Escape from Arora Ridge Quarry

Sugar sat scowling at the ground. She was in a cage in the corner of the high-security confinement hut, one furthest from the door.

She growled in annoyance. Chewing on the bit from the muzzle locked to her face as she wiggled her shackled forehoofs.

She didn’t understand, the consequences of her actions hadn’t even entered her mind. She’d immediately jumped into action when she’d seen Skysurf and Giselle in trouble. She hadn’t thought about what would happen to her until it was far too late.

Scowling, she lifted her conjoined hoofs. Studying the shackles, pulling at them and trying to work out how they’d come off. Quickly giving up, she placed her hoofs on the muzzle.

She felt it all over, soon moving onto the bridle that was strapped securely around her head. She tried to work out if they were two pieces, attached together, or were one piece. Once again, she soon gave up and sighed in resignation.

Not so long ago she’d have had nothing to do with escaping. Now, she’d sacrificed herself to ensure a mission related to it would succeed. She sighed, hoping it had succeeded. Hoping that Giselle and Skysurf were okay.

Suddenly, a loud clunk from the door of the hut made Sugar jump and let out a muffled squeak. She scowled again as she lifted her hoofs to the muzzle, as though she was reminding herself it was there.

A second clunk made her gasp and look at the door, wide-eyed. Then, as there was a series of clicks, she looked around worriedly before finally noticing the cage next to hers was open. Her eyes widened as she realised who should be in it.

The door swung open and a Nirik entered. Two more quickly followed, both holding chains in their mouths. Then, attached to the two chains, Sunny entered.

Sugar couldn’t help gasping as she saw Sunny for the first time since her confinement. Noticing the straps, muzzle and shackles. She blinked with confusion at how her powers were seemingly still active.

However, Sugar’s heart sank as she saw how sad Sunny looked. Her ears were drooped, and she looked sorrowfully at the ground as she shuffled along.

The Nirik led Sunny into the open cage before they turned her around. They attached the chains to the cage on either side of the door, holding her in place. Sunny didn’t make a sound, she continued to look at the floor through half-closed, despondent eyes as she waited.

Sugar watched as the Nirik proceeded to check Sunny over. Ensuring the harness around her barrel was still secure. That the shackles were not too tight or had been chafing. That the straps around her wings were comfortable and finally that the bridle and muzzle were still locked in place.

Finally, they left the cage and the third Nirik pressed the button on the control panel to close the cage door. It slid downwards into position with a loud clang. Then there was a clunk as it locked securely in place.

Sunny finally raised her head, but only so the Nirik could use their magic to remove the chains from her bridle. Then, silently, they removed the chains from the cage before all three walked out of the hut. The door immediately closed and locked behind them with another series of clicks and clunks.

Sunny looked down again and gave a deep sigh before she turned and shuffled towards the bowls in the wall of her cage. She hadn’t even spotted Sugar was there as she sat down in front of them.

Sugar blinked in surprise; she’d never seen Sunny like this. Even when one of her protests had failed, she’d always still had a spark of hope about her.

However, her eyes lacked any hint of that sparkling hope and optimism she was known for. Her body language was the same. Her ears remained flattened against her head, and she was hunched over. Looking down through half closed eyes.

Sunny sighed again as she stared at the port between the bowls. Then, her head twitched.

I can’t escape... She let out a groan of despair. YES! I know! I know that already!

She’ll capture all my friends... Tears welled in her eyes as she closed them and grimaced. Yes, and there’s nothing I can do! I can’t warn them!

Sugar scowled with annoyance. She couldn’t speak due to the muzzle and therefore couldn’t find out what was wrong with Sunny. She couldn’t help her.

After a moment, she decided she couldn’t watch any longer, she had to try and help. Therefore, she made a grunting sound, trying to get Sunny’s attention and let her know she was there.

However, Sunny didn’t respond. She continued staring at the port and LED light between the bowls as her stomach growled.

I have control... No! Stop tormenting me! If I had my way I’d have this thing off my face. I’m so hungry and thirsty!

I didn’t have to... Sunny closed her eyes tightly and trembled. I know! I know I should have listened. WHY DIDN’T I LISTEN?!

Sugar groaned, clearly Sunny hadn’t heard her and she needed a new tactic. She got to her hoofs and walked towards the bars between their cages.

Sunny’s ear twitched as she heard Sugar’s shackles clinking on the floor. She turned her head to look at the source of the sound and her eyes widened in surprise. S...Sugar Moonlight! H...How? Why?

Without breaking eye contact. Sugar sat down at the bars. She raised her conjoined hoofs, holding them out towards Sunny and pushing them through the bars. She looked to her hoofs, then to Sunny, then to her hoofs again. Wiggling her hoofs expectantly.

Sunny twitched again. I have a choice... However, she blinked with realisation. W...Wait! I DO have a choice! I know what Sugar wants to do and I want to do it with her.

Sunny rose to her hoofs and moved towards the bars before sitting down opposite Sugar. She raised her hoofs and placed them on Sugar’s before nodding.

Sugar inwardly smiled, she knew Sunny wouldn’t be able to resist, and she nodded gleefully.

They started playing a hoof-clapping game. One they’d last played when they were at school. The shackles and bars made it difficult, as did the fact they couldn’t recite the accompanying rhyme.

However, by taking it slowly, they soon got themselves into a rhythm. A rhythm that slowly started to get faster. The sound of hoofs clapping together filled the hut as they played for some time.

Sunny still felt awful, but the game was helping, she was enjoying herself. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the LED on Sugar’s port turn green.

Finally, I’m so hungry! I have control... YES! I do! I’m getting this thing off my face. Then I can finally eat something.

Sugar blinked with confusion as Sunny broke off the game. She didn’t understand, she thought Sunny had been enjoying it. She looked at her hoofs and then at Sunny with bewilderment.

Sunny made gestures with her hoofs. Pointing to her muzzle and then the port between the bowls in Sugar’s cage.

Sugar didn’t understand and blinked with confusion. Then she scowled with annoyance, she hated charades and wished they could just talk. She put her hoofs on the muzzle again, wiggling it and groaning.

Sunny grunted and shook her head. She doesn’t understand. She pointed a hoof to her muzzle and then at the port between her bowls. Trying to indicate that it would come off.

However, Sugar still didn’t get it. She grunted in confusion and tried to tell Sunny she didn’t understand by gesturing with her hoofs. However, the shackles stopped her from holding them wide enough. She scowled, shaking her head and growling as she banged her conjoined hoofs on the ground in frustration.

Sunny sighed and grunted to get Sugar’s attention. If I can’t tell you, I’ll have to show you.

Sugar frowned as she locked eyes with Sunny’s. Then Sunny held up a hoof and indicated that Sugar should watch her.

Sunny got to her hoofs and moved towards the port. She pushed the muzzle in and after a few clicks she pulled her face free. Sugar’s eyes widened in shock before she looked back at the port in the wall of her cage.

Sunny coughed as she tried to speak. “W...When the light’s green,” she coughed violently. “T...This is how they f...feed us.”

Sugar scrambled to her hoofs and hurried towards the port. She looked at it for a moment before pushing the muzzle in. There was a click as it locked into place and Sugar’s eyes widened as she realised it was stuck.

However, there was a second click as it released from the bridle and Sugar sighed with relief as she pulled her face free. “Thank hoofness,” she breathed.

She looked over to Sunny to see food and water had been dispensed into her bowls and she was already drinking.

“You should eat, Sugar. We don’t have long.”

“W...What do you mean?”

Sunny started eating as she responded. “There’ll be a buzzer. Then the bridle will start shocking you until you put the muzzle back on.”

Sugar frowned and looked at the grey, lumpy, runny porridge that was in her bowl and turned her nose up at it.

“I know,” Sunny sighed. “It’s worse than the food in the main hut. But it’s all we’ll get.”

Sugar sighed as she started to eat. Grimacing at the foul taste and pulling a face after she’d swallowed. “You’re not wrong, this stuff is vile!”

Sugar groaned as Sunny didn’t respond and just kept eating. “Sunny, are you okay?”

I can’t escape... Sunny grimaced, closing her eyes tightly.

“No. No, I’m not,” she said at last. “I...I should have listened to Zip and Hitch. I was already way in over my head when I was in the airship. Then, just as I thought there was a glimmer of hope, I got stuck in here. I can’t help anypony from here. I can’t even help myself.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Sugar said earnestly. “You helped plenty. Just knowing your friends are coming gave everycreature hope. Just by you being here, it...it gave ME hope.”

“But it shouldn’t!” Sunny exclaimed. “I’m not special!”

She groaned and looked at the floor. “Allura is strong. She...She’s done something to me. Made me think things. Things I have to continually fight against. I’ve realised how useless I really am. I was supposed to save everypony! Now my powers are gone, and I can’t even save myself!”

“Sunny...” Sugar gasped. “It’s going to be okay. We...”

“We really need to eat,” Sunny grimaced, cutting Sugar off. “Drink as much as you can too.”

Sugar blinked in surprise as she noticed how heavy Sunny’s breathing was. Her sides convulsed with each breath.

“Eat, Sugar,” Sunny urged. “Please. Whilst you have a chance!”

Grimacing, Sugar forced herself to eat. Fighting the urge to spit out the fowl-tasting food.

All too soon, Sunny’s muzzle buzzed. She sighed as she quickly sucked up as much water as she could. I have a choice... Oh for… NO! NO, I DON’T!

“Remember, Sugar, we have to,” she sighed. “No matter what Allura makes you think.”

Sugar gasped as she saw Sunny push her nose into the muzzle. “Wait! I don’t understand!”

However, it was too late. Sunny pulled back from the port with the muzzle once again locked in place. She stepped back from the bowls, the remaining food and water now beyond her reach. Then, she sat down, her bottom hitting the ground with a resigned flump.

Sugar looked at her worriedly. However, Sunny urgently makes a circular motion with a hoof. Seemingly urging Sugar to hurry.

Sugar scowled and resumed drinking. However, it wasn't long before her muzzle started buzzing. “So, that means I have to put it back on?”

Sunny grunted, nodding urgently.

“What happens if I don’t?”

Sugar almost immediately got her answer. She gasped in surprise as she felt a pain in the back of her head. Her eyes widened as she shook her head wildly.

Sunny grunted again, pointing urgently towards Sugar’s muzzle.

“I...I get it,” Sugar panted. “I’m doing it!”

She grimaced as she felt the pain again. Growling, she shoved her nose into the muzzle.

There were the same two clicks as it locked into place and then released from the port. Panting as she pulled her head backwards with the muzzle locked in place, Sugar sat down.

She scowled as she looked at the floor, realising they couldn’t talk to each other again. They were stuck playing charades, she hated charades. Especially when their hoofs were locked together as well.

She growled as she pulled at her shackles, boiling rage building within her. Then, she thrust her head to the ceiling and closed her eyes. Letting out a muffled cry of anger as she did so.

She took deep breaths as she resumed looking downwards. As she started to feel calmer, Sugar opened her eyes before turning to look at Sunny. Her eyes widened as she saw Sunny was hunched over and looking despondently at the ground, her eyes glistening with fresh tears.

Sugar blinked with concern as she got to her hoofs. She grunted as she walked to the bars. Pushing one of her hoofs through as far as it could go and bringing her body close.

Sunny blinked as she looked up at Sugar, seeing her outstretched hoof. Sugar wiggled it, indicating for Sunny to come closer.

Her eyes still glistening, Sunny got up and moved towards Sugar. Bringing her body close to the bars as well.

Sugar sighed as she pulled Sunny into a one-hoofed hug through the bars, rubbing her back comfortingly. Sunny let out a sigh before pushing her own hoof through the bars and hugged Sugar back gratefully.

Sunny closed her eyes. I’m not sure why you’re here, Sugar, but I’m glad you are.

I didn’t have to... She gasped as her eyes opened in realisation. Wait, Sugar didn’t have to either! She didn’t have to be in here. She could have just behaved and stayed in the main hut.

I have a choice... Her eyes narrowed. Exactly, everypony always has choices they can make. There aren’t many in here, but we still have them.

I have control... Exactly! There are things we CAN control! These thoughts, I’ve let them beat me, I won’t anymore!

Suddenly, memories of how she’d helped pull the creatures together resurfaced. Pushing through the fog of despair as it got thinner. Sugar’s right, I did help.

A weight lifted from her shoulders, she let out a deep and shaky breath as she felt a whole lot better. My friends are coming. I just have to hold out. They’ll rescue me, they’ll rescue us!

She’ll capture all my friends... Sunny couldn’t help chuckling to herself. Huh, Allura wishes! She doesn’t know what they can do. I do!

She rubbed Sugar’s back gratefully. Thank you. Thank you, Sugar. I still have hope!

Meanwhile, Sugar groaned. She wished they’d had more time to talk. Now, they were trapped in silence again. She hadn’t even been able to tell Sunny how she had gotten there.

Then, she felt Sunny sighing and even start chuckling. She sighed and closed her eyes as she felt Sunny rubbing her back.

It’s okay, Sunny. Sugar thought. We’ll get through this. Together.

Elsewhere, Giselle grinned as she climbed from the tunnel and into the Pony’s hut. However, as she got up, she gasped as she found Sprout stood scowling directly in front of her.

“Where’s Sugar?” he demanded. “What happened? She was supposed to be your way out for a quick abort. I’ve been told she was being chased by Nirik. Now she’s not here!”

Giselle gasped and looked around. Thymus and Bingo were there but there was no sign of Skysurf. She held her claws up in defence. “Well, the thing is. I dunno what happened to her exactly.”

“You must know something!” Sprout shouted. “She passed me just after I dropped you off, just as planned. Tell me what happened!”

“She saved us,” another voice said.

They watched as Skysurf appeared from the tunnel.

“Saved you?” Thymus gasped. “Did something go wrong?”

“Yeah, two Nirik came out just as we got to the door,” Giselle explained.

“We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Sugar,” Skysurf sighed. “She came charging in and run the Nirik over with her cart. Then she led them away.”

“Last we saw, she had four of them hot on her heels,” Giselle added. “So, like I said, we dunno exactly what happened to her.”

Sprout sighed as he sat down dejectedly. “Well, she’s not here so she’ll be in confinement with Sunny then.”

“That would be a good assumption,” Skysurf nodded.

“Please, tell us you were successful?” Thymus groaned. “Give us some good news.”

“Thanks to Sugar, of course we were,” Giselle smiled as she produced the collars and straps that she’d been carrying.

Skysurf nodded as she did the same. “Sugar didn’t sacrifice herself in vain.”

The others gasped and helped lay them all out so they could inspect them.

“So, we have a few Nirik ones,” Skysurf explained. “Then one of each for Changelings, Diamond Dogs, Yak and the various straps that we’re all wearing.”

Bingo grunted as she pointed to the multiple sets of bridles. “What are these?”

“Those are interesting,” Giselle frowned. “They’re all for ponies.”

“Wait, what?” Sprout gasped as he took a closer look. “Well, there’s one the same as we’re all wearing. But what are these?”

He held one up. The straps were thicker than the rest and had a box attached.

“Turn it over,” Skysurf instructed. “You said there’s different types of Pony. It will tell you which it’s for on the back.”

Sprout gasped as he looked at the back of the bridle. There was an image of a Unicorn and even the name written underneath.

“Wait, so this is for Unicorns?” he blinked. “Then...”

He picked up another bridle, gasping as he saw it was for a Pegasus. The straps weren’t as thick, and the box was smaller.

Bingo grunted impatiently. “So, what is the plan now we have these?”

The others all looked at each other.

“We wait,” Thymus sighed. “We’ve done what we needed to do.”

“We need the Airship to dock,” Skysurf nodded. “Then Sunny’s friends need to contact us, somehow. Then we pass these to them.”

“Will they even know she’s not with us?” Giselle groaned.

“I’m sure they’ll know something has happened,” Sprout replied. “I know them, they won’t just be coming for Sunny.”

“There was one other thing in the watchtower,” Skysurf remembered.

Giselle gasped. “The tapes!”

“Tapes?” Thymus blinked.

“You mentioned speakers, Thymus,” Skysurf reminded. “The watchtower had them too.”

“Inside, there’s this huge piece of equipment,” Giselle explained, holding her claws out for emphasis. “Part of it was a tape player thing. It had two tapes; one was turning whilst the other wasn’t.”

“I think those tapes must have recordings of the purr,” Skysurf pondered. “Or at least something that controls the equipment that makes it.”

“Well, we know the source,” Sprout frowned. “Allura.”

“But how is a purr important?” Bingo sniffed crossing her arms.

“Allura uses it to control others,” Sprout explained. “I saw her use it on Sunny. Allura purred into her ear, and she stopped fighting back. She had this blank expression and just walked off.”

“The Nirik are held against their wills too, Bingo,” Thymus reminded. “Trapped in their own minds following instructions given to them by Allura’s purr.”

“Explains a lot,” Bingo grunted. “If there’s nothing else. Give me my Bananas and we’ll meet again tomorrow night.”

Sprout sighed as he moved towards the second hole and proceeded to grow a Banana plant. “You can take all of these then,” he told Bingo. “Then the rest of us will have apples if that’s okay with you.”

“Fine,” Bingo sniffed. “Apples don’t agree with Diamond Dogs.”

With that, Bingo loaded herself up with Bananas before jumping down into the tunnel.

“Bingo!” Thymus called. “Find out how the tunnel to the Yaks is going won’t you?”

“YES! Will do that!” Bingo called back from halfway down the tunnel.

As Sprout swapped the Banana plant for an apple tree. Giselle frowned and crossed her forelegs. “Do we really need the Yak? The Diamond Dogs haven’t exactly been helping.”

“Only because there is nothing for them to help with currently,” Skysurf responded. “We could need them when it comes to actually escaping.”

“Agreed, Bingo joined us too late in the planning process to help infiltrate the watchtower,” Thymus said before sighing. “I hope the Airship gets here soon.”

“It’s not normally this long between dockings,” Skysurf agreed. “I hope they don’t know they are being followed.”

The creatures could only agree as the apples were distributed.