A Massive Equine Environment

A Massive Equine Environment

CORRUPTION

AMEE burst from the hole that her former self had tried to stop her in, what a pitiful excuse for a military droid. Oh well, she had work to do. The corrupt AMEE ran out of the dank cave, searching for her first victim. Her ocular lens began scoping out the quiet forest ahead, anything that turned up red was a potential target.

As she dashed ahead, she found something far better than a dumb animal, oh so much better.

Just ahead, shivering and shaking as if the very forest was trying to eat her, wandered the yellow pegasus, Fluttershy.

“Oh, this is rich…” AMEE whispered as she watched over the timid creature, with this case, she could literally scare her to death. Time to go to work…

(ஜ۩۞۩ஜ) Fluttershy (ஜ۩۞۩ஜ)

Fluttershy shook like the last leaf on a tree in autumn. She had broken away from her friends in the hopes that she could help AMEE with her anger problem, or whatever it was. Now she was lost in the Everfree, no idea where she or AMEE was, and could be surrounded by more Timber Wolves at any time.

“H-hello, AMEE, are you out there. I-It’s me, Fluttershy, I was just wondering if you wanted any help with your, anger thing.” she managed to shake the words out of her throat, muscles cramping up at the shift of a leaf.

Something stirred in the woods, something growled like a Manticore, but stayed hidden. Fluttershy, began to tremble furiously, this was not good, she should have stayed with her friends. If she hadn’t run, maybe they could all help, after all, Twilight seems eager to help the problemed… droid? Is that what she called herself?

The more she thought of AMEE’s case, the more she steeled herself. No, she couldn’t abandon a thing in need, even if it was made of metal, it had feelings to! Fluttershy felt herself stop trembling, face plastered with determination, she marched into the woods, and a friend in need was a friend she planned to help, no matter the given situation.

(ஜ۩۞۩ஜ) AMEE C. (ஜ۩۞۩ஜ)

Well that’s that, once Fluttershy got back up, AMEE couldn’t find it in herself to play with her any longer. Why was she so cute?

“Oh well, plenty of others to have some fun with.” she muttered.

AMEE marched on, already finding another heat plume; it was a unicorn, which one was yet to be discovered. She crept closer, and purred with her discovery; a stark white unicorn looked about, trying to locate her lost friend. It seemed that they had split up in an attempt to find Fluttershy, how quaint.

AMEE watched her for a moment longer, where to begin with her… Ooh, that would do.

(ஜ۩۞۩ஜ) Rarity (ஜ۩۞۩ஜ)

Oh, this was a dreadful idea. After Fluttershy ran after that brute, AMEE, everypony agreed to split up to look for the dear. Fluttershy could be too kind for her own good, that monster was beyond the ability of help.

Still, she had the best intentions at heart, and that’s what really mattered.

A low purr emanated from the woods, seemingly everywhere. Rarity stopped in her tracks, now what kind of animal, or animals, made that noise?

“Hello, is anypony out there?” no response.

“Come now, I heard you purr, somepony has to be there, a Manticore’s much too big to purr like that.” still no response.

Must have been her imagination. This nasty forest could do all sorts of things to one’s mind, especially one who has nearly zero experience with it. It sounded again, this low purring just beyond the treeline, getting closer and closer… but never appearing.

A tree rustled, causing Rarity to turn around suddenly. Nothing. The purr sounded again, seemably just behind her. She turned around very slowly, and was met with a red light centimeters away from her face.

“Boo.”

Rarity screamed, what else could she do? She began to back track, very quickly, getting away from the creature that stood before her. AMEE began to pursue, easily catching up to the frightened pony. Rarity reared up against a tree, she pressed her back flat against its surface and closed her eyes as the silvery monster approached with a spinning hand, death written into her eye. As she heard the steps get closer though, they stopped.

Rarity opened one eye, followed by another. Soon she repositioned herself back on all four and looked around. AMEE was gone, and not a trace of her remained. Rarity did what she any lady would do in that situation, she fainted.

(ஜ۩۞۩ஜ) AMEE C. (ஜ۩۞۩ஜ)

Oh ho ho, that was rich indeed. So, she was a ‘proper’ mare was she? AMEE would have to remember that when she awoke, the nobility really had no place for fear and so they really knew how to show it. Oh well, the show must go on.

AMEE scanned the local area for anymore equines, she found two. AMEE ‘smiled’ and continued her trek towards them,

ooh this was going to be night to remember.

(ஜ۩۞۩ஜ) Twilight/Rainbow Dash (ஜ۩۞۩ஜ)

Twilight scanned the area ahead with eyes like a hawk. Rainbow Dash looked in and over every nook, cranny and branch of the wood, anywhere AMEE was, she was going to know.

A scream was heard not so far away, the pair looked at one another, “Rarity!” they said in unison.

Twilight and Rainbow dashed ahead, hopeful their friend was still alive. They reached the area the scream emanated from, finding a white heap lying beside a tree.

“Rarity!” Twilight called again, racing to her friend.

“Is she alright?” asked Rainbow, voice filled with concern.

Twilight felt for a pulse, “Yeah, I think she just passed out. Do you think AMEE did it?”

Rainbow nodded, “Definitely, who else would just scare her and then leave?”

Twilight looked back to her, “I’m not so sure; AMEE said for us to leave, maybe she just wanted to punctuate her point?” Twilight looked back to the woods, “Actually, knowing how AMEE first came to our rescue, she’s probably watching us right now.”

Rainbow and Twilight began looking around more vigorously, neither wanting to become the next victim.

Soon another scream sounded, a perfect recreation of Rarity’s. Then another sounded somewhere else, and another near the opposite side causing the duo to look around frantically. The screams became more and more frequent, as well as ghostlier each time they heard one.

Soon, they stopped, and a sound like crying could be heard not far away. Twilight approached cautiously, Rainbow in tow. Then they saw her, AMEE was curled up in a ball not too far away, whimpering.

Twilight and Rainbow Dash approached as if there was a minefield between them and her. They reached a few feet away, and Twilight was eager to know what was wrong.

“AMEE, listen, we can help, we ca-” she never finished as AMEE stood suddenly running at them and sounding the most heart stopping and feral scream either ever heard.

Both raised their hooves in defence and closed their eyes in fear, willing the sound to stop. It did so very quickly. They slowly got their bearings, finding that AMEE was nowhere to be seen.

Twilight sighed while Rainbow panicked.

“S-She could be anywhere, we need to get out!” she started to fly higher until she reached the canopy, “Let us out, let me out!” she screamed at the tree tops.

“Rainbow Dash, she’s toying with us. You don’t need to be afraid.” Twilight said, trying to soothe the freaked out pegasus.

“No, she could be anywhere, everywhere! We need out now Twilight! Get. Us. Out!”

Twilight shook her head, truth be told, she was terrified from her last experience, but they still had friends they needed to help.

Rainbow Dash,” she began, stepping under the frantic racer, “We still have friends we need to save, and we haven’t found Fluttershy either. So get back down here and help me find them.” She ordered.

Rainbow lowered herself a little, “I…yeah, your right. Sorry about that, Celestia, does she know how to scare somepony or what?” Rainbow commented, knowing that there was no faking after that display.

Twilight and Rainbow marched further in, eyes peering at every movement and sound, each a little beyond freaked out after what had just happened.

(ஜ۩۞۩ஜ) AMEE C. (ஜ۩۞۩ஜ)

Well, Rainbow cracked easily, almost unsatisfactorily. She would return to her with double the fun, for AMEE at least. The silver nightmare ran deeper into the woods; the screams she imitated had attracted a few other equines, the last of them. AMEE began to devise a plan, the farm pony was afraid of next to nothing, but she seemed to care very much about her sister… There it is, the voice file for Apple Bloom, perfect. She hadn’t seen much of the very light red one, (she refused to say p!nk) other than her constant smile. Well, perhaps she could separate them and have a good talking to each one. Oh how to break a ponies psych… so many possibilities.

(ஜ۩۞۩ஜ) Applejack/Pinkie Pie (ஜ۩۞۩ஜ)

Applejack looked nervously back and forth, anything, including AMEE, could jump out and strike at any time. Why had Rarity offered to be the only one alone? Now she was separate and there had been a series of screams not far ahead. Applejack didn’t want to go towards them, admittedly, she was afraid. Never before had she seen one creature gore so many others, it was a very intimidating sight.

Pinkie, on the other hoof bounced along happily. She thought that it was the mean AMEE who had killed the Timber Wolves, not the ‘real’ AMEE. Applejack didn’t trust either AMEE, they both were shady characters in her book.

“Pinkie, could yah please stop yer bouncin’?” she asked politely.

Pinkie nodded merrily, “Okay, but it’s not my fault if I hum a song!” she replied.

Applejack just sighed as Pinkie began her song, why did she always have to be so carefree? This was serious business, AMEE was on the loose and she had tried to get everypony away from her. Something didn’t add up to Applejack, in her fighting mode thingy, she had offered safe passage to Ponyville, in her nice mode; she had tried to get everypony as far away as possible.

Something rattled in the underbrush, moving almost silently, it crept away.

Applejack watched the bushels shake as it did so, “Pinkie, stay ‘ere. If anything happens, scream.”

Pinkie nodded a yes and then saluted before sitting down and began looking around like a turret. Applejack rolled her eyes before following the disturbance, putting a hoof on her hat for comfort as she did so.

Once Applejack had gone a considerable distance, AMEE crept out from behind Pinkie and sat down. Preparing something cryptic to say.

“Oh, hi AMEE!” said Pinkie, doing a 180 to see her.

AMEE looked at her in disbelief; she had made no noise sneaking up on the pony, how did this little equine know that she was there?

“Uh… hello Pinkie, how are you?” she asked, now all she needed to do was make a good surveyor impression.

“Oh just dandy, we were looking for you, then I found you, now I’m talking to you and I wonder what a blueberry puffin tastes like? Do you wonder what a blueberry puffin tastes like? Because I do, it started out wh-”

AMEE closed one of her legs around the pony’s mouth, muffling but not silencing her speech.

“I just came here to talk Pinkie, nothing else. Me yes, you no.”

Pinkie stared at her for a moment, and then nodded.

AMEE sighed, “Good, now, I wanted to learn about your past. Where did you grow up?” she asked, seemingly with all innocence.

Pinkie scratched her chin, face deep with thought. “I grew up on a rock farm, it isn’t there anymore, but it was kinda dusty…” Pinkie began to trail off at the memories.

Good, she has some bad memories of home. Operation psych breaker is a go.

“So, what ever happened to your home, Pinkie?” she inquired, she needed a bit more knowledge before she could truly brake this horse.

Pinkie’s unlimited supply of energy was suddenly cut short, “Well, after I left...” she looked up at some stars peeking through the shaded forest canopy, “It began to fall apart. With just one worker short, my family went into… into depression. They never got the rocks to the western field that season, and so they didn’t make quota. After I learnt that they weren’t doing well, I tried to hurry back. But, a huge storm stopped me from getting all the way there, so I stopped at a nearby Inn. When I finally got there the next morning…” Pinkie looked back at the ground, “the farm had burned down from lightning made by last night’s storm. They… they didn’t make it out.”

AMEE saw a tear fall to the ground; oh this was way too easy. She was basically being handed a perfect opportunity, now she just needed to prod some key emotional points…

“Do you ever think of going back?” she asked.

Pinkie looked up, clear layers of water working their way over her eyelids, “I do, actually. Why?”

AMEE knew this would probably do it, but there were some things after that she planned to say, “Well, you could desecrate their resting place, after all, it is your fault they’re dead.”

Pinkie looked up in disgust, “That’s horrible, what would make you think I would want to do that?”

AMEE snickered, this was it, “Oh, I’m sorry, I was being lead on that you had killed your family on purpose, after all, you are talking to a fellow monster.” AMEE finished by leaning forward, emphasizing her point in the last few words.

Pinkie looked distraught, had she really? She never thought that she would be a bad pony; she always gave everypony a nice time! But, maybe AMEE was right… maybe she just threw the parties to forget her past crimes, or what she had done to her family.

AMEE watched some of the color fade from Pinkie’s coat, her fluffy mane and tail slumping down like her mood. She seemed to stop crying, and just sat looking solemn. She didn’t even notice that AMEE was gone, just sat there and moped.

(ஜ۩۞۩ஜ) AMEE C. (ஜ۩۞۩ஜ)

That was wayyy too easy, Pinkie had a troubled past, and it was oh so easy to manipulate and make it look like it was her fault. She would be troubled for a few months at least; AMEE may not even having to came back and torture her. Now, that string trap she rigged up for Applejack should be near done winding. AMEE raced in the same direction of the cowpony, I wonder how she would react to knowing that she had let her sister wander, and then a monster saved her?

(ஜ۩۞۩ஜ) Applejack (ஜ۩۞۩ஜ)

Applejack wandered closer to the shaking bush, which led to another, and another. Then, it stopped.

“Finally, now, who’s there ‘nd what do yah want?” she asked to the bush that moved last.

Yes, there was the possibility that she had been following a critter, but critters don’t move so… straightforward. After a minute of no response, Applejack marched behind the bush, and found on the ground, a stick attached to a string.

Applejack realized her mistake, wheeling around and trying to run back to Pinkie, but instead was met face to face with a red-eyed AMEE.

“Oh, there you are Applejack, I had hoped we could speak.” she said, voice tainted with a faint malice.

Applejack stared straight back at the metal killing machine, “AMEE, what did you do to Pinkie?”

AMEE sat down, raising one of her feet and looked at it thoughtfully, “Oh nothing, she’ll be fine. I just wouldn’t talk about her family near her is all, at least for a few weeks.”

Applejack dragged a hoof on the ground in the same fashion a bull would, “Yah better have not messed with ‘er head! She was already hurt from her family’s death!”

AMEE shrugged, “Oh well, you ponies are such strange creatures anyway. I mean, look at you, your about to attack the thing that saved you, your friends, and even your baby sister. And you all called me a monster.”

Applejack stopped for a moment, she had really saved them. There were an awful amount of Timber Wolves back there, and her sister could have been eaten by a Manticore… But, she had messed with Pinkie, one of her friends. She was no Element of Loyalty, but she wasn’t about to let that fly.

“No matter what you did for us, you still messed with Pinkie’s personal life, and that’s an act only a monster would commit to.” Applejack said, resuming her attack stance.

AMEE laughed, “Even if you tried, you could never beat me. You couldn’t even save your little sister, you had to let a monster save her. What kind of sick sister let’s a small girl see such violence?”

Applejack stopped again, “Well, ah- ah was gettin’ there!” she countered.

AMEE prowled closer, “And if I hadn’t been there to save her and her friends, they all would have been in a Manticore’s stomach, and from my observation, they enjoy small meals eaten whole. So, if I hadn’t shown up, not only would your sister been eaten, but also cooked alive by stomach acid. Tsk tsk, miss Applejack.”

Applejack stared at the ground, “Stop that you!” she cried, a tear dropping to the ground, “Ah know that if I didn’t get there in time, I wouldn’t save ‘er! I ran as fast as I could, yah hear! I tried my best to protect her, but she wouldn’t listen, she just trots into the Everfree anyway.”

“So,” began AMEE, circling Applejack, “you can’t even run that fast, you have no control over your own sibling, and you think your still worthy of being called a sister? I bet you that your sister hated you not being there, just loathing that you weren’t good enough to be there for her.”

Applejack began to openly cry, “No, stop, ah do try mah best! I- I can be there for her, ah can be anywhere she needs me!”

“Applejack, do yah really think that ah want you as a sister?”

Applejack looked up, where AMEE once stood, now Apple Bloom stood in her stead, face plastered with anger.

“Ah never wanted you for a sister, your slow, weak, and we live on a rickety old farm! What good are you if you can’t make the money to pay for us; I bet Rainbow Dash would be a way better sister than you!”

“A-Apple Bloom, not you to…” Applejack could only stare at the hallucination, not realizing her mistake.

Apple Bloom raised her head in defiance, “I’m leaving, and if a Manticore attacks, I hope it eats me whole, it would be better than living with you!” with those words, the imaginary Apple Bloom began to trot into the bush, leaving a sobbing Applejack in her wake.

As soon she was out of sight, AMEE broke into a snicker. She had really believed that was Apple Bloom, even though she looked right at her? Oh, how fragile these pony minds were, if this was a war, then not a single one could last through an interrogation. Well, that was that, every pony was messed with. Now, she knew where a den of Manticore’s were and-

WARNING> POWER LEVELS LOW

“What, no! Dang it, that stupid surveyor stole most of my power! Gah, now I need sleep.”

AMEE crawled under the nearest bushel, she would continue tomorrow, there was an entire town on the horizon, and each one would probably hate to see their town burn.

SYSTEM POWERING DOWN

(ஜ۩۞۩ஜ) Fluttershy (ஜ۩۞۩ஜ)

It had been half an hour since she began to look more furiously, AMEE was nowhere to be seen. There had been a couple of caves, some tree tops, burrows, but none had AMEE in them. She was beginning to see it as a lost cause, after all, AMEE could take care of herself, and Fluttershy couldn’t. Oh well, she knew the way home, and maybe she could find a couple of her friends along the way.

Then a twig snapped behind her, prompting Fluttershy to scream, jump three feet, and land behind her mane.

As she shuddered, a voice rang out, “F-Fluttershy? Everypony, I found Fluttershy!” yelled the voice.

Soon, multiple twig snaps filled the air, marking the arrival of many others. The sounds marched closer, Fluttershy realizing who it was, uncovered herself and smiled at the presence of her friends.

The smile was soon replaced by worry.

Both Applejack and Pinkie Pie looked like death was a welcome thing, each carrying no want to continue in their eyes.

Applejack seemed to look more sullen upon Fluttershy’s discovery, “Yah see, ah can’t even find mah own friends, what kind of pony am I if ah can’t even do that?”

Twilight was already beside her, “No no no, Applejack, your great, everypony thinks so, you’ve saved the town on multiple occasions, helped ponies with everyday work, everypony loves you!”

Applejack just shook her head, rivaling the speed of a sloth, “Ah’ve also nearly ruined mah own apple orchards just being stubborn, and stupid, and not even having the eye sight to see tthat one was dead.” She lowered herself to the ground, “Just like Apple Bloom would’ve been if AMEE hadn’t showed up like she did, what kind of sister let’s her own sister nearly get eaten and then saved by another monster?”

Twilight rubbed her friend’s side, “No no, Apple Bloom would have been fine, she’s strong and smart, and is just like her big sister.”

Applejack shook her head again, instead of replying she simply tucked her face under her hat. Twilight swore her fur had become a shade greyer… Oh no, not this again!

Twilight realized what was happening, just like with Discord, AMEE had begun a huge internal conflict that was depriving The Elements of what made them, them.  She looked to Pinkie, hair straight as she cried more tears than she had business having.

“What’s happened to them?” asked Fluttershy, extremely concerned, but not wanting to get in anypony’s way.

Rainbow Dash stopped Twilight from answering, “It was that AMEE character, she came in an discorded Pinkie and Applejack again.” She reared up on her hind hooves, using her wings for balance and taking a bipedal fighter stance, “When I get my hands on her, ooh she’s gonna be in for a world of pain!”

Twilight calmed Rainbow down a little before answering in full to Fluttershy, “AMEE separated each of us, she’s been toying with us since the beginning. Us four were lucky, she only wanted fear from us,” Twilight turned to face her two best friends, each looked like they had just witnessed everypony’s death at once, “AMEE did just what Discord did to us back in the hedge maze, she exploited a weakness in both Applejack and Pinkie.” She returned her gazer to the remainder of her friends, “Only this time, they weren’t turned opposite, rather, they now hate themselves for things they never did.”

Fluttershy gasped and Rarity looked even more stern, “I must say, this a rare occasion where I agree with Rainbow Dash, AMEE must pay, what she has done is in no way tolerable by any means.”

Twilight nodded, “I know, it’s just that she’s faster, smarter, and carefree in a bad way, so she has a pretty big advantage here compared to us. We should get trained professionals, like my brother, or some other members of the royal guard.”

All three nodded in agreeance, AMEE was to pay for her crimes, one way or another.