When all else Fails

The forest was quiet except the clunks and clatters of the unicorn’s armor hitting together while they walked the dirt path ahead of them. There were no birds in the trees sing their songs, there were no deer prancing through the meadows, and there weren’t even any bugs buzzing around. The gang was in a single filed line all wrapped in chains and shackles. Spike was up front followed by Twilight behind her was Sweetie Belle and the rest. Sparkplug was hogtied and thrown over Wildhooves shoulders, still unconscious. Spike had to figure out why Wildhooves would turn on his creator. “Wildhooves, do you have no remorse, why are you doing this?” Wildhooves answered in a very monotone voice “you seem to forget that I’m a cyborg and that my circuit boards can be reprogramed.” Spike mouthed the word oh and continued asking questions “so is that what happened to you?” Wildhooves continued to walk and look forward “yes.”

“But, wait, then how can you remember anything?” Spike couldn’t turn fully around, but he didn’t need to to know that Twilight asked the question. Wildhooves turned to look at Twilight “he forced me to keep my memory, so no matter how wrong I know it is I must do it.” “Why would you care if it’s wrong, you’re a cyborg you shouldn’t be able to feel any emotions?” Wildhooves tone rose a bit “I’m a cyborg, not a monster.” With that being said they reached the edge of the forest leading to a cracked road that looked as though it had been abandoned for years. On the other side of the road was a decimated plain that had been affected by nuclear war. Down the road to the West was a town that looked like Alcatraz being rebuilt.

“What is that place?” Wildhooves did not take his eyes “this is where Sparkplug was born.” As they walked closer and closer to the prison looking structure Spike looked over the sadistic place. It had four guard towers on the four corners of the great outer wall, searchlights on all four. They entered the structure by lowering a drawbridge over a moat. “A drawbridge and a moat…that’s really threatening” Spike said with a sarcastic tone. It was revealed that the remains of a town were in inside the outer walls. The streets were filled with ponies, but not just any ponies they were filled with Freerunner’s army. “To think that this place was a town and not a fortress.” At that moment they heard the blaring of an alarm; deafening everyone they all put their hands up to cover their ears, it was difficult due to the fact they were all handcuffed. They looked to their left and saw a shady looking pony hiding behind a dumpster in an alleyway. The guards that surrounded the group of friends noticed this pony; however did not move from their formation.

“Aren’t you going to get him?” He heard Twilight yell at him about rating somebody out. The guard that stood next to Spike just scoffed and said “he won’t get far…just watch.” Spike did as the guard said and watched what became of the pony. After a few seconds of nothing happening Spike raised an eyebrow “is something special supposed to happen?” The guard did not reply, but he grew a devilish grin and continued to look at the pony. A crack could be heard that pierced the sky and the pony’s body fell lifeless in a pool of his own blood. Spike covered his mouth with his hand to hold back the gasp that came out of it. Two other guards appeared and dragged the body away leaving a path of blood behind him. He looked to see where the crack came from. It came from the Northeastern watch tower were he could see a guard sit back in his chair and leaning his rifle on the wall next to him and picking up his cigarette resuming his smoke.

Sparkplug started to come to in Wildhooves arms “wha…what happened?” Sparkplug tried to move, but he noticed that his hooves were bound together. “What is the meaning of this!?” Sparkplug looked up to see whoever was carrying him and he saw Wildhooves. “Wildhooves, what did they do to you?” Wildhooves continued to look forward “I’m sorry master there was nothing I could do.” Sparkplug started to tear up at the site of his dearest friend taken advantage.

They all stopped in front of the most menacing looking of buildings. When the door opened they could hear screams and moans of unhappy, tortured souls. Spike was looking around the dark place “what is this hell?” As they passed a few cells they could hear the whistles from others admiring the view of the six ponies and the one filly. Spike gave a glare to everyone who set their eyes on Sweetie Belle scaring just about all of them. They eventually reached a cell with nobody in it besides one old stallion. All their chains and shackles were removed and they were tossed into the cell. Sparkplug was taken away to the cell across for them. Sweetie Belle was tossed in and hit the ground with a thud and Spike got mad that his girlfriend was being treated so poorly. He stepped towards the bars that imprisoned them and started yelling at the guard. “Hey, you can’t just treat her like that!” The guard that he was yelling at started to walk away, but Spike was not going to let him get away easily. “Get back here you coward and face me like a man!” Spike wrapped his hands around the bars and felt a pain course its way through his body. He flew back and hit the wall with a *thud* and felt dazed.

“Spike, are you okay?” Sweetie Belle rushed up to the fallen dragon and held onto his arm. Spike shook his head to get rid of the dizzy feeling and replied “yea, I’m fine, but what about you are you okay?” Sweetie Belle nodded and pulled Spike into a tight hug; he gladly returned the hug. “The guard chuckled and said “electricity, always good for something.” He laughed manically as he walked away “damn…what a dick” Spike said as he stood up. He looked at his friends who all looked defeated; Pinkie Pie’s hair went flat and drooped down over her shoulder and lost her smile, Fluttershy was weeping in a corner wishing that she was back home with Angel, Rainbow Dash was sitting on the bench rubbing her arm as if it were injured, Applejack was kicking at the wall hoping she could find a weak spot while Rarity tried to get her to calm down, even Twilight was sitting in the middle of the floor defeated. Spike walked toward the window and looked out hoping something would give him hope too. All he saw were five unicorn stallions using their magic to mine stones. He was about to walk away when he started to hear one of the Stallions singing to the rhythm of the pickaxes hitting the rocks.

Marching along, like a good soldier does
I’m setting sail, with anchors holding me down
Pack up my bags, stow them away (stow them away)
Bidding farewell to all that is safe
He heard another Stallion start singing
Will I come up for air, come up for air
After awhile the current is calling me
Lulling me, waving goodbye
I’m out here alone, oh God can you save me now?
Sinking my heart turns to stone
All the stallions were now singing to the tune
Withering away, a shrinking violet dies
So full of life, these lights they’ll guide me out
Into the sea, I needed a drink
I never thought this would consume me whole
Will I come up for air, come up for air
After awhile the current is calling me
Lulling me, waving goodbye
I’m out here alone, oh God can you save me now?
Sinking my heart turns to stone (I turn to stone)
Sinking my heart turns to stone
Save, me, take me home
Over and over again
Save me, take me home
Wishing that this all would end
Save me, take me home
Over and over again
Save me, take me home
Wishing that this all would end
After awhile the current is calling me
Lulling me, waving goodbye
I’m out here alone, oh God can you save me now?
Sinking my heart turns to stone
After awhile the current is calling me
Lulling me, waving goodbye
I’m out here alone, oh God can you save me now?
Sinking my heart turns to stone
Sinking my heart turns to stone
Same me take me home
When I come up for air
Save me take me home
When I come up for air
Save me take me home
Over and over again
Save me take me home
Wishing that this, wishing that all this would end
(Lead sails by Atreyu I do this song no justice go look it up yourself)

Spike stepped away from the window and slumped up against the wall. “So, that’s it…there’s no hope left.” He felt a hoof on his shoulder and he looked up suspecting to see Twilight or Sweetie Belle, but it was the old man that was in here before they were. The man sat down next to Spike and started talking “there’s always hope my boy.” Spike didn’t know who this man was, but he started talking to him anyway “but there’s no reason to fight anymore.” The old man looked at Sweetie Belle as if reading Spike’s thoughts. “You know Spike…as long as you hold something near and dear to your heart, you will always have a reason to fight.” Spike looked at the man with a confused look, how does he know my name? The old man noticed the questioning face Spike gave him and he gave a hearty laugh. “You’re probably wondering how I know your name, correct?” Spike nodded, the old man gave another laugh “you see I heard her call your name out when you hit the wall over there.” He said pointing at the wall.

“So, what’s your name?” The man looked at Spike with a look of confusion; does he not remember his own name? “My name is…my name is…well, my name isn’t important” he said with a laugh. Spike was happy that even this old coot could find a reason to laugh in such a miserable place. The old man started coughing and fell silent. Spike looked at the old man and noticed what poor shape he was in. He was bruised from head to hoof and his ribcage looked like it collapsed. He was bleeding from his forehead and was missing an eye, but he covered it up with an eye patch. Spike went up to the bars making sure not to touch them “guards…guards help!” The guards came over with an annoyed look on their faces “what do you want kid?” “This old man he needs” he looked back to where the old man laid, but he was no longer there. The guards were a little pissed that they were called over for nothing “I don’t know what you’re talking about kid the last man that was in here died over five years ago!” The guards left to get back to their posts. Spike turned to find all eyes on him “Spike…are you okay?” Spike felt himself get light headed and a little nauseous. “So I just…I was talking to…oh, I think I’m gonna be sick.” Spike went pale and passed out landing hard on the concrete with a solid *thud*.

Spike awoke a couple hours later with a throbbing pain in the back of his head. “What happened?” He said while rubbing his head. “You passed out…are you okay you look as if you had seen a ghost.” Spike’s eyes went wide at the word ghost, but he just shook his head and said “yea I’m fine.”