Zeta shoved the coughing Night-Mare to the ground again. She was blindfolded and a diamond dog wrapped up her forehooves with a steel cable while another wrapped the hinds.

“Get the tail, too! These monsters whip!” Zeta ordered.

Another dog brought the mess of hair under and alongside the hinds-wrap. Finally, the others in the circle cleared and yet another dog came over to comple the hogtie.

“Beautiful sight, ain’t it?” Teased Zeta. “At ease! Haul out!”

Every canine broke out of their formation at once, ten hauling their prisoner across the dirt.

“Agh!” PW shouted under the strike of a gunstock.

“Move, featherweight!” A Blulldog yelled, pushing him along.

“That’s not my name!” He hissed.

“I don’t care what your name is! We know what it is! Your real one!” His escort growled.

“She’s invincible! You can’t hold her! She will Break out!” PW shouted.

Another dog snorted. “Wait ‘til you meet our Emperor! You may just change your mind once you see him!”

They soon arrived at the beach where four large, wooden jollyboat skiffs had shown up during the firefight. The disenfranchised Night-Mare assistant was halted, watching in disbelief as eight canines heaved the hogtied 2 into a skiff.

PW winced as his shot wing was folded back and a gauze pad was pressed against his wing. The dogs completed the job of binding his wings by rolling the excess gauze around his barrel.

“Get in!” Shouted one of the dogs, pointing up. The skiff was large, and had several feet of freeboard.

“Normally this would be no problem for my wings.” PW muttered, jumping up to catch the gunwale.

“What was that?” His escort threatened as PW began climbing over the side.

“You need some help there, pipsqueak?” The dog called as Polaris landed.

Zeta appeared, leaping over the gunwale and landing on the center bench in a pose.

“Oh, I like that name. We’re calling him ‘pipsqueak,’ boys!” He shouted as the crowd climbing aboard the skiffs erupted in cheer.

Polaris briefly saw Frosty being pushed off to the middle of the boat before a menacing Labrador diamond dog with a huge, gold ear ring entered his field of view.

“You’re gonna get down, and you’re gonna shut up.” He said, forcing him to the bottom of the boat. He felt the waves of the ocean when suddenly a roar in the back was heard.

It didn’t take PW long to recognize the humming in coordination with the acceleration, or the direction change with a metallic *clink*. He knew that steam engines would go *hiss-chuff-chuff.*

“Zeta what’s on the back? Not a steam engine!” PW asked.

His ringed escort smacked him hard in the ribs in reply. “This doesn’t need to be hard, right?”

The leader kicked his hinds back.

“My name is NOT Zeta. That’s my rank. And great observation pipsqeak! You’re witnessing the proper application of technology. An autowagon engine reworked for marine use.”

Polaris couldn’t help but remain curious. With a cough he asked. “What does it run on? Oil?”

“Blood of broken stallions!” Zeta laughed, hurling an empty beer bottle at Polaris.

The bottle bounced but hurt him as much as getting shot did and he doubled inward and writhed in pain after it struck his ribs. For the rest of the journey PW went into logging mode, noting their speed and their direction for dead reckoning purposes.

The waves increased in size and took on a deeper shade of blue as they traveled further from the island. After about ten minutes the four boats slowed and grouped up together as the water mysteriously stilled.

Polaris looked to the bow of the boat and noticed a steel pole sticking up out of the ocean. ‘They’re probably going to tie up here and send us to the bottom.’

Small currents began swishing the boats back and forth but there wasn’t a wave in sight.

A loud *thump!* shook the boat.

“Something’s under us!” Shouted PW in fear.

All at once the ocean became tumultuous and muted any response. PW also saw that the metal tube was now much taller than it was before and steel, riveted walls began rising around them. The wooden boat settled and PW could now see the horizon lowering which, combined with his pegasus senses, told him that he was rising. The sounds of the ocean all but disappeared far below them.

Then, after a rush of hissing steam and gurgling, they were on the waves again. This time, however, the rising and falling period was much slower.

The iron rod clanked and sunk into a now-larger tube that towered above them. A new, metallic ratcheting sound accompanied another loud, metallic bang.

Suddenly Zeta stood and began saluting at something above and behind PW.

“You, Zeta! Is Night-Mare 2 aboard?” Grunted a powerful voice.

“Oh no.” PW muttered, knowing they were in deep trouble.

“Delta Growla!” Squeaked Lieutenant Zeta. “We have her aboard sir! Hogtied per the procedure!”

“And?” The intimidating canine officer asked.

“This!” He next lifted Polaris and presented him to an enormous dog clad in a black uniform who was standing on the highest tower of the metal building which they were on. PW noticed that the larger lower structure was close to the surface of the ocean and elongated, except for the high bay they had grounded on and the high tower. It reminded PW much of the integration room's high bay from fitment.

He shivered under the gaze of the commander and his entourage, to say nothing of several cannons pointed in his direction.

“Well done. Untie the Night-Mare. She is of no threat to us anymore.” With that the commander backed away and out of sight. PW heard clanging metal and looked up to find a mounted chain gun, the size of Recce’s F20 as well as the one from the Red Ship, pointed straight at them.

Frosty had woken at some point and gave a pained smile as she was untied.

“See the mounted F20?” He whispered, motioning up with his head.

Her smile disappeared. “What Is that?” She stammered.

“Insurance! Don’t try something stupid, they have orders to kill you if you breach certain defined protocols!” Lieutenant Zeta yelled.

“Why’d you give up, 2?” PW whispered.

She looked back to him and shrugged. “We weren’t winning that fight and I’m no good dead. Are you alright?”

“Yeah, they shot me in the wing.” He turned to show her and she gave an impressed nod.

A deep air-horn made them jump. “Orders from the admiral are SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH!” Barked one of the dogs on the high platform.

Finally, a pony in a highly-decorated uniform appeared. Every dog in every boat stood up and saluted.

“The Emperor will see the Royal Guard captives at this time. You will send them down first.” Called the individual before disappearing beneath the top.

Zeta leaned in towards his captives. “I’m telling you, Guard, don’t do something stupid! We have your entire entrance booby-trapped to kill you if we have made the decision to!” Lieutenant Zeta warned.

“Move it!” Yelled an escort, driving a sword against Frosty’s back.

One dog stepped in front of them and four behind. The whole while PW looked up to see the menacing weapon follow them until it reached minimum elevation on the mount.

“We can still jump!” Whispered PW desperately.

Their ears were deafened by two great crashes that were followed by a pair of shell-casings that rung like bells. “Hey look, the chain gun still works!” Called a voice from above them.

Frosty shook her head. “This isn’t the time. Be strong. We’ll face it together.”

The procession halted at the mouth of a hatch. The dog ahead of PW turned to face him. “You, follow me. Don’t touch anything!” With that he led the way down a ladder.

Frosty gave PW a nod and he followed the dog, not knowing when he would see the sky again.

As they started down a loud klaxon horn sounded.

“I’m surprised these hatchways are so large. I don’t ever remember going through hatches such as these with ease.” Frosty muttered.

There was a chorus of laughter in the unseen room below. Polaris finally hit the metal plated bottom of the expanse, standing by the ladder as Frosty and the rest of the escort arrived. Then they were led down a separate ladder which led down to a second level.

The room was dark, except for lots of little red white and green indicating-bulbs around them. A *bang* was heard from another hatch up above, and then another. The klaxon briefly buzzed again as Frosty stepped off the ladder.

“Mission complete!” Whispered a diamond dog at the top of the ladder.

A very deep, powerful voice responded. “Depth to keel.”

A loud clang, like somecreature hit the side of the metal ship with an iron rod, chirped.

“Depth to keel is over one thousand feet sir!” Came the quick, assured response.

The room lights suddenly blinded them.

“Periscope Depth. Ahead one-third.” Bellowed the voice.

PW squinted and made out some details. The room was square, with a very high arched metal ceiling. High enough for Frosty to rear. There was a hatch in front of him leading sideways at floor level and another one behind him going the other way. There were many wheels to his left, and machinery on his right. All of these were stationed by a diamond dog in uniform. There was a glowing map at the center of the room. Lining the perimeter between that machinery and himself was a crowd of uniformed diamond dogs of various rank.

“Yes sir. Ahead one third. Periscope depth.”

“Yes sir.”

“Yes sir.” Responded voices from around the room.

The klaxon blew two, drawn blasts and the room came to life as the dogs performed various actions.

One dog picked up a gray rectangle from the map and replaced it with a blue one. Lots of gurgling and creaking was heard around them and PW felt the floor beginning to tilt along with a lurching, sinking feeling and loud noises from behind.

Looking to the darkest area of the room PW made out an enormous figure dressed in black and gold and wearing a pointed cap.

“This is an underwater boat!” PW whispered in realization.

“It’s called a submarine.” The dark figure now said in that same, commanding voice. “‘Sub,’ the root word meaning ‘underneath.’ And ‘marine,’ for mare.” He gave a mirthless chuckle. “Say, do you not find it intriguing that the sea and female pony come from the same root word? As if to say a female pony somehow carried the grace of the seas. Or, that the sea belongs to the pony?”

The loud, cyclical humming behind them abated and was replaced with a strange, high pitched humming sound.

“Current Depth five eight!” Shouted a voice from the side.

“We are underwater now. What will you do? H-hhh-hhh!” The dark figure laughed.

Frosty reared, flipping her mane back to expose a second eye of judgement and shouted. “In the name of the Equestrian Royal Guard and her Princesses, cease all operations immediately or you will be destroyed! Us alongside, if need be!”

Author's Note

I just finished the initial writing of the story! There should be about 75 chapters in North Woods Night-Mares. Hold onto your flanks because things are about to get frickin-sick! Releases are still planned Friday nights USA East Coast time. Hopefully there will be some writing improvements starting with chapter 50, as my attention can shift from authoring the story to word-smithing it to perfection.