Bitter and Sweet.

Prologue.

In a dark husk of my corner, that’s where I sit with the query notions. I’ve scarcely tugged from my footing. The sent of iron filled my chamber, the liquid staining the rocky sides and bars. The perception of the taste of expiration on the tip of my tongue, the turmoil sound the blaze forged lashed out at it’s holster, bounded by its fuel. It made the black lost souls that once was dance, mimicking the flame. The feeling was numb to me; all I was is just a jittery cold. There was a barred hole letting the winter engulf me. I had come to terms with it, though. I had deferred that I’ve been snatched from my people. A tiger in a zoo. I didn’t count the days I’ve been abandoned in this dungeon. I’ve lost track of my time here. Was it hours? Days? Weeks? Months. I didn’t know. But, there were things I did know. My sporadic heart was full of devastating wrath, with no room for pity or fear. Every visit to my dreams, anything related to that being brings me to such disdain that I bare within, compressed into my strength and devotion to eliminate the individual that made me feel unspeakable misery again. The bond between someone like me and another sapient being made me feel something that I haven’t adjusted to in a long, long time. Although, it had the same name as love, I held the feeling in a different light. As of a geriatric to it’s peer. How dare she take that one thing I hold deeply to my dismantled heart. How dare she take something so irreplaceable away from me as effortlessly as a decree. Hiding behind her loaded chips in her casino. Best believe I’m going all-in when the opportunity strikes. I may perish, I may be named a monster but, the life I take from this world will be brighter than this sun. Even if it was the symbol of darkness ruled. The symbol of a god has more dark shades than most, to the blackest black. She holds a torch in a sea of blackness. Her followers gape into the flame in awe; it's light concealing the cloud dusk around it, an illusion surrounded by the sea of her reality. Only the ones that see the bigger picture can uncover the mask she wears and truly sees the sly eye she stares with. A stare that only sees puppets and power she holds. Strings that plays with her pupils heads and litigations. As much as I hate her guts. I admire how effortlessly she’s manipulated them. I’m almost desirous of her command over her land. Maybe, just maybe. We could of gotten along with the darkness we have. Sanctioned the nation together. We have a lot of things in common. We’ve killed to protect vital information; we are the alpha in our own right, we rule over our people, we thrive for more power, and we want each other dead. But, we are slightly different. I’ve come from poverty and raised myself to the top of the food chain; she was born with regal blood. I kill to survive; she gets her lads to do the dirty work. I live a hard life; she lives a comfortable life.

“You look pathetic, monster.” A rough, deep voice spoke with superiority from the bar of my cell. Didn’t even hear the door open, must have been deep in my thoughts again. There was also muffled grunts and sobs were heard. I sighed, already knowing what this was about.

“You’ve been visiting way too often; I reckon you fancy me. Haha, Nah just kidding, you look old enough to be my arl fella.” I chuckled, which quickly turned into a painful cough that made my chest burn. God, I do look pathetic, though. I felt so weak. My arms and legs are left slender, losing my muscle after all my misery and suffering. I could hardly move any of my limbs what so ever.

“Your humour is wasted, monster.” He said in his sweet and gorgeous voice.

“Alright. Don’t get a cob on, grumpy arse.” I mocked, a smirk plastered on my face.

“Guess who I’ve retrieved today?” He said in his unamused voice. God, his voice is so sexy, if only he were human. Slowly, I levelled my head to face him, feeling the back of my neck reacts from moving after all this time spent just gazing at the cobbled floor. And there he was, Aloe, in all his golden armoured with a navy robe glory. He glared back defiantly with those big, yellow eyes of his. His pure white fur, neat yellow hair making him look like a true celestial. But, from where I stand, I see a empty shell. He seems almost lifeless. He’s done some shit in his time all for ‘the one, true ruler’ as they say—what a joke. Next to Aloe was a cream-yellow mare, crying before me, hemmed with a white, wet cloth over her eyes and muzzle. I knew this mare; Summer Seed was it? Yeah, I take her with me to far lands to discuss trades and information on my enemy. She was a hell of a trader, saving me bits and on top of that, allies. Too bad. She was probably raped and beaten before coming here if the sobs and marks on her said anything.

“You know, all this would stop if you had the sense of reason to comply with our commands. You wouldn’t have to see your loyal members die if you would stop being so stubborn and give us the information we need to stop this madness.” Aloe shouted, his tone getting more aggressive with each sentence. I didn’t pay attention, hell, the only words I caught out of that were ‘madness,’ mainly because it was the last word he said and because the madness he is talking about is all the robberies, vandalism, assaults on the royal guards we've been up to. I stared at the light, yellow mare, quite annoyed that she got nicked. Didn’t show it though, I mean, I can’t say anything. I got nicked as well.

“Summer Seed, you alright?” I said, getting up for the first time since I’ve been throw into this cell, I could barely stand, my legs were so skinny that I could see the bone, all my bones and joints click and crack as if I was breaking my bones. I saw her ears swivel towards my voice and stopped her mopping. Step by each slow step, I made my way to her. Reaching through the bars and lowing both her sheets down. She went wide-eyed from the sight of my slowly decaying body. Couldn’t blame her. I look like shit. Stripped of my clothes, even my underwear, my broken ribs were visible through the grey skin that I wore. I was starving. I could feel my stomach eating itself. I was that hungry. They haven't fed me at all. Just sent guards down to check on me now and then. I had blood running down through my body from rats taking a bite in my sleep, and guards just come now and then to have fun with there new punching bag, got raped as well, after he was finished with me, I did get revenge by ripping off his dick. No one tried doing that again. But, still, I smiled through the suffering I've endured. I kneeled down to the prone mare, and she shuffled closer to the iron bars, more tears starting to swell up.

“Mara, are you okay? What have they done to you?” she sobbed. I chuckled.

“What a dumb question. No, I feel like shit, I look like shit, and I haven't taken a shit in fucking ages. And for your other question, pretty much what they did to you just for longer.” I said, each work making her sob worse. I reached my hands through the iron bars to stroke her long pink hair when a shock of pain rushed through my wrist and instantly retreated my hand with and agonising growl and I felt blood spill.

“Don’t you fucking touch her, you bastard!” Summer Seed shouted at Aloe with rage, struggling against the chains she had on her hind legs. Aloe just stood there with the chains on hoof, and a whip in his yellow telekinesis.

“Calm down Summer; I don't want you dead just yet.” I spoke, ending her skirmish with my words.

“How- how can you be so calm? Everyone has been worried sick about you? It’s been a year since you’ve been gone! How the fuck have you not gone insane! How are you not-”

I placed a finger on her lips with a gentle hush that a mother would do to calm her child with a smile.

“Shh, its okay Summer. I’ll be okay. I’ve been broken long before I came here.” I said, moving my palm to the side of her cheeks to scratch the back of her ears with my disgusting skinny fingers. She didn’t seem to care, though, her heart rate lowered by the simple act.

“Tell me, how is The Firm doing? How’s Luna? Is she okay?” I murmured, feeling her head get closer?

“We’ve finally finished negotiations with the zebras; their tribe will help us.” She whispered back.

“That’s good news. How about luna? Is she okay?” I asked, feeling my warm smile widen just from saying her name.

“She's well, she is fully recovered and back on her hooves. She misses you dearly, Mara. She thinks your dead and wants to fight. Spitfire has taken good care of her. She has grown up much stronger than she was.” She said. Peace, I felt so light when she spoke those words. I felt a weight I never knew was there drop and for the first time in what felt like forever. I shed tears. Tears of joy.

“Brilliant, that’s sound.” I said, not knowing what else to say, wiping my tears with my arm, sniffing.

“Time is up, Mrs Summer Seed. Any last words?” Aloe said, dropping the whip and pulling out his long sword from his holster. Oh, yeah, the mare has a stallion and colt back at home, waiting for her. That reminds me of why she wanted to help. She wanted to protect her colt from the feared future. I remember how I doubted her capabilities she had to offer to The Firm and how she impressed me with flying fucking colours. The nicest fucking mare I know too. I looked at my shaky hand that was caked in blood. I wonder how many ponies are going to die because of me. I wonder.