Anesthesiaby MurkrowzyChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7EPILOUGEChapter 1CHAPTER 1 There once was a pony flew with feather. Like most who can, she controlled the weather. Unlike most ponies, she was also born not a pegasus, but instead a rare Alicorn. Her hair was a beautiful dark brown which complimented her crimson red fur all around. Eyes filled of gold, it never betrayed the love for her kind; it had never swayed. A rebellious teen filly, she wanted to fly out of her mansion and into the sky. But every single day happened like the one before. For this pampered filly, life was a bore. The crimson pony craved adventure, but could not since overprotective parents kept their house inside of a large fence. Too many bad things took place outside. Thieves, wild dogs, a hot summer sun to shine. But one night the filly slept as normal in a comfy bed she kept so formal. Suddenly to toss and turn, she did scream. A sharp prick to her thigh, sleep did heed. A few moments later she woke up and tried to move, but with no such luck. Stretched upon a cold table, she shivered. One light upon her, the shadows slithered. Voices spoke in muffled hushed tones mixed with noises that sounded... unlike home. Her gold eyes danced in their sockets. Then her ears found the sound of the locket. At once she was bathed in a light that shone behind a figure, dressed in white. It stepped into the room on its 4 legs. Others soon followed, masks around their necks. Some brought in trolleys, some used their magic. 2 had ropes, another had a hatchet. "What's going on? Why am I here?" she tried to say. This wasn't her room or her house. Just no way! But her mouth wouldn't move as much as she tried; Something kept her mouth shut, and she couldn't figure out why. She noted the figures: one white, one blue, one gray, one pink one yellow, one orange and the last was like black ink. They gathered around her, all 7 of them. But one pony in particular leaned in his head. He got close to her face, as if to sniff her nose. But instead he inspected her mouth, her jaw an awkward pose. "This pony," she thought, "who is he?" He didn't look familiar at all, thought she. His white coat shone through his long, blonde unkempt mane along with the horn on his head. The "Doctor" was his name. "It seems our little girl is awake," he finally said. The others agreed by nodding their heads. He used his horn to rip off the device that held her mouth like a vice. The little red filly yelped in pain only to see a little red stain. On the device it was, that little drop of blood. It wasn't much, but it sure did run. It looked like an apple with straps on its side. But she quickly looked away, and into his eyes. "Oh my my, did that really hurt? I'm so sorry!" he said with a tone of curt. "Where am I? why am I here?" The restrained filly exclaimed, eyes threatened to tear. "Where's my family? Where's my house?! I want to know what's going on!" she said with a shout. "Oh yes, that. Care to explain? Miss Steely here will tell you." he said without shame. A pink mare appeared in her field of vision with a happy smile, she then began to reason. "We saw that you were unhappy in your big old mansion. So we snatched you right up! Oh, not to mention-" "HELP! HELP ME! HELP!" the gold-eyed pony screamed at the top of her lungs! "HELP! HELP ME PLEASE!" The other ponies laughed, and laugh they did! They all laughed at her attempts, so her cries had thinned to nothing but sobs and tears down her face. Not one of them cared. None had a trace. "You think help is going to come? What are you, insane? Nobody can hear you!" the white unicorn exclaimed. Her eyes grew wide, her heart beat faster. Her lungs breathed in quicker, her struggles got madder. She realized she couldn't move much; her wings, her legs were all on taut chains attached to the wall at the other ends. "Let me go! Let me go! What did I do wrong?!" The white stallion mocked her, his sanity long gone. "Let's get started..." he said with a smile. He had not done this in quite a while. "What are you doing...?" the red filly said fearfully. The white stallion levitated a syringe quite cheerfully. At once he place it onto her right arm as the others stood back to watch the doctor at work. He raised his hoof and... THWACK! Slammed it straight onto the needle's top. The young pony's screams took over the room. She tried to pull back but naught. A dark red fluid inside the needle seeped its way out into her bloodstream, as the doctor gave the needle another clout. "There there now, that wasn't bad wasn't it?" The doctor left withdrew it from the spot it was in. The crimson pony felt a tingly sensation crawl up her arm. It was cold at first, but the liquid started to warm. "Now we wait and see. This liquid has never been tested on a live subject like you." Surely he jested? "What did you put in me?" the crimson filly asked in a squeaky voice. But the doctor ignored her, only to go for a more grisly choice. "Bring me the knife. No, No! The other one!" The pink pony brought over a weird looking knife when selecting was done. "This liquid we put in you is supposed to have interesting effects. We have no clue what it will do, but it will help with our tests. Our previous test subjects died right after they were injected. But then again, they were younger than you." he said, tone unaffected. She continued to struggle, but to no avail. When her eyes she saw the knife, her face went pale. There it was, the sharpest of blades she had ever seen floating in the air, the light made it gleam a silvery-white light that flashed her eyes and it slowly crept toward her unprotected right thigh. A slow stinging pain erupted from her haunch; she squirmed in pain, and recoiled, but it wasn't much. "Hold her down." the doctor said to his comrades. At once they all restrained her, like cats hunting rats. The searing pain returned to her thigh where the cutie mark would appear. The doctor cut so slowly, ever so slowly, as if he was cutting up cashmere. She struggled. She cried. She tried to scream in pain. But with 6 stronger ponies on top of her, all attempts were in vain. The little filly, not much older than 13, once had a flank. But now all that was there, was a bloody blank flank. The doctor held up the skin, cut in an almost perfect circle and held it up for all to see. To the filly, it was more than hurtful. She couldn't believe her eyes. She couldn't believe this. This wasn't a dream. This was real. There was her skin! It dangled from this strange pony's mouth. Blood did fall. It dripped onto his white coat, and the lab one, most of all. All she could do was grumble, and breathe out the pain. The other ponies let go, and backed away, around the table again. They all smiled at the piece of flesh that is now a trophy for their eyes to digest. She breathed heavily, her head dropped as blood ran down her to her hoof. This pain, its unbearable, too much for this one youth. It felt worse than crashing into walls, floors, even a rock. What came next, was even more painful: the words of the doctor's mock. "See this, everypony? This is a true blank flank. This is what we've been trying to study." He dropped the knife... CLANG! ...onto the floor, the blood spread everywhere into tiny drops on the floor lined with squares. The crying filly looked up, trying to find shock in their faces. No worry, no pain. Not even a gasp, or a look of grimace. All had smiles on their faces as they saw the skin gently put onto a tray. They then piled on top of her again, and all the red filly saw was dark gray. Once again her pain receptors went off like breached alarm, but they didn't care that she couldn't escape the trap of forearms. Both of her flanks were completely gone. The top layer of skin, the doctor did don. Her tendons showed, her veins exposed blue pulsing wires that stung with every beat through and through. She cried. She screamed. She wallowed in the pain she just gained. Never to see what cutie mark she might ever have received. Never to be vain for discovering her true talent. It was taken away from her. This painful reality hit her. Right then. Right there. She knew this "doctor" was not done at all. He had many more instruments to use. She wanted to fall. The doctor went to her wings, which were hooked behind her, much like a fish to a worm that was hooked on a wire. "Now, what is it we have here?" said the white stallion to his co-ponies, his eyes shone like a medallion. The gray pony spoke up. "It's a hook and line! Its attached to her wing." Though the crimson filly couldn't see it, she could just imagine the thing. The hook went through the base of her wing and was attached to a chain that went horizontal to the wall, into a pulley and then into a drain. "Oh! Oh oh oh! Let me get this one, sir!" said the black pony. "Me too! I want to make this happen!" said the orange earth pony. One thing the crimson filly noticed is their cutie marks were almost never seen. They never let their flanks out of the darkness, or it was covered by a coat or seams. Wait... how was she able to think like this through the pain? It was unbearable...was it the liquid in her vein- Her thoughts went blank as a new pain shot through her back. One lever was pulled down, the chain was no longer slack. Her left wing started to go backwards, started to take her body with her, until she couldn't go through... That table...that damned table that restrained her! The other lever went down, how she wished that wasn't there! She felt the click-rip-crick of her bones breaking from her back. What she had eaten that day came up onto her chest, chunks still intact. "W-w-what did I do wrong? Make it stop please..." she prayed in her mind as her wings stretched and splayed. ...The pain had ebbed. The pulling had ceased. She breathed in heavy deep breaths, through her clenched teeth. Her body just hung there, almost wanting to die. But the reaper would not come, at all; for her, death was a lie. She moaned in agony again once more only wishing to make it out that door. "I think she's had enough," a careful voice softened the air. Music to the filly's ears, a sound she now found rare. "Please...stop..." she spoke with chords so weary. All that replied was a silence so eerie. "...wha...what...d-d-diiiid...I do...to deserve this..?" Her lungs made a weak cough that sounded like a hiss. "...I think she's had enough rest." the same voice sounded. and down both levers went, to which her wings were still bounded. If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is anywhere near, would the victim underneath still be able to hear? She screamed so loud, with such force and such volume that the others had to cover their ears to block the echoes in the room. What remained of her wings, or if you were to call it that, was nothing but bloody stumps, with no bones to reattach. The doctor was impressed. This filly had such big lungs! He wanted to know so much about her though his ears still rung. That smile, that insane, oh so dreadful smile stole upon his lips! His legs were trembling; he thought he would trip! The brown maned filly's head dropped forward and lolled to her chest. Her mane whipped into her eyes. There was some blood she didn't ingest as her throat was so dry, it was ever so brittle, that more red fluid expelled from her mouth like a dribble. The doctors went over and examined their patient. They started to giggle with malicious intent. "Now everpony, watch what I am to do next." The orange pony approached her, and lifted her head. The others looked at each other in confusion, wondering what is his next move. The red filly's mouth was covered in blood and bodily fluid. Her eyes started to ooze. She thought to herself, unable to talk. Would she be able to fly? To even walk? She'd rather be dead! Will they leave this room? Why isn't she unconscious? Will this be her untimely doom? Her mind reeled, spun; it flipped and it searched to find the answers, but none of the techniques worked. All she saw was 7 ponies, all laughing with glee at her pain, her torture. All she wanted was to be free. These manifestations of feelings lasted only 2 seconds when a hard, orange hoof smashed into her horn. Stars collected in her vision, her eyes then went lame. Her lungs barely let out air for the sudden burst of pain. This pain was the worst she had felt. Her thighs stung, her back bled crazy. But as the orange pony punched her again, her head went hazy. The horn on her head was being forced into her skull! She actually hoped he would keep going, for this would make her life null. But the stallion stopped on the 3rd swing, with a look of disdain, he saw his hoof, a crack formed that did sting. Suddenly his face turned to that of anger. He directed it right at her. "LOOK WHAT YOU DID! YOU CRACKED MY PRECIOUS HOOF, YOU UNGRATEFUL FUCK!" He donned a silver, metal spiked shoe onto his back hoof, turned around, then bucked. His hoof met her horn. The spikes met her skull. The foot retracted back in an instant, taking the horn with its pull. Her vision faded. Her mind went dark. All she heard was her beating heart. Dark crimson blood fell into her eyes, her nose. She was forlorn. This filly was no longer an Alicorn. A splitting headache bore its way to her mind. She fell into a deep darkness, thankful to finally die. Chapter 2CHAPTER 2 It was cold. It felt familiar. It felt... good. She was really there. It was dark. There was some noise. She didn't care. She was in a void. Then a cold, sweet liquid touched her tongue. Instantly she drank, but then her throat stung. But she kept drinking, until she discovered the taste was not that of water, but it was too late. Her eyes shot open. She couldn't believe... ...she didn't die. She somehow fell asleep. No! Not asleep! Damnit, she had passed out. For how long? How long had she been out? Her chest suddenly became drenched with the yellowish, cold liquid. "Not water, but bleach, with windshield wiper fluid." the yellow pony quipped. Instantly she spat out as much as she could, the silvery taste danced around her mouth. The smell was so strong, it almost put her in a trance. "Not only that, but there was a bit more to that drink. It was mixed with chemicals we found in that sink over there, that one. We used it to wash our gear from all of this... not to mention, we did have a nice piss." A gray pony ambled up to the table, and walked around the victim. Long dirty blonde mane, heavy set, wings. She looked more like a him! Her smile was crooked, her tail was cut way too short. One thing most noticeable, was her uncontrollable snort. "SNGHShe needs to be cleaned too. She's all dirty HGKKK!" The green eyed mare looked at the white doctor with a look so flirty. Instead of waiting for a reply she flew out of the room like a fly. She came back in, but she carried a large tub filled with another liquid, the sides she did rub. "This will clean you right up. Let's get those wounds sparkly!" she said with a wild voice whole heartedly. What the crimson filly didn't understand is why this mare had gloves as she dipped a cloth into the water. There also wasn't enough! It was just a small tub, not much bigger than her own rump. Then a thought occurred to her; this made her heart jump. Inner strength exploded from this young pony, she struggled against her chains. But, alas, they were unforgiving as the grips instead tightened around their claim. The lightly soaked cloth touched the bare, raw hole where her flank was cut, and she screamed once more. It stung, it burned, it burned like hell! She couldn't move much, just only yell! It ate through her muscle and it singed the tendons! It was only just a light touch! It never ended! "AAAAGGHH!! AWWWAAAAAAAHHHHAAAAASSSSSSSSSSHHHH!!!" Her wails slowly dropped as the cloth was removed. The gray mare reared up in joy, only to stop. She saw the fear in the filly's eyes. She smiled and danced some more, around to the other thigh. The same pain appeared on the other side. The same loud, intense screams did not reside. The doctor in white was very impressed. This filly seemed to endure every test! Though he knew it wasn't enough to kill, something about this filly just sent him thrills! "Now we must perform a few more tests," he finally spoke. The filly couldn't cry no more. She started to choke. "That liquid inside you, we have no clue what it does. We haven't seen any-" his eyes went wide and his mouth dropped like a ton. Her mouth and chest changed color! It turned to a creamy-off white! The liquid that was spilled on her, it bleached her fur so bright! "This is fascinating! We found something! It did something!" He jumped for joy and couldn't resist this one little thing! The filly slowly looked down through dry, sore eyes. There was her chest, bright as the lights. She spoke not a word. Her chords didn't need to. Instead her body shook uncontrollably, through and through. Once all red, now part white. Once an alicorn, no longer that life. She shivered and trembled and rattled and she shook. None of these ponies gave her a loving look. "Now everypony, grab an instrument." The all obeyed, plans rudiment. In their mouths, on their hooves in the air were instruments to choose. Slowly the filly raised her head, and suddenly became horrified. Her mouth dropped, her eyes went wide. The pain was to be multiplied. The white stallion couldn't contain his glee. "Do whatever you want with her. Whatever you please." He turned and proceeded to leave. He had other matters at hoof. Familiar sounds reached his ears. He had heard his proof. Chapter 3CHAPTER 3 Hours had passed since he left his comrades to deal with red filly at his command. He returned to the room, and was hit with a smell. It smelled like death as his nostrils swelled. There she was, still hanging by her hooves. She looked redder than before, and she didn't move. The doctor smiled. His buddies were fantastic! She lasted so long, it was ever so spastic! Blood matted her fur and caked the table red. The crazy old colt knew she was finally dead. "You poor young thing. You lasted for so long... I thought you'd never die, but DAMN I was so wrong. Your body would make for a nice specimen. But they overdid it with the cuts. Oh well then." He looked her over and saw her damage: endless cuts, stitches, bruises, dark places left savaged. The mane and tail was dyed black, her teeth painfully ripped away. Fecal matter on cuts, wing stumps singed black, hooves forayed. It's amazing how any pony could do this. But then... then again, it was a group. He trained them. It was bound to happen. He levitated the girl's body using his magic with ease, then plopped her on the floor which was no longer clean. Looking to a slot on the wall that sported a handle, a slot opened up with the help from his magic, which lit up like a candle. Picking up the filly's body, he held it over the crevice and just before dropping her in, said "Thank you for your service." Down, down, down, the crimson filly went speeding through a jagged silver-blue vent. The body hit the walls, scraped the sides, slid and left marks cracked ribs, smashed her face in, all in the dark. This whole process took about 15 seconds total. but then again who's counting? Very unnoble. Finally the red mess landed with a plop onto a heap of strange, spiky leather, among other slop. The place was a room unlike any other. In fact it was outside in an alley where no one would bother! Instead of day it was dark at night. The critters of that alley gathered to see their new meal in sight. Tiny claws pittered and pattered onto the red body which was severely tattered. One of them, a raven, started to pick at her ear when it suddenly twitched, and jumped back in fear. A sound escaped the filly's nose. Some of the animals suddenly froze. Her chest heaved, her hooves twitched. Some vermin scattered, squeals high pitched. Whoever stayed saw a dumbfounding sight. Their meal was alive! Their eyes did not lie! The her golden eyes flickered open. Blurred shapes passed by. Her eyes roamed over them. All she saw were the silhouettes of ponies against the dim light. Those 4 legged figures...some had horns...some could take flight... None of them were in her position, in her state. How come none of them see her? Is it too late? She had no clue where the hell she was. Her gold eyes crossed, her head went abuzz. Although her body hadn't moved an inch from that spot, she took in her surroundings, and realized it wasn't too hot. Whatever she laid on was spiky and soft... Also very stiff...and smelly...it felt off... Ahead of her was a street which had some strange noises. Large wheeled creatures were pulled by ponies."City? What fast voices..." The only noise behind her were the critters. She must be at a dead end with a lot of litter. The smell, that disgusting foul stench! Her stomach hurt so much, she thought she would retch. She had to move. To get to any sort of help. Her forearms moved, but ever so slowly. They felt like burning hell. The cuts on her body protested, bled and stung with every drag. She slid down the pile. Gashes got larger when they hit some sharp snags. What was minutes seemed so timeless. Her body was so numb and wobbly, she felt spineless. The crimson ragdoll eventually reached the pavement where any pony can see her. But instead, they came and went. "Help...me..." she whispered with a sore throat, and laid there, and waited...and continued to lose hope. No pony stopped or even gave her a glance for she looked just like a piece of fresh kill for tiny little ants. She waited and waited and waited for help to arrive. Confidence drained. "How...am I...alive?" She should be dead! She lost so much blood! "How come death didn't take me when they took so much...?" Her mind read over her memories as she flipped through that mental book, replaying each scene as best she could recall as she shivered and shook. "The needle! That needle he put in my arm! It had liquid in it..he said...." she thought in alarm. "Did...did it...keep me alive? But how... I think.. I should be dead right now... He said he never knew...the effects... Did...did he lie...?" she fell asleep after she guessed. The next morning, she awoke, still in the same spot. Some food was at her side, and the weather turned quite hot. She had some renewed strength; she felt a little better. She leaned up against the wall in the shade to eat and escape the hot weather. A box of open Chinese noodles and a bottle of water. The filly felt some hope return. Who would bother? It wasn't much food, but it would suffice. Of all those ponies, somepony was...nice. Her throat hurt when she grumbled, so she couldn't talk. Her hind legs hurt the most; she couldn't walk. "I'll have to stay here...till I'm better..." she decided. This option made her not so delighted. As she ate, she watched life go by; Ponies, some birds, even the rare-occasional dragon, zebras, sometimes in herds. But all were busy talking to each other. Or too buried in their notes and minds, or just poor. Thankful for the meager food and drink, she dozed off after she had so much to think. Chapter 4CHAPTER 4 "Wakey wakey shake and bakey, sweet cheeks." The red pony awoke to 3 dragons poking her feet. The one that poked her was skinny and brown and wore a purple hoodie, and sunglasses that were round. Those glasses had some white writing on both lenses. It said "FUCK YEAH" and were very big & dense... There were 2 more dragons, one white with a blue sweater and the other was orange who wore just jeans in this hot weather. "Das right. Wake up. What the fuck are you doing here? Yo' on ah turf." He said with a sneer. What did he say? "He's gotta be kidding..." "I can't move. My legs won't do a thing-" "Then how joo get hea? Ah bet joo walked." "I don't know...I woke up...on that pile." She can barely talk. "Oh yeeeaaaah! That pile! Yeah, you seeeee, this is ah turf and you went into this alley. So it means you wanna get hurt." Her gold eyes went wide with fear. Her heart raced. "No...not again. Not here!" She began to scramble and tried to get up but the brown dragon's foot pushed her back onto her butt. "Too late, bitch. You're about to become one of them." The orange dragon gargled up some phlegm and spat it at her. She pleaded "Wai-wa-wait!" But to no avail. Attempts to escape were in vain. These dragons had superior strength and speed. They grabbed her damaged flailing hooves and didn't heed her screams as she was lifted off the ground and tossed further into the alley were she was found. She backed away as far as the alley allowed and quickly, she stole a glance around. Looking up, she saw nothing but sky. "How did I get here? Did I fall? How?... and why?" These thoughts only lasted 2 seconds flat. The dragons had sported weapons: a spiked belt, a metal pole and a baseball bat. The mangled filly cowered in the corner. She couldn't put up a fight. Soon, it would be over. The orange dragon whipped his belt as he advanced and it cracked in the air. His lips had danced into a smile as he flung the buckle end at her. It wrapped around her front hoof, and he yanked it back with laughter! She flew forward. Her chin scraped the dirt. The brown dragon raised the pole. "This won't hurt!" and brought it down on her bloody wing stumps! Right before the white dragon slammed his bat down on her rump! There were 2 loud pops that resonated in from the attacks: the pop of her hip breaking, and her stumps going flat! Before she even had the chance to recover the boys were on her for a round of another chance to make their victim squeal. They pulled her mane & hooves back to make her kneel. For the pony, her hip cracked in the strange pose. She couldn't move! She couldn't move! She just froze! Her mind was screaming "Just end it! End it forever!" But what? The endless beatings or her life? However her thoughts halted and her screams tore through the air as a hot flame burned her bloody flanks and part of her darier. The brown dragon spewed the hot flame from his jaw! Once he finished, he saw his work: cooked meat, not raw. The white scaled beast kicked her to the floor with a grin. The red mare just laid there and groaned. Her stomach started to spin. "Just finish her off already. I gah be somewheres" the orange dragon spoke without a care. "Grab her arms and legs" the brown one spoke fast. the 3 beasts lifted her up, above their heads, to finish their tasks. "Go get a life." the brown dragon said as they all turned to the left. "Hit it!" they tossed her with immense strength and she was sent towards the wall at such a fast rate, she saw nothing but crimson gray bricks rush to her face. Teeth cracked in 2, the jaw broke & dislocated. Her spine cracked above her head and the sound resonated. Shoulder blades met brick, tail base met mortar. The body fell to the ground, no longer working for her. "Come on guys, let's check back later." the white dragon turned to the fallen mare and with one last kick to the face, they left the alley without a care. Chapter 5CHAPTER 5 There she lay. Unmoving. Barely breathing. Her head on the floor. Heart scarcely beating. The throes of torture she just endured. The stings. The bruises. The broken bones. Her mind went obscure. Pain receptors blasted like dynamite all around her body, telling her something is amiss. But what could she do? She couldn't move at all. It felt like she was thrown into an abyss. First being kidnapped. Then being used as some guinea pig. Then appearing in a city only to be beaten up by some kids. And the worst part of her dark journey through perdition is that nopony came to her aid, and they saw her in that condition. Even in her feeble state, her mind grew stronger. Dense. She couldn't trust anybody, could she? Who? What? Whence? That tiny flame of hope shrunk. Who could rekindle the fire? "Please let this be the last...". She was down to the last wire. Throughout the day, ponies passed her by. No one dared look into that alley. No one cast her an eye. They knew things about this city the red mare did not. For them, the city was hell. By the streets, they were taught. Gangs ran the streets like border guards; one wrong step over the line, and expect to fall down hard. These gangs, ruthless & heartless, were segregated by creature kind. Dragons, ponies, gryphons. Nobody wanted to get snagged in those vines. The dragons were known to be the most brutal. Escape? That was simply futile. But she didn't know this. The city didn't give a damn. Once in the city, the rules were expected to be known, just like a plan. The red and cream filly rested, and regained her strength. When night overtook day, she sat up despite the strain. She forced her legs to support her weight, only to discover her horrible gait. "I must get out of here! I... have to... walk!" She whispered, as she still could barely talk. Broken bones forgotten, her horn-less head poked around the corner. Citizens moved on with their lives. Normal. Nothing had warned her. Gingerly, she takes a step out onto the sidewalk, and she turned to her right, and step after agonizing step, she went for a walk. New sights and sounds played with her senses. Loud booms, beeps, voices. Tall buildings, short buildings. Enticing scents. A delicious aroma tickled her nose and soon she followed the smell she chose. It was at a metal stand, a vendor that sold food roasting over a small heated pit. For busy ponies, this was always good. Vegetable shish-kebabs, haydogs, vegan kielbasa. Drinks to quench thirst. Ketchup, mustard, sauce that was hot, hot, hot! Her mouth watered at the sight. Her stomach screamed "Food!" But her mind just clicked. No money. No food. Still, her legs dragged her to the vendor pony. She would beg, even if she had to get on one knee. The spatula-flanked colt gave her a look and asked "What'll be? Haydog? Burger?...hey miss..you...?" "Can I please have one? Anything. I don't have any bits... I'll take a scrap. A bun. Water. Please, I'm so hungry, it-" "Sorry. No bits. No grub. I got po'nees ta feed. Ah can't give away mah food for free!" "Not even a haydog bun?" "Sorry, I can't, hun." She gave up. She felt frustrated, angry, torn. She turned her head away. A new hatred was born. "Doesn't anybody see the cuts? My flank still burns! Is it even worth asking for help?". To the vendor pony, she turned. "I need help. I was almost killed. These scars, they were caused by ponies." "Wait, what ponies?" the vendor questioned. "The pony gang, Cronies?" "No. Someponies in lab coats. I somehow ended up here. Then I got beaten by 3 dragons. I need help! I fear-" "Stop talking." the vendor-pony cut in. "You need tah leave this city. Pronto." His words pulled her in. "This city aint nice. Nopony gives a SHIT 'bout one 'nother. Crap goes down in thi' city every single owah, so no one bothers. 'specially if its caused by tha Flames. Them dragons. Dhey dink they own the place! The ponies hea' are most all gang members. They know who gets aced! You lookit ye got aced pretty badly, too, which is why no one spotted. If'n ye aint part no gang, you get yer ass outta here. You oughta!" The filly's stomach just turned inside out. Her ears dropped. "W-w-what if I don't leave?" The next few words made her heart almost pop. "If'n ye don't leave, and the Flames tried to kill you, and they sees you walkin deh streets? Girl, Ah feel sorry fer yah. You'll be stomped on like weeds. Scored. Aced. Eighty-sixed. Chopped up. Ruined. DEAD. Get yer ass outta this city. Go south!" He swung his head, and with that, the filly took off in the direction he showed, Despite the intense, burning pain her flanks, she hadn't slowed. Dodging obstacles, galloping past ponies, she ran. Buildings blurred, the wind tried to stop her. Nothing stopped her, not even a traffic jam. "South, south, SOUTH! I have to get out of this damn place!" Legs screamed, lungs struggled, her heart was beating at an almost fatal pace. Once she thought she was far enough south, she came to a halt, and let her lungs catch the air they pleaded for. Her rump hit the sidewalk. Thoughts bombarded the brain. "Am I safe? Am I out? Oh please let me be far out!" She looked up. Some ponies gave her odd looks, some even gossiped. "I must be south... "I have to move. NOW!" Her legs protested with a pain so great, she yelped as she fell to the ground. Her nose felt the heat of the sidewalk, which scarred her nose gray. A shadow fell over her. "Hey." Her heart skipped an important spurt. Her eyes shot open. Her muscles shook and hurt. Those brown feet. That voice. It sounded like steel. She knew who it was. She looked up. "This...CANT BE REAL!" There they were, standing like a tower. The 3 dragons from before who stole her will power. "Tried to escape, I see? Look guys! We got a rat on the run!" The brown dragon laughed to his buddies, and lifted his foot. "Let's finish our fun." The filly tried to rear backwards on her behind, instead her head hit the ground. Her teeth did grind against each other when the brown foot stepped on her neck. "Help! HELP! SOMEPONY PLEASE!" as she heard her neck go KREK! "Weah gon let our enemies know how strong we are! Don' ever mess with the Flames! EVER!" His taunt went loud and far. "And that no one. Ever. Escapes. From the Flames." Bystanders gasped. This was their "Death Game". The purple hooded dragon grabbed the filly's ears and dragged her into the street, her eyes filled with tears. The red mare didn't put up much of a fight. Ponies stood by and did nothing. To her, it was a unbelievable sight. All 3 dragons kicked, clawed, bit and burned. The crowd gasped and whispered, but many had their heads turned. They all knew better than to try and stop the punishment. "Better her life than theirs," as the local saying went. This ruthless beating would have killed any pony. She should be dead by now! But if only something inside her would allow her to die, then she wouldn't be allowed to live this lie. Her cries could be heard over the laughs and beatings. "S-s-stop..." *punch* "...ssstoop!" *kick* Her entire body was bleeding. "Nobody escapes the Flames!" The 3 dragons then lifted their heads and each took a deep breath. Some bystanders suddenly fled. A cascade of red, orange and yellow erupted from their mouths when a black orb appeared on the filly's forehead and exploded out. The dragons fell back and the crowd dispersed. Screams could be heard even though no one was hurt. All what could be seen was a cloud of dark gray in place of the filly that would've been their prey. "STOP IT! IVE HAD ENOUGH! IM DONE WITH THIS LIFE!" The voice tore through the silence like crystal clear ice. "I'm done. IM DONE BEING TORTURED LIKE A RAT! Nopony helped me... NOPONY HELPED ME!" and with that the red and cream filly stomped into view. The stump that held her horn now glowed with a dark purple hue. Never has the crowd seen eyes this cold. This was the last time they saw her eyes of gold. "You all took away EVERYTHING. You never helped me... so why should anypony help you? LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME!" All what ran through her mind was revenge and payback. The dragons froze in fear, taken aback. One by one they were lifted into the air. Their hands went to their necks as they gasped for air. The other creatures around the area started to flee, but some stood in fear, for their legs would only freeze. "Let's see how you like it!" The crimson pony hissed. This newfound power. For her... it was simply bliss. She took the orange dragon, and dragged his face into the street. Her hoof crushed his snout, flattened tongue, and disintegrated his teeth. He struggled wildly against his former victim, tried to escape. But her magic was far too strong, for it was fueled by hate. The scaled creature's tail suddenly felt quite tight just before it was ripped off and dropped into his sight. The tail stood up straight, like an orange scaled spire. His mangled body rose above it, higher and higher until he was just out arms reach, to where his had body ceased. He came down, his tail protruded from his back, his heart no longer beat. The crimson filly turned her gazed to the white dragon, his hoodie still blue. A deep violet line appeared from his neck to his groin where blood seeped through. His chest split open, his organs made a bed on the street, where he laid, his hoodie turned deep red. The red pony rested her gaze onto her former abuse. "Unlike you, I have a life. Too bad yours is now an excuse!" His left eye started to bleed, it felt like it was on fire. Unending, never ceasing, until the orb popped like a tire. He opened his mouth to scream, he tried to reach for his head but his tongue shredded into pieces from the filly's magic, instead. Still airborne, he clutched his throat, barely able to breathe. Ponies could only stare in silence. They couldn't believe their eyes. Was this happening? Was this real? This was a nightmare. They couldn't wake up. Every single event was completely real. The red filly wasn't done with her retaliation. "You hurt defenseless ponies? You fucking abomination." The brown beast fell to the ground, gasped in precious air. He tried to get up, but his feet were locked in place. "Now, isn't this fair? Oh wait. I couldn't run. And what did you do? Toss me into a WALL!" Something caught her attention. "How about a party to end this all? I mean, it wouldn't hurt to send you out with a bang now wouldn't it?" She brought over a balloon canister... *CLANG* with her magic, and turned to face her former captor one last time. Her anger rose, she suddenly screamed. "GO GET A FUCKING LIFE!" The nozzle illuminated to life and whipped around like a snake and plunged into the dragon's hide before he started to shake. It burrowed quite deep into his bowels. The filly turned the knob, and the canister started to howl its contents into the dragon's digestive track. He screamed in pain and struggled to flee, but his expanding body would not allow that. His stomach distended out like a balloon. His legs, arms, neck, face, soon his body blew up too soon. The "air" separated skin from muscle, and muscle from bone. He deserved it. He deserved it! Revenge had hit home! The filly backed away, not afraid or in fear, but instead turned around, slowly trotted and didn't look back when blood hit her head from the explosion behind her; the dragon no longer in pain. Organs flew in all directions, and fell much like red rain. Bystanders who stayed and watched or who froze from the fear Just witnessed 3 murders. Some had shed a few tears. Some looked at her in fear and awe But they couldn't see her face. None of them saw rivulets of water stream down that distorted face. Walking away. Hurt. Victorious. Disgraced. Chapter 6CHAPTER 6 The filly woke up. Morning. Where she was she didn't know. She slept under a bridge, next to a river that flowed. She stared at her reflection. She stared back. Cuts all over her body. Bloody hair. Mats. Her "blank flank" was still raw; it bled only a little thanks to the flames, it had slowed to a trickle. It needed some serious stitching... ...godamnit, it wouldn't stop itching! She looked at her horn, now just a stupid little stump. Damnit, which was worse? Horn or flank? Or those 2 little lumps which held her wings before they were ripped away. "Those bastards. They'll pay. They will fuckin pay!" But most important, and it was something she needed to find out. Where did this...this...magic come about? Her horn was broken. No, it was snapped in two! "I never used magic before. What did I do? How the hell was I using magic if I don't have a horn?" Then she remembered she is-... was an Alicorn. "But how? It's not possible...is it? No horn means no magic! But yet..." She used it. Not for fun or learning further in school or studies. She did it... for murder. No, not murder. Self defense. Yeah, that was it. Self defense. She almost died from those attacks! She had to do something to prevent eternal rest! "Wait...can I even die? I shouldn't be here at ALL! I should be dead...but here I am." Her skin started to crawl The sudden realization. The liquid inside her. It all made sense. "No...no...nonononoNONONONOOOOOO!" Her head hit hooves so tense. The crimson filly willed for this to stop out of so much frustration. "...Fine. I guess I'll have to make light of this situation." She looked up, those gold eyes roved her surroundings: grass, dirt, junk. Broken glass, needles, shoes "...well, somepony was drunk." She concentrated her sight onto some broken glass and tried to summon her magic to make it float from the grass. A long thin piece lit up with a dark purple glow. Slowly, but surely, it floated up just before her nose. A smile stole her lips. "Hahahah! Ahahahah! I did it! I did it!" She could almost jump for joy! "I did it!" The sharp glass suddenly shot out like a bullet into the air. A sick "squick" sound, a soft thud, and a scream of despair. "Why did she scream?" The thought lowered her ears. Again, she buried her head into her hooves, threatening to shed more tears. A gentle tickle on her flank made her jump and crane her neck around to see 3 rats sniffing her bloody blank flanked mess. One got very close and nibbled to get a taste. The filly yelped and reflex kicked with haste, sending the rat sprawling. It laid there, unmoving. The 2 other rats scampered to its body, grooming over its fur and checking for life signs. Instead, they simply bit into its sides. She looked away in disbelief and disgust as the rats dragged their next meal into the dust. "I hope those rats are going to help him. Or...are they just going to eat him?" Tiny wet squelching noises were her answer. "Great. Another creature killed." She sighed. "There. That's my answer to everything, isn't it? Death? Really? Am I supposed to kill? Fine, be my guest, Death." Another look into the river. "He ruined me... Death wouldn't let me die. Why me..?" She closed her eyes when her horn started to glow with its dark purple sheen. She let her magic take over her body, which started to make her feel good anew. All of her cuts, bruises and scrapes started to seal up, all except for 2. Her flanks. They won't heal. Too large of a cut. A broken glass was levitated, slender and thin. "It will be done." An old pony shoe string. "This'll do." The string was threaded through a hole. "You... You will help me." It hovered on the top of her flank. She screwed up her face when into the flesh, the needle sank Just where her cutie mark should have been. It hung like a necklace. The pain stung like acid. She knew that pain; her heart started to race. Some blood trickled out and stained the string red. Once more, she cringed, when the pain went to her head. The needle snaked to the bottom, taking on a life of its own and it skewered the skin, making a bridge to both sides above muscle and bone. The 2 ends were pulled together and tied in a bloody knot. "One...down...more...to go." This process was repeated again and again. "Finally..." she thought. Both flanks were sewn, though it still showed some raw flesh. The skin still pulled, but it helped it heal at best. "It's no cutie mark, but it'll do..." The flanks looked weird. It formed... diamonds? A creepy stitched smile? Teeth? Tears? Her reflection cast itself again in the river. "Wow...I look...I look good." Her cuts and bruises were gone. For once, she was in a half-good mood. She got up onto all fours, took a quick drink, and stepped out into the sunlight. "Not many ponies in the park. Alright. Time to get some food. Somehow..." Her stomach reminded her. Away, she trotted from the bridge and into the park further. Species of all kinds mingled, chatted and played; Fillies, pups, young dragons and gryphon chicks whose parents haven't strayed. The park was quite big; large boulders and plenty of trees. Lots of places to climb and explore. Plenty of room to run free. A cry of agony rips the silence apart. A small unicorn tumbles in the dirt quite hard. Her face bore a bruised hoof print from a brown and fuchsia unicorn whose eyes did glint. The hoof-print faced pony sat up, dazed and dirty. Her black and white patched coat stained green, brown and gritty. Slowly she rose, coughed out grass, shook her head. She opened her eyes. "What...the...?" the crimson filly took a breath. The black and white filly... was blind! Her eyes! They were a solid milky blue. She couldn't even see light! "Owoouugh... What was THAT for?!" the blind pony spat back. "I'm just trying to go to the store!" Her ears laid back flat. The brown-fuchsia pony replied, "This part of the park? Its mine. Nopony else is allowed to enter, but me, Dynamite." The smaller blind filly stamped her hoof. "Your part of the park? Are you serious? Where the proof? Oh wait, THERE IS NONE! This isn't your park! It's EVERYBODY's park!" Her voice was very sharp. "What's wrong with beasts these days?! They think they own the place! It's a public park for everyone to enjoy!" Anger stuck to her face. Although she stood from afar, the crimson filly heard everything. She was amazed, awestruck. Why wasn't anypony helping? The blind unicorn was a strange sight: black patches on a white coat, straight black and white mane and tail. She couldn't be more than 8 years old! Dynamite replied coolly. "Not when I'm around. Go away... ...or else." "Or else what?" "I'll make you pay." The blind mare fumed. She couldn't see Dynamite's sneer. She wouldn't back down. She's not like that...although inside, she feared. She was small for her age. She can't exactly defend herself. But she didn't move, not an inch. "No way in hell. This is the way I like to go to the store. I'm not about to change it because you. You...you.. FILTHY WHORE!!" Dynamite truly lived up to her name as she exploded towards the blind mare. Some could say they saw sparks on her hooves and explosions in the air. The blind filly felt the tremors and heard the deafening thunder. Her hooves went up, but her body fell backwards and under from Dynamite's bone jarring headbutt. Her body lay on the grass. Sore, confused, all she heard was "I'm gonna kick your blank ASS!" "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER!" A flash of red with a splash of white. Dynamite's body rolled away from the fight. There was the crimson filly with no name, head down. Standing in front of the blind filly, filled with rage. Dynamite scrambled to her feet, very confused. "Stay out of this! Who the fuck are you!?" "I won't stand for this. Leave NOW!" "Make me." "Don't make me hurt you..." "Oh yeah? HOW?" At the last word, Dynamite sprang into the air! The crimson filly reared, whipping back her hair. Her hoof met Dynamite's chin, and Dynamite's hoof met the filly's face. Both fell backwards. The red one landed on the smaller blind one's face. Quickly, she rolled off. "I'm sorry! Are you alright?" Her loud, young voice wasn't strong. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I'm alright." "I'll fucking KILL YOOOOUUU!!" Dynamite roared! A large, sparkling static orb of light spawned from her horn. The crimson red filly planted her feet into the ground. "...No...no you won't. I won't allow it!" A wild look in her eyes was all to be found. When her own "horn" took on its dark purple glow, the fuchsia brown unicorn's energy fired, sparks in tow. The blind filly couldn't see, but she felt the intense heat rocket towards them. Still on the ground, her instinct told her to cover her head. But the pain never hit. There was no explosion or searing pain. Nothing. She couldn't see what was happening. She was hearing... "...wait." Was that...laughing? No...it was...gasping? She cast a special spell, one only she can use. The shape of her protector appeared in her view. No color, all she saw was black. But the vibrations waves from her horn bounced back. Even Dynamite's silhouette was there. That meant they were close. But where was the heat magic? Up onto her feet, she rose. Dynamite froze. She couldn't move. Before her eyes, a sight no one believed to be true. There was her powerful magic orb, surrounded in black. "She... somehow... stopped my attack!" By physics this should happen! But then, a thought! She pulled back on her magic a touch. "Hmm, her pull is quite taut..." She relaxed. The orb floated down just above the dirt. "Please...just leave. I don't want you to get hurt..." The fuchsia pony smiled. "Alright. I will leave... you in PIECES!" Forward, she heaved the orb towards the black haired pony's neck, and willed the orb to explode! The orb touched the filly's creamy chest. ...Where's the boom? Where's the combustion? Why isn't there fire? Why is there no explosion?! The red filly held her head high, eyes never left her target. She growled. "You HAD your chance!" It was a face no one could forget. The orb was in her control now. She brought it above, and whipped her head forward, sending the orb back to where it came from. Dynamite couldn't move fast enough. She saw her world shrink. Her last movement was to open her mouth slightly, before her right world winked. Fur ripped from her skin, pore by pore. Skin stretched from muscle, more and more. Her right shoulder freed itself from the bones it hung onto, sending blood onto the grass. Her leg was now in two. The orb continued towards the ribs; a very vulnerable spot. Dynamite didn't die just yet. She felt everything. and it was very hot. Skin stretched beyond its limits, sucked into the orb's deadly grip. She couldn't scream; her lungs sizzled and pop into little slimey bits. Ribs turned into dust, the kidneys into pasty goop. Pink intestines exploded, the liver blackened. Veins melted and drooped. Her cutie mark of an explosive dynamite stick was the last to go as it simply exploded. Her entire backside sported a giant hole. The orb flew on towards the trees where is suddenly vanished in a bright white gleam. Dynamite looked absolutely nothing like before. Half a face, only one leg. Ponies saw her heart beat once more. The body fell to one side, in a pool of dark red and pink on grass once green. Dynamite looked more of what some ponies would call a zombie. Sounds came from the surrounding city, oblivious to recent death. Sobs. Panting. Sudden shrieks of fear and terror. Sudden gasps of breath all came in slowly at first. Then it fell in like rain. Some doubled over from shock, as if they were in pain. "Shit. We...gotta get outta here." The red filly said. "...damn." "Why? Wha hap-....oh my cel- FOLLOW ME!" The blind mare suddenly ran. The black and white mare dodged around obstacles as if she could see. The red one was impressed. This one knew her way around the city. Chapter 7CHAPTER 7 "So... what happened back there?" "...I don't... I don't wanna talk about it... ugh, it's not FAIR?" "What's not fair?" "My life... my body... my mind." "Wha- what do you mean?" "...death has betrayed me. Left me behind..." They ended up in a alley, far from the park. The two sat in the back, away from society and in the dark. "...I don't think I understand. What do you mean 'left behind'?" "I can't die. For some stupid reason, I can't die. I was kidnapped. Some... scientist doctor or whatever injected me with some liquid. Now I can't die. Ever." The blind mare needn't say a word. Scientist? Doctor? Immortal? It sounds absurd! The red filly continued. "Almost everypony, or dragon, I run into dies. It's been happening every single time. They just...die." The blind mare sighed. "How... many have you killed?" "3 dragons. That fuchsia girl. Possibly another pony I felled." "That's not much at all... compared to the others." "Wait, what?" The other pony gasped. "Others?" The blind one sighed. "The crime rate in the city is off the wall. It's so much, the police guards couldn't handle it all. Then the Mayor ordered them to stop. Some parts of this city are totally crime free. That's because they've been hit by the gangs already. I heard stories of these places and their owners getting killed or destroyed. They can't trust anybody. Not even those they employed. Some of these gang members go undercover and get hired. Now they have access to the place, and then BAM. A fire or a murder happens. But the least horrible thing? The least horrible thing to happen to a store is flash-stealing. The police couldn't handle that kind of stuff happening so fast, one after the other. That's also why they stopped helping. They just... they just couldn't bother." She chuckled. "Heh, we have a small resistance group. If you wanna call it that. But they can't do much at all. These gang's are so large, so they can't attack." The red filly couldn't believe her ears. She just couldn't! She grit her teeth. Resistance... they couldn't? Guards... they wouldn't? "That's just fuckin wrong! Th-they- they can't DO THAT! What gives them the idea they can do shit like that?!" The smaller mare sternly replied. "Gangs practically moved in when they heard the guards stopped." "Maybe that pink-poop colored pony I killed was gang." "... I'll admit, you did make her stop... ...Stop living, that is. I wish all those gangs did! Take them, move them out, jail them! I don't care! If-" "Maybe that's my power." "Your what? What do you-" "My power. Maybe that's what... that's what I'm supposed to do. Maybe I can use my magic to help?" The former-alicorn looked at the blind mare. She expected to hear something like "No don't. It's not fair!" To her surprise, the blind one looked her in the eyes. Her face looked that of a rebel. Her voice did not lie. "Do it. If you can do what you did to that bitch back there, to those who did bad," she grinned. "...I think THAT would be fair. Yeah, I'm blind. But I can see that you want to do good. Killing may be a bad thing, but in nature? It is to survive. It's GOOD. and I think you have that talent." She stood up. "I can't do anything like that. It's not in me. But... I support it." The red filly didn't know how to feel. This blind, black and white, straight maned, little unicorn... could heal. Not with medicine, but with bandages made of words. She just met this girl. She made her feel GOOD. Not hurt. But she had to admit, she didn't like murder or death... Did she? She thought back. She caused those bullies' deaths. If to commit murder is a bad thing, then how come no one is bothering? It happens in nature; to kill is to survive. This city has seen plenty of that in its time. Is "taking another life" her special talent? She did, 4 or 5 times. Is murder even considered a talent? Maybe, she thought, I can use this weird power to help the city, and rid it of its evil followers? ...Would I be doing a good deed if my actions are bad? Nobody helped me, except for one. Should I feel bad? "I don't know what you're thinkin', but from the silence, I can tell. Give them a taste of your medicine." "I won't know... well..." With a huff, she took to all fours. "Fine. I will. I'll help this city out. Maybe even more." The blind pony smiled. "Oh, I forgot to mention earlier. Thanks for helping me, er, saving me, rather, back there." "With everything that happened to me recently, I didn't want that to happen to an innocent pony. and uh... you're quite brave yourself." The red filly felt unsure herself. "Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I'm weak." She trotted around a garbage bag. "See? Well, I CANT. But I can tell where some objects are. I can use magic." She levitated a pebble and tossed it quite far. "I can also use it to see things and what they look like sometimes. But only for a short time. It drains me a bit. But it's alright. I know the city quite well by its sounds and textures. This alley? I found it years ago. It one of my shelters. I use it to get away from things." The red filly was impressed beyond words. But thoughts were interrupted by a sound not unheard. "Owahh... my stomach. What the- oh yeah. Haven't eaten in days..." She lowered her head. She had no money. She felt ashamed. The blind one giggled. "I know some excellent places! I'll treat yah! What're you up for? Some exquisite tastes?" "That would be great! Hey, I never got your name." "My name is Brielle. What's yours?" "I...uh," she lowered her voice in sadness. "...don't have a name." Brielle lead the way out of the alley and onto the sidewalk. "Your parents never gave you a name?" Brielle slowly walked. "N-no. They were gonna wait to find out my..." she trailed off. "Special talent?" "...cutie mark." I'll never see my mark. she thought. They walked on in silence at those last words. It truly left their mark. But the 2 had the same thoughts; they won't ever see their cutie marks. "Well, at least you get to pick your own name! I don't think 'filly' suits you. You sound older than me!" "I think that's because I am older than you." "I'm 25 years old!" Brielle beamed. The red filly looked at the passing windows, feeling weird at the fact that her new friend is older yet smaller than her. "Oh, well, never mind that." Her sight was stolen by a strange even in one particular window. A masked blue unicorn was placing a weird device over a gryphon's mouth, who dozed off seconds later. "I hope she's not torturing that gryphon." She halted, ready to burst through the window, her muscles stiffened. "What? Which gryphon?" Brielle twitched her ears, expecting to hear screams. But her brain told her it was the screams of a small raspy-air sounding machine. "That one. In the window. Some doctor girl is putting needles in his mouth." "Uhm... she might be a, you know...a dentist? They tend to do that with your mouth." "She's got an orange pony assistant. The gryphon is lying back in the chair. Why isn't he moving?" She felt Brielle brush up against her hair. "Smells minty... and that machine sounds like mmmmmmm I gonna say local anesthesia." The red filly had no clue what Brielle just said. "What's annasteezyah?" "An-uh-stee-zya. It's some weird gas that's puts a beast to sleep so they won't feel pain." That word struck a chord in the filly's mind. She liked that name. Something that puts a beast to sleep... "They wake up later, do they?" "Yup! It doesn't last long. Only a few minutes or an hour. What's the name?" "Of what?" "The store. It should say it somewhere. I think I know this place." The filly read the words slowly. "Dental work by Colgate. Specializes in: surgeries, fillings, braces, cavities, anesthesia and more!" That word. Anesthesia. It pulled her in like gravity! Brielle brightened. "Colgate! Such a great friend! Met when we were in preschool. Wonder how she's doin-" "I like that word." "What? Colgate?" "No. Anesthesia. I think... that will be my name." The unicorn turned to her friend. "I like it! Its sounds pretty! Fits a pretty sounding mare just like you!" Anesthesia looked at her chest scars. She breathed. "....that can't be true." "Let's go eat. I'm hungry!" Brielle started to walk. Anesthesia turned to follow, but looked at her reflection. A quick glance, her eyes roved over her to her flank. Her eyes widened a bit in reaction. "Th-those spots weren't there before..." She turned her head. 2 dots above her flank scars stared back. Much like eyes, but dead. Normally, anypony would be excited. But instead, she felt hurt. She licked the marks again and again just to make sure it wasn't dirt. It didn't smear or go away or taste funny. That confirmed it. She got her cutie mark....and She couldn't even see it. She didn't know whether to be excited or sad. It hurt down to her heart. Her flank scars never fully healed. They covered up the rest of the cutie mark. "Anesthesia? You coming?" Brielle's curious voice interrupted her thoughts. "Coming!" She trotted to her new friend. Should she tell Brielle? She fought with herself. Here goes nothing. "I think, I uh... got my cutie mark." Brielle suddenly burst with excitement. "You didn't! What is it? What's your cutie mark?" Anesthesia was taken aback by the sudden outburst. "I uh... don't know. There's two dots. The rest is covered up by cuts and stitches. I don't know, I'd say it looks like a..." she cast a quick peek. "Really creepy smiley face. The scars give it diamond shaped teeth?" Brielle heard the sadness in her friend's voice. "Wow, that sounds kinda neat!" "It makes it all the more fun to guess what it is!" she beamed. She knew the same would be for her, but not in the situation. Anypony would see her own except herself. She felt her friend's frustration. Anesthesia averted her eyes. "That's true. But still. I'll never be able to see it. Never will." The former changed the subject. "I know what'll cheer you up. What's your favorite food?" The two turned the corner and onto one crowded cobblestone street, where tables were abundant. The smells were overwhelming. Ponies, dragons, gryphons, goats, and every species known where mingling. Waiters and waitresses brought mountains of food back and forth from different restaurants that lined each side of the street, literally door to door. Many were bon vinvants! Umbrellas sported many colors and different names. Their customers laughed and whooped. This is a place where boundaries are forgotten. Enemies made friends over a table of food. Anesthesia was stunned. She never saw anything like this. "Welcome to Stone Street! Let's eat!" Anesthesia smiled a little. "I'll go for anything." EPILOUGEEPILOUGE The former nameless alicorn, who once could fly, never again into the clouds, for wings she was deprived. Her horn was broken, but she could still harness magic. It was used for some things ever so tragic. Her flank bore an unusual sight; three diamond-shaped scars. She won't, and never will, fully see her cutie mark. Brielle, that small black and white unicorn, was brave. As visionless as she was, she saw the goodness behind her friend's pain. So she offered her new friend a place to stay as long as she wants on one condition; to clean up this city of its gangs and their flaunts. Now the red mare roams the streets, hiding in the dark. Hunting to put down any crime before it would even start. Her special talent? She figured out soon enough. To make the wretches suffer greatly before their time was up. Crimes mostly happened at night. So she made that her time of fun. Often she lost control of her emotions. Her victims couldn't escape nor run. One day, Brielle gave her a curious device; a box that made sounds. It had many large buttons on top, and a speaker that was round. It was called a radio, and it blew Anesthesia's mind! Voices, songs and many sounds filled her room almost all the time! Every day she would listen, and it would make her smile. The news reports especially; reports on the gang's vile and ruthless crimes are starting to trickle in the reports; "Who is killing the ruffians? Is this some type of blood sport?" "Mangled bodies found in the streets, all gang members." Anesthesia would leave before anybody would notice her. But one of the voices reported on something she completely forgot about; her parents. What happened to her parents? What happened to her house? The voice continued to speak in its matter-of-fact voice. The black-maned mare could only stare into a void. "The bodies of three alicorns were found today in their mansion. Both had vertical cuts on their throats and multiple incisions all around their bodies. Their security guards were taken into question." "I didn't know. I didn't hear a thing..." his voice was full of sad tension. The reporter voice continued. "In a bedroom, the mother, father and daughter were found inside. The father had a knife in his hoof. Investigators believe it was a murder-suicide. Funerals are planned for the father, Prince Cherubic, and Princess Sanguine, the mother, along with the filly, whose nickname was 'The Red Filly'. In other-" *SHZZZZZZZ* Anesthesia's world suddenly spun. Her head pounded. The parents she knew and loved... were found dead. Dead. Killed. Murdered. No longer alive. Can't believe it. Its not true. They must be alive. Mother... Sanguine was her name. Cherubic was daddy. Their names were said. Mommy. Daddy. She threw her head back in a wail, a scream filled with pain. Tears streamed down her face, her heart would almost break. Anesthesia slumped down to the floor, her head hit a bottom drawer. Breathing came in quick, sudden gasps. Her throat became sore. Her hooves covered her head, but it didn't hurt from the fall. She didn't care that it hurt. She wanted her parents most of all. She wanted them back. Her body willed it, forced it to happen. But death wouldn't allow it. Couldn't allow it. Cannot happen. Time and place was lost. Didn't know where she was. Or who she was. Inside her was the blackness that never ended, like it always does. She rolled on the floor, back and forth as if she was in a vice, struggling to get out. "NO! NO NO NO NO!! MOMMY! DADDY!" she again cried. Beloved words kept replaying in her ears. Mommy. Daddy. Gone. Never to be seen again. Never to be hugged again. Gone. Brielle sat on a chair in the dining room; she heard everything. Head upon the table, lips trembling. She too was crying. But something the reporter said bothered her. "The filly, whose nickname was 'The Red Filly'" She didn't know what red was. But from what she was told, that was Anesthesia's name as a filly. Through tears, her mind worked. Three bodies? But she said she was kidnapped! How could that be? One Mother and one Father... one daughter? She WAS kidnapped! Something's wrong here. If she was taken from her house, why were there three? This doesn't make any sense. She replayed over and over the mentioned scene. Her mind jolted back to the lunch. Anesthesia's story...something about her misery. "...smelly...stung...thought I was dreaming ...on younger ponies than me." She sat up. "Could-... did they... use another filly's BODY? To substitute Anesthesia's? How- what mentality..." Hooves to her face, she slumped down onto the table. As much reality this was, it sounded like a horror fable. A pony stood atop of the apartment building. A great view of the night time city from here. Eyes shed tears. Breath still rattled. Stomach still hurt. But she did not care. Noises of all kinds reached her ears. Many she did not recognize. A slight breeze. A cool one at that. But she was still burning inside. Now she knew why she liked the name Anesthesia. It was more than a name. It was supposed to protect her. Protect her from all the pain. Cold. That was all she felt. Skin. Shattering. Cold. It made her numb to everything. Those eyes of gold showed revenge, hatred. Her scars glistened in the light. She took a deep breath, and roared into the night. "I'LL FIND YOU! I HUNT YOU DOWN TILL MY LAST BREATH! YOU HEAR ME?! I'LL FUCKING RIP OF YOUR HEAD! You made me this way... you stole EVERYTHING FROM ME!" She scanned passing creatures. She scanned the city streets. Her voice dropped, filled with cold, venomous malice. "I will take everything from YOU." Her mind went callous. She ran across rooftops, using her magic to let her glide. Off she went, into the city, to stop more villainous crimes. The Doctor had chills up his spine.
Chapter 1CHAPTER 1 There once was a pony flew with feather. Like most who can, she controlled the weather. Unlike most ponies, she was also born not a pegasus, but instead a rare Alicorn. Her hair was a beautiful dark brown which complimented her crimson red fur all around. Eyes filled of gold, it never betrayed the love for her kind; it had never swayed. A rebellious teen filly, she wanted to fly out of her mansion and into the sky. But every single day happened like the one before. For this pampered filly, life was a bore. The crimson pony craved adventure, but could not since overprotective parents kept their house inside of a large fence. Too many bad things took place outside. Thieves, wild dogs, a hot summer sun to shine. But one night the filly slept as normal in a comfy bed she kept so formal. Suddenly to toss and turn, she did scream. A sharp prick to her thigh, sleep did heed. A few moments later she woke up and tried to move, but with no such luck. Stretched upon a cold table, she shivered. One light upon her, the shadows slithered. Voices spoke in muffled hushed tones mixed with noises that sounded... unlike home. Her gold eyes danced in their sockets. Then her ears found the sound of the locket. At once she was bathed in a light that shone behind a figure, dressed in white. It stepped into the room on its 4 legs. Others soon followed, masks around their necks. Some brought in trolleys, some used their magic. 2 had ropes, another had a hatchet. "What's going on? Why am I here?" she tried to say. This wasn't her room or her house. Just no way! But her mouth wouldn't move as much as she tried; Something kept her mouth shut, and she couldn't figure out why. She noted the figures: one white, one blue, one gray, one pink one yellow, one orange and the last was like black ink. They gathered around her, all 7 of them. But one pony in particular leaned in his head. He got close to her face, as if to sniff her nose. But instead he inspected her mouth, her jaw an awkward pose. "This pony," she thought, "who is he?" He didn't look familiar at all, thought she. His white coat shone through his long, blonde unkempt mane along with the horn on his head. The "Doctor" was his name. "It seems our little girl is awake," he finally said. The others agreed by nodding their heads. He used his horn to rip off the device that held her mouth like a vice. The little red filly yelped in pain only to see a little red stain. On the device it was, that little drop of blood. It wasn't much, but it sure did run. It looked like an apple with straps on its side. But she quickly looked away, and into his eyes. "Oh my my, did that really hurt? I'm so sorry!" he said with a tone of curt. "Where am I? why am I here?" The restrained filly exclaimed, eyes threatened to tear. "Where's my family? Where's my house?! I want to know what's going on!" she said with a shout. "Oh yes, that. Care to explain? Miss Steely here will tell you." he said without shame. A pink mare appeared in her field of vision with a happy smile, she then began to reason. "We saw that you were unhappy in your big old mansion. So we snatched you right up! Oh, not to mention-" "HELP! HELP ME! HELP!" the gold-eyed pony screamed at the top of her lungs! "HELP! HELP ME PLEASE!" The other ponies laughed, and laugh they did! They all laughed at her attempts, so her cries had thinned to nothing but sobs and tears down her face. Not one of them cared. None had a trace. "You think help is going to come? What are you, insane? Nobody can hear you!" the white unicorn exclaimed. Her eyes grew wide, her heart beat faster. Her lungs breathed in quicker, her struggles got madder. She realized she couldn't move much; her wings, her legs were all on taut chains attached to the wall at the other ends. "Let me go! Let me go! What did I do wrong?!" The white stallion mocked her, his sanity long gone. "Let's get started..." he said with a smile. He had not done this in quite a while. "What are you doing...?" the red filly said fearfully. The white stallion levitated a syringe quite cheerfully. At once he place it onto her right arm as the others stood back to watch the doctor at work. He raised his hoof and... THWACK! Slammed it straight onto the needle's top. The young pony's screams took over the room. She tried to pull back but naught. A dark red fluid inside the needle seeped its way out into her bloodstream, as the doctor gave the needle another clout. "There there now, that wasn't bad wasn't it?" The doctor left withdrew it from the spot it was in. The crimson pony felt a tingly sensation crawl up her arm. It was cold at first, but the liquid started to warm. "Now we wait and see. This liquid has never been tested on a live subject like you." Surely he jested? "What did you put in me?" the crimson filly asked in a squeaky voice. But the doctor ignored her, only to go for a more grisly choice. "Bring me the knife. No, No! The other one!" The pink pony brought over a weird looking knife when selecting was done. "This liquid we put in you is supposed to have interesting effects. We have no clue what it will do, but it will help with our tests. Our previous test subjects died right after they were injected. But then again, they were younger than you." he said, tone unaffected. She continued to struggle, but to no avail. When her eyes she saw the knife, her face went pale. There it was, the sharpest of blades she had ever seen floating in the air, the light made it gleam a silvery-white light that flashed her eyes and it slowly crept toward her unprotected right thigh. A slow stinging pain erupted from her haunch; she squirmed in pain, and recoiled, but it wasn't much. "Hold her down." the doctor said to his comrades. At once they all restrained her, like cats hunting rats. The searing pain returned to her thigh where the cutie mark would appear. The doctor cut so slowly, ever so slowly, as if he was cutting up cashmere. She struggled. She cried. She tried to scream in pain. But with 6 stronger ponies on top of her, all attempts were in vain. The little filly, not much older than 13, once had a flank. But now all that was there, was a bloody blank flank. The doctor held up the skin, cut in an almost perfect circle and held it up for all to see. To the filly, it was more than hurtful. She couldn't believe her eyes. She couldn't believe this. This wasn't a dream. This was real. There was her skin! It dangled from this strange pony's mouth. Blood did fall. It dripped onto his white coat, and the lab one, most of all. All she could do was grumble, and breathe out the pain. The other ponies let go, and backed away, around the table again. They all smiled at the piece of flesh that is now a trophy for their eyes to digest. She breathed heavily, her head dropped as blood ran down her to her hoof. This pain, its unbearable, too much for this one youth. It felt worse than crashing into walls, floors, even a rock. What came next, was even more painful: the words of the doctor's mock. "See this, everypony? This is a true blank flank. This is what we've been trying to study." He dropped the knife... CLANG! ...onto the floor, the blood spread everywhere into tiny drops on the floor lined with squares. The crying filly looked up, trying to find shock in their faces. No worry, no pain. Not even a gasp, or a look of grimace. All had smiles on their faces as they saw the skin gently put onto a tray. They then piled on top of her again, and all the red filly saw was dark gray. Once again her pain receptors went off like breached alarm, but they didn't care that she couldn't escape the trap of forearms. Both of her flanks were completely gone. The top layer of skin, the doctor did don. Her tendons showed, her veins exposed blue pulsing wires that stung with every beat through and through. She cried. She screamed. She wallowed in the pain she just gained. Never to see what cutie mark she might ever have received. Never to be vain for discovering her true talent. It was taken away from her. This painful reality hit her. Right then. Right there. She knew this "doctor" was not done at all. He had many more instruments to use. She wanted to fall. The doctor went to her wings, which were hooked behind her, much like a fish to a worm that was hooked on a wire. "Now, what is it we have here?" said the white stallion to his co-ponies, his eyes shone like a medallion. The gray pony spoke up. "It's a hook and line! Its attached to her wing." Though the crimson filly couldn't see it, she could just imagine the thing. The hook went through the base of her wing and was attached to a chain that went horizontal to the wall, into a pulley and then into a drain. "Oh! Oh oh oh! Let me get this one, sir!" said the black pony. "Me too! I want to make this happen!" said the orange earth pony. One thing the crimson filly noticed is their cutie marks were almost never seen. They never let their flanks out of the darkness, or it was covered by a coat or seams. Wait... how was she able to think like this through the pain? It was unbearable...was it the liquid in her vein- Her thoughts went blank as a new pain shot through her back. One lever was pulled down, the chain was no longer slack. Her left wing started to go backwards, started to take her body with her, until she couldn't go through... That table...that damned table that restrained her! The other lever went down, how she wished that wasn't there! She felt the click-rip-crick of her bones breaking from her back. What she had eaten that day came up onto her chest, chunks still intact. "W-w-what did I do wrong? Make it stop please..." she prayed in her mind as her wings stretched and splayed. ...The pain had ebbed. The pulling had ceased. She breathed in heavy deep breaths, through her clenched teeth. Her body just hung there, almost wanting to die. But the reaper would not come, at all; for her, death was a lie. She moaned in agony again once more only wishing to make it out that door. "I think she's had enough," a careful voice softened the air. Music to the filly's ears, a sound she now found rare. "Please...stop..." she spoke with chords so weary. All that replied was a silence so eerie. "...wha...what...d-d-diiiid...I do...to deserve this..?" Her lungs made a weak cough that sounded like a hiss. "...I think she's had enough rest." the same voice sounded. and down both levers went, to which her wings were still bounded. If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is anywhere near, would the victim underneath still be able to hear? She screamed so loud, with such force and such volume that the others had to cover their ears to block the echoes in the room. What remained of her wings, or if you were to call it that, was nothing but bloody stumps, with no bones to reattach. The doctor was impressed. This filly had such big lungs! He wanted to know so much about her though his ears still rung. That smile, that insane, oh so dreadful smile stole upon his lips! His legs were trembling; he thought he would trip! The brown maned filly's head dropped forward and lolled to her chest. Her mane whipped into her eyes. There was some blood she didn't ingest as her throat was so dry, it was ever so brittle, that more red fluid expelled from her mouth like a dribble. The doctors went over and examined their patient. They started to giggle with malicious intent. "Now everpony, watch what I am to do next." The orange pony approached her, and lifted her head. The others looked at each other in confusion, wondering what is his next move. The red filly's mouth was covered in blood and bodily fluid. Her eyes started to ooze. She thought to herself, unable to talk. Would she be able to fly? To even walk? She'd rather be dead! Will they leave this room? Why isn't she unconscious? Will this be her untimely doom? Her mind reeled, spun; it flipped and it searched to find the answers, but none of the techniques worked. All she saw was 7 ponies, all laughing with glee at her pain, her torture. All she wanted was to be free. These manifestations of feelings lasted only 2 seconds when a hard, orange hoof smashed into her horn. Stars collected in her vision, her eyes then went lame. Her lungs barely let out air for the sudden burst of pain. This pain was the worst she had felt. Her thighs stung, her back bled crazy. But as the orange pony punched her again, her head went hazy. The horn on her head was being forced into her skull! She actually hoped he would keep going, for this would make her life null. But the stallion stopped on the 3rd swing, with a look of disdain, he saw his hoof, a crack formed that did sting. Suddenly his face turned to that of anger. He directed it right at her. "LOOK WHAT YOU DID! YOU CRACKED MY PRECIOUS HOOF, YOU UNGRATEFUL FUCK!" He donned a silver, metal spiked shoe onto his back hoof, turned around, then bucked. His hoof met her horn. The spikes met her skull. The foot retracted back in an instant, taking the horn with its pull. Her vision faded. Her mind went dark. All she heard was her beating heart. Dark crimson blood fell into her eyes, her nose. She was forlorn. This filly was no longer an Alicorn. A splitting headache bore its way to her mind. She fell into a deep darkness, thankful to finally die.
Chapter 2CHAPTER 2 It was cold. It felt familiar. It felt... good. She was really there. It was dark. There was some noise. She didn't care. She was in a void. Then a cold, sweet liquid touched her tongue. Instantly she drank, but then her throat stung. But she kept drinking, until she discovered the taste was not that of water, but it was too late. Her eyes shot open. She couldn't believe... ...she didn't die. She somehow fell asleep. No! Not asleep! Damnit, she had passed out. For how long? How long had she been out? Her chest suddenly became drenched with the yellowish, cold liquid. "Not water, but bleach, with windshield wiper fluid." the yellow pony quipped. Instantly she spat out as much as she could, the silvery taste danced around her mouth. The smell was so strong, it almost put her in a trance. "Not only that, but there was a bit more to that drink. It was mixed with chemicals we found in that sink over there, that one. We used it to wash our gear from all of this... not to mention, we did have a nice piss." A gray pony ambled up to the table, and walked around the victim. Long dirty blonde mane, heavy set, wings. She looked more like a him! Her smile was crooked, her tail was cut way too short. One thing most noticeable, was her uncontrollable snort. "SNGHShe needs to be cleaned too. She's all dirty HGKKK!" The green eyed mare looked at the white doctor with a look so flirty. Instead of waiting for a reply she flew out of the room like a fly. She came back in, but she carried a large tub filled with another liquid, the sides she did rub. "This will clean you right up. Let's get those wounds sparkly!" she said with a wild voice whole heartedly. What the crimson filly didn't understand is why this mare had gloves as she dipped a cloth into the water. There also wasn't enough! It was just a small tub, not much bigger than her own rump. Then a thought occurred to her; this made her heart jump. Inner strength exploded from this young pony, she struggled against her chains. But, alas, they were unforgiving as the grips instead tightened around their claim. The lightly soaked cloth touched the bare, raw hole where her flank was cut, and she screamed once more. It stung, it burned, it burned like hell! She couldn't move much, just only yell! It ate through her muscle and it singed the tendons! It was only just a light touch! It never ended! "AAAAGGHH!! AWWWAAAAAAAHHHHAAAAASSSSSSSSSSHHHH!!!" Her wails slowly dropped as the cloth was removed. The gray mare reared up in joy, only to stop. She saw the fear in the filly's eyes. She smiled and danced some more, around to the other thigh. The same pain appeared on the other side. The same loud, intense screams did not reside. The doctor in white was very impressed. This filly seemed to endure every test! Though he knew it wasn't enough to kill, something about this filly just sent him thrills! "Now we must perform a few more tests," he finally spoke. The filly couldn't cry no more. She started to choke. "That liquid inside you, we have no clue what it does. We haven't seen any-" his eyes went wide and his mouth dropped like a ton. Her mouth and chest changed color! It turned to a creamy-off white! The liquid that was spilled on her, it bleached her fur so bright! "This is fascinating! We found something! It did something!" He jumped for joy and couldn't resist this one little thing! The filly slowly looked down through dry, sore eyes. There was her chest, bright as the lights. She spoke not a word. Her chords didn't need to. Instead her body shook uncontrollably, through and through. Once all red, now part white. Once an alicorn, no longer that life. She shivered and trembled and rattled and she shook. None of these ponies gave her a loving look. "Now everypony, grab an instrument." The all obeyed, plans rudiment. In their mouths, on their hooves in the air were instruments to choose. Slowly the filly raised her head, and suddenly became horrified. Her mouth dropped, her eyes went wide. The pain was to be multiplied. The white stallion couldn't contain his glee. "Do whatever you want with her. Whatever you please." He turned and proceeded to leave. He had other matters at hoof. Familiar sounds reached his ears. He had heard his proof.
Chapter 3CHAPTER 3 Hours had passed since he left his comrades to deal with red filly at his command. He returned to the room, and was hit with a smell. It smelled like death as his nostrils swelled. There she was, still hanging by her hooves. She looked redder than before, and she didn't move. The doctor smiled. His buddies were fantastic! She lasted so long, it was ever so spastic! Blood matted her fur and caked the table red. The crazy old colt knew she was finally dead. "You poor young thing. You lasted for so long... I thought you'd never die, but DAMN I was so wrong. Your body would make for a nice specimen. But they overdid it with the cuts. Oh well then." He looked her over and saw her damage: endless cuts, stitches, bruises, dark places left savaged. The mane and tail was dyed black, her teeth painfully ripped away. Fecal matter on cuts, wing stumps singed black, hooves forayed. It's amazing how any pony could do this. But then... then again, it was a group. He trained them. It was bound to happen. He levitated the girl's body using his magic with ease, then plopped her on the floor which was no longer clean. Looking to a slot on the wall that sported a handle, a slot opened up with the help from his magic, which lit up like a candle. Picking up the filly's body, he held it over the crevice and just before dropping her in, said "Thank you for your service." Down, down, down, the crimson filly went speeding through a jagged silver-blue vent. The body hit the walls, scraped the sides, slid and left marks cracked ribs, smashed her face in, all in the dark. This whole process took about 15 seconds total. but then again who's counting? Very unnoble. Finally the red mess landed with a plop onto a heap of strange, spiky leather, among other slop. The place was a room unlike any other. In fact it was outside in an alley where no one would bother! Instead of day it was dark at night. The critters of that alley gathered to see their new meal in sight. Tiny claws pittered and pattered onto the red body which was severely tattered. One of them, a raven, started to pick at her ear when it suddenly twitched, and jumped back in fear. A sound escaped the filly's nose. Some of the animals suddenly froze. Her chest heaved, her hooves twitched. Some vermin scattered, squeals high pitched. Whoever stayed saw a dumbfounding sight. Their meal was alive! Their eyes did not lie! The her golden eyes flickered open. Blurred shapes passed by. Her eyes roamed over them. All she saw were the silhouettes of ponies against the dim light. Those 4 legged figures...some had horns...some could take flight... None of them were in her position, in her state. How come none of them see her? Is it too late? She had no clue where the hell she was. Her gold eyes crossed, her head went abuzz. Although her body hadn't moved an inch from that spot, she took in her surroundings, and realized it wasn't too hot. Whatever she laid on was spiky and soft... Also very stiff...and smelly...it felt off... Ahead of her was a street which had some strange noises. Large wheeled creatures were pulled by ponies."City? What fast voices..." The only noise behind her were the critters. She must be at a dead end with a lot of litter. The smell, that disgusting foul stench! Her stomach hurt so much, she thought she would retch. She had to move. To get to any sort of help. Her forearms moved, but ever so slowly. They felt like burning hell. The cuts on her body protested, bled and stung with every drag. She slid down the pile. Gashes got larger when they hit some sharp snags. What was minutes seemed so timeless. Her body was so numb and wobbly, she felt spineless. The crimson ragdoll eventually reached the pavement where any pony can see her. But instead, they came and went. "Help...me..." she whispered with a sore throat, and laid there, and waited...and continued to lose hope. No pony stopped or even gave her a glance for she looked just like a piece of fresh kill for tiny little ants. She waited and waited and waited for help to arrive. Confidence drained. "How...am I...alive?" She should be dead! She lost so much blood! "How come death didn't take me when they took so much...?" Her mind read over her memories as she flipped through that mental book, replaying each scene as best she could recall as she shivered and shook. "The needle! That needle he put in my arm! It had liquid in it..he said...." she thought in alarm. "Did...did it...keep me alive? But how... I think.. I should be dead right now... He said he never knew...the effects... Did...did he lie...?" she fell asleep after she guessed. The next morning, she awoke, still in the same spot. Some food was at her side, and the weather turned quite hot. She had some renewed strength; she felt a little better. She leaned up against the wall in the shade to eat and escape the hot weather. A box of open Chinese noodles and a bottle of water. The filly felt some hope return. Who would bother? It wasn't much food, but it would suffice. Of all those ponies, somepony was...nice. Her throat hurt when she grumbled, so she couldn't talk. Her hind legs hurt the most; she couldn't walk. "I'll have to stay here...till I'm better..." she decided. This option made her not so delighted. As she ate, she watched life go by; Ponies, some birds, even the rare-occasional dragon, zebras, sometimes in herds. But all were busy talking to each other. Or too buried in their notes and minds, or just poor. Thankful for the meager food and drink, she dozed off after she had so much to think.
Chapter 4CHAPTER 4 "Wakey wakey shake and bakey, sweet cheeks." The red pony awoke to 3 dragons poking her feet. The one that poked her was skinny and brown and wore a purple hoodie, and sunglasses that were round. Those glasses had some white writing on both lenses. It said "FUCK YEAH" and were very big & dense... There were 2 more dragons, one white with a blue sweater and the other was orange who wore just jeans in this hot weather. "Das right. Wake up. What the fuck are you doing here? Yo' on ah turf." He said with a sneer. What did he say? "He's gotta be kidding..." "I can't move. My legs won't do a thing-" "Then how joo get hea? Ah bet joo walked." "I don't know...I woke up...on that pile." She can barely talk. "Oh yeeeaaaah! That pile! Yeah, you seeeee, this is ah turf and you went into this alley. So it means you wanna get hurt." Her gold eyes went wide with fear. Her heart raced. "No...not again. Not here!" She began to scramble and tried to get up but the brown dragon's foot pushed her back onto her butt. "Too late, bitch. You're about to become one of them." The orange dragon gargled up some phlegm and spat it at her. She pleaded "Wai-wa-wait!" But to no avail. Attempts to escape were in vain. These dragons had superior strength and speed. They grabbed her damaged flailing hooves and didn't heed her screams as she was lifted off the ground and tossed further into the alley were she was found. She backed away as far as the alley allowed and quickly, she stole a glance around. Looking up, she saw nothing but sky. "How did I get here? Did I fall? How?... and why?" These thoughts only lasted 2 seconds flat. The dragons had sported weapons: a spiked belt, a metal pole and a baseball bat. The mangled filly cowered in the corner. She couldn't put up a fight. Soon, it would be over. The orange dragon whipped his belt as he advanced and it cracked in the air. His lips had danced into a smile as he flung the buckle end at her. It wrapped around her front hoof, and he yanked it back with laughter! She flew forward. Her chin scraped the dirt. The brown dragon raised the pole. "This won't hurt!" and brought it down on her bloody wing stumps! Right before the white dragon slammed his bat down on her rump! There were 2 loud pops that resonated in from the attacks: the pop of her hip breaking, and her stumps going flat! Before she even had the chance to recover the boys were on her for a round of another chance to make their victim squeal. They pulled her mane & hooves back to make her kneel. For the pony, her hip cracked in the strange pose. She couldn't move! She couldn't move! She just froze! Her mind was screaming "Just end it! End it forever!" But what? The endless beatings or her life? However her thoughts halted and her screams tore through the air as a hot flame burned her bloody flanks and part of her darier. The brown dragon spewed the hot flame from his jaw! Once he finished, he saw his work: cooked meat, not raw. The white scaled beast kicked her to the floor with a grin. The red mare just laid there and groaned. Her stomach started to spin. "Just finish her off already. I gah be somewheres" the orange dragon spoke without a care. "Grab her arms and legs" the brown one spoke fast. the 3 beasts lifted her up, above their heads, to finish their tasks. "Go get a life." the brown dragon said as they all turned to the left. "Hit it!" they tossed her with immense strength and she was sent towards the wall at such a fast rate, she saw nothing but crimson gray bricks rush to her face. Teeth cracked in 2, the jaw broke & dislocated. Her spine cracked above her head and the sound resonated. Shoulder blades met brick, tail base met mortar. The body fell to the ground, no longer working for her. "Come on guys, let's check back later." the white dragon turned to the fallen mare and with one last kick to the face, they left the alley without a care.
Chapter 5CHAPTER 5 There she lay. Unmoving. Barely breathing. Her head on the floor. Heart scarcely beating. The throes of torture she just endured. The stings. The bruises. The broken bones. Her mind went obscure. Pain receptors blasted like dynamite all around her body, telling her something is amiss. But what could she do? She couldn't move at all. It felt like she was thrown into an abyss. First being kidnapped. Then being used as some guinea pig. Then appearing in a city only to be beaten up by some kids. And the worst part of her dark journey through perdition is that nopony came to her aid, and they saw her in that condition. Even in her feeble state, her mind grew stronger. Dense. She couldn't trust anybody, could she? Who? What? Whence? That tiny flame of hope shrunk. Who could rekindle the fire? "Please let this be the last...". She was down to the last wire. Throughout the day, ponies passed her by. No one dared look into that alley. No one cast her an eye. They knew things about this city the red mare did not. For them, the city was hell. By the streets, they were taught. Gangs ran the streets like border guards; one wrong step over the line, and expect to fall down hard. These gangs, ruthless & heartless, were segregated by creature kind. Dragons, ponies, gryphons. Nobody wanted to get snagged in those vines. The dragons were known to be the most brutal. Escape? That was simply futile. But she didn't know this. The city didn't give a damn. Once in the city, the rules were expected to be known, just like a plan. The red and cream filly rested, and regained her strength. When night overtook day, she sat up despite the strain. She forced her legs to support her weight, only to discover her horrible gait. "I must get out of here! I... have to... walk!" She whispered, as she still could barely talk. Broken bones forgotten, her horn-less head poked around the corner. Citizens moved on with their lives. Normal. Nothing had warned her. Gingerly, she takes a step out onto the sidewalk, and she turned to her right, and step after agonizing step, she went for a walk. New sights and sounds played with her senses. Loud booms, beeps, voices. Tall buildings, short buildings. Enticing scents. A delicious aroma tickled her nose and soon she followed the smell she chose. It was at a metal stand, a vendor that sold food roasting over a small heated pit. For busy ponies, this was always good. Vegetable shish-kebabs, haydogs, vegan kielbasa. Drinks to quench thirst. Ketchup, mustard, sauce that was hot, hot, hot! Her mouth watered at the sight. Her stomach screamed "Food!" But her mind just clicked. No money. No food. Still, her legs dragged her to the vendor pony. She would beg, even if she had to get on one knee. The spatula-flanked colt gave her a look and asked "What'll be? Haydog? Burger?...hey miss..you...?" "Can I please have one? Anything. I don't have any bits... I'll take a scrap. A bun. Water. Please, I'm so hungry, it-" "Sorry. No bits. No grub. I got po'nees ta feed. Ah can't give away mah food for free!" "Not even a haydog bun?" "Sorry, I can't, hun." She gave up. She felt frustrated, angry, torn. She turned her head away. A new hatred was born. "Doesn't anybody see the cuts? My flank still burns! Is it even worth asking for help?". To the vendor pony, she turned. "I need help. I was almost killed. These scars, they were caused by ponies." "Wait, what ponies?" the vendor questioned. "The pony gang, Cronies?" "No. Someponies in lab coats. I somehow ended up here. Then I got beaten by 3 dragons. I need help! I fear-" "Stop talking." the vendor-pony cut in. "You need tah leave this city. Pronto." His words pulled her in. "This city aint nice. Nopony gives a SHIT 'bout one 'nother. Crap goes down in thi' city every single owah, so no one bothers. 'specially if its caused by tha Flames. Them dragons. Dhey dink they own the place! The ponies hea' are most all gang members. They know who gets aced! You lookit ye got aced pretty badly, too, which is why no one spotted. If'n ye aint part no gang, you get yer ass outta here. You oughta!" The filly's stomach just turned inside out. Her ears dropped. "W-w-what if I don't leave?" The next few words made her heart almost pop. "If'n ye don't leave, and the Flames tried to kill you, and they sees you walkin deh streets? Girl, Ah feel sorry fer yah. You'll be stomped on like weeds. Scored. Aced. Eighty-sixed. Chopped up. Ruined. DEAD. Get yer ass outta this city. Go south!" He swung his head, and with that, the filly took off in the direction he showed, Despite the intense, burning pain her flanks, she hadn't slowed. Dodging obstacles, galloping past ponies, she ran. Buildings blurred, the wind tried to stop her. Nothing stopped her, not even a traffic jam. "South, south, SOUTH! I have to get out of this damn place!" Legs screamed, lungs struggled, her heart was beating at an almost fatal pace. Once she thought she was far enough south, she came to a halt, and let her lungs catch the air they pleaded for. Her rump hit the sidewalk. Thoughts bombarded the brain. "Am I safe? Am I out? Oh please let me be far out!" She looked up. Some ponies gave her odd looks, some even gossiped. "I must be south... "I have to move. NOW!" Her legs protested with a pain so great, she yelped as she fell to the ground. Her nose felt the heat of the sidewalk, which scarred her nose gray. A shadow fell over her. "Hey." Her heart skipped an important spurt. Her eyes shot open. Her muscles shook and hurt. Those brown feet. That voice. It sounded like steel. She knew who it was. She looked up. "This...CANT BE REAL!" There they were, standing like a tower. The 3 dragons from before who stole her will power. "Tried to escape, I see? Look guys! We got a rat on the run!" The brown dragon laughed to his buddies, and lifted his foot. "Let's finish our fun." The filly tried to rear backwards on her behind, instead her head hit the ground. Her teeth did grind against each other when the brown foot stepped on her neck. "Help! HELP! SOMEPONY PLEASE!" as she heard her neck go KREK! "Weah gon let our enemies know how strong we are! Don' ever mess with the Flames! EVER!" His taunt went loud and far. "And that no one. Ever. Escapes. From the Flames." Bystanders gasped. This was their "Death Game". The purple hooded dragon grabbed the filly's ears and dragged her into the street, her eyes filled with tears. The red mare didn't put up much of a fight. Ponies stood by and did nothing. To her, it was a unbelievable sight. All 3 dragons kicked, clawed, bit and burned. The crowd gasped and whispered, but many had their heads turned. They all knew better than to try and stop the punishment. "Better her life than theirs," as the local saying went. This ruthless beating would have killed any pony. She should be dead by now! But if only something inside her would allow her to die, then she wouldn't be allowed to live this lie. Her cries could be heard over the laughs and beatings. "S-s-stop..." *punch* "...ssstoop!" *kick* Her entire body was bleeding. "Nobody escapes the Flames!" The 3 dragons then lifted their heads and each took a deep breath. Some bystanders suddenly fled. A cascade of red, orange and yellow erupted from their mouths when a black orb appeared on the filly's forehead and exploded out. The dragons fell back and the crowd dispersed. Screams could be heard even though no one was hurt. All what could be seen was a cloud of dark gray in place of the filly that would've been their prey. "STOP IT! IVE HAD ENOUGH! IM DONE WITH THIS LIFE!" The voice tore through the silence like crystal clear ice. "I'm done. IM DONE BEING TORTURED LIKE A RAT! Nopony helped me... NOPONY HELPED ME!" and with that the red and cream filly stomped into view. The stump that held her horn now glowed with a dark purple hue. Never has the crowd seen eyes this cold. This was the last time they saw her eyes of gold. "You all took away EVERYTHING. You never helped me... so why should anypony help you? LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME!" All what ran through her mind was revenge and payback. The dragons froze in fear, taken aback. One by one they were lifted into the air. Their hands went to their necks as they gasped for air. The other creatures around the area started to flee, but some stood in fear, for their legs would only freeze. "Let's see how you like it!" The crimson pony hissed. This newfound power. For her... it was simply bliss. She took the orange dragon, and dragged his face into the street. Her hoof crushed his snout, flattened tongue, and disintegrated his teeth. He struggled wildly against his former victim, tried to escape. But her magic was far too strong, for it was fueled by hate. The scaled creature's tail suddenly felt quite tight just before it was ripped off and dropped into his sight. The tail stood up straight, like an orange scaled spire. His mangled body rose above it, higher and higher until he was just out arms reach, to where his had body ceased. He came down, his tail protruded from his back, his heart no longer beat. The crimson filly turned her gazed to the white dragon, his hoodie still blue. A deep violet line appeared from his neck to his groin where blood seeped through. His chest split open, his organs made a bed on the street, where he laid, his hoodie turned deep red. The red pony rested her gaze onto her former abuse. "Unlike you, I have a life. Too bad yours is now an excuse!" His left eye started to bleed, it felt like it was on fire. Unending, never ceasing, until the orb popped like a tire. He opened his mouth to scream, he tried to reach for his head but his tongue shredded into pieces from the filly's magic, instead. Still airborne, he clutched his throat, barely able to breathe. Ponies could only stare in silence. They couldn't believe their eyes. Was this happening? Was this real? This was a nightmare. They couldn't wake up. Every single event was completely real. The red filly wasn't done with her retaliation. "You hurt defenseless ponies? You fucking abomination." The brown beast fell to the ground, gasped in precious air. He tried to get up, but his feet were locked in place. "Now, isn't this fair? Oh wait. I couldn't run. And what did you do? Toss me into a WALL!" Something caught her attention. "How about a party to end this all? I mean, it wouldn't hurt to send you out with a bang now wouldn't it?" She brought over a balloon canister... *CLANG* with her magic, and turned to face her former captor one last time. Her anger rose, she suddenly screamed. "GO GET A FUCKING LIFE!" The nozzle illuminated to life and whipped around like a snake and plunged into the dragon's hide before he started to shake. It burrowed quite deep into his bowels. The filly turned the knob, and the canister started to howl its contents into the dragon's digestive track. He screamed in pain and struggled to flee, but his expanding body would not allow that. His stomach distended out like a balloon. His legs, arms, neck, face, soon his body blew up too soon. The "air" separated skin from muscle, and muscle from bone. He deserved it. He deserved it! Revenge had hit home! The filly backed away, not afraid or in fear, but instead turned around, slowly trotted and didn't look back when blood hit her head from the explosion behind her; the dragon no longer in pain. Organs flew in all directions, and fell much like red rain. Bystanders who stayed and watched or who froze from the fear Just witnessed 3 murders. Some had shed a few tears. Some looked at her in fear and awe But they couldn't see her face. None of them saw rivulets of water stream down that distorted face. Walking away. Hurt. Victorious. Disgraced.
Chapter 6CHAPTER 6 The filly woke up. Morning. Where she was she didn't know. She slept under a bridge, next to a river that flowed. She stared at her reflection. She stared back. Cuts all over her body. Bloody hair. Mats. Her "blank flank" was still raw; it bled only a little thanks to the flames, it had slowed to a trickle. It needed some serious stitching... ...godamnit, it wouldn't stop itching! She looked at her horn, now just a stupid little stump. Damnit, which was worse? Horn or flank? Or those 2 little lumps which held her wings before they were ripped away. "Those bastards. They'll pay. They will fuckin pay!" But most important, and it was something she needed to find out. Where did this...this...magic come about? Her horn was broken. No, it was snapped in two! "I never used magic before. What did I do? How the hell was I using magic if I don't have a horn?" Then she remembered she is-... was an Alicorn. "But how? It's not possible...is it? No horn means no magic! But yet..." She used it. Not for fun or learning further in school or studies. She did it... for murder. No, not murder. Self defense. Yeah, that was it. Self defense. She almost died from those attacks! She had to do something to prevent eternal rest! "Wait...can I even die? I shouldn't be here at ALL! I should be dead...but here I am." Her skin started to crawl The sudden realization. The liquid inside her. It all made sense. "No...no...nonononoNONONONOOOOOO!" Her head hit hooves so tense. The crimson filly willed for this to stop out of so much frustration. "...Fine. I guess I'll have to make light of this situation." She looked up, those gold eyes roved her surroundings: grass, dirt, junk. Broken glass, needles, shoes "...well, somepony was drunk." She concentrated her sight onto some broken glass and tried to summon her magic to make it float from the grass. A long thin piece lit up with a dark purple glow. Slowly, but surely, it floated up just before her nose. A smile stole her lips. "Hahahah! Ahahahah! I did it! I did it!" She could almost jump for joy! "I did it!" The sharp glass suddenly shot out like a bullet into the air. A sick "squick" sound, a soft thud, and a scream of despair. "Why did she scream?" The thought lowered her ears. Again, she buried her head into her hooves, threatening to shed more tears. A gentle tickle on her flank made her jump and crane her neck around to see 3 rats sniffing her bloody blank flanked mess. One got very close and nibbled to get a taste. The filly yelped and reflex kicked with haste, sending the rat sprawling. It laid there, unmoving. The 2 other rats scampered to its body, grooming over its fur and checking for life signs. Instead, they simply bit into its sides. She looked away in disbelief and disgust as the rats dragged their next meal into the dust. "I hope those rats are going to help him. Or...are they just going to eat him?" Tiny wet squelching noises were her answer. "Great. Another creature killed." She sighed. "There. That's my answer to everything, isn't it? Death? Really? Am I supposed to kill? Fine, be my guest, Death." Another look into the river. "He ruined me... Death wouldn't let me die. Why me..?" She closed her eyes when her horn started to glow with its dark purple sheen. She let her magic take over her body, which started to make her feel good anew. All of her cuts, bruises and scrapes started to seal up, all except for 2. Her flanks. They won't heal. Too large of a cut. A broken glass was levitated, slender and thin. "It will be done." An old pony shoe string. "This'll do." The string was threaded through a hole. "You... You will help me." It hovered on the top of her flank. She screwed up her face when into the flesh, the needle sank Just where her cutie mark should have been. It hung like a necklace. The pain stung like acid. She knew that pain; her heart started to race. Some blood trickled out and stained the string red. Once more, she cringed, when the pain went to her head. The needle snaked to the bottom, taking on a life of its own and it skewered the skin, making a bridge to both sides above muscle and bone. The 2 ends were pulled together and tied in a bloody knot. "One...down...more...to go." This process was repeated again and again. "Finally..." she thought. Both flanks were sewn, though it still showed some raw flesh. The skin still pulled, but it helped it heal at best. "It's no cutie mark, but it'll do..." The flanks looked weird. It formed... diamonds? A creepy stitched smile? Teeth? Tears? Her reflection cast itself again in the river. "Wow...I look...I look good." Her cuts and bruises were gone. For once, she was in a half-good mood. She got up onto all fours, took a quick drink, and stepped out into the sunlight. "Not many ponies in the park. Alright. Time to get some food. Somehow..." Her stomach reminded her. Away, she trotted from the bridge and into the park further. Species of all kinds mingled, chatted and played; Fillies, pups, young dragons and gryphon chicks whose parents haven't strayed. The park was quite big; large boulders and plenty of trees. Lots of places to climb and explore. Plenty of room to run free. A cry of agony rips the silence apart. A small unicorn tumbles in the dirt quite hard. Her face bore a bruised hoof print from a brown and fuchsia unicorn whose eyes did glint. The hoof-print faced pony sat up, dazed and dirty. Her black and white patched coat stained green, brown and gritty. Slowly she rose, coughed out grass, shook her head. She opened her eyes. "What...the...?" the crimson filly took a breath. The black and white filly... was blind! Her eyes! They were a solid milky blue. She couldn't even see light! "Owoouugh... What was THAT for?!" the blind pony spat back. "I'm just trying to go to the store!" Her ears laid back flat. The brown-fuchsia pony replied, "This part of the park? Its mine. Nopony else is allowed to enter, but me, Dynamite." The smaller blind filly stamped her hoof. "Your part of the park? Are you serious? Where the proof? Oh wait, THERE IS NONE! This isn't your park! It's EVERYBODY's park!" Her voice was very sharp. "What's wrong with beasts these days?! They think they own the place! It's a public park for everyone to enjoy!" Anger stuck to her face. Although she stood from afar, the crimson filly heard everything. She was amazed, awestruck. Why wasn't anypony helping? The blind unicorn was a strange sight: black patches on a white coat, straight black and white mane and tail. She couldn't be more than 8 years old! Dynamite replied coolly. "Not when I'm around. Go away... ...or else." "Or else what?" "I'll make you pay." The blind mare fumed. She couldn't see Dynamite's sneer. She wouldn't back down. She's not like that...although inside, she feared. She was small for her age. She can't exactly defend herself. But she didn't move, not an inch. "No way in hell. This is the way I like to go to the store. I'm not about to change it because you. You...you.. FILTHY WHORE!!" Dynamite truly lived up to her name as she exploded towards the blind mare. Some could say they saw sparks on her hooves and explosions in the air. The blind filly felt the tremors and heard the deafening thunder. Her hooves went up, but her body fell backwards and under from Dynamite's bone jarring headbutt. Her body lay on the grass. Sore, confused, all she heard was "I'm gonna kick your blank ASS!" "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER!" A flash of red with a splash of white. Dynamite's body rolled away from the fight. There was the crimson filly with no name, head down. Standing in front of the blind filly, filled with rage. Dynamite scrambled to her feet, very confused. "Stay out of this! Who the fuck are you!?" "I won't stand for this. Leave NOW!" "Make me." "Don't make me hurt you..." "Oh yeah? HOW?" At the last word, Dynamite sprang into the air! The crimson filly reared, whipping back her hair. Her hoof met Dynamite's chin, and Dynamite's hoof met the filly's face. Both fell backwards. The red one landed on the smaller blind one's face. Quickly, she rolled off. "I'm sorry! Are you alright?" Her loud, young voice wasn't strong. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I'm alright." "I'll fucking KILL YOOOOUUU!!" Dynamite roared! A large, sparkling static orb of light spawned from her horn. The crimson red filly planted her feet into the ground. "...No...no you won't. I won't allow it!" A wild look in her eyes was all to be found. When her own "horn" took on its dark purple glow, the fuchsia brown unicorn's energy fired, sparks in tow. The blind filly couldn't see, but she felt the intense heat rocket towards them. Still on the ground, her instinct told her to cover her head. But the pain never hit. There was no explosion or searing pain. Nothing. She couldn't see what was happening. She was hearing... "...wait." Was that...laughing? No...it was...gasping? She cast a special spell, one only she can use. The shape of her protector appeared in her view. No color, all she saw was black. But the vibrations waves from her horn bounced back. Even Dynamite's silhouette was there. That meant they were close. But where was the heat magic? Up onto her feet, she rose. Dynamite froze. She couldn't move. Before her eyes, a sight no one believed to be true. There was her powerful magic orb, surrounded in black. "She... somehow... stopped my attack!" By physics this should happen! But then, a thought! She pulled back on her magic a touch. "Hmm, her pull is quite taut..." She relaxed. The orb floated down just above the dirt. "Please...just leave. I don't want you to get hurt..." The fuchsia pony smiled. "Alright. I will leave... you in PIECES!" Forward, she heaved the orb towards the black haired pony's neck, and willed the orb to explode! The orb touched the filly's creamy chest. ...Where's the boom? Where's the combustion? Why isn't there fire? Why is there no explosion?! The red filly held her head high, eyes never left her target. She growled. "You HAD your chance!" It was a face no one could forget. The orb was in her control now. She brought it above, and whipped her head forward, sending the orb back to where it came from. Dynamite couldn't move fast enough. She saw her world shrink. Her last movement was to open her mouth slightly, before her right world winked. Fur ripped from her skin, pore by pore. Skin stretched from muscle, more and more. Her right shoulder freed itself from the bones it hung onto, sending blood onto the grass. Her leg was now in two. The orb continued towards the ribs; a very vulnerable spot. Dynamite didn't die just yet. She felt everything. and it was very hot. Skin stretched beyond its limits, sucked into the orb's deadly grip. She couldn't scream; her lungs sizzled and pop into little slimey bits. Ribs turned into dust, the kidneys into pasty goop. Pink intestines exploded, the liver blackened. Veins melted and drooped. Her cutie mark of an explosive dynamite stick was the last to go as it simply exploded. Her entire backside sported a giant hole. The orb flew on towards the trees where is suddenly vanished in a bright white gleam. Dynamite looked absolutely nothing like before. Half a face, only one leg. Ponies saw her heart beat once more. The body fell to one side, in a pool of dark red and pink on grass once green. Dynamite looked more of what some ponies would call a zombie. Sounds came from the surrounding city, oblivious to recent death. Sobs. Panting. Sudden shrieks of fear and terror. Sudden gasps of breath all came in slowly at first. Then it fell in like rain. Some doubled over from shock, as if they were in pain. "Shit. We...gotta get outta here." The red filly said. "...damn." "Why? Wha hap-....oh my cel- FOLLOW ME!" The blind mare suddenly ran. The black and white mare dodged around obstacles as if she could see. The red one was impressed. This one knew her way around the city.
Chapter 7CHAPTER 7 "So... what happened back there?" "...I don't... I don't wanna talk about it... ugh, it's not FAIR?" "What's not fair?" "My life... my body... my mind." "Wha- what do you mean?" "...death has betrayed me. Left me behind..." They ended up in a alley, far from the park. The two sat in the back, away from society and in the dark. "...I don't think I understand. What do you mean 'left behind'?" "I can't die. For some stupid reason, I can't die. I was kidnapped. Some... scientist doctor or whatever injected me with some liquid. Now I can't die. Ever." The blind mare needn't say a word. Scientist? Doctor? Immortal? It sounds absurd! The red filly continued. "Almost everypony, or dragon, I run into dies. It's been happening every single time. They just...die." The blind mare sighed. "How... many have you killed?" "3 dragons. That fuchsia girl. Possibly another pony I felled." "That's not much at all... compared to the others." "Wait, what?" The other pony gasped. "Others?" The blind one sighed. "The crime rate in the city is off the wall. It's so much, the police guards couldn't handle it all. Then the Mayor ordered them to stop. Some parts of this city are totally crime free. That's because they've been hit by the gangs already. I heard stories of these places and their owners getting killed or destroyed. They can't trust anybody. Not even those they employed. Some of these gang members go undercover and get hired. Now they have access to the place, and then BAM. A fire or a murder happens. But the least horrible thing? The least horrible thing to happen to a store is flash-stealing. The police couldn't handle that kind of stuff happening so fast, one after the other. That's also why they stopped helping. They just... they just couldn't bother." She chuckled. "Heh, we have a small resistance group. If you wanna call it that. But they can't do much at all. These gang's are so large, so they can't attack." The red filly couldn't believe her ears. She just couldn't! She grit her teeth. Resistance... they couldn't? Guards... they wouldn't? "That's just fuckin wrong! Th-they- they can't DO THAT! What gives them the idea they can do shit like that?!" The smaller mare sternly replied. "Gangs practically moved in when they heard the guards stopped." "Maybe that pink-poop colored pony I killed was gang." "... I'll admit, you did make her stop... ...Stop living, that is. I wish all those gangs did! Take them, move them out, jail them! I don't care! If-" "Maybe that's my power." "Your what? What do you-" "My power. Maybe that's what... that's what I'm supposed to do. Maybe I can use my magic to help?" The former-alicorn looked at the blind mare. She expected to hear something like "No don't. It's not fair!" To her surprise, the blind one looked her in the eyes. Her face looked that of a rebel. Her voice did not lie. "Do it. If you can do what you did to that bitch back there, to those who did bad," she grinned. "...I think THAT would be fair. Yeah, I'm blind. But I can see that you want to do good. Killing may be a bad thing, but in nature? It is to survive. It's GOOD. and I think you have that talent." She stood up. "I can't do anything like that. It's not in me. But... I support it." The red filly didn't know how to feel. This blind, black and white, straight maned, little unicorn... could heal. Not with medicine, but with bandages made of words. She just met this girl. She made her feel GOOD. Not hurt. But she had to admit, she didn't like murder or death... Did she? She thought back. She caused those bullies' deaths. If to commit murder is a bad thing, then how come no one is bothering? It happens in nature; to kill is to survive. This city has seen plenty of that in its time. Is "taking another life" her special talent? She did, 4 or 5 times. Is murder even considered a talent? Maybe, she thought, I can use this weird power to help the city, and rid it of its evil followers? ...Would I be doing a good deed if my actions are bad? Nobody helped me, except for one. Should I feel bad? "I don't know what you're thinkin', but from the silence, I can tell. Give them a taste of your medicine." "I won't know... well..." With a huff, she took to all fours. "Fine. I will. I'll help this city out. Maybe even more." The blind pony smiled. "Oh, I forgot to mention earlier. Thanks for helping me, er, saving me, rather, back there." "With everything that happened to me recently, I didn't want that to happen to an innocent pony. and uh... you're quite brave yourself." The red filly felt unsure herself. "Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I'm weak." She trotted around a garbage bag. "See? Well, I CANT. But I can tell where some objects are. I can use magic." She levitated a pebble and tossed it quite far. "I can also use it to see things and what they look like sometimes. But only for a short time. It drains me a bit. But it's alright. I know the city quite well by its sounds and textures. This alley? I found it years ago. It one of my shelters. I use it to get away from things." The red filly was impressed beyond words. But thoughts were interrupted by a sound not unheard. "Owahh... my stomach. What the- oh yeah. Haven't eaten in days..." She lowered her head. She had no money. She felt ashamed. The blind one giggled. "I know some excellent places! I'll treat yah! What're you up for? Some exquisite tastes?" "That would be great! Hey, I never got your name." "My name is Brielle. What's yours?" "I...uh," she lowered her voice in sadness. "...don't have a name." Brielle lead the way out of the alley and onto the sidewalk. "Your parents never gave you a name?" Brielle slowly walked. "N-no. They were gonna wait to find out my..." she trailed off. "Special talent?" "...cutie mark." I'll never see my mark. she thought. They walked on in silence at those last words. It truly left their mark. But the 2 had the same thoughts; they won't ever see their cutie marks. "Well, at least you get to pick your own name! I don't think 'filly' suits you. You sound older than me!" "I think that's because I am older than you." "I'm 25 years old!" Brielle beamed. The red filly looked at the passing windows, feeling weird at the fact that her new friend is older yet smaller than her. "Oh, well, never mind that." Her sight was stolen by a strange even in one particular window. A masked blue unicorn was placing a weird device over a gryphon's mouth, who dozed off seconds later. "I hope she's not torturing that gryphon." She halted, ready to burst through the window, her muscles stiffened. "What? Which gryphon?" Brielle twitched her ears, expecting to hear screams. But her brain told her it was the screams of a small raspy-air sounding machine. "That one. In the window. Some doctor girl is putting needles in his mouth." "Uhm... she might be a, you know...a dentist? They tend to do that with your mouth." "She's got an orange pony assistant. The gryphon is lying back in the chair. Why isn't he moving?" She felt Brielle brush up against her hair. "Smells minty... and that machine sounds like mmmmmmm I gonna say local anesthesia." The red filly had no clue what Brielle just said. "What's annasteezyah?" "An-uh-stee-zya. It's some weird gas that's puts a beast to sleep so they won't feel pain." That word struck a chord in the filly's mind. She liked that name. Something that puts a beast to sleep... "They wake up later, do they?" "Yup! It doesn't last long. Only a few minutes or an hour. What's the name?" "Of what?" "The store. It should say it somewhere. I think I know this place." The filly read the words slowly. "Dental work by Colgate. Specializes in: surgeries, fillings, braces, cavities, anesthesia and more!" That word. Anesthesia. It pulled her in like gravity! Brielle brightened. "Colgate! Such a great friend! Met when we were in preschool. Wonder how she's doin-" "I like that word." "What? Colgate?" "No. Anesthesia. I think... that will be my name." The unicorn turned to her friend. "I like it! Its sounds pretty! Fits a pretty sounding mare just like you!" Anesthesia looked at her chest scars. She breathed. "....that can't be true." "Let's go eat. I'm hungry!" Brielle started to walk. Anesthesia turned to follow, but looked at her reflection. A quick glance, her eyes roved over her to her flank. Her eyes widened a bit in reaction. "Th-those spots weren't there before..." She turned her head. 2 dots above her flank scars stared back. Much like eyes, but dead. Normally, anypony would be excited. But instead, she felt hurt. She licked the marks again and again just to make sure it wasn't dirt. It didn't smear or go away or taste funny. That confirmed it. She got her cutie mark....and She couldn't even see it. She didn't know whether to be excited or sad. It hurt down to her heart. Her flank scars never fully healed. They covered up the rest of the cutie mark. "Anesthesia? You coming?" Brielle's curious voice interrupted her thoughts. "Coming!" She trotted to her new friend. Should she tell Brielle? She fought with herself. Here goes nothing. "I think, I uh... got my cutie mark." Brielle suddenly burst with excitement. "You didn't! What is it? What's your cutie mark?" Anesthesia was taken aback by the sudden outburst. "I uh... don't know. There's two dots. The rest is covered up by cuts and stitches. I don't know, I'd say it looks like a..." she cast a quick peek. "Really creepy smiley face. The scars give it diamond shaped teeth?" Brielle heard the sadness in her friend's voice. "Wow, that sounds kinda neat!" "It makes it all the more fun to guess what it is!" she beamed. She knew the same would be for her, but not in the situation. Anypony would see her own except herself. She felt her friend's frustration. Anesthesia averted her eyes. "That's true. But still. I'll never be able to see it. Never will." The former changed the subject. "I know what'll cheer you up. What's your favorite food?" The two turned the corner and onto one crowded cobblestone street, where tables were abundant. The smells were overwhelming. Ponies, dragons, gryphons, goats, and every species known where mingling. Waiters and waitresses brought mountains of food back and forth from different restaurants that lined each side of the street, literally door to door. Many were bon vinvants! Umbrellas sported many colors and different names. Their customers laughed and whooped. This is a place where boundaries are forgotten. Enemies made friends over a table of food. Anesthesia was stunned. She never saw anything like this. "Welcome to Stone Street! Let's eat!" Anesthesia smiled a little. "I'll go for anything."
EPILOUGEEPILOUGE The former nameless alicorn, who once could fly, never again into the clouds, for wings she was deprived. Her horn was broken, but she could still harness magic. It was used for some things ever so tragic. Her flank bore an unusual sight; three diamond-shaped scars. She won't, and never will, fully see her cutie mark. Brielle, that small black and white unicorn, was brave. As visionless as she was, she saw the goodness behind her friend's pain. So she offered her new friend a place to stay as long as she wants on one condition; to clean up this city of its gangs and their flaunts. Now the red mare roams the streets, hiding in the dark. Hunting to put down any crime before it would even start. Her special talent? She figured out soon enough. To make the wretches suffer greatly before their time was up. Crimes mostly happened at night. So she made that her time of fun. Often she lost control of her emotions. Her victims couldn't escape nor run. One day, Brielle gave her a curious device; a box that made sounds. It had many large buttons on top, and a speaker that was round. It was called a radio, and it blew Anesthesia's mind! Voices, songs and many sounds filled her room almost all the time! Every day she would listen, and it would make her smile. The news reports especially; reports on the gang's vile and ruthless crimes are starting to trickle in the reports; "Who is killing the ruffians? Is this some type of blood sport?" "Mangled bodies found in the streets, all gang members." Anesthesia would leave before anybody would notice her. But one of the voices reported on something she completely forgot about; her parents. What happened to her parents? What happened to her house? The voice continued to speak in its matter-of-fact voice. The black-maned mare could only stare into a void. "The bodies of three alicorns were found today in their mansion. Both had vertical cuts on their throats and multiple incisions all around their bodies. Their security guards were taken into question." "I didn't know. I didn't hear a thing..." his voice was full of sad tension. The reporter voice continued. "In a bedroom, the mother, father and daughter were found inside. The father had a knife in his hoof. Investigators believe it was a murder-suicide. Funerals are planned for the father, Prince Cherubic, and Princess Sanguine, the mother, along with the filly, whose nickname was 'The Red Filly'. In other-" *SHZZZZZZZ* Anesthesia's world suddenly spun. Her head pounded. The parents she knew and loved... were found dead. Dead. Killed. Murdered. No longer alive. Can't believe it. Its not true. They must be alive. Mother... Sanguine was her name. Cherubic was daddy. Their names were said. Mommy. Daddy. She threw her head back in a wail, a scream filled with pain. Tears streamed down her face, her heart would almost break. Anesthesia slumped down to the floor, her head hit a bottom drawer. Breathing came in quick, sudden gasps. Her throat became sore. Her hooves covered her head, but it didn't hurt from the fall. She didn't care that it hurt. She wanted her parents most of all. She wanted them back. Her body willed it, forced it to happen. But death wouldn't allow it. Couldn't allow it. Cannot happen. Time and place was lost. Didn't know where she was. Or who she was. Inside her was the blackness that never ended, like it always does. She rolled on the floor, back and forth as if she was in a vice, struggling to get out. "NO! NO NO NO NO!! MOMMY! DADDY!" she again cried. Beloved words kept replaying in her ears. Mommy. Daddy. Gone. Never to be seen again. Never to be hugged again. Gone. Brielle sat on a chair in the dining room; she heard everything. Head upon the table, lips trembling. She too was crying. But something the reporter said bothered her. "The filly, whose nickname was 'The Red Filly'" She didn't know what red was. But from what she was told, that was Anesthesia's name as a filly. Through tears, her mind worked. Three bodies? But she said she was kidnapped! How could that be? One Mother and one Father... one daughter? She WAS kidnapped! Something's wrong here. If she was taken from her house, why were there three? This doesn't make any sense. She replayed over and over the mentioned scene. Her mind jolted back to the lunch. Anesthesia's story...something about her misery. "...smelly...stung...thought I was dreaming ...on younger ponies than me." She sat up. "Could-... did they... use another filly's BODY? To substitute Anesthesia's? How- what mentality..." Hooves to her face, she slumped down onto the table. As much reality this was, it sounded like a horror fable. A pony stood atop of the apartment building. A great view of the night time city from here. Eyes shed tears. Breath still rattled. Stomach still hurt. But she did not care. Noises of all kinds reached her ears. Many she did not recognize. A slight breeze. A cool one at that. But she was still burning inside. Now she knew why she liked the name Anesthesia. It was more than a name. It was supposed to protect her. Protect her from all the pain. Cold. That was all she felt. Skin. Shattering. Cold. It made her numb to everything. Those eyes of gold showed revenge, hatred. Her scars glistened in the light. She took a deep breath, and roared into the night. "I'LL FIND YOU! I HUNT YOU DOWN TILL MY LAST BREATH! YOU HEAR ME?! I'LL FUCKING RIP OF YOUR HEAD! You made me this way... you stole EVERYTHING FROM ME!" She scanned passing creatures. She scanned the city streets. Her voice dropped, filled with cold, venomous malice. "I will take everything from YOU." Her mind went callous. She ran across rooftops, using her magic to let her glide. Off she went, into the city, to stop more villainous crimes. The Doctor had chills up his spine.
