With the diamond dog soldiers disoriented, Polaris realized it was now or never.

“Clear! Run for it! Tartarus fly for it! Make contact with base, Windy! Go!” Frosty shouted, breaking into a racing gallop on all fours.

PW opened his eyes and began to flap his wings again as all Tartarus broke loose. Just then an unbelievably fast, dark cherry-and-indigo colored flying object shrieked through the trees over them so fast it even disoriented PW. As he looked up into the pine trees and sky he was smacked in the face by what felt like cardboard boxes. Noxious, green clouds appeared, however, and the real problems began.

In an instant PW was coughing uncontrollably, unable to breathe in or out.

“Countermeasures! Chlorine gas – close your eyes, ears, mouth and nose and hold your breath!” Frosty screamed.

PW slammed his mouth shut, wondering if it was already too late. He felt himself being lifted by his comrade and carried a few paces then was set down. “Safe now!” A blinded Frosty shouted.

“Safe, you say?” Called a familiar voice from above.

“Cozy Glow, you menace!” A blinded Polaris screamed at her.

“I was not responsible here. I simply watched the fun from above!” She sang, landing beside them. It was only now that Frosty and Polaris could start to reopen their eyes.

“Hooves up!” Shouted a Gray Wolf Captain.

“Mm… Gamma Wolfgang’s got about fifty rifles on you both. I wouldn’t try that again.” Cozy Glow warned.

The nauseous wave that overtook PW with the gas cloud lifted and he was thankful that he had not received a fatal dose of the gas. His vision returned just in time to see a dark cherry-red Shadowbolt gliding into the middle of the crowd. A rush of wind passed him, telling of the arrival of another black furred and indigo maned Shadowbolt rolling out into a touchdown to meet her.

“Milli-Meter! Precision bombing, as always!” The indigo pegasus complimented.

“Thank you, Beta Zero. I will say I cheated a little. That target was very large.” The small cherry-mare responded.

“Indeed, but recall you were assigned two targets! There was a small one too!” Zero pointed out.

The dark-cherry pegasus spun around to eye her smaller target, who was still red around the eyes from the poisonous gas.

“Wow – a stallion almost as small as me! I didn’t know they came in that size!” Milli-Meter called.

PW rolled his eyes in disgust. The filly-sized mare took note of this and fully turned towards him.

“Did you think you’d be safe here, tango? In Cordaconda?” Milli-Meter addressed him.

“Gamma Milli, I do not believe either of them knew where they were. Or what Cordaconda is.” Admiral Cozy Glow interjected.

“A pegasus that doesn’t know where he is… is useless!” Snapped Milli-Meter.

“It sure doesn’t help that we were underwater until a few hours ago!” Frosty shot back.

Milli-Meter took note of the imposing size of this mare, popping off the ground and translating over to land amazingly close to Frosty – well within her reach. The miniature mare had no fear of this giant towering over her.

“Well then. Allow me to enlighten you.” She said with a smug smile. “Condacorda is a favorite vacation spot of the Southern Seas Empire! You might compare it to Seaward Shoals, Horsehoe Bay, or Poney Island. Although I assure you those all pale to Condacorda!”

Frosty blinked in defiance which was enough to set the short-tempered pegasus off.

Kicking sand up into the Night-Mare’s eyes on a quick takeoff, she shouted. “Dirty cheaters! Using a gas attack? We are always two steps ahead!”

At the same time Cozy Glow landed, several meters upstream of where Milli had been, smiling. “We did this the easy way last time. This time we’re going to do it the medium or the hard way. Which will it be?”

Several ranks of diamond dogs began to close the ring around them.

“They win again.” Frosty admitted to Polaris, putting her hooves up in the air.

“Medium it is.” Cozy shrugged.

The sand under Frosty and PW gave way and they sunk several feet through the liquifying ground up to their withers.

“I love that trick. Works great when you command diamond dogs. Special Ops, seize them!” Shouted Admiral Grand Glow.

Six imposing poodle diamond dogs surrounded the Equestrian pair and placed a metal cuff and chain around Frosty’s neck. Polaris was fitted with another wing band to prevent him from flying, after which he and Frosty were hauled out of the ground.

The ranks of dogs parted as a rowboat revealed itself in the surf and made its way to the beach.

“I really must warn you there will be no choice if this happens again. It’ll be the hard way!” Cozy whispered, smiling and staring off in thought.

“MOVE IT!” Shouted a tough, female diamond dog.

Polaris suddenly felt what it was like to be at the receiving end of a terrifying female warrior and he was horrified as she picked him up and threw him into the boat. This abuse irritated Frosty to no end, who forced her way running out the chain, dragging several diamond dogs along as she head butted the bitch hard enough to knock her down.

The shepherd she-dog howled in pain before recoiling, claws just missing but jabbing Frosty in the snout. Polaris was captivated as Frosty took the hit head on with no pain or emotion, continuing to stare her down silently as if to ask ‘yes, and, what next?’

“No meal for her!” The dog ordered, forcing herself not to continue the fight.

“Sorry, Delta Sawtooth, the meals were ordered by the emperor. We have to feed them. Unfortunately.” Cozy sighed.

Frosty bounced her eyelids in defiance before choosing to follow the six poodle dogs pulling her chain with everything they had.

PW sighed and sat back, crossing his hooves as he knew it would all repeat. But, unlike last time, there was a growling sound that appeared at the back of the boat. PW looked up to see a small vibrating box. Then the pitch changed with a sudden acceleration.

“Another combustion engine application? Celestia’s sake; where are our engineers?” He hissed.

“Shut up!” Grunted a diamond dog soldier, stomping on his outstretched hind leg.

Maybe it was learning from Frosty or maybe it was going numb from prior abuse but, for whatever reason, PW did not yelp out in pain. Instead he looked up at the diamond dog, focusing in on something behind him. He could hear voices over his shoulder.

“… this is much better between the other prisoners. So they can see what she does to ‘em.”

’There must have been another boat.’ PW reasoned, hearing sloshing between two hulls from behind.

A shadow enveloped him as a large object was moved overhead. He was surprised to see a pair of hooves and a tattered tail dangling down.

PW saw broken wings, too. A young blue-gray pegasus colt was lowered and shoved in the narrow gap between Frosty and himself. PW looked down at the tattered pony. He must have been only ten or eleven in age! His face was only ever looking at the bottom of the hull.

“H-hi? Who are you?” Polaris asked as gently as he could.

“I dunno anymore.” A voice that was so soft it almost wasn’t heard over the waves answered.

"You don't know your name?" PW asked again.

“They named me Prince Cuddles…” He responded.

By now, unknown to the youngster, Frosty was starting to take notice of him.

“Who named you?” Polaris asked.

“My masters.”

“Are you a prisoner too?”

“No? Well... ugh, I… I just work for my masters.”

“What’s your job?” PW asked.

“I uh… I… I don’t wanna talk about it.” Cuddles tucked his bloodied tail and squeezed his flanks together, as if protecting himself.

“Those sick fucks…” Whispered Frosty.

“Frosty?” PW glanced at her. “ I think he…”

“Yes, exactly what you’re thinking, Windy. I’ve made rescues like this in the past. Lots of trafficking experience, sadly.” Frosty nodded.

Cozy suddenly landed in their boat abeam from them, fluttering her eyelids. PW heard the colt gasp in terror.

“Cozy Glow, what happened to him?!” Cried PW.

“Gosh, golly… whatever do you mean, Windy?” She smiled.

PW pointed. “His whole body’s broken!”

Her smile intensified and the colt gasped again. “You know, Windy, I’m getting older. I’m really 30 years old! I’m beginning to come to grips that maybe I’m getting too old for little colts.”

Polaris stared back at her.

“Mhm, yeah. Actually, I’m debating whether we should make you into the next boy-toy. You're about the right size, though I’ll have to ask Milli, Zero and Annihilation first. I do like the way the sunset livens up your coat.” She turned to the youngster. “And I do believe this one’s seen better days.”

“You – you predator!” PW yelled.

Beside him Frosty made a glottal sound and then sent a ball of spit into Cozy Glow’s face. She simply frowned and flew off without a word.

Frosty turned to the young colt, brushing her bangs aside to look less imposing.

“Hey kiddo.” She whispered.

“What are you?” He asked in amazement.

“I’m on your side.” She smiled. “And I’m gonna make sure we get you home safe and sound. That’s my mission now.”

“And who are you?” He asked, turning to PW.

“I’m Windy, her assistant!” Polaris gave a small salute.

“I’ve never seen ponies so tough!” The colt frowned. "My masters are so powerful though...”

“I’ll bet they are.” Frosty said. “But he and I are even – agh!” Her head was smacked forward below a cherry blur.

“Looosers!” Millie called back as she quickly climbed back into the sky following her high-speed strike.

“...and those Wonderbolts are going to get those bullies.” Frosty finished, rubbing her head.

“I hope so. Miss Milli is so scary!” He cried.

Frosty and PW must have only been able to imagine how ferocious Milli was, as the colt looked to be about her size. The Royal Guardsponies stretched their forehooves over the young pony’s back in support.

“Since we can’t figure out what your name is, can we call you Prince? Just Prince?” PW asked.

He only nodded in reply and the trio sat in silence.

Soon the torrent of water surrounded them and the sea fell.

“Say goodbye to daylight!” They heard Cozy Glow shout from the steel bridge above.

As before, they sat there a while being ignored and left to watch the fading light of the day... PW squinted hard in the pink evening twilight and picked out the dark shape of five pegasi on approach.

“Deltas, except the deck watch, below deck!” Cozy Glow ordered. The dog ranks silently obeyed and took the ladder down. She looked down to the jollyboats resting on the deck of the submarine. “Gamma Wolfgang! We’re going to have the Shadowbolts go next, then you lot, and the deck crew will go with the submergence horn!”

“Yes ma’am!” Came a gruff diamond dog’s reply.

The whistle of disturbed air was heard as four pegasi rolled out just above them and touched down on the deck of the submersible ship. One of them, PW could tell, was Beta Zero- but the others were unknown to him. After landing, the four Shadowbolts turned around and gazed up at something behind him. Zero was smiling. PW followed their gaze to find Milli-Meter approaching as well.

“Howsh my pwetty baby boy?” She landed right atop the pegasus colt.

He cried out in fear and curled up to protect himself.

“Mama’s so – hey!” She started before popping up several meters in advance of Frosty’s mighty swing.

Even Polaris was afraid to be this close as he heard the rush of air soar overhead.

“Too slow!” Milli teased.

“I know what you’re doing to him, you little devil.” Frosty warned. “It’s personal now. You have a bounty on your wings from me!”

“A bounty is only as good as the institution assigning it!” Milli retorted. “In this case, a to-be-executed, oversized Royal Guard. I’m not in the slightest bit addled.”

She hovered, wings abuzz as she zipped around Frosty. Prince continued to yelp in panic each time Millie got close. With her final pass she struck Frosty as she flew away and PW watched as she touched down with the other four Shadowbolts. He noted that she was almost a full head shorter than the others.

“Babscud, what are you lookin’ at?” Milli called upon landing.

A short but well-built pegasus stallion answered. “Equestria’s future official number one flier!”

Milli and Babscud exchanged an up-then-down double-hoof slap.

Cozy cat-whistled from the bridge. “Milli! Anni! That red pegasus down there. How about we upgrade to a new toy? Whaddya think?” Then she glanced down at PW. "I'll bet you thought things couldn't get worse last time, Windy! And that you realized they have!"

“Ah, the lost red pegasus? Hm, now that you mention it…” Milli considered, flying back to Polaris.

A pumpkin-colored pegasus joined her, this one with a taller but much lankier frame.

“That’s a Royal Guard!” Frosty snapped. “How dare you?”

Milli landed only a yard from Polaris.

“It would present a next level challenge for you. If you think you can handle him.” The pink admiral teased.

“Hm, going from 7 years younger to 5 years older. Gamma Wolfgang? Would you please?” She asked in a respectful tone, drawing her hooves apart in a motion.

The diamond dog captain dragged Polaris away from the gunwale two yards, out of Frosty’s reach.

“He’s quite a ragamuffin, Milli.” muttered the pumpkin colored pegasus.

“Anni, I do think if we put him on the Ritz he would be quite the Sheik. I believe he has it.” Milli answered, stepping forward to PW.

“She’s gonna nail him!” Prince cried.

Frosty growled in response.

Milli, a tiny mare even by PW’s standards, reared up and raised her fore-hooves. “What’s his real name?” She called out to Cozy Glow.

“I believe that would be ‘Polaris Wind.’” Cozy called back.

“Okay, Polaris. Let's see you fight. Go ahead, try and bash me. Surely a big, strong stallion like you could put me down even with his forehooves tied up.” She taunted.

Frosty noticed Prince leaning into her, clearly trusting her without reason to.

“Get her, PW! You got this!” Frosty shouted.

Polaris held his tied hooves up defensively and did not attack. Milli began to stroke his wings, and a loud growl came from Frosty.

Then, everything happened.

Polaris shot both tied hooves out for the dark bolt but her lightning-quick reflexes and training enabled her to leap forward onto him. Then she took hold of his tied hooves and yanked them forwards to drive her free hoof into his face.

Author's Note

Milli-Meter: from the so-allied-named Millie Bomber of imperial Japan: Type 98 Showa Light Bomber. Ironically it looks like this bomber was actually produced in the USA as Vultee V-11 and V-12, acquired in peacetime, and later was used in combat against the allies. Analogous to Milli-Meter, produced in Equestria, but now fighting against it.
Babscud: from the allied named Babs Recon Plane, AKA Mitsubishi Ki-15 reconnaissance and light attack aircraft.
Annihilation: from the allied-coined Ann Bomber. Army Type 97 Light Bomber, AKA the Mitsubishi Ki-30.

A bunch more 20's slang. Err- 1920's... has it been that long?!?
Ragamuffin- messy and dirty looking person
Puttin' on the Ritz- dressing up in fancy clothing
Shiek- charming person. In a stretch you could equate this to Chad.
[he has] It- This is Chad.