Reborn

"Ingest…swallow…kill…"

"Ingest…swallow…kill…"

"Ingest…swallow…kill…"

"Ingest…swallow…kill…present…"

It had been like a dream.

Those three words had repeated for what felt like an eternity, up until I finally opened my eyes to the sound of the blaring factory alarm.

How long has it been? How long have my eyes been shut? Why was I here? What was my mission…

Rainbow…Da….

Rainbow…Da…

Rain…bow…

A mist.

Nothing but a blank that cuts my memories off like a bridge that had collapsed.

My name is 067138.

I'm in the weather factory of Cloudsdale.

My job is to kill pegasi and turn their spectre funneled by the Pegasus Device into a rainbow.

That's all I am supposed to do.

Ingest.

Swallow.

Kill.

Present.

The alarm stops as I find my way out of the sheets of my bed, my head feeling as if my brain is a massive lead block weighing down on my neck and shoulders. I switch on my lamp and notice a small bottle filled with small red capsules, my first instinct being to take one of them using the water in the small cup next to the medicine bottle.

Wait. How did that get there?

I don't remember.

What happened last night?

As soon as I try to recollect my memories, something stops me instantly. That word that repeated like a skipping record in my long sleep.

Ingest.

I give my thoughts no further attention or caution and just move to open the medicine bottle, plopping a single pill out on my hoof and popping it into my mouth. To wash it down, I use the provided water, swallowing the contents down and tossing the cup into the garbage next to my bed.

Swallow.

Upon looking into the trash bin, I notice a large amount of the same small cups. That's definitely odd, but, like before, something urges me to not investigate or even worry about it. I should just get up and hurry to the control room of the Pegasus Device.

Kill.

I slip on my usual black rubber suit and move out of my room, down the long hall, and into the elevator that takes me to the bottom floor. I reach the factory floor in little time and make my way towards the stairs that lead up to my workstation. However, before I can even reach the first step, a voice calls out to me.

A voice I feel is familiar but also abstract.

"Scoots!"

I turn to the voice, only to see another factory worker trotting in my direction. She's worried and relieved at the same time, but I can't seem to know why.

Have I ever met this mare?

Kill.

"Scoots! For Celestia's sake, I've been worried sick that you had ended up in the basement as spectre! Where the hell have you been for the past month!"

A month? Had I been asleep for a whole month?

"Hey! Scoots, are you okay?"

Scoots? That's not my name. I'm 067138.

Ingest…

Swallow…

Kill…

Present…

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but you're mistaking me for somepony else," I respond to her.

"Huh? What the hell are you talking about? Scoots this isn’t funny, so stop playing dumb."

I'm confused. Why do I feel like I actually do know her? Do I know her?

"I don't know who you are, ma'am. If you are looking for somepony, please refer to Overmare Rainbow Dash."

The mare's face turns pale as if she were sick.

"Oh no…she got you…"

She grabs me.

"Kid, it's me, Absentia!" she pleads to me. "You've been brainwashed to forget about your mission!"

Mission? What mission?

That name…Absentia…

I want to say I've heard it, but my instincts speak otherwise, like a conflicting force.

Absen…

Ab…

A…

"Get off me!" I snap, pushing her away. "You'll be lucky if I don't press charges, now get lost before I do report you to the Overmare for harassment and assault! That's your only warning!" I say unconsciously.

Did I really just say that?

My head is so heavy….

I return to my duties, leaving the mare alone. The itching sensation that I know her doesn't go away, and I can't shake it off. My mind wants to eliminate any idea of her from existence, and eventually it does, covering everything that happened just moments ago in a thick fog.

I close the door to the control room and take my position, awaiting the Overmare to give me further orders on what to do. The heaviness in my head doesn't go away, but I just ignore it as I feel my body start to go numb.

Why is this happening? Am I tired? Did I stay up too late?

Then everything suddenly turns black, and I close my eyes.

It's not long before I hear the same four words again, repeating like a broken record.

Ingest.

Swallow.

Kill.

Present.

Silence.