Brothers In Blood

Your chains dragged on the marble floor, the scratching sound it made annoyed you. The two Minotaur guards and Shining were escorting you to the dungeon, following orders from King Sombrero and Queen Cheeselegs. You found it funny that she liked to hit on you even though Sombre was there. It amazed you how loyal these ponies were.

     “Down here prisoner.” One of the Minotaur guards growled, pointing down a long dark hallway. The other Minotaur held all your weapons, admiring the Lancer’s chainsaw. You looked out one of the windows in the hallway, watching the millions of Changelings filing out of a train. They instantly disguised themselves into the townsfolk, adding to the normal population of ponies. You looked down to the floor, slowing your pace.

     They won’t survive…

     CHAPTER XII: THE GREAT ESCAPE

     ONE WEEK BEFORE THE BATTLE

     “Enjoy your stay!” the Minotaur guards chuckled, pushing you into the prison. They closed the metal bar doors and locked them shut, bending the key so it can’t be used. You waited until the sound of the door to the dungeon closed before getting to your feet. They kept the chains on you, much to your dismay. Who knows where they even put your weapons.

     You shuffled to your feet, looking around the dark room. A small window let in some light, bars blocking and escape. Not that you could even fit through a small hole like that. It was quiet, the only sounds coming from when you move. A barred wall separated you from another prisoner. The room was too dark to see the pony lying on the ground, bandages covering its wounds. Your groaned, resting your head on the barred wall, your helmet making a small *clang*. The body didn’t move, causing you to sigh.

     “I don’t know if your dead or alive…” you mumbled, knocking your helmet on the wall again. Still no movement. “But you’re the only one I have to talk to.”

     You gazed out the window, dark clouds covering the dark city. Changelings have been hiding in the clouds, their dark figures making the sky a dark color. It’s been three days now. You think you’ve seen the prisoner next to you move, you’re not sure. Chrysalis came earlier, saying that it’s unnecessary to keep you in chains. She can keep trying but you still hate the bitch. You rubbed your wrists, the cuffs left a dark mark.

     “Ow…” said a soft voice. You didn’t glance to see who said that. You didn’t see the pony in the cell next to you start to shift, stretching out her long white wings. You didn’t see her flowing rainbow mane, an invisible wind blowing it around. “Where…. Where am I?”

     “The dungeons of this god awful place.” You groaned. You watched as move changelings arrived by train. You’ve noticed that most of them went to the castle while some stayed in the city. Good, more bloodshed. “It’s funny how Celestia lost to such a bitch… You’d think she would be all powerful.”

     “Yes it’s quite… Shocking to say the least.” Celestia muttered. You knew it was her, you recognized the voice. But if she’s going to play dumb, then lets have some fun.

     “To think that her loosing put her whole nation in jeopardy.” You chuckled. “it’s fucking unbelievable…” you heard Celestia shift in her cell.

     “Maybe she’s thinking of something…” she sighed, looking out her prison window. You only responded by a grunt.

     “Then why hasn’t she done anything?” you leaned on a wall, looking directly at Celestia’s damaged figure. They really did a number on her. One of her forelegs was bandaged from the shoulder to the hoof, a small blood splatter on the front. Cuts and scraped were on her chest. Her mane, even though it was flowing, was ravished, strands of the hair poking out in different directions. She was looking straight down, tears falling from her eyes. You reached into your pocket and pulled out a tissue, walking over to the barred wall.

     “Don’t cry sunbutt it ain’t over.” You knelt down rubbed away her tears, smiling under your helmet. You were soft sometimes, only to your brothers. But that doesn’t mean you liked watching girls cry. “We’ll get out of here eventually.”

     “I doubt it.” Chrysalis stood at your cell door, a small grin on her face. You stood to your feet, your hand in a fist. “Aww are you mad someone caught you being soft? Don’t worry I’ll keep your secret safe.”

     “The fuck do you want?” you growled. Her grin got larger, causing you to groan.

     “I just came to check on my favorite prisoner.” She smiled. She glanced over to Celestia and frowned. ‘I look who woke up…”

     “I can’t wait until I get the chance to kill you…” Chrysalis only chuckled. You hated her but she did give you good hospitality. She left a plate at the door, a slice of steak calling to you. Before she left, she glanced over to you, her eyes locked on yours.

     “By the way…” she smiled. “I find meat eaters kind of kinky…” URGE TO KILL RISING. She trotted away, her trio of guards following suit. Why did this bitch find you hot you have no idea. You just took the meat and sat against the wall, taking off your helmet and devouring the slice of animal.

     “She really seems to like you.” Celestia chuckled, watching you eat. You just rolled your eyes. It’s not the first time a girl really liked you. I don’t get what people find hot about a muscular killer with a vendetta to kill all Locusts.

     “You have no idea...” you groaned.”

     A loud sound of a bullet woke you up from your sleep. Celestia was looking out her window, causing you to scramble to your feet. You smiled under your helmet when you saw the many bullets shooting down the changelings.

     “Now it begins.” You chuckled. The guards at your cell door didn’t move, watching your every move. This is what you waited for. You remember strapping all your frags together, smiling under your helmet when the guards took your weapons. You’re no Baird but you knew how to make a bomb. You reached into one of your pouches and took out the detonator. “Excuse me boys but do you know where my weapons are?”

     “Shut the buck up prisoner.” the changeling guard hissed. “What’s that in your hooves?”

      “They’re hands my good douchebag.” The changeling growled, walking closer to the door. “And this? All I know is that I shouldn’t press this button. It’s part of my mission.” The changeling grabbed it in his magical grip, looking at it closer. A grin crept on its face.

     “Well mission failed smartass.” The changeling laughed, pressing down the button with his magic. A loud explosion threw you off, not knowing where it came from. You turned around to see the roof of your cell has exploded, gravel and rock smashing to the ground. Your Lancer and sawed-off fell to the ground, the Gnasher got buried by debris, its metal reflecting the reactions of the Guards.

     “Well ain’t this just the dickens.” You said in a southern accent. Before the first changeling could react you unsheathed your hidden knife and grabbed him by the neck. The other guard watched as you stabbed the knife into the creatures’ neck, twisting the blade. You back rolled over to your Boltok pistol, smiling as the bullet collided with the other changelings head, exiting through the back of its head. The creatures’ brain splattered o the cell behind it, its green blood glowing on the dark bars.

     You holstered your pistol and investigated the dead changeling lying at your door. Now where are those- aha! You found the cell keys, unlocking your cell door on one swift kick. You holstered your Sawed-Off and your Gnasher, clenching your Lancer in your right hand. Celestia stared at the dead bodies, horror in her eyes as she realized what she saw in your head was true.

     “Can you fight?” you asked, sending her out of your trance. She nodded swiftly, causing you to unlock her cell. The sound of galloping made you grin, reloading your Lancer. Two doors were at each end of the hall, torches lined on each wall. You had no problem with the lighting; the glow from the blood of Changelings will light up this hall. You faced the left wall, Celestia facing the right. Even when she’s wounded she still looked determined.

     “Here they come!” she yelled, generating a shield infront of her. You picked up the dead changeling, wrapping your arm around its neck as you used it as a meatsheild. The doors blew open, changelings fanning in like the bugs they are. You dodged the multiple green shots, hiding behind a pillar. You threw the dead body at them, the smoke grenade sticking to its back. You waited for it to hit the ground before shooting right at it, the explosion sending smoke all around the hallway.

     “EAT SHIT AND DIE MOTHERFUCKERS!” you roared, spraying a hail of bullets into the smoke. Five changelings charged at you through the smoke, blasting magic bolts. You winced as one grazed your shoulder, the heat burning your flesh. You revved up the chainsaw bayonet as one pounced at you. You shoved the gun into its mouth, the chainsaw ripping its head apart. Tearing it out, you dodged as one tried to stab you with its horn. You prepared for it to jump again when one wrapped itself around your back.

     Celestia blasted a bolt of yellow energy at the changeling, causing its whole body to heat up. With a loud *pop* the changelings head exploded, the body limply falling off of you. The third changeling charged into your boot, the kick sending it back into the crowd of changelings. You roared in anger as one bit into your right arm. You smashed the creature into the prison pillar, holding your Lancer in your left hand and mowing down the changelings charging at you. The changeling biting you finally let go, to his dismay as you pulled out you Gnasher and blew its head clean off.

     More Changelings started flooding in, some wearing black armor while others in gold. You pointed your shotgun to Celestia’s side, blowi8ng away the changelings that tried to attack her. You smiled as Celestia lifted the shotgun in her magical grip, shooting down the enemies herself. You put both hands on your Lancer as your shot down the charging enemies, one getting its chest sawed in half. A bolt struck you directly on the side of your helmet, right over the visor. You looked up to see changelings shooting at you from upstairs, causing you to redirect your aim.

     “We’re surrounded!” you yelled over your shoulder. Celestia took some shotgun shells from your back pouch, reloading her gun. A shield covered the both of you, the bolts from the changelings bouncing off and shooting back at the enemies. A grin crept on her face as her eyes started to glow, her horn glowing a bright yellow. “Celestia WHAT THE-“

   “Fuck?” you both appeared in a hallway, the sounds of bullets echoing from outside. The marble floor reflected the flash of lightning from the windows. Celestia breathed heavily, glancing over to you with a smug grin.

     “No I do not wish to fuck, Clayton.” She chuckled. “But thanks for the offer.” You only groaned, reloading your Lancer. “If I did it right we should be- CLAYTON!” A large Minotaur in armor pinned you to the wall, its hands clenching on your neck. You were probably a foot off the ground, the Minotaur’s strength rivaling yours. The second Minotaur guard walked over to Celestia, slapping her right in the face. The impact echoed down the hall. They both had grins on their faces, the dark purple smoke emitting from their green eyes, their irises a blood red. You clenched on the monsters arm, trying to loosen its grip.

     A loud battle cry made you grin as Ben came rushing at the Minotaur growling at Celestia. He swung his Longshot against the Minotaur’s skull, the beast stumbling backwards. The monster clenching your neck watched its brother get blasted by a ray of magic by Twilight, the blast sending the beast crashing through the building wall and out the window. The distracting made you move quick as you stabbed a knife into the beasts arm, causing him to let go. Benjamin kicked it right in the knee, causing you to jump right onto its back. The beast roared at you held onto its horns. You directed it into the army of changelings that were rushing to your positions.

     “BEN! FRAG!” You stabbed your knife into the beasts’ eye, its roar making the very walls shake. You caught Ben’s frag and stuck it on its back, jumping off the beast and kicking it into the crowd. The grenade exploded in the crowd, parts of changelings flying everywhere. More changelings charged into the area, some flying in from outside. Ben tossed you a Lancer, the Rainbow Dash mark making you freeze. Tied on the iron sights were two COG tags, Anthony’s face flashing in front of you.

     “I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU ALL!!!” you roared, holding a Lancer in each hand. Bullets shredded through the beasts, the hot lead making new holes in their bodies. Ben sniped away a changeling that almost pounced at you. Facing the windows, you shot down the flying pests. Rainbow flew past you in a blur, charging into changelings. Rarity shot down the pursuing changelings on Rainbow’s tail, her magic shots in the shape of diamonds. Applejack jumped over an attacking changeling, spinning around and bucking another in the skull. One went to bite her but was obliterated by Twilight, the unicorn shooting magic bolts at the creatures as Pinkie used her as a gatling gun. They stood infront other injured mentor. Fluttershy was tending to Celestia’s wounds, ignoring the battlefield.

     A loud road made you turn to the pile of dead changelings from the explosion. Neptune’s beard the Minotaur survived, its golden armor destroyed. It’s one good eye glared at you, hate and anger piercing through your soul. It aggressively pulled out the knife, slamming it to the ground. You started firing at the charging beast, the bullets only making it mad. Everyone noticed the beast, its fist barely colliding with your head as you dodged it. Ben went to hit it but the Minotaur kicked him right in the chest, sending him colliding into a wall. Applejack bucked it right in the chest, the beast back hand slapping the mare away. You jumped in its back, punching it in the face.

     “FALL!” you roared, pulling out your Boltok. The beasts rage made it go into a frenzy as Rainbow collided into its chest. The Minotaur smashed her into the ground, raising its hoof over her head. Before it could finish her, Celestia blasted a massive bolt of magic at the beast, sending you and the Minotaur crashing through a window. You jumped off at the right moment and grabbed the ledge, ignoring the glass stabbing into your hand. Applejack and Twilight went to help you when the Minotaur roared, causing you to look below. Hanging from a ledge was the beast, its eyes glaring at you as it jumped up and grabbed your leg.

     “FUCK!” you cried, the weight of the beast making you start to lose your grip. You pointed the Boltok at the Minotaur’s’ head. “Let go you fuck!” you fired at its other eye, the beast roaring in pain as it was now blind. But did it let go? NO because this is one persistent ass Minotaur. You continued to shoot at the rage filled Minotaur until it FINALLY let go, the beast plummeting to its death. Twilight and Applejack helped you up, Twilight wincing at your bloodied hand. The rest of the changelings ran away, probably to tell Chrysalis and Sombre the news. Everyone lowered their heads as you walked over to your brother’s Lancer, un-tying the COG tags.

     “Clay…” Ben began. You held your brother’s COG tags in your shaking hands. Flashbacks from all the times you spent with him. When he was born, when he first said your name. that time he cried when you came back from that KR accident all bandaged up. Teaching him how to shoot a weapon. You sniffled under your helmet, tears burning down your face. You’ve never cried before. Ever since mom died you stopped crying. You clenched his COG tags in a fist, ignoring the metal digging into your wounds.

     “There was nothing we could do…” Rainbow muttered. “We’re sorry…” you picked up his Lancer, holstering you Boltok on your back.

     “Don’t be.” You glanced over your shoulder, the group looking at you with tears in their eyes. “This just gives me one more excuse to end this once and for all.” Ben nodded, reloading his Longshot. Celestia tossed you back your Gnasher, a smile on her face. Applejack and Rainbow grinned, determined to get revenge for your brother. Twilight and Rarity breathed in, recovering from all the energy they used.

     “Then let’s finish this.” Ben commanded. All of you nodded in sync and started marching you way to the throne room.