The Burning Worldby SUPERCHARGER2001Chapters(She's A) Universal EmptyinessLicense Says To Hide...Let It Come Down(She's A) Universal Emptyiness93 Ave, Block A-3, Canterlot “They gotta be freakin’ kidding,” Rainbow Dash huffed. Twilight Sparkle looked at her coworker and friend with an abysmal stare at her refuted language. Rainbow Dash was holding the latest in protection offered into their unit for doing the precincts dirty work: a rigid Kevlar body armor that also covered the back and sides of her neck. “As if I ever let one of those freaks take a jab out of my neck with their rotting teeth.” Rainbow grinned. “How about something for my wings? Huh? I’m going to need those if I have to ever fly my way out of one of those apartment complex’s.” The night-desk sergeant, Mcadams, scoffed at her bemused response. Walking into their own office, “Rainbow, you will wear it.” Before he turned to face Twilight Sparkle, she slightly pulled back on her seat at his sudden movement. His voice sharpened as he sucked the air out of the room. “You to, Sparkles.” Twilight too, raised her voice. “Did I say I wouldn’t? I’m up for all the protection we could get.” “You know we winged ponies would like something for our wings also,” Rainbow remarked. “And are wings the only reason why were all stuck together in this place?” “Yeah, I agree: but listen, production in Trottingham has been slow this time around, and since we have to ration little delicacies like armor. It will just have to make do.” Mcadams responded. Then he proceeded to leave the room, Twilight conveyed the two together. “Wear it, don’t wear it. But Rainbow Dash - do you have to advertise to the whole world, to our desk sergeant, of what you’re going to do.” “Even if this hunk of weight makes you look like a buckin’ turtle, yeah I will.” Rainbow seasoned the last of her retort with the smack of her tail on her office chair. Before exiting momentarily to get a drink. Twilight liked Rainbow as a partner, and colleague because she has seen her save Equestria many times before-hand. And she knew deep down that she was just as stubborn like Applejack, and with enough of a rebellious streak to bet her life for the safety of others. And she was her best friend, an extremely loyal one at that. Why can’t she ever just keep her mouth shut, Twilight hissed at the back of her head. The bleak thoughts reeled throughout her brain was spelling discontent and a loss of internal respect - though it was brief. It’s not like she’s in Detroit or Manehatten, some of the worst locations in the world. I mean, when you think about it, we’ve been extremely lucky with our contacts. Celestia have been very graceful in sending us to one of the best precincts in all of Equestria. Twilight closed that part of her subconscious. Not wanting to dwell further on the matter. She let a little more ink out, however. She should be *freaking** grateful for what we have, now. She should be-* “I’m an honest officer, that’s all I’m saying.” Rainbow said as she slammed the door shut. Twirling around in her seat she placed her elbows on her desk and made a slouch expression with her face against the window across from her. She sipped on her drink mannerly before placing the styrofoam cup at the edge of her hoof, licking her lips in pure confidence. She bounced her hoof high in the air: her leg arched upward and almost gained six feet in height before descending back down to the floor. The cup missed and landed behind the garbage can. “Frick,” Rainbow muttered under her breath, getting up to fetch the cup and properly dispose of it. “Hey, Rainbow,” Twilight started. “Let’s go for a walk, I need a minute to stretch anyways.” “Yeah, sure Twilight.” Rainbow replied. She opened the door as Twilight was just about to pass her, she ducked her head under her friend’s arm before Rainbow closed the door behind them. They waited until they got outside the station, once reaching it, all they saw were densely pitch-black streets that overlapped one another. It has given it a distinct fashion in Canterlot for an untrained eye, it left any pony walking out at night to watch and just visualize all that was lost in the old world. A world of no worries, no world-hunger, no violence. Twilight imagined the olden days where there was a world without constant death. All these empty streets sent a shiver down both their spines, they quickly looked away and turned their attention towards the one light above them. It was orange, and it was dimming it’s heat source away one second at a time. Finally, like the flash of light itself, the emergency lights shined and brightened up on top of large-electrolyzed fences spreading all around Canterlots suburbs. The UVA lights shined so vividly around this part of town that any pony wanting to get some sleep would have to have extra curtains or blinds draped around their windows. This was supposed to feel like the perfect place in Equestria, but still so many fears lurked around each corner that the term - "safe" - felt too artificial. Nevertheless, excitement twinged and coursed throughout Rainbow’s blood as her heart pumped in adrenaline at the sight of lights blazing through the open streets. It would give any pony in her occupation the satisfaction of knowing that they were going to be safe tonight - and that no one was going to die. She hoped, at least. Finally, were safe now. Twilight thought as a warm smile curled around her face. She soon sat down on the cement sidewalk with Rainbow getting the impression before trailing along with her friend, too. Twilight clapped her wings tightly at her frame as Rainbow sat inches away from her. Rainbow looked out into the dying star hanging proudly in the sky, only to get overtaken by Luna’s mysterious moon. They sat in silence for a little while, taking in the air before them. At least the air was real, if almost nothing else. Every little while you could hear shouts and screams from all around Equestria, or the shuffles of the protection fences until you hear one of them gurgling in pain before they die out by excessive energy blistering and smoldering through their bodies. The thud of a Hackitt falling to the ground usually signaled to the peacekeepers that they’ve got another one. Every noise that occurred, however, wasn’t from the ponies that the peace keepers wanted dead. But it could have been something far more severe like a civilian stray being mauled on a street. Insurgents, gangs, thugs, all of them were considered a minority problem since they’re smaller in numbers, but the fact that insurgents walked among the Safe Zones usually made regular civilians weary of the safety of ground zero. Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash were on Block A-3 in Equestria, and the city was separated by four distinctive sections called blocks. And each additional block was supplanted with letters A-D before following by numbers going from 1 to 5. Each number consisted of how good the economy and protection of each block, and based on those simple statistics Canterlot could provide resources depending on what blocks potential to handle any violence caused by civilians or hordes of Hackitt’s climbing over electric fences. Finally each letter symbolized what section and ranking of how safe the locations were. It was all bureaucratic bull-crap in Rainbow’s mind, however. She didn’t like the way of how the system ran, and this pained her even more when she couldn’t be with the Wonderbolts. But what really dragged her down was the fact that she couldn’t beside her friends. It also caused grief to Twilight, who no longer had the ability to see the ponies she had grown to love in Ponyville. And it was a burden she was hoping it could be rewritten once they’ve freed themselves from this mess. Luckily for both Twilight and Rainbow: they were both stationed on Block A, which meant the highest protection of any Block by Canterlots government. It’s a wonder that some cities don’t apply this sort of system because it would be greatly beneficial and could also help sport more revenue and the sense of security for civilians who wanted to live peacefully without harm. Then again, no city had numbers like Canterlot did. It’s military power was among the highest. And they were the second-most efficient city in Equestria for recruiting and distributing new troops throughout the nation. Except for the bulker regions of New York, that is. Security footage had all blocks surveillanced and secured separately so only Canterlot itself would be able to monitor every single block without potential hijacks by Hackitts or rebels. Say, if one Block was cut down and swarmed, than either axis’s could have the possibility of knowing every strong and weak-point in the entire city: thus, meaning Canterlot was not just screwed, but royally f****d. The local term for these blocks were Safe Zones - at least what’s within the twelve-foot-high fences and electrified razor ribbon dividing sanity and insanity, that is. The unfortunate thing was, they were getting smaller and smaller by the month. Though, the Equestrian police and military have won their fair share of battles including raiding new territories while restoring old ones for use.The creatures were winning the war, sadly enough. Everyday certain blocks would get the call that there is an attack and that would only mean two things: (A, a horde had dug it’s way underground or managed to rip the fences open, or (B, they had lost a small part of it’s own security because the officers that were called on scene were either killed or fled. Fleeing meant instant discharge and they wouldn’t get their pension, and if it was in extreme situations, they would be trialed and possibly executed. Either way, they would be a disgrace to the Equestrian police force and that meant they would forever be blacklisted on their resume if they were to apply for another job. The only way ponies stationed in these blocks would know of territorial loss was that the ponies in Canterlot would radio in to whatever block that needed assistance on a separate channel to their official radio-scanner by informing them of the loss, and they would have to evacuate any ponies that were hold up in the area because the Equestrian police force was always strain on resources that sending new reinforcements would be a conventional loss, and a horrible suicide location. The only way to contain and quarantined the area’s were to simply board it up with more fences because it was quite easy to build, and Hackitt’s were hardly smart enough to realize. Though, there has been a few occasions when the Equestrian police managed to send out for reinforcements, but that has been rare since it’s only ever a fifty-fifty success rate, and chance wasn’t always on their side. “Did you hear, Twilight? Block C lost another chunk of it’s turf. It's getting bad.” Rainbow said. “Yeah, I heard. Thank Celestia we weren’t transferred there.” Twilight replied, crossing her legs together she rubbed them firmly with her forehooves to let the warmth course through her body. “I can’t believe it was last night, the boys and girls are talking about it. Word spreads fast.” Rainbow added, she locked her arms to her chest, forming a shell and winding her wings tightly together to conserve her body heat. Twilight yawned, then added coldly . “Those ponies should keep their mouths shut, it’s bad enough having to live this way. But using it as an excuse to make small talk and gossip around town twenty-four seven is not the way of doing your job.” Throwing her two-cents worth, Rainbow quickly asserted her of what world they were living in, now. “Twilight, it’s just talking. What’s the big deal? We live in a crummy place where ponies thrive off other ponies now, and not to nature’s intent by mating. I mean the dog eat dog way. The way where somebody could easily take another one’s life with a simple bite to the neck.” "Not to mention what kind of diseases they have, I mean it could be anything from a simple infection to rabies!" She finished. Rainbow Dash was hardly the mare to make a good point, she was more prone to just using the f bomb to weasel her way out of confrontation. “Yeah, but it still stings.” Twilight throttled the stick and added more gas to an already debatable discussion. “Why should it sting?” Rainbow’s voice squeaked. “I mean, we live in a society where survival is always on our minds, and it is no longer 'play it safe for fun or start something just to get attention'. Because now we have to live in a world where it’s play it safe all the time, because whatever choice you make could affect the lives of others.” The seriousness in her tone demanded Twilight to look up and look into Rainbow Dash’s assertive eyes that were sparking higher and higher with crystal orb'd flames of sheer diligence. Rainbow had something that even Twilight wished she possessed: Courage and true-loyalty for the lives of others. You could outwit Rainbow Dash in other areas but when it came to loyalty: she was the grand-master. “At least gossip won't kill you, literally.” Rainbow finished before standing up and walking out into the darkness. The assiduity in her friends voice had shook Twilight’s core temporarily that she stayed in complete silence as the door across from her closed shut. She lifted her head back up to watch the moon and the stars own the entire sky for the next four hours as it was the middle of July. And the shorter days hadn’t fully begun yet. She trembled a little from the outburst of her friend, but she completely understood the need for it. It was a way to relieve stress of their job: a job she still pondered from time to time of how she ever got into this side of business in the first place. Since it was a job that literally meant life and death. And any day now they could be dispatched to some poor victim only to lose their lives by a local idiot, a rabid animal, or a Hackitt. Whatever happened to the world I once knew? Hmm, Twilight thought. Whatever happened to weekend visits from Canterlot, or whatever happened to simply curling up in bed, and reading a good book with Spike or going on some wild goose-chase with the others... Twilight nostrils fumed and she exhaled into the air, hoping that somepony was listening to her state of mind and possibly giving her an impossible answer because she was tired of trying to make one up. This was her world, now. A world of pain, a world of suffering, a world of fear and a world that has burned up all it’s resources and is now becoming a wasteland. Twilight got up and began to trot indoors because the mosquitoes were getting grim with her coat and she needed to properly warm up inside. Walking to the door she opened it and took one last glance before descending back indoors to shuffle more paperwork. finite world of resources, finite world of possibilities. A finite world with no end in sight. Twilight talked to her head again, letting that last bit of ink out. The Burning World, this place is truly a burning world. License Says To Hide...67 Ave, Block B-2, Canterlot Applejack and Billie Hobbs were walking down the hall leading to the main office where all the officers convened and filed paperwork. They had just finished showering in the mare's locker rooms and were ready to start they're night-shift, even though Applejack and Billie would have much preferred home. The nights were moderate to dangerous at best. Nothing was concrete in terms of obstructive violence caused by locals or the stray Hackitt, but sometimes in numbers things tend to go wary for the department in B-2. Block B in general wasn't as conscientiously sought of as much as Block A, but when it came to numbers of the force, B was still a mighty beast to rip apart. Though, it felt like B was suffering a more severe backlash than C or D would, perhaps. More units were taken away and shipped off, and only a few years earlier this was were the bulk of the Canterlot police force stayed. Now it's numbers were cut in half, and everyone has been feeling the pressure more than ever. Applejack only joined, however, when those days were finally over. Most of the mane six only joined after the world went down in the tubes. Though each depending on where they specialized in terms of their personal self some were stationed at certain Blocks while others were relocated in another city altogether. Applejack didn't want to become a police officer at all, but the family business she had helped build from the ground up failed to materialize when the world suddenly killed off most of it's food-source. Something in the ground, or mother nature's intention caused this epidemic five and half years ago. And it has been a long grueling one for Applejack. She never knew what happened to most of her relatives, but hoped everyday that they were alive and well. But she prayed the most that they didn't turn into Hackitt's. She was thankful to bring the ponies back in her farm with her, Big Macintosh was another officer patrolling the streets of Block C-1. He had hoped that they offer him a better position, but he didn't mind dealing with the worst of the worst in Canterlot. It was a perfect place for him to vent his frustration when bashing in a Hackitt's skull. He was a tough-love stallion in that sense. Billie, on the other hoof, knew it in her heart that she wanted to become a government official. Lucky for her, she had the experience of this job a few years before everyone was subdued into this new world. She was assigned to another partner for three years prior to the events that claimed millions before he got transferred to Block A about a year ago. For a year now, she's been with Applejack and they're relationship was rocky at first: Much like Rainbow Dash, both were incredibly stubborn when it came to their job. And often enough, clashes were always inevitable - and they still are too like that, just not so dense anymore. Eventually, after the first few months everything thawed and now they sometimes enjoy their time together, but also they love to antagonize one another just to see who's bubble would burst. A officer walked past them in a hurry, struggling to get to wherever he was planning on heading. "Bad night last night, Simmity Sam?" Billie half-joked. Samuel turned his body around and took note of his co-worker while scanning her frame down-up. "Yeah, it was. I don't really want to get to it the graphic details here, mam." The scrawny recruit replied sheepishly. The phone rang, Applejack turned her attention to the window across from there and noticed it was her phone on her desk ringing. "Ah gotta take that, might be Granny Smith or my sister." Applejack uttered as she shot into the room and raced to her desk. "Why, did anyone die?" Billie asked sweetly. "No, but two officers are in hospital and one other local. It was a chain-gang of Hackitts on Burned Drive down in the alleyways by Franklin Street." "No way?!" Billie replied shockingly, raising the palm of her hooves up to mouth. "That same place, there was just a hit there two weeks earlier and we almost lost our lives trying to save a poor kid who missed the daily curfew." "How did the local get hurt?" She asked. "He was the guy we were trying to save, because they were encroaching on his land and he called us. So we head over there, and the situation got too hot so we sent for extra reinforcements. But by that point they were already on top of me and trying to gnaw their way through my elbow and leg pads. Thank Celestia I didn't die right there." "I'll bet, it's a damn shame no one follows protocol because armor like that does save your life." "It's ridiculous, alright." Samuel was now eased into the conversation that he was openly talking as if they were friends. "I mean, protocol's are practically the reason there is any sort of government left, and it sicken's me that nobody takes this stuff seriously. I'm living proof." "I know!" She stated exuberantly, coming closer within contact of his bubble. "It's silly the way the force looks at these opportunities and simply shrug it off. Because, this isn't the old days where we could all just piss around and have a little bit of fun. We didn't have ponies trying to eat us in those days, so I'm still fuzzing on why some officers don't take situations like this seriously." Just then their boss walks through the hallway and immediately both of them turn around and walk back to their duties. He was a older man with brownish fur slowly turning to full gray, his face represented the epitome of what a grunted man looks like. It was almost disgusting to look at him if you let those kind of thoughts simmer while you were in a conversation with him. Possibly because his face was so distinguishable that thinking it not so would mean you're in denial. He gave a dreaded look at the both of them before strolling on ahead with paperwork under his armpit and a doughnut gliding above the air with his magic. 2:42 AM, it must have been one of the two. The sharp trilling noise of the phone was aggravating enough, she picked it up as she sat down in her chair. "Hey," It was Applebloom. "Up late again?" Applejack asked worryingly. "Just checking on you, is all." she playfully said, though the tone of her voice expressed it more worryingly than Applebloom had anticipated. Applejack laughed."You know if ah had that one thing called the bed', ah'd be sleeping in that instead of-" "It's so quiet here, hate it when you do nights." Her true intention came out as too why she would be calling. "Only a few more days. You should sleep." She paused as she slightly bit her lip. "Ah would if ah were you. Applejack's tone did take away some of that edge that had been at Applebloom's rump for the past few nights. Especially that southern drawl she was so perfect at speaking, it made her feel good to have a sister like her. She worried, but more than that. She kept hounding her big sister to go on a trip and leave this place for a while - like they use to. The chat between them usually now turned into arguments when this subject came up. Their relationship, a whole new casualty in this cursed world. She was fifteen anyways, so it was expected that she'd be acting like this now, hormones and what-not. Go where? Do what? Leave the job that had supported them for years? Abandon Celestia and her friends? Where to? These were thoughts that had pillowed and anchored it's way into Applejack's head for the past couple years now. Supposedly, if you traveled well-deep enough that you could find jobs in the country. Factories still stuck around to produce odd ends and whatever prospectors could salvage because it became too costly with manpower and money to send their own employee's out into the world. The death toll was wealthy in that aspect. Plants were they struggled at running old machines that are in need of serious repair, and producing and stretching their thin food resources across the nation, and if lucky enough, around the world. Because the world is all in this together, but that makes it hard when everyone still struggles immensely to feed their own. The money wasn't bad. Sooner or later, she might get posted in Manehatten or Block A, at a desk-job. She just had to hang in there. Not that working on the streets were bad, but once you've reached a certain apex between life and death. You know you have to get out, and Applejack is starting to like the idea of getting out. "Quiet night, sis?" Applebloom asked. "Yep, so far it has, ah can't say about the next few hours, though." Applejack started, her hoof fumbled for the clutch to extend her seat so she could lie back. "Well that's good." Applebloom added, she rolled over around her bed while the phone-cord tangled with her body. "Ya." Applejack replied, she played with her mane momentarily. A long pause based around their phone chat made it feel awkward. "Well, ah'm going to go to bed. Night." Applebloom yawned as she closed the phone somewhat harshly. Not intentionally, but she needed some sleep if she were going to get to school in a few hours. "Goodnight." Applejack felt terribly alone soon as the line went dead. She grabbed the phone and the cord and curled it around her hoof firmly. Her face stared into the abyss, her eyes becoming cold as day, she dared not to look at others because she was afraid of others seeing a slight tear well up in the corner of her eyes. She placed her head down on the mound of paperwork in front of her and hoped there wasn't going to be a call tonight. 93 Ave, Block A-3, Canterlot Rainbow Dash too, was dealing with another rookie who happened to stroll by her while she walking up some stairs that lead to the second floor of the building. "Could be, could be. But you know, one night out there. Rolling and strolling and fighting your way out of a Hackitt's force could be too much for one officer, I'd recommend you take it easy next time, Fumbles." "I mean, you shouldn't worry? There's always some young fool who wants to be a part of what's left of Canterlot's finest." She spoke in that playful tone that Twilight had become use to when Rainbow decided to talk to some new recruit. But for the life of her, she just thought it was annoying. "She means young ponies want to live here while Canterlot still has a name." Twilight refurbished and got rid of the excessive baggage that Rainbow was just using to toy with her pet. "Yeah, not only that." Rainbow rested her back on the stair-rail, her wings overlapping it. "But make sure you watch out for Hackitt dogs, now those feline bastards are one scary fuc-" "Rainbow." Twilight sighed, her head tilted towards the door across from them up the stairs. Rainbow stopped short and continued along with Twilight, thankfully the message registered. And thank Celestia that she didn't actually have to resort to obstructive language and volume to convey her response. Hesitated, Rainbow lightly replied back just as they left the recruit contemplating his thought on the lone steps. Laughing, she started. "I mean, c'mon Twilight. What do you think these kids should hear? That the olden days are still hanging in our badges and that the boys in blue still exist. 'To serve and protect.'" She made a silly face in the process. "Only what's there to protect with from the Hackitt's raging - each one looking to take a nice, big juicy bite from-" "I get it." Twilight stopped her friend, short. "Fair enough, Twilight. Fair-" "I got it, Rainbow. I've been doing this as long as you have. Right?" "Yeah. Right, sorry Twilight," Rainbow admitted, thoughtfully enough. "I guess I was a tad harsh on the kid?" "A tad? Dash you were something. And that will never change..." Twilight bored on the inevitable factor that Rainbow was just being Rainbow, and Twilight was just being Twilight End of story. The clanking of her hooves clopping on the solid floor was almost a ringing sound piercing through Twilight's ears as they walked in silence to a destination they don't even know where they're going. The walls expanding throughout the entire hallway had two very simplistic color-coated paints of green and teal. Almost representing a recreational center or a hospital of some kind. The wall colors were divided in half with green facing the lower half, and teal taking the upper. This building has seen it's fair share of history, that was what you could say about something well over a century old. They kept walking and the windows around them glittered that solid light from outside, almost vividly piercing through the window itself. The lights were massive, both of them wondered how the security in the outer-regions of Canterlot could handle such power from those lights. Than again, this precinct was much closer to the edge of town than others of Block A. Finally Rainbow broke the long-over due silence that had echoed it's way throughout the derelict halls. She turned her to Twilight and softly spoke, "Let's hope for a quiet night and maybe some spaghetti left-overs at the mess all, alright?" Twilight Sparkle began to smile once again,"Yes. Lets." Let It Come Down93 Ave, Block A-3, Canterlot Some nights... Some nights it could be quiet. Some nights, Twilight could sit at her desk, watch Rainbow do nothing or maybe do the same as her, and shuffle overdue reports, act busy, and there would be no calls. Not one. Of course, back in the old days life seemed a whole lot simpler than what they have now... Back in those days, policing must have been fun. Simply cruising downtown just to find something to do, arrest a few thugs, maybe find some elder pony blind looking for they're cane, anything to top up your arrest count. But nowadays, going outside meant death. Going outside, especially at night, meant potential suicide. It wasn't all too long ago, it seemed like, but by the time her and Rainbow Dash joined, those days had already ended. Nobody went out if they didn't have to. Life seemed so dead-driven on the outside that going out meant you were out for two things. To get paid, or save some poor pony. Either way, both only made any reason less so to just stay indoors. In parts around Canterlot, certain areas have been whittled away completely. Zones turned to red, and nobody was allowed there for their own safety, regardless if you had belongings there. In Canterlot, dozens of precincts dug in deep around the city had full-sized staff, but now some stations only have a handful. Block A-B still had majority of it's sectors cleared out and ponies are constantly moving into town from around the country, but it gets tough, especially in lower sections of both blocks were some areas are getting extremely difficult to hold down. Leaving the discouragement of many travelers. Though most of Block A-4 has been eroded so much that the government is sanctioning the funds every month so the ponies living and stationed there would have to leave. Block B-5 has been fully written off for a year, citing it as a loss cause. And Block C? Block D-3 and 5 and everyone else considered ponies there are long gone. Block C, surprisingly enough, is still the only Block to not have a code-red state. That shows that they're doing something right... It was work keeping Hackitts out. And Twilight told herself - tried to convince herself - that this was important work. Important work that could satisfy the needs of many, but she knew deep down that it was starting to feel like a burden. Princess Celestia always told her that if this line of work ever became too much she could back-out, and that went for all of her friends. They could all simply just back-out... But what would that prove? It would only prove that they're hopeless, and that fighting the worse of worse before this was all for nothing. They needed to do this...she believed that she had to do this. As every politician never loss the chance to say at any crucial moment in their time, this is war. It was us versus them. There were those that tried to live the normal pony life. A life they could have self-sufficiently without fear, a life built on explicit peace and subtlety. Then there were those, the Hackitts. When the great Drought Hit, when water became like gold. When food became like a rare delicacy, when food riots touched the continents around the globe. When sheer hunger made entire governments fall into the shadows or use whatever strength they could muster and fight it out physically. It didn't seem to matter anymore, because life as everyone once knew it had ended. That was when something else happened. Something must have turned off in the ponies brain, something pathogenic, something unheard of. Maybe it was caused by a secret experiment gone wrong, a secret super food created to be designed by big corporate business for consumers to consume from day to day to end all pandemics of food shortages? And if so, did that food carry a virus that undid the genes in pony code with millions and millions of years of evolution? There were thousands of arguments, disagreements, theories, and no agreement. No pony knew what had happened. And what did Twilight think? Well for about five years she had thought about just every single anomaly known to ponies. But none of them had a positive effect in her brain, instead it brought about more guilt. They need ponies like me, Twilight thought. She anchored her chair back to let the tension in her body ease up. I shouldn't worry, I shouldn't worry. Just focus on my job, and ponies need other ponies like me, Dash, Adam, Steven, Carol, to make sure that Hackitt's stay away. And with every day, every night, that got harder and harder. She was becoming in a daze now, her eyes struggling to keep open. Cops weren't supposed to sleep, especially Pegasus ones - in her case, however, she was an alicorn; This wasn't like the Fire Department. They still maintained that code "on duty - to serve and protect." Ponies that flew were considered more of the go to premium when it came to tackling tougher scenarios. And with the extra amount of training they received, they knew not to disappoint. They couldn't disappoint, if they had been unfit for duty, some analysts predicted that the world would've went a different way - entirely. This meant that she had to be awake at all times. Still, she slept earlier in the day. And she wasn't doing double shifts this week. When the phone on her desk rang, it was usually in the shrill of the night. Cell service had largely become vacant in the world, save for the few satellites stationed around and for the rare pony who could afford such a luxury. Even though cellphones were practically rendered useless, Twilight still didn't mind the idea of getting one. Though, she never bothered since she lived in small town with ponies she knew all around. Land-lines had become increasingly undependable - cables cut, telephone poles down. When lines in the supposedly safe areas got damaged, no team would go out to work on them, at least when it was dark. It was for the best, she thought. Twilight finally gave in, she planted her head down on her desk nicely and closed her eyes shut. Rainbow saw this, and continued working on her ancient computer, printing off reports to hand to the boss later on. She just let her friend sleep it off, they did it from time to time when one of them needed forty winks. It wasn't a big issue unless they're boss marched through the door or if their scanner went off. She kind of liked the idea of watching Twilight sleep, it made her feel motherly towards her friend. Rainbow had hit the keyboard on her computer on her desk, a true dinosaur, and began using her mouse to scroll down the banks of empty information that had to be filled out by the end of her shift. There wasn't anything major that happened to them this week, except for when they found a homeless man ripped from the waist down of his body. He was slouching with his back up against the street light right beside a bench. A metal garbage bin hung over him to make it look like he passed out drunk. Hackitts were terribly clever that way, they could make such a scene looks so innocent. Unless you looked close enough... A large thunder cracked through the sky and the humongous sounds clashed against the walls of their office, sending a faint shiver down Rainbow's spine while she continued to block out that noise. She eagerly plucked away at the keyboard when the alarms rung. This shook Twilight out of her dozed out state as she stood up and her eyes snapped open with her ears perking upward at those rigid-horrid rings. Rainbow was already up and about, looking over at precinct map on the station wall in at the far end of their room. One spot glowed red, Rainbow was already suited up and on the move. "Breakthrough, Twilight. Get up, and get moving." she shouted as she left the room. Twilight made way for the locker room to change into her gear. It was bright red, so that meant that she needed to have light armor because it could mean they have to fly their out of the scene. Jogging her towards the room, Rainbow called out. "Barnes, same freaking building as last week!" Twilight stopped briefly, "Same building? Crap..." her mind already rushing with several predictions on how this was going to pan out. "Yeah, sorry Twilight. Just the way it is," Rainbow replied before exiting the building. "I'll catch up in a second." Twilight called, but Rainbow had already bolted. 67 Ave, Block B-2, Canterlot "Hey, Apples," Billie asked. "Wanna go for drinks this weekend? I'm buying, and you look like crap." She asked her friend who looked more useless than an officer with no legs and on a wheel-chair. "So ah should make myself look like more crap? with drinks at some stingy bar?" Applejack replied coldly, her head stuck up before she burrowed it in her fur some more. "That's not what I meant, Jacks." Billie rolled her eyes before wheeling her chair over to Applejack. "You and I both know that you need to treat yourself for once; coming to work all these hours is stressful enough - making you very tired." She placed a hoof on her friends wrist. "No it ain't." Applejack scoffed, shoving Billie's brace away from her wrist, she tucked her hat over her face. The ends of her mane bulged out and the bright light from her night-light complimented the sparkle of her golden hair. "Suit yourself, but hey, Apples. You should really take a few nights to get away, because at this rate. If Senior Sergeant Tom Croydon came in here and saw your state. He would definitely give you an earful." Billie reminded Apples of her tarty appearance with some satisfaction. "Billie, ah get it. ah'm ah little messin' right now, but after today ah'm going to sleep in my comfy bed. And come back fresh as daises, alright?" Applejack looked up and saw the blue blur line across her computer, she reached for the mouse and clicked the shut down button. After that, she fumbled around her desk for her clock. Billie pointed with her hoof to the left side of Applejack's desk, she complied and finally saw the little black thing. It was pretty basic and nothing too complex about it, since it was plastic and all. Applejack went to scratch the back of her head before getting up and going to the washroom. Just seconds after leaving, the alarm screeched through the halls with it's shrilling rings. The pinging sound instantly got their attention and they both immediately headed for the locker room to fetch for their equipment. They were the only two ponies available for the call, so they had to make it quick. Tom Croydon yells at them from outside the mare's locker room, "C'mon ladies, it's bright red. You know what that means!" "Got it." Both shouted back. Applejack's slightly sounded off, considering her thick southern-drawl background. Applejack grabbed Kevlar padding's for her legs, struggling to put one hoof over the little strap to clamp them together, she managed. She fetched for her Kevlar armor that was to wrap around her frame and keep her body protected from any potential bites. She didn't care if her mane got ruffled in the process. Applebloom was in her mind the whole time, her home was captured in mind, her Grandma, her brother, everything that she hung unto for dear life was circling around her head. Billie was already decked out in the same gear and was on the move for the squad chariot, thankfully it was a mechanical-working on and not the old-standards from back in the day. All you needed was to move the wheel and maneuver the clutch wherever you chose to go. "Come on! We've got to go Apples!" She shouted at her friend, who in return picked up the pace and slapped the sleep out of her eyes with her hoof whamming her face hard. The cheek turned red, and the electric shock of her hooves blow fused some homemade adrenaline with legitimate pain that she relayed the words, Okay! Ya could do this, Applejack! Now snap out of it because you got ah job to do! inside her head. It was like a loop that she needed to hear over and over just to hold herself from breaking down completely. Applejack followed Billie out of the locker room, and they trotted for the exit. Their batons clanking from side to side, scanner bouncing up and down in it's holster on their shoulders. Applejack's hat was held firmly by herself so it wouldn't fly away, the helmets on their backs were wrapped tight by black coated-Velcro straps. Other little pockets laced around the armor included items like pepper-spray, hoof-cuffs, usually pencils and papers but in this day and age. Those were rendered useless. They busted through the door and ran to their chariot to complete a job. A job that could very well mean the end to their own lives.
(She's A) Universal Emptyiness93 Ave, Block A-3, Canterlot “They gotta be freakin’ kidding,” Rainbow Dash huffed. Twilight Sparkle looked at her coworker and friend with an abysmal stare at her refuted language. Rainbow Dash was holding the latest in protection offered into their unit for doing the precincts dirty work: a rigid Kevlar body armor that also covered the back and sides of her neck. “As if I ever let one of those freaks take a jab out of my neck with their rotting teeth.” Rainbow grinned. “How about something for my wings? Huh? I’m going to need those if I have to ever fly my way out of one of those apartment complex’s.” The night-desk sergeant, Mcadams, scoffed at her bemused response. Walking into their own office, “Rainbow, you will wear it.” Before he turned to face Twilight Sparkle, she slightly pulled back on her seat at his sudden movement. His voice sharpened as he sucked the air out of the room. “You to, Sparkles.” Twilight too, raised her voice. “Did I say I wouldn’t? I’m up for all the protection we could get.” “You know we winged ponies would like something for our wings also,” Rainbow remarked. “And are wings the only reason why were all stuck together in this place?” “Yeah, I agree: but listen, production in Trottingham has been slow this time around, and since we have to ration little delicacies like armor. It will just have to make do.” Mcadams responded. Then he proceeded to leave the room, Twilight conveyed the two together. “Wear it, don’t wear it. But Rainbow Dash - do you have to advertise to the whole world, to our desk sergeant, of what you’re going to do.” “Even if this hunk of weight makes you look like a buckin’ turtle, yeah I will.” Rainbow seasoned the last of her retort with the smack of her tail on her office chair. Before exiting momentarily to get a drink. Twilight liked Rainbow as a partner, and colleague because she has seen her save Equestria many times before-hand. And she knew deep down that she was just as stubborn like Applejack, and with enough of a rebellious streak to bet her life for the safety of others. And she was her best friend, an extremely loyal one at that. Why can’t she ever just keep her mouth shut, Twilight hissed at the back of her head. The bleak thoughts reeled throughout her brain was spelling discontent and a loss of internal respect - though it was brief. It’s not like she’s in Detroit or Manehatten, some of the worst locations in the world. I mean, when you think about it, we’ve been extremely lucky with our contacts. Celestia have been very graceful in sending us to one of the best precincts in all of Equestria. Twilight closed that part of her subconscious. Not wanting to dwell further on the matter. She let a little more ink out, however. She should be *freaking** grateful for what we have, now. She should be-* “I’m an honest officer, that’s all I’m saying.” Rainbow said as she slammed the door shut. Twirling around in her seat she placed her elbows on her desk and made a slouch expression with her face against the window across from her. She sipped on her drink mannerly before placing the styrofoam cup at the edge of her hoof, licking her lips in pure confidence. She bounced her hoof high in the air: her leg arched upward and almost gained six feet in height before descending back down to the floor. The cup missed and landed behind the garbage can. “Frick,” Rainbow muttered under her breath, getting up to fetch the cup and properly dispose of it. “Hey, Rainbow,” Twilight started. “Let’s go for a walk, I need a minute to stretch anyways.” “Yeah, sure Twilight.” Rainbow replied. She opened the door as Twilight was just about to pass her, she ducked her head under her friend’s arm before Rainbow closed the door behind them. They waited until they got outside the station, once reaching it, all they saw were densely pitch-black streets that overlapped one another. It has given it a distinct fashion in Canterlot for an untrained eye, it left any pony walking out at night to watch and just visualize all that was lost in the old world. A world of no worries, no world-hunger, no violence. Twilight imagined the olden days where there was a world without constant death. All these empty streets sent a shiver down both their spines, they quickly looked away and turned their attention towards the one light above them. It was orange, and it was dimming it’s heat source away one second at a time. Finally, like the flash of light itself, the emergency lights shined and brightened up on top of large-electrolyzed fences spreading all around Canterlots suburbs. The UVA lights shined so vividly around this part of town that any pony wanting to get some sleep would have to have extra curtains or blinds draped around their windows. This was supposed to feel like the perfect place in Equestria, but still so many fears lurked around each corner that the term - "safe" - felt too artificial. Nevertheless, excitement twinged and coursed throughout Rainbow’s blood as her heart pumped in adrenaline at the sight of lights blazing through the open streets. It would give any pony in her occupation the satisfaction of knowing that they were going to be safe tonight - and that no one was going to die. She hoped, at least. Finally, were safe now. Twilight thought as a warm smile curled around her face. She soon sat down on the cement sidewalk with Rainbow getting the impression before trailing along with her friend, too. Twilight clapped her wings tightly at her frame as Rainbow sat inches away from her. Rainbow looked out into the dying star hanging proudly in the sky, only to get overtaken by Luna’s mysterious moon. They sat in silence for a little while, taking in the air before them. At least the air was real, if almost nothing else. Every little while you could hear shouts and screams from all around Equestria, or the shuffles of the protection fences until you hear one of them gurgling in pain before they die out by excessive energy blistering and smoldering through their bodies. The thud of a Hackitt falling to the ground usually signaled to the peacekeepers that they’ve got another one. Every noise that occurred, however, wasn’t from the ponies that the peace keepers wanted dead. But it could have been something far more severe like a civilian stray being mauled on a street. Insurgents, gangs, thugs, all of them were considered a minority problem since they’re smaller in numbers, but the fact that insurgents walked among the Safe Zones usually made regular civilians weary of the safety of ground zero. Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash were on Block A-3 in Equestria, and the city was separated by four distinctive sections called blocks. And each additional block was supplanted with letters A-D before following by numbers going from 1 to 5. Each number consisted of how good the economy and protection of each block, and based on those simple statistics Canterlot could provide resources depending on what blocks potential to handle any violence caused by civilians or hordes of Hackitt’s climbing over electric fences. Finally each letter symbolized what section and ranking of how safe the locations were. It was all bureaucratic bull-crap in Rainbow’s mind, however. She didn’t like the way of how the system ran, and this pained her even more when she couldn’t be with the Wonderbolts. But what really dragged her down was the fact that she couldn’t beside her friends. It also caused grief to Twilight, who no longer had the ability to see the ponies she had grown to love in Ponyville. And it was a burden she was hoping it could be rewritten once they’ve freed themselves from this mess. Luckily for both Twilight and Rainbow: they were both stationed on Block A, which meant the highest protection of any Block by Canterlots government. It’s a wonder that some cities don’t apply this sort of system because it would be greatly beneficial and could also help sport more revenue and the sense of security for civilians who wanted to live peacefully without harm. Then again, no city had numbers like Canterlot did. It’s military power was among the highest. And they were the second-most efficient city in Equestria for recruiting and distributing new troops throughout the nation. Except for the bulker regions of New York, that is. Security footage had all blocks surveillanced and secured separately so only Canterlot itself would be able to monitor every single block without potential hijacks by Hackitts or rebels. Say, if one Block was cut down and swarmed, than either axis’s could have the possibility of knowing every strong and weak-point in the entire city: thus, meaning Canterlot was not just screwed, but royally f****d. The local term for these blocks were Safe Zones - at least what’s within the twelve-foot-high fences and electrified razor ribbon dividing sanity and insanity, that is. The unfortunate thing was, they were getting smaller and smaller by the month. Though, the Equestrian police and military have won their fair share of battles including raiding new territories while restoring old ones for use.The creatures were winning the war, sadly enough. Everyday certain blocks would get the call that there is an attack and that would only mean two things: (A, a horde had dug it’s way underground or managed to rip the fences open, or (B, they had lost a small part of it’s own security because the officers that were called on scene were either killed or fled. Fleeing meant instant discharge and they wouldn’t get their pension, and if it was in extreme situations, they would be trialed and possibly executed. Either way, they would be a disgrace to the Equestrian police force and that meant they would forever be blacklisted on their resume if they were to apply for another job. The only way ponies stationed in these blocks would know of territorial loss was that the ponies in Canterlot would radio in to whatever block that needed assistance on a separate channel to their official radio-scanner by informing them of the loss, and they would have to evacuate any ponies that were hold up in the area because the Equestrian police force was always strain on resources that sending new reinforcements would be a conventional loss, and a horrible suicide location. The only way to contain and quarantined the area’s were to simply board it up with more fences because it was quite easy to build, and Hackitt’s were hardly smart enough to realize. Though, there has been a few occasions when the Equestrian police managed to send out for reinforcements, but that has been rare since it’s only ever a fifty-fifty success rate, and chance wasn’t always on their side. “Did you hear, Twilight? Block C lost another chunk of it’s turf. It's getting bad.” Rainbow said. “Yeah, I heard. Thank Celestia we weren’t transferred there.” Twilight replied, crossing her legs together she rubbed them firmly with her forehooves to let the warmth course through her body. “I can’t believe it was last night, the boys and girls are talking about it. Word spreads fast.” Rainbow added, she locked her arms to her chest, forming a shell and winding her wings tightly together to conserve her body heat. Twilight yawned, then added coldly . “Those ponies should keep their mouths shut, it’s bad enough having to live this way. But using it as an excuse to make small talk and gossip around town twenty-four seven is not the way of doing your job.” Throwing her two-cents worth, Rainbow quickly asserted her of what world they were living in, now. “Twilight, it’s just talking. What’s the big deal? We live in a crummy place where ponies thrive off other ponies now, and not to nature’s intent by mating. I mean the dog eat dog way. The way where somebody could easily take another one’s life with a simple bite to the neck.” "Not to mention what kind of diseases they have, I mean it could be anything from a simple infection to rabies!" She finished. Rainbow Dash was hardly the mare to make a good point, she was more prone to just using the f bomb to weasel her way out of confrontation. “Yeah, but it still stings.” Twilight throttled the stick and added more gas to an already debatable discussion. “Why should it sting?” Rainbow’s voice squeaked. “I mean, we live in a society where survival is always on our minds, and it is no longer 'play it safe for fun or start something just to get attention'. Because now we have to live in a world where it’s play it safe all the time, because whatever choice you make could affect the lives of others.” The seriousness in her tone demanded Twilight to look up and look into Rainbow Dash’s assertive eyes that were sparking higher and higher with crystal orb'd flames of sheer diligence. Rainbow had something that even Twilight wished she possessed: Courage and true-loyalty for the lives of others. You could outwit Rainbow Dash in other areas but when it came to loyalty: she was the grand-master. “At least gossip won't kill you, literally.” Rainbow finished before standing up and walking out into the darkness. The assiduity in her friends voice had shook Twilight’s core temporarily that she stayed in complete silence as the door across from her closed shut. She lifted her head back up to watch the moon and the stars own the entire sky for the next four hours as it was the middle of July. And the shorter days hadn’t fully begun yet. She trembled a little from the outburst of her friend, but she completely understood the need for it. It was a way to relieve stress of their job: a job she still pondered from time to time of how she ever got into this side of business in the first place. Since it was a job that literally meant life and death. And any day now they could be dispatched to some poor victim only to lose their lives by a local idiot, a rabid animal, or a Hackitt. Whatever happened to the world I once knew? Hmm, Twilight thought. Whatever happened to weekend visits from Canterlot, or whatever happened to simply curling up in bed, and reading a good book with Spike or going on some wild goose-chase with the others... Twilight nostrils fumed and she exhaled into the air, hoping that somepony was listening to her state of mind and possibly giving her an impossible answer because she was tired of trying to make one up. This was her world, now. A world of pain, a world of suffering, a world of fear and a world that has burned up all it’s resources and is now becoming a wasteland. Twilight got up and began to trot indoors because the mosquitoes were getting grim with her coat and she needed to properly warm up inside. Walking to the door she opened it and took one last glance before descending back indoors to shuffle more paperwork. finite world of resources, finite world of possibilities. A finite world with no end in sight. Twilight talked to her head again, letting that last bit of ink out. The Burning World, this place is truly a burning world.
License Says To Hide...67 Ave, Block B-2, Canterlot Applejack and Billie Hobbs were walking down the hall leading to the main office where all the officers convened and filed paperwork. They had just finished showering in the mare's locker rooms and were ready to start they're night-shift, even though Applejack and Billie would have much preferred home. The nights were moderate to dangerous at best. Nothing was concrete in terms of obstructive violence caused by locals or the stray Hackitt, but sometimes in numbers things tend to go wary for the department in B-2. Block B in general wasn't as conscientiously sought of as much as Block A, but when it came to numbers of the force, B was still a mighty beast to rip apart. Though, it felt like B was suffering a more severe backlash than C or D would, perhaps. More units were taken away and shipped off, and only a few years earlier this was were the bulk of the Canterlot police force stayed. Now it's numbers were cut in half, and everyone has been feeling the pressure more than ever. Applejack only joined, however, when those days were finally over. Most of the mane six only joined after the world went down in the tubes. Though each depending on where they specialized in terms of their personal self some were stationed at certain Blocks while others were relocated in another city altogether. Applejack didn't want to become a police officer at all, but the family business she had helped build from the ground up failed to materialize when the world suddenly killed off most of it's food-source. Something in the ground, or mother nature's intention caused this epidemic five and half years ago. And it has been a long grueling one for Applejack. She never knew what happened to most of her relatives, but hoped everyday that they were alive and well. But she prayed the most that they didn't turn into Hackitt's. She was thankful to bring the ponies back in her farm with her, Big Macintosh was another officer patrolling the streets of Block C-1. He had hoped that they offer him a better position, but he didn't mind dealing with the worst of the worst in Canterlot. It was a perfect place for him to vent his frustration when bashing in a Hackitt's skull. He was a tough-love stallion in that sense. Billie, on the other hoof, knew it in her heart that she wanted to become a government official. Lucky for her, she had the experience of this job a few years before everyone was subdued into this new world. She was assigned to another partner for three years prior to the events that claimed millions before he got transferred to Block A about a year ago. For a year now, she's been with Applejack and they're relationship was rocky at first: Much like Rainbow Dash, both were incredibly stubborn when it came to their job. And often enough, clashes were always inevitable - and they still are too like that, just not so dense anymore. Eventually, after the first few months everything thawed and now they sometimes enjoy their time together, but also they love to antagonize one another just to see who's bubble would burst. A officer walked past them in a hurry, struggling to get to wherever he was planning on heading. "Bad night last night, Simmity Sam?" Billie half-joked. Samuel turned his body around and took note of his co-worker while scanning her frame down-up. "Yeah, it was. I don't really want to get to it the graphic details here, mam." The scrawny recruit replied sheepishly. The phone rang, Applejack turned her attention to the window across from there and noticed it was her phone on her desk ringing. "Ah gotta take that, might be Granny Smith or my sister." Applejack uttered as she shot into the room and raced to her desk. "Why, did anyone die?" Billie asked sweetly. "No, but two officers are in hospital and one other local. It was a chain-gang of Hackitts on Burned Drive down in the alleyways by Franklin Street." "No way?!" Billie replied shockingly, raising the palm of her hooves up to mouth. "That same place, there was just a hit there two weeks earlier and we almost lost our lives trying to save a poor kid who missed the daily curfew." "How did the local get hurt?" She asked. "He was the guy we were trying to save, because they were encroaching on his land and he called us. So we head over there, and the situation got too hot so we sent for extra reinforcements. But by that point they were already on top of me and trying to gnaw their way through my elbow and leg pads. Thank Celestia I didn't die right there." "I'll bet, it's a damn shame no one follows protocol because armor like that does save your life." "It's ridiculous, alright." Samuel was now eased into the conversation that he was openly talking as if they were friends. "I mean, protocol's are practically the reason there is any sort of government left, and it sicken's me that nobody takes this stuff seriously. I'm living proof." "I know!" She stated exuberantly, coming closer within contact of his bubble. "It's silly the way the force looks at these opportunities and simply shrug it off. Because, this isn't the old days where we could all just piss around and have a little bit of fun. We didn't have ponies trying to eat us in those days, so I'm still fuzzing on why some officers don't take situations like this seriously." Just then their boss walks through the hallway and immediately both of them turn around and walk back to their duties. He was a older man with brownish fur slowly turning to full gray, his face represented the epitome of what a grunted man looks like. It was almost disgusting to look at him if you let those kind of thoughts simmer while you were in a conversation with him. Possibly because his face was so distinguishable that thinking it not so would mean you're in denial. He gave a dreaded look at the both of them before strolling on ahead with paperwork under his armpit and a doughnut gliding above the air with his magic. 2:42 AM, it must have been one of the two. The sharp trilling noise of the phone was aggravating enough, she picked it up as she sat down in her chair. "Hey," It was Applebloom. "Up late again?" Applejack asked worryingly. "Just checking on you, is all." she playfully said, though the tone of her voice expressed it more worryingly than Applebloom had anticipated. Applejack laughed."You know if ah had that one thing called the bed', ah'd be sleeping in that instead of-" "It's so quiet here, hate it when you do nights." Her true intention came out as too why she would be calling. "Only a few more days. You should sleep." She paused as she slightly bit her lip. "Ah would if ah were you. Applejack's tone did take away some of that edge that had been at Applebloom's rump for the past few nights. Especially that southern drawl she was so perfect at speaking, it made her feel good to have a sister like her. She worried, but more than that. She kept hounding her big sister to go on a trip and leave this place for a while - like they use to. The chat between them usually now turned into arguments when this subject came up. Their relationship, a whole new casualty in this cursed world. She was fifteen anyways, so it was expected that she'd be acting like this now, hormones and what-not. Go where? Do what? Leave the job that had supported them for years? Abandon Celestia and her friends? Where to? These were thoughts that had pillowed and anchored it's way into Applejack's head for the past couple years now. Supposedly, if you traveled well-deep enough that you could find jobs in the country. Factories still stuck around to produce odd ends and whatever prospectors could salvage because it became too costly with manpower and money to send their own employee's out into the world. The death toll was wealthy in that aspect. Plants were they struggled at running old machines that are in need of serious repair, and producing and stretching their thin food resources across the nation, and if lucky enough, around the world. Because the world is all in this together, but that makes it hard when everyone still struggles immensely to feed their own. The money wasn't bad. Sooner or later, she might get posted in Manehatten or Block A, at a desk-job. She just had to hang in there. Not that working on the streets were bad, but once you've reached a certain apex between life and death. You know you have to get out, and Applejack is starting to like the idea of getting out. "Quiet night, sis?" Applebloom asked. "Yep, so far it has, ah can't say about the next few hours, though." Applejack started, her hoof fumbled for the clutch to extend her seat so she could lie back. "Well that's good." Applebloom added, she rolled over around her bed while the phone-cord tangled with her body. "Ya." Applejack replied, she played with her mane momentarily. A long pause based around their phone chat made it feel awkward. "Well, ah'm going to go to bed. Night." Applebloom yawned as she closed the phone somewhat harshly. Not intentionally, but she needed some sleep if she were going to get to school in a few hours. "Goodnight." Applejack felt terribly alone soon as the line went dead. She grabbed the phone and the cord and curled it around her hoof firmly. Her face stared into the abyss, her eyes becoming cold as day, she dared not to look at others because she was afraid of others seeing a slight tear well up in the corner of her eyes. She placed her head down on the mound of paperwork in front of her and hoped there wasn't going to be a call tonight. 93 Ave, Block A-3, Canterlot Rainbow Dash too, was dealing with another rookie who happened to stroll by her while she walking up some stairs that lead to the second floor of the building. "Could be, could be. But you know, one night out there. Rolling and strolling and fighting your way out of a Hackitt's force could be too much for one officer, I'd recommend you take it easy next time, Fumbles." "I mean, you shouldn't worry? There's always some young fool who wants to be a part of what's left of Canterlot's finest." She spoke in that playful tone that Twilight had become use to when Rainbow decided to talk to some new recruit. But for the life of her, she just thought it was annoying. "She means young ponies want to live here while Canterlot still has a name." Twilight refurbished and got rid of the excessive baggage that Rainbow was just using to toy with her pet. "Yeah, not only that." Rainbow rested her back on the stair-rail, her wings overlapping it. "But make sure you watch out for Hackitt dogs, now those feline bastards are one scary fuc-" "Rainbow." Twilight sighed, her head tilted towards the door across from them up the stairs. Rainbow stopped short and continued along with Twilight, thankfully the message registered. And thank Celestia that she didn't actually have to resort to obstructive language and volume to convey her response. Hesitated, Rainbow lightly replied back just as they left the recruit contemplating his thought on the lone steps. Laughing, she started. "I mean, c'mon Twilight. What do you think these kids should hear? That the olden days are still hanging in our badges and that the boys in blue still exist. 'To serve and protect.'" She made a silly face in the process. "Only what's there to protect with from the Hackitt's raging - each one looking to take a nice, big juicy bite from-" "I get it." Twilight stopped her friend, short. "Fair enough, Twilight. Fair-" "I got it, Rainbow. I've been doing this as long as you have. Right?" "Yeah. Right, sorry Twilight," Rainbow admitted, thoughtfully enough. "I guess I was a tad harsh on the kid?" "A tad? Dash you were something. And that will never change..." Twilight bored on the inevitable factor that Rainbow was just being Rainbow, and Twilight was just being Twilight End of story. The clanking of her hooves clopping on the solid floor was almost a ringing sound piercing through Twilight's ears as they walked in silence to a destination they don't even know where they're going. The walls expanding throughout the entire hallway had two very simplistic color-coated paints of green and teal. Almost representing a recreational center or a hospital of some kind. The wall colors were divided in half with green facing the lower half, and teal taking the upper. This building has seen it's fair share of history, that was what you could say about something well over a century old. They kept walking and the windows around them glittered that solid light from outside, almost vividly piercing through the window itself. The lights were massive, both of them wondered how the security in the outer-regions of Canterlot could handle such power from those lights. Than again, this precinct was much closer to the edge of town than others of Block A. Finally Rainbow broke the long-over due silence that had echoed it's way throughout the derelict halls. She turned her to Twilight and softly spoke, "Let's hope for a quiet night and maybe some spaghetti left-overs at the mess all, alright?" Twilight Sparkle began to smile once again,"Yes. Lets."
Let It Come Down93 Ave, Block A-3, Canterlot Some nights... Some nights it could be quiet. Some nights, Twilight could sit at her desk, watch Rainbow do nothing or maybe do the same as her, and shuffle overdue reports, act busy, and there would be no calls. Not one. Of course, back in the old days life seemed a whole lot simpler than what they have now... Back in those days, policing must have been fun. Simply cruising downtown just to find something to do, arrest a few thugs, maybe find some elder pony blind looking for they're cane, anything to top up your arrest count. But nowadays, going outside meant death. Going outside, especially at night, meant potential suicide. It wasn't all too long ago, it seemed like, but by the time her and Rainbow Dash joined, those days had already ended. Nobody went out if they didn't have to. Life seemed so dead-driven on the outside that going out meant you were out for two things. To get paid, or save some poor pony. Either way, both only made any reason less so to just stay indoors. In parts around Canterlot, certain areas have been whittled away completely. Zones turned to red, and nobody was allowed there for their own safety, regardless if you had belongings there. In Canterlot, dozens of precincts dug in deep around the city had full-sized staff, but now some stations only have a handful. Block A-B still had majority of it's sectors cleared out and ponies are constantly moving into town from around the country, but it gets tough, especially in lower sections of both blocks were some areas are getting extremely difficult to hold down. Leaving the discouragement of many travelers. Though most of Block A-4 has been eroded so much that the government is sanctioning the funds every month so the ponies living and stationed there would have to leave. Block B-5 has been fully written off for a year, citing it as a loss cause. And Block C? Block D-3 and 5 and everyone else considered ponies there are long gone. Block C, surprisingly enough, is still the only Block to not have a code-red state. That shows that they're doing something right... It was work keeping Hackitts out. And Twilight told herself - tried to convince herself - that this was important work. Important work that could satisfy the needs of many, but she knew deep down that it was starting to feel like a burden. Princess Celestia always told her that if this line of work ever became too much she could back-out, and that went for all of her friends. They could all simply just back-out... But what would that prove? It would only prove that they're hopeless, and that fighting the worse of worse before this was all for nothing. They needed to do this...she believed that she had to do this. As every politician never loss the chance to say at any crucial moment in their time, this is war. It was us versus them. There were those that tried to live the normal pony life. A life they could have self-sufficiently without fear, a life built on explicit peace and subtlety. Then there were those, the Hackitts. When the great Drought Hit, when water became like gold. When food became like a rare delicacy, when food riots touched the continents around the globe. When sheer hunger made entire governments fall into the shadows or use whatever strength they could muster and fight it out physically. It didn't seem to matter anymore, because life as everyone once knew it had ended. That was when something else happened. Something must have turned off in the ponies brain, something pathogenic, something unheard of. Maybe it was caused by a secret experiment gone wrong, a secret super food created to be designed by big corporate business for consumers to consume from day to day to end all pandemics of food shortages? And if so, did that food carry a virus that undid the genes in pony code with millions and millions of years of evolution? There were thousands of arguments, disagreements, theories, and no agreement. No pony knew what had happened. And what did Twilight think? Well for about five years she had thought about just every single anomaly known to ponies. But none of them had a positive effect in her brain, instead it brought about more guilt. They need ponies like me, Twilight thought. She anchored her chair back to let the tension in her body ease up. I shouldn't worry, I shouldn't worry. Just focus on my job, and ponies need other ponies like me, Dash, Adam, Steven, Carol, to make sure that Hackitt's stay away. And with every day, every night, that got harder and harder. She was becoming in a daze now, her eyes struggling to keep open. Cops weren't supposed to sleep, especially Pegasus ones - in her case, however, she was an alicorn; This wasn't like the Fire Department. They still maintained that code "on duty - to serve and protect." Ponies that flew were considered more of the go to premium when it came to tackling tougher scenarios. And with the extra amount of training they received, they knew not to disappoint. They couldn't disappoint, if they had been unfit for duty, some analysts predicted that the world would've went a different way - entirely. This meant that she had to be awake at all times. Still, she slept earlier in the day. And she wasn't doing double shifts this week. When the phone on her desk rang, it was usually in the shrill of the night. Cell service had largely become vacant in the world, save for the few satellites stationed around and for the rare pony who could afford such a luxury. Even though cellphones were practically rendered useless, Twilight still didn't mind the idea of getting one. Though, she never bothered since she lived in small town with ponies she knew all around. Land-lines had become increasingly undependable - cables cut, telephone poles down. When lines in the supposedly safe areas got damaged, no team would go out to work on them, at least when it was dark. It was for the best, she thought. Twilight finally gave in, she planted her head down on her desk nicely and closed her eyes shut. Rainbow saw this, and continued working on her ancient computer, printing off reports to hand to the boss later on. She just let her friend sleep it off, they did it from time to time when one of them needed forty winks. It wasn't a big issue unless they're boss marched through the door or if their scanner went off. She kind of liked the idea of watching Twilight sleep, it made her feel motherly towards her friend. Rainbow had hit the keyboard on her computer on her desk, a true dinosaur, and began using her mouse to scroll down the banks of empty information that had to be filled out by the end of her shift. There wasn't anything major that happened to them this week, except for when they found a homeless man ripped from the waist down of his body. He was slouching with his back up against the street light right beside a bench. A metal garbage bin hung over him to make it look like he passed out drunk. Hackitts were terribly clever that way, they could make such a scene looks so innocent. Unless you looked close enough... A large thunder cracked through the sky and the humongous sounds clashed against the walls of their office, sending a faint shiver down Rainbow's spine while she continued to block out that noise. She eagerly plucked away at the keyboard when the alarms rung. This shook Twilight out of her dozed out state as she stood up and her eyes snapped open with her ears perking upward at those rigid-horrid rings. Rainbow was already up and about, looking over at precinct map on the station wall in at the far end of their room. One spot glowed red, Rainbow was already suited up and on the move. "Breakthrough, Twilight. Get up, and get moving." she shouted as she left the room. Twilight made way for the locker room to change into her gear. It was bright red, so that meant that she needed to have light armor because it could mean they have to fly their out of the scene. Jogging her towards the room, Rainbow called out. "Barnes, same freaking building as last week!" Twilight stopped briefly, "Same building? Crap..." her mind already rushing with several predictions on how this was going to pan out. "Yeah, sorry Twilight. Just the way it is," Rainbow replied before exiting the building. "I'll catch up in a second." Twilight called, but Rainbow had already bolted. 67 Ave, Block B-2, Canterlot "Hey, Apples," Billie asked. "Wanna go for drinks this weekend? I'm buying, and you look like crap." She asked her friend who looked more useless than an officer with no legs and on a wheel-chair. "So ah should make myself look like more crap? with drinks at some stingy bar?" Applejack replied coldly, her head stuck up before she burrowed it in her fur some more. "That's not what I meant, Jacks." Billie rolled her eyes before wheeling her chair over to Applejack. "You and I both know that you need to treat yourself for once; coming to work all these hours is stressful enough - making you very tired." She placed a hoof on her friends wrist. "No it ain't." Applejack scoffed, shoving Billie's brace away from her wrist, she tucked her hat over her face. The ends of her mane bulged out and the bright light from her night-light complimented the sparkle of her golden hair. "Suit yourself, but hey, Apples. You should really take a few nights to get away, because at this rate. If Senior Sergeant Tom Croydon came in here and saw your state. He would definitely give you an earful." Billie reminded Apples of her tarty appearance with some satisfaction. "Billie, ah get it. ah'm ah little messin' right now, but after today ah'm going to sleep in my comfy bed. And come back fresh as daises, alright?" Applejack looked up and saw the blue blur line across her computer, she reached for the mouse and clicked the shut down button. After that, she fumbled around her desk for her clock. Billie pointed with her hoof to the left side of Applejack's desk, she complied and finally saw the little black thing. It was pretty basic and nothing too complex about it, since it was plastic and all. Applejack went to scratch the back of her head before getting up and going to the washroom. Just seconds after leaving, the alarm screeched through the halls with it's shrilling rings. The pinging sound instantly got their attention and they both immediately headed for the locker room to fetch for their equipment. They were the only two ponies available for the call, so they had to make it quick. Tom Croydon yells at them from outside the mare's locker room, "C'mon ladies, it's bright red. You know what that means!" "Got it." Both shouted back. Applejack's slightly sounded off, considering her thick southern-drawl background. Applejack grabbed Kevlar padding's for her legs, struggling to put one hoof over the little strap to clamp them together, she managed. She fetched for her Kevlar armor that was to wrap around her frame and keep her body protected from any potential bites. She didn't care if her mane got ruffled in the process. Applebloom was in her mind the whole time, her home was captured in mind, her Grandma, her brother, everything that she hung unto for dear life was circling around her head. Billie was already decked out in the same gear and was on the move for the squad chariot, thankfully it was a mechanical-working on and not the old-standards from back in the day. All you needed was to move the wheel and maneuver the clutch wherever you chose to go. "Come on! We've got to go Apples!" She shouted at her friend, who in return picked up the pace and slapped the sleep out of her eyes with her hoof whamming her face hard. The cheek turned red, and the electric shock of her hooves blow fused some homemade adrenaline with legitimate pain that she relayed the words, Okay! Ya could do this, Applejack! Now snap out of it because you got ah job to do! inside her head. It was like a loop that she needed to hear over and over just to hold herself from breaking down completely. Applejack followed Billie out of the locker room, and they trotted for the exit. Their batons clanking from side to side, scanner bouncing up and down in it's holster on their shoulders. Applejack's hat was held firmly by herself so it wouldn't fly away, the helmets on their backs were wrapped tight by black coated-Velcro straps. Other little pockets laced around the armor included items like pepper-spray, hoof-cuffs, usually pencils and papers but in this day and age. Those were rendered useless. They busted through the door and ran to their chariot to complete a job. A job that could very well mean the end to their own lives.
