Zoner: Shadow of Cherneighbyl

I gazed out of the train window, watching the scenery whiz past. It was another lovely day in Equestria; the sun was shining brightly and the sky was dotted with the occasional cumulus cloud. I was buzzing with excitement; my parents decided we'd spend a weekend exploring Canterlot as a celebration for my acceptance into a local university (back home) to study magic. It took me so long to gather the courage to apply. Too long.

I’d always wondered what the Capital was like. Maybe I’d even get to see Princess Celestia! Or Luna... she’d do too. We even took the new high-speed train; Manehattan to Canterlot in under an hour, one of the more recent modern technological marvels since Equestria's great technology explosion. I still detected the faint whiff of newness from the pleather seats.

Canterlot Station soon started rolling past the window as we slid to a halt; everything was so new, so shiney. My head drifted towards the window as I peered outside, drinking in the cavernous space, the ornate pillars and– Dink! I recoiled in shock, blinking in confusion and rubbing my horn with a hoof. My ears swivelled towards a soft chuckling coming from the seat opposite me and my gaze shifted to the unicorn responsible. Thanks dad, I thought sarcastically. “Equestria to Moonlight, come in, Moonlight. Is there anypony out there?” he taunted. I felt my cheeks heat up. It was always light-hearted with him, but still…

“Oh, leave her alone," mum chided, lightly batting dad with a hoof, "We really should be going, though.” I smiled and nodded as I returned to the real world, grabbing my saddlebags from the seat next to me. Now that we had finally arrived, I started to feel nervous. Sure, it was exciting, but I’ve always been shy and found comfort in the familiar. I stood up, throwing my saddlebags over my back with my hooves. My magic tended to get erratic when I was emotionally charged like this.

We slipped into a gap between the groups of disembarking ponies and trotted out into the station. I grunted in frustration; I'd twisted a strap while putting my saddlebags on and the chafing was already bugging me. Then it hit me, sensory overload: ponies rushing around, the glass ceiling way overhead allowing natural light to flood the cavernous space; the echoes of thousands of hoofsteps on the solid marble floor.

An automated announcement boomed through the concourse, the echoes making it slightly difficult to understand. I felt my lips quirk up in amusement. She spoke so properly, but emphasised the most insignificant words. "The next train to Manehattan leaves from platform three in five minutes." They could build all this, but couldn't get something simple like that right.

I saw platform three just up ahead, with another sleek, high-speed train full of ponies waiting to go to Manehattan. My attention shifted back to my parents, who had managed to get ahead of me. “Come on, hon,” I just managed to make out mum saying as she gestured to me to keep up. I pushed forward, dodging around various ponies on their own journeys and felt that infernal strap digging into my back again.

I stopped and took my saddlebags off, I could catch up later. I wasn’t about to let this darned thing ruin my first day in the Capital. As I carefully donned my saddlebags, I was able to get a close-up look at the rear of the high-speed train. It really looked like something out of a science-fiction comic, so streamlined and futuristic. I started forward, getting a glimpse of mum and dad, who were already nearly at the next platform.

There was some distant shouting as I saw ponies ahead turn to look at some commotion; I trotted forwards to move around the locomotive so I could get a look. I certainly did hear a mare scream “FOR EQUESTRIA!” before the whole world shook with a terrifying BANG.

I instinctively dropped to the floor, covering my ringing ears with my forelegs and managed to sputter a weak shield spell into being around myself. Shards of glass rained from above, each piece randomly catching the sunlight as they menacingly tumbled towards the floor and anypony in between. I felt my shield take some hits, but it held.

What the hay just happened?! I knew, of course, I just couldn’t understand. I trotted forwards on shaky legs; I had to find my parents, they had to be alright. All these ponies on the floor were just sleeping, they’d get up eventually, and everything would be fine. The train had buckled, and been pushed off the tracks from the force of the blast; I was lucky it had been between me and the explosion. The carriages closest to the carnage were nothing more than a mass of twisted metal and flame; the stench of burning hair assaulted my nostrils.

The ringing in my ears started to subside, but I still felt numb all over as I pressed on. A few other ponies were rushing forward, trying to help whoever they could, but I barely noticed them. There! I recognised dad’s ultramarine coat and rushed over to him, nearly slipping on a shard of glass on the way. “Wake up, dad!” I held his head in my hooves; he was completely limp. I felt his neck with my pastern, but there was no pulse. “Daddy! Please just wake up,” everything started to get blurry. He was just sleeping! Heartbeats get weaker during sleep, that’s all.

I gently placed his head back down and blinked away my tears; he looked fine, apart from some dirt on his coat. “I’m just going to get mum, she’ll know what to do,” I said to him, mainly to reassure myself.

I left dad behind and searched for mum. A large pool of blood loomed ahead; a once-bright white coated pegasus lay in the middle. My stomach fell– I knew who she was. I stepped forward slowly; her neck had been nearly completely severed. I needed to vomit, to scream… to wake up.

***

My eyes opened with a start; my body still shaking. It wasn’t so much a nightmare as it was a replay of a memory. It happened, what, three months ago? Or was it four? I remember the day clearly, but since then, the days had blurred together. Today is going to be a bad day, I thought to myself.

No, I told myself, I have to calm down; I haven’t even started my day. My bedroom was nearly pitch black, just how I liked it. The ceiling was littered with little glow-in-the-dark stars and planets, my night-time companions since fillyhood. Princess Luna’s moon glowed cheerfully from directly above me. My favourite piece, however, was a representation of Haylley’s comet which I had made myself.

My lips curled into a small smile as I remembered dad pointing the real thing out to me when I was a very young filly; we’d stand outside and admire it on every clear night until it faded away. I was mesmerised by its beauty and rarity– apparently Luna only decorated her night sky with a comet on very rare occasions. The night always appealed to me, the world quieted down and I felt somehow safer. Kind of ironic, that I looked up to Princess Celestia more than I did Luna.

My shaking had died down somewhat. “Okay, time to get up,” I mumbled to myself. Rolling out of the sweat-dampened bed, I grumbled as I felt a hideous crust under my eyes. I needed to clean myself up, but first I wanted to get something to eat and drink. Something comforting. I passed my parents’ bedroom on my way downstairs to the kitchen. It was empty. I let out a sad sigh as I continued on. They were gone, but that didn’t stop an aching hope from flaring up deep inside me every morning.

I made myself a cup of tea and some porridge as I thought about the rest of the day. I had another meeting with the bank to discuss the ‘fiscal situation regarding the business’ as they so emotionlessly put it. This was to be the third such meeting. I had taken over my parents’ bakery after they… left, but it had been a struggle to make ends meet. I had to pay my assistant, Sweet Glory, in addition to the bills for both my home and the business. I wanted to study magic! I wasn’t a businessmare, that much was painfully obvious.

After making myself look somewhat presentable, I headed out for the bank, walking alongside the modern road. Such ugly things, I thought to myself, at least we still have grass walkways here in the suburbs of Manehattan. The concrete ones in the city center did awful things to hooves.

***

The banker looked straight in my eyes, and I couldn’t keep them from sliding down to his desk. “Ms Moonlight,” he said in a level tone, like a teacher to an obstinate foal, “This is our third meeting regarding your business. It seems you’ve fallen even further into debt.”

“I… I know, I’ve been trying, I really have! Please, I just need more time,” I protested. It was the truth; I’d committed myself fully to running the business, baking produce and serving customers. I had to keep it going. If their bakery was still running, my parents weren’t truly gone.

“More time? It’s been over six months,” he continued. Six months? Has it really been that long already? My face fell and I noticed his expression soften. “I tried to help you make your bakery more profitable, why didn’t you let me? With a bit of investment, you could have modernised and increased your productivity massively.”

“Modernise?! Let soulless machines churn out the same stuff every other sell-out of a bakery does?” My voice started to quaver, “We always did things the traditional way. You lose some magic when you let a machine do all the work. I can’t let that happen! This was mum and dad’s bakery; they put their lives and their love into it!”

“So you’re saying you’re an artisan baker? So why didn’t you charge the prices to match?” He threw back at me. I couldn’t do that, we… I had regular customers, not all of them could afford such prices. Plus, it hardly seemed fair to hike the prices up so much for the same produce. In truth, I also had doubts that I’d be good enough to justify being called an 'artisan baker'.

My mouth opened and closed several times as I tried to formulate a convincing argument, but I heard him sigh. “I’m sorry, I really am, but my hooves are tied. Given how far in debt you are, and how you’re projected to go even deeper in the future, the bank has decided to take the bakery from you.” My eyes went wide and his form started to blur. I could have sworn that the temperature in the room had just dropped ten degrees.

“You… you can’t! Please! I’ll turn things around, I promise! What about Sweet Glory? What about me?!” I pleaded with my forelegs in desperation.

“The decision’s been made,” he said with a tone of finality. “Look, I shouldn’t really tell you this, but I think you deserve to know. We’ve already done a deal with Hoofis bakery, they are branching out, setting up small franchises in addition to their factories. They will take on your former assistant, Ms Glory.” I couldn’t believe I was hearing this. A part of me was glad that Sweet Glory wouldn’t be out of a job, but… my bakery… gone. Just like that? “I can try to put in a word for you. You’d be serving customers and operating the baking systems. You could do that.”

Something suddenly snapped inside me. “How dare you! How dare you?!” I yelled at him. Well, it was loud for me. “You take my business from me, hoof it over to some big, soulless corporation and expect me to happily work for them? I put my life into that place! Mum and dad, too!” I glared, taking in his boring grey mane and his boring brown coat and his boring bloody suit. This buffoon, this thief had the gall to make it sound like a favour?

His expression hardened. “Very well, Ms Moonlight, you have made your position perfectly clear. You may leave now,” he said, returning to his professional tone. As I started out of his office, my ears swivelled to catch his next comment, “I do hope you have some plan for the future. I’d hate to have to take your home from you, too.” My ears pinned themselves to my skull as I hurried outside.

I galloped home. How long would it still be mine for? Tears streamed down my face, I just had to get somewhere safe, and I could figure this out.

***

My pace had slowed to a steady canter– I was out of breath. My tears had been spent, though I could feel the old ones drying into my fur. I was so distraught that the odd looks I’d attracted from other ponies didn’t even bother me.

“Hey, Moonlight!” I heard somepony call out to me. Her voice barely registered until I saw her yellow, almost gold coat. My best friend, Blossom Sunrise. I quickened my pace. Please not now, I thought, I just want to be alone.

“Hey Blossy! Sorry, awfully busy right now, gotta go,” I blurted out, my voice still unsteady. In a sudden flash, she appeared right in front of me and I stopped instinctively, blinking in confusion. My mind finally caught up– she had just teleported right in front of my face. I looked up at her, as she was easily a full head taller than me.

“No! You’re always ‘busy’, we’re talking right now,” Her tone brooked no argument. I looked away, ashamed. She took on a concerned expression. “Woah, Moony, you look a mess. Are you alright?”

“Sure, I’m fine,” I chirped, “Just lost the bakery, nothing to worry about, haha!” That laugh may have sounded a little more manic than I intended. She threw her forelegs around me in a tight hug and I weakly reciprocated.

“C’mon, you’re staying with me; the last thing you need is to be alone right now.” We disentangled and she led me to her home. She was right, my mind was going to some pretty dark places, and I had missed being around her.

We made it to her home, which wasn’t far off from being a mansion. The entrance hall was a large open space with a wide, sweeping staircase. It wasn’t overly ornate, just tasteful. Not that I really cared to appreciate the decor right now.

“Hello Blossom. Oh, and hello to you too Moonlight. I wasn’t expecting you back so soon, did you forget something?” a grey pegasus asked. My ears flicked upwards to the mare– my friend’s servant, as she walked down the stairs, her hoofsteps being muffled by the plush carpet. She made eye contact with me and I tried to put on a brave face. It mustn’t have worked, as she took on a concerned expression. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Blossy looked up at the pegasus. “Hey Daisy, could you get us something to eat please? We’ll be in the garden.”

Daisy beamed me an encouraging smile, “I’ll get right on it.” She gave me a wink before heading off.

I’d always liked how informal things were here; the atmosphere was always warm and welcoming.

“So Moony, what happened? I’ve barely seen you these past few months,” Blossy asked as we made our way to the garden. Did I really abandon her like that? I supposed I had been pushing my friends away. Blossy was the only one who hadn’t given up trying to talk with me. My eyes started watering; I’d been dreading this.

“I’m sorry; I really didn’t mean to push you away, I… I just had to keep the bakery going, for mum and dad, for their memory… so they’d still be here with me, in a way,” I tried to explain in a flurry of words. “But I failed,” I continued, “Failed to keep the family business, failed to keep my friends, and soon… I’ll fail to k-keep my home.” Tears ran down my cheeks in tiny rivulets. It had just hit me, how hopeless my situation had become.

“Hey, you’re not a failure at all. And last I checked, we’re still friends,” she said in a firm tone, frowning, “I won’t let you lose your home; if I have to, I’ll pay whatever you need. And if you ever need a place to stay, you’re always welcome here, for however long you need. Hay, I’ve said it before- you could move in, if you wanted.” Even after I’d pushed her away for so long, she still had my back. I’ll never take you for granted again, I promise.

“Thanks, but… I couldn’t ask that of you, I–”

“– No. No buts. I can help you, it’s a drop in the ocean to me,” she interrupted, “I will not just watch as you lose your home! Let me help you, I won’t take no for an answer! I felt humbled as I let my head droop lower. I never liked accepting help, but… I really did need it. I sighed.

“Thank you, I… I don’t even know what to say. Thank you!” My eyes were still streaming, but the reason had changed. I do have a future. It’s not all over. “It’s not easy for me, accepting help. I don’t care how rich you are, I don’t want to become some parasite to you.”

“Don’t mention it,” she said with a smile, “I’ll get in touch with my accountant, he’ll make all the arrangements.” She opened the last door and we headed into the garden. “And don’t worry, you’re not a parasite, and you never will be. Besides,” she adopted a lighter tone, “you’ve put up with me since we were little fillies, you deserve a little something for that.”

I rolled my eyes and let out a little snort in response to her blithe comment. The world seemed to brighten up and get more colourful as I started to calm down. Of course, part of that could be down to the fact that we were now in the perfectly maintained garden. There were flowers of all kinds, growing neatly in carefully planned arrangements. It really was beautiful, the vivid colours worked together to create a kind of work of art. My mouth watered; I was hungry and they looked and smelled absolutely delicious.

We sat next to the centrepiece of the garden; a lovely waterfall feature with a pond at the bottom. I gazed into it, admiring the way the water sparkled as the sunlight caught it, the soothing sound of the water making its way down the rocks, only to be sucked back up by some magic-powered pump thingy–

“Heh, you always did like that.” I blinked, snapping back to reality. “I see you’re just as fascinated by it as when you were a little filly,” the yellow unicorn grinned cheerfully.

I felt my cheeks warm up slightly, “Yeah, simpler times.” I took a moment to wipe my cheeks with a hoof. Stupid tears.

Blossy looked like she was trying to think of how to say something, her expression had turned pensive. I allowed the gentle trickling of the water relax me further, giving her the time she needed. As I was relaxing, I noticed how her coat seemed almost radiant in the sunlight, and I felt a little pang of jealousy– it was so bold and full of life, just like the pony it belonged to. Her neat, fiery red mane was even more eye-catching with its streaks of bright pink giving a nice bit of extra contrast. That long, slender horn of hers poked through her mane, giving her a regal, but overall understated appearance.

I hated the term ‘horn envy’, but truthfully, I did sometimes fall victim to it around Blossy. My horn wasn’t bad, though! I was clumsy already; if mine were that long, I’d always be accidentally goring things. So in that respect, mine is actually better! I tried to console myself, albeit failing somewhat.

The unicorn finally spoke up, “Look, this is all my fault. I thought after your…” she cringed, “after you took over the bakery, it’d be best if I gave you some space. I should have known you’d throw yourself into your work like that; the same happened to father when mom passed away, back when I was a little filly.” Her ears pointed downwards and I wanted to say something to comfort her, but I knew she needed to get this off her chest. “He became obsessed with making more and more money, to ‘secure my future’. I hardly ever see him anymore. Maybe he really is that crazy about ‘securing his legacy’, or maybe I remind him too much of mom.”

I placed a supportive hoof on one of hers as she continued, “I should have been this forceful when you first told me your bakery was in trouble. I could have saved you this grief, if I paid off your debts and didn’t take no for an answer. I’m sorry, Moony, I really should have known.” Did she really think that? I wondered.

I shook my head, “Absolutely not, Moony. I stand by that decision. You’d become my boss, and I really wouldn’t want that. Even if you told me otherwise, I’d still have seen you as my boss. You’re too important a friend for me to let that happen; if I had to choose between your money or your friendship, it’s a no-brainer for me.”

“I wish more ponies were like that, Moony. You’re the only true friend I have,” she looked down sadly, “everypony thinks being rich can only be a good thing, but it can be lonely.”

I gave her a questioning look, but it was starting to make sense, how she always had so much time for me. It dawned on me just how rough these past few months must have been for her, too. “But you’re a wonderful pony! I couldn’t ask for a better friend; you never fail to make me feel better.” Something else was niggling at the back of my mind… “And what about those dates you had? You just stopped after a while, but I noticed there was always interest for you.”

“You don’t get it, do you? They wanted my money; they weren’t actually interested in me. I stopped dating because… it hurt. I’d open myself up to somepony and later I’d find they were just after a few damned bits.” She snorted contemptuously. “Yes, I do have other ‘friends’, but it’s all so… artificial, they’re just a bunch of sycophants. They aren’t like you, you don’t care about my money. You’re genuine.” Her words hit me like a sledgehammer and made me feel small and foalish. My mind drew a blank, what could I say to that?

“Sorry, I guess I needed to rant a little bit.” She looked at me apologetically, “You shouldn’t have had to hear all that, especially not right now.” I started to see her in a new light– I had no idea things were so complicated. I wished I could help her, reassure her somehow.

“Anyway, this was supposed to be about you. I could have supported you without becoming your boss; I could have been your investor, or… something!” I appreciated the sentiment, but even she didn’t sound confident with that argument.

“That would still have made you my boss. Besides, I’m no businessmare; I was in over my head.” I sighed. “It feels horrible to say this, but… a part of me actually feels relieved it’s over.” I felt disgusted at myself for saying that, but it was true. What kind of pony feels relief from losing their parents’ business?

Blossy looked thoughtful for a moment. “You know what, maybe you’re right. Perhaps this needed to happen, that place was sucking the life out of you, Moony. It may seem callous, but it’s fine to feel relieved when a burden is lifted from your back.” Her words did put things into a new perspective for me, and did help to put my mind more at ease, but I wasn’t really comfortable in thinking of the bakery as a burden. “You’ve been through so much, hay; I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for you. But you pulled through and I got my best friend back. You’re stronger than you think.”

“Thanks, Blossy. It means a lot to hear you say that.” Those last words resonated in my mind: I am stronger than I think.

Daisy appeared and placed a tray to the side of us with a wing, “Lunch is served! Well, late-lunch, I suppose. Sorry it took me so long, but I think it’ll be worth the wait.” A part of me suspected that it was intentional, to give Blossy and I time to talk things through. We both thanked her and she trotted away.

Blossy passed the food, floating a steaming bowl of soup, a cup of green tea and an empty side plate my way with her bright blue magic. “Woah, she really went to town with this. Help yourself,” she gestured to a plate on the tray, stacked with buttered baguette slices. The bowls of ice-cream certainly didn’t escape my notice, one of which was quite a bit fuller than the other. I must have been staring because I heard her take on a mock-scolding tone, “You can have your dessert after you’ve eaten your main meal, missy,” I rolled my eyes, but smirked anyway. The mood had already lightened, which I was grateful for; I was feeling rather drained.

“Ooh! Pea and mint, one of my favourites,” I exclaimed in surprise after my first taste. Blossy simply gave me a warm smile as she levitated her own soup-soaked bread. It really was delicious, and it tasted all the sweeter now that we’d put the past to rest. The bread wasn’t bad either, if a little underbaked– but it could have been raw dough for all I cared. This was the best meal I’d ever had.

With the soup finished, Blossy levitated the used dishware back to the tray and served the ice-cream bowls. “Now, I suspect Daisy intended the… somewhat larger portion for you, so here you go.” She set the bowl down in front of me. Vanilla and caramel with chunks of chocolate– yummy! Tiny vanilla seeds dotted the ice-cream, only adding to the allure. “After all, I must ‘watch my figure’,” Blossy grouched.

We both finally tucked in, it was absolutely sublime. The sweetness of the caramel gave way to the light, creamy-vanilla, finishing with the deep richness of the chocolate as it melted in my mouth. Ice cream makes everything better. “Is that offer to move in still open? I think I just fell in love with Daisy,” I remarked.

“Sure thing!” Blossy giggled, “When are you going to tell her? Ooh! Or do you want me to set you up on a date? I can totally do that!” There was a mischievous glint in her eyes. She didn’t think I meant it seriously, right? I mean, sure, Daisy was nice, but she was quite a bit older than me. Then again, maybe that wouldn’t such a bad thing. Why am I even considering this?

“Uh, I uh…” I stammered. Great, now she thinks I’m infatuated with her servant. I felt my cheeks burning, which only spurred her giggling fit to turn into full-on laughter. Of course, when all I needed was one witty remark, my brain failed to deliver.

“Oh relax. I know you're not interested in her,” Blossy calmed down a bit more, “your face, though, priceless!” I couldn’t help my mouth from twisting in mirth. I could feel my spirits lifting, despite embarrassing myself.

All too soon, the ice-cream was finished and we got to our hooves. “That was lovely, I really must thank Daisy. I feel so much better now. Thank you too, Blossy, for not giving up on me. It’s good to be back, as it were,” I flashed her a relaxed smile.

“What’re friends for? Anyway, why don’t you clean yourself up? Feel free to use the shower and make yourself at home. Meet up in the living room when you’re finished?” she suggested.

“Sounds good.” I nodded in agreement.

***

I stepped out of the bathroom, feeling like a new mare, if a little languorous. It was amazing how much better one can feel after a shower and a bite to eat. I made my way to the living room, enjoying the soft plushness of the carpet under my hooves. My mane was still a bit damp- half of my vision was obscured by drooping violet hair. I flicked my head back to clear my vision. It’ll do for now.

I looked down at my forelegs. My normally soft fur felt positively velvety after using Blossy’s no doubt expensive shampoos. Not only that, it seemed to have helped bring out that slight periwinkle lustre to my white fur. I wondered if that’s how my friend managed to get her coat to sort-of glow, the way it did.

I found said mare lounging on the sofa, staring at a large screen on the wall opposite her. From the sounds of it, she was watching some kind of news programme. I crept up to her and caught a snippet from the television, “– and despite the presence of the Zone, relations with the gryphons continue to warm. However, experts warn that it could change at–” I reared up and flopped my forelegs down on the backrest behind the oblivious unicorn, “RAWR!”

She jerked forward, turning her neck to face me with an expression of mild surprise. “Oh, hey Moony,” she casually remarked. “Have a nice shower?” Her horn flared and the television blinked off.

“Aghr! How do you do that?!” Couldn’t she at least have the decency to at least pretend to be scared?

She tittered, “You don’t exactly have the voice for it. Or the volume.” Her smile became menacing. “Perhaps I ought to show you how it’s really done.”

I shook my head emphatically, “Nope, I’m good. Thanks for your kind offer, though.” I moved around to sit on the comfortable sofa.

“Alright. At least for now,” she said with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. I silently gulped– that sounded ominous. “I was beginning to worry you’d gotten lost. Even for you, that was a long time,” Blossy teased.

It didn’t feel that long. “Sorry, it would seem somepony forgot to provide me with a map,” I retorted. “I guess I kinda zoned out for a bit. I think there’s something about that shampoo that makes me feel so relaxed,” I said in a lighter tone.

“Heh, it’s alright, as long as you’re okay. On the bright side, it did give me time to get in touch with my accountant. He has everything in hoof, nopony’s going to be taking your home from you.” She beamed at me and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank you! I don’t know what I’d have done without you,” I said as my eyes started to water again.

“Hey, it’s alright,” she reached over and nuzzled me. I closed my eyes and let the feel of her smooth fur against mine calm me down. We quietly shared a happy moment together before she pulled away.

My friend was the first to break the silence, “You know what, Moony? Why don’t we just sit back and watch a movie? I’ve got the latest Colt Eastwood one; you still like him, right?”

I nodded in affirmation, “That sounds great, Blossy.” A bit of passive entertainment sounded perfect right about now. “After all”– I prepared my best gravelly voice –”I’m feelin’ lucky.”

She rolled her eyes and groaned, but she had a big smile plastered on her face. What? I thought it was a pretty good impression.

***

I woke up from a dreamless sleep to a new day. A better day! I was feeling more relaxed than I had in months; it was nice, not having anything looming over my head anymore. I clambered out of the luxurious bed, trying to make it somewhat neat before brushing my bed-mane at the dressing table. I gave myself my typical demure smile in the mirror– not bad!

I made my way to the living room to see if I could find my friend, ruminating on what she had told me yesterday on the way. I’d never realised she was so lonely– she must have been so strong to have been able to hide it so well. Was I a bad friend for not noticing? I certainly didn’t help these past few months… I wished I could talk to her dad to tell him how stupid he’s being! Not that I could really judge him after I did essentially the same thing. It just seemed like such a waste; they still had time to make memories together.

Not everypony could say that.

“Oh look! It lives!” Huh? That sounded like Blossy. I shook my head, dispelling my gloomy thoughts and I realised that I was already in the living room, my friend and Daisy looking like they were in the middle of a conversation. “You know, most ponies get up in the morning,” Blossy continued with her taunting.

I felt my cheeks warm up from the embarrassment of how oblivious I must have looked. “Hey, um, good… afternoon?” I stammered, my brain still catching up. Just at that moment, my stomach let out a grumble. Because I wasn't already embarrassed enough. My friend just giggled at my predicament.

“I’ll go and get you something to eat, Moonlight; do crêpes sound good to you?” Daisy asked with a sympathetic smile as she rose from the sofa.

“Yes, that sounds lovely, thank you,” I replied with an eager nod.

“What?!” The yellow unicorn exclaimed indignantly, raising her forelegs. “How come she gets to have nice, tasty food, while I get stuck with the boring healthy stuff all the time?”

“Well, somepony has to control your diet for you. Don’t think I don’t know about your chocolate stash, missy! And it wouldn’t be a bad thing if Moonlight were to put on a bit of weight, either,” the grey mare scalded my friend before stepping out of the room. I couldn’t tell if that was a dig at me, too. At least, I didn’t think I looked scrawny. Though, she was kind of spoiling me, so I couldn’t complain.

Blossy crossed her forelegs with a huff. “What! She’s supposed to work for me! I swear it’s the other way around, sometimes.” I let out a snicker at my friend’s little strop.

“Oh come on, it’s not like you have it bad. She’s just watching out for you,” I began, but she stuck her tongue out at me. “Besides,” I continued regardless, ”you wouldn’t want to end up like Mrs Heartley, would you?”

Mrs Heartley was our old history teacher, back when we went to school together. I spent most of my lessons trying not to notice how her body jiggled as she made the slightest of movements.

“Oh, Sweet Celestia, no!” My friend blurted out, aghast. “I’ll eat salad every meal for the rest of my life if I have to!” She shook her head, no doubt trying to get rid of the image I just painted in her mind. “You know, you seem to take Daisy’s side an awful lot… Are you sure you don’t fancy her?” She suggested with a sadistic grin.

Great, now my face is on fire. I pointedly ignored her, looking intently at the cream-coloured carpet. It was a very nice carpet. Soft, clean, and accompanied by the sound of Blossy sniggering. “Too easy, way too easy.”

***

I felt much better after the meal. Nothing could beat crêpes smothered in maple syrup for breakfast! Or rather, lunch. My friend also looked a bit more cheerful after Daisy came in with an extra one for her.

“So!” Blossy declared as she lounged back on the sofa. “Any ideas on what you wanna do yet? Still wanna study magic? I could get us on a course at university, though we’d have some catching up to do.”

“I’d love to, but… I’m not sure I’m really ready,” I said, feeling guilty. I knew she wanted to as well, but I had to be honest. Lying to myself hadn’t exactly worked out too well in the past. “Plus, I want to do it properly, not rush through things to try to catch up. Next time, we’ll do it,” I promised. “I think maybe I need a change of scenery, to get away from Manehattan. The memories…” I trailed off.

I noticed my friend biting her lip apprehensively. I gave her a questioning look, hoping to get her to open up.

“Well, I was thinking about going somewhere. Maybe we could go together?” she said, her demeanour unusually subdued.

“Ooh, where did you have in mind?” I asked, my interest piqued.

“The Zone,” she stated simply.

I just stared at her. Did she really just say that? Judging by the flat look she returned me, yes, she did just say that. “Why the hay would you want to go there?!” I asked, utterly baffled. I was supposed to be the one who’d lost her marbles, not Blossy!

The unicorn just looked sad. “I… I…” she hesitated. There was a pause as I let her piece together what she was about to say. “It’s not your fault, please don’t blame yourself, but, the past few months have been really… lonely.” What? How could that not be my fault? I all but cut her out of my life! I felt my face fall. I will not cry again, not again.

With a sigh, my friend continued, “Look, remember when I mentioned about not having any other real friends?” I gave a nod in reply. “Well, I wanted to go somewhere where maybe my money wouldn’t matter to anypony, or at least they wouldn’t know about it. Maybe I could make some friends there…”

I felt truly rotten. She said it wasn’t my fault, but if I hadn’t cut her off, maybe she wouldn’t have felt the need to go to what was probably the most dangerous place in Equestria. “I’m sorry, I had no idea… You can’t seriously still want to go there, can you?” I asked, aghast.

“I told you, it’s not your fault,” she said with a sigh. “But yes, I would still like to go. It’d be a big adventure, you know? A place full of mysterious things that nopony understands… Sometimes, this place” -she waved a hoof around the room- “just feels like a gilded cage. There’s no excitement.” Once again, it hit me, just how hard things must have been for her to feel the need to go to such a place. “You know, we could make a thing of it, go together? It’d be a change of scenery for both of us…” she trailed off.

My stomach dropped. She wanted me to go with her to that place? I wished I could help her, after what I put her through, but I couldn’t go there! “I don’t know, Blossy, the Zone sounds really dangerous. Aren’t there weird mutant creatures that’ll try to eat your face?” I asked, fishing for a good excuse to say no. “I’m not sure I could hurt another creature, even in self-defence.”

“From my research, we could avoid most of them. We’d just have to be careful,” she said thoughtfully as she stroked her chin with a forehoof. “But yes, we’d probably have to fight some. But we’d be putting them out of their misery; they aren’t like the creatures here in Equestria, they’re wild, savage, even. Their mutations probably put them in a lot of pain, too.” She added softly.

I still didn’t like the idea of harming other creatures, but I supposed she had a point; would I even want to live, if I had such horrible disfigurements? I shivered at the thought. “I… I’m sorry, I just don’t think I can do it, Blossy. It sounds scary and dangerous,” I said timorously, looking down at my hooves. I’m letting her down again.

“Hey, it’s okay, Moony,” she said in a tender tone. “I got my best friend back, that’s more than enough for me.” I felt a hoof on my withers and I looked up to see Blossy smiling at me, which only made me feel even more guilty. “Say, I’ve heard there’s a fair on at the Manehattan Central Complex today, we could go there if you wanted. It’d get us out of this place for a bit, at least,” she suggested.

I mentally stomped my guilt into submission and tried for a smile. “Sure, that sounds nice,” I nodded. Maybe we’d get a few ideas on how to occupy ourselves until the next university courses started, too. “Um, won’t we need tickets, though?” I asked.

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” my friend said confidently. “They’ll make an exception when they find out who I am.”

***

I looked out the window of the taxi my friend and I were taking, watching the world pass me by. As the magical engine quietly whined, pulling us closer to the center of the city, I noticed the buildings getting taller and the grass walkways replaced by hard, grey pavement. Ponies were walking on that pavement, going about their lives. Their colourful coats contrasted starkly with the depressing grey of the urban jungle.

It just occured to me, I didn’t even ask what this fair was about. “Hey Blossy, what’s going on at this fair?” I asked, feeling a bit foolish at not having the presence of mind to ask this earlier.

She looked at me with a smile. “It’s a technology fair! They’re showing off the latest and greatest gadgets, that sort of thing. That sounds cool, right?” she said enthusiastically. No, not really. I couldn’t stop a sour expression from taking hold on my face. “What’s wrong, Moony?” My friend asked.

“Nothing, nothing,” I replied with a sigh, turning to look out of the window again, but I was stopped by a hoof touching my shoulder. The yellow unicorn’s bright blue eyes bore straight into my own.

“Please, don’t push me away again. Tell me what’s wrong. Maybe I can help,” she said in a serious tone. “Do you not like technology?” she probed.

“It’s not that. Not really. I just… Do you ever think we’re moving too fast? When I was a foal, before this mad rush for new technologies, ponies were calmer. Things were just… nicer,” I said wistfully, breaking eye contact. “Now, everything’s all about the latest machines that can do all these wonderful things, and nopony gives a damn what it does to those who lose their livelihoods to those stupid machines,” I continued, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’m worried. I’m worried we’re losing who we are, as a people.”

My friend looked at me sympathetically; she knew where I was coming from. “I care,” she stated simply. Those two words started me off, sobbing. I know you do, Blossy. I just wish everypony else did, too. “You know what I think? I think we just need to find our hooves. It’ll take time, but we’ll put things right. Technology can’t change who we are, deep down,” she said with conviction. Maybe she is right, she really seems to believe that. I felt the seeds of hope take root in my mind. At least it had stopped my sobbing. “You do know this is all necessary, right?” she pressed.

“Yeah, we were taught this at school,” I sighed again. “The gryphons had their own technology drive. They had guns while we still only had throwing weapons and magic, and they started to get more and more aggressive towards us. So we tried our best to catch up and level the playing field,” I repeated from my fillyhood lessons.

The gryphons saw us as prey– just like the old times, before the Princesses. With their large technological edge, they took a more aggressive stance in their dealings with us. Didn’t they also make some threats against the Princesses? Those lessons seemed so long ago, now.

“That’s right, we had to catch up to protect ourselves,” Blossy replied with a nod. “And the developments from our own tech drive filtered down into everyday life. You gotta admit, life is better now. Yeah, I suppose so. Equestria had effectively been shrunk with the advent of faster and more efficient modes of transport. When I looked at things through Blossy’s perspective, it actually seemed kind of exciting. Think positive, Moony…

“So what kind of things are gonna be at this show?” I asked, slightly curious. I wasn’t about to start extolling the virtues of technology, but I supposed I could give it a chance.

She gave me a warm look, sensing the mood lift. “Well, I didn’t read too much about it, but I do know they’re showcasing a new kind of mobile telephone,” she said, glancing up at the ceiling of the taxi as she tried to recall what she’d read. I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. A telephone? How mundane. “Apparently, it can think. They’re calling it the Interactive Intelligent Mobile Telephone,” my friend finished, looking proud at herself.

Huh, a thinking telephone. Why not? I doubted it would ever catch on, though.

***

We made our way towards the imposing Manehattan Central Complex as our taxi whirred away. This building was huge. Well, huge by my standards. All the buildings around the city center were massive, giving an almost claustrophobic feeling to the place. There was a large concrete plaza before the complex, with sitting areas, a few fountains and some lonely-looking trees. I supposed somepony out there thought it was nice. The clopping of hooves on concrete filled the air as ponies trotted about their business.

“Hehe, did you see the look on the driver's’ face when I paid him?” Blossy said with a giggle. I just rolled my eyes, but felt myself smirking anyway.

“You gave him a one-hundred bit note and told him to ‘keep the change’,” I said flatly. The fare had only been ten bits. That was probably the biggest tip he’d ever had. “So, do you think you’ll check out that new Smart Telephone, or whatever it’s called?” I asked, trying not to not get bothered by how little sky I could see.

“Interactive Intelligent Mobile Telephone,” she corrected me. “But hey, I like ‘Smart Telephone’, you could say it has a nice ring to it." Blossy beamed at me, but I just looked at her flatly. When it was clear I wasn't going to acknowledge her clever pun, she carried on, "Oh fine, that was terrible. Anyway, I’m thinking it might be kinda cool– I wonder what it can do.”

“Make calls?” I suggested, only a little sarcastically. The edifice loomed ahead of us, even more imposing now that we were nearly there. At least it wasn’t one of those hideous skyscrapers. I trotted a little closer to my friend, all the same. This place was very good at making a pony feel small.

Blossy turned her head to look at me, “Har-har, ever the skeptic. Just you watch, in a few years–” her next words were drowned out by a deafening ROAR. A bright flash of orange and a shockwave rolled over us, blowing our manes back. Then a corner of the complex crumbled before my eyes, spewing dust out.

Suddenly, ponies were bolting for their lives, faces frozen in terror. I couldn’t feel my legs at all. I tried to run, but instead I threw myself to the hard concrete ground. I was no longer in Manehattan. I was back in the Canterlot train station. My hearing recovered, but the panicked screams made me wish it hadn’t. I don’t want to see mum and dad again… no, this is just a dream. It has to be. A yellow unicorn stood in front of me, yelling at me. She’s not there, she can’t be. None of this is real. The tears flowing down my cheeks certainly felt real, though.

I looked up, expecting to see a shower of glass falling on me– oh no, I forgot my shield! My horn flared up, starting to weave the spell desperately, but I got interrupted by a pair of forelegs vigorously shaking me.

My eyes focussed on the mare in front of me, with that brilliant red mane and those fearful blue eyes staring into me. “B-Blossy?” I asked dumbly while my brain rebooted.

I noticed a short look of relief spread out over her features, but she never lost that expression of fear. “Yes, I’m here, Moony. Are you okay?” she asked, her voice raised. I nodded weakly, standing up on shaky legs. “Okay, good. Come on, we’ve gotta help!” my friend yelled as she turned to gallop towards the rubble. I also noticed there were a few other ponies doing the same. I just wanted to curl up and cry, but I had to be strong– my friend was right.

I trotted after her uneasily, my legs not really cooperating. Thankfully, the dust cloud had mostly dissipated, though I still felt it getting into my fur and mane. And my nose– damn, I hated the dull, lifeless smell of it.

Unfortunately, the clearing of the dust cloud also revealed a scene of utter carnage. A whole section of the complex had collapsed; the remaining support columns stretching up and holding onto only small patches of ceiling. Dull, grey dust coated the surrounding area, leeching away what little colour there already was. I was dimly aware that the nearby buildings had their windows blown out, too.

As I got closer, I had to dodge around ever larger chunks of building that had been flung from the explosion. Another attack? It had to have been, but I couldn’t see how a pony-portable bomb could do this. I looked upwards at a nearby pitted column; it seemed fairly secure, though the occasional shower of dust did little to reassure me. At least there were no fires. I carried on.

A pile of rubble with an oddly shaped piece of building grabbed my attention. It looked a bit like a pony’s leg. That’s because it is a pony’s leg! I nearly missed it thanks to the dust that coated the limb, making it blend in. I rushed over, feeling a single purpose fill my mind- I had to free them!

My heart pounded through my whole body as I used my telekinesis to fling chunks of rubble behind me. “Come on, be alive… Please be alive!” I prayed out loud to anything that would listen. I heard sirens in the distance; the emergency services must have been arriving already.

Another leg revealed itself, though my stomach lurched at the sight. Forelegs were not meant to bend that way. I kept picking away at the rubble, finally exposing a buck’s face; eyes closed and his muzzle caked with dusty blood. I worked myself into a frenzy, my violet magic grabbing several chunks at a time and launching them behind me.

I gazed apprehensively at the exposed Earth pony before me. Okay, I needed to check if he was… alive. Dread welled up inside me as I carefully stood next to him and placed my pastern to his neck. Just like I did with dad. I shook my head, no! I’m not back at the station. All I could feel was the pounding of my own heartbeat. Okay, now I had to check his breathing. I leant down and put my ear in front of his muzzle. I couldn’t feel his breath; he was silent. Nothing. Just like dad.

I sat back and bawled my eyes out. Why did this have to happen? What’s the bloody point?! Rage and sorrow blazed in my breast. A stab of fear shot through me too, at the realisation that once again, it could have been me. Even worse, it could have been Blossy. If we were a bit earlier…

Hoofsteps from behind broke my line of thought and I turned to find a lilac pegasus mare wearing the green uniform of the paramedics. I couldn’t make anything else out through my blurry vision though. “He’s” I croaked, my voice giving out. Dead. He’s dead. I couldn’t say It. I didn’t want to say it.

“Hey, let me check. We might still be able to help him,” she said softly. Not unless you have a cure for death, I thought snidely. She quickly moved up and I heard a weak cough. From the buck? Dead ponies couldn’t cough… But from the look on the pegasus’ face, she heard it too.

Immediately, she rushed to the buck’s side and checked him over with practiced hooves before gently nursing a healing potion to his muzzle. “Hello, mister?” she asked him, only getting a murmur in response. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but you're going to be okay; we’re just going to take you to the hospital,” she said in a maternal tone.

The paramedic pressed a button on the foreleg of her uniform and spoke into her sleeve, “Requesting a stretcher at my location, over… Thank you, out.”

“I’m sorry,” I said timidly, tearing up again. “I checked him after I cleared the rubble but I couldn’t f-feel anything.” I nearly gave up on somepony who was actually alive. If she hadn’t come along…

“Don’t be, his pulse was very weak, it’s no surprise you missed it,” she replied. Maybe I wouldn’t have if I wasn’t such a waste of space. “Do you know him?” the mare asked as she kept an eye on her patient.

“No,” I stated. My horn was aching from throwing bits of building and I felt shaky all over. “I… Is he going to be alright?” I asked. I hoped he would be. One less unnecessary death, was that really so much to ask for?

“I believe so. He’s stable,” she said with a hint of a smile. “We got to him in good time, and Earth ponies are tough. They’ll be able to fix his leg, good as new, back at the hospital.” Good. I just hoped he wouldn’t lose anypony thanks to this. I knew all too well what it’s like.

An image of my mum, lying in a pool of her own blood flashed through my mind. No! I’m not back there! It’s ancient history now. I’m past that. I snapped out of my grim trance to find the paramedic looking at me, her face creased in concern. “I’m actually more worried about you, right now. That shaking- you’re in shock. I’d like you to follow us back to the ambulance,” she said delicately but with authority.

“I’m fine! I wasn’t even in the blast! He’s the one who needs your help! I almost shouted, pointing a hoof in the buck’s direction. The pegasus gave me a sympathetic look and my anger dissolved. I couldn’t stop the shaking, no matter how hard I tried. My cheeks were soaked from all my tears; I must have looked terrible. “I’m fine,” I lied in a whisper.

Her eyes bored into me with understanding. “Okay, I believe you, you’re fine. But I’d still like you to come with us. You can see him”– she gestured to the peaceful buck –”safely off. That’ll be nice, right?” I got the impression that I was being manipulated. I needed to go and help others! But a part of me also needed to see that poor buck saved. I nodded my head half-heartedly, ashamed at my own weakness.

Rapid hoofsteps sounded out behind me as another paramedic arrived; an Earth pony buck with an elongated pack on his back. ”You called for a stretcher?” he asked in a deep voice. His gaze swept over us, stopping at the unconscious buck. Without waiting for a reply, he slung his backpack off, opening it up into a stretcher.

“Yes, he’s stable, but we need to get him to hospital,” the mare says as she helped with the stretcher. “We’re going to have to lift him slowly and carefully, watch your step,” she instructed the new arrival. He acknowledged with a curt nod.

At this point, I was starting to feel like a spare part, just watching them as they got ready to lift him onto the deployed stretcher. “Um, I could help with my magic, if you wanted?” I said timidly, but sick of being useless.

The lilac mare looked at me, uncertainty in her eyes. “Are you sure you can do this?” she asked. I gave a determined nod. My magic would be less likely to cause any more damage than physically handling him. “Okay, then. We’ll be ready, just in case,” she said with a glance to her colleague.

I could do this… Closing my eyes, my horn flared up as I concentrated, wrapping my telekinetic field around the unconscious buck’s body. I gradually increased the upward force and gently levitated him upwards. I felt the paramedic’s limbs in my magical field, ready to support him if I failed. I opened my eyes and kept feeding magic into the spell as I carefully moved him over to the stretcher. I grit my teeth as the aching in my horn steadily got worse. Come on, nearly there! I finally managed to set him down on the stretcher as if he were made out of delicate glass. With a sigh of relief, I slumped down- I’d never lifted a whole pony before.

“Nicely done,” the first paramedic complemented, her Earth pony colleague also gave a nod of approval. Together, they lifted the stretcher between them, each end hooked around their barrels. We moved off, presumably to an awaiting ambulance. Away from the devastation. The pegasus talked to her taciturn co-worker about various medical things and I found myself switching off, running on autopilot. I suddenly felt very tired.

“So, may I ask your name?” a female voice asked. “I’m Tenderheart.” Wait, was that directed at me? Emergency services vehicles littered the plaza at a safe distance; their colourful lights blaring in my eyes. “Hello?” the voice prodded.

“Oh, um… I’m Moonlight,” I replied quietly once her words registered. I took in the scene ahead of us: uniformed ponies rushed around, trying to restore order and help those in need, while less-severely injured ponies sat around, some with bandages, others awaiting treatment or loved ones. Then there were the very still forms lying on the ground, with more animated ponies sobbing nearby. It didn’t escape my notice that some of the still-looking ponies were just fillies and colts.

I also noticed some guards, standing attentively. I supposed if this were an attack, there could well be a follow-up. That would be a sickeningly cruel thing to do, but I wouldn’t have put it past whoever caused this. Everywhere I looked, faces were set in grim expressions. I was no exception.

“That’s a nice name,” the pegasus said, somehow managing to not sound patronising. “Well, Miss Moonlight, I’d like to thank you for helping us. You did good.” Good. Right. I only fell to pieces and nearly left somepony to die, that’s good. Apparently.

She must have sensed I wasn’t convinced, because she continued, “Look, you dug him out and got him free. If you hadn’t done that, we may have missed him entirely. At the very least, you let us get to him earlier than if you hadn’t been there. And that’s important; every second counts.” Maybe she had a point. I didn’t know anymore, I was just sick of death and misery and pain following me around like some horrible spectre.

“I wish I could have done more. I… I still feel like I'm just a filly,” I muttered as I watched them load the injured buck into the ambulance, the male paramedic getting in with him after giving us a respectful nod. Tenderheart, now free, looked directly at me.

“You’ve already done more than enough. Trust me, ponies like you do make a difference,” she said. The stallion in the back of the ambulance closed the door with a loud CLANG that made me jump, and the vehicle accelerated away. “You see that?”– Tenderheart pointed her hoof at the departing ambulance, and I gave a little nod –“You helped make that possible,” she said solemnly.

I played a part in saving a life. A small part, maybe, but it was something. He was going to be alright. Despite everything, that did make me feel a little better. “Th-thanks,” I stammered. It was all I could think of saying at that point.

“I’m sorry, but I’ve got to get back and see if I can help anypony else. Are you going to be alright?” the lilac pegasus asked with a concerned look in her eyes.

“Yeah, I’ve got a friend. She also went out to help, but I lost track of her,” I stated.

“Good,” Tenderheart nodded, appearing somewhat relieved. She fished out a piece of card from a pocket in her uniform and gave it to me. “Here, if you need anything, just get in touch. I’ll try to help however I can. Whatever you do, please don’t suffer alone. Take care, Moonlight.”

“Thanks, Tenderheart. Good luck,” I responded. I got a little smile from her before she turned and rushed back to find more ponies to help.

I sat down, staring at the half-destroyed building; I must have looked like a lost soul.

After… I didn’t know how long, my friend trotted into my vision, making a beeline for me. She looked tired and dusty, but there was still energy in her eyes and movements. How did she do it?!

“Hey, Moony,” she said with an undertone of fatigue. “Are you okay?”

“I…” my voice caught in my throat. I was about to lie. I was sick of lying. Tenderheart’s comment flashed through my mind: Don’t suffer alone. “No. I’m not okay,” I said. I was totally drained, both physically and mentally, and my horn ached painfully. My friend looked down as if she were ashamed.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think. I should’ve realised how horrible this must be for you,” Blossy looked back up at me, her face creased in worry.

“No, you did the right thing.”– I shook my head –”Because of you, I was able to help somepony. A buck. I lost track of you when I saw his leg sticking out from some rubble.” Normally, this would have been where my friend teased me mercilessly, perhaps asking me how many foals I was planning to have with him. Instead, she looked… proud? Of me?

“That’s great, Moony. I told you, you’re a strong mare. I’m still sorry I left your side, though. It won’t happen again, I promise,” she said solemnly, giving me a quick nuzzle. I’d almost forgotten what it was like to feel. The warmth of her fur helped me pull myself together a bit more. “Come on, let’s get out of here. There’s nothing else we can do.”

We slowly walked away from what was the Manehattan Central Complex, my friend using her decidedly unintelligent mobile telephone to request a taxi. We never did get to see what was so special about a telephone that could think. Both of us waited for our transport in silence, lost in our own thoughts.

Finally our ride arrived and we got in. Blossy did all the talking, like usual. The driver had his radio on in the background and I heard a formal voice reporting the news: ‘... Earlier this morning, an explosion devastated the Manehattan Central Complex, where one of the largest technology events of the year was taking place. According to the Equestrian Guard, there is strong evidence to suggest that the terrorist group known as the Technophobes were responsible- the same group behind the unprecedented attack on the Canterlot rail station over six months ago–A shiver ran down my spine at the mention of that attack. –’a full investigation is already underway, in an attempt to uncover how the additional security measures had been bypassed…’

“Damned Technophobes,” the driver spat out, shaking his head. Blossy held my foreleg and I responded with a grateful look. Deep inside me, though, anger flared up. Why?! Why did they have to do this?

‘Technophobes’ was the derisive term given to the anti-technology terrorist group. Ponies who had lost everything to the march of technology and let their desperation and hate take over. Usually, their attacks involved suicide bombings against high-technology targets; they had nothing left to lose, after all. The term was a way of making them seem less of a threat. Less dangerous and more ridiculous.

The part that really sickened me, though, was that I understood. If Blossy hadn’t been there for me, I’d have lost everything, too. Would I have become one of them? No. No, I wouldn’t. Hurting ponies isn’t the answer. They took my mum and dad away from me; they were the catalyst for my nearly losing everything. They weren’t making a point, nor encouraging change for the better. All they did, all they ever did was cause pain and misery. No, I don’t understand them. I despise them.

My anger only burned more fiercely as we came to a stop. I’d made up my mind. “Thank you, here, keep the change,” my friend told the driver tiredly as she paid the fare. We both clambered out of the taxi and slowly walked the rest of the way to her home.

“Blossy… Let’s go to the Zone. Let’s do it,” I said. She looked back at me, her features creased in worry. “I can’t stand this! We’re not safe anywhere– I feel helpless. One moment, everything’s fine. The next, ponies are dying around me. It could have been us under that rubble.”

She still looked sceptical. “Moony, maybe we should wait a bit, let you calm down. We’ve been through a lot. Especially you,” she replied softly.

She was right, of course. But I was sick of being treated like I was made out of glass. I wanted to fight back, against something. Anything.

“No, I want to do this. I need to get away from here, please!” I replied, desperation tinging my voice. “For once, things were feeling like they were looking up. Then, suddenly, I’m scrabbling around in rubble. I’m sick of being defenceless, Blossy.”

The yellow unicorn sighed. “Okay. I’ll make the arrangements. But if you change your mind at any point, promise me that you’ll tell me,” she said firmly.

“I promise. If I change my mind, I’ll say so… And Blossy? I don’t want to go by train. Please, let’s not go by train.”