//-------------------------------------------------------// Hopes in a Star -by Death Star 813- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// I can explain //-------------------------------------------------------// I can explain "So what's new in Ponyville?" I ask, looking at Rainbow Dash. These visits have gotten almost second nature to me, I know exactly when and who I will be seeing that day, I guess that's what will happen after two years of seeing the same people, or ponies in this case, every day. The fame and popularity hasn't died down, nor do I expect it to. I mean, a human is meeting with real cartoon characters, I don't think that is something that can just be heard and forgotten about. "Well, other than the usual awesomeness provided by yours truly, nothing huge has happened. It's been quiet, honestly a little too quiet. I'm a bit worried, Twi and Pinkie have been a little off set lately. They don't really talk to us all too much, they continually avoid us in the markets, and AJ was wanting to fight everyone last week. So it's been normal, the girls have just been weird." "I'm sure it'll work itself out. But for now, you're on Earth. Relax, here, use my iPad." I toss her my iPad I use for school, I used to use it to write my stories, more specifically my MLP fan-fictions, but since the ponies have been visiting, I haven't had the need to. I built them a hoof-held styles so they can use it, their hooves can't even open the device. I toss her the modified styles. "AHHH!" She quickly screams, I run over, making sure she is ok. "Dash, what happened? Are you alright? Are you-" I stop. I gave her the wrong iPad. I completely forgot about this iPad, I have only used the one for school ever since I got it. This is the one that I used for all my pony needs, from the show itself to fan music, art, and stories. Also, it is the one with my clean shipping pictures, mainly Flutterdash. "W-what is this?!" She shows me a picture of Fluttershy and her on a cloud, sleeping on top of one another. "Why is this on this? What, do you think we are in a relationship or something?!" "N-no Dash, I swear, I don't think of stuff like that anymore! It was just nice to-" "To what, think we love each other? Please! We all have our love interests, and they aren't each other!" I begin to stumble over my words. "I-I know, but I haven't used this in so long. When I first got into the show, I just thought you two were my OTP." "You're OT what?" "OTP, only-" I stop myself, realizing this will only bury me farther. "J-just listen, I don't ship anyone anymore. I haven't ever since the start of season 4." "Ship? Is that what this is? Shipping? And why me? With Fluttershy especially?" I freeze. "Well?" "I, um, I uh, b-because you're my favorite two. And you're both Pegasi, I love the Pegasi." "You, you do?" "Well, yes. You all feel the wind in you mane, the clouds on your hooves, your wings are so gentle that they are strong, so much so that you can create tornados with them if you wanted." "Well, if you love us so much, why didn't you make yourself one?" I don't have an answer. I just felt that I would be an earth pony. "I tried so hard to make it feel right to be a Pegasus. The wings, the mane, the tail, it all came together. But my gut, my heart was telling me otherwise. Sure I could have forced myself to ignore this, but then it wouldn't be mine. Just, don't talk about what you saw with the others, alright? I'm sorry you saw the shipping pictures, but I don't think of that anymore. "Ok, I won't." I could tell she was still bothered. "Need to talk about something?" "Well, it's just, ah to hay with it." She gets up and reaches into my closet, pulling out a black suite. "Ok, so you like to get dressed a nice way. What's wrong with-" I stop by instinct. She puts on the rubber suite. "Well, here it is. I never showed anyone before but, might as well show you. I hid it in your closet the fifth time I came here." On her, trademarked and everything, was a Shadowbolt outfit. "Dash, this must be your holloween costume, right?" "Well, no. When Luna came to me about the shadowbolts originally, I thought she was nuts. But about a year ago, she approached me again and seeing as though the Wonderbolts haven't asked me to join, I accepted." I couldn't say anything. If she wanted to join, she wanted to. "Alright, just don't go and do anything evil, we still need-" "Rainbow Dash!" Rarity comes running in, looking quickly around the room. "What? What's going on?" "It's, it's twilight. She's yelling and screaming, she is threatening all of us. Write, you come too darling." "Wait, threatening? Threatening how?" "Eternal night!" Dash and I stare at eachother. "Rarity, why in Equestria would she threaten to do that? Isn't that the whole reason why Luna was sent to the moon for one thousand years?" "Dash, Twilight wants to see Write, she needs to see him." I skip a breath. "Ok, everyone stop. Rarity, what happ-" suddenly, there is a bright purple spark in the room. "Ok, alright both of you out now." They walk out of my room, and Twilight pops in. "Hello, Write." Her mane is messy and her eyes are dilated. "H-hi Twilight, how are-" "Cut the chatter! We need to talk. And without interruption." She bucks the door shut, it barley holds onto it's hinges. "Now, last time I saw you you were ready to join the army, but chickened out at the last minute." "I didn't chicken out my family fell on hard times and-" "So now, I need you to work for us." I start going through all of the fanfictions I have read in my mind that were evil in the end. The rainbow factory, sweet apple massacre, cupcakes, Fluttershy's lullaby, just so many. Thinking this might be something like those, I try my best to back away, but the wall stops me. "Listen, Twi, I really appreciate your consideration but I'll de-" "Too late!" Her horn glows purple and everything goes white. My eyes struggle to open, and my hands have no feeling. I look down and panic. Suddenly I remember the last time I was like this, I'm in Ponyville. It's been two years since the incident, but I remember. "There. Now please, if you'd care to follow me." I look up and see her flying off. "Wait! I'm not a-" I feel something tap my shoulder. I look over and it's an orange wing. I turn to see who it is, but no one is there. I feel the wing, I feel myself feeling the wing. It's my wing, I'm a Pegasus. "I'm a Pegasus!" I yell, happy to finally have wings. "Yeah, I made you one and I can take it back, so let's go." I suppose she really advanced in her studies, last time she did anything even resembling this was when Rarity needed wings for Dash preforming the Sonic Rainboom. I open my wings, relishing in this new feeling. I rise them and lower them quickly, jumping off the ground a few feet. I quickly repeat this process, managing to stay in the air. "Twilight?" I look around, unable to find her. I go forward a bit, but loose my balance and plummet to the ground. "Um, excuse me but aren't you supposed to be an earth pony?" I look up and see Fluttershy looking over me. I quickly roll over and force myself up. "I, uh, I should be but Twilight turned me into a Pegasus. I guess I need practice." Thinking about it, I guess Fluttershy is my best chance of learning. I don't know what happened to Rarity and Dash, but I can't count on Dash for lessons. Seeing as though I have a possibly evil Twilight on my hooves, I need to learn fast. "Hey Fluttershy, could you show me how to fly?" "Wha-, me? I don't know, shouldn't Dash help you?" "Well, I'd ask her but she isn't here and Twilight is starting to scare some ponies so I need to learn quickly and you're the best shot I have. Besides, isnt your father a Wonderbolt?" "Um, no, but I'll help." There goes my original headcannon. "Come with me, we'll start now." //-------------------------------------------------------// Aviation Industries //-------------------------------------------------------// Aviation Industries "Ok, one more time." Fluttershy backs up, and trots forward. She jumps and opens her wings, gliding to the ground. I back up, breathe, and trot forward. I jump and open my wings, gliding to the ground just like her. My hoof catches a rock, and I trip the moment I land. "Are you ok?" "Yeah, I'm fine." If you forget the blood on the ground. "I should see if I can find Twilight, it's been a couple of hours." "Ok, good luck." "Thank you for the lessons." I fly into the sky in the direction Twilight went. As I keep flying, I think more and more I'm hearing someone whisper to me. I try to I ignore it, but it quickly grows to a normal voice. It's turned to dark grey clouds now, and I can barley keep in the sky from both tiredness and the wind. "You." "Hello?" Nothing. "It's just your head, your going crazy from-" "You." I turn and stop on a cloud. I lie on top of it, ready to sleep, yet so awake from the fact I'm being stalked by somepony. As I sit up, I'm hit to the side by something. I'm being pushed. "Who are you?!" I struggle to talk with the wind in my face. "Where are you taking me to?!" Still no answer. The pony let's go, letting me roll into the side of a cloud wall. I land on top of the cloud floor, dazed and confused. It's pitch black, the only light coming from the hole I just made. I stand, hooves aching and legs shaking. I hear a small puff and I'm knocked backwards. Something wet is dripping on me and there is breathing. "Finally, I got you." A light from the corner flicks on and above me is a dark blue Pegasus, with blood red eyes and an orange vest on with a white coat. The light shows his dilated eyes and open drooling mouth. "She's been waiting for you my dear." "What are you talking about? Who are you?" "Shhhhh, you'll know everything soon enough." He leans in, "I've been waiting for you as well." He backs away, disappearing into the darkness, the lights shutting off. "Hey! What's going on? Where am I? Is anyone-" It goes black. "Is he ok?" "He'll be fine, otherwise to the Everfree with him. He is my key." "But mam, I don't think-" "I don't care what you think! He will live, otherwise you'll both be banished to the Everfree." "Ughhhh." I sit up, my vision double for a minute. "No no no, please stay seated, you'll hurt yourself." "Who are you?" I rub my head, there is a big egg on the top of it. "My name is Sky Falcon. I'm the nurse here, and as the nurse, I'm telling you to stay here." "Where is here?" My vision focuses and I see a light blue Pegasus with crystel blue eyes in front of me. "You are in Aviation Incorporated HQ." "Aviation what?" "Let me show you." She goes to the back of my bed and begins pushing it. The bed is made of clouds. As it moves it picks up cloud from the floor and drops the cloud it lost, pushing it to the floor. We get to a big room with a tv in it. She let's go and grabs a remote, clicking the on button. The tv flashes and the video starts. Twilight is on the screen in front of what I'm assuming is this building. "Hello citizens of Equestria. We here at Aviation Incorporated have served you for ten generations, coming out with the latest and greatest in flight technology. We are the ones that made the first and only flying bandana, meant to increase your maximum elevation while in flight. We also constructed the panoramic goggles, allowing you to see anything and everything during your flight. For the last thousand years, we have brought you little gadgets like these to keep your flying safe and enjoyable. But now, our next project will be our biggest ever made in the history of pony. We are now making artificial wings. That's right, if you are either an earth pony or unicorn, well no longer do you have to look at your Pegasi friends from the ground, with these you will be able to look at them in the eye. We are always hiring  and we can always use more ponies to increase both our production and quality. We have buildings both on the ground and in the sky, so no matter what you are, you can help to make the skies a better for everypony. Aviation industries, the sky's the limit." The TV clicks off and the lights in the room turn on. "So Aviation Industries makes technology for flying?" I ask, being pushed back into the other room. "Yes. The word aviation means to operate something while flying. Specifically for us ponies, organic wings, but once the artificial wings are finished everypony will have this ability." There is a loud puff in the wall, and in comes the pony from earlier. "Sky! Out!" "Y-yes sir. I'll talk to you later." She quickly walks out of the room. "So, Write Holliday. I suppose you need a tour, but I don't do tours." He paces back and forth, his red eyes not letting me go of their grasp. "I don't know what you want from me, bring that mare back, she didn't almost kill me and doesn't know my name randomly!" "Nice try, and her name was Sky!" He yells, jumping at me going face to face. "Besides, you don't understand what it's like." "What?" "I said, you don't know what it's like! To use others for your selfish needs, to do things that you thought were good for the whole of Equestria, but really it's-" "Remmer!" Twilight comes walking in. "That'll be enough out of you." "Y-yes mam, of course." He glares at me, and walks out of the room. "What are you exactly doing here?" I ask, furious with Twilight. "Making the skies a better place of course." "So why do you need me?" "The more help the better." "Then why did you threaten everypony with eternal night?" She begins to pace in the room. "I did no such thing." "Then why did... forget it. So if you want me to work, when do I start?" "You start now." She looks over and uses magic to pop my bed, making me fall to the floor. There is a hole under my bed I didn't see, and I slide down it and into a dark and loud room, filled with mechanical noises. The pony from earlier walks up to me as I struggle to get up. "Welcome to the crypt." //-------------------------------------------------------// Stories and accusations //-------------------------------------------------------// Stories and accusations "The Crypt? Ok, I'm not doing anything until I get some answers." "What do you want to know?" I was hoping he'd be more upset. "Well, first of all who are you and what do you do?" "Me? Haha, my name is Remmer, Remmer Streams. I'm the assistant manager for the Aviation business as a whole, I'm right under boss Sparkle." Boss Sparkle? "You see, when I started working here, I was just like you. Well, perhaps a little more sane. But none the less, like you. Then I chose to embrace my new workplace. Being here is a home to me, hearing the bang and clang and klanck of the machines, it's music in an unorganized fashion." "What does Remmer stand for?" He stops, looks over, and walks to me forcing me to back up. "What, does Remmer mean?" His right eye begins twitching. "Remmer, Remmer the streams. Remember the streams. Remember. Those who died, remember them. Those who leave, remember them. Those who are cheated!" He pulls out a pocket knife. It is bloody and in it, on the side of the blade is the letters RF in blue. My heart stops, I understand. "Remember them! My friend was killed with this knife! I tried, so hard. I tried to avenge him, to save him. But I was too weak. I wasn't capable of doing the right thing, and now I have a name. Remmer, remember the streams that killed my friend. And that is why I am here. I escaped my old work and found this place. Now, as the assistant manager, I find any ponies Ms. Sparkle wants and bring them here for her." "I'm sorry." I say, hoping to calm him down. "I am too." "So, how did you meet Sky Falcon?" "Oh, sky? Heh, I guess I never really thought about that. When I found Aviation Industries, I was not fit in any way. Mentally, phisiclly, emotionally, I was was a complete wreak. But since she is the main nurse here, she brought me back to full health." A bell goes off and Remmer turns and runs over to a place, waving me with him. Once we get there, I see a manufacturing line. He begins to pick things up, put them together, and put the things back down. "Well? Come on!" I try to do it, but fail miserably. "Come on! Quit goofing around and work!" "I don't know how to do this!" We can barley hear eachother over the noises. An intercom clicks on. "Write Holliday! Report to Ms. Sparkle's office please!" Remmer nods and I run to the door. I open it and there is a long, white hallway. I slowly go down it, reading all of the plates on the walls. "How could you?" "Hello?" I look around, knowing I heard something. After last time, I know I'm not. Crazy. I begin walking, and suddenly I am hit in the back. I fly at a wall and go through it face first. "Remmer! This isn't funny! Let me go!" "It isn't Remmer!" I know the voice. I relax, and wait for us to stop. I feel her let go and I fall into a river on the ground. I stand up, but get punched on the back and fall. "Ahh!" "How could you do this to me?!" With every word there is a punch. "Rainbow! Please!" The punches stop, and Rainbow Dash backs away. She is in her Shadowbolt outfit. "How? I thought I could trust you, but this?" "Dash, what in the world are you talking about?" I ask, spitting up blood. "Working for Aviation Industries!" "Why is that an issue?! You shouldn't be talking, you kill foals and fillies for rainbows!" She skips a breath, loosing balance for a second. "W-what?! Are you talking about that story you showed me when I was over your house?" "Of course! I met a pony who has a knife that killed his friend with the letters RF on it, is that just a coincidence? I don't think so, the Rainbow Factory is real! It explains why you were muttering as I read it." "It is certainly not real! I was muttering to myself because I wanted to memorize the answers to a test I had the next day, and not be inconsiderate! RF here in the real world of ponies stands for Red Floor, a video game we have where you kill zombie ponies! Your so called friend probably bought a knife based off of it, and there just happened to be a murder with the same knife. He could have been mugged, robbed, anything. He could even be insane! But the Rainbow Factory, is not, real!" I slump to the ground. Of course, the outsider blames someone for something they didn't do and is caught for bring wrong. "Listen, I'm sorry. Just, what is the issue with Aviation Industries?" "What isn't the issue is more like it. Do you truly know why they make flight technology?" "Well, to make the sky better and safer obviously." "Is that what you believe? Or is that what you are told to believe?" I stop. "You have no idea what they are trying to do. What's happening is bigger than the story line in Star Wars you humans have, with the separatists making the clone army for the republic to kill the Jedi, it's evil Write, you can't work for-" she disappears. "Dash? Hello?" "Don't listen to her Write, you are completely safe working for us." Twilight walks up behind me. "What, the heck, is going on here?" I ask, mad with her. She is hiding something, but I can't put the pieces together. "What is happening is ponies don't want the skies to be safe. I mean, look at Dash, she was in her Shadowbolt outfit. Do you really believe someone like that?" I stay silent. I really wouldn't, but I know Rainbow and she wouldn't lie. "Besides, do you really think that we want to overthrow Celestia? I mean why would I want to get the throne from my own personal teacher? It makes no sense." "She never said anything about that, you just did." She begins to look around, and whistles into the air. "You shouldn't have made that wish Jacob, you would have lived longer." I am hit in the back of the head. I look behind me and there is Remmer holding a lead pipe. There is a thud, and I pass out. Chapter 4: 6:51, the minute of the hour "Ughh." I sit up, the walls black and the door showing only a sliver of light. "Stop knocking me out!" I yell to no pony in particular. I lie back on the bed. How did this happen? I went from two years without a single mess up and suddenly, I'm in jail because of Twilight. "P-p-party." A voice comes from a certain corner. It almost sounded like Pinkie Pie, but too robotic. "Hello?" "L-life is a p-party, make t-t-the b-best of it." "Pinkie Pie? Is that you?" The pony, or thing, walks into the light. Standing in front of me is a robotic //-------------------------------------------------------// You can escape prison, but not yourself //-------------------------------------------------------// You can escape prison, but not yourself "Ughh." I sit up, the walls black and the door showing only a sliver of light. "Stop knocking me out!" I yell to no pony in particular. I lie back on the bed. How did this happen? I went from two years without a single mess up and suddenly, I'm in jail because of Twilight. "H-hello? J-Jacob?" I sit up, looking around. "Who's there? How do you know my real name?" "I can't explain." Sky Falcon comes into the light, shaking. "I don't know, I just know it. I don't know why I'm in here, what I did, I've worked with Ms. Sparkle for so many years. How can she do this to me? To you even?" "I have a felling that Ms. Sparkle isn't what she makes herself to be." "What do you mean?" "Well, if Remmer Stream is the assistant manager, then he works for someone. But Twilight does not act like a boss. She is out in the field, talking to the workers on some sort of normal basis. From my experience, bosses only talk to you if they need to, not if they feel like talking to you. I think the ranks-" "No, no I couldn't." "Um, what?" "But why? What did he do to you? To us?" "Sky, are you feeling alright?" She begins pacing back and forth, muttering to herself. The sliver of light is blocked. "Write." "Hello? Who is this?" "It's me, Remmer, here." He passes a key through the hole. "I'll see you out here." He walks away. I pick the key up and force my hoof through the hole in the door. I put the key in the lock and opens the door. "Alright, come on Sky." We go down the hall until we meet up with Remmer. "You shouldn't have come to Aviation Industries." "It's not like I had a choice, Twilight wanted me to follow her and you brought me here. Oh, and why exactly did you knock me out?" "I needed it to be believable. It may have been too believable, but it worked." "What worked, what are you using me for?" "Freedom." I stop. "Freedom? Aren't you free already?" "Far from it. You see, when Aviation Industries was created, everyone rejoiced. And they had the right to, it was the first of it's kind. Making inventions for society, it was beautiful. The original owner, Star Swirl the Bearded, rarely made visits to his own business. But he treated us right, he knew how deal with other ponies. However, when he became a part of history, a new boss was put into power. This boss never gave out their name, gender, not even what they looked like. They always wore a blood red coat with a dark green mask covering their face. Nobody knows why, but when the boss went missing, Celestia put Ms. Sparkle into power of the entire industry. She, however, treats us with disrespect. The old boss gave us thought, but she..." "She treats you like prisoners." He nods and continues walking. Sky bumps into me. She looks up, her eyes watered and her legs shaking. "I, I don't want to. You're too nice Write, I can't kill you." She begins crying. "Wait, kill me? Sky, what are you hearing?" "It's, it's her, she is telling me to...but he knows!" She falls onto the floor, sobbing now. "Remmer, what in Equestria is she talking about?" "It's starting." He rips off his coat and vest, revealing his cutie mark. It's a pocket knife with blood dripping from it. "Come on, bring her to the operating room." I put her on my back and trot behind Remmer. Once there, we lock the door. "Ok, now what?" "Put her on the table." I put her down, soaked from her tears. "Initiate protocol fives and tups." A scalpel rises from a table and Remmer grabs it, walking over to Sky. "You might want to look away. And block your ears, it'll be easier for you that way." I turn and cover my ears, falling to the floor. After about ten minutes of screaming, I turn due to the quiet. Remmer is covered in blood, but Sky is completely clean, except for her wings. They are slightly crimson red, and the feathers are sticking out more than usual. In his hoof, Remmer is holding some sort of round metal object. "Is it done?" "It's done. This," he holds up the object, "this is what's in all of the workers in Aviation Industries." "Wait, how is she?" I trot over to her checking for a pulse. "She doesn't have a heart beat, get me the defibrillators." He begins to laugh. "What? Is this funny? Is it funny to you that somepony is about to die? I'll get them myself." "Ah ah ah, I don't think you would want to do that." "And why not?" "Ughhhh. W-what happened?" "Sky!" I run up to her hugging her. "I thought you died." "Nope. She only slipped under consciousness from the pain." "And why in the name of all that is great did we do this in the first place?" I ask, mad with Remmer. "See this?" He holds up the metal object again. "This is why. Remember how she wanted to kill you? It's because she was being told to kill you. This is almost like a mind control device. Like something you'd see out of the Avengers." "Wait, how do you know about-" "So someone was telling her to kill you, but she knew better to question orders. We aren't dealing with a regular corporation that wants power, this is bigger." "My, my wings. I can't feel them." Sky says, gently rubbing her feathers back into place. "It's the shot I gave you once you passed out, I don't want the wound to be infected so I gave you an anti-bacterial shot, but your organs will be fine, it is sterilized in a certain way. Don't worry, after one sleep you'll be fine." "Ok, as long as I won't pass out again." She says laughing. I look around, not knowing what to do. "So, now what? We know about the these things in the workers wings, so where do we go from here?" Remmer looks at me, a serious face on him. "We need to rest. Sky is in no condition to move and you are beginning to loose your mind. We need rest." "Loose my mind? In what way?" "Trust me, I've seen too many sane ponies go from genius to psycho. You need rest. We all do. Tomorrow we will get ground side and plan our next move." I nod, and head over to a corner. Remmer turns out the lights, locks the door, and heads to another corner. Sky tries to get down, but can't. I get up and help her down. "Th-thank you." I carry her to a corner and begin to walk to the opposite corner of her. I hear her shaking, and reluctantly lie next to her, my back against her for her to keep warm. We eventually go to sleep. I wake up, opening my eyes. I go to get up, but can't. I look at Sky, my hooves hugging her. I can't move, she'd then wake up. I can't stay here, my hooves would go numb and loose circulation. "Heh, never thought I'd see the day that you'd connect to someone like this Jake." "What? Why, when, how do you know my name?" I whisper. "You're not the only that had a wish granted backwards." I think about it, only three of my friends have OCs. Jake, Joe, and Mike. Jake deleted his, and Joe doesn't consider his an OC. "Mike?" "Mike L., the one and only." "Really? It's been you this whole time?" "Yep. Just a lot longer than you, it's been nearly five years." The last time he talked to me was five years ago, but he said he was leaving to the Bahamas. "Sure, I lied to you, but now that we are working against Aviation Inc., might as well tell you. Oh, and also, Sky is-" Sky does a slight yawn, and hugs my hoof. Remmer, or Mike, laughs. "She has a boyfriend ya' know." I Frown, I had a felling she did. "It's not like it would have worked anyway, a human and a pony." "Well, that's life. Life is a game that most enjoy, but for people like you, luck just isn't there." I know what he means, my whole life, others that I have strong feelings for outside the family has either not felt the same, or abandoned me. The one time I thought something was going to work out for me, it obviously doesn't. Sky slowly opens her eyes, and I quickly but gently take my hooves off of her. Thankfully she didn't notice. "Morning guys." My heart sinks. "Morning." Mike and I say in unison. "We should get going to the ground. We started a game of chess that could be deadly, we need a new move." Sky and I nod, and we punch through the cloud floor, flying to the ground. //-------------------------------------------------------// The star and it's followers //-------------------------------------------------------// The star and it's followers We get to my house, both surprised I remember where it is. "So, what are we going to do about this?" "We need to get to Sparkle, but how is beyond me. She has nearly five pairs of guards guarding the entire hallway, her office is at the very end of it. The hallway and her office are both protected by special steel, it is laid in between the layers of clouds. So how in the world would we get into the office?" Mike looks at the sky through a window. "How would we even get back in there?" There is a knock at the door. I quietly walk up to it, and look through the window just to right of the door. It isn't anyone from the factory, so I open it. "Oh thank Celestia! You're still breathing, thank Equestria you're ok!" "Excuse me miss, but who are you?" "I can't say, but, hold on. Everyone! It's him!" She turns, and out from behind the houses comes a crowd of ponies. Pegasi, unicorns, earth ponies, they are all walking towards the house talking. "Ok, ok! What is going on here?" I look and see Fluttershy among the crowd. "Fluttershy! What's going on here?" "Oh, well, um, ok. See, Aviation Incorporated has been seen kidnapping ponies who disagree with the artificial wings. The only ones who have been seen outside of the factory in Cloudsdale that work for them is you, so we need you to stop them. If you can." Remmer walks up from behind me. "Ok everypony, listen up! Do we work with Aviation Inc.? Yes. Do we disagree with how they are handling things? Most likely. Will we do our best to stop this? I'd rather die than sit back and watch what is happening." They all star cheering. "But for now, we need you all to go back home. We will take care of this, I promise." They all say their thanks and leave. "How?" "I have no idea, but with everyone thinking that we can get this done, we can't fail." The door is knocked. I open it, and there is a little filly holding something wrapped. I take it, but before I can say thank you they run away. I close the door. I open it, and hold the object. "I can't believe it." There, in my hooves, is a taser. I have so many questions, but I can't ask anything. "I think I found out how we can do this." "How? Sky is unconscious, the shot is wearing off still. When she wakes up it'll take a half an hour for it to stop working, then she will be back one hundred percent, but until then she can't move." "She doesn't have to." I look at the taser. "I'll clear a path." I open the door, Mike yelling to me. I ignore him. There isn't a point to try to stop me. I get into the factory, sticking to the shadows. I walk along the wall, keeping an eye out for any guards. "Hey!" I slip behind a trash can. "Hey Nick. How are you?" I slip by the two guards. "Finally." I say to myself. I take a deep breath, and open the door to the hallway. "Hey idiots, over here!" I take the taser and shock the first of ten guards. He falls with a thud, and I cut the wire.  I punch the floor under me and fall through it. I hear the other guards behind me. I reload the taser and fly through a cloud. I shoot the taser into it, and throw it at the cloud. I hear the zaps from the guards going through the cloud. I look behind me, three left. I bank left and fly towards the ground. "Write!" I look down, it's Mike. I fly to my house and he locks the door. I fall to the floor, having a difficult time breathing. "Yeah. Great idea, lead them to us." He opens the door and the guards file in. They walk past him and to Sky, putting her on their back. "Hey, what's going on here?" Mike turns white, and then purple. "Twilight?! How dare you!" I jump at her, but she teleports behind me. "You never noticed Remmer was nice suddenly? I needed you to trust me, so I took the form of Remmer. And now that I know everything, this shouldn't be too difficult." The guard with Sky lays her in front of Twilight. "And now, Aviation Industries can truly begin." She take out a knife. "No!" I fly at Sky, picking her up. I fly through a window and head to the south end of Ponyville. Once there, I find a dark ally way and lie her down. I rest against a dumpster, looking at the sky. The guards and Twilight fly over us. "Ugh, w-where are we?" "As far as society knows, we are either nowhere or everywhere. We're wanted Sky, wanted and alone." She sits against the side of the building. "So that's it then. We live forever, pretending to be someone else." "Not entirely." I say, barely awake. I feel a pain in my flank. I pull out a piece of metal that must have been there since the chase. "We need to find Remmer, that wasn't really him. It was Twilight, she knows our next move before we even do. If we can get to Remmer, that psychotic mind might actually benefit us." Sky beings to look double. "Write? Write are you ok?" Her voice becomes echoed. "Write, write stay with me, come on stay awake." "I'm, I'm f, fine. Just a little scratch." I try to get up, but fall over. I hear her talking, but she's too muffled for me to understand. "This will." It's the only thing I hear. The pain in my flank intensifies, then goes numb. The alleyway becomes green, then blue, then back to grey. My head is spinning, and my wings are flapping on their own. I am lifted of the ground involuntarily, but I quickly fall back down. All during this, Sky is muffled and talking. Her voice slowly becomes clear again and my body rests. "Write! Can you hear me?" "Y-yeah." I get up, tripping and stumbling. I fall onto Sky, but recover. "What, what happened?" "Stay on the ground, you'll just hurt yourself. You were hit by a needle holding element 115, a virus meant to kill anyone infected by it. Thankfully I was able to drain it out of you, but you'll be numb for the next couple of hours." "We, we need to get, ahhhh!" I yell, trying to get get up but failing. "We need to stay here until you get better. You're in no condition to move, let alone fly." "But, but Remmer." "Can wait. It's nine at night, it's way too dark to try anything, and you just almost died. Let's just stay here." I sit back, too worn out to try and either argue or agree. We sit there for at least three hours, most of which I was in and out of sleeping. "So, I hear you have a coltfriend?" "Yeah, I do. We haven't been talking too much, but we know we are right for each other." I nod, wishing I didn't ask. "What about you?" "What about me?" "Well, are you in a relationship?" I shake my head. "Nope. I figure that even if I was in one, I'd be so busy she'd just leave. I don't see any point to it until I'm settled down with a real job." "Oh, well that's a good idea I suppose." I just nod. The silence fills the air, and we both eventually fall asleep. //-------------------------------------------------------// Loose your friends, loose yourself //-------------------------------------------------------// Loose your friends, loose yourself Slowly I wake up, surrounded by plants. I'm a human again, wearing my usual flannel over shirt and jeans. "Hello?" "Hello Jacob." I look over, it's Sky. "Sky? How are you here? How am I here?" "It'll be obvious soon enough, but for now, just enjoy our company." "Our company?" All of my closest friend come out of the plants. Jake, Mike, and Joe. "Now then, I don't think we should be talking, we have a surgery to get done." She says, reaching into her coat pocket. "Surgery? What surgery?" She pulls out a scalpel. "This will only hurt a minute." The others surround me, and put hand cuffs on my feet and wrists. She walks forward. "Now then, what was that you said about it not working out? A human and a pony?" She puts the scalpel against my chest, and a heart pops into her hand. "Because I'd hate to inform you, but you're right." I stop breathing, I don't feel a heart beat in myself. "W-why?" She walks up to me. "Because this is what Remmer would have wanted." She rises the scalpel. "No, no!" "Write!" I sit up, breathing heavily with a cold sweat. I look quickly around the alley way. I see Sky and back up. "Write it was only a bad dream. It wasn't real." "No, no you did it, you're her, you hurt me." "Write, I didn't do anything. Listen to yourself, we've only known eachother for a couple of days, and I've been out of it for most of the time. Just, please, you don't have anything to be afraid of. I'm not the threat, that's Aviation Inc., please." I slowly walk back to the spot where I was asleep, and sit. "Do you need to talk about it?" "No, it was just a bad dream. It was the dark side of my imagination, the side that doesn't think radically. Come on, we need to get back Remmer." I fly off, heading to the factory. "Wait! Write! Come on, slow down!" I fly faster, and faster, then eventually onto a cloud. "What, what was that about?" "Nothing. Come on, we're loosing time." I resume flying. I hear her yelling to me, but choose to just ignore her. Once at the factory, I break in. Sky follows and I close the hole. "Write, wait, wait hold on!" I stop. "Look, if this is about the dream then I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what ever I did in your dream, but we need to work together." I stand there, silent. "I want to go back." I whisper. "What?" "I said, I want to go back!" I yell, facing her. "You don't know what it's like. Having the pain from two different dimensions, having them inner connect. I can't keep going like this. Every day! Every day I'd have people come to my house to meet the mane six and to ask me a series of questions. At one point even the government integrated me! And this one person, I can't even think of it. But what happened with her is happening with you, and I'll be put in prison before I let that affect others. Having the weight of two different worlds on you, each one looking up to you and hoping that you'll be the hero they need, it eventually takes it's toll." I just stare at her. She probably doesn't understand, I never did tell her where I'm from. "Now come on, if I want to see anyone from Earth ever again we need Remmer." I walk forward, but stop when I see she isn't following me. "I'm sorry." I turn, realizing what just took place. "No, listen Sky. I didn't mean to yell, I'm not mad at you, I'm just sick of having to deal with things that no one else ever does. I just wish sometimes that I never asked to come to Equestira in the first place. I'm sorry I yelled at you, I just lost my patience." "I, I'm from Earth. You know me from there." I look at her. "I know." We get to a set of doors. "Ok, this is the prisoner wing of the factory." I open the doors and we walk in. "I believe cells nine through twenty were empty when I left." I nod, and go straight to cell nine. The closer we get, the louder a voice gets. "I didn't do anything, hah! They are making a mistake, a terrible, dangerous, scary mistake. Remmer Stream will make them pay, they will rue the day the put me in prison, rue! Hahaha!" "Remmer! We're here to bust you out, just be quiet." I say, hoping he heard me. "Quiet, that's what they said. But they aren't here. You are, and you're helping me, so ok, I'll be very, very, quiet." I buck down the steel door. "Alright, Remmer, do you have any idea where the office of the person in charge is? Remmer?" I tap him. "It's over here, but there isn't just one in charge, there are four. Four managers, hehe, fools. Almost nothing ever gets done." "Four?" I walk to the set of doors at the end of the hall. I open them, and there sitting at a table is Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight. Rarity looks at us. "Twilight darling, I thought you said we were rid of these, things." "Oh no, run. Run run run run run!" I yell. There is a blue hoof from one of the prison cells. "Rainbow?" I buck the door. "Come on!" We punch through the wall and fly to Fluttershy's cottage. "Fluttershy! Close the house up and get the animals to safety! The sky is about to fall!" //-------------------------------------------------------// Finale //-------------------------------------------------------// Finale "W-what's going on?" Fluttershy asks, panicked. "No time to explain. Just get all of your animals to a safe place, you'll see what-" There is a blunt thud on the roof. Then another, and at least ten more following that. "Fluttershy, hide." I whisper. There are voices coming from the roof, ponies screaming and yelling. "It's started, the day of Aviation has begun." Remmer says to himself. One pony, a unicorn, flies into the cottage by breaking a window. "Help! I can't control my wings! Please help!" She flies into me, knocking me onto the ground. Remmer trots up and pulls her wings off. They fall with a spark. "Thank you, thank you!" She then runs out of the house. "The artificial wings, they are being controlled. Who ever is wearing them is being sent to wherever the pony in charge wants them to go." I look at Remmer. "You knew about this." I jump onto him, rising my hoof. "Why didn't you stop this?!" He begins laughing. "Because there is no stopping it. It was inevitable, the day of Aviation was told through many generations, and we are lucky enough to have it." I back off. Great, a prophecy. "Ok, so the house is surrounded by a bunch of ponies who are soldiers, and don't even know it?" "Yes." "So any worker of the industry is also a soldier." "Yes. Except for you and me, we are safe." Remmer says, looking around blankly. "So if they are all being controlled, then what about... oh no." I run around the house. "Sky! Sky where are you? Sky where-" I get knocked to the ground. I look up, it's Rainbow Dash. "Write! I'm sorry, I can't control my wings. What's happening?" "Listen Rainbow, just fight it." Her hoof shakes, being raised. What ever is put in the workers must be able to also control the nerves as well. Her hoof rises all the way, and it flies down onto my stomach. "Ugh! Rainbow, please, fight it!" Her hoof rises again, but she is knocked to the ground. I struggle to look over, but there is Sky and Rainbow fighting eachother. I stumble to get up, and meet back with Remmer. The voices from outside are getting louder and somehow closer. "Remmer, we need to find shelter. There is no way we can hold this house down against twenty or more soldiers ready to hurt us beyond pain." "I agree, but where? Where art thou shelter, thy shelter that shall save thy lives of thou friends and thyself?" I try thinking of the show, it's been so long, atleast two more seasons have gone by without me seeing them. Then I remember the fan works, and the first fan animation I saw of MLP. "The shed! Come on, Fluttershy's shed, it'll be safer there. I hope at least. We need to sneak out of here." I feel a tap on my shoulder, and catch Sky as she falls. "We need to go, now." I buck down a door and crawl to Fluttershy's shed, Remmer close behind me. We get to it, and lock the door. There is the sound of glass breaking and wood being shattered to splinters from the house. I turn on the light and see Fluttershy with her animals. "Write, what's happening to everyone?" "Fluttershy, you need to trust me on this. Is there any way of you helping Sky?" "I-I can try." "Good, that's all we need." I walk over to Remmer. "So, now what?" "Now you see, the four co-managers will take out the resistance, and our little friends here will be workers for Aviation Industries as well, yes." "Wait a minute. Aviation Incorporated, AI. Artificial Intelligence! Those artificial wings aren't being controlled by a pony, they are controlling themselves!" A flying earth pony flies into the roof, making a hole in it. "Go!" We run out of the shed, using the animals to confuse the others. "Remmer follow me! Fluttershy you take Sky to the hospital!" I fly into the air, heading for Cloudsdale. Remmer catches up to me. "Where are we going my friend?" I look at him. "To the top." We get to the HQ, and I walk through the assembly room.  The factory is pretty much a ghost town at this point. "Come on." I walk up a flight of stairs and into a hallway, the same one that I shocked the guard in earlier. This time the room is clear. I walk up to the door, and nod to Remmer. We bust through the door. "Ok, what's going on-" The one behind the desk makes me light headed. "Hello Write, I've been expecting you." "Fluttershy? But, how?" She begins to laugh, and gets up from the chair. She begins glowing a green and changes into multiple ponies. "You really think that you're the only one so cares for the Pegasi?" She finally stops changing. "I thought you'd be more aware." "Chrysalis. So that's what this is about, the Pegasi ruling." "You have no idea how long it took me to get rid of the bearded one. He certainly was a pain, but I did it. And now, you and the rest of your friends will be my army to take over Equestria, and seal the fate of the princesses." "Write, what do we do?" Remmer asks. I look around, hoping to find something that can possibly take the room down. "But you forgot something Chrysalis." "Oh? And what might that be?" "Waters a conductor." I fly towards a pipe, breaking it in half. It falls to the floor, electrocuting the entire factory since clouds are jut evaporated water. It soon catches on fire. I fall to the ground, being electrocuted along with the rest of the cloud. Chrysalis jumps into the air. "No! NOO! My beautiful factory, all the hard work! You will pay!" Remmer picks me up and flies out through the door and out through the hole we made entering. The factory eventually falls, the clouds having already evaporated. "Write, come on stay with me! Don't die, you're the closest I ever had to a real friend!" My body is spazzing out uncontrollably. I need to talk, but I can't. "Oh, I know!" He grabs a box that fell for the sky. I feel two cold things on my chest. "One, two, clear!" I jump. For the next minute or so, it's all white. I can't do anything, just see white. "One, two, clear!" My eyes open and my mouth gasps for air. "You're alive! I knew I could save you!" "Yes, and we're alive too." I look over, it's Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack, and Twilight again. "You know, you could have just told us about Chrysalis instead of-" "Ruining my entire factory!" Twilight yells, interrupting her. I struggle to stand, using Remmer to lean on. "Like I would have let it go on anyways. You wanted Celestia over thrown, and me and my friends dead! Well guess what? We lived, and we won. Even Fluttershy made it, so I don't think you will have a great case in front of the judge. Who, by the way, is Princess Celestia." I look behind me, Fluttershy is walking with Sky. "Judge? Ahm' not going in any sort of trial." Applejack says. "All we did was make the sky a safer place, I don't see what the problem is." "Yes you do!" Celestia comes down from the clouds with Rainbow Dash. She must have gotten her. "C-c-celestia, I-I mean, princess, I mean-" "Silence!" Pinkie Pie goes quiet. "For the crimes you four have committed, a court holding will be necessary. I will make sure no drastic punishment will be given, but be assured that justice will prevail. As for you and your friends Write, you all have Equestria's thanks. Ok ponies, let's go." They all disappear in a poof of magic. "Well, we did it guys." I say, looking at Remmer, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Sky. "Come on, let's go for a walk." "But, Write, don't you have to go back to earth?" Rainbow asks me. Fluttershy chirps in. "Yeah, and see all of the people you love? And your animals, and take care of things?" I let go of Remmer, finding balance. "You know, when I went back last time, I wasn't looked at as another person. I was praised, people wanted to see me just to see you guys. My friends stopped talking to me, some of my animals are, gone, and I barley get to see my family because of the publicity. I think I'll stay here." "For how long?" Sky asks. "How long will Equestria be around?" They all run over, hugging me. "So, how about that walk?"