Shade of the Twilight

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Rainbow woke up and found herself in a dull, round room. Only a window on the other side of the room provided a slight ray of light, just enough to orientate. Actually she was surprised not to be locked in the dungeons but in a tower, like a higher-class-prisoner. Right at this moment, the door opened and the huge Changeling, who led the attack on the castle, entered the room. Surprisingly he wasn't guarded by his soldiers but completely on his own.

"Well," Rainbow thought "i wouldn't get out of here anyway."

"You're awake, that's good. Well, at least for yourself." The Changeling had a very deep and calm voice, completely different from all the other Changelings Rainbow had to fight in the past.

"How are you?" He asked politely, like they were on an official meeting.

"I'm fine, thanks. But, at the moment, the health of my companions means much more to me." Rainbow said with care in her voice.

"Oh, they are fine, don't worry. If you cooperate with me, you'll be able to see them faster than you may believe. So, my question is: What are your plans, if you get free?"

"My plans? Defending my home, of course."

"That's an honorable aim and if you let me explain my intentions with your kingdom you'll be able to provide the best defense for it that you could imagine."

"And your intentions are...?"

"Freedom, under the condition that both sides will stop attacking each other."

Rainbow was paralyzed. Did this Changeling just suggest freedom? FREEDOM? Though he was a Changeling, Rainbow felt that his offer was serious. But how would her choice look like and more important, what would her friends, no, even the whole kingdom think of her decision?

"Where is the hitch?" Rainbow asked.

"The hitch is that you have to decide fast because i'm doing this without the knowledge of my queen."

That was another surprise but for some reason Rainbow trusted his voice. And than she smelled a very familiar smell. The smell of a flower that made ponies vulnerable against mental treachery.

"I didn't know that the "Perfidae" also grows in these lands." Rainbow asked with a menacing undertone in her voice.

"Oh, you discovered the smell, well than let's talk clearly. You will explain your kingdom that it'll be ruled ba the Changelings from now on but it will stay an independent part of the Changeling-Empire."

"Independent, but under the rule of the Changelings? Are you kidding me? You should be happy that I'm not tearing you into pieces at the moment."

"Well, if you think this way...GET HER!"

From one moment to the other, the room filled with hidden guards which quickly took Rainbow as prisoner and brought her down into the dungeons, through long corridors and downward lots of stairscases.

"Where are you bringing me?" Rainbow asked.

"To the arena." was the harsh answer.

"Of course it has to be an arena..."

"But at first we are bringing you to the "Doctor". He will prepare you for the fights."

"The...Doctor?"

"Yes, maybe, he has a real name but he won't let us know."

"When will i meet my friends?" Rainbow asked.

the guard smiled when he said "Soon enough, trust me."

Finally, they arrived at a dark and rusty iron door covered with viscious, rusty spikes. Suddenly the door opened and Rainbow saw a strange looking stallion in a pink suit who was leaning on a walking stick.

"Welcome, Miss Rrainbow, it's such a delight to finally meet you. Now, come in, come in, take a seat. If you keep calm, it won't hurrt that much, presumable..." said the doctor with a strange, creepy voice, accentuating and rolling the R in every word.

The guards were forcing Rainbow to a chair in the middle of the room. They were holding her while the doctor took a long, metallic hook from a table at the other side of the room. He came back to Rainbow and then, with an unbelieveable fast move, he stabbed the hook into Rainbows left eye, pulled it out and then replaced it with a mechanical, red glowing eye. During this whole act, Rainbow fell unconscious and the last thing she remembered was the terrifying pain from the metallic hook.

Rainbow woke up and the first