The sloshing and jostling of the boat made sleep impossible as the awkward chaining arrangement left my head swinging like a pendulum with every movement. Occasionally, I might get what felt like a minute’s sleep in between, only for the boat to shift and jerk me awake again. Orchid did all she could to keep me comfortable, but unable to really do much, she had wandered off at some point in the night.

So when daybreak came, I was weary as ever.

All along the hold, the minute stirring of other’s waking came more frequently. Footfalls from the decks above thumped more often. Slowly, the ship was coming to life.

And with that, came the calls of nature that were apart of the timeless wakeup ritual. For us captives though, that meant passing a series of basins and buckets around and everyone would politely avert their eyes while another took care of their needs.

When the waste basin made it’s way to me, the smell was indescribable and made my eyes water. I held my breath, leaned over it, and just tried not to miss.

I passed the basin down the line, and received the wash bucket. The water was grimy with dirt and suds, but I supposed it afford a modicum of sanitation down here, tenuous as it was.

The next bucket held water and a ladle. I tried not to think to hard about how many had drunk from it before me, and instead focused on how this wasn’t the most questionable water source I’d ever used.

Lastly, came a box of biscuits and fish jerky.

A simple sniff told me that the last time the biscuits were probably fresh was sometime around Nightmare Moon’s banishment. But food was still food. Frowning, I picked out a single biscuit and a strip of jerky and nudged the box over to my neighbor.

Her talon seized my hoof. I tried to pull away, but I trapped firmly in her grasp.

“Look.” She said and reached into the food bin to remove a single strip of jerky. “Only take one thing. There’s only enough for that. No more, no less.” she reprimanded.

Holding her strip of jerky in her mouth, she carefully pulled the biscuit from my hoof and tossed it back in the bin and passed it on. “And trust me, the jerky is a better choice. The biscuits have worms.”

I looked over to watch Topaz take a bite of the biscuit he’d selected and then just as quickly spit it out, a horrified look on his face. The two diamond dogs beside him chuckled and gave him a few slaps on the back.

I returned my attention to my neighbor. “Thanks for the advice, and uh...sorry.”

She waved my apology aside. “You are new and did not know better.” She flashed me a smile and extended a talon to me. “I’m Raina.”

“Waxing Crescent, or Wax for short.” I said, shaking her talon.

“Well Wax,” she said. I fought back a smirk as her thick accent made Wax come out more like Vax. “I wish we’d met under better circumstances, but since life is as it is, it’s a pleasure to meet you regardless.”

I laughed under my breath as I took in her features more deeply. Unlike the falcon and hawk-like features I’d seen in griffons, her face and wings resembled an owl’s. Speckled flecks of dark feathers sporadically spread through the sea of white plumage. Then about halfway down her torso, her equine genetics took over. I did note with some curiosity that despite having the rear end of pony, she did not have a cutie mark.

My eyes traced the path they'd taken down her body back up to her face, where she seemed to be studying me with the same burning curiosity. Realizing that I was now actually looking at her, she smiled.

“You are unique, like me.” She paused and she cocked her head. “Though I am not sure how relations between a pony and a bat would work to produce you.”

I couldn’t stop myself from releasing a barking laugh at that and shook my head. “Despite the resemblance, neither of my parents were bats.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Are you sure? I mean-” she gestured to her chest. “-griffon sire-” she shook her flanks a little, “-pony mother.”

“Pretty sure. I’m not entirely positive how we thestrals came to be, but I’m confident that no bats were involved. Or at least not in that way.” I shrugged.

“Ah well. That is probably for the best.” She ran a talon over my face, dragging it down to my right wing. “Still, your eyes, your fangs, your wings...they are so frightful.” She paused, looking back above my head and gave my ears a scratch. “The fuzzy ears are cute though.”

I flicked my ears back away from her talons as I glowered at her.

Anything I was about to say was interrupted when the door to the hold opened and the big, burly griffon from yesterday lumbered in. He look a quick look around the room before his eyes settled on Raina and walked over.

“Hey there pretty.” He grinned. Unlike Raina’s pleasant smile earlier, the lecherous one he wore made my skin crawl and I wasn’t even the intended recipient. “T’ lads be wantin’ to see you now.”

The look on her face wandered somewhere between resignation and disgust as he unlocked her chains and followed him out. The door shut and locked behind them and their footsteps faded away.

I turned to the pony lying to my right. Despite her eyes being closed and her breathing slow, the alertness of her ears betrayed her wakefulness. “Hey. Can you tell me what was that all about?”

The mare cracked an eye and gave me a sidelong glance. “Sex.” The eye shut again.

My lips pressed into a thin line. “Can you elaborate a bit more?”

She sighed and sat up. “Well first the male finds a suitable female. Then he may attempt to rise up and-”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.” I cut her off.

“Hmph. And here I thought you liked jokes. You certainly laughed with Raina enough.” She cracked her neck. “But very well. How much do you know about hippogriffs?”

“Considering the only one I’ve ever met just left, not much.” I said.

“A true font of knowledge you are,” she remarked dryly. “The key detail you are missing in this case, is that hippogriffs are naturally infertile. It’s like their bodies can’t figure out whether to lay eggs like griffons or give birth like ponies, so ultimately it does neither.

“Consequently, Gunter considers them the perfect for sating his subordinate’s sexual appetites. No matter the season, or how many griffon’s plow her, there will no chance of offspring.”

I stared at the door Raina left though, my stomach churning; the look on her face replaying its way through my mind.

The mare continued. “But that doesn’t stop them from occasionally choosing a griffonness, mare, or diamond dog bitch--should their tastes swing that way that night--but primarily it’s the hippogriff’s ‘duty’, as far as they see it.” She sighed and her tone dropped its callous edge. “Poor Raina there has lasted longer than most. Typically, they just give up on living. Stop eating. Waste away until death takes them away from here. But not Raina. She just picks herself up, cleans herself off, and tries to move on. If it weren’t such a pitiful cycle, I’d say her resilience is admirable but…”

“But what?” I prompted.

She grimaced. “I’ve watched this go on for as long as she’s been big enough for them to mount and...nevermind.”

Sensing the conversation was over, I stared at the spot Raina once was.

Two more days passed. Four more times we were fed. Four more times Raina was taken to the crew quarters and returned, reeking of sweat and sex.

Sometimes she’d cry as she cleaned herself up; dipping a filthy rag in the soapy water bucket and dragging it over her coat, followed by preening her feathers. Sometimes she’d stared at the wall, a dead look in her eyes. But no matter what, an hour or so later, she was back to normal.

I don’t know how she did it.

On the third day though, the cycle was broken. Wherever we were going, we had arrived.

“Come on! Move it!” The burly griffon yanked on the chain. All of us were being led out of the hold and into the sun atop the main deck. I was blinded as we stepped out.

I blinked furiously as my vision adjusted. When it did, I nearly gasped.

Far above us, the Canterhorn rose into the sky, proud and mighty. Just on the other side, I knew Canterlot would be jutting from its side.

My heart sunk. So close, and yet, so far. I’d yet to find a means to escape, nor imagined I could. My rump was stiff and sore from having the bolt removed, which combined with my broken foreleg, made the simple act of walking was difficult. Nevermind trying to go up a mountain.

Another jerk on the chain got me moving again.

“Listen up!” Gunter paraded before us, his sword hung on his side and whip clenched in a fist. “Today we have a guest coming aboard to inspect the lot of you. While he does, you will stare at the deck in front of you, until told otherwise. You will not speak unless spoken to. Anyone who fails this-”

His lashed out with the whip striking the nearest enslaved griffon on the chain. Bloody welts drew up beneath his feathers as he shied away. Gunter grinned.

“Understood?” he asked before turned around and gave a shrill whistle.

The flapping of wings slowly grew louder and ended with the sound of hooves and wheels landing on the deck.

I felt Orchid press her side against mine. “Don’t look now,” she whispered, though I wasn’t sure why since I was the only one who could hear her. “But you remember that housecall you made before we left for the Crystal Empire?”

Thinking back, the memory came quickly. I nodded slightly.

“He just landed,” she said.

I ever so slowly looked up from beneath my eyelids. Sure enough, Hail Showers was stepping out of his skychariot. I took a small measure of pride in that, seeing as his flight feathers were still missing from where I had ripped them from his wing. That pride quickly melted away when I realized that this was the client Gunter was meeting. I didn’t hold a very high opinion of the stallion to begin with, but I certainly didn’t expect for him to stoop as low as this. I wondered what his servants might tell me if I pressed them for details about where they really came from.

I looked back down again before I was noticed while Hail and Gunter talked in hushed tones. Slowly, their footfalls started at the beginning of the line. One by one, Hail selected or rejected Gunter’s offerings. From what I overheard, Hail Shower’s had a prevalence to picking ponies, perhaps to simply to avoid the attention that adding griffon’s and diamond dogs to his staff might bring.

Hence a great amount of deliberation occurred over Topaz. On one hoof, Hail was tantalized by the prospect of acquiring such a rare and interesting pony. On the other, unless he kept the stallion in his manor at all times and away from anywhere prying eyes might catch a glimmer, Topaz would draw a great amount of attentioin. Eventually he moved on, though reluctantly.

They stopped at Raina, right next me.

Hail let out a low whistle. “I must say, I don’t think I’ve seen a nicer set of flanks in all my life.” He ran a hoof down along them, all the way to her dock. “Yes indeed.”

Raina jumped when he gave her a firm spank.

“Though, the rest of her is just-” Hail peered at her griffon half. “-unfortunate. Next.”

I took a deep breath, calming myself as they stopped before me.

“Ah,” Gunter started off. “This one is a recent acquisition I found on my way here and haven’t much time to work with yet. I think it best we move onto-”

Hail Showers held up a hoof cutting him off. “Look up.”

I drew myself up, holding myself with as much pride as I could muster. “Mr. Showers. How nice of you to drop in.”

Gunter snarled and the whip flew, biting into my back. “Speak only when spoken to.”

I hissed, but stood strong, staring the stallion down. “How’s the wing by the way?”

The whip flew again and my back exploded with pain. But still I held myself up.

Gunter turned to Hail. “I take it you know this stallion?”

He smiled wickedly. “Why, my esteemed friend, I do. May I present Waxing Crescent, Former Captain of the failed Lunar Rebellion.”

Gunter chuckled and turned back to me. “See? I told you I’d get your name.” He shook a claw at me. “And a Captain!? My, my, my, somepony has been keeping secrets. Also that explains a few things and makes you worth a lot more. Congraduations!”

I shrugged, ignoring the protest of the welts on my back. “Actually, it’s Night Warden now.”

He whipped me again, this time catching me along my neck.

I bit back a groan. “That time, I think you were speaking to me.”

Gunter paused for a second. “You’re right. I guess I was.” He dropped the whip and backhanded me across the muzzle. “My apologies.”

The taste of blood played along my tongue from where my lip had split. Their laughter played in my ears.

“I must say Gunter, this is a most pleasant surprise.” Hail said.

“Aye? So you want this one?” he raised an eyebrow.

“Oh no. No no no. I will pay you handsomely for you to keep him though.” Hail picked up the whip from where Gunter had dropped it and looked it over in his hoof. “I want you to keep him and do want you will with him, just so long as you make sure he suffers and never makes it back to Canterlot.”

Hail leaned in close to me. “I will rid this city of filth like you. See, I already had plans to get back at you for your little episode in my home, but this is far better. It might still be fun to buy your home though. I think I’ll level it, and put a statue to my honor in its place.” He put a hoof to his chin in thought. “But then I suppose that’ll leave your daughter homeless wouldn’t it? That just won’t do, now will it?”

He shook my nuzzle side to side.

“Yeah, a thought not. So here’s what I propose. Since you have taken my daughter from me and adopted her into your freakish clan, I’ll just take yours and raise her in proper pegasus home. That sounds fair, right? A simple trade.”

“Counter-offer.” I snarled. “You release me right now, and I promise not to kill you. Because if you don’t, it’s only a matter of when I come back to Canterlot. And when I do, I will find you. And there will be a reckoning.”

His hackles raised as a shiver ran down his spine.

That’s when Gunter decided to intervene. This time delivering a punch straight to my gut. I keeled over, sucking for breath.

This seemed to be all Hail needed to regain his confidence. “No,” he sneered. “I don’t think you will.” He raised the hoof holding the whip high over his head.

Hail began flogging me and kept at it, even long after I passed out from the pain.

Waxing Crescent leaned back against the chair, and took a sip of his tea, now long since cold. The fire had died down considerably, as had the candles on the table, now little more than nubs in a pool a wax. The scritch-scratch of a quill against parchment filled the air, as a lavender aura guided it across the page. Outside the window, the first rays of dawn were stretching over the horizon, painting golden streaks and hues across the sky.

The quill stopped. “So then what happened?” Twilight asked.

Waxing chuckled softly, and set his cup down on the saucer. “I think that’s enough for tonight, don’t you?”

Twilight looked around startled. “Huh? No! There’s still so much to cover! We haven’t even scratched the surface and-”

Waxing stalled her protest with a hoof. “And we can pick up again this evening after dinner.” His eyes twinkled. “I can promise you we have plenty of time and I’m not going anywhere. Besides, I think someone else needs your attention right now.” He nodded over to the fireplace.

Twilight turned around to see Spike, who was now waking up. He stretched and let out huge yawn, a small curl of smoke escaping with it, and his stomach gurgled, clearly crying for breakfast. Her cheeks reddened, embarrassed that she’d forgotten about Spike. She was so enthralled with recording everything Waxing Crescent had said, that she hadn’t noticed when Spike had curled up in front of the fire and fallen asleep.

“Well, can we continue over breakfast at least?” she asked. She turned back to his seat, only to find it empty.

Strange. I didn’t even hear him leave. she thought.

Now that her concentration was broken, she started noticing other things. Things like her stomach gurgling. And just how badly she needed to go to the bathroom, which considering she’d been drinking tea all night with had nary a break, shouldn’t have surprised her.

“Did y’all finish?” Spike said, stumbling over to the table.

Twilight stood up and gave Spike a small nuzzle. “No. We still have much more to cover, but we’re taking a break for the moment.”

Spike stared up at her astonished. “You? Taking a break?”

Twilight looked away and scratched at her fetlock nervously. “It was more his suggestion. Anyway, why don’t you head to the dining hall and get started on breakfast. I need to go freshen up a bit first.”

Spike jumped up at the mention of breakfast prepared by the royal cooks, thoughts and ruby and sapphire pancakes dancing through his head. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea Twi.” He gave a sniff. “Because, no offense, you kinda reek.”

“I do not!” she protested and she listened to his little claws and laughter make their way down the hallway. As soon as she was sure he was gone, she leaned down a gave herself a sniff.

...okay. Maybe she could use a shower as well.

She gathered her materials, sweeping them into a saddlebag and left the study.

“Twilight,” Celestia said between bites. “How did last night go?”

“Excellent Princess!” she perked up in her seat. “We didn’t get very far though.”

“I am not surprised. So where did he leave off?” she asked.

“Um...the Silver Talons.”

“Oh. I see.”

Even though Celestia’s voice betrayed nothing, Twilight could see the princess’s magic gripping her fork far more forcefully than necessary.

“Yeah…” Twilight shuffled a few items around her plate. “Is everything he says true?”

Celestia paused for a moment. “I would say so. I asked him to be as honest with you as he would be with me. Why do you ask?”

“Well…” Twilight’s horn flared as a thick scroll flew from her bag and landed before Celestia. Celestia gave it an amused look, seeing that it was an itemized list with all the questions and points of her student’s curiosity.

“Hmmm...some of these I’ll leave for Wax to answer, but a few of these I don’t mind clarifying. First, yes, he really is over a millennium old and is, indeed, not crazy.” She looked pointedly at Twilight who blushed. “And secondly, I don’t think he and Luna have talked about what Nightmare Moon did to him.”

Celestia’s ear flattened. “Despite my urging, I don’t think the two of them have even bothered to see each other since Luna’s return. Luna told me she feels far too guilty, and Wax...he just...I’m not sure I can rightly say what his feelings toward my sister are anymore.”

“But, surely he knows that it was Nightmare Moon’s fault for what happened to him? That Luna isn’t responsible for that?” Twilight said, concern bleeding into her voice.

“I don’t think it’s that, my faithful student. And even so, knowledge often hold little sway over the feelings of the heart.” Celestia raised her cup, taking a small sip of tea. “Do you recall what spurred Luna’s transformation into Nightmare Moon?”

Twilight hesitantly nodded.

“I fully admit that I played my part in that. I neglected her feelings far too often in those days, but Waxing?” Celestia shook her head and grimaced. “Waxing has always had a big heart, and cares about others far deeper than he dares show. To him, Luna was family. His only family.” She paused a second, her lips drawing thin in contemplation. “From a very young age, Luna was more than just a princess and a teacher to him. She was mother, sister, and friend. As colt, wherever she went, he followed. When he was scared, he ran to her for comfort. When he accomplished something, he looked for her approval.

“So imagine the kind of betrayal he must have felt, when my sister says no pony loved her, when he, for near all his life, adored her?”

The dining hall grew quiet, aside from the sounds of a blissfully unaware dragon eating, too engrossed in his gem pancakes. Twilight’s questions lay on the table, forgotten. And nopony noticed as the cracked door behind Celestia closed as a blue alicorn retreated from it; no longer hungry.

Twilight stared at the book in front of her, realizing that she was rereading the same line for the fifth time. Groaning, she set it aside and ran a hoof across her face.

What was wrong with her today? She loved research. She loved books! She loved nothing more than a whole day trapped in a library, the smell of aged ink and parchment filling the air, and learning.

But today she couldn’t get into the swing of things. Everytime she came close to getting in the zone, her mind would wander back to her and Spike’s conversation earlier.

“So what are you going to do now?” Spike asked, sitting in his usual spot upon Twilight’s back as they walked through the castle hallways.

“Research,” she said matter-of-factly. Breakfast with Celestia had turned out to be less helpful than she thought. While the princess’s insight may have given her a better understanding of Waxing Crescent, it didn’t answer any of her formulated questions. If anything, she now just had more.

“Really Twi?” Spike deadpanned at the back of her head. “You’ve been in Canterlot nearly a week now and you haven’t taken a break from this at all. You spent the first few days in the library researching biographies and interviews, and then the next few creating checklists to gather what you’ll need to do yours.”

Spike loved Twilight dearly, but did find it frustrating how she could find a hundred more things “necessary” for holding an interview when really all that was required were writing materials, and two ears ready to listen.

“I’m just saying, maybe you should go visit your parents. Or your brother. Take a walk. Talk to Princess Celestia some more!” He threw his arms in the air. “Just do something else!”

Twilight sighed. “I can’t Spike. There’s just too much I need to cover before I see him again. I want to know why I’ve never heard of the Silver Talon aerie before, if they were such a menace back then. Or how it’s even possible to curse somepony his immortality.”

Spike shook his head. “If you want to spend your entire day in the library again, that’s up to you.” He hopped off her back. “But I’m not.”

She stopped. “Spike?” She looked down at her number one assistant and cocked her head.

“Think about it Twi. If this stallion is as old and im-i-imo-”

“Immortal,” she supplied.

“Yeah that,” he said. “If he is, then what’s a day or two going to matter?” Spike sighed and crossed his arms. “Look, if you need me, I’ll be back in the room.”

Twilight frowned, and shook her head. Research now, talk to Spike later. She levitated the book back over and started to read the page again. For the sixth time.

Coffee. The smell tickled her nose causing her consciousness to stir. First her ears perked up, followed by her head as she lifted it off the desk...and out of the book she had been using as a pillow.

“You know, I’ve heard of some ponies trying to learn through the osmosis method,” Waxing said over his steaming drink. “Never took you for a practitioner though.”

She groaned as he chuckled softly. “How did you find me?”

“You do have a particular reputation that precedes you-” he pushed forward a second mug of coffee towards her with his wing, which she accepted gratefully his her magic. “-but in this case, I stumbled into a thoroughly disgrunted young drake chewing his way through a bag a sapphires, with prejudice. Which considering how much dragons enjoy their gems, says a mighty bit.”

She wilted. “Oh.”

Waxing snorted and peered at her. “Oh indeed.”

Twilight shrinked under his gaze, suddenly feeling like a foal under their parent’s reproachful stares. “Fine, fine. I’ll go see my family tomorrow.”

He nodded sharply. “Sounds like a wonderful idea.” He leaned back in his seat. “Now where were we when we let off this morning?”

“Oh! Before we start,” she perked up as her horn lit up, unravelling a scroll. “I had some questions from last night I was hoping we...could...”

Her eyes scanned the parchment. After each one of her questions, in neat script, was a reply.

Across from her, Waxing sat, a cat-ate-the-canary smile plastered across his lips. “You’ve been out quite a while.”

“You went through my bags!?” Twilight scanned the document furiously, her shock rapidly turning to frustration. “Why do half of these say, ‘in time’?”

Wax shrugged, but didn’t comment further.

A grinding noise filled the air; Twilight narrowed her eyes at the stallion.

“That’s really bad for your teeth you know.” Waxing said and took another sip of his coffee.

Twilight took a deep breath, and drew a hoof to her chest. One...two...three and release... She pushed her hoof away from her chest and exhaled.

She smiled politely. “Fine. We’ll do it your way.” She pulled out the scroll from last night. “You had just finished telling me about Gunter and Lord Hail.” She dipped her quill in an ink pot. “What happened next?”

“Three long years happened and then I escaped.”

Twilight’s quill paused in her magic. “You’re just going to skip ahead like that?” Twilight raised an eyebrow.

“Yes.” Waxing said as he stared off in the distance. “I could sit here, and recount three years worth of abuse and torture. The painful nuances in the differences of being flogged with a leather whip or chain. What it’s like to run laps around a dusty yard for your dinner, just after having nails driven into the frogs of your hooves. I could describe the sensation of having teeth pulled with pliers, then being fed nothing but salted jerky.”

Twilight’s grew a little ill, as she stared with wide eyes.

He took another sip from his cup and his tone softened. “I could tell you all the pleasant dreams of Canterlot I had. How I imagined what sort of young mare Breeze was growing up to be; what her cutie mark would look like. How I hated not being there to see it. How I missed sharing a drink with Iron Oak at his kitchen table, just talking about our foals or our jobs. He always teasing about when I’d finally get married. I could about how very much I missed spending evenings before the fireplace with Celestia. Talking. Joking. Sometimes not saying a word as we drank wine and watched the flames.”

He stared off and, Twilight studied his eyes. Despite his youthful appearance, she recognized that wistful glint in them that she’d seen in Celestia’s many times. That glint that hinted at the actual age of the pony, and exactly how much they’d seen. And how far back their memories would cast them.

Waxing shook his head and sighed. “So please Twilight, forgive me, but I don’t wish to dwell on those years.”

She nodded her head. “Very well. But could you perhaps at least share how you escaped?” She sat there, patiently as the thestral thought.

Finally, he nodded.

“I guess that would be kind of important, wouldn’t it?”

The moonlight trickled in through the window in silver spears, playing softly upon Orchid’s coat as she lay curled in my arms, as had become our routine. As much as I disliked what this place did to me, I hated that she was forced to be dragged through it with me.

I squeezed my arms tighter around her, pulling her closer to my chest.

I was also thankful to have her there to help me when it all seemed to much to bear on my own.

Through the window, I watched the glowing white orb in the sky rise; the image of Nightmare Moon emblazoned upon the surface. Even from here, I swear I could feel her watching me. Judging me.

And, maybe it was wishful thinking, rooting for me. Despite my last conversation with the alicorn, I never could shake that feeling of her pride in me. Of her urging me to get back up, to keep fighting. And the funny part was, no matter how I tried not to care, telling myself that her opinion and approval meant nothing to me…

...it did. I couldn’t help but feel that glowing light of approval, and delight in it.

There was a soft click, as a key undid the lock on my door.

Orchid tensed up and scowled, while I scooted away for cover; my chains rattling across the floor as they followed my movements. I hoped it wasn’t Gunter, back for another session of “Does this hurt?” Each session further cemented the fact that he was as creative as he was sadistic.

“Waxing?” a feminine voice called out, as a familiar griffoness entered the room. She spotted me and lowered herself to the ground. “Please come out from under the table.”

I let out a sigh of relief. “Gertie.”

Orchid visibly relaxed, and came back over to me.

Gertie set her doctor’s bag of the floor, and carefully helped me out from my hiding spot.

Now where she could see me properly, she reached for my mouth. “Open.”

I complied as she looked at the gaps where my fangs ought to be. She gave one a gentle prod with the tip of her talon, feeling the sharp point of the new tooth coming in.

“Seems you were right. They are growing back.” She commented and released my jaw. “That is most unusual.” Her eyes wandered down to the nubs on my back, the protrusions now slightly longer than they a year ago. “Though, I suppose in your case, I shouldn’t be so surprised.”

I grunted. We didn’t talk about my wings, or the lack thereof.

They threw me on the floor before Gertie, letting me roll a few times; bloody smears marking my journey.

“What did you do to him!?” she shrieked as she began examining my back. Well, what was left of it.

“I’m teaching the new crew the proper way to crack a whip. The bat ‘volunteered’ to help out.” Gunter smiled. “Fix him up. Need him ready to go again tomorrow.”

I hissed as she poured some powder across my back. It stung at first, but slowly, it grew numb. Must’ve been ground dullweed. Good for clotting. Good for pain.

“I can’t fix this!” she yelled at him. “Look! There’s nothing holding this joint together. Nothing!”

“Pssh, that’s easy then,” he said. I felt an unwelcome pressure around the base of my right wing. “In this case just…” He grunted with effort.

I cried out as the sound of snapping bone filled the air.

He cast the tattered remains my former limb down beside my head. My vision grew dim as the world faded away. A little speck of consciousness remained when I heard him say one more thing.

“Now to just even out the other side.”

I shifted uneasily. “How is she today?” I asked.

She looked away, busying her attention with something in her bag. “No change I’m afraid. Not today, and...” Her talons trembled. “She went without air for quite a while. The fact that I was even able to revive her was a miracle but...I wish I hadn’t.” A teardrop ran the length of her beak. “I wish I’d just let her die.”

It was strange to hear such things from her. The Gertie I’d come to know treated all life as precious and strove to heal the pain others wrought. Never once had I heard her wish death on another, no matter how much some deserved it.

So for her to say this, was a shocking but, I think I understood.

Two nights ago, Raina was summoned to make her ‘rounds’ among Gunter’s crew. Word was that one recent replacements happened to have a thing for choking her during the act, before promptly falling asleep--usually on top of her.

This last time however, it wasn’t until another griffon, curious when it was his turn, found them. The griffon, of course, was fast asleep. Raina wasn’t breathing. Sure, Raina was revived, but her eyes were dull and empty, no longer reflecting the care and intellect they once did. She didn’t talk. She didn’t do anything.

In every way that mattered, she was gone.

This fact didn’t seem to bother the guards at all though. Every night since, a few would show up, and kick Gertie out. I didn’t have to guess too hard to know what happened next.

Gertie shook as a sob racked through her. “I can’t keep doing this. I can’t. I can’t keep mending bodies, just for them to be broken. I can’t. I can’t.”

I stared at her as she seemed to collapse in on herself, curling up into a ball of misery. Part of me wanted to comfort her. To reach out and hold her close, and tell her that everything would be okay.

But I’d be lying if I said that. And it would always be a lie until something else happened first.

She offered no resistance as I pulled the key from her neck, and began undoing my shackles.

“Doing it tonight?” Orchid asked, her tone vaguely concerned. I nodded as I rolled my fetlocks, enjoying the feeling of freedom from those damnable cuffs. She leaned forward against me, wrapping her neck across my withers. “Be careful then.”

“No promises.” I said. I couldn’t fight the corners of my mouth from turning up in a reckless smile.

Snorting, she pushed me away. “I’m serious. You’re all I’ve got.”

My heart twinged, reminded of that fact. If I ‘died’, neither of us knew how long it would take me to come back. If the rate my wings were going were any indication though, I was looking at decades.

Still, I couldn’t make that promise to her. I was going to try and take on an entire stronghold of griffons who were armed and armored, with little more than a glorified paring knife. Being careful would mean sitting back down, and putting those shackles back on. We both knew that wasn’t going to happen, so I turned back to the doctor.

“Gertie.”

She looked up.

“Thanks. For everything.”

She gave a tired nod and laid her head back down.

I sighed and reached for her discarded doctor’s bag. Tipped its contents on the floor, I started sifting through them.

Bandages, ointment, salve, matches...

I let out a small, internal groan and stared at the surgery knife. The pale moonlight gleamed off the edge, disappearing in a fine twinkle where it tapered off. I knew from experience that it would pass through flesh like a hot knife through butter. Turning it in my hoof, my confidence in the knife faded by the second.

There was no escaping how small it was. Or how light. No matter how razor sharp its edge, any kind of armor would it turn away. Truly it was meant for the fine, delicate work of surgery, and seeing how pitiful the scalpel looked in my hoof, I ached for my old wingblades.

I looked over my shoulder at the nubs, giving them a small twitch. Right now I’d settle for still having wings.

I wished for a lot of things.

But wishing didn’t solve my problems. It didn’t change a thing unless I made it happen. I took a deep breath, steeled myself, and slipped out the door. I’d wasted enough time. There was no telling when someone would come looking for Gertie, and I didn’t want to be there when they did. I walked down the stone corridor, stepping carefully as I could trying to keep my hoofsteps quiet. A quick look behind me told me that Orchid wasn’t following. Considering my intentions, that was probably for the best.

I turned the corner, and peeked down another empty hallway. I knew that here in the medical ward, security was a bit lax. After all, if you were here, you probably weren’t in any shape to escape or fight. Probably.

I wasn’t complaining, but I had expected better.

I continued down the hallways, working my way to the exit. I knew my destination would be along the way. All my senses worked overtime, passing every little bit of information my way that might tell me if I was about to have company.

I stopped suddenly; my right ear swiveled sharply to the door next to me. Giving it a sidelong glance, I leaned up against it.

Inside I could hear grunting. A few seconds more revealed it was rather rhythmic grunting with a side of panting.

I frowned and reared up against the door, nudging the eye slat open a hair with my muzzle so I could peek in.

On the bed was Raina, little more than a limp fish beneath her plus one. His back was to the door, completely engrossed in his administrations to her body. The corners of the room didn’t reveal any other voyeurs, which meant either he was the last one to visit her for the night, or they were giving each other a little privacy.

Regardless, it made him an easy target. Too easy.

Ignoring that little voice in my head, I carefully unlocked the door and opened it just enough to slip through. I crept forward without a sound, keeping a watchful eye on the back of his head, ready to lunge if he turned around.

In less than a few paces I was behind him. I didn’t waste a second to plunge the knife in his lower back, angling it for his kidneys. Again. And again. And again I struck, throwing my other hoof other his mouth, muffling his cries, short-lived as they were.

Shock set in quickly as he slumped onto the bed, his sides slick his blood. I snarled and hauled his soon-to-be corpse off the mattress, wiping clean my hoof on his pelt.

Unlike so many tales, I had no blithe comments. No pangs of remorse, or pity; not even a tingle of justice served. I just felt empty and tired, like removing him was a chore.

This was hardly the revenge fantasy I had dreamt of.

I stepped over his body to the desk in the corner, where he had discarded his sword in while he engaged in other forms of swordplay. The sharpened iron hissed as I drew it from its scabbard. Looking at it, I only had a single thought.

Piece. Of. Trash.

Its weight was a little awkward, leaning towards the tip. While that gave me better capability for hacking and slashing, it made holding it in one hoof while walking more tiresome, and wielding it with my mouth impossible.

Why griffons had an affinity to swords, I’d never know, but as long as they got the job done though, I guess it didn’t matter.

I turned back around until I stood over Raina’s bed. I pulled the blanket up over her hindquarters, and smoothed the feathers of her down from where they’d been mussed and ruffled.

Her uncaring eyes stared back at me, empty and dead.

Looking at them, I wanted to be angry. I wanted to feel the urge to rip out the throat of every griffon under Gunter’s command. I wanted to feel that primal fire flow through my veins, but no matter how I tired, I only felt the same cold, detached emptiness as before. More than anything, I wanted to turn my back on the griffon empire and return to Equestria. I would wash my hooves of it all and go back to my old life.

But looking at Raina, I couldn’t leave. Not just yet.

I leaned down and kissed her forehead lightly. “You deserved so much better, and I promise, I will remember you. Always.” I straighten up and lifted the tip of the sword to her breast; my hoof trembling. “Rest now Raina, and be at peace.”

I thrust it forward.

Her body gave a sharp intake of air, and exhaled. With a deft movement, I pulled the blade from her chest and through the rest of the sheet over her, ignoring the red splotch seeping through it.

Raina was gone and noone would touch her again.

I released a shuddering breath. I couldn’t stop my hooves from shaking. I knew it needed to be done, but...I hoped to never do it again.

“How touching,” a voice sneered from the doorway.

I spun to see Gunter standing there, crossbow leveled in my direction.

The impact of the bolt sent me to the ground, embedded in my neck. I gagged and choked on it. I tried the say something, but my voice wouldn’t work right. Hoarse gasps and gurgles were all the escaped my mouth.

I looked up at Gunter from the floor as he strode in, reloading all the while. “Such a shame honestly. I had such a finale planned for you.” Gunter aimed the crossbow between my eyes. “Ah well. It was good while it lasted.”

He fired a second time.

And my world went black.

Author's Notes:

Well, this chapter marks the point where I changed the story rating to mature. Frankly, I wasn't sure I could leave it at teen considering Raina's role in this. I also hope I captured a sense of tired, weariness in the last part without it being to terrible to read. I promise to bring the energy back in the next chapter, and a side dish of vengeance.

I also debated long and hard on whether to skip ahead three years in Wax's narrative and to reveal the present with Twilight. In the end, in came down to two things: 1) Reading about three years worth of cruel torture belongs in a grimdark fic and this isn't that. 2) Exposing the present gives me a chance to explore more than just Waxing's point of view.

As always, leave feedback below and/or typos I missed (damn my foolish fingers). I seriously love reading comments so go nuts.