A Lone Rifleman in Equestria

[Twelve hours after the events of chapter eight.]

“Ugh, what the hell happened?” Wolf thought to himself as he started to wake from his slumber, that he was placed in by Princess Luna when he was captured. He opened his eyes to see that he was in some kind of cell, mostly made of stone and when he tried to move he was unsuccessful with him being confounded by shackles and chains that had him connected to the stone wall, which it limited his movement to a minimal. As he looked around the cell it was mostly dark and the only light source was from what light came from beyond the locked steel barred door that was keeping him from leaving if he were to somehow get out of the shackles. To his dismay, but not surprised by it, Wolf had his equipment confiscated and was left with nothing but the clothing on his back. Not even since they only left him in his pants with taking his shirt, under shirt, belt, boots, hat, and dog tags. The most likely case being that to them they feared that Wolf could use those things to escape. Wolf saw shadows of Canterlot guards outside of the door, who were probably assigned to keep an eye on him and any other prisoner that was in this dungeon. Wolf took a few minutes to try to remember what happened that led him to be where he is now and it didn’t take long for him to remember what happened.

“... Son of a bitch.” Wolf said under his breath as he remembered what happened and how he foolishly allowed for him to get jumped by the Canterlot guards.

“After years of doing this shit, you allow this to happen? What kind of soldier am I?!” Wolf said as he continued to scold himself.

“Hey!! You shut up in there!!!” said a voice from the other end of the steel door who heard Wolfs scolding.

“Up yours!” Wolf replied

A unicorn guard approached his cell with a baton hovering above him.

“I said shut it, now!” the guard ordered.

“Why don’t you come in here and make me, dickhead.” replied Wolf which got the guard furious.

“You’re a dead son of a…” the guard said but was interrupted by another that ordered him to stand down. With a hint of dismay the unicorn complied to his orders and left the cell.

“You’ll be dealt with soon.” the guard told Wolf before leaving the cell door and back to the guard post that had the guards in a room that can overlook the dungeon and all the cells of that dungeon.

Wolf looked around to see if there were anything that he could use to help him get out of his shackles, but the cell was completely empty with only him and his chains in it. He checked the shackles and chains for any weaknesses that could have him be set free from those things that was keeping him confounded, but both of those things were in excellent condition and their was no way of getting out of them.

Wolf sat and waited for anything to happen, whether that be another guard coming to his cell and him picking a fight with that guard, or the thing that the one guard mentioned that was going to deal with him. He wondered if they were gonna not waste any time and just put him down like a old dog that was way past his due date but was still limping along with what little energy they have, or would they try to get some information out of him for the current conflict that was going on in Equestria. He dismissed that they would come in and have one be put in between his eyes since they would have already done that when they found him, and they wouldn’t have gone through all this trouble to keep a dead man confounded in chains.

After a few minutes of waiting, Wolf perked up when he heard the clopping of hooves on a stone surface that was coming outside of his cell, which was getting louder by the second. Somepony was coming to his cell and in a few seconds a group of ponies were at his cell door, they opened the cell door and four heavily armored guards, with three of them equipped with spears and one of them equipped with a baton. They were also using their magic to hold up their weapons since all four of them were unicorns. The four equestrian guards made their way into the dark cell and stood over Wolf with their weapons ready to be used if Wolf were to try anything against them that would provoke them to use their weapons on Wolf in an act of self defense.

“Get up and face the wall.” the guard with the baton ordered Wolf to do but to no success with receiving the middle finger from Wolf. Unfortunately to Wolf they had no idea what that meant, so the reaction Wolf was expecting was a major let down.

The guard got annoyed and hit Wolf with the baton across his face, causing Wolfs jaw to dislocate and the side of his face start to bleed from a cut that was made by the baton. Nearly losing consciousness, Wolf keeps himself awake and knowing that he dislocated his jaw he snaps it back into place easily. He looks at the guard angrily but does as he was commanded to do by the guard and stands up as well as face the wall. Two of the guards hold their spears up to Wolfs throat as one other guard takes the chains off of his shackles that has Wolf connected to the wall.

“Turn and walk towards the door.” the guard commands and Wolf complies with doing such, as he does this the two guards holding the spears to this throat follow and keep their spears on him. Wolf walks to the cell door and exits the cell with a group of guards standing there to secure him. The head guard walks past Wolf and the group of guards, the guards move out of the head guards way. The head guard looks at Wolf and explains that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are wanting to see you in the main chamber, he also mentions that he has orders to use lethal force against Wolf if he were to try anything against anypony. When asked if Wolf will comply he simply just shakes his head in agreement.

“Very good, now follow me.” the head guard order with the response of compliance from Wolf as he did what he was told.

The head guard walks out of the dungeon with Wolf following him, the group of guards follow as well behind Wolf to be there if Wolf were to try anything. At this point the two guards that had their spears to Wolfs throat eased up and no longer had their spears to Wolfs throat.

As they walked, Wolf noticed of all the attention he was getting from everypony they passed by. Some were guards and the others looked to be servants/workers who work at the castle. Not being surprised by this and figured that that they would react the way they were to his presents, he continues on to the throne room, along with his escort.

After some more walking they finally made their way into the main throne where Wolf sees the alicorn from before and another sitting on a throne that had white fur and a symbol of a star above her head and built into the throne she was sitting on. She was also an alicorn like the other one that captured Wolf last night in the woods. To the alicorns left side was what looked like a commanding officer that had a distinctive uniform that had the male unicorn stand out from the rest of the guards that Wolf had seen. A group of ponies was standing at attention on the right side of the commanding officer in the red coat, and although they were wearing the same colors as the other guards, but had distinctive marking on their gear that made them stand out. Wolf was brought forth to the alicorn that was sitting on the throne and was placed on his knees in a kneeling position in front of the alicorn, from that the alicorn began to speak..

“So you’re the one that princess Twilight spoke about in her letter when you turned up in Ponyville with one of Equestria's children in your arms. I would like to thank you for saving Scootaloo from those timberwolves, according to the report from Twilight and Scootaloo when I sent somepony to questioned her about it. By the way she thanks you for finding and recovering her scooter in the Everfree Forest.” she explained to Wolf and with that he gave a small smirk from that last bit of information.

“I understand that you made a bit of trouble with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, one that could have turned fatal for both of them. Tell me, why should I believe that you won’t do that again to any of my citizens?” she asked

“Your report that you mentioned must’ve missed the part where I told Twilight that I wouldn’t take action unless provoked. Pinkie Pie jumped on me and I reacted from that as a sign of aggression, as for Rainbow Dash, she attacked me when I was out hunting for food.”

“No, she did mention that and it’s the reason why we’re even having this discussion. A discussion that in the end I want to make you a deal.” she explained and had Wolf perk up with interest when she mentioned a deal.

“What kind of deal are we talking about?” he asked.

“The kind that puts your skills to work for us.”

“I want to send you and a group of my most trusted royal guards to infiltrate the Changeling hive to discover whatever they’re planning and if possible put down Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra, and lastly their lieutenants. In return you are free to live in Equestria as one of its own.” she explained. “I am also giving those that are coming with you on this quest the authority to use force against you if you’d try to do anything that would have you become hostile towards them.

“You would trust me to roam freely among your subjects?” Wolf asked.

“Yes, although for safety reasons we would keep an eye on you for the first few months to make sure that you’re not doing anything that would have me regret my decision of you living among the rest of us.”

“Makes sense, from where I am from we do the same thing. You gotta earn your keep and privileges when in somewhere new, like with me being the newcomer in Equestria.”

“I admit that I’d be interested in knowing more about your species and where you came from, as well I agree with anypony who is new to Equestria that comes here to live having to earn their keep and the privileges that Equestrian born citizens have. However all of that can wait. Do we have a deal?

“Hmm…. Well, it’s either agree to your proposal or go back to my cell where I would rot. Is that correct?”

“You wouldn’t really rot, but rather you’d be studied in ways that you’d wish you took the more friendlier option that has you become one of Equestria's children, as well with learn more about each other by our different cultures through beverage and cuisine.”

“I guess…. Did you say something about me getting the necessary things for this op that you’re sending me and a few others on?”

“That’s correct, what do you need?”

“First off, I want my stuff back. Secondly, I want a few stitches for the cut that “Equestria’s children” gave me before we arrived. Third and finally, I want to know which one of you is Princess Celestia and Princess Luna? Twilight and the swell guards mentioned those two and I am unsure as to which is who.” Wolf asked, with the response of a small chuckle from the alicorn who has been speaking with him this whole time.

“I am Princess Celestia, the high ruler of Equestria and it’s people. I am also the keeper to our sun who for the past century has lighten Equestria's valleys. This is my sister, Princess Luna. She rules along with me and the other sectors of Equestria that range from the Crystal Empire to Ponyville and it’s surrounding areas.” she explained

“I am also the keeper to our moon and like my sister, I have shadowed Equestria’s valleys with the peaceful night. I also watch over all of Equestria’s ponies in their dreams to ensure that sleep soundly and safely.” Princess Luna spoke up and explained to Wolf her role in Equestria.

“Damn, that’s pretty impressive.” Wolf commented.

“I am glad you’re intrigued, but like I said we can fulfill our curiosities later. We need to get down to business, I’ll see to it that you’re requests are met and those cuffs are taken off of you. You’re excused.” Celestia explained and she did as she promised with ordering the guards that had their spears to his throat to take the cuffs off of Wolf, which they did and were also ordered to take Wolf to a medical room that had would get him patched up.

“Let’s see how this plays out.” Wolf thought to himself as he walked out of the throne room with a more at ease escort.