Nipping the Bud

The corridor was white and empty. The white fluorescent lamps on the ceiling flooded the space with harsh, cold light. There was no one, no noise, no hoofsteps anywhere in the stretch of empty space, except the ominous buzz from the electric lights. The air within the corridor almost stood still, filling the void with an unsettling presence, threatening to suffocate anyone between the walls.

Unsettling was the right word for Night Novel. He sat on a single bench by the wall, staring at the white floor tiles, perturbed by the following event he must endure.

He huffed and frowned as he pawed the ground apprehensively, frustrated by the inability to change his fate. What did he do? Why was he punished? He wondered. Wondering was the only thing left he could do. He waited nervously for somepony to take him further down the procedures while trying hard not to think about what would happen. But he failed miserably as the thoughts of the operation kept flooding his mind. He tensed and closed his hind legs together at the distressing thought, helplessly trying to calm down and comfort himself.

He felt abandoned and lonely. He was upset at how he must go through such a big change to his life, and body, alone. He was upset at being taken from his mother by the guards – he wondered if his mother loved him still. But she must of course, mustn't she? He asked himself. That was his mother, and a mother always loves her child. He recalled the caring face of her mother looking at him as he hid inside his mother's embrace. But he also recalled her ending the embrace and offering him to the guards. Did she abandon me? He questioned. But, he knew, no one would answer.

His heart was still thumping rapidly. His abdomen was still hurting, both from the anxiety and the imaginary pain of what he would go through. He looked down between his legs and touched the two round bulges under his sheath. Why must they take these away from me? Was there something wrong with how I was born? I wasn't sick or anything, why did they need to cut them off? He looked at his jewels which have been with him for 16 years, and now, they would be removed from his body. He didn't understand the entire ordeal, nor did he understand why he was terrified of the procedure, but he knew, he was having something precious taken away.

He looked down the hallway again and again. He didn't want anypony to come, of course, but he didn't want to endure the waiting either. Should I wish for the inevitable to postpone, or should I want my operation to hurry? He thought. But, he knew, his thoughts would change nothing.

He looked at the floor tiles again, and sighed.

* * *

Rumble flailed and screamed as the guards took him away from his brother. More guards came in to aid the restraint, and compared to the strength and training of several guards, the young colt was no match. Rumble cried as he was dragged away from the only pony who still loved him. He did not know the reason for his capture, but he knew the guards were to mean him harm, and he was horrified.

The guards chained his neck and dragged him through a maze of corridors, all of which covered in white paint, white floor tiles and lit with white fluorescent lamps. The colt's mind was in chaos as he followed the guards. Everything was happening too fast for Rumble, from his parents disowning their sons to the guards taking away his brother, the grey colt was too shocked and too scared to react. The pain of his parents' betrayal was still fresh on his heart, but now he was even more distressed by his approaching fate. He still could not understand why he must be separated from Thunderlane, and he was uncertain what would happen next.

They kept on walking from corridors to corridors, and the guards yanked Rumble's chain once in a while to hurry him up. But except for the dreary sound of the chains, their hoofsteps and Rumble's sniveling cry, there was no other noise. The guards said nothing, somber and emotionless, not even batting an eye on the prisoner. They knew what the young colt had to endure, but they felt no sympathy for him. They couldn't even care less for the thousands of stallions they would escort. Since they knew they were fortunate enough to be exempt from the ordeal, and dare not to disobey and lose their privilege and balls.

* * *

Night Novel's heart jumped from his chest as he heard hoofsteps approaching. He looked towards the end of the corridor while the ominous clopping noise came closer and closer. He gulped and heaved, stomach filled with million butterflies, as he anticipated the guards to take him to his operation. He has been mentally preparing himself for the last hour, but nevertheless, he wouldn't be ready to have his jewels cut off. Cold sweat was dripping from his face. A dull pain was building in his throat. He watched the corridor as he desperately tried to restrain his frantic mind.

But, it was no guards. Surely, those were guardspony, but they weren't coming for him. Night Novel was confused when he saw a young pony in chains. He was relieved as he knew they were not here for him, but depressed as he knew what this poor colt would endure. He looked at the guards while they looked back, still somber and emotionless, and marched through the corridor. He looked at Rumble as they walked pass; Rumble glanced back with his red watery eyes, wondering who this olive pony was. Their greetings were short-lived. They didn't know each other, but they shared their grieve and fear with just a quick glance.

The guards took Rumble further down the corridor. Night Novel watched their rump swaying as they walk, balls still intact for the prisoner and the guards. He grunted, and then sighed.

* * *

Rumble's heart halted for a second as the guards stopped in front of a door. "Room 101", the white metallic door was labeled. Rumble noted; he noted he would be forever altered in Room 101. The guards said nothing to Rumble, nor did they try to explain. One of the guards pressed on a touch panel next to the door, and the door slid open as swift as a swinging knife. They wasted no time and pulled Rumble inside, whose hooves were frozen from fear.

Rumble's mind was filled with apprehension as he processed the sight. The room was an operating theater. The walls, floors and lights were as white as the corridors. It felt sterile and cold, accented by the medical equipment and metallic tools. At the center of the room sat two inclined medical chair, back-to-back, padded with black leather, solemnly waiting for the condemned to squat on. The leg rests were raised and spread, giving an easy access to their victims' precious. A mobile tray stood next to the chairs, holding two rows of surgical tools neatly laid across the top. There were scissors, scalpels and forceps, and they were as sharp as their reflecting glares cutting through Rumble's horrified expression.

Rumble could not even take in the room's ambience before the guards held him up and sat him on the chair. They hooked the chains to the seat, and secured the colt's four hooves with cuffs built-in to the hoofrests. Rumble couldn't even struggle, as he laid on the chair involuntarily, heaving and gasping in air, a thousand times more frightened than his last dental appointment. He wanted to vomit from all the anxiety, and as he propped up his head and saw how exposed and vulnerable he was, he felt even sicker. His penis was flaccid and tucked deep inside his sheath, but his balls – they were bulging out into the open air, oblivious of how very soon they would be dead and separated from their warm, caring father.

Rumble struggled against the chains but to no avail. He begged the guards to let him go as they headed out of the room, but they didn't answer. He struggled more in hopes to be freed, but after a while, he knew his fate was sealed.

Rumble heaved, and then started to cry.

* * *

Down another white corridor a stallion was dragged across by four guardspony with chains and brute force. This grey stallion was not going down without a fight, as he kicked and flailed and screamed with his back screeching against the white, waxed floor tiles. But was it even worth fighting when there was nowhere to go, nowhere to hide, and no hope for change to be found? The four guardspony understood, as they dragged their victim to his fate, and grimly accepted the fate cursed upon stallions across the nation.

"Let me go!" Thunderlane screamed, and surprisingly the guardspony did stop. Before Thunderlane could finish his smirk he looked up and saw into the cerulean eyes of a snow while mare. She wore a nurse hat and a femme fatale grin, and she seemed excited to see her next patient already lying belly up for her. Thunderlane would have used this pause to make a run for it, but guessing she would be his surgeon, he couldn't help but thought of the procedure, and that sent a dull, gnawing pain down to his crotch, freezing his body and mind in place. That was enough for the nurse to secure her prey.

"Hi there, big stud, aren't you eager to see me?" she smirked, still savoring the scene of an exposed, unfixed colt in front of her, "I'm Nurse Redheart, and I'll be treating you today," she traced her hoof along Thunderlane's sweat soaked temples, "Don't you worry my colt, with me, you'll love every snip I'll do for you today." She laughed, and signaled the guard to drag her prey into her domain.

* * *

Night Novel heard hoofsteps again coming from the corridor. Would they be another group of guards? Would it be just another passer-by? For anything he wish those hoofsteps weren't here for him. "I don't want to do it, I can't take it at all! I'm sorry! Please don't do this to me, please…" he begged. His stomach was filled with butterflies –. He's waited for so long, they'd have him wait even longer, right? He looked at the source and saw a pink mare with a nurse gown walking down the hallway. Please walk pass me nurse, he begged, please I couldn't do it…

The hoofsteps stopped, in front of him.

His heart sank, and then started thrashing against his chest.

He looked up, and saw into a pair of vibrant blue eyes. He gulped.

"Good afternoon, young stallion, I'm Nurse Sweetheart," she chuckled, "I'm here for your procedure."

Night Novel was still sitting on his bench silently, too scared and reluctant to accept his fate.

"C'mon, little colt, you have nothing to worry about," she giggled even more, "just two quick snips and you're all set! Simple and painless, I've done this a thousand times. It's just a simple, minor, procedure."

"Just two quick snips, and it's all going to be. Just. Fine."

She smiled.

Night Novel could feel he wanted to cry.