Snapshots in Timeby AtlasAboveChaptersReaversAloneEnigmas and Logical Fallacies LazarusReaversI've always wondered when I'll die. When will it happen? How? Will I be torn apart by the same violence that's torn my life asunder? Will I die in a bed, old and frail surrounded by loved ones? The question of mortality is one that I'm drawn to often. The vibrations of the repulsor engines shuddered the cramped compartment I had spent the past few hours in. 'This power will make you and it will destroy you,' Celestia had said. She was long dead, as was her sister and everypony I had ever known. At least, they were dead for the time being. The castle they had built was gravel beneath the smog covered earth as a city of industry floated above in the lower atmosphere. It's turquoise habitat dome kept the ponies alive in what should have been freezing cold and thin air. It was a perfect day with a gorgeous sky overhead, the smog forced out by the air-refiners. The temperature was average, but would be cold had there been a breeze. I pulled my nose from the chilled glass porthole. Glass towers raced by as the slip-runner cut through the air like a bolt from a thunderhead. The city of "dreams", Heavens Hold was a floating metropolis that floated above most of Equestria's landmass. Patches of the ground so far below had become inhabitable from all but the hardiest of ponies, but a dedicated few still struggled on, refusing to partake in the gentle genocide taking place in the skies. Genocide might not be the correct word for the situation, but it was the most apt. It wasn't a genocide of lives, but one of freedoms, independence, and wills. The entire city no longer had wants or needs. All that was ever needed was provided. The Colab saw fit to that. Corporations of Liability and Benefit, Colab for short, were the ruling caste of the age. The workers had happy little lives, living out their status quo, the medium level employees had much the same, but with a few extra luxuries. The high level members, CEO's, large share-holder's, VIP's, they ran the city-state. The were trade houses from the days of old who had become bloated with wealth, greed, power, and corruption. They kept the common rabble complacent. When and if somepony decided they weren't satisfied the Colab's "police" would make them disappear. The private security forces were bonded to the highest paying houses and were enforcers and thugs, vicing out any "seditious thoughts". The general Colab officers patrolled the streets. The elite guarded the buildings and activities that the Colab didn't want becoming common knowledge. 'You are to be a guardian of the future, much like your rival is a guardian of the now. You have all of her talents, yet none of her restraint. That will serve you well there where it has not in this time. There will be others like you, unneeded now, but required later along the line. You will find each other, and you will set my children right.' I had been taken to Celestia by Spitfire immediately following my debacle at the academy. I was left alone in the room with the princess while she poked and prodded my mind. 'I'm afraid sometimes the needs of many are more important than the needs of few. This will be mandatory. I will bestow on you something powerful that will shape you as much as you shape it. When you return to us, if you return to us, you will not be the Lightning Dust you are now.' My visor slammed down into place, snapping me out of my memories. The cerulean mage-glass blinked into life, outlining the others in my pod with a dim green. Blades were checked for sharpness, horn-amplifiers tuned for the final time. The click-clack of projectile weapons was easily heard over the dull roar of the repulsor. I look to my own kit; the magical ranged weapon strapped to my front left leg was linked to my visor and a red square of dots followed the barrel. The blades embedded into my wings slide out quickly and quietly; I had kept them in pristine condition. All the ponies in the hold, myself included, wore the same magic-hardened flexible weave armor meant to slide off blades and magic bolts. The weapons fit their owners, my fellow pegasi kitted out the same as I, the unicorns with their horn-amps, the earth ponies with hydraulic breach hammers and a smaller version of the bolt thrower strapped to our legs on their preferred hoof. To put it as simply as possible, we are a rebel strike force from the past(usually) who had been implanted with biological augmentations to make us better soldiers. Like Celestia had said, this was mandatory. You were here till the job was done or you were dead. Each of us had our own Celestia-given powers, but those were private even in our close-knit if rocky brotherhood. The brotherhood was a mishmash of broken ponies with nothing to lose, desperate ponies with everything to lose, and psychopaths. Feel free to file me under whichever category you wish; we all weren't exactly sociable and generally stuck to our own devices. While each battle-group had it's over-arching orders and objectives, when the blood spilled and blade and magic met flesh each was their own island in the tides of conflict. Help was neither asked for nor given. You set out knowing no one would watch your back, and the only way you would see the next sunrise was to complete your mission how you saw fit and get to the predetermined extraction at the predetermined time. No exceptions. The siren sounded and the door lights flashed on. In a few short minutes hell was about to be unleashed on a chemical testing plant that had just received a new shipment of ponies to test on. Guard presence was high and casualties were "expected".That was what had surprised me in the beginning. It seems our 'Great and Kind' ruler had little love for us. Really though, what can I expect? We were the trouble makers, fire starters, and thorns in the side of her perfect golden-age. AloneThe sound of hooves crunching through snow echoed quietly through the flurries. A landscape of white stretched as far as the eye could see. A chilling wind sung through the skeletons of civilization. Pausing to adjust the furs covering it's back from the harsh environment, the pony took in the world and all its' destroyed beauty. What had once been bustling streets and warm store fronts stared back, glaringly empty and devoid of color. The sounds of past lives silenced by a shrill wail of wind and the warmth and color taken by a cold powder. The figure continued on it's way. The coat draped across it's back dulled the teeth of the chill, but without shelter the fast approaching night would surely add another powder covered mound to the glaring emptiness of the world. Rubbing at the goggles underneath it's hood, the pony selected a small shop on the northern side of the street. The shop itself was unassuming. It's outer walls had long since last their color; the paint as gone as it's proprietors and customers. The glass of it's windows had yet to be broken. The pony stopped it's solemn march through the snow covered city, setting it's saddle bag upon the ground and drawing out a small piece of metal. Positioning the sturdy rod on the keyhole, the pony pushed it's weight on the door; the rod focusing it onto the lock. The weather had eaten and torn at the door. It warped the wood and made the workings brittle. The lock, and most of the handle, shattered under it's force. Taking a last glance around, the pony stole inside. Night was falling quickly, a dark cool blanket covering the landscape of ice and buildings. The inside -like the outside- was dilapidated. Without ponies to maintain it, the small coffee shop(judging from the counter, tables, and chains strewn about) was just as colorless as the outside world. The only true differences was the volume of the wind and the biting chill. The wanderer gathered a few chairs, dragging them behind the counter. Setting one aside, it quickly set to work making tender out of the once-upon-a-time symbols of civilized ponies. Pulling flint from the saddle-bag, the cold pony quickly set the stone to the metal of the chair frames; lighting the small pile of wood near by. The fire quickly warmed the insides of the old building, giving it as close to a home-like glow and warmth as can be find in these trying times. The wanderer sat in the last chair near the fire, taking weight off it's hooves for a welcome respite. Reaching inside the coat, pony withdrew a single item: a photo. Gazing lovingly at the photo, the pony gave a small sigh. Somewhere out there in the world, a loved one was waiting. Whether that loved one was alive or not was of little consequence; they were still waiting. In the silence of the world, with only the wind calling and the quiet coughs of a fire for company, one can truly understand the word "alone." The wanderer let his weary eyes slide closed, lead weights dragging them into a warm murk. Here, here was color. Here was warmth. Enigmas and Logical Fallacies Enigmas and Logical Fallacies "So why are we here again Twi?" "Honestly Dash, that's the third time you've asked. What makes you think I'll know anything new? We've been sitting, alone, in this train cart for the last few hours. What makes you think I'd have gathered new information?" "I dunno, maybe you talked with the Princess with your crazy magic." "Considering how much you've been messing with my horn, I would've thought you'd know more about magic by now," I said with an impish smile. Rainbow blushed at that. The light red of blood rushing to her cheeks was a nice contrast to the light blue of her fur. She shifted her wings, snuggling in closer and closing her magenta eyes with a long-suffering sigh. I reached out to brush a fiery forelock out of her face. Chance had it at that time the train started to decelerate and all I accomplished was bopping her in the nose gently. "Up and at 'em Dash. Grab your bag, the Princess said she wanted to meet us as soon as we arrived in Canterlot." "Right when I was getting comfy too," grumbled the athletic pegasus as she shouldered her sporty looking travel bag. The summons had an air of urgency, so we had packed light taking with us only the necessities. Stepping out into the bright sunlight, I glanced around to get my bearings. Rainbow stretched her wings out, glad to be back out in the open. She didn't take sitting in one place all that well if she couldn't nap. The guard who was supposed to meet us at the train station and escort us to the castle was no-where to be seen. In fact, it seemed the entire train station was deserted. Trash flittered by on the wind; silence held reign over the warm spring day. Rainbow shuffled about nervously. It seemed the entire city held it's breath, waiting for somepony or something to break the eerie quiet that had settled down in the absence of life. I took the discomforting emptiness in my stride and set off at a trot, eager to get to the castle and find out what had happened to the once boisterous city. Rainbow, in the meantime, zipped about looking through windows and down empty cobblestone streets, glancing quickly about for clues to what had caused the inhabitants to disappear. Her soft wing beats and clip clop of my cantering hooves filled the wide lanes, echoing oddly off the buildings and in the dark alleyways between the shops and stores. Dash landed lithely next to me with a quiet brush of feathers as she tucked her wings in. "Where do you think they went?" "I'm not entirely sure. It is possible the changelings came back and were successful this time, but I haven't seen any signs of struggle. It's almost as if the entire town had stood and left, leaving everything behind in their haste." Rainbow nodded her agreement, "Some of the houses still had food on the table restaurant up ahead still had a kettle of tea on the stove top." "The meals should give us a good idea when everyone left. Find anything else?" "It didn't look like anything had been packed. No open drawers or bags and suitcases left behind. Far as I can tell, we're the only things moving in the entire city at the moment." "Solid work Trotson," I said, giggling as Rainbow Dash grumbled at the nickname. "It seems we have quite the mystery here." "Yeah, yeah, yeah, 'The game is a-hoof' and all that stuff you say every time you go Sherclop Holmes on me. Let's get up to the castle and find out what the Princess can tell us." "Spoil-sport," I pouted. The castle, it seemed, was just as empty as the streets it over-looked. Everything was still in pristine condition, the walls and floors were polished, the tapestries were vibrant, the stain glass murals glimmered in the warm light, even the corners were thoroughly dusted. The only thing the castle lacked was ponies. Not hair nor hide of the guards, royals, servants, or nobles that usually filled the grand halls with chatter. Dash was becoming more and more spooked as we made our way through the vacant fortress. She and I stood in the main throne room, looking for any signs of the previous occupants. A fruitless search, as we quickly found out. Rainbow and I stalked through the guest halls, disheartened by the lack of progress. The rooms were just as empty as the rest of the town. Finding ourselves at the doors of Celestia's own personal chambers, Rainbow and I paused. LazarusAw crap. Sometimes I wonder how I manage to get into trouble like this. Sure, the Everfree forest is known to be dangerous, but it's mid-day. All the monsters are supposed to be sulking in caves and not bothering travelers like me. I'm sure a lean dark grey pegasus wasn't much of a meal to the apex predators who called the Everfree their home. Even with this busted wing, I had a good head start. I really hope ursa's aren't that fast. A stallion my age shouldn't have to deal with this. Hellfire, I'm almost as old as Celestia, and yet here I am running around a forest like an idiot with a hungry ursa minor who seems to have a hankering for a fire roasted pony flank dinner. It was pretty impressive though, I haven't run this fast in a few years at least. Dodging roots, rocks, random drops, and the occasional critter. Being a pegasus and all, I don't really spend all that much time on the ground. (Running paragraph or two here) Lady Luck decided to abandon me, and my forehooves were snared on a particularly devilish root. Landing flat on my muzzle, I slid a few yards before smashing into a surprisingly soft ball of "Thank goodness I didn't hit a tree". The ball of fur yelped as we tumbled together. I may not have hit a tree, but I managed to find the only hill in the Everfree and rolled head first down it with my unwilling passenger. Ground, sky, ground again; we bounced a few times, jostled by the ever-loving gravity smashing us into the ground. As we came to a rest, I resigned myself to whatever was about to happen. With my luck, I had probably just smashed into a popping cat or a mossy timberwolf. I cracked open my eyes, glancing about for impending doom. My end sat on the other side of a small clearly, groaning as she sat up with a few small "Ow..."s. Feeling my eyes upon her, the yellow mare yelped again and darted into the bushes. Quite the shy one I suppose. I started to roll over to stand up, but a sudden shade made me pause. Looking back up to the sky or rather lack of sky, I saw a rather large foot speeding towards me. It seemed the ursa was back and I was about to be hoof-jam. "Fantastic." I muttered. Squish.
ReaversI've always wondered when I'll die. When will it happen? How? Will I be torn apart by the same violence that's torn my life asunder? Will I die in a bed, old and frail surrounded by loved ones? The question of mortality is one that I'm drawn to often. The vibrations of the repulsor engines shuddered the cramped compartment I had spent the past few hours in. 'This power will make you and it will destroy you,' Celestia had said. She was long dead, as was her sister and everypony I had ever known. At least, they were dead for the time being. The castle they had built was gravel beneath the smog covered earth as a city of industry floated above in the lower atmosphere. It's turquoise habitat dome kept the ponies alive in what should have been freezing cold and thin air. It was a perfect day with a gorgeous sky overhead, the smog forced out by the air-refiners. The temperature was average, but would be cold had there been a breeze. I pulled my nose from the chilled glass porthole. Glass towers raced by as the slip-runner cut through the air like a bolt from a thunderhead. The city of "dreams", Heavens Hold was a floating metropolis that floated above most of Equestria's landmass. Patches of the ground so far below had become inhabitable from all but the hardiest of ponies, but a dedicated few still struggled on, refusing to partake in the gentle genocide taking place in the skies. Genocide might not be the correct word for the situation, but it was the most apt. It wasn't a genocide of lives, but one of freedoms, independence, and wills. The entire city no longer had wants or needs. All that was ever needed was provided. The Colab saw fit to that. Corporations of Liability and Benefit, Colab for short, were the ruling caste of the age. The workers had happy little lives, living out their status quo, the medium level employees had much the same, but with a few extra luxuries. The high level members, CEO's, large share-holder's, VIP's, they ran the city-state. The were trade houses from the days of old who had become bloated with wealth, greed, power, and corruption. They kept the common rabble complacent. When and if somepony decided they weren't satisfied the Colab's "police" would make them disappear. The private security forces were bonded to the highest paying houses and were enforcers and thugs, vicing out any "seditious thoughts". The general Colab officers patrolled the streets. The elite guarded the buildings and activities that the Colab didn't want becoming common knowledge. 'You are to be a guardian of the future, much like your rival is a guardian of the now. You have all of her talents, yet none of her restraint. That will serve you well there where it has not in this time. There will be others like you, unneeded now, but required later along the line. You will find each other, and you will set my children right.' I had been taken to Celestia by Spitfire immediately following my debacle at the academy. I was left alone in the room with the princess while she poked and prodded my mind. 'I'm afraid sometimes the needs of many are more important than the needs of few. This will be mandatory. I will bestow on you something powerful that will shape you as much as you shape it. When you return to us, if you return to us, you will not be the Lightning Dust you are now.' My visor slammed down into place, snapping me out of my memories. The cerulean mage-glass blinked into life, outlining the others in my pod with a dim green. Blades were checked for sharpness, horn-amplifiers tuned for the final time. The click-clack of projectile weapons was easily heard over the dull roar of the repulsor. I look to my own kit; the magical ranged weapon strapped to my front left leg was linked to my visor and a red square of dots followed the barrel. The blades embedded into my wings slide out quickly and quietly; I had kept them in pristine condition. All the ponies in the hold, myself included, wore the same magic-hardened flexible weave armor meant to slide off blades and magic bolts. The weapons fit their owners, my fellow pegasi kitted out the same as I, the unicorns with their horn-amps, the earth ponies with hydraulic breach hammers and a smaller version of the bolt thrower strapped to our legs on their preferred hoof. To put it as simply as possible, we are a rebel strike force from the past(usually) who had been implanted with biological augmentations to make us better soldiers. Like Celestia had said, this was mandatory. You were here till the job was done or you were dead. Each of us had our own Celestia-given powers, but those were private even in our close-knit if rocky brotherhood. The brotherhood was a mishmash of broken ponies with nothing to lose, desperate ponies with everything to lose, and psychopaths. Feel free to file me under whichever category you wish; we all weren't exactly sociable and generally stuck to our own devices. While each battle-group had it's over-arching orders and objectives, when the blood spilled and blade and magic met flesh each was their own island in the tides of conflict. Help was neither asked for nor given. You set out knowing no one would watch your back, and the only way you would see the next sunrise was to complete your mission how you saw fit and get to the predetermined extraction at the predetermined time. No exceptions. The siren sounded and the door lights flashed on. In a few short minutes hell was about to be unleashed on a chemical testing plant that had just received a new shipment of ponies to test on. Guard presence was high and casualties were "expected".That was what had surprised me in the beginning. It seems our 'Great and Kind' ruler had little love for us. Really though, what can I expect? We were the trouble makers, fire starters, and thorns in the side of her perfect golden-age.
AloneThe sound of hooves crunching through snow echoed quietly through the flurries. A landscape of white stretched as far as the eye could see. A chilling wind sung through the skeletons of civilization. Pausing to adjust the furs covering it's back from the harsh environment, the pony took in the world and all its' destroyed beauty. What had once been bustling streets and warm store fronts stared back, glaringly empty and devoid of color. The sounds of past lives silenced by a shrill wail of wind and the warmth and color taken by a cold powder. The figure continued on it's way. The coat draped across it's back dulled the teeth of the chill, but without shelter the fast approaching night would surely add another powder covered mound to the glaring emptiness of the world. Rubbing at the goggles underneath it's hood, the pony selected a small shop on the northern side of the street. The shop itself was unassuming. It's outer walls had long since last their color; the paint as gone as it's proprietors and customers. The glass of it's windows had yet to be broken. The pony stopped it's solemn march through the snow covered city, setting it's saddle bag upon the ground and drawing out a small piece of metal. Positioning the sturdy rod on the keyhole, the pony pushed it's weight on the door; the rod focusing it onto the lock. The weather had eaten and torn at the door. It warped the wood and made the workings brittle. The lock, and most of the handle, shattered under it's force. Taking a last glance around, the pony stole inside. Night was falling quickly, a dark cool blanket covering the landscape of ice and buildings. The inside -like the outside- was dilapidated. Without ponies to maintain it, the small coffee shop(judging from the counter, tables, and chains strewn about) was just as colorless as the outside world. The only true differences was the volume of the wind and the biting chill. The wanderer gathered a few chairs, dragging them behind the counter. Setting one aside, it quickly set to work making tender out of the once-upon-a-time symbols of civilized ponies. Pulling flint from the saddle-bag, the cold pony quickly set the stone to the metal of the chair frames; lighting the small pile of wood near by. The fire quickly warmed the insides of the old building, giving it as close to a home-like glow and warmth as can be find in these trying times. The wanderer sat in the last chair near the fire, taking weight off it's hooves for a welcome respite. Reaching inside the coat, pony withdrew a single item: a photo. Gazing lovingly at the photo, the pony gave a small sigh. Somewhere out there in the world, a loved one was waiting. Whether that loved one was alive or not was of little consequence; they were still waiting. In the silence of the world, with only the wind calling and the quiet coughs of a fire for company, one can truly understand the word "alone." The wanderer let his weary eyes slide closed, lead weights dragging them into a warm murk. Here, here was color. Here was warmth.
Enigmas and Logical Fallacies Enigmas and Logical Fallacies "So why are we here again Twi?" "Honestly Dash, that's the third time you've asked. What makes you think I'll know anything new? We've been sitting, alone, in this train cart for the last few hours. What makes you think I'd have gathered new information?" "I dunno, maybe you talked with the Princess with your crazy magic." "Considering how much you've been messing with my horn, I would've thought you'd know more about magic by now," I said with an impish smile. Rainbow blushed at that. The light red of blood rushing to her cheeks was a nice contrast to the light blue of her fur. She shifted her wings, snuggling in closer and closing her magenta eyes with a long-suffering sigh. I reached out to brush a fiery forelock out of her face. Chance had it at that time the train started to decelerate and all I accomplished was bopping her in the nose gently. "Up and at 'em Dash. Grab your bag, the Princess said she wanted to meet us as soon as we arrived in Canterlot." "Right when I was getting comfy too," grumbled the athletic pegasus as she shouldered her sporty looking travel bag. The summons had an air of urgency, so we had packed light taking with us only the necessities. Stepping out into the bright sunlight, I glanced around to get my bearings. Rainbow stretched her wings out, glad to be back out in the open. She didn't take sitting in one place all that well if she couldn't nap. The guard who was supposed to meet us at the train station and escort us to the castle was no-where to be seen. In fact, it seemed the entire train station was deserted. Trash flittered by on the wind; silence held reign over the warm spring day. Rainbow shuffled about nervously. It seemed the entire city held it's breath, waiting for somepony or something to break the eerie quiet that had settled down in the absence of life. I took the discomforting emptiness in my stride and set off at a trot, eager to get to the castle and find out what had happened to the once boisterous city. Rainbow, in the meantime, zipped about looking through windows and down empty cobblestone streets, glancing quickly about for clues to what had caused the inhabitants to disappear. Her soft wing beats and clip clop of my cantering hooves filled the wide lanes, echoing oddly off the buildings and in the dark alleyways between the shops and stores. Dash landed lithely next to me with a quiet brush of feathers as she tucked her wings in. "Where do you think they went?" "I'm not entirely sure. It is possible the changelings came back and were successful this time, but I haven't seen any signs of struggle. It's almost as if the entire town had stood and left, leaving everything behind in their haste." Rainbow nodded her agreement, "Some of the houses still had food on the table restaurant up ahead still had a kettle of tea on the stove top." "The meals should give us a good idea when everyone left. Find anything else?" "It didn't look like anything had been packed. No open drawers or bags and suitcases left behind. Far as I can tell, we're the only things moving in the entire city at the moment." "Solid work Trotson," I said, giggling as Rainbow Dash grumbled at the nickname. "It seems we have quite the mystery here." "Yeah, yeah, yeah, 'The game is a-hoof' and all that stuff you say every time you go Sherclop Holmes on me. Let's get up to the castle and find out what the Princess can tell us." "Spoil-sport," I pouted. The castle, it seemed, was just as empty as the streets it over-looked. Everything was still in pristine condition, the walls and floors were polished, the tapestries were vibrant, the stain glass murals glimmered in the warm light, even the corners were thoroughly dusted. The only thing the castle lacked was ponies. Not hair nor hide of the guards, royals, servants, or nobles that usually filled the grand halls with chatter. Dash was becoming more and more spooked as we made our way through the vacant fortress. She and I stood in the main throne room, looking for any signs of the previous occupants. A fruitless search, as we quickly found out. Rainbow and I stalked through the guest halls, disheartened by the lack of progress. The rooms were just as empty as the rest of the town. Finding ourselves at the doors of Celestia's own personal chambers, Rainbow and I paused.
LazarusAw crap. Sometimes I wonder how I manage to get into trouble like this. Sure, the Everfree forest is known to be dangerous, but it's mid-day. All the monsters are supposed to be sulking in caves and not bothering travelers like me. I'm sure a lean dark grey pegasus wasn't much of a meal to the apex predators who called the Everfree their home. Even with this busted wing, I had a good head start. I really hope ursa's aren't that fast. A stallion my age shouldn't have to deal with this. Hellfire, I'm almost as old as Celestia, and yet here I am running around a forest like an idiot with a hungry ursa minor who seems to have a hankering for a fire roasted pony flank dinner. It was pretty impressive though, I haven't run this fast in a few years at least. Dodging roots, rocks, random drops, and the occasional critter. Being a pegasus and all, I don't really spend all that much time on the ground. (Running paragraph or two here) Lady Luck decided to abandon me, and my forehooves were snared on a particularly devilish root. Landing flat on my muzzle, I slid a few yards before smashing into a surprisingly soft ball of "Thank goodness I didn't hit a tree". The ball of fur yelped as we tumbled together. I may not have hit a tree, but I managed to find the only hill in the Everfree and rolled head first down it with my unwilling passenger. Ground, sky, ground again; we bounced a few times, jostled by the ever-loving gravity smashing us into the ground. As we came to a rest, I resigned myself to whatever was about to happen. With my luck, I had probably just smashed into a popping cat or a mossy timberwolf. I cracked open my eyes, glancing about for impending doom. My end sat on the other side of a small clearly, groaning as she sat up with a few small "Ow..."s. Feeling my eyes upon her, the yellow mare yelped again and darted into the bushes. Quite the shy one I suppose. I started to roll over to stand up, but a sudden shade made me pause. Looking back up to the sky or rather lack of sky, I saw a rather large foot speeding towards me. It seemed the ursa was back and I was about to be hoof-jam. "Fantastic." I muttered. Squish.
