¡Para Hacer o Morir!

It was an awful sensation, seeing that poor boy tied up and gagged.  I looked over at Mother who was watching the executioners take up their positions, and exclaimed, "Mother, he's just a boy!"  She looked over to me with a look of gloom.  "Yes my dear, but it's best not to think about that.  I've.......I've seen younger on the block before.  Just try to shake it off."

Shake it off?!  I was shaking in pity for the boy, and I felt the sudden impulse to help him.  "H-how old is he?", I asked nobody in particular.  "Who?", one of the guards behind me said.  I turned to look at.....HIM!  It was that rat-bastard Sisis.  "Hey Krystal, which prisoner?", he asked.  I just sat there and stared at him, not really knowing what to say.  Should I be mad, or should I let him help me?  I......I just don't know!  I eventually swallowed my pride and said, "Green hair and tan."  Smooth.

"Uh, that's, um.....Spike?  Reports put him at eighteen.  Not much of a 'boy' if you ask me", he said with a smirk.  "Sh-shut  up!  Don't talk to me.", I snapped.  I folded my arms and looked straight ahead.  Double-smooth.  He shrugged and returned to Right-Shoulder Arms (Military Drill was one thing in particular that I loved on my free time).  "B-but....how can we..just..", I stammered.  "He committed crimes Krystal, and he has to pay the price.", Mother said.  "Can't we do anything?", I tried.  This was met with a hard glare from Mother.

"Do you want this scum to be released to hurt more people?  Is that what you want?", she shouted.  I cowered into the throne and looked away.  "Maybe this was a bad idea after all.  Sisis!", she said.  Sisis went to Port and waited for my mother's orders.  "Escort Krystal back to her room."

"N-no!", I protested

"What?"  Mother looked furious

"Just....just let me see him die, and then I'll leave"

"Fine.  Sit and just try to break this sudden attachment to this boy."

Mother patted the throne next to her, and I replaced myself into the seat.  Celestia, I hope this goes fast.

{<^/>}

Bastards!  Bastards everywhere!  Bastards in the crowd!  Bastards with the guns!  And Bastards sitting on that balcony watching me!  I saw who I assumed to be the princess look at me with a look......of pity?  She began to squirm uncomfortably in her seat.  "Hey!  Bastard with the shitty gun!", I shouted at the guard in front of me.  "What?", he huffed.

"Who's she, next to the queen.  Just tell me before you blindfold me."

"Well, since I'm gonna put two in your head, I might as well.  She's the lovely Princess Krystal."

"So she's the one I was sent to gather intel on."

"You tell me Drakon."

He tied the black cloth around my eyes and said, "Want a last smoke?"  I snorted at his oh-so-clever remark.  "Sure, take off this muzzle and we can have a last.....smoke.", I teased.  "Nice. See you on the other side."  His receding footsteps told me that he went to take up his post and aim at my head.  "Let's just get this over with."

{oO0Oo}

It was coming.  It was coming, and I couldn't help that poor boy.  Just the thought of his hopelessness brought tears to my eyes.  I wiped them away swiftly, only so Mother didn't try to kick me out....again.  "Executioners!", she shouted over the crowd.

"Ready!"  I clenched my fists in fear.

"Aim!"  I couldn't bear it, so my eyes shut to block off the pain

"Fi-"

"ATACAMOS AHORA! PARA HACER O MORIR!"

This strange outburst drew my eyes open.  As I did, a rocket slammed into the ground where the executioners...used to stand.  Gunfire ripped up the courtyard, killing guards and the unlucky civilian in its wake.  I stared in horror at the sight below me.  "R-rebels?", I asked.  Somebody grabbed me by the arm, and yanked me out of my seat.  "Princess! We've got to go!", Sisis shouted.  He brought me to my feet, but the sounds of screams brought my attention back to the balcony, and back to this Spike character.

We were back where we stood before the exexution, where the purple curtain used to be.  I....I have to try!  With a final impulse of compassion and stupidity, I ripped my arm out of Sisis' grip, ran to the balcony, and jumped over.

{oO0Oo}

It wasn't a far fall downwards, but high enough to break a couple of bones.  Right before I met a cruel impact on the ground, I used a levitation spell to stop my falling.  From my levitated position, I landed gracefully and kicked off my heels, for it was MUCH easier to run barefoot.  As I landed, a burst of gunfire shredded the ground in front of me.  I fell back with a shout, and landed painfully on my ass.  I looked over to the source, and saw a man in goggles and a scarf over his face realign his sights.  In a panic, I shot an unusually strong bolt of magic at the man.  He fell backwards, and never got back up.

I stared in horror at the man I just....just killed.  My first instinct was to go over to him, but more gunfire reverted my attention back to my primary goal.  Spike.  He was still tied up at the post and was blindfolded.  I held my hands over my head, and made a mad dash over to the post.  He looked over in my direction, and began to shout, "Hey!  Hey over here man!"  It looked like he was expecting one of his rebel buddies, but I was the best he was going to get.  I grabbed the black cloth over his eyes, and gave it a strong pull.

His green eyes met mine with a stare of shock.  I smiled warmly, and went behind him to remove the muzzle.  It came off with a mechanical hiss fell to the ground.  "Wha-what are you doing?  Who are you?  Really?", he asked.  "The girl who's saving your life, now shut up so I can help!", I said back.  The cuffs over his wrists were standard issue for our army.  The were a strong steel and could only be opened by somebody with Changeling DNA.  I pressed the release button, and it replied with a high pitched tri-tone.  The red light on the cuffs turned green and the restraints opened.  I discarded them and went back to his front.

He ran at me with some kind of anger, but didn't go for me.  Behind me was one of the surviving guards, who Spike had just seized by the neck.  He was gasping for air as Spike continued to tighten his grip.  The sound of popping blood vessels and breaking bones all ended with the severed head of the guard rolling on the ground.  Spike turned back to me, a devilish smile on his face, and he began to run for me.  I ran in the opposite direction, but was seized and thrown into a wall.

He was on top of me in a flash, and his knee was digging into my gut.  He had my arms pinned to my sides, totally immobilizing me.  Then I saw his mouth, it was burning with a green flame that was ready to kill me.  I flailed my legs hopelessly as I waited for him to kill me.  I took one last glance into his eyes, and he winced.  The flame in his mouth died down, and he released me from his iron grip.  I took his outstretched hand and returned to my feet.  "Let's go.", he muttered and ran down the alley next to us.  The same alley where an ambush was waiting in case of this particular situation.  Had to hand it to Mother, her tactical knowledge was impeccable.

"Wait!  There's troops waiting over there!", I shouted at the fleeing boy.  He stopped and turned to look at me.  I pointed to another alley across the courtyard.  "That one's safe!  Come on!"  I ran back across the makeshift battlefield with Spike in behind.

{oO0Oo}

We reached the alley with little issue.  Spike was walking ahead of me, and I was hunched over panting.  At the end of the alley, it turned right and led down another passage.  Spike turned this corner without even thanking me!  That, that jerk!  I stomped down the alley and turned the corner.....to ten rebel soldiers.  They turned to look at me, and simultaneously brandished an evil grin.  "Ello poppet!", one of the rebels said.  I turned to run but was grabbed into a head-lock.  I struggled as a cloth went across my nose and my mouth.

I felt woozy and eventually passed out, passed out into the enemy's arms.