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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2013 15:44:17 GMT -5
Phalanx blinked the sleep from her eyes, taking in what little she could see in the darkness of the forest. While she had left Hoofington expecting to be thoroughly burned by the sun, freezing her feathers off was easily something she wouldn't have expected. Suppose there's even more to this forest than the stories tell, she thought to herself.
She looked to her side, grumbling that Bomber was practically cuddling with her at this point. In any other scenario, she would probably immediately shuffle away, but Bomber was at least keeping her warm. Great, suppose I'll have to thank her when she wakes up again...
She shifted uncomfortably, trying not to wake up Bomber in doing so. She couldn't help but feel like she was being watched, and no matter how she tried she couldn't shake that feeling. Sure, it was possible that the dove was probably staring her down from across the camp, but this felt a bit different. Something caught her eye and pulled her away from that thought, however, as she spotted what looked like the feral eyes of a wild animal piercing the darkness before fading away. The stories she had heard when she was younger rushed right back to her mind, keeping her from falling back asleep and keeping her eyes darting back and forth in a state of paranoia.
This forest will be the death of me...
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Post by Red Charge on Sept 4, 2013 15:59:15 GMT -5
Sapphire let out a loud snore, mumbling something about drakes before going quiet again. Nothing seemed to really be happening other than the fact that animals came and went, probably to spy on them. Or were these animals? Might as well have been the changelings spying on them. Fillydelphia didn't seem to pay much attention to them so long as they stayed outside the camp. Phalanx could notice she had a stack of javelins on the branch with her, possibly for her to launch at any enemies. If her magic was precise it would be a good defense. The unicorn yawned as she turned around to look at the other side of the camp and spotted Phalanx awake. She wave at her lazily and kept watch.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2013 16:02:25 GMT -5
Phalanx waved back to Fillydelphia a bit nervously. If nothing else, at least Fillydelphia was on watch, and probably accurate enough with those javelins to keep the camp at least relatively safe. While the thought wasn't much, it at least helped her push away the thoughts of the camp being invaded by a horde of wild beasts.
She adjusted her posture a little more, trying to get comfortable yet again and hoping that she could sleep well enough, wasn't exactly anything going on in the camp and there wasn't much reason to get up from the warmth that Bomber was providing.
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Post by Red Charge on Sept 4, 2013 17:21:23 GMT -5
Phalanx didn't get a lot of sleep that night, or the one after. In fact, sleep was becoming harder for her every day, as the Changelings taught her of the frightening monsters in the forest, the frightening plants in the forest, the undead who roam every part of it... survival in the Everfree sounded mythical. It was mostly about avoiding everything than actually beating anything. With knowledge of navigation, flora, fauna and proper camping procedures they slowly became more competent in avoiding the wildlife and actually doing what they were supposed to.
Each day held a mission and the competition was fierce, the army team was far better than the militia and royal guard team and they have scored the majority of luxury items, to the dismay of Phalanx's group. Of course the Royal Guard ponies and militias didn't get along too well and Phalanx managed to get in a few more fights with the dove pony, who was surprisingly strong. Most of them ended with Sapphire pulling Phalanx out, but a few ended up with Phalanx getting knocked out after having being bucked in the face. Unfortunately, she never managed to return the favor to the Dove.
Sapphire became pretty close to Phalanx, it wasn't long before she managed to spill everything about where she grew up, all of her dreams and aspirations (and of course admiration for Starling) in Phalanx's ears. Fillydelphia usually intervened for Phalanx and Sapphire's sake in any fights that broke out, she was also one of the most frequent night watches. Sapphire assumed she had nightmares and couldn't sleep. Fortunately for them, they had not encountered any Diamond Dogs while in training and soon enough were able to use the darkness in the forest to their advantage.
That's when they decided to strike at the army pony camp.
The royal guard ponies refused to participate, they spoke of sportsmanship and comraderie and whatnot. But the point was - the army ponies had luxuries, they did not. They wanted those luxuries and they wanted the army ponies to quit.
They headed out from camp one night, Fillydelphia keeping an eye out for any changelings or animals that may come around snooping. Sapphire gave cover from the branches, hopping from branch to branch to scout for traps and any sentries. Phalanx, naturally was at the front of the line.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2013 17:29:49 GMT -5
Phalanx breathed a heavy sigh. She was tired, cold, hungry, and lonely. The past week had been a harrowing experience on it's own, nevermind that she had spent that week miles away from her brother. She just didn't feel safe any more. Animals that could strike at any time, living trees, poisonous plants, and the constant dark and cold of the forest did little to calm her nerves. The past week had been spent fighting, competing, watching out for the dangers of the forest, and wishing she were home in bed. Suddenly flying for hours in the blazing sun didn't seem nearly as bad in comparison.
Sure enough, though, the day had finally arrived to conduct their raid. Of course the dove and the other guards didn't bother, preferring to give them "a fighting chance" or to be "good sportsponies." Like they would give the Diamond Dogs the same treatment...
She dared not speak now, even as curious as she was to find out of Sapphire and Fillydelphia could see anything from their vantage points. Any time she had dared to speak in the past few days, a few extra words somehow made it into the sentence, leading her to be even more uncomfortable speaking with her allies. She just hoped somepony else would take the lead when they arrived at the camp, last thing she'd want to do is bark out orders to the group in this state.
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Post by Red Charge on Sept 4, 2013 19:17:12 GMT -5
Sapphire soon disappeared into the darkness and not far ahead an army pony fell from a high branch and was hanging off a tree by a hoof, unconscious. Fillydelphia found a few basic traps and sent the troops around them. The army ponies were like the Royal Guards, all discipline and rules. The traps and sentries they put in place were meant for animals, not ponies.
Soon they came in sight of the main camp, there was one last sentry sitting by the lit fire. The tents they got seemed very pleasant, but they'd have to shut the sentry and sneak up to them first. How to do that? One of the other militia ponies carefully highlighted the best, least noisy trail for them to pass through while sapphire took to the air, going high was dangerous because the branches got thinner, but going too low the sentry might hear her. She carefully tried to get right on top of him and succeeded. She began lowering herself by rope slowly and slowly down until she was just a pony's length above him, before diving down and yanking him up, a hoof over his mouth, into the thicket above.
Phalanx of course immediately led the troops in, but found that many of them seemed to have left. Chickened out at the last moment, or worried that they might get found out. Phalanx had about four more ponies with her, Fillydelphia and Sapphire included. There was a large tent in the middle, could fit maybe four or six ponies, they'd go to that one first and disable them. Then they'd go to the others, disable them, steal all of the good stuff and drag them back to their camp. Of course, seeing as they were fewer now, they might not be able to take them all. But enough still.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2013 7:15:05 GMT -5
Something wasn't right in the army's camp, where were all the ponies? Did they somehow catch the other team in the midst of a gathering party? Whatever the case, Phalanx was far from at ease, though she knew she'd have to toss that nervousness aside if she wanted to succeed that night.
She immediately made her way towards the large tent in the middle, hoping the four others would follow her. Before so much as ripping out the tent pegs, she dared a look inside the tent. After carefully opening the flap, she peeked inside.
Sure enough the tent was occupied, a couple of ponies were still asleep within. Immediately she withdrew her head and closed the flap again, signalling to the others that the tent was occupied. They could potentially raid this tent later when they could risk waking the army ponies, but for now it would be more worth it to raid the other tents.
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Post by Red Charge on Sept 5, 2013 17:38:17 GMT -5
However, as soon as Phalanx turned to leave the tent alone she heard a rustle it was too late when she spotted the rope trap to do anything but look at her compatriots sheepishly and gulp before being yanked backwards into the tent and smashing against the center pole heavily. She wasn't restrained but the impact rolled over one of the sleeping ponies... or at least what she thought was sleeping ponies. But it wasn't, which meant they had walked straight into an ambush. Not a moment after the tent flap opened again and a couple of military ponies dragged Phalanx outside at spear-point.
Everyone was captured except for Fillydelphia and Sapphire who were safely hidden in the tree branches, but with no way to overwhelm the score of army ponies now infesting the camp. Where did they even come from?
"Well, well, look at what we have here." Said one of the army mares, stepping on Phalanx's head as the two other mares restrained her. "Trying to raid our supplies? Was never going to work." She bit her lip excitedly, "We could have raided yours on the first day but we decided to play nice, until a little... 'dove' told us about this little trick you were planning."
She saw a couple of Royal Guard mares scamper off with some luxuries, obviously a payoff for having ratted out Phalanx. "So, girls, what do you think we should do with these insurgents? Would hardly be right to just set them off on their way, they should be taught a lesson."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2013 17:52:49 GMT -5
Phalanx felt her stomach leap into her throat as she was suddenly thrown into the tent from a rope trap. The slam against the centre pole smashed the wind from her lungs and had her ears ringing from the impact. She rubbed her throbbing head, trying to regain her senses. The army ponies had set up an ambush? How'd they know they were planning the raid for this specific night? Or were they always on guard?
Her thoughts were interrupted as a few forms made their way into her hazy vision. Apparently they were carrying spears as well, as a few spearheads got a little too close for comfort moments later. They grabbed her with little to no regard for her comfort and threw her to the ground outside the tent.
She felt a hook pressing down on her skull as a few of the army ponies restrained her. The few other militia ponies that had come with her weren't exactly in a better state, though the mare that seemed to be taking the leadership role here seemed oddly transfixed on her, directing a barrage of cocky banter at the immobilized pegasus.
Wait, was that a Royal Guard? Lugging a few luxuries with them? The thought hit her like a kick to the face: the dove ratted her out, and now they were getting rewarded for it. So much for being good "sportsponies," they'd probably rat out anypony if it meant getting a few goodies and being held to a "higher standard." Can't trust the Canterlot Elite any further than you can kick them, she angrily thought to herself.
"White has only pawns, Red is hiding pieces. Kick the stand and break the foundation," she heard herself start to mutter, trying to move a hoof to her mouth to stop the sounds from escaping. It was happening again, the moment she started talking she wouldn't stop, and none of it ever made sense. Her mental state was far from decent as she spiralled into uncontrolled verbal ticks, tugging at her restraints to try and gag her own mouth. "Two bits with one face each! Pink puffy problems pretending to protect ponies for profit and pain. Pain! Anguish, pain, and agony! Hemblahberphem! Wrench the spirit and turn the tables!" she screamed mentally at herself, hoping that if nothing else the military ponies would shut her up.
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Post by Red Charge on Sept 5, 2013 18:00:44 GMT -5
Some of the army mares turned around, "Look for others, she must be giving orders to someone." The mare on top of Phalanx said, looking around with a scowl, Phalanx saw Fillydelphia and Sapphire scarper. Before long Phalanx realized that no militia pony 'abandoned' her, all of the mares she brought with her fell prey to a well coordinated stealth attack.
"Well look here, seems like we've got a screwball." The leading mare said, stepping on Phalanx's head several times as she talked, driving her snout into the dirt as she did. "Didn't know the militias accepted crazies."
"Hey back off!" Shouted Lightning Blitz, to receive a one hit knockout from a mare nearby her.
"Come on, loonie, you tell me what you think we should do with you?"
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2013 18:09:25 GMT -5
Phalanx finally felt her ticks slow as the mare kicked her head into the dirt, bringing that ringing back to her ears. The only issue now being that she wanted her to speak again, which would inevitably unleash another torrent of ticks and uncontrolled speech.
She took a second to think it over. How could she at least start her sentence and get a decent message across before the sentence was filled with gibberish? "Haiteunah...uh...fight meshaphiliunernul...fight me fairly abshenlay! Aguphital, neogarph, piteral! Seven, five and two, numbers always shrinking! The trees betray the clouds and freeze their roots!" And so it began again, the gibbering resumed. She just hoped her message got across before her speech turned into complete gibberish again.
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Post by Red Charge on Sept 5, 2013 18:15:49 GMT -5
"Uh, nope." The mare said, kicking Phalanx's into the dirt again, "nope, nope, nope, nope, nope." She said, each nope accompanied with a kick to the head. "I think I'll just give you all a little lesson before we send you home. Girls, give these militia ponies a proper military... hair-cut?" She grinned. So at spear point, starting with Phalanx, each militia mare's mane and tail was trimmed, not so much as to make them bald, no just short military manes and tails.
"Now you all look like soldier and I've got so much more pillow fluffing!" The mare seemed delighted, "Alright take them to the middle, rough 'em up a bit and send them home." She ordered her cronies.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2013 18:22:06 GMT -5
Phalanx grumbled as her head was repeatedly kicked into the dirt. Between the force of the mare's hoof, the hardness of the ground beneath her, and her already broken mental state, she was completely dazed. She couldn't feel her legs any more and she could swear she felt her nose bleeding, which wasn't a good sign in the slightest. She could hardly blink as the military ponies shaved her mane and tail, her vision didn't seem much more accurate either as they faded in and out of focus.
"Wrench the spirit and turn the tables," Oh sweet Celestia, she was talking again. Thanks to the battering she had received moments later, she couldn't muster the mental strength to stop it any more. "Everything is broken. Friends, family, bones, minds, spirits...all broken. Break them more. Break them more. Break them more. Bend the coin until it breaks. Bend the bone until it breaks. Shatter, break, obliterate. Betauryiopal..."
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Post by Red Charge on Sept 5, 2013 18:33:20 GMT -5
The next morning was a mess, the militia ponies were too beat up to pick a fight with the royal guard ponies, the changelings had a good laugh at their new cuts and of course, punished them for trying to sabotage their own side, muttering about how hypocrite they were to hate changelings yet try to steal from their own.
Regarding Phalanx, Sapphire and Fillydelphia both complained about her deteriorating mental state, begging to ship her out. Eventually, since Phalanx was really in no state to continue training and honestly, everyone seemed to be afraid of her, Fillydelphia and Sapphire Bomber were called upon to take her out of the Everfree. Of course, that meant that they were going to be out of the training as well. Not that they wanted to remain, seeing what had happened to their compatriots. Sapphire swore to clobber the army mares if she ever saw them again, while Fillydelphia pointed out that they probably wouldn't have done that if they hadn't tried to steal all of their supplies and ambush them in the middle of the night. That and that they should be lucky they didn't take the humiliation much further like some incidents she heard about.
After a day's walk in the Everfree, which summed up the two weeks since Phalanx left, she was back in Hoofington.
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