The Militant
He dived through debris and mud into a civilian house. Guns blazing, the insurgents fell one by one. A faint beeping began and he ran from the scene. The beeping became more frantic and louder, until
BANG!
The hut collapsed in a huge explosion, blowing out all the windows and sending out a shockwave of debris. He was buried in a pile of rubble and left for dead.
"Please insert bit."
"Ah, crap." Pinkie stepped away from the arcade machine. "I guess it was a bit TOO realistic. *sigh* oh well!" she began to walk to the exit. She passed hundreds of other machines and ponies, all illuminated by bright, neon lights and LEDs. This new technology definitely was amazing! She walked out through the revolving door, out into Canterlot's bustling high street. Across the road, tens of ponies were lined up to see a film. Tens more were just rushing past on their way to work. A bus went by, carrying around 50 ponies. Powered by solar power, buses were a new addition to Canterlot. Bright yellow and square, these 2 storey contraptions could bring ponies to and fro in minutes. This new technology appeared as if by magic one day, about 2 months ago. Since then, it has just doubled and doubled in size and quantity. But who was Pinkie to complain? She'd just spent 30 bits playing in the arcade! All she won was a teddy bear from the grabber game.
Chapter 1: The Militant
"Have you tried it yet? Huh huh huh?"
"Pinkie. No, I haven't. I don't have time to go to Canterlot and play games!"
"But the train only takes 45 min-"
"Pinkie! No. I can't. These scrolls won't categorise themselves! Go pester Fluttershy or Rarity!"
"Oh... Ok Twilight!" Pinkie bounded out of Twilight's tree house. Why was her work more important than the game? 'The Militant' was the greatest advance in technology since the buses or bright, fluorescent lights! Which, coincidently, all came from 1 source.
"UniTech & Co."
"Supplying the latest tech at low prices!"
"Um, sorry. Killing and those things aren't really my type..."
"Oh... Ok Fluttershy! Bye!" Pinkie bounded away from Fluttershy's door. Why did nopony want to play with her? She was running out of ponies to pester!
"What Sugarcube? A game? I d'nt know... I'm not with all this new fangled technology. If I get a break I'll come see you in Sugarcube Corner and we can go. I've got a lot of work today though..."
"It's ok. Only go if you can!"
Pinkie left Sweet Apple Acres. The apples definitely looked good this year! Juicy, rotund and bright red. Surely she wouldn't mind...
Chapter 2: Apples
Pinkie awoke with a start. Yay! Today Applejack would play with her! Today, she would try out the multiplayer game mode! But... she felt strange. She got up, and looked around Sugarcube Corner. Everything appeared normal, but nopony was around. She wondered where Mrs Cake was... At that exact moment, Mrs Cake appeared in front of her in a puff is smoke.
"Hi, Pinkie! You're up early!"
"Huh? It's 10:30? I'm late Mrs Cake... Are you ok?"
"Never better! In fact, why don't you take the day off!"
Could it be? Her day was too good to be true so far already! Now she could go to the arcade with Applejack! Pinkie flew out the door and out into Ponyville. Then she noticed. The sky was seemingly whatever she wanted it to be - at this moment it was sweets in the shape of clouds. Could she be... Dreaming? Everything was too good to be true... She decided to go see Applejack - after all, they had an arcade to go to!
Pinkie was met with a sign upon reaching the dirt path leading to the Apple barn.
'Closure for Inappropriate Use of Modern Technology and potential attempted ponyslaughter'
What? Applejack said she couldn't use modern technology! The liar! Pinkie was about to go further down the path when she saw another apple on the floor. She trotted over and picked it up. They weren't red anymore but a sickly orange. Nearby she could make out the shape of some bottles and sacks. On closer inspection, the sacks and bottles were now empty, but did contain fertiliser. Fertiliser? Did that mean... Did she OD when she bit the apple? Pinkie didn't know, but her dream world was good so far! She 'wished up' an Applejack and the duo headed in the direction of the train station. Little did she know she was actually fighting for her life in Canterlot Hospital, her body trying to beat the toxins and protect itself. The beeping began to speed up, only about 2bpm faster. But definitely faster.
Pinkie began hearing a faint beep in her head, extremely faint. Applejack and her had got to the train station, and the duo were on a train on their way to Canterlot.
"Applejack... Do you hear that?"
"Hear what, Sugarcube?"
"That... Beeping. It's really quiet, and has been all day."
"I'm afraid not-"
"What about the sky? Is it weird to you? What about the fact nobody is on the train? What about the fact-"
"What? I think you're losing it, missy. It's all normal. All you have to do, is wake up."
"Oh Celestia!" Pinkie mocked. "Don't start that cliche again! I can't believe-"
The train abruptly halted and flung the pair forward.
"What now?!" Pinkie got up and stormed out of the carriage. They had stopped, for some reason, at Manehattan station. Manehattan was nowhere near the route the train should have taken. She stepped out onto the platform. Nopony was around as usual, the sky still changing. The train appeared to have no driver, and seemed to have stopped there intentionally. If this really was her dream - why stop there? Pinkie went off up a flight of stairs into the main foyer. The ticket office was empty, along with the screen about arriving trains. Silence. There was no sound, not even ambient life. She seemed to be alone. Alone in the world. Isolation. Pinkie would go insane, she'd simply lose it. She stepped out onto the high street on the other side of the building. No cars. No buses. No noise. The neon lighting and adverts were still on, which implied that somepony was still around. Somepony had to turn knobs and flick switches to power everything. She wasn't alone.
Chapter 3: Canterlot
"What?! Are-Are you sure? I mean... It. It can't be! She-"
"I'm sorry. It's too late for us to intervene. Either she fights it off herself or..."
Pinkie strolled along Canterlot high street. It wasn't the same, having nopony around. She could still hear voices, though. They were louder now, only slightly but enough to interpret some words. 'Too late' and 'Fight' were audible. They seemed as if it was her conscience or behind her, but also like they weren't. She recognised Twilight's voice though, which gave her a glimmer of hope. Whatever happened, Twilight would try to help or research it. The high street was lined with neon lights and shops - sweets to clothes, cars to banks. Huge buildings had begun construction, called 'skyscrapers'. The name made sense but why would anypony want to be 50 floors up? The only one that was finished had a company logo across the front.
UniTech.
She began to tip-hoof while going past a old pony's home, but realised she was alone - at least on the high street. She decided that, if it really was her dream, why were all the shops left in their pre-existing state? Papers were left on desks, bins full and doors unlocked. Pinkie's mischievous behaviour got the better of her and she went and 'borrowed' some sweets. Sherbets, liquorice and toffees would do.
She opened the sweet shop door to walk into the obvious smell of sweets and sugar. The counter was left unoccupied and the lights still on. It was strange, as if everypony had left in a split second while leaving everything where it was. She popped a toffee into her mouth and borrowed some of their paper bags. She wished up her saddlebags and realised - why didn't she just wish for sweets? Did that mean she could teleport too? Like Twilight could? She put the sweets away and walked out, jingling the bell above the door. Even though it was a dream, the toffee was surprisingly tasty and life-like. But what Pinkie saw next - she could never have been prepared for it. She almost choked on her toffee.
Chapter 4: Deal
"Doctor! Is. She. Going. To. Be. Ok? Just say! I don't need your riddles! Just-"
"Miss Sparkle. I'm afraid you are going to have to leave the room."
"But-"
"Now!"
Twilight was thrown out of the operating theatre to join the other 4 in the waiting room.
"Well. This sucks!"
"Tell me about it!"
"-They don't even have any Daring-Do here! I mean, really?!"
Rainbow was replied to with dark stares. She leant forward to the coffee table in front of them to put the magazine back, and she sunk back into her chair. Rainbow flicked her hair, which seemed to set something off in Rarity.
"For Celestia's sake?! What is actually wrong with you?!" Rarity got up and turned to her. "You've done that about 10 times in the past 5 minutes! Do you have fleas or some sort of disease? Really-"
"QUIET!" a nurse came out from the surgery. The 5 of them blushed and awkwardly got back to sitting there awkwardly, in silence.
"Well." Rainbow got up. "Screw this. I'm going home."
"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity got up to argue again, and remembered to keep her voice down. "Our friend is in there in a life-death situation! And all you can do is-"
"What point is there in just waiting? I could be doing something! Time passes faster when your busy anyway." Rainbow walked out the door, past the reception desk.
"She just wants Pinkie out of there..."
"It's all mah fault! I shouldn't have-"
"Applejack! It isn't your fault! She decided to eat an apple! So what? At least you know not to sell that crop now."
"Oh, Twilight. You try to make light of all situations. Not this time, darling."
"Uh, bye?" Fluttershy just walked out, slowly shutting the door behind her.
"I guess that leaves..." Twilight looked around "Us..."
Pinkie awoke on a cold surface. She could feel latex gloves holding her head down across her forehead. She tried to move but just got a stinging sensation in her right hoof, and fell back into a deep sleep.
When Pinkie awoke again, she was back where she started. In her rented apartment above Sugarcube Corner. But the sky wasn't your usual, sweet-styled sky. It was dark, black almost. Only illuminated by a pinnacle in the distance, that appeared to pierce the clouds. Thick, neon letters ran up the side.
'Uni-Tech and Co"
"Cmon! Who the hell are UniTech! My books are all too old! Argh!"
Twilight threw her books against the walls. She'd just had a nightmare. Probably after 2 hours of awkward waiting in a bleak room, but this was bad. Worse than Mad Twilight bad. It was terrible. If her books didn't tell her - she knew what would. She needed to know. By tomorrow noon.
Chapter 4.5: Or No Deal
Pinkie replayed her past day, retracing every step. The sign outside Sweet Apple Acres, UniTech Arcade and the jingling of the bell of the sweet shop. She even almost choked on her toffee again. Only this time, she didn't black out. She got a small glimpse of whatever it was before a bright light engulfed her.
Pinkie threw off the covers.
"What the-" Pinkie shouted. "Again?! Is this a joke? A fu-"
The sky outside began to ripple, like water. It was still its dark self. It stopped as abruptly as it started. A storm started to thunder around, pouring rain everywhere. "Whatever this is is not very bloody original!" she stormed outside into Ponyville square. Into the rain. Right into the face of a robed figure.
Pinkie instinctively lashed out and almost caught it around the face. It vaporised, like it had appeared. It had simply appeared, right in front of her. She freaked out and ran inside, barring the door. She shut all the blinds and ran upstairs to her room. She shut the curtains and turned the light on. She sat there. For the next day, Pinkie sat on the bed, rocking herself to sleep to be awoken by a thunder clap.
'Hell. This isn't a dream. It is Hell. And, by Celestia, I will get the fuck out of here!'
*CRACK!*
The stairs creaked, meaning the crack was the front door breaking. "Shit! Shit shit! It's still here? Shit!" Pinkie whispered aloud to herself as she dragged crates and ripped up the carpet for door-blocking fodder. The clearing outside her door creaked... Silence. Pinkie was psychologically shitting herself. Her slumber had turned from a dream to a nightmare. She was half paralysed, half wanting to get the fuck out. She started assessing escape routes - the window? The ceiling? The floor?! She was getting so desperate she didn't hear the doorknob turning. She turned back to the door, just to watch it inch open.
Chapter 5: Fear
Fear. It seemed to be the shared emotion of everypony that day. Fear was uncommon in Ponyville, especially under stable management and a thriving economy. But this fear was different. It seemed to feed off of other fear. Once one pony was infected it spread like wildfire. Getting stronger with each spread and causing a nationwide pandemic. Canterlot had been fenced off. And a 5 mile radius around it. This included the edge of Sweet Apple Acres, mainly the field holding the infected apples. Everypony who lived inside was kept in, everypony else out. Conspiracy theories and gossip spread around like a disease, growing and getting more and more extreme every time somepony tries to extinguish the threat. The threat here was civil war.
Canterlot had released no official statement since the closure, only saying that nopony was to come near. This led to ponies who didn't feel in the absolute monarchy at present, and not trusting society as a whole. Groups had already existed before this, but more support and recruit were easily found now. War was possible in Equestria, even if it was bare hoofed and to the death. A pony war would be brutal. Weapons were not mainstream and too in-development to be viable. But unsurprisingly, the latest power in Canterlot had solved this issue. UniTech had developed a revolving firearm that fits around the hoof of a pony. Reloaded by magic or the other hoof, it required no practise or license to use. It also cost as much as 5 apples. UniTech were in a monopoly for everything - and more than everypony realised.
Silence. The fear was physically eating at her from the inside out. She just wished that whatever it was would just finish her. It'd been 3 days. 3 days of solitary confinement in her room, the door 2 inches open. Darkness seemed to engulf any light that tried to get in through the crack. Pinkie hadn't opened the curtains for fear of getting pounced on by another waiting creature. She was being kept alive, almost as a pet. Just kept inside. Pinkie began to think about the fact it was her head she was in - maybe Rainbow's boisterous behaviour was right. Rainbow had accused her of being bipolar after the last 'incident'. And of having a split personality. Pinkie took it and ignored it. Only now did she realise that she was right. 4 days ago, she was in a sweet filled heaven. Now she was in a dark, death-coated world full of nothing. Nothing... Like her party before. When nopony came. Maybe she had jumped personality in the past few days, meaning if she waited another day or two she might swap. This gave her a glimmer of hope as a wrinkled, skeletal hand curled around the side of the door. Pinkie sat there, on her bed. She wouldn't take herself. She wouldn't move. She stared at it as an arm followed it. Hands... It must be a pegasus wing. The fingers released the door and advanced in. The arm that followed was black and charred, mangled and grim. Then the torso followed, its exposed ribcage making no effort to hide the organs. The figure appeared to be standing upright. The head followed. Pinkie's bravery was short lived as she screamed as she'd never screamed before. At the rainbow-coloured lock crudely poking out of its skull.
Chapter 5.5: Darkness
It engulfed her like an encroaching fog. Within seconds she was hoarded by Death itself, in the form of her undead friends. Was this it? Was she going to... Kill herself? In her sleep? More questions circulated as she felt her heartbeat fluctuate and eventually settle at 3x its usual rate. She woke from her slumber on the metal table. It was cold, even though she was probably lying on it the past few days. She was hyperventilating and she was sweating all over. Pinkie tried to sit up, only to be restrained by a set of chains and pipes. The pipes were entering her left arm, straight into her veins. She could only hope they pumped something dangerous, to end her hellish cycle. She heard voices and didn't know whether to react or pretend to be sleeping. The rushing of hooves on the granite floor was heard, just as Pinkie closed her eyes. She listened to their conversation, every word potentially being her scapegoat from hell. She heard them argue about what to do with her to lower her heart rate. She heard a hiss and she felt faint. A warm liquid rushed up her left arm to her heart, to be pumped everywhere in her body. The beeping monitor she had just noticed, and was there from the start, was slowing. Salvation...
"Why, yes. I don't see anything wrong with that! You know they way. Help yourself!"
"Thank you Princess!" Twilight rushed off to the Canterlot Central Library. She had teleported in through the barriers outside, fencing Canterlot in, earlier. She ran past the Starswirl the Bearded wing and past the orbs and potions. Straight to the history wing. She scoured the shelves, moving books and nik-naks. She went through the history of Equestria, from the last 200 years to present. At 40 years past she found the first entry on Uni-Tech.
"Originally a government party, Uni-Tech ran for President for 5 years running. They were not successful any year, being heavily criticised for their ethos and attitude towards medical research. They would use live test subjects, mules to ponies. This was unacceptable for the public, and they were essentially banished. They re-emerged 15 years ago, as a technology firm. They had 'brand new ideas, ready to revitalise society!'. Controversy stil remains over their research methods and how they reached their position of power today."
"Useful... Not! What is this? A library?! It doesn't have any-"
"Twilight. Shhh! Perhaps they... Aren't in this wing..."
"Celestia! I don't need your riddles! Do you know anything about UniTech?"
Celestia looked side to side nervously.
"Listen. I didn't want the public to know." She leaned in closer. "UniTech have taken power! They have taken over the health service, the education system and introduced a democracy! I can't do anything! They took us by force, and by technology! It was a trap from the start..."
"The health service! What time did this happen?"
"About 1:30 yesterday afternoon. Exactly 1:30! They are very organised!"
"1:30?! That's the time I was forced out of Pinkie's operating theatre! Holy sh-"
"If one of your friends is in there - I'd move. Now! They have LIVE experimentation! I fear the worst for Pinkamena, as they have had her a day already! Go!"
Chapter 6: I'm here for Pinkie
"I'm afraid they took your friend yesterday evening. They had official documents and licenses - I had no reason to stop them!" Nurse Tulip said from behind the reception desk. Fluttershy was still trying to get through the revolving door when Twilight finally got an answer out of the receptionist.
"Oh! I know where they went! Why didn't you say that?"
"So... Where are they?"
"They went out the back entrance through the field. There's an abandoned building at the end. Near where the woods start. I'm not guaranteeing that they are there but-"
"It's a start. Thanks."
The revolving door hit Fluttershy again as she tried to get through.
"C'mon Fluttershy! We can just go out the front..."
Sugarcube corner was as bleak as ever. No life. Not even her friends' corpses. They returned last night, hiding in closets and cupboards. Now... Pinkie was alone in her hellish world - the world she created. Pinkie thought back to the good days of arcade gaming and... That war game. That stallion fought to the death. Relentlessly. He achieved his objectives before his death. He didn't go down without a fight. Pinkie would be that guy.
The Militant.
Snow began to fall for the first time since the play at Canterlot about the founding of Equestria. The flakes began to settle easily on the hard, paved areas.
"Unfitting, isn't it?" Twilight walked through it with the other 4.
"I guess..."
"It's all mah fault! If ah hadn't used the apple fertilizer..."
"Applejack! For the tenth time today, it's not your fault! You wanted the best for your crops and inevitably for the consumers of your crops! Not for Pinkie to be hospitalised and taken by usurpers!" the 5 stopped walking down the road.
"Usurpers? You really think it's that simple? This is a meticulously well planned event which took the company many years. That means big money behind it. That means somepony with power..."
"How long till Ponyville is taken by fear, rebellious groups or UniTech?" Fluttershy's looked up from the snow settling on the path.
"I give us 1 week. 1 week to find Pinkie and whoever is behind this." Twilight began walking again.
*SMASH!*
"We're here for you! Pinkie!" a ghastly voice screamed up the stairs to Pinkie's room. No more. She wouldn't take anymore shit - especially from herself. She pulled a revolver out or her drawers and flung the door open. Time seemed to slow, as Pinkie loaded her gun. UniTech engraved down the barrel. 2 rounds entered the Rainbow corpse, followed by 1 in both the purple haired one and the one wearing a blood-stained hat. 2 rounds left. A pink maned pegasus smashed through the window, landing on Pinkie's back forcing her to the floor. Pinkie rolled onto it and shot it clean through the head. Another shot for good measure. No more! Pinkie stood up triumphant, to be impaled through the back by a purple maned unicorn. It's strange... Dying in your own dreams. The feeling of weightlessness... The immense pain.
Pinkie awoke to see a masked unicorn holding a syringe. It was already 3 inches into her arm. That was the pain. She lashed out with her other free hoof, surprised it was free of its bonds. It knocked the unicorn back, onto an operating table. Pinkie swung herself around on her table and kicked him. She suddenly felt faint, probably the fact she moved for the first time in however long. A calendar hung in the corner - it was 3 weeks later. For each week she stabbed the 'doctor' an extra time with the syringe. He crumpled to the floor, complete with syringe in the back of his head. No remorse.
She kicked the door in, to be blinded by sunlight. Escape. Her real salvation. No more fucked up dreams, no more death. She stepped out into a meadow, surrounded by trees. She could see Canterlot in the distance on a mountain - why was there a 7 foot high wall around it? She could see that from there! She was surprised how well guarded Canterlot was and how badly guarded she was. She heard a bush rustle nearby, maybe seeing a lock of rainbow hair. No... She just needed sleep, even if she was for the past 3 weeks! Proper sleep, with no nightmares or demons.
"See anything?"
"No, Twilight! I'd tell you."
"Sorry, Fluttershy. I'm really anxious."
"Aren't we all, darling?"
"I guess."
The hot air balloon rose over Ponyville main hall, towards the meadow behind the hospital.
"Wait - Pink object, 1 o'clock!"
"Everypony! It's..." Twilight looked down her hunting binoculars. "Pinkie! She's free! Put us down, Applejack!" A bang echoed through the hills, sending birds flying. A .44 round penetrated the balloon and through the exhaust pipe. The balloon was engulfed in flames and fell towards the meadow.
Chapter 6 and 3 quartersalloon
The debris scattered itself throughout the grasses below it, scorching any organic matter it touched. Shreds of fabric and metal flew towards the ground, all seared and charred. Pinkie stared up in disbelief - what?! What the fuck was Twilight's balloon doing here? Was... DEAR CELESTIA! The others were on there! Pinkie dropped her secondary syringe and ran off through the grass, towards the wreckage. By now it was late afternoon, about 5 o'clock. In December. The sun was setting, leaving Pinkie to search through debris in the dark.
"Guys? Fluttershy? Twilight? Rarity? Rainbow? Applejack? Anypony?! Please! D-don't leave me..." Pinkie slumped down against a tree and cried herself to sleep. She awoke in her bed.
"What do you mean, gone? We tracked her all the way?"
"I'm sorry, ma'am. We've lost contact. They disappeared over the meadow, behind the hospital. We can dispatch-"
"DO IT! Dispatch all your special groups! Investigate! Do something! We can't just leave all 5 of them alone!"
"Y-yes ma'am. I'll send them on their way." the stallion in black leather walked out.
"C'mon! Twilight..."