Trench is up-and-running again, but Ocin and his bishops are still on the loose, and they’re devising plans to get rid of Pracey once and for all.
Pracey has control of Trench, but he still feels like something’s off. Lema is still under authoritarian rule, and Ocin is still on the loose. He has a feeling that somehow, he still has some work to do.
Meanwhile, Lema is working behind the scenes to destroy the Banditos and make them enemies no matter what it takes.
(Inspired by Twenty Øne Piløts’ album, Scaled and Icy)
Lema has been keeping the batponies safe for many years. Nothing quite like a domed city that keeps circulating necessary oxygen throughout it. You can’t survive without our services.
We’ve become fully self-sufficient, We have our own music, radio, and television. Lema is teeming with culture that other cities simply can’t match. The fact that you’re listening to our radio station now proves that We can truly define ourselves as pinnacles of Luna’s moon.
In Lema, We have morals, unlike those runaway Banditos on the loose. They are traitors to the Lema way and they deserve to be stopped, ridiculed, and otherwise shunned. Why they would put themselves in mortal danger to destroy the Lema ways only proves this.
Unlike them, Lema cares if people die, they didn’t even bury the fourth of their army they’ve lost. Trust me, when you’re with Lema, every day is a good day.
In fact, that’s our next song, have a Good Day everypony.
“Prancey, who’s on food duty this time?”
I sat in Trench, wondering how I’d managed to survive this long. It’s been a decently long time since the Banditos escaped Lema with me, and I’d went to Trench to become their leader. I was shocked that Ocin and the Bishops hadn’t come after me yet. A part of me wanted to think that they’d left me alone, but that was just not how Ocin worked. The brighter times seemed a little suspicious.
“Luna to Prancey! Who’s on food duty tonight?”
I shook my head to drive me out of my thoughts. “Sorry! Sorry, Solarius. I was, lost in my thoughts again. I’ll go on food duty with Cold Fire, Pebble, and Iron Hide,” I respond.
Looking at Solarius, he was a yellowish batpony, rather rare on Luna’s Moon. He had an eye permanently shut because of a long scar that went across it. Right now, he looked pissed. He was my second-in-command after Trench got too big to start running by myself. A little hole in the ground located in a valley, Trench was a place to all batponies who couldn’t fit in, and I’m actually the second leader of this colony, after the first, Wingless, died a terrible death at the hands of Ocin’s bishops, presumably. Around me, there were little crevices for everypony, decorated with things we robbed from delivery ships. Nobody had got the message to Luna that Trench was a real colony.
“Who’s on Night watch?” he added.
“Wingless,” I said without thinking.
“Wingless has been dead for 2 years, Prancey. Snap out of it.” Solarius mentioned, looking even more pissed.
“You know how in those stories, somebody appears to be dead, but they really aren’t?” I asked him.
“Prancey, your life isn’t a story. You are the leader of Trench. No if, ands, or buts about it. Wingless is dead.”
I sighed. “Put Moondancer on night watch.”
“Him again? If you say so,” Solarius mentioned.
As much as I hated to admit it to myself, Wingless was dead. However, I couldn’t shake that feeling that something was off about this narrative. Ocin had left me alone for 2 years, Wingless was dead, but nobody saw her body. There was something that just felt like a part of a greater plan of Ocin’s.
I shook my head. I had to get prepared for intercepting delivery ships for food. I walked into my room, a slightly larger crevice with a nice bed, as nice as one could get from delivery ships, it was really just a collection of straw with a cloth pillow. There were a few pieces of paper hanging up, stories and plans I’d written for the population of Trench. On the wall, attached to a hook dug into it, was my old jumpsuit, a little worse for wear, but I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it.
Also on the wall were a pair of googles, which I took. We tended to go fast, and googles helped dull the speed decently well.
Putting them on, I decided to head out and wait for my crew.
After waiting for a bit, my batpony companions came up to me. First was Cold Fire, a light blue stallion with yellow eyes and rather sharp teeth. He had a mane tied back in a ponytail. There was also Pebble, a grey mare with rather adorable eyes and a very small stature. She was one of our newer arrivals, meaning she wasn’t as connected to Wingless as some of the other ponies. Then, there was Iron Hide. He aptly lived up to his name, being rather buff and stocky. His mane was done up in a buzzcut, and he had one of the darkest greys I’ve ever seen on a batpony.
“Is everypony ready to intercept the delivery ship?” I asked.
Cold Fire nodded in a restrained way, Pebble nodded her head excitedly, and Iron Hide gave a grunt of affirmation.
“I know I take you guys on every food exhibition, but I know we work well as a team,” I started.
“We really do!” exclaimed Pebble.
“Thanks for the pep talk Prancey, but we need to get up there now,” Cold Fire said.
“To the point as always, let’s go!” I exclaimed.
All four of us flew up and looked at the delivery ship entering Luna’s orbit.
“Get meat, hay, and firewood, as always. Be quick about it,” I whispered.
Sure that my companions would listen, I flew in and gathered a palette of hay and tossed it on my back. I watched Iron Hide come in and take as much as he could carry, Pebble just gathered as much firewood as she could carry, her small stature making it so she couldn’t carry much else. Cold Fire, being by far the most omnivorous of the batponies I knew, gathered meat.
“Everypony ready?!” I asked.
After all of them nodded, I jumped out and glided down, the other ponies followed me.
Pebble, being incredibly energetic, decided to drop all her firewood and slap my wing with hers, to which I awkwardly returned the gesture despite being in a compromised position.
“Good job guys, I know I’ve been a bit scatterbrained recently. Just thoughts about Wingless and whatnot. I know it’s hard to believe me, but it’s a good day,” I said.
That was Good Day. We hope you all enjoyed it. Remember, no matter how hard it is to believe, everyday in Lema is a good day.
Welcome back to Lema radio. We know so many of you are super supportive of our overall message here, and We also know none of you would try to escape like those bastard Banditos did. Let it be known that most of those people have been dealt with. Prancey is dead. The Banditos have disbanded. The rebels who didn’t submit peacefully were killed.
Once again, remember that those who came peacefully were merely imprisoned. We don’t kill those who submit peacefully, We’re not bad people. For all the rebels out there, the were born a choker, the only solution is to cut them off. The only purpose they served was a style, and that’s what they built their image on. If there are any rebels still out there, nobody’s coming for you, don’t bother.
“Prancey, it looks like the food patrol was successful.”
I nodded. “I know, Solarius, I ran it.”
“I can tell that something’s on your mind again. Is it Wingless again?” the yellow stallion added.
“You see right through me, Solarius. I’m almost thinking about just running up to Lema and finding her. Besides, the rest of Lema needs freed, too. Why can’t I just do that?” I asked.
“Prancey, that is a bad idea and you know it.”
“”But what if she’s out there?”
“What if she isn’t?”
I sighed. I didn’t want to take that risk. At least, not until I had a reason to do so. Death didn’t seem like a proper tradeoff for Wingless, if she was out there at all.
I hear the shuffling of hooves right behind me, it was Moondancer. I turned around to find him coming my way. He was a blueish-grey stallion who was extremely lithe, having the body of a mare. He wasn’t built for guarding, but he always was eager to do it, and he did well enough.
“Are you sure you’re sending me out to guard?” he asked.
“You ask me that a lot, and the answer is always yes,” I responded.
Moondancer headed off to Night watch, and I turned back to Solarius.
“What if I assembled a team to go to Lema with me?” I asked him.
“Look, we’re all worried of you just dying out of the blue, like Wingless. I like you as our leader, most of the ponies here do, too. In fact, you’re asking me because you’re worried about your little ponies because that’s what good leaders do. Prancey, we can’t have you just leave and likely die. How would Trench fare?” Solarius mentioned.
I sighed once again. I didn’t know how to get these things under control. I wished I could just stop thinking about it. But this entire scenario was a rock embedded in my hoof, and someone handed me the pin. It was my choice whether to investigate and possibly cause more problems, or leave it in and be stuck with an awful feeling that these people in Lema were being brainwashed by propaganda.
“I guess I can sleep,” I said.
Solarius nodded.
I decided to listen to my instincts and get some sleep. After all, I needed it.
I stumbled back to my room, and tried to get some sleep.
However, I couldn’t. I wished I could. I wanted to help Lema. Really, I did. I had to weight my options and figure something out.
Too many plans flew about in my mind, I wanted to write so many down, so I turned my lamp on and tried my best to create a fleshed-out plan.
“Hack the radio broadcasts when I get there, go in under a disguise. Keep a low profile, break in, save prisoners, set the ponies free,” I wrote.
I didn’t know what the specifics would come down to, but I could pray to Luna and try.
I don’t know what did it, but I fell asleep.
Once again, We have to reiterate that the Banditos are the bad guys here. They’re the one’s We’re against. We—
...
Listen—
It seemed like our signal went down for a second there. As We were saying—
Stop! Don’t listen to them! All the rebels still left!
“When you’re bodies screaming out, trust your mind’s listening. Like a silhouette you can barely see. As a shadow cast upon the ground where you’ll eventually. Lay forever but the day goes on, the sun moves behind you—“
...
Sorry—
They’re coming back online! Listen! Prancey’s not dead! Prancey’s not dead! Prancey’s not dead! Prancey—!
ATTENTION! THAT WAS NOT SCHEDULED! THE PERPETRATORS WILL BE DEALT WITH! Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming....
“We don’t want you coming back. We’d rather you do it with your own hooves. Lema follows a very strict adherence to the idea that killing yourself is the only way to truly die. Luna says it.”
“When did she ever say that?”
“Since I did. Now, where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Where is he?”
“I swear to Luna, I don’t know.”
“Take her back to the cell. She’s useless. We’ll find him ourself. If worst comes to worst, we’ll wring it out of her. Off, my bishops, find his whereabouts.”
I awoke with a start. I vaguely recalled writing up some plans to invade Lema, and I groped around my little straw bed until I found out that, yes, I wrote the plans out.
However, there was nothing on them on how I’d get into Lema, just what I’d do when I got there. Hacking the broadcasts would be hard, but I’m sure I could find somebody. I felt like Solarius might be able to help, and Pebble was generally intelligent. However, I wanted to make sure the plan was ready, I wouldn’t want to change it a dozen times on the fly.
I walked out to find Trench about and bustling. All the batponies were talking with each other, a few were eating the rations, there wasn’t a lot of food to go around, but I tried to give enough to everypony. It was always nice to see these moments in the morning before everypony went out and did their own business.
“Enjoying the ponies talking with each other? I love seeing it too!” I heard a rather high voice say.
I turned around to see Pebble right beside me, looking adorable and excited as usual.
“Are Cold Fire and Iron Hide leaving you out again?” I asked.
“Well, yes,” Pebble affirmed,”but you also seem like you're so lonely on your own.”
“You shouldn’t need to worry about me, I have my own things to attend to.”
“What are they?” Pebble inquired.
“Well, I’m trying to get into Lema and save the city from Ocin and his nine bishops.”
“What’s Lema?”
“Well, it’s a domed city where freedom is greatly limited and nopony can ever leave.”
“They sound evil. We should get them. I’ll come with you!” Pebble exclaimed.
“Hey, I’m still trying to work out the details,” I responded. “Lema isn’t a very nice place and I can’t just waltz in and expect to save everypony.”
Pebble nodded. “Are we going on food patrol today?”
“Not today, I don’t think so. I was going to send the other group. I’ll talk to Solarius about that.”
After I noticed Pebble getting visibly downcast, I felt so bad for the mare. “I’ll put you on Night watch if that makes you feel better.”
The grey mare perked up instantly. “Thank you, Prancey! I just want to do all I can for you and to help Trench!”
She jumped on me and gave me a very big hug, which I could only return. “Look, I’m not anything compared to Wingless, I don’t know why you like me so much. Wingless did a much better job.”
“Stop comparing yourself to Wingless, Prancey. You’re an amazing leader, you don’t need modesty.” Pebble said.
As she ran off, I watched the morning crowd of ponies disperse, a few of them were still discussing things with each other, but most of them were trotting away. Pebble seemed to really like me, as did Solarius. Maybe the Lema invasion could wait a little longer. I should be a good leader and stay in Trench until I let everypony know that I’d be leaving. I wouldn’t want nobody to hear my last monologue to myself.
I saw Solarius approaching me. His wings were out and he was trotting slowly toward me.
“Hello, Prancey, who’s on food patrol today?” he asked.
“I was going to send the second group today, and put Pebble on Night watch,” I responded.
“Pebble? Prancey, you’re choosing some unusual guarding choices, as usual. However, I trust you to pick the right guards. Moondancer does fine, so Pebble should do fine, too. Though may I remind you that she hasn’t guarded before?”
“Cool down, Solarius, she wanted to, and I trust her,” I told the batpony in question.
“I trust you, but still. Pebble’s very energetic and she’ll probably wear herself out and fall asleep.”
“Don’t shy away from the decision, Solarius,” I said.
After a brisk nod, Solarius started trotting off. I hope I didn’t screw up by picking Pebble. I could only hope.
Good Day Lema! As you may know, our broadcast was interrupted earlier by an unknown assailant, one of those so called ‘rebels’. We apologize for the interruption, and We’ll try and keep it under control from now on. The ‘rebel’ has indeed been compromised, and we tightened security. Any more interruptions will be dealt with.
As you can see from the events transpiring, we’re trying to keep you safe. Lema is not falling anytime soon. We are vialists, and we are Luna’s, together, we stand.
Good day Lema! Today’s message is very important. In this city, everypony has their own ideas, their own vibes. Putside of the dome, people are going to take that. We respect that everyone is like no other, and aren’t another Bandito trying to get you to conform. In Lema, it’s great that everypony is their own pony. Don’t try and leave or else that’ll be compromised, and you don’t want that to happen.
In fact, our next song should make that perfectly clear to you. Remember, in Lema we are vialists, and we are Luna’s, amd together we stand. Enjoy the next song, The Outside.
I woke up, I was outside of Trench, and I felt moon rock beneath me. Wait, why was I outside? I looked back and realized that I’d been put on Night watch. Trench was behind me, and since the earth was not in the sky, it must’ve been morning.
Wait! Did I fall asleep on Night watch? This is bad, this is bad, this is bad. I didn’t know trying to impress Prancey would lead to this. I could’ve gotten him in danger all because I fell asleep! I hope nopony came rushing through. Wait, why did my head hurt? I should just be a little tired, I mean, I’m a lot tired, but my head still shouldn’t hurt.
Panicked, I fly into Trench and come face-to-face with Solarius. Oh no! Solarius was not the best pony to run into after you failed Night watch.
“Pebble, it seems that Prancey has been taken away,” he said in that same low voice he always talked in.
“I know! I’m sorry! I failed Night watch! I’m ready for punishment,” I responded.
“It was your first time. Regardless, does your head hurt at all?” he asked.
“Yeah! It aches a bit, I don’t know what caused it. Seemed it started hurting after I woke up.”
“Just as I suspected,” he said.
I cocked my head quizzically. What could he possibly mean by that?
“Pebble, the must’ve knocked you unconscious, slunk their way in here, and took Prancey,” he deduced.
“We need to get him back right away! Rally the ponies of Trench! We’ll fly and take him right back!” I shout. “Wait, who is they?”
Solarius seemed to be getting more and more tired of me. “Why, Ocin and the bishops of Lema. Who else?”
“Let’s go! Everypony who wants to go get Prancey, come with me!”
A sizable crowd had gathered just to witness my shouting. It was really more of a passionate discussion, but whatever.
“Pebble, we aren’t going to train any of them first?” Solarius asked.
“I hate that you’re right,” I mused. “Well, we need them trained as fast as possible!”
“Fine,” Solarius conceded. “Why are you so gung-ho about saving Prancey anyways?”
“Well, he’s a food leader and I really like him?” I said with a smile.
Solarius nodded, he seemed content with what I’d said.
Prancey was a really good leader! He was also so much more to me than just a leader. I wanted him back.
Well, it looked like I’d been taken away for the second time in my life. I was surrounded by nine bishops. Ocin was no among them, but they’d restrained me and were now taking me to Lema. They hadn’t killed me, but a few of them had shotguns and were likely not against using them if I tried any funny business. I wondered what everyone at Trenxh would think pf me being taken away and if or when they’d come to save me.
However, I got my first step of the plan done, I was making it into Lema. Now I just needed to figure out how to hack the broadcasts and how to warn everypony. If I knew Lema, they were going to have propaganda everywhere, and it might be a little hard to change the minds of ponies living in Lema. However, I had a chance, and I’d be trying.
But first up, I needed to find out what happened to Wingless.
Fantastic news for all of us living in Lema. We’ve managed to capture a rebel! He’s currently being taken into Lema to be tried and killed for real as accordance to our mission to wipe all rebel scum off of the earth. As for the one that’s no leaving our broadcasts alone, We’re working on getting rid of her for real.
I hope everypony here understands that We’re closer to making our mission of making everypony on Luna’s moon one of us. You citizens are advised to join us.
Good Day, Lema! As has been announced, We have gotten hold of a runaway rebel and have promptly imprisoned him. He had been captured alone, and We don’t expect him to be chased after. The phony had set up his own base, and they didn’t even care. Imagine living in that scenario. In Lema, everypony cares after you, and We look after you all.
Any of you wannabe rebels out there, just remember that you’re better off staying in Lema. In Lema, We have fun. We paint the town on Saturdays, and have a ton of fun otherwise. We’ve been active for so long, just think about how much more technically superior We are. Luna formed us hereself.
Enjoy the next song, which is exactly about that. It’s about how much fun We have here.
“Pebble, I’m telling you, there’s no way we can put up a fight against those armed Lema soldiers with as little training as we have given them.”
I paced the floor quickly left and right. It had only been a couple days, but I couldn’t wait any longer. As much as I hated to admit it, Solarius had a point, too. Ugh! Is this what being Prancey felt like? Did he have to grapple between what to do and what not to do? I was only leading Trench right now because Prancey wasn’t here. I’d volunteered because I wanted to help him so bad! Solarius seemed content with letting me do that, for whatever reason. Maybe he just liked being second in command?
“But Solarius. Who knows what could’ve been done to him?” I ask.
“Pebble. Keep your wings flat on your sides for 2 minutes,” Solarius scolded.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, feeling my face heat up.
Solarius looked at me with the type of look that conveyed, you have got to be kidding me. “You know what I mean, lover mare. Back to things that actually matter, we might be able to actually stand a chance if we found a shotgun to attack them with, or something of that ilk.”
“Solarius, you genius!” I announced. “That’s a fantastic idea!”
“How will we even get a shotgun?” he asked.
“I guess we could find some downed ship to scrap for parts and create a semi-operational gun for everypony! Then we can go get Prancey sooner! Solarius, Prancey was right to choose you as his second-in-command!” I shouted. In my excitement, I flew a lap or two around Trench.
Solarius once again looked at me with that same you have go to be kidding me look when I landed, but I didn’t care. We had a plan!
“Who’ll put together the shotguns, Pebble?” Solarius asked.
“Oh... well, Cold Fire could do it! I could help!” I responded. “Cold Fire’s really smart.”
“I know he is,” Solarius replied, ”but does he know how to make one?”
“He’d easily be able to figure it out. I trust him on that.”
“Will you be finding this downed ship on your own?” Solarius asked.
“No, I’d take Iron Hide with me. In case of monsters,” I told him.
Solarius sighed. “Well, I can tell I’m never changing your mind, so have at it.”
“Nope, you’ll never change my mind!” I said. “Hey, Iron Hide, come here!”
When the stallion in question approached me, I turned straight toward him.
“What’d you want me for?” he asked.
“Well, I just wanted to go hunting for a downed ship with you. Do you think you could carry a lot of scrap? We need it to save Prancey.”
“I could carry you with one hoof, Pebble,” Iron Hide said. “I don’t know how you ended up being our stand-in leader. Just to get Prancey, I will help you.”
“Great!” I said. “Hey, Solarius, we’ll be back! When we get that metal, we’re going to paint Lema in so many shades of red and yellow!”
I flew outside, excited for a new adventure.
Here I was, the council room. They’d managed to get me in a cell and now I was getting an audience with the nine bishops and Ocin themselves. As always, Ocin sat in the middle of all of them, and the nine bishops surrounded him on chairs of various heights.
“Well, Prancey, we finally caught you,” Ocin said.
“It looks like you did,” I said.
“Listen, what we’re going to put you through is going to make you wish you were dead. In fact, you might as well do it yourself. We are Lema, We are vialists, and We are Luna’s. You aren’t. We need to get rid of you for good,” Ocin said.
“Trust me Ocin, you won’t get away with this plan. I’ll get the ponies of Trench looking for me,” I responded.
“Bold words for somepony who didn’t even get away with his own plans of escape. I do have to applaud you on avoiding us for 2 years, but we always catch up,” Ocin said.
I merely growled in response.
“Hoho,” Ocin laughed. “Take him away. Throw him in his cell again, and lock him up for good this time.”
I kicked and screamed all the way down, which didn’t help my predicament at all. Soon, they throw me in a murky dungeon with no light or food anywhere around.
Once they got me under lock and key, I could only wait until Trench came to save me. Who know how ling that’d take. In the cell is a computer, likely loaded with Lema propaganda, and a wooden plank of a bed.
I sighed.
“Hey.”
That voice was so familiar. I stood up and looked across the aisle, where I found a batpony with a scarlet red mane.
Hello again, Lema citzens. It’s been driven into the ground, but We still feel like it’s important to emphasize that it’s Us and Them. Our connections make us weak, we need a divide between Them and Us. Prepare for war. If you can’t gain any ground on the rebels, you better be prepared to kill yourself to avoid giving them the satisfaction of doing it for you.
We’ve got the head of the rebel movement, and we can handle the rest. They aren’t even properly armed.
We are Lema. We are vialists, and we are Luna’s. We’ll never take it.
“So! I wanted to say something before Iron Hide and I set out to collect scrap,” I said, prepared to let everypony in trench know I was going to be back. “You have to know that at this point, it’s Us or Them. We have to get Prancey back, and we’ll do anything in our power to do that. Whatever it takes, we’ll fight Lema to the death!
“Who are we? We’re Trench! We’re the ones who will show Lema the error of their ways! We’re going to attack them, and paint the town our rebel colors! I didn’t really have much else to say, but we’ll be back, I can guarantee it!”
The ponies enthusiastically cheered, and I decided that now was a good time to leave. So, me and Iron Hide decided to fly across Luna’s Moon and see what downed delivery ships we could find.
“There’s absolutely no way that you’re—“
“Prancey, stop stammering for one second! Look at me closely.”
I once again got another look at the pony that was in front of me. There was a scarlet red mane, sure, it was hanging over her face like it hadn’t been cut in years. Which, honestly, it probably hadn’t. She was dark blue, and quite thin, but her most distinctive feature was that she had no wings, at all.
“Wingless! There’s no way you’re alive! I must be going crazy already!” I shouted. “Or you’re her twin sister, or something. Like, you being alive was something I hoped for, not something I actually assumed was happening!”
“Well, yes, I’m Wingless. Prancey, you’re more expressive that when I last met you,” Wingless said.
“Well, I have been leading a band of ponies for two years, and that’ll make a pony become a little more vocal,” I responded. “Really though, what happened to you?”
“Well, they captured me, sure, but Lema didn’t actually want to kill me. They said I had done grievous wrongs, and that they couldn’t get rid of me temporarily. Apparently, this entire Lema city is built on some bullshit religion that Ocin thought up that states that the only way to die is to kill oneself. So, they threw me in this cell, either until I swore my undying allegiance to Lema or until I got so depressed I killed myself. Because I’m stubborn and because Lema is a city full of nothing but ponies who don’t have a moral compass, I decided to do neither,” Wingless stated. “They feed me once a day, and there’s absolutely nothing interesting in this cell, so I decided to take up a little side gig to mess with Lema.”
“Okay, I’m inclined to believe you,” I said. “What did you take up?”
“You see that computer?” Wingless said, pointing a hoof at the computer in my cell. “They only give you that because it’s loaded with propaganda and whatnot. However, it’s also direct access to every Lema server they have, including radio and video.”
I booted up the computer and realized that Wingless was right. I must’ve been dumped in a super-cell because I don’t remember any of this from my stay in the Lema dungeons. The computer had a direct feed to radio and video servers, which is probably what Wingless was mentioning.
“So, what’s so cool about this?” I asked.
“Well, if you manage to breach the security, you can hack into the feeds and completely buck up the bullshit they’re talking about. I really hated all the things they’d say, so I’ve done it a couple of times. The problem is that they tighten the security with every hack, and I haven’t been able to do anything for a while.”
“Perhaps if we did it together? Maybe then we could think up a way to break in for good,” I suggested.
“That’s a great idea Prancey.,” Wingless responded. “I’ll just need to tell you how to hack into the systems, listen carefully...”
Good Day, Lema! I’m sure you all know about the plan that’s going to be going down soon, We implore you to gather you weapons, any weapons you have. We’ll block them on Mulberry Street, the central pavilion, and We’ll tell them to eat our lunch.
If you have doubts about this fight, there’s nothing wrong with this! They’re rebels, and all rebels deserve to be destroyed. They can only move forwards while we can move to the side. We’re technically and ideologically superior. We are Lema, we are vialists, and we are Luna’s.
Me and Iron Hide had been looking for a couple of days, but we’d finally found it. We’d found a downed weapons supply ship, they had old shotguns, a good bit of shells, and of course, a ton of scrap metal. I could’ve believe it!
“Yes, yes, yes, yes!” I shouted.
“Pebble, calm down,” Iron Hide said. He went over and starting picking up as many shotguns as he could cary, which, given his bulky stature, was quite a lot.
“I’m just so excited, though!” I said, grabbing some cases of ammo.
“I know, but it’s just annoying when you’re constantly excited all the time,” Iron Hide said. “You don’t need to have a physical reaction to every single thing that happens.
“Well, sorry,” I said. “I just want to have fun.”
“We’re fighting a deadly city on Luna’s Moon. We aren’t here to have fun.”
“Fine,” I said. I didn’t agree with him, that we couldn’t have fun, but I’d have to play along.
I started walking back to the base with all of our equipment in tow. It was heavy, but I was determined to not lose that bounce in my step.
I was currently trying to hack the Lema’s radio, Wingless had taught me how, but she was right, it was hard to hack into this thing. The security was very tight. I was following her instructions, but it was hard to hack into the radio through their propaganda website. It didn’t help that they didn’t have a radio when I was living here. It seemed to be a new addition, to play propaganda to the people because so many of them were running away.
“Any luck, Wingless?” I asked, looking intently at the computer.
“Unfortunately not, Prancey,” Wingless replied. “I do feel like this is possible. When we do figure it out, I say we hack in at a crucial moment. You know, because we might not be able to do it again.”
“How will we know when a crucial moment is?” I wondered aloud.
“We listen to the propaganda, of course!” Wingless said, as if that made complete sense.
“Won’t it have adverse effects on us?”
“Trust me when I say that their propaganda is faker and more obvious than a prosthetic wing that Luna delivered to her Moon.,” Wingless replied. “Which, I’ve gotten plenty of, by the way.”
“Why don’t you wear a prosthetic wing, then?”
“Well, there were too many appendages to keep track of, and I couldn’t fly with it properly. Besides, I thought to myself, ‘why should I be like every other batpony when I can be myself?’ I had to get a doctor to take it out. That’s part of what made my parents in Sol absolutely hate me. They thought I should be like every other filly, and learn how to fly. I told them to buck off.
“In fact, if you look closely, I still have scar tissue from where they took out the prosthetics. I don’t know if you’ll be able to see it, you might have to look very closely.”
Wingless turned to the side to show me when her wings should’ve been, and sure enough, there were faint scars there from when they presumably removed the prosthetic.
“So, like the one across your eye?” I asked.
“No, that one was more violent, this was just me asking politely,” Wingless responded.
I sat and mulled over it for a bit, I truly didn’t know she liked her wings gone. She truly had pride in the things that made her unique.
“Anyways, want to listen to some propaganda and find and opening?” I asked.
Wingless turned to face me again with a smile. “You didn’t have to ask.”
The radio was currently on, me and Wingless had been sitting in the cell, becoming more and more bored. She’d tried very hard, and she’d finally gotten through one layer of security after I suggested trying to find something like a staff website, and had found a sign-in for the servers, a passcode she was trying to brute-force. I was lying down and really just taking a rest.
“So his name really is Optical Illusion, huh?”
I nodded. It also requested a name, something that I thankfully knew.
The radio was background static, and I personally wondered if some ponies killed themselves in here because there wasn’t anything entertaining on. They just repeated the same thing over and over again, something about attacking Trench and having the rebels “go down,” as it was put.
“Is it just me or does it seem like Lema is scared of Trench? It’s not like they’re trained or anything. We’re so far behind in tech it’s not even funny. Yet, they seem to be restating how much of a fight we’ll put up every hour. Unless they found shotguns or something...”
I was interrupted by an excited Wingless shouting, “Got it!”
“Really?” I exclaimed in disbelief. “What was it?”
“1234,” Wingless replied.
“Excuse me, I thought you just said 1234?”
“That’s because it is 1234, Prancey.”
“Ocin’s passcode to keep the Lema servers under Lema control is 1234.”
“I don’t know how many times I have to say it, it is.”
“Luna kill me,” I groaned, sinking deeper into the rock-hard floor.
“Don’t say that, they might take it literally,” Wingless stated.
“I suppose you’re right, so what happened?”
“Well,” Wingless started, “There’s this button on here that seems to allow me to control the radio. I can record my own lines and put them up for everypony in Lema and the surrounding nothing to hear. The radio seems to be prerecorded.”
“That’d make sense, but then how do they know that Trench is coming for them?” I asked.
“Well, either they sell your information, or they knew that if they captured you, some idiot stand-in leader for Trench would come rushing to your aid. My assumption is probably the latter.”
“Oh, Luna,” I murmur.
“What?” Wingless inquired.
“I know a pony who’d do exactly that, I swear if she’s coming for me—“
“Who would that be?”
“Pebble,” I reply.
“Who’s she?” Wingless continued prying.
“She’s a young one, she joined after you got captured. Basically, she seems to have a weird attachment to me, and always seems to seek me out. She’s also excitable enough to have stepped up for leader, and also excitable enough to grate on pretty much every other pony in Trench. She’d run after me if it killed her or not.”
Wingless broke out laughing as I was explaining who Pebble was. “I thought that running Trench made you a smarter pony, but you’e still as dense as ever!”
“What do you mean?” I asked, standing up.
“She’s in love with you, obviously!”
“Oh Luna, we’re bucked.”
I couldn’t believe it, we’d actually gotten everypony equipped and were now flying towards Lema about a hundred strong! I mean, it wasn’t much, but we all had shotguns, so we were probably good.
After Cold Fire managed to be his usual smart self and reverse engineer the shotguns to manufacture them for us, everypony was given a crash course in how to use them by Solarius. Kinda. There were a few ponies who couldn’t use them due to wing problems, the shotguns being designed for batponies, so they all got bayonets instead!
Ahead of us was a beautiful domed city with skyscrapers and a massive building in the middle. There seemed to be 9 city divisions around the center building, with the center building obviously being its own.
They were coordinated by color, and it created a beautiful rainbow of a city.
“It looks so cool!” I said.
“Remember, Pebble, we’re attacking this city and every pony in here is brainwashed and serves Lema.”
Oh yeah, and Solarius was there, too.
“Solarius, I know that! I can appreciate the city’s look without loving everypony in it!”
Solarius doubtfully nodded. Ignoring him, I flew around to look for a way in. There seemed to be a guard posted on all nine divisions. I decided to fly down to one in front of the grey one.
“Hello there!” I said.
“State your business visiting Lema,” the guard said.
I opened my mouth to speak, but Solarius butted in before I could say anything.
“We were going to deliver these shotguns to the Nine bishops for future endeavors,” he said.
“Wait a minute,” the guard replied. “I recognize you! You’re the military personnel that ran away from Lema while we were on a mission!”
The guard then did a weird whistle thing, didn’t understand it, but the next thing I knew, all 9 guards were after us certainly with more on the way.
Solarius then stepped back and addressed our army. “Everypony, line up! Bayonets in front, new shotguns behind them, old shotguns in the back! We’re going to get these ponies! Pebble and I can lead!”
Solarius then addressed me by myself. “Pebble, you got your rifle?”
I nodded. “You’re going have to explain this more later.”
Solarius nodded without any shade of doubt for once, and me and him charged.
“FIRE!!” Solarius shouted.
The ponies shot, and a couple got hit by the crossfire, but the guards got hit, too.
“Pebble, you’re agile!” Solarius shouted. “Get in and get Prancey!”
After a few moments, he came back with a new shotgun that he probably took from on of the ponies that got shot.
“Give him this!” he said, throwing it at me. “Me and Trench will hold these guys off, get him!”
Without questioning it, I ducked inside the dome and made a beline for the center building. I was going to save Prancey, and then I could finally have him back.
Attention! The rebels are attacking! They have an old Lema military commander with them! Prepare for the worst! We’re ready and willing to take them on.
Me and Wingless had just heard the radio exclaim that the rebels were here and that Lema was ready to fight. I knew that this was the perfect time to go at it.
“I’m on it, Prancey!” Wingless called back, using her hooves to clumsily hack into the broadcast. It was meant for wings, but that wasn’t stopping her, it never had before.
There was a buzzing noise, then Wingless started frantically talking.
“Attention to all the rebels,” she started.
“And all Banditos that may be left,” I added.
Wingless shot and aside glance at me, but she continued regardless.
“Lema are cruel, they are oppressors, any rebellion is crushed instantly. They may not kill you, but they make you feel like you wish you were dead. Prancey is here with me, and he can attest to that. I’m urging you to get out while you still can, running away doesn’t make you wrong. If there’s anypony out there, from any background, get out while you can. Fight back—“
I heard the radio then cut out again.
Dammit, she’s back.
Regardless, Wingless broke through and continued.
“We’ll take them down, believe me. Head East and find Trench, we’ll be there.”
There was an intense buzzing, and I turned the radio off.
“Great speech, Wingless, but how will we get out of here?”
“We’ll find a way.”
I wondered how Solarius was doing, but I couldn’t worry about him right now. He was apparently a commander, so I assume he had it figured out, but still, I had to save Prancey. Guards were all over, some heavily armed, but there were just as many ponies trying to escape the pandemonium. It seemed that everypony wasn’t bad here.
I was using my small size to keep me hidden from the guards as I approached the massive central building. Upon reaching there and slipping inside, I noticed some guards in some ridiculously high-tech armor, I knew I had to dodge those. They were all patrolling a large central building with 9 different corridors and an elevator in the center. I presumed that the dungeons were down and I could ride the elevator there.
I decided to make a break for the elevator and pressed a button to open it.
Then I waited. And I waited some more.
For being high-tech, this elevator was very slow.
It was taking so long that some of the guards in the room came up to me.
“Hello, state you business,” one said.
“I,” I started, “don’t mind me, I was just going down to feed the prisoners.”
“Why do have a shotgun?” The same guard asked, pointing their wing at my back where the shotgun was.
“Just so I could shoot them, you know in case they were acting up.”
The guards around the elevator looked at each other inquisitively. Soon, one of them said, “That’s not how we usually do it, but if Ocin ordered a change in the way we do things, I can’t question it. We need to take you up to Ocin to get you outfitted.”
I nodded awkwardly as the elevator arrived. A couple guards came with me, while the others went back to patrolling the area.
The elevator ride felt like an eternity. Soon, there was a light ding and the elevator door opened.
A grey batpony was seated on the throne with a greying mane and red eyes. He looked like he was completely done with absolutely everything. I wondered how old he was.
When the guards around me bowed, I figured I should do the same.
“Hello, gentlemen,” the pony on the throne said, “I see you have a new mare with you.”
He took a long hard look at my slightly dusty body and added, “One that needs a bath, no less.”
“Yes Sir, she said she was going to feed the prisoners and shoot them if they were acting up,” one guard said. They almost sounded afraid.
The pony narrowed his eyes and his frown deepened. “Very well,” he said. Then, he focused his gaze on me. “Your armor and meal are in the room right behind the throne, you’ll need it.”
I peeked around the throne, and sure enough, there was a room behind him.
I quickly trotted into the room behind it, and found a loaf of bread, some water, and a suit of armor. None of them were built for me, so I found the smallest and attempted to slip inside it. The armor was still very large around me, but I could at least put it on and keep it on. In the room behind me, I heard a faint, ”I’ll take her down myself, you can be dismissed.”
I walked back into the main room, where the two other guards had left. The pony on the throne looked straight at me.
“I’ve dealt with too many ponies like you. Who are you, and who the buck do you want to free?” he growled.
“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.”
I really thought Wingless was this big bad pony who was stealing Prancey’s affection! She never wanted him at all! I was so glad that she was ready to lead again, especially since Prancey was now dead.
However, we had a very big problem to worry about right about now!
Me and Wingless left the central building to find that Lema was in a massive fight with Trench. I hate to say it, but it looked actually pretty cool. What was left of Trench darted across the skies and engaged in close combat with Lema ponies. While ponies left and the ground were busy firing their shotguns in tandem led by Solarius, who was in the middle of a box formation and was directing ponies to shoot at all the ponies who approached them. He appeared to have a new scar across his cheek.
Wingless surveyed the scene, then turned to me.
“Pebble, which one’s Solarius?” she said.
“Oh! He’s the yellow one in the middle of the small box formation,” I replied.
Wingless breathed a sigh of relief and said,”I thought my father was actually here, his coat was a light blue. I don’t know why that bastard would even try and be in Trench! He hates the misfits!”
Wingless was getting very heated, so I tried to frantically motion with my wings for her to be quiet. However, she turned a few heads, it was then when she looked at me and smiled.
“Ponies!” she exclaimed, as loud as she could! “Ocin is dead! So is Prancey! The fight is done.”
There was a dead silence in the air, when everypony seemed to disengage. They all dropped their weapons and Solarius motioned for what was left of Trench to gather together and leave. Nopony had anypony left to fight for.
I flew over to him as fast as I could while Wingless trotted up at a leisurely pace.
“Hey, Solarius! Now for that story you owe me!” I said.
Solarius sighed, and said, “There’s not much to it, Pebble. I was born outside of Lema, decided to visit, join their military, and when I realized they were terrible people, I gathered with the Banditos and left with Prancey.”
I tilted my head at him quizzically. “That’s it?”
Solarius nodded.
“I thought there was going to be some tragic backstory where your parents hated you or you were raised an orphan or something. You’e really just an Average Dust aren’t you?”
Solarius glared at me. “Pebble...”
I smiled sheepishly, “Right! Don’t make assumptions. By the way, why’d you leave?”
“We’re down to less than 50 ponies and there’s no way we’re going to survive against a Lema force.”
I nodded, today was really a bad day. But I didn’t want to think about that!
All the ponies were waiting outside when I finally left the dome. I looked at them all and exclaimed, “Hey, slow down for the mare without wings!
“So, unfortunately, Prancey has left us, and Lema is still standing. However, I’m here, and I’m prepared to lead you again. I’m Wingless, and Prancey, the idiot probably blabbed on and on about me. We have to keep going, and we need to find someone who can help us defeat Lema.
“Trench will still be standing by the end of this! We can make it!”
Some ponies politely stomped. I didn’t expect much, there weren't very many, after all.
After the, admittedly quiet celebration, Solarius stepped forward and said, “Wingless, we need to find the Banditos.”
We could do that later, for now, I’d have to work on rebuilding Trench and get everypony in a state to go chasing after the Banditos later. We needed some peace.
Somewhere on Luna’s Moon, a survivor of the Lema battle went around leaving coded messages for every rebel that’d listen. It’s said that everywhere you could find a particular message. An anagram of a sort.
