Rebellion

A buzzing sound went off, as his eyes slowly cracked open, Beatstorm; a navy blue pony, with gold irises, yellow mane and sharp pointed tail, rolled off his leather couch and onto the wood floor. As his hearing fell dim, he looked around, his surroundings blurred. The noises flooded back into his brain. The buzzing. His alarm clock. Beats planted his hooves on the hard wood and pushed up. Using most of his woken strength to lift himself off the ground. He lifted his head up and saw the alarm clock: ten am. It sat upon a small bedside table, small scratches beneath the loud machine. Beats lifted his right hoof and smacked it on the top; killing the irritable sound that had awoken him from his deep slumber. He sat up on the floor and climbed back on to the couch. He sighed and lied down on it again, in his position prior to the buzzing. He drifted back to sleep as he dreamt. The buzzer sounded again which startled the pony. He fell off the couch a second time. This time he got up quickly, scurried for the alarm clock, picked it up and threw it out the open window, listening as the buzzing found dimmed.

"Geez." He sighed. Beatstorm pulled himself back onto the couch and rubbed his eyes. Across from him was his laptop sitting on the glass coffee table. On the surface were two large cracks that made the table look like two baseballs had hit it. The laptop was left on all night, and on the screen was the desktop wallpaper of his cutie Mark; a pair of gray headphones. Beats waited for the flashing colors left behind in his eyes from the rubbing before he grabbed his laptop. He placed it on his stomach and began to search through his inbox. He selected most of them and clicked on the command "Erase." He watched the animation of three circles bouncing up and down in the middle of the screen. The screen was cleared and the small animation faded. He continued to rifle through his emails, until he stumbled upon one he had received last night from his place of work. He opened the email as it made a 'pop' noise. He examined the message and whispered it to himself.

"Dear Beatstorm, your occupation here as DJ in the Night Club has come to a sorrowful end, your services here were much enjoyable but it's in the Club's best interests that you are taken out of duty. I hope you will be hired by somepony very soon. A pony with your talent isn't hard to find. -JC" Beatstorm sighed and laid back. He grabbed the laptop and tossed it onto the coffee table, only to hear the cracks on it begin to expand further. Beatstorm's eyes gazed as the table began to shatter to pieces. It fell apart, the fragments falling to the ground like fresh snow, the laptop falling on them and making a sharp shattering noise under it. Beatstorm closed one eye as the noise pierced his ears. He looked back at the debris. Everything but the stub of one of the legs was shattered to bits and pieces. Beats rubbed his mane and felt his ears being to heat up. He got up, galloped for the door, grabbed his coat and rushed out to into the rainy morning. No sun, no clouds, the sky was gray and the trees looked like charcoal. The grass housed no creatures, as they have fled to their homes from the pouring rain. Beatstorm pulled his coat over him and flicked the hood up. He gasped as he heard thunder roaring in the distance. "I gotta make it to the Club..." He whispered, "I'll give JC a piece of my mind, and he's not gonna understand it at all!" He smirked and began to gallop through the puddles that have invaded the concrete sidewalk. As he trotted, he watched ponies pass him, one pair laughing. Beats pulled the drawstrings of his hood with his magic and watched his breath turn to a cool blue frost as he exhaled. The rain became harder and he progressed from a trot to a gallop. Rushing through the puddles, splashing the cold water around him as his hooves hit the ground. In front of him laid a small hill that lay with a crowd of hills, like a small mountain range. Beats managed to make it to the top of the hill and found himself gazing at the lights of Manehattan. The buildings were gray and dull as they reflected the sky above, the rain was making the buildings appear disfigured and distorted. A strike of lightning flared in the distance, striking one of the tall standing towers of the city. Faster than Beats can realize what he saw, the lightning struck the city without warning, like a battle zone. He took a step and realized the ground had turned to guck and mud. He tread carefully as he tried to make his way down to the street at the base of the hill. Beats dug his hoof into the ground with each step, securing his hoof's placement and stability. He made another step, then another, "Easy does it..." He attempted another step, but one of his hooves slipped and he began to slide down the steep and muddy slope. Mud splashing onto his face and hoody, Beatstorm pulled his arms to cover his face, causing him to lose balance. He slowly tilted his position unknowingly as he slid down. His head caught the ground and he flipped, the dirt spinning off of him. Beats saw shades of blue as he spun, finally splashes of rainbow combusted on his eyes as he landed on his back. He groaned as the pain of the soreness was eased with stretching. Beatstorm lifted himself up and wiped the mud off of him. He rubbed his eyes to remove the colors. His entire body was soaked, including his now stained hoodie with green and black blotches spread from sleeve to sleeve. Beats looked around, no ponies within sight, but honks occasionally sounded down the road. He looked up to find two average sized buildings towering above him. Made of bricks, one building was used for residential purposes indicated by the laundry hanging on the clotheslines stretched from one building to another. The other one, a gray plaster coated building, displayed a sign of yellow with blue font saying "Zion's gym." The windows were lit with mares running on treadmills, a yoga class, and a swimming pool on the bottom most floor. Beatstorm trotted between the buildings in order to get further into the city. Beats formed a transparent shield above him to shelter him from the pouring rain. He galloped his way into the city, watching ponies galloping past him, escaping the rainy morning. Beats continued down the alley until he reached the end where it met one of the city's biggest roads, and thus, the busiest. Something buckled to the right of him, followed by cursing, Beats turned to find a business pony who dropped his suitcase. The suitcase's hinge buckled and the papers fell out, the raindrops denaturing the paper's form. Beats looked across the street; the Night Club was just a few hoofsteps away. Beats looked back and forth between the business pony and the Night Club, one of the employees looked out the door. Beats bit his lip. He gave the Club one last look and turned to face the business pony. He galloped for him and formed a shield merging with his to protect the stallion and his papers from the raging storm. The business Pony looked up at Beats who simply stood there. He hurriedly picked up his papers and stuffed them into his suitcase.

"Thank you." He smiled getting up. Beats nodded, preventing eye contact. The business pony galloped away with the suitcase on his back. Beats looked at the Club, closed for the day. It'll open back up at 9:00 and he'd have an 11 hour window. Beats sat down on the curb and stared as the neon lights of the Club dimmed and were no longer lively.

"Just like my career..." Beats sighed. He took off his hoodie and threw it onto the street where multiple rushing carriages ran it over. The hoody looked like a dead animal, soaked and deformed. The shield evaporated as the water began to hit Beat's mane. The color faded from gold to a dark green under the rain. The hair began to cover Beat's gold irises. His coat grew cold on his skin, his tail lay on the ground coiled up and soggy. Beats leaned forward and looked at the puddle forming beneath his hooves. In the puddle he saw his reflection, a grim mirror showing bleak colors. He stood himself up and trotted down the sidewalk dragging his tail across the wet pavement. He came across a neon sign hanging on a glass window of a cafe. He looked to the street where gray carriages had replaced the lively colored ones. Beats turned and trotted into the cafe. A jingle followed the creak of the entrance. Greeted with the black and white tiling of the establishment, the red leather chairs brought the serving area life. To the right of the DJ was a light blue counter with five red leather swivel booths surrounding it. Behind the counter was a stallion with a white stained apron and five o’clock shadow upon his stern face. His coat was dark brown, like the leftover coffee on the counter.

"May I help you?" The stallion asked.

"Um..." Beats looked around. His eyes darting from corner to corner, "I'll take a black with two sugars." The pony nodded as Beats came to the counter. He seated himself at the second from the right booth. Beats folded his hooves on his lap. He leaned forward and let his chest lean on the edge of the table. Beats let out a long sigh. He looked up and lost himself staring as the neon sign spelled, "open." Something hit the table. Beat's stare at the sign was broken by the stallion placing a white mug with a line of coffee sliding down the

"Here you go, 3 bits." He slid the coffee to Beats. The DJ reached down to his side expecting his jacket to be there, but he remembered. He threw his jacket onto the street.

"About that..." The stallion stood there looking at Beats. Beats felt his ears begin to heat up.

"Well?" He became impatient. Beats flushed. The bell rang again. The stallion and Beats directed their attention towards a hooded figure wearing a parka standing in the doorway, the rain still pouring behind him. Beat's mouth opened slightly, as if to say something. The figure pushed his hood back revealing his jet black mane with gray highlight, watching fur and piercing gray irises. Beats quietly gasped. Night Thunder reached into the parka and pulled out six bits. He tossed them at the Stallion who failed to catch some.

"I'll take an espresso." The stallion nodded and rushed into the kitchen. Night Thunder examined the cafe and trotted over to Beat's booth. His mouth still agape, "close your mouth," Night Thunder snapped him out of his trance.

"Sir?" Beatstorm asked.

"Why am I here? I'm guessing those were the words about to leave your tongue." Beats shook his head.

"I was gonna ask," he pulled the cup of coffee towards him, "why'd you pay my drink?" Night Thunder smiled. So did Beats.

"I'm here to bring you into another mission." Beats sipped his drink.

"I thought the last mission was a one-time deal." The stallion returned with Night Thunder's coffee. The Commander nodded as he was hoofed the cup. The stallion returned to the counter.

"I know that, but Celestia sees something in Team 41, my eyes can't see apparently. So I'm under orders to recruit you into this mission." Beatstorm twirled with the handle of his cup, tapping it.

"I don't know..." He replied shyly.

"Beats, I know you were let off by that Night Club." The Commander sank into his seat, the leather squeaking beneath him.

"H-how?" Beats narrowed his eyes in curiosity.

"I know. That's all there is to it." Beats sat back, "I know times will be tough, but if you prove to me that you're capable of this job, you'll have a future. Trust me." Beats bit the corner of his mouth and looked at the table. Next to his cup, Night Thunder slid his old SR9 pistol with chrome slide, Neuro grip panel, and quick reload magazine, "what do you say?" Beats picked up his old hoofgun and examined it, still has the dent on the trigger guard from the previous mission. Few scratches exposed the slides blackness, but other than that, the gun was still in working condition. Beats pulled the slide, listening to the inner mechanisms click in harmony. The slide sprung back to its original state with a low hum of the spring. The stallion yelped from behind the counter at the sight of the firearm. Beats stared at the stallion with confusion.

"Oh, no no no." Beats realized he was looking at the gun.

"Easy buddy," Night Thunder slid something out of his jacket and held it out to the stallion, "Elite Guard." The Stallion raised his head slightly until they saw his mouth. He looked closely at the item Thunder was holding. A badge showing the logo of the Elite Guard. The stallion got back up and cleared his throat. Beats looked at the gun again and caught a flash of glare from the slide. He didn't mind the brightness, instead, he kept staring.

"Alright, sir." Beats spun the gun by the trigger guard, "I'm in." Night Thunder placed his badge back into the inner pocket of his jacket and stretched his hoof out to Beats.

"Very well, finish your coffee and meet me outside." Night Thunder took a sip of his beverage and threw a bit into it. Beats watched as the drips of brown landed on the table. He took a few more minutes twirling the gun and drinking. He left the empty mug and trotted to the door. The stallion was as far as he can go from Beats.

"Calm down man, no need to worry." Beats pushed the door open and saw a carriage with his commander seated inside. In the front, two ponies stood in the rain, the harnesses strapped around them. Beatstorm formed a shield above them using his magic. The two smiled as Beats climbed aboard.

"Ivory tower, please." The two pullers whinnied and galloped, pulling the carriage with them. The ride was silent; Beats watched as ponies galloped through the rain, they passed a bakery where a group of ponies were singing in a harmonious tune. The rain grew harder and hit the top of the carriage like metal hitting metal. They took a turn as Night Thunder lit a cigar and pulled a folder out if his coat and hoofed it to Beats, "These are the recent reports in Saddle Arabia. According to sources, Heverans; a social class in Saddle Arabia, mostly a dominating class, have been ordering and receiving large amounts of steel and high powered items regarding nuclear fusion." Beats flipped through the paper. The paper became starchy with the humidity after an accustomed time.

"It says here, that the dates imports of technology regarding nuclear fusion come in are spread out throughout the same amount of time; 30 days, or about a month in generality." Night Thunder nodded.

"With those in their hooves, the technology wouldn't last very long, so they must contain it within a 20-day period or it will be of no worth." The carriage took another turn.

"Around 900,000 bits have been spent to pay for all these imports."

"Businesses are sponsoring these groups since they've promised oil to them." Beats scratched his head in frustration.

"Ponies are so selfish these days." Beats flipped through the folder some more. Shortly after the carriage came to a stop, Night Thunder flicked the cigar into a nearby trash can. Beats jumped off as Night Thunder paid the two pullers. Heats looked up, shielding his eyes with his hooves from the hailing rain drops. The Ivory tower was the second biggest building in Manehattan. It was shaped like a funnel, narrowing from both ends; the top and bottom. Basically the closer you to the center, the narrower it became. On the top of the tower was a large, thin looking, rectangular prism lined with white Windows. Peering out of the top was a long narrow pole extending to the stormy skies. The sky flashed with a bright white light. Night Thunder looked to Beats from the two pullers. He proceeded to the tower. Beats trotted to catch up with the commander.

"Sir?" Beats asked catching his breath, "What are we doing here?" Usually the base of the tower was filled with people eager to enter the giant monument.

"You'll see in a few minutes." They approached the entrance where two security guards waited. They both wore blue cloaks, a gold badge hung on the left side of their chest. They opened the doors for the two. Night Thunder trotted through, but one of them put of hoof out, blocking Beats from the entrance.

"Um." The guards looked at Beats.

"You need to have a magic blocking spell cast on you, if you would please step this way." The guard lead Beats a few fret down where another door was. He pulled the door open where a purple aura stood in front of him taking up all the space in the doorway. Behind the aura came the commander with a smirk on his face. Beats rolled his eyes. The guard pushed Beats through the aura where his horn caught a portion of the aura and stretched it inward into the tower until the pressure pulled the aura back but left three swirling purple strings of magic swirling around Beat's horn. They swirled for a few more seconds before fusing with his horn with a strike of white light. Beats rubbed his horn.

"Ow." Night Thunder flicked the horn and turned around to head for one of the elevators, "OW!" Beats looked around him, the Lobby had one way windows. From the outside, nopony could see into the lobby. The floor was made from ceramic white tiling, there was only one concierge desk, with one pony standing behind it. Night Thunder stretched his hoof out with his badge at the end. The concierge nodded with some sort of worry in her eyes.

"C'mon, we'll miss our flight." Beats rubbed his horn pondering on the commander's note.

"Flight, sir?"

"Did I not make it clear?" He asked pressing the 'up' button. The two metallic doors slid open and the two trotted in as it dinged. Night Thunder pressed the 'sky tip' level. The doors sealed them away from the lobby. The elevator hummed and started up, bringing the pair higher and higher. Beats listened to the quiet elevator music that merged with the elevator hum. Night Thunder was used to the noise mixture. The machine slowed as it neared the top. The door spread revealing a duplicate room of the lobby, only the dark skies were closer to them, the wind swirling and howling outside. Nopony was on the floor possibly since the storm threatened the foundation of the tower. Night Thunder was the first to step out. Beats hesitated but followed him out before the doors were about to close. Night Thunder went down to the wind door, a door that would allow window washers to enter the room when in need of supplies. The Commander pushed the door open; the wind howled and pushed the door open for Night Thunder, slamming it on the wall.

"C'mon!" Thunder shouted as the rain began to make the entrance damp. The Commander's hair was blown out of its style as well as his cloak.

"Really?!" Beats looked out one of the windows and watched as lightning struck a n the distance followed by thunder. Beats gulped. Something pulled him to the door: it was Night Thunder.

"Hey!" Night Thunder turned and saw security officers galloping for them. The Commander rushed out into the rain, the platform sloping. The guards stood at the wind door, hesitating to step onto the slippery slope. Night Thunder neared the edge, dragging a screaming Beats. The security guards finally galloped out onto the platform and screamed at Thunder.

"Thunder!" Beats shouted.

"Hold on!" Night Thunder gathered his strength and threw Beats off the side of the platform only a few feet away. Beats screamed as he watched the lightning and rain splash on his face. He screamed as he felt himself losing altitude. From the aide, Beats was caught by a white flash. Beats wiped his wet face and turned to his left where he was caught.

"Tundra?" She nodded and dove down. Beats looked at the direction she was going in, in the middle of the air seemed to be a square portal parallel to the ground While down below where something white was waiting in it. Tundra rushed past the portal and Beats felt a cushioned, soft bounce catch him from falling: a fluffy pink mattress. Tundra stood up first and helped Beats up. Night Thunder came in last and portal above him closed. Beats looked around. It was the foyer of the airship, two guards on either side.

"Where am I?" His voice was high pitched. Beats covered his mouth, "huh? I sound like a chipmunk!" Tundra giggled.

"Me and Night Thunder do too." She said demonstrating her high pitched voice.

"How?" Night Thunder pointed up.

"You just passed through the ship's balloon; you probably inhaled some of the helium." One of the guards informed. Beats looked around confused.

"Ship?" Night Thunder trotted away and to the cockpit.

"Welcome aboard, Sgt. Beats." Tundra smiled. Beats smiled. Her helium voice had faded now. She helped him up, "this is the master class Airship of the Elite Guard, your room is right there." She pointed to the second door from the cockpit.

"Thanks, Tundra." She nodded and trailed Thunder, "wait." She stopped.

"Yes?" She pushed her hair back.

"Who's here?"

"Nopony, just some guards, Night, me and you."

"So then who are we fetching next?" Beats smiled.

"Your high school friend."