Fade Away

" I gotta try. "

       " I know."

  Those words lingered inside Cole's head for months. That eventful day haunted him in his sleep, whenever he DID sleep. For this, he could not forgive himself for his actions. His own friend Zeke, the one who ever truly accepted him. He was a like a brother, now he's gone. Cole was forced to kill him, for Conduits alike. He knew what he did was right... right? Cole couldn't decide. He thought as himself as a hero but he truly, he disagreed with that.

"Kuo. Come meet me, please." He called for one of his companions through his phone. He sat on the top of a building, where Zeke had placed many things a home would have. A mini fridge, a table with a TV across from it and a nice brown sofa. Cole sat on the edge of the buildings, feet dangling. He heard the air slicing from from Kuo's arrival in his ears, shortly after.

"I'm here, Cole." She noticed his sad appearance and sat down with him. "What's wrong?"

"It's - everything. Kuo, do you think what we did was right?" Cole asked, not even looking at his companion. Kuo sighed.

"No, Cole." She quietly answered.

"Then, why did we do it!?" He stood up and asked, voice filled with regret and anger.

"Because, it wasn't right but we had to do it! Humanity was going to die, anyway." She told him, Cole turned around and stared at the smoky but blue sky.

"My friend... is dead because of my choices. Along with Nix." Cole gritted his teeth, thoughts still buzzing about in his head.

"We had the right idea but it was executed with the wrong methods and tools, Cole. I'm sorry about Zeke and even Nix, but we can't do anything about t- what is that?" She stared at something in the distance, it glowed brightly and seemed to give off red electricity.

"Don't try to change th- what the hell IS that?" They turned at each other before Cole jumped off the building, scarlet electricity surged from his hands and feet as he skated across power lines. Kuo followed suit, flying and landing on building to building. After about two minutes, they arrived at the location. A Blast Core, lodged within the wall. Not just any normal blue Core, it was dark red with purple and black aura, surrounding it.

"A Blast Core? What's that make, uh.. ten?" He looked at Kuo, smirking.

"Cole, that's not a normal Blast Core. " She looked nervous, even scared upon this discovery unlike Cole - despite his previous demeanor  looked eccentric for this. He grabbed the Blast core, ripping it from the wall. Holding in his hand, he could the energy just feeling it. It felt evil, but Cole liked things like that. This enticing feeling pushed his mind farther to use it and see what he could get. Maybe, a present from John after his release of power? He thought.

"Kuo, I'm using it. Let's get back to the house, this should be good." They went back, following the same path. As he skated along the lines, he could feel the energy slowly become irresistible. As they arrived, Cole almost look more evil than usual. The dark crack like veins on his face and arms seemed to glow black. His weapon, the Amp, originally gave off scarlet electricity. Now, it was a more sickly crimson. Kuo looked at him, with her suspicions telling her that Cole should not use it. But, Cole would throw her advice right out the window and use it, anyway. So, she stayed quiet as much as she wanted to say something. Cole held it tightly, looking at Kuo one last time before he got knocked out as always. Then, he began. He put power in it and in return got more power, and more and more. Kuo stepped back as his orange lightning turned red, then seemingly black.

"Cole?" She called out. Through the storm like "barrier" of lightning, she saw his pained faace. "Cole!" The electricity surged, creating an explosion that seemed to knock powers out of Conduits. She heard the pained cries from people nearby. As the large cloud of dust and rubble settled, Kuo remained there, coughing. "C-Cole?" She called out again, but as it faded, he wasn't there. Just a black mark where he should be.

Upon the warm grassy ground in a different dimension, lay a Conduit, stripped of his peace and thrown into a new world, he must be guided by his sins and his friends. It was hours for he laid there, electricity still surging throughout his body. He gritted his teeth and awaited the pain to go away. But, Life had MANY other plans. Oh yes. He stirred about after twenty minutes, groaning at the remaining pain.

"Oh, hell. That one hurt. So, I wonder what's new... What the hell?" As tried to get up, something caught his eye. They area he was in, a grassy plain with a village in the distance. Not a town, but a actual village. "That's... different." Cole surveyed his surroundings, nothing but grass and dirt for a while besides a VERY dark forest pretty close to him. "Yeah... no." Cole cracked his knuckles, thinking of what his new power could be. He could feel a new power surging through him, he tapped into it, feeling this new power. He concentrated a large amount of power directly to his hands and was presented with a "blade" of blood red electricity known as Gigawatt Blades. The power felt familiar to him, but he didn't care. He swung the blades around for a moment but stopped when he heard a groaning noise of somebody or thing waking up. Cole quietly sneaked about until he found the source. A somewhat over-weight being wearing a green vest with a dirty white shirt and a pair of dark shorts. Otherwise known as Cole's best friend that he killed, Zeke Jedediah Dunbar. Cole current expression went to a mix of happiness, sadness and definite surprise.

"Whoo, boy. That.. lightning. That definitely hurts." He heard Zeke say to himself. Cole quietly but swiftly walked up to Zeke. He tapped his friend on the shoulder, he responded with shooting his "attacker" with his magnum. Cole stumbled back.

"Shit, Zeke! It's me. Calm down!"

"I know! That's why I'm shooting!

"You dick." Cole and Zeke stared at each other for a few seconds before busting out, laughing.

"I can't believe it's... you." Cole regained his composure, wiping a tear away.

"I could say the same. Hey man, I... uh.. heard what you talked about with Kuo."

"You did? I-I was serious, I didn't want to, truly. But, -"

"You did what you thought was right. I get it, man." Zeke stopped him. Cole still looked distraught. "Hey, I forgive ya. I really do. But, right now... There are more important things at hand." Zeke glared at him, Cole straightened up and smiled for the first time in months. Zeke nodded, Cole did the same in return.

"Right, first things first. Where are we?" Cole puzzled.

"No clue." Zeke bluntly answered.

"Okay. Then, we head towards the village before rain starts pouring and I die from shorting out." Cole advised, remembering last time he met water with his powers. AH! SHIT! He mentally shuddered at the memory.

"Good idea."

  They then proceeded to walk towards the quite large village in the distance. The wind slapped against their faces as tiny water droplets began to fall. Cole picked up his pace and continued to the village. Zeke looked at the darkening sky, the clouds got darker as the storm got worse by the second. As they arrived at the village, their faces went to blank. There in the village, was small colorful horses with marks on their butts. Zeke and Cole stood there with a blank expression.

"Cole?"

"Yeah?"

"We're in Hell."

"Yep."

  The "horses" noticed the two new beings and stared at them with fear and curiosity. Then, they caught the eyes of a certain pegasus. She looked down and saw them, one of them looked... well... sick. He wore a red and black shirt with a white t-shirt beneath. A pair of black pants with a strange design around the side accompanying the attire. What really caught her eyes was his pale "skin" and the rustic device on his back. He looked... evil, to say the least. But the other made her chuckle, a somewhat overweight being wearing a green vest with a dirty white shirt and a pair of dark shorts. She also overheard their comments.

"So, this is hell?"

"Makes sense for you, brother. Not me."

"Are you sure? You suggested I go take down the cops or I take those blast shards from those people, right?"

"You did them, anyway."

"Yeah, 'cause you suggested it."

"Can't argue with that logic. Hold up, I think one of them coming up to us."

  Honestly, they amused her. They didn't SEEM like a threat, but she wanted to make sure. Carefully but surely, she made her way from her cloud to them.

"Wow, they can fly?" Zeke noticed.

"So can I. I can shoot lightning from my fingertips. I highly doubt they can do that." Cole huffed.

"Yeah, 'cause they got hooves. They don't have fingers." Cole laughed at that.

"I see what you did there." Cole crossed his arms, still chuckling.

"So, who are you?" The flying "Horse" asked them as it approached.

"Did you just talk?" Cole asked, questioning his sanity.

"Yeah, why?"

"Horses can't talk."

"Okay, not a horse, pony."

"That's answers the height thing. How can you talk?"

"I have a mouth, don't I? What else would I use it for?" They both chuckled at that, confusing her but she got it seconds later. The thought made her blush. "You're sick." She stated.

"Come on, we're guys. Oh, anyway. Can you help us out with something?"

"If it involves my mouth, I'm out."

"No." He chuckled again, finding that one funny but dirty. "Can you help me find somewhere to hold up until the storm passes. Water is bad for me."

"Why?"

"I can control electricity. If I touch water, I short-circuit." He bluntly told her.

"Can I see?"

" Uh, ...sure." Cole held up his hand and red electricity surged around his hand. Cole blasted the lightning away, hitting the ground and slightly cracking it.

"That. Is. Awesome!" She stared at Cole with amazement in her eyes. Cole thought nothing of it and continued with his question.

"Yeah. I can use fire too. But, back to my question." He noted.

"Uh... pretty sure Twilight won't mind. Follow me." They followed her, while getting each others names across, to this "Twilight Sparkle". Weird name, Cole thought.

"Here we are, Cole. Hang on." She knocked on the door. They heard steps approaching the door and Voilà, another pony opened the door.

"Rainbow, this bet- Who are they?" She quickly asked, curiosity biting at her.

"That's Cole, the other is Zeke. They need a place to stay."

"Well, I can help one of you out there."

"I just need shelter from the rain. Rainbow said if Zeke can stay here, I could stay with her?"

"Sure, come in." They AGAIN followed a pony in, the smell of fresh printed paper met their noses. Books. Books everywhere. A stairwell led up to what they assume was her bedroom or something. A couch and a chair to sit in as well. They took the couch while Twilight sat on the chair.

"Okay, before anypony stays here. I need to ask you guys a few questions." Twilight told them, Cole nodded.

"Shoot."

"Where are you from?"

"Empire City, America, Earth."

"What are you?"

"I'm a sub-human as Zeke says, because I possess powers unlike most people. I'm a Conduit to be precise. Zeke is just a big human, ain't you?" Cole stared at Zeke, who in turn was glaring at him. "We're 'friends' by some cases. We just have trust issues."

"Cole... There may be some problems with your request. We don't know if magic will interfere with your 'powers'..."

"Well, let's try."

"Hold on." Twilight's horn began to blow before Cole felt a strange sensation around him, it was a odd feeling to be honest.

"So, why did you have to do that?" He asked as she stopped.

"Because, Pegasi live on clouds. They have natural body magic that allows them to use clouds as a house or anything, really."

"Ah. Rainbow?"

"Let's go. I hear the thunder getting bad." They both walked out the door, leaving Zeke and Twilight alone.

"So, what is this place?"

~~~~~~~~~

  They got to where Rainbow's "house" would be, shortly. The rain turned into a drizzle but Cole knew it was going to get worse.

"So, how you getting up? I don't think I can carry you." Cole used his Lightning Tether, confusing Rainbow at first, but he was pulled up. She was surprised to see that.

"Wow."

"I could also use my Static Thrusters but that one is so much more fun." Cole stood at what would be the doorstep. Rainbow pushed open the door and it was Cole's turn to be surprised. It was a actual house of clouds. Cupboards, a couch, table. A full house of clouds.

"I don't usually use my house. So, forgive any spiderwebs. If they got up here." Cole just walked around, feeling the cloud under his shoes and his hands as he placed them on things. He laid down on the couch and almost fell asleep instantly. It was like the softest bed possible ever created. Cole just moaned it absolute pleasure as he rested on the couch.

"What are you doing down there?" Rainbow called out from upstairs. Cole thought of something, holding back a laugh.

"Masturbating!" He yelled back. Cole snickered at the dead silence he received from that. Rainbow sternly walked down, staring at him. Cole finally busted out laughing at her face. "Y-you should see the look on your face!" He gasped.

"That's not funny. That stuff would get stuck in the cloud."

"That's why it would be funny! You'd- you'd probably step in it." He kept on, busting his sides open. Rainbow was suppressing a smile of her own at this point. "What if it rains from t-this cloud? It'd get all over people!" Rainbow finally let the gates open and there went a wave of laughter following Cole's.

"Imagine their faces!" She laughed at it, Cole joining her. After a few minutes, their laughter died down as they laid on the floor, gasping for breath.

"Yeah, we're get along just fine." Cole stated.

"Yeah. We are."

That's all, Folks!