Badlands – Tip of a razor
By
NotSoGreat1200
It was night again, the stars were gone. No one knew what happened to them. It had been decades since the eclipse came and the Equestrian Badlands were born. Slavers, rapists, cannibals. All these things were born along with it, extinguishing the hope of friendship and companionship to reign again. The dying of the fire some called it, or the dying of the stars rather.
Small towns had cropped up around Equestria not long after, most started by traders, common folk and the like. Most of them wanted free trade, agreements with the slavers and cannibals. That didn't happen. Those that didn't conform to the rules of the slavers were either killed or torn limb from limb by the mutated creatures that roamed free. It was as simple as denying them to trade and live in a town, death by starvation was the mildest form of death.
All these things were common, crime went unpunished. Being a mare was the dangerous thing you could be in this world, many couples didn't dare to have children. In fear of them being abducted, killed or worse.
In spite of all that, a town between the former Appaloosa and Ponyville had survived. Even thrived amongst the atrocities that went unanswered every day. That town was: Razor-ville.
Razor-ville was a town built up from shanty-houses, gathered around a few destroyed and decaying skyscrapers. Torn wooden bridges attaching the burned out dying hulks of buildings. At the center of the town was an immense radio tower, promising wealth and security to those who chose to live there. All this would sound good to a lost soul in the wasteland, if it weren't for one thing.
It came with a price. This particular town was not like a normal town, it enjoyed wealth and prosperity because of one thing and one thing alone. Slavers ruled it, slavers owned it. They called the shots, decided who did what and who should die.
Every slave was marked, every poor lost soul branded for life. You didn't take a wrong turn coming here, you forfeited your life with that act. Not that many ponies were given the choice, it was this or death.
**** *** ****
The noise from a radio petered out with a squeak as the last transmission of the night came through. “And that's all we got good-folk, Wire here's wishing' all of ya a good evening' and may your dreams be filled with gold.” His voice sounded deep, scratched from the ruined speakers.
“Ugh...” A mare groaned as she glared at the radio, taking a lick from a small salt cube seated on the wobbly wooden table in front of her. “He's getting brasher by the day.”
“Ah hear ya' That pony is nothing' but talk,” a young voice sounded from across the tavern. She turned her eyes and looked at the owner, he had a grey coat, a dark green scruffy mane and the bluest eyes you had ever seen.
The tavern was a dilapidated shack that had once been a full house, but had slowly been converted into a tavern for ponies to relax. Not that it improved the place, the walls were worn. Faded down to bare woodwork, cracks and splinters visible all over the place.
She shrugged and got up to her hooves, her brown mane flowed and perched itself nicely against her beige coat as the mare decided to canter over to the bench the stallion was standing behind.
It reeked of musty food and sweaty ponies inside the tavern, the rotting woodwork didn't help it either. She could feel it sting in her nostrils, but after working here for several years the smell didn't bother her anymore.
Taking a quick turn, the mare perched against the edge of the bench. Looking over the tables inside, this night there was a distinct lack of ponies. Most were out on raids, the others... Well, the others were better off where they were.
“How's business going' tonight, Bristle?” The stallion questioned the mare, quickly pouring some cider into an stained and ruined mug. Its steel handle long gone, leaving faint impressions of screws in the moldy wood.
She sighed, “Not all that well, but it's for the best I suppose.” Giggling, Bristle shot a look back at the stallion. Her eyes glittered as she smiled seductively at him.
Knowing exactly what she wanted the stallion brushed her off with a glare, “Ah' would never take advantage of ya'” His words were calm, passionate, and still she could feel them permeate the air around the both of them with real emotion. An emotion she knew all too well.
Smiling back at him, Bristle pushed herself off the edge. A little paint caught on her coat, covering a little patch of it with small green flakes that glittered in the low lighting they got from the few lanterns set inside the tavern.
“Nice to see that not everypony have turned ruthless, Tray,” she noted back at him. Carefully plucking the flakes out of her coat with her muzzle, spitting each one out on the floor.
He smiled back to her as he emerged from the back of the bench, standing next to her. She nuzzled his neck gently, friendly. This stallion was her only friend.
The grey colored stallion closed his eyes as he felt her warmth against his neck, “Ah'll never be like that. No matter how hard it gets here, ah'll never join'em.”
She retreated back from him, keeping a hoof's distance between them. Keeping a frown on her face, “Is that so? What about me then? I do what I have to do to survive!”
A gentle breeze flew through the place, as he looked at her. His eyes filled with sorrow and sadness, for her. For what she did. “Ah' don't like what ya do, Bristle. But ah also understand.”
Bristle regained her playful nature as she giggled, his words seemed to put her back into her usual self. Not this thing that she seemed to become as of late.
“... Anyway, do ya want me to walk ya back?” He asked, hoping her answer was yes. Not that he doubted she could defend herself, but it's hard to defend against more then one opponent and this town had its fair share of bad ponies.
A red field of magic burned around her horn before all of the lanterns except the closest one turned off, huddling the tavern in darkness. They smiled at each other, the stallion lifting up the lantern with his muzzle. Carrying its rusted handle in his mouth, it hung limply below.
Cold, the wind had picked up. Gaining speed in the streets outside, vastly making everypony freeze. It took sharp turns at every nook and cranny of the town, here buildings were built close together. Creating natural but also dangerous paths.
Dust scattered behind them as they walked down the main street of the town, darkness shrouding them. Even in this wast city, the lantern gave them meager light. It huddled them in an orange tinge of flaming light.
A noise froze them in place. It was the sound of hooves against the damp ground, more then one pony. A large buck stepped out from a small hidden alleyway in front of them. He had a menacing glare, his eyes burned red.
“So... what do we have here?” He questioned them, out of his own amusement. He knew these two ponies all to well, and they knew him. He chuckled as he walked closer, the grey stallion seemed ready to pounce on him.
“Leave me alone, Fireshade. I told you no, and no means no.” Bristle shot back at the large white stallion, his coat color barely showing in the poor lighting. Her voice carried with it a sense of anger and revulsion.
Fireshade had come to the tavern earlier that week, seeking a place to spend the few measly scraps of metal he had managed to scavenge out in the wasteland. Knowing how every stallion worked, it didn't take him long to notice Bristle. And from that moment on, he wanted her. He wanted to own her, to make her his property. Unfortunately for him, she was nopony's property.
It didn't help his cause either that he was no looker, he had been badly burnt from some accident years ago. Leaving large portions of his body disfigured and his mane never grew back nor did his tail. after that, not a single mare wanted anything to do with him. He was left to his own devices in a sense of the word.
“But no is such a harsh word, and last time I checked. If a stallion payed enough, you would do anything.” He grinned as he said it, his mind already forming together his plan.
Tray put down the lantern gently before glaring at Fireshade, “She said no, so get outta' here!” He had gotten louder, he started to grow impatient and frightened. This stallion was pushing his patience.
Out of nowhere two younger stallions jumped on top of Tray, he screamed out loud as he could hear and feel one of his ribs crack. Bristle just looked in horror at her friend, writhing about on the ground. Grasping his stomach in pain.
“... And now I get my price,” Fireshade grinned and leaped towards the mare. Throwing her to the ground, She struggled but in the end her strength was nothing against his. He pinned her to the ground underneath himself, leaning down he took a whiff of her mane. The smell of sunflowers filling his nostrils and turning him into the beast he were.
He forced her into a kiss, she nearly vomited from the taste. In anger and pure revulsion for the stallion she clenched her teeth and bit his tongue. The stallion jerked away, blood dripping from his injured tongue.
With a hoof, he hit her in the face. Streaks of blood splattered across the murky ground as he broke her nose. Bristle started to whimper as she felt the stinging pain in her noise, a pounding headache starting to form in her head as the blood dripped from her nose.
Not wasting anytime, the stallion forced himself upon her. Keeping her body pinned beneath him still, his entire weigh keeping her down. As it happened, a high pitch squeal erupted from the mare's mouth. No doubt any nearby ponies heard her, they just didn't care enough to intervene.
She closed her eyes as he worked, she could feel his sweat dripping down on her. Tears streamed down her face, mixing with a pool of blood on the ground.
Violently, the stallion bit down on her neck. Hard enough to draw blood. Bristle's breathing turned ragged, “D-Don't...” Was all that she manage to say as her voice broke into another scream. One that could be hear far away from the scene of the crime.
Shock, pain and exhaustion numbed her body and mind. Her eyes looked blankly into the street as the stallion continued to rape her. Her mind had detached itself, hiding from everything that was happening. Going to its safe place inside her brain, safe from harm.
The brutality of the entire thing went on for hours, every now and then the mare would squeak out. Even after she lost conscience Fireshade didn't stop. He now felt he could do what he wanted with her, she was finally his.
**** *** ****
His eyes jolted open, as Tray dragged his body up to a rotting wall of a nearby shack. The pain still kept him grounded, his eyes were clouded. And when they cleared, he could see the pools of blood on the ground. Bits of brown hair and beige fur littered the ground, but no sign of Bristle or the stallions that attacked them.
Whimpers not to far, broke his train of though. His ears flicked as he recognized the sound, it was her! Despite the pain he got onto his hooves limping around the corner of the dilapidated building.
She was huddled against a wall, sitting on her haunches. Her tail tucked around her back hooves, while her front hooves covered her face. A pool of blood and tears had dampened the ground around her, she was crying.
“W-What happened?” Tray managed to hark out, his voice hoarse. All his strength were focused on keeping his body upright.
There was no answer from Bristle, she just continued to cry. Her horn shot off a spark or two every now and then. Her mind was a mess, she was filled with all kinds of emotions. At the moment, Bristle was nothing more than a vat of unstable emotions. She could lash out at anypony the physical pain was reason enough. But the real torture was the mental battle raging inside her mind.
He coughed and nudged his body closer to her, still keeping a fair distance. When his hooves kicked up dust from the ground, Bristle looked up from her hooves and looked at him with tear stained eyes. A trickle of blood dripped from her nose.
She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Immediately she began to cry again, her horn flaring up with magic more strongly. She almost covered herself in a red levitation field.
Trying to get closer to her, Tray moved towards Bristle. Only to make her jump to her hooves, keeping the distance between them. Her eyes had lost their glow, that glow she always seemed to have was gone. Extinguished from her soul.
A sadness crept into the stallion's heart, he wasn't conscience to save her. He should have been, he should have saved her. His inner demons kept telling this to him, driving the point home.
“Ah-Ahm' truly sorry, Bristle...” His voice fell through, he meant every word he said. Even though it wasn't his fault Bristle had no heart left to honor those words, she took a look at him and galloped off down one of the streets. Galloping past destroyed shacks, lampposts that didn't work anymore. Even the odd rusted mailbox.
She felt the wind in her mane, the wind catching her as she galloped throwing itself against her. Making her keep her eyes closed as, tears streamed down her face, each time her hoof hit the ground it sent an electrical shock through her body that made her tremble.
Her vision was blurred by her tears, the streets and run down shacks faded away into the background as she picked up the pace. Almost crashing into several ponies on her way.
It was all a haze to her, going by in a blur. Melding with the darkened sky and garish ground. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest, she heaved for breath as she came to a halt. Panting as she tried to get a sense of where she was.
The streets were dark, she could hear the buzzing of a nearby street lamp. It flashed intermittently, coating the path between the rusted metal shacks in a soft orange light. She felt her heart racing as she noticed that she was in a part of the city she had never been to before.
She started to breath heavily, feeling trapped. Feeling alone, her hearth raced as the adrenaline surged through her veins. Bristle wanted to run, just run forever. Leave everything behind, then she felt it... Anger, it boiled in her. Made her almost explode as her attackers face flashed before her eyes.
Every sound was blocked out, as her mind was filled with ideas of what she would do to him when she found him. Bristle raced forward because of the adrenaline, she felt like she wouldn't stop running until she found Fireshade.
Her heartbeats became stronger, louder in her head as she galloped through the dark and dusty streets. She could feel something burning, though she couldn't put her hoof on exactly what it was.
Suddenly without warning her hooves gave out, buckling as she fell to the ground. Sliding a good distance before coming to a stop, she tried lifting her head but didn't have the strength to. The surge of adrenaline she had felt before had passed. Spiraling her into exhaustion as she passed out in the street.
**** *** ****
Voices came from the darkness, Bristle could hear them in her head. A stallion and a mare, the stallion she recognized. It was Tray, the mare on the other hoof she didn't recognize. This frightened her, she desperately tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn't budge. The adrenaline surge had overpowered her and exhausted all of her power. Even her horn didn't spark anymore.
They faded into oblivion again, as Bristle fell unconscious again. Images flashing in front of her eyes as she slept, her body exhausted. Her magic sapped out of her, she felt completely lifeless. The blurry images started to fade away, creeping back into the darkness they came from.
A white light, bright as day made her open her eyes. Blurry, she could see a figure forming in front of her. The edges slowly coming into view as her eyes adjusted themselves.
“W-what happened?” Bristle asked the figure that when she blinked her eyes formed into a mare. She was white as snow, bright red eyes. A brown mane and tail, she looked extremely well kept. Not like most others in the wasteland.
She nodded to Bristle and said with a smile on her face, “It's alright, your friend carried you here.” She gestured over to Tray, who stood in an open doorway at the end of the room.
Bristle quickly took a look around the room, the walls were white. Coated with a badly flaking orange paint, the floor was metal. Rusted badly, groaning each time the strange mare moved her body. Looking down at her body, Bristle found herself lying on a dirty bed elevated by a metal table. It was drenched with sweat.
“I'm glad you're awake, you've been out of it for quite a while. I was afraid something was seriously wrong.” Bristle looked up into the eyes of the mare. The words had come from her mouth, said with knowledge. But still, Bristle couldn't for the life of herself remember, not quite memory-loss. She could feel that the memories were there, just hidden behind a fog in her head.
She shook her head and once again asked the white mare, “what happened?” After asking her question, Bristle lowered her head again. The light hurt her eyes, it may have been low lighting but she was used to almost no light at all so even this little hurt her eyes.
With a strained expression, the white mare. Who Bristle at this point assumed was a nurse or doctor or at least something inside medicine. Said to her in a calm yet nervous manner, “you were attacked, sexually. I'm really sorry...” She trailed off as she looked away from Bristle.
“Oh Celestia!” Bristle exclaimed as the memories showed themselves to her, the surge of repressed memories almost made her faint again. Luckily this time she managed to keep herself from doing that, regaining her composure a little. Her chest heaving with every breath she took, her heart pounding.
“I-I … Oh Luna … I just can't … “ Her voice stuttered and cracked as she tried to form words, not being able to. She kept quiet, looking at her friend still standing in the doorway. He hadn't moved or said anything since she woke up, just standing still like a pillar.
Without moving, he mouthed the words: “I'm sorry,” to her. They gave her a sense of confidence to face her memories, to face them with new found courage. It was all a part of her now, defining her as a person.
The white mare swallowed hard and faced Bristle, “can you tell me who it was, at least I'll warn any others I meet.” She quickly cantered over to a table, looking away from her. As if hiding a guilt that truly wasn't hers.
Bristle's voice was low, filled with anger. “It was Fireshade,” his name was forever burned into her mind, his laughter gave her chills to the bone. She could feel her skin crawl and she started to feel sick to her stomach.
With a sigh the mare turned to her, “I'll let them know.” She proceeded to walk out the door, nudging past Tray. But stopped midway through and turned her head to the grey mare. “Oh, I almost forgot. Name's Satin Soul. You can just call me Satin though.” She smiled and exited the room, leaving the two remaining ponies in an awkward silence.
After a while, Tray urged forward slowly stepping into the room. Still he kept quiet, forming the words in his head trying to come up with something. Anything that could help the situation, but his mind came up blank.
He gave off a weak smile to Bristle, she didn't return it. Her head still wrecked with the horrifying memories of the attack, she tried to wrap her mind around it. To find a single thought that would take the edge of everything.
“I'll get him, if it's the last thing I do.” That familiar voice boomed from her left, turning her head slowly she saw that Tray had moved to her side. Leaning against the stained wall, keeping distance between himself and her.
She smiled back at him, reassuringly. Even though she didn't feel sure of herself anymore, “don't … Please, just don't become like them.” Her voice was smooth like silk, it was calm and sure. Giving off the impression that she would eventually be fine.
Pushing himself off of the wall, Tray walked closer to her. Not sure if she would just run away again, but he had to know. She was his friend, his best friend actually.
Standing a mere foot away, he leaned in close nuzzling her cheek. She closed her eyes as she could feel his warmth against her fur, his body keeping her calm. Keeping her safe again, like nothing could touch her now.
He inched away from her, returning her mind to its earlier state. Not quite though, as his embrace had showed her that there was hope. That not all was lost, still her mind urged for revenge. But not her heart, Bristle was conflicted.
It became awkward again when Satin came back. Slowly cantering into the room, she took every step with caution. Keeping an air of tranquility about her, she could probably fix anything in the world when it came to medical and emotional problems.
At least, that was the feeling she gave off to those surrounding her.
“I hope everything’s okay, at least as okay as it can be.” She asked Bristle, her voice staying as soft as it was before.
Bristle sighed, lowering her head and resting it against the soaked and dirty bed. “Not really … I still can't believe it, I never thought this was going to happen to me – Even in my line of work.” She prodded a hoof against the fabric, nervously.
Satin walked closer to her, keeping a close eye on Tray. She didn't trust him, not that she trusted anyone in this city. “I think you should try and walk around a bit, you're safe here.” She shot her a smile as she said it.
Shakily, Bristle got to her hooves. Slowly walking off the ragged bed, in any real sense it wasn't fit to be called a bed. She blinked her eyes twice, wiping away any tears that might be there. Then she turned her head to look into the amber eyes of Satin, “ … where exactly are we?”
The white mare smiled and walked over to a rusted metal table at the end of the room, flipping a switch on an old radio. That in her shocked state, Bristle hadn't noticed until now.
It flared on with a crackle and static followed as the front display lit up, in a mix between yellow and green light. A tune was at its end, Bristle caught a few words and a piece of the music. But it didn't give her any indication of the song. Then she heard his voice, the voice she always heard when she turned on her radio.
“Welcome back! Wire got a special broadcast today for all you slavers out there!” He spoke with a deep voice, sounding ragged yet sure of every word he said. “One of our own was attacked last night, brutally I might add. Now, Wire doesn't stand for these things. Nor does your chief.”
Bristle knew that it was her he spoke off, but he had never to her knowledge ever before cared for these kinds of news. His news almost always consisted of death reports, music (duh!) and efficiency reports from the various factories around Razor-ville.
There was a slight pause, silence hang in the air as she waited anxiously for him to continue. But he didn't, soon the silence was broken by a sigh coming from the radio. She felt relieved at that.
“Only moments ago, my dear friend told me about this attack. And I urge everypony that this Fireshade will not go unpunished, we have rules in this city for a reason.” He continued for a while, naming countless rules that applied. Too many to count really, Bristle and the rest just stood there listening to the radio until Wire announced the evening song: A gentle cheery tune, sung by somepony named Gentle Note.
With a tap against the old and cracked main dial on the radio, the white mare turned it off and looked across the room at both Bristle and Tray. “That's where you are, you're at Main cable tower.”
Bristle looked back at her, everything she had just said swirling around her mind. She was actually at Main cable tower, the thing Razor-ville was famous for and what it was built around.
Hoof steps could be heard as a stallion stepped into the room, he had a smile on his face as he did. His coat was taupe colored, his mane and tail cut short and cream colored. His cutie mark was a microphone wrapped in a red ribbon, his eyes glowed brown as he looked at Bristle.
Casting one look at her, he bowed his head. Which was unheard of this day and age, everypony seemed to take orders from nopony. He held it there for several seconds, until he brought it back up. “So, you're the mare I should meet apparently.”
His voice sounded deep, though not as deep as when he was on the radio. And he didn't seem so sure of his words anymore, but this was definitely the same stallion. This was Wire, the most famous stallion in the badlands.
“Um... “ Bristle seemed unsure of what to say, she had heard of him lots of times before and always made sure to catch his broadcasts. But she had never before seen him, not a lot of ponies did. Wire was a recluse, living alone in the tower... Or so it had seemed until now.
“Well!” Wire broke the silence, “I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, ma'am.” He took another bow as he shook her hoof, being as gentle as he could.
A cough sounded from behind Bristle. Tray was glaring at the taupe stallion, still feeling extremely protective of his friend. Not odd in the turn of the latest events in their lives.
They broke the hoof shake as Wire heard the cough, looking over at Tray who was standing next to and a little behind Bristle. Being as courteous as he could, Wire reached out his hoof to shake Tray's.
Begrudgingly, the protective stallion shook hooves with the radio voice in person, nevertheless he didn't trust him. Though, Wire was the only one willing to help them.
“So, you're the one who carried the mare here?” Wire asked the stallion, since he was actually curious. Information was his domain, and he hated to be left in the dark. That's why the attack on Bristle hit him so hard.
He let out a low growl as he answered, “I am. And you better remember that.” Tray menacingly threatened him, making sure that Wire knew that he would protect Bristle at any cost.
Silence reigned again, as nopony wanted to say anything. Finally Bristle decided to say her name, she turned her head towards Wire who stood a mere few feet away. “I'm Bristle if you wondered.”
A spark ignited in his mind as he heard her name, he shook his head in disbelief and turned to face the nurse. Who just looked at him and smiled. “How can that be? I've heard about you and your business, but I was sure that you would have had a lot more guards.” He asked her, sounding nervous.
She nodded back at him as she answered, “No, it wasn't needed. I had an understanding with everypony that sought me out unti...” Her voice faded into darkness as she sighed. “Until today that is.”
It was clearly visible on everypony in that room that they were all distraught by what Bristle had said, they all cared for her. Even the two that had in fact just met her.
“We better get you washed up, Bristle.” Satin Soul uttered to her. She just nodded back shakily and followed the white nurse mare out of the room, she needed somepony to talk to. And she was going to do it, no matter how bad it hurt.
**** *** ****
Bristle could hear the sloshing of water as she entered the room, the nurse had walked into before her. The room's walls were rotting badly, in the worst places somepony had hammered in dented and rusted metal plates. There was a white sink in the room, but it had cracked badly. So badly in fact half of it was gone, turning it into a dangerously weapon. But what caught her attention the most, was the bathtub in near one of the walls in the room.
It was made of metal, gleaming in the low lighting a small lantern could provide. She walked over and looked into the water, as Satin poured it from a hose into the bathtub. The water was clean, extremely clean. Bristle could see to the bottom of the tub, it made her feel bad. Maybe she was using all of their water and for what? A bath?
Satin noticed the look in Bristle eyes, giggling a little to herself as she kept running the water. “We got enough water, trust me.” The clear water sloshed down into the tub, hitting the stained and rusted steel on the inside.
She gave a weak smile back at the white nurse or doctor or whatever, she still didn't quite know what that mare did for Wire. Spinning that thought around in her mind for a while, the fact that Satin was a mare and the fact that Wire was a stallion – Who lived alone... She decided that she didn't want to know.
Her train of though was interrupted as the water stopped, and she could see clear to the bottom as the surface stopped rippling. To her side, Satin was speaking. It took Bristle a few seconds to snap out of it.
“Huh? Wha?” She managed to sputter out, the other mare smiling back at the befuddled Bristle. An awkward silence descended on the both of them.
Finally, after a bit of discussing. Satin managed to convince Bristle to take a bath, assuring her that it would do her good. As the purple coated mare stepped into the warm water, slowly lowering herself as to not burn herself. Satin asked her, “How is it?”
A moan escaped Bristle's lips as she felt her entire body surrounded by warm water. “It feels great,” she managed to say. After what seemed like a lifetime she could finally have a bath, and not fear to die from it.
She smiled back at Bristle, this not being her first rape victim. This thing was common in the wasteland, it just wasn't that common in this town. But it did occur, part of the reason why Wire had shut himself inside the tower.
“How long have you been here?” Bristle asked Satin, trying to keep an actual conversation going. Even though the only thing she wanted at that moment was revenge, and that in itself frightened her.
Satin shot a weak smile back at her, “Too long … Way too long.” Her voice seemed shaken, as if she was lying. But Bristle decided to not press the matter, after all these ponies had helped her in a time of need. And she didn't want to make more enemies.
**** *** ****
After having probably the longest bath in history, Bristle and Satin joined the other for food in the living room. The walls here was same as elsewhere, just lots more armored plates hammered into them. In the room there was a picnic table, badly damaged. Standing on a ragged blanket, the image faded into being unrecognizable long ago. Wires pulled across the middle of the room, vanishing inside an open door at one end of the room.
She sat down next to Tray, opposite from Wire and Satin. “It's not much, but it's what we got.” Wire said as he put two silvery metal cans on the table.
Slowly, he opened one and pushed it across the table to Bristle and Tray. The other he opened and hoofed to Satin, giving her a smile at the same time. “It's odd really – We have plenty of water, but food is scarce.”
Shouting outside caught everypony's attention, turning towards the door leading outside. The handle was gone and visible cracks peaked holes through the brown wood.
In a brief second, the door came flying off the handles. Beaten down to the floor as a figure appeared in the opening. He was high, burly, a grey mane with white stripes accented his blue eyes. Or actually, one blue eye. The other was gone, his coat was ragged. But you could still see it had been colored blue once, now it was taupe colored. His cutie mark looked suspiciously like a red and white crowbar.
Wire quickly got to his hooves, an angry look in his eyes as he approached the stallion. “What are you doing here?” He yelled the question at the strange stallion, the stallion looked back at him and huffed. But didn't answer.
Getting anxious, Wire repeated the question. “What are you doing here?” The stallion just glared back at him, and cast a look at Tray and Bristle. Before he turned back to Wire.
“What am I doing here?” A chuckle erupted from his deep voice, almost sounding guttural. “Never forget your place, Wire. You are still a slave no matter what.”
At this point, Bristle was almost shaking at this stallions commanding atmosphere. There was something about him, something about the way he spoke that scared her to the very core of her being. If she could, she would have galloped out the door.
“Don't get bogged down in semantics, Ironbar. What. Are. You. Doing. Here?” Wire spoke every word clearly and methodically at the stallion who apparently was named Ironbar. Wire was evidently getting angrier as the time passed.
Snorting a whiff of white clear smoke back at Wire, Ironbar walked around him. Glancing towards the table with the other ponies. “I understand you're looking for a stallion named Fireshade?” He asked, even though it was clear to everypony that he already knew the answer.
“I am. Do you even know what your slavers do out there?” Wire asked back, being clever enough to answer a question with another question. But during the circumstances he wanted nothing else than to throw Ironbar out of his tower.
Glaring back at Wire, Ironbar stopped walking. Standing about ten paces from him, looking straight into his eyes. “What can I say, they have needs.” A chuckle erupted from him as Bristle felt her heart sink. She had come to this town to work and earn a living, not to get attacked. That she could get out in the wasteland.
“And frankly … I don't care what they do, as long as this town prospers, we're doing something right. But I digress, back to why I'm here – I know where he is.” Ironbar smirked, gently propping himself next to the table. Satin moved away as he was dangerously close to her.
Almost jumping up, Bristle shouted at Ironbar, “Where?” Her voice was strong, more confident than it had been during the last few days. Her mind boiled over with what she had planned for Fireshade.
Ironbar smirked back at the group, who was anxiously awaiting his answer. “First, let's discuss something.” He pushed his body away from the table, but kept the group of ponies facing him in one place. “Forfeit four years of your lives to me.”
An unanimous, “WHAT!” Erupted from the group. Bristle looked almost ready to tear the stallion apart. Her eyes gleamed with anger at his proposal, at the nerve he had.
“That's not going to happen, Ironbar. Besides, what's to stop me from just killing you now and getting the information through torture.” Tray asked him, having moved a bit closer. Covering Bristle with his body.
Ironbar chuckled, moving about the room. The floorboards creaking with every move he made, worn from age and use they had also cracked in some places. “Nothing, but there are several problems with that plan. One: Killing me would plunge this town into bickering gangs, fighting for control. Two: Even if you got the information from me, you wouldn't know if it was fake. And third: Seriously? You would have every damn slaver after you if you kill me … So – What will it be?”
“Wait!” Wire interrupted the group as they had started to discuss, he slowly approached Ironbar. “What will we be doing for you?” He asked, actually wanting to know and not using it as an opportunity to stall the discussion going on.
“You will be working for me as slavers … Or bandits is an more apt way of saying it.” Ironbar had an exceptional way of carrying his voice, always choosing what he said wisely. Although he didn't seem like the type to read, it was clear that he had – and he had read a lot.
Bristle emerged from the group, now standing next to Wire. It became clear to her just how big the other two stallions were, although Wire was smaller than Ironbar for sure. “Fine … I'll do it, just tell me where he is.”
With a snicker and a chuckle, Ironbar hoofed a ragged and torn map from his saddlebags. Throwing it on the table, “It's in that map, but you better hurry. He's leaving in thirty minutes for a raid, if you hurry. You might catch him in time.”
Bristle's eyes shot up as she heard the cackle from Ironbar, she wanted to hit him. Then and there, just kill him. But it wasn't in her to do that.
**** *** ****
The air was thin, feeling a bit tinny as it blew through the ruined streets and torn up sheds. It was dark, more than it had been before. Of course it could all be Bristle's imagination.
All of them were huddled behind a wall that had fallen sometime ago, cracking halfway it became the perfect place to hide. Bristle peaked over the wall at an torn and broken metal shed. A tattered flag covered a hole in it, it bore an resemblance to an old Equestrian flag but had been altered.
When the flag blew up with the wind, she could see a figure move inside the shed. Quickly she lowered herself back down and peered over to Wire and Satin.
Both of them were heavily caked in dust and mud, Wire's horn glowed green as he hovered a spear onto his saddle, fastening it in a metal grip on the side. A grin appeared across his muzzle as it clicked in place.
Satin however, wasn't wearing any saddle. Instead she wore a pair of dusty and mud-covered saddlebags. The shined bright green against her normal white fur, on them they had a large red cross.
She smiled as she saw it, knowing in her head that at least somepony was still sane enough to not do what they were about to. Turning her head, Bristle looked at Tray.
His fur was badly covered in dust and mud, both from the ground and earlier. He had refused to take a bath, even when she insisted that he should.
“How you doing?” Tray said as he turned his head towards Bristle, looking directly into her eyes. It felt like they sparkled when he did, as if something clicked inside of him. At any other moment he would have confronted the feeling but in the current situation he brushed it aside.
With a sigh Bristle answered in a melancholy voice, it trembled like a leaf in the wind. “I-I'm fine … I just never thought I would do this.”
A troubled look appeared across Tray's muzzle, “Remember what he did to you?” He shot back at her, his voice filled with anger and regret as he could still feel how he had not been able to do anything to save her.
“You don't think I remember? I remember enough!” Bristle answered back as she tucked her back legs into her body, covering her face in her fore hooves as tears started to appear.
The group was jolted to attention as the door of the shack opened and Fireshade stepped outside, Wire motioning for them to stay quiet and out of sight.
Fireshade flared his nostrils, taking in the smell of the dilapidated town. It smelled of rotting flesh, nauseating manure and the smell of ozone carried on through the air.
He snorted angrily and turned to head down the street leading away from the others, his metal armor sounded every time a hoof hit the ground. The spikes on his hooves shined in the orange light coming off of the lampposts he passed.
Moving forward, Wire and Sating clung to a wall of a metal shed and looked on as Fireshade continued to walk. Tray pulled Bristle with him and huddled themselves against the same wall as the rest of the group.
“Now?” Wire asked into thin air, it was clear what he was asking and who he asked. But he kept his eyes on the stallion walking down the street, not turning once.
Bristle's crying had died down, making the air around them silent. Only the sound of distant screams could be heard, then out of nowhere. The air hissed and metal flying through the air shined, before anypony could see what it was blood sprayed across the rusted metal wall they were huddled against.
Followed by a mare's scream, Satin fell to the ground. A silver arrow stood in her side, sticking out from between her ribs coloring her bags a darkened red color.
Without flinching, Wire lowered his entire body. Lying down next to her, nuzzling her cheek as tears started to stream down. Bristle tried to hear what they said, but could only make out half of the whole thing.
As Satin's life ended with a whimper, Wire closed his eyes. Inclining his horn as he nuzzled her one last time. Feeling her coat against his own as she died in his hooves.
His eyes flashed back open as a maniacal laughter sounded from the darkened streets, he tried flicking his ears to pinpoint it but in the end he couldn't. “Only good mare is a dead mare!” A voice sounded from the darkness, a voice none of them could recognize.
Then, the low rumbling voice of Fireshade sounded off. “Having trouble, slaves?” He intentionally insulted them to goat them on, to have them run right out and be killed. There was no doubt now, for Bristle or the two others.
Grinning wildly, Wire dashed into the darkness. His dark fur merged with the already thick darkness of the street, he took off after the pony who he assumed had killed Satin.
After some moments of silence, Tray turned to face Bristle. “I'll tackle him to the ground, and you'll get to give him the killing blow.” She nodded back at him as he said it, she didn't know if it was the adrenaline or the simple fact that she was angry for what he had done. But now her mind only thought about one thing; to see Fireshade dead, no matter what.
Without thinking, Tray kissed Bristle on the cheek, gave her a weak smile and leaped out in front of Fireshade. He turned to face Tray, slowly eying him up and down. “So, you've decided I see … More meat for me I guess.”
Tray growled as the words from the Earth pony stallion hit his ears and lunged towards him, barreling forward without thought on what he was actually going to do.
His forward momentum was stopped short as Fireshade bucked him right into the side of a shack with his back hooves. Tray groaned as the pain shot up his side, going along his spine.
Then, as Fireshade was about to chomp down on Tray's throat, ending his life. An arrow came flying out of the darkened street, and Wire followed suit. Now covered in sticky red blood, a makeshift crossbow attached to one side of his saddle.
As Fireshade saw this, he cackled. “Was that fun for you?” He tried to push Wire over the edge. “You can't save your friends and you can't kill me either.”
Wire shot off one more arrow, it bounced off of Fireshade's darkened armor without hurting him.
Before he could reload, Fireshade leaped towards him, throwing him to the ground under the weight of his own body. Quickly, he tore the spear from his saddle, cracking several ribs as he did so. Causing Wire to scream outright.
Taking the spear in his mouth, he pierced it through Tray's chest. Taking away his life. As Tray's eyes shot open and his body fell limp, Fireshade laughed before he brought one of his back hooves down on Wire's neck.
Wire hadn't been able to concentrate his horn due to the immense pain he was in from his cracked ribs, and before he was able to move. The audible crack of his neck being broken shot through the streets.
Meanwhile, Bristle was almost shaking out of fear and anger. She was still hiding behind the rusty metal shack. Her whole body was drenched with sweat, as the cool night air blew past her.
“Aren't you going to come out? I know you're there Bristle.” Fireshade spoke into thin air, facing the darkened streets. But he knew that Bristle was the only pony that could have done this.
As the words brushed past her ears, her mind filled with anger, adrenaline, sorrow, hate and all the things in between. She wiped her tears and slowly cantered into the dusty streets, facing Fireshade.
In the heat of the moment her horn had started to glow, she hadn't practiced any magic for days. And couldn't really, due to the shock and pain she had been through. Now however, it was glowing and surging with power.
Without moving, she shouted at Fireshade. The words were drowned out in the night air, as her mind blanketed and her horn fired off. A spark and then a flash of white before a blue line of lightning hit Fireshade's body. Shortly after, Bristle lost conscience out of exhaustion.
**** *** ****
After being out for who knows how long, Bristle came to. Shaking her head, Fireshade was gone. There was no trace for him, except for the red blood smeared on the walls of nearby shacks.
She looked over the scene, and sat back on her haunches as she saw the dead bodies of her friends. It may have been the right thing to do, but it had ended the life of so many and yet it didn't bring her any peace.
Bristle screamed and started to cry as the wave of sadness and regret washed over her. She had brought them to this, if it weren't for her none of this would have happened.
The mare laid on the ground for hours, simply running over all the possible outcomes the situation could have had. In the end, it didn't matter. They were dead and she couldn't bring them back, but she was going to honor them. Find a way to bring light into the darkness.
This was the last thought that crossed her mind as the cold wind blew over her body.
