Author's Notes. Hey everyone! I hath returned, and I bring gifts. And by gifts I mean a 7,713 word-long chapter. Now, before we go any further, I shall answer some reviews.
To Vibrant Sound: I'm so glad you hold my chapters in such high regard! As I have stated many times before, quality is always front and foremost for "A Mending Soul". I hope it showed in my last chapter, though it seems it was indeed a bit crunchy about the edges. (What does that mean?) Also, don't feel bad about being scared of Starlight. I am too. We all are. Don't fall asleep, ever.
To AntiVillain1: Hey there! Nice to hear from you again! And yes, Starlight IS a true badass. No dispute.
To SquirtlePWN: Excellent! I shall swiftly send forth your plushie. (I dusted it off to the best of my abilities.) Oh, and it's certainly nice to hear from you again as well! Quick question: you said that I "already have [your] thoughts on the chapter in a pm". By that do you mean the PM you sent several months back? Because I (obviously) still have that, and occasionally refer back to it to ensure I can maintain quality chapters. Or are you speaking of a PM that you supposedly sent on the advent of your last review? In that case I haven't received anything since your last PM. But that's okay.
To xCrysis-x: The combat was lacking? Hmmmmm. If you notice the particulars of the problem, please let me know! Also, I'd like to let you know that I took your suggestion about Applejack to heart. She plays a more prominent part in this chapter.
To Guest: You'd pay for a Doxia plushie!? Yay! But don't worry, I give them away for free to all of my awesome readers.
To Echo Off: Hey there, Echo Off! Nice to see you're back! And I wish you luck on all your re-reading. A lot has happened!
To R4ptorCS: Yeah, you have pointed out a rather glaring problem. "A Mending Soul" has become very muddled in its own mythos. And, unfortunately, it may get worse. I'm doing my best to make everything clear by throwing out all of the extra ideas I had, but it's difficult. My only hope for recovery is to rush into the last season (season 3) where I can start anew with a clean slate. Unfortunately with all the chaos and lies running around in this current season I don't know how I'm going to return to a straight-and-narrow plot. But I certainly won't stop trying. Quality must reign supreme!
That's it, I think. Enjoy this chapter!
Dimension: My Little Pony
Planet: Equestria Earth
Specific Location: Somewhere between Ponyville and Canterlot.
Time: Thirteen years ago (Ten years after the death of the Paradox)
Dawn was gently breaking upon the land of Equestria. The whole countryside seemed to be at peace. There was a faint smell of petrichor hanging in the air, and light birdsong wove its intangible ribbons through the crimson sky. All seemed to be at rest… Except for the entirety of the dilapidated Canterlot-bound train car. That place was consumed in chaos. Twilight was crying her eyes out, Rainbow Dash was angrily yelling into the air as if it would somehow aid them in finding the missing foals, and Sunset Shadow and Rarity were doing their best to revive Fluttershy, who had passed out for the umpteenth time. However, in the middle of it, like a massive stone standing sentinel in the maelstrom of a hurricane, was Flaming Star. He sat there limply, his eyes unfocused as he stared off into the distance without seeing a thing. He was shock, like a volcano reaching a critical point before expelling the pressure in a massive explosion of ash, fiery rock, and lava.
"SUMMER!" Twilight continued to wail, still too unstable to think straight.
"I SWEAR TO CELESTIA THAT WHEN I GET MY HOOVES ON THOSE DIRTY, NO-GOOD, FOAL-NAPPERS I WILL BEAT THEM ALL INTO PULP!" yelled Rainbow Dash, slamming a hoof furiously into the only intact piece of furniture in the train car: A small lamp table in the northeast corner. She promptly destroyed it, reducing the count of intact furniture to zero. She then tried to kick the remaining wreckage, but did it with her right back leg, the one with a bullet hole in it. The pieces of wood went flying, but this act also resulted in the rainbow-maned mare doubling over in pain, tears squeezing out of the corner of her eyes.
In all of this chaos, there was only one pony who had kept her head: Applejack.
"Listen y'all!" she exclaimed, trying to be heard over the cacophony. "We need to come up with some sort of strategy or other!"
Unfortunately her plea for an ordered discussion had fallen on naught but deaf ears. She tried again.
"I know y'all are flustered!" she yelled. "But if we ever be hopin' to get the foals back we need a plan!"
Nothing again. No reaction. However, Applejack wasn't about to stop being a help. She opened her mouth one more time, but this time her voice wasn't the only one drowned out. The cacophony as a whole was suddenly encompassed by a massive blast of pure sound, a yell that was so loud that everyone recoiled in pain.
The source of the yell had come from Flaming Star, who stood in the sourthwest corner of the ruined car, standing amidst the rubble of a couple bullet-torn couches. His eyes were red, denoting the fact that he was seconds away from bursting out into tears. He was trembling; his rage and fury seconds away from exploding like a bomb, leaving destruction in its wake.
"Applejack has something to say, everyone," he hissed through his teeth. "I suggest we all listen."
Eyeing Flaming Star in warily, Sunset Shadow nodded, turning his head to look at Applejack. "I thought you were trying saying, Applejack. What?"
Applejack looked around sheepishly, like a deer in the headlights. Flaming Star's current visage had certainly unsettled her. "Er… Well… I was just tryin' to call order; thank you, Flaming Star. Yer see, we ain't going to get nowhere with all this fuss. We need a plan, an' a good one. An' we need to act fast."
"Certainly darling," breathed Rarity. "Kytax knows what those thugs could do to two innocent fillies."
"By Celestia," growled Rainbow Dash, gritting her teeth. It sounded like rusty iron grinding on rusty iron. "If I find out that they've touched a single hair on either of those foals…"
Sunset Shadow shook his head. "In all honesty I'm not too worried about that part. Starlight will take care of Summer, and I almost feel bad for any pony that tries to force himself upon her."
He then looked to Twilight, who was doing her best to contain her woe. "I assume there was quite a mess in car that Summer and Starlight were taken from?"
Twilight stopped quivering long enough to think about it. Her eyes widened as she remembered the particulars. "Oh… Oh, by Celestia! There were dead bodies EVERYWHERE!"
Sunset Shadow set his jaw grimly. "I honestly anticipated such a result. Starlight is a killer."
"Sunset dear," gasped Rarity. "Don't say such things about your own daughter!"
Shrugging, Sunset Shadow replied, "I'm only being honest in my assessment of my daughter's past activities… And personality."
"Activities?" asked Rainbow Dash pointedly, staring at Sunset Shadow.
"Yes… Well, let's just say that Starlight knows more about how to kill another sentient being than any Dimensional Traveler I've ever known," Sunset Shadow muttered. "And I don't think I have any convincing to do on that particular statement either. I'm sure all of you have seen her in the way she handles herself; how she stares down those she considers bullies or… unsavory."
Rarity thought for a moment, and then shuddered. "I do remember this one time when a group of ponies her age attempted to give her a difficult time about her father being a fallen Dimensional Traveler. She made them cry like baby fillies by just looking at them. It sounded like they were terrified for their lives! I gave it little thought at the time myself, though, as I had been very busy with this one embroidery. You see, the edges were giving me no end of trouble, and by Kytax I had to…"
Rainbow Dash interrupted Rarity with a loud cough. Then she looked to Sunset Shadow. "Okay. So we're not worried about them getting raped then."
Twilight gave a little gasp, and her face turned from her regular mulberry hue to vibrant ghost white. Flaming Star glowered at Rainbow Dash with such an intensity that Sunset Shadow slowly shifted in between the two to make sure Flaming Star didn't do something he would later regret.
"Starkly put, yes," murmured Sunset Shadow. "I don't think we have to worry about that… But… I honestly don't believe that was ever an issue. I mean, this is no regular foal-napping. They were well equipped and there were many. They were directly targeting two of the most powerful ponies on the planet in order to steal away our children."
Pinkie Pie nodded, entering the conversation for the first time. "That's no regular crime! That's suicide! Aaannnnnnnd they rushed into it willingly! We have a real problem on our hooves, boyos."
Sunset Shadow quickly glanced at Pinkie, his eyes begging her to not make light of the situation, lest Flaming Star explode. He then looked back at the Firstborn, quietly pleading that he not lose his wits.
It seemed like Flaming Star took the hint, and he closed his eyes and took a deep, deep breath, calming his nerves. Twilight pressed into his side, still shaking softly as she thought of the two fillies, being stolen away in the night. Flaming Star opened his eyes and looked directly at Sunset Shadow. "We need to move. We need to get to Canterlot and alert Celestia. Luna. Samuel Dellor. Everyone. Everyone needs to know what happened…"
Flaming Star stopped himself. He then shook his head as if to clear it before continuing. "No. I take that back. We need to alert as few ponies as possible. No doubt this attack would strike terror into the hearts of the civilians."
"Or hope," muttered Rarity worriedly, thinking that there would be quite a few ponies deeply interested in the chance to kill one of the 'glorious, unkillable Dimensional Travelers of Equestria.'
Applejack nodded her head, acknowledging Rarity's worry. She stepped up to Sunset Shadow's side, in the center of the train car. "So, our first plan of order: Get to Canterlot. Anyone have any idea why the train ain't moving no more?"
Rainbow Dash grimaced. "Probably 'cause the conductor's got a slit throat. I'll check."
She was off in a flash, blasting out through one of the windows, sending little shards of glass scattering in the wake of her speed. A couple seconds later she blasted in, sending Fluttershy and Pinkie flying.
"Called it," she said, disgruntled. "Conductor is dead, and the entirety of train itself is gutted. Molten copper I think. We're not going anywhere in this."
Closing his eyes, Sunset Shadow contemplated their next move. "There goes our fastest option of group travel. Rainbow Dash. You need to go ahead to Canterlot without us. Alert Celestia – and Celestia alone, mind you – of the situation and ask for assistance. Then wait for our arrival. Do not, under any circumstances, allow yourself to become engaged with the enemy. No doubt they would love to add to their hostage list, and I don't want 'World's Fastest Pegasus' to be the next name down."
Flaming Star shook his head. "I can teleport. I would be faster." He closed his eyes. Nothing happened. His eyes shot open and he snarled a rather distressing expletive. He then closed his eyes again as he tried his alicorn magic. Nothing happened again. The Phantom Device and the magic-blocking device were undoubtedly still operational, wherever they were.
Sunset Shadow shrugged. "I thought so. Leaving those power-blocking devices on undoubtedly kept you from immediately tagging them and following the moment they retreated. Rainbow Dash, we're counting on you."
Rainbow Dash smiled grimly. "You bet, Sunset Shadow. I'll get the message off."
With that she shot out of the car train once more, causing a massive rush of wind that sent anything that wasn't tied down skittering across the floor like masonry in a hurricane. Flaming Star nodded promptly, his eyes still blazing with unkempt hatred and fury. "Okay. That's done. But you're a bucking idiot if you think I'll be waiting around for a rescue party to arrive. I want my daughter back. We need to get moving. If we go far away enough we can escape the Phantom Device's range. The moment we do I'll be able to teleport to join Rainbow Dash."
Applejack sidled into the conversation again. "We need to check the caboose. If my memory serves me right, there might just be a handcar or two stowed away. We can use those to get as far away as possible. Follow me!"
The group formed up behind Applejack as she led them back. However, they only went as far back as the next train car over when they stopped. Applejack froze when she saw the bodies of the foal-nappers that had vainly attempted to restrain Starlight.
The eleven carcasses lay sprawled around, blood draining from their lifeless corpses through gaping holes. The crimson-hued juices mixed, swirling in putrid pools on the floor.
Pinkie Pie simply stopped, turned around, and left the scene of carnage without a word.
Rarity's jaw dropped. "So… Many. We barely managed to take out a few! Starlight killed so many…"
Applejack shook her head. "By my auntie's pinny. I ain't seen no one so viciously murdered 'afore with so little help."
Fluttershy vomited on the ground and then buried her face in her hooves, unable to look at the maimed corpses. Sunset Shadow gently took Fluttershy in his hooves before he turned away. "I'm not looking," was all he muttered before he returned to the car they had originally been in.
Flaming Star knelt down and studies one of the corpses. Before he could stop himself, he smiled. "Starlight killed so many of them that they had no time to take out the garbage before they retreated."
He pulled off the masks of one of the corpses. A mare, her eyes glazed, with a fixed expression of pained surprise plastered upon her hard featured. Flaming Star pulled off the masks of the next one. A stallion, with the exact same expression playing coldly across his muzzle. Both had gone out the same way: Quickly, shockingly, and efficiently. Flaming Star grimaced. Naturally, he did not recognize either of them. But that would only be temporary. He straightened up and looked at Applejack. "We'll take these two corpses when we leave. When we have the distance and my Traveler's Database comes back online I'll find matches for these two in the Equestrian Populace Registry. That will give us good leads."
Applejack wrinkled her muzzle to let Flaming Star know of her distaste for having to move the dead bodies from their macabre rest, but she said none of this verbally. After a moment more, Flaming Star, Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack pushed through the carnage to the next car down. A moment later they arrived at the caboose. The interior was small, but certainly looked cozy. Immediately to their right was a small cot. At the foot of the cot was a rickety old cast iron stove whose pipes had been dented and bent beyond repair. A set of tools hung on the wall beside a clock that ticked quietly, ignorant of the atrocities committed not four hours ago. Across from the bed was a small fold-out table decorated with a checkered table cloth of questionable quality, and, at the very far end of that side of the room, was a large hatch. Applejack approached it and twisted the rusty thing. With a grunt she managed to shove it open, revealing a lever surrounded by thick metal plating. She grabbed the lever and shoved it with all her might, grinding it through all the rust and dust that had gathered from disuse over the ages. The level shot forward with a screech. The screech was followed by a massive, rattling, clang and the sound of metal sliding roughly across metal. Suddenly the caboose jerked and a large foldable handcar could be seen from the back window suddenly slipping out from the undercarriage of the caboose as if fired by a spring. As it cleared the underside of the last train car, the levers of the handcar popped upward and the handcar itself came to a quivering stop, all ready to go.
Applejack eyed the handcar as she pushed the opened the end door of the caboose to exit into the chilly dawn air. She looked skyward and breathed deeply, doing her best to calm her frazzled nerves.
"Calm down girl," she muttered. "You've been through worse… I think."
She trotted up to the handcar and tapped it with a hoof. "I don't think we're all goin' to be able to fit with the couple o' dead ponies that Flaming Star wants to bring aboard."
Flaming Star nodded in acknowledgement. "I know. Fluttershy, Sunset Shadow, and I will fly alongside the handcar. Now help me lift this thing so we can set it in front of the train."
Flaming Star got down and hoisted one end of the handcar upon his back with a strained grunt. With all of his Dimensional Traveler powers blocked, a majority of his strength had been drained. Applejack scooted under the handcar and lifted the middle portion upon her back, and Rarity and Twilight went to the far end and lifted it together.
"Well… Let's not dilly-dally shall we?" Rarity gasped, already sweating from exertion despite the fact that she hadn't been lifting the thing for more than a couple seconds.
Flaming Star glanced back to Applejack and nodded. She nodded back. In an instant the two were moving in unison with Rarity and Twilight struggling to keep up their side. In several minutes they had traversed half of the train's length. It was here they were joined by Sunset Shadow, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie.
Pinkie's eyes brightened to their usual luster when she saw the handcar.
"Rarity!" she squealed. "Lookie at the handcar! We were stuck together on one just like that when we got stranded in Dodge Junction!"
Rarity actually smiled, thinking upon that mishap with fond memories. Those were the best of times in comparison to what had happened to her since the arrival of the first Dimensional Traveler. "Oh, yes indeed dear. Those were good times. Hah!"
Pinkie giggled and bounced through one of the shattered train car windows to join Rarity on the outside. She was soon followed by Fluttershy and Sunset Shadow.
"Oh… Um… Do you need any help?" murmured Fluttershy, eying the heavy mess of metal and wood that was the handcar.
Twilight gasped for breath as she replied. "Oh… No… Thanks Fluttershy. We've… We have this all handled."
Flaming Star glanced back at Applejack again, who hadn't even broken a sweat yet, and grinned for the first time in hours. Then he remembered why he was doing this, and he looked away, his eyes filling with unholy fire once more.
Fluttershy landed on the earth softly and trotted beside Twilight as they continued to carry the handcar forward.
"Are you okay, Twilight?" murmured Fluttershy, looking at the purple alicorn from the corner of her eye.
Twilight grimaced. "I think so. I need to keep my head now. I won't be doing anypony any help by breaking down into tears, and neither will you. You need to keep strong for Sunset Shadow. We'll get Summer and Starlight back."
Nodding, Fluttershy looked forward, her face being obscured by the long strands of her pink hair.
A minute later the group arrived at the front of the train, and the group gently set the handcar down on track that stretched miles out in front of the smoking train wreck. As the group rested, Sunset Shadow, and Twilight congregated near the front of the ruined train engine. After a short respite, Applejack and Flaming Star returned to the train's passenger cars to carry out the gruesome business of transporting the corpses to the handcar.
"Do you really think my baby will be okay?" murmured Twilight, looking worriedly to Sunset Shadow while they continued their extended rest.
Sunset Shadow nodded his head stoutly, trying to keep a stiff upper lip. "You bet, Twilight. My daughter will protect yours with her life. She may seem like a maniac, but she loves her friends and family, and will throw her life away to protect those she loves. I don't know my own daughter too well, but I know that to be a fact."
Twilight blinked rapidly to keep herself from crying again. Then she took a deep breath and got her emotions under control. "We're going to get them back."
Frowning, Sunset Shadow bobbed his head slightly in acknowledgement. "We are. And we're going to find out who these foal-nappers are."
It was at this point that Rarity leaned in to expand the circle of conversation. "I can tell you one thing about them darling: They're not doing this for monetary gain. By Kytax, it would be easier to foal-nap Princess Celestia. They're after something in particular, but I don't have the foggiest idea what that could possibly be."
Twilight's eyes narrowed. "Well, whatever they're after, they're not going to get it."
Pinkie Pie leapt in with a wild grin. "You betcha! We'll stuff them full of pies and fire them into orbit with my party cannon!"
A second later Flaming Star and Applejack arrived, both carrying a corpse across their back each. Applejack had a particular look of distaste plastered across her muzzle as she carried the dead mare. They arrived at the handcar and dumped the bodies in the far side of the small mechanical vehicle. Applejack leapt back and scrubbed the back of her neck with a hoof, shuddering. "I could feel her blood seeping into my coat! Tarnation… It was cold and sticky! Rarity, is there any on my back?"
Rarity grimaced. "I'm afraid so, dear. It's going to take more than a bath to wash out that color."
Flaming Star, too, had a back soaked in blood, but he said nothing on it. Instead he motioned toward the free side of the handcar.
"Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, get on and start pumping. We need to move now. The more time we lose the farther away our enemies get with our children."
The group nodded in unison, and air of determination permeating the blood-red-streaked sky. As the handcar creaked slowly into action the sun peaked out between the caps of two of the easternmost mountains, casting its brilliant rays across the firmament.
Dimension: My Little Pony
Planet: Equestria Earth
Specific Location: Unknown
Time: Thirteen years ago (Ten years after the death of the Paradox)
Starlight groaned as she opened her eyes, having been awakened from unconsciousness by the first of the sunrays of the new day dancing across her face. Immediately she let herself relax to fain continued unconsciousness. Through squinted eyes she took stock of the situation. In all honesty, she did not yet remembered the events of the previous night. She simply did this all on reflex. However, as she viewed her surroundings, the hell that she had fought through unsuccessfully yesterday night returned to her in a torrent of blood and gore, almost drowning her senses. It took all of her strength to keep from breaking her act of feigned unconsciousness. After a moment the painful memory recovery ended and Starlight could return to the analyzation of her surroundings.
She was in a padded cell, no sort of loose objects or protrusions anywhere. The only source of light was an open grating on the ceiling that light was showing through. The beam of light was narrow, and over ninety percent of the room was shrouded in darkness, including the exit. Starlight almost smiled. The padded cell showed that her captors were clever and fully wary of her dangerous abilities, but despite this they had a grid visible from the outside. Starlight closed her squinted eyes for a moment as she thought. So, her captors had an opening that led directly to the outside. Undoubtedly this meant they were nowhere near any kind of civilization as they couldn't risk her screams reaching the ears of innocent bystanders. Starlight reached out with a battered hoof and tentatively prodded the padded wall. It crinkled softly as she touched it. It was brand new. There a good chance that this place had just been built… Maybe especially for her. Starlight eyes snapped open. No. Not just for her. Summer had been captured too. Starlight closed her eyes again, letting out a pent-up breath softly to keep up the deception that she was still sleeping. There could be security cameras anywhere in this room, shrouded in darkness as it was. She needed to think. Why would anyone want to capture her and Summer? Starlight had no real enemies, and she hadn't killed anyone important during her training. No, this couldn't be about her. Her father used to be important, but he had fallen into anonymity with her mom. No one cared about the Sunset Shadow and Fluttershy. No… This definitely wasn't about her. And if it wasn't about her, it had to be about Summer. Starlight grimaced slightly. That wasn't good. What did they want with that little filly? She was literally the most unfortunate pony on the face on the planet. Blind, weak, powerless. That was Summer. What could they do with someone as scrawny and useless as her?
Suddenly Starlight's ears flicked slightly: someone was coming. The sharp clack of hoofs upon concrete reverberated beyond the walls. After a second of listening, Starlight pinpointed the exact location of the hidden door. She bunched her muscles as she prepared for her next course of action. There would be one of two types of ponies coming through that door: The first type of pony would be an interrogator. Someone to grill her on whatever they needed to know. If that was the case, she would kill him quickly and make her escape. The second type of pony would be a torturer. That would be more difficult, as a pony like that would be trained in combat. Starlight's features became flushed slightly as she dwelled upon the possibility of a torturer. It was common knowledge what monsters like that did to defenseless females. Would they even think of defiling her like that? If she fought there was a good chance they would kill her. If they were after Summer and not her then it was already a miracle that they hadn't slit her throat and tossed her out like yesterday's garbage. Should she lay down and let them do whatever they wanted to her? She had trained herself to take immense amounts of pain, but could she really stretch the limits like that and allow them to do the unspeakable to her?
Starlight stopped worrying as her sensitive ears picked out more noises echoing from outside her cell. The first set of hooves was almost at the door, and now the singular sound of hoofsteps was joined by the sound of several more ponies marching in unison. They all stopped outside the door. This was certainly a development. Now even the option to resist had been removed. She couldn't fight a bunch guards at once in the confined space of her cell.
The door swung open and two masked ponies armed with automatic weapons marched in. They aimed their guns into the shadows behind Starlight as three more ponies trotted in. Two of the three ponies wore similar masks to the ones that had entered just previous to them: Stark white to match their heavy white body armor with blank, black eyepieces. However, the third had a blood-red mask to go with their crimson shoulderpads and kneepads, contrasting against their black chestplate. He was carry an electrical baton.
Starlight decided it was no longer beneficial to feign sleep, and so she got up and glared at her captors.
"Who the buck are you?" she growled, spitting at the pony wearing the red mask.
The red-masked being chuckled. It was deep and soft, revealing that the pony hiding behind the mask probably was male in gender. "We're here to make you pay for the trouble you gave us during our ambush."
Starlight grinned wildly. "Oh, that? I would apologize, but I'd sooner piss on their corpses."
The red-masked pony, clearly the leader, motioned to his two flanking compatriots. They rushed Starlight. For a moment Starlight considered killing them both. Their lunges were sloppy and open, and she could easily collapse both their tracheas if she saw fit. However, that would probably end in her death, so she went limp and let them seize her. They roughly threw her to the ground and held her limbs fast, forcing her to lie in the dirt, spread-eagled, belly-up. However, despite her position, she didn't stop staring at the leader with mixed look of loathing and contempt.
"Watcha goin' to do now, huh, pissmop?" she snarled. "Rape me?"
The red leader laughed. "By Tartarus! I've never seen such a worldly child! What was it? Abuse? Did your old daddy beat you when you wouldn't do as you were told?"
At the mention of her father, Starlight almost lost it. She wanted to break free and assault this monster, but she knew it would only end in her untimely demise. And so, with an incredible amount of effort, she forced her boiling feelings down. She eyed the leader with pure hatred, her vision reflecting death.
"My father was the kindest pony on the planet… He's-"
"… He's Sunset Shadow, we know," interrupted the leader, chuckling. He stopped for a moment to judge Starlight's surprised reaction, but her face was deadpan. She never let slip an emotion if she could help it. Slightly disappointed, the red-masked being cleared his throat and continued. "Why do you think you're still alive? We may not be after you, but you're still a valuable hostage."
Starlight took a mental note. Her assumptions had been confirmed: They weren't after her, they were after Summer. But what did that scrawny child have to offer? Despite her position, she tried to pry.
"I'm the daughter of the first Dimensional Traveler to ever set hoof on this sorry land o' shite," she snorted. "If you're not after me, then who? Summer? Hah! That bag o' bones ain't got nothing you want."
So caught up in his position of power, the red-masked pony didn't even consider the fact that he was being conned into spilling more information than necessary. "Then even her friends don't see her potential. Our leader and her sponsors… They see that blind pony's potential."
Starlight continued to glower at the babbling idiot as her brain kicked into overdrive. So, they had a leader, a female. And what's worse, she was being commanded by a group of others, sponsors. Undoubtedly a foreign coalition. She tried to push a bit more.
"Your leader's a great stinkin' bastard then," spat Starlight. "You'll ne'er get anything from Summer. Guess her sponsors ain't the brightest lightbulbs in the store."
The leader took a breath as if to snap something, but then stopped. Then he laughed. "My word! You've been having me running my lip this entire time! You're a clever one, Starlight Amber. Skilled in wordplay and skilled in weapons. But don't you worry darling, I'll beat both outta you yet. Hold her down."
Despite her best efforts, Starlight began to panic as she felt the two guards increased pressure on her limbs. She began to hyperventilate as the red-masked leader activated his electrical baton. Then he attacked her.
She screamed as he slashed her belly with the metallic wand, sending searing bolts of pain through her nervous system. Starlight had trained to take pain, but she was only a child, and a lanky one at that. Her form was simply incapable of taking the damage, and in a couple seconds her body felt like it was on fire, eating her from the inside out. As the lash-count passed seven her screaming reached an intense pitch, echoing through the corridors like the wail of a wounded madbeast.
Seven… Eight… Nine… Ten… Eleven… Then it stopped. Starlight's body went from rigid and thrashing to limp. The two guards got off of her and went to stand beside their leader. The red-masked pony chuckled, reveling in the pain of the filly. "Eleven strokes. Eleven shocks for the eleven operatives you murdered, Starlight. Mayhap you'll want to carefully think on who you bucking maul next time... Whore."
Starlight was breathing hard, her face half covered in dirt that stuck to her sweaty face like tar. She mumbled something incoherent. The red leader chuckled again, cocking his head to one side. "What's that?"
Starlight simply mumbled the same thing again, too soft for anyone to hear. The leader stepped over her prone body and leaned in close. "Speak louder, whore."
Lifting her head close to the leader's ear, Starlight whispered, "I said you're going to die."
Starlight acted. Her back legs, which had been limp and spread wide like a ragdoll's, whipped laterally, knocking the red-masked pony's hind legs from under him. He stumbled forward, his face jerking close to Starlight's. As he did that, Starlight seamlessly relieved him of his baton and turned it on, charging it with electricity. With one swift move she shoved it under his mask, trapping it between his exposed face and the tough, protective material.
The red-masked pony shrieked in pain. It was deep and throaty, a roar of pure agony. Excruciating and unabated. He stumbled backwards, falling hard on his rump, his forehooves clawing at his mask as smoke began to pour from around the edges as the electrical baton seared his flesh with lightning.
"GET IT OFF GET IT OFFFFFFFF!" he howled. In an instant the two ponies that had been pointing assault rifles into the darkness trained their sights on Starlight as the other two cronies dragged their leader out of the cell. A second later the gun-wielding soldiers followed. The door slammed shut, but the screams could still be heard, faintly, through the padded walls.
"I'LL BUCKING KILL HER! I'LL BUCKING KILL THAT WHORE! FIREMANE, HELP ME UP AND TAKE ME TO CHAMBER 7! I'M GOING TO USE THE BRANDING IRON NEXT!"
The commotion subsided, and Starlight was alone once again. When she was positive no one could hear her… Starlight collapsed and broke down sobbing.
"Daddy," she wailed. "I'm so sorry… Please… Please come and get me…"
Feeling alone and scared, the little child curled up into a ball, feeling the searing burns on her stomach sending jolts of pure pain up her spine in protest to her movements. Blood oozed out of the eleven cuts, staining the earth upon which she lay. She continued to cry like a little girl, letting her emotions run like a river.
"Well now, and here was I: Thinking I had just laid eyes upon the greatest child weapon this world has ever seen."
The voice came from the shadows. Amused, intrigued, curt, with a very distinctive accent. Starlight shot up, but immediately collapsed. Her head whipped around, her tear-stained eyes searching the darkness for the source of the sound.
"Who… Who's there? Show yourself ya coward! I ain't afraid ta' fight!"
Then she saw him. A tall, lanky stallion dressed in rags. His mane was dark blue, and his coat was an even darker blue. His eyes, however, were a shockingly vibrant green, almost glow-in-the-dark green, one could say. The mark upon his flank was visible from a rip in the rags. It was a dagger and a trail of microfilm, wrapped together in an elegant dance. He smiled down at her. However, it wasn't a complacent smile. In fact, it was a comforting smile, like that of a friend as they helped a hurt friend up.
"Hey there," he breathed. "Starlight, right?"
Starlight nodded, gasping for breath as she quickly tried to recover herself. She could never let others see her true feelings. Never. "Y-yeah… Who… W-who the b-buck are y-y-you?"
He winked. "Call me Cloak. Everyone I know does. Well… Used to. Everyone I used to know is probably dead by now. Heh. Anyways… Good to see a friendly face. I've been trapped in this here hellhole since they built this thing. Which was… Ummmmmm… About three days ago I reckon."
Starlight eyes widened a bit. The reason as to why those two gun-wielding henchponies were aiming their assault rifles into the shadows became clear now. They had been facing him down to make sure he didn't try to attack them while they were busy with her.
"Oh… Cloak… Whatcha in for?" murmured Starlight, struggling to her hooves. She collapsed again with a cry of pain.
Cloak lay down next to her and winked. "What ya think? Name's Cloak, remember? Like 'Cloak n' Dagger'? I'm an assassin obviously. Was supposed to kill that red-masked pony that was hurtin' you. Blake's his name. He was passin' around the wrong kind of information afore he threw in his lot with this shady organization. I was commanded to cross him off, but by the time I got to him he was with these blokes. They're good, Starlight. They're real good. They had me clapped in irons afore I could say 'Murdered me mum'. But you… You bopped that bastard a real one faster than the flip o' a coin. Damn, girl."
Starlight blushed, then covered her face. She was in so much pain that she couldn't keep a lid on her rampant emotions. "He had it comin' to him. Hittin' me like that."
Cloak's mannerisms darkened. "You bet. I swear by me mum, I would buckin' murder a body for even thinkin' o' doin' such things to an unarmed filly such as yourself. But hey… If it's any consolation… You may have come at the right time. Ya see… I've been cookin' up myself a bit o' escapin'. That's right, Starlight. I have an escape plan."
Starlight blinked. "Why you tellin' me this? I ain't an asset to your mission. Why help dead weight?"
Cloak grinned once more. "By the Sun and the Moon, Starlight, you're a piece o' work. Celestia, I never clapped eyes on such a pony. You're 100% right, girl. But that's not what I'm thinkin'. You took out Blake so quickly… And I heard him say you killed eleven of his comrades. Now THAT is what I like to hear in a potential escape partner."
Closing her eyes, Starlight nodded stiffly, doing her best not to cry like a baby again. "I reckon you're right, Cloak. But I'm hurt. Bad."
The grin on Cloak's face vanished again. "You sure are. But we're going to have to risk it. And we need to hurry."
Starlight bit her bottom lip until it bled. "Okay. Okay, I know. What's your plan?"
Cloak retreated into the shadows, reappearing a second later carrying a shard of stone. It had been carefully chipped into the shape of a key. In fact, one might go as far as saying that it looked almost identical. "I made us a skeleton key!"
Starlight collapsed again. "By Kytax… THAT'S your plan?"
Cloak puled a face. "When you say it like that…"
Shaking her head, Starlight sighed, "Might as well try it, Cloak. I dunno iffin' it's gonna work, but might as well."
"That's the spirit, Starlight!" snorted Cloak, readying his key. "Let's have a dollop of hope, shall we?"
"Wait! No!" hissed Starlight, suddenly remembering the possible threat of hidden security cameras. "An' what if there are security cameras? Won't they see you trying to escape?"
Cloak kept on grinning. "Not a chance, girl. I've been here longer, remember? I canvassed the whole damn place. This organization may be thorough… But they didn't place a single camera. Hidden or otherwise. Now let's see how this turns out!"
Starlight closed her eyes, listening to Cloak as he trotted up to the door and fiddled with the key in the keyhole. There was a pause…
"Blimey. I had forgotten… They also have an identification card slot on the other side. Damn two-tiered security systems. Well… Ain't this a pickle… Shite! They're comin' back Starlight!"
That was the last straw for Starlight. She began to hyperventilate again and her composure shattered.
"C-Cloak!" she gasped. "S-stay with me!"
Cloak scurried back to her and grasped one of her tiny hooves with his large, heavily scarred one. "Hang in there, girl," he breathed, his eyes widening in horror as he remembered what Blake was coming back with. "You're going to get through this. I swear. And I swear on my dead mum that what Blake will suffer is a thousand times worse. Please, Starlight. Please. Don't cry. Take it, and then deal it back with the force of hell at your back. Please. Please…"
Blake was outside now, and the harsh sound of his voice could be heard. "All of you stay outside. I want her to myself."
A moment later a second voice could be heard, saying: "Careful, captain. Don't kill her. You know what will happen if you do."
Blake laughed. "I've been at this game a lot longer than you have, Furrow. Don't worry. She'll be skippin' down the fine line, but she won't be dead. You have my word. Now all of you stay and guard. Don't come in under any circumstances. I might be doing more than one unsavory thing to this whore if you catch my meaning."
Don't come in under any circumstances. That one sentence was all it took. Suddenly Starlight's soul soared from the depths of despair to the upper-echelons of hope. She looked at Cloak, her eyes wild. "I have a plan!" she gasped. "Get back into the shadows and stay hidden! Hurry!"
Cloak didn't even give her a questioning look. He knew that face. He had seen it many a time on a comrade just before they did something incredibly brilliant… Or incredibly stupid. In an instant he vanished into the darkness. A second later the door swung open, and the menacing form of Blake trundled in, hate practically sizzling off him. He was carrying a long stick of iron, the end of it bent into the shape of a strange symbol. It was radiating heat, glowing a bright, vicious white and red. Blake waved it in front of him, a low, gurgling laugh echoing from his scorched lips.
"See this? Retribution, filth. And you know what this symbol means? It means 'slut' in the Stallion Empire. The task forces would brand whores with this. I'm going to brand you… And then I'm going to rape you so you fit your title. How does that sound?"
Starlight's heart froze with pure terror for a moment… And then it exploded with absolute and utter rage. She ground her teeth. "It sounds just fine, pissmop. Come and get me, will ya?"
Blake roared in anger and rushed Starlight, the poorest choice of his life. Faster than a butterfly she ducked under his outstretched hooves. She struck him in stomach, hard. As he doubled over in pain, she followed up by blasting his chin with a searing uppercut. As his head flew back, she delivered the killing blow: A hard, strong, buck to the throat. The attack was so strong and filled with hate that she felt his throat crumple and tear like paper. Blake dropped like a rock.
A strand of faded gold mane drifted across Starlight's face as she stood over the fallen form of Blake. All was quiet. Then before she could stop herself, she viciously kicked the body. Once. Twice. Thrice. On the fourth kick Blake gurgled, blood spewing out of his mouth in a chunky, crimson flood. That was it. He was dead. Starlight backed up and closed her eyes, breathing in and out quietly, letting herself calm down. Then she turned around. She could see Cloak, sitting in one corner, grinning the same wild grin that she would utilize when the odds were stacking against her. "By me mum… You're the greatest killer I have ever seen, Starlight."
For some strange reason, this made Starlight feel gross, as if she had been violated in some terrible way. She looked at the ground. "Put on Blake's armor, Cloak," she mumbled.
Cloak understood the whole of Starlight's plan in an instant. He winked. "Brilliant, girl! And what's more: I can copy Blake's voice perfectly. Down to a dime. All part of profiling, ya see. Good job."
Starlight kept her eyes glumly on the ground as Cloak stripped Blake of his mask and armor and put it on, dressing the corpse in the prisoner rags.
"By Celestia!" Cloak gagged as he worked. "It smells like burnt flesh in this mask. Starlight, you sure did this bloke a number with that electrical baton!"
There was no response, so Cloak went on with his work. He lifted the carcass and tossed it into the darkest corner. He then straightened up and looked at Starlight. She was huddled in the center of the room, shivering. Cloak was about to comment on how she was perfectly playing the part of the wounded and defiled pony when he realized that she wasn't faking it. Her eyes, though usually unreadable, were clearly broadcasting her emotions, despite her best effort to hide anything resembling feelings. Cloak's heart sank a little. In his many years as an assassin, he had seen that look one too many times. The look of a lost and broken being.
Slowly he approached her. Without thinking he wrapped his hooves about her and hugged her closely to him. "Don't worry, Starlight. I'm not one to forget his friends. Don't shed a tear. I'll be back. And I'll help you escape this hellhole."
Starlight nodded numbly. "You owe me one. You owe me one."
"Don't I know it," murmured Cloak. After a moment he got up and turned to face the door. In a perfect impersonation of Blake's voice he called out, "I've had my fill. I'll brand her later. Open up."
As the door began to open Cloak picked up the discarded branding iron and tossed it into the corner where Blake's corpse lay. "A weapon for later if ever you need it," he whispered to Starlight.
A second later the door opened fully. Without even a glance back Cloak stepped through and signaled for it to be shut. With a bang the guards slammed it close. Once again Starlight was alone, with nothing but the rotting body of Blake to keep her company and a single beam of sunlight shimmering weakly from the grating high above. Now fully alone, Starlight broke down crying. She wailed for her father and her mother, wishing with all her heart that she could be with them, in their comforting arms. But no one could hear her. She was alone.
Author's Notes. Hmmmmmm... Yeah, that's it for today. When I started writing the Infinity chapters, I made a choice that I would make it my mission to focus on a projection of how dark and twisted the world had become since the arrival of Sunset Shadow. It's only going to get darker and more frightening from here, and I want to keep as close as possible to the path I've chosen for this particular story line. Of course, I am trying to ride the fine line between the T rating and the M rating, and my goal is to keep on the T rated side, though I'm not too sure how well I did that during this chapter. Don't watch Deadpool before writing a chapter for a T rated story.
Oh, before I close things up for today, I have another announcement. I've released another new story. It's called "A Dance of Pawns" and its about young Starlight, Bragurn, and Franklin Montgomery. The content in this story was actually part of the many, many ideas for "A Mending Soul" that I dumped. However, the reaction to young Starlight has been so positive (like, REALLY positive) that I decided that instead of abandoning Starlight's adventure with Brag and Franklin, I would bring it to life in the form of its own story, "A Dance of Pawns." If you're one of the fans of young Starlight, check it out. You won't be disappointed.
That's it for now! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope I didn't disturb any of you with the events that transpired within its pages. If you did indeed like today's chapter, make sure to leave a review! Hmmmmmm... I need something to bribe you with. Ah, got it. R4ptorCS suggested 3D panoramas. Anyone want a 3D panorama of the battle between Starlight and her captors from last chapter? You know, the one where a thirteen-year-old girl shot eleven fully-trained operatives in their faces? Good times.