//------------------------------//
// Season 1 Epilogue: Such Half-Breeds 
// Story: SWWC: Something Wrong With Canterlot 
// by Lighttone GryphonStar 
//------------------------------//

Distorted betwixt the Dragon Lands and the Kirins, this place was never meant as such. But spending thousands of years stuck between two near-immortal races led to only one outcome. This was the trash pile of these legendary races. All know of it and never speak its name for it is simply... Gehenna. And today was a rainy day.

Thousands of bones rain down with a mix of trash, blood, guts, and gore. A handful of creatures down below ran away in fear and in disarray of remains peppered the ground. They ran into their own smaller trash piles, taking refuge in these like homes.

A large and fat silver-haired figure stood up from his cave as the rain fell, face blank and cold as the blood dripped off him. His body was thin and frail, yet his command was far stronger. "Boys! Food!" His roar echoed through the ears of two smaller creatures.

Racing out of the cave under the shade of his arm were two hybrid creatures, dragon ponies. One was red, the other was white. A common sight among this trash-filled land as neither species would ever accept such 'deformed' freaks. As such, all they could do was survive on the scraps in this place.

Arriving at the biggest pile, the white one went to grab as many scraps as he could while the red one stood guard. The red was the weaker of the two so he could carry very little, but he was the fastest. Thus, his guard proved most useful, keeping a sharpened stick at his side like a katana. The white one had been built stronger through years of breaking down the bones for their leader. "Yes, this one looks good and so does this one." He snapped a large bone out loud.

"Careful, Wolf." the red one shivered.

"Calm down, Stone!" the white one answered him. "Just having some fun."

"Well, try keeping us alive at least." Stone held up his sharpened stick.

"Don't worry, oh great samurai!" Wolf mocked his friend's stance. "We'll make it back alive. Plus look at the horde they left us this time." He held his hands out to the many piles, all being searched by other groups of hybrids. "We should have enough to make it through the winter."

"Not, if the boss eats it all too soon." Stone waved his head.

Wolf chuckled. "Yeah, he does have a voracious appetite." After gathering what he could into his bag, he tossed a smaller bag to Stone. "Come on, show some effort." He dropped down with a loud crash, holding tightly to the heavy pile he had.

"I said carefully! Oro, do you have to be so blunt?" Stone was stopped as the rest of the hybrid groups looked at them and their noise. He took another stance and swung his stick left and right. "No, this is our food." The eyes of the onlookers were far more deranged than their sight. The two were so young, far from being broken by this cruel world. It was clear that these older ones were starving far more than Stone or Wolf. However, they couldn't let that concern them.

Seeing them stepping closer and ignoring Stone's defense, Wolf rolled his eyes. "I wanted to save this one for myself, but..." He pulled out a massive bone as they charged forward to steal their pile. Dropping it on the other scavengers, the two managed to escape.

Wolf giggled as the scavengers were being crushed by the heavyweight. Stone facepalmed as such a stunt was uncalled for if his friend would just trust his sword skills. The two quickly return to the cave with the bag full of scraps, enough for several meals to last the winter. The quantity was easily the biggest catch they had all year long. Good, since it would be months before the next drop.

"Sir Bogger Box! We've returned."

They gathered it in a new pile at the center of the cave and took a step back as an old silver dragon pony stepped out of the shadows and examined the goods. This was the one leading them and practically raising them. Despite his thin arms, his stomach was quite large, packed to the prim with fat and filth.

"So, this is what you've brought me." Bogger Box admires the catch. "So much good stuff this time. A few livers, some spines, or a rib cage... Wow, a skull too!"

"Cool... so plenty for us--" Wolf was stopped as the boss pigged out with no warning as always.

The fat beast ripped up fatty trash and slurped any meat on the bone. The sight was enough to make both the hybrids gag. Taking a step back the two could only hope he would get full soon and have enough left for the coming months.

Bogger Box could hear their groans beyond his hunger and pulled out two tiny bones from the collar of the ribcage. "Yeah! So good..." He rubbed the bones on his cheek and licked his chops. Throwing the tiny meals down to them, he smiled and remarked. "Enjoy the early gift for such a big meal."

Both of them were even more disgusted than ever. The things were barely thicker than their fingers. And there was almost no meat on them at all, let alone the fat they needed to survive the winter. Still, they took them ate with as little complaint as they could give. However, their stomachs couldn't lie. The boss looked at them with that stare again, full of hunger and madness.

"Boss..." Stone whimpered.

"Sir Bogger, please." Wolf was trying to reason with him. He stood his ground only for a rock to hit him across the face.

"Enough." Bogger Box growled at them. "If you hadn't thrown that giant bone outside then you might have a little more."

"You saw that!" Stone argued.

"I see everything out there. It is my purpose in this group." Bogger Box presented himself. "I protect you while you sleep. I stand watch while you get the food. And, in exchange, you bring it all to me!" His words echoed harshly at them with the same force as his spit. They knew he was lying, but couldn't argue against him. "Next time, don't act like a dumb animal! Understood?"

They nodded in defeat, and then Bogger Box went back to eating. He was only stopped when another raced into the cave. It was another meager dragon pony, even more frail than they were. "Sir Bogger Box, Sir Bogger Box!"

"What is it?" He screamed. "Can't you see I'm eating?"

"New arrivals!" The words of the younger dragon pony stopped him.

"What?!" The old dragon pony slumped back. "I can't take on any more servers!" He presented Stone and Wolf. "These two are starving as it is." Leaning down he questioned the child with a stronger voice. "Why would you warn me? You aren't part of my group?"

"I was told to warn everyone, in exchange for gold coins!" The boy chanted in joy, presenting his prize. "You are just the last ones I need to get to."

Sir Bogger Box frowned at the smile on the boy's face. Stone and Wolf's eyes dropped in horror at that face. Both tried to rush to the boy's safety, only for the older dragon pony to strike the boy across the face and snatch his coins. "Sounds like quite the prize." Sir Bogger Box rolled over and crushed the boy's legs under his fat. "Stone, Wolf, take me to this gold giver." He pointed outward.

"But..." Stone shivered as such an act would crush the now screaming child beneath their boss's guts.

"I said, roll me!!" he grabbed some bones from the pile and hummed down on a piece while the child continued screaming under him.

"Please, sir!" The boy cried out. "I need to get back to my master!"

"Master!" Bogger Box quivered with laughter. "Sounds like quite the sick freak to be deploying children." He cared no word to the mockery of his own actions as Stone and Wolf were practically children too. He growled and huffed at the two's lack to end this quickly, rolling himself over the remains of the boy and silencing him instantly.

Both Stone and Wolf shook at the sound of the bones chunking. Taking their place, they rolled the old dragon pony outside. They tried their best to ignore the gooey bits underneath and kept moving. However, Wolf's eyes lingered over the horrific image. His stomach grumbled, but kept up with the rest of them.

Stone gave a sigh of relief as the fresh air hit them. The bloody rain was still coming down hard, washing away most of the remains that hadn't been grabbed by the scavengers. The liquid took what wasn't found into the deep reverse pillar holes, where it was too far down for any to reach.

Slowly they moved over to the sight of an airship floating just above the ground. Several other groups gathered around it, messaged by the very same boy. Once every creature was in place, the hatch opened and revealed a strange sight.

It was a hippogriff, standing far taller than most of them, but was seemingly even more frail than the skinniest and most decayed of them. Its body was covered in the fanciest business suit they had ever seen. Despite his horrid figure, his feathers were so finely kempt that they shined light over all of them.

Most of the hybrids hated visitors as usually it would be either the dragons or kirins. Both were near immortal races so they could be somewhat compared to the hippogriff as some of their royals were just as old. But it was odd in general to see a hippogriff in such a bleak place at all.

Sir Bogger Box was even more stunned by the sight of the male hippogriff. As he saw the perfect opportunity in this seemingly divine meeting. if he could convince his charges to take command of this airship, he could finally leave this horrible place. "What honor is this to be presented with such royal, sir?" he presented his best fake smile.

The hippogriff's face was blank as his eyes examined the crowd. His eyes scanned everything twice over as if he wanted every single detail to be memorized. However, from the shivering in his feet, it was clear he wouldn't be staying too long. "This is a terrible place indeed. Such filth is not fit for the living."

"You speak the truth, my lord." Bogger Box agreed, failing to get his attention. He raised his voice, trying to get in his thoughts. "To what do we owe this great honorable pleasure?" The hippogriff refused to look at him once. The fat dragon pony frowned as his chance was slipping away. "Please, my lord. May we ask your name? What brings you to this terrible place? We're merely servants here."

Finally, it became clear what the hippogriff was looking for. "Where is that child..." The hippogriff groaned to himself. Without warning his voice changed in pitch. "I told you, that punk was going to take the money and split." Faster then anyone could question the voice flipped back and seemed to argue with himself. "Stop that, he had such kind eyes."

Realizing nothing he said could get through this clearly crazed hippogriff's mind, Bogger Box switched to plan B. Using all the strength his body had, the fat old bastard rolled at hippogriff with full force, hoping to crush the hippogriff. "Die!"

He was unable to dodge as the dragon pony charged at him with full speed. However, he stopped Bogger Box with just a single claw. The fat hybrid's eyes were blown wide and blood dripped from his lips as the talons tore through his fat with ease. The hippogriff barely flicked his head to the left before dropping Bogger Box to the ground.

"Strange... You're not the strongest and clearly far from the wisest." The hippogriff hummed. "He was such a greedy little bitch..." The alternate voice came back. The hippogriff nodded in agreement before replying with his proper voice. "As vulgar as you put it, little brother. I couldn't disagree." He turned towards Stone and Wolf and asked them nicely "Was he such a poor soul?"

"You... killed..." The young ones trembled at their boss's twitching body. Meanwhile, the older one just looked on with the same disgusted look, mixed with a touch of hunger.

"Oh, he not dead... yet." The hippogriff cleaned off his talons and held his hand up high. It began to glow much like that of a unicorn horn. Bogger Box's body lifted into the air much to the shock of them all and screamed violently. The scavengers watched on before slowly jumping back in horror. The only ones that stood their ground as the scene played out, were Stone and Wolf.

Their boss twisted and convulsed in utter agony as his bones popped out loud and his fat shook and twisted upward. It looked like he was being treated like a wet rag, squeezed and contorted in all kinds of directions. His flesh rippled and stretched until bones and blood burst out. It was a sight to make one vomit, especially Stone, but Wolf's eyes grew wider as his hunger reached a peak.

"Help... help... Help..." Despite the gruesome scene, the worst thing of all was seeing that Bogger Box was still so conscious of it all as if the hippogriff wouldn't let him die. His words were only muffled after blood and spit sputtered out of his mouth.

"That's enough, Big brother!" the punk voice argued. "You're going to make us sick." The hippogriff rolled his eyes and hovered his hand downwards. The dragon pony slammed into the ground and smacked hard. Opening his mouth, the hippogriff's eyes glowed.

Barely clinging to life, Bogger Box reached out to his charges only for them to drop their heads in shame. His eyes widened before slowly turning blank as his soul was ripped out and swallowed into the hippogriff's beak.

After everything was done the place fell so quiet. Stone, Wolf, and the hippogriff were the only ones around. The soul devourer took note of that by cutting the tension with a burp. "Sorry, my brother has no manners." The hippogriff commented as if this 'brother' was standing beside him. He gave a soft laugh and admired the faces of the two watching him. "You thought I did that for no reason, right?"

Neither one answered, staying extremely quiet to his action. He walked over to the remains of Bogger Box and rolled him over, looking over the remains of the charge he sent out into this disgusting place. "Shame, that boy showed promise... Until I sense your master snuff his life out."

Turning back to the two children, he leered over Wolf, much to Stone's concern. The red dragon pony feared for his brother's life and held up his sharpened stick between them. However, all the hippogriff did was step aside, presenting the corpse of their boss to them.

His grin grew full size and his next words hit them both in the gut. "Well, I can hear your hunger!"

Stone was from standing strong to no will at all. Such a bold offer with so horrifying and disgusting. And yet no hesitation, his brother pushed him out of the way and ran forward. Something truly had snapped inside Wolf that day. Giving no care to all the years of kindness and open abuse, his jaws open and bit down into the fat of their master's flesh.

Stone tried not to look, but his stomach forced his eyes open. His brother ripped into the belly of their boss with the force of a lion and slurped and munched down the blood and guts. It was not long until the smell and sight of the meal had its effect on him, and his stomach begged him for some of the food. Yet, Stone stood strong, digging his feet into the ground.

"Why resist the offer? You should enjoy." The hippogriff stepped over with his hands behind his back. "Don't be such a wimp!" the alternate voice spat at him.

"But... I... can't." Stone whimpered with tears peaking in his eyes. Slowly the child fell to his knees as a random bone rolled to his feet. His jaw lingered open, the smell was so bad, but his hunger was so great. "I must... no!" He tried to argue with himself as his hands took hold of the bone. The hippogriff smirked as the hybrid child's teeth slowly sank in, breaking the bone open.

After a solid hour of eating, the two finally reached an impasse. There was still plenty left, but no more could be fit inside their stomachs. The two leaned back and panted. Wolf was so filled up that his stomach was bulging his scales out of his fur. Stone, while not as swollen, was still full enough.

"See, that wasn't so bad now, was it?" the hippogriff giggled to them. Neither could answer as both were too busy gasping for breath. "I'll let you in a little secret." He reached his talon up to his beak and licked the air around it. "Souls are far more tasty."

Hearing such brought their eyes back upon him. The hippogriff to a bow. "My name is Sir Night." He introduced himself. "I was here to buy some new wards, but it seems you two are the only choices left..." He waved his hand over the empty area to make his point clear. "And since I just killed your owner, I guess you two are like those free coupons my brother has mentioned from time to time." Standing up, he snapped his fingers and presented them with his airship.

Both had mixed feelings. They were still in such a horrible situation. However, they had just had the best meal in their entire lives. Their minds and stomachs were too conflicted to give a proper answer. All they could do was stand there, frozen and staring at the soul devourer hippogriff.

"Come on! Do you really want to stay here?" Sir Night questioned, snapping them both back to reality. "This is no place for children..." He stopped upon realizing how he phrased that. Turning his head away, he observed the place and noted children everywhere, and all starving. "Of course, this whole place is a hellish prison for the offspring of dragons and ponies. Such a barbaric existence... yet its all you."

"We are used to it..." Wolf muttered, holding his belly in pain. "Fighting and scrapping to survive."

"So, why should we leave?" Stone questioned.

Sir Night chuckled. "A better question. A place where you have a roof over your head, a bed to sleep in, and three meals a day." His eyes glowed and presented all the images he could make a reality for them. These were followed by cruel and yet completely true words. "Why stay in this pit your dragon parents threw you into...? All because their pony lovers couldn't survive."

"How dare you?!" Wolf argued. "Our parents were dragons!"

"And ponies..." Stone accepted the truth.

"Exactly, so should you only see half of the world?" With that, the images flipped to many ponies having far better lives than them.

"They... look so happy." Stone whimpered, and Wolf felt the same.

"They are." Sir Night smiled at them. "And I can give this to you both." He opened his hand. "All you have to do is follow me into their bright light!" He gestured back to the airship, guiding them forward. "Just speak your names and embrace the pony lifestyle. Leave this horrid place behind and live!"

"Wolf..." the white one answered.

"Stone..." the red one pleaded.

"Yes, step forth and claim expanded names as declared right by all ponies." Sir Night stood behind them as the door slowly closed behind them. His talon fell upon the back of the white one, "First was Wolf... now Abraham Fenrir." The other talon lands upon the red one, also expanding his name. "Second was Stone… now Ethan Quarry--"

"No," the red one stopped for a moment. His eyes lingered back to the outside. Whether it was a small piece of defiance, or longing for greater freedom than even Sir Night could provide. He kept a tight grip on the fake katana, the last gift of that bastard Bogger Box gave him. A whisper of kindness that was never seen in that monster's eyes ever again. Yet, it was the only thing that kept this little red dragon pony going forward. He could see the world of ponies, not just for him, but those down below too who were never given this chance. "My name... is Ethan Stone."

******