Author's Note

If I were to liken depression to anything, I would say it's a cancer of the soul. There are few defenses that can prevent it from taking over you heart and mind. It enters your life through pain, loss, grief, strife, and a number of other factors which are inherently unavoidable. The strain becomes worse when you realize how few people actually care, and you're left alone to wonder why you were even born at all, but you gotta keep fighting. You gotta keep living out of spite, because the only person whose opinion of you matters is yourself, and once you learn to take solace in your own company, any obstacle, no matter how overwhelming or disheartening, can be overcome. Live for yourself, be kind to others, and remember there are billions of people all over the world. Statistically, one of them has to love you, no matter how far you think you've fallen. Even if it's just your family, that small amount makes all the difference. Anyone who doesn't like it can get bent.

Old MacDonald

Against the walls of her and Spike's room, Twilight concealed her face under the cover of her hood. Using the processor equipped on her laptop, she entered her personal thoughts, detailing her emotions in a manner most would never see. The light was all that stood between them and total darkness.

"May 25th, 2042. No signs of activity above the base. The somber-lain's numbers have been stable for some time, but defenses for civilians are limited. Should they somehow develop resistance to our weapons, I fear what may become of humanity. Most of the magic-users have been gathered, but their powers pale in comparison to ours. The strain of repeated use and limited energy have long since taken their toll. I know we're strong, but we can't beat them on our own. There has to be a way - something we can do to turn the tide in our favor. The darkness is closing in on me. I don't know how much longer I can tolerate being stuck down here. I want to breathe fresh air. I want to touch the leaves of the trees. I want to see blue skies. Until our next assignment, it looks like we're stuck. What a sad and lonely existence. How have we made it for so long...?"

Spike opened his eyes, pushing himself off the mattress and yawning. He stretched his muscles, easing the tension from his previous night's rest.

"Morning, Twilight."

"Morning..."

"Feeling cooped up again I take it?"

"Seems to be the case these days."

"Don't worry. There's still plenty of people on the surface. I'm sure we'll be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in no time."

"Ever the optimist I see."

"You're not the only one bored with this dump. I know it's hard to think positively right now, but this is our home. We should try to make the most of it. We were born here after all."

"I know. You're right. It's just...Sometimes it's hard, ya know...? Mom and dad have been stuck here since they were kids. They deserve better than that, don't you think?"

"I do, but we have to complete our mission first. As long as those monsters are out there, it's not safe to live - not even here."

"Then we have to exterminate them - as quickly as possible."

"All we need's the word."

Shining trudged through the halls of the base, turning his attention towards his siblings' room. They resided at the structure's lowest level, their power kept secret from civilian residents. Like any military unit, they couldn't afford their secrets getting out. If they did, the whole operation would be for naught.

"Twily? You awake?"

On the other side, the young duo gazed through the door.

"Right on cue." Spike jested.

"Yeah," Twilight replied, "Come in."

Shining opened the door. His presence meant something urgent had come up.

"You doin' okay?"

"As well as can be expected. You?"

"Same old, same old."

"Any word?"

"Yeah. We're receiving reports of several families down south. They've managed to hold off the lain for some time now, but cracks are beginning to show. It's not safe there anymore."

"How far?"

"Fifteen hundred miles. It'll take about a day to get there. I'd send my men, but if activity's ramping up, you're our best option."

"Too bad I can't disagree."

"From the day you were born, we knew you were special. Your talent for magic is something none of us have ever seen before. If only we knew why..."

"We'll figure it out eventually. If I have it, you do too. This would be a lot easier if you came with us."

"Wish I could, but you know my duty. Can't leave everyone to fend for themselves."

"I know. Was worth a try, though."

"I'll leave it to you, then. Grab what you need and head to the coordinates. I've already programmed the car."

"Keep everyone safe while we're gone."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Shining saluted, turning around to head back to his post.

"I'm gonna grab a shower," Spike stated, "You get everything ready."

"I'm on it."

Twilight strolled toward the opposite wall, entering a passcode revealing a hidden passage. Inside was a small armory containing basic gear. Weapons, tactical armor, and medical supplies lined the walls. Plenty of room remained to expand their arsenal as necessary. Twilight lifted a hulking mechanical sword, fitted to change shape at the drop of a hat. In addition, she packed away two first-aid kits, complete with sutures, antibiotic cream, and antiseptic wipes. Finally, she tucked the armor under her clothes, grabbing two molecular dispersion pistols - one for her and one for her brother. Spike emerged fully clothed and ready to rumble.

"Don't forget your armor."

"Thanks."

Spike and Twilight headed for the elevator. The ride up was silent, dimly lit by the cool teal shade which pervaded the facility.

"We haven't trained for a while," Spike pointed out, "Hopefully we're not too rusty."

"How strong do we need to be?"

"If we wanna finish these guys? As strong as humanly possible."

"I guess you have a point, but it's okay to slack off every once in a while."

"Never thought I'd hear that from you."

"We're stuck down here most of the time anyway. May as well have a little fun."

"You mean staying up late eating potato chips, playing outdated emulators on a machine powerful enough to run modern aircraft?"

"It's better than sitting in the dark all day."

"Can't argue there."

The exit opened, leading to the top of the northern mountains. Twilight had almost forgotten how deep the base went. Even in the summer, it was unusually cold.

"There's the car. Come on. Let's hurry."

The vehicle was composed of tungsten carbide - the strongest material for vehicles on the road. The double-layered bulletproof glass provided extra protection in the event of an ambush. Luckily, what the somber-lain possessed in raw power, they seemed to lack in cognitive function.

"You wanna drive?"

"Don't have my license yet. Still need to complete both the driver's ed and class five operation courses."

"No one's gonna know."

"Quit screwin' around. In case you forgot, this is a life-or-death situation. We can't afford to be wasting time."

"Killjoy."

The siblings entered the vehicle, retrieving a folder containing information regarding the family in question.

"Subject one's named Applejack. She's a produce farmer living in the south with her sister and grandmother. They're tougher than your average breed."

Spike scrolled through the playlist on the car's terminal. Most of the records were comprised of metal tracks released before they were born. The styles ranged from deathcore to metalcore and melodic death metal.

"Now who's getting distracted?"

"Gotta do somethin' on the road."

"Looks like they own a dog named Winona. Considering the travel time, it's best to deal with the lain before we evacuate. I packed a few snacks in case we got hungry."

"Guess you planned for everything as usual."

"Well, we better get going. Something tells me this won't be a picnic."

"Punny."

Twilight ignited the engine, beginning their trek down the mountain and into the unknown...