek in agony, Falchion lifted a hoof and smashed it down onto Carbon’s face and said, “Now, if you don’t mind, we’ll be taking this thing back to Zumas where it belongs. Sayonara, and don’t follow us.”
Carbon’s head was throbbing, and his vision began to blur as he saw the third pegasus step over to Lilo and kicked her in the head as well, causing her to immediately blackout. He then pulled a bag from off of his back and stuffed her limp body into it, swinging it over Hot Rocket’s back once it was sealed. The last thing Carbon saw was Falchion smiling at him once again before unconsciousness swept over him.
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sence the idiots said zumas name dont they realize he can just walk up to the castle and say 'hey that well known and popular pony zumas and his underlings attacked me and stole lilo.'
2623072
Nice observation. We'll see how Carbon deals with that next chapter.
And that's how Carbon became the Punisher.
why would you break his leg?
that's only going to make him mad.
Broken leg. Ouch. Better than getting curb stomped though...
I also find it funny how Falchion goes on about how life isn't like a heroic tale, but by foalnapping Lilo, sets Carbon up to be one.
2626985
A little ironic, isn't it?
... I thought I would never see characters that could piss me off more than Prince Blueblood... today I was proven wrong. To say I am mad is quite the understatement. If the Red Lanterns from the Green Lanterns comic were real I would probably be wearing one of their rings right now, enter this story and enter a blood bath... So I must at least congratulate you on making such characters, though as much as I hate them, I'm feeling like seeing where this goes for them.
Hey guys, I apologize how long this chapter is taking to get out, but it is longer than the other chapters and I really need to work to make sure the pacing feels right. I'm almost finished writing the chapter, then I need to edit it and have Redracer take a look at it before I can put it up. I hope it will be ready within the next two days.
2651945 take your time, greatness can't be rushed
"HAHA! THIS CHANGELING IS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION OF THREE PRINCESSES AND IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO A LEGAL CASE! OF COURSE WE CAN TOTALLY AVOID ANY MILITARY PURSUIT, THREE DEMI GODS, AND RUN A BROTHEL WITH NO PROBLEMS!!!"
How do they expect this to work out for them?
i would so kill them
4061334
Especially since they have both seen and know the name of the guy responsible.
[youtube=HNhPMjbgkXA]
To summarize the kidnapping pegasus and quote Yahtzee from 4:40 onward.
"...We are forced to face consequences in an unfair, uncaring, and unavoidable world of hatred, misery, and death."
-Yahtzee Crashaw
On a lighter(ish) note, here is Carbon's theme for the next chapter:
[youtube=OBwS66EBUcY]
fuck these idiots.
How did they swap out a guard directed by Shining with a goon?