A Promise Not Forgotten

Aidan:

I could see my breath in the cold evening air as I walked into the village. The dim glow of lanterns inside of the houses shone through the windows. Step after step on the frosted grass I felt the notion that something wasn’t right about this town. Sure it’s night and all the ponies are inside, but they can’t all be gone.

During our travels we had to stop in towns and get supplies. Usually we were chased off in a heartbeat; that was in the early days. After a while rumors started to spread of Celestia’s controversial methods of ruling. With little contact to anyone in the loop I don’t even know what’s going on back home. Home… damn I wish I could still call it home. I kept a watchful eye as I ventured deeper into the village, searching for a sign of Dash and Pinkie. The silence was deafening, only to be broken by the slight breeze in the air.

“Damn it… where are you?” I asked to myself after a while of wandering. A few ponies had seen me from their windows and shut their blinds. I keep getting a feeling that Celestia has spread a rumor or two about me. Ignoring the scared ponies, I kept on as the sun lowered in the sky. Step after step it was getting colder. I really hope the ponies are ok. I know Dan would take care of the ponies back at the camp, as for Dash and Pinkie, well that’s another thing altogether.

I walked down a narrow road keeping an eye out for my friends. Narrow alleys like this gave me the creeps. I always suspected something was going to… *SNAP* I looked down and saw a rope catch my foot and flip me upside down. I smacked my head really hard on the ground before I was lifted up. I just hung there, dazed and disoriented. Three large ponies accompanying a smaller pony were walking towards me. The small one stopped just in front of my face. His grey face and green eyes met my own. “Oh don’t worry… We’ll take good care of you,” I heard him say before something hit the back of my head.

Dan:

“Ok… this is taking too long. Wait here,” I said before I started down the same path Aidan took.

“Wait, you’re leaving Luna here?” Colin asked sarcastically.

“Colin, cut the crap. Aidan should have been out of there thirty minutes ago. Watch the camp…” I said, walking away.

Aidan:

My eyes peeled open to see the inside of a cloth sack. Oh great… this is gonna be fun.

The bag was ripped off of my head, revealing a rundown warehouse and the same green eyed pony from before. I looked around to get my bearings and spotted a window. It was still dusk outside, that means I haven’t been out for very long. I looked down to see chains tightly wrapped around my body effectively trapping me to this pole. Not an inch of skin was showing, save my face.

My gaze returned to the pony standing before me with a smug look on his face, “What do you want?” I asked.

He started slowly pacing around me, “Heh… well after all that mess you caused back on Canterlot there’s been some folks looking for ya. There’s quite the bounty on your head right now. Rumor has it Celestia herself wants you captured.” I glared back at the pony as he kept walking. He stopped just in front of me, “Hundred thousand bits…” He grew a crooked grin showing equally crooked teeth. “Now that a lot of money... Hey, between you and me… is it true?”

“Is what true?” I responded blankly.

“Oh come on! You can’t be that thick!” He said. “You’re a demon from another world, aint ya! Here to kill us all! Celestia put Equestria under martial law until you’re executed.”

“Demon is hardly the way I’d put it… I’m not looking to kill anyone either,” I said, looking to the chains.

He gained a frown, “Then why are so many already dead?” He asked.

“They had different plans,” I said with a sigh. “No offense, I don’t think I should have to explain myself to a bounty hunter like you…”

“Oooh, such hostility!” He said walking to me with a smile. “You and me are gonna get along just fine!” He said before hitting me in the face.

I turned my head to face him again, “You don’t want to do that…” I said with a glare.

“Oh yeah? And why’s that?” He asked with a smile before swinging another hoof.

After about five minutes of constant beating of my face the pony stopped. “You had enough yet?”

“Aww, come on! You’re already tired?” I asked, mocking the little pony.

He responded with a sneer before whistling loudly. Two big earth ponies walked into the small room. “Why don’t you two teach this one some manners?” He said before leaving me with the two ponies.

I rolled my eyes again, “You won’t be able to kill me, if that’s what you’re after.”

“We don’t want to kill you… We’re gonna make you suffer first,” The brown one said with a malicious grin.

“You don’t know suffering…” I said before the two large ponies started throwing hooves.

Dan:

As I walked down the alleyways I couldn’t help but think of all the things that had happened. I know Aidan blames himself for every bit of it, even though he didn’t really do anything wrong. I wish he wasn’t changing, it makes being a smartass to the guy really hard.

“HELP!” I heard Rainbow shout!

“Oh shit!” I said before breaking out into a full on sprint to the source.

“HEEEELLL-!” She tried to scream again before she was cut off.

I rounded the corner and saw an unconscious Rainbow and scared Pinkie being loaded into a wagon by some big ponies. I was about to run after them before I heard some ponies talking behind me. One actually sounded like Aidan. I turned to look and I saw a bunch of ponies carrying Aidan in the opposite direction, who was also knocked out.

“Oh, man, that’s just not fair!” I said while looking back and forth. “Aidan’s like a brother, but he would never forgive me for letting them take Rainbow and Pinkie! Shit! But what if Aidan gets hurt? What if the ponies get hurt? SHIT!” I said before I ran.

Aidan:

It must have been about an hour. The two ponies took turns beating me and breaking bones. When they realized that I can regenerate they decided to make a game out of breaking my bones repeatedly. Now I’m alone in the room again standing in a pool of my own blood. The pain was still lingering in my chest from when the black one bucked me. I hung my head low; there wasn’t an easy way out of this. No, just more killing…

My thoughts were interrupted with the opening of the door. I looked up to see a unicorn carrying a tray with scraps of food on it. She walked closer to me and sat down. I rested my bloody chin back on the chains covering my chest and closed my eyes.

“I brought you some food…” She said with a small smile.

I looked back up to her, noticing the lack of insults. Her coat was white and her mane was black with red stripes in it. “Don’t need it...” I said before resting my head again.

“What do you mean, ‘don’t need it’?” She asked.

“Haven’t eaten in over a month,” I said. It was true, too. With regeneration came certain benefits. If you ask me I’m cheating death here, but that’s not something new.

“A month?” She asked with wide eyes.

“What do you want?” I asked bluntly. Not really in the mood for another life story.

“That obvious, huh?” She asked.

I opened my eyes and looked to her. “You didn’t insult me once, and I know when someone is trying to use me,” I said.

“Well, use is a bad way of putting it…” She stopped when she noticed a raised eyebrow. “Right… Well. Celestia has completely changed the kingdom. She throws ponies who don’t follow her terrible laws into work camps that fortify the defenses of Canterlot.”

I shook my head, “She’s preparing for war…” I said with a sigh.

“Exactly… but that isn’t even the worst part! The ponies are overworked and underfed. Some of them are just killed on the spot if they’re deemed unfit for work,” The mare said.

“Sounds more and more like Earth every day…” I said, shaking my head as I was reminded of a certain fascist. Wonder where she went wrong… I thought to myself.

“The ponies of Equestria need you Aidan! You’re the only one who can stop Celestia’s mad reign!” She said.

I looked back down, “You don’t want to get into this…” I replied.

“There’s no other option now,” The mare said.

“Fine,” I said rolling my eyes.

“Come on, let’s go!” She said, ignoring me. She unlocked the chains and let them fall to the floor loosely.

I stood on my own two feet again and cracked my neck. “Oh that’s amazing. Alright, well you seem to know what’s going on. Got a plan?” I asked.

“Actually no, I didn’t think you would help me that easily…” She responded.

“This is going to be loads of fun,” I said, rolling my eyes, again. “You know where the exit is?” I asked.

“Yeah, take a right, up the stairs on the left, second door on the right. That leads to the front door, but guards are all over the place.” She responded.

“That’s never stopped me before. Who are these guys anyway?” I asked as I opened the door and looked around.

“One of the many bounty hunter groups after you right now. You’d be surprised at how many want your head,” She said.

“Sounds like a bucket of fun, let’s get to it then…” I said, finding myself in a mood closer to how things used to be. I like myself more this way.

I opened the door all the way and took a few steps into the hallway in the direction that I needed to go. The brown earth pony that was bearing me earlier rounded the corner to see me and this mare. “Hey, buddy! How’s things?” I asked with a big smile.

“How did you get out?” He asked getting into a fighting position.

“Does it really matter?” I asked in return. I saw the brute eyeing the mare behind me. I rolled my eyes, “Look if you just let us on by I promise you won’t be hurt,” I said with a wistful smile.

“Heh, What are you gonna do to me?” He said with a determined smile.

“Why are they so damn stupid?” I asked the mare behind me. She responded with a shrug. “Listen buddy, I don’t want to do this.” I said returning my gaze to the guard. He growled and started to charge. I sighed, “I warned you.” An explosive blast of lightning flew from my extended hand. The arc met the charging stallion and stopped him dead in his tracks.

“Jeez, I didn’t know you could do that…” The mare said from behind me.

I shivered and hopped in place a little bit, “Man I hate doing that, it always makes me so jittery.” I looked down at my hands and they were shaking, no more than back at the ruins in the Everfree though, so I’ll be fine. Whenever I use my magic I always feel so energetic, I guess ten thousand volts can do that to you.

“Should I be worried?” She asked, “You’re not going to explode on me are you?”

I looked back at her, “Nah, nothing like that.” I endured the surge of energy that quickly faded and I stopped jittering. We started running through the hallways to the exit. “Hey, you know if they caught two ponies tonight?” I asked as we ran, remembering Rainbow and Pinkie.

“Rainbow maned pegasus and a pink earth pony?” She asked for confirmation. I responded with a nod. “Yeah, they’re being taken further south. I overheard a few of the guards say that they were your friends. That true?”

I glared forward as we ran, still regretting getting them into this mess. “Just tell me where they’re going,” I said through clenched teeth.

“Apparently the ring leader thought you would escape and took them as insurance,” She said.

We took the last right, rounding the corner to meet six or seven pissed off ponies. I groaned, “Get out of the way…”

They all stood, blocking the exit with a fire in their stare.

“Get out of the way… please?” I asked.

The green eyed pony stepped forward. “And what makes you think we would do that?” He asked.

“Well… for starters…” I said before lighting up a hand, finishing the sentence without words.

He got the message but stood still, “You think you can take all of us?”

I took a step closer so that I was right in front of the pony, “I took down Celestia’s royal guard. What is a rag-tag band of street rats going to do to me?” I taunted. “But, before I waste any more of my precious time, where are the two ponies you captured?”

“I don’t know, and what makes you think I would tell you even if I did?” He responded.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” I asked. “The last one wasn’t too bright, I must say. Don’t want to end up like him now do we?”

The stallion snarled at me before shouting, “Come on, boys… Let’s show this scum what real colts can do!”

I sighed, “Have it your way then,” I said, again rolling my eyes. “I did warn you though.”

Of course, like any other stupid guard would. They all ignored my warnings. All of them senselessly charged into battle; all for what? Was it honor? Was it glory? Or was it fear of somepony else above them? Damn I hate fighting, killing… I hate this…

One by one the bounty hunters were shot down, each just as meaningless as the last. When I finished, one survivor lay on the floor in front of me. He was a smaller orange-ish stallion, reminding me of applejack. I walked over and knelled next to him. “Was it worth it?” I asked.

The struggling stallion looked up at me, “Why?” He asked. “Why do you kill?” I looked down at my own hands, knowing how much blood covered them. I looked back to the stallion, but he was gone. I stood up and walked out of the building. Out into the cold night air I walked. I looked up to the sky, that beautiful sky.

“Are- are you okay?” The mare finally asked.

I kept looking up, “I’ll be fine, eventually,” I said.

“Hey, we’ve all done some bad things. It’s best to leave it in the past, Aidan,” She said. I looked behind me to her shortly before starting a slow walk back to the others. “Aidan, don’t do this to yourself. I know inside there is somepony good,” She said.

I stopped, now looking down. “I’d love to believe that, I really would. But you don’t know what I’ve done,” I said.

She responded, “Listen, Aidan, I know where your friends are.” I turned around, looking down at the mare. “Let me help you, please.” Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie flashed back into my mind. Pinkie would be scared half to death; Rainbow would probably try to fight the bounty hunters. Damn I hope they didn’t hurt them.

“Are you sure?” I asked, “There’s no going back. The moment the royal guard finds out you’re working with me you’re as good as dead to Equestria.”

“I’m sure,” She said with a determined smile.

I closed my eyes, already regretting that I dragged another pony into this mess. “Alright...” I said with a sigh, “What’s your name?” I asked.

“Firefly,” She said.

I smiled. The first in a while, “Nice to meet you, Firefly.”