Anonymous in Nu-Questria 2

The truck stopped in front of the main tower. The creatures milling in the streets all turned their attention and watched as Zelina and her bodyguard ushered you out of the truck.

You were all still in chains. You stood in the center of the street, surrounded on all sides by creatures that balked and stared at the ponies.

“My loyal troops! Come to me!” Zelina says proudly as she steps out of the transport.

She moves around the line you and the ponies have made. The creatures around seem to murmur with a growing excitement.

“Here we have the magic mare! The one who invaded our skies with her airship! The one who attacked our soldiers! Here she is, brought down to earth! Just as promised.” She says.

You look around as Zelina paces in front of the group. You notice that the buildings have been repaired to the best of the creature’s ability. Newly laid bricks cover up holes, and wooden supports prop up tilting walls.

The creatures that are not looking your direction are mostly huddled around metal barrels with fires burning inside them. You then get a whiff of something you haven’t smelled in a while: the unmistakable scent of cooked flesh.

They serve meat here. Of course they do.

Zelina comes to a stop and whirls around to face the crowd.

“Who among you fears these ponies?!” She shouts.

The crowd seems somewhat amused by this. They chuckle to themselves.

Zelina slowly turns back to the group and puts her hands on her hips. She looks over each one of you.

“Release them.” She says.

In an instant, a group of creatures step forward and unlatch all of the restraints on you and your group. Hitch winces a bit and sits down carefully as his manacles are taken off.

Sunny stands firmly planted and glares angrily at Zelina.

Zelina swishes her hair back with a hand and raises her voice for all to hear.

“Now! We have the rare opportunity to witness the magic firsthand! I want you all to pay very close attention!” She says. “This is what we are fighting to prevent! Power that can destroy an entire nation!”

Many of the creatures in armor tense up and raise their rifles to the ready. Others stare with distant, vacant eyes.

Zelina walks over to Sunny wearing a confident smirk.

“Go on then. Show us. Show us the power that destroyed your own world.” She says.

She gestures for a creature. They step forward wordlessly and hold out Sunny’s bag. Zelina takes it and tosses it to the ground at Sunny’s hooves.

Sunny looks at her bag and then slowly raises her eyes to meet Zelina’s. There is a prolonged pause as they stare each other down. Izzy and Zipp glance nervously at Sunny, waiting for her to give a signal.

“You want to know how our magic works?” Sunny says.

“Please. Go right ahead.” Zelina says, unfurling her claws in a motion of invitation.

“Fine.” Sunny says. She pushes her bag back to the side. “But I don’t need this.”

You watch Sunny step forward a few feet. The creatures watch her with palpable anticipation. They are all silent except for two creatures which are bickering over some food near a burning barrel.

Sunny steps over towards the creatures at the barrel. The crowd parts to make room for her.

The two creatures, a mangy looking diamond dog and a medium-sized fish beast notice Sunny approaching and turn towards her. The dog holds a lump of charred meat in his paws.

Sunny looks at the dog. She takes a short breath.

“You should share your food with him. That way, the next time he has food and you do not, he will share it with you.” She says.

The dog snarls and clutches his food to his chest. The fish beast looks very confused.

“No.” The dog says.

“Oh come on now, entertain the pony.” Zelina says.

The dog glances at Zelina and then back to Sunny. With much reluctance, he slowly brings the hunk of meat up and tears it in half. He then gives one piece over to the fish, who promptly snatches it and takes a bite.

“There.” Sunny says with a nod. Without another word, she turns and walks back over to the line of ponies.

Zelina watches her curiously. As Sunny sits down on the street, she tilts her head and widens her eyes.

“Well?” Zelina asks.

“Friendship.” Sunny says. “That is how our magic works.”

Zelina snorts. Her lips twist into a grin. Her chest rumbles with spasms of contained laughter, and then she lets out a guffaw.

The creatures all join in on her laughter. They point at Sunny with clawed appendages. Their sharp teeth flash as they open their mouths.

Sunny sits with a distant, disinterested look on her face.

Zelina calms down and wipes a tear from her eye. “Really? That’s the source of your power? Making friends?” She says in a gleeful tone.

Sunny waits for the laughter to die down before she opens her mouth again.

“Yes.” She says.

Once again, the creatures howl with laughter.

You shift awkwardly in your stance and look down. You feel second-hand embarrassment creep up the back of your neck. You hope you’re not blushing.

“Come now, Sunny!” Zelina exclaims as she turns her humanoid half and raises her hands. “Are you being serious?” She says.

The laughter goes on for a while. On one hand, you’re glad Sunny did not reveal the crystals. On the other, you wish she did it with a bit more tact.

“I am being serious!” Sunny shouts suddenly.

She takes a step forward. Her mane is frazzled and loose, but she still carries her voice with composure.

“Friendship is the truth of this world. It’s what brings all kinds together. By choosing to deny fear and embrace friendship, we have only made each other stronger. And this goes for creatures too! The magic of ponies isn’t about power, or hurting other people.”

She sweeps her eyes along the crowd.

“It’s about living how we’re meant to live. Together.” She says.

The creatures eye her with a mix of suspicion and curiosity, yet they remain silent.

Zelina then steps forward and puts her hands on her hips.

“Touching. Really touching, I must say.” She says. “Well, if that’s what you believe, Sunny, then you’re going to have a great time here.”

She looks over her shoulder at the crowd. “Everyone here loves making new... friends.”

Some of the creatures nod in agreement. Some lick their lips and throw predatory gazes at the ponies. Your stomach turns in disgust.

Zelina claps her hands together loudly.

“But first! We must get you processed. Come along, now!” She says.

Soon she has you all shuffling across the street to the ground-floor entrance of the tower. They lead you up to a counter where you all wait to have your information taken down one by one.

You lie and say that you’re from a place called “Humantopia” because fuck them.

They then put you in individual rooms and strip you down. Typical prison stuff. They give you dusty work uniforms to wear. Faded khaki coveralls that fit loosely over you. Probably re-used from creature around your size, but they ride low in the crotch.

You are then all shuffled out through the rear exit and into a large yard of packed dirt.

Zelina marches out from around a corner of the tower. She is accompanied by a lithe looking bipedal cat. It holds a clipboard and wears a dressy uniform dark red with black trim.

Zelina comes to a stop in front of the line of ponies.

“Alright, my fresh recruits. Your first job of the day shall be...” She says while turning to the cat with the clipboard.

The cat creature says “Metal reclamation.”

Zelina claps her hands together. “Wonderful! A great job to start with for such energetic ponies!” She says.

“Metal what?” Izzy says. Zipp shoots her a look.

Zelina grins. “I know, it sounds like bitch work. And it is! Think of this as the first step in a very long ladder. You’ll work up from there to better jobs. But everypony has to start somewhere, don’t they?”

“Yeah. Forced labor. Great. How about you just fuck off.” You say.

Zelina turns her gaze to you and her smile fades.

“And let’s get another thing straight. I’m not one of you. I’m a human. Not a pig-rat hybrid or whatever the fuck you think I am. Unlike ponies, I’m used to dealing with bleeding cunts like you.” You say, letting your vitriol spill into your words.

You spit a wad of phlegm onto the ground. A creature approaches you with the butt of his rifle raised up. Your eye twitches and you wait for the blow.

“Wait, now. Hold on.” Zelina says, raising a hand.

The creature stops and lowers his weapon to the ready stance. He steps back behind Zelina.

“If he doesn’t want to work, that’s fine. It’s a good excuse to demonstrate our rules.” Zelina says.

She turns to the cat again. “And what is the rule for lazy creatures?” She asks.

The cat stands up straight and raises his clipboard to his face. “Recruits that refuse to perform labor automatically forfeit all rations for the day.” He says.

Zelina turns to you.

“No work. No food. Simple as that.” She says with a chipper smile.

You sneer at her, but choose not to say anything else. Zelina takes in your angry expression for a moment before looking back at the ponies.

“But don’t worry, little ones. I’ll personally keep a close eye on your progress here as you work up the ladder. I’m sure that eventually you’ll all be assigned suitable positions for your... abilities.”

She looks at you with a grin. “Whatever they may be.”

There’s a pause. The ponies hang their heads, accepting their fate.

“Well then. Let’s get a move on. Come along!” Zelina says. She then begins to walk over towards the far end of the yard. The creatures standing behind you move forward.

“Move.” They command. You feel the butt of a rifle push against your back and you reluctantly step forward.

They lead you all to another truck. This one is smaller and built more like a bus with actual seats. They shepherd you on and force you to sit.

Two creatures hop into the front, and soon they fire up the truck and start to pull away. Zelina stands nearby and waves politely as you pass her.

The creatures drive you out to a section of the ruins that are more dilapidated than the rest. Huge piles of broken concrete fill the streets and block the roads.

You pull up to an especially large pile of rubble that forms a dead end. They then unload you and make you stand in a line.

One of them takes a large metal bin off the truck and places it down in front of the line.

“Break the rocks. Get the metal rods and put them here.” The bulky diamond dog says. He points to a metal bin.

Sunny sighs. “I see.” She says.

“Um... how long do we have to do this for?” Pipp asks the guard.

“Until rain comes.” The dog replies sternly. “Then you go back.”

“What?!” Pipp shouts.

“Wow. This is lame.” Izzy says.

“Not very efficient, either.” Zipp says.

“Go. Work now.” The dog creature says.

“Wait, how am I even supposed to break rocks? I don’t have hooves.” You say, showing them your empty palms.

The creature grumbles and starts to pull a sledgehammer out of the truck. Another creature puts up a hand to stop him.

“No. This one doesn’t want to work. Zelina says he needs to learn.” The creature says.

The diamond dog drops the hammer. He motions to the guard creatures and they begin to lead the ponies towards the debris. You stay behind and watch them shuffle away. You start to reconsider your stance as you realize all you’re going to do is just sit here.

“This is awful. I can’t believe we’re doing this.” Pipp complains.

Hitch limps along. “Uh, guys? Just get me near and I can help.”

Zipp folds a wing over Hitch. “No dude. I think you should sit this one out like Anon.” She says.

Hitch glances at you, then looks at Zipp. “No. I can do this, Zipp. I need to stay with you guys.”

Zipp sighs and nods quickly. She helps him walk over to the rubble.

Sunny and Pipp are already tapping at small chunks with their hooves, trying to figure out where to start.

Izzy sits down and takes one long look at the ruinous mass. She then tilts her head and says. “I’ll just crack ‘em open like this!” She says.

She leans down and starts chipping away at the concrete with her horn. She’s able to get a surprising amount of force with it.

The rest of the ponies start bucking the stones with their hind legs, trying to break off chunks. Once they break off, they then smash their hooves down on them to break them up further.

You stand, shifting your feet as you watch them. The day drags on.