The Invasion

Chapters

Trundle Hoof
Zecora's Warning
The Attack
I'm Staying!
Cutthroat
Imprisoned
What Happens in Prison...
Cutthroat's Story
Escape?
Capture
Breaking Free From My Enemies
A Moment of Hesitation
The Mare's Prison
Jailbreak in Hell
Confession
Twilight's Return
Freeing The Oppressed
Cutthroat's End and A New Beginning
A Good Day Goes Sour
The Zebra's Encampment

Trundle Hoof

It was a beautiful day in Ponyville, though I’m not too sure that any day in that wondrous hamlet was anything but beautiful. The clearest blue painted itself in the heavens above, speaking life to all the Pegasi that resided there. Puffy white clouds whisked their way through this grandeur, looking very much the part of the typical fluffy coating that Mr. and Mrs. Cake had become famous for. Birds also soared, chirping their merriment to the endless expanse overhead. These vocalizations would then double back to us on the ground, where we happily went about our daily business. Fall had arrived, and with it, the ever satisfying crunch of leaves under one’s hooves. True, the Running of the Leaves took care of most of them, but small doses of foliage still found their way to the ground.

I remember that it was a Monday morning, and the air was crisp and cool. Light scarves and hats dotted the bodies of my fellow ponies as they trotted around town. Foals played at their mother’s hooves as they bought various wares from the stands that made their home in the town square. The sun shone rather brightly, thus adding a rich visual delicacy to the autumn wonderland that stretched out before me. Everything in town seemed to be much more vibrant than usual. Oh, that’s not to suggest that our town was someplace drab and dreary, but I’ve never seen it so full of life. Perhaps it was because everyone was getting ready to celebrate the upcoming nuptials of Princess Twilight and her favorite guard, Flash Sentry.

Oh, my name? My name is Trundle Hoof. You might have heard of my much more famous brother, Trenderhoof. He’s recently taken another job outside of travel writing, but he still makes mares swoon wherever he goes…the lucky bastard. I write extensively as well, but my tales are often somewhere between swashbuckling adventures and tender romances. In fact, I quite often combine the two. I live in a modest cottage here in Ponyville, and I’ve made quite a few friends since I moved here from Manehattan. I just needed someplace to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. My brother may love to write about the various places Equestria has to offer, but I’m content to stay right where I am. It offers such a soothing sense of home, something that one cannot attain while in Manehattan.

But enough about me, back to the story. As I was saying, it was an absolutely amazing day in town and I was on my way to the quill shop to reinvigorate my supply. These writing implements had become almost like children to me, considering the amount of time I used them. They provided me with so much, and were the source of many good things in my life. With a flick of my horn, I can call forth so many amazing scenes and landscapes. It truly is a magical instrument, perhaps even more so than the protrusion atop my forehead. I made my way into the quill shop where Author Hoofington, the owner and proprietor of said establishment, sat behind a wooden desk.

“May I help-oh, hello, Trundle! How’s the writing?” He asked politely.

“Oh, you know how it is,” I said in response, my thick Manehattan accent tempered with the Ponyville dialect I had become used to, “I haven’t been able to sell a damn thing in a moon, but I’m getting there.”

“You’re…getting there? How so?” He asked with a cock of his head.

“Well, critics are writing favorably about me. The problem is that everypony just loves to read magazines, which is why my brother is so much more successful than me. Nopony has the attention span to actually sit down and commit to reading something 300 pages long. I don’t feel that the muse has left me…but…I do fear that she is punishing me for some crime against writing.”

He chuckled. “Well, perhaps she is. But, cheer up. Twilight and Flash’s wedding should put you at peace. Aren’t you good friends with Her Majesty?”

I smiled and blushed. Not only was I very close to the royal pony, I had even attempted to date her once. But, she turned me down flat. She had her guard, who was way more handsome and debonair than I ever hoped to be. It disappointed me severely, but I never let her know it. I didn’t want to lose her as my friend. In fact, I had even been asked to read a romantic poem I had recently completed during the ceremony. I was thrilled at the invitation, yet part of my heart broke when I realized that the poem I’d written would be while she was being married to somepony else. It was an honor, and I had agreed with great gusto…albeit…fake gusto. I wanted to help her. I just wished to Celestia that it would not have been at an event that would take my Twilight away from me forever.

“Er…yes, I am,” I said, “and I’ve been asked to take part in the ceremony.”

The shop pony nearly spilled the box of quills he was handing me. “Wow! What an honor!” He breathed.

“It…is,” I said, gulping back my shattered feelings, “it truly is. But, enough about that. These are fine. How much do I owe you?”

“25 bits,” Author said, “I have these specially imported from Saddle Arabia, you know.”

“Yes, I do,” I said, rolling my eyes. As much as I kept up a good friendship with Author, he could be a bit of a braggart considering the source of these quills. I was proud that he had a flourishing business, but by this point, every foal and their mother knew that the quills were imported. I smiled and shook my head before counting out the bits.

“I’m impressed,” the quill pony said, “I thought you hadn’t been able to sell anything lately.”

“I’m living on what I can do,” I said, “I write a newspaper article here and there to keep up my bit count. I’m certain a breakthrough is on its way!”

“I have no doubt of it,” Author said, “if it’s anything like what you’ve shown me before, then it should be magnificent.”

“Thanks,” I said as I turned and trotted out of the store.

Zecora's Warning

Twilight was quick to turn from a charming engaged mare into a fearless leader. She gently removed her dress, setting it to the side and ensuring it was not damaged. I swore that a radiant aura surrounded her as she did so. No, it wasn’t because she took a dress off in front of me, but it was because this was how I knew her. This was her purest form. Some part of me failed to register her when she was coated in the gown. But now, with her purple coat glowing and her beautiful mane flowing in the cool breeze that wafted in from a nearby window, I knew her again. I fell in love with her again. My heart skipped more than a few beats as I beheld her beauty and I nearly genuflected spontaneously.

But she stopped me. “There’s no time for bowing, my dear Trundle,” she said, “time is of the essence. Rarity, I need for you to run into the forest and get Zecora for me. Perhaps she might be able to clear all this up.”

Rarity nodded and, quick as lightning, dashed out the door. Her previous blubbering had evaporated in the wake of Squire’s announcement. She took on the same determined look that all of her friends loved about her. The blue orbs that bedecked her face were as sharp as the rocks that she pawed through in her endless search for diamonds and jewels. Her ears were standing straight up, attentively listening to every single word the princess spoke. Even her effervescent tail, forever winding away behind her, seemed to straighten itself. In short, this was the most rigid I’d ever seen Rarity, and it was clear that she took the news seriously.

Meanwhile, Twilight trotted over and sat down at her desk. A purple aura enveloped her horn as she floated some books over to where she was. I couldn’t help but smile, as the ever familiar scene of the royal pony and her tomes was stretched out before me. It warmed my heart, and some part of me thought that everything would be okay. Somehow, whenever Twilight cracked open the written word, she seemed to take on an extraordinary sort of power. It filled her mind with its knowledge, sending her hooves down paths that always helped during times of crisis. This was definitely set up to be one of those times, so I trotted over and sat down beside her. I became concerned when I noticed the nervous look in her eyes. Oh, sure, I knew of the neurotic episodes she used to endure…but those were all over now…weren’t they?

“Um…you aren’t about to freak out, are you?” I asked, trying to keep things lighthearted.

“Trundle, this isn’t the time for one of those,” she said, “I’m nervous, but I’m also collected.”

“Oh, good. For a minute, there, I thought you were gonna enchant one of your foal playthings.”

She gave me a look, and I shrank back. As much as I knew she cared for me, she could be very visually persuasive at times. A new fire seemed to spring up within her beautiful violet orbs as they glowered upon me. I felt smaller than a newborn puppy, and I’m fairly sure I let out a whimper, though the moment is muddy. I do remember that she smiled after a moment and grasped me in a hug. It was almost like I had silently apologized to her, and in return, she had forgiven me. Her eyes became somewhat playful as she bent upwards and gave me a small peck on the cheek.
“I know I’m getting married,” she said, “but I always feel that a gesture of affection is in order whenever somepony does something right.”

“I’m sorry I brought up the Smarty Pants incident,” I said, “I know you don’t like for that to be joked about.”

Her smile was warm as she returned to her books. “I forgive you, but let’s try and lay off that, okay? It wasn’t exactly my brightest moment.”

I cracked a smile in return, and suddenly found a book shoved in my face. The princess asked me to help her research just why the zebras, of all creatures, wanted to invade our happy home. We’d always been on very friendly terms with the striped equines that lived far across the sea. In fact, there had even been cultural exchange events. Once a year, a group of ponies would travel to the zebras homeland and teach them the ways of the pony. In return, the zebras would send gifts of riches, food, and the softest silk you could ever imagine. The next year, the zebras would come to Equestria and give lectures and talks on how they lived. Then, one of the princesses would put together a gift package for them. These always included some bright gold horseshoes. All in all, the impending attack just didn’t make any sense. I searched and searched, but could find no hostility between the two factions. I just couldn’t believe that they would want to harm us.

“Perhaps we’re mistaken,” I said, “I mean, why would the zebras do something like this? Maybe Celestia and Luna received some bad information.”

Twilight looked down, then quickly looked back up. “They wouldn’t send it if it weren’t reliable. I know them better than anypony, and they wouldn’t seek to scare us.”

Suddenly, the door burst open and in trotted a breathless Rarity and Zecora. The fashionista explained that, when she told the kind zebra about the invasion, she had galloped out of her hut and all the way to the castle door. Rarity had to run three times faster than she ever had before merely to keep up with her. She trotted over and collapsed on the bed in an attempt to catch her breath. Meanwhile, Zecora came over to where we were and greeted Twilight with an affectionate embrace.

“Zecora, it’s so good to see you!” Twilight said brightly.

“Oh, Twilight, my dear, your feeling of love is returned,” Zecora responded, “but, I fear that Equestria may soon be burned.”

“Oh…then, it is true!” Twilight exclaimed sadly, “the zebras are coming!”

“Not all the zebras will come, my child, for they shall only send the most wild,” Zecora rhymed.

“What does that mean?” I asked.

Zecora took a breath, then told us the entire thing:

“For many years, now, ponies and zebras have been friends.

They’ve sworn a pact to be this way to the end.

But, alas, some of my kind have taken an occupation

That could put an end to my dearly adopted nation

On the return visits to my homeland, I have listened

I’ve dug and I’ve prodded, I’ve given myself this mission

Sadly, the reports from up North are all true

The radical zebras are all coming for you

They want to destroy this land of such care

Because they want gold and to mate with the mares

Yes, Twilight, my dear, keep tabs on your rump

Or you may find yourself stuck in a dump.”

The Attack

She stood, rigid as a stone, yet with the grace of many swans. It seemed that the kind zebra’s words had shaken her to the core. But even through all of that, there still existed some kind of foreordained power. It was almost as if she’d been placed here by a force unknown to ponykind for these very moments. She emerged from her own sense of security and blossomed into a true leader on that day. A day that would go down as the darkest in Equestrian history. A day where we’d all be damned to a new regime of hell, and a day where we would discover everypony’s individual strength and intellect. It was all catalyzed by the purple angelic being standing in front of me, unsure of whether to cry or angrily begin ordering ponies around. I could read her face like one of her many books, and I could see that she needed a friend in that moment. But before I could place a consoling hoof on her shoulder, she spoke.

“What am I going to do?”

The question finally tumbled out of her mouth like a river uncertain of its own direction. Should it turn to the left or to the right? Should it move north, south, east, or west? Which path was the right one? All of these questions flooded Twilight’s face, and it was so odd to see her this indifferent. I reasoned that winds of tornadic proportions were flooding through her mind, and a chaotic spirit had taken hold there. But on the outside, she remained somewhat stoic. It was such a sharp juxtaposition between the pony I knew and the pony I saw standing there that it nearly knocked me over. I was frightened for her internal constitution, as the young princess had never seen war before. Hell, nopony in Equestria had seen war since the days of The Third Alicorn, 200,000 years before this. Then, it had been Saddle Arabia, and they’d been soundly defeated. Now, it was the zebras, whom we had always been on friendly terms with.

“You’re sure of what you said?” Twilight asked Zecora.

“Yes, I am sure of the rhyme I spoke; as sure as the woods are filled with poison joke,” Zecora said.

Twilight sighed and her ears drooped. She suddenly looked very tired. Even though she was nowhere near senior citizenry, she took on the impression of the elderly. Her lip quivered and now I could tell that the aforementioned river was close to drying up altogether. We needed that river in these moments. The forests, fields, meadows, cities, and towns of Equestria needed her strength giving water. She was a rock to everypony, only she looked as if she were going to crack and tumble down the mountain of self-doubt. While all this ran through my mind, I trotted over and placed a hoof on her shoulder. It was the softest of touches, as I did not wish to disturb her very much. But then, I felt her hoof come into contact with mine and sparks of warmth shot through my being. It was in that second that I managed to convince myself that everything would turn out alright.

She looked at me with tear stained eyes, though glimmers of their normal joy shone through. “Thank you, Trundle,” she said, “I needed that.”

“You’ll lead us through this,” I said with confidence and a sudden outpouring of my secret love for her, “I know you will. We’ve been through so much in the past.”

“But we’ve never been through a war!” Rarity shrieked.

“Rarity, this is no time for hysterics,” Twilight said, “it’s time for action. I want you to evacuate Ponyville. Get everypony out, especially the mares. If these zebras are anything like Zecora said they were, then every single female pony in town is in danger. That includes the fillies.”

“But-I-er-I-“ Rarity stammered.

Twilight trotted over and put both front hooves on the fashionista’s face. “I know you can do this. You’re an excellent organizer! Equestria needs you, Rarity, and so do I. Please, get our friends to safety!”

Rarity looked at the floor for a moment. “I…I’m not sure I can, Twilight.”

“Listen, Rarity, if you don’t do this, Sweetie Belle could very well be targeted!”

The mention of her beloved sister seemed to start a fire in the designer. She pawed at the ground with an angry hoof, and her face contorted with rage. It became very obvious that the mere thought of Sweetie being taken advantage of sent her over the edge. I thought to myself that it was a complete shame that it took that amount of suggestion to turn her over to the idea. She should have done as Twilight ordered from the moment the words were spoken! Not only because Twilight was in charge, but also because Rarity should have cared for her friends more than that. But, then I reminded myself that this was an extremely frightening situation. Rarity was probably shellshocked by Zecora’s warning, and the announcement of the impending invasion.

“Your Majesty!” Squire Knight suddenly barked.

“Yes?” Twilight asked.

“It has begun,” Squire said with a solemnity that could only be matched by the gravest funeral, “they’ve attacked Manehattan.”

“How ever did you know that?!” Rarity asked.

Squire pointed to his ear, where a two-way radio was situated. Rarity blushed deeply. It was well known that, aside from her affection for my own brother, she carried a deep amount of care for Twilight’s captain. She seemed embarrassed at having forgotten the new radio technology that Twilight had implemented after her last trip to the human world. It made getting messages between guards and security that much easier. Twilight had also pioneered television in Equestria, and it had become a very popular medium. So, it was only natural that we flipped on the screen in Twilight’s room. What was there…shocked us.

Cameras had been trained on Manehattan, where dozens of fires were burning. Ponies were running for their lives as zebra warriors chased them down. They did not spare any stallion, slicing their throats with ragged violence. I shook with fear as they galloped up and down the street, kidnapping mares and fillies and dragging them off to a fate that I did not wish to conjure up. They would break into skyscrapers, smashing through security guards like they were rag dolls. We couldn’t see what happened next, but the explosions told the story. The tallest buildings in Equestria collapsed onto the street, trapping ponies and burning many alive. The zebra warriors, however, would get out in the nick of time before moving on to their next target. Twilight quickly hit the remote, shutting the horrifying pictures off and giving our minds some much needed mental oxygen.

I will never forget her words as she turned and stared gravely. There is a saying, “Tartarus hath no fury like a princess scorned.” I was dealing with a scorned princess. Anger blazed away in her eyes, silently vowing vengeance on these evildoers that had harmed our home. Sadness was mixed in with them, as she grieved for the ponies caught up in the violent act of terror. Tears formed at the edge of her eyes, but determination ruled supreme in her presence. I felt a million times stronger standing there with her. Once again, I felt that everything would be alright.

“We are at war,” she said softly, yet firmly, “and we shall snuff out this evil that has been waged against us.”

I'm Staying!

Twilight immediately went to work. She ordered Rarity and Spike to begin evacuating the town. The fashionista and her dragon friend nodded, and dashed out of the room. But, I noticed that there was something different about Rarity. I couldn’t quite put my hoof on it. She seemed more determined than ever before. It was as if a certain special siren was calling to her and she needed to answer it. If she didn’t, somepony she loved very dearly might be harmed. Suddenly, images of her sister, Sweetie Belle, began flashing through my mind. I thought of the trauma that the filly might be forced to endure were she to remain in town. Rarity’s reaction made total sense in that moment, and I silently wished her good luck in her effort.

Twilight also ordered Squire to help with the evacuation, and she told him to report back only when everyone was out. He shifted his weight a little bit, as he looked upon the princess. It was well known that the older stallion thought of Twilight like a daughter. He’d never been married, nor had foals, so he considered the royal mares his kin. His tenure with the palace had certainly been extensive enough, but he was still considered the bravest pony on the force. He was also considered a kind soul, and he was friends with a lot of the foals in Canterlot. His consideration also extended to them, and they would eagerly sit around his hooves as he told them story after story of his time protecting Celestia and Luna.

“I…cannot bring myself to leave you, my Princess,” he said with his lip quivering, “I just can’t. You mean too much to me.”

“…and the ponies of Equestria don’t?” Twilight asked.

His look was pained as he fought internally. It was written all over his face. He had a choice to make: leave Twilight behind to be potentially harmed by the zebra invaders or stay and protect her while other ponies were captured and murdered. I saw tears well up in his eyes as he made his decision. He wrapped Twilight up in a hug and whispered something unknown to me. But it must have touched her, because I saw her eyes turn moist as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. They pulled apart and, for a moment, I thought I was watching a proud father give his beloved daughter a tender and genuine farewell. The scene certainly played out the same as many of the movies that Applewood produced. He smiled at her, gently letting his feelings play with his eyes as he gazed down upon her beautiful face.

“Oh, Twilight,” he said, “you grew up so fast…”

She smiled. “But, I’ll always be your little Twily, playing at your hooves while Celestia attempts to corral me and teach me something.”

He chuckled at the memory, but then his face turned gravely serious. “You get yourself out, you hear,” he said, “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if you perished.”

“I’ll be fine,” she responded, “don’t worry. Now, go. You have ponies to save.”

He nodded, hugged her again, and disappeared into the corridor behind them. Then, Twilight turned to me. I had already made up my mind to stay with her until the bitter end. I thought about being the gallant hero fighting to save the beautiful damsel in distress. But, then my knees began shaking and that thought took flight out of the windows of my mind. My decision was firm, however, and I knew I’d stay with her. Something drove me, though I didn’t know what it was. I knew love had something to do with it…crazy, stupid, idiotic, wondrous love. I felt the warm feeling that normally came when I stood next to her. But this time, it was 10,000 times hotter. I was scared, determined, and a stallion deeply in love. My mind split in two as I stood there, indifferent to everything going on outside the castle. Twilight stood in front of me, and part of my mind screamed to remain. The other shrieked for me to run. But the former cortex was victorious, so I stood there as a rock. I wouldn’t leave Twilight…not for all the bits in Canterlot.

“I’m not leaving,” I said.

“Yes, you are,” Twilight said, “Trundle, you’ve gotta go! They’ll kill you if they find you here!”

We heard screaming begin emanating from the streets below, thus signifying the beginning of the onslaught. I silently hoped to Celestia that everypony was alright. I didn’t dare look out the nearby window, for fear of seeing dead stallions and mares being forcibly sexualized. All I did was look at Twilight. She was my source of confidence and strength through this time, though she’d probably never know it. Once again, I felt the warm feeling burn deep in the pit of my chest. It felt like a million fires burned within me, but I didn’t want them to stop. Determination was the oxygen to their blazing, and I was entrenched within my decision. I was not going to move, and she was not going to make me move. I loved her too deeply.

“I don’t care, Twilight!” I said, “I’m staying!”

“You really are the most stubborn stallion Equestria has to offer,” she said with a smile, “but…I’m thankful for you. I do wish you’d leave, though. I’d much rather give myself to save you than for you to go down with me.”

“I’m impressed by your friendship,” I said, “but the answer is still no. I’m staying right here. I will not leave you to be harmed by those evil zebras! Twilight, you’re my best friend, and I just cannot bear to step outside that door while you’re here.”

“…and I can’t leave until you do.” She said quietly.

“What the hell do you mean by that?” I asked.

“My job as princess of Equestria is to protect ponies. I will stay behind until I hear that everypony has been safely evacuated.”

“But, Twilight…they could be in here by that time!”

“I know,” she said, “and I am prepared. Now, go.”

“No!”

“Yes!” She shouted, “either you get your ass down those stairs or I will drag you down them, but you are leaving!”

“Neither one of you are leaving!” A voice growled from behind us.

Cutthroat

We turned and our worst fears materialized in front of us. There stood three zebras side by side, and they didn’t look too friendly. One appeared to be the leader of the small squad, as the other two gave physical deference to him, even though they were much larger. They were coated with scars, symbols of some far off battle that we had no knowledge of. More than that, they were representative of the type of violent lifestyle that these particular zebras had taken hold of. Most zebras were not like this, but according to Zecora, some of them had turned to this. They were not unlike the air pirates of old, only their method of transport was probably much closer to the ground.

The zebra in the middle carried none of these scars. He was small, relatively plain, and had a dull look in his green eyes. A belt wrapped around his midsection and I gulped as I saw knife handles sticking out. I also caught the metallic glint of some type of broadsword. Even the belt itself could be used as a weapon. Sharp metal spikes poked their way from its leathery façade, and I imagined it wrapped around either me or Twilight. I couldn’t bear to see even an anxiety produced hallucination of my beloved being hurt or killed, so I shook my head and cleared the thought away. I felt a cool breeze begin emanating from the window behind us, which still stood open from our previous observation. It played with my mane, and I felt somewhat heroic…stupidly heroic, that is.

I jumped in front of Twilight. “We aren’t going anywhere!” I thundered, with what I thought was the might of all the royal ponies put together.

But to the zebras…it was the whimper of a mouse. They laughed, and their leader stepped forward with an evil sneer. “Oh, you aren’t?” He asked with a healthy dose of sarcasm, “well, I’m sorry, I guess we’ll just leave. We must have invaded the wrong country, because it’s totally obvious that you aren’t gonna move.”

The other two snickered. “Heh, nice sarcasm, boss!” The one on the left said.

“Yeah, you’re the king of the facetious!” The one on the right said.

“Thank you, thank you,” the leader said, taking an even more sarcastic bow, “I pride myself on being very trenchant in my contemptuous and contumelious cynicism. Now, then, back to reality. The fact is, you wretched little stains otherwise known as ponies, you aren’t going anywhere. The town is ours, the nation is ours, and soon enough, the WHOLE WORLD will be ours! We’ll kill any creature that stands in our way, be it pony, dragon, griffon, or Changeling! Soon, you’ll ALL BOW to the zebras! Now, let’s go!”

I knew I had to do something drastic. The two mountainous quadrupeds were advancing upon my beloved Twilight. So, I sprang into action with all the courage of Robin Hoof…and all the foolishness of the evil king. Of course, I wouldn’t stop to think of how I’d fight them. They were each easily three times bigger than I was, and probably six times more violent. Even worse, they also seemed to be incredibly reckless. So, I was faced with giant zebras who were probably incompetent, and each one of them packed a recklessly violent punch. To borrow the colloquialism of the street ponies that overly crowded Manehattan…I was fucking screwed.

But I didn’t care. All I knew was that they were being cruel to the pony I loved, and I was going to fight for her. It didn’t matter that my love was completely one-sided and I probably would have gotten bitten had I confessed. It existed, and I needed to show her that I cared. So, I leapt at one of the beasts just as he picked Twilight up by the tail and bit down on his neck. He howled in pain and dropped her. She scurried around behind the other one and began her own assault. But, their recklessness soon caught up with us and we found ourselves being flung around like rag dolls. They hurled us off the wall, and I found myself drifting into unconsciousness. The last thing I remember seeing was one of them snarling at Twilight before I blacked out…

When I awoke, I found myself in a cage. I rattled at the bars, and tried to call for help, but to no avail. Nopony came. No friendly face emerged from the darkness. Instead, it was just me…or…I thought it was just me. So, since my situation called for some sadness, I took myself to the task of weeping. My cries were filled with pain, as it seemed I had lost everything I loved. I had lost Ponyville, Equestria, my friends, my brother, my family…and Twilight. The scene came rushing back into my mind, and once again, I saw the brute’s teeth bared against my beloved. It hurt me so much that my tears became even more frequent. I knew he had raped her…I just knew he’d committed that terrible deed against her.

“It’s hopeless,” I said out loud, “completely hopeless.”

“What’s hopeless?” A female voice answered.

I looked and broke into a smile as Twilight emerged from the other side of the cell. She looked as if she’d been through so much. Her beautiful wedding gown, which she was wearing at the time of the attack, was torn to shreds. Her purple orbs, so often filled with happiness and knowledge, were dull and pained. The hooves that used to carry news of new acquaintances and friendships, were sliced and bloody. She was covered in cuts and bruises, and she appeared to have multiple contusions along her forehead. Her horn had been cut in half, and blood dripped from the wound.

My smile disappeared as I ran to her and embraced her. “Please, please tell me this isn’t real!” I cried.

She gently pushed me back and looked at me. “It is,” she said solemnly and with a voice weakened by some type of trauma, “…but we cannot give up, Trundle. Things are bleak now, true, but we can’t give in. The others will be counting on us.”

She began breathing very hard and collapsed onto my shoulder. “Oh, what did they do to you?” I asked softly.

“What had to be done,” came a new voice.

I turned and saw the same zebras from earlier. I growled at them, showing my teeth as a sign of defense. I would never forgive myself for falling into oblivion while Twilight endured unknown hours of torture. This time, I would fight them off myself, and then we would escape; or, at least, that was my plan. I just needed one of them to open the cell door and do some kind of inspection. I’d heard about jailbreaks in the news before where this type of event was taken advantage of. Now, it was Twilight and I’s turn.

“What do you mean, ‘what had to be done?’” I asked, trying to keep the conversation flowing.

“You ponies live in delusions of grandeur,” the zebra said, “while you do this, you believe you have control over the entire world! You do the weather for every place on the planet! You send out your…BLEGH…friendship ambassadors to try and turn the world to your way of thinking! You promise freedom, but only if we succumb to your dangerous and harmful philosophy!”

“Harmful?!” I roared, “the bonds that friendship brings are beautiful! How can you sit there and say such nonsense?!”

“Because I’ve fucking seen what friendship can do!” The zebra shrieked back, “I’ve seen the hurt it produces, the division it creates, and the complete idiocy it bequeaths on someone! Now, thanks to you, the once proud zebra warriors have been cut to ribbons! We’re just returning the favor. I, Cutthroat, the leader of the Order of the Striped Warrior, have taken it upon myself to punish the ponies for their sins against us. You shall all bow to the zebra before this is over! We shall have your stallions for slaves and your mares for breeding! We shall prevail!”

Imprisoned

Cutthroat and his entourage exited the area, slamming the door behind them. The thud echoed throughout the chamber, giving life to our innermost thoughts of danger and horror. It sounded like the crack of a lethal magic shot, spinning its projectile towards the head of its most unfortunate victim. We were hapless and helpless, completely at the whim of the striped crusaders that had incarcerated us therein. It did not help that we knew what our fate would eventually become. Pain laced our patience as we awaited the inevitable. I began to question what death would be like. I saw my lungs quit working as I stood on the edge of some interminable abyss. Unable to breathe, I fell headlong into the pitch black hole, and I just kept falling. It was like being in the worst limbo ever created, and I tried to scream to get out…but…nothing happened. I fell and fell and fell, and no end ever greeted me.

Then, my vision turned somewhat happy. I know that may sound odd, but as I looked to my right, I broke out in a smile. I might not have been able to sing or talk or even move my lips, but there she was. I saw Twilight falling with me, and I felt stronger. She was a rock to me, as tough as steel and ten times more durable. Even in death, she and I were together, and that was when I knew that my feelings for her were more than I’d ever imagined. It was greater than simple beginner’s love, and bled over into undying devotion. This was the mare I wanted more than anything in the world, even the Ponylitzer Prize! I managed to maneuver myself over, and I kissed her as we fell. But…the kiss brought no feeling. Since we were dead, we could no longer subscribe to equine sensations. However, her smile was true, and my happiness only grew.

I suddenly felt myself being shaken, and I awoke to find a concerned Twilight standing over me. We had ripped up part of her wedding gown to bind her wounds, and these now stood shockingly red against her purple complexion. Her eyes carried a little less pain, but she still held a sense of dread about her. It was as if she were putting on a completely different face, just for me. But I knew that a great deal of my strength lay in our friendship, no matter what she looked like. We were together, and that was all that mattered. Somehow, some way, we’d figure out how to free ourselves from this bondage and bring our attackers to justice.

“Are you okay?” She asked, “I heard you groaning in your sleep.”

“I’m fine,” I said, “but I had the craziest dream.”

“Oh? What about?” She asked curiously.

So, I told her everything about the abyss, but I left out the part where we kissed. I would tell her that at a more appropriate time. Plus, I had no idea if Flash Sentry was alive or not, and I felt obligated to keep my feelings entombed until we found out. But at the same time, I wanted to be there for Twilight. I wanted her to understand that we still had our friendship to fall back on. So, I explained the dream in those terms, and I saw a smile grow on her face as I finished. It was a small expression, yet it caused my heart to skip a few beats. The way her mouth curved upwards reminded me of the days of yore when we would happily run about town with our friends.

“There’s a smile,” I said.

“Well, it’s just nice to know that I have a good friend like you, Trundle,” she responded, “even if we don’t make it out of here, at least I will die knowing that I’m with somepony so close to me.”

I sighed, wanting us to become closer, but continuing to force my feelings downward. “So…shall we try to bust out of here?”

“I don’t know if we can,” she said sadly, “I mean, these bars are made of iron, and these walls are solid stone. We don’t even know where we are!”

This was where I brought forth a smirk. Being the fictitious writer that I was, I knew exactly how we could escape. In fact, I’d even written it into one of my stories once. Ponies seemed to enjoy it, except for this one mare. She would sniff and spit at me and everything I did. There were ponies out there who would criticize my stories, but they’d always do it in a kind and cheerful way. This mare constantly put me down. She also put some of my fellow writers down. So, in the end, we just decided to ignore her and focus on those who told us how we might improve instead of just pointlessly insult. It was nice to have a steady foundation of those kinds of ponies. But, that’s neither here nor there. The point is, I conjured up the images of my story and began plotting our escape route.

“I still don’t know how we’re gonna get out,” Twilight said, “I guess we could come up with a cunning strategy to get the key away from the guard.”

“Exactly,” I said, “and Twilight, this is where you come in.”

“It is?”

“Yep!” I said, “you need to seduce the guard.”

“I BEG your pardon?!” Twilight roared, making me flinch, “I don’t care how desperate we are, I’m not seducing any guard! I may not be as prim and proper as Rarity, but even I wouldn’t stoop to that level.”

“But, Twilight, you-“

“I am a princess, and not only that, but I’m one of your best friends! How would you feel if I asked you to seduce a guard?”

“If it was a sexy female guard, then maybe I might be cajoled into doing so,” I said, hoping to catch her off guard with an unpredictable answer.

It didn’t work, because at that moment, a zebra mare with bright blue eyes and swaying hips came into the room. My eyes must have nearly popped out of my sockets, because I saw Twilight begin to smirk. Her look of “put your money where your big fat mouth is” was devastating. I knew what she wanted me to do, and she wouldn’t let me do anything else until it was done. So, I accepted my fate. I would try and seduce this female guard.

What Happens in Prison...

I gulped as I took my place to seduce this guard. I felt so awkward standing there. Normally, the mares of a certain area took care of all the leering and cooing involved in such a task. It was easy for them, as they were naturally beautiful. But for a stallion such as myself, and especially somepony with my…erm…physical disadvantages, it would be difficult. Humiliation flooded my veins as I gazed upon the very pretty zebra that had entered our ironbound domain. I knew that a hefty blush painted the canvas of my cheeks as I began to ridiculously wiggle my rump. I felt less like a magnet and more like a can of repellant.

“Hey, baby, what’s up?” I asked in sheer dread. My beloved Twilight was not only watching, but had put me up to it! Did she believe me to be some kind of rat, willing to sleep with someone right in front of her? It saddened me, because I recognized that the chasm between our varied personalities had grown even larger in the last thirty seconds. I still loved her deeply, but it had not taken her more than a split second to make up her mind. That proved her affections for a certain other stallion over myself and her willingness to do just about anything to return to him.

Celestia damned Flash, I cursed internally.

Externally, the pretty zebra was staring at me. She had a look of weirdness mixed with a healthy dose of curiosity. I realized for the first time just how marvelous her blue eyes were. Her coat carried stripes of blue and gold, thus leading me to discover that not all zebras had the same black and white pattern. I was rather taken by her body and her eyes, and I decided to use this to my advantage. She still hadn’t answered my earlier query, so I reiterated it with an equally awkward eyelid flourish. To my shock, the zebra began laughing, and laughing hard. She nearly fell over from the fit, and I had to back away a bit. As I did so, I could feel the blush grow substantially.

“Hey! Come on, I’m not that funny!” I protested.

“Sorry,” she said as she stood, “but I’ve never had a male prisoner attempt something so…blatant before. Then again, I haven’t been working here very long. But all the same, you are hilarious with a capital H!”

“Oh, brother,” I said, rolling my eyes, “was I that obvious?”

“Come now,” she said with a smirk, “I think we both know how indefatigably and painfully fake that was. But, I must say, I haven’t been come on to like that before. I kinda like it…”

She narrowed her eyes and trotted forward. I seized the opportunity and threw on all the charm I could muster. Some part of me registered that Twilight was still there. I tried to tune her out, but I just couldn’t. This voice nagged at me and bit down on my psyche. I felt the love and tender care that I’d always had for her begin to boil within the pits of my soul. The zebra guard came closer and closer, and I felt guiltier and guiltier. Before I knew it, our lips met and I was mentally begging Twilight for forgiveness. Even though we had never been together before, I still felt a romantic connection being fostered between us. Right now, that cable was in danger of snapping in two.

But the zebra wouldn’t let me go. She pulled me towards the bars of mine and Twilight’s entrapment and shoved her tongue deep down my throat. Her sluttiness was on full display, and I knew that the only way for Twilight and I to escape would be to take advantage of it. I broke the kiss and talked her into the cage, telling her how pretty and nice she was. I also complimented her on the aptitude of our sudden meeting of lips. She was completely into it, and it shocked me. It also caused my penis to shiver and slide from its sheath, dangling loosely over the floor beneath me.

“Mm…looks like someone’s excited,” the zebra cooed, “by the way, my name’s Breeze Light. I like to introduce myself to a stallion before I have sex with him.”

“I’m-OH!”

I went to introduce myself, but I couldn’t. At that moment, Breeze decided to slide her amazing mouth around my cock’s shaft. Her head was like her name, gently gliding up and down my sexual organ and ensuring that every inch was coated in saliva. This was a brand new experience for me, and pleasure was firing like the cannons from atop Fort Hoof. But Celestia’s military installation had nothing on Breeze’s ample tongue and lips as they slid their way into my mind. I sat back on my haunches and spread my legs, allowing her to have easy access to my dick.

“Holy shit, that feels amazing,” I breathed.

“Mm…I love watching you,” came the voice of my beloved Twilight, “and I didn’t realize how…big your penis is.”

“Well, duh, you’ve never seen it before,” I smirked.

Twilight chuckled, and then did something amazing. She joined in! She and Breeze moaned and licked their way across my shaft. I was in absolute heaven as the beautiful mares did their work. It was tender, loving, kind, moving, but also carried a great deal of that mystifying energy that all mares seemed to possess. As I watched in wonder, they began to kiss each other, winding their tongues and moaning about how good I tasted. I was near tears as my beloved princess bent her way under me and began to gently suckle my testicles. I howled in excitement as they continued double teaming my private area until I was good and erect. They then began to bat at it with curious hooves, sending sharp spikes of happiness careening throughout my being as they went along.

“Hm-mm-mm,” Twilight chuckled, “it’s huge!”

“I love a good size stallion,” Breeze said slyly as she got on top of me and opened her legs. Her vagina was a sight to behold, and she wasted no time in putting her glistening jewel down over my exposed method of reproduction. She pumped her beautiful hind legs up and down and rode me better than Applejack rides a bull. Up, down, up, down. Every last slimy noise and slithering bump made my head explode. What made it even better was when Twilight decided to begin licking Breeze’s asshole! I couldn’t see the pattern she used, but it must have been quite pleasing to the young guard, for she began to squeal in delight. At that point, Twilight and I were very into this threesome and I was so happy to get to share this with her. In fact, it made me fall in love with her all over again.

“Yes! Yes! Lick that fucking asshole, purple bitch!” Breeze howled, “lick it and show me how much you fucking care for your fucking zebra! Lick it! Lick it, whore!”

“Oh, I’m the whore?” Twilight asked playfully as she backed away from the hole, “you’re the whore, sweetie. I’m simply playing the game…oh, and what a sweet game it is!”

She continued licking and Breeze continued riding me until she screamed and began unleashing fluid all over both Twilight and myself. She gingerly got off of my penis and crouched down in a standard mating position. I took the cue and began to dominate her, shoving her face into the dirt floor and slamming myself into her. Twilight came over and began to play with her, teasing circles around her exposed vagina as she cried out for more. I went all the way to the hilt, feeling her walls close around me as things began coming to a head. I knew that I was at the epicenter of Breeze’s pleasure, and I wanted nothing more than to paint the canvas of her body with my fluids. She was so beautiful, and Twilight only doubled that beauty. I noted that my beloved princess began to masturbate herself and moan deeply. I couldn’t take anymore and, with a howl of happiness, I unloaded a fair train load of sperm into Breeze’s pussy.

She immediately turned and began cleaning me up as Twilight finally orgasmed beside us. The princess collapsed across me and the two mares took turns licking up all the excess fluid from our fun. I breathed deeply as these two beautiful creations of some unknown higher power (or at least, at that moment, I thought they were), carefully cleaned me. It was so refreshing, and deeply awe inspiring. I lay my head back and sighed contentedly as I felt them finish and then cuddle up to me.

“By the way,” Breeze said, “I don’t hate the ponies. I just wanted a life of adventure, which is why I joined the Order. Cutthroat promised me that we’d do daring things. I just didn’t realize that would involve harming you.”

“You didn’t?” Twilight asked, “I mean…his name is Cutthroat.”

“I know,” Breeze responded through her panting, “but…I was a young and foolish filly. Now, I want some way to repay this debt I feel I owe the ponies of Equestria. Perhaps this is a start.”

“I think it’s a great start,” Twilight responded.

Cutthroat's Story

After our spontaneous session of sexual exploration, we congregated and planned an escape route. We enlisted Breeze Light to help us, not only because she’d given us such an amazing time, but because she had no hatred for the ponies. In fact, she wanted to help. It turned out that she had joined the Order of the Striped Warriors thinking that she would find adventure and excitement there. At first, things had gone very well. The Order was governed by a brave zebra named Brazen Ambition, and he was known for both his diplomacy and his sixth sense when it came to females. Breeze told us about the special parties he would throw where he’d sleep with five or six mares at a time. She’d been one of his lovers, and she reminisced about it with a sigh of contentment. She knew of his dealings with other female zebras, but she didn’t care. She was happy just as long as she could be with him.

He’d also kept the peace between zebras and ponies. In fact, it was he who’d sent Zecora on a special mission to Equestria and then asked her to remain there and learn all she could. Breeze said that when news broke of her new friendship with the ponies, most of the zebras cheered. The cultural exchanges, pioneered by Brazen Ambition, had helped in their understanding of Equestrian equines and how they lived. It was interesting, and it fostered many excellent relationships between individual members of the respective species. There were ponies who lived among the zebras for a time, and zebras who lived among ponies. The mutual sharing of information led to something of a golden era between the two, and everyone was happy. Everyone…that is…except for Cutthroat.

Breeze told us that he’d been born into an impoverished family deep in the Zebra Homeland, in the same town she was from. His birth name was Striped Flame. His father was lackadaisical, preferring to drink the polluted pond water nearby that gave zebras a hallucinogenic “high.” He would sit in their home with his nose stuck in the air, babbling about this and that, believing himself to be some great philosopher. But, as with most creatures who get addicted to that stuff, he was just a fountain spouting nonsense. Worse, Cutthroat’s mother would join in on these spacey sessions, and they would almost always end up mating in front of their foals. Cutthroat wasn’t sure what to do or think, and he was left on his own for the most part. He became angry with his parents for their neglect, and he became angry at their social and financial situation. He was frustrated with his brother and sister, who’d taken to fucking like rabbits in the shadow of their parents’ illicit dealings.

“At first, he swore chastity,” Breeze explained, “but then, he met this beautiful mare named Waterfall Green, and that promise went right out the window. Their sexuality became common knowledge, and they fell madly in love with each other. Yes, ‘Striped Waterfall’ were the toast of the town, and the announcement of their marriage was met with a great rejoicing.”

“So…what happened?” Twilight asked.

“It didn’t last…” Breeze went on.

It seemed that, one day, the newlyweds Striped and Waterfall ran into a pony visitor named Spelunker Caveheart. She held the cutie mark of a yawning hole in the earth and, as her name implies, was very good at traversing these underground mazes. So, in the spirit of the friendship shared between the zebras and the ponies, she took the happy couple on an adventure. She checked and double checked their safety equipment. Then they made for The Cavernous Core, the most dangerous cave in all of the Zebra Homeland, and the very reason Spelunker was visiting. They entered the cave, and she gave her zebra friends and companions two specific instructions: never leave the group and never take off your safety gear. This being accomplished, she’d led them inside.

“What happened next is a bit unclear,” Breeze continued, “but we do know that, somewhere along the line, Waterfall took off her helmet. It was at this point that the earth itself began to move with them inside it! Spelunker got Cutthroat into a spot where he’d be okay. But Waterfall had been knocked out by a stray rock. She tried to save her, but it was too late. The cave collapsed…and Waterfall was crushed to death.”

“Oh…my,” Twilight breathed, “how terrible!”

Breeze nodded. “Yes, it was. The whole village mourned her passing. Poor Spelunker was beside herself. She returned to Equestria the next day, having blamed herself thoroughly for Waterfall’s death. I remember watching her leave, and there were tears flooding her cheeks. She received an embrace from every zebra that watched her go, and they told her that they didn’t hold anything against her. Everyone did this, myself included, but Cutthroat did not. He even holed himself up in his home for weeks after Spelunker left. When he emerged, he had changed completely. He now went by the name Cutthroat, and announced that he would be joining the Order of The Striped Warrior. But, he was not joining for honor. He was joining for vengeance.”

“So…what happened to Brazen Ambition?” Twilight asked.

“Cutthroat did not tell him of his true intentions when he joined,” Breeze explained, “and he rose through the ranks until he was second in command of the whole Order. Then, one night, while Brazen was busy mating with a mare, Cutthroat slithered into the room and sliced his throat. He then took the mare for his own, raped her, and killed her. He announced a new, much more evil and sinister plan for the Order. No longer would they be the great defenders of peace and stability. But rather, they would seek to harm the same ponies that he felt had taken his beloved Waterfall away from him. The rest…is history.”

“So, if The Order hurts ponies, then why did you join if you have no beef with us?” I asked.

“My adventurous and curious aspirations overcame the doubt I had. I just wanted to go places and see the world. I didn’t know of the plan to harm Equestria, though I did know something of Cutthroat’s hatred for ponies. I wasn’t part of the detail that went to Equestria. I was told to stay here…and I think Cutthroat knows that, deep down, I actually love you ponies. You’re something of an inspiration to me, and, as I said before, I want to help you. Now, let’s get the fuck out of here.”

Escape?

Some might call us geniuses for the daring escape plan we executed. It was bold, as we tore our way through thorn encrusted bushes, over moats populated by snakes and crocodiles, and across lakes of fire itself! It was the most amazing, most stupendous, most cognitively thorough escape plan ever conceived by ponies and zebras alike! We were fearless as we traversed the deep underbelly of whatever castle they had decided to lock us up in. Things were totally fine…ahem…TOTALLY FINE!

Okay, okay, so I like to spice things up a little bit. The truth is, Breeze had her set of keys and she just opened the door and let us out. It was after that when things got much too close for comfort. We did have to navigate a labyrinthine network of tunnels and rooms before we got out of wherever it was that we’d been imprisoned. These tunnels were made out of solid stone, and there were about as many windows as cakes leftover after one of Pinkie Pie’s snack binges. Claustrophobia quickly began settling in, especially for Twilight and myself. Breeze had been through here a few times since transferring to this particular zebra squadron, but she wasn’t a veteran. So, we got lost more than once.

But, thankfully, Breeze was able to realign herself with her knowledge of the prison and led us towards the first checkpoint. Here, we had to come up with something a little more strategic than just galloping. It would take a bit of thought, so we hid behind a small wall and plotted our little scheme. Breeze took out some hoof cuffs and put them on Twilight and I. Then, she chained us together and said that she’d pretend that we were a simple prisoner transfer. Was it cliché? Sure, it was. But that didn’t matter to us at the moment. We needed to find a way out of that maze. So, we went along with Breeze’s plan, and she trotted up to the guard standing there.

“I have some putrid pony prisoners set for transfer to Block P!” She announced gruffly.

“Alright,” the guard said, seeing that we were properly locked together, “move along.”

He opened the gate in front of us and we were able to trot on through. Once this was accomplished, Breeze removed our chains and we continued to follow her. First a left here, then a right there. The labyrinth was getting to all of us, but we continued to press forward, hoping to see daylight at the end of each tunnel. As we trotted along, I got to thinking about how incredible it had been to be so intimate with Twilight. Even though Breeze had been as much a part of our spontaneous miniature orgy, it was Twilight that took my breath away. Frankly, she did that on an everyday basis. I had always fantasized about mating with her, but I never imagined that she’d commit to doing anything with me. I trotted alongside her as we followed Breeze through more tunnels than we’d ever seen before.

“Twi?” I asked.

“Yeah?”

“You were…um…you were really terrific back there,” I said, “in the way you…erm…played with my dick.”

She took on a guilty look. “I’m glad you enjoyed it, but I feel just sick to my stomach. I mean, I’m supposed to be marrying Flash, not sucking any stallion I want! I’m supposed to love him…”

“Do you?” I asked.

She gave me a look. “Of course, I do! Why do you think I feel so upset about the way I recklessly gave you fellatio! I should have controlled myself…I should have acted like a princess…I should have-“

“Hey,” I said, “maybe it’s good that you have a bit of a rebellious spirit. I mean, if everypony did exactly what everypony else wanted them to do, where would we be? You do have your own individual choices to make, you know.”

“Yes, I do know, and I made the wrong one,” she said, “I mean, what was I thinking? No matter how big your…um…endowment is, I should always keep my stallion first in my head, my heart, and my sexuality. I love Flash Sentry, I want to marry him, and I want him to rule Equestria with me.”

“You say that as if you’re trying to convince yourself that it’s true,” I said.

“Oh, will you be quiet?!” She asked harshly.

“Hey, I’m just saying…”

“Well, stop ‘just saying’ and focus on the path!”

I bent my head to the side and looked down at the stony floor as we crossed over it. Twilight had never been so short with me before. She was one of my best friends, and I didn’t expect such a tone in her voice. It frightened me a bit, and once again, I was in awe of just how much authority and respect she commanded. Celestia and Luna had taught her well, and she knew when to be friendly and when to be firm. It suddenly dawned on me that I had crossed a line with what I had said, and I regretted it deeply. I never wanted to hurt the pony I loved so much. I glanced back at her and saw that she was in a lot of pain, and it seemed that she was very apologetic over her earlier behavior. So, I decided to try and make peace.

“I’m sorry, Twilight,” I said, “I shouldn’t have said what I did.”

“It’s okay, Trundle,” she responded kindly, “I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that.”

“No-no, you had every right to,” I said, “I mean, I shouldn’t have questioned your love for Flash Sentry.”

“…and I shouldn’t have forced you to try and seduce Breeze,” she said, “if I hadn’t, then we wouldn’t be fighting.”

“But we also wouldn’t be out of that cage,” I pointed out, “Twilight, I did what I had to in order to ensure our survival. You can’t blame yourself for that.”

She nodded and then stepped a bit closer to me. I smiled, feeling the warmth of her fur close beside my flank. If only Flash hadn’t been in the way, I would have confessed my love right then and there. I would have gotten to experience a scenario that had played out in my mind over and over again. But that was not to be, and it tore my heart apart just to know that. I bent my head down as Twilight brushed up against me and I dared to nuzzle her just a little bit. She returned my gesture of affection and smiled.

“Friends?” She asked.

“Always,” I responded.

“Not to break up your touching moment of platonic endearment,” Breeze said, “but…we’re here.”

We finally emerged from a hidden entrance and basked in the glow of the sun. Behind us, a massive castle rose from the ground and crested deep in the crystal blue sky. White, puffy clouds floated about the visual masterpiece. Looking around, we saw the greenest of grass and very tall mountains jutting upwards in the distance. Their summits danced with the sky, stretching upwards to that she might bend down and kiss them. I marveled at the beauty of it all, standing as stiff as a stone. I nearly broke out into poetry on the spot, for that is what happens when one is faced with a view that is categorically and objectively perfect.

Well…it would have been perfect…if for one thing…

“Hey!” A voice suddenly sounded.

We all gasped as Cutthroat appeared from around a corner of the castle. To say that he was pissed off would be an understatement. He and his henchponies immediately charged at us, brandishing broadswords and spears. They hurled the sharp tipped weapons at is while their swords gleamed in the sun, throwing up dashes of evil with each glint. There was only one thing to do, and we all knew it. But Breeze put our thoughts into one bloodcurdling command: “RUN!”

Capture

We ran as fast as our hooves would carry us. It was difficult, considering the sheer amount of thorny bushes and sharp stones that were strewn across the path in front of us. The world around us seemed to move in slow motion as we focused on escaping from the thundering hooves pursuing us. While we were with Breeze, we simply followed her tail as she darted this way and that. She knew this territory like she knew her own stripes. The problem was that the long train of abusers and malefactors behind us shared that knowledge. We sought freedom from their clutches, yet we could not find it.

Eventually, we popped out of the forest and into a clearing. Ironically enough, a serene waterfall bubbled its way over some rocks in front of us. We looked left and right but found no continuation of the path. Breeze barked that she and I would have to climb up, and thus we set ourselves to the task. Twilight floated above our heads and landed on the top as Breeze and I attempted to use our muscles to haul ourselves to the summit. But this was easier said than done, as our lengthy trek through the forest had taken its toll on our bodies. Mine screamed for rest as I fought through the doubt forming in my head. But seeing Twilight up there, looking as beautiful as ever, created a new kind of energy within me. So, I forged ahead.

By that point, Cutthroat and his goons had gathered at the bottom of the precipice. They, too, could climb very well, and, as I later discovered, had trained for a situation just like this one. Their hooves felt like thunderclaps beneath us, loud and rough. I gulped as I imagined Breeze or Twilight struggling against them while something unimaginable took place. At that point, I knew I had to do something to speed up our climbing process. So, I shoved my head into Breeze’s rump. She got my message and began flying up the cliff. I followed suit. We were almost at the top, where Twilight’s foreleg was waiting to pull us in, when Breeze hit a patch of loose rocks. She fell back towards the bottom, but she was caught…by Cutthroat himself.

I gasped as Cutthroat laughed. “You, my little traitorous filly, are gonna wish you’d never been born!”

“No, Cutthroat, please!” Breeze begged, “please, let me live!”

“Oh, I’ll let you live…for the moment. At least, until you’ve served your purpose. Now, then, you wait at the bottom while I capture those ponies!”

He pawned her off on one of his goons, who scrambled back down the slope and laid her out on the grass where we’d started. She screamed as he advanced on her, and I turned my eyes from the awful scene. I felt totally helpless as I heard him grunting and her shrieking. I knew what was happening, but I didn’t want to look. She was my new friend, and I couldn’t bear to see her body get tossed about like a filly’s rag doll. I breathed deep and decided to keep climbing. Perhaps my beloved Twilight would hold some kind of answer as to what we might do to help Breeze. My body continued howling for a break, but I didn’t stop. I had to get to Twilight…no matter what.

Unfortunately, the cliff had other ideas. I had just grabbed onto Twilight’s foreleg, when I hit a different loose patch. Since I had ahold of her, we both tumbled down and were caught by a couple of evil zebras. Cutthroat smiled as he ordered his dirtbag helpers down off the cliff. Once at the bottom, they tied me to a tree and held my head towards the terrifying scene playing out in front of me. I became sick to my stomach as I watched my friends become playthings to those wicked creatures. Cutthroat led the sexual charge, beating Twilight within an inch of her life before forcing her to suck him off. She had no choice, as she experienced her second rape in a very short period.

I began weeping as I saw Breeze’s beautiful blue eyes close in pain. One zebra had his penis shoved deep down her throat while the other had his way with her rump. I couldn’t help but think of my own session with her back in the prison, and how amazing it had been. But it was consensual and warm, not cold and evil. It had been a wonderful display of affection between Breeze, Twilight, and myself, and I would always treasure it. I knew of Twilight’s regret, but for me, it was an absolutely exuberant experience. Now, my friends were being used for their bodies, and that created a sense of sadness and rage in me that I’d never known before. I suddenly wanted to hurt these zebras who would dare cross these mares that meant so much to me.

“HEY, BASTARDS!” I screamed.

Cutthroat had his dick deep in Twilight’s throat, but he suddenly stopped, turned and trotted over to me. “You have something to say, punk?!” He asked, “or would you prefer it if I just sliced your cock in half?”

“You can cut off my penis, my legs, my tail, or anything you want,” I said, “but I’m not gonna let you hurt my friends anymore!”

“UGH! You ponies and your friendship!” Cutthroat roared, “don’t you know that friendship is worthless?!”

“No, it’s not!” I yelled, “friendship is magic!”

“Oh, la-dee-da,” Cutthroat said in a tone dripping with sarcasm, “as far as I’m concerned, you’re not a threat. You’re tied up and we’re having our way with those mares. Soon, we’ll take all three of you back to our camp. You’ll probably be put to death, but I’m still considering other courses of punishment. As for Twilight and Breeze, they’ll serve me well as breeding concubines. A stallion’s gotta have some progeny, right?”

“FUCK YOU!” I shouted, “TWILIGHT IS A BETROTHED PONY!”

“Do I LOOK like I care?!” Cutthroat asked, “soon, my seed will be planted in Twilight and Breeze, and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it. Now, then, if you’ll excuse me, I have a pussy to conquer.”

He went back over and mounted Twilight right in front of me. I pulled at the ropes, but they were much too strong. I could only watch in horror as my beloved mare was forcibly penetrated. Tears rolled down my cheeks as this most devastating of nightmares came to life. No, I thought, no…I won’t let it happen! I swear to Celestia, Twilight and Breeze shall not be breeding concubines!

Breaking Free From My Enemies

I couldn’t take any more of the torturous scene in front of me. Cutthroat was ruthless in his ravaging of Twilight, beating her with his hooves while his penis shoved in and out of her reproductive organs. She screamed and cursed at him, using language that I never dreamed she could, but it was no use. He had her, and he bent her over, tying her up like a pretzel in the interest of absolute domination. She finally gave up and accepted fate, laying there with a dull look in her eyes as Cutthroat made ruffage out of her body.

Meanwhile, Breeze was the prize of every other zebra there, male and female. They did not know the meaning of the words “mercy” and “compassion.” They labeled her a traitor, forcing her to stand on her hind legs with her private area open to the wind. Once this was accomplished, they tied her to the cliff face behind her and began the process. As one zebra gave her oral, another would slam into her from behind, earning screeches of pain from the poor striped equine. My heart ached for her, because I remembered how tender and sweet our own session had been. I also remembered how she’d selflessly led Twilight and I on our escape. Now, she was paying the price for what had happened to us. I knew that the male zebras wouldn’t let up, on either her or Twilight, until their seed had been planted in their womb’s soil.

But I swore to myself that I wasn’t going to let that happen. So, I gave my bonds one last tug, struggling hard against the rigid rope. I put all of my love for Twilight, and all of my care for my new zebra friend, into that pull. I felt the rope burn marks into my fur that would probably never be erased, but I didn’t care. I needed to leave that horrifying hell and rescue my friends. My teeth ground together as I pulled at the rope with all my might. I listened desperately for a snap, a crunch, or anything that might help me to escape from this awful plight. It seemed hopeless, and it felt like hours were going by, all accentuated by the screams of my friends as they were brutally raped.

Then, finally, I heard one rope snap from behind me. I smiled as I pulled even harder, knowing that this was my chance! Time seemed to slow down significantly as the world began to move in slow motion. I heard the smack of crotches meeting, the howls of pleasure from the offending zebras, the screeches of pain from my friends, and then, the sweet snap of the final two ropes. I leapt forward from the tree, snorting and pawing at the ground. I was more enraged than I’d ever been before. To be honest, it felt pretty good. It seemed heroically right for me to have so much fire burning in my chest and stomach.

“CUTTHROAT!” I screamed as I galloped toward him, “you’re mine…”

I jumped on him, and suddenly, the clearing broke out in a massive fight. Twilight and Breeze doubled back on their rapists, slashing and screaming as they went. I had Cutthroat on the ground, but I still managed to notice Twilight using the same rope she’d been tied up in to embalm a few zebras. Across the clearing, Breeze was doing the same with the rope I was in. I smiled with glee, but then I felt a sharp hoof grasp my throat. I looked down to see Cutthroat’s eyes glow red with evil as he reached for his broadsword. He went to pull it out, but I rolled off and dodged just in the nick of time. I felt the “WHOOSH” as it passed by my ear, and I knew I had gotten very lucky. Once on all fours, I used a bit of serpentine movement to avoid his ever swinging weapon.

“UGH!” He grunted, “WHY WON’T YOU JUST DIE?!”

“I’ll never die!” I shouted, “not when there are innocent lives at stake!”

“Oooo, you’re so heroic,” he said sarcastically, “it’s pathetically pitiful!”

“At least I’m not like you!” I shrieked with anger, “so lonely that I have to resort to violence and rape just to get what I want!”

“I’m not lonely!” Cutthroat spat, “I just HATE ponies! You miserable Equestrians are ALWAYS getting involved in zebra business! You bring your culture here, you bring your business here, you bring yourselves here! Meanwhile, the zebras of our home have nothing to fall back on! They’re always going to you! They’re enamored with you! They hate their own kind!”

“There are no ‘kinds,’ Cutthroat!” I shouted, “there are only individual equines! Pony, zebra, donkey, it doesn’t matter! We all have niches in this world that are unique to ourselves! Why can’t you find yours?!”

“Because zebras are zebras, you son of a bitch!” Cutthroat snarled, “and zebras must always stand together against every other creature! Nothing is more important than being a zebra, especially when it comes to ponies! We are better than you, we’ll always be better than you, and if it takes slitting your throat to prove it, then so be it!”

He came after me again, but suddenly, a blast of magic emanated and blew his sword away from him. I felt a warm presence standing next to me, and I knew immediately who it was. I looked to the side and saw the same beautiful purple fur and compassionate violet orbs that I’d fallen in love with so long ago. Having Twilight there gave me extra strength, and I realized that I was capable of completing this task. We turned and stared Cutthroat down, who looked just a little more scared without his weapon.

“What’s the matter?” Twilight asked, “not as tough without your sword?”

“You royal pain in my ass,” Cutthroat growled, “you…you…friendship lover!”

“As far as insults go, that one’s about a 1 on a scale of 1 to a zillion,” came the voice of our new zebra friend, Breeze, as she stood beside us, “even for you.”

“Breeze Light,” Cutthroat snarled, “you’re a traitor to your kind!”

“You know,” she said, “maybe there doesn’t need to be a ‘kind.’ Why can’t zebras and ponies be friends?”

“Because, they killed Waterfall!” He finally broke down, “they killed her! They left her to die in that cave! She was a good zebra, kind, and warm hearted. She was the most beautiful equine I’d ever laid eyes on, and they took her from me! They…they took her…”
It was at this point that Cutthroat reverted back into Striped Flame. No longer did we see the brutal, dictatorial zebra that we knew. Rather, we saw somepony who was hurting deeply. A broken heart had left its shards buried deep in his psyche, and it had all come to a rather vicious head. It became easier to tell what the zebra was thinking, and we knew that he was considering his special somepony. So, being the compassionate pony she is, Twilight stepped forward and laid a comforting hoof on his shoulder. Breeze and I both followed suit, trying to show the zebra that there was a better way to live life. He didn’t have to use such primitive, destructive, and devastating tactics to combat what he was feeling inside. He simply needed a friend.

“Striped Flame,” Breeze said.

“My name is-“ He began.

“-Striped Flame,” she went on, “it always has been, and it always will be. Look, I made a mistake by joining your evil Order. But it doesn’t have to be evil any more. You can make a choice and turn it all around.”

“But…what will I do?” He asked, “I mean, they’ll punish me. My crimes are real, and there’s no way that the Homeland Council will ever let me live.”

“The Homeland Council?” I asked.

“The governing body of zebras that creates law and order, along with peace and protection for our land,” Breeze explained before turning back to the downtrodden Striped, “and I’m certain they will listen. Yes, you’ll be punished, perhaps very severely. But, you’ll be able to turn things around and become a better zebra.”

For a moment, I thought he truly was a changed equine. But, much to our dismay, he arose and picked up his sword once again. He turned to face us and charged directly into our path, screaming anti-pony insults. His heart could not be mended, as it seemed that Waterfall’s memory had crushed him. He had nothing to lose, so he attempted to take our lives. But Breeze sidestepped him, and Twilight leapt upon his back. Even though her horn was broken, she could still fire magic, and she had a hard decision to make. Would she end his life, or would she give him one more chance?

A Moment of Hesitation

I’ll bet you’re thinking that this story has reached its climax, and therefore, shall now begin a descent towards the end. Well, I’m here to tell you that this is not the case, and it’s all because Twilight could not make a decision. As she sat there with Cutthroat underneath her, I could tell that pain was shooting through her entire body. Her methodology of friendship did battle with the sensibilities that told her to end this evil creature. Tears flashed in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. She did not want her enemies to see her in a moment of weakness. Remaining true to the friendship that boiled up inside her was absolute.

Unfortunately, it was that moment of hesitation, when she raised herself away from Cutthroat, that he was able to turn the tables. He grabbed her by the mane and drug her away to an uncertain fate. Breeze and I chased after them, but to no avail as Cutthroat’s hench zebras surrounded us. They charged, and it was all we could do to hold them off. I remember hearing one of their shoulders crunch beneath me as I bit at the zebra’s neck. I felt a vengeance rise within me that frightened me, and then I remembered Twilight screaming as she was taken away. I sliced a hoof through my opponent’s flank, drawing a satisfying amount of blood, before darting off to join Breeze in her fight.

Together, we were able to kill two of the evildoers and injure seven more, sending them yelping back where they came from. That left just one, and, thankfully, he was a complete coward. He hid among his zebra brethren just long enough for us to finish the fight, and now he trembled as we advanced on him. I felt strength lacerating my being, turning me into a much more brutish character than I had any right to be. But Twilight was in trouble, and I knew she needed our help. Thus, we crept slowly upon the shivering striped equine, and he gave us a look of surrender. If he had any kind of energy to begin with, it had been sapped the minute we sent the last hench zebra packing.

“Um…uh…get back, ponies!” He said in a weak attempt at a growl, “for I am-“

“A sniveling idiot?” Breeze finished with a snarl.

“No! I’m not! I am in the service of Lord Cutthroat, and no pony will stand in my way!”

I smiled sarcastically. “While I appreciate your feeble attempt at something close to bravery, it won’t work.”

“Trundle Hoof is right,” Breeze said, “you’ve captured Princess Twilight, and now, we want her back.”

“Breeze…now…you’re a traitor,” the zebra said through chattering teeth, “a-and that means I have…authorization…to kill you.”

“So try and kill me,” Breeze said, “go on, I’ll wait.”

She sat on her haunches and gloated a bit as the much smaller zebra attempted to do away with her. He went after her throat, her flank, her back, and even tried to sneak a peek underneath her tail. But every step of the way, she had him covered. I was incredibly impressed. Each new hoof swipe took a little bit of his fur off, and he eventually stepped back and admitted defeat. He tried to put up a small front, but his skittishness eventually got the better of him and he sank to his stomach.

“You’re right,” he moaned, “I can’t do anything, Breeze. I’m just a dimwit.”

“Now, now,” she said, standing him up, “I didn’t say that. You made a choice to follow a dimwit, but that doesn’t make you one. Oh, where are my manners? Trundle Hoof, this is Bass Stripes.”

“Do all the male zebras have stripe related names?” I quipped.

“No, they don’t,” Breeze snapped, “it’s just that we have a lot of them around here, and many zebras tend to name themselves after their stripes. Now, are you gonna be nice and shake his hoof?”

“Of course,” I said, chuckling, “sorry, Bass. I just don’t tend to run into many equines named after stripes.”

He smiled. “As you get used to being in the Zebra Homeland, you’ll get better acquainted with our naming procedures. Look, I’m sorry I tried to hurt you and Breeze. I just wanted to…well…be brave for once in my life. I’ve always been the scared zebra, the hurt zebra, and the weak zebra. I wanted to stand on my own four hooves and…perhaps…find a mare in the process.”

I sympathized with him entirely. I had never been the bravest of ponies, so I could definitely understand where he was coming from. Truth be told, my entire fight with the zebras was based on pure adrenaline and my hormones reacting to pictures of Twilight. I will be the first to admit that I was as scared as a mouse when we were doing battle. The blood that coated the clearing made me lightheaded, and I actually ended up stumbling a bit. But Bass and Breeze held me up, and I was thrilled to have two new friends within the zebra corps. Maybe they could help me talk some sense into Cutthroat; either that, or help me rescue Twilight and end him once and for all.

“I’m pleased that you’ve turned out so friendly, Bass,” I said, “perhaps you can help us in our endeavors to rescue the princess.”

“Who? That purple pony?” He asked.

I nodded. “Yes. She’s our leader, and she’s betrothed to a stallion back in Equestria. While we do not know if he survived the attacks led by your Cutthroat, we do know that she loves him dearly. It’s our job to find her and return her to our land so she might marry him.”

He must have seen a small glimmer in my eye, for the next phrase that tumbled from his mouth could not have been spoken otherwise. “You…you’re in love with her too, aren’t you?” He asked.

“Yes, I am,” I said, “but she must never know this. She is happy with her stallion, so I’ll just have to find another mare.”

“Why settle?” He asked suddenly, “I mean, why settle for a mare that you’re marrying just to marry…when you could have the princess with a word?”

“It just doesn’t work that way,” I said, “and I’d really prefer not to talk about it anymore. Love aside, Twilight is Breeze and I’s friend, and I know she’ll be yours too, Bass. So, in light of that, let’s go get our friend back!”

The Mare's Prison

We moved in our assigned directions. Breeze led me along the back side of the multitude of tents, dodging the occasional enemy soldier in the process. Creeping slowly across the clearing, we made our way towards the mare’s prison. We popped out from behind a certain tent with a funny hole in the canvas and got our first good look at the quarters. My mind whirled as I gazed upon a veritable fortress of impenetrable stone and rock. Small windows dotted the place, barred over with barriers forged of iron and steel. Breeze explained that everything on the prison was carved out of the strongest, most durable material. She also said that guards constantly rotated shifts, thus keeping the mares’ hopes of escaping dreadfully slim.

“But…there is a way, isn’t there?” I asked.

“There’s always a way,” she said.

“Oh…I get it!” I said, “you’ll pose as a guard, and-“

“Just one problem with that,” she said, “the prison is for mares only. If I bring a stallion, they’ll get suspicious.”

“Ah, good point. So…what do we do?”

“You’ll see…”

She led me through the shadow of the fortress right up to a small part of the wall. Her mind seemed to possess some kind of premonitory power about the place. Apparently, she knew every last striation and mark of every single rock in the wall. She told me that she’d watched a mare or two slip out and had “failed” to report it. She’d taken a beating and been raped by Cutthroat for her efforts, but, ironically, he praised her endurance and allowed her to remain as a soldier. I winced as she showed me the scars on her flanks and chest from where his hooves plowed through her fur. I made a show of friendliness, and she thanked me for it before nudging one of the rocks aside.

“The wall is made of two layers,” she said, “the outer one is strong and sturdy, while the inside is a calculated weakness. If somepony manages to break through the outside layer, then the inside one can be easily broken and defended by the guards.”

“So…how do we get past the guards?” I asked.

“Simple. We sneak.”

She and I crept through the tunnel in front of us and found ourselves at the inner layer. But something was troubling me. I wondered why Breeze had purposely not reported the two mares who escaped while she stood guard here. I felt something of a strong bond being built between us, and I wanted so desperately to learn more about the incident. After all, friends didn’t normally keep secrets from each other. It would probably do her psyche some good to get everything out. So, I decided to ask her.

“Breeze, before we go inside…tell me…why did you let the mares go?”

“Because I felt bad for them,” she said. Even though it was dark, I could tell that there was quite the emotional toll being taken on her. I even began to feel sorry I asked, but she decided to continue…

“They were treated like animals…no…worse than animals. They were beaten daily, and given just barely enough food to keep them alive. I had to walk the halls day in and day out listening to their moans and cries for help. I even saw three commit suicide. In short, it was the most terrible thing I’d ever witnessed. So, when I caught the two that had escaped their cell, I showed them the escape route. I’d been planning it for months, and it took me quite a long time to dig through. But, I did it, and I was going to let them out sparsely. First one would go, then two a month later, and three two months after that. That way, Cutthroat wouldn’t get overly suspicious. The two mares got away, and when he came around asking for them in order to rape them, I told him they were gone and that I’d failed to report it. You know everything else.”

I looked at the floor, sick to my stomach. My mind whirled as I thought about the torturous things I might see on the other side of the wall. Would mares be violated before my eyes? Were the guards as rough and ready to rape as Cutthroat was? Would my dear friend Breeze be slain? Would I make it through this alive? Could we count on Bass Stripes to hold his end of the deal? I stumbled a bit as all of this pulsed through my head, and before I knew it, I had landed in Breeze’s hold. I looked up and, in the small light that still beamed from our entry point, I could see a smile forming. She hugged me, and stood me back upright.

“You’ll be okay,” she said reassuringly.

“I hope you’re right,” I responded.

“Just think about Twilight,” she said, “and about how much you love and miss her.”

“Twilight…” I said, then shook my head, “…the mare that I’ll never be able to marry.”

“Never say ‘never,’ Trundle,” she said, “after all, her fiancée isn’t exactly chomping at the bit to rescue her.”

I smiled a bit and Breeze finally cut a small hole in the wall. We squeezed through and out into the main courtyard of the fortress. It was crawling with guards, and we hid behind a nearby rock. But as I looked around the edge, I could see what a miserable place this must have been. Mares I knew, and even those that I didn’t know, were paraded around in disgraceful outfits. Their tails had been done up so that their private areas were on constant display. I wretched as I saw Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie forced into a lesbian encounter with four guards watching and playing with themselves. My lips shook in anger as I watched Derpy Hooves with one guard’s dick shoved deep down her throat. She was weeping, and my heart ached for her.

But finally, and most repulsively of all, I saw Twilight being thrown to the ground and mounted. She screamed for him to stop, but he didn’t quit. So, she simply gave up and buried her head in the ground while he got his fill. I’m sure that the veins in my head were bulging three times more than they’d ever done before. That was MY Twilight that he was treating like an inanimate toy. She was a beautiful creature filled with love, joy, and intelligence, and I could only watch as it was leeched out of her. He even dared to bend down and nuzzle her, adding insult to injury.

“I’m gonna kill him…” I growled in a voice filled with poison.

“Don’t worry,” Breeze said, “you’ll get your chance. But we must be patient. Look, the gates are opening. That probably means the rat bastard is coming.”

“Cutthroat?”

“Cutthroat,” she said, “and he’s our main target.”

“SEVEN SAILS!” A familiar, evil voice thundered from across the clearing, “just WHAT are you doing to my mare?!”

We looked, and the offending stallion riding Twilight immediately scrambled off of her. “I’m sorry, sir, but you said we could have our way with her whenever we wanted.”

Cutthroat grabbed the guard. “WE have intruders, you asshole! This is not the time to be porking a stupid mare!”

“Intruders, sir?”

“Yes, Seven, intruders,” Cutthroat growled, “ones that will surely fuck up our plans. Thanks to my spy, they have been identified and I’m going to need every zebra’s help defeating them.”

“Spy?” Breeze whispered in fright, “what spy?”

We looked over the rock and gasped, for there…standing next to Cutthroat…was Bass Stripes.

Jailbreak in Hell

Breeze and I were in shock, and I’m sure that I wasn’t the only one hiding behind the rock who felt ridiculously inane. We should have known better…we should have seen through his traitorous lies. But, we didn’t, and now we were trapped. Cutthroat knew we were there, and Bass had been the source of his knowledge. Neither of us saw it coming, but we definitely saw our lives flashing before our eyes. It seemed like everything was over, and we would never be able to return to our families or friends ever again. In a moment, I saw Breeze being tortured and cut to pieces by Cutthroat’s sharp sword before he turned it on me.

“What do we do?!” I whispered harshly.

She breathed out and crept closer to the rock. “We do what we came to do.”

“But we can’t do that now!” I pointed out in another harsh expulsion of whispered breath, “Cutthroat’s gonna have sentries and guards all over the place!”

“But we have a numerical advantage,” she said, “and before you go nuts, let me explain. There are two of us, and a lot of them. That means we can be sneaky.”

“Oh, I get it,” I said as my mind returned to its equilibrium, “we can dart about like rats in a maze.”

“Exactly.”

“Oh, we should also leave fake clues pointing them in the wrong direction,” I said, “that way, we can toss them off our trail and get the mares out.”

“Good thinking,” she said, “now, come on. There’s no time to waste!”

With those words, we snuck out from our hiding spot and kept to the shadows along the prison wall. I silently thanked Twilight that the sun was in the perfect spot. Thanks to Breeze’s striped pattern and my darker fur, we were able to keep out of sight. When we came to a brighter spot, we simply waited for the guards to turn another direction, and dashed across into the shadows again. It was a good plan, and every now and then, we turned over a bucket or lacerated a bush in order to leave a false trail. Slowly…painfully slowly…we made our way to the main door into the cell area.

By this point, all my friends had been returned to their living quarters, if you could call it that. When a guard opened the gate, we snuck forward and slipped inside unnoticed. Hiding behind a nearby stack of boxes, we were able to observe the cells and their surroundings. I nearly retched again, it was so terrible. The stench was unbearable, and it became apparent that the mares were living in their own waste. I watched as two guards trotted into a cell where two unknown mares resided. Once inside, one pinned a mare against the wall and raped her while the other mercilessly beat the second mare. I couldn’t bear to watch, so I closed my eyes and held myself against the boxes.

“Believe it or not, that’s being rewarded,” Breeze said, “you don’t wanna know what punishments are like around here.”

“How could anypony treat somepony else with such cruelty?” I asked in disbelief, “I mean…how?”

“There’s evil in the world, Trundle,” Breeze said, “and that’s never gonna change. All we can do is stop it when we can, and right now, we have that opportunity. Those poor mares in there, trying to survive this hell, are desperately counting on us. They may not realize it, but they are. Now, let’s go cell by cell and break our friends out.”

“Friends?” I asked, “but, you don’t even know them.”

“Your Princess is very wise,” she said, “I’ve read some things about her, and one of them is that somepony in need is your friend, no matter what. I’d say that applies here.”

I nodded and, as soon as the guards left, we trotted forward. I was knocking myself for doubting friendship in such a way, but I didn’t have much time to do so. We arrived at the cell where the two mares had been beaten and tortured. They looked at me with sad eyes, wondering what they had done to deserve such treatment. I gagged as I looked at their cell floor, coated in a thick layer of feces, urine, and all manner of bodily fluids. Then, I looked back at them. Their poor coats were ragged and knotted, and their manes had lost every ounce of luster they once possessed. They were covered with bruises and injuries, and one had even had a hoof split wide open.

“Please…help us,” one of them begged weakly, “I…don’t know how…much longer…”

“Sh…” Breeze said, “we’re here to help you.”

At this point, the mares were so delighted to have help that they didn’t question Breeze’s loyalty to the cause. She trotted to a nearby table and slowly opened a drawer. Fishing out a key, she then trotted across the passageway to where another door awaited. She unlocked this door and was faced with a wall of keys. Using a careful hoof, she pried the key to their cell out and unlocked the door. The mares had tears in their eyes as they unabashedly hugged Breeze for all they were worth and thanked her over and over again.

“It’s no trouble,” she said, “now, we need your help to free everypony else in here. Together, we’ll stop Cutthroat and end his evil tyranny over both the zebras and you.”

The mares nodded, and soon enough, we had four more cells open. Each mare that came out looked poorer than the last, and I had to continually stop myself from vomiting at their cell floors. They truly were living in a world of horror, never knowing when someone was going to hurt them. I didn’t know how long Twilight and I had been unconscious in our own cell back at the castle, so I couldn’t imagine the length of time that this hell had been operational. As more and more mares joined us, my anger grew. I wanted Cutthroat’s neck in my hooves. I wanted to flay this evildoer who would dare attack our happy home and make such trivial sport of the mares within it.

Soon, I told myself, I will kill Cutthroat, if it’s the last thing I do.

Confession

We finally reached Twilight’s cell, only to find that she wasn’t there. We suddenly remembered that she’d been taken outside to be tortured. There were far too many escaped mares with us to hide anywhere small, so we came up with a plan. The window next to us led over the wall and out into the forest. So, Breeze and I began hoisting mares out just as quickly as we could. We formed a living ladder, and the mares would climb on our shoulders as we made ourselves useful. Just knowing that they were leaving this terrible place made me feel warm and happy. They’d finally be able to go home and get the medical care and attention they so urgently needed.

One mare, her mane matted and torn and with huge holes in her fur, stepped up to me. She had very pretty amber eyes, and I could imagine what she once looked like. But now, her ribs showed as her emaciation became apparent. She was so weak that she could barely stand up, and she gave me a pleading look. I could tell how desperate she was to escape. I wanted to tell her that everything would be okay, but I didn’t wish to be dishonest. After all, nopony could see into the future, and nopony had any kind of premonitory power. So, I nodded at her and invited her closer.

“Family?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yes…a…a husband and two beautiful fillies. I…I’ve missed them so much…and I’m so hungry and tired…please…help…”

That was all she could get out before she fainted in front of me. I got word to Breeze up above me, and we scrambled apart to help her. We picked her up and, with the help of three mares behind us, managed to get her out and into the bushes below. I didn’t know her name, but something beneath her spoke to me. She had something that most of these mares had, but none of them had mentioned. It was that determination that drove her to survive that horrible place. I was very impressed, and I made a mental note to get her name and story after we got out. But there were still more mares behind us, so we formed our ladder again.

All in all, we managed to get seventy mares out without being spotted. But then, we heard a door clang shut and we knew a patrol was on its way. So, the twenty or so remaining mares gathered together where they could, and Breeze and I squeezed into a tight crevice in the wall. As we watched, four guards came by hauling a very familiar purple figure. It was Twilight, completely unconscious and covered with blood and other bodily fluids. My anger rose again as I wished for the death of every single zebra that surrounded her and more beside. I felt a strength in me that I’d never known before. Once again, she was my inspiration, and I saw all of it being sucked away from me. Cutthroat held the tube as Twilight’s very life was slowly and painfully taken.

“I can’t take it!” I whispered to Breeze, “they’re gonna kill her!”

“They’re gonna kill her quicker if you don’t shut up!” She whispered back.

I did as she said and kept my mouth shut. We scrunched ourselves against the wall until the guards passed us. When the metal door clanged shut again, we raced out of our hiding spot and up to the cell. I looked down and immediately began weeping. My beautiful Twilight’s coat was torn beyond recognition. Her mane had been partially ripped out, and she was bleeding from multiple wounds along her flanks, legs, and haunches. She carried a large gash in her face, and her shoulder had been removed of its furry coating. But the thing that worried me most was the remnant of a sharp blow to the head. I turned and looked at Breeze, who was fighting back tears of her own.

“Breeze…” I said with venom in my voice, “…she’s bleeding, laying in a pile of Celestia knows what, and obviously been tortured beyond anything anypony could stand. We need to get her out.”

“Of course,” Breeze said, racing over to where they kept the key.

As she unlocked the door, my mind turned vicious. “I want Cutthroat’s head hanging on my wall…”

“As do a lot of zebras and ponies,” Breeze said, “but we need to be patient. We’ll get our chance to take the bastard down. For now, we must get Twilight out of here. She’s the last mare!”

“What about my other friends?” I asked, “the ones we saw outside?”

“I’m afraid we’ll have to wait and bust them out when Cutthroat’s guard is down. Once he gets started on a mare, he doesn’t stop.”

I nodded, accepting this horrible fact, and we pushed Twilight over the window and into the bushes. We leapt down and joined her, and I prodded at her side and nuzzled her. I whispered her name, hoping to get some kind of reaction. But the fates seemed against me. So, I sat back on my haunches and wept bitterly. I knew it was only a matter of time before she would leave us. There was no way she’d return to Equestria…not in that condition, at least. All hope seemed lost, and I bent down to be with her one final time.

“If you can hear me, please listen, Twilight,” I whispered in her scarred, yet still beautiful ear, “I’ve waited the entire time I’ve known you to say what I need to say now. I had always dreamt of a much more appropriate locale, but that’s beside the point. Twilight Sparkle, I love you. I know you’re betrothed to Flash, and that’s why I didn’t say anything. I respect you too much. Yes, even enough to let you marry somepony else. But my love for you is absolute, and it has been for a long time. I will always love you, Twilight, even if I have to do it from a distance. Please, come back to us…come back to me…I…I need you.”

Twilight's Return

It was a simple little cough. It wasn’t much, but my Twilight was showing a small sign of life. I prodded at her fur with my hoof, nearly bursting into tears at all the injuries inflicted on her. This was my princess, my friend, and the pony I loved more than anything else. To see her in such a way awakened some primal urge to weep. I couldn’t help myself. So, I buried my nose into her body and began letting the tears flow. They rivaled the Great Equestrian River as they cascaded down my face and dripped into the forest of her coat. Some part of me felt a deep connection with Twilight as I lay there crying into her being. It felt like my tears would rejuvenate her, much as a bird taking flight at the break of dawn.

I silently begged for another cough, a sneeze, or even a yelp of pain. Something that would prove that my beloved was still alive. Memories flashed through my mind as I wept bitterly. I saw the time that Twilight and I first came together as friends. I had been a new soul in Ponyville without any friends or anypony to turn to. I had no home, so I would wander the streets aimlessly, wondering why the hell I had decided to move there. It was supposed to be the friendliest place in all Equestria. So…why didn’t I feel welcome? Why did it feel so strange to me?

At first, I thought it was simply my urban upbringing and the sudden change to rurality. But then I had a small conversation with some fellow Manehattan transfers, and they said that they’d never felt more at home. Then, I thought it was something with the way I presented myself. I wasn’t exactly the best looking pony, but I never considered myself ugly. Nopony ever called me out on the way I was dressed, nor on my speaking mannerisms. In fact, they never spoke to me at all, which made me feel lonelier than ever. I had moved to Ponyville because I felt lost in the Manehattan crowd. My books weren’t selling well, and I was living in a ratty old flat in SoHoof.

But in Ponyville, I felt even more lost…that is, until she crossed my path. She was beautiful, smart, kind, and an Alicorn. I was almost immediately smitten with this pony, Twilight Sparkle. I found myself hanging around her castle on a daily basis, wanting very much to speak with her, but never having the courage to do so. Then, one day, she came up to me and tapped me on the shoulder. She said she’d noticed me around, and wondered if there was any way she might help me. I went weak in all four of my knees, but I shook my head and explained my predicament. She was so kind to me, and allowed me to bunk in the castle until I found a place. It was there that we truly bonded and she introduced me to the rest of her friends.

Now, that same pony who’d shown me such kindness and warmth was dying under my watchful gaze. Her breaths were shallow, and her chest struggled to raise and lower itself. I nuzzled deeper into her fur, willing her to return to us. The other mares stood beside me, and one began rubbing my shoulder. I was comforted by the gesture, but an overwhelming sense of loss still enveloped my being. If Twilight died, I didn’t know what I’d do, who I would run to in a tight spot, or where I’d go when I just needed to talk. I was close with our other friends, but Twilight was my confidante. I trusted her above all other ponies. Frankly, I needed her.

Breeze stood in front of me with her head bowed. Ever since our three way sexual encounter in prison, she and Twilight had grown incredibly close. They had many conversations after we escaped, and when Cutthroat had kidnapped Twilight, Breeze had shown just as much anger as I had. Now, she bent down and nosed her way into Twilight’s coat, gently pressing her lips to it in a kiss of friendship. I did the same, feeling like the gesture was oddly appropriate for the moment. Once again, I thought that these small movements might trigger some kind of reaction that would drive Twilight back to the sunshine of life. But nothing happened for a very long time. So, we continued to sit in the bushes, holding a vigil for somepony that we were sure had left us.

Then, suddenly, she moved her head. Her beautiful eyes fluttered open, showing their purple radiance to the world once again. I smiled as I wound around her and looked directly into the windows of her soul. She didn’t say anything, but reached a hoof out and began stroking my cheek. Painfully, she crept forward until she could commit to the gesture and then pulled me into a kiss. I was shocked at first, but then her warmth spread all throughout my body and I melted into her hold. My heart thudded out of my chest, and I’m fairly sure my tail began wagging like the average canine. When she broke away, she looked up at me with a look of love mixed with pain.

“I heard every word you said,” she whispered, “and I love you, too.”

“You do?” I asked, “but, what about Flash?”

“Flash didn’t stay with me in prison. Flash didn’t help me escape. Flash wasn’t kind and friendly to me when the chips were down. Flash didn’t fight his way out of ropes thicker than a log just to save me. Flash…I don’t even know where he is. But you, Trundle, you’ve proven your love to me. I’m only sorry I didn’t see it sooner.”

“Oh, Twilight,” I said, “there’s nothing to be sorry over. You had Flash, and that was good enough for you.”

“But I don’t want my love life to just be ‘good enough,’” Twilight struggled to whisper, “I want it to be the best, and I truly feel that it will be that with you. Trundle, when we return to Equestria, I…I want to be yours.”

“Nothing would make me happier,” I said, “and…I want to be yours, too.”

Freeing The Oppressed

It took some time, but Twilight finally got back on her hooves. We managed to make some poultices out of some grass nearby, and these helped stop her bleeding. Her mane would grow back eventually, and she said she felt well enough to stand. So, Breeze, myself, and the other mares helped her back up. She stood there stiff as a board, yet as bountifully beautiful as the spring flowers. This was still the mare I loved. True, there would be both physical and emotional repairing to be done, but her heart remained the same. It was as if I could see it myself, beating with her new love for me. It warmed my soul, and I wanted to be with her every waking moment.

We hid out in the forest for a few days watching how the zebras went about their work. Of course, with the recent jailbreak, there were more than a few tweaks to security. But we just knew that we could transform these obstacles into tools for our success. We discussed our plans thoroughly, and each pony knew the role they had to play. By this point, most of the mares had recovered from the injuries they’d received and shared their stories with me. Some asked me not to relay them, so I am going to respect their privacy. Still others wanted me to share them.

For instance, Lyra Heartstrings, a friend from Ponyville, wanted me to tell her story. Apparently, she had been enjoying a wonderful morning with her mate, Bon-Bon, when they were both taken by Cutthroat’s forces. Once in the Zebra Homeland, they were forced into a cage made of barbed wire and taken away. They cried out in pain as the wire cut their hooves something fierce, but their emanations fell upon deaf ears. She told me that it was the worst pain she had ever felt. Every single step was like stepping on fire.

When they arrived at Cutthroat’s camp, they were dumped out and an inquiry was made of whether or not they were “acceptable.” Cutthroat had leapt upon Lyra, driving his member deep inside her. She squealed in agony, and Cutthroat pulled out, telling his guards that she was. But when he administered the same test to Bon-Bon, she had held her tongue, thus infuriating the dictator. He screamed for her head, and he got it, too. I shook with rage as Lyra relayed these things to me, for Bon-Bon had been my friend as well.

“You…have to help me avenge her, Trundle,” Lyra said with her voice shaking as I gathered her into a hug, “please.”

“Don’t worry, Lyra,” I said, “your girl’s death will be avenged, along with every other friend we’ve lost in this terrible time. I swear it.”

I’ll never forget her smile of gratitude as we rejoined our group to discuss that night’s attack. It pushed me forward, wanting very much to help this dear friend. I figured that sometimes, the ultimate show of friendship is helping somepony find justice for an evil committed. An eye for an eye, right? Well, in keeping with the metaphor, Cutthroat had blinded Equestria. Now it was time for a little bit of visual payback. I was ready. I had never felt so inundated with bravery. Each mare standing beside, in front, and in back of me was counting on me.

“Alright,” I said, “are we clear?”

I saw everypony nod, and we marched out of our small camp towards the zebra’s big one. Our heads popped over the bushes as we looked down into the clearing. Multiple guards patrolled deep into the unknown, obviously chasing all of Cutthroat’s escaped concubines. I saw one guard trip and fall, and his supervisor come over and chew him out. He quickly popped back up and raced to his group before something lethal happened. I realized that this was the chance we’d been looking for. Four of our mares had voluntarily agreed to be the decoy unit and lead the guards off on a wild pony chase. So, Breeze and I deployed them, and they trotted right up to the guards.

“Hey, fuck face!” One of them yelled, surprising even me, “betcha can’t catch us!”

“GET BACK HERE!” The guard screamed in a fury as the girls led him and the rest of his team off into the brush.

Yes! I silently praised the mares, good job, guys!

“Alright,” I whispered to the others, “it’s time! Operation Zero Hour is in effect!”

Everypony knew their positions and quickly got into them. While the guards were distracted, three teams of mares snuck through the darkness and clambered into the camp. Once inside, I watched as they wreaked havoc among the sleeping zebras. True, it was a bit of a cheap move on our part, but Breeze and I knew that we’d never be able to catch them otherwise. We told our agents of revenge to catch as many prisoners as they could. But, if they found a zebra who mistreated them or raped them, they had our full permission to go to lethal force.

Like ninjas, our friends stealthily crept through the field of tents, dodging into one and then another. They’d toss out the zebra that would be prisoner before doing as they pleased with the rest of the tent. The plan was working perfectly. Yes, I thought, soon enough, the zebras will be neutralized, Cutthroat’s life will be in my hooves, and Equestria will have its due justice. Twilight and the other mares will never have to worry about being raped again…I’ll see to that. The oppressed shall be freed, and the hurt shall be given strength! We are here, so take heed, Zebra forces…we are here and we are not going away!

Suddenly, I heard a great cry emanate from the camp. Looking down, I saw that all of the zebras had emerged from their tents and begun a great battle with our small force. I lost it and screamed for the rest of our team to engage. We charged into the camp, thrusting about with horns and very sharp hooves. I knew that my goal was Cutthroat’s tent at the center of everything. But getting there would be a challenge. Then, I felt a warmth at my side and I knew Twilight was there. Then, Breeze joined my other side. I gave my two best friends a look, nodded, and we thundered forward.

Cutthroat's End and A New Beginning

We charged with reckless abandon. Our manes fluttered in the breeze behind us, and our tails followed suit. I felt like some sort-of apparition, dodging flying hooves and slashing swords. It was something of an out of body experience, and I swore I was floating above the battlefield watching my friends and I fight. There was Breeze, swift and true, swiping her hooves at her former brethren. She took down foes left and right, and I was very impressed with her hoof-to-hoof skills. She’d slash a throat here, and take out a shoulder there. Either way, it left her enemy stunned, confused, hurt, or even dead.

Then, I looked and saw Twilight. How beautiful a sight she was. Her eyes blazed with a fury I’d never seen before, and it was somewhat startling. She looked like a mother bear defending her cubs. The metaphor passed through my mind, and I realized how much sense it made. Equestria was in her care, and she had failed to protect it. Her “cubs” were beaten, mangled, raped, and, in some cases, lost to the grave. Now she had a chip on her shoulder, and she was intent on pursuing its demise. Her horn flashed this way and that, shooting judgment upon all the malefactors who dared to confront her. She even found one of the zebra guards who’d raped her, and she plunged her horn into his chest. It was so satisfying, even for me.

“I may be a friend,” Twilight growled, “but I’m not above seeing that justice is served! You’re all sentenced to death for your crimes!”

I had never heard such venom spat from her lovely lips before. It was something of a stimulant, as seeing her in this environment enveloped me with an odd attraction. I liked watching her in this way. Seeing her flash from spot to spot with such grace, followed by a lightning quick attack created a sense of wonder within my being. But, I shook it off because I had my own personal mission. I fought my way alongside Twilight and Breeze before we finally broke through and made it to Cutthroat’s tent. We looked up to see the zebra leader in pitched combat with two of our mares.

“I’ll get him!” I screamed, “you guys cover me!”

My friends nodded and turned back into the squall. I jumped up the wall and landed on the roof, looking my enemy square in the face for the first time since he tied me to a tree. My teeth were bared, and I’m sure my horn gleamed in the moonlight. The fires that burned on sticks below caused our shadows to dance upon the canvas floor beneath us. Thankfully, Cutthroat had turned his attention away from the two mares, who were able to make a quick escape. Thus it was that we were all alone. Myself, and the only equine I can say I have ever truly despised.

“Trundle Hoof…” Cutthroat growled, “…you truly are a pain in my ass…”

“Ah, a mutual meeting of feelings,” I spat sarcastically, “look, I tried to bring you to friendship and peace. But you wouldn’t listen. So now we do things this way.”

“We do…we do. Oh, by the way, I still have one of your mares,” he said before cackling, “and she’s gonna be a lot of fun…to kill.”

I gnashed my teeth even harder and leapt upon the zebra. We became a howling mass of hooves and vicious bites, ripping fur and slaughtering skin cells with each passing second. Our blood painted the rooftop, turning it from a deeply evil green into a more sinister red. How we managed to roll about without toppling to the ground below is still a mystery. But we did, and soon enough, I found myself in a very good position. Cutthroat was beneath me, bleeding from multiple wounds. Of course, I have no experience in combat. I simply lashed out blindly, knowing that I was fighting for my friends, my Twilight, and all of Equestria. This tyrannical zebra had taken so much from us. Now, it was time for vengeance to be returned.

I didn’t give him a chance to respond to my move. With one quick bite, I tore his throat out, leaving him with an ironic final injury. I stepped back as the world seemed to slow down around me. I had just killed somepony for the first time in my life. I knew it had to be done, that this was the only way to return things to normal. In fact, Twilight told me later on that the entire zebra force had scattered when their commander fell. But I didn’t see them. Something inside me felt different. I was queasy, nauseous, joyous, excited, angry, and a whole list of other emotions much too numerous to name. Cutthroat lay dead at my hooves. The zebras and Equestria had both been liberated. So…what was it I was feeling?

I was soon joined by Twilight and Breeze. My new lover kissed my cheek before nuzzling up to me. “Hey,” she said, “what’s wrong?”

“That’s just it, I don’t know,” I said, “I mean…Cutthroat is gone. His horrific methods of forcing mares to breed with him are destroyed. So…why do I feel guilty? Why do I feel like I sank to his level of barbarism and hatred?”

“Listen, Trundle,” Breeze said from my other side, “Cutthroat did a lot of terrible things, and karma’s a bitch. He got everything he deserved. Justice has been won for every zebra and pony the world over. We’ve done it…we’ve rid ourselves of one of the worst regimes of all time. The method might not have been pleasant, but the rewards are very rich.”

I realized that my zebra friend was right. My small feelings of guilt washed away like the sands on the seashore, and I embraced my friends. We returned to our own camp after liberating the final mare, and celebrated like the sun would never rise again. Twilight wrote a letter home with a plea for rescue, and a week later, the boats of the Equestrian Naval Force and the zeppelins of the Equestrian Air Corps finally crested the horizon. There was cause for more celebration as we each boarded a vessel and returned home. I’m sure that I wasn’t the only pony who was only slightly exaggerated in their kissing of the ground. It felt so amazing to be home, to be back among friends, and to see those whom we thought we’d lost.

It turned out that not as many stallions fell to the Cutthroat regime, and they eagerly embraced their wives and marefriends. I’d bet that more kisses were divulged on that one day than in all Equestrian history. Thankfully, I was not left out of the love fest, as Twilight threw her hooves around me and we kissed deeply. I kept looking over my shoulder, expecting Flash to come out and confront me. But, he never did. We later found out that he’d been one of Cutthroat’s many victims. Twilight was saddened by the loss, and I found myself comforting her more often than not.

One day, about a week after our return, I was stroking her mane in her room within the Canterlot Castle. I could tell that she was still a bit perturbed by everything. “So…you still miss him, hm?” I asked.

“Trundle, Flash was my fiancée,” she said.

“But…I’m your fiancée now,” I pointed out.

“You never asked me to marry you,” she said, “so that doesn’t make you my fiancée. At least…not yet.”

I knew where this was going and, though I thought I’d already done this, I got out from behind her and knelt. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, I love you more than anything in this world. You’re more radiant than the sun in the sky, more beauteous than the flowers of spring, and more majestic than the Northern Mountains. You are the fire that burns within me, and I never want it to be extinguished. Twilight…will you marry me?”

“Of course,” she whispered with tears in her eyes.

So, we kissed once again. Our futures were engrained within each other, and nothing could stop us. We had our lives, our friends, our families, and now we had love. It was the perfect missing piece to my nearly completed puzzle. Now that the ship of our romance had sailed, no wind could ever bring it down. So, we embraced, tying ourselves together and looking forward to a bright future.

A Good Day Goes Sour

I am told that many of you viewing this story would like to know more about Yours Truly. Sincerity is often the mother of such statements, yet unbridled flattery may also land in the same category. Nevertheless, I shall endeavor to tell you something about myself. I am a light brown stallion, and I look somewhat like my brother, though I’m not as tall or thin. I have a yellow mane that stops just short of my shoulder. It has become somewhat darkened over the years, but it still retains its color to the point where one could identify it. My cutie mark is one of a quill with an ink well beside it. I received it the day I wrote and published my first short story, about a beautiful mare who is also an adventurer. It’s something like Daring Do, though with an injection of the romantic word.

Ah, romance. I have always been keen on the subject. Its beautiful fragrance dances through my nostrils every single time I am allowed to write about it. I feel surrounded by warmth and a very strong gentility. Forests of love foliate their way through my mind, leaving it cocooned within leafy shrouds of happiness. Oh, yes, “shrouds” often speaks of some kind of predestined doom. But there is no doom where true romance is concerned. There is only that wondrous sense of thrill that manifests within one’s self until you are forced to move your hooves and mouth with joy. There’s just something about writing a novel where a stallion and mare fall for each other. It creates the kind of out of body experience that you don’t get with any other genre.

But enough about me, let us continue with the venture that I have been asked to relay to you. Let’s see….where was I? Oh, right!

I had just finished my business at the quill store. As I emerged, the beautiful small village seemed so lively. The hustle and bustle of preparing for Princess Twilight’s wedding had completely overtaken the town. My excitement may have been tempered by a love for Twilight that would never be realized, but that didn’t mean that I had any right to ruin anypony’s day. So, I smiled as I trotted along towards the Castle of Friendship. It was the epicenter of everything surrounding the romantic occasion. Twilight was staying there until the big day, and word around town was that the press were having to be forcibly removed from the lawn. It was also the home to a dear friend of mine: Starlight Glimmer. In fact, she had helped me get settled after I first moved to Ponyville. You could say that she was the first friend I made upon arriving.

“Starlight?” I called as I entered the main hall after showing the security guard my clearance pass, “where are you?”

“Over here, Trundle!” Starlight called as she popped out from behind some boxes. She then trotted up and gave me a very warm hug. “I wasn’t expecting you today.”

“Well, I was just on my way home from Author’s place, and I thought I’d drop in. How’s Twilight?”

Starlight looked at the ground. It became apparent that the bride-to-be was not in the best of constitutions. I thought about leaving and returning later, but as I turned to go, Starlight put a hoof on my shoulder. I looked up and saw that her eyes were wide and worried. Obviously, she needed a friend during this time, so I decided to offer my services. I grasped her in another embrace, and I could feel her smiling down my back.

“It’s so good to have a friend like you, Trundle Hoof,” she said, “but, honestly, I’m fine. The princess is fine. Spike’s fine. We’re all…fine.”

“Your mouth says that you’re fine, but your eyes speak a different language,” I said.

“Oooo…a new line?”

“Eh, I’m working on it,” I said, blushing, “but, seriously. You seem to have two different expressions.”

“Oh, Trundle, Twilight’s wedding is a disaster!” Starlight suddenly blurted, “Rarity is continually changing the dress because she thinks it’s terrible, the decoration pony quit, the Cakes don’t know if they’ll have the cake done on time, and the musicians won’t work for anything less than 300 bits!”

“How much is in the budget for them?”

“250.”

“Ouch.”

“Oh, Trundle!” She wailed, “what am I gonna do? Twilight should never have picked me for a wedding planner!”

“Hey, hey, hey,” I said, trying to be as soothing as possible, “it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not!” She exclaimed as she fought back tears, “Twilight’s counting on me to make her special day…well…special! Only, I can’t think of how to do it.”

“Do you need some help?” I asked honestly, “because, I’d be happy to help with the nuptials of somepony I hold so dear.”

Starlight smiled at me and nodded. I was thrilled. At least now, I’d get to be close to Twilight before the day arrived. I wanted to show her that I could be happy for her, even though on the inside, I was fighting a losing battle. Starlight turned and led me up the nearby staircase towards Twilight’s old room. A small wave of something that I couldn’t quite describe coursed through me. I was excited, because I would get to be more involved with the wedding than ever before…yet…I was also saddened by the same thing. I couldn’t unwrap my own feelings, and that scared me. But, I put this problem aside for the sake of my friendship with the princess.

“Twilight?” Starlight called, “are you available?”

“Always,” came the cheery voice of my beloved princess. Then, suddenly, there she was, radiant as ever. She wore a wedding veil atop her beautiful purple locks, and her body was encased in a sea of white. Behind her, Rarity raced around with pins, a measuring tape, and various other items that fashion designers use. Her magical aura floated around multiple things at once, and she kept poking and prodding at Twilight, even as the royal pony spoke with us.

“Trundle Hoof!” She exclaimed when she saw me, “it’s always wonderful to see you, my dear friend. Now, then, what can I do for you?”

“Well, Trundle here says that he’d like to be more involved with the wedding. I could take him on as assistant planner.”

“I think that’s a splendid idea-OUCH!” Twilight exclaimed as a clothespin found her flank.

“Sorry, darling,” Rarity said, “but this dress is just…in need of so many alterations!”

“Don’t trouble yourself so much, Rarity,” Twilight said, “take your time. The wedding’s not for four more days!”

“FOUR DAYS?!” Rarity cried, “oh, I don’t now how I shall ever get this done on time!”

The drama queen once again wore her crown as she collapsed in a heap on Twilight’s bed and began sobbing. I gently stepped around the future wife and trotted over to where she lay. Her body was crumpled up like a discarded tissue, and I had to gently put a hoof in the middle and pull so that she resembled the pony that I knew. I bent down and smiled at her, trying intensely to pour on the same kind of charm that my sibling possessed. I knew of her affection for him, so I attempted to use his zing with mares, hoping it ran in the family.

“Come on, Rare,” I said, “it’s gonna be okay.”

“No, it won’t!” She cried, “the dress is pathetic! It’s one of my worst creations ever! Oh, how I wish I could bring back the magic that I put into Princess Cadance’s wedding dress!”

“Sh…sh…” I said, running a hoof through her mane. “it’ll all work out. I mean, the dress looks fantastic to me!”

She suddenly sat up, angered at my compliment. “Fantastic?! The dress looks fantastic?! Can you not see that everything is absolutely horrid about it?!”

“But, Rarity, it’s just a white dress. I mean, it’s the same as any bride would wear.”

“That’s just it! I’m Rarity, fashion designer to the stars! I can’t make just a plain white dress! It needs to be sophisticated, fashionable, unique…it needs to be MEEEEEEE!”

With that, the designer crumpled up in a heap of tears once again. I tried my hardest to comfort her, but she wouldn’t budge. She continually wailed about how supposedly mediocre the dress was. But when I looked at it, I saw that it coated the most beautiful pony in all Equestria. So to say that I marveled at the dress would be an understatement. Yet it seemed that all Rarity cared about was the gown, and not the pony in it. I suddenly saw an opportunity to teach a friendship lesson and impress Twilight.

“You know, Rarity, a hundred years from now, nopony’s gonna remember the dress.”

She sniffed and looked at me. “They won’t?”

“Of course not.”

She welled up and suddenly burst into a waterfall of weeping. “THAT’S BECAUSE IT’S PATHETICALLY AWFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLL!”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Twilight said, “Rarity, pull yourself together. Trundle’s right. Anything you put together is gonna be fantastic, and everyone will-“

“YOUR MAJESTY!” A guard screamed as he burst into the room.

“What is it, Squire Knight?” Twilight asked, racing over to him.

“Ex-Princesses Celestia and Luna have sent word from Silver Shoals, ma’am,” the guard barked, “there’s gonna be an attack!”

The Zebra's Encampment

Bass led Breeze and I through the thick forest towards the Order’s encampment. He had promised to help us free all the ponies there in exchange for our guarantee of his safety. The young zebra was very smart, as he knew that Twilight would ring his neck the first chance she got. After all, he’d been part of the raiding party that raped her and kidnapped her. He’d never personally gotten his hooves on her, but he’d watched as she was tortured. I was a little miffed that he hadn’t had the courage to speak up as she was plowed like a field, but I held my tongue. We needed his help, and he was the friendliest zebra I’d met so far besides Breeze.

Speaking of Breeze, she and Bass really hit it off. They spent the entire journey laughing and talking while I lagged behind. I felt a little left out. I mean, what could possibly have been so humorous? Perhaps they were joking about Cutthroat or stripes or tree leaves or any number of assorted things. I tried overhearing them, but every time I got close, they ducked their heads down and whispered. My mind worked overtime trying to figure out just what it was they were speaking of, but I couldn’t figure anything out. Then, suddenly, it hit me.

They…they’re gonna betray me! I thought frantically as I began a small descent into paranoia, they’re gonna leave me to the wolves the minute we get into that camp! Oh, why did I ever trust them?! Breeze only fucked me to get close to me, and Bass is probably her true special somepony…maybe…even her husband! Oh, shit…I’m fucked! I’m so royally fucked!

This is the part of the story where the reader places shame upon the main character, and I definitely deserved it. For what I did next was rather inexcusable. I stopped and stared at them with eyes that, I’m certain, were the size of the average dinner plate. I then began shrieking at them as my mind parlayed scenario after scenario where I was fed through the meat grinder. I saw my body being tossed about like Twilight’s Smarty Pants doll. I watched as my mind conjured up images of my limbs being torn off, my blood running red, and worst of all, my beloved Twilight being unable to help me. I saw her enslaved to Cutthroat, doing his bidding, and completing menial sexual labor.

“NO! NO!” I screamed as the two zebras tried and tried to calm me, “YOU’RE NOTHING BUT FUCKING TRAITORS! YOU’RE GONNA LEAVE ME TO DIE!”

“That’s not true!” Breeze said desperately, “we’re your friends! Honest, we are!”

“Yeah, Trundle!” Bass exclaimed in the same tone, “Breeze is right! We’ll never leave you behind!”

“How can I trust you?!” I asked breathlessly as I backed against a nearby tree, “you were with him! You know him! You followed him! You committed to his bloodthirsty and malevolent nature-“

“-and we were wrong to do that!” Breeze said firmly, “now, we want to help you and the ponies, Trundle Hoof! We can do it, but we can’t do it alone. We need you…”

The look in their eyes was honest and kind and it put my mind at ease. I allowed myself to be helped up and I apologized profusely for my outburst. I explained what happened, and how I’d had a small panic attack. My zebra friends understood and, to my surprise, wrapped me up in a warm embrace. I returned the gesture, and asked them why they were so secretive with their conversation.

“Well…some things are just private,” Breeze said, “but I promise you, we’re not planning anything.”

“Yeah,” Bass said, “things are gonna go just the way we want them to. We’ll get to the camp, rescue the ponies, and defeat Cutthroat once and for all.”

“Alright,” I said.

It was an hour or so later when we finally burst from the bushes and looked down into the encampment. It was absolutely gigantic, and my knees involuntarily knocked together. Tents stretched out forever across the ground, carpeting it with their solidarity and sameness. They were all exactly alike: dark green with a small camouflage flap across the front. In the very center of camp stood a very tall, very luxurious canopy. I assumed that it was Cutthroat’s residence, and I confirmed my suspicions when I saw the evil zebra hauling two chained ponies across the clearing. They were dressed in suits of armor, but I could still tell some distinguishing features. I gulped as I recognized Rarity’s beautiful purple tail and Fluttershy’s uniquely long pink mane.

“Those are my friends!” I whispered to my companions, “Rarity and Fluttershy!”

“Alright,” Breeze said, “here’s the plan: Bass, you need to act as bait so Trundle and I can break the ponies out of the prisoner’s quarters. Keep Cutthroat occupied as long as you can, alright?”

“I’ll do my best,” Bass said, “you have my word.”

“Good,” Breeze said, “Trundle, you and I will head for where they’re keeping the mares on lockdown.”

“But, how do you know it’s all mares?”

“It’s Cutthroat’s MO,” she explained, “he takes the mares for breeding purposes and kills the stallions. Plus, I’ve seen the inside of those tents. They aren’t pretty, the beds are ragged and torn, and the mares are fairly starved. Then, Cutthroat dresses them in suits of armor before raping them.”

“Why in the hell does he do that?” I asked.

“It’s a fetish he has, the sick bastard,” she said, “he loves mares in uniform, and he loves to watch them…take the uniforms off. But, enough about his perversion. We have lives to save!”

It was thus that we made our way down the hill and towards the zebra camp. As it loomed closer in my vision, I could make out different features of the tents and the roads that connected them. It was like a small city, and I suddenly became very nervous. Could this ragtag group of two zebras and a pony really take down this entire guerilla regime?