//------------------------------// // The betrayal Part I // Story: Forsaken // by Iron_Hooved //------------------------------// Twilight and Nemo stumbled their way down a dark corridor, the sound of their hoofsteps echoing against the moss-covered walls. Spike trudged slowly behind them, dragging his feet upon the rugged stone that lay beneath him. Two sets of hoofsteps echoed alongside their own, those of a couple of prison guards escorting them. Twilight tasted the moist air as she took in a lungful, gulping down hard. She recoiled at the distinct feeling of dust rubbing against the inside of her throat, coughing slightly. She stopped for a moment to regain her composure and immediately she regretted it. With a powerful heave she was lifted off her hooves and flung forward into the pavement by one of the prison guards next to her. "We didn't give you permission to stop," scorned the soldier. The filly pushed herself off the cold floor wearily and took a few tentative steps before she was flung forward again by one of the guards. "Are you deaf? Quit stalling and move it!" Ordered the other guard. "I'm trying my best, but I can't even see where I'm going with this blindfold on!" Whined the plum unicorn desperately. "Why are these even necessary?!" Demanded Nemo, tugging at the black fabric over her eyes, "The code of penal procedures clearly states that, even in the case of military detentions, sensory deprivation is absolutely illegoomf!" Twilight felt a slight draft of wind momentarily brush by her sides, and she could only assume that Nemo had been flung next to her. "Shut your trap, we make the laws here," replied the cold voice of the guard. The filly felt a set of tiny claws gently wrap around her foreleg, the edged fingertips slightly digging into her coat. Though she couldn't see her young assistant, Twilight could almost picture the state of frightened state of him as she felt the tiny arms supporting her tremble. "Don't worry, we'll be okay," she whispered to him, though not entirely convinced of it herself. The soldiers led the captives through the maze like dungeon carefully coaching them past twists and turns, and up several sets of staircases. Left, left, right, up, straight fifteen yards, right, left, straight, left, straight ten yards. Though she was not allowed to see her surroundings, Twilight had been taking her time to calculate every step and turn they had taken since leaving their cell. Since it was unlikely that she would get a better opportunity to become familiar with the layout of the prison it would be best to take every chance she could get. Her survival and that of her friends would depend on her ability to garner as much intelligence as possible on the structure. "We're here." With a curt notice the soldiers stopped abruptly and removed the blindfolds from the fillies. Twilight felt her eyes involuntarily water as sunlight, cascading from some old high-arched windows, enveloped her. She blinked a couple of times trying to take in her surroundings. They were in a long corridor up about three stories high from the ground, judging by the sight of the distant treetops visible through the windows. The position of the sun and the length of the shades, cast by a couple of watchtowers sitting in the corners of the building, indicated that it might be between ten and eleven in the morning. A creaking sound called Twilight's attention, startling her. She turned around and noticed they were standing in front of an iron door, which was now slowly opening to reveal a canary yellow stallion on the other side. "Nice work fellas, Ah'll take it from here," said the stranger lifting an old stetson to reveal an all-too familiar pair of green eyes and a winnfield style of beard... "You!!" The unusual soldier barely had the time to register the filly's indignant scream before he felt her forehead dig into his gut. The two of them fell into a heap of trashing limbs and writhing bodies before a bewildered Spike and Nemo who stood agape as the unicorn kicked and pummeled every inch she could reach of the stallion. "You stupid degenerate swindler! How dare you trick us?!" "Aie! Get'er off me! Get'er off me!" The guards rushed to the stallion's aid and promptly pulled a still trashing Twilight off of him. "Stay still you deranged bitch!" Yelled one of them, and immediately she felt the air drain out of her lungs and her strength wane as he punched her hard in the gut. "Easy fellas, you wanna save that aggression fer later," said the stallion, lifting his hat off the floor and dusting it off before replacing it on top of his head. "Still, Ah must say Ah'm impressed. Fer a lass ya pack quite the punch Miss Sparkle," he added addressing the filly who was curled up into ball on the ground. Having gotten over his initial surprise at his mentor's emotional outburst, Spike quickly recognized the soldier standing before them. "Colonel Clean Shot!" He stated with pure loathing in his voice, balling his hands into fists. "Actually it's Brigadier Clean Shot now," he corrected him, "Ah was ascended right after our meetin', for 'special services to Equestria.'" Still unable to speak, Twilight shot him a reproachful look, angry tears staining her cheeks. How could this stallion speak so calmly of his services to Equestria after what he'd done?! After he'd manipulated them and helped bring about the demise of his country! Of his ruler! "Ahh don't give me that look," he said, "Ah was just doin' what was necessary fer the good of our nation and all ponykind." "You're a fraud!" Retorted Spike. "Say what ya will," returned Clean Shot frowning slightly, "Ah don't expect a young lad like yerself ta understand the work of greater minds, nor the sacrifices required ta maintain peace in the world." "And I suppose these 'sacrifices' won't be made by you or any of these 'greater minds' of which you speak of, am I correct?" Pointed out Nemo, who was now beginning to get the gist of the story between the brigadier and her companions. "Ya must be Miss Jui-ce, right?" The stallion ignored her, tilting his head to the side. "It's Ius," she corrected him, "and what if I am?" She demanded in return, sticking out her chest proudly. Clean Shot merely chuckled. "Ah must say, ye're some lucky gal! Ah'd bet mah hat off that all of yer friends here are wishin' they were ya, and if they aren't they'll be soon wishin' they were." It was Nemo's turn to tilt her head to the side now. "What do you mean?" She asked in mix of confusion and growing dread. "Whoops! Now, now miss juice... Ah wouldn't want ta spoil the surprise," he said, walking past her to retrieve Twilight off the ground. "C'mon, up ya go! That's it... no need fer tears, ya wouldn't want ta run out of those so soon now, would ya?" Twilight shot yet another look of pure venom at the stallion, who returned in kind a provoking smile. He then lifted his head to address the guards. "Ya two, follow me and bring that there partner of hers with ya," and with that sentence he easily lifted Twilight off the ground and over his shoulder, and made past the guards. "Where are you taking them? What are you going to do with them?!" Asked Nemo, unable to fight the fear in hear quivering voice. Brigadier Clean Shot turned his head to give her a malicious smile. "Let's just say that depends on how yer interview goes. Who knows? Ya might be able to spare these ponies some pain if y'all are willin' to cooperate. But don't take too long now..." he advised her, "if Ah get bored of waitin', Ah just might try mah own luck at makin' miss egghead here talk. Now ya best step inside, yer host must be gettin' mighty tired of waitin'." And with that ambiguous phrase he tipped his hat to her, and departed with the captive Twilight and Spike, leaving Nemo looking stricken. The attorney stepped through the threshold and quickly realized she was in a long corridor that stretched sideways all the way down to the other end of the structure. A discolored crimson carpet, that might've been fanciful at one time, sat on the floor collecting dust. The walls were adorned by hand crafted sconces, made of solid gold that gleamed under the wavering flames of the candles sitting on them. A collection of framed paintings covered the walls, their contents ranging from landscapes to portraits of unrecognizable ponies. She was busy wondering the purpose of all the extravaganza displayed inside the prison when a loud thunking noise startled her. She turned around and inspected her surroundings looking for the source, whatever had caused it was nearby... "Thunk!" There it is again! She thought to herself as she wheeled around to pinpoint the source of the noise coming from behind a wooden door on the wall. Slowly, she approached it and hesitantly lifted a hoof toward it. Would it be a good idea to disturb whoever was in there? What did that soldier mean by 'interview'? And who could possibly be waiting for her behind that door? "Only one way to find out Nemo," she muttered to herself as she carefully flexed the ergot on her foreleg and rapped the wood three times. "Come on in," beckoned a muffled, yet strangely familiar voice from the other side. The filly obeyed and gave the door a slight push, opening it to reveal dimly lit room where a rectangular table sat in the middle with two chairs facing across each side, one of which was already occupied. "It's been a while, my dear filly," spoke a stallion's voice, his face emerging from the shadows to reveal a white coat and a brown mane with matching mustache she knew only too well... "You!!" ****** "Let me out! Let me out I say!" "Simmer down Sally, Ah doubt these folk are the type ta take requests from strangers." Rainbow Dash stopped kicking at the iron bars in their cell and turned around to shoot an annoyed look at Applejack. "How can you be so calm?! Who knows where they've taken our friends and what they're doing to them!" She scolded the farmer, stamping her hoof hard on the ground. The cowgirl merely lifted her hat to reveal her green eyes and gave her a skeptical look. "And ya think kickin' and screamin' like a school filly on her first day is gonna fly well with them guards? Ya sure like stirrin' up a hornet's nest, don't ya?" "Better than sitting around and chewing on hay weed!" Retorted the cyan pony. Applejack spit out the golden straw from her mouth and gave her a scowl. "Ah'm tryin' to think of a way outta here, and Ah would be havin' an easier time if y'all weren't behavin' like a hot-blooded bull with ants in his undies," she said, firmly stepping forward. "And I'm trying to make us a way outta here and I would be having an easier time if you got off your lazy flank and helped me kick these bars down!" Responded the filly, pressing her muzzle into Applejack's. "Applejack, Rainbow Dash is that you?" Called a soft voice down the corridor. The two fillies stopped arguing and bolted to the door, sticking their heads through the iron bars. "Fluttershy? Where are you?" "Over here," called the voice yet again, and the couple twisted their heads just enough to see a familiar soft-yellow foreleg sticking through some iron bars, about five cells away from them, waving at them. "Are ya alone?" Asked Applejack. "Rarity and Pinkie Pie are here with m—uhm, what? Oh my, I hardly think this is the time Pinkie... B-but that's so embarrassing... Oh o-okay, I'll ask them anyway. Rainbow Dash do you have any tee-pee?" "Any what now?" Asked the filly nonplussed, "Uhm, tee-pee," insisted the canary colored pegasus. "Can ya speak a little louder?! We aren't quite catchin' ya sugarcube!" Applejack admonished her. "Uhm, please don't make me say it again..." she said softer still. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Well then don't be such a wuzz and speak up! What is it that you need?!" The yellow filly shied away for a bit before drawing in a long breath. "Do you have any toilet paper?" Rainbow backlashed. "What?! No! Where would we keep toilet paper?!" Replied the filly perplexed. "Oh okay... she says no Pinkie. Uhm, really? Oh my! Rainbow Dash are you sure?! It's kind of an emergency!" "Will you two stop foaling around?! Honestly!" Scolded Rarity at her cellmates as she stuck her own head through the iron bars to look at Applejack and Rainbow Dash, "Applejack is Twilight there with you?" "Uhm, Pinkie Pie, where are you going?" "No, and neither is Spike," replied the cowgirl, "you two got that other egghead lawyer there with ya?" "What are you doing in that corner?" "You mean Nemo? No, I think they might have locked the three of them in a separate cell." "Oh dear, I don't think that's very sanitary..." "Well shucks, Ah figured there might be there with ya." "Oh my! Pinkie Pie please don't." "Yes, we figured the same dear, but seeing as how they're neither with you nor with us that begs the question: where are they?" "Oh me! Oh my!" "They're probably being kept somewhere in this prison," "Uhm Rarity?" "In a minute dear. How do you know? Did you see where they were taken when we left the wagon?" "But—" "No, we were blindfolded, but there ain't no sense in taking them ta a different prison now, is there?" "Rarity..." "I said in a minute. Well I see your point but why bother isolating them and leaving us here to rot?" "I don't think we have a minute..." "Beats me, but we're gonna break out of here and find out!" "Oh dear! Here it comes..." "How? Did the two of you come up with a plan?" "I can't look!" "Well, not really but we're workin' on one." "What do you have in mind?" "Well since we're still alive that means they're bound to come get us at some point right?" "Probably." "We're thinking we could try and tackle the guards as soon as they open this door and then free ourselves." "Uhuh. And then what?" "And then we'll take it from there. How does that sound?" "Sounds awfully simple and naive don't you think dear?" "Ah told her she was just blowin' hot air!" "Oh and I suppose you have a better plan AJ?" "Hi everypony! Ahh... That was some sweet relief!" "Sweet relief? What are you talking about Pinkie Pie? *sniff* Eugh! What in Equestria is that sme—? PINKIE PIE!!!" At that moment the iron door at the end of the corridor swung open and struck the adjacent wall with a deafening bang. "Alright, enough! Stop this ruckus right now!" Thundered a guard, stepping into view. Seeing that he wasn't alone, the fillies quieted at once. At least a dozen guards immediately started filing into the room in double columns and divided into two groups, standing in front of the occupied cells. "Bring them, Brigadier Clean Shot asked for them personally." ****** Nemo shook her head in a daze, her muzzle throbbing with a dull pain. "Charging at me the moment you saw me, that wasn't so smart now, was it?" Asked the stallion adjusting his cap, behind an overturned table. "You bastard!! You foul, evil bast—" "I tire of your insults dear filly," replied the stallion returning the table, now having served its purpose as a shield, to its original position."I didn't come here to take abuse from you, but to talk like civilized ponies." "What could a traitor and a murderer like you possibly want with me?!" Retorted Nemo, standing up to scorch the white stallion with her pink eyes. It was irritating. Part of her had wished that she would never have to lay her eyes upon this stallion, leaving the burden of his crimes up to the princesses and the judicial system, but another part had been longing to see him ever since she parted ways with him. Longed to be reunited with him, to stand next him. How she had wished to be the one who would find him... and kill him. Tear him to pieces, burn him, and spit on his remains. The perpetual object of her hatred, the one who had betrayed her and Twilight, the stallion who had killed her mentor: Captain High Tide.