Legacy

Chapter 4 - Sticks and Stones" And what, pray tell, are you going to do? "

(Song #1)

My mind whirled with Twinkle’s death.

I saw the fire dancing across Scar. Twinkle’s flesh sizzling; the muscles slewing from his bones. I felt like I would vomit for a second as I stumbled my way through the thick crowd: those images chasing me as I fled.

I could hear the thug following, yelling for help as he tried to follow me. I could see one of the roads leading from the market, and I began to pelt towards it.

‘Gotta get out. Have to get away!’ My guts continued to churn; but the need to survive overpowered my instinct to curl up and cry.

Suddenly one of Deadline’s thugs ran onto the lane down the path directly in front of me, blocking my exit. I cursed, and quickly skidded to the left and continued my mad dash from my pursuers.

As I sprinted for my life, I heard a crash and looked back to see one of my pursuers had smashed into a stall trying to follow me in my tight turn. I ran on, happy for the break as I sprinted for another of the exits that would lead out of the market.

More and more ponies were being attracted by the sound of shouting and crashing resulting from our chase. No doubt, the news of Scar and Twinkle was already spreading like wildfire through the townsfolk, and soon everypony would know about what I’d done.

I felt my heart drop as I saw another of Deadline’s thugs waiting for me, again blocking the exit I was running for.

It suddenly made sense why only three of the original seven had been following me and Tea, they’d been securing the exits to keep us from escaping!

‘Shit, they’re boxing me in!’

I felt a pang of fear for Peach Tea as well, but quickly had to focus once more on the present as I continued to run deeper into the packed and claustrophobic paths of the marketplace.

With a suddenly stop, I dug my hooves into the packed dirt and cobblestones beneath my hooves. Before me stood a grinning thug, a triumphant gleam in his eyes as he brought the chase to a close.

I looked around myself, my eyes widening as fear begin to kick in.

‘Oh good Celestia, these ponies are going to kill me!’ and I couldn’t blame them. Not after what I’d just done to their friends.

The three ponies behind me, seeing me caught in their little trap, came up behind me at a slower trot and then a stopped, ringing around me.

The four ponies chortled to each other evilly, and exchanged knowing grins as they looked forward to the punishment they were planning on dealing to me.

I looked among them, their dirty coats and unkempt and manes looking lank and greasy, their eyes bright with bloodlust. I didn’t see Deadline among them, and I absently wondered where the slimy unicorn had disappeared to, but it was quickly forgotten as one of my pursuers, the one who had ultimately stopped me, piped up.

“Alright lads, you know the drill. Nothing overly permanent, boss wants him alive. Don’t mean we can’t tenderize him a bit beforehand though!” The announcement brought cheers and curses from the other four ponies, some yelling insults at me while others glowered at me.

“Please, I just want to go home. You don’t need to do this!” I pleaded.

“Gotta score to settle with you, bastard,” taunted a grimy looking earth pony with spiked hair.

“We’ll see how you like fire when I’m done with you,” spat another, metal bangles around his legs clanking as he fumed at me.

“Break his fetlocks! Let’s see how he runs when he’s a cripple.” Cried another, his crazy eyes racing as he starred at me madly.

I was shaking, standing in place as I envisioned every gruesome detail of the pain they promised to bring upon me.

I looked beyond the thugs. A small crowd of ponies had gathered around us; their faces grim as they watched the five ponies ringing me threateningly.

They knew what was going to happen, but nopony stepped forward to help me. They all knew what happened to ponies who tried resisting against Deadline’s goons, and even worse to the ponies who tried to intervene. They knew the price. I felt tears beginning to accumulate in my eyes as I realized with cold certainty I was on my own.

As the thugs continued to guffaw, one particularly big and mean looking member stepped forward. His hooves were massive, matching his large muscled chest. He silenced his comrades as he moved forward, and turned to me: spitting on the ground at my feet.

“So, this’s how et’s gonna be, bastard, “ Slurred the big hooved pony, his accent odd.

“ Despite ervy-thing you’ve done, Deadline is a merciful pony and promises that you will be un-harmed if you peacefully give yer-self up and surrender to us.”

The big pony watched me with a smirk, continuing on as I just stood there trying to figure out a way to escape my bleak situation. But there was no escape, and the big pony talking to me realized it as surely as I did.

“Give yourself up, nice and neat-like, and maybe we won’t have to be… overly violent about this entire process,”  said Hooves, giving a little stomp of his massive hooves to emphasize his point (and the nickname I’d bestowed upon him).

The snickers and little knowing glances being shared between the other goons ringing me made it abundantly clear that the likelihood me surrendering and somehow not getting the life beaten from my bones was an impossibly big hope on my part.

.

“Come on, bitch. Just give up, and we’ll be sure to treat you nicely,” crowed the Spikes, the spikey haired earth pony.

“So, whats it going to be, kid?” said Hooves, watching me.

(Song #2)

I looked at the thugs, and then at the crowd of faces starring on at me just beyond them. I knew I wasn’t going to get any help. I was probably going to die in the next few minutes, and it terrified me.

“Yeah, just get the town to rise up and fight indeed,” I muttered to myself bitterly, the foolishness of my own fantasy of united the village against Deadline revealed for the dream it was.

Beyond the thugs, I could see the Redtail twins from earlier, watching me. I didn’t blame them for doing nothing, it wasn’t their problem. They’d only get the same as me if they intervened on my part.

Singed Hoof, the blacksmith, watched me from nearby on the edge of the crowd as well; drawn to the market by the commotion. His dark eyes burrowing into me as he judged the situation and those involved. I cringed as I thought of the two ponies I’d killed.

I also saw other craftsmen from around town, ponies I’d never truly gotten to know but met in passing. Cloud Stitch, Cure All, Prancer, Bright Light, Gentle Winds; the list of names stretched out as I recognized the faces staring at me. I even recognized some of the customers that my sister and I and served earlier looking on.

Some of the ponies I looked at met my gaze, but most simply looked away, ashamed at their own cowardice or grimacing as they realized the hopelessness of my situation.

I looked back to the thugs eagerly awaiting to spill my blood. Hooves was looking pretty impatient as he waited for my answer, scowling at me.

I gulped, knowing it was over. But I’d be damned if I gave these thugs the satisfaction of thinking they could just make me roll over and play dead for them. I wasn’t going down without a fight, and I’d fight until they ripped the life from my broken shattered body!

“Fuck off,” I gulped, “I’m not going to give that bastard, Deadline, the satisfaction of surrendering. If we he wants me, he’ll have to come get me himself. I won’t give up without a fight. Even if I stand alone, I’ll fight until every bone in my body is broken!”

I screamed the last part, and the thugs and crowd seemed to quiet, stunned at my outburst. I was still surprised at how powerful the words had sounded coming out of my mouth, but I felt that my shaking legs may have taken away from the overall effect as I watched the thugs roll their eyes, and snicker at my little moment.

Hooves smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that, kid.”

They rushed forward to attack, and I darted to the side as the massive pony tackled the ground where I’d just been standing. I reared and lashed a forehoof out at the spikey haired pony as he came in to get me.

Spikes yelled out as my hoof impacted with his face, causing him to reel back as he clutched at his cheek, cursing at me.

I just kept on moving, never stopping.

If I knew anything from all the play fighting I’d done as a kid, and from wrestling with multiple ponies (thanks to the RedTails always ganging up on me growing up), it was that stopping would mean losing. If I let these ponies surround me, I’d just get beaten to a pulp as they all piled onto me. So I kept my hooves light, and kept away from them as much as possible as they scrambled to catch me.

The pony with all the jewelry on his legs (Bangles) rushed at me next, trying to sneak attack me while I was occupied with spikes.

I threw a hoof full of dirt into his eyes, the dirty tactic fulfilling its purpose as Bangles suddenly reared back as he was blinded, cursing and rubbing furiously at the bits of dirt and rocks in his eyes. Not even a second later, the crazy earth pony that had screamed about breaking my fetlocks (Mad Eyes) jumped at me to finish what his friends had started.

Mad Eyes came in, giggling crazily as he spastically launched himself at me with abandon, throwing wild punches as I barely kept him at hoofs length. As I tried to push him back, he caught one of my legs and jerked me to the side, causing me to fall down.

Mad Eyes was on top of me in the blink of an eye as I hit the ground. He slavered as he bit at me, his saliva splattering onto my face as I grunted with the effort to keep the insane pony from biting me. I could see the other ponies beginning to recover from their initial failure to attack me beginning to quickly move over to subdue me while I was occupied with Mad Eyes, and knew I had to get up and away before they could surround me.

As Mad Eyes tried to bite me again, I lashed out and smacked the side of his head. While he shook his head, dazed at my sucker punch, I grabbed his forehead between my hooves, and with all the force I could muster, slammed my forehead into his.

Now, if you’ve ever had to head-butt anypony before, you’ll know it hurts. A lot.

So, when you add that pain on top of a recent hangover, it’s fairly accurate to say my head felt like I’d split it open with a splitting maul.

Pain exploded across my head as the dull hangover still lurking in the back of my head was awakened by the sharp impact of bone on bone. I cursed, clutching at my skull, the head butt seeming not so smart in retrospect as I rubbed at my throbbing head.

I opened bleary eyes to see bangles lifting a hoof over my head, getting ready to smash my face in. I rolled to the side desperately as his hoof slammed down into the dirt. Bunching my legs up, I kicked up as hard as I could, and was rewarded with a glancing blow as I bucked Bangles across in the flank, causing him to give a frustrated growl as he stumbled to the side as I knocked his back-legs out from underneath him with my buck.

As I prepared to kick out again, a giant hoof suddenly slammed into my chest. The air was driven from me as I tried to remember how to breathe for a second. Hooves, the big hooved stallion who had tried to tackle me earlier was now standing over me. He didn’t give me a chance to take breath as he gave me another heavy blow to the gut again, my lungs aching with the lack of air.

He pulled his hoof back, sneering at me as I coughed in pain on the ground at his feet.

Just as his hoof descended, a red blur suddenly smashed into his chest. I drew in a grateful lungful of air as I realized I wasn’t going to get my ribcage crushed. I twisted my head to the side to see what the hay had happened. What I saw wasn’t what I’d expected.

One of the RedTail twins was attacking Hooves with wild abandon, hitting his as hard and fast as he could as he used his momentum and the surprise of his sudden attack to keep the much larger pony on the defensive. Hooves stepped back quickly, hopelessly trying to block the rapid vicious blows from the dark red pony attacking him.

As I gawked at the sudden aid, a dark haired hoof came into view. Following it to its owner, I saw the huge shape of Singed Hoof towering over me, giving me a little smirk as I reached out and accepted his help to get up.

“Nasty time to be taking a nap, I be thinkin, Sweets, “grumbled Singed in a rumbling voice, almost jovially.

“What are you doing… why are you helping me?” I asked, still a little shocked.

The blacksmith gave a snort, “I be thinking that it be long overdue that me an’ a few other ponies be helping.”

I just starred at Singed, shocked as I just stared at him stupidly as he smiled at me.

“Don’t think about it too hard, boy, just fight!” Said Singed, turning around and sprinting back into the melee of hooves, legs, and, in Mad Eyes case, mouths.

With a wild cry, I ran in after Singed.

I ran forward and slammed into a reeling Bangles, knocking him to the ground as one of the RedTail twins promptly used my opening to body slam the prone pony. I tried to repeat the same strategy on the next thug I met, Spikes, but he saw me coming. As I came in to slam him, he quickly stepped to the side, and I shot past him.

As I turned around, Spikes smacked me across the chest with a quick kick as I tried to move past him. The hit stung, but wasn’t disabling. I returned the hit with one of my own, lashing out with a forehoof towards his leg. Again, Spikes nimbly moved away, smiling now.

He had learned from our first encounter, and was now fighting me more defensively: nimbly jumping in and out of the fight to strike at me and then retreat. It was infuriating as he continually hit me, and I felt myself fatiguing under the blows as they built up upon eachother.

“Ha ha! Can’t catch me, Bastard. Let’s see how you like it!” Yelled Spiky Hair triumphantly as he lashed me across the face with a forehoof, cutting my check and muzzle as the sharp edge of his hoof knifed into my face. I grunted in anger, hatred burning in my eyes. A small sudden movement behind Spiky Hair caught my attention.

One of the RedTails, Flare, giving me a wink as he stalked up behind the gloating Spikes.

I darted forward, throwing an obviously clumsy and heavy-hoofed strike towards Spikes. As always, the annoyingly fast pony easily jumped back from my clumsy attack to dodge it. His mouth pulled up into a grin as he prepared to continue gloating at me.

“Aw, getting tired kid? Don’t worry, you can take a dirt knap after I’m done with ya,” sneered Spikes.

“No, you first,” I said, smiling as I saw my ally get right up behind Spikes.

“We insist,” Said Flare, as with a heavy blow he smashed both forehooves down on top of Spike, crowning him with the blow to the head.

Spikes didn’t even have a chance as his eyes rolled up into the back of his head, the hit knocking him onto his face in the dirt at my feet, completely unconscious. I gave him a kick for good measure. Hey, you never know, maybe he was pretending…

My ally stuck out a hoof which I happily bumped it, both of us grinning as we shared the moment before Flare once again hopped back into the fray. Following his example, I charged to engage the next nearest thug: Hooves. The massive stallion stood facing off against Singed as the two ponies eyed each other warily, their coats covered in nasty looking dark purple and green bruises from the blows they’d been trading with each other.

I darted forward next to Singed, the large blacksmith sparing a quick glance in my direction before returning his attention to his opponent. “How are the RedTail Twins doing? They need help?”

I looked back; I could see that Bangles and Mad Eyes were locked in combat with the Twins, and neither side seemed keen on relenting anytime soon as they snarled and lashed out at each other. But it appeared the Twins were gaining the upper-hand, slowly wearing down their opponents as they tag-teamed the pair of tiring goons.

“They’re fine,” I said to Singed. Singed gave a small nod, and then motioned towards Big Hooves. We began to advance together.

“Oh what, you think you’re both big shit now that some friends joined in?” said Hooves, looking a little panicked as he noticed his own allies being beaten back, or in Spike’s case, kissing the ground as he lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious.

“Shut it, low-life. It’s time somepony showed you your place!” Snarled Singed, rushing forward to slam into Big Hooves, I followed right behind.

Big Hooves caught Singed’s charge by slamming back, staggering both ponies. As they reeled, I darted in, and smashed a hoof into one of Hooves forelegs. He gave a grunt, and tried to return the hit, but I quickly retreated back as Singed moved forward, smashing Hooves with a strong counter. As he did, I once again came in, but this time Big Hooves was ready and lashed out at me as I moved in, clipping my shoulder: the sharp edge of his hoof digging into my skin.

I gave a yelp and pulled back.

Singed looked at me, worried at my sudden cry of pain. Big Hooves took the distraction to slam Singed with a cheap shot: smashing one of his massive hooves right into the blacksmith’s head. Singed gave a cry, and stumbled backwards dazed.

I could feel blood dribbling down my chest, but I realized Singed was in trouble as Hooves raised up a hoof to slam into the side of Singed’s face again and put him down for good. I raced forward, jumping in front of the hit.

I gave a grunt as I absorbed the blow. I lashed out with a hit of my own as Hooves looked at me in surprise. My own hit smashed into his nose, and he cursed as his eyes watered and he began to try and hit me in rage at the glancing blow I’d landed. I tried to block all of this hits, but many of them got through as he began to wildly flail at me in his rage.

“You fucking cunt! You think this is funny? I’ll show you what’s fucking funny after I break your fucking jaw!” Hooves screamed at me as blood dribbled from his nose onto the ground. I felt my gut clench as he crushed forward to destroy me.

Just as he was about to hit me, Dare smashed into his side, quickly followed by Flare. I watched in surprise as they began to mercilessly bite and kick out at him. I quickly ran forward to join them, and suddenly found singed next to me. Between the four of us, we quickly overpowered the massive stallion.

Hooves tried to escape our wall of attacks, but as he tried to block himself from one of us, another member of our four-pony attack force would slam into his unprotected side. As we continued on, I suddenly heard something.

“Get him Reds! Get him!”

“Show those bastards whose boss!”

“Yeah Singed, kick him in the shins. Give him a good shiner for me!”

The entire crowd around us was cheering us on. Perhaps they had the entire time, I hadn’t been paying attention as I’d focused on fighting for my life, but now I could hear them as they cried their support.

‘It’s happening. Sweet Celestia and Luna, it’s happening! The town is uniting, and we’re winning. We can do it. We can beat Deadline’s thugs and take back our town!’

I gave a triumphant grin as I slammed into Hooves again, who fell down hard. He tried to get up, but just twitched as he panted and lay on the ground at our hooves.

“N-no more, don’t hit me anymore. I-I don’t want to fight anymore,” whimpered Hooves as he clutched his horribly beaten legs to his chest.

Singed hawked a loogie and spat at the dirt in front of Hooves, “Then you should have thought about that before you tried to attack a member of our town.”

“Seriously, did you think we wouldn’t do anything?” Said Dare, giving a smirk as he hoof bumped his brother, Flare.

“And if you think that we’re just gonna let you guys keep on bullying us and demanding tribute from us, you’re sorely mistaken. We’re taking back our town! Once and for all!” I yelled. A cheer rippled through the crowd, and I shared a smile with my allies.

None of us even had a chance to react before the crossbow bolt slammed into Flare’s leg.

Flare’s eyes went wide as the bolt bit deeply and he stumbled and fell to the ground. It was until he pushed himself back up and saw the bolt sticking out of his own leg that he started screaming.

I watched Flare, stunned. The entire crowd went dead quiet as Flare continued to scream.

“Flare!” yelled Dare, scrambling around Hooves to skid next to his downed brother.

“Stop!” yelled a commanding voice.

“Everypony, stop,” said Deadline as he walked through the ring surrounding us. Ponies scampered to get out of his way as he strutted forward, his mace held out threateningly in the deep-blue glow of his magic.

I could see Lash behind him, reloading a light hoof-crossbow attached to her foreleg. As she snapped in the next bolt and pulled the string back, she looked up to stare death at the ponies around her. Crunch followed behind, his hooves wrapped in heavy steel plates, jury-rigged at the tips with spikes and jagged blades so as to cut when he punched and kicked.

Deadline glared at the ponies nearby, daring them to try and attack. His eyes turned to me, and I watched as they narrowed: his mane was matted against his forehead with crusty dried peach-scented syrup, and I could feel his hate for me as his eyes bored into mine.

I felt my stomach drop. ‘No, no! we were winning, we were finally making a difference!’

“Well well well, look who decided to come back,” said Deadline, his voice as smooth as a razor, “you got guts kid. Stupid as a fucking rock, but you got guts. I’ll give you that.”

Lash hefted up the crossbow, and leveled it at me, Singed, and Dare: ready to shoot the next pony that moved. Deadline nickered at her quietly, and she flicked a glance at him, nodding slightly as she kept the crossbow trained on us but didn’t shoot.

Deadline looked idly at Flare, “Oh my, did somepony get hurt?” Deadline tsked,” Well, I suppose it’s only natural that somepony would get hurt when such a nasty fight breaks out. Casualties are to be… expected.”

Dare sobbed as he tried to stop the blood dripping from his brothers leg onto the ground. “Pl-please Mr. Deadline, don’t hurt my Brother. Don’t kill Flare!” Flare feebly kicked his leg, gritting his teeth in pain as he tried to dislodge the bleeding bolt stuck fast in his leg.

Deadline rolled his eyes in disgust, “that remains to be seen, my little pony…” Deadline looked over towards Singed, still standing over the cowed Big Hooves.

Singed gave a defiant grunt, “The only brigand here, is YOU Deadline. You simply plunder our stores and businesses at your whim under the guise of legality. Everypony here knows you have the sheriff in your pocket, and that nopony will stick up for us. I aided the boy because he’s finally doing what we all should have done a long time ago. Stick up for ourselves.”

Singed gave a snort, starring at Deadline determinedly. I felt amazingly thankful for the massive blacksmith’s support. Singed carried a lot of weight around the town and it was good to know I’d have such a substantial voice backing me. I could see that influence causing many ponies in the crowd to murmur, and begin to take determined steps forward themselves: the truth of Singed’s words resonating with them.

Deadline’s mouth curled at the corners, seeming to ignore the quickly stirring angry mob “Oh, so that’s your reasoning?”

“You, Singed was it? I’m surprised Singed, you’ve always been very punctual in that past with our dealings. Even armed and armored many of my ponies without complaint in the past. In fact, I believe that crossbow my associate, lash, is using now is loaded with bolts tipped with steel crafted from your very own forge.”

I looked at Singed, shocked. The massive pony, to his credit, kept his eyes locked on Deadline but I could see his shoulders droop slightly as Deadline exposed his cooperation to the crowd. The crowd seemed to balk as well, suddenly not so sure what to make of this sudden turn in events.

Deadline moved to address the crowd, “See citizens of Haystead? See how your heroes have been brought low? These… ponies, who would have you fight their own battles for them for their own selfish purposes, are no more than liars and cheats who would spend your lives for their own nefarious purposes!”

The ponies in the crowd suddenly began to talk amongst themselves.

“But what about you? You’re no better than them,” yelled one brave pony in the crowd.

Deadline wheeled on him, “A good question! True, many of you consider me a villain and a thief, but ever have I had this town’s interests at heart. I’ve always been straight forward with you in my dealings. Your local sheriff is an incompetent buffoon, and as a pony who has taken it upon myself to safeguard, neigh, to protect this town from outside threats, it is only natural that I would respond now and fulfill my obligation to you good ponies in your time of need!”

“But, we don’t need protecting. Your thugs were just beating on that good pony, and those three ponies stepped in to prevent them from lynching him!”

“Ah, but you assume this brigand is free of guilt, that his conscious is clean!” yelled Deadline as he yelled into the crowd around him. Now he really had the crowd’s attention as they leaned in to hear his silk words.

“What did he do!” cried one pony, enraptured by Deadline’s performance.

“What indeed! This pony has committed a heinous crime, a murder most foul!” Said Deadline.

Many of the ponies in the crowd gasped, and I watched as a mare snatched her foal up, and looked at me with a terrified expression. whispers of “murderer” swept through the crowd, a wall of disbelief and confusion as ponies craned their necks to look at me.

“That’s right, good ponies, this criminal, whom tried to turn you against your fellow ponies, and against me, your guardian, is a murderer!” Said Deadline, looking at me smugly.

Shouts of anger and rage suddenly swept through the crowd as ponies began to suddenly turn against me with Deadline’s declaration.

‘What just happened’ I thought dumbly, looking at the wall of suddenly very angry ponies surrounding me.

Deadline did a loop to address the agitated crowd and our little group of misfits, “Did you know this good ponies of Haystead?  This pony, “said Deadline dramatically, pointing at me, “no, not a pony, a THING: the bastard, son of none, whom you all know as Sweet Peach, not even ten minutes ago murdered two ponies within our fair town, not even 100 feet from where we now stand?”

I stared at him dumbly. The world seemed to stand still, all sound ceasing as everypony simply looked at me in shock. Crime wasn’t unheard of in our small town, but usually it was just a malcontent drunk, or the occasional spat between families, but murder? That was a completely new avenue of crime for most in our small farming community.

I remembered Twinkle and Scar, collapsing to the ground as they melted and burned into piles of dissolved and seared flesh. I felt like I was going to puke up my guts thinking about it.

“Look at his face! It’s true, everything Deadline is saying is true!” I looked to the side to see a pony point accusingly at me, “I saw it happen. I watched him kill two good ponies in cold blood!”

I watched as the ponies nearby to that pony suddenly exploded with questions, shouting to be told the how and why of my crime. The pony in the crowd then looked directly at me, and winked. I saw a glimpse of leather armor beneath the rags of his clothes before he disappeared back into the crowd.

‘He set me up,’ I thought dumbly. ‘The bastard set me up! In the little time it took him to catch up to me, he set me up!’ I could hardly believe it, the manipulative bastard had truly fucked me in what little time it has taken him to hear the news of my afore-mentioned accident earlier. No wonder it had taken him so long to finally show himself, he’d been waiting for the opportune time to strike.

The voices around me rose in volume as the anger of the crowd began to boil.

“He murdered two ponies? How?”

“… horrible burns, as if he’d been in an inferno!”

“…skin and meat eaten away, as if by black magic…”

“Get him, get that pony! He should be strung up for what he’s done.”

“Yeah, get him! Get the Bastard. I knew he could never be trusted!”

Deadline raised a hoof for silence, “Please, good ponies, please! Calm yourselves. Yes, this traitor to our peaceful way of life deserves punishment, but these good ponies with him,” Deadline motioned to Singed, Flare, and Dare, “They are as much victims of his evil ways as you are. I beg you to spare them, and give them mercy, as they are unwilling accomplices to this murderer’s atrocious crime.”

“But can we know! How can we know they aren’t bad ponies as well!” yelled a frightened mare from within the crowd.

“How can we know a bad pony from a good pony at all, good mare!” yelled back Deadline, “The answer is: we cannot! But unlike this monster before you, we have the capabilities for mercy and forgiveness, and I beg you now to reveal that very compassion by sparing these three your wrath, for they are undeserving of it!”

Singed looked panicked, along with Dare as he tried to comfort his hurt brother.

I watched Singed about to rebuke Deadline, but the silver-tongued unicorn moved forward and whispered something to Singed quietly. I watched the big blacksmith noticeably pale, and look at the ground as he shook slightly from whatever Deadline had just said.

“Now, we may not be able to prove their complete innocence, but I believe them to have learned the error of their ways and to now be enlightened to the true nature of this creature they’ve aided, “Said Deadline, motioning towards me, “All they need do is denounce the traitor amongst us, and beg our forgiveness for their ignorance, and we shall be merciful.” Deadline put a hoof to his chest, making his words into a silent vow. The ponies in the crowd nodded their agreement, and looked at Singed and Dare expectantly, a hush once again settling over the crowd.

“Singed…” I said quietly, looking at the Blacksmith.

Singed held my gaze for a second, before slowly looking away. “I was wrong… I was fooled by Sweet Peach, and I admit my folly.”

Singed moved over to stand next to Dare, still crying as he looked at Singed, confused.

“C’mon kid, let’s get your brother some help…” Said Singed quietly to Dare, picking him back up onto his hooves.

“But, Sweet’s is…  he’s going to be…” Said Dare hesitantly, looking between Singed and me.

“Sweets will be… well…” Said Singed, He glanced over at me, and then looked away from me.

Dare looked like he was going to argue again, looking at Singed angrily.

This crowd was out for blood… and if it was mine they were going to take, then Singed and Dare didn’t need to get pulled into it as well, especially with Flare as hurt as he was.

I felt my lip trembling as I took a deep breath. I knew what I needed to do, if not for my sake then for Flare’s. He’d already taken a bolt for me, and I worried to think about what would happen if Dare spoke up for me now with the crowd backing Deadline.

“Deadline is right Dare,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “I did murder two ponies before I got here.”

Dare was rubbing at his tears, confused. “Sweets, what are you talking about? You just admitted that you-”

“Dare, just go!” I said, snapping at Dare. “Just… go… “ I looked at Flare, clutching at the bolt while he slowly continued to bleed. He was beginning to look a little pale with the shock and blood loss. They needed to get him to the town’s doctor, and quickly.

“Just go Dare, and take Flare somewhere safe with Singed.”

Dare once again moved to respond, but Singed firmly grabbed his shoulder, shaking his head.

“C’mon Dare, we need to help Flare… We’ll come back and help out Sweets later,” Said Singed, giving me a little nod. Dare looked at Singed, and then back to me and quietly let Singed direct him into hoisting Flare’s body up onto the blacksmith’s muscled back. I looked away as they slowly left, the sounds of Flare’s painful groans echoing back to me as the three ponies

Dare helped Singed hoist Flare up onto the big blacksmiths strong back, and the two quietly walked off. I felt my stomach drop, and I looked at the ground as I felt my hope vanish along with them.

Deadline slid up next to me, cooing with false sympathies into my ear, “See my boy? You never had a chance in the first place. Made a real mess for me by killing those two ponies, but I suppose I should be thanking you as well. It makes my job so much easier when there’s a seemingly a valid reason for my brutality.”

Deadline smashed the mace into my shoulder with a crunch. Deadline gave me a little smile as the mace floated back up next to him, the head rolling in the glow of his magical grip. I looked up at Deadline through the pain, scowling at him as I looked at him hatefully.

“You’ll get yours Deadline,” I said, through gritted teeth. It sounded threatening in my head, but as the words trembled from my mouth I realized I probably sounded about as threatening as a field mouse to a cat before it pounced.

Deadline motioned to the side, and suddenly Crunch moved up and placed one of his barbarically edged hoof-guard against my chest, and held it there as he growled at me threateningly. The jagged edges cut into my flesh as I grunted in pain on the ground beneath him.

“Perhaps, the future is wide and brimming with possibilities,” Whispered Deadline, hissing in my ear, “But what you really should be worried about right now, young Sweet Peach, is not my own future, but your own… and that of your sister…”

“Oh Rough Cut,” Said Deadline, motioning at another one of this thugs that’d followed in behind him, “bring our guest forward… I think she should see what first-hoof what happens to ‘heroes’.” Rough cut gave a smile, and trotted off to fulfill his orders.

I watched as a nearby goon of Deadline’s, Rough Cut apparently, disappeared into the crowd, and came back a few seconds later along with another stallion as the two of them forcefully pulled a mare between the two of them. A young golden-coated mare was led forward, looking terrified as she was jostled forward and then forced to stay still as they pointed her towards me. My fear turned to horror as I quickly recognized her.

‘Peach Tea.’

“Well,” Said Deadline, “now that we have our guest of honor present. I think it’s time to start the show in full.” Deadline threw me a wink, and turned around towards the crowd, dramatically throwing a hoof out as he addressed them.

“Ponies of Haystead, you’ve been enlightened to the truth of this malcontent. What is your verdict!”

“Guilty!” Screamed a pony nearby, other ponies quickly picking up the call as the mob around me began to quickly begin to get ramped up by the cries for vengeance and justice.”

“And so I shall give you Justice!” Screamed Deadline, smashing the mace downwards into one of my forelegs.

I screamed in pain as the rounded head cracked into my limb. Deadline adjusted the mace, slamming it into my hind leg and then my chest. I felt the air driven from my lungs with the blow, my screams cut short as I gasped for air and tried to save my fractured limbs from further damage.

“Having fun yet Peach?” Said Deadline, prancing around me, “feeling like begging for mercy now? I might just grant it, if you ask me very nicely…”

I grunted with the pain, scowling at him as tears leaked from my eyes from my prone position on the ground as I spat at him. “Buck you Deadline!!” I said, wheezing. I poured every ounce of hatred I felt for the slimy unicorn into my gaze. I twisted my body to get up, but felt Crunch press down more firmly as he growled. I gave a yelp of pain as the jagged blades cut deeper into my side.

“Defiant to the end, eh Peach?” Said Deadline, giving a dramatic shudder as he pretended to be scared. “Ooo, you’re giving me shivers with that look. If it wasn’t for our current situation, I might actually be scared… might.”

The mace slammed down again, this time into my stomach and I gave a strangled scream of pain as I threw up all over the ground and the crowd roared its approval. Deadline, egged on by the mob and his own sadistic nature, continued to beat me: slamming my face into my own vomit. The smell of sick filled my nostrils, and it mixed with the taste of blood as it leaked from my mouth.

Deadline moved back up to whisper into one of my ears, his breath hot and foul. “How do you like it, bastard? How do you like being publically humiliated. Let’s see how much strength you can muster when I’m done shattering your bones and grinding your skull into dust!”

Deadline emphasized his point by slamming the mace into my back, eliciting a squeal of pain from me as I cried into the ground in pain.

I felt my vision blurring as tears blinded me as every smack of Deadline’s mace brought on a new wave of pain for me to struggle through. My breathing began to get labored and heavy.

My eyes reeled as I tried to find some escape from the onslaught of blows. I couldn’t tell anymore if it was the roar of the crowd or my own screaming brain that was making all the noise as I felt my bones crack and flesh get pounded inwards to the symphony of Deadline’s continuously raining blows.

I screamed as Deadline continues to break my body. At some point I actually began begging him; spewing gibberish as he relentlessly ignored me and continues with his brutal assault as I tried to figure out some way to make it all end.

Suddenly the raining blows stopped, and I wheezed on the ground, feeling my body slowly shutting down. I looked up slowly to see Deadline saying something to me, but I couldn’t seem to hear him as I looked at him weakly. I knew this was it. This was the final blow, when he would crush my head like a melon across the cobbled ground beneath me.

I closed my eyes, and awaited the blow: welcoming the possibility of a swift death from the torment.

Warmth encompassed me.

‘Am I… Am I dead?’

I felt a warm liquid fall onto my face, and few rolled into my mouth. I tasted… salt?

‘Wait a second… Ghosts can’t taste… can they?’

I blearily opened my eyes, and looked around myself. Crouched over me was a golden-coated mare.

I looked at her, confused. She was crying as she gently had her hooves wrapped over my chest to shield me from Deadline’s killing blow. I saw Deadline behind her, saying something angrily as he tried to remove her. She yelled at him, and he scowled as his eyes flicked to me. I could sense his desire to finish my life as he glared at me.

Peach Tea’s mouth moved again, and I watched as Deadline looked at her with surprise. After a second, he looked above me and said something else.

I felt a weight remove itself from my chest as Crunch removed his leg restraining me. I whimpered in pain as the blades from his hoof-guard removed themselves from my side and I felt the warm-red liquid dribble down my belly.

I felt a nuzzle brush my cheek, and looked up towards Peach Tea. She smiled at me, a sad expression on her face before Crunch suddenly grabbed her and yanked her away forcefully. She didn’t scream, and she didn’t resist, as she was pulled away from me.

The Last thing I saw before darkness took me was Deadline, looming over me as he looked down at me: his cold eyes searching the remains of the broken thing of a pony I had once been. His lips moved and formed a single word as I stared at him through my tear encrusted eyes, unable to speak as I whimpered with pain and blood tricked from my muzzle as I painfully coughed more of my bodily fluids onto the ground.

“Pathetic”