The Tale of The Stone-turner

Twenty minutes was all I was allowed before the end of the rope Applejack had been dragging me by was magically forced into my mouth to muffle the song of unending misery. I sat there cross legged, tied up, gagged, and pouting while Pinkie sat next to me still doing her duty. Applejack had gotten Pinkie to stop singing at the same time I was gagged with threats of tying her up right along side me.

After some time passed, the white one, Rarity, had gotten up and started moving towards us. It must have been time for the shift change. It was also time for the second step of my psychological assault, assuming I could get things to go as I planned.

“M mhp mhhhp mhhs” She gave me a quizzical look before the rope removed itself from my mouth.

“If I take this out do you promise to not sing any more of those horrid songs?” I nodded once.

“Yes mam” This seemed to be enough to convince her as she continued to walk up to Pinkie's position next to me.

“Well Pinkie it's time for us to change shifts, I do hope you'll be able to sleep comfortably for the rest of the night.” For some reason this seemed more like a plea then a wish goodnight.

“Okey dokey lokey” She had just got up on her hooves when my addition to the conversation made her stop.

“Aww, but I like Pinkie she's the fun one.” This earned me a nice big grin and I could tell the time to make them doubt both their own abilities to contain me and my 'wickedness' was fast approaching. Twilight spoke next, I guess she couldn't fall asleep, no idea who could have caused that.

“Why exactly have you been acting so cheery and nice even though you've petrified half of Equestria and been taken prisoner?” Showtime! Hooking my fingers into the knot on my bindings I pulled it apart, causing the ropes to fall in a neat circle around me, and in one smooth movement hooked my left arm under Pinkies chest between her forelegs, gladly finding out she was as light as she looked or this would have been a lot dumber than it already was, and hefted her into my lap. Placing my right hand on her mane I began to stroke her as an evil villain would a cat.

“I just can't help it if all you ponies are so amazingly adorable.” Apparently the other ponies had not been able to sleep either as I now had five looks that were a cross between surprise and fear as well as one contented hum, the hum was a little off putting but I rolled with it. Letting my teeth into the grin just a bit I moved my arms and hands away from the pink one so she could happily bounce back over to the others.

“How did- why would- WHA?” I might have broken Rainbow Dash. “What in the hay was that!?”

“I got tired of the ropes so I took them off.”

“So you mean to tell me you could have taken the ropes off at any time?” Oh my, Twilight you just gave me an opportunity to quote a cartoon rabbit, I shall forever be in your debt.

“No, not at any time” I wagged my finger as I said it “only when it was funny.” I sat up a bit straighter and felt my heart crack as I noticed the yellow pegasus, Fluttershy, the poor little thing looked so traumatized by the simple act of me freeing myself I thought she would just sink underneath all her hair and become nothing more than a pile of mane. “I suppose though I should just hold still and let you rebind me without struggle shouldn't I?”

“That's right, unless you want me to knock you out again!” Oh rainbow pony, you wound me so.

Placing the back of my wrists upon my hips and locking my elbows out away from me slightly I allow the ponies to wrap me up once again, silently I hoped my next plan to amuse myself would not be discovered. After four additional ropes and a length of chain with a padlock, which I have no idea as to where it originated, they were satisfied with how well I was imprisoned and they each went to their respective beds, save the one who would watch me next, and fell asleep. I laid back myself and decided I would rather torment my captors in the daylight when my mind was capable of producing worthwhile ideas, so I slept.

And here I thought I would get to have fun today, nope! As soon as they finished poking at me until I woke up I was gagged again and we just started marching. I grumbled as I trudged on amidst the ponies, the taste of the rope was getting old and my elbows were starting to complain about how I kept them locked away from my body. Some kind of strict no chit-chat rule had to have been implemented while I was asleep because we went the nearly the full day without any sounds other than the occasional 'watch for that rock' or a pegasus warning of some animal nearby.

When we broke free of the forest it was sometime after noon but before five, if the amount of light still present was trustworthy. No it didn't get any less dense towards the end of it, it was just solid rows of trees then boom, a big old field. I blinked my eyes a few times at the sudden increase in sunlight before they widened at the sight before me. Across the field was a great mountain, hanging off the side of the mountain was a great palace complete with tall towers and flying banners. On the front side of the mountain sat by far the largest pony city I had seen yet and, since it was the place where their princesses lived, probably the largest of all of them. I got worried, I wasn't worried because I was soon to be judged by the supreme law of this land. I wasn't worried that I would have to parade through this large pony city to be brought before this law. I wasn't even worried about Rainbow Dash knocking me out again if I did anything suspicious, which she felt the need to remind me of every so often. What DID worry me was that the palace looked like it was just hot glued to the the mountain! Seriously one pony too many on the edge of that place and the whole thing might just peel off and crumple to the ground! What were these crazy ponies thinking!?

“There's Canterlot.” I looked towards Twilight. “Come on everypony if we pick up the pace just a little bit we can make it there with at least two hours of daylight left.” Oh I hope that Palace doesn't decide to fall while I'm here, I really don't need blamed for that. We jogged, well I jogged the ponies performed a light trot, across the field as Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew ahead to warn the guards that the current terror at large was being brought as a prisoner. I shouldn't like that they have to warn the guards I'm coming, but it makes me feel so damn special.

It took fifteen minutes to cross that field, I was not expecting that. Of course I thought the field was much smaller than it actually was because I did not realize just how gigantic the gate was. The doors were easily twenty feet tall if not thirty, there is no way ponies open and close that regularly. It was probably just closed because I was out running amok, yes that must be it. As we got closer to the gate I noticed a guard on either side of it, one a pegasus the other a unicorn and both looking nervous, they must have seen me. We stop briefly in front of the gate for Twilight to whisper with the guards, I know it's about me, what other news could there be? After their brief exchange the pegasus guard takes off towards the palace and the unicorn's horn begins glowing a light crimson as the giant doors slide apart.

On the opposite side of the great gate stood Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash who fell into step along side the rest of my escorts as we began our way towards that stupidly placed palace. While walking, I began to get unnerved at how deathly silent the city was. There was not a pony in sight save the occasional guard and the ones who had bound and gagged me. I knew what a silent city was and I had made cities silent what with my whole stone-turning thing, but to be in a city you know is full of life and for it all to come to a stand still out of fear... I didn't feel like wearing my stupid grin.

As we moved thru the depressingly silent city, we eventually came upon another gate, this gate was not as large as the first but it was much more ornate, it's purpose clearly being to simply set at line at where city limits ended and palace grounds began. An exchange took place very similar to the one at the first gate, Twilight spoke with the guards, a pegasus flew off to the palace, and a unicorn opened the gates up. What lay on the other side of the gate however was vastly different.

I could talk of the beautiful gardens, the majestic cliffs, or the wonderful flowing waters. I had trouble seeing any of that past the sea of armor and manes. There didn't seem to be any end to the number of guards waiting past the gate. Each guard stood still as the grave until the gate was fully open, then each guard turned and looked straight at me. This is what made it finally hit me, I was very probably going to die very soon and all I could do is just march along and hope the royalty I was brought before would be merciful.

I made myself a little smaller as we walked the path between the seas of guards, I could feel all of them glaring at me. Making it into the palace itself without incident, I had some hopes that I wouldn't have to feel as many eyes on me indoors. The walls were lined with guards, sure there were tapestries and large decorative pillars, chandeliers and stained glass windows, but I had to take note of them after I finished being intimidated by all these new eyes that focused on me. We proceeded onwards following between the lines of guards down various corridors and hallways until we came to two large doors. This must be where my judgment would take place. I lowered my head trying to mentally prepare myself for whatever would be past these doors when the length of rope used to gag me was covered in a purple glow and pulled out of my mouth, I spat out several fibers and ignored any in my teeth.

“For your own good I would suggest you not run that mouth of yours unless the princess asks you a question.” I nodded to the purple unicorn but otherwise kept my head downwards trying to come up with any way out of this that wouldn't end up in my death or a pulse. The doors began to open and a guard informed me it was 'time to get my sorry ass in there' . Keeping my eyes trained on the red carpeting, I moved forward until I was told that I had walked far enough. I slowly raised my head up to face my judge and what I saw stunned me enough to make me forget about keeping my elbows out, so naturally my arms straightened. Of course this meant that at the same time my jaw dropped, so did the now too loose ropes and chain that had been wrapped around me...