Anonymous in Nu-Questria 2

The ship rolled and tumbled for what felt like ages. Your head spins as you slowly become aware of your surroundings. You only know that you’re inside the ship.

Your body feels bruised and completely immobilized. Your vision is filled with some kind of glittering magic material, and you feel a warm body pressed up against your stomach.

You’re still alive.

You groan and try to move your arms and legs. The stuff around you must be magic pillows that Izzy materialized. You hear a muffled voice that sounds like Pipp.

The ethereal pillows slowly start to fade. Your body sinks lower from its position suspended above the floor.

Then the spell cuts out and you fall about a foot onto the hard deck of the bridge. You land on your side. All around you, the ponies also drop to the deck. Pipp drops right in front of you with an “Oof!”

“Ow...” Hitch says from the other side of the room.

“What... what happened? Is everyone okay?” Sunny says as she raises up slowly to her hooves.

You shakily stand up. Your stomach feels sore. You definitely have some bruises all over, but at least none of your bones feel broken.

“I’m okay.” You say.

You notice that Izzy is still over by the bridge. Her legs are trembling and her eyes are shut tight.

“Izzy... she did it.” You say.

Izzy slowly opens her eyes and looks around. Her mouth opens in disbelief as she sees everyone still in one piece.

“Wh-what?” She stammers.

“Izzy...” Sunny says. She trots over and wraps her forelegs over Izzy. She then pulls her into a tight hug.

Izzy seems a bit confused. The other ponies walk over.

“Thank you, Izzy.” Hitch says earnestly. He limps a bit with his hind leg.

“You... you saved us, Iz!” Pipp says.

“I... I did. Didn’t I?” Izzy says. She looks like she can’t really comprehend it herself.

“Filled the whole room with pillows! How did you do that?” Zipp says in an enthusiastic voice.

As the ponies smile appreciatively at Izzy, you look around the room.

The windows are all broken up, but still intact. The cracks are so numerous it makes them look almost opaque. The roof is dented in many places, making the ceiling feel low and cramped.

“Hitch, are you okay?” Sunny asks in a worried tone.

“Just banged my leg... I’ll be okay.” He says, looking at his hind hoof.

You make your way over to the door. You turn the handle, but the door doesn’t budge. It seems to be stuck in the frame.

You kick it with your heel. It creaks loudly and swings open, then its hinges give way and it falls onto the deck.

The first thing you immediately notice is that the back half of the ship is missing. The pylon that previously held up the balloon is nothing more than a pile of twisted, bent metal. The deck still has shrapnel embedded into it from the flak.

You look back at Sunny and the ponies. Sunny gasps silently. Her eyes well up with tears as she sees the totality of the ships destruction.

You step out onto the deck and look around.

The ship landed in sparsely forested area. Judging from the swath of broken branches and toppled trees, the forest helped slow down the ship a bit as it tumbled across the ground.

You spot a few small buildings through the trees. All of them look collapsed and overgrown with vines. There doesn’t seem to be anyone around. At least, not yet.

The ponies slowly filter out of the door and stand with you on the deck. Together, you try to comprehend the situation you find yourselves in.

“She... she wasn’t bluffing.” Sunny finally says, adding an awkward laugh.

“Who?” Hitch says.

“Major... General Zelina.” Sunny says shakily. “Of the Abyssinian military.”

She takes a few steps forward, looking to the rear of the ship as if still expecting the missing stern to suddenly reappear.

“She’s the leader of those creatures we met. We contacted her on the radio, a-and...” Sunny says, trailing off as her voice cracks.

There’s a gentle breeze that tussles her mane. She lowers her head and avoids the gaze of her crew members.

“She called us on the radio. She gave us an ultimatum. Either land, or she’d shoot us down.” Zipp says.

“Oh...” Hitch says. Pipp folds her ears back and winces.

Sunny turns around slowly. Her head is held high, but her eyes show the pain welling up inside.

“I’ve... failed you. I’ve failed you all as a captain.” She says remorsefully.

“S-Sunny?” Izzy asks nervously.

Sunny inhales through her nose. Her mouth trembles, and she has to force the words out.

“They’ll... be coming for us soon. If you leave now, you can get a head start. With any luck, you might make it back to the east coast on hoof.” She says.

“What are you saying, Sunny?!” Hitch asks incredulously.

“I’m saying...” She says with a long sigh. “I’m no longer fit to be your captain. I’m staying here.”

“Sunny. No. You aren’t just going-” Pipp says.

“I said I’m staying here!” Sunny shouts. She clenches her eyes tight and a tear rolls down her cheek.

The ponies look crushed.

“Please, just... go. I deserve this. I’ve ruined everything.” She says.

You should be pissed at Sunny. You tried to warn her. If she listened, she could have prevented this, but you don’t feel like yelling at her any more. Not with her standing in the wreckage of her dream. The ship is now just another ruin sitting among many.

“Sunny...” You say, but she doesn’t look up.

Izzy marches up to Sunny and clasps her hooves over her cheeks.

“Sunny!! Snap out of it!” She says in an assertive tone.

“No!” Sunny says, pushing Izzy away with one hoof. She tries to fight off Izzy, but just ends up getting caught in a tight hug. Sunny starts bawling as Izzy holds her.

It’s hard to see. No more ever-present optimism from this mare.

You sigh and rub the back of your head, trying to consider what to say. Pipp walks over to Sunny and runs a hoof along her mane in a comforting gesture.

Hitch starts to walk over to Sunny, but his hind leg twists at a weird angle. “Ah!” He says, wincing with pain.

“A-are you sure you’re okay?” Zipp asks.

“I think... I might have sprained something.” Hitch says as he carefully sits down and looks at his hind leg. There’s a nasty bruise on the cannon.

He inhales sharply as he massages his leg.

“Ah...!” He says.

Zipp walks over to Hitch and sits down next to him. She takes a hook at the leg and carefully elevates it above his body.

“W-well.” Hitch says. “I guess that means... I’m staying with you too, Sunny. Sorry.”

Sunny’s sobs die down and she looks over at Hitch with a painful expression.

“No...” She says in a small voice.

Izzy lets go of Sunny and lets her sit normally on the deck. She moves around to her front and looks at her with round, compassionate eyes.

“Sunny, I know you were just doing what you thought was right.” Izzy says. “No one here is going to blame you for that.”

“Izzy’s right.” Pipp says. “We aren’t leaving you!”

Sunny starts to mouth something, but instead just looks down.

You sigh. You slowly sit down cross-legged on the deck near to Sunny.

“The captain always goes down with the ship, isn’t that right?” You say, trying to smile.

Sunny looks up at you. The tears are still flowing.

“Listen. You screwed up. It’s okay. It happens to all of us... especially me.” You say.

Sunny raises her head up and wipes her eyes.

“If you aren’t going to be captain any more, that’s fine.” You say. You grin with macabre delight. “But it’s not to late for me, right? Captain Anon. What do you say?”

Sunny’s mouth wobbles and she exhales through her nose. Pipp rolls her eyes.

Your little joke falls flat and your smile fades. You stare at the deck.

“Look, Sunny... for what it’s worth: I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything.” You say solemnly.

Then, you hear a droning sound in the distance. It begins as the distant rumble of diesel engines. Dark smoke rises up from the forest canopy. You then hear orders being shouted and the cries of frenzied laughter.

“They’re coming...” Sunny says quietly.

“Wait... the crystals!” Zipp says. She leaves Hitch’s side and walks a few paces towards the bridge.

“Oh shit!” Izzy blurts out.

Zipp then flies over to the bridge and Izzy gallops with her.

Sunny slumps against the deck for a moment, looking to the south where the sounds are coming from. Hitch and Pipp turn to watch their compatriots rummage around inside the bridge room.

You watch Sunny as she raises up to all four hooves and silently begins to plod forward towards the destroyed stern, looking out towards the fog-laden tree line in the distance.

You hear the engines in the distance die down.

A few moments later, Izzy and Zipp return from the bridge carrying the crystals.

“Sunny! We found ‘em!” Izzys says.

Sunny doesn’t respond, but nods her head once.

“Alright.” Sunny says. “You all just... hold onto them for now.”

“Uh... okay?” Izzy says, tilting her head.

“Will you give us a signal when it’s time to use them?” Zipp asks.

Sunny shakes her head slowly. “No. Just... hide them for now.”

Izzy ties up the Unicorn and Earth Pony crystals into her mane. Zipp tucks the pegasus crystal under her wing.

You look out in the distance and you notice moment in the trees.

They walk in a loose formation, spreading out around trees and buildings. There’s a few dozen at least. They all march in their own dissonant rhythms. There’s tall, hulking creatures, scurrying short ones, a wide range of sizes in between.

Sunny steps to the side of the deck. The section of gunwale is bent back from the bulkhead and set at a shallow angle. She looks over it at the creatures. You and the other ponies crowd up behind her.

Instead of just trench coats, the creatures now have modern-looking body armor strapped to whatever constitutes their chest along with armored pads on their limbs. The black patches you saw before are emblazoned on all of them. They carry rifles, pistols, bludgeons and manacles.

Then one creature in particular catches your attention. A centaur mare.

She walks through the clearing with a steady gait, giving off an air of authority. The creatures deliberately form a path for her towards the downed ship.

She wears slate gray body armor on her humanoid torso. The fur on her top-half is a pale gray-blue, and her fingers end in claws. Her hair is long and a dark, metallic blue. It spills down her shoulder and covers one of her eyes. Her long, slender legs make it seem like she’s gliding across the ground.

There’s a clamor as the creatures surround the ship. The creatures mockingly call out to the ponies and laugh among themselves. Sunny narrows her eyes at them, but doesn’t budge.

One of the creatures, a hulking fish beast, raises his webbed claws up towards the gunwale. He hops up and then bends it down further with a low groan as he hangs off the side.

Sunny steps back a bit. You all do the same.

The other creatures move around behind him, ordering themselves by height.

One calls out, “Stair formation! Stair formation!”

The centaur mare wordlessly keeps stepping forward. She then steps on the outstretched claws of a small creature at the back of the group. She continues walking up the staircase of bodies towards the ship, planting her hooves gracefully. Every step is met with an outstretched paw, as if she is stepping up a hill made of claws.

She reaches the top and stands on the fish-beast’s shoulders.

“Well then!” She says in a boisterous tone. “Hello there, ponies!”

Sunny glares, unmoving.

“Ready for that lesson now?” The centaur says. The creatures bellow with laughter all around.

As you glimpse her face, you realize what the symbol on their patches represents. Her head is elongated and goat-like. Her teeth are sharp and pointed. She sports two curved black horns on her head, and her yellow eyes have black scleras.

Their symbol is a centaur skull.

“Zelina, I presume.” Sunny says. “Care to explain why you shot down my airship and endangered my crew?”

Zelina runs a clawed finger across her hair.

“I know. It’s a real bummer, huh?” She says. “I thought airships like these stopped working hundreds of years ago. Talk about an antique! Imagine the surprise when I saw it flying in my sky.”

She hops up and puts her front hooves on the gunwale.

“So, permission to come aboard, captain?” She says.

Sunny backs up a few paces hesitantly. You and the ponies do the same.

Zelina hops up onto the deck with a short clatter of hooves. “There we are.” She says.

Tree medium size creatures clad in armor pull themselves up on the gunwale behind her. They unstrap their rifles from their backs and hold them in a ready stance. Zelina smiles and turns down to one of the creatures by her side.

“Nails, is this her? The orange one?” She asks, pointing a clawed finger at Sunny.

The black cat creature from the mall steps forward. He narrows his yellow eyes at Sunny.

“That’s her. She’s wearing the... symbol.” He points a finger at Sunny’s bag.

Sunny looks down at her saddlebag and then back to Zelina.

“Well then.” Zelina responds. “Get it. Bring it to me!”

Sunny leans her ears back and scowls. “Not so fast. Why do you care about this symbol?”

Zelina holds up a hand. “Oh? Do you think we tolerate royalists here? Idiots that go around kissing gilded hooves?”

So they despise the old ruling class. That figures.

“You know, I was surprised that old gun even still fired. Haven’t had to use it in years! Oh, think about how happy my little gunny boys were to fire it. They waited so long...”

She giggles and puts a claw over her mouth. Her amber irises are glimmering with mirth.

Sunny stomps a hoof.

“Why are you doing this?” She shouts.

Zelina takes a few steps forward, towering over Sunny.

“Sunny, Sunny! You should be proud you made it this far! I’m actually a little impressed.” She says, punctuating it with a short laugh. “But your little trip ends here, I’m afraid...”

She then lowers her horse half to the deck, folding in her legs to sit down. Even in this position she’s still a few heads taller than her.

“Let me get a look at you. It’s been so long since I’ve seen a pony up close.”

Zelina reaches out a hand towards Sunny. Just as she is about to touch Sunny’s cheek, Sunny bats her hand away with a hoof and leans forward.

“You don’t scare me.” She says.

“Oh! Haha! And feisty, too! How adorable.” Zelina says with a snarky grin. “You know, you shouldn’t be so impolite to people you just met.”

She roughly musses up Sunny’s mane. Sunny grunts in response.

Zipp, Pipp and Izzy hop forward. They then crouch down next to Sunny, sharing the same menacing look.

Zelina leans back. She puts her hands on her hips as she looks over the ponies.

“Hm. Hm. Well now, what to do with you?” Zelina says.

Sunny steps back a bit and runs a hoof over her mane.

Zelina then sweeps her eyes over to you.

“Oh my. Who’s this lovely creature?” She asks.

You glare at her with empty, cold eyes.

“You must be new here as well. Where do you come from?” She says with a peppy grin.

“Fuck off.” You say.

Zelina nearly bursts out laughing.

“Wow. That’s cute.” She says, stifling laughs.

Zelina clears her throat and looks back at Sunny. “Well, I think that my crew is going to be busy for a while cleaning up this mess.” She says, gesturing around to the wreckage of the ship.

She slowly rises up to her hooves. Her black horse tail flicks behind her. Sunny raises her head up and continues staring.

“I suppose you’re going to have to come back with me for now. We’ll show you around. Hm? How’s that sound?” Zelina says.

Sunny stomps a hoof. “We aren’t going anywhere until you tell us what’s going on!” She says in a rising tone.

Zelina crosses her arms. “Really? You’re going to make me do this, huh?” She says.

Sunny glares at her with a barely contained fury. Zelina rolls her eyes and sighs.

“Alright.” She says, uncrossing her arms and standing up straight.

“Sunny Starscout. You are charged with unauthorized use of magic equipment, possession of contraband material, and trespassing in a high security area. Your ship and all its cargo is now property of the Abyssinian Republic. You and your crew will be taken back to our headquarters where you will be imprisoned and then sentenced for your crimes.”

The creatures behind her rouse and let out grunts of agreement.

Sunny lowers her head. “Prisoners. That’s what I expected.” She says grimly.

“Oh, come on now, Sunny. It’s not so bad! I don’t enjoy being the big, mean authoritarian but you’ve forced my hand. Now. Don’t worry. I promise that no harm will come to you and your crew. In fact, you’ll be given the same opportunity that every creature has when they come here.” Zelina says.

Zelina turns to look out over the crowd of creatures gathered below.

“Isn’t that right, everyone?” She shouts.

The creatures let out a riotous cheer in response.

Zelina holds up a hand. “Nails. My good lieutenant.” She says as she turns back around. She places a hand on his shoulder.

“You’ve done well. I’m glad you finally started to do your job for once in your miserable little life.” She smirks and runs her hand through the fur on Nails’ cheek.

“In fact you’ve been such a good boy that I think a little promotion is in order. Come back with us, will you?”

She pats his face. Nails lowers his gaze. There’s a burning sense of angst in his eyes. “Sure thing... ma’am.” He says before stepping back.

Zelina leans down over the ponies.

“Oh, and please give me your bag. The one that has the magic in it? If you don’t mind.” Zelina says.

You maintain a deadpan expression as you hide your relief. It seems they don’t know about the crystals yet.

Sunny puts a hoof over her bag.

“Alright. But before you put us in chains, just know that I really meant what I said. We came in peace, only to learn. We never meant any harm.” Sunny says.

She carefully undoes the strap on her saddlebag and sits it down on the ground.

“Will you talk with us once we reach your base?” Sunny asks.

Zelina grins. “No. Why wait? We’ll talk on the way. Much to discuss.”

Zelina reaches down and takes Sunny’s bag. She grins as she leans back up to her full height.

At this moment, more creatures rush up the gunwale holding manacles attached to chains.

Sunny raises a forehoof but holds her ground. The ponies tense up, and you look to Sunny.

Is now the time to act?

The creatures stop short of the line, snarling and holding the chains tightly in their paws and various other grasping appendages.

“Don’t worry.” Zelina says with a polite and charming smile. “We’ll take them off once we get there. This is just standard procedure.”

You watch Sunny, waiting for her to give the word. Yet she doesn’t. She lets the creatures approach her and clasp the bands around her hooves. The entire time, she stares Zelina dead in the eyes.