[Chapt1] Engrams, above and below.
` "Engrams, young and old."
Spinet.
I saw this coming, the herd ditching us in a drop of a bass. Aim Fire had been wrathful at the sight of their disappearance, awhile See Saw just trotted behind I, sulking quietly. Her self-loathe had been an opposites attraction, being too soft to handle a weapon properly sided with being left behind with the loss of the only pony who had been kind to her and a mother figure since the passing of her sister. Aim Fire, her sun burnt coat ravished in dry blood and a smell of not having a bath for days, curled her crudeness for being left behind. Their decision was half of her fault. If she hadn't have mocked the alpha ponies fashion on staying in the same location instead of moving forward to Canterlot, where the royals lie, then maybe we wouldn’t have been deserted.
Soon before The Reanimation occurred, Equestria had been going downhill. A strange virus was invented, more common in young fillies but still going 'round, assembling the deaths of many. The first symptom had been vivid coughing, where the trachea would swell making it difficult to swallow, residing with loss of eating. The second was coughing up vast amounts of your hearts pumps of life. The third, steady beating of your heart decreasing. Then finally, your heart stops. Straight up, just like that. No plain magic could satisfy the sickness moving all around Equestria. Not even Celestia nor Luna could cease the virus on thier own. A month or so after the realization of the spreading ailment, a group of princesses and princes marched right into Canterlots borders and sashayed into Celestia's castle, convincing her to allow them to test their entirety of their magic to brawl for a cure. The group referred themselves as The Royalty. Stupid title, yeah. But it was what they went with. Bunch of stuck up, greed groveling cannibals if you ask me. So they developed a cure, granting them all the good reason to keep on keeping on with their scientific whims on saving Equestria, which soon enough would have caused our lands to be infested more on slobbering brain dead ponies as such to the equivalent to them. They were working for a few full moons and were doing tests on fillies and newborns. Could you guess what happened next? A certain test subject had gone wrong, escaped I should say, so cliché and had accentuated my perception beforehand anyhow. So now, all of us had been vagabond. The world had been augmented in ruin, markets of debris and colours misplaced, and the constant alert that everywhere you go, you had to be attentive to your surroundings. Now, I'm stuck with the most rue-bidding unicorn on the head of Equestria. Not an idea where to go, where to find food, nothing. We just ventured along a path of millions of dust beneath us, Aim Fire muttered curses beyond my own vocabulary, with See Saw dragging her hooves along the ground. "Douche nuggets of ah million fuck rats." Aim Fire continues to rant. I'm so sick of this. "Aim Fire, get over it," my eyes circling like a carousal, "You're not helping the situation with your irrational cursing." "Ah, shove a hoof." She snarled. "Where are we even going?" the banana coated, tear emptied filly inquired. I couldn’t honestly answer to that. Neither of us could. We were walking into nowhere, an abyss of nothingness. Night finally dropped into view, assuring us that we should keep our eyes open and remain active. Oh, Pyros, I contemplate to myself. How I wish you were here. Pyros Aquarious. My lost love. The story of us dated way back when we were even fillies. He had been the smart one and I had a problem keeping contact with my work. I adored music, and that was where my priorities succumbed my attention. I had attained my cutie mark playing a keyboard. Oh, how I would love to get my hands on one right about now. So, Pyros, his thick mane like pink lemonade and baby blue skies, was where my affections lied. The day he saved me was the worst of my life, actually. It was just him and I, the day after The Reanimation commenced, and we were on our way to Fillydelphia, where my family had lived. He wanted to take me there because well, every pony said it was safe but I doubt it was, or even is. That day, a bat pony had hovered over us, flapping above us. Without notice, my head was slammed into a rock. The coal winged pony had pushed me with all its might. I felt the wet warm liquid that trickled down my nose. I had no idea what was going on. My vision faded into a void. I had awakened to a worrying Pyros. Then, the memory of when he told me to run incorporated in my thoughts. I often wondered 6 months later from now, where he is. Guess I’ll truly never know.
CETUS.
Sadness washed over me like a cold dripping shower flowing over my head. I mean, I just saw the death of my mother for crying out loud. I've only ever lost one pony that was family. My mentor. . . my friend. . . The greatest scientist in all of Equestria, my grandfather. Sitting in this cage, all I could really do was cradled my shaken sister and witness the bravest pony I knew in existence tremble from incoherent heartache. My fathers eyes were bloodshot and filled to the brim with tears of saddened anger. My father lost his father in this raging apocalypse and now the mare that had his heart. She was murdered, riding along with line of death, was also his heart. I wish I could inform him of the truth about his fathers demise or I was the reason for the starting of the tragedy in the first place. The dolefulness of my surroundings sent me spiraling back to that wretched memory. The day Equestria transformed into a world of an undead plague. I had the behavior of an adolescent pony trying not to grow up too fast but then again, I compeled myself to being a hard worker and pushing myself to reach my goal, to become a zoologist for I had a intense love for the creatures. ~The Lab~
"Hey, Fluttershy!" I schemed into a non-distinct whisper in attempts to frighten her, I thought she was adorable when scared so I gave in to my chances. The rawness of her silk hopped along with her lemon body. She had coughed out a cute yelp, as per usual. "Oh! Cetus. You scared me," stuttered the fur raised pegasus, her hoof scraping the ground nervously. "So I just talked Grampy into taking us to the labs today," I grinned mischievously, "Such a vulnerable elder pony. " "Really? He agreed to let us go over to the lab?" "Well, of course. He's cool for an old stallion. The only problemo is. . . you getting there." "Huh?" Fluttershy tilted her head in confusion. "Well. . . regular ponies are not really supposed to let in for exploration of the area BUT if we make it towards his office with being noticed then perhaps. . ." Fluttershy had not been to thrilled about the sneaking around but she was yearning to get in that lab, her curiosity of how the animals were being treated, with the side of her companion Angel Bunny being one of the test subjects. I was in dripping fortitude to bring her there so they could reunite. "C'mon. Lets go." I dragged her along with me, clopping our way to his office. Two guards stood like knight armor suits in a castle hallway, waiting for any trespassers to trot their way in unaccounted for. I think to myself, how are we gonna top this off? "Tag! You're it!" I slap her flank with my hoof and wing myself down past the guards, the velocity of my speed overflowing. Fluttershy takes a moment then flies after me. Good. They know me well and think that I would be completely loyal. I am but this is for a perfectly good reason. When I was sure we were out of the guards view, I slugged my wings pace, slowing my hooves to the ground to signal Fluttershy that we could disperse the diversion. My ears perked to the clamp of her hooves settling on the porcelain tiles holding us afloat. "Do you think they noticed us?" She interrogated the situation. "Fat chance, now let's get a move on." We make our path to my Grampy's office, the paintings of numerous past and present ponies colored the moon plastered walls in definite shape. The hoofsteps that made impact to the floor beneath us echoed throughout, with not a guard around to question. How odd. We came across the entrance, I was on the cusp of pushing the door open until my friend and companion stopped me dead in my place. She gave me a gaze of a confounded pony in their first realization in lucid dreaming. "Uhm... Cetus?" She uttered softy, her voice was like being wrapped in a blanket on Hearths Warming Eve, so overly serene and dreamy. "Yes?" "You. . .Why did you touch my bare flank?" I experienced my pupils dilated in marvel. "Uhm. Uh." In that second, the door went ajar and a dash of breath winded from me. I purposely leaned against the slightly crack door that I had already spilt open a bit from when I pushed it from before. "Hello?" Scruffy and elderly as his voice was, I was relieved to hear from him. Phew. I praised to Celestia forcing the door to gape to where I could follow through into his office, beckoning the sweet, creamy Fluttershy along beside me. The stallion stood colossal, his powder green mane to the peanut buttered coat. His tag that had balanced on his desk, written in crystal gray, freshly identified him as Plum Pudding. The room was a boiled silver with a hint of pure, unsanitary vanilla above the surface. The hedges were fashioned with medallions that flashed a wink into your eye, a picture dangled stationary with the body of a lightened chestnut, refered as my Grampy alongside former Princess Twilight Sparkle. The gold medal indicated that he had won some sort of reward for being scientist of the year or some sort of thing. A beacon of sunlight wavered itself in through the balcony doors, he was up on the seventeenth floor so hey, he was luxiourious of getting to fresh air when desired. Beside his peach endeavored desk a file cabinet lounged comfortably with the wall with a typerwriter by it's side, sitting atop a brazen box of god knows what. His deepened orange eyes blinked at my appearance. "Hey, Grampy." I say confindently. His resonant voice shimmied into my ears. "Ay, my boy. I almost figured you were Luna already returning to counter me when her chess skills," he chuckled. "Impressive but uptight when she's beaten. She can't take a fair beatening." "So, you ready to head down to the labs?" I poked a glance a Fluttershy, checking up on her. Grampy, his lenthy labcoat scurrying down his flank like a night gown, converted his sitting position to standing on all fours. "Indeed, I am. Now, what are your reports over again?" "Over the adversed effect and health issues associated with receiving the incoming medical treatment," I lie smoothly. Damn, I'm good. Me, Fluttershy, and Grampy venture our way, I observe through the glass panes noticing ponies and creatures of all sizes being administered a variety of examinations. My eyes intrigued on an actual color other then the cotton that completed the room to a stain of red. I saw the cause of the blood from an almond coated squirrel with bulging eyes, still hacking up its insides. The faculty reared up to rip the curtain around the cot in an instant. My thoughts were in a storming daze. What the hell did I just witness? I kept silent because I was so mezmorized at what I had just caught a glimpse of. Oh man, I was tramatized and still am. Fluttershy, luckily on her behalf(And mine) didnt catch notice. Her and Grampy were tied up in talking about his work and giving thanks to allowing her to visit the labs. He was just being chubby with his words and actions as usual. In a matter of minutes, we were halted by security. Grampy revealed his ID, Fluttershy hiding behind him, and we just followed along. Another hall we had to go through, lights more dim and shadows positioning themselves all around, echoing each of our movements. The see through windows spoke in darkened rooms within. It was pretty late so I assumed that the scientists just abandoned their studies for the days outcome. Finally, Grampy cut off his trotting to turn to a door of vault-like gray and pushed his hoof into a scanner that swiveled celery lines awhile analyzing. A few seconds fly by and a click lighted up my senses as the door opened then. I peeked a eye at the lemon caked pegasus, her butterfly embedded cutie mark shining against the newly founded light emerging from the room from which the door slid exposed with light. I had lone been in this room about once since when I snuck in out of forbidden curiousity, 'course I was apprehended and was brought out of the place, but I still vaguely knew the area well. Memory of a genius, or so I think. Fluttershy had to sqink at the sudden burst of bright lights that exploded from the lab. Giant glass cages filled majority of the room, creatures of all sorts lie inconsious in the brittle prisons that they slept in. The tiles below me were in frozen white, the light reflecting on it, I could see a blurry vision of my form, looking down. Fluttershy broke the silence that spiraled around the room. "Oh, no. We should go," letting her hoof dangle as she held it up, "We wouldn't wanna wake anypony or critters up from their resting." "Oh, not a worry. That glass is soundproof and vision proof," Grampy explained, "They aren't able to see nor hear any of our movements. Neat, eh?" "Oh, uhm, sure," she lowered her hoof. He ambled up to a prickly green table, scattered along it were jumbles of paper scribbled in scientific arts not even I couldn't distinguish. He broke out his magic to stack the papers, grasping them in annoyance. "Hmmph. Atom's Apple never allows his swelling head to express himself with finite knowledge, " He grumbled, barely audible, "Rotten apple cider he is, as a scientist." I review Fluttershy, her thoughts set forth on her besieging environment. I obtain the fact she's pretty fascinated at a bat pony, who had just awoken from its slumber. Grampy corners to us. "So, you kiddies ready from some learnin'? I rounded my eyes at the way he went on with his question, doing it anyways to irritate me. "Grampy. No." "Ah c'mere, Fluttershy. I hear you wish to see a certain some bunny." Her flamingo mane danced as she curved her body at him, excitement thrilling her lashes. "Angel Bunny?" He flutters his head, beckoning her to scoot along with him. They vanish, and I just stuck around. Angel Bunny didn't really like me anyhow, I don't know why, he's just a judgemental rat for all I know. Come to think of it, I may have have called him a rat before. I dont know. Still perplexed on Fluttershy's odd focus on the contained bat pony. I walked cautiously up to it, in attempts to acquire more descriptions from this anonymous charactor. Its figure detailed in a raven coat, mane a sullen vulture, his eyes beaming out like a fierce cherry. I gave a curious tap of the glass, it isn't laminated, I take note. It pointed out the vibration I had put into the stainless, containment box. My chest gave a backhanded artic chill. Those blood coating eyes sunk deep in mine. Its mouth proceeded into speaking to me but I hadn't a clue of what it was saying. I release the latches that kept my mouth shut and let myself observed the room for a lever of some sort. Chance doved out of the bed and I caught a button to the rear of the cage. I stomped my hoof to push it in and a voice intercepted the silence that was once available. "-For you must let me be free." it said in a deep, metallic voice. "I'm sorry?" "Release me. Please, I beg of you. I must leave this treachrous prison I have been placed in." I backed up hesistantly. "What are they doing to you?" "Release me, then I'll explain." "Just let me in on it now," I commanded.
He looked tooken aback from my tone, sighing in fortitude. "I solumnly make an oath to inform you if you get me out if this cramped area, then I'll tell you." He was correct, the area had been tiny. I found a lever, stamped below it read DO NOT OPEN UNLESS AUTHORIZED!. In my repertoire, I had the veto to either open or leave him contained. The memory of the squrrel have clicked back in the mist of my thoughts. My stomach throbbed sickeningly. Could this be happening to everypony and creature around here? I couldn't believe how callous the expressions built on the scientist faces had been figured. They treated the situation like it was a natural occurence. . . Before I cognized my actions, the glass fleered up, allowing the escape for the bat-winged pony. The room screeched in flashing scarlet and storming alarms. Moments passed and I caught sight of Grampy, his face contorted in disbelief. Fluttershy had only stood behind him, as terrified and confused as he was. The last thing from that time pass were the cries of Fluttershy and flesh tearing from Grampy's neck, for I was bashed in the head from the flying bat pony.
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Spinet.
"Aim Fire, could you slow down?" I huffed, working to catch up to the fastened paced shape speeding way ahead of See Saw and I. My hooves had grown tiresome so I lacked the force of my speed to an minimum. I had to keep my head down as I ran because well, damn my mane. Flat as it was, it always found a way possible to intercept my eyesight, no matter what I tried. A second ago, we were all walking oh so very casually down a path of gunky mud and the scent of condensation throughout. Till then now, Aim Fire sunk her teeth into something that clearly enticed her. At last, we were halted by the rushful, intriged pony that had brought us running in the first place. A questionable object dangled loose in grasp of Aim Fire's teeth. A shine cast from the silver chain that bounced off the suns beam. It seemed distinct. Dejavu poked the back of my head but I couldn't reflect off my past memories, I had banged my head a few times and well, I couldn't exactly reminisence the little things. A treble clef swirled beside a jingling silver bell that softly rang. The dirt rusting over it abducted the fact that it had been left there for days, forgotten. Its essence caused a drastic chill to overpower me indefinitely. How in Equestria does that necklace seems so...well-known? See Saw gawked at it, mystified at it's charming apperance. Aim whipped her jaw into the border of her heavily, unorganized satchel and set the necklace atop a bullet case, black with glazing white reflecting from the suns gaze. "Another item in the bag. If we come across traders, they'd be sure tah accept this stupid necklace," Aim Fire said, begining to trail back on route, "It's gotta have some great price on it, yah think?" "I bet," I reply, not honestly caring. We've been walking for two days straight and not even a fresh print to be seen. The moon was in motion to hog the spotlight, indicating that we should most likely set camp for the night. A nice fire to sweat our colds would bout give me a ray of hope to ongo my continiunce. "Aim fire, I believe-" I pursuited but then interupted. "Yeah, yeah." Aim Fire slid her sight all around, then voila, she spoke up. "'Ver here seems good!" An apple tree built itself next to the dawn lit glen positioned behind it. The shade looked comfortably well place. We settled our supplies then, ready for some rest. Since beyond the door of yesterdays watch, I had to put off a few hours of sleep and felt like fainting every few moments throughout. One of us over a certain period in the night, would be in charge of patrolling our camp, making absolute sure nothing or anything comes our way and.. You get the idea. In a four leaf clover in a patch of regular clovers, it was See Saw's chance to stay up for a while then was to awake Aim Fire, majority. I arranged my blanket above the soaking grass that leveled my stance, making myself positive that the edges weren't curled. I depised it and my nerves screeched if my comforter wasn't alligned properly. I had OCD to a minor extent. Okay, to a major extent but it really bugged me to a griefing stage. I took charge of my surroundings, Aim Fire was already bulbing her candle with her incandesent fire maker, settling her body and fixatiting into a book titled A Feathers Life, awhile See Saw had been on her rear, on watch. Note to take, before this all occured when Celestia and Luna, especially hadn't been hated by all of Equestria for being too weak because "The Royalty was all of that" in effect they left the kingdom to reside alone, but still offering the control of the moons and suns diversity, I had barely known my two comrades, See Saw wasn't even born yet. From my travels with them, I'd concluded Aim Fire enjoyed reading as much as See Saw embraced her innocence. See Saw had only to hope this would all in a clamp of a hoof disperse, so she could officially experience playing with actual friends and perhaps have a stable family, that wouldn't get devoured into bits from lethargic, flesh ridding baffles the Royalty has to blame for. I wasn't able to keep up with my contemplation any longer so before I knew it my vision wavered into darkness. I could only recall a few images from my head amid inconciousness. They seemed so much like memories then dreams to me. My past had been a tad hazy so how could I possible terminate anything was a past thought or dream? I jumped out of my coat at the hoof quivering on me, mid shake. My eyes exposed Aim Fire in an expression of "Let's get the hell outta here." "Aim Fire, it isn't my turn yet, leave me a-" "Get the fuck up,' Aim Fire said, voice raspy and like she had just woke up as well as I. I brought my head up from dug into my powered blue pillow then my eyes brought me unknown terror. Two stallions hovered guns in our direction with faces of a snake of venom searing out of its teeth. It was still precisly night as told by the distant quarter moon, lighting a bit of our moods. . Like the dolt I was, I started to move my self upwards. The colt to the right spat his words imtimidatingly, "Don't dare to make a move, you hear miss?" Well, he had some manners I presumed. From the looks of it and me adding their movements up, they were harmless unless insulted highly. So I declared that I shouldnt be a smart flank to them in attempts to start some calamity for my own enjoyment. They wore bandana's caked in dry blood and dirt. I pampered my own bandana of rainbow silk, I won it at a fair. I loved wearing it, I treasured it at my hearts content. I was just drawn to it for some odd reasoning at the time and well, I've wore it since, cleaning it to a certain extent of course. I noticed that See Saw wasn't available in my sights. Damn it, See Saw. I blunder to myself. No wonder Aim Fire treats you as a liabilty. I'm fully aware that See Saw's young and still a filly, but she's an overly abstracted coward. I'm not meaningly judgemental whatsoever but it's the element of honesty. "Give us all your possesions," The one with the nastiest teeth, clenched so his words were devoured by his teeth. Aim Fire snarled at the two in blithe anger. "Never! Back your flanks up unless you don't want them to remain intact!" The stallion that hadn't open his mouth to speak, clamped a hoof and his voice rose like jolting eyelids, his voice squeaked on his first word during this intervine. "Shut up and obey us now!" He held his SMG closer to Aim Fire. "We want no trouble." I painted my voice across our location, taking caution not to attract zomponies. "Quite frankly, neither do we," He had squeaked again amidst yapping at us, "So hoof everything over." Aim Fire showered herself in flames and bolted toward them in a sniper shot. She carried her limbs to the stallion who had spoken first, gratifying her aim at him, nailing him critically in the throat. His combat rifle fluttered out of his grasp and struck the ground. His partner was in a stance of loath, too suprized to even move at first. I sprited at the second stallion, catching him off guard. I didnt dare myself to give him a chance to attack. I drove him roughly down in overpowering might. Aim Fire had been struggling aside me, the unicorn pony had pitched her over, now being above her. He started slamming his hoof in her face, as the blood flooded out , staining his hoof. Like the smart mare I was, I retreated off the stallion I had been holding down and rushed to her aid, smashing my horn straight into his side, but not enough to punture his body. Fallen, he whimpered at the pain that swelled his liquid inducing sides. I glanced at Aim Fire, huffing for air, coughing on some blood in the process. Completely forgetting the pony behind me, my expression had made agonizing impact with the land below me. My head began to spin as I fell to my side. He had winded me, My vision acted like static, I couldn't achieve a observation even if I tried. Darkness was my only companion even after IT happened.