The whole cave shook as dust blew everywhere, blinding me. The dust started to settle, but the rumbling and shaking didn't stop. I heard ponies running around, as there were figures in the dust, shouting. I just stayed put, following Sharp’s unknown plan. Eventually, the dust settled and revealed that I was surrounded by ponies in armor and fully armed.

I slowly looked at them as they all pointed rifles and shotguns at me. They all looked rough and tough, but they looked like mercenaries in blue jumpsuits with leather armor patched in and a clock painted on it over the fifty-one insignia. They weren't as dirty or bloody as raiders and their weapons were of an okay standard. Also, they hadn't killed me yet, so yeah, I don't think that they are raiders.

I sat down and snickered, a little embarrassed at all the attention. "…Parlay?"

A knock to the back of the head and I fell forward as my vision dimmed and dipped into darkness. Some ponies grabbed my front hooves and began to drag me towards the Stable. I looked at the door and saw it wasn't even scratched, just charred. The huge door was moved to the side, the entrance open. I saw that the door was a full pony length thick. They dragged me inside and I saw a huge machine contraption hanging from the roof. That must be the thing to open and close the door.

I was in, I got into the Stable, although it wasn't under my own power. The dozen or so ponies huddled in as an alarm sounded and the massive machine gripped the door before closing it. Lights flashed as I lost my hearing and soon my vision went dark.

A tapping sound, I heard the sound of metal being tapped on metal. I groaned as my head ached, but I still stumbled to my hooves. There was something on my hind hoof. I opened my eyes to see I was chained to a bed. I looked around to see I was in a stripped out concrete room, nothing remained but the bed and a silhouette of a desk long gone. That wasn't the only thing that was gone, my blue hoodie was gone too and I was fully exposed.

A pony tapped on bars in the doorway of my cell. "On your hooves prisoner." A stallion stood there with a baton.

The stallion had a gray coat covered in battle scars, a dirty tattered blond mane and deep green eyes that seemed to have seen some shit. He dressed the same as the ones who surrounded me. A blue Stable-tech jumpsuit modified with thick, yet light leather armor. His barding was also adorned in spikes and other pointy bits. I got a raider vibe from him, but he was more like a soldier. He branded a clean and well-kept nine-millimeter pistol in his muzzle.

"Iron Hoof has some questions for you, Pegasus," he muttered around his gun, before holstering it.

I wrapped my hooves around my chest. "Pervert, stripping a pony in their sleep."

I smirked as I saw him blush a little before mumbling and stuttering. "A...I... What?! You shot our door with a missile!"

I shrugged. "I was knocking. Besides you’re changing the subject."

"I'm the one with the gun and you’re in a cell. So I choose the subject!" The pony yelled, annoyed at my relaxed demeanor.

"Fine, but I want my hoodie back first."

I watched as he ground his teeth in annoyance. "Fine!" He then stormed off mumbling insults under his breath.

Shortly after I heard a pony approaching, I pushed my face to the bars and saw a pony figure in blue approaching. I quickly went back and sat on the bed, expecting the guard pony. No, it wasn't him, it was Sharp. I quickly ran up to the door.

"Sharp!"

She shushed me as she placed the Mint-al tin in front of me. "Take this before they take you to their boss. I need you to buy me some time." I simply nodded as Sharp trotted away, her barding now matching that of every other pony in the Stable.

I sat back down and hid the Mint-als behind me. It wasn't long after that, did the guard pony return with my blue hoodie. I smiled at him and he simply threw it in my face.

"There! Now tell me what you were doing knocking at our door!" I pulled the hood off my face and placed it atop the Mint-als.

"Would you believe I was selling sugar apple bombs?"

He growled at me as he held a smoking gun in his muzzle. "Truth!" He grumbled around the grip of the gun.

I looked behind me as I saw a bullet mark next to my head. "Fine, fine. I need your group’s Power Armor so I can sell it to buy my freedom. I was captured at a bar and made a deal with the barkeepers to sell a set of power armor so I could get a job as a salespony for another clan."

The gun fell to the ground as his jaw dropped a little. I spoke before he gripped it firmly again. "I said the truth."

"That’s enough Grumpy," a young voice said.

He quickly holstered his gun. "Mr. Sonata? What are you doing here?"

A young colt trotted up to him. He must have been five or six. He was an earth pony with a teal blue coat and a fluffy yet chaotic mane that was almost as large as his head. His tail followed suit, also outrageously large in proportion to the rest of his body. He stared at me with deep green eyes. The colt wore no barding, except a white collar around his neck. He had a cutie mark, musical sheets, surprising given his apparent age.

"Iron Hoof is out at the moment, so mother asked me to ask some questions to our winged guest," he spoke with a fairly classy tone to his voice.

"Hmm, what if I don't want to answer your questions?"

The colt smirked a little as he pulled a wrapped up towel from his tail, before laying it out in front of me. Knives, razors, clamps, drills, hammers and needles, a bunch of torture tools. I gulped and looked up at the colt, seeing a malicious grin on his face and an evil look in his eyes.

He spoke quietly and ominously. "I hope you don't, oh I really do."

I actually moved back a little, slightly afraid of this demented colt. "Okay... But you have to answer my questions."

The colt, Sonata I think his name was, pondered on this. "Seems fair. Not as fun though. I'll go first."

"I'm out of here." Grumpy, a very fitting name, grumbled and trotted off.

"What is your name?"

"My name is Star Shot, from Frost Crystal," I said, getting comfortable. "When will Iron Hoof be back?"

"An hour or two, I'm not at library to say why or where she is." Sonata proceeded to pack up his tool kit.

I groaned and tapped on my collar, still slowly pulsating orange. "I'm kind of pressed for time."

"I'd offer to remove it, but it appears to be quite an advanced model. But that does bring me to my next question. What's with the slave collar, are you a runaway?"

I chuckled a little. "Not quite, I am an infamous pegasus who is being hunted by Blood Skull. Long story short, I got captured and they recognized my skills."

He looked me up and down. "You don't seem very skilled... or smart for that matter. Wait? Are you the one who slaughtered Slave Town’s security force?"

I physically shivered as I had flashbacks to the post office and of Candy. "I don't want to talk anymore." I turned around and laid on the bed, cuddling up to my hoodie.

"Don't make me grab the torture kit again."

I just stayed there, huddled up to the hood and the tin of Mint-als. "I want to talk to Iron Hoof."

"I told you she's not back yet."

I sniffed as I tried to keep the memories down. "I'll wait."

The pony groaned. "Fine, but you're coming with me."

I wiped my eyes and looked back at him as he left. I just laid there, alone. When I heard him return, he had Grumpy pony with him. I looked at them and saw they were pulling a small cage wagon. Grumpy hooked up the small cage to the door of my cell and opened it.

"Get in featherhead." His usual friendly, polite tone, not.

I glared at him, then shut my eyes and looked away. Sonata stepped forward, "Please get in the cage, mother would like to see you."

I opened an eye to look at Sonata. "Is she Iron Hoof?"

"No, her name is Moonlight, she's second in command." Sonata smiled a little before gesturing for me to proceed into the cage.

I looked at Sonata, grabbing the hoodie and Mint-als before proceeding into the cage. It was kind of small, but at least I wasn't in that boring cell. Now in a cage in the hallway, I could see a plaque that read 'Pip-Buck Technician Stall.' I couldn't imagine how boring it would have been to have been stuck in there day after day, looking at the same blank wall.

Unfortunately, the rest of the Stable wasn't any different. The walls all the same dull gray. The same unnatural light flooding the halls and worst of all the buzzing of said lights. It irritated me so much. How could anyone live like this? I couldn't even keep track of what I saw or where I had been because it all looked the same. But then we suddenly turned a corner that neither myself or Sonata expected.

"What are you doing?!" Sonata yelled as he was forced to gallop to keep up with Grumpy’s increasing pace.

"I've had enough of this fucking feather head!" Grumpy yelled as he turned a corner and ran us down a flight of stairs.

I bounced around the cage as we flew down the stairs. "Ow, ah, fuck! Slow down!" I yelled and swore as it hurt.

My hoof hit my mane and started to burn. Through all the battering, I kept focusing on my hoof, spotting a glowing smoking spot. Right away I remembered the explosives I had gotten on me. I was about to react, but it was too late.

I screamed as a small chunk of my hoof was gone, the wound bleeding profusely. I looked to see Grumpy hadn't even noticed. I grit my teeth as I calmed down, trying to stay still as I kept off the hoof. Although given our pace and ride quality so far, staying up was easier said than done.

We suddenly came to a halt as Grumpy panted. "I'm going to down you, fucking pegasus."

I sat up and shook my head as I looked around. I saw we were on a much lower floor, there was water all over the floor. I looked behind us and saw we were in front of the next flight of stairs. Except it was completely flooded, yet oddly still illuminated by lights under the water. Leave it up to anyone who builds a door like that to build lights that survive flooding.

"What are you doing?" I said, looking at Grumpy as he unhooked himself from the cage wagon.

He started chuckling. "HAHAHA, finally, I get to kill a pegasus! That one’s been on my bucket list."

"Wait?! What? But you were ordered to-" He bucked the cage wagon and it slowly began to roll down the stairs, into the water.

"I can't swim!" I proclaimed as I looked back into the water.

He chuckled at me. "I don't think that'll matter."

"Please! No!"

I looked at him with worry as he stood back and smirked at me. "Bye bye featherhead."

I pushed on the cage and flapped my wings, trying to slow the wagon’s building momentum. "We can talk about this!"

Another step, closer to a watery grave. "Stop!" A small voice yelled from atop the stairs, Sonata.

"Tsk~ bug off brat." Grumpy stared up the flight of stairs around the corner.

I used this time to think of an Idea, I bucked the cage door.

Another step, the door didn't even budge as water rushed into the bottom of the cage. I tried to stay out of it as it was freezing cold. Blood dripped into the water as I still tried to keep off my hoof. Lightbulb. I turned away from Grumpy and began to unravel my front hoof explosive clay ridden bandages. I froze and stared at my scarred and mutilated hooves. A reminder of the differences between my world and the real world. I became lost in thought, remembering my past, my family, and my pains.

“Agh!” Sonata came tumbling down the stairs and soon grumpy came trotting down, laughing.

The wagon lunged backward, into the water more, three more steps. The water rushed to my knees, almost half was in the water. I stumbled back, trying to stay out of the water. I looked back to see Sonata groaning in pain as he was laying in front of the wagon, in the water. I remembered Sharp, thinking and hoping she'd save me.

Grumpy smirked as he lowered his rear legs, having bucked Sonata at me. "I told you to fuck off brat. But now you are going to be next"

"Bastard! Leave him alone!" I yelled, forgetting my situation.

Grumpy trotted over to us, gripping Sonata's mane and chucking him out of the water. I heard him land and scream as he landed harshly on the floor. "Save your breath, you'll need it." Grumpy began to push the cage.

I growled at him before turning around and continuing with my idea. I huddled the cloth in my hoofs and began to bite and pull on my feathers, pulling a few out as I didn't stop. I began to chew the content as the wagon cage sank lower. I sat with my head in the shrinking remaining gap of air. The bandages and my body now underwater. I took a breath before dunking my head underwater and spitting the glob of clay and feather into the bandages. I prayed, hoping it wouldn't dissolve or wash away.

The gap of air remaining all but vanished, barely enough for my muzzle. Through the water, I saw Grumpy walking away. I grabbed my last breath, hopefully just for now. Stuck underwater, I furiously brushed my wings through my hair. Despite being in a death trap, I found myself worried for Sonata's well-being. Even if the kid seemed to take pleasure in torture. Creepy.

My gut contracted as my lungs began to burn. One final thug and the wagon sat on the mid layer. My vision blurred and lungs gave way, releasing my last breath. As the bubbles passed my face, I saw it. A single piece of gem, the size of a tooth. I grabbed it in my teeth as water flooded down my throat. I pushed the shard into the clay ball and wrapped it in the bandages.

My head felt light as my vision darkened. I pushed the ball to the cage door and held it there with my right hoof. Begging and praying it would work. I saw something in the water, a figure, no, multiple figures. One smiled at me, his teeth bearing and pin prick purple pupils outlined by white eyes shining, Dark Star. A figure stepped out of the dark, Candy! It was Candy, she tried to speak as her mane floated around and blood mixed in the water.

I didn't want to die here! I didn't want to fail Candy and I wanted to save that colt. I wanted to see Selen again and most of all, I wanted to live! I felt the ball heat up and bubble before there was an underwater blast. I was sent flying to the back of the cage by the pressure before I dashed out and scrambled up the stairs as fast as I could. My head broke the water and I coughed and gasped for air.

I went to take my next step when I fell short. I looked down, to my horror the water had turned red. I slowly lifted my right hoof out of the water. To my dismay, my hoof now ended just below the knee. Muscle, meat, and flesh were stripped back, leaving a broken bone sticking out sharply at the end. I just stared at it as blood kept running down it, even squirting out a little. It was then that I noticed I kept drooling water, except it wasn't water, it was blood.

I felt no pain, just shock. It didn't even feel like it was gone. A sudden dull sounding scream snapped me out of my daze. I looked forward, seeing Grumpy beating down on Sonata, pummeling the colt over and over again. I limped out of the water, already feeling dizzy from blood loss and trauma. Grumpy stopped pummeling Sonata as he took notice of me, shocked.

We both stared at his holstered gun, before looking back at each other. My vision tunneled around him as this turned into a showdown. He reached for his gun but it was too late, for him. My bone spike his impaled shoulder as I flew into him as fast I could. I knocked him onto his back and slid across the shallow water floor. Blood sprayed over me as water flew everywhere.

We soon came to a stop and I pulled out my bone from his shoulder. I looked at him, groaning as he soon passed out. I then looked down the hall to Sonata. He stumbled to his hooves slowly. I sighed before collapsing, for obvious reasons. Before my vision blacked out, I was left staring at my blood-covered face. Into purple eyes.

"I didn't want your help," I whispered into the darkness.

"But you needed it," Dark said.

I looked down at him, below me, separated by a thin dark glass floor. I stood up and stomped down on the glass, cracking it. "You sweet poison!"

He chuckled. "Fine, next time you'll have to beg."

The glass cracked more and more. "You're too dangerous."

"I'm the one who isn't afraid to hold back." The glass shattered as I fell through. I watched Dark as I fell past him, before falling into darkness.

I lunged up, knocking my head on some bars. I was in a cage, again, like the fourth time. But this one had pillows. My hoodie and Mint-als were gone. I groaned and rubbed my head with my hoof, feeling something sticking into my right hoof. I opened my eyes to see my right hoof, it was back to normal. My old scars on that hoof were gone, except for a new scar that ringed around where it was blasted off. I saw and followed a little tube, finding a bottle of some liquid I never saw before.

I went to pull it out when a voice spoke out. "Don't do that."

I looked around, not having yet taken notice of where I was. I saw we were in a fairly large room with red carpet, a chandelier and a piano in the middle. There were also old oil paintings and candles lighting the room, although it was fairly poor lighting. The slender, tall figure stepped forward from the shadows.

It was an earth pony, she had a light pink coat and a matching blue mane to my own. Although her eyes matched her mane, while my own eyes were darker than my mane. Her cutie mark was that of a white pony head figure with a well-kept long mane matching her own mane's shape and color.

She smiled at me and trotted over. "My name’s Mane Care, I'm Sonata's adopted mom."

After a little pause to think, I replied,"I'm Star Shot. What happened to my hoof?"

She paused, before checking the strange medicine bag. "It was blasted off. We had to use our only Hydra to save your limb."

"What's Hydra?"

"It's a powerful medicine harvested from a multi-headed monster. It can heal almost anything to great effect."

"It greatly accelerates the regeneration rate of one's cells," said Sonata, stepping through the doorway, bandages covering his face almost completely. "It runs the risk of cancer growth if the wound or injury use too little or too much of the healing power."

Mane Care ran up to Sonata and hugged him in her embrace. "Oh, my poor baby! Are you okay? I was so worried when they told me you were injured."

Mane Care smothered Sonata, meanwhile, he just groaned. "Mother please, control yourself. I'm fine, just some bruises."

Mane Care teared up. "I'll heal you with my kisses and love! Now let me kiss those boo boos." Mane Care tried to forcibly kiss Sonata's face as he resisted.

"Mother, please! Behave yourself."

I couldn't help but chuckle at the cute affectionate show. But a beep broke the mood as my collar's light turned a shade closer to red. I think it meant I had reached the half-time mark and considering it was a three-hour trip back, I had three hours left.

"I hate to break up this happy family moment, but I need to talk to Iron Hoof," I said, a little worried about losing my head.

Mane Care looked to me while cuddling Sonata. "Oh, she should be back within the hour." Sonata then began to whisper in Mane Care's ear. "Oh, that's a great idea! Are you sure you're okay enough to do it?" Sonata just smiled and nodded.

The two of them moved over to the piano and sat down. The lights when out before a spotlight highlighted them. The duo soon started to play, classical music. These notes, these sounds, I heard them before. 'Moonlight Sonata.' The two of them played it perfectly, the soothing music relaxing me as I laid back and relaxed. Soon I found myself dozing off to the music.

I groaned as I slowly got up, wiping some drool off my face, before wiping my eyes. I looked around the outside of the cage, seeing I was no longer in the music room. I tried to look around but a bright spotlight on myself made it impossible for me to see into the darkness. Suddenly I heard pony noises coming from above.

"Who's there!"

A second spotlight flashed into life. This time illuminating a mare lying in a bean bag chair. She was laying on her back, looking at me upside down. She had deep purple eyes, a flat white and purple mane and a gray steel coat. She looked to be the same size as me, although a few years older. She was wearing my blue hoodie, she also had my tin of Mint-als in her hooves.

"So, you’re the infamous Blue Bird? You're smaller than I expected."

I glared at the expressionless mare's upside down face. "So what if I am?"

"Nothing really, just that I have so many questions and, I assume by your necklace, you don't have a lot of time."

"I'm in a hurry, so I'll cut to the chase. I need your power armor." I stated.

Voices in the dark muttered and mumbled. "That explains the Mint-als, coming here to talk." The mare proceeded to pop open the tin and dry swallow the Mint-al. "Hmm, minty."

"Are you Iron Hoof? The leader of the Minute-Mare raider group?"

She groaned. "Yes I am and that's the fourth time we've been called raiders." Somepony whooped from above. "Shut it!" She groaned and rolled to her belly. "We're the Minute-Mares, mercenaries, civil soldiers, and protectors of the people. Or at least we were at one point. We have fallen on rough times, peace and all."

I cocked my head. "So you're not raiders?"

She remained silent for a moment. "We tried to get work as caravan guards, but work has been scarce with the clans, Iron Guard and other groups around. We had to resort to robbing the very caravans we wished to protect."

"So you are bandits?"

"Kind of, we had to lower the quality for ponies we're hiring. Some of the new ones even call themselves raiders." Some ponies in the dark cheered, Iron Hoof just ignored them. "But thanks to discipline and authority, I manage to keep them in check. But I will admit, it's been getting worse."

"Why not call it quits?"

She chuckled. "What? Hell no! Times may be rough now, but the world needs us more than ever. The Blood Skull Clan is up to something, preparing for a war that doesn't exist. Possible going to start that war anyway. The bastards have been stockpiling ammo, armor, weapons and whatever else they can get their hooves on. Somepony needs to protect the innocent when the shit hits the fan, again."

"Again?"

"You are pretty young. The War of thirty-two. Everypony against one another, no one giving a shit about their towns or settlements. We were there, we guarded defenseless towns from meaningless assaults from both raiders and rival clans. Unfortunately, near the end of the war, we were all worn out and on the verge of collapse. We reached out to the settlements we gave our lives for. But they all turned their backs to us, forgetting all we did for them." She growled and crushed the tin flat in her hooves.

She cleared her throat. "But enough about history, I have a few questions for you." I nodded, seeing this mare was stronger than she looked, given the fact she was average-sized. "Sonata already filled me in on what he knew, as well as what happened. Oh and I need to thank you for saving him, be assured Grumpy is alive and will be punished."

"I...Okay." I didn’t really know what to say.

"First question. The slave collar."

I tilted my head up to give her a better look. "I got captured by the Blim Blam Blom Brothers. Let's leave it at that."

Iron Hoof laid on her side. "Fair enough. What's a pegasus doing knocking on our door? In quite a grand manner I might add."

I couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Have you seen that door, I doubt you would have heard me if I used my hooves."

She chuckled lightly before her face went serious. "Then why do you have this!" Another spotlight came on, highlighting Armored Wall's pink missile launcher.

Before I could even reply Iron Hoof bolted over and bucked the cage, indenting the bars. I shrieked and jumped back in surprise at her speed and power. "TALK!"

I quickly complied. "He gave it to me to use!"

Her eyes seemed to glow red and she seemed to grow bigger as I shrank. "How is he?"

"H~he got fired, rejected by Pink Thing and is now a possible alcoholic bum in the slums!" I blurted out at once. She froze for a moment, before flipping the cage and me end over end. I screamed as I rattled around inside.

"Is he still seeing that whore?!" She screamed as it seemed like she breathed fire. I feared for my life.

But then somepony dumped water atop Iron Hoof. She seemed to steam as she cooled down, shaking off the water. I couldn't help but blush as I saw her wet body as she stood on her rear hooves. Some of the ponies above whistled. My hoodie was soaked through, sticking to her coat as it became see through. Through the blue, I could see her body was coated in scars. She dropped down and turned around.

I stared at her rump, blushing a little. I took note of her cutie mark, a square iron bar. She took off the hoodie and threw it to the side, before facing me. It was then that I saw it. Her front hooves had solid tribal tattoos of centipedes wrapped around them. But the tattoo’s legs and jaws twitched and moved. I couldn't help but stare at them.

"You like them? They are proof of my power, given to me by a tribe of zebra during the war of thirty-two. Magic endowed tattoos, we all have one." She turned around and lifted the wet mane to the side, revealing a clock tattoo with working hands, ticking silently along.

"What does that mean?" I said as I moved to the front of the cage, getting a closer look.

"That my dear little pony is the icon of the Minute-Mares, both stallions and colts are allowed to join too. Speaking of joining, we'd like to invite you to join us," she said, looking back at me, before letting go of her hair. Suddenly the darkness burst into a roar of complaints and shouting.

Iron Hoof remained calm, things such as pens and rocks began pelting my cage. I blocked them with my wings, looking at Iron hoof. She simply raised her hoof and the anger died down to a ramble and muttering. "My fellow Minute-Mares aren't a big fan of pegasi."

I gave a light chuckle. "Few are."

"Care to tell us about yourself?" Iron Hoof asked as she went back to the bean bag chair.

"Well my name is Star Shot, I came from Frost Crystal. I'm a ground-born pegasus. I met the Enclave once and they tried to kill me and my family. But my dad, one of the three immortals, Straight Shot killed them." As soon as I mentioned the three immortals Iron Hoof's face changed to one of interest.

"Keep going, dear."

"Blood Rose hired raiders to kill my parents..." I paused for a moment, my head dropping, fighting back my sadness. "So I'm going to kill him..." I ended out mumbling the last bit.

I quickly realised what I had said. I looked up to Iron Hoof, seeing her now smirking before everypony started laughing. "You, the son of Straight Shot? Him? Killed by mere raiders? You kill Blood Rose?"

"Yes?" I said, confused by her sarcasm.

She and everyone else eventually stopped chuckling. "Haha, ok, I met the immortals, they helped the Minute-Mares defend the town of Frost Crystal back during the war of thirty-two. I may have just been a filly back then, but I still remember them. You have to prove to me that you’re one of their kids."

"How?"

She stopped and scratched her chin, pondering. "Hmm, maybe I'll tell you another day."

I sighed, disappointed that I'd miss out on a story. "So whats next?”

"I need to punish two of my ponies for breaking my cherished missile launcher. A custom blue glitter coated one. As well as other more serious crimes." I looked over to the pink painted missile launcher that was Armored Wall's. "It was an anniversary gift, we exchanged customized missile launchers." She smiled at the pink missile launcher.

Soon her face turned sour, thinking of the past. "I'm going to shoot him with it. Tell me, does he still suck those lollipops?"

Not really wanting to reply, I just nodded. She chuckled a little, looking down sadly. "Happy Pops, a pre-war drug to help one feel happy and relaxed."

"I've had Happy used on me before," I said, a bitter smile on my face.

"Shits addictive, the more you use it the less it works, the more you want to use it to compensate."

There was a moment of silence. "He ate three at a time."

Iron Hoof gave a sad chuckle. "Damn junkie..."

We sat there in silence before Iron Hoof jumped up. "Anyway! Time to punish Grumpy!"

Her sudden burst of enthusiasm startled me. Before I could react there was a flash and all the lights came on. I covered my eyes with a hoof as my eyes began to adjust. I looked around to see that we were in fact on the first floor of a large hall. On the second floor were dozens of other ponies, the ones I had heard. They were all looking down at us from a balcony. Between the first floor and the second was a chain net separating us.

I looked around the first floor, seeing an iron chair a few feet away from me. In it was a restrained Grumpy staring at me. He was roughly bandaged up, his shoulder bandages sporting blood stains as his back remained coatless. He seemed to shake and glare at me with anger. Beside him was a table with a black box, two jars and something that looked like dental equipment.

Sonata and Mane Care came down through an open door. They remained calm and straight-faced as they trotted over and grabbed the pink missile launcher. Iron Hoof dragged her bean bag chair over to Grumpy’s chair. She jested to Sonata to come over. The crowd was a bustle of noise and talk.

Iron Hoof opened Grumpy's cage after making sure he was firmly restrained. "Sonata, if you'd kindly check his mind."

Sonata nodded as a blue magical aura unlocked the cage and pulled the door open. I watched, wondering whose magic that was. Then I saw Sonata pull back his hair, revealing a horn buried inside. He was a unicorn, that was a surprise. I remained silent as Grumpy struggled as Sonata pushed his horn to Grumpy's head. Sonata soon pulled his horn back, a blue thread of magic staying connected to Grumpy's head.

Iron Hoof smiled and spoke loudly so the crowd could hear. "The fear reveal spell. It searches one's mind for what they fear most. Now I have on record what every one of you fear most. To join us you must conquer your fear, but I'll give you something else to fear if you break our rules."

The crowd cheered and began to chant. "Centipede!"

Iron Hoof Smirked. "That's right! The centipede!" She gestured over to Sonata as the threat pulled out a magical ethereal Centipede from Grumpy's head. "I see he's seen somepony being punished before, now the centipede is his greatest fear!" She chuckled. "He's right to fear the centipede."

Grumpy seemed to scream and cry at the sight of the ethereal Centipede, although his screams were muffled by the mouth gag. Sonata stepped back as Iron Hoof trotted up to Grumpy, taking off his mouth gag.

As soon as she removed it he started begging. "Please! No! I'm Sorry! Not the Centipedes!~"

His head whipped to the side as Iron Hoof slapped his face. He coughed and spat blood. A tooth fell out of his mouth as his lip was split open. "Silence." Iron Hoof demanded.

The crowd cheered, enjoying the blood. I watched as she grabbed some of the dental equipment. She forced it into his mouth. It kept his mouth pried open, she then pushed his head back and strapped it to the chair, keeping his head up. He tried to struggle, but Iron Hoof easily overpowered him.

I glared at the show as she trotted over to the black box and opened it slowly, staring down into it as the crowd went silent. "Did you know centipedes are poisonous, their venom causes severe pain, swelling, redness, swollen painful lymph nodes, headache, palpitations or a racing pulse, nausea, vomiting, anxiety and a local itching and burning sensations? But not death, in most cases."

Iron Hoof grabbed some tongs and pulled something out of the box. A bug, a big black centipede with an orangey red head and dozens of white limbs. Iron spoke around the tongs. "The Red-headed Centipede, imported from parts unknown, sold to me by a merchant zebra long ago. It can grow up to eight inches, but this one is only three inches."

Grumpy stared at the bug with absolute horror, while I myself was creeped out by it. Iron Hoof opened the jar filled with a clear substance. "Centipedes can hold their breath for a long time. They also like warm moist spaces, like stomachs."

I couldn't help but gag as she held it above his pried-open mouth. Grumpy's screams of terror shot above the crowd’s cheering. Iron Hoof slowing lowered it, causing Grumpy to panic. She then stopped and pulled it back. "Centipedes are tough, but I think stomach acid might be a bit much for them."

She trotted over to the open jar and dipped the squirming bug into it. "Accid-Off, harvested mucus from Bloodleech to protect one from, well, acid, a must for anyone going to Underworld. Bloodleeches are a highly common threat for anyone forced or willing to run the Underworld caravan route."

She pulled the now slime coated centipede out of the jar. It dripped as it squirmed, seemingly mad at its gooey bath. Sonata trotted back to Iron Hoof and grabbed the second jar. He opened it and held it above Grumpy in his magical grasp. Iron Hoof once again held the bug over Grumpy's mouth. "Deep breaths."

I didn't want to see, but I couldn't look away. Grumpy's panting slowed, his rapid breaths soon grew bigger. She dropped the slimy centipede in his mouth as he took a deep breath. Sonata then poured the content of the second jar down his throat, water. Grumpy swallowed, water and bug. I saw the long bugle in his throat as the bug went down.

I couldn't help but imagine the feeling of all those legs scratching at his throat. Iron hoof pulled off the restraints on his mouth and pushed his mouth shut. The crowd went wild as their comrade thrashed and spasmed in horror. Forced to keep the bug down or risk choking to death. Iron Hoof stared into his fear filled eyes. "Squirming makes it bite more."

I could hear the moans and screams of terror as Grumpy struggled to breathe from his nose. Soon his spasms and shaking stopped and his eyes went blank. Iron Hoof let go of his head, letting it fall to the side. Water dripped from his mouth as he was motionless. Iron Hoof sighed. "Was not the bug that killed thee, nor the water. But the fear that stopped ones heart." I couldn't help but throw up as the crowd loved it.

Then Grumpy groaned as he breathed through his nose, closing his eyes. Iron Hoof chuckled. "Oh, nevermind, he just passed out." The crowd burst out into laughter. Iron Hoof then grabbed the ball gag and put it back into his mouth. "One day. He can remove it tomorrow."

Sonata and Mane Care packed up the equipment and began to wheel away from the restrained unconscious Grumpy. The lights dimmed as a spotlight highlighted Iron Hoof. "Well my little ponies, was it a good show?" The crowd yelled as one, 'yes!'

Iron hoof gave a few bows, smiling and enjoying herself. "That is why you follow the rules! So now that you've all been reminded what will happen if you don't, will you behave."

As one organized voice, they all replied out of fear, respect, and joy. 'Yes, Ma’am!'

A spotlight hit me, Iron Hoof trotted over to my cage. "Now, as for the feather head, it's time to see if he has what it takes to join our ranks."

The crowd booed and yelled, clearly unhappy with my invitation. I went over to Iron Hoof. "I don't want to join. I just need your power armor."

Iron Smiled at me. "If you survive and join I might see fit lending it to you."

I crossed my hooves. "Fine."

A spotlight shined on Sonata as he walked over to us, Iron then promptly opened my cage, to the displeasure of her fellow Minute-Mares. "All you have to do is survive your greatest fear, then you're in."

I stepped out and frowned, nervous as I thought of what my greatest fear might have been. I thought of pegasus soldiers, point thirty-two revolvers, even of centipedes. But the thought that pushed passed all of them was the door, the black door. The crowd yelled insults at me, I could feel their hate. I closed my eyes and took and breath and thought of Sharp, remembering she had a plan, choosing to look past all my worries and believe in her.

"Okay, I'm ready." I opened my eyes, seeing Sonata in front of me, looking a little worried.

Iron Hoof whispered in my ear. "Don't worry about them, if you impress them then they'll lay off you."

I nodded and kneeled down. Sonata placed his tiny horn to my forehead. "Good luck," he said before he began to cast his spell.

"Be careful in there," I said, closing my eyes.

I felt my mind slowly flood with thoughts of fears, images and shapes began to conjure up in my head. Soon we hit the image of the Door. Dark Star stood in front of it, blocking it. I opened my eyes to see Sonata standing a few steps back, the blue magic threat connected to my head. I watched as Sonata's face turned sour. The threat began to turn purple.

My head started to hurt greatly, as I gripped it, groaning in pain. Soon Sonata started screaming, I struggled to look up to him, seeing tears running down his face. His horn flared and changed to purple. His eyes shot open, they were a strong purple glow. Iron Hoof gasped in shock as the onlookers watched in confusion.

"My baby?!" Mane Care came running out of a doorway, but Iron Hoof went and held her back.

A ball of magic began to form in the middle of the theater.

Both me and Sonata screamed as the ball of magic exploded, knocking us both back. I stumbled to my hooves, looking through the dust to see the door, the black door. I evidently froze. Dark Star was standing between me and it. Both he and the door looked so real, yet slightly see-through.

Everyone was silent. But then I heard Mane Care yell out to Sonata. I looked to see him lying unconscious on the floor, his horn and mane smoking and charred. Dark Star looked around. "What's this? Oh Star, what do you want?"

I swallowed my fear. "N-nothing Dark, you can go away now."

Dark shrugged. "If you want me then you're going to have to beg, remember that." Dark then smirked at me before he and the door disintegrated into nothing.

My head felt light, but the sensation soon passed. Mane Care took Sonata away, while the crowd didn't know what to think. Iron Hoof began to chuckle, which only added to the confusion. "Hahaha, you crazy bastard." She laughed.

"You actually took Nightmare, didn't you?" As soon as the dark crystal was mentioned the crowd began to talk among themselves.

I started at Iron Hoof and her amused face. "How'd you know about Nightmare?"

Iron Hoof pointed at a pony in the crowd. "You there! Go get my little lock box under my bed, the key is under the lamp." The pony just nodded and followed his leader's orders.

I stepped forward. "I asked you a question."

Iron Hoof smirked. "One day one of my best ponies tried Nightmare, believing it would give him great power, as did many during the war. He went mad for an hour, although it indulged him with great strength and a drive like a monster. I recall while I fought him was that his eyes changed to purple. Nearly beat me too."

I sighed. "Yae, it's true, I took Nightmare and survived. But it changed me, or at least changed the voice in my head."

The pony whom Iron Hoof sent to go get the box had returned. He came downstairs and placed the box in front of her. "Thank you, dear." She opened the box and brought out a single piece of Nightmare in her hooves.

I glared at it, a bad feeling growing in my gut. "What's that for?"

Iron Hoof smirked at me. "You."

I took a step back. "What? No!"

Iron raised her hoof before pointing it at me. Everypony then proceeded to pull out their guns and point it down at me. "Don't make me kill you Star, I just started to like you." Iron hoof walked over, pushing the crystal to my lips.

I took it into my mouth, it turned into its glob-blob form as it touched my tongue, tingling. Iron Hoof patted my cheek. "Swallow."

I begrudgingly did as instructed. It slid down my throat smoothly, not burning or hurting nearly as much as last time. When it hit my stomach it started to give me painful cramps. I grunted and dropped to my knees. Iron Hoof promptly left the ground floor, going to the rounded window overlooking the area.

The stable intercom system crackled and sparked to life. Iron Hoof's voice broke through, all crackly and fuzzy. "Mares and stallions, ladies and gentlemen. The main event is about to start."

There was a loud thudding sound coming from either end of the ground floor. The automatic metal doors slid open, revealing a green wall. I looked back to the second door, seeing a teal wall behind the door. I watched as the walls seemed to bend down. They weren't walls, they were ponies. Two huge ponies twisted and turned to get their massive bulk through the doors.

"Bulk Build and Buff Body, two ponies who broke my missile launcher. Along with also slaughtering caravaners after they surrendered. Also stealing provisions." The two ponies eventually got through the doors.

I thought Armored Wall was big, but he had nothing on these two. The pair of them much have walked with their heads lowered in the hallways. Because their manes were pressing against the underside of the second-floor balconies, which itself was raised higher than the hallways. Their whole bodies bulged with muscle upon muscle as their mere steps made the ground shake.

"Proof that I don't play favorites, even with lovers." Iron Hoof smirked down at us from her window as the crowds watched in excitement. I must admin, Iron Hoof certainly had a type.

That notion would have made me laugh. But the Nightmare in my gut was taking effect. I gritted my teeth as the edges of my vision darkened. My breathing became shallow and my head felt like it was about to split open. I could feel the darkness creeping in around me. I looked to the green behemoth, trying to distract myself by taking in his appearance.

Over his body, I could see many scars, including a prominent neck wound across his throat. His face was what you'd expect, battle-scarred. He wore a plastic white shade glasses, hiding his lime eyes. His mane was in the shape of a teal mohawk brushing the roof. I got a glimpse of his cutie mark, it seemed like a small spot on his massive frame. A pair of dumbbells.

I groaned as I began to cough. I looked over to the teal stallion, seeing the two were more or less the same. Except the second one was, in fact, an inch shorter with short green dreadlocks and lime green eyes. He also had a metal ring through his nose. His body bore fewer scars, but still, far too many for a pony to have. His flank bore a single larger weight on it than his green counterpart.

"Now my fellow Minute-Mares, I think it'll take a lot for you all to accept a Pegasus as one of our own. So why don’t we make this indisputable? How about a death match?" Iron Hoof smiled methodically as she stared at the three of us.

The crowd went wild, chanting, 'Death Match.'

"Hello, Star."

All my pain and discomfort suddenly disappeared. Dark. "What do you want?"

"Would you like a hoof?"

I groaned and stood, looking around. I saw that we were still in the atrium, but time seemed to stop. "What is this?"

Dark stepped out from the shadows, this time instead of his normal shadowy ethereal body he had mine. Except his eyes were aglow with purple. He smirked at me. "I thought I'd give you a moment to think."

"Did you stop time?" I looked closely, before noticing everything was moving very slowly.

"No, time is flowing normally, this is just adrenaline slowing your perception of time, allowing you to think faster." He trotted over to me.

I still looked around skeptically. But then I noticed what was in the position I was just at. "My Body?" My body was where I was, clutching its, I mean my, stomach.

"I want you to stop resisting me, it'll only hurt more if you do."

"No! I don't want your power." I began to march away from him as I took note of the approaching bulky ponies.

"But you need it. Trust me, I’d rather be taking a nap. But you have to admit it felt pretty good when we worked together when you accepted me. Besides, it's not my power, it's yours." He chuckled and smiled at me with my own face.

I turned away from him and crossed my hooves. "Fuck off."

He sat down. "Fine, but just ask. Now, how about we talk instead."

I looked back at him over my shoulder. "About?"

He pointed a hoof towards me, finally stopping smirking. "That."

I turned around and almost jumped back as I saw the black door. "AGHH!" I panted as I tried to calm down, feeling my heart racing.

Dark chuckled lightly. "Hehe, would you like a hint of what’s behind it?"

I couldn't help but lean away from it as every fiber of my being told me to get away from it. I was so scared I almost didn't notice Dark asking me. I thought of it for a second, before against all my fear I nodded.

"Hopefully after I tell you, you'll never want to open it." He trotted over to me and placed a hoof on my shoulder, causing me to flinch."

"I...I never even wanted to open... it."

He came in close and whispered into my ear. "Your original sin."

Pain, my ribs exploded in pain as I was kicked across the floor. My eyes shot open, I gasped for air and slid across the ground. I came to a stop, gripping my side with my wings and hooves, groaning in pain as I struggled to grab my breath. I looked around to see time had returned to normal. Bulk Build had swatted me to the side, snickering.

He then proceeded to pump his muscles for the crowd. "You like that!" His voice, oh Goddesses. I gripped my muzzle as I tried not to laugh. His voice was so high pitched and squeaky.

"You laughing Bro?" Buff Body's voice was low and stuffy, it sounded like he had a cold. Although that nose ring probably didn't help.

I burst out laughing. "HaHAHAHA! Your voices are soo dumb!" The whole crowd went silent, only one pony was laughing. Iron Hoof.

Buff Body stepped forward. "You done fucked up."

I stood as my rib pain died down, but the nightmare continued to harm me. "Crap."

The fight was on. I used my small yet total average stature to dodge and outmaneuver them. But the pain and darkening vision made it increasingly difficult. I flew behind Buff Bodys after digging a broad hoof swipe and bucked the back of his head. He just proceeded to chuck as it had no effect.

Bulk Build swatted me off Buff's back before the two bro-fisted as they stood above me. My body shook as I struggled to get up, my perception almost completely gone. My bruised body ached all over. I did manage to stumble to my hooves and stare down the two massive ponies. One under hoof uppercut sent me flying into the chain net.

I remembered the impact and much more after it. But when I came back I was on the floor again, a large black and purple swell on my chest. I struggled to breathe, followed by multiple smaller bruises over my body. I could barely see, let alone hear. But there was a dull cheering sound as the crowd seemed to revel in my struggle.

I could hear one of the ponies speak, but it was distorted and hard to hear. "This is boring, feather head doesn't even make a good soccer ball."

"Give him a weapon or something, not that it'll do him much good in his condition." My body felt heavy and numb as I didn’t even have the strength to move my head.

Something laid in front of me, it took me a moment to focus on it. It was a knife, my knife. "Star, if you don't give me the driver seat then you're going to die here." Dark.

Thoughts of Sharp popped into my head, thinking about how she'd save me somehow. "You know she isn't coming, right?"

I opened my mouth to complain, blood seeping out and a low groan came out instead. I was too broken to speak. "Star, if you die here then you'll not only fail Sharp, but you'll fail Candy."

With all remainder of my strength, I wiggled my head to the knife, trying to get it into my mouth. "Sharp can't save you, but I can."

I struggled to pull the knife into my mouth with my tongue. "What are you afraid of Star? Me?"

I mumbled out weakly. "Them... Seeing...You..."

Dark chuckled. "Is that all? What a bunch of raiders think of you? Are you really willing to let everypony down just for something as dumb as that?"

I bit down on the knife harder. "Let me share our pain, let them feel the same fear Candy felt!"

My eyes watered up as I stopped fighting the darkness and gave in, knowing I was dead without it. I felt my body stand as feeling returned to it. But something was different, I felt disconnected from it. It felt as I was cradling myself while hiding my head in my wings. I could still hear everything though.

I could feel Dark smiling with my mouth. "Sombra Deus vult dolor."

Author's Notes:

Last updated: 16/8/17

Level up!

Level 1, Dark, No negative effects when taking nightmare.

Plus 1 Big Guns, plus 5 Medicine, plus 7 Melee skills.

Thanks to my editers:
https://www.fimfiction.net/user/275628/EverfreePony
https://www.fimfiction.net/user/274210/Noble+Balance