I'm Used To Itby frostbitethepegasusChaptersPrologue - ApprenticeTelegram 1Telegram 2Telegram 3EnoughPrologue - ApprenticeYou walk down the old streets of Canterlot. The cart and wagons, and friendly faces, that your grandparents told stories to you about were long gone. Once a peaceful kingdom ruled by Queen Celestia, now a wealthy, big and bustling country, Equestria, governed by non-other than Queen Celestia's sister, President Luna. The idea of a Parliament was scorned upon by people in your grandparents day. And now it was all too real, and you were living it; loving it. Hmm... not so sure about that one. Queen Celestia's Apprentice, Miss Twilight, was supposed to become the next Queen rather than 'Princess' Luna. You knew she looked forward to the idea, but her passion for science caused her to abandon her studies with Queen Celestia, and move on to better things. Of course, there are now no 'better things' in Equestria than marketing and business and all that. But you aren't a usual person, are you? Because as of now, you are still walking down the streets of Canterlot, heading towards Twilight Sparkle's lab. Private lab. You knock on the door which simply flings open. A voice, "Come", beckons you to enter. Very dark, dusty as well, you think to yourself. "This is not the lab, in case that was what you were thinking...", Twilight speaks up. You cannot see her, and her voice sounds like it's coming from an old radio. "Take a seat". A light in the center of the room lights up; a table, and chair and a cup of water. You shuffle your feet over and sit in the cold, metal chair. A clanging noise is heard from a distance followed by the creaking of a wooden door. Twilight enters from the left side of the room. In between each finger is two sheets of paper, the skin in between the fingers themselves have several papercuts in the same spot, with crusts of dry blood forming over them. She notices you staring. "I've been holding these sheets for quite awhile". You can sense the deprivation of emotion from the tone of her voice, but either way, you must give your condolences. "Very sorry, Miss Twilight, about the tragedy that is the death of your friends many, many years ago, I-". "No need. You didn't kill them. You needn't apologize. The past is the past; and since they aren't here now, they are dead to me. Just like they really are". You sit in silence as Twilight pulls a sheet from between her fingers and places it face-down on the table. She asks you if you will need the water, as you will not be allowed to drink throughout the whole interview. You reject the offer. You observe that the paper is slightly brown, indicating that it might have been several years old. It is crumpled, and bits and pieces of the paper seem to be wearing away. Again, you hear the clang, and a light turns on in a separate room. Twilight is in that room. You know because you two are separated by a wall of glass. In the room is a microphone. Twilight grips it intricately with her fingers and pulls the long mic closer to her mouth, as she speaks, you can hear her from the speakers suspended on the ceiling. "Turn the paper over, Mr. Neptune". You reach for the paper, turning it over gently, so as to not tear it. It's a letter. A telegram, from Twilight to her parents during her younger ages. During the time when they were still alive. "Read it out loud please, Neptune". You begin reading. Dear Mother and Father, I simply cannot believe that Celestia has agreed to release me of my studies! I have been longing to start my works on actual science for a long time; and not that magicky weird witchcraft whatever. I do not wish to train under the top scientists of Equestria not because I wish to disobey you, but because I find working alone the best way to work. Which is why I have very recently gotten rid of the dragon, Spike. He is fine, currently staying with my good friend, Rarity. I don't have time to write now, as I need to begin my own studies. I will get back to you in the next paragraph. It had only been 48 hours since I started my studies when I got a letter from my other good friend, Pinkamena. She works in the local bread factory ever since she lost her cupcake stall just recently, which was why I couldn't leave Spike with her, as her house was too small. She told me that whenever I needed her I could ring her up and that even though we were far from each other, she still wanted to keep in touch. How Sweet! As you read, you keep thinking to yourself that back then Twilight used to have such emotion that it even showed through her writing. The deaths of her friends had really impacted her state of mind. You pause for a moment to think. "Continue, Neptune", the speakers announce. It has been about a year. You pause again. "Continue" "A year, Miss Twilight?" There is silence for a brief moment. "Yes". Silence again. "Continue". It has been about a year. I wake up every morning ready for a new day. Smell the flowers, water the plants, say hello to the occasional passing Fluttershy and get back into the lab and slog away for the rest of the day. I don't mind, though. This is a passion. It's a way of life, my life. "Miss Twilight, I simply don't understand", you state. "What is there to understand, Mr. Neptune. I didn't ask you to understand. I asked you to read. Continue". I've been working in the same field for about 2 years now mum! This letter is long overdue, I know, but I really couldn't stop! I have been in this field for so long; I can't stop now. But it requires me to do things I couldn't dream of doing. I need a test subject. I need to experiment. If I want to revolutionize science I need a living breathing being to experiment on. I think I finally need Pinkie's hel- You stop abruptly, trying to process what you are reading. Once you grasp the meaning, you are overcome with emotion. "Miss Twilight". "Yes?". "You... You didn't...". You both are silent. You don't wish to talk. For a while, you forget you are even in this room until she speaks up. "Continue". "Miss, I-". Twilight lets out a hefty sigh as she says, "Do you wish to discontinue the interview?". You sit in silence. You need this job. It is the only way you can earn money for your family. You shake your head. "Continue". Author's Note This is my first dark story. I hope you all enjoy. Telegram 1"Continue", Twilight says into the microphone. She pulls out a folded chair from under the table that the microphone was resting on and unfolds it. She takes a seat. "Yes, Miss Twilight", you say as you run your fingers down the sheet of old paper. You can almost feel the terror surge through your veins. You have no idea how horrid the next few readings are going to be, but you need the job. For your family. You gently pick the paper up and reread the last line you read out loud. I think I finally need Pinkie's help. You understand what this means, but you have not yet grasped the direness of the situation. You continue reading. I want you to understand mother, father. What I am doing is all for you. To make you proud. I only want to be satisfactory in your eyes. I will do whatever to earn that satisfaction. I've rung Pinkie up. She will be arriving soon. I will be keeping a copy of this letter for scientific references, so I will need to write what I have discovered and... done... for safe keeping. I am done experimenting with Pinkie. Unfortunately, the experiment failed. Pinkie passed- Pi-... Pinkie- You sit there, unable to read the next word. A force gripped tightly at your heart, squeezing it so hard you felt it would burst not much sooner. Your eyes turn a shade of pink as you squirm uncomfortably on the verge of tears. Twilight sits watching. Still not emotion. However, she still remains silent until tears actually start flowing out of your eyes. "I wish to discontinue the interview. Please I... ", you sigh heavily. "Are you sure?", Twilight asks, this time more emotionless than you thought she could've become. Again there is a still silence that fills the room. "Oh, sweet Celestia", you say as you rub the sweat off your brow. "Are you sure?" Silence. "I-I... No, I need this, I- I'll continue". "Continue" I must describe my methods, otherwise I'll start making the same mistakes again. And I'd rather not. I subdued her with a special anesthesia given to me by Queen Celestia. What? You thought that everything she did was actually magic? How fatuous. As an apprentice of hers, I've learnt that magic does not exist, and magic is not friendship. Magic is but a slip of the eye, and friendship being a bond between to people. But if friendship is magic, and I've come to the conclusion through science that magic does not exist, then neither would friendship. Friendship is but another 'slip of the eye'. Friendship isn't real. Friendship is something your short existence uses to claim it has a purpose to even exist, when in actuality, the man with the most friends and the man with the least friends end the same way... death. Sure, one will die happier, but does it even matter. Friendship isn't real. It is an illusion. Where was I? Oh yes, I totally forgot. Sorry, I go all crazy trying to explain my beliefs- correction -facts to people. Anyway, I had come up with some sort of serum which I concluded might give those who absorbed such into their blood; strength, agility, sharpness of mind, e.t.c. It would've worked out perfectly. Or so.. I thought. I tested it on various animals. Rabbits, mice, the occasional bird or two, all showing very good signs reacting to the material. However, I didn't have the material to do a proper blood check on Pinkie as I had been running low on funds after buying the materials I needed for the serum. Once Pinkie was subdued, I placed her on the chair. I tried to make it look as comfortable as possible so that if she awoke in the middle of the session she would not panic. You can't do much, though, to make 'that' chair look... appealing. I sat her on the chair; shortly after which she awoke, obviously afraid, panicky even. I would have expected so. The anesthesia was powerful, however, and could only be administered once, otherwise it could be fatal. I guess it wouldn't have mattered for her. Pinkie showed an unusual swelling reaction to the first short of anesthesia. I figured it would be safe to continue as she only showed signs of an allergic reaction. I needed her to fall asleep somehow. All this panicking was not good for the experiment. I couldn't do a proper blood test if she kept fidgeting... I grabbed her arm, attempting as best I could to take some blood. Unfortunately, she managed to grab the syringe somehow and stabbed me straight in the wrist. You stare at the paper and look up to Twilight to maybe see a hint of emotion. Just... just once. No. No emotion. That is when you notice that there was a huge splotch of dried blood on the back. It had become apparent that Twilight attempted to apply pressure to her wrist after she was stabbed to stop the blood. Immediately, you felt your stomach tighten and something surge up your throat. You sit there completely still, afraid that if you move, you'd hurl. Twilight pulls the mic closer to her face, "Water?". You nod slightly as you hear the clang, the door creak, and a glass of water being placed in your hands. You hold the position stressfully for a minute or two as Twilight wait patiently in the next room, watching you. When you finally feel it is safe to move, you take large gulps of water to wash it down. "Continue?" Your eyes swell with tears. However, you wipe them away with your sleeve, take another gulp of water, nod your head, and proceed to read. I didn't know what to do anymore. I needed to do the blood test, I WANTED it to be safe for her. I told myself that my friends were more important for science. For a while, I sat in front of Pinkie, apologizing as she cried, I told her I'd let her go. I can't believe I told her that. I couldn't just abandon all my studies or her. Do you think I should've? It's too late now, anyway. I again tried to hold her hand down and take the blood, but the struggling made it too hard to find a vein. I presented to do something I thought I would never have to do. As I grabbed her arm and she sank her nails into my skin, I- "Stop", Twilight commanded. You looked up in horror. You had already read the next part. You sobbed silently as you realized you were about to work for this maniac. Twilight placed a jar on the table she was sitting at. The bone of a finger. You stare at it. Staring. Staring. Until Twilight speaks up. "It rotted". You place your fingers on the temples of your head and begin to massage yourself. "Sweet Celestia, what have I gotten myself into", you whisper. "Continue". I cut off her finger. Suddenly, the surge in your throat returned, this time forcing itself right out. You clenched your fists and placed them to your stomach, as you whispered to yourself, "Sweet Celestia". "Do you wish to discontinue the inter-" "WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP SAYING THAT", you shout.. Silence. "Sorry, Miss Twilight". "Continue". You gesture towards yesterday's dinner. "Don't worry about that, Mr. Neptune". I used the... finger... to collect blood. The result of the blood test seemed to be compatible with the serum so I decided to administer it. Apparently Pinkie had a certain 'enzyme' in her blood that would've broken down the serum into, well, let's just say an 'unhealthy material that could be fatal to those with such enzyme'. She died minutes after the administration of the serum. I don't understand how I could have missed it. I should've known once the anesthesia caused the allergic reaction. Then again, I hadn't tried the serum on animals that had that certain enzyme, so how was I supposed to know. However, you can see this in two ways, negative or positive. I personally, am very positive- "Heh... not anymore", Twilight said mid-sentence. She didn't even say it in a joking manner. Just her-her- URGH! Her.. unemotional poker face. You continue. I personally, am very positive. I created a suitable environment for the enzyme to thrive in. I extracted the enzyme from the body and placed it in the living environment. Once I had made more of the serum, I'd combine it with the enzyme and voila! A poison more powerful than cyanide! Heh.... Proud? Your Daughter, Twilight Sparkle. Again, you rub the temples of your head with your fingers as you try to process what you just read. Are all the telegrams going to be like this?, you think to yourself. "Next telegram, please", Twilight says. You hesitate to grab the paper, but you finally muster up the courage and take it. "Begin". Telegram 2Author's Note This one is a little more... 'fighting for your life' kinda chapter. I decided to do this because it's Rainbow Dash. So... yeeeeaaaaaaahhh.... Telegram 2 Dear mother and father, I am terribly sorry if I may have shocked you with my last telegram. I noticed it was a little much, but I'm sure you're fine with that. After all, the 'little brother' incident didn't seem to bother you much. I'm surprised you got that hidden for so long, nobody in all of Equestria knows I had a little brother! Where did you two discard the body, anyway... I'm wanting to work on the serum a little more. I can still use this same serum though; just have to test it on someone without the enzyme. No hope on that happening though; I don't have the proper equipment to detect such a complex and hidden enzyme like that. I remember Pinkie looking around randomly. So strange. Hey wait! I just got an idea! What if I use the anesthesia to detect the enzyme! Since apparently the enzyme caused Pinkie to have an allergic reaction towards the anesthesia. Rainbow Dash is coming around for a performance. Did you know she just recently joined the Thunderbolts? Glad she followed her dreams. Such a shame that I need her for the experiment. "Are you serious?", you asked politely. "It was an opportunity", Twilight replied bluntly, "Plus. The anesthesia would detect the enzyme. She wouldn't need to die". You pick up the other papers in your hand, "Then, what's with all this?". Twilight gestures for you to keep reading. You continue. But alas, she's very valuable to me as of now. You think that maybe this is the point where she lost emotion, putting science before friends. Until you read the next sentence. I feel like crying. I can't bear the burden of Pinkie's death on my hands. I need to tell Celestia. Someone just take me and kill me. Justice must be done! You can feel Twilight's long-gone anguish seeping from the ink into you. Your heart begins to beat faster at the thought that maybe Rainbow Dash was spared. Hoping that maybe her tragic death was really a flight mishap. "Miss Twilight, I don't see why you are making me read this. This is cruel and unusual torture, miss". "It isn't". "Of course it isn't, to you at least, you don't have emo-", you stop yourself mid-sentence in fear of offending her. "It isn't torture. Because you have a choice. You can choose to get up and leave now. Yet, you don't. Why is that Mr.Neptune?". "I... Please Miss Twilight, I major in science greatly. I've only come here to learn more! I need this, please". "I don't offer this apprenticeship lightly, Mr. Neptune... continue?". You shake your head. This time annoyed at the fact that you are being forced to read this. You continue with the telegram. Mum. Dad. I was going to tell Celestia but... but. You rub the temples of your head once again as you whisper, what's your excuse now... Rainbow Dash already has athletic prowess. If I tested it on her, there would be either no effect or her muscles would swell viciously until they became too much. But since her body is athletic, I can maybe study it to improve the serum. This is a major scientific opportunity mom! Rainbow Dash is the fastest jet flier I've ever seen. She's super strong as well (not as strong as Applejack though, but let's face it, nobody knows where that girl went) . Rainbow Dash's body has to be extremely resistant to withstand the pressure the jet is put under. The death of one girl who will not be remem- Again, you begin to cry. "How could you say that?". "Say what?" "That Pinkie wouldn't be remembered. Before her cupcake stall was shut down, she was the brightest and happiest girl in all of Equestria. She was so close to everyone back in the day. Once she started working at the bread factory, she straightened her hair due to hygiene reasons and... we lost her". "That was not my problem at the time". "It should've been! It should even be the same now! You were friends! Where did that go? Don't you understand how many people you've affected by killing this innocent girl? Don't you understand how much you've affected... me? My-my kids?". "Like I said. Not my problem. The only problem there is, is me. So I take care of me. And that's good enough. I don't have to care for you or your kids". You stare at Twilight in disbelief. Well, now you were dead set at completing the interview. If nobody cared for your kids, you had to. The... death of one girl who will not be remembered mustn't hold me back. Rainbow Dash MUST be the answer to this. Sometimes I think I might lose myself through all this, but I can pull through. I can do this. I am writing this as Rainbow Dash is currently with me. I put her in a room separating me and her by a wall of glass. You think to yourself, crap. I've placed a sleep deprivation device around her neck. Don't worry, I'm only going to leave it on for about 2 days. I need to test whether her strength is actually valuable to me. Wait she's waking up! "Stop", Twilight commands, "for the rest of this telegram, I've recorded it. I needed to take down the type of emotion she displayed when she was at her strongest and weakest. Even the faint cracks in her voice were important. Do you understand?". You flinch slightly at the thought of having to hear everything, but you went ahead with plan after taking a brief moment to breathe. Subtitles were displayed on a screen for you to clearly understand what was being said. Errrrr... AHH! ARGH, MY NECK, SWEET CELESTIA *gasps for air* What the hay is this thing around my neck! Sweet Celestia, get it off! WHOEVER THE HAY YOU ARE, TURN THE LIGHTS ON OR I WHILE BREAK YOUR FACE! Rainbow, it's me, Twilight. TWILIGHT??!! WHAT THE HAY?! LET ME OUT *faint sobbing* Rainbow, I'm sorry, I just... I need you to- SWEET CELESTIA, TWILIGHT I NEED YOU! TO LET ME OUT! AND DO IT NOW, GET THIS THING OFF MY NECK! *sobbing* please... (while sobbing) *light turning on* Twilight. I need you to just go through this, Rainbow, you're strong, you'll be fine. What even IS this, Twilight. You can tell the recording has been cut. The subtitles read, 'Day 2'. Sweet Celestia, Twilight. Can I sleep now? You notice that the subtitles now display the emotions Rainbow Dash went through. Current emotion status: Bored You think to yourself, how can someone feel bored when they're going through such suffering. Today is the second day. Rainbow Dash hasn't lowered her head once. She doesn't look in the least tired. Or interested for that matter. Well, she will be. She has too. Twilight, what the hay does that mean. Dash, I'm sorry. You don't have the right to call me that anymore, Twilight. ... So what does it mean? I wanna know. *Twilight shuffles feet* *clanging noise* TWILIGHT WHAT IS THIS. *Fast speed vibration noise starts* Just... All you need to do is try to hold them back HOW THE HAY DO I HOLD THESE BACK! TWILIGHT PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! WHAT EVEN ARE THES- AHH! STAY AWAY! Current emotion status: Afraid TWILIGHT DON'T! JUST TELL ME WHAT THESE ARE! I CAN'T! IT'LL RUIN THE EXPERIMENT! ... ... EXPERIMENT?! HAVE YOU ALWAYS SEEN ME AS JUST. SOME. DUMB. EXPERIMENT?! Current emotion status: Angry I ALWAYS SAW YOU AS A FRIEND *bang followed by small glass cracking You are shocked as you whisper to yourself, "Is she seriously punching the glass?". I THOUGHT YOU CARED ABOUT ME *bang followed by small glass cracking* ABOUT US! *bang followed by glass cracking* I DON'T- AHHHHHH! *sound of electrocuted scream* You shout as the recording plays, "WHAT WERE YOU DOING TO HER?!". Twilight stares at you blankly as the recording continues. You shout again, "WHAT DID YOU DO?!". You are determined to shout again until you hear Rainbow Dash screaming in anger, even through the electrocution. I DON'T CARE FOR YOU ANYMORE! *bang followed by large glass crack* I DON'T SEE YOU AS A FRIEND ANYMORE! Rainbow, this is amazing *Rainbow screaming violently* *loud bang followed by shattering glass, soon followed by climbing noises* *running footsteps alongside rummaging for items* I'M GONNA KILL- *Sound of gunshot* Oh, sweet Celestia, Rainbow, I had to, I'm sor- End of Recording You sit there, staring at Twilight, fuming with anger. Even though you had never known the greatest jet flier in all of mankind personally, you can tell she fought for her right to live and that her death was a tragedy, taken place in the same room you were sitting in now. Telegram 3You sit in your chair. Staring at the little screen, now displaying nothing but static. Twilight pushes a button on her dashboard and the static turns to black. "How... could you even stand doing these to your friends" "I couldn't. But I learned to. Science is important. We kill one to save thousands. It just works that way" "That's not how it works! It just isn't right!" "Tell me, Mr. Neptune, if you had to be killed in the most gruesome way possible for the entire Equestria to survive, would you accept?" "Of course!" "Looks like we have a hero here. But here's where it gets hard. Would you sacrifice one of your children, or your wife, or anyone immensely dear to you to save the entire world? But if you didn't sacrifice them, you and a handful of people you hold dear will survive, but the rest of the world dies in that gruesome way..." "I-I-I don't know!" "Precisely. Only a true hero would sacrifice someone dear to them for the world. No matter how hard it would be for them. You may be a hero in your own way, but unless you can do that, you will never be a 'true hero'. I am a true hero... Anyway, next telegram please." You pick up the third telegram, but from the starting paragraph, you can already tell who the victim is. This isn't working. I need someone who won't fight back, or at least can't. Rainbow Dash was too strong. I was thinking on maybe searching for Applejack, but after my experience with Rainbow, I figured that she would kill me in an instant. Plus, her disappearance years ago caused her to be presumed dead, so for all I know, she isn't even alive. I need someone timid. Which is why I've decided to pay a visit to Fluttershy in Manehatten. "How is she going to help? I thought you needed someone strong?", you inquire. "I've gone back to my original plan, to test the serum instead. Obviously, Pinkie had an allergic reaction which caused her to die, but if Fluttershy doesn't react to the allergic reaction, I could safely test it on her". "Alright...", you agree. I've decided to conduct the test in the local lab of Manehatten. Fluttershy followed me into the lab, unknowingly of course. We waited until the lab was shut down at night and we hid in the most well-equipped lab belonging to a man named Father Pluto. "Father Pluto? You broke into my grand-uncle's lab?", you ask shocked. "Interesting", Twilight says blatantly, "Perhaps it was fate that brought you here, Mr. Neptune. Your grand-uncle was a great man. They say he was the Father of Equestrian Cloning. He was the first to clone a dragon." "He was a great man, wasn't he" "His son, on the other hand..." "He was a trouble-maker, that one. He got my grand-uncle arrested somehow". "And his son? How old was he? Occupation?" "By do you want to know about my cousin", you ask confusedly, "My family, for that matter". "Because I heard that Pinkie was married to a cardiologist" "That's... my cousin." "Hmm... thought so. How come he didn't help her out of poverty" "They divorced for... some reason, I don't know. But she was always like a sister to me", you laugh and then say, "My kids loved her. They always went to the cupcake stall to eat cupcakes and play around with her son". "Interesting", Twilight says, "Alright, enough chatting, continue with the telegram". Fluttershy was afraid. I tried my best to keep her calm but she was terrified. In the end, I managed to strap her to the table. It took me a while to learn about Father Pluto's equipment. In the end, I tested for the enzyme. Sadly, she did have the enzyme. But I couldn't let her go now. I'd get arrested! If not for experimenting on somebody, I'd be arrested for breaking into the lab! It took me a lot of stress, but eventually, I came to the conclusion that I would "get rid of" Fluttershy. Dispose of her, basically. Luckily, Father Pluto had some poison that would kill her slowly. I'm so sorry. I had to. You squint your eyes in disgust and disbelief at the rest of the paragraph. You notice that the paper is crinkled here and there, signifying that it had been stained by tears. Look, I know I said I'd do it painlessly, but this was the best chance I had at testing my serum. Well the one farmed with the enzyme. The poison one. It was the perfect opportunity! I couldn't let such an opportunity to waste! The following paragraphs describe how the serum 1, which is the name I gave the current one, affected the body. You look at Twilight. At this point you aren't surprised at the fact that she'd do such a thing, "That is unnecessary". Twilight glares at you and answers slightly defensively, "I was a young scientist trying out new things. It was a great opportunity". The enzyme seems to react with the anesthetic when in a nutritious environment. That nutritious environment being the blood. The reaction apparently needs nutrients to function, which is why in order to contain it, I've isolated it. Sort of like a virus outside of a body. Once injected into a body, it uses the nutrients to function and reacts with the blood. Because Fluttershy had the enzyme in her already, the serum seemed to react quickly causing some sort of manifestation in the blood cells. Something very interesting about this reaction is that the red blood cells seem to be attracted to it. Sort of like how red blood cells are more attracted to Carbon Monoxide than Carbon Dioxide. I've noticed that the reaction also seems to release some sort of gas. I'm unable to test the gas as of now, since I couldn't organize the equipment fast enough, but if I get another chance, I will most definitely try to test it. Her veins began to swell because of the gas and well, such danger is unavoidable... for her ... with me. But nonetheless it was an interesting and spectacular sight to witness the reaction between the two materials and the manifestation and attraction of the blood cells to that particular manifestation. Your place your palm on your forehead and let out a deep sigh. Spectacular? There's nothing spectacular watching your friend die. Even if it means witnessing cellular manifestation... right? "Are all of these telegrams about you experimenting on your victims? Are none of these actual valuable letters to your parents that actually showed emotion? At all?". "..." "Say something". "That telegram was full of emotion". "No. It wasn't". "I was saddened. Didn't you notice?" "No". "That's probably because I was overcome with happiness". You cringe at the fact that she was 'overcome with happiness', "I'm going to start the next telegram now. I just want to get over with this" Author's Note I'm pretty sure this one is a lot shorter than the others, but I hope it's enough. -frostbitethepegasus EnoughTwilight gestures an approval for your request to continue reading the Telegrams. As you reach for the telegram, you notice that Twilight takes a deep, worried inhale, and then an equally deep and worrying exhale. You can tell that she seems slightly nerved that you are continuing. You read without a sweat. People are wondering where my friends have been. The media seems to be very curious about all this. Newspapers have been issued speculating on what could've happened to them. If I am arrested, I won't be able to work on improving the serum. I don't understand. Why don't people understand that I am just doing this for their safety. I'm trying to help them! What am I supposed to do then? When I'm in prison I me- "You stopped? Why?", you ask Twilight. She takes a deep hard gulp as she walks over to the door on her side and issues you a different recording machine. This one was property of the government. Twilight slides a cassette out of her pockets. She hesitates to pass it to you for awhile as she rereads over and over again the word 'confidential' stamped on the label of it. She eventually gives it to you. "Put it in. Press play when I-", she chokes up for a while. You sit there staring at her as she continues, "When... I tell you to". You pick up the cassette in between your fingers and stroke the now-dry ink stamped there. You slide it carefully into the machine and shut the lid. Twilight brings the mic closer to her lips as she says shakily, "begin". You press the play button. Interview number one with subject Twilight Sparkle. Location: First Class Canterlot Science Lab. The voice was obviously President Luna's. "I've got many questions for you Miss Twilight. First of which... I'm obliged to ask this. Do you have a lawyer? "No... I do not". "Ahh yes. Now, tell me. Did you, or did you not, kill Pinkamena Diane Pie, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy?" "..." "Answer the questions, please". "I..." "Just... answer, Twilight. "I...*sob* I did, please don't arrest me! I-I-I'm sorry!" "Thank you for answering the question. Well, well, well, Twilight. You seem to have a lot of *chuckle* publicity... now. Don't you?". "*Sobbing* Please, I was just trying to help all of Canterlot, all of EQUESTRIA!" "Is... that so? And... and how were you planning on doing that?" "I created a serum. It was originally meant to strengthen muscle tissue and bones and all that kind of stuff, but-but whoever I administered the serum too they just.. they *sob* they..." "I see". "*sob*". "And how come they just...?" "They had a certain enzyme that reacted unfortunately with the original serum. Instead of strengthening the muscles, it manifests the blood cells into one certain area. It deprives the body of ox-" "Yes, yes. Science and what not". "Err... y-yes". "Twilight. Do you want to be arrested?" "Of course not! I don't want to go to jail! I want to continue my work!" "How's about I make you a deal. Since you seem to be... used to it... my sister, Celestia; don't you think she's a little... I don't know... overpowering?" "Are you suggesting" "Kill her. And you can use her to test the serum. Your greatest test subject yet". "You mean you want me to improve my serum on... Queen Celestia?" "Mmmm... half of that is true. I don't want you to improve the serum. I want you to make it more lethal. You see I don't plan on settling for what we've got. Queen Celestia is too gracious to the other kingdoms in terms of land. Tell me how this serum is spreaded". "Well, as of now, it's transmitted by injecting it into the blood...". "Mmmm... no, no, no. Can't have that. Tell you what. You use my sister to experiment on and improve the serum so that it can be transmitted through the air. "Oh, I've already done that. It's just that I don't have the fundings to store it in any other way than isolated crystal". "BAHAHA! Dear! Once, I'm Queen... no, PRESIDENT... I will store that serum VERY safely". "Why do you want more land? And how do you expect to live there after? This serum is very active when not in a dormant state! Nobody will be able to live there once you spread it!". "Oh, I'm sure you'll find a way to fumigate it and if you can't we'll just banish criminals there. Sounds like a plan?" "I..." "You do realize that if you disagree, I'll have to put you to a death sentence". "Okay, okay. I... It's a plan". "Very good, dear. Very good indeed..." The recording stops playing as you sit there; a throbbing pain in your heart, slamming it against your cold, rock-hard heart. Even with this flurry of emotion in you. You remain a still face. You take a look at the remaining telegrams. All of which you can find Queen Celestia's name scramble about in random sentences. Each sentence you did manage to read fully was written in the most indifferent way possible, just like your expression at that moment. Twilight pulls the mic slowly until it presses against her lips slightly, "Do you wish to continue". "No", you answer in a blank voice. You see the edges of Twilight's mouth perk up slightly from it's usual emotionless frown, signifying a longing to smile, and yet an inability to do so. "So then, Mr. Neptune. Will you join me, not as an apprentice, but as a partner in science?". "Yes". Again, the longing for an ability to smile is expressed once more. "Are you ready to be a true hero?". "Yes". You watch as Twilight pulls out a pen and a paper, as if getting ready to write down your response for the following question. "Are you willing to disregard all ethics in the name of Science?". "Yes". "Now tell me. And future followers in Science. How come you are able to become the true hero the world longs to be?". You don't need to think to answer this question. "I'm... used to it. Author's Note Yay! Last chapter! My first ever actually completed story! I hope you sick, sick people enjoyed this (kidding, kidding). Thanks to all those who read it and left feedback! Also, thank you Bronyparasite for mentioning the fact that Mr. Neptune is related to Pinkie. It was an original intention to make him (you) close to Pinkie, but not related. So thank you! -frostbitethepegasus
Prologue - ApprenticeYou walk down the old streets of Canterlot. The cart and wagons, and friendly faces, that your grandparents told stories to you about were long gone. Once a peaceful kingdom ruled by Queen Celestia, now a wealthy, big and bustling country, Equestria, governed by non-other than Queen Celestia's sister, President Luna. The idea of a Parliament was scorned upon by people in your grandparents day. And now it was all too real, and you were living it; loving it. Hmm... not so sure about that one. Queen Celestia's Apprentice, Miss Twilight, was supposed to become the next Queen rather than 'Princess' Luna. You knew she looked forward to the idea, but her passion for science caused her to abandon her studies with Queen Celestia, and move on to better things. Of course, there are now no 'better things' in Equestria than marketing and business and all that. But you aren't a usual person, are you? Because as of now, you are still walking down the streets of Canterlot, heading towards Twilight Sparkle's lab. Private lab. You knock on the door which simply flings open. A voice, "Come", beckons you to enter. Very dark, dusty as well, you think to yourself. "This is not the lab, in case that was what you were thinking...", Twilight speaks up. You cannot see her, and her voice sounds like it's coming from an old radio. "Take a seat". A light in the center of the room lights up; a table, and chair and a cup of water. You shuffle your feet over and sit in the cold, metal chair. A clanging noise is heard from a distance followed by the creaking of a wooden door. Twilight enters from the left side of the room. In between each finger is two sheets of paper, the skin in between the fingers themselves have several papercuts in the same spot, with crusts of dry blood forming over them. She notices you staring. "I've been holding these sheets for quite awhile". You can sense the deprivation of emotion from the tone of her voice, but either way, you must give your condolences. "Very sorry, Miss Twilight, about the tragedy that is the death of your friends many, many years ago, I-". "No need. You didn't kill them. You needn't apologize. The past is the past; and since they aren't here now, they are dead to me. Just like they really are". You sit in silence as Twilight pulls a sheet from between her fingers and places it face-down on the table. She asks you if you will need the water, as you will not be allowed to drink throughout the whole interview. You reject the offer. You observe that the paper is slightly brown, indicating that it might have been several years old. It is crumpled, and bits and pieces of the paper seem to be wearing away. Again, you hear the clang, and a light turns on in a separate room. Twilight is in that room. You know because you two are separated by a wall of glass. In the room is a microphone. Twilight grips it intricately with her fingers and pulls the long mic closer to her mouth, as she speaks, you can hear her from the speakers suspended on the ceiling. "Turn the paper over, Mr. Neptune". You reach for the paper, turning it over gently, so as to not tear it. It's a letter. A telegram, from Twilight to her parents during her younger ages. During the time when they were still alive. "Read it out loud please, Neptune". You begin reading. Dear Mother and Father, I simply cannot believe that Celestia has agreed to release me of my studies! I have been longing to start my works on actual science for a long time; and not that magicky weird witchcraft whatever. I do not wish to train under the top scientists of Equestria not because I wish to disobey you, but because I find working alone the best way to work. Which is why I have very recently gotten rid of the dragon, Spike. He is fine, currently staying with my good friend, Rarity. I don't have time to write now, as I need to begin my own studies. I will get back to you in the next paragraph. It had only been 48 hours since I started my studies when I got a letter from my other good friend, Pinkamena. She works in the local bread factory ever since she lost her cupcake stall just recently, which was why I couldn't leave Spike with her, as her house was too small. She told me that whenever I needed her I could ring her up and that even though we were far from each other, she still wanted to keep in touch. How Sweet! As you read, you keep thinking to yourself that back then Twilight used to have such emotion that it even showed through her writing. The deaths of her friends had really impacted her state of mind. You pause for a moment to think. "Continue, Neptune", the speakers announce. It has been about a year. You pause again. "Continue" "A year, Miss Twilight?" There is silence for a brief moment. "Yes". Silence again. "Continue". It has been about a year. I wake up every morning ready for a new day. Smell the flowers, water the plants, say hello to the occasional passing Fluttershy and get back into the lab and slog away for the rest of the day. I don't mind, though. This is a passion. It's a way of life, my life. "Miss Twilight, I simply don't understand", you state. "What is there to understand, Mr. Neptune. I didn't ask you to understand. I asked you to read. Continue". I've been working in the same field for about 2 years now mum! This letter is long overdue, I know, but I really couldn't stop! I have been in this field for so long; I can't stop now. But it requires me to do things I couldn't dream of doing. I need a test subject. I need to experiment. If I want to revolutionize science I need a living breathing being to experiment on. I think I finally need Pinkie's hel- You stop abruptly, trying to process what you are reading. Once you grasp the meaning, you are overcome with emotion. "Miss Twilight". "Yes?". "You... You didn't...". You both are silent. You don't wish to talk. For a while, you forget you are even in this room until she speaks up. "Continue". "Miss, I-". Twilight lets out a hefty sigh as she says, "Do you wish to discontinue the interview?". You sit in silence. You need this job. It is the only way you can earn money for your family. You shake your head. "Continue". Author's Note This is my first dark story. I hope you all enjoy.
Telegram 1"Continue", Twilight says into the microphone. She pulls out a folded chair from under the table that the microphone was resting on and unfolds it. She takes a seat. "Yes, Miss Twilight", you say as you run your fingers down the sheet of old paper. You can almost feel the terror surge through your veins. You have no idea how horrid the next few readings are going to be, but you need the job. For your family. You gently pick the paper up and reread the last line you read out loud. I think I finally need Pinkie's help. You understand what this means, but you have not yet grasped the direness of the situation. You continue reading. I want you to understand mother, father. What I am doing is all for you. To make you proud. I only want to be satisfactory in your eyes. I will do whatever to earn that satisfaction. I've rung Pinkie up. She will be arriving soon. I will be keeping a copy of this letter for scientific references, so I will need to write what I have discovered and... done... for safe keeping. I am done experimenting with Pinkie. Unfortunately, the experiment failed. Pinkie passed- Pi-... Pinkie- You sit there, unable to read the next word. A force gripped tightly at your heart, squeezing it so hard you felt it would burst not much sooner. Your eyes turn a shade of pink as you squirm uncomfortably on the verge of tears. Twilight sits watching. Still not emotion. However, she still remains silent until tears actually start flowing out of your eyes. "I wish to discontinue the interview. Please I... ", you sigh heavily. "Are you sure?", Twilight asks, this time more emotionless than you thought she could've become. Again there is a still silence that fills the room. "Oh, sweet Celestia", you say as you rub the sweat off your brow. "Are you sure?" Silence. "I-I... No, I need this, I- I'll continue". "Continue" I must describe my methods, otherwise I'll start making the same mistakes again. And I'd rather not. I subdued her with a special anesthesia given to me by Queen Celestia. What? You thought that everything she did was actually magic? How fatuous. As an apprentice of hers, I've learnt that magic does not exist, and magic is not friendship. Magic is but a slip of the eye, and friendship being a bond between to people. But if friendship is magic, and I've come to the conclusion through science that magic does not exist, then neither would friendship. Friendship is but another 'slip of the eye'. Friendship isn't real. Friendship is something your short existence uses to claim it has a purpose to even exist, when in actuality, the man with the most friends and the man with the least friends end the same way... death. Sure, one will die happier, but does it even matter. Friendship isn't real. It is an illusion. Where was I? Oh yes, I totally forgot. Sorry, I go all crazy trying to explain my beliefs- correction -facts to people. Anyway, I had come up with some sort of serum which I concluded might give those who absorbed such into their blood; strength, agility, sharpness of mind, e.t.c. It would've worked out perfectly. Or so.. I thought. I tested it on various animals. Rabbits, mice, the occasional bird or two, all showing very good signs reacting to the material. However, I didn't have the material to do a proper blood check on Pinkie as I had been running low on funds after buying the materials I needed for the serum. Once Pinkie was subdued, I placed her on the chair. I tried to make it look as comfortable as possible so that if she awoke in the middle of the session she would not panic. You can't do much, though, to make 'that' chair look... appealing. I sat her on the chair; shortly after which she awoke, obviously afraid, panicky even. I would have expected so. The anesthesia was powerful, however, and could only be administered once, otherwise it could be fatal. I guess it wouldn't have mattered for her. Pinkie showed an unusual swelling reaction to the first short of anesthesia. I figured it would be safe to continue as she only showed signs of an allergic reaction. I needed her to fall asleep somehow. All this panicking was not good for the experiment. I couldn't do a proper blood test if she kept fidgeting... I grabbed her arm, attempting as best I could to take some blood. Unfortunately, she managed to grab the syringe somehow and stabbed me straight in the wrist. You stare at the paper and look up to Twilight to maybe see a hint of emotion. Just... just once. No. No emotion. That is when you notice that there was a huge splotch of dried blood on the back. It had become apparent that Twilight attempted to apply pressure to her wrist after she was stabbed to stop the blood. Immediately, you felt your stomach tighten and something surge up your throat. You sit there completely still, afraid that if you move, you'd hurl. Twilight pulls the mic closer to her face, "Water?". You nod slightly as you hear the clang, the door creak, and a glass of water being placed in your hands. You hold the position stressfully for a minute or two as Twilight wait patiently in the next room, watching you. When you finally feel it is safe to move, you take large gulps of water to wash it down. "Continue?" Your eyes swell with tears. However, you wipe them away with your sleeve, take another gulp of water, nod your head, and proceed to read. I didn't know what to do anymore. I needed to do the blood test, I WANTED it to be safe for her. I told myself that my friends were more important for science. For a while, I sat in front of Pinkie, apologizing as she cried, I told her I'd let her go. I can't believe I told her that. I couldn't just abandon all my studies or her. Do you think I should've? It's too late now, anyway. I again tried to hold her hand down and take the blood, but the struggling made it too hard to find a vein. I presented to do something I thought I would never have to do. As I grabbed her arm and she sank her nails into my skin, I- "Stop", Twilight commanded. You looked up in horror. You had already read the next part. You sobbed silently as you realized you were about to work for this maniac. Twilight placed a jar on the table she was sitting at. The bone of a finger. You stare at it. Staring. Staring. Until Twilight speaks up. "It rotted". You place your fingers on the temples of your head and begin to massage yourself. "Sweet Celestia, what have I gotten myself into", you whisper. "Continue". I cut off her finger. Suddenly, the surge in your throat returned, this time forcing itself right out. You clenched your fists and placed them to your stomach, as you whispered to yourself, "Sweet Celestia". "Do you wish to discontinue the inter-" "WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP SAYING THAT", you shout.. Silence. "Sorry, Miss Twilight". "Continue". You gesture towards yesterday's dinner. "Don't worry about that, Mr. Neptune". I used the... finger... to collect blood. The result of the blood test seemed to be compatible with the serum so I decided to administer it. Apparently Pinkie had a certain 'enzyme' in her blood that would've broken down the serum into, well, let's just say an 'unhealthy material that could be fatal to those with such enzyme'. She died minutes after the administration of the serum. I don't understand how I could have missed it. I should've known once the anesthesia caused the allergic reaction. Then again, I hadn't tried the serum on animals that had that certain enzyme, so how was I supposed to know. However, you can see this in two ways, negative or positive. I personally, am very positive- "Heh... not anymore", Twilight said mid-sentence. She didn't even say it in a joking manner. Just her-her- URGH! Her.. unemotional poker face. You continue. I personally, am very positive. I created a suitable environment for the enzyme to thrive in. I extracted the enzyme from the body and placed it in the living environment. Once I had made more of the serum, I'd combine it with the enzyme and voila! A poison more powerful than cyanide! Heh.... Proud? Your Daughter, Twilight Sparkle. Again, you rub the temples of your head with your fingers as you try to process what you just read. Are all the telegrams going to be like this?, you think to yourself. "Next telegram, please", Twilight says. You hesitate to grab the paper, but you finally muster up the courage and take it. "Begin".
Telegram 2Author's Note This one is a little more... 'fighting for your life' kinda chapter. I decided to do this because it's Rainbow Dash. So... yeeeeaaaaaaahhh.... Telegram 2 Dear mother and father, I am terribly sorry if I may have shocked you with my last telegram. I noticed it was a little much, but I'm sure you're fine with that. After all, the 'little brother' incident didn't seem to bother you much. I'm surprised you got that hidden for so long, nobody in all of Equestria knows I had a little brother! Where did you two discard the body, anyway... I'm wanting to work on the serum a little more. I can still use this same serum though; just have to test it on someone without the enzyme. No hope on that happening though; I don't have the proper equipment to detect such a complex and hidden enzyme like that. I remember Pinkie looking around randomly. So strange. Hey wait! I just got an idea! What if I use the anesthesia to detect the enzyme! Since apparently the enzyme caused Pinkie to have an allergic reaction towards the anesthesia. Rainbow Dash is coming around for a performance. Did you know she just recently joined the Thunderbolts? Glad she followed her dreams. Such a shame that I need her for the experiment. "Are you serious?", you asked politely. "It was an opportunity", Twilight replied bluntly, "Plus. The anesthesia would detect the enzyme. She wouldn't need to die". You pick up the other papers in your hand, "Then, what's with all this?". Twilight gestures for you to keep reading. You continue. But alas, she's very valuable to me as of now. You think that maybe this is the point where she lost emotion, putting science before friends. Until you read the next sentence. I feel like crying. I can't bear the burden of Pinkie's death on my hands. I need to tell Celestia. Someone just take me and kill me. Justice must be done! You can feel Twilight's long-gone anguish seeping from the ink into you. Your heart begins to beat faster at the thought that maybe Rainbow Dash was spared. Hoping that maybe her tragic death was really a flight mishap. "Miss Twilight, I don't see why you are making me read this. This is cruel and unusual torture, miss". "It isn't". "Of course it isn't, to you at least, you don't have emo-", you stop yourself mid-sentence in fear of offending her. "It isn't torture. Because you have a choice. You can choose to get up and leave now. Yet, you don't. Why is that Mr.Neptune?". "I... Please Miss Twilight, I major in science greatly. I've only come here to learn more! I need this, please". "I don't offer this apprenticeship lightly, Mr. Neptune... continue?". You shake your head. This time annoyed at the fact that you are being forced to read this. You continue with the telegram. Mum. Dad. I was going to tell Celestia but... but. You rub the temples of your head once again as you whisper, what's your excuse now... Rainbow Dash already has athletic prowess. If I tested it on her, there would be either no effect or her muscles would swell viciously until they became too much. But since her body is athletic, I can maybe study it to improve the serum. This is a major scientific opportunity mom! Rainbow Dash is the fastest jet flier I've ever seen. She's super strong as well (not as strong as Applejack though, but let's face it, nobody knows where that girl went) . Rainbow Dash's body has to be extremely resistant to withstand the pressure the jet is put under. The death of one girl who will not be remem- Again, you begin to cry. "How could you say that?". "Say what?" "That Pinkie wouldn't be remembered. Before her cupcake stall was shut down, she was the brightest and happiest girl in all of Equestria. She was so close to everyone back in the day. Once she started working at the bread factory, she straightened her hair due to hygiene reasons and... we lost her". "That was not my problem at the time". "It should've been! It should even be the same now! You were friends! Where did that go? Don't you understand how many people you've affected by killing this innocent girl? Don't you understand how much you've affected... me? My-my kids?". "Like I said. Not my problem. The only problem there is, is me. So I take care of me. And that's good enough. I don't have to care for you or your kids". You stare at Twilight in disbelief. Well, now you were dead set at completing the interview. If nobody cared for your kids, you had to. The... death of one girl who will not be remembered mustn't hold me back. Rainbow Dash MUST be the answer to this. Sometimes I think I might lose myself through all this, but I can pull through. I can do this. I am writing this as Rainbow Dash is currently with me. I put her in a room separating me and her by a wall of glass. You think to yourself, crap. I've placed a sleep deprivation device around her neck. Don't worry, I'm only going to leave it on for about 2 days. I need to test whether her strength is actually valuable to me. Wait she's waking up! "Stop", Twilight commands, "for the rest of this telegram, I've recorded it. I needed to take down the type of emotion she displayed when she was at her strongest and weakest. Even the faint cracks in her voice were important. Do you understand?". You flinch slightly at the thought of having to hear everything, but you went ahead with plan after taking a brief moment to breathe. Subtitles were displayed on a screen for you to clearly understand what was being said. Errrrr... AHH! ARGH, MY NECK, SWEET CELESTIA *gasps for air* What the hay is this thing around my neck! Sweet Celestia, get it off! WHOEVER THE HAY YOU ARE, TURN THE LIGHTS ON OR I WHILE BREAK YOUR FACE! Rainbow, it's me, Twilight. TWILIGHT??!! WHAT THE HAY?! LET ME OUT *faint sobbing* Rainbow, I'm sorry, I just... I need you to- SWEET CELESTIA, TWILIGHT I NEED YOU! TO LET ME OUT! AND DO IT NOW, GET THIS THING OFF MY NECK! *sobbing* please... (while sobbing) *light turning on* Twilight. I need you to just go through this, Rainbow, you're strong, you'll be fine. What even IS this, Twilight. You can tell the recording has been cut. The subtitles read, 'Day 2'. Sweet Celestia, Twilight. Can I sleep now? You notice that the subtitles now display the emotions Rainbow Dash went through. Current emotion status: Bored You think to yourself, how can someone feel bored when they're going through such suffering. Today is the second day. Rainbow Dash hasn't lowered her head once. She doesn't look in the least tired. Or interested for that matter. Well, she will be. She has too. Twilight, what the hay does that mean. Dash, I'm sorry. You don't have the right to call me that anymore, Twilight. ... So what does it mean? I wanna know. *Twilight shuffles feet* *clanging noise* TWILIGHT WHAT IS THIS. *Fast speed vibration noise starts* Just... All you need to do is try to hold them back HOW THE HAY DO I HOLD THESE BACK! TWILIGHT PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! WHAT EVEN ARE THES- AHH! STAY AWAY! Current emotion status: Afraid TWILIGHT DON'T! JUST TELL ME WHAT THESE ARE! I CAN'T! IT'LL RUIN THE EXPERIMENT! ... ... EXPERIMENT?! HAVE YOU ALWAYS SEEN ME AS JUST. SOME. DUMB. EXPERIMENT?! Current emotion status: Angry I ALWAYS SAW YOU AS A FRIEND *bang followed by small glass cracking You are shocked as you whisper to yourself, "Is she seriously punching the glass?". I THOUGHT YOU CARED ABOUT ME *bang followed by small glass cracking* ABOUT US! *bang followed by glass cracking* I DON'T- AHHHHHH! *sound of electrocuted scream* You shout as the recording plays, "WHAT WERE YOU DOING TO HER?!". Twilight stares at you blankly as the recording continues. You shout again, "WHAT DID YOU DO?!". You are determined to shout again until you hear Rainbow Dash screaming in anger, even through the electrocution. I DON'T CARE FOR YOU ANYMORE! *bang followed by large glass crack* I DON'T SEE YOU AS A FRIEND ANYMORE! Rainbow, this is amazing *Rainbow screaming violently* *loud bang followed by shattering glass, soon followed by climbing noises* *running footsteps alongside rummaging for items* I'M GONNA KILL- *Sound of gunshot* Oh, sweet Celestia, Rainbow, I had to, I'm sor- End of Recording You sit there, staring at Twilight, fuming with anger. Even though you had never known the greatest jet flier in all of mankind personally, you can tell she fought for her right to live and that her death was a tragedy, taken place in the same room you were sitting in now.
Telegram 3You sit in your chair. Staring at the little screen, now displaying nothing but static. Twilight pushes a button on her dashboard and the static turns to black. "How... could you even stand doing these to your friends" "I couldn't. But I learned to. Science is important. We kill one to save thousands. It just works that way" "That's not how it works! It just isn't right!" "Tell me, Mr. Neptune, if you had to be killed in the most gruesome way possible for the entire Equestria to survive, would you accept?" "Of course!" "Looks like we have a hero here. But here's where it gets hard. Would you sacrifice one of your children, or your wife, or anyone immensely dear to you to save the entire world? But if you didn't sacrifice them, you and a handful of people you hold dear will survive, but the rest of the world dies in that gruesome way..." "I-I-I don't know!" "Precisely. Only a true hero would sacrifice someone dear to them for the world. No matter how hard it would be for them. You may be a hero in your own way, but unless you can do that, you will never be a 'true hero'. I am a true hero... Anyway, next telegram please." You pick up the third telegram, but from the starting paragraph, you can already tell who the victim is. This isn't working. I need someone who won't fight back, or at least can't. Rainbow Dash was too strong. I was thinking on maybe searching for Applejack, but after my experience with Rainbow, I figured that she would kill me in an instant. Plus, her disappearance years ago caused her to be presumed dead, so for all I know, she isn't even alive. I need someone timid. Which is why I've decided to pay a visit to Fluttershy in Manehatten. "How is she going to help? I thought you needed someone strong?", you inquire. "I've gone back to my original plan, to test the serum instead. Obviously, Pinkie had an allergic reaction which caused her to die, but if Fluttershy doesn't react to the allergic reaction, I could safely test it on her". "Alright...", you agree. I've decided to conduct the test in the local lab of Manehatten. Fluttershy followed me into the lab, unknowingly of course. We waited until the lab was shut down at night and we hid in the most well-equipped lab belonging to a man named Father Pluto. "Father Pluto? You broke into my grand-uncle's lab?", you ask shocked. "Interesting", Twilight says blatantly, "Perhaps it was fate that brought you here, Mr. Neptune. Your grand-uncle was a great man. They say he was the Father of Equestrian Cloning. He was the first to clone a dragon." "He was a great man, wasn't he" "His son, on the other hand..." "He was a trouble-maker, that one. He got my grand-uncle arrested somehow". "And his son? How old was he? Occupation?" "By do you want to know about my cousin", you ask confusedly, "My family, for that matter". "Because I heard that Pinkie was married to a cardiologist" "That's... my cousin." "Hmm... thought so. How come he didn't help her out of poverty" "They divorced for... some reason, I don't know. But she was always like a sister to me", you laugh and then say, "My kids loved her. They always went to the cupcake stall to eat cupcakes and play around with her son". "Interesting", Twilight says, "Alright, enough chatting, continue with the telegram". Fluttershy was afraid. I tried my best to keep her calm but she was terrified. In the end, I managed to strap her to the table. It took me a while to learn about Father Pluto's equipment. In the end, I tested for the enzyme. Sadly, she did have the enzyme. But I couldn't let her go now. I'd get arrested! If not for experimenting on somebody, I'd be arrested for breaking into the lab! It took me a lot of stress, but eventually, I came to the conclusion that I would "get rid of" Fluttershy. Dispose of her, basically. Luckily, Father Pluto had some poison that would kill her slowly. I'm so sorry. I had to. You squint your eyes in disgust and disbelief at the rest of the paragraph. You notice that the paper is crinkled here and there, signifying that it had been stained by tears. Look, I know I said I'd do it painlessly, but this was the best chance I had at testing my serum. Well the one farmed with the enzyme. The poison one. It was the perfect opportunity! I couldn't let such an opportunity to waste! The following paragraphs describe how the serum 1, which is the name I gave the current one, affected the body. You look at Twilight. At this point you aren't surprised at the fact that she'd do such a thing, "That is unnecessary". Twilight glares at you and answers slightly defensively, "I was a young scientist trying out new things. It was a great opportunity". The enzyme seems to react with the anesthetic when in a nutritious environment. That nutritious environment being the blood. The reaction apparently needs nutrients to function, which is why in order to contain it, I've isolated it. Sort of like a virus outside of a body. Once injected into a body, it uses the nutrients to function and reacts with the blood. Because Fluttershy had the enzyme in her already, the serum seemed to react quickly causing some sort of manifestation in the blood cells. Something very interesting about this reaction is that the red blood cells seem to be attracted to it. Sort of like how red blood cells are more attracted to Carbon Monoxide than Carbon Dioxide. I've noticed that the reaction also seems to release some sort of gas. I'm unable to test the gas as of now, since I couldn't organize the equipment fast enough, but if I get another chance, I will most definitely try to test it. Her veins began to swell because of the gas and well, such danger is unavoidable... for her ... with me. But nonetheless it was an interesting and spectacular sight to witness the reaction between the two materials and the manifestation and attraction of the blood cells to that particular manifestation. Your place your palm on your forehead and let out a deep sigh. Spectacular? There's nothing spectacular watching your friend die. Even if it means witnessing cellular manifestation... right? "Are all of these telegrams about you experimenting on your victims? Are none of these actual valuable letters to your parents that actually showed emotion? At all?". "..." "Say something". "That telegram was full of emotion". "No. It wasn't". "I was saddened. Didn't you notice?" "No". "That's probably because I was overcome with happiness". You cringe at the fact that she was 'overcome with happiness', "I'm going to start the next telegram now. I just want to get over with this" Author's Note I'm pretty sure this one is a lot shorter than the others, but I hope it's enough. -frostbitethepegasus
EnoughTwilight gestures an approval for your request to continue reading the Telegrams. As you reach for the telegram, you notice that Twilight takes a deep, worried inhale, and then an equally deep and worrying exhale. You can tell that she seems slightly nerved that you are continuing. You read without a sweat. People are wondering where my friends have been. The media seems to be very curious about all this. Newspapers have been issued speculating on what could've happened to them. If I am arrested, I won't be able to work on improving the serum. I don't understand. Why don't people understand that I am just doing this for their safety. I'm trying to help them! What am I supposed to do then? When I'm in prison I me- "You stopped? Why?", you ask Twilight. She takes a deep hard gulp as she walks over to the door on her side and issues you a different recording machine. This one was property of the government. Twilight slides a cassette out of her pockets. She hesitates to pass it to you for awhile as she rereads over and over again the word 'confidential' stamped on the label of it. She eventually gives it to you. "Put it in. Press play when I-", she chokes up for a while. You sit there staring at her as she continues, "When... I tell you to". You pick up the cassette in between your fingers and stroke the now-dry ink stamped there. You slide it carefully into the machine and shut the lid. Twilight brings the mic closer to her lips as she says shakily, "begin". You press the play button. Interview number one with subject Twilight Sparkle. Location: First Class Canterlot Science Lab. The voice was obviously President Luna's. "I've got many questions for you Miss Twilight. First of which... I'm obliged to ask this. Do you have a lawyer? "No... I do not". "Ahh yes. Now, tell me. Did you, or did you not, kill Pinkamena Diane Pie, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy?" "..." "Answer the questions, please". "I..." "Just... answer, Twilight. "I...*sob* I did, please don't arrest me! I-I-I'm sorry!" "Thank you for answering the question. Well, well, well, Twilight. You seem to have a lot of *chuckle* publicity... now. Don't you?". "*Sobbing* Please, I was just trying to help all of Canterlot, all of EQUESTRIA!" "Is... that so? And... and how were you planning on doing that?" "I created a serum. It was originally meant to strengthen muscle tissue and bones and all that kind of stuff, but-but whoever I administered the serum too they just.. they *sob* they..." "I see". "*sob*". "And how come they just...?" "They had a certain enzyme that reacted unfortunately with the original serum. Instead of strengthening the muscles, it manifests the blood cells into one certain area. It deprives the body of ox-" "Yes, yes. Science and what not". "Err... y-yes". "Twilight. Do you want to be arrested?" "Of course not! I don't want to go to jail! I want to continue my work!" "How's about I make you a deal. Since you seem to be... used to it... my sister, Celestia; don't you think she's a little... I don't know... overpowering?" "Are you suggesting" "Kill her. And you can use her to test the serum. Your greatest test subject yet". "You mean you want me to improve my serum on... Queen Celestia?" "Mmmm... half of that is true. I don't want you to improve the serum. I want you to make it more lethal. You see I don't plan on settling for what we've got. Queen Celestia is too gracious to the other kingdoms in terms of land. Tell me how this serum is spreaded". "Well, as of now, it's transmitted by injecting it into the blood...". "Mmmm... no, no, no. Can't have that. Tell you what. You use my sister to experiment on and improve the serum so that it can be transmitted through the air. "Oh, I've already done that. It's just that I don't have the fundings to store it in any other way than isolated crystal". "BAHAHA! Dear! Once, I'm Queen... no, PRESIDENT... I will store that serum VERY safely". "Why do you want more land? And how do you expect to live there after? This serum is very active when not in a dormant state! Nobody will be able to live there once you spread it!". "Oh, I'm sure you'll find a way to fumigate it and if you can't we'll just banish criminals there. Sounds like a plan?" "I..." "You do realize that if you disagree, I'll have to put you to a death sentence". "Okay, okay. I... It's a plan". "Very good, dear. Very good indeed..." The recording stops playing as you sit there; a throbbing pain in your heart, slamming it against your cold, rock-hard heart. Even with this flurry of emotion in you. You remain a still face. You take a look at the remaining telegrams. All of which you can find Queen Celestia's name scramble about in random sentences. Each sentence you did manage to read fully was written in the most indifferent way possible, just like your expression at that moment. Twilight pulls the mic slowly until it presses against her lips slightly, "Do you wish to continue". "No", you answer in a blank voice. You see the edges of Twilight's mouth perk up slightly from it's usual emotionless frown, signifying a longing to smile, and yet an inability to do so. "So then, Mr. Neptune. Will you join me, not as an apprentice, but as a partner in science?". "Yes". Again, the longing for an ability to smile is expressed once more. "Are you ready to be a true hero?". "Yes". You watch as Twilight pulls out a pen and a paper, as if getting ready to write down your response for the following question. "Are you willing to disregard all ethics in the name of Science?". "Yes". "Now tell me. And future followers in Science. How come you are able to become the true hero the world longs to be?". You don't need to think to answer this question. "I'm... used to it. Author's Note Yay! Last chapter! My first ever actually completed story! I hope you sick, sick people enjoyed this (kidding, kidding). Thanks to all those who read it and left feedback! Also, thank you Bronyparasite for mentioning the fact that Mr. Neptune is related to Pinkie. It was an original intention to make him (you) close to Pinkie, but not related. So thank you! -frostbitethepegasus
