Buck.. Twisted felt her heart drop into her already queasy stomach as she heard Vermillion smirk, "Very good. Your skills are improving." His eyes roamed over to the tree where the grey mare had steeled herself for a fight but had not yet revealed herself. "Well, looks like we need shelter, gentlecolts. Let's get moving, shall we? Otherwise it's gonna be a long night." Vermillion winked at the tree and turned away, breaking off logs from trees around them to help make the shelter.
Twisted's ears flattened against her head as she narrowed her eyes at the group. What the buck was he playing at? If he knew then why.. Why keep her trapped in this tree all night? Wait... Twisted's eyes widened at the next thought that crossed her mind, ' he wants me trapped.. He wants me to come willingly..' whether or not it was because he didn't want to rip her from the tree or if he didn't want to hurt her was unclear but she was stuck between a rock and a hard place with this one.
On one hoof... She could try to run once they fell asleep but she knew Vermillion well enough he would have some kind of guard. She felt like she would have the best chance with the lanky unicorn or the bulky pegasus though they both had their strengths as well as the weaknesses. Astral would be easy to over power if she could some how disable the magic element of that fight and the bulky pegasus had a high chance of being a weak flyer due to his size but she'd been surprised before and in her current condition she couldn't say she'd be any faster.
In the end, Twisted rest her forehead to the inside of the bark, tired and hungry as she listened to the group scuffle around outside to make their shelter. She kept her wings in place as she closed her eyes, the sound of rainfall and rumbling thunder lulling her into a sleep she hadn't experienced in quite sometime.
"Twist?" The mare's head shot up as she was suddenly in her living room, her eyes wide as she stared into the cerulean eyes of her friend. She recoiled a bit at the sight, the tan unicorn's face twisted with concern as he looked her over, "Are you okay? What's wrong?" He reached out with a hoof that she flinched at, wiping away the tears she hadn't noticed overflowing before he embraced her.
Twisted froze in the embrace, her eyes wide as she tried to relax in this dream, despite how painful it was to see knowing what was coming. It didn't take too long before her walls collapsed, the mare burying her head into the crook of Vermillion's neck as the tears fell freely, sobs shaking the small mare as she let her dream relieve her loneliness. "Shh... It's okay." She could hear the small smile in his voice as he ran his hoof over her mane in an effort to comfort the distressed mare.
"It's okay, Twist. I'm here. I'm here..-"
The clap of thunder shook the trees as her eyes flew open to darkness, her tears carrying back to consciousness as she stared at the dirty tree trunk she was sitting in. She bit her lip, stifling the sobs that shook her as she fought to get control of herself again, her ears perking at the sound of hooves. "You get some rest. I'll take next watch." a voice-- Astral's voice if she recalled-- spoke as he moved towards her tree.
The fur pin pricked up her spine as he leaned against the tree trunk, his shoulder touching her wings before he quickly pulled it away and turned to look at his comrades, "...Sorry." He apologized in a hushed tone, "..I know you're there.." He said softly, looking up at the canopy above him, drops of rain slipping through and wetting his mane, "..If what he said is true.. Why don't you let us help you..?" Astral asked, not really expecting a response from the mare he guarded.
Twist wiped her eyes, unsure what this unicorn was playing at but also knew she could take him easily if he tried anything, "...I don't want to be near him." a soft voice replied from behind him, making him jump a bit.
He turned his head and looked at the bark-- no, wings. He tilted his head, looking at the change in pattern of the tree he was leaning on and smirked a bit at her camouflage. "..why? He wants to help you, doesn't he..?"
"Oh please. He's not Vermillion Prose anymore.. What he wants to do is cage me.."
"Cage you? I thought you were sick?"
She scoffed quietly, "..I am. But I'd rather die than go back to that dungeon.."
"I don't think he'd--"
"He would. He tried already once."
Astral paused, scanning the group of sleeping stallions before his eyes landed on his leader. Vermillion's eyes were closed though he was sure he wasn't sleeping; he hardly did when he was out in the field. Most of the guard wouldn't dare cross him but.. Astral couldn't go against his code; He wanted to help ponies. That's why he had joined the guard, despite the rumors of their King being possessed, because he wanted to make a difference in Equestria. The unicorn's ears flicked back as he processed his thoughts and, as he got back up to 'make his rounds' around the perimeter, he muttered a soft, "...run." as he walked off, his mind made up.
When word came to Ponyville of what was to come, the Princess couldn't believe her ears. The stallion she knew many years prior couldn't- wouldn't have done what she was being told. "Vermillion... Vermillion Prose overthrew Princess Celestia and Princess Luna?!"
The day they news came to Twisted's door was a bright and sunny one, though it had felt off most of the morning the mare shrugged it off as weird weather from Everfree. She had settled into her couch when the Princess teleported into her living room, the pegasus's wings fluffing up from the shock. "P-Princess?" Twisted stared at her from her seat, the flustered alicorn staring back before the tears formed.
Twisted jumped when the purple mare's forelegs were wrapped around her in a hug, "...Twisted it's Vermillion.." The grey mare froze under the Princess's embrace, "I don't know what happened.. There must be something wrong with him.. I got word he overthrew the Princesses in Canterlot and he's on his way here.. " She leaned back to look into the heterochromic eyes of the mare in front of her, "I'm evacuating Ponyville.. But.. I need to ask a favor of you.."
"Vermillion please!" Twisted stood in front of the stallion, her wings out defensively as she stood her ground against her friend, "Stop this... It isn't--"
"Before you finish that sentence, Twisted.." His voice was soft but firm, "I must disagree. This IS me." His steeled expression softened a bit, "I'm offering a peaceful world, why must everyone think they need to fight me on this? What's so wrong with peace? If you had been in a world with peace.." He paused before he went back to his previous expression, "I'm sorry, Twisted.. But I'm going through with this. And if ponies want to rebel then they will be dealt with."
The grey mare stared up at him, her ears back as the magical surge made her stomach flip. She winced, taking a step back as she realized the magic sensitivity still hadn't faded. "Vi!" she shouted, the magical surge throwing her back as the unicorn pressed forward to take his prize from Princess Twilight.
Months had passed since that day. The day Twilight ran off to try to think of a plan.. C? D? At this point it could have been plan Z and it wouldn't have done any good. Twisted had been her Plan B months ago and she remembered how THAT went.
The past few months hadn't been kind to the grey mare as she moved through Everfree in an attempt to keep away from her once friend. He had sent guards to find her at her home a few weeks back but she had long since vacated that area after Twilight disappeared. Though she knew how Vermillion was-- or how he HAD been. Stubborn as a mule and now that he ruled Equestria he had the troops to comb that forest if he needed to.
Twisted ears twitched as she ducked under a large hollowed trunk of a tree, her wings wrapping protectively around her as she used them as a blockade to the small entrance she had entered in. Thankfully she'd had the forethought to camoflage her wings days ago to match the colors of bark and, in the darkness of the storm that was rolling in, it wasn't gonna be easy to spot her hiding place.
"T.R." The voice was close. WAY closer than she felt comfortable being near. V himself? Out here? Now? "Come out please. I came all this way to find you and I know you're hurt. I don't want you to get sick, ya know."
Twisted bit her lip, glaring at the inside of the log as if she could somehow glare at him through it. How dare he care about her safety or health now of all times? It was his fault she had to live like this! It was his guards that had wounded her in the last attempt at capture. She'd landed a couple pretty good hits to his stallions last time though- that thought made a small smirk cross her muzzle as she listened carefully to the hoof falls just outside her hiding spot.
"We seem to have lost her sir." A stallion, presumably a guard he'd brought along, commented wryly.
"She's here. " Vermillion replied, moving slowly and with purpose, "I know you can hear me, Twist. I also know you're not feeling too hot. You skipped a couple treatments for your condition with all this running and hiding and I know that couldn't have done anything good for you."
She ground her teeth together as he sent a pulse of magic through the surrounding area, making her stomach writhe inside her. It was true, she felt worse than ever and it got worse every day she went without treatment. But she also knew what would happen if she went willingly back. She'd seen the dungeon last time and that was enough of a stay for a lifetime. She'd decided right then that she'd rather die.
Twist bit her lip, her eyes watering with the effort to keep her stomach contents, what little there was, inside her. He knew the right triggers to get her to show herself but she wasn't giving up without a fight. Not this time.
"Come on, Twist.. I don't like doing this to you, you know that right?" Vermillion's voice was pointed away from her hiding spot as she heard him pace the forest floor around her, "I just want to help you.. Like friends do." She barely contained the scoff that threatened to escape her throat as his men shifted nervously around him.
Twisted parted one of her ruffled and tattered feathers to see her pursuers and what she was up against. The stallion closest to her had a golden coat with a chocolate brown mane and bright green eyes. The next in line was a dark stallion, he looked like he was the oldest of the bunch, with a greyish blue coat, brown eyes, and a short cut black mane. He had to be, at least, part bat pony, there was no way he wasn't. The next in the line of 4 was a young unicorn who looked to be pretty fresh to the guard, nervous and fidgety; he had 'green horn' written all over him. He was a light brown color with purple eyes and ebony locks. Last but not least stood a rather large pegasus she mildly recognized though from the distance it was hard to tell-- he was a bright blue color with deep purple hair and bright pink eyes.
"Sir.. It's getting late. The wildlife of Everfree is going to start stirring soon.." The first one commented, only receiving a bark of laughter as a response.
"Oh please, Mystic. This drizzle isn't worse than anything I've dealt with before. If you're so concerned then run along home." He paused, halting his step in the same moment before he turned to look at the small platoon around him, "didn't your instructors teach you how to handle this? I suppose I'll need to review the curriculum when we return." He shrugged a bit at the thought though he quickly put it out of his mind as the rain began to fall through the canopy.
"Astral." Vermillion called, the nervous unicorn-- Astral, she noted-- jumped to attention.
"Y-Yes sir?" he stuttered, his new armor clinking against itself loudly as he moved to salute. A movement Vermillion stopped with a wave of his hoof.
"Please. No need for all those silly gestures. You were brought along for a reason." He continued, closing his eyes as he walked around the young stallion, "You have a very... unique special talent. I want you to see if you can sense her for me." Despite having ample knowledge and power to do this himself he wanted to test his young protege.
"Oh! Yes. Uhm.. Of course, Sir." Astral's ears flicked back as his horn lit, a deep purple magic sparking out of it as he lifted his head high in the air. A surge of power wrapped over the group and over the tree she had stashed herself in, making her stomach lurch. He paused before turning to his leige, "Over there, Sir.." He gestured subtly toward her tree.
Buck..
