Hollow Mask

Electro-magnetic waves travel through space, sometimes carrying different informations and sometimes only meaningless white noise. Sometimes it is speech or text. Sometimes the death of a star or distant light of galaxy. Using the right equipment you could filter them, only using specific frequencies and phases. A very specific frequency, to be exact 42 Mhz, was occupied by a very strange signal. Whereever you are on Equis you would receive it with exactly 42 milliwatts. The wave carried a voice. This voice said seemingly random numbers. Sometimes these numbers weren't random. Sometimes they had meaning.

A message was send using the numbers. Not a very complicated message, it was not even really encrypted; "Dept closing. Dept dealing with the merchant. Will be back in aprox 2 months. Portal will remain act until Tirek. Stop."

Not long after that someone else answered, using the same frequency and voice, "Copy. Unexpected arrival. Situation is normal. Stop."

The waves that died down suddenly, leaving behind an eerie silence only disturbed by the screams of dying stars and roaring of black holes in the distance. The voice that had read out the numbers for millenia was finally silenced, though only for a short time, a blink compared to the time it had been used.

Hunter sat on the rooftop of the Canterlot High School, letting her feet dangle over the edge. She looked up in the night sky, unaware of the silent conversations above.

"I'm sorry," said a familiar voice behind her and she looked over her back. Olivia had been walking towards her silently and now sat down on her left side. She looked tired and sad, "I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"Apology accepted. But what did you mean back then? With the job and all." asked Hunter. She looked back at the stars above, admiring the beauty of endless space and time stretching out before her.

"The alien wasn't supposed to be here. You propably noticed that you couldn't feel it's presence unlike the ghost in the library or Pinkie Pie," she explained calmly, "Most likely it was sucked through when your job entered this realm. It's hiding, now that it knows that you exist. You attracted a lot of attention when you sealed the school."

"I had to. Imagine what would have happened if it would be set free," responded Hunter slightly angered, "Or do you want that thing to walk around here?"

"Definitely not. Again, I'm sorry," said Olivia. She looked even more sad than before. The conversation died down as they both watched that cosmic dance above them.

Hunter interrupted the silence, "Allow me one question."

"You can alway ask me anything," answered Olivia, "but I won't promise a honest reply. Somethings you are not allowed to know."

Hunter sighed, "How many of my memories have been deleted? Why do I know the names of these ponies or these monsters. I didn't know the Xenomorph until I saw it and now the movies feels almost familiar."

Olivia hesitated to answer, "Your memories haven't been deleted. Just surpressed. Some are allowed to surface if certain conditions are met. I didn't do it if you suspect me. I'm as much a victim as you are. But believe me, if you had all your memories you would have gone insane the moment you saw anyone here." - Olivia let out a loud sigh - "I hope that someday mine and your memories will come back fully. It hurts me a lot to know what you forgot and what you still know."

"So you have my memories?"

"Yes. I already said that there is a good explanation for this but it is part of what you have to find out yourself. I'm sorry. I know you are not proud of some of them. I understand. There is not a single other being in this multiverse that would care more for you than I do."

"And what is the job now?"

Olivia smiled, "Spoilers. The when really depends on many factors so I can't give you a deadline either." Hunter sighed again. "What is it? What is worrying you?" asked Olivia, noticing the sad look on Hunter's face.

"I'm wondering; if part of my memories have been surpressed, part of my brain swapped out to fit better with my body, how much of me is still me? Do I even have to ask these questions or do you remember what I wanted to ask?"

"Don't worry, you are still yourself. And, no, I can't really read your thoughts. It takes time to transfer. Your most recent events are a bit blurry, which is why I have to ask you all this paperwork stuff."

The cyan girl paused, "I feel so tired. Like I remember I felt back home. So tired. ... Would you stop me if I jumped?"

"Maybe."

Hunter sighed and looked down. Two floors down was the hard concrete ground. A fall from this height would atleast wound her fatally if not kill her instantly. Olivia grabbed her left arm, "You don't have to jump. Keep going. They promised to fix you up."

"I don't think anyone can fix me. I'm one step from being insane, I know that. I had to endure so much pain in my life. I'm tired, Olivia. I'm working at 200% all the time. I can't keep this up."

"I know. Keep going, like you always do. You have to."

"Why?"

Olivia didn't answer instantly, instead she looked up, "The stars are beautiful tonight, aren't they."

The cyan girl to her side gave her an angry glance, "That didn't answer my question."

"They have promised to fix you and believe me, they have the power to do that. They actually employ gods and demons," said Olivia. With a grunt she stood up and walked towards the access door and was halfway there when she turned around. "If you ever tell anyone I've gone soft on you, I swear I'll kill you," she hissed and vanished.