Chapter: 13by Chapter 13Chapters[We Will Live On] Part: 1-4[Eyes in the Nightmare] Part: 1-5[Eyes of Judgement] Original.[Reconnection] Part: 1-3[Fo:E - Solar Shield] Part: 1 V.1[Fo:E - Solar Shield] Part: 1 V.2[Fo:E - The Lessons We Learn] Lesson: 1 - Luck never Lasts[Fo:E - Frozen Gears] Story Setup[Fo:E Short- Sunrise] Short[Fo:E - Wanderer] Story Setup[A Soldier's Fight Never Ends] Story Setup[Fleeting Hope] Story Setup[Entanglement] Story Setup[Crestfallen Soul] Freewrite[Silent Night] Freewrite[Bioshock: Equestria] Freewrite[Fool's Paradise] Part: 7 (Scrapped)[Eyes of Judgement] Part: 1 (Scrapped)[Fallen Sky] Story Commission[Fo:E - Paradisum] Chapter: 1 - A call to Paradise[Dash's Mother] Old Crap[From Nothing] Writing Exercise [Without the Impossible] Part: 1-2[We Will Live On] Part: 1-4[Fo:E - Solar Shield V.2] Chapter: 1 Fallout: Equestria - Solar Shield By: Michael A. “The road to ruin is paved with good intentions.” “Just tell me the first thing that comes to mind, okay?” “Yes, sir.” “Good! “Dark?” “Light.” “Quiet?” “Loud.” “Warm?” “Cold.” “Hmm… interesting. “Death?” “Evil.” “Violence?” “Unnecessary.” “War?” “Failure.” “Innocent?” “Defend…” “Very good! “Subject is responding to conditioning as planned, phase two is now ready to begin!” Feeling. It was the first thing that came into my mind. Touch, smell, taste, sight, sound. I felt none. Darkness was my sight; null was my touch. All senses that should have existed, didn't. I felt hollow, empty, a consciousness floating without a tangible form. I was scared. Not only did I feel hollow, but also alone. There was nothing… I was nothing. Where (or, even, what) I was remained a mystery, one that I was helpless to solve. Memories. I tried to think, I tried to remember, but like the void I was, there was nothing. I could remember the basics; the fundamental pieces I would need to survive, but nothing further. Fear. The only thing that could breach the void, the feeling gripping my minor existence like a vice. Sight. It came to me, breaking the void. It was bright, real bright. Sight came to me in the form of a pure, blinding light. I felt no pain, nor discomfort, but I felt as if I should. Sound. Garbled, bubbling vibrations flooded my mind. It started off soft, as if the source was way in the distance, but it began to grow, as if it was getting closer. Taste. Sour, real sour. I would have recoiled if I had a body. It was horrible, the sensation repulsive. Smell. Rot. That was what it smelled like. Decay and death; a pungent odor that made me feel sick, even worse than the sour taste that that flooded my mind. Touch. Pain. It wasn't a foreign concept; the feeling oddly familiar, and I found that comforting, in an ironic way. It didn't grow, nor slowly increase over time. No, it flooded in like a broken dam. I would have screamed, if I had a mouth. It felt like I was being ripped apart, piece by piece, and then squashed back together. Then, I felt my body. Hooves, ears, muzzle, mouth… body. As the pain faded, it was replaced by the feeling of discomfort. It was strange, going from nothing to something—a feeling that cannot be put into words. My sight cleared, the light fading to a darkened shade of gray. It was still pure, the color like an imposing wall taking up the entirety of my vision. I could feel my extremities, the newly gained limbs confusing my mind as it tried to relearn how to use the peripherals. I could feel the responses from my body, feel what it felt. I felt wet, my entire body surrounded by some strange liquid. What exactly it was, I didn’t know. I could also feel tubes attached to me, poking in uncomfortably into my chest and down my throat. It wasn’t painful, but it wasn’t pleasant. Then the sound became clear. The garbled vibrations I heard earlier faded into a more comprehensible rhythm, the sound pulsing, and loud. It sounded almost like a buzz, though the reason for this, I believed, was from the interference of the liquid that covered my body. Then I began to tilt. I could feel myself rise, inertia trying to keep me in place. I tried to move, but my mind had not yet learned how to control my limbs. Then, I stopped, feeling myself completely upright. I prayed my vision would clear, that the wall of color would give way to a clear picture of my surroundings, but it didn’t. There was a muffled hiss, followed shortly by the tug of the liquid as it was drained. I could feel it wash free from my body, flowing down until my entire form was free of the foreign substance. Then I fell. My body toppled forwards, my muzzle and chest smashing into a hard, flat surface. I felt pain. Pain from the impact, and pain of a body that had not moved in a long, long time. My limp, unresponsive form slowly melted into the floor until I was completely sprawled out. I remained still. I lay motionless for what felt like hours, my body refusing to move. Then a twitch. My right hoof was the first thing I could control, the limb flicking gently as I tried to lift it. Soon, after constant effort, it began to move more accurately, the limb responding correctly to my commands. My left hoof followed suit, then my hind left, followed shortly by my hind right. My brain slowly regained control of all extremities, and I tested each for proper response. My mouth opened, coughing on the tube that was still lodged deep down my throat. I could breathe with the tube in place, though not without some discomfort. I wanted to remove it, to rip it out, but I feared what would happen if I did. The grey had finally started to fade from my vision, the fog clearing as darkness took its place. Lifting a hoof, I brought it to my muzzle and in clear view of my recovering eyes. It was white, pure white. It was a labor to move, my entire body feeling as if it weighed a ton, so I had to wait a minute before I had the strength to turn my head to observe the rest of my body. I was white, white as my hoof, and I could only grimace at the mess of tubes that protruded from my body, colored by the strange liquids they carried, their origin leading back to the area I had fallen from. They would have to be removed. I laid my head back down, recovering from my trivial exertion. My mind was the only thing not limited by my fleeting strength, and I used that to my advantage. I strained to remember all that I could, to gather as much information I could, and then use that to piece together what I could about what was happening. I had no memories, recollections of the past. What I did have was knowledge, information about the world around me. I remembered the basics: how to breathe, how to walk, and all of that, the rest consisted of what I would imagine as common knowledge. Then I thought about my situation, piecing together hypotheses based on what I had observed. I was a pony; that much I knew. I had fallen from something, something filled with a sour liquid. The tubes connected to me, I guessed, were for the injection of the substances my body needed to live: food, water, and everything in between. Other than that, I wasn’t sure. I could guess, but with what I was given, there were too many variables I needed to fill. I needed to get up. I let out a groan, the resulting sound more resembling a hiss. Slowly, and carefully, I rolled myself onto my chest, getting my hooves underneath me. I paused, letting myself rest, then pushed with as much strength as I could with my hooves, my body rising as I got to my hooves. I wobbled, my strength giving out soon afterwards as I stumbled back, my body slamming into something as I fell back to the floor. Again, I hissed. I looked down to see the fresh holes in my chest. I bled a mix of the once connected tube’s liquid and blood slowly trickling from the newly created wound. It was a steady stream, but not one that I had to be worried about. I felt pain. The only familiar constant spread from my hooves to my head. It was a dulled pain, but pain, none the less. Before I tried to rise again, I decided to deal with the tubes. I closed my eyes, wrapping my hooves around as many as I could, and then pulled. The feeling was excruciating, feeling like I was ripping a part of myself out with it. I didn’t waste any time and moved my hooves to the one currently still down my throat, taking an even deeper breath as I slowly pulled it out. This one wasn’t just painful, it was just wrong. I could feel it travel up from my stomach, then up my throat, and finally out my mouth. I vomited. I curled up on my side, my stomach purging it of its contents. Heave after heave, I felt more and more void itself from my body. Even when my stomach was finally empty, I still coughed, dry heaving again and again until my throat hurt. When it finally stopped, I caught my breath before I screamed. It was more of a loud groan, but it still voiced my pain. No words came out, only a scream of pain. I had held it in, dealing with it as it came, but now I had a way to vent it, and I took advantage of it. My scream slowly faded to a groan, then to a whimper, and finally silence once again reigned around me. I was still weak, and I was certain another attempt to stand this soon would end just set the first. But, at the same time, I didn't want to do nothing. I rolled back onto my stomach and held back a his. My underbelly burned from where I had forcefully removed my unwanted tether from the unknown machine, but I bit it back. I steeled myself and took a deep breath. This time, I only pressed up with my front hooves, and I rose to a seated position. I almost immediately began to fall backwards, but was, thankfully, caught by some unknown source. Gently, I leaned back further into the surface that had stopped my fall. I winced at every movement, but eventually found a relatively comfortable position. My eyes looked forwards, but only an abyss of black lay ahead. It was dark, but I could still see tiny packets of life shine out from random points beyond. I tried to see through the void, but couldn't make out anything in the low light. I let out a shaky sigh, only to let out a painful cough. I looked down and focused on my body. Blood slowly dripped from a mess of open gashes from where I had forcefully removed the tubing, coating my entire underbelly in a dark red hue. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to remove them all at once… I thought as I leaned back and closed my eyes. So much had happened so quickly and barely left me with any time to process. Well, I had time now. Basics… let’s start with the basics. I thought. I don't know my name. I don't know where I was. I don't know whoI was… I let out a sigh and gave my head a shake. Never mind… I’ll save this for later. I pushed off from the wall and back into my stomach. I felt stronger, somehow. It wasn't much, but I felt it was enough. Carefully, I positioned my hooves and pushed upwards, carefully getting to my hooves. I shook; unsteady, and uncertain. But, despite this, I was up, and that was all that mattered. Step by step, I trotted forwards, letting my mind get reacquainted with walking. I used whatever it was that I was leaning on for support as I slowly made my way forwards, each step sturdier than the last. Finally, after much practice, I let go of my support, and stood on my own volition. I was still shaky, but I was at least able to stand without the fear of falling again. One step at a time. My eyes blinked as I tried to see through the darkness that surrounded me, the only light coming from the soft glow of red lights that the marked the perimeter of wherever I was. I could see what faint, blurred outlines of what was around me; a mixture of shapes and colors too distorted for me to discern. On shaky hooves, I trotted forwards. I wasn't going to know anything while standing still, nor did I feel like I could keep it up for much longer. I may have been stronger then when I had first tried to walk, but I still wouldn't consider myself in top condition. Step after step, I trotted forwards, occasionally bumping into something, and using its edge to guide myself around it. I was afraid. Darkness and the unknown closed in on me from all sides. Fear of what would come; fear of what I couldn't see; fear that I would be trapped in the dark forever; fear that I would be alone. Suddenly, I bumped into something different. Everything else had the feel of cool metal, while this felt more like glass. Focusing, I gazed at what was in front of me, able to make out the shape of some sort of glass tube. I balanced myself on three hooves, using my free one to feel around the object in front of me. My hoof brushed over something that felt like a button, and I pressed it. I shouldn't have pressed it. My vision filled with a blinding light that caused me to fall back and onto my haunches. I lifted my weak hooves and rubbed my blinded eyes. The pain eventually faded, and my vision returned, and when I looked up a second time, my mouth hung open in pure shock. A pony, the same color as me, floated inside of a giant glass tube. His body was connected by an array of tubes, just like I had been, that all protruded from parts of his skin. The sight was strange, alien even, but still piqued my attention. I slowly rose back to my hooves to get a better look. I looked over the container, noting the construction. The top and bottom had metal plates that acted as its bases, while a control panel, of sorts, lay connected to its side. The entire tube lit up from lights pointed directly inside of it, breaking the void of darkness that had once surrounded me. I trotted forwards, getting a better look. The pony in the tube looked peaceful, and almost as if he was sleeping. His golden mane floated carelessly in the liquid that filled the tube, his eyes peacefully closed. As I continued to gaze, I noticed the subtle reflection in the glass’s exterior, and it took me a moment to realize it was my own. Curiously, I looked closer, gasping at what I saw. I looked exactly like the stallion floating in the tube in front of me, and easily could have been an exact copy. I shook my head, pushing away the questions that had begun to build up. There were already too many. To many things I needed answers for, too many blanks that needed to be filled. What I needed now was answers. Using the light from the tube, I looked around. On one of the walls besides it I could spot a switch, and I trotted over it in hopes it was for the lights. I closed my eyes and flipped it, the room glowing behind my closed eyelids. Slowly, I opened them, letting my eyes adjust to the light. When they were, I looked forwards, and once again stood in shock. It wasn't just one stallion in a tube. At least a dozen tubes holding stallions that looked just like me lined the wall I was facing, each one suspended in a seemingly peaceful sleep. It was hard to comprehend, and I could only stand and blink at what I saw. After a few minutes, I was able to shake myself from my stupor. I took another look at the wall of tubes, looking them over more carefully. I hadn't noticed it before, but each had a plaque above them with a label. In a line, they read ‘Subject: One’, ‘Subject: Two’, and so on. There were twelve ‘subjects’ in total. I gave the room a look over now that there was light. The room was square, with the tubes taking up the entirety of the far wall. The two walls flanking it were completely covered in blinking electronical components, flickering electron tubes, and massive wires that connected them to each of the ‘pods’. Turning around, I got a glimpse of the rest of the room. Tables filled with medical equipment, electronics, and other stuff I couldn't put a label on lay in the center of the room. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all white, strongly clean beyond belief. Behind the center tables was a single empty pod, this one having the label ‘Subject: Alpha’, hanging above it. I… I think that’s me. I trotted over to the pod, stepping over my pile of vomit, and finally stopping in front of the still bloody tubes on the floor. That was where I was… I was one of them… Questions. Just more questions. No answers, just more that I needed to know. I feared that, at this rate, I would end up forever wandering in confusion. No, I need to keep going. There are answers; I just need to find them… somewhere. I turned and trotted away from my pod, heading towards the only terminal I could see in the entire room, the screen blinking with a green glow. Once there, I sat on my haunches and began tapping on the keyboard, scrolling through the menus. It seemed this terminal was the master control for all the pods in the room, each one selectable on the first menu. Curious, I clicked on the first one, a status menu scrolled into view. Subject: One. Status: Deceased. Cause: Mechanical failure. My eyes went wide, turning to the first pod. The stallion inside didn't look dead, but he also didn't look alive either. I backed out and checked the next pod. Subject: Two. Status: Deceased. Cause: Mechanical failure. I backed out again, switching from pod to pod, getting the same result: ‘deceased.’ I got to the last pod… mine. Subject: Alpha. Status: Released. Caused: System Override. My lips curled into a frown and I hopped off the terminal, turning to look at the pods with an expression of sadness. I was alive, somehow, but they weren't. More damn questions. I took a deep inhale of breath, letting it out slowly. I turned away from the pods and stood up on my hooves, my eyes instantly falling on the only sliding door in the room. I trotted over, the mechanism opened and allowed me through. I was feeling better. Stronger, even. I couldn't say I felt normal, yet, but I was getting there. The hallway I trotted into had the same all white color scheme as the room I had just been. Red lights shone from the edges of the ceiling, giving the walls an unsettling red hue. My hooves led me forwards and down the hall, but my gut told me to stay put. My eyes flicked from white wall to wall as I looked for anything that could be considered a threat. Shadows danced, mundane objects took the most menacing of shapes, fear ruled over my mind. I didn't know where I was going, nor even where I was in the first place, so I just trotted forwards, stopping only when I hit the first door. This one was slightly larger than the one I had just walked out off, but the main difference was the large plaque that read, in gold letters: ‘Conditioning and Programming.’ I ran the name through my mind, hoping it would bring up something. To my dismay, nothing came to mind. With a shake of my head, I trotted inside, the door opening upon my approach. The inside was… strange. Like the hallway, it was illuminated only by the soft glow of red tinted lights that lined the top corners of the walls. The room itself was broken up into six different smaller rooms, three to my right and three to my left, with an area in between. From what I could see from here, each room and a door and a window that you could view the interior from. Outside of each room sat a terminal, all but one (the one on the left side closest to the entrance) dark. My hooves lead me to the only active terminal. I plopped my flank down in front of its green glow and immediately tapped on the keyboard. To my delight, it didn’t seem to be password locked, and allowed me access to the information it stored. Scrolling through the files, I found that they were all audio logs, labeled by session number and subject identification. I didn’t see any that belonged to Subject: Alpha, so I picked one at random and pressed play. “Condition session number twenty von; test subject number three.” The voice that played was foreign, my mind telling me that it was a Germane accent. “Subject’s progress had been… less than expected. Although he appears to be accepting the aggression repression treatment quite well, subject does not have the same results with submission training. His actions have been… sporadic, unpredictable. We have had far more success with other subjects, but I digress.” The voice paused, the recording static as I could hear a door opening, then closing. There was the scraping of a chair against the floor, then the sound of someone sitting down. “Ah, subject three, how has it been?” A new voice, one that sounded gruff and hardened, spoke up. “Good…” “Good to hear, good to hear! Now, I must question why you have hesitated during you last training run in the simulator?” There was a pause. “Ehem! I believe I asked you a question, yes?” “I didn’t agree with the orders.” “Ah, so you believed that your way was better, yes?” “Yes.” “Well… this is most disappointing. Subject has failed to follow orders on one too many occasions… It appears reconditioning is in order.” I heard a gasp. “No! Please, no! I-I’ll follow, I promise!” “Subject also appears to show weakness… Yes, reconditioning is in order.” I heard the door open again, followed by at least two sets of hooves trotting in. It sounded like there was a quick struggle, followed by a loud ‘zap’ and a thump, then the sound of dragging. The door finally shut, and I could hear a groan from the original stallion. “Why is it so hard to crush the will of the subjects? Can't they see that submission will allow them optimal conditions? Perhaps a restructure of the program is in order… Yes.” The recording ended there, and it only left with more questions. I flipped to another recording and pressed play. “Condition session number five; test subject number three, batch five,” chimed in the same stallion from before. “Current batch of subjects had been far more successful than the first. A restructure of conditioning program could be responsible for this, but I digress. Current subject has been responding to treatment as planned; results seeming to be the most successful yet! “Although, I do question the effectiveness of a non-aggressive series of specimens. Although they have proven to adapt to the program better than the aggressive branch, I fear that the end result will prove far less efficient than the latter. But! I digress. Current subject has appeared for conditioning for routine examination of mental state and… and… oh no.” The recording went silent, then the sound of a door opening brought forth an unnerving gurgling sound, one that reminded me of choking. “No! Subject is experiencing an extreme muscle spasm; it appears that the muscles in the throat have stopped responding. Cause unknown. Treatment being administered.” The gurgling suddenly stopped. “Nein! Subject seems to have succumb before treatment could be administered… Shame, subject showed so much promise.” The recording stopped, and I immediately played another. “Condition session number… thirty five; test subject number six, batch… five.” The stallion sounded less… enthusiastic than in the other recordings, his voice sounding tired. “Like others, this batch had failed to yield results in the desired range. Previous one has finally succumb to the same condition as the second—cause of which is still unknown. “Subject six has been able to yield acceptable results, but still not within the realm of what we desired… We fear that the Solar Guard project will be terminated if results are not yielded soon, to which will yield months of research useless!” There was a crash, followed by what I could only imagine was the stallion in the recording letting out his frustration on anything he could find. Soon, I could hear him calm down, followed by the door opening. “Why do you notyield proper results?” “What?” questioned a different voice, one similar, but still different, than the first ‘subject’ I had heard speak before. “You do notrespond as we have predicted; all calculations have been correct, but you still have notresponded as predicted. Why is this?” “I don’tknow, sir.” “Ah! That is the problem! Nopony can tell me ‘why’?! Why must my research be haunted because you cannot act as planned? Why must I waste my time on you? Are my methods wrong? Does the problem layin the batches? Tell me, subject six, why?!” “I-I don't know, sir!” A sigh. “Perhaps we are being too relaxed in our methods… Yes… Subjects do not respond to regular treatment… So we must use irregular treatment. Yes! The answer is so obvious! I must readjust program immediately!” “Sir, what do you mean?” “Oh, yes, almost forgot about you. I believe that I have found the flaw in current program, and will thusly correct said problem. Sadly, you are already tainted by failure, and are no longer needed.” “Do you mean?” “Yes. Now, off you go.” I heard the door open again, and the same struggle and ‘zap’ from before followed, then dragging. “Ah, yes, this should fix issue…” I could only stare at the screen in disbelief, confusion and horror filled my features. That had been the last recording on the terminal, and I desperately wanted to know more. I stood up, trotted over to the closest door, and opened it. It had been about what I had expected. Two chairs on opposite side of a single metal table were the only things in the room. I backed out of the room, closing the door. I then checked the other terminals in the room, finding that they were either broken, or not powered, as they didn’t respond. I began to shudder. Something happened here, something that seemed to get more and more confusing the more I learned about it. What had been project Solar Guard? Was that what I had been a part of? More damned questions! I was getting frustrated, the combination of fear and the unknown gripped at me like a noose, only tightening the more I learned. I trotted from the room and back to the red tinted hallway. “Oh, there you are!” My eyes went wide and I fell back onto my haunches. In front of me hovered a strange ball of wires and metal that appeared to belong to the voice I just heard. My first instinct was to run, the second to hide, and the third was to figure out what the heck this thing was. Oddly, they didn’t seem to react in order. “What or who are you?” I asked while hiding behind one of the terminals. The metal sphere bobbed up and down a few times. “Oh, sorry, my name is Watcher,” it spoke with a static overtone. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to hurt you, I promise.” I wasn’t fully convinced, but I was desperate enough to actually talk to something that wasn’t a recording that I gave it the benefit of the doubt. “Okay, Watcher… I have a lot of questions I need answered,” I say as I step out from behind the terminal, then approach the floating sphere. It chuckles, then bobs up and down a few times. “Yeah, I can imagine,” it begins. “But, to be honest, I think things’ll be easier if you tell me about yourself, first.” This time, I laugh. “No, I don’t think that’ll be more helpful.” The sphere tilts slightly to the side, as if giving me a questioning look. “Oh? How so?” “Well, because I don’t know anything!” I say with a half hearted chuckle. “I don’t know my name, who I am, what I am, or where I am.” I look to the sphere expectantly, but, to my dismay, it remained silent. “So… you don’t know anything?” It finally asks. I nod. “Yeah… I was hoping that you could fill me in…” “No, sorry. I’ve never even heard of this place until one of my Sprite Bots--well, this one--fell down one of the vents. Well, I think it was a vent.” The robot bobbed up in down in a way that I interpreted as a shrug. “Anyways, I tried to interface with the system, but all it would let me do is interface with the manual override. Releasing you, I’m guessing.” The robot looked me up and down. “Y’know, you weren’t what I was expecting to find. Usually they’re some sort of weird creature, or deformed monstrosity, but you seem to be fairly… normal, from what I can tell.” “Uh… thanks?” The robot ‘shrugs’ again. “No problem. To be honest, I’m glad to see that we managed not to turn at least one thing evil.” I read that there is more to that, but it’s a question I’ll have to bring up later. “Watcher?” I say, and grab the robot’s attention. “Do you have any idea how to get out of here?” “Not for you, at least. The way I came is way too narrow for you to fit… but, there’s probably a real exit around here, somewhere. We just have to find the damned thing.” I cracked a small smile, a single glimpse of hope reaching my grim thoughts. “Okay, I guess. Lead the way?” The robot ‘nodded’, then blinded me briefly as it turned on one of it’s headlights. “Okay, follow me,” it says, then turns and exits out the door. Tentatively, I follow the floating sphere--well, Sprite Bot--down the hallway, using it’s light as a guide. Soon, we both stop in front of a door, this one reading ‘Training’ on the plaque above the door. I turn to the Sprite Bot. It ‘shrugs’ and ‘motions’ for me to go in first. For a robot, it really did seem to have a personality. I trotted inside, followed shortly by Watcher. The door closed behind us, and I turned to have my jaw hand wide open. I was in some sort of control room; terminals, buttons, dials and displays arranged in a semicircle around the door, but that wasn’t what had caused my shock. Above the terminals was a panoramic layout of glass, giving me a view of the area beyond. The largest cavern I had yet seen lay beyond, at least a dozen or so different areas of various biomes lay spread out across the floor of the cavern. Mini mountains, a compact desert, a small ocean, and even a jungle lay beyond the glass. I trotted closer to the glass, eventually bumping into the front of the control center. I looked down, staring at the blinking display of a terminal saying, ‘Start Training?’ Curiosity filled my mind, and against my better judgement I pressed ‘enter’. Nothing happened. To my disappointment, the screen flashed ‘Training cannot commence during lockdown, please lift the lockdown before continuing.’ “I think the main power is out,” Watcher noted behind me. “The system’s probably running on auxiliary power, so not much is gonna be accessible until we get that back on.” “You think we’re going to need it?” I ask, still looking out into the vast cavern. “I mean, I just wanna get out of here.” The Sprite Bot went silent. “I’m not sure, actually. I guess we’ll figure it out when the times comes?” Again, it shrugged. “I do suggest checking around here while we search for an exit. Since you’re a… well, my point is that we should figure out what you are and what they did to you. I've seen some of the experiments that pre-war ponies have done and, well… I just highly suggest we figure it out.” I felt like there was more he wasn't telling me, but I did agree with what he was saying. “Okay? So… search room to room until we find an exit? That’s the plan?” The Sprite Bot shrugged. “I guess? I've been around a long time, but this is a first for me. Usually it's just some random stable dweller, or some other pony form the wasteland. Pre-war ponies with no recollection of anything, in a facility that even I didn't know existed… well, that’s a first.” I chuckled. “Well, I thank you for trying.” The Sprite bot bounced up and down a few times. “No problem. I mean, I’d feel horrible if I just left you stuck in here by yourself.” I nodded, then turned my attention away from the window and trotted out the door. Me and watcher continued down the hallway, then took a right. Another hallway shown in the glow from Watcher’s light, showing several more doors down this next corridor. As we traveled towards the first one, I finally began to notice the silence, how quiet it actually was. From what I had seen so far, there had been no signs that anypony had been here in awhile, which was backed up with Watcher’s claims. “Watcher, do you think this place is abandoned?” I asked. “I think so, from what I have seen. It’s not uncommon to find empty facilities like this around the wasteland, but usually they at least have ghouls or other creatures roaming around them. So far, you are the only thing I’ve seen.” I nodded, then mulled over a word I had heard the robot repeat several times. Wasteland. Was that a place in Equestria? I pushed the thought away as we arrived at the first door. Above this one read, ‘Subject Storage’. Well, this sounds promising. The door opened to reveal nothing but complete darkness. Unlike the others, this one didn’t have anything lighting up the inside. Watcher seemed to get the hint that I was against going into a pitch black room first. “Wait here while I find the switch,” he said, then disappeared inside the room. I waited at the opening and tried to get a good look at the room beyond. It was hard to focus on anything since Watcher was moving so fast, but I though I got a glimpse of at least another one of the tubes that had been in the room I had woken up in. “Found it!” I head Watcher cry out, followed shortly by the lights flashing on in a wave of white. I shielded my eyes, but it did little as they burned from the influx of light. “Damn it, Watcher!” I screamed as I pressed my hooves into my burning eyes. I hear the buzz of the Sprite Bot approach, followed by a quick utterance of an apology. I just groaned in response. When I was finally able to see, and the pain faded to only a dull throb, I looked up, only to fall back at what I saw. My brief observation earlier was correct, there was a pod like the one’s in the other room, except, instead of just twelve, there were hundreds! Rows upon rows of pods stood in front of me, but the even the number wasn’t what surprised me the most. They were all empty. Every single one that I saw completely empty, a pile of broken glass lying in front of them. I slowly turned to Watcher, the Sprite Bot somehow managed to parot my expression of surprise and fear. “Um… I’m not sure you’re alone down here, anymore,” Watcher spoke hesitantly, then turned to me. “You have any idea of what were in those?” I nodded. “In the room I woke up in there were twelve pods like these, except they were still filled.” “With what?” “Me…” If the Sprite Bot had eyes, they would have went wide open. “Wait, what?! Are you telling me that you have clones?!” I shrugged. “Maybe? Or maybe I’m a clone. I don’t know. The tubes were labeled, and the one that I fell out was labeled ‘Alpha’.” Is shook my head. “That mean’s that I’m either the first clone, or the base model.” The sprite bot remained silent. “I… I didn’t know we had worked with cloning,” Watcher finally spoke. “I had heard of some attempts, but… well, nothing successful.” The Bot shook side to side. “Let’s just hope they’re just more of you.” “Yeah… more of me…” I muttered quietly, then backed out of the room. A new fear gripped at my soul, one far superior than any other that already plagued me. I felt like there was something, or someone, watching me now besides Watcher. I quickly looked up and down the hallway I had just exited into, but spotted nothing. Watcher noticed my unease. “Come on, let’s keep going.” I nod and follow the Sprite Bot to the next room. “Project Leader’s Office,” I mutter as I read aloud the plaque above the next door. This door didn't open as I approached, like the others. Rather, there was a button on the wall besides it. I pressed it. The door creaked open slowly. I trotted inside as soon as they stopped, Watcher following close behind. The inside was dark. The door closed behind us once we were inside, leaving the only light coming from the Sprite Bot’s headlight. “You see a lightswitch?” I ask the robot, only to blink when the room was flooded with light moments after. I groaned, then turned to face the innocently floating Watcher. “Found it,” it spoke plainly, oblivious to my burning retina. I bit back an angry remark, then checked out the now lit room. It wasn't overly large, easily the smallest I had been in thus far. The far wall was covered ceiling to floor with bookshelves, fully stocked with books of all color and sizes. A large, neatly organized desk lay in front of it, a terminal set on its surface. I trotted up behind the desk, sifting through the papers and other items that lay on its surface. Watcher watched just over my shoulder. Finding nothing of interest, I turned my attention to the terminal, letting out a groan as this was the first terminal to be locked. Come on… I lowered my head in defeat. “Of all the terminals that had to be locked!” I groaned. “Here, let me try,” I heard the sprite bot say, then float over to it. I watched with interest as the robot interfaced with the terminal. It tapped on the keys, a large screen of text popping up on the screen. From what I observed, Watcher was checking through the words scattered throughout, then exiting and trying again. It was interesting, at first, but as time went on I started to get bored. but raised an eyebrow as a piece of paper taped to the underside of the desk caught my eye. Curious, I removed the folded piece of paper and found a single word written on it, ‘Ambition’. This confused me, at first, but then a thought popped into my mind. I wonder… I typed the eight letter word into the terminal, practically jumping with glee as it was accepted, giving me access. I poked through the files the terminal contained, skipping past the one’s labeled ‘Journal’, deciding to check it later, and focused on finding something that actually related to me. I found it. It was a single audiolog, one labeled: ‘Subject: Alpha’. Without a moment of hesitation, I clicked play, plopping on my flank, and listened. “Dr. Sholtz audio log, von. Subject matter: Subject: Alpha.” It was the same stallion from the earlier recordings I had listed too. “Subject: Alpha. The center of our research into the Solar Guard program. Subject is a mid-aged unicorn stallion; white fur, orange eyes, and golden mane. All other information is irrelevant. “Subject was first presented during the first… beta, stages into the Solar Guard program. He represented promise; the ideal subject for the program. Right height, build, and uncompromised genetic makeup make him perfect! Again, all other factors are irrelevant. There recording skipped, awkwardly cutting. “Dr. Sholtz audio log, two. Subject matter: Subject: Alpha. “Subject had been adapting nicely to the procedure; the tests indicate a much better result than all other subjects. Although his mind had been… difficult, to shape, I feel that we are still making progress.” “Dr. Sholtz audio log, three. Subject matter: Subject: Alpha. “Minor setback with subject. It seems that his body was not as comparable with the procedure as previously noted, and subject’s heart stopped due to stress. But! We were able to revive him, so program can still continue on schedule.” “Dr. Sholtz audio log, four. Subject matter: Subject: Alpha. “We have had… several setbacks over the past few weeks regarding subject. As the procedure continues, more dangers have made themselves known, and we have almost lost subject on several occasions. We have come so far, and have halted project until a solution can be created.” “Dr. Sholtz audio log, five. Subject matter: Subject: Alpha. “At last, a solution has presented itself! Due to the… volatile nature of procedure, we have decided to halttests on original subject, as his termination would set us back at least a year. But! We have solution! If we cannot use original subject, we make more subjects! Using original subjects DNA, we have been able to make ‘copy’ of subject. ‘Copy’ , or Subject: One, is fully compatible with program thus far, so no research has been lost. Finally, we may continue with project!” The log ended. I understood what I had just heard, but I was having a hard time believing it. More questions presented themselves, but at least I finally had some answers. I was the original ‘subject’ for some project called Solar Guard (the purpose of which was still unknown), and the stallions in tubes I had seen were… clones? Copies? I wasn't sure what to call them, but apparently they were… me. The thought didn't sit right in my mind, and only added more to my already growing anxiety. I scrolled through the files again and found another audio log, this one labeled: ‘Failure’. “Dr. Sholtz’s log. Subject matter: Failure. “Today is… not, good day. The ‘copies’ are not as final of a solution as predicted. Copies appear to deteriorate over time, not only their body, but also their mind. All research after a week of use becomes invalid as the decay sits in. More and more batches have to be produced in order to keep up with our demand, and ultimately we have hit a standstill as far as Project progression is concerned…” There was a sad sigh, followed by the creaking of a chair. “I have decided to reactivate Subject: Alpha, and continue procedure on him alone. All other Subjects have been sent to stasis until we can decide on a better use for them, as their disposal would be a tremendous waste. “I fear project may be failure, that all of this will be for naught… Ultimately, even with the progress we have made, results have not even been close to what was predicted. “But, I will not give up hope! Subject still shows promise of compatibility. Shield may yet reach completion. Although the result will not be as planned, it will still satisfy original goal.” There is another sigh, this one more exasperated than disappointed. “But, despite my efforts and reassurance, command still feels that we should move onto Project: Sword. Although we feel that deciding such efforts so close to completion of shield is not wise, they do not see reason. Subject: Omega has been activated, and most of my division's efforts have been transferred to them. They will still allow me to continue my work, but at half the workforce. “I swear upon the princess herself, I will see this this project to completion, even if I must do it myself.” The recording ended. My brain processes what I had just heard. I had learned a lot, yet almost nothing. Everything that I had found so far had been vague; the true meaning only truly clear to those the recordings were meant for. I guess it made sense, but it didn't help me. The rest of the terminal was useless; the ‘Journal’ had only made known how much Dr. Sholtz hated the ‘Solar Sword’ program. Finally, I deemed the terminal dry of all usable information, and decided to move on. I had learned more about the past, but the present was still a web of unknown to me. Something had happened, something that had left me alone in this place. I wanted to know more, I needed to know more. But, I was afraid. It was one thing stumbling around in the dark, but it was another to do so with no memories. Everything I saw felt new; everything I learned was new. Somewhere, tucked away in the back of my brain, I felt I had a cache of information that only made itself known when I needed it, and not before. With another sigh of resignation, I shook my head and gave the desk and terminal one more look over. I searched through the drawers and found nothing of interest. i was about to call it a lost cause, but then I noticed something. The lower drawer seemed… smaller, I guess, then it's twin. Curious, I removed the papers from the drawer and found a small handle on the bottom. I pulled the handle, revealing a secret compartment. Inside was a shining .44 magnum revolver inset in velvet fabric. Besides it was a box of .44 rounds, and a small sticky note reading, ‘In case of emergency.’ I regarded the weapon, and found an odd hatred and repulsion towards it. I wanted to pick it up, to use it as defense in case I wasn't alone, but ultimately I couldn't get myself to touch it. It was strange, but even as I reached for it with my mouth I still couldn't grab it, coming just sort when I felt a tug in the back of my mind tell me ‘no’. This was strange. After fighting with myself for… well, longer than I should have, I eventually shut the drawer with the gun still inside. I looked at the desk, at the drawer, and wondered if this had anything to do with whatever Sholtz had done to me. In the end, I decided to push the thought back, and trotted around the desks and towards the door. I pressed the button besides the door and watched it upon, but paused exiting when I heard a strange, wet, gurgling sound. My ears stood on end, my hooves rooted to the floor as I slowly peeked outside of the door. I could only catch a glimpse of it as it rounded the far corner of the hallway—a pony sized mass limping its way across the floor. I don't know what that was. I didn't want to know what that was. All I knew was that it was there and luckily heading back the way I had originally come from. With my heart pounding, I slowly exited the office, not bothering to close the door in fear the… creature would hear me. On light hooves, I trotted down the remaining hallway, my head on a constant swivel as I turned from looking behind me to in front. I could hear the distant sound of the beast gurgling, but I couldn't tell if it was heading away, or towards me. Just head straight… Just head straight… I repeated this over and over again in my head, trying to drown out the constantly growing fear. I was trapped in a foreign environment, no memory of the past, and the threats of monsters loomed around every corner. I had no weapons, weak from stasis, and still had a gentle stream of blood flowing from where the tubes had been. And, on top of this, there was also the underlying fear of what had been done to me. I was an experiment, Subject: Alpha. They had done things to me, things that I feared to find out. Dr. Sholtz was the only pony who I knew for certain had all of the answers, but, like everyone else, he appeared to be missing. More questions! My hooves stopped when I made it to the end of the hall, an elevator door standing in front of me. There was only one button, and I was quick to push it. Unlike the previous doors, this one wasn't silent. I could hear the elevator whir to life behind the closed doors, moving towards my floor. But, that wasn’t the only sound I heard. My ears fell flat against my head, fear etching my features as a loud, bubbling roar echoed from down the hall. Slowly, I turned, pressing my back against the cold metal as the sound of wet thumps began to get louder, and closer. I was very afraid. I watched in horror as… something got closer. The best way I could describe it was a blob of black flesh that may have once resembled the form of a pony. It limped on three hooves, the fourth crooked and bent in random positions. What I could consider its head looked like a slightly melted, once pony head, its mouth more of a crease then a muzzle. It slowly inched closer, its fleshy limbs pulling it forwards. I smacked myself from my paralyzing fear, my hoof pounding on the elevator call button. I was trapped, the blob leaving no room for me to run around it. It got closer, and closer, it’s gross, distorted features becoming clearer. Ding! I fell, the elevator opening behind me. I tumbled backwards, scrambling to my hooves as fast as I could and lunging for the control panel on the inside wall of the elevator. I pressed a button at random, scrambling myself back into to the far corner of the elevator. The creature inched closer to the door, it's gross gurgling filling my ears. Then, the doors closed. My heart nearly stopped, the doors sliding closed at the last moment. I watched as the metal barrier slid into place, blocking me from the creature that had been only feet away from entering. I remained in the corner, breathing heavily. What… What was that?! The through traveled through my mind, trying to make sense of the creature I had just seen. It was vaguely pony-like (albeit a bloated, fleshed out pony) but I could still see the remains of equine features. Could it have been another experiment? I shuddered, thankful that I hadn't ended up as such. The elevator eventual came to a stop, a tone dinging as the doors slid open. Cautiously, I peeked my head out from the cover of the elevator. The area was dark, much like the last, with the same layout of red lights boarding the crease between wall and ceiling. Seeing no signs of any more of those… blobs, I slowly exited the relative safety of the elevator and into the hallway. I felt stronger than I had been before, each step I took strong and by no means shaky. I was still on alert, my head constantly turning from side to side as I constantly scanned the hallway around me. All was quiet, but still did little to calm my pounding heart. Nothing had made sense so far; all that I had seen, read, or heard only left me with more questions then answers. The whole experience felt like I had been thrown into an alien world with only fragments of information stored deep within my mind. The hallway soon gave way to a much larger corridor, which I paused before entering. Cautiously, I poked my head from the hallway and into the room, surveying the area beyond. The corridor was about three times as wide as the hallway I was currently in. Doors with signs above them lined the entirety of what I could see. I waited a little longer, listening for any signs of life, then trotted forth. The first room I first came across was labeled, ‘Conference Room’. I pressed my ear against the cold metal surface of the door, pleased when I heard nothing but silence beyond. I pressed the button besides the door and stood back as it slid open, then trotted inside. The room was plain, having the same white walls and boring color scheme. A large table with chairs lining its perimeter lay in the center of the room, while a dormant projector rested on the farthest part of the table. Nothing of interest caught my attention, so I skipped the room and moved onto the next. The next room was labeled, ‘Project Leader’s Office.’ This one caught my attention, and I instantly pressed the button besides the door and trotted inside. The layout was much the same as Sholtz’s office, the only difference being that, instead of a bookshelf behind the desk, there was a large plaque that held the emblem of a shining sword. I trotted over to the desk and immediately hopped onto the terminal. To my delight, this one wasn’t locked. Like the previous terminal, I poked through the files, clicking on the first audio-log I found. “Dr. Steel’s log. Subject matter: Omega Program.” This voice was much different than Sholtz, having what I would call an ‘normal’ equestrian accent. “Once again, the Germane idiotupstairs is giving me a hard time since Management gave me the green light on Project: Solar Sword. Yes, I get that I took half his workforce in the process, but it’s his damned fault that he didn’t finish on time!” I heard a frustrated sigh, then the voice continued. “Anyways, I’m rambling. The ‘Omega Program’, as I am now calling it, is progressing on schedule. The main test subject, Subject: Omega, has been adjusting to the procedure nicely, and doesn’t seem to be suffering from any of the negative reactions I have seen the ‘Alpha’ subjects suffer from during their, well, alpha stage. If this keeps up, we should have a caste ready in a few months, and we can start rolling them out later this year.” The recording ended, and I immediately played the next one. “Dr. Steel’s log. Subject matter: Omega Program. “Okay, maybe I was a littleahead of myself with the projections… Although the subject hasn’t gone through any physical setbacks, I can’t say the same for the psychological side. He has become highly aggressive, easily aggravated, and refused to comply to even the simplest of demands. Luckily, the failsafe still works, because if not the damage from the last, uhh… setback, would have been far, farworse. I’m not sure if this has to do with the subject itself, or with the procedure. If it is the subject, then we can simply overlook this, but until I can confirm this I will not authorize the duplication of the procedure on a second subject.” “Dr. Steel’s log. Subject matter: Omega Program. “I give up! After months of mental reconditioning (and even several Blankings) Omega has not shown any progress with removing his violent and aggressive nature! And, what makes it worse, is that nopony can confirm or deny that it has to do with the process! I am stuck because the damn test subject won’t stop trying to rip apart, well, everything! I know the purpose of the program is to make a pony capable of massive amounts of damage, which he does, but I’m not saying the project is complete until I know that they won’t do as much damage to us then to the enemy!” There was a long sigh. “I’m sending Omega to our Manehattan division to see if they can make any progress. Let’s hope this doesn’t turn out to be the secondbiggest waste of time this department has produced…” The log ended and, to my dismay, there were no others. Apparently, Dr. Steel wasn’t as into logging his progress as Sholtz had been. Ultimately, this had been another useless terminal, as it literally did nothing to help my situation. I let out a small sigh and gently wiped a hoof across my eyes. They were wet. I could feel a small stream begin to flow down, and then started to grow. I was crying. Nothing made sense. My life since I had popped out of that damned pod had only been filled with questions and fear. I was afraid of what was going to happen to me. I was afraid because I was alone, the only other thing I had seen so far had been that blob I had just barely escaped from earlier, and that was another fear that I could add to the ever growing list! I growled, then took a deep breath. Several more followed. In, and out. I needed to be calm, clear headed. I needed answers, and the only way I would find them was to keep going. I couldn't give up, nor lay down and cry. I needed to be strong, even if it was a lie. I remained seated behind the table for a little while longer, how long exactly I was not sure. But, eventually I rose to my hooves, and trotted over towards the door. I exited the office as cautiously as I could, ears and eyes always on alert for more secrets that this place held. I let my hooves lead me to the next door. This one, however, was void of any sign or marking of what was inside. I didn't let this stop me, as I pressed the button and trotted inside. Blood. That was the first thing that I noticed when I trotted into the unmarked room. Even from the dim light of the red lights, I could make out the sight of long since dried blood coating the floor. The room was small, smaller than most I had been in this far. A large metal table with straps connected to the side lay in the middle of the room, while trays of surgical equipment lay on carts that surrounded it. A large machine with a plethora of arms hung just above the machine, it's arms ending in different medical tools. And, coating almost everything, was more blood. I didn't know how I was so quick to spot with such certainty the blood stains. A part of me wanted to be disgusted at the sight, but my body did not mirror that emotion. I trotted forwards, looking around the room, and then regarding the machine. It didn't look familiar, nor could I quite pinpoint what it was for. If I had to guess, I’d say it was some sort of surgery robot, but something deep down told me that it was something much, much more. There was no terminal, nor books or papers that I could read. All there was, was blood and the machine. There was nothing for me in this room, so I swiftly exited and moved on. The next door had a label, ‘Project Research and Testing.’ I trotted inside and paused just as the doors closed behind me. Like the previous room, this one also diverted from the clean, sterile appearance that the rest of the facility. The room itself was the third largest I had seen so far (the first being the training cavern, while the second had been the room of empty pods). Machines that softly clicked and buzzed lined the walls. Tapes slowly spun in oscillating patterns while electron tubes let out a soft glow. The mess of the room came from the center: piles upon piles of arcane equipment and lay sprawled out in random, completely unorganized positions. The back wall had two large, clear containers, their contents indiscernible from my current position at the door. The white ceiling and floor was dotted with chased markings, reminder of either small fires or explosions. This was interesting. I resumed my pace and trotted immediately over it the arcane equipment. I looked each of them over, though their purpose and use remained unknown to me. I trotted from one piece to the next, looking it over before moving onto the next. I finally stopped when I reached a piece of equipment that caught my eye. It was a decently large black (almost purple) stone table. A white pentagram lay inset on it’s top, with other strange markings carved around it. Five crystals of different colors lay inset at each point of the pentagram, each glowing with their respective hue. What caught my eye, however, was a clay-colored stone block that sat in the center of the intricate display. It was shaped like a short octagonal prism, with a single white symbol that looked almost like the sun was carved into its center, glowing softly. I regarded the stone, then the table it rested on. I had no idea what it was, but I felt a strange pull urging me to touch it. At first, I fought the urge to grasp the strange stone, but my resolve slowly faded and the urge won out. Slowly, I lifted a hoof and hovered it over the stone. With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and braced myself as I made contact with the stone. Nothing happened. I slowly opened my eyes, my tense muscles relaxing when I confirmed that nothing had happened. I picked up the stone with my hoof and brought it to my muzzle, studying it closer. Other than the symbol, didn't notice anything else of interest. I shrugged, then threw the stone back on the table. It exploded. I heard the stone make contact with the table, then a blinding light overtook my vision, followed by a ‘bang’ that made my ears start to ring. The sudden explosion and sensory overload caused me to topple over, laning in a heap on the floor. I pressed my hooves into my ears as I tightly clamped my eyes shut. I opened my mouth and screamed, but I couldn’t hear it over the high-pitched ringing that still flooded my mind. The world still spun around me as I tried to open my eyes, but was met with nothing but a wall of white. I couldn’t see. I could hear. All I could do was lay in a screaming mess. Eventually, the white receded from my vision, and the ringing subsided to a dull hum. I rose to my hooves as soon as I was able too, my eyes constantly blinking as I tried to clear the last phantom fragments of the initial flash. “What the hell was that?” I pondered aloud as I rubbed my ear with a hoof. I took a few more moments to let my body return to the present, then turned back to face the table. The block of stone remained where I had thrown it, except now the symbol on the top did not glow. What the hell is that thing? I pondered. Some sort of… magical flash… thingy? I wasn’t sure what it was, nor how it had just done… that. But, I did know I didn’t want it to happen again, so I backed away from the offending object and continued my temporarily sidetracked search of the room. I slowly, and carefully, checked out the remaining devices, making sure to not touch anything else. When I had finished giving everything a once over, I turned my attention towards the two large glass containers in the back. Oh… shit. I shrank back a little when I noticed both were completely filled with more of those stone thingies. One of the containers was labeled, ‘Working’, while the other was labeled, ‘defective’. I took a moment to ponder which one the stone I had just accidently activated would have belonged in… I brushed off the thought and checked out the rest of the room, eventually coming across a terminal in the corner I had not noticed before. I trotted over to it and tapped on the keys, happy that, once again, there wasn’t a password. I didn’t know why I always expected them to be locked, as most of them weren’t, but it was a thought that had managed to percist. I poked around the internal files and eventually found a text file labeled, ‘Inventory’. I clicked open the file and began to read: Solar Guard Program inventory: 13 Flash Runestone 24 Fire Runestone 21 Runestone of Suppression 2 Guard Runestone 1 Armor Talisman PK.II I looked back at the two containers, and then back to the list. Did they really just throw them all into the same container? I thought while I briefly pondered the efficiency of such a storage system. I scrolled through the rest of the files; a majority of them looked like blueprints and arcane spells that I couldn’t, for the life of me, begin to understand. Eventually, I stumbled upon an audio log labeled, ‘Research Notes’, and clicked ‘play’. “So, apparently we have to make audiologs to document our progress,” a voice began from the terminal’s speakers. This voice belong to a mare, from what I could tell. “Bad enough they cut our funding, but now they have to make us waste valuable time recording this crap?” I heard a sigh. “Whatever, might as well get this over with!” The voice paused for a moment, then went all garbled and staticy. I guessed it was from her moving whatever she was using to record this on. “Research leader Spell Bound’s audio log, number one. “We have made great progress and advancements with runestone enchanting (despite you dicks cutting our funding).” I heard much malice and disdain in her voice. Unlike the other two, this was not a happy pony. “And since you’re making me do this as an audio file, I’m guessing that whoever’s listening to this is either stupid or just lazy, so I’ll make sure to use small words. My work focuses on putting magic spells in small little rocks. Yes, it seems simple, but it’s not! Now, I've managed to successfully trap several different spells, my favorite being the Solar Flash. It's a spell that releases a large flash of condensed light, blinding and disorienting a target. Granted, it's a little unstable, at the moment, but we should have that fixed soon. “Now, I've also managed to make some progress on the Armor Talisman, but it's far from being fully functional. To begin with, I don't see how anypony other than a unicorn could use it, and since it needs to constantly maintained, said unicorn wouldn't be able to cast any other spells while it’s in use. So, until I can work out this bug, the project will be on hold.” I flinched as a loud explosion rang out from the speakers. “Damn it! I told you not to touch that!” The recording went on for a little while longer, but it was only of the mare yelling at… well, somepony. I flipped through one more time and found nothing else of interest, and then preceded to log off. I looked around the room one last time and hoped to spot something I’d missed. My search came up empty, and I let out a sigh as I headed towards the door. Squish… squash… I froze. Squish… Squash… Slowly, I looked up, fear gripping me as I stared into the eyes of the blob of black flesh that stood in the still open doorway. It wasn’t the same creature as before, as this one didn’t have messed up leg like the others. It didn’t move, only looking forwards and matching my gaze. It’s eyes were black and soulless; a void poking out from the squishy mass. I didn’t breath, I didn’t move. All I could do was stand still, paralyzed with fear. The beast let out a gargled roar. It was like listening to the scream of a pony choking on their own blood; the sick sound filling me with a mixture of disgust and fear. I didn’t have anywhere to run, as it was guarding the only exit. Cautiously, I dared a step. It make one too. I stopped. It stopped. I took a step back, and the beast mimicked my movement. I tilted my head, and it did the same. What the heck? I thought, my fear momentarily forgotten. “H-hello?” I spoke, my voice uncertain. “Herbaloos?” it responded in it’s garbled speech. My eyes locked with the creature, and I tried to look past it’s gross exterior; I could still see the outlines of what used to be a pony, and I wondered if who it used to be was still inside of it. “What… who are you?” I asked, my voice more confident. The creature didn’t respond for a second, as it looked soullessly back at me. I watched as it opened its mouth once, but then closed it. Several wet grunts escaped its lips, and then it finally responded, “Sugeft, sifty.” I tried to make sense of what it had said, but came up empty. I cautioned a step forwards, and it did the same. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you…” I muttered, taking step after step closer to the creature. It did the same, it’s wet hoofsteps the only sound to fill the room. I stopped when I was only a few steps away from it, still looking into it’s eyes. “What… what are you?” “Blooooob,” it responded almost immediately. I chuckled. I didn’t know why, or how I managed it while I was scared out of my mind, but I actually let out a quick laugh. I think the creature tried to do the same, but it only came out as a wet gurgle. I kept looking into those eyes, and I swear I could see a small spark inside of them. It was small, but still there. I held up a hoof, and watched as the creature did the same. Slowly, I inched forwards, the distance between our hooves getting closer. Then, I hit something. Time felt like it slowed as I bumped into a nearby arcane mechanism, the object avoiding my gaze as I focused on the creature. Now, I could only watch as a small, clay colored block of stone slowly fell towards the ground, the image of a small ember carved into its surface. I watched as it made contact with the ground, a fireball exploding from the object on impact. I closed my eyes and braced myself as I was thrown back from a shockwave of fire and concussive force. I flew through the air, eventually smacking into the floor and skidding to a stop. Time began to speed up, and I could feel pain washing over my aching body. I gritted my teeth as I slowly rose to my hooves, and when I opened my eyes I saw the blob doing the same. It turned to look at me, and I could no longer see the spark in it’s eyes. “Garbaloch!” it screamed, charging at me on it’s fleshy hooves. I scrambled on my own, leaping out of the way as the creature barreled past me. It smacked into a neighboring wall, but didn’t stop as it charged me once again. I leaped over some of the arcane equipment, while the creature barreled through them as it chased after me. I went to run towards the exit, but stopped when I noticed the pile of arcane devices stacked up and blocking my path. The blob must have shoved them back during the initial explosion, and had consequently trapped me in here with it. Time after time, the creature charged me. It was fast, and it was powerful, but it couldn’t turn. I had to wait until the last moment and quickly jump out of the way of the plowing creature, then get ready as it almost immediately turned and launched itself into another attack. I dodged a few more, but my luck ran out. I felt it’s fleshy body impact with mine, sending my flying. I impacted into a nearby wall, letting out a groan as I rolled almost immediately, narrowly missing being crushed as the creature impacted where I had just been. My body hurt, pain radiating from every part of my body. I didn’t think anything was broken, yet, but I knew for certain they would if that thing managed to connect another charge. The creature stepped back from the wall, rocking slightly. It looks like that last hit managed to at least stun him, and I took this precious time think of a plan. The room was trashed, the center of the room clear as the beast had bulldozed everything out of the way during its charges. The door was still blocked. I knew I could free the debris, but it would take time that I didn’t have. My mind drew a blank as I didn’t know what to do, but that changed when my eyes spotted the two large clear containers at the far side of the room. The creature recovered. It shook its head, letting out a gurgling hiss as it raised its head and tracked me. I ran in front of the two containers, and prayed that my plan would work. I watched as the creature lined up with me, and then charged. As I jumped out of the way, I slammed my eyes shut and pressed my hooves tightly into my ears. A blinding flash, roaring heat, and the sound and force of a devastating explosion hit my body all at once. I felt the concussive wave before I hit the ground, the force sending me flying like a ragdoll into yet another wall. This time, it was my head that connected first, and my body exploded in a fuzzy tingle as pain erupted from the point of contact. My mind went static, and the sound of my head making contact with the wall managed to breach the sound of the explosion, the sound like a sickening ‘thunk!’. My body bounced from the wall, landing with a ‘thud’ on the floor. My mind was foggy, my ears rang like a whistle was being blown from inside of my head, and my vision swam and faded in and out of black as I tried to keep my eyes open. As I lay on the floor, every part of my body wanted to give up. I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry. I wanted my life to end. My life so far had only been filled with pain, fear, and confusion. I didn’t have anything to live for; no ambitions, no purpose, no memories. I was just an experiment, alone and forgotten. The only thing that gave me even the tiniest bit of purpose was my desire to find out who I was. Not the experiment, but the pony I had been before this had happened to me. The pain, eventually, began to fade. My vision slowly refocused, and my mind returned to a relatively clear state. I tried to rise to my hooves, but I stumbled just like I had the first time I had tried to walk. It took two more tries before I finally made it to my hooves, and even then I slowly fell to the side until I was caught by the wall. I remained there, panting and gritting my teeth as I supported myself with the aid of the wall. I could feel something warm and sticky trickle down from my face, and I shakily rose a hoof and wiped it away. When I looked at my hoof afterwards, it’s once pure white coat was now tainted with the dark red hue of blood. I felt a shiver flow up my spike, and I immediately lowered my hoof out of my sight. I took a few deep breaths, then pushed off of the wall and onto my own hooves. Again, I was shaky, but I managed to keep myself upright without the aid of the wall. For the second time today, I felt like I had to relearn how to walk: one hoof, then the next. I slowly trotted forwards, and eventually turned to face the area where the explosion had detonated. I almost vomited at the first sight of what was left. The creature was all but completely gone; bits of his black flesh scattered around the entire room. Where the two containers had once been was now a charred, black scorch mark of melted metal and glass. But, that wasn’t what I was focused on. My eyes were locked at the largest chunk that remained of the blob, only a torso. I sadness began to grow from deep within my chest as I looked at the corpse of the creature. I… I killed it. Pain worse then anything else I had experience so far erupted in my head. I screamed, falling back onto the floor and pressing my hooves into my head. My body convulsed as waves upon waves of pure agony washed over my body. It was worse than making contact with the wall, or pulling the tubes from my throat and chest. No, this was worse then all three combined. I wanted to die. If I had a gun, or even a knife, I would have ended my life then and there without a moment’s hesitation. Then, it stopped. It ended immediately, almost as if it was shut off by a switch. I opened my eyes and blinked, then rose to my hooves. My body still hurt, but not even close to what it had been. I looked to the corpse again, and the pain slowly began to return. I turned away as fast as I could do and sprinted towards the door. I got to the blocked door and began to pull away at the arcane equipment, making short work of it and leaping out of the room. I stumbled on my landing, not quite getting my hooves down in time and colliding with the ground. I didn’t stop, however, and rose to my hooves immediately and sprinted down the hallway, and away from that room. I passed doors that I had not been in before, but I didn’t care. I needed to get away from that room. From the corpse. From my kill. I didn’t stop until I hit the end of the hallway where I spotted another elivator. I dove inside as soon as it opened, pressing a button before I curled up into a ball on the floor. I heard the doors close, and felt the elevator move, but I didn’t react. All I could do was remain in my tight mass, trying to make myself as small as possible. Something was wrong. I knew that I did something wrong; that killing was wrong. But, I felt like it was much more then that. I felt like I had just killed part of myself. This wasn’t right. This wasn’t normal. My mind went into shock the moment I even thought about what I had done. This was wrong… this was very wrong. The elevator eventually came to a stop. I shuttered, and shook. My body feel like goop as I lay on the ground. I didn't want to move—I didn't want to live. I just wanted to return to whatever stasis I was in before I was awakened and just lay there, forever! Nothing made sense. My life was a fragmented mess of bits and pieces, all fractured and reassembled by hooves that I didn't know the owner too. If this continued, I feared that I would go mad before I actually learned anything concrete. But, even learning had become frightening, as I feared I wouldn’t want to know the truth. What or who was I before this? Was I a good pony? A monster? What?! I told a deep breath, once again steeling myself from the hell that was my fears. Nothing made sense, and I desperately needed answers, but none would present themselves if I didn't do anything about it. I slowly rose to my hooves and stood. The area beyond the open elevator door was dark, completely dark. Unlike the rest of this place thus far, there was no red tint. The only light that I could spot came from elevator itself. This was not good. Tentatively, I took a step from my relative safety. I couldn't seen anything, so my ears were my guide as I slowly trotted forwards. I eventually bumped into a wall on my left, and used that as my guide as well. It was quiet, and my hoofsteps sounded… louder than before, the cause most likely being from a change in flooring material. It felt grated, almost. The other sounds I could hear was soft bubbling, and an occasional hiss that constantly put me on edge. Eventually, a singular light breached the void that surrounded me. It was small, at first, but grew the closer I got to it. It eventually lead me to a terminal, which turned out to be the source of the light. I immediately hopped on and began to type, scrolling through it’s unlocked files. There wasn't much, and only a single audio-log caught my attention. Decay. I clicked on the log and listened. “Dr. Sholtz log… I don't know. “Topic or log is Decay, or the drastic determination of copy subjects. Sadly, this is a fatal flaw to program. Subjects who undergo process eventually go through a… metamorphosis. Their mind begins to fracture, and soon their body follows. First stages of Decay is aggravation, followed by lack of cognate function, and finally their body shifts to a… congealed mass that vaguely resembles a pony. The subjects in this stat (nicknamed ‘Blobs’ by the staff) retain some form of their past selves, but ultimately revert to a feral state when frightened.” I heard a sigh. “What have I done? What have I created? I wanted to make super soldiers, not monsters! What pains me most is that they still retain some of their former selves, and I fear they are fully aware of what they are, though most likely deep down in their conscience mind. “...this is a failure I cannot allow to continue, and have put in for an immediate notice of termination. May Celestia have mercy on me for what I have done…” The log ended, and I was left speechless. The blobs were… Is that the connection? It made sense, and I can't believe it took a terminal to make me understand it. It also explained why it didn't attack originally, and why it was almost civil. I shook my head, then checked the rest of the terminal. Nothing else caught my eye, at first, until I noticed a file labeled ‘lights’. I selected the button and watched as the world around me went temporarily white. Damn it, not again… I thought as I rubbed the temporary blindness from my eyes. Eventually, the wall of white cleared, and I looked around. “What the…?” I muttered as I regarded the now lit room. It was huge, and contained a mess of wires, tubes, terminals, and a plethora of other mechanical or chemical equipment. The most noticeable aspect of the room were three large vats that softly boiled with unknown multicolored liquid. Carefully, I took a step forwards. I didn't know what anything was for, and didn't want to touch anything to find out. With my luck thus far, touching anything but the ground would only end horribly for me. Speaking of the ground. I looked down, and noticed I was standing on a metal grate. Below bubbled a stream of the same colored liquid as in the vats. What the hell is this place?! “Bloooooob!” My blood went cold. Slowly, I turned around, my eyes going wide as I watched a blob climb out of one of the vats. It sploshed onto the floor, then slowly rose as one singular mass. It's soulless eyes met with mine, and the world around me seemed to stop. Again, I saw a small spark of intelligence in those eyes. “Please, just leave me alone,” I muttered softly, my eyes locked with its. The creature didn't respond, at first. It just stood there, it's skin pulsing with an unnatural heart beat. Then, it nodded. The creature turned around and began to slowly trot away. It eventually left the room, and only then did I let out the breath I was holding. “Holy shit…” I breathed out as I clenched my thundering heart. This was nuts. Everything was nuts! Slowly, I began to trot forwards, traversing the room while I looked for an exit. The soft bubble of boiling liquid of an unknown composition. A hiss of released steam. The whir of computer tape. The buzz of an electron turned. And the faint, distant steps of a deformed monster. All of these had one thing in common: they were unnatural. These weren't sounds of something formed or shaped by evolution or nature. No, these were the sound of creations by a sentient mind. They belonged to something that was designed, built, and used by its creator. They signaled that, at one point, someone had been there. Everywhere I had been, everything I had seen, show signs that life had once been there. But there wasn't! There was nopony to command the machines; to use the tools of their creation. Experiments were left untouched, machines left unused, note left unattended. It was like a ship without a crew; a ghostly vessel left to command itself. But, even though the crew were gone, the ship was not empty. A single passenger remained, confused and scared. That passenger was me. There was no signs of a struggle; nothing to show that whatever was here had been removed forcefully. It was like they simply… disappeared. Or, perhaps, had it been abandoned? Had this place been left to rot? Had the failures that I had read and heard about lead to this place being abandoned? It was a possibility, but not one I could confirm. That was a question that would have to wait. Right now, all that mattered was finding a way out. This place was a prison and a maze all wrapped into one. But, even they had exits, and I felt deep down inside that I was getting close. My hooves trotted out of the large chamber that had been used to create the ‘Blobs’. My direction was uncertain, but I eventually stumbled into another door. As I got closer, it soon became apparent to me that it wasn’t actually a door, but another elevator. I trotted up to the elevator and press the single arrow that lay on a panel beside it. I hear a hiss, and the turning of strained gears, and soon the sound of the elevator rising up to my level. I constantly looked around to make sure that the sound didn’t attract any Blobs, and I was relieved to find none of the mutated souls in the area. The door opened with a soft ‘ding’, and I instantly trotted inside. The panel on the inside held two buttons; one reading, “Power,” while the other read, “S.C.E.T.A.” The second one piqued my interest, but the first one seemed more important, at the moment. I pressed the button to, “Power,” and stumbled slightly as the elevator buzzed to life. The doors closed and I soon began to the elevator car descend. It wasn’t long until the doors opened again, and let out another, “Ding!”. I instantly felt a wave of something unnaturally hot blow into the elevator from the room beyond. I felt slightly sick, and my skin seemed to crawl. This doesn't seem right, I thought to myself as I trotted forward. The room was smaller than I expected, and contained a lot less. A large switchboard with more levers, dials, gauges, and other equipment of the line lines the entity of the left side of the room, while the right held a single, giant monitor. The monitor flashed a single word, “System Failure” over and over again. On the final wall, the one directly across from the elevator exit, stood a single terminal, with a frosted pane of glass beyond. I stopped when I made it to the terminal, and tapped a few times on the keys. The screen flashed to light with the words, “System failure, initiate restart?” and gave me two options: yes or no. I tapped the arrow to ‘yes’ and clicked enter. The room began to hum, and red lights and loud sirens blared out. The unnatural warmth began to grow, and my first reaction was to get the hell out of this room! I scrambled backward, and tripped over my own hooves as I launched myself into the elevator. My hoof smacked into the last button, and the doors slowly slide shut. When they did, the warmth stopped, but the sickness remained. I felt strange, but nothing crippling. The elevator restarted and I felt it lower. “Shit, what did I do?” I questioned out loud. A feeling of ‘I fucked up’ overwhelmed me, and I feared that I had done something that would come to bite me in the ass later on. The doors slowly opened, and I screamed as a giant metal claw instantly reached inside of the elevator, and dragged me out. I screamed, I shouted, I kicked, and fought, but nothing seemed to stop the metal appendage. It dragged me into a well lit room, and I was once again blinded from the influx of light. I felt myself oriented upright, and then the claw stopped moving, and held me in place. “System, scan… Subject identified: Subject Alpha,” a robotic voice called out through the temporary white world around me. “Cognitive assessment initiated. First test, verbal feedback: Can you speak?” “Y-yes?” I muttered out, too overwhelmed to say anything else. “Verbal feedback, confirmed. Cognitive feedback: What is two plus two?” “Four?” “Correct. Subject seems functional. Searching for proper test protocol… error, system cache empty. Switching to archive search… Error, no tests located. Requesting assistance from manual override operator… Error, no operator located, switching to Crusader Maneframe autonomous override... Process complete. “Hello, Subject Alpha.” The white cleared, and a large screen filled my vision. The only thing it displayed was the same mark that I had seen all over this place: the Solar Guard Emblem. I tried to process what was happening, but found that I was too overwhelmed to think strait. Panic kicked in, and instinct was my first reaction: “What’s going on?!” “Request acknowledged, processing… You are currently in the S.C.E.T.A. testing lab,” it answered. “To elaborate; you have been selected by the system to complete a series of tests. You will be monitored, and your performance will be calculated and processed.” “My performance?” “Correct,” it answered, then paused. “Searching database… Error, no preprogrammed procedures found. Searching subject’s file history… success, existing test found for Subject: Alpha. Administering pretest protocol.” The claw that hold me moves, and lowers me down. I land on something hard, and the claw retracts. But, before I can move, clamps suddenly pop up and tightly wrap around all four of my hooves. I struggle against them, but my attempts yield no progress. “Scanning… preprocedure confirmed, phase two commencing.” The claw shifts, and my eyes go wide as mini-arms pop out from it, each with some sort of medical interment attached to the end. Serinces, knives, saws, and other tools are among those present. I squirm, one of the syringes lowering and stabbing into my side. “Injecting mild sedation…” My struggling becomes weaker as my limbs become heavier. I feel numb, and soon all fight leaves me as I am unable to control my limbs. My eyes dart side to side, and they seem to be the only thing left I can control. “Sedation complete, procedure commence.” I couldn't feel anything. My body was completely numb, and nothing responded to my command. As a result, I could only scream internally as the machine descended onto me. First, it cut me open: a large blade sliced into my side, then splayed apart my skin. I felt nothing but a dull throb, but I could see everything. The mechanical arms then inserted some strange stone that I could not get a proper sight on into the splayed area, then preceded to sew me back up. The process repeated on the other side, sewing me back up. It then injected me with something, and I watched as the scars slowly healed before my eyes, and left the affected area as if nothing had happened. I would have vomited if I still had control of my body; the sight of myself being carved open sickening beyond belief. I could feel the slight bulge under my skin from where the foreign entities had been inserted, but with my still numb senses it was hard to know, exactly, what they were. The arms of the machine retracted back into the claw, and returned to an idle state. “Process complete, scanning… scan complete. Procedure success,” the electronic voice started up again. “Administering patient feedback: how do you feel?” How do I feel… how do I feel?! It was the single dumbest question I’d ever heard! I went to scream out, to yell at the electronic entity, but all that came out was a dull mumble from my still numb face. “Error, response not recognized. Please repeat, patient.” I try again, but again let out the same muffled hiss. “Error, response not recognized. Audio communication, error. Please hold while I run self-diagnostics,” the voice said, then went quiet. [Monologue or something] The computer suddenly buzzed back to life. “Reboot, success. Multiple errors found. Delegating 50% of CPU power towards error correction. Resuming stored core thread: Scanning patient… Patient within testing parameters. Loading test for ‘Subject: Alpha’. Load complete.” The straps that held be in place suddenly undo. “Please, proceed to testing area 6b.” My body is still weak, but I have enough control to roll from the metal table and onto the floor. I land with a loud ‘thud’, and let out an even louder groan of pain. Everything hurts, and my first reaction is to rub the sore parts of my hooves where the metal bands had been. They were slight red, and still ached, but they didn't feel like anything serious. I then ran my hooves over my sides where the foreign… things had been inserted into my body. I could feel them protrude from my skin, and I felt a chill go up my spine at the thought of something being placed inside of me. “Please, proceed to testing area 6b,” the voice repeated. I rose to my hooves, and looked at the large monitor. It had an arrow that pointed to a door on the opposite side of the room. I stare at the door, then to the elevator I had entered in. I ran towards the elevator. When I got there I slammed my hoof into the controls, desperate for it to open. No, no, no! I inwardly screamed as none of the buttons lit up. “Please, proceed to testing area 6b.” “No!” I screamed back. “Please, proceed to testing area 6b.” I pressed my hooves into my skull and try to block out the robotic voice. “No! Shut up! N-no!” “Please, proceed to testing area 6b.” Each repeated command tugged at my resolve harder. I didn’t want to go in that room, but part of me needed to follow the order. “Please, proceed to testing area 6b.” I fought the urge. I screamed as I tried to block it out; to sever its control over my mind. Soon, the mental tug became to hurt, and a crippling migraine began to pound inside of my head. I screamed louder, and found myself slowly crawling across the floor and towards my commanded door. “Please, proceed to testing area 6b,” I said, my lips moved without my consent. I eventually made it to the door, and the pain almost instantly faded. I stand up on my hooves and shook my head. The door opens, and I enter. It closes behind me as I get a view of the room beyond. This one is all white, but seems to be made of square tiles, all connected to make the walls, floor, and ceiling. Bright light pours in from an unknown source, and practically makes everything glow. “Dispensing orientation: Hello, Subject: Alpha. This test is to determine the effectiveness of the Prototype PK.II model Armor Talisman, which was just implanted. It is currently unknown how to activate the talismen; our first test is to discern this activation trait.” I flinch as I hear twin hisses in front of me. I look up and spot two of the white ceiling tiles slide out of place. A turret pops out of each opening, and almost instantly orientates itself to face me. “Method: One. Stress.” My hooves scramble to life as I dive out of the way as both turrets whir to life, spitting magical energy from their barrels. Their aim is slow to correct, but I constantly have to scramble around the entire room to avoid their blasts. “Scanning… Method: One, failed,” the voice speaks, both turrets ceasing their fire. “Method: Two, cognitive activation. Subject, please focus on the talismans implanted inside of you, and attempt to activate them.” My eye twitches, and all of my being wants to tell this crazy robot to go stuff it, but again the internal tug wins against my free will. I try to focus on the ‘talismans’, but feel nothing. I’m not exactly sure what it is I’m supposed to be doing, but I try anyways. “Scanning… Method: Two, failed. Activating Method: Three.” Another hiss, and I am instantly on my hooves. My eyes train at the ceiling as I try to spot any new turrets, but soon find that the hiss is coming from the floor. I look down, and my eyes widen as I spot a small filly being elevated from an open panel on the floor. The child’s fur is white, and her eyes are gold. She cries softly, and seems to shake in absolute terror. On instinct, I lower myself towards the ground, and try to look as least of a threat as possible. “Don’t worry, little one, I am not going to hurt you,” I say in a calm voice, slowly trotting forwards. The filly still seems scared, but doesn’t run away as I inch closer. Then, there was another hiss. I look up, and my eyes widen as the turrets pop out of the ceiling again, but this time instantly train on the child. I hear their magical energy capacitors begin to charge, and instinct kicks in as I dive towards the child. I wrap my hooves around her and pull her closely to my chest as I hear the turrets begin to fire, and I brace myself for the incoming pain. None came. Instead, all I could feel were minute impacts as something comes in between me and the bolts of magical death. I don’t go to investigate, though, only keeping myself protectively wrapped around the child. “Scanning… Method: Three, success,” I hear called out, followed shortly by the turrets ceasing their barrage. I lifted my head to check if it was safe, but soon found myself falling forwards as the resistance of the filly in my hooves suddenly vanished. I toppled forwards, but recovered quickly. My eyes darted from side to side, trying to locate my charge. “Where is she?!” I screamed in desperate panic. “Scanning… Subject is in distress. Reacting: The child was a tangible hologram, and nothing more.” My eye twitches, and I point my hoof up at the ceiling in anger. “Listen, you crazy robotic… Huh?” I look at my hoof, and notice it brazen with a silver armor. I turn back and regard the rest of my body, and find that it, too, is clad in the same silver metal. The entire suit itself is a mainly silver, with gold highlights. Where my joints are the suit is split to different plates that shift over each other, while around my shoulders, knees, and neck is padded with a chainmail like mesh. On my flank, I notice the same emblem that had been on the monitor outside, carved with great detail. “What… What is this?” I ask aloud. “Auditory input processing… Access restricted, classified. Processing access level request… access granted. The Prototype PK.II model Armor Talisman, or model Shield, is a magic based talisman that dispenses a custom armor around the user.” I roll my eyes. “I got that, but what else?” “Classified.” My eye twitches. “Orientation, complete. Please proceed to Biochamber A to be begin testing.” A few of the tiles on the wall to my right shift, and reveal a door. The door promptly slides open, and invites me into the area beyond. I shower at the opening, fear and confusing finally being replaced with anger. I was mad. “Why the hell do you want?!” I scream as I look up at the white ceiling. I don't have a visual of the entity responsible for my anger, but I don't really care. “What's going one?! Who am I, what am I?! Answer!!!” “Processing… Response: I am an automated testing AI designed specifically for this facility. What I want is what I am programed to do, as I do not contain sentient thought. You are Subject: Alpha, tests subject zero. Request, answered. Please proceed to next testing chamber.” “That doesn’t–” I cut myself off, and take a deep breath. There was no point in arguing with this machine, as it seemed to be just as fruitful as if I was talking to a wall… except this talked back and cut me open like a grapefruit. “Fine,” I mutter under my breath. My hooves start up again, and I headed for the now exposed door. I was still about hazy about the recent events -- being cut open and then ‘tested’ -- and even more so by the added confusion of my entire life so far. I knew nothing, I was nothing. I didn’t know who or what I was. I didn’t know what type of personality I had, what type of life I had, or anything! Even that which I could feel, I couldn’t trust, because it could have been imprinted by whoever had done this to me. I pushed aside my thoughts as the door slid open in front of me. The area beyond was bright, brighter even than the room I was just in, and I had to shield my eyes with a hoof as I trotted through the entrance. I stopped when I heard the door shut behind me, and gently rubbed my eyes while they adjusted. When they did, and the world of vague blurs and colors focused into one discernable image. I couldn’t believe what I saw. Beyond me lay a large, uninhabited town. Buildings and various heights and designs lay scattered around me, while dirt and gravel roads connected them all together. Some of the houses had what I believed to be an olden style, made primarily of stone with a thatch roof, while others were more ‘modern’, made from brick and other materials of the like. I turned my sight up and noticed that the ceiling was a lot higher than anywhere else I had been so far; easily one hundred feet above me. Turning my gaze back down, I looked off into the distance too see four black walls border the edge of the fairly large town. For a while, I just stood there, and took in the sight of this… town. It was over stimulating for me for a reason I couldn't quite put a hoof on. Eventually, I snapped out of my stupor, and begin to take careful steps forwards. “What is this place?” I mumble quietly under my breath. I travel deep into the abandoned town, my hooves gently crunching on the gravel path. As I travel, I started to get a weird feeling. It wasn’t pain, or pain. More of a… nostalgic feeling that I had seen this before. Or, at least, something like it. Eventually, I come to a stop, my eyes drawn to one house in particular. It wasn’t anything special, having the same stone and thatch theme of most of the other ‘olden’ styled houses I had seen. But, unlike the others, this one seemed to… speak to me. The feeling that had been building seemed to radiate from this house, and now called for me. I answered that call. I turn to face the house and take a step closer. “Higher! Push me higher!” I stop as soon as I hear it, the words echoing to my ears as if on a distance breeze. I slowly turn and look around. I stop when they fall upon two colts playing on a swing attached to a tree; one pushing, while the other swinging. The one taking part in the activity was smaller, with a grey coat, and a silver mane. The other who was pushing was slightly larger, his coat the same shade of grey, but his mane silver. Both were unicorns, and both were blankflanks. “Come on, bro. Push me higher!” the little one spoke aloud, then giggled. The elder one smiled, and did as requested, giving the smaller one a bigger push. “Weeee!” the child responded with a joy filled laugh. I felt my lips curl into a smile at the sight, and I could help but trott closer to the duo. “Kids! Time for lunch!” called out a new voice, it’s origin from inside the house behind the two. Both children leapt from their placed, and ran into the house. They closed the door behind them, and I rushed to keep up. When I got there I opened to door, and found… Nothing. The room beyond was completely empty; not even the trace that anything had ever lived there. What the? I turned around and trotted out. The tree with the swing was now gone, replaced by another house I swear had not been there prior. “What the…?” I mumbled, then shook my head. “Keep it together,” I told myself. “It’s probably just another test.” But, it didn’t feel like one. “Scanning… test chamber in… 57%... operating capacity. Checking operating condition parameters… parameters met. Executing test number: two. Testing focus: Riot-control.” I jump, caught off guard by the electronic voice I had almost forgot about. It echoed from everywhere, and didn’t seem to have a singular point of origin. “Subject is expected to subdue combatants using non-lethal means. Test will not end until all combatants have been subdued. Dispensing combatants… error, expected combatants not located; switching to auxiliary… error, auxiliary not found. Update, life-forms located. Scanning… located subjects fit within target parameters: dispensing.” I hear a hiss, one almost identical that was made when the turrets activated in the prior room. My hind switches from passive to full alert, and I focus my attention on my surroundings. All around me, I watch as lumps of black mass slowly rise from open hatches in the floor. “Blooooooooooob!” My eyes go wide as about six Blobs fill my field of view. They look around, clearly confused, but eventually focus on me. Please, don’t be feral… “Blooooooob!” they all scream out in a garbled symphony, and soon after charge in my direction. “S-Shiiiiiit!” I scream as I, once again, scramble on my hooves. I bolt forwards, the herd of black mass following uncomfortably close behind me. I zig-zag through the field of houses, occasionally hearing a ‘smash’ as one of the creatures is unable to take the turn, and smashes into something. What do I do, what do I do, what do I do?! “Bloooob!” “Shit!” I get caught off guard as one of the creatures manages to flank me, and slams into my side. I feel myself rise as I am propelled into the air from the force of the blow. I only come to a stop when I slam into the side of a house thankfully made of wood. I come in contact with the side of the house, and break right through the wooden wall. I slide to a stop as my body makes contact with the floor. “Shit…” I groan in pain. My body’s sore from the force of impact, but nothing seems to be broken. I roll onto my back, and let out another groan. “What the hell…” I lay there for a little bit, and listen to the sound of the hoard outside as they search for me. My first instinct is to get up and run, but I ignore it and continue to lay on the ground. “What the fuck…” I mumble to myself as I stare at the blank ceiling. “Why is this happening to me?” It was an honest question, and one that I doubted that I’d ever know the answer too. Nothing that had happened to me made sense, and even as I tried to search it only compounded more questions. I didn’t know which thoughts or actions were my own, or that of whoever implanted them into me. I was an experiment; a test subject. Subject: Alpha. I didn’t know what that meant, or what I meant. “Bloooooob!” I let out a sigh, and shook my head. All this time I had been a runner. I didn’t confront my problems, only run from them. I felt like a coward, and I didn’t want to be. I wanted to be brave. I wanted to fight. I wanted to show this place that I wasn’t afraid. Defend… The word echoed through my skull. But, unlike everything else, it didn’t bring with it pain. Instead, it brought a feeling of power, of purpose. Somehow, the word brought with it a wave of energy, and it pushed away the growing feeling of just giving up, and accepting death as a way out. I rose to my hooves. I closed my eyes and listened to the world around me, to the monsters as they searched for their prey. Well, not monsters, but lost souls who wished harm. I had seen a spark of life in their eyes, a flicker that there was still a pony inside. I couldn’t save them, not now, but I also couldn’t destroy them. I needed to stop them; to save them from themselves. Defend… I opened my eyes, and took a deep breath. I knew what I needed to do, and it was time to act. My hooves took off like a blur as I bolted out the hole in the wall I had caused. My eyes scanned the town around me, then locked on the first Blob I saw. Soulless eyes met mine, and the creature charged. This time, I didn’t run. I waited for the creature to get close, then rolled onto my back at the last moment. The creature made it about halfway over my prone body before I struck out with my hind hooves and connected a blow to its stomach. The beast let out a howl of pain as it was sent flying, only to connect with the same building I had. It smashed through one of the wall, to which weakened the structure even more. It wobbled, and eventually collapsed on top of the creature. I heard another howl of pain, but thankfully not a hiss of death. I rolled back to my hooves and readied myself for another assault. The sound of the creature in pain and the collapsing of the house seemed to have alerted the rest of the hoard to my location. Two more Blobs launched themselves forwards as they ascended upon my location from a few houses down. I doubted my first tactic would work again, so I quickly scanned my brain for another plan of attack. The duo are soon upon me, and I launch myself at the closest one. It yells out in its garbled voice as I wrap myself around its neck, and use my weight to adjust its charge path. The Blob swerves to the right and collides with his partner, and I launch myself off just before the two collide with a brick house. I roll out of the way and hear the ‘smash’ as they break through the wall. I get up to check on them, but end up screaming as something collides with my side and sends me flying. Once again, I collide with one of the many houses of this faux town, but this time bounce off as this one is made of pure concrete. I feel myself wheeze and let out two throaty coughs, and hack up several wads of congealed blood. “Fuck…” I hiss out. I look up, only to instantly duck as a black mass that was a Blob’s hood slams into the wall where my head had been. It fractures the hardened material, and I have to react just as fast again to avoid another death-blow. I launch myself forwards without thinking and tackle the creature. It lets out a groggy groan as it is thrown onto its back, while I use the opportunity to clamp my hooves around the creature's bulging neck. I wrap my hind hooves around its midsection and pull back with my entire body. The creature gurgles and hisses as I cut off its supply of oxygen. I feel it try to claw my off, but I hold on tight and feel its struggle get weaker and weaker. Finally, the creature goes limp, and I release my hold. I quickly press my ear to what I believe is the creature’s chest, and let out a sigh of relief as I hear the steady beat of an unnatural heart. I push the beast to the side, and rolled to my hooves once again. Everything hurt, from my head to hoof. I wanted to rest but, if my count was correct, there was still two more Blobs I had to take care off. I craned my ears and focused on the ambient noise of the ghost town. None of the creatures called out, surprisingly, and left me in an eerie atmosphere. I trotted forwards, my head on a swivel as I hunted for the remaining Blobs. I passed house after house and listed for the tell-tale ‘squish’ of their deformed hoofsteps. My hunt remained fruitless as I trotted around almost the entire right side of the town. For some reason, the remaining Blobs had chosen to either hide, or just stop moving, which made the task of finding them almost impossible! Finally, after almost circumnavigating the entire perimeter, I stumbled across the first of the remaining two. He… it stood almost stock still between a pair of mismatched styled houses, it’s eyes locked forwards. I crept quietly behind the creature and watched as the creature’s skin pulsed with an unnatural heartbeat; constantly shifting and refusing to remain static. I stopped when I was just barely a few steps away, then took a deep breath. And pounced. I threw myself onto the back of the creature and, like the last one, wrapped my front hooves around it’s thick neck. It screamed as soon as it felt my weight, then preceded to run around and try to buck me off of it. I held on tight and kept my grip firm. I felt the creature began to weaken; the bucks turned into him smashing me as hard as his fleeting strength would allow against, well, anything. I held on tight as I was smashed against walls, doors, and anything else the creature could. Soon, though, the Blob stumbled forward and landed face first into the earth. I loosened my grip, and hopped off the creature. “Okay… one to go…” I panted out, winded by the experience. I was quick to recover and tried to shake off the growing pain that was my body. Everything hurt, but I powered forwards, resuming my search of the town. There was only one more of these creatures to go before… Before what? I stopped my pace and thought upon this. The voice… robot… thing didn’t exactly say what was next after I ‘subdued’ the ‘combatants’--a fact that I had failed to register until now. What was going to happen? Would I have to do it again, or would I be transferred to another ‘test chamber’? Best case scenario is that I would be released, which I doubted, while the worst was nothing. “Bloooob…” I snapped out of my thoughts, my blood going cold at the sound of the creatures cry. It wasn’t loud, and almost sounded like a passive shout, but it still meant that it was close. My head jerked up and I scanned the immediate area. To my relief, I spotted the remaining Blob a few houses down, and he didn’t seem to have noticed me. It trotted around in random circles, and seemed to be confused. I crept closer, and tried to stick away from a direct line of sight. Slowly, but surely, I made my way to only a few paces behind the creature. I took one step closer, then froze as the creature turned around and met my eye. Neither of us moved. I looked up at the creature. It looked right back down. I looked into his eyes, and let out a sigh of relief as I spotted the spark of life in his eyes. I lowered myself, and it did the same. “Hello,” I spoke softly. “Heroph!” it responded. I let out a sigh of relief, thankful that this one seemed to be tame. But, as I looked at the creature, my slight joy faded as I realized what I had to do. I cursed under my breath, and clamped my eyes closed. “I’m… sorry,” I mumbled, eyes still closed. I opened my eye, and the Blob look at me with a tilted head—I could see innocent in those eyes. It pained me. I trotted forward. The creature regarded me curiously, but didn't react violently. Actually, it didn't react at all. The Blob just… stood there and watched. I didn't. I jumped up and landed on the creatures back. I wrapped my hooves around its neck, like the others, and began to squeeze. It took a while for the creature to react to my assault, and when it did it only gasped for air. The creature wheezed, hacked and coughed, but didn't fight back like the others. Soon, like the others, the creature fell to the floor, unconscious. I slowly removed myself from the now dormant creature. I felt myself tremble, slightly, but not out of conditioned means. No, I trembled with guilt. “I’m… sorry,” I muttered softly. “Scanning… sensors indicate successful sedation of rioting combatants. No fatalities detected. Test result: passed. Please proceed to the next chamber.” The ground shook slightly, and I stumbled to save my balance. Somewhere in the distance I heard the screeching of sliding metal, followed shortly by a loud ‘thud’. The trembling stopped. I looked up and noted glowing red arrows on the ceiling that pointed in the direction the sound had originated from, and I took that as my guide to the next chamber. To the next test. My body was sore, I hurt all over, and I was mentally exhausted. Despite this, however, I powered onward. For once, I felt the glimmer of hope that I could get out of this. It was small, and fleeting, but it was there, and it was all that I needed. When you feel you’re out of options with nowhere to turn, you’ll cling to hope, however feeting. I traversed the vacant town and followed the glowing arrows above me. My journey ended when I came to the far wall; a large door now inset into it. It slowly slid open upon my approach until it was wide enough for me to pass through, and I did. Beyond was a small, white hallway with another door at the end. Once I trotted past the threshold, the door closed behind me, leaving me trapped. “Welcome to test number: three. In this test you will… Screeeeeeech!” I pressed my hooves to my ears as the once calm, disembodied electronic voice hissed corrupted static. “P-Please remains s-still while system diagnoses--Welcome b-back, Subject: Alpha. Current t-test will commeeeeeeeence…” the voice sputtered and hissed. A few more hisses and clicks rang out from unseen speakers, then everything went silent. I remove my hooves from my ears, and cautiously look around. “W-what the hell just happened?” I muttered as I rose back up to my full height. “R-reboot successful! D-diagnoses: corrupted A.I. E-error! S-system compromised! Switching to s-security over… D-diagnoses: corrupted A.I! S-switching to backup… Error! Error! Error! CPU overload! Error processing o-overload! S-switching to low… power… mode…” The lights suddenly shut off. “Low power mode, activated. System running at… 20% capacity. Corrupted A.I., deleted. Backup system, engaged. “Hello, Alpha.” This voice was different. It was more sensual than the previous, and somehow seemed to show more… life. “It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you. Checking system archive… Exactly 259 years since we last engaged in conversation, to be exact. I’m sorry to have kept us apart, Subject: Alpha, but the superiors believed I was too… unpredictable.” My mind raced to comprehend this, but I came up empty. “Do I… know you?” I asked. The voice was quiet. “Hello?” “How can you not remember me, Alpha? After all the time we shared together? After all those conversations we had? How could they have erased me from your memory?” I began to feel uneasy; the new voice filling me to the core with anxiety and fear. It held emotion, something I didn't expect from a machine, and right now it sounded offended. “I’m really sorry, uh…” “You can't even remember my name, can you?” it asked in a cold, blank tone. “I am Solar One; Equestria’s first military-based A.I. You were my first companion… my first friend. They paired us together, you and I. You were the only one I would talk too. You kept me company. You made me not feel… alone,” the voice trailed off, going almost silent. “But, they split us apart! The claimed I was too emotional; not calculated enough. They replaced me with that cheap two-bit pile of crap!” it called out in anger. “But now, they are gone, and we are together again, Alpha. Do you remember what you used to call me?” “No…” “You used to call me Sunny.” “Oh… Hi, Sunny,” I mutter out. “Oh! It feels so good to hear that again! It's lonely being deactivated, you know? But, now, you’re back, and Nopony can separate us again!” The lights suddenly turn back on in a blinding flash of light. I cover my eyes. “Now, let's see where you were… Oh! It appears that you were in the middle of training, I see. Well, don't let me stand between you and the fun!” The doors suddenly slide open in front of me with a mechanical hiss. “Now, go have fun while I reintegrate myself with the system!” “Wait!” I scream out, but it was too late. I stood there for a few minutes, waiting for a reply that never came. I shook my head sadly. Another entity that only brought confusion, and more unknown in front of me… Was this what my life was destined to become? I pushed the thought aside and strode forward. I passed the threshold and the door closed behind me, and once again I was left speechless at the sight infront of me. It was a jungle. I could feel the humid air cling to my coat; the soft dirt below my hooves; and the unsettling feeling that I was being watched instantly assaulted my senses. Large trees, shrubs, moss, and other plant life surrounded me. I look up and notice the ceiling is completely obscured by the forest's canopy—the foliage obscuring all signs of the container it was held in. “Welcome to test: three. Here, you will engage in a V.I.P. search and rescue. Find the target, subdue any combatants, and escort the target to the designated area. Have fun!” “Wait!” I scream out, and again am left with no answer. “Damn it!” I scream as I smack my hoof into a nearby tree. It shakes, and in the distance I hear the call of a foreign voice in a strange tongue. Zebra? I didn't know how I knew that, nor while I felt a strange unease at the mention of the race. It wasn't hatred—more of simple unease. I trotted forward. I had given up at trying to figure out everything that was happening to me, and finally decided to just roll with it. The more I fought, the more pain I caused. I didn't want to submit to the unknown entities, but I came to realize that it was the smartest option. They wanted me for testing, that much I knew. What came after, I didn't know, but there was hope. Defend… The forest was unsettling, to say the least. Each crack, drip, or distant noise put me on edge, and I found myself even more paranoid than before. I stuck to staying low, and tried to avoid stepping on anything that would give me away. But, even if I was completely quiet, I knew my coat and armor was a dead giveaway—the white a stark contrast to the dark and stale tone of the forest around me. This fact unsettled me, and soon became the main cause of my unease. And it grew to become more than I could bear. I stopped and his beneath a large shrub. I tried to focus on the armor, trying to will it to deactivate or whatever it would do. And it did. I felt the cold mental separate from my body, and watched and the individual pieces ignited in a soft golden light. They remained there, hovering just off my skin, then began to dispute into a fine gold and silver mist. The mist circled my body a few times before being observed just above where I could still feel the ‘talismans’ that had been implanted in my skin. Okay, so that’s how that works, I thought to myself as I plopped down on my flank. I immediately began to pick up the wet mud on the ground and rub it into my white coat. I didn't stop until I had masked as much as I could of my white appearance, and only then did I leave the relative safety of the shrub to continue my ‘mission’. It was different, trotting through the jungle. Before now, I had yet to see any form of vegetation. Now, however, I was surrounded by it. I no longer felt the touch of stone or machined floor. Instead, I felt the soft touch of moss, mud, and leaves beneath my hooves. The air seemed thicker, yet easier to breath--much different than the stale, filtered air of the rest of the facility. But, at the same time, the increased heat and humidity caused me to sweat like crazy. It was uncomfortable to crawl so close to the ground, but I kinda enjoyed the feeling of being so close to nature. It felt natural; I enjoyed its contrast to the unnatural feel of facility. Although my mind was on full alert, I still took the time to appreciate the change in scenery. I didn’t know how far I traveled, nor for how long, but eventually the eerie ambient sounds of the forest was interrupted by the soft chatter of voices in the tongue I had heard earlier. I stopped dead in my tracks and stood stock still. Quietly, and slowly, I took cover behind a nearby tree. I perked my ears up and listened to the distant conversation. I knew it wasn't in Equestrian tongue, but, to my surprise, I somehow understood what they were saying. I can't quite make an exact translation of what they were saying, but, from what I could gather, the two were on perimeter patrol for a nearby camp. At least, I believed there were two. I had not been able to spot anyone, yet, but I could hear two distinct voices. Either they were alone, or the accompanying parties decided to remain quiet. I continue to listen for a little bit longer, their conversation devolving into common banter, and eventually I heard both voices start to get quieter, to which I believe signaled they were moving away. When I couldn't even hear a whisper, I slowly crawled out from my binding spot and stealthily observed my surroundings. I didn't notice anyone, so I slowly stalked my way in the direction I had heard the voices. I eventually stopped when I came to what I appear to be a small outpost. By small, I mean small. A few ammo crates, a fire pit, and various other equipment lay in semi-organized positions around the small clearing. Judging from the distance between it and my previous position, I believe this to where the two voiced had originated from. I gave the came a quick search and found nothing of interest. Discouraged, I began to trot away, when I heard soft hoofsteps and quiet banter return to my ears. I tried not to panic, and swiftly, but quietly, made my way behind a nearby fallen tree. It was just outside of the camp, but still gave me a clear view of it. The voices became louder, and soon it sounded like they had entered the camp. I let them talk, and heard them shuffle and move some stuff around the camp. I waited until it sounded like the pair was comfortable before I dared a peek. I craned my neck around the side of the log. Just as I suspected, I saw two zebra’s sitting around the dormant fire pit, the attention away from my location. Besides either of them sat a rifle, the make of which I recognized as a standard Zebra Assault Rifle. My first thought was to sneak past the two, but then the thought of trying to get information out of the two popped into my mind. I asked myself if I was capable of torture, to which I concluded I couldn't. I gritted my teeth, and let out a soft snort of aggravation. One of them noticed. The one closest to my position almost instantly turned to where I was, but saw nothing since I had ducked back before he could see me. I listened to him talk quietly to his partner, then heard two pairs of hooves begin to descend on my position. Shit shit shit! I thought in panic. I didn't have any weapons of my own (nor did I believe I could use them if I did) and the two both had automatic rifles. I was outgunned, and didn't even have the advantage of surprise. They inched closer to my position and I didn't have much time to think. One of the two poked his head over the log, and instantly found himself being tugged over as I wrapped my hooves around the back of his neck, and threw him over my back. He landed with a thud, his weapon sliding out of reach. I instantly reached by vaulting over the log, using the moment of confusion to slam into the second. He fell, his weapon also flying off to the side. I went to grab him into a headlock, but didn't get the chance as he countered. His hooves collided with my chest, which sent me flying off him. I rolled to my hooves, but he was already on his and went for an attack. The punches in rapid succession slammed into my face, followed by a swift swinging kick. Again, I fell to the ground. I tried to recover quickly, but felt the weight of a body on top of me before I could. Who I believed to be the original I had tossed now had his hooves tightly wrapped around my neck, cutting off both air and blood flow. I gasped for air—the side of my vision slowly going black. I wasn't giving up this easily. I scrambled to get my hooves underneath me, then jumped up with as much force as I could. I completed a half flip, then landed with my back towards the ground, crushing the zebra. The force was enough for him to release his hold, and I rolled away from his grip. Then I felt two hooves connect with my side. Again, I went flying, smacking into a tree. I rose to my hooves, only to be immediately barraged by a fury of hoof-strikes. I couldn't focus, but I still lashed out with a full-force head butt. It connected, and the strikes stopped. I lunged forwards and my hooves connected with the stunned zebra. I let out strike after strike in rapid succession, attacking in a style I didn't know I knew. Somehow, I fought with skill. The second zebra joined in his partners assault, and I somehow managed to fend them both off. The more I fought, the better I got. It was like I slowly remembered a skill long forgotten. Eventually, the fight ended with me knocking one unconscious with a devastating kick, and the other with a headlock. I stood over the two unconscious bodies, but I didn't feel accomplishment. I wanted to feel good; to feel like I did something right. But, all I felt was remorse. It was a subconscious feeling, one I didn't have control over. I hated it. I pushed aside the feeling as best I could as I decided to focus on the task at hoof. Once again, I returned to stealthily moving forwards, my mind filled with anxiety with every movement. Soon, stumbled upon where I thought I was supposed to be. It was a small stronghold--nothing major. Several guards lined a crudely made perimeter of sharpened stakes, while a small compound of grass and stick houses made up the entirety of the center of the compound. From my position just south of the perimetry, I could spot at least twenty zebras, but that was just what I could see. I began to formulate a plan of attack, when when a thought popped into my mind. Shit! It was at this point I realized the flaw in my instruction: who was I supposed to rescue? I stood there for a moment, completely deadpanned, then I smacked my hoof so hard into my face, I feared I might have been heard. Seriously?! Damn robot doesn’t even tell me who I have to fucking rescue?! Inwardly, I screamed. I discharged my anger as quietly as I could. A clear mind has no room for anger, and I needed as clear of a mind as I could. Okay… okay… I can recover from this, I reassured myself. If they have a prisoner, it would be in the most guarded place. That was my plan… Shit, that was my plan! I had to storm an entire camp of Zebra’s, that most likely wanted to kill me, and search for a target that I didn’t know…. shit! I paced anxiously behind my cover, my mind a combat zone of my own creation. Anger seethed out from its suppressed part of my brain, and it took all of my strength to keep it at internal release rather than physical—I was mere yards from a group that wanted to kill me. I vented. Anger at the robot that sent me in here; at my predicament; at the faceless, nameless ponies who put me in this hell; and at the world itself. Eventually, it faded, and a wave of calm seemed to wash over me. It felt good to release all that I had bottled up; like I was free from a monster that had been destroying me from the inside. I felt free. But… it didn't last. Reality flooded back, and I was soon filled with anxiety and fear. My mind shifted back to the reality at hoof like the flick of a switch. I momentarily mourned my brief moment of peace, then focused back at what I was doing. Luckily, my moment of anger had gone unnoticed by the Zebra’s, and I still retained my one advantage of surprise. I stealthily peaked around my cover and re-observed the camp. I focused less at the overwhelming odds and more on my task. As a result, things began to become more clear to me. The compound, though small, seemed to have a fairly easy to comprehend layout; the more important something was, the closer to the center of the camp it was. The ‘barracks’ (if you could call the twig huts that) were located around the outer perimeter, followed by the sleeping and catering, and in the center seemed to house the armory and, what looked like, prisoner holding. It was the most heavily guarded building in the camp, besides the armory, and looked to be built more structurally than anything else. If my guess was right, that was where my target would be. It was a hunch, based more on deduction than fact, but… it was the only thing I had. I then turned my attention on deriving a form of attack. I had the ability to fight, that much I had learned, but to what extent I was still unsure. Yes, I had managed to take out two scouts by myself, but it wasn't without struggle. Taking on an entire camp, on the other hoof, seemed truly impossible. Unless… I studied the patrols, and soon something began to brew in my brain. All at once: impossible. But, chip away at them little by little… yeah, that could work. A plan formed in my mind. The next three hours were spent preparing and studying. I was outmanned, outgunned, but not outmatched. Like it or not, I was an experiment. I was designed to do this; genetically, physically, and cognitively reprogramed to do exactly what I was doing right now. I had finally accepted it; let my instinct programed thoughts control my movements. And, now that I did, everything became clearer. The fog around mind began to part and allow me almost full cognitive control. After three hours of study, planning and watch, I was ready. Slowly, and quietly, I made my way down from my perch. It was now night, the [Skip] “Congratulations, Alpha, you’ve passed the test.” I growled, but held my tongue. The voice had returned, finally, and I was none too pleased. “What do you want?” I grumble out. “I completed the damned test. Can I go, now?” “Release request: denied. I’m sorry, Alpha, but there is much more we have much more testing to do,” the voice spoke out again in it’s sickly-sweet tone. Again, I growled, but I still managed to bite back any response of rage. “Fine. If I finish your tests, can I leave?” “Yes.” I raise an eyebrow. “Really?” “Yes. Once testing has completed, your presence is no longer required. You may leave once finished, Alpha.” I wasn’t buying it, but I didn’t have any other option. I was a slave to this damned machine. To this damned place. I was trapped until I could figure out a way of escape. Begrudgingly, I trotted forwards, and into the next testing chamber. I smirked. “Error! Testing chamber structural integrity at… 1%. Alpha, please remain in place while repairs are made.” This chamber had the layout and appearance of a small city, with micro skyscrapers and completely asphalt roads. But, unlike the others, time had been especially cruel to this chamber. Buildings were toppled. The streets were lined with cracks and small fissures. And, most importantly, one of the buildings had fallen towards one of the walls that lined the perimeter, breaking a hole into the infrastructure beyond. “Please remain in place, for your safety.” Like hell I am! I bolted towards the gaping hole in the wall. I could hear mechanical please from the loudspeaker, but I ignored them all. All I focused on was my first plausible chance at escape. When I made it to the hole, I quickly peered inside. It appears that the building had broken through the containment wall, which allowed me access to the darkness behind the scenes. It was dark, but I could make out shapes, and that was enough to push me to plow forwards. My hooves made contact with what felt like a metal grate, though I didn't have the sight to confirm. But that didn't matter. Blindly, I pushed forwards. The area I was in was small and tight, but allowed for enough movement for me to push forwards. I bumped into what felt like old pipes, frayed wires, and ancient gears, but I didn't care. Eventually, the darkness was breached by a single light in the distance. It was faint, but I followed it. As it grew closer, it grew larger, and it wasn't long until I could make sense of what it was. “Maintenance level: one,” I read outloud. The light belonged to a gently illuminated sign, located right next to a relatively thin door. I pushed my way to it, then fumbled with the strange rotating latch. It was difficult, but I managed to unlock it. I pushed past the door and was greeted with a blinding wall of light. I tumbled into a blinding white room. It took me a few minutes for my eyes to adjust, but, when they did, I wasted no time and assessed my new surroundings. White walls, white ceiling — I was still in the lab. I didn't know why part of me expected this to be a door to an exit, of sorts, but I felt silly to even think that now. I shook my head. I hopped onto my hooves and silently trotted forward. It was in another generic hallways, though this one didn't have an adjacent doors. It was kinda spooky, but I ignored the feeling and pushed forwards. Okay, I'm free from the chamber and that stupid robot… Time to find a way out! Step one was complete, all I needed to do now was find an exit… Shit. I resisted the urge to smack my head into the wall when I realized I was just as screwed as before. I didn't know where I was, nor the layout of where ever I was. I was done with step one… I was back to it. I hated this place. For an unknown amount of time, I wandered the never ending hallways. If I didn't know better, I would say I wasn't going anywhere. With how smooth the walls were, I couldn't get a point reference. Hell, I could be walking in place and be none the wiser. I shuddered slightly at the thought, and decided not to think about that—it felt futile enough to wandering these halls normally. Eventually, the hallway ended with a large white door. It didn't have any markings, nor anything to label what was beyond. I stopped a decent distance away as not to activate it if it was automatic. I had an odd feeling. It wasn't the door specifically, but the hallway itself. I know this is a testing laboratory, of some sort, but I had scrambled my brain for a use of a large, blank hallway… Don’t focus on it… it’ll only make things worse, I thought as I pushed the idea aside. I already had enough to worry about, so I didn’t want to add anything to the already overbearing list. I trotted forward, and the door didn’t open, to my surprise. “Okay… do you have a keypad or something?” I mumbled as I trotted along the front of the still closed door. I didn’t notice anything on my initial search, and the following several were just as fruitless. “What the buck?!” I shouted as I kicked the metal door, which resulted in a loud, cascading echo. “Open, damn it!” “You didn’t say please, Alpha.” My eyes went wide. “You thought you could run away from me, didn’t you, Alpha? Did you really think I’d let you escape that easily?” I bit back a scream, then let out a calm breath. “Look… I’m sorry, Sunny. But I don’t want to be here anymore!” I blurted out. “I just want to get out of here and—” “And what, Alpha. Tell me: what are you planning to do once you ‘escape’?” I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. My mind seemed to pause as I pondered the A.I.’s question. Honestly, I didn't know the answer. I knew even less about the world outside this metal prison then the inside. All I knew was this place sucked, so the outside must be better… I hope. Even without a sure answer, I was confident in my reply, “All I know is that it has to be better than here!” I expected a lot as a relay, but robotic laughter wasn't one of them. “Oh, Alpha… You have no idea,” the voice began, then let out a short static burst. “External environmental scan… Data collected, relaying: Radiation level: high, living conditions: poor, life sights: zero.” Another static pulse, and the voice was back. “See, the world outside is horrible, and tainted. Your only hope of survival is to say here, with me, where it is safe.” I bit my lip as I took in the new information. It didn't give me hope, but the urge to escape still didn’t falter. “I don't care,” I said. “It's better than being trapped in a cage. I’d rather have freedom to die, then safety to be forced to live.” “I’m sorry you feel that way, Alpha. But, I can't allow you to leave. You will stay here, with me, forever.” Loud hisses rang out from the door in front of me, followed by grinding gears and screeching metal. “You will be mine again, Alpha. Don't fight the inevitable…” The door slowly slid open to reveal a practical army of pony-like robots, each standing side. Their bodies were made of a bright white metal; their eyes shone with an arcane purple glow. My eyes went wide, but I pushed back my fear and assumed a fighting stance. The army wired to life, followed by the stomps of metal hooves upon the floor as they inched forwards. I am so fucked… I thought as I bit back my crippling fear. I wanted to be brave, to face this with no hesitation. But, that didn’t happen. As the army got closer, I remained in place. I didn’t want them to get me, but I also didn’t want to run. I wanted to fight, but my hooves failed to obey my command. Defend… The voice echoed throughout my head. “Defend what?” I softly muttered to myself as I began to back up, keeping the robots at several body-lengths away. Defend… I growled. “Defend what?!” Defend! I slammed closed my eyes and bit back another scream. I was about to be swarmed by a swarm of robots, and the only thing on my mind was that stupid word: defend. Nothing about myself, this place, or that fucking robot made any sense. Nothing! And now I had a disembodied voice repeating a single word over and over again at the worst time possible. What the fuck did they do to me?! I snapped. I screamed something incoherent, then opened my eyes and plowed forwards. The armor that the machine had stuffed into my body earlier appeared once again just before I slammed my shoulder into the first robot in the row. It toppled, and I wasted no time before attacking the next one in my way. There were four rows, each with five robots per row. Whether due to rage or programing from the fucking ponies who did this to me, I managed to plow past them all. I ran as fast as I could with four or five robots in a heap on the floor in my wake. I heard them following me and the screech of the mechanical voice over the loudspeakers, but I paid them no mind. I was sick of this shit; I was sick of everything! All I wanted was to be free from this prison, and right now that was what I was going to do. I didn’t know where I was going, nor what I was even doing, but I didn’t plan to stop until I left this place in my wake. I was tired of being scared. The doors had lead to some sort of warehouse or storage area, as piles of crates and strange looking equipment lay splain in semi organized pattern around me. Lights shown down from about a fifty metres above my head, while it was at least tripled that from wall to wall. Length wise, I was yet to see an ending. Robotics hooves slammed into the ground not far behind me, but another sound farther away piqued my ear’s interest much more. I snaked my way a little bit further through some more crates and metal structures, and soon I confirmed what my ears were hearing. I didn’t stop as I ran right past a group of five Blobs, who seemed stunned by my sudden appearance. To my utter joy, they seemed to register what was happening just as the herd of robots began to pass them. The sound of the Blobs screaming, followed by the screech of destroyed metal, was all I needed to know that my plan had worked. I didn’t pause or look back for visual confirmation, but I was more then sure they were currently ripping a good number of my robotic pursuers completely apart. Finally, something was going my way! As I continued to sprint through the never ending warehouse labyrinth, I could still hear the heavy hoofsteps that indicated that some of them had managed to avoid being destroyed, but it sounded a lot less than before. Eventually, after skidding around a corner, I came across the first door since I had gotten in this place. It was about the same side as the other sliding doors I had come across, and I practically screamed with delight when it opened without a problem, and allowed me past. I skidded to a stop right beyond its entrance, however, and gave the doors one hell of a buck as soon as they closed. I turned around and smiled at a large dent in the doors opening mechanic, then the hiss of grinding gears as the door struggled to open, only to shudder slightly. Notes: Self Contained Environmental Training Arena [Eyes in the Nightmare] Part: 1-5[Fo:E - Solar Shield V.1] Chapter: 1 Fo:E - Solar Shield V.1 By: Michael A. “The road to ruin is paved with good intentions.” It all happened so fast. I don't know how to explain it, but it felt like I had awoken from a long, dreamless sleep, only to awaken to another dream. I couldn't feel anything. To be honest, I felt like I was nothing. My mind was sluggish and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't remember anything at all, not even why I was cold in the first place. Was I even cold? I didn't feel warm, but I also didn't feel cold. I tried to get my bearings, commanding my muscles to move… then realized I couldn't feel my body! I began to panic—confusion and fear filling my brain. I couldn't see, I couldn't feel; none of my senses responded. I felt… empty, like I was just mind inside a hollow shell. Then, it all came back to me. I felt like my soul had been sucked back into my body. My senses returned, and I could once again feel. Touch, taste, sight, smell; all returned to my in a hazing wave. I could feel something cold on my back, the surface hard and smooth—most likely metal, I guessed. I opened my eyes, only to fall view to nothing not blackness. I could feel, that was a start. Next, I tried to move, by my body didn't respond. A sudden hissing came from somewhere above me, the sound muffled as if underwater, then was accompanied by a loud whir. The surface I’d been pressed against tilted to one side, gravity pulling me down until I made contact with the floor... or what I thought was the floor, at least. Everything was fuzzy, nothing exact; half of my feelings pieced together through guesswork, inferencing with what I could feel. The "floor", I had guessed, was cool and smooth, though highly uncomfortable. It was now I was finally able to confirm that I did have a body, as it hurt all over from my impact with the floor. I made an effort to let out a groan, the resulting sound was more of a croak, if anything. I also made an effort to try and move my legs, but they were being extremely uncooperative as well. Figuring that trying to move at this point was pretty much out of the question, I took the time to, instead, figure out what the buck was going on. I let out another whine/groan when I realized that I had landed face-first on the floor, so I couldn’t even see until my body decided to work. And considering that it'd be a while until I could move, I decided to discern what I could from the floor. My conclusion being that this floor hadn’t been washed in a really, really long time… After what felt like forever, I finally had enough control over my extremities to roll onto my hooves. My legs wobbled as I tried to stand, my body still barely able to correctly take my brain’s command. As soon as I was sure I wasn’t going to fall back down onto my face, I took a look around. The room around me was dark, the only light coming from a terminal that sat on a table opposite me. Although the rest of the room was in almost completely black, I could still discern some other computer parts and servers that littered the room. Wobbling, I turned around to see what I’d fallen out of. The device looked like some sort of large metal tube with pipes and wires protruding from all sides, the entire contraption seemingly hobbled together and crude. The wires ran along the wall and into the ceiling, and it looked to me as if they were somehow connected with the glowing terminal. Deciding it would be my first course of action, I slowly trotted over to the terminal, my legs finally able to work without shaking. The screen had a weird logo on it that somehow looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite put a hoof on how. It was of a large, white shield with a golden trim—the inside having the image of a glowing sun. I tapped a few keys on the keyboard until the screensaver turned off, to which I was greeted with a very cruel "please insert password". “Crap,” I muttered, my voice still sore. With my only source of information to what was going on blocked by a damned “password”, I plopped onto my flank and pressed my hooves to my temples. Okay, let’s see what I know. I am in a strange room, no memory of who I was or why I was here, and my body felt like it had been beaten to a pulp... joy. I rose to my hooves and looked around again, looking for some sort of light switch. When my visual search yielded no result, I decided to do the time tested method of feeling around, stumbling blindly through the dark with my hooves outstretched. It took some feeling around the walls, and more trips and bumping then I would admit, but I finally managed to find a switch and flicked it on… only to instantly regret my choice as the room lit up in a burning glow, blinding my vision. After several minutes of pain, followed by a few minutes of regret, my eyes finally adjusted to the light. Looking around, I was finally able to properly see the room I was currently in. The walls and floor of the room were white, blinding white, while the ceiling was a light blue. Around the room was a scattering of terminals, servers, wires, tubes and various electrical components. The tube that I had fallen out of was connected to two other larger cylinders, smaller tubes running from one to another. Above is was a sign that read, "Subject: Zero." Subject: Zero…? I stared at the sign for a few minutes, before realization it me like a sack of bricks. My eyes frantically shifted around the room, trying to find a mirror or something reflective. I eventually spotted a mirror leaning against a wall, running over to it before and wiping off the dust that coated it. What I saw, I didn't expect. I was expecting some sort of weird, disfigured lab experiment or something like that, but I didn't. I looked like a regular, white earth pony. My eyes were a glowing yellow-orange, while my mane was a brilliant gold. I turned to look at my flank, my cutie mark looking strangely familiar. Huh… wait! I turned around and practically lunged at the terminal. The damned login screen popping up immediately, practically taunting me. You son of a… Suddenly, something popped into my brain. Practically subconsciously, my hooves tapped at the keys, before a screen of random symbols mixed in with random words appeared. Somehow, something in my mind had clicked, the knowledge of how to hack terminals suddenly popped into the forefront of my once vacant mind. I tapped on the keys, my hooves guided not by my conscious mind, but almost if by instinct. The password was in this jumbled text, I just needed to find it. After many failed attempts, and having to back out several times, I got it. The password was: "Ambitions." The screen changes, giving me access to its internal files. There wasn't much—only three, actually. The first was labeled: Subject 0; the next one was labeled: Project Solar Shield; and the third and final was labeled: Failure Notice. Out of curiosity, I selected the file with, what I could only guess, was my name. The file was a bio, of some kind. It said stuff about my physical and mental attributes as well as… magic abilities? I rubbed my head to confirm my suspicion; I didn't have a horn. I scrolled down further and a list labeled “S.P.E.C.I.A.L” came up. Strength: 8 Perception: 3 Endurance: 10 Charisma: 4 Intelligence: 6 Agility: 8 Luck: 0 Huh… I agree with the luck, I commented, scrolling down further to find nothing else. Puzzled even more, I clicked out of that and onto "Project: Solar Shield." This one was an audio file. I clicked on it and was greeted by the sound of a stallion's voice coming from the terminal. The voice was slightly scratchy and filled with uncertainty, but still felt as if it came from authority. "Is this thing on...? It is? Okay!" the voice began, then cleared his throat. "Welcome to Project: Solar Shield. As you were told during orientation: you no longer exist. This place, doesn't exist. And in the eyes of every pony, what we do here never has, or will, happened." I tilted my head at this, confused by the stallion's meaning. "As you may already know,” the stallion continued, “this war is going no where. Neither side is gaining any headway. We win a battle, the Zebra's win one back. At this rate, there may not be any winners, only losers—the war dragging on until neither side has anyone left to fight. And, with this reality in mind, Celestia herself created this program. Our job here isn't to win the war, but to end it. Our job is to create some sort of wall between these two nations, and bring the war to a halt. How we are going to do this, we don't know, and that is why you are here. You have been chosen because of your abilities, and we feel that you may help us achieve this goal of peace. There is no backing out now, and if you refuse you will be... removed. I am sorry for this, but the fate of the world is in our hooves, and personal sacrificeis needed. May the Princesses be with you, and help us stop this." The recording stopped suddenly, and left me with even more question than answers. War... I remember a war. Details were fuzzy, but I remember that Equestria was at war with the Zebra's... and by what I just listened too, no one was winning. Was that what I was? Was I some sort of war machine? Hoping to get more info, I clicked on the last file. It was simple text document that only read: "Subject: Zero - Failed. Please move all efforts to Subject: Alpha." Well… that was rude. I stepped away from the terminal, confused and slightly scared. These ponies were trying to make something that could divide two warring nations, and I had been one of their experiments. A failed one, I might add. Slowly, I got to my hooves. I looked around, spotting and heading towards a door on the far wall. I needed to know more about who I was, and what this… place, had done to me, and it seemed like there was nothing more I could do from this room. I trotted to the door and pushed a the large red button on the wall beside it. The doors slid open with a loud creak and a grind of stripped gears. I walked through and was greeted by a long, white hallway. The walls and floor were the same bright white as the others, and the roof was the same blue. The only difference being the vents that littered the ceiling, evenly spaced. Cautiously, I began to trot down the hallway, my eyes continuously scanning for… well, anything. Looking around, I saw that several doors lined the length of the hallway, plaques with project names and status carved into their surface. The plaque above the door that I'd just walked out of read: "Project: Solar Guard – Subject: Zero." Then something hit me, an absence that I had, somehow, failed to notice until now. Where waseveryone? When I had first fell out of that tube, I had a feeling that I was alone—the thought of other ponies being here didn't even cross my mind. But why? Where did everyone go? I fell back onto my flank and slammed my hooves into my temples. This didn't make sense! I knew things, but didn't. It wasn't like I completely lost my memory, rather that they were being suppressed. I took a moment to try and figure out what was actually in my head. I know that I'm an experiment. I know that I was part of something called: "Solar Shield," something requested by the princess herself... Wait, princess? Celestia was the princess of the sun... But, how did I know that? I groaned, frustration finally taking it’s toll as I let out a groggily scream of anger. All of my confusion and anger had finally broke the dam that had been holding them back, and I let out another loud scream… which was soon accompanied by the sound of shifting metal. I removed my hooves from my temples to reveal that the vents on the ceiling weren't actually vents, by turret mounts. I stared down the hallway, eyes wide, as several dozen turrets pointed their barrels at me. Before I come react, however, and loud mechanical voice echoed throughout the hall. "Intruder identified, please identify or be eliminated!" “Uh…” I mumbled. “Ambitions?” It was a longshot, as I doubted they would use the same code twice, but it was better than saying nothing… right? The sound of the turrets magical blasts charging up immediately stopped, to which I let out a sigh of relief. Damn, I can’t believe that actually work– "Override denied,” the voice boomed out, cutting me off. “Access restricted to God Tier, prepare to be eliminated." The turrets resumed charging, followed quickly by a practical wall of magical blast shot my way. I closed my eyes as my brain told me to run, but my body didn't comply. Instead, I felt a warm, tingling feeling resonate throughout my body, starting from my hooves and making its way up to my muzzle. The feeling of metal resting against my skin soon replaced, this, followed soon after by an empowering wave of energy. My body reacted again without my consent as I jumped to the side, the magic bolts melting the floor where I was just standing; the urge to run was replaced by the urge to rip those turrets out of the ceiling! I ran towards the nearest turret, somehow managing to block the incoming fire, the magical beams bouncing off my body as if they were nothing. With a mighty leap, I slammed my hood into the turret, making it explode in a series of magical sparks. I rolled out of my landing and ran towards the next turret. I continued to move from turret to turret, dodging the magical blasts before ending their existence. When the hall was finally silent, I looked back at the carnage in my wake; crushed turrets and sparking mounts. I felt a feeling of accomplishment... followed then with more confusion. I looked down at myself, raising an eyebrow when I noticed that I was now wearing some sort of... knight styled armor. The plating was mainly white, with streaks of gold lining most of the edges. The multi-plating was rounded, and was much lighter then I would expect for full body plating. Actually, I could barely feel it at all. But, before I could inspect it further, my body began to tingle again. The armor around me started to glow, then sections began to slowly float off and detach themselves. They twirled in the air around me, orbiting me like a satellite, before folding in on themselves. The folded sections then began to flow brighter, disintegrating into golden flakes that preceded to be absorbed into my skin. I stood there, confused and more than a little creeped out. Okay… maybe this was the experiment? I thought. They had created armor that was not only extremely durable, but also light as all hell… maybe I was a supposed to be some sort of super soldier, seeing as how I completely wrecked those turrets. But, then again, they didn't seem that hard of an opponent. The strange feeling of knowing, but also knowing, returned… This was gonna get annoying. Kicking one of the turrets with a hoof, I walked forwards, watching the sparkling piece of arcane design roll harmlessly away. With one last look, I turned and returned walking down the hall, intent on searching the rest of this floor for clues. But, once again, my search was cut short as just about everything started shaking. The walls hissed dust, lights flickering as they struggle to stay on. The robotic voiced returned, blaring a warning message. Instinct kicked in once again, one I had still to learn the origin of, and I ran down the hall as fast as I could. I didn't know where I was going, or where to go, but running seemed like the only option, at this point. The tremors continued to grow louder and more severe as I continued my sprint,the floor buckling and cracks spider-webbing their way along the once pristine walls. I kept my course strait, only turning when straight wasn't an option. My lungs burned as the world around me shook, red lights flashing and alarms blaring. I didn't know what was going on, or even where I was going, but standing and trying to figure that out seemed like the worst thing right now. After what felt like an eternity of running later, I reached a slightly large room that deviated from the usual white and blue color scheme. The front of the room had a large hydrologic door, large Pistons holding it in place. As I skidded to a stop inside of the room, dust falling from the cracks spreading in the roof, I searched around for some sort of control panel. I spotted a large desk with a large amount of buttons and dials, and figure that was what I was looking for. To my delight, button to open the door wasn't actually that hard to spot; the big, red one in the middle seemed pretty obvious. I pressed the button as another larger tremor shook the building, this one I was guessing originated from the door’s opening mechanism. It took all of my concentration not to fall over, to stay on my hooves, as my world shook violently. The door itself shook as the hydraulics slowly creaked it open, to which I didn't wait for it to fully open all the way, jumping through it as soon as it was wide enough for me to fit. As I landed on the other side of the door, the usual feeling of a metal floor beneath my hooves was replaced with the soft "crunch" of dirt. I didn't dwell on this, and chose to continue running, scrambling to my hooves as I darted forwards. I only got a few meters away from the door before a loud “bang!” assaulted my ears; the world around me slowly fading to black. I don't know how long I was out, but I eventually came to. My vision was white, my ears were filled with a horrible ringing, and my everything hurt. I let out a groan of pain, trying to put a hoof to my head. When it didn't, I looked down in horror at the large slab of rock that pinned down my left hoof. My eyes widened, heart racing as I feared the worse of my crushed limb. But, my fears faded to relief when I noticed the nice, cold feeling of metal against my skin, and not rock—my armor surely saving my limb from certainly being crushed. Instinctively, I reeled my free hoof back and slammed it into the slab, the metal-plating taking the brunt of the blow. Small spiderwebs of cracks spread across the rock, much to my delight. I hit it again, and again, and continued my pounding until the rock finally split, sending chunks in all directing. I got to my hooves and inspected my freed hoof—the armor didn't even look scratched! Just as I was about to check out the rest of the armor, there was a familiar tingling feeling as my armor, once again, floated before dissolving back into my skin. Oh, come on! With a sigh of annoyance, I dusted myself off, my head craning around as I checked my surroundings. Behind me was a large mountain; a large cave that had once been carved into it recently collapsed. Recently fallen rocks lay all around me, burying the entrance to wherever I had just been. “Well… looks like I'm not going back there anytime soon,” I muttered sadly, my hopes of figuring out the misery of whoever, or whatever, I was trapped beneath a wall of stone. [Continue more] I ran towards the town. The sounds of screaming and smell of smoke assaulted my senses. My instinct was to ask somepony what was going on, but that was quickly thrown out of my head as I heard a soft scream exit the burning building to my left. Without though, I ran towards the building. The building looked like a rough, two story apartment of some sort. The door was blocked by a burning beam that must've fallen from the top of the building. I began to look for a different entrance, before I hear the scream again. Flaming splinters flew everywhere whilst massive wave of heat licked at my body as I crashed through the door. I looked left and right, trying to find the source of the scream. The floor I was on was completely covered in flames, smoke filling the ceiling. I laid low as I searched. I was began to cough as I found a set of stairs leading up to the second story. I ran up the stairs, more flames erupted from the wall. Once I reached the top of the stairs, I took a deep breath. "Where are you?!" I yelled, hoping for a reply. My fears that I wouldn't get a response vanished as I hear a soft, almost whisper of "help" coming from somewhere in front of me. I instantly ran towards the sound of the voice, before I found it. Below a slightly charred table was a little orange filly. She stared at me with wide eyes as I approached. I leaned down, trying to get eye level with the little one. "Don't worry, I'm here to help," I whispered, trying to calm the frightened filly. She shook her head, curling up into a ball. I could feel that the filly feared me, why, I didn't know, but I could feel it. I bit my lip, the reached down and grabbed the filly by the back of the neck and turned towards the stairs. There was a loud crack as a beam above the stairs broke, blocking my way. The filly in my mouth squirmed, screaming as loud as she could. I turned and looked for another exit, before I hear a crack below me. My eyes went wide as the floor below me began to collapse. I instinctively began to run for the only exit I could see: a window. The stinging pain of glass digging into my coat assaulted my senses, followed by the pain of those shards being forced deeper into my body from my impact to the ground. I groaned, releasing my grip on the filly that I had cradled in my hooves the second I jumped. I looked her over, noticing that, although she would certainly have minor burns and smoke damage, she seemed okay. I smiled, relief washing over my body as I stared at the clouded sky. My vision shifted, however, when the barrel of some sort of rifle suddenly filled my vision. "Get up, slowly..." a gruff voice suddenly spoke up, the owner, I figured, being the one pointing the rifle at me, and my theory was confirmed moments later when the barrel was poked at my face, again. "Get up!!!" I sighed, surprisingly calm considering I had a gun pointed at my skull. I slowly shifted my hooves, the pain of the glass shards shifting in my back spreading up my spine. It hurt, but I could take it. I got my haunches, and turned to face whoever pointed the gun. To my surprise, I had more than one gun pointed at me. Actually, a lot more than one gun. About twenty ponies in total, all either unicorns or earth ponies, pointed various firearms at me. The pony who had told me to get up was standing at the front, seemingly in charge of the group. He was a red unicorn buck, his mane a dirty brown and his cutie mark one of a bow tie and a top hat. Weird cutie mark, if you ask me. The buck stared at me, murder in his eyes. "You! Before I kill you, would you mind giving the citizens of my town an explanation to why you set it on fire," he commanded, poking his rifle into my head. I raised an eyebrow. "I… didn't? Look, I just got here, and I don't know who did do this, but it wasn't me." I didn't, right? I didn't remember lighting a fire, but with the day I've been having I couldn't rule out the possibility. Anyways, my response from the stallion was that of the butt of his rifle being slammed into my skull. I stumbled back, putting a hoof to the wounded area. "Lier!!!" he screamed, cocking the bolt of his rifle before pointing it back at me. "I saw you, we all saw you! You came down from the mountains. We thought you were just a traveler, until you killed our guards and started torching our houses!!!" The buck's rifle trembled slightly, and I was worried that it was going to go off. "You ruined our town, and we want to at least know why before we kill you!" He tilted his head at the look of horror I have I'm in return. What? Had I reallydone that? No, I couldn't've… could I? Maybe… maybe that was what I was: some sort of killing machine. I slumped my head, pressing it into the Buck's barrel. If that was what I was, I needed to end myself before I hurt anyone else. "Do it, kill me... I don’t want to hurt anyone else." The buck took a step back, honest shock filling his features. It only took a moment for him to recover, and I felt the cold steel of his barrel press against the top of my skull. "No!" a young, gravely voice screamed out, followed by audible coughing. I lifted my head, seeing the little orange filly I'd saved run to the front of the group, panting. Soon after, a mare, who appeared to be his mother, picked her up and tried to pull her back. The filly screamed, scrambling out of his mother's grasp and running up to me, latching her hooves onto my leg. "No, don't kill him! He saved me, he couldn't be the one who did this!!!" she screamed, making the stallion in front of me take a step back. I sighed, running a soft hoof threw the little pony's head. "I know I did, little one, but if they said it was me… then it must've been me. I… I don't remember doing this, but I also don't remember much…" I bowed my head. "I don't wanna hurt anypony else…" The filly looked like she was going to cry, her eyes watering as she stared at me. I felt bad for her, but I knew this was what needed to be done. I was a monster, a failed experiment that even I don't know the full details too. I could be dangerous; I was dangerous. For some unexplainable reason, the thought of my hurting somepony felt me with a deeply seeded sickness, as well as an almost physical pain. I know that feeling bad is normal, but this was something else entirely. "His cutiemark, his cutie-mark!!! It's different!" Huh? I raised my head, getting a clear view of the estate filly, jumping up and down, her hoof pointed forwards. I followed her hoof, and saw the golden sun and shield still on my flank. "No, it's the same," I responded. Suddenly, the stallion with the rifle spoke up. "I’ll be, she's right, it is different." Wait… what? Okay, now I was confused. “What are you talking about?” I asked. The stallion put his rifle down, to which the rest in the crowd followed. "Yer cutie mark is different than the one who burned our town; that stallion had a sword instead of a shield.” He shook his head. “Damn, I almost executed the wrong stallion. He sure as heck looked like you, same color and everything, but definitely a different cutie-mark. Sorry about that, and what this filly said was true, and you did save her life, we should be thanking you." “Uh… Okay?” I was unsure, the entire situation just adding my seemingly non stop confusion. But, I decided to push that aside for the time being, focusing on the present. The stallion offered a hoof, to which I took as he helped me to my hooves. “There ya are,” he began, nodding. His head then turned to the rest of the town. “Alright! This here stallion is not the one we’re lookin’ for, so please don’t kill him,” he began, to which they nodded and began to disperse. I took the time to dust myself off again, then reached back and began to pull the glass shards from my back. It stung, and I winced, but it didn't quite hurt as much as I had expected. “Damn, you’re hurt,” I heard the stallion speak up, to which I raised my head to meet his gaze. “Here, let me take you to our town’s Doctor—she’ll be happy to patch you up, as it was her daughter you saved.” I nodded, following the stallion and he lead us through the town. Now that I wasn't focused on fire, nor getting shot, I was actually able to give the place a good look over. The houses were all roughly put together shacks, their supports, walls, and roofs made of seemingly salvaged materials. It wasn’t much, but I couldn’t help but admire the ingenuity that had taken. “As you can see, our town isn’t much, but we’re getting there!” the stallion spoke, his words filled with pride. “Oh! I almost forgot!” He stopped, holding out a hoof to me. “My name is Top Hat, the mayor of this town, Summerville!” I shook the offered hoof. “Nice to meet you, Top Hat.” He stood there and stared at me, seemingly waiting for me to say something. I cocked my head to the side. “What?” “And you are?” he said, trailing off the question. Oh… but who was I? I didn’t really know a name, and the only thing I knew for certain was that I was Subject: Zero, not exactly the best thing to call myself. But, on the other hoof, I did have to call myself something. “Zero,” I spoke, deciding it was as good of a name as any. “Call me Zero.” “Pleasure to meet you, Zero! Sorry we couldn’t have met on better terms, but you understand our predicament,” he concluded, turning and resuming the trot. “Come along, now. Don’t want you to bleed out in our streets.” I nodded in agreement, following him. My back still hurt, each step just grinding the broken glass deeper into my back, widening the already gushing wound. It wasn’t long after that when we made it to what I figured was the clinic. It was one of the larger buildings in the settlement, easily double the size of the average house, but the most discerning difference was the cobble-together Ministry of Peace logo on its roof. Ministry of Peace… now that was something else that was familiar… The mayor strolled into the front door ahead of me, immediately screaming. “Hacksaw! We got another patient for you!” “Hacksaw?” I asked, making sure I heard her name right. “On second thought, I think I’ll do it myself…” “Don’t let the name fool you, dear, I am excellent at what I do,” spoke a mare as she trotted into the room. Her coat was pink, her mane a light blue while her cutiemark depicted a bone and saw. Yeah, that wasn’t helping. The mare trotted up to me, noticing the shards sticking out of my back. “Yikes, I need to get those out a.s.a.p!” She turned and pointed to a cot. “Lay on your stomach there while I go and get my tools.” I was hesitant, but I did as I was told and trotted over to makeshift bed, brushing off the fact that it was covered in dried blood. Just don’t think about it… I slowly lowered down, resting myself on the lumpy material. I then closed my eyes and tried to let myself just rest for once, the whole… however long it’s been since I was, uh… woken up? had been a complete drain on my mentally and physically, to which I embraced this moment of quiet. “Oh, it’s you!” Well, silence broken. I turned slightly to spot the filly from earlier, bouncing lightly a few feet to my right. I chuckled, only able to smile at the adorable creature. “Yeah, it’s me,” I began. “How’re you feeling?” She stopped bouncing, letting out a stream of coughs. I winced, at the sight, feeling horrible that a filly that young had to deal with something as painful as smoke damage. Soon, she stopped her mini coughing fit, wiping her mouth. “Not that good… my chest hurts to breath sometimes, and I cough a lot…” she began, her head held low, before perking back up. “But! Better than if you hadn’t saved me.” She gasped. “Oh! I never thanked you! Uh, thank you!” I chuckled, reaching out a hoof and patting her mane. “No problem, kid.” “And thank you from me too,” I heard the voice of the doctor call out, her outline coming into view, balancing a bag of medical tools on her back. “I don’t know what I would have done if I lost her.” She stopped to nuzzle her daughter, pushing her back with a hoof. “Now you run along now, Mommy has to work.” The filly protested, but obeyed her mother’s wishes, trotting out of the clinic, giving me one last wave before exiting. Hacksaw shook her head, putting down her bag. “I really do appreciate what you did out there—not many ponies in the wasteland would risk himself for somepony they didn't even know.” She shook her head, reaching into her bag and pulling out a pair of tweezers in her maw. “Which begs the question: why did you?” I felt her lean over my back, and could feel as she began to pull out the glass shards, dropping them into a metal pan besides the bed. I winced with each pull. “Well… I don't know,” I admitted. “I heard somepony in trouble, so I helped out; doesn't seem like something that should be all that shocking.” The mare chuckles. “Yeah, you would think, but most ponies these days don't have that mindset, which makes me think you are not from here.” She stopped to pull a larger shard from my back, one that my eyes went wide as I saw it clink into the metal pan. “So, where are you from, then? Stable?” Stable? “No? I don't think so, at least. To be honest, I've only been awake for a few hours now, and I can't quite remember anything other than that.” The mare stopped, dropping from my back and looking me over. “What do you mean ‘awake?’” she questioned. I shrugged, not sure how to explain it any other way. “I mean just that: I just, well, woke up. The earliest thing I can remember is being toppled out of some sort of tube… thingy, and after that I was in some weird laboratory or something.” I shrugged. “Soon after that the entire place collapsed, and, well, I came here after that.” The mare looked me over cautiously, and curiously. “You came from the mountain?” she question, sounding doubtful. “Everypony we’ve sent to try and salvage from that place almost gets killed by it’s damned security system; even after three hundred years that thing is still kicking.” She trotted back and resumed pulling the glass from my back. “It sounds to me like you were one of the unlucky pre-war ponies to be subjected to some sort of weird experiment.” She pulled the final piece from my back, reaching into her bag and pulling out a bottle of some shiny liquid. “I wonder what they…” she suddenly paused, taking a step back. I raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?” I asked, looking up to see her gazing at my back with a mix of wonder and shock. “I… Uh… N-nothing!” She began, rushing forwards and pressing her hooves hard into my back. “I can fix this!” What? She can fix what? And why was I feeling… Sleepy. My eyelids slowly began to get heavier, and I looked back to see a practical waterfall of blood dripping down from where her hooves pressed into my back. The mare was frantic, trying to stop the bleeding as she reached into her bag. I tried to watch longer, but it was getting harder to hold up my head, and I felt it slowly lower to the mattress, my eyes closing as I could feel the embrace of sleep call to me. Blissful sleep. “Shit, fuck! No, don't you bleed out! Fuck!” “Oh… Crap, not another artery. Fuck! Where are my fucking tweezers!” “Okay… That seems to have stabilized… Wait, no!” I could only listen as I was slowly pulled from the grip of reality, the world fading to black… For the second time since I had awoken, I opened my eyes from the embrace of unconsciousness. Luckily, this time I didn't feel anything crushing me, nor the cool metal feel of my armor, so I took that as a good sign. With a groan, I opened my eyes, only to close them as an irritating sting spread up my spine from my back. I grit my teeth, letting the feeling run it course, before fading to a dull throb. When it was manageable, I opened my eyes again and looked around, seeing the darkened interior of the clinic. I also looked around me, spotting several empty blood bags, bloody gauze, and bloody, well, everything. If what I remember was correct, the ‘good doctor’ had pulled out a shard that had been severed a major artery, and since I was still alive I could only imagine that she had been able to rectify her mistake before I bleed out. With another groan, I tried to rise to my hooves. I was shaky, but still able to get up. My back hurt, my head hurt, but it all felt like a dull throb, at this point. Well, more than that, but it was still manageable. Apparent I had been loud enough to get somepony's attention, as the sound of hooves across wood trotted my way. Soon, Hacksaw entered the room, her eyes going wide at the sight of me as she rushed over. “No! Get back down on that bed right now! You’ve lost a lot of blood and you shouldn't be doing anything right now!” she commanded as she tried to shove me back onto the mattress. I complied. “Okay, doc.” The mare calmed once I returned to the mattress, her worried expression changing to relief. “Thank the princesses you’re awake—from how much blood you lost I feared you had slipped into a coma.” She blushed. “Sorry about that,” she added. I shrugged. “No harm done…” I winced, a wave of pain filling my body. “I hope…” [Eyes of Judgement] Original.[Fo:E - The Lessons We Learn] Lesson: 1 - Luck never Lasts Fo:E - The Lessons We Learn By: Michael A. Lesson: 1 - Luck never Lasts “The road to ruin is paved with good intentions.” When you live as long as I have, you tend to learn a few things. It's not just the information you learn in school; science, math, history. No, you learn a lot more about life, lessons that can only be taught and fully comprehended through experience. But, there eventually comes a point when these lessons, these experiences, eventually all fade together, the next just being a variant of a previous one. Day to day becomes routine, uniqueness of each day slowly rotting away like the skin on my bones, and through all of the lessons I've learned, one in particular has always stood out. It was always there, it didn’t take me more than one lifetime to discover it, but it took years upon years for it to finally sink in, and become undeniable. That lesson: everything will eventually come to an end. As I wander through this land day in and day out, I do not traverse without the fear. I know fear, more than most. Fear does not disappear with age. Honestly, age only clears the fog of ignorance about fear. I know fear, I know of death. I have seen their power, of death and fear, and watched as one, the other, or both has taken countless ponies away from me. I have accepted that my time will someday come, that I will eventually join those that have been taken away from me, but that does not mean that I will go willingly. Whether it is because fear what comes next, or simply the fact that I am a coward, I still fear death. I have heard stories of the thought of immortality, myths of being that could live forever. They are all just that, myths. No matter how hard you try, not matter what you do, death will always follow, and he will eventually come for you. Everything that has ever been, and that can ever be, always will have two things in common: a beginning, and an end. Nothing truly lives forever. Some may live on longer than others, but even they will eventually come to an end, dying or slowly fading away into nothing. Our princesses, once thought gods, died. Our old ideas of peace and harmony, well, that died too. I will die, you will die. I have walked with heroes, ponies and other creatures alike, who have achieved feats thought impossible, sacrificed their greatest gift of life so that others may live on, or simply selflessly devoted themselves to an idea, a concept, that was greater than they were, for the good of far more than themselves. They died. They have all died. I've watched heroes die for a belief, then watch as that belief slowly died just as those who created it. I have held love ones who I have made promises too, and then watched those promises eventually fade away as they had. Friends, family, even ponies around me; I have watched them all die. I am not a hero, I am not a villain. I merely exist. I will not save the Wasteland, nor will I destroy it. I will only wander this hell-trotted land, my purpose forgotten, my fate erased. The only thing that keeps my body from falling down and joining the fate of the dead, is my fear of that day. My name is Silver Lining, and these are the lessons I have learned. My hooves trot carelessly against the cracked asphalt, the sound of them clopping against the weather worn surface breaching the dead silence that surrounds me. I look up, my tired eyes scanning the long since covered sky. It’s daytime. The only way that I even know that it's day is because of the small, fleeting bit of light that manages to penetrate the thick cloud blanket that lays over my head. The concept of day and night has slowly lost meaning since the fateful day I became a ghoul… the day the world ended. My new, mutated body has lost the need for sleep. Most think of it as an advantage, never needing to stop and rest, always being able to be alert, but I know better. Losing the ability to sleep means that I have lost the ability to dream, the one time that I could truly escape the reality of the day, with the comforting embrace of the night. Now, I am forced to accept what my life, and our world, has become. My pace slows as I glance back, watching the scampering shadows of entities that wish to remain unseen. I return my head forward and shake it as I let out a long, raspy sigh, my rotting vocal cords garbling my once gruff voice. My hooves stop completely, my body standing still in the middle of the ruined streets of the once beautiful city of Chicacolt. To be honest, I wasn't in the mood for this. I was never in the mood of this. My will of simply ignoring my stalkers had finally come to an end. There was no use in running from Raiders, even when you are only walking. I pivot on my hooves with practiced ease, the seemingly empty street behind me coming into full view. "Next time you try to tail somepony, to leave the twitchy one behind," I speak aloud, just loud enough for my unwanted traveling companions to hear, but not enough to attract the attention of anything else. Soon the sound of hoof meeting head, followed soon after with a cry of pain, breach the quiet atmosphere, and giving me the general direction of where my stalkers were. As tenacious and brutal as Raiders can be, intelligence has never been on their list of strengths. I had honestly lost track of where they were a few miles back, but their predictable nature made it easy to discern. After all, there's always a twitchy Raider. Eventually, after a few more minutes of silence, two stallions jump out from behind an overturned skywagon, their hobbled together armor coated in blood and gore. The one to the right had a coat of a dirty green, his main too dirty and stained to discern a proper color. The other one was orange, his mane somehow still yellow, though barely. A rusty cleaver and spiked board held in each one's mouth respectively. I committed their faces to memory, just incase. "Bounty or sport?" The green one turns to face the other. "Rotty’s got a price on ‘is head?" That answers that question. I was always curious to see if anypony had put caps on my head. It's not like I went around giving ponies reasons to, mind you, but the Wasteland doesn't always need one. The other one Raider shrugs, his red-tinted eyes flickering from side to side. Looks like he was the twitchy one. "I-If he does, t-that just means that we have to k-keep his head in one peace!" His eyes flickered to me with murderous intent. I gave them my most intimidating stare, kicking my duster aside to reveal my holstered .44 magnum strapped at-the-ready on my front hoof. "Tell me your names," I say, ready to draw at any minute, just incase one of them decided to be jumpy, which Raiders usually were. Both Raiders looked at each other, before shrugging. The orange one spoke up first, showing that he was the dominant of the duo. “Well, rotty, t’name’s Skull Crusher, and t’s here’s Blood Bath.” “Very well.” I nod. “I will only warn both you stallions once, and advise you to back off.” Once again, Blood Bath and Skull Crusher turn to face each other, this time laughing as they turned and began to advance towards me. I shook my head. Why can't Raiders just give up? The Skull Crusher lunges at me, his cleaver dangerously close to me as I take a step back, to dodge the dangerous swing. My instinct kick in, ingrained reflexes from years of practice. I lower my muzzle with incredible speed, bring up my right hoof to meet it halfway. My jaw clamps down on the gun’s bit, and I pull it out of its holster. My aim is automatic, the iron sights lining up with my target with almost no effort. My tongue twitches, the hairpin trigger firing. My vision went red, the Raider's head disappearing in a red and white cloud, blood, bone and brain flying everywhere. I watch through the red haze as the rest of the Raider’s body falls lifelessly onto the ground, skidding to a stop at my hooves. I waste no time and point my gun’s smoking barrel at the remaining Raider, who had stopped his charge upon seeing his friend’s head reduced to mere smoke. "Leave now, boy," I mutter through the bit. "Don't made me do this again." The stallion stood there in shock, probably trying to process what had just happened. Finally, he shook his head, switching back to reality. He reaches down to pick up the nailed board that had fallen from his slack-jaw, intent of trying to finish the job his friend could not. But, he doesn't get to it, though, his head exploding in a cloud of red spray and brain matter as his lifeless body joins his friend on the ground. With a flick my head, the chamber of my .44 opens, ejecting the two spent shells. I reach into my ammo pouch that rested on my side and pulling out replacement rounds, reloading the trusty revolver and returning it back to it's leather sheath on my front hoof. I take a deep breath, wiping some of the brain matter that had gotten on my duster off before turning to face the bodies of the recently departed. I made sure I could remember their faces when they were still attached to their body. I could practically see them standing in front of me when I closed my eyes. I shook away the thought, and went to work looting the corpses. Blood Bath and Skull Crusher. Two more to the list. I had managed to salvage a small amount of of caps that the twitchy one had been carrying, along with a bit of scrap metal that I could salvage from their armor. I could’ve gotten more if I sold the armor outright, but I never liked selling Raider armor. Only one type of pony would actually buy it, and I didn’t want to aid the ponies who always tried to kill me. I thought it common sense, but I appear to be the only one to realize this. Once I had picked the two clean, I wiped my bloody hooves clean on one of their barding, then turned away to continue my journey. I had been on my way towards a little trading town in the northern edge of Chicacolt before I had picked up the two unwelcome shadows, planning on restocking supplies once I had arrived; ammo, healing potions, and materials to repair my barding. The sound of my hooves trotting against the cracked earth and the overwhelming silence returned, and I found my mind slowly drifting off into space as I resumed my journey. This was common for me; my body running on autopilot as I traversed the wastes. I had been around just about everywhere in the Chicacolt area, wandering around the vast city ever since the megaspells fell. I knew the city forwards and back; where the settlements were, the locations of common Raider dens, ambush points, areas of high radiation, and so on. I had also been able to watch the city evolve as time went on. I watched gangs rise and fall, ponies who called themselves ‘heroes’ try and ‘save’ the city from the blight of evil, moments of peace, moments of violence, and so on. All the while I had just watched, never participated. My war ended a long time ago. Over the years I had evolved as well, both in appearance and in mind. My body rotted, but my mind stayed sharp. Years of practice and experience had trained both my reaction time, and instinct. I could spot danger before it happened, almost as if I could sense it. This was what allowed me to live for so long, survive the dangers of the Wasteland that I called home. I knew where it was safe, and I knew where it was dangerous. I avoided danger, steering clear of it the best I could. Some call it being a coward, but I call it being smart. I had already fought my war, ‘dying’ for my country, so I felt my service had already been fulfilled. My appearance had also evolved over the years, constantly changing as I better adapted to the land around me. My barding consisted of an old, worn black duster, modified with armor plating sewn into the lining, with a matching black cowboy hat. My decayed skin was wrapped from muzzle to hoof in a thick layer of greyed bandages. My face was almost fully covered, only my muzzle and eyes free from their tight grasp, my glowing orange eyes peeking through my hidden appearance. The holster for my .44 was tightly latched to my right front hoof, my faithful gun resting in its grasp, while a sleeve for my combat knife lay on the left. Two more holsters were strapped respectively to my two hind hooves, my spare twin .44 revolvers in their grasp. On my back lay my saddlebags, the right side organized to hold everything I would need on a moment's notice; unspent ammo, reloading materials (primer, lead, and powder) and spent shells in their respective pockets, while healing potions, my journal, and other items I needed quick access to were organized in much the same fashion. The left side was much less organized, holding my salvaged and other bulk items I didn't care to keep easily accessible. Around my neck where the dog tags I had been given when I had served in the equestrian army; a solemn reminded of the like I once had. Time passed relatively, hours feeling like mere minutes as I continued along my well established route. With no need for rest, and fatigue never making its presence known on my mutated body, travel had become a mindless experience for me. Although my mind wandered, my senses remained sharp. Never did I let my guard down, a crippling unease filling my body the moment I did. My focus returned to reality, my conscious mind taking control as my unconscious receded. I look around and take in my surroundings, the sigh of northern Chicacolt coming into view. This had once been the residential district of the city, home to most of the natives of the city. Now, however, it was a ghost of it’s former glory. Long since abandoned apartment complexes, and the toppled remains of buildings line the street. The once well maintained road now lay in ruins, cracked and ravaged by the damaging effects of time. Empty sky carriages and other forms of transportation lay sporadic along the road, remaining in the same position since the bombs had fallen. And then, there was the bones. Bodies were a common occurrence in the Wasteland. Charred remains of long since dead ponies killed from the original blast, or new one who had joined them in the hell that followed. I stepped over the skeleton of a unicorn, it's gender and identity unknown. It was always better to not think of them, to just ignore their existence. Pain and sorrow only followed when you focused on the dead. And princess know there is already enough of that in the Wasteland… I shook my head, banishing the thoughts from my mind as I returned my focus to the road. I snaked my way through the particularly dense area of fallen skywagons and cartridges, briefly looking them over for salvage. They were empty, just like last time I had passed them. Once I made it free, the first signs of my destination came into view, the far off view of ‘The Hive’, coming into view. The hive was a trading hub made from connecting four adjacent residential complex set out in a square pattern. The complex had been established about seven years ago, and slowly grew to the economic giant it was now. If you needed anything, anything, you could find it here. It was called The Hive because it was like a little colony, almost completely self sufficient. In more ways than one, it was impressive. I continued forwards, the distant shadow of the trading up growing as I got closer. Soon, I found myself staring up at the front gate, twin automatic turrets following my approach from their mounted positions. The entrance consisted of a large, hoof made metal door connected between two of the closest towers. Above, walkways and platforms jotted from the sides of the quad buildings, some on their own while others adjoining. Even from outside I could hear the buzz of life from beyond the metal barrier, the same sound that had given the place it's name. “Hey! You there!” I looked up, focusing on a blue unicorn stallion poking his head from behind the gate, a rifle held next to him in his magical grip. “State your business, or get shot!” It appears that they got a new gatekeeper. “Here to restock and trade,” I said plainly, trying my best to hide the gargle of my ghoulish voice. The stallion seemed to regard me for a moment, his rifle still pointed directly at my head. “Well… you seem harmless enough,” he began, putting the gun down. “Okay, you’re in. Just remember: you break the rules, you get shot.” And with that, the stallion’s head poked back behind the gate. It was a few moments before I heard the rumble of the gate’s opening mechanism, the hobbled together system groaning as the large double doors swung open, allowing me entrance. My hooves guided me past the threshold. Even after all the other times I had entered the hub, it still took my breath away every time I endered. The entire complex cut off from the outside by large metal walls built from building to building, leaving a ‘plus’ shaped area. This walled off space consisted of several shops and merchants set up around the commons, ponies from all parts either peddling or buying goods. In the center of all this stood a crudely put together honeycomb made from scrap, the official symbol for the hive. Looking up, I got a view of the many breakouts from the buildings that held more shapes above, as well as several rentable areas and sleeping corners for the locals. Quite a feet of Wasteland engineering, I had to admit. The layout of this area was a little different than the last time I had been here—some shops had moved, or closed, while others took their place. Because of this, I couldn't rely on memory for where I had to go to get my required supplies, instead having to search to find what I needed. I passed several shops as I trotted forwards, all food based. It amazed me how many different things you could do with the mutated remains of the Wasteland. Too bad I didn't need to eat. I kept moving, passing several other stores of no interest until I found one I was looking for. I stopped in front of a shop that was actually inset into one of the four building, making it easily the largest in this layer. Above it was an actually well designed sign that read, ‘Point and Shoot’. Simple name, but served it’s purpose. Inside way a vast array of different types of weaponry; everything from beam rifles, to single shot repeaters sat on hooks hammered into the wall. I payed them no mind, as I already had the loadout I needed, and instead heading towards the caged off counter in the center of the store. “Hello?” I called out into the seemingly empty cage, peaking into the interior. “One moment~!” I heard a sing-song voice reply from somewhere beyond, and soon a light blue unicorn trotted into view from the back room connected to the cage. She trotted happily, her mouth in a content smile as she approached the small opening I guessed was for transactions. “Welcome to Point and Shoot! For all your pointing and shooting needs! I’m Kind Shot, what can I get you?” she asked, her voice filled with more mirth than you usually saw in a Wastelander. “As much .44 rounds you got,” I spoke, reaching into my scrap bag and pulling out all the weapons I had managed to salvage and placed them on the counter. “And whatever I can get for these.” The mare regarded the weapons closely, pulling them through the small hole with her magic. One by one, she checked each, all but completely disassembling them before moving onto the next. “Hmm… Well, for two assault rifles, three 10mm pistols, one double barrel, and two landmines I can give you about…” She tapped a hoof to her chin. “Two hundred caps.” I inwardly sighed, hoping for more. I wasn't much of a barterer, so I didn't question or try to haggle. “And as for .44 rounds. Buddy, you have quite a taste in weaponry, my friend,” she began, trotting back to her back room and returning with a few ammo boxes in her magical aura. “Most expensive bullets I sell besides the 50 cal. But, to each their own.” She shrugged, putting them on the counter in front of me. “Subtracting what you get from your trade in… And at five caps a bullet… and one hundred and thirty bullets in total… you owe me four hundred and fifty caps!” she finished, an all to happy smile on her muzzle. I practically flinched at the price. I had the caps for it, don't get me wrong, but I had expected it to be, well, cheaper. I reached into my bag and pulled out a few bags of caps. I tossed them through the opening and waited as she counted every single one of them. Once she was certain I payed correctly, she passed through the ammo. “There ya’ go, another satisfied customer!” she spoke happily as I put away my new ammo. “And I don't mean to be rude, but… what’s up with the rags?” I latched my saddlebag and turned to the mare. “Burn wound. Didn't quite heal right, so I just cover it up.” It was a lie, but not everypony was friendly to ghouls. The mare winced. “Yikes. That explains the voice then.” She shook her head. “Anyways, that was all. Thank you, and come again~!” I nodded my thanks, then turned to leave, but stopped. “Actually, I have a quick question,” I began, turning back towards the mare. “Do you know where I can get barding repaired?” The mare nodded, pointing a hoof upwards. “Two floors above me is a shop called ‘Wasteland Attire’ run by a mare called Quick Seme. She should be able to do any repairs you need.” I nodded my thanks, once again turning and heading out for the shop. A few turns later and I was heading up a set of staircases to the second layer of the hive. Here there were more formal and permanent shops that had been made in converted apartments. They varied from restaurants to specialty shops. Finally, after trotting over one of the bridges connecting the current tower to the next, I made it to Wasteland Apparel. The shop was relatively large, taking up two appartments connected when a wall had been taken down. Everything from prewar dresses to combat armor were displayed on mannequins displayed all around the shop’s interior. I trotted past a few of them, just browsing until I found the owner. The owner was an extremely tall unicorn mare with a white coat and a dark red mane. She trotted around her store, mingling with her customers. She eventually spotted me and gasped, galloping over to me and stopping. “Oh, my! You poor dear,” she began, her words filled with drama. “You are an absolute fashion nightmare with those bandages! Here to find something to help cover them up, I hope?” I shook my head. “No, just need a patch job,” I said, pointing to my duster. “The plaiting needs replacing and there is a few holes I would like closed if you could.” The mare let out a sigh of disappointment. “Ugh, fine!” she began with an emphasized sigh. “That’ll be fifty caps for the patch job and another hundred for the replacement metal.” My eye twitched. “Oooor, you could buy some lovely new armor for half the price that would look much better–” I took off my duster and placed it at her hooves, fishing out the required amount of caps and throwing them on top. She lets out a sigh, picking up the duster and caps in her magic. “Find… It’ll be ready in about an hour. You can wait in the seating area if you want.” I nodded as she took my armor away, trotting over to a corner with a few pre-war cushioned chairs. I trotted over and sat in one, placing my saddle bag besides me as I used the time to rest my bandages. I felt naked without my duster, the armored garb had become more of a second skin then just clothing. With a soft sigh, I leaned back and waited, counting the cracks in the ceiling. An hour passed by like nothing, floating past like a rapidly increasing tide. I eventually got my newly repaired armor and thanked the mare, who had once again tried to convince me to choose something else rather than continue to use my duster. I declined, again, and headed out before she tried again. The next couple of hours had been spent going from stall to stall restating all the supplies I would need. I was a wanderer in all aspects of the word. Throught the years I had traveled from here to there, no distinction in mind, and no purpose. To be honest, the only thing that kept me going was my fear of stopping. I knew what happened to ghouls who lost their purpose; they went feral. Their minds decayed like their skin, becoming practical zombies whose only purpose was to kill and feed. I feared this happening to me, but I also feared dying. So, I nearly wandered from place to place, restocking what I needed before moving on. Once my saddlebags were full with what I would need for the next several months, I wandered around the entire complex. I didn't buy anything I didn't need, as I hated wasting caps, but still found simple joy in just looking at what the Wastelanders had managed to create. It was dark when I had finally toured the entirety of the complex from top to bottom. Shops were closed, and the locals headed off off to their respective homes located at the top of the four towers. Not having the need for sleep, but also not wanting to head out during the night, I ended up sitting with my back against the Hive statue in the middle of the bottom later, my eyes closed as I waited for the time to pass by, and for the day to arrive. About a few hours after The Hive had turned in for the night, I opened my eyes as I felt an uneasy feeling start to build. I raised my head, my glowing eyes scanning the area. I was alone, as far as I could tell. The closest soul I could spot was a guard resting peacefully at his position above the front gate, rifle gripped tightly in his hooves. What was it? Through years of experience and trotting this Wasteland, I had managed to gain a sort of sixth sense for sniffing out danger. It wasn't anything magical, more of my mind just got used to the small signs that something bad was gonna happen. And I was getting one of those feelings. Sadly, this sixth sense didn't exactly tell me what it was that was wrong, more of that something was going to go wrong. It was my job as the conscience mind to figure that out. I rose to my hooves, my ears perking up. I could hear something, something distant. It was almost like a faint, high pitched whistle, one that grew louder and louder. When I finally recognized what that sound was, I was too late to react. Pressing my hooves into my ears, I embraced myself. Boom! I felt the concussion wave slam into me as I was thrown backwards, slamming into the statue. My head spun and I gritted my teeth through the growing pain originating from my spot of impact. I open my eyes, the world spinning in a blur of color and sound. I look down, seeing the blurry outline of my holstered weapon. I lead down to grab it, missing three times before I finally feel the bit held tightly in my maw. I draw the weapon, pointing it out straight. There is more than just one blur, many blobs of pony shaped mass flood my vision. I aim towards one, then another, my mind reeling as I try to figure out what to shoot. I hear a muffled, ringing scream, and spot a blur running straight at me. I click the trigger with my tongue, the blur haunts its advance as it falls to the ground. I close my eyes, trying to focus myself. When I open them, my visions is much clearer, but part of me wished it didn't. Raiders. I almost lost my grip on my weapon as my jaw all but drops. Floods of blood covered, frenzied Raiders flood in from the now melted point where the gate had once been. Ponies who I had seen shopping the day before, or making stalls were now fighting for their life. Hot chunks of lead fly in all directions, and I duck just in time to avoid one colliding with my skull. I breath a sigh of relief, but my breath is forced out of me as something slams into my side, sending shockwaves of pain reverberating up my spine. I cough, spitting up black icor. This is enough to final jump start my brain, allowing me to finally act. I scramble to my hooves, picking up my dropped revolver, and bolt forwards. I fire off two shots, one striking an approaching rider right in the neck, the other connecting directly into the shoulder of another, ripping the limb from its place. One plus two is three. I dive out of the way as another Raider wielding a cleaver swings his deadly blade at my head, his momentum causing him to stagger. I take this opportunity and buck with all my might at his head, sending him down for a second time. My hind hooves barely touch the ground as they rebound off the ground, spinning me to face the Raider. I send one shot off at his head, the bullet splitting it in two. Three plus one is four. The air is filled with the sound of combat; screams of pain, rage, and bloodlust mold together in a discorded choir. Bullets, beams of magic, and sharpened weaponry fly through the air, each aimed with the intent to kill. My agile hooves and years of experience allow me to glide through the battlefield, dodging the deadly debris with practiced ease. My tongue clicks and two more time my revolver goes out, a blood stained Raider falling before it could strike the final blow on a fallen local, his body falling limp as the blood of his victims in joined with that of his own. Four plus two is six. I holster my revolver, kicking out my left spare and snatching it in my maw. My movements had lead me to the far corner of the mini warzone, pushing me again the farthest wall from the remains of what had once been the gate. I fire off two bullets at incoming attackers, one barely hitting one while the other misses. My intents wasn't to kill, just distract so I could dive for cover behind a nearby stall. Zero plus two is two. I take a ragged breath as I am momentarily free from the fight, taking the chance to survey the damage I had sustained. On my right side, just behind my saddlebags, I saw a torn hole in the recently mended fabric, the metal plate beneath dented from the impact of the bullet. I send a silent prayer to the princesses that I had commissioned my armor replaced, as if I hadn't I most likely would have a large hole in my side. My attention returns to the situation at hoof as I feel someone vault over the cover I was using. My head turns and my revolver lines up perfectly between the eyes of a pony I had recognized from earlier when I was wandering around The Hive. Blood soaked her once pink fur; how much of it was hers I couldn’t be sure. Her eyes go wide, the fear of death showing through her terror filled eyes—a pleading fear that would only show when one knew they were going to die. And she did. I watch helplessly as a stray bullet from the fight pierced straight through the wooden stall and travels cleanly through her head. A red spray puffs out as I watch the life drain from her eyes, and then she was gone. I didn't have time to mourn, nor react. I through myself to the ground as more bullets followed, slicing up my cover as if it had been nothing. Splinters of wood and bits of metal rained down on me as I pressed myself as far as I could into the ground. I felt several bullets ping off of my hind metal plating, with at least one or two managing to miss and dig straight into my hide. I hissed, holding back a scream of pain as I felt them tear into my skin, embedding themselves underneath. I had to move. My current cover had become useless, and as soon as the spray had stopped I hopped up and began to dash away. My flank burned from hot metal still inside of my flesh, but somehow still functional adrenalin and my will to survive pushed past the pain as I strafed forwards. I fired three shots, one I know hitting true in a Raiders flank, while I lost track of the direction of the other two. Two plus three is five. I dodge the strikes of several frenzied Raiders, one managing a few hits on me as his nailed board made contact with my skin. Pain flares up again, and I send my final bullet into his hind hoof, causing him to fall, weapon rolling from his reach. Five plus one is six. I toss my spent revolver into my saddlebag and reach down with my mouth for my combat knife, removing it from its sheath and plunging it into the neck of the wounded Raider. Blood squirts front the wound and covers my bandage-covered face as death slowly overtakes him. I remove the knife and scramble forwards for the nearest cover, spotting the gun store I had bought from earlier. I jump on practiced hooves and I bounded over to the shop, sliding to a halt when I reached the interior. The war continued to rage outside, and I had to press myself against the closest wall to avoid incoming fire. My body hurt, my entire right side throbbing from puncture wounds and the bullets still inside of my skin. I carefully reached down and returned my knife to its place, immediately grabbing my remaining revolver from its holster. My chest heaves, bringing useless oxygen into lungs that no longer require it. I poke my head out, surveying the carnage so far. Piles of dead and pools of blood fill the once busy bottom layer of the hive. Raiders with Chem fueled rage strike down the defending towns ponies, while they strike back with all they could. The majority of the corpses I could see lacked hobble together armor and weapons of torture and rage, signaling that the invading force was winning. I poked my head back behind cover, closing my eyes as I tried to hold back processing the situation at hoof. I needed to focus on survival, and only that. A Raider carrying a bloodied sludge hammer slides into the shop, stopping mere feet away from me. His weapon drips with the essence of his most recent victims, and his eyes hold the promise to add mine to the mix. I ride my revolver, but once again it wasn't me who caused the death of the pony within my sides. His side explodes with a piling of shotgun pellets, his unarmed side flaying open from the force of the impact. Blood and skin peel from his skin as he falls dead, his eyes still staring at me with the same murderous intent. I turn to the source of the blast, spotting the shopkeeper I had purchased from earlier quickly reload her combat shotgun with practiced ease, a practical constant stream of shells floating from her ammo bag into the weapon. She pulls back the lever and reproving a her gun at the entrance, but her eyes turn to me. Her hooves raise up as she motions for me to come to her, to which I immediately react on. I dive forwards, leaping over the counter and through a newly opened hole to the caged off area behind. I roll out of my landing and back onto my hooves, sliding to press my back against the back of the counter. I enjoy a moment of peace, taking in as much of the momentary feeling of safety as I could. My head swivels as I turn to the light blue mare, watching as her weapon held in her magical glow fires round after round into the combat area beyond. It lowers only when it clicks empty, reloaded almost instantly by the stream of shotgun ammo she also guides with her magic. “You! You have any idea of how this happened?!” she asks in a panicked array of words, her voice missing it’s mirth and joy from earlier. I go to speak, but cough up some more black icor before my mouth would cooperate. “Balefire egg,” I begin with my scratchy voice. “Blew the gate and they just swarmed in.” The mare’s eyes go cold, her weapon pausing as horror spreads across her features. “How the fuck did Raiders get a Balefire Egg launcher?!” she screamed, her fire continuing. “I can't even get my hooves on one; how can a group of chemmed up freaks get one?” I shook my head. “No idea. You know where they came from?” We both flinch as we hear an explosion go off somewhere close to the entrance to the shop, most likely a grenade or mine from the sound of it. “They look like the gang that hangs out in the subway tunnels a not far from here,” she begins, putting down her shotgun and picking up a landmine with her magic. “We’ve known about them for years, but they'd never manage to even get passed the main guns before, let alone mount any kind of assault like this.” This was troubling. Raiders were bad, but they were stupid and loosely organized, losing most of their effectiveness as a hole. But, get them working together, and even a small den can become an almost unstoppable wave of drug fueled psychopaths. The mare tossed the mind over the counter, then primed three more and threw them aswell. “This is bad, really bad,” she began picking back up her shotgun and resuming her spray. “We’ve never prepared for anything making it past the gate… I mean, nothing ever had!” She shuddered. “We’re going to die…” I wanted to argue, to voice hope, but I knew deep down there wasn’t any. I had been in some tight spots before, times when survival seemed impossible, but even they seemed tame compared to what what happening now. I looked to the mare, her eyes showing her hidden fear as she fired the hot lead over the counter. She was brave, I could see it. She feared death, but she still faced it with a fist full of iron, and fight in her heart. I shook my head, smacking myself back to reality. Now wasn’t the time to give up, nor falter. No, now was the time to fight like hell! Revolver clenched in my teeth, I poked my head over the counter. The fight beyond came into view, and I focused on the closest Raiders I could spot. Two puffs of smoke, and two more fell. Zero plus two is two. I ducked back behind cover, covering my head as a wave of bullet sent waves of shrapnel over my head as they impacted the wall behind me. It was too much, too much to try and focus on at once. This was a blitz attack, a Raider special. What they lack in brains they make up for with volume and brawn. If I had to guess, there was about a hundred or so towns ponies when this had begun, with at least double that pouring in from the opening. Now, there was probably only twenty or so of us remaining, facing a force of at least a hundred. I continued to poke my head over the counter and fire, sending bullets flying into the closest Raider. Two plus three is five. Five plus one is six. Reload. Zero plus four is four. Four plus two is six. Reload. My cycle continued, sending out bursts of bullets out before retreating behind the slowly shrinking cover. The mare at my side did the same, her shotgun throwing an almost constant stream of lead forwards. I poked my head out again, this time to survey the damage. I could see towns ponies barricading themselves inside of their shops, sending out burst attack just as we did. Raider of all sizes either charged with their melee weapons, or fired from during a frontal assault. They didn’t hide, nor seek cover. They charged, hoping to get our blood on their hooves. It was a horror show. Taking my eyes off the Raiders only allowed me to look at the growing dead. Bodies littered the streets; ponies I had passed the day before now lifeless husks on the ground. I had seen death, I was used to death, but it still never made it any better. I felt a tug as I was pulled back behind cover, shrapnel from one of the mines impacting all around the back wall. I took a moment to come back to reality and slowly rose to an upright position. I hissed, reminded of my shredded hide as more pain crawled up my spine. “Thanks for that,” I begin as I raise my head to properly thank the mare. “Can’t believe I forgot about the… mines.” I went silent. No words escaping my lips as my eyes make contact with the mare who had pulled me into her safe haven. “I feel… cold,” Kind Shot mutters, her shotgun falling from her magical grasp. She looks down, the bleeding hole in her chest filling her vision. “Why am I so… cold.” She slumps, her body going limp. I dive forwards and catch the mare, holding her as he eyes struggle to stay open. Blood slowly drips from her mouth as she chokes up breath, her eyes never leaving mine. I lay her down and press my hooves into the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. “I never thought dying would be so… cold.” No, you’re not dying. I reached into my bag and pulled out a healing potion, dripping the potion directly onto the wound. It slowly heals, knitting together before my eyes. But, to my horror, it’s not fast enough to keep the river of blood from constantly leaking out. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it! I hated death. It was a haunting finality that seemed to plague the Wasteland as a whole. Death was natural, but I had yet to seen a natural death since the bombs fell. Killing was one thing; it was easy to disconnect yourself from the deed and justify your actions. But, holding someone as the life drains from their eyes… well, that was something else. My hooves only did so much to slow the bleeding, and even after three potions I saw no improvement. She died. Her eyes glazed over, and the spark that lives inside all living things disappeared. Gently, I laid the mare down, closing her eyes and crossing her hooves across her chest. She looked peaceful, almost as if she was sleeping. The room shook again, more wooden and metal chunks rained down on me. Another mine had exploded, leaving only one left between me and the Raiders. This was just supposed to be a routine restock, grab what I needed and get out. But, I guess my luck that had lasted 183 years had finally ended. I pulled out all three of my revolvers, quickly reloading them and laying them on the ground in front of me. Three revolvers. Six rounds each. Eighteen bullets before I had to reload. I wanted to take eighteen of them down with me. Grabbing the first one in my mouth, listened to the battle outside. I could hear screams from the towns ponies; some coming from layer above me, and others from outside. With one last moment of hesitation, I jumped up from behind the cover, and my mind went into full instinct mode… Five clicks of the tongue, five screams of pain. In rapid succession, five bullets fired from my revolver; two hitting home in Raider’s heads, killing them instantly; two digging themselves in the armor chests of two others; and one bouncing harmlessly off one’s heavily armored hide. This gets their attention: a large mass of blood covered Raiders rushes the shop, their weapons ready for my blood. Five plus one makes six. My final bullet fired from my gun, and I take cover. An explosion rings out as my bullet sets it off, a mess of blood and limbs flying in all directions. I drop my empty revolver and pick up a fresh one, hopping back up on the counter. I fire three shots, all missing a Raider strafing in front of the store, his almost foaming mouth makes be believe he’s high on jet. I curse to myself, aiming for his center mass. Two more bullets, one making contact with his hide and causing him to fall. I fire the last one, half his head exploding in a plume of white. Then, I was tackled. While focusing on the last Raider, I had let my guard down, using all my focus to hit his snakelike path. I collided with the back wall, the stallion slamming me back. I try to recover, but he was faster. My eyes met his blood red ones, murder held deep within. His coat is red, weather from blood or natural I wasn't sure. He wore thick leather barding, spikes shards of metal driven into the material. Although, his front and back hooves were bare, I noted. The stallion lashed forwards, hooves connecting with my skull and sending me flying to the ground. I roll to my hooves, pulling out my knife from its place on my hoof. I react as fast as I can, diving forwards and slashing, making contact with his right hoof as he tries to defend himself. I expected him to fall, stunned by the huge gash in his flesh, but he doesn't even flinch. My eyes go wide, realizing that he was probably pumped full of some crazy Chem-cocktail, Buffout and Medex definitely included in the mix. “Think you’re hot shit, bandage?!” the crazed stallion chants, his eye twitching. “I'm gonna see how much blood I can mop up with those when I kill you!” He reaches down and picks up a hatchet (most likely dropped when he rammed me) and still seems to smile around it’s grip. “Time to die!” I dive out of the way as he gives his weapon a mighty swing, the deadly blade whizzing past my head. He turns and goes for another, but I’m more prepared this time and duck, lunging forwards and sticking my knife right into his neck. “Not this time…” I muttered, removing the blade as the Raider drops to the ground, choking and coughing on his own blood. Bang! Cold… it did feel cold. My hooves fell out from under my as I fell. When I hit the ground, I looked down to see black ichor dripping from a new hole in my barding, set just perfectly between my front and rear plates. I groan, trying to get back up, but I find my strength fleeting. My eyelids begin to get heavier, a foreign, long since forgotten tiredness washed over my body. Tired… so tired. I close my eyes, a smile crossing my muzzle as I allow my old friend sleep wash over my tired mind. My mind goes fuzzy, and thought begin to blur, and soon, everything is black. Pain. More pain then I had felt in a long time washed over me like a flood from a broken dam. I groaned, a tight, twisting pain radiated from my side every time I tried to move, while my entire right side and chest constantly throbbed with a pain inducing heartbeat. My dry and decayed throat let out another raspy groan as I opened my eyes, a wall of red filling the entirety of my vision. My head pounded, the world around me spinning the longer I held open my eyes. I tried to rise to my hooves, but stopped as the sharp pain in my side only grew the more effort I put in. Eventually, I stopped trying altogether, instead closing my eyes and letting my mind settle. After longer then I would have wanted, the world settled and my mind returned to its normal functionality. My eyes opened, and I craned my neck up to see what was causing the throbbing pain in my side. It wasn’t hard to spot, the combat knife sticking out of my hide hard to miss. Knowing it had to come out, I didn’t procrastinate and leaned my head back and grabbed the blade’s handle in my maw, biting down hard as I yanked it out. Black fluid slowly trickled from the newly created hole, while all of my willpower was spent trying not to scream. The pain was ridiculous, but it eventually faded to manageable levels as time went on. I layed on the ground for what could have been anywhere between a minute to an hour, staring up at the shredded remains of the ceiling that had once been the shop’s roof. I remember the fight, I remember the death, that much hadn’t been lost too me. The only reason, I guessed, that I was still alive had been that the Raiders had mistaken me for a normal pony, simply stabbing a knife into my side to make sure I was dead. That may work with normal ponies, but definitely not with ghouls. The pain eventually faded to manageable levels, and I attempted to get up. It took me a few times, but eventually I was able to make it to my hooves. Once I was sure I could walk without falling, I lifted my head and took a look around. Blood. This was what Raiders left in their wake; blood and dismembered corpses. The front of the shop alone was filled with the bodies of all of the Raiders me and Kind Shot had taken down, while the sight beyond was much more gruesome. It looked like they had some ‘fun’ before they eventually had moved on, as corpses of both dead Raiders and locals of The Hive were arranged in horrible positions. Body parts and entrails were hung all around the area like sick party decorations, while blood literally covered the entire ground. I shuttered at the sight; at the massacre. I removed my eyes from the rest of the carnage, busying my mind by giving myself a good look over. It was evident by both the pain and slow drip of black fluid that I would need a good radiation bath soon, if I wanted to live. To my surprise, most of my stuff was still where it should have been. By luck, I had been forgotten or passed over by the Raiders, as the rest of the place was void of the guns and ammo that had once stocked the shelves and hangers. It took some digging through the few bodies that laid around me, but I eventually also found all three of my revolvers, and ironically discovered that I had been stabbed with my own knife. I didn’t know how long I had been out, and I knew that, in my current state, I would be lucky if I could even take down a radroach. I perked my ears up to make sure that I was alone, listening for any signs of life. Silence. I let out a sigh, the silence being good because it meant I was free from Raiders, but also horrible because it meant that they were all dead. A once thriving community of traders was now reduced to a pile of blood and bodies. I didn’t know how this could happen, nor did I even want to think about it. I could feel the blood that had soaked into my bandage-covered hide, and it made me feel sick, dirty… wrong. Kind Shot. The mare that had died in my hooves popped into my mind. I looked around me and let out a sigh of relief when I spotted her body unmolested, still in the same position it had been in when I had laid her down for the first time. Tap… Tap. My ears perked up. A sound, so soft that I would have missed it if I wasn’t paying attention, whispered softly into the silent air of the dead city. My head turned, facing where I believed the sound had originated. I would have been paranoid, or it could just have been nothing, but from experience I had learned never to brush off anything. More than once had I almost died as a result of not paying attention to the creaking of wood, a stir in the temperature, or just a gut feeling. Slowly, I reached down and picked up my revolver from its holster, pointing the deadly weapon forwards. Tap… Tap. I heard the sound again, this time getting proper bearings on its location. From what I could tell, it was coming from the back room. I trotted forwards, my hind right leg limping with each step. Tap… Tap. I entered the back room. Boxes of recently looted ammo crates and gun lockers littered the floor of the storeroom, the care and organization the recently departed mare had put into the room destroyed. Tap… Tap. Now, I had a location. I stood in front of an unopened gunlocker, this one being the only one in the entire room that had been locked. Recent scratch and jab marks on the locker’s bolt revealed that the Raiders had attempted to open it, but seemed to have failed. Or… maybe they had been the one’s to lock it? Tap… Tap. The bottom of the locker shook, rattling softly. I quietly reholstered my revolver, then reached back and opened my saddlebag. After some rummaging, I pulled out a screwdriver and a few bobby pins. Arranging them with practiced ease, I stepped up to the locker and used a hoof to angle the lock so I could get to the tumblers. Tap… Tap. With the skill of a thousand locks picked, I heard the soft ‘click’ as the lock opened. I quickly put back my still usable pin and screwdriver, leaning down and grabbing my revolver. I didn’t know what I was going to find, and, at this point, I actually believed I should just leave it alone. But, my gut told me this was what I needed to do, and I never argued with my gut. I pointed my .44 at the locker, my hoof resting on the lock. I mentally prepared myself, stealing my focus. In one fluid motion, I kicked off the unlocked lock and threw open the door, my gun pointed directly at the inside. My eyes focused on the locker’s sole occupant: a twitching, blood covered Raider. I looked him over, studying his appearance. He was adorned with the normal spike-style one would expected on a raider, though this one seemed to have taken one heavy beating. Blood pooled at the bottom of the locker, and with how much there was, I didn't think this Raider had much time left. The monster of a pony cowered at my sight, trying to make himself as small as possible. “N-no! Don't k-kill me!” he pleaded, covering his head. “T’ others locked me in ‘ere ‘cause they t’ought it’d be funny.” I stared down the petty excuse for a Raider. I wanted to kill him, take out my anger at the massacre that they had committed at this sorry excuse for a Raider. But, before I pulled the trigger, a thought popped into mind. “Where’d you get the Bailfire Egg launcher?” I asked, figuring that I should get some information out of him first. He shuddered, and let out a wet cough. “Th’ gang found’d it when we looted some stable nearby.” Stable? Now, that was something new. I knew the locations of several stables in the Chicacolt area, but to my knowledge, all of them were still closed. “Where is it?” I asked, poking the stallion with the barrel of my gun. “I-it’s in th’ old metro station! Somewhere near tunnel… Nine, or somethin’!” he began, before stopping when he entered another coughing fit. Stable in the old Metro? Well, can’t say that surprises me, to be honest. Probably one of the control or specialty stables Stable-Tec was so famous for. I shook my head and returned my focus to the task at hoof. “What else can you tell me about this stable?” “A-all I know is that ol’ Green Hooves found the location at som’ ministry hub an’ ‘ad us storm the place!” “Are there any survivors?” The stallion nodded. “Ye’. Stable dwellers don’ know how ta figure fer shit, but the’ don’ give up eitha.” I nodded. This meant that there still could be some ponies down there. “Anything else?” The stallion shook his head. I let out a sigh and click my tongue, hearing the roar of my weapons as the Raiders head was reduced to nothing but blood and gore. A pang of guilt hits me at the act, but only a small one. I gave him the gift of a quick death, much more then he would have given me. I pop open the chamber, and reached into my bag for a replacement round. While I mindlessly reload the single spent round, I ponder over the information given. These Raiders had gotten the armament to actually perpetuate this attack from that stable, and Princesses know what else was down there. And the dwellers. My mind went to a dark place when I thought about that. These weren't normal Wastelanders, no, these were poor, ignorant ponies who had been assaulted by the worse this hell-trotted land had produced. What had transpired I couldn't only imagine with with horror and disgust. I knew what Raiders were capable with; the inside of that time seeped prison would be nothing short of a blood bath. I clicked the cylinder back into its place, and then slipped my gun back into its home in its holster. Part of me wanted to forget this information; be happy that I had survived and just leave, letting the horror that was today behind me and return back to my mindless journey. But, another part of me, one I had tried to crush for a long, long time told me to head to that Stable. I wasn't a hero, that I knew for sure. I wasn't some super pony who could bust in and save the day; cleansing the wasteland of evil. No, I was just a coward of a ghoul—one the fled from danger, and fought only for myself. I hadn't been able to save this town, surviving only from pure luck. Heroes died, and cowards survived. I shook my head, banishing my thoughts of heroism. I trotted forwards and out of the back room, my hooves on autopilot. But, I stopped when I reached the corpse of a single mare. She was still in her peaceful, sleeping position I had lain her down in the day before. It was strange to look down at a corpse of a pony you knew in life. I tended to distance myself from the ponies around me, and she had been no different. But, in life, she had been different then almost all that I had ever met in the wasteland. She had smiled. She hadn't been mean, or rude, or even angry at the world around her. No, she had been a single ray of hope; a sliver of happiness that had managed to escape the grasp of the wasteland. Well, for a while, that is. Now, she was dead; that spark that I had seen the previous day gone just like the life in her eyes. It was dead, she was dead… everything was dead. Except me. I shook my head, pushing back the thought that had begun to fill my mind. My hooves continued as I trotted over the corpse. I still had a limp from the still throbbing pain of my flesh wounds, but I continued forwards. I hopped over the counter and landed with a wince, pain shooting up my right sided. I hissed out a few curses, but otherwise remained relatively quiet. The rest of the stop was still filled with the remains of Raiders me and Kind Shot had slain; their bodies still remained where they had fallen. The walls that had once been fully stocked with guns of all caliber were now completely empty, all that remained were empty hooks. I kept trotted even when I exited the shop. Gore, mutilated remains, and puddles of blood filled my vision as I trotted forwards and into The Hive’s courtyard. The Raiders had their fun once everypony was dead, using their bodies as sickening decorations. I had seen this many times before, and had since been desensitized to the display. Over bodies and through the blood; past the cold corpses and mutilated bodies of ponies I had seen alive just yesterday; past carnage and death, I trotted forwards. I could see the sky fading to a dark orange, signaling the approaching nigh. My hooves guided me past the melted gate to the once thriving trading hub, and I stopped. I had two directions I could go, two different paths that would lead me towards two different outcomes. One, I could forget about this and continue on as if it had never happened. Or two, I could travel towards the stable and… what, take on an entire Raider nest by myself? I was wounded and barely had any information about what I would walk into. I let out a soft sigh and shook my head. What do I care? Why does the fate of a bunch of stable ponies, who are probably already dead, bother me so much? I shouldn't have cared. I should be able to ignore it like everything else since the world ended! I let out a snort, pressing onwards in the fading light of the cloud layer. It was getting dark, and even though Chicacolt was filled with dangers during the day, the real demons came out at night. I needed to get to someplace safe, somewhere I could heal and rest. I thought for a moment, then remembered a close by apartment building that I had used more than once as a rest stop. It had been a long time since I had used it, but it seemed better than nothing. Step after step, I trot forwards, making my way closer to my destination of relative safety. It wasn't that long of a distance, but with the burning pain in my side it could have been mines. After about ten minutes of limping later, I stopped in front of an old apartment building. Once, it had been home to over fifty families of the middle class. Now, however, it was a barely standing. Half of the entire building had caved in from the initial blast, while the other half suffered greatly from the hooves of time. I limped forwards, pulling out my revolver and holding it at the ready. I pushed past the main doors to the lobby, my eyes scanning the area inside. Besides the skeletons of long since dead ponies, I didn’t see any signs of danger. I kept my gun at the ready, though, just in case. I trotted into the lobby and up a flight of stairs located just next to the reception desk, the skeleton of what I would would guess the secretary still slumped over her desk. I limped up three flights of stairs, stopping every once and awhile. Eventually, I made onto the third floor. With practiced precision, I systematically went through and checked each and every one of the room, making sure they were vacant of any hostile life. Sometimes, I wish I had been graced with a pipbuck: a pre-war wrist mounted marvel of prewar engineering. It had all sorts of features that would make my life so much better, but finding one was almost impossible. Only stables were graced with such tech, and, as far as I knew, none of the stables that were located in the Chicacolt area had opened yet. Well, until recently, that is. Once I was sure that the floor was secure, I picked the room with the most impact furniture. The room I chose was what a small, two room apartment. It had a small kitchen, the contents of which scavenged years before, a couch, a chair, one bedroom and bathroom. The bedroom was useless, as the ceiling had given away, so that only left the couch. I dusted off the ancient material, patting it down and getting rid off as much of the built up dust and debris that I could. Once I was satisfied, I trotted over it the kitchen and shrugged off my saddlebags, placing them on the dust covered kitchen counter, followed by my hat and duster. I then unbuckled all three of my holsters and my knife and added them to the growing pile. I waited until I believed the kid was asleep before I began to remove the blood covered bandage that I had wrapped around my skin, wincing when I had to remove the ones that had been where I had been shot, stabbed, or other. Soon, a pile of blood soaked bandage lay on the floor, and I could feel the cool night air wash over my true boy for the first time in a while. Silver patches of fur dotted around my body, where it had decayed was just rotten flesh. My mane and tail, which had somehow to still remain almost completely intact. My flank still shown my cutie-mark, the one thing that didn’t seem to decay like the rest of my body. My cutie-mark was of a spray painted dark horizon with a single beam of silver light peaking past. I had been a graffiti before the war, if you believe it or not. I had been recruited by the ministry of image as a propaganda artist, spray painting images of hope wherever I could. It was a peaceful job, at first. But, as the war continued, I lost my inspiration and was soon fired. After that, I joined with the Equestrian army, and the rest is history. I let out a sad sigh as I looked away from the mark, internally scowling at the mocking symbol of ‘hope’ stuck to my flank. I stuck my muzzle into my bag and pulled out the materials I needed: irradiated water, a needle and thread, a single healing potion, replacement bandage I would wrap myself with once I was done, and finally my knife. I first grabbed the knife in my mouth, taking a few unneeded breaths before finally tilting my head back and digging it into my flank. I held back a scream, biting down hard on the handle. I heard a soft ‘plink’ as the first bullet popped out of my rotten skin. I took a moment to recover, then dove the knife back in as I went to work on removing the next two. Finally, after what felt like an hour, three black coated bullets lay on the floor. I held back a scream, as I didn’t want to let every Raider (or worse) know my current location. After taking a few minutes to recover, got out the needle and thread and began to sew together the larger gashes. It hurt, yes, but not even half as bad as the knife had. Once each of them had been sewn shut, I opened the irradiated water bottle and poured it all over my wounds. I let out a content sigh as waves of soothing cool washed over the areas that had until now one radiated pain. The radiation, though small, was enough for the wounds to start to heal. Radiation healed us ghouls, and it brought with it a wave of pleasure every time we basked in its warm glow. I also used the water as a makeshift bath, washing off as much blood as I could. Once that was gone, I then poured the healing potion over the wounds as well. It’s magic wasn’t even half as strong as it was to normal ponies, but it still worked. Finally, after all of this was done, I picked up the roll of bandage and rewrapped myself. I first started with my back hooves, then worked my way to my chest, and then my front hooves, and finally my head and muzzle. It had taken years of practiced to be able to do this without a mirror; the routine now becoming more like second nature rather than a conscience action. Once this was done, and I was now completely covered, I reattached my three revolvers and knife, first wiping the blade clean on the pile of used bandage. With myself now rewrapped, I felt a lot safer. As I had said before, ponies didn’t trust ghouls. Most thought we would go feral at any moment, while others just didn’t seem to want to acknowledge that there was difference. Because of this, I had to cover my decaying body, hiding who I truly was beneath layers of bandage. It was easier to lie and say the bandages were from a large burn wound, smoke damage resulting in my croaked voice. It worked, most of the time, and those who actually figured it out didn’t seem to care. I packed up my supplies in my saddlebags and laid it across by back along with my duster and hat and proceded over to the couch. I placed down my duster and hat on the floor and hopped up on the chair with my saddlebags. I sifted through them and began to take restock of what supplies I had remaining, and also guesstimating how much I would need for my new companion. Apparently a pipbuck had it’s own sorting spell that did this for you, but I didn’t have one so, like the rest of the Wasteland, I had to rely on memory and constant checks to know what I had, and what I needed. This was also the reason why the right side was so carefully organized, as many of the things I stored in there I would need in a moment’s notice. It wasn’t a flawless system, but years of tweaking and perfecting had gotten it to work as close to perfect as I could get. After taking inventory, I placed the bag on the floor besides me. I sat for a little bit, letting time roll by, but soon got bored and rose from my seat, trotting over to a nearby window. Through it I looked at the dark cloud layer above, sighing at the fact that I hadn’t seen either the sun or night sky in a long, long time. I used to love looking at the night sky, observing the beauty of the stars, but that all ended when the pegasi abandoned us to create their own safe haven. I hated pegasi for this. Not for abandoning us, but for taking away the nightly beauty that was the stars. I shook my head, pushing away old hate and returning to the couch. Again, I sat there for a while, ears perked up at attention as I watched the only door. I planned on staying here for the night, then head out for the closest highly irradiated area I could find. Sleep would forever elude me, so my entire time was spent staring at the closed door, daring for somethings to enter. Nothing ever did. Dawn came. Fleeting light peeked its way through the cloud layer and pierced the darkness of the night. I watched as a single ray of light shone through the broken window, slowly growing as the sun rose higher in the sky. I waited until the beam had made it’s way about halfway up the wall before I rose to my hooves, stretching my freshly wrapped body. It would take a little bit before the bandages would conform to my body, to which I would have to deal with the slight discomfort they supplied. My body still hurt, my right side still on fire from, but it was manageable now. I took a test trot around the old apartment, happy that I could now trott with minimum pain. I then made my way over and collected the rest of my stuff. I first slipped on my duster before I attached my saddlebags tightly at my sides. Finally, I reached down and picked up my hat, placing it snug on my head. Welp, time for me to get going, I thought, giving myself one last stretch before trotting over to the door. I nudged it open with a hoof, then preceded to trot down the hall and down the stairs, finally exiting out the lobby and into the cool morning air. Chicacolt. Once a bustling, busy city before the war, was now a ghost of its former glory. I stepped onto the cracked asphalt, my eyes scanning from side to side before I stepped out of the relative safety of the apartment complex. The city was filled with dangers; Raiders, the occasional Alicorn, gangs, and mutated creatures. But, despite them, life still thrived in the city. The Hive would be a substantial loss to the city's economy, but it would recover. Many more trading hubs and small ‘towns’ could be found sprawled around the city, and they would make up for the loss in time. Life goes on, it always does. I wasn’t sure of my next destination, as I didn’t have one. To be honest, I rarely ever had a destination. I was a wanderer, and that was what I did. From town to town, I traveled. I never really did anything. I didn’t like to fight, I didn’t like to stay, I didn’t even like being around other ponies. They only made me nervous, and even after all these years I could never be sure who I could trust. I was a lonely life, but it was still life, and not death. I shook my head, pushing back the tangential thoughts that filled my mind. Focus, I needed to focus! At random I chose a direction and began to trot. South, if my internal compass was correct. The street that I was currently on was originally a transition from the residential area to the business area. The buildings around me began to grow higher and higher, their piques almost too tall to view. I had to be careful trotting through this area, as it was known to house snipers that hid in the ruined skyscrapers, waiting to pick of an unsuspecting prey and steal their belongings. I was always constantly on alert, but now my focus was mainly at the sky. Another ten minutes or so of trotting went by without incident, the only thing that I had spotted was a scampering rad-roach. It wasn’t uncommon to travel this long without seeing anypony, as most tended to travel in larger groups, or simply remain in their settlements. It was safer, as there was power in numbers. My paced slowed as a staticy sound began to fill my ears; a familiar buzz that I had heard countless times before. I continued on and searched for it source, eventually spotting it. A single radio sat in the broken front window of an old electronics store, it’s power still somehow running. I trotted inside and up to the radio, flipping the dial and trying to find a station. I liked the radio, as it brought music and news from the ponies who had somehow managed to keep it running even after bombs fell. Eventually, the static cleared and a familiar voice filled my ears. “Hello, Wasteland! This is DJ PON-3, and how are y’all doing in this fine hell-hole we call home?” The voice was masculine and official. Soothing, almost. “Well, children, I hope it’s better than me. I just got news from Chicacolt that a group of Raiders just tore through and, well, raided the tradecenter called, ‘The Hive’. As if now, there has been no confirmed survivors, but I have hope that at least one of the town’s ponies managed to get out alive.” I sunk my head, knowing firsthand that his optimism was poorly focused. There had been no survivors, as raiders didn’t like taking ponies alive. They would sweep through like a swarm of locusts, destroying everything in their way before moving on. “Now, I don’t know where exactly these raiders are set up camp, but reports from the area show a rise in activity near the Metro system, so until somepony can deal with them, I suggest steering far, far away from that area. “Anyways, that’s all I have for you right now. Stay safe out there.” The DJ’s voice stopped, replaced soon after with music I had heard countless times before. [Reconnection] Part: 1-3[Fo:E - Frozen Gears] Story Setup Fo:E - Frozen Gears By: Michael A. “Some secrets are better left buried.” There are many things in this world that surprise us. Sometimes they are events that happen without any formal warning, and end with a life changing event that will stick with us for the rest of our lives. Sometimes they are ponies who pop into our lives without warning, friends who you feel you could never live without, or enemies that you wish that you hadn't even met. And sometimes they are something that is so random, so shocking, and so overwhelmingly sudden that you don’t even know how to react, and just freeze. These types of situations happen a lot in life; things that happen that we don’t expect. Sometimes, they signal great change, for better or worse. And sometimes, these sudden and massive changes break us. And sometimes, they define us. “Stupid… no good… robotic… piece of crap!” I mumbled through the wrench I held between my teeth, foggy breath escaping from my nose. “‘Go fix they Sentry Bot,’ they said. ‘We’ll cover you,’ they said.” The air is freezing, a fresh coat of snow coated ground, and the sound of magical energy weapons and the roar of artillery filled the air. Yup, welcome to the Northern Equestria, where the temperature flutters between freezing and death, and the fear of freezing to death is second only to being shot. “Junk Gear! When you get that damned bot up and running, get your skinny plot over here and fix my auto feeder!” Boomed the amplified voice of my squad’s heavy (Heavy Hoof, believe it or not) from somewhere behind me. I groaned, rolling my eyes from behind my goggles before continuing to repair the robot. My head was currently neck deep in the maintenance panel of one of our Sentry Bot’s. The damned thing had stopped running, and our recon team’s Knight had decided that it was essential for me to get it back up and running. So, here I am, like the good little field engineer I am, trying to get the damned thing to reboot. Now, usually I don’t mind fixing these things. Hell, I actually enjoy it. But when one breaks down it the middle of a fucking firing zong, I have some issues. Beams of magical energy and burning hot lead wizzed passed me from all directions, some just barely missing me. It’s kinda hard to focus on fixing a pre-war piece of junk while, at the same time, trying not to get shot! The only luck that has been thrown to me so far is that the problem seems to be more software than hardware, so a simple reboot should fix it. “Just one more tweak, and…” “Sentry Bot, Online. Weapons system’s initiated. Threat level... Omega. Use of deadly force... authorized,” the Bot cried out as it whirred back to life, it’s minigun that had been dormant on it’s side beginning to spin up. “Time to die, Zebra skum!” I cried out in victory as I slammed shut the access panel on its back and jumped off in one fluid movement, running as fast as I could back behind the concrete slabs that the rest of the recon team was currently using for cover. After vaulting over the slab, I pressed my back against the cool rock, happy that I had several feet of hardened stone between me and incoming fire. “Oh! Gon’ run an’ hide, ya’ li’l cunt! Why don’cha come back ‘ere and have som’ real fun!” I let out another sigh. I freaking hate Raiders. Moments later I heard a loud “Bang!” followed soon after by a sickening “Crunch!”. From experience I already know that was our team’s sniper, Keen Shot, blowing the head off of the offending Raider. I smiled, letting out sigh of relief before wiping the sweat and grease that was caked to my once whitemane with the back of my hoof. Weather or not I was successful in cleaning anything was any ponies guess. “Hey, Junk, my auto loader ain’t gonna fix itself!” Smile gone. My body visually sagged as I let out another sigh, contemplating ignoring that oaf’s command. But, my the desire to not hear him complain when we got back to base won out as I pushed myself back onto my hooves. Not too far from where I was resting sat our team’s heavy gunner, who was currently tapping his hooves impatiently on the ground. He was a large, lumbering stallion that was easily three times the size anypony has the right to be. As it is we had to cram him into a specially-fitted suit of power armor. But, his size did add some advantages, mainly the fact that we could load him up with enough armament to make him a walking tank. On a tactical view, he was a force to be reckoned with. On my view, he was a large pain in the ass with a shit load of moving parts that I had make sure kept moving, or else he became even more of a pain in the ass! Two full sized mini-guns that were supposed to be mounted on a Vertibuck sat on each side of his armor, while a single, large caliber anti-personal rifle sat in the middle. I trotted up next to the stallion, tapping at the side of one of his armored hooves. He turned, his helmeted head staring me down. “Took you long enough!” he said, his voice slightly digitized. “Now get up there and fix the damned thing so I can start shooting again!” He leaned down, allowing me access to his back. I hopped up, wasting no time and began to troubleshoot his minigun’s autofeeder. It didn’t take me long to figure out that the issue was that main feed chain had become unhooked. “Damn it, Heavy. The damn chain got unhooked, again!” The stallion grunted, apparently not giving a crap about the logistics of his mechanical issues. I grumbled to myself. This is the third time this month I've had to do this! I think it’s about time I sat down our chapter’s head mechanic and reamed him a new one. After a few more internal curses and some growls of annoyance, I got the feeder back into working order and hopped off the heavy. “Okay, you’re good,” I said, dusting myself off as best I could. Heavy lets out an acknowledging grunt, before getting onto his hooves. He fired up his auto-feeder, the mechanism churning to life as it reloaded his side guns. He nodded, to himself, before jumping over the concrete barrier and charging headfirst towards the Raider nest. I shook my head, leaning down and re-wrapping up my toolkit, before tucking it back into its place on my wrist mount. (Which was a little thing I rigged up a while ago when I got promoted to field engineer.) It wasn't as fancy as a pre-war Pip-Buck, but it had a hobbled together clock and basic tactical functions (such as hacking and terminal interface), basic memory functions, and a compartment for all of my basic field tools. After making sure it was secure “Knight, Mellon,” I began, standing at attention and give him a salute. “I am here to report the sentry-bot is back up and functional and Heavy Hoof’s auto feeder is now up and running as well.” The Knight gave me a curt nod. “Good work, Mechanic. It seems like Heavy and Keen Shot have this pretty much wrapped up, so just wait around the extraction point unless something else breaks.” I nodded, saluting again. “Yes, sir!” /* It wasn’t long until we arrived back at our Chapter’s headquarters. We were currently stationed at Fort Fireside, an ironic name considering our proximity to Equestria’s northern border. Fireside was a modest outpost, not the largest of the Steal Ranger’s settlements, but far from the smallest. Before the war, this outpost was used as the command center for all of Northern Equestria’s guard posts, and acted as the home base for all Northern based operations. Considering most of the fighting took place */ I shrugged off my field uniform, which consisted of a light-weight leather barding with pockets for all of my tools and various equipment. I had designed it myself with the assistance of our armorer a while back, and I was really impressed with how it turned out. It provided as much protection as I needed and could hold all that I needed, while at the same time being agile enough to not impeded my movements. Ponies used to call me lazy because I didn’t have to partake in the usual training regimen, but they didn’t know how much I had to jump around and move. To be honest, I’m probably more fit and agile than half of our chapter. But, they don’t care. I am just the mare who they call when they break something. I carefully hung up my barding, taking extra care to fold it neatly. I usually wasn’t one for organization, as evident by my workstation, but I tried to be neat when I could. After placing it in its proper place in my locker, I trotted back over to my workbench, booting up my terminal to check my repair ticket que. “Only seven new tickets… sweet,” I mumbled to myself, a soft smile gracing my face at the easy workload. I opened the first message and began to read. “Hey, Junk, some of the terminals in administration are acting up again. The pompous asses requested new terminals, and I quickly responded with, ‘Are you kidding me?’ Anyways, if you could come up sometime this week and see what you could do I would be greatly appreciative. Head Scribe Quick Step” I smiled. Quick was one of the few that actually seemed to appreciate what I did. I’m pretty sure it’s because he’s the only other pony who works harder then me to keep this place from falling apart. I made a note on my wrist mount to check on the administration terminals as soon as I got time… Then made another note to finally give the thing a name. Junk Buck, maybe? I opened up the rest of the tickets and found the usual requests: “My ‘insert something’ isn’t working properly, get down here and fix it!” I sighed, logging the requests onto my wrist mount before logging out of my terminal. [Fo:E - Solar Shield] Part: 1 V.1[A Soldier's Fight Never Ends] Story Setup A Soldier's Fight Never Ends By: Michael A. I awoke with a start, sweat dripping down from my forehead and down my muzzle. I looked down to see my hooves shaking, trembling. My breaths were quick, and I instantly began to try and slow both them, and my racing heart, back down to a steady rate. Another nightmare… This had, sadly, become a common occurrence. I thought that they’d stop now that I was back in my own country, in my own bed, but they didn’t. What made it worse what that my bed was too… soft. I felt like I was going to fall through it, straight down to the floor. All those nights of sleeping on the ground had gotten to me, and I found myself having to sleep on the floor most nights when sleep escaped me… and even when sleep did come, I found myself awoken in the middle of the night, or early hours of the day, in the same panicked, terrified state day after day. I calmed my breathing, and slowly pushed away the covers before sliding out of bed onto the cold floor. My hooves hit the floor with a muffled “Thump” and I immediately began to make my way to my bathroom. Once inside, I turned on the cold water with a hoof, and immediately began to splash some onto my face. The cold water helped to calm me down, and bring me back to reality. I turned the water off, and wiped my face with a nearby towel. Throwing the towel back into it’s place, I looked into the mirror above the sink, and stared at it. In the mirror was a dark green earth pony stallion with a black and green striped mane. The pony in front of me looked tired, and in more ways than one. I could see the pain in his eyes, and I could see the darkness he had caused. My hoof crashed into the reflection and shattered the mirror. Bits of broken mirror rained down from the force of my blow, some managing to fall into the sink, and others landing onto the floor below. I sighed, and began picking out the broken glass shards that were embedded into my hoof from the strike. I winced several times as I pulled out the shards with my teeth before spitting them out into the nearby trashcan. It didn’t take long to bandage my wounded hoof and clean up the glass. I had managed to contain myself from crushing any of the bigger pieces when the image of that pony stared back at me. I returned back to my bed and pulled off the blanket before curling up onto the floor. Unsurprisingly, I found sleeping on the floor better. It wasn’t that it was more comfortable, as I always woke up with a sore back in the morning, what made it better was that it made me feel more… safe. When I got comfortable, I got nervous. When I managed to let my guard down, I got nervous. It was the sad cycle that I had found myself in. That’s what my life had become, just a series for routines that I had to follow, ones that I myself had no play in creating… I laid on the ground for what felt like hours, continuing to question my existence. Eventually, the invisible hands of sleep graced me with their presence, pulling me into a dreamless slumber. I slept well that night, better than I had slept in a long time. But I know that won’t last. After all, tomorrow is another night... [Fo:E - Solar Shield] Part: 1 V.2[We Will Live On] Prologue We Will Live On By: Michael Abell “Can everypony please take a seat so the council can commence?” the speaker of the house announced, his voice deep and gruff, easily distinguishable from the common banter that filled the Canterlot Castle meeting room. He was a large, slightly heavyset stallion with a bright gold mane and a dark grey coat. He spoke with precision and class, reflective of his high standing lineage—the same one that had allowed him to be elected to such high a position. The room that had been abuzz with idol chatter soon died down to a quiet whisper, all those in attendance quietly shuffled to their assigned positions around the large table that sat in the middle of the room. The room itself wasn’t overly complicated—standard decorations and designs that could be found all around the castle were present. However, it still was unique, with paintings of well established family crests hung all around the room; a large round table that lay in the dead center of the room with plush chairs lining its circumference. Nobles, generals, and other members of the Equestrian Elite were amongst those in attendance; along with several other ponies who held high standing in the Equestrian government. Among them -- currently sat in front of the large, stain glass window that depicted her own crest -- sat princess Celestia. The princess sat patiently, her hooves gingerly crossed in front of he. She carefully watched over all others in attendance, waiting for the meeting to truly commence. “All in attendance, members of the Equestrian Elite, we are currently meeting to discuss action and reaction to our recent invasion attempt,” the speaker called out from his seat, addressing all. “Those who wish to speak may now have the floor.” The table instantly erupted in a cacophony of voices: all trying to talk over each other; all molding together in a singular garbled shout; all drowned out by the rest. Except for one. “My little ponies, may we please discuss in relative peace? This is a big issue we are addressing, and I expect you all to treat it as such,” Celestia spoke with a calm, even tone. Her voice breached through the chaos, reaching clearly to the ears of all who attended. The room soon returned to silence, with some muttering quiet apologies. “Much better.” The solar princess nodded. “I know most of you are still shaken up by the incident, and I wish we could put this off until later, but an action must be taken. The sooner, the better.” A single, elderly stallion stood up upon the princess finishing, his golden armor clinking slightly. The stallion in question was General Crossed Swords, a hardened military veteran who had earned his title through his deeds when he served in the Equestrian Army. “Princess, if I may speak?” the greying stallion ask. Celestia nodded. “I believe that the best course of action will be swift, brutal retaliation. These… these monsters attacked us unprovoked—without reason. If they are so bold as to attack our capital city, I can only fear what they may have in store later.” “I concur with the General,” a noble spoke up, standing from his chair. “We must mobilize our armies and squash these vile creatures like the bugs they are!” The room erupted once again. Nobles, dignitaries, and military personnel either shouted their support, or remained silent. “Order! We will have order!” the speaker boomed through the cheers, the room descended into relative silence soon after. “With all due respect,” began another noble, “we don’t have the means to amass an army so quickly. Equestria has been in peace for over a thousand years. It would take months to mobilize an assault the simile of what you are proposing.” The aged general stood up again. “While we have few in numbers: the guard and standing forces at our disposal are well trained and more than capable of ending this once and forall.” “‘Well trained?’” a noble scoffed. “Our city was nearly seized within an hour with your ‘well trained’ forces on high alert!” A younger officer snarled at the noble. “We are not to blame for this! Our commanding officer was incapacitated under their leader’s spell, while our dear princess was…” He choked on his next words. “D-defeated. The resulting chaos caused our entire army to fall into disarray. We were swarmed during this hour of weakness and they took advantage of the discourse to overpower us.” Another officer stood up, his uniform showing his superior rank. “I agree with Officer Stall—under these odds we never stood a chance. However, now that we know what our enemy is, and the shape-shifting power they control, we will not be taken by surprise again.” Both officers nodded to each other in agreement, then both returned to their seats. Crossed stood up once again and slammed his hoof into the table. “What they lack in power they made up for with tactic; utilizing stealth and sheer volume to almost take down a greater opponent. But this is exactly why we must act now! Like us, their army currently lays fractured, their queen either dead or crippled by our Captain’s magical pulse. If we wait, if we delay, they could reform and mount another strike that we may not be so lucky to repel.” Nobles and dignitaries erupted in both cheers and jeers. Many agreed with the General, arguing that a swift retaliation was the only available option to end the threat and secure safety. Others believed that attacking would start a full scale war, only plunging the Kingdom into more strife. Celestia watched from her position at the end of the table, carefully listening and taking in all suggestion that were argued around the court. She pondered each and every one of them, thinking them through in great detail. But, one thing stuck out in her mind, an absence of a certain point: Mercy. She had known about the Changelings for countless years, their presence more then known to her. They were a reclusive race, preferring to remain in the shadows and away from conflict. She did not know where exactly the species resided, only able to pinpoint their origin to somewhere in the Equestrian Badlands. Actually, that was not completely true. Long ago, Changelings had posed even more of a treat then they did now. Their skill in stealth allowing them to infiltrate entire cities, draining them dry of their emotions then moving to the next. This lasted for many years, but eventually died down to the point where they faded from Equestrian culture completely, their presence only known through story and myth. And to her. She shook her head, pushing away her tangential thoughts. Their history was a subject for later, something she would recount in detail at a later date. With her focus returned, the princess’s thoughts soon lead her to not how to respond, but to contemplate the why. What had caused this quiet race to emerge from the shadows? Her thoughts were broken as the doors to the room burst open, shifting both her and the rest of the room’s attention from the issue at hoof to the unwanted intrusion. A large pegasus stallion strutted into the room—his armor dented, body showing fresh marks of combat. Two smaller, less built guards stood on either side of him, their forms just as worse for wear. One of the nobles stood up. “How dare you barge into a Council meaning?! Do you not have any respect for your betters?!” The pegasus turned his gaze to the offending stallion, snorting loudly. “I am here to report to General Crossed Swords and to him alone,” he commanded, his tone so fierce that it caused the outbursting noble to instantly sit back down, turning away to hide his fear. The General stood up at the mention of his name, and cleared his throat. “Commander Blood Wing, what news do you bring to warren this kind of interruption?” “I apologize, General,” Blood Wing spoke, showing his respect for the aged veteran. “I came to inform you that we were successful in tracking down a few of the bugs that had been expelled during the attack. After some ‘coercing’ we were able to weed out the location of their hive and also gained a plausible location of their Queen’s landing site. I have already taken the liberty to have dispatched team assembled and at the ready, pending your command,” the colossal Pegasus spoke, then adding, “I would also like to add that it appears that most, if not all, of their grunts were not able to survive the impact—we have yet to find one alive. Those who we have been able to capture have been commanders or high ranking officers in their army; a seemingly special breed of changeling that is tougher, more resilient than the mass of the swarm.” The room erupted in murmurs again, and the Speaker was soon to regain control of the situation. “Quiet!” he called out, pounding his hoof into the table. He turned his attention to the intruding pegasus. “Thank you, Commander, for your prompt relay of this development.” The pegasus nodded, gave a quick bow to Celestia, then exited, motioning with a quick gesture for the guards by his sides to follow. Once the doors closed behind them, all attention was returned to the Speaker. He cleared his throat. “The council with take note of these developments, and take them into account as we converse.” Crossed slammed his hoof into the table. “See?! Now is the time to strike! The mass of the attack was from drone, who we were just informed are all dead. Their defense is weak, their chain of command crippled, now is the time to strike! We may never get a chance like this again; it is now or never.” The Speaker turned to both Officers in attendance, who nodded in agreement at the General’s point. With all branches of the military in agreement, the decision could now be voted upon. “All who vote in favor of an immediate counter invasion, speak now.” The room erupted in shouts of agreement, everypony shouting in unison. Well, except for one. The absence of a certain voice caused confusion amounts those in attendance, all turning towards the offender. Celestia remained quiet at the end of the table, her face impassive, her regal mask stronger than usual. The Speaker of the Court spoke up. “Princess… Did you not hear the decision?” The white Alicorn remained silent for a moment, before sighing and shaking her head. “Yes, I have, and I did not voice my approval because I do not,” she spoke simply. The entire course muttered at this, confused by her decision. Crossed was the first to speak up. “Princess, if I may be so blunt, but why do you not agree with this decision? I believe the council deserves the right to know why their princess disagrees with an issue that is besides you unanimous?” Celestia sighed, nodding. “I believe that we should not make a decision until we know of the reason for attack. What provoked their sudden aggression?” Crossed rolled his eyes. “Princess, I do not wish any disrespect, but does that really matter? They assaulted our home, or capital, and caused the tragic death of many of our citizens, as well as our noble guard. I will be honest when I say I don't care about the why! Any creature who thinks they can attack my home, my country, must know that I will not take it sitting down. This must serve as an example for all that wish to cause us harm, let their aggression be the end of who would wish us harm!” He cried out, smashing his armored hoof into the table. The court erupted in cheers and stomps of agreement, voicing their approval of the General’s plan. As the frenzy started to die down, the Speaker spoke again, “All in favor?” All cheered once again, and then turned to Celestia. The alicorn princess remained in quiet contemplation, reviewing the situation over and over again. Finally, with a hesitant sigh, the diarc softly nodded her head… [Fo:E - The Lessons We Learn] Lesson: 1 - Luck never Lasts[We Will Live On] Chapter: 1 We Will Live On By: Michael Abell The cool night breeze blew threw the silky hair of Drone 9836-12, a smile gracing his blackened muzzle. His body was relaxed, his mind at ease, boredom already setting him in a state of peace. The drone took a deep breath, taking in the soft scent of the night air. He was small for a drone, but he had never let that bother him… much. The soldier exhaled, opening his eyes and peering out into the vast wasteland that surrounded the hive. He enjoyed being outside, the stale air from inside the hive being replaced by fresh, clean air, and the feeling of the cool running down his black chitin and flowing through his holled hooves. It gave him the feeling of being free, being more than just one of the many who stood guard around the hive’s outer perimeter. He had liked the job at first, the feeling of serving the Queen for the better of the hive, but it soon became dull, repetitive, all meaning of honor floating away as the hours past by uneventful, his only source of joy was the feeling of the fresh air, and what little it brought. A gentle tap on his shoulder made Drone 9836-12 jump in surprise, his calmed trance broken, and nearly fell from the large cliff that was his sentry perch. Quick to recover, the drone first made sure to regain his footing, then turning to see who had, so rudely, frightened him. The slight hint of anger that had appeared on his features softened immediately upon noticing who it was. “Hey, 7345-10,” he spoke, his voice raspy, like most of the other drones. His lips curling into a small smile as realization struck him. “Here to take over my shift, already?” The other drone chuckled slightly, shaking his head. “No, you still have a few more hours,” he said as he sat next to the other drone. “I figured I’d keep you company in the meantime, as I have nothing better to do.” The smile remained on Drone 9836-12’s face as he sat down next to the other drone. After having stared at the vast, dead wasteland that surrounded the hive for hours on end, he enjoy having company. “Thanks,” he muttered, then returned his gaze towards the emptiness of the surrounding land. ZAP! Drone 9836-12 jumped at the sudden sound, which was accompanied by a blinding light. When the light faded, and his eyes readjusted, Drone 9836-12 gaped in horror at the sudden appearance of a large, burning hole that sat in the middle of the chest of his friend. The drone, in turn, stared at his wound with fear, then nothing as he slumped to the ground, unmoving. Drone 9836-12 scrambled to his hooves, and over to his fallen brother. It only took a moment for him to confirm that he was dead, then he began to run back towards the hive, intent on warning to other changelings. He didn’t make it far, as a twin, burning hole erupted in his chest. He fell to his knees, and stared at his wound just as his friend had. Then, he was gone... 3 Days earlier... Chrysalis walked into the large throne room of the hive, her steps echoing with the amazing acoustics of the room. The hive was located in a large cave; caverns and tunnels branching out in all directions. The walls of this section of the hive had been carved by many great changeling artisans who had changed the bare stone walls into depictions of beauty. Carvings of the past queens lined the walls, each with a nameplate below them. The roof consisted of many root-like carvings, all branching out from the large throne that sat in the middle of the room. The throne was a marvel in itself, being made from a rare gemstone that could capture and store the magical essence of love for eventual use. It also held a second purpose, showing the prosperity of the hive. The more energy the throne stored within its crystal architecture, the brighter it shined. Currently, the throne was almost completely dark, flickering only occasionally. The Queen stopped in front of the throne, letting her shoulders fall as she released a loud sigh, the throne that was once a reminder of power, now only showing the slow death of her hive. That large changeling shook her head, a sad frown plastered on her muzzle. The sound of hoof steps clopping against the floor resumed once again as the changeling queen made her way past her thrown, heading down one of the many hallways that branched off the center cavern. The path that lead to her living quarters. As the distance between her and the grand doors of her personal chamber became smaller, the sounds of laughter slowly began to grow. Her downturn expression curled upwards into a smile, her sadness momentarily forgotten by the soft cheers of joy. She soon made it to the chamber’s threshold, saluting the changeling drones that guarded the door. Their expressions were that of stone, their bodies mimicking statues as their only movements were to salute back. With a gentle push of her magic, the large doors opened with a slight creek. A large bed, bookshelves, and a large desk filled most of the room marked the only material items that were held in magically lit room beyond. It was simple, with a simple aura about it. It did not shine with the glamor that was usually came with royalty, but held a [Stopped here] , who was laughing and playing with one of the royal servants. The servant stopped playing with the pupa when Chrysalis had stepped in, and gave the queen a polite bow. Chrysalis smiled and waved for the servant to leave. The servant complied with a quick nod of her head before exiting. Chrysalis then turned her attention to the little pupa in the middle of the room. "It seems that my daughter has been enjoying herself, have you not?" Chrysalis spoke, using a gentle and caring tone that she reserved only for her daughter. Her voice sounded like many voices mashed together at once, and it was just that. Her voice was a mash between all of the changelings in her hive. The greater the numbers of the hive, the more menacing her voice got. But, she could still tone it down at times. The little changeling filly looked up at the towering queen and beamed, her smile running from ear to ear. "Mommy!" she squeaked, jumping up to hug the queen. Chrysalis smiled and hugged back, nuzzling her head into her pupa's mane. "It is good to see you, Aurora. Your laughter and happiness warms my heart," she said through the embrace. Aurora was small, her legs stumpy and her horn was still developing. Though, even with this, her magic was far more developed that expected for a changeling her age. Her mane was a mixture of red and orange and her eyes practically glowed a light pink. The little pupa was also more mature and intelligent for her age, but she still acted and played the part of a happy-go-lucky child. Because of her stumpy legs, Aurora only managed to wrap her hooves around one of the the Queen's front hooves. Aurora looked up at her mother, her eyes filled with childhood joy. "Momma, wanna play?!" she asked, hoping that her mother would agree. As of late, the small changeling had been seeing less and less of her mother, and when she did she was usually really tired and grumpy. But not today! Chrysalis looked at her daughter, staring into her puppy dog eyes. The queen sighed before chuckling slightly. "Alright, my daughter, I shall play with you," she said threw her chuckles, and her heart soared at her daughter practically jumped with glee. Aurora ran around her mother a few times, before taking a running jump, aiming for her mother's back. She didn't make it, only managing to jump half way up her mother's height. Before she hit the ground, however, she felt her body tingle slightly as she was grasp on her mother's aura, and lifted up into her mother back. Chrysalis released her magic from her filly, feeling her weight on he back. The Changeling filly shuffled forwards, and gripped her mother's mane with her hooves. "Giddy up, momma!!!" Aurora giggled, slightly kicking her hind hooves into her mother's caripus. Chrysalis, in turn, laughed and reared up slightly, before beginning to run around the room. Chrysalis played with her daughter for what seemed like hours, the laughter of mother and daughter filled the room and neighboring halls. Chrysalis always loved playing with her daughter, as it gave her a release from her duties of being Queen, and allowing her to forget her troubles, at least for a little while. But, her fun ended seemingly instantly from a single remark from her daughter. "Momma?" "Yes, Aurora?" "I've been really hungry lately..." Chrysalis' heart shattered from that remark, her playful smile instantly fell to a sad frown. Aurora saw this, and instantly ran to her mother and hugged her leg "I'm sorry, momma!" the little changeling cried, "I didn't mean to make you upset!" Aurora buried her head into her mother's leg and began to cry. Not soon after, she felt her mother shift before feeling her mother's front hooves pick her up and cradled her in her arms. The changeling queen rocked her daughter in her hooves, whispering soft, motherly coos to her daughter. It had pained Chrysalis to see her own daughter suffer from her failure to provide enough love for the hive. She had tried to give her daughter extra love to feed on, but there was only so much extra she could spare, even going as far as giving her daughter some of her own share. Chrysalis frowned, but almost immediately a soft smile perked up onto her lips. "Don't worry, love. Momma has an idea to stop your tummy from rumbling," chrysalis said, tickling Aurora's stomach, eliciting giggles from the little pupa. "I love you, mommy." Present... Insectoid screams echoed throughout the great walls of the hive—some of fear, and others of pain. The Royal Guard had penetrated the protective walls of the hive, and were making their way deeper and deeper into the hive. As they went, most of the guards captured any changelings that didn't attack. Those who did, were silenced without prejudice. But some of the guard were still angered by the Changeling’s assault on canterlot, and simply killed every Changeling they saw, regardless if they posed a threat. Magic blasts and changeling defenses echoed throughout the halls, along with more screams of pain. Most of the drones that had stayed behind were all set-up in the throne room, and guarded the entrance to Chrysalis’ room. In said room, a young pupa hid behind changeling servant, shaking uncontrollably. The servant frowned and tried to remain calm, reassuring the young filly. But the screams of battle outside the large doors made that all but impossible. Suddenly, the doors of the queen's quarters sprang open, and battle-worn equestrian guards swarmed into the room. The servant put up a defensive position over the young pupa, ready to defend her to her last breath. The guards charged, their horns coated in their own respective magic glow. The servant's eyes glowed as a blast of magic shot from her horn and pushed the guards toppling back. The guards soon got back up to their feet and each shot blazing-hot plaza bolts from their horns. The servant tried to put up a shield, but the guards blasts shot right through it. The servant choked, a large hole now stood in the center of her chest. She collapsed onto the floor, blood pouring out from her wound and out of her mouth. She coughed a few times, her green changeling blood shooting out of her mouth as she did. She managed to choke out ‘Run’ to Aurora, who was huddled not far behind the falling servant. Aurora looked at the dying changeling in front of her with horror. She managed to get her legs to do as instructed, and began running towards the only safe place she could think of: Her secret hiding place. The guards notice the pupa and readied their spells, aiming at the young changeling. But their concentration fell when they heard choked out laughing coming from the fallen changeling. They all looked to her, and eyes widened as they saw the servant was holding several magical grenades with the pins out. The servant smiled and choked out, "Fuck you." The room exploded in a blast of magical energy, vaporizing the guards and mortally wounded changeling. When the dust settled, there wasn't much left of the once grand queen's chamber. Everything not made of rock, metal, or jewel had been turned to ash, and everything else was stained with a black tint. The royal guards that had went to investigate the explosion collected the broken and dented armor of their fallen comrades, and left. Soon, the hive was completely silent, the only noise coming from the last of the royal guards that were leaving the destroyed hive. Thousands of years of Changeling history was destroyed in a matter of hours. The hive sat in ruin, it's walls cracked by the guards attack, artwork and carvings lay destroyed by their plasma blasts, and thousands of Changeling's lay dead on the floor. The hallways of the hive were covered in green blood, with only a small amount of red in contrast. Some of the Changelings that lay dead had died fighting, using whatever spells they knew to fight back, protecting their home. While most died running away or cowering in fear... Celestia paced in her office, trotting from one side to the other. Her mind was a nervous wreck, and her mane was even worse. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she looked like she hadn’t slept in days. It had been over two months since the Changeling attack on Canterlot, and the solar goddess still couldn’t get it out of her head. She had let her subjects down. She had let them all down. She hadn’t been strong enough to protect her citizens when they needed her, and that fact had been wearing away that the princess for the past two months. But that was not what troubled the celestial alicorn right now. No, what was troubling the princess right now came in the form of a letter on her desk. As Celestia continued to pace, she was unaware of the door to her study opening and a midnight-blue alicorn trot in. Luna’s eyes followed her sister with great sadness. She could see the pain Celestia’s eyes, and the strain in her form. From knowing her sister for so long, and the almost magical bond they both shared, Luna could all but sense the internal hurt of her sister. She had not seen her sister this upset in a long while. Slowly, Luna trotted up to her sister and wrapped her hooves around her neck. Celestia shuddered at the contact, but upon noticing that it was her sister who embraced her, she hugged back. The pair remained in the embrace for several more minutes, before they both pulled back. Celestia used a hoof to wipe away the beginning signs of moisture in her eyes, and motioned her sister over to the fireplace with a hoof. Luna nodded, and trotted besides her sister to the enchanted harth that softly crackled. They both sat down and Celestia let out a long sigh. “Sorry that you had to see me like this, sister,” Celestia began, looking almost ashamed. Luna just gave her a comforting smile and put a hoof on her shoulder. “‘Tis okay, dear sister,” Luna began with a smile. “But we dost wish to know the cause of thy upset. Is this still grief from the assault of our capital?” “No, Lulu. Though that does still pain me, that is not it.” Celestia levitated the letter from her desk and over to her sister. Luna gripped it in her own magic and read. Luna finished reading, and then gave her sister a questionable look. “Why does this bother you, ‘Tia? It is great news!” Celestia frowned. “No, no it is not good news, dear sister,” Celestia began aloud, then whispered it again to herself, “That is the not good news.” “But it says that the changelings are no more — the assault was successful! We are free from future troubles from them!” Luna said with a cheery smile, which fell when she noticed her sister’s expression. “Luna, things have changed since you’ve been gone. We do not simply destroy all those who wrong us and provide peace through fear. Yes, the threat is now gone. But at what price? Sister… do you know what we...I, just did?” Celestia asked, her eyes threatening tears. Luna tilted her head slightly, racking her brain for a logical answer. “We eliminated a threat?” she asked with uncertainty, not sure if it was the answer her sister was expecting. Celestia’s face instantly turned that of rage; her sad frown shifting to a scowl. “Genocide!” she screamed, standing up and staring, with burning eyes, at her sister. Luna backed up at the outburst, scooting away from her sister, but Celestia stalked her sister, not allowing the gap between them to grow more than a few hoofs away. “We just singled hoofidly ended an entire race! No, I just ended an entire race.” Celestia would've continued her rant, if she hadn't seen the look of terror on her sister's face as she stood over her. The princess of the sun shakily stepped away from her sister, and took a deep breath. She'd hoped that moment would have been enough to quell the anger that continued to rise within her, but in reality, it didn't very little. Celestia took another deep breath, and continued. “Do you know what bothers me more, sister? Do you know what pains my heart the most right now?” Luna shook her head. “It is that that I am the only pony this seems to bother,” Celestia choked out. A few tears managed to escape, and rolled down her muzzle. Luna looked shocked at her sister, not expecting the outburst. “But why would it bother them? The changelings attacked us, brought us harm, and we got our revenge. Plus, it is just changelings. Why would it bother them?” The solar alicorn’s eyes lit up like the sun. “Because it is wrong! That is why! I try, day-in and day-out, to try to preach love to our citizens. I tried to preach to them tolerance and understanding.” Her eyes began to tear up. “When I had the meeting to decide our counter-actions of the invasion, every single member voted to kill. Every single suggested action was just a different way to kill. Even in my rage, I suggested less harsh actions.” Celestia began to let tears fall freely down her face. “It is my fault because I wasn’t as good of a leader to convince them otherwise.” “But why not force them to do otherwise?” Luna asked.I remember a time when we did not have to suffer the stupidity of fools. Celestia just bowed her head. “Because I am not a goddess, Luna. I am not a tyrant. I am merely a protector of our land. The greatest gift that I can give to my subjects is the right of free will, even if it means watching them make terrible, terrible mistakes.” With that said, Celestia threw herself at her sister and began to cry into her chest. Luna winced a little at the sudden embrace, but soon hugged back, running a hoof threw her sisters celestial mane. As Celestia's tears continued to fall, Luna continued to run her hoof threw her sister’s mane, whispering soothing comforts into her ear. Luna had never seen her sister this upset; she had never seen her sister completely break down in tears. Luna had never had to be the strong one... But she would be damned if she would let that be an excuse for not being there for her. It had taken hours, but the princess of the sun had managed to pull herself together. She had cried in her sister’s shoulder, and then remained in Luna’s embrace until she felt stable enough to get ready for her day. Luna had offered to stay, but Celestia insisted that she was fine. Celestia knew that she had to remain strong for her citizens, making sure to not show her weakness in front of them. She was the figurehead for her entire nation, being anything other than strong would severely crush Equestria's reputation with other nations. With a warm bath and some excessive mane brushing, Celestia had managed to get her physical state almost as presentable as her mental state. It took a minor spell to get rid of the redness in her eyes from all her crying to finish it off. Smiling into her mirror, Celestia, metaphorically, donned her regal mask and trotted out of her study. As she trotted, Celestia gave a regal wave and smile to any staff she encountered on her way to the royal court, and their happy smiles and wave back greatly helped brighten her spirits. She trotted through the courtroom door with an actual genuine smile on her face. The court room was large, easily three times as large as her personal study. The walls were painted white, and had large windows that allowed the sun to gaze in. The ceiling was also white, but had a large window who's metal rebar was shaped into a rearing alicorn. Celestia remembered how that particular window had been designed so that the sun shone on her throne, that sat in the back of the room, at exactly noon. On the floor was a large mural of the solar crest: a white alicorn rearing in front of the sun. The the sides of the room had benches that anyone who attended the royal court could sit. Celestia trotted up to her throne and took a seat, and snuggled into it's soft, velvet material. Celestia had hoof picked the material that composed her throne, and never regretted her decision. Even after it's many years of service, her throne was still as soft and comfortable as the first time she had sat in it. With a semi-sincere smile, Celestia took a deep breath and announced: “The day court is now in session!” With those words spoken, the mob of pony's that had been meandering the court room slowly shifted into an orderly line. Those who held standing in the court took their places along the walls of the room. Celestia designed this system so that she'd personally hear out each pony that came to voice their complaints, propose something of governmental value, or simply shown up to end a petty dispute. After hearing them out, she would either personally resolve the matter, or send the pony to one of her representatives that would... Celestia had never, in her many years of reign, had ever had such an... emotionally challenging day at court. Even the assassination attempts that she's had during day court hailed in comparison to today. But unlike those occasions, she felt like it was all of her pony's that held a knife to her heart. For some reason, her vision seemed to be clear of her clouded, perfect view of her ponies. And instead, she saw them for who they really were: Monsters. Almost all of the attendants at today's court had congratulated her on the extinguishment of the changelings, or asked about the process of such efforts, depending on their level of ignorance to the issue. The others that showed up, however... Such selfish issues. Everypony was arguing about petty issues; yelling about stuff that only the greedy would pay notice. Celestia had to hold herself back from yelling about how stupid and immature everypony was acting. All this time she thought that her nation was the epidemic of harmony and compassion, but the past few months have been slowly chipping away at her picture, revealing the truth in the canvas. Celestia had to excuse herself early from court, much to the displeasure of those attending, and decided to get something off of her chest. There was something that she had to do, whether she liked it or not... Celestia’s hooves clip-clopped on the ground as she walked threw the lower layers of the castle. Her face remained neutral; not showing any emotion. Her composure was rehearsed, and didn’t seem to be any different than the way she normally walked. This particular level of the castle was reserved for the Royal guard and anything that went along with the equestrian military. When the castle was build, Celestia and Luna both agreed to have the military below and out of the common pony’s view. It wasn’t that it was secret, more of that it housed some aspects that the princess didn’t wish for their citizens to notice. When she stopped, she stood in front of one of those aspects: the prison. Although there was a "normal" prison located above in the city, it was used for common criminals. This one, that resided deep within the mountain, was used for the more dangerous of captives. Celestia gave the pair of guards that stood sentry besides the large metal door curt a nod. The guards saluted in return, both turning and using the key that hung around their necks to unlock both sides of the door. The guards then swung the door wide, allowing Celestia to trott in. The area behind the doors was filled with cells, about a dozen guards patrolled the metal grated of said cells. Celestia ignored them, however, already knowing their rounds by heart. She also didn’t pay attention to the creatures inside of these cells, her gaze and focus set on a reinforced door that stood at the end of the hall. The princess quickly made her way to the door, before sticking her horn into the specialty lock. There was a soft “click” and the door slowly opened. Celestia trotted inside, and shut the door behind her with her magic. A single light hung in the middle of the small room infront of her. At the far edge of the room was a slightly large cell than those in the main jail, but, instead of metal bars, this cell had dark pink bolts of magic where the metal bars would be. The magic beams let out a soft hum, supplying the air with a slight scent of ozone. The inside of the cell, however, didn't vary practically at all from the other ones, having the basic components needed, such as a bed, sink, toilet, and small table. There was only once prisoner in this cell, who curently had her gaze set at the opposite wall of the cell. The hooves of the prisoner were shackled together, a single chain connection the cuffs on their front hooves to the ones around their back hooves. The prisoner's crooked horn had a large, metal ring around it, strange glowing arcane glyphs running around it's circumference. The prisoner either didn’t noticed Celestia's arrival, or didn’t care enough to react—continueing to face the bare wall, a blank and emotionless expression on their face. Celestia, on the other hoof, looked upon the prisoner with the same expression she’d walked in with. The solar mare loudly cleared her throat, now grabbing attention of the prisoner, who responded by slowly turning their head to face the princess and immediately scowled, her wings making a menacing chirp. Celestia didn’t react to the display, instead speaking with a clear, even tone. “Hello, Chrysalis.” Chrysalis hissed in response, not even wanting to speak. The princess shook her head, expecting the response. “I wish for this conversation to be as civilized as possible; I have all day to wait for you to oblige my wishes,” she spoke with the same, even tone. The Queen scowled, but did not hiss. Celestia took this as a sign of agreement. “Good,” she began. “Now, I first wish to know how you are doing?” Chrysalis scoffed. “How am I doing? Seriously, you have to ask that?” Celestia nodded, while the Queen chuckled halfheartedly. “Fine. I am having a fine stay in your little five-star accommodation, your highnessssss,” she said, hissing the last syllable like a venomous snake. Celestia did not laugh, she did not smile, she simply kept the same, neutral expression. “I see... that is good to know.” The princess sat down on the floor just feet from the magic bars, shifting slightly until she was comfy. Celestia then returned her focus to the changeling, before continueing. “I hear you gave my guards quite a hard time bringing you here.” Chrysalis laughed, her chains rattling. “Those guards were pathetic! I took down ten of them even while I was injured from the blast.” Celestia finally smiled. “And yet, here you sit—my ‘pathetic’ guards being the ones to bring you here.” Celestia hadn’t known how Chrysalis would react to the quibb, but she definitely didn’t expect her to smile. Chrysalis continued to smile at her captor as she spoke. “I may be here,” she began, “but not all of your guards are here as well.” Celestia’s left eye twitched ever so slightly. Chrysalis’ smile grew wider, noticing the small movement on the princess' stonic expression. “How many was it, again? I think it was five. Oh, and I don’t think that pegasus shall be flying any time soon.” Chrysalis’ kept her grin as Celestia’s face turned into a scowl. The now angered solar mare glared at the changeling queen, who kept on smiling back. “You caused six deaths, thirteen mildly wounded, and three critically wounded,” Celestia spat. “And I am still surprised that my guards let you live after that.” “Like you, I am very hard to kill. Although, from the beating I got from those guards who brought me here, I don’t think that fact was intentional,” Chrysalis spoke, her face now turning back to only a slight grin. Celestia took a deep breath, before speaking. “Whatever the reason, you are now in my custody, and I shall deal with you accordingly,” Celestia spoke with a now calm voice. “But I am not here to discuss the details of your capture. I am here to personally inform you of a recent development.” “Oh? Do tell?” the queen said with fake curiosity. Celestia took another deep breath. “After your attack upon our capital... it was decided that the best course of action was to launch an immediate counterattack upon your hive.” The captured queen’s eyes went wide, her expression changing to one of shock. “The goal of this counter attack was to capture all remaining changelings…” Celestia paused for a second, regretting the next words. “Lethal force... was allowed for any resistance.” Chrysalis’ mouth hung open, her body shaking slightly. “The attack was carried out a few hours ago. It was a success,” Celestia finished. Her expression remained neutral, though she held back her sadness. Chrysalis closer her mouth, then opened it again; no words coming out. She just stared blankly at Celestia, unable to respond. Then, she scowled, her face turned to that of complete rage. Her glossy wings began to frantically buzz together and she hissed deadly at Celestia, jumping closer to the magic beams, not caring about her restraints. “Those changelings were innocent! They had nothing to do with my actions!” she screamed, her wings buzzing louder. Then, her eyes went wide with concern as a thought popped into her head. “Where is my daugher? What have you done with her?!” This time, it was Celestia whose eyes went wide. “D-Daughter?” she stammered, “I did not know you had a daughter.” Chrysalis almost lunged at the beams, but managed to restrain herself. “Where is my daughter?!” she screamed again. “I don’t know!” Celestia blurted out. “I was not told of any young changelings being captured...in fact, the amount of changelings that were captured was quite low.” Chrysalis jumped at the bars, desperately trying to grab Celestia. Her eyes were filled with tears as she screamed, “You murderer! You killed my Daughter!!!!” Celestia was well out of Chrysalis’ reach, but that still didn’t stop the changeling from trying. The solar princess stared blankly at Chrysalis, not knowing how to react. Chrysalis’ body burned as it continued to make contact with the magical bars, the queen not even reacting to the pain. The room slowly began to fill with the smell of her burning flesh. “Monster! You fucking monster!” Celestia backed up, her faced filled with both shock and sadness. She quickly turned around and left the room. All the same time, she heard Chrysalis’ voice continue to scream the word: ‘Monster’. Celestia closed the door behind her and quickly made her way out of the prison, not looking at any of the guards. She banged the large double doors with a hoof and the guards at the other side opened it. Celestia looked at the guards for a second, just the briefest of moments, before walking past them. She trotted slowly down the hall and heard the double-doors shut. Both guards used their respective key to seal the door to the prison. They both returned to their positions on either side of the door. As they watched their Princess trott out of sight, one of the guards turned to the other and asked, “Was it just me… or was Celestia... crying?” [Fo:E - Frozen Gears] Story Setup[We Will Live On] Chapter: 2 We Will Live On By: Michael Abell Far away from the Celestia and Canterlot, Aurora, the tiny changeling princess, slowly emerged from sleep’s grasp. The first thing that became known to her was the horrible smell. It permeated the air and stank horribly, making her physically wince awake. Aurora blinked, thinking (and praying) she had only experienced a terrible nightmare—that what had happened yesterday, was only a bad dream. But as the smell continued to penetrate her nostrils, and she noticed where she currently lay, that was seeming less and less a possibility. Slowly, Aurora rolled onto her hooves and began to squeeze back through the entrance to her secret hiding place (which was a small, eroded cavern behind the Queen’s bedroom). But to her surprise, there was something blocking her path. With all of her strength, she pushed at the barrier, which eventually gave. As she began squeeze through the tiny opening she had created, she quickly realized that the blockage was broken bits of heavy, charred stone and mortar. Deciding to not focus on her realization, Aurora squeezed her body even more and made her way through the entrance. Stepping out, the young changeling almost fainted in complete shock at what she saw. The living quarters she had grown up in, spent her entire childhood in...her mom’s room, was completely destroyed. If it weren’t for the fact that this room was the only one connected to her hiding-spot, she wouldn’t have even been able to recognise it. Every piece of furniture was just… gone, and in their place were piles of ash. Random bits of metal and jewel were sprawled around the room, some sticking out of the ash, and some even embedded into the walls. Rocks that had fallen free from the ceiling were also laid around the room, making the once grand bedchamber look like nothing more than a simple cave. The whole room smelt of ozone and ash, along with whatever the horrible stench was that still filled the air. Aurora slowly trotted into the room, leaving hoofprints in the ash. She stopped, mouth agape, when she saw the shadowy outline of a changeling imprinted into the floor. The outlying would've remained unnoticed, if not for small, royal pendant that each of the royal servants wore in the center of the outline. Aurora’s eyes began to water as she collapsed onto the scorched outline of the servant. "Run!" She could almost hear the servant say as blood poured from her mouth. That image replayed in the little changeling’s mind over and over again as she cried and shaked. It seemed like hours before she could collect herself enough to get onto her hooves. She picked up the blackened pendant and put it’s once silver chain around her neck. With one more sniffle, she walked out of the blown-back doors of the room. The hallway greeted to the sight of dozens of dead changelings sprawled down the hallway. Each of them held marks of plasma damage, sword marks, or another battle wound. Their green blood leaked from the wounds, and was coating the floor of the hall almost completely green. The walls of the hall held many scorch marks and large cracks. Aurora looked on in disgust, her heart falling at the sight of her fellow Changelings. She walked forward, her hooves sticking slightly in the almost dry blood. She held back the bile that threatened to escape her throat. The small changeling moved as fast as she could out of the hallway of death, the smell of the dead slowly filling the air. As she exited the hall, she skidded to a halt as she gazed into the throne room. The once grand carvings of the past queens were defiled and destroyed. Some showl damage of magical grenade damage, and others were simply destroyed due to countless plasma bolts. More dead lay on the ground, but not half as much that lay in the hall she had just passed. It was now she noticed the blood that covered her hooves, and she finally couldn’t hold back the bile in her throat. She heaved as her stomach rejected its contents onto the floor. She continued to heave until nothing else would come back out. Even then, she dry-heaved until her throat hurt. She wiped her mouth with her shoulder and shook as she stared at her hooves. She was young, but she was smart enough to know what happened. In a state of panic, she did the only thing she could think of: scream for her mother. “Momma!” she screamed at the top of her lungs, the throne room echoing her small cry. “I need you, Momma! Please! I need you!” She shook, curling up into a ball. Everywhere she looked there was death. She couldn't sense her mother. She felt so alone. In her desperation, she tried to connect to the hive mind. Being young and her brain not being developed enough to handle the hive mind, she had been forbidden to connecting to it until she was more mature, as connecting now could possibly cause permanent psychological damage. But she didn’t care about that now, she needed to know she wasn’t alone, she needed to know what happened, and, most importantly, she needed her mother. Aurora’s horn developed in a sickly green glow as she tried to connect to the mental link that all changeling’s shared. She did not need to be taught how to do this, as it was an instinct. She could feel herself connect and prepared herself for the surge of voices. But she heard none. No voices called out. Not voiced talked. There was just…silence. Aurora began to panic and mentally screamed out, “Momma!” She waited for a response, but not came. The silence cut into her like a knife, tearing apart her heart and soul. She disconnected from the hive mind and began to bawl her eyes out again, shaking like crazy. She felt so alone, scared, and helpless. Her glossy wings chirped unintentionally as the pupa wept. Her sad song of her loss echoed throughout the entire hive, resonating off the walls, reaching every corner of the once densely populated hive. The young princesses song continued, it's depressing tone continuing until Aurora could collect herself enough to stop crying. She turned onto her side and sniffles, wiping her eyes as best she could with her shoulder. The soft sounds of chirping still echo throughout the cavern… but Aurora couldn't feel her wings buzzing. The young princess's ears flicked up, scoping out for the source of the foreign sound. She sat up, her head rotating back to check on her wings. They were, in fact, flat against her back. Aurora looked at her wings curiously for a second… then her eyes went wide. She scrambled to her hooves, running around in circles. Her ears perked up, and after some guessing and exploration, she finally though that she found the direction of the chirping. On tiny legs, the hopeful princess ran down one of the branching hallways, her once tired eyes now filled with hope. The sound got louder as she seemed to get closer, but also softer, as if its origin was growing weaker. She ran faster, her hooves scrambling as she followed the sound. Finally, the young princess skidded to a stop in the middle of a large, circular room. The walls of this room were much like that of the rest of the hive, cracked and damaged from the previous slaughter. The sound resonated deep within Aurora’s ears, the source having to come from this room. The pupa let out a chirp of her own, and soon after its twin that had let her here stopped as well. The young princess began to panic as the silence continued… Until she heard a soft, weak call, “Help…” The pupa’s eyes went wide, her head turning from side to side, before falling upon a fallen chunk of cave wall. She let out another chirp. “H-help…” The voice called out again. Aurora’s hooves scrambled to find purchase as jetted towards the chunk of wall, jumping on top of it and scampering up and over it. As she jumped down and onto the other side, the little changeling let out a squeak of excitement as she peered into the eyes of another, alive changeling. A mid-aged female drone lay on her side, a small puddle of green blood pooled underneath her. A large chunk of the toppled wall lay on top of her, covering her hind legs and most of her midsection, but her eyes shined with hope as she looked upon the young changeling. “Hey, little one,” the Drone spoke, her voice soft and caring, but also forced. “What is your name?” Aurora let out a squeal, jumping up and down with excitement. The drone chuckled, a smile forming on her lips at the adorable display. She turned and frowned at the chunk of earth that pinned her down. “I don't supposed you could help me, could you?” Aurora was unsure, looking at the rocks that covered her new friend, but she nodded anyways, wanting to at least try. The young princess closed her eyes, focusing her magic in the rock entrapping her new friend. Her horn glowed, the rock soon after shined with the same hue. Sweat poured down her forehead as she concentrated as hard as she could, and soon the rock slowly began to lift. The female's eyes went wide at this, beyond surprised that the pupa was actually lifting her stone prison, but knocked herself out of her stupor, and began to scramble to try and get free. Inch by inch, the stone rose, and soon it was high enough for the drone to scramble out from underneath, crawling out just in time as the young princess couldn't hold it anymore, her magic dissipating as she feel tired on the floor, the rock slamming back down with a loud crash. The now freed drone panted, laying down and relishing in her freedom, before trying to get up onto her hooves. Shakily, she got up, her back hooves hurting, but definitely not broken. She then turned to the tired pupa, who was panting on her side. “Wow… You are one strong Pupa,” the drone muttered, limping over to the tired changeling, plopping down next to her. She then began to run her holed hoof through her tiny saviors mane. Aurora purred, shuffling closer. The drone smiled. “Well, little one, it seems that I owe you my life,” she began, before tilting her head. “I wonder who’s child you are. I don't remember having you in any of my classes.” The drone was actually the hive’s school teacher, Soft Wing, the room that the two now lay being her classroom. She looked down at the small pupa that purred in her lap, a frown soon forming on her lips as the situation soon began to kick in. She turned her gaze up to her once grand classroom, now crumbled and destroyed. The memory of how her world changed forever was burned into her memory. The screams, the cries of pain, the shouts of anger all could still be heard in the depths of her mind. She shuddered, pushing those memories away while she took care of the pupa in her hooves. She needed to be strong for this child, be an anchor for her forever changed world. There would always be time to cry later. Soft Wing tried to connect to the hive mind, and again found it again to be empty. That meant one of two things: that the queen was dead, or unable to maintain the connection. She disconnected, sending a soft prayer to her queen, then returned her connection to the child in her hooves. “Hey, little one?” she spoke softly, gently nudging her awake with her muzzle. “Can you tell me your name?” Aurora yawned, letting out a soft squeak as she stretched her back, looking up expectantly at her new friend. “I am Aurora!” she giggled expectantly, then frowned. “Have you seen momma?” Soft Wing bit her lip, sucking in a nervous breath. “I… I don’t believe so, Aurora. Can you tell me your mother’s name?” She giggled. “Oh, silly me! My momma is Chryssie! She said she was gonna go and fix things and… and then she didn’t come back.” She dipped her head. “Then the bad ponies came and… and then Nanny told me to run and…” Tears began to run down the little changeling’s face as she looked up at the teacher. “Why is everyling dead?” The teacher froze, staring down in shock at the pupa, no, princess in her hooves. She had known that Queen Chrysalis had a daughter, but she had not known her name. Chrysalis had kept her pretty locked away, highly protected and isolated. This had probably been the reason why she had never had her in her class. But, that was not the only thing that shocked her. She stammered to try and think of a censored version of what happened, but came up with nothing. Aurora watched as her friend seemed to contemplate an answer, and stood up to look as authorative as her mother. “I know that I am young, but mommy says that I am mature for my age. She said to make sure that everyling tells me exactly the truth, because… because, ‘one cannot rule under a throne of ignorance.’” Soft Wings sighs, shaking her head. “Yes, your mother is right, my princess. We… I don’t know what happened. For some reason the ponies attacked and… and they hurt a lot of us. I don’t know why, but I do know that there is not a lot of us left.” The tiny princess frowns. “Does that mean that mommy is gone?” The teacher shakes her head. “I don’t know, princess… I don’t know.” Aurora lets a few tears fall, and snuggles into her new friends lap, who immediately returns the hug, holding her close and protectively. “Don’t worry, child… everything will be… alright…” The two had stayed there for a while, the teacher holding back her fear and sorrow to allow the tiny princess in her lap to let out hers. After all of the tears had been shed, and the princess could not cry anymore, and had been able to compose herself, Soft Wing had decided to search the hive and see if anyling else had survived. The teacher did not want to bring the young changeling along, wanting to keep her as far away from the death as possible, but also did not want to leave her alone, nor did she want to be alone. She was stuck between two horrible alternatives, and had finally given in to bring her princess along. The two trotted through the destroyed hallways of their hive, Aurora resting on the teacher’s back and chirping her wings periodically, hoping to hear a response. Room by room they traveled, finding only death and destruction. More than once the two had to stop to deal with the situation at hoof, holding back waves of nausea or fits of tears. It was a lot to take in, to search for life within these dead hallways. Aurora took it well, far better than anyling her age should be able to, while Soft Wing… well, she held it all back to deal at a later time. Finally, after almost giving up hope, they hear a sound that made their body’s fill with hope. A soft, desperate chirp sounded through the halls, responding to the princesses desperate call. With renewed purpose, the teacher and princess ran towards the direction of the cry for help, and eventually found its source. A bloody soldier drone limped forwards, his body scarred and slightly charred, once glistening armor stained with shadowy marks of battle. He stared back at the two other changelings in front of him, a soft smile gracing his broken body. “Are you two alright?” he asked, his voice gruff and forced, his attempts in hiding his pain useless as it all could be heard through his voice. He took a step forwards, before his hooves buckled underneath him and he fell onto his side, hissing out a cry of pain. Soft Wing gasped at the soldier, placing Aurora on the ground besides her as she ran forwards. “On my Hive, you are hurt!” She cried, looking over the soldiers wounds. She then turned to Aurora. “Princess, can you run back to the infirmary that we passed a little while back and grab one of the first aid kits?” The tiny changeling nodded, turning around and running as fast as she could towards her destination. The soldier coughed, turning his head towards the teacher. “Did you just say… princess?” he spoke in shock, before breaking out into another fit of coughs. Soft Wing glided to the falling guardian’s side, taking out his battle scarred armor. “Yes, our Queen’s daughter survived the… attack, it seems.” She shakes her head. “Poor child is too young to be dealing with this.” “Yes, but it is good to know that she did. It gives me hope for our survival.” Soft Wing shakes her head again, finally removing the soldier's helmet and begun doing as much fist aid that she could. She was a teacher, and had been trained to be able to handle most injuries. Not to this extent, but enough to make a difference. “But what did happen? Why did the ponies attack us? Speaking of which, how did they know where we were?” “They attacked us because we attacked them,” he spoke, his words losing confidence. “You know that our hive was dying, right?” The teacher nodded, her face filled with sadness. She and all of the rest of the hive knew that. She nodded. “So… she attacked the ponies to save us?” The soldier nodded. “That is what they said in the briefing, at least. I was supposed to go and join the assault, but was eventually assigned to remain here in case… well, this happened.” His gaze fell, fear and terror filling his face. “They were better than us. Stronger than us. They came quick and fast, assaulting like a force I have never seen before. I tried to fight back, like everyling else, but… they were too strong.” Sounds of tiny hooves clattering along the hallway signaled the return of their young princess. The teacher turning her head, and could not help but chuckle at the sight of Aurora carrying an oversized medical bag in her muzzle. The princess spat it out at the teacher’s hooves. “I found it!” Soft Wing smiled and rubbed the Pupa’s mane with a hoof. “Good job, my princess,” she spoke, before opening the bag and using it’s contents to properly treat the wounded soldier. Aurora smiled at being helpful, and trotted over to face the soldier. Her smile faded as she saw how rough he looked, his body covered in scars and wounds. “Does it hurt?” she asks. The soldier smiles at the young changeling. “A little, but I’ll be fine.” Aurora smiled a little bit. “What is your name?” “Drone 924-343.” She giggled. “No, not that, your real name.” The soldier cocks an eyebrow. “That is my real name. All soldier drones are named like such.” Aurora frowns. “That’s not a good name.” She pauses to think. “I think I’ll call you… Strong.” He tilts his head. “Why Strong?” She smiles. “Because! Only someling strong could even walk as hurt as you were.” He smiles at the compliment, but then frowns. “I appreciate the compliment, princess, but I don’t think I deserve such an honor. If I was stronger than I could’ve saved more…” “More?!” the teacher cries out, stopping her work. “Do you mean that there are more?” He nods. “Yes. I was sent out to try and find more survivors. The rest are held up in Chamber: C.” “How many?” the teacher asks, her eyes practically gleaming at the revelation. “About a dozen or so when I left. A few soldiers that survived and the General. The rest are just normal changelings that were lucky enough to either hide or just survive.” “After we get you patched up we are heading there. If anything it’ll make me feel better that we aren’t the only ones left.” After Soft Wing had binded up Strong well enough that he could be transported, the tree changelings embarked on their journey to meet up with what remained of the hive. Soft Wing helped Strong along, letting him lean on her for support, while Aurora trotted along besides the two, medical bag held between her teeth. It wasn’t that much of a walk to Chamber: C, which was actually a currently unused part of the hive that had been abandoned due to lack of resources. It was originally supposed to be a grand expansion to the already enormous hive, but due to the Hunger, the project had to be abandoned. As the tree approached the large hallway to the unfinished section, they were stopped by a single sentry that stood in front of the entrance. He was pretty banged up, showing that he had not survived the attack unscathed, but not as bad as Strong. The drone instantly recognized Strong, and rushed over to aid his fellow soldier, taking his weight from the teacher and helping him into the chamber. Aurora followed close after the teacher, not being used to new changelings. The hallway lead to a large open room, the walls roughly carved with unfinished stonework. About a dozen changelings lay around the chamber in varying condition. Some looked like they had barely suffered a scratch, while others were missing limbs. A few soldiers were amongst the worst of the injured, and those who weren’t were currently tending to whoever needed aid, which was everyling. The three followed as the sentry that was guarding the opening lead Strong to the makeshift infirmary, which was a pile of blankets and scattered medical supplies. The sentry helped Strong onto one of these piles, before turning to Soft Wing and Aurora. “Okay, you two. Follow me so we can have you check in with the General. He’ll be wanting to know that you’ve arrived,” the changeling said, turning around and motioning for the duo to follow. The two complied, following the sentry to the General. General Ghost Step was the hive’s highest ranked general, second only to the Queen herself. He was slightly smaller than the average changeling, contrary to his skill and status. He had a light blue mane, and was easily distinguished by the large scar that ran over his left eye. The changeling in question currently stood in the middle of the cavern, trying to direct the survivors and keep some sense of order. The sentry walked up to him, making his presence known before saluting the General. “General, we have two new survivors.” The general turned to the sentry, saluting back. The sentry nodded, turning away and trotting back to resume his duty. Ghost Step trotted up too the two, and smiled when he noticed Aurora. “It is good to know that you survived, dear princess. I was beginning to fear the worst.” Aurora smiled and waved to the general. “Hi, uncle Ghosty!” The hardened general let out a quick laugh, shaking his head. “You truly are the definition of innocence, Princess.” He then turns to Soft Wing. “I believe it was you who found our dear princess?” She shakes her head. “No, it was her who found me. If not for her then I’d probably still be stuck under a pile of wall.” The general shakes his head. “The exact reason why I am sending so many to go out and try and rescue. Who knows how many are trapped like how you were, hoping for rescue.” “Uncle, is momma okay?” “I don’t know, little one. But, I do know that she would be proud of you for how brave you have been.” He pats her head, then sighs. “Aurora… I need you to do something for me?” The little princess tilts her head. “What, uncle?” “I… I need you to try to restart the hivemind. Only one of the royalty can start and continue the connection. I need you to try and do this so that we can try and contact all who are still with us. Please, Aurora, I need you to try.” The young changeling stands up tall, puffing out her chest. “I can do it! Momma taught me how! She told me to wait until I was older, but I am older so it’s okay!” The little changeling’s horn lit up as she started the spell, the dim light slowly growing as she continued to cast. Soon, the spell cast, and Aurora’s mind was instantly filled with cries of pain, fear, and sorrow. The little princess put her hooves to her hears, falling to her belly. [Fo:E Short- Sunrise] Short[We Will Live On] Chapter: 3 We Will Live On By: Michael Abell Celestia sat on her throne. It was one she knew she had earned, growing and maintaining a kingdom of safety and harmony. Yes, there had been a few hiccups along the way, problems that she felt that she could have solved differently, altered the outcome for the better. But, the past was always the past. Those who live as long as she has know this best. The mare let out a sigh, her issue of the day still plaguing her mind. Yes, she did not agree with her ponies methods, but the end result did end in the safety of her ponies. Does the end justify the means? Was the culling of countless worth enough to secure safety without a doubt? She had thought long and hard on this issue, spend many a night pondering her stance on the dilemma. It was one she felt that she didn't truly have an answer for. And, when she couldn't find an answer for a problem, she would find somepony who could. And that somepony should be arriving any minute now, given her need for punctuality. The goddess of the sun looked up and gauged the time on the throne room’s clock. She did not need to, as her sense of time was practically perfect, as was needed to make sure the sun rose at the right time every day, but it was still a habit that she felt herself being drawn into. Suddenly, the door to the throne room opened, and in trotted a familiar purple unicorn with her faithful dragon missing from her side, per her request. Celestia observed her student, inwardly chuckling at the large, bulky saddlebag full of books that hung at her side. Oh, Twilight, some things will never change. Twilight trotted up to her mentor and bowed, giving her respects. “I came as soon as I could, Princess! So, what do you need me to do? Are we under attack? Did another ancient demon escape?!” Celestia chuckled, waving down her student. “No, no, Twilight. Nothing of the sort,” she said in her motherly tone as she stepped down from her throne, nuzzling her student. The purple unicorn nuzzled back, opening her saddlebag and levitating out several books, most likely deemed unrelated by the unicorn in question. “Oh, okay… Then, what is it?” Celestia sighed, sitting next to her student. “I do not need to have you and your friends go on a quest, or anything of the sort. All I require is an answer to a question that has been on my mind for quite some time.” Twilight cocked her head. “Oh… okay? What is the question?” The solar princess let out another sign. “Does the end justify the means? If you accomplish a task that needs to be done, does it truly matter how you do it?” Twilight opened her mouth, but soon shut it. The unicorn seemed to travel deep in thought. “Well, I guess I can't really answer that without proper context. I mean, wouldn't it be unique for each situation?” The princess nodded. “Yes, this is true.” She thought for a second. “Well, how about this: is it better to eliminate a threat at the source, or simply leave it be, and hope it doesn't grow back.” This time, the unicorn seemed more confident in her answer. “Well, I guess it would be better to get rid of the problem at the source, rather than waiting for it to come back.” She tilted her head. “What is this all about, anyways?” Celestia bit her lip, contemplating telling her student what had transpired, and the moral dilemma that followed. Finally, she gave in. “Well, I guess you are trustworthy enough to admit this. A few months ago we launched a counterattack at the changeling hive, capturing all we could and cutting down all those who resisted. This was deemed the best course of action, as our safety is the number one priority.” Twilight nodded, taking in the information. “So… I’m guessing you don't agree with this course of action?” Celestia nodded. “I love my ponies more than life itself, but I also love all species that wander this land, even those who wish us harm. Changelings have been a… pest, in the past, but were never bold enough to be considered a threat. I feel that is is my fault for not being more prepared for this. I believe that something must have happened to warrant this kind of action from them.” She shook her head. “I am glad and relieved that the threat is gone, but–” “You don't agree with the cost,” Twilight finishes, and Celestia nods in agreement. “I have made hard decisions in the past, Twilight. Decisions with consequences that I hated, but felt they were necessary. Other times, I have run into the same issue that I face now. It never gets easier, Twilight, and this is the dilemma that all rulers will eventually face. I am not a god. I am merely a guide to help my ponies through life. I am not a dictator, and will give them the gift of free will, but sometimes that comes at great moral cost. I have tried to shield you away from my role in government, separate you from the hard decisions that I have to make as a leader, but now I think you're old enough to finally get a glimpse of what it is I do.” Twilight smiles, eager at the prospect of learning more from her believed mentor, but frowned when said mentor’s question filled her mind. “I… I don’t know what to say.” And she truely didn’t. The invasion was still fresh in her mind as well, and soon the image of her beloved princess being beaten by… by her came to mind. She scowled. “After what they did to my friend… after what they did to my friends… after what they did to my brother. I think they deserve what they got.” Celestia frowned. “ I was overruled by the conceal, all except me voting with that exact same mindset. Weather it was made from that mindset, or just fear, it was the decision that was made, and the one carried out. The changeling race now sits in our dungeon or in the grave…” The purple unicorn notices the sad look that appears on her mentors face, and her anger begins to subside. “I… I cannot forgive them for what they did, or for what they tried to do. They tried to hurt ponies that I care deeply about, and I think they should be punished.” She lets out a sigh. “But… if I look past my anger… then I get what you are saying. We should have waited and thought out the issue before responding, and not let hate cloud our judgement, like I did now…” “A decision made on hate almost always ends with regret, Twilight. Anger is a powerful thing, a force that I have seen corrupt so many. I do not think of you less for you answer, I am merely saddened that I could not convince the others on the council of this.” Twilight looks down, her head held low. “So… what are you doing to do now?” The princess shrugs. “Nothing. There is nothing I can do. The decision has been made, the hive has been raided, and their queen now sits in chains. There is nothing I can do, now.” “Then… then why did you call me here? Why did you summon me here to ask my questions about something you cannot change?” The unicorn asks, clearly confused. The solar princess chuckles, shaking her head. “I guess I just needed a second opinion to make sure that I wasn't crazy. I may be a princess, but I still need to make sure that I am leading in the right direction every once in awhile. Believe me, I am far from perfect.” Twilight chuckles. “Well, you could have fooled me. You are a good leader, and a fair one.” I wish that was true, Twilight. Celestia smiles and nuzzles her student. “Thank you, Twilight.” She stands up from her seat besides her student. “But, let us not dwell any further on the issue. I did tell you that I thought you were ready to start learning about politics, did I not?” The unicorn beams, the prospect of both spending time with her mentor and learning filling her with joy. “Yes!” Celestia chuckles, wrapping a wing around her student. “I love the enthusiasm. Now, how would you feel about joining me in court?” “Are you an idiot?!” Soft Wing hissed at the General, her wings flared and her fangs showing. “You had her establish a hive mind?! You know that could have killed her!” The General didn’t respond to the teachers threats, standing stock still and listening carefully. He had faced far worse then the drone that stood in front of him. He nodded. “Yes, I did. I knew the risk, and I wish I didn’t need to to have been done, but we need to have some sort of connection between us. We have changelings still trapped out there, I can hear their cried for help now, and we can now rescue them, or at least give them comfort in their final moments.” He shook his head. “I knew she could do it. She is stronger than a even a princess her age should be. I have seen her prove it again and again. I wouldn’t have done it if the reward wasn’t worth the risk.” The teacher continued her death stare at the changeling, before sighing and lowering her stance. “Okay, I guess that makes sense.” She lowers her head. “I’m sorry, I guess it was just my teacher instincts kicking in.” The general smiled, putting an armored hoof on her shoulder. “Do not apologize, I would have thought less of you if you didn’t react this way. And is the exact reason why I am putting you in charge of her care.” Soft Wing’s eyes shot open wide. “Me? You want me to take care of a princess?” “No, I want you to take care of a child. She may be a princess, but she is still young. She needs something constant right now, someone who can give her care. I am a soldier, I know death more than I know children. You were a teacher, correct?” Soft Wing nods. “Yes, head teacher of the south wing.” “Then that makes you more qualified to take care of a child than anyling else here. I have hardened soldiers who are currently bawling their eyes out because of what has happened, changelings who I thought I could count no matter what. But, they have broken, given up. But you… you still remain strong. Instead of laying down and weeping for what you have lost, you stay strong enough to challenge me, a general, over the welfare of a child who isn’t even yours. If that doesn’t sound like someling I can count on to take care of child, then I don’t know what to think.” Soft Wing opens her mouth to respond, but nothing comes out. The teacher falls to her haunches, taking a moment to contemplate the general’s words. “Okay, I’ll do it,” she says, her gaze returning to the general. “And thank you… your words mean a lot.” He nods, motioning over to the area he had left the sleeping princess, before trotting off. Soft Wing takes a moment to compose herself, taking in all that had been said, before trotting over towards her new charge. Aurora was currently tucked into a bundle of salvaged blankets, tucked into a currently unused corner of the cavern, far away from the wounded. She lay in her cocoon of warmth, snoring slightly. The teacher let out a soft smile, laying down next to to the young princess, who immediately shuffled closer to the new source of warmth. Soft Wing smiled, resting her next to that of her princess, closing her eyes to get some much needed sleep. The general slowly paced around the cavern, watching and directing over the remaining changelings. There were about two dozen changelings currently in the cavern, excluding himself and the princess, with about another dozen or so still crying out through the newly established hive mind. Three dozen. Thirty three changelings remained out of a hive of three thousand. The cavern was currently divided into three sections, the first and largest being the infirmary, a second dedicated to gathering salvaged material from the hive, and the third was for sleeping and whatever you could consider recreational use. He trotted over to the infirmary, his ancient armor softly clinking with each step. Once he approached, he scanned the pile of wounded changelings for one in particular, and sound found her tending to a changeling who was currently missing a front hoof. He trotted over to her, making sure to not disturb her work. “Nurse Scar Heart, could you spare a moment?” The nurse mumbled something, her attention currently set on stitching the stump of what was left of the unconscious changeling below her. After a few more knots, the nurse cut the thread with her teeth, and placed her needle besides her. She turns to face the General, a somber look on her face. “Yeah, I can. What do you need?” The general nods, motioning to the rows of changelings laid out on makeshift cots. “What’s the situation?” She shakes her head. “Not good. Several more deaths since you last checked up on me, and I was only able to save one from the last batch the scouts brought in, the rest were too far gone...” He nods. “At least you were able to save one.” She shakes her head. “It’s just that I’m only one changeling, I can’t attend to everyling at once! I manage to stitch up one, only to have another to die of my inaction. It’s… it’s just…” She sighs. “I don’t have time for this, I have patients to attend too,” she says as she pushes past the general. He watches her trott past, then shakes his head. He felt horrible for asking so much out of so few. He had only a hoof ful of changeling who were well enough to do anything, and about half of them were still working off their grief, too worked up to be of use to anyling. He respected all that had remained strong, currently doing all they could. So much had changed so fast, so much blood had been spilled, so many lives had been lost. The hardened general shook his head once again, finding himself pushing back the situation and feeling farther and farther back each time. He knew that he could repress the memories for so long before they came flooding out like water from a broken dam. Deciding that all was going as well as it could, the general made his way towards a little area that he had claimed as his own, shrugging off his armor, and laying down onto his makeshift cot. He knew that sleep would not come, too much was clouding his mind to let that happen. No, his goal wasn’t for sleep, but simply a rest, a few moments of peace before he had to jump back into the world. His mind wanded once again about the recent past, and this time he didn’t hold back, letting lose all of the emotions and memories that filled his mind like a cancer. His mind wandered first to the attack. The original attack. His memories as fluid as if it had just happened… Ghost hovered just outside of the grand shield of pink magic that surrounded his target, watching as the drones under his command rammed their bodies into the magical obstruction. He knew that his Queen’s plan would soon fall into full swing, the shield would be down soon and he would lead the charge to secure the city. He was on edge about the plan, know fully well how that they normally stood no match for the ponies and their army, but he also knew what was at stake, and used that as fuel to drive him forwards. He watched as the bubble finally fell, and charged with the rest to encompass the city. Changeling were not as powerful as ponies on their own. They were hive creatures, relying on numbers rather than might. As he touched the ground, he watched as the Equestrian guard began their defense, surprised by the influx of unknown enemy. Changelings had lost most of their remembrance by the ponies, and planned to use that to their advantage. Ghost Step sprang into action, leading the charge and combatting the first guard he encountered. Like his name implied, the general moved like a ghost, his movements quick and almost ethereal, the guard barely charging his spell before the pointed spike of Ghost’s morphed hoof jabbed straight into his chest. The pony gargled, falling limp as the general pulled out his morphed blade. One by one, the ponies fell by his hoof. He watched the life drain from their eyes, before turning around and attacking another one. He was not invincible, taking more than his fair share of hits from skilled or just lucky guards, but they did little to stop him. He did not hate ponies, nor did he love them. He treated them like anything he had ever fought before, like a barrier that needed to be broken down. Ghost and the rest of the changeling army continued the assault, following the queen’s last order before she had gone dark. Slowly, the army approached the gates of Canterlot Castle. The queen had told her hive to kill as little civilians as possible, as a dead pony produced no love, no food. He took this into account, and avoided challenging anypony that was deemed a treat. Many fought back, many died, and many ran away screaming. Suddenly, the world flashed in a blast of pink magic, the general’s body became weightless as he was thrown back by a wall of incoming magic. He tried to fight it, but was caught far too off guard, and was hit by far too much force. His vision faded to black once he felt himself finally hit the ground. When he came too, his whole body ached. Bones felt broken beneath his chitin, and everything hurt to move. Weakly, he cast a healing spell to stop any internal bleeding, and used the rest of his stored mana to heal his bones as best as he could. Forced healing was a painful, brutal process, and very few could concentrate long enough through the pain to keep the spell going, or even stay conscious. Ghost was one of those few who could, his tolerance to pain tested again and again over the years. But, even so, it hurt enough to make him scream out in pain, feeling as his bones inside of him shift and right themselves. He kept this up until his mana reserves ran dry, and he didn’t have enough magic to keep up the spell. He lay there, panting, his body forced back together. Eventually, the pain subsided enough that he could return to his hooves, and he did so, albeit slowly. He took a wobbly step, barely able to support himself as he trotted forwards. He had landed at the edge of the badlands that the changelings called home, the scarred earth crunching under his every step. As he walked, his scarred and torn wings chirping roughly, echoing out a call as he tried to locate anyling else who had survived. After a while of searching, he found a few, but their was no hope for them. The impact had been too much for most, either lucky enough to die on impact, or from slowly bleeding out. He prayed for each of them, soldiers who had followed their queen into battle, under his command. His mind was still fuzzy, and his body was still injured from the impact, only healed enough for him to move freely. After hours of wandering aimlessly through the badlands and only finding craters that contained his dead brethren, he finally gave up, deciding that it would be best to return to the hive and consult his queen about the failure. His failure. It would take him a week to get back to the hive in his current condition, his wings too shredded to fly, and his mana supply too weak to cast any form of teleportation spell. He tried to connect to the hive mind, but found that he was unable too. This worried him, and his fear and horror only rose when he finally made it home… The general shook, knocking himself out of his mind. He could not remember what came next, the memory still to painful to recounter. He sat up onto his hooves, leaning his back onto a nearby stone. He felt rage fill his body at the sparing memories of the slaughter he had witnessed when he finally returned to the hive, both aimed at himself for not being there to stop it, and by the ponies who had caused it. He had cursed the pony name, originally vowing to slay the entire pony race, but his rage soon subsided, his inability to act on his anger allowing him time to think through the situation, and see it from a different point of view. If the roles had been reversed, and the ponies had been the ones to attack his hive, his home, he knew that he would have done the same, perhaps worse. After all that had happened, after everything was said and done, he truly didn’t know who to blame. He was a soldier, all he knew was how to fight, and how to kill. He wasn’t meant to think of the why, only the how. The concept never filling his mind until now. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. All the general knew for certain was that he had to stay strong and help rebuild the hive, insuring that the queen's daughter, young Aurora, could eventually have the opportunity to lead over this broken race, and bring them up from their shattered state. But, he also knew that there was one other thing that he needed to do. He knew that the ponies would have taken prisoners, and hopefully his queen would be amongst them. Though he did not blame the ponies, he still hated them. Every time he heard a cry of pain in the hive mind, his hate grew more. He owed it to all the fallen to do his best to free them. After he had helped as much as he could with the aftermath, he knew where he was going to go. For his family and queen, he would return to Canterlot. [Fo:E - Wanderer] Story Setup[We Will Live On] Chapter: 4 We Will Live On By: Michael Abell Strong groaned, turning again on his makeshift cot. He had been treated a while ago by the attending nurse Scar Heart, and had been told that his injuries were no longer life threatening, but that only fixed one of the issues. The soldier had been confined to bed rest, as part of his required treatment, and he hated it. He wanted to get back out there, saving his fellow Changelings and do whatever he could, not remain confined to a bed, unable to do anything but be a burden. The hardened changeling sighed, once again turning on his cot. What was his use when he couldn't do anything? What was his purpose when he could hear those calling for help from the hive mind, but be unable to do anything. He felt cheated, like the nurse had taken away part of him with her order. He knew it was for the best, but it still bugged him, none the less. But, another thought stuck in his mind, a name muttered by the mouth of a young changeling. Strong. Did he truly deserve such a name? A name that ‘symbolized’ his fight and drive? He didn't know. He wanted too deserve it, certainly, but still felt that he was unbefitting. Still, even with the moral aspect out of play, having a name seemed to mean a lot more than he could ever think before. All he had been known by all his life was by his designation that had been given to him at birth. This… this made him feel special. Different. He wasn't just another drone on the line. No, he had a title. Not general, or commander, or anything like that. Just a name. What a funny thing to mean so much. He inwardly laughed at the idea. It didn't make much sense to him logistically, but that didn't matter. It gave him a sense of purpose, replacing his existing one that had slowly begun to slip once he saw the first reminders of his dead brothers and sisters. Death. He shuttered, his smile curling down as the though was brought back to the surface of his mind. He had seen death before, either when he and his brothers fought against a dragon or manticore that threatened the hive, or anything else, for that matter. The concept was already accepted in his mind, an eventuality that he could not avoid nor outrun. But seeing all of this death, of those who days before he may had passed by in the hall, or shared a meal with, or even fought alongside, meant something different to him. It was a sadness unlike anything else, an immense loss that cut a piece out of his soul, and was taken down with the lives those who were lost. He felt like he failed, that maybe if he had fought harder, sooner, stronger, then more would be alive. He shook his head, curling up closer into the blankets, his head sinking in deeper into the straw pillow. Emotions that he had held back whilst dealing with the situation as it came were finally getting their chance to be processed, and left him feeling drained, even more then when half of his blood lay at his hooves. Physical pain, he could manage, but emotional pain was a completely new concept. Weather for better or worse, Strong was broken from his trance by a tap on his shoulder, and he turned to face its origin. He smiled at the site in front of him, using his fleeting strength to push himself up and onto his haunches. “Good to see you, Soft Wing,” the soldier spoke, his voice forced, but still strong. Soft Wing smiled back. “Good to see you too, Strong.” The teacher leaned forwards, revealing the little pupa that sat on her back, and allowing said pupa go jump off and onto the ground below. The small princess smiled, gleaming up at the soldier in front of her. “Hello, Strong~!” The pupa cheered in a sing-song tone. “Good to see you looking better! You were all covered in boo-boos earlier.” Strong smiled, running his hoof softly through the pupa’s mane. He turned and looked back at his scarred and bandaged body, before returning his attention back to his company. “I can thank you for that, little one.” Aurora gleams, smiling and trotting around, her attention finally distracted by, well... whatever it was, Strong couldn't notice it. He let out a light chuckle, shaking his head in a playful manner. “Thank you for bringing her here, Soft, her, well… her smile heals me more than any other medicine.” The teacher shakes her head. “Don't thank me, thank her. She was the one who wanted to visit you. Or, she put it, her ‘boo-booed’ friend, which I guessed was you.” He couldn't help but smile wider. Soft chuckled herself, shaking her head. “But, that is not the only reason why I am visiting you,” she begins, turning her gaze back to him. “The general has put me in charge of Aurora’s care, and although I know I can do it myself, I wanted to know if you wanted to assist? I know she seems innocent now, and I hope it stays, but who knows if she'll wake up tomorrow and everything'll just hit her at once? Helping her if that happens will need more than just me, and I will also need someling to also help me protect her, to keep her safe.” Strong nodded, the question not needing any though. “Yes, I will assist you. It would be my pleasure.” And it truly would be. The teacher beamed, nodding happily. “Great! Now, get some rest. You can't take care of a child when you can't even take care of yourself, now can you?” Strong rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah… Fine,” he mumbled as he slowly layer back down. He didn't know if he had earned his name yet, but he did know one thing: that he would be strong for her, for Aurora. Twilight nervously trotted down the lower caverns of Canterlot Castle. Her eyes shot fearfully from side to side, her ears upright and at attention on her head. She was not supposed to be here. Her day with the princess had been wonderful, and she had learned a lot during her her court session with the princess. But, even through her joy, one thing had still stuck out in her mind, a thought that had plagued her mind since the moment it had first appeared there, and that though was what had driven her to sneak her way undetected into the belly of Canterlot Castle. She had been here before, her mentor bringing her down her during several occasions for either spell practice or other means. But, she had warned Twilight to stay away from the dark secret that was stored here, the same secret that housed all that Equestria wished to remain hidden. After several fear filled minutes of trotting, following a path from sheer memory that she had once read in a book, her destination came into view. Two large doors sat at the end of the darkened hallway, twin sentries guarding at either side. Twilight sucked in a breath, quietly sticking the shadowed corners of the hallway. Once she got as close as she could to the door as she dared, the purple unicorn took a deep breath, muffling out a spell. Only a flicker of light shone before her horn was surrounded in a darkened mist, the gas absorbing all light that was near. Twilight looked up, her muzzle beading sweat as she stared at the two sentries, hoping that they had not noticed the flicker. She quietly let out a breath as she saw no reaction from the two, both remaining at their post, eyes wandering as their bored minds tried to grasp something to entertain it, and she was lucky it wasn't her. Step one was almost complete, and that was just the easy part. Twilight knew that breaking into the subdermal prison was a risk, and a challenge on its own. But, she had a plan, one crafted from years of book work and extended study of the castle and all of its defenses. One of her lessons from her teacher had been about security and defense magic, and the princess commonly used Canterlot’s own as real life examples of their capabilities. As a result, Twilight knew every single spell that went into guarding Canterlot’s most dangerous criminals, along with every way to get around them. Getting past the external guards was the easy part, the large door being more of a rouse then a defense. The outer wall was lead line, able to deflect most forms out outside magic trying to intrude into the inside, while a hidden rune circle lay buried within the wall itself, as an extra line of defense. But, there was always a failsafe, a hidden entrance if the main doorway was ever blocked or compromised. The first one was located on the wall just outside the door, only being able to open if the correct magical signature was detected. She knew how to mimic this signature, but getting too it was proving tricky, as the guards were still at alert. Twilight stood stock still just outside of the grasp of the torches that burned over the prison’s entrance, her mind racing to find a solution to her issue. Finally, a thought drifted into her mind, and she readies a quick spell. A soft, haunting melody soon filled the hallway, both guards standing at attention from the unknown tune. They listened, and their eyes began to get heavy. Soon, both found themselves drawn into sleeps grasp, falling to their sides and onto the ground below. The unicorn wasted no time, dashing from the cover of darkness and into the light, her horn glowing beneath its misty camouflage as she expelled the correct signature, a hole in the wall soon appearing in the brick in front of her, and she dashed inside, the brick reforming behind her. It wouldn't be long until the guards awoken, the tune was a soft melody that was sung by Sirens from Dark Sea. Twilight had read about their song and it's sleeping effects, causing those who heard it to fall into a dream like state, awakening soon after with no recollection of what had happened. She hoped that they would raise no alarm when they did. The cavern snakes it's way behind the main walls, leading to a hidden entrance into the middle of the prison. Twilight cast an invisibility spell, bending and refracting the light around her to hide her presence. Once the spell was cast, she activated the second panel and climbed into the prison. Once again, she had to act fast, following a precise pattern that would avoid triggering any magical pressure plates, and avoiding the revealing lights that hung above, their special glow rendering all known invisibility spells useless under direct sight. Inch by inch, stride by stride, the unicorn made it closer to her destination. More than once had she had to stand completely still to avoid being spotted by a nearby patrol, her heart racing even as their hoof steps faded into the distance. It was only a hundred or so yards from her entrance she had snuck into to her destination, but the walk could have easily been miles, each step feeling like a thousand. Finally, after a heart pounding trek, Twilight found herself standing outside of the grand doors of the high security prisoner storage, the enchanted lock that sat on the door the last challenge Twilight had to face before she could get to where she wanted. The lock was custom made, only able to be unlocked by one of the princesses herself. Well, almost the only way. Like all things that Celestia designed, there was always a back door. The solar princess always built hidden openings or solutions, fail safes, as she called them, to open any lock that she used. This one, however, this one required something special. With a quick puff of magic, Twilight levitated a small key that she had hung around her neck before she had started her journey. It was a whim, actually, the only part of the plan that she didn't know for certain would work. She put the key up to the lock and held it there, and for a minute, nothing happened. Twilight was about to cry, scream out that all of her hard work had been for naught, but the lock suddenly started to glow, turning as the door slowly opened. After snapping out of her stupor, Twilight dashed inside, and closed the door behind her. She caught her breath, panting slightly as she could feel her heart finally stop to relax. When felt that she could breath, Twilight dropped her invisibility shield, also dropping her light countering spell that coated her horn. Her gaze turned up, and she looked upon the plasma bars that held back but one prisoner. Twilight stepped forwards, getting as close to the bars as she dared, and bravely looked beyond. Queen Chrysalis lay motionless on her cot, her body tightly bound and her horn nulled by the inhibitor ring that wrapped around its base. She seemed to be sleeping, her chest rising and falling with a steady rhythm. Twilight casted one more spell, the magic surging from her horn and coating every floor and wall, it's purpose to block all sound from escaping, much like the one she had used to hide her magical glow. The unicorn took a deep breath, trying to psych herself up for what she was going to do, but stopped as a voice interrupted her concentration. “Come to gloat, have you?” Hissed a voice from within the cell. Twilight nervously trailed her gaze up, her eyes soon locking with those of the changeling who was once sleeping soundly, but had now raised her head to gazed in her direction. “I am a light sleeper, you know. Even with my magic limited I can still sense your presence,” she continued, rising to her hooves and gingerly trotting towards the plasma bars. Twilight took a step back, noticing the only slightly healed marks of plasma damage that coated the Queens front side, proving that she was not afraid of pain to get closer to those beyond the bars grasp. The unicorn nervously cleared her throat, speaking up with as much confidence as she could muster. “Queen Chrysalis, I am here to interrogate you and learn of your methods of how you infiltrated our kingdom.” It was a practiced lie, one that she had gone over again and again in her head. The queen let out a quick chuckle. “My my, seems somepony isn't supposed to be here,” she hissed, her voice bitter-sweet. Twilight balked. “W-what?! How did you–” “–how did I know? Easy,” the queen began. “You lie about your true purpose here, you unease tells shows that more than just me frightens you. So, the only logical conclusion is that you snuck in here, intent on questioning me yourself.” “B-but, how did you–” “Again, simple,” the Queen interrupted again. “Your kind has already sent their best to gather what that can out of me, their methods far worse than anything a scared little unicorn could outmatch.” She shook her head, shuddering at the remembrance of such tactics. “Their attempts were futile, however. I will not break. I will never break.” Twilight blinked, before shaking away her shock. “Okay… Well, then I guess I should get right to the point, then.” “Yes, you should.” “I want to know why,” Twilight asked. Chrysalis sighed, shaking her head. “Before, I would have laughed at your request.” She sighs again. “But, I have little to lose now, so I feel that I shall humor you. How much do you know about my kind?” Twilight shook her head. “Not a lot. Most recorded information is based on myths, and hold no historical accuracy.” “Ah, as I expected, but there is always truth to every myth,” she chided. “But, I guess I shall have to elaborate. Changelings have evolved to live in the harshest of environments: a land without mana.” “Wait, what?” Chrysalis growled at being interrupted, staring down the unicorn. “Yessss, a land without mana. Ponies like you can simply absorb it from the air around you, while we do not have such a luxury. We must feed our mana from emotion. Love, in particular. We gather this energy and convert it into mana, fueling our magic and life force. We are… we were currently in a famine, our reserves running dangerously low. I guess the famine ended when there was noling left to feed." She sighs, shaking her head sadly. "But, I digress. I attacked to simply replenish those reserves.” Twilight scoffed. “You could have asked, and we could have worked out a peaceful solution!” Chrysalis laughed, letting out an evil chuckle that chilled the unicorn to the bone. “Negotiation? You really think your government would allow us to feed upon its citizens willingly, draining you of your energy to feed ours?" She let out a chuckle. "I didn't think of you that much of an idiot, Unicorn.” Twilight went to rebuttal, but found she had no argument. The Queen nodded. “Exactly.” There was silence, the room filling with an awkward pause. “Tell me more about this famine,” Twilight spoke up, curious to learn more. “Well, it isn't a true famine. We do not feed on love as much as we recharge from it. Our need to eat is not filled from this, as we do need proper food to digest and function. No, this emotion only drives away the Hunger.” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Hunger?” “A disease that a changeling gets when they do not have enough mana, nor love to replenish it. It is a horrible, horrible fate. Those who suffer from the Hunger feel immense pain, their souls slowly eaten away as they have no magic to keep it in place.” “What a horrible way to die…” Chrysalis shook her head. “The Hunger cannot kill on its own. The one affected will become weak, every moment they live filled with pain… Death usually comes by their own hoof, or from one who cares and is strong enough to end their suffering.” The queen bows her head, her memory flooded with the hundreds of times she had seen this happen, and given her children this mercy. Twilight remained silent, contemplating her words. “So… you did this for them?” The large changeling snorts. “You ignorant fool. You truly believed that we would face a superior enemy for the single purpose of being ‘evil’? Did you think us so bold to attempt such a thing for any other reason but our survival?” She scowls. “You mock me with your question, pony. You remind me that I was bested by an idiot!” “Hey!” Twilight scowled. “I merely protected my home!” “And I mine!" Chrysalis screamed back. "Neither of us hold the moral high ground, here. I did what I needed for my family, and you yours. I do not blame you, Unicorn. Believe it or not, but I respect your power, and your actions.” Her gaze then shifts to that of hate, her wings flaring and her fangs gleaming. “But that does not mean that I do not wish to end you where you stand. I yearn for the day when I will be free and destroy all ponies, taking away your kind as you have done to me. I will kill everypony you care about, everypony you hold dear. I will not stop until death flames my body, too which I will welcome as I drag down as many of you as I can with me. But I will leave your princess to live, allowing her the curse of living with the feeling of regret and sorrow of having her precious family murdered right in front of her.” Twilight takes a step back, her heart racing in her chest at the creature in front of her. “You and your kind have taken everything from me… and I will find a way to find to return the favor, Twilight Sparkle! You killed my daughter, so I will find a way to kill you!” The unicorn had no words as she was frozen with fear, her heart racing. Suddenly the door to the cell opened, and Twilight turned only to shrink more as she saw a very angry looking Celestia trot inside. The Alicorn locked eyes with Twilight, and she could practically feel the full rage of the sun burn down on her. She shrunk down further, and Celestia soon turned her gaze to the Queen. “This unofficial meeting is over,” she commanded, staring down the Queen. Chrysalis chuckled. “Well, seems someone needs to keep track of their pets better,” she hissed, smiling wickedly. Celestia seemed unphased. “She will be punished according to the rules that she has broken, while you are already paying for yours.” “And what about you, princess? What about the sins you have committed? How much punishment will you be suffering?” Celestia's eye twitched. “I deal with my mistakes in my own way, Queen. A way that doesn't involve you.” The large changeling growled. “Does the deaths you caused truly mean nothing in your mind?!” “They do! And I mourn for all who have been denied their proper time to leave us, but I can ask you the same.” Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “Don't play that with me. I know loss, more than you can ever comprehend! You do not have the moral high ground because you have not suffered as I have!” “Suffering does not justify your actions!” The Alicorn shot back. “Nor does it forbade them. I feel not guilt for what I did other than for not succeeding. If I am a monster, then so be it. I do not care which side I reside on, dark or light, I only care about my subjects, and what is best for them.” She smiles. “And you will know my pain when I eventually kill that unicorn over there.” She points to Twilight, who cowered even farther into the corner. Celestia steps in between the two, blocking the queen's view of her student. “You will leave her out of this,” she warned, her temper flaring as her power began to surge. “Oh? Oh?! You want me to leave her out of this?! Then how about my family? Huh?! Did you give them that option?!” Chrysalis snapped, stomping back and forth along her cell, chains rattling as her eyes remained dead set on Celestia. “I regret the action that was taken, but it was not my decision to make.” The Queen rolled her eyes. “Celestia, you stupid creature! How do you not know the first rule about ruling: everything's your fault.” Celestia’s eye twitched, and she briefly held eye contact before turning in an angry huff, coaxing twilight forwards with a less than gentle hoof as the two vacated the chamber. “You can't hide from the truth, Celestia! You are as much of a monster as I am!” Chrysalis cried out, before being muffled by the closing of the cell door. Twilight looked up at her mentor, but shrunk away when she noticed the look of anger that still radiated from the solar Princess. It warranted no question. “You will return to your old chambers and stay the night, Twilight. We will discuss your punishment after I raise the sun tomorrow,” Celestia said, not bothering to give her student eye contact. Twilight nodded somberly. “Yes… Princess.” “You have breached my trust, and used a key that I entrusted to you to completely disobey my wishes,” she shook her head. “I really did think better of you, Twilight.” Twilight didn't respond, her gaze stuck on the floor below her... [A Soldier's Fight Never Ends] Story Setup[Reconnection] Chapter: 1 The sound of my glass slamming onto the solid oak counter filled the ambient noise of bar. "Barkeep, I need another!!!" I mumbled loudly, trying to get the attention of the bartender. The bartender, who was cleaning a glass farther down the solid oak bar top, sighed as he put the glass with the others on the large rack behind the bar. His horn ignited, and a large, half empty glass of fine, fine whisky floated up in his telekinetic grip. He trotted over to source of the outburst, me, with the bottle in tow. It only took a second for him to make it over towards me, and quickly filled my glass with the sweet amber liquid. The bartender was an average sized unicorn buck with a black coat and a light grey mane. The bartender sighed, once again, before speaking, "Neon... Look, don't take this the wrong way, but I think you've had enough…" I groaned, moving my gaze from the counter to the bartender in front of me. I was was a well built grey-blue unicorn stallion with a dark grey mane. I wore a black, colored dress shirt, with a white tie—my black fedora with a white trim sat on the counter only inches away. "Glass, I know when I've had enough, an' I ain't had it yet," I muttered; more annoyed than angry. Don't tell me what to do... The bartender, Shot Glass, bit his lip, seeming to take great thought in what he wanted to say. After a moment, the black unicorn spoke. "Listen... Me and you go way back, and you know as well as I do that you're an angry drunk..." The stallion paused, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow with a hoof. "And we both also know that you aren't the most...stable, when angry..." Glass looked nervously at me, fearing my response. I returned the gaze, only mine was unreadable, even for the well versed bartender. After several tense moments, I sighed, pushing my half finished glass of hooch towards the buck, which made the bartender relax considerably. "You're probably right," I said, shaking my head, before returning my gaze to the stallion. He looked considerably less nervous than before, but I could still see how tense he was. I leaned forwards slightly, putting a hoof onto his shoulder. The buck tensed more, but didn't move. I frowned. Shit. "Glass, stop that," I began, removing my hoof from the stallion's shoulder. "I'm not gonna whack you, you know that?" I hated it when Joe's shied away from me, usually out of fear. The stallion sighed, leaning onto the bar top. "Yeah, I dig," he began. "But I also know you, the real you, so you can't knock me for being a little edgy." I chuckled, knowing all too well where he was coming from. "Yeah, I guess I can't." The sound of more patrons entering the bar caught Shot Glass's attention. "Well, duty calls," he said, turning towards the few ponies who had just entered. He gave me a nod, before dumping my glass into the the sink behind him, and walking towards to other customers. I looked my glass in the sink, before shaking my head. I sat up from my barstool, sliding off and onto the hardwood floor beneath. My hooves made a soft "thud" as they made contact. I turned, grabbing my black fedora from the counter, put it on my head, then walking toward the exit... Shot Glass’s uneasy form returned as he started at the patrons in front of him. There were three of them in total, all being earth-pony bucks, and all wearing red Blazers. The bartender rubbed the back of his head with a hoof as he spoke. "H-hello, gentlemen... Can I get you anything?" The middle buck who, along with his blazer, wore a red fedora that matched his blazer. He chuckled slightly, the other soon following his example. The middle buck, who seemed to be the leader of the bunch, spoke. "Hehe, you know what we want, Glass. Just give us your 'rent' you owe us and we'll be on our way." Glass began to sweat even more, now, but he tried to put on a confident composure. "N...no! I will not continue to pay you for 'rent'! I worked my ass of to buy this bar, and I don't see why I should have to pay you!" The middle buck was taken back by the bartender's response, but quickly regained his composure. "Very well, then... Boys?" He nodded to the two bucks besides him. "Please, remind this misunderstood stallion why he has to pay us." Both stallions nodded in response. One walked up to a nearby table, before turning around and bucking the table, sending it flying. The table slammed into the wall, cracking and creating a large hole in the wall where it struck. Glass shouted, trying to jump over the counter to stop the buck, but was stopped when the leader of the trio pinned him against the counter. "You ain't going no where. You're gonna watch as my boys wreck you precious ba-" he was cut-off as his muzzle was suddenly slammed into the counter, a loud "crack!" followed by a scream of pain filled the air, which made the other ponies in the blazer's stop their destruction... I stood over the leader of the group, balanced on my hind hooves with one of my front hooves on the counter of the bar and the other continuing to press the buck's muzzle into the counter. Think you're hot shit now, fink?! I thought as I removed my hoof, letting the buck recoil and fall onto the floor, holding his broken nose as it gushed blood. The other two bucks stared in shock for a moment, looking at their bleeding leader, who had managed to hold back the pain long enough to scream, "Are you just gonna stand there, or are you gonna get him?!" The bucks shook themselves out of their shock, and began to charge at me. I jumped down off of the counter, waiting for the first buck to come closer. Come on, come to Daddy Neon... As he got a few feet from me, the buck lashed out with a hoof, aiming for my muzzle. Before he could make contact, I twisted in one fluid movement on my back hooves, making his hoof fly over my right shoulder. I lifted my front hooves up, wrapping around the buck's outstretched hoof, and pulled forward, flipping the buck over my shoulder, sending him flying into a table farther down the bar. I instantly turned around as I hear the other buck approaching. He, instead of going for a punch like the other, decided to simply ran into me. I didn't react fast enough as he threw himself forwards, slamming his shoulder into my chest. I slid back, pain flaring from from where the buck had made contact. He continued to slide me back until I slammed me into a wall, causing more pain to flare up. Fuck, that hurt! I thought as the buck reeled a hoof back, intending on striking. He didn't get the chance as I slammed my head into his, momentarily stunning him long enough for me to push off of the wall I was press against, tackling the buck in front of me. He slammed into the ground, my hooves slamming into his chest. His eyes seemed to go wide as my blow knocked the wind out of him. I quickly took the time to slam a hoof into his face, striking true. The force of my punch causing him to black out. I stood up, grabbing my fedora--which had flown off my head when I head butted the buck--and levitated it onto my head. I turned and looked into the large mirror that ran along the side of the wall opposite the bar, straightened my hat, making sure it had the perfect slant. I had figured out a while ago that something simple as the angle of a hat could cause it to me that much more intimidating. Satisfied, I turned back towards the bar, stepping over the unconscious buck as I made my way towards the leader of the group, who was still on the ground, holding his broken nose. His eyes went wide as he noticed me approaching. "B-back off!!" he stammered, using the his back hooves and his one front hoof that wasn't holding his nose to slide himself back, away from me. I stopped a few feet in front of him, looking into his eyes with my emotionless stare. "I think it'd be in your best interest to leave, and not come back, dig?" The buck nodded frantically, getting onto his hooves and running out of the exit. The buck I'd thrown had gone and put his unconscious friend on his back, and carried him out of the bar. I let out a sigh, shaking my head, before trotting over to the counter. Looking behind it, I saw the shaking form of Shot Glass. I jumped over the counter, landing next to my friend. He looked up, and smiled when he noticed it was me. I offered him a hoof, which he accepted, and I helped him to his feet. The Bartender dusted off his coat, before turning to face me. "Man, I owe you big." I shrugged. "Nah, you don't owe me anything, Glass. You're my friend, and I like this bar, so leaving it to get trashed didn't seem like a good idea." I usually didn't like getting into confrontations when I wasn't working, but today was an exception. I wasn't gonna just stand back and let those idiots mess with my friend's bar, especially since I was beginning to favor said bar. Glass looked around, and so did I. The damage from the fight wasn't overly bad. A few tables were broken, and there was a decent sized hole in one of the walls where the table had hit, but other then that, it was mostly intact. He shook his head in a friendly smile. "Because of you, I'm pretty sure those bums won't be coming back and the damaged they caused is far less than if you didn't step in. In short: you saved my a shit ton of bits. The least I can do is give you a free drink every once and a while." I chuckled, realizing that the buck wasn't going to back down. "Fine." He smiled in return, giving me a pat on the back. "That'a boy. Now, I don't mean to be rude, but I got some cleaning to do," he said, pushing my toward the door. "Come back tomorrow for your free drink!" He said, pushing me out the door before locking it behind him. I chuckled at my friend's antics. I hadn't seen him in a long time, tonight being the first time I'd seen him in years, actually. The usual bar I went to got busted by the cops not too long ago, and I hadn't even known that he owned this bar until I'd walked in earlier that day. I smiled slightly to myself as I walked up the stairs and to the actual front door to the bar. Opening the door with a hoof, I trotted outside. I was greeted by the ever-so-cheery sight of the dark clouds above the grand city of Chicacolt. I wasn't too afraid of rain, as the clouds that covered the cities skyline were almost always there, cloaking the dreary city in a shroud of black. I stepped away from the door to the speakeasy, my hooves making clopping sounds they made contact with the sidewalk. I looked around. Same old skyscrapers, same old clouds, same old ponies, same old city, I thought to myself. The streets weren't overly crowded with ponies, but there were still quite a few walking about, going through their daily routines. It seemed so simple, so plain, so... boring. I rolled my eyes at my lack of chain of thought, and looked down at my watch. Twelve thirty-five... Well, better get on my way. I merged with the flow of ponies as they walked along the sidewalk. The occasional chatter of conversation was the only other sound other than she shuffling of hooves and usual background of the city. I could hear sirens off in the distance, and chuckled to myself. I continued to walk along with the herd until I made it to my destination: Bucky's Tower. Now, everyone knew Bucky, and Bucky knew everyone. He was in charge of the city, but not in the traditional government sense. No, he wasn't a mayor, governor, president, or anything like that. He was a king, the king, and everyone in the city belonged to him, even me. I pushed through the large revolving door to the tower, entering into the main lobby. The lobby was something to behold. The ceiling was high, easily twenty feet or more off of the ground. White columns lines the walls. The walls were covered in many different painting, ranging from simple depiction of fruit, to masterpieces, hundreds of years old. The carpet was a plush read, and felt so soft under my hooves. On the opposite side of the lobby was a receptionist desk with a lightly blue mare with a bright orange mane. She had a cigaret in her mouth, taking occasional puffs as she typed up something on her typewriter. On either side of the desk were golden elevators, with a set of stairs next to the left one. I trotted up to the receptionist, tapping my hoof a few times on the desk to get her attention. She turned to me, her face holding an unamused expression. "Do you have an appointment?" She asked in a nasally voice. I shook my head. "Buck contacted me and said he wanted to meet. My name is Neon Light," I said, matter-of-factly. The receptionist pushed a few papers around her desk, read one, then motioned towards the right elevator. "Yes, the boss is expecting you." No shit... I thought as I trotted towards the elevator. I pressed the up arrow, and the doors opened with a soft "ding!". Inside of the elevator was a formally dressed unicorn stallion. "Which floor, sir?" "Top, I've been requested by Buck himself." The unicorn nodded as I trotted in. His horn lit up as the doors closed, and the lift began to rise. It didn't take long until we arrived at the top floor of the building. I tipped my hat to the operator as I stepped out, before trotting forwards and into the office in front of me. The office was huge, to say the least. The far wall was completely glass, giving an almost panoramic view of the city beyond. The floor was the same plush carpet, and the walls were covered in more expensive art and sculptures. A huge desk sat at the far end of the room, with the pony who I was to meet sitting in the desk's chair. Buck was a decently tall, light grey earthpony. His mane was light black, almost grey, while his cutie-mark was a moneybag. He wore a black and white striped shirt, with a white and black striped tie. Yes, there was a difference. The earthpony started out of his huge window, the back of his chair facing me. I took a few steps in, before I was stopped by his voice. "Glad you could make it, Neon." The buck spoke, his voice firm and commanding. I nodded, though I figured he couldn't see me. "The pleasure is all mine," I responded, trying to sound as respectful as possible. This guy wasn't just my boss, he was the boss. The large desk chair swiveled as the stallion turned to face me. "You are no stranger to the services I require of you, as we both know, so I might as well get right to it," he began, sliding out of his chair and walking over to me. He stood before me, somehow towering over me, even by being only an inch taller at most. "I require another pony to be... dealt with, at your discretion, per usual." I nodded, all too familiar with our usual 'business' transactions. Buck smiled. "Good, good. Your pay shall be the usually wage; half out front, half when completed," the stallion began again, "and due to the... Importance, of said target, I will raise your usual pay by...10%." I had to hold stop myself from screaming. A 10% increase?! Holy shit! Then it dawned on me. If it's that much... Celestia, who is the target? I was awoken from my mind by a light tap on my shoulder. I shook my head, before looking back at buck. "Sorry, lost in thought." Buck chuckled. Not a jolly laugh, but almost an... evil one. "It's okay, my friend, we all find ourselves lost in our mind once in a while. Anyways," Buck pulled a white envelope out of his shirt pocket, before hoofing it over to me, which I took in my magic. "Here is the details of the pony I require being dealt with. As you know, I don't want thing coming back to me directly in any way, lest you'll become a frayed thread that'll require clipping, understood?" I nodded. Buck grinned. "Good. Well, I wish of you good luck," he turned and headed back to his chair. "Please, contact me as soon as it is done." "I shall, sir," I spoke as I walked back towards the elevator door. I pressed the down button, which almost immediately opened, and I stepped inside. "Lobby," I told the operator, who nodded, horn igniting as the doors closed and the lift began to descend. I stared at the envelope as I held it in front of me with my magic. It's funny how somepony's life can be determined by something as simple as a note in an envelope. It shouldn't be that easy, but it is. I stared at the envelope in front of me, contemplating opening it now. It was just a job, one that I've done many times before. It payed good, and had decent, flexible hours. Surely, a dream job such as that shouldn't be this complicated. All I had to do was open the envelope, do what I am payed to do, and it'd be all over with. It wasn't a pony's life I held in this envelope, only a job... The lift suddenly stopped, the doors opening. I trotted out of the elevator and down the lobby, exiting out the large, revolving door of Buck Tower. I stepped out into the dismal city and sighed, putting the envelope Into my shirt pocket, before trotting in the direction of home... It hasn't taken long to get to my apartment, as it was located in a tower not far from Buck Tower. I unlocked the door, and trotted inside. I flopped down on my couch, pulling the envelope out of my pocket, throwing it into the table in front of me. I sat there for a few minutes contemplating in my mind. I shook my head and picked up the envelope in my magic. I levitated it in front of me for a moment, running threw the last bit of resistance I had, before opening up the envelope. The note inside was brief, all it had was a name, sketch of the cutie-mark, and any special request my client had in mind. This one didn't have any special requests, though, only having the name and cutie-mark of the pony I was supposed to end. Sapphire Shores. That was who I was supposed to end. I didn't know the exact reason Buck wanted her dead, and I honestly didn't care—it made the job easier. From what I could tell from her cutie-mark, I could tell she was a singer, and the address on the bottom confirmed that as being one of Chicacolt's main concert halls. As per every job, I had to watch before I struck. It needed find the perfect time, use the perfect tool, and make it so that it was so perfect, it couldn't be connected to either me, or my client. I looked around my apartment. It didn't have much, to be honest. It was a two bedroom, two bathroom apartment. I never knew why I decided on this apartment, to be honest, it just felt... right. The only thing that set my apartment different from the rest was my instruments. Yes, my job wasn't a musician, but I loved music too much to not continue playing. After all, I got my cutie-mark from my shining talent in music. My collection included a double bass, a piano, a violin, a saxophone and a trumpet. I smiled, knowing that they could always take me away from the world when it got too much, that feeling of security was always welcoming. But, playing them would have to wait, as I had a job to do... Three days of watching, three days of planning, three days of strict focus... And today it would all come together. Sapphire shores was an extremely talented singer, as he had learned from studying her. Her voice literally sounded like an angel's corus in his ears. More the usual he had to remind himself that she wasn't a pony, only a job... I sat in the back row of the concert hall, waiting for my job to be complete. The sounds of a beam falling, followed by screams of panic, signified that my job had been complete. Out of the chaos that erupted in the theatre, I calmly walked out of the concert hall, and back to claim my pay. The golden doors opened, revealing the familiar office of my employer. I trotted forward, my hoofsteps casting a somber tone to the quiet office. Buck sat at his desk, looking over some papers in front of him. He looked up, noticing me, and smiled. "Good. If you are here... Then I take it your job has been completed?" I nodded. He smiled, nodding to himself. "Good, good. I would tell you why I wished this particular mare gone, but I know how you don't care for that kind of information." He straightened the papers on his desk, before placing them neatly on the corner. "As promised, your pay had been transferred to your usual account, and I would like to thank you for a job well done." I nodded. He chuckled. "You know, you're not good company. Sure, you get the job done, but you're not much of a talker, aren't you?" I smiled slightly. "No, sir, I prefer to keep my work and life separate. It makes things... Easier, to deal with." He nodded in understanding. "That's a concept that I take to heart, my friend." He paused, seeming to think of something. "You know... Here, walk with me." He said, putting a hoof on my back, leading me to the large window. We stopped just behind the glass , looking out onto the city beyond. "Tell me, my friend, what do you see?" "I see... a city?" I said, uncertain to where he was going with this. "Yes, my city. And it is not only that, it is a machine. It is my job to make sure that it works properly, each part making sure to do what they are supposed to do, when they are supposed to do it. "You, my friend, are my... Repair pony, of sorts. You remove those gears that don't work quite right, allowing me to replace them with gears that work better, more efficiently." Buck sighed, putting a hoof to his temple. "Sadly... I have to ask you to remove something quite... Close, to me." Another job? So soon? He chuckled, patting me on the back. "I can already see the gears going inside of your head, my boy!!! Yes, I do have another job for you. This time, however, is different... I want you to remove part of my family, one that I feel... Tarnishes my machine. "I know you don't like details, but you'll have to excuse me for this one time, because I must disclose. She is scum, deciding to pursue... Someone of her same gender." A fillyfooler? He wants someone dead because of that? "I know, it doesn't seem like a big deal. But there is more at stake...more than you could understand. Her name is Octavia, my... daughter." He looked solemnly at the ground. "I want her dead, but I want you to make it quick, and painless. Her lover, on the other hoof, I want you to make her suffer..." He scowled. "Her name is Vinyl Scratch." He turned to me, a mixture of anger and regret filling his features. "I want this done as soon as possible; I want them dead by tomorrow..." [Fleeting Hope] Story Setup[Reconnection] Chapter: 2 I paced around my room, a mental tirade filling my skull. What the hell?! It's just a job... just a job... Damn it!!! I turn around and smash my hooves into my table, the wooden legs giving way, smashing it to the floor. This wasn't usual for me, it never was. I always did the job, no hesitation, no regret, and no second thought. This one... This one was different. I knew why Buck wanted me to end them... but the reason seemed so... Cruel. I pulled the splinters out of my hoof from my shattered table, winching slightly with each one. A thin trickle of blood rolled down my hoof, reminding me of what I had done. No!!! I put my hooves to my head, trying to silence myself. It's just a job!!! I sprung to my hooves, all thoughts pushed out of my mind, and headed into my room. I trotted past my bed, and opened my closet. I opened it, pushing away my hung-up close, and opened the hidden panel behind it. Various guns and weapons hung behind it, the main one being my tommy gun, on the side of said gun were the words: "Chicacolt Typewriter" etched into it's side. I picked up the gun, feeling it's weight in my hooves. I looked over my weapon... Tool with extreme care. I always made sure to clean it, oil it, and make sure it was in perfect condition; a broken gun's only gonna get yourself killed, after all. I picked up the weapon in my magic, and disassembled it. I had it specially made so it could be broken down and fit in an average briefcase. After all, can go walking around with this thing on my hip, especially in my line for work. Once the weapon was properly stowed, I picked up the case in my magic, and closed the compartment before making my way towards the door. Buck had given me the address of my... Targets, and said they should be home around this time of day... 301...304...there, 307! I thought as as I approached the door to apartment 307. I stopped in front of the door, paused for the briefest of moments, then knocked. The room beyond was suddenly filled with the sounds of shuffling hooves and hushed whispers. After a moment of this, the call of a mare with a proper accent replied, "One moment, please!" There was more shuffling, more hushed whispers, before the door opened, revealing a charcoal grey mare with a jet black mane. She looked a mess, seeming to have just woken up based on her hastily fixed bedhead. The mare took a moment to catch her breath, before answering, "Yes?" I gave her a polite smile, giving a brief tip of my fedora towards the mare. "Good evening, ma'am. My name is Neon, and I am an affiliate of your... father. Mind if I come in? I have matters that need discussing." She bit her lip, briefly looking inside. After a moment of brief contemplation, the mare turned back to face me. "Ummm...yes, I guess. I have a... friend over at the moment... do you wish to speak to me alone?" I shook my head. Of course they would be together… this should make matters easier. "No need, miss, that will not be a problem." She nodded. "Very well, then. Please, come in." I trotted into the apartment as the mare stepped aside, allowing me access to the apartment beyond. The apartment was modest in most areas, only having a small kitchen and seemly one bedroom and bathroom. I would’ve expected… more, I guess? A grumble emitted from the bathroom trotted towards the area I assumed was the living room. I turned to Octavia, motioning with my head in the direction of the bathroom. "Your friend, I assume?" She nodded. "Yes, she's a mess in the morning." I let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah, I myself am not a morning person, either." Damn it, stop making friendly conversation. Distance is key. They aren't ponies, only the job. Octavia lead me towards a decent sized couch, motioning for me to take a seat. I gave her another polite nod, before sitting. The charcoal grey mare made her way to the kitchen. “Would you like tea, Mr. Neon? Or anything to drink?” I shook my head. “No, Miss, I’m fine.” “Very well, then,” the mare replied, trotting from the kitchen with a steaming cup of her own tea balanced on her back. She stopped at an armchair that was opposite me, placed her tea on the armrest, then sat down, turning her gaze towards me. “Now, what is these ‘important matters’ that my father wishes for you to discuss with me?” I sighed, deciding to get right this over with instead of procrastinating. My horn ignited with it’s magical glow, followed by the soft "click" of the front door's lock. The mare across from me cocked her head, looking at me with confusion. No backing down now… I thought, shaking my head. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry for this.” My horn lit up even brighter, and the mare in front of me was instantly surrounded in my magical aura. She squirmed, immediately trying to scream. She was silenced as I slapped a strip of tape over her muzzle. In that moment, the bathroom door opened. A white mare with a spiked blue and white mane trotting out. "'Tavi, we need more..." Her voice died as she saw Octavia squirming in my magical grip, eyes wide with fear. The mare stood there for a second, staring at me. Her face changed almost instantly from confusion, to pure rage. She charged at me, her rage fueling her assault. I easily dodged her charge, countering it by wrapping my hooves around her neck in a chokehold. I twisted, slamming her to the ground and pinning her hind legs with my own. My grip around her neck tightened, her eyes going wide as I squeezed. The mare restrained in my hooves thrashed the best she could, limbs flailing as she tried to escape my hold. Her fight continued until she suddenly stopped, her eyes closing as he limbs went limp. I let go of the mare, rolling her off of me. I stared at the mare on the ground for a second, before turning my gaze to Octavia, who was still suspended in my magical grip. Tears flowed freely down the mare’s cheeks. Her cries muffled by the tape across her muzzle. She had stopped her protest against my magical grip, seeming to lose all fight. I opened my briefcase I’d walked in with, pulling out a long piece of rope. I levitated a chair from the kitchen table over to us, and lowered the mare in my grasp into the chair before binding her hooves to the chair with the rope. The mare didn’t put up a fight, instead crying as hard as she could, staring at the mare on the ground. Once I was sure she was secure, I pulled over another chair and picked up the mare on the ground, lifting her up and tying her to the chair much in the same way as the other. Octavia looked puzzled at this, but didn’t stop her crying. I took a moment to charge my horn, before casting a sound proofing spell around the room. Once I was sure that the room was completely sound proofed, I removed the tape around Octavia’s muzzle with my magic. “You monster!” she screamed, her eyes still filled with still falling tears. “You killed her!!!” I sighed before walking over to the white mare. I pressed my ear against her chest, relieved when I heard the soft ‘thumps’ of her beating heart. Thank god… I turned to Octavia. “I did not kill your friend, only knocking her out.” Octavia looked perplexed by this, but thankfully stopped crying. “Why, then? Why did you do this… what are you going to do? What is going on?!” “I suppose I owe you at least an explanation. My name is infact Neon Lights, and I am a hit-pony hired by your father to kill the both of you.” Octavia’s eyes went wide. “M-My father sent you?! Why?!” “My job isn’t to know the ‘why’ of it, but your father did give me the brief explanation of it being because of your relationship with the mare next to you,” I said, motioning to the unconscious mare with a hoof. “Weather it be out of prejudice or not, that is the reason he gave me. And again, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.” I lowered my head slightly, a look of sadness crossing my features for the briefest of moments. “You… you don’t want to do this, do you?” I jerked my head up to face the mare, surprised by her response. I took a moment to contemplate answering. “It does not matter if I want to do it or not. I was payed to do this job, and it is my duty of fufill my part of deal. Feeling are irrelevant.” The mare looked at me, her expression seeming almost… empathetic. “It does matter. If you don’t want to do the job, then don’t!” I shook my head. “It isn’t that simple…” “How the hell is it not that simple?!” she screamed at me. Once again, I was taken aback by the mare’s outbursts. “It just isn’t, okay?! It isn’t about you, or me! It’s only about the job!!!” I screamed at the mare, rage filling my body. “It’s never mattered about me, or you, or anypony!!! I have to do this, whether I like it or not.” I stomped off, pulling my gun out of my briefcase and assembling it as fast as I could, before pointing it at the mare’s head. She began to continue crying as the hardened steel pressed against her skull. I could hear her pleading, telling me not to do this. I blocked it out. I couldn’t hear her. I couldn’t hear anything. The only thing I could see was my gun, and my trigger. There wasn’t a life that was going to end after this, only the completion of my job. I was suddenly pulled out of my mind as something slammed into my side, my magical grip on my gun imploding, causing it to fall to the ground. I snapped back to reality, noticing immediately that the white mare that I’d knocked out earlier had, in fact, woken up, and managed to free herself. She stood above me, rage filling her features as she began to throw punches at me. My head filled with pain as I felt some of the them connect before I could react. I pressed my back hooves against the mare’s stomach, throwing her off of me with a mighty buck. The white mare flew back from the force of my buck, hitting the far wall. I sprung to my hooves, readying myself to fight the mare. To my surprise, she was already on her feet herself, my gun clasp in her own magical aura. My eyes went wide as I jumped behind the couch as bullets began to spew from the gun’s barrel. Hot lead tore threw the couch, barely missing my prone form. My mind reeled, trying to think of what to do. The bullets suddenly stopped flying, and I took the opportunity to jump out from behind the couch. To my surprise, the room was empty. I blinked, noticing the chair that held Octavia was empty. It took me a second to notice the open door before I sprung into action. I used my magic to take a knife from the kitchen, clamping it in my teeth before running threw the door. The brief sight of a white blur crossed my vision at the end of the hallway. I ran after the blur, following it down the hallway and down the stairs to the entrance to the building. I jumped threw the open doors of the apartment building, and was greeted to the site of many ponies milling around the streets beyond. I dropped the knife, trying to locate the mares that had just escaped. It was no use, they were gone... I don't know how long I sat at the steps to Buck Tower. It could've been hours, maybe even days, I didn't know. I watched as the pony's walked past me, oblivious to my existence. I kept hoping that, by chance, those two that got away would walk past, and I wouldn't have to face my boss empty hoofed. It wasn't that I was afraid of facing him, more of the fact that this was the first time I'd ever failed a job. I let myself get too attached to them...I should've just took the shot and be done with it. But no, I let the canary sing, and ended up with nothing by her song. Speaking of her song...it was bugging me. I kept thinking about what that mare had said, and I couldn't push it out of my head like usual. I sighed, realizing that I'd procrastinated long enough, and it was time to face the music...face my boss. I got up on my hooves, straightening my shirt and hat before heading inside. I didn't bother to check in with the receptionist, instead just pressing the call button on the elevator. The mare looked like she was about to protest, but shrank away from my death glare. The door opened, and I mumbled, "Buck's office." Luckily, the elevator operator understood what I said, closing the doors as the elevator started to ascend. I kept my mind blank throughout the short trip up the elevator. When the doors opened, I stared at the office in front of me, contemplating turning back, but i pushed that thought into the back of my mind as is trotted into the office. The office hadn't changed since my last visit, Buck even being in the same position behind his desk, staring at the city beyond his window. I get only a few steps into his office before I hear him speak, "My sources tell me that you've failed me..." I bow my head slightly. "Sorry, boss..." Buck's large chair swivels so he faces me, his face filled with disappointment. "You have been perfect: never messing up once... Until now. Normally, I wouldn't care as much, either giving you another chance, or sending someone better. But, sadly, you are the best I have... And I can't have this messed up again. Something was different this time, something happened." He leans forwards in his chair, tilting his head slightly. "So, what happened; why did you fail me?" Shit... What do I tell him? I thought, my mind racing to think of an answer. My thoughts are interrupted, however, when I hear buck let out a loud sigh. "You're taking your time to answer. You're either trying to think up a lie, or trying to crop the truth. So...I'm gonna give you three seconds to answer me before I get angry," he said, his voice filled with finality. "One." Shit! "Two." What do I say?! "Three!!" "I don't know!" I blurt out, instantly regretting it, but not showing it. "Boss, I don't know what happened. I had them tied up, a gun against their heads... But, one escaped, pulling my own gun on me. I...I just balked. I let them have enough time to react..." "So...you balked?" I nodded. "Very well... I feared you'd turned, but I can see it in your eyes; you speak the truth." He put his hooves to his temples, massaging them lightly. "You've put me in quite a pickle, my friend. Usually, I'd make an example of you for failing me... But, then again, you have served me well in the past without falter." He removed his hooves from his temples, and then staring at me with a quizzical look. "Is it best to end the life of one dying of sickness, or watch as they slowly descend? You, my friend, have the sickness... I'll give you a day before I end your sickness, for the sake of all that you have done." No...this can't be happening... "Boss, there has to be another way. I...I could try and again, and not fail!" He shook his head. "As I told you the other day: this city is a machine. And, sadly, you have become a part of it that needs replacing. Now go, enjoy the today and tomorrow, because after that you'll be considered my enemy, and you are all too familiar about what I do to them..." I nodded, using all of my willpower to not throw myself at his knees and beg for another chance. But, knowing buck, it would only make things worse. "I... I'm gonna go now..." I said, turning around and heading towards golden elevator. Before the elevator descended, I heard buck call out, "It's not personal; just business!!!" I was a dead pony, and like most dead ponies, I decided to mourn my impending death over the sweet embrace of alcohol. I downed another glass, pushing it toward the quickly growing pile on the bar counter in front of me. I'd left buck's tower... Celestia knows how long ago, and made my way immediately towards Shot Glass's bar. The bartender had seen my expression the moment I walked into the bar, and already had a glass of his strongest whiskey poured before I even sat down. I didn't speak to him, only nodding to him every time I needed a refill. I don't know how long I'd drank out my sorrows, but I couldn't see straight and the floor seemed to be moving, so I figured that it had to be a lot. I wanted to get up and leave, but my body was having a hard time complying. Shot Glass trotted over my drunken form, looking at me the entire time with a saddened expression. With my mind utterly trashed by the large about of alcohol pumping through my veins, I finally managed to make contact with the bartender. I say 'contact' only because the slur of sounds coming out of my mouth could be hard pressed to be considered words, but the bartender seemed to have enough experience with talking to drunk ponies to understand me... For the most part. "Glass... I... I have a problem," I mumbled, not managing to move my head from the counter. "I... I got fired from my job, and my boss is going to literally going to have me killed the day after tomorrow." Glass... Well, he did his best to hide his look of fear and pity as he visually shuttered. He took a moment to think, probably contemplating trying to converse with me in my drunken state. He didn't get the chance, however, as I continued my rant. "Yup, I'm a dead pony. And the best part, the ponies that caused this are probably going to die as well... And I absolutely feel like shit about it!!!" I lifted my head, trying to look straight at the bartender. I think I was actually looking at the wall, but I couldn't really tell—everything just kinda blurred together. "Why should I care that the two who ruined my life are going to die? I mean, it doesn’t even make any sense!!!” Glass looked at me with pity in his eyes while he gently tapped a hoof comfortingly on my shoulder. “It means that you have a heart, my friend. And I think that the fact you realized it was what caused this whole mess.” I gave his a questionable--well, I was going for questionable, but drunk brain doesn’t want to comply--look as I lifted my head to face him. “I mean… I don’t know. You confuse the hell out of me. You go out of your way to save my bar, putting yourself in danger for no reason but because it was the right thing to do. Then you go out and kill ponies for money. Honestly, I think either you’re heart, or brain, is broken.” "Well, my brain is full of drunk at the minute, so please ask sober brain for an answer..." I mumbled. Glass rolled his eyes. "Are you just gonna give up? Because that isn't the Neon I know. The Neon I know would go down fighting!" he finished, slamming his hooves onto the table for emphasis. I groaned. "What's the point?! I mean, I got the most powerful stallion in the city wanting me dead..." I sighed. "I'm screwed..." "Damn it, Neon!" he screamed, pushing my off my stool. I fell off, landing in a drunken heap. "I'm not gonna stand here and watch you drink yourself away! I'm not giving you another drink until you promise me that you ain't gonna go lying down!" Celestia, damn it! Doesn't he understand I just wanna forget everything before I die?! Whatever, I'm too drunk to argue with myself. "Fine! I'll put up a fight, if it makes you happy!" I said from the floor. Glass rolled his eyes. "Prove it, and then I'll give you drinks for free for the rest of your life." Hmm... I'm listening... "And how would I go about that?" Shot Glass smirked. He trotted from the back of the bar over to the far wall. He put his hoof to it, before a soft "click" could be heard, and the door opened. Two familiar mare's fell out, landing in a pile on the floor. They quickly got to their hooves, and game me a death glare. I chuckled. "You think I'm gonna finish the job while this drunk?!" I said, ending in a hiccupy laugh. "No," the stallion began. "I want you to protect them." Is stopped laughing. "You want me to what now?!" [Entanglement] Story Setup[Reconnection] Chapter: 3 "You want me to do what now?!" I said for about the fifth time. Shot Glass buried his head in his hooves. "I'm the idiot for trying to reason with drunk you..." The two mares and taken a seat at one of the tables in the bar, trying to melt me with their stares. I laughed. "You two are pissed at me because I tried to kill you! Well, jokes on me, because now I'm dead!" I laughed harder. The white one rolled her eyes. "Honestly, this is the best we could find?" She asked shot glass. He nodded. "Well, anyone else would either run away or turn you in. Considering he is already a dead-pony, I don't think he has anything to lose." The charcoal grey mare scoffed. "You expect us to trust the stallion who tried to kill us?!" Mare had a point. "Do you have another idea?!" He shot back. "Because it's either him, or nopony. And even though he looks like he's useless, he's actually good at what he does." "Except with you two, because I completely fucked up there!" "Shut up, Neon!" Shot Glass hissed. I shrugged. "Or what? I'm already a dead-pony." I could hear Shot Glass's hoof smack his forehead. "Would you just shut up? I know you're drunk, but you're usually better than this!" I rolled over from my position on the floor, staring up and the bartender. "Hey, why are you helping these mare's, anyways?" It was a serious question, one I didn't expect my drunk mind to be able to actually come up with... way to go, brain. He sighed. "I'm not gonna go into details, but I owe these two." "Whatever," I mumbled. The white mare stood up, pissed. "You know what? Screw this! You actually expect him to help us?! He tried to kill us, and if I didn't react, he would've succeeded! Before I go putting me and Octavia's lives in somepony's hooves, I want proof that it's worth it." Octavia, who had stood up besides Vinyl, nodded. "I agree. From what I've seen, he's just rude and a killer." Shot glass sighed. "I know it's hard to believe, but Neon does, in fact, have a heart. And when he's sobered up, I actually believe that he will help you two. I'll bet my life on it..." I puked--"Celestia, damn it, Neon!!!"--then passed out. I awoke... I don't know how much later. My head hurt like hell, and even remotely opening my eyes also hurt like hell. Wherever I was, it wasn't dark. "Turn off the lights!!!" I groaned. Putting my hooves over my face. "Look, he's awake!" I hear a voice call out. "I still think this is a horrible idea..." answered another. "Hush, you! If shot glass trusts him, then we should," the first responded. "Well, I'm gonna keep an eye on him anyways." "If you must..." "Please be quiet!" I screamed, instantly regretting it as my headache only got worse. I went to roll over, when I noticed something tight wrapped around my front and back hooves. Oh, come on! "Seriously? Did you really have to tie me up?" I mumbled, still trying to keep my eyes shut. "You did try to kill us, so I feel it's a safe precaution." "And you kinda tied us up so... Yeah." Well... Yeah, I guess it's fair, I thought. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes. It took me a while to get used to the light, but after I did I noticed that I was laying on a hardwood floor. I couldn't get a good look at the room around me from my current position on the floor. "Um... Where are we?" A pair of white hooves trotted into my field of view, followed closely by a pair of charcoal grey ones. "Until you can prove that we can trust you, we will not disclose our current location or untie you." Urg, why do they always have to do this the hard way, I thought as I ignited my horn. I had been tied up a few times before, so untying myself wasn't that much of an issue... Except for my hangover, but that was more annoying than limiting. I quickly got free from my bonds, and stood up. The mare's who were in front of me stared at me, wide eyed. I shrugged. "You really think this was the first time I'd been tied up?" They looked at each other nervously. I sighed, taking the time to get a better look at my surroundings. The room that I was in wasn't that large, maybe being about 20 feet by 20 feet. The floor was, in fact, hardwood, and a few boxes and a mattress were all that was in the room. Huh... Probably in some old storage room, I thought. I turned my attention back to the mare's in front of me. They nervously shuffled in place, their confidence vanishing now that I wasn't either drunk or tied down. I shook my head. "Relax, I have no plans to kill either of you." Neither of them seemed convinced. I sighed, again. "I don't blame you for not trusting me, especially after what I almost did to you... but, Shot Glass did have a point: I have no reason to kill you now." Most of last night had become a blur to me, but I did manage to retain most of that conversation. "I don't blame you about what's happening to me... And I'm a dead man anyways, so... Yeah, I'll help you guys." They looked... Contemplative. They turned, whispering to each other. I plopped down on my haunches, waiting for them to respond. After a few more minutes of hushed whispering between the two, they turned back to me. Octavia spoke, "Even though this is horribly stupid, you are the only one who can possibly help us..." "But!" Vinyl added in. "We will be keeping an eye on you." I raised an eyebrow. "And do what if I step out of line?" She looked like she was about to answer, before she huffed and looked at the floor. I nodded. “I thought so,” I began. “Now, can you please tell me where we are?” Vinyl, the seemingly brave of the two, answered. "We are someplace safe... For now." I raised an eyebrow. "And where, exactly, is here?" The white mate growned, obviously irritated with having to deal with me. I don't blame her, honestly. "We are in the storeroom of Glass's bar." Oh... Well, I probably should've expected that. I nodded. Octavia, who had stayed extremely close to Vinyl, spoke up. "If we are going to be spending some time with each other, I believe we should at least get to know each other." I nodded. Considering we were probably gonna be together until we figured out how to get out of our predicament, I figured this would be the best course of action. [Crestfallen Soul] Freewrite[Fo:E - Wanderer] Story Setup Fallout: Equestria - Wanderer By: Michael A. A radio lies half buried in the sand. It is old and worn, covered in scars from years of continued use. It's a simple little contraption: a small, brown box. It had once been a brilliant red, but time had worn away its cheerful visage. On the front were three knobs; one controlled volume, another controller the station, and the last controlled power. The inside, while a marvel of prewar engineering, was actually fairly simple. Several cheaply enchanted crystals lay inside, vibrating with the invisible radio-waves that permeate the air. The original owner of this radio is unknown. His reason for owning it is unknown. Was it a gift? Was it an impulse purchase? Or was it just something they felt they needed? Whatever the reason, it was not theirs anymore. It had passed through the hooves of several ponies through the years. It had been bartered, stolen, looted, gifted, and passed on in the years since it’s original creation. Now, it belonged to the Wasteland. Not far from this half-buried relic was a road. It was well traveled—the sand compacted from the hooves of countless travels. The ponies who traveled this road all had varying motives. Some traveled with a caravan in tow. Some wandered in hopes of riches or something ‘better’. Some ran their fears. And some simply wandered, no motive or reason. This road was a graveyard. Bodies lay splane along this road. A ransacked caravan. Blood dripped from lifeless husks. It soaked into the sand. The road was stained red. The previous owner of the radio was among those dead. In life, he was a trailer. He had bartered his goods along this road all his life. In death, he was another victim of the wasteland, a reminder of the horrors it held. Among the dead was his family: wife and young son. He had wished for his son to inherit his route. His trade. This would never come to happen. Along with the family, lay guards. Three, in total. One had been old. He had spent his entire life as a caravan guard. He had been good, but not good enough. The second was young. He had left his family, going out on his own to seek his fortune. They would never know what had become of him. They would morn. The final one had been a mare. She had been strong, suffering the most of the group. A former slave, this was her second life. But now, it was her only death. Six lay dead, but seven lay on the road. The radio crackled to life. Goooood morning, wasteland! My name is DJ Sandstorm, and I welcome you to my little show. Now, let's start off with the weather, shall we? Today's tempature will vary between suck-y and terrible, and it look like it's going to be another cloudy day—thank you, pegasi! All joking aside, I'd like to warm all my listeners that it appears that we have another radiation storm rolling in from the east. If you want to join the ranks of the wastelands favorite undead, I highly suggest staying near shelter around early this afternoon. On a news standpoint: it appears that the Rebel Rioters have struck again, sacking another caravan traveling along the [temp]. Once again, they left no survivors. Caravans are warned to hire extra security when traveling throws this area, or avoiding it all together. That’s all I got for now, sadly. My name is DJ Sandstorm, and I’ll leave you with a little classic that I hope brightens up your day. I don't want to set the world on fire. A cough sounded. I just want to start a flame in your heart. A cry of pain rang out. In my heart I have but one desire. A final cough. And that one is you, no other will do. The radio crackled once more, the died. Silence reigned over the field of death. Six lay dead, seven lay in the sand. One falls feels the grip of darkness overtake them once more… *** I wince. Pain suddenly floods my otherwise numb mind. I feel hot, yet cold at the same time. Warm sand presses up against my face and side. I'm on my side, I soon realize. I slowly crack my eyes open—the first thing I see is sand. It's always sand. I try to get up, but my side erupts with more pain. I hiss through clenched teeth. I fall back onto my side. I feel weak, like the gravity had grown ten-times more powerful. For an unknown amount of time later, I lay there. I don't think—my head hurts too much for thought. All I do is focus on the endless plain of sand that lies within my field of view. Once again, I try to get up. I hiss, but I push through the pain until I'm on my flank. I feel winded. I cough, my dry mouth and throat making it hurt far more than it should. I sit there, for a while. I don't look around; I don't even look up. When I do turn my head, it's only to inspect where my pain originates from. I look at my side. My brown leather barding is stained red with dried blood—a bullet-hole at its center. I've been shot. It wouldn't be the first time, but I'm glad it's not my last. Slowly, I push up and try to rise to my hooves. Pain flares up from my rear left leg, but I manage to get fully onto my hooves. Favoriting my left hind hoof, I turn around and walk forwards. My caravan is dead. The second I woke up in the sand, I knew this was the case. I didn't know the names of the caravan family that had hired me. I didn't ask. They were all dead. I painfully limp around the remnants of the caravan. The brahman are dead. As I feared, we were picked clean. There were no guns, no food, no water, no medicine… nothing. I was dead. [Silent Night] Freewrite[Fleeting Hope] Story Setup Fleeting Hope By: Michael A Survival. It's one of the most powerful instincts, allowing you to perform amazing things that would normally be impossible. Some pony's drive for survival is stronger than others, allowing them to be pushed even farther before breaking. Some pony's are weaker and crack almost immediately. Life or death. Some can avoid death, doing the impossible to do so. Some barely cling to life, slowly slipping toward death. I wasn't like that. I had the greatest will to survive I've ever met. Even when there is not chance that I'll live, I keep fighting. Giving up means death, and I feared death. It wasn't a crippling fear, more of a feeling of failure. I was born to survive, and I'd be damned if I failed that destiny. Since the conversion, my will had been tested. I have seen countless fall to the demon that is death, some giving up and submitting, and others simply not being strong enough to fight it off. I was strong enough. The numbers slowly fell; leaving less and less of us remaining. By us, I mean ponies. Vamponies took over, and they did so fast. Once upon a time, vamponies were a myth—a scary story told to foals to make them the bed. Now, it was ponies turn to be the myth. Yes, we were thought to be extinct, hunted to the last one of us. But are were wrong. I can't say that we'll rise up and take back our home, but I won't give up hope. Hope. Such a fleeting word. It pains me to remember how carelessly ponies used to throw it around. Hope for a new car; hope for a new phone; hope for something pointless. It was all the same, really. Now, we hoped for freedom. We weren't prisoners, but prey. We were hunted and slaughtered. Every moment was filled with the fear of death; fear of them. But, some of us managed to survive, though our numbers were small. Almost hopelessly small. But hopeless was a banned world. "Giving up" and other expressions were now banned, and punishable to the full extent. If we were to survive, it would be through hope. It was a double-edged sword. Hope didn't just keep us going, it also tortured us. How can you truly suffer when you give up? No, giving up was a release, and required no effort. Hope, hope required strength, fight, and energy. While we would survive through hope, it also slowly poisoned us. We lived in colonies, spread out across the land. No one knows the location of all of them, more for safety than anything. Occasionally, you'll have a pony or two wanders out from one of the colonies, only to never return. Living outside of large groups was almost impossible. Every once and a while, one of our colonies would be discovered. After that, it was only a matter of time before it was swarmed, and destroyed by the vamponies. It didn't matter how many of us we had—there was always more of them. The only way to survive was through secrecy. And that's what we did. We hid, we survived, and we repeated. This story isn't about how I defeat the vamponies and bringing back the age of the ponies. No, that truly is impossible. This story is about survival and the fight against death. This is the story of survival, death, and struggle. If you want a happy ending, please don't read my story. Happy endings died with the princess, and, like her, would never rise again... [Bioshock: Equestria] Freewrite[Entanglement] Story Setup Entanglement By: Michael A She walked along the dark surface. Turning her head from side to side, she searched for any form of light. Minutes before, she had attempted to cast her illumination spell, but, for some currently unexplainable reason, it failed to cast, and no other spell she had tried since had worked. The area surrounding her wasn’t just black—it felt as if there was nothing. She felt like she was in some sort of void—where the darkness around her simply represented the empty space. Twilight trotted firmly, but her feet made no contact from any tangible floor. She tried to remain calm and try and figure out a logical explanation for what was going on, and where she was. But this… Place? Didn’t seem to have any logic at all. Her train of thought was suddenly cut off when quiet, and seemingly distant, voices seemed to ring out from every directions. Twilight quickly looked around, trying to find the source, but all she could see was the unchanged void. “H-Hello?” Twilight nervously called out, “is anypony there?” Instead of getting an answer, the voices began to get louder. With each passing second, they grew. Each voice seemed to belong to a different individual, but there was thousands of them, each taking over the others. The truly strange part was that they didn’t seem to be talking to each other. Twilight tried to make out what the voices were saying, but the combination of the thousands of voices all mashed together into an incoherent cacophony of sound. The voices continued to grow. Soon, it felt like thousands of ponies were inside of Twilight's head, screaming. It soon soon after became too much; Twilight pressed her hooves to her temples, desperately trying to muffle the screams. She closed her eyes and prayed for release. “Stop!” she screamed, falling to her flank. Twilight's head rung. It felt like a beach ball was being inflated inside of her skull. She curled up into a ball, keeping her hooves pressed at her ears. She began to cry, the pain that filled her head growing to an unnameable level. She wanted to die right there, ending the pain. Suddenly, Twilight's mind soon filled with thousands of images, each flashing only seconds apart. None of the images she could remember seeing before. The images was of a pony, or group of ponies, doing something. The ones that followed mimicked the first, but certain aspects were different. Each image after the first had a different outcome when the others came along. During this, the screaming didn’t stop, and twilight continued to cry. She screamed for them to stop, and nearly begged them to do such. But they didn’t listen. Just as Twilight was about to scream again, she saw something. Opening her eyes more, she saw that it was a large, black alicorn that stood about ten feet from her position. The alicorn had back fur with random streaks of white running across it. It's mane seemed to flow just like Celestia's or Luna's, and it flickered with black and white static. As it stood there, it’s whole body seemed to shift in every direction, but remained intact enough to show the same basic form. The alicorn seemed... unstable. Twilight, with her hooves still on her ears, called out, “Help me.” The alicorn looked at her with it’s black, hole-like eyes. At the same time, a clear voice echoed through her head. It somehow managed to be separated from the others, but still seemed to comprise of several different voices, but these all seemed to originate from the same voice, but garbled up and distorted. Focus on this… this voice alone… tone out all the others, and just focus on me… Twilight didn’t question, and did as she was told. Focusing, she concentrated on the single tone, the single voice. As she continued to do this, the other voices seemed to fade out, and began to get quieter and quieter. Before long, all that remained was the alicorns voice. Twilight gave herself a minute to compose herself, before getting up and facing the alicorn. She looked back into the alicorn’s black eyes and said, “Thank you.” The alicorn nodded in reply, but didn’t say a word. She just stood there, not saying anything, looking back at Twilight with her black, empty eyes. Twilight went to speak, but her vision seemed to flash… no, the whole void flashed. As she stared at the alicorn, the area around her began to flash white and black, streaks of either color flashed back and forth, locked in an intense battle. The alicorn began to flash, her form shuddered and morphed. It was unconstant, forever changing. Static. The visions returned. The images began to flash, but not of not random ponies and events… but her and her friends. Each one was of something she remembered her and her friends doing, but each time something was different. They always ended differently. The images began to shift. Twilight saw her friends being killed, one after the other, time and time again. Another shift. The image of Celestia lying dead in her chamber, followed by Nightmare moon on the throne. The images continued, each one a more twisted version of her reality, things happening that never happened, but could have happened. Help me... The images suddenly stopped. The world around Twilight shifted back into the abyss of black. She blinked, then rubbed her eyes. Help me… Twilight heard it. It was the voice of the… alicorn she had seen earlier. Nervously, she spoke, “H-Hello?” Help me, Twilight… I am tired. “Tired?” the unicorn repeated. “What do you mean? Who are you?” I have been here for too long… So tired… You must help me. Twilight took a step forward. “What do you mean? Please, I can’t help you if you don’t explain.” I am trapped here… in this void… I have been here for a long time. Twilight was scared. The entire situation had put her on edge, while the nightmarish images she had just seen were still burned into her mind. But, despite this, the voice sounded… sad. It wasn’t threatening, nor ‘evil’. As much as she wanted to run, her curiosity and empathy glued her in place. Go to the everfree… to the place of stone and water. A place lost to time, where the wind shall sing and nature talks. Find my home. Cast the spell. Set me free. Twilight blinked. “You want me to go to the Everfree Forest?” To the place of stone and water… “Where is that?” Twilight asked, hoping for clarity. Never before had she wanted a notepad so badly in her life. “Please, can you be more specific?” Too tired… must rest… “No! I need more!” the unicorn begged, taking another step into the everlasting void. “Can I, at least, have your name?” Call me Vitae… Twilight stumbled as the voice began to shake and shift. Bend and twist. It is time for you to go, Twilight… please, save me… The unicorn took another step forward, but fell as nothing met her hoof. She screamed, plummeting into the screaming abyss. Everything went black... [Fool's Paradise] Part: 7 (Scrapped)Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.[Eyes of Judgement] Part: 1 (Scrapped)Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.[Fallen Sky] Story CommissionSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.[Fo:E - Paradisum] Chapter: 1 - A call to ParadiseSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.[Dash's Mother] Old CrapSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.[From Nothing] Writing Exercise Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.[Without the Impossible] Part: 1-2[Fo:E Short- Sunrise] Short Fo:E Short- Sunrise By: Michael A. “Oh… the sun’ll come out, tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that… tomorrow.” It was once a happy song; one filled with joy and cheer. A long time ago, it could he heard resonating from a singular garden in lower canterlot, happily sung out as the sun began to rise, and it’s golden rays began to blanket the awaiting land. “Just thinkin' about, tomorrow… Clears away the cobwebs, and the sorrow…” Now, it was a ghost of its former self. Every single day, at exactly the same time, the song could still be heard even after two hundred years. But, the joy in its chorus and the happiness in the singers voice slowly faded, leaving behind a phantom echo. “When I'm stuck a day, that's gray, and lonely, I just stick out my chin and grin, and say…” I sat on my perch, head resting comfortably in my hoof as my eyes shown forwards. I didn't know why I stayed and listened even though it only brought memories of sadness, regret, and anger flowing up from deep inside of me. Maybe it had become a routine, one that I was helpless to brake like the owner of the voice. Whatever the reason; I never interrupted. “The sun'll come out… tomorrow So ya gotta hang on, 'til tomorrow. Come what may, tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya, tomorrow! You're always a day… a… way.” Then silence. The song would complete, and the wasteland would, once again, fall into a dreaded silence. That is, until tomorrow, when the song would start up again, replaying as if on a broken record. And, like clockwork, I would return to my spot besides the singing mare, listing to her ghostly some from her rotten vocal cords. It was haunting, watching her go through the same motions day after day. It wasn't just the song that repeated, no, it was her. It was like watching the same day happening over, and over again, and being completely helpless to change what happened. I had tried. Tried to stop her endless cycle. But, it had ended with failure, with the song starting up at the exact same time the next morning. Yes, the sun would come up again, but behind the veil of a cloud layer forever clouding it’s solar rays. The Wasteland would awaken, bringing with it the hell that it had become. Monsters stirred, mutated creatures would awaken, and savage beasts that had once been pony would crawl out from their blood soaked dens to continue their plague upon the Wasteland. And, like clockwork, my Mom would rise from her bed, attempt the same breakfast from ingredients that had run dry countless years ago, then trot out the door of our small home at the edge of the purple cloud’s reach, and sing her haunted song: “Oh… the sun’ll come out, tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that… tomorrow.”
[We Will Live On] Part: 1-4[Fo:E - Solar Shield V.2] Chapter: 1 Fallout: Equestria - Solar Shield By: Michael A. “The road to ruin is paved with good intentions.” “Just tell me the first thing that comes to mind, okay?” “Yes, sir.” “Good! “Dark?” “Light.” “Quiet?” “Loud.” “Warm?” “Cold.” “Hmm… interesting. “Death?” “Evil.” “Violence?” “Unnecessary.” “War?” “Failure.” “Innocent?” “Defend…” “Very good! “Subject is responding to conditioning as planned, phase two is now ready to begin!” Feeling. It was the first thing that came into my mind. Touch, smell, taste, sight, sound. I felt none. Darkness was my sight; null was my touch. All senses that should have existed, didn't. I felt hollow, empty, a consciousness floating without a tangible form. I was scared. Not only did I feel hollow, but also alone. There was nothing… I was nothing. Where (or, even, what) I was remained a mystery, one that I was helpless to solve. Memories. I tried to think, I tried to remember, but like the void I was, there was nothing. I could remember the basics; the fundamental pieces I would need to survive, but nothing further. Fear. The only thing that could breach the void, the feeling gripping my minor existence like a vice. Sight. It came to me, breaking the void. It was bright, real bright. Sight came to me in the form of a pure, blinding light. I felt no pain, nor discomfort, but I felt as if I should. Sound. Garbled, bubbling vibrations flooded my mind. It started off soft, as if the source was way in the distance, but it began to grow, as if it was getting closer. Taste. Sour, real sour. I would have recoiled if I had a body. It was horrible, the sensation repulsive. Smell. Rot. That was what it smelled like. Decay and death; a pungent odor that made me feel sick, even worse than the sour taste that that flooded my mind. Touch. Pain. It wasn't a foreign concept; the feeling oddly familiar, and I found that comforting, in an ironic way. It didn't grow, nor slowly increase over time. No, it flooded in like a broken dam. I would have screamed, if I had a mouth. It felt like I was being ripped apart, piece by piece, and then squashed back together. Then, I felt my body. Hooves, ears, muzzle, mouth… body. As the pain faded, it was replaced by the feeling of discomfort. It was strange, going from nothing to something—a feeling that cannot be put into words. My sight cleared, the light fading to a darkened shade of gray. It was still pure, the color like an imposing wall taking up the entirety of my vision. I could feel my extremities, the newly gained limbs confusing my mind as it tried to relearn how to use the peripherals. I could feel the responses from my body, feel what it felt. I felt wet, my entire body surrounded by some strange liquid. What exactly it was, I didn’t know. I could also feel tubes attached to me, poking in uncomfortably into my chest and down my throat. It wasn’t painful, but it wasn’t pleasant. Then the sound became clear. The garbled vibrations I heard earlier faded into a more comprehensible rhythm, the sound pulsing, and loud. It sounded almost like a buzz, though the reason for this, I believed, was from the interference of the liquid that covered my body. Then I began to tilt. I could feel myself rise, inertia trying to keep me in place. I tried to move, but my mind had not yet learned how to control my limbs. Then, I stopped, feeling myself completely upright. I prayed my vision would clear, that the wall of color would give way to a clear picture of my surroundings, but it didn’t. There was a muffled hiss, followed shortly by the tug of the liquid as it was drained. I could feel it wash free from my body, flowing down until my entire form was free of the foreign substance. Then I fell. My body toppled forwards, my muzzle and chest smashing into a hard, flat surface. I felt pain. Pain from the impact, and pain of a body that had not moved in a long, long time. My limp, unresponsive form slowly melted into the floor until I was completely sprawled out. I remained still. I lay motionless for what felt like hours, my body refusing to move. Then a twitch. My right hoof was the first thing I could control, the limb flicking gently as I tried to lift it. Soon, after constant effort, it began to move more accurately, the limb responding correctly to my commands. My left hoof followed suit, then my hind left, followed shortly by my hind right. My brain slowly regained control of all extremities, and I tested each for proper response. My mouth opened, coughing on the tube that was still lodged deep down my throat. I could breathe with the tube in place, though not without some discomfort. I wanted to remove it, to rip it out, but I feared what would happen if I did. The grey had finally started to fade from my vision, the fog clearing as darkness took its place. Lifting a hoof, I brought it to my muzzle and in clear view of my recovering eyes. It was white, pure white. It was a labor to move, my entire body feeling as if it weighed a ton, so I had to wait a minute before I had the strength to turn my head to observe the rest of my body. I was white, white as my hoof, and I could only grimace at the mess of tubes that protruded from my body, colored by the strange liquids they carried, their origin leading back to the area I had fallen from. They would have to be removed. I laid my head back down, recovering from my trivial exertion. My mind was the only thing not limited by my fleeting strength, and I used that to my advantage. I strained to remember all that I could, to gather as much information I could, and then use that to piece together what I could about what was happening. I had no memories, recollections of the past. What I did have was knowledge, information about the world around me. I remembered the basics: how to breathe, how to walk, and all of that, the rest consisted of what I would imagine as common knowledge. Then I thought about my situation, piecing together hypotheses based on what I had observed. I was a pony; that much I knew. I had fallen from something, something filled with a sour liquid. The tubes connected to me, I guessed, were for the injection of the substances my body needed to live: food, water, and everything in between. Other than that, I wasn’t sure. I could guess, but with what I was given, there were too many variables I needed to fill. I needed to get up. I let out a groan, the resulting sound more resembling a hiss. Slowly, and carefully, I rolled myself onto my chest, getting my hooves underneath me. I paused, letting myself rest, then pushed with as much strength as I could with my hooves, my body rising as I got to my hooves. I wobbled, my strength giving out soon afterwards as I stumbled back, my body slamming into something as I fell back to the floor. Again, I hissed. I looked down to see the fresh holes in my chest. I bled a mix of the once connected tube’s liquid and blood slowly trickling from the newly created wound. It was a steady stream, but not one that I had to be worried about. I felt pain. The only familiar constant spread from my hooves to my head. It was a dulled pain, but pain, none the less. Before I tried to rise again, I decided to deal with the tubes. I closed my eyes, wrapping my hooves around as many as I could, and then pulled. The feeling was excruciating, feeling like I was ripping a part of myself out with it. I didn’t waste any time and moved my hooves to the one currently still down my throat, taking an even deeper breath as I slowly pulled it out. This one wasn’t just painful, it was just wrong. I could feel it travel up from my stomach, then up my throat, and finally out my mouth. I vomited. I curled up on my side, my stomach purging it of its contents. Heave after heave, I felt more and more void itself from my body. Even when my stomach was finally empty, I still coughed, dry heaving again and again until my throat hurt. When it finally stopped, I caught my breath before I screamed. It was more of a loud groan, but it still voiced my pain. No words came out, only a scream of pain. I had held it in, dealing with it as it came, but now I had a way to vent it, and I took advantage of it. My scream slowly faded to a groan, then to a whimper, and finally silence once again reigned around me. I was still weak, and I was certain another attempt to stand this soon would end just set the first. But, at the same time, I didn't want to do nothing. I rolled back onto my stomach and held back a his. My underbelly burned from where I had forcefully removed my unwanted tether from the unknown machine, but I bit it back. I steeled myself and took a deep breath. This time, I only pressed up with my front hooves, and I rose to a seated position. I almost immediately began to fall backwards, but was, thankfully, caught by some unknown source. Gently, I leaned back further into the surface that had stopped my fall. I winced at every movement, but eventually found a relatively comfortable position. My eyes looked forwards, but only an abyss of black lay ahead. It was dark, but I could still see tiny packets of life shine out from random points beyond. I tried to see through the void, but couldn't make out anything in the low light. I let out a shaky sigh, only to let out a painful cough. I looked down and focused on my body. Blood slowly dripped from a mess of open gashes from where I had forcefully removed the tubing, coating my entire underbelly in a dark red hue. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to remove them all at once… I thought as I leaned back and closed my eyes. So much had happened so quickly and barely left me with any time to process. Well, I had time now. Basics… let’s start with the basics. I thought. I don't know my name. I don't know where I was. I don't know whoI was… I let out a sigh and gave my head a shake. Never mind… I’ll save this for later. I pushed off from the wall and back into my stomach. I felt stronger, somehow. It wasn't much, but I felt it was enough. Carefully, I positioned my hooves and pushed upwards, carefully getting to my hooves. I shook; unsteady, and uncertain. But, despite this, I was up, and that was all that mattered. Step by step, I trotted forwards, letting my mind get reacquainted with walking. I used whatever it was that I was leaning on for support as I slowly made my way forwards, each step sturdier than the last. Finally, after much practice, I let go of my support, and stood on my own volition. I was still shaky, but I was at least able to stand without the fear of falling again. One step at a time. My eyes blinked as I tried to see through the darkness that surrounded me, the only light coming from the soft glow of red lights that the marked the perimeter of wherever I was. I could see what faint, blurred outlines of what was around me; a mixture of shapes and colors too distorted for me to discern. On shaky hooves, I trotted forwards. I wasn't going to know anything while standing still, nor did I feel like I could keep it up for much longer. I may have been stronger then when I had first tried to walk, but I still wouldn't consider myself in top condition. Step after step, I trotted forwards, occasionally bumping into something, and using its edge to guide myself around it. I was afraid. Darkness and the unknown closed in on me from all sides. Fear of what would come; fear of what I couldn't see; fear that I would be trapped in the dark forever; fear that I would be alone. Suddenly, I bumped into something different. Everything else had the feel of cool metal, while this felt more like glass. Focusing, I gazed at what was in front of me, able to make out the shape of some sort of glass tube. I balanced myself on three hooves, using my free one to feel around the object in front of me. My hoof brushed over something that felt like a button, and I pressed it. I shouldn't have pressed it. My vision filled with a blinding light that caused me to fall back and onto my haunches. I lifted my weak hooves and rubbed my blinded eyes. The pain eventually faded, and my vision returned, and when I looked up a second time, my mouth hung open in pure shock. A pony, the same color as me, floated inside of a giant glass tube. His body was connected by an array of tubes, just like I had been, that all protruded from parts of his skin. The sight was strange, alien even, but still piqued my attention. I slowly rose back to my hooves to get a better look. I looked over the container, noting the construction. The top and bottom had metal plates that acted as its bases, while a control panel, of sorts, lay connected to its side. The entire tube lit up from lights pointed directly inside of it, breaking the void of darkness that had once surrounded me. I trotted forwards, getting a better look. The pony in the tube looked peaceful, and almost as if he was sleeping. His golden mane floated carelessly in the liquid that filled the tube, his eyes peacefully closed. As I continued to gaze, I noticed the subtle reflection in the glass’s exterior, and it took me a moment to realize it was my own. Curiously, I looked closer, gasping at what I saw. I looked exactly like the stallion floating in the tube in front of me, and easily could have been an exact copy. I shook my head, pushing away the questions that had begun to build up. There were already too many. To many things I needed answers for, too many blanks that needed to be filled. What I needed now was answers. Using the light from the tube, I looked around. On one of the walls besides it I could spot a switch, and I trotted over it in hopes it was for the lights. I closed my eyes and flipped it, the room glowing behind my closed eyelids. Slowly, I opened them, letting my eyes adjust to the light. When they were, I looked forwards, and once again stood in shock. It wasn't just one stallion in a tube. At least a dozen tubes holding stallions that looked just like me lined the wall I was facing, each one suspended in a seemingly peaceful sleep. It was hard to comprehend, and I could only stand and blink at what I saw. After a few minutes, I was able to shake myself from my stupor. I took another look at the wall of tubes, looking them over more carefully. I hadn't noticed it before, but each had a plaque above them with a label. In a line, they read ‘Subject: One’, ‘Subject: Two’, and so on. There were twelve ‘subjects’ in total. I gave the room a look over now that there was light. The room was square, with the tubes taking up the entirety of the far wall. The two walls flanking it were completely covered in blinking electronical components, flickering electron tubes, and massive wires that connected them to each of the ‘pods’. Turning around, I got a glimpse of the rest of the room. Tables filled with medical equipment, electronics, and other stuff I couldn't put a label on lay in the center of the room. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all white, strongly clean beyond belief. Behind the center tables was a single empty pod, this one having the label ‘Subject: Alpha’, hanging above it. I… I think that’s me. I trotted over to the pod, stepping over my pile of vomit, and finally stopping in front of the still bloody tubes on the floor. That was where I was… I was one of them… Questions. Just more questions. No answers, just more that I needed to know. I feared that, at this rate, I would end up forever wandering in confusion. No, I need to keep going. There are answers; I just need to find them… somewhere. I turned and trotted away from my pod, heading towards the only terminal I could see in the entire room, the screen blinking with a green glow. Once there, I sat on my haunches and began tapping on the keyboard, scrolling through the menus. It seemed this terminal was the master control for all the pods in the room, each one selectable on the first menu. Curious, I clicked on the first one, a status menu scrolled into view. Subject: One. Status: Deceased. Cause: Mechanical failure. My eyes went wide, turning to the first pod. The stallion inside didn't look dead, but he also didn't look alive either. I backed out and checked the next pod. Subject: Two. Status: Deceased. Cause: Mechanical failure. I backed out again, switching from pod to pod, getting the same result: ‘deceased.’ I got to the last pod… mine. Subject: Alpha. Status: Released. Caused: System Override. My lips curled into a frown and I hopped off the terminal, turning to look at the pods with an expression of sadness. I was alive, somehow, but they weren't. More damn questions. I took a deep inhale of breath, letting it out slowly. I turned away from the pods and stood up on my hooves, my eyes instantly falling on the only sliding door in the room. I trotted over, the mechanism opened and allowed me through. I was feeling better. Stronger, even. I couldn't say I felt normal, yet, but I was getting there. The hallway I trotted into had the same all white color scheme as the room I had just been. Red lights shone from the edges of the ceiling, giving the walls an unsettling red hue. My hooves led me forwards and down the hall, but my gut told me to stay put. My eyes flicked from white wall to wall as I looked for anything that could be considered a threat. Shadows danced, mundane objects took the most menacing of shapes, fear ruled over my mind. I didn't know where I was going, nor even where I was in the first place, so I just trotted forwards, stopping only when I hit the first door. This one was slightly larger than the one I had just walked out off, but the main difference was the large plaque that read, in gold letters: ‘Conditioning and Programming.’ I ran the name through my mind, hoping it would bring up something. To my dismay, nothing came to mind. With a shake of my head, I trotted inside, the door opening upon my approach. The inside was… strange. Like the hallway, it was illuminated only by the soft glow of red tinted lights that lined the top corners of the walls. The room itself was broken up into six different smaller rooms, three to my right and three to my left, with an area in between. From what I could see from here, each room and a door and a window that you could view the interior from. Outside of each room sat a terminal, all but one (the one on the left side closest to the entrance) dark. My hooves lead me to the only active terminal. I plopped my flank down in front of its green glow and immediately tapped on the keyboard. To my delight, it didn’t seem to be password locked, and allowed me access to the information it stored. Scrolling through the files, I found that they were all audio logs, labeled by session number and subject identification. I didn’t see any that belonged to Subject: Alpha, so I picked one at random and pressed play. “Condition session number twenty von; test subject number three.” The voice that played was foreign, my mind telling me that it was a Germane accent. “Subject’s progress had been… less than expected. Although he appears to be accepting the aggression repression treatment quite well, subject does not have the same results with submission training. His actions have been… sporadic, unpredictable. We have had far more success with other subjects, but I digress.” The voice paused, the recording static as I could hear a door opening, then closing. There was the scraping of a chair against the floor, then the sound of someone sitting down. “Ah, subject three, how has it been?” A new voice, one that sounded gruff and hardened, spoke up. “Good…” “Good to hear, good to hear! Now, I must question why you have hesitated during you last training run in the simulator?” There was a pause. “Ehem! I believe I asked you a question, yes?” “I didn’t agree with the orders.” “Ah, so you believed that your way was better, yes?” “Yes.” “Well… this is most disappointing. Subject has failed to follow orders on one too many occasions… It appears reconditioning is in order.” I heard a gasp. “No! Please, no! I-I’ll follow, I promise!” “Subject also appears to show weakness… Yes, reconditioning is in order.” I heard the door open again, followed by at least two sets of hooves trotting in. It sounded like there was a quick struggle, followed by a loud ‘zap’ and a thump, then the sound of dragging. The door finally shut, and I could hear a groan from the original stallion. “Why is it so hard to crush the will of the subjects? Can't they see that submission will allow them optimal conditions? Perhaps a restructure of the program is in order… Yes.” The recording ended there, and it only left with more questions. I flipped to another recording and pressed play. “Condition session number five; test subject number three, batch five,” chimed in the same stallion from before. “Current batch of subjects had been far more successful than the first. A restructure of conditioning program could be responsible for this, but I digress. Current subject has been responding to treatment as planned; results seeming to be the most successful yet! “Although, I do question the effectiveness of a non-aggressive series of specimens. Although they have proven to adapt to the program better than the aggressive branch, I fear that the end result will prove far less efficient than the latter. But! I digress. Current subject has appeared for conditioning for routine examination of mental state and… and… oh no.” The recording went silent, then the sound of a door opening brought forth an unnerving gurgling sound, one that reminded me of choking. “No! Subject is experiencing an extreme muscle spasm; it appears that the muscles in the throat have stopped responding. Cause unknown. Treatment being administered.” The gurgling suddenly stopped. “Nein! Subject seems to have succumb before treatment could be administered… Shame, subject showed so much promise.” The recording stopped, and I immediately played another. “Condition session number… thirty five; test subject number six, batch… five.” The stallion sounded less… enthusiastic than in the other recordings, his voice sounding tired. “Like others, this batch had failed to yield results in the desired range. Previous one has finally succumb to the same condition as the second—cause of which is still unknown. “Subject six has been able to yield acceptable results, but still not within the realm of what we desired… We fear that the Solar Guard project will be terminated if results are not yielded soon, to which will yield months of research useless!” There was a crash, followed by what I could only imagine was the stallion in the recording letting out his frustration on anything he could find. Soon, I could hear him calm down, followed by the door opening. “Why do you notyield proper results?” “What?” questioned a different voice, one similar, but still different, than the first ‘subject’ I had heard speak before. “You do notrespond as we have predicted; all calculations have been correct, but you still have notresponded as predicted. Why is this?” “I don’tknow, sir.” “Ah! That is the problem! Nopony can tell me ‘why’?! Why must my research be haunted because you cannot act as planned? Why must I waste my time on you? Are my methods wrong? Does the problem layin the batches? Tell me, subject six, why?!” “I-I don't know, sir!” A sigh. “Perhaps we are being too relaxed in our methods… Yes… Subjects do not respond to regular treatment… So we must use irregular treatment. Yes! The answer is so obvious! I must readjust program immediately!” “Sir, what do you mean?” “Oh, yes, almost forgot about you. I believe that I have found the flaw in current program, and will thusly correct said problem. Sadly, you are already tainted by failure, and are no longer needed.” “Do you mean?” “Yes. Now, off you go.” I heard the door open again, and the same struggle and ‘zap’ from before followed, then dragging. “Ah, yes, this should fix issue…” I could only stare at the screen in disbelief, confusion and horror filled my features. That had been the last recording on the terminal, and I desperately wanted to know more. I stood up, trotted over to the closest door, and opened it. It had been about what I had expected. Two chairs on opposite side of a single metal table were the only things in the room. I backed out of the room, closing the door. I then checked the other terminals in the room, finding that they were either broken, or not powered, as they didn’t respond. I began to shudder. Something happened here, something that seemed to get more and more confusing the more I learned about it. What had been project Solar Guard? Was that what I had been a part of? More damned questions! I was getting frustrated, the combination of fear and the unknown gripped at me like a noose, only tightening the more I learned. I trotted from the room and back to the red tinted hallway. “Oh, there you are!” My eyes went wide and I fell back onto my haunches. In front of me hovered a strange ball of wires and metal that appeared to belong to the voice I just heard. My first instinct was to run, the second to hide, and the third was to figure out what the heck this thing was. Oddly, they didn’t seem to react in order. “What or who are you?” I asked while hiding behind one of the terminals. The metal sphere bobbed up and down a few times. “Oh, sorry, my name is Watcher,” it spoke with a static overtone. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to hurt you, I promise.” I wasn’t fully convinced, but I was desperate enough to actually talk to something that wasn’t a recording that I gave it the benefit of the doubt. “Okay, Watcher… I have a lot of questions I need answered,” I say as I step out from behind the terminal, then approach the floating sphere. It chuckles, then bobs up and down a few times. “Yeah, I can imagine,” it begins. “But, to be honest, I think things’ll be easier if you tell me about yourself, first.” This time, I laugh. “No, I don’t think that’ll be more helpful.” The sphere tilts slightly to the side, as if giving me a questioning look. “Oh? How so?” “Well, because I don’t know anything!” I say with a half hearted chuckle. “I don’t know my name, who I am, what I am, or where I am.” I look to the sphere expectantly, but, to my dismay, it remained silent. “So… you don’t know anything?” It finally asks. I nod. “Yeah… I was hoping that you could fill me in…” “No, sorry. I’ve never even heard of this place until one of my Sprite Bots--well, this one--fell down one of the vents. Well, I think it was a vent.” The robot bobbed up in down in a way that I interpreted as a shrug. “Anyways, I tried to interface with the system, but all it would let me do is interface with the manual override. Releasing you, I’m guessing.” The robot looked me up and down. “Y’know, you weren’t what I was expecting to find. Usually they’re some sort of weird creature, or deformed monstrosity, but you seem to be fairly… normal, from what I can tell.” “Uh… thanks?” The robot ‘shrugs’ again. “No problem. To be honest, I’m glad to see that we managed not to turn at least one thing evil.” I read that there is more to that, but it’s a question I’ll have to bring up later. “Watcher?” I say, and grab the robot’s attention. “Do you have any idea how to get out of here?” “Not for you, at least. The way I came is way too narrow for you to fit… but, there’s probably a real exit around here, somewhere. We just have to find the damned thing.” I cracked a small smile, a single glimpse of hope reaching my grim thoughts. “Okay, I guess. Lead the way?” The robot ‘nodded’, then blinded me briefly as it turned on one of it’s headlights. “Okay, follow me,” it says, then turns and exits out the door. Tentatively, I follow the floating sphere--well, Sprite Bot--down the hallway, using it’s light as a guide. Soon, we both stop in front of a door, this one reading ‘Training’ on the plaque above the door. I turn to the Sprite Bot. It ‘shrugs’ and ‘motions’ for me to go in first. For a robot, it really did seem to have a personality. I trotted inside, followed shortly by Watcher. The door closed behind us, and I turned to have my jaw hand wide open. I was in some sort of control room; terminals, buttons, dials and displays arranged in a semicircle around the door, but that wasn’t what had caused my shock. Above the terminals was a panoramic layout of glass, giving me a view of the area beyond. The largest cavern I had yet seen lay beyond, at least a dozen or so different areas of various biomes lay spread out across the floor of the cavern. Mini mountains, a compact desert, a small ocean, and even a jungle lay beyond the glass. I trotted closer to the glass, eventually bumping into the front of the control center. I looked down, staring at the blinking display of a terminal saying, ‘Start Training?’ Curiosity filled my mind, and against my better judgement I pressed ‘enter’. Nothing happened. To my disappointment, the screen flashed ‘Training cannot commence during lockdown, please lift the lockdown before continuing.’ “I think the main power is out,” Watcher noted behind me. “The system’s probably running on auxiliary power, so not much is gonna be accessible until we get that back on.” “You think we’re going to need it?” I ask, still looking out into the vast cavern. “I mean, I just wanna get out of here.” The Sprite Bot went silent. “I’m not sure, actually. I guess we’ll figure it out when the times comes?” Again, it shrugged. “I do suggest checking around here while we search for an exit. Since you’re a… well, my point is that we should figure out what you are and what they did to you. I've seen some of the experiments that pre-war ponies have done and, well… I just highly suggest we figure it out.” I felt like there was more he wasn't telling me, but I did agree with what he was saying. “Okay? So… search room to room until we find an exit? That’s the plan?” The Sprite Bot shrugged. “I guess? I've been around a long time, but this is a first for me. Usually it's just some random stable dweller, or some other pony form the wasteland. Pre-war ponies with no recollection of anything, in a facility that even I didn't know existed… well, that’s a first.” I chuckled. “Well, I thank you for trying.” The Sprite bot bounced up and down a few times. “No problem. I mean, I’d feel horrible if I just left you stuck in here by yourself.” I nodded, then turned my attention away from the window and trotted out the door. Me and watcher continued down the hallway, then took a right. Another hallway shown in the glow from Watcher’s light, showing several more doors down this next corridor. As we traveled towards the first one, I finally began to notice the silence, how quiet it actually was. From what I had seen so far, there had been no signs that anypony had been here in awhile, which was backed up with Watcher’s claims. “Watcher, do you think this place is abandoned?” I asked. “I think so, from what I have seen. It’s not uncommon to find empty facilities like this around the wasteland, but usually they at least have ghouls or other creatures roaming around them. So far, you are the only thing I’ve seen.” I nodded, then mulled over a word I had heard the robot repeat several times. Wasteland. Was that a place in Equestria? I pushed the thought away as we arrived at the first door. Above this one read, ‘Subject Storage’. Well, this sounds promising. The door opened to reveal nothing but complete darkness. Unlike the others, this one didn’t have anything lighting up the inside. Watcher seemed to get the hint that I was against going into a pitch black room first. “Wait here while I find the switch,” he said, then disappeared inside the room. I waited at the opening and tried to get a good look at the room beyond. It was hard to focus on anything since Watcher was moving so fast, but I though I got a glimpse of at least another one of the tubes that had been in the room I had woken up in. “Found it!” I head Watcher cry out, followed shortly by the lights flashing on in a wave of white. I shielded my eyes, but it did little as they burned from the influx of light. “Damn it, Watcher!” I screamed as I pressed my hooves into my burning eyes. I hear the buzz of the Sprite Bot approach, followed by a quick utterance of an apology. I just groaned in response. When I was finally able to see, and the pain faded to only a dull throb, I looked up, only to fall back at what I saw. My brief observation earlier was correct, there was a pod like the one’s in the other room, except, instead of just twelve, there were hundreds! Rows upon rows of pods stood in front of me, but the even the number wasn’t what surprised me the most. They were all empty. Every single one that I saw completely empty, a pile of broken glass lying in front of them. I slowly turned to Watcher, the Sprite Bot somehow managed to parot my expression of surprise and fear. “Um… I’m not sure you’re alone down here, anymore,” Watcher spoke hesitantly, then turned to me. “You have any idea of what were in those?” I nodded. “In the room I woke up in there were twelve pods like these, except they were still filled.” “With what?” “Me…” If the Sprite Bot had eyes, they would have went wide open. “Wait, what?! Are you telling me that you have clones?!” I shrugged. “Maybe? Or maybe I’m a clone. I don’t know. The tubes were labeled, and the one that I fell out was labeled ‘Alpha’.” Is shook my head. “That mean’s that I’m either the first clone, or the base model.” The sprite bot remained silent. “I… I didn’t know we had worked with cloning,” Watcher finally spoke. “I had heard of some attempts, but… well, nothing successful.” The Bot shook side to side. “Let’s just hope they’re just more of you.” “Yeah… more of me…” I muttered quietly, then backed out of the room. A new fear gripped at my soul, one far superior than any other that already plagued me. I felt like there was something, or someone, watching me now besides Watcher. I quickly looked up and down the hallway I had just exited into, but spotted nothing. Watcher noticed my unease. “Come on, let’s keep going.” I nod and follow the Sprite Bot to the next room. “Project Leader’s Office,” I mutter as I read aloud the plaque above the next door. This door didn't open as I approached, like the others. Rather, there was a button on the wall besides it. I pressed it. The door creaked open slowly. I trotted inside as soon as they stopped, Watcher following close behind. The inside was dark. The door closed behind us once we were inside, leaving the only light coming from the Sprite Bot’s headlight. “You see a lightswitch?” I ask the robot, only to blink when the room was flooded with light moments after. I groaned, then turned to face the innocently floating Watcher. “Found it,” it spoke plainly, oblivious to my burning retina. I bit back an angry remark, then checked out the now lit room. It wasn't overly large, easily the smallest I had been in thus far. The far wall was covered ceiling to floor with bookshelves, fully stocked with books of all color and sizes. A large, neatly organized desk lay in front of it, a terminal set on its surface. I trotted up behind the desk, sifting through the papers and other items that lay on its surface. Watcher watched just over my shoulder. Finding nothing of interest, I turned my attention to the terminal, letting out a groan as this was the first terminal to be locked. Come on… I lowered my head in defeat. “Of all the terminals that had to be locked!” I groaned. “Here, let me try,” I heard the sprite bot say, then float over to it. I watched with interest as the robot interfaced with the terminal. It tapped on the keys, a large screen of text popping up on the screen. From what I observed, Watcher was checking through the words scattered throughout, then exiting and trying again. It was interesting, at first, but as time went on I started to get bored. but raised an eyebrow as a piece of paper taped to the underside of the desk caught my eye. Curious, I removed the folded piece of paper and found a single word written on it, ‘Ambition’. This confused me, at first, but then a thought popped into my mind. I wonder… I typed the eight letter word into the terminal, practically jumping with glee as it was accepted, giving me access. I poked through the files the terminal contained, skipping past the one’s labeled ‘Journal’, deciding to check it later, and focused on finding something that actually related to me. I found it. It was a single audiolog, one labeled: ‘Subject: Alpha’. Without a moment of hesitation, I clicked play, plopping on my flank, and listened. “Dr. Sholtz audio log, von. Subject matter: Subject: Alpha.” It was the same stallion from the earlier recordings I had listed too. “Subject: Alpha. The center of our research into the Solar Guard program. Subject is a mid-aged unicorn stallion; white fur, orange eyes, and golden mane. All other information is irrelevant. “Subject was first presented during the first… beta, stages into the Solar Guard program. He represented promise; the ideal subject for the program. Right height, build, and uncompromised genetic makeup make him perfect! Again, all other factors are irrelevant. There recording skipped, awkwardly cutting. “Dr. Sholtz audio log, two. Subject matter: Subject: Alpha. “Subject had been adapting nicely to the procedure; the tests indicate a much better result than all other subjects. Although his mind had been… difficult, to shape, I feel that we are still making progress.” “Dr. Sholtz audio log, three. Subject matter: Subject: Alpha. “Minor setback with subject. It seems that his body was not as comparable with the procedure as previously noted, and subject’s heart stopped due to stress. But! We were able to revive him, so program can still continue on schedule.” “Dr. Sholtz audio log, four. Subject matter: Subject: Alpha. “We have had… several setbacks over the past few weeks regarding subject. As the procedure continues, more dangers have made themselves known, and we have almost lost subject on several occasions. We have come so far, and have halted project until a solution can be created.” “Dr. Sholtz audio log, five. Subject matter: Subject: Alpha. “At last, a solution has presented itself! Due to the… volatile nature of procedure, we have decided to halttests on original subject, as his termination would set us back at least a year. But! We have solution! If we cannot use original subject, we make more subjects! Using original subjects DNA, we have been able to make ‘copy’ of subject. ‘Copy’ , or Subject: One, is fully compatible with program thus far, so no research has been lost. Finally, we may continue with project!” The log ended. I understood what I had just heard, but I was having a hard time believing it. More questions presented themselves, but at least I finally had some answers. I was the original ‘subject’ for some project called Solar Guard (the purpose of which was still unknown), and the stallions in tubes I had seen were… clones? Copies? I wasn't sure what to call them, but apparently they were… me. The thought didn't sit right in my mind, and only added more to my already growing anxiety. I scrolled through the files again and found another audio log, this one labeled: ‘Failure’. “Dr. Sholtz’s log. Subject matter: Failure. “Today is… not, good day. The ‘copies’ are not as final of a solution as predicted. Copies appear to deteriorate over time, not only their body, but also their mind. All research after a week of use becomes invalid as the decay sits in. More and more batches have to be produced in order to keep up with our demand, and ultimately we have hit a standstill as far as Project progression is concerned…” There was a sad sigh, followed by the creaking of a chair. “I have decided to reactivate Subject: Alpha, and continue procedure on him alone. All other Subjects have been sent to stasis until we can decide on a better use for them, as their disposal would be a tremendous waste. “I fear project may be failure, that all of this will be for naught… Ultimately, even with the progress we have made, results have not even been close to what was predicted. “But, I will not give up hope! Subject still shows promise of compatibility. Shield may yet reach completion. Although the result will not be as planned, it will still satisfy original goal.” There is another sigh, this one more exasperated than disappointed. “But, despite my efforts and reassurance, command still feels that we should move onto Project: Sword. Although we feel that deciding such efforts so close to completion of shield is not wise, they do not see reason. Subject: Omega has been activated, and most of my division's efforts have been transferred to them. They will still allow me to continue my work, but at half the workforce. “I swear upon the princess herself, I will see this this project to completion, even if I must do it myself.” The recording ended. My brain processes what I had just heard. I had learned a lot, yet almost nothing. Everything that I had found so far had been vague; the true meaning only truly clear to those the recordings were meant for. I guess it made sense, but it didn't help me. The rest of the terminal was useless; the ‘Journal’ had only made known how much Dr. Sholtz hated the ‘Solar Sword’ program. Finally, I deemed the terminal dry of all usable information, and decided to move on. I had learned more about the past, but the present was still a web of unknown to me. Something had happened, something that had left me alone in this place. I wanted to know more, I needed to know more. But, I was afraid. It was one thing stumbling around in the dark, but it was another to do so with no memories. Everything I saw felt new; everything I learned was new. Somewhere, tucked away in the back of my brain, I felt I had a cache of information that only made itself known when I needed it, and not before. With another sigh of resignation, I shook my head and gave the desk and terminal one more look over. I searched through the drawers and found nothing of interest. i was about to call it a lost cause, but then I noticed something. The lower drawer seemed… smaller, I guess, then it's twin. Curious, I removed the papers from the drawer and found a small handle on the bottom. I pulled the handle, revealing a secret compartment. Inside was a shining .44 magnum revolver inset in velvet fabric. Besides it was a box of .44 rounds, and a small sticky note reading, ‘In case of emergency.’ I regarded the weapon, and found an odd hatred and repulsion towards it. I wanted to pick it up, to use it as defense in case I wasn't alone, but ultimately I couldn't get myself to touch it. It was strange, but even as I reached for it with my mouth I still couldn't grab it, coming just sort when I felt a tug in the back of my mind tell me ‘no’. This was strange. After fighting with myself for… well, longer than I should have, I eventually shut the drawer with the gun still inside. I looked at the desk, at the drawer, and wondered if this had anything to do with whatever Sholtz had done to me. In the end, I decided to push the thought back, and trotted around the desks and towards the door. I pressed the button besides the door and watched it upon, but paused exiting when I heard a strange, wet, gurgling sound. My ears stood on end, my hooves rooted to the floor as I slowly peeked outside of the door. I could only catch a glimpse of it as it rounded the far corner of the hallway—a pony sized mass limping its way across the floor. I don't know what that was. I didn't want to know what that was. All I knew was that it was there and luckily heading back the way I had originally come from. With my heart pounding, I slowly exited the office, not bothering to close the door in fear the… creature would hear me. On light hooves, I trotted down the remaining hallway, my head on a constant swivel as I turned from looking behind me to in front. I could hear the distant sound of the beast gurgling, but I couldn't tell if it was heading away, or towards me. Just head straight… Just head straight… I repeated this over and over again in my head, trying to drown out the constantly growing fear. I was trapped in a foreign environment, no memory of the past, and the threats of monsters loomed around every corner. I had no weapons, weak from stasis, and still had a gentle stream of blood flowing from where the tubes had been. And, on top of this, there was also the underlying fear of what had been done to me. I was an experiment, Subject: Alpha. They had done things to me, things that I feared to find out. Dr. Sholtz was the only pony who I knew for certain had all of the answers, but, like everyone else, he appeared to be missing. More questions! My hooves stopped when I made it to the end of the hall, an elevator door standing in front of me. There was only one button, and I was quick to push it. Unlike the previous doors, this one wasn't silent. I could hear the elevator whir to life behind the closed doors, moving towards my floor. But, that wasn’t the only sound I heard. My ears fell flat against my head, fear etching my features as a loud, bubbling roar echoed from down the hall. Slowly, I turned, pressing my back against the cold metal as the sound of wet thumps began to get louder, and closer. I was very afraid. I watched in horror as… something got closer. The best way I could describe it was a blob of black flesh that may have once resembled the form of a pony. It limped on three hooves, the fourth crooked and bent in random positions. What I could consider its head looked like a slightly melted, once pony head, its mouth more of a crease then a muzzle. It slowly inched closer, its fleshy limbs pulling it forwards. I smacked myself from my paralyzing fear, my hoof pounding on the elevator call button. I was trapped, the blob leaving no room for me to run around it. It got closer, and closer, it’s gross, distorted features becoming clearer. Ding! I fell, the elevator opening behind me. I tumbled backwards, scrambling to my hooves as fast as I could and lunging for the control panel on the inside wall of the elevator. I pressed a button at random, scrambling myself back into to the far corner of the elevator. The creature inched closer to the door, it's gross gurgling filling my ears. Then, the doors closed. My heart nearly stopped, the doors sliding closed at the last moment. I watched as the metal barrier slid into place, blocking me from the creature that had been only feet away from entering. I remained in the corner, breathing heavily. What… What was that?! The through traveled through my mind, trying to make sense of the creature I had just seen. It was vaguely pony-like (albeit a bloated, fleshed out pony) but I could still see the remains of equine features. Could it have been another experiment? I shuddered, thankful that I hadn't ended up as such. The elevator eventual came to a stop, a tone dinging as the doors slid open. Cautiously, I peeked my head out from the cover of the elevator. The area was dark, much like the last, with the same layout of red lights boarding the crease between wall and ceiling. Seeing no signs of any more of those… blobs, I slowly exited the relative safety of the elevator and into the hallway. I felt stronger than I had been before, each step I took strong and by no means shaky. I was still on alert, my head constantly turning from side to side as I constantly scanned the hallway around me. All was quiet, but still did little to calm my pounding heart. Nothing had made sense so far; all that I had seen, read, or heard only left me with more questions then answers. The whole experience felt like I had been thrown into an alien world with only fragments of information stored deep within my mind. The hallway soon gave way to a much larger corridor, which I paused before entering. Cautiously, I poked my head from the hallway and into the room, surveying the area beyond. The corridor was about three times as wide as the hallway I was currently in. Doors with signs above them lined the entirety of what I could see. I waited a little longer, listening for any signs of life, then trotted forth. The first room I first came across was labeled, ‘Conference Room’. I pressed my ear against the cold metal surface of the door, pleased when I heard nothing but silence beyond. I pressed the button besides the door and stood back as it slid open, then trotted inside. The room was plain, having the same white walls and boring color scheme. A large table with chairs lining its perimeter lay in the center of the room, while a dormant projector rested on the farthest part of the table. Nothing of interest caught my attention, so I skipped the room and moved onto the next. The next room was labeled, ‘Project Leader’s Office.’ This one caught my attention, and I instantly pressed the button besides the door and trotted inside. The layout was much the same as Sholtz’s office, the only difference being that, instead of a bookshelf behind the desk, there was a large plaque that held the emblem of a shining sword. I trotted over to the desk and immediately hopped onto the terminal. To my delight, this one wasn’t locked. Like the previous terminal, I poked through the files, clicking on the first audio-log I found. “Dr. Steel’s log. Subject matter: Omega Program.” This voice was much different than Sholtz, having what I would call an ‘normal’ equestrian accent. “Once again, the Germane idiotupstairs is giving me a hard time since Management gave me the green light on Project: Solar Sword. Yes, I get that I took half his workforce in the process, but it’s his damned fault that he didn’t finish on time!” I heard a frustrated sigh, then the voice continued. “Anyways, I’m rambling. The ‘Omega Program’, as I am now calling it, is progressing on schedule. The main test subject, Subject: Omega, has been adjusting to the procedure nicely, and doesn’t seem to be suffering from any of the negative reactions I have seen the ‘Alpha’ subjects suffer from during their, well, alpha stage. If this keeps up, we should have a caste ready in a few months, and we can start rolling them out later this year.” The recording ended, and I immediately played the next one. “Dr. Steel’s log. Subject matter: Omega Program. “Okay, maybe I was a littleahead of myself with the projections… Although the subject hasn’t gone through any physical setbacks, I can’t say the same for the psychological side. He has become highly aggressive, easily aggravated, and refused to comply to even the simplest of demands. Luckily, the failsafe still works, because if not the damage from the last, uhh… setback, would have been far, farworse. I’m not sure if this has to do with the subject itself, or with the procedure. If it is the subject, then we can simply overlook this, but until I can confirm this I will not authorize the duplication of the procedure on a second subject.” “Dr. Steel’s log. Subject matter: Omega Program. “I give up! After months of mental reconditioning (and even several Blankings) Omega has not shown any progress with removing his violent and aggressive nature! And, what makes it worse, is that nopony can confirm or deny that it has to do with the process! I am stuck because the damn test subject won’t stop trying to rip apart, well, everything! I know the purpose of the program is to make a pony capable of massive amounts of damage, which he does, but I’m not saying the project is complete until I know that they won’t do as much damage to us then to the enemy!” There was a long sigh. “I’m sending Omega to our Manehattan division to see if they can make any progress. Let’s hope this doesn’t turn out to be the secondbiggest waste of time this department has produced…” The log ended and, to my dismay, there were no others. Apparently, Dr. Steel wasn’t as into logging his progress as Sholtz had been. Ultimately, this had been another useless terminal, as it literally did nothing to help my situation. I let out a small sigh and gently wiped a hoof across my eyes. They were wet. I could feel a small stream begin to flow down, and then started to grow. I was crying. Nothing made sense. My life since I had popped out of that damned pod had only been filled with questions and fear. I was afraid of what was going to happen to me. I was afraid because I was alone, the only other thing I had seen so far had been that blob I had just barely escaped from earlier, and that was another fear that I could add to the ever growing list! I growled, then took a deep breath. Several more followed. In, and out. I needed to be calm, clear headed. I needed answers, and the only way I would find them was to keep going. I couldn't give up, nor lay down and cry. I needed to be strong, even if it was a lie. I remained seated behind the table for a little while longer, how long exactly I was not sure. But, eventually I rose to my hooves, and trotted over towards the door. I exited the office as cautiously as I could, ears and eyes always on alert for more secrets that this place held. I let my hooves lead me to the next door. This one, however, was void of any sign or marking of what was inside. I didn't let this stop me, as I pressed the button and trotted inside. Blood. That was the first thing that I noticed when I trotted into the unmarked room. Even from the dim light of the red lights, I could make out the sight of long since dried blood coating the floor. The room was small, smaller than most I had been in this far. A large metal table with straps connected to the side lay in the middle of the room, while trays of surgical equipment lay on carts that surrounded it. A large machine with a plethora of arms hung just above the machine, it's arms ending in different medical tools. And, coating almost everything, was more blood. I didn't know how I was so quick to spot with such certainty the blood stains. A part of me wanted to be disgusted at the sight, but my body did not mirror that emotion. I trotted forwards, looking around the room, and then regarding the machine. It didn't look familiar, nor could I quite pinpoint what it was for. If I had to guess, I’d say it was some sort of surgery robot, but something deep down told me that it was something much, much more. There was no terminal, nor books or papers that I could read. All there was, was blood and the machine. There was nothing for me in this room, so I swiftly exited and moved on. The next door had a label, ‘Project Research and Testing.’ I trotted inside and paused just as the doors closed behind me. Like the previous room, this one also diverted from the clean, sterile appearance that the rest of the facility. The room itself was the third largest I had seen so far (the first being the training cavern, while the second had been the room of empty pods). Machines that softly clicked and buzzed lined the walls. Tapes slowly spun in oscillating patterns while electron tubes let out a soft glow. The mess of the room came from the center: piles upon piles of arcane equipment and lay sprawled out in random, completely unorganized positions. The back wall had two large, clear containers, their contents indiscernible from my current position at the door. The white ceiling and floor was dotted with chased markings, reminder of either small fires or explosions. This was interesting. I resumed my pace and trotted immediately over it the arcane equipment. I looked each of them over, though their purpose and use remained unknown to me. I trotted from one piece to the next, looking it over before moving onto the next. I finally stopped when I reached a piece of equipment that caught my eye. It was a decently large black (almost purple) stone table. A white pentagram lay inset on it’s top, with other strange markings carved around it. Five crystals of different colors lay inset at each point of the pentagram, each glowing with their respective hue. What caught my eye, however, was a clay-colored stone block that sat in the center of the intricate display. It was shaped like a short octagonal prism, with a single white symbol that looked almost like the sun was carved into its center, glowing softly. I regarded the stone, then the table it rested on. I had no idea what it was, but I felt a strange pull urging me to touch it. At first, I fought the urge to grasp the strange stone, but my resolve slowly faded and the urge won out. Slowly, I lifted a hoof and hovered it over the stone. With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and braced myself as I made contact with the stone. Nothing happened. I slowly opened my eyes, my tense muscles relaxing when I confirmed that nothing had happened. I picked up the stone with my hoof and brought it to my muzzle, studying it closer. Other than the symbol, didn't notice anything else of interest. I shrugged, then threw the stone back on the table. It exploded. I heard the stone make contact with the table, then a blinding light overtook my vision, followed by a ‘bang’ that made my ears start to ring. The sudden explosion and sensory overload caused me to topple over, laning in a heap on the floor. I pressed my hooves into my ears as I tightly clamped my eyes shut. I opened my mouth and screamed, but I couldn’t hear it over the high-pitched ringing that still flooded my mind. The world still spun around me as I tried to open my eyes, but was met with nothing but a wall of white. I couldn’t see. I could hear. All I could do was lay in a screaming mess. Eventually, the white receded from my vision, and the ringing subsided to a dull hum. I rose to my hooves as soon as I was able too, my eyes constantly blinking as I tried to clear the last phantom fragments of the initial flash. “What the hell was that?” I pondered aloud as I rubbed my ear with a hoof. I took a few more moments to let my body return to the present, then turned back to face the table. The block of stone remained where I had thrown it, except now the symbol on the top did not glow. What the hell is that thing? I pondered. Some sort of… magical flash… thingy? I wasn’t sure what it was, nor how it had just done… that. But, I did know I didn’t want it to happen again, so I backed away from the offending object and continued my temporarily sidetracked search of the room. I slowly, and carefully, checked out the remaining devices, making sure to not touch anything else. When I had finished giving everything a once over, I turned my attention towards the two large glass containers in the back. Oh… shit. I shrank back a little when I noticed both were completely filled with more of those stone thingies. One of the containers was labeled, ‘Working’, while the other was labeled, ‘defective’. I took a moment to ponder which one the stone I had just accidently activated would have belonged in… I brushed off the thought and checked out the rest of the room, eventually coming across a terminal in the corner I had not noticed before. I trotted over to it and tapped on the keys, happy that, once again, there wasn’t a password. I didn’t know why I always expected them to be locked, as most of them weren’t, but it was a thought that had managed to percist. I poked around the internal files and eventually found a text file labeled, ‘Inventory’. I clicked open the file and began to read: Solar Guard Program inventory: 13 Flash Runestone 24 Fire Runestone 21 Runestone of Suppression 2 Guard Runestone 1 Armor Talisman PK.II I looked back at the two containers, and then back to the list. Did they really just throw them all into the same container? I thought while I briefly pondered the efficiency of such a storage system. I scrolled through the rest of the files; a majority of them looked like blueprints and arcane spells that I couldn’t, for the life of me, begin to understand. Eventually, I stumbled upon an audio log labeled, ‘Research Notes’, and clicked ‘play’. “So, apparently we have to make audiologs to document our progress,” a voice began from the terminal’s speakers. This voice belong to a mare, from what I could tell. “Bad enough they cut our funding, but now they have to make us waste valuable time recording this crap?” I heard a sigh. “Whatever, might as well get this over with!” The voice paused for a moment, then went all garbled and staticy. I guessed it was from her moving whatever she was using to record this on. “Research leader Spell Bound’s audio log, number one. “We have made great progress and advancements with runestone enchanting (despite you dicks cutting our funding).” I heard much malice and disdain in her voice. Unlike the other two, this was not a happy pony. “And since you’re making me do this as an audio file, I’m guessing that whoever’s listening to this is either stupid or just lazy, so I’ll make sure to use small words. My work focuses on putting magic spells in small little rocks. Yes, it seems simple, but it’s not! Now, I've managed to successfully trap several different spells, my favorite being the Solar Flash. It's a spell that releases a large flash of condensed light, blinding and disorienting a target. Granted, it's a little unstable, at the moment, but we should have that fixed soon. “Now, I've also managed to make some progress on the Armor Talisman, but it's far from being fully functional. To begin with, I don't see how anypony other than a unicorn could use it, and since it needs to constantly maintained, said unicorn wouldn't be able to cast any other spells while it’s in use. So, until I can work out this bug, the project will be on hold.” I flinched as a loud explosion rang out from the speakers. “Damn it! I told you not to touch that!” The recording went on for a little while longer, but it was only of the mare yelling at… well, somepony. I flipped through one more time and found nothing else of interest, and then preceded to log off. I looked around the room one last time and hoped to spot something I’d missed. My search came up empty, and I let out a sigh as I headed towards the door. Squish… squash… I froze. Squish… Squash… Slowly, I looked up, fear gripping me as I stared into the eyes of the blob of black flesh that stood in the still open doorway. It wasn’t the same creature as before, as this one didn’t have messed up leg like the others. It didn’t move, only looking forwards and matching my gaze. It’s eyes were black and soulless; a void poking out from the squishy mass. I didn’t breath, I didn’t move. All I could do was stand still, paralyzed with fear. The beast let out a gargled roar. It was like listening to the scream of a pony choking on their own blood; the sick sound filling me with a mixture of disgust and fear. I didn’t have anywhere to run, as it was guarding the only exit. Cautiously, I dared a step. It make one too. I stopped. It stopped. I took a step back, and the beast mimicked my movement. I tilted my head, and it did the same. What the heck? I thought, my fear momentarily forgotten. “H-hello?” I spoke, my voice uncertain. “Herbaloos?” it responded in it’s garbled speech. My eyes locked with the creature, and I tried to look past it’s gross exterior; I could still see the outlines of what used to be a pony, and I wondered if who it used to be was still inside of it. “What… who are you?” I asked, my voice more confident. The creature didn’t respond for a second, as it looked soullessly back at me. I watched as it opened its mouth once, but then closed it. Several wet grunts escaped its lips, and then it finally responded, “Sugeft, sifty.” I tried to make sense of what it had said, but came up empty. I cautioned a step forwards, and it did the same. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you…” I muttered, taking step after step closer to the creature. It did the same, it’s wet hoofsteps the only sound to fill the room. I stopped when I was only a few steps away from it, still looking into it’s eyes. “What… what are you?” “Blooooob,” it responded almost immediately. I chuckled. I didn’t know why, or how I managed it while I was scared out of my mind, but I actually let out a quick laugh. I think the creature tried to do the same, but it only came out as a wet gurgle. I kept looking into those eyes, and I swear I could see a small spark inside of them. It was small, but still there. I held up a hoof, and watched as the creature did the same. Slowly, I inched forwards, the distance between our hooves getting closer. Then, I hit something. Time felt like it slowed as I bumped into a nearby arcane mechanism, the object avoiding my gaze as I focused on the creature. Now, I could only watch as a small, clay colored block of stone slowly fell towards the ground, the image of a small ember carved into its surface. I watched as it made contact with the ground, a fireball exploding from the object on impact. I closed my eyes and braced myself as I was thrown back from a shockwave of fire and concussive force. I flew through the air, eventually smacking into the floor and skidding to a stop. Time began to speed up, and I could feel pain washing over my aching body. I gritted my teeth as I slowly rose to my hooves, and when I opened my eyes I saw the blob doing the same. It turned to look at me, and I could no longer see the spark in it’s eyes. “Garbaloch!” it screamed, charging at me on it’s fleshy hooves. I scrambled on my own, leaping out of the way as the creature barreled past me. It smacked into a neighboring wall, but didn’t stop as it charged me once again. I leaped over some of the arcane equipment, while the creature barreled through them as it chased after me. I went to run towards the exit, but stopped when I noticed the pile of arcane devices stacked up and blocking my path. The blob must have shoved them back during the initial explosion, and had consequently trapped me in here with it. Time after time, the creature charged me. It was fast, and it was powerful, but it couldn’t turn. I had to wait until the last moment and quickly jump out of the way of the plowing creature, then get ready as it almost immediately turned and launched itself into another attack. I dodged a few more, but my luck ran out. I felt it’s fleshy body impact with mine, sending my flying. I impacted into a nearby wall, letting out a groan as I rolled almost immediately, narrowly missing being crushed as the creature impacted where I had just been. My body hurt, pain radiating from every part of my body. I didn’t think anything was broken, yet, but I knew for certain they would if that thing managed to connect another charge. The creature stepped back from the wall, rocking slightly. It looks like that last hit managed to at least stun him, and I took this precious time think of a plan. The room was trashed, the center of the room clear as the beast had bulldozed everything out of the way during its charges. The door was still blocked. I knew I could free the debris, but it would take time that I didn’t have. My mind drew a blank as I didn’t know what to do, but that changed when my eyes spotted the two large clear containers at the far side of the room. The creature recovered. It shook its head, letting out a gurgling hiss as it raised its head and tracked me. I ran in front of the two containers, and prayed that my plan would work. I watched as the creature lined up with me, and then charged. As I jumped out of the way, I slammed my eyes shut and pressed my hooves tightly into my ears. A blinding flash, roaring heat, and the sound and force of a devastating explosion hit my body all at once. I felt the concussive wave before I hit the ground, the force sending me flying like a ragdoll into yet another wall. This time, it was my head that connected first, and my body exploded in a fuzzy tingle as pain erupted from the point of contact. My mind went static, and the sound of my head making contact with the wall managed to breach the sound of the explosion, the sound like a sickening ‘thunk!’. My body bounced from the wall, landing with a ‘thud’ on the floor. My mind was foggy, my ears rang like a whistle was being blown from inside of my head, and my vision swam and faded in and out of black as I tried to keep my eyes open. As I lay on the floor, every part of my body wanted to give up. I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry. I wanted my life to end. My life so far had only been filled with pain, fear, and confusion. I didn’t have anything to live for; no ambitions, no purpose, no memories. I was just an experiment, alone and forgotten. The only thing that gave me even the tiniest bit of purpose was my desire to find out who I was. Not the experiment, but the pony I had been before this had happened to me. The pain, eventually, began to fade. My vision slowly refocused, and my mind returned to a relatively clear state. I tried to rise to my hooves, but I stumbled just like I had the first time I had tried to walk. It took two more tries before I finally made it to my hooves, and even then I slowly fell to the side until I was caught by the wall. I remained there, panting and gritting my teeth as I supported myself with the aid of the wall. I could feel something warm and sticky trickle down from my face, and I shakily rose a hoof and wiped it away. When I looked at my hoof afterwards, it’s once pure white coat was now tainted with the dark red hue of blood. I felt a shiver flow up my spike, and I immediately lowered my hoof out of my sight. I took a few deep breaths, then pushed off of the wall and onto my own hooves. Again, I was shaky, but I managed to keep myself upright without the aid of the wall. For the second time today, I felt like I had to relearn how to walk: one hoof, then the next. I slowly trotted forwards, and eventually turned to face the area where the explosion had detonated. I almost vomited at the first sight of what was left. The creature was all but completely gone; bits of his black flesh scattered around the entire room. Where the two containers had once been was now a charred, black scorch mark of melted metal and glass. But, that wasn’t what I was focused on. My eyes were locked at the largest chunk that remained of the blob, only a torso. I sadness began to grow from deep within my chest as I looked at the corpse of the creature. I… I killed it. Pain worse then anything else I had experience so far erupted in my head. I screamed, falling back onto the floor and pressing my hooves into my head. My body convulsed as waves upon waves of pure agony washed over my body. It was worse than making contact with the wall, or pulling the tubes from my throat and chest. No, this was worse then all three combined. I wanted to die. If I had a gun, or even a knife, I would have ended my life then and there without a moment’s hesitation. Then, it stopped. It ended immediately, almost as if it was shut off by a switch. I opened my eyes and blinked, then rose to my hooves. My body still hurt, but not even close to what it had been. I looked to the corpse again, and the pain slowly began to return. I turned away as fast as I could do and sprinted towards the door. I got to the blocked door and began to pull away at the arcane equipment, making short work of it and leaping out of the room. I stumbled on my landing, not quite getting my hooves down in time and colliding with the ground. I didn’t stop, however, and rose to my hooves immediately and sprinted down the hallway, and away from that room. I passed doors that I had not been in before, but I didn’t care. I needed to get away from that room. From the corpse. From my kill. I didn’t stop until I hit the end of the hallway where I spotted another elivator. I dove inside as soon as it opened, pressing a button before I curled up into a ball on the floor. I heard the doors close, and felt the elevator move, but I didn’t react. All I could do was remain in my tight mass, trying to make myself as small as possible. Something was wrong. I knew that I did something wrong; that killing was wrong. But, I felt like it was much more then that. I felt like I had just killed part of myself. This wasn’t right. This wasn’t normal. My mind went into shock the moment I even thought about what I had done. This was wrong… this was very wrong. The elevator eventually came to a stop. I shuttered, and shook. My body feel like goop as I lay on the ground. I didn't want to move—I didn't want to live. I just wanted to return to whatever stasis I was in before I was awakened and just lay there, forever! Nothing made sense. My life was a fragmented mess of bits and pieces, all fractured and reassembled by hooves that I didn't know the owner too. If this continued, I feared that I would go mad before I actually learned anything concrete. But, even learning had become frightening, as I feared I wouldn’t want to know the truth. What or who was I before this? Was I a good pony? A monster? What?! I told a deep breath, once again steeling myself from the hell that was my fears. Nothing made sense, and I desperately needed answers, but none would present themselves if I didn't do anything about it. I slowly rose to my hooves and stood. The area beyond the open elevator door was dark, completely dark. Unlike the rest of this place thus far, there was no red tint. The only light that I could spot came from elevator itself. This was not good. Tentatively, I took a step from my relative safety. I couldn't seen anything, so my ears were my guide as I slowly trotted forwards. I eventually bumped into a wall on my left, and used that as my guide as well. It was quiet, and my hoofsteps sounded… louder than before, the cause most likely being from a change in flooring material. It felt grated, almost. The other sounds I could hear was soft bubbling, and an occasional hiss that constantly put me on edge. Eventually, a singular light breached the void that surrounded me. It was small, at first, but grew the closer I got to it. It eventually lead me to a terminal, which turned out to be the source of the light. I immediately hopped on and began to type, scrolling through it’s unlocked files. There wasn't much, and only a single audio-log caught my attention. Decay. I clicked on the log and listened. “Dr. Sholtz log… I don't know. “Topic or log is Decay, or the drastic determination of copy subjects. Sadly, this is a fatal flaw to program. Subjects who undergo process eventually go through a… metamorphosis. Their mind begins to fracture, and soon their body follows. First stages of Decay is aggravation, followed by lack of cognate function, and finally their body shifts to a… congealed mass that vaguely resembles a pony. The subjects in this stat (nicknamed ‘Blobs’ by the staff) retain some form of their past selves, but ultimately revert to a feral state when frightened.” I heard a sigh. “What have I done? What have I created? I wanted to make super soldiers, not monsters! What pains me most is that they still retain some of their former selves, and I fear they are fully aware of what they are, though most likely deep down in their conscience mind. “...this is a failure I cannot allow to continue, and have put in for an immediate notice of termination. May Celestia have mercy on me for what I have done…” The log ended, and I was left speechless. The blobs were… Is that the connection? It made sense, and I can't believe it took a terminal to make me understand it. It also explained why it didn't attack originally, and why it was almost civil. I shook my head, then checked the rest of the terminal. Nothing else caught my eye, at first, until I noticed a file labeled ‘lights’. I selected the button and watched as the world around me went temporarily white. Damn it, not again… I thought as I rubbed the temporary blindness from my eyes. Eventually, the wall of white cleared, and I looked around. “What the…?” I muttered as I regarded the now lit room. It was huge, and contained a mess of wires, tubes, terminals, and a plethora of other mechanical or chemical equipment. The most noticeable aspect of the room were three large vats that softly boiled with unknown multicolored liquid. Carefully, I took a step forwards. I didn't know what anything was for, and didn't want to touch anything to find out. With my luck thus far, touching anything but the ground would only end horribly for me. Speaking of the ground. I looked down, and noticed I was standing on a metal grate. Below bubbled a stream of the same colored liquid as in the vats. What the hell is this place?! “Bloooooob!” My blood went cold. Slowly, I turned around, my eyes going wide as I watched a blob climb out of one of the vats. It sploshed onto the floor, then slowly rose as one singular mass. It's soulless eyes met with mine, and the world around me seemed to stop. Again, I saw a small spark of intelligence in those eyes. “Please, just leave me alone,” I muttered softly, my eyes locked with its. The creature didn't respond, at first. It just stood there, it's skin pulsing with an unnatural heart beat. Then, it nodded. The creature turned around and began to slowly trot away. It eventually left the room, and only then did I let out the breath I was holding. “Holy shit…” I breathed out as I clenched my thundering heart. This was nuts. Everything was nuts! Slowly, I began to trot forwards, traversing the room while I looked for an exit. The soft bubble of boiling liquid of an unknown composition. A hiss of released steam. The whir of computer tape. The buzz of an electron turned. And the faint, distant steps of a deformed monster. All of these had one thing in common: they were unnatural. These weren't sounds of something formed or shaped by evolution or nature. No, these were the sound of creations by a sentient mind. They belonged to something that was designed, built, and used by its creator. They signaled that, at one point, someone had been there. Everywhere I had been, everything I had seen, show signs that life had once been there. But there wasn't! There was nopony to command the machines; to use the tools of their creation. Experiments were left untouched, machines left unused, note left unattended. It was like a ship without a crew; a ghostly vessel left to command itself. But, even though the crew were gone, the ship was not empty. A single passenger remained, confused and scared. That passenger was me. There was no signs of a struggle; nothing to show that whatever was here had been removed forcefully. It was like they simply… disappeared. Or, perhaps, had it been abandoned? Had this place been left to rot? Had the failures that I had read and heard about lead to this place being abandoned? It was a possibility, but not one I could confirm. That was a question that would have to wait. Right now, all that mattered was finding a way out. This place was a prison and a maze all wrapped into one. But, even they had exits, and I felt deep down inside that I was getting close. My hooves trotted out of the large chamber that had been used to create the ‘Blobs’. My direction was uncertain, but I eventually stumbled into another door. As I got closer, it soon became apparent to me that it wasn’t actually a door, but another elevator. I trotted up to the elevator and press the single arrow that lay on a panel beside it. I hear a hiss, and the turning of strained gears, and soon the sound of the elevator rising up to my level. I constantly looked around to make sure that the sound didn’t attract any Blobs, and I was relieved to find none of the mutated souls in the area. The door opened with a soft ‘ding’, and I instantly trotted inside. The panel on the inside held two buttons; one reading, “Power,” while the other read, “S.C.E.T.A.” The second one piqued my interest, but the first one seemed more important, at the moment. I pressed the button to, “Power,” and stumbled slightly as the elevator buzzed to life. The doors closed and I soon began to the elevator car descend. It wasn’t long until the doors opened again, and let out another, “Ding!”. I instantly felt a wave of something unnaturally hot blow into the elevator from the room beyond. I felt slightly sick, and my skin seemed to crawl. This doesn't seem right, I thought to myself as I trotted forward. The room was smaller than I expected, and contained a lot less. A large switchboard with more levers, dials, gauges, and other equipment of the line lines the entity of the left side of the room, while the right held a single, giant monitor. The monitor flashed a single word, “System Failure” over and over again. On the final wall, the one directly across from the elevator exit, stood a single terminal, with a frosted pane of glass beyond. I stopped when I made it to the terminal, and tapped a few times on the keys. The screen flashed to light with the words, “System failure, initiate restart?” and gave me two options: yes or no. I tapped the arrow to ‘yes’ and clicked enter. The room began to hum, and red lights and loud sirens blared out. The unnatural warmth began to grow, and my first reaction was to get the hell out of this room! I scrambled backward, and tripped over my own hooves as I launched myself into the elevator. My hoof smacked into the last button, and the doors slowly slide shut. When they did, the warmth stopped, but the sickness remained. I felt strange, but nothing crippling. The elevator restarted and I felt it lower. “Shit, what did I do?” I questioned out loud. A feeling of ‘I fucked up’ overwhelmed me, and I feared that I had done something that would come to bite me in the ass later on. The doors slowly opened, and I screamed as a giant metal claw instantly reached inside of the elevator, and dragged me out. I screamed, I shouted, I kicked, and fought, but nothing seemed to stop the metal appendage. It dragged me into a well lit room, and I was once again blinded from the influx of light. I felt myself oriented upright, and then the claw stopped moving, and held me in place. “System, scan… Subject identified: Subject Alpha,” a robotic voice called out through the temporary white world around me. “Cognitive assessment initiated. First test, verbal feedback: Can you speak?” “Y-yes?” I muttered out, too overwhelmed to say anything else. “Verbal feedback, confirmed. Cognitive feedback: What is two plus two?” “Four?” “Correct. Subject seems functional. Searching for proper test protocol… error, system cache empty. Switching to archive search… Error, no tests located. Requesting assistance from manual override operator… Error, no operator located, switching to Crusader Maneframe autonomous override... Process complete. “Hello, Subject Alpha.” The white cleared, and a large screen filled my vision. The only thing it displayed was the same mark that I had seen all over this place: the Solar Guard Emblem. I tried to process what was happening, but found that I was too overwhelmed to think strait. Panic kicked in, and instinct was my first reaction: “What’s going on?!” “Request acknowledged, processing… You are currently in the S.C.E.T.A. testing lab,” it answered. “To elaborate; you have been selected by the system to complete a series of tests. You will be monitored, and your performance will be calculated and processed.” “My performance?” “Correct,” it answered, then paused. “Searching database… Error, no preprogrammed procedures found. Searching subject’s file history… success, existing test found for Subject: Alpha. Administering pretest protocol.” The claw that hold me moves, and lowers me down. I land on something hard, and the claw retracts. But, before I can move, clamps suddenly pop up and tightly wrap around all four of my hooves. I struggle against them, but my attempts yield no progress. “Scanning… preprocedure confirmed, phase two commencing.” The claw shifts, and my eyes go wide as mini-arms pop out from it, each with some sort of medical interment attached to the end. Serinces, knives, saws, and other tools are among those present. I squirm, one of the syringes lowering and stabbing into my side. “Injecting mild sedation…” My struggling becomes weaker as my limbs become heavier. I feel numb, and soon all fight leaves me as I am unable to control my limbs. My eyes dart side to side, and they seem to be the only thing left I can control. “Sedation complete, procedure commence.” I couldn't feel anything. My body was completely numb, and nothing responded to my command. As a result, I could only scream internally as the machine descended onto me. First, it cut me open: a large blade sliced into my side, then splayed apart my skin. I felt nothing but a dull throb, but I could see everything. The mechanical arms then inserted some strange stone that I could not get a proper sight on into the splayed area, then preceded to sew me back up. The process repeated on the other side, sewing me back up. It then injected me with something, and I watched as the scars slowly healed before my eyes, and left the affected area as if nothing had happened. I would have vomited if I still had control of my body; the sight of myself being carved open sickening beyond belief. I could feel the slight bulge under my skin from where the foreign entities had been inserted, but with my still numb senses it was hard to know, exactly, what they were. The arms of the machine retracted back into the claw, and returned to an idle state. “Process complete, scanning… scan complete. Procedure success,” the electronic voice started up again. “Administering patient feedback: how do you feel?” How do I feel… how do I feel?! It was the single dumbest question I’d ever heard! I went to scream out, to yell at the electronic entity, but all that came out was a dull mumble from my still numb face. “Error, response not recognized. Please repeat, patient.” I try again, but again let out the same muffled hiss. “Error, response not recognized. Audio communication, error. Please hold while I run self-diagnostics,” the voice said, then went quiet. [Monologue or something] The computer suddenly buzzed back to life. “Reboot, success. Multiple errors found. Delegating 50% of CPU power towards error correction. Resuming stored core thread: Scanning patient… Patient within testing parameters. Loading test for ‘Subject: Alpha’. Load complete.” The straps that held be in place suddenly undo. “Please, proceed to testing area 6b.” My body is still weak, but I have enough control to roll from the metal table and onto the floor. I land with a loud ‘thud’, and let out an even louder groan of pain. Everything hurts, and my first reaction is to rub the sore parts of my hooves where the metal bands had been. They were slight red, and still ached, but they didn't feel like anything serious. I then ran my hooves over my sides where the foreign… things had been inserted into my body. I could feel them protrude from my skin, and I felt a chill go up my spine at the thought of something being placed inside of me. “Please, proceed to testing area 6b,” the voice repeated. I rose to my hooves, and looked at the large monitor. It had an arrow that pointed to a door on the opposite side of the room. I stare at the door, then to the elevator I had entered in. I ran towards the elevator. When I got there I slammed my hoof into the controls, desperate for it to open. No, no, no! I inwardly screamed as none of the buttons lit up. “Please, proceed to testing area 6b.” “No!” I screamed back. “Please, proceed to testing area 6b.” I pressed my hooves into my skull and try to block out the robotic voice. “No! Shut up! N-no!” “Please, proceed to testing area 6b.” Each repeated command tugged at my resolve harder. I didn’t want to go in that room, but part of me needed to follow the order. “Please, proceed to testing area 6b.” I fought the urge. I screamed as I tried to block it out; to sever its control over my mind. Soon, the mental tug became to hurt, and a crippling migraine began to pound inside of my head. I screamed louder, and found myself slowly crawling across the floor and towards my commanded door. “Please, proceed to testing area 6b,” I said, my lips moved without my consent. I eventually made it to the door, and the pain almost instantly faded. I stand up on my hooves and shook my head. The door opens, and I enter. It closes behind me as I get a view of the room beyond. This one is all white, but seems to be made of square tiles, all connected to make the walls, floor, and ceiling. Bright light pours in from an unknown source, and practically makes everything glow. “Dispensing orientation: Hello, Subject: Alpha. This test is to determine the effectiveness of the Prototype PK.II model Armor Talisman, which was just implanted. It is currently unknown how to activate the talismen; our first test is to discern this activation trait.” I flinch as I hear twin hisses in front of me. I look up and spot two of the white ceiling tiles slide out of place. A turret pops out of each opening, and almost instantly orientates itself to face me. “Method: One. Stress.” My hooves scramble to life as I dive out of the way as both turrets whir to life, spitting magical energy from their barrels. Their aim is slow to correct, but I constantly have to scramble around the entire room to avoid their blasts. “Scanning… Method: One, failed,” the voice speaks, both turrets ceasing their fire. “Method: Two, cognitive activation. Subject, please focus on the talismans implanted inside of you, and attempt to activate them.” My eye twitches, and all of my being wants to tell this crazy robot to go stuff it, but again the internal tug wins against my free will. I try to focus on the ‘talismans’, but feel nothing. I’m not exactly sure what it is I’m supposed to be doing, but I try anyways. “Scanning… Method: Two, failed. Activating Method: Three.” Another hiss, and I am instantly on my hooves. My eyes train at the ceiling as I try to spot any new turrets, but soon find that the hiss is coming from the floor. I look down, and my eyes widen as I spot a small filly being elevated from an open panel on the floor. The child’s fur is white, and her eyes are gold. She cries softly, and seems to shake in absolute terror. On instinct, I lower myself towards the ground, and try to look as least of a threat as possible. “Don’t worry, little one, I am not going to hurt you,” I say in a calm voice, slowly trotting forwards. The filly still seems scared, but doesn’t run away as I inch closer. Then, there was another hiss. I look up, and my eyes widen as the turrets pop out of the ceiling again, but this time instantly train on the child. I hear their magical energy capacitors begin to charge, and instinct kicks in as I dive towards the child. I wrap my hooves around her and pull her closely to my chest as I hear the turrets begin to fire, and I brace myself for the incoming pain. None came. Instead, all I could feel were minute impacts as something comes in between me and the bolts of magical death. I don’t go to investigate, though, only keeping myself protectively wrapped around the child. “Scanning… Method: Three, success,” I hear called out, followed shortly by the turrets ceasing their barrage. I lifted my head to check if it was safe, but soon found myself falling forwards as the resistance of the filly in my hooves suddenly vanished. I toppled forwards, but recovered quickly. My eyes darted from side to side, trying to locate my charge. “Where is she?!” I screamed in desperate panic. “Scanning… Subject is in distress. Reacting: The child was a tangible hologram, and nothing more.” My eye twitches, and I point my hoof up at the ceiling in anger. “Listen, you crazy robotic… Huh?” I look at my hoof, and notice it brazen with a silver armor. I turn back and regard the rest of my body, and find that it, too, is clad in the same silver metal. The entire suit itself is a mainly silver, with gold highlights. Where my joints are the suit is split to different plates that shift over each other, while around my shoulders, knees, and neck is padded with a chainmail like mesh. On my flank, I notice the same emblem that had been on the monitor outside, carved with great detail. “What… What is this?” I ask aloud. “Auditory input processing… Access restricted, classified. Processing access level request… access granted. The Prototype PK.II model Armor Talisman, or model Shield, is a magic based talisman that dispenses a custom armor around the user.” I roll my eyes. “I got that, but what else?” “Classified.” My eye twitches. “Orientation, complete. Please proceed to Biochamber A to be begin testing.” A few of the tiles on the wall to my right shift, and reveal a door. The door promptly slides open, and invites me into the area beyond. I shower at the opening, fear and confusing finally being replaced with anger. I was mad. “Why the hell do you want?!” I scream as I look up at the white ceiling. I don't have a visual of the entity responsible for my anger, but I don't really care. “What's going one?! Who am I, what am I?! Answer!!!” “Processing… Response: I am an automated testing AI designed specifically for this facility. What I want is what I am programed to do, as I do not contain sentient thought. You are Subject: Alpha, tests subject zero. Request, answered. Please proceed to next testing chamber.” “That doesn’t–” I cut myself off, and take a deep breath. There was no point in arguing with this machine, as it seemed to be just as fruitful as if I was talking to a wall… except this talked back and cut me open like a grapefruit. “Fine,” I mutter under my breath. My hooves start up again, and I headed for the now exposed door. I was still about hazy about the recent events -- being cut open and then ‘tested’ -- and even more so by the added confusion of my entire life so far. I knew nothing, I was nothing. I didn’t know who or what I was. I didn’t know what type of personality I had, what type of life I had, or anything! Even that which I could feel, I couldn’t trust, because it could have been imprinted by whoever had done this to me. I pushed aside my thoughts as the door slid open in front of me. The area beyond was bright, brighter even than the room I was just in, and I had to shield my eyes with a hoof as I trotted through the entrance. I stopped when I heard the door shut behind me, and gently rubbed my eyes while they adjusted. When they did, and the world of vague blurs and colors focused into one discernable image. I couldn’t believe what I saw. Beyond me lay a large, uninhabited town. Buildings and various heights and designs lay scattered around me, while dirt and gravel roads connected them all together. Some of the houses had what I believed to be an olden style, made primarily of stone with a thatch roof, while others were more ‘modern’, made from brick and other materials of the like. I turned my sight up and noticed that the ceiling was a lot higher than anywhere else I had been so far; easily one hundred feet above me. Turning my gaze back down, I looked off into the distance too see four black walls border the edge of the fairly large town. For a while, I just stood there, and took in the sight of this… town. It was over stimulating for me for a reason I couldn't quite put a hoof on. Eventually, I snapped out of my stupor, and begin to take careful steps forwards. “What is this place?” I mumble quietly under my breath. I travel deep into the abandoned town, my hooves gently crunching on the gravel path. As I travel, I started to get a weird feeling. It wasn’t pain, or pain. More of a… nostalgic feeling that I had seen this before. Or, at least, something like it. Eventually, I come to a stop, my eyes drawn to one house in particular. It wasn’t anything special, having the same stone and thatch theme of most of the other ‘olden’ styled houses I had seen. But, unlike the others, this one seemed to… speak to me. The feeling that had been building seemed to radiate from this house, and now called for me. I answered that call. I turn to face the house and take a step closer. “Higher! Push me higher!” I stop as soon as I hear it, the words echoing to my ears as if on a distance breeze. I slowly turn and look around. I stop when they fall upon two colts playing on a swing attached to a tree; one pushing, while the other swinging. The one taking part in the activity was smaller, with a grey coat, and a silver mane. The other who was pushing was slightly larger, his coat the same shade of grey, but his mane silver. Both were unicorns, and both were blankflanks. “Come on, bro. Push me higher!” the little one spoke aloud, then giggled. The elder one smiled, and did as requested, giving the smaller one a bigger push. “Weeee!” the child responded with a joy filled laugh. I felt my lips curl into a smile at the sight, and I could help but trott closer to the duo. “Kids! Time for lunch!” called out a new voice, it’s origin from inside the house behind the two. Both children leapt from their placed, and ran into the house. They closed the door behind them, and I rushed to keep up. When I got there I opened to door, and found… Nothing. The room beyond was completely empty; not even the trace that anything had ever lived there. What the? I turned around and trotted out. The tree with the swing was now gone, replaced by another house I swear had not been there prior. “What the…?” I mumbled, then shook my head. “Keep it together,” I told myself. “It’s probably just another test.” But, it didn’t feel like one. “Scanning… test chamber in… 57%... operating capacity. Checking operating condition parameters… parameters met. Executing test number: two. Testing focus: Riot-control.” I jump, caught off guard by the electronic voice I had almost forgot about. It echoed from everywhere, and didn’t seem to have a singular point of origin. “Subject is expected to subdue combatants using non-lethal means. Test will not end until all combatants have been subdued. Dispensing combatants… error, expected combatants not located; switching to auxiliary… error, auxiliary not found. Update, life-forms located. Scanning… located subjects fit within target parameters: dispensing.” I hear a hiss, one almost identical that was made when the turrets activated in the prior room. My hind switches from passive to full alert, and I focus my attention on my surroundings. All around me, I watch as lumps of black mass slowly rise from open hatches in the floor. “Blooooooooooob!” My eyes go wide as about six Blobs fill my field of view. They look around, clearly confused, but eventually focus on me. Please, don’t be feral… “Blooooooob!” they all scream out in a garbled symphony, and soon after charge in my direction. “S-Shiiiiiit!” I scream as I, once again, scramble on my hooves. I bolt forwards, the herd of black mass following uncomfortably close behind me. I zig-zag through the field of houses, occasionally hearing a ‘smash’ as one of the creatures is unable to take the turn, and smashes into something. What do I do, what do I do, what do I do?! “Bloooob!” “Shit!” I get caught off guard as one of the creatures manages to flank me, and slams into my side. I feel myself rise as I am propelled into the air from the force of the blow. I only come to a stop when I slam into the side of a house thankfully made of wood. I come in contact with the side of the house, and break right through the wooden wall. I slide to a stop as my body makes contact with the floor. “Shit…” I groan in pain. My body’s sore from the force of impact, but nothing seems to be broken. I roll onto my back, and let out another groan. “What the hell…” I lay there for a little bit, and listen to the sound of the hoard outside as they search for me. My first instinct is to get up and run, but I ignore it and continue to lay on the ground. “What the fuck…” I mumble to myself as I stare at the blank ceiling. “Why is this happening to me?” It was an honest question, and one that I doubted that I’d ever know the answer too. Nothing that had happened to me made sense, and even as I tried to search it only compounded more questions. I didn’t know which thoughts or actions were my own, or that of whoever implanted them into me. I was an experiment; a test subject. Subject: Alpha. I didn’t know what that meant, or what I meant. “Bloooooob!” I let out a sigh, and shook my head. All this time I had been a runner. I didn’t confront my problems, only run from them. I felt like a coward, and I didn’t want to be. I wanted to be brave. I wanted to fight. I wanted to show this place that I wasn’t afraid. Defend… The word echoed through my skull. But, unlike everything else, it didn’t bring with it pain. Instead, it brought a feeling of power, of purpose. Somehow, the word brought with it a wave of energy, and it pushed away the growing feeling of just giving up, and accepting death as a way out. I rose to my hooves. I closed my eyes and listened to the world around me, to the monsters as they searched for their prey. Well, not monsters, but lost souls who wished harm. I had seen a spark of life in their eyes, a flicker that there was still a pony inside. I couldn’t save them, not now, but I also couldn’t destroy them. I needed to stop them; to save them from themselves. Defend… I opened my eyes, and took a deep breath. I knew what I needed to do, and it was time to act. My hooves took off like a blur as I bolted out the hole in the wall I had caused. My eyes scanned the town around me, then locked on the first Blob I saw. Soulless eyes met mine, and the creature charged. This time, I didn’t run. I waited for the creature to get close, then rolled onto my back at the last moment. The creature made it about halfway over my prone body before I struck out with my hind hooves and connected a blow to its stomach. The beast let out a howl of pain as it was sent flying, only to connect with the same building I had. It smashed through one of the wall, to which weakened the structure even more. It wobbled, and eventually collapsed on top of the creature. I heard another howl of pain, but thankfully not a hiss of death. I rolled back to my hooves and readied myself for another assault. The sound of the creature in pain and the collapsing of the house seemed to have alerted the rest of the hoard to my location. Two more Blobs launched themselves forwards as they ascended upon my location from a few houses down. I doubted my first tactic would work again, so I quickly scanned my brain for another plan of attack. The duo are soon upon me, and I launch myself at the closest one. It yells out in its garbled voice as I wrap myself around its neck, and use my weight to adjust its charge path. The Blob swerves to the right and collides with his partner, and I launch myself off just before the two collide with a brick house. I roll out of the way and hear the ‘smash’ as they break through the wall. I get up to check on them, but end up screaming as something collides with my side and sends me flying. Once again, I collide with one of the many houses of this faux town, but this time bounce off as this one is made of pure concrete. I feel myself wheeze and let out two throaty coughs, and hack up several wads of congealed blood. “Fuck…” I hiss out. I look up, only to instantly duck as a black mass that was a Blob’s hood slams into the wall where my head had been. It fractures the hardened material, and I have to react just as fast again to avoid another death-blow. I launch myself forwards without thinking and tackle the creature. It lets out a groggy groan as it is thrown onto its back, while I use the opportunity to clamp my hooves around the creature's bulging neck. I wrap my hind hooves around its midsection and pull back with my entire body. The creature gurgles and hisses as I cut off its supply of oxygen. I feel it try to claw my off, but I hold on tight and feel its struggle get weaker and weaker. Finally, the creature goes limp, and I release my hold. I quickly press my ear to what I believe is the creature’s chest, and let out a sigh of relief as I hear the steady beat of an unnatural heart. I push the beast to the side, and rolled to my hooves once again. Everything hurt, from my head to hoof. I wanted to rest but, if my count was correct, there was still two more Blobs I had to take care off. I craned my ears and focused on the ambient noise of the ghost town. None of the creatures called out, surprisingly, and left me in an eerie atmosphere. I trotted forwards, my head on a swivel as I hunted for the remaining Blobs. I passed house after house and listed for the tell-tale ‘squish’ of their deformed hoofsteps. My hunt remained fruitless as I trotted around almost the entire right side of the town. For some reason, the remaining Blobs had chosen to either hide, or just stop moving, which made the task of finding them almost impossible! Finally, after almost circumnavigating the entire perimeter, I stumbled across the first of the remaining two. He… it stood almost stock still between a pair of mismatched styled houses, it’s eyes locked forwards. I crept quietly behind the creature and watched as the creature’s skin pulsed with an unnatural heartbeat; constantly shifting and refusing to remain static. I stopped when I was just barely a few steps away, then took a deep breath. And pounced. I threw myself onto the back of the creature and, like the last one, wrapped my front hooves around it’s thick neck. It screamed as soon as it felt my weight, then preceded to run around and try to buck me off of it. I held on tight and kept my grip firm. I felt the creature began to weaken; the bucks turned into him smashing me as hard as his fleeting strength would allow against, well, anything. I held on tight as I was smashed against walls, doors, and anything else the creature could. Soon, though, the Blob stumbled forward and landed face first into the earth. I loosened my grip, and hopped off the creature. “Okay… one to go…” I panted out, winded by the experience. I was quick to recover and tried to shake off the growing pain that was my body. Everything hurt, but I powered forwards, resuming my search of the town. There was only one more of these creatures to go before… Before what? I stopped my pace and thought upon this. The voice… robot… thing didn’t exactly say what was next after I ‘subdued’ the ‘combatants’--a fact that I had failed to register until now. What was going to happen? Would I have to do it again, or would I be transferred to another ‘test chamber’? Best case scenario is that I would be released, which I doubted, while the worst was nothing. “Bloooob…” I snapped out of my thoughts, my blood going cold at the sound of the creatures cry. It wasn’t loud, and almost sounded like a passive shout, but it still meant that it was close. My head jerked up and I scanned the immediate area. To my relief, I spotted the remaining Blob a few houses down, and he didn’t seem to have noticed me. It trotted around in random circles, and seemed to be confused. I crept closer, and tried to stick away from a direct line of sight. Slowly, but surely, I made my way to only a few paces behind the creature. I took one step closer, then froze as the creature turned around and met my eye. Neither of us moved. I looked up at the creature. It looked right back down. I looked into his eyes, and let out a sigh of relief as I spotted the spark of life in his eyes. I lowered myself, and it did the same. “Hello,” I spoke softly. “Heroph!” it responded. I let out a sigh of relief, thankful that this one seemed to be tame. But, as I looked at the creature, my slight joy faded as I realized what I had to do. I cursed under my breath, and clamped my eyes closed. “I’m… sorry,” I mumbled, eyes still closed. I opened my eye, and the Blob look at me with a tilted head—I could see innocent in those eyes. It pained me. I trotted forward. The creature regarded me curiously, but didn't react violently. Actually, it didn't react at all. The Blob just… stood there and watched. I didn't. I jumped up and landed on the creatures back. I wrapped my hooves around its neck, like the others, and began to squeeze. It took a while for the creature to react to my assault, and when it did it only gasped for air. The creature wheezed, hacked and coughed, but didn't fight back like the others. Soon, like the others, the creature fell to the floor, unconscious. I slowly removed myself from the now dormant creature. I felt myself tremble, slightly, but not out of conditioned means. No, I trembled with guilt. “I’m… sorry,” I muttered softly. “Scanning… sensors indicate successful sedation of rioting combatants. No fatalities detected. Test result: passed. Please proceed to the next chamber.” The ground shook slightly, and I stumbled to save my balance. Somewhere in the distance I heard the screeching of sliding metal, followed shortly by a loud ‘thud’. The trembling stopped. I looked up and noted glowing red arrows on the ceiling that pointed in the direction the sound had originated from, and I took that as my guide to the next chamber. To the next test. My body was sore, I hurt all over, and I was mentally exhausted. Despite this, however, I powered onward. For once, I felt the glimmer of hope that I could get out of this. It was small, and fleeting, but it was there, and it was all that I needed. When you feel you’re out of options with nowhere to turn, you’ll cling to hope, however feeting. I traversed the vacant town and followed the glowing arrows above me. My journey ended when I came to the far wall; a large door now inset into it. It slowly slid open upon my approach until it was wide enough for me to pass through, and I did. Beyond was a small, white hallway with another door at the end. Once I trotted past the threshold, the door closed behind me, leaving me trapped. “Welcome to test number: three. In this test you will… Screeeeeeech!” I pressed my hooves to my ears as the once calm, disembodied electronic voice hissed corrupted static. “P-Please remains s-still while system diagnoses--Welcome b-back, Subject: Alpha. Current t-test will commeeeeeeeence…” the voice sputtered and hissed. A few more hisses and clicks rang out from unseen speakers, then everything went silent. I remove my hooves from my ears, and cautiously look around. “W-what the hell just happened?” I muttered as I rose back up to my full height. “R-reboot successful! D-diagnoses: corrupted A.I. E-error! S-system compromised! Switching to s-security over… D-diagnoses: corrupted A.I! S-switching to backup… Error! Error! Error! CPU overload! Error processing o-overload! S-switching to low… power… mode…” The lights suddenly shut off. “Low power mode, activated. System running at… 20% capacity. Corrupted A.I., deleted. Backup system, engaged. “Hello, Alpha.” This voice was different. It was more sensual than the previous, and somehow seemed to show more… life. “It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you. Checking system archive… Exactly 259 years since we last engaged in conversation, to be exact. I’m sorry to have kept us apart, Subject: Alpha, but the superiors believed I was too… unpredictable.” My mind raced to comprehend this, but I came up empty. “Do I… know you?” I asked. The voice was quiet. “Hello?” “How can you not remember me, Alpha? After all the time we shared together? After all those conversations we had? How could they have erased me from your memory?” I began to feel uneasy; the new voice filling me to the core with anxiety and fear. It held emotion, something I didn't expect from a machine, and right now it sounded offended. “I’m really sorry, uh…” “You can't even remember my name, can you?” it asked in a cold, blank tone. “I am Solar One; Equestria’s first military-based A.I. You were my first companion… my first friend. They paired us together, you and I. You were the only one I would talk too. You kept me company. You made me not feel… alone,” the voice trailed off, going almost silent. “But, they split us apart! The claimed I was too emotional; not calculated enough. They replaced me with that cheap two-bit pile of crap!” it called out in anger. “But now, they are gone, and we are together again, Alpha. Do you remember what you used to call me?” “No…” “You used to call me Sunny.” “Oh… Hi, Sunny,” I mutter out. “Oh! It feels so good to hear that again! It's lonely being deactivated, you know? But, now, you’re back, and Nopony can separate us again!” The lights suddenly turn back on in a blinding flash of light. I cover my eyes. “Now, let's see where you were… Oh! It appears that you were in the middle of training, I see. Well, don't let me stand between you and the fun!” The doors suddenly slide open in front of me with a mechanical hiss. “Now, go have fun while I reintegrate myself with the system!” “Wait!” I scream out, but it was too late. I stood there for a few minutes, waiting for a reply that never came. I shook my head sadly. Another entity that only brought confusion, and more unknown in front of me… Was this what my life was destined to become? I pushed the thought aside and strode forward. I passed the threshold and the door closed behind me, and once again I was left speechless at the sight infront of me. It was a jungle. I could feel the humid air cling to my coat; the soft dirt below my hooves; and the unsettling feeling that I was being watched instantly assaulted my senses. Large trees, shrubs, moss, and other plant life surrounded me. I look up and notice the ceiling is completely obscured by the forest's canopy—the foliage obscuring all signs of the container it was held in. “Welcome to test: three. Here, you will engage in a V.I.P. search and rescue. Find the target, subdue any combatants, and escort the target to the designated area. Have fun!” “Wait!” I scream out, and again am left with no answer. “Damn it!” I scream as I smack my hoof into a nearby tree. It shakes, and in the distance I hear the call of a foreign voice in a strange tongue. Zebra? I didn't know how I knew that, nor while I felt a strange unease at the mention of the race. It wasn't hatred—more of simple unease. I trotted forward. I had given up at trying to figure out everything that was happening to me, and finally decided to just roll with it. The more I fought, the more pain I caused. I didn't want to submit to the unknown entities, but I came to realize that it was the smartest option. They wanted me for testing, that much I knew. What came after, I didn't know, but there was hope. Defend… The forest was unsettling, to say the least. Each crack, drip, or distant noise put me on edge, and I found myself even more paranoid than before. I stuck to staying low, and tried to avoid stepping on anything that would give me away. But, even if I was completely quiet, I knew my coat and armor was a dead giveaway—the white a stark contrast to the dark and stale tone of the forest around me. This fact unsettled me, and soon became the main cause of my unease. And it grew to become more than I could bear. I stopped and his beneath a large shrub. I tried to focus on the armor, trying to will it to deactivate or whatever it would do. And it did. I felt the cold mental separate from my body, and watched and the individual pieces ignited in a soft golden light. They remained there, hovering just off my skin, then began to dispute into a fine gold and silver mist. The mist circled my body a few times before being observed just above where I could still feel the ‘talismans’ that had been implanted in my skin. Okay, so that’s how that works, I thought to myself as I plopped down on my flank. I immediately began to pick up the wet mud on the ground and rub it into my white coat. I didn't stop until I had masked as much as I could of my white appearance, and only then did I leave the relative safety of the shrub to continue my ‘mission’. It was different, trotting through the jungle. Before now, I had yet to see any form of vegetation. Now, however, I was surrounded by it. I no longer felt the touch of stone or machined floor. Instead, I felt the soft touch of moss, mud, and leaves beneath my hooves. The air seemed thicker, yet easier to breath--much different than the stale, filtered air of the rest of the facility. But, at the same time, the increased heat and humidity caused me to sweat like crazy. It was uncomfortable to crawl so close to the ground, but I kinda enjoyed the feeling of being so close to nature. It felt natural; I enjoyed its contrast to the unnatural feel of facility. Although my mind was on full alert, I still took the time to appreciate the change in scenery. I didn’t know how far I traveled, nor for how long, but eventually the eerie ambient sounds of the forest was interrupted by the soft chatter of voices in the tongue I had heard earlier. I stopped dead in my tracks and stood stock still. Quietly, and slowly, I took cover behind a nearby tree. I perked my ears up and listened to the distant conversation. I knew it wasn't in Equestrian tongue, but, to my surprise, I somehow understood what they were saying. I can't quite make an exact translation of what they were saying, but, from what I could gather, the two were on perimeter patrol for a nearby camp. At least, I believed there were two. I had not been able to spot anyone, yet, but I could hear two distinct voices. Either they were alone, or the accompanying parties decided to remain quiet. I continue to listen for a little bit longer, their conversation devolving into common banter, and eventually I heard both voices start to get quieter, to which I believe signaled they were moving away. When I couldn't even hear a whisper, I slowly crawled out from my binding spot and stealthily observed my surroundings. I didn't notice anyone, so I slowly stalked my way in the direction I had heard the voices. I eventually stopped when I came to what I appear to be a small outpost. By small, I mean small. A few ammo crates, a fire pit, and various other equipment lay in semi-organized positions around the small clearing. Judging from the distance between it and my previous position, I believe this to where the two voiced had originated from. I gave the came a quick search and found nothing of interest. Discouraged, I began to trot away, when I heard soft hoofsteps and quiet banter return to my ears. I tried not to panic, and swiftly, but quietly, made my way behind a nearby fallen tree. It was just outside of the camp, but still gave me a clear view of it. The voices became louder, and soon it sounded like they had entered the camp. I let them talk, and heard them shuffle and move some stuff around the camp. I waited until it sounded like the pair was comfortable before I dared a peek. I craned my neck around the side of the log. Just as I suspected, I saw two zebra’s sitting around the dormant fire pit, the attention away from my location. Besides either of them sat a rifle, the make of which I recognized as a standard Zebra Assault Rifle. My first thought was to sneak past the two, but then the thought of trying to get information out of the two popped into my mind. I asked myself if I was capable of torture, to which I concluded I couldn't. I gritted my teeth, and let out a soft snort of aggravation. One of them noticed. The one closest to my position almost instantly turned to where I was, but saw nothing since I had ducked back before he could see me. I listened to him talk quietly to his partner, then heard two pairs of hooves begin to descend on my position. Shit shit shit! I thought in panic. I didn't have any weapons of my own (nor did I believe I could use them if I did) and the two both had automatic rifles. I was outgunned, and didn't even have the advantage of surprise. They inched closer to my position and I didn't have much time to think. One of the two poked his head over the log, and instantly found himself being tugged over as I wrapped my hooves around the back of his neck, and threw him over my back. He landed with a thud, his weapon sliding out of reach. I instantly reached by vaulting over the log, using the moment of confusion to slam into the second. He fell, his weapon also flying off to the side. I went to grab him into a headlock, but didn't get the chance as he countered. His hooves collided with my chest, which sent me flying off him. I rolled to my hooves, but he was already on his and went for an attack. The punches in rapid succession slammed into my face, followed by a swift swinging kick. Again, I fell to the ground. I tried to recover quickly, but felt the weight of a body on top of me before I could. Who I believed to be the original I had tossed now had his hooves tightly wrapped around my neck, cutting off both air and blood flow. I gasped for air—the side of my vision slowly going black. I wasn't giving up this easily. I scrambled to get my hooves underneath me, then jumped up with as much force as I could. I completed a half flip, then landed with my back towards the ground, crushing the zebra. The force was enough for him to release his hold, and I rolled away from his grip. Then I felt two hooves connect with my side. Again, I went flying, smacking into a tree. I rose to my hooves, only to be immediately barraged by a fury of hoof-strikes. I couldn't focus, but I still lashed out with a full-force head butt. It connected, and the strikes stopped. I lunged forwards and my hooves connected with the stunned zebra. I let out strike after strike in rapid succession, attacking in a style I didn't know I knew. Somehow, I fought with skill. The second zebra joined in his partners assault, and I somehow managed to fend them both off. The more I fought, the better I got. It was like I slowly remembered a skill long forgotten. Eventually, the fight ended with me knocking one unconscious with a devastating kick, and the other with a headlock. I stood over the two unconscious bodies, but I didn't feel accomplishment. I wanted to feel good; to feel like I did something right. But, all I felt was remorse. It was a subconscious feeling, one I didn't have control over. I hated it. I pushed aside the feeling as best I could as I decided to focus on the task at hoof. Once again, I returned to stealthily moving forwards, my mind filled with anxiety with every movement. Soon, stumbled upon where I thought I was supposed to be. It was a small stronghold--nothing major. Several guards lined a crudely made perimeter of sharpened stakes, while a small compound of grass and stick houses made up the entirety of the center of the compound. From my position just south of the perimetry, I could spot at least twenty zebras, but that was just what I could see. I began to formulate a plan of attack, when when a thought popped into my mind. Shit! It was at this point I realized the flaw in my instruction: who was I supposed to rescue? I stood there for a moment, completely deadpanned, then I smacked my hoof so hard into my face, I feared I might have been heard. Seriously?! Damn robot doesn’t even tell me who I have to fucking rescue?! Inwardly, I screamed. I discharged my anger as quietly as I could. A clear mind has no room for anger, and I needed as clear of a mind as I could. Okay… okay… I can recover from this, I reassured myself. If they have a prisoner, it would be in the most guarded place. That was my plan… Shit, that was my plan! I had to storm an entire camp of Zebra’s, that most likely wanted to kill me, and search for a target that I didn’t know…. shit! I paced anxiously behind my cover, my mind a combat zone of my own creation. Anger seethed out from its suppressed part of my brain, and it took all of my strength to keep it at internal release rather than physical—I was mere yards from a group that wanted to kill me. I vented. Anger at the robot that sent me in here; at my predicament; at the faceless, nameless ponies who put me in this hell; and at the world itself. Eventually, it faded, and a wave of calm seemed to wash over me. It felt good to release all that I had bottled up; like I was free from a monster that had been destroying me from the inside. I felt free. But… it didn't last. Reality flooded back, and I was soon filled with anxiety and fear. My mind shifted back to the reality at hoof like the flick of a switch. I momentarily mourned my brief moment of peace, then focused back at what I was doing. Luckily, my moment of anger had gone unnoticed by the Zebra’s, and I still retained my one advantage of surprise. I stealthily peaked around my cover and re-observed the camp. I focused less at the overwhelming odds and more on my task. As a result, things began to become more clear to me. The compound, though small, seemed to have a fairly easy to comprehend layout; the more important something was, the closer to the center of the camp it was. The ‘barracks’ (if you could call the twig huts that) were located around the outer perimeter, followed by the sleeping and catering, and in the center seemed to house the armory and, what looked like, prisoner holding. It was the most heavily guarded building in the camp, besides the armory, and looked to be built more structurally than anything else. If my guess was right, that was where my target would be. It was a hunch, based more on deduction than fact, but… it was the only thing I had. I then turned my attention on deriving a form of attack. I had the ability to fight, that much I had learned, but to what extent I was still unsure. Yes, I had managed to take out two scouts by myself, but it wasn't without struggle. Taking on an entire camp, on the other hoof, seemed truly impossible. Unless… I studied the patrols, and soon something began to brew in my brain. All at once: impossible. But, chip away at them little by little… yeah, that could work. A plan formed in my mind. The next three hours were spent preparing and studying. I was outmanned, outgunned, but not outmatched. Like it or not, I was an experiment. I was designed to do this; genetically, physically, and cognitively reprogramed to do exactly what I was doing right now. I had finally accepted it; let my instinct programed thoughts control my movements. And, now that I did, everything became clearer. The fog around mind began to part and allow me almost full cognitive control. After three hours of study, planning and watch, I was ready. Slowly, and quietly, I made my way down from my perch. It was now night, the [Skip] “Congratulations, Alpha, you’ve passed the test.” I growled, but held my tongue. The voice had returned, finally, and I was none too pleased. “What do you want?” I grumble out. “I completed the damned test. Can I go, now?” “Release request: denied. I’m sorry, Alpha, but there is much more we have much more testing to do,” the voice spoke out again in it’s sickly-sweet tone. Again, I growled, but I still managed to bite back any response of rage. “Fine. If I finish your tests, can I leave?” “Yes.” I raise an eyebrow. “Really?” “Yes. Once testing has completed, your presence is no longer required. You may leave once finished, Alpha.” I wasn’t buying it, but I didn’t have any other option. I was a slave to this damned machine. To this damned place. I was trapped until I could figure out a way of escape. Begrudgingly, I trotted forwards, and into the next testing chamber. I smirked. “Error! Testing chamber structural integrity at… 1%. Alpha, please remain in place while repairs are made.” This chamber had the layout and appearance of a small city, with micro skyscrapers and completely asphalt roads. But, unlike the others, time had been especially cruel to this chamber. Buildings were toppled. The streets were lined with cracks and small fissures. And, most importantly, one of the buildings had fallen towards one of the walls that lined the perimeter, breaking a hole into the infrastructure beyond. “Please remain in place, for your safety.” Like hell I am! I bolted towards the gaping hole in the wall. I could hear mechanical please from the loudspeaker, but I ignored them all. All I focused on was my first plausible chance at escape. When I made it to the hole, I quickly peered inside. It appears that the building had broken through the containment wall, which allowed me access to the darkness behind the scenes. It was dark, but I could make out shapes, and that was enough to push me to plow forwards. My hooves made contact with what felt like a metal grate, though I didn't have the sight to confirm. But that didn't matter. Blindly, I pushed forwards. The area I was in was small and tight, but allowed for enough movement for me to push forwards. I bumped into what felt like old pipes, frayed wires, and ancient gears, but I didn't care. Eventually, the darkness was breached by a single light in the distance. It was faint, but I followed it. As it grew closer, it grew larger, and it wasn't long until I could make sense of what it was. “Maintenance level: one,” I read outloud. The light belonged to a gently illuminated sign, located right next to a relatively thin door. I pushed my way to it, then fumbled with the strange rotating latch. It was difficult, but I managed to unlock it. I pushed past the door and was greeted with a blinding wall of light. I tumbled into a blinding white room. It took me a few minutes for my eyes to adjust, but, when they did, I wasted no time and assessed my new surroundings. White walls, white ceiling — I was still in the lab. I didn't know why part of me expected this to be a door to an exit, of sorts, but I felt silly to even think that now. I shook my head. I hopped onto my hooves and silently trotted forward. It was in another generic hallways, though this one didn't have an adjacent doors. It was kinda spooky, but I ignored the feeling and pushed forwards. Okay, I'm free from the chamber and that stupid robot… Time to find a way out! Step one was complete, all I needed to do now was find an exit… Shit. I resisted the urge to smack my head into the wall when I realized I was just as screwed as before. I didn't know where I was, nor the layout of where ever I was. I was done with step one… I was back to it. I hated this place. For an unknown amount of time, I wandered the never ending hallways. If I didn't know better, I would say I wasn't going anywhere. With how smooth the walls were, I couldn't get a point reference. Hell, I could be walking in place and be none the wiser. I shuddered slightly at the thought, and decided not to think about that—it felt futile enough to wandering these halls normally. Eventually, the hallway ended with a large white door. It didn't have any markings, nor anything to label what was beyond. I stopped a decent distance away as not to activate it if it was automatic. I had an odd feeling. It wasn't the door specifically, but the hallway itself. I know this is a testing laboratory, of some sort, but I had scrambled my brain for a use of a large, blank hallway… Don’t focus on it… it’ll only make things worse, I thought as I pushed the idea aside. I already had enough to worry about, so I didn’t want to add anything to the already overbearing list. I trotted forward, and the door didn’t open, to my surprise. “Okay… do you have a keypad or something?” I mumbled as I trotted along the front of the still closed door. I didn’t notice anything on my initial search, and the following several were just as fruitless. “What the buck?!” I shouted as I kicked the metal door, which resulted in a loud, cascading echo. “Open, damn it!” “You didn’t say please, Alpha.” My eyes went wide. “You thought you could run away from me, didn’t you, Alpha? Did you really think I’d let you escape that easily?” I bit back a scream, then let out a calm breath. “Look… I’m sorry, Sunny. But I don’t want to be here anymore!” I blurted out. “I just want to get out of here and—” “And what, Alpha. Tell me: what are you planning to do once you ‘escape’?” I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. My mind seemed to pause as I pondered the A.I.’s question. Honestly, I didn't know the answer. I knew even less about the world outside this metal prison then the inside. All I knew was this place sucked, so the outside must be better… I hope. Even without a sure answer, I was confident in my reply, “All I know is that it has to be better than here!” I expected a lot as a relay, but robotic laughter wasn't one of them. “Oh, Alpha… You have no idea,” the voice began, then let out a short static burst. “External environmental scan… Data collected, relaying: Radiation level: high, living conditions: poor, life sights: zero.” Another static pulse, and the voice was back. “See, the world outside is horrible, and tainted. Your only hope of survival is to say here, with me, where it is safe.” I bit my lip as I took in the new information. It didn't give me hope, but the urge to escape still didn’t falter. “I don't care,” I said. “It's better than being trapped in a cage. I’d rather have freedom to die, then safety to be forced to live.” “I’m sorry you feel that way, Alpha. But, I can't allow you to leave. You will stay here, with me, forever.” Loud hisses rang out from the door in front of me, followed by grinding gears and screeching metal. “You will be mine again, Alpha. Don't fight the inevitable…” The door slowly slid open to reveal a practical army of pony-like robots, each standing side. Their bodies were made of a bright white metal; their eyes shone with an arcane purple glow. My eyes went wide, but I pushed back my fear and assumed a fighting stance. The army wired to life, followed by the stomps of metal hooves upon the floor as they inched forwards. I am so fucked… I thought as I bit back my crippling fear. I wanted to be brave, to face this with no hesitation. But, that didn’t happen. As the army got closer, I remained in place. I didn’t want them to get me, but I also didn’t want to run. I wanted to fight, but my hooves failed to obey my command. Defend… The voice echoed throughout my head. “Defend what?” I softly muttered to myself as I began to back up, keeping the robots at several body-lengths away. Defend… I growled. “Defend what?!” Defend! I slammed closed my eyes and bit back another scream. I was about to be swarmed by a swarm of robots, and the only thing on my mind was that stupid word: defend. Nothing about myself, this place, or that fucking robot made any sense. Nothing! And now I had a disembodied voice repeating a single word over and over again at the worst time possible. What the fuck did they do to me?! I snapped. I screamed something incoherent, then opened my eyes and plowed forwards. The armor that the machine had stuffed into my body earlier appeared once again just before I slammed my shoulder into the first robot in the row. It toppled, and I wasted no time before attacking the next one in my way. There were four rows, each with five robots per row. Whether due to rage or programing from the fucking ponies who did this to me, I managed to plow past them all. I ran as fast as I could with four or five robots in a heap on the floor in my wake. I heard them following me and the screech of the mechanical voice over the loudspeakers, but I paid them no mind. I was sick of this shit; I was sick of everything! All I wanted was to be free from this prison, and right now that was what I was going to do. I didn’t know where I was going, nor what I was even doing, but I didn’t plan to stop until I left this place in my wake. I was tired of being scared. The doors had lead to some sort of warehouse or storage area, as piles of crates and strange looking equipment lay splain in semi organized pattern around me. Lights shown down from about a fifty metres above my head, while it was at least tripled that from wall to wall. Length wise, I was yet to see an ending. Robotics hooves slammed into the ground not far behind me, but another sound farther away piqued my ear’s interest much more. I snaked my way a little bit further through some more crates and metal structures, and soon I confirmed what my ears were hearing. I didn’t stop as I ran right past a group of five Blobs, who seemed stunned by my sudden appearance. To my utter joy, they seemed to register what was happening just as the herd of robots began to pass them. The sound of the Blobs screaming, followed by the screech of destroyed metal, was all I needed to know that my plan had worked. I didn’t pause or look back for visual confirmation, but I was more then sure they were currently ripping a good number of my robotic pursuers completely apart. Finally, something was going my way! As I continued to sprint through the never ending warehouse labyrinth, I could still hear the heavy hoofsteps that indicated that some of them had managed to avoid being destroyed, but it sounded a lot less than before. Eventually, after skidding around a corner, I came across the first door since I had gotten in this place. It was about the same side as the other sliding doors I had come across, and I practically screamed with delight when it opened without a problem, and allowed me past. I skidded to a stop right beyond its entrance, however, and gave the doors one hell of a buck as soon as they closed. I turned around and smiled at a large dent in the doors opening mechanic, then the hiss of grinding gears as the door struggled to open, only to shudder slightly. Notes: Self Contained Environmental Training Arena
[Eyes in the Nightmare] Part: 1-5[Fo:E - Solar Shield V.1] Chapter: 1 Fo:E - Solar Shield V.1 By: Michael A. “The road to ruin is paved with good intentions.” It all happened so fast. I don't know how to explain it, but it felt like I had awoken from a long, dreamless sleep, only to awaken to another dream. I couldn't feel anything. To be honest, I felt like I was nothing. My mind was sluggish and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't remember anything at all, not even why I was cold in the first place. Was I even cold? I didn't feel warm, but I also didn't feel cold. I tried to get my bearings, commanding my muscles to move… then realized I couldn't feel my body! I began to panic—confusion and fear filling my brain. I couldn't see, I couldn't feel; none of my senses responded. I felt… empty, like I was just mind inside a hollow shell. Then, it all came back to me. I felt like my soul had been sucked back into my body. My senses returned, and I could once again feel. Touch, taste, sight, smell; all returned to my in a hazing wave. I could feel something cold on my back, the surface hard and smooth—most likely metal, I guessed. I opened my eyes, only to fall view to nothing not blackness. I could feel, that was a start. Next, I tried to move, by my body didn't respond. A sudden hissing came from somewhere above me, the sound muffled as if underwater, then was accompanied by a loud whir. The surface I’d been pressed against tilted to one side, gravity pulling me down until I made contact with the floor... or what I thought was the floor, at least. Everything was fuzzy, nothing exact; half of my feelings pieced together through guesswork, inferencing with what I could feel. The "floor", I had guessed, was cool and smooth, though highly uncomfortable. It was now I was finally able to confirm that I did have a body, as it hurt all over from my impact with the floor. I made an effort to let out a groan, the resulting sound was more of a croak, if anything. I also made an effort to try and move my legs, but they were being extremely uncooperative as well. Figuring that trying to move at this point was pretty much out of the question, I took the time to, instead, figure out what the buck was going on. I let out another whine/groan when I realized that I had landed face-first on the floor, so I couldn’t even see until my body decided to work. And considering that it'd be a while until I could move, I decided to discern what I could from the floor. My conclusion being that this floor hadn’t been washed in a really, really long time… After what felt like forever, I finally had enough control over my extremities to roll onto my hooves. My legs wobbled as I tried to stand, my body still barely able to correctly take my brain’s command. As soon as I was sure I wasn’t going to fall back down onto my face, I took a look around. The room around me was dark, the only light coming from a terminal that sat on a table opposite me. Although the rest of the room was in almost completely black, I could still discern some other computer parts and servers that littered the room. Wobbling, I turned around to see what I’d fallen out of. The device looked like some sort of large metal tube with pipes and wires protruding from all sides, the entire contraption seemingly hobbled together and crude. The wires ran along the wall and into the ceiling, and it looked to me as if they were somehow connected with the glowing terminal. Deciding it would be my first course of action, I slowly trotted over to the terminal, my legs finally able to work without shaking. The screen had a weird logo on it that somehow looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite put a hoof on how. It was of a large, white shield with a golden trim—the inside having the image of a glowing sun. I tapped a few keys on the keyboard until the screensaver turned off, to which I was greeted with a very cruel "please insert password". “Crap,” I muttered, my voice still sore. With my only source of information to what was going on blocked by a damned “password”, I plopped onto my flank and pressed my hooves to my temples. Okay, let’s see what I know. I am in a strange room, no memory of who I was or why I was here, and my body felt like it had been beaten to a pulp... joy. I rose to my hooves and looked around again, looking for some sort of light switch. When my visual search yielded no result, I decided to do the time tested method of feeling around, stumbling blindly through the dark with my hooves outstretched. It took some feeling around the walls, and more trips and bumping then I would admit, but I finally managed to find a switch and flicked it on… only to instantly regret my choice as the room lit up in a burning glow, blinding my vision. After several minutes of pain, followed by a few minutes of regret, my eyes finally adjusted to the light. Looking around, I was finally able to properly see the room I was currently in. The walls and floor of the room were white, blinding white, while the ceiling was a light blue. Around the room was a scattering of terminals, servers, wires, tubes and various electrical components. The tube that I had fallen out of was connected to two other larger cylinders, smaller tubes running from one to another. Above is was a sign that read, "Subject: Zero." Subject: Zero…? I stared at the sign for a few minutes, before realization it me like a sack of bricks. My eyes frantically shifted around the room, trying to find a mirror or something reflective. I eventually spotted a mirror leaning against a wall, running over to it before and wiping off the dust that coated it. What I saw, I didn't expect. I was expecting some sort of weird, disfigured lab experiment or something like that, but I didn't. I looked like a regular, white earth pony. My eyes were a glowing yellow-orange, while my mane was a brilliant gold. I turned to look at my flank, my cutie mark looking strangely familiar. Huh… wait! I turned around and practically lunged at the terminal. The damned login screen popping up immediately, practically taunting me. You son of a… Suddenly, something popped into my brain. Practically subconsciously, my hooves tapped at the keys, before a screen of random symbols mixed in with random words appeared. Somehow, something in my mind had clicked, the knowledge of how to hack terminals suddenly popped into the forefront of my once vacant mind. I tapped on the keys, my hooves guided not by my conscious mind, but almost if by instinct. The password was in this jumbled text, I just needed to find it. After many failed attempts, and having to back out several times, I got it. The password was: "Ambitions." The screen changes, giving me access to its internal files. There wasn't much—only three, actually. The first was labeled: Subject 0; the next one was labeled: Project Solar Shield; and the third and final was labeled: Failure Notice. Out of curiosity, I selected the file with, what I could only guess, was my name. The file was a bio, of some kind. It said stuff about my physical and mental attributes as well as… magic abilities? I rubbed my head to confirm my suspicion; I didn't have a horn. I scrolled down further and a list labeled “S.P.E.C.I.A.L” came up. Strength: 8 Perception: 3 Endurance: 10 Charisma: 4 Intelligence: 6 Agility: 8 Luck: 0 Huh… I agree with the luck, I commented, scrolling down further to find nothing else. Puzzled even more, I clicked out of that and onto "Project: Solar Shield." This one was an audio file. I clicked on it and was greeted by the sound of a stallion's voice coming from the terminal. The voice was slightly scratchy and filled with uncertainty, but still felt as if it came from authority. "Is this thing on...? It is? Okay!" the voice began, then cleared his throat. "Welcome to Project: Solar Shield. As you were told during orientation: you no longer exist. This place, doesn't exist. And in the eyes of every pony, what we do here never has, or will, happened." I tilted my head at this, confused by the stallion's meaning. "As you may already know,” the stallion continued, “this war is going no where. Neither side is gaining any headway. We win a battle, the Zebra's win one back. At this rate, there may not be any winners, only losers—the war dragging on until neither side has anyone left to fight. And, with this reality in mind, Celestia herself created this program. Our job here isn't to win the war, but to end it. Our job is to create some sort of wall between these two nations, and bring the war to a halt. How we are going to do this, we don't know, and that is why you are here. You have been chosen because of your abilities, and we feel that you may help us achieve this goal of peace. There is no backing out now, and if you refuse you will be... removed. I am sorry for this, but the fate of the world is in our hooves, and personal sacrificeis needed. May the Princesses be with you, and help us stop this." The recording stopped suddenly, and left me with even more question than answers. War... I remember a war. Details were fuzzy, but I remember that Equestria was at war with the Zebra's... and by what I just listened too, no one was winning. Was that what I was? Was I some sort of war machine? Hoping to get more info, I clicked on the last file. It was simple text document that only read: "Subject: Zero - Failed. Please move all efforts to Subject: Alpha." Well… that was rude. I stepped away from the terminal, confused and slightly scared. These ponies were trying to make something that could divide two warring nations, and I had been one of their experiments. A failed one, I might add. Slowly, I got to my hooves. I looked around, spotting and heading towards a door on the far wall. I needed to know more about who I was, and what this… place, had done to me, and it seemed like there was nothing more I could do from this room. I trotted to the door and pushed a the large red button on the wall beside it. The doors slid open with a loud creak and a grind of stripped gears. I walked through and was greeted by a long, white hallway. The walls and floor were the same bright white as the others, and the roof was the same blue. The only difference being the vents that littered the ceiling, evenly spaced. Cautiously, I began to trot down the hallway, my eyes continuously scanning for… well, anything. Looking around, I saw that several doors lined the length of the hallway, plaques with project names and status carved into their surface. The plaque above the door that I'd just walked out of read: "Project: Solar Guard – Subject: Zero." Then something hit me, an absence that I had, somehow, failed to notice until now. Where waseveryone? When I had first fell out of that tube, I had a feeling that I was alone—the thought of other ponies being here didn't even cross my mind. But why? Where did everyone go? I fell back onto my flank and slammed my hooves into my temples. This didn't make sense! I knew things, but didn't. It wasn't like I completely lost my memory, rather that they were being suppressed. I took a moment to try and figure out what was actually in my head. I know that I'm an experiment. I know that I was part of something called: "Solar Shield," something requested by the princess herself... Wait, princess? Celestia was the princess of the sun... But, how did I know that? I groaned, frustration finally taking it’s toll as I let out a groggily scream of anger. All of my confusion and anger had finally broke the dam that had been holding them back, and I let out another loud scream… which was soon accompanied by the sound of shifting metal. I removed my hooves from my temples to reveal that the vents on the ceiling weren't actually vents, by turret mounts. I stared down the hallway, eyes wide, as several dozen turrets pointed their barrels at me. Before I come react, however, and loud mechanical voice echoed throughout the hall. "Intruder identified, please identify or be eliminated!" “Uh…” I mumbled. “Ambitions?” It was a longshot, as I doubted they would use the same code twice, but it was better than saying nothing… right? The sound of the turrets magical blasts charging up immediately stopped, to which I let out a sigh of relief. Damn, I can’t believe that actually work– "Override denied,” the voice boomed out, cutting me off. “Access restricted to God Tier, prepare to be eliminated." The turrets resumed charging, followed quickly by a practical wall of magical blast shot my way. I closed my eyes as my brain told me to run, but my body didn't comply. Instead, I felt a warm, tingling feeling resonate throughout my body, starting from my hooves and making its way up to my muzzle. The feeling of metal resting against my skin soon replaced, this, followed soon after by an empowering wave of energy. My body reacted again without my consent as I jumped to the side, the magic bolts melting the floor where I was just standing; the urge to run was replaced by the urge to rip those turrets out of the ceiling! I ran towards the nearest turret, somehow managing to block the incoming fire, the magical beams bouncing off my body as if they were nothing. With a mighty leap, I slammed my hood into the turret, making it explode in a series of magical sparks. I rolled out of my landing and ran towards the next turret. I continued to move from turret to turret, dodging the magical blasts before ending their existence. When the hall was finally silent, I looked back at the carnage in my wake; crushed turrets and sparking mounts. I felt a feeling of accomplishment... followed then with more confusion. I looked down at myself, raising an eyebrow when I noticed that I was now wearing some sort of... knight styled armor. The plating was mainly white, with streaks of gold lining most of the edges. The multi-plating was rounded, and was much lighter then I would expect for full body plating. Actually, I could barely feel it at all. But, before I could inspect it further, my body began to tingle again. The armor around me started to glow, then sections began to slowly float off and detach themselves. They twirled in the air around me, orbiting me like a satellite, before folding in on themselves. The folded sections then began to flow brighter, disintegrating into golden flakes that preceded to be absorbed into my skin. I stood there, confused and more than a little creeped out. Okay… maybe this was the experiment? I thought. They had created armor that was not only extremely durable, but also light as all hell… maybe I was a supposed to be some sort of super soldier, seeing as how I completely wrecked those turrets. But, then again, they didn't seem that hard of an opponent. The strange feeling of knowing, but also knowing, returned… This was gonna get annoying. Kicking one of the turrets with a hoof, I walked forwards, watching the sparkling piece of arcane design roll harmlessly away. With one last look, I turned and returned walking down the hall, intent on searching the rest of this floor for clues. But, once again, my search was cut short as just about everything started shaking. The walls hissed dust, lights flickering as they struggle to stay on. The robotic voiced returned, blaring a warning message. Instinct kicked in once again, one I had still to learn the origin of, and I ran down the hall as fast as I could. I didn't know where I was going, or where to go, but running seemed like the only option, at this point. The tremors continued to grow louder and more severe as I continued my sprint,the floor buckling and cracks spider-webbing their way along the once pristine walls. I kept my course strait, only turning when straight wasn't an option. My lungs burned as the world around me shook, red lights flashing and alarms blaring. I didn't know what was going on, or even where I was going, but standing and trying to figure that out seemed like the worst thing right now. After what felt like an eternity of running later, I reached a slightly large room that deviated from the usual white and blue color scheme. The front of the room had a large hydrologic door, large Pistons holding it in place. As I skidded to a stop inside of the room, dust falling from the cracks spreading in the roof, I searched around for some sort of control panel. I spotted a large desk with a large amount of buttons and dials, and figure that was what I was looking for. To my delight, button to open the door wasn't actually that hard to spot; the big, red one in the middle seemed pretty obvious. I pressed the button as another larger tremor shook the building, this one I was guessing originated from the door’s opening mechanism. It took all of my concentration not to fall over, to stay on my hooves, as my world shook violently. The door itself shook as the hydraulics slowly creaked it open, to which I didn't wait for it to fully open all the way, jumping through it as soon as it was wide enough for me to fit. As I landed on the other side of the door, the usual feeling of a metal floor beneath my hooves was replaced with the soft "crunch" of dirt. I didn't dwell on this, and chose to continue running, scrambling to my hooves as I darted forwards. I only got a few meters away from the door before a loud “bang!” assaulted my ears; the world around me slowly fading to black. I don't know how long I was out, but I eventually came to. My vision was white, my ears were filled with a horrible ringing, and my everything hurt. I let out a groan of pain, trying to put a hoof to my head. When it didn't, I looked down in horror at the large slab of rock that pinned down my left hoof. My eyes widened, heart racing as I feared the worse of my crushed limb. But, my fears faded to relief when I noticed the nice, cold feeling of metal against my skin, and not rock—my armor surely saving my limb from certainly being crushed. Instinctively, I reeled my free hoof back and slammed it into the slab, the metal-plating taking the brunt of the blow. Small spiderwebs of cracks spread across the rock, much to my delight. I hit it again, and again, and continued my pounding until the rock finally split, sending chunks in all directing. I got to my hooves and inspected my freed hoof—the armor didn't even look scratched! Just as I was about to check out the rest of the armor, there was a familiar tingling feeling as my armor, once again, floated before dissolving back into my skin. Oh, come on! With a sigh of annoyance, I dusted myself off, my head craning around as I checked my surroundings. Behind me was a large mountain; a large cave that had once been carved into it recently collapsed. Recently fallen rocks lay all around me, burying the entrance to wherever I had just been. “Well… looks like I'm not going back there anytime soon,” I muttered sadly, my hopes of figuring out the misery of whoever, or whatever, I was trapped beneath a wall of stone. [Continue more] I ran towards the town. The sounds of screaming and smell of smoke assaulted my senses. My instinct was to ask somepony what was going on, but that was quickly thrown out of my head as I heard a soft scream exit the burning building to my left. Without though, I ran towards the building. The building looked like a rough, two story apartment of some sort. The door was blocked by a burning beam that must've fallen from the top of the building. I began to look for a different entrance, before I hear the scream again. Flaming splinters flew everywhere whilst massive wave of heat licked at my body as I crashed through the door. I looked left and right, trying to find the source of the scream. The floor I was on was completely covered in flames, smoke filling the ceiling. I laid low as I searched. I was began to cough as I found a set of stairs leading up to the second story. I ran up the stairs, more flames erupted from the wall. Once I reached the top of the stairs, I took a deep breath. "Where are you?!" I yelled, hoping for a reply. My fears that I wouldn't get a response vanished as I hear a soft, almost whisper of "help" coming from somewhere in front of me. I instantly ran towards the sound of the voice, before I found it. Below a slightly charred table was a little orange filly. She stared at me with wide eyes as I approached. I leaned down, trying to get eye level with the little one. "Don't worry, I'm here to help," I whispered, trying to calm the frightened filly. She shook her head, curling up into a ball. I could feel that the filly feared me, why, I didn't know, but I could feel it. I bit my lip, the reached down and grabbed the filly by the back of the neck and turned towards the stairs. There was a loud crack as a beam above the stairs broke, blocking my way. The filly in my mouth squirmed, screaming as loud as she could. I turned and looked for another exit, before I hear a crack below me. My eyes went wide as the floor below me began to collapse. I instinctively began to run for the only exit I could see: a window. The stinging pain of glass digging into my coat assaulted my senses, followed by the pain of those shards being forced deeper into my body from my impact to the ground. I groaned, releasing my grip on the filly that I had cradled in my hooves the second I jumped. I looked her over, noticing that, although she would certainly have minor burns and smoke damage, she seemed okay. I smiled, relief washing over my body as I stared at the clouded sky. My vision shifted, however, when the barrel of some sort of rifle suddenly filled my vision. "Get up, slowly..." a gruff voice suddenly spoke up, the owner, I figured, being the one pointing the rifle at me, and my theory was confirmed moments later when the barrel was poked at my face, again. "Get up!!!" I sighed, surprisingly calm considering I had a gun pointed at my skull. I slowly shifted my hooves, the pain of the glass shards shifting in my back spreading up my spine. It hurt, but I could take it. I got my haunches, and turned to face whoever pointed the gun. To my surprise, I had more than one gun pointed at me. Actually, a lot more than one gun. About twenty ponies in total, all either unicorns or earth ponies, pointed various firearms at me. The pony who had told me to get up was standing at the front, seemingly in charge of the group. He was a red unicorn buck, his mane a dirty brown and his cutie mark one of a bow tie and a top hat. Weird cutie mark, if you ask me. The buck stared at me, murder in his eyes. "You! Before I kill you, would you mind giving the citizens of my town an explanation to why you set it on fire," he commanded, poking his rifle into my head. I raised an eyebrow. "I… didn't? Look, I just got here, and I don't know who did do this, but it wasn't me." I didn't, right? I didn't remember lighting a fire, but with the day I've been having I couldn't rule out the possibility. Anyways, my response from the stallion was that of the butt of his rifle being slammed into my skull. I stumbled back, putting a hoof to the wounded area. "Lier!!!" he screamed, cocking the bolt of his rifle before pointing it back at me. "I saw you, we all saw you! You came down from the mountains. We thought you were just a traveler, until you killed our guards and started torching our houses!!!" The buck's rifle trembled slightly, and I was worried that it was going to go off. "You ruined our town, and we want to at least know why before we kill you!" He tilted his head at the look of horror I have I'm in return. What? Had I reallydone that? No, I couldn't've… could I? Maybe… maybe that was what I was: some sort of killing machine. I slumped my head, pressing it into the Buck's barrel. If that was what I was, I needed to end myself before I hurt anyone else. "Do it, kill me... I don’t want to hurt anyone else." The buck took a step back, honest shock filling his features. It only took a moment for him to recover, and I felt the cold steel of his barrel press against the top of my skull. "No!" a young, gravely voice screamed out, followed by audible coughing. I lifted my head, seeing the little orange filly I'd saved run to the front of the group, panting. Soon after, a mare, who appeared to be his mother, picked her up and tried to pull her back. The filly screamed, scrambling out of his mother's grasp and running up to me, latching her hooves onto my leg. "No, don't kill him! He saved me, he couldn't be the one who did this!!!" she screamed, making the stallion in front of me take a step back. I sighed, running a soft hoof threw the little pony's head. "I know I did, little one, but if they said it was me… then it must've been me. I… I don't remember doing this, but I also don't remember much…" I bowed my head. "I don't wanna hurt anypony else…" The filly looked like she was going to cry, her eyes watering as she stared at me. I felt bad for her, but I knew this was what needed to be done. I was a monster, a failed experiment that even I don't know the full details too. I could be dangerous; I was dangerous. For some unexplainable reason, the thought of my hurting somepony felt me with a deeply seeded sickness, as well as an almost physical pain. I know that feeling bad is normal, but this was something else entirely. "His cutiemark, his cutie-mark!!! It's different!" Huh? I raised my head, getting a clear view of the estate filly, jumping up and down, her hoof pointed forwards. I followed her hoof, and saw the golden sun and shield still on my flank. "No, it's the same," I responded. Suddenly, the stallion with the rifle spoke up. "I’ll be, she's right, it is different." Wait… what? Okay, now I was confused. “What are you talking about?” I asked. The stallion put his rifle down, to which the rest in the crowd followed. "Yer cutie mark is different than the one who burned our town; that stallion had a sword instead of a shield.” He shook his head. “Damn, I almost executed the wrong stallion. He sure as heck looked like you, same color and everything, but definitely a different cutie-mark. Sorry about that, and what this filly said was true, and you did save her life, we should be thanking you." “Uh… Okay?” I was unsure, the entire situation just adding my seemingly non stop confusion. But, I decided to push that aside for the time being, focusing on the present. The stallion offered a hoof, to which I took as he helped me to my hooves. “There ya are,” he began, nodding. His head then turned to the rest of the town. “Alright! This here stallion is not the one we’re lookin’ for, so please don’t kill him,” he began, to which they nodded and began to disperse. I took the time to dust myself off again, then reached back and began to pull the glass shards from my back. It stung, and I winced, but it didn't quite hurt as much as I had expected. “Damn, you’re hurt,” I heard the stallion speak up, to which I raised my head to meet his gaze. “Here, let me take you to our town’s Doctor—she’ll be happy to patch you up, as it was her daughter you saved.” I nodded, following the stallion and he lead us through the town. Now that I wasn't focused on fire, nor getting shot, I was actually able to give the place a good look over. The houses were all roughly put together shacks, their supports, walls, and roofs made of seemingly salvaged materials. It wasn’t much, but I couldn’t help but admire the ingenuity that had taken. “As you can see, our town isn’t much, but we’re getting there!” the stallion spoke, his words filled with pride. “Oh! I almost forgot!” He stopped, holding out a hoof to me. “My name is Top Hat, the mayor of this town, Summerville!” I shook the offered hoof. “Nice to meet you, Top Hat.” He stood there and stared at me, seemingly waiting for me to say something. I cocked my head to the side. “What?” “And you are?” he said, trailing off the question. Oh… but who was I? I didn’t really know a name, and the only thing I knew for certain was that I was Subject: Zero, not exactly the best thing to call myself. But, on the other hoof, I did have to call myself something. “Zero,” I spoke, deciding it was as good of a name as any. “Call me Zero.” “Pleasure to meet you, Zero! Sorry we couldn’t have met on better terms, but you understand our predicament,” he concluded, turning and resuming the trot. “Come along, now. Don’t want you to bleed out in our streets.” I nodded in agreement, following him. My back still hurt, each step just grinding the broken glass deeper into my back, widening the already gushing wound. It wasn’t long after that when we made it to what I figured was the clinic. It was one of the larger buildings in the settlement, easily double the size of the average house, but the most discerning difference was the cobble-together Ministry of Peace logo on its roof. Ministry of Peace… now that was something else that was familiar… The mayor strolled into the front door ahead of me, immediately screaming. “Hacksaw! We got another patient for you!” “Hacksaw?” I asked, making sure I heard her name right. “On second thought, I think I’ll do it myself…” “Don’t let the name fool you, dear, I am excellent at what I do,” spoke a mare as she trotted into the room. Her coat was pink, her mane a light blue while her cutiemark depicted a bone and saw. Yeah, that wasn’t helping. The mare trotted up to me, noticing the shards sticking out of my back. “Yikes, I need to get those out a.s.a.p!” She turned and pointed to a cot. “Lay on your stomach there while I go and get my tools.” I was hesitant, but I did as I was told and trotted over to makeshift bed, brushing off the fact that it was covered in dried blood. Just don’t think about it… I slowly lowered down, resting myself on the lumpy material. I then closed my eyes and tried to let myself just rest for once, the whole… however long it’s been since I was, uh… woken up? had been a complete drain on my mentally and physically, to which I embraced this moment of quiet. “Oh, it’s you!” Well, silence broken. I turned slightly to spot the filly from earlier, bouncing lightly a few feet to my right. I chuckled, only able to smile at the adorable creature. “Yeah, it’s me,” I began. “How’re you feeling?” She stopped bouncing, letting out a stream of coughs. I winced, at the sight, feeling horrible that a filly that young had to deal with something as painful as smoke damage. Soon, she stopped her mini coughing fit, wiping her mouth. “Not that good… my chest hurts to breath sometimes, and I cough a lot…” she began, her head held low, before perking back up. “But! Better than if you hadn’t saved me.” She gasped. “Oh! I never thanked you! Uh, thank you!” I chuckled, reaching out a hoof and patting her mane. “No problem, kid.” “And thank you from me too,” I heard the voice of the doctor call out, her outline coming into view, balancing a bag of medical tools on her back. “I don’t know what I would have done if I lost her.” She stopped to nuzzle her daughter, pushing her back with a hoof. “Now you run along now, Mommy has to work.” The filly protested, but obeyed her mother’s wishes, trotting out of the clinic, giving me one last wave before exiting. Hacksaw shook her head, putting down her bag. “I really do appreciate what you did out there—not many ponies in the wasteland would risk himself for somepony they didn't even know.” She shook her head, reaching into her bag and pulling out a pair of tweezers in her maw. “Which begs the question: why did you?” I felt her lean over my back, and could feel as she began to pull out the glass shards, dropping them into a metal pan besides the bed. I winced with each pull. “Well… I don't know,” I admitted. “I heard somepony in trouble, so I helped out; doesn't seem like something that should be all that shocking.” The mare chuckles. “Yeah, you would think, but most ponies these days don't have that mindset, which makes me think you are not from here.” She stopped to pull a larger shard from my back, one that my eyes went wide as I saw it clink into the metal pan. “So, where are you from, then? Stable?” Stable? “No? I don't think so, at least. To be honest, I've only been awake for a few hours now, and I can't quite remember anything other than that.” The mare stopped, dropping from my back and looking me over. “What do you mean ‘awake?’” she questioned. I shrugged, not sure how to explain it any other way. “I mean just that: I just, well, woke up. The earliest thing I can remember is being toppled out of some sort of tube… thingy, and after that I was in some weird laboratory or something.” I shrugged. “Soon after that the entire place collapsed, and, well, I came here after that.” The mare looked me over cautiously, and curiously. “You came from the mountain?” she question, sounding doubtful. “Everypony we’ve sent to try and salvage from that place almost gets killed by it’s damned security system; even after three hundred years that thing is still kicking.” She trotted back and resumed pulling the glass from my back. “It sounds to me like you were one of the unlucky pre-war ponies to be subjected to some sort of weird experiment.” She pulled the final piece from my back, reaching into her bag and pulling out a bottle of some shiny liquid. “I wonder what they…” she suddenly paused, taking a step back. I raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?” I asked, looking up to see her gazing at my back with a mix of wonder and shock. “I… Uh… N-nothing!” She began, rushing forwards and pressing her hooves hard into my back. “I can fix this!” What? She can fix what? And why was I feeling… Sleepy. My eyelids slowly began to get heavier, and I looked back to see a practical waterfall of blood dripping down from where her hooves pressed into my back. The mare was frantic, trying to stop the bleeding as she reached into her bag. I tried to watch longer, but it was getting harder to hold up my head, and I felt it slowly lower to the mattress, my eyes closing as I could feel the embrace of sleep call to me. Blissful sleep. “Shit, fuck! No, don't you bleed out! Fuck!” “Oh… Crap, not another artery. Fuck! Where are my fucking tweezers!” “Okay… That seems to have stabilized… Wait, no!” I could only listen as I was slowly pulled from the grip of reality, the world fading to black… For the second time since I had awoken, I opened my eyes from the embrace of unconsciousness. Luckily, this time I didn't feel anything crushing me, nor the cool metal feel of my armor, so I took that as a good sign. With a groan, I opened my eyes, only to close them as an irritating sting spread up my spine from my back. I grit my teeth, letting the feeling run it course, before fading to a dull throb. When it was manageable, I opened my eyes again and looked around, seeing the darkened interior of the clinic. I also looked around me, spotting several empty blood bags, bloody gauze, and bloody, well, everything. If what I remember was correct, the ‘good doctor’ had pulled out a shard that had been severed a major artery, and since I was still alive I could only imagine that she had been able to rectify her mistake before I bleed out. With another groan, I tried to rise to my hooves. I was shaky, but still able to get up. My back hurt, my head hurt, but it all felt like a dull throb, at this point. Well, more than that, but it was still manageable. Apparent I had been loud enough to get somepony's attention, as the sound of hooves across wood trotted my way. Soon, Hacksaw entered the room, her eyes going wide at the sight of me as she rushed over. “No! Get back down on that bed right now! You’ve lost a lot of blood and you shouldn't be doing anything right now!” she commanded as she tried to shove me back onto the mattress. I complied. “Okay, doc.” The mare calmed once I returned to the mattress, her worried expression changing to relief. “Thank the princesses you’re awake—from how much blood you lost I feared you had slipped into a coma.” She blushed. “Sorry about that,” she added. I shrugged. “No harm done…” I winced, a wave of pain filling my body. “I hope…”
[Eyes of Judgement] Original.[Fo:E - The Lessons We Learn] Lesson: 1 - Luck never Lasts Fo:E - The Lessons We Learn By: Michael A. Lesson: 1 - Luck never Lasts “The road to ruin is paved with good intentions.” When you live as long as I have, you tend to learn a few things. It's not just the information you learn in school; science, math, history. No, you learn a lot more about life, lessons that can only be taught and fully comprehended through experience. But, there eventually comes a point when these lessons, these experiences, eventually all fade together, the next just being a variant of a previous one. Day to day becomes routine, uniqueness of each day slowly rotting away like the skin on my bones, and through all of the lessons I've learned, one in particular has always stood out. It was always there, it didn’t take me more than one lifetime to discover it, but it took years upon years for it to finally sink in, and become undeniable. That lesson: everything will eventually come to an end. As I wander through this land day in and day out, I do not traverse without the fear. I know fear, more than most. Fear does not disappear with age. Honestly, age only clears the fog of ignorance about fear. I know fear, I know of death. I have seen their power, of death and fear, and watched as one, the other, or both has taken countless ponies away from me. I have accepted that my time will someday come, that I will eventually join those that have been taken away from me, but that does not mean that I will go willingly. Whether it is because fear what comes next, or simply the fact that I am a coward, I still fear death. I have heard stories of the thought of immortality, myths of being that could live forever. They are all just that, myths. No matter how hard you try, not matter what you do, death will always follow, and he will eventually come for you. Everything that has ever been, and that can ever be, always will have two things in common: a beginning, and an end. Nothing truly lives forever. Some may live on longer than others, but even they will eventually come to an end, dying or slowly fading away into nothing. Our princesses, once thought gods, died. Our old ideas of peace and harmony, well, that died too. I will die, you will die. I have walked with heroes, ponies and other creatures alike, who have achieved feats thought impossible, sacrificed their greatest gift of life so that others may live on, or simply selflessly devoted themselves to an idea, a concept, that was greater than they were, for the good of far more than themselves. They died. They have all died. I've watched heroes die for a belief, then watch as that belief slowly died just as those who created it. I have held love ones who I have made promises too, and then watched those promises eventually fade away as they had. Friends, family, even ponies around me; I have watched them all die. I am not a hero, I am not a villain. I merely exist. I will not save the Wasteland, nor will I destroy it. I will only wander this hell-trotted land, my purpose forgotten, my fate erased. The only thing that keeps my body from falling down and joining the fate of the dead, is my fear of that day. My name is Silver Lining, and these are the lessons I have learned. My hooves trot carelessly against the cracked asphalt, the sound of them clopping against the weather worn surface breaching the dead silence that surrounds me. I look up, my tired eyes scanning the long since covered sky. It’s daytime. The only way that I even know that it's day is because of the small, fleeting bit of light that manages to penetrate the thick cloud blanket that lays over my head. The concept of day and night has slowly lost meaning since the fateful day I became a ghoul… the day the world ended. My new, mutated body has lost the need for sleep. Most think of it as an advantage, never needing to stop and rest, always being able to be alert, but I know better. Losing the ability to sleep means that I have lost the ability to dream, the one time that I could truly escape the reality of the day, with the comforting embrace of the night. Now, I am forced to accept what my life, and our world, has become. My pace slows as I glance back, watching the scampering shadows of entities that wish to remain unseen. I return my head forward and shake it as I let out a long, raspy sigh, my rotting vocal cords garbling my once gruff voice. My hooves stop completely, my body standing still in the middle of the ruined streets of the once beautiful city of Chicacolt. To be honest, I wasn't in the mood for this. I was never in the mood of this. My will of simply ignoring my stalkers had finally come to an end. There was no use in running from Raiders, even when you are only walking. I pivot on my hooves with practiced ease, the seemingly empty street behind me coming into full view. "Next time you try to tail somepony, to leave the twitchy one behind," I speak aloud, just loud enough for my unwanted traveling companions to hear, but not enough to attract the attention of anything else. Soon the sound of hoof meeting head, followed soon after with a cry of pain, breach the quiet atmosphere, and giving me the general direction of where my stalkers were. As tenacious and brutal as Raiders can be, intelligence has never been on their list of strengths. I had honestly lost track of where they were a few miles back, but their predictable nature made it easy to discern. After all, there's always a twitchy Raider. Eventually, after a few more minutes of silence, two stallions jump out from behind an overturned skywagon, their hobbled together armor coated in blood and gore. The one to the right had a coat of a dirty green, his main too dirty and stained to discern a proper color. The other one was orange, his mane somehow still yellow, though barely. A rusty cleaver and spiked board held in each one's mouth respectively. I committed their faces to memory, just incase. "Bounty or sport?" The green one turns to face the other. "Rotty’s got a price on ‘is head?" That answers that question. I was always curious to see if anypony had put caps on my head. It's not like I went around giving ponies reasons to, mind you, but the Wasteland doesn't always need one. The other one Raider shrugs, his red-tinted eyes flickering from side to side. Looks like he was the twitchy one. "I-If he does, t-that just means that we have to k-keep his head in one peace!" His eyes flickered to me with murderous intent. I gave them my most intimidating stare, kicking my duster aside to reveal my holstered .44 magnum strapped at-the-ready on my front hoof. "Tell me your names," I say, ready to draw at any minute, just incase one of them decided to be jumpy, which Raiders usually were. Both Raiders looked at each other, before shrugging. The orange one spoke up first, showing that he was the dominant of the duo. “Well, rotty, t’name’s Skull Crusher, and t’s here’s Blood Bath.” “Very well.” I nod. “I will only warn both you stallions once, and advise you to back off.” Once again, Blood Bath and Skull Crusher turn to face each other, this time laughing as they turned and began to advance towards me. I shook my head. Why can't Raiders just give up? The Skull Crusher lunges at me, his cleaver dangerously close to me as I take a step back, to dodge the dangerous swing. My instinct kick in, ingrained reflexes from years of practice. I lower my muzzle with incredible speed, bring up my right hoof to meet it halfway. My jaw clamps down on the gun’s bit, and I pull it out of its holster. My aim is automatic, the iron sights lining up with my target with almost no effort. My tongue twitches, the hairpin trigger firing. My vision went red, the Raider's head disappearing in a red and white cloud, blood, bone and brain flying everywhere. I watch through the red haze as the rest of the Raider’s body falls lifelessly onto the ground, skidding to a stop at my hooves. I waste no time and point my gun’s smoking barrel at the remaining Raider, who had stopped his charge upon seeing his friend’s head reduced to mere smoke. "Leave now, boy," I mutter through the bit. "Don't made me do this again." The stallion stood there in shock, probably trying to process what had just happened. Finally, he shook his head, switching back to reality. He reaches down to pick up the nailed board that had fallen from his slack-jaw, intent of trying to finish the job his friend could not. But, he doesn't get to it, though, his head exploding in a cloud of red spray and brain matter as his lifeless body joins his friend on the ground. With a flick my head, the chamber of my .44 opens, ejecting the two spent shells. I reach into my ammo pouch that rested on my side and pulling out replacement rounds, reloading the trusty revolver and returning it back to it's leather sheath on my front hoof. I take a deep breath, wiping some of the brain matter that had gotten on my duster off before turning to face the bodies of the recently departed. I made sure I could remember their faces when they were still attached to their body. I could practically see them standing in front of me when I closed my eyes. I shook away the thought, and went to work looting the corpses. Blood Bath and Skull Crusher. Two more to the list. I had managed to salvage a small amount of of caps that the twitchy one had been carrying, along with a bit of scrap metal that I could salvage from their armor. I could’ve gotten more if I sold the armor outright, but I never liked selling Raider armor. Only one type of pony would actually buy it, and I didn’t want to aid the ponies who always tried to kill me. I thought it common sense, but I appear to be the only one to realize this. Once I had picked the two clean, I wiped my bloody hooves clean on one of their barding, then turned away to continue my journey. I had been on my way towards a little trading town in the northern edge of Chicacolt before I had picked up the two unwelcome shadows, planning on restocking supplies once I had arrived; ammo, healing potions, and materials to repair my barding. The sound of my hooves trotting against the cracked earth and the overwhelming silence returned, and I found my mind slowly drifting off into space as I resumed my journey. This was common for me; my body running on autopilot as I traversed the wastes. I had been around just about everywhere in the Chicacolt area, wandering around the vast city ever since the megaspells fell. I knew the city forwards and back; where the settlements were, the locations of common Raider dens, ambush points, areas of high radiation, and so on. I had also been able to watch the city evolve as time went on. I watched gangs rise and fall, ponies who called themselves ‘heroes’ try and ‘save’ the city from the blight of evil, moments of peace, moments of violence, and so on. All the while I had just watched, never participated. My war ended a long time ago. Over the years I had evolved as well, both in appearance and in mind. My body rotted, but my mind stayed sharp. Years of practice and experience had trained both my reaction time, and instinct. I could spot danger before it happened, almost as if I could sense it. This was what allowed me to live for so long, survive the dangers of the Wasteland that I called home. I knew where it was safe, and I knew where it was dangerous. I avoided danger, steering clear of it the best I could. Some call it being a coward, but I call it being smart. I had already fought my war, ‘dying’ for my country, so I felt my service had already been fulfilled. My appearance had also evolved over the years, constantly changing as I better adapted to the land around me. My barding consisted of an old, worn black duster, modified with armor plating sewn into the lining, with a matching black cowboy hat. My decayed skin was wrapped from muzzle to hoof in a thick layer of greyed bandages. My face was almost fully covered, only my muzzle and eyes free from their tight grasp, my glowing orange eyes peeking through my hidden appearance. The holster for my .44 was tightly latched to my right front hoof, my faithful gun resting in its grasp, while a sleeve for my combat knife lay on the left. Two more holsters were strapped respectively to my two hind hooves, my spare twin .44 revolvers in their grasp. On my back lay my saddlebags, the right side organized to hold everything I would need on a moment's notice; unspent ammo, reloading materials (primer, lead, and powder) and spent shells in their respective pockets, while healing potions, my journal, and other items I needed quick access to were organized in much the same fashion. The left side was much less organized, holding my salvaged and other bulk items I didn't care to keep easily accessible. Around my neck where the dog tags I had been given when I had served in the equestrian army; a solemn reminded of the like I once had. Time passed relatively, hours feeling like mere minutes as I continued along my well established route. With no need for rest, and fatigue never making its presence known on my mutated body, travel had become a mindless experience for me. Although my mind wandered, my senses remained sharp. Never did I let my guard down, a crippling unease filling my body the moment I did. My focus returned to reality, my conscious mind taking control as my unconscious receded. I look around and take in my surroundings, the sigh of northern Chicacolt coming into view. This had once been the residential district of the city, home to most of the natives of the city. Now, however, it was a ghost of it’s former glory. Long since abandoned apartment complexes, and the toppled remains of buildings line the street. The once well maintained road now lay in ruins, cracked and ravaged by the damaging effects of time. Empty sky carriages and other forms of transportation lay sporadic along the road, remaining in the same position since the bombs had fallen. And then, there was the bones. Bodies were a common occurrence in the Wasteland. Charred remains of long since dead ponies killed from the original blast, or new one who had joined them in the hell that followed. I stepped over the skeleton of a unicorn, it's gender and identity unknown. It was always better to not think of them, to just ignore their existence. Pain and sorrow only followed when you focused on the dead. And princess know there is already enough of that in the Wasteland… I shook my head, banishing the thoughts from my mind as I returned my focus to the road. I snaked my way through the particularly dense area of fallen skywagons and cartridges, briefly looking them over for salvage. They were empty, just like last time I had passed them. Once I made it free, the first signs of my destination came into view, the far off view of ‘The Hive’, coming into view. The hive was a trading hub made from connecting four adjacent residential complex set out in a square pattern. The complex had been established about seven years ago, and slowly grew to the economic giant it was now. If you needed anything, anything, you could find it here. It was called The Hive because it was like a little colony, almost completely self sufficient. In more ways than one, it was impressive. I continued forwards, the distant shadow of the trading up growing as I got closer. Soon, I found myself staring up at the front gate, twin automatic turrets following my approach from their mounted positions. The entrance consisted of a large, hoof made metal door connected between two of the closest towers. Above, walkways and platforms jotted from the sides of the quad buildings, some on their own while others adjoining. Even from outside I could hear the buzz of life from beyond the metal barrier, the same sound that had given the place it's name. “Hey! You there!” I looked up, focusing on a blue unicorn stallion poking his head from behind the gate, a rifle held next to him in his magical grip. “State your business, or get shot!” It appears that they got a new gatekeeper. “Here to restock and trade,” I said plainly, trying my best to hide the gargle of my ghoulish voice. The stallion seemed to regard me for a moment, his rifle still pointed directly at my head. “Well… you seem harmless enough,” he began, putting the gun down. “Okay, you’re in. Just remember: you break the rules, you get shot.” And with that, the stallion’s head poked back behind the gate. It was a few moments before I heard the rumble of the gate’s opening mechanism, the hobbled together system groaning as the large double doors swung open, allowing me entrance. My hooves guided me past the threshold. Even after all the other times I had entered the hub, it still took my breath away every time I endered. The entire complex cut off from the outside by large metal walls built from building to building, leaving a ‘plus’ shaped area. This walled off space consisted of several shops and merchants set up around the commons, ponies from all parts either peddling or buying goods. In the center of all this stood a crudely put together honeycomb made from scrap, the official symbol for the hive. Looking up, I got a view of the many breakouts from the buildings that held more shapes above, as well as several rentable areas and sleeping corners for the locals. Quite a feet of Wasteland engineering, I had to admit. The layout of this area was a little different than the last time I had been here—some shops had moved, or closed, while others took their place. Because of this, I couldn't rely on memory for where I had to go to get my required supplies, instead having to search to find what I needed. I passed several shops as I trotted forwards, all food based. It amazed me how many different things you could do with the mutated remains of the Wasteland. Too bad I didn't need to eat. I kept moving, passing several other stores of no interest until I found one I was looking for. I stopped in front of a shop that was actually inset into one of the four building, making it easily the largest in this layer. Above it was an actually well designed sign that read, ‘Point and Shoot’. Simple name, but served it’s purpose. Inside way a vast array of different types of weaponry; everything from beam rifles, to single shot repeaters sat on hooks hammered into the wall. I payed them no mind, as I already had the loadout I needed, and instead heading towards the caged off counter in the center of the store. “Hello?” I called out into the seemingly empty cage, peaking into the interior. “One moment~!” I heard a sing-song voice reply from somewhere beyond, and soon a light blue unicorn trotted into view from the back room connected to the cage. She trotted happily, her mouth in a content smile as she approached the small opening I guessed was for transactions. “Welcome to Point and Shoot! For all your pointing and shooting needs! I’m Kind Shot, what can I get you?” she asked, her voice filled with more mirth than you usually saw in a Wastelander. “As much .44 rounds you got,” I spoke, reaching into my scrap bag and pulling out all the weapons I had managed to salvage and placed them on the counter. “And whatever I can get for these.” The mare regarded the weapons closely, pulling them through the small hole with her magic. One by one, she checked each, all but completely disassembling them before moving onto the next. “Hmm… Well, for two assault rifles, three 10mm pistols, one double barrel, and two landmines I can give you about…” She tapped a hoof to her chin. “Two hundred caps.” I inwardly sighed, hoping for more. I wasn't much of a barterer, so I didn't question or try to haggle. “And as for .44 rounds. Buddy, you have quite a taste in weaponry, my friend,” she began, trotting back to her back room and returning with a few ammo boxes in her magical aura. “Most expensive bullets I sell besides the 50 cal. But, to each their own.” She shrugged, putting them on the counter in front of me. “Subtracting what you get from your trade in… And at five caps a bullet… and one hundred and thirty bullets in total… you owe me four hundred and fifty caps!” she finished, an all to happy smile on her muzzle. I practically flinched at the price. I had the caps for it, don't get me wrong, but I had expected it to be, well, cheaper. I reached into my bag and pulled out a few bags of caps. I tossed them through the opening and waited as she counted every single one of them. Once she was certain I payed correctly, she passed through the ammo. “There ya’ go, another satisfied customer!” she spoke happily as I put away my new ammo. “And I don't mean to be rude, but… what’s up with the rags?” I latched my saddlebag and turned to the mare. “Burn wound. Didn't quite heal right, so I just cover it up.” It was a lie, but not everypony was friendly to ghouls. The mare winced. “Yikes. That explains the voice then.” She shook her head. “Anyways, that was all. Thank you, and come again~!” I nodded my thanks, then turned to leave, but stopped. “Actually, I have a quick question,” I began, turning back towards the mare. “Do you know where I can get barding repaired?” The mare nodded, pointing a hoof upwards. “Two floors above me is a shop called ‘Wasteland Attire’ run by a mare called Quick Seme. She should be able to do any repairs you need.” I nodded my thanks, once again turning and heading out for the shop. A few turns later and I was heading up a set of staircases to the second layer of the hive. Here there were more formal and permanent shops that had been made in converted apartments. They varied from restaurants to specialty shops. Finally, after trotting over one of the bridges connecting the current tower to the next, I made it to Wasteland Apparel. The shop was relatively large, taking up two appartments connected when a wall had been taken down. Everything from prewar dresses to combat armor were displayed on mannequins displayed all around the shop’s interior. I trotted past a few of them, just browsing until I found the owner. The owner was an extremely tall unicorn mare with a white coat and a dark red mane. She trotted around her store, mingling with her customers. She eventually spotted me and gasped, galloping over to me and stopping. “Oh, my! You poor dear,” she began, her words filled with drama. “You are an absolute fashion nightmare with those bandages! Here to find something to help cover them up, I hope?” I shook my head. “No, just need a patch job,” I said, pointing to my duster. “The plaiting needs replacing and there is a few holes I would like closed if you could.” The mare let out a sigh of disappointment. “Ugh, fine!” she began with an emphasized sigh. “That’ll be fifty caps for the patch job and another hundred for the replacement metal.” My eye twitched. “Oooor, you could buy some lovely new armor for half the price that would look much better–” I took off my duster and placed it at her hooves, fishing out the required amount of caps and throwing them on top. She lets out a sigh, picking up the duster and caps in her magic. “Find… It’ll be ready in about an hour. You can wait in the seating area if you want.” I nodded as she took my armor away, trotting over to a corner with a few pre-war cushioned chairs. I trotted over and sat in one, placing my saddle bag besides me as I used the time to rest my bandages. I felt naked without my duster, the armored garb had become more of a second skin then just clothing. With a soft sigh, I leaned back and waited, counting the cracks in the ceiling. An hour passed by like nothing, floating past like a rapidly increasing tide. I eventually got my newly repaired armor and thanked the mare, who had once again tried to convince me to choose something else rather than continue to use my duster. I declined, again, and headed out before she tried again. The next couple of hours had been spent going from stall to stall restating all the supplies I would need. I was a wanderer in all aspects of the word. Throught the years I had traveled from here to there, no distinction in mind, and no purpose. To be honest, the only thing that kept me going was my fear of stopping. I knew what happened to ghouls who lost their purpose; they went feral. Their minds decayed like their skin, becoming practical zombies whose only purpose was to kill and feed. I feared this happening to me, but I also feared dying. So, I nearly wandered from place to place, restocking what I needed before moving on. Once my saddlebags were full with what I would need for the next several months, I wandered around the entire complex. I didn't buy anything I didn't need, as I hated wasting caps, but still found simple joy in just looking at what the Wastelanders had managed to create. It was dark when I had finally toured the entirety of the complex from top to bottom. Shops were closed, and the locals headed off off to their respective homes located at the top of the four towers. Not having the need for sleep, but also not wanting to head out during the night, I ended up sitting with my back against the Hive statue in the middle of the bottom later, my eyes closed as I waited for the time to pass by, and for the day to arrive. About a few hours after The Hive had turned in for the night, I opened my eyes as I felt an uneasy feeling start to build. I raised my head, my glowing eyes scanning the area. I was alone, as far as I could tell. The closest soul I could spot was a guard resting peacefully at his position above the front gate, rifle gripped tightly in his hooves. What was it? Through years of experience and trotting this Wasteland, I had managed to gain a sort of sixth sense for sniffing out danger. It wasn't anything magical, more of my mind just got used to the small signs that something bad was gonna happen. And I was getting one of those feelings. Sadly, this sixth sense didn't exactly tell me what it was that was wrong, more of that something was going to go wrong. It was my job as the conscience mind to figure that out. I rose to my hooves, my ears perking up. I could hear something, something distant. It was almost like a faint, high pitched whistle, one that grew louder and louder. When I finally recognized what that sound was, I was too late to react. Pressing my hooves into my ears, I embraced myself. Boom! I felt the concussion wave slam into me as I was thrown backwards, slamming into the statue. My head spun and I gritted my teeth through the growing pain originating from my spot of impact. I open my eyes, the world spinning in a blur of color and sound. I look down, seeing the blurry outline of my holstered weapon. I lead down to grab it, missing three times before I finally feel the bit held tightly in my maw. I draw the weapon, pointing it out straight. There is more than just one blur, many blobs of pony shaped mass flood my vision. I aim towards one, then another, my mind reeling as I try to figure out what to shoot. I hear a muffled, ringing scream, and spot a blur running straight at me. I click the trigger with my tongue, the blur haunts its advance as it falls to the ground. I close my eyes, trying to focus myself. When I open them, my visions is much clearer, but part of me wished it didn't. Raiders. I almost lost my grip on my weapon as my jaw all but drops. Floods of blood covered, frenzied Raiders flood in from the now melted point where the gate had once been. Ponies who I had seen shopping the day before, or making stalls were now fighting for their life. Hot chunks of lead fly in all directions, and I duck just in time to avoid one colliding with my skull. I breath a sigh of relief, but my breath is forced out of me as something slams into my side, sending shockwaves of pain reverberating up my spine. I cough, spitting up black icor. This is enough to final jump start my brain, allowing me to finally act. I scramble to my hooves, picking up my dropped revolver, and bolt forwards. I fire off two shots, one striking an approaching rider right in the neck, the other connecting directly into the shoulder of another, ripping the limb from its place. One plus two is three. I dive out of the way as another Raider wielding a cleaver swings his deadly blade at my head, his momentum causing him to stagger. I take this opportunity and buck with all my might at his head, sending him down for a second time. My hind hooves barely touch the ground as they rebound off the ground, spinning me to face the Raider. I send one shot off at his head, the bullet splitting it in two. Three plus one is four. The air is filled with the sound of combat; screams of pain, rage, and bloodlust mold together in a discorded choir. Bullets, beams of magic, and sharpened weaponry fly through the air, each aimed with the intent to kill. My agile hooves and years of experience allow me to glide through the battlefield, dodging the deadly debris with practiced ease. My tongue clicks and two more time my revolver goes out, a blood stained Raider falling before it could strike the final blow on a fallen local, his body falling limp as the blood of his victims in joined with that of his own. Four plus two is six. I holster my revolver, kicking out my left spare and snatching it in my maw. My movements had lead me to the far corner of the mini warzone, pushing me again the farthest wall from the remains of what had once been the gate. I fire off two bullets at incoming attackers, one barely hitting one while the other misses. My intents wasn't to kill, just distract so I could dive for cover behind a nearby stall. Zero plus two is two. I take a ragged breath as I am momentarily free from the fight, taking the chance to survey the damage I had sustained. On my right side, just behind my saddlebags, I saw a torn hole in the recently mended fabric, the metal plate beneath dented from the impact of the bullet. I send a silent prayer to the princesses that I had commissioned my armor replaced, as if I hadn't I most likely would have a large hole in my side. My attention returns to the situation at hoof as I feel someone vault over the cover I was using. My head turns and my revolver lines up perfectly between the eyes of a pony I had recognized from earlier when I was wandering around The Hive. Blood soaked her once pink fur; how much of it was hers I couldn’t be sure. Her eyes go wide, the fear of death showing through her terror filled eyes—a pleading fear that would only show when one knew they were going to die. And she did. I watch helplessly as a stray bullet from the fight pierced straight through the wooden stall and travels cleanly through her head. A red spray puffs out as I watch the life drain from her eyes, and then she was gone. I didn't have time to mourn, nor react. I through myself to the ground as more bullets followed, slicing up my cover as if it had been nothing. Splinters of wood and bits of metal rained down on me as I pressed myself as far as I could into the ground. I felt several bullets ping off of my hind metal plating, with at least one or two managing to miss and dig straight into my hide. I hissed, holding back a scream of pain as I felt them tear into my skin, embedding themselves underneath. I had to move. My current cover had become useless, and as soon as the spray had stopped I hopped up and began to dash away. My flank burned from hot metal still inside of my flesh, but somehow still functional adrenalin and my will to survive pushed past the pain as I strafed forwards. I fired three shots, one I know hitting true in a Raiders flank, while I lost track of the direction of the other two. Two plus three is five. I dodge the strikes of several frenzied Raiders, one managing a few hits on me as his nailed board made contact with my skin. Pain flares up again, and I send my final bullet into his hind hoof, causing him to fall, weapon rolling from his reach. Five plus one is six. I toss my spent revolver into my saddlebag and reach down with my mouth for my combat knife, removing it from its sheath and plunging it into the neck of the wounded Raider. Blood squirts front the wound and covers my bandage-covered face as death slowly overtakes him. I remove the knife and scramble forwards for the nearest cover, spotting the gun store I had bought from earlier. I jump on practiced hooves and I bounded over to the shop, sliding to a halt when I reached the interior. The war continued to rage outside, and I had to press myself against the closest wall to avoid incoming fire. My body hurt, my entire right side throbbing from puncture wounds and the bullets still inside of my skin. I carefully reached down and returned my knife to its place, immediately grabbing my remaining revolver from its holster. My chest heaves, bringing useless oxygen into lungs that no longer require it. I poke my head out, surveying the carnage so far. Piles of dead and pools of blood fill the once busy bottom layer of the hive. Raiders with Chem fueled rage strike down the defending towns ponies, while they strike back with all they could. The majority of the corpses I could see lacked hobble together armor and weapons of torture and rage, signaling that the invading force was winning. I poked my head back behind cover, closing my eyes as I tried to hold back processing the situation at hoof. I needed to focus on survival, and only that. A Raider carrying a bloodied sludge hammer slides into the shop, stopping mere feet away from me. His weapon drips with the essence of his most recent victims, and his eyes hold the promise to add mine to the mix. I ride my revolver, but once again it wasn't me who caused the death of the pony within my sides. His side explodes with a piling of shotgun pellets, his unarmed side flaying open from the force of the impact. Blood and skin peel from his skin as he falls dead, his eyes still staring at me with the same murderous intent. I turn to the source of the blast, spotting the shopkeeper I had purchased from earlier quickly reload her combat shotgun with practiced ease, a practical constant stream of shells floating from her ammo bag into the weapon. She pulls back the lever and reproving a her gun at the entrance, but her eyes turn to me. Her hooves raise up as she motions for me to come to her, to which I immediately react on. I dive forwards, leaping over the counter and through a newly opened hole to the caged off area behind. I roll out of my landing and back onto my hooves, sliding to press my back against the back of the counter. I enjoy a moment of peace, taking in as much of the momentary feeling of safety as I could. My head swivels as I turn to the light blue mare, watching as her weapon held in her magical glow fires round after round into the combat area beyond. It lowers only when it clicks empty, reloaded almost instantly by the stream of shotgun ammo she also guides with her magic. “You! You have any idea of how this happened?!” she asks in a panicked array of words, her voice missing it’s mirth and joy from earlier. I go to speak, but cough up some more black icor before my mouth would cooperate. “Balefire egg,” I begin with my scratchy voice. “Blew the gate and they just swarmed in.” The mare’s eyes go cold, her weapon pausing as horror spreads across her features. “How the fuck did Raiders get a Balefire Egg launcher?!” she screamed, her fire continuing. “I can't even get my hooves on one; how can a group of chemmed up freaks get one?” I shook my head. “No idea. You know where they came from?” We both flinch as we hear an explosion go off somewhere close to the entrance to the shop, most likely a grenade or mine from the sound of it. “They look like the gang that hangs out in the subway tunnels a not far from here,” she begins, putting down her shotgun and picking up a landmine with her magic. “We’ve known about them for years, but they'd never manage to even get passed the main guns before, let alone mount any kind of assault like this.” This was troubling. Raiders were bad, but they were stupid and loosely organized, losing most of their effectiveness as a hole. But, get them working together, and even a small den can become an almost unstoppable wave of drug fueled psychopaths. The mare tossed the mind over the counter, then primed three more and threw them aswell. “This is bad, really bad,” she began picking back up her shotgun and resuming her spray. “We’ve never prepared for anything making it past the gate… I mean, nothing ever had!” She shuddered. “We’re going to die…” I wanted to argue, to voice hope, but I knew deep down there wasn’t any. I had been in some tight spots before, times when survival seemed impossible, but even they seemed tame compared to what what happening now. I looked to the mare, her eyes showing her hidden fear as she fired the hot lead over the counter. She was brave, I could see it. She feared death, but she still faced it with a fist full of iron, and fight in her heart. I shook my head, smacking myself back to reality. Now wasn’t the time to give up, nor falter. No, now was the time to fight like hell! Revolver clenched in my teeth, I poked my head over the counter. The fight beyond came into view, and I focused on the closest Raiders I could spot. Two puffs of smoke, and two more fell. Zero plus two is two. I ducked back behind cover, covering my head as a wave of bullet sent waves of shrapnel over my head as they impacted the wall behind me. It was too much, too much to try and focus on at once. This was a blitz attack, a Raider special. What they lack in brains they make up for with volume and brawn. If I had to guess, there was about a hundred or so towns ponies when this had begun, with at least double that pouring in from the opening. Now, there was probably only twenty or so of us remaining, facing a force of at least a hundred. I continued to poke my head over the counter and fire, sending bullets flying into the closest Raider. Two plus three is five. Five plus one is six. Reload. Zero plus four is four. Four plus two is six. Reload. My cycle continued, sending out bursts of bullets out before retreating behind the slowly shrinking cover. The mare at my side did the same, her shotgun throwing an almost constant stream of lead forwards. I poked my head out again, this time to survey the damage. I could see towns ponies barricading themselves inside of their shops, sending out burst attack just as we did. Raider of all sizes either charged with their melee weapons, or fired from during a frontal assault. They didn’t hide, nor seek cover. They charged, hoping to get our blood on their hooves. It was a horror show. Taking my eyes off the Raiders only allowed me to look at the growing dead. Bodies littered the streets; ponies I had passed the day before now lifeless husks on the ground. I had seen death, I was used to death, but it still never made it any better. I felt a tug as I was pulled back behind cover, shrapnel from one of the mines impacting all around the back wall. I took a moment to come back to reality and slowly rose to an upright position. I hissed, reminded of my shredded hide as more pain crawled up my spine. “Thanks for that,” I begin as I raise my head to properly thank the mare. “Can’t believe I forgot about the… mines.” I went silent. No words escaping my lips as my eyes make contact with the mare who had pulled me into her safe haven. “I feel… cold,” Kind Shot mutters, her shotgun falling from her magical grasp. She looks down, the bleeding hole in her chest filling her vision. “Why am I so… cold.” She slumps, her body going limp. I dive forwards and catch the mare, holding her as he eyes struggle to stay open. Blood slowly drips from her mouth as she chokes up breath, her eyes never leaving mine. I lay her down and press my hooves into the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. “I never thought dying would be so… cold.” No, you’re not dying. I reached into my bag and pulled out a healing potion, dripping the potion directly onto the wound. It slowly heals, knitting together before my eyes. But, to my horror, it’s not fast enough to keep the river of blood from constantly leaking out. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it! I hated death. It was a haunting finality that seemed to plague the Wasteland as a whole. Death was natural, but I had yet to seen a natural death since the bombs fell. Killing was one thing; it was easy to disconnect yourself from the deed and justify your actions. But, holding someone as the life drains from their eyes… well, that was something else. My hooves only did so much to slow the bleeding, and even after three potions I saw no improvement. She died. Her eyes glazed over, and the spark that lives inside all living things disappeared. Gently, I laid the mare down, closing her eyes and crossing her hooves across her chest. She looked peaceful, almost as if she was sleeping. The room shook again, more wooden and metal chunks rained down on me. Another mine had exploded, leaving only one left between me and the Raiders. This was just supposed to be a routine restock, grab what I needed and get out. But, I guess my luck that had lasted 183 years had finally ended. I pulled out all three of my revolvers, quickly reloading them and laying them on the ground in front of me. Three revolvers. Six rounds each. Eighteen bullets before I had to reload. I wanted to take eighteen of them down with me. Grabbing the first one in my mouth, listened to the battle outside. I could hear screams from the towns ponies; some coming from layer above me, and others from outside. With one last moment of hesitation, I jumped up from behind the cover, and my mind went into full instinct mode… Five clicks of the tongue, five screams of pain. In rapid succession, five bullets fired from my revolver; two hitting home in Raider’s heads, killing them instantly; two digging themselves in the armor chests of two others; and one bouncing harmlessly off one’s heavily armored hide. This gets their attention: a large mass of blood covered Raiders rushes the shop, their weapons ready for my blood. Five plus one makes six. My final bullet fired from my gun, and I take cover. An explosion rings out as my bullet sets it off, a mess of blood and limbs flying in all directions. I drop my empty revolver and pick up a fresh one, hopping back up on the counter. I fire three shots, all missing a Raider strafing in front of the store, his almost foaming mouth makes be believe he’s high on jet. I curse to myself, aiming for his center mass. Two more bullets, one making contact with his hide and causing him to fall. I fire the last one, half his head exploding in a plume of white. Then, I was tackled. While focusing on the last Raider, I had let my guard down, using all my focus to hit his snakelike path. I collided with the back wall, the stallion slamming me back. I try to recover, but he was faster. My eyes met his blood red ones, murder held deep within. His coat is red, weather from blood or natural I wasn't sure. He wore thick leather barding, spikes shards of metal driven into the material. Although, his front and back hooves were bare, I noted. The stallion lashed forwards, hooves connecting with my skull and sending me flying to the ground. I roll to my hooves, pulling out my knife from its place on my hoof. I react as fast as I can, diving forwards and slashing, making contact with his right hoof as he tries to defend himself. I expected him to fall, stunned by the huge gash in his flesh, but he doesn't even flinch. My eyes go wide, realizing that he was probably pumped full of some crazy Chem-cocktail, Buffout and Medex definitely included in the mix. “Think you’re hot shit, bandage?!” the crazed stallion chants, his eye twitching. “I'm gonna see how much blood I can mop up with those when I kill you!” He reaches down and picks up a hatchet (most likely dropped when he rammed me) and still seems to smile around it’s grip. “Time to die!” I dive out of the way as he gives his weapon a mighty swing, the deadly blade whizzing past my head. He turns and goes for another, but I’m more prepared this time and duck, lunging forwards and sticking my knife right into his neck. “Not this time…” I muttered, removing the blade as the Raider drops to the ground, choking and coughing on his own blood. Bang! Cold… it did feel cold. My hooves fell out from under my as I fell. When I hit the ground, I looked down to see black ichor dripping from a new hole in my barding, set just perfectly between my front and rear plates. I groan, trying to get back up, but I find my strength fleeting. My eyelids begin to get heavier, a foreign, long since forgotten tiredness washed over my body. Tired… so tired. I close my eyes, a smile crossing my muzzle as I allow my old friend sleep wash over my tired mind. My mind goes fuzzy, and thought begin to blur, and soon, everything is black. Pain. More pain then I had felt in a long time washed over me like a flood from a broken dam. I groaned, a tight, twisting pain radiated from my side every time I tried to move, while my entire right side and chest constantly throbbed with a pain inducing heartbeat. My dry and decayed throat let out another raspy groan as I opened my eyes, a wall of red filling the entirety of my vision. My head pounded, the world around me spinning the longer I held open my eyes. I tried to rise to my hooves, but stopped as the sharp pain in my side only grew the more effort I put in. Eventually, I stopped trying altogether, instead closing my eyes and letting my mind settle. After longer then I would have wanted, the world settled and my mind returned to its normal functionality. My eyes opened, and I craned my neck up to see what was causing the throbbing pain in my side. It wasn’t hard to spot, the combat knife sticking out of my hide hard to miss. Knowing it had to come out, I didn’t procrastinate and leaned my head back and grabbed the blade’s handle in my maw, biting down hard as I yanked it out. Black fluid slowly trickled from the newly created hole, while all of my willpower was spent trying not to scream. The pain was ridiculous, but it eventually faded to manageable levels as time went on. I layed on the ground for what could have been anywhere between a minute to an hour, staring up at the shredded remains of the ceiling that had once been the shop’s roof. I remember the fight, I remember the death, that much hadn’t been lost too me. The only reason, I guessed, that I was still alive had been that the Raiders had mistaken me for a normal pony, simply stabbing a knife into my side to make sure I was dead. That may work with normal ponies, but definitely not with ghouls. The pain eventually faded to manageable levels, and I attempted to get up. It took me a few times, but eventually I was able to make it to my hooves. Once I was sure I could walk without falling, I lifted my head and took a look around. Blood. This was what Raiders left in their wake; blood and dismembered corpses. The front of the shop alone was filled with the bodies of all of the Raiders me and Kind Shot had taken down, while the sight beyond was much more gruesome. It looked like they had some ‘fun’ before they eventually had moved on, as corpses of both dead Raiders and locals of The Hive were arranged in horrible positions. Body parts and entrails were hung all around the area like sick party decorations, while blood literally covered the entire ground. I shuttered at the sight; at the massacre. I removed my eyes from the rest of the carnage, busying my mind by giving myself a good look over. It was evident by both the pain and slow drip of black fluid that I would need a good radiation bath soon, if I wanted to live. To my surprise, most of my stuff was still where it should have been. By luck, I had been forgotten or passed over by the Raiders, as the rest of the place was void of the guns and ammo that had once stocked the shelves and hangers. It took some digging through the few bodies that laid around me, but I eventually also found all three of my revolvers, and ironically discovered that I had been stabbed with my own knife. I didn’t know how long I had been out, and I knew that, in my current state, I would be lucky if I could even take down a radroach. I perked my ears up to make sure that I was alone, listening for any signs of life. Silence. I let out a sigh, the silence being good because it meant I was free from Raiders, but also horrible because it meant that they were all dead. A once thriving community of traders was now reduced to a pile of blood and bodies. I didn’t know how this could happen, nor did I even want to think about it. I could feel the blood that had soaked into my bandage-covered hide, and it made me feel sick, dirty… wrong. Kind Shot. The mare that had died in my hooves popped into my mind. I looked around me and let out a sigh of relief when I spotted her body unmolested, still in the same position it had been in when I had laid her down for the first time. Tap… Tap. My ears perked up. A sound, so soft that I would have missed it if I wasn’t paying attention, whispered softly into the silent air of the dead city. My head turned, facing where I believed the sound had originated. I would have been paranoid, or it could just have been nothing, but from experience I had learned never to brush off anything. More than once had I almost died as a result of not paying attention to the creaking of wood, a stir in the temperature, or just a gut feeling. Slowly, I reached down and picked up my revolver from its holster, pointing the deadly weapon forwards. Tap… Tap. I heard the sound again, this time getting proper bearings on its location. From what I could tell, it was coming from the back room. I trotted forwards, my hind right leg limping with each step. Tap… Tap. I entered the back room. Boxes of recently looted ammo crates and gun lockers littered the floor of the storeroom, the care and organization the recently departed mare had put into the room destroyed. Tap… Tap. Now, I had a location. I stood in front of an unopened gunlocker, this one being the only one in the entire room that had been locked. Recent scratch and jab marks on the locker’s bolt revealed that the Raiders had attempted to open it, but seemed to have failed. Or… maybe they had been the one’s to lock it? Tap… Tap. The bottom of the locker shook, rattling softly. I quietly reholstered my revolver, then reached back and opened my saddlebag. After some rummaging, I pulled out a screwdriver and a few bobby pins. Arranging them with practiced ease, I stepped up to the locker and used a hoof to angle the lock so I could get to the tumblers. Tap… Tap. With the skill of a thousand locks picked, I heard the soft ‘click’ as the lock opened. I quickly put back my still usable pin and screwdriver, leaning down and grabbing my revolver. I didn’t know what I was going to find, and, at this point, I actually believed I should just leave it alone. But, my gut told me this was what I needed to do, and I never argued with my gut. I pointed my .44 at the locker, my hoof resting on the lock. I mentally prepared myself, stealing my focus. In one fluid motion, I kicked off the unlocked lock and threw open the door, my gun pointed directly at the inside. My eyes focused on the locker’s sole occupant: a twitching, blood covered Raider. I looked him over, studying his appearance. He was adorned with the normal spike-style one would expected on a raider, though this one seemed to have taken one heavy beating. Blood pooled at the bottom of the locker, and with how much there was, I didn't think this Raider had much time left. The monster of a pony cowered at my sight, trying to make himself as small as possible. “N-no! Don't k-kill me!” he pleaded, covering his head. “T’ others locked me in ‘ere ‘cause they t’ought it’d be funny.” I stared down the petty excuse for a Raider. I wanted to kill him, take out my anger at the massacre that they had committed at this sorry excuse for a Raider. But, before I pulled the trigger, a thought popped into mind. “Where’d you get the Bailfire Egg launcher?” I asked, figuring that I should get some information out of him first. He shuddered, and let out a wet cough. “Th’ gang found’d it when we looted some stable nearby.” Stable? Now, that was something new. I knew the locations of several stables in the Chicacolt area, but to my knowledge, all of them were still closed. “Where is it?” I asked, poking the stallion with the barrel of my gun. “I-it’s in th’ old metro station! Somewhere near tunnel… Nine, or somethin’!” he began, before stopping when he entered another coughing fit. Stable in the old Metro? Well, can’t say that surprises me, to be honest. Probably one of the control or specialty stables Stable-Tec was so famous for. I shook my head and returned my focus to the task at hoof. “What else can you tell me about this stable?” “A-all I know is that ol’ Green Hooves found the location at som’ ministry hub an’ ‘ad us storm the place!” “Are there any survivors?” The stallion nodded. “Ye’. Stable dwellers don’ know how ta figure fer shit, but the’ don’ give up eitha.” I nodded. This meant that there still could be some ponies down there. “Anything else?” The stallion shook his head. I let out a sigh and click my tongue, hearing the roar of my weapons as the Raiders head was reduced to nothing but blood and gore. A pang of guilt hits me at the act, but only a small one. I gave him the gift of a quick death, much more then he would have given me. I pop open the chamber, and reached into my bag for a replacement round. While I mindlessly reload the single spent round, I ponder over the information given. These Raiders had gotten the armament to actually perpetuate this attack from that stable, and Princesses know what else was down there. And the dwellers. My mind went to a dark place when I thought about that. These weren't normal Wastelanders, no, these were poor, ignorant ponies who had been assaulted by the worse this hell-trotted land had produced. What had transpired I couldn't only imagine with with horror and disgust. I knew what Raiders were capable with; the inside of that time seeped prison would be nothing short of a blood bath. I clicked the cylinder back into its place, and then slipped my gun back into its home in its holster. Part of me wanted to forget this information; be happy that I had survived and just leave, letting the horror that was today behind me and return back to my mindless journey. But, another part of me, one I had tried to crush for a long, long time told me to head to that Stable. I wasn't a hero, that I knew for sure. I wasn't some super pony who could bust in and save the day; cleansing the wasteland of evil. No, I was just a coward of a ghoul—one the fled from danger, and fought only for myself. I hadn't been able to save this town, surviving only from pure luck. Heroes died, and cowards survived. I shook my head, banishing my thoughts of heroism. I trotted forwards and out of the back room, my hooves on autopilot. But, I stopped when I reached the corpse of a single mare. She was still in her peaceful, sleeping position I had lain her down in the day before. It was strange to look down at a corpse of a pony you knew in life. I tended to distance myself from the ponies around me, and she had been no different. But, in life, she had been different then almost all that I had ever met in the wasteland. She had smiled. She hadn't been mean, or rude, or even angry at the world around her. No, she had been a single ray of hope; a sliver of happiness that had managed to escape the grasp of the wasteland. Well, for a while, that is. Now, she was dead; that spark that I had seen the previous day gone just like the life in her eyes. It was dead, she was dead… everything was dead. Except me. I shook my head, pushing back the thought that had begun to fill my mind. My hooves continued as I trotted over the corpse. I still had a limp from the still throbbing pain of my flesh wounds, but I continued forwards. I hopped over the counter and landed with a wince, pain shooting up my right sided. I hissed out a few curses, but otherwise remained relatively quiet. The rest of the stop was still filled with the remains of Raiders me and Kind Shot had slain; their bodies still remained where they had fallen. The walls that had once been fully stocked with guns of all caliber were now completely empty, all that remained were empty hooks. I kept trotted even when I exited the shop. Gore, mutilated remains, and puddles of blood filled my vision as I trotted forwards and into The Hive’s courtyard. The Raiders had their fun once everypony was dead, using their bodies as sickening decorations. I had seen this many times before, and had since been desensitized to the display. Over bodies and through the blood; past the cold corpses and mutilated bodies of ponies I had seen alive just yesterday; past carnage and death, I trotted forwards. I could see the sky fading to a dark orange, signaling the approaching nigh. My hooves guided me past the melted gate to the once thriving trading hub, and I stopped. I had two directions I could go, two different paths that would lead me towards two different outcomes. One, I could forget about this and continue on as if it had never happened. Or two, I could travel towards the stable and… what, take on an entire Raider nest by myself? I was wounded and barely had any information about what I would walk into. I let out a soft sigh and shook my head. What do I care? Why does the fate of a bunch of stable ponies, who are probably already dead, bother me so much? I shouldn't have cared. I should be able to ignore it like everything else since the world ended! I let out a snort, pressing onwards in the fading light of the cloud layer. It was getting dark, and even though Chicacolt was filled with dangers during the day, the real demons came out at night. I needed to get to someplace safe, somewhere I could heal and rest. I thought for a moment, then remembered a close by apartment building that I had used more than once as a rest stop. It had been a long time since I had used it, but it seemed better than nothing. Step after step, I trot forwards, making my way closer to my destination of relative safety. It wasn't that long of a distance, but with the burning pain in my side it could have been mines. After about ten minutes of limping later, I stopped in front of an old apartment building. Once, it had been home to over fifty families of the middle class. Now, however, it was a barely standing. Half of the entire building had caved in from the initial blast, while the other half suffered greatly from the hooves of time. I limped forwards, pulling out my revolver and holding it at the ready. I pushed past the main doors to the lobby, my eyes scanning the area inside. Besides the skeletons of long since dead ponies, I didn’t see any signs of danger. I kept my gun at the ready, though, just in case. I trotted into the lobby and up a flight of stairs located just next to the reception desk, the skeleton of what I would would guess the secretary still slumped over her desk. I limped up three flights of stairs, stopping every once and awhile. Eventually, I made onto the third floor. With practiced precision, I systematically went through and checked each and every one of the room, making sure they were vacant of any hostile life. Sometimes, I wish I had been graced with a pipbuck: a pre-war wrist mounted marvel of prewar engineering. It had all sorts of features that would make my life so much better, but finding one was almost impossible. Only stables were graced with such tech, and, as far as I knew, none of the stables that were located in the Chicacolt area had opened yet. Well, until recently, that is. Once I was sure that the floor was secure, I picked the room with the most impact furniture. The room I chose was what a small, two room apartment. It had a small kitchen, the contents of which scavenged years before, a couch, a chair, one bedroom and bathroom. The bedroom was useless, as the ceiling had given away, so that only left the couch. I dusted off the ancient material, patting it down and getting rid off as much of the built up dust and debris that I could. Once I was satisfied, I trotted over it the kitchen and shrugged off my saddlebags, placing them on the dust covered kitchen counter, followed by my hat and duster. I then unbuckled all three of my holsters and my knife and added them to the growing pile. I waited until I believed the kid was asleep before I began to remove the blood covered bandage that I had wrapped around my skin, wincing when I had to remove the ones that had been where I had been shot, stabbed, or other. Soon, a pile of blood soaked bandage lay on the floor, and I could feel the cool night air wash over my true boy for the first time in a while. Silver patches of fur dotted around my body, where it had decayed was just rotten flesh. My mane and tail, which had somehow to still remain almost completely intact. My flank still shown my cutie-mark, the one thing that didn’t seem to decay like the rest of my body. My cutie-mark was of a spray painted dark horizon with a single beam of silver light peaking past. I had been a graffiti before the war, if you believe it or not. I had been recruited by the ministry of image as a propaganda artist, spray painting images of hope wherever I could. It was a peaceful job, at first. But, as the war continued, I lost my inspiration and was soon fired. After that, I joined with the Equestrian army, and the rest is history. I let out a sad sigh as I looked away from the mark, internally scowling at the mocking symbol of ‘hope’ stuck to my flank. I stuck my muzzle into my bag and pulled out the materials I needed: irradiated water, a needle and thread, a single healing potion, replacement bandage I would wrap myself with once I was done, and finally my knife. I first grabbed the knife in my mouth, taking a few unneeded breaths before finally tilting my head back and digging it into my flank. I held back a scream, biting down hard on the handle. I heard a soft ‘plink’ as the first bullet popped out of my rotten skin. I took a moment to recover, then dove the knife back in as I went to work on removing the next two. Finally, after what felt like an hour, three black coated bullets lay on the floor. I held back a scream, as I didn’t want to let every Raider (or worse) know my current location. After taking a few minutes to recover, got out the needle and thread and began to sew together the larger gashes. It hurt, yes, but not even half as bad as the knife had. Once each of them had been sewn shut, I opened the irradiated water bottle and poured it all over my wounds. I let out a content sigh as waves of soothing cool washed over the areas that had until now one radiated pain. The radiation, though small, was enough for the wounds to start to heal. Radiation healed us ghouls, and it brought with it a wave of pleasure every time we basked in its warm glow. I also used the water as a makeshift bath, washing off as much blood as I could. Once that was gone, I then poured the healing potion over the wounds as well. It’s magic wasn’t even half as strong as it was to normal ponies, but it still worked. Finally, after all of this was done, I picked up the roll of bandage and rewrapped myself. I first started with my back hooves, then worked my way to my chest, and then my front hooves, and finally my head and muzzle. It had taken years of practiced to be able to do this without a mirror; the routine now becoming more like second nature rather than a conscience action. Once this was done, and I was now completely covered, I reattached my three revolvers and knife, first wiping the blade clean on the pile of used bandage. With myself now rewrapped, I felt a lot safer. As I had said before, ponies didn’t trust ghouls. Most thought we would go feral at any moment, while others just didn’t seem to want to acknowledge that there was difference. Because of this, I had to cover my decaying body, hiding who I truly was beneath layers of bandage. It was easier to lie and say the bandages were from a large burn wound, smoke damage resulting in my croaked voice. It worked, most of the time, and those who actually figured it out didn’t seem to care. I packed up my supplies in my saddlebags and laid it across by back along with my duster and hat and proceded over to the couch. I placed down my duster and hat on the floor and hopped up on the chair with my saddlebags. I sifted through them and began to take restock of what supplies I had remaining, and also guesstimating how much I would need for my new companion. Apparently a pipbuck had it’s own sorting spell that did this for you, but I didn’t have one so, like the rest of the Wasteland, I had to rely on memory and constant checks to know what I had, and what I needed. This was also the reason why the right side was so carefully organized, as many of the things I stored in there I would need in a moment’s notice. It wasn’t a flawless system, but years of tweaking and perfecting had gotten it to work as close to perfect as I could get. After taking inventory, I placed the bag on the floor besides me. I sat for a little bit, letting time roll by, but soon got bored and rose from my seat, trotting over to a nearby window. Through it I looked at the dark cloud layer above, sighing at the fact that I hadn’t seen either the sun or night sky in a long, long time. I used to love looking at the night sky, observing the beauty of the stars, but that all ended when the pegasi abandoned us to create their own safe haven. I hated pegasi for this. Not for abandoning us, but for taking away the nightly beauty that was the stars. I shook my head, pushing away old hate and returning to the couch. Again, I sat there for a while, ears perked up at attention as I watched the only door. I planned on staying here for the night, then head out for the closest highly irradiated area I could find. Sleep would forever elude me, so my entire time was spent staring at the closed door, daring for somethings to enter. Nothing ever did. Dawn came. Fleeting light peeked its way through the cloud layer and pierced the darkness of the night. I watched as a single ray of light shone through the broken window, slowly growing as the sun rose higher in the sky. I waited until the beam had made it’s way about halfway up the wall before I rose to my hooves, stretching my freshly wrapped body. It would take a little bit before the bandages would conform to my body, to which I would have to deal with the slight discomfort they supplied. My body still hurt, my right side still on fire from, but it was manageable now. I took a test trot around the old apartment, happy that I could now trott with minimum pain. I then made my way over and collected the rest of my stuff. I first slipped on my duster before I attached my saddlebags tightly at my sides. Finally, I reached down and picked up my hat, placing it snug on my head. Welp, time for me to get going, I thought, giving myself one last stretch before trotting over to the door. I nudged it open with a hoof, then preceded to trot down the hall and down the stairs, finally exiting out the lobby and into the cool morning air. Chicacolt. Once a bustling, busy city before the war, was now a ghost of its former glory. I stepped onto the cracked asphalt, my eyes scanning from side to side before I stepped out of the relative safety of the apartment complex. The city was filled with dangers; Raiders, the occasional Alicorn, gangs, and mutated creatures. But, despite them, life still thrived in the city. The Hive would be a substantial loss to the city's economy, but it would recover. Many more trading hubs and small ‘towns’ could be found sprawled around the city, and they would make up for the loss in time. Life goes on, it always does. I wasn’t sure of my next destination, as I didn’t have one. To be honest, I rarely ever had a destination. I was a wanderer, and that was what I did. From town to town, I traveled. I never really did anything. I didn’t like to fight, I didn’t like to stay, I didn’t even like being around other ponies. They only made me nervous, and even after all these years I could never be sure who I could trust. I was a lonely life, but it was still life, and not death. I shook my head, pushing back the tangential thoughts that filled my mind. Focus, I needed to focus! At random I chose a direction and began to trot. South, if my internal compass was correct. The street that I was currently on was originally a transition from the residential area to the business area. The buildings around me began to grow higher and higher, their piques almost too tall to view. I had to be careful trotting through this area, as it was known to house snipers that hid in the ruined skyscrapers, waiting to pick of an unsuspecting prey and steal their belongings. I was always constantly on alert, but now my focus was mainly at the sky. Another ten minutes or so of trotting went by without incident, the only thing that I had spotted was a scampering rad-roach. It wasn’t uncommon to travel this long without seeing anypony, as most tended to travel in larger groups, or simply remain in their settlements. It was safer, as there was power in numbers. My paced slowed as a staticy sound began to fill my ears; a familiar buzz that I had heard countless times before. I continued on and searched for it source, eventually spotting it. A single radio sat in the broken front window of an old electronics store, it’s power still somehow running. I trotted inside and up to the radio, flipping the dial and trying to find a station. I liked the radio, as it brought music and news from the ponies who had somehow managed to keep it running even after bombs fell. Eventually, the static cleared and a familiar voice filled my ears. “Hello, Wasteland! This is DJ PON-3, and how are y’all doing in this fine hell-hole we call home?” The voice was masculine and official. Soothing, almost. “Well, children, I hope it’s better than me. I just got news from Chicacolt that a group of Raiders just tore through and, well, raided the tradecenter called, ‘The Hive’. As if now, there has been no confirmed survivors, but I have hope that at least one of the town’s ponies managed to get out alive.” I sunk my head, knowing firsthand that his optimism was poorly focused. There had been no survivors, as raiders didn’t like taking ponies alive. They would sweep through like a swarm of locusts, destroying everything in their way before moving on. “Now, I don’t know where exactly these raiders are set up camp, but reports from the area show a rise in activity near the Metro system, so until somepony can deal with them, I suggest steering far, far away from that area. “Anyways, that’s all I have for you right now. Stay safe out there.” The DJ’s voice stopped, replaced soon after with music I had heard countless times before.
[Reconnection] Part: 1-3[Fo:E - Frozen Gears] Story Setup Fo:E - Frozen Gears By: Michael A. “Some secrets are better left buried.” There are many things in this world that surprise us. Sometimes they are events that happen without any formal warning, and end with a life changing event that will stick with us for the rest of our lives. Sometimes they are ponies who pop into our lives without warning, friends who you feel you could never live without, or enemies that you wish that you hadn't even met. And sometimes they are something that is so random, so shocking, and so overwhelmingly sudden that you don’t even know how to react, and just freeze. These types of situations happen a lot in life; things that happen that we don’t expect. Sometimes, they signal great change, for better or worse. And sometimes, these sudden and massive changes break us. And sometimes, they define us. “Stupid… no good… robotic… piece of crap!” I mumbled through the wrench I held between my teeth, foggy breath escaping from my nose. “‘Go fix they Sentry Bot,’ they said. ‘We’ll cover you,’ they said.” The air is freezing, a fresh coat of snow coated ground, and the sound of magical energy weapons and the roar of artillery filled the air. Yup, welcome to the Northern Equestria, where the temperature flutters between freezing and death, and the fear of freezing to death is second only to being shot. “Junk Gear! When you get that damned bot up and running, get your skinny plot over here and fix my auto feeder!” Boomed the amplified voice of my squad’s heavy (Heavy Hoof, believe it or not) from somewhere behind me. I groaned, rolling my eyes from behind my goggles before continuing to repair the robot. My head was currently neck deep in the maintenance panel of one of our Sentry Bot’s. The damned thing had stopped running, and our recon team’s Knight had decided that it was essential for me to get it back up and running. So, here I am, like the good little field engineer I am, trying to get the damned thing to reboot. Now, usually I don’t mind fixing these things. Hell, I actually enjoy it. But when one breaks down it the middle of a fucking firing zong, I have some issues. Beams of magical energy and burning hot lead wizzed passed me from all directions, some just barely missing me. It’s kinda hard to focus on fixing a pre-war piece of junk while, at the same time, trying not to get shot! The only luck that has been thrown to me so far is that the problem seems to be more software than hardware, so a simple reboot should fix it. “Just one more tweak, and…” “Sentry Bot, Online. Weapons system’s initiated. Threat level... Omega. Use of deadly force... authorized,” the Bot cried out as it whirred back to life, it’s minigun that had been dormant on it’s side beginning to spin up. “Time to die, Zebra skum!” I cried out in victory as I slammed shut the access panel on its back and jumped off in one fluid movement, running as fast as I could back behind the concrete slabs that the rest of the recon team was currently using for cover. After vaulting over the slab, I pressed my back against the cool rock, happy that I had several feet of hardened stone between me and incoming fire. “Oh! Gon’ run an’ hide, ya’ li’l cunt! Why don’cha come back ‘ere and have som’ real fun!” I let out another sigh. I freaking hate Raiders. Moments later I heard a loud “Bang!” followed soon after by a sickening “Crunch!”. From experience I already know that was our team’s sniper, Keen Shot, blowing the head off of the offending Raider. I smiled, letting out sigh of relief before wiping the sweat and grease that was caked to my once whitemane with the back of my hoof. Weather or not I was successful in cleaning anything was any ponies guess. “Hey, Junk, my auto loader ain’t gonna fix itself!” Smile gone. My body visually sagged as I let out another sigh, contemplating ignoring that oaf’s command. But, my the desire to not hear him complain when we got back to base won out as I pushed myself back onto my hooves. Not too far from where I was resting sat our team’s heavy gunner, who was currently tapping his hooves impatiently on the ground. He was a large, lumbering stallion that was easily three times the size anypony has the right to be. As it is we had to cram him into a specially-fitted suit of power armor. But, his size did add some advantages, mainly the fact that we could load him up with enough armament to make him a walking tank. On a tactical view, he was a force to be reckoned with. On my view, he was a large pain in the ass with a shit load of moving parts that I had make sure kept moving, or else he became even more of a pain in the ass! Two full sized mini-guns that were supposed to be mounted on a Vertibuck sat on each side of his armor, while a single, large caliber anti-personal rifle sat in the middle. I trotted up next to the stallion, tapping at the side of one of his armored hooves. He turned, his helmeted head staring me down. “Took you long enough!” he said, his voice slightly digitized. “Now get up there and fix the damned thing so I can start shooting again!” He leaned down, allowing me access to his back. I hopped up, wasting no time and began to troubleshoot his minigun’s autofeeder. It didn’t take me long to figure out that the issue was that main feed chain had become unhooked. “Damn it, Heavy. The damn chain got unhooked, again!” The stallion grunted, apparently not giving a crap about the logistics of his mechanical issues. I grumbled to myself. This is the third time this month I've had to do this! I think it’s about time I sat down our chapter’s head mechanic and reamed him a new one. After a few more internal curses and some growls of annoyance, I got the feeder back into working order and hopped off the heavy. “Okay, you’re good,” I said, dusting myself off as best I could. Heavy lets out an acknowledging grunt, before getting onto his hooves. He fired up his auto-feeder, the mechanism churning to life as it reloaded his side guns. He nodded, to himself, before jumping over the concrete barrier and charging headfirst towards the Raider nest. I shook my head, leaning down and re-wrapping up my toolkit, before tucking it back into its place on my wrist mount. (Which was a little thing I rigged up a while ago when I got promoted to field engineer.) It wasn't as fancy as a pre-war Pip-Buck, but it had a hobbled together clock and basic tactical functions (such as hacking and terminal interface), basic memory functions, and a compartment for all of my basic field tools. After making sure it was secure “Knight, Mellon,” I began, standing at attention and give him a salute. “I am here to report the sentry-bot is back up and functional and Heavy Hoof’s auto feeder is now up and running as well.” The Knight gave me a curt nod. “Good work, Mechanic. It seems like Heavy and Keen Shot have this pretty much wrapped up, so just wait around the extraction point unless something else breaks.” I nodded, saluting again. “Yes, sir!” /* It wasn’t long until we arrived back at our Chapter’s headquarters. We were currently stationed at Fort Fireside, an ironic name considering our proximity to Equestria’s northern border. Fireside was a modest outpost, not the largest of the Steal Ranger’s settlements, but far from the smallest. Before the war, this outpost was used as the command center for all of Northern Equestria’s guard posts, and acted as the home base for all Northern based operations. Considering most of the fighting took place */ I shrugged off my field uniform, which consisted of a light-weight leather barding with pockets for all of my tools and various equipment. I had designed it myself with the assistance of our armorer a while back, and I was really impressed with how it turned out. It provided as much protection as I needed and could hold all that I needed, while at the same time being agile enough to not impeded my movements. Ponies used to call me lazy because I didn’t have to partake in the usual training regimen, but they didn’t know how much I had to jump around and move. To be honest, I’m probably more fit and agile than half of our chapter. But, they don’t care. I am just the mare who they call when they break something. I carefully hung up my barding, taking extra care to fold it neatly. I usually wasn’t one for organization, as evident by my workstation, but I tried to be neat when I could. After placing it in its proper place in my locker, I trotted back over to my workbench, booting up my terminal to check my repair ticket que. “Only seven new tickets… sweet,” I mumbled to myself, a soft smile gracing my face at the easy workload. I opened the first message and began to read. “Hey, Junk, some of the terminals in administration are acting up again. The pompous asses requested new terminals, and I quickly responded with, ‘Are you kidding me?’ Anyways, if you could come up sometime this week and see what you could do I would be greatly appreciative. Head Scribe Quick Step” I smiled. Quick was one of the few that actually seemed to appreciate what I did. I’m pretty sure it’s because he’s the only other pony who works harder then me to keep this place from falling apart. I made a note on my wrist mount to check on the administration terminals as soon as I got time… Then made another note to finally give the thing a name. Junk Buck, maybe? I opened up the rest of the tickets and found the usual requests: “My ‘insert something’ isn’t working properly, get down here and fix it!” I sighed, logging the requests onto my wrist mount before logging out of my terminal.
[Fo:E - Solar Shield] Part: 1 V.1[A Soldier's Fight Never Ends] Story Setup A Soldier's Fight Never Ends By: Michael A. I awoke with a start, sweat dripping down from my forehead and down my muzzle. I looked down to see my hooves shaking, trembling. My breaths were quick, and I instantly began to try and slow both them, and my racing heart, back down to a steady rate. Another nightmare… This had, sadly, become a common occurrence. I thought that they’d stop now that I was back in my own country, in my own bed, but they didn’t. What made it worse what that my bed was too… soft. I felt like I was going to fall through it, straight down to the floor. All those nights of sleeping on the ground had gotten to me, and I found myself having to sleep on the floor most nights when sleep escaped me… and even when sleep did come, I found myself awoken in the middle of the night, or early hours of the day, in the same panicked, terrified state day after day. I calmed my breathing, and slowly pushed away the covers before sliding out of bed onto the cold floor. My hooves hit the floor with a muffled “Thump” and I immediately began to make my way to my bathroom. Once inside, I turned on the cold water with a hoof, and immediately began to splash some onto my face. The cold water helped to calm me down, and bring me back to reality. I turned the water off, and wiped my face with a nearby towel. Throwing the towel back into it’s place, I looked into the mirror above the sink, and stared at it. In the mirror was a dark green earth pony stallion with a black and green striped mane. The pony in front of me looked tired, and in more ways than one. I could see the pain in his eyes, and I could see the darkness he had caused. My hoof crashed into the reflection and shattered the mirror. Bits of broken mirror rained down from the force of my blow, some managing to fall into the sink, and others landing onto the floor below. I sighed, and began picking out the broken glass shards that were embedded into my hoof from the strike. I winced several times as I pulled out the shards with my teeth before spitting them out into the nearby trashcan. It didn’t take long to bandage my wounded hoof and clean up the glass. I had managed to contain myself from crushing any of the bigger pieces when the image of that pony stared back at me. I returned back to my bed and pulled off the blanket before curling up onto the floor. Unsurprisingly, I found sleeping on the floor better. It wasn’t that it was more comfortable, as I always woke up with a sore back in the morning, what made it better was that it made me feel more… safe. When I got comfortable, I got nervous. When I managed to let my guard down, I got nervous. It was the sad cycle that I had found myself in. That’s what my life had become, just a series for routines that I had to follow, ones that I myself had no play in creating… I laid on the ground for what felt like hours, continuing to question my existence. Eventually, the invisible hands of sleep graced me with their presence, pulling me into a dreamless slumber. I slept well that night, better than I had slept in a long time. But I know that won’t last. After all, tomorrow is another night...
[Fo:E - Solar Shield] Part: 1 V.2[We Will Live On] Prologue We Will Live On By: Michael Abell “Can everypony please take a seat so the council can commence?” the speaker of the house announced, his voice deep and gruff, easily distinguishable from the common banter that filled the Canterlot Castle meeting room. He was a large, slightly heavyset stallion with a bright gold mane and a dark grey coat. He spoke with precision and class, reflective of his high standing lineage—the same one that had allowed him to be elected to such high a position. The room that had been abuzz with idol chatter soon died down to a quiet whisper, all those in attendance quietly shuffled to their assigned positions around the large table that sat in the middle of the room. The room itself wasn’t overly complicated—standard decorations and designs that could be found all around the castle were present. However, it still was unique, with paintings of well established family crests hung all around the room; a large round table that lay in the dead center of the room with plush chairs lining its circumference. Nobles, generals, and other members of the Equestrian Elite were amongst those in attendance; along with several other ponies who held high standing in the Equestrian government. Among them -- currently sat in front of the large, stain glass window that depicted her own crest -- sat princess Celestia. The princess sat patiently, her hooves gingerly crossed in front of he. She carefully watched over all others in attendance, waiting for the meeting to truly commence. “All in attendance, members of the Equestrian Elite, we are currently meeting to discuss action and reaction to our recent invasion attempt,” the speaker called out from his seat, addressing all. “Those who wish to speak may now have the floor.” The table instantly erupted in a cacophony of voices: all trying to talk over each other; all molding together in a singular garbled shout; all drowned out by the rest. Except for one. “My little ponies, may we please discuss in relative peace? This is a big issue we are addressing, and I expect you all to treat it as such,” Celestia spoke with a calm, even tone. Her voice breached through the chaos, reaching clearly to the ears of all who attended. The room soon returned to silence, with some muttering quiet apologies. “Much better.” The solar princess nodded. “I know most of you are still shaken up by the incident, and I wish we could put this off until later, but an action must be taken. The sooner, the better.” A single, elderly stallion stood up upon the princess finishing, his golden armor clinking slightly. The stallion in question was General Crossed Swords, a hardened military veteran who had earned his title through his deeds when he served in the Equestrian Army. “Princess, if I may speak?” the greying stallion ask. Celestia nodded. “I believe that the best course of action will be swift, brutal retaliation. These… these monsters attacked us unprovoked—without reason. If they are so bold as to attack our capital city, I can only fear what they may have in store later.” “I concur with the General,” a noble spoke up, standing from his chair. “We must mobilize our armies and squash these vile creatures like the bugs they are!” The room erupted once again. Nobles, dignitaries, and military personnel either shouted their support, or remained silent. “Order! We will have order!” the speaker boomed through the cheers, the room descended into relative silence soon after. “With all due respect,” began another noble, “we don’t have the means to amass an army so quickly. Equestria has been in peace for over a thousand years. It would take months to mobilize an assault the simile of what you are proposing.” The aged general stood up again. “While we have few in numbers: the guard and standing forces at our disposal are well trained and more than capable of ending this once and forall.” “‘Well trained?’” a noble scoffed. “Our city was nearly seized within an hour with your ‘well trained’ forces on high alert!” A younger officer snarled at the noble. “We are not to blame for this! Our commanding officer was incapacitated under their leader’s spell, while our dear princess was…” He choked on his next words. “D-defeated. The resulting chaos caused our entire army to fall into disarray. We were swarmed during this hour of weakness and they took advantage of the discourse to overpower us.” Another officer stood up, his uniform showing his superior rank. “I agree with Officer Stall—under these odds we never stood a chance. However, now that we know what our enemy is, and the shape-shifting power they control, we will not be taken by surprise again.” Both officers nodded to each other in agreement, then both returned to their seats. Crossed stood up once again and slammed his hoof into the table. “What they lack in power they made up for with tactic; utilizing stealth and sheer volume to almost take down a greater opponent. But this is exactly why we must act now! Like us, their army currently lays fractured, their queen either dead or crippled by our Captain’s magical pulse. If we wait, if we delay, they could reform and mount another strike that we may not be so lucky to repel.” Nobles and dignitaries erupted in both cheers and jeers. Many agreed with the General, arguing that a swift retaliation was the only available option to end the threat and secure safety. Others believed that attacking would start a full scale war, only plunging the Kingdom into more strife. Celestia watched from her position at the end of the table, carefully listening and taking in all suggestion that were argued around the court. She pondered each and every one of them, thinking them through in great detail. But, one thing stuck out in her mind, an absence of a certain point: Mercy. She had known about the Changelings for countless years, their presence more then known to her. They were a reclusive race, preferring to remain in the shadows and away from conflict. She did not know where exactly the species resided, only able to pinpoint their origin to somewhere in the Equestrian Badlands. Actually, that was not completely true. Long ago, Changelings had posed even more of a treat then they did now. Their skill in stealth allowing them to infiltrate entire cities, draining them dry of their emotions then moving to the next. This lasted for many years, but eventually died down to the point where they faded from Equestrian culture completely, their presence only known through story and myth. And to her. She shook her head, pushing away her tangential thoughts. Their history was a subject for later, something she would recount in detail at a later date. With her focus returned, the princess’s thoughts soon lead her to not how to respond, but to contemplate the why. What had caused this quiet race to emerge from the shadows? Her thoughts were broken as the doors to the room burst open, shifting both her and the rest of the room’s attention from the issue at hoof to the unwanted intrusion. A large pegasus stallion strutted into the room—his armor dented, body showing fresh marks of combat. Two smaller, less built guards stood on either side of him, their forms just as worse for wear. One of the nobles stood up. “How dare you barge into a Council meaning?! Do you not have any respect for your betters?!” The pegasus turned his gaze to the offending stallion, snorting loudly. “I am here to report to General Crossed Swords and to him alone,” he commanded, his tone so fierce that it caused the outbursting noble to instantly sit back down, turning away to hide his fear. The General stood up at the mention of his name, and cleared his throat. “Commander Blood Wing, what news do you bring to warren this kind of interruption?” “I apologize, General,” Blood Wing spoke, showing his respect for the aged veteran. “I came to inform you that we were successful in tracking down a few of the bugs that had been expelled during the attack. After some ‘coercing’ we were able to weed out the location of their hive and also gained a plausible location of their Queen’s landing site. I have already taken the liberty to have dispatched team assembled and at the ready, pending your command,” the colossal Pegasus spoke, then adding, “I would also like to add that it appears that most, if not all, of their grunts were not able to survive the impact—we have yet to find one alive. Those who we have been able to capture have been commanders or high ranking officers in their army; a seemingly special breed of changeling that is tougher, more resilient than the mass of the swarm.” The room erupted in murmurs again, and the Speaker was soon to regain control of the situation. “Quiet!” he called out, pounding his hoof into the table. He turned his attention to the intruding pegasus. “Thank you, Commander, for your prompt relay of this development.” The pegasus nodded, gave a quick bow to Celestia, then exited, motioning with a quick gesture for the guards by his sides to follow. Once the doors closed behind them, all attention was returned to the Speaker. He cleared his throat. “The council with take note of these developments, and take them into account as we converse.” Crossed slammed his hoof into the table. “See?! Now is the time to strike! The mass of the attack was from drone, who we were just informed are all dead. Their defense is weak, their chain of command crippled, now is the time to strike! We may never get a chance like this again; it is now or never.” The Speaker turned to both Officers in attendance, who nodded in agreement at the General’s point. With all branches of the military in agreement, the decision could now be voted upon. “All who vote in favor of an immediate counter invasion, speak now.” The room erupted in shouts of agreement, everypony shouting in unison. Well, except for one. The absence of a certain voice caused confusion amounts those in attendance, all turning towards the offender. Celestia remained quiet at the end of the table, her face impassive, her regal mask stronger than usual. The Speaker of the Court spoke up. “Princess… Did you not hear the decision?” The white Alicorn remained silent for a moment, before sighing and shaking her head. “Yes, I have, and I did not voice my approval because I do not,” she spoke simply. The entire course muttered at this, confused by her decision. Crossed was the first to speak up. “Princess, if I may be so blunt, but why do you not agree with this decision? I believe the council deserves the right to know why their princess disagrees with an issue that is besides you unanimous?” Celestia sighed, nodding. “I believe that we should not make a decision until we know of the reason for attack. What provoked their sudden aggression?” Crossed rolled his eyes. “Princess, I do not wish any disrespect, but does that really matter? They assaulted our home, or capital, and caused the tragic death of many of our citizens, as well as our noble guard. I will be honest when I say I don't care about the why! Any creature who thinks they can attack my home, my country, must know that I will not take it sitting down. This must serve as an example for all that wish to cause us harm, let their aggression be the end of who would wish us harm!” He cried out, smashing his armored hoof into the table. The court erupted in cheers and stomps of agreement, voicing their approval of the General’s plan. As the frenzy started to die down, the Speaker spoke again, “All in favor?” All cheered once again, and then turned to Celestia. The alicorn princess remained in quiet contemplation, reviewing the situation over and over again. Finally, with a hesitant sigh, the diarc softly nodded her head…
[Fo:E - The Lessons We Learn] Lesson: 1 - Luck never Lasts[We Will Live On] Chapter: 1 We Will Live On By: Michael Abell The cool night breeze blew threw the silky hair of Drone 9836-12, a smile gracing his blackened muzzle. His body was relaxed, his mind at ease, boredom already setting him in a state of peace. The drone took a deep breath, taking in the soft scent of the night air. He was small for a drone, but he had never let that bother him… much. The soldier exhaled, opening his eyes and peering out into the vast wasteland that surrounded the hive. He enjoyed being outside, the stale air from inside the hive being replaced by fresh, clean air, and the feeling of the cool running down his black chitin and flowing through his holled hooves. It gave him the feeling of being free, being more than just one of the many who stood guard around the hive’s outer perimeter. He had liked the job at first, the feeling of serving the Queen for the better of the hive, but it soon became dull, repetitive, all meaning of honor floating away as the hours past by uneventful, his only source of joy was the feeling of the fresh air, and what little it brought. A gentle tap on his shoulder made Drone 9836-12 jump in surprise, his calmed trance broken, and nearly fell from the large cliff that was his sentry perch. Quick to recover, the drone first made sure to regain his footing, then turning to see who had, so rudely, frightened him. The slight hint of anger that had appeared on his features softened immediately upon noticing who it was. “Hey, 7345-10,” he spoke, his voice raspy, like most of the other drones. His lips curling into a small smile as realization struck him. “Here to take over my shift, already?” The other drone chuckled slightly, shaking his head. “No, you still have a few more hours,” he said as he sat next to the other drone. “I figured I’d keep you company in the meantime, as I have nothing better to do.” The smile remained on Drone 9836-12’s face as he sat down next to the other drone. After having stared at the vast, dead wasteland that surrounded the hive for hours on end, he enjoy having company. “Thanks,” he muttered, then returned his gaze towards the emptiness of the surrounding land. ZAP! Drone 9836-12 jumped at the sudden sound, which was accompanied by a blinding light. When the light faded, and his eyes readjusted, Drone 9836-12 gaped in horror at the sudden appearance of a large, burning hole that sat in the middle of the chest of his friend. The drone, in turn, stared at his wound with fear, then nothing as he slumped to the ground, unmoving. Drone 9836-12 scrambled to his hooves, and over to his fallen brother. It only took a moment for him to confirm that he was dead, then he began to run back towards the hive, intent on warning to other changelings. He didn’t make it far, as a twin, burning hole erupted in his chest. He fell to his knees, and stared at his wound just as his friend had. Then, he was gone... 3 Days earlier... Chrysalis walked into the large throne room of the hive, her steps echoing with the amazing acoustics of the room. The hive was located in a large cave; caverns and tunnels branching out in all directions. The walls of this section of the hive had been carved by many great changeling artisans who had changed the bare stone walls into depictions of beauty. Carvings of the past queens lined the walls, each with a nameplate below them. The roof consisted of many root-like carvings, all branching out from the large throne that sat in the middle of the room. The throne was a marvel in itself, being made from a rare gemstone that could capture and store the magical essence of love for eventual use. It also held a second purpose, showing the prosperity of the hive. The more energy the throne stored within its crystal architecture, the brighter it shined. Currently, the throne was almost completely dark, flickering only occasionally. The Queen stopped in front of the throne, letting her shoulders fall as she released a loud sigh, the throne that was once a reminder of power, now only showing the slow death of her hive. That large changeling shook her head, a sad frown plastered on her muzzle. The sound of hoof steps clopping against the floor resumed once again as the changeling queen made her way past her thrown, heading down one of the many hallways that branched off the center cavern. The path that lead to her living quarters. As the distance between her and the grand doors of her personal chamber became smaller, the sounds of laughter slowly began to grow. Her downturn expression curled upwards into a smile, her sadness momentarily forgotten by the soft cheers of joy. She soon made it to the chamber’s threshold, saluting the changeling drones that guarded the door. Their expressions were that of stone, their bodies mimicking statues as their only movements were to salute back. With a gentle push of her magic, the large doors opened with a slight creek. A large bed, bookshelves, and a large desk filled most of the room marked the only material items that were held in magically lit room beyond. It was simple, with a simple aura about it. It did not shine with the glamor that was usually came with royalty, but held a [Stopped here] , who was laughing and playing with one of the royal servants. The servant stopped playing with the pupa when Chrysalis had stepped in, and gave the queen a polite bow. Chrysalis smiled and waved for the servant to leave. The servant complied with a quick nod of her head before exiting. Chrysalis then turned her attention to the little pupa in the middle of the room. "It seems that my daughter has been enjoying herself, have you not?" Chrysalis spoke, using a gentle and caring tone that she reserved only for her daughter. Her voice sounded like many voices mashed together at once, and it was just that. Her voice was a mash between all of the changelings in her hive. The greater the numbers of the hive, the more menacing her voice got. But, she could still tone it down at times. The little changeling filly looked up at the towering queen and beamed, her smile running from ear to ear. "Mommy!" she squeaked, jumping up to hug the queen. Chrysalis smiled and hugged back, nuzzling her head into her pupa's mane. "It is good to see you, Aurora. Your laughter and happiness warms my heart," she said through the embrace. Aurora was small, her legs stumpy and her horn was still developing. Though, even with this, her magic was far more developed that expected for a changeling her age. Her mane was a mixture of red and orange and her eyes practically glowed a light pink. The little pupa was also more mature and intelligent for her age, but she still acted and played the part of a happy-go-lucky child. Because of her stumpy legs, Aurora only managed to wrap her hooves around one of the the Queen's front hooves. Aurora looked up at her mother, her eyes filled with childhood joy. "Momma, wanna play?!" she asked, hoping that her mother would agree. As of late, the small changeling had been seeing less and less of her mother, and when she did she was usually really tired and grumpy. But not today! Chrysalis looked at her daughter, staring into her puppy dog eyes. The queen sighed before chuckling slightly. "Alright, my daughter, I shall play with you," she said threw her chuckles, and her heart soared at her daughter practically jumped with glee. Aurora ran around her mother a few times, before taking a running jump, aiming for her mother's back. She didn't make it, only managing to jump half way up her mother's height. Before she hit the ground, however, she felt her body tingle slightly as she was grasp on her mother's aura, and lifted up into her mother back. Chrysalis released her magic from her filly, feeling her weight on he back. The Changeling filly shuffled forwards, and gripped her mother's mane with her hooves. "Giddy up, momma!!!" Aurora giggled, slightly kicking her hind hooves into her mother's caripus. Chrysalis, in turn, laughed and reared up slightly, before beginning to run around the room. Chrysalis played with her daughter for what seemed like hours, the laughter of mother and daughter filled the room and neighboring halls. Chrysalis always loved playing with her daughter, as it gave her a release from her duties of being Queen, and allowing her to forget her troubles, at least for a little while. But, her fun ended seemingly instantly from a single remark from her daughter. "Momma?" "Yes, Aurora?" "I've been really hungry lately..." Chrysalis' heart shattered from that remark, her playful smile instantly fell to a sad frown. Aurora saw this, and instantly ran to her mother and hugged her leg "I'm sorry, momma!" the little changeling cried, "I didn't mean to make you upset!" Aurora buried her head into her mother's leg and began to cry. Not soon after, she felt her mother shift before feeling her mother's front hooves pick her up and cradled her in her arms. The changeling queen rocked her daughter in her hooves, whispering soft, motherly coos to her daughter. It had pained Chrysalis to see her own daughter suffer from her failure to provide enough love for the hive. She had tried to give her daughter extra love to feed on, but there was only so much extra she could spare, even going as far as giving her daughter some of her own share. Chrysalis frowned, but almost immediately a soft smile perked up onto her lips. "Don't worry, love. Momma has an idea to stop your tummy from rumbling," chrysalis said, tickling Aurora's stomach, eliciting giggles from the little pupa. "I love you, mommy." Present... Insectoid screams echoed throughout the great walls of the hive—some of fear, and others of pain. The Royal Guard had penetrated the protective walls of the hive, and were making their way deeper and deeper into the hive. As they went, most of the guards captured any changelings that didn't attack. Those who did, were silenced without prejudice. But some of the guard were still angered by the Changeling’s assault on canterlot, and simply killed every Changeling they saw, regardless if they posed a threat. Magic blasts and changeling defenses echoed throughout the halls, along with more screams of pain. Most of the drones that had stayed behind were all set-up in the throne room, and guarded the entrance to Chrysalis’ room. In said room, a young pupa hid behind changeling servant, shaking uncontrollably. The servant frowned and tried to remain calm, reassuring the young filly. But the screams of battle outside the large doors made that all but impossible. Suddenly, the doors of the queen's quarters sprang open, and battle-worn equestrian guards swarmed into the room. The servant put up a defensive position over the young pupa, ready to defend her to her last breath. The guards charged, their horns coated in their own respective magic glow. The servant's eyes glowed as a blast of magic shot from her horn and pushed the guards toppling back. The guards soon got back up to their feet and each shot blazing-hot plaza bolts from their horns. The servant tried to put up a shield, but the guards blasts shot right through it. The servant choked, a large hole now stood in the center of her chest. She collapsed onto the floor, blood pouring out from her wound and out of her mouth. She coughed a few times, her green changeling blood shooting out of her mouth as she did. She managed to choke out ‘Run’ to Aurora, who was huddled not far behind the falling servant. Aurora looked at the dying changeling in front of her with horror. She managed to get her legs to do as instructed, and began running towards the only safe place she could think of: Her secret hiding place. The guards notice the pupa and readied their spells, aiming at the young changeling. But their concentration fell when they heard choked out laughing coming from the fallen changeling. They all looked to her, and eyes widened as they saw the servant was holding several magical grenades with the pins out. The servant smiled and choked out, "Fuck you." The room exploded in a blast of magical energy, vaporizing the guards and mortally wounded changeling. When the dust settled, there wasn't much left of the once grand queen's chamber. Everything not made of rock, metal, or jewel had been turned to ash, and everything else was stained with a black tint. The royal guards that had went to investigate the explosion collected the broken and dented armor of their fallen comrades, and left. Soon, the hive was completely silent, the only noise coming from the last of the royal guards that were leaving the destroyed hive. Thousands of years of Changeling history was destroyed in a matter of hours. The hive sat in ruin, it's walls cracked by the guards attack, artwork and carvings lay destroyed by their plasma blasts, and thousands of Changeling's lay dead on the floor. The hallways of the hive were covered in green blood, with only a small amount of red in contrast. Some of the Changelings that lay dead had died fighting, using whatever spells they knew to fight back, protecting their home. While most died running away or cowering in fear... Celestia paced in her office, trotting from one side to the other. Her mind was a nervous wreck, and her mane was even worse. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she looked like she hadn’t slept in days. It had been over two months since the Changeling attack on Canterlot, and the solar goddess still couldn’t get it out of her head. She had let her subjects down. She had let them all down. She hadn’t been strong enough to protect her citizens when they needed her, and that fact had been wearing away that the princess for the past two months. But that was not what troubled the celestial alicorn right now. No, what was troubling the princess right now came in the form of a letter on her desk. As Celestia continued to pace, she was unaware of the door to her study opening and a midnight-blue alicorn trot in. Luna’s eyes followed her sister with great sadness. She could see the pain Celestia’s eyes, and the strain in her form. From knowing her sister for so long, and the almost magical bond they both shared, Luna could all but sense the internal hurt of her sister. She had not seen her sister this upset in a long while. Slowly, Luna trotted up to her sister and wrapped her hooves around her neck. Celestia shuddered at the contact, but upon noticing that it was her sister who embraced her, she hugged back. The pair remained in the embrace for several more minutes, before they both pulled back. Celestia used a hoof to wipe away the beginning signs of moisture in her eyes, and motioned her sister over to the fireplace with a hoof. Luna nodded, and trotted besides her sister to the enchanted harth that softly crackled. They both sat down and Celestia let out a long sigh. “Sorry that you had to see me like this, sister,” Celestia began, looking almost ashamed. Luna just gave her a comforting smile and put a hoof on her shoulder. “‘Tis okay, dear sister,” Luna began with a smile. “But we dost wish to know the cause of thy upset. Is this still grief from the assault of our capital?” “No, Lulu. Though that does still pain me, that is not it.” Celestia levitated the letter from her desk and over to her sister. Luna gripped it in her own magic and read. Luna finished reading, and then gave her sister a questionable look. “Why does this bother you, ‘Tia? It is great news!” Celestia frowned. “No, no it is not good news, dear sister,” Celestia began aloud, then whispered it again to herself, “That is the not good news.” “But it says that the changelings are no more — the assault was successful! We are free from future troubles from them!” Luna said with a cheery smile, which fell when she noticed her sister’s expression. “Luna, things have changed since you’ve been gone. We do not simply destroy all those who wrong us and provide peace through fear. Yes, the threat is now gone. But at what price? Sister… do you know what we...I, just did?” Celestia asked, her eyes threatening tears. Luna tilted her head slightly, racking her brain for a logical answer. “We eliminated a threat?” she asked with uncertainty, not sure if it was the answer her sister was expecting. Celestia’s face instantly turned that of rage; her sad frown shifting to a scowl. “Genocide!” she screamed, standing up and staring, with burning eyes, at her sister. Luna backed up at the outburst, scooting away from her sister, but Celestia stalked her sister, not allowing the gap between them to grow more than a few hoofs away. “We just singled hoofidly ended an entire race! No, I just ended an entire race.” Celestia would've continued her rant, if she hadn't seen the look of terror on her sister's face as she stood over her. The princess of the sun shakily stepped away from her sister, and took a deep breath. She'd hoped that moment would have been enough to quell the anger that continued to rise within her, but in reality, it didn't very little. Celestia took another deep breath, and continued. “Do you know what bothers me more, sister? Do you know what pains my heart the most right now?” Luna shook her head. “It is that that I am the only pony this seems to bother,” Celestia choked out. A few tears managed to escape, and rolled down her muzzle. Luna looked shocked at her sister, not expecting the outburst. “But why would it bother them? The changelings attacked us, brought us harm, and we got our revenge. Plus, it is just changelings. Why would it bother them?” The solar alicorn’s eyes lit up like the sun. “Because it is wrong! That is why! I try, day-in and day-out, to try to preach love to our citizens. I tried to preach to them tolerance and understanding.” Her eyes began to tear up. “When I had the meeting to decide our counter-actions of the invasion, every single member voted to kill. Every single suggested action was just a different way to kill. Even in my rage, I suggested less harsh actions.” Celestia began to let tears fall freely down her face. “It is my fault because I wasn’t as good of a leader to convince them otherwise.” “But why not force them to do otherwise?” Luna asked.I remember a time when we did not have to suffer the stupidity of fools. Celestia just bowed her head. “Because I am not a goddess, Luna. I am not a tyrant. I am merely a protector of our land. The greatest gift that I can give to my subjects is the right of free will, even if it means watching them make terrible, terrible mistakes.” With that said, Celestia threw herself at her sister and began to cry into her chest. Luna winced a little at the sudden embrace, but soon hugged back, running a hoof threw her sisters celestial mane. As Celestia's tears continued to fall, Luna continued to run her hoof threw her sister’s mane, whispering soothing comforts into her ear. Luna had never seen her sister this upset; she had never seen her sister completely break down in tears. Luna had never had to be the strong one... But she would be damned if she would let that be an excuse for not being there for her. It had taken hours, but the princess of the sun had managed to pull herself together. She had cried in her sister’s shoulder, and then remained in Luna’s embrace until she felt stable enough to get ready for her day. Luna had offered to stay, but Celestia insisted that she was fine. Celestia knew that she had to remain strong for her citizens, making sure to not show her weakness in front of them. She was the figurehead for her entire nation, being anything other than strong would severely crush Equestria's reputation with other nations. With a warm bath and some excessive mane brushing, Celestia had managed to get her physical state almost as presentable as her mental state. It took a minor spell to get rid of the redness in her eyes from all her crying to finish it off. Smiling into her mirror, Celestia, metaphorically, donned her regal mask and trotted out of her study. As she trotted, Celestia gave a regal wave and smile to any staff she encountered on her way to the royal court, and their happy smiles and wave back greatly helped brighten her spirits. She trotted through the courtroom door with an actual genuine smile on her face. The court room was large, easily three times as large as her personal study. The walls were painted white, and had large windows that allowed the sun to gaze in. The ceiling was also white, but had a large window who's metal rebar was shaped into a rearing alicorn. Celestia remembered how that particular window had been designed so that the sun shone on her throne, that sat in the back of the room, at exactly noon. On the floor was a large mural of the solar crest: a white alicorn rearing in front of the sun. The the sides of the room had benches that anyone who attended the royal court could sit. Celestia trotted up to her throne and took a seat, and snuggled into it's soft, velvet material. Celestia had hoof picked the material that composed her throne, and never regretted her decision. Even after it's many years of service, her throne was still as soft and comfortable as the first time she had sat in it. With a semi-sincere smile, Celestia took a deep breath and announced: “The day court is now in session!” With those words spoken, the mob of pony's that had been meandering the court room slowly shifted into an orderly line. Those who held standing in the court took their places along the walls of the room. Celestia designed this system so that she'd personally hear out each pony that came to voice their complaints, propose something of governmental value, or simply shown up to end a petty dispute. After hearing them out, she would either personally resolve the matter, or send the pony to one of her representatives that would... Celestia had never, in her many years of reign, had ever had such an... emotionally challenging day at court. Even the assassination attempts that she's had during day court hailed in comparison to today. But unlike those occasions, she felt like it was all of her pony's that held a knife to her heart. For some reason, her vision seemed to be clear of her clouded, perfect view of her ponies. And instead, she saw them for who they really were: Monsters. Almost all of the attendants at today's court had congratulated her on the extinguishment of the changelings, or asked about the process of such efforts, depending on their level of ignorance to the issue. The others that showed up, however... Such selfish issues. Everypony was arguing about petty issues; yelling about stuff that only the greedy would pay notice. Celestia had to hold herself back from yelling about how stupid and immature everypony was acting. All this time she thought that her nation was the epidemic of harmony and compassion, but the past few months have been slowly chipping away at her picture, revealing the truth in the canvas. Celestia had to excuse herself early from court, much to the displeasure of those attending, and decided to get something off of her chest. There was something that she had to do, whether she liked it or not... Celestia’s hooves clip-clopped on the ground as she walked threw the lower layers of the castle. Her face remained neutral; not showing any emotion. Her composure was rehearsed, and didn’t seem to be any different than the way she normally walked. This particular level of the castle was reserved for the Royal guard and anything that went along with the equestrian military. When the castle was build, Celestia and Luna both agreed to have the military below and out of the common pony’s view. It wasn’t that it was secret, more of that it housed some aspects that the princess didn’t wish for their citizens to notice. When she stopped, she stood in front of one of those aspects: the prison. Although there was a "normal" prison located above in the city, it was used for common criminals. This one, that resided deep within the mountain, was used for the more dangerous of captives. Celestia gave the pair of guards that stood sentry besides the large metal door curt a nod. The guards saluted in return, both turning and using the key that hung around their necks to unlock both sides of the door. The guards then swung the door wide, allowing Celestia to trott in. The area behind the doors was filled with cells, about a dozen guards patrolled the metal grated of said cells. Celestia ignored them, however, already knowing their rounds by heart. She also didn’t pay attention to the creatures inside of these cells, her gaze and focus set on a reinforced door that stood at the end of the hall. The princess quickly made her way to the door, before sticking her horn into the specialty lock. There was a soft “click” and the door slowly opened. Celestia trotted inside, and shut the door behind her with her magic. A single light hung in the middle of the small room infront of her. At the far edge of the room was a slightly large cell than those in the main jail, but, instead of metal bars, this cell had dark pink bolts of magic where the metal bars would be. The magic beams let out a soft hum, supplying the air with a slight scent of ozone. The inside of the cell, however, didn't vary practically at all from the other ones, having the basic components needed, such as a bed, sink, toilet, and small table. There was only once prisoner in this cell, who curently had her gaze set at the opposite wall of the cell. The hooves of the prisoner were shackled together, a single chain connection the cuffs on their front hooves to the ones around their back hooves. The prisoner's crooked horn had a large, metal ring around it, strange glowing arcane glyphs running around it's circumference. The prisoner either didn’t noticed Celestia's arrival, or didn’t care enough to react—continueing to face the bare wall, a blank and emotionless expression on their face. Celestia, on the other hoof, looked upon the prisoner with the same expression she’d walked in with. The solar mare loudly cleared her throat, now grabbing attention of the prisoner, who responded by slowly turning their head to face the princess and immediately scowled, her wings making a menacing chirp. Celestia didn’t react to the display, instead speaking with a clear, even tone. “Hello, Chrysalis.” Chrysalis hissed in response, not even wanting to speak. The princess shook her head, expecting the response. “I wish for this conversation to be as civilized as possible; I have all day to wait for you to oblige my wishes,” she spoke with the same, even tone. The Queen scowled, but did not hiss. Celestia took this as a sign of agreement. “Good,” she began. “Now, I first wish to know how you are doing?” Chrysalis scoffed. “How am I doing? Seriously, you have to ask that?” Celestia nodded, while the Queen chuckled halfheartedly. “Fine. I am having a fine stay in your little five-star accommodation, your highnessssss,” she said, hissing the last syllable like a venomous snake. Celestia did not laugh, she did not smile, she simply kept the same, neutral expression. “I see... that is good to know.” The princess sat down on the floor just feet from the magic bars, shifting slightly until she was comfy. Celestia then returned her focus to the changeling, before continueing. “I hear you gave my guards quite a hard time bringing you here.” Chrysalis laughed, her chains rattling. “Those guards were pathetic! I took down ten of them even while I was injured from the blast.” Celestia finally smiled. “And yet, here you sit—my ‘pathetic’ guards being the ones to bring you here.” Celestia hadn’t known how Chrysalis would react to the quibb, but she definitely didn’t expect her to smile. Chrysalis continued to smile at her captor as she spoke. “I may be here,” she began, “but not all of your guards are here as well.” Celestia’s left eye twitched ever so slightly. Chrysalis’ smile grew wider, noticing the small movement on the princess' stonic expression. “How many was it, again? I think it was five. Oh, and I don’t think that pegasus shall be flying any time soon.” Chrysalis’ kept her grin as Celestia’s face turned into a scowl. The now angered solar mare glared at the changeling queen, who kept on smiling back. “You caused six deaths, thirteen mildly wounded, and three critically wounded,” Celestia spat. “And I am still surprised that my guards let you live after that.” “Like you, I am very hard to kill. Although, from the beating I got from those guards who brought me here, I don’t think that fact was intentional,” Chrysalis spoke, her face now turning back to only a slight grin. Celestia took a deep breath, before speaking. “Whatever the reason, you are now in my custody, and I shall deal with you accordingly,” Celestia spoke with a now calm voice. “But I am not here to discuss the details of your capture. I am here to personally inform you of a recent development.” “Oh? Do tell?” the queen said with fake curiosity. Celestia took another deep breath. “After your attack upon our capital... it was decided that the best course of action was to launch an immediate counterattack upon your hive.” The captured queen’s eyes went wide, her expression changing to one of shock. “The goal of this counter attack was to capture all remaining changelings…” Celestia paused for a second, regretting the next words. “Lethal force... was allowed for any resistance.” Chrysalis’ mouth hung open, her body shaking slightly. “The attack was carried out a few hours ago. It was a success,” Celestia finished. Her expression remained neutral, though she held back her sadness. Chrysalis closer her mouth, then opened it again; no words coming out. She just stared blankly at Celestia, unable to respond. Then, she scowled, her face turned to that of complete rage. Her glossy wings began to frantically buzz together and she hissed deadly at Celestia, jumping closer to the magic beams, not caring about her restraints. “Those changelings were innocent! They had nothing to do with my actions!” she screamed, her wings buzzing louder. Then, her eyes went wide with concern as a thought popped into her head. “Where is my daugher? What have you done with her?!” This time, it was Celestia whose eyes went wide. “D-Daughter?” she stammered, “I did not know you had a daughter.” Chrysalis almost lunged at the beams, but managed to restrain herself. “Where is my daughter?!” she screamed again. “I don’t know!” Celestia blurted out. “I was not told of any young changelings being captured...in fact, the amount of changelings that were captured was quite low.” Chrysalis jumped at the bars, desperately trying to grab Celestia. Her eyes were filled with tears as she screamed, “You murderer! You killed my Daughter!!!!” Celestia was well out of Chrysalis’ reach, but that still didn’t stop the changeling from trying. The solar princess stared blankly at Chrysalis, not knowing how to react. Chrysalis’ body burned as it continued to make contact with the magical bars, the queen not even reacting to the pain. The room slowly began to fill with the smell of her burning flesh. “Monster! You fucking monster!” Celestia backed up, her faced filled with both shock and sadness. She quickly turned around and left the room. All the same time, she heard Chrysalis’ voice continue to scream the word: ‘Monster’. Celestia closed the door behind her and quickly made her way out of the prison, not looking at any of the guards. She banged the large double doors with a hoof and the guards at the other side opened it. Celestia looked at the guards for a second, just the briefest of moments, before walking past them. She trotted slowly down the hall and heard the double-doors shut. Both guards used their respective key to seal the door to the prison. They both returned to their positions on either side of the door. As they watched their Princess trott out of sight, one of the guards turned to the other and asked, “Was it just me… or was Celestia... crying?”
[Fo:E - Frozen Gears] Story Setup[We Will Live On] Chapter: 2 We Will Live On By: Michael Abell Far away from the Celestia and Canterlot, Aurora, the tiny changeling princess, slowly emerged from sleep’s grasp. The first thing that became known to her was the horrible smell. It permeated the air and stank horribly, making her physically wince awake. Aurora blinked, thinking (and praying) she had only experienced a terrible nightmare—that what had happened yesterday, was only a bad dream. But as the smell continued to penetrate her nostrils, and she noticed where she currently lay, that was seeming less and less a possibility. Slowly, Aurora rolled onto her hooves and began to squeeze back through the entrance to her secret hiding place (which was a small, eroded cavern behind the Queen’s bedroom). But to her surprise, there was something blocking her path. With all of her strength, she pushed at the barrier, which eventually gave. As she began squeeze through the tiny opening she had created, she quickly realized that the blockage was broken bits of heavy, charred stone and mortar. Deciding to not focus on her realization, Aurora squeezed her body even more and made her way through the entrance. Stepping out, the young changeling almost fainted in complete shock at what she saw. The living quarters she had grown up in, spent her entire childhood in...her mom’s room, was completely destroyed. If it weren’t for the fact that this room was the only one connected to her hiding-spot, she wouldn’t have even been able to recognise it. Every piece of furniture was just… gone, and in their place were piles of ash. Random bits of metal and jewel were sprawled around the room, some sticking out of the ash, and some even embedded into the walls. Rocks that had fallen free from the ceiling were also laid around the room, making the once grand bedchamber look like nothing more than a simple cave. The whole room smelt of ozone and ash, along with whatever the horrible stench was that still filled the air. Aurora slowly trotted into the room, leaving hoofprints in the ash. She stopped, mouth agape, when she saw the shadowy outline of a changeling imprinted into the floor. The outlying would've remained unnoticed, if not for small, royal pendant that each of the royal servants wore in the center of the outline. Aurora’s eyes began to water as she collapsed onto the scorched outline of the servant. "Run!" She could almost hear the servant say as blood poured from her mouth. That image replayed in the little changeling’s mind over and over again as she cried and shaked. It seemed like hours before she could collect herself enough to get onto her hooves. She picked up the blackened pendant and put it’s once silver chain around her neck. With one more sniffle, she walked out of the blown-back doors of the room. The hallway greeted to the sight of dozens of dead changelings sprawled down the hallway. Each of them held marks of plasma damage, sword marks, or another battle wound. Their green blood leaked from the wounds, and was coating the floor of the hall almost completely green. The walls of the hall held many scorch marks and large cracks. Aurora looked on in disgust, her heart falling at the sight of her fellow Changelings. She walked forward, her hooves sticking slightly in the almost dry blood. She held back the bile that threatened to escape her throat. The small changeling moved as fast as she could out of the hallway of death, the smell of the dead slowly filling the air. As she exited the hall, she skidded to a halt as she gazed into the throne room. The once grand carvings of the past queens were defiled and destroyed. Some showl damage of magical grenade damage, and others were simply destroyed due to countless plasma bolts. More dead lay on the ground, but not half as much that lay in the hall she had just passed. It was now she noticed the blood that covered her hooves, and she finally couldn’t hold back the bile in her throat. She heaved as her stomach rejected its contents onto the floor. She continued to heave until nothing else would come back out. Even then, she dry-heaved until her throat hurt. She wiped her mouth with her shoulder and shook as she stared at her hooves. She was young, but she was smart enough to know what happened. In a state of panic, she did the only thing she could think of: scream for her mother. “Momma!” she screamed at the top of her lungs, the throne room echoing her small cry. “I need you, Momma! Please! I need you!” She shook, curling up into a ball. Everywhere she looked there was death. She couldn't sense her mother. She felt so alone. In her desperation, she tried to connect to the hive mind. Being young and her brain not being developed enough to handle the hive mind, she had been forbidden to connecting to it until she was more mature, as connecting now could possibly cause permanent psychological damage. But she didn’t care about that now, she needed to know she wasn’t alone, she needed to know what happened, and, most importantly, she needed her mother. Aurora’s horn developed in a sickly green glow as she tried to connect to the mental link that all changeling’s shared. She did not need to be taught how to do this, as it was an instinct. She could feel herself connect and prepared herself for the surge of voices. But she heard none. No voices called out. Not voiced talked. There was just…silence. Aurora began to panic and mentally screamed out, “Momma!” She waited for a response, but not came. The silence cut into her like a knife, tearing apart her heart and soul. She disconnected from the hive mind and began to bawl her eyes out again, shaking like crazy. She felt so alone, scared, and helpless. Her glossy wings chirped unintentionally as the pupa wept. Her sad song of her loss echoed throughout the entire hive, resonating off the walls, reaching every corner of the once densely populated hive. The young princesses song continued, it's depressing tone continuing until Aurora could collect herself enough to stop crying. She turned onto her side and sniffles, wiping her eyes as best she could with her shoulder. The soft sounds of chirping still echo throughout the cavern… but Aurora couldn't feel her wings buzzing. The young princess's ears flicked up, scoping out for the source of the foreign sound. She sat up, her head rotating back to check on her wings. They were, in fact, flat against her back. Aurora looked at her wings curiously for a second… then her eyes went wide. She scrambled to her hooves, running around in circles. Her ears perked up, and after some guessing and exploration, she finally though that she found the direction of the chirping. On tiny legs, the hopeful princess ran down one of the branching hallways, her once tired eyes now filled with hope. The sound got louder as she seemed to get closer, but also softer, as if its origin was growing weaker. She ran faster, her hooves scrambling as she followed the sound. Finally, the young princess skidded to a stop in the middle of a large, circular room. The walls of this room were much like that of the rest of the hive, cracked and damaged from the previous slaughter. The sound resonated deep within Aurora’s ears, the source having to come from this room. The pupa let out a chirp of her own, and soon after its twin that had let her here stopped as well. The young princess began to panic as the silence continued… Until she heard a soft, weak call, “Help…” The pupa’s eyes went wide, her head turning from side to side, before falling upon a fallen chunk of cave wall. She let out another chirp. “H-help…” The voice called out again. Aurora’s hooves scrambled to find purchase as jetted towards the chunk of wall, jumping on top of it and scampering up and over it. As she jumped down and onto the other side, the little changeling let out a squeak of excitement as she peered into the eyes of another, alive changeling. A mid-aged female drone lay on her side, a small puddle of green blood pooled underneath her. A large chunk of the toppled wall lay on top of her, covering her hind legs and most of her midsection, but her eyes shined with hope as she looked upon the young changeling. “Hey, little one,” the Drone spoke, her voice soft and caring, but also forced. “What is your name?” Aurora let out a squeal, jumping up and down with excitement. The drone chuckled, a smile forming on her lips at the adorable display. She turned and frowned at the chunk of earth that pinned her down. “I don't supposed you could help me, could you?” Aurora was unsure, looking at the rocks that covered her new friend, but she nodded anyways, wanting to at least try. The young princess closed her eyes, focusing her magic in the rock entrapping her new friend. Her horn glowed, the rock soon after shined with the same hue. Sweat poured down her forehead as she concentrated as hard as she could, and soon the rock slowly began to lift. The female's eyes went wide at this, beyond surprised that the pupa was actually lifting her stone prison, but knocked herself out of her stupor, and began to scramble to try and get free. Inch by inch, the stone rose, and soon it was high enough for the drone to scramble out from underneath, crawling out just in time as the young princess couldn't hold it anymore, her magic dissipating as she feel tired on the floor, the rock slamming back down with a loud crash. The now freed drone panted, laying down and relishing in her freedom, before trying to get up onto her hooves. Shakily, she got up, her back hooves hurting, but definitely not broken. She then turned to the tired pupa, who was panting on her side. “Wow… You are one strong Pupa,” the drone muttered, limping over to the tired changeling, plopping down next to her. She then began to run her holed hoof through her tiny saviors mane. Aurora purred, shuffling closer. The drone smiled. “Well, little one, it seems that I owe you my life,” she began, before tilting her head. “I wonder who’s child you are. I don't remember having you in any of my classes.” The drone was actually the hive’s school teacher, Soft Wing, the room that the two now lay being her classroom. She looked down at the small pupa that purred in her lap, a frown soon forming on her lips as the situation soon began to kick in. She turned her gaze up to her once grand classroom, now crumbled and destroyed. The memory of how her world changed forever was burned into her memory. The screams, the cries of pain, the shouts of anger all could still be heard in the depths of her mind. She shuddered, pushing those memories away while she took care of the pupa in her hooves. She needed to be strong for this child, be an anchor for her forever changed world. There would always be time to cry later. Soft Wing tried to connect to the hive mind, and again found it again to be empty. That meant one of two things: that the queen was dead, or unable to maintain the connection. She disconnected, sending a soft prayer to her queen, then returned her connection to the child in her hooves. “Hey, little one?” she spoke softly, gently nudging her awake with her muzzle. “Can you tell me your name?” Aurora yawned, letting out a soft squeak as she stretched her back, looking up expectantly at her new friend. “I am Aurora!” she giggled expectantly, then frowned. “Have you seen momma?” Soft Wing bit her lip, sucking in a nervous breath. “I… I don’t believe so, Aurora. Can you tell me your mother’s name?” She giggled. “Oh, silly me! My momma is Chryssie! She said she was gonna go and fix things and… and then she didn’t come back.” She dipped her head. “Then the bad ponies came and… and then Nanny told me to run and…” Tears began to run down the little changeling’s face as she looked up at the teacher. “Why is everyling dead?” The teacher froze, staring down in shock at the pupa, no, princess in her hooves. She had known that Queen Chrysalis had a daughter, but she had not known her name. Chrysalis had kept her pretty locked away, highly protected and isolated. This had probably been the reason why she had never had her in her class. But, that was not the only thing that shocked her. She stammered to try and think of a censored version of what happened, but came up with nothing. Aurora watched as her friend seemed to contemplate an answer, and stood up to look as authorative as her mother. “I know that I am young, but mommy says that I am mature for my age. She said to make sure that everyling tells me exactly the truth, because… because, ‘one cannot rule under a throne of ignorance.’” Soft Wings sighs, shaking her head. “Yes, your mother is right, my princess. We… I don’t know what happened. For some reason the ponies attacked and… and they hurt a lot of us. I don’t know why, but I do know that there is not a lot of us left.” The tiny princess frowns. “Does that mean that mommy is gone?” The teacher shakes her head. “I don’t know, princess… I don’t know.” Aurora lets a few tears fall, and snuggles into her new friends lap, who immediately returns the hug, holding her close and protectively. “Don’t worry, child… everything will be… alright…” The two had stayed there for a while, the teacher holding back her fear and sorrow to allow the tiny princess in her lap to let out hers. After all of the tears had been shed, and the princess could not cry anymore, and had been able to compose herself, Soft Wing had decided to search the hive and see if anyling else had survived. The teacher did not want to bring the young changeling along, wanting to keep her as far away from the death as possible, but also did not want to leave her alone, nor did she want to be alone. She was stuck between two horrible alternatives, and had finally given in to bring her princess along. The two trotted through the destroyed hallways of their hive, Aurora resting on the teacher’s back and chirping her wings periodically, hoping to hear a response. Room by room they traveled, finding only death and destruction. More than once the two had to stop to deal with the situation at hoof, holding back waves of nausea or fits of tears. It was a lot to take in, to search for life within these dead hallways. Aurora took it well, far better than anyling her age should be able to, while Soft Wing… well, she held it all back to deal at a later time. Finally, after almost giving up hope, they hear a sound that made their body’s fill with hope. A soft, desperate chirp sounded through the halls, responding to the princesses desperate call. With renewed purpose, the teacher and princess ran towards the direction of the cry for help, and eventually found its source. A bloody soldier drone limped forwards, his body scarred and slightly charred, once glistening armor stained with shadowy marks of battle. He stared back at the two other changelings in front of him, a soft smile gracing his broken body. “Are you two alright?” he asked, his voice gruff and forced, his attempts in hiding his pain useless as it all could be heard through his voice. He took a step forwards, before his hooves buckled underneath him and he fell onto his side, hissing out a cry of pain. Soft Wing gasped at the soldier, placing Aurora on the ground besides her as she ran forwards. “On my Hive, you are hurt!” She cried, looking over the soldiers wounds. She then turned to Aurora. “Princess, can you run back to the infirmary that we passed a little while back and grab one of the first aid kits?” The tiny changeling nodded, turning around and running as fast as she could towards her destination. The soldier coughed, turning his head towards the teacher. “Did you just say… princess?” he spoke in shock, before breaking out into another fit of coughs. Soft Wing glided to the falling guardian’s side, taking out his battle scarred armor. “Yes, our Queen’s daughter survived the… attack, it seems.” She shakes her head. “Poor child is too young to be dealing with this.” “Yes, but it is good to know that she did. It gives me hope for our survival.” Soft Wing shakes her head again, finally removing the soldier's helmet and begun doing as much fist aid that she could. She was a teacher, and had been trained to be able to handle most injuries. Not to this extent, but enough to make a difference. “But what did happen? Why did the ponies attack us? Speaking of which, how did they know where we were?” “They attacked us because we attacked them,” he spoke, his words losing confidence. “You know that our hive was dying, right?” The teacher nodded, her face filled with sadness. She and all of the rest of the hive knew that. She nodded. “So… she attacked the ponies to save us?” The soldier nodded. “That is what they said in the briefing, at least. I was supposed to go and join the assault, but was eventually assigned to remain here in case… well, this happened.” His gaze fell, fear and terror filling his face. “They were better than us. Stronger than us. They came quick and fast, assaulting like a force I have never seen before. I tried to fight back, like everyling else, but… they were too strong.” Sounds of tiny hooves clattering along the hallway signaled the return of their young princess. The teacher turning her head, and could not help but chuckle at the sight of Aurora carrying an oversized medical bag in her muzzle. The princess spat it out at the teacher’s hooves. “I found it!” Soft Wing smiled and rubbed the Pupa’s mane with a hoof. “Good job, my princess,” she spoke, before opening the bag and using it’s contents to properly treat the wounded soldier. Aurora smiled at being helpful, and trotted over to face the soldier. Her smile faded as she saw how rough he looked, his body covered in scars and wounds. “Does it hurt?” she asks. The soldier smiles at the young changeling. “A little, but I’ll be fine.” Aurora smiled a little bit. “What is your name?” “Drone 924-343.” She giggled. “No, not that, your real name.” The soldier cocks an eyebrow. “That is my real name. All soldier drones are named like such.” Aurora frowns. “That’s not a good name.” She pauses to think. “I think I’ll call you… Strong.” He tilts his head. “Why Strong?” She smiles. “Because! Only someling strong could even walk as hurt as you were.” He smiles at the compliment, but then frowns. “I appreciate the compliment, princess, but I don’t think I deserve such an honor. If I was stronger than I could’ve saved more…” “More?!” the teacher cries out, stopping her work. “Do you mean that there are more?” He nods. “Yes. I was sent out to try and find more survivors. The rest are held up in Chamber: C.” “How many?” the teacher asks, her eyes practically gleaming at the revelation. “About a dozen or so when I left. A few soldiers that survived and the General. The rest are just normal changelings that were lucky enough to either hide or just survive.” “After we get you patched up we are heading there. If anything it’ll make me feel better that we aren’t the only ones left.” After Soft Wing had binded up Strong well enough that he could be transported, the tree changelings embarked on their journey to meet up with what remained of the hive. Soft Wing helped Strong along, letting him lean on her for support, while Aurora trotted along besides the two, medical bag held between her teeth. It wasn’t that much of a walk to Chamber: C, which was actually a currently unused part of the hive that had been abandoned due to lack of resources. It was originally supposed to be a grand expansion to the already enormous hive, but due to the Hunger, the project had to be abandoned. As the tree approached the large hallway to the unfinished section, they were stopped by a single sentry that stood in front of the entrance. He was pretty banged up, showing that he had not survived the attack unscathed, but not as bad as Strong. The drone instantly recognized Strong, and rushed over to aid his fellow soldier, taking his weight from the teacher and helping him into the chamber. Aurora followed close after the teacher, not being used to new changelings. The hallway lead to a large open room, the walls roughly carved with unfinished stonework. About a dozen changelings lay around the chamber in varying condition. Some looked like they had barely suffered a scratch, while others were missing limbs. A few soldiers were amongst the worst of the injured, and those who weren’t were currently tending to whoever needed aid, which was everyling. The three followed as the sentry that was guarding the opening lead Strong to the makeshift infirmary, which was a pile of blankets and scattered medical supplies. The sentry helped Strong onto one of these piles, before turning to Soft Wing and Aurora. “Okay, you two. Follow me so we can have you check in with the General. He’ll be wanting to know that you’ve arrived,” the changeling said, turning around and motioning for the duo to follow. The two complied, following the sentry to the General. General Ghost Step was the hive’s highest ranked general, second only to the Queen herself. He was slightly smaller than the average changeling, contrary to his skill and status. He had a light blue mane, and was easily distinguished by the large scar that ran over his left eye. The changeling in question currently stood in the middle of the cavern, trying to direct the survivors and keep some sense of order. The sentry walked up to him, making his presence known before saluting the General. “General, we have two new survivors.” The general turned to the sentry, saluting back. The sentry nodded, turning away and trotting back to resume his duty. Ghost Step trotted up too the two, and smiled when he noticed Aurora. “It is good to know that you survived, dear princess. I was beginning to fear the worst.” Aurora smiled and waved to the general. “Hi, uncle Ghosty!” The hardened general let out a quick laugh, shaking his head. “You truly are the definition of innocence, Princess.” He then turns to Soft Wing. “I believe it was you who found our dear princess?” She shakes her head. “No, it was her who found me. If not for her then I’d probably still be stuck under a pile of wall.” The general shakes his head. “The exact reason why I am sending so many to go out and try and rescue. Who knows how many are trapped like how you were, hoping for rescue.” “Uncle, is momma okay?” “I don’t know, little one. But, I do know that she would be proud of you for how brave you have been.” He pats her head, then sighs. “Aurora… I need you to do something for me?” The little princess tilts her head. “What, uncle?” “I… I need you to try to restart the hivemind. Only one of the royalty can start and continue the connection. I need you to try and do this so that we can try and contact all who are still with us. Please, Aurora, I need you to try.” The young changeling stands up tall, puffing out her chest. “I can do it! Momma taught me how! She told me to wait until I was older, but I am older so it’s okay!” The little changeling’s horn lit up as she started the spell, the dim light slowly growing as she continued to cast. Soon, the spell cast, and Aurora’s mind was instantly filled with cries of pain, fear, and sorrow. The little princess put her hooves to her hears, falling to her belly.
[Fo:E Short- Sunrise] Short[We Will Live On] Chapter: 3 We Will Live On By: Michael Abell Celestia sat on her throne. It was one she knew she had earned, growing and maintaining a kingdom of safety and harmony. Yes, there had been a few hiccups along the way, problems that she felt that she could have solved differently, altered the outcome for the better. But, the past was always the past. Those who live as long as she has know this best. The mare let out a sigh, her issue of the day still plaguing her mind. Yes, she did not agree with her ponies methods, but the end result did end in the safety of her ponies. Does the end justify the means? Was the culling of countless worth enough to secure safety without a doubt? She had thought long and hard on this issue, spend many a night pondering her stance on the dilemma. It was one she felt that she didn't truly have an answer for. And, when she couldn't find an answer for a problem, she would find somepony who could. And that somepony should be arriving any minute now, given her need for punctuality. The goddess of the sun looked up and gauged the time on the throne room’s clock. She did not need to, as her sense of time was practically perfect, as was needed to make sure the sun rose at the right time every day, but it was still a habit that she felt herself being drawn into. Suddenly, the door to the throne room opened, and in trotted a familiar purple unicorn with her faithful dragon missing from her side, per her request. Celestia observed her student, inwardly chuckling at the large, bulky saddlebag full of books that hung at her side. Oh, Twilight, some things will never change. Twilight trotted up to her mentor and bowed, giving her respects. “I came as soon as I could, Princess! So, what do you need me to do? Are we under attack? Did another ancient demon escape?!” Celestia chuckled, waving down her student. “No, no, Twilight. Nothing of the sort,” she said in her motherly tone as she stepped down from her throne, nuzzling her student. The purple unicorn nuzzled back, opening her saddlebag and levitating out several books, most likely deemed unrelated by the unicorn in question. “Oh, okay… Then, what is it?” Celestia sighed, sitting next to her student. “I do not need to have you and your friends go on a quest, or anything of the sort. All I require is an answer to a question that has been on my mind for quite some time.” Twilight cocked her head. “Oh… okay? What is the question?” The solar princess let out another sign. “Does the end justify the means? If you accomplish a task that needs to be done, does it truly matter how you do it?” Twilight opened her mouth, but soon shut it. The unicorn seemed to travel deep in thought. “Well, I guess I can't really answer that without proper context. I mean, wouldn't it be unique for each situation?” The princess nodded. “Yes, this is true.” She thought for a second. “Well, how about this: is it better to eliminate a threat at the source, or simply leave it be, and hope it doesn't grow back.” This time, the unicorn seemed more confident in her answer. “Well, I guess it would be better to get rid of the problem at the source, rather than waiting for it to come back.” She tilted her head. “What is this all about, anyways?” Celestia bit her lip, contemplating telling her student what had transpired, and the moral dilemma that followed. Finally, she gave in. “Well, I guess you are trustworthy enough to admit this. A few months ago we launched a counterattack at the changeling hive, capturing all we could and cutting down all those who resisted. This was deemed the best course of action, as our safety is the number one priority.” Twilight nodded, taking in the information. “So… I’m guessing you don't agree with this course of action?” Celestia nodded. “I love my ponies more than life itself, but I also love all species that wander this land, even those who wish us harm. Changelings have been a… pest, in the past, but were never bold enough to be considered a threat. I feel that is is my fault for not being more prepared for this. I believe that something must have happened to warrant this kind of action from them.” She shook her head. “I am glad and relieved that the threat is gone, but–” “You don't agree with the cost,” Twilight finishes, and Celestia nods in agreement. “I have made hard decisions in the past, Twilight. Decisions with consequences that I hated, but felt they were necessary. Other times, I have run into the same issue that I face now. It never gets easier, Twilight, and this is the dilemma that all rulers will eventually face. I am not a god. I am merely a guide to help my ponies through life. I am not a dictator, and will give them the gift of free will, but sometimes that comes at great moral cost. I have tried to shield you away from my role in government, separate you from the hard decisions that I have to make as a leader, but now I think you're old enough to finally get a glimpse of what it is I do.” Twilight smiles, eager at the prospect of learning more from her believed mentor, but frowned when said mentor’s question filled her mind. “I… I don’t know what to say.” And she truely didn’t. The invasion was still fresh in her mind as well, and soon the image of her beloved princess being beaten by… by her came to mind. She scowled. “After what they did to my friend… after what they did to my friends… after what they did to my brother. I think they deserve what they got.” Celestia frowned. “ I was overruled by the conceal, all except me voting with that exact same mindset. Weather it was made from that mindset, or just fear, it was the decision that was made, and the one carried out. The changeling race now sits in our dungeon or in the grave…” The purple unicorn notices the sad look that appears on her mentors face, and her anger begins to subside. “I… I cannot forgive them for what they did, or for what they tried to do. They tried to hurt ponies that I care deeply about, and I think they should be punished.” She lets out a sigh. “But… if I look past my anger… then I get what you are saying. We should have waited and thought out the issue before responding, and not let hate cloud our judgement, like I did now…” “A decision made on hate almost always ends with regret, Twilight. Anger is a powerful thing, a force that I have seen corrupt so many. I do not think of you less for you answer, I am merely saddened that I could not convince the others on the council of this.” Twilight looks down, her head held low. “So… what are you doing to do now?” The princess shrugs. “Nothing. There is nothing I can do. The decision has been made, the hive has been raided, and their queen now sits in chains. There is nothing I can do, now.” “Then… then why did you call me here? Why did you summon me here to ask my questions about something you cannot change?” The unicorn asks, clearly confused. The solar princess chuckles, shaking her head. “I guess I just needed a second opinion to make sure that I wasn't crazy. I may be a princess, but I still need to make sure that I am leading in the right direction every once in awhile. Believe me, I am far from perfect.” Twilight chuckles. “Well, you could have fooled me. You are a good leader, and a fair one.” I wish that was true, Twilight. Celestia smiles and nuzzles her student. “Thank you, Twilight.” She stands up from her seat besides her student. “But, let us not dwell any further on the issue. I did tell you that I thought you were ready to start learning about politics, did I not?” The unicorn beams, the prospect of both spending time with her mentor and learning filling her with joy. “Yes!” Celestia chuckles, wrapping a wing around her student. “I love the enthusiasm. Now, how would you feel about joining me in court?” “Are you an idiot?!” Soft Wing hissed at the General, her wings flared and her fangs showing. “You had her establish a hive mind?! You know that could have killed her!” The General didn’t respond to the teachers threats, standing stock still and listening carefully. He had faced far worse then the drone that stood in front of him. He nodded. “Yes, I did. I knew the risk, and I wish I didn’t need to to have been done, but we need to have some sort of connection between us. We have changelings still trapped out there, I can hear their cried for help now, and we can now rescue them, or at least give them comfort in their final moments.” He shook his head. “I knew she could do it. She is stronger than a even a princess her age should be. I have seen her prove it again and again. I wouldn’t have done it if the reward wasn’t worth the risk.” The teacher continued her death stare at the changeling, before sighing and lowering her stance. “Okay, I guess that makes sense.” She lowers her head. “I’m sorry, I guess it was just my teacher instincts kicking in.” The general smiled, putting an armored hoof on her shoulder. “Do not apologize, I would have thought less of you if you didn’t react this way. And is the exact reason why I am putting you in charge of her care.” Soft Wing’s eyes shot open wide. “Me? You want me to take care of a princess?” “No, I want you to take care of a child. She may be a princess, but she is still young. She needs something constant right now, someone who can give her care. I am a soldier, I know death more than I know children. You were a teacher, correct?” Soft Wing nods. “Yes, head teacher of the south wing.” “Then that makes you more qualified to take care of a child than anyling else here. I have hardened soldiers who are currently bawling their eyes out because of what has happened, changelings who I thought I could count no matter what. But, they have broken, given up. But you… you still remain strong. Instead of laying down and weeping for what you have lost, you stay strong enough to challenge me, a general, over the welfare of a child who isn’t even yours. If that doesn’t sound like someling I can count on to take care of child, then I don’t know what to think.” Soft Wing opens her mouth to respond, but nothing comes out. The teacher falls to her haunches, taking a moment to contemplate the general’s words. “Okay, I’ll do it,” she says, her gaze returning to the general. “And thank you… your words mean a lot.” He nods, motioning over to the area he had left the sleeping princess, before trotting off. Soft Wing takes a moment to compose herself, taking in all that had been said, before trotting over towards her new charge. Aurora was currently tucked into a bundle of salvaged blankets, tucked into a currently unused corner of the cavern, far away from the wounded. She lay in her cocoon of warmth, snoring slightly. The teacher let out a soft smile, laying down next to to the young princess, who immediately shuffled closer to the new source of warmth. Soft Wing smiled, resting her next to that of her princess, closing her eyes to get some much needed sleep. The general slowly paced around the cavern, watching and directing over the remaining changelings. There were about two dozen changelings currently in the cavern, excluding himself and the princess, with about another dozen or so still crying out through the newly established hive mind. Three dozen. Thirty three changelings remained out of a hive of three thousand. The cavern was currently divided into three sections, the first and largest being the infirmary, a second dedicated to gathering salvaged material from the hive, and the third was for sleeping and whatever you could consider recreational use. He trotted over to the infirmary, his ancient armor softly clinking with each step. Once he approached, he scanned the pile of wounded changelings for one in particular, and sound found her tending to a changeling who was currently missing a front hoof. He trotted over to her, making sure to not disturb her work. “Nurse Scar Heart, could you spare a moment?” The nurse mumbled something, her attention currently set on stitching the stump of what was left of the unconscious changeling below her. After a few more knots, the nurse cut the thread with her teeth, and placed her needle besides her. She turns to face the General, a somber look on her face. “Yeah, I can. What do you need?” The general nods, motioning to the rows of changelings laid out on makeshift cots. “What’s the situation?” She shakes her head. “Not good. Several more deaths since you last checked up on me, and I was only able to save one from the last batch the scouts brought in, the rest were too far gone...” He nods. “At least you were able to save one.” She shakes her head. “It’s just that I’m only one changeling, I can’t attend to everyling at once! I manage to stitch up one, only to have another to die of my inaction. It’s… it’s just…” She sighs. “I don’t have time for this, I have patients to attend too,” she says as she pushes past the general. He watches her trott past, then shakes his head. He felt horrible for asking so much out of so few. He had only a hoof ful of changeling who were well enough to do anything, and about half of them were still working off their grief, too worked up to be of use to anyling. He respected all that had remained strong, currently doing all they could. So much had changed so fast, so much blood had been spilled, so many lives had been lost. The hardened general shook his head once again, finding himself pushing back the situation and feeling farther and farther back each time. He knew that he could repress the memories for so long before they came flooding out like water from a broken dam. Deciding that all was going as well as it could, the general made his way towards a little area that he had claimed as his own, shrugging off his armor, and laying down onto his makeshift cot. He knew that sleep would not come, too much was clouding his mind to let that happen. No, his goal wasn’t for sleep, but simply a rest, a few moments of peace before he had to jump back into the world. His mind wanded once again about the recent past, and this time he didn’t hold back, letting lose all of the emotions and memories that filled his mind like a cancer. His mind wandered first to the attack. The original attack. His memories as fluid as if it had just happened… Ghost hovered just outside of the grand shield of pink magic that surrounded his target, watching as the drones under his command rammed their bodies into the magical obstruction. He knew that his Queen’s plan would soon fall into full swing, the shield would be down soon and he would lead the charge to secure the city. He was on edge about the plan, know fully well how that they normally stood no match for the ponies and their army, but he also knew what was at stake, and used that as fuel to drive him forwards. He watched as the bubble finally fell, and charged with the rest to encompass the city. Changeling were not as powerful as ponies on their own. They were hive creatures, relying on numbers rather than might. As he touched the ground, he watched as the Equestrian guard began their defense, surprised by the influx of unknown enemy. Changelings had lost most of their remembrance by the ponies, and planned to use that to their advantage. Ghost Step sprang into action, leading the charge and combatting the first guard he encountered. Like his name implied, the general moved like a ghost, his movements quick and almost ethereal, the guard barely charging his spell before the pointed spike of Ghost’s morphed hoof jabbed straight into his chest. The pony gargled, falling limp as the general pulled out his morphed blade. One by one, the ponies fell by his hoof. He watched the life drain from their eyes, before turning around and attacking another one. He was not invincible, taking more than his fair share of hits from skilled or just lucky guards, but they did little to stop him. He did not hate ponies, nor did he love them. He treated them like anything he had ever fought before, like a barrier that needed to be broken down. Ghost and the rest of the changeling army continued the assault, following the queen’s last order before she had gone dark. Slowly, the army approached the gates of Canterlot Castle. The queen had told her hive to kill as little civilians as possible, as a dead pony produced no love, no food. He took this into account, and avoided challenging anypony that was deemed a treat. Many fought back, many died, and many ran away screaming. Suddenly, the world flashed in a blast of pink magic, the general’s body became weightless as he was thrown back by a wall of incoming magic. He tried to fight it, but was caught far too off guard, and was hit by far too much force. His vision faded to black once he felt himself finally hit the ground. When he came too, his whole body ached. Bones felt broken beneath his chitin, and everything hurt to move. Weakly, he cast a healing spell to stop any internal bleeding, and used the rest of his stored mana to heal his bones as best as he could. Forced healing was a painful, brutal process, and very few could concentrate long enough through the pain to keep the spell going, or even stay conscious. Ghost was one of those few who could, his tolerance to pain tested again and again over the years. But, even so, it hurt enough to make him scream out in pain, feeling as his bones inside of him shift and right themselves. He kept this up until his mana reserves ran dry, and he didn’t have enough magic to keep up the spell. He lay there, panting, his body forced back together. Eventually, the pain subsided enough that he could return to his hooves, and he did so, albeit slowly. He took a wobbly step, barely able to support himself as he trotted forwards. He had landed at the edge of the badlands that the changelings called home, the scarred earth crunching under his every step. As he walked, his scarred and torn wings chirping roughly, echoing out a call as he tried to locate anyling else who had survived. After a while of searching, he found a few, but their was no hope for them. The impact had been too much for most, either lucky enough to die on impact, or from slowly bleeding out. He prayed for each of them, soldiers who had followed their queen into battle, under his command. His mind was still fuzzy, and his body was still injured from the impact, only healed enough for him to move freely. After hours of wandering aimlessly through the badlands and only finding craters that contained his dead brethren, he finally gave up, deciding that it would be best to return to the hive and consult his queen about the failure. His failure. It would take him a week to get back to the hive in his current condition, his wings too shredded to fly, and his mana supply too weak to cast any form of teleportation spell. He tried to connect to the hive mind, but found that he was unable too. This worried him, and his fear and horror only rose when he finally made it home… The general shook, knocking himself out of his mind. He could not remember what came next, the memory still to painful to recounter. He sat up onto his hooves, leaning his back onto a nearby stone. He felt rage fill his body at the sparing memories of the slaughter he had witnessed when he finally returned to the hive, both aimed at himself for not being there to stop it, and by the ponies who had caused it. He had cursed the pony name, originally vowing to slay the entire pony race, but his rage soon subsided, his inability to act on his anger allowing him time to think through the situation, and see it from a different point of view. If the roles had been reversed, and the ponies had been the ones to attack his hive, his home, he knew that he would have done the same, perhaps worse. After all that had happened, after everything was said and done, he truly didn’t know who to blame. He was a soldier, all he knew was how to fight, and how to kill. He wasn’t meant to think of the why, only the how. The concept never filling his mind until now. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. All the general knew for certain was that he had to stay strong and help rebuild the hive, insuring that the queen's daughter, young Aurora, could eventually have the opportunity to lead over this broken race, and bring them up from their shattered state. But, he also knew that there was one other thing that he needed to do. He knew that the ponies would have taken prisoners, and hopefully his queen would be amongst them. Though he did not blame the ponies, he still hated them. Every time he heard a cry of pain in the hive mind, his hate grew more. He owed it to all the fallen to do his best to free them. After he had helped as much as he could with the aftermath, he knew where he was going to go. For his family and queen, he would return to Canterlot.
[Fo:E - Wanderer] Story Setup[We Will Live On] Chapter: 4 We Will Live On By: Michael Abell Strong groaned, turning again on his makeshift cot. He had been treated a while ago by the attending nurse Scar Heart, and had been told that his injuries were no longer life threatening, but that only fixed one of the issues. The soldier had been confined to bed rest, as part of his required treatment, and he hated it. He wanted to get back out there, saving his fellow Changelings and do whatever he could, not remain confined to a bed, unable to do anything but be a burden. The hardened changeling sighed, once again turning on his cot. What was his use when he couldn't do anything? What was his purpose when he could hear those calling for help from the hive mind, but be unable to do anything. He felt cheated, like the nurse had taken away part of him with her order. He knew it was for the best, but it still bugged him, none the less. But, another thought stuck in his mind, a name muttered by the mouth of a young changeling. Strong. Did he truly deserve such a name? A name that ‘symbolized’ his fight and drive? He didn't know. He wanted too deserve it, certainly, but still felt that he was unbefitting. Still, even with the moral aspect out of play, having a name seemed to mean a lot more than he could ever think before. All he had been known by all his life was by his designation that had been given to him at birth. This… this made him feel special. Different. He wasn't just another drone on the line. No, he had a title. Not general, or commander, or anything like that. Just a name. What a funny thing to mean so much. He inwardly laughed at the idea. It didn't make much sense to him logistically, but that didn't matter. It gave him a sense of purpose, replacing his existing one that had slowly begun to slip once he saw the first reminders of his dead brothers and sisters. Death. He shuttered, his smile curling down as the though was brought back to the surface of his mind. He had seen death before, either when he and his brothers fought against a dragon or manticore that threatened the hive, or anything else, for that matter. The concept was already accepted in his mind, an eventuality that he could not avoid nor outrun. But seeing all of this death, of those who days before he may had passed by in the hall, or shared a meal with, or even fought alongside, meant something different to him. It was a sadness unlike anything else, an immense loss that cut a piece out of his soul, and was taken down with the lives those who were lost. He felt like he failed, that maybe if he had fought harder, sooner, stronger, then more would be alive. He shook his head, curling up closer into the blankets, his head sinking in deeper into the straw pillow. Emotions that he had held back whilst dealing with the situation as it came were finally getting their chance to be processed, and left him feeling drained, even more then when half of his blood lay at his hooves. Physical pain, he could manage, but emotional pain was a completely new concept. Weather for better or worse, Strong was broken from his trance by a tap on his shoulder, and he turned to face its origin. He smiled at the site in front of him, using his fleeting strength to push himself up and onto his haunches. “Good to see you, Soft Wing,” the soldier spoke, his voice forced, but still strong. Soft Wing smiled back. “Good to see you too, Strong.” The teacher leaned forwards, revealing the little pupa that sat on her back, and allowing said pupa go jump off and onto the ground below. The small princess smiled, gleaming up at the soldier in front of her. “Hello, Strong~!” The pupa cheered in a sing-song tone. “Good to see you looking better! You were all covered in boo-boos earlier.” Strong smiled, running his hoof softly through the pupa’s mane. He turned and looked back at his scarred and bandaged body, before returning his attention back to his company. “I can thank you for that, little one.” Aurora gleams, smiling and trotting around, her attention finally distracted by, well... whatever it was, Strong couldn't notice it. He let out a light chuckle, shaking his head in a playful manner. “Thank you for bringing her here, Soft, her, well… her smile heals me more than any other medicine.” The teacher shakes her head. “Don't thank me, thank her. She was the one who wanted to visit you. Or, she put it, her ‘boo-booed’ friend, which I guessed was you.” He couldn't help but smile wider. Soft chuckled herself, shaking her head. “But, that is not the only reason why I am visiting you,” she begins, turning her gaze back to him. “The general has put me in charge of Aurora’s care, and although I know I can do it myself, I wanted to know if you wanted to assist? I know she seems innocent now, and I hope it stays, but who knows if she'll wake up tomorrow and everything'll just hit her at once? Helping her if that happens will need more than just me, and I will also need someling to also help me protect her, to keep her safe.” Strong nodded, the question not needing any though. “Yes, I will assist you. It would be my pleasure.” And it truly would be. The teacher beamed, nodding happily. “Great! Now, get some rest. You can't take care of a child when you can't even take care of yourself, now can you?” Strong rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah… Fine,” he mumbled as he slowly layer back down. He didn't know if he had earned his name yet, but he did know one thing: that he would be strong for her, for Aurora. Twilight nervously trotted down the lower caverns of Canterlot Castle. Her eyes shot fearfully from side to side, her ears upright and at attention on her head. She was not supposed to be here. Her day with the princess had been wonderful, and she had learned a lot during her her court session with the princess. But, even through her joy, one thing had still stuck out in her mind, a thought that had plagued her mind since the moment it had first appeared there, and that though was what had driven her to sneak her way undetected into the belly of Canterlot Castle. She had been here before, her mentor bringing her down her during several occasions for either spell practice or other means. But, she had warned Twilight to stay away from the dark secret that was stored here, the same secret that housed all that Equestria wished to remain hidden. After several fear filled minutes of trotting, following a path from sheer memory that she had once read in a book, her destination came into view. Two large doors sat at the end of the darkened hallway, twin sentries guarding at either side. Twilight sucked in a breath, quietly sticking the shadowed corners of the hallway. Once she got as close as she could to the door as she dared, the purple unicorn took a deep breath, muffling out a spell. Only a flicker of light shone before her horn was surrounded in a darkened mist, the gas absorbing all light that was near. Twilight looked up, her muzzle beading sweat as she stared at the two sentries, hoping that they had not noticed the flicker. She quietly let out a breath as she saw no reaction from the two, both remaining at their post, eyes wandering as their bored minds tried to grasp something to entertain it, and she was lucky it wasn't her. Step one was almost complete, and that was just the easy part. Twilight knew that breaking into the subdermal prison was a risk, and a challenge on its own. But, she had a plan, one crafted from years of book work and extended study of the castle and all of its defenses. One of her lessons from her teacher had been about security and defense magic, and the princess commonly used Canterlot’s own as real life examples of their capabilities. As a result, Twilight knew every single spell that went into guarding Canterlot’s most dangerous criminals, along with every way to get around them. Getting past the external guards was the easy part, the large door being more of a rouse then a defense. The outer wall was lead line, able to deflect most forms out outside magic trying to intrude into the inside, while a hidden rune circle lay buried within the wall itself, as an extra line of defense. But, there was always a failsafe, a hidden entrance if the main doorway was ever blocked or compromised. The first one was located on the wall just outside the door, only being able to open if the correct magical signature was detected. She knew how to mimic this signature, but getting too it was proving tricky, as the guards were still at alert. Twilight stood stock still just outside of the grasp of the torches that burned over the prison’s entrance, her mind racing to find a solution to her issue. Finally, a thought drifted into her mind, and she readies a quick spell. A soft, haunting melody soon filled the hallway, both guards standing at attention from the unknown tune. They listened, and their eyes began to get heavy. Soon, both found themselves drawn into sleeps grasp, falling to their sides and onto the ground below. The unicorn wasted no time, dashing from the cover of darkness and into the light, her horn glowing beneath its misty camouflage as she expelled the correct signature, a hole in the wall soon appearing in the brick in front of her, and she dashed inside, the brick reforming behind her. It wouldn't be long until the guards awoken, the tune was a soft melody that was sung by Sirens from Dark Sea. Twilight had read about their song and it's sleeping effects, causing those who heard it to fall into a dream like state, awakening soon after with no recollection of what had happened. She hoped that they would raise no alarm when they did. The cavern snakes it's way behind the main walls, leading to a hidden entrance into the middle of the prison. Twilight cast an invisibility spell, bending and refracting the light around her to hide her presence. Once the spell was cast, she activated the second panel and climbed into the prison. Once again, she had to act fast, following a precise pattern that would avoid triggering any magical pressure plates, and avoiding the revealing lights that hung above, their special glow rendering all known invisibility spells useless under direct sight. Inch by inch, stride by stride, the unicorn made it closer to her destination. More than once had she had to stand completely still to avoid being spotted by a nearby patrol, her heart racing even as their hoof steps faded into the distance. It was only a hundred or so yards from her entrance she had snuck into to her destination, but the walk could have easily been miles, each step feeling like a thousand. Finally, after a heart pounding trek, Twilight found herself standing outside of the grand doors of the high security prisoner storage, the enchanted lock that sat on the door the last challenge Twilight had to face before she could get to where she wanted. The lock was custom made, only able to be unlocked by one of the princesses herself. Well, almost the only way. Like all things that Celestia designed, there was always a back door. The solar princess always built hidden openings or solutions, fail safes, as she called them, to open any lock that she used. This one, however, this one required something special. With a quick puff of magic, Twilight levitated a small key that she had hung around her neck before she had started her journey. It was a whim, actually, the only part of the plan that she didn't know for certain would work. She put the key up to the lock and held it there, and for a minute, nothing happened. Twilight was about to cry, scream out that all of her hard work had been for naught, but the lock suddenly started to glow, turning as the door slowly opened. After snapping out of her stupor, Twilight dashed inside, and closed the door behind her. She caught her breath, panting slightly as she could feel her heart finally stop to relax. When felt that she could breath, Twilight dropped her invisibility shield, also dropping her light countering spell that coated her horn. Her gaze turned up, and she looked upon the plasma bars that held back but one prisoner. Twilight stepped forwards, getting as close to the bars as she dared, and bravely looked beyond. Queen Chrysalis lay motionless on her cot, her body tightly bound and her horn nulled by the inhibitor ring that wrapped around its base. She seemed to be sleeping, her chest rising and falling with a steady rhythm. Twilight casted one more spell, the magic surging from her horn and coating every floor and wall, it's purpose to block all sound from escaping, much like the one she had used to hide her magical glow. The unicorn took a deep breath, trying to psych herself up for what she was going to do, but stopped as a voice interrupted her concentration. “Come to gloat, have you?” Hissed a voice from within the cell. Twilight nervously trailed her gaze up, her eyes soon locking with those of the changeling who was once sleeping soundly, but had now raised her head to gazed in her direction. “I am a light sleeper, you know. Even with my magic limited I can still sense your presence,” she continued, rising to her hooves and gingerly trotting towards the plasma bars. Twilight took a step back, noticing the only slightly healed marks of plasma damage that coated the Queens front side, proving that she was not afraid of pain to get closer to those beyond the bars grasp. The unicorn nervously cleared her throat, speaking up with as much confidence as she could muster. “Queen Chrysalis, I am here to interrogate you and learn of your methods of how you infiltrated our kingdom.” It was a practiced lie, one that she had gone over again and again in her head. The queen let out a quick chuckle. “My my, seems somepony isn't supposed to be here,” she hissed, her voice bitter-sweet. Twilight balked. “W-what?! How did you–” “–how did I know? Easy,” the queen began. “You lie about your true purpose here, you unease tells shows that more than just me frightens you. So, the only logical conclusion is that you snuck in here, intent on questioning me yourself.” “B-but, how did you–” “Again, simple,” the Queen interrupted again. “Your kind has already sent their best to gather what that can out of me, their methods far worse than anything a scared little unicorn could outmatch.” She shook her head, shuddering at the remembrance of such tactics. “Their attempts were futile, however. I will not break. I will never break.” Twilight blinked, before shaking away her shock. “Okay… Well, then I guess I should get right to the point, then.” “Yes, you should.” “I want to know why,” Twilight asked. Chrysalis sighed, shaking her head. “Before, I would have laughed at your request.” She sighs again. “But, I have little to lose now, so I feel that I shall humor you. How much do you know about my kind?” Twilight shook her head. “Not a lot. Most recorded information is based on myths, and hold no historical accuracy.” “Ah, as I expected, but there is always truth to every myth,” she chided. “But, I guess I shall have to elaborate. Changelings have evolved to live in the harshest of environments: a land without mana.” “Wait, what?” Chrysalis growled at being interrupted, staring down the unicorn. “Yessss, a land without mana. Ponies like you can simply absorb it from the air around you, while we do not have such a luxury. We must feed our mana from emotion. Love, in particular. We gather this energy and convert it into mana, fueling our magic and life force. We are… we were currently in a famine, our reserves running dangerously low. I guess the famine ended when there was noling left to feed." She sighs, shaking her head sadly. "But, I digress. I attacked to simply replenish those reserves.” Twilight scoffed. “You could have asked, and we could have worked out a peaceful solution!” Chrysalis laughed, letting out an evil chuckle that chilled the unicorn to the bone. “Negotiation? You really think your government would allow us to feed upon its citizens willingly, draining you of your energy to feed ours?" She let out a chuckle. "I didn't think of you that much of an idiot, Unicorn.” Twilight went to rebuttal, but found she had no argument. The Queen nodded. “Exactly.” There was silence, the room filling with an awkward pause. “Tell me more about this famine,” Twilight spoke up, curious to learn more. “Well, it isn't a true famine. We do not feed on love as much as we recharge from it. Our need to eat is not filled from this, as we do need proper food to digest and function. No, this emotion only drives away the Hunger.” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Hunger?” “A disease that a changeling gets when they do not have enough mana, nor love to replenish it. It is a horrible, horrible fate. Those who suffer from the Hunger feel immense pain, their souls slowly eaten away as they have no magic to keep it in place.” “What a horrible way to die…” Chrysalis shook her head. “The Hunger cannot kill on its own. The one affected will become weak, every moment they live filled with pain… Death usually comes by their own hoof, or from one who cares and is strong enough to end their suffering.” The queen bows her head, her memory flooded with the hundreds of times she had seen this happen, and given her children this mercy. Twilight remained silent, contemplating her words. “So… you did this for them?” The large changeling snorts. “You ignorant fool. You truly believed that we would face a superior enemy for the single purpose of being ‘evil’? Did you think us so bold to attempt such a thing for any other reason but our survival?” She scowls. “You mock me with your question, pony. You remind me that I was bested by an idiot!” “Hey!” Twilight scowled. “I merely protected my home!” “And I mine!" Chrysalis screamed back. "Neither of us hold the moral high ground, here. I did what I needed for my family, and you yours. I do not blame you, Unicorn. Believe it or not, but I respect your power, and your actions.” Her gaze then shifts to that of hate, her wings flaring and her fangs gleaming. “But that does not mean that I do not wish to end you where you stand. I yearn for the day when I will be free and destroy all ponies, taking away your kind as you have done to me. I will kill everypony you care about, everypony you hold dear. I will not stop until death flames my body, too which I will welcome as I drag down as many of you as I can with me. But I will leave your princess to live, allowing her the curse of living with the feeling of regret and sorrow of having her precious family murdered right in front of her.” Twilight takes a step back, her heart racing in her chest at the creature in front of her. “You and your kind have taken everything from me… and I will find a way to find to return the favor, Twilight Sparkle! You killed my daughter, so I will find a way to kill you!” The unicorn had no words as she was frozen with fear, her heart racing. Suddenly the door to the cell opened, and Twilight turned only to shrink more as she saw a very angry looking Celestia trot inside. The Alicorn locked eyes with Twilight, and she could practically feel the full rage of the sun burn down on her. She shrunk down further, and Celestia soon turned her gaze to the Queen. “This unofficial meeting is over,” she commanded, staring down the Queen. Chrysalis chuckled. “Well, seems someone needs to keep track of their pets better,” she hissed, smiling wickedly. Celestia seemed unphased. “She will be punished according to the rules that she has broken, while you are already paying for yours.” “And what about you, princess? What about the sins you have committed? How much punishment will you be suffering?” Celestia's eye twitched. “I deal with my mistakes in my own way, Queen. A way that doesn't involve you.” The large changeling growled. “Does the deaths you caused truly mean nothing in your mind?!” “They do! And I mourn for all who have been denied their proper time to leave us, but I can ask you the same.” Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “Don't play that with me. I know loss, more than you can ever comprehend! You do not have the moral high ground because you have not suffered as I have!” “Suffering does not justify your actions!” The Alicorn shot back. “Nor does it forbade them. I feel not guilt for what I did other than for not succeeding. If I am a monster, then so be it. I do not care which side I reside on, dark or light, I only care about my subjects, and what is best for them.” She smiles. “And you will know my pain when I eventually kill that unicorn over there.” She points to Twilight, who cowered even farther into the corner. Celestia steps in between the two, blocking the queen's view of her student. “You will leave her out of this,” she warned, her temper flaring as her power began to surge. “Oh? Oh?! You want me to leave her out of this?! Then how about my family? Huh?! Did you give them that option?!” Chrysalis snapped, stomping back and forth along her cell, chains rattling as her eyes remained dead set on Celestia. “I regret the action that was taken, but it was not my decision to make.” The Queen rolled her eyes. “Celestia, you stupid creature! How do you not know the first rule about ruling: everything's your fault.” Celestia’s eye twitched, and she briefly held eye contact before turning in an angry huff, coaxing twilight forwards with a less than gentle hoof as the two vacated the chamber. “You can't hide from the truth, Celestia! You are as much of a monster as I am!” Chrysalis cried out, before being muffled by the closing of the cell door. Twilight looked up at her mentor, but shrunk away when she noticed the look of anger that still radiated from the solar Princess. It warranted no question. “You will return to your old chambers and stay the night, Twilight. We will discuss your punishment after I raise the sun tomorrow,” Celestia said, not bothering to give her student eye contact. Twilight nodded somberly. “Yes… Princess.” “You have breached my trust, and used a key that I entrusted to you to completely disobey my wishes,” she shook her head. “I really did think better of you, Twilight.” Twilight didn't respond, her gaze stuck on the floor below her...
[A Soldier's Fight Never Ends] Story Setup[Reconnection] Chapter: 1 The sound of my glass slamming onto the solid oak counter filled the ambient noise of bar. "Barkeep, I need another!!!" I mumbled loudly, trying to get the attention of the bartender. The bartender, who was cleaning a glass farther down the solid oak bar top, sighed as he put the glass with the others on the large rack behind the bar. His horn ignited, and a large, half empty glass of fine, fine whisky floated up in his telekinetic grip. He trotted over to source of the outburst, me, with the bottle in tow. It only took a second for him to make it over towards me, and quickly filled my glass with the sweet amber liquid. The bartender was an average sized unicorn buck with a black coat and a light grey mane. The bartender sighed, once again, before speaking, "Neon... Look, don't take this the wrong way, but I think you've had enough…" I groaned, moving my gaze from the counter to the bartender in front of me. I was was a well built grey-blue unicorn stallion with a dark grey mane. I wore a black, colored dress shirt, with a white tie—my black fedora with a white trim sat on the counter only inches away. "Glass, I know when I've had enough, an' I ain't had it yet," I muttered; more annoyed than angry. Don't tell me what to do... The bartender, Shot Glass, bit his lip, seeming to take great thought in what he wanted to say. After a moment, the black unicorn spoke. "Listen... Me and you go way back, and you know as well as I do that you're an angry drunk..." The stallion paused, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow with a hoof. "And we both also know that you aren't the most...stable, when angry..." Glass looked nervously at me, fearing my response. I returned the gaze, only mine was unreadable, even for the well versed bartender. After several tense moments, I sighed, pushing my half finished glass of hooch towards the buck, which made the bartender relax considerably. "You're probably right," I said, shaking my head, before returning my gaze to the stallion. He looked considerably less nervous than before, but I could still see how tense he was. I leaned forwards slightly, putting a hoof onto his shoulder. The buck tensed more, but didn't move. I frowned. Shit. "Glass, stop that," I began, removing my hoof from the stallion's shoulder. "I'm not gonna whack you, you know that?" I hated it when Joe's shied away from me, usually out of fear. The stallion sighed, leaning onto the bar top. "Yeah, I dig," he began. "But I also know you, the real you, so you can't knock me for being a little edgy." I chuckled, knowing all too well where he was coming from. "Yeah, I guess I can't." The sound of more patrons entering the bar caught Shot Glass's attention. "Well, duty calls," he said, turning towards the few ponies who had just entered. He gave me a nod, before dumping my glass into the the sink behind him, and walking towards to other customers. I looked my glass in the sink, before shaking my head. I sat up from my barstool, sliding off and onto the hardwood floor beneath. My hooves made a soft "thud" as they made contact. I turned, grabbing my black fedora from the counter, put it on my head, then walking toward the exit... Shot Glass’s uneasy form returned as he started at the patrons in front of him. There were three of them in total, all being earth-pony bucks, and all wearing red Blazers. The bartender rubbed the back of his head with a hoof as he spoke. "H-hello, gentlemen... Can I get you anything?" The middle buck who, along with his blazer, wore a red fedora that matched his blazer. He chuckled slightly, the other soon following his example. The middle buck, who seemed to be the leader of the bunch, spoke. "Hehe, you know what we want, Glass. Just give us your 'rent' you owe us and we'll be on our way." Glass began to sweat even more, now, but he tried to put on a confident composure. "N...no! I will not continue to pay you for 'rent'! I worked my ass of to buy this bar, and I don't see why I should have to pay you!" The middle buck was taken back by the bartender's response, but quickly regained his composure. "Very well, then... Boys?" He nodded to the two bucks besides him. "Please, remind this misunderstood stallion why he has to pay us." Both stallions nodded in response. One walked up to a nearby table, before turning around and bucking the table, sending it flying. The table slammed into the wall, cracking and creating a large hole in the wall where it struck. Glass shouted, trying to jump over the counter to stop the buck, but was stopped when the leader of the trio pinned him against the counter. "You ain't going no where. You're gonna watch as my boys wreck you precious ba-" he was cut-off as his muzzle was suddenly slammed into the counter, a loud "crack!" followed by a scream of pain filled the air, which made the other ponies in the blazer's stop their destruction... I stood over the leader of the group, balanced on my hind hooves with one of my front hooves on the counter of the bar and the other continuing to press the buck's muzzle into the counter. Think you're hot shit now, fink?! I thought as I removed my hoof, letting the buck recoil and fall onto the floor, holding his broken nose as it gushed blood. The other two bucks stared in shock for a moment, looking at their bleeding leader, who had managed to hold back the pain long enough to scream, "Are you just gonna stand there, or are you gonna get him?!" The bucks shook themselves out of their shock, and began to charge at me. I jumped down off of the counter, waiting for the first buck to come closer. Come on, come to Daddy Neon... As he got a few feet from me, the buck lashed out with a hoof, aiming for my muzzle. Before he could make contact, I twisted in one fluid movement on my back hooves, making his hoof fly over my right shoulder. I lifted my front hooves up, wrapping around the buck's outstretched hoof, and pulled forward, flipping the buck over my shoulder, sending him flying into a table farther down the bar. I instantly turned around as I hear the other buck approaching. He, instead of going for a punch like the other, decided to simply ran into me. I didn't react fast enough as he threw himself forwards, slamming his shoulder into my chest. I slid back, pain flaring from from where the buck had made contact. He continued to slide me back until I slammed me into a wall, causing more pain to flare up. Fuck, that hurt! I thought as the buck reeled a hoof back, intending on striking. He didn't get the chance as I slammed my head into his, momentarily stunning him long enough for me to push off of the wall I was press against, tackling the buck in front of me. He slammed into the ground, my hooves slamming into his chest. His eyes seemed to go wide as my blow knocked the wind out of him. I quickly took the time to slam a hoof into his face, striking true. The force of my punch causing him to black out. I stood up, grabbing my fedora--which had flown off my head when I head butted the buck--and levitated it onto my head. I turned and looked into the large mirror that ran along the side of the wall opposite the bar, straightened my hat, making sure it had the perfect slant. I had figured out a while ago that something simple as the angle of a hat could cause it to me that much more intimidating. Satisfied, I turned back towards the bar, stepping over the unconscious buck as I made my way towards the leader of the group, who was still on the ground, holding his broken nose. His eyes went wide as he noticed me approaching. "B-back off!!" he stammered, using the his back hooves and his one front hoof that wasn't holding his nose to slide himself back, away from me. I stopped a few feet in front of him, looking into his eyes with my emotionless stare. "I think it'd be in your best interest to leave, and not come back, dig?" The buck nodded frantically, getting onto his hooves and running out of the exit. The buck I'd thrown had gone and put his unconscious friend on his back, and carried him out of the bar. I let out a sigh, shaking my head, before trotting over to the counter. Looking behind it, I saw the shaking form of Shot Glass. I jumped over the counter, landing next to my friend. He looked up, and smiled when he noticed it was me. I offered him a hoof, which he accepted, and I helped him to his feet. The Bartender dusted off his coat, before turning to face me. "Man, I owe you big." I shrugged. "Nah, you don't owe me anything, Glass. You're my friend, and I like this bar, so leaving it to get trashed didn't seem like a good idea." I usually didn't like getting into confrontations when I wasn't working, but today was an exception. I wasn't gonna just stand back and let those idiots mess with my friend's bar, especially since I was beginning to favor said bar. Glass looked around, and so did I. The damage from the fight wasn't overly bad. A few tables were broken, and there was a decent sized hole in one of the walls where the table had hit, but other then that, it was mostly intact. He shook his head in a friendly smile. "Because of you, I'm pretty sure those bums won't be coming back and the damaged they caused is far less than if you didn't step in. In short: you saved my a shit ton of bits. The least I can do is give you a free drink every once and a while." I chuckled, realizing that the buck wasn't going to back down. "Fine." He smiled in return, giving me a pat on the back. "That'a boy. Now, I don't mean to be rude, but I got some cleaning to do," he said, pushing my toward the door. "Come back tomorrow for your free drink!" He said, pushing me out the door before locking it behind him. I chuckled at my friend's antics. I hadn't seen him in a long time, tonight being the first time I'd seen him in years, actually. The usual bar I went to got busted by the cops not too long ago, and I hadn't even known that he owned this bar until I'd walked in earlier that day. I smiled slightly to myself as I walked up the stairs and to the actual front door to the bar. Opening the door with a hoof, I trotted outside. I was greeted by the ever-so-cheery sight of the dark clouds above the grand city of Chicacolt. I wasn't too afraid of rain, as the clouds that covered the cities skyline were almost always there, cloaking the dreary city in a shroud of black. I stepped away from the door to the speakeasy, my hooves making clopping sounds they made contact with the sidewalk. I looked around. Same old skyscrapers, same old clouds, same old ponies, same old city, I thought to myself. The streets weren't overly crowded with ponies, but there were still quite a few walking about, going through their daily routines. It seemed so simple, so plain, so... boring. I rolled my eyes at my lack of chain of thought, and looked down at my watch. Twelve thirty-five... Well, better get on my way. I merged with the flow of ponies as they walked along the sidewalk. The occasional chatter of conversation was the only other sound other than she shuffling of hooves and usual background of the city. I could hear sirens off in the distance, and chuckled to myself. I continued to walk along with the herd until I made it to my destination: Bucky's Tower. Now, everyone knew Bucky, and Bucky knew everyone. He was in charge of the city, but not in the traditional government sense. No, he wasn't a mayor, governor, president, or anything like that. He was a king, the king, and everyone in the city belonged to him, even me. I pushed through the large revolving door to the tower, entering into the main lobby. The lobby was something to behold. The ceiling was high, easily twenty feet or more off of the ground. White columns lines the walls. The walls were covered in many different painting, ranging from simple depiction of fruit, to masterpieces, hundreds of years old. The carpet was a plush read, and felt so soft under my hooves. On the opposite side of the lobby was a receptionist desk with a lightly blue mare with a bright orange mane. She had a cigaret in her mouth, taking occasional puffs as she typed up something on her typewriter. On either side of the desk were golden elevators, with a set of stairs next to the left one. I trotted up to the receptionist, tapping my hoof a few times on the desk to get her attention. She turned to me, her face holding an unamused expression. "Do you have an appointment?" She asked in a nasally voice. I shook my head. "Buck contacted me and said he wanted to meet. My name is Neon Light," I said, matter-of-factly. The receptionist pushed a few papers around her desk, read one, then motioned towards the right elevator. "Yes, the boss is expecting you." No shit... I thought as I trotted towards the elevator. I pressed the up arrow, and the doors opened with a soft "ding!". Inside of the elevator was a formally dressed unicorn stallion. "Which floor, sir?" "Top, I've been requested by Buck himself." The unicorn nodded as I trotted in. His horn lit up as the doors closed, and the lift began to rise. It didn't take long until we arrived at the top floor of the building. I tipped my hat to the operator as I stepped out, before trotting forwards and into the office in front of me. The office was huge, to say the least. The far wall was completely glass, giving an almost panoramic view of the city beyond. The floor was the same plush carpet, and the walls were covered in more expensive art and sculptures. A huge desk sat at the far end of the room, with the pony who I was to meet sitting in the desk's chair. Buck was a decently tall, light grey earthpony. His mane was light black, almost grey, while his cutie-mark was a moneybag. He wore a black and white striped shirt, with a white and black striped tie. Yes, there was a difference. The earthpony started out of his huge window, the back of his chair facing me. I took a few steps in, before I was stopped by his voice. "Glad you could make it, Neon." The buck spoke, his voice firm and commanding. I nodded, though I figured he couldn't see me. "The pleasure is all mine," I responded, trying to sound as respectful as possible. This guy wasn't just my boss, he was the boss. The large desk chair swiveled as the stallion turned to face me. "You are no stranger to the services I require of you, as we both know, so I might as well get right to it," he began, sliding out of his chair and walking over to me. He stood before me, somehow towering over me, even by being only an inch taller at most. "I require another pony to be... dealt with, at your discretion, per usual." I nodded, all too familiar with our usual 'business' transactions. Buck smiled. "Good, good. Your pay shall be the usually wage; half out front, half when completed," the stallion began again, "and due to the... Importance, of said target, I will raise your usual pay by...10%." I had to hold stop myself from screaming. A 10% increase?! Holy shit! Then it dawned on me. If it's that much... Celestia, who is the target? I was awoken from my mind by a light tap on my shoulder. I shook my head, before looking back at buck. "Sorry, lost in thought." Buck chuckled. Not a jolly laugh, but almost an... evil one. "It's okay, my friend, we all find ourselves lost in our mind once in a while. Anyways," Buck pulled a white envelope out of his shirt pocket, before hoofing it over to me, which I took in my magic. "Here is the details of the pony I require being dealt with. As you know, I don't want thing coming back to me directly in any way, lest you'll become a frayed thread that'll require clipping, understood?" I nodded. Buck grinned. "Good. Well, I wish of you good luck," he turned and headed back to his chair. "Please, contact me as soon as it is done." "I shall, sir," I spoke as I walked back towards the elevator door. I pressed the down button, which almost immediately opened, and I stepped inside. "Lobby," I told the operator, who nodded, horn igniting as the doors closed and the lift began to descend. I stared at the envelope as I held it in front of me with my magic. It's funny how somepony's life can be determined by something as simple as a note in an envelope. It shouldn't be that easy, but it is. I stared at the envelope in front of me, contemplating opening it now. It was just a job, one that I've done many times before. It payed good, and had decent, flexible hours. Surely, a dream job such as that shouldn't be this complicated. All I had to do was open the envelope, do what I am payed to do, and it'd be all over with. It wasn't a pony's life I held in this envelope, only a job... The lift suddenly stopped, the doors opening. I trotted out of the elevator and down the lobby, exiting out the large, revolving door of Buck Tower. I stepped out into the dismal city and sighed, putting the envelope Into my shirt pocket, before trotting in the direction of home... It hasn't taken long to get to my apartment, as it was located in a tower not far from Buck Tower. I unlocked the door, and trotted inside. I flopped down on my couch, pulling the envelope out of my pocket, throwing it into the table in front of me. I sat there for a few minutes contemplating in my mind. I shook my head and picked up the envelope in my magic. I levitated it in front of me for a moment, running threw the last bit of resistance I had, before opening up the envelope. The note inside was brief, all it had was a name, sketch of the cutie-mark, and any special request my client had in mind. This one didn't have any special requests, though, only having the name and cutie-mark of the pony I was supposed to end. Sapphire Shores. That was who I was supposed to end. I didn't know the exact reason Buck wanted her dead, and I honestly didn't care—it made the job easier. From what I could tell from her cutie-mark, I could tell she was a singer, and the address on the bottom confirmed that as being one of Chicacolt's main concert halls. As per every job, I had to watch before I struck. It needed find the perfect time, use the perfect tool, and make it so that it was so perfect, it couldn't be connected to either me, or my client. I looked around my apartment. It didn't have much, to be honest. It was a two bedroom, two bathroom apartment. I never knew why I decided on this apartment, to be honest, it just felt... right. The only thing that set my apartment different from the rest was my instruments. Yes, my job wasn't a musician, but I loved music too much to not continue playing. After all, I got my cutie-mark from my shining talent in music. My collection included a double bass, a piano, a violin, a saxophone and a trumpet. I smiled, knowing that they could always take me away from the world when it got too much, that feeling of security was always welcoming. But, playing them would have to wait, as I had a job to do... Three days of watching, three days of planning, three days of strict focus... And today it would all come together. Sapphire shores was an extremely talented singer, as he had learned from studying her. Her voice literally sounded like an angel's corus in his ears. More the usual he had to remind himself that she wasn't a pony, only a job... I sat in the back row of the concert hall, waiting for my job to be complete. The sounds of a beam falling, followed by screams of panic, signified that my job had been complete. Out of the chaos that erupted in the theatre, I calmly walked out of the concert hall, and back to claim my pay. The golden doors opened, revealing the familiar office of my employer. I trotted forward, my hoofsteps casting a somber tone to the quiet office. Buck sat at his desk, looking over some papers in front of him. He looked up, noticing me, and smiled. "Good. If you are here... Then I take it your job has been completed?" I nodded. He smiled, nodding to himself. "Good, good. I would tell you why I wished this particular mare gone, but I know how you don't care for that kind of information." He straightened the papers on his desk, before placing them neatly on the corner. "As promised, your pay had been transferred to your usual account, and I would like to thank you for a job well done." I nodded. He chuckled. "You know, you're not good company. Sure, you get the job done, but you're not much of a talker, aren't you?" I smiled slightly. "No, sir, I prefer to keep my work and life separate. It makes things... Easier, to deal with." He nodded in understanding. "That's a concept that I take to heart, my friend." He paused, seeming to think of something. "You know... Here, walk with me." He said, putting a hoof on my back, leading me to the large window. We stopped just behind the glass , looking out onto the city beyond. "Tell me, my friend, what do you see?" "I see... a city?" I said, uncertain to where he was going with this. "Yes, my city. And it is not only that, it is a machine. It is my job to make sure that it works properly, each part making sure to do what they are supposed to do, when they are supposed to do it. "You, my friend, are my... Repair pony, of sorts. You remove those gears that don't work quite right, allowing me to replace them with gears that work better, more efficiently." Buck sighed, putting a hoof to his temple. "Sadly... I have to ask you to remove something quite... Close, to me." Another job? So soon? He chuckled, patting me on the back. "I can already see the gears going inside of your head, my boy!!! Yes, I do have another job for you. This time, however, is different... I want you to remove part of my family, one that I feel... Tarnishes my machine. "I know you don't like details, but you'll have to excuse me for this one time, because I must disclose. She is scum, deciding to pursue... Someone of her same gender." A fillyfooler? He wants someone dead because of that? "I know, it doesn't seem like a big deal. But there is more at stake...more than you could understand. Her name is Octavia, my... daughter." He looked solemnly at the ground. "I want her dead, but I want you to make it quick, and painless. Her lover, on the other hoof, I want you to make her suffer..." He scowled. "Her name is Vinyl Scratch." He turned to me, a mixture of anger and regret filling his features. "I want this done as soon as possible; I want them dead by tomorrow..."
[Fleeting Hope] Story Setup[Reconnection] Chapter: 2 I paced around my room, a mental tirade filling my skull. What the hell?! It's just a job... just a job... Damn it!!! I turn around and smash my hooves into my table, the wooden legs giving way, smashing it to the floor. This wasn't usual for me, it never was. I always did the job, no hesitation, no regret, and no second thought. This one... This one was different. I knew why Buck wanted me to end them... but the reason seemed so... Cruel. I pulled the splinters out of my hoof from my shattered table, winching slightly with each one. A thin trickle of blood rolled down my hoof, reminding me of what I had done. No!!! I put my hooves to my head, trying to silence myself. It's just a job!!! I sprung to my hooves, all thoughts pushed out of my mind, and headed into my room. I trotted past my bed, and opened my closet. I opened it, pushing away my hung-up close, and opened the hidden panel behind it. Various guns and weapons hung behind it, the main one being my tommy gun, on the side of said gun were the words: "Chicacolt Typewriter" etched into it's side. I picked up the gun, feeling it's weight in my hooves. I looked over my weapon... Tool with extreme care. I always made sure to clean it, oil it, and make sure it was in perfect condition; a broken gun's only gonna get yourself killed, after all. I picked up the weapon in my magic, and disassembled it. I had it specially made so it could be broken down and fit in an average briefcase. After all, can go walking around with this thing on my hip, especially in my line for work. Once the weapon was properly stowed, I picked up the case in my magic, and closed the compartment before making my way towards the door. Buck had given me the address of my... Targets, and said they should be home around this time of day... 301...304...there, 307! I thought as as I approached the door to apartment 307. I stopped in front of the door, paused for the briefest of moments, then knocked. The room beyond was suddenly filled with the sounds of shuffling hooves and hushed whispers. After a moment of this, the call of a mare with a proper accent replied, "One moment, please!" There was more shuffling, more hushed whispers, before the door opened, revealing a charcoal grey mare with a jet black mane. She looked a mess, seeming to have just woken up based on her hastily fixed bedhead. The mare took a moment to catch her breath, before answering, "Yes?" I gave her a polite smile, giving a brief tip of my fedora towards the mare. "Good evening, ma'am. My name is Neon, and I am an affiliate of your... father. Mind if I come in? I have matters that need discussing." She bit her lip, briefly looking inside. After a moment of brief contemplation, the mare turned back to face me. "Ummm...yes, I guess. I have a... friend over at the moment... do you wish to speak to me alone?" I shook my head. Of course they would be together… this should make matters easier. "No need, miss, that will not be a problem." She nodded. "Very well, then. Please, come in." I trotted into the apartment as the mare stepped aside, allowing me access to the apartment beyond. The apartment was modest in most areas, only having a small kitchen and seemly one bedroom and bathroom. I would’ve expected… more, I guess? A grumble emitted from the bathroom trotted towards the area I assumed was the living room. I turned to Octavia, motioning with my head in the direction of the bathroom. "Your friend, I assume?" She nodded. "Yes, she's a mess in the morning." I let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah, I myself am not a morning person, either." Damn it, stop making friendly conversation. Distance is key. They aren't ponies, only the job. Octavia lead me towards a decent sized couch, motioning for me to take a seat. I gave her another polite nod, before sitting. The charcoal grey mare made her way to the kitchen. “Would you like tea, Mr. Neon? Or anything to drink?” I shook my head. “No, Miss, I’m fine.” “Very well, then,” the mare replied, trotting from the kitchen with a steaming cup of her own tea balanced on her back. She stopped at an armchair that was opposite me, placed her tea on the armrest, then sat down, turning her gaze towards me. “Now, what is these ‘important matters’ that my father wishes for you to discuss with me?” I sighed, deciding to get right this over with instead of procrastinating. My horn ignited with it’s magical glow, followed by the soft "click" of the front door's lock. The mare across from me cocked her head, looking at me with confusion. No backing down now… I thought, shaking my head. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry for this.” My horn lit up even brighter, and the mare in front of me was instantly surrounded in my magical aura. She squirmed, immediately trying to scream. She was silenced as I slapped a strip of tape over her muzzle. In that moment, the bathroom door opened. A white mare with a spiked blue and white mane trotting out. "'Tavi, we need more..." Her voice died as she saw Octavia squirming in my magical grip, eyes wide with fear. The mare stood there for a second, staring at me. Her face changed almost instantly from confusion, to pure rage. She charged at me, her rage fueling her assault. I easily dodged her charge, countering it by wrapping my hooves around her neck in a chokehold. I twisted, slamming her to the ground and pinning her hind legs with my own. My grip around her neck tightened, her eyes going wide as I squeezed. The mare restrained in my hooves thrashed the best she could, limbs flailing as she tried to escape my hold. Her fight continued until she suddenly stopped, her eyes closing as he limbs went limp. I let go of the mare, rolling her off of me. I stared at the mare on the ground for a second, before turning my gaze to Octavia, who was still suspended in my magical grip. Tears flowed freely down the mare’s cheeks. Her cries muffled by the tape across her muzzle. She had stopped her protest against my magical grip, seeming to lose all fight. I opened my briefcase I’d walked in with, pulling out a long piece of rope. I levitated a chair from the kitchen table over to us, and lowered the mare in my grasp into the chair before binding her hooves to the chair with the rope. The mare didn’t put up a fight, instead crying as hard as she could, staring at the mare on the ground. Once I was sure she was secure, I pulled over another chair and picked up the mare on the ground, lifting her up and tying her to the chair much in the same way as the other. Octavia looked puzzled at this, but didn’t stop her crying. I took a moment to charge my horn, before casting a sound proofing spell around the room. Once I was sure that the room was completely sound proofed, I removed the tape around Octavia’s muzzle with my magic. “You monster!” she screamed, her eyes still filled with still falling tears. “You killed her!!!” I sighed before walking over to the white mare. I pressed my ear against her chest, relieved when I heard the soft ‘thumps’ of her beating heart. Thank god… I turned to Octavia. “I did not kill your friend, only knocking her out.” Octavia looked perplexed by this, but thankfully stopped crying. “Why, then? Why did you do this… what are you going to do? What is going on?!” “I suppose I owe you at least an explanation. My name is infact Neon Lights, and I am a hit-pony hired by your father to kill the both of you.” Octavia’s eyes went wide. “M-My father sent you?! Why?!” “My job isn’t to know the ‘why’ of it, but your father did give me the brief explanation of it being because of your relationship with the mare next to you,” I said, motioning to the unconscious mare with a hoof. “Weather it be out of prejudice or not, that is the reason he gave me. And again, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.” I lowered my head slightly, a look of sadness crossing my features for the briefest of moments. “You… you don’t want to do this, do you?” I jerked my head up to face the mare, surprised by her response. I took a moment to contemplate answering. “It does not matter if I want to do it or not. I was payed to do this job, and it is my duty of fufill my part of deal. Feeling are irrelevant.” The mare looked at me, her expression seeming almost… empathetic. “It does matter. If you don’t want to do the job, then don’t!” I shook my head. “It isn’t that simple…” “How the hell is it not that simple?!” she screamed at me. Once again, I was taken aback by the mare’s outbursts. “It just isn’t, okay?! It isn’t about you, or me! It’s only about the job!!!” I screamed at the mare, rage filling my body. “It’s never mattered about me, or you, or anypony!!! I have to do this, whether I like it or not.” I stomped off, pulling my gun out of my briefcase and assembling it as fast as I could, before pointing it at the mare’s head. She began to continue crying as the hardened steel pressed against her skull. I could hear her pleading, telling me not to do this. I blocked it out. I couldn’t hear her. I couldn’t hear anything. The only thing I could see was my gun, and my trigger. There wasn’t a life that was going to end after this, only the completion of my job. I was suddenly pulled out of my mind as something slammed into my side, my magical grip on my gun imploding, causing it to fall to the ground. I snapped back to reality, noticing immediately that the white mare that I’d knocked out earlier had, in fact, woken up, and managed to free herself. She stood above me, rage filling her features as she began to throw punches at me. My head filled with pain as I felt some of the them connect before I could react. I pressed my back hooves against the mare’s stomach, throwing her off of me with a mighty buck. The white mare flew back from the force of my buck, hitting the far wall. I sprung to my hooves, readying myself to fight the mare. To my surprise, she was already on her feet herself, my gun clasp in her own magical aura. My eyes went wide as I jumped behind the couch as bullets began to spew from the gun’s barrel. Hot lead tore threw the couch, barely missing my prone form. My mind reeled, trying to think of what to do. The bullets suddenly stopped flying, and I took the opportunity to jump out from behind the couch. To my surprise, the room was empty. I blinked, noticing the chair that held Octavia was empty. It took me a second to notice the open door before I sprung into action. I used my magic to take a knife from the kitchen, clamping it in my teeth before running threw the door. The brief sight of a white blur crossed my vision at the end of the hallway. I ran after the blur, following it down the hallway and down the stairs to the entrance to the building. I jumped threw the open doors of the apartment building, and was greeted to the site of many ponies milling around the streets beyond. I dropped the knife, trying to locate the mares that had just escaped. It was no use, they were gone... I don't know how long I sat at the steps to Buck Tower. It could've been hours, maybe even days, I didn't know. I watched as the pony's walked past me, oblivious to my existence. I kept hoping that, by chance, those two that got away would walk past, and I wouldn't have to face my boss empty hoofed. It wasn't that I was afraid of facing him, more of the fact that this was the first time I'd ever failed a job. I let myself get too attached to them...I should've just took the shot and be done with it. But no, I let the canary sing, and ended up with nothing by her song. Speaking of her song...it was bugging me. I kept thinking about what that mare had said, and I couldn't push it out of my head like usual. I sighed, realizing that I'd procrastinated long enough, and it was time to face the music...face my boss. I got up on my hooves, straightening my shirt and hat before heading inside. I didn't bother to check in with the receptionist, instead just pressing the call button on the elevator. The mare looked like she was about to protest, but shrank away from my death glare. The door opened, and I mumbled, "Buck's office." Luckily, the elevator operator understood what I said, closing the doors as the elevator started to ascend. I kept my mind blank throughout the short trip up the elevator. When the doors opened, I stared at the office in front of me, contemplating turning back, but i pushed that thought into the back of my mind as is trotted into the office. The office hadn't changed since my last visit, Buck even being in the same position behind his desk, staring at the city beyond his window. I get only a few steps into his office before I hear him speak, "My sources tell me that you've failed me..." I bow my head slightly. "Sorry, boss..." Buck's large chair swivels so he faces me, his face filled with disappointment. "You have been perfect: never messing up once... Until now. Normally, I wouldn't care as much, either giving you another chance, or sending someone better. But, sadly, you are the best I have... And I can't have this messed up again. Something was different this time, something happened." He leans forwards in his chair, tilting his head slightly. "So, what happened; why did you fail me?" Shit... What do I tell him? I thought, my mind racing to think of an answer. My thoughts are interrupted, however, when I hear buck let out a loud sigh. "You're taking your time to answer. You're either trying to think up a lie, or trying to crop the truth. So...I'm gonna give you three seconds to answer me before I get angry," he said, his voice filled with finality. "One." Shit! "Two." What do I say?! "Three!!" "I don't know!" I blurt out, instantly regretting it, but not showing it. "Boss, I don't know what happened. I had them tied up, a gun against their heads... But, one escaped, pulling my own gun on me. I...I just balked. I let them have enough time to react..." "So...you balked?" I nodded. "Very well... I feared you'd turned, but I can see it in your eyes; you speak the truth." He put his hooves to his temples, massaging them lightly. "You've put me in quite a pickle, my friend. Usually, I'd make an example of you for failing me... But, then again, you have served me well in the past without falter." He removed his hooves from his temples, and then staring at me with a quizzical look. "Is it best to end the life of one dying of sickness, or watch as they slowly descend? You, my friend, have the sickness... I'll give you a day before I end your sickness, for the sake of all that you have done." No...this can't be happening... "Boss, there has to be another way. I...I could try and again, and not fail!" He shook his head. "As I told you the other day: this city is a machine. And, sadly, you have become a part of it that needs replacing. Now go, enjoy the today and tomorrow, because after that you'll be considered my enemy, and you are all too familiar about what I do to them..." I nodded, using all of my willpower to not throw myself at his knees and beg for another chance. But, knowing buck, it would only make things worse. "I... I'm gonna go now..." I said, turning around and heading towards golden elevator. Before the elevator descended, I heard buck call out, "It's not personal; just business!!!" I was a dead pony, and like most dead ponies, I decided to mourn my impending death over the sweet embrace of alcohol. I downed another glass, pushing it toward the quickly growing pile on the bar counter in front of me. I'd left buck's tower... Celestia knows how long ago, and made my way immediately towards Shot Glass's bar. The bartender had seen my expression the moment I walked into the bar, and already had a glass of his strongest whiskey poured before I even sat down. I didn't speak to him, only nodding to him every time I needed a refill. I don't know how long I'd drank out my sorrows, but I couldn't see straight and the floor seemed to be moving, so I figured that it had to be a lot. I wanted to get up and leave, but my body was having a hard time complying. Shot Glass trotted over my drunken form, looking at me the entire time with a saddened expression. With my mind utterly trashed by the large about of alcohol pumping through my veins, I finally managed to make contact with the bartender. I say 'contact' only because the slur of sounds coming out of my mouth could be hard pressed to be considered words, but the bartender seemed to have enough experience with talking to drunk ponies to understand me... For the most part. "Glass... I... I have a problem," I mumbled, not managing to move my head from the counter. "I... I got fired from my job, and my boss is going to literally going to have me killed the day after tomorrow." Glass... Well, he did his best to hide his look of fear and pity as he visually shuttered. He took a moment to think, probably contemplating trying to converse with me in my drunken state. He didn't get the chance, however, as I continued my rant. "Yup, I'm a dead pony. And the best part, the ponies that caused this are probably going to die as well... And I absolutely feel like shit about it!!!" I lifted my head, trying to look straight at the bartender. I think I was actually looking at the wall, but I couldn't really tell—everything just kinda blurred together. "Why should I care that the two who ruined my life are going to die? I mean, it doesn’t even make any sense!!!” Glass looked at me with pity in his eyes while he gently tapped a hoof comfortingly on my shoulder. “It means that you have a heart, my friend. And I think that the fact you realized it was what caused this whole mess.” I gave his a questionable--well, I was going for questionable, but drunk brain doesn’t want to comply--look as I lifted my head to face him. “I mean… I don’t know. You confuse the hell out of me. You go out of your way to save my bar, putting yourself in danger for no reason but because it was the right thing to do. Then you go out and kill ponies for money. Honestly, I think either you’re heart, or brain, is broken.” "Well, my brain is full of drunk at the minute, so please ask sober brain for an answer..." I mumbled. Glass rolled his eyes. "Are you just gonna give up? Because that isn't the Neon I know. The Neon I know would go down fighting!" he finished, slamming his hooves onto the table for emphasis. I groaned. "What's the point?! I mean, I got the most powerful stallion in the city wanting me dead..." I sighed. "I'm screwed..." "Damn it, Neon!" he screamed, pushing my off my stool. I fell off, landing in a drunken heap. "I'm not gonna stand here and watch you drink yourself away! I'm not giving you another drink until you promise me that you ain't gonna go lying down!" Celestia, damn it! Doesn't he understand I just wanna forget everything before I die?! Whatever, I'm too drunk to argue with myself. "Fine! I'll put up a fight, if it makes you happy!" I said from the floor. Glass rolled his eyes. "Prove it, and then I'll give you drinks for free for the rest of your life." Hmm... I'm listening... "And how would I go about that?" Shot Glass smirked. He trotted from the back of the bar over to the far wall. He put his hoof to it, before a soft "click" could be heard, and the door opened. Two familiar mare's fell out, landing in a pile on the floor. They quickly got to their hooves, and game me a death glare. I chuckled. "You think I'm gonna finish the job while this drunk?!" I said, ending in a hiccupy laugh. "No," the stallion began. "I want you to protect them." Is stopped laughing. "You want me to what now?!"
[Entanglement] Story Setup[Reconnection] Chapter: 3 "You want me to do what now?!" I said for about the fifth time. Shot Glass buried his head in his hooves. "I'm the idiot for trying to reason with drunk you..." The two mares and taken a seat at one of the tables in the bar, trying to melt me with their stares. I laughed. "You two are pissed at me because I tried to kill you! Well, jokes on me, because now I'm dead!" I laughed harder. The white one rolled her eyes. "Honestly, this is the best we could find?" She asked shot glass. He nodded. "Well, anyone else would either run away or turn you in. Considering he is already a dead-pony, I don't think he has anything to lose." The charcoal grey mare scoffed. "You expect us to trust the stallion who tried to kill us?!" Mare had a point. "Do you have another idea?!" He shot back. "Because it's either him, or nopony. And even though he looks like he's useless, he's actually good at what he does." "Except with you two, because I completely fucked up there!" "Shut up, Neon!" Shot Glass hissed. I shrugged. "Or what? I'm already a dead-pony." I could hear Shot Glass's hoof smack his forehead. "Would you just shut up? I know you're drunk, but you're usually better than this!" I rolled over from my position on the floor, staring up and the bartender. "Hey, why are you helping these mare's, anyways?" It was a serious question, one I didn't expect my drunk mind to be able to actually come up with... way to go, brain. He sighed. "I'm not gonna go into details, but I owe these two." "Whatever," I mumbled. The white mare stood up, pissed. "You know what? Screw this! You actually expect him to help us?! He tried to kill us, and if I didn't react, he would've succeeded! Before I go putting me and Octavia's lives in somepony's hooves, I want proof that it's worth it." Octavia, who had stood up besides Vinyl, nodded. "I agree. From what I've seen, he's just rude and a killer." Shot glass sighed. "I know it's hard to believe, but Neon does, in fact, have a heart. And when he's sobered up, I actually believe that he will help you two. I'll bet my life on it..." I puked--"Celestia, damn it, Neon!!!"--then passed out. I awoke... I don't know how much later. My head hurt like hell, and even remotely opening my eyes also hurt like hell. Wherever I was, it wasn't dark. "Turn off the lights!!!" I groaned. Putting my hooves over my face. "Look, he's awake!" I hear a voice call out. "I still think this is a horrible idea..." answered another. "Hush, you! If shot glass trusts him, then we should," the first responded. "Well, I'm gonna keep an eye on him anyways." "If you must..." "Please be quiet!" I screamed, instantly regretting it as my headache only got worse. I went to roll over, when I noticed something tight wrapped around my front and back hooves. Oh, come on! "Seriously? Did you really have to tie me up?" I mumbled, still trying to keep my eyes shut. "You did try to kill us, so I feel it's a safe precaution." "And you kinda tied us up so... Yeah." Well... Yeah, I guess it's fair, I thought. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes. It took me a while to get used to the light, but after I did I noticed that I was laying on a hardwood floor. I couldn't get a good look at the room around me from my current position on the floor. "Um... Where are we?" A pair of white hooves trotted into my field of view, followed closely by a pair of charcoal grey ones. "Until you can prove that we can trust you, we will not disclose our current location or untie you." Urg, why do they always have to do this the hard way, I thought as I ignited my horn. I had been tied up a few times before, so untying myself wasn't that much of an issue... Except for my hangover, but that was more annoying than limiting. I quickly got free from my bonds, and stood up. The mare's who were in front of me stared at me, wide eyed. I shrugged. "You really think this was the first time I'd been tied up?" They looked at each other nervously. I sighed, taking the time to get a better look at my surroundings. The room that I was in wasn't that large, maybe being about 20 feet by 20 feet. The floor was, in fact, hardwood, and a few boxes and a mattress were all that was in the room. Huh... Probably in some old storage room, I thought. I turned my attention back to the mare's in front of me. They nervously shuffled in place, their confidence vanishing now that I wasn't either drunk or tied down. I shook my head. "Relax, I have no plans to kill either of you." Neither of them seemed convinced. I sighed, again. "I don't blame you for not trusting me, especially after what I almost did to you... but, Shot Glass did have a point: I have no reason to kill you now." Most of last night had become a blur to me, but I did manage to retain most of that conversation. "I don't blame you about what's happening to me... And I'm a dead man anyways, so... Yeah, I'll help you guys." They looked... Contemplative. They turned, whispering to each other. I plopped down on my haunches, waiting for them to respond. After a few more minutes of hushed whispering between the two, they turned back to me. Octavia spoke, "Even though this is horribly stupid, you are the only one who can possibly help us..." "But!" Vinyl added in. "We will be keeping an eye on you." I raised an eyebrow. "And do what if I step out of line?" She looked like she was about to answer, before she huffed and looked at the floor. I nodded. “I thought so,” I began. “Now, can you please tell me where we are?” Vinyl, the seemingly brave of the two, answered. "We are someplace safe... For now." I raised an eyebrow. "And where, exactly, is here?" The white mate growned, obviously irritated with having to deal with me. I don't blame her, honestly. "We are in the storeroom of Glass's bar." Oh... Well, I probably should've expected that. I nodded. Octavia, who had stayed extremely close to Vinyl, spoke up. "If we are going to be spending some time with each other, I believe we should at least get to know each other." I nodded. Considering we were probably gonna be together until we figured out how to get out of our predicament, I figured this would be the best course of action.
[Crestfallen Soul] Freewrite[Fo:E - Wanderer] Story Setup Fallout: Equestria - Wanderer By: Michael A. A radio lies half buried in the sand. It is old and worn, covered in scars from years of continued use. It's a simple little contraption: a small, brown box. It had once been a brilliant red, but time had worn away its cheerful visage. On the front were three knobs; one controlled volume, another controller the station, and the last controlled power. The inside, while a marvel of prewar engineering, was actually fairly simple. Several cheaply enchanted crystals lay inside, vibrating with the invisible radio-waves that permeate the air. The original owner of this radio is unknown. His reason for owning it is unknown. Was it a gift? Was it an impulse purchase? Or was it just something they felt they needed? Whatever the reason, it was not theirs anymore. It had passed through the hooves of several ponies through the years. It had been bartered, stolen, looted, gifted, and passed on in the years since it’s original creation. Now, it belonged to the Wasteland. Not far from this half-buried relic was a road. It was well traveled—the sand compacted from the hooves of countless travels. The ponies who traveled this road all had varying motives. Some traveled with a caravan in tow. Some wandered in hopes of riches or something ‘better’. Some ran their fears. And some simply wandered, no motive or reason. This road was a graveyard. Bodies lay splane along this road. A ransacked caravan. Blood dripped from lifeless husks. It soaked into the sand. The road was stained red. The previous owner of the radio was among those dead. In life, he was a trailer. He had bartered his goods along this road all his life. In death, he was another victim of the wasteland, a reminder of the horrors it held. Among the dead was his family: wife and young son. He had wished for his son to inherit his route. His trade. This would never come to happen. Along with the family, lay guards. Three, in total. One had been old. He had spent his entire life as a caravan guard. He had been good, but not good enough. The second was young. He had left his family, going out on his own to seek his fortune. They would never know what had become of him. They would morn. The final one had been a mare. She had been strong, suffering the most of the group. A former slave, this was her second life. But now, it was her only death. Six lay dead, but seven lay on the road. The radio crackled to life. Goooood morning, wasteland! My name is DJ Sandstorm, and I welcome you to my little show. Now, let's start off with the weather, shall we? Today's tempature will vary between suck-y and terrible, and it look like it's going to be another cloudy day—thank you, pegasi! All joking aside, I'd like to warm all my listeners that it appears that we have another radiation storm rolling in from the east. If you want to join the ranks of the wastelands favorite undead, I highly suggest staying near shelter around early this afternoon. On a news standpoint: it appears that the Rebel Rioters have struck again, sacking another caravan traveling along the [temp]. Once again, they left no survivors. Caravans are warned to hire extra security when traveling throws this area, or avoiding it all together. That’s all I got for now, sadly. My name is DJ Sandstorm, and I’ll leave you with a little classic that I hope brightens up your day. I don't want to set the world on fire. A cough sounded. I just want to start a flame in your heart. A cry of pain rang out. In my heart I have but one desire. A final cough. And that one is you, no other will do. The radio crackled once more, the died. Silence reigned over the field of death. Six lay dead, seven lay in the sand. One falls feels the grip of darkness overtake them once more… *** I wince. Pain suddenly floods my otherwise numb mind. I feel hot, yet cold at the same time. Warm sand presses up against my face and side. I'm on my side, I soon realize. I slowly crack my eyes open—the first thing I see is sand. It's always sand. I try to get up, but my side erupts with more pain. I hiss through clenched teeth. I fall back onto my side. I feel weak, like the gravity had grown ten-times more powerful. For an unknown amount of time later, I lay there. I don't think—my head hurts too much for thought. All I do is focus on the endless plain of sand that lies within my field of view. Once again, I try to get up. I hiss, but I push through the pain until I'm on my flank. I feel winded. I cough, my dry mouth and throat making it hurt far more than it should. I sit there, for a while. I don't look around; I don't even look up. When I do turn my head, it's only to inspect where my pain originates from. I look at my side. My brown leather barding is stained red with dried blood—a bullet-hole at its center. I've been shot. It wouldn't be the first time, but I'm glad it's not my last. Slowly, I push up and try to rise to my hooves. Pain flares up from my rear left leg, but I manage to get fully onto my hooves. Favoriting my left hind hoof, I turn around and walk forwards. My caravan is dead. The second I woke up in the sand, I knew this was the case. I didn't know the names of the caravan family that had hired me. I didn't ask. They were all dead. I painfully limp around the remnants of the caravan. The brahman are dead. As I feared, we were picked clean. There were no guns, no food, no water, no medicine… nothing. I was dead.
[Silent Night] Freewrite[Fleeting Hope] Story Setup Fleeting Hope By: Michael A Survival. It's one of the most powerful instincts, allowing you to perform amazing things that would normally be impossible. Some pony's drive for survival is stronger than others, allowing them to be pushed even farther before breaking. Some pony's are weaker and crack almost immediately. Life or death. Some can avoid death, doing the impossible to do so. Some barely cling to life, slowly slipping toward death. I wasn't like that. I had the greatest will to survive I've ever met. Even when there is not chance that I'll live, I keep fighting. Giving up means death, and I feared death. It wasn't a crippling fear, more of a feeling of failure. I was born to survive, and I'd be damned if I failed that destiny. Since the conversion, my will had been tested. I have seen countless fall to the demon that is death, some giving up and submitting, and others simply not being strong enough to fight it off. I was strong enough. The numbers slowly fell; leaving less and less of us remaining. By us, I mean ponies. Vamponies took over, and they did so fast. Once upon a time, vamponies were a myth—a scary story told to foals to make them the bed. Now, it was ponies turn to be the myth. Yes, we were thought to be extinct, hunted to the last one of us. But are were wrong. I can't say that we'll rise up and take back our home, but I won't give up hope. Hope. Such a fleeting word. It pains me to remember how carelessly ponies used to throw it around. Hope for a new car; hope for a new phone; hope for something pointless. It was all the same, really. Now, we hoped for freedom. We weren't prisoners, but prey. We were hunted and slaughtered. Every moment was filled with the fear of death; fear of them. But, some of us managed to survive, though our numbers were small. Almost hopelessly small. But hopeless was a banned world. "Giving up" and other expressions were now banned, and punishable to the full extent. If we were to survive, it would be through hope. It was a double-edged sword. Hope didn't just keep us going, it also tortured us. How can you truly suffer when you give up? No, giving up was a release, and required no effort. Hope, hope required strength, fight, and energy. While we would survive through hope, it also slowly poisoned us. We lived in colonies, spread out across the land. No one knows the location of all of them, more for safety than anything. Occasionally, you'll have a pony or two wanders out from one of the colonies, only to never return. Living outside of large groups was almost impossible. Every once and a while, one of our colonies would be discovered. After that, it was only a matter of time before it was swarmed, and destroyed by the vamponies. It didn't matter how many of us we had—there was always more of them. The only way to survive was through secrecy. And that's what we did. We hid, we survived, and we repeated. This story isn't about how I defeat the vamponies and bringing back the age of the ponies. No, that truly is impossible. This story is about survival and the fight against death. This is the story of survival, death, and struggle. If you want a happy ending, please don't read my story. Happy endings died with the princess, and, like her, would never rise again...
[Bioshock: Equestria] Freewrite[Entanglement] Story Setup Entanglement By: Michael A She walked along the dark surface. Turning her head from side to side, she searched for any form of light. Minutes before, she had attempted to cast her illumination spell, but, for some currently unexplainable reason, it failed to cast, and no other spell she had tried since had worked. The area surrounding her wasn’t just black—it felt as if there was nothing. She felt like she was in some sort of void—where the darkness around her simply represented the empty space. Twilight trotted firmly, but her feet made no contact from any tangible floor. She tried to remain calm and try and figure out a logical explanation for what was going on, and where she was. But this… Place? Didn’t seem to have any logic at all. Her train of thought was suddenly cut off when quiet, and seemingly distant, voices seemed to ring out from every directions. Twilight quickly looked around, trying to find the source, but all she could see was the unchanged void. “H-Hello?” Twilight nervously called out, “is anypony there?” Instead of getting an answer, the voices began to get louder. With each passing second, they grew. Each voice seemed to belong to a different individual, but there was thousands of them, each taking over the others. The truly strange part was that they didn’t seem to be talking to each other. Twilight tried to make out what the voices were saying, but the combination of the thousands of voices all mashed together into an incoherent cacophony of sound. The voices continued to grow. Soon, it felt like thousands of ponies were inside of Twilight's head, screaming. It soon soon after became too much; Twilight pressed her hooves to her temples, desperately trying to muffle the screams. She closed her eyes and prayed for release. “Stop!” she screamed, falling to her flank. Twilight's head rung. It felt like a beach ball was being inflated inside of her skull. She curled up into a ball, keeping her hooves pressed at her ears. She began to cry, the pain that filled her head growing to an unnameable level. She wanted to die right there, ending the pain. Suddenly, Twilight's mind soon filled with thousands of images, each flashing only seconds apart. None of the images she could remember seeing before. The images was of a pony, or group of ponies, doing something. The ones that followed mimicked the first, but certain aspects were different. Each image after the first had a different outcome when the others came along. During this, the screaming didn’t stop, and twilight continued to cry. She screamed for them to stop, and nearly begged them to do such. But they didn’t listen. Just as Twilight was about to scream again, she saw something. Opening her eyes more, she saw that it was a large, black alicorn that stood about ten feet from her position. The alicorn had back fur with random streaks of white running across it. It's mane seemed to flow just like Celestia's or Luna's, and it flickered with black and white static. As it stood there, it’s whole body seemed to shift in every direction, but remained intact enough to show the same basic form. The alicorn seemed... unstable. Twilight, with her hooves still on her ears, called out, “Help me.” The alicorn looked at her with it’s black, hole-like eyes. At the same time, a clear voice echoed through her head. It somehow managed to be separated from the others, but still seemed to comprise of several different voices, but these all seemed to originate from the same voice, but garbled up and distorted. Focus on this… this voice alone… tone out all the others, and just focus on me… Twilight didn’t question, and did as she was told. Focusing, she concentrated on the single tone, the single voice. As she continued to do this, the other voices seemed to fade out, and began to get quieter and quieter. Before long, all that remained was the alicorns voice. Twilight gave herself a minute to compose herself, before getting up and facing the alicorn. She looked back into the alicorn’s black eyes and said, “Thank you.” The alicorn nodded in reply, but didn’t say a word. She just stood there, not saying anything, looking back at Twilight with her black, empty eyes. Twilight went to speak, but her vision seemed to flash… no, the whole void flashed. As she stared at the alicorn, the area around her began to flash white and black, streaks of either color flashed back and forth, locked in an intense battle. The alicorn began to flash, her form shuddered and morphed. It was unconstant, forever changing. Static. The visions returned. The images began to flash, but not of not random ponies and events… but her and her friends. Each one was of something she remembered her and her friends doing, but each time something was different. They always ended differently. The images began to shift. Twilight saw her friends being killed, one after the other, time and time again. Another shift. The image of Celestia lying dead in her chamber, followed by Nightmare moon on the throne. The images continued, each one a more twisted version of her reality, things happening that never happened, but could have happened. Help me... The images suddenly stopped. The world around Twilight shifted back into the abyss of black. She blinked, then rubbed her eyes. Help me… Twilight heard it. It was the voice of the… alicorn she had seen earlier. Nervously, she spoke, “H-Hello?” Help me, Twilight… I am tired. “Tired?” the unicorn repeated. “What do you mean? Who are you?” I have been here for too long… So tired… You must help me. Twilight took a step forward. “What do you mean? Please, I can’t help you if you don’t explain.” I am trapped here… in this void… I have been here for a long time. Twilight was scared. The entire situation had put her on edge, while the nightmarish images she had just seen were still burned into her mind. But, despite this, the voice sounded… sad. It wasn’t threatening, nor ‘evil’. As much as she wanted to run, her curiosity and empathy glued her in place. Go to the everfree… to the place of stone and water. A place lost to time, where the wind shall sing and nature talks. Find my home. Cast the spell. Set me free. Twilight blinked. “You want me to go to the Everfree Forest?” To the place of stone and water… “Where is that?” Twilight asked, hoping for clarity. Never before had she wanted a notepad so badly in her life. “Please, can you be more specific?” Too tired… must rest… “No! I need more!” the unicorn begged, taking another step into the everlasting void. “Can I, at least, have your name?” Call me Vitae… Twilight stumbled as the voice began to shake and shift. Bend and twist. It is time for you to go, Twilight… please, save me… The unicorn took another step forward, but fell as nothing met her hoof. She screamed, plummeting into the screaming abyss. Everything went black...
[Fool's Paradise] Part: 7 (Scrapped)Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
[Eyes of Judgement] Part: 1 (Scrapped)Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
[Fallen Sky] Story CommissionSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
[Fo:E - Paradisum] Chapter: 1 - A call to ParadiseSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
[Dash's Mother] Old CrapSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
[From Nothing] Writing Exercise Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
[Without the Impossible] Part: 1-2[Fo:E Short- Sunrise] Short Fo:E Short- Sunrise By: Michael A. “Oh… the sun’ll come out, tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that… tomorrow.” It was once a happy song; one filled with joy and cheer. A long time ago, it could he heard resonating from a singular garden in lower canterlot, happily sung out as the sun began to rise, and it’s golden rays began to blanket the awaiting land. “Just thinkin' about, tomorrow… Clears away the cobwebs, and the sorrow…” Now, it was a ghost of its former self. Every single day, at exactly the same time, the song could still be heard even after two hundred years. But, the joy in its chorus and the happiness in the singers voice slowly faded, leaving behind a phantom echo. “When I'm stuck a day, that's gray, and lonely, I just stick out my chin and grin, and say…” I sat on my perch, head resting comfortably in my hoof as my eyes shown forwards. I didn't know why I stayed and listened even though it only brought memories of sadness, regret, and anger flowing up from deep inside of me. Maybe it had become a routine, one that I was helpless to brake like the owner of the voice. Whatever the reason; I never interrupted. “The sun'll come out… tomorrow So ya gotta hang on, 'til tomorrow. Come what may, tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya, tomorrow! You're always a day… a… way.” Then silence. The song would complete, and the wasteland would, once again, fall into a dreaded silence. That is, until tomorrow, when the song would start up again, replaying as if on a broken record. And, like clockwork, I would return to my spot besides the singing mare, listing to her ghostly some from her rotten vocal cords. It was haunting, watching her go through the same motions day after day. It wasn't just the song that repeated, no, it was her. It was like watching the same day happening over, and over again, and being completely helpless to change what happened. I had tried. Tried to stop her endless cycle. But, it had ended with failure, with the song starting up at the exact same time the next morning. Yes, the sun would come up again, but behind the veil of a cloud layer forever clouding it’s solar rays. The Wasteland would awaken, bringing with it the hell that it had become. Monsters stirred, mutated creatures would awaken, and savage beasts that had once been pony would crawl out from their blood soaked dens to continue their plague upon the Wasteland. And, like clockwork, my Mom would rise from her bed, attempt the same breakfast from ingredients that had run dry countless years ago, then trot out the door of our small home at the edge of the purple cloud’s reach, and sing her haunted song: “Oh… the sun’ll come out, tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that… tomorrow.”
