The Dimensions of Polyn

Chapter 3: Future Prospects?

Graduation from the academy was two days away and everypony was anxious to find out what their future jobs would be. The final exam schedule was posted on the glowing bulletin board. There was both tension and excitement in the air. The two studious unicorns started meeting after school for study sessions. Polyn wasn't doing it to study, she knew the material already, only spending time with her good friend mattered.

She came home late. Thankfully her father wouldn't get home until even later. It was good that she didn't have to put up with his problems. Spending so much time together with Lyra at the school almost made the situation with her father disappear.

Finals were an absolute breeze. She passed every class with high marks except potion making.

“Sorry about your grade, it was an issue with the quality of the potions you had made.” Zecora rhymed her response as usual.

There was going to be a party tonight and she had been invited by Lyra officially. She would be welcomed as one of the elites for the evening. This was one of the perks of having a generous friend born into privilege.

There was an uneasiness about the party. Would she be able to fit in with the elites? What if she ran into Julius, would she be able to hold in her anger, or would she attack him. Knowing this was a bad idea, she was going to leave the core knife at home.

Finals didn't take the whole day so she was able to get home early. Her mom was already asleep in her chair. In her mom's room there were several old dresses that hadn't been warn in years. Fashion was the least of her worries but if she was going to blend in with the elites, she would have to look like one. There was dust on most the old dresses, but they were pretty nice. Apparently her mother used to be quite something. These weren't dresses most commoners could afford by the looks of them. She grabbed a blue and white dress, wrinkles and all and headed to her room to try it on for the party. It was a little long on her, but it would have to do.

It was the evening of the last day of school. Tomorrow, the students would be touring the central government building, undergoing an orientation with interviews, and finally finding out what job they would have.

The streets were completely devoid of anyone except several guards who stood watching closed shops and dusty warehouses. Several of them whistled her way as she passed them. The guards were too drunk to notice that she had walked from a commoner district. The charade seemed to be working. She didn't appreciate the comments and attention especially from bored, drunken guards. She wished she had kept the core knife just in case a guard overstepped his bounds.

Lyra had agreed to meet her at the biggest fashion club in the city called the “Art of the Dress.” It was packed with Government members and the wealthy elite. There was an open bar and several food stations at the entrance. A podium had been set up with searchlights. Hanging, multicolored lights flowed overhead and loud music wafting out from the club inside, filled the space. Expensive banners similar to the glowing boards at the school, advertised products and services. It certainly was a different world from the lonely city around it. Tonight there was going to be several special guests including the president himself, Julius Breadwinner who was scheduled to speak.

The Breadwinner lineage had been governing Equestria city since the end of the great war when the city was established. Julius' great grandfather was the inventor of the Sentinel Program. For centuries, It had been a family affair of corruption and a lust for power.

To some, being a Sentinel was a dream job. 40 years in a magical energy tube felt like only an 8 hour sleep to a Sentinel. Going to sleep and waking up with everything you've always wanted, was worth the cost of your time for some. If you were going to work for a lifetime anyway why not get the work over with and get to the good part, Living. Being away from your friends and family for 40 years was a small price to pay for helping the “Greater Good.” The cliched phrase was put in magazines and advertised everywhere, to death.

If the secret messages from the unmentionables and their short wave broadcasts were to be believed, there wasn't going to be any reward or elite status for becoming a Sentinel. It would be all for nothing. Her father believed the lie of a better life, just like the rest of the city who had believed the lies and had given up, putting their hope in those who only wanted to use them for selfish goals.

Someone as important as Julius wouldn't be caught dead in front of anyone but the elites. They worshipped him. Enabling the rich was what he did best. The Elites got richer though the work of the commoners who were paid next to nothing and were provided almost no amenities. They cut as many corners as possible in order to store up as much money as they could. With the government regulations and the constant military presence of guards in the city, no one had the power to do anything about it. Oppressed citizens surviving beneath the empowered Weality; this party tonight was a celebration of excess, a shining example of the benefits of corruption.

Polyn didn't want to think about tomorrows induction, Julius' lies or her own struggle, she wanted to enjoy the party the best she could. Was she letting her convictions slip a little tonight, yes, but she wanted to spend a fun night with her friend, the only elite who had any respect or kindness left. She didn't know when she would get a chance like this again.

Lyra is wearing a very fashionable, red and white dress, she looks as decorated as any of the elite. She bows her head with a straight face, then covers her mouth and laughs gently.

“Nice Dress,” she comments.

“I would say the same to you.”

“Thanks, Its a present from my parents a Photo Finish limited edition.” she makes a satisfied grin as she glows among the flashing lights around her. Polyn herself was never very fashionable or even remotely functional in her choice of clothing. She wished her parents had the money to afford such extravagance. Maybe if things had been different.

Lyra didn't treat Polyn like a commoner at all. She would always be the best friend she could be. Most wealthy young mares were disrespectful but Lyra would put her only friend first in most situations. She was polite, inviting, and most of all humble, even while having every right not to be.

Everypony gathers outside the club as Julius makes his appearance between the large skylights. He is older and very regal. He has a short and perfectly straight black mane with a hint of gray. He is wearing a custom designer suit and approaches the stage with two young attractive mares on both sides. a voice amplification box rises and he begins to speak. Immediately, Polyn felt a shiver go down her spine.

“Fellow Citizens, Mares, and Gentle Colts.” The audience stomps their hooves in excitement. “Tomorrow we will usher in a brand new era for Equestria city.” His amplified voice powers over the crowd. “Students from all academies all over this great city will gather to assemble the greatest workforce that we have ever seen.”

He takes a dramatic pause while he moves down to the level of the audience. One of the young mares follows him with the amplification box. He steps toward the audience for dramatic effect. “We should not even exist. The great war that destroyed our world and the atrocities of our forefathers were sure to be the end of us.” His eyes peer over the attentive audience. “But we banded together. We defied our fate and proved we were not going to go quietly.”

Polyn looks over at Lyra, she is mesmerized by his powerful and eloquent speech. Being groomed to be a high ranking official; it appeared like she already was developing a passion for it. Her Elite friend had always been too trusting and Naive. Hopefully she would be able to make the right decisions once in office. Her political future was one of the few things other than magic that kept Polyn looking toward hers.

“It was our citizens that built the humble beginnings that would later become this great city and it was our citizens who made technology and magic the tool for our future.” He extends his hoof up and points it behind him at the large building that looms over the club. “These great magic reactors that originally saved us from annihilation, have continued to keep our city running for many lifetimes. We have given ourselves and our children a future. We have ensured the survival of our great Equestria.”

There is a silence from the adoring crowd as he walks back up to the podium. “Tomorrow we will begin our hard work in order to benefit the greater good of our people and our city, but it will not be without sacrifice.” He pauses and his serious demeanor turns into a prideful smile. “The work will always be there, but let it be in the back of your minds, for tonight...we celebrate our victorious history. It's party time!” He holds out his front hooves wide as the audience erupts in celebration. Julius stands statuesque on stage.

The doors to the club open. The music starts and a line begins to form outside. Lyra overlaps her hoof with Polyn and makes for the front. The bouncer looks at her and opens a side gate.

“Welcome miss Lyra, he greets. Polyn chuckles a little.

“Important aren’t we,” she muses.

“You know,” comments her green friend, “There may be more situations in the future where I can escort you like this, I hope you can get used to the pampering.”

“You know they are never going to let someone like you hang out with a commoner like me.”

“I can always sneak out and see you, I learned from the best anyway,” she says smiling. “You'll get some awesome job as an techie somewhere that I'll naturally have clearance to, It'll be like old times.”

Lyra leads and the two run down the access-way to the club. The hall is decorated with pictures of famous elites. None of them Polyn recognizes. The music becomes louder as they work their way closer to the club center.

“Look my parents are over there, Let me talk to them real quick. You have a seat at the bar and order some food, I'll meet up with you shortly.” She was really in her element.

At the front of the club are the DJ booth and the VIP area. Polyn heads over and grabs some kind of tasty glowing hey from the bar while Lyra visits her parents at the VIP booth. As she sits down, she scans her eyes around the club. Laser lights whizz behind her and the loud music challenges her ear drums.

The promoters spared no expense. The food was better than anything she'd had on the streets or at home. The featured artist tonight was the great DJ Pon-3, also known as Vinyl Scratch by her fans. She has a flashy white and blue mane creased in the middle by a large pair of headphones. The famous DJ had apparently been born a commoner, but after her talent became noticed during a school dance, she was given a job at a local club, gaining in popularity and eventually being included as part of the elites who promoted her to their high status. This almost never happened and certainly wouldn't happen to Polyn. still the story made her hope a little.

Lyra continues talking and smiling with her parents over at the booth, rubbing snouts with the wealthy and successful. The lonely bar fly was unable to be a part of the VIP's. A voice interrupts her thoughts from the end of the bar.

“Dahling, could you grab me some of dat punch? Be a dear would you.”

Polyn pushed some punch to the end of the table. A sharply dressed older mare with silver hair and large purple sunglasses, wearing a designer, black and white dress, grabbed the drink with a quick jerk and chugged quickly.

“Tank you Dahling,” she exclaimed. It took a minute for Polyn to realize that she had just met the likes of the great fashion mogul and photographer Photo Finish but wasn't really impressed.

Just as the drink in front of her reaches the bottom, Lyra shows up and orders a drink herself.

“Oh my gosh, this party is amazing.” She is ecstatic. “You just gave photo finish a drink, how awesome are you?” Polyn shrugs in response.

“I'm not all that impressed.” She always was glad that she could tell her friend any of her thoughts and get an honest, heartfelt response. She decided that it was time to do just that.

The two friends make their way to the door leading to an outside patio. So many people were busy with the party that they had left the outside untouched. Polyn sits under one of the patio trees, Lyra follows. The young elite looks toward her with interest as the two sit in silence for minute or two. It's a calm quiet night, the loud sounds of the club slowly fading away as they become deep In thought. They sit together looking out over a large river with the ominous buildings keeping their distance for now. Soon Polyn gathers up her courage and focuses on her friend. She is able to expose a closed mouth smile.

“You know, we have quite the past you and me.” Lyra shuffles in her seat. “The school bullies during our transfer to the magic academy...” Polyn nods her head and replies.

“I got to protect you from that dragon we summoned during magic training class three years ago, that was a real low point in my life. I should have listened to what Trixie said about biting off more than you can chew when it comes to summoning.” Her friend laughs.

“You know that dragon sure did.” The two share a laugh together but Polyn's smile fades and she becomes very serious. A thick silence follows.

“After tomorrow, I wont be able to protect you anymore.” She struggles to get the words out. “You're going to have to fight off any future monsters by yourself and that may include Julius.” Lyra reaches out her hoof to Polyn and places it next to her neck.

“I get to protect you now and this city.” All the sounds of the club have faded and the two are in a little world all their own. “I'm going to become a brilliant official and make life better for everyone,” Lyra says.

“The government is a much tougher opponent than a dragon” Polyn replies.

Lyra leaves to get some more food at the bar so the two can continue their talk outside. Polyn admires the wide waterfront that spreads out before her. The tall city buildings and industrial smoke from the factories, provide a hazy view of the moon. Suddenly a shadow is cast over her sending a invisible pain through her body. She looks up to see Julius Breadwinner himself standing over her. A guard approaches her as well. He speaks to the large colt.

“Kallan.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Make sure no one comes through the outside door, I would like to have a little chat with my unicorn friend here.”

Kallan nods his head slowly and proceeds to stand in front of the doorway. Polyn gets a good look at the tall guard colt. He looks emotionless and tired.

“Nice view isn't it,” Julius says. He begins to rant as he looks out at the waterfront. “Look at all that we have achieved in such a short time. My ancestors left written logs during the war that describe the dread and worry they felt; the pressure that was mounting to build a city that would be a salvation for ponykind.” He looks into Polyn's eyes. “You know far too well about pressure. You live it everyday. Your father... whew, is he a piece of work.”

She stares at the strange smirk he has on his face. He continues, standing over her his black mane crisp and motionless in the wind.

“I overheard you and I admire those who display that protective instinct.” He leans in. “I know that Lyra is the thread holding your world together and I'll admit she has the gift of kindness, unlike your parents.” He is incredibly smug as he begins to pace around the tree they are under, brushing one of his front hooves against the leaves. “I know you are not happy with your mundane student life, family life and limited future prospects, so I am here to offer you an opportunity...” He speaks in a softer voice no less penetrating than his former tone. “Since you're here with me, commoner.”

Polyn knew at that moment that this was all planned. He allowed her to be let into the party, allowed her to go out late at night past the commoner curfew. Julius knew her every move. All this just to make her an offer? His voice penetrates her thoughts.

“What if you could go anywhere you wanted, see anything you wanted, and get away from your troubles?” he asks.

Of course she wanted a way out, to live apart from the city's corruption but why did it have to come from the source of it.

“My lab has unearthed a prototype that will usher in a new utopia or should I say infinite utopias. I'm sure you have read Starswirl's papers on multiple dimensions?”

There is no response from Polyn. She looks back to see Lyra talking with the guard, drinks in hoof. “

We should probably pull it from the library, we don't want anypony getting ideas.” He throws his hooves up. “It is no longer speculation, it's real and this device will make it possible. His excitement grows. “Ha! Soon I will be able to travel anywhere I want and have everything I desire.” He sighs.

“Of course in order to accomplish this feat I need some assistance.”

Julius was so excited that he started sharing things he shouldn't, of course his position and all that power had made him careless; all that and a few drinks.

“I have seen your prowess at elemental magic, even magical core fusion. You have a gift and I am in need of some magical muscle for my upcoming endeavor. I already have a trained military force but I need, oh let's say...enforcers who can wield magic to deal with any 'problems' that I might encounter when exploring the outer reaches.”

She doesn't make eye contact with him but she had heard every word. Working for Julius might have it's privileges but there was always a catch. Remembering that most of what the Government says about opportunities is a lie, could she even trust him?

“Your father came to my building yesterday.” Polyn's eyes widen. “He has already decided your future job for you, Just like his father did...and you know how that turned out. I've seen the application and you won't like the results.” She hides her surprise with a scowl.

Julius stops pacing. “You can be at the mercy of your father and succumb to the fate he has for you or you can join me.” Polyn looks back at him and makes eye contact. “Work for me and I will make you an elite. I can allow you to see Lyra anytime you like. You will have money, riches and a future. Not to mention a place of your own, maybe another dimension all to yourself.” He leans in and whispers in her ear.

“You will no longer be at the mercy of your degenerate, drunken father and your useless mother.”

“How dare you?” Her anger has welled up to the surface. “You don't really know me or my father. You are a liar and a fool who lets ponies die because they wont obey your selfish rules.” She stands to meet him but only goes up to his neck, still she glares at him.

“It's because of you that my father and mother have become like this.” She is fuming. “You bribe me, and you expect me to join you and become part of this fallen, evil corrupted city,” She stomps her hoof. “I will not share in your conquest; in this dimension or any other.” Julius keeps a straight face through her shouting fit.

“If that is how you feel then I will leave you to your fate, it's a shame really. I will give you some time to think about it, unfortunately this party is over. Kallan, get this ungrateful foal out of my sight.”

The guard comes and escorts her out. She shocks him with a blast of lightning. Lyra drops both drinks. Her friend motions to her and runs back into the party. As she dashes through the door, a large guard slams her to the ground. The music is so loud that no one hears the commotion.

Polyn is thrown out into the street. She is forbidden to come back into the club. Her friend tries to meet her but Kallan shakes his head. The even larger guard that knocked her out is standing behind him with a large blunt weapon. Slowly standing up, the injured mare looks back at her friend.

From behind the guard Lyra shouts.

“I'll try to meet you tomorrow at the orientation.”

The disheveled unicorn takes one look back as she walks toward the empty dark city leaving the club and her friend behind.

There are almost no lights on in the buildings as she walks home. Thoughts begin to wonder around in her head. She needs to do something. Maybe tomorrow at the school job orientation, she can talk some sense into Lyra. They could run away or anything, anything to leave this place behind. She didn't care about the greater good, Julius' dimensional conquests or her parents; just her friend and a way out for both of them.

A stench wafts out with the smoke from below. it ascends up and dissipates among the looming buildings. In front of her a single street lamp sputters on and glows a dark red. She stops until the smell from below makes her cough, then she proceeds forward into the darkness.