Broken Bonds - A Piggy AU

Chapter 2 - Refinery

"Where are they?" Mimi wondered aloud. "They should be here by now."

It was a bright, sunny morning, quite unfitting for the previous day's events. Mimi and Brayden were at the Old Oak, ready to meet Settlement 6.

Brayden shrugged. "I'm sure they'll be here soon."

"Actually, we already are."

Brayden and Mimi spun around. There, emerging from behind a tree, was a tall wolf, gun in hand. As they looked around they could see multiple others entering the clearing, wearing grey uniforms, walking towards them with weapons in their hands. "Well, well, well. It seems you've fallen directly into our trap."

Brayden stepped back. "What do you mean? What do you want from us?"

"Ah, Officer Brayden. Funny you should ask- wait, where's Pony? Why isn't he here?"

"How do you know Pony? And how did you know I'm a...police officer...wait a minute, I recognize you! You're Willow! You're the thief I arrested back in the alley!"

"That's why our pack has been keeping tabs on you guys. Quite convenient how both of my enemies joined the same settlement. I suppose terrible people like to stick together, since no one else will take them." Willow sneered.

Mimi spoke up. "You've never met me. How could you assume what kind of person I am? And anyway, you're wrong! Brayden and Pony are great people!"

"So you're like them, then. I see. How about you come with us so we can learn more about you, if you want us to know your true self so badly? Perhaps we can even come to a peaceful conclusion, and we'll leave you and your pathetic group alone."

Mimi stayed silent for a moment, pondering her choices. She sighed. "Alright. I'll come with you." Brayden opened his mouth to object, but Mimi responded first. "It's for the good of the group, Brayden. Trust me, I'll be fine."

Willow smiled. "Splendid. Come with us , then."

Mimi took a look back at Brayden. "Goodbye, Brayden. Don't worry. I'll be okay."

Brayden responded with silence as he stood there in the clearing, watching the group walk off with Mimi, until they disappeared into the trees.

"You're kidding, right?"

Brayden shook his head at Pony. "She said she knows you. Do you know her?"

"I do...or I thought I did. She was an old friend, but when I realized she was rotten, I left. If Mimi's really with her, she's not being questioned. She's being held hostage, and she's in danger."

"Then we have to go save her. Do you know where she would be?"

Pony hesitated for a moment. "Yeah...I'll take you there. It's also not far from the Old Oak, it's just on the opposite side that we are."

"Should we tell Zizzy we're leaving?"

"She said she was going to try to go to sleep to take her mind off things, so I don't want to bother her. The kids will be fine alone, they haven't been causing much trouble because of what happened. I'll leave a note."

Pony ripped a sticky note off the pad and scribbled something down on it, then stuck it to the table. "Right, as soon as I get my materials, we're good to go."

"What kind of materials?"

"You'll see."

"How do we get in?" Brayden asked as he looked at the padlocked chain-link fence gate.

Pony pulled out a pair of wire cutters, and in silence, cut out a hole big enough for both of them to crawl through. He then walked on ahead of Brayden to the door entrance, who followed him there. Pony was already picking the lock. He sure came prepared.

"Pony, wait. There could be guards."

"Don't worry, Brayden. Just follow my lead."

Pony and Brayden somehow managed to sneak upstairs where they found a vent. "I'll crawl through it to distract the guard over there. When she's been distracted, sneak past her the normal way, alright?" Brayden nodded and crouched behind some oil canisters in the meantime. Soon he heard the metal vent lid clank, footsteps following soon after. Brayden snuck around from the wall and crept down the stairs. "Psst. Brayden. I'm in the vent. I brought this toy car as a distraction. Take it and race it into that room over there so the guard from that room goes into the room. Then, lock the door behind him. I'm pretty sure he's guarding the room where they have Mimi, so once he's locked in we can save her." Pony stuck out his hand to reveal a small blue toy car. "It's the pull-back kind."

Brayden took the car and, while hiding behind the wall, placed the car in the hallway and rolled it back. When he released his grip, the car took off. Brayden heard it hit a wall and the guard went to see what it was. When he was sure the guard was in the room. Brayden raced to the door and slammed it shut. Luckily, he heard a click as the door locked automatically.

Pony had already left the vent and was fiddling with the lock. "Don't worry Mimi, we'll get you out of there."

The sound of the guard banging on the door echoed in the background. "You know, Pony, you're surprisingly good at breaking and entering."

"Heh, guess so...."

It was a real surprise when they opened the door and an infected stared back at them. Wait, I know that guy. That's Poley, one of the senior officers. It's sad to see he's infected, he was always so friendly and taught me and Doggy a lot.

Poley ran at them, but Pony had pulled out his sword as soon as he saw him. He whacked him in the head with it and stabbed him. Poley was temporarily stunned, but Brayden knew the infected had insane levels of injury tolerance, so they didn't have long.

Mimi stood at the other side of the room, looking tired. "You guys came to rescue me! That's...so kind of you. I don't know how you did it." Her voice was oddly sad despite just being rescued.

Pony had apparently noticed this too. "What's wrong, Mimi? You're safe now."

Mimi looked down in silence.

Brayden then realized what happened. "Mimi...."

"You have to go."

"But- Mimi, why? We can get you out!"

"Pony, don't you get it? She got hurt by the infected."

Pony looked at Mimi. "Mimi, this better not be true."

Mimi looked up at them. Now that they could see her clearer, they both realized she had a huge scratch on her face, as well as small ones on her arms. "I've never been good at fighting, heh." she said sadly.

No, not again.

Do I have to lose another friend?

The three looked at each other. They knew they had to leave Mimi behind.

Pony gave Mimi a small hug. "Goodbye Mimi, we'll miss you. We'll try to find a cure for you."

"I'll miss you guys too. It's a shame how the past couple days ended up like this."

Brayden said nothing, only waved goodbye as he and Pony walked away from the room in saddened silence.