I don't dream. I simply can't dream. I can close my eyes, but I can't sleep, the root cause of my disability to dream. Yet, when I close my eyes, I see numbers. Ones and zeros whiz by in my head. What could they mean? All my questions get left unanswered. Questions like: Why am I in a glass box? Why are there ponies dressed in all white outfits with blue goggles? AND WHY DO I HEAR WHIRRING IN MY EARS?!
Sorry, sorry, lost my cool there. That is actually one problem I've had since... well.. since I can remember. I don't remember much of anything that has to do with a childhood. As a matter of fact, I don't think I ever had a childhood. If I did have one, it probably eludes me. Ahhh, the life of a pegasus that is me. What more could I ask for anyway?
I get regular visitors, I get free housing, free food. I mean, sure my 'home' is a glass box. These visitors don't talk to me, just watch me, and I watch them back. It's an amusing game for me, just peering, watching some of them shiver in their hooves. It's like they're scared of me, of what I might do to them. What can I do? I can just change the weather and fly. Not much of anything else I suppose. I yearn to see the outdoors. For as long as I can remember, I never once set a hoof outside. Strange when you think about. My glass box of amazingness certainly doesn't have any sort of windows. So I don't do much to entertain myself. Not that there is much for me to do. I lay around, sometimes just try to dream, but fail.
Dreaming is my only failure. I succeed at any other 'test' these ponies seem to throw my way. Whether it's a simple puzzle to painting to building something out of scraps. Nothing ever really is complex for me, except dreams. What holds me back from dreaming? Oh, hold on, I do believe the alarms are going off... again.
"This is not a false alarm! All experiments are to be moved to the lower levels!" A voice blared over some loud speakers.
"This place has more to it?" I thought to myself. Now was my chance to devise a plan. I can finally escape!
I quickly observed a door the opened, catching my attention for a brief time before some armored ponies rushed in and surrounded my box, all facing me. One looked highly decorated, so I assumed he was the leader of the outfit before me. By the looks of his armor, he was a unicorn, much like most of the ponies I see throughout my day.
"Keep an eye on the outkast model. Info says its extremely dangerous." I heard him say. I do have a gender, but calling me an 'it' is just low. Then his eyes fell on me. "You, come with me."
I just simply shook my head. I wasn't taught to speak, only to think.
"This is not an option or an open discussion!" He told me, one of those glass walls disappeared into the ground. Odd. "You are to come with me, that is final."
I just looked at him, his glare met my eyes. Silence. He took a step towards me, I took a kneeling stance, ready to charge. If I remember correctly, pegasi are faster in the air than most pony tribes, along with greater reaction time and durability when accidents happen.
"You have nowhere to go." He told me. On the contrary, I do have a way out. The exact same door they left open and unguarded. I also happen to have taken looks past that door to see the hall, ending in an elevator. Perfect.
He took a step closer to me, my wings flared out.
"Do not resist, that is an order!" Orders? I barely get ordered around.
Another step. I took this chance and charged at the stallion. My head collided with his metal armor. It didn't hurt, but I made a dent. Strange. I seem to have knocked the wind out of him, sending him crashing to the floor. The other guard took up defensive stances, surrounding me in the blink of an eye. Impressive, but not impressive enou- a rumble? There goes the lights. I took my chance and lept over the few block my path and broke into a gallop. Since when could I actually see in the dark? Wait, emergency power in on. the elevator is right there! I skidded to a halt infront of the doors, shiny doors, shiny white doors. I raised a hoof and pressed the call button, causing the doors to slide open anyway. I guess the guards came to this level by this elevator. I took a step inside and examined the controls. There was a red button, possibly an emergency stop? IT says 'DO NOT PUSH', I feel compelled to push it now. So I did! Heehee!
There was a rumble within the elevator car before a sudden force of gravity brought to the floor with a clang. since when did I go clang? Nevermind that now, I think I just turned this elevator into an escape shuttle! I can look out the window to see a blaze of yellow from beneath as I passed each level. A quick ascension, far too quick, I don't think this is structually sound for escapes.
I heard a loud noise above me, I think the car just broke through the roof. I don't believe it though. I'm outside, finally outside. That night sky, it's so beautiful. Oh the stars! Amazing! I think the car is shifting... yes, it is shifting towards a city. Elegant in nature, beautiful to describe. Wait.. wait.. WAIT!
I'm picking up speed, too much for the hull of car to bear! It's falling apart on me and-
"Remote system shutdown enabled, reboot when safety is reached." A voice in my head stated
Remote system shutdown? What is th-
Elsewhere, Classified Location
"Ma'am, the Outkast project has escaped. Should I mobilize a containment team?" A unicorn in dented armor informed the back of an armchair
"No." A unseen source of the voice replied.
"B-but ma'am, it's obviously too dangerous to be out in public! Think of the consequences!" The unicorn stuttered back.
"I'm aware, but do you think they can trace where he came from?" The chair turn, a shadowy figure still hidden. "Where was it last seen heading."
"C-canterlot, Ma'am" The unicorn sputtered out.
"Then I have no worries about it."
Canterlot, Equestria
Elegence. Is all I can can describe of the music I play. A concert tonight in one of the great music hall in Canterlot. My concert. I made sure my cello was tuned properly before the show, and now, the spotlight is on me. Always a good time for me to shine. A small pressure fell over me. Stress most likely. There was no room for errors here now.
"You can do this, Octavia, just a little longer." I told myself.
I could do this, no, I must do this! Then I can retire back to my abode afterwards, knowing I have pleased the posh crowd of Canterlot Ponies. Well, my would've finished if it weren't for that awful screeching sound. At first I thought it was my cello, but when I stopped playing, it continued. Most of the ponies assumed, no, they knew it was coming from outside the music hall. I watched them filter out of the doors to see what was making that awful noise. I saw what it was upon my exit, a fireball. We all watched it streak and screech through the night sky, then something awful happened. The streaking ball of fire flew straight through an airship and crashed into the face of the mountain. The airship was set ablaze, its passengers of unicorn, pegasi, and earth alike desperate to get off the thing before it crashed into the ground. Pegasi and unicorns that worked on the ship were quick to lend a helping hoof, aiding those deemed necessary of aid. It was a horrid sight to see at most.
Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore, I rushed back inside to pack up and head home. I'll just need some time alone. A few days at most.
Canterlot Mountain Face, Equestria, Oukast
"System restored."
Why do I feel that something isn't right with me? I apparently have a whir in my ears, I go clang, and there's a voice in my head that can knock me out at will. All of which I need to get used to, much like the whirring. Yes I gotten used to the whirring, it's just something I can't escape that will grind on my nerves. Anyway, I should see... well, looks like most of the elevator lodged itself inside the mountain. Great. Now I guess I should go see where exac- OH DEAR!
I closed my eyes and braced for...
Wood
More wood
Even more wood
Stone
I laid there for at least a few moments before opening my eyes, what I saw I couldn't just believe. A grey mare was staring at me. I could see why considering she was on that first floor I hit. Now there were four gaping holes in her home. Probably gotta fix that sometime sooner or later.
"Are you alright?" she asked me.
I opened my mouth to speak, but then I remembered I didn't really learn how, but I can understand her like I did the guard. I settled for a subtle nod, then rose to my hooves.
"Can you talk?" She asked me, I finally noticed her accent, sounded a bit posh, or foreign.
I responded to her question with a shake of my head.
"I'm gonna call an ambulance... You don't seem alright." She disappeared from sight. So I sat there, confused, somewhat dazed.
I'm having a hard time understand that I am pony, but at the same time, not one either. It's strange if you ask me, but hey, what isn't? So this mare, this grey, black maned mare, called some ponies to come get me and take me to a hospital, but when they saw I was perfectly fine, they just up and left. The mare I mentioned before was on the ground floor of her house, I presumed it was hers since, you know, she lived here, pacing and rambling on about how she was going to explain this to the home insurance agency. Whatever insurance was. I could see why it would be hard to explain considering a pony wouldn't make gaping holes in each floor of a home. Maybe smash a window or break a door or something. She eventually just trotted off, mumbling to herself, into a secondary room branching off of the main door. If I didn't know better, I'd say she forgot I was here.
So, I did my best not to break anything else by standing in one place, admiring the room I so crashed in. It was still in its entirety, but still there was a lot to take in. Fancy plants, portraits, even some expensive looking vases and other works. IT was an artisans paradise, and arts is something I could admire. Then there was that wonderful sound. String, obviously a base. I couldn't help but let my ears lead me to the source of these wonderful notes as they were being played. Lo! Thine eyes at attention of the mare playing the cello. Oh she sounded so wonderful when she played!
I lost track of time, closing my eyes , a smile crept along my face, and my hooves started to move. I think she took notice of this and stopped playing. My eyes shot open and looked at in confusion. She just looked at me with a small smile.
"I see you like classical. True or not?" She asked, her purple eyes on me
I simply nodded, I wanted to hear more!
"Well then, consider yourself lucky. Not many ponies get a private show." She told me, then started playing again.
Again, I closed my eyes, let my ears tune in, mind wandering, and hooves move without a thought to them. I could feel her eyes watch me, not that it bothered me, but I think she was taking her time admiring how this pegasus could ballroom. I don't really want to gloat, but there was a lot of things I performed when nopony was watching me back at my box.
It felt... nice.. to know that somepony was willing to watch me dance away. I couldn't explain this, but, it felt like I belonged for once. Being back at the box was empty, quiet, filled with sorrow. It didn't feel to good. Now? Now I can probably truly express myself.
