Dark Conquest

How much time has passed since he woke up chained down on this cell? Who knows, it's not like it matters to him anyway. He laid face down on the cold, hard prison ground, the feeling around his wrists and ankles becoming numb long ago.

Hoofsteps echoed throughout the area, slowly getting closer to the chained creature. He didn’t cared who came to him, he just wanted to remain here to starve to death. But they forced him to eat whenever he refused the meals given to him, so he couldn’t have even that.

He tried to find other ways to end his suffering, but by experience he knew he couldn’t kill himself no matter how hard he hit his head against the wall or floor. There were the chains on his wrist, but they cannot reach his neck nor he can pull against them strong enough to cause a mortal wound on them.

In the end he had given up, just like he had given up on his life and everything else. The hoofsteps became louder as a blue colored light slowly headed towards his cell. He didn’t respond in any way, the light illuminating the cell slightly as the hoofsteps stopped close to him.

He had hopes that someone had come to finally put him out of his misery, but he knew that wouldn’t be the case. And judging by the light, it has to be the one that doesn’t visit a lot.

“Stand up.” A feminine voice orders him followed by the sound of his cell and his bindings being unlocked.

He didn’t comply with her request though, unable to summon the energy to lift himself up and barely feeling the chains being detached from him. However, he felt himself lighter and next thing he knew he was dropped in a light blue blur. Adjusting his sight he saw the small horned unicorn with clear short mane and tail, crown and her necklace dark as the night.

Strange enough, she was smaller than him and yet was strong enough to carry him just fine. At first it was intriguing, but quickly he lost interest and just accepted it. Light shone upon him as the horned unicorn pony kept walking. His thin figure visible, bone slightly showing on his stomach, wind brushes against his spiked back onyx hair. The only clothing he’s visibly wearing his a torn black jeans and dirty shoes.

He heard voices all around him, but he paid them no mind. It’s not like they had anything meaningful to say, being a stranger in this place after all.

The voices became distant until they couldn't be heard anymore, the pony carrying him had been silent this entire trip, his mind drifted away until he felt the pony working her magic again to pick him up and drop him in the velvet carpet.

“I’ve brought him here.” The blue one spoke and left with a silent nod.

He remained still on the floor, granted it was slightly more comfortable than the prison one, but he didn’t seemed to pay mind to that. If he remembered correctly this was the first time since he got here that he was moved to another location, as far as he could remember anyway.

He heard again the sound of hoofsteps, with little energy he lifted his head to look around him. The velvet carpet adorned the entire floor of the room, the walls painted a light violet with some regal decorations, a pile of what looked like pillows had been placed near the fireplace that was lit on, bookshelves decorated around and a stand to read books on. Glancing at the open entrance of the balcony he saw that it was still daylight.

The hoofsteps stopped as he tried to glance back at the source of them. It was the big sister, the only one who bothered to talk to him while he was in prison. She always threw him off, with her multicolored mane always waving as if it had a mind of it’s own, her taintless white coat, her expressionless purple eyes, her radiant wings, he couldn’t place how or why, but he never had a good feeling about the big sister.

Funny enough, only she and the little sister are winged unicorns while the others aren’t. What’s funnier is that the big sister is the only one who treats him like a person, yet there’s this strong feeling of wrongness that he can’t shape no matter how much he stared at her kind smile. And despite that he didn’t felt like that with the little sister, who treats him the opposite way her older sister did.

She knelt down to meet him face to face, she looked sad, why is she being sad? It probably is because she pitied him, like the few persons he used to know. It didn’t made sense that she was actually concerned about a thing like him.

“Matt, please get up, I can’t stand looking at you like that.” She responded with a saddened voice. She can’t stand his sight, he always expects that he was told that or something similar. She was the only pony who called him by name, a name useless for a thing like he was.

Sighing the young man pressed both hands against the floor, weakly getting up as he shifted the weight on his legs. He tumbled and almost fell over were it not for her catching him with her side.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t free you earlier, I had such a hard time convincing Luna to let you go.” She reached back and nuzzles Matt’s cheek, but he didn’t gave any reaction “Everything will be alright, I have some great news.”

The big sister led him to the pile of pillows, leaning on her as they continued and she gently set him down in a pillow with a momentary spark of her horn. Matt crossed his legs and stared back at her as she took a seat in another pillow. Staring at her with his face lacking any expressive features and without even the tiniest trace of light on his eyes.

“Now,” She started after clearing her throat “I have talked to my personal student about your situation Matt, and I think it would be for the best that you go move in with her in Ponyville.” She paused, receiving no answer from Matt “She just moved in there herself a few weeks ago, but she has made a lot of progress with the magic of friendship already, I think you should learn along with her.”

With that Matt looked down and gazed away from her. Just perfect, another pony that spews out quotes from self-help books, and princess sun ass here is sending him to live with said pony. Looking back, the cell is looking much better now.

“Sorry for leaving you like this Matt, but I have duties to attend,” She got up and closed in on him to nuzzle his neck “I’ll prepare the carriage in the meantime, I’ll send Luna to see you off in my place.” She finally went off with a smile and closed the door behind her.

Now that he thought about it, she didn’t mention anything about him staying on her study or anything. Typical, she probably has intended for her so called student to document anything that Matt tells about humans. As if he would say shit about the shithole he came from, specially anything about himself.

With nothing better to do, he stood up and scanned the bookshelves for anything worth reading. A brown book catches his eye titled ‘History of Equestria vol. 1’, it certainly beats sitting around without anything to do like a statue. Taking the book and sitting back down on the pillow, he started to read the book.

“Once upon a ti- Goddamnit…” He read the first line of the book before groaning. This might get worse than Earth.

Eventually hearing the door being knocked and opened, Matt looked up and saw the younger sister Luna entering the room. She didn’t looked at him with disgust and hate anymore, but she didn’t looked at him like her older sister did, which was something he was grateful for. Instead she stared with her own neutral expression.

“The carriage is ready.” It was all she said before earning a nod from Matt and got up.

Putting the book down, he followed her this time. Neither of them talking and Matt falling behind at times, eventually catching up again. He heard ponies whispering to eachother, he didn’t cared though. They can talk all they want, it stopped being a bother for him long ago when he was on Earth.

Next thing he knew, they both reached the gardens. Looking around the multiple bushes and decorations, he spotted a serpentine-like statue a bit far away. He knew this guy, making a mental note to never get close to him. Also raising his bad feeling of Celestia.

Spotting Luna near the carriage, he walked towards it. The vehicle looked regal enough to be considered one of the sisters’, four pegasus guards were attached to the carriage bearing expressions that almost rival Matt’s.

“Everything is set to go,” Luna said walking besides him.

Matt gave no response as he got on the carriage, it was big enough for a human like he is. Problem is that he didn’t seem to note anything resembling rails or something that he can hang on to. He sighed and held on to his knees as he waited for the takeoff.

“Before you leave though,” Luna got close as he looked back at her “Matt, I apologize for treating you like a savage beast.”

“...Right.” Matt buries his face on his knees.

Luna figured that it’s the most that she’ll get from him and with a nod to the guards they took off into the skies. With the apology delivered to him she turned way back to the castle. She doesn’t want to doubt her sister, but there’s a feeling in her gut that she cannot shake whenever she thought of her sister’s plan. Matt was no ordinary gloomy guy, she knew better.

But maybe Twilight Sparkle can save Matt just like she saved her, maybe this time it won’t be too late. Yes, she needs to have faith in Twilight and her friends, surely they are able to complete this task. After all, they are the bearers of the Elements of Harmony.

But why does she still feel so terribly uneasy?