Beta in Equestria: Return of the night

02 Encounters

By UB

        Big Mac, Sigma, Beta and the foal reached the group well within their two hour time frame. Buzzer had finally returned and was looking out of breath and tired. This amused Beta for some reason. He was glad to see the pegasus worn out from actual work. He tried not to let this show on his face. The foal was a new complication and he was curious to see how the guard would deal with it. Beta was still irked at being called a mongrel every other sentence, however.

        Looking at the foal in Beta's arms, Sarg immediately looked at Big Mac. "What the hell is that Mac?" he asked in his usual, unceremonious way.. "And don't tell me it's a foal being carried by a mongrel!"

        "Um... well sir... it's a foal that was given over to Celestia" Big Mac said plainly. and Sarg nodded. It was not uncommon for Royal Guards to pick up foals at random little villages like this. It had to be expected.

        It still made him a little sad. Sarg walked over to Beta who was doing a surprisingly good job of holding the foal while balancing on Sigma's back. He nuzzled and sniffed the little foal and smiled. "He's a cute one isn't he?" the grizzled old Sergeant asked the group while they took a moment to huddle around Sigma and the foal. There was a general nod of agreement. "What's that in your hoof, Beta?" Sarg asked, seeing the "My first spell" book.

        "Oh... it's just a book on how to raise a unicorn I found in the library at the village" Beta responded sheepishly. "I thought..."

        "Read it to us while we walk. We could use some entertainment" Sarg commanded.

        Clearing his throat, Beta began, holding the book up and in front of himself, the foal now in his lap, Beta's paw keeping the foal in place.

        "Congratulations! It's a unicorn! You have this mare's sincere sympathies for the birthing. But now it's done and I'm sure your wounds will heal quickly." they all laughed a little at that. Unicorn births were known to be dangerous if the doctor or nurse maid wasn't a unicorn and could guide the foal out carefully. Despite the seriousness behind the joke, the laughter was good to hear.

        "First thing you should do with your new foal is to lick her horn, starting around the base and working up the horn. This will clear the horn's grooves of any debris that might inhibit your foal's ability to perform magic." Beta shrugged and bent down to lick the foal's horn as noted in the book when...

        "STOP!" Sarg yelled. Beta looked up in shock, his tongue sticking out of his mouth ready to lick the foal, but stopped halfway there. Sarg and the rest chuckled at the silly face Beta was making in confusion, before Sarg continued "Don't do that Beta!" It was the first time Sarg had used this name. "If you do that you'll be bonded with that foal for life!" he explained. "You need to read at least a page ahead in those books!" Then Beta read ahead and all color drained from his face... if he had not had colored fur that is.

        Beta continued reading, his paw a little shakier than a moment ago. "Please note that you have now created a lifelong bond with your child. If you are NOT the primary caregiver, or resident nurse pony raising this foal, you should not do this. Fathers are especially discouraged from licking their foal's horns. That's just weird!" Beta read aloud, slightly shaking from the near life-long mistake. Then he re-read the last line.

        "That's a bit sexist isn't it?" he asked, looking at Sarg, who seemed to know a few things about offspring. Sarg just shrugged.

        "Stallions and colts are for manual labor and war. We have no business raising foals." he said nonchalantly, as though this was how it always was and should be. "The mares prefer it this way and are rather insistent. Mother herself set down this law." he said with great reverence and a small bow while he made a star gesture with a hoof across his chest. 'Celestia' Beta guessed.

        "I'm a foundling like this little one, so is Sigma here" he said, gesturing to the off-white/pink stallion. "We're brothers, and sons of Celestia" he said, again with great love and reverence in his voice. Beta noticed Buzzer rolling his eyes a little. Beta was really starting to dislike that pegasus pony. "Mother looks after us all, of course" Sarg said, gesturing to the other ponies 'But we sons of Celestia are raised to be her eyes and hooves in Equestria. We enforce her laws and ways in how she would have them executed." he then paused, looking at Beta "We follow the spirit of her laws, as opposed to the letter. If we didn't... you would be quite dead mongrel." he finished ominously, but also making it clear that Sarg saw something of value in Beta.

        'So I'm mongrel again, huh?' Beta thought, not quite bitterly. 'Well I suppose anyone can slip and be respectful once in a while. I had hoped that he'd start getting into the habit of calling me Beta.' he mused a little sadly. Beta's respect for the old pony was more or less growing, but signs of bigotry, institutional and engrained bigotry to be sure, saddened him.

        "Hey Sarg" Beta asked before returning to the book, "Do you have any kids?" Beta was curious. Sarg seemed to have a similar life as Mac, 'But did he ever grow roots?' Beta wondered.

        Smiling Sarg replied "I have a couple here and there." then Quicktrip decided to comment.

        "Yeah Sarg 'gets around' if ya know what I mean, though nowhere near as much as Big Mac here used to!" he added, making Big Mac blush

        "So.. Beta" Sarg asked, bringing him up short. Beta was still expecting to be 'mongrel' still. "Do you have any kids?"

        "None that I'm aware of" Beta said truthfully. "technically I can impregnate any fertile female I mate with." He said flatly, while the others gawked at this information, except Mac who already knew. "I was... used a lot where I'm from" Beta added, feeling he could trust them... and needing to open up to some other males. "The women loved me... I don't know if I ever produced children. I doubt it. They were very strict about that at the lab."

        The squad listened in silence as they continued down the path. They let Beta talk for some time about his past sensing he needed this venting to people who understood. Even the foal made little noise, He was content and happy to sit in Beta's lap. he would nuzzle and suckle Beta's paw and fingers from time to time as he slept troubled but content enough. He knew the pony taking care of him would look after him. That's all any foal needed, undoubtable love and caring, even if it's only until a better caretaker could be found.

        Breaking the morbid mood Sarg asked Beta "So how come you're so good with that foal?"

        "Too young to know better" Beta said with a smile and a wink. Everyone including Big Mac and Beta Laughed, the tension again banished to the realm of banality where all sad thoughts lie.

        "Actually, it's simple enough" Beta added, "I'm the only one giving him attention and a warm place to sleep. Then looking at the lieutenant "Hey Buzzard" Beta said with a wicked grin when he saw Buzzer's scowl "How long until you can fly again?" Beta asked simply.

        Buzzer kept his composure, and Beta's respect for him went up a notch or two "It's not an easy flight to The Capital through this terrain. It's a long flight on the best of days, but to go there so fast really took it out of my wings. I didn't even stay to rest in Canterlot" He said, ruffling his wings a little to show they were still tired "Hell I've had a long day and will be glad when we finally set up camp." He said simply.

        "Sick of playing nursemaid already?" Quicktrip asked with a sly smile.

        Beta ignored the taunt and just answered matter of factly "I just think he'd be safer at the castle with trained, professional nurse maids, not a bunch of soldiers in the bush" The truth was Beta was afraid to form an attachment to the foal. Especially since it did seem to prefer his company. Beta's paternal instincts were also working him over big time, and he was nervous by that as well.

        "And speaking of kids..." Beta said pulling the book back out, ending the conversation.        He began reading from the book again, feeling they needed more levity than the seriousness of his former life. He read for the next half hour or so as the group moved on. They weren't in any hurry. The trip was going to take another day no matter what, and the news of the predators was already sent ahead. The plan was to send the foal with Buzzer in the morning to the orphanage. It wasn't considered a good idea for the foal to stay with a squad for too long, as attachments would begin to form.

        Just as Beta finished reading the book he looked down at the foal in his lap. He was sleeping very soundly. He was about to gesture to Sarg to come take a look at the foal when they heard a low, ominous voice dripping with pornographic intent..."give us the foal, and we'll let you live"

        The squad stopped, Beta gently got off Sigma's back and held the foal with a murderously protective glare on his face. He could sense the pred had taken a step back. It was the opening the squad needed as they formed a battle circle with Beta in the middle holding the foal. Sarg pulling out a sabre that Beta somehow had not seen before. The others produced spears, Big Mac just stood there promising death from his very large furr covered clydesdale hooves to any who approached.

        The squad knew it's duty... protect the foal at all costs. "You'd better just run along now pred" Sarg replied nonchalantly, his sabre resting dull side on his shoulder. "The tide has shifted against your lecherous, demented, deviant kind. Word is Luna declared you.... MONSTERS!" He accented heavily on the last word to make the point. They all sensed many hidden preds take another few steps back. "You know what that means monster?" Sarg asked almost tauntingly.

        "There is no way that Celestia knows how our numbers have grown!" The pred replied, more than a little fear in his voice. "We hold the advantage here guardsman" He nearly spat out the last word. "You are outnumbered nearly a dozen to one! And that little blue rabbit will be a welcome addition to our... slave pits" He let the last two words hang in the air like a noose. Beta only spit on the ground. He would kill until they killed him before he ever became a slave... again.

        "We don't see many two legs and he looks particularly ... delicious!" He said the salivation for the sexual conquest tinting his speech. Beta figured this one should be easy to kill, he was working himself up.. he could hear it... but it would only be a distraction to him when the battle started. Beta decided he would kill this one personally if the opportunity arose.

        Trying to hide his movements from the Preds, not that he expected them to know what he was doing anyway, Beta began spilling salt onto the ground in a circle around himself, chanting ancient words very very quietly. Noticing this Sarg continued to banter with the pred, keeping it's attention away from Beta's activities. He had a pretty good idea what he was trying to do, and he wanted to give the mongrel all the time he needed to do it.

        Very quietly, Beta began mumbling words of power as he made the circle of salt. As the grains fell they patterned themselves into the runes for the words spoken, the innate magic of the words moving themselves to their destination. A pred unicorn saw what Beta was doing and nodded.

        'I wonder if he can do it?' the predator thought. He wasn't like many of the others, certainly not like their 'leader'... he hated being this way. He hated the rapings, he hated the constant violations of his privacy and personal space and.... he hated all of it. He had once been a very promising young magic scholar. He studied the old magic because his own was so meager. He searched for ways of improving his own magic... then he was raped and taken by the predators one night a month before he hit majority.

        Everyone knew that if you were of age the preds could "only hurt" you, that they needed those who were not yet 'of age' to infect them with their madness. 'And it is madness. The constant, pounding, driving urges...' He thought bitterly. He hated all of it. 'If I'm never horny for the rest of my life and I live 1000 years it still won't be enough!' He cursed inwardly. The new rules meant he might be recycled soon... He wasn't afraid, exactly. He knew it was the only way to get rid of the madness, but... he liked his old life. He missed it. He didn't WANT to die... but maybe it was better that way.

        Beta reached the apex of the spell, he was ready to release the deific blast of electricity, sending out the "REGIUM MANDATUM DEI!" He roared, his voice echoing with magical effect... then nothing. in the distance crickets actually chirped! He heard a snigger then "HA!" from the peanut gallery who was about to 'Rape me to death...' he reflected miserably.

        "You damned FOOL!" Beta heard from the same pony. "You have to have SOME magical potential for old magic like that to work.. and you have NONE!" He taunted the blue rabbit....thing. He was too close, he would likely be killed first... yet he didn't care. He wanted out of this life, and this was the best way to do it. "Even the old earth ponies understood that much!" He continued, lecturing the two legs "Even earth ponies have SOME magical value to them, some more than others! Those were called wizards!" He added just to rub salt into the wound.

        In reality the unicorn respected the blue.. thing, for even trying. it nearly worked too. He could see the runes forming, the magic aura around the two legs was raising. He wasn't actually sure WHY it had failed.. but failed it had, and now they would all become rape fodder for the 30 odd preds in the area. The leader had, as always, exaggerated their numbers.

        Sarg only nodded slightly to himself and even smiled a little. 'So... you are only pony after all, huh?' He thought. The boy had pushed himself too far. 'That spell should have worked, but he keeps pushing himself too hard.' He considered, as he was picking out his first 5 targets, and the next ten. He had also decided that they should take prisoner that unicorn who had taunted Beta. 'He might be a good resource... until he's executed for being a pred.' He considered.

        "We don't need magic to take you lot out. Run away now, or we'll smoke you where you stand... and you'll never see another sunrise!" Sarg boomed.

        "Give us the foal, and YOU can see another sunrise OLD NAG!" The leader taunted back. There were many insults that Sarg could shrug off and ignore and that... was one of them. But he used it as the excuse the group needed.

        Moving as one the squad struck. Sarg swung his sword in a wide arc as he leaped forward cutting down the 5 nearest predators, his long, curved scimitar opening their throats as offerings to the ancient gods, their blood spilling forth as water from a waterfall for a moment before turning into dusty smoke, then... nothing. "so it's true" Sarg said looking in awe.

        Quick trip's spear swung forth, also in a wide arc, rending bare the throats of 5 preds before he thrust it forward into the eye of a sixth attacker. All 6 burst into smoke after half a moment.

        Buzzer lept into the air and swooped his wings forward sending forth several feathers, points forward, striking 3 preds in the eyes, causing them to scream in pain before they too were given the merciful release of vaporizing. Seeing the result of the  new maneuver, he said a small prayer of thanks The princess herself had shown him that trick.

        Big Mac stomped one's skull into thick paste, he then kicked another's head clean off before standing on his hind legs and punching another two critically in the jaw and eye socket, shattering both. Big Mac was well known for his ruthless hoof to hoof combat. He then borrowed a move he'd seen Beta use. He dug one of his hind hooves in the ground, twisted his hips and spun sending his other hind hoof into and through the head of yet another predator. They all vaporized as their life force left their bodies.

        Sigma swung his spear in a short arc neatly slicing off the head of his Pred before swinging it along his side, up, then back down to cut another pred's head in twain, the left and right sides falling before he turned to smoke and dust. He then jabbed his spear to the left and right, killing both predators.

        The combat stopped flat the Royal guard taking stock of their now vaporized kills and the no-longer advancing predators. "It's true" Sarg and the leader said in the awed silence. 'This changes everything' they also both thought. 'For the Better!' Sarg thought,

        'For the worst' the predator leader thought. Some of the nightly rapings could be... rough, and this meant that a great many predators would be 'smoking' by morning. Their numbers would dwindle rapidly even without the damned royal guard hunting and killing them like... prey! 'I need to retreat so that I can warn the others!' He realized. If they all died here, now.. 'no one will be able to tell the council of perverts!' he thought. 'We can't allow the damned Royal Guard have the upper hoof! We have a right to live too!' he thought almost fearfully. He was almost as afraid that first night his 'infected' uncle had raped him... almost... but not quite... 'nothing would ever match THAT!'

        "RETREack..." He began, but a well placed spear from Sigma cut his vocal cords, then his jaw muscle.. then his life short. Sigma understood well the upper hoof they now had. If they could kill all these predators, here, now, they could keep the new status of the predators a secret for a few more days 'and the tide could finally be turned for justice and decency!' He thought.

        "NO SURVIVORS!" Sarg boomed as he lept forward like a flash of deadly light, cutting down 6 more preds. He didn't have to be as accurate he found. Unlike killing a pony, or a non-monster, the right amount of lethal damage would smoke a monster. That meant that if you were capable enough you could kill a monster by cutting off his leg. Normally that would only give him a limp.

        "Save that one for me!" Beta said, the shock of the failed spell finally washing over and past him like the tide. He took a moment to wrap the foal up in his blanket so that Beta could tie him snugly against his body like a backpack. He then moved like lightning, grabbing a fallen sword from the ground, grabbing the horn of the unicorn that was taunting him and violently pulling it down as he swung the sword up with his other hand cutting deep into it leaving a tiny sliver of bone holding the horn in place. he then dropped the sword, and before it could hit the ground he pulled down harder on the tender horn and carved a crest into the soon-to-be-no-horned's forehead above the horn... a protection sigil.

        Beta then struck with his right foot, kicking the predator viciously in his groin, dropping him to his knees as Beta yanked ruthlessly up, sending a resounding CRACK! throughout the battle field. Again all combat stopped, partially because all enemies within reach were not covering the battle field as so much black mist. He then pointed the cut and cracked horn at it's former owner as a wand and roared "VIOLENTO IGNARO!" There was a blast of light and the prisoner was now unconscious.

        Looking up at the rest of the squad, panting with the effort of the combat, the failed magic, and he had put a great deal of energy into and the new use of the unicorn wand. Beta simply said "He has knowledge I need" before he fell to his knees, dropping the horn, and then onto his face. The Foal still on his back, looking out with silent curiosity.

        The combat was over. They now had a live predator, confirmation of Luna's royal decree, a foal, and a magic wand using mongrel assassin... "Yep" Sarg said, as they roped up the prisoner and put Beta and the foal on Big Mac's back. He then looked up at the moon as it rose up into the sky. She was unusually bright tonight... the mare in the moon. 'It's as if she's lighting us a path to safety. "Just another beautiful day in Equestria."