Chapter 7: The bane of judgement
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Velvet remedy sat in the rocking carriage of the Skybandit, deep in thought. Steelhooves was peering out over the wasteland, keeping an eye out for hostiles while Calamity steered. The sun fell red over the horizon, over the Legion lands as they approached.

The moment after finding out Littlepip had been taken by the Legion slavers, the trio knew exactly what had to be done. No words needed to be spoken. Saddlebags were packed, supplies hastily gathered while weapons were cleaned and holstered. Velvet immediately informed Homage of the whereabouts of Littlepip, and after helping her get over the initial shock, instructed her to contact all friendly forces who knew Littlepip. All favors had to be called in, if they are to even have a remote chance of saving poor Pip.

After a brief rest and check to ensure all supplies and weapons were accounted for, Velvet Remedy, Calamity and Steelhooves left Tenpony Tower for Castle Blackmire. Being the main stronghold and business for the Legionnaires, the most brutal and efficient slaving faction on the wastelands, the trio knew they may well be riding to their deaths. But there was nothing for it. You don’t leave a friend behind, especially not a friend like Littlepip. All of them knew that if they were in her shoes, she would not hesitate to charge in, all suicidal and guns blazing to rescue them.

It is a few days ride to Castle Blackmire, Velvet remedy thought sullenly. If it wasn’t for the Skybandit, they would have been walking the whole journey, probably fighting all sorts of horrors on the way there. She gave thanks for the rusty carriage. If they had to trot groundside for the whole way, they would have probably arrived at the Castle in a matchbox.

“Be careful Calamity, we are getting close to one of the Legion’s forts in this area.” Steelhooves low voice broke the silence. “I can see a few of their patrols in the far distance.”
“Ah know, Ah can see em too ya know.” Calamity replied bluntly. His temper was getting worse with every mile they drew closer to their destination. Velvet knew the cause. After Calamity shot Littlepip by mistake, he probably felt that he just had a duty to protect her life. And after giving her the Mint-als, He probably blamed himself for Littlepip’s current predicament.

“She’ll be fine, Calamity. You know as well as I do that there is nothing that can finish Littlepip. She’s one of the luckiest and most capable mare I know.” Velvet tried to reassure him.

Calamity did not reply, but just flapped his wings with renewed determination.

“What do you know of the Legion slavers, Steelhooves?” Velvet asked, trying to break the uncomfortable silence.

“Only that they are resilient, well supplied and well trained killers,” Steelhooves explained darkly. “You guys won’t know much considering one of you is from a Stable while another is from Cloudsdale and a town on the far side of the wasteland. But even before the war, like in all prosperous nations, there were organized crime syndicates already operating in Equestria. They were all trained assassins and drug dealers. And when the megaspells and balefire bombs fell, the syndicates were decimated, but not destroyed. The survivors regrouped, and recruited capable ponies into their ranks. The harshness of the equestrian wasteland only allowed them to perfect their killing skills, and without inhibition. Their goal was to make a new, safe and prosperous empire, no matter the means. Many ponies saw the benefit in something like that, and joined them willingly. Stable-tec ponies, ghouls, soldiers and even some Black-ops commandos formerly from the Ministry of Awesome. But the Legion needed much more labor if their dream was to become a reality. That is why they resorted to slavery. Rumor has it that even those false Alicorns had joined them. That is how the Legion became a force to be reckoned with here. Mercy is not in their vocabulary, especially not to those that oppose them.”

Velvet listened to the grim tale, and shivered nervously after knowing what they were up against.

Calamity snorted. “Ah don’t give two horseshite if they are slavers or Alicorns. If one of em even DARES to harm Lil Pip, I’ll- ...”

He did not manage to finish his sentence before his right wing exploded in a gory spray of blood and bone.

The rifle boom came only a second later.

“AMBUSH!!” Steelhooves shouted and unslung his grenade launcher.

Time seemed to slow as the Skybandit and the shell shocked Calamity stopped and fell right out of the sky. Rifle fire suddenly filled the sky in a cascade of tracer rounds and explosive ammunition, all aimed at the falling speck that is the Skybandit. One round managed to strike the engine and explode, causing it to burst into flames.
Velvet screamed and struggled to quickly conjure up her shield, as Steelhooves grabbed her and leapt out of the burning carriage, not a moment before it exploded.
Velvet managed to wrap her shield around herself and Steel hooves, as well as the unconscious Calamity, who is falling with blood trailing through the air from his devastating wound.

Littlepip’s face is the last thing on Velvet Remedy’s mind as the ground rushes up to meet them, and they fell like a fiery meteor out of heaven.
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I followed my guards to Blackheart’s chambers, awkwardly walking in these high hoof shoes and trying hard not to fall flat on my face. I had NEVER worn anything ladylike before, let alone walk in them. I gritted my teeth in frustration and did my best to wobble my way to the accursed mahogany doors that I went in just a few days before to my doom. When we reached them, Ironfist and Darksky each stood on one side of the doors, with intent to prevent anypony entering, or leaving.

I took a deep breath to calm my frayed nerves and to slow my accelerating heartbeat. No reason to stand there like a fool. It’s just supper right? Come to think of it, I just noticed my empty growling stomach. At least we probably won’t be eating the goop that the chef serves the slaves. I banished the butterflies in my belly and pushed on through the doors before I got cold hooves.

Blackheart was sitting at his table, dressed like a PRINCE. I stared in wonder and shock. He was wearing an elegant suit that has a similar design to my dress, but it was a mix of dark red, black and gold. Why would he though? If the dress was meant to insult me, surely he would not wear something akin to mine. As I looked, I noticed his golden mane was perfectly styled, slicked back and framing his face. He wore a gold ring with a diamond cut emerald as the gem. He beckoned to me to sit down opposite him.

I apprehensively trotted my way over, trying not to trip on my dress and make a fool of myself. I won’t give him a single excuse to whip me raw. I stared hard at him as I sat down on the oak chair opposite the table. It was then I saw that the table was LOADED. Dear Celestia, there were apple pies with frosting, lightly grilled hay sandwiches, a bowl filled with all assortments of perfectly sliced fruits and stuffed with cream, even sliced grilled meat with gravy. I shuddered to think where the meat could have come from. A gold candle stand in the middle of the table illuminated the room and gave an oddly romantic feel to it. The light reflected off two crystal glasses with a bottle of fine brewed apple cider with grape in between them. This feast looked like something out of this world, or at least out of this wasteland. The courses here looked like something from pre-war Canterlot. How in Equestria did the chef find the ingredients for a meal like this?! Assuming that these were real and not just radioactive snot found from the wild.
Blackheart smiled at my stupefied expression. “Nice is it not? You’re the first outsider to sit at my table, Littlepip. I’m sure you have a lot of questions, and I wish to know my Mistress more as well.” He continued examining me. “You look simply stunning my dear. The dress just perfectly brings out your beautiful green eyes. Just as exquisite as I imagined. Remind me to give my thanks to my dressmakers later.”

He got up, picked up the bottle with his teeth and filled the crystal chalices with the sparkling cider. I smacked my lips unconsciously, suddenly realizing how parched I was for a drink. Blackheart placed the bottle back down and offered me one of the glasses.

I hesitated.

“Please, if I wanted to kill you, I would have done so long ago and in a much more enjoyable manner than simple poison.” He chuckled darkly.

True, I guess. Although I remained rightly suspicious of him as I slowly accepted his gift and placed the glass to my lips.

The cider felt like the fountain of life as it poured down my dry throat. I drank deeply, gulping down the life giving drink. I felt SO refreshed after that, with my senses sharpened greatly.

Blackheart put down his own glass and sighed. “Sweet Apple Acres cider. Year of Celestia 1985. A good vintage, and one of the last few surviving bottles left here on this wasteland. One sip of this is worth a thousand caps. I’ve been saving this for somepony special you know.”

I glared at him. “And what exactly do you mean by that Blackheart?”

He met my glare with a mysterious smile. “You know exactly what I mean, Lightbringer. Your belly contains proof of that meaning.” He laughed. My face reddened in anger and shame. It took all I had to not lunge at that fucking evil BASTARD with the steak knife at my side. Instead I just sat there and ground my teeth in my outrage, shooting daggers at him with my eyes.

Blackheart speared a slice of meat with his fork and set it down on his plate. “Help yourself,” he said. “You probably never had a chance to taste food like these before.”
Now that he mentioned it, I WAS famished. So I gingerly picked up a slice of apple in the bowl with whipped cream. I sniffed it tentatively, but not too noticeably, before putting it my mouth. My eyes widened with pure shock at the sheer amount of pleasure my taste buds were in. DEAR CELESTIA AND LUNA, these taste simply DIVINE! I almost lost myself at how sweet and juicy it was. I rolled the blissful mush over my tongue several times before finally gulping it down. I reached for another.

Blackheart smiled at my expression. “Out of this world is it not? In the old days when Equestria was peaceful, this kinds of fruit were considered normal by their standards. But now, in this world we live in, it’s not so difficult to surpass the kinds of sustenance we all have to endure eating.”

“Haoo did juu git theseee..?” I asked him, my mouth full of fruit. I must have the most undignified behavior to go with my lady-like appearance.

“I won’t lie, food like these are hard to come by. Any surviving stockpiles of pre-war food are almost immediately taken by raiders or consumed or spoilt by the monsters and environment of the wasteland.” He replied. “These came from my old Stable.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. My mouth stopped working and I stared at Blackheart in utter disbelief. This pony, leader of a whole ARMY of slavers, was from a STABLE?!
A stunned silence filled the room, before being broken by Blackheart. He chuckled. “Oh naïve Littlepip, you think you are the only one to come out of a stable and survive the trials of the wasteland? Many went before you, though I admit they are now nothing but dust and bones. I was one of the few that made it, and made my fortune out here. As you can see.” He waved his hoof around the room.

“But how? Why?! Which stable were you from?!” I finally swallowed my chow and asked. My curiosity peaked and overcame any sense of resentment I held for him, for the moment.

“All these questions…” Blackheart said, laughing. “I won’t tell you how I came into power, I don’t trust you enough yet to reveal that to you. Why? I had to do what I had to survive in this wasteland, and now I have. As for which….” He raised his hoof and unbuttoned his top collar. I grew slightly hot under my cheeks as I noticed his perfectly white neck...

He peeled back the collar to reveal the gold embroidered number 7 on it.

7?! I thought that stable was destroyed. Some kind of catastrophe struck it, from the rumors I had heard. I didn’t have the proof to confirm anything else though.

“Wasn’t 7 destroyed? How did you leave, or why?” I questioned him.

Blackheart suddenly had a pained expression, but he quickly hid it behind a smile. He simply replied, “No, it wasn’t destroyed. Those were only rumors. I just got bored of stable life. Like you, from what I hear.” He leaned in on his hooves. “Now let’s talk about you, sweetheart.”

“I know quite a bit about you Lightbringer. A simple maintenance technician mare in Stable 2, with a drunkard for a mother. Left for the wastelands to find a mare she was so infatuated with, that she was willing to leave the safety of her own stable to fight the monsters alone. You must have quite a bit of luck as well. I was very impressed that you managed to keep yourself in one piece and all, especially with that naïve sense of justice and attitude, plus a side of impulsiveness for a bonus.” He said.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. How on Equestria does he know so much about me?! I glared uneasily at him. “You’re quite the creepy stalker, if I may say so Blackheart.”

He just laughed at me, “When a hunter hunts a prey, it is imperative to know everything about them.”

“So what made me your prey, if I may ask? Surely there are better looking mares out here who are not ghouls.” I sourly said.

“You interest me Littlepip. A lot. You left the safety of the stable. An ordinary technician who doesn’t know the first thing about survival or lethal combat. And all to find a mare? Either this mare is a VERY close friend of yours, or you hold special feelings for her. I’m willing to bet the latter, given your ‘orientation’.” He said with an amused expression.

I grew hotter under the collar from embarrassment. Damn him. I thought bitterly.

“After that I followed your feats of heroism to save ponies from horrible fates. One after another. Bravery and nobility like yours are rare these days, and I could tell you are somepony special. Though your curiosity truly is your bane. Even with your inexperience and your misplaced sense of righteousness you managed to beat all odds. The Goddesses are looking out for you, if they even exist at all.” Blackheart continued.

I waited tensely. I didn’t like where this conversation was headed.

“And so this brings me to my final point.” Blackheart said evenly, “I would love to have a mare like you by my side, to rule over our subjects. With your help we can make history here! We can forge the new empire of Equestria! Two former Stable dwellers paving the way to a bright and safe future for all of ponykind! What do you say, Lightbringer?” He extended his hoof, not so much in a businesslike manner, but more of an endearing way of how a lover might propose, albeit a cocky and evil one.

Thoughts of my rape, Three bit and the other slave mares filled my mind’s eye.

I looked at him squarely in his eyes, and replied with as much force as I could muster. “I’ll never fucking join you. You are a cruel and evil pony, no different than a sophisticated raider and monster. I’d sooner die and you know it. And I’ll make sure your tyranny over those poor ponies would end if it is the last thing I ever do! So go FUCK yourself!” I seethed at him.

The words were out before I immediately regretted them. Maybe I shouldn’t have told the Commander in chief of the Legion Slavers to go fuck himself. Those were some poor choice of words. I felt like bashing my stupid mouth in for talking faster than my brain. Nice going there Pip.

I waited for the inevitable violence, cold sweat forming on the back of my neck.
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It never came.

Blackheart just sighed and paced towards the window, mane fluttering in the breeze. I saw how dark and beautiful he was. Almost like a fallen angel. He looked out in deep contemplation. I dared not move after my outburst. Minutes passed in tense silence.

“You are not the only hero to have such conviction in bringing this hellish wasteland to an end.” He turned and said to me darkly. “I have killed other ‘Littlepips’ like you before, and they were stronger, faster, and smarter.” I stared at him, waiting with bated breath. Cold sweat dripped down my neck as I waited for that horrible beating that would surely come, but it didn’t.

“You think faith and willpower alone would make this world a better place? A new paradise? You can change many things Littlepip, but if there is one thing I learned after all these years, is that the nature of ponies will NEVER change. That is the only constant in this universe. Even GODDESSES fall, powers change. But the dark nature of ponies will not. Not even the Goddesses themselves can change it. How else can you explain the betrayals, the greed and the wars that caused those accursed megaspells to rain tartarus on us all in the first place?!” He said quietly, but with a darkness in his eyes so profound it made my heart stop.

“Even before the great war, ponies fought for many things. Things they covet, things they want to protect, or things they wish to destroy. Whether it be for ideals or tangible objects, innocent and hero blood was spilt on every side.” Blackheart continued, “Even if Equestria WAS restored to its former glory, it will not stop future wars, future bloodshed, violence and rape. Perhaps even wasteland version 2.0”

“YOU”RE WRONG! We will learn from our mistakes! If Equestria was restored we will NEVER allow this to happen again! We all HAVE goodness in us!” I shouted at him.

“THEN YOU WILL BE LEARNING FOR ALL ETERNITY!” Blackheart roared back, with a fire in his violet eyes. “Look at the kind of FOOL you are, you think you’re a saint?! You may have 10, 50, maybe even a CENTURY of peace. But war never changes. I do not doubt that there ARE, good ponies in this world, because without them, ponies like me wouldn’t exist. Such as a certain compassionate ghoul named Ditzy Doo. But even then no matter how kind or innocent some pony can be, you will be VERY arrogant and wrong to say that they had NEVER sinned, or once caused some other pony to shed tears of pain or sadness. Even Celestia herself had done terrible things. You are a fool Lightbringer, to think that everyone can be saints every hour of the day. The good hearted do not last long in this world, and neither the evil. You think you’re somepony who can herald in a new era where “foals will laugh at the idea that there were once monsters lurking in the shadows”, as you so eloquently put?”

I sat frozen in my chair, ice crawling through my skin. How in Equestria did Blackheart know of my private and intimate conversation with Homage?!

“H-how…”I looked at him with horror.

“Like I said, I have eyes and ears everywhere.” Blackheart grinned with malice. “You think I’m a monster and you a hero, yes? That all slavers and raiders must die or forfeit their ways for your ‘eternal’ peace to be a reality? You and I are more similar than you want to admit, Lightbringer. How many raiders and slavers have you killed to achieve that peace? How many to protect your so called ‘innocent’ ponies, perhaps one scummy stallion called Monterey Jack? You have blood and sin on your hands just as I do. Even the goals that we fight for are the same, to protect what’s dear to us. The only difference is what IS dear to us. I have found my peace with the wasteland and will do whatever it takes to defend that. You are still fighting for yours. And your triumph will mean my downfall, no matter how short lived your victory may be.”

“I will NEVER give up.” I looked at Blackheart with murder in my eyes. “No matter what you say. I KNOW ponies can change, as proven by the elements of harmony. And I CAN defeat you, or die trying.”

“Time will tell, Littlepip. The past has already proven me right since the beginning of pony kind. If I were wrong, and the Elements of Harmony were truly victorious, then we would not be standing in the midst of the ruins of Equestria today.”

He narrowed his eyes and leaned in across my cheek, whispering in my ear. I shivered like a thing possessed from the sensation and his close presence.

“You said you’d rather die than sit back and accept your fate. I do not doubt your will Littlepip. I understand perfectly how stubborn you can be, but I know of MANY ways to kill. Of mind, body or spirit. And there is none that are limitless or unbreakable. Ponies are willing to die for many things, and we all have a price.”

He drew closer, moist lips almost touching my ear.

“The monsters don’t lurk in the shadows Littlepip. They hide inside of us all. From the most innocent of fillies to the most despicable of raiders. None can stay them forever. As long as a single pony lives and breathes, your victory, will NEVER be a reality…”
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Author's Note

Eyyyup! Took long enough for this. Sorry. Next chapter contains VERY explicit clop. And its almost 6k words long.... Hope you guys can stand the heat. :)

Btw if you want better context for what blackheart is saying, i'd recommend you read FOE chapter 20.5 by Pacce. Its a semi canonical clop story about Homage and Pip. here's the link.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11FWYiL01YZgI2-jtOxQF-BDH274LIwc3d6Yb6yC6gho/edit?hl=en_US