Sister Slaves (Built Upon Dreams, Paid in Blood)by DILLYbOdChaptersChapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 1Chapter 7Chapter 2“Ma!” Pinkie whines as her mother rubs her cheeks with a handkerchief. “Pinkie, stay still, you need to look presentable for the Lord.” Her mother smiles with a hum. “He likes clean little fillies.” Pinkie frowns as she gives in too her mother’s needs. “There…” Cloudy Quartz looks over her work. “See that wasn’t so bad.” She gives her daughter a soft smile. Free from her mother’s grasp, Pinkie quickly worms her way from their place in the pew over to Marble waiting on the left-hand aisle of the church. Standing next to her twin, Pinkie fixes her bonnet as they make their way to the altar, up to the choir-chairs behind the pastor’s podium. Taking their seats, the twins wait patiently for the other children of the Frist New Light Church’s ‘Children’s Choir’ to take their places on the altar. While she waits, Pinkie looks at the architecture of the church and the ponies within. The floor plan of the church is simple, nothing to grand or extravagant. A church in a town like Ashmore has to keep it simple. Ten pews in rows of two sit in the center of the church’s floor. The layout of these pews creates one main center aisle and two narrow side aisles. Along the side aisles are six plaster coated pillars holding up the oak roof. In-between each pillar are stained-glass windows, depicting tales and parables from the holy book of the earth ponies. The congregation is small only a hundred and fifty ponies in total fill up the space. It’s about a third of Ashmore’s population. With ten competing churches many devout followers flocked to what church was close to them. Pinkie’s home church is one of three that were the fullest of the bunch. She like that about her church, she has a lot of friends to play with. The dress code from the members of her home church are simple. The Stallions and colts ware black Mennonite styled hats, white-collared shirts, black ties and black slacks. The mares and fillies ware white bonnets, white bonnets, dresses, and baby-blue cotton short-sleeve jackets. As for where the sexes sit, the stallions and colts sit on the right-side pews, while the mares and fillies sit on the left-side pews. Swinging her legs mindlessly, Pinkie looks for her father in the crowd. Seeing him sitting in the third pew, near the center aisle, she waves to him. Seeing his daughter waving to him, he returns the gesture with a soft smile. Giggling at her father’s expression, she turns her attention to her mother and elder sisters who sit in the fourth pew. They return her gesture. As the choir maiden steps onto the altar, the children quite themselves down, awaiting her instructions. Standing in front of the children, the choir maiden raises her left hand into the air, commanding them to rise. The children stand and put their hands behind their backs. With a smile, she begins the song. “Oh, heaven of glory, oh, Lord of kings, Who made heavens and earth, And every creature small and large, And all the trees and all little, itty, bitty, crawly things. Oh, heaven may, Oh, heaven may, Will we be blessed be? Oh, heaven of glory, oh, Lord of lords, Who made us from the dust, He who gave us mortal breath, And bestowed us this mortal realm. Oh, heaven may Oh, heaven may, Will we be blessed be? Oh, heaven of glory, oh, Lord of all, Who gave his only, begotten son, Who’d died for our sins, For we may live once again, Oh, heaven may, Oh, heaven may, We are the blessed be.” Finishing up their song for the day, the children bow as their families praise their performance. Ushering the children off of the altar, the choir maiden smiles to the crowd and bows, before stepping off the stage herself. Getting back to their pew, the twins take their seats next to Limestone. Marble picks up a holy-book from the back of the pew’s pocket in front of her and shares it with Pinkie. The pastor walks onto the altar and faces the congregation. Smiling at his flock, he sets down his tattered holy-book on the podium. “Hello my fellow believers, even though this day is overcast and the winds cold, I’m glad you could make it to today’s service.” He opens his holy-book. “Today I want to talk about encouragement… I believe its needed in these dark times, many of us worry that the war will come to our doorstep, to Ashmore, to the heartland of our great Republic…” Maud keeps her gaze on the pastor, her mind soaking up his words. Taking a glance down at her holy-book, she follows along as the pastor reads one of the passages, but feeling like someone is watching her, she looks to her right over her shoulder. A young stallion, about twenty-one years old, stares at her with a goofy grin. His long gray mane hugging the back of his neck, his black fur glistening in the light. She blushes and returns the smile before quickly turning her gaze back to the pastor. Her sisters look at her with mischievous grins, as they snicker to themselves. Their mother sighs, rolling her eyes as she rests her head in her hand. After service, the congregation moves themselves to the church’s barn. Within, food and drink await them, as well as a raging fire within a large brick fireplace. Entering the barn, the Pie sisters walk to a cherry-pine table off in the back of the barn with a punch bowl on its surface. Pouring themselves a cup, they walk over to a group of fillies and colts. Maud, Pinkie, and Marble stand in silence, sipping their drinks as they watch the crowd around them with mild interest. Octavia is with her friends from school by a table full of pastries. Limestone is off in the corner by the window, playing a game of dice with several fillies and colts her age. Pinkie hums, rocking back n’ forth on her hooves, her hands holding her cup of punch to her lips. Her eyes are glued to her parents. They’re talking to the pastor and his wife. She wonders what they’re talking about, she has several thoughts on what it could be. She thinks about going over and eavesdropping on their conversation, but she fears that action in particular will get her the wrath of her father’s belt. She shivers at that thought. Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Pinkie swivels around to face the pony touching her. She sees a young colt a year younger than her. His curly white mane hugs his face. His bright green eyes stand out from his white colored fur. “Hello Cotton Ball.” She smiles. Cotton Ball smiles back with a blush. “Hey Pinkie…” His ears fold back against his head. “Uh… Do you and Marble want to play baseball?” Pinkie smiles. “Sure!” She turns to face Marble. “You wanna play?” Her sister nods with a smile. “Yes, we would like to play!” Pinkie turns around, facing the colt. Cotton Ball smiles. “Well come on!” He runs off, waving the twins on. The Twins giggle as they give chase. Maud watches them exit the barn to the grassy field behind the church. “Where are they going?” Limestone stands next to Maud. “They went off to go play baseball.” She sips her punch. “What! They’re playing without me?” She runs out of the barn after them. Maud smirks at her sisters. With a hum she walks through the barn, looking for a particular pony. “Where is he…!” Hands cover her eyes. “Guess who?” A young masculine voice asks. Maud taps the rim of her cup, her lips pondering. “Let me guess… Obsidian?” Obsidian groans. “How do you always know?” He pulls his hands away from her eyes. She smirks, bumping her hips against his. “Because you have a unique voice.” Obsidian blushes from her actions. “Maud!” He places his hands on her shoulders. “You know that’s uncouth behavior!” He whispers, leading her out of the barn. She giggles. “But you’re funny when you’re all flustered.” Octavia sees the two lovebirds leaving the shelter. With a smirk, she gives her sister a thumb’s up. Maud blushes as she waves back. “So… Where are we going?” Obsidian hums as he opens the door for her. “I thought about going on a little stroll around the church’s property and just talk to you about some stuff.” He holds her hand as they step out onto the grassy lot. Her parents see them walk out, both smile at one another. Before the young couple begins their stroll, they turn their attention to the game of baseball that’s being played and decide to watch it for bit with a group of teen colts and fillies their age. Pinkie is up to bat for the fillies. The sleeves of her dress-shirt are rolled up past her elbows. A young teenage colt is at the pitcher mound. He chews on his gum smugly. With all his strength he throws the ball her way. She swings hard, a loud crack rings out, her swing sends the ball skipping across the ground. In a panic she runs to first base, her hooves kicking up dirt and grass. Seeing a player throwing the ball to first base, she dives for the plate. With her hands touching the plate before the first baseman can catch the ball, she jumps up and cheers her performance. The crowd of fillies’ clap, while the colts’ grumble. “So, what do you want to talk about?” Maud asks as she claps for her sister. Her eyes looking into his bright-blue eyes. He smiles as he looks into her light-blue eyes, “I have two things I want to tell you… Come, let’s go.” He leads her by the hand as they walk over to the church. Arriving at their destination, they stand under a large birch tree in front of the church. The gravel roads are busy with activity as the town’s citizens go about their weekend activities. With a smile, he holds her hands to his chest. “Maud?” “Yes?” She feels her chest get tight. “Well…” He puts one of his hands in his right slack’s pocket and pulls out a handmade amber ring. “I know we’ve been dating for over a year...” He takes her ring finger. “And I know you’ve been patient with me.” He holds it over her finger’s tip. “I’ve just been nervous about asking this question… Been thinking a lot actually.” Maud feels butterflies swimming in her stomach as the ring slides down her finger. “I want to know if you would like to marry me…?” His words are cut off as her lips connect with his. Her arms wrap around his neck, pulling him close. “I take that as a yes?” He questions as she pulls away from the kiss, jumping up n’ down, giggling like a madman. “Of course!” She giggles. “You took your time, you, big doofus.” She settles down and looks at her ring. The trapped air bubbles within the amber dispersing the light in such a manner that causes it to glow. “What? I was nervous about it.” He laughs, rubbing the back of his neck as he watches her study the ring. “I’m glad we’re finally engaged. Now my sisters can finally stop teasing me.” She hugs him. He laughs at her statement. “So, what is the other thing you wanted to tell me?” Obsidian runs his hand down her back. “Well, it’s about my job.” She pulls away from the hug. “What happened?” She looks worryingly at him. “Did you lose it?” “Oh, no, I didn’t lose it. I just got a better one.” He smiles leaning against the birch tree. “Really? What job did you get?” She leans next to him, still looking at her ring. “Well, I’ve joined the army!” Maud freezes, her mouth agape. Her eyes stare at him in confusion. “Maud, are you alright…?” Her hand smacks him across the face. “Ow…” “How could you! How could you do that to me?!” She snorts. “You go and ask for my hand in marriage, and then you tell me you’re joining the army!” She yells, her hoof stomping the grass. “Maud, calm down…” He takes her hand. “I might not have to…” “Calm!” Maud pulls her hands away. “What happens when we mate, and I’m bearing you foal!” Tears come to her eyes. “What if you die in battle?” She begins to feel sick. “You’ll leave your child fatherless and I husbandless…” He pulls her into a hug, removing her bonnet, stroking her mane. “I don’t want to hurt you…” He pulls away from the hug and looks her straight in the eyes. “But it’s either I join now and pick what role I want to serve or wait for the draft and be at the whims of the government.” He runs a thumb under her eyes, wiping her tears away. “I promise you that I will be okay… Besides the army pays good tokes and the benefits are better than what coal mining could ever give.” He sighs pulling her into another hug. “I’m thinking of the long-term for our family.” “You don’t know how long this war is going to last.” She rubs her eyes. “It’s already been going on and off for the past five years.” “It can’t go on for much longer.” He kisses her and gives back her bonnet. “Don’t worry, I won’t leave you. I promise our children will have their father no matter what.” He holds her tight. Maud calms herself. Taking a deep breath, she leans her head against his chest. She lets her worry fade away as she accepts his decision. ‘He is my future husband after all.’ She tells herself. “Did you ask my Pa for permission to take my hand in marriage?” She feels his body tense up. “Obsidian? Did you?” Obsidian chuckles uncomfortably, “Uh… No… I wanted it to be a surprise for the both of you…” She smacks him again. “Ow…” Igneous stands under the doorframe of the barn as he watches the game of baseball. Seeing Limestone catch a fly-ball, he gives her a clap and a smile, however his attention is drawn to his eldest daughter Maud and her colt-friend as he watches them walk back up to the barn from the corner of his eye. He studies them, looking them over, checking to see if anything is out of the ordinary. An amber ring catches his eye. A smirk comes to his lips as a sense of pride takes hold of him. “Hello, sir.” Obsidian stands in front of him. “I have something to ask you…” “You do… Don’t you colt?” Igneous states, looking at the ring. Maud plays with it. “I see you’ve already asked my daughter’s hand in marriage… without asking.” He raises his brow at the young stallion while he takes his daughter’s hand. He studies the ring, for a bit, a smile comes to him as he admires the craftsmanship. “You made this?” “I sure did, sir.” Obsidian smiles. “I used my friend’s carving kit.” He fidgets with his tie. Igneous rubs his daughter’s hand before letting it go. “Do you have the means to which you can provide for her and your future children?” He stares down his future son-in-law. Obsidian feels a sweat droplet roll down his face. “I do sir… I’ve joined the army. I ship out for boot camp in three months.” He keeps his cool. Igneous flattens out his smile. “Are you sure that’s what you want to do? As a veteran, I can tell you it’s not an easy life.” He frowns. “It’s hell in fact.” Obsidian smiles. “I know it’s not going to be easy, but I talked to my parents about it, they think it will be good for me, the army will surely mold me into a better stallion, sir!” He gives a salute. Maud facepalms, her face red with embarrassment. Igneous can’t hold his stern demeanor, he breaks out into laughter. “Well, even I wanted to stop you, I can’t…” He leans in towards the colt, placing his lips to colt’s ears ears. “She’ll be mad at me if I did.” His daughter rolls her eyes. Obsidian laughs. “So, is that a yes, sir?” “Don’t call me sir, it makes me feel old.” He smiles placing a hand on his shoulder. “You can call me pa.” Maud smiles wide and hugs her father tight. “Thank you, Pa!” Igneous returns the hug. “You should go tell your Ma.” Maud pulls away from the embrace and drags Obsidian into the barn. “Did Obsidian finally ask Maud to marry him?” Limestone asks, walking up to her father. He looks down and sees her and his twin daughters standing beside him. “Yes, sweetheart, he did.” He looks into the barn, watching them walk up to his wife. Entering the barn, Maud and Obsidian see their mothers talking to a couple of mares by the fireplace. “Perfect…” Maud smirks as she nears them, all the while Obsidian tries to keep up with her. Standing behind her mother, she taps her shoulders. “Ma?” Turning around, Cloudy Quartz looks down at her daughter and sees that Obsidian is with her. “Hello dear, I see you brought your colt-friend with you… What’s with your goofy smile?” “The same goes for you, son?” Rose Sapphire, Obsidian’s mother states giving her son a raised brow. Maud giggles like a little school girl. “Obsidian proposed!” She holds up her hand, showing off her engagement ring. Her mother, Rose Sapphire and the mares stare wide-eyed at the amber ring. Feeling pride, Cloudy Quartz pulls her daughter into a hug. “Oh, sweetie! I’m so happy for you!” She looks at her future son-in-law and gives him a smirk. “This calls for a traditional premarital dance!” She pulls the couple by the hands to the center of the barn’s floor space. “Attention everyone!” The earth ponies within the barn look over at the mare and the young couple with curious stares. Seeing that she’s gotten their attention, Cloudy Quartz smiles wide as she places Maud’s hand over Obsidian’s. “I have wonderful news, my daughter, Maud and Rose Sapphire’s son, Obsidian, are officially getting married!” The ponies cheer and clap for the newly engaged couple. Maud and Obsidian cheeks redden as they find themselves at the center of attention. The pastor and his wife walk up to the couple and places their hands on their heads. “By the grace of God, I pray to our creator to bless thee and to have the holy spirit guide you in all of your days…” They step back and bow to the couple. Maud tries to hide her embarrassment. “What’s wrong?” Obsidian whispers. She looks over at him. “I don’t like being the center of attention…” Obsidian smirks. “But you’re adorable when you’re all embarrassed.” He smirks. Maud rolls her eyes. Feeling the festivities kicking in, two stallions and four mares walk over to a metal cupboard and pull out three fiddles and three bass drums. Finding a spot, they pull up some chairs and begin playing a traditional earth pony dance song, one that’s played for such an event. The ponies begin clapping to the music as a mare and a stallion places a two-feet in diameter and three inches thick, decretive red marble plate in-between the couple. Putting a small one-pound white marble ball in the middle of the plate, the mare bows to the couple before walking back to the group. Sighing to calm their nerves, Maud and Octavia remove their attention from the plate to each other. Smiling, they hold hands and raise their arms above their heads. Maud lifting her left arm and Obsidian lifting his right. Tapping their hooves together, they skip around the marble plate to the beat of the drums. After three revolutions, they turn directions until they make another three revolutions, which after completing they change directions once more. “Dance! Dance! Dance!” The crowd chants as they clap to the beat. The fiddles kick in, alerting the couple to change their dance. Holding both hands above their heads, their fingers interlocking. They lock eyes as they skip around the marble plate. With every two revolutions, they touch the white marble ball with their right hoof. “I want to thank you again for inviting us to your home.” Onyx, Obsidian’s father, states to Igneous. “You shouldn’t worry yourself, your family is our family.” Igneous chuckles taking a sip of his sparkling cranberry cider. “I can’t wait to plan out the wedding!” Octavia giggles, giving Maud a hug. “Oh, Limestone and I could play the wedding songs with our instruments!” She squeezes her eldest tighter. “The wedding defiantly needs to take place before my son ships out for boot camp.” Rose Sapphire comments, while she breastfeeds her newborn. “There is no need to delay it.” She hums, looking over at her son and daughter-in-law, who sit in the middle seats of the dining table. “We’ll plan it out in time, Ma.” Obsidian takes a large gulp of his cider. “Well, I’m sure Cloudy Quartz and I would like you to leave us a grandchild before you leave for service.” Rose Sapphire smiles slyly at her son. The couple’s cheeks bush, both of them bury their heads in their hands, trying to hide from the world. Pinkie hears Rose Sapphire’s words and jumps up from the floor with a giant smile. “I’m going to be an AUNTIE!” Pinkie shouts with glee. Obsidian’s younger sister, Ruby, joins her with cheers of her own. Their playful chants causing more embarrassment for the married couple to be. Cloudy Quartz walks into the dining room from the kitchen with a strawberry-chocolate cake in hand. “Since we’re talking about grandchildren, have you thought of any names?” She teases, removing her oven mittens. “MA!” Maud whines, glaring at her mother. “We haven’t even gone through with the wedding!” Obsidian tries to hide from the world. Their mothers’ chuckle at their plight. “Oh, hush now, I’m just teasing.” She walks into the kitchen, grabbing a knife. “So, since you want us to change the subject, where do you want the wedding held?” Maud runs one of her hands through her mane. “I’m not sure… I would like the after party to be held at the church’s barn, that’s for sure… Maybe the wedding can take place at Salt Rock.” Cloudy Quartz hands her and Obsidian a slice of cake. “That’s a beautiful place for a wedding.” Limestone comments as she plays a game of dice with Marble, Pinkie, and Ruby. Marble nods her head in agreement. “Well…” Onyx pulls out a calendar book from his pocket. “I think having the wedding in the next two weeks will give us enough time to put our affairs in order.” “You never leave your home without that thing, do you?” Igneous asks, his brow raised. Onyx chuckles. “You are correct my friend.” Maud and Obsidian stand on the porch, watching the rains fall upon the land. The cold air, causing their breaths to condense around them. Giving a content sigh, she rests her head on his shoulders. Their bodies close together for warmth. “Well…” Obsidian mumbles. Raising her brow, Maud looks up at the stallion. “Well, what?” Obsidian looks down at his fiancée. “Oh… I was just thinking.” He watches a stream of rainwater flow down the hill to the main street. “Thinking about what.” Maud sighs as she squeezes his upper left arm. “Just thinking how our lives will be changing.” He kisses her head, he feels her mane through her bonnet. “You, know… Marriage is a big change for both parties.” Maud smiles as she buries her face in his chest. “But a change for the better.” He rolls his eyes. “Of course,” He smiles. “A change for the better.” Chapter 3Octavia and Limestone walk down a worn, thin dirt road in the foothills on the outskirts of Ashmore. Both carry a vanilla-folder containing music sheets. In Octavia’s right hand is her fiddle in a leather-bound case. In Limestone’s left hand is a lunch pail full of hay sandwiches and peach slices. Nearing their destination, they walk up the wooden steps of a single-story home that’s seen better days. Knocking on the door, they wait patiently for it to open. Shuffling comes from behind the door. Hearing the lock unlatch, the doorknob turns, and the door swings inward revealing an elderly mare in her late eighties. Her glasses are large and thick. Her skin sags, causing her to have a permanent dull expression. “Oh goody, you fillies made it on time…” The elderly mare turns to look at her grandfather clock in the hall. “Yep, right on time.” “Hello, Miss. Daisy.” The sisters smile at the mare. Daisy smiles back and slowly steps away from the door, her cane keeping her steady as she walks further into her home. “Come fillies, let’s begin your lessons.” Pinkie and Marble are with their parents in downtown Ashmore, shopping for supplies for the day’s supper. Entering the bakery, they walk up to the counter where a mare stands behind the glass display, counting what pastries remain within. “Did you have a good morning Mrs. Cake?” Cloudy Quartz asks, placing her basket on the counter. Mrs. Cake looks up from her work and smiles at the family. “Oh yes, it was a rather good morning. Sold about 65% of our breakfast pastries.” She sees the twins looking over at her husband who’s working on a batch of chocolate chip cookies. “It looks like the twins are fascinated by my husband’s and I’s baking.” She looks at their mother. “Are they fascinated by your cooking and or baking?” Cloudy Quartz smiles. “Oh, very much so. They love helping me whenever they can.” She pats her daughters on the head. The brim and crown of their bonnets bouncing along with her pats. Mrs. Cake’s smile disappears as she realizes her bonnet is missing from her head. “Oh, I’m sorry…” She picks up her bonnet from the stool behind her and puts it on. “I forgot I took it off.” She ties its strings. Igneous smiles. “No worry Mrs. Cake. Unlike most stallions, it doesn’t bother me.” He chuckles. “Just be glad you’re not a zebra mare living in Zebrin. Zebra stallions would kill you for not wearing your headgear in public…” His laughter dies as he puts his hands on his hips and frowns. “Savages…” He walks away from the counter towards the center of the store. The twins watch their father with concern. Mrs. Cake looks at the stallion with a raised brow. Seeing her confused stare, Cloudy Quartz gives a sigh. “He fought in the Zebrin-Earthen War.” “I didn’t know your husband fought in that war?” Mrs. Cake picks up her clipboard. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Cloudy Quartz runs her hand along her brow. “There are days I would like to forget he did…” She looks over at her husband. He paces back n’ forth as he prepares a cigar. “The war did more harm to him than it did him good.” She removes the blanket from atop the basket. “I just wish the government would raise his benefits, to compensate for his loss.” Sensing that they shouldn’t be a part of the conversation, the twins walk over to Mr. Cake and watch him as he pulls out a batch of cookies from the large brick oven. Mrs. Cake nods. “I hear you… My husband barely gets enough for his service in the navy.” Cloudy Quartz hums, acknowledging her words. With a smile, she reaches into the basket and pulls out a slice of chocolate-strawberry cake. “What’s this?” Mrs. Cake wonders, her eyes staring at the plate displaying the dessert. “Oh, just something I made for my eldest and her fiancé.” She gives the slice to the mare. “They’re getting married.” Mrs. Cake smiles. “Finally, I was wondering when they would make it official.” She takes a small bite of the dessert. She hums, enjoying the light chocolatey textures and the richness of the strawberry filling. Smiling, she swallows and wipes some frosting away from her lips. “How’s she holding up?” “Oh, what am I going to do?” Maud whines as she squeezes her upper arms. Cheerilee watches the emotional teenage filly pace around her classroom. “Maud, relax.” She taps a stack of papers against her desk’s countertop. A moan escapes Maud’s lips as she passes her desk. “I think taking your mind off of the wedding will be good for you.” She gives a small smile. “Why don’t you help me…” “Oh… What was I thinking! I’m only sixteen! I can’t be getting married… I didn’t even finish my schooling…” Cheerilee gives her a flat lip stare. “Have you told your parents how you’re feeling?” “No!” Maud whipes her head to face her boss, her left eye twitching all the while. “Well, I think you should tell them,” Cheerilee states clasping her hands together. “I can’t, I need to look mature…” Maud pulls on her bonnet’s brim. “Maud, calm yourself!” Cheerilee gets up from her desk and walks over to the scared filly. “But… But…” “But nothing.” She rubs her thumb under the filly’s eyes, wiping away her tears. “You’re not married yet. So, you still have some time before you have to grow up.” She lifts her chin and gives a soft smile. Maud nods her head as she takes a deep breath. “Now come, help me get these lessons prepared.” Cheerilee sits back down at her desk. “Monday is going to be a hectic day for us.” Maud nods, taking her seat by her mentor. Obsidian sits at his kitchen’s table, pencil in one hand and several sheets of paper in the other. He frowns, setting down the stack on the table he marks in a bubble. “How is it going? His mother asks walking up to the table, her newborn in her arms. “Alright… I just… Why do I have to take these tests for the army?” He holds up the papers. “Pa never had to do this when he joined!” He places his pencil down, placing his head in his hands. Rose Sapphire smiles as she sits next to him. “Things were different back then.” “But I have to take this test again… I thought I was excepted?” She runs her hand through her son’s mane. “They’re just keeping you on your hooves.” Obsidian’s brother extends out his arms, his small fingers wiggling. He smiles and takes his brother from his mother’s arms. Holding him in a loving embrace, he points his finger at him. His brother grabs the finger with his small hands. With a chuckle, he shakes his brother’s hand. BOOM! Looking out the window, they stare at the town’s skyline and see a pillar of back smoke rising from the northside of town. “What was that?” Rose Sapphire asks. “Maybe it was a gas leak…” “No.” Onyx hisses stepping out of his study, interrupting his son. “That was no gas leak!” Limestone sits at a grand piano, its ivory keys are worn from years of use, the stain used for its wood construction faded with time. In front of her on the music-rack is a single piece of paper covered in musical notes. She squints at them and places her fingers on the corresponding keys. With a hum, she plays the top three rows of symbols. “Good, but you’re a little flat on the ‘G’ and ‘A’ keys.” Miss. Daisy comments from across the room. Limestone sighs as she places her fingers back to their starting positions and tries again. Sitting across from Limestone by the living room window, Octavia studies her music-sheet on a metal music-rack in front of her. With her bow resting on the strings, she places her fingers of her left-hand on the correct strings and frets, and moves the bow along them, playing the melody on the sheet. “Wonderful, wonderful…” Miss. Daisy hums walking up to the filly. “You’ve been improving.” Octavia looks up at her teacher. “Thanks, ma’am… Ow!” She drops her fiddle in her lap as she rubs the back of her hand. “But you’re playing it to slow!” Miss. Daisy states, wagging a wood spatula in front of Octavia’s snout. “But, I was trying to play the notes right…” Octavia whines. “You can’t over think it dear.” Miss. Daisy picks up the fiddle and closes her eyes, playing the same notes. “You must feel, you must be one with the fiddle.” Finishing the melody, she hands back the instrument and walks into the kitchen. Octavia sighs as she puts her chin on the chin rest of the fiddle. Closing her eyes, she plays the notes. Though it wasn’t as fast as how Miss. Daisy played it, it’s faster than her first attempt. Looking over at her sister, Limestone gives her a thumb up. Octavia returns the gesture before turning to the next music sheet. “Now that’s more like it.” Miss. Daisy chuckles walking into the living with a bowl of grapes. She sets it down on the coffee table. “Who wants a snack?” The sisters smile as they walk up to the table, taking a hand full of grapes. “I think you fillies deserve a break…” BOOM! The home shakes, knick-knacks and furniture vibrate in place as a shockwave rolls across the town. Feeling chills run up their spines, the sisters run into the hall and look out the large window facing downtown Ashmore. In the distance, a large plume of black smoke rises into the air. Fear washes over them as they move their gaze to the sky. “Fillies follow me into the basement!” Miss. Daisy shouts, motioning them with her cane. Seeing that they’re not responding, she throws up her cane and smacks the floor with its handle. “Fillies… Now!” Sitting at a small square-shaped table, Maud talks silently to herself as she goes over the multiplication and division questions for tomorrow’s lesson. Cheerilee stands by the blackboard, writing down several questions and facts on it with a stick of white chalk. The scraping of calcium carbonate against black slate causes Maud to grind her teeth. “How long does it take to get used to that sound?” She looks over at Cheerilee. Cheerilee giggles as she colors in a multiplication sign. “It took about a year for me, but there are days where it annoys me.” Maud folds her ears against her head. “Hello? Miss. Cheerilee are you here?” A filly calls out, sticking her head into the room. Maud looks towards the door and sees Ruby standing under the doorframe with a booklet in her arms. Her red colored eyes light up when she sees her. “Hello, future sister!” She waves with a giggle. “Hello, sis,” Maud smirks. Cheerilee looks over her shoulder. “You can come in dear.” Ruby nods, stepping into the classroom. “What is it that you need?” She sets down her chalk and walks up to the filly. “Well… I was wondering if you can help me with Friday’s math homework?” She asks, placing her booklet on the desk. Cheerilee raises her brow. “You haven’t completed your homework?” Ruby shakes her head. “No, I have finished my homework, I just wanted to make sure I did it right?” Cheerilee shakes her head, chuckling. “Well you’re in luck, pull up a chair, and your future sister-in-law will help you.” She walks back to the blackboard, while she gives the filly a goofy grin. Ruby giggles at her teacher’s manners. Placing her booklet on Maud’s table, she pulls up a chair and takes a seat next to her. Picking up her booklet, Maud turns to the marked page and looks over the work. Picking up a red colored pencil, she makes a couple of marks. “Maud?” “Yeah?” She replies, not looking up from her task. “Are you looking forward to the wedding?” She rocks back n’ forth in her chair. Maud moves her gaze from the booklet. “Yes… I’m just a little nervous, but I’ll be fine.” She gives the filly a smile. “What about you?” Ruby watches the fan’s blades directly above her spin slowly. “Yeah!” She smiles wide. “I will finally have a lot of sisters!” “Maud giggles at her words. With a smile, she rustles her mane through her bonnet. BOOM! The classroom shakes violently. The ceiling fans swing haphazardly. Books, knick-knacks and school supplies jostle around. Countertops, desks, and shelves vibrate in place. As the dust settles, Ruby gets up from her seat, her body shakes as she latches onto Maud. Holding the filly in her arms, Maud gets up from her seat and walks over to Cheerilee. “What was that?” She asks, comforting Ruby. “It sounded like an explosion…” Cheerilee sees a stallion running down the hall. “Mr. Zinc! Mr. Zinc!” She calls out. The stallion stops in his tracks. “Yes, Miss. Cheerilee?” He looks into the room at the trio. “Do you know what caused the explosion?” She asks. “No, but I’m going to find out!” He replies, heading down the hall to the front door of the schoolhouse. “What do we do?” Maud asks. “I’m not sure…” Cheerilee states, putting on her wool jacket. “Lets’ check it out. Maybe the coal refinery blew?” “But I thought the coal mines are closed during the weekends?” Maud follows Cheerilee out of the classroom. “Maybe the maintenance crew went to work early and did something to the machinery…” BOOM! BOOM! CRACK! BOOM! Several explosions ripple through the town. The schoolhouse creaks and groans as shockwaves assault its inner framework. Bits of plaster rain down on them from the cracks forming along the ceiling and walls. A ceiling lamp shakes itself loose and crashes onto the floor in front of them. “MA!” Ruby cries as she tightens her grip aroud Maud’s neck. “Shh… It’s all right…” Maud coos, as she regains her composure. Getting back on their hooves, they dash out of the schoolhouse. Stepping out onto the school’s courtyard, they look towards the town’s horizon and see several plumes of black smoke rising into the air across the town. A crowd of earth ponies running from their right causes them to turn their gaze in that direction. They see a massive fire raging from one of the epicenters. Earth ponies pour out from the black smoke. Soot and bits of debris cover them, some bleed from their ears and snouts. Others are unlucky, they stumble or crawl out, many falling to the ground like flies, their wounds overwhelming their wills to live. Gunshots ring out all around them as stallions and teen-colts take up arms and fire into the air. Ripping their gaze from the dead, they stare into the sky. Above them hovering seven-hundred-feet in the air, is a Unicorpian scout-class airship. Its ten cannons aiming towards the earth. Ten ear piercing cracks sound off in rapid succession. From the spent gunpowder smoke, ten distinctive black round-shaped metal objects rain down upon the town. Feeling a sense of dread as she watches one of the cannon rounds falling towards their position, Maud drags Cheerilee by the hand and runs back into the schoolhouse. “Hurry!” She shouts to the nearby earth ponies. Running down the hall, she gets to the entrance of the basement and opens it up. Several other earth ponies follow after her and pile into the large concrete shelter. Seeing no one else down the hall, one of the ponies, a young mare and stallion shut the door. Pinkie and Marble stand beside their father as he bargains with a farmer for his produce. “What if I buy a pound of radishes for four tokes…” He pulls out a bag from his burlap sack. “And a bag of my wife’s homemade peanut brittle?” The farmer looks at the bag and licks his lips. His wife standing behind him rolls her eyes. His two children laugh at his and his wife's expressions. “Well, my sweet tooth can’t pass up a deal like that!” The farmer shakes Igneous’s hand. After swapping items, Igneous and the twins step away from the stall and walk further into the farmers market. “Now where did your ma run off too?” He muses looking through the crowd of earth ponies. The twins giggle as they help their father in the search. “I see her!” Marble shouts, pointing as she jumps up n’ down. Igneous chuckles. “Well, why don’t the two of you go get her.” He whispers in their ears. The twins giggle uncontrollably as they take off running. Nearing their mother, they jump and latch onto her waist. Stunned by her daughters’ actions, she looks down at them in confusion. Their laughter causes her to have a sneaking suspicion. Looking around she eyes her husband a few feet away with a shit-eating grin on his face. She rolls her eyes. “Did you put them up to this?” “Maybe?” He walks up to her and kisses her forehead. She sighs, scratching the back of the twins’ necks. “You got the radishes?” “Sure did.” He holds up the paper sack filled with the spicy roots. Cloudy Quartz smiles and places them in her basket. BOOM! An explosion tears through the pleasant vibes of the market. The busy street which the market resides falls into silence. The crowds stop in their tacks as they look to the sky at the large plume of black smoke rising into the air. The town’s folk stare in awe as fear overwhelms them. Pinkie feels a chill run through her body. “Ma…” She holds on tight to her mother. “What’s happening?” Cloudy Quartz pulls her children close to her. “Igneous what’s going on?” Igneous feels a heaviness in his chest. “Cannon fire…” He grabs his wife’s hand. “We’re under attack…” BOOM! BOOM! CRACK! BOOM! Several explosions rock the town. Two of the bombings erupts two-hundred yards from their location. Debris scatters into the air as fires spill across the nearby homes. Earth ponies take off in a panic, hopelessly searching for shelter. Looking over his shoulders, Igneous sees a two-story church a block from town hall. “Follow me!” “Where are we going?” Cloudy Quartz runs after him, her daughters holding her hands tight. “The Trinity Church!” He shouts, weaving through panicked ponies. Getting to the church, he rapidly knocks on its doors. “Can you let us in!” A mare on the other side of the doors opens them. “Come in quick!” She motions them in. Noticing others near her church, the mare waves her hand calling them to safety. “The entrance to the basement is in the back!” She shouts over her shoulders to Igneous. Nearing the door to the basement, Igneous throws it open, allowing his wife, children and several of his fellow earth ponies to pile into the small basement. With the basement filling up fast, he stands under the doorframe, placing his hands against the sides of the doorframe. Looking towards the entrance of the church, he sees the mare guiding others inside, pointing to places where they can hide within the church. Before he can call out to the mare a cannon round slams into the earth eight feet from the church. The front half of the church disintegrates as the air blast slams against its frame. Igneous stares in horror as he watches several ponies fly through the air. In an instant, they crash into the back walls, glass windows and or pews. His body numbs as the lifeless body of the mare lands in front of him. Her skull is caved in, her neck is shattered, and her left eye dangles from its socket. Slowly getting up from the ground, he stumbles down the stairs, shutting the door behind him. Shaking he sits on one of the steps of the stair and lays his head in his hands. Sucking in a deep breath, he calms his nerves and looks at the ponies before him. His twin daughters stare at him wide-eyed. Feeling a sense of dread, he slowly steps up to them and pulls them into a hug. “I’m scared!” Pinkie cries. “I wanna see my sisters…” Marble cries. Cloudy Quartz looks at her husband. “What about our other daughters?” Other mares look at them with concern. “I’ll go and search for them.” Igneous gets up and heads for the door. “We’ll help you.” Two older stallions follow after him. “PA!” The twins yell as they chase him down. “Fillies, stay with your mother!...” Before he can finish his command, several more explosions assault the town. The ponies within the basement stumble to the floor, while others brace against the walls for support. With a grunt, Igneous crawls to his family and hugs them in a protective embrace. Maud stares at the concrete floor. Her mind is numb with countless thoughts of disbelief running through her mind. Hearing a painful ring in her ear, she begins to rub it. Ruby lays her head in Maud’s lap. Soft snores leave her lips as she rests her tired mind. Cheerilee sits to Maud’s right. Her eyes tremble as she watches herself pick at her nails on her left hand. “I don’t hear anything?” A child speaks. “Have the bombardments stopped?” A young stallion asks. His fearful eyes looking at the ceiling. “It’s been two hours, they must’ve!” A mare chokes on her words. “Calm! Let me check.” An elder stallion grunts as he gets up from the floor, walking up the steps to the door. “Be careful.” A young filly cries. The stallion nods as he places a hand on the doorknob. Opening the door, he pokes his head out. The hardwood floor of the hall is covered in plaster, lose wires and glass. With the walls and ceiling bare, the wood laths are exposed allowing some of the cellulose insulation to ooze out. Standing still for several seconds, the stallion listens for the crackle of gunfire or the thunderous booms of cannons. Instead, he hears the distant cries for help from the outside. “The coast is clear.” Holding Ruby in her arms, Maud walks around the rubble littering the gravel roads of her hometown. Her eyes stare in shock at what she sees. Cheerilee walks beside her, her heart heavy with dread. Nearing the town’s center, they see what remains of the farmers market. Stalls lay in ruin. Goods, produce, and bodies lay scattered across the street. Holding back her emotions, Maud looks around, her eyes trembling as she searches for her family. “MAUD!” Whipping her head to the left, she sees Obsidian, his parents and her sisters, Octavia and Limestone running towards her. “Ruby! Oh, thank the Lord!” Obsidian places one of his hands on Maud’s shoulder and the other on his sister’s head. Lost for words, Maud leans into him, laying her head against his chest, Ruby lays her head on his shoulder. He wraps his arms around them, comforting the both of them. “It’s all right.” He whispers. Maud’s sisters join in on the embrace. Pulling his wife into a hug, Onyx smiles at his son as he rubs his fingers along his newborn’s scalp. “Have you seen my parents… The twins?” Maud chokes. Obsidian sighs. “No… I haven’t.” He takes his sister from Maud’s arms and holds her in his. “We’ll find them.” He looks down at Limestone and Octavia with a soft smile. “Together…” “Maud! Octavia! Limestone! Oh, thank heavens!” Cloudy Quartz shouts, tears flooding her eyes. The sisters see their parents and the twins rush up to them. Pinkie and Marble pounce onto Maud pulling her to the ground. “Sisters!” Maud cries, with a chuckle as she pulls them into a hug. Limestone and Octavia sit beside them, joining in on the loving embrace. Standing over her daughters, Cloudy Quarts lays her hands on her knees and takes a deep breath, trying to calm her shaking body. Igneous looks into the sky with several other ponies. They all see the Unicorpian airship that had assaulted their town off in the distance several miles away. It’s now a black spec in the afternoon sky. “What do we do?” Obsidian asks looking at Igneous and his father. Ruby, Maud, and her sisters look up at the stallions, their eyes full of fear. Igneous and Onyx look at the devastation surrounding them. “We help look for survivors,” Onyx replies, removing his flat-cap from his head, clasping it in his hands. Igneous nods. “Then let’s get started.” -Two Hours Later- Maud along with Obsidian and several other ponies slowly make their way through the rubble ridden streets of central-district Ashmore, searching for survivors. Arriving at Town Hall, they look upon it. The pride of Ashmore still stands tall over the town, but not proud, its façade scared by fire and ash. Nearing a large section of plaster wall from a house that was blown to bits, Maud, Obsidian and four others grab a part of it and lift it up, moving it to one side. Eyeing what’s underneath, they jump back in shack at what they see. A mare lays face down in the mud. Her arms are bent in ways that are unnatural. Next to her are her children, two colts. The colt to her left lays partially under her. All they can see of him is his lower half and one of his hands. His brother lays their mother’s right. He lays facing up in the mud. His legs and spine are broken. His eyes stare painfully at the group, Maud stares at the family, tears swell around her eyes. Her legs buckle sending her the ground. But, before she falls into the mud, Obsidian catches her. “Hey! Take a deep breath…” He coos in her ear, holding her tight to his chest. “I know these colts… I tutored them!” Maud chokes. “They were so sweet…” She grabs his blue polo shirt, crying into his chest. One of the stallions next to them rubs the back of his neck. “Compose yourself filly, we need to take them to the dead pile…” Pinkie and Marble stand on the roadside near their home church. Hey innocent eyes overlook the destruction before them. Confusion and anger consume their thoughts as they watch several stallions pull the body of the candy shop owner from the rubble that was his shop. Hearing an agonizing cry coming from the pub across the street, the twins timidly cross the street out of morbid curiosity. Peeking into the building, what was once a lively place, where many gathered to waste time, is now an impromptu medical center madhouse of earth ponies running about, trying their best to fix the wounded and dying. Hearing a scream, the twins move their gaze to a mare laying on an oak table. They stare numbly at the blood gushing from her torn legs. “PINKIE! MARBLE! What are you doing?!” The twins jerk from their sister’s voice. Turning around they see Octavia standing over them, her tears wet the fur around her eyes. Her eyes full of concern. Noticing the chaos in the pub she looks in and sees the dying mare. Fight back her emotions, she lays her hands on her sisters’ shoulders. “Come fillies, turn your eyes elsewhere.” She leads them back to their mother. Igneous stands by the steps of his home church, or what’s left of it. Its roof is blown off, the bell tower once towering proudly over the town with townhall, now rest on the church’s floor. It’s top with the cross being the only visible piece from where he stands. “They’ve destroyed the Lord’s house!” The pastor yells, hot tears rolling down his face. Igneous feel pity for the stallion. With a sigh he kneels down beside him. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, the pastor looks at Igneous with pained eyes. He extends out his arms towards him. Igneous looks down at his hands and sees several pieces of stained-glass. “My son made these… Made every single stained glass for this church… And now they’re gone… I have nothing left to remember him…” The glass cuts his hands as he fists them. Seeing the blood drooling down the stallion’s arm, he Igneous gently opens his hands and removes the glass fragments. Sobs overwhelm the pastor he grips onto Igneous. Igneous returns the embrace, his eyes staring at his town, his home, all the while a fire burns through his soul. “Mares and stallions! Please can I have your attention!” The area around the church quiets down as all eyes fall upon the mayor of Ashmore, Bedrock a stallion in his fifties. “I’ve been spreading the word, that we must leave our homes! It is no longer safe!” He steadies his broken arm. “We must go north and head for Ponyville or Stalliongrad!” He shouts through clinched teeth. “Why don’t we stay and fight!” A stallion yells, calling on the town to cheer him on. Several others join in with him. “What if they come back!” A young mare asks, holding her child close to her chest. “What about the safety of our children!” Bedrock looks at the crowd with sadness. “We must go… Half the town is either dead or wounded! We can’t stay and fight!” “We have enough stallions!” A stallion yells “Our town’s population was only twelve hundred and half of them are gone!” Bedrock growls. “If they come back, they will spare no one!” Several mares and children begin to cry. Pinkie, Marble, Limestone and Octavia tighten their hug they’re giving their mother. Several stallions step up to the mayor. “Allow us to gather what stallions and teen colts we can.” One speaks up. “Lets them, let us stay and fight.” He places a hand on the mayor’s good shoulder. “It will give the ones fleeing enough time to make it out.” The mayor looks like is about to protest, but Onyx steps up to the group. “I think splitting up the refugees will help get many to safety.” He states. “And why split up the survivors?” A stallion asks. “If the Unicorpian blimp comes back, they’ll easy spot a group that numbers in the hundreds.” He places his hands on his hips. “But is we leave as small groups number in the fifties or little under a hundred, we have a better chance at hiding from the blimp.” The mayor places his good hand on his chin and thinks. With a long sigh he looks at his citizens with a defeated frown. “I give you permission to gather a force, but count me in, I’m not leaving my town…” He looks at his town with a loving smile. “I want my revenge.” “Alright, spread the word, we are leaving!” Onyx shouts. Four groups of survivors, ones that are able-bodied and those whose injuries aren’t fatal, make their way out of Ashmore. Putter-wagons that still function haul supplies, while wooden carts pulled by giant boars, haul the children, the elderly and the injured. Pinkie and her family are in the largest of the group. They sit in the second wagon from the front. Sitting with them is Obsidian’s mother, brother and sister. Four leather suitcases lay in the back of the wagon along with several sheets and dense-cotton-fabric tents. Dread fills the air, it's so thick that a knife can cut it. Pinkie, Marble, and Ruby stare at the hills in front of them as they lean against the short wall on the right-side of the wagon. Their eyes watch the bushes and pine saplings swaying in the breeze. Limestone and Octavia sit left of their mother, their gaze looking at their town as it fades in the distance. The smoke from the dying fires creating a dark hazy mass over the town. Maud sits on her mother’s right, she watches her sisters, studying their expressions as her mind replays the attack over and over in her head. Igneous, Onyx, Obsidian and eleven other stallions march in front of the groups with lever action rifles in their hands. Being in the back of the group it allows Obsidian to glance over his shoulders, his gaze staying on Maud. Igneous looks at the young stallion with a flat stare as he studies his mannerisms. With a sigh, he turns his attention back to the road. Onyx eyes his son as well, but he only gives a sigh before returning his attention back to his task. Nearing the crest of the ridge on the hill. The four groups say their good byes and go their separate following the trails that will lead them to towns nearby. -Six Hours Later- Worn from the long hike, largest group of refugees from Ashmore pull off to the side of the road. Hiding their vehicles in the tall brush, they set up camp. Within to time twenty-seven tents are erected in a semi-circle. The sun setting in the shines its last bit of light onto the snow-covered lands. By their family’s tent, Cloudy Quartz sits besides a firepit with Octavia, Limestone, Pinkie, Marble, Ruby, Rose Sapphire and her newborn. A cast-iron pot sits on a bed of hot coals. Lifting the lid, Cloudy Quartz scoops up a ladle full of honey baked beans and fills up several metal bowls. With help from Rose Sapphire, they hand the meals to the children. “Let’s pray before we eat.” Rose Sapphire hums, clasping her hands together. They all say a soft prayer. Saying amen, they children begin eating their meals hungerly. “Dear?” Igneous and Onyx walk up to their families. “Yes?” Cloud Quartz looks up at her husband. “We filled this up with spring water from the creek.” He sets down a large wooden bucket. The fillies pick up their empty metal cups and dipthem into the bucket. He smiles at his daughters as they take a drink. “Do you know where Maud went off to?” “No… she Just walked off to the hills up that away.” She points north towards Ashmore. “Speaking of Maud… Where is Obsidian?” Rose Sapphire wonders. Igneous and Onyx look at each other with wondering glares. Maud sits on a large rock overlooking the small grassy valley surrounded by the northern mountain ranges. Her eyes fall upon one of the mountain peaks as she watches its snow twinkle in the moonlight. The small stream next to her, flowing past her at a brisk pace calms her. Placing her left hoof in her lap, she rubs its base, relaxing the tense muscles. “Maud.” She looks over her shoulders and sees Obsidian making his way to her. She can see that his eyes look tired. “Hey Obsidian…” She turns her attention back to her hoof. “How are you?” Obsidian takes a seat next to her on the rock. “I’m the one who should be asking you that question.” He watches her rub her hoof. Maud sighs as she watches several patches of grass around them dance with the soft breeze. “I’m alright… I just can’t get the images out of my head.” Obsidian places an arm over her shoulder, pulling her into a hug. She sighs, laying her head on his chest. They sit in silence for several minutes, letting nature sing to them. Watching a giant storm cloud rolling across the sky, Obsidian strokes his fiancée’s cheek with his left hand, enjoying the quiet. Feeling his love pull away from his embrace, he looks down at her with concern. “Is everything alright?...” Her lips press against his. They stay this way for several seconds before she pulls from the embrace. “I love you.” She whispers into his ear. “So, do I…” He holds her head in his hands, pulling her into another kiss. This time they pour more passion into it. Without breaking her kiss, she moves from her spot on the rock and sits on his lap, her knees resting beside his hips and her hooves resting on his knees. Breaking the kiss, they pant as they stare into one another’s eyes, reading one another’s passion. They kiss again, their tongues fighting for dominance. Maud breaks the kiss gently bites down on his lower lips as she pulls away. “I want you to give me something to remember you by…” She whispers into his ears. Obsidian looks at her, confused by her statement. “Leave you… Maud! We’re not even married yet…” He runs his fingers along her cheek. “I not going to die…” She kisses him again. “You don’t know that!” She pushes him down against the rock. “The Lord will forgive us…” She kisses him again. “This is what he commands us to do.” She lays her forehead against his, her eyes looking lustfully into his. “I don’t want to be left alone with only my memories of you.” Tears roll down her cheeks. Obsidian lets his worries go as he kisses her hard, his tongue dominating hers as he lifts her up, laying her on her back on the soft soil. Breaking the kiss, he pulls her bonnet off, setting it beside her as he runs his other hand through her mane. She bites her lower lip as her hands work the button of his pants. With his pants lose, he grabs her wrist and pins them against the ground. “I’ll give you what you wish…” He kisses her again as he lifts her dress’s skirt. Igneous leans against a redwood tree on the edge of camp. He stares out into the darkness of the brush, waiting for something or someone to show themselves from the void. With a grunt, pulling out his watch from his jacket’s pocket, he uses the light from the lanterns of the camp behind him to read the time. ‘9:12pm’ He frowns and stares back at the forest. Hearing rustling coming from the bushes, he looks to his left to see Obsidian and Maud stumbling out if the woods. Their manes are wild and their clothes unkempt. He grits his teeth and coughs loudly, alerting the two. Maud seeing her father’s stern expression blushes, her eyes full of embarrassment as she puts on her bonnet. Obsidian looks down at his hooves, keeping his cool. Igneous frowns as he waves his hand, beckoning them to come. Standing in front of her father, Maud gives a nervous chuckle. “Pa, I can explain…” “Explain what exactly?” He looks her over, taking off her bonnet. “I can smell the act of mating all over the both of you…” he frowns fixing her mane. “Go wash up and head to bed, I need to speak to your fiancé.” Maud looks back at Obsidian then her father before heading to her family’s tent. Obsidian stares at his father-in-law. Igneous’s eyes are stone cold. The young stallion falters a bit. “Sir, her and I got…” Igneous smacks him across the face. “Got carried away! Colt, you need to learn to keep it in your pants!” Igneous pulls out a cigar. “You’re twenty-two, you should know better.” His eyes sending dagger at the colt. “You know premarital sex is a sin!” Obsidian rubs his cheeks, recovering from the powerful hit. “Maud wanted to bear a foal, and I gave her what she wanted!” He grits his teeth as he stares down the stallion. Igneous frowns. “I do not need my daughter with foal while Unicorpian troops are breathing down our necks!” He jabs a finger in Obsidian’s chest. Obsidian steps up closer to the elder stallion. “I know that sir! But your forgetting one thing! I’ll be there for her!” He snorts. “I will protect her and our foal, it’s my responsibility to do so and by-God I will not cower!” He puts a fist to his chest. “If you dislike our decision to mate out of wedlock, then try to break us up!” He turns around walking away from the stallion. Igneous rubs his snout, with a sigh, he breathes in smoke from his cigar. “I won’t break the two of you up… Hell, if I did, it will only make matters worse.” He takes another puff. Obsidian turns around and faces him. “The both of you have to work it out with the Lord now…” Igneous walks up to the colt and hands his cigar over. Obsidian takes it with some hesitation, he looks at the bound stick of tobacco before taking a puff. Igneous watches the colt for a bit before resuming. “I hope you know that you’re no longer a colt, but a stallion now.” Obsidian looks at his father-in-law. “I know that sir...” Igneous nods. “Good.” Obsidian gives back the cigar. “Goodnight, son, get some rest.” Obsidian nods and heads back to his family’s tent. Chapter 4Pinkie, her sisters and Ruby stand under and large willow tree, hiding from the torrential rains as they assault the land. “Push!” Tearing their gaze from the sky, they turn their attention to several stallions and teen colts pushing carts and putter-wagons that are stuck in the muddy red soil of the Grassy Knoll foothills. A strong gust blows over the refugees, throwing some stallions to the ground and rustling the boars, causing the beasts to pull the carts further into the mud. With a violent howl of the winds the rains change directions. Feeling the cold stings hitting their hooves, the sisters, Ruby and the other children huddle closer to the willow tree. “Push!” Ash yells at the group of stallions of varying ages. “Damn it! It’s no use!” Obsidian huffs, running his hands through his soaked mane. “Do you want us mares to set up the tents?” Golden Stone a three-month pregnant mare speaks up, looking at the stallions with soft eyes. Granite sighs as he looks over at Igneous. “What do you think?” Igneous glares down at the mud under his hooves. “Damn…” A younger stallion huffs as he steps into the center of the group. “We’ve been traveling for three days straight without proper meals and appropriate sleep!” He points to the sky. “It’s getting dark, we need to set up camp, allow ourselves to dry off, eat a meal, let the injured rest.” “What about the Unicorpian troops?” Miss. Cheerilee asks, standing next to Cloudy Quartz, Maud, and Rose Sapphire. “Why would they waste their resources on a group of a hundred and one earth ponies?” The young stallion huffs in frustration. “Copper you don’t know if they’ve given up!” Silver Stone states looking at him with a raised brow. “Look!” He points in the direction of Ashmore. “We haven’t seen them in the past three days! Even now!” He holds his hands out wide. “Look at us, we need the rest!” The group falls into silence as they ponder his statement. The elder stallions of the group look at one another and nod. “Let’s go ponies, we got work to do…” Ash states. Within the hour the camp is built. A cooking station is hard at work fixing supper for the group. Off near the end of the camp three tents are put together making a medical-bay like area for the small group of injured, so they can rest for the night. Eight stallions and five teen colts patrol the camp, acting as a buffer if any Unicorpian troops happen to come down the hill to the south. In a tent next to the willow tree, Pinkie and her sisters lay on their cloth mats, staring at the ceiling. The light from the lantern giving them enough light to see one another. They mindlessly watch the tent flap with the winds, listening to the drumming of the rains against the tent and the hissing of the lantern’s flame. “So, Maud, how do you feel?” Maud moves her gaze to Octavia. She looks at her long black mane draping over her pillow. “What do you mean?” The cold outside air mixing with her warm breath as she speaks. Octavia blushes. “You know… Do you feel… Pregnant?” Her younger sisters blush. Even though their parents told them what sex led to. The thought of it still flustered them. Maud thinks about her sister’s question. Her hand instinctively rubbing her belly. “I’m not sure… I feel the same.” Pinkie rolls over, crawling up to her eldest and poking her stomach. “Your belly does look the same, very flat.” She giggles at her own words. Her sisters join in with their own sets of snickering. Maud gives Pinkie a playful frown as she rustles her mane. Their mother hums, shaking her head. “You’ll know for sure when you’re pregnant.” She gives her eldest daughter a smirk as she knits a scarf. “You’ll wake up one morning puking your guts out.” Maud goes pale. “Oh, colt…” Her mother rustles her mane. “You shouldn’t worry yourself too much.” She hums. “I was two years younger than you when I had my first bout of morning sickness.” She stops her knitting as she remembers her first pregnancy. “Imagine what I went through.” Her daughters’ eyes go wide. “Wait! You were fourteen when you had Maud?” Octavia rolls over, staring at her mother in confusion. “Why so young?” Cloudy Quartz returns to her knitting. “It’s a long story…” “We have time!” Her children look at her with begging eyes. Their mother sighs. “Really dears, it not a big deal…” “Not a big deal? You’re our Ma, I think it’s a big deal.” Limestone sits on her knees, crossing her arms. “How come you don’t think its such a big deal?” The twins ask. Cloudy Quartz rubs the back of her neck. “Well my Ma, never told my siblings and I how she got pregnant and or married.” She stares at her daughters. Their eyes grow big, their lips sticking out as far as they could. “Well, I guess I could start a new tradition, it’s only fair you know how I met your father and had Maud so young...” She giggles. “Well, how your father practically begged my Pa for my hand in marriage.” Her daughters snicker. “Was Pa actually begging Grandpa to marry you?” Octavia asks, kicking her legs in the air as she lays on her belly. Her head in her hands. Their mother laughs. “Oh yes, that poor stallion fell head over hooves as soon as he laid eyes on me.” She crosses her legs, placing her hands on her lap. “It all started in church.” Pinkie and Marble pull the ends of their nightgowns over their legs and wrap their arms around their legs. “Your Pa and I used to live in Blackmore, a copper mining town way smaller than Ashmore… Well, I’ve seen your father come to my church before, many of times, we would always make eye contact, but that stallion never had the nerves to come up to me.” “How did you know he liked you?” Octavia asks. “Oh, his face would turn bright red, HA! You could swear he was part lobster!” Her daughters laugh. “Glad you find that funny. Anyways, one day I’m sitting in my pew next to my Ma and out of the corner of my eye I see your Pa walking up to me. He was so nervous, he practically tripped over himself trying to get to me.” She crosses her arms, looking at the lantern hanging above them. “Well, being thirteen I thought his mannerisms were quite charming, seeing him stumbling over his words and the like, for little old me… But out of the blue, he asked me to marry him. My Ma and I were shocked. I was thinking, here is this twenty-two-year-old stallion asking for my hand in marriage, when we’ve barely even talk to one another.” “What did you do?” The twins ask, wonder coating their words. Cloudy Quartz smiles. “I told your Pa to go ask my Pa.” She rubs her chin, giggling. “If you think he was a wreak when talking to me, he was like mush talking to your Grandpa.” Her daughters laugh as they picture their father in that situation. “Your Grandpa told your Pa he needed to prove himself, so he got him to work right away. He helped my siblings, and I with our chores around the house even worked at my Pa’s blacksmithing shop.” She lets out a long sigh. “The dork didn’t even have a job when he asked me to marry him.” Maud looks at her mother in confusion. “Didn’t Pa serve in the army at the time?” Her mother nods. “Yes, but the military at the time didn’t pay their troops all that well, well not enough to support a family that is…” She looks at her daughters. “Anyways, while your father tried to impress Grandpa, I decided to hang around him, so he could get the chance to impress me, I mean, he wanted to marry me after all.” Her daughters give her knowing smirks. “Well… I guess I also wanted to have something to look at…” She blushes, Octavia and Maud roll their eyes, while their sisters giggle. “How long did it take for him to impress Grandpa?” The twins ask, rocking back n’ forth on their behinds. Cloudy Quartz smiles, thinking back on the experience. “Took your Pa about a year. My Pa was sure that he would’ve given up within the month and run off looking for another, but he surprised him. Your Pa stayed put. He got really close to the family, close to me…” She looks at her wedding ring with a smile as she rotates it around her ring finger. “After my fourteenth birthday we got married, and then a month later I ended up pregnant with you.” She rustles Maud’s mane. “And the rest is history as they say.” The sisters look at their mother with broad smiles as they study the glow on her face. Hearing hoof steps coming up to the tent, the family looks at the door as it opens, revealing Igneous, Onyx and his family with several small bowls of tomato cabbage soup. “Is something wrong?” Igneous asks, seeing his daughters giving him funny looks. They snicker at his question. Cloudy Quartz smirks at her husband. “I’ve told them how you got my Pa’s permission to marry me.” She puts a hand to her lips, giggling to herself. Rose Sapphire giggles as she stares at the blushing stallion. His cheeks redden as his and Onyx’s children join in on the laughter. “Can you tell us Mrs. Pie?” Ruby asks with large puppy eyes. Her younger brother mumbles as he waves his stubby little arms, his body wiggling in his mother’s arms. “Oh yes, I would love to hear it as well, give me some pointer before I ask for Maud’s hand.” Obsidian chuckles. Maud rolls her eyes. “Colt, you’ve already asked her hand…” Igneous gives the young stallion a stern glare. “Honey maybe another time?” He looks at his wife, with a charming grin. “Mmm…” She stares down her husband. “Sure, why not, take a seat, and Auntie Pie will tell you a story.” She smirks at her husband. Onyx chuckles. “Great, I like stories.” He steps into the tent, giving Igneous a pat on the shoulder. Igneous internally sighs as he takes a seat next to his wife. On a fifteen-feet ledge lays an Unicorpian scout about forty-yards from the refugees’ camp. There he waits, watching over the earth ponies through his bronze binoculars. Absorbing all the information he needs. The young unicorn stallion packs up his binoculars in his saddle bag sling his bolt-action rifle over his shoulder before heading down the hill to his platoon’s airship. A scout-class Unicorpian airship sits docked in a small meadow surrounded by a thick grove of pine and willow trees. The ship itself is thirty-feet long and fifteen-feet wide. Ten ten-millimeter cannons sit mounted to its sides. Thick five-millimeter steel plating lines the bottom of its hull. Attached to the ship is a ninety-feet long and forty-five-feet diameter helium balloon floating above it. Five squads of light Unicorpian airmen stand in the rains, by the rampart of the airship, awaiting orders. Their captain stands in front of them, watching them, his eyes scanning for any weakness. Hearing sloshing hoof-steps, he looks to the left ad sees one of his scouts running down the hill. “Captain! I have good new!” The scout calls out. “What is it?” The captain stares at the panting unicorn. “They have set up camp near the valley’s edge at the base of the hill.” The scout salutes his commanding officer. “Most of them are taking refuge in their tents. Only thirteen guard the camp.” “What arms are the brandishing?” The captain eyes the top of the hill about a mile-and-a-half away. “They’re armed with lever-action-rifles, typical dirt-eater shit!” He drops his salute. “I believe if we go now, we can surprise them and take their camp without spilling unnecessary blood.” He smirks. “Until, you know…” The captain nods at the stallion’s words, as he mulls over them. Glancing at his men, he gives a long content hum. “Stallions?” He places his hands behind his back and full faces them. His men stand at attention. “Yes, Sir!” They shout. “We move now!” Use smoke-spark-grenades, disarm any who wield weapons, do not shoot unless you have to! The more that are cleaned of wounds the better!” “Raising his arm and signals the crew of his airship to warm the ship. “The faster we finish this mission the sooner we can get out of this blasted rain!” Several feet away from their tents, Igneous, Onyx and Obsidian stand under a larger oak-tree. Each of them smokes cigars as they watch the rains fall upon the earth around them. The hissing of butane lanterns dulls the ambient sound of laughter filled conversations and nature. “You think the rains will let up anytime soon?” Obsidian asks his father, chewing the end of his cigar. “Not sure…” Onyx eyes the dark sky, watching the clouds roll into themselves. “From the look of things, it could last all night.” He puffs on his cigar, putting his hands in his coat’s pockets. “We’ll just have to let nature run its course.” Igneous hums an agreement as he watches his hot breath mix with the cold air. Seeing his breath vapor disintegrate for the rain droplets, her takes a long puff of his cigar. Hearing a dull mushy thud, the trio look towards the forest’s edge looking for the source of the noise. Seeing a metallic cylinder sticking out of the mud, confusion washes over them. Slowly Onyx walks up to the object and kneels down, studying it. “What is it Pa?” Obsidian asks. Onyx looks over at his son. “I think it’s a…” PING! SPSSSS! BANG! A cloud of thick gray smoke erupts around them. Rapid loud pops pierce the mild abeyance within the camp. More cylinders erupt around the camp, blanketing it in a thick dense fog of smoke, causing many of the earth ponies to couch and their ears to ring. His mind in a daze, Igneous stumbles through the fog, searching for his friend. “Onyx! Are you alright?!” He looks around, trying to see through the thickness. “Pa!” Obsidian shouts only a few feet from Igneous. Hearing hoof-steps running up to him, Igneous looks away from his son-in-law and turns his gaze to the forest. Seeing a figure in the fog, a bust of fear washing over him. A ball of green light hovers over the figure’s head. “Shit…” Igneous hisses as he goes for his pistol. Before he can unholster his firearm, the figure teleports right in front of him, their snouts touching. With a quick punch to his gut, Igneous crumples to the ground. The unicorn grabs his pistol and throws it across the camp. With a growl the unicorn pins Igneous to the ground. “Stay down dirt eater!” The unicorn spits in broken earth pony speak. Igneous stares at the bayonet inches from his neck. Growling, he gives the soldier a cold icy glare. His thoughts of rebellion die down, however, when he hears the screams of his wife and children. Lifting his head up the best he can, he watches in horror as Unicorpian airmen dragging his and Onyx’s family from the tent, throwing them to the ground. Seeing their fearful eyes staring back at him, he yells out a war cry as he jumps up from the ground. The unicorn pins him down with his hoof, as he pushes the blade against his neck. The tip cutting the top layer of skin. “I said down! Dirt eater!” With no other options, a sense of dread falls upon Igneous as painful memories reenters his mind. Chaos fills the air as Unicorpian soldiers run amuck through the camp. They drag earth ponies from their tents, carts and or bushes, and forces them into one large group. Soon, the smoke clears and screaming stops as the earth ponies of the camp can finally see the small platoon of unicorns aiming their weapons at them. Walking up to the group of earth ponies, the captain stands before them. Giving a smirk, he begins counting. “A hundred and one… Wow… What a large group!” He chuckles in his native tongue. “who knew earth ponies mated so much?” He looks at his men. “They get busy don’t they fellas?” His men laugh while the earth ponies look at them in fear and confusion, some however, pick up on some of the words being spoken, and upon hearing those words they frown. Ignoring the earth ponies’ questioning glares, the captain puts his hands behind his back and begins pacing in front of his prisoners. “Private Stars! Private Kepler! Which ones look injured to you?” The asked stallions walk among the prisoners, eyeing each of them, making mental notes. “Fifteen Stallions, twelve mares and ten children!” Private Stars replies. The captain hums, glancing over his prisoners once more. He smiles as his gaze lands on Onyx and a mare clutching her son’s forehead. “Make that sixteen stallions and eleven children.” He snaps his fingers. Several of his men swoop in, dragging the injured to the front of the group of prisoners. The mare clutches her son tighter and fights back. Frustration builds in one of the airmen causing him to hit her on the back of her head with the butt end of his rifle. She goes limp and falls face first into the mud. Another airmen bends down and checks her pulse, with a frown, he shakes his head. “You monster!” A mare yells standing up, raising her fist high in the air. “Shut your mouth bitch!” A trooper shouts in broken earth pony speak, aiming his rifle. The mare shakes in fear and quickly gets back on her knees, her eyes never leaving the weapon. Pinkie and her sisters cower by their mother, their mind numb with fear at what was happening around them. Obsidian and Ruby watch as their father is dragged to the front of the group. Their mother does the same, tears swell around her eyes. With the injured at his hooves, the captain looks down at them with a sly grin. His gaze is drawn to Onyx. The stallion’s eyes are swollen, tears flow from them. He looks pathetic. “What the hell happened to you?” He asks speaking fluent earth pony speak. Onyx keeps silent, his lips scowling, his breathing coarse. The captain shrugs and turns his gaze to the colt. “Maybe the colt has better manners.” The colt remains silent as well, his large eyes stare madly at his dead mother. The captain sighs pulling out his pistol. “You’ll see her soon…” Pulling the slide, he fires a single round into the colt’s skull. Grey matter flies everywhere, the colt’s lifeless body crumples to the right-side straight into the mud. The earth ponies jerk back, gasping in shock, their eyes tremble as they eye the colt and the captain. Emotions fluctuate from fear to rage, their eyes stare at the unicorn, horrified by his lack of empathy. Cleaning the gray matter off his pistol, he addresses their concerns. “You’re all wondering why I shot him?” He waves to his men. A small group of them take aim at the group of wounded. “It’s because he, like them.” He points to the group of wounded. “Cost to many bits… oh what do you call them… Ah, yes, tokes…” The soldiers aiming, charge their rifles. “Unicorpia needs healthy prisoners to feed its need for war…” He gives his men the signal. An orchestra of gun fire, screams, tearing flesh and breaking bones fill the air. Silence fills the air once more… Clouds of spent gunpowder float in the air, forcing the ponies to taste sulfur. A mass of blood, flesh and bones lays before the prisoners who find themselves unlucky to be alive. Shock paralyzes most, other hurl from the sight and smell. Others stare at the captain and his men with hate. With a chuckle, the captain turns around and heads back up the hill. “Don’t torch the place, leave it as a reminder for any who come upon it.” Sitting on her knees, Pinkie hangs her head. She hisses as she feels a sharp pain shoot up her legs. The wood paneling of the airship’s cargo-hold is uneven and rough. It also didn’t help that heavy iron restraints hang from her wrists and neck. With a pathetic sigh she tries to get comfortable, but the chains binding her to the floor, also pulls the ponies kneels next to her, closer to her. She gives the two an apology. Both understand her uncomfortable position and return her gesture. Pinkie lets a sob slip past her lips as she hangs her head once again. Seven ponies away on Pinkie’s left is her mother. Cloudy Quartz stares at her daughter. Tears roll down her face. Her motherly instincts overwhelm her, screaming and demanding that she do her duties. But the chains that bind her to the floor deny her. Maud and Octavia sit beside one another over by the ladder, leading to the upper decks of the airship. They look over their shoulders at their sisters. Their gaze heavy with sadness as they see their twin sisters crying to themselves. Limestone sits in the middle of the cargo-hold next to Obsidian, Ruby and Rose Sapphire. She fidgets with her restraints, hopelessly believing that she can escape. Obsidian looks at Limestone with a flat stare. He sees her skin getting raw around the restraints. Giving a pained sigh, he turns his eyes to his wrists and looks at the dry blood coating the fur. Ruby buries her head in her brother’s lap. Her muffled sobs echo the cargo-hold, mixing with others. Her tears stain her brother’s jeans. Rose Sapphire stares at her children as she holds her youngest tight to her bosom. Her tear-filled eyes looking over them protectively. Igneous and Marble sit b the stern of the ship. Marble lays her head against her father’s chest. Her breathing is sporadic as she chokes on her tears. Igneous strokes Marble’s scalp as he looks at his daughters. A sense of dread weighs heavy on his heart as he stares at his daughters and wife. Overwhelmed with shame, he looks away, staring at the bearings and wires of the metal-rampart-door. Hearing his little one’s cries, he begins to feels his will to stay strong leaving him. Sucking in a sigh, he lays his head in his hands. The blimp rocks from turbulence, waking sleeping ponies or breaking many from their haze. Readjusting their kneeling positions, they relax once again. CRACK! BOOM! The airship groans as it shakes violently, knocking prisoners and soldiers alike to the floor. Several more explosions rock the ship, loose tools and knick-knacks fall from the walls and ceiling of the cargo hold. Pinkie looks around in pure shock as she feels the ship make a sharp dive, before righting itself with a turn to the left into a stable position. “Oria! Man asemat!” The captain’s muffled command echoes into the cargo hold. Pinkie looks up, hearing the frantic hoof-steps of the airmen above. The airship jolts as loud rapid pings rack its under-hull. “He ampuvat meita!” The airship rocks again sending the prisoners to the left. It rights itself once more, picking up speed. Its right and left side cannons firing at whatever is attacking it. Pinkie’s heart rate increases as her surroundings falls into chaos. Scared out of her mind, she begins to cry, hoping the she’ll fade from this nightmare. Her mother seeing her daughter’s distraught demeanor, starts to panic herself. “Sun Flower!” Her mother calls out to the young mare kneeling next to Pinkie. Sun Flower looks over at Cloudy Quartz. “Yeah?” She yells back, panic coating her words. “Comfort my daughter, please!” “I will!” She turns her gaze to Pinkie, who is visibly shaking. “Sweetie, its ok.” She places her hands on her left shoulder. Pinkie glances at the mare with some hope returning to her. Another array of metallic pings dots the bottom of the airship. This time, however, bullets break through, striking the cargo hold’s ceiling and any unlucky earth ponies or unicorns. The top of Sun Flower’s skull rips open, gray matter sprays in all directions, blood pours out of her wound, mouth, and snout. Pinkie stares in horror as the mare’s lifeless body falls on the top of her, bathing her in blood. The airship shakes once again as it leans to the right, sending the ponies falling in that direction. Pinkie, however, goes further than the others, smacking against the cargo-hold’s wall. The corpse of Sun Flower dangles helplessly from her wrist and neck restraints. “Pinkie! Are you alright?” Her mother calls out in a panic. Before Pinkie can respond, the ship leans to the left, tossing them like trash, once more. Groaning in pain, Pinkie sits up from the ground and glances at the wall. Seeing one of the windows dotting the wall is open, morbid curiosity gets the better of her. On shaking limbs, she crawls to the window. She’s about to reach out to grab one of the ropes hanging on the wall, but her chains prevent her from advancing further. Looking over her shoulder, she sees Sun Flower’s lifeless body acting as her anchor. Feeling the airship tilt to the right once again. She braces herself. Crashing into the wall, she fights the pain and quickly grabs onto the ropes and holds on tight. Securing her position on the wall, she looks out the window at the valley below. A land-battle between Earthen Republic and Unicorpian forces rages a hundred-and-fifty-feet below the airship. Trenches scar the land for miles, each filled to the brim with ponies, ammo and ordnance. From the smoking haze, Pinkie can make out the uniforms of the opposing sides. Earthen forces wearing grey, Unicorpian force indigo blue. Both sides fling bullets at cannon rounds at one another. A dozen cannon and machinegun nets erupt in flames as they destroy one another. Stallions fall like flies as some foolishly poke their heads out from the trenches. In-between the opposing lines, separating the trenches is fifty yards of mud, boobytraps, guts and barbwire… No man’s land… Hearing a loud trumpet sing through the noise of battle, Pinkie watches an Unicorpian division teleport themselves to their enemy’s trenches. Some were successful in their blitz, taking a few brave stallions before they themselves are slain by hot-lead. Others however, die before they can even lift their rifles. One unicorns solider seeing his comrades die before him, yells out a war cry as he arms a grenade that’s glowing bright orange. Teleporting himself into a group of ten earth ponies, he holds his weapon high above his head. It explodes into a fountain of napalm. The flames stick to the helpless earth ponies and unicorn, sending them into fits of excruciating pain. Pinkie’s young mind trembles at her first sight of war. The airship levels out into a stable flight. Not being able to hold herself up, Pinkie falls to the floor, landing on her rump. Staring up at the ceiling, she sees the shadows of her captures running about. A sob leaves her lips, then another, and another… The captain looks at the numbers and dots filling papers that flood his desk. The preliminary reports of his airship were in, and the news is okay. Not what he really wants to hear, but it’s the best he’s going to get. “At least she still flies.” Leaning back in his chair, he gives a sigh, taking a sip from his canteen. “Captain Moonlight?” Turning around, he sees one of his staff sergeants giving him a salute. “What is it Staff Sergeant Fire Star?” “We have placed the dead near the rear of the ship sir…” The Moonlight mulls, leaning further back in his seat. “How many did we lose again?” “Five, captain.” Fire Star lowers his salute, placing his hands to his sides. Moonlight turns around writing on a piece of paper. “And how many of the prisoners?” “Seven, sir.” Moonlight nods, dismissing him with a wave. With his airmen gone, he rests his head in his hand and gives a long sigh. Some of the earth ponies try their best to sleep through their past ordeal, but many find it too difficult to sleep, the lifeless eyes of their fellow ponies to haunting for them to close their eyes. Pinkie and Marble are fast asleep, exhaustion overwhelms them both. Octavia counts each link in her chain. Limestone still tries to break free form her restraint. Maud and Obsidian stare at one anther with loving gazes. Ruby lays her head in her brother’s lap, her mind slipping in and out of consciousness. Rose Sapphire strokes her newborn’s scalp as she stares at her elder children. Cloudy Quartz has her hands to her chin, praying for her family, her friends, her fellow earth ponies. Igneous stares at his daughters with solemn eyes. His heart heavy as he sees the hurt in their eyes. “Starlightin vangit!” The earth ponies look up at the unicorn hanging on the top of the ladder. The slumbering ponies slowly wake, turning their tired eyes to the stallion. “Hyva, uutiset, paadyimme White Hillsiin. P.O.W leiri puoli tuntia!” The earth ponies stare at him in confusion. The trooper grunts. “Olympus, voitko kaantaa minulle? Nama likaiset vakoojat eivat ymmarra mita sanon!” Olympus switches places with his comrade and sees the earth ponies’ expressions. “Good, news, we land at White Hills. P.O.W camp in half an hour!” The earth ponies feel a heavy weight wash over their hearts. Watching them turn their gazes back to the floor, Olympus looks up at his comrade. “Tule, meilla on viela paljon tyota.” Chapter 5The foreman of White Hills P.O.W camp stands on the deck of his watchtower office. Sipping his tea, he looks out over the one-hundred-and-fifty acres of his camp – The borders of the camp are lined with thick wire-mesh fencing, the fencing base is made of three-feet-high reinforced concrete and barbwire adoring its top. Within the walls on the left-side, three four-stories-tall, two-hundred-and-fifty-feet long, by eighty-feet-wide buildings sit on the left-hand-side of the camp. The building to the right houses stallions, the building to the left houses mares and the middle building houses children. To the right of the camp is the prisoner-mess-hall. And at the back of the camp is an ore processing warehouse, copper refinery, shipment yard, and copper mine. Outside the walls of the camp are seven watchtowers, a guards’ barracks, a mess-hall for the guards and camp’s staff, a medical bay, and a four-story prisoner processing station – Feeling a cold breeze sweeping over the camp, the foreman takes the last sip of his tea and heads inside, stepping up to his table. BRRR! A loud fog-horn blares out over the camp. With a sigh the foreman steps back outside and looks up. A scout class airship descends from the night sky. Moving his gaze from the ship, he looks at the gravel courtyard of his camp and sees his guards are already preparing the camp for its approach. Stepping inside, he walks over to and control panel and flips a red-painted metal switch. Alarms blare-out across the camp, waking any sleeping guards and staff. Even prisoners of the camp awaken from their slumber. The ones whose cells are by the large wall sized windows, look through their small cell-doors’ windows, and watch the airship as it touches down onto the gravel field. Some of them sigh and go back to sleep, while others keep interest, wanting to see the new arrivals. With a bassy hiss, the airship’s landing pads level out. The ship’s crew extend the side-ramparts and exit their craft. Stepping off his ship, Moonlight waves to his men, ordering them to task. “Your ship has seen better days!” The foreman states walking up to the captain. Moonlight gives a chuckle while walking up to the older stallion. “Nightingale! You look like shit!” He extends out his hand. “Get into any battles lately?” Nightingale takes the gesture. “If you count government red tape, mounds of paperwork and my prisoners as battles, then yes, yes I have.” He watches his and the airship’s crew busing themselves. “How many?” Moonlight shrugs his shoulders. “Fifty-five.” He walks towards Nightingale’s watchtower. “Why do I get the feeling the number was higher?” Nightingale follows the young captain. “I doubt you’d chase down only fifty-five earth ponies of who knows how long?” Moonlight sighs. “Fine… you’re right!” He grumbles ascending the stairs. “No sense in trying to hide it from you.” “How many?” Nightingale returns the sigh. “There were more, a hundred-and-one.” He gets to the door. Nightingale places his hand on the door. “What happened to them?” “Why do you care? They’re dirt-eaters!” Moonlight snarls. “I care because f Prince Sombra’s laws!” Nightingale snarls back. “Prince Sombra is not the ruling monarch, his brother is!” Moonlight shouts back as he pulls on the door opening it, only for it to be slammed shut by Nightingale. “What the hell!” “His brother put him in charge of the motherland while he goes and fighter with the Royal Divisions!” Nightingale leans into the younger stallion. “I’m not saying I disagree with what you did to the earth ponies, whatever you did, but as long as Sombra is acting as the head of state for the time being, we must follow his laws…” He runs his hand through his mane. His horn sparks from the stress. “What do I say in my report?” “Just say the dirt-fuckers fought back!” Moonlight snaps as he steps into the office. Nightingale follows after him, sigh all the while. Moonlight walks up to the kitchen, a small, open space located to his right. Walking up to the percolator over the gas iron stove, he picks up a cup. “So…” Nightingale sighs, leaning on the island’s counter top. What the hell happened to you ship?” Moonlight, chuckles. “A shit show…” He pours himself a cup of hot water. “I ordered my ship to fly over the eastern lines, nearly got shot out of the sky.” He places a tea bag into the cup. Nightingale stands next to him and leans on the counter once more. “Why didn’t you just go around?” Moonlight takes a sip. “I should’ve, but it was the shortest route to your camp.” He walks up to the dining table and takes a seat. Nightingale takes the seat across from him. “Anyways, enough about my fuckups, how’s everything going with the camp?” Nightingale rubs his chin. “Alright… Sold twenty children to passing slave-traders.” “Why sell off the younglings?” Moonlight sighs. “Aren’t they your best workers?” Nightingale nods. “They are, but the traders were looking for young and healthy products, the market wants slaves that are easier to train apparently.” He leans back in his chair. “Leaving us with the scraps.” Moonlight chuckles. “Well you’re in luck, we nabbed thirty-three children. All under the age of sixteen.” “Nightingale nods. “That’ll work. We need the young blood, we have some prisoners that are nearing their end.” He rubs the base of his horn. “Going to have to sell them eventually.” “Why not take them out back and you know… pop!” The captain chuckles, pointing his fingers on his right hand in the shape of a pistol. Nightingale rolls his eyes. “Really after the conversation we just had… Very smart!” He mocks him. “I would prefer not to have a noose around my neck courtesy of Prince Sombra!” Moonlight sighs. “He’s too soft on the enemy.” Nightingale gives the captain a blank stare. “He would call it, being civilized.” He leans forward clasping his hands together. “After all, we are the most highly evolved species on this planet, it's our duty to be an example of that.” He states in a mocking voice of the prince. Moonlight laughs at the gesture. “I’ve always hated that speech, he says it about every god damned month.” Moonlight sighs. Nightingale nods. “I hope the king produces a hare…” He lays his head in his hands. “Imagine the shit Sombra would do if king.” Moonlight nods, saluting his cup to the foreman. “So what else brings you here besides the prisoners you have?” He takes out a cigarette. Moonlight dips his tea bag in and out of the cup’s water. “I need t restock my ammo and refuel my ship. Could you spare some supplies?” Nightingales grunts. “I can’t…” He rubs his brow, sticking the cigarette in his mouth. “Why not?” Moonlight growls. “You haven’t heard?” Nightingale asks, raising his brow in confusion. “Heard what? No…” Moonlight finishes the last of his tea. “Our telegraph antenna was shot to hell during our flight!” Nightingale rubs the base of his horn, its tip sparking. “The damn humans captured two of our supply ships and sabotaged the only road into this valley...” He gets up and walks into the ‘kitchen’ taking a drag. “Now I’m waiting for the trains to make the delivery. If you wait a couple of days, you’ll have what you need.” He picks up an apple. “Humans, they think they’re the fucking police force of this world!” Moonlight growls, tapping his finger on the table. Nightingale shrugs his shoulders. “They’re sure making a killing off of all the supply ships they captured.” He takes a bite of the apple. “It’s making this war a lot harder to fight.” He chews. “Why haven’t they just declared war on all the nations involved in this war already!” Moonlight slams his fists against the table. “What happened to their bloodlust?” Nightingale facepalms. “You want them to join in? Are you mad? Be thankful they’re just acting more like pirates than an actual force to be reckoned with!” Moonlight rolls his eyes, staring into his cup with a sigh. The earth ponies listen to the commotion outside the airship. Many of them look at one another, asking silently if any understand what is happening. Pinkie looks at her mother with wide eyes, her body shakes, her fur around her eyes are caked with discharge from her tears. Cloudy Quartz gives her a warm smile, a smile that tells her all is going to be okay. Loud hissing pierces the silence. The earth ponies fold their ears as they watch the put large metallic latches disengage, allowing the metal-rampart to drop. The rampart’s hinges squeal as the chains connected to the top of the rampart moves along the gears. Digging into the gravel road, the rampart groans as it comes to its resting place. Several of the airship’s crew march up the rampart and make their way to the dead earth ponies. One of the airmen unlatching Sun Flower from her chains, notices Pinkie floor clamp is missing. Taking a better look, he sees the bullet hole. “Aren’t you the lucky one…” He chuckles broken earthen, his accents making it hard to make out the words. Pinkie just stares at the stallion, watching him drag Sun Flowers body out of the ship. One of the high-ranking camp’s guards walks up into the cargo-hold. Another stallion younger that him, stands to his right. “Starlightin vangit!” The high-ranking guard shouts. “Prisoners of the Starlight!” The younger one translates for him. “You’ll be moved from this airship to your new homes. But first, you’ll betaken to the prisoner processing station!” He puts his fist over his heart. “NOW RISE!” Several guards light up their horns and unlatch the prisoners’ chains from their floor clamps. Stepping out of the ship, Pinkie shivers as she feels the cold midnight air wash over her body. Trying to get her mind off the cold, she looks at her surrounding with chattering teeth. The buildings that surround her look like monsters to her. The multitude of windows dotting the structures stare down at her like prying lies, their gaze. Feeling a forceful tug on her chain, she picks up her pace. Arriving at a metal table by the front of the ship, the guard sitting on the other side stares at her, studying her appearance. Writing down on a piece of paper, he points to his left. A guard comes up to Pinkie and unlatches her chain from her neck and wrist restrains. Another guard walk up to them and takes her over to a small of fillies. Shoving her in the small group he walks back to the table to lead another prisoner to their respective group. Free from their chain’s and guards’ grasp, Pinkie looks around, scanning for her sisters. Seeing Marble, she quickly worms her way to her. Getting to her, she latches on to her and gives her a hug. “Pinkie!” Her sister mumbles, tears swelling around her eyes. “Prisoners stay still and face forward!” The twins freeze and look at the guard. They see the business end of his rifle aiming at them. Shivering, they break their embrace and copy their fellow fillies. “Sir?” The twins turn their attention to the voice and sees Rose Sapphire standing by the table, her newborn in her arms. “What do we do with her?” The airman asks the camp’s guard. The guard studies her. “Take her to special processing.” He points at the prisoner processing building. “Third floor on the left.” With a nod, the airman takes her away from the table. Obsidian and Ruby stare in horror as they watch their mother disappear into the bowels of the building. Feeling sick to his stomach, Obsidian places his hands on his knees, fighting the urge to puke. His sister, shakes uncontrollably. Fear consumes her soul and nightmares flood her thoughts. Maud stares at her fiancé with pained eyes. She can not bare to she him in such a state. So, broken. So, weak. With the earth ponies finally broken up by gender and age, the guards lead each group into the heart of the prisoner processing building and to their respective areas. Feeling an imposing presence weighing heavy on their hearts, the twins glance up and stare at the four-story concrete block, with windows that glare down at with an evil gaze. They shiver from their wild imaginations as they near the large black double-doors. Stepping into the building the guards lead the group of fillies down one of the four hallways. The hall they group finds themselves in, runs down the left side of the building. The fillies stare at the grey-blue tiles and dull grey painted walks with emotions ranging from dullness to fearfulness. But their attention turns to a set of doors and they near the end of the hall. Unlocking the doors’ latch, the guard swings them open allowing the fillies to file on through. The room they enter is small and cramped… one, if they were in the right state of mind would not call it a room or treat it as such. At the end of the room by another set of double doors, sits a unicorn mare at a tiny table. She studies the group, counting heads. “Twenty-eight…” She writes down in a binder. “Send them on in…” Leaving the claustrophobic space, the fillies enter a large atrium, its walls and floor covered in tiles. The harsh green lights humming above, forces the fillies to squint their eyes. Once they are able to open their eyes, the fillies come to an awe as they look upon a large six-feet-deep, ten-feet long, and five-feet-wide pool. The pool is filled with a soapy-liquid, black in color. The harsh chemical smell wafting off the liquid nauseates them. “MOVE!” They break their gazes and quickly obey commands being given to them. Lining up along a tiled wall, the guards have them face forward, their gaze eyeing a second-story balcony overlooking the atrium. An officer walks into view, her eyes glaring menacingly at the fillies below. “Fillies, you’ll be going through this lice and flea bath!” She speaks into a microphone, her voice cold and dull. “The pool has two inclines at each end leading to a depth of six-feet. This chain will guide you along as you enter the pool.” She points to the chain running along a series of motors and gears hanging above the pool before going into and under the soapy liquid and back out, making a loop. “When you’re about to go under, take a deep breath and hold it in! My stallions do not want to haul your dead body away!” She shouts, glaring at the fillies below. “Once you’re finished with the bath, you’ll be lead to the showers.” She stares at the trembling fillies with a flat, dull stare. “Follow the commands given to you and make it quick!” She steps away from the microphone as she signals to the guards. A guard walks up to Pinkie, his green eyes look at her with a dull sternness. She stares up at the unicorn, fear coats her eyes as she eyes the hunting-knife in his hands. “Undress yourself and walk up to the pool!” He states with an authoritative voice, pointing his knife at the pool. Pinkie’s stomach tightens, her cheeks blush, her tail instinctively wraps itself around her waist. She shakes her head. The guard frowns. “I said undress!” Again, she shakes her head, crossing her legs. “I think she’s playing hard to get.” His comrade laughs. “Well then, let’s do it the hard way…” Confusion washes over Pinkie as she tries to understand their language, but soon her uncertainty turns into fear when he grabs the collar of her nightgown and brings his knife to her neck. She lets out a cry, her eyes close tight as she braces for the tip too pierce her skin. Instead, the blade cuts her nightgown in half. It gently falls to the floor around her hooves. Shock overwhelms her as she covers her flat chest with her hands. Her embarrassment increases when he grabs her underwear. Seeing her sister’s discomfort, Octavia lunges at the stallion with a scowl. Catching a glimpse of the angry filly, a guard blocks her path and aims his semi-auto pistol. “Back off prisoner!” The guard undressing Pinkie looks over at the two. “Shit, she already wants to go into solitary!” He laughs as he grabs Pinkie’s underwear. “Get her back in line!” His fellow guard nods and shoves her back in line and keeps his pistol trained her. Octavia, her sisters, and the fillies stare at the pistol and Pinkie in fear. With a grunt he cuts the left side strap of Pinkie’s underwear, letting it fall to the floor. Fully naked, Pinkie tries her best to cover herself from prying eyes. With a sigh he shoves her forward, another guard grabs her wrists and lays them over each other. Latching her wrists’ restraints to the chain, he looks up and waves to a guard by a control panel on the left-hand corner of the atrium. With a nod, the guard flips a switch, activating the motors of the chain’s pulley system. The chain squeaks along its path at four miles an hour. Pinkie’s arms jerk forward forcing her to drop her protective pose and break out into a light jog. Her cheeks redden with embarrassment. Stepping into the pool, Pinkie squirms at the slimy texture of the soapy black liquid. Pin needle like sensations dance across her body as she sinks deeper and deeper. The stinging overwhelms her, causing her to lose moan out in pain. Seeing that she’s about to go under, she takes a deep breath before the liquid washes over her. Several seconds pass as she walks along the bottom of the pool. The soapy liquid flowing over her like molasses, soaking into her fur, mane, and tail. Suddenly she emerges from the pool, excess liquid runs off her causing the ramp to become slippery. Slipping, she falls hard onto the concrete ramp. Not being able to stand, she has no choice but to be at the mercy of the chain as it drags her up the last few feet. Breathing through her snout the soap’s aroma gags her as well as making her light headed, her lungs struggling to asobre clean air. Feeling someone grab her by her neck’s restraint, she tries to stand up, but the speed at which she is being carried forces her to let her legs dangle, her hooves scrapping and skipping across the ground. Entering an icy room, the guard shoves Pinkie into a small tiled space no more that three four by four feet. Finding her balance, Pinkie braces herself against the wall in front of her. Hear paralyzes her as she feels hands around her neck. She feels and heard the dull clicking of her neck and wrist restraints’ clamps unlatching. Feeling their weight leaving her, she shutters a sigh of relief as she rubs her wrist. Standing in the stall, she waits for more hands to assault her, but none do, only the subtle breeze, chilling her. With frustration taking over, she wipes the soapy liquid from her eyes. “AH!” a mighty stream of warm water slams into her sending her to the ground. She slides along the smooth tiles and smacks against the wall behind her. “Stand up!” A guard yells, turning off the jet of water. Pinkie quickly stands up, her legs tremble as she opens her eyes. She sees a unicorn stallion, wearing a navy-blue uniform standing in front of her. In his hands is a long metal pipe with a wide cone shaped nozzle. A long rubber hose is connected to the pipe’s handle. She traces the pipe and sees that it’s connected to the wall behind the stallion. Above, where the pipe connects to the wall, are and array of several dials and nobs. “Stand by the back wall, arms and legs spread out wide!” Pinkie states at the guard in shock. She shakes her head, her stomach grumbles, making her sick. “Obey me!” The guard shouts with a grunt. “There’s more coming!” As if on cue Pinkie sees Maud, Marble and three other fillies being led on past her to their own ‘shower’ stalls. With a shiver, she stands against the wall and extends her arms out. The guard’s frowns and sprays her face. She panics as begins to cough as she covers her face with her hands. “Spread your arms and LEGS, NOW!” She quickly obeys. Giving a chuckle he moves the stream of water from her face and begins rinsing her down. Pinkie stands, sobbing quietly to herself, trying her best to ignore the stinging water the best she can. “EEP!” The water jet touches her vagina. Crying out, she covers herself. Tears flood her eyes as a storm of varying emotions and feelings fight for control over her mind. “I said spread them!” The guard yells as he sprays her face once again. Pinkie puts her hands up, protecting her face. With a sly smile, he aims the stream over her vagina once more and keeps it there for a solid thirty seconds. Pinkie sobs uncontrollably as she tries to rid her mind of her violation. “STOP! PLEASE!” She places her hands over her vagina. “You’re not allowed to touch me…! BLEARGH!” He sprays her face, his laughs sending chills down her spine. “Turn around, I have to get your backside!” Pinkie hesitates, fear shutting down her will to move. “Turn, around!” He spits. With a small pathetic nod, she cooperates, showing him her backside. Wasting no time, he quickly sprays her down. She squirms as the stream touches her privates once again. With a chuckle, he shuts off the flow and waves to a fellow guard. The guard grabs her by the back of her neck and leads her out of the shower room and up the stairs to the second-story. Getting to the top of the stairs, they down the hall until they get to the fifth door on their right. Opening the door, he shoves her into the room and shuts the door. Alone, she lets out a moan as she crosses her arms and legs. Her trembling eyes look around the small office space. It’s pale-blue colored walls and white tile floors are unwelcoming. In front of her is a large metal table covered in boxes. To her left is a plane wall with nothing of value to study. To her right is a dark-wooden door. Seeing the door to her right open, she sees a unicorn mare stepping into the room. She holds a towel with her magic. Pinkie watches as the towel floats up to her. She’s never seen unicorn magic before. It looks beautiful, graceful, soft… “MFFPH!” ‘Ok, not so soft…’ She moans to herself. ‘Why so rough?’ Drying her off, the mare tosses the towel into a basket and walks up to the boxes on the table and rummages through one. With a hum, she hands Pinkie and plain grey gown and white underwear. “Dress quickly.” Pinkie takes the items and puts them on. She groans at the rough cotton fibers of her new clothes. “They will, um… mika sana… Kylla, they will wear down eventually.” Placing her hands on Pinkie’s shoulders the mare gently leads to the room she came from. Stepping into the room, Pinkie sees a mare sitting behind a metal table. There is a green desk lamp on the table as well as three picture frames, a clock, pen-cup, and a stack of papers. A stallion wearing a white-medical-coat stands to the mare’s right by a row of filing cabinets. Another stallion stands on the mare’s left beside a large mechanical device, with a lever sticking out the top and a row of metal teeth over a dye. The mare at the table gives Pinkie a smile as she waves to the other mare. “Voit lahtea.” She states. “Please sit sweetie.” She says to Pinkie. Hearing the door close, Pinkie slowly takes her seat on the metal folding chair. Her body trembling all the while. With a hum, the mare opens a blue folder and pulls out a sheet of paper. “So, what is your name?” She asks, clicking the end of her ball-point pen. Pinkie eyes the tip of her pen. Her voice is stuck in her throat as she turns her attention to the mare, her trembling eyes staring to the mare’s calm firing green eyes. The mare sighs, “Name? Do you have a name?” “Y-yes.” Pinkie mumbles through her clenched throat. “Well then, speak it.” Her pen hovers over the paper. Pinkie places her hands in her lap. “Pinkie…” ‘And your last name?” The mare’s left ear flattens. “Pie…” Pinkie lowers her head, her eyes never leaving the mare. The mare writes down her name and raises a brow. “Mika outo nimi…” She gives Pinkie a glance before returning her attention back to her task. “Species: Equine… Race: Earth Pony… Sex: Mare… Age?” She looks at Pinkie once again. “What is your age?” Pinking crosses her legs. “Nine…” The mare nods. “Fur color: Bright Pink… I think… Mane/Tail color: Magenta… Eye color: Blue…” She looks over the paper. “Dr. Zimmer check her health.” The stallion standing next to the filing cabinets steps up to Pinkie. Placing his leather bag at her hooves, he pulls up a chair next to her and begins his work. Curious, Pinkie watches him put on a pair of thick latex gloves. She groans as he parts her mane, the latex feels weird to her as his fingers run along her scalp. He checks her face, neck, arms, legs, and back. Seeing that her skin and fur looks healthy, he takes out an otoscope from his back and checks her ears. Pinkie twitches as she feels the warm plastic touching up against her inner-ear. He softly hums and writes down on a notepad. Giving her a soft smile, he switches out the otoscope for an ophthalmoscope and checks her eyes. With his task done, he rummages through his bag once more. Free from staring at the blinding light, Pinkie clutches the sides of her seats and blinks her stressed eyes, trying to rid them of the dull blue dots floating across her vision. Grabbing a small flashlight, he sticks an index finger in her mouth and runs it along her gums. The taste of the latex gags her. “Open your mouth and say ah…” The Dr asks. She obeys. With a hum, he places a popsicle stick on her tongue. Liking what he sees, he turns off the flashlight and tosses the popsicle stick in the trash. Grabbing the stethoscope that hands around his neck, he places the hearing nibs in his hears, and gives Pinkie a small smile. “Please lift up your gown.” Pinkie blushes, she doesn’t want to, but the look the mare gives tells her otherwise. Whimpering, she stands up and lifts her gown. Dr. Zimmer places the end of the stethoscope on her chest and listens to her heartbeat. He then moves it to several spots on her chest, her back, and her belly. With a hum he removes it from her chest and places it around his neck once more. “Sit back down.” Pinkie obeys, her cheeks rosy with embarrassment. “Well? What’s the verdict?” The mare asks. “Her fur and mane are healthy, no sores or skin conditions from what I’ve seen.” He sits next to her. “Her eyes are healthy, her ears are not infected with ear-mites and her gums and teeth are in good shape, but a couple of her foal-teeth are loose.” He takes off his gloves and tosses them in the trash. With a nod, the mare looks back at Pinkie and sees her crying. “Stop crying, act like a big filly!” Pinkie jerks from the mare’s tone of voice and looks at her with wide eyes. “Good…” She writes down the information. “Alright, her number is 5178. Tag her.” She places the paper in a blue vanilla folder. And hands it to Dr. Zimmer. Pinkie freezes at the mare’s words, even though she doesn’t understand them, the mare’s tone gives her the feeling that nothing good is about to happen. The stallion by the machine with the lever, places some metal nibs in a bronze plate. He then places a dog-tag under the plate and pulls down on the lever. The piston pushes the nibs against the dog-tag. With a click, the stallion releases the lever and pops out the dog-tag. Picking it up he walks up to her. Pinkie looks at the dog-tag in his left hand, and a pair of clambers in his right hand. In the clamber’s teeth, is a half opened bronze ring. Activating his horn, he pins Pinkie to her chair and keeps her head locked firmly in place. Panic washes over her as she watches the clamper and the dog-tag slide down to the base of her right ear. CLICK! Pinkie screams out in pain as the ring tears through skin and cartilage. She tries to escape but the stallion’s magic overpowers her. She sobs louder and trashes about. “Damn! Shut her up!” The mare hisses. The stallion nods and shocks Pinkie. Numb, Pinkie twitches and falls off her chair, landing on the floor. Tears pours down her face as she goes into the fetal position. Getting back from his work station, the stallion bends down and puts a leather collar around Pinkie’s neck. Using his magic to lock it. Tears stain Pinkie’s fur as she stares up at the ceiling fan spinning slowly above her. Hearing the door open, she feels two sets of hands grab her arms and drag her out of the room. Rose Sapphire sits in a small cell on the backside of the prisoner processing building. She coddles her newborn in her arms as she stares at the cold, unforgiving concrete walls. Her cell’s bed is hard, the down stuffing of the mattress and pillow, worn from years of use. Hearing sobbing, she gets up from her bed and peaks through the bars of her cell. Across from her to her right is Golden Stone. She clutches her stomach, her eyes staring at her foal to be. “She just started crying.” Grassy Breeze, another mare with her own newborn filly, sighs as she looks at Rose Sapphire. Rose Sapphire rests her head on the bars. “Golden Stone… Everything will be alright.” “You don’t know that!” She clutches her head and lets out a wale. “Stress is not good for the foal. You stop your whining!” Grassy Breeze tells the young mare in a stern tone. “No… You don’t understand, I’ve heard stories from my brother… Unicorns cut open pregnant mares and eat their foals…” “Now dear, only the pegasi do that.” Nightingale comments. “The three mares look over at the stallion. His white fur and grey mane shines in the bright light of the halogen bulbs. “Unlike the other species of this planet, we are more civilized.” Rose Sapphire frowns at the stallion. “Slavery is not a trait of a civilized nation.” “Neither is the belief in a god, my dear.” Nightingale rebuttals, stepping up to her cell. He places his hands on the bars. “Your race still practices child marriage, monogamy, discrimination against homosexuals and of course you all believe in a stallion in the clouds.” He laughs. “Tell me, where is he now?” The mares stay silent unsure of how to answer him. Looking down at her son, Rose Sapphire feels a warm feeling wash over her heart. “He’s in our hearts.” Nightingale looks at her with a flat stare, giving a soft hum. “Oh, of course. A typical answer…” He steps away from her cell and looks at the two other mares with a raised brow. “What’s going to happen to us?” Nightingale looks at Golden Stone with a hum. “Well, thanks to Prince Sombra’s laws, you’ll be living on the third and fourth story of this building until your children turn five years of age. Once they do, you and your children will be sent to the camp to live in your respective sections.” The mares look at one another, a calm yet fearful feeling washes over them. Seeing their expressions, he gives a chuckle before leaving the hall of cells. “Rest up, you’ll be moving to your new rooms soon…” Stepping out of the prisoner processing building and onto the path to the camp’s gate, Nightingale sees that his men have finished cleaning and tagging his newly acquired batch of prisoners. Walking alongside the prisoners, he inspects his men’s work. He smiles. “You did it again men! Looks like I owe you those drinks I’ve been promising!” The guards chuckle a cheer. Some of the earth ponies look on in confusion. Igneous, growls at the stallion’s words. ‘Drink yourself dead, pal…’ He thinks to himself. Stands before the new prisoners, Nightingale gives them a smile. “Prisoners, I’m the Grand Marshal of the Unicorpian Prisoner War Camps!” He speaks to them is an accent-free earthen. “But here at this camp! I'm known as your foreman!” The prisoners look at the foreman with a mix of hateful and fearful glares. He chuckles at their expressions. “So, that means I make the rules around here! You’ll eat, sleep, work, breathe, even shit by them! Follow them to a ‘T,’ and you’ll be rewarded with gifts and praises. Break them, however, and your time here will be a miserable one…” The earth ponies look at one another with concern. Looking at the gate’s operator, he motions him to open it. The gate rumbles as it rides along its tacks. As it hisses to a stop, Nightingale looks back at his prisoners. “Your time here will be spent, working the copper mine that’s a few miles from the camp as well as the copper refinery and processing plant right behind me.” He pulls out a cigarette, lighting it. “Meet quota, and you’ll be just fine, miss it and again, your time here will be a miserable one.” Looking at his guards, he waves his hands. “Goodnight, get some rest, you’ll need it.” Entering their cell, Pinkie and Marble stare at the damp, dreary space. The metal door to their cell slides shut. A blunt bang rings out causing the twins to jerk and huddle close to each other. Shivering in fear, they look around looking at the furnishing of their cell. Against the back wall on both corners, sit two cots. In the middle of the beds are a toilet and a sink. Behind them, above the door is a small six-inch-tall and foot-long window. “I want Ma…” Marble cries on her sister's chest. Pinkie shakes uncontrollably while her eyes jump back n’ forth between the cots. Fighting back the urge to cry, she carries her sister over to the left-side cot. Nearing the one on the left, she looks down and sees a dark red stain showing through the dark forest green color of the sheets. Feeling sick she quickly caries Marble over to the cot on the right. Seeing that it looks better than the other, she helps her sister climb into it. Pressing her back against the cold concrete wall, Pinkie wraps her arms around her sister, letting out a shuttering sob. “Pinkie… I want Ma!” Marble cries, clutching her sister tight. Pinkie wants to cry, she wants to fall into a wreak, but she’s older than Marble. She needs to be strong for her. “We’ll… We’ll s-see Ma and Pa… err…” She fights back a sob. “I… I… err…” Tears pour from her eyes as she tightens her grip. Her damn breaks and they both break down together, the weight of the day finally overwhelming them. Octavia sits on her cot in the right corner of her cell. Her prison gown is over her knees. Her arms are wrap around her legs. She rests her chin on her knees as she stares at the window above the cell door. An earth pony filly a lot younger than her lays in the other cot. Her appearance is worn, dark rings surround her eyes, her hooves and fingernails are rough and cracked. Her tan fur is coarse, and her golden-brown mane and tail are frizzy. Her brown eyes stare at Octavia with wonder. Feeling the filly’s gaze, she turns her attention to the filly. Scared, the filly throws her sheets over her head. Octavia smirks a bit. “What’s your name?” The filly uncovers one eye. “My name?” Octavia smiles. “Yes silly, your name?” The filly bites her nails. “1245…” She hides under her covers. “12?... 45?” She shakes her head, “No silly, your real name?” Octavia sighs, “My name is Octavia.” She points to herself. “Now you tell me your name, not a silly number.” The filly lets out a moan. “No… It's 1245…” She completely uncovers her head pointing to her dog-tag, her eyes glaring at Octavia. “We go by our numbers! They’ll beat you if you go by names!” She covers her head once more. Octavia stares at her in confusion. “What’s your number?” 1245 asks as she pulls the cover from her head, her eyes staring with wonder once again. Octavia rubs her dog-tag and gives a frown. “I can’t read Unicorpian…” 1245 frowns and gets up from her cot, hobbling over to her cot. Octavia stares at the filly’s stride with a pain in her chest. Getting to the cot, the filly climbs on up and looks at Octavia’s dog-tag. “5188… Nice to meet you 5188.” Octavia frowns, she didn’t like being called by a number. “Can I sleep with you?” Octavia is taken back by the filly’s question. “What?” 1245 cowers a bit and jumps off the cot. “Um… I sorry I…” “Why do you want to sleep with me?” Octavia releases her legs form her gown’s embrace. 1245 rocks on her hooves. “I… I’ve been so lonely… I have been by myself for a long time…” She rubs the back of her neck and stares at the floor in confusion. “I think for five months?” Tears come to her eyes. “They sold my brother…” She studies Octavia’s expression. “I’m sorry… it sounds wrong to…” She misinterprets it. “No… it’s quite alright, my sisters and I used to share a bed, before… this…” Octavia looks at the cell. “You can sleep with me.” The filly’s eyes light up with glee. “But, only if you tell me your name.” The filly feels her chest get heavy. “No, I can’t…” She looks at the door. “They’ll beat us… No, you’re testing me, this is a test!” Seeing the filly break into a panic, Octavia jumps from the cot and grabs her in a loving embrace. “NO, I DON’T WANT TO GO BACK IN THERE!” “WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON IN THERE!” A guard yells from down the hall, his hoof steps can be heard walking up to their cell. Quickly, Octavia places a hand over the filly’s mouth and holds her tight. “Shh…” The guard opens the latch and shines his flashlight’s light into the cell. “What are you two doing?” He looks down at the two fillies. “Already starting trouble newcomer?” Octavia shields her eyes from the light. “No… sir… She’s just having a bad dream.” The guard looks at 1245 and gives a sigh. “Well tell her to keep it down, or she’s going into solitary.” He shuts the latch and steps away. Octavia feels the filly tremble in her arms, her body heat spiking. With a tired sigh, she runs her fingers across the filly’s scalp. “You don’t have to tell me your name.” She holds her in a tight embrace. “You can tell me when you’re ready.” Limestone lays on her cot. She’s alone in her cell. The other cot to her right is empty, she’s robbed it of its sheet and pillow. She lays face first on her pillows, allowing them to muffle her cries. Her body shakes, as she picks at the fur on her forearms. Her tail wraps itself around and over her small frame. Maud lays against the corner wall of her cell. From her seat, she runs her fingers along Ruby’s scalp. Ruby herself, is fast asleep, her head using Maud’s lap as a makeshift pillow. Maud stares at the small window above her cell door. The light from the halogen bulbs in the cell block’s hall flood her cell with some light. Feeling her eyes getting heavy, she lays her head in the corner and falls to sleep. “I’m going to kill you fuckers!” Obsidian punches the cell door. A dull thud echoes down the hall. Igneous sits on the right-side cot, staring at the agitated young-stallion. “Colt, that’s not going to solve the pain in your heart!” “They killed my Pa! They took my Ma!” She shouts at the elder stallion. “They probably killed her too!” He pounds the door some more. “Keep it down!” A muffled voice yells from across the hall. “You keep this up, and you’ll get yourself killed.” Ingenious spits. “Then what, you leave your sister, my daughter, your future child fatherless?” He gets up and stands before the young stallion. “Act mature!” “I… I…” Tears flow from Obsidian’s eyes. “I want to kill them…” He turns around and madly pounds the door. “Come and fight me you fuckers!” Igneous hears several guards making their way up the stairs. Thinking fast he pulls Obsidian into a side-headlock, placing his free hand over his mouth. “Shh… Silence!” He hisses into his ear. The guards walk down the length of the hall, passing their cell. He hears them speak to themselves, as they head back down the hall. Obsidian hearing his prey walking away tries to break Igneous’s hold on him, but he is no match against the stallion’s strength. Quickly exhausting himself, Obsidian breaks down into a fit, his cries muffled by Igneous’s hand. Igneous brings the colt closer to him and lays his head on his. “Let it out colt… let it out, before a mare sees you like this.” Cloudy Quartz sits on her cot, her hands clasped in prayer. Miss. Cheerilee looks at her in confusion. “Why are you praying? At a time like this?” Cloudy Quartz looks over at the young mare with a frown. “What did you say?” “Clearly our god has abandoned us!” Cheerilee growls, extending her arms. Cloudy Quartz sighs, getting up from her cot. “Look where we are, he will not answer our!...” Cloudy Quartz smacks her across the face. Cheerilee jerks back, placing a hand on her cheek, her eyes staring wide-eyed in shock. “Never doubt our lord, our saver ever again young filly!” Cloudy Quartz gives her a stern yet loving smile. “Come pray with me… It’s days like these that we must be strong in our faith.” Over in the cell next to them, Mrs. Cake hears their muffled voices. “Prayer… its what we need…” She lays her right ear against the concrete wall, trying to listen in on their payer. Chapter 6Sitting at his desk, Nightingale looks towards the horizon, watching the sun slowly rise over the distant eastern mountains. With a hum, he turns a red colored dial to the right, sirens that tower high over the camp, roar out their song. He lets them run for thirty seconds before shutting them off. With a satisfied hum, he looks at his clock and reads the time. “Five o’clock in the morning… Right on time, as always.” The booming bass of the sirens reverberates across the camp, shaking it to its core. Sleeping guards and prisoners, quickly get up from their cots, stretching to a new day. However, the new batch of prisoners slowly gets up, their minds still hazy from the previous night. “PRISONERS, FOOD WILL BE SERVED AT FIVE-HUNDRED-AND-FIFTY HOURS… GET YOUR ASSES UP AND STAND AT YOUR CELL DOORS!” A voice shouts over the loudspeakers. Pinkie slowly rises from her cot, her body shivers from the cold. Looking at her cell’s window, she sees the early morning sun shining through the cell block windows, casting its yellow glow upon the land. Clenching her shivering teeth, she looks down at her twin and gives her a shake. ‘Marble… Wake up.” “What?” Marble stirs under the sheet, her eyes heavy. “it’s time to get up…” BANG! “Prisoners! Are you at your door!” A guard yells. The twins jump in fright and huddle close to each other. “Are you deaf? Answer or you’ll get whipped!” “Yes!” They shout as they bolt from the cot, running to the door. The guard hums as she slides the cell’s door’s viewing latch. Glaring into the cell, she sees the twins standing side by side in front of the door, eyes wide with fear. “Good.” She shuts the latch and unlocks the cell door. It slides open with a high pitch squeak. “Both of you line up, single file facing this way!” She points at the end of the hall to her left. The twins obey and stand in their spot, their tails tucking in-between their legs. “Wake up!” 1245 shouts “5188 its time to wake up!” Octavia wakes with a groan. Her eyes open to 1245 hovering over her, smiling creepily. “Come, we must stand by the door!” She jumps from the cot, her tail wagging happily. Octavia stares at the filly concerned for her mental state. ‘Is that going to happen to me?’ She sits up and slowly walks up to the cell door. “What’s happening?” 1245 giggles. “We eat then we work!” She smiles like it’s the best thing in the world. Octavia gives a nervous grin as she turns her attention to the door. A guard opens the viewing latch and peeks inside. Seeing the two of them, he gives a hum and opens the door. Limestone stirs in her sleep as the sirens’ call rings in her ears. “Are you at your door prisoner?” A guard calls out. She groans, throwing the sheets over her head. “Prisoner, Answer me now!” “Err…” Limestone frowns. “Five more minutes…” The guard opens the viewing latch and stares at the sleeping filly. “Colts, we got one!” The door slides open allowing three guards to pour into her cell, throwing the sheets off the cot, startling her. They grab her limbs and drag her out of the cell. “OW! HELP!” She tries to fight back. “YOU’RE HURTING ME!” They throw her to the floor, landing on her right side with a thud. One of the guards kicks her in the stomach. She clutches her belly, curling into the fetal position. Her sisters look back at the scene scared for her wellbeing. “Face forward prisoners!” A shiver runs down their spines as they whip their heads back into position. The guard who kicked her bends down and holds her head up by her mane. “You’re one of the newcomers, aren’t you?” He smiles, jerking her head around, Limestone grits her teeth, trying to dull her pain. She stares up at the stallion with teary eyes. “Now listen to what I have to say.” He brings her head closer to his, their snouts touching. “You’re new here, so to be nice, I’ll let you off the hook, just this once. But if you fail to obey our commands again, it’s solitary… Understand?” Limestone nods, “Good, now stand up and face forward!” Limestone quickly gets on her hooves and stares at the back of the heads of the prisoners in front of her. Hearing the commotion her sister is in, Maud gets up from the cot, guiding Ruby to the door. “What’s going on?” “We have to stand by the door.” Maud runs her fingers through Ruby’s mane, fixing it. “Breakfast is soon. “I want to see my Ma?” Ruby begins to cry. “We’ll see her soon…” “Prisoners are you by the door?” Their cell door shakes as someone pounds on it. Maud looks at the door with a frown as she pulls Ruby close to her. “Yes… Sir.” The viewing latch opens, revealing a pair of eyes. The eyes blink before the latch closes. Hearing a heavy deadbolt unlock itself, Maud watches as the door slides open. “Stand here in a single file line, facing forward.” The prisoner’s mess-hall is a long brick constructed building, with large two-story windows lining the front facing wall. Within the building, two wire-mesh walls, rising to the ceiling, splits the interior into thirds, creating a stallion section, a mare section, and a children section, each with their own entrances, tables, and cafeterias. Getting their meals, Pinkie and Marble worm their way through the mass of bodies, looking for an open table. Finding a table in the corner by the window, they sit next to each other, facing the mare side of the mess hall. They nervously search for their mother. “What are you looking for?” They jerk from the voice, huddling close to one another, they look to their left. A colt with a wild blonde mane and dark-forest-green fur stares at them with his bright yellow eyes. “Are you two okay?” “Y-Yes… Just looking for our ma.” Pinkie replies. Marble returns her attention back to wire-mesh wall, scanning over the mares. The colt gives a flat frown. “You shouldn’t be doing that.” He sits in front of them, placing his tray down. “You need to eat fast and get ready to leave for morning call.” He takes a bite of his cornmeal. Pinkie looks at the colt with a confused frown. “But I want to see my ma!” She pounds her fists on the table. “I want to hear her voice…” “And do you want to be thrown into solitary!” He growls, pointing his broken fork at her. “Eat and keep your eyes off that side… But if you do see her, stay seated and eat…” He takes another bite as he looks up watching a guard walk along the balcony walkway, fifteen-feet above the floor of the mess hall. The twins look up at the guard and eyes his rifle in his hands. Looking at each other, their lips scowl as they turn their attention to their meals, taking a bite. Their meals held some flavor, but the cornmeal is chalky, and the fruits that make up their fruit bowls are mushy. Struggling to swallow, Pinkie tilts her head back. Getting her bite down, she stares up at the bulky metal cone lamps hanging from the rafters. The halogen bulbs humming a numbing tune. With a groan, she stares at her meal with teary eyes. Hearing hoof-steps behind her, she looks over her shoulder, she sees her sisters, Ruby, and another filly making their way to her table. “Maud!” “Shh!” The colt hisses, pounding the table. “Voices down, eat, your family will sit soon!” The colt frowns. Pinkie frowns back as she resumes her meal. Marble looks at them with a raised brow as she slowly chews. “Pinkie! Mable! Oh, thank God you’re okay.” Maud sighs in relief as she paces her tray down on the table, hugging her sisters. “SHH!” 1245 places her fingers over her lips. “Can’t use names only numbers… Oh hi, 1188!” She waves to the colt before sitting next to him and Octavia. Maud, Limestone, Pinkie, Marble and Ruby look at the filly in confusion. “It’s okay, I’ll explain,” Octavia replies, seeing their expressions. “Take your seat.” Maud sits in-between Pinkie and Marble while Limestone and Ruby sits next to Octavia. “How come we can’t use our names, Octavia?” She gives her sister a raised brow while tilting her head. “No! No names!” 1245 frowns, “Only numb…!” Octavia places her hand on the filly’s lips. She gives her a stern glare, causing her to cower. “1245 told me that the guards discourage the use of our names. If we’re caught using them too often, then they’ll punish us.” She scratches the back of 1245’s right ear. A chill runs down her spine at the affection, which calms her. Limestone frowns a bit as she sulks her in her seat, running a finger across her dog-tag. “But I can’t read Unicorpian…” 1245 huffs a sigh and gets up from her seat. “1245, sit back down and eat!” 1188 hisses glaring at the filly. “What are you going to do? Whip me?” She giggles at 1188. Smiling she kneels down next to Limestone and runs her fingers along the symbols of her dog-tag. “5182!” She kneels next to Ruby. “5184.” She kneels next to Marble. “5179.” She kneels in-between Pinkie and Maud. “5178 and 5180.” “And I’m 5188.” Octavia smiles half-heartily, playing with her meal. “Oh goodie, the family’s back together, now eat!” 1188 spits, taking an aggressive bite out of his fork-full of fruit. Pinkie, her sisters, Ruby, 1188, 1245 and the other fillies and colts of the camp, stand before the gate that leads to the ore processing warehouse, copper refinery, shipment yard and the dirt road to the copper mine. Maud and Ruby look over towards the group of stallions and stare at Obsidian, who stands beside Igneous. They smile at one another with soft eyes, their chests heavy with wanting. Igneous eyes his daughters and Ruby. His eyes are tired, and his heart is heavy with regret. His wife stands with the mares. She looks at her daughters, pain comes to her chest as she eyes the dog-tags hanging from their ears. Limestone, Pinkie, Marble, and Octavia stare at their parents, the same feeling overwhelms them. 1245 and 1188 see the sisters’ expressions and give a sigh. “The more you think about it, the worse it gets…” Limestone whips her head around. “No, it won’t!” He stares her down. “Don’t make the same mistake I made filly!” 1245 stares down at the gravel with crazed eyes. Her hands behind her back as she rocks on her hooves. Moonlight sits in a chair by the window looking at the crowds of prisoners and guards by the gate. “How many prisoners do you have now?” He sips his overly creamed and sugared coffee. “Well, if we add the fifty-five you brought to the total… this camp has three-hundred-and-sixty-nine prisoners.” Nightingale replies, not looking up from his paper. “If I keep bringing prisoners at the same pace I’ve been going at, you’ll beat Red Birch Gorge P.O.W camp in no time.” Moonlight chuckles, standing up and walking out onto the watchtower’s balcony. Nightingale sighs. “If Canterlot and Marie slave traders stop buying from my camp, I would’ve been there ages ago!” He sets his papers down and stands next to the captain, lighting a cigarette. They both watch the last of the prisoners leave the mess-hall. “SIR!” A voice comes over the intercom on his desk. With a grunt, he walks up to his desk and flips a switch on the intercom’s interface. “Yes, private Knox?” “They are ready for you, sir!” Nightingale gives a hum. “Will be down there asap.” He flips the switch and leans on his desk. “Good luck.” Moonlight comments with a smirk as he keeps his gaze on the prisoners. Nightingale nods, heading down the stairs. Standing on the guard shack’s concrete foundation, by the gate, Nightingale studies his prisoners. Several of his guards are rearranging them in smaller groups, eight in total. Finding satisfaction in their work, he steps forward and places his hands behind his back. “Prisoners of White Hills, good morning!” The prisoners look at their foreman with mixed emotions. Finding some disappointment with their expressions, he sighs. “My stallions have split you up into eight groups. You have been selected to perform a task, based on your age and sex.” He puffs on his cigarette. “I know some of you veterans are wondering if you’ll keep your old tasks? Well, to lift the burden of worry off your shoulders, a vast majority of you are, while some of you aren’t, so if you want, blame the newcomers.” He points to the crowd. Many of the senior and junior prisoners look at the newbies, some giving harsh glares. Many of the newcomers keep their heads down, ignoring the stares the best they can. Stepping into the guard shack, he places a hand on the gate’s operator’s shoulder. “Follow my guards’ commands, and you’ll be just fine.” The gate opens with a loud hiss. Fifteen oval shaped conveyor belts hum along at a slow and steady pace as five-pound copper ingots slide down metal cutes from the refinery next door. Limestone and Octavia work alongside each other by one of the conveyor belts. Grabbing one of the ingots, Octavia places it into a large wooden-crate, with a carrying weight of two-hundred-and-fifty pounds. Limestone copies her sister, putting her own in the crate. Filling the crate within several minutes, they place its lid on it. A colt and a stallion walk up to them and hammers the lid shut. With a huff, they lift the crate onto a cart and haul it over to one of several putter-wagons awaiting their cargo and the loading docks. Rubbing her irritated eyes, Limestone gets back to work. Her ears twitch from the humming of the conveyor belts. She stares at the belt running pass her. Each rubber section of the belt, different and unique enough to act as a moving picture to her vision. Picking up an ingot, Octavia studies it, running her fingers along its smooth surface, she traces the Unicorpian symbols etched into it. With a sigh, she places it in the crate. “Damn… your first day here and you’ve already completed your first batch of paperwork… Within an hour and a half?” The sisters look up at the balcony office and see a guard looking over Cheerilee’s work. “And the same goes for you?” He points at their mother. “What did the two of you do before your capture?” Cheerilee stares into her lap, too prideful to speak. The guard sees her expression and frowns. “We were teachers… Sir! I retired and her three years into her carrier…” Cloudy Quartz replies before he can hit Cheerilee across the face. The guard looks down at the two with a smile. “Well shit, if you keep this up you’re gonna cause this department to run out of work to do…” he rubs his beard. “Private Star Dust, look through those boxes!” The mares watch the guard walk into a room to Cloudy Quartz’s left. Feeling a pair of eyes staring at them, they turn their attention to the gazers and see Octavia and Limestone staring at them, with small smiles. Cloudy Quartz returns their affection with her own as she looks down at her daughters with soft eyes. Cheerilee looks at the sisters with a smile of her own until her attention is drawn to the children working in the shipping yard. She sees some of the children from her hometown, they stick out like a sore thumb from the others who’ve been here for an extended period of time. She stares at the veteran children of the camp and sees their thin, scared bodies. She can tell they look better than the veteran adults, but not by much. Seeing her teary eyes, Cloudy Quartz reaches out a hand, holding her hand in hers. “Be strong and pray a psalm.” Cheerilee smiles softly at her. “We have to be strong for the little ones.” She rubs her hand. The guard comes back and places a stack of papers in front of them. “We found some more work for you.” He claps his hands, before walking away. “Like the pace,you're going at, but could you cut it back just a tiny bit.” Pinkie, Marble, and Ruby stand next to one of six runoff-sluices connected to one of four massive mechanical-sluices within a large warehouse, a few yards from the copper mine. The walls of the warehouse are made of corrugated sheet metal, thick red-painted wood and steel beams hold up the sheet metal. Large orange-painted industrial pendant lights hang from the wooden cross beams. Small two-feet by two-feet windows dot the upper floors. Standing on the other side of their runoff-sluice is 1245, a colt with the number 3390 and a filly with the number 2266. Pinkie looks at the new faces. 3390 seems to be around twelve years old. His brown fur hides his bruises and the grime that clings to him. Her black mane is long, while his tail is short. 2266 on the other hand, looks to be fourteen. Her white fur, pink mane, and tail exposes all the dirt, grime, and scars that adore her form. Her bright blue eyes stare madly at the small copper nuggets and flakes flowing down the sluice. Looking past them, she sees several other fillies and colts standing around the other runoff-sluices, plucking copper nuggets that pass through the filters of the larger mechanical-sluice. With a sigh, Pinkie dips her hands into the water, scooping up as many nuggets as she can from the pebbles. Having a handful, she tosses the coppers into her tin-bucket. Looking into the bucket she gives a frown, she barely has enough copper to cover the bottom. She groans, rubbing her ears, glaring at the large mechanical-sluice, the deep-bassy rumbles of its pistons, hurts her ears. A guard near her and her group watches them with eagle eyes. “Sargent, Scarlet! How are the prisoners doing on ‘Main Sluice-One’?” Scarlet turns her attention to her superior. “So far, so… hold on…” She steps off the metal-gridline platform and up to Pinkie. Feeling a menacing presence hovering over her, Pinkie keeps her eyes glued to her work. Scarlet watches her shiver in fear, her pace random and slow. With a frown, she tilts her head and reads her dog-tag. “5178, are you having trouble with your task?” Pinkie keeps to task as tears flood her eyes. “5178!” Pinkie jerks, dropping her copper nuggets into the water, her hips bumping her bucket on the stool next to her. It wobbles back n’ forth before falling onto the floor. Metal crashing against metal as her ore bounce across the warehouse. Scarlet watches the nuggets bounce around like jumping beans. Their shiny surface reflecting the harsh white light of the halogen bulbs above. “Damn, someone’s jumpy.” She whistles, smirking to herself. Pinkie feels a chill run down her spine. “I don’t know what we’re going to do with you? I know you’re new here, but that doesn’t mean you get a free pass.” Tears fall from Pinkie’s eyes as she drops to the floor. “I’m sorry, I will work faster… Please… I… ma and pa taught me to be good…” She starts picking up her dropped ore, throwing them into her bucket. “Aw, what’s the matter?” Scarlet chuckles. “Missing mommy and daddy?” Pinkie lets out a sob at her words. “Oh, did I strike a nerve?” Four of her fellow guards look on with devilish grins. Seven prisoners by the minecart dumping docks, look on with concern. Marble and Ruby stare at the two, worry coating their hearts. 1245, 2266 and 3390 give a quick glance but quickly return to their task. Seeing that Pinkie is throwing a temper, Scarlet places her left hoof on her bucket. Pinkie clutches her copper as she stares at her bucket. “Looks like you need someone to give you some motivation…” She kicks the bucket behind her. Pinkie watches in horror as it rolls down the metal steps, bumping against a small concrete ledge, spilling what copper remained. “Let me be the one to give you that motivation…” Scarlet activates her magic and picks Pinkie up by her collar, throwing her against the wall to her right. “NO!” Marble runs up to Scarlet. “Don’t hurt my sister!” She shouts, kicking her shins. Scarlet looks down with a frown and kicks Marble in the stomach, sending her to the ground. A fellow guard grabs Marble by her neck and arms with his magic, pinning her to the ground. “NO… mffth…” His aura covers her mouth. Ruby cowers against the sluice, as she watches the scene in horror. Pinkie clutches her stomach as her diaphragm spasms from the impact. Her eyes stare at her sister, tears flood her vision as she fights to breathe. “Shit! I already knocked the wind out of you?” Scarlet kneels down and lifts Pinkie’s head with her hand, pinching her cheeks. “Damn little filly, you’re in for a rude awaking…” She looks over at two stallions standing by the exit, nodding to them, they return a nod and open the door. Smirking, she gazes down at Pinkie, who looks back at her in fear. “A rude awakening…” Deep within the copper mine, about seventy-feet underground, Obsidian, Igneous and several other stallions and colts work in the hot, musty, humid tunnels. Their pickaxes chip away at the large chunks of basalt rock that surrounds them. The copper veins and nugget chunks glisten in the dim light of the butane lanterns. With a grunt, Obsidian strikes a bulging chunk of basalt, the tip of his pickaxe burrowing deep into the soft rock. Sucking in air, he pulls on his pickaxe’s handle, ripping the rock free from the earth, sending it rolling onto the ground. Swinging his pickaxe over his head, he strikes it, breaking it into several smaller chunks. Setting his pickaxe down, Igneous picks up a shovel and begins shoveling the loose basalt into a minecart behind them. Obsidian helps the older stallion. Quickly filling up the rest of the cart, they push it up the gradual incline of the tunnel to the main elevator shaft. Entering the central cavity of the mine, they load the cart onto the elevator. With a nod, the guard sends the minecart up to the surface. With frowns, Igneous and Obsidian grab an empty minecart and heads back into the tunnels. Standing next to the elevator shaft’s gate Maud and a stallion wait for the elevator car to ascend to the top. Hearing the breaks of the pulley system kicking in, they get into position. The elevator car comes to a sharp stop, its metal frame shaking as the breaks kick in. With a huff, a colt pulls the gate open. Quickly, Maud and the stallion grab the cart and push it along its rails to the ore processing warehouse. Nearing their destination, Maud looks at the smokestacks of both the warehouse and the copper refinery. “Impressive, aren’t they?” Maud looks at the stallion, giving him a small nod. “Nothing like the coal refinery in Ashmore.” “You’re from Ashmore?”The stallion asks. “Yes.” She looks at the stallion with a raised brow. The stallion looks down at his hooves, watching the gravel move under his weight. “Damn, Unicorpia is that far inland…” Maud looks at the stallion in wonder. “Where were you from?” The stallion gives a small smile. “I use to live in Buckington… That was two years ago… It feels like a lifetime.” Maud dips her head at the mention of the years he’s lived in the camp. “PLEASE STOP!” Maud feels a chill run up her spine as she turns her attention to the main entrance of the warehouse. She sees several guards surrounding her sister, Pinkie. “Please stop? But we haven’t done anything!” Scarlet chuckles, her laugh echoing out over the camp. Prisoners and guards who are working the grounds turn their attention from their work and watch with varying levels of interest. “Shit stallions looks like she wants to throw in the towel already.” She puts her hands on her hips. “Please, I’ll do better… AH!” One of the guards cracks his whip on Pinkie’s back, sending her to the ground in pain. “Oh, it’s not that bad… Get up!” Scarlet yells. Pinkie places her hands over her head, burying her face in the gravel. “Private Wright, whip her!” She points with a scowl. Wright nods and whips her again. Pinkie screams, searing pain radiates out across her back. Jumping up from the ground, she runs towards the gate. With a frown, Scarlet uses her magic and yanks on her collar, sending her to the ground. “Get back here!” “NO! I’M SORRY!” Pinkie holds onto her collar as Scarlet drags her along the ground. “PLEASE!” Dragging her to her hooves, Scarlet bends down and gives a sly smirk. “Colts get the whips ready…” She lifts Pinkie two feet into the air by her collar. “Let her have it!” The stallions crack their whips. Pinkie chokes out her cries as painful stings rack her body. Maud feels herself going numb. She grinds her teeth, clenching her fists. A snarl leaves her lips as she runs to her sister. “Filly what are you doing?” The stallion reaches out, but he’s too late to stop her. “Oh shit!” He whispers. The world around her fades as her focus hones in on her sister and Scarlet. Numbness coats her body, anger fills her mind. What feels like hours to her, only last seconds as she slams into the guard, causing her to drop her magic. Pinkie falls to the ground, hard, her elbows and knees scraping the gravel. Tackling Scarlet to the ground, Maud pins her down and gives her a solid punch to the face. Scarlet’s fellow guards activate their horns and drag Maud off their comrade. “Down prisoner!” They shout whipping her. “Aw shit…” Scarlet lifts her head, holding her jaw in her hand. She glares at Maud. “You little bitch!” She gets up, unholstering her revolver. “If it weren’t for Sombra’s laws, I would put a bullet in your skull!” She places the barrel against Maud’s brow. Maud looks at it the weapon in fear, the numbness her body feels leaves as her adrenaline dies down. Looking at the mare, she swallows. “What’s stopping you?” She feels her stomach roll itself into knots at her words. Scarlet raises a brow. “What’s stopping me?” She looks at her fellow guards with a perplexed stare. They give her the same look. “What’s stopping me? It’s Sombra and his soft spot for the enemy!” She strikes Maud across the face with the butt of her pistol. “For unevolved filth!” She leans in and spits in her face. Maud looks up and the mare, her left cheek just below the eye, swollen from the hit. “Hasn’t stop you horned freaks from killing the innocent!” She glances at Pinkie. Her sister stares teary eyed, horrified by her wound. Scarlet tilts her head. “What?” She growls, cocking back the hammer on her revolver. “Don’t you call me a…” She sees her looking at Pinkie. Looking between the two a sly smirk comes across her lips. “Shit… Wright, Granger, keep whipping the pink one!” The stallions obey as they hold Pinkie down with their magic. “OW! STOP! STOP!” Pinkie cries. “STOP!” Maud shouts. Scarlet growls. “A prisoner keeps their mouth shut!” She kicks her in the stomach. Maud doubles over onto the ground. Holding her stomach, she groans as a stupid thought swims through her mind. ‘I can’t say that…’ The screams of pain her sister shouts assault her mind. “And…” She lets out a hiss. “A real soldier picks on someone their own size!” Scarlet glares at her. “What was that?” Maud knows there is no turning back. “You heard me… but I guess you don’t have the balls…” She smirks… “That’s right you have none… But that’s what happens when a mare tries’s to do a stallion's job.” Scarlet’s cheeks redden with embarrassment. “You little bitch!” She presses the barrel of her revolver firmly against Maud’s brow. “You think you're more of a mare than me!” She places her finger on the trigger. Wright stops whipping Pinkie and looks at his comrade wide-eyed. “Scarlet calm yourself…” “PRIVATE SCARLET!” Nightingale’s voice booms out over the camp’s loudspeakers. Scarlet pulls her revolver away and looks up at the loudspeaker by the gate. Pinkie and Maud, as well as the rest of the camp look at their respective speakers. “Would you and your posse, bring yourselves and the two prisoners you’re scuffling with up to my office? Thank you.” With a sigh, Scarlet puts her revolver away and looks back at the sisters with a scowl. “Sir…” “Silence!” Nightingale shuts Scarlet up. He writes down some notes onto a sheet of paper with predefined marks. “Now, let me get this straight, you were punishing this filly… 5178 for her slow pace on one of the runoff-sluices. Am I correct?” Scarlet sighs. “Yes, sir.” She puts her hands behind her back. “And then this prisoner… 5180 came in a tackled you to the ground, and the both of you got into a scuffle?” “Yes, sir.” She sighs again. Nightingale nods and writes some more notes. “Sir, please…” She sighs stepping up to his desk. “Why are I and my men here? Clearly, these prisoners are in the wrong and need to be thrown into solitary…” “I know that!” He gives her a stern glare. “But I’m already on thin ice with that stallion over there!” He points to Moonlight. The stallion growls at him, giving him a backward peace sign. Scarlet looks at Moonlight and puts Maud’s words and Nightingale’s together. With a frown, she steps away from his desk. “Sorry, for my tone, sir.” “Apology accepted Private.” He sets down his papers and looks at the sisters. “5180, is 5178 your sister?” Maud nods her head. Nightingale nods. “So, you were protecting your sister from one of my guards?” Maud nods again. “Speak!” “Yes!” Maud stutters. He sighs looking at Pinkie. “Is that what you saw 5178?” Pinkie’s body shakes, she can barely get her words out. Rubbing his eyes, he leans back in his chair. “I have to say, since I've became foreman of this camp three years ago, nothing like this has ever happened under my watch.” He sips his glass of wine. “I thought I had a lid on that, but I guess there’s always time for firsts.” He leans forward, resting his chin on his clasped hands. “Take 5178 to solitary. I say six days will be good for her.” “But shouldn’t she be getting solitary?” Scarlet asks, pointing at Maud. “No…” He pulls a cigarette from its packaging. “I have a feeling solitary will do very little to her and her stubbornness.” He opens a blue vanilla folder and looks through the papers within. “She has several other sisters here in this camp, I think her seeing them take her punishments will do the trick.” Scarlet nods and grabs Pinkie with her magic. “What shall we do with 5180 then?” She glares at Maud. Nightingale stares at her, eyeing her stature, lusting over her curvature. He smiles as a warm feeling overcomes him. “I think I’ll take her as my slave.” He activates his magic, grabbing Maud’s collar, pulling her closer to his desk. Maud grabs onto her collar as she digs her hooves into floor trying to stop herself. “I’ve been needing a slave for a while. Maybe not being able to see her sisters during meals and work will add to her punishment.” He smirks at her. Scarlet nods. “Should I let the guards know?” “Naw, I’ll let them know of her new title." He looks at Scarlet. "You may leave." Maud looks back in horror as her sister is lead down the steps. Pinkie panics and extends her arms out. “MAUD…!” Wright covers her mouth and holds her tight. Scarlet activates her horn and holds her hooves in the air. “Don’t worry little filly, we’re taking you to someplace that’s’ fun!” She giggles to herself. “Now then…” Maud turns her attention back to the foreman. “Let’s me show you, your new living quarters,” Nightingale smirks. With a hum, Scarlet and her posse carry Pinkie pass the prisoner processing building towards the hill on the west side of the camp. Climbing the small incline, they near ten, four by four concrete cells sitting at the base of the mountain along the gravel path. Nearing one of the cells, they throw Pinkie to the ground. Shaking, Pinkie sits on her hands and knees and stares at the cell standing menacingly before her. The outside of the cell is dull, no windows adore its shell, only a solid iron door. Turing the large five spoke handle, Granger pulls the door open. “Say hello to your new home for the next six days!” Scarlet chuckles, picking Pinkie up by her gown and tossing her in. Pinkie tumbles along the concrete floor, landing on her back, her legs resting against the back wall. “Hope you’re afraid of the dark!” Granger shuts the door, locking it. Bathed in complete darkness and with the outside world cut off, the smells of the cell start attacking her senses. “Blah!” Pinkie jumps up from the ground and kneels down by the door, breathing what fresh air seeps in from the small crack at the bottom. Even with the outside air, the foul, pungent, decaying smells of past occupants and age overwhelms her. “BERALH!” She vomits onto the floor and the lower half of the door. Her body shakes as she pounds on the door. “LET ME OUT PLEASE!” She stands up, her fists hitting the door as hard as she can swing them. “PLEASE I’M SORRY!” She feels bile in the back of her throat. “ERR!” She vomits again. Crumbling to the floor, she curls up into the fetal position. “I want… t-to see m-my family…” “Well, here you are, your new home.” Nightingale hums holding the door. Maud looks at the interior of the room skeptically. The place is bland, the walls are painted white, a twin bed and a nightstand sits in the left corner of the room. An archway to her on the back wall leads to the restroom. A desk sits near the entrance of the room. A single ceiling fan rotates slowly. “If you prove your worth, I’ll award you with pencils and books to keep yourself occupied.” He places his hand on her butt, giving it a soft pat. Maud goes stiff. “Freshen up, and don’t redress in that prison-dress, one of my guards will bring you a lingerie piece that'll better suit you.” Maud glares at the foreman, swatting his hand off her rump. “Let my sister out! I should take the…” he grabs her neck, choking her. “I decide who’s punished and how!” Nightingale states calmly, pinning her against the door. “I’ve chosen your punishment and your fate, slave!” He throws her into her room. “I’m your master now, you’ll obey my every command without a fuss or your sisters will live out a miserable existence as long as they call this camp home!” He grabs the door. “Now freshen up! I have something in store for you!” He shuts the door. Alone, Maud feels a pain shoot through her stomach. Her body goes numb as she crawls to the door. Seeing no handle, only a flat bronze plate, she leans against it. “No!” She cries. “Let my sister out!” She pounds on the door. She slides against it falling to the floor, laying on the cold tile of her room. Tears rolling down her cheeks. Heading to the mess hall after a long day of grueling work, Octavia carries Marble in her arms while Limestone helps Ruby. 1245 walks beside them as she fidgets with her mane. 1188 keeps his hands behind his back, his eyes locked on the entrance. “Where are Pinkie and Maud?” Limestone asks. “Did they take them to solitary?” Marble begins to cry. Octavia runs her hand along her back. “I hope not…” “You three, come here, NOW!” A guard shouts behind them. The sisters look back staring at him in confusion. “NOW!” Shivering, they stand out of line and walk along the wire-mesh fence. Standing before him the guard looks them over with a harsh glare. “The foreman would like to see you?” The sisters look at each other with worry. Waving his hand, they follow the guard. Ruby looks on with fear, “Wait don’t…” 1245 grabs her right forearm, holding her back. Looking over her shoulder, Ruby sees her give her a stern glare. Stepping into the main office of the watchtower. The sisters see Maud standing behind the foreman. They stare at her white silk dress in confusion. “Welcome prisoners.” Nightingale smiles. “Stand here, please. Octavia, Limestone, and Marble stand in place, staring at the duo. “Now I know you’re wondering why your eldest sister is not wearing the same outfit as you are.” He puffs on his cigarette. “As well you’re probably wondering where your other sister is, the pink one? Pinkie is her name if I’m correct.” He draws in a deep breath, the end of the cigarette burning closer to its butt. “Your sister here,” he points at Maud. “Did a no, no, and attacked one of my guards, who happened to be punishing Pinkie.” He puts out his cigarette. Marble closes her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks. He pulls out another cigarette. “Now as punishment, Pinkie will be in solitary.” Octavia and Limestone glare at him. He raises his brow, not liking their reactions. “Her punishment,” He points at Maud. “is a simple one. She’s now my slave and can no longer interact with you ever again.” Three guards activate their horns, grabbing the sisters’ collars, they panic as they look at him with fear. “And every rule she breaks, the punishment will be passed on to you?” They send a powerful spell to the sisters’ collars. A wave of electricity passes through them, sending them into a seizure. Maud watches in horror. Seeing her clenching her fists, Nightingale grabs her by the waist and sits her on his lap. Maud’s body tenses as he places his hand on her groin. She grabs his arm, pushing it away, but he holds it firmly in place, making her uncomfortable. “Look at your sisters!” He grabs her chin with his magic, forcing her to watch. “Every time you disobey me, this will happen to them!” He hums in a dull tone. “Every time.” Maud watches as her sisters convulse on the ground. Tears flooding her vision. Chapter 8A massive steam-train roars down the tracks along the southern foothills, it's eight cargo and two passenger-railcars rocking back n’ forth as it weaves in around the bends of the tracks. It’s engineers shoveling coal into its hellish maw, feeding the flames within. In the second to last cargo-railcar sits an averagely sized unicorn stallion, his combed back mane shining in the harsh yellow light above him. In his little cove, he mulls over his paperwork, checking his finances. “Ratchet?” A unicorn mare calls out as she sticks her head in his space. “Are we still going to buy some slaves when this train pulls into White Hill station?” He looks at the mare. “That’s the plan Willow.” He turns a page over in his booklet skimming the lines. “We have eight slots to fill.” He takes off his glasses. “If we want to make a profit we need to make a good choice on which slaves we choose.” Willow nods. “It would be great if we picked up a whole family.” She rummages through a box. “Big payday of bits right there!” She pulls out several foot-long bars of multigrain-hardtack. She sighs as she steps into the main compartment of the railcar. Walking up to four metal cages, she flips a switch turning on the lights. “Wake up! Supper time!” She yells at their six slaves. The slaves consisting of four earth ponies, a pegasus, and a human, stare at her with defeated gazes. With a smirk, she tosses each of them their own hardtack. Slowly the slaves pick up their meal and begin sucking on the hard bread, softening it up before consumption. She watches her slaves, studying their eating habits. “I can’t believe we picked up a human…” She looks at her business partner. “I’m surprised the humans haven’t declared war on us yet? I mean there is at least over fifty human slaves living under Unicorpian rule.” Ratchet grumbles from his cove. “Humans are all talk and no action.” He begins typing on his typewriter. “Humans will abandon their kind when the going gets tough.” He leans back in his chair giving her a smirk. “They know when they’re beaten, we unicorns are superior after all.” Willow nods. “I guess you’re right…?” “Passengers of Wilmoth Train Number 3. We’ll be arriving at White Hills station tomorrow morning at six am.” The conductor announces over the intercom. Looking at the intercom, Willow and Ratchet sigh happily. -6:12 am White Hills P.O.W Camp- Standing on the deck of the White Hills train station, Nightingale looks to his right, eyeing the speck of black coal smoke rising over the horizon. Maud who stands beside him on his left, keeps her head down, her eyes gazing at a rusty nail by her hooves, poking out of one of the wooden planks of the train station’s deck. Her tail tickling the floor as she thinks to herself of whatever comes to her mind. “Is the train here yet?’ Moonlight asks, standing behind them. “Almost Moonlight.” Nightingale pulls out a pocket watch, eyeing the time. He turns his attention back to the tracks, watching the train. Moonlight eyes one of the train’s engineers poking his head out of the engine’s window. “It’s about damn time! Four days of waiting was driving me mad!” He rubs the back of his neck as he looks at his airship. “I can finally get my ship back in the skies!” He crosses his arms watching the train pull up to the station. Nightingale smirks at the train as it rolls up to them. “Well my slave,” He places a hand on Maud’s left shoulder. His touch causes her to shiver in fear, cowering under his embrace. “You get to see the might of Unicorpian ingenuity!” He whispers in her right ear; his warm breath runs down her neck causing her chest to tighten up. With her focus not all there, she tries to study the train’s engine and its glossy black and white steel construction. The red and lavender stripes of the royal family’s shield standing out. She looks back at her Master, trying to hide her discomfort. “It's impressive Master…” Nightingale notices her frightened demeanor. He sighs as he rubs the sides of her neck with his thumb and index finger. “Drop this pathetic behavior and cheer up.” He whispers in her ear. Tears roll down Maud’s cheeks. “How can I when you hurt me last night!” She hisses back. Nightingale gives her a flat lipped stare. “As your Master, I can’t hurt you, I never can…” He lays his cheek against hers. “Besides, I remember you were enjoying it, quite a lot actually!” Maud holds back the urge to cry. ‘I wasn’t…’ She tells herself. Coming to a stop the train hisses, releasing its steam. The breaks squeal out over the station and camp. With its engine rumbling a dull monotone song, the conductor steps off the train and walks up to Nightingale. “Do I have your permission to unload my cargo?!” Nightingale gives the old stallion a smile. “You're free to unload!” He pulls Maud into an embrace, her head resting against his chest. Her cheeks blush with embarrassment and shame. Returning the foreman’s gesture the conductor unlatches a microphone from the side of one of the passenger-railcars. “Unload! Unload!” Stepping out of their cargo-railcar, Ratchet, and Willow worm their way through the crowds of guards and train staff. Seeing the foreman standing ten feet away, Ratchet raises his left hand in the air. “Nightingale!” He shouts. Nightingale looks over at the stallion, his mind full of surprise. “Ratchet, what brings you here?” Ratchet comes up to him and shakes his hand. “This train is heading to Canterlot, I plan on selling some slaves there.” He allows Willow to shake Nightingale’s hand. “And since the train made a stop here I thought about picking up a few more slaves while I’m here.” Nightingale frowns, “Again… And this soon?” Maud looks at the three of them, a tinge of fear washing over her heart. “Hey what can I say the market is hot right now.” Ratchet chuckles. “And before you say anything, I see that scout airship over there…” He points at the ship docked near the corner fence of the camp. “I want to take a look at your new prisoners.” Nightingale sighs. “How many do you plan on buying?” “I need eight, but to be generous, I’ll say about four or five?” He gives him a friendly smile. Nightingale frowns. “I… Sure I’ll let you take a look…” His eyes are drawn to Ratchet holding a large sack of silver and gold bits. “Let’s go to my office shall we.” Maud sits on a couch near the radiator, watching her master and the slave traders looking through the records of the newer prisoners of the camp. Her fingers squeeze the book in her hands. She fears that they’ll pick her sisters. She doesn’t want them to. She cannot bear to know of their fate while her parents are in the dark. “So, you found any you want?” Nightingale asks. “Hold on… We need to make sure they’ll be worth the bits.” Ratchet replies flipping through the pages of one file. Shaking his head, he picks up another record and opens it. ‘Oh…’ He mumbles to himself. He sees that this folder contains a whole family. Two parents and five children. A smile comes to his lips as he shows the file to his partner. Willow smiles as she reads their names and ages. Igneous Rock Pie, Age: 39… Cloudy Quartz Pie, Age: 30… Maud Pie, Age: 16… Octavia Pie, Age: 13… Limestone Pie, Age: 11… Pinkie Pie, Age: 9… Marble Pie, Age: 9… Willow nudges Ratchet’s shoulder, nodding her head with a large smirk. Ratchet smiles taking the file and showing it to the foreman. “We would like to purchase these prisoners.” Nightingale sees the papers in the file, his eyes go wide. “You want to purchase a whole family?!” He takes the folder and looks at it with a frown. Maud feels a chill go down her spine. ‘What family?’ Ratchet smiles. “Yeah, they’re all healthy, the children are young, easy money right there! And the parents sold in the right market will make a killing.” He chuckles. “Hell, the children in the right market will pay the bills for several months!” Nightingale sighs as he leans back in his chair. “Well, I’m going to have to put the brakes on for you pal.” Ratchet and Willow look at him perplexed. “Why?” They ask in unison. Even Maud herself is wondering in a panic as to who they’re talking about. Nightingale takes a sip of his coffee. “I can only allow you to purchase the children, and only the younger ones.” He looks at the papers.“The parents are off limits, they’re needed for the copper mine and office work… Hell, the whole family is needed for this camp…” Ratchet frowns. “We’re not leaving until we at least have all five children then!” He leans on the foreman’s desk. Nightingale glares at the slave merchants. “If you want them so bad, I’ll let you purchase them, but only the youngest of the family.” Ratchet and Willow frown. “How come we can’t take the oldest daughter, along with the others?” Willow asks with a huff. Nightingale grumbles. “Because she’s right over there…” He points a finger at her. “She’s my slave!” Maud feels sick, her skin goes pale, sweat soaks her fur, clamming her up. They are talking about her family… They want to buy her sisters… “NO!” Maud chokes… “Master you can’t let them!” Tears roll down her cheeks. Nightingale frowns. “Sit down slave!” Maud stays standing, trying to convince him. Not liking the disobedience she’s displaying, he lights up his horn and sends a small voltage of electricity to her collar, causing her to fall to the floor in pain. “Keep your mouth shut unless told otherwise!” Ratchet and Willow look on with dull expressions. “So?” They look at the foreman. “Are you okay with that deal?” Nightingale asks. Ratchet sighs. “We want one more…” He quickly skims through several more files and finds another viable product. “Can we add her to the deal?” Nightingale reads the file and sees its one of his pregnant prisoners. “You know she’s pregnant?” “We know, count her as a two for one.” Willow grumbles. “So, do we have a deal?” Sitting up on the floor, racked with pain, Maud stares at the trio, tears falling from her eyes as she witnesses the sale that will rob her of her family. “No…” She whispers to herself, small sobs leaving her lips. Nightingale looks over at his slave. He knows if he sells her sisters, he will lose them as his leverage against her. He thinks, taking a deep breath. There is still her parents and her ex-fiancé… He gives a longs sigh. “It’s a deal,” He shakes Ratchet’s hand. “Let me just alert my guards so they can grab them and take them to your railcar...” Cloudy Quartz looks down at her daughters from her perch from the office balcony, watching them load up a crate. She studies their demeanor, frustrated that she is kept so far from them. Turning her attention back to her work, she staples the pages in her hand and places them in a folder and writes down the contents on the folder’s lip. Her Unicorpian is readable, it helps that the guards gave her and Cheerilee a cheat sheet of sorts. Taking a deep breath, she opens up the next file and looks through the pages. Cheerilee works beside her, typing away on her typewriter, writing her document in Earthen, soon to be translated by a veteran prisoner, fluent in Unicorpian. The metal typebars smacking loudly, joining seven others within the small balcony office. Hearing the overhead metal doors to the warehouse opening up, both Cheerilee and Cloudy Quartz look up from their work and eye four guards making their way into the building. They watch as they walk up to the conveyor belt Limestone and Octavia are working at. A tinge of fear comes to their hearts as the guards near them. Nearing the sisters, the guards split into groups of two, each grabbing the sisters by their arms. Both Limestone and Octavia panic as they’re forcibly dragged out of the warehouse. Cloudy Quartz and Cheerilee get up from their seats and walk up to the balcony’s rail, staring in horror as the guards drag the sisters away. “Prisoners sit down!” A guard yells from behind the mares. Cloudy Quartz looks back with crazed eyes. “Where are they taking my daughters!?” She hisses glaring at the guards. The other prisoners stare at her, confusion coming over them, stunned at her outburst. One of the guards steps up, putting a hand on his holster. “I said sit down!” Cloudy Quartz keeps her hands on the railing. Cheerilee puts her hands on the mare’s shoulders, coaxing her to their seats. “Come Cloudy, let’s sit back down…” “Where are they taking my fillies?!” Cloudy Quartz shouts, her voice bouncing off the walls of the warehouse, alerting her children to her woes. “MA!” Her children shout back, their voices fading away as they leave the building. The guard frowns, walking up to the distraught mother. “SIT DOWN!” He points to her chair. Cloudy Quartz stays put. Activating his horn, he uses his magic and forces her to sit in her chair before slamming her head on the desk. Cloudy Quartz grabs her head, hissing as she fights the pain coursing through her skull. The guard keeping his magic on her collar bends down. “Congratulations, four of your youngest children are leaving White Hills to be sold as slaves!” The news of her daughters’ fates causes her to break down, tears pour down her faces as she melts in her chair. Not liking the mare’s attitude, the guard hits Cloudy Quartz over the head. “GET TO WORK!” Marble minds her own business as she works on her bucket. Her hands are raw and sore from the hours spent sifting through the mud and the rocks of the sluice. Standing next to her, Ruby shakes her bucket, evening out the copper. 1245 grumbles as she works on her bucket, her fellow prisoners 3390 and 2266 finish their buckets and leave the sluice, heading to the back of the warehouse. The door to the warehouse opens, allowing two guards to come in. Scarlet who stands by the door eyes the guards in confusion. “What’s going on?” One of the guards looks at her. “Where is prisoner 5179?” Scarlet points at runoff-sluice one. “She’s over there… What did she do?” “She’s got a promotion.” He jokes. “She’s going to be a slave.” He and his comrade walk over to Marble. Standing behind her they grab her by the arms and start dragging her out of the warehouse. Ruby and 1245 stare in confusion. “Where are you taking her?!” Ruby cries. Scarlet steps up to the distraught filly, holding her by her collar. “Stay still!” Ruby watches with tear-filled eyes as they leave the warehouse. Marble scraping her hooves against the concrete floor trying to stop the guards, to no avail. Pinkie sleeps on the floor of her solitary cell, her body curled up, her tail acting as a blanket. Her long magenta mane drapes over half her head, covering her right eye. Soft snores leave her lips. The locks of her metal door unlatch themselves, the hinges creak as the door swings open. A cold breeze washes into the room. Pinkie shivers from the chilly winds. She awakens, her eyes heavy, dark rings hugging them. The bright light of the early morning sun blinds her. Groaning she buries her head as she sits on her knees, her tail covering her naked form. The guard's huff at her appearance. “Take her to the showers for a quick clean up!” One of them comments. Two of his fellow guards nod a response and steps into the small cell, dragging her out by her hooves. Pinkie jerks, her mind becoming aware of her surroundings. Scared she looks over her shoulder and sees the guards. “AH!” She screams in a panic, trying to crawl back into the cell. With a growl, the third guard uses his magic and holds her in the air by her collar, choking her. “Silence! You should be glad, you’re going to see your sisters again!” Pinkie stares wide-eyed at the stallion. “Damn… Four days of solitary fucked you up…” Golden Stone, Octavia, Limestone, and Marble stand in front of a cargo-railcar at the train station. It's their first time at the train station. They stare at the twenty-foot-long station building, the giant clock tower stands erect over the station itself. The train docked at the station, ultimately draws their full attention, it’s mighty construction, andsharp curves and polished metal shell bring a sense of awe to the sisters and the mare. “So, are they ready to be loaded up?” Nightingale comments walking out of the station’ office. The sisters turn their attention to him, but their sister draws their gaze. They see her bloodshot eyes and defeated demeanor. Maud makes eye contact with her sisters and tries to run up to them, but the leash connected to her collar stops her in her tracks. “Stand still slave!” Nightingale growls, pulling on the leash. Maud looks at the stallion, returning his growl with one of her own. “No, not yet…” Ratchet looks at master and slave with a raised brow. “The other twin is getting bathed.” He sighs stepping up to the foreman. “You didn’t tell me she was in solitary!” “I thought it wasn’t important,” Nightingale replies. “It is… How fucked up will she be?” Ratchet puts his hands on his hips. “I make sure my men don’t torture prisoners in solitary, we leave the prisoners to their own thoughts.” He walks up to the stallion. “Why don’t you start loading up these four, she should be done in a few minutes…” He sees his guards guiding Pinkie over to her sisters. “Oh, look at that, right on time.” Pinkie sees her sisters standing by the cargo-railcar, looking back at her with expressions of relief and fear. Turning her gaze to Maud, she sees her frightened eyes; her leash is taut as she reaches out a hand. Pinkie tries to run up to her, but the guard tights his grip on her collar. Ratchet sighs, “Finally… He waves over to several train staff. Nodding, they walk up to the sisters and mare and take them one by one to his cargo-railcar. “No…” Maud cries as she watches her sisters disappear into the black void of the cargo-railcar. Her legs weaken, forcing her to her knees. Nightingale looks down at her with a frown. “So… You think they’ll sell in Canterlot?” He asks Ratchet. “Oh, I know they will.” Ratchet smiles. “Twins usually sell well, but I can see that they’re not identical… We can make it work though.” He offers him a hand. “It's always nice doing business with you.” Nightingale takes the gesture, shaking his hand. “Same… Good luck.” Ratchet chuckles. “Good luck with that one.” He points at Maud as he walks up to his cargo-railcar. Nightingale looks down at his sobbing slave and gives a growl. “Come, let's take you to your room.” Octavia, Limestone, Pinkie, and Marble sit in the last cage within the cargo-railcar along with Golden Stone. They huddle up close to one another, leaning against the mare, finding comfort in each other’s embrace. Their new environment scares them, the heavy metal bars of their cage are thick and embossing. The dark atmosphere feels haunting even with the dull yellow light above them illuminating the space. Golden Stone does her best to comfort the fillies, her own emotions try to fight their way out and break her mask, but she keeps calm. In the cages next to them, a human and pegasus sit, resting against the wall. The sisters stare at the human, studying him with curious worry. They have heard of humans and their nation, but with their hometown of Ashmore being so remote, they have never seen a human up close. He looks strange to them, his small nose, his hairless body, the small patch of hair on the top of his head, his little eyes. Marble cowers, burying her face in Limestone’s lap. Pinkie whines, her stomach growling. Octavia looks down at her sister, and rubs her belly, trying to dull her sister’s pain. Hearing the filly’s hunger, the human looks at the sisters with a small smile. “Here…” He speaks to Octavia in fluent Earthen as he hands them half of his hardtack. Octavia stares at the bread with hesitation. “It’s hardtack, it not a lot but it willhold her over until supper.” He notices her hesitation. Slowly Octavia takes the bread, “Thank you…” She taps Pinkie on her shoulders alerting her to her meal. Pinkie looks at the hardtack, her eyes going wide. Quickly Pinkie takes the food and tries to bite it. She cries, pulling the bread away staring at the bite marks scaring its skin. “You have to suck on it, you need to wet it before you can chew it.” The human replies as he closes his eyes, resting his head against the wall. Pinkie mumbles a cry; her stomach demands her to swallow the bread now. With a hoarse sob, she places half of it in her mouth and begins sucking on it. Willow notices the filly eating the other slave’s meal, but decides to let it go. “How long does it take to get to Canterlot again?” “Two days… We’ll have time to prepare them for the spring festival.” Ratchet replies not looking up from his work. Willow sighs as she walks to the back of the cove. “Well, wake me up in several hours will yah.” She lays down on the cot, laying her arm over her eyes, her tail dangling off the side. “What is wrong with you?!” Nightingale demands, shoving Maud into her room. Maud turns around a cruel scowl on her face. “You know why!” She sobs. Nightingale frowns. “Watch your tone slave!” He steps up to her, intimidating her. Maud growls, throwing a punch. Nightingale catches her offending arm. “You are a brat aren’t you?” He slaps her across the face. She falls to the floor, her eyes staring madly at her master. Nightingale looks down at her pathetic appearance. “I need to work on some paperwork, I’ll come back and deal with you later.” He steps out of her cell and shuts the door. Maud feels sick, “I hate you!” She yells as she crawls up to the door, pounding on it. “I HATE YOU!” She sobs loudly. “I HATE YOU!” Getting her meal, Cloudy Quartz worms her way to the wire-mesh wall facing the stallions section of the mess-hall. Arriving at the wall, she nears the corner as not be seen. Looking through the wire-mesh, she searches for her husband. Seeing him sitting by Obsidian two tables away near the windows, she waves her hand trying to get his attention. Noticing movement out of the corner of his eyes, Igneous looks at the source and sees his wife. Pain comes to his heart. Obsidian studies the stallion’s hurt and looks around eyeing the guards. They’re looking elsewhere. Nodding at his father-in-law, Igneous returns the gesture and stands up, walking over to his wife. “Honey?!” He breathes a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank the Lord!” He sticks two of his right-hand fingers through one of the holes in the wire mesh. His wife lets some tears fall from her eyes as she rubs his fingers. “Dear, I have something awful to tell you…” Igneous looks over his wife. “What’s wrong?” He grabs one of her fingers. “Don’t tell me we are both burdened with bad news.” Cloudy Quartz feels herself get lightheaded. “What?” Igneous takes a deep breath. “You tell me first… I don’t want to put too much hurt upon you.” Cloudy Quartz swallows a lump forming in her throat. “They took away our youngest daughters… they sold them as slaves!” She lets out a silent sob. Igneous feels his mind leave him as he holds onto the wall, his fingers poking through the mesh’s holes. The wall vibrates as he leans his whole-body weight against it. “Oh God…” He fights back his emotions bubbling to the surface. “All of our daughters are gone… Slaves…” “What?! Maud too?” Cloudy Quartz feels herself go numb. She falls to the floor, her mind lost in a nightmare. Chapter 9Sitting on Octavia’s lap and laying her head on her chest, Pinkie looks around the hull of the cargo-railcar. Her eyes scan the random tools, boxes, and knick-knacks that surrounds her. Finding the items filling up the room to be lacking, she turns her attention to the other slaves to her right. Her eyes are drawn to the pegasus mare within the middle cage. The mare rests her head on the human male’s shoulder, sleeping the early-afternoon away. The mare’s wings fascinates Pinkie, their feathers look so soft, like a pillow, or a cloud, or cotton candy. Seeing one of the earth ponies in the last cage staring at her, Pinkie gives him a shy wave. The stallion smirks, waving back. Blushing, Pinkie nervously giggles and buries her head in her sister’s inner elbow. Octavia awakens from her nap, opening an eye she watches her sister’s antics. “Damn!” Dropping her act, Pinkie looks up and turns her attention to the cargo-railcar’s entrance and sees Ratchet and Willow stepping into the cove. “That was a good brunch, best bowl of berries I ever had!” Willow states, closing the gangway connection of the cargo-railcar. “Yeah, they were… but I’m glad we’ll be eating dinner in Canterlot tonight.” Ratchet states sitting at his desk. Curious about their conversation, Pinkie slowly crawls to the bars of her cage and tries peaking into the cove. She frowns, she can only see Willow’s backside. Octavia panics and crawls up to her sister. “Pinkie get back from the bars.” Their sisters awake from her tone of voice. Pinkie whines as she grabs the bars, refusing to listen to her sister, her mind too focus on her slave masters. “Can we please eat at some other restaurant this time?” Willow asks placing her hands on her hips. “But I love that restaurant!” Ratchet groans. “I know, but I’m getting tired of it… Oh looks like someone’s hungry?” Willow notices Pinkie staring at her intently. Stepping out of the cove, Willow walks up to the filly’s cage. Nervous, Pinkie backs away from the bars and dives back into Octavia’s arms. Octavia brings her into a protective embrace, glaring at the mare. Willow frowns at their defensive demeanor. “Damn, what did they do to you at that camp?” She turns her attention to the cove. “I hope they didn’t scar them too bad?” “If so… We’ll work on them…” Ratchet pokes his head out from the cove. “It’s easy to gain their trust! They're earth ponies! They have a strong desire to please and serve a master.” He laughs. “They believe that there is an all mighty stallion in the fucking sky!” Willow rolls her eyes at his dramatic statement. Looking back at her slaves, she gives them a warm smile. “So, are you hungry?” The sisters and Golden Stone look up at the mare. A thought fights for dominance in Pinkie’s mind. “Can we have some berries?” She crawls up to the bars, standing up. “You… You were having some!” She huffs. Willow tilts her head as she lets out a giggle. “You’re a funny one.” She walks to the cove, and after a few short seconds later she comes back tossing each slave their own multigrain hardtack. “When we get to Canterlot later tonight you’ll get something else besides this.” She steps away from the cages and walks into the cove, shutting its door. Pinkie picks up the hardtack from the floor and gives it a frown. “Pinkie come here!” Golden Stone points a finger at a spot in-between Limestone and Marble. With a huff, Pinkie crawls over to her sisters and silently eats her meal. “You have a lot to learn filly.” Pinkie, her sisters, and Golden Stone turn their attention to one of the earth pony stallions. “What do you mean by that?” Limestone asks, defending her sister. The stallion looks up from his lap, breaking the hardtack in half. “You think you can bargain with, reason with slave masters? Think again!” He chews on his meal as he glares at the children. “You’re going to have to learn to keep your mouth shut and listen!” He lifts up his tattered shirt showing his scars. “Or you’ll get whipped!” The pegasus mare growls at the stallion. “Tace, et erant filii pavidas inguine.” The stallion grits his teeth. “Earthen you winged freak!” “She said shut it!” The human replies glaring at the stallion. The earth pony cowers a bit, but he soon regains his composure. “You can’t coddle those children! They need to know the truth!” “I’m sure they know the truth!” The human retorts. “Look at where they are! I think they get it!” Pinkie and her sisters stare at the man and stallion with concern, their hearts heavy with fear. Golden Stone places a hand over her protruding belly, her eyes trembling as she stares at her growing foal. “How many months?” The human asks looking at the young mare. Golden Stone looks at the man and runs a hand through her mane. “Six months.” The human hums a thought. “Is the father still in the camp where you were at?” He tilts his head. She blushes. “No… My foal was conceived out of wedlock…” She frowns, remembering the event. “Let’s just say I didn’t live a Godly life back in my hometown.” She brings her knees as close as she could to her chest. “I was a wild filly.” The stallions frown at the mare, but the human gives her a smirk. “We’re all wild, little one, we’re animals after all.” He lays his head against the wall. Golden Stone looks away rubbing the base of her right ear. “We’re more than just animals… The Lord tells us so…” The sisters stare at the man, mulling over his words. But one by one they soon forget about their thoughts on the matter and return to eating their bread. Hearing the train’s breaks screaming out, Pinkie and her sisters, along with the other slaves awaken, turning their attention to the cove. Its door swings open, revealing Ratchet standing out of the inlet, a broad smile on his face. Walking to the center of the railcar, he unlatches the large sliding wooden-door of the railcar and opens it. With the door wide open, the sisters stare through the doorway and eye in awe the train station and the skyline of the capital city of the Unicorpian empire, Canterlot. The train station is two stories tall. Its tall windows allow them to peer in, showing them the brightly lit interior, illuminating the stores, booths, and small crowds of unicorns and salves mulling about within. Looking past the train station, the sisters look at the castle off in the distance. They study its massive, imposing structure towering over the mountain city as it wraps around the mountain’s side. “Alrighty then…” The sisters break their gaze from the castle and look at their slave master. “let’s get you bathed and fed, shall we?” The putter-wagon rocks back n’ forth as it comes to a stop. Pinkie and her sisters, as well as the other slaves, brace themselves. Hearing the driver and passenger doors open and close with a metallic thud, the slaves listen to the hoof-steps walking up to the back of the vehicle, huddling close to one another the sisters shiver afraid of the unknowns. The tailgate and flaps of the canvas camper open, allowing the light of the street lamps to flood into the dark bed of the wagon. The slaves cover their eyes, blinking, trying to get used to the light of the oil lamps. “Come on let’s get going!” Ratchet calls out. Several of his employees help guide the slaves off the putter-wagon and into the warehouse before them. Pinkie and her sisters eye the massive warehouse, vibes of the camp flood back into their thoughts. Stepping into the structure, they are lead to the back of the building to the right to a long room that’s twenty-five feet long and ten feet wide. Entering the space, Ratchet and his employees walk the slaves over to a large holding cell. Guiding them into the room, he shuts the door locking them in. “In a few minutes, you’ll be taken to the showers and given a makeover.” He taps a bar of the cell. “Once you’re all cleaned, you shall eat a lovely meal and then head to bed.” He walks away from the cell and out of the room back into the central space of the warehouse. Pinkie and her sisters slowly step to the back corner of the cell and huddle close to one another. Fear consumes them. Golden Stone looks at the fillies and kneels in front of them, giving them the best loving smile she can muster. "Are you fillies all right?” She asks. Pinkie and Marble look at the mare, tears forming around their eyes. They begin to sob, their emotions getting the best of them. Octavia and Limestone try to keep it together, but their feelings get the better of them as well. Golden Stone stares at the sisters, her mind going numb as their choirs of tears flood her ears. She panics, unsure of what to do. Seeing the young mare struggling with the fillies, the pegasus mare walks over to them and kneels down beside the mare. “Pultrellis paulo tranquillitas, tranquillitas.” She speaks softly, stroking their heads. Octavia’s sobs become harsher as she pulls Pinkie into a tight embrace. With a sigh, the pegasus looks at Golden Stone and snaps her fingers at her, pointing at Limestone and Marble. “Auxilium!” Golden Stone stares at her in confusion. “She said to comfort them.” The human states looking at the mares and the fillies. Golden Stone gives the man a small nod before scooting over to Limestone and Marble. Laying their heads against her chest, she runs her fingers through their manes, scratching them behind the ears. The pegasus gives the young mare a small smile as she brings Octavia and Pinkie into a warm embrace. “Sicut est amare liberos.” Not understanding her, Golden Stone just gives her a smile. The human and the earth pony stallions watch them with a vested interest, a sense of normalcy washing over them in this short moment. Hearing the children’s sobs dying down Golden Stone looks at the pegasus mare. “What’s your name?” The mare looks at her and gives a smile. “Stillae.” She smirks. “It means Rain Drops.” The human translates for her. She smiles at the mare. “My name is Golden Stone.” She looks down at the fillies. “This is Limestone and Marble, and that’s Pinkie and Octavia.” She points to each filly. Rain Drops looks at the children and smiles. “Aureum Stone,” She points Golden Stone. “Saxi Calcis, Marmor, Pinkie, Octaviam.” She points at the sisters. Golden Stone nods. The sisters, still recovering from their fit, look at Rain Drops with curious stares and hopeful smiles. Seeing their gazes, the pegasus smiles with a hum. Resting her head against the wall, she sings the children a pegasan lullaby. The earth pony stallions turn their attention from the mares to the human with raised brows. “How do you know pegasan?” One of them asks. “And why are you affectionate with her?” Another asks, pointing at the pegasus. The human looks at the stallions. “I was a slave living in the Withington empire before the great war started.” He looks at Lilly Drops, giving her a smile. “I was her father’s slave…” He looks down in thought. “Well to make a long story short, we fell in love, and made our escape from the island nation…” “Then how are you in Unicorpian custody?” The youngest of the stallions ask. “We left the Withington Empire just as the great war started.” He sighs. “When we arrived in Unicorpia, slavery wasn’t legal yet, but life wasn’t easy for us.” He smiles as he stares at his bare feet. “Lived as nomads for a while, but eventually slavery was made legal in Unicorpia, and we were soon captured.” One of the stallions’ frowns at the man. “Then how did you stay together?” The human returns the frown. “We weren’t… For the longest time we were owned by different masters and mistresses, but by sheer luck, the last master we had, happened to buy both of us on separate occasions.” He sighs crossing his arms. The questioning stallions bow their heads, before wandering off to the left corner of the cell. “Good news!” Ratchet shouts with glee. The slaves turn their attention to the stallion. “The showers are ready!” Pinkie and Marble stand before the entrance of one of the shower stalls, naked and cold as they look up at the showerhead, studying its construction. “Well, are you going to step in like your sisters?” Winsor one of Ratchet’s employees asks with a dull huff. Pinkie and Marble glance up at the stallion, before turning their ears to the sound of the other shower stalls running at full blast, steam rising out like smoke from a smokestack. Looking back at the stallion they blush and step inside, their tails covering their waist. “You have ten minutes to bathe yourselves, so make it quick!” Winsor states in a monotone voice as he shuts the curtain. Shivering from the cold, Pinkie unwraps the bar of tar-soap given to them, while Marble walks up to the wall where the showerhead hangs over them. Seeing no knobs, she looks back at her sister in confusion. Low groans ring out as cold water blast out of the showerhead, drenching the twins. “EEP!” Shocked by the sudden drop in temperature, they huddle close to the corner away from the water. Thirty-seconds pass and the cold water turns warm. Feeling the warm steam, they get under the stream and enjoy its calming aura as they bathe. But the ten minutes, which feels like hours to the sisters, comes and goes. And just like most good things, their small bit of comfort ends. “Come get your towels and gowns!” Pinkie and Marble sit in a small room that’s only six feet by six feet. Within the room are a large makeup desk, a trash bin, and a couch. Swing their legs, they stare into the large mirror of the makeup desk and study their appearance. Their eyes are heavy with bags under them, their damp manes cling to the sides of their faces. Their fur looks less bright than it usually does. Hearing the door open, the sisters turn around and see Willow stepping into the room with a smile on her face. “So, who’s ready for a makeover?” The twins stare at her, unsure of how to respond to her happy demeanor. Willow frowns at their behavior, she’s not mad, just disappointed. ‘These two are the shy type, aren’t they? Or maybe they’re shy because of their situation… I know how to fix that…’ Pulling up a chair, she sits it in front of them then and begins rummaging through the makeup desk. “I need to fix your manes, they need a good trimming and styling.” She sits back in the chair with a comb in her left hand and a pair of scissors in her other. “They are quite long.” She pulls Marble’s chair closer to her, spinning her around, facing her towards the wall. “Is it common for earth pony fillies to grow out their manes?” She asks trying to make small talk with her slaves. Marble looks down, putting her hands on her lap. “Um… yes…” Her cheeks blush. Seeing her sister's uncomfortable mood, Pinkie finishes for her. “Yes, Ma said it shows a filly or young mare her fertility.” Willow raises a brow. ‘Wow… They really do teach them to be mothers at a young age…’ She gives a smile. “Well, in Unicorpian society, long manes show uncleanliness and savageness.” She runs the comb through Marble’s mane combing out the knots. Pinkie watches the mare cut a strand of Marble’s mane, her eyes follow it as it falls to the floor with a poof. The snipping of the scissors sends calming chills down her spine. “Why?” Willow keeps her eyes on her work. “Well, because when we were evolving, our ancestors had long manes to show status, but now we are evolved and civilized there are other means to display one's status…” She snips another strand of Marble’s mane. “Studies have shown that long hair is unhealthy.” Pinkie keeps her eyes on the mare’s work. “What’s evolution?” “It’s a long and complicated subject, but in short its the process in which a species evolves, moving up the food chain, developing into a more complex and intelligent lifeform.” Willow quickly glances at the filly studying her wide, curious eyes. “That’s sounds weird… Why do you think that?” Pinkie asks, raising a brow. Willow gently pulls on some of Marble’s mane. Marble’s head tilts back some. “Because scientists have confirmed evolution is how this world, the animals and we intelligent species came to be.” Marble keeps silent as she listens intently to their conversation. “But I thought the Lord created all things?” Pinkie groans, tilting her head some more. Willow gives a long sigh. ‘I was wrong… Her sister is the shy one, she’s the talkative one…’ Finishing the bulk of her work she looks at Pinkie. “Well, you were taught wrong little filly.” She turns Marble around to face her. “Now to shape it.” Pinkie stares at her sister’s mane and sees that its previous hip-length is now at chin-length. Marble can’t see her mane on account of her mistress is in the way of the mirror, but she can feel it. The loss of hair weight startles her. It feels foreign to her. She squirms as she feels the teeth of the comb run along her scalp. Getting the shape of her mane just right, Willow smiles and faces Pinkie. “Alright, your turn.” Pinkie and Marble sit in a cell that is ten-feet by ten-feet in width and length. The both of them are studying their manes, eyeing the short strands of hair that make up their manes, even their long tails are cut short, the ends no longer dragging along the ground, but tickling their inner-knees. “We look weird?” Marble whines, playing with her mane. Pinkie sighs to herself. “Yeah… we look like colts.” She huffs as she looks over her shoulder at their cell door. Unlike the metal door back in the camp, this one is a very simple welded door with a flat panel where a handle would be and a small one-by-one-foot window in the center near the top. “I wish we can sleep with Octavia and Limestone.” Marble cries huddling close to her twin. Pinkie wraps her arms around her sister and lays her cheek on top of her head. She sighs and lets her own tears fall down her face. “I want to see Ma and Pa! I miss Maud’s hugs! I want to-to go back to school! I miss playing with our friends!” Marble lets lose her emotions. Her normally quiet and reserved demeanor breaking. Pinkie joins her sister, her own resolve broken from all that she’s seen and endured. “I WANT TO SEE MY SISTERS!” Limestone stands by the metal door of their cell pounding at it. “NOW!” She cries out a yell, her eyes mad. Octavia looks at her younger sister with a sigh. “They can’t hear you.” She pats a spot on the bed beside her. “We need to rest.” “I don’t need to rest!” Limestone fights a sob. “I’m older than you, now listen to me!” “ONLY BY TWO YEARS!” Limestone whips her head around, facing her eldest, showing her the hurt in her eyes. Realizing what she did, Limestone, start to panic. “Sis… I’m… I’m….” She slides against the door onto the floor and begins to weep. Octavia fights her urges to let her emotions go as she walks up to Limestone. Sitting beside her, she pulls her distraught sister in a loving embrace. “I miss Ma and… and… Pa… I miss Maud! ERR…” Limestone crises into her sister’s chest. Octavia kisses the top of her head as she rubs the back of her neck. “It’s okay Limestone… We have to be strong… We have to be…” Ratchet and Willow sit around an inset table in a restaurant near the docks about ten miles from their warehouse. Candlelight and a dim lightbulb set the mood. In front of them is a rather large plate containing a cabbage and crab roast with a balsamic-sea salt glaze. “So which slaves should we sell at tomorrow’s Famer’s Market?” Willow asks, looking through the documentation of their slaves. “You never stop working, do you?” Ratchet asks with a sigh. “We have bills to pay sweetheart.” She hums as she pulls out four pages and shows them to him. “I think these four are ready to be sold.” Ratchet looks at the pages and sees the files for Octavia, Marble, Rain Drops and the human male. “Why are you splitting up the twins?” He points at the file about Marble. “I thought we agreed to sell them together?!” “We did…” She takes a bite out of the roast. “But they’re not identical.” She swallows. “You know non-identical twins don’t fetch all that much.” He rubs the back of his head. “I know… But they will bring in more than if they are separate.” She grunts. “We both know we were excited about the twins, but thinking more about them, they could be farthest from being twins, just look at their fur color, and mane and tail color!” She picks up the sisters’ files and puts them into two piles. “If you really want to sell the sisters tomorrow, let's do it this way shall we.” Ratchet looks down at the papers and smiles. Chapter 10Pinkie and her sisters huddle close to one another as they stand by the side-mesh-window of the putter-wagon, looking out over the crowds of unicorns and slaves of all races mulling about the market square. “It’s so loud!” Marble and Pinkie whine as they place their hands over their ears. “You’ll get used to it little one.” The human replies sitting behind the sisters. Rain Drops lays her head against his left shoulder as she watches the sisters’ curious behavior. Turning their attention back to the market, they can see that it surrounds a giant marble statue of a unicorn mare dressed in a primitive fur coat. In the statue’s out stretched hand is a lantern and in her left hand are six arrows. She stands on a dome with carvings of different landmasses engraved in its surface. On the edge of the market’s roadside stand several four-story apartments and shops towering over it. Behind them is a sea of buildings of different shapes and heights, slowly ascending the sky as they go further towards the horizon of the castle’s beginning foundations. “What’s going to happen to us?!” Limestone asks out loud. “I think they’re selling us?” Octavia replies looking at a wooden platform a few feet from them. “Are they going to split us up?!” Limestone panics. “I don’t want you to leave me!” Pinkie cries. Marble shakes in fear as it consumes her. Seeing that the fillies are upset, Rain Drops gets up from her seat and sits beside them. “Filii Veni, veni.” She pats her lap. The sisters obey and lay around her, trying to find comfort in the mare’s embrace. The human looks at the scene with a smirk as memories of before the war grace his mind. The latch to the tailgate of the putter-wagon opens, and the double doors swing open revealing Ratchet and Winsor, Ratchet has a broad smile on his face. “How are my slaves doing? Ready to go to your new homes?” The sisters look at the stallion with eyes full of fear and anger. Rain Drops and the human stare down at the ground silently. Huffing at his slaves’ solemn mood, he pulls out several worn leather collars and metal chain leashes. “Cheer up, buyers don’t like gloomy slaves!” He and Winsor place the collars around their necks and latch the leashes to them. The sisters stare at the leashes and collars in disgust. “Come!” Winsor shouts. The sisters, Rain Drops and the human pile out of the back of the putter-wagon and slowly follow their slave masters to the stage overlooking the market. The sisters cower from the judging eyes of the crowds as they near their destination. Ascending the steps, they walk to the center of the platform. Facing them towards the masses, Winsor and another stallion lock their chains to the floor. Bolted to the floor and nowhere else to go, the sisters have no choice but to look at the market. From what they’d seen earlier of the market, it looked grand, but now, being in the thick of it, it seems more imposing. It didn’t help that the peak of the mountain and the royal castle built within, casts their shadows upon the market and city, letting its residents know who holds all the power. The sisters never seen such towering buildings, notably a castle of such majestic stature. Earthen being a republic, castles such as the one they gaze upon are and were a rare sighting, most that still stand within Earthen’s borders are long ago memories of a past best left forgotten. Moving their attention to the crowds, the sisters watch as the unicorns mull about their day. It is the first time they see this many unicorns in one place and not in military uniform. Since the war, trade with Unicorpia died, and even then, before the war, with Ashmore being so far inland and so remote, a unicorn sighting in its streets would have been a big deal. The slaves in the sea of unicorns ultimately draw their attention. The stern glares they give send chills down the sisters’ spines. Walking up to Willow who sits at a table in the back corner of the platform, Ratchet leans on the table. “So, are we ready to make the announcement?” He smiles. Willow smiles placing some paperwork in neat piles. “Yes, we are…” “Hey! When will our slaves be put on stage?!” A mare yells behind them. Ratchet looks over Willow’s shoulder, while Willow turns her head. They see a mare and four other slave merchants glaring at them. Behind them is their own putter-wagons full of slaves. “You’ll have plenty of time to sell your products.” He gives them a smirk. “You have the best seat in the house, trust me, you’ll get your money’s worth.” He leans in and whispers in Willow’s ear. “How much are we taking from their sell again?” “Ten percent.” She gives him a smirk. He sighs. “Next time let’s make it fifteen…” He turns towards the crowd and gives a clap. “Ladies and Gentlemen! I’m glad to say, Southern Canterlot Slave Trading Company is open for business!” Some ponies in the crowd stop and turn their gaze towards him. “For the spring festival, we are offering a discount on certain slaves, like these two!” He points at Pinkie and Marble. “Nine-year-old twins! For only eight-hundred bits!” Some of the crowd gathers around the platform and gaze at the sisters, Rain Drops and the human, the first batch of slaves Noticing that some are not really interested in the ones on stage, Ratchet walks up to the stage’s edge. “If you do not see the one that finds your fancy, we have another batch of slaves that will be coming on stage once these slaves are sold!” He gives the crowd a thumb up. “So, stick around. The sisters’ shiver, sweat rolls down their faces. They do not understand Ratchet’s words, but from the reaction of the crowd, they know something terrible is about to happen. Trying to find a sense of comfort they look at Rain Drops, reading her mood. She feels their gaze looking upon her. With a sigh, she looks at the sisters and gives them a soft smile as she points to the floor with her eyes. The sisters understand her command and turn their gaze to the floor, keeping silent. Hearing hoof steps walking up to the platform, the sisters turn their gaze and see a tall unicorn stallion in his mid-forties. His shoulders are broad, his snout is square, his golden-blue eyes stick out from his dark grey fur and indigo-black mane. Ratchet smiles, shaking the stallion’s hand. “Welcome?” “Diamond Star.” The stallion replies with a smile as he puts his left hand in his overcoat’s pocket. “Glad to meet you,” Ratchet points to his slaves. “So, are you interested in buying some slaves today?” “I am.” Diamond walks over to the sisters, ignoring the human and pegasus. “Are these the twins?” He points at Pinkie and Marble. “Yes, they are.” Ratchet replies. “What about these two?” He points at Octavia and Limestone. Those are the twins’ eldest sisters, they’re being sold separately.” Ratchet places his hands behind his back, giving a seller’s smile. Diamond studies the sisters’ appearances. He eyes the twins. If one would have only given a glance, they couldn’t tell they were twins at all. Pinkie’s bright pink fur and magenta mane stand out from Marble’s light grey fur and dark grey mane. Even their eyes are the polar opposite. Pinkie’s bright blue and Marble’s deep purple. His attention turns to Octavia and Limestone. Octavia looks more like Marble’s twin, they were precisely the same in every way. Besides their age difference, they look more related to one another than their other sisters. Limestone stands out from the rest of her sisters like Pinkie. Her fur is a dull lavender, and her mane is a white-grey. Her lime-green eyes speak out to him, full of determination, like her sister, Pinkie. He smiles at Pinkie and Limestone. He likes the contrast. ‘They surely won’t be a sore on the eyes day to day.’ He tells himself. “Are you sure they’re all related?” He looks at Ratchet. Ratchet mumbles. “Of course they are, we have the records if you want to take a look.” “I believe you…” He keeps his gaze on Pinkie. Diamond can see her cowering against Limestone, who is to her right. “Are you a hard worker little one?” He bends down, lowering himself to be at eye level with her. Pinkie feels a chill run down her spine. The smile he gives is one that causes strange emotions to surge throughout her body and mind. “Yes… sir…” Diamond gives a hum and looks at Limestone. “What about you?” “Sir…” Ratchet speaks up. “They’re not being sold together…!” Diamond holds up an index finger silencing the stallion. “Well, little one, are you a hard worker?” He asks again Limestone keeps her eyes on his. They dig into her soul, causing her chest to tighten up. “Yes…” She mumbles. Octavia and Marble watch their sisters’ converse with the stallion, their own emotions boiling to the surface. Diamond smiles at the two of them and stands up. “They seem well behaved.” He puts his hands into his overcoat's pockets. “How much for them?” Ratchet lets out a nervous giggle. “We’re only selling the twins together…” Diamond grunts a small sigh. “I really do not want to have two slaves of the same age.” He pulls out a thick stack of bank notes each worth one-hundred-bits. “I’m willing to pay two-thousand-bits for these two.” He points at Limestone and Pinkie. “I know the older one will keep her younger sibling in line.” He looks down at the sisters with a smirk. The sisters cannot understand their words, but from their body language, demeanor and what looks like money in Diamond’s hand, they know what is about to happen. The realization of what is about to occur, cold, numbing pain assaults their bodies. Ratchet and Willow stare at the wad of bank notes. A drop of sweat rolls down Ratchet’s brow. “Well… I don’t know?” Well how about I pay fifteen-hundred instead and give you a seventy-percent discount on travel expenses when you use my train line.” Diamond chuckles with a smirk. “And what train line would that be?” Willow asks with a smile. “The Star Line Express my dear.” Diamond hands her a business card. “Call me sometime later on today, and we can finalize our contract.” He looks at Ratchet. “Unless you don’t want to take the deal?” Ratchet lets out a giggle. “No! No, not at all! I accept!” He takes the stallion’s right hand and gives it a shake. “Do you need help with your new slaves?” “No,” Diamond remarks. “I hired a transport service, they’ll take care of it.” He points at the desk. “Shall we?” Ratchet nods and offers the stallion a seat. Seeing a successful sale, several other unicorns wait in line. The other slave merchants witnessing the crowd growing around the platform, prepare their slaves for sale. Before taking his seat, Diamond waves to his hired crew, gesturing that all is a go. Nodding a response, they quickly walk up to Pinkie and Limestone. The sisters look at the stallions with fear. Scared, they try to back away, but their chains halt their advance. With help from Winsor, they unlock them from the stage and walk them down the steps to an awaiting putter-slave-wagon. “OCTAVIA! MARBLE!” Pinkie cries as she reaches out, her legs kicking the air. Her cries singing out over the noisy market. “NO!” Limestone tries to fight back “LET ME GO!” The stallion carrying her uses his magic, sending a bolt of electricity to her collar, numbing her, making her go limp, making her a more comfortable carry. “WHERE ARE YOU TAKING THEM!” Octavia cries, looking at Ratchet and Willow with hate-filled eyes. Winsor pinches the back of her neck, hard, quieting her woes. Ratchet and Diamond stare briefly at the distraught fillies before returning to their work. Getting to the putter-slave-wagon, the stallions unstrap the worn leather collars from the sisters' necks. Opening the metal doors, they toss them into the back and shut them. Bathed in mild darkness, with some light shining through the mesh windows of the doors, they listen to the voices of the outside world muffled by the wagon’s metal shell. Frightened, Pinkie crawls up to her sister and wraps her arms and legs around her, sitting in her lap as she buries her face into her sister’s chest. Hot tears roll down her face. Limestone can feel them through her gown. She grabs her sister, keeping her close to her, her mind going numb from her own wild and crazy thoughts swimming through her mind. “Are they loaded up?” Diamond asks, his muffled voice echoing into the back hull of the wagon. His voice sends chills down the sisters’ backs. “Yes, sir.” One of the crewmen states. “Alright, let's get going before traffic gets too rough.” The sisters feel the putter-wagon rumble to life. Scared, they huddle closer to the corner of the vehicle near the cabin. Tears soaking the fur around their face. Seeing the vehicle driving away with their sisters. Octavia and Marble bow their heads in despair. Octavia’s throat tightens up, her body feels hot as she tries to break her chains. “STOP IT!” Winsor hisses, smacking her across the face. Octavia jerks back and stares at the stallion with wide petrified eyes. Marble looks on in fear, too scared to do anything for her sister. “How much for those two?” Octavia and Marble hear a mare ask. They turn their attention to the source of the voice and see a unicorn mare in her late forties. Her face is soft, her cheeks plump and round. Her white mane is short about chin-length, and her tan fur shines gloriously in the sun. Her stature is short, but her demeanor and the way she carries herself shows her status, her power. Her eyes help with that, their bright red color can pierce the souls of many. Willow looks at her notes, making some on the fly calculations. “I say about a thousand bits, Miss?” “Jupiter, Mrs. Jupiter.” She pulls out some banknote totaling the amount asked. “I’ll like to buy them if that’s not too much trouble for you?” She motions to the growing crowd around the stage. “I can see you’re already busy.” “No, not at all.” She gives Mrs. Jupiter some paperwork. “I like it when we’re busy.” She hands her a pen. “Do you need help with transportation?” “No my dear, I have a ride waiting for me.” Jupiter gives her a smile. The putter-slave-wagon rocks back ‘n forth as it climbs up the small mountain road weaving among the trees, heading up to a secluded home not too far from the city, about twelve miles. The ride feels like years for Limestone and Pinkie. The back of the wagon is hot, the humid air seeping in causes their fur to get damp and sticky. They keep their eyes on the doors’ windows, watching the trees along the road pass them by. Feeling the vehicle make a sharp left turn, then roll up a steep incline before leveling out and slowing down, curiosity gets the better of the sisters. Crawling to the doors, they peek out the windows. Through the mesh, they see a vast gravel driveway leading up to a grand-granite staircase, which leads to a three-story mansion. The building is clad in bright white plaster and peach marble. Grand plantation windows line the front of the home. Six brick pillars hold up the awning-porch. Five chimneys poke out of the concrete-tile roof. A grove of trees towers over the home’s backyard as the hills of the mountain keep ascending behind it. Hearing the passenger door open, the sisters back away from the door and cower against the back wall of the wagon. The double doors open, revealing Diamond standing, posing a dull mannered pose. In his hand is two white leather collars, with common red ruby jewels and leashes to match. “Welcome to your new home.” He chuckles. Octavia and Marble sit in awe at the interior of the putter-car they sit in. The lavish ivory-white leather seats, cream-tan carpets of the floorboards and the wood trimmings brings a calm to the ride. The sisters’ ears flicker, the car is quiet, too quiet. All of the putter-cars they have seen back home were just as loud as their wagon counterparts. Their snouts tickle, the rich polished and leathery smells of the interior cause their nostrils to itch. In front of them on the other side of a mesh covered opening are their new Mistress and her driver. The driver is a unicorn in his late teens. His outfit is business casual, a simple white-polo-shirt, and black slacks. Their Mistress, Jupiter, keeps her gaze focus on a magazine, her short curly mane, masking her soft facial features. Feeling a pair of eyes glaring at her, she looks over her shoulders and sees her slaves staring at her with mixed emotions. “We’ll be their soon my dears.” She gives them a smile.” The sisters sigh and turn their eyes elsewhere. Looking out the windows, they see that they’re in the heart of Canterlot. The buildings here are taller, broader, more ornate as they consume every available buildable space the mountainside has to offer. Some skyscrapers even carve their way into the mountain itself, becoming semi-subterranean dwellings. Seeing traffic up ahead, the driver puts his hoof on the brakes. “Should we take the shortcut, Mrs. Jupiter?” “Yes, we should.” She puts her magazine down. “I’ll just enter from the east side entrance.” The putter-car makes a right, heading down a small alley. Passing three intersections, the driver turns left and pulls onto another major street. Driving for a few more minutes, the putter-car pulls up to a forty-five-story building in downtown Canterlot. Smiling, Jupiter looks at her slaves with a smile. “Welcome home my little dearies.” Chapter 11“Well, are you going to come or not?” Diamond asks, looking at his newly bought slaves. Pinkie and Limestone keep their eyes on the mansion. Its imposing stature intimidates them, keeping them frozen in place. Rolling his eyes, Diamond uses his magic and tugs the collars of their tattered slave-gowns. They stumble forward. Regaining their footing, they follow their Master up the granite steps to the large double mahogany doors. Entering the home, they stand in a grand lobby. The sisters stare in amazement at what they see. In front of them are two massive curved-staircases made of white marble, ascending to a second-story center balcony that overlooks the main lobby. Behind them is a massive center ten-feet arched-bay window that sits over the front doors, allowing the sunlight of the day to pour into the home, casting everything it touches in a soft glow. Looking to their right, they see a large living-din through the open double doors. An ornate coal fireplace sits in the back in the right corner. Its white marble exterior standing out from the walls’ rich crimson paint. In the center of the room is a large coffee table with two plush couches on either side. Several paintings of unicorns and environments of varying sizes hang on the walls. A light with a bright red and white cone-lamp hangs above the coffee table, casting the room in its colorful light. To their left, they see an open dining room and a kitchen connected to each other by a wall-sized archway. The dining room contains a ten-seater birch dining table, with a decorative candle display in the middle. A Victorian style light-lamp hangs above the table, making the room look rustic. Three plantation windows help light up the area with natural light. The kitchen’s walls are painted a bright white, its floors are coated in white-grey-black marble tiles. Its counters and cupboards are an ivory-white while the countertops are white marble with black specs. Ring-Ding-a-Ling! Diamond rings a small bronze bell he’s taken out from his overcoat’s pocket. Hoof steps are heard as they echo into the lobby, an earth pony mare in her early twenties emerges from the right-side archway by the stairs. “Yes, Master?” She bows her head, speaking in Unicorpian, she notices the sisters, her eyes light up, her emotions unclear. The sisters stare at this mare. She wears an ivory-white long-sleeved polo-gown, with a red wool sleeveless-jacket over it. Her yellow mane is cut short like theirs, and her white fur looks like polished marble in the light. “Won’t you be a dear and take these fillies to the slave quarters. I want them bathed and dressed in the appropriate attire.” He hands her their collars and leashes. “After they’re bathed, introduce them to the others, give them a tour of the place, explain to them the rules and then put them to work.” He rubs her cheek lovingly. She blushes and looks away with a smirk. The sisters stare in confusion as they ponder their flirty behavior. “Of course, Master.” The mare bows her head once more as she takes the items from him. “Come slaves.” She commands the sisters. With some hesitation, the sisters follow her through the archway heading to the back of the mansion. Diamond watches them as they walk down the hallway with a flat stare. Seeing them turn the corner, he sighs and walks up the stairs. Getting to the door at the end of the hall, the mare opens it and guides the sisters inside. Stepping into the room, the sisters see that it’s quite spacious. Its twenty-five-feet long and fifteen feet wide. Three, four-feet tall and two-feet wide bared windows adore the left-side wall. Two, three-feet halogen lamps hang from the ceiling, casting the room in harsh white light. The walls and ceiling are painted white, the floor is a flat birch wood tile. Six beds and six nightstands are in the room, three on either side. The beds are adorned with simple black box-spring covers, white fitted sheets, flat white sheets, and white down pillows and comforters. “Well, this is our room.” The mare speaks leaning on the door handle. “At the end of the room is the door leading to the restroom with a bathtub and toilet. This restroom is ours and is the only one in the house we can use.” She gives them a stern glare. “When you’re finished with your shower I’ll give you, your new outfits.” She smiles. “Are there any questions?” Limestone looks at the mare with judging eyes. Pinkie, on the other hand, works up the courage to speak. “Ma’am?” The mare gives her a smirk. “My you have good manners… Your Ma, past Master or Mistress must’ve taught you well.” She giggles to herself. “What is it dear?” “What’s your name?” Pinkie smiles. “My name is Pinkie, and this is my sister Limestone…” “Pinkie!” Limestone grabs her sister’s arm pulling her close to her. “Don’t…” Her words are cut off by the mare placing a finger on her and her sister’s lips. “We’ll save introductions for later. You’re not presentable for such an occasion.” She looks at their worn slave gowns. “Now off to the showers before I call Master!” She snaps her fingers, pointing at the restroom. The sisters cower under her gaze and slowly walk to the end of the room, shutting the door behind them. Pinkie and Limestone study their long-sleeved polo-gowns. The fabric is a soft silk, dyed ivory-white, the length of the skirt is just above their knees. Over their white gowns is a deep-red wool sleeveless jacket, with two white buttons on the placket. Finding their behavior amusing, the mare gives a hum as she motions them to come over to her. The sisters obey and take their seats next to her on her bed. With a hum, she puts on their collars, adjusting the lengths accordingly. Pinkie notices that the gems on the mare’s collar are yellow instead of red like her and her sisters. “Um?” The mare looks at Pinkie, giving her a questioning glare. “Yes, little one? What is it?” Pinkie fidgets with her fingers. “Why are your rubies a different color?” The young mare runs her fingers along her collar. “They’re not rubies sweetie.” She adjusts Pinkie’s collar some more. “They’re topaz.” “Why are they different?” Limestone questions. “Well, the different colors show what status of slave you are.” She points at their collars. “You're common slaves, house slaves in fact, doing house chores.” She hums, checking their collars. “Are you a house slave?” Pinkie tilts her head. “Uh…” She blushes. “Yes, but I have other roles other than housework.” She gets up and commands the sisters to do the same. “Like what?” Pinkie asks again, a small smile coming to her lips. Limestone looks at the mare with wondering eyes. The mare, unsure of how to reply with an appropriate answer, just smiles. “I will tell you another time, right now that’s not important.” She walks up to the doors. “Now follow me, I will explain the rules as I give you a tour of the place.” “Um?” She sighs as she turns around looking at Pinkie. “What?” “Um…” Pinkie plays with her collar. “We never got your name?” “Poppy… My name is Poppy, now come, let’s go.” “The hall we were just in, that leads to the laundry room, one of the doors to the backyard and the slave quarters.” Poppy points at the hall behind them. The sisters stare at the hall for a short second. “And of course, this it’s the main lobby. To our right are the dining room and kitchen. To our left is the guest lounge.” She walks through the large center archway, the sisters follow. “This large room is the main lounge. Master likes to entertain his high valued guest here, there is a billiard-table, a bar and over there is one of them moving picture displays. Master just put that in a month ago.” Poppy stares at the bulky metal projector hanging from the ceiling pointing at a blank wall. The sisters stare at it, studying it. They never heard or seen such a thing. “What is it?” Limestone asks. Poppy looks down at the fillies. “Um, from what I understand it’s like a picture book, but the pictures move…” She places her hands behind her back. “Anyhow… Let’s keep going.” Stepping out of the room, they head up to the second story and walk down the wide and tall hall. “To our left is the Mistress’s and her daughter’s art room. And the other room at the end of the hall is the family’s living-room. And through that archway in the center leads to their daughter’s and son’s rooms and a balcony overlooking the west side of the property. To our right is the door that leads to the master bedroom and bath. And a few feet down at the end of the hall is another hall that leads to Master’s private quarters.” Pinkie and Limestone scan the halls and the doors to the rooms. The entrance to the art room is open, revealing the work-in-progress paintings and art supplies littering the space. Pinkie feels an urge to go in and play with the brushes and pens. Seeing her giddiness, Poppy places her hands on her shoulders and guides her down the stairs. Pinkie grumbles and gives the mare a frown. “What’s on the third floor?” Limestone asks. “Oh, just the attic, we’re not allowed to go up there,” Poppy states quickly guiding them down the stairs. “Where are Master’s wife and children?” Pinkie asks, her eyes full of questioning. All this new information overwhelming her. “They’re not here right now.” She states getting to the bottom of the stairs. “The Mistress is shopping with her daughter and their son is still in boot camp.” She rustles their manes. “He’s training, improving his skills so one day he can fight for the glory of Unicorpia, for a better future.” She walks towards the archway near the kitchen commanding them to come. Limestone and Pinkie look at the mare with hesitation. Her statement scares them. Looking at each other with concern, they slowly follow her. Opening the door at the end of the hall, Poppy and the sisters step outside, with a happy sigh, Poppy shows the sisters the backyard. Limestone and Pinkie are blown away. It spreads out about four acres. The hillside and forest surrounding the property act as a natural wall, protecting and adding privacy for the residents of the home. Limestone and Pinkie frown when they see a large metal wire fence, with barbwire lining the property. Removing their attention from the fence, they look over to the right-side of the backyard and see a half an acre verity garden full of corn, cabbage, radishes, carrots, tomatoes, blackberries, strawberries and other small-sized vegetables and fruits. They eye a teen earth pony colt working the small garden. His blonde mane is cut short, almost a buzz-cut. His tail is only a foot long. His red fur stands out from all the green that surrounds him. He looks up from his work and notices the sisters, a small blush comes to his cheeks. “That’s Macintosh.” Poppy comments. “He cooks meals and works the garden.” She pats their backs. “Go say hi.” Her tone sounds more like a command. Nervous that she might get mad, Limestone and Pinkie walk up to the colt. As they near him, Limestone can clearly make out his features, even for being in his mid-teens, his masculine traits are apparent. Macintosh studies the sisters as they come up to him. He’s curious by Pinkie’s appearance, he’s never seen an earth pony so, pink. He has seen colorful pegasi and unicorns back in his hometown of Cameroon, but most earth ponies he’s seen never reach such hues. Limestone’s appearance, on the other hand, causes him to blush. For being thirteen, he can tell that she’s going through puberty. He can see the hourglass shape most mares have, and her stride is alluring. Pinkie studies the colt. She can see he’s tall and strong for his age. She also notices his nervous behavior, his blush showing through his red fur. She turns her attention to her sister and sees that she is blushing too. A smirk comes across her lips. She hopes this soon too be exchange will bring some happiness to their gloomy situation. Standing in front of the colt. Limestone blushes as she offers her right hand. Pinkie copies her. “H-Hello.” Limestone stutters as she looks at him shyly. Macintosh takes her hand. “Hello.” He swallows a lump as he shakes Pinkie’s hand. “What would yer names be?” “Hi!” Pinkie giggles at their flustered moods. “My name is Pinkie! And that’s my big sister Limestone! She’s really awesome at playing the piano!” She lets out some giggles. “Hello, Miss. Limestone, Miss. Pinkie.” Macintosh says formally with a blush. “It’s nice to meet you?” He blushes some more. “Uh… I forgot, mah name’s Macintosh.” Pinkie giggles at the colt’s chivalry. Limestone blushes at her name being formalized. “Thank you, Mr. Macintosh.” Limestone replies. Macintosh looks away trying to hide his embarrassment. “Come! We have two more ponies to meet!” Poppy calls out, smirking at them. The sisters bow their heads and return to Poppy’s side. Macintosh watches as they head off to the left side of the yard towards the warehouse. Getting to the warehouse Poppy peaks in the building and sees two stallions working on a putter-car. “Hello?” She calls out. The stallions look up from their work and look over at her. They notice the sisters standing next to her and give them bewildered stares. “I’m introducing Master’s new slaves to everyone.” “Master’s bought him some fillies Usip!” The stallion laying on a mechanic’s creep shouts. “He sure has,” Usip states with a dull tone studying their appearance. The sisters feel uncomfortable under his stare. “Hey how much you wanna bet he bought them to be his young concubines?!” The stallion giggles to himself. “Jasper!” Poppy hisses. “Watch your foul language!” She stands over him. “Look at their collars!” Jasper looks at the collars and just shrugs his shoulders. Poppy growls. “They’re common house slaves.” “Like that means anything,” Jasper growls back as he stands up getting in her face. “I think you know what I mean...” He stares at her collar. “Ungodly mare!” He hisses walking to the back of the warehouse up to a tool chest. Poppy glares at him. “Ignore him, he’s too religious for his own good…” Usip hears the stallion cuss under his breath. “Or so he thinks.” He looks at the fillies. “So, what are your names?” Limestone puts her hands over her lap. “Limestone.” She brings her sister into a side embrace. “And this is my sister Pinkie.” Usip smiles. “Nice to you meet you, little missies.” The sisters blush at the stallion’s kind words. “Have they met Mac yet?” Poppy smiles. “Oh yes.” She gives a smirk as she runs her fingers through Limestone’s mane. “This one was a little flirty with him.” Limestone blushes and shakes her head in disagreement, her eyes glaring at the young mare. Usip laughs. “Ha, I needed that, been very bland here.” He kneels down to be at eye level with the sisters. “I’ll give you some advice fillies that will keep you alive and out of trouble.” The sisters give their full attention to the mention of death. “Listen to Master and follow his every command. Same goes for the Mistress. You do that, and all will be merry.” He points at a five-feet tall two-and-a-half-feet diameter pole by the fence. “If you break the rules, however, it’s the whipping pole for you…” He lifts his shirt and shows them his scars.” The sisters shiver at the sight of them. “You understand?” Poppy adds. Limestone and Pinkie look up at the young mare. “Yes…” They softly reply. “Good.” She places her hands against their backs and leads them out of the warehouse. “It’s time to get to work.” Pinkie grumbles as she runs the dust cloth across the guest lounge’s coffee table. Her small hands expertly clean the intricate nooks of the carvings along the table’s sides and legs. Finishing up with the coffee table, she gets up and walks over to the bookshelves and begins taking out the books setting them down on the floor into several piles. Limestone stands by the fireplace, cleaning the mantel with a cloth and spray bottle of marble cleaner. The mantel is at her eye level, she has to stand on her tippy-hooves to clean the whole surface. Poppy leans on the corner pillar of the corner archway of the guest lounge. She watches them as they work, making sure they did their job right, her eyes studying their every move. CLICK! The locks disengage, and the front doors swing open. A unicorn mare and her daughter step into the home. Setting down their bags, her daughter shuts the doors and relocks them with a unique key. “We’re finally home!” The mare huffs. “Traffic was awful…” She sees that her slave, Poppy is just standing in the archway of the guest lounge looking into it. “Poppy, what are you doing just standing there doing nothing, you should be working?” Poppy quickly gives a bow. “I am working Holly.” She points into the room. “Master bought two new slaves today.” She smiles. “I’m making sure they’re doing their work properly.” Holly and her daughter give each other raised brows before walking to the lounge. Peeking into the room, they see two young earth pony fillies cleaning the lounge’s furniture. The sisters hearing the mares entering the room, look at their mistresses, studying them. Holly looks to be forty-one years of age. Her fur color is a light peach, and her mane is a brilliant white. Her hazel eyes hold a lot of kindness yet control at the same time, a firmness, one that tells them that she shouldn’t be crossed in any way. Her daughter looks to be sixteen, like their eldest sister Maud. Her mane is a light-indigo-blue, her fur a brilliant white. Her eyes are just like her mother’s. “I didn’t know my husband bought new slaves…” Holly tells herself. “Poppy, do you know where my husband is?” Poppy bows her head. “Yes, he’s in his personal office. Diamond sits at his desk mulling over paperwork dealing with his locomotive business. He lets out a long sigh as he opens a binder. Rubbing his brow, he leans back in his chair and takes a sip of his bourbon. “Damn… I’m going to need a lot of financing.” He reads one of the papers within the folder. It's an order from the King, asking for ten new state-of-the-art steam-trains, capable of hulling several new Landships. Which are hulking blocks of steel, with a massive rotating 50mm cannon on top, several machineguns on its sides, powered by a V4 deasil engine that sends torque to two heavy-duty-metal-tracks. Taking another sip of his bourbon, he looks out the three-foot-by-six-foot window. He eyes the trees hugging the mountainside. He sees his stallion slaves working the field. Off in the distance, he sees an airship flying towards Canterlot. He growls, those blasted machines are cutting into his bottom line. He thinks back to their creation, their first maiden voyage. The first airship was a simple flying machine, built when he was just twenty years old, in the northern human nation-state of Capricorn. It was only about a hundred yards long and fifty yards wide, a fragile wooden cockpit and a balloon made of a lightweight cloth filled with hydrogen. For a while, many nations looked at the machines as a novelty, an expensive and dangerous one. Many early models had the tendency to explode into flames when they landed. But after several top feline scientists of the Cattery Aeronautics division made some improvements, many nations adopted them. With the improvements they proved themselves to be capable transport vehicles for military and civilian personnel as well as central bombardment units for the battlefield. Diamond rubs his brow, taking another sip of his drink. He’s thankful at least that the airship couldn’t hull cargo weight in the tons. Trains were still needed for such a job. “And it better stay that way for a long while.” He speaks to himself. KNOCK! Hearing a knock on the door, he turns his attention to it. “Come on in!” The door opens revealing his wife. “Oh, hello dear, what is it that you need?” “Oh, nothing.” His wife hums as she steps into the room, taking a seat in a Victorian style chair beside his desk. “So…” She leans back in her seat. “I heard from your harem, that you bought two new slaves.” She frowns. “Without asking me!” Diamond gives a huff. “Holly, please!” He finishes his drink and pours more bourbon into his glass. “Please?!” Holly crosses her arms. “Don’t tell me those slaves are the reason why you fired our maids?” “They were charging too many bits for a lousy job!” Diamond leans back in his chair. “I know the slaves I bought are young, but when I instill a mindset of fear, showing them who’s alpha, they’ll be worth the bits I spent.” He finishes his glass and fills it up once more. Holly sighs and sees that the sixteen-ounce bottle is a third of the way full. “I hope in the future you keep them as common house slaves?” Diamond gives a sign. “I plan on it, I only want one harem.” He looks out the window. ”But I do find your question wanting.” Holly looks down at her lap. “I just want to make sure…” “You’re my true love, that’s why I married you, gave you children, but we cannot deny biology, our evolution, stallions are not meant to only have one mating partner, same goes for mares.” He fills up his glass once more. “At least we have something in common with our winged brethren, both pegasi and bat ponies.” Holly huffs. “I don’t want another stallion in my life.” Diamond rolls his eyes. “Don’t be a human, a feline… an earth pony!” Holly gives her husband a dull stare. “I will not…” She gives a sigh. “I’ll introduce myself to our new slaves.” She gets up and heads out of his office. “What meal do you want Macintosh to cook tonight?” “Let’s have cabbage stew, it’s going to be a cold night tonight.” Diamond replies as he skims through some papers. Holly nods and heads out of the room. Pinkie looks out the windows by the front doors and watches the sun dip slowly towards the horizon. With a sigh, she turns her gaze to the clock on the wall above the archway behind her. She can’t read the symbols, but they’re laid out in the same fashion as an Earthen clock would be, she just mentally switches the symbols. ‘5:23 pm.’ She gives a huff and looks over at her sister who’s mopping the tiled floor. “Pinkie get cleaning!” Poppy states, snapping her fingers. Pinkie shivers as she walks over to accent table conforming to the curvature of stairs and begins removing the picture frames and decorative knick-knacks from its surface. Picking up one of the photos, she looks down at it and sees Diamond, Holly and their two children standing by a statue of a unicorn stallion located somewhere in the Unicorpian Empire. She frowns, a tight sensation forms in her chest. ‘They look so happy… like my family… did…’ “Hello dear.” Pinkie puts the photo close to her chest and whips her head around and up. She sees Holly standing over her, giving her a dull smile. Pinkie stares at her with wide eyes. Limestone stops her mopping and looks up as well, staring at the mare with curious eyes. Poppy bows for her mistress. “Bow!” Poppy growls at the sisters. “It’s alright Poppy, they’re new, they’ll have time to fall in line,” Holly commands, before looking down at Pinkie. “Looking at our photos?” Pinkie feels a blush come to her cheeks as she looks down at the picture once more. Holly smirks at her expressions. “You’re a shy one.” “No!... I… I mean, I’m not shy mistress…” Pinkie replies, shaking. “Um, you look really happy.” She hands her Mistress the photo. Holly takes the photo and looks at it. “Yes… happy.” She looks at Poppy, who looks away with an embarrassed blush. Seeing Pinkie’s sister standing in the hall, she gives her a smile. “So, is she your sister?” Pinkie looks back at her sister then back at Holly. “Yes.” She feels a funny feeling forming in her chest. “Her name is Limestone, and my name is Pinkie!” She smiles. Limestone gives a bow. Seeing he sister bow, Pinkie bows as well. Holly smiles. She finds their names quite interesting. “Well little ones, I expect you to be on your best behaviors, and obey our every command.” She heads into the main lounge. “Is that understood?” “Yes, Mistress.” Limestone and Pinkie nod. “Please, don’t call me Mistress, you can call me Holly.” Before stepping into the room, she gives Poppy a small smile. “Oh, Poppy, I want the new slaves to help Macintosh prepare our meals from now on. He’ll teach them, so you don’t have to.” She gives her a sly smile. “I plan on giving you and Usip another task to do during supper, understand?” Poppy nods, but her eyes scream out in anger. “See you slaves during supper.” Limestone and Pinkie peek at the dining room through the kitchen’s archway. They study their masters as they sit at the table. Diamond sits to their right at the head on the table, reading the paper, while Holly sits on the opposite end reading a book, while their daughter sits in the middle facing them, sketching in her notepad. Feeling eyes are upon her, their daughter looks up and stares at the sisters. “Father?” “Yes, Ashlyn?” Diamond replies, not looking up from his paper. “The new slaves you bought are staring at me?” Ashlyn sighs. Diamond looks over at the kitchen and sees the sisters staring at them with questioning and judging eyes. With a frown, he snaps his fingers. The sisters jerk, and duck back into the kitchen. With a sigh, he returns to his paper. Nervous they may have angered their Master, Pinkie and Limestone walk over to Macintosh, watching him slave away at a meal cooking on the stove. Sensing their presence, he quickly glances at them and gives a small smile. “Don’t worry, Master is not angry… not yet at least.” He points to a cupboard behind him. “Get the bowls ready.” Limestone and Pinkie obey his command and set the bowls on the island counter in the middle of the kitchen. Biting his tongue, Macintosh lifts the pot off the flames and gingerly pours the soup in the bowls. Limestone and Pinkie look into the bowls, staring at the pieces of halibut and green cabbage floating in the golden-tinted broth. "If you’re hungry don’t worry, we'll have some after our masters finish their's.” Macintosh replies, adding some garnish. “Master hates wasting things.” Limestone and Pinkie look at the pot that’s back on the stove, licking their lips. Its been several days without a proper meal and the thought of eating wets their mouth. Smirking at the sisters’ expressions, he steps back with a happy sigh. “Alright, go ahead and serve them.” The sisters nod and gently pick up the bowls. Limestone picks up two and Pinkie picks up one. Stepping out into the dining room, Limestone walks up Diamond and places his bowl before him, then she places Ashlyn's before her. Pinkie walks over to Holly and gives her, her bowl. Holly gives her a soft smile. “You're doing well for your first night.” She looks at the table's surface. “You did a good job setting the table.” She takes a spoonful and begins chewing. Pinkie watches her, confused at what to do next. “You and your sister stand over there.” Diamond states pointing at the corner beside the kitchen’s entrance. “Wait there until we finish eating or until we need your services.” He snaps his fingers. The sisters shyly bow their heads and stand in the corner. Holly studies them from afar. “They seem very timid.” She sirs her soup. “They’re going to need a lot of work.” Diamond gives a long sigh. “I prefer that they remain timid.” He sips his wine. “They need to know the pecking order.” Holly huffs. “They’re still ponies.” “They’re feral ponies. Their kind is still evolutionary behind us.” Diamond grunts, but he lets out a long sigh when he catches his tone of voice. “I don’t mind showing some affection for our slaves sweetheart, but we still need to show force, show who’s the alpha, it’s how their social order works.” He gives his wife a small smile. “Let’s not repeat this conversation again… Shall we.” Holly nods. “Yes, I agree.” She looks at her daughter. “How has school been, dear?” Ashlyn looks at her mother. “Good, our teacher is planning on taking us to Wellington Shores next week to paint coastal landscapes.” “I’ve always loved that place.” Diamond smiles. “That’s where I proposed to your mother.” He looks at his wife. She looks back at him with a smirk. Ashlyn rolls her eyes and returns to her meal. Limestone and Pinkie stare at their masters with dull stares, their hunger growing by the minute. Sitting on Limestone’s bed, Pinkie and her sister consume their meals hungrily. The other slaves look at them with wonder. “Damn, they seem to be starving.” Jasper states. “It seems like the camp they were in, wasn’t feeding them the right nutrients.” Usip hums as he sips his broth. Macintosh sits on his bed, watching Limestone eat. She looks up at him as she feels his gaze. Blushing, Macintosh looks down at his meal. She blushes to, and looks back down at her meal. Poppy looks at Pinkie who scrapping what little pieces remain in her bowl. “You’re done little one.” She states with a dull tone. Pinkie looks up at the young mare with wide-eyes. “Can I have seconds?” She holds up her bowl. Poppy rolls her eyes. “No, Macintosh only made enough for each of us to have one serving! Now set your bowl in the corner over there!” She points at the left corner of the room. Pinkie mumbles a cry and gives the mare a dull stare as she walks over to the corner, her eyes never leaving the mare. Usip looks at the filly. “Go easy on her.” “Why should I!” Poppy growls. “She needs to learn her place!” She puts a spoonful in her mouth. Usip looks at her with a raised brow. With a sigh, he gets up and walks up to Limestone. “Are you finished?” Limestone looks at her empty bowl. “Yes, I am.” Usip offers his hand. Limestone nods and hands him, her bowl. With a smirk, he walks over to the corner and places the bowl on top of the other. Along the way he ruffles Pinkie's mane. Walking back, Pinkie jumps in her sister's bed and takes her place on the right side. Poppy gives Pinkie a stern glare. “You need to sleep in your own bed!” She spits. Pinkie feels her chest get heavy. “What?” “We all have our own beds, count them, there are six of them.” Poppy points at Pinkie’s bed. “In your own bed, NOW!” Limestone growls at the mare. “We have always slept with each other!” Poppy growls back. “I don’t care!” Macintosh tries to speak up, but Poppy’s glare causes him to cower. Usip, on the other hand, walks up to the mare. “For this night, let them sleep with one another.” He whispers in a stern tone. Poppy falters as he grabs the back of he neck. “I can see you're threatened by them, but if I remember correctly, you said that they’re common house slaves…” He gives her a dull stare. “So, you shouldn’t worry about losing your status.” She goes limp and cowers on her bed. With a sigh, he looks at the sisters. “Time for bed.” He walks over to the door and places his index finger on the light switch. “We all have a busy day tomorrow.” Chapter 12Placing her hand behind their backs, Jupiter guides Marble and Octavia to her apartment building. The sisters stare at the forty-five-story building as they walk up to its twelve-feet-tall glass double doors, its trim and handles made of bronze. Their eyes tremble at its height and the countless glass panes making up its skin, reflecting their surroundings. Stepping into the building’s lobby, the sisters feel a chill run down their spines as they eye the brilliant white marble and lapis lazuli that line the walls and floors, the deep cherry-wood pillars and trim, the enormous fifty-feet diameter glass chandelier that hangs mightily over them, sparkling in the soft yellow light of the iron-light fixtures lining the ceiling and walls. On the other side of the lobby in a cove is a pair of elevators designated for the apartment’s residents. To their left and right are halls leading to ballrooms, office rooms, and janitor spaces. “Ma’am?” Four security guards walk up to them. “Do you need help with your slaves?” The main guard standing in front of the others asks. “Yes, Indigo, that would be lovely.” Jupiter hums with a smile as she hands him two black collars adorned with red rubies. “I’ll have one of the staffs bring you their dresses.” She commands him to follow. He nods to his men, they nod back and take Octavia and Marble towards the service elevator. “I want them to have the full treatment, and please make sure that their fur is soft and their manes and tails trimmed nicely, those slave merchants I bought them from did a terrible job.” “Don’t worry ma’am, we’ll let the groomers know.” Indigo smiles. “As you know Canterlot Lux has the best slave groomers around.” He bows and follows her. As they walk alongside each other, Jupiter feels that the stallion is uneasy. “Indigo, what’s bothering you?” She looks at the stallion with a soft smile. Indigo looks at the mare. “I never took you for a slave owner.” He sighs, “What changed your mind?” Jupiter smiles at the stallion. “All in good time dear, all in good time.” She giggles as she steps into the elevator. Indigo raises a brow in confusion and wonder at her statement. “Ma’am?” The lift attendant asks. “What floor?” “Twenty-fifth floor,” Jupiter states smiling at the teen unicorn colt. The colt nods and closes the doors before pulling a lever. Before the doors close, she gives Indigo a small wave. Octavia and Marble stand in the middle of the elevator surrounded by three guards. They stare at the guards nervously. Their tails flick back n’ forth as they imagine what awful things the guards have in store for them. DING! The elevator comes to a stop with a jolt. The sisters find their balance as they watch one of the guards open the door. The guards gently nudge them forwards. Nervously, the sisters walk out of the elevator and into a twenty-feet by thirty-feet room, lined with tan marble tiles on the floor and walls. Dark-red marble trim breaks up the monotony of the tan. Ten, foot-long halogen bulbs, in pairs of twos, hang from the ceiling, flooding the room in a bright light-orange. “Two more? Darn, I was about to call it a day.” The sisters rip the eyes from the décor and turn their attention to the pony in front of them. The pony is a unicorn mare, who looks to be in her early twenties. Her stature is average height. Her light blue fur sticks out from the room’s hues. Her short grey mane hugs her round shaped face. Her navy-blue eyes study the sisters. “They’re new, who do they belong to?” She walks up to the sisters. “They belong to Mrs. Jupiter.” One guard states, handing her their collars. “Really?” She takes the items, her gaze never leaving the sisters. The sisters stare back, their eyes showing her that they’re unsure of what to do or how to act. “What does she want done with them?” “Your best, Tulip,” Indigo states, entering the room, closing the door behind him. Tulip looks at the clock and sees that it reads 3:30 pm. “You’re helping me then?” She sighs giving the stallion a dull frown. “Where is everyone else?” Indigo asks, waving to his fellow men to leave. Tulip grunts as she looks at the empty makeup tables behind her. “They all left for the day.” She looks back at the stallion. “So, you’re going to help me!” She gives him a sly smirk. Indigo looks at the sisters. They stare back at him, trying to decipher their language. “Sure…” He looks at Tulip. “You're not giving me much choice anyway…” “Good! Ihr zwie hort auf!” The sisters shiver at her tone and look at the mare. “Now that I have your attention, I want you to walk over to those tubs and undress while I prepare you baths, understand?” The sisters blush and shyly nod. “Well then, geh! Geh! Geh!” The sisters run to the tubs in a panic. Tulip looks back at Indigo and gives him a smirk. “Let’s get to it.” Octavia stares at herself in the mirror. She eyes her mane, studying its curls. Her sister Marble stares at her sister’s mane as well as her own with raised brows. Feeling her sister’s gaze, Octavia looks down at her with the same expression. “Don’t you like it?” Tulip asks sanding to their left. The sisters look at her with blank expressions. “The mane style is called soft curled bob. It just looks so wonderful on you two.” She stands behind them and looks into the mirror eyeing her work. “So cute!” She squeezes their cheeks. The sisters groan from her embrace. “So, are you done?” Indigo asks leaning on one of the pillars supporting the ceiling. “Almost.” Tulip quips as she takes out a tin tray filled with powdered makeup. She turns the sisters around and beings putting powder on Octavia’s cheeks. “I never took Jupiter to be a slave owner?” Octavia groans, but a part of her is enjoying the pampering. “Same…” Indigo mumbles. “Did she say why?” Tulip asks, looking at the stallion, questioning his somber tone. “No… It’s so unlike her…” He sighs, running his hand through his mane. “You thought she was like you?” She states flatly. She eyes her work and gives a content hum. Indigo frowns. “Yes…” He eyes Octavia and sees that her cheeks are flushed. “Not everyone is like you Indigo...” She powders Marble’s cheeks. “They should…” He sighs looking at the cloud of makeup dust floating around the filly. “Do you like your job?” Tulip looks at the stallion a little stunned by his question “Yes, of course I do…” “Please!” Indigo interrupts her. “Be honest with yourself? Do you really?” He waves to the room. “You’re stuck underground, in a small, ‘lavish’ space cleaning and preparing… Earth Ponies and other intelligent beings like ourselves! For a measly salary!” Tulip just stares at the cotton disc in her hand. “It pays the bills…” She mutters solemnly as she finishes her work. “We have to do our part, follow the king’s laws…” Indigo grabs her arm by the wrist. She shivers and looks up at the stallion. “You know what we’re doing is wrong don’t you?” Indigo asks in a tone that sounds more like begging. Tulip stares at the stallion, glaring into his fiery blue eyes. “Yes… But, but we need to play our part… For Unicorpia’s sake…” She steps away from them and walks up to a sink by the corner of the room. “They’re done, you can take them to Mrs. Jupiter.” She mumbles. Indigo huffs as he looks at the sisters. They look at him and Tulip with questioning stares. He can see the gears in their heads turning as they try to understand their conversation. “Come.” He speaks to them in Earthen. “It’s time to take you to your mistress.” Jupiter sits at her circular kitchen table, going through her mail. Picking up one of the envelopes, she reads its address. ‘1256 East Long Hair Lane, Midtown Gollan’ She wonders why an invitation would come from the eastern lands of Unicorpia. “Could it be?” She asks herself. Before she can read the contents of the letter, there is a knock at the door. “Hold on!”. She opens the door and sees Indigo with her newly bought slaves. “Do you like what the groomers did ma’am?” Indigo asks with a bow. Jupiter studies her slaves, a small smile forms across her face. “Yes.” She smirks at Octavia. Octavia blushes and looks away. “Who did their manes?” She messes with Marble’s mane. “Tulip, ma’am.” Indigo watches the filly fidget under the mare’s touch. “What a dear… I should give her a tip for her hard work.” Jupiter walks up to her couch-table and takes out a few bits from a glass bowl. “Please gives this to her… and this is for you.” She places the coins in Indigo’s hand. “Ma’am…” Indigo begins to speak before looking at the sisters. “Why did you buy them?” Jupiter sighs as she pats his hand. “I can’t say… not in front of them.” “They don’t speak our language,” Indigo mutters with a growl. “I get that… But they will soon.” She leads the sisters into her home and has them sit at the table. “Indigo, does the mood of our empire feel different to you?” Indigo sighs as he leans against the doorframe. “Yeah, I’ve been noticing a change, why?” “I have felt it as well…” She pats Octavia’s head. Octavia looks up at the mare, her confused emotions running wild. “Give me six months to prepare and I’ll will tell you everything…” She walks up to the stallion. “The others need more time.” Indigo looks at the mare with questioning eyes. “Others? What? Why won’t you tell me? What’s going on?” He leans in. “Don’t you trust me?” “I do trust you.” Jupiter sighs. “But you’re not needed at this moment in time, but you soon will my dear.” She pats his cheek. “Now run off, I’ll ring you if I need help.” She looks at the sisters. Indigo looks at them as well and nods. “Will do ma’am.” He shuts the door. With the door shut, the mare looks at the sisters once more. “Now dearies, let me give you a tour of your new home.” She speaks in Earthen with a smile. The sisters look at the mare, unsure of what to say. “Come fillies.” She calls once again. Nervously, they stand and follow the mare. “Well, this is your room.” Jupiter hums, stepping into the room, walking up to the windows. The sisters stare at the spacious abode and study its contents. From where they stand, a queen-sized bed sits in the middle of the room. There is a large walk-in closet on the wall to their left. A desk is to their right. A large mirror sits in the corner by the windows and the desk, and lastly a large cherry-oak chest sits by the wall behind them. Stepping into the room the sisters stop in their tracks and look down at their hooves. Under their hooves is a soft-carpet that covers the floor. It feels strange to them. They’ve never seen such a thing. Marble runs her right hoof along the carpet, her left ear folds down as she ponders an opinion on the floor’s texture. Octavia taps the floor with her hooves, her mind mulling over the imprints her hooves leave in the fibers. “Never had carpet floors, dears?” Jupiter asks, smiling at their behavior. “No…” Octavia mumbles. “Well, I’m sure you’ll like it.” She smiles as she opens the curtains. Light floods into the room. The sisters’ eyes are drawn to the image of the outside world. Timidly they stroll up to the windows and look out over the cityscape. Jupiter smiles at the sisters’ mannerisms. “As you can see, the city is a busy one.” The sisters eye the multitude of bodies moving across the sidewalks and streets like a horde of ants. The putter-cars and wagons within the mass of bodies mosey about their business, weaving around the pedestrians with mild ease. They’re overwhelmed by the organized chaos of it all. Having enough stimulation, they move their attention from the streets to the sky and study the towering skyscrapers surrounding the humble building they occupy. The amount of glass used to cover the buildings’ skeletons makes the skyline look like one large carnival’s house of mirrors exhibit. “If you fillies would follow me, I’ll show you the rest of the apartment.” She offers them a hand. The sisters pry their eyes from the window and eye her hand in confusion. The mare smiles. “I promise you, I won’t bite.” She hums happily. Timidly the sisters take her hand, Octavia holding onto Jupiter’s with her left hand and Marble holding onto Octavia’s right hand. Leading them out of the room, Jupiter guides the sisters to the end of the hall. “The room on your left is your personal restroom. The room on your right is my husband’s study. And the room directly in front of us is my husband’s and I’s room.” The sisters stare into the rooms, their minds racing a million miles a second. “I can tell this is a lot for you…” She hears Marble’s stomach growl. “Oh, someone’s hungry?” Marble looks up at the mare with a blush. “Yes…” She mumbles. “Well then, let me fix you two something to eat.” Jupiter guides the sisters back into the living room and up to the open kitchen and sits them at the island’s bar. “I have some wonderful alfalfa left in the fridge, I could fry some up for you?” She rummages through her cupboards. Octavia and Marble stare at the mare with conflicting emotions. Her kindness confuses them. Every unicorn they have interacted with for the past week has been mildly ‘kind’ to downright cruel. They look at one another, their minds racing, trying to figure out why she is being so, loving? “So, what are your names?” Jupiter asks, setting a pan on the gas-stove. Octavia and Marble remain silent. “You still nervous?” “No… Ow…?” Marble mumbles before her sister jabs her side with her elbow. “Now, now, there is no need to be so secretive…” She pours some sunflower seed oil into the pan. “I could look through your files, but,” She looks at the sisters and gives them a welcoming smile. “I would rather you tell me.” The mare’s smile breaks through Octavia’s emotionally protective wall. Clasping her hands, she begins fidgeting with her fingers. “My name is Octavia…” She gives Marble a nod. “And my n-name is Marble…” Marble mumbles as she copies her sister. Jupiter smiles. “Adorable names you have, your mother knows how to pick them.” She giggles. Battering the alfalfa. Octavia and Marble smile at the mention of their mother, but their smiles leave as quickly as they appeared. Seeing their mood turn to a sulk once again, Jupiter huffs sadly and returns her attention back to her task. A few minutes pass and the smells and sounds of frying hay draws the sisters’ attention. They quietly watch the strands of hay dance about in the hot oil. The bubbles forming around them, memorizes them. Their mouths begin to water. “Done!” The sisters’ mindless haze shatters. Shivering, they watch Jupiter place the fried treats on a plate. “You fillies enjoy.” Jupiter hums placing the plate in front of them. They stare at the mound of food, their eyes wide like saucers. They look at the mare, there eyes asking if what they see is true. Jupiter smiles and gives them a nod. Without question, they dig into their meal. They hum in delight as the salty flavors dance around their taste buds. “Let me get you two something to drink.” She walks to the fridge. RING! RING! Hearing the phone ring from her room, Jupiter sighs as she closes the fridge. “Hold on dears, I’ll be right back…” She grumbles. Hearing her pick up the phone, the sisters return their attention back to the plate and quietly resume their meal. Picking up a strand of fried Alfalfa, Octavia studies it. The batter coating its looks like a foamy stick. A delicious foamy stick. She tries to make out figures and images from the flakes of spices suspended in the batter to pass the time, but a sickness begins to take hold of her the longer she stares at the fry. Her thoughts wander to her family. Fighting the urge to cry, she looks at her sister and sees she is feeling the same. “Marble?” Marble looks at her sister with tired eyes. “Yes?” Octavia gives her sister a solemn stare. Looking over her shoulders, she eyes the door. Seeing a chain latching it shut, a tinge of fear begins to take hold. Looking back at her meal, she frowns and grabs Marble by the hand. “Where are we going?” Marble asks in a panic as Octavia pulls her from her seat. “We’re getting out of here!” Octavia states with determination. Standing in front of the door, she sees that the chain is too high for her to reach. “Marble, I want you to stand on my shoulders!” “What?” Marble quivers at her sister’s tone. “Just do it!” Octavia growls. “We need to get out of here and find Pinkie and Limestone!” “And just how are you two going to find them?” Octavia’s and Marble’s spines tingle, their bodies clam up. They look over their shoulders fearfully and see Jupiter standing at the entrance to the hall. “Um…” Octavia mutters. Seeing their frightened expressions, Jupiter sighs as she walks up to them. “I’m sorry I couldn’t buy your sisters.” She huffs. “That blasted stallion beat me to the front of the line.” She sits down on the couch. “But I managed to save you two.” She pats to an open spot on the couch. Octavia eyes the spot, shivering she shakes her head and brings her sister in closer to her. Jupiter just nods and pulls out a can of almonds from the couch-table. “I know you’re confused, frightened.” She opens the can and pulls out an almond. “You’re wondering why would a unicorn like me be treating earth ponies, our sworn enemy, so kindly…” She plops the almond in her mouth and offers the can. Octavia shakes her head, but Marble extends out her hand. Seeing her sister looking at the almonds hungrily, Octavia gives in and lets her sister take form the can. Marble quickly walks up to the mare and takes out an almond before latching to sister’s side once again. Jupiter watches Marble nibble the almond. “I would let you go, but I can’t… For one, you’re not of legal age to be set free. Two, it doesn’t guarantee that others will just make you their slaves… and three, at your age you need your master or mistress to accompany you at all times.” She eats another almond. “The only safe place for you two, is this apartment.” Octavia looks at the door with a stern glare. “We’ll…” Her sternness gives way to sadness as she looks at Jupiter. “Why?” “Why?” Jupiter wonders. “Why what?” “Why are you doing this!?” Tears begin to flood her eyes. “Dear…” “WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO TRICK US!” Octavia shouts a sob, tears running down her face. Jupiter sighs as she stands up, walking up to the sisters. Octavia panics and steps away from the mare, her grip tightening around her sister. Jupiter stops in her tracks and gives them a comforting smile. “There is no need to be afraid.” She sits on the floor and just stares at them. Octavia and Marble feel uncomfortable. The longer the mare stares, the more their resolve to be defiant crumbles. The weight of the past few days finally gets to Octavia. Her big sisterly damn breaks. Tears overwhelm her sight, her knees buckle, sending to the floor. Seeing her sister break out into a fit, Marble begins to cry as well. Jupiter feels her chest getting tight as she watches the fillies lose their minds. With a sad sigh, she walks up to them on her knees and sits beside them, bringing them into a loving embrace. “Shh… Quite yourselves.” Marble gives into the mare’s embrace, but Octavia resists. “Let go… err! Of me!” Octavia quivers. “Shush child! Get a hold of yourself!” Jupiter chastises. “You need to be strong child; your future depends on it!” Octavia gives one last attempt to push her away, but her will is gone. Finally, she gives in and lays her face against mare’s breasts. Jupiter looks down at the sobbing fillies and lets out a long sigh. “What did they do to you, dearies…” -Several Hours Later- “You have a good night sir!” A taxi driver shouts at a tall, thin stallion. “You too!” The stallion replies, waving to the driver as he leaves. Watching the putter-car disappear into the night, the stallion gives a long sigh and heads up to the doors of his apartment building. Stepping inside the cool-conditioned air washes over him, making his fur stand on end. “It’s been a humid day hasn’t it, Ceres?” A guard states making his way to him. “Yes, it has Indigo, very unusual for this time of year,” Ceres replies, shaking Indigo’s hand. “How was work?” Indigo asks. “Very bland,” Ceres mumbles, walking up to the elevators. “This whole week will be.” He stops at the elevator’s entrance. “The university is fixing the telescope which is forcing me to teach through books… Young minds hate books.” He chuckles. Indigo shakes his head. “I’m sure it will be done in a timely manner.” Ceres laughs. “When bits are involved, that is doubtful.” He steps into the elevator. “Goodnight Indigo, see you in the morning?” “Goodnight to you sir and your wife.” Indigo bows with a smile. Ceres bows back. “Sweetheart? I’m home.” Ceres calls out as he steps into his abode. “Shh!” His wife hisses from the hall. “Inside voices.” Ceres gives his wife a confused look. “What do you… oh...” Her words begin to make sense. “How many?” “Two, fillies.” Jupiter giggles. “One thirteen and the other nine.” Ceres smiles. “Two… We saved two.” Jupiter’s smile leaves. “I could’ve done more… they had two other sisters.” Ceres frowns. “We had the bits sweetie, why didn’t you buy them as well?” “I tried!” She whines. “Some stallion was in line before me…” She leans against the wall, looking sadly at her hooves. Ceres sighs leaning against wall she’s leaning on. “At least we could save the ones you bought.” His wife gives a weak nod. He places his arm around her and kisses her head. “We’ll make it work… The group will be pleased.” Jupiter sighs as she rubs his chin. “They need a lot of work… The camp they came from, broke them good… You know the others want them to be loyal like the others.” “It will be done… They’ll be ready when the time comes.” He walks towards their room. “May I see them?” His wife nods. He smiles and steps up to their door and gently opens it. Activating his horn, he dimly lights the darkness as he peers in. He sees the sisters laying in the bed, the comforter shielding them from the world. He leans against the doorframe and watches their lips flop about, their soft snores eliciting a chuckle out of him. Jupiter watches her husband’s giddy behavior for a few minutes before her emotions change for the worse. Her chest gets tight, her eyes begin to fill with tears. Not wanting to worry her husband, she heads into their room and gently closes the door. Fighting her emotions, she sits on her bed and places her hands over her lips. A minute passes by and still her emotions brew. With a drawn-out sigh, she glares at her nightstand and opens its drawer. Pulling out a picture, she turns it over and stares at an image of her and her husband holding a four-year-old earth pony filly in their arms. Tears come to her eyes as she runs a finger along the image of the filly. “The time for change is approaching…” She wipes her tears away. “And you’ll never be forgotten…” She kisses the picture. “We love you, sweetie… we love you…” She clutches the picture to her chest and lays on the bed in the fetal position. Chapter 1Three large brick ovens simmer at a constant two-hundred-and-fifty degrees Fahrenheit, permeating the warm dense air lingering within the bakery with the smells of baking breads. Two eldest Pie sisters, Maud and Octavia, stand by one of the wooden displays in the center of the store that’s half-full of one-pound dark rye loafs. Picking up one of the loafs, Octavia shows it to her eldest sister. “Do you like this one?” She picks up another one. “Or this one?” Maud stare’s intently at the loafs. “That one looks good.” She points to the one in Octavia’s right hand. Her sister smiles and places it in their basket. In the back of the bakery, the three younger Pie sisters, Limestone, Pinkie, and Marble, lay their faces against the large viewing window overlooking the bakery’s kitchen. They fixate their gaze on a mare kneading a wad of dough. Flour coats her hands and arms as she hums a soft tune to herself. Her work memorizing them all the while. Sensing that eyes are upon her, the mare looks at the fillies and gives them a sweet smile. The sisters smile back. Walking up to the register, Octavia places the loaf on the countertop. The cashier, who is working on some paperwork drops his tasks and looks over at the sisters. “Well hello Maud, Octavia, how’s your evening going?” He walks up to them crossing his arms on the countertop. They smile. “Going well Mr. Cake,” Maud replies, taking out four tokes. Mr. Cake takes the coins. “That’s good to hear.” He looks out the open door as he places the bread in a bag. He sees several dark clouds rolling over the mountain tops. “Walk safely back to your home, there’s a storm coming.” He hands over the bag. “And make sure you say hi to your Ma and Pa for us.” “We will Mr. Cake. Come on fillies say goodbye to Mrs. Cake we have to go!” Octavia calls out. Her younger sisters look over their shoulders. With a frown, they wave goodbye to the mare. Mrs. Cake waves back with a smile. Leaving the bakery, the sisters step onto its veranda and look around as they button up their wool coats. Watching a putter-wagon roll on past them, they head down the main street of their hometown, Ashmore. A small coal mining community in the Yellow Tail Mountain Range of the Earthen Republic. The main street along with its minor connecting arteries are busy with activity on this humble Friday. Putter-cars, putter-wagons and boar-pulled carts stroll along the mud clogged gravel roads. Earth ponies of all shapes, sizes, and age, mull about their evening, finishing up their errands before the sun sets behind the snow-covered mountains to the west of town. A powerful gust of wind roars down the mountain sides, howling loudly as it sweeps across the town. The temperature drops slightly causing many outside residents to shiver. Limestone pulls her scarf over her face, covering her snout. “Gosh, it’s cold!” She stutters, rubbing her hands along her arms. Maud and Octavia smirk at her predicament while they pull up the collar of their coats closer to their cheeks. Pinkie giggles as she skips up alongside Limestone. “That’s why you should skip Limestone!” She slips away, joining her twin sister Marble. “It keeps you warm!” Limestone rolls her eyes as her twin sisters giggle at her. Maud and Octavia hold in their laughter. “HA, very funny.” She grumbles, burying her snout in her scarf, using he bonnet to hide herself from the world. Her cheeks blushing all the while. The twins, losing all care for their sister’s embarrassment, hum a tune as their skipping picks up pace with each step they take. Picking up more speed than Marble, Pinkie gets some distance from the group. Turning around with a giggle, she gives them a goofy smile. Maud seeing her trajectory bolts ahead of the group and extends out a hand. “Pinkie! Watch out!” Pinkie jerks from her sister’s tone and loses her footing, her hooves slip under her causing her to fall off the veranda. Hearing a soft poof, her sisters look over the edge of the veranda and find that she is stuck in a freshly shoved pile of snow. The snow is past Pinkie’s waist, only the tip of her tail sticks out. With a grunt, Pinkie kicks her legs trying to free herself from the icy trap, her cheeks red with embarrassment. Her sisters give into the amusing scene and burst out into laughter. Their joyous laughs further reddening Pinkie’s cheeks. “And that’s why you’ll never see me skip!” Limestone snickers. Pinkie looks up at her with a pout, her tongue sticking out. Limestone returns the gesture. Octavia rolls her eyes at her sisters’ antics. Jumping onto the muddy road she steps up to Pinkie and offers her a hand which she happily takes. Getting back to her hooves, Pinkie wipes snow off her dress and fixes her bonnet. Smiling at her sister, Octavia helps her back onto the veranda. With the sisters reunited, they continue down the street, passing many shops occupying small, long compacted spaces no more than ten-feet-wide, twenty-feet-long and two stories tall. Arriving at the main intersection near townhall, Octavia pulls out a piece of paper from her coat’s breast pocket. “So, fillies,” She reads the paper. “Do we have the eggs, cabbage, bread, milk, carrots, celery, tomatoes, and onions?” Maud looks into the basket and seeing the items listed she nods affirming her sister’s question. “Great… Is there anything else we need?” Octavia asks. “Is that all Ma wrote?” Limestone stands next to Octavia, eyeing the paper. “Yes.” Octavia quips. “But if we can think of anything else, let’s make sure it’s worth the tokes.” She states placing the paper back into her coat’s pocket. Pinkie and Marble look at one another with determined smirks. “We need candy!” Pinkie sings with glee as she stands on one hoof, twirling in place. Marble copying her every move. Octavia frowns. “No!” She stomps her hoof against the porch, the wood planks under hoof dully vibrating. “Ma only gave us so many tokes, we need to buy essential items.” She re-ties her bonnet. “We can go without sweets for today.” The twin’s eyes become teary-eyed. “But we haven’t had candy in a week!” Pinkie’s voice cracks. They stick out their bottom lips, trying to win sympathy. Octavia grunts, she’s having none of it. “No!” Instantly, the twin’s drop their pouting and copy Octavia with a grunt of their own. Maud shakes her head. Octavia and the twins were always the stubborn ones. Well, maybe Limestone has a few more points in that department. With a laugh, she pulls out a small cloth sack from her saddlebag. “Hold out your hands.” Pinkie and Marble break their charade with their older sister and comply with her demands. “Both of you get two tokes for the candy shop. So, pick your sweets wisely!” She gives them a playful smirk. The twins smile wide as they take off, crossing the street to the candy shop three buildings down. Vehicles halt their slow movement, allowing the twins to pass. “Thanks, sis!” Pinkie yells from the entrance of the shop before entering. Marble following after her with a skip and a jump. Octavia and Limestone look at Maud in confusion. “Sis, Ma told us we have to make these tokes last until next Monday! If she finds out we’ve been using them for sweets, she’s going to get mad!” Octavia complains, holding the sack of tokes. “Really, really mad.” Limestone adds. Maud smirks as she jiggles her sack of tokes. “I know that, but these are mine.” “Where did you get those?” Limestone asks wide-eyed. “Really, don’t you remember? I get paid for helping out Miss. Cheerilee at the elementary.” Maud pulls out four more tokes from her sack. “Why don’t the both of you relax and get yourselves a sweet.” Limestone quickly snatches two tokes from Maud’s hand. “Forget I ever said anything!” She runs off to the candy shop, giggling to herself. Octavia stares at the tokes in Maud’s hand, it seems to her at least that the sack looks emptier. “But these are your tokes?” She points at them. “If I wanted to keep them, would I be giving them to my sisters?” Maud states with a raised brow. Octavia gently takes the remaining tokes from her sister’s hand, giving a nod of thanks. “Now run off and get a sweet, I’ll be waiting by the water tower.” Maud smiles as she points to the tower. Octavia raises a brow. “What about you?” “You know me, I’m not one for sweets.” Maud waves her hand. “Now go, hurry before the storm rolls in.” Octavia smiles and runs across the street to the candy shop. Seeing her sister enter the store, Maud looks both ways before stepping off the veranda and crossing the street, making it to the left-side of the road. Arriving at the water tower, she puts her arms through the basket’s handle and leans against the wooden fence surrounding the tower. She watches the residents of her hometown going about their evening. Some children run through the streets playing games, annoying the elder residents. Other children follow their parents as they go about their shopping. She smirks at some of the children’s bored expressions. On some street corners, several earth ponies are performing illusions or puppetry to passing ponies. A young couple eventually catches Maud’s eye. She watches them eat at one of the restaurants a few feet from her location. The couple reminds her of her own relationship with a certain stallion. She smiles as she thinks about his soft blue eyes, his white mane and tail… his broad shoulders… DRIP! Her thoughts leave her as she feels a droplet strike her snout. Confused, she looks up and sees that the light grey clouds are slowing turning a dark grey. CRACK! Hearing distant thunder rolling across the sky, echoing off the mountain peaks. Maud’s ears fold against her head. ‘The walk back is going to suck…’ Another droplet of ice-cold rain strikes her snout. Soon another droplet, then another begins to fall from the sky. With a grunt, she quickly crosses the street once more and back onto a store’s veranda’s where its awning can protect her. ‘Don’t take too long fillies.’ She frowns watching the rains pick up speed. Walking into the store, the weight of her steps making its hardwood flooring moan and creak, Octavia scans for her sisters in the vast sea of sweets. Finding them over by the licorice, she smirks, watching their intense gaze as they mull over which flavors they want. “Can’t decide on what you fillies want?” She hovers over them, gazing at the licorice behind the glass. Pinkie looks up at her. “There’s too many to choose from…” She moans, Mable and her place their faces against the glass, squishing their snouts. The store clerk on the other side of the glass rolls his eyes playfully as he puts away a stack of chocolate bars on the wall behind him. Octavia looks at the chewy straws. “How many do you get for two tokes?” She crosses her arms eyeing her sisters with a questioning smirk. “Four.” Limestone replies, eyeing the green and red ones, licking her lips. Octavia counts the flavors and finds that there are ten in all. “Well, I would split it in half and get two of my favorites or pick four individual flavors for more variety.” The twins’ smirk as they whisper to one another. Nodding, they turn their gaze to the store clerk and wave him down. “What can I do for you fillies?” The clerk asks as he leans on the display’s countertop, his gaze looking softly upon the sisters. “Can I have four green apples,” Pinkie asks. “And can I have four red cherries.” Marble adds, giving him their tokes. The clerk places the chewy treats into a brown paper bag. “And you two?” He asks, eyeing Limestone and Octavia. “Oh… I would like two lemons and two raspberries.” Limestone states, giving the clerk her tokes. “Can I get two black licorice and two white vanillas,” Octavia hands him her tokes as well. “Alrighty then, here you go fillies.” The clerk hands them the paper bag full of licorice. Taking the bag, Octavia holds it close to her chest. With a smile, they nod their heads and wave goodbye. “Enjoy your sweets.” He smiles, giving them a two-finger salute. “We will mister!” Pinkie squeaks as they leave the shop. Stepping outside the sisters’ halt their advancement as they look out over the town. The storm is in full swing. The rains drenching the town in cold H2O. The droplets pound violently against the earth, turning streets into mud, forming small streams the run down the hilly landscape of the town, finding low lined places to make artificial ponds. Several putter-cars’ horns blare out as the mud halts the flow of traffic. Seeing Maud huddling under an adjacent shop’s awning on the corner of the main-intersection, they dash across the street, running as fast as they can. “Did you get the sweets you wanted?” Maud asks as her sisters climb onto the sidewalk-porch. “Yeah…” Limestone yells over the drumming from the metal roof. She shakes off the water droplets that cling to her dress with a groan. “The weather sure did change on a toke?” Octavia quips, looking towards the sky at the giant thunderclouds rolling overhead. “My dress is wet!” Marble cries. Pinkie giggles at her twin. Marble not like her sister’s tone, sends a frown her way. “Well, it looks like you’re going to have to get used to that sister.” Maud looks up the road that leads to their home. “We better hurry…” She picks up the basket. “Let’s go.” Jumping down onto the muddy road the sisters make their way up the hill. By the time the sisters arrive at their home, their fur coats, dresses, and bonnets are soaked through. Their hooves are caked in mud and numb from the freezing rain. Walking up the steps onto the porch, they open the front door and walk inside. Warmth washes over them, making their fur stand on end. Off to the right-side-wall, a fire burns calmly in the brick fireplace. A smile comes to their faces, as a chill of delight runs down their spines. Stepping up to the coat rack by the door, they take off their coats and bonnets, placing their apparel on it. “Hi Ma, we’re home!” The twins sing out as they skip their way into the kitchen, passing the dining table, both squeezing themselves through the small doorframe. Their mother, Cloudy Quartz Pie turns around and sees her daughters standing in the dining room through the doorframe. She looks them over and sees how dirty they are. Before her youngest are able to hug her, she extends out a hand. “Hold it you two!” She points at the twins, causing them to stop in their tracks, confusion on their faces. “Why in heaven are you so filthy?” Octavia chuckles. “It’s raining outside, Ma.” She points to the single window by the front door. Stepping out of the kitchen, Cloudy Quartz looks at the window and sees the torrential rains slamming onto the earth. “Oh… Interesting, I didn’t even hear it…” She scratches her head, her daughters giggling at her. “Well now, how was your evening out on the town?” She gives them a smirk. “Good Ma.” Maud hands the basket over to their mother. Cloudy Quartz takes the basket into the kitchen, her children following her. “Do you need help with supper?” Maud asks. “Can we hug you?” Pinkie and Marble huff, pouting their lips. Cloudy Quartz sets the basket onto the kitchen counter. “Of course, you fillies can, but first you need to bathe yourselves.” She turns around and gives a playful frown. “I will not have my children eat supper when they’re all dirty!” She places her hands on her hips. “And that goes for your Pa when he gets home.” Her daughters giggle at her words. “I’m glad I can make you laugh, now run off, the faster you bathe, the quicker we can get supper ready.” “Come on fillies, let’s go.” Maud corrals her sisters to the bathroom. Entering the small space that is the bathroom, the sisters begin undressing from their navy-blue dresses. While her sisters undress, Maud closes the bathroom door and walks up to the iron bathtub’s copper furnace. Opening its latch, she turns the red plastic nob, rapid, sharp clicks fill the room, within milliseconds the methane gas filling the burner ignites into a bright blue flame; the water within the tank situated above the burner begins to boil. Closing the hatch, she walks up to the medicine-cabinet above the sink and takes out a bar of tar-soap and places it on the rim of the tub. Seeing the mercury in the temperature gauge rising, Octavia turns on the faucet. The copper pipes creak and moan as water flows through them on its way to the tub. Satisfied, Octavia unties the knot on the back of her dress near the base of her neck and unbuttons three buttons on the chest face and lets the dress fall to the floor. “Stupid dress!” Pinkie wines as she struggles with the lace on her dress. Seeing her struggling, Octavia unties the knot for her and helps her out of the dress. Fully undressed, the younger sisters wait patiently for the tub to fill. “Can we get in now?” Pinkie asks, rubbing her arms, shivering from the cold drafts coming from under the door. Octavia eyes the waterline as it rises up the tub. She holds up her hand, displaying her fingers as she counts to herself. “Yes, you can hop in.” She states, bending all her fingers into a closed position. “Just don’t jump in...” Limestone, Pinkie, and Marble didn’t wait for her to finish, they jump into the tub, spilling water onto the white tile floor. Octavia sighs and gets in herself. Instead of joining her sisters, Maud sits on a stool next to the tub and takes out a newspaper from under the sink and begins reading it. “You’re reading Pa’s paper?” Pinkie asks looking at her sister with her bright blue eyes. “It's three weeks old, I think he won’t mind,” Maud smirks, flipping the page. “Don’t take too long fillies, I would like to have a chance to enjoy my bath as well.” “Yes, don’t you worry… We’ll take forever.” Limestone teases, stretching her arms out making a smug face. Maud gives her an unamused stare as she flips the pages of the newspaper. Octavia giggles at the two while she lathers the tar-soap in her hands. Ignoring their elder sisters, Pinkie and Marble play a game of ‘who can hold their breath the longest.' They dunk their heads under the water, their fingers pinching the tip of their snouts. Their long manes mixing together in a sea of black and magenta. Finally coming up for air, Pinkie takes in long breaths, wiping her wet mane from her eyes. “Darn!” Marble comes up after her, timidly she wipes her mane from her eyes. Seeing that she’d won, she lifts her hands in the air. “Woo!” She squeaks. Pinkie frowns. “I want a rematch… HEY!” Limestone interrupts her, scrubbing her mane with lathered tar-soap. Pinkie protests this action, but Limestone ignores her as she hums a tune. Octavia does the same with Marble. Both twins give a frown, crossing their arms in the process. Maud smiles in amusement as she flips to the next page of the newspaper. With the table set, Octavia and Limestone overlook their work, eyeing the tarnished silverware and worn porcelain crockery, making sure they were in the right order. With a smile, they step away from the table and walk into the kitchen to see Pinkie stirring the contents of the pot, and Marble helping out their mother with preparing the spice-butter. “Mmm… The food smells yummy!” Limestone hums, licking her lips as the aroma of cabbage stew hits her nostrils. “Is supper ready?” Octavia asks watching her sister stir the mixture. “Why yes, it is…” Cloudy Quartz states looking over her shoulder at the clock. “Now we just have to wait for your Pa.” The clock reads 7:45pm. “Pa is forty-five minutes late…” Limestone muses, kicking the wall that separates the kitchen from the dining room. “Did Pa have to work late again?” Marble asks, hugging her mother’s waist. Cloudy Quartz runs her fingers through Marble’s mane. “I’m not sure…” Igneous Rock Pie stands under the awning of Ashmore’s only train station. He’s covered from head to toe in coal dust and sweat. The steam train behind him, huffs and puffs as it sits idle, allowing its small load of passengers to unload themselves. After watching other stallions of varying stature and age leave the station, heading to their homes for a few short seconds, he breathes a content sigh and picks up his tin-lunch-pail from the station’s wooden deck and heads home. The light from the gas-lanterns lighting the town, light up the surrounding rain droplets and puddles, creating a scene a master oil painter would paint. Even though it is cold, he enjoys the scenery. He always liked the rain. He found it helped his stress levels. Trekking further into town, the cold begins to numb his snout and hands. His clothes begin to cling to him and the mud clings to his hooves. He shivers as he pushes on, allowing the quiet of the town to carry him. Nearing the main intersection, he turns left and heads up the hill. Seeing his home in the distance, he smiles as he picks up the pace, his walking turning into a light jog. Nearing his house, he sees his eldest daughter Maud walking up the steps onto their porch with several logs in her arms. “Hello sweetheart, got a large load there?” Maud looks over her shoulder, giving her father a smile. “Hello Pa, you look quite dirty.” She giggles. “Did a lot of coal mining this week?” Igneous laughs. “Sure did, come let’s head inside.” Maud nods and heads for the door. Cloudy Quartz and her daughters are watching the stew simmer within the pot when they hear the front door open. “Hold on dear let me get the door for you.” Igneous’s voice echoes into the home. The family turns their attention to the door and sees Maud walk into the house carrying several logs and following close behind is their father and husband, Igneous Rock. His bright yellow eyes standing out from his filthy appearance. Setting his lunch bin down, he leans forward placing his hands on his knees. “Oh colt, the rain is brutal.” “How bad is it dear?” Cloudy Quartz walks up to her husband, helping him out of his overcoat. “Bad, when I arrived into town from the train station, the rains just began turning into sleet.” He takes off his coat, the stench of coal floating off of him. “Hello, Pa.” His children call out with smiles as they stand around him. “Hello, fillies.” Seeing that they were in their nightgowns for the evening, he pats their heads. “I would hug you, but I think your Ma would get mad.” He teases, giving his wife a smirk. The sisters giggle at their father’s words, but their mother sighs, putting her hands on her hips. “Go wash up, the faster you bathe, the sooner we can eat.” She returns the smirk. Their father smiles and hands over his hat to his wife before walking towards the bathroom. The family sits around a humbly sized dining table, eating their supper in silence, only the sounds of silverware colliding with porcelain echo throughout the house. They take their time with their meals, each enjoying the warmth the stew brought as they mull over a task of their own accord. Their father sits at the head of the table, their mother sits to his right. Their eating is slow as their minds’ full attention are on the stories within the newspaper they are reading. Maud sits across from her mother on her father’s left. She’s reading her ‘Earth Speak’ book, an advance read on the earth ponies’ native tongue. Limestone and Octavia sit to Maud’s right. They’re reading their music-sheets for their respective musical instruments, Limestone the piano and Octavia the violin. Pinkie and Marble sit to their mother’s left. They whisper to one another about whatever comes to their young imaginative minds. Several violent coughs reverberate throughout the home from Igneous as he holds onto the table with his right hand, while his left covers his mouth with a napkin. With a grunt, he hacks up what he coughed and spits it in the napkin. Looking at the paper cloth, he sees black mucus sticking to its soft fibers. With a sigh, he wads up the napkin and gets up, “Excuse me, my dears…” He walks into the kitchen, tossing the napkin into the trash bin. The younger sisters look at their father with worry, but Maud gives them a look that tells them to let it go. They reluctantly comply to her demand. Taking his seat once again, Igneous looks at his daughters and sees their worried faces. “You fillies ready for church tomorrow?” He asks with a bright smile trying to mask a subtle cough. The sisters stop eating. “Yes, Pa.” They turn their attention to their father. “Pinkie and Marble practiced this morning at the school earlier today.” Cloudy Quartz hums with a smile. “I believe they will do a wonderful job tomorrow.” She gives the twins a soft smile, they smile back with a blush. “Do you fillies like singing?” He asks the twins. They nod their heads quickly. “Yeah, it’s a lot of fun.” Pinkie smiles, expressing her statement by extending her arms out. “It’s scary… though…” Marble adds, tapping the table with her index fingers. Igneous chuckles, his deep voice reverberating throughout the house. “But you and your sister have adorable singing voices. Have faith in yourself, my dears.” The twins blush at his words. Igneous chuckles as he turns his attention to Octavia and Limestone. “Have the two of you been studying your music sheets all this week? You know your lessons are on Sunday.” He points his spoon at them, before scooping up some of his stew into his mouth. “Yes, Pa.” Limestone answers before taking a bite of stew herself. “It’s been going well,” Octavia adds before taking a bite as well. Igneous smiles as he sips the warm broth from his spoon. “Maud, how is everything going with your schooling?” “Good Pa, been getting A’s,” Maud replies in her usually dull tone. Igneous smiles. “That’s good to hear, I know you’ll make a great elementary teacher…” Knock! Knock! The family looks at the door in confusion. Eyeing the clock, Igneous sees that it's almost nine at night. Getting up from his seat he walks over to the door. Opening it, he sees a stallion, thin in build with an ash-colored mane standing on his porch. “Granite what are you doing out in this storm… especially at this time of night?” The stallion gives a chuckle. “Well, it’s the storm itself,my friend.” He rubs his hands together. “The telegraph lines aren’t working all that well.” He steps up closer to Igneous and leans against the step’s railing. “I have a message for you from Dodge Junction.” Igneous ears perk up. Granite is the town’s local telegraph monitor, the city’s only source of news from the outside world. “Is there something wrong?” Granite gives a sigh. “There’s been a rumor going around…” He sees his friend’s wife and children staring at them. “Can you shut the door?” Igneous understands his request and fulfills what is asked of him. The sisters look at each other with concern. Getting up from their seats they stand next to the door to listen in on their father’s conversation. “Fillies, sit your butts down and finish your supper!” Their mother hisses, pointing to the table. The twins and Limestone quickly obey and walk back to their seats, tails tucked between their legs. However, Octavia and Maud stand in place, staring at the door trying to make out words from the muffled sounds. “Fillies, sit down.” Their mother hisses again, tapping a finger on the table. With a sigh, they walk back to their seats. Humming a tune and motioning to her daughters with a wave of her hand, they go back to their meal. “Are you sure, Granite?” Granite gives a sigh as his puffs on his cigar. “Yes.” He leans against one of the wooden posts holding up the porch’s awning. Igneous blows out smoke before placing his cigar back in his mouth. “Unicorpian troops have never gotten this far inland.” He blows out another wad of smoke. “Are the lines falling apart?” Granite shrugs “From the sounds of it, yes, but I’m not sure, sure. The last telegraph I’ve gotten was from my brother. He told me that they were pushing them back over the old borders before this blasted war started.” He sighs. “I just wanted to pass the word onto you and the others in the town, just in case.” He steps down from the porch. “Let’s hope it’s nothing. Goodnight friend.” “Goodnight.” Igneous watches the stallion jog off to the next home. With a worrisome sigh, he walks back into his house. Stepping into space, the warmth of the fire soothes his numb nerves, with a whisper, he puts his cigar out in an ashtray on the fireplace mantle and stands by the fireplace, warming his hands. “What did Granite want?” Cloudy Quartz asks. Igneous looks over his shoulder at his family. “Just to let us know that the telegraph lines are down tonight…” He turns around and walks up to the table. “And the state of the war.” “Is it something we should worry about?” His wife asks. “No… It's fine.” Looking at the clock, he cracks his knuckles. “Time for bed fillies.” The sisters are upset by this, but they know not to protest their father’s commands. Getting out of their seats, they walk to the restroom once more to brush their teeth. With their children gone and out of hearing range, Cloudy Quartz holds onto her husband’s hand. “How bad is it?” Igneous sighs. “From the sound of it, the eastern lines are breaking.” Cloudy Quartz places her hand over her mouth, muffling a gasp. Seeing the worry in her eyes, he puts a hand under her chin. “Let’s not worry about it. Come let’s head to bead as well dear, we have a busy day tomorrow.” Pinkie lays in her queen-sized bed next to Marble at the foot of the bed while Octavia and Limestone lay beside each other at the head of the bed. On the right-hand corner of the room, Maud lays in her own twin-sized bed. Their room although small and lacking square footage, still holds a long dresser, a toy chest, an oak desk and two-night stands. A single window hangs above the dresser allowing the dim light of the oil-street lamps to flood into the room. With sleep not embracing her, only worry about tomorrow and what it might bring, Mable rolls over on her side, facing her twin. “Pinkie?” Pinkie’s ears twitch from hearing her sister’s soft, timid voice. “Yeah?” She turns around, her blue eyes looking into Marble’s purple eyes. “Are you nervous about tomorrow?” Marble hugs her pony doll tight to her chest. Pinkie shrugs her shoulders. “Kind of, but I think we’ll do good, Ma thinks we will. Besides, it’s just one song...” Limestone listens to their conversation with a smirk as she stares at Maud through the dim light flooding their room. With a stretch and a yawn, she turns over on her side. “Hey, Maud?” “What?” Maud asks, not opening her eyes, her pillow consuming a majority of her head. “When is your colt-friend going to propose to you?” She chuckles. Maud blushes, her eyes open wide with embarrassment. “Why would you bring this up tonight?” She lifts her head facing her sister with a confused stare. “Well, you were gone all yesterday…” Limestone gives her sister a sly smile. “Just curious as to when you two will make it official already?” Maud huffs. “There was school yesterday… That’s why I was gone most of yesterday!” She pulls her covers closer to her chin. “Liar… School was let out early that day!” Limestone sticks out her tongue. Maud blushes. “So, when is he going to propose?” I-I don’t know…” Maud turns over, facing the wall to hide the redness that washes over her cheeks. Octavia giggles. “He’s taking his sweet time.” She joins in on the fun. Pinkie and Marble join in as well with their own set of giggles. Maud frowns at her sisters’ antics. “He sure is…” She mumbles thinking of the colt. Laughter begins to take hold of her sisters which causes her to roll her eyes. Pinkie’s giggling stops as a thought crosses her mind. “Well, you better get married soon.” She crosses her arms in a huff. The giggles stop as silence floods the room. Maud’s face reddens further “Why?’ She asks, concern coming over her at what answer Pinkie will give. “Well it's obvious, I’m nine years old!” Pinkie sits up, arms stretching out wide. “I’m not getting any younger, I mean, being an aunt at ten will suck!” She whines, falling back onto her pillow. “I’ll be too old to have fun with my niece or ne-ne… Nefew?” “Nephew.” Marble corrects. “BWAH!” Limestone loses it, her laughter being so robust that she has to clutch her stomach. Maud’s redness increases as she places her pillow over her head. A pathetic moan escapes her lips as she tries to muffle their laughter. Octavia holds her hand to her mouth, her eyes watering like crazy. Pinkie and Marble giggle uncontrollably from seeing Maud’s reaction. “FILLIES GO TO BED!” Their father’s booming voice shouts from their parents’ room. As quickly as their laughing began, it stops. They quickly get comfortable in their beds, allowing sleep to take over, all be it, very slowly. Some giggles slipping from their lips every so often until soon, they drift off into a deep sleep. Chapter 7Maud sits in front of her master’s desk. An open book lays before her, its pages are filled with strange and familiar symbols of her native and unicorn tongues written in brown ink. Looking at one of the words, she reads the symbols. ‘Apple’ it reads. Moving her eyes to the left-side of the page she stares at the strange symbols, studying its lettering. “Omena?” She says in confusion. “Good. More emphasis on the ‘E’ Nightingale states sitting in front of her as he skims through a stack of papers. “Write it five-times and move on to the next word.” He sips his coffee. Maud gives him a small nod, writing the word on a sheet of paper to her left. Over by the radiator and bookshelves stands Moonlight. He looks out the large corner window of the watchtower, looking at the camp below. “Why are you educating her?” He looks back at the foreman with a frown. “Because I hate speaking in Earthen, if she’s going to be my slave, she will learn to speak Unicorpian!” Nightingale sighs, placing some papers on a metal bronze tray. “I guess that’s a good enough reason…” Moonlight stares at a watchtower on the opposite end of the camp. “But?” Nightingale adds to the stallion’s statements. “But, but I still think her tongue shouldn’t touch our language!” Moonlight leans against the base of the window frame. “No slave should.” Nightingale gives his comrade a perplexed look. “So, you’d berate every slave owner who teaches their slaves Unicorpian?” “Don’t be a smartass!” Moonlight chuckles to himself. Swallowing his coffee, he clutches his chest. “Damn!” He laughs. “What?” Nightingale asks, setting his work down on his desk. “Sometimes I don’t get you, my friend!” He walks over to the stairs. “One minute you’re telling me to treat earth ponies with respect!” He points at Maud. “Then you’re fondling her and torturing her sisters!” He finishes his cup of coffee. Maud stares at the stallions, trying to understand their words. “Minulla on syyni.” Nightingale sighs, sipping his coffee as he stares at Maud. She shivers as she stares back at him. “Aivan sama…” Moonlight heads down the stairs. “Olin minunilmalaivaani, jostarvitsetminua!” Nightingale rubs his eyes as he hears the stallion shut the door behind him. Running his hand across his face, he holds it over his mouth, his eyes staring into Maud’s turquoise eyes. “Read the next word slave.” Maud looks down, her hands shaking. “Käytä…” Nightingale nods, getting up from his seat, walking over to a coat rack on the wall. “It means apply.” She comments reading the earthen symbols. “Good…” He pulls a leash off the coat rack. “Read the next one.” Maud skims down the words and finds a more challenging one. “S… Suosion… Suosionosoitukset?” She looks at the translation. “Applause?” She looks at her master, completely baffled by the word. “It’s a long word.” He shrugs his shoulders as he walks up to her. Latching the leash to her collar, he slips his hands through the loop and gives it a soft tug. Maud grasps onto her collar and stares at the leash in confusion. “I have a job for you to do… Come, follow me.” Rose Sapphire sits on her worn cot, looking out the barred-window of her ten by ten feet cell, at the camp below while she breasts feeds her newborn. Across from her, sitting in her own cot is Grassy Breeze, who is comforting her newborn with a gentle back rub. Golden Stone sleeps in the cot in the right-side corner at the back of the cell, facing the wall. With a long sigh, Rose Sapphire glances over at Grassy Breese. “How are you doing?” “Grassy Breeze looks over at the mare. “Alright… My daughter needs a new diaper, it’s been three days… I can make it last two more if I have to but, I don’t think it will last another wash…” She sticks a finger along her newborn’s inner thigh, lifting up her diaper. “The fibers are starting to make her skin raw… You can feel it under her fur…” She rubs the spot where her finger is at, a frown forming on her face. Rose Sapphire sighs. “I’m in the same boat… I hope they bring some soon.” She strokes her son’s scalp, moving some of his soft-short red mane to one side. Grassy Breeze sighs as she stares at the door to their cell, studying its metal construction. “I need some fresh air…” Rose Sapphire nods. “I think we all need some fresh air…” She feels her son pull away from her nipple. He smacks his lips as he wiggles in her arms. With a smile, she slips her left breast back into her prison-gown and burps him. The door to their cell opens with a dull whine. Rose Sapphire and Grassy Breeze turn their attention to see who’s there. Even Golden Stone awakens from her slumber, glancing over her shoulder. Nightingale steps into their cell, leading Maud by a leash. Rose Sapphire stares at her daughter-in-law’s dress in confusion and disbelief. The other two mares give confused glares of disapproval at how the skirt of her gown is above her knees. Embarrassed, Maud looks down at her hooves. “Why are you here… With her? What did you do to her?” Rose Sapphire asks giving the stallion a stern glare. Nightingale returns her glare with a cocky smile. “I didn’t do anything to her, she did it herself… Little hothead!” He unlatches the leash from her collar. “I’m here to drop her off.” He coaxes her forward with a gentle pat on her butt. The mares give him stares of disapproval. “As my slave,” He ignores their stern expressions. “she’ll be assisting and attending to your every need while you live out your five years in this room.” He walks towards the door. “Oh… And my guards will come back with a tray of food for each of you and some clean diapers.” He hums, closing the door. Finally, alone, Rose Sapphire steps up to Maud, wrapping a free arm around her shoulder, bringing her into a hug. “Is it true? You’re his slave?” She studies the filly’s appearance some more. Maud can hear the worry in her mother-in-law’s voice. Glancing at the mare, she gives a small nod before turning her attention to back to her hooves. “Are we all going to become salves?!” Golden Stone asks in a panic. “Golden Stone! Fear is not good for the foal!” Grassy Breeze chastises the young mother to be. Golden Stone cowers in her corner, laying her head on her pillow. “How are Obsidian and Ruby? You’re sisters?” Rose Sapphire leads Maud to her cot and sits her down. She lays her newborn in her lap, placing a hand under the filly’s chin. “Your Ma and Pa?” Fear coats her words. “They’re…” She clasps her hands together. “They’re… I-I don’t know…. It’s been three days since I’ve seen them!” Tears well up in her eyes. She grabs onto the mare, pulling her into a desperate hug. Rose Sapphire rubs Maud’s back. “It's okay… Take a deep breath…” She coos into her ear. “Do you remember how they were when you last saw them?” Maud wipes some of her tears away. “Yes… They’re fine… They split us into groups... stallions, mares, and children… So I’m not sure how my parents and Obsidian are… But I know Ruby and my sisters are okay…” She wraps her arms around her chest, her hands clenching her shoulders. “They took Pinkie away!” Tears begin to flood her eyes. “What did they do to Pinkie?” Rose Sapphire lifts Maud’s head. Her eyes staring at hers. Maud holds back a sob. “They put her in solitary!” Pinkie scratches a mark on the wall of her cell with a broken piece of concrete near the base of the door. Shivering from the cold, she sets the rock down and leans in closer reading the marks. “Three… Three days?!” Her pupils shrink, her body goes numb from shock. She looks around her dark room, tears flooding her eyes. “No…” She moans weakly. Feeling a cramp in her abdomen, she clutches her belly and looks at the right-side corner of the cell. She eyes the small foot wide hole in the ground through the dimly-lit darkness. Her spine shivers as she remembers her experience with it during her first morning of solitary. Pinkie awakens from her nightmare filled sleep. She slowly opens her eyes as she lifts her head off the floor. Dry vomit coats the corners of her mouth. The soft morning light of the sun graces her vision as it barely illuminates the pitch-blackness of her cell. Shivering from the cold, she wraps her arms around her legs and rocks back n’ forth. Her tail flicking around, telegraphing her stressed mental state. Feeling a cramp in her lower abdomen, she groans clutching her belly. Whining, she gets on her hands and knees, trying to find a toilet within her cell. Inching her way to the other side of her cell, she sticks her hands out in front of her, sliding them along the floor… WHAM! PLUNK! SPLOSH! Pinkie smacks her chin on the floor. “ERR…” Pinkie hisses through her clenched teeth as she feels an awful slimy feeling on her left hand. “EW…!” She pulls her arm out of a damp hole and brings her hand up to her face. A dreadful odor assaults her nostrils. “AH!” She screams, whipping the ick on the floor. The muck sticks to her fur and smears itself further into her fur. Feeling sick, she rips off her prison gown and uses it as a towel. With her hand somewhat clean, she throws the tainted gown against the wall opposite her… Wrapping her arms around her bare chest and her tail around her lap, Pinkie sits cross-legged, her tired eyes staring at the door of her cell. She moves her tongue around her mouth. Her mouth feels dry like there are several wads of cotton balls in her mouth. Feeling the pain in her abdomen returning, she hears her stomach sound off a rumble. “I’m hungry…?” She rubs her stomach. Tears roll down her cheeks as she stares at the marks on the wall. “ERR… AH!” She cries out, her voice hoarse. Coughs overtake her as she tries to wet her mouth and throat. She tries to calm herself, but her emotions overwhelm her as she curls up into the fetal position on the floor, her tail laying over her like a makeshift blanket. Hearing hoof steps coming up to her cell, a chill runs down her spine. She feels the pain in her stomach increase. “Food?!” She mumbles to herself. Jumping to her hooves, she stumbles over to her cell door and begins pounding on it. “Hello!” Please! I’m hungry! And… and… ERR!” A surge of electricity shoots through her, sending her to the floor, the back of her head smacking the ground hard. “Prisoner, you’re getting your only cup of water for the day! Drink responsibly!” The metal latch at the bottom of the metal door slides open. The guard on the other side puts his hand through the hole and places a metal cup of water on the ground. The light that floods into the room from the open latch hurts Pinkie’s eyes. With a grunt, the guard shuts the metal latch. Bathed in darkness once again, Pinkie gets up from the ground, pain racks her body, her muscles twitch as she crawls to the door. Grabbing the metal cup, she takes a massive gulp, quenching her mouth while tears roll down her face. The numbing hums of the conveyor belts drive Limestone mad. Her eyes stare at the belts rolling on past her with dull eyes. ‘The same mindless motion.’ She thinks to herself. Three days of this numbing experience is taking its toll on her. She is going to have to endure this for who knows how long. Her body shakes as she rubs her tired eyes. Octavia looks at her younger sister with a blank stare. At this point, there is nothing she could do to lift her spirits. She frowns internally at that problem. This place is robbing her of her sisterly duties…. She holds a copper ingot in her hands. Her mind wanders to her sister Pinkie… How is she doing locked away in her concrete cage… all alone. Eying a large dial clock hanging on the wall to her left, she reads the time. ‘Three-forty-five o’ clock. With a grunt, she tosses the copper ingot into the crate without a care in the world. A guard looking down from the catwalk frowns. Looking over at his comrade, he alerts him to her attitude. Up in the balcony office, Cloudy Quarts notices the guard approaching her daughters. Fear overcomes her as she watches helplessly from her perch. “So, prisoner?” The guard leans over Octavia, intimidating her with his stature. “What seems to be the problem?” He puts his hands on his hips. Limestone stares at the two of them, fear overcoming her thoughts as she wonders what might happen. Octavia feels a tight sensation form in her chest. “Nothing… Sorry, sir…” She reaches into the crate and fixes the ingot, reorienting it into the correct position. “Nothing?...” The guard hums. “Well, it better be nothing!” He pinches her left ear, his fingernails digging into her skin and cartilage. Octavia hisses from the pain. “I can’t hear you?!” He growls. “I won’t do it again!” Octavia moans. “I promise!” The guard smiles. “Better keep that promises!” He flicks her snout, before walking back to his post. Octavia rubs her snout, hissing her pain away. Seeing her mother looking down at her, a wave of guilt comes over her. With a tired sigh, she and her sister return to their work. “Damn it!” Obsidian hisses as he swings his pickaxe against the basalt. Igneous looks over at the young stallion with a dull expression. “Slow down son, you’ll develop blisters.” Igneous comments. “Or pop them…” Mr. Cake quips as he throws a chunk of basalt into the minecart behind them. “My limbs are shaking…” Obsidian leans on his pickaxe, catching his breath. “They don’t feed us enough!” He breathes in deeply. “That’s why you need to conserve your energy.” Igneous sighs as he pulls on his pickaxe, ripping out a chunk of rock. Obsidian watches the stallion’s movements and shakes the numbness from his arms. Igneous senses an uneasy feeling radiating from the young stallion. He stares into his eyes and sees the fear within. “What’s bothering you?” Obsidian jerks from the stallion’s question. “Nothing… just hungry…” He keeps his eyes on his work, he watches several cracks form across the crust of the basalt rock face. Igneous can tell he’s lying, he can see the young stallion’s eyes twitch, the clammy sweat rolling down his brow. The elder stallion keeps silent, only giving a low deep grunt as his response. Obsidian feels uneasy, scared almost. It feels like Igneous’s presence is consuming him. “No… I’m not fine…” “Then what bothers you, child?” Igneous loads up some rock into their minecart. “It’s Maud… and Pinkie… I haven’t seen them in the past three days.” He sets down his pickaxe. “When we’re by the gates a look over to their side every day… I’ve only seen their sisters and my sister…” Igneous nods as he mulls over the young stallion’s words. “Just keep your mind strong and sound son… They’re fine, we must think that, for our own safety and theirs.” He sets down his pickaxe and begins pushing the cart. Obsidian sets down his pickaxe hastily and helps the stallion. Marble digs through a mass of pebbles and sand in the water of the runoff-sluice. Her tiny fingers wiggle their way into the course material searching for copper nuggets. Ruby stands beside her, her own hands digging through the sand and pebbles. Her red eyes stare numbly at the water flowing past her arms and into the drain at the end of their sluice. Scooping a handful of copper, Marble looks at her bucket and sees that it's mostly full. She looks at Ruby’s bucket and sees that it needs just a few more handfuls. Dumping her scoop in Ruby’s bucket, she picks up hers and drains some of her copper, filling it up. 1245, 3390, and 2266 stare at her with scowls. Scarlet who stands behind them, stares at Marble with a flat frown, but she stays at her post watching the two fillies with mild interest. Ruby stares at her bucket and Marble with a confused and flustered expression. Marble nods, giving her a soft smile. Timidly she picks up the bucket and steps onto the metal rampart and heads to the end of the warehouse to the entrance of the smelting plant. Getting to the entrance, Ruby stands in front of the booth and stares at a unicorn stallion behind the stall’s counter, typing away on his typewriter. “Um… Sir?” Hearing her voice, he looks away from his work. “Yes?... Oh, I see you have a full bucket...” He swings his chair over to a mechanical-computer-typewriter. “Your number?” “5184, Sir,” Ruby mumbles as she holds the bucket in front of her lap. “And this is your… fourth bucket of the day?” He questions. Ruby nods her head softly. Pulling a lever on the mechanical-computer-typewriter, a metal chute opens in front of Ruby. “Dump your cargo.” Ruby tilts her bucket pouring in her copper. Emptying her container, she steps away from the chute and makes her way back to her sluice. Getting back to her station, she stands next to Marble once more and continues on her work. Scarlet who is watching not too far from them, pushes herself off the wall she leans on and strolls on up to the two. Standing behind and in-between them, she lowers her head, glancing at the two fillies. They shiver, scared by her presence. Even the veteran prisoners, 1245, 3390, and 2266 shows signs of cowardliness. “So…” She looks at Marble. “5179… I’ve been noticing for the past three days you been helping out 5184… you like this filly? Have some feelings for her?” She laughs. Marble shakes her head. “No… She’s my sister… uh, friend, she’s my friend." Marble states with a mumble. Ruby looks at the two with worry. Scarlet shakes her head. “Friend… I thought you said, sister… I know you only have four sisters… so that only means… Oh… I see she’s your sister-in-law…” Marble feels a shiver run down her spine. Scarlet tilts her head back with a raised brow. “This explains a lot…” She looks at the two of them in bewilderment. “Well then… If that’s the case.” She pinches the back of Marble’s neck causing her to flinch and her limbs to freeze up. “Which one of your sisters is married?” Marble starts mumbling trying to hide her embarrassment. “SHH… Finish your work… You can tell me after supper…” Leaving her mother-in-law’s cell, Maud stands in front of the door waiting for a guard to take her to her room. Hearing hoof steps echoing into the hall where she stands, she sees one of Nightingale’s personal guards walking up to her. Giving her a nod, Maud lowers her head and follows him. Turning the corner, they enter into the adjacent hall. Seeing the door to her room a few feet away she gives a sigh as they near. Grunting the guard opens the metal door and motions her with his free hand. “In you go.” He mumbles. Forcing a polite smile, Maud steps into her cell. The metal door shuts behind her, sealing her in her sterile environment. With a tired sigh, she walks over to her bed and sits on its edge, allowing her hooves to dangle off the bed. Rubbing the back of her neck, she looks at her nightstand and notices a leather-bound book resting on its surface. Curious, she picks up the book and opens it. She skims through some of the pages and finds to her displeasure that it’s written in Unicorpian. With a growl she throws it on her bed. Bringing her knees to her chest, she lays on her right side, staring at the wall directly in front of her. Reading the time on the clock. ‘seven pm…’ She mouths. Boredom washes over her mind. Grunting, she sits up once more and picks up the book begrudgingly. Opening it to the title page, she tries to make out some familiar words. “I see you’re reading that book.” Maud shivers as she turns her attention to her door. Standing in the doorway is her Master. Nightingale gives her a smile as he stares at her. “I little gift,” He crosses his arms. “You keep up your good deeds, and you’ll be needing a bookshelf soon.” He pulls out a cigarette and lights it. Maud sets the book in her lap. “Thank you… Master…” She struggles to say without sounding condescending. Nightingale notices her tone and hums a chuckle. “You’ll get your supper soon.” He takes a drag of his cig, before closing her door. Maud’s nose twitches as the tobacco filled smoke floats around her. Frowning she throws the book against the wall and lays back on her bed. The metal typebars of a typewriter smack violently against the parchment resting on the platen cylinder. Getting to the end of the paper, Nightingale pulls the sheet of paper out and feeds another sheet into the machine. Moonlight who lays on the couch at the other end of the room, grumbles. “You still working on that book of yours?” “Yes... This job consumes too much of my free time if you remember.” He raises a brow at the stallion. “I would have been finished with it long ago… But alas, my nation calls me to serve its needs.” Moonlight just sighs, as he lays his forearm over his eyes. His magic pulling a blanket over himself. Nightingale sighs at the stallion’s manners as he continues his writing. KNOCK! Nightingale rolls his eyes and gives a long sigh. “Come on in!” The door to the stairwell opens revealing Scarlet holding Marble by the neck, leading her into his office. Nightingale stares at the earth pony filly with a frown. “Don’t tell me that she’s causing trouble as well?” “No sir,” Scarlet replies, shaking her head. “I just found out some fascinating information about her.” She places her hands on the filly’s shoulders. Marble cowers under her embrace. Nightingale raises a brow. “What did you learn?” He leans back in his chair. Even Moonlight lifts his head staring at the two of them with a curious gaze. “Well,” She squeezes Marble’s shoulders, causing the filly to squirm. “I found out that she has a sister-in-law.” She smiles. “Prisoner 5184." Nightingale hums. “She does?” He thinks to himself trying to figure out which one of her sisters would be married... Grunting he gets up and walks over to a filing cabinet and opens one of the drawers. Taking out a file, he skims through the pages reading the information on her and her sisters. Getting to Maud’s file, he reads her age. “16…” He looks at Marble. “Is your sister Maud, the one that’s married?” Marble shivers under his gaze. “Yes…” She plays with the skirt of her prison-gown. “The wedding never took place… though…” She looks down at her hooves, trying to hide her tears. Nightingale frowns as he stares at the file. “Thanks for this information.” He looks at Scarlet. “You can take her back to her cell.” Scarlet nods and drags Marble out of his office home. Moonlight looks at his friend with a raised brow. “So, your slave has some secrets.” Nightingale sighs. “She does, doesn’t she…” “Hän juoksiniinnopeastikuinpystyiportille, hänen mahtavallemiekalleen?” Maud questions herself, trying to make out the meaning of the words. She recognizes some, but most of them go over her head. Frustration building within her, she sets the book in her lap as she lays her head on her pillow. Hearing the lock to her door unlatching itself, she lifts her head up and sees her master stepping into her room. Nervous, trying to understand why he would be in her room at this time of night, she sits up and observes him. “Yes, Master?” Nightingale gives her a sly smile as he walks up to her bed. Standing over her, he reveals a folder behind his back and opens it. “So, I found out something exciting about you and your sisters today.” He skims through the files. Maud feels herself go numb. “What do you mean, Master?” Nightingale sighs. “Oh, that you have a sister-in-law. Ruby is her name, I’m I correct?” Maud feels herself getting clammy. “I don’t know what you’re talking about… AH” He hits her over the head with the palm of his hand. “Don’t lie to me! Do you remember what happens if you disobey me? You don’t want your sisters to face punishment now do you?” He glares down at her. She looks up in fear and barely nods her head. He sighs, returning his attention back to the file. “So…” He pulls out a file. “It says Ruby has a mother and two brothers here in this camp.” He reads the paper. “Her mother and baby brother are in the maternity wing of the prisoner processing station. So, that just leaves one brother as the likely candidate… How long have you been engaged to Obsidian?” He holds out his file, showing it to her. Maud stares at the paper, she feels physically and mentally sick. She rubs her hands together, fearing the unknowns. “A-A week…” He hums, putting the paper back in the vanilla folder. “Well aren’t you full of secrets… Have you two mated?” Again, she feels sick. “No… The Lord forbids it until we're married…” She lies. He hums, tapping the back of the folder with his index fingers. “Well I have a questions that need to be answered, let’s ask him, shall we?” Obsidian lays his head against the wall of his cell, his eyes twitching as he tries to get some sleep. Igneous sleeps in the other cot, his head resting on his pillow as he stares at the ceiling of their cell, counting the small fractures scaring the concrete with heavy eyes. Hearing the latch to their door unlocking, both stallions awake from their haze and look at the door. Three guards walk into the cell and grab Obsidian by his collar. Obsidian’s flight or fight instincts overtake him, swing, he punches one of the guards. Angry that he got a punch on his comrade, one of the guards elbows him in the back of his head. Obsidian falls to the floor, clutching his head. Concerned for the young stallion, Igneous sits up glaring at the guards. A guard standing outside the room notices his expression. “Sit prisoner, the foreman would like to talk with him.” Trying to keep up with the guards, Obsidian keeps his eyes on the foreman’s watchtower as they near it, it getting larger and larger as it consumes his vision. Arriving at the base of the stairs the guards shove him forward, commanding him to climb the steps. Finding his balance, Obsidian slowly ascends the stairs. Getting to the door, one of the guards knocks, “Come on in!” a muffled voice calls out to them. Stepping into the office, Obsidian looks to his right and sees Nightingale sitting at his desk and Maud standing behind him wearing a white cotton nightgown. A chill runs up his spine as he stares at Maud, his eyes full of confusion and fear. Maud stares at him, her heart heavy with dread and fear. Embarrassed, she lowers her head and glares sadly at the fibers of the hardwood floor. “So, I see why you’re wondering why she’s here?” Nightingale states noticing Obsidian’s expression. “I have to say colt, you know how to pick’em.” He looks back at Maud and gives her a seductive smirk. She feels uncomfortable from his wooing. Obsidian glares at the foreman. “What do you want with me?” He growls. Nightingale glares at him, not liking his tone. “Well, I just found out my slave was engaged before her capture.” He pulls out a bottle of bourbon and pours himself a drink. “According to Unicorpian Slave Laws, any slave that is engaged or married must renounce their union.” He sips his drink. Both Obsidian and Maud feel their hearts sink. Maud feels her legs giving out, but she fights to keep her composure. Obsidian, on the other hand, grits his teeth. “Like hell, I won’t!” He spits stepping up to foreman’s desk. Nightingale chuckles. “It’s not your call, you’re not a slave, she is.” He finishes his glass and pours himself some more. “She has to renounce the engagement.” He points his glass at Maud before taking a rather large sip of his bourbon. Maud collapses at his statement. Before she hits the floor, Nightingale catches her and sits her on his lap. “It’s okay, take a deep breath.” Obsidian growls and charges at the foreman. He doesn’t make much progress as one of the guards grabs his collar with his magic, dragging him back to his place. The two other guards with him, put their arms under his armpits holding his arms against their chests. Nightingale stares at the colt, running his left hand through her mane. “I need you to renounce your engagement, my slave.” Maud glares at her Master and pushes his arm away. “NO! I will not!” He rolls his eyes and gives a huff. “You’re kidding me?!” He wraps his right arm around her waist pulling her into a tight embrace as he uses his magic to tighten her collar. “Denounce your engagement!” He glances at his guards. The guard to the left of Obsidian nods, and pulls out his pistol, aiming it at Obsidian’s brow just above his left eye. Obsidian stares at the gun with wide eyes, his body shivering in fear. Maud stares at the pistol and her fiancé. Her mind races with a billion horrid thoughts, her body shivers, sweat coats her fur, her body temperature rises. “No… No…” She silently mumbles to herself. Not hearing the correct response, the guard pulls his pistol’s hammer back. She fights the urge to puke as she sees Obsidian shaking his head, telling her not to give in… “I renounce! I… I… I… Renounce!...” She sobs, collapsing, her body leaning against her Master’s arm. Obsidian stares at his love, his heart heavy with sadness. But deep down, he knew why she gave in. Smiling, Nightingale drops his magic. “You can take him back to his cell.” The guards nod and drag the colt out of the office. Looking at the sobbing filly, Nightingale runs his fingers through her long soft mane. “Let’s get you to bed.” He stands her up and leads her to her room. Getting to her cell, Nightingale opens the door and allows her to enter first, extending his hand through the doorway. Maud slowly steps into her room, her arms crossed over her chest, her head hanging low. Standing just a few inches past the doorframe, she turns around and gives him a stern glare. Without warning, she smacks him across the face. As quickly as she smacked him, he grabs her offending arm and pulls it above her head, the awkward position causes her to drop her stern demeanor and panic as great discomfort radiates from her right shoulder. With a grunt, he drags her to her bed and throws her on it. Bouncing on her bed, she looks up in fear as he puts his hands on his belt. “I think you’re not understanding what just happened.” He undoes his belt and throws it on the floor. “You’re no longer his, you’re mine.” His military pants fall to the floor. She shivers as she stares at his erect penis. Using his magic, he pins her arms to the bed and spreads her legs with his knees. “This is going to make it official slave.” He puts his hands behind her head, resting his forehead against hers, his eyes staring lustfully into her soul. She stares at him with fear. With a chuckle, he thrusts himself into her. Throwing Obsidian into his cell the guards chuckle as they shut the door. Igneous stares at the colt’s black eye and bloody snout. “What the hell did they do to you?” He gets up from his cot and kneels beside him. Tears flow from he’s eyes as he looks up at his only remaining father figure. “Maud… The foreman took Maud as his slave!” He sobs, his arms shaking as they try to support his weight. Igneous feels light headed, falling on his rump, he holds a hand to his forehead. “No… Oh Lord… No…” The stallion’s usually stern calm demeanor breaks as he begins to sob at the news that one of his little fillies is living a slave’s life.
Chapter 2“Ma!” Pinkie whines as her mother rubs her cheeks with a handkerchief. “Pinkie, stay still, you need to look presentable for the Lord.” Her mother smiles with a hum. “He likes clean little fillies.” Pinkie frowns as she gives in too her mother’s needs. “There…” Cloudy Quartz looks over her work. “See that wasn’t so bad.” She gives her daughter a soft smile. Free from her mother’s grasp, Pinkie quickly worms her way from their place in the pew over to Marble waiting on the left-hand aisle of the church. Standing next to her twin, Pinkie fixes her bonnet as they make their way to the altar, up to the choir-chairs behind the pastor’s podium. Taking their seats, the twins wait patiently for the other children of the Frist New Light Church’s ‘Children’s Choir’ to take their places on the altar. While she waits, Pinkie looks at the architecture of the church and the ponies within. The floor plan of the church is simple, nothing to grand or extravagant. A church in a town like Ashmore has to keep it simple. Ten pews in rows of two sit in the center of the church’s floor. The layout of these pews creates one main center aisle and two narrow side aisles. Along the side aisles are six plaster coated pillars holding up the oak roof. In-between each pillar are stained-glass windows, depicting tales and parables from the holy book of the earth ponies. The congregation is small only a hundred and fifty ponies in total fill up the space. It’s about a third of Ashmore’s population. With ten competing churches many devout followers flocked to what church was close to them. Pinkie’s home church is one of three that were the fullest of the bunch. She like that about her church, she has a lot of friends to play with. The dress code from the members of her home church are simple. The Stallions and colts ware black Mennonite styled hats, white-collared shirts, black ties and black slacks. The mares and fillies ware white bonnets, white bonnets, dresses, and baby-blue cotton short-sleeve jackets. As for where the sexes sit, the stallions and colts sit on the right-side pews, while the mares and fillies sit on the left-side pews. Swinging her legs mindlessly, Pinkie looks for her father in the crowd. Seeing him sitting in the third pew, near the center aisle, she waves to him. Seeing his daughter waving to him, he returns the gesture with a soft smile. Giggling at her father’s expression, she turns her attention to her mother and elder sisters who sit in the fourth pew. They return her gesture. As the choir maiden steps onto the altar, the children quite themselves down, awaiting her instructions. Standing in front of the children, the choir maiden raises her left hand into the air, commanding them to rise. The children stand and put their hands behind their backs. With a smile, she begins the song. “Oh, heaven of glory, oh, Lord of kings, Who made heavens and earth, And every creature small and large, And all the trees and all little, itty, bitty, crawly things. Oh, heaven may, Oh, heaven may, Will we be blessed be? Oh, heaven of glory, oh, Lord of lords, Who made us from the dust, He who gave us mortal breath, And bestowed us this mortal realm. Oh, heaven may Oh, heaven may, Will we be blessed be? Oh, heaven of glory, oh, Lord of all, Who gave his only, begotten son, Who’d died for our sins, For we may live once again, Oh, heaven may, Oh, heaven may, We are the blessed be.” Finishing up their song for the day, the children bow as their families praise their performance. Ushering the children off of the altar, the choir maiden smiles to the crowd and bows, before stepping off the stage herself. Getting back to their pew, the twins take their seats next to Limestone. Marble picks up a holy-book from the back of the pew’s pocket in front of her and shares it with Pinkie. The pastor walks onto the altar and faces the congregation. Smiling at his flock, he sets down his tattered holy-book on the podium. “Hello my fellow believers, even though this day is overcast and the winds cold, I’m glad you could make it to today’s service.” He opens his holy-book. “Today I want to talk about encouragement… I believe its needed in these dark times, many of us worry that the war will come to our doorstep, to Ashmore, to the heartland of our great Republic…” Maud keeps her gaze on the pastor, her mind soaking up his words. Taking a glance down at her holy-book, she follows along as the pastor reads one of the passages, but feeling like someone is watching her, she looks to her right over her shoulder. A young stallion, about twenty-one years old, stares at her with a goofy grin. His long gray mane hugging the back of his neck, his black fur glistening in the light. She blushes and returns the smile before quickly turning her gaze back to the pastor. Her sisters look at her with mischievous grins, as they snicker to themselves. Their mother sighs, rolling her eyes as she rests her head in her hand. After service, the congregation moves themselves to the church’s barn. Within, food and drink await them, as well as a raging fire within a large brick fireplace. Entering the barn, the Pie sisters walk to a cherry-pine table off in the back of the barn with a punch bowl on its surface. Pouring themselves a cup, they walk over to a group of fillies and colts. Maud, Pinkie, and Marble stand in silence, sipping their drinks as they watch the crowd around them with mild interest. Octavia is with her friends from school by a table full of pastries. Limestone is off in the corner by the window, playing a game of dice with several fillies and colts her age. Pinkie hums, rocking back n’ forth on her hooves, her hands holding her cup of punch to her lips. Her eyes are glued to her parents. They’re talking to the pastor and his wife. She wonders what they’re talking about, she has several thoughts on what it could be. She thinks about going over and eavesdropping on their conversation, but she fears that action in particular will get her the wrath of her father’s belt. She shivers at that thought. Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Pinkie swivels around to face the pony touching her. She sees a young colt a year younger than her. His curly white mane hugs his face. His bright green eyes stand out from his white colored fur. “Hello Cotton Ball.” She smiles. Cotton Ball smiles back with a blush. “Hey Pinkie…” His ears fold back against his head. “Uh… Do you and Marble want to play baseball?” Pinkie smiles. “Sure!” She turns to face Marble. “You wanna play?” Her sister nods with a smile. “Yes, we would like to play!” Pinkie turns around, facing the colt. Cotton Ball smiles. “Well come on!” He runs off, waving the twins on. The Twins giggle as they give chase. Maud watches them exit the barn to the grassy field behind the church. “Where are they going?” Limestone stands next to Maud. “They went off to go play baseball.” She sips her punch. “What! They’re playing without me?” She runs out of the barn after them. Maud smirks at her sisters. With a hum she walks through the barn, looking for a particular pony. “Where is he…!” Hands cover her eyes. “Guess who?” A young masculine voice asks. Maud taps the rim of her cup, her lips pondering. “Let me guess… Obsidian?” Obsidian groans. “How do you always know?” He pulls his hands away from her eyes. She smirks, bumping her hips against his. “Because you have a unique voice.” Obsidian blushes from her actions. “Maud!” He places his hands on her shoulders. “You know that’s uncouth behavior!” He whispers, leading her out of the barn. She giggles. “But you’re funny when you’re all flustered.” Octavia sees the two lovebirds leaving the shelter. With a smirk, she gives her sister a thumb’s up. Maud blushes as she waves back. “So… Where are we going?” Obsidian hums as he opens the door for her. “I thought about going on a little stroll around the church’s property and just talk to you about some stuff.” He holds her hand as they step out onto the grassy lot. Her parents see them walk out, both smile at one another. Before the young couple begins their stroll, they turn their attention to the game of baseball that’s being played and decide to watch it for bit with a group of teen colts and fillies their age. Pinkie is up to bat for the fillies. The sleeves of her dress-shirt are rolled up past her elbows. A young teenage colt is at the pitcher mound. He chews on his gum smugly. With all his strength he throws the ball her way. She swings hard, a loud crack rings out, her swing sends the ball skipping across the ground. In a panic she runs to first base, her hooves kicking up dirt and grass. Seeing a player throwing the ball to first base, she dives for the plate. With her hands touching the plate before the first baseman can catch the ball, she jumps up and cheers her performance. The crowd of fillies’ clap, while the colts’ grumble. “So, what do you want to talk about?” Maud asks as she claps for her sister. Her eyes looking into his bright-blue eyes. He smiles as he looks into her light-blue eyes, “I have two things I want to tell you… Come, let’s go.” He leads her by the hand as they walk over to the church. Arriving at their destination, they stand under a large birch tree in front of the church. The gravel roads are busy with activity as the town’s citizens go about their weekend activities. With a smile, he holds her hands to his chest. “Maud?” “Yes?” She feels her chest get tight. “Well…” He puts one of his hands in his right slack’s pocket and pulls out a handmade amber ring. “I know we’ve been dating for over a year...” He takes her ring finger. “And I know you’ve been patient with me.” He holds it over her finger’s tip. “I’ve just been nervous about asking this question… Been thinking a lot actually.” Maud feels butterflies swimming in her stomach as the ring slides down her finger. “I want to know if you would like to marry me…?” His words are cut off as her lips connect with his. Her arms wrap around his neck, pulling him close. “I take that as a yes?” He questions as she pulls away from the kiss, jumping up n’ down, giggling like a madman. “Of course!” She giggles. “You took your time, you, big doofus.” She settles down and looks at her ring. The trapped air bubbles within the amber dispersing the light in such a manner that causes it to glow. “What? I was nervous about it.” He laughs, rubbing the back of his neck as he watches her study the ring. “I’m glad we’re finally engaged. Now my sisters can finally stop teasing me.” She hugs him. He laughs at her statement. “So, what is the other thing you wanted to tell me?” Obsidian runs his hand down her back. “Well, it’s about my job.” She pulls away from the hug. “What happened?” She looks worryingly at him. “Did you lose it?” “Oh, no, I didn’t lose it. I just got a better one.” He smiles leaning against the birch tree. “Really? What job did you get?” She leans next to him, still looking at her ring. “Well, I’ve joined the army!” Maud freezes, her mouth agape. Her eyes stare at him in confusion. “Maud, are you alright…?” Her hand smacks him across the face. “Ow…” “How could you! How could you do that to me?!” She snorts. “You go and ask for my hand in marriage, and then you tell me you’re joining the army!” She yells, her hoof stomping the grass. “Maud, calm down…” He takes her hand. “I might not have to…” “Calm!” Maud pulls her hands away. “What happens when we mate, and I’m bearing you foal!” Tears come to her eyes. “What if you die in battle?” She begins to feel sick. “You’ll leave your child fatherless and I husbandless…” He pulls her into a hug, removing her bonnet, stroking her mane. “I don’t want to hurt you…” He pulls away from the hug and looks her straight in the eyes. “But it’s either I join now and pick what role I want to serve or wait for the draft and be at the whims of the government.” He runs a thumb under her eyes, wiping her tears away. “I promise you that I will be okay… Besides the army pays good tokes and the benefits are better than what coal mining could ever give.” He sighs pulling her into another hug. “I’m thinking of the long-term for our family.” “You don’t know how long this war is going to last.” She rubs her eyes. “It’s already been going on and off for the past five years.” “It can’t go on for much longer.” He kisses her and gives back her bonnet. “Don’t worry, I won’t leave you. I promise our children will have their father no matter what.” He holds her tight. Maud calms herself. Taking a deep breath, she leans her head against his chest. She lets her worry fade away as she accepts his decision. ‘He is my future husband after all.’ She tells herself. “Did you ask my Pa for permission to take my hand in marriage?” She feels his body tense up. “Obsidian? Did you?” Obsidian chuckles uncomfortably, “Uh… No… I wanted it to be a surprise for the both of you…” She smacks him again. “Ow…” Igneous stands under the doorframe of the barn as he watches the game of baseball. Seeing Limestone catch a fly-ball, he gives her a clap and a smile, however his attention is drawn to his eldest daughter Maud and her colt-friend as he watches them walk back up to the barn from the corner of his eye. He studies them, looking them over, checking to see if anything is out of the ordinary. An amber ring catches his eye. A smirk comes to his lips as a sense of pride takes hold of him. “Hello, sir.” Obsidian stands in front of him. “I have something to ask you…” “You do… Don’t you colt?” Igneous states, looking at the ring. Maud plays with it. “I see you’ve already asked my daughter’s hand in marriage… without asking.” He raises his brow at the young stallion while he takes his daughter’s hand. He studies the ring, for a bit, a smile comes to him as he admires the craftsmanship. “You made this?” “I sure did, sir.” Obsidian smiles. “I used my friend’s carving kit.” He fidgets with his tie. Igneous rubs his daughter’s hand before letting it go. “Do you have the means to which you can provide for her and your future children?” He stares down his future son-in-law. Obsidian feels a sweat droplet roll down his face. “I do sir… I’ve joined the army. I ship out for boot camp in three months.” He keeps his cool. Igneous flattens out his smile. “Are you sure that’s what you want to do? As a veteran, I can tell you it’s not an easy life.” He frowns. “It’s hell in fact.” Obsidian smiles. “I know it’s not going to be easy, but I talked to my parents about it, they think it will be good for me, the army will surely mold me into a better stallion, sir!” He gives a salute. Maud facepalms, her face red with embarrassment. Igneous can’t hold his stern demeanor, he breaks out into laughter. “Well, even I wanted to stop you, I can’t…” He leans in towards the colt, placing his lips to colt’s ears ears. “She’ll be mad at me if I did.” His daughter rolls her eyes. Obsidian laughs. “So, is that a yes, sir?” “Don’t call me sir, it makes me feel old.” He smiles placing a hand on his shoulder. “You can call me pa.” Maud smiles wide and hugs her father tight. “Thank you, Pa!” Igneous returns the hug. “You should go tell your Ma.” Maud pulls away from the embrace and drags Obsidian into the barn. “Did Obsidian finally ask Maud to marry him?” Limestone asks, walking up to her father. He looks down and sees her and his twin daughters standing beside him. “Yes, sweetheart, he did.” He looks into the barn, watching them walk up to his wife. Entering the barn, Maud and Obsidian see their mothers talking to a couple of mares by the fireplace. “Perfect…” Maud smirks as she nears them, all the while Obsidian tries to keep up with her. Standing behind her mother, she taps her shoulders. “Ma?” Turning around, Cloudy Quartz looks down at her daughter and sees that Obsidian is with her. “Hello dear, I see you brought your colt-friend with you… What’s with your goofy smile?” “The same goes for you, son?” Rose Sapphire, Obsidian’s mother states giving her son a raised brow. Maud giggles like a little school girl. “Obsidian proposed!” She holds up her hand, showing off her engagement ring. Her mother, Rose Sapphire and the mares stare wide-eyed at the amber ring. Feeling pride, Cloudy Quartz pulls her daughter into a hug. “Oh, sweetie! I’m so happy for you!” She looks at her future son-in-law and gives him a smirk. “This calls for a traditional premarital dance!” She pulls the couple by the hands to the center of the barn’s floor space. “Attention everyone!” The earth ponies within the barn look over at the mare and the young couple with curious stares. Seeing that she’s gotten their attention, Cloudy Quartz smiles wide as she places Maud’s hand over Obsidian’s. “I have wonderful news, my daughter, Maud and Rose Sapphire’s son, Obsidian, are officially getting married!” The ponies cheer and clap for the newly engaged couple. Maud and Obsidian cheeks redden as they find themselves at the center of attention. The pastor and his wife walk up to the couple and places their hands on their heads. “By the grace of God, I pray to our creator to bless thee and to have the holy spirit guide you in all of your days…” They step back and bow to the couple. Maud tries to hide her embarrassment. “What’s wrong?” Obsidian whispers. She looks over at him. “I don’t like being the center of attention…” Obsidian smirks. “But you’re adorable when you’re all embarrassed.” He smirks. Maud rolls her eyes. Feeling the festivities kicking in, two stallions and four mares walk over to a metal cupboard and pull out three fiddles and three bass drums. Finding a spot, they pull up some chairs and begin playing a traditional earth pony dance song, one that’s played for such an event. The ponies begin clapping to the music as a mare and a stallion places a two-feet in diameter and three inches thick, decretive red marble plate in-between the couple. Putting a small one-pound white marble ball in the middle of the plate, the mare bows to the couple before walking back to the group. Sighing to calm their nerves, Maud and Octavia remove their attention from the plate to each other. Smiling, they hold hands and raise their arms above their heads. Maud lifting her left arm and Obsidian lifting his right. Tapping their hooves together, they skip around the marble plate to the beat of the drums. After three revolutions, they turn directions until they make another three revolutions, which after completing they change directions once more. “Dance! Dance! Dance!” The crowd chants as they clap to the beat. The fiddles kick in, alerting the couple to change their dance. Holding both hands above their heads, their fingers interlocking. They lock eyes as they skip around the marble plate. With every two revolutions, they touch the white marble ball with their right hoof. “I want to thank you again for inviting us to your home.” Onyx, Obsidian’s father, states to Igneous. “You shouldn’t worry yourself, your family is our family.” Igneous chuckles taking a sip of his sparkling cranberry cider. “I can’t wait to plan out the wedding!” Octavia giggles, giving Maud a hug. “Oh, Limestone and I could play the wedding songs with our instruments!” She squeezes her eldest tighter. “The wedding defiantly needs to take place before my son ships out for boot camp.” Rose Sapphire comments, while she breastfeeds her newborn. “There is no need to delay it.” She hums, looking over at her son and daughter-in-law, who sit in the middle seats of the dining table. “We’ll plan it out in time, Ma.” Obsidian takes a large gulp of his cider. “Well, I’m sure Cloudy Quartz and I would like you to leave us a grandchild before you leave for service.” Rose Sapphire smiles slyly at her son. The couple’s cheeks bush, both of them bury their heads in their hands, trying to hide from the world. Pinkie hears Rose Sapphire’s words and jumps up from the floor with a giant smile. “I’m going to be an AUNTIE!” Pinkie shouts with glee. Obsidian’s younger sister, Ruby, joins her with cheers of her own. Their playful chants causing more embarrassment for the married couple to be. Cloudy Quartz walks into the dining room from the kitchen with a strawberry-chocolate cake in hand. “Since we’re talking about grandchildren, have you thought of any names?” She teases, removing her oven mittens. “MA!” Maud whines, glaring at her mother. “We haven’t even gone through with the wedding!” Obsidian tries to hide from the world. Their mothers’ chuckle at their plight. “Oh, hush now, I’m just teasing.” She walks into the kitchen, grabbing a knife. “So, since you want us to change the subject, where do you want the wedding held?” Maud runs one of her hands through her mane. “I’m not sure… I would like the after party to be held at the church’s barn, that’s for sure… Maybe the wedding can take place at Salt Rock.” Cloudy Quartz hands her and Obsidian a slice of cake. “That’s a beautiful place for a wedding.” Limestone comments as she plays a game of dice with Marble, Pinkie, and Ruby. Marble nods her head in agreement. “Well…” Onyx pulls out a calendar book from his pocket. “I think having the wedding in the next two weeks will give us enough time to put our affairs in order.” “You never leave your home without that thing, do you?” Igneous asks, his brow raised. Onyx chuckles. “You are correct my friend.” Maud and Obsidian stand on the porch, watching the rains fall upon the land. The cold air, causing their breaths to condense around them. Giving a content sigh, she rests her head on his shoulders. Their bodies close together for warmth. “Well…” Obsidian mumbles. Raising her brow, Maud looks up at the stallion. “Well, what?” Obsidian looks down at his fiancée. “Oh… I was just thinking.” He watches a stream of rainwater flow down the hill to the main street. “Thinking about what.” Maud sighs as she squeezes his upper left arm. “Just thinking how our lives will be changing.” He kisses her head, he feels her mane through her bonnet. “You, know… Marriage is a big change for both parties.” Maud smiles as she buries her face in his chest. “But a change for the better.” He rolls his eyes. “Of course,” He smiles. “A change for the better.”
Chapter 3Octavia and Limestone walk down a worn, thin dirt road in the foothills on the outskirts of Ashmore. Both carry a vanilla-folder containing music sheets. In Octavia’s right hand is her fiddle in a leather-bound case. In Limestone’s left hand is a lunch pail full of hay sandwiches and peach slices. Nearing their destination, they walk up the wooden steps of a single-story home that’s seen better days. Knocking on the door, they wait patiently for it to open. Shuffling comes from behind the door. Hearing the lock unlatch, the doorknob turns, and the door swings inward revealing an elderly mare in her late eighties. Her glasses are large and thick. Her skin sags, causing her to have a permanent dull expression. “Oh goody, you fillies made it on time…” The elderly mare turns to look at her grandfather clock in the hall. “Yep, right on time.” “Hello, Miss. Daisy.” The sisters smile at the mare. Daisy smiles back and slowly steps away from the door, her cane keeping her steady as she walks further into her home. “Come fillies, let’s begin your lessons.” Pinkie and Marble are with their parents in downtown Ashmore, shopping for supplies for the day’s supper. Entering the bakery, they walk up to the counter where a mare stands behind the glass display, counting what pastries remain within. “Did you have a good morning Mrs. Cake?” Cloudy Quartz asks, placing her basket on the counter. Mrs. Cake looks up from her work and smiles at the family. “Oh yes, it was a rather good morning. Sold about 65% of our breakfast pastries.” She sees the twins looking over at her husband who’s working on a batch of chocolate chip cookies. “It looks like the twins are fascinated by my husband’s and I’s baking.” She looks at their mother. “Are they fascinated by your cooking and or baking?” Cloudy Quartz smiles. “Oh, very much so. They love helping me whenever they can.” She pats her daughters on the head. The brim and crown of their bonnets bouncing along with her pats. Mrs. Cake’s smile disappears as she realizes her bonnet is missing from her head. “Oh, I’m sorry…” She picks up her bonnet from the stool behind her and puts it on. “I forgot I took it off.” She ties its strings. Igneous smiles. “No worry Mrs. Cake. Unlike most stallions, it doesn’t bother me.” He chuckles. “Just be glad you’re not a zebra mare living in Zebrin. Zebra stallions would kill you for not wearing your headgear in public…” His laughter dies as he puts his hands on his hips and frowns. “Savages…” He walks away from the counter towards the center of the store. The twins watch their father with concern. Mrs. Cake looks at the stallion with a raised brow. Seeing her confused stare, Cloudy Quartz gives a sigh. “He fought in the Zebrin-Earthen War.” “I didn’t know your husband fought in that war?” Mrs. Cake picks up her clipboard. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Cloudy Quartz runs her hand along her brow. “There are days I would like to forget he did…” She looks over at her husband. He paces back n’ forth as he prepares a cigar. “The war did more harm to him than it did him good.” She removes the blanket from atop the basket. “I just wish the government would raise his benefits, to compensate for his loss.” Sensing that they shouldn’t be a part of the conversation, the twins walk over to Mr. Cake and watch him as he pulls out a batch of cookies from the large brick oven. Mrs. Cake nods. “I hear you… My husband barely gets enough for his service in the navy.” Cloudy Quartz hums, acknowledging her words. With a smile, she reaches into the basket and pulls out a slice of chocolate-strawberry cake. “What’s this?” Mrs. Cake wonders, her eyes staring at the plate displaying the dessert. “Oh, just something I made for my eldest and her fiancé.” She gives the slice to the mare. “They’re getting married.” Mrs. Cake smiles. “Finally, I was wondering when they would make it official.” She takes a small bite of the dessert. She hums, enjoying the light chocolatey textures and the richness of the strawberry filling. Smiling, she swallows and wipes some frosting away from her lips. “How’s she holding up?” “Oh, what am I going to do?” Maud whines as she squeezes her upper arms. Cheerilee watches the emotional teenage filly pace around her classroom. “Maud, relax.” She taps a stack of papers against her desk’s countertop. A moan escapes Maud’s lips as she passes her desk. “I think taking your mind off of the wedding will be good for you.” She gives a small smile. “Why don’t you help me…” “Oh… What was I thinking! I’m only sixteen! I can’t be getting married… I didn’t even finish my schooling…” Cheerilee gives her a flat lip stare. “Have you told your parents how you’re feeling?” “No!” Maud whipes her head to face her boss, her left eye twitching all the while. “Well, I think you should tell them,” Cheerilee states clasping her hands together. “I can’t, I need to look mature…” Maud pulls on her bonnet’s brim. “Maud, calm yourself!” Cheerilee gets up from her desk and walks over to the scared filly. “But… But…” “But nothing.” She rubs her thumb under the filly’s eyes, wiping away her tears. “You’re not married yet. So, you still have some time before you have to grow up.” She lifts her chin and gives a soft smile. Maud nods her head as she takes a deep breath. “Now come, help me get these lessons prepared.” Cheerilee sits back down at her desk. “Monday is going to be a hectic day for us.” Maud nods, taking her seat by her mentor. Obsidian sits at his kitchen’s table, pencil in one hand and several sheets of paper in the other. He frowns, setting down the stack on the table he marks in a bubble. “How is it going? His mother asks walking up to the table, her newborn in her arms. “Alright… I just… Why do I have to take these tests for the army?” He holds up the papers. “Pa never had to do this when he joined!” He places his pencil down, placing his head in his hands. Rose Sapphire smiles as she sits next to him. “Things were different back then.” “But I have to take this test again… I thought I was excepted?” She runs her hand through her son’s mane. “They’re just keeping you on your hooves.” Obsidian’s brother extends out his arms, his small fingers wiggling. He smiles and takes his brother from his mother’s arms. Holding him in a loving embrace, he points his finger at him. His brother grabs the finger with his small hands. With a chuckle, he shakes his brother’s hand. BOOM! Looking out the window, they stare at the town’s skyline and see a pillar of back smoke rising from the northside of town. “What was that?” Rose Sapphire asks. “Maybe it was a gas leak…” “No.” Onyx hisses stepping out of his study, interrupting his son. “That was no gas leak!” Limestone sits at a grand piano, its ivory keys are worn from years of use, the stain used for its wood construction faded with time. In front of her on the music-rack is a single piece of paper covered in musical notes. She squints at them and places her fingers on the corresponding keys. With a hum, she plays the top three rows of symbols. “Good, but you’re a little flat on the ‘G’ and ‘A’ keys.” Miss. Daisy comments from across the room. Limestone sighs as she places her fingers back to their starting positions and tries again. Sitting across from Limestone by the living room window, Octavia studies her music-sheet on a metal music-rack in front of her. With her bow resting on the strings, she places her fingers of her left-hand on the correct strings and frets, and moves the bow along them, playing the melody on the sheet. “Wonderful, wonderful…” Miss. Daisy hums walking up to the filly. “You’ve been improving.” Octavia looks up at her teacher. “Thanks, ma’am… Ow!” She drops her fiddle in her lap as she rubs the back of her hand. “But you’re playing it to slow!” Miss. Daisy states, wagging a wood spatula in front of Octavia’s snout. “But, I was trying to play the notes right…” Octavia whines. “You can’t over think it dear.” Miss. Daisy picks up the fiddle and closes her eyes, playing the same notes. “You must feel, you must be one with the fiddle.” Finishing the melody, she hands back the instrument and walks into the kitchen. Octavia sighs as she puts her chin on the chin rest of the fiddle. Closing her eyes, she plays the notes. Though it wasn’t as fast as how Miss. Daisy played it, it’s faster than her first attempt. Looking over at her sister, Limestone gives her a thumb up. Octavia returns the gesture before turning to the next music sheet. “Now that’s more like it.” Miss. Daisy chuckles walking into the living with a bowl of grapes. She sets it down on the coffee table. “Who wants a snack?” The sisters smile as they walk up to the table, taking a hand full of grapes. “I think you fillies deserve a break…” BOOM! The home shakes, knick-knacks and furniture vibrate in place as a shockwave rolls across the town. Feeling chills run up their spines, the sisters run into the hall and look out the large window facing downtown Ashmore. In the distance, a large plume of black smoke rises into the air. Fear washes over them as they move their gaze to the sky. “Fillies follow me into the basement!” Miss. Daisy shouts, motioning them with her cane. Seeing that they’re not responding, she throws up her cane and smacks the floor with its handle. “Fillies… Now!” Sitting at a small square-shaped table, Maud talks silently to herself as she goes over the multiplication and division questions for tomorrow’s lesson. Cheerilee stands by the blackboard, writing down several questions and facts on it with a stick of white chalk. The scraping of calcium carbonate against black slate causes Maud to grind her teeth. “How long does it take to get used to that sound?” She looks over at Cheerilee. Cheerilee giggles as she colors in a multiplication sign. “It took about a year for me, but there are days where it annoys me.” Maud folds her ears against her head. “Hello? Miss. Cheerilee are you here?” A filly calls out, sticking her head into the room. Maud looks towards the door and sees Ruby standing under the doorframe with a booklet in her arms. Her red colored eyes light up when she sees her. “Hello, future sister!” She waves with a giggle. “Hello, sis,” Maud smirks. Cheerilee looks over her shoulder. “You can come in dear.” Ruby nods, stepping into the classroom. “What is it that you need?” She sets down her chalk and walks up to the filly. “Well… I was wondering if you can help me with Friday’s math homework?” She asks, placing her booklet on the desk. Cheerilee raises her brow. “You haven’t completed your homework?” Ruby shakes her head. “No, I have finished my homework, I just wanted to make sure I did it right?” Cheerilee shakes her head, chuckling. “Well you’re in luck, pull up a chair, and your future sister-in-law will help you.” She walks back to the blackboard, while she gives the filly a goofy grin. Ruby giggles at her teacher’s manners. Placing her booklet on Maud’s table, she pulls up a chair and takes a seat next to her. Picking up her booklet, Maud turns to the marked page and looks over the work. Picking up a red colored pencil, she makes a couple of marks. “Maud?” “Yeah?” She replies, not looking up from her task. “Are you looking forward to the wedding?” She rocks back n’ forth in her chair. Maud moves her gaze from the booklet. “Yes… I’m just a little nervous, but I’ll be fine.” She gives the filly a smile. “What about you?” Ruby watches the fan’s blades directly above her spin slowly. “Yeah!” She smiles wide. “I will finally have a lot of sisters!” “Maud giggles at her words. With a smile, she rustles her mane through her bonnet. BOOM! The classroom shakes violently. The ceiling fans swing haphazardly. Books, knick-knacks and school supplies jostle around. Countertops, desks, and shelves vibrate in place. As the dust settles, Ruby gets up from her seat, her body shakes as she latches onto Maud. Holding the filly in her arms, Maud gets up from her seat and walks over to Cheerilee. “What was that?” She asks, comforting Ruby. “It sounded like an explosion…” Cheerilee sees a stallion running down the hall. “Mr. Zinc! Mr. Zinc!” She calls out. The stallion stops in his tracks. “Yes, Miss. Cheerilee?” He looks into the room at the trio. “Do you know what caused the explosion?” She asks. “No, but I’m going to find out!” He replies, heading down the hall to the front door of the schoolhouse. “What do we do?” Maud asks. “I’m not sure…” Cheerilee states, putting on her wool jacket. “Lets’ check it out. Maybe the coal refinery blew?” “But I thought the coal mines are closed during the weekends?” Maud follows Cheerilee out of the classroom. “Maybe the maintenance crew went to work early and did something to the machinery…” BOOM! BOOM! CRACK! BOOM! Several explosions ripple through the town. The schoolhouse creaks and groans as shockwaves assault its inner framework. Bits of plaster rain down on them from the cracks forming along the ceiling and walls. A ceiling lamp shakes itself loose and crashes onto the floor in front of them. “MA!” Ruby cries as she tightens her grip aroud Maud’s neck. “Shh… It’s all right…” Maud coos, as she regains her composure. Getting back on their hooves, they dash out of the schoolhouse. Stepping out onto the school’s courtyard, they look towards the town’s horizon and see several plumes of black smoke rising into the air across the town. A crowd of earth ponies running from their right causes them to turn their gaze in that direction. They see a massive fire raging from one of the epicenters. Earth ponies pour out from the black smoke. Soot and bits of debris cover them, some bleed from their ears and snouts. Others are unlucky, they stumble or crawl out, many falling to the ground like flies, their wounds overwhelming their wills to live. Gunshots ring out all around them as stallions and teen-colts take up arms and fire into the air. Ripping their gaze from the dead, they stare into the sky. Above them hovering seven-hundred-feet in the air, is a Unicorpian scout-class airship. Its ten cannons aiming towards the earth. Ten ear piercing cracks sound off in rapid succession. From the spent gunpowder smoke, ten distinctive black round-shaped metal objects rain down upon the town. Feeling a sense of dread as she watches one of the cannon rounds falling towards their position, Maud drags Cheerilee by the hand and runs back into the schoolhouse. “Hurry!” She shouts to the nearby earth ponies. Running down the hall, she gets to the entrance of the basement and opens it up. Several other earth ponies follow after her and pile into the large concrete shelter. Seeing no one else down the hall, one of the ponies, a young mare and stallion shut the door. Pinkie and Marble stand beside their father as he bargains with a farmer for his produce. “What if I buy a pound of radishes for four tokes…” He pulls out a bag from his burlap sack. “And a bag of my wife’s homemade peanut brittle?” The farmer looks at the bag and licks his lips. His wife standing behind him rolls her eyes. His two children laugh at his and his wife's expressions. “Well, my sweet tooth can’t pass up a deal like that!” The farmer shakes Igneous’s hand. After swapping items, Igneous and the twins step away from the stall and walk further into the farmers market. “Now where did your ma run off too?” He muses looking through the crowd of earth ponies. The twins giggle as they help their father in the search. “I see her!” Marble shouts, pointing as she jumps up n’ down. Igneous chuckles. “Well, why don’t the two of you go get her.” He whispers in their ears. The twins giggle uncontrollably as they take off running. Nearing their mother, they jump and latch onto her waist. Stunned by her daughters’ actions, she looks down at them in confusion. Their laughter causes her to have a sneaking suspicion. Looking around she eyes her husband a few feet away with a shit-eating grin on his face. She rolls her eyes. “Did you put them up to this?” “Maybe?” He walks up to her and kisses her forehead. She sighs, scratching the back of the twins’ necks. “You got the radishes?” “Sure did.” He holds up the paper sack filled with the spicy roots. Cloudy Quartz smiles and places them in her basket. BOOM! An explosion tears through the pleasant vibes of the market. The busy street which the market resides falls into silence. The crowds stop in their tacks as they look to the sky at the large plume of black smoke rising into the air. The town’s folk stare in awe as fear overwhelms them. Pinkie feels a chill run through her body. “Ma…” She holds on tight to her mother. “What’s happening?” Cloudy Quartz pulls her children close to her. “Igneous what’s going on?” Igneous feels a heaviness in his chest. “Cannon fire…” He grabs his wife’s hand. “We’re under attack…” BOOM! BOOM! CRACK! BOOM! Several explosions rock the town. Two of the bombings erupts two-hundred yards from their location. Debris scatters into the air as fires spill across the nearby homes. Earth ponies take off in a panic, hopelessly searching for shelter. Looking over his shoulders, Igneous sees a two-story church a block from town hall. “Follow me!” “Where are we going?” Cloudy Quartz runs after him, her daughters holding her hands tight. “The Trinity Church!” He shouts, weaving through panicked ponies. Getting to the church, he rapidly knocks on its doors. “Can you let us in!” A mare on the other side of the doors opens them. “Come in quick!” She motions them in. Noticing others near her church, the mare waves her hand calling them to safety. “The entrance to the basement is in the back!” She shouts over her shoulders to Igneous. Nearing the door to the basement, Igneous throws it open, allowing his wife, children and several of his fellow earth ponies to pile into the small basement. With the basement filling up fast, he stands under the doorframe, placing his hands against the sides of the doorframe. Looking towards the entrance of the church, he sees the mare guiding others inside, pointing to places where they can hide within the church. Before he can call out to the mare a cannon round slams into the earth eight feet from the church. The front half of the church disintegrates as the air blast slams against its frame. Igneous stares in horror as he watches several ponies fly through the air. In an instant, they crash into the back walls, glass windows and or pews. His body numbs as the lifeless body of the mare lands in front of him. Her skull is caved in, her neck is shattered, and her left eye dangles from its socket. Slowly getting up from the ground, he stumbles down the stairs, shutting the door behind him. Shaking he sits on one of the steps of the stair and lays his head in his hands. Sucking in a deep breath, he calms his nerves and looks at the ponies before him. His twin daughters stare at him wide-eyed. Feeling a sense of dread, he slowly steps up to them and pulls them into a hug. “I’m scared!” Pinkie cries. “I wanna see my sisters…” Marble cries. Cloudy Quartz looks at her husband. “What about our other daughters?” Other mares look at them with concern. “I’ll go and search for them.” Igneous gets up and heads for the door. “We’ll help you.” Two older stallions follow after him. “PA!” The twins yell as they chase him down. “Fillies, stay with your mother!...” Before he can finish his command, several more explosions assault the town. The ponies within the basement stumble to the floor, while others brace against the walls for support. With a grunt, Igneous crawls to his family and hugs them in a protective embrace. Maud stares at the concrete floor. Her mind is numb with countless thoughts of disbelief running through her mind. Hearing a painful ring in her ear, she begins to rub it. Ruby lays her head in Maud’s lap. Soft snores leave her lips as she rests her tired mind. Cheerilee sits to Maud’s right. Her eyes tremble as she watches herself pick at her nails on her left hand. “I don’t hear anything?” A child speaks. “Have the bombardments stopped?” A young stallion asks. His fearful eyes looking at the ceiling. “It’s been two hours, they must’ve!” A mare chokes on her words. “Calm! Let me check.” An elder stallion grunts as he gets up from the floor, walking up the steps to the door. “Be careful.” A young filly cries. The stallion nods as he places a hand on the doorknob. Opening the door, he pokes his head out. The hardwood floor of the hall is covered in plaster, lose wires and glass. With the walls and ceiling bare, the wood laths are exposed allowing some of the cellulose insulation to ooze out. Standing still for several seconds, the stallion listens for the crackle of gunfire or the thunderous booms of cannons. Instead, he hears the distant cries for help from the outside. “The coast is clear.” Holding Ruby in her arms, Maud walks around the rubble littering the gravel roads of her hometown. Her eyes stare in shock at what she sees. Cheerilee walks beside her, her heart heavy with dread. Nearing the town’s center, they see what remains of the farmers market. Stalls lay in ruin. Goods, produce, and bodies lay scattered across the street. Holding back her emotions, Maud looks around, her eyes trembling as she searches for her family. “MAUD!” Whipping her head to the left, she sees Obsidian, his parents and her sisters, Octavia and Limestone running towards her. “Ruby! Oh, thank the Lord!” Obsidian places one of his hands on Maud’s shoulder and the other on his sister’s head. Lost for words, Maud leans into him, laying her head against his chest, Ruby lays her head on his shoulder. He wraps his arms around them, comforting the both of them. “It’s all right.” He whispers. Maud’s sisters join in on the embrace. Pulling his wife into a hug, Onyx smiles at his son as he rubs his fingers along his newborn’s scalp. “Have you seen my parents… The twins?” Maud chokes. Obsidian sighs. “No… I haven’t.” He takes his sister from Maud’s arms and holds her in his. “We’ll find them.” He looks down at Limestone and Octavia with a soft smile. “Together…” “Maud! Octavia! Limestone! Oh, thank heavens!” Cloudy Quartz shouts, tears flooding her eyes. The sisters see their parents and the twins rush up to them. Pinkie and Marble pounce onto Maud pulling her to the ground. “Sisters!” Maud cries, with a chuckle as she pulls them into a hug. Limestone and Octavia sit beside them, joining in on the loving embrace. Standing over her daughters, Cloudy Quarts lays her hands on her knees and takes a deep breath, trying to calm her shaking body. Igneous looks into the sky with several other ponies. They all see the Unicorpian airship that had assaulted their town off in the distance several miles away. It’s now a black spec in the afternoon sky. “What do we do?” Obsidian asks looking at Igneous and his father. Ruby, Maud, and her sisters look up at the stallions, their eyes full of fear. Igneous and Onyx look at the devastation surrounding them. “We help look for survivors,” Onyx replies, removing his flat-cap from his head, clasping it in his hands. Igneous nods. “Then let’s get started.” -Two Hours Later- Maud along with Obsidian and several other ponies slowly make their way through the rubble ridden streets of central-district Ashmore, searching for survivors. Arriving at Town Hall, they look upon it. The pride of Ashmore still stands tall over the town, but not proud, its façade scared by fire and ash. Nearing a large section of plaster wall from a house that was blown to bits, Maud, Obsidian and four others grab a part of it and lift it up, moving it to one side. Eyeing what’s underneath, they jump back in shack at what they see. A mare lays face down in the mud. Her arms are bent in ways that are unnatural. Next to her are her children, two colts. The colt to her left lays partially under her. All they can see of him is his lower half and one of his hands. His brother lays their mother’s right. He lays facing up in the mud. His legs and spine are broken. His eyes stare painfully at the group, Maud stares at the family, tears swell around her eyes. Her legs buckle sending her the ground. But, before she falls into the mud, Obsidian catches her. “Hey! Take a deep breath…” He coos in her ear, holding her tight to his chest. “I know these colts… I tutored them!” Maud chokes. “They were so sweet…” She grabs his blue polo shirt, crying into his chest. One of the stallions next to them rubs the back of his neck. “Compose yourself filly, we need to take them to the dead pile…” Pinkie and Marble stand on the roadside near their home church. Hey innocent eyes overlook the destruction before them. Confusion and anger consume their thoughts as they watch several stallions pull the body of the candy shop owner from the rubble that was his shop. Hearing an agonizing cry coming from the pub across the street, the twins timidly cross the street out of morbid curiosity. Peeking into the building, what was once a lively place, where many gathered to waste time, is now an impromptu medical center madhouse of earth ponies running about, trying their best to fix the wounded and dying. Hearing a scream, the twins move their gaze to a mare laying on an oak table. They stare numbly at the blood gushing from her torn legs. “PINKIE! MARBLE! What are you doing?!” The twins jerk from their sister’s voice. Turning around they see Octavia standing over them, her tears wet the fur around her eyes. Her eyes full of concern. Noticing the chaos in the pub she looks in and sees the dying mare. Fight back her emotions, she lays her hands on her sisters’ shoulders. “Come fillies, turn your eyes elsewhere.” She leads them back to their mother. Igneous stands by the steps of his home church, or what’s left of it. Its roof is blown off, the bell tower once towering proudly over the town with townhall, now rest on the church’s floor. It’s top with the cross being the only visible piece from where he stands. “They’ve destroyed the Lord’s house!” The pastor yells, hot tears rolling down his face. Igneous feel pity for the stallion. With a sigh he kneels down beside him. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, the pastor looks at Igneous with pained eyes. He extends out his arms towards him. Igneous looks down at his hands and sees several pieces of stained-glass. “My son made these… Made every single stained glass for this church… And now they’re gone… I have nothing left to remember him…” The glass cuts his hands as he fists them. Seeing the blood drooling down the stallion’s arm, he Igneous gently opens his hands and removes the glass fragments. Sobs overwhelm the pastor he grips onto Igneous. Igneous returns the embrace, his eyes staring at his town, his home, all the while a fire burns through his soul. “Mares and stallions! Please can I have your attention!” The area around the church quiets down as all eyes fall upon the mayor of Ashmore, Bedrock a stallion in his fifties. “I’ve been spreading the word, that we must leave our homes! It is no longer safe!” He steadies his broken arm. “We must go north and head for Ponyville or Stalliongrad!” He shouts through clinched teeth. “Why don’t we stay and fight!” A stallion yells, calling on the town to cheer him on. Several others join in with him. “What if they come back!” A young mare asks, holding her child close to her chest. “What about the safety of our children!” Bedrock looks at the crowd with sadness. “We must go… Half the town is either dead or wounded! We can’t stay and fight!” “We have enough stallions!” A stallion yells “Our town’s population was only twelve hundred and half of them are gone!” Bedrock growls. “If they come back, they will spare no one!” Several mares and children begin to cry. Pinkie, Marble, Limestone and Octavia tighten their hug they’re giving their mother. Several stallions step up to the mayor. “Allow us to gather what stallions and teen colts we can.” One speaks up. “Lets them, let us stay and fight.” He places a hand on the mayor’s good shoulder. “It will give the ones fleeing enough time to make it out.” The mayor looks like is about to protest, but Onyx steps up to the group. “I think splitting up the refugees will help get many to safety.” He states. “And why split up the survivors?” A stallion asks. “If the Unicorpian blimp comes back, they’ll easy spot a group that numbers in the hundreds.” He places his hands on his hips. “But is we leave as small groups number in the fifties or little under a hundred, we have a better chance at hiding from the blimp.” The mayor places his good hand on his chin and thinks. With a long sigh he looks at his citizens with a defeated frown. “I give you permission to gather a force, but count me in, I’m not leaving my town…” He looks at his town with a loving smile. “I want my revenge.” “Alright, spread the word, we are leaving!” Onyx shouts. Four groups of survivors, ones that are able-bodied and those whose injuries aren’t fatal, make their way out of Ashmore. Putter-wagons that still function haul supplies, while wooden carts pulled by giant boars, haul the children, the elderly and the injured. Pinkie and her family are in the largest of the group. They sit in the second wagon from the front. Sitting with them is Obsidian’s mother, brother and sister. Four leather suitcases lay in the back of the wagon along with several sheets and dense-cotton-fabric tents. Dread fills the air, it's so thick that a knife can cut it. Pinkie, Marble, and Ruby stare at the hills in front of them as they lean against the short wall on the right-side of the wagon. Their eyes watch the bushes and pine saplings swaying in the breeze. Limestone and Octavia sit left of their mother, their gaze looking at their town as it fades in the distance. The smoke from the dying fires creating a dark hazy mass over the town. Maud sits on her mother’s right, she watches her sisters, studying their expressions as her mind replays the attack over and over in her head. Igneous, Onyx, Obsidian and eleven other stallions march in front of the groups with lever action rifles in their hands. Being in the back of the group it allows Obsidian to glance over his shoulders, his gaze staying on Maud. Igneous looks at the young stallion with a flat stare as he studies his mannerisms. With a sigh, he turns his attention back to the road. Onyx eyes his son as well, but he only gives a sigh before returning his attention back to his task. Nearing the crest of the ridge on the hill. The four groups say their good byes and go their separate following the trails that will lead them to towns nearby. -Six Hours Later- Worn from the long hike, largest group of refugees from Ashmore pull off to the side of the road. Hiding their vehicles in the tall brush, they set up camp. Within to time twenty-seven tents are erected in a semi-circle. The sun setting in the shines its last bit of light onto the snow-covered lands. By their family’s tent, Cloudy Quartz sits besides a firepit with Octavia, Limestone, Pinkie, Marble, Ruby, Rose Sapphire and her newborn. A cast-iron pot sits on a bed of hot coals. Lifting the lid, Cloudy Quartz scoops up a ladle full of honey baked beans and fills up several metal bowls. With help from Rose Sapphire, they hand the meals to the children. “Let’s pray before we eat.” Rose Sapphire hums, clasping her hands together. They all say a soft prayer. Saying amen, they children begin eating their meals hungerly. “Dear?” Igneous and Onyx walk up to their families. “Yes?” Cloud Quartz looks up at her husband. “We filled this up with spring water from the creek.” He sets down a large wooden bucket. The fillies pick up their empty metal cups and dipthem into the bucket. He smiles at his daughters as they take a drink. “Do you know where Maud went off to?” “No… she Just walked off to the hills up that away.” She points north towards Ashmore. “Speaking of Maud… Where is Obsidian?” Rose Sapphire wonders. Igneous and Onyx look at each other with wondering glares. Maud sits on a large rock overlooking the small grassy valley surrounded by the northern mountain ranges. Her eyes fall upon one of the mountain peaks as she watches its snow twinkle in the moonlight. The small stream next to her, flowing past her at a brisk pace calms her. Placing her left hoof in her lap, she rubs its base, relaxing the tense muscles. “Maud.” She looks over her shoulders and sees Obsidian making his way to her. She can see that his eyes look tired. “Hey Obsidian…” She turns her attention back to her hoof. “How are you?” Obsidian takes a seat next to her on the rock. “I’m the one who should be asking you that question.” He watches her rub her hoof. Maud sighs as she watches several patches of grass around them dance with the soft breeze. “I’m alright… I just can’t get the images out of my head.” Obsidian places an arm over her shoulder, pulling her into a hug. She sighs, laying her head on his chest. They sit in silence for several minutes, letting nature sing to them. Watching a giant storm cloud rolling across the sky, Obsidian strokes his fiancée’s cheek with his left hand, enjoying the quiet. Feeling his love pull away from his embrace, he looks down at her with concern. “Is everything alright?...” Her lips press against his. They stay this way for several seconds before she pulls from the embrace. “I love you.” She whispers into his ear. “So, do I…” He holds her head in his hands, pulling her into another kiss. This time they pour more passion into it. Without breaking her kiss, she moves from her spot on the rock and sits on his lap, her knees resting beside his hips and her hooves resting on his knees. Breaking the kiss, they pant as they stare into one another’s eyes, reading one another’s passion. They kiss again, their tongues fighting for dominance. Maud breaks the kiss gently bites down on his lower lips as she pulls away. “I want you to give me something to remember you by…” She whispers into his ears. Obsidian looks at her, confused by her statement. “Leave you… Maud! We’re not even married yet…” He runs his fingers along her cheek. “I not going to die…” She kisses him again. “You don’t know that!” She pushes him down against the rock. “The Lord will forgive us…” She kisses him again. “This is what he commands us to do.” She lays her forehead against his, her eyes looking lustfully into his. “I don’t want to be left alone with only my memories of you.” Tears roll down her cheeks. Obsidian lets his worries go as he kisses her hard, his tongue dominating hers as he lifts her up, laying her on her back on the soft soil. Breaking the kiss, he pulls her bonnet off, setting it beside her as he runs his other hand through her mane. She bites her lower lip as her hands work the button of his pants. With his pants lose, he grabs her wrist and pins them against the ground. “I’ll give you what you wish…” He kisses her again as he lifts her dress’s skirt. Igneous leans against a redwood tree on the edge of camp. He stares out into the darkness of the brush, waiting for something or someone to show themselves from the void. With a grunt, pulling out his watch from his jacket’s pocket, he uses the light from the lanterns of the camp behind him to read the time. ‘9:12pm’ He frowns and stares back at the forest. Hearing rustling coming from the bushes, he looks to his left to see Obsidian and Maud stumbling out if the woods. Their manes are wild and their clothes unkempt. He grits his teeth and coughs loudly, alerting the two. Maud seeing her father’s stern expression blushes, her eyes full of embarrassment as she puts on her bonnet. Obsidian looks down at his hooves, keeping his cool. Igneous frowns as he waves his hand, beckoning them to come. Standing in front of her father, Maud gives a nervous chuckle. “Pa, I can explain…” “Explain what exactly?” He looks her over, taking off her bonnet. “I can smell the act of mating all over the both of you…” he frowns fixing her mane. “Go wash up and head to bed, I need to speak to your fiancé.” Maud looks back at Obsidian then her father before heading to her family’s tent. Obsidian stares at his father-in-law. Igneous’s eyes are stone cold. The young stallion falters a bit. “Sir, her and I got…” Igneous smacks him across the face. “Got carried away! Colt, you need to learn to keep it in your pants!” Igneous pulls out a cigar. “You’re twenty-two, you should know better.” His eyes sending dagger at the colt. “You know premarital sex is a sin!” Obsidian rubs his cheeks, recovering from the powerful hit. “Maud wanted to bear a foal, and I gave her what she wanted!” He grits his teeth as he stares down the stallion. Igneous frowns. “I do not need my daughter with foal while Unicorpian troops are breathing down our necks!” He jabs a finger in Obsidian’s chest. Obsidian steps up closer to the elder stallion. “I know that sir! But your forgetting one thing! I’ll be there for her!” He snorts. “I will protect her and our foal, it’s my responsibility to do so and by-God I will not cower!” He puts a fist to his chest. “If you dislike our decision to mate out of wedlock, then try to break us up!” He turns around walking away from the stallion. Igneous rubs his snout, with a sigh, he breathes in smoke from his cigar. “I won’t break the two of you up… Hell, if I did, it will only make matters worse.” He takes another puff. Obsidian turns around and faces him. “The both of you have to work it out with the Lord now…” Igneous walks up to the colt and hands his cigar over. Obsidian takes it with some hesitation, he looks at the bound stick of tobacco before taking a puff. Igneous watches the colt for a bit before resuming. “I hope you know that you’re no longer a colt, but a stallion now.” Obsidian looks at his father-in-law. “I know that sir...” Igneous nods. “Good.” Obsidian gives back the cigar. “Goodnight, son, get some rest.” Obsidian nods and heads back to his family’s tent.
Chapter 4Pinkie, her sisters and Ruby stand under and large willow tree, hiding from the torrential rains as they assault the land. “Push!” Tearing their gaze from the sky, they turn their attention to several stallions and teen colts pushing carts and putter-wagons that are stuck in the muddy red soil of the Grassy Knoll foothills. A strong gust blows over the refugees, throwing some stallions to the ground and rustling the boars, causing the beasts to pull the carts further into the mud. With a violent howl of the winds the rains change directions. Feeling the cold stings hitting their hooves, the sisters, Ruby and the other children huddle closer to the willow tree. “Push!” Ash yells at the group of stallions of varying ages. “Damn it! It’s no use!” Obsidian huffs, running his hands through his soaked mane. “Do you want us mares to set up the tents?” Golden Stone a three-month pregnant mare speaks up, looking at the stallions with soft eyes. Granite sighs as he looks over at Igneous. “What do you think?” Igneous glares down at the mud under his hooves. “Damn…” A younger stallion huffs as he steps into the center of the group. “We’ve been traveling for three days straight without proper meals and appropriate sleep!” He points to the sky. “It’s getting dark, we need to set up camp, allow ourselves to dry off, eat a meal, let the injured rest.” “What about the Unicorpian troops?” Miss. Cheerilee asks, standing next to Cloudy Quartz, Maud, and Rose Sapphire. “Why would they waste their resources on a group of a hundred and one earth ponies?” The young stallion huffs in frustration. “Copper you don’t know if they’ve given up!” Silver Stone states looking at him with a raised brow. “Look!” He points in the direction of Ashmore. “We haven’t seen them in the past three days! Even now!” He holds his hands out wide. “Look at us, we need the rest!” The group falls into silence as they ponder his statement. The elder stallions of the group look at one another and nod. “Let’s go ponies, we got work to do…” Ash states. Within the hour the camp is built. A cooking station is hard at work fixing supper for the group. Off near the end of the camp three tents are put together making a medical-bay like area for the small group of injured, so they can rest for the night. Eight stallions and five teen colts patrol the camp, acting as a buffer if any Unicorpian troops happen to come down the hill to the south. In a tent next to the willow tree, Pinkie and her sisters lay on their cloth mats, staring at the ceiling. The light from the lantern giving them enough light to see one another. They mindlessly watch the tent flap with the winds, listening to the drumming of the rains against the tent and the hissing of the lantern’s flame. “So, Maud, how do you feel?” Maud moves her gaze to Octavia. She looks at her long black mane draping over her pillow. “What do you mean?” The cold outside air mixing with her warm breath as she speaks. Octavia blushes. “You know… Do you feel… Pregnant?” Her younger sisters blush. Even though their parents told them what sex led to. The thought of it still flustered them. Maud thinks about her sister’s question. Her hand instinctively rubbing her belly. “I’m not sure… I feel the same.” Pinkie rolls over, crawling up to her eldest and poking her stomach. “Your belly does look the same, very flat.” She giggles at her own words. Her sisters join in with their own sets of snickering. Maud gives Pinkie a playful frown as she rustles her mane. Their mother hums, shaking her head. “You’ll know for sure when you’re pregnant.” She gives her eldest daughter a smirk as she knits a scarf. “You’ll wake up one morning puking your guts out.” Maud goes pale. “Oh, colt…” Her mother rustles her mane. “You shouldn’t worry yourself too much.” She hums. “I was two years younger than you when I had my first bout of morning sickness.” She stops her knitting as she remembers her first pregnancy. “Imagine what I went through.” Her daughters’ eyes go wide. “Wait! You were fourteen when you had Maud?” Octavia rolls over, staring at her mother in confusion. “Why so young?” Cloudy Quartz returns to her knitting. “It’s a long story…” “We have time!” Her children look at her with begging eyes. Their mother sighs. “Really dears, it not a big deal…” “Not a big deal? You’re our Ma, I think it’s a big deal.” Limestone sits on her knees, crossing her arms. “How come you don’t think its such a big deal?” The twins ask. Cloudy Quartz rubs the back of her neck. “Well my Ma, never told my siblings and I how she got pregnant and or married.” She stares at her daughters. Their eyes grow big, their lips sticking out as far as they could. “Well, I guess I could start a new tradition, it’s only fair you know how I met your father and had Maud so young...” She giggles. “Well, how your father practically begged my Pa for my hand in marriage.” Her daughters snicker. “Was Pa actually begging Grandpa to marry you?” Octavia asks, kicking her legs in the air as she lays on her belly. Her head in her hands. Their mother laughs. “Oh yes, that poor stallion fell head over hooves as soon as he laid eyes on me.” She crosses her legs, placing her hands on her lap. “It all started in church.” Pinkie and Marble pull the ends of their nightgowns over their legs and wrap their arms around their legs. “Your Pa and I used to live in Blackmore, a copper mining town way smaller than Ashmore… Well, I’ve seen your father come to my church before, many of times, we would always make eye contact, but that stallion never had the nerves to come up to me.” “How did you know he liked you?” Octavia asks. “Oh, his face would turn bright red, HA! You could swear he was part lobster!” Her daughters laugh. “Glad you find that funny. Anyways, one day I’m sitting in my pew next to my Ma and out of the corner of my eye I see your Pa walking up to me. He was so nervous, he practically tripped over himself trying to get to me.” She crosses her arms, looking at the lantern hanging above them. “Well, being thirteen I thought his mannerisms were quite charming, seeing him stumbling over his words and the like, for little old me… But out of the blue, he asked me to marry him. My Ma and I were shocked. I was thinking, here is this twenty-two-year-old stallion asking for my hand in marriage, when we’ve barely even talk to one another.” “What did you do?” The twins ask, wonder coating their words. Cloudy Quartz smiles. “I told your Pa to go ask my Pa.” She rubs her chin, giggling. “If you think he was a wreak when talking to me, he was like mush talking to your Grandpa.” Her daughters laugh as they picture their father in that situation. “Your Grandpa told your Pa he needed to prove himself, so he got him to work right away. He helped my siblings, and I with our chores around the house even worked at my Pa’s blacksmithing shop.” She lets out a long sigh. “The dork didn’t even have a job when he asked me to marry him.” Maud looks at her mother in confusion. “Didn’t Pa serve in the army at the time?” Her mother nods. “Yes, but the military at the time didn’t pay their troops all that well, well not enough to support a family that is…” She looks at her daughters. “Anyways, while your father tried to impress Grandpa, I decided to hang around him, so he could get the chance to impress me, I mean, he wanted to marry me after all.” Her daughters give her knowing smirks. “Well… I guess I also wanted to have something to look at…” She blushes, Octavia and Maud roll their eyes, while their sisters giggle. “How long did it take for him to impress Grandpa?” The twins ask, rocking back n’ forth on their behinds. Cloudy Quartz smiles, thinking back on the experience. “Took your Pa about a year. My Pa was sure that he would’ve given up within the month and run off looking for another, but he surprised him. Your Pa stayed put. He got really close to the family, close to me…” She looks at her wedding ring with a smile as she rotates it around her ring finger. “After my fourteenth birthday we got married, and then a month later I ended up pregnant with you.” She rustles Maud’s mane. “And the rest is history as they say.” The sisters look at their mother with broad smiles as they study the glow on her face. Hearing hoof steps coming up to the tent, the family looks at the door as it opens, revealing Igneous, Onyx and his family with several small bowls of tomato cabbage soup. “Is something wrong?” Igneous asks, seeing his daughters giving him funny looks. They snicker at his question. Cloudy Quartz smirks at her husband. “I’ve told them how you got my Pa’s permission to marry me.” She puts a hand to her lips, giggling to herself. Rose Sapphire giggles as she stares at the blushing stallion. His cheeks redden as his and Onyx’s children join in on the laughter. “Can you tell us Mrs. Pie?” Ruby asks with large puppy eyes. Her younger brother mumbles as he waves his stubby little arms, his body wiggling in his mother’s arms. “Oh yes, I would love to hear it as well, give me some pointer before I ask for Maud’s hand.” Obsidian chuckles. Maud rolls her eyes. “Colt, you’ve already asked her hand…” Igneous gives the young stallion a stern glare. “Honey maybe another time?” He looks at his wife, with a charming grin. “Mmm…” She stares down her husband. “Sure, why not, take a seat, and Auntie Pie will tell you a story.” She smirks at her husband. Onyx chuckles. “Great, I like stories.” He steps into the tent, giving Igneous a pat on the shoulder. Igneous internally sighs as he takes a seat next to his wife. On a fifteen-feet ledge lays an Unicorpian scout about forty-yards from the refugees’ camp. There he waits, watching over the earth ponies through his bronze binoculars. Absorbing all the information he needs. The young unicorn stallion packs up his binoculars in his saddle bag sling his bolt-action rifle over his shoulder before heading down the hill to his platoon’s airship. A scout-class Unicorpian airship sits docked in a small meadow surrounded by a thick grove of pine and willow trees. The ship itself is thirty-feet long and fifteen-feet wide. Ten ten-millimeter cannons sit mounted to its sides. Thick five-millimeter steel plating lines the bottom of its hull. Attached to the ship is a ninety-feet long and forty-five-feet diameter helium balloon floating above it. Five squads of light Unicorpian airmen stand in the rains, by the rampart of the airship, awaiting orders. Their captain stands in front of them, watching them, his eyes scanning for any weakness. Hearing sloshing hoof-steps, he looks to the left ad sees one of his scouts running down the hill. “Captain! I have good new!” The scout calls out. “What is it?” The captain stares at the panting unicorn. “They have set up camp near the valley’s edge at the base of the hill.” The scout salutes his commanding officer. “Most of them are taking refuge in their tents. Only thirteen guard the camp.” “What arms are the brandishing?” The captain eyes the top of the hill about a mile-and-a-half away. “They’re armed with lever-action-rifles, typical dirt-eater shit!” He drops his salute. “I believe if we go now, we can surprise them and take their camp without spilling unnecessary blood.” He smirks. “Until, you know…” The captain nods at the stallion’s words, as he mulls over them. Glancing at his men, he gives a long content hum. “Stallions?” He places his hands behind his back and full faces them. His men stand at attention. “Yes, Sir!” They shout. “We move now!” Use smoke-spark-grenades, disarm any who wield weapons, do not shoot unless you have to! The more that are cleaned of wounds the better!” “Raising his arm and signals the crew of his airship to warm the ship. “The faster we finish this mission the sooner we can get out of this blasted rain!” Several feet away from their tents, Igneous, Onyx and Obsidian stand under a larger oak-tree. Each of them smokes cigars as they watch the rains fall upon the earth around them. The hissing of butane lanterns dulls the ambient sound of laughter filled conversations and nature. “You think the rains will let up anytime soon?” Obsidian asks his father, chewing the end of his cigar. “Not sure…” Onyx eyes the dark sky, watching the clouds roll into themselves. “From the look of things, it could last all night.” He puffs on his cigar, putting his hands in his coat’s pockets. “We’ll just have to let nature run its course.” Igneous hums an agreement as he watches his hot breath mix with the cold air. Seeing his breath vapor disintegrate for the rain droplets, her takes a long puff of his cigar. Hearing a dull mushy thud, the trio look towards the forest’s edge looking for the source of the noise. Seeing a metallic cylinder sticking out of the mud, confusion washes over them. Slowly Onyx walks up to the object and kneels down, studying it. “What is it Pa?” Obsidian asks. Onyx looks over at his son. “I think it’s a…” PING! SPSSSS! BANG! A cloud of thick gray smoke erupts around them. Rapid loud pops pierce the mild abeyance within the camp. More cylinders erupt around the camp, blanketing it in a thick dense fog of smoke, causing many of the earth ponies to couch and their ears to ring. His mind in a daze, Igneous stumbles through the fog, searching for his friend. “Onyx! Are you alright?!” He looks around, trying to see through the thickness. “Pa!” Obsidian shouts only a few feet from Igneous. Hearing hoof-steps running up to him, Igneous looks away from his son-in-law and turns his gaze to the forest. Seeing a figure in the fog, a bust of fear washing over him. A ball of green light hovers over the figure’s head. “Shit…” Igneous hisses as he goes for his pistol. Before he can unholster his firearm, the figure teleports right in front of him, their snouts touching. With a quick punch to his gut, Igneous crumples to the ground. The unicorn grabs his pistol and throws it across the camp. With a growl the unicorn pins Igneous to the ground. “Stay down dirt eater!” The unicorn spits in broken earth pony speak. Igneous stares at the bayonet inches from his neck. Growling, he gives the soldier a cold icy glare. His thoughts of rebellion die down, however, when he hears the screams of his wife and children. Lifting his head up the best he can, he watches in horror as Unicorpian airmen dragging his and Onyx’s family from the tent, throwing them to the ground. Seeing their fearful eyes staring back at him, he yells out a war cry as he jumps up from the ground. The unicorn pins him down with his hoof, as he pushes the blade against his neck. The tip cutting the top layer of skin. “I said down! Dirt eater!” With no other options, a sense of dread falls upon Igneous as painful memories reenters his mind. Chaos fills the air as Unicorpian soldiers run amuck through the camp. They drag earth ponies from their tents, carts and or bushes, and forces them into one large group. Soon, the smoke clears and screaming stops as the earth ponies of the camp can finally see the small platoon of unicorns aiming their weapons at them. Walking up to the group of earth ponies, the captain stands before them. Giving a smirk, he begins counting. “A hundred and one… Wow… What a large group!” He chuckles in his native tongue. “who knew earth ponies mated so much?” He looks at his men. “They get busy don’t they fellas?” His men laugh while the earth ponies look at them in fear and confusion, some however, pick up on some of the words being spoken, and upon hearing those words they frown. Ignoring the earth ponies’ questioning glares, the captain puts his hands behind his back and begins pacing in front of his prisoners. “Private Stars! Private Kepler! Which ones look injured to you?” The asked stallions walk among the prisoners, eyeing each of them, making mental notes. “Fifteen Stallions, twelve mares and ten children!” Private Stars replies. The captain hums, glancing over his prisoners once more. He smiles as his gaze lands on Onyx and a mare clutching her son’s forehead. “Make that sixteen stallions and eleven children.” He snaps his fingers. Several of his men swoop in, dragging the injured to the front of the group of prisoners. The mare clutches her son tighter and fights back. Frustration builds in one of the airmen causing him to hit her on the back of her head with the butt end of his rifle. She goes limp and falls face first into the mud. Another airmen bends down and checks her pulse, with a frown, he shakes his head. “You monster!” A mare yells standing up, raising her fist high in the air. “Shut your mouth bitch!” A trooper shouts in broken earth pony speak, aiming his rifle. The mare shakes in fear and quickly gets back on her knees, her eyes never leaving the weapon. Pinkie and her sisters cower by their mother, their mind numb with fear at what was happening around them. Obsidian and Ruby watch as their father is dragged to the front of the group. Their mother does the same, tears swell around her eyes. With the injured at his hooves, the captain looks down at them with a sly grin. His gaze is drawn to Onyx. The stallion’s eyes are swollen, tears flow from them. He looks pathetic. “What the hell happened to you?” He asks speaking fluent earth pony speak. Onyx keeps silent, his lips scowling, his breathing coarse. The captain shrugs and turns his gaze to the colt. “Maybe the colt has better manners.” The colt remains silent as well, his large eyes stare madly at his dead mother. The captain sighs pulling out his pistol. “You’ll see her soon…” Pulling the slide, he fires a single round into the colt’s skull. Grey matter flies everywhere, the colt’s lifeless body crumples to the right-side straight into the mud. The earth ponies jerk back, gasping in shock, their eyes tremble as they eye the colt and the captain. Emotions fluctuate from fear to rage, their eyes stare at the unicorn, horrified by his lack of empathy. Cleaning the gray matter off his pistol, he addresses their concerns. “You’re all wondering why I shot him?” He waves to his men. A small group of them take aim at the group of wounded. “It’s because he, like them.” He points to the group of wounded. “Cost to many bits… oh what do you call them… Ah, yes, tokes…” The soldiers aiming, charge their rifles. “Unicorpia needs healthy prisoners to feed its need for war…” He gives his men the signal. An orchestra of gun fire, screams, tearing flesh and breaking bones fill the air. Silence fills the air once more… Clouds of spent gunpowder float in the air, forcing the ponies to taste sulfur. A mass of blood, flesh and bones lays before the prisoners who find themselves unlucky to be alive. Shock paralyzes most, other hurl from the sight and smell. Others stare at the captain and his men with hate. With a chuckle, the captain turns around and heads back up the hill. “Don’t torch the place, leave it as a reminder for any who come upon it.” Sitting on her knees, Pinkie hangs her head. She hisses as she feels a sharp pain shoot up her legs. The wood paneling of the airship’s cargo-hold is uneven and rough. It also didn’t help that heavy iron restraints hang from her wrists and neck. With a pathetic sigh she tries to get comfortable, but the chains binding her to the floor, also pulls the ponies kneels next to her, closer to her. She gives the two an apology. Both understand her uncomfortable position and return her gesture. Pinkie lets a sob slip past her lips as she hangs her head once again. Seven ponies away on Pinkie’s left is her mother. Cloudy Quartz stares at her daughter. Tears roll down her face. Her motherly instincts overwhelm her, screaming and demanding that she do her duties. But the chains that bind her to the floor deny her. Maud and Octavia sit beside one another over by the ladder, leading to the upper decks of the airship. They look over their shoulders at their sisters. Their gaze heavy with sadness as they see their twin sisters crying to themselves. Limestone sits in the middle of the cargo-hold next to Obsidian, Ruby and Rose Sapphire. She fidgets with her restraints, hopelessly believing that she can escape. Obsidian looks at Limestone with a flat stare. He sees her skin getting raw around the restraints. Giving a pained sigh, he turns his eyes to his wrists and looks at the dry blood coating the fur. Ruby buries her head in her brother’s lap. Her muffled sobs echo the cargo-hold, mixing with others. Her tears stain her brother’s jeans. Rose Sapphire stares at her children as she holds her youngest tight to her bosom. Her tear-filled eyes looking over them protectively. Igneous and Marble sit b the stern of the ship. Marble lays her head against her father’s chest. Her breathing is sporadic as she chokes on her tears. Igneous strokes Marble’s scalp as he looks at his daughters. A sense of dread weighs heavy on his heart as he stares at his daughters and wife. Overwhelmed with shame, he looks away, staring at the bearings and wires of the metal-rampart-door. Hearing his little one’s cries, he begins to feels his will to stay strong leaving him. Sucking in a sigh, he lays his head in his hands. The blimp rocks from turbulence, waking sleeping ponies or breaking many from their haze. Readjusting their kneeling positions, they relax once again. CRACK! BOOM! The airship groans as it shakes violently, knocking prisoners and soldiers alike to the floor. Several more explosions rock the ship, loose tools and knick-knacks fall from the walls and ceiling of the cargo hold. Pinkie looks around in pure shock as she feels the ship make a sharp dive, before righting itself with a turn to the left into a stable position. “Oria! Man asemat!” The captain’s muffled command echoes into the cargo hold. Pinkie looks up, hearing the frantic hoof-steps of the airmen above. The airship jolts as loud rapid pings rack its under-hull. “He ampuvat meita!” The airship rocks again sending the prisoners to the left. It rights itself once more, picking up speed. Its right and left side cannons firing at whatever is attacking it. Pinkie’s heart rate increases as her surroundings falls into chaos. Scared out of her mind, she begins to cry, hoping the she’ll fade from this nightmare. Her mother seeing her daughter’s distraught demeanor, starts to panic herself. “Sun Flower!” Her mother calls out to the young mare kneeling next to Pinkie. Sun Flower looks over at Cloudy Quartz. “Yeah?” She yells back, panic coating her words. “Comfort my daughter, please!” “I will!” She turns her gaze to Pinkie, who is visibly shaking. “Sweetie, its ok.” She places her hands on her left shoulder. Pinkie glances at the mare with some hope returning to her. Another array of metallic pings dots the bottom of the airship. This time, however, bullets break through, striking the cargo hold’s ceiling and any unlucky earth ponies or unicorns. The top of Sun Flower’s skull rips open, gray matter sprays in all directions, blood pours out of her wound, mouth, and snout. Pinkie stares in horror as the mare’s lifeless body falls on the top of her, bathing her in blood. The airship shakes once again as it leans to the right, sending the ponies falling in that direction. Pinkie, however, goes further than the others, smacking against the cargo-hold’s wall. The corpse of Sun Flower dangles helplessly from her wrist and neck restraints. “Pinkie! Are you alright?” Her mother calls out in a panic. Before Pinkie can respond, the ship leans to the left, tossing them like trash, once more. Groaning in pain, Pinkie sits up from the ground and glances at the wall. Seeing one of the windows dotting the wall is open, morbid curiosity gets the better of her. On shaking limbs, she crawls to the window. She’s about to reach out to grab one of the ropes hanging on the wall, but her chains prevent her from advancing further. Looking over her shoulder, she sees Sun Flower’s lifeless body acting as her anchor. Feeling the airship tilt to the right once again. She braces herself. Crashing into the wall, she fights the pain and quickly grabs onto the ropes and holds on tight. Securing her position on the wall, she looks out the window at the valley below. A land-battle between Earthen Republic and Unicorpian forces rages a hundred-and-fifty-feet below the airship. Trenches scar the land for miles, each filled to the brim with ponies, ammo and ordnance. From the smoking haze, Pinkie can make out the uniforms of the opposing sides. Earthen forces wearing grey, Unicorpian force indigo blue. Both sides fling bullets at cannon rounds at one another. A dozen cannon and machinegun nets erupt in flames as they destroy one another. Stallions fall like flies as some foolishly poke their heads out from the trenches. In-between the opposing lines, separating the trenches is fifty yards of mud, boobytraps, guts and barbwire… No man’s land… Hearing a loud trumpet sing through the noise of battle, Pinkie watches an Unicorpian division teleport themselves to their enemy’s trenches. Some were successful in their blitz, taking a few brave stallions before they themselves are slain by hot-lead. Others however, die before they can even lift their rifles. One unicorns solider seeing his comrades die before him, yells out a war cry as he arms a grenade that’s glowing bright orange. Teleporting himself into a group of ten earth ponies, he holds his weapon high above his head. It explodes into a fountain of napalm. The flames stick to the helpless earth ponies and unicorn, sending them into fits of excruciating pain. Pinkie’s young mind trembles at her first sight of war. The airship levels out into a stable flight. Not being able to hold herself up, Pinkie falls to the floor, landing on her rump. Staring up at the ceiling, she sees the shadows of her captures running about. A sob leaves her lips, then another, and another… The captain looks at the numbers and dots filling papers that flood his desk. The preliminary reports of his airship were in, and the news is okay. Not what he really wants to hear, but it’s the best he’s going to get. “At least she still flies.” Leaning back in his chair, he gives a sigh, taking a sip from his canteen. “Captain Moonlight?” Turning around, he sees one of his staff sergeants giving him a salute. “What is it Staff Sergeant Fire Star?” “We have placed the dead near the rear of the ship sir…” The Moonlight mulls, leaning further back in his seat. “How many did we lose again?” “Five, captain.” Fire Star lowers his salute, placing his hands to his sides. Moonlight turns around writing on a piece of paper. “And how many of the prisoners?” “Seven, sir.” Moonlight nods, dismissing him with a wave. With his airmen gone, he rests his head in his hand and gives a long sigh. Some of the earth ponies try their best to sleep through their past ordeal, but many find it too difficult to sleep, the lifeless eyes of their fellow ponies to haunting for them to close their eyes. Pinkie and Marble are fast asleep, exhaustion overwhelms them both. Octavia counts each link in her chain. Limestone still tries to break free form her restraint. Maud and Obsidian stare at one anther with loving gazes. Ruby lays her head in her brother’s lap, her mind slipping in and out of consciousness. Rose Sapphire strokes her newborn’s scalp as she stares at her elder children. Cloudy Quartz has her hands to her chin, praying for her family, her friends, her fellow earth ponies. Igneous stares at his daughters with solemn eyes. His heart heavy as he sees the hurt in their eyes. “Starlightin vangit!” The earth ponies look up at the unicorn hanging on the top of the ladder. The slumbering ponies slowly wake, turning their tired eyes to the stallion. “Hyva, uutiset, paadyimme White Hillsiin. P.O.W leiri puoli tuntia!” The earth ponies stare at him in confusion. The trooper grunts. “Olympus, voitko kaantaa minulle? Nama likaiset vakoojat eivat ymmarra mita sanon!” Olympus switches places with his comrade and sees the earth ponies’ expressions. “Good, news, we land at White Hills. P.O.W camp in half an hour!” The earth ponies feel a heavy weight wash over their hearts. Watching them turn their gazes back to the floor, Olympus looks up at his comrade. “Tule, meilla on viela paljon tyota.”
Chapter 5The foreman of White Hills P.O.W camp stands on the deck of his watchtower office. Sipping his tea, he looks out over the one-hundred-and-fifty acres of his camp – The borders of the camp are lined with thick wire-mesh fencing, the fencing base is made of three-feet-high reinforced concrete and barbwire adoring its top. Within the walls on the left-side, three four-stories-tall, two-hundred-and-fifty-feet long, by eighty-feet-wide buildings sit on the left-hand-side of the camp. The building to the right houses stallions, the building to the left houses mares and the middle building houses children. To the right of the camp is the prisoner-mess-hall. And at the back of the camp is an ore processing warehouse, copper refinery, shipment yard, and copper mine. Outside the walls of the camp are seven watchtowers, a guards’ barracks, a mess-hall for the guards and camp’s staff, a medical bay, and a four-story prisoner processing station – Feeling a cold breeze sweeping over the camp, the foreman takes the last sip of his tea and heads inside, stepping up to his table. BRRR! A loud fog-horn blares out over the camp. With a sigh the foreman steps back outside and looks up. A scout class airship descends from the night sky. Moving his gaze from the ship, he looks at the gravel courtyard of his camp and sees his guards are already preparing the camp for its approach. Stepping inside, he walks over to and control panel and flips a red-painted metal switch. Alarms blare-out across the camp, waking any sleeping guards and staff. Even prisoners of the camp awaken from their slumber. The ones whose cells are by the large wall sized windows, look through their small cell-doors’ windows, and watch the airship as it touches down onto the gravel field. Some of them sigh and go back to sleep, while others keep interest, wanting to see the new arrivals. With a bassy hiss, the airship’s landing pads level out. The ship’s crew extend the side-ramparts and exit their craft. Stepping off his ship, Moonlight waves to his men, ordering them to task. “Your ship has seen better days!” The foreman states walking up to the captain. Moonlight gives a chuckle while walking up to the older stallion. “Nightingale! You look like shit!” He extends out his hand. “Get into any battles lately?” Nightingale takes the gesture. “If you count government red tape, mounds of paperwork and my prisoners as battles, then yes, yes I have.” He watches his and the airship’s crew busing themselves. “How many?” Moonlight shrugs his shoulders. “Fifty-five.” He walks towards Nightingale’s watchtower. “Why do I get the feeling the number was higher?” Nightingale follows the young captain. “I doubt you’d chase down only fifty-five earth ponies of who knows how long?” Moonlight sighs. “Fine… you’re right!” He grumbles ascending the stairs. “No sense in trying to hide it from you.” “How many?” Nightingale returns the sigh. “There were more, a hundred-and-one.” He gets to the door. Nightingale places his hand on the door. “What happened to them?” “Why do you care? They’re dirt-eaters!” Moonlight snarls. “I care because f Prince Sombra’s laws!” Nightingale snarls back. “Prince Sombra is not the ruling monarch, his brother is!” Moonlight shouts back as he pulls on the door opening it, only for it to be slammed shut by Nightingale. “What the hell!” “His brother put him in charge of the motherland while he goes and fighter with the Royal Divisions!” Nightingale leans into the younger stallion. “I’m not saying I disagree with what you did to the earth ponies, whatever you did, but as long as Sombra is acting as the head of state for the time being, we must follow his laws…” He runs his hand through his mane. His horn sparks from the stress. “What do I say in my report?” “Just say the dirt-fuckers fought back!” Moonlight snaps as he steps into the office. Nightingale follows after him, sigh all the while. Moonlight walks up to the kitchen, a small, open space located to his right. Walking up to the percolator over the gas iron stove, he picks up a cup. “So…” Nightingale sighs, leaning on the island’s counter top. What the hell happened to you ship?” Moonlight, chuckles. “A shit show…” He pours himself a cup of hot water. “I ordered my ship to fly over the eastern lines, nearly got shot out of the sky.” He places a tea bag into the cup. Nightingale stands next to him and leans on the counter once more. “Why didn’t you just go around?” Moonlight takes a sip. “I should’ve, but it was the shortest route to your camp.” He walks up to the dining table and takes a seat. Nightingale takes the seat across from him. “Anyways, enough about my fuckups, how’s everything going with the camp?” Nightingale rubs his chin. “Alright… Sold twenty children to passing slave-traders.” “Why sell off the younglings?” Moonlight sighs. “Aren’t they your best workers?” Nightingale nods. “They are, but the traders were looking for young and healthy products, the market wants slaves that are easier to train apparently.” He leans back in his chair. “Leaving us with the scraps.” Moonlight chuckles. “Well you’re in luck, we nabbed thirty-three children. All under the age of sixteen.” “Nightingale nods. “That’ll work. We need the young blood, we have some prisoners that are nearing their end.” He rubs the base of his horn. “Going to have to sell them eventually.” “Why not take them out back and you know… pop!” The captain chuckles, pointing his fingers on his right hand in the shape of a pistol. Nightingale rolls his eyes. “Really after the conversation we just had… Very smart!” He mocks him. “I would prefer not to have a noose around my neck courtesy of Prince Sombra!” Moonlight sighs. “He’s too soft on the enemy.” Nightingale gives the captain a blank stare. “He would call it, being civilized.” He leans forward clasping his hands together. “After all, we are the most highly evolved species on this planet, it's our duty to be an example of that.” He states in a mocking voice of the prince. Moonlight laughs at the gesture. “I’ve always hated that speech, he says it about every god damned month.” Moonlight sighs. Nightingale nods. “I hope the king produces a hare…” He lays his head in his hands. “Imagine the shit Sombra would do if king.” Moonlight nods, saluting his cup to the foreman. “So what else brings you here besides the prisoners you have?” He takes out a cigarette. Moonlight dips his tea bag in and out of the cup’s water. “I need t restock my ammo and refuel my ship. Could you spare some supplies?” Nightingales grunts. “I can’t…” He rubs his brow, sticking the cigarette in his mouth. “Why not?” Moonlight growls. “You haven’t heard?” Nightingale asks, raising his brow in confusion. “Heard what? No…” Moonlight finishes the last of his tea. “Our telegraph antenna was shot to hell during our flight!” Nightingale rubs the base of his horn, its tip sparking. “The damn humans captured two of our supply ships and sabotaged the only road into this valley...” He gets up and walks into the ‘kitchen’ taking a drag. “Now I’m waiting for the trains to make the delivery. If you wait a couple of days, you’ll have what you need.” He picks up an apple. “Humans, they think they’re the fucking police force of this world!” Moonlight growls, tapping his finger on the table. Nightingale shrugs his shoulders. “They’re sure making a killing off of all the supply ships they captured.” He takes a bite of the apple. “It’s making this war a lot harder to fight.” He chews. “Why haven’t they just declared war on all the nations involved in this war already!” Moonlight slams his fists against the table. “What happened to their bloodlust?” Nightingale facepalms. “You want them to join in? Are you mad? Be thankful they’re just acting more like pirates than an actual force to be reckoned with!” Moonlight rolls his eyes, staring into his cup with a sigh. The earth ponies listen to the commotion outside the airship. Many of them look at one another, asking silently if any understand what is happening. Pinkie looks at her mother with wide eyes, her body shakes, her fur around her eyes are caked with discharge from her tears. Cloudy Quartz gives her a warm smile, a smile that tells her all is going to be okay. Loud hissing pierces the silence. The earth ponies fold their ears as they watch the put large metallic latches disengage, allowing the metal-rampart to drop. The rampart’s hinges squeal as the chains connected to the top of the rampart moves along the gears. Digging into the gravel road, the rampart groans as it comes to its resting place. Several of the airship’s crew march up the rampart and make their way to the dead earth ponies. One of the airmen unlatching Sun Flower from her chains, notices Pinkie floor clamp is missing. Taking a better look, he sees the bullet hole. “Aren’t you the lucky one…” He chuckles broken earthen, his accents making it hard to make out the words. Pinkie just stares at the stallion, watching him drag Sun Flowers body out of the ship. One of the high-ranking camp’s guards walks up into the cargo-hold. Another stallion younger that him, stands to his right. “Starlightin vangit!” The high-ranking guard shouts. “Prisoners of the Starlight!” The younger one translates for him. “You’ll be moved from this airship to your new homes. But first, you’ll betaken to the prisoner processing station!” He puts his fist over his heart. “NOW RISE!” Several guards light up their horns and unlatch the prisoners’ chains from their floor clamps. Stepping out of the ship, Pinkie shivers as she feels the cold midnight air wash over her body. Trying to get her mind off the cold, she looks at her surrounding with chattering teeth. The buildings that surround her look like monsters to her. The multitude of windows dotting the structures stare down at her like prying lies, their gaze. Feeling a forceful tug on her chain, she picks up her pace. Arriving at a metal table by the front of the ship, the guard sitting on the other side stares at her, studying her appearance. Writing down on a piece of paper, he points to his left. A guard comes up to Pinkie and unlatches her chain from her neck and wrist restrains. Another guard walk up to them and takes her over to a small of fillies. Shoving her in the small group he walks back to the table to lead another prisoner to their respective group. Free from their chain’s and guards’ grasp, Pinkie looks around, scanning for her sisters. Seeing Marble, she quickly worms her way to her. Getting to her, she latches on to her and gives her a hug. “Pinkie!” Her sister mumbles, tears swelling around her eyes. “Prisoners stay still and face forward!” The twins freeze and look at the guard. They see the business end of his rifle aiming at them. Shivering, they break their embrace and copy their fellow fillies. “Sir?” The twins turn their attention to the voice and sees Rose Sapphire standing by the table, her newborn in her arms. “What do we do with her?” The airman asks the camp’s guard. The guard studies her. “Take her to special processing.” He points at the prisoner processing building. “Third floor on the left.” With a nod, the airman takes her away from the table. Obsidian and Ruby stare in horror as they watch their mother disappear into the bowels of the building. Feeling sick to his stomach, Obsidian places his hands on his knees, fighting the urge to puke. His sister, shakes uncontrollably. Fear consumes her soul and nightmares flood her thoughts. Maud stares at her fiancé with pained eyes. She can not bare to she him in such a state. So, broken. So, weak. With the earth ponies finally broken up by gender and age, the guards lead each group into the heart of the prisoner processing building and to their respective areas. Feeling an imposing presence weighing heavy on their hearts, the twins glance up and stare at the four-story concrete block, with windows that glare down at with an evil gaze. They shiver from their wild imaginations as they near the large black double-doors. Stepping into the building the guards lead the group of fillies down one of the four hallways. The hall they group finds themselves in, runs down the left side of the building. The fillies stare at the grey-blue tiles and dull grey painted walks with emotions ranging from dullness to fearfulness. But their attention turns to a set of doors and they near the end of the hall. Unlocking the doors’ latch, the guard swings them open allowing the fillies to file on through. The room they enter is small and cramped… one, if they were in the right state of mind would not call it a room or treat it as such. At the end of the room by another set of double doors, sits a unicorn mare at a tiny table. She studies the group, counting heads. “Twenty-eight…” She writes down in a binder. “Send them on in…” Leaving the claustrophobic space, the fillies enter a large atrium, its walls and floor covered in tiles. The harsh green lights humming above, forces the fillies to squint their eyes. Once they are able to open their eyes, the fillies come to an awe as they look upon a large six-feet-deep, ten-feet long, and five-feet-wide pool. The pool is filled with a soapy-liquid, black in color. The harsh chemical smell wafting off the liquid nauseates them. “MOVE!” They break their gazes and quickly obey commands being given to them. Lining up along a tiled wall, the guards have them face forward, their gaze eyeing a second-story balcony overlooking the atrium. An officer walks into view, her eyes glaring menacingly at the fillies below. “Fillies, you’ll be going through this lice and flea bath!” She speaks into a microphone, her voice cold and dull. “The pool has two inclines at each end leading to a depth of six-feet. This chain will guide you along as you enter the pool.” She points to the chain running along a series of motors and gears hanging above the pool before going into and under the soapy liquid and back out, making a loop. “When you’re about to go under, take a deep breath and hold it in! My stallions do not want to haul your dead body away!” She shouts, glaring at the fillies below. “Once you’re finished with the bath, you’ll be lead to the showers.” She stares at the trembling fillies with a flat, dull stare. “Follow the commands given to you and make it quick!” She steps away from the microphone as she signals to the guards. A guard walks up to Pinkie, his green eyes look at her with a dull sternness. She stares up at the unicorn, fear coats her eyes as she eyes the hunting-knife in his hands. “Undress yourself and walk up to the pool!” He states with an authoritative voice, pointing his knife at the pool. Pinkie’s stomach tightens, her cheeks blush, her tail instinctively wraps itself around her waist. She shakes her head. The guard frowns. “I said undress!” Again, she shakes her head, crossing her legs. “I think she’s playing hard to get.” His comrade laughs. “Well then, let’s do it the hard way…” Confusion washes over Pinkie as she tries to understand their language, but soon her uncertainty turns into fear when he grabs the collar of her nightgown and brings his knife to her neck. She lets out a cry, her eyes close tight as she braces for the tip too pierce her skin. Instead, the blade cuts her nightgown in half. It gently falls to the floor around her hooves. Shock overwhelms her as she covers her flat chest with her hands. Her embarrassment increases when he grabs her underwear. Seeing her sister’s discomfort, Octavia lunges at the stallion with a scowl. Catching a glimpse of the angry filly, a guard blocks her path and aims his semi-auto pistol. “Back off prisoner!” The guard undressing Pinkie looks over at the two. “Shit, she already wants to go into solitary!” He laughs as he grabs Pinkie’s underwear. “Get her back in line!” His fellow guard nods and shoves her back in line and keeps his pistol trained her. Octavia, her sisters, and the fillies stare at the pistol and Pinkie in fear. With a grunt he cuts the left side strap of Pinkie’s underwear, letting it fall to the floor. Fully naked, Pinkie tries her best to cover herself from prying eyes. With a sigh he shoves her forward, another guard grabs her wrists and lays them over each other. Latching her wrists’ restraints to the chain, he looks up and waves to a guard by a control panel on the left-hand corner of the atrium. With a nod, the guard flips a switch, activating the motors of the chain’s pulley system. The chain squeaks along its path at four miles an hour. Pinkie’s arms jerk forward forcing her to drop her protective pose and break out into a light jog. Her cheeks redden with embarrassment. Stepping into the pool, Pinkie squirms at the slimy texture of the soapy black liquid. Pin needle like sensations dance across her body as she sinks deeper and deeper. The stinging overwhelms her, causing her to lose moan out in pain. Seeing that she’s about to go under, she takes a deep breath before the liquid washes over her. Several seconds pass as she walks along the bottom of the pool. The soapy liquid flowing over her like molasses, soaking into her fur, mane, and tail. Suddenly she emerges from the pool, excess liquid runs off her causing the ramp to become slippery. Slipping, she falls hard onto the concrete ramp. Not being able to stand, she has no choice but to be at the mercy of the chain as it drags her up the last few feet. Breathing through her snout the soap’s aroma gags her as well as making her light headed, her lungs struggling to asobre clean air. Feeling someone grab her by her neck’s restraint, she tries to stand up, but the speed at which she is being carried forces her to let her legs dangle, her hooves scrapping and skipping across the ground. Entering an icy room, the guard shoves Pinkie into a small tiled space no more that three four by four feet. Finding her balance, Pinkie braces herself against the wall in front of her. Hear paralyzes her as she feels hands around her neck. She feels and heard the dull clicking of her neck and wrist restraints’ clamps unlatching. Feeling their weight leaving her, she shutters a sigh of relief as she rubs her wrist. Standing in the stall, she waits for more hands to assault her, but none do, only the subtle breeze, chilling her. With frustration taking over, she wipes the soapy liquid from her eyes. “AH!” a mighty stream of warm water slams into her sending her to the ground. She slides along the smooth tiles and smacks against the wall behind her. “Stand up!” A guard yells, turning off the jet of water. Pinkie quickly stands up, her legs tremble as she opens her eyes. She sees a unicorn stallion, wearing a navy-blue uniform standing in front of her. In his hands is a long metal pipe with a wide cone shaped nozzle. A long rubber hose is connected to the pipe’s handle. She traces the pipe and sees that it’s connected to the wall behind the stallion. Above, where the pipe connects to the wall, are and array of several dials and nobs. “Stand by the back wall, arms and legs spread out wide!” Pinkie states at the guard in shock. She shakes her head, her stomach grumbles, making her sick. “Obey me!” The guard shouts with a grunt. “There’s more coming!” As if on cue Pinkie sees Maud, Marble and three other fillies being led on past her to their own ‘shower’ stalls. With a shiver, she stands against the wall and extends her arms out. The guard’s frowns and sprays her face. She panics as begins to cough as she covers her face with her hands. “Spread your arms and LEGS, NOW!” She quickly obeys. Giving a chuckle he moves the stream of water from her face and begins rinsing her down. Pinkie stands, sobbing quietly to herself, trying her best to ignore the stinging water the best she can. “EEP!” The water jet touches her vagina. Crying out, she covers herself. Tears flood her eyes as a storm of varying emotions and feelings fight for control over her mind. “I said spread them!” The guard yells as he sprays her face once again. Pinkie puts her hands up, protecting her face. With a sly smile, he aims the stream over her vagina once more and keeps it there for a solid thirty seconds. Pinkie sobs uncontrollably as she tries to rid her mind of her violation. “STOP! PLEASE!” She places her hands over her vagina. “You’re not allowed to touch me…! BLEARGH!” He sprays her face, his laughs sending chills down her spine. “Turn around, I have to get your backside!” Pinkie hesitates, fear shutting down her will to move. “Turn, around!” He spits. With a small pathetic nod, she cooperates, showing him her backside. Wasting no time, he quickly sprays her down. She squirms as the stream touches her privates once again. With a chuckle, he shuts off the flow and waves to a fellow guard. The guard grabs her by the back of her neck and leads her out of the shower room and up the stairs to the second-story. Getting to the top of the stairs, they down the hall until they get to the fifth door on their right. Opening the door, he shoves her into the room and shuts the door. Alone, she lets out a moan as she crosses her arms and legs. Her trembling eyes look around the small office space. It’s pale-blue colored walls and white tile floors are unwelcoming. In front of her is a large metal table covered in boxes. To her left is a plane wall with nothing of value to study. To her right is a dark-wooden door. Seeing the door to her right open, she sees a unicorn mare stepping into the room. She holds a towel with her magic. Pinkie watches as the towel floats up to her. She’s never seen unicorn magic before. It looks beautiful, graceful, soft… “MFFPH!” ‘Ok, not so soft…’ She moans to herself. ‘Why so rough?’ Drying her off, the mare tosses the towel into a basket and walks up to the boxes on the table and rummages through one. With a hum, she hands Pinkie and plain grey gown and white underwear. “Dress quickly.” Pinkie takes the items and puts them on. She groans at the rough cotton fibers of her new clothes. “They will, um… mika sana… Kylla, they will wear down eventually.” Placing her hands on Pinkie’s shoulders the mare gently leads to the room she came from. Stepping into the room, Pinkie sees a mare sitting behind a metal table. There is a green desk lamp on the table as well as three picture frames, a clock, pen-cup, and a stack of papers. A stallion wearing a white-medical-coat stands to the mare’s right by a row of filing cabinets. Another stallion stands on the mare’s left beside a large mechanical device, with a lever sticking out the top and a row of metal teeth over a dye. The mare at the table gives Pinkie a smile as she waves to the other mare. “Voit lahtea.” She states. “Please sit sweetie.” She says to Pinkie. Hearing the door close, Pinkie slowly takes her seat on the metal folding chair. Her body trembling all the while. With a hum, the mare opens a blue folder and pulls out a sheet of paper. “So, what is your name?” She asks, clicking the end of her ball-point pen. Pinkie eyes the tip of her pen. Her voice is stuck in her throat as she turns her attention to the mare, her trembling eyes staring to the mare’s calm firing green eyes. The mare sighs, “Name? Do you have a name?” “Y-yes.” Pinkie mumbles through her clenched throat. “Well then, speak it.” Her pen hovers over the paper. Pinkie places her hands in her lap. “Pinkie…” ‘And your last name?” The mare’s left ear flattens. “Pie…” Pinkie lowers her head, her eyes never leaving the mare. The mare writes down her name and raises a brow. “Mika outo nimi…” She gives Pinkie a glance before returning her attention back to her task. “Species: Equine… Race: Earth Pony… Sex: Mare… Age?” She looks at Pinkie once again. “What is your age?” Pinking crosses her legs. “Nine…” The mare nods. “Fur color: Bright Pink… I think… Mane/Tail color: Magenta… Eye color: Blue…” She looks over the paper. “Dr. Zimmer check her health.” The stallion standing next to the filing cabinets steps up to Pinkie. Placing his leather bag at her hooves, he pulls up a chair next to her and begins his work. Curious, Pinkie watches him put on a pair of thick latex gloves. She groans as he parts her mane, the latex feels weird to her as his fingers run along her scalp. He checks her face, neck, arms, legs, and back. Seeing that her skin and fur looks healthy, he takes out an otoscope from his back and checks her ears. Pinkie twitches as she feels the warm plastic touching up against her inner-ear. He softly hums and writes down on a notepad. Giving her a soft smile, he switches out the otoscope for an ophthalmoscope and checks her eyes. With his task done, he rummages through his bag once more. Free from staring at the blinding light, Pinkie clutches the sides of her seats and blinks her stressed eyes, trying to rid them of the dull blue dots floating across her vision. Grabbing a small flashlight, he sticks an index finger in her mouth and runs it along her gums. The taste of the latex gags her. “Open your mouth and say ah…” The Dr asks. She obeys. With a hum, he places a popsicle stick on her tongue. Liking what he sees, he turns off the flashlight and tosses the popsicle stick in the trash. Grabbing the stethoscope that hands around his neck, he places the hearing nibs in his hears, and gives Pinkie a small smile. “Please lift up your gown.” Pinkie blushes, she doesn’t want to, but the look the mare gives tells her otherwise. Whimpering, she stands up and lifts her gown. Dr. Zimmer places the end of the stethoscope on her chest and listens to her heartbeat. He then moves it to several spots on her chest, her back, and her belly. With a hum he removes it from her chest and places it around his neck once more. “Sit back down.” Pinkie obeys, her cheeks rosy with embarrassment. “Well? What’s the verdict?” The mare asks. “Her fur and mane are healthy, no sores or skin conditions from what I’ve seen.” He sits next to her. “Her eyes are healthy, her ears are not infected with ear-mites and her gums and teeth are in good shape, but a couple of her foal-teeth are loose.” He takes off his gloves and tosses them in the trash. With a nod, the mare looks back at Pinkie and sees her crying. “Stop crying, act like a big filly!” Pinkie jerks from the mare’s tone of voice and looks at her with wide eyes. “Good…” She writes down the information. “Alright, her number is 5178. Tag her.” She places the paper in a blue vanilla folder. And hands it to Dr. Zimmer. Pinkie freezes at the mare’s words, even though she doesn’t understand them, the mare’s tone gives her the feeling that nothing good is about to happen. The stallion by the machine with the lever, places some metal nibs in a bronze plate. He then places a dog-tag under the plate and pulls down on the lever. The piston pushes the nibs against the dog-tag. With a click, the stallion releases the lever and pops out the dog-tag. Picking it up he walks up to her. Pinkie looks at the dog-tag in his left hand, and a pair of clambers in his right hand. In the clamber’s teeth, is a half opened bronze ring. Activating his horn, he pins Pinkie to her chair and keeps her head locked firmly in place. Panic washes over her as she watches the clamper and the dog-tag slide down to the base of her right ear. CLICK! Pinkie screams out in pain as the ring tears through skin and cartilage. She tries to escape but the stallion’s magic overpowers her. She sobs louder and trashes about. “Damn! Shut her up!” The mare hisses. The stallion nods and shocks Pinkie. Numb, Pinkie twitches and falls off her chair, landing on the floor. Tears pours down her face as she goes into the fetal position. Getting back from his work station, the stallion bends down and puts a leather collar around Pinkie’s neck. Using his magic to lock it. Tears stain Pinkie’s fur as she stares up at the ceiling fan spinning slowly above her. Hearing the door open, she feels two sets of hands grab her arms and drag her out of the room. Rose Sapphire sits in a small cell on the backside of the prisoner processing building. She coddles her newborn in her arms as she stares at the cold, unforgiving concrete walls. Her cell’s bed is hard, the down stuffing of the mattress and pillow, worn from years of use. Hearing sobbing, she gets up from her bed and peaks through the bars of her cell. Across from her to her right is Golden Stone. She clutches her stomach, her eyes staring at her foal to be. “She just started crying.” Grassy Breeze, another mare with her own newborn filly, sighs as she looks at Rose Sapphire. Rose Sapphire rests her head on the bars. “Golden Stone… Everything will be alright.” “You don’t know that!” She clutches her head and lets out a wale. “Stress is not good for the foal. You stop your whining!” Grassy Breeze tells the young mare in a stern tone. “No… You don’t understand, I’ve heard stories from my brother… Unicorns cut open pregnant mares and eat their foals…” “Now dear, only the pegasi do that.” Nightingale comments. “The three mares look over at the stallion. His white fur and grey mane shines in the bright light of the halogen bulbs. “Unlike the other species of this planet, we are more civilized.” Rose Sapphire frowns at the stallion. “Slavery is not a trait of a civilized nation.” “Neither is the belief in a god, my dear.” Nightingale rebuttals, stepping up to her cell. He places his hands on the bars. “Your race still practices child marriage, monogamy, discrimination against homosexuals and of course you all believe in a stallion in the clouds.” He laughs. “Tell me, where is he now?” The mares stay silent unsure of how to answer him. Looking down at her son, Rose Sapphire feels a warm feeling wash over her heart. “He’s in our hearts.” Nightingale looks at her with a flat stare, giving a soft hum. “Oh, of course. A typical answer…” He steps away from her cell and looks at the two other mares with a raised brow. “What’s going to happen to us?” Nightingale looks at Golden Stone with a hum. “Well, thanks to Prince Sombra’s laws, you’ll be living on the third and fourth story of this building until your children turn five years of age. Once they do, you and your children will be sent to the camp to live in your respective sections.” The mares look at one another, a calm yet fearful feeling washes over them. Seeing their expressions, he gives a chuckle before leaving the hall of cells. “Rest up, you’ll be moving to your new rooms soon…” Stepping out of the prisoner processing building and onto the path to the camp’s gate, Nightingale sees that his men have finished cleaning and tagging his newly acquired batch of prisoners. Walking alongside the prisoners, he inspects his men’s work. He smiles. “You did it again men! Looks like I owe you those drinks I’ve been promising!” The guards chuckle a cheer. Some of the earth ponies look on in confusion. Igneous, growls at the stallion’s words. ‘Drink yourself dead, pal…’ He thinks to himself. Stands before the new prisoners, Nightingale gives them a smile. “Prisoners, I’m the Grand Marshal of the Unicorpian Prisoner War Camps!” He speaks to them is an accent-free earthen. “But here at this camp! I'm known as your foreman!” The prisoners look at the foreman with a mix of hateful and fearful glares. He chuckles at their expressions. “So, that means I make the rules around here! You’ll eat, sleep, work, breathe, even shit by them! Follow them to a ‘T,’ and you’ll be rewarded with gifts and praises. Break them, however, and your time here will be a miserable one…” The earth ponies look at one another with concern. Looking at the gate’s operator, he motions him to open it. The gate rumbles as it rides along its tacks. As it hisses to a stop, Nightingale looks back at his prisoners. “Your time here will be spent, working the copper mine that’s a few miles from the camp as well as the copper refinery and processing plant right behind me.” He pulls out a cigarette, lighting it. “Meet quota, and you’ll be just fine, miss it and again, your time here will be a miserable one.” Looking at his guards, he waves his hands. “Goodnight, get some rest, you’ll need it.” Entering their cell, Pinkie and Marble stare at the damp, dreary space. The metal door to their cell slides shut. A blunt bang rings out causing the twins to jerk and huddle close to each other. Shivering in fear, they look around looking at the furnishing of their cell. Against the back wall on both corners, sit two cots. In the middle of the beds are a toilet and a sink. Behind them, above the door is a small six-inch-tall and foot-long window. “I want Ma…” Marble cries on her sister's chest. Pinkie shakes uncontrollably while her eyes jump back n’ forth between the cots. Fighting back the urge to cry, she carries her sister over to the left-side cot. Nearing the one on the left, she looks down and sees a dark red stain showing through the dark forest green color of the sheets. Feeling sick she quickly caries Marble over to the cot on the right. Seeing that it looks better than the other, she helps her sister climb into it. Pressing her back against the cold concrete wall, Pinkie wraps her arms around her sister, letting out a shuttering sob. “Pinkie… I want Ma!” Marble cries, clutching her sister tight. Pinkie wants to cry, she wants to fall into a wreak, but she’s older than Marble. She needs to be strong for her. “We’ll… We’ll s-see Ma and Pa… err…” She fights back a sob. “I… I… err…” Tears pour from her eyes as she tightens her grip. Her damn breaks and they both break down together, the weight of the day finally overwhelming them. Octavia sits on her cot in the right corner of her cell. Her prison gown is over her knees. Her arms are wrap around her legs. She rests her chin on her knees as she stares at the window above the cell door. An earth pony filly a lot younger than her lays in the other cot. Her appearance is worn, dark rings surround her eyes, her hooves and fingernails are rough and cracked. Her tan fur is coarse, and her golden-brown mane and tail are frizzy. Her brown eyes stare at Octavia with wonder. Feeling the filly’s gaze, she turns her attention to the filly. Scared, the filly throws her sheets over her head. Octavia smirks a bit. “What’s your name?” The filly uncovers one eye. “My name?” Octavia smiles. “Yes silly, your name?” The filly bites her nails. “1245…” She hides under her covers. “12?... 45?” She shakes her head, “No silly, your real name?” Octavia sighs, “My name is Octavia.” She points to herself. “Now you tell me your name, not a silly number.” The filly lets out a moan. “No… It's 1245…” She completely uncovers her head pointing to her dog-tag, her eyes glaring at Octavia. “We go by our numbers! They’ll beat you if you go by names!” She covers her head once more. Octavia stares at her in confusion. “What’s your number?” 1245 asks as she pulls the cover from her head, her eyes staring with wonder once again. Octavia rubs her dog-tag and gives a frown. “I can’t read Unicorpian…” 1245 frowns and gets up from her cot, hobbling over to her cot. Octavia stares at the filly’s stride with a pain in her chest. Getting to the cot, the filly climbs on up and looks at Octavia’s dog-tag. “5188… Nice to meet you 5188.” Octavia frowns, she didn’t like being called by a number. “Can I sleep with you?” Octavia is taken back by the filly’s question. “What?” 1245 cowers a bit and jumps off the cot. “Um… I sorry I…” “Why do you want to sleep with me?” Octavia releases her legs form her gown’s embrace. 1245 rocks on her hooves. “I… I’ve been so lonely… I have been by myself for a long time…” She rubs the back of her neck and stares at the floor in confusion. “I think for five months?” Tears come to her eyes. “They sold my brother…” She studies Octavia’s expression. “I’m sorry… it sounds wrong to…” She misinterprets it. “No… it’s quite alright, my sisters and I used to share a bed, before… this…” Octavia looks at the cell. “You can sleep with me.” The filly’s eyes light up with glee. “But, only if you tell me your name.” The filly feels her chest get heavy. “No, I can’t…” She looks at the door. “They’ll beat us… No, you’re testing me, this is a test!” Seeing the filly break into a panic, Octavia jumps from the cot and grabs her in a loving embrace. “NO, I DON’T WANT TO GO BACK IN THERE!” “WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON IN THERE!” A guard yells from down the hall, his hoof steps can be heard walking up to their cell. Quickly, Octavia places a hand over the filly’s mouth and holds her tight. “Shh…” The guard opens the latch and shines his flashlight’s light into the cell. “What are you two doing?” He looks down at the two fillies. “Already starting trouble newcomer?” Octavia shields her eyes from the light. “No… sir… She’s just having a bad dream.” The guard looks at 1245 and gives a sigh. “Well tell her to keep it down, or she’s going into solitary.” He shuts the latch and steps away. Octavia feels the filly tremble in her arms, her body heat spiking. With a tired sigh, she runs her fingers across the filly’s scalp. “You don’t have to tell me your name.” She holds her in a tight embrace. “You can tell me when you’re ready.” Limestone lays on her cot. She’s alone in her cell. The other cot to her right is empty, she’s robbed it of its sheet and pillow. She lays face first on her pillows, allowing them to muffle her cries. Her body shakes, as she picks at the fur on her forearms. Her tail wraps itself around and over her small frame. Maud lays against the corner wall of her cell. From her seat, she runs her fingers along Ruby’s scalp. Ruby herself, is fast asleep, her head using Maud’s lap as a makeshift pillow. Maud stares at the small window above her cell door. The light from the halogen bulbs in the cell block’s hall flood her cell with some light. Feeling her eyes getting heavy, she lays her head in the corner and falls to sleep. “I’m going to kill you fuckers!” Obsidian punches the cell door. A dull thud echoes down the hall. Igneous sits on the right-side cot, staring at the agitated young-stallion. “Colt, that’s not going to solve the pain in your heart!” “They killed my Pa! They took my Ma!” She shouts at the elder stallion. “They probably killed her too!” He pounds the door some more. “Keep it down!” A muffled voice yells from across the hall. “You keep this up, and you’ll get yourself killed.” Ingenious spits. “Then what, you leave your sister, my daughter, your future child fatherless?” He gets up and stands before the young stallion. “Act mature!” “I… I…” Tears flow from Obsidian’s eyes. “I want to kill them…” He turns around and madly pounds the door. “Come and fight me you fuckers!” Igneous hears several guards making their way up the stairs. Thinking fast he pulls Obsidian into a side-headlock, placing his free hand over his mouth. “Shh… Silence!” He hisses into his ear. The guards walk down the length of the hall, passing their cell. He hears them speak to themselves, as they head back down the hall. Obsidian hearing his prey walking away tries to break Igneous’s hold on him, but he is no match against the stallion’s strength. Quickly exhausting himself, Obsidian breaks down into a fit, his cries muffled by Igneous’s hand. Igneous brings the colt closer to him and lays his head on his. “Let it out colt… let it out, before a mare sees you like this.” Cloudy Quartz sits on her cot, her hands clasped in prayer. Miss. Cheerilee looks at her in confusion. “Why are you praying? At a time like this?” Cloudy Quartz looks over at the young mare with a frown. “What did you say?” “Clearly our god has abandoned us!” Cheerilee growls, extending her arms. Cloudy Quartz sighs, getting up from her cot. “Look where we are, he will not answer our!...” Cloudy Quartz smacks her across the face. Cheerilee jerks back, placing a hand on her cheek, her eyes staring wide-eyed in shock. “Never doubt our lord, our saver ever again young filly!” Cloudy Quartz gives her a stern yet loving smile. “Come pray with me… It’s days like these that we must be strong in our faith.” Over in the cell next to them, Mrs. Cake hears their muffled voices. “Prayer… its what we need…” She lays her right ear against the concrete wall, trying to listen in on their payer.
Chapter 6Sitting at his desk, Nightingale looks towards the horizon, watching the sun slowly rise over the distant eastern mountains. With a hum, he turns a red colored dial to the right, sirens that tower high over the camp, roar out their song. He lets them run for thirty seconds before shutting them off. With a satisfied hum, he looks at his clock and reads the time. “Five o’clock in the morning… Right on time, as always.” The booming bass of the sirens reverberates across the camp, shaking it to its core. Sleeping guards and prisoners, quickly get up from their cots, stretching to a new day. However, the new batch of prisoners slowly gets up, their minds still hazy from the previous night. “PRISONERS, FOOD WILL BE SERVED AT FIVE-HUNDRED-AND-FIFTY HOURS… GET YOUR ASSES UP AND STAND AT YOUR CELL DOORS!” A voice shouts over the loudspeakers. Pinkie slowly rises from her cot, her body shivers from the cold. Looking at her cell’s window, she sees the early morning sun shining through the cell block windows, casting its yellow glow upon the land. Clenching her shivering teeth, she looks down at her twin and gives her a shake. ‘Marble… Wake up.” “What?” Marble stirs under the sheet, her eyes heavy. “it’s time to get up…” BANG! “Prisoners! Are you at your door!” A guard yells. The twins jump in fright and huddle close to each other. “Are you deaf? Answer or you’ll get whipped!” “Yes!” They shout as they bolt from the cot, running to the door. The guard hums as she slides the cell’s door’s viewing latch. Glaring into the cell, she sees the twins standing side by side in front of the door, eyes wide with fear. “Good.” She shuts the latch and unlocks the cell door. It slides open with a high pitch squeak. “Both of you line up, single file facing this way!” She points at the end of the hall to her left. The twins obey and stand in their spot, their tails tucking in-between their legs. “Wake up!” 1245 shouts “5188 its time to wake up!” Octavia wakes with a groan. Her eyes open to 1245 hovering over her, smiling creepily. “Come, we must stand by the door!” She jumps from the cot, her tail wagging happily. Octavia stares at the filly concerned for her mental state. ‘Is that going to happen to me?’ She sits up and slowly walks up to the cell door. “What’s happening?” 1245 giggles. “We eat then we work!” She smiles like it’s the best thing in the world. Octavia gives a nervous grin as she turns her attention to the door. A guard opens the viewing latch and peeks inside. Seeing the two of them, he gives a hum and opens the door. Limestone stirs in her sleep as the sirens’ call rings in her ears. “Are you at your door prisoner?” A guard calls out. She groans, throwing the sheets over her head. “Prisoner, Answer me now!” “Err…” Limestone frowns. “Five more minutes…” The guard opens the viewing latch and stares at the sleeping filly. “Colts, we got one!” The door slides open allowing three guards to pour into her cell, throwing the sheets off the cot, startling her. They grab her limbs and drag her out of the cell. “OW! HELP!” She tries to fight back. “YOU’RE HURTING ME!” They throw her to the floor, landing on her right side with a thud. One of the guards kicks her in the stomach. She clutches her belly, curling into the fetal position. Her sisters look back at the scene scared for her wellbeing. “Face forward prisoners!” A shiver runs down their spines as they whip their heads back into position. The guard who kicked her bends down and holds her head up by her mane. “You’re one of the newcomers, aren’t you?” He smiles, jerking her head around, Limestone grits her teeth, trying to dull her pain. She stares up at the stallion with teary eyes. “Now listen to what I have to say.” He brings her head closer to his, their snouts touching. “You’re new here, so to be nice, I’ll let you off the hook, just this once. But if you fail to obey our commands again, it’s solitary… Understand?” Limestone nods, “Good, now stand up and face forward!” Limestone quickly gets on her hooves and stares at the back of the heads of the prisoners in front of her. Hearing the commotion her sister is in, Maud gets up from the cot, guiding Ruby to the door. “What’s going on?” “We have to stand by the door.” Maud runs her fingers through Ruby’s mane, fixing it. “Breakfast is soon. “I want to see my Ma?” Ruby begins to cry. “We’ll see her soon…” “Prisoners are you by the door?” Their cell door shakes as someone pounds on it. Maud looks at the door with a frown as she pulls Ruby close to her. “Yes… Sir.” The viewing latch opens, revealing a pair of eyes. The eyes blink before the latch closes. Hearing a heavy deadbolt unlock itself, Maud watches as the door slides open. “Stand here in a single file line, facing forward.” The prisoner’s mess-hall is a long brick constructed building, with large two-story windows lining the front facing wall. Within the building, two wire-mesh walls, rising to the ceiling, splits the interior into thirds, creating a stallion section, a mare section, and a children section, each with their own entrances, tables, and cafeterias. Getting their meals, Pinkie and Marble worm their way through the mass of bodies, looking for an open table. Finding a table in the corner by the window, they sit next to each other, facing the mare side of the mess hall. They nervously search for their mother. “What are you looking for?” They jerk from the voice, huddling close to one another, they look to their left. A colt with a wild blonde mane and dark-forest-green fur stares at them with his bright yellow eyes. “Are you two okay?” “Y-Yes… Just looking for our ma.” Pinkie replies. Marble returns her attention back to wire-mesh wall, scanning over the mares. The colt gives a flat frown. “You shouldn’t be doing that.” He sits in front of them, placing his tray down. “You need to eat fast and get ready to leave for morning call.” He takes a bite of his cornmeal. Pinkie looks at the colt with a confused frown. “But I want to see my ma!” She pounds her fists on the table. “I want to hear her voice…” “And do you want to be thrown into solitary!” He growls, pointing his broken fork at her. “Eat and keep your eyes off that side… But if you do see her, stay seated and eat…” He takes another bite as he looks up watching a guard walk along the balcony walkway, fifteen-feet above the floor of the mess hall. The twins look up at the guard and eyes his rifle in his hands. Looking at each other, their lips scowl as they turn their attention to their meals, taking a bite. Their meals held some flavor, but the cornmeal is chalky, and the fruits that make up their fruit bowls are mushy. Struggling to swallow, Pinkie tilts her head back. Getting her bite down, she stares up at the bulky metal cone lamps hanging from the rafters. The halogen bulbs humming a numbing tune. With a groan, she stares at her meal with teary eyes. Hearing hoof-steps behind her, she looks over her shoulder, she sees her sisters, Ruby, and another filly making their way to her table. “Maud!” “Shh!” The colt hisses, pounding the table. “Voices down, eat, your family will sit soon!” The colt frowns. Pinkie frowns back as she resumes her meal. Marble looks at them with a raised brow as she slowly chews. “Pinkie! Mable! Oh, thank God you’re okay.” Maud sighs in relief as she paces her tray down on the table, hugging her sisters. “SHH!” 1245 places her fingers over her lips. “Can’t use names only numbers… Oh hi, 1188!” She waves to the colt before sitting next to him and Octavia. Maud, Limestone, Pinkie, Marble and Ruby look at the filly in confusion. “It’s okay, I’ll explain,” Octavia replies, seeing their expressions. “Take your seat.” Maud sits in-between Pinkie and Marble while Limestone and Ruby sits next to Octavia. “How come we can’t use our names, Octavia?” She gives her sister a raised brow while tilting her head. “No! No names!” 1245 frowns, “Only numb…!” Octavia places her hand on the filly’s lips. She gives her a stern glare, causing her to cower. “1245 told me that the guards discourage the use of our names. If we’re caught using them too often, then they’ll punish us.” She scratches the back of 1245’s right ear. A chill runs down her spine at the affection, which calms her. Limestone frowns a bit as she sulks her in her seat, running a finger across her dog-tag. “But I can’t read Unicorpian…” 1245 huffs a sigh and gets up from her seat. “1245, sit back down and eat!” 1188 hisses glaring at the filly. “What are you going to do? Whip me?” She giggles at 1188. Smiling she kneels down next to Limestone and runs her fingers along the symbols of her dog-tag. “5182!” She kneels next to Ruby. “5184.” She kneels next to Marble. “5179.” She kneels in-between Pinkie and Maud. “5178 and 5180.” “And I’m 5188.” Octavia smiles half-heartily, playing with her meal. “Oh goodie, the family’s back together, now eat!” 1188 spits, taking an aggressive bite out of his fork-full of fruit. Pinkie, her sisters, Ruby, 1188, 1245 and the other fillies and colts of the camp, stand before the gate that leads to the ore processing warehouse, copper refinery, shipment yard and the dirt road to the copper mine. Maud and Ruby look over towards the group of stallions and stare at Obsidian, who stands beside Igneous. They smile at one another with soft eyes, their chests heavy with wanting. Igneous eyes his daughters and Ruby. His eyes are tired, and his heart is heavy with regret. His wife stands with the mares. She looks at her daughters, pain comes to her chest as she eyes the dog-tags hanging from their ears. Limestone, Pinkie, Marble, and Octavia stare at their parents, the same feeling overwhelms them. 1245 and 1188 see the sisters’ expressions and give a sigh. “The more you think about it, the worse it gets…” Limestone whips her head around. “No, it won’t!” He stares her down. “Don’t make the same mistake I made filly!” 1245 stares down at the gravel with crazed eyes. Her hands behind her back as she rocks on her hooves. Moonlight sits in a chair by the window looking at the crowds of prisoners and guards by the gate. “How many prisoners do you have now?” He sips his overly creamed and sugared coffee. “Well, if we add the fifty-five you brought to the total… this camp has three-hundred-and-sixty-nine prisoners.” Nightingale replies, not looking up from his paper. “If I keep bringing prisoners at the same pace I’ve been going at, you’ll beat Red Birch Gorge P.O.W camp in no time.” Moonlight chuckles, standing up and walking out onto the watchtower’s balcony. Nightingale sighs. “If Canterlot and Marie slave traders stop buying from my camp, I would’ve been there ages ago!” He sets his papers down and stands next to the captain, lighting a cigarette. They both watch the last of the prisoners leave the mess-hall. “SIR!” A voice comes over the intercom on his desk. With a grunt, he walks up to his desk and flips a switch on the intercom’s interface. “Yes, private Knox?” “They are ready for you, sir!” Nightingale gives a hum. “Will be down there asap.” He flips the switch and leans on his desk. “Good luck.” Moonlight comments with a smirk as he keeps his gaze on the prisoners. Nightingale nods, heading down the stairs. Standing on the guard shack’s concrete foundation, by the gate, Nightingale studies his prisoners. Several of his guards are rearranging them in smaller groups, eight in total. Finding satisfaction in their work, he steps forward and places his hands behind his back. “Prisoners of White Hills, good morning!” The prisoners look at their foreman with mixed emotions. Finding some disappointment with their expressions, he sighs. “My stallions have split you up into eight groups. You have been selected to perform a task, based on your age and sex.” He puffs on his cigarette. “I know some of you veterans are wondering if you’ll keep your old tasks? Well, to lift the burden of worry off your shoulders, a vast majority of you are, while some of you aren’t, so if you want, blame the newcomers.” He points to the crowd. Many of the senior and junior prisoners look at the newbies, some giving harsh glares. Many of the newcomers keep their heads down, ignoring the stares the best they can. Stepping into the guard shack, he places a hand on the gate’s operator’s shoulder. “Follow my guards’ commands, and you’ll be just fine.” The gate opens with a loud hiss. Fifteen oval shaped conveyor belts hum along at a slow and steady pace as five-pound copper ingots slide down metal cutes from the refinery next door. Limestone and Octavia work alongside each other by one of the conveyor belts. Grabbing one of the ingots, Octavia places it into a large wooden-crate, with a carrying weight of two-hundred-and-fifty pounds. Limestone copies her sister, putting her own in the crate. Filling the crate within several minutes, they place its lid on it. A colt and a stallion walk up to them and hammers the lid shut. With a huff, they lift the crate onto a cart and haul it over to one of several putter-wagons awaiting their cargo and the loading docks. Rubbing her irritated eyes, Limestone gets back to work. Her ears twitch from the humming of the conveyor belts. She stares at the belt running pass her. Each rubber section of the belt, different and unique enough to act as a moving picture to her vision. Picking up an ingot, Octavia studies it, running her fingers along its smooth surface, she traces the Unicorpian symbols etched into it. With a sigh, she places it in the crate. “Damn… your first day here and you’ve already completed your first batch of paperwork… Within an hour and a half?” The sisters look up at the balcony office and see a guard looking over Cheerilee’s work. “And the same goes for you?” He points at their mother. “What did the two of you do before your capture?” Cheerilee stares into her lap, too prideful to speak. The guard sees her expression and frowns. “We were teachers… Sir! I retired and her three years into her carrier…” Cloudy Quartz replies before he can hit Cheerilee across the face. The guard looks down at the two with a smile. “Well shit, if you keep this up you’re gonna cause this department to run out of work to do…” he rubs his beard. “Private Star Dust, look through those boxes!” The mares watch the guard walk into a room to Cloudy Quartz’s left. Feeling a pair of eyes staring at them, they turn their attention to the gazers and see Octavia and Limestone staring at them, with small smiles. Cloudy Quartz returns their affection with her own as she looks down at her daughters with soft eyes. Cheerilee looks at the sisters with a smile of her own until her attention is drawn to the children working in the shipping yard. She sees some of the children from her hometown, they stick out like a sore thumb from the others who’ve been here for an extended period of time. She stares at the veteran children of the camp and sees their thin, scared bodies. She can tell they look better than the veteran adults, but not by much. Seeing her teary eyes, Cloudy Quartz reaches out a hand, holding her hand in hers. “Be strong and pray a psalm.” Cheerilee smiles softly at her. “We have to be strong for the little ones.” She rubs her hand. The guard comes back and places a stack of papers in front of them. “We found some more work for you.” He claps his hands, before walking away. “Like the pace,you're going at, but could you cut it back just a tiny bit.” Pinkie, Marble, and Ruby stand next to one of six runoff-sluices connected to one of four massive mechanical-sluices within a large warehouse, a few yards from the copper mine. The walls of the warehouse are made of corrugated sheet metal, thick red-painted wood and steel beams hold up the sheet metal. Large orange-painted industrial pendant lights hang from the wooden cross beams. Small two-feet by two-feet windows dot the upper floors. Standing on the other side of their runoff-sluice is 1245, a colt with the number 3390 and a filly with the number 2266. Pinkie looks at the new faces. 3390 seems to be around twelve years old. His brown fur hides his bruises and the grime that clings to him. Her black mane is long, while his tail is short. 2266 on the other hand, looks to be fourteen. Her white fur, pink mane, and tail exposes all the dirt, grime, and scars that adore her form. Her bright blue eyes stare madly at the small copper nuggets and flakes flowing down the sluice. Looking past them, she sees several other fillies and colts standing around the other runoff-sluices, plucking copper nuggets that pass through the filters of the larger mechanical-sluice. With a sigh, Pinkie dips her hands into the water, scooping up as many nuggets as she can from the pebbles. Having a handful, she tosses the coppers into her tin-bucket. Looking into the bucket she gives a frown, she barely has enough copper to cover the bottom. She groans, rubbing her ears, glaring at the large mechanical-sluice, the deep-bassy rumbles of its pistons, hurts her ears. A guard near her and her group watches them with eagle eyes. “Sargent, Scarlet! How are the prisoners doing on ‘Main Sluice-One’?” Scarlet turns her attention to her superior. “So far, so… hold on…” She steps off the metal-gridline platform and up to Pinkie. Feeling a menacing presence hovering over her, Pinkie keeps her eyes glued to her work. Scarlet watches her shiver in fear, her pace random and slow. With a frown, she tilts her head and reads her dog-tag. “5178, are you having trouble with your task?” Pinkie keeps to task as tears flood her eyes. “5178!” Pinkie jerks, dropping her copper nuggets into the water, her hips bumping her bucket on the stool next to her. It wobbles back n’ forth before falling onto the floor. Metal crashing against metal as her ore bounce across the warehouse. Scarlet watches the nuggets bounce around like jumping beans. Their shiny surface reflecting the harsh white light of the halogen bulbs above. “Damn, someone’s jumpy.” She whistles, smirking to herself. Pinkie feels a chill run down her spine. “I don’t know what we’re going to do with you? I know you’re new here, but that doesn’t mean you get a free pass.” Tears fall from Pinkie’s eyes as she drops to the floor. “I’m sorry, I will work faster… Please… I… ma and pa taught me to be good…” She starts picking up her dropped ore, throwing them into her bucket. “Aw, what’s the matter?” Scarlet chuckles. “Missing mommy and daddy?” Pinkie lets out a sob at her words. “Oh, did I strike a nerve?” Four of her fellow guards look on with devilish grins. Seven prisoners by the minecart dumping docks, look on with concern. Marble and Ruby stare at the two, worry coating their hearts. 1245, 2266 and 3390 give a quick glance but quickly return to their task. Seeing that Pinkie is throwing a temper, Scarlet places her left hoof on her bucket. Pinkie clutches her copper as she stares at her bucket. “Looks like you need someone to give you some motivation…” She kicks the bucket behind her. Pinkie watches in horror as it rolls down the metal steps, bumping against a small concrete ledge, spilling what copper remained. “Let me be the one to give you that motivation…” Scarlet activates her magic and picks Pinkie up by her collar, throwing her against the wall to her right. “NO!” Marble runs up to Scarlet. “Don’t hurt my sister!” She shouts, kicking her shins. Scarlet looks down with a frown and kicks Marble in the stomach, sending her to the ground. A fellow guard grabs Marble by her neck and arms with his magic, pinning her to the ground. “NO… mffth…” His aura covers her mouth. Ruby cowers against the sluice, as she watches the scene in horror. Pinkie clutches her stomach as her diaphragm spasms from the impact. Her eyes stare at her sister, tears flood her vision as she fights to breathe. “Shit! I already knocked the wind out of you?” Scarlet kneels down and lifts Pinkie’s head with her hand, pinching her cheeks. “Damn little filly, you’re in for a rude awaking…” She looks over at two stallions standing by the exit, nodding to them, they return a nod and open the door. Smirking, she gazes down at Pinkie, who looks back at her in fear. “A rude awakening…” Deep within the copper mine, about seventy-feet underground, Obsidian, Igneous and several other stallions and colts work in the hot, musty, humid tunnels. Their pickaxes chip away at the large chunks of basalt rock that surrounds them. The copper veins and nugget chunks glisten in the dim light of the butane lanterns. With a grunt, Obsidian strikes a bulging chunk of basalt, the tip of his pickaxe burrowing deep into the soft rock. Sucking in air, he pulls on his pickaxe’s handle, ripping the rock free from the earth, sending it rolling onto the ground. Swinging his pickaxe over his head, he strikes it, breaking it into several smaller chunks. Setting his pickaxe down, Igneous picks up a shovel and begins shoveling the loose basalt into a minecart behind them. Obsidian helps the older stallion. Quickly filling up the rest of the cart, they push it up the gradual incline of the tunnel to the main elevator shaft. Entering the central cavity of the mine, they load the cart onto the elevator. With a nod, the guard sends the minecart up to the surface. With frowns, Igneous and Obsidian grab an empty minecart and heads back into the tunnels. Standing next to the elevator shaft’s gate Maud and a stallion wait for the elevator car to ascend to the top. Hearing the breaks of the pulley system kicking in, they get into position. The elevator car comes to a sharp stop, its metal frame shaking as the breaks kick in. With a huff, a colt pulls the gate open. Quickly, Maud and the stallion grab the cart and push it along its rails to the ore processing warehouse. Nearing their destination, Maud looks at the smokestacks of both the warehouse and the copper refinery. “Impressive, aren’t they?” Maud looks at the stallion, giving him a small nod. “Nothing like the coal refinery in Ashmore.” “You’re from Ashmore?”The stallion asks. “Yes.” She looks at the stallion with a raised brow. The stallion looks down at his hooves, watching the gravel move under his weight. “Damn, Unicorpia is that far inland…” Maud looks at the stallion in wonder. “Where were you from?” The stallion gives a small smile. “I use to live in Buckington… That was two years ago… It feels like a lifetime.” Maud dips her head at the mention of the years he’s lived in the camp. “PLEASE STOP!” Maud feels a chill run up her spine as she turns her attention to the main entrance of the warehouse. She sees several guards surrounding her sister, Pinkie. “Please stop? But we haven’t done anything!” Scarlet chuckles, her laugh echoing out over the camp. Prisoners and guards who are working the grounds turn their attention from their work and watch with varying levels of interest. “Shit stallions looks like she wants to throw in the towel already.” She puts her hands on her hips. “Please, I’ll do better… AH!” One of the guards cracks his whip on Pinkie’s back, sending her to the ground in pain. “Oh, it’s not that bad… Get up!” Scarlet yells. Pinkie places her hands over her head, burying her face in the gravel. “Private Wright, whip her!” She points with a scowl. Wright nods and whips her again. Pinkie screams, searing pain radiates out across her back. Jumping up from the ground, she runs towards the gate. With a frown, Scarlet uses her magic and yanks on her collar, sending her to the ground. “Get back here!” “NO! I’M SORRY!” Pinkie holds onto her collar as Scarlet drags her along the ground. “PLEASE!” Dragging her to her hooves, Scarlet bends down and gives a sly smirk. “Colts get the whips ready…” She lifts Pinkie two feet into the air by her collar. “Let her have it!” The stallions crack their whips. Pinkie chokes out her cries as painful stings rack her body. Maud feels herself going numb. She grinds her teeth, clenching her fists. A snarl leaves her lips as she runs to her sister. “Filly what are you doing?” The stallion reaches out, but he’s too late to stop her. “Oh shit!” He whispers. The world around her fades as her focus hones in on her sister and Scarlet. Numbness coats her body, anger fills her mind. What feels like hours to her, only last seconds as she slams into the guard, causing her to drop her magic. Pinkie falls to the ground, hard, her elbows and knees scraping the gravel. Tackling Scarlet to the ground, Maud pins her down and gives her a solid punch to the face. Scarlet’s fellow guards activate their horns and drag Maud off their comrade. “Down prisoner!” They shout whipping her. “Aw shit…” Scarlet lifts her head, holding her jaw in her hand. She glares at Maud. “You little bitch!” She gets up, unholstering her revolver. “If it weren’t for Sombra’s laws, I would put a bullet in your skull!” She places the barrel against Maud’s brow. Maud looks at it the weapon in fear, the numbness her body feels leaves as her adrenaline dies down. Looking at the mare, she swallows. “What’s stopping you?” She feels her stomach roll itself into knots at her words. Scarlet raises a brow. “What’s stopping me?” She looks at her fellow guards with a perplexed stare. They give her the same look. “What’s stopping me? It’s Sombra and his soft spot for the enemy!” She strikes Maud across the face with the butt of her pistol. “For unevolved filth!” She leans in and spits in her face. Maud looks up and the mare, her left cheek just below the eye, swollen from the hit. “Hasn’t stop you horned freaks from killing the innocent!” She glances at Pinkie. Her sister stares teary eyed, horrified by her wound. Scarlet tilts her head. “What?” She growls, cocking back the hammer on her revolver. “Don’t you call me a…” She sees her looking at Pinkie. Looking between the two a sly smirk comes across her lips. “Shit… Wright, Granger, keep whipping the pink one!” The stallions obey as they hold Pinkie down with their magic. “OW! STOP! STOP!” Pinkie cries. “STOP!” Maud shouts. Scarlet growls. “A prisoner keeps their mouth shut!” She kicks her in the stomach. Maud doubles over onto the ground. Holding her stomach, she groans as a stupid thought swims through her mind. ‘I can’t say that…’ The screams of pain her sister shouts assault her mind. “And…” She lets out a hiss. “A real soldier picks on someone their own size!” Scarlet glares at her. “What was that?” Maud knows there is no turning back. “You heard me… but I guess you don’t have the balls…” She smirks… “That’s right you have none… But that’s what happens when a mare tries’s to do a stallion's job.” Scarlet’s cheeks redden with embarrassment. “You little bitch!” She presses the barrel of her revolver firmly against Maud’s brow. “You think you're more of a mare than me!” She places her finger on the trigger. Wright stops whipping Pinkie and looks at his comrade wide-eyed. “Scarlet calm yourself…” “PRIVATE SCARLET!” Nightingale’s voice booms out over the camp’s loudspeakers. Scarlet pulls her revolver away and looks up at the loudspeaker by the gate. Pinkie and Maud, as well as the rest of the camp look at their respective speakers. “Would you and your posse, bring yourselves and the two prisoners you’re scuffling with up to my office? Thank you.” With a sigh, Scarlet puts her revolver away and looks back at the sisters with a scowl. “Sir…” “Silence!” Nightingale shuts Scarlet up. He writes down some notes onto a sheet of paper with predefined marks. “Now, let me get this straight, you were punishing this filly… 5178 for her slow pace on one of the runoff-sluices. Am I correct?” Scarlet sighs. “Yes, sir.” She puts her hands behind her back. “And then this prisoner… 5180 came in a tackled you to the ground, and the both of you got into a scuffle?” “Yes, sir.” She sighs again. Nightingale nods and writes some more notes. “Sir, please…” She sighs stepping up to his desk. “Why are I and my men here? Clearly, these prisoners are in the wrong and need to be thrown into solitary…” “I know that!” He gives her a stern glare. “But I’m already on thin ice with that stallion over there!” He points to Moonlight. The stallion growls at him, giving him a backward peace sign. Scarlet looks at Moonlight and puts Maud’s words and Nightingale’s together. With a frown, she steps away from his desk. “Sorry, for my tone, sir.” “Apology accepted Private.” He sets down his papers and looks at the sisters. “5180, is 5178 your sister?” Maud nods her head. Nightingale nods. “So, you were protecting your sister from one of my guards?” Maud nods again. “Speak!” “Yes!” Maud stutters. He sighs looking at Pinkie. “Is that what you saw 5178?” Pinkie’s body shakes, she can barely get her words out. Rubbing his eyes, he leans back in his chair. “I have to say, since I've became foreman of this camp three years ago, nothing like this has ever happened under my watch.” He sips his glass of wine. “I thought I had a lid on that, but I guess there’s always time for firsts.” He leans forward, resting his chin on his clasped hands. “Take 5178 to solitary. I say six days will be good for her.” “But shouldn’t she be getting solitary?” Scarlet asks, pointing at Maud. “No…” He pulls a cigarette from its packaging. “I have a feeling solitary will do very little to her and her stubbornness.” He opens a blue vanilla folder and looks through the papers within. “She has several other sisters here in this camp, I think her seeing them take her punishments will do the trick.” Scarlet nods and grabs Pinkie with her magic. “What shall we do with 5180 then?” She glares at Maud. Nightingale stares at her, eyeing her stature, lusting over her curvature. He smiles as a warm feeling overcomes him. “I think I’ll take her as my slave.” He activates his magic, grabbing Maud’s collar, pulling her closer to his desk. Maud grabs onto her collar as she digs her hooves into floor trying to stop herself. “I’ve been needing a slave for a while. Maybe not being able to see her sisters during meals and work will add to her punishment.” He smirks at her. Scarlet nods. “Should I let the guards know?” “Naw, I’ll let them know of her new title." He looks at Scarlet. "You may leave." Maud looks back in horror as her sister is lead down the steps. Pinkie panics and extends her arms out. “MAUD…!” Wright covers her mouth and holds her tight. Scarlet activates her horn and holds her hooves in the air. “Don’t worry little filly, we’re taking you to someplace that’s’ fun!” She giggles to herself. “Now then…” Maud turns her attention back to the foreman. “Let’s me show you, your new living quarters,” Nightingale smirks. With a hum, Scarlet and her posse carry Pinkie pass the prisoner processing building towards the hill on the west side of the camp. Climbing the small incline, they near ten, four by four concrete cells sitting at the base of the mountain along the gravel path. Nearing one of the cells, they throw Pinkie to the ground. Shaking, Pinkie sits on her hands and knees and stares at the cell standing menacingly before her. The outside of the cell is dull, no windows adore its shell, only a solid iron door. Turing the large five spoke handle, Granger pulls the door open. “Say hello to your new home for the next six days!” Scarlet chuckles, picking Pinkie up by her gown and tossing her in. Pinkie tumbles along the concrete floor, landing on her back, her legs resting against the back wall. “Hope you’re afraid of the dark!” Granger shuts the door, locking it. Bathed in complete darkness and with the outside world cut off, the smells of the cell start attacking her senses. “Blah!” Pinkie jumps up from the ground and kneels down by the door, breathing what fresh air seeps in from the small crack at the bottom. Even with the outside air, the foul, pungent, decaying smells of past occupants and age overwhelms her. “BERALH!” She vomits onto the floor and the lower half of the door. Her body shakes as she pounds on the door. “LET ME OUT PLEASE!” She stands up, her fists hitting the door as hard as she can swing them. “PLEASE I’M SORRY!” She feels bile in the back of her throat. “ERR!” She vomits again. Crumbling to the floor, she curls up into the fetal position. “I want… t-to see m-my family…” “Well, here you are, your new home.” Nightingale hums holding the door. Maud looks at the interior of the room skeptically. The place is bland, the walls are painted white, a twin bed and a nightstand sits in the left corner of the room. An archway to her on the back wall leads to the restroom. A desk sits near the entrance of the room. A single ceiling fan rotates slowly. “If you prove your worth, I’ll award you with pencils and books to keep yourself occupied.” He places his hand on her butt, giving it a soft pat. Maud goes stiff. “Freshen up, and don’t redress in that prison-dress, one of my guards will bring you a lingerie piece that'll better suit you.” Maud glares at the foreman, swatting his hand off her rump. “Let my sister out! I should take the…” he grabs her neck, choking her. “I decide who’s punished and how!” Nightingale states calmly, pinning her against the door. “I’ve chosen your punishment and your fate, slave!” He throws her into her room. “I’m your master now, you’ll obey my every command without a fuss or your sisters will live out a miserable existence as long as they call this camp home!” He grabs the door. “Now freshen up! I have something in store for you!” He shuts the door. Alone, Maud feels a pain shoot through her stomach. Her body goes numb as she crawls to the door. Seeing no handle, only a flat bronze plate, she leans against it. “No!” She cries. “Let my sister out!” She pounds on the door. She slides against it falling to the floor, laying on the cold tile of her room. Tears rolling down her cheeks. Heading to the mess hall after a long day of grueling work, Octavia carries Marble in her arms while Limestone helps Ruby. 1245 walks beside them as she fidgets with her mane. 1188 keeps his hands behind his back, his eyes locked on the entrance. “Where are Pinkie and Maud?” Limestone asks. “Did they take them to solitary?” Marble begins to cry. Octavia runs her hand along her back. “I hope not…” “You three, come here, NOW!” A guard shouts behind them. The sisters look back staring at him in confusion. “NOW!” Shivering, they stand out of line and walk along the wire-mesh fence. Standing before him the guard looks them over with a harsh glare. “The foreman would like to see you?” The sisters look at each other with worry. Waving his hand, they follow the guard. Ruby looks on with fear, “Wait don’t…” 1245 grabs her right forearm, holding her back. Looking over her shoulder, Ruby sees her give her a stern glare. Stepping into the main office of the watchtower. The sisters see Maud standing behind the foreman. They stare at her white silk dress in confusion. “Welcome prisoners.” Nightingale smiles. “Stand here, please. Octavia, Limestone, and Marble stand in place, staring at the duo. “Now I know you’re wondering why your eldest sister is not wearing the same outfit as you are.” He puffs on his cigarette. “As well you’re probably wondering where your other sister is, the pink one? Pinkie is her name if I’m correct.” He draws in a deep breath, the end of the cigarette burning closer to its butt. “Your sister here,” he points at Maud. “Did a no, no, and attacked one of my guards, who happened to be punishing Pinkie.” He puts out his cigarette. Marble closes her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks. He pulls out another cigarette. “Now as punishment, Pinkie will be in solitary.” Octavia and Limestone glare at him. He raises his brow, not liking their reactions. “Her punishment,” He points at Maud. “is a simple one. She’s now my slave and can no longer interact with you ever again.” Three guards activate their horns, grabbing the sisters’ collars, they panic as they look at him with fear. “And every rule she breaks, the punishment will be passed on to you?” They send a powerful spell to the sisters’ collars. A wave of electricity passes through them, sending them into a seizure. Maud watches in horror. Seeing her clenching her fists, Nightingale grabs her by the waist and sits her on his lap. Maud’s body tenses as he places his hand on her groin. She grabs his arm, pushing it away, but he holds it firmly in place, making her uncomfortable. “Look at your sisters!” He grabs her chin with his magic, forcing her to watch. “Every time you disobey me, this will happen to them!” He hums in a dull tone. “Every time.” Maud watches as her sisters convulse on the ground. Tears flooding her vision.
Chapter 8A massive steam-train roars down the tracks along the southern foothills, it's eight cargo and two passenger-railcars rocking back n’ forth as it weaves in around the bends of the tracks. It’s engineers shoveling coal into its hellish maw, feeding the flames within. In the second to last cargo-railcar sits an averagely sized unicorn stallion, his combed back mane shining in the harsh yellow light above him. In his little cove, he mulls over his paperwork, checking his finances. “Ratchet?” A unicorn mare calls out as she sticks her head in his space. “Are we still going to buy some slaves when this train pulls into White Hill station?” He looks at the mare. “That’s the plan Willow.” He turns a page over in his booklet skimming the lines. “We have eight slots to fill.” He takes off his glasses. “If we want to make a profit we need to make a good choice on which slaves we choose.” Willow nods. “It would be great if we picked up a whole family.” She rummages through a box. “Big payday of bits right there!” She pulls out several foot-long bars of multigrain-hardtack. She sighs as she steps into the main compartment of the railcar. Walking up to four metal cages, she flips a switch turning on the lights. “Wake up! Supper time!” She yells at their six slaves. The slaves consisting of four earth ponies, a pegasus, and a human, stare at her with defeated gazes. With a smirk, she tosses each of them their own hardtack. Slowly the slaves pick up their meal and begin sucking on the hard bread, softening it up before consumption. She watches her slaves, studying their eating habits. “I can’t believe we picked up a human…” She looks at her business partner. “I’m surprised the humans haven’t declared war on us yet? I mean there is at least over fifty human slaves living under Unicorpian rule.” Ratchet grumbles from his cove. “Humans are all talk and no action.” He begins typing on his typewriter. “Humans will abandon their kind when the going gets tough.” He leans back in his chair giving her a smirk. “They know when they’re beaten, we unicorns are superior after all.” Willow nods. “I guess you’re right…?” “Passengers of Wilmoth Train Number 3. We’ll be arriving at White Hills station tomorrow morning at six am.” The conductor announces over the intercom. Looking at the intercom, Willow and Ratchet sigh happily. -6:12 am White Hills P.O.W Camp- Standing on the deck of the White Hills train station, Nightingale looks to his right, eyeing the speck of black coal smoke rising over the horizon. Maud who stands beside him on his left, keeps her head down, her eyes gazing at a rusty nail by her hooves, poking out of one of the wooden planks of the train station’s deck. Her tail tickling the floor as she thinks to herself of whatever comes to her mind. “Is the train here yet?’ Moonlight asks, standing behind them. “Almost Moonlight.” Nightingale pulls out a pocket watch, eyeing the time. He turns his attention back to the tracks, watching the train. Moonlight eyes one of the train’s engineers poking his head out of the engine’s window. “It’s about damn time! Four days of waiting was driving me mad!” He rubs the back of his neck as he looks at his airship. “I can finally get my ship back in the skies!” He crosses his arms watching the train pull up to the station. Nightingale smirks at the train as it rolls up to them. “Well my slave,” He places a hand on Maud’s left shoulder. His touch causes her to shiver in fear, cowering under his embrace. “You get to see the might of Unicorpian ingenuity!” He whispers in her right ear; his warm breath runs down her neck causing her chest to tighten up. With her focus not all there, she tries to study the train’s engine and its glossy black and white steel construction. The red and lavender stripes of the royal family’s shield standing out. She looks back at her Master, trying to hide her discomfort. “It's impressive Master…” Nightingale notices her frightened demeanor. He sighs as he rubs the sides of her neck with his thumb and index finger. “Drop this pathetic behavior and cheer up.” He whispers in her ear. Tears roll down Maud’s cheeks. “How can I when you hurt me last night!” She hisses back. Nightingale gives her a flat lipped stare. “As your Master, I can’t hurt you, I never can…” He lays his cheek against hers. “Besides, I remember you were enjoying it, quite a lot actually!” Maud holds back the urge to cry. ‘I wasn’t…’ She tells herself. Coming to a stop the train hisses, releasing its steam. The breaks squeal out over the station and camp. With its engine rumbling a dull monotone song, the conductor steps off the train and walks up to Nightingale. “Do I have your permission to unload my cargo?!” Nightingale gives the old stallion a smile. “You're free to unload!” He pulls Maud into an embrace, her head resting against his chest. Her cheeks blush with embarrassment and shame. Returning the foreman’s gesture the conductor unlatches a microphone from the side of one of the passenger-railcars. “Unload! Unload!” Stepping out of their cargo-railcar, Ratchet, and Willow worm their way through the crowds of guards and train staff. Seeing the foreman standing ten feet away, Ratchet raises his left hand in the air. “Nightingale!” He shouts. Nightingale looks over at the stallion, his mind full of surprise. “Ratchet, what brings you here?” Ratchet comes up to him and shakes his hand. “This train is heading to Canterlot, I plan on selling some slaves there.” He allows Willow to shake Nightingale’s hand. “And since the train made a stop here I thought about picking up a few more slaves while I’m here.” Nightingale frowns, “Again… And this soon?” Maud looks at the three of them, a tinge of fear washing over her heart. “Hey what can I say the market is hot right now.” Ratchet chuckles. “And before you say anything, I see that scout airship over there…” He points at the ship docked near the corner fence of the camp. “I want to take a look at your new prisoners.” Nightingale sighs. “How many do you plan on buying?” “I need eight, but to be generous, I’ll say about four or five?” He gives him a friendly smile. Nightingale frowns. “I… Sure I’ll let you take a look…” His eyes are drawn to Ratchet holding a large sack of silver and gold bits. “Let’s go to my office shall we.” Maud sits on a couch near the radiator, watching her master and the slave traders looking through the records of the newer prisoners of the camp. Her fingers squeeze the book in her hands. She fears that they’ll pick her sisters. She doesn’t want them to. She cannot bear to know of their fate while her parents are in the dark. “So, you found any you want?” Nightingale asks. “Hold on… We need to make sure they’ll be worth the bits.” Ratchet replies flipping through the pages of one file. Shaking his head, he picks up another record and opens it. ‘Oh…’ He mumbles to himself. He sees that this folder contains a whole family. Two parents and five children. A smile comes to his lips as he shows the file to his partner. Willow smiles as she reads their names and ages. Igneous Rock Pie, Age: 39… Cloudy Quartz Pie, Age: 30… Maud Pie, Age: 16… Octavia Pie, Age: 13… Limestone Pie, Age: 11… Pinkie Pie, Age: 9… Marble Pie, Age: 9… Willow nudges Ratchet’s shoulder, nodding her head with a large smirk. Ratchet smiles taking the file and showing it to the foreman. “We would like to purchase these prisoners.” Nightingale sees the papers in the file, his eyes go wide. “You want to purchase a whole family?!” He takes the folder and looks at it with a frown. Maud feels a chill go down her spine. ‘What family?’ Ratchet smiles. “Yeah, they’re all healthy, the children are young, easy money right there! And the parents sold in the right market will make a killing.” He chuckles. “Hell, the children in the right market will pay the bills for several months!” Nightingale sighs as he leans back in his chair. “Well, I’m going to have to put the brakes on for you pal.” Ratchet and Willow look at him perplexed. “Why?” They ask in unison. Even Maud herself is wondering in a panic as to who they’re talking about. Nightingale takes a sip of his coffee. “I can only allow you to purchase the children, and only the younger ones.” He looks at the papers.“The parents are off limits, they’re needed for the copper mine and office work… Hell, the whole family is needed for this camp…” Ratchet frowns. “We’re not leaving until we at least have all five children then!” He leans on the foreman’s desk. Nightingale glares at the slave merchants. “If you want them so bad, I’ll let you purchase them, but only the youngest of the family.” Ratchet and Willow frown. “How come we can’t take the oldest daughter, along with the others?” Willow asks with a huff. Nightingale grumbles. “Because she’s right over there…” He points a finger at her. “She’s my slave!” Maud feels sick, her skin goes pale, sweat soaks her fur, clamming her up. They are talking about her family… They want to buy her sisters… “NO!” Maud chokes… “Master you can’t let them!” Tears roll down her cheeks. Nightingale frowns. “Sit down slave!” Maud stays standing, trying to convince him. Not liking the disobedience she’s displaying, he lights up his horn and sends a small voltage of electricity to her collar, causing her to fall to the floor in pain. “Keep your mouth shut unless told otherwise!” Ratchet and Willow look on with dull expressions. “So?” They look at the foreman. “Are you okay with that deal?” Nightingale asks. Ratchet sighs. “We want one more…” He quickly skims through several more files and finds another viable product. “Can we add her to the deal?” Nightingale reads the file and sees its one of his pregnant prisoners. “You know she’s pregnant?” “We know, count her as a two for one.” Willow grumbles. “So, do we have a deal?” Sitting up on the floor, racked with pain, Maud stares at the trio, tears falling from her eyes as she witnesses the sale that will rob her of her family. “No…” She whispers to herself, small sobs leaving her lips. Nightingale looks over at his slave. He knows if he sells her sisters, he will lose them as his leverage against her. He thinks, taking a deep breath. There is still her parents and her ex-fiancé… He gives a longs sigh. “It’s a deal,” He shakes Ratchet’s hand. “Let me just alert my guards so they can grab them and take them to your railcar...” Cloudy Quartz looks down at her daughters from her perch from the office balcony, watching them load up a crate. She studies their demeanor, frustrated that she is kept so far from them. Turning her attention back to her work, she staples the pages in her hand and places them in a folder and writes down the contents on the folder’s lip. Her Unicorpian is readable, it helps that the guards gave her and Cheerilee a cheat sheet of sorts. Taking a deep breath, she opens up the next file and looks through the pages. Cheerilee works beside her, typing away on her typewriter, writing her document in Earthen, soon to be translated by a veteran prisoner, fluent in Unicorpian. The metal typebars smacking loudly, joining seven others within the small balcony office. Hearing the overhead metal doors to the warehouse opening up, both Cheerilee and Cloudy Quartz look up from their work and eye four guards making their way into the building. They watch as they walk up to the conveyor belt Limestone and Octavia are working at. A tinge of fear comes to their hearts as the guards near them. Nearing the sisters, the guards split into groups of two, each grabbing the sisters by their arms. Both Limestone and Octavia panic as they’re forcibly dragged out of the warehouse. Cloudy Quartz and Cheerilee get up from their seats and walk up to the balcony’s rail, staring in horror as the guards drag the sisters away. “Prisoners sit down!” A guard yells from behind the mares. Cloudy Quartz looks back with crazed eyes. “Where are they taking my daughters!?” She hisses glaring at the guards. The other prisoners stare at her, confusion coming over them, stunned at her outburst. One of the guards steps up, putting a hand on his holster. “I said sit down!” Cloudy Quartz keeps her hands on the railing. Cheerilee puts her hands on the mare’s shoulders, coaxing her to their seats. “Come Cloudy, let’s sit back down…” “Where are they taking my fillies?!” Cloudy Quartz shouts, her voice bouncing off the walls of the warehouse, alerting her children to her woes. “MA!” Her children shout back, their voices fading away as they leave the building. The guard frowns, walking up to the distraught mother. “SIT DOWN!” He points to her chair. Cloudy Quartz stays put. Activating his horn, he uses his magic and forces her to sit in her chair before slamming her head on the desk. Cloudy Quartz grabs her head, hissing as she fights the pain coursing through her skull. The guard keeping his magic on her collar bends down. “Congratulations, four of your youngest children are leaving White Hills to be sold as slaves!” The news of her daughters’ fates causes her to break down, tears pour down her faces as she melts in her chair. Not liking the mare’s attitude, the guard hits Cloudy Quartz over the head. “GET TO WORK!” Marble minds her own business as she works on her bucket. Her hands are raw and sore from the hours spent sifting through the mud and the rocks of the sluice. Standing next to her, Ruby shakes her bucket, evening out the copper. 1245 grumbles as she works on her bucket, her fellow prisoners 3390 and 2266 finish their buckets and leave the sluice, heading to the back of the warehouse. The door to the warehouse opens, allowing two guards to come in. Scarlet who stands by the door eyes the guards in confusion. “What’s going on?” One of the guards looks at her. “Where is prisoner 5179?” Scarlet points at runoff-sluice one. “She’s over there… What did she do?” “She’s got a promotion.” He jokes. “She’s going to be a slave.” He and his comrade walk over to Marble. Standing behind her they grab her by the arms and start dragging her out of the warehouse. Ruby and 1245 stare in confusion. “Where are you taking her?!” Ruby cries. Scarlet steps up to the distraught filly, holding her by her collar. “Stay still!” Ruby watches with tear-filled eyes as they leave the warehouse. Marble scraping her hooves against the concrete floor trying to stop the guards, to no avail. Pinkie sleeps on the floor of her solitary cell, her body curled up, her tail acting as a blanket. Her long magenta mane drapes over half her head, covering her right eye. Soft snores leave her lips. The locks of her metal door unlatch themselves, the hinges creak as the door swings open. A cold breeze washes into the room. Pinkie shivers from the chilly winds. She awakens, her eyes heavy, dark rings hugging them. The bright light of the early morning sun blinds her. Groaning she buries her head as she sits on her knees, her tail covering her naked form. The guard's huff at her appearance. “Take her to the showers for a quick clean up!” One of them comments. Two of his fellow guards nod a response and steps into the small cell, dragging her out by her hooves. Pinkie jerks, her mind becoming aware of her surroundings. Scared she looks over her shoulder and sees the guards. “AH!” She screams in a panic, trying to crawl back into the cell. With a growl, the third guard uses his magic and holds her in the air by her collar, choking her. “Silence! You should be glad, you’re going to see your sisters again!” Pinkie stares wide-eyed at the stallion. “Damn… Four days of solitary fucked you up…” Golden Stone, Octavia, Limestone, and Marble stand in front of a cargo-railcar at the train station. It's their first time at the train station. They stare at the twenty-foot-long station building, the giant clock tower stands erect over the station itself. The train docked at the station, ultimately draws their full attention, it’s mighty construction, andsharp curves and polished metal shell bring a sense of awe to the sisters and the mare. “So, are they ready to be loaded up?” Nightingale comments walking out of the station’ office. The sisters turn their attention to him, but their sister draws their gaze. They see her bloodshot eyes and defeated demeanor. Maud makes eye contact with her sisters and tries to run up to them, but the leash connected to her collar stops her in her tracks. “Stand still slave!” Nightingale growls, pulling on the leash. Maud looks at the stallion, returning his growl with one of her own. “No, not yet…” Ratchet looks at master and slave with a raised brow. “The other twin is getting bathed.” He sighs stepping up to the foreman. “You didn’t tell me she was in solitary!” “I thought it wasn’t important,” Nightingale replies. “It is… How fucked up will she be?” Ratchet puts his hands on his hips. “I make sure my men don’t torture prisoners in solitary, we leave the prisoners to their own thoughts.” He walks up to the stallion. “Why don’t you start loading up these four, she should be done in a few minutes…” He sees his guards guiding Pinkie over to her sisters. “Oh, look at that, right on time.” Pinkie sees her sisters standing by the cargo-railcar, looking back at her with expressions of relief and fear. Turning her gaze to Maud, she sees her frightened eyes; her leash is taut as she reaches out a hand. Pinkie tries to run up to her, but the guard tights his grip on her collar. Ratchet sighs, “Finally… He waves over to several train staff. Nodding, they walk up to the sisters and mare and take them one by one to his cargo-railcar. “No…” Maud cries as she watches her sisters disappear into the black void of the cargo-railcar. Her legs weaken, forcing her to her knees. Nightingale looks down at her with a frown. “So… You think they’ll sell in Canterlot?” He asks Ratchet. “Oh, I know they will.” Ratchet smiles. “Twins usually sell well, but I can see that they’re not identical… We can make it work though.” He offers him a hand. “It's always nice doing business with you.” Nightingale takes the gesture, shaking his hand. “Same… Good luck.” Ratchet chuckles. “Good luck with that one.” He points at Maud as he walks up to his cargo-railcar. Nightingale looks down at his sobbing slave and gives a growl. “Come, let's take you to your room.” Octavia, Limestone, Pinkie, and Marble sit in the last cage within the cargo-railcar along with Golden Stone. They huddle up close to one another, leaning against the mare, finding comfort in each other’s embrace. Their new environment scares them, the heavy metal bars of their cage are thick and embossing. The dark atmosphere feels haunting even with the dull yellow light above them illuminating the space. Golden Stone does her best to comfort the fillies, her own emotions try to fight their way out and break her mask, but she keeps calm. In the cages next to them, a human and pegasus sit, resting against the wall. The sisters stare at the human, studying him with curious worry. They have heard of humans and their nation, but with their hometown of Ashmore being so remote, they have never seen a human up close. He looks strange to them, his small nose, his hairless body, the small patch of hair on the top of his head, his little eyes. Marble cowers, burying her face in Limestone’s lap. Pinkie whines, her stomach growling. Octavia looks down at her sister, and rubs her belly, trying to dull her sister’s pain. Hearing the filly’s hunger, the human looks at the sisters with a small smile. “Here…” He speaks to Octavia in fluent Earthen as he hands them half of his hardtack. Octavia stares at the bread with hesitation. “It’s hardtack, it not a lot but it willhold her over until supper.” He notices her hesitation. Slowly Octavia takes the bread, “Thank you…” She taps Pinkie on her shoulders alerting her to her meal. Pinkie looks at the hardtack, her eyes going wide. Quickly Pinkie takes the food and tries to bite it. She cries, pulling the bread away staring at the bite marks scaring its skin. “You have to suck on it, you need to wet it before you can chew it.” The human replies as he closes his eyes, resting his head against the wall. Pinkie mumbles a cry; her stomach demands her to swallow the bread now. With a hoarse sob, she places half of it in her mouth and begins sucking on it. Willow notices the filly eating the other slave’s meal, but decides to let it go. “How long does it take to get to Canterlot again?” “Two days… We’ll have time to prepare them for the spring festival.” Ratchet replies not looking up from his work. Willow sighs as she walks to the back of the cove. “Well, wake me up in several hours will yah.” She lays down on the cot, laying her arm over her eyes, her tail dangling off the side. “What is wrong with you?!” Nightingale demands, shoving Maud into her room. Maud turns around a cruel scowl on her face. “You know why!” She sobs. Nightingale frowns. “Watch your tone slave!” He steps up to her, intimidating her. Maud growls, throwing a punch. Nightingale catches her offending arm. “You are a brat aren’t you?” He slaps her across the face. She falls to the floor, her eyes staring madly at her master. Nightingale looks down at her pathetic appearance. “I need to work on some paperwork, I’ll come back and deal with you later.” He steps out of her cell and shuts the door. Maud feels sick, “I hate you!” She yells as she crawls up to the door, pounding on it. “I HATE YOU!” She sobs loudly. “I HATE YOU!” Getting her meal, Cloudy Quartz worms her way to the wire-mesh wall facing the stallions section of the mess-hall. Arriving at the wall, she nears the corner as not be seen. Looking through the wire-mesh, she searches for her husband. Seeing him sitting by Obsidian two tables away near the windows, she waves her hand trying to get his attention. Noticing movement out of the corner of his eyes, Igneous looks at the source and sees his wife. Pain comes to his heart. Obsidian studies the stallion’s hurt and looks around eyeing the guards. They’re looking elsewhere. Nodding at his father-in-law, Igneous returns the gesture and stands up, walking over to his wife. “Honey?!” He breathes a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank the Lord!” He sticks two of his right-hand fingers through one of the holes in the wire mesh. His wife lets some tears fall from her eyes as she rubs his fingers. “Dear, I have something awful to tell you…” Igneous looks over his wife. “What’s wrong?” He grabs one of her fingers. “Don’t tell me we are both burdened with bad news.” Cloudy Quartz feels herself get lightheaded. “What?” Igneous takes a deep breath. “You tell me first… I don’t want to put too much hurt upon you.” Cloudy Quartz swallows a lump forming in her throat. “They took away our youngest daughters… they sold them as slaves!” She lets out a silent sob. Igneous feels his mind leave him as he holds onto the wall, his fingers poking through the mesh’s holes. The wall vibrates as he leans his whole-body weight against it. “Oh God…” He fights back his emotions bubbling to the surface. “All of our daughters are gone… Slaves…” “What?! Maud too?” Cloudy Quartz feels herself go numb. She falls to the floor, her mind lost in a nightmare.
Chapter 9Sitting on Octavia’s lap and laying her head on her chest, Pinkie looks around the hull of the cargo-railcar. Her eyes scan the random tools, boxes, and knick-knacks that surrounds her. Finding the items filling up the room to be lacking, she turns her attention to the other slaves to her right. Her eyes are drawn to the pegasus mare within the middle cage. The mare rests her head on the human male’s shoulder, sleeping the early-afternoon away. The mare’s wings fascinates Pinkie, their feathers look so soft, like a pillow, or a cloud, or cotton candy. Seeing one of the earth ponies in the last cage staring at her, Pinkie gives him a shy wave. The stallion smirks, waving back. Blushing, Pinkie nervously giggles and buries her head in her sister’s inner elbow. Octavia awakens from her nap, opening an eye she watches her sister’s antics. “Damn!” Dropping her act, Pinkie looks up and turns her attention to the cargo-railcar’s entrance and sees Ratchet and Willow stepping into the cove. “That was a good brunch, best bowl of berries I ever had!” Willow states, closing the gangway connection of the cargo-railcar. “Yeah, they were… but I’m glad we’ll be eating dinner in Canterlot tonight.” Ratchet states sitting at his desk. Curious about their conversation, Pinkie slowly crawls to the bars of her cage and tries peaking into the cove. She frowns, she can only see Willow’s backside. Octavia panics and crawls up to her sister. “Pinkie get back from the bars.” Their sisters awake from her tone of voice. Pinkie whines as she grabs the bars, refusing to listen to her sister, her mind too focus on her slave masters. “Can we please eat at some other restaurant this time?” Willow asks placing her hands on her hips. “But I love that restaurant!” Ratchet groans. “I know, but I’m getting tired of it… Oh looks like someone’s hungry?” Willow notices Pinkie staring at her intently. Stepping out of the cove, Willow walks up to the filly’s cage. Nervous, Pinkie backs away from the bars and dives back into Octavia’s arms. Octavia brings her into a protective embrace, glaring at the mare. Willow frowns at their defensive demeanor. “Damn, what did they do to you at that camp?” She turns her attention to the cove. “I hope they didn’t scar them too bad?” “If so… We’ll work on them…” Ratchet pokes his head out from the cove. “It’s easy to gain their trust! They're earth ponies! They have a strong desire to please and serve a master.” He laughs. “They believe that there is an all mighty stallion in the fucking sky!” Willow rolls her eyes at his dramatic statement. Looking back at her slaves, she gives them a warm smile. “So, are you hungry?” The sisters and Golden Stone look up at the mare. A thought fights for dominance in Pinkie’s mind. “Can we have some berries?” She crawls up to the bars, standing up. “You… You were having some!” She huffs. Willow tilts her head as she lets out a giggle. “You’re a funny one.” She walks to the cove, and after a few short seconds later she comes back tossing each slave their own multigrain hardtack. “When we get to Canterlot later tonight you’ll get something else besides this.” She steps away from the cages and walks into the cove, shutting its door. Pinkie picks up the hardtack from the floor and gives it a frown. “Pinkie come here!” Golden Stone points a finger at a spot in-between Limestone and Marble. With a huff, Pinkie crawls over to her sisters and silently eats her meal. “You have a lot to learn filly.” Pinkie, her sisters, and Golden Stone turn their attention to one of the earth pony stallions. “What do you mean by that?” Limestone asks, defending her sister. The stallion looks up from his lap, breaking the hardtack in half. “You think you can bargain with, reason with slave masters? Think again!” He chews on his meal as he glares at the children. “You’re going to have to learn to keep your mouth shut and listen!” He lifts up his tattered shirt showing his scars. “Or you’ll get whipped!” The pegasus mare growls at the stallion. “Tace, et erant filii pavidas inguine.” The stallion grits his teeth. “Earthen you winged freak!” “She said shut it!” The human replies glaring at the stallion. The earth pony cowers a bit, but he soon regains his composure. “You can’t coddle those children! They need to know the truth!” “I’m sure they know the truth!” The human retorts. “Look at where they are! I think they get it!” Pinkie and her sisters stare at the man and stallion with concern, their hearts heavy with fear. Golden Stone places a hand over her protruding belly, her eyes trembling as she stares at her growing foal. “How many months?” The human asks looking at the young mare. Golden Stone looks at the man and runs a hand through her mane. “Six months.” The human hums a thought. “Is the father still in the camp where you were at?” He tilts his head. She blushes. “No… My foal was conceived out of wedlock…” She frowns, remembering the event. “Let’s just say I didn’t live a Godly life back in my hometown.” She brings her knees as close as she could to her chest. “I was a wild filly.” The stallions frown at the mare, but the human gives her a smirk. “We’re all wild, little one, we’re animals after all.” He lays his head against the wall. Golden Stone looks away rubbing the base of her right ear. “We’re more than just animals… The Lord tells us so…” The sisters stare at the man, mulling over his words. But one by one they soon forget about their thoughts on the matter and return to eating their bread. Hearing the train’s breaks screaming out, Pinkie and her sisters, along with the other slaves awaken, turning their attention to the cove. Its door swings open, revealing Ratchet standing out of the inlet, a broad smile on his face. Walking to the center of the railcar, he unlatches the large sliding wooden-door of the railcar and opens it. With the door wide open, the sisters stare through the doorway and eye in awe the train station and the skyline of the capital city of the Unicorpian empire, Canterlot. The train station is two stories tall. Its tall windows allow them to peer in, showing them the brightly lit interior, illuminating the stores, booths, and small crowds of unicorns and salves mulling about within. Looking past the train station, the sisters look at the castle off in the distance. They study its massive, imposing structure towering over the mountain city as it wraps around the mountain’s side. “Alrighty then…” The sisters break their gaze from the castle and look at their slave master. “let’s get you bathed and fed, shall we?” The putter-wagon rocks back n’ forth as it comes to a stop. Pinkie and her sisters, as well as the other slaves, brace themselves. Hearing the driver and passenger doors open and close with a metallic thud, the slaves listen to the hoof-steps walking up to the back of the vehicle, huddling close to one another the sisters shiver afraid of the unknowns. The tailgate and flaps of the canvas camper open, allowing the light of the street lamps to flood into the dark bed of the wagon. The slaves cover their eyes, blinking, trying to get used to the light of the oil lamps. “Come on let’s get going!” Ratchet calls out. Several of his employees help guide the slaves off the putter-wagon and into the warehouse before them. Pinkie and her sisters eye the massive warehouse, vibes of the camp flood back into their thoughts. Stepping into the structure, they are lead to the back of the building to the right to a long room that’s twenty-five feet long and ten feet wide. Entering the space, Ratchet and his employees walk the slaves over to a large holding cell. Guiding them into the room, he shuts the door locking them in. “In a few minutes, you’ll be taken to the showers and given a makeover.” He taps a bar of the cell. “Once you’re all cleaned, you shall eat a lovely meal and then head to bed.” He walks away from the cell and out of the room back into the central space of the warehouse. Pinkie and her sisters slowly step to the back corner of the cell and huddle close to one another. Fear consumes them. Golden Stone looks at the fillies and kneels in front of them, giving them the best loving smile she can muster. "Are you fillies all right?” She asks. Pinkie and Marble look at the mare, tears forming around their eyes. They begin to sob, their emotions getting the best of them. Octavia and Limestone try to keep it together, but their feelings get the better of them as well. Golden Stone stares at the sisters, her mind going numb as their choirs of tears flood her ears. She panics, unsure of what to do. Seeing the young mare struggling with the fillies, the pegasus mare walks over to them and kneels down beside the mare. “Pultrellis paulo tranquillitas, tranquillitas.” She speaks softly, stroking their heads. Octavia’s sobs become harsher as she pulls Pinkie into a tight embrace. With a sigh, the pegasus looks at Golden Stone and snaps her fingers at her, pointing at Limestone and Marble. “Auxilium!” Golden Stone stares at her in confusion. “She said to comfort them.” The human states looking at the mares and the fillies. Golden Stone gives the man a small nod before scooting over to Limestone and Marble. Laying their heads against her chest, she runs her fingers through their manes, scratching them behind the ears. The pegasus gives the young mare a small smile as she brings Octavia and Pinkie into a warm embrace. “Sicut est amare liberos.” Not understanding her, Golden Stone just gives her a smile. The human and the earth pony stallions watch them with a vested interest, a sense of normalcy washing over them in this short moment. Hearing the children’s sobs dying down Golden Stone looks at the pegasus mare. “What’s your name?” The mare looks at her and gives a smile. “Stillae.” She smirks. “It means Rain Drops.” The human translates for her. She smiles at the mare. “My name is Golden Stone.” She looks down at the fillies. “This is Limestone and Marble, and that’s Pinkie and Octavia.” She points to each filly. Rain Drops looks at the children and smiles. “Aureum Stone,” She points Golden Stone. “Saxi Calcis, Marmor, Pinkie, Octaviam.” She points at the sisters. Golden Stone nods. The sisters, still recovering from their fit, look at Rain Drops with curious stares and hopeful smiles. Seeing their gazes, the pegasus smiles with a hum. Resting her head against the wall, she sings the children a pegasan lullaby. The earth pony stallions turn their attention from the mares to the human with raised brows. “How do you know pegasan?” One of them asks. “And why are you affectionate with her?” Another asks, pointing at the pegasus. The human looks at the stallions. “I was a slave living in the Withington empire before the great war started.” He looks at Lilly Drops, giving her a smile. “I was her father’s slave…” He looks down in thought. “Well to make a long story short, we fell in love, and made our escape from the island nation…” “Then how are you in Unicorpian custody?” The youngest of the stallions ask. “We left the Withington Empire just as the great war started.” He sighs. “When we arrived in Unicorpia, slavery wasn’t legal yet, but life wasn’t easy for us.” He smiles as he stares at his bare feet. “Lived as nomads for a while, but eventually slavery was made legal in Unicorpia, and we were soon captured.” One of the stallions’ frowns at the man. “Then how did you stay together?” The human returns the frown. “We weren’t… For the longest time we were owned by different masters and mistresses, but by sheer luck, the last master we had, happened to buy both of us on separate occasions.” He sighs crossing his arms. The questioning stallions bow their heads, before wandering off to the left corner of the cell. “Good news!” Ratchet shouts with glee. The slaves turn their attention to the stallion. “The showers are ready!” Pinkie and Marble stand before the entrance of one of the shower stalls, naked and cold as they look up at the showerhead, studying its construction. “Well, are you going to step in like your sisters?” Winsor one of Ratchet’s employees asks with a dull huff. Pinkie and Marble glance up at the stallion, before turning their ears to the sound of the other shower stalls running at full blast, steam rising out like smoke from a smokestack. Looking back at the stallion they blush and step inside, their tails covering their waist. “You have ten minutes to bathe yourselves, so make it quick!” Winsor states in a monotone voice as he shuts the curtain. Shivering from the cold, Pinkie unwraps the bar of tar-soap given to them, while Marble walks up to the wall where the showerhead hangs over them. Seeing no knobs, she looks back at her sister in confusion. Low groans ring out as cold water blast out of the showerhead, drenching the twins. “EEP!” Shocked by the sudden drop in temperature, they huddle close to the corner away from the water. Thirty-seconds pass and the cold water turns warm. Feeling the warm steam, they get under the stream and enjoy its calming aura as they bathe. But the ten minutes, which feels like hours to the sisters, comes and goes. And just like most good things, their small bit of comfort ends. “Come get your towels and gowns!” Pinkie and Marble sit in a small room that’s only six feet by six feet. Within the room are a large makeup desk, a trash bin, and a couch. Swing their legs, they stare into the large mirror of the makeup desk and study their appearance. Their eyes are heavy with bags under them, their damp manes cling to the sides of their faces. Their fur looks less bright than it usually does. Hearing the door open, the sisters turn around and see Willow stepping into the room with a smile on her face. “So, who’s ready for a makeover?” The twins stare at her, unsure of how to respond to her happy demeanor. Willow frowns at their behavior, she’s not mad, just disappointed. ‘These two are the shy type, aren’t they? Or maybe they’re shy because of their situation… I know how to fix that…’ Pulling up a chair, she sits it in front of them then and begins rummaging through the makeup desk. “I need to fix your manes, they need a good trimming and styling.” She sits back in the chair with a comb in her left hand and a pair of scissors in her other. “They are quite long.” She pulls Marble’s chair closer to her, spinning her around, facing her towards the wall. “Is it common for earth pony fillies to grow out their manes?” She asks trying to make small talk with her slaves. Marble looks down, putting her hands on her lap. “Um… yes…” Her cheeks blush. Seeing her sister's uncomfortable mood, Pinkie finishes for her. “Yes, Ma said it shows a filly or young mare her fertility.” Willow raises a brow. ‘Wow… They really do teach them to be mothers at a young age…’ She gives a smile. “Well, in Unicorpian society, long manes show uncleanliness and savageness.” She runs the comb through Marble’s mane combing out the knots. Pinkie watches the mare cut a strand of Marble’s mane, her eyes follow it as it falls to the floor with a poof. The snipping of the scissors sends calming chills down her spine. “Why?” Willow keeps her eyes on her work. “Well, because when we were evolving, our ancestors had long manes to show status, but now we are evolved and civilized there are other means to display one's status…” She snips another strand of Marble’s mane. “Studies have shown that long hair is unhealthy.” Pinkie keeps her eyes on the mare’s work. “What’s evolution?” “It’s a long and complicated subject, but in short its the process in which a species evolves, moving up the food chain, developing into a more complex and intelligent lifeform.” Willow quickly glances at the filly studying her wide, curious eyes. “That’s sounds weird… Why do you think that?” Pinkie asks, raising a brow. Willow gently pulls on some of Marble’s mane. Marble’s head tilts back some. “Because scientists have confirmed evolution is how this world, the animals and we intelligent species came to be.” Marble keeps silent as she listens intently to their conversation. “But I thought the Lord created all things?” Pinkie groans, tilting her head some more. Willow gives a long sigh. ‘I was wrong… Her sister is the shy one, she’s the talkative one…’ Finishing the bulk of her work she looks at Pinkie. “Well, you were taught wrong little filly.” She turns Marble around to face her. “Now to shape it.” Pinkie stares at her sister’s mane and sees that its previous hip-length is now at chin-length. Marble can’t see her mane on account of her mistress is in the way of the mirror, but she can feel it. The loss of hair weight startles her. It feels foreign to her. She squirms as she feels the teeth of the comb run along her scalp. Getting the shape of her mane just right, Willow smiles and faces Pinkie. “Alright, your turn.” Pinkie and Marble sit in a cell that is ten-feet by ten-feet in width and length. The both of them are studying their manes, eyeing the short strands of hair that make up their manes, even their long tails are cut short, the ends no longer dragging along the ground, but tickling their inner-knees. “We look weird?” Marble whines, playing with her mane. Pinkie sighs to herself. “Yeah… we look like colts.” She huffs as she looks over her shoulder at their cell door. Unlike the metal door back in the camp, this one is a very simple welded door with a flat panel where a handle would be and a small one-by-one-foot window in the center near the top. “I wish we can sleep with Octavia and Limestone.” Marble cries huddling close to her twin. Pinkie wraps her arms around her sister and lays her cheek on top of her head. She sighs and lets her own tears fall down her face. “I want to see Ma and Pa! I miss Maud’s hugs! I want to-to go back to school! I miss playing with our friends!” Marble lets lose her emotions. Her normally quiet and reserved demeanor breaking. Pinkie joins her sister, her own resolve broken from all that she’s seen and endured. “I WANT TO SEE MY SISTERS!” Limestone stands by the metal door of their cell pounding at it. “NOW!” She cries out a yell, her eyes mad. Octavia looks at her younger sister with a sigh. “They can’t hear you.” She pats a spot on the bed beside her. “We need to rest.” “I don’t need to rest!” Limestone fights a sob. “I’m older than you, now listen to me!” “ONLY BY TWO YEARS!” Limestone whips her head around, facing her eldest, showing her the hurt in her eyes. Realizing what she did, Limestone, start to panic. “Sis… I’m… I’m….” She slides against the door onto the floor and begins to weep. Octavia fights her urges to let her emotions go as she walks up to Limestone. Sitting beside her, she pulls her distraught sister in a loving embrace. “I miss Ma and… and… Pa… I miss Maud! ERR…” Limestone crises into her sister’s chest. Octavia kisses the top of her head as she rubs the back of her neck. “It’s okay Limestone… We have to be strong… We have to be…” Ratchet and Willow sit around an inset table in a restaurant near the docks about ten miles from their warehouse. Candlelight and a dim lightbulb set the mood. In front of them is a rather large plate containing a cabbage and crab roast with a balsamic-sea salt glaze. “So which slaves should we sell at tomorrow’s Famer’s Market?” Willow asks, looking through the documentation of their slaves. “You never stop working, do you?” Ratchet asks with a sigh. “We have bills to pay sweetheart.” She hums as she pulls out four pages and shows them to him. “I think these four are ready to be sold.” Ratchet looks at the pages and sees the files for Octavia, Marble, Rain Drops and the human male. “Why are you splitting up the twins?” He points at the file about Marble. “I thought we agreed to sell them together?!” “We did…” She takes a bite out of the roast. “But they’re not identical.” She swallows. “You know non-identical twins don’t fetch all that much.” He rubs the back of his head. “I know… But they will bring in more than if they are separate.” She grunts. “We both know we were excited about the twins, but thinking more about them, they could be farthest from being twins, just look at their fur color, and mane and tail color!” She picks up the sisters’ files and puts them into two piles. “If you really want to sell the sisters tomorrow, let's do it this way shall we.” Ratchet looks down at the papers and smiles.
Chapter 10Pinkie and her sisters huddle close to one another as they stand by the side-mesh-window of the putter-wagon, looking out over the crowds of unicorns and slaves of all races mulling about the market square. “It’s so loud!” Marble and Pinkie whine as they place their hands over their ears. “You’ll get used to it little one.” The human replies sitting behind the sisters. Rain Drops lays her head against his left shoulder as she watches the sisters’ curious behavior. Turning their attention back to the market, they can see that it surrounds a giant marble statue of a unicorn mare dressed in a primitive fur coat. In the statue’s out stretched hand is a lantern and in her left hand are six arrows. She stands on a dome with carvings of different landmasses engraved in its surface. On the edge of the market’s roadside stand several four-story apartments and shops towering over it. Behind them is a sea of buildings of different shapes and heights, slowly ascending the sky as they go further towards the horizon of the castle’s beginning foundations. “What’s going to happen to us?!” Limestone asks out loud. “I think they’re selling us?” Octavia replies looking at a wooden platform a few feet from them. “Are they going to split us up?!” Limestone panics. “I don’t want you to leave me!” Pinkie cries. Marble shakes in fear as it consumes her. Seeing that the fillies are upset, Rain Drops gets up from her seat and sits beside them. “Filii Veni, veni.” She pats her lap. The sisters obey and lay around her, trying to find comfort in the mare’s embrace. The human looks at the scene with a smirk as memories of before the war grace his mind. The latch to the tailgate of the putter-wagon opens, and the double doors swing open revealing Ratchet and Winsor, Ratchet has a broad smile on his face. “How are my slaves doing? Ready to go to your new homes?” The sisters look at the stallion with eyes full of fear and anger. Rain Drops and the human stare down at the ground silently. Huffing at his slaves’ solemn mood, he pulls out several worn leather collars and metal chain leashes. “Cheer up, buyers don’t like gloomy slaves!” He and Winsor place the collars around their necks and latch the leashes to them. The sisters stare at the leashes and collars in disgust. “Come!” Winsor shouts. The sisters, Rain Drops and the human pile out of the back of the putter-wagon and slowly follow their slave masters to the stage overlooking the market. The sisters cower from the judging eyes of the crowds as they near their destination. Ascending the steps, they walk to the center of the platform. Facing them towards the masses, Winsor and another stallion lock their chains to the floor. Bolted to the floor and nowhere else to go, the sisters have no choice but to look at the market. From what they’d seen earlier of the market, it looked grand, but now, being in the thick of it, it seems more imposing. It didn’t help that the peak of the mountain and the royal castle built within, casts their shadows upon the market and city, letting its residents know who holds all the power. The sisters never seen such towering buildings, notably a castle of such majestic stature. Earthen being a republic, castles such as the one they gaze upon are and were a rare sighting, most that still stand within Earthen’s borders are long ago memories of a past best left forgotten. Moving their attention to the crowds, the sisters watch as the unicorns mull about their day. It is the first time they see this many unicorns in one place and not in military uniform. Since the war, trade with Unicorpia died, and even then, before the war, with Ashmore being so far inland and so remote, a unicorn sighting in its streets would have been a big deal. The slaves in the sea of unicorns ultimately draw their attention. The stern glares they give send chills down the sisters’ spines. Walking up to Willow who sits at a table in the back corner of the platform, Ratchet leans on the table. “So, are we ready to make the announcement?” He smiles. Willow smiles placing some paperwork in neat piles. “Yes, we are…” “Hey! When will our slaves be put on stage?!” A mare yells behind them. Ratchet looks over Willow’s shoulder, while Willow turns her head. They see a mare and four other slave merchants glaring at them. Behind them is their own putter-wagons full of slaves. “You’ll have plenty of time to sell your products.” He gives them a smirk. “You have the best seat in the house, trust me, you’ll get your money’s worth.” He leans in and whispers in Willow’s ear. “How much are we taking from their sell again?” “Ten percent.” She gives him a smirk. He sighs. “Next time let’s make it fifteen…” He turns towards the crowd and gives a clap. “Ladies and Gentlemen! I’m glad to say, Southern Canterlot Slave Trading Company is open for business!” Some ponies in the crowd stop and turn their gaze towards him. “For the spring festival, we are offering a discount on certain slaves, like these two!” He points at Pinkie and Marble. “Nine-year-old twins! For only eight-hundred bits!” Some of the crowd gathers around the platform and gaze at the sisters, Rain Drops and the human, the first batch of slaves Noticing that some are not really interested in the ones on stage, Ratchet walks up to the stage’s edge. “If you do not see the one that finds your fancy, we have another batch of slaves that will be coming on stage once these slaves are sold!” He gives the crowd a thumb up. “So, stick around. The sisters’ shiver, sweat rolls down their faces. They do not understand Ratchet’s words, but from the reaction of the crowd, they know something terrible is about to happen. Trying to find a sense of comfort they look at Rain Drops, reading her mood. She feels their gaze looking upon her. With a sigh, she looks at the sisters and gives them a soft smile as she points to the floor with her eyes. The sisters understand her command and turn their gaze to the floor, keeping silent. Hearing hoof steps walking up to the platform, the sisters turn their gaze and see a tall unicorn stallion in his mid-forties. His shoulders are broad, his snout is square, his golden-blue eyes stick out from his dark grey fur and indigo-black mane. Ratchet smiles, shaking the stallion’s hand. “Welcome?” “Diamond Star.” The stallion replies with a smile as he puts his left hand in his overcoat’s pocket. “Glad to meet you,” Ratchet points to his slaves. “So, are you interested in buying some slaves today?” “I am.” Diamond walks over to the sisters, ignoring the human and pegasus. “Are these the twins?” He points at Pinkie and Marble. “Yes, they are.” Ratchet replies. “What about these two?” He points at Octavia and Limestone. Those are the twins’ eldest sisters, they’re being sold separately.” Ratchet places his hands behind his back, giving a seller’s smile. Diamond studies the sisters’ appearances. He eyes the twins. If one would have only given a glance, they couldn’t tell they were twins at all. Pinkie’s bright pink fur and magenta mane stand out from Marble’s light grey fur and dark grey mane. Even their eyes are the polar opposite. Pinkie’s bright blue and Marble’s deep purple. His attention turns to Octavia and Limestone. Octavia looks more like Marble’s twin, they were precisely the same in every way. Besides their age difference, they look more related to one another than their other sisters. Limestone stands out from the rest of her sisters like Pinkie. Her fur is a dull lavender, and her mane is a white-grey. Her lime-green eyes speak out to him, full of determination, like her sister, Pinkie. He smiles at Pinkie and Limestone. He likes the contrast. ‘They surely won’t be a sore on the eyes day to day.’ He tells himself. “Are you sure they’re all related?” He looks at Ratchet. Ratchet mumbles. “Of course they are, we have the records if you want to take a look.” “I believe you…” He keeps his gaze on Pinkie. Diamond can see her cowering against Limestone, who is to her right. “Are you a hard worker little one?” He bends down, lowering himself to be at eye level with her. Pinkie feels a chill run down her spine. The smile he gives is one that causes strange emotions to surge throughout her body and mind. “Yes… sir…” Diamond gives a hum and looks at Limestone. “What about you?” “Sir…” Ratchet speaks up. “They’re not being sold together…!” Diamond holds up an index finger silencing the stallion. “Well, little one, are you a hard worker?” He asks again Limestone keeps her eyes on his. They dig into her soul, causing her chest to tighten up. “Yes…” She mumbles. Octavia and Marble watch their sisters’ converse with the stallion, their own emotions boiling to the surface. Diamond smiles at the two of them and stands up. “They seem well behaved.” He puts his hands into his overcoat's pockets. “How much for them?” Ratchet lets out a nervous giggle. “We’re only selling the twins together…” Diamond grunts a small sigh. “I really do not want to have two slaves of the same age.” He pulls out a thick stack of bank notes each worth one-hundred-bits. “I’m willing to pay two-thousand-bits for these two.” He points at Limestone and Pinkie. “I know the older one will keep her younger sibling in line.” He looks down at the sisters with a smirk. The sisters cannot understand their words, but from their body language, demeanor and what looks like money in Diamond’s hand, they know what is about to happen. The realization of what is about to occur, cold, numbing pain assaults their bodies. Ratchet and Willow stare at the wad of bank notes. A drop of sweat rolls down Ratchet’s brow. “Well… I don’t know?” Well how about I pay fifteen-hundred instead and give you a seventy-percent discount on travel expenses when you use my train line.” Diamond chuckles with a smirk. “And what train line would that be?” Willow asks with a smile. “The Star Line Express my dear.” Diamond hands her a business card. “Call me sometime later on today, and we can finalize our contract.” He looks at Ratchet. “Unless you don’t want to take the deal?” Ratchet lets out a giggle. “No! No, not at all! I accept!” He takes the stallion’s right hand and gives it a shake. “Do you need help with your new slaves?” “No,” Diamond remarks. “I hired a transport service, they’ll take care of it.” He points at the desk. “Shall we?” Ratchet nods and offers the stallion a seat. Seeing a successful sale, several other unicorns wait in line. The other slave merchants witnessing the crowd growing around the platform, prepare their slaves for sale. Before taking his seat, Diamond waves to his hired crew, gesturing that all is a go. Nodding a response, they quickly walk up to Pinkie and Limestone. The sisters look at the stallions with fear. Scared, they try to back away, but their chains halt their advance. With help from Winsor, they unlock them from the stage and walk them down the steps to an awaiting putter-slave-wagon. “OCTAVIA! MARBLE!” Pinkie cries as she reaches out, her legs kicking the air. Her cries singing out over the noisy market. “NO!” Limestone tries to fight back “LET ME GO!” The stallion carrying her uses his magic, sending a bolt of electricity to her collar, numbing her, making her go limp, making her a more comfortable carry. “WHERE ARE YOU TAKING THEM!” Octavia cries, looking at Ratchet and Willow with hate-filled eyes. Winsor pinches the back of her neck, hard, quieting her woes. Ratchet and Diamond stare briefly at the distraught fillies before returning to their work. Getting to the putter-slave-wagon, the stallions unstrap the worn leather collars from the sisters' necks. Opening the metal doors, they toss them into the back and shut them. Bathed in mild darkness, with some light shining through the mesh windows of the doors, they listen to the voices of the outside world muffled by the wagon’s metal shell. Frightened, Pinkie crawls up to her sister and wraps her arms and legs around her, sitting in her lap as she buries her face into her sister’s chest. Hot tears roll down her face. Limestone can feel them through her gown. She grabs her sister, keeping her close to her, her mind going numb from her own wild and crazy thoughts swimming through her mind. “Are they loaded up?” Diamond asks, his muffled voice echoing into the back hull of the wagon. His voice sends chills down the sisters’ backs. “Yes, sir.” One of the crewmen states. “Alright, let's get going before traffic gets too rough.” The sisters feel the putter-wagon rumble to life. Scared, they huddle closer to the corner of the vehicle near the cabin. Tears soaking the fur around their face. Seeing the vehicle driving away with their sisters. Octavia and Marble bow their heads in despair. Octavia’s throat tightens up, her body feels hot as she tries to break her chains. “STOP IT!” Winsor hisses, smacking her across the face. Octavia jerks back and stares at the stallion with wide petrified eyes. Marble looks on in fear, too scared to do anything for her sister. “How much for those two?” Octavia and Marble hear a mare ask. They turn their attention to the source of the voice and see a unicorn mare in her late forties. Her face is soft, her cheeks plump and round. Her white mane is short about chin-length, and her tan fur shines gloriously in the sun. Her stature is short, but her demeanor and the way she carries herself shows her status, her power. Her eyes help with that, their bright red color can pierce the souls of many. Willow looks at her notes, making some on the fly calculations. “I say about a thousand bits, Miss?” “Jupiter, Mrs. Jupiter.” She pulls out some banknote totaling the amount asked. “I’ll like to buy them if that’s not too much trouble for you?” She motions to the growing crowd around the stage. “I can see you’re already busy.” “No, not at all.” She gives Mrs. Jupiter some paperwork. “I like it when we’re busy.” She hands her a pen. “Do you need help with transportation?” “No my dear, I have a ride waiting for me.” Jupiter gives her a smile. The putter-slave-wagon rocks back ‘n forth as it climbs up the small mountain road weaving among the trees, heading up to a secluded home not too far from the city, about twelve miles. The ride feels like years for Limestone and Pinkie. The back of the wagon is hot, the humid air seeping in causes their fur to get damp and sticky. They keep their eyes on the doors’ windows, watching the trees along the road pass them by. Feeling the vehicle make a sharp left turn, then roll up a steep incline before leveling out and slowing down, curiosity gets the better of the sisters. Crawling to the doors, they peek out the windows. Through the mesh, they see a vast gravel driveway leading up to a grand-granite staircase, which leads to a three-story mansion. The building is clad in bright white plaster and peach marble. Grand plantation windows line the front of the home. Six brick pillars hold up the awning-porch. Five chimneys poke out of the concrete-tile roof. A grove of trees towers over the home’s backyard as the hills of the mountain keep ascending behind it. Hearing the passenger door open, the sisters back away from the door and cower against the back wall of the wagon. The double doors open, revealing Diamond standing, posing a dull mannered pose. In his hand is two white leather collars, with common red ruby jewels and leashes to match. “Welcome to your new home.” He chuckles. Octavia and Marble sit in awe at the interior of the putter-car they sit in. The lavish ivory-white leather seats, cream-tan carpets of the floorboards and the wood trimmings brings a calm to the ride. The sisters’ ears flicker, the car is quiet, too quiet. All of the putter-cars they have seen back home were just as loud as their wagon counterparts. Their snouts tickle, the rich polished and leathery smells of the interior cause their nostrils to itch. In front of them on the other side of a mesh covered opening are their new Mistress and her driver. The driver is a unicorn in his late teens. His outfit is business casual, a simple white-polo-shirt, and black slacks. Their Mistress, Jupiter, keeps her gaze focus on a magazine, her short curly mane, masking her soft facial features. Feeling a pair of eyes glaring at her, she looks over her shoulders and sees her slaves staring at her with mixed emotions. “We’ll be their soon my dears.” She gives them a smile.” The sisters sigh and turn their eyes elsewhere. Looking out the windows, they see that they’re in the heart of Canterlot. The buildings here are taller, broader, more ornate as they consume every available buildable space the mountainside has to offer. Some skyscrapers even carve their way into the mountain itself, becoming semi-subterranean dwellings. Seeing traffic up ahead, the driver puts his hoof on the brakes. “Should we take the shortcut, Mrs. Jupiter?” “Yes, we should.” She puts her magazine down. “I’ll just enter from the east side entrance.” The putter-car makes a right, heading down a small alley. Passing three intersections, the driver turns left and pulls onto another major street. Driving for a few more minutes, the putter-car pulls up to a forty-five-story building in downtown Canterlot. Smiling, Jupiter looks at her slaves with a smile. “Welcome home my little dearies.”
Chapter 11“Well, are you going to come or not?” Diamond asks, looking at his newly bought slaves. Pinkie and Limestone keep their eyes on the mansion. Its imposing stature intimidates them, keeping them frozen in place. Rolling his eyes, Diamond uses his magic and tugs the collars of their tattered slave-gowns. They stumble forward. Regaining their footing, they follow their Master up the granite steps to the large double mahogany doors. Entering the home, they stand in a grand lobby. The sisters stare in amazement at what they see. In front of them are two massive curved-staircases made of white marble, ascending to a second-story center balcony that overlooks the main lobby. Behind them is a massive center ten-feet arched-bay window that sits over the front doors, allowing the sunlight of the day to pour into the home, casting everything it touches in a soft glow. Looking to their right, they see a large living-din through the open double doors. An ornate coal fireplace sits in the back in the right corner. Its white marble exterior standing out from the walls’ rich crimson paint. In the center of the room is a large coffee table with two plush couches on either side. Several paintings of unicorns and environments of varying sizes hang on the walls. A light with a bright red and white cone-lamp hangs above the coffee table, casting the room in its colorful light. To their left, they see an open dining room and a kitchen connected to each other by a wall-sized archway. The dining room contains a ten-seater birch dining table, with a decorative candle display in the middle. A Victorian style light-lamp hangs above the table, making the room look rustic. Three plantation windows help light up the area with natural light. The kitchen’s walls are painted a bright white, its floors are coated in white-grey-black marble tiles. Its counters and cupboards are an ivory-white while the countertops are white marble with black specs. Ring-Ding-a-Ling! Diamond rings a small bronze bell he’s taken out from his overcoat’s pocket. Hoof steps are heard as they echo into the lobby, an earth pony mare in her early twenties emerges from the right-side archway by the stairs. “Yes, Master?” She bows her head, speaking in Unicorpian, she notices the sisters, her eyes light up, her emotions unclear. The sisters stare at this mare. She wears an ivory-white long-sleeved polo-gown, with a red wool sleeveless-jacket over it. Her yellow mane is cut short like theirs, and her white fur looks like polished marble in the light. “Won’t you be a dear and take these fillies to the slave quarters. I want them bathed and dressed in the appropriate attire.” He hands her their collars and leashes. “After they’re bathed, introduce them to the others, give them a tour of the place, explain to them the rules and then put them to work.” He rubs her cheek lovingly. She blushes and looks away with a smirk. The sisters stare in confusion as they ponder their flirty behavior. “Of course, Master.” The mare bows her head once more as she takes the items from him. “Come slaves.” She commands the sisters. With some hesitation, the sisters follow her through the archway heading to the back of the mansion. Diamond watches them as they walk down the hallway with a flat stare. Seeing them turn the corner, he sighs and walks up the stairs. Getting to the door at the end of the hall, the mare opens it and guides the sisters inside. Stepping into the room, the sisters see that it’s quite spacious. Its twenty-five-feet long and fifteen feet wide. Three, four-feet tall and two-feet wide bared windows adore the left-side wall. Two, three-feet halogen lamps hang from the ceiling, casting the room in harsh white light. The walls and ceiling are painted white, the floor is a flat birch wood tile. Six beds and six nightstands are in the room, three on either side. The beds are adorned with simple black box-spring covers, white fitted sheets, flat white sheets, and white down pillows and comforters. “Well, this is our room.” The mare speaks leaning on the door handle. “At the end of the room is the door leading to the restroom with a bathtub and toilet. This restroom is ours and is the only one in the house we can use.” She gives them a stern glare. “When you’re finished with your shower I’ll give you, your new outfits.” She smiles. “Are there any questions?” Limestone looks at the mare with judging eyes. Pinkie, on the other hand, works up the courage to speak. “Ma’am?” The mare gives her a smirk. “My you have good manners… Your Ma, past Master or Mistress must’ve taught you well.” She giggles to herself. “What is it dear?” “What’s your name?” Pinkie smiles. “My name is Pinkie, and this is my sister Limestone…” “Pinkie!” Limestone grabs her sister’s arm pulling her close to her. “Don’t…” Her words are cut off by the mare placing a finger on her and her sister’s lips. “We’ll save introductions for later. You’re not presentable for such an occasion.” She looks at their worn slave gowns. “Now off to the showers before I call Master!” She snaps her fingers, pointing at the restroom. The sisters cower under her gaze and slowly walk to the end of the room, shutting the door behind them. Pinkie and Limestone study their long-sleeved polo-gowns. The fabric is a soft silk, dyed ivory-white, the length of the skirt is just above their knees. Over their white gowns is a deep-red wool sleeveless jacket, with two white buttons on the placket. Finding their behavior amusing, the mare gives a hum as she motions them to come over to her. The sisters obey and take their seats next to her on her bed. With a hum, she puts on their collars, adjusting the lengths accordingly. Pinkie notices that the gems on the mare’s collar are yellow instead of red like her and her sisters. “Um?” The mare looks at Pinkie, giving her a questioning glare. “Yes, little one? What is it?” Pinkie fidgets with her fingers. “Why are your rubies a different color?” The young mare runs her fingers along her collar. “They’re not rubies sweetie.” She adjusts Pinkie’s collar some more. “They’re topaz.” “Why are they different?” Limestone questions. “Well, the different colors show what status of slave you are.” She points at their collars. “You're common slaves, house slaves in fact, doing house chores.” She hums, checking their collars. “Are you a house slave?” Pinkie tilts her head. “Uh…” She blushes. “Yes, but I have other roles other than housework.” She gets up and commands the sisters to do the same. “Like what?” Pinkie asks again, a small smile coming to her lips. Limestone looks at the mare with wondering eyes. The mare, unsure of how to reply with an appropriate answer, just smiles. “I will tell you another time, right now that’s not important.” She walks up to the doors. “Now follow me, I will explain the rules as I give you a tour of the place.” “Um?” She sighs as she turns around looking at Pinkie. “What?” “Um…” Pinkie plays with her collar. “We never got your name?” “Poppy… My name is Poppy, now come, let’s go.” “The hall we were just in, that leads to the laundry room, one of the doors to the backyard and the slave quarters.” Poppy points at the hall behind them. The sisters stare at the hall for a short second. “And of course, this it’s the main lobby. To our right are the dining room and kitchen. To our left is the guest lounge.” She walks through the large center archway, the sisters follow. “This large room is the main lounge. Master likes to entertain his high valued guest here, there is a billiard-table, a bar and over there is one of them moving picture displays. Master just put that in a month ago.” Poppy stares at the bulky metal projector hanging from the ceiling pointing at a blank wall. The sisters stare at it, studying it. They never heard or seen such a thing. “What is it?” Limestone asks. Poppy looks down at the fillies. “Um, from what I understand it’s like a picture book, but the pictures move…” She places her hands behind her back. “Anyhow… Let’s keep going.” Stepping out of the room, they head up to the second story and walk down the wide and tall hall. “To our left is the Mistress’s and her daughter’s art room. And the other room at the end of the hall is the family’s living-room. And through that archway in the center leads to their daughter’s and son’s rooms and a balcony overlooking the west side of the property. To our right is the door that leads to the master bedroom and bath. And a few feet down at the end of the hall is another hall that leads to Master’s private quarters.” Pinkie and Limestone scan the halls and the doors to the rooms. The entrance to the art room is open, revealing the work-in-progress paintings and art supplies littering the space. Pinkie feels an urge to go in and play with the brushes and pens. Seeing her giddiness, Poppy places her hands on her shoulders and guides her down the stairs. Pinkie grumbles and gives the mare a frown. “What’s on the third floor?” Limestone asks. “Oh, just the attic, we’re not allowed to go up there,” Poppy states quickly guiding them down the stairs. “Where are Master’s wife and children?” Pinkie asks, her eyes full of questioning. All this new information overwhelming her. “They’re not here right now.” She states getting to the bottom of the stairs. “The Mistress is shopping with her daughter and their son is still in boot camp.” She rustles their manes. “He’s training, improving his skills so one day he can fight for the glory of Unicorpia, for a better future.” She walks towards the archway near the kitchen commanding them to come. Limestone and Pinkie look at the mare with hesitation. Her statement scares them. Looking at each other with concern, they slowly follow her. Opening the door at the end of the hall, Poppy and the sisters step outside, with a happy sigh, Poppy shows the sisters the backyard. Limestone and Pinkie are blown away. It spreads out about four acres. The hillside and forest surrounding the property act as a natural wall, protecting and adding privacy for the residents of the home. Limestone and Pinkie frown when they see a large metal wire fence, with barbwire lining the property. Removing their attention from the fence, they look over to the right-side of the backyard and see a half an acre verity garden full of corn, cabbage, radishes, carrots, tomatoes, blackberries, strawberries and other small-sized vegetables and fruits. They eye a teen earth pony colt working the small garden. His blonde mane is cut short, almost a buzz-cut. His tail is only a foot long. His red fur stands out from all the green that surrounds him. He looks up from his work and notices the sisters, a small blush comes to his cheeks. “That’s Macintosh.” Poppy comments. “He cooks meals and works the garden.” She pats their backs. “Go say hi.” Her tone sounds more like a command. Nervous that she might get mad, Limestone and Pinkie walk up to the colt. As they near him, Limestone can clearly make out his features, even for being in his mid-teens, his masculine traits are apparent. Macintosh studies the sisters as they come up to him. He’s curious by Pinkie’s appearance, he’s never seen an earth pony so, pink. He has seen colorful pegasi and unicorns back in his hometown of Cameroon, but most earth ponies he’s seen never reach such hues. Limestone’s appearance, on the other hand, causes him to blush. For being thirteen, he can tell that she’s going through puberty. He can see the hourglass shape most mares have, and her stride is alluring. Pinkie studies the colt. She can see he’s tall and strong for his age. She also notices his nervous behavior, his blush showing through his red fur. She turns her attention to her sister and sees that she is blushing too. A smirk comes across her lips. She hopes this soon too be exchange will bring some happiness to their gloomy situation. Standing in front of the colt. Limestone blushes as she offers her right hand. Pinkie copies her. “H-Hello.” Limestone stutters as she looks at him shyly. Macintosh takes her hand. “Hello.” He swallows a lump as he shakes Pinkie’s hand. “What would yer names be?” “Hi!” Pinkie giggles at their flustered moods. “My name is Pinkie! And that’s my big sister Limestone! She’s really awesome at playing the piano!” She lets out some giggles. “Hello, Miss. Limestone, Miss. Pinkie.” Macintosh says formally with a blush. “It’s nice to meet you?” He blushes some more. “Uh… I forgot, mah name’s Macintosh.” Pinkie giggles at the colt’s chivalry. Limestone blushes at her name being formalized. “Thank you, Mr. Macintosh.” Limestone replies. Macintosh looks away trying to hide his embarrassment. “Come! We have two more ponies to meet!” Poppy calls out, smirking at them. The sisters bow their heads and return to Poppy’s side. Macintosh watches as they head off to the left side of the yard towards the warehouse. Getting to the warehouse Poppy peaks in the building and sees two stallions working on a putter-car. “Hello?” She calls out. The stallions look up from their work and look over at her. They notice the sisters standing next to her and give them bewildered stares. “I’m introducing Master’s new slaves to everyone.” “Master’s bought him some fillies Usip!” The stallion laying on a mechanic’s creep shouts. “He sure has,” Usip states with a dull tone studying their appearance. The sisters feel uncomfortable under his stare. “Hey how much you wanna bet he bought them to be his young concubines?!” The stallion giggles to himself. “Jasper!” Poppy hisses. “Watch your foul language!” She stands over him. “Look at their collars!” Jasper looks at the collars and just shrugs his shoulders. Poppy growls. “They’re common house slaves.” “Like that means anything,” Jasper growls back as he stands up getting in her face. “I think you know what I mean...” He stares at her collar. “Ungodly mare!” He hisses walking to the back of the warehouse up to a tool chest. Poppy glares at him. “Ignore him, he’s too religious for his own good…” Usip hears the stallion cuss under his breath. “Or so he thinks.” He looks at the fillies. “So, what are your names?” Limestone puts her hands over her lap. “Limestone.” She brings her sister into a side embrace. “And this is my sister Pinkie.” Usip smiles. “Nice to you meet you, little missies.” The sisters blush at the stallion’s kind words. “Have they met Mac yet?” Poppy smiles. “Oh yes.” She gives a smirk as she runs her fingers through Limestone’s mane. “This one was a little flirty with him.” Limestone blushes and shakes her head in disagreement, her eyes glaring at the young mare. Usip laughs. “Ha, I needed that, been very bland here.” He kneels down to be at eye level with the sisters. “I’ll give you some advice fillies that will keep you alive and out of trouble.” The sisters give their full attention to the mention of death. “Listen to Master and follow his every command. Same goes for the Mistress. You do that, and all will be merry.” He points at a five-feet tall two-and-a-half-feet diameter pole by the fence. “If you break the rules, however, it’s the whipping pole for you…” He lifts his shirt and shows them his scars.” The sisters shiver at the sight of them. “You understand?” Poppy adds. Limestone and Pinkie look up at the young mare. “Yes…” They softly reply. “Good.” She places her hands against their backs and leads them out of the warehouse. “It’s time to get to work.” Pinkie grumbles as she runs the dust cloth across the guest lounge’s coffee table. Her small hands expertly clean the intricate nooks of the carvings along the table’s sides and legs. Finishing up with the coffee table, she gets up and walks over to the bookshelves and begins taking out the books setting them down on the floor into several piles. Limestone stands by the fireplace, cleaning the mantel with a cloth and spray bottle of marble cleaner. The mantel is at her eye level, she has to stand on her tippy-hooves to clean the whole surface. Poppy leans on the corner pillar of the corner archway of the guest lounge. She watches them as they work, making sure they did their job right, her eyes studying their every move. CLICK! The locks disengage, and the front doors swing open. A unicorn mare and her daughter step into the home. Setting down their bags, her daughter shuts the doors and relocks them with a unique key. “We’re finally home!” The mare huffs. “Traffic was awful…” She sees that her slave, Poppy is just standing in the archway of the guest lounge looking into it. “Poppy, what are you doing just standing there doing nothing, you should be working?” Poppy quickly gives a bow. “I am working Holly.” She points into the room. “Master bought two new slaves today.” She smiles. “I’m making sure they’re doing their work properly.” Holly and her daughter give each other raised brows before walking to the lounge. Peeking into the room, they see two young earth pony fillies cleaning the lounge’s furniture. The sisters hearing the mares entering the room, look at their mistresses, studying them. Holly looks to be forty-one years of age. Her fur color is a light peach, and her mane is a brilliant white. Her hazel eyes hold a lot of kindness yet control at the same time, a firmness, one that tells them that she shouldn’t be crossed in any way. Her daughter looks to be sixteen, like their eldest sister Maud. Her mane is a light-indigo-blue, her fur a brilliant white. Her eyes are just like her mother’s. “I didn’t know my husband bought new slaves…” Holly tells herself. “Poppy, do you know where my husband is?” Poppy bows her head. “Yes, he’s in his personal office. Diamond sits at his desk mulling over paperwork dealing with his locomotive business. He lets out a long sigh as he opens a binder. Rubbing his brow, he leans back in his chair and takes a sip of his bourbon. “Damn… I’m going to need a lot of financing.” He reads one of the papers within the folder. It's an order from the King, asking for ten new state-of-the-art steam-trains, capable of hulling several new Landships. Which are hulking blocks of steel, with a massive rotating 50mm cannon on top, several machineguns on its sides, powered by a V4 deasil engine that sends torque to two heavy-duty-metal-tracks. Taking another sip of his bourbon, he looks out the three-foot-by-six-foot window. He eyes the trees hugging the mountainside. He sees his stallion slaves working the field. Off in the distance, he sees an airship flying towards Canterlot. He growls, those blasted machines are cutting into his bottom line. He thinks back to their creation, their first maiden voyage. The first airship was a simple flying machine, built when he was just twenty years old, in the northern human nation-state of Capricorn. It was only about a hundred yards long and fifty yards wide, a fragile wooden cockpit and a balloon made of a lightweight cloth filled with hydrogen. For a while, many nations looked at the machines as a novelty, an expensive and dangerous one. Many early models had the tendency to explode into flames when they landed. But after several top feline scientists of the Cattery Aeronautics division made some improvements, many nations adopted them. With the improvements they proved themselves to be capable transport vehicles for military and civilian personnel as well as central bombardment units for the battlefield. Diamond rubs his brow, taking another sip of his drink. He’s thankful at least that the airship couldn’t hull cargo weight in the tons. Trains were still needed for such a job. “And it better stay that way for a long while.” He speaks to himself. KNOCK! Hearing a knock on the door, he turns his attention to it. “Come on in!” The door opens revealing his wife. “Oh, hello dear, what is it that you need?” “Oh, nothing.” His wife hums as she steps into the room, taking a seat in a Victorian style chair beside his desk. “So…” She leans back in her seat. “I heard from your harem, that you bought two new slaves.” She frowns. “Without asking me!” Diamond gives a huff. “Holly, please!” He finishes his drink and pours more bourbon into his glass. “Please?!” Holly crosses her arms. “Don’t tell me those slaves are the reason why you fired our maids?” “They were charging too many bits for a lousy job!” Diamond leans back in his chair. “I know the slaves I bought are young, but when I instill a mindset of fear, showing them who’s alpha, they’ll be worth the bits I spent.” He finishes his glass and fills it up once more. Holly sighs and sees that the sixteen-ounce bottle is a third of the way full. “I hope in the future you keep them as common house slaves?” Diamond gives a sign. “I plan on it, I only want one harem.” He looks out the window. ”But I do find your question wanting.” Holly looks down at her lap. “I just want to make sure…” “You’re my true love, that’s why I married you, gave you children, but we cannot deny biology, our evolution, stallions are not meant to only have one mating partner, same goes for mares.” He fills up his glass once more. “At least we have something in common with our winged brethren, both pegasi and bat ponies.” Holly huffs. “I don’t want another stallion in my life.” Diamond rolls his eyes. “Don’t be a human, a feline… an earth pony!” Holly gives her husband a dull stare. “I will not…” She gives a sigh. “I’ll introduce myself to our new slaves.” She gets up and heads out of his office. “What meal do you want Macintosh to cook tonight?” “Let’s have cabbage stew, it’s going to be a cold night tonight.” Diamond replies as he skims through some papers. Holly nods and heads out of the room. Pinkie looks out the windows by the front doors and watches the sun dip slowly towards the horizon. With a sigh, she turns her gaze to the clock on the wall above the archway behind her. She can’t read the symbols, but they’re laid out in the same fashion as an Earthen clock would be, she just mentally switches the symbols. ‘5:23 pm.’ She gives a huff and looks over at her sister who’s mopping the tiled floor. “Pinkie get cleaning!” Poppy states, snapping her fingers. Pinkie shivers as she walks over to accent table conforming to the curvature of stairs and begins removing the picture frames and decorative knick-knacks from its surface. Picking up one of the photos, she looks down at it and sees Diamond, Holly and their two children standing by a statue of a unicorn stallion located somewhere in the Unicorpian Empire. She frowns, a tight sensation forms in her chest. ‘They look so happy… like my family… did…’ “Hello dear.” Pinkie puts the photo close to her chest and whips her head around and up. She sees Holly standing over her, giving her a dull smile. Pinkie stares at her with wide eyes. Limestone stops her mopping and looks up as well, staring at the mare with curious eyes. Poppy bows for her mistress. “Bow!” Poppy growls at the sisters. “It’s alright Poppy, they’re new, they’ll have time to fall in line,” Holly commands, before looking down at Pinkie. “Looking at our photos?” Pinkie feels a blush come to her cheeks as she looks down at the picture once more. Holly smirks at her expressions. “You’re a shy one.” “No!... I… I mean, I’m not shy mistress…” Pinkie replies, shaking. “Um, you look really happy.” She hands her Mistress the photo. Holly takes the photo and looks at it. “Yes… happy.” She looks at Poppy, who looks away with an embarrassed blush. Seeing Pinkie’s sister standing in the hall, she gives her a smile. “So, is she your sister?” Pinkie looks back at her sister then back at Holly. “Yes.” She feels a funny feeling forming in her chest. “Her name is Limestone, and my name is Pinkie!” She smiles. Limestone gives a bow. Seeing he sister bow, Pinkie bows as well. Holly smiles. She finds their names quite interesting. “Well little ones, I expect you to be on your best behaviors, and obey our every command.” She heads into the main lounge. “Is that understood?” “Yes, Mistress.” Limestone and Pinkie nod. “Please, don’t call me Mistress, you can call me Holly.” Before stepping into the room, she gives Poppy a small smile. “Oh, Poppy, I want the new slaves to help Macintosh prepare our meals from now on. He’ll teach them, so you don’t have to.” She gives her a sly smile. “I plan on giving you and Usip another task to do during supper, understand?” Poppy nods, but her eyes scream out in anger. “See you slaves during supper.” Limestone and Pinkie peek at the dining room through the kitchen’s archway. They study their masters as they sit at the table. Diamond sits to their right at the head on the table, reading the paper, while Holly sits on the opposite end reading a book, while their daughter sits in the middle facing them, sketching in her notepad. Feeling eyes are upon her, their daughter looks up and stares at the sisters. “Father?” “Yes, Ashlyn?” Diamond replies, not looking up from his paper. “The new slaves you bought are staring at me?” Ashlyn sighs. Diamond looks over at the kitchen and sees the sisters staring at them with questioning and judging eyes. With a frown, he snaps his fingers. The sisters jerk, and duck back into the kitchen. With a sigh, he returns to his paper. Nervous they may have angered their Master, Pinkie and Limestone walk over to Macintosh, watching him slave away at a meal cooking on the stove. Sensing their presence, he quickly glances at them and gives a small smile. “Don’t worry, Master is not angry… not yet at least.” He points to a cupboard behind him. “Get the bowls ready.” Limestone and Pinkie obey his command and set the bowls on the island counter in the middle of the kitchen. Biting his tongue, Macintosh lifts the pot off the flames and gingerly pours the soup in the bowls. Limestone and Pinkie look into the bowls, staring at the pieces of halibut and green cabbage floating in the golden-tinted broth. "If you’re hungry don’t worry, we'll have some after our masters finish their's.” Macintosh replies, adding some garnish. “Master hates wasting things.” Limestone and Pinkie look at the pot that’s back on the stove, licking their lips. Its been several days without a proper meal and the thought of eating wets their mouth. Smirking at the sisters’ expressions, he steps back with a happy sigh. “Alright, go ahead and serve them.” The sisters nod and gently pick up the bowls. Limestone picks up two and Pinkie picks up one. Stepping out into the dining room, Limestone walks up Diamond and places his bowl before him, then she places Ashlyn's before her. Pinkie walks over to Holly and gives her, her bowl. Holly gives her a soft smile. “You're doing well for your first night.” She looks at the table's surface. “You did a good job setting the table.” She takes a spoonful and begins chewing. Pinkie watches her, confused at what to do next. “You and your sister stand over there.” Diamond states pointing at the corner beside the kitchen’s entrance. “Wait there until we finish eating or until we need your services.” He snaps his fingers. The sisters shyly bow their heads and stand in the corner. Holly studies them from afar. “They seem very timid.” She sirs her soup. “They’re going to need a lot of work.” Diamond gives a long sigh. “I prefer that they remain timid.” He sips his wine. “They need to know the pecking order.” Holly huffs. “They’re still ponies.” “They’re feral ponies. Their kind is still evolutionary behind us.” Diamond grunts, but he lets out a long sigh when he catches his tone of voice. “I don’t mind showing some affection for our slaves sweetheart, but we still need to show force, show who’s the alpha, it’s how their social order works.” He gives his wife a small smile. “Let’s not repeat this conversation again… Shall we.” Holly nods. “Yes, I agree.” She looks at her daughter. “How has school been, dear?” Ashlyn looks at her mother. “Good, our teacher is planning on taking us to Wellington Shores next week to paint coastal landscapes.” “I’ve always loved that place.” Diamond smiles. “That’s where I proposed to your mother.” He looks at his wife. She looks back at him with a smirk. Ashlyn rolls her eyes and returns to her meal. Limestone and Pinkie stare at their masters with dull stares, their hunger growing by the minute. Sitting on Limestone’s bed, Pinkie and her sister consume their meals hungrily. The other slaves look at them with wonder. “Damn, they seem to be starving.” Jasper states. “It seems like the camp they were in, wasn’t feeding them the right nutrients.” Usip hums as he sips his broth. Macintosh sits on his bed, watching Limestone eat. She looks up at him as she feels his gaze. Blushing, Macintosh looks down at his meal. She blushes to, and looks back down at her meal. Poppy looks at Pinkie who scrapping what little pieces remain in her bowl. “You’re done little one.” She states with a dull tone. Pinkie looks up at the young mare with wide-eyes. “Can I have seconds?” She holds up her bowl. Poppy rolls her eyes. “No, Macintosh only made enough for each of us to have one serving! Now set your bowl in the corner over there!” She points at the left corner of the room. Pinkie mumbles a cry and gives the mare a dull stare as she walks over to the corner, her eyes never leaving the mare. Usip looks at the filly. “Go easy on her.” “Why should I!” Poppy growls. “She needs to learn her place!” She puts a spoonful in her mouth. Usip looks at her with a raised brow. With a sigh, he gets up and walks up to Limestone. “Are you finished?” Limestone looks at her empty bowl. “Yes, I am.” Usip offers his hand. Limestone nods and hands him, her bowl. With a smirk, he walks over to the corner and places the bowl on top of the other. Along the way he ruffles Pinkie's mane. Walking back, Pinkie jumps in her sister's bed and takes her place on the right side. Poppy gives Pinkie a stern glare. “You need to sleep in your own bed!” She spits. Pinkie feels her chest get heavy. “What?” “We all have our own beds, count them, there are six of them.” Poppy points at Pinkie’s bed. “In your own bed, NOW!” Limestone growls at the mare. “We have always slept with each other!” Poppy growls back. “I don’t care!” Macintosh tries to speak up, but Poppy’s glare causes him to cower. Usip, on the other hand, walks up to the mare. “For this night, let them sleep with one another.” He whispers in a stern tone. Poppy falters as he grabs the back of he neck. “I can see you're threatened by them, but if I remember correctly, you said that they’re common house slaves…” He gives her a dull stare. “So, you shouldn’t worry about losing your status.” She goes limp and cowers on her bed. With a sigh, he looks at the sisters. “Time for bed.” He walks over to the door and places his index finger on the light switch. “We all have a busy day tomorrow.”
Chapter 12Placing her hand behind their backs, Jupiter guides Marble and Octavia to her apartment building. The sisters stare at the forty-five-story building as they walk up to its twelve-feet-tall glass double doors, its trim and handles made of bronze. Their eyes tremble at its height and the countless glass panes making up its skin, reflecting their surroundings. Stepping into the building’s lobby, the sisters feel a chill run down their spines as they eye the brilliant white marble and lapis lazuli that line the walls and floors, the deep cherry-wood pillars and trim, the enormous fifty-feet diameter glass chandelier that hangs mightily over them, sparkling in the soft yellow light of the iron-light fixtures lining the ceiling and walls. On the other side of the lobby in a cove is a pair of elevators designated for the apartment’s residents. To their left and right are halls leading to ballrooms, office rooms, and janitor spaces. “Ma’am?” Four security guards walk up to them. “Do you need help with your slaves?” The main guard standing in front of the others asks. “Yes, Indigo, that would be lovely.” Jupiter hums with a smile as she hands him two black collars adorned with red rubies. “I’ll have one of the staffs bring you their dresses.” She commands him to follow. He nods to his men, they nod back and take Octavia and Marble towards the service elevator. “I want them to have the full treatment, and please make sure that their fur is soft and their manes and tails trimmed nicely, those slave merchants I bought them from did a terrible job.” “Don’t worry ma’am, we’ll let the groomers know.” Indigo smiles. “As you know Canterlot Lux has the best slave groomers around.” He bows and follows her. As they walk alongside each other, Jupiter feels that the stallion is uneasy. “Indigo, what’s bothering you?” She looks at the stallion with a soft smile. Indigo looks at the mare. “I never took you for a slave owner.” He sighs, “What changed your mind?” Jupiter smiles at the stallion. “All in good time dear, all in good time.” She giggles as she steps into the elevator. Indigo raises a brow in confusion and wonder at her statement. “Ma’am?” The lift attendant asks. “What floor?” “Twenty-fifth floor,” Jupiter states smiling at the teen unicorn colt. The colt nods and closes the doors before pulling a lever. Before the doors close, she gives Indigo a small wave. Octavia and Marble stand in the middle of the elevator surrounded by three guards. They stare at the guards nervously. Their tails flick back n’ forth as they imagine what awful things the guards have in store for them. DING! The elevator comes to a stop with a jolt. The sisters find their balance as they watch one of the guards open the door. The guards gently nudge them forwards. Nervously, the sisters walk out of the elevator and into a twenty-feet by thirty-feet room, lined with tan marble tiles on the floor and walls. Dark-red marble trim breaks up the monotony of the tan. Ten, foot-long halogen bulbs, in pairs of twos, hang from the ceiling, flooding the room in a bright light-orange. “Two more? Darn, I was about to call it a day.” The sisters rip the eyes from the décor and turn their attention to the pony in front of them. The pony is a unicorn mare, who looks to be in her early twenties. Her stature is average height. Her light blue fur sticks out from the room’s hues. Her short grey mane hugs her round shaped face. Her navy-blue eyes study the sisters. “They’re new, who do they belong to?” She walks up to the sisters. “They belong to Mrs. Jupiter.” One guard states, handing her their collars. “Really?” She takes the items, her gaze never leaving the sisters. The sisters stare back, their eyes showing her that they’re unsure of what to do or how to act. “What does she want done with them?” “Your best, Tulip,” Indigo states, entering the room, closing the door behind him. Tulip looks at the clock and sees that it reads 3:30 pm. “You’re helping me then?” She sighs giving the stallion a dull frown. “Where is everyone else?” Indigo asks, waving to his fellow men to leave. Tulip grunts as she looks at the empty makeup tables behind her. “They all left for the day.” She looks back at the stallion. “So, you’re going to help me!” She gives him a sly smirk. Indigo looks at the sisters. They stare back at him, trying to decipher their language. “Sure…” He looks at Tulip. “You're not giving me much choice anyway…” “Good! Ihr zwie hort auf!” The sisters shiver at her tone and look at the mare. “Now that I have your attention, I want you to walk over to those tubs and undress while I prepare you baths, understand?” The sisters blush and shyly nod. “Well then, geh! Geh! Geh!” The sisters run to the tubs in a panic. Tulip looks back at Indigo and gives him a smirk. “Let’s get to it.” Octavia stares at herself in the mirror. She eyes her mane, studying its curls. Her sister Marble stares at her sister’s mane as well as her own with raised brows. Feeling her sister’s gaze, Octavia looks down at her with the same expression. “Don’t you like it?” Tulip asks sanding to their left. The sisters look at her with blank expressions. “The mane style is called soft curled bob. It just looks so wonderful on you two.” She stands behind them and looks into the mirror eyeing her work. “So cute!” She squeezes their cheeks. The sisters groan from her embrace. “So, are you done?” Indigo asks leaning on one of the pillars supporting the ceiling. “Almost.” Tulip quips as she takes out a tin tray filled with powdered makeup. She turns the sisters around and beings putting powder on Octavia’s cheeks. “I never took Jupiter to be a slave owner?” Octavia groans, but a part of her is enjoying the pampering. “Same…” Indigo mumbles. “Did she say why?” Tulip asks, looking at the stallion, questioning his somber tone. “No… It’s so unlike her…” He sighs, running his hand through his mane. “You thought she was like you?” She states flatly. She eyes her work and gives a content hum. Indigo frowns. “Yes…” He eyes Octavia and sees that her cheeks are flushed. “Not everyone is like you Indigo...” She powders Marble’s cheeks. “They should…” He sighs looking at the cloud of makeup dust floating around the filly. “Do you like your job?” Tulip looks at the stallion a little stunned by his question “Yes, of course I do…” “Please!” Indigo interrupts her. “Be honest with yourself? Do you really?” He waves to the room. “You’re stuck underground, in a small, ‘lavish’ space cleaning and preparing… Earth Ponies and other intelligent beings like ourselves! For a measly salary!” Tulip just stares at the cotton disc in her hand. “It pays the bills…” She mutters solemnly as she finishes her work. “We have to do our part, follow the king’s laws…” Indigo grabs her arm by the wrist. She shivers and looks up at the stallion. “You know what we’re doing is wrong don’t you?” Indigo asks in a tone that sounds more like begging. Tulip stares at the stallion, glaring into his fiery blue eyes. “Yes… But, but we need to play our part… For Unicorpia’s sake…” She steps away from them and walks up to a sink by the corner of the room. “They’re done, you can take them to Mrs. Jupiter.” She mumbles. Indigo huffs as he looks at the sisters. They look at him and Tulip with questioning stares. He can see the gears in their heads turning as they try to understand their conversation. “Come.” He speaks to them in Earthen. “It’s time to take you to your mistress.” Jupiter sits at her circular kitchen table, going through her mail. Picking up one of the envelopes, she reads its address. ‘1256 East Long Hair Lane, Midtown Gollan’ She wonders why an invitation would come from the eastern lands of Unicorpia. “Could it be?” She asks herself. Before she can read the contents of the letter, there is a knock at the door. “Hold on!”. She opens the door and sees Indigo with her newly bought slaves. “Do you like what the groomers did ma’am?” Indigo asks with a bow. Jupiter studies her slaves, a small smile forms across her face. “Yes.” She smirks at Octavia. Octavia blushes and looks away. “Who did their manes?” She messes with Marble’s mane. “Tulip, ma’am.” Indigo watches the filly fidget under the mare’s touch. “What a dear… I should give her a tip for her hard work.” Jupiter walks up to her couch-table and takes out a few bits from a glass bowl. “Please gives this to her… and this is for you.” She places the coins in Indigo’s hand. “Ma’am…” Indigo begins to speak before looking at the sisters. “Why did you buy them?” Jupiter sighs as she pats his hand. “I can’t say… not in front of them.” “They don’t speak our language,” Indigo mutters with a growl. “I get that… But they will soon.” She leads the sisters into her home and has them sit at the table. “Indigo, does the mood of our empire feel different to you?” Indigo sighs as he leans against the doorframe. “Yeah, I’ve been noticing a change, why?” “I have felt it as well…” She pats Octavia’s head. Octavia looks up at the mare, her confused emotions running wild. “Give me six months to prepare and I’ll will tell you everything…” She walks up to the stallion. “The others need more time.” Indigo looks at the mare with questioning eyes. “Others? What? Why won’t you tell me? What’s going on?” He leans in. “Don’t you trust me?” “I do trust you.” Jupiter sighs. “But you’re not needed at this moment in time, but you soon will my dear.” She pats his cheek. “Now run off, I’ll ring you if I need help.” She looks at the sisters. Indigo looks at them as well and nods. “Will do ma’am.” He shuts the door. With the door shut, the mare looks at the sisters once more. “Now dearies, let me give you a tour of your new home.” She speaks in Earthen with a smile. The sisters look at the mare, unsure of what to say. “Come fillies.” She calls once again. Nervously, they stand and follow the mare. “Well, this is your room.” Jupiter hums, stepping into the room, walking up to the windows. The sisters stare at the spacious abode and study its contents. From where they stand, a queen-sized bed sits in the middle of the room. There is a large walk-in closet on the wall to their left. A desk is to their right. A large mirror sits in the corner by the windows and the desk, and lastly a large cherry-oak chest sits by the wall behind them. Stepping into the room the sisters stop in their tracks and look down at their hooves. Under their hooves is a soft-carpet that covers the floor. It feels strange to them. They’ve never seen such a thing. Marble runs her right hoof along the carpet, her left ear folds down as she ponders an opinion on the floor’s texture. Octavia taps the floor with her hooves, her mind mulling over the imprints her hooves leave in the fibers. “Never had carpet floors, dears?” Jupiter asks, smiling at their behavior. “No…” Octavia mumbles. “Well, I’m sure you’ll like it.” She smiles as she opens the curtains. Light floods into the room. The sisters’ eyes are drawn to the image of the outside world. Timidly they stroll up to the windows and look out over the cityscape. Jupiter smiles at the sisters’ mannerisms. “As you can see, the city is a busy one.” The sisters eye the multitude of bodies moving across the sidewalks and streets like a horde of ants. The putter-cars and wagons within the mass of bodies mosey about their business, weaving around the pedestrians with mild ease. They’re overwhelmed by the organized chaos of it all. Having enough stimulation, they move their attention from the streets to the sky and study the towering skyscrapers surrounding the humble building they occupy. The amount of glass used to cover the buildings’ skeletons makes the skyline look like one large carnival’s house of mirrors exhibit. “If you fillies would follow me, I’ll show you the rest of the apartment.” She offers them a hand. The sisters pry their eyes from the window and eye her hand in confusion. The mare smiles. “I promise you, I won’t bite.” She hums happily. Timidly the sisters take her hand, Octavia holding onto Jupiter’s with her left hand and Marble holding onto Octavia’s right hand. Leading them out of the room, Jupiter guides the sisters to the end of the hall. “The room on your left is your personal restroom. The room on your right is my husband’s study. And the room directly in front of us is my husband’s and I’s room.” The sisters stare into the rooms, their minds racing a million miles a second. “I can tell this is a lot for you…” She hears Marble’s stomach growl. “Oh, someone’s hungry?” Marble looks up at the mare with a blush. “Yes…” She mumbles. “Well then, let me fix you two something to eat.” Jupiter guides the sisters back into the living room and up to the open kitchen and sits them at the island’s bar. “I have some wonderful alfalfa left in the fridge, I could fry some up for you?” She rummages through her cupboards. Octavia and Marble stare at the mare with conflicting emotions. Her kindness confuses them. Every unicorn they have interacted with for the past week has been mildly ‘kind’ to downright cruel. They look at one another, their minds racing, trying to figure out why she is being so, loving? “So, what are your names?” Jupiter asks, setting a pan on the gas-stove. Octavia and Marble remain silent. “You still nervous?” “No… Ow…?” Marble mumbles before her sister jabs her side with her elbow. “Now, now, there is no need to be so secretive…” She pours some sunflower seed oil into the pan. “I could look through your files, but,” She looks at the sisters and gives them a welcoming smile. “I would rather you tell me.” The mare’s smile breaks through Octavia’s emotionally protective wall. Clasping her hands, she begins fidgeting with her fingers. “My name is Octavia…” She gives Marble a nod. “And my n-name is Marble…” Marble mumbles as she copies her sister. Jupiter smiles. “Adorable names you have, your mother knows how to pick them.” She giggles. Battering the alfalfa. Octavia and Marble smile at the mention of their mother, but their smiles leave as quickly as they appeared. Seeing their mood turn to a sulk once again, Jupiter huffs sadly and returns her attention back to her task. A few minutes pass and the smells and sounds of frying hay draws the sisters’ attention. They quietly watch the strands of hay dance about in the hot oil. The bubbles forming around them, memorizes them. Their mouths begin to water. “Done!” The sisters’ mindless haze shatters. Shivering, they watch Jupiter place the fried treats on a plate. “You fillies enjoy.” Jupiter hums placing the plate in front of them. They stare at the mound of food, their eyes wide like saucers. They look at the mare, there eyes asking if what they see is true. Jupiter smiles and gives them a nod. Without question, they dig into their meal. They hum in delight as the salty flavors dance around their taste buds. “Let me get you two something to drink.” She walks to the fridge. RING! RING! Hearing the phone ring from her room, Jupiter sighs as she closes the fridge. “Hold on dears, I’ll be right back…” She grumbles. Hearing her pick up the phone, the sisters return their attention back to the plate and quietly resume their meal. Picking up a strand of fried Alfalfa, Octavia studies it. The batter coating its looks like a foamy stick. A delicious foamy stick. She tries to make out figures and images from the flakes of spices suspended in the batter to pass the time, but a sickness begins to take hold of her the longer she stares at the fry. Her thoughts wander to her family. Fighting the urge to cry, she looks at her sister and sees she is feeling the same. “Marble?” Marble looks at her sister with tired eyes. “Yes?” Octavia gives her sister a solemn stare. Looking over her shoulders, she eyes the door. Seeing a chain latching it shut, a tinge of fear begins to take hold. Looking back at her meal, she frowns and grabs Marble by the hand. “Where are we going?” Marble asks in a panic as Octavia pulls her from her seat. “We’re getting out of here!” Octavia states with determination. Standing in front of the door, she sees that the chain is too high for her to reach. “Marble, I want you to stand on my shoulders!” “What?” Marble quivers at her sister’s tone. “Just do it!” Octavia growls. “We need to get out of here and find Pinkie and Limestone!” “And just how are you two going to find them?” Octavia’s and Marble’s spines tingle, their bodies clam up. They look over their shoulders fearfully and see Jupiter standing at the entrance to the hall. “Um…” Octavia mutters. Seeing their frightened expressions, Jupiter sighs as she walks up to them. “I’m sorry I couldn’t buy your sisters.” She huffs. “That blasted stallion beat me to the front of the line.” She sits down on the couch. “But I managed to save you two.” She pats to an open spot on the couch. Octavia eyes the spot, shivering she shakes her head and brings her sister in closer to her. Jupiter just nods and pulls out a can of almonds from the couch-table. “I know you’re confused, frightened.” She opens the can and pulls out an almond. “You’re wondering why would a unicorn like me be treating earth ponies, our sworn enemy, so kindly…” She plops the almond in her mouth and offers the can. Octavia shakes her head, but Marble extends out her hand. Seeing her sister looking at the almonds hungrily, Octavia gives in and lets her sister take form the can. Marble quickly walks up to the mare and takes out an almond before latching to sister’s side once again. Jupiter watches Marble nibble the almond. “I would let you go, but I can’t… For one, you’re not of legal age to be set free. Two, it doesn’t guarantee that others will just make you their slaves… and three, at your age you need your master or mistress to accompany you at all times.” She eats another almond. “The only safe place for you two, is this apartment.” Octavia looks at the door with a stern glare. “We’ll…” Her sternness gives way to sadness as she looks at Jupiter. “Why?” “Why?” Jupiter wonders. “Why what?” “Why are you doing this!?” Tears begin to flood her eyes. “Dear…” “WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO TRICK US!” Octavia shouts a sob, tears running down her face. Jupiter sighs as she stands up, walking up to the sisters. Octavia panics and steps away from the mare, her grip tightening around her sister. Jupiter stops in her tracks and gives them a comforting smile. “There is no need to be afraid.” She sits on the floor and just stares at them. Octavia and Marble feel uncomfortable. The longer the mare stares, the more their resolve to be defiant crumbles. The weight of the past few days finally gets to Octavia. Her big sisterly damn breaks. Tears overwhelm her sight, her knees buckle, sending to the floor. Seeing her sister break out into a fit, Marble begins to cry as well. Jupiter feels her chest getting tight as she watches the fillies lose their minds. With a sad sigh, she walks up to them on her knees and sits beside them, bringing them into a loving embrace. “Shh… Quite yourselves.” Marble gives into the mare’s embrace, but Octavia resists. “Let go… err! Of me!” Octavia quivers. “Shush child! Get a hold of yourself!” Jupiter chastises. “You need to be strong child; your future depends on it!” Octavia gives one last attempt to push her away, but her will is gone. Finally, she gives in and lays her face against mare’s breasts. Jupiter looks down at the sobbing fillies and lets out a long sigh. “What did they do to you, dearies…” -Several Hours Later- “You have a good night sir!” A taxi driver shouts at a tall, thin stallion. “You too!” The stallion replies, waving to the driver as he leaves. Watching the putter-car disappear into the night, the stallion gives a long sigh and heads up to the doors of his apartment building. Stepping inside the cool-conditioned air washes over him, making his fur stand on end. “It’s been a humid day hasn’t it, Ceres?” A guard states making his way to him. “Yes, it has Indigo, very unusual for this time of year,” Ceres replies, shaking Indigo’s hand. “How was work?” Indigo asks. “Very bland,” Ceres mumbles, walking up to the elevators. “This whole week will be.” He stops at the elevator’s entrance. “The university is fixing the telescope which is forcing me to teach through books… Young minds hate books.” He chuckles. Indigo shakes his head. “I’m sure it will be done in a timely manner.” Ceres laughs. “When bits are involved, that is doubtful.” He steps into the elevator. “Goodnight Indigo, see you in the morning?” “Goodnight to you sir and your wife.” Indigo bows with a smile. Ceres bows back. “Sweetheart? I’m home.” Ceres calls out as he steps into his abode. “Shh!” His wife hisses from the hall. “Inside voices.” Ceres gives his wife a confused look. “What do you… oh...” Her words begin to make sense. “How many?” “Two, fillies.” Jupiter giggles. “One thirteen and the other nine.” Ceres smiles. “Two… We saved two.” Jupiter’s smile leaves. “I could’ve done more… they had two other sisters.” Ceres frowns. “We had the bits sweetie, why didn’t you buy them as well?” “I tried!” She whines. “Some stallion was in line before me…” She leans against the wall, looking sadly at her hooves. Ceres sighs leaning against wall she’s leaning on. “At least we could save the ones you bought.” His wife gives a weak nod. He places his arm around her and kisses her head. “We’ll make it work… The group will be pleased.” Jupiter sighs as she rubs his chin. “They need a lot of work… The camp they came from, broke them good… You know the others want them to be loyal like the others.” “It will be done… They’ll be ready when the time comes.” He walks towards their room. “May I see them?” His wife nods. He smiles and steps up to their door and gently opens it. Activating his horn, he dimly lights the darkness as he peers in. He sees the sisters laying in the bed, the comforter shielding them from the world. He leans against the doorframe and watches their lips flop about, their soft snores eliciting a chuckle out of him. Jupiter watches her husband’s giddy behavior for a few minutes before her emotions change for the worse. Her chest gets tight, her eyes begin to fill with tears. Not wanting to worry her husband, she heads into their room and gently closes the door. Fighting her emotions, she sits on her bed and places her hands over her lips. A minute passes by and still her emotions brew. With a drawn-out sigh, she glares at her nightstand and opens its drawer. Pulling out a picture, she turns it over and stares at an image of her and her husband holding a four-year-old earth pony filly in their arms. Tears come to her eyes as she runs a finger along the image of the filly. “The time for change is approaching…” She wipes her tears away. “And you’ll never be forgotten…” She kisses the picture. “We love you, sweetie… we love you…” She clutches the picture to her chest and lays on the bed in the fetal position.
Chapter 1Three large brick ovens simmer at a constant two-hundred-and-fifty degrees Fahrenheit, permeating the warm dense air lingering within the bakery with the smells of baking breads. Two eldest Pie sisters, Maud and Octavia, stand by one of the wooden displays in the center of the store that’s half-full of one-pound dark rye loafs. Picking up one of the loafs, Octavia shows it to her eldest sister. “Do you like this one?” She picks up another one. “Or this one?” Maud stare’s intently at the loafs. “That one looks good.” She points to the one in Octavia’s right hand. Her sister smiles and places it in their basket. In the back of the bakery, the three younger Pie sisters, Limestone, Pinkie, and Marble, lay their faces against the large viewing window overlooking the bakery’s kitchen. They fixate their gaze on a mare kneading a wad of dough. Flour coats her hands and arms as she hums a soft tune to herself. Her work memorizing them all the while. Sensing that eyes are upon her, the mare looks at the fillies and gives them a sweet smile. The sisters smile back. Walking up to the register, Octavia places the loaf on the countertop. The cashier, who is working on some paperwork drops his tasks and looks over at the sisters. “Well hello Maud, Octavia, how’s your evening going?” He walks up to them crossing his arms on the countertop. They smile. “Going well Mr. Cake,” Maud replies, taking out four tokes. Mr. Cake takes the coins. “That’s good to hear.” He looks out the open door as he places the bread in a bag. He sees several dark clouds rolling over the mountain tops. “Walk safely back to your home, there’s a storm coming.” He hands over the bag. “And make sure you say hi to your Ma and Pa for us.” “We will Mr. Cake. Come on fillies say goodbye to Mrs. Cake we have to go!” Octavia calls out. Her younger sisters look over their shoulders. With a frown, they wave goodbye to the mare. Mrs. Cake waves back with a smile. Leaving the bakery, the sisters step onto its veranda and look around as they button up their wool coats. Watching a putter-wagon roll on past them, they head down the main street of their hometown, Ashmore. A small coal mining community in the Yellow Tail Mountain Range of the Earthen Republic. The main street along with its minor connecting arteries are busy with activity on this humble Friday. Putter-cars, putter-wagons and boar-pulled carts stroll along the mud clogged gravel roads. Earth ponies of all shapes, sizes, and age, mull about their evening, finishing up their errands before the sun sets behind the snow-covered mountains to the west of town. A powerful gust of wind roars down the mountain sides, howling loudly as it sweeps across the town. The temperature drops slightly causing many outside residents to shiver. Limestone pulls her scarf over her face, covering her snout. “Gosh, it’s cold!” She stutters, rubbing her hands along her arms. Maud and Octavia smirk at her predicament while they pull up the collar of their coats closer to their cheeks. Pinkie giggles as she skips up alongside Limestone. “That’s why you should skip Limestone!” She slips away, joining her twin sister Marble. “It keeps you warm!” Limestone rolls her eyes as her twin sisters giggle at her. Maud and Octavia hold in their laughter. “HA, very funny.” She grumbles, burying her snout in her scarf, using he bonnet to hide herself from the world. Her cheeks blushing all the while. The twins, losing all care for their sister’s embarrassment, hum a tune as their skipping picks up pace with each step they take. Picking up more speed than Marble, Pinkie gets some distance from the group. Turning around with a giggle, she gives them a goofy smile. Maud seeing her trajectory bolts ahead of the group and extends out a hand. “Pinkie! Watch out!” Pinkie jerks from her sister’s tone and loses her footing, her hooves slip under her causing her to fall off the veranda. Hearing a soft poof, her sisters look over the edge of the veranda and find that she is stuck in a freshly shoved pile of snow. The snow is past Pinkie’s waist, only the tip of her tail sticks out. With a grunt, Pinkie kicks her legs trying to free herself from the icy trap, her cheeks red with embarrassment. Her sisters give into the amusing scene and burst out into laughter. Their joyous laughs further reddening Pinkie’s cheeks. “And that’s why you’ll never see me skip!” Limestone snickers. Pinkie looks up at her with a pout, her tongue sticking out. Limestone returns the gesture. Octavia rolls her eyes at her sisters’ antics. Jumping onto the muddy road she steps up to Pinkie and offers her a hand which she happily takes. Getting back to her hooves, Pinkie wipes snow off her dress and fixes her bonnet. Smiling at her sister, Octavia helps her back onto the veranda. With the sisters reunited, they continue down the street, passing many shops occupying small, long compacted spaces no more than ten-feet-wide, twenty-feet-long and two stories tall. Arriving at the main intersection near townhall, Octavia pulls out a piece of paper from her coat’s breast pocket. “So, fillies,” She reads the paper. “Do we have the eggs, cabbage, bread, milk, carrots, celery, tomatoes, and onions?” Maud looks into the basket and seeing the items listed she nods affirming her sister’s question. “Great… Is there anything else we need?” Octavia asks. “Is that all Ma wrote?” Limestone stands next to Octavia, eyeing the paper. “Yes.” Octavia quips. “But if we can think of anything else, let’s make sure it’s worth the tokes.” She states placing the paper back into her coat’s pocket. Pinkie and Marble look at one another with determined smirks. “We need candy!” Pinkie sings with glee as she stands on one hoof, twirling in place. Marble copying her every move. Octavia frowns. “No!” She stomps her hoof against the porch, the wood planks under hoof dully vibrating. “Ma only gave us so many tokes, we need to buy essential items.” She re-ties her bonnet. “We can go without sweets for today.” The twin’s eyes become teary-eyed. “But we haven’t had candy in a week!” Pinkie’s voice cracks. They stick out their bottom lips, trying to win sympathy. Octavia grunts, she’s having none of it. “No!” Instantly, the twin’s drop their pouting and copy Octavia with a grunt of their own. Maud shakes her head. Octavia and the twins were always the stubborn ones. Well, maybe Limestone has a few more points in that department. With a laugh, she pulls out a small cloth sack from her saddlebag. “Hold out your hands.” Pinkie and Marble break their charade with their older sister and comply with her demands. “Both of you get two tokes for the candy shop. So, pick your sweets wisely!” She gives them a playful smirk. The twins smile wide as they take off, crossing the street to the candy shop three buildings down. Vehicles halt their slow movement, allowing the twins to pass. “Thanks, sis!” Pinkie yells from the entrance of the shop before entering. Marble following after her with a skip and a jump. Octavia and Limestone look at Maud in confusion. “Sis, Ma told us we have to make these tokes last until next Monday! If she finds out we’ve been using them for sweets, she’s going to get mad!” Octavia complains, holding the sack of tokes. “Really, really mad.” Limestone adds. Maud smirks as she jiggles her sack of tokes. “I know that, but these are mine.” “Where did you get those?” Limestone asks wide-eyed. “Really, don’t you remember? I get paid for helping out Miss. Cheerilee at the elementary.” Maud pulls out four more tokes from her sack. “Why don’t the both of you relax and get yourselves a sweet.” Limestone quickly snatches two tokes from Maud’s hand. “Forget I ever said anything!” She runs off to the candy shop, giggling to herself. Octavia stares at the tokes in Maud’s hand, it seems to her at least that the sack looks emptier. “But these are your tokes?” She points at them. “If I wanted to keep them, would I be giving them to my sisters?” Maud states with a raised brow. Octavia gently takes the remaining tokes from her sister’s hand, giving a nod of thanks. “Now run off and get a sweet, I’ll be waiting by the water tower.” Maud smiles as she points to the tower. Octavia raises a brow. “What about you?” “You know me, I’m not one for sweets.” Maud waves her hand. “Now go, hurry before the storm rolls in.” Octavia smiles and runs across the street to the candy shop. Seeing her sister enter the store, Maud looks both ways before stepping off the veranda and crossing the street, making it to the left-side of the road. Arriving at the water tower, she puts her arms through the basket’s handle and leans against the wooden fence surrounding the tower. She watches the residents of her hometown going about their evening. Some children run through the streets playing games, annoying the elder residents. Other children follow their parents as they go about their shopping. She smirks at some of the children’s bored expressions. On some street corners, several earth ponies are performing illusions or puppetry to passing ponies. A young couple eventually catches Maud’s eye. She watches them eat at one of the restaurants a few feet from her location. The couple reminds her of her own relationship with a certain stallion. She smiles as she thinks about his soft blue eyes, his white mane and tail… his broad shoulders… DRIP! Her thoughts leave her as she feels a droplet strike her snout. Confused, she looks up and sees that the light grey clouds are slowing turning a dark grey. CRACK! Hearing distant thunder rolling across the sky, echoing off the mountain peaks. Maud’s ears fold against her head. ‘The walk back is going to suck…’ Another droplet of ice-cold rain strikes her snout. Soon another droplet, then another begins to fall from the sky. With a grunt, she quickly crosses the street once more and back onto a store’s veranda’s where its awning can protect her. ‘Don’t take too long fillies.’ She frowns watching the rains pick up speed. Walking into the store, the weight of her steps making its hardwood flooring moan and creak, Octavia scans for her sisters in the vast sea of sweets. Finding them over by the licorice, she smirks, watching their intense gaze as they mull over which flavors they want. “Can’t decide on what you fillies want?” She hovers over them, gazing at the licorice behind the glass. Pinkie looks up at her. “There’s too many to choose from…” She moans, Mable and her place their faces against the glass, squishing their snouts. The store clerk on the other side of the glass rolls his eyes playfully as he puts away a stack of chocolate bars on the wall behind him. Octavia looks at the chewy straws. “How many do you get for two tokes?” She crosses her arms eyeing her sisters with a questioning smirk. “Four.” Limestone replies, eyeing the green and red ones, licking her lips. Octavia counts the flavors and finds that there are ten in all. “Well, I would split it in half and get two of my favorites or pick four individual flavors for more variety.” The twins’ smirk as they whisper to one another. Nodding, they turn their gaze to the store clerk and wave him down. “What can I do for you fillies?” The clerk asks as he leans on the display’s countertop, his gaze looking softly upon the sisters. “Can I have four green apples,” Pinkie asks. “And can I have four red cherries.” Marble adds, giving him their tokes. The clerk places the chewy treats into a brown paper bag. “And you two?” He asks, eyeing Limestone and Octavia. “Oh… I would like two lemons and two raspberries.” Limestone states, giving the clerk her tokes. “Can I get two black licorice and two white vanillas,” Octavia hands him her tokes as well. “Alrighty then, here you go fillies.” The clerk hands them the paper bag full of licorice. Taking the bag, Octavia holds it close to her chest. With a smile, they nod their heads and wave goodbye. “Enjoy your sweets.” He smiles, giving them a two-finger salute. “We will mister!” Pinkie squeaks as they leave the shop. Stepping outside the sisters’ halt their advancement as they look out over the town. The storm is in full swing. The rains drenching the town in cold H2O. The droplets pound violently against the earth, turning streets into mud, forming small streams the run down the hilly landscape of the town, finding low lined places to make artificial ponds. Several putter-cars’ horns blare out as the mud halts the flow of traffic. Seeing Maud huddling under an adjacent shop’s awning on the corner of the main-intersection, they dash across the street, running as fast as they can. “Did you get the sweets you wanted?” Maud asks as her sisters climb onto the sidewalk-porch. “Yeah…” Limestone yells over the drumming from the metal roof. She shakes off the water droplets that cling to her dress with a groan. “The weather sure did change on a toke?” Octavia quips, looking towards the sky at the giant thunderclouds rolling overhead. “My dress is wet!” Marble cries. Pinkie giggles at her twin. Marble not like her sister’s tone, sends a frown her way. “Well, it looks like you’re going to have to get used to that sister.” Maud looks up the road that leads to their home. “We better hurry…” She picks up the basket. “Let’s go.” Jumping down onto the muddy road the sisters make their way up the hill. By the time the sisters arrive at their home, their fur coats, dresses, and bonnets are soaked through. Their hooves are caked in mud and numb from the freezing rain. Walking up the steps onto the porch, they open the front door and walk inside. Warmth washes over them, making their fur stand on end. Off to the right-side-wall, a fire burns calmly in the brick fireplace. A smile comes to their faces, as a chill of delight runs down their spines. Stepping up to the coat rack by the door, they take off their coats and bonnets, placing their apparel on it. “Hi Ma, we’re home!” The twins sing out as they skip their way into the kitchen, passing the dining table, both squeezing themselves through the small doorframe. Their mother, Cloudy Quartz Pie turns around and sees her daughters standing in the dining room through the doorframe. She looks them over and sees how dirty they are. Before her youngest are able to hug her, she extends out a hand. “Hold it you two!” She points at the twins, causing them to stop in their tracks, confusion on their faces. “Why in heaven are you so filthy?” Octavia chuckles. “It’s raining outside, Ma.” She points to the single window by the front door. Stepping out of the kitchen, Cloudy Quartz looks at the window and sees the torrential rains slamming onto the earth. “Oh… Interesting, I didn’t even hear it…” She scratches her head, her daughters giggling at her. “Well now, how was your evening out on the town?” She gives them a smirk. “Good Ma.” Maud hands the basket over to their mother. Cloudy Quartz takes the basket into the kitchen, her children following her. “Do you need help with supper?” Maud asks. “Can we hug you?” Pinkie and Marble huff, pouting their lips. Cloudy Quartz sets the basket onto the kitchen counter. “Of course, you fillies can, but first you need to bathe yourselves.” She turns around and gives a playful frown. “I will not have my children eat supper when they’re all dirty!” She places her hands on her hips. “And that goes for your Pa when he gets home.” Her daughters giggle at her words. “I’m glad I can make you laugh, now run off, the faster you bathe, the quicker we can get supper ready.” “Come on fillies, let’s go.” Maud corrals her sisters to the bathroom. Entering the small space that is the bathroom, the sisters begin undressing from their navy-blue dresses. While her sisters undress, Maud closes the bathroom door and walks up to the iron bathtub’s copper furnace. Opening its latch, she turns the red plastic nob, rapid, sharp clicks fill the room, within milliseconds the methane gas filling the burner ignites into a bright blue flame; the water within the tank situated above the burner begins to boil. Closing the hatch, she walks up to the medicine-cabinet above the sink and takes out a bar of tar-soap and places it on the rim of the tub. Seeing the mercury in the temperature gauge rising, Octavia turns on the faucet. The copper pipes creak and moan as water flows through them on its way to the tub. Satisfied, Octavia unties the knot on the back of her dress near the base of her neck and unbuttons three buttons on the chest face and lets the dress fall to the floor. “Stupid dress!” Pinkie wines as she struggles with the lace on her dress. Seeing her struggling, Octavia unties the knot for her and helps her out of the dress. Fully undressed, the younger sisters wait patiently for the tub to fill. “Can we get in now?” Pinkie asks, rubbing her arms, shivering from the cold drafts coming from under the door. Octavia eyes the waterline as it rises up the tub. She holds up her hand, displaying her fingers as she counts to herself. “Yes, you can hop in.” She states, bending all her fingers into a closed position. “Just don’t jump in...” Limestone, Pinkie, and Marble didn’t wait for her to finish, they jump into the tub, spilling water onto the white tile floor. Octavia sighs and gets in herself. Instead of joining her sisters, Maud sits on a stool next to the tub and takes out a newspaper from under the sink and begins reading it. “You’re reading Pa’s paper?” Pinkie asks looking at her sister with her bright blue eyes. “It's three weeks old, I think he won’t mind,” Maud smirks, flipping the page. “Don’t take too long fillies, I would like to have a chance to enjoy my bath as well.” “Yes, don’t you worry… We’ll take forever.” Limestone teases, stretching her arms out making a smug face. Maud gives her an unamused stare as she flips the pages of the newspaper. Octavia giggles at the two while she lathers the tar-soap in her hands. Ignoring their elder sisters, Pinkie and Marble play a game of ‘who can hold their breath the longest.' They dunk their heads under the water, their fingers pinching the tip of their snouts. Their long manes mixing together in a sea of black and magenta. Finally coming up for air, Pinkie takes in long breaths, wiping her wet mane from her eyes. “Darn!” Marble comes up after her, timidly she wipes her mane from her eyes. Seeing that she’d won, she lifts her hands in the air. “Woo!” She squeaks. Pinkie frowns. “I want a rematch… HEY!” Limestone interrupts her, scrubbing her mane with lathered tar-soap. Pinkie protests this action, but Limestone ignores her as she hums a tune. Octavia does the same with Marble. Both twins give a frown, crossing their arms in the process. Maud smiles in amusement as she flips to the next page of the newspaper. With the table set, Octavia and Limestone overlook their work, eyeing the tarnished silverware and worn porcelain crockery, making sure they were in the right order. With a smile, they step away from the table and walk into the kitchen to see Pinkie stirring the contents of the pot, and Marble helping out their mother with preparing the spice-butter. “Mmm… The food smells yummy!” Limestone hums, licking her lips as the aroma of cabbage stew hits her nostrils. “Is supper ready?” Octavia asks watching her sister stir the mixture. “Why yes, it is…” Cloudy Quartz states looking over her shoulder at the clock. “Now we just have to wait for your Pa.” The clock reads 7:45pm. “Pa is forty-five minutes late…” Limestone muses, kicking the wall that separates the kitchen from the dining room. “Did Pa have to work late again?” Marble asks, hugging her mother’s waist. Cloudy Quartz runs her fingers through Marble’s mane. “I’m not sure…” Igneous Rock Pie stands under the awning of Ashmore’s only train station. He’s covered from head to toe in coal dust and sweat. The steam train behind him, huffs and puffs as it sits idle, allowing its small load of passengers to unload themselves. After watching other stallions of varying stature and age leave the station, heading to their homes for a few short seconds, he breathes a content sigh and picks up his tin-lunch-pail from the station’s wooden deck and heads home. The light from the gas-lanterns lighting the town, light up the surrounding rain droplets and puddles, creating a scene a master oil painter would paint. Even though it is cold, he enjoys the scenery. He always liked the rain. He found it helped his stress levels. Trekking further into town, the cold begins to numb his snout and hands. His clothes begin to cling to him and the mud clings to his hooves. He shivers as he pushes on, allowing the quiet of the town to carry him. Nearing the main intersection, he turns left and heads up the hill. Seeing his home in the distance, he smiles as he picks up the pace, his walking turning into a light jog. Nearing his house, he sees his eldest daughter Maud walking up the steps onto their porch with several logs in her arms. “Hello sweetheart, got a large load there?” Maud looks over her shoulder, giving her father a smile. “Hello Pa, you look quite dirty.” She giggles. “Did a lot of coal mining this week?” Igneous laughs. “Sure did, come let’s head inside.” Maud nods and heads for the door. Cloudy Quartz and her daughters are watching the stew simmer within the pot when they hear the front door open. “Hold on dear let me get the door for you.” Igneous’s voice echoes into the home. The family turns their attention to the door and sees Maud walk into the house carrying several logs and following close behind is their father and husband, Igneous Rock. His bright yellow eyes standing out from his filthy appearance. Setting his lunch bin down, he leans forward placing his hands on his knees. “Oh colt, the rain is brutal.” “How bad is it dear?” Cloudy Quartz walks up to her husband, helping him out of his overcoat. “Bad, when I arrived into town from the train station, the rains just began turning into sleet.” He takes off his coat, the stench of coal floating off of him. “Hello, Pa.” His children call out with smiles as they stand around him. “Hello, fillies.” Seeing that they were in their nightgowns for the evening, he pats their heads. “I would hug you, but I think your Ma would get mad.” He teases, giving his wife a smirk. The sisters giggle at their father’s words, but their mother sighs, putting her hands on her hips. “Go wash up, the faster you bathe, the sooner we can eat.” She returns the smirk. Their father smiles and hands over his hat to his wife before walking towards the bathroom. The family sits around a humbly sized dining table, eating their supper in silence, only the sounds of silverware colliding with porcelain echo throughout the house. They take their time with their meals, each enjoying the warmth the stew brought as they mull over a task of their own accord. Their father sits at the head of the table, their mother sits to his right. Their eating is slow as their minds’ full attention are on the stories within the newspaper they are reading. Maud sits across from her mother on her father’s left. She’s reading her ‘Earth Speak’ book, an advance read on the earth ponies’ native tongue. Limestone and Octavia sit to Maud’s right. They’re reading their music-sheets for their respective musical instruments, Limestone the piano and Octavia the violin. Pinkie and Marble sit to their mother’s left. They whisper to one another about whatever comes to their young imaginative minds. Several violent coughs reverberate throughout the home from Igneous as he holds onto the table with his right hand, while his left covers his mouth with a napkin. With a grunt, he hacks up what he coughed and spits it in the napkin. Looking at the paper cloth, he sees black mucus sticking to its soft fibers. With a sigh, he wads up the napkin and gets up, “Excuse me, my dears…” He walks into the kitchen, tossing the napkin into the trash bin. The younger sisters look at their father with worry, but Maud gives them a look that tells them to let it go. They reluctantly comply to her demand. Taking his seat once again, Igneous looks at his daughters and sees their worried faces. “You fillies ready for church tomorrow?” He asks with a bright smile trying to mask a subtle cough. The sisters stop eating. “Yes, Pa.” They turn their attention to their father. “Pinkie and Marble practiced this morning at the school earlier today.” Cloudy Quartz hums with a smile. “I believe they will do a wonderful job tomorrow.” She gives the twins a soft smile, they smile back with a blush. “Do you fillies like singing?” He asks the twins. They nod their heads quickly. “Yeah, it’s a lot of fun.” Pinkie smiles, expressing her statement by extending her arms out. “It’s scary… though…” Marble adds, tapping the table with her index fingers. Igneous chuckles, his deep voice reverberating throughout the house. “But you and your sister have adorable singing voices. Have faith in yourself, my dears.” The twins blush at his words. Igneous chuckles as he turns his attention to Octavia and Limestone. “Have the two of you been studying your music sheets all this week? You know your lessons are on Sunday.” He points his spoon at them, before scooping up some of his stew into his mouth. “Yes, Pa.” Limestone answers before taking a bite of stew herself. “It’s been going well,” Octavia adds before taking a bite as well. Igneous smiles as he sips the warm broth from his spoon. “Maud, how is everything going with your schooling?” “Good Pa, been getting A’s,” Maud replies in her usually dull tone. Igneous smiles. “That’s good to hear, I know you’ll make a great elementary teacher…” Knock! Knock! The family looks at the door in confusion. Eyeing the clock, Igneous sees that it's almost nine at night. Getting up from his seat he walks over to the door. Opening it, he sees a stallion, thin in build with an ash-colored mane standing on his porch. “Granite what are you doing out in this storm… especially at this time of night?” The stallion gives a chuckle. “Well, it’s the storm itself,my friend.” He rubs his hands together. “The telegraph lines aren’t working all that well.” He steps up closer to Igneous and leans against the step’s railing. “I have a message for you from Dodge Junction.” Igneous ears perk up. Granite is the town’s local telegraph monitor, the city’s only source of news from the outside world. “Is there something wrong?” Granite gives a sigh. “There’s been a rumor going around…” He sees his friend’s wife and children staring at them. “Can you shut the door?” Igneous understands his request and fulfills what is asked of him. The sisters look at each other with concern. Getting up from their seats they stand next to the door to listen in on their father’s conversation. “Fillies, sit your butts down and finish your supper!” Their mother hisses, pointing to the table. The twins and Limestone quickly obey and walk back to their seats, tails tucked between their legs. However, Octavia and Maud stand in place, staring at the door trying to make out words from the muffled sounds. “Fillies, sit down.” Their mother hisses again, tapping a finger on the table. With a sigh, they walk back to their seats. Humming a tune and motioning to her daughters with a wave of her hand, they go back to their meal. “Are you sure, Granite?” Granite gives a sigh as his puffs on his cigar. “Yes.” He leans against one of the wooden posts holding up the porch’s awning. Igneous blows out smoke before placing his cigar back in his mouth. “Unicorpian troops have never gotten this far inland.” He blows out another wad of smoke. “Are the lines falling apart?” Granite shrugs “From the sounds of it, yes, but I’m not sure, sure. The last telegraph I’ve gotten was from my brother. He told me that they were pushing them back over the old borders before this blasted war started.” He sighs. “I just wanted to pass the word onto you and the others in the town, just in case.” He steps down from the porch. “Let’s hope it’s nothing. Goodnight friend.” “Goodnight.” Igneous watches the stallion jog off to the next home. With a worrisome sigh, he walks back into his house. Stepping into space, the warmth of the fire soothes his numb nerves, with a whisper, he puts his cigar out in an ashtray on the fireplace mantle and stands by the fireplace, warming his hands. “What did Granite want?” Cloudy Quartz asks. Igneous looks over his shoulder at his family. “Just to let us know that the telegraph lines are down tonight…” He turns around and walks up to the table. “And the state of the war.” “Is it something we should worry about?” His wife asks. “No… It's fine.” Looking at the clock, he cracks his knuckles. “Time for bed fillies.” The sisters are upset by this, but they know not to protest their father’s commands. Getting out of their seats, they walk to the restroom once more to brush their teeth. With their children gone and out of hearing range, Cloudy Quartz holds onto her husband’s hand. “How bad is it?” Igneous sighs. “From the sound of it, the eastern lines are breaking.” Cloudy Quartz places her hand over her mouth, muffling a gasp. Seeing the worry in her eyes, he puts a hand under her chin. “Let’s not worry about it. Come let’s head to bead as well dear, we have a busy day tomorrow.” Pinkie lays in her queen-sized bed next to Marble at the foot of the bed while Octavia and Limestone lay beside each other at the head of the bed. On the right-hand corner of the room, Maud lays in her own twin-sized bed. Their room although small and lacking square footage, still holds a long dresser, a toy chest, an oak desk and two-night stands. A single window hangs above the dresser allowing the dim light of the oil-street lamps to flood into the room. With sleep not embracing her, only worry about tomorrow and what it might bring, Mable rolls over on her side, facing her twin. “Pinkie?” Pinkie’s ears twitch from hearing her sister’s soft, timid voice. “Yeah?” She turns around, her blue eyes looking into Marble’s purple eyes. “Are you nervous about tomorrow?” Marble hugs her pony doll tight to her chest. Pinkie shrugs her shoulders. “Kind of, but I think we’ll do good, Ma thinks we will. Besides, it’s just one song...” Limestone listens to their conversation with a smirk as she stares at Maud through the dim light flooding their room. With a stretch and a yawn, she turns over on her side. “Hey, Maud?” “What?” Maud asks, not opening her eyes, her pillow consuming a majority of her head. “When is your colt-friend going to propose to you?” She chuckles. Maud blushes, her eyes open wide with embarrassment. “Why would you bring this up tonight?” She lifts her head facing her sister with a confused stare. “Well, you were gone all yesterday…” Limestone gives her sister a sly smile. “Just curious as to when you two will make it official already?” Maud huffs. “There was school yesterday… That’s why I was gone most of yesterday!” She pulls her covers closer to her chin. “Liar… School was let out early that day!” Limestone sticks out her tongue. Maud blushes. “So, when is he going to propose?” I-I don’t know…” Maud turns over, facing the wall to hide the redness that washes over her cheeks. Octavia giggles. “He’s taking his sweet time.” She joins in on the fun. Pinkie and Marble join in as well with their own set of giggles. Maud frowns at her sisters’ antics. “He sure is…” She mumbles thinking of the colt. Laughter begins to take hold of her sisters which causes her to roll her eyes. Pinkie’s giggling stops as a thought crosses her mind. “Well, you better get married soon.” She crosses her arms in a huff. The giggles stop as silence floods the room. Maud’s face reddens further “Why?’ She asks, concern coming over her at what answer Pinkie will give. “Well it's obvious, I’m nine years old!” Pinkie sits up, arms stretching out wide. “I’m not getting any younger, I mean, being an aunt at ten will suck!” She whines, falling back onto her pillow. “I’ll be too old to have fun with my niece or ne-ne… Nefew?” “Nephew.” Marble corrects. “BWAH!” Limestone loses it, her laughter being so robust that she has to clutch her stomach. Maud’s redness increases as she places her pillow over her head. A pathetic moan escapes her lips as she tries to muffle their laughter. Octavia holds her hand to her mouth, her eyes watering like crazy. Pinkie and Marble giggle uncontrollably from seeing Maud’s reaction. “FILLIES GO TO BED!” Their father’s booming voice shouts from their parents’ room. As quickly as their laughing began, it stops. They quickly get comfortable in their beds, allowing sleep to take over, all be it, very slowly. Some giggles slipping from their lips every so often until soon, they drift off into a deep sleep.
Chapter 7Maud sits in front of her master’s desk. An open book lays before her, its pages are filled with strange and familiar symbols of her native and unicorn tongues written in brown ink. Looking at one of the words, she reads the symbols. ‘Apple’ it reads. Moving her eyes to the left-side of the page she stares at the strange symbols, studying its lettering. “Omena?” She says in confusion. “Good. More emphasis on the ‘E’ Nightingale states sitting in front of her as he skims through a stack of papers. “Write it five-times and move on to the next word.” He sips his coffee. Maud gives him a small nod, writing the word on a sheet of paper to her left. Over by the radiator and bookshelves stands Moonlight. He looks out the large corner window of the watchtower, looking at the camp below. “Why are you educating her?” He looks back at the foreman with a frown. “Because I hate speaking in Earthen, if she’s going to be my slave, she will learn to speak Unicorpian!” Nightingale sighs, placing some papers on a metal bronze tray. “I guess that’s a good enough reason…” Moonlight stares at a watchtower on the opposite end of the camp. “But?” Nightingale adds to the stallion’s statements. “But, but I still think her tongue shouldn’t touch our language!” Moonlight leans against the base of the window frame. “No slave should.” Nightingale gives his comrade a perplexed look. “So, you’d berate every slave owner who teaches their slaves Unicorpian?” “Don’t be a smartass!” Moonlight chuckles to himself. Swallowing his coffee, he clutches his chest. “Damn!” He laughs. “What?” Nightingale asks, setting his work down on his desk. “Sometimes I don’t get you, my friend!” He walks over to the stairs. “One minute you’re telling me to treat earth ponies with respect!” He points at Maud. “Then you’re fondling her and torturing her sisters!” He finishes his cup of coffee. Maud stares at the stallions, trying to understand their words. “Minulla on syyni.” Nightingale sighs, sipping his coffee as he stares at Maud. She shivers as she stares back at him. “Aivan sama…” Moonlight heads down the stairs. “Olin minunilmalaivaani, jostarvitsetminua!” Nightingale rubs his eyes as he hears the stallion shut the door behind him. Running his hand across his face, he holds it over his mouth, his eyes staring into Maud’s turquoise eyes. “Read the next word slave.” Maud looks down, her hands shaking. “Käytä…” Nightingale nods, getting up from his seat, walking over to a coat rack on the wall. “It means apply.” She comments reading the earthen symbols. “Good…” He pulls a leash off the coat rack. “Read the next one.” Maud skims down the words and finds a more challenging one. “S… Suosion… Suosionosoitukset?” She looks at the translation. “Applause?” She looks at her master, completely baffled by the word. “It’s a long word.” He shrugs his shoulders as he walks up to her. Latching the leash to her collar, he slips his hands through the loop and gives it a soft tug. Maud grasps onto her collar and stares at the leash in confusion. “I have a job for you to do… Come, follow me.” Rose Sapphire sits on her worn cot, looking out the barred-window of her ten by ten feet cell, at the camp below while she breasts feeds her newborn. Across from her, sitting in her own cot is Grassy Breeze, who is comforting her newborn with a gentle back rub. Golden Stone sleeps in the cot in the right-side corner at the back of the cell, facing the wall. With a long sigh, Rose Sapphire glances over at Grassy Breese. “How are you doing?” “Grassy Breeze looks over at the mare. “Alright… My daughter needs a new diaper, it’s been three days… I can make it last two more if I have to but, I don’t think it will last another wash…” She sticks a finger along her newborn’s inner thigh, lifting up her diaper. “The fibers are starting to make her skin raw… You can feel it under her fur…” She rubs the spot where her finger is at, a frown forming on her face. Rose Sapphire sighs. “I’m in the same boat… I hope they bring some soon.” She strokes her son’s scalp, moving some of his soft-short red mane to one side. Grassy Breeze sighs as she stares at the door to their cell, studying its metal construction. “I need some fresh air…” Rose Sapphire nods. “I think we all need some fresh air…” She feels her son pull away from her nipple. He smacks his lips as he wiggles in her arms. With a smile, she slips her left breast back into her prison-gown and burps him. The door to their cell opens with a dull whine. Rose Sapphire and Grassy Breeze turn their attention to see who’s there. Even Golden Stone awakens from her slumber, glancing over her shoulder. Nightingale steps into their cell, leading Maud by a leash. Rose Sapphire stares at her daughter-in-law’s dress in confusion and disbelief. The other two mares give confused glares of disapproval at how the skirt of her gown is above her knees. Embarrassed, Maud looks down at her hooves. “Why are you here… With her? What did you do to her?” Rose Sapphire asks giving the stallion a stern glare. Nightingale returns her glare with a cocky smile. “I didn’t do anything to her, she did it herself… Little hothead!” He unlatches the leash from her collar. “I’m here to drop her off.” He coaxes her forward with a gentle pat on her butt. The mares give him stares of disapproval. “As my slave,” He ignores their stern expressions. “she’ll be assisting and attending to your every need while you live out your five years in this room.” He walks towards the door. “Oh… And my guards will come back with a tray of food for each of you and some clean diapers.” He hums, closing the door. Finally, alone, Rose Sapphire steps up to Maud, wrapping a free arm around her shoulder, bringing her into a hug. “Is it true? You’re his slave?” She studies the filly’s appearance some more. Maud can hear the worry in her mother-in-law’s voice. Glancing at the mare, she gives a small nod before turning her attention to back to her hooves. “Are we all going to become salves?!” Golden Stone asks in a panic. “Golden Stone! Fear is not good for the foal!” Grassy Breeze chastises the young mother to be. Golden Stone cowers in her corner, laying her head on her pillow. “How are Obsidian and Ruby? You’re sisters?” Rose Sapphire leads Maud to her cot and sits her down. She lays her newborn in her lap, placing a hand under the filly’s chin. “Your Ma and Pa?” Fear coats her words. “They’re…” She clasps her hands together. “They’re… I-I don’t know…. It’s been three days since I’ve seen them!” Tears well up in her eyes. She grabs onto the mare, pulling her into a desperate hug. Rose Sapphire rubs Maud’s back. “It's okay… Take a deep breath…” She coos into her ear. “Do you remember how they were when you last saw them?” Maud wipes some of her tears away. “Yes… They’re fine… They split us into groups... stallions, mares, and children… So I’m not sure how my parents and Obsidian are… But I know Ruby and my sisters are okay…” She wraps her arms around her chest, her hands clenching her shoulders. “They took Pinkie away!” Tears begin to flood her eyes. “What did they do to Pinkie?” Rose Sapphire lifts Maud’s head. Her eyes staring at hers. Maud holds back a sob. “They put her in solitary!” Pinkie scratches a mark on the wall of her cell with a broken piece of concrete near the base of the door. Shivering from the cold, she sets the rock down and leans in closer reading the marks. “Three… Three days?!” Her pupils shrink, her body goes numb from shock. She looks around her dark room, tears flooding her eyes. “No…” She moans weakly. Feeling a cramp in her abdomen, she clutches her belly and looks at the right-side corner of the cell. She eyes the small foot wide hole in the ground through the dimly-lit darkness. Her spine shivers as she remembers her experience with it during her first morning of solitary. Pinkie awakens from her nightmare filled sleep. She slowly opens her eyes as she lifts her head off the floor. Dry vomit coats the corners of her mouth. The soft morning light of the sun graces her vision as it barely illuminates the pitch-blackness of her cell. Shivering from the cold, she wraps her arms around her legs and rocks back n’ forth. Her tail flicking around, telegraphing her stressed mental state. Feeling a cramp in her lower abdomen, she groans clutching her belly. Whining, she gets on her hands and knees, trying to find a toilet within her cell. Inching her way to the other side of her cell, she sticks her hands out in front of her, sliding them along the floor… WHAM! PLUNK! SPLOSH! Pinkie smacks her chin on the floor. “ERR…” Pinkie hisses through her clenched teeth as she feels an awful slimy feeling on her left hand. “EW…!” She pulls her arm out of a damp hole and brings her hand up to her face. A dreadful odor assaults her nostrils. “AH!” She screams, whipping the ick on the floor. The muck sticks to her fur and smears itself further into her fur. Feeling sick, she rips off her prison gown and uses it as a towel. With her hand somewhat clean, she throws the tainted gown against the wall opposite her… Wrapping her arms around her bare chest and her tail around her lap, Pinkie sits cross-legged, her tired eyes staring at the door of her cell. She moves her tongue around her mouth. Her mouth feels dry like there are several wads of cotton balls in her mouth. Feeling the pain in her abdomen returning, she hears her stomach sound off a rumble. “I’m hungry…?” She rubs her stomach. Tears roll down her cheeks as she stares at the marks on the wall. “ERR… AH!” She cries out, her voice hoarse. Coughs overtake her as she tries to wet her mouth and throat. She tries to calm herself, but her emotions overwhelm her as she curls up into the fetal position on the floor, her tail laying over her like a makeshift blanket. Hearing hoof steps coming up to her cell, a chill runs down her spine. She feels the pain in her stomach increase. “Food?!” She mumbles to herself. Jumping to her hooves, she stumbles over to her cell door and begins pounding on it. “Hello!” Please! I’m hungry! And… and… ERR!” A surge of electricity shoots through her, sending her to the floor, the back of her head smacking the ground hard. “Prisoner, you’re getting your only cup of water for the day! Drink responsibly!” The metal latch at the bottom of the metal door slides open. The guard on the other side puts his hand through the hole and places a metal cup of water on the ground. The light that floods into the room from the open latch hurts Pinkie’s eyes. With a grunt, the guard shuts the metal latch. Bathed in darkness once again, Pinkie gets up from the ground, pain racks her body, her muscles twitch as she crawls to the door. Grabbing the metal cup, she takes a massive gulp, quenching her mouth while tears roll down her face. The numbing hums of the conveyor belts drive Limestone mad. Her eyes stare at the belts rolling on past her with dull eyes. ‘The same mindless motion.’ She thinks to herself. Three days of this numbing experience is taking its toll on her. She is going to have to endure this for who knows how long. Her body shakes as she rubs her tired eyes. Octavia looks at her younger sister with a blank stare. At this point, there is nothing she could do to lift her spirits. She frowns internally at that problem. This place is robbing her of her sisterly duties…. She holds a copper ingot in her hands. Her mind wanders to her sister Pinkie… How is she doing locked away in her concrete cage… all alone. Eying a large dial clock hanging on the wall to her left, she reads the time. ‘Three-forty-five o’ clock. With a grunt, she tosses the copper ingot into the crate without a care in the world. A guard looking down from the catwalk frowns. Looking over at his comrade, he alerts him to her attitude. Up in the balcony office, Cloudy Quarts notices the guard approaching her daughters. Fear overcomes her as she watches helplessly from her perch. “So, prisoner?” The guard leans over Octavia, intimidating her with his stature. “What seems to be the problem?” He puts his hands on his hips. Limestone stares at the two of them, fear overcoming her thoughts as she wonders what might happen. Octavia feels a tight sensation form in her chest. “Nothing… Sorry, sir…” She reaches into the crate and fixes the ingot, reorienting it into the correct position. “Nothing?...” The guard hums. “Well, it better be nothing!” He pinches her left ear, his fingernails digging into her skin and cartilage. Octavia hisses from the pain. “I can’t hear you?!” He growls. “I won’t do it again!” Octavia moans. “I promise!” The guard smiles. “Better keep that promises!” He flicks her snout, before walking back to his post. Octavia rubs her snout, hissing her pain away. Seeing her mother looking down at her, a wave of guilt comes over her. With a tired sigh, she and her sister return to their work. “Damn it!” Obsidian hisses as he swings his pickaxe against the basalt. Igneous looks over at the young stallion with a dull expression. “Slow down son, you’ll develop blisters.” Igneous comments. “Or pop them…” Mr. Cake quips as he throws a chunk of basalt into the minecart behind them. “My limbs are shaking…” Obsidian leans on his pickaxe, catching his breath. “They don’t feed us enough!” He breathes in deeply. “That’s why you need to conserve your energy.” Igneous sighs as he pulls on his pickaxe, ripping out a chunk of rock. Obsidian watches the stallion’s movements and shakes the numbness from his arms. Igneous senses an uneasy feeling radiating from the young stallion. He stares into his eyes and sees the fear within. “What’s bothering you?” Obsidian jerks from the stallion’s question. “Nothing… just hungry…” He keeps his eyes on his work, he watches several cracks form across the crust of the basalt rock face. Igneous can tell he’s lying, he can see the young stallion’s eyes twitch, the clammy sweat rolling down his brow. The elder stallion keeps silent, only giving a low deep grunt as his response. Obsidian feels uneasy, scared almost. It feels like Igneous’s presence is consuming him. “No… I’m not fine…” “Then what bothers you, child?” Igneous loads up some rock into their minecart. “It’s Maud… and Pinkie… I haven’t seen them in the past three days.” He sets down his pickaxe. “When we’re by the gates a look over to their side every day… I’ve only seen their sisters and my sister…” Igneous nods as he mulls over the young stallion’s words. “Just keep your mind strong and sound son… They’re fine, we must think that, for our own safety and theirs.” He sets down his pickaxe and begins pushing the cart. Obsidian sets down his pickaxe hastily and helps the stallion. Marble digs through a mass of pebbles and sand in the water of the runoff-sluice. Her tiny fingers wiggle their way into the course material searching for copper nuggets. Ruby stands beside her, her own hands digging through the sand and pebbles. Her red eyes stare numbly at the water flowing past her arms and into the drain at the end of their sluice. Scooping a handful of copper, Marble looks at her bucket and sees that it's mostly full. She looks at Ruby’s bucket and sees that it needs just a few more handfuls. Dumping her scoop in Ruby’s bucket, she picks up hers and drains some of her copper, filling it up. 1245, 3390, and 2266 stare at her with scowls. Scarlet who stands behind them, stares at Marble with a flat frown, but she stays at her post watching the two fillies with mild interest. Ruby stares at her bucket and Marble with a confused and flustered expression. Marble nods, giving her a soft smile. Timidly she picks up the bucket and steps onto the metal rampart and heads to the end of the warehouse to the entrance of the smelting plant. Getting to the entrance, Ruby stands in front of the booth and stares at a unicorn stallion behind the stall’s counter, typing away on his typewriter. “Um… Sir?” Hearing her voice, he looks away from his work. “Yes?... Oh, I see you have a full bucket...” He swings his chair over to a mechanical-computer-typewriter. “Your number?” “5184, Sir,” Ruby mumbles as she holds the bucket in front of her lap. “And this is your… fourth bucket of the day?” He questions. Ruby nods her head softly. Pulling a lever on the mechanical-computer-typewriter, a metal chute opens in front of Ruby. “Dump your cargo.” Ruby tilts her bucket pouring in her copper. Emptying her container, she steps away from the chute and makes her way back to her sluice. Getting back to her station, she stands next to Marble once more and continues on her work. Scarlet who is watching not too far from them, pushes herself off the wall she leans on and strolls on up to the two. Standing behind and in-between them, she lowers her head, glancing at the two fillies. They shiver, scared by her presence. Even the veteran prisoners, 1245, 3390, and 2266 shows signs of cowardliness. “So…” She looks at Marble. “5179… I’ve been noticing for the past three days you been helping out 5184… you like this filly? Have some feelings for her?” She laughs. Marble shakes her head. “No… She’s my sister… uh, friend, she’s my friend." Marble states with a mumble. Ruby looks at the two with worry. Scarlet shakes her head. “Friend… I thought you said, sister… I know you only have four sisters… so that only means… Oh… I see she’s your sister-in-law…” Marble feels a shiver run down her spine. Scarlet tilts her head back with a raised brow. “This explains a lot…” She looks at the two of them in bewilderment. “Well then… If that’s the case.” She pinches the back of Marble’s neck causing her to flinch and her limbs to freeze up. “Which one of your sisters is married?” Marble starts mumbling trying to hide her embarrassment. “SHH… Finish your work… You can tell me after supper…” Leaving her mother-in-law’s cell, Maud stands in front of the door waiting for a guard to take her to her room. Hearing hoof steps echoing into the hall where she stands, she sees one of Nightingale’s personal guards walking up to her. Giving her a nod, Maud lowers her head and follows him. Turning the corner, they enter into the adjacent hall. Seeing the door to her room a few feet away she gives a sigh as they near. Grunting the guard opens the metal door and motions her with his free hand. “In you go.” He mumbles. Forcing a polite smile, Maud steps into her cell. The metal door shuts behind her, sealing her in her sterile environment. With a tired sigh, she walks over to her bed and sits on its edge, allowing her hooves to dangle off the bed. Rubbing the back of her neck, she looks at her nightstand and notices a leather-bound book resting on its surface. Curious, she picks up the book and opens it. She skims through some of the pages and finds to her displeasure that it’s written in Unicorpian. With a growl she throws it on her bed. Bringing her knees to her chest, she lays on her right side, staring at the wall directly in front of her. Reading the time on the clock. ‘seven pm…’ She mouths. Boredom washes over her mind. Grunting, she sits up once more and picks up the book begrudgingly. Opening it to the title page, she tries to make out some familiar words. “I see you’re reading that book.” Maud shivers as she turns her attention to her door. Standing in the doorway is her Master. Nightingale gives her a smile as he stares at her. “I little gift,” He crosses his arms. “You keep up your good deeds, and you’ll be needing a bookshelf soon.” He pulls out a cigarette and lights it. Maud sets the book in her lap. “Thank you… Master…” She struggles to say without sounding condescending. Nightingale notices her tone and hums a chuckle. “You’ll get your supper soon.” He takes a drag of his cig, before closing her door. Maud’s nose twitches as the tobacco filled smoke floats around her. Frowning she throws the book against the wall and lays back on her bed. The metal typebars of a typewriter smack violently against the parchment resting on the platen cylinder. Getting to the end of the paper, Nightingale pulls the sheet of paper out and feeds another sheet into the machine. Moonlight who lays on the couch at the other end of the room, grumbles. “You still working on that book of yours?” “Yes... This job consumes too much of my free time if you remember.” He raises a brow at the stallion. “I would have been finished with it long ago… But alas, my nation calls me to serve its needs.” Moonlight just sighs, as he lays his forearm over his eyes. His magic pulling a blanket over himself. Nightingale sighs at the stallion’s manners as he continues his writing. KNOCK! Nightingale rolls his eyes and gives a long sigh. “Come on in!” The door to the stairwell opens revealing Scarlet holding Marble by the neck, leading her into his office. Nightingale stares at the earth pony filly with a frown. “Don’t tell me that she’s causing trouble as well?” “No sir,” Scarlet replies, shaking her head. “I just found out some fascinating information about her.” She places her hands on the filly’s shoulders. Marble cowers under her embrace. Nightingale raises a brow. “What did you learn?” He leans back in his chair. Even Moonlight lifts his head staring at the two of them with a curious gaze. “Well,” She squeezes Marble’s shoulders, causing the filly to squirm. “I found out that she has a sister-in-law.” She smiles. “Prisoner 5184." Nightingale hums. “She does?” He thinks to himself trying to figure out which one of her sisters would be married... Grunting he gets up and walks over to a filing cabinet and opens one of the drawers. Taking out a file, he skims through the pages reading the information on her and her sisters. Getting to Maud’s file, he reads her age. “16…” He looks at Marble. “Is your sister Maud, the one that’s married?” Marble shivers under his gaze. “Yes…” She plays with the skirt of her prison-gown. “The wedding never took place… though…” She looks down at her hooves, trying to hide her tears. Nightingale frowns as he stares at the file. “Thanks for this information.” He looks at Scarlet. “You can take her back to her cell.” Scarlet nods and drags Marble out of his office home. Moonlight looks at his friend with a raised brow. “So, your slave has some secrets.” Nightingale sighs. “She does, doesn’t she…” “Hän juoksiniinnopeastikuinpystyiportille, hänen mahtavallemiekalleen?” Maud questions herself, trying to make out the meaning of the words. She recognizes some, but most of them go over her head. Frustration building within her, she sets the book in her lap as she lays her head on her pillow. Hearing the lock to her door unlatching itself, she lifts her head up and sees her master stepping into her room. Nervous, trying to understand why he would be in her room at this time of night, she sits up and observes him. “Yes, Master?” Nightingale gives her a sly smile as he walks up to her bed. Standing over her, he reveals a folder behind his back and opens it. “So, I found out something exciting about you and your sisters today.” He skims through the files. Maud feels herself go numb. “What do you mean, Master?” Nightingale sighs. “Oh, that you have a sister-in-law. Ruby is her name, I’m I correct?” Maud feels herself getting clammy. “I don’t know what you’re talking about… AH” He hits her over the head with the palm of his hand. “Don’t lie to me! Do you remember what happens if you disobey me? You don’t want your sisters to face punishment now do you?” He glares down at her. She looks up in fear and barely nods her head. He sighs, returning his attention back to the file. “So…” He pulls out a file. “It says Ruby has a mother and two brothers here in this camp.” He reads the paper. “Her mother and baby brother are in the maternity wing of the prisoner processing station. So, that just leaves one brother as the likely candidate… How long have you been engaged to Obsidian?” He holds out his file, showing it to her. Maud stares at the paper, she feels physically and mentally sick. She rubs her hands together, fearing the unknowns. “A-A week…” He hums, putting the paper back in the vanilla folder. “Well aren’t you full of secrets… Have you two mated?” Again, she feels sick. “No… The Lord forbids it until we're married…” She lies. He hums, tapping the back of the folder with his index fingers. “Well I have a questions that need to be answered, let’s ask him, shall we?” Obsidian lays his head against the wall of his cell, his eyes twitching as he tries to get some sleep. Igneous sleeps in the other cot, his head resting on his pillow as he stares at the ceiling of their cell, counting the small fractures scaring the concrete with heavy eyes. Hearing the latch to their door unlocking, both stallions awake from their haze and look at the door. Three guards walk into the cell and grab Obsidian by his collar. Obsidian’s flight or fight instincts overtake him, swing, he punches one of the guards. Angry that he got a punch on his comrade, one of the guards elbows him in the back of his head. Obsidian falls to the floor, clutching his head. Concerned for the young stallion, Igneous sits up glaring at the guards. A guard standing outside the room notices his expression. “Sit prisoner, the foreman would like to talk with him.” Trying to keep up with the guards, Obsidian keeps his eyes on the foreman’s watchtower as they near it, it getting larger and larger as it consumes his vision. Arriving at the base of the stairs the guards shove him forward, commanding him to climb the steps. Finding his balance, Obsidian slowly ascends the stairs. Getting to the door, one of the guards knocks, “Come on in!” a muffled voice calls out to them. Stepping into the office, Obsidian looks to his right and sees Nightingale sitting at his desk and Maud standing behind him wearing a white cotton nightgown. A chill runs up his spine as he stares at Maud, his eyes full of confusion and fear. Maud stares at him, her heart heavy with dread and fear. Embarrassed, she lowers her head and glares sadly at the fibers of the hardwood floor. “So, I see why you’re wondering why she’s here?” Nightingale states noticing Obsidian’s expression. “I have to say colt, you know how to pick’em.” He looks back at Maud and gives her a seductive smirk. She feels uncomfortable from his wooing. Obsidian glares at the foreman. “What do you want with me?” He growls. Nightingale glares at him, not liking his tone. “Well, I just found out my slave was engaged before her capture.” He pulls out a bottle of bourbon and pours himself a drink. “According to Unicorpian Slave Laws, any slave that is engaged or married must renounce their union.” He sips his drink. Both Obsidian and Maud feel their hearts sink. Maud feels her legs giving out, but she fights to keep her composure. Obsidian, on the other hand, grits his teeth. “Like hell, I won’t!” He spits stepping up to foreman’s desk. Nightingale chuckles. “It’s not your call, you’re not a slave, she is.” He finishes his glass and pours himself some more. “She has to renounce the engagement.” He points his glass at Maud before taking a rather large sip of his bourbon. Maud collapses at his statement. Before she hits the floor, Nightingale catches her and sits her on his lap. “It’s okay, take a deep breath.” Obsidian growls and charges at the foreman. He doesn’t make much progress as one of the guards grabs his collar with his magic, dragging him back to his place. The two other guards with him, put their arms under his armpits holding his arms against their chests. Nightingale stares at the colt, running his left hand through her mane. “I need you to renounce your engagement, my slave.” Maud glares at her Master and pushes his arm away. “NO! I will not!” He rolls his eyes and gives a huff. “You’re kidding me?!” He wraps his right arm around her waist pulling her into a tight embrace as he uses his magic to tighten her collar. “Denounce your engagement!” He glances at his guards. The guard to the left of Obsidian nods, and pulls out his pistol, aiming it at Obsidian’s brow just above his left eye. Obsidian stares at the gun with wide eyes, his body shivering in fear. Maud stares at the pistol and her fiancé. Her mind races with a billion horrid thoughts, her body shivers, sweat coats her fur, her body temperature rises. “No… No…” She silently mumbles to herself. Not hearing the correct response, the guard pulls his pistol’s hammer back. She fights the urge to puke as she sees Obsidian shaking his head, telling her not to give in… “I renounce! I… I… I… Renounce!...” She sobs, collapsing, her body leaning against her Master’s arm. Obsidian stares at his love, his heart heavy with sadness. But deep down, he knew why she gave in. Smiling, Nightingale drops his magic. “You can take him back to his cell.” The guards nod and drag the colt out of the office. Looking at the sobbing filly, Nightingale runs his fingers through her long soft mane. “Let’s get you to bed.” He stands her up and leads her to her room. Getting to her cell, Nightingale opens the door and allows her to enter first, extending his hand through the doorway. Maud slowly steps into her room, her arms crossed over her chest, her head hanging low. Standing just a few inches past the doorframe, she turns around and gives him a stern glare. Without warning, she smacks him across the face. As quickly as she smacked him, he grabs her offending arm and pulls it above her head, the awkward position causes her to drop her stern demeanor and panic as great discomfort radiates from her right shoulder. With a grunt, he drags her to her bed and throws her on it. Bouncing on her bed, she looks up in fear as he puts his hands on his belt. “I think you’re not understanding what just happened.” He undoes his belt and throws it on the floor. “You’re no longer his, you’re mine.” His military pants fall to the floor. She shivers as she stares at his erect penis. Using his magic, he pins her arms to the bed and spreads her legs with his knees. “This is going to make it official slave.” He puts his hands behind her head, resting his forehead against hers, his eyes staring lustfully into her soul. She stares at him with fear. With a chuckle, he thrusts himself into her. Throwing Obsidian into his cell the guards chuckle as they shut the door. Igneous stares at the colt’s black eye and bloody snout. “What the hell did they do to you?” He gets up from his cot and kneels beside him. Tears flow from he’s eyes as he looks up at his only remaining father figure. “Maud… The foreman took Maud as his slave!” He sobs, his arms shaking as they try to support his weight. Igneous feels light headed, falling on his rump, he holds a hand to his forehead. “No… Oh Lord… No…” The stallion’s usually stern calm demeanor breaks as he begins to sob at the news that one of his little fillies is living a slave’s life.
