When The Skies Are Proud

by Quillo Manar

Rating: teen
Tags: Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Adventure
Length: 14576

Proud Skies loses himself in the forest. What he learns there, will help him find himself again.

Proud Skies has lost everything that is important to him. Everything that he has ever worked for and achieved... Revenge will be glorious. He is going to get back at the Princesses, he will make them pay for what they did to him.

They will all pay.

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My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic © Hasbro Inc.
The character of Proud Skies and everyone else from The RoBaS universe © OminousBrony & Wintergreen Diaries
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Derived from The Risks of Braving A Storm by Wintergreen Diaries

EDIT:
18/10/13 - Removed Romance Tag - Romance will be apart of it, but it isn't a focus.
24/10/13 - Fixed up Cerul Wintergreen Diaries' name.
26/12/13 - Removed unnecessary parts from description.

Published 2013-10-17 21:10:02 UTC
Last updated 2013-12-23 13:03:10 UTC

Prologue - The Skies Have Fallen

When The Skies Are Proud
A side story by Quillo Manar
Based off of a story by Cerulean1313
Prologue - The Skies Have Fallen

"We will see who is on top when the Wonderbolts perform for me personally. Oh yes, I doubt you’ll be so cocky then, whelp.” Exclaimed Proud Skies to the arrogant messenger before turning to his desk. 'Storm Blitz and his whorse of a marefriend will rue the day they taunted me in front of the Princesses and delegates. Worse still they managed to have the Princesses on their side in the entire event! I swear, I will crush one dream for every taunt they threw at me, it's only fair after all.' A wicked grin grew on the mayor's face as he thought of different ways to ruin the dreams of his nemeses. "I wonder if there are any delicate strings I can cut that are tying that whorse to her house?" He thought aloud, he'd have to research that before he can do it, but anything is possible with power… and he'd have to teach those foals a couple of lessons about messing with power.

Everything was falling into place for Proud Skies, so what a couple of ponies got hurt along the way? All is fair in the fight for balance. He returned to finishing off the latest improvements to his 'Legislation of Equality', the way he sought to improve this was to make sure that everypony will have their place in society, and make sure that everypony contributes to the treasury. Improvements to the city can't be done on an empty wallet after all. Nopony had a right not to help improve the city.

Not a sound was present after his outer musings died down, spare the sounds of a quill deftly making its way across a page. Proud Skies was making sure that there would be absolutely no mistakes in his bill, there will be absolutely no reason why the Princesses can turn him down this time. Everything was perfect.

A scribble and a dot was heard before the bill was closed. Perfection. This isn't going to help your campaign, sir. Those words repeated themselves in his mind. A frown appeared on his face, "What does that foal know? Of course it isn't going to help my campaign, my campaign doesn't need any help." With those final words he left his study room to retire to bed, a night of planning plays havoc on the mind and back and he was just about ready to fall asleep. Before he is able to do so tonight though, he was overcome with the desire to get a breath of fresh air. He made his way to his master bedroom in his palace like government building positioned in the centre of his marvellous city to reach the veranda. He opened the doors and stepped outside.

The night was cold, exactly what he wanted after the rigmarole of trying to make flawless his proposal in a stuffy, windowless room, he closed his eyes and sighed in bliss as the breeze flew delicately across his mane and down his back. After a short while of silence he looked up and saw the sky, littered with stars. The glowed and shimmered, unlike anything that he has seen before. His mind was forced to recall tales of old, many a tale depicted that the stars shimmered whenever the Princess of the Night was overcome with happiness of the highest degree… either that or she just sneezed. He hoped it was the former, because this would mean that the Princess knows that he finally completed his bill and filled in any loop holes and she is happy that balance can be maintained.

He turned around and headed back into his room and shut the doors to the veranda behind him, cancelling out the outside world from the tranquility of his room. Proud enjoyed his quiet solitude as he made his way to his bed. Everything was perfect. He reminded himself as he slithered into his cold and empty bed. He fought back a shiver as he dug deeper into his sheets. He wrapped himself tightly in them to shun the reality around him. He preoccupied his mind by recalling his schedule for tomorrow. Skies was most looking forward to tomorrow, though never will he actually admit it, but he has always saw the Wonderbolts as equals. Their continued contribution to his fame was a big part as to why he kept them around. In fact they should be thanking him that he prevented that whorse of a mare from sullying his trust in their performances.

He closed his eyes and awaited sleep, although, every night sleep seems to be further and further away from him. Every time he gets close, his mind jars him back to reality with the fact that his bed is cold, and Proud Skies was alone in his master bedroom in the palace-like mansion in the centre of his great city. Everything was perfect, he'd remind himself, but then he'd shiver and reality will call back the notion that he is in fact…

Abandoned.

Cloudspire was roughly three times the size of Cloudsdale, with five times as many residents. Nearly half of the inhabitants had shown up to watch the Wonderbolts perform, regardless of which side of the political spectrum they fell under. It was ten minutes before the show was to start, and Proud Skies sat in the best booth, waiting for the Wonderbolts to give their opening speech in his honor, a sure fire way to soothe the petty dissent for his actions at the tryouts. Really, how much could this mindless herd care about some pony half way across Equestria when he was having the best brought in so they can see for themselves?

Proud Skies was becoming impatient, but only very slightly. He caught a glimpse of the two leaders of the Wonderbolts arguing at each other in a very heated debate. At least, it looked like a debate, he couldn't be sure. While shows are spectacular from this booth, many details are obscured from there. Details like what they were talking about, but surely it can't be that important, because it looks as though the Captain is ignoring her subordinate. Yet another excellent example of how balance of power is to be maintained; Captains on the top, and everypony else below.

"Fillies and gentlecolts," Came the announcers voice from out of field, demanding the attention of the crowd, "we welcome you to the twentieth annual Cloudspire Wonderbolts Durby! But first, as always, a word in thanks to our sponsor."

Proud let the smallest smile break across his lips as the blue-and-yellow suited ponies made their way onto the centre stage, ready to declare their utmost gratitude for being able to perform for the mayor of this wonderful city. The crowd agreed with this sentiment as their roars were almost deafening, it is such a good thing that the Wonderbolts know how to control a crowd. Much like how Skies does on a daily basis, controlling mindless peons might seem like a hard task, but it's as simple as signing a name. He looked towards the show mare with a look of success and beamed at her. She returned his gesture with a smile of her own, until she flashed a scowl in his direction. This confused him a bit and his winning smile faltered before he remembered, she is just controlling the crowd.

A quick couple of taps on the microphone silenced the roars of adulation from the ponies in the bleachers, such control! “Citizens of Cloudspire, thank you for coming. Know that this show was sponsored by none other than your very own Proud Skies.” She pointed towards the booth that the mayor resided. Proud allowed himself a moment of greatness as he waved to the crowds' cries of glee, “And it is on his account that there will be no performance.”

Dead silence.

He paused… Did he just hear that right? They are not going to perform for him? Such audacity! She now plays a game of power that she can't possibly win, "You there!" He shouted in anger as he pointed to one of the ponies in the room, "Bring me a microphone!" His request was quickly hoofed to him as he jumped out of his chair, his face twisted into one of pure anger and hatred.

"What is the meaning of this insult!" He near shouted into the microphone.

She muttered something away from her mic before turning back to respond, “Citizens of Cloudspire, I’m sure you’ve all heard about the most recent tryouts we held to determine the next Wonderbolt we’d let into the team. The pegasus that won was the best I’ve seen since Lightning Wing, whom I’m sure you all remember.” She paused as Proud narrowed his eyes, focusing on the mare that dares insult him and cancelling out all other sound. “This mare, by the name of Rainbow Dash, was trained by Lightning Wing’s methods. She has trained her whole life for a chance to become one of us, and that day, her dreams would have come true.” Unlikely. A whorse of her standard could never hope to dream of being a Wonderbolt! “Proud Skies had her wrongfully disqualified without cause.” That was the turning point, Proud went from quietly fuming to outright raging. He had every right to disqualify her! She was disrupting the balance! “Hear me, Proud Skies! We will not perform until she is allowed on the team!”

How dare she expect to tell him what to do, he paid for them! They have to follow his command, not the other way around! “You cannot command me, I payed my dues and for today, you are mine! Proceed with the show or I shall have you arrested for disturbing the peace!” If he was less focused on belittling the mare that dare defy him, he would have noticed a few pegasi that dare try to attack him. Luckily though, some ponies can actually do their job.

The blue skinned one wrenched the mic out of his leader's hoof, maybe he can fix her mistakes, “You can burn with your bits, Proud Skies!” He cried. Apparently not, Proud's anger topped the charts as he threw the microphone to the ground, turning away from the tirade of abuse coming from the flying duo and their supporters.

"SECURITY! ARREST THOSE MISCREANTS!" he shouted to the black clad security ponies who were wrestling a few angry peons to the ground.

"Which ones sir?" The Security pony asked before being interrupted by the Wonderbolt.

“We do not perform for money, but for passion! Cloudspire, if you ever wish to see us return- "

Disregarding the final cry of the offending flight team he yelled back an order to the agent, "I don't care, all of them!" With that, Proud fled the scene, breaking passed the security agents barring the doors to his booth. He darted out from the stadium and took flight over the hoards of angry ponies. He flew towards his manor, any pony that thought it right to chase him were quickly apprehended by security.

His mansion wasn't that far away from the stadium, but Proud Skies wasn't used to flying at such a speed, but flying for your life does wonders on your stamina. It was just over 5 minutes when he touched down on his veranda's step, the sweat that formed on his brow and his aching wing muscles were forgotten as he barrelled into his study. He grabbed at his suitcase, tore it open and stashed his revised legislation into it. He nodded with a final huff and left his study abandoned. He bucked the door shut behind him and didn't even bother to lock it as he tore out of his front door, bowling over anypony who got in his way. Immediately he took off for the nearest town's train station, paid his fare, and boarded the train to Canterlot. He was going to have this bill approved, then he will ruin the lives of the Wonderbolts that dare defy him. One by one, they will all fall into oblivion, but first he will need to destroy the life of that arrogant Captain.

Two days is a long time to wait on a train, but with enough sleep and scheming the time should pass in the blink of an eye. Unknown to Proud though, time passing in the blink of an eye is the exact opposite of what he needed.

Two days have passed

Proud Skies waited for three eternities to get in front of the castle meeting room. Surprisingly it was not very difficult to get an appointment with the Princess… Usually it would take about three days of constant reminder to get inside, but all it took this time was a simple sign in. Not that it mattered of course, he had it all worked out, go in, demand the bill be approved at the price of letting that whorse into the Wonderbolts, then get out before anything else can go wrong. There is absolutely nothing preventing him from getting this bill approved. It was that simple, what can possibly go wrong?

that's it! he said it! he is doomed!

"Proud Skies? Princess Celestia will see you now," the guard at the front door said with a scowl in his direction. Proud Skies flicked his head up in determination as he entered the room. He was going to get this bill approved, no matter what happens.

He summoned what was left of his pride and engaged his political mask.

"So happy you could find the time to see me, Princess Celestia," he said sarcastically, he chose to sit in the chair at the very opposite of her throne and slammed his briefcase on the table. He spotted the Princess' sister on her throne as well, she attempted to say something but a brief gesture from Celestia stopped her. "Now, before I ask you what you’ve decided, let me give you some information I think you’ll find quite interesting. A certain mare that I believe you know personally, Miss Rainbow Dash, has been disqualified after winning the Wonderbolt’s Tryouts, but I may be willing to rescind my order if you should smile favourably upon my edict.” He felt his stone cold mask begin to chip away at the sight of the Night Goddess' piercing glare, he wasn't going to let her get away with it, "You can glare away, Luna, but I have the upper hoof! The time has come for you to decide, Celestia!" Celestia began to chuckle, something isn't right, she should have said yes right away, why is she laughing? Luna's gaze fumbled under the gentle calming weight of her sister's hoof.

"So, is that what you think?" Proud had no response, in truth, he was waiting for confirmation, what she said next only proved to confuse him further. "Luna, bring them in." The younger alicorn left the scene with a smirk, and returned shortly after. It was who she returned with was what stopped Proud's heart and confidant demeanour. The bastard Storm Blitz with the little runt Scootaloo on his back, Flying Grace with Quakehoof, and that whorse Rainbow Dash all entered and bowed before the princess before sitting at her side, the little brat sat on her pathetic brother's lap, she never once lost her gaze on Proud. Celestia continued when all were seated, "Flying Grace, Luna and I thought it be fitting that you see what is about to unfold. I hope I find your approval.”

A small stack of papers levitated under Celestia's magic onto the table in front of the stunned mayor, pushing away his briefcase with his bill in it. She played her hidden royal flush, "So tell me Proud, who has the upper hoof now?" Celestia asked with a smirk.

"Mom, what are those?" Proud's arrogant ex-son asked, Skies' face was pale, near white. Proud Skies recognised these papers, oh did he recognise them. They were letters, little harmless letters, with a couple of names. Harmless names, written in ink. Harmless, simple ink. Yet no matter how he put it in his mind, no matter how harmless they might seem, they were Proud's one and only downfall, and he knew it.

The Night Goddess was nothing to mess with, when she needed to be scary, she was, as dictated not by what she said next, rather how she said it, “Those, Storm, are confessions of the vilest sort. This repulsive knave has, according to these documents, ordered the execution of Lightning Wing and was planning that of a second, thy future sibling,” it was a hiss, almost like that of a snake preparing to strike. Proud's world melted away, nothing mattered anymore, the only thing that existed was him, those letters and a warning...

'Now listen good, Proud, 'cause I'm only gonna say this once. Flying Grace has files in her possession, files that can not only break you, but destroy your name. She knows what you have done to her father, and what you are going to do to her child. If you do anything more to her family, she will release them to the public, if you leave them alone, then you can continue your pathetic excuse of a life. Let this be your final warning, Proud, leave… them… alone…

Skies shrunk further into his chair as he remerged from his memory, "Y-you c-can't prove any of t-this!" he stuttered in fear as he slipped out of his chair, slid the papers off the desk and began to trample and destroy them as best he could, this display only served to entertain the princesses and family further as Celestia calmly replied with a smile.

"Luna, if you would be so kind?" The Night Princess left the room again with a greater smirk then last time on her face, only to return with… Nightshade and BloodStitch, the two names on the letters. The ponies that can break and destroy his name. "Now, I believe I offered you both a reduction of your sentences for your testimony?" Celestia reminded the two ponies, "I do believe our audience would love to hear what you have to say."

Proud reacted quickly, attempting in vain to reconstruct and preserve is already disintegrated pride and status, he stood and yelled to the Princess, “I don’t know these ponies! Whatever they say is lies!”

"You're the one who lied, you said you would protect me!" The convicted assassin yelled, pulling at his chains trying to escape before he was shoved to the ground and silenced by the guards.

“He is just as guilty as I am, your Highness." Bloodstitch said with a fierce determination in his eyes after his brother in chains was pushed to the ground, "I will accept my punishment; there is blood on these hooves.”

Celestia commended their honesty, and had them sent away. Proud barely reacted, his chin hit the floor as he fell, staring at the shredded papers that very well represented his name. His anguish repeated itself in his mind, 'It's all over, I'm done for, it's all over, I'm done for…' He didn't even react when Storm approached him and stood him up, only for him to crumble to the ground once more.

"Come on, Proud, take it like a stallion for once in your life." The titan of a pegasus said down to him, smirking on his cowardice.

'…it's all over, I'm done for, it's all over, I'm done for…'

"Yeah, seriously, this is getting embarrassing," his marefriend quipped as she cantered merrily towards her lover, "Oh, don't worry, there are plenty of rocks who will listen on the moon."

Proud nearly fainted when he heard what the Princess of the Night responded with, "Dear sister," with all the innocence of a younger sister, "the mare maketh a good suggestion. What say you?"

'…it's all over, I'm done for, it's all over, I'm done for…'

"Nay, Luna, it would disgrace your fair moon. There is no place in Equestria for this filth," Celestia stalked over to Proud and stood menacingly over him, from his position all he could see of her were her shining mane, near glistening coat, and glowing eyes. She looked like the depiction of the afternoon day, ever harsh and unforgiving, "Proud Skies," she addressed, his world became her voice as it echoed around the room and in his mind, no bit of malice spared, "for your crimes against this family and for murder, you shall be banished from Equestria. Should you be seen within my domain again, I shall not be so lenient. You will have three days and no more to make it to the border," She punctuated her sentence with a stomp of her foreleg, an illusion spell directed at Proud made arcane magic spike out from under her hoof, "Also, all your assets shall be handed over to Flying Grace, and your marriage is hereby annulled. Additionally, as you, a pegasus, have shown such disrespect for your own kind, you shall live the rest of your days without your wings. Luna?"

'…itsalloverimdoneforitsalloverimdonefor…'

Time seemed to slow as the Night Goddess skipped over to where Proud was grovelling in fear, his mind was switched back to an almost primal state in the fury of the two goddesses of the land. He felt himself be lifted up in a dark blue aura belonging to that of the merry Princess. What he felt next, what he felt, was a sensation and pain like no other. All of his feathers were stripped off in sequential order as his wings shrank and melded with his back. To everypony else, this lasted for naught but a second. To Proud, the pain carried on for a millennia. Luna knows how to be cruel, she knows how to be so very cruel. She could have used a spell to make the preceding harmless, but instead made his cries mute.

He felt every one of his feathers pulled out of their sockets, one by one they detached and fell to the ground. There he was, writhing in the air, screaming a muted scream. The featherless wings started to crack as it felt like his bones were crumbling into dust, grinding into a fine paste beneath his skin as they ever so slowly merged with his back. He can no longer feel, and the world sank around him. He lost his wings, he lost his wings. He dropped painfully to the floor. He looked back to see the damage he felt.

They were gone… His wings were gone…

In a vain attempt to regain his lost limbs, he madly shovelled up a hoof full of his former feathers and stabbed them painfully into his back, doing naught but break the skin. He bled as pain flared further in his back but still he attempted to put them back in. A single feather remained stabbed into his back in a dumb mimic of it's former glory.

The feather fell in synchronisation with him as he fell to the floor and silently wept as his world crashed around him.

Somepony totted up to him, he knew not who it was, but he knew that he hated them, he hated everypony so much. Then came a voice, a mockingly haughty voice, the voice like that of several quills on a blackboard.

It echoed with that of a voice forgotten from his past.

"Do not worry, for alas, wings are only for flying, am I not correct?"

He briefly remembers losing his sanity, everything else fades into the oblivion of regret. He knew that he lunged at the offending pony after they finished speaking. He then felt propelled back by a great force to smash onto the ground behind him.

Proud played a game of power that he never had a chance of winning.

'It's…

All…

Over…'

Author's Note

Thank you Cerulean for permission and Thank you Ominous for not finding out yet. :3

Three things:
1) Quillo do good?
2) There will be mistakes, I challenge YOU! The pedantic reader, to help me find them and fix them.
3) There will be puns.

Chapter 1 - Setting Skies

The night shimmered as he flew.

He cut across the sky enjoying his peaceful freedom. A freedom given light awareness but heavy chance. A freedom sought by many, yet owned by few... and it was all his to enjoy. His wings batted the skies as he stayed afloat, suspended in his own blissful seclusion. He flew down and close to the ocean he danced above, they mimicked his actions valiantly.

He gazed downwards upon his blessed figure reflected on the rough waters. His untainted white fur and mane with golden eyes, accented further by his glorious alabaster wings of pure light. A small grin graced his face, showing off his shining white teeth. The image of perfection. He stared for a little longer, still flying through his eternal happiness. He didn't even need to look where he was going, he was so secure, so safe, that he knew that nothing could hurt him.

The figure changed, but only by very little. The triumphant reflection he held shrunk faintly, the body became curved in favour of muscled, the legs extended out further and became slender, the tail lengthened, the neck lost it's accents and became daintier, the golden mane grew out and the head became even more beautiful. The eyes remained golden and sparkled with fascinated wonder, but the sharpness behind them softened. The eyelashes extended out of the eye lids complementing the alluring features of that which they stand guard. The snout added detail and shrunk slightly to fit the rest of the pony's head and it's mouth formed a little smirk. The added details perfected further the image of perfection he at once knew, he wanted her.

She gestured her hoof into the sky, back behind the pony, and the clouds above, Come to me my love, I am waiting for you... spoke the angel. He nodded, and flapped so he could change his direction away and upwards to the skies. He wanted to please this reflection, he wanted to find her, he wanted to fly. The clouds approached him, speeding towards him in ferocious fury in upturned elemental wrath. He was not afraid, he needed her. He put his hooves in front of him to meet the vaporous beast in valiant battle of determined intent. The beast was near enough that if it were to lash out or bite he'd surely be beaten, yet he continued. He let loose a guttural scream to aid in his assault of this beast that dare keep him from his love.

He was not afraid.

He flew straight into the gaping maw of lunacy. He dodged and expertly weaved between teeth the size of spears and as sharp as the horizon. A single feather clipped onto a tooth and was lacerated in half, this faulted him for naught but a second. He was not going to let this beast win. He managed passed the rows upon rows of teeth into the beast's mouth only to be met by giant snakes posing as the beast's tongues.

He was outnumbered.

He didn't count them, the adrenaline spiking through his veins keeping him from thinking of anything but the crystal eyes of his love. The snakes lashed out at him, darting to his position. He grinned... He never liked the first move. He dodged upwards to miss the first three heads coming at him from his sides and front. The two from his sides smashed together and dazed themselves. He doubled back and reached forward grasping hold of the free head still chasing him. He dropped down dragging it with him, the entire time it bit and spat at the air trying to snag a taste of this foolish mortal but he would never let it. Using it's determination against it the pony flew under and around the stunned heads to tie them together, binding them with their own flesh and blood. He looked up.

He was surrounded.

Knowing that his task with those heads was finished he spun quickly to face the rest. He was outnumbered, over a thousand to one. He dared not waste time counting the heads, and went straight at them with a challenge. He whispered to them and they hissed back in a resounding chorus of piercing hunger and lunged at their prey. The first one went low, he reared up and bucked the tongue with his hind hooves. He used it as a spring board to dodge the next two heads, which twisted around to follow him. He and four heads racing to him from below him. He saw his window and immediately dived for it. He flew down into the square of snakes and made them collide with one another. Both stunning them and providing him with a temporary cage-shelter to just block another five from reaching him.

He was cunning.

One head had it's jaw open in preparation for dinner but was served snake skin instead of the anticipated pony flesh. The valiant pony kicked one of the snake bars into the line of the attacking head. Green blood sprayed from the wound and the beast yelled out in pain. He didn't stop there. He kicked the snake further into its brother to make it unable to escape. He then rushed back to the tongue behind him and used it to propel himself over to the entrapped snake. He flipped so that his rear hooves made contact with the face of the snake. It was shot back, but its teeth remained stuck in its comrade. The snakes and the beast were overcome with pain unimaginable, notable to the warrior pony by the tremendous wail of unequaled pain. He glanced back to his cage, now falling with a great speed. The teeth seemed to shine with a tremendous gleam to him, that was his target.

He was quick.

He used the air tainted by the pain of his predator to launch himself deeper into the mouth, following the teeth which he sought. Other in pain but very much alive and angry snakes rushed at him in a determined act of revenge, but he was faster. He out-flew the most of the tongues and kicked away the rest that managed to get close to him. The teeth were within his grasp. He latched into the body of the wounded snake and bit into the flesh to get at the fang. The taste of blood and acid filled his mouth, but he cared not. His mouth found purchase around the fang and he pulled it out. The fang itself extended a couple of feet out from his mouth, but weighed as if it was made of air.

He was strong.

He heard the hissing of an attacking snake, so he spun and delivered a killing blow to it. With the sharpness of the fang he separated the lower jaw from the top, dead. The beast roared. One down. Many more to go. He slashed and sliced through the barrage of snakes until most of them fell, the giant beast wailed and roared at the pain that this pony was inflicting upon it. Is this the night that it will surely die? There was a path cleared up further into the beast, so he took it. The fang was covered tip to jaw in the foul inky green blood of his downed foes. The pony didn't fair any better, he was splashed from head to tail in the disgusting blood from the snakes.

He was vicious.

A loud beating made itself clear to the pony, letting him know where his target was. He flew through to the throat of this beast in search of it's heart. He almost made it, one of the surviving tongues latched onto his rear hoof with its fangs and halted his advance. Pain flooded up through the pony and he wailed in agony, causing him to drop his bloodied weapon. The snake seemed to grin at his misfortune, but the pony was as smart as he was daring. Knowing that further pain would come if he didn't act now, he used his injured hoof as a leverage and speed his free hoof to the jaw of this mighty beast. The snake opened its mouth and screamed in agony. He saw his opening, acting quickly he wrenched his injured hoof off of the fang and used his other hoof to kick the fang out of its socket. The fang ripped back and into the snake, tearing up its fragile insides and killing it. Before it fell however, the pony dived down and held onto one of the remaining fangs to dislodge it and replace his previous weapon.

He was cruel.

Rearming himself he flew to the source of the beating, the tunnel like throat of the beast twisted and turned until finally he found it. The heart. Wasting no time the pony flew up to the top of the heart and stabbed the fang into it. Releasing a fair amount of green blood in the process. The gladiator pony laughed manically and gripped the fang with his teeth. He then dived down and around the heart, tearing it asunder. The beast had little time to scream before it died.

He was victorious.

The beast fell motionless, the pony cut his way up and out of it. He emerged from the beast and stood atop his prey. He was covered head to tail in the blood of his victim. The adrenaline and rage he felt surging through his body reached a height unknown to him. He roared in victory over this slain beast, he vanquished the beast that dared try to devour him. He roared for a good while until he needed to resupply his lungs with his deserved oxygen. He then doubled over in mirth, insane maniacal mirth brought upon by his newly acquired status of apex predator. He regaled of the power and might he claimed over his prey until he heard a sound. It was but a whimper.

His joviality ceased as his searched for this sound. It was not long until he found it. It was a pegasus mare of pure white fur and gleaming golden eyes, that looked upon him in fear of what he has become. He jumped off the body of the downed beast and approached this mare. She took a step back as he took a step forward. With every step he took the blood on his body melted off of him and tainted the clouds beneath him. His fur reemerged as black as night and his wings were like that of a bat. The clouds corrupted in elemental fury, he didn't care, his focus was completely on this mare in front of him. He took another step and the blackness spread with him. He grinned madly at her showing off his newly acquired fangs. The mare stepped back, retreating from the advancing lunatic and the spreading darkness. He licked across his fangs, feeling them for the first time. He further approached her as he muttered two simple words.

Be mine... the words drifted out of his mouth in the form of a ghastly hiss. The demand did what wasn't intended, but still helped him with his goal. She tripped back in fear of this insane pony and fell into the clouds. He saw an opening, so he took it. He dived onto the frightened mare and crouched over her. He leaned in close to her ear as her head tried to move away. He hissed into her mind,

Be mine...

His head then dived into her neck and he bit his fangs into her. The mares neck cracked like glass under the force of the bite. Corruption seemed to spread throughout this mare from the center as her skin slowly turned from a glorious white to a hideous black. Her struggling seemed to dampen the longer he kept her in his hold, she began to realise that resisting is futile. He chuckled into her neck, his voice marred by the skin in his mouth. Her reddened eyes closed slowly as the process neared completion. Until a voice interrupted.

Get away from her!

The black clouds beneath the two began to shake with fury as a great stallion of the earth made of red marble stormed to the pair. He was at least twice as big as the dark pony, and twice as furious. The clouds under the charging hero cracked from black to white as they calmed beneath his hooves. When the pony reached the beast he landed on his fore hooves and spun, intent on smashing the beast with his mighty earth-shattering hooves. The beastly pony was fast and jumped above this intruding stallion's attack and ran across his back up to his head. He flipped forward so he can pile-drive this heathen through the clouds to the ocean below. His hooves met air, nothing. His flip over shot and he found himself face in the clouds.

You will never win.

The beast stood and spun around rapidly, finding his mare riding on the back of this looming giant. The beast, without hesitation, dashed forward to destroy this pony and recapture his mare, but as fast as the beast blinked the giant and his mare were gone. Disappeared as if turned into clouds themselves. The white clouds where the stallion once was started corrupting again with the absence of their saviour. This mattered not to him, he wanted to find this bastard stallion who dare take his mare. He flew up into the blackened night sky in search for the only source of white and light. He never found it. Although, he was not completely alone, he could feel it, a presence. A presence like no other, it was ominous, the slight in the wind, the chill down his back, the faint doubt in his mind. At once he had the overwhelming desire to escape, to fly, to run. He launched off the cloud layer and flew fast, faster then he has ever flown before. The feeling didn't go away, instead it felt like it grew heavier the longer he flew.

His legs seized up. He couldn't feel them, they froze in mid air. He couldn't worry about this for long, as his wings ceased to flap. His neck was forced up to the sky, he could do naught but be entrapped by the beauty of the night as he float, suspended in space. The stars filled his vision, encasing him in a white cocoon of magic. All at once the corruption that surged his body was violently ripped out of him, rendering him less then the oracle he used to be. Instead he was a normal pegasus. The magic did not stop there though; he felt it, a pain like no other. His newly purified feathers were plucked off one by one. Agonising feather after agonising feather. Pain flared up in his wings as more and more feathers were ripped out of their sockets.

Then he fell, descending into his own madness...

He fell far, he screamed to the heavens and reached out to them for that they might reach out and grab him back. They didn't, and he fell further. He fell face to the skies as the stars rearranged themselves to form a wicked fanged grin with red eyes that laughed at him, the laugh gradually dissolved from a deranged cackle to a sinister chuckle the further he fell away from the sky. He could see his feathers floating away from him as he fell faster and faster ever approaching the black cloud layer behind him.

He fell through. Lightning arced back and forward across his sight, a bolt struck his back and burnt off the remaining feathers. He screamed in agonising fury as the pain surged through his system. He fell until he breached the underside of the cloud layer.

The clouds did not shatter, they did not part, they didn't even shimmer. They floated still, mocking him and defying his body's right to land on them. He could no longer see the stars; they were hidden from him through the defiant clouds. It wasn't long before he hit the ocean below. Unlike the clouds the water's surface snapped under the intrusion of his body. The water clapped his ears, leaving him dazed.

He sank, losing sight of the cloudy sky as he sank deeper and deeper into the murky water. His thrashing forelegs did nothing to aid in his recovery, a vast stinging sensation filled his featherless wings. He looked back to see what was wrong and to his utter horror, he found his boney appendages were dissolving in the water. They hissed and bubbled as they cracked off his back. Pain shot all through him when they finally broke off. He screamed silently through the water. He sank faster, he watched as his wings floated above him, disintegrating and mixing with the water until there was nothing left. He sank until he hit the sea floor.

A muffled voice rang out in the darkness, he couldn't hear it correctly, through his thrashing and the water tearing through his ears all he could make out was, "rz nd shn frnd."

Instantly his arms and legs were wrenched out to his sides and bound by some form of coral. He then felt the coral snake its way around his throat, as his head was pressed firmly against the sea floor. He realised that he was at the bottom of the ocean. He struggled for breath as he felt the air be taken from his lungs. He gasped only for it to be filled with more water.

Screams filled his vision.

Proud Skies awoke to a light-hearted laugh. He coughed to get the water out of his lungs.

"I said 'Rise and shine, Friend'," laughed the voice as Proud heard the telltale sound of a bucket being placed onto the ground.

"W-who-?" Proud croaked inaudibly before coughing again. He wanted to rub the sand out of his eyes before he opened them, but his forelegs were bound in some way, and to his annoyance, his neck as well. He was flayed out in a very painful position, it should be more painful because he should be crushing his wings behind him… but for some reason he can't feel them. They just feel like they aren't even th-

He remembered.

A shadow overcame his broken and frozen heart, his position was taken from him, along with his city, his pride and above all… his wings. He wanted to shout, he wanted to scream and writhe over his lost pride and limbs but he couldn't, as he hasn't a tear left to shed. Instead he made a raspy cough as he felt the water drip down his face. The sensation of water on his skin brought to light the fact that he was parched; he remembered not having a drink of water since the train ride to his demise. His internal grief was cut short as the voice from before returned.

"I 'ave to say, Friend, I 'ave never seen anypony in quite the pickle like yourself," the voice continued, it was female, Proud wanted to open his eyes and shout to whoever this is to leave as he couldn't bare the voice of this intruder. He just wanted to be alone, "Come to think of it… I 'ave never seen such an archaic 'oldin' bed… Better yet, I ain't never seen any 'oldin' beds in this dungen before in my life."

Dungeon?

Proud couldn't delay any longer, his eyes broke apart and he looked around. Well, looked around as far as his eyes could, his head was bound to the point where he couldn't move it. From where he was it looked and felt like he was glued to the wall. He saw what looked to be the inside of a jail cell, that much was obvious. The bars and lifeless stone brick walls were a dead give away. The smells of a dungeon filled his nostrils, naming that of rats, cockroaches and spiders that made their home in the dank halls of the prison block. Proud didn't know where he was exactly, but he hazard a guess at Canterlot Dungeon. He was locked up in Canterlot Dungeon, and this… peon was sitting and leaning onto an upturned bucket she had in front of her. She was looking up at him and smiling.

As if the idiot was completely oblivious to the fact that Proud Skies was in the dungeon.

"Op! You're awake now! Allooo!" called the beaming mare sitting in front of him as she waved to her new prison mate. She was a lightly built, slightly hungry looking Earth Pony, her coat was a dark shade of yellow and she had an unkempt short dark green mane and tail. Her cutie mark was hidden from view by the way she was sitting so her talent was a mystery to Proud at this point. She was smiling widely at Proud Skies, showing off her less than looked after teeth. She sat with one hoof resting on the bucket and the other gayly flailing about in the air. Proud couldn't bare the sight of it any longer.

"Who the buck are you?" He shouted at the audacity of this whorse who dare wake him. The gaudy mare in front of him recoiled slightly as her smile fell a bit. Her hoof paused in the air then proceeded to fall on to the bucket with a clank.

"No need for such 'ostility, Friend. You're in the same boat as me," the mysterious mare said as she lifted her other hoof and gestured at Proud, the action almost immediately reminding the mare that she was not bound and her conversation partner was. She paused as she put her hoof back, "Weelll, maybe not that bad. The name is Fastened Key, but folk 'round here call me Unloc-Key," Key joked with her smile and teeth returning, "Well, as much as I like calling ya 'friend', I'd much prefer to call ya by name, so what is it?"

"You need not know my name whelp! I don't need to give that information to the likes of you-!" Proud yelled defiantly to the impudent mare perched in front of him before his neck-bind choked him silent as a punishment for moving.

The mare's head cocked to the side in wonder, "Golley, I wonder what it was that made an Earth pony such as yourself so mad," she asked innocently.

"I am not a lowly Earth Pony, I am a Pegasus!"

"Ya sure? Cos the lack of wings sure tell me somthin' diffrent," Fastened Key pointed out his wings, or rather, lack of. Proud Skies sighed and fell silent, "Struck a nerve did I?"

"Well… I was a pegasus… until that, corrupt whorse of a princess, Luna stole my wings away fro-"

"I'll stop ya right there, Mister. Don't go insultin' our Night Mother like that. It's because o' her that poor souls like myself 'ave a livin'," Key defended before she looked around the cell they were in again, reminding herself that she is stuck in a cell "Well, its not much o' one, but et keeps the belly fed. Enuff about me, why are you in here?"

"I was…" Proud started before he shut his trap, he didn't need to give out information like that; especially to someone he just met who is a jailed crook.

"Oh come' on, Friend, it's not like we're goin' anywhere soon. I 'ave all night to listen, an' I'm a plenty patient pony."

He stayed silent.

"Tell ya what. Since ya look like the kind of pony that enjoys prizes, I'll give ya one gift for every bit of 'umility ya show"

"What do you mean 'prize'?" Proud asked, full of doubt.

"Why don't ya tell me your name and find out?" Key offered with a sweet smile and a wink.

…

"I'm waiten'…"

The locked up pony closed his eyes as he gave up trying to resist this incessant mare. He sighed before he muttered his name, "Proud, Proud Skies."

Click!

Suddenly he could move his head around, the device that bound it unlocked. Proud opened his eyes to catch the pony before him returning to her spot. He briefly got a look at her cutie mark, but it wasn't long enough to get a clear image, it looked like it had something to do with a lock. She turned and sat down next to the bucket to face her friend again, "H'excellent! Pleased to meetcha Mister Proud!" The yellow pony laughed as Proud looked down, bewildered by his sudden slight freedom. He found his forelegs and hind legs spread out and shackled to a crude wooden board, preventing his movement. He looked back towards his cellmate to find her grinning widely with a small thin stick of metal held between her hooves, a lock pick?

"What did you do?" Proud asked, bewildered at his compatriot's ability.

"Well, I unlocked it, simple!" She responded waving her lock pick around, "It'really isn't that 'ard."

"Why couldn't you have done that before?!" Proud yelled at Key, angrier at the fact that this miscreant didn't let him down in the first place then the fact that he was shackled to a wall, "Now I demand you unlock me completely!"

"Ahp pup pup!" Key waved her hooves and the lock pick smilingly disappeared into her forelegs, "Ya 'ave to be 'umble for me to let yedown." She chided the impatient former mayor, "Now, I'll unlock ya shackles if ya tell me how it is that ya found yourself 'ere."

A brief shot of stubborn silence and a glare only very slightly killed Fastened Key's mood.

"You know what? I'll go first. It began when I was just a little filly, fending for m'self in the streets of Trot'n'am-" Key was cut off by Proud's pained groan, he really really did not want to hear some sob story from a convict. Fastened's face and mood fell, "Golly, if you don't want to be let down, I'll just leave." She stood up and made her way to the cell door; to Proud's amazement she just opened it. She didn't even pick it. She just pushed it open. She turned at the door to face back at him with a regretful frown on her face, "Oh yes, by the way, you're goin' to spend a rather long time down 'ere, this section of the dungens 'ave been abandoned long ago. The guard that putcha 'ere didn't look like 'e was comin' back anytime soon, I'm fairly certain that 'e was just goin' to let ya rot down 'ere." She turned, flicked her tail, started walking away and disappeared from Proud's sight.

Proud hesitated, he was going to be left down here? Just to die of starvation shackled to a wooden board? Why would the guard do that? He had rights as an Equestrian cit-

Wait… Banished… he was no longer an Equestrian Citizen. Proud realised that the guards always wanted revenge on him but couldn't do anything because he had the right to be treated fairly 'as an Equestrian Citizen'. Since he was no longer that, the guards don't have to treat him fairly. He briefly wondered how many other ponies in general for that matter were out to get him now that they could touch him.

"Wait!" Proud called dreading the fact of being left alone, while simultaneously dreading the coming story. Key instantly popped her head into view from the hallway and looked at Proud as he sighed for what seems like the thousandth time since he woke, "If it will get me out of here, I'll bear your story."

"Oh goody!" Key all but bounced back into the jail cell, shutting the gate behind her with a clang, "Now, let's start on my childhood…

It was the dead of night.

A splash marked the escape of the fleeing dirty blank-flanked foal as she ran through the town with a bag full of bits in her mouth.

"GET BACK 'ERE YA FILTHY SWINE!"

She knew she had to speed up as the coin purse was heavy and the angry mare was gaining on her. There were a fair amount of coins in the bag, but her life weighed more. So she needed to think quickly to do what she could to lighten the load. She spied a few wooden crates and went for it. The foal jumped up on the smallest one with the intent to catapult off of the larger one, open the bag in mid air and dump some of the bits. However, to her utter discontent, she didn't jump high enough onto the taller one to take into account the size and weight of the bag. She fell forward and over the crate as the crate ripped the bag from her mouth.

Schlick- Click

Having hit her head on the box when she rolled over it she was dazed and didn't realise where she landed, however, she was out of sight, so for that matter she was grateful. She really didn't know why she needed what was in the bag; she was too young to know the importance of money. She did notice, however, some ponies during the daytime in the markets handing some of them over to another pony and they'd give them food. Food was nice, so she decided that she could use some. Of course, she couldn't just ask for some bits, she tried that before but she was ignored.

"Where is that thief? I should cut off its bloody tongue for that!" hissed the local jeweller as she searched for the thief that stole from her. The foal couldn't see why she was so mad, the local jeweller was the richest mare on the block, the amount she took from her wouldn't nearly be as expensive if she stole from somepony else.

She swore she only took a hoof full.

The foal didn't move. She hadn't opened her eyes out of fear that the bright yellow colour of them would give her away. She heard the sounds of bits being picked up and put back into the bag, along with the sounds of a grumbling mare, "I swear, if I catch that little runt in my sight again, I am handing her to the guards straight away." The sounds of the shinking coins and angry mare faded with her hoof falls as she traveled back down the street to her shop. Only after the sounds of the cold winds of the night rustling through the leaves of nearby trees could be heard did the filly dare open her eyes again.

She saw bars.

Small thin metallic bars, outfitted with a locked cage door. She had befallen a trap designed for catching small animals, and she was now stuck like one. The little foal wasn't exactly unknown in the streets of Trottingham, she has been known on several accounts to break into other ponies’ houses and steal money from them. Nopony understood that she needed to do that to survive, just so that she could eat for another day. Her already boney body couldn't take much more hunger. Her gurgling stomach reminded her that she hasn't eaten for a whole day now. So she did what a foal could do, lie down and sob.

She cried at the hopelessness of it all. She was caged like an animal and she had no way out. Several raps on the cage door served to prove that she was indeed stuck until somepony else fished her out. After which they'd most likely throw her to the guards for punishment… like having her tongue cut off…

She shuddered at the thought through her tears. She would prefer to have her mouth intact by the time she was old enough to ask for a job. Just as she was about to resign all of her hopes and aspirations a bright white light shone behind her eyes.

It's a unicorn! They've found me! They're gunna cut off my tongue!

Her body froze, she wanted to seem as lifeless as possible, maybe if they thought that she was already dead they might not bother about doing anything. So the filly awaited the inevitable.

…

The rustling of leaves.

Nothing but the rustling of leaves met her ears. She dared to open her eyes. She found out that what shone on her was in fact not that of a magic light, she glanced upwards to the source to find out what it was. It was the moon… The moon peaked out from in between the buildings and shone its radiant glow on the hapless little foal. The impression of the unicorn looking down on her, she stopped crying. It was as if the moon itself was telling her to be calm, cradling her in its motherly glow. It soothed her woes and beckoned her to stop crying. She listened.

Soon after the moon's light flashed on her, forcing her to look down. What she saw under her hooves was nothing special. It was just a pointy stick. She saw another glint in her eyes; she looked straight to find the moon's light reflecting off the lock's surface. She added point and lock together and she knew how she was going to get out. She wiped the tears from her eyes with a dirty hoof and picked up the stick.

Fumbling the stick in her hooves she jammed it into the lock. With all the finesse of a hungry foal she jiggled, twisted and turned the stick inside the lock. This seemingly frivolous pursuit lasted for a couple of agonising minutes. She was about to give up after a while, but she stuck to it regardless, she was going to keep her tongue that day.

Click~

Her eyes opened wide when she heard the telltale sounds of a lock being unlocked. She pushed the gate to the trap open. Her mind could barely comprehend that she was free. She just unlocked a trap door from the inside, she got out!

She gets to keep her tongue!

It was almost a call for a gleeful yell, but then she heard a flash and saw a bright light in the corners of her eyes, so she dashed out of the cage with her trusty stick in her mouth and she ran away. She ran to the central park where her 'home' was, about a few blocks away from the trap. Her 'home' was nothing more than a cardboard box perched covertly underneath a bench. It was the best place to hide; no pony suspects the cardboard box. She dived into it to catch her breath and hide for what felt like an hour, but when you are a foal time never flows evenly. Only after a few more hours did she dare to peak out from inside her box. Nopony was there, she was alone.

She decided to climb onto the seat tonight in order to gaze above. She collapsed onto her back on the bench and looked up into the sky. She gazed upon the Mare in the Moon, much lower than before, and she was overjoyed and thankful for its help. She knew that for the rest of her life, she would gladly offer her thanks to it.

She saved her that night, and many nights to come. She sighed blissfully as she looked up to what few stars she could see, the lights of the undying city making it hard to see anything bar the moon and a couple of the biggest stars. She was about to drift asleep to the gentle melody of leaves dancing in the wind, but the pain of hunger flared up in her stomach prevented her from achieving it.

Going to sleep with an empty stomach is not one of the youth's favourite things to do, so usually she did the only thing she could, which was to rummage through another's garbage. The scent and taste would be tremendously sub-par, as it was mixed in with that of rotting food, discarded materials and the rats that saw fit to make it their home. To be honest, she'd much rather go hungry.

Then she had an idea, she could break into a house. Somepony else's home that had food kept and ready in the cold boxes, ingredients that she could eat and savour on her delicate and uncut tongue. Might she finally have a decent meal before sleeping?

Usually her methods would include getting a sizeable rock, picking a low window and letting loose. That usually never ends well. The jeweler was exhibit ‘Too Many’. She awoke when she tried to get in the first time and caught her with her hoof in the bit jar. The window did slow the jeweller down though, for that she was thankful, but she'd much prefer to enter and leave unnoticed.

She chose the house closest to her park, so if she needed to run, her box was a just dash away. Lifting up her trusty stick, she got to work trying to break the lock. It took a great deal more jostling and shaking for her to open this door as compared to the little cage, but she eventually managed it. The lock clicked and the door was free to creak open, allowing the filly into the house. She made little sound, making sure to step quietly as to not wake up the owners of the store, that would only lead to wreck and ruin.

The interior didn’t look like all the other houses she had broken into before, though, this time she could take in her surroundings. There were many raised surfaces scattered around the room she entered and there were benches that sort of looked like the one she sleeps under positioned around them. The benches looked very different to her’s, they looked like they were made of red clouds; puffy, soft, tangible clouds. More detail could be made up on the spot, but she felt the breeze kiss her back so she thought that she should get inside.

She left the stick and closed the door quietly behind her so that no others could see her entry, and surveyed the area. The scent of baked goods filled her nostrils. This smell was so much better than the garbage that she'd usually rummage through. All other details of the bakery washed away into disinterest as she slowly and carefully made her way behind and around the counter. She followed her nose to the left and through a doorway where she found a room full of metallic items and large containers. Some containers had handles on the side, while others had them on the top with a see-through door. She looked through the doors he could, to see if she could find anything, but all she found was empty racks. Why anypony would keep empty containers was beyond her.

The tantalising scent caressed her nose once more as her entire world focused around it. She wanted to find this smell, she wanted to savour the taste on her uncut tongue and feel it slide down her throat and into her belly. To feel the weight of a good meal and the drowsiness that comes with it. She looked around, but couldn't find anything from where she was standing, but there were more raised surfaces, they could hold many secrets. So she jumped up onto it, and she immediately found her prize.

It was a tray of cookies.

She had cookies before, but they were in the trash and did not taste very nice, but this time was different, this time they were fresh. Her mouth began to water as she imagined the taste on her tongue, she didn't know exactly what they tasted like, but her nose is gave her a good idea. She didn't want to wait any longer so she picked up a cookie in her hoof, shoved it in her muzzle and chowed down on it. She paused. The flavour and taste of the confectionary invaded her sense of taste as her jaw closed down on the soft and supple confectionary. She didn't know what the taste was called, but it felt like she fell in love. It overpowered her sense of thought… and restraint. So she dived onto the tray and ate the remaining ones with viciousness like that of a lion to its prey, and she didn't stop until the tray was empty. All the cookies were gone and her belly was finally full, she liked this feeling. She regaled in her delight of a full stomach and pleased tongue as the growling lion that was her stomach calmed down.

She felt that she had time, so she lay on her back and enjoyed the feeling of fulfilment. She sighed in bliss as the feeling of a satisfied stomach outweighed her sense of urgency. She lay there for a while, just pleased with existing. There was no need to run. There was no need to hide. No pony knew that she was here, so she could stay for as long as she liked. She liked this new style of breaking in, it was silent, efficient, and consists of a substantially less amount of breaking. The filly drew a large breath and exhaled through her nose. After a while she slowly reemerged from the land of bliss and took in her surroundings. She noticed that she was lying next to a window; she looked out of it to find the last few hours of moon before it hid behind the horizon. She knew that she had to leave soon.

So, regretfully she rolled onto her hooves and jumped off the bench. She landed and walked out the door to the main room. She would have made it farther but she paused in the doorway as she looked over to the counter, the one she disregarded upon entry, and noticed something. Oddly nostalgic that it was a jar of bits. She thought for a second, no pony knew that she was here, not a single thing stops her from simply taking the whole jar. It would be that easy; she couldn't even count the amount in there. She knew without a doubt that that's what she needed.

Without a second thought she jumped up onto the counter and approached the jar, there was a note next to it but the filly couldn't read it. It did have a picture of what looked to be a sick little colt on it. She figured that she would be sick to if she didn't have this money so she found no reason not to take it. Her hooves inched closer to the jar; she was so close to taking it. She was so close, but… no matter how sound it seems in her mind, she just can't get any closer to it. Her forelegs paused in mid air; does she really need this money? Her hooves fell and hit the table she was on. Questions evaded her mind, did she? Did she really need it? She was fed tonight, and if she needed more food she could simply get it. She felt something slightly warm on her back so she turned around.

She looked out the window where she was before. The moon was sinking below the horizon; it was about halfway there. She could still see the face of the Mare in the Moon; she got the feeling that it was happy with her. She swore she saw it wink before it sank fully, but that could have just been a trick of the light. No matter, it was dawn and ponies would be waking up now. She had to get back to her box. She creeped to the door and gently opened it. She stepped once, looked around, twice, repeated, then thrice. After that she closed the door and dashed away. She ran back to her home, to her box, to sleep until dusk.

She dreamed of cookies… and it was nice.

"… Of course, back then I didn't notice I got my cutie mark. Boy, was I elated when I found this little thing on my flank the following night," she closed her story of old as she gestured to her cutie mark and looked towards Proud, who, surprisingly, stayed awake through the whole story. Though, he did have the stunning ability to stay awake during even the most boring of stories, feigning interest was another matter. The sun had long since sunk below the horizon and it was early night time. Even though it was darker than before he could still see... somewhat. He finally got a look at her cutie mark, it was a key and a lock, but the lock was closed through the hole in the key's head. "So that's how I f’ought of the name 'Fastened Key'," She nodded, impressed with her own storytelling ability.

"Fantastic, I listened to your story, now let me down," Proud drawled annoyed and tired.

"Sure thing!" She smiled with a clap of her hooves, she hit the ground and pointed a hoof towards Proud's hind leg shackles. Nothing happened.

"Are you deaf? I said 'let me down'!" he exclaimed impatiently, he glowered at her, "Do so now!"

Key's theatrics stopped as she put her hooves down and glared back at him with a pout. "Fine then!" she said after a while, annoyed at his prevention of her fun, "I was just having fun…" She whipped her tail over her head and reached her fore hooves out. The pick from earlier fell into her hooves, "Ok now, be amazed! At the wonder that is my unlocking skills!" She waved her lock pick at the locks but didn't touch them.

"I'm waiting."

"You know, you are a real spoil sport," she tossed the pick aside and immediately looked as though she had an idea. She looked at Proud and approached him slowly with a sensual look on her face, "I'm sure a…" she paused as she searched for a suitable word, "ah… strong… stallion such as yourself can simply break these locks…" she teased, pouted and blinked cutely twice.

He jerked out his hind hooves in an attempt to kick her away, she stepped back to avoid him, "What do you mean?! Nopony can brea-" his hind legs were free, he fell speechless.

"See?" She said simply and laughed, "Told ya."

"How?"

"Brute strength and a Proud determination?" she joked and chuckled at her pun, "Nothing to do with the fact that I unlocked them earlier without you knowing and just guessed that you were the type to not try something until he knows about it," she finalized with a wink and a smile.

"I'm still stuck to a wall." He hissed, breaking her playful demeanor.

"You sure are Mister Proud," she said before cocking her head to the side, "remember what I said about prizes?" she asked. She stepped forward, grabbed the bucket from her side to put it in front of her. "Let's 'ear your story, then I'll let ya down." She leaned on her bucket in wait for his story.

After a sigh of reigning depression Proud begrudgingly regaled his cellmate with his tale of woe, "I was a politician, the mayor of the great pegasus city of Cloudspire. Apparently, the princesses and general public frown upon fighting for equality, so Luna saw it fit to remove my wings and Celestia banished me from Equestria. She gave me three days to leave but Luna's spell knocked me out. I speculate that the guards found me and put me here for the rest of my life." Key stayed on the bucket, staring at Skies in wait for him to continue, "Now, will you let me down?"

Key's mood fell for what felt like the thousandth time today, "You really are a kill joy aren't you?" She chided him, before sighing, "Fine, a promise is a promise, I'll let you down." She turned to pick up her pick and the bucket in her hooves and approached where proud was shackled. She put the bucket down and climbed up on the board to get better access to the lock. Her face was close to Proud's and she was focused on the lock so she didn't notice Proud's wandering eyes. Her face was scrunched up in determination as her hooves worked their magic. To say it was adorable was an understatement, and to say that Proud could bare this close proximity was a gross overstatement.

She was skinny, that's for sure, but that only made her more appealing to Proud. He liked the ones that can't defend themselves. Proud knew that he could easily get away from her, she wasn't going to put up much of a fight. Since he was no longer an Equestrian citizen, being charged for assault had no real effect on him. He liked this plan. It was a good plan. He was very good at planning. First, Get down. Second, knock her out and escape. Third, get out of Equestria and scheme a revenge action against the princesses and that wretched family. And finally, rejoin society. It was that simple. There is no way anything of that plan can go wr-

"Whoa friend, put that away!" She interrupted Proud's scheming as she stepped back to get to his other hoof, but was blinded by the display, "Gees! I didn't know I was laying it on that thick!"

"What?" he asked before he looked down, one of his hooves were free which was convenient because he could use that to cover himself up, blood rushed to his face as he stammered a reply, "H-how dare you leer at me like that! Release me so I can leave this instant!" He noticed that she wasn't blushing as he hung there on his one foreleg, using his other to cover his pride.

"Oh don't be so 'aughty, there's not much there to look at anyway." She concluded with a laugh as she approached his other leg to release him. He stared at her, shocked, such audacity! He had half a mind to kick her right then. She did the same procedure as before, except Proud was too focused on his plan to notice any more risqué things about his cellmate. He heard a click and he knew at once that he was free. As soon as he felt gravity's pull take a hold of him he wrapped his now free hoof around Key's neck and coathangered her to the floor. She let out a gasp as she fell and hit her back on the ground.

"That's what you get for insulting me you whorse!" He yelled at her triumphantly as she laid on the ground still. He dashed towards the unlocked door to the cell with the intent to bash right through it and escape this tartarean pit. Well, it was a good plan, and it would have worked, if it weren’t for the fact that the unlocked door was actually locked. So his mighty charge was terminated painfully with a mighty bang as his head went straight into the bars. Obviously she locked it again, 'that whorse is going to pay for this,' Proud thought through his ringing head.

Fighting through his headache he turned to the mare on the ground, she rolled over sometime between her takedown and Proud's charge. "Prison cell doors like these buggers automatically lock after they're closed," she sang arrogantly, he huffed in response as he leered at her. She was propping her head up on her front hooves and smiling at him with a condescending smirk. He hated that smirk. He turned back to the door and shook it in defiance, "Open damn you!"

"Ya know, yelling at things won't get you anything in life, I 'ope you realize that," she said simply.

He had just about enough of mares for a lifetime, Flying Grace, Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, that arrogant flight captain, the bucking Princesses and now this whorse. He just wished that these mares would leave him to live his life and make Storm's life a living hell. His rage came back full force, he remembered the scene with the delegates at the royal dinner, he remembered how Grace left him, he remembered how the Princess treated him and now this arrogant mare was furthering his list of 'to destroy' ponies. He whirled on her with the intent to yell her into oblivion and teach her a thing or two with a few swings of his hooves. He would have dived on her and pummeled her into the ground right then and there but... she was gone.

creeak, clank!

He paused in a moment of infuriated confusion as he heard that sound, it almost sounded like a cage door shutting. She tutted him, "The thing about being blinded by rage is that you can't see what's right there in fronna' ya," she smirked at him. He turned slowly, the rage evident on his face. He was going to give her what for.

"LET... ME... OUT!" he dashed to the door and shot his hooves through the bars trying to grab at her, she simply stepped away.

"Ap pup pup! Prizes and 'umili'y," she chided him in a singsongy voice, "and since ya insulted and assaulted me, that's two kinds of salt, ya need two 'umili'ies before I let ye out of the cell."

"LET ME GO THIS INSTANT!" he yelled at her through bars and barred teeth. She just sat there, smiled at him and waited for his rage to fall.

"Number one, calm down," she said with closed eyes and a serious face. She opened one of her eyes shortly after to look at him to see if it worked.

"DON'T YOU TELL ME T-!" She quickly brought one of her hooves up to her lips and shushed him. It stunned him to say the least, he was going to retort and reach out to grab her again but he realised that it wouldn't help at all. It was hopeless, Proud fell silent as tears edged on the sides of his eyes. It was pointless to be angry now; look how much being angry had gotten him, a smack on the head and a head-ache. He fell against the cell door and slid to the ground in defeat. He was tired, hungry and thirsty, he just wanted to be left to lie prone on the ground by himself.

She seemed surprised for a moment, likely due to the fact that her little plan worked, before she lowered her hoof back down to meet the other and shook her head, "Good, that's one, now two, apologise to me."

He sighed in annoyance, "…m srr…" he mumbled to the floor.

"What? I didn't hear you~!" she sang and held a hoof to her ear.

He groaned before trying again, the sarcasm not spared in his voice, "I'm sorry."

She looked pensive for a moment before humming and replying, "Mmmm. Nope, try again, this time without the sarcasm."

He got angry again and stood up, he made jerking and failing motions with his hooves to accent his apology, "Fine then, I, Proud Skies do formally and humbly apologise for what I did, what I said, what happened, and anything else that I have done to you, to that bucking family and to the rest of society! Now let me go!"

"Oooo… You are getting so close, but not there yet. I said apologise to me, not everypony," she pouted before adding, "Oh, and ah… drop the attitude, I want an apology from the 'eart," she smiled again.

"You're enjoying this aren't you," he mumbled, not wanting her to hear.

"Yep! And you need ta work on your mumbling skills!" she said cheerfully, waiting for him to start.

Skies sat down and took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "Right… from the heart…" He paused and put a hoof to his heart, "I'm sorry."

"Almost, not quite, what are you sorry for?" She used a hoof to hold up the other hoof as it stroked her chin in a faux wonder. She had this little pout on her face that reminded Proud of a different face, once he knew a long time ago. Despite all else, it brought a small broken feeling of merriment to his mind, this was quickly quashed however, joviality was something he didn’t need. He engaged what was left of his political mask in an attempt to fool this mare.

He sighed, this time with minor forced benevolence, "I'm sorry for hurting you…"

It seemed to work, she dropped to her hooves and looked at Proud in patient wait for him to finish, "Aaaand?"

"…Calling you a whorse."

She laughed and clapped her hooves together, "H'excelent!" She picked up her pick again and put it in the lock, she didn't turn it, "Oh yeah, one more thing…" she looked to Proud with a small frightened expression on her face, "Promise not to attack me again?"

He suppressed the urge to grin at his victory so that his ruse could be sustained, "I suppose…" He said, nothing more added.

"Okay then!" She got to work picking the lock, and Proud finally got to see her in action. He waited, albeit a little impatiently. To his relief, it wasn't long until he heard the telltale clicks of a lock unlocking. Key stepped back to admire her work and opened the door.

Proud said nothing as he left the jail cell and passed Key.

Key didn't move but looked at him as he passed her, "A simple thank you would be nice," she expressed her annoyance towards his actions.

"Don't push it," he deadpanned. Although he found this mare obnoxious and down right annoying, he believed that he can bare with her for the time he needs to. At this moment, she is an asset; a means that he can use to escape and find revenge. He needed to make a plan, a solid plan. He should make one that maps out every course of action from this point onwards. However, that can wait because right now, he just needs to get out of the castle...

...and a glass of water.

Step One: Escape the Dungeon Cell. ✓

Step Two: Get out of the Castle.

Step Three: …

Step ?: Revenge.

"Report."

"Sir, I have the prisoner locked up tight, there is no way he's getting out."

"I assume you used the bed as I asked?"

"Yes sir."

The Equestrian Royal Guard, a respectable outfit of strong, loyal and dedicated mares and stallions who give their lives and souls to help defend and protect Equestria and her many creeds of citizens. Although, whilst that fact still stands, situations arise when the Royal Guard just cannot stand to point. There are some things that a royal guard can do naught but let by or run from. Political corruption are among the top things that the guard cannot defend, it is difficult to do so especially when the guard are supposed to protect and serve the delegates and politicians that bring about corruption without question. It is the promise of the royal guard division to give your life to the other pony, no matter who he or she might be.

"Good, I'll see to it that you have the rest of the night off."

"Thank you sir. Permission to speak freely?"

"Granted."

However, one common misconception of the citizen is that the Royal Guard are thoughtless, emotionless robotic lifeforms that carry out orders, this is just simply not true. Guardsponies are still just that, ponies. Emotions still play a pivotal part in the guard's life and duty, no matter the conditioning, no matter the training, no matter the pony, emotions will still affect the pony's choices and paths.

"I heard that the prisoner had 72 hours to leave Equestria before action can be taken against him. Lieutenant Escutcheon, isn't he, by all accounts, immune until he either leaves or uses up his three days?"

"Correct."

"Then, why is he being held custody?"

There is one side effect to baring emotions, something so horrible that it can force otherwise reasonable ponies to do horrible things to others, it's the most sordid and ignoble means of levelling an umbrage one might hold towards someone, it can turn a bright and friendly soul dark and evil, it is one of the most foul and corruptive things on the planet, and yet... it is also one of the most satisfying and cathartic things that can be found on the world.

"Because, Private Halberd, that wretched beast we hold in the dungeons assassinated one of the greatest ponies who has ever lived. He is a common murderer, and he deserves harsher than what the princesses gave him."

"Harsher than banishment? Harsher than not being able to set hoof inside any pony town?"

The lieutenant looked to the private for a moment, "Yes," he left it at that.

It is called revenge. Sweet, untempered revenge.

Author's Note

~~Happy Boxing Day everyone!~~ Happy Day After Hearths Warming everypony! Have a chapter!

I think you should be aware, I write really, very slowly. I mean super slow. Mainly because I procrastinate and because of Steam. So yeah, I said to myself, "Bro, get this stuff done," and I set the target for Christmas to release it.

This story goes through an average of 0 editors per chapter, and that's at least five editors too less. So if any of this story seems weird or could use some improving then well... the comments section is there for a reason. So, I reiterate, I challenge YOU the pedantic reader, to point out all of my ~~buck ups~~ short comings, and help make this story better!

Fun fact: I originally was going to make Fastened Key a male. Of course his actions were loads different to her's, but I wanted there to be a strong female presence (also it got confusing with dialogue and actions if there were two males). So I used the patented 'Ray Gun 63' on Key to make him female. If you want to, for hilarity's sake, picture her as a male but doing the same things. :trollestia: Another thing, this is not going to be a romance story, it's mainly going to focus on the adventure side of things.

Also, I was going to make her Irish, but I don't know enough horse puns or irish cities to create a believable place for her to originate out of. So I changed her accent a little and put her in Trottingham.

Speaking of Key, you might find her past story thing a bit unnecessary, but this is a story mechanic that I will later expand on.