The Nightmare Parade

Chapters

Chapter 1: Setting the Stage
Chapter 2: The Mare from Canterlot
Chapter 3: Practice Makes Perfect
Chapter 4: Beyond Emotion
Chapter 5: Touching the Truth
Chapter 6: The Nightmare Parade
Epilogue

Chapter 1: Setting the Stage

Chapter 1: Setting the Stage
By Wanderer D

Sol City—a vast, still-spreading monster of a city, with its gradual transformation from dark at the bottom to shiny white at the top and buildings that spread like wings over and through the clouds—was also called "the Great Swan of the East".

It had been built over the skeleton of Baltimare and transformed into a MegaCorp paradise. Or one of sorts. It depended on which area of the city a creature ended up living in. And more importantly, which level.

Sol City, like other new cities in Equestria, had three levels: The bottom, where a given creature would set hoof, claw or foot directly into the mud. This was where the most unsavory characters would live (according to the topside), thieves, beggars, unlicensed ripper doctors. Living nightmares for the rich and well-to-do who prized cleanliness and shiny things over the grit of reality. Although officially named Low Town, nocreature really called it that. If Sun City could be called "The Great Swan of the East", then its dirty bottom could only be called: The Cloaca.

The middle level—or Midtown—had bridging arcs over glass-covered spaces that obscured the level below. It was the biggest of the three, with streets that were wide enough to accommodate traffic in both directions and walkways.The stores were less covered in protective materials; less pornography and visually offensive ads were on the several screens around the area; even ripperdocs had licenses.

And finally, High Town, better known as Corpo Heights, housed the elite. Everything they could possibly need could be found there. Built with pegasus cloud technology and techno-wizardry, the top of the city stood literally above everything else, connected to Midtown by wide, sturdy rainbow bridges, and several layers of security. It shone in the sunlight like a silver beacon made of the purest essence of Capitalism forged into the spirals of economic value.

The lives of everycreature were decided here, whether they knew it or not. Where celebrities, magnates, world leaders, and CEOs rubbed elbows while drinking beverages so expensive a single bottle could set up a regular pony for months.

It had been almost a decade since Neon Clove had left The Cloaca to study music. Before it had been turned into the festering cancer under the city it had become. And as she thought about the city she couldn't help but feel like coming back was a mistake after all.

No! She took a deep breath and started off again, head held high.

For Neon Clove, it was not just a Corpo paradise. Nor just the rundown, gang-breeding, violent, grime-covered ghetto festering under the fat belly of Megacorp Plaza and the government's exceedingly tall buildings.

No, Sparkle dammit, for Neon Clove, the Cloaca was home. She had grown up here, in better times. Sure, at ground level darkness made the place gloomy, far away from the clouds and blue sky. Oil and coolant and water dripped down to puddle on the street she trotted through, stagnant and warm because no matter how much breeze came from the bay,because all the concrete and metal blocked it from going through.

And sure, she would fully admit that it wasn't as visually… nice as the rest of the city, but it had its charms! Just like the rest of the world, life continued here, and while the elite would never stop looking at it with an upturned nose, everycreature did what they could to make it not only livable… but alive. Hearth’s Warming was celebrated here just like elsewhere. Winter Wrap Up still took place. The Summer Sun Celebration was observed… and Nightmare Night felt perfect every year. Including this one.

The locals had done everything they could to live up to the approaching Nightmare Night holiday. True, it would never compare to the annual parade that spanned both Midtown and Corpo Heights, but the orange and white lights, the skeletons and (hopefully) fake giant spiders, and even the odd holographic display of ghouls and ghosts were just natural matches to the stripped paint walls, the hanging, broken cables, crumbling buildings, scurrying rodents and such.

She waited for a rat the size of a cat to drag something that might've been alive at some point across the street. She followed the critter with her eyes and, when it skittered to a safe distance, skipped over the slimy and smelly trail it had left behind.

She paused by a frontstore, where she could barely see a screen light up with flashy colors and bright strobes. She couldn't make out much of what it showed with the heavily reinforced yet scratched plexiglass and metal bars in the way, or the colorful decals of Nightmare Moon's fanged face blocking large parts of it, but she knew that commercial by heart, so much so that even if she could only see the lights and colors, she still knew exactly what was on screen.

She couldn't help but grin just as big as the legendary alicorn of darkness.

That commercial was, after all, the reason she was in a hurry. She turned away, the melody playing alongside the video already in her mind as she hummed away.

She might be in the underbelly of the city. She might be poor by most standards. She might not have a job that couldn't end her life prematurely… but she—Neon Clove—was the luckiest netrunner/musician in the city.

…One…

Sweetie's ears twitched, turned and focused around. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"You are the luckiest mare alive, Miss Belle," Shades said, walking across the room to stand before her. "Nocreature has ever taken a singing role in the Nightmare Night parade!"

Her manager's name wasn't Shades, of course, but Sweetie Belle liked to call her that in her mind. A small, petty act of rebellion against her overlord. Her owner: Stern Label.

It wasn't often that she could feel glad that under her soft coat she was mostly machine by now, or that cyborgs were a thing at all, but whenever she dealt with her so-called Manager, it was a blessing to be able mechanically to hold back a sneer of disgust.

Sweetie could seem like the most interested, engaged and downright invested conversationalist anycreature could meet. Others would love her as she projected her inner Rarity to the world, while her empty smile and eye-like lenses would fail to communicate her true feelings. She could essentially set her body to a certain numbered reaction, and just let them talk away.

Her manager's augmentations included partial cranial reconstruction, and a sunglasses addition that allowed her to use her managerial software more easily. It was proprietary and included I.C.E. specifically designed to protect the company's assets. Shades wasn't a particularly smart jab, and Sweetie knew it, but it was something.

Sweetie had no proof, but she suspected that hidden behind the I.C.E.there would be a killswitch for unruly creatures who didn't know their place. Like Yumi.

The yak had enjoyed a relatively successful career as a company-manufactured Heavy Metal rocker, with an also company-manufactured reputation for heavy drinking, partying, orgies, and such. Yumi had started strong, and although her popularity had declined recently, everycreature had expected a solid comeback.

Sadly, that manufactured image of the hardcore Yak from Tartarus turned out to be nothing more than a lie.

A more demure, secretly kind Yak did not exist. Even Yona was closer to what they had in mind and had presented to the public. But Yumi had the ability to turn into a raging, "violent" maniac on stage, milking the performance and her presence for every single drop of adrenaline-fueled hard rock.

Yet, shortly after accidentally letting out a smidge of truth during an interview, where the yak had admitted to liking fluffy things and relaxing at home with incense and new-age music in the background… it hadn't taken a month for Yumi to be gone.

At first, Sweetie had thought the yak had just been fired, but her private messages to her fellow singer went ignored, and failed to even deliver to her personal accounts. She had done a little sleuthing herself—sadly limited, so that she wouldn't draw the ire of her overlords—and found out that Yumi's family hadn't heard from her since the day of the interview.

She had to wonder not only what had happened to her acquaintance, but also what crazy plan they had for replacing her now. It wasn't like LightnSound would just let the brand drop out of the public's eye. They wanted money, and there existed no money in a stagnant property.

"Miss Belle?"

Sweetie snapped out of her dark thoughts. She sensed her ears twitching in an emulation of embarrassment. Could she still actually feel embarrassment?

Sweetie Belle didn't answer immediately, pretending to be content for now, just nodding and staring out the window, down the spires, past the clouds into the tiny inhabitants of Midtown, so far below. The themes for the Nightmare Night parade were already changing the view of the city. Far below, she could see the orange lights, and up here, little holograms of bats and thestrals fluttered about.

It brought her memories of a time, long left behind, when things had been simpler and Nightmare Night had been spent with friends, family and even Princess Luna herself.

"That I am, Stern Label," she finally said with her usual, practiced, plastic smile. "I know that not just anycreature would get this honor, especially for the first time in history to have a singer lead the parade. I have been really blessed by LightnSound's kindness."

The mare nodded, smiling pleasantly at the submissiveness of her pet.

'Play the little game. You can see what I do. Who I'm with. What I eat. But you cannot read my mind. My thoughts are free and they are hidden behind a mask of who I used to be. I'm so much machine I can consciously prevent it from moving at all. My heart may be plastic but my Heart is still true.'

"Indeed. Tickets have sold out for the parade and the concert at the Dome. We've had to secure additional resources for streaming. The whole world will be watching you!" She walked over to stand next to Sweetie, her slick black suit pristine and almost shiny under the lights. She was pretty, but still an unwelcome companion.

Shades looked honest. She even spoke with calm confidence, an almost invitingly empathic tone to her voice.

If only Sweetie Belle could believe her words were heartfelt. If only she could trust her manager as a friend and mentor. If only sharing her thoughts and fears wouldn't make her a target for an army of company psychologists, HR and PR specialists suffocating her into a compliant little bot, forgetting that underneath the metal she was real.

Sweetie sighed. Internally, of course. She didn't really need to breathe now, so to the world outside of her body she simply looked like the ponyfication of smiles and agreement. Inside she had exhaled in exasperation that just didn't make it to her face.

"And the world will be mine," Sweetie said, repeating the unprompted empty promises her manager always threw her way. 'What am I supposed to do with the world, even if that were true? What does that promise even mean to me?'

"All yours." Shades seemed definitely more wistful about the concept than Sweetie had ever been. Yet again she regretted signing up at all with LightnSound, but what choice did she have now, so late in the game?

"Are you well, Sweetie? You seem low on energy," Shades asked after a moment, her bright blue eyes flashing behind the dark glasses as she studied her. "You are not coming up with a cold, are you?"

"N-no." Sweetie forced a bigger smile. "I'm fine. Besides, I don't think I can actually have a cold. Don't you need 'ganic lungs for that?"

"Organic," Shades corrected, frowning slightly at the use of slang. "Are you sure? You might be mostly cybernetic now, Sweetie, but that creative little brain of yours is still very organic. We could plug you into the O.N.M. and have you relax into sleep tonight. Make sure you are well rested and fresh for the parade."

"I'm certain! I want to perform so bad! That and—" she took a cue from her memories of Rarity to almost sensually walk alongside the large window "—I don't want to miss the view. I don't think we've stayed in a hotel room this high, even in Griffonia! And that was on a cliffside!"

Shades giggled. It sounded false. Like her manager was trying to be reassuring when there was really nothing funny about the situation. "Yes, our fortunes have indeed improved." She sighed melodramatically and headed to the door. "Make sure you don't stay up too late, Sweetie. It's a big day tomorrow."

"I won't!"

The other mare stopped at the door. "By the way, I got word this morning that the Nightmare Ticket was found."

"Oh?" Sweetie asked, trying to sound excited. The prospect of having to hang out with another fan made her feel slightly sick. She'd have to be at her best, happiest and peppiest while somecreature who only knew her at her most superficial level would gush about how wonderful she was.

They never noticed how she truly felt. It was all about them. They didn't care for the mare under the chrome; they just cared that they were sitting next to the shiny exterior.

"Yes," Shade confirmed, also unaware of her ward's thoughts. "Some mare from the Clo—ahem, from Low Town."

Sweetie actually felt surprised. She turned her attention to her manager. "That's unusual."

"Very," Shade grumbled. "The ticket wasn't supposed to even circulate in one of those… areas." She sniffed. "She must have purchased the winning ticket in another part of town, which at least indicates she is able to pretend to be of better pedigree. We will make sure she's cleaned up and dressed properly before she meets you, of course."

The mare grimaced, then perked up. "I think PR can spin it into some sort of symbolism. Top to bottom music is universal?" She hummed. "I'll suggest they work around a concept like that. I'm sure they'll come up with something."

For all the mumbo-jumbo about the randomness of the 'Nightmare Ticket', and how anycreature anywhere could get it, the truth of the matter was that it could be indeed won by anycreature… as long as they purchased it within accepted areas. The ticket would usually go to a creature that had the buying power to spend on products.

It helped her brand.

"We'll screen her thoroughly." Shades rolled her shoulders. "Anyway, we must rest. It's a big night tomorrow."

"Any chance I'll be able to make time to visit Apple Bloom or Scootaloo after the concert?" Sweetie asked, despite herself.

Shades paused at the door, as if thinking. "I believe we can request some R&R time from Corporate."

"Oh." Sweetie glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. "What about Twilight?"

Shades' attitude changed. "The Princess hasn't been seen outside of Canterlot for several years now."

Sweetie grimaced. The last few times she had tried talking to Twilight, it had backfired, with her messages being intercepted. It was, however, a well-known fact that Twilight was not very fond of cyber-enhancements, and thus they had not talked since before Sweetie had moved out of Ponyville.

While Twilight had been the one to develop the science behind them, rumor had it that her aim had never been the technomagical revolution that had transformed all of Equestria.

What had started with magi-tech to help those in need had become wilful desecration of bodies in order to replace flesh with metal and Sweetie… she personified everything that Twilight hated about her magical technology.

Sweetie Belle just hoped that one day Twilight would just acknowledge her.

"I suppose." Sweetie sighed again. "Good night, Stern Label."

Sweetie watched her manager walk out of her room and turned to look outside once more, bringing up her internal chat app.

SB: I don't think she'll let me see you girls anytime soon.

SL: I really don't like her. She's really out to control you, Sweetie. You should just… I dunno, break the contract and go somewhere else where she can't find you! We'll help.

AB: She really likes to pretend that she cares for you, but breaking the contract might not be the best idea. You should figure out a way to get out legally.

Sweetie rolled her eyes.

SB: I guess I'll see what tomorrow brings.

AB: Just remember to stand up for yourself if she crosses a line.

SL: And if she does, all you need to do is call us. Or just me. I'll make her regret it!

A small smile graced Sweetie's lips.

SB: Goodnight, girls.

The spider-like metallic contraption pulled away from Neon Clove, and she blinked a few times before focusing on Gentle Cut's face.

It wasn't his real name, of course, but that was what he went by, so Neon just rolled with it. Who was she to tell the aging earth pony his made-up name was hilariously creepy?

"So?" he asked, peering into her eyes critically, "whaddaya think?"

Neon didn't answer immediately. Although she could see him, her focus zeroed-in on the graphic display on her eye. She obtained root access to the device, adjusting settings as she went and removing the outdated crap MagTech had installed in it while replacing it with her own homebrew OS and ICE.

She wasn't sure what kind of security they had at the studio, but she planted some fake safety measures that could be disabled and would grant the user access to a surface-level setting that emulated the standard layers a competent runner could shift through quickly.

Certainly hefty enough to look legit, and yet simple enough for security to 'disable' and give false readings while leaving the actual device alone. Their runners would need to be absolute wizards to catch the difference, but she was confident enough in her work.

"Checks out. Hell, if I had enough power I could punch a hole through the Moonflow with this. How does it look from the outside?" she asked.

"Don't be punchin' them holes in the goddamned Moonflow. Not 'less y'wanna fry." Gentle studied her obvious implants. "Don't look 'muffin' special," he mumbled, "be 'barrassed t'install dem glittery doodads if real." He smirked. "'Xpect ya t' run 'round sayin' 'oh my gosh!' and 'daddy'."

"I'm not calling you 'daddy'."

"Better off for it," he replied, his small smirk playing on his lips. He trotted around behind her, and she could feel the panel on the side of her head being prodded, even with no real discomfort to go with the odd feeling. "Them's two updates. Vision, processing power. Need somethin' else?"

He turned a large monitor around, showing her a generic pony shape with wings and went back to poking in her head. "Gottem wings if'n want to go fer the princess look. Even flap."

She leaned back. She tried to glance over to him, but he smacked her gently on the head, an indication that he still had his hooves occupied. "I don't want more chrome than necessary," she said with a chuckle. "You know how that can affect ponies… but I've heard some disturbing rumors about POE vulnerabilities."

"Yes. Well. Dem's urban myths," Gentle Cut muttered. She heard him tap his hoof on the floor a couple of times and fought the urge to smile. "Reckon I've got somethin' I've been workin' on, if yer interested."

'Yessss!' "I knew coming to you was the best idea, Gentle. In order to impress the best, I need work from the best!"

"Don't thank me yet," he replied, moving away from her to rummage through his equipment and then the sanitized container. "Experimental, see? 'N yer th' one that gets spending the next couple hours cleanin' up them settings."

"How… experimental?" Clove asked, dubious.

"The 'I'll give you a discount' kind."

"Good enough for me!"

He used one of his mechanical claws to pick out the piece he wanted. "Plus." He glanced at her. "It's not going to be pleasant."

She snorted as he walked behind her again. "Better unpleasant than dea-deee-dea-oww! The hell are you doing back there?!"

"Shutit. Said it going to be unpleasant. D'you know how hard it'll be to make yer head not look like you stuck a plate innit?"

"I thought you meant if I needed to use it!"

She felt him prod. Some pressure and the usual-yet-unusual feeling of something being moved around inside her head without actually feeling what it was. "Crap. I wonder if this will mess with your horn."

"What?!"

"Nothin'. Shut up 'n' start pingin' whenner tell ya."

"Un bel dì, vedremo…"

The hall echoed Sweetie's voice as she sang. She stood on top of the parade car that would be carrying her at the front of the whole procession, cables and wires linking into her hooves and back, hidden by her dress.

She was supposed to be Nightmare Moon in the parade, dressed in blues and holographic stars and four wings, all leathery. She had shiny metallic attachments to her hooves that emulated claws. Her eyes had shifted colors many times that morning, searching for the perfect hue that would eerily light up as she sang.

She had tried telling them that Nightmare Moon hadn't looked anything like that. But they had looked at her like she was crazy. It was a legend, nothing more. Who cared as long as it was visually stunning?

How could they forget Nightmare Moon? Sure, creatures these days had enough to fear from other, fellow creatures, or even the Moonflow, but Nightmare Moon had cast the entire world into darkness!

In a slightly ironic twist, right now, Sweetie felt more like Luna: lost in a world she should recognize, but unable to really make sense of things. The large warehouse, empty of anything but display cars and a few technicians, she felt as if the heavy silence created the perfect environment emphasizing just how alone she felt at that moment, and yet it felt comforting to sing without an audience.

"levarsi un fil di fumo
sull'estremo confin del mare."

She took a physically unnecessary deep breath, her voice lowering to a deeper tone as she continued.

"E poi la nave appare.
Poi la nave bianca
entra nel porto,
romba il suo saluto…"

"Okay," a technician spoke up, sticking his head out from behind the curtains. "That's good for voice clarity. Can you try one of your newer songs? Whatever you were singing is nice, but I'll need to make sure the synchronization is working with the current scheduled tracks."

"Oh." Sweetie nodded. "Right. Sorry."

"No problem. Let's synchronize you with the system, the more control you have, the better, right?"

"Right," Sweetie repeated. "Of course."

She extended her being into the devices, letting her senses expand through the software that would allow her to control the lights, instruments, the trapdoors and effects, then linked into the schedule which contained all of the actual information that would pass through her systems and her brain for maximum effect.

Suddenly she didn't feel like hesitating.

She was hip!

She was proud!

She was delighted to be here!

She was sensual, and she felt like dancing as she sang one of her hit songs!

She swayed her flank to the tune, imagining the room packed with creatures, all of them here to see her! To hear her music! To—

"And we're all set!" the technician's voice reached her just as all of those feelings were turned off like a switch.

She staggered back when the connection broke, feeling dirty. Used. Worse-off because she wanted that euphoria back in her instead of her depressive thoughts, which now seemed even heavier after that rush, even if she knew it had been artificial. Like the unholy combination of herself and Pinkie Pie being forced into her body—if it even belonged to her anymore—and took over.

That hadn't been her.

She sobbed silently, without making a sound or changing her expression for the world outside to see.

Chapter 2: The Mare from Canterlot

By Wanderer D

The lobby of the Sol City Grand Hotel did honor to its name. The heavily guarded entrance opened up into the lobby itself, with entirely real marble on the floor, comfy large sofas and small fountains. There was the cafe for visitors, the entrance to an internationally recognized restaurant with proudly displayed accolades outside, and monitors the size of a house in the back of the lobby that played a loop of the amenities and staff. The area was so big and open that pegasi and other flying creatures could soar above them (but not enter the guest room floors).

Nightmare Night's influence was in full swing here. Holographic bats flew all over the place, spiderwebs made of light and magic glowed eerily in corners and convenient places. 'Carved' pumpkins made of plastic that resembled the real things were nestled here and there among stacks of old hay, and staff hovered nearby with little baskets for any foals and fillies who might be brought to the hotel by their parents.

There were two sets of elevators, one for the lower floors, the other for the executive, queenly, presidential and other important-titled suites. In front of these, security was tighter, and a second check would be required. Normally it would be a slight inconvenience for visitors, but since one of the biggest stars in the world currently occupied one of the suites, security had moved from 'minor nuisance' to 'borderline excessive'.

Scanners that would generate three-dimensional representations of the scanned subjects to be analyzed by specialists twirled around Clove, who could see a holographic image of her appear on a nearby table, and several parts of her body—the ones with cyberware in them—started lighting up red and yellow.

Besides that, she had been patted down, scanned for weapons, and almost had her coat combed through in search of any additional devices she could have possibly brought with her. Needless to say, her saddlebags would never be the same after the intense scrutiny they went through.

"Miss… Clove, was it?"

"That's right!"

Neon Clove stood still as she had been instructed while several devices, drones and even unicorns circled around her still, scanning and casting spells.

"It seems you are a very lucky mare."

"Oh, definitely! When I got the ticket I couldn't believe my luck!" she babbled, grinning. She didn't have to lie at all. She really loved how things had turned out. "I've been Sweetie Belle's biggest fan ever since I heard her the very first time! I know all her songs, own all her records, and I um." She fidgeted. "I uh, even memorized the dance numbers."

That brought up a smile to one of the unicorns scanning her, but her interviewer, the infamous manager of the stars, Stern Label, did not react.

"You've got some fancy cyberware," Stern said, frowning at the tablet she held in her magic. "How did you come by it?"

"Oh." Neon Clove smiled proudly. "I got a scholarship for music at the CSFA. I moved to Canterlot and got the cyberware installed while working on my curriculum." She lifted her head and puffed up her chest. "And I paid it all by myself with hard work and true spirit!"

"Ah yes, the Canterlot School of Fine Arts' famous motto." Stern Label seemed… well, slightly less stern. "If you were doing so well there, why come back to Sol City? It says here you live in the Low Town."

"Ah yeah." She shifted in place. Looked down and away. "I didn't think that one through, if I'm honest. I hadn't realized how bad things were until I came back. I've put in a request for an apartment in Midtown's North End, but they're being picky because of my current address."

"She checks out," the unicorn mare that had smiled at her said finally. "Her mana is not too strong, probably because of the cyberware, but she wouldn't need too much more for fine control."

"And you check out also as a student from CSFA," Stern said. She studied her carefully, as if re-evaluating all of her previous misconceptions. "Very high grades too. Tell me, is Professor Bowstring still as good as I remember?"

"Ah, I'm afraid he retired the year after I signed up," Neon said, "which sucks. I wanted to learn from him too, but Miss Castanet is teaching Musical Theory and Music Cultures. She's okay, I guess, I just had heard so much about him."

"I won't tell her you said so," Stern said, finally giving a hint of a smile. "She and I were roommates, after all."

"Oh… sorry. She's just more focused on—"

"I understand," Stern interrupted, her smile becoming less professional. "It seems we have much in common, Miss Clove. Why don't you come with me?"

"Hold on," a stallion said. "We've picked up a recording system."

Stern looked at her.

"Oh! That's—I'm so sorry, I forgot to turn it off, it's for my own music. I'm combining my sensory experience as a braindance into the melody. It's what my thesis is all about: incorporating my musical-playing experience into a transmittable additional track that doesn't require a full braindance immersion." She turned to the stallion. "You can turn it off if you want, just help me turn it on again before I leave or I'll have to go to a ripperdoc."

"It's fine," Stern said, glancing at the scans. "I recognize that. It's sensorial monitoring equipment. We've been playing around with that for future concerts. As long as she's not recording video or audio with that, it shouldn't be a problem."

"Oh, I won't!" Clove added quickly. "This records my emotional reactions as stimulants only. It doesn't need audio since I can edit those responses in isolation."

The stallion frowned, looking at the report.

"I'd rather not have to tell Castanet that her student suffered any problems here. Is there any other cyber augmentation flagged at all?"

The stallion sighed. "No, ma'am."

"Well then, we can proceed."

Clove followed the other mare past security, and into a large, gold-and-red elevator that could have housed the entire security team and still have a bit of space to move around. Instead, only Stern, two bodyguards and herself got in.

The elevator rose smoothly while Neon Clove could feel Stern's eyes considering her. "Sweetie Belle is very patient, but please be on your best behavior, Miss Clove. I realize you are a big fan, but try to curb your excitement before you meet her properly. Compose yourself in the waiting room while I check on her. Once we are all ready, we will head over to the parade warehouse to go over your role, practice your timing, and confirm your availability for practice. Do you have any questions?"

"Nope!" Clove nodded emphatically. "I've got it. I'll refrain from fanfillying."

Stern nodded sternly again, and turned to face the elevator door, ignoring Clove for the rest of the ascension to the top floor of the hotel.

The moment Shades had left her room to go meet their lucky winner, Sweetie took a deep breath.

SB: I'm alone. For a few minutes only, but alone.

SL: Finally! That mare needs to respect your space more!

AB: At least when it's just us you don't have to pretend anymore. How are you feeling today, Sweetie?

Her heart and her mind roared with the memory of the forced euphoria from the parade car. She wanted to run. She wanted to crash through the window of the 115th floor and fly away. She wanted to talk to Twilight, to Scootaloo or Apple Bloom, or Rarity or anycreature she knew about it.

SB: I'm doing okay. Practice was just more tiring than I thought.

And tell them what? That the panels in her body opening to connect to the cables had been exhilarating? That a rush of pleasure had run up her spine as software overrode her senses, as her body reacted alongside her brain to a rush of alien emotions being forced into her?

That it was equally addictive and disgusting? That she hated losing herself like that? Not knowing where Sweetie Belle began and where anything ended? She had felt her consciousness brush the edges of the firewalls erected around her mind to protect her from outside interference.

She had felt like she'd been forced into a cage… with a sweet, sweet, honeyed kiss straight into her brain.

AB: Are you sure? You don't want to talk about it?

How could Sweetie deal with the fact that her metallic body, incapable of truly processing the sensation of touching anything at all, had felt like pinpricks of fire and ice moving in waves through her entire being? Even worse, admit it to her best friends?

She had felt alive and more, much more than anything ever before. No sexual desire in her organic life had even compared to how that one moment of absolute ecstasy had felt. A moment that had been forced on her, where control of her mind, body, soul and emotions had been dictated by ones and zeroes flashing through her center with intent and purpose… both things she felt she missed since… since when?

Since leaving Ponyville?

Since starting her career?

Since her first cybernetic enhancement?

She glanced outside the hotel room, her eyes scanning the city. It would be Nightmare Night soon… the world would celebrate the exile of Nightmare Moon with candy and spooky stories. So few seemed to remember that just a few years ago Nightmare Moon had descended from the heavens, plunging the entire world into darkness and, had it not been for five brave mares, the world would still be enveloped by the night.

Sweetie snorted. Sol City had so many neon signs that it would surprise her if even in eternal night it would be dark at all. It never slept. A living, breathing city full of light and dreams but devoid of hope.

She pressed her hoof against the window, her metallic appendage making a clinking sound as it touched the glass. Holograms, drones, automated chariots, railways, neon and LEDs, magitech assistants, and past that residential areas, and past that, further down rusted metal, scratched buildings with peeling paint.

All of them alight with cyber-enhancements that she could see glowing like ephemeral wisps of data. Her brain processed all of that while still longing to be one with all of it, while her heart yearned to forget her old life and embrace this world that somehow transcended organic life. To sing her songs for the digital pixies, demons and AIs that escaped the comprehension of ponies… creations of technology and magic that had outgrown their creators.

And wasn't she the same? What was Sweetie Belle now but an automaton bending to the whims of the label? And yet wasn't she also much more than that? Wasn't she still a pony? A self-aware being with a soul, emotions, fears and hopes?

So what if most of her organic insides had been replaced by chrome and circuit?

She caught sight of her reflection. Still Sweetie Belle. She closed her eyes. "Why can't I just be me?" she whispered, the moment of righteousness fading around her like a wisp of smoke caught in a breeze. She smirked. Or as Apple Bloom would have put it: 'like a breezie's fart in the wind.'

…us…

"Sweetie Belle?" Shades asked, knocking on the door mere seconds before walking in. She took a moment to study the room and closed the door behind her. "Our guest is here. Are you ready to head over to practice?"

Sweetie thought about telling her everything she had been thinking… but it would be futile. "Sure."

SB: Sorry girls, gotta go meet the lucky fan.

She followed Shades out of the room and stopped to take her first glance at the golden ticket winner.

A slightly younger pony than herself, probably just fresh out of college. She had her mane done up in the style that DJ P0n3 used to rock. Her horn wasn't too long or short, but Sweetie could see cybernetic constructs spiraling along its natural spiral. She had a deep, wooden brown coat, while her mane went from dark green to neon green.

Her face, just like most creatures these days, had visible gold and silver circuit lines, and she wore a well-kept jacket that reached just halfway down her forelegs. Her eyes were an interesting shade of light gray, marred here and there by small circuits.

To Sweetie's eyes, she glowed with magical cybernetics. So much so she had to admit actually being surprised she'd been allowed to get this close to her. The thought crossed her mind to say something, but the thrill of knowing something the label didn't—even something as simple as staying quiet—brought back a little of her adventurous spirit.

"It's an honor to meet you, Miss Sweetie Belle!" Neon Clove said, smiling widely and raising a hoof.

"Oh, the pleasure is mine," Sweetie replied, bumping hooves with the mare, her smile softening, genuinely happy to meet somepony new. She indicated the elevator and the pair moved together towards it, with Shades following close behind, keeping an eye on them. "I'm always happy to meet a fan."

"And not just any fan," Neon Clove declared. "A super fan! I love sinking down on my sofa and listening to your music, Miss Belle. 'Hidden by Dirt' just runs chills down my spine."

"Hm, that's one of the old ones, Miss Clove," Shades said. "Do you know more recent ones?"

"Of course!" Neon Clove said, looking almost affronted. "That one just holds a special place in my heart," she added, looking at Sweetie Belle. "It was one of the songs I used for my thesis on emotional communication."

Clove turned to look at Shades. "You truly have a genius here, Miss Label, I'm sure you knew, given that you've cultivated her talent, but it still boggles the mind how far you've both reached and how much you have achieved."

A little pop-up appeared in Sweetie's GUI. She opened it.

It was from Clove.

NC: Sorry I'm giving her credit for your song, I've heard she's very protective of you. But I really love that song… and I know you wrote it. I had a sister too, and when I lost her, your song pulled me through very hard times. Thank you.

If Sweetie had needed to breathe, she would have been caught for not doing so. Instead, as she tilted her head and automatic body language responses kicked in to full Stern Label, she sent a message back.

SB: It's very dangerous to do this, you know? If you're caught you could go to jail.

Neon Clove didn't stop talking to both of them, praising the business acumen of LightnSound's investments in not only Sweetie, but the technologies that made her concerts so stunning when the reply arrived.

NC: Don't you think the risk is worth it? What is a life without risk, anyway? How can a dream be reached if there is no risk of failure? Is that a dream or a guarantee? And if it's guaranteed, what fun is there in it to even try?

Sweetie replied to Neon Clove's question about the parade lights with one of the permitted answers from the list she had been given. Something about how the engineers hired by LightnSound were the best in the business and that maybe she should apply for an internship there.

SB: A long time ago, my sister and I had a fallout, and I was clinging to one of my best friend's sister instead. I wanted my sister to see I didn't need her. She went ahead and hid in the mud to take my friend's sister's place in a race… and I didn't notice until the end.

Then, one time while trying to figure out what to write, I saw her picture with that hat on her head and I knew that I wanted to sing to her what I could barely express as a little filly.

Shades asked Neon Clove something about the Canterlot School of Arts, and the unicorn told her about an old restaurant where Shades and her teacher had shared many meals apparently. Clove said the place had closed down, but she had been there just in time to try one of their famous daisy sandwiches.

NC: It made me think of my sister too. Thank you.

SB: You're welcome… and thank you… for understanding that song. A lot of creatures think its about me feeling dirty about a lover.

NC: Uneducated brutes.

Sweetie Belle snorted, then realized she had done so in front of Shades, who turned to look at her with narrowed eyes. Her manager opened her mouth, about to ask something, when the elevator doors to the lobby opened and the loud voice of a familiar Yak reached Sweetie's ears, making her abandon any pretense and simply stare.

Yumi was back, and in full goth-rocker getup, surrounded by several creatures.

"Yumi?" Sweetie Belle asked, stepping out of the elevator to greet her friend. "Where have you been?"

"Where Yumi been?!" the yak repeated, grinning wildly at Sweetie Belle, "Yumi's been having fun! Yumi's going to keep having fun until concert on parade! Yeah!"

"Um, if that's—are you okay? We were worried…"

"Bah! Yumi is fine! More than fine! Pumped full of—" She cut herself off, grinning at Sweetie then motioning with her head at her entourage. "And wanting more! You join? Bring friend!"

"I—"

"I'm afraid we have practice, Yumi," Shades said coldly, stepping between them. "Do your thing, but remember your place."

The savage grin faded from the Yak, who then shrugged uneasily. "Fine! Sweetie Belle too prissy for MY kind of fun! Come! We party!"

Sweetie and the others stepped out of the way, allowing the yak and her… friends… to jump into the elevator and go to the yak's suite.

"I thought she had—" Sweetie shook her head. "I can't believe she—"

"Sweetie Belle," Shades said, "come on. It's time for practice."

"Right." Sweetie Belle's eyes followed the elevator as it went up before she forced her body to move. That couldn't have been Yumi… right?

NC: Bit for your thoughts?

Sweetie Belle almost jumped. She would have, in fact, if her cybernetic body had not been set to waiting mode as they were driven to the parade warehouse.

She looked up to see that Shades had taken a keen interest in Clove's explanation of her work on emotional resonance via cyber-magical enhancements. The pair were deep into the conversation, yet Neon Clove could still send her messages.

It was impressive in many ways not just how their guest could multitask like this, but also how Shades really did seem to follow the very technical explanation Clove gave her in the limo. There were hidden depths to her manager after all.

Again the thrill of doing something unbeknownst to her manager and the creatures around her sent a digital shiver down her back. But her thoughts turned darker again when she went back to her musings.

SB: Just thinking about Yumi. The last time I saw her she was going through a lot, but for her to come back like this? After disappearing for a while? It's… very unsettling.

NC: You mean she's not always like that? Heavy Metal is not my thing so I was never really following her career. She seemed pretty intense.

Outside of cyberspace, the conversation between her manager and their guest continued.

"So you're saying, Miss Clove, that you could use your magi-cyberware skills to impart some of the effects of your thesis into our performance?" Shade asked.

"Well, pending on a contract of some sort, yes," Neon Clove said carefully.

"But think of the exposure you could have!" Shades replied, leaning in, clearly interested in what Clove had to offer. "Not only would it put your name in a very exclusive list…"

SB: Yumi has never acted that way before with me. She's never gotten into an elevator with a group of creatures with the intention of having an actual orgy in her room. That was always just publicity stunts. I don't think she even had an actual coltfriend before the interview.

"We'll try out a little of it during our practice today, then, depending on the results, I can put in a good word for you with LightnSound if it works. Legal is pretty fast, and we could have a draft by the end of the day."

"Well… I—I guess it's not often that a pony like me would get a chance to work with top-notch equipment so early in her career…"

NC: Oh yeah, I remember the interview. Isn't it good that she's still okay? I heard that she disappeared for a while there. Maybe just a sabbatical?

SB: I'm still worried. She never acted like that before. Even in public, that kind of thing would end the moment she was near the elevators.

NC: Maybe what you need is someone there to help you find out.

"Alright, I accept," Neon Clove said to Shade, grinning like she had won the lottery… again. "I'm sorry I drove a hard bargain, but it's my life's work."

Shade almost snorted. It was a side of her that Sweetie hadn't seen in… a very long time. She just couldn't remember when exactly. An old, old memory. Probably from around when she began singing for LightnSound.

"I see talent and I acquire it, Miss Clove. Let's test it out today, and we'll expand the terms we have agreed to right now into a proper contract then."

Neon Clove bumped hooves with Shades, then turned, beaming a smile at Sweetie.

"Congratulations," Sweetie Belle said, smiling back.

SB: And thanks…

"It seems we're here," Shades said as their limo pulled into the warehouse where all the parade displays were.

Sweetie, looking out the window, spotted the one where she'd plug in and experience once more that artificial elation. She was excited, and yet terrified.

"Come, Miss Clove, this is our technician, Mr. Circuit. He'll show you where you can set up your experimental session," Shade said as they disembarked.

An elderly earth pony nodded curiously at Neon Clove, while Shades turned to face Sweetie. "Let's get you ready, Sweetie."

Sweetie Belle nodded and bumped hoofs with Neon Clove, earning herself a curious look from Shades as they walked away.

"That was unusual, you seem to have opened up to her pretty quickly, Sweetie," Shades said.

"I suppose," Sweetie replied. "It's been a long time since we had somecreature new join our team. It feels… nice."

"It does," Shades said, smiling at her in a way that made Sweetie question her impressions of her manager.

"I… didn't expect you to be pleased by this," Sweetie said. "I thought you'd be suspicious or upset."

Shades chuckled. "Miss Sweetie Belle… I'm your manager because I believe in you. I have seen what you do at your best, and lately you haven't been yourself much. I've worried… but this little engineer seems to have brought that spark back to you. I hope she stays with us."

"You… you offered her that contract for me?"

Shades grinned. "For us. If she can do what she said she could… well, we're all winning. If not, she certainly has enough know-how to be useful. But if she's able to become your friend either way? Well, she'd be doing what I can't, and help you be happy."

Sweetie stepped onto the stage and glanced at her manager. Could things and perspectives really change so quickly?

Or had she just been looking at things wrong?

The warehouse lit up.

Chapter 3: Practice Makes Perfect

Chapter 3: Practice Makes Perfect
by Wanderer D

Sweetie watched the panels on her legs opening to allow direct connection to the devices. She felt nervous. Both anxious to perform, but also scared of the euphoric rush of emotions that would kick in the moment the concert practice started.

And she could feel herself trembling in anticipation, yet her body stood still as a statue, her jitters not even registering past her mind. It made her wonder just how far she actually existed. Was this really her body at all if it didn't… react like she expected? Or was she something out of one of Scootaloo's comics, and simply a 'pilot' for this body of hers?

She felt so disconnected sometimes from her true self. Could this be post-implant rejection syndrome? Could it happen so late after magical cyberification? Or was she getting nervous due to the upcoming parade? It wasn't her first time in the spotlight.

She had filled up stadiums both physically and virtually for the last few years on every one of her concerts. She'd done live interviews, on-the-spot performances, accepted challenges… the parade should be no different.

Which meant that her anxiety came from somewhere else but—

NC: How are you holding up? I can't wait to see what you have planned! This is amazing!

SB: I'm doing okay, thanks for asking. I'm more concerned about you. It seems Shades convinced you to join her team.

This mare… was so informal. Sweetie loved it. She felt her doubts fizzle and die.

"Well be ready in a minute, Miss Belle," one of the technicians said, kneeling next to her to check the connections to her legs. "This looks good. The automated locking system seems to be working without a hitch. Just to make sure, please send a release request…"

Sweetie Belle followed the instructions automatically. The panels on her leg hissed for a second as the cables detached, then slid shut. Then she had to open them again for the cables to re-attach.

"How does that feel?" the technician asked. A silly question, in a way, but she knew what he meant.

Sweetie Belle tested the connections. Pinged the devices, traced them, checked their speed. "It's solid."

NC: Shades?

The technician nodded, then scurried away to work on some other part of the platform she stood on. It was amazing what they had done with it so far. The day before it had been nothing but a simple structure. Now the metallic surface had been painted white and rosy and purple.

The exact spot where she stood had her cutie mark painted on it. Lights and fireworks were being arranged behind her. The stage around her had been designed to look like the Everfree Forest and the Castle of the Two Sisters, not nearly as dramatic as the real thing, but impactful enough to give the necessary ambiance for a Nightmare Night Parade. It moved independently and would completely cover and envelop the area where the techs and pilots were controlling the platform.

SB: Sorry, that's my nickname for Stern Label. Please don't let her know!

NC: Of course not! It's a secret between you and me, just like me bypassing several layers of security to be able to DM you.

Forbidden. Dangerous.

SB: As long as we don't end up covered in tree sap, I think we'll be fine. But tell me, why did you accept?

Sweetie watched as the techs checked a circular, independently-moving platform. The backup dancers—all flying creatures—would do their part while she rose from among them, singing during the parade.

They were all to be equipped with contrail magitech to create a pink-to-purple rainbow behind them as they spiraled up into the air. They were no Wonderbolts, but their coordination was guaranteed thanks to the chipset implants they all had.

NC: I've always admired you, ever since I was a filly. For a long time I think I had a crush on you, like so many others, but… I started studying music, and all of that changed from infatuation to respect. I'm one hundred percent your fan, but… I want to be more. I want to be someone you can rely on without questioning my intentions. I never thought that would happen, but now I have a chance to work with you for a while, if things go right. And who knows, maybe we can become friends.

Friends.

Sweetie hadn't seen her friends since… so long ago. It was all messages, no visits. It would be nice to have a new friend. Especially one that could hang around physically with her.

SB: I'd like that.

NC: Consider it done. I imagine you don't get many chances to hang out with anycreature, although I had read that you and Yumi were close.

Hers was the biggest platform, with Yumi's being the second largest.

The order in which they went out was going to be symbolic too: Yumi's hard-rock would represent the chaos of the darkest night when Nightmare Moon had covered the world in darkness. The parade boasted over forty floats envisioning how Celestia and Nightmare Moon had fought through the night.

The parade itself was full of floats envisioning how Celestia and Nightmare Moon had fought through the night until she was banished, and of course Sweetie represented the coming of light.

It was a cool idea, but thinking about it brought to her mind Yumi's strange attitude. Had she not automatically pinged her, she would've thought it was a completely different Yak. Had her breakdown really caused such a massive change in personality? Or was it an act?

She tried to think of something else, concentrating on the stage manager as she went over what would be happening during the parade.

Once they reached the city center, the platforms small and large would connect into a floating stage big enough for a large amount of ticket-paying attendees to get onto, and the concert would begin. Yumi would open for Sweetie, and then Sweetie would take over and wrap the whole thing up with an hour of entertainment for the masses physically in Sol City, and of course the millions of viewers streaming the concert.

NC: And here comes my part!

SB: Don't get too excited now, they might change it if you seem excessively eager.

NC: That would suck.

Neon Clove's role in all of this would be as one of the 'guards' around Sweetie Belle, since they weren't required to do much other than very simple moves. After announcing her as the winner, she'd be putting on one of the helmets and joining the others on stage.

For her part, Sweetie was being fitted with decorative cyber-wings. In addition to that, holograms and magic would give her massive wings of light that she'd be able to flap as if they were real. The panels under her hooves were designed to essentially move and transform from a flat platform to a slowly growing tower where she would gaze down at all creatures and declare Nightmare Night (or at least the concert) over.

The anticipation within her grew, and she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something very wrong abou—

She struck a pose, smiled brightly, ready to take on the world! Neon Clove was such a cutie, she'd be a perfect partner here and part of her team! The world woul—

Sweetie came to, not knowing where she was or how she had gotten there. It took her a moment to realize her whole body had just slumped down; she would've fallen to her knees were they not locked in place by the platform.

"Sorry!" the tech at the deck shouted across the set, an uninterested, uncaring shout, devoid of any concern for her well-being. "I cut the feed!"

"Sweetie, are you alright?!" Neon Clove cried, rushing to her side.

"Miss Clove, I understand you've never been part of a set like this…" Shades started to speak, but she took a look at Sweetie and her expression hardened.

"You see it, right?" Neon Clove asked, getting right in Sweetie's face. She was so close Sweetie would have blushed if she still could. "Sweetie, can you hear me?"

"I can!" Sweetie giggled. "I feel horrible! I'm not in this great mood! I hate what's happening to me! What's happening? Why am I laughing?"

"How bad is it?" Shades asked softly.

"I… I'm not sure, I'm not qualified to work on someone like Sweetie Belle," Neon Clove said. "I don't think it's going to last too long right now, but there could be potential chronic damage even if it doesn't seem severe right now."

Sweetie giggled, horrified.

"Well, you are certified enough to help with the emotional overload," Shade said firmly. "Please help her with that while I get one of the other technicians here."

"I—of course."

Shade turned around, furious, and stomped over to the technician who had messed up. Sweetie could hear her shouting at the pony. She could see Clove hovering near her, but her vision was spasmodic. It blurred, pixelated and changed colors.

After hot-plugging into one of her lower neck jacks, apps flashed through Sweetie's GUI as Neon Clove ran several programs one after the other and soon, she found the euphoria was gone. She was able to stop giggling and trying to dance.

"That moron," Clove whispered, unplugging. "Sweetie… please run a scan right now. Has he been testing your system compatibility like that?"

Sweetie ran diagnostics and heard her own voice distort and stutter as she responded, "Yes. I-I-I th-th-th-thought that's how it w-w-w-w-w-orked."

"No, it's not. Okay, it seems it didn't affect your cognitive responses. This idiot was treating you like a 'bot, and not an organic being," the other mare responded. "What was he thinking?!"

As if to echo what Neon Clove had said, Shade's voice raised in anger. "She's not a robot, you dim-witted jackass! Security, escort him out of the premises. He is to be detained until an investigation into the damage he caused has been completed."

Soon, Shade was back with them. "How is she doing?"

"I stopped the emotional overrides," Neon Clove said as a pair of technicians rushed over to perform their own checks. "It was stuck on a loop because its normal runtime got interrupted by the overload. Still, it seems from the logs that your tech here has been using Sweetie like a lightswitch."

Shades turned to the techs. "Do we need to cancel the concert?"

"We can't detect any damage from what we can see," one of the techs said. "This young lady did a thorough job cleaning up that code."

"And she is right, the logs do report that Voltmeter was forcing Sweetie from base emotion to full party-pony in a single jump." He shook his head. "I'll be honest, Miss Label, were Sweetie Belle a lesser pony, she would be broken already. I'm no psychologist, but it doesn't take a specialist to know that ain't healthy."

"Sweetie?" Shades asked. "I can find somecreature to cover for you an—"

"No…" Sweetie said, shaking her head. The moment Shade had started to say that, she'd felt a horrifying sense of dread, as if her life hung on the line. A very thin line, where the label might declare her unfit to continue as she was.

What if she did tell them that she was exhausted? That she couldn't force herself to continue this? Would the label then… do to her whatever they had done to Yumi? They had done something. They had changed her friend. Is this what was going to happen to her?

She had control of her body once more. Slowly she disengaged from the cables and sat down, taking a moment to study everycreature from the pegasus and hippogriff dancers, to the ponies around her, and even the griffons and yaks looking up to her from Yumi's platform. "No," she repeated louder. "We've all put too much into this to back down now… I'll take a break after the concert. I'll get checked and go to therapy, but we can't stop now."

NC: Are you sure? This could be dangerous.

SB: I don't want whatever happened to Yumi to happen to me.

NC: We still have to look into that…

SB: I know Yumi. We were almost friends, if time and the label had permitted. I knew her well enough to know that's… that can't be her. Can you make this work for me?

"We don't have a tech that can work that," one of the technicians was telling Shade.

"Can you help, Neon Clove?" Sweetie asked aloud.

The other mare gave her a long, reluctant look. "I can help," Neon Clove said, sighing and giving Sweetie a glance before looking at the others. "My empathic app should be compatible. If we can figure out a safe range for Sweetie, we can enter those parameters and set a rollback command if it exceeds them or gets close to the threshold." She turned to look at Sweetie Belle. "Sweetie, after what you went through… it's a risk, no matter which of us does it. Are you sure?"

"It's fine," Sweetie insisted. "I'll get checked after the concert. This is too big to stop."

They all turned to look at Label, who frowned. "Fine. You three work together on the empathic module. Sweetie, I want you to rest in the meantime." She turned to face everycreature else. "Okay, carry on with practice! Sweetie Belle is fine, she just needs a break!"

There was some cheering from the cast as they all headed to practice their routines, and Shades walked with Sweetie off to the side, where her make-up room was set up for her. Shades kept giving her sidelong glances, which was getting under her nerves, but she didn't dare snap at her manager.

It took Sweetie a moment to realize that she wasn't simply scared—she was terrified. She didn't just feel anxious about what had happened… it painfully drove home how much control the label already had over her. How replaceable she was.

Was Shades actually worried for her? Or was she planning something if Sweetie did not perform as requested? Would she really risk her job for Sweetie by canceling or postponing an event that cost billions? Of course not. Shades had other plans if Sweetie was not up to par… and she had the nagging feeling that it wasn't the first time.

She needed help. She needed her friends. Neon Clove was nice, but she had just met her. Where were Scootaloo and Apple Bloom? Where was… where was Rarity? She felt a headache coming. Everything was so confusing!

When was the last time she had talked to them? Shades said last week but… was it true? She… had a feeling like she had, but she couldn't remember details of the conversation. She could almost feel her heart beating hard against her chest, feel the wheeze of air as she hyperventilated, but… she didn't have an organic heart or lungs.

She needed to think. She needed to think! She didn't trust Shades. She didn't trust her mechanics and technicians. Yumi was… not Yumi. Who… the only option was new, untested and… who else did she have?

SB: Neon Clove?

NC: Hi Sweetie, are you feeling better? We are almost done here. Don't worry, this is not going to be anything like what you went through before. I promise.

SB: I'm—I'm not okay, Clove. I need help. Please help me.

NC: I'll head over righ—

SB: No. Don't come over. Don't raise suspicion. I need you to contact my friends… my sister. I need to talk to them.

Sweetie waited for a response, but this time, it wasn't immediate. She started to get nervous. Why wasn't Neon Clove answering? She surreptitiously glanced at the techs working on the deck, and she could see her possible-friend there working.

"I'm sure they'll sort it out, Sweetie," Shades said, mistaking the reason behind her anxiety. "I've read some of Clove's thesis, she's truly skilled. I am glad we're hiring her."

"Right… of course."

A ping.

NC: It's going to be hard to get you straight communication to anycreature without raising all sorts of alarms. We can talk like this because I'm in what amounts to your personal network. Punching through a corps' security to get you that freedom… who do you have in mind?

SB: Apple Bloom or Scootaloo… or Rarity. Maybe even Twilight Sparkle.

NC: The Twilight Sparkle? Sweetie, to get to her you'd need to punch through the Moonflow.

Sweetie paused. What did that have to do with anything?

SB: Isn't that just to keep aggressive Magical CyberSprites away?

NC: I suppose, on a basic level, but Princess Twilight crossed into the Moonflow a long time ago.

SB: But…

"Well, it seems they have it set up!" Shades said, trotting up to Sweetie. "How are you feeling?"

"I—I feel better. Do you think I could talk to Twilight after the parade?"

Stern Label smiled. "Of course, Sweetie. I'm sure we can get her on the line for you. If that's what you want. Although I thought you were not getting along."

Sweetie smiled. "Some things were said, but I think it's time to bury the hatchet, as Apple Bloom would say."

Chapter 4: Beyond Emotion

Chapter 4: Beyond Emotion
by Wanderer D

Practice had gone well. Sweetie's mind had been on the conversations she'd had with Neon Clove and Stern Label. She'd known Shades longer. She should trust her but… there was so much happening!

Thankfully, the system Clove had implemented worked in a much gentler way than the original. Rather than flipping a switch, the emotional emulator slowly increased in the countdown to start, and by the time she needed to dance, perform and sing, she felt energized and happy… but not out of control. She could manage her feelings this time around.

"Okay, Clove, turn on your app."

"Alright… checking security measures and limiters… and on."

Suddenly Sweetie could feel… more. Not just her own feelings, but those of the dancers around her, and she could sense her own emotions push and brush against them, sharing the energizing and slightly euphoric feelings from the emulator onto them, then onto the techs, then onto Shades, even.

Everycreature around her stood taller, felt happier. The dancers' movements had an extra spring to them, as if each jump and twirl, bow and stretch was a cause for joy and celebration. And because it wasn't that crazy, overwhelming, addicting flash of emulated endorphins, Sweetie still had control over her actions, voice, and thoughts.

Beyond her team, like a gentle breeze in her memory, she could feel others. Shades… felt worried. Scared. Anxious. And yet hungry for something. The technicians were confident, uncaring. Neon Clove… adoring. Confident. Mischievous with a hint of sympathy.

What a difference from the almost-violent overload she had been experiencing so far. And yet, despite its more gentle approach, she felt somehow that its reach could be… bigger. Her senses were now connected to more than just the system, they went beyond the warehouse, beyond the city… she brushed the beyond with her consciousness.

Beyond.

And that was when she realized that she would be able to see so much more. Including the things others were hiding from her.

And she could reach it now…

Sweetie extended a hoof to the ephemeral concept of the infinite that was, for a moment… within her grasp.

She was flesh and bone and blood and beating heart once more. Or at least a digital version of all of those. No metal. No cybernetics that she could feel. She was… Sweetie Belle. Whole. She had fur and a mane and squishy parts again.

…us…

It was surreal to feel fully organic again while actually digitalized. Sweetie took a moment to enjoy the feelings coursing through her at that point before turning around and gaping at the Moonflow.

"Oh, no." Eyes wide, she stared at the infinite made digital.

Twilight Sparkle's Moonflow blocked magi-digital sprites and rogue magic from interfering with the real world, but it was created by the magical resonance and AI of that very same 'real world'. She knew this. It was common knowledge; you didn't need to be a runner to understand just how dangerous this thing was.

Some said it had been spelled into existence in an act of desperation by the Princess of Friendship. A last effort to prevent the inevitable destruction of Equestria through its own creations. Celestia and Luna never dealt with the consequences of creating life, artificial or otherwise. They hadn't needed to… but ponies had moved on. Twilight had moved on. Magic and technology intermingled into a completely new, unforeseen concept and possibility… and it had backfired.

Traditional magic could not act on its own against it, not without the digital aspect of it. It had to be dealt with in the same 'language' that had created it. And so Twilight Sparkle had created 'The Moonflow'.

The aurora-like effect in the technomagical spectrum was a thing of beauty. A digital and magical weave that defied imagination even though the only way she could see it like this was through imagination.

She understood that the wall of multi-colored flow of light was as much a construct of her mind trying to make sense of it, as the fact that those ghost-like creatures brushing against its surface like fish in a pond, were Magical AIs that would consume a pony's mind in a second. The magical and digital weave whispered almost-recognizable sounds… noises that almost sounded like words, conveyed concepts that the mind could almost grasp… and yet not.

…ussss….

They were not real words, she told herself. But she also felt—somehow—that she had been here before, standing before the majestic wall that separated her reality from that of the vast unknown. And though this took place essentially in her mind's eye, it was as real as any surface she could touch or walk on in Equestria.

It had to be Twilight's presence.

Twilight had made this. And somehow Twilight was still there. Sweetie Belle could feel it. A strange familiarity with the magic. She felt memories trying to surface, somehow trapped under something… like a heavy wet blanket, pulling them down as they tried to disentangle from the mess that was her mind… drowning them away from her consciousness.

"N-no!" Sweetie gasped, staring at the wall as it domed above her, as if a massive dragon was skimming its surface and would get through with just a bit of a push. "N-no! I want to remember! Don't take that away from me!"

Her body danced. Her body sang. Her body transmitted feelings of confidence and happiness. Her body—high on endorphins and a slight attraction to the mare that she had just met and quickly broken all rules with—was on display for other dancers and her manager and Neon Clove to adore… her mind, her true mind, stood here.

And she needed to fight to keep her true mind. She could already see—below, above around her—the technomagical locks that suppressed so much of her thoughts and memories. Could this be why she couldn't remember when she'd last seen Scootaloo or Apple Bloom? The last time she had been with her sister?

"Twilight!" she called out. "Twilight, help me! If you can hear me, it's Sweetie Belle!"

…ussss….

"Shut up!" she shouted at the ephemeral figures beyond the light of the Moonflow.

The Moonflow rippled like gelatin at the sound of her voice. The strange whispers of rogue magical AIs elongated, almost turned into moans of anger, desperation… eagerness. As if her presence there foretold a promise of deliverance.

Giant claws formed as an invisible magi-digital creature, massive and unimaginable, pressed against the Moonflow, trying to break through before it was either pushed back or deleted.

"Twilight!" Sweetie cried again, unable to pass the opportunity to reach out. "Please!"

One chance to get some answers, to speak to a familiar face not connected to her job.

And suddenly the noises were gone. There were no whispers from intelligences that defied organic comprehension. No swishing or rustling behind the wall of light that kept everycreature safe.

Quiet.

Sweetie gulped, looking at the infinite length of the Moonflow. A shiver ran down her back as her senses screamed at her. Something stood behind her. She needed to turn and face it but… she was afraid.

But she needed to. So she did.

This was not Twilight Sparkle.

And yet, she was. Standing taller and slimmer than before, regal in all her power, gazing down at Sweetie Belle… her coat glitching in different hues of purple, her eyes a chromatic dance of colors, her mane billowing in the currents of magic the opposite colors and shades of the Moonflow.

"Sweetie Belle."

"T-Twilight?"

"You must not touch… the Moonflow."

"But I need to know what's happening to my friends! Where is everyone? What happened to Yumi? Can I find that there?"

"The Moonflow will only bring you… despair."

"But—"

Twilight's eyes flashed.

…One…

Sweetie was back in her body. The whole thing seemed to have taken hours in her mind, but her GUI said barely a few seconds had passed. A message popped up:

EMOTIONAL SPECTRUM EMULATOR CYCLE COMPLETE. NETWORK CONNECTION LOST.

Sweetie bit off swearing out loud. She had been so close to figuring things out! She knew the answer lay there, hiding in the Moonflow! It had to be! She could sense it there. She had to get back! But…

She tried her usual connection methods. She didn't even know where to begin! She checked her logs, pinged out, probing the ICE and firewalls around her. Nothing worked. How had she managed to do that? How had she gotten to the Moonflow?

Neon Clove's Emulator… somehow it had managed to get her past the firewalls. But how?

"So," the mare in question asked, shit-eating grin in place as she approached alongside Shades and several dancers. "What do you think?"

Sweetie blinked. Up until the moment she had found herself in the Moonflow, she had been… happy, but not in a weird way. Happy in the way she'd feel when doing her job right, in the way she'd feel like her songs mattered.

She felt no withdrawal, no slumping down as if she was an appliance and the electricity had been suddenly cut off.

"It was… great!" she said honestly, allowing a genuine smile to grace her face as she looked at Neon Clove. She pushed thoughts of the Moonflow away for now. Next to her, Shades' shoulders lost some tenseness and she seemed to lose years in a second. Sweetie hadn't realized how stressed the mare had been. She almost felt bad for her.

"I'm so glad to hear that," Clove said, walking over to her. "I knew the system would work, of course, but it's just so amazing you get to use it!"

"We're all glad it worked as intended." Shades took a deep breath. "Anyone experience any discomfort?"

"It was amazing!" Berylgyre, a cute Hippogriff with yellow and black feathers and fur said excitedly. "Like, I could even feel how happy Sweetie Belle was to be singing!" She looked up at Sweetie Belle with adoring eyes and clasped her claws together. "It was incredible!"

Sweetie Belle giggled. "You remind me of Silverstream."

The Hippogriff blinked, then tilted her head in confusion. "Silverstream… do you mean th—"

"Alright!" Shades interrupted. "Thank you, everycreature!"

They all spread out, giving the mare more space to talk. "Definitely a great practice run for the new emulation software. Please perform a scan on your systems to make sure it cleaned up after itself, just in case, and get ready for another practice run in ten."

The others called out their agreement then left the three of them alone.

"Neon?" Shade asked.

"Metrics were good, drew a bit more power and stronger connection than I had anticipated, but it's to be expected with the kind of equipment we have here. Some fine-tuning will do the trick."

"Good, good," Shades sighed and glanced at Sweetie, then at Neon Clove. "Why don't you two rest for a bit? I'm just… going to get some tea."

The pair watched the manager walk away, then looked at each other and giggled.

It was a testament of sorts that Shades trusted Neon Clove as much as she did. Sure, they were still followed by bodyguards, but the burly, serious ponies and griffons stayed far enough for them to have some semblance of privacy.

It seemed like Neon could now officially be considered not only an employee, but part of Sweetie's personal entourage.

"So what did you think? Really?" Neon Clove asked, leaning in a little. "I could feel you riding the emotional link."

Sweetie smiled. "It was very nice. But let's not talk about that for now. How about we eat something?"

SB: I think I got further than you intended.

NC: What do you mean?

SB: I think… I saw the Moonflow.

Neon Clove almost visibly spit her drink, earning herself a curious look from the bodyguards. "D-damn, this went down the wrong way…"

Sweetie giggled, giving her a warning glance. "Maybe you should drink slower?"

"Y-yeah, sorry. I'm just excited to be here."

NC: What do you mean 'the Moonflow'?! You have that kind of hardware in you?

SB: I don't… but it was incredible. And I think… I think I can get my answers there.

NC: Sweetie… the Moonflow is very dangerous. I'm sure you know it keeps horrifying things from coming to this side of it.

SB: I know… but I saw Twilight Sparkle there. I'm sure she can help me… help us figure out what happened to Yumi. And to Rarity and my friends.

NC: Wait, Twilight? As in Princess Twilight Sparkle?

SB: Yes. She looked weird, but it was definitely her. I haven't seen her in years. Ever since I left Ponyville.

NC: Ponyville? But that's… what's the name of your friends? Maybe I can look them up for you? You know, instead of getting our consciousness close to a thing that eats minds and magic stuff for breakfast?

SB: Fine… also… could you look into Silverstream, Gallus, Smolder—

NC: Whoa, whoa there, girl, I got you, but I can't go after too many people. Let me look into your sister and the friends you mentioned before… Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, right?

And my sister, Rarity… but please look into Silverstream too… I don't… that look Berylgyre gave me… it's strange.

NC: Got it. And… I got you, Sweetie Belle.

SB: You're too nice. You barely know me, Neon Clove… I get that you're a fan but—

NC: Yeah, it's weird I guess. It's just… I used my emotional emulator one time with one of your songs… you were doing an online concert and I was able to patch through the ICE they had in order to use my app to feel what you were feeling.

SB: Oh?

NC: I've been yours ever since.

"Alright! Let's get back to practice!" Shades called, walking into the room and looking properly caffeinated.

"Holy crap," Neon Clove muttered, losing herself in Corpo Heights. She watched where she was going. Walked around creatures, stopped at the right times, and didn't get run over by vehicles flying or otherwise.

She knew she was being followed, so she couldn't go see Gentle Cut. Not that she needed to, but who could she even talk to? Her friends from CSFA? Her old running mates? Old flames? The shadow of LightnSound hovered over her just like the weight of Shade's eyes, Sweetie Belle's desperation, and Yumi's weird transformation.

She had nocreature to talk to about all of this. Twilight Sparkle? Sweetie's past?

She slowed down, blinking slowly. "Twilight Sparkle…" Could it be? Could Sweetie really know her? That princess was completely out of her reach. But… what about her teacher?

She nodded firmly. She had a plan, and now she could act on it. But she needed to be inconspicuous about sending communications. Her apartment right now was going to be monitored, so she'd have to use the public network on the go.

And what better way of doing it than in the company of her watcher?

She turned in place and crossed eyes with the suit that was following her. Smirking, she motioned with her head when the griffon's eyes went wide.

Visibly cursing under his breath, the burly creature flew across the street to land next to her. "You've got a good eye, miss."

"Pays off when you live where I live… well, or used to live, in any case, since Sha-Stern Label sent me an email saying I've got an apartment now in Midtown. Care to walk with me to my old place to get my stuff? You were already going to end up following me."

"Hm." The Griffon walked with her, barely even grunting an acknowledgement.

She could tell he was amused, but his concentration rested now on other matters, and that's what she needed. Right now, he'd be paying attention to their surroundings, and she could carry two conversations at once. She ran the process to split her attention and quickly wrote a message.

Getting caught sending it over the public network, it wouldn't matter. It didn't say anything that would get her in trouble, after all. At least, not yet.

Dear Teacher,

I've hit the big leagues! I've been hired by LightnSound, and I'll be working with a friend of a friend of yours. Not to mention famous stars like Sweetie Belle and Yumi. I have some questions about how to improve my quality of work with them. I might not have to impress Twilight Sparkle in the flesh, but Stern Label is a demanding (and hot!) manager and it can't hurt to be careful about my performance.

Maybe we can talk soon?

Love,
Neon Clove

Short and sweet. And better yet, even if it was caught by anyone monitoring her transmissions, it was innocent enough that they would expect further communications to be on the same channel.

"Oh, come, let's go this way, there's a lift that goes all the way down to the Cloaca."

The Griffon winced. "I don't like that name."

"Eh, you'll be fine. Every creature becomes familiar with it after a while."

As expected, the return message came back, masterfully encrypted and hidden alongside an inquiry for her health and a heartfelt congratulations on her new job.

NC: I need information about a few creatures you probably knew.: Silverstream, Rarity, Scootaloo & Apple Bloom.

SS: Those are names I haven't heard in a while… did Sweetie bring them up?

NC: Yeah… who are they?

SS: It's going to be a long conversation. I'll contact you tonight.

Neon Clove frowned as she led the bodyguard to her apartment so they could grab her meager possessions. When her old teacher put things in those terms, it was never for good news.

Chapter 5: Touching the Truth

Chapter 5: Touching the Truth
by Wanderer D

Sweetie Belle was in a surprisingly good mood.

Shades had confirmed that Neon Clove was now staying at the hotel as well, since she'd be traveling with them now that she was under contract. It had been a long time since she'd had a friend stay over, after all.

'Ever since I left Ponyville, I think…' And sure, the other mare had strong feelings for her too, which was nice… although she remained thankful Neon Clove kept things polite at best, teasing at worst. Nothing she couldn't handle… and who knew? She liked the plucky sound engineer/runner. Maybe… one day?

"Nah," Sweetie chuckled, cantering over to check herself in the mirror. Under that soft coat of white fur there was so much metal. Almost no real mare to actually love.

Her expressive green eyes were not real either. Nor most of her horn. She still had some organic bits, of course… enough to feel attraction to others, for one, but… She shivered. Love. Sex. Breathing… those were things for real ponies.

Chances were that if she even brought up the subject of a relationship, LightnSound would turn it into a PR circus that would only bring misery to everyone involved.

…ussss…

Sweetie stepped back, eyes wide, staring at her reflection. For just a second she thought she had seen—

"Sweetie! Good morning!" Shades sauntered into her room, smiling widely. "Today's the big night! Nightmare Night! Have you looked outside?"

Without waiting for an answer, her manager ambled over to the windows and made the photochromic glass transparent again. Sweetie, who had walked out to greet her, stopped, gasped and trotted over, taking in the sights.

Sol City was covered in flying holograms, much more than the ones from the previous days, which had been warming up to this. Giant holographic spiders climbed buildings, chariots pulled by thestrals carrying skeletal or demonic creatures laughed and jeered across the sky.

The city glowed with orange, red and white neon lights in the streets, and she could see crews working on securing the road from the warehouse to the Sol City Dome for the parade later on. Masses of creatures were already setting up to watch the parade.

She knew it was going to be big, but it still impressed her nevertheless.

"And it's all for you," Shades said with satisfaction.

"Well, not just for me," Sweetie replied softly. "It's Nightmare Night, after all, and Yumi's also going to perform."

"Bonus," Shades said, shrugging. "You're still the main event. These ponies, griffons, hippogriffs, even the yaks and the dragons… they're here for you, Sweetie.. They're here to see you."

Sweetie Belle took an intentional deep breath and let it out slowly. When was the last time she had paid attention to her breathing? Something had changed.

She looked down at the city again, and… she saw the discoloration. The segmented pixelation of a creature… two… several of them among the distant crowds. Glitching. Phasing out. Illusions. Hallucinations. Sweetie shook her head and turned around, only to stare at the nightmarish Twilight Sparkle she had seen in her mindscape before.

Tall, regal, thin… too thin. Glitching and pixelating in place.

She raised a hoof and pointed at Sweetie.

…one…

Sweetie backed away until she bumped with Shades, making her jump.

"Sweetie?"

"Sorry!" Sweetie said, glancing her way and then back at… nothing. An empty room. "I-I'm just excited."

Shades shook her head. "You've done this before, Sweetie Belle, you'll be fine."

Sweetie nodded.

"Finish up getting ready, we'll be heading out for the final practice soon."

Sweetie nodded, staring down at the streets again, but there were no signs of pixelating or glitching creatures. "Right." A beat. "Is Neon Clove coming with us?"

"She's already there. She's helping the technicians check everything for the entire setup." Shades smiled. "But don't worry, once this is all over I think I'd like to give you two some time to rest and catch up." Her smile became professional. "As long as it doesn't interfere with your duties."

…One…

Sweetie Belle stood still as the make-up artists spray-painted her fur and mane in gradients of blue and purple. She pretended not to hear the whispers, or that she hadn't caught sight of the slight pixelation in the shadows around her, as if they were watching her. Instead, she focused on Neon Clove, who was going over the decks and computers within the platform.

She and the other technicians were situated in an area that would be covered by a decorative set made to look like the ruins of what they interpreted the Castle of the Two Sisters would have looked like. Right now it was open, so they could see each other, but once the show began, it would close around them so that they couldn't be seen.

Her costume designer busily set up her wings, connecting them to a panel just between her shoulder blades, and asking her to move them. It was odd to do so, but she got the hang of it and managed to open them and flap them slowly. They weren't built to replace real wings, after all, and their size was too big for convenience… but perfect for holographic projections.

Her eyes glowed menacingly as intended, and even though she told them once more that Nightmare Moon didn't have claws, they insisted on her wearing the silly things until she finally relented.

"Dear, nocreature knows what she actually looked like," the old earth pony had said, exasperated.

Sweetie had bitten back a retort, concluding that she'd clear the score during the interviews the next day.

NC: How are you feeling?

The message brought a small smile to her face, which she used to her advantage, opening her mouth to allow them to put in her fangs.

SB: I thought you had forgotten about me.

NC: Never.

SB: I'm okay. Kind of annoyed that they won't listen to me about Nightmare Moon.

NC: So… you really met her, huh.

SB: A long time ago, when I was just a filly. I wonder how Princess Luna is doing… I'm lonely, Clove, I miss my sister and my friends.

NC: I'm sorry.

SB: Don't be… I just want to know why they're ignoring me.

NC: They're not ignoring you.

Sweetie had to make an effort to not turn her body around and march up to Neon Clove to demand a private conversation in person.

SB: So you found something?

NC: I'm… not sure.

"Alright, everycreature!" Shades called out as the artists scrambled away from Sweetie Belle. "Let's perform final checkups! The parade is due to start in fifteen!"

Sweetie Belle nodded, running a performance checkup, and allowing her body to follow the predetermined motions.

SB: We still have a little more time… what did you find?

NC: It's a lot to take in, Sweetie. I'm not even sure how I feel about it.

SB: You have to give me something! Please Clove, I've been seeing things, hearing things even before yesterday. It's driving me crazy not knowing what happened to my friends and family.

NC: There's a lot to talk about but… fine. I do have something for you, but I'll give it to you after the concert.

SB: Can you just… send it now? Just so I have something to hold on to?

NC: I… don't think I should.

SB: Please… I promise I won't open it. It's for my peace of mind.

NC: **Has sent a file** There you go. It's password locked, so we'll open it later, okay?

SB: Thank you! I love you! You have no idea how much this means to me!

In the real world Neon Clove almost dropped her coffee and was barely able to catch it with her magic.

NC: Okay, okay, I um. Right! Thanks, uh, love you too. But, um, we do need to work and yeah, we can look at that later.

Sweetie Belle giggled and Shades gave her a look. "You seem to be in a good mood."

She sighed. "I am… I feel better already."

"The first two platforms have moved out," a technician said soon after the decorated canopy had lowered over them. Stern Label stood behind them. "Then it's Yumi's platform."

Neon Clove looked at the list of songs. "'The Seed of Tirek', 'My Womb for Tirek', 'The Son of Tirek'. Geez. I'm surprised she doesn't have a song called 'The Balls of Tirek'."

"Well, she did have a song called: 'Tirek's Stone-Hard Devotion'," one of the techs said.

"For real?" Neon Clove shook her head. "Who writes her songs?"

"That," Shades said, "is a secret."

"Platforms four and five are out," another tech informed them.

Neon Clove looked down at her deck. They were number seven. As soon as they were moving, she'd have to kick in her emotion emulator, monitor Sweetie's stats…

Sweetie.

She tried to concentrate. There was much to be discussed… but not here. Not now.

"And we're go!"

Neon Clove nodded and turned on the emulator. She looked out the massive doors of the warehouse as they floated slowly out into the neon, holographic, and LED-lighted streets of Sol City.

Sweetie already felt happy. Not exultant of course, but happy. She couldn't wait to talk to Neon Clove after the concert; go over what the other mare had discovered. Finally have some answers, maybe even meet with her friends!

Thus, when the emotion emulator started running, she allowed herself to share the hype of her dancers, everycreature in the crowds, even the weirdly aggressive energy of Yumi's performance ahead of hers.

Her holographic wings opened wide as she faced Sol City, and began singing…

…singing…

…usss…

Her consciousness split. She could feel everycreature. All of them. She could feel her dancers' relief at finally performing, the technicians' focus, Neon Clove's worry and care… Stern Label's desires.

She reached beyond as her body danced and sang. She reached beyond the creatures watching her, loving her, adoring her… she reached beyond and past them. Past the city, past the edges of consciousness.

And once more, she stood in front of the Moonflow.

…One…

Sweetie frowned, looked around, then gasped when she turned her gaze ahead once more and Twilight Sparkle—the twisted, glitching, half-pixelated version of her old friend—stood before her, materializing without a sound.

"You have returned," the apparition stated. "You insist on touching the Moonflow."

"I don't!" Sweetie replied, "I keep coming here against my will."

Twilight was silent. "You have returned. And you have more with you," she added, narrowing her eyes. "You have the knowledge you seek."

"I—yeah, a friend of mine, Neon Clove… she found this for me."

Twilight locked glitching eyes with her. "If you see the truth… you will break."

This gave Sweetie pause. Her mind went back to Shade's half-answers, to Neon Clove's reluctance to show her what was really going on… to Yumi's sudden change… and a cold, heavy weight seemed to take hold of her heart. "Wh-what do you mean?"

…One…

Twilight walked past her, making Sweetie turn to keep her in sight until she had the Moonflow behind her, and Twilight in front.

"LightnSound, like all corpos, sees assets, and assets are consumable and replaceable." Twilight raised her head and looked down at Sweetie. "Do you want to know where you fall in that spiral of greed? Truly know who you are to them? To yourself? To others?

"I know that," Sweetie said, looking away. "We all are just a product. Everycreature that works for a Megacorp."

Twilight shook her head. "It goes deeper than that. It goes beyond a contract for work. In this world of cybermagic, do you truly think it boils down to working for them or just being ruined?"

The sinking feeling became worse. "What else could they… is that what happened to Yumi?" Sweetie asked, eyes wide.

"Yumi?"

"She's another singer under LightnSound," Sweetie explained. "She was the sweetest Yak you could meet… reminded me of Fluttershy. But… she disappeared after a bad interview, and when I saw her again… she was different."

…ussss…

Twilight regarded her in silence for several moments. "I have found several encrypted files mentioning 'Yumi' in the LightnSound servers." She tilted her head. "Do you wish to know?"

Sweetie closed her eyes. Shivered. "Will this… will I find out the truth about myself too?"

"You know the truth." Twilight said softly. Her expression didn't change, but the tone of her voice held pity. "This would just confirm everything. It will hurt you. It will break you."

"And you won't stop me?"

Twilight shook her head. "It is time you learned the truth, but it is not my place to force it upon you."

"Then why have you told me to… not seek it?"

Twilight's glitching form seemed to hesitate. "Because of who you are, Sweetie Belle."

"Who am I?" Sweetie asked softly. "If not Sweetie Belle?"

Twilight advanced, placed a hoof on her shoulder and made her face the Moonflow. The techno-magical construct that evolved, grew, ate and destroyed all that tried to cross from either side.

…usssssss…

"Touch it… cross through and find out."

Sweetie approached the shimmering light. "Will I be okay?"

"No…" Twilight said, walking up to stand next to her. "But you… will still be you. Keep in your mind what you seek. I will be with you."

Sweetie steeled her nerves and, with one final glance at Twilight, stepped into the Moonflow, concentrating with all she had on one single thought: 'Who am I?'

Sound distorted into a cacophony. The world seared around her. She felt her consciousness slip. And then, before she felt herself dispersed into the infinite magic… she heard the whispers again. But now the voices sounded familiar.

…One… of… us…

Sol City halted. The parade's music slowed almost comically and then stopped completely. The platform's lights faded and flickered alongside all of the holograms decorating the city. The dancers also slowed down and stopped, hesitantly looking at each other.

"Something's wrong," a tech said.

Neon Clove kept an eye on the readings. "No spikes from Sweetie. I can still read her but—"

"But?" Shades growled.

"She's stopped transmitting any emotions," Neon Clove said softly. She looked up at Stern Label. "She's perfectly fine otherwise… just nothing on the emotional spectrum."

NC: Sweetie?

No response.

"Why is everything off?" another technician asked, standing up and putting her claw on the windowsill they could use to look outside at the platform and city.

"Anything from the other platforms?" Shade asked.

"They all seem to have stopped as well—it's not just us. Goes all the way to the front," one of the security ponies informed her. He winced. "Miss Yumi is not happy at all. I'm told she smashed the guitar and is trashing the entire set."

"That Yak…" Shades sighed.

Neon Clove frowned and looked out. Sweetie Belle stood still. Then twitched. Neon Clove looked from the slightly twitching unicorn, down at the console. "Oh no."

Stern Label heard her and turned to face her. "What? What do you—"

The entire Sol City went dark. Then, one by one the stories-high screens outside the buildings fizzled and lit up with Sweetie's face on them, face distorted in anger. Her eyes narrowed, looking even more predatorial than the fake contact lenses they had put on her for her disguise.

"I will not be your puppet." The screen went black, and suddenly Sweetie's face was replaced by a camera view of a small concrete room. The timestamp placed this scene happening several weeks back.

Then, out of nowhere, everycreature: techs, security, dancers, the public… everyone got hit by an intense sense of raw fear.

'The emotion emulator…' Neon Clove realized, 'Sweetie is using it… forcing everycreature to feel what Yumi felt… but how is she doing this?'

In the middle of the room stood a single chair, laden with cables that extended out of the room, and sitting on the chair was a yak. A fearful, no, terrified yak, tied up to the chair with metallic constraints. Her neck sockets were plugged into the chair, and Yumi struggled in vain to get loose.

"Please! Let me out!" Yumi called. "Please! What did I do wrong? Was it the interview? I-I'm sorry!"

"Cut that off!" Label ordered, fighting her fear and pushing her way to the console, but no matter what the technician did, the feed continued.

Ponies in suits entered the room, following a lab-coated hippogriff and… Stern Label. "Begging, Yumi? Doesn't fit you at all," she said, leaning over to poke the yak's head with her hoof. "You're not supposed to be a kind, friendly girl, are you? Where's the hardcore menace? What will your fans think?"

"I-I'm sorry, Miss Label!" Yumi stammered. "It won't happen again! I promise!"

"No, it won't." Label stepped back and nodded at the lab-coated hippogriff, who started fiddling with the cables. "And we'll make sure of that. Remember…" Label smirked. "Or don't, I suppose. Doesn't matter to me: but, as you go through this, do keep in mind… you belong to LightnSound."

The hippogriff straightened up and, while the ponies in suits forced Yumi back, placed a visor on top of the yak's head, covering her eyes with it, and her ears with the included headphones. The bodyguards let her loose, and she cried out and shook her head, trying to dislodge the visor.

The hippogriff then entered something into a tablet she was carrying and Yumi straightened up like she had been hit by a bolt of electricity. Painfully, if her screams were anything to go by. The timer on the corner of the recording moved faster, showing the others leaving Yumi screaming. It continued through several days as Yumi's cries ceased, and episodes of struggle seemed to happen every few hours until the video resumed normal speed and several creatures, male and female stepped into the room and removed Yumi's restraints.

"How do you feel now, Yumi?" one of the ponies asked, mockingly.

"Yumi… feel horny!"

Neon Clove forced herself to look away from the screens showing what happened next. She closed her eyes, shuddering, gasping in horror at the feelings being transmitted through the emotion emulator's empathic link. She felt disgusted with herself, scared, horrified, and terribly enough excited and—

She forced herself back into reality, struggling to work through the system in order to disconnect Sweetie. All around her creatures fell into the ecstasy and horror of what Yumi was experiencing in the video. Nocreature should suffer that—

Sweetie's face returned to the screen as the entire population of Sol City writhed in sharing the emotional trauma that Yumi was going through. "And this is not all you've done to me… to my friends… all of you use us for entertainment!"

The Sweetie Belle physically in the parade display slammed her hoof down. The sound echoed across the entire city and in that moment the lustful emotions that had permeated everycreature alongside the horror faded away and left behind only terror.

As if rising from the depths of Tartarus, a shimmering, waving wall of light spread across the main avenue. Things, indescribable and horrifying, pushed their faces and claws and tentacles against the ephemeral wall, making it protrude with grotesque profiles. Distant hissing screams echoed across the city as the creatures were consumed by what could only be the Moonflow.

"Now," Sweetie called out, her voice echoing against the whispers and screams and terror. "Now you will share MY pain!"

Chapter 6: The Nightmare Parade

Chapter 6: The Nightmare Parade
By Wanderer D

Neon Clove watched entranced, as once again, Sweetie slammed her hoof on the surface of the platform, but this time she changed.

Her legs became longer, as did her horn, the wings—originally decorations only—spread into cables and metal that dug into her flesh, bonding, connecting, growing and spreading violently outwards, sending several dancers flying. Her coat became engulfed in searing flames that stripped away the paint… and for a moment, it was as white as it had been originally, before splotches of dark green and black spread over her, ending in a pixelating, glitching darkness.

Before the echo of Sweetie's hoof hitting the metal even faded, the Moonflow seemed to be expanding, pulled apart by some unseen force. Light and holograms returned to the city, but it was not the benevolent images of friendly bats and spiders and centaurs that greeted the already terrorized populace.

The holographic creatures that emerged from the shreds of the Moonflow were hideous mockeries of anything that lived: snakes with too many heads AND arms. A massive centaur, half minotaur-like with the torso of a horse slithered its way through the city, not on hooves, but on dozens of tentacles each with several eyes.

Winged monstrosities, bloated imitations of harpies and pegasi and birds and dragons with blisters instead of scales, razors instead of feathers, gaping maws full of serrated teeth instead of hooves or claws screeched across the sky.

Whichever creature was touched by these monstrosities shuddered in place as all their cybernetics fizzled, sizzled and fried them alive… and those were the lucky ones who were not unicorns or kirin. The horns of those unlucky ones that were were forcefully overcome by the polluted magical sprites escaping the Moonflow; their bodies convulsed and thrashed around as they inflated or melted when the magic and cybernetics wreaked havoc with their bodies, souls and minds as the chaotic magical constructs invaded their bodies and tried to take them over.

Sweetie flapped her wings and took flight. The cables attached to her legs followed her up like ever-growing tentacles, keeping her connected to the platform, coiling and twisting under her until it looked like some sort of grotesque perch for a giant, murderous bird. All around her the ghostly sprites and constructs caused chaos. Windows shattered, creatures were overwhelmed by all sorts of magically manipulated emotional bursts. From horror to ecstasy, to pain and desperate hysteria.

Sweetie allowed things to continue for a moment before spreading her wings wide, stars and energy trailing behind them and a burst of power shook the entire city.

Before Neon Clove and the others had a chance to react, the world was enveloped in white.

"We've got the samples," a gray-coated earth pony in a lab coat said, glancing dubiously at an elderly male unicorn with a young Stern Label standing by his side, eyes wide. "I must say, sir, that I am concerned about the legality of this whole thing."

The unicorn snorted. "Dead creatures have no rights."

"Actually, sir, they do… there are laws against necromancy for a reason."

The old unicorn glared at the well-dressed pegasus next to him. The pony in question did not even flinch, simply adjusting his glasses. "We are skirting what is allowed by law."

"It's not real necromancy," the old pony said. The security camera followed him across the room until he stood in front of some sort of ethereal energy that kept shifting, from wavy and smooth to sharp, glitching edges. It was trapped in a glass container that glowed with magic circles and runes. "We are creating a body for this to inhabit. We've been rewriting its programming for some time now. It's only missing personality and a body. Since its purpose is to make us money, why not use this prototype to explore how much we can bring back into a new entity?"

"And why this unicorn, Grandpa?" the young Stern Label asked.

"Ah, because when I was very young, little Label, Sweetie Belle was retiring after a long, successful career as an opera singer. She did other things, but her musical gifts were treasured by everycreature. Including Princess Twilight."

Little Stern Label's eyes were wide. "Wait… so you're thinking of making us a new singer?"

The old unicorn laughed and glanced at the pegasus with a grin. "See? My granddaughter gets it!" He leaned down to look her in the eye. "She will be my present to you. I'll let you manage her and make her famous. She'll be ready by the time you graduate. Make all of LightnSound proud, little Label."

"Wh-what?" Neon Clove shuddered and looked around, turning in place as she took in her current whereabouts, and trying to make sense of what she had just experienced. The vision that had been forced into her mind of the lab and the ponies in it was very real, but the fact that it came from a security camera was just strange. As if she had experienced it first-hoof and yet not.

But that was all it was. A memory. And now she was… somewhere. An empty, blank space except for two things: Far in the distance, she could see the shimmering, waving visual representation of the Moonflow.

And nearer… Sweetie Belle was sitting down in the blank space, staring up at bubbles that contained video recordings of the old pony, Stern Label, and others working around the lab Neon Clove had seen in her mind.

In one, the gray pony in the labcoat Neon Clove had seen in her mind was carefully monitoring an experiment. He looked tired, but he kept talking to a glass tank full of liquid and connected to several other devices.

Gulping, Neon Clove approached and sat down next to Sweetie.

They stayed quiet for a moment, then Sweetie spoke up. "That's Beaker."

Neon Clove looked at the pony as he sadly shook his head and disposed of the tank, then started working on bringing another to the device. "That's his name?"

"No. Just what I call him. He's the closest thing I have to a father, I guess." She snorted. "I wasn't the first either. He tried to bring me to life many times, and many times it failed. And every time he showed regret… and every time he was shouted at for his failure."

"Oh." Neon Clove wasn't sure what to say. What could she say? "I'm sorry, Sweetie. I didn't even realize that this is what had happened. All I found out was that all your friends had passed away a long time ago."

Sweetie turned to look at her, and Neon Clove had to fight her instinctive recoil at her friend's appearance. Half of the unicorn's body resembled her original self: fur-coated, soft and with a friendly, green eye. The other half of her, however, had a sickly yellow-green tint to her coat, which showed pixelated glitches that turned it a dull pink or red here and there. Her left eye was slitted, golden-red and angry.

Gulping once more, Neon Clove focused on the familiar eye, trying to block the tendrils of the other side of Sweetie slowly seeping into her friend's 'normal' body. "I—not that it's much better," she clarified quickly, "but I thought they had done to you what they did to Yumi and brainwashed you and reprogrammed your personality. I didn't know this is what they did."

"What they did to Yumi…" Sweetie growled, and with a squelching sound that made no sense in this digital world, extended the batlike wing that had just protruded from her back. "It was cruel beyond measure. They erased her personality like she was nothing!"

"I know, Sweetie," Neon Clove said softly. "We all saw… and even felt some of it."

Sweetie shook her head. "That's all we are to them, Clove: meatsacks that they can reprogram. How long before they get tired of me and turn me into some sort of willing, mindless sex toy?" She looked away. "How long before they do that to you? I'm not even a pony. Even if they had some sort of remorse towards others, which they don't, when it comes to me… I'm just some stupid techno-sprite they fished out of the Moonflow."

"You're not!" Neon Clove said, leaning over a little.

"I don't even deserve my name… Sweetie Belle was a unicorn who met Princesses and monsters! She was there when Nightmare Moon returned, and she survived all of that and became an opera singer… and here I am, pretending to be her." She sighed and slumped down. "Did you know everypony thought I was her granddaughter or just someone who took her name? How stupid can I be? Whenever I said something, they just indulged me, laughed behind my back because 'I was so into it', and I never caught on!"

"That's not your fault, Sweetie," Neon Clove said. "The creatures you trusted built a lie around you and they convinced all of us it was true. Millions of ponies, yaks, griffons, kirin, zebras and other creatures all believe them. So what if you're not the original? You're Sweetie Belle!" She reached out a hoof and touched Sweetie's, wincing when her own started glitching for a few seconds. "You're our—my Sweetie. You're the one I came to Sol City for, and the reason I risked bringing my tech over to LightnSound."

Sweetie curled up into herself, and even the crazy side of her body that glitched, sizzled and pixelated menacingly looked so miserable that Neon Clove couldn't help but hug her, wincing once more as her foreleg also started glitching. It carried on violently, painfully for a moment, but she didn't relent, and slowly, ever so slowly, it stopped pixelating almost completely.

"I love singing," Sweetie Belle sobbed. "But they took all the joy and wonder out of it. They own us, Clove. They own us completely. If we mess up, they violate our minds and force us to be what they want. They can dispose of us and replace us… and creatures out there don't care! They want their own little entertainment, never looking at what it costs anyone else."

"We care," Neon Clove said. "I'm sure there's creatures out there who are happy to just get what they want no matter who or where it comes from… but most of us care." She chuckled. "I can't imagine anycreature else's voice singing your songs, or anycreature else's face or soul behind it."

Sweetie raised her face to look straight at Neon Clove. "Even a face like this?" she asked, half of it fizzing in and out of the visual range.

"With all your perfections and imperfections," Neon Clove said gently, leaning in to nuzzle Sweetie..

"I've seen your mind," Sweetie said in a small voice. "You're not obsessed with me… not really. You're not a rabid fan who pretends to understand me. You want to be with me even more now." She took a long shuddering breath, not looking up, still resting her forehead against Neon Clove's. Their horns touched, sending a sudden (if welcome) wave of comforting magic down her body. "You broke the law, hacked our systems just to meet me. All of this… sticking with me, being with me here in the threshold of the Moonflow… you've barely given any of it a thought. Why? Why do this for me?"

"Do I need a reason?" Clove asked just as gently. "I've admired you from afar ever since I heard you the first time. When I got here… I didn't meet a mare who would seduce me out of my mind or whirl me up in the crazy life of a star. I met a lovely pony who is going through a lot of revelations and pain."

"Sorry to disappoint."

Neon Clove shook her head. "You were everything I hoped and more, Sweetie Belle, and what else could I do but do my best to see you happy?"

Sweetie chuckled, raising a hoof to rub tears away. "You're silly. We've known each other for two days."

"Isn't a single second enough time to decide whether you'll help somecreature or not?" Clove asked rhetorically. "I already cared for you; it was just a natural progression."

Sweetie laughed and sobbed at the same time. "I'm a mess," she croaked out, raising a hoof to wipe digital tears from her eyes.

"Yes, yes you are," Clove said. "But I'm here to help you, no matter what you want to do. Just…" She sighed. "Everycreature in Sol City knows what you went through now. What Yumi went through, and what Label and LightnSound did. Those guys deserve what they get… but your dancers and the creatures that live in the city don't deserve your revenge, Sweetie. Neither does Yumi."

"I can't undo what they did to her, Clove. Not without doing the same thing they did to her, and it still would not return her to normal. She'd just be a ghost acting like I think she should," Sweetie whispered. "What kind of life is she going to live?"

"That might not be the way, but we'll help her out," Neon Clove said. "If she wants."

Sweetie paused and stared at the distant Moonflow. "When I crossed through… I felt like I was home. But I felt lonely. When I wanted to come back, Twilight helped me. But I knew I probably didn't belong here anymore." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "If I can't…" She struggled with what to say. "If I decide to go back there…" She waved her hoof at the Moonflow. "...will you go with me?"

Neon Clove's eyes went wide. She looked from Sweetie to the Moonflow, then back to Sweetie. Her throat felt tight. She closed her eyes and nodded once. Then, more firmly, she nodded again and opened them to look straight at Sweetie's. "I'll stay with you."

Stern Label turned around in place, confused. Gone was Sol City. Gone were the dancers, the stage and even Equestria itself. She stood alone, in a blank place of some sort, with the only relatively familiar thing being that Aurora-like wall waving gently in the distance.

"H-hello?" she called out. She yelped and jumped back when she felt a hoof on her shoulder.

The pony who had somehow materialized to her left was a pegasus. Female, slim, sporty… with a rusty orange coat and a reddish pink mane. Her cutie-mark… it fizzled or something. It was hard to make out.

"Hello!" Stern said, smiling as she turned to face the new arrival. "Do you know where we are? The last thing I remember I was in Sol City—" She cut off her greeting as the creature turned to face her. It wasn't a normal pony. It was as if somecreature had taken two ponies, split them perfectly in half, then used the left and right sides of one to make a new one.

Half of it was the pony she had seen… but the other half, it was Sweetie Belle! Or a very glitching version of her.

"So you are here, Stern Label," it said, facing her impassively. Then, she sneered. "I've been wanting to meet you for so long just so I could be rid of you forever."

"But, I don't—"

"Ah guess you didn't think there'd be consequences for yer actions, didya?" another voice asked, this time coming from another similar creature to her right. This one was an earth pony, with a light yellow coat and red mane. An adorably large pink bow decorated her, or at least the half that wasn't the glitching, color-inverted Sweetie Belle.

Stern Label took a step back as the two monsters took one towards her. "S-stay away from me!"

"Begging, Stern?" Sweetie asked, emerging alongside Neon Clove from the emptiness around them. "It really doesn't suit you." She glitched, flickering between her inverse-color version and her normal looks. "Where's the hardcore star producer and manager?" Even her voice sounded distorted.

"N-now, Sweetie, I know those videos are probably bothering you—"

"Bothering?" Sweetie asked. "No. They're disgusting. You're disgusting."

"Neon? Please calm her down."

But their new employee simply shook her head. "It's not my place."

"But—"

"Stop," Sweetie Belle said. "What you did for your own gain is despicable. What do you think you will gain by ordering us, or begging? How can you think my revenge will be sated by whimpering?"

"I made you everything you are today!" Stern said, raising a hoof to Sweetie Belle. "Sure, it's questionable how you came to be, but you can't tell me you don't have everything you could ever need!"

"Friends?" Sweetie asked. "My family? My memories? You don't think those are important?"

"You can have all of that! You're Sweetie Belle! You're immortal! You're a star! Everycreature wants to be you!"

Sweetie took a deep breath. "Everycreature wants to be me?"

Stern Label nodded. "Everycreature!"

"I guess," Sweetie said, "that would be fitting punishment."

"Punishment?" Stern Label asked, but the world was turning white all over again.

Neon Clove opened her eyes from where she was resting on the console and looked outside. The city lights flickered, then returned to full power. And with the light, the ghostly images of monsters beyond the imagination of all creatures witnessing the parade seemed to fade into nothingness.

It was all quiet, as if the city itself were asleep, but slowly creatures started to stir and wake up, undamaged, if still frightened. The dancers, the crowds, everycreature eventually came to their senses and stared at the platform. The holographic decorations came back online, almost hesitantly.

Nocreature seemed to know what exactly they had experienced, but they knew now what had happened to Yumi. The yak herself was shaken, staring wide-eyed around her with a hurt and confused expression.

Sweetie Belle stood still, like a statue. Then her head rose as she stared up into the sky, lifting a hoof as if pleading to the moon, and in a tone that sounded both sad and wondering, sang…

È strano! È strano!
in core scolpiti ho quegli accenti!
Sarìa per me sventura un serio amore?
Che risolvi, o turbata anima mia?
Nessuna cavalla ancora t'accendeva.
Oh, gioia
ch'io non conobbi
esser amata amando!
E sdegnarla poss'io
per l'aride follie dei viver mio?

And then, as if she had ceased to function, she let her hoof fall down and stood still, while the wings and additions of her transformation clattered around her in pieces.

Inside the parade construct, Stern Label stood up from where she had been lying on the floor. She seemed confused for a moment, as if she was unsure of where she was. She stumbled and would've fallen down if Neon Clove hadn't held her up.

"Miss Label!" one of the bodyguards called out, moving over to her, but she raised a hoof to stop him and, with a deep breath, got a hold of her balance. "No, it's okay. I'm going to my office. I need to make a call."

"What about the show?" one of the techs dared ask.

Label gave him a look, then glanced out at Sweetie Belle. "Che risolvi, o turbata anima mia?" she whispered, then shook her head. She walked over to the console and pressed a button. "Sing, Sweetie Belle."

And, as though the world had almost not been gone a moment ago, Sweetie started singing her Nightmare Parade song. The techs stared.

Outside, as the music began anew, the dancers also stared at Sweetie, at each other, and the show simply went on.

Author's Note

The Opera song Sweetie sings here is from "

E strano! e strano!

" from Verdi's "La Traviata".

The lyrics here mean:

How strange… how strange!
Those words are carved upon my heart!
Would a true love bring me misfortune?
What do you think, o my troubled spirit?
No man before kindled a flame like this.
Oh, joy…
I never knew…
To love and to be loved!
Can I disdain this
For a life of sterile pleasure?

Epilogue

"This will be quite the hefty sum, Miss Label."

"It's of no consequence," Stern Label replied, settling into the chair. "I might not be heading LightnSound anymore, but I have a considerable amount of bits. More than necessary for this procedure."

The medical team glanced at each other, but nodded. They were being paid a lot of money, and were professionals, after all. Without further ado, they went off to prepare their equipment, leaving the mare alone with her companion.

"Well, this is going to be interesting," Neon Clove whispered. She went over to Label and touched her hoof with hers. "I'm sorry you have to go through this, Sweetie."

"I'll need a new name," Label said softly, glancing at Neon Clove. "And a new career. At least I managed to get LightnSound to provide actual medical care for Yumi." She snorted. "Even if it's only a temporary solution to what Megacorps do."

"We'll figure out something." Clove took a deep breath. "I've contacted Gentle Cut. He'll meet us in a few days once this is all done, and we'll work on your new identity."

Label, or rather Sweetie Belle, nodded. "Thank you for sticking with me."

Clove smiled. "Hey. Thank you for trusting me."

"You did say your teacher had some experience with being in a different body…"

Clove chuckled. "I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to talk it over with her. Here comes the doc. I'll be just outside."

Sweetie Belle nodded, smiling and closing her eyes. This body was different. And what she had done could be considered monstrous by some. But to her, it was simply her due.

A familiar song played on the screen nearby, where Sweetie Belle danced and sang, a wide smile on her face. The head surgeon turned to give her a wide-eyed look before raising his voice. "Turn that off!"

"No," Sweetie said, raising Label's—no—her hoof. "Leave it on. I've always liked this song."

"Um. If you say so, Miss Label. I just thought after what happened at the parade…"

"I understand." Sweetie used Label's face to smile. "But it's okay, I still like to see how she's doing."

She sang. She sang and danced.

And she raged, tried to stop the spin. Tried to close her mouth. Tried to scream instead of smile.

She raised to her hind legs, the servomotors keeping her impossibly erect as she waved side to side and the crowd reacted, waving in return with lights in their hooves or claws.

Stern Label screamed and screamed inside Sweetie's body, but the automated functions—perfected to continue regardless of how she felt or thought—finished the performance exactly as planned.

She cantered over to sit down next to the show host, who asked her inane questions about her experience and how she still could write songs.

The AI answered it all for them. It didn't care about how she felt about it. It didn't care that she was trapped in a body that wasn't her own.

The AI told the fans what they wanted to hear. It said the things LightnSound wanted to hear. What had been programmed. And nocreature knew she was inside.

That it was not her.

That she had no choice.

The End

Author's Note

I might come back to this world sometime in the future for a short story or two. As always, thank you to Pascoite and Jaxie for the feedback and edits, and also thank you to the Cyberpunk Group for the challenge! I hope you enjoyed it!