Ripples

Chapter 3

Memory

I woke up. When did I wake up? I have no idea. I didn’t remember anything. Nothing at all. I don’t remember my name, where I am from, nothing. All I know was it was important. There are ponies here. They were talking to me. Who are they? Why am I here?

My vision came into focus. An orange pony, green spiky mane. He looked concerned. He was holding me.“Hello? Are you awake?” he asked me, a large amount of concern in his voice.“Who are you?” I asked weakly.“...Rage...you know my name,” he said, a look of confusion on his face.“I don’t think I do,” I said and sat up from the floor. “Mind telling me who I am?”Rage stared at me for a moment, almost looking sorry for me.“Fury, he’s up. Please tell me you can talk now, I think we have a problem,” he finally yelled over his shoulder.“...I’m fine...but it hurts like hell,” a voice sounded from somewhere nearby.“Good,” Rage responded. “Seems like we have severe amnesia. Not a good thing. I don’t know of any cures for amnesia, do you?” Rage asked.“...eenope,” Fury responded.“Wonderful. We could have used some more information,” Rage muttered.“Excuse me? Information?” I asked, not following the conversation.“Ugh, I’m going to have to explain everything again? Plus your own goddamn story?” Rage whined.“Er, guess so,” I responded. He then helped me on my hooves and walked me to a very comfortable couch. I laid down, thankful for the soft texture, as he explained everything that had happened.I couldn’t believe it. I was part of that? The world was that bad? Everything sounded terrible until he told me about me. He saved that for last.It was devastating. I had gone through that? That was my fate? I felt so sorry for myself, glad to be free, until he told me about my personality. I was smart? I didn’t feel smart. I felt like a complete retard, I forgot everything. I couldn’t believe it. I sounded like a genius, the savior of us all. I sounded like a god.All of that was gone. I just knew, somehow, I wasn’t going to get that back. And the worst part? I could have helped them. Saved them with my knowledge of the workings of PT. I mean, I knew everything, right? Saw everything that happened, everywhere? Knew everything? It was gone. I was hopeless. I was just another survivor now...no. Not even that. I was a newborn that somehow could talk. That’s all I am. I am worthless. I can’t do anything. I let them down, I should have told them everything. Every single thing I knew. But it’s too late.I was crying. Bawling. Rage tried to comfort me, talk to me, even massage me. There is no point. I just want to curl up and die.“Just...leave me. I’m no help anymore,” I finally yelled. “I’m leaving. I’m going out there, and I’m going to march right up to PT and tell them to take me back! I quit! I. FUCKING. QUIT!”I ran out the door as fast as I could. They couldn’t stop me. The strange entrance took several turns, and let out at a bush. The bush scratched my flank, cutting a shallow gash across it. I didn’t care, I deserve this pain.I found the wall. The giant, fucking white wall. The barrier between slavery and not-slavery. It wasn’t freedom. Freedom doesn’t exist anymore. Nopony is free. Not even me.I walked along the wall, looking for the hole I apparently slipped through. I looked behind bushes, followed the wall in both directions, but nothing. How did I find it? Hell if I know. I was about to give up until I stumbled on something, My hoof found its way to a small hole in the ground. Was this it? Rage didn’t tell me it was in the ground...I tried squeezing through. It was too small. I wouldn’t fit. Fuck this world and everything in it. I just wanted to end this right here, right now. I stomped near the hole in an attempted march in the other direction, but the ground slid from under my hoof into the hole. I lost my balance and fell to the ground, my hoof dangling over the now-enlarged hole. Fuck this place. Can’t I just know something, learn something smart?Inside the hole was a pathway. It was very steep, but just not enough to make it intraversible. I had nothing better to do, so I went in.It got very dark. I stumbled on stray pebbles and rocks several times, but never fell. I couldn’t see, but the tunnel kept going. It almost felt as if it were getting flatter. Eventually, after a long, long walk, lights burst on to reveal a room before me, just as I emerged from the tunnel, now almost perfectly straight.The room was full of machinery, computers, and various electrical gadgets on shelves. Everything looked like it had been left running for years, covered in dust and cobwebs. None of these devices made any sense to me, but they sure as hell looked cool.I walked down rows and rows of this machinery. Occasionally, a screen laid in  a small indentation in the wall. Whatever it was saying, didn’t make sense. Something about magic arcane barrier energy generators...the hell does that mean?Just as I was about to step away, I noticed something below the screen. There was a little red switch, currently pressed to the upward setting with a light blinking next to it. A label below read “POWER”.Could it really? No, I couldn’t...but...I could fuck up everything...wait. I could fuck up everything! THANK YOU! I began laughing maniacally, and pressed the switch. Many machines made a whirring noise, and slowed to a stop, Many spinning devices stopped spinning, screens turned off, and only one light remained in the entire room. A large lever, labeled “CITY WALLS”. Even better!Obviously, I pulled it. My job was done. I saved everypony. I did it, I-A loud crash sounded overhead. Screams could be heard even from all the way down here. And a stampede of hooves. And yelling, mostly the word “FREEDOM!!!”Thank you. Thank you, I sat down against the wall which the lever rested on, and began to fall asleep at the sound of the stomping hooves above. The doing of me. I saved them. I wasn’t worthless...I was almost sleeping until a mare’s voice yelled from the opening. I couldn’t tell what she said, but it startled me awake. The lights were back on, but extremely dim and flickering slightly. In the doorway stood the most beautiful pink mare I had ever seen.