//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Rebirth // Story: Into Oblivion // by ChaosZero460 //------------------------------// CHAPTER ONE "Did you see the part where they went waaay up into the air and then they came back down and then they did that spinning thing and then went WOOSH right over our heads?! That was so cool!" the small colt excitedly yells, the volume entirely unnecessary considering Onyx was right next to him. "Yeah, Rusty, I saw it. I was there. We all were" he says, voice flat with fatigue. The young slate-black stallion walked along the dirt path with the rest of his family, his dark red mane was flipped up in the front in a natural cow-lick. An image of a crescent wrench sat on his flanks. The sun had just slid behind the horizon and the moon was beginning to rise. His little brother, Rusty Wire, hadn't stopped talking since they left the Wonderbolts Airshow in Fillydelphia, in celebration of his 7th birthday next week. "They were so awesome! I wish I could fly! Being an Earth pony is boring" he says, his hoofsteps falling much faster than his older brother's or parents. "You're perfectly fine just the way you are" the mom says looking back to the colt. "Besides, you wouldn't like all the bugs in your teeth." "There's a colt at school, Lard Ball, if you give him 2 bits he'll eat a bug! Yesterday we made him eat a big green beetle! The teacher fainted!" Rusty shouted, again much too loud. "Bright future ahead of that boy, I'm sure" Onyx comments to himself. "Rusty, please don't pay him to eat bugs anymore" mom says. Rusty was visibly disappointed. "Oh come now Rose, you remember how school was. You have to take what entertainment you can get" the brown stallion says to his wife. "Rusty, you only pay this kid if it's worth it, no little ladybugs or anything like that. You make him work for that money." The green mare rolls her eyes. "You just have to turn everything into a business lesson, don't you?" "Well somebody's gonna have to take over the workshop" he replies, looking at Onyx with one of those obnoxious "I'm talking about you" looks. Onyx let out a quiet groan. All his life he'd been told he was in line to inherit dad's Fix-It-Shop, he had pretty much accepted that was what destiny had in store for him. He had a wrench for a cutie mark, and truth be told, he was very good at fixing things. Still though, he wasn't sure that was what he wanted. But how would he know? He'd never tried anything else. Who knows, he might enjoy cooking, or writing, maybe even spelunking. Too bad he'd likely never get a chance to find out. They cross the small stone bridge spanning the river. Their house was in view, Onyx was grateful to be within throwing distance of his bed. It had been a long day, he was ready for some sleep. He looked over at Rusty, who was still bouncing and skipping. It was unlikely he would be so eager to go to bed. "Oh! Dad! I saw a poster that said the Wonderbolts were gonna be in Canterlot! Could we go? Please?" the young colt asked sympathetically as possible. "Canterlot's an awful long ways away Rust, maybe we could-" BOOOOOM!!!!!!!! Without any warning, a savage explosion rips through the bridge. Onyx is thrown back several feet by the shock wave, he lands on the stone structure and writhes in agony. It felt like his internal organs had been liquefied, his mouth was full of blood. The world had gone silent, save for a distant high-pitched whine. It was like time had stopped. He looks around, struggling to keep his eyes open. Already, darkness was creeping into the corners of his eyes. Dad was gone. He had simply disappeared, nothing but rubble where he stood. Mom was... oh sweet Celestia. She was splattered all over the rocks lining the wall, he stares in utter disbelief. A few feet away, he sees Rusty. His entire lower half was gone. He extends a small, shaking hoof towards his older brother. Still deaf, Onyx thought he saw him mouth his name. He looks down at himself, the puddle of red he was lying in was growing larger second by agonizing second. He reaches out for his brother, only to realize the end of his hoof had been blown off. He had moments left at best. It felt so surreal, there was no way this was really happening. It was a dream, it had to be. This couldn't be real. Not his parents, not his brother. Not his baby brother. He feels the bridge shift under him, the stone begins to crumble. He's dumped into the frigid river along with several chunks of the structure. He sinks deeper and deeper until eventually he comes to a rest on the muddy bottom. He feels the water rushing into his lungs, the distant shimmering of the surface was strangely calming. He stops struggling, his body relaxes, seemingly accepting it's fate. The shimmering fades away. Darkness. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ A soft, warm light glows in the distance. He feels himself slowly moving towards it. He was completely weightless, maybe this was what flying felt like. The light grows closer, he swore he could feel his family waiting on the other side. He reaches for the glow with all his might, if he could see them again, if only once... He was so close, just a little further and he'd enter. As soon as he feels himself touch the light, he's yanked back like he was tied to a slingshot. The glow vanishes, and with it, the feeling of hope. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Another feeling swept over him. He was cold, inside and out. He had never felt so cold, it was like someone had filled him with ice. He could hear somepony talking nearby, but couldn't make out what they were saying. This couldn't be. He died, he was dead. So why could he feel nothing but agonizing pain? He opens his eyes, but he only feels his left eye open. His right one was seemingly locked open. He sees a host of numbers and words flowing across his field of vision as the darkened room comes into view. What was going on? He tries to move but is restrained on all four legs, strapped to a cold metal operating table. He can see metal fused onto his foreleg, the same that had been blown off in the explosion. Now he began to panic. His heart rate shoots up, but even that felt off. It was strange and mechanical, this did nothing to help calm him down. Onyx can make out something intruding his field of vision, he looks up to see a metal spike protruding from his head. He lets out a scream as he struggles against his restraints. Death had never felt like such a welcome alternative. "Oh good, you're awake" he hears a voice say off to the side. He turns to see an all-black pony stranding there, but he was covered in metal equipment. He had a metal horn coming from his head like a unicorn, and bladed wings sprouted from his back like a pegasus. But he was neither, this was an earth pony. A small red glowing light shines from one of the eyes. Onyx watches with both horror and confusion as the pony walks over to him. "First of all, I'd like to offer my condolences on the loss of your family. I know firsthand how that feels, the pain of such loss can be unbearable" the mysterious stallion says. "Who are you?" Onyx manages to choke out. "Ah yes, you must have many questions. First of all, I am Blackout. You are in my compound, because I have saved your life." The numbers and words continue to scroll across his vision. "What the hell did you do to me?!" he growls. "Why, we've improved you" Blackout says, the words slithering out of his mouth. He turns a mirror to the restrained pony. Onyx's right eye was gone, replaced by an unblinking robotic counterpart that glowed red just like his captor's. The metal spike he saw was grafted to his skull like a unicorn, a long scar ran down the length of his chest and his foreleg and both rear legs had metal fused to them as well. He stares in horror, words failing him. Not only did he die tonight, but he had been brought back to life as a monster. "I imagine you're somewhat curious about your current state. Nearly everypony is the first time" the stallion says. Wait, who else had he done this too? "Allow me to explain." He steps into the center of the small operating room, the single lamp hanging from the ceiling casting long shadows across his face. "Are you familiar with the Iron Guild?" "Can't say I am" Onyx replies, deciding it was probably best to focus on something other than himself. "Hundreds of years ago, a brilliant pony by the name of Steel Shadow made huge advances in technology, the likes of which Equestria had never seen before, or since. His achievements enabled his fellow earth ponies to manipulate objects, with the power of science over magic. To take to the skies, utilizing intricate mechanics and circuitry rather than natural biology." "So, he turned earth ponies into... unicorns and pegasi?" Onyx says with a raised brow. Blackout chuckled. "That's putting it rather bluntly, but yes, I suppose one could say that. What he did, it wasn't for money or power. It was for equality. He saw how the earth ponies had been oppressed, century after century. We built this kingdom, and what did we get?! NOTHING!" the black cyborg roars. Onyx jumps slightly. "Steel Shadow saw this as an opportunity to level the playing field. By making everypony equal, by giving them the choice to become something more, he could eliminate the social barrier between ponies. He was on the verge of the greatest equal rights movement in history." Blackout turned, the red robotic eye seemingly cutting right through the restrained stallion. "But the unicorns and pegasi didn't want to change the established order. They felt threatened. After all, if everypony was the same, then nopony would be superior. They stormed Steel Shadow's house, and murdered him in cold blood because he found a way to improve the lives of millions." "Quite the story, but that still doesn't tell me what the hell's going on here" Onyx says. "Do you not see? Using his technological advancements, we have succeeded where magic fails. You've been brought back from death. We have given you sight when you have been blinded. We have given you the ability to walk, when your legs had been lost. We've given you a metal heart, when your own had been torn to shreds. But yet we're ostracized as terrorists, anarchists and heretics" he spits. "Despite the flagrant bigotry and blind hatred, a few of us have carried on Steel Shadow's dream of an equal Equestria. Myself and your father included." Onyx's ears twitch in surprise. "Wait, my father? Dad was involved in this crap?" "Oh yes, Ratchet was one of our most passionate members. Dear old dad got both of us involved at an early age, but I was the only one who stuck with it. After meeting your mother, he left the group to settle down and raise a family." "That's impossible, my dad didn't have a brother" he replies. Blackout chuckles yet again. "I'm not surprised he never bothered to mention me. He tried to bury every remnant of his old life, I must say he did a spectacular job of it. But come now, do you not see the resemblance?" the pony says, holding out his hoof. Onyx had to admit, they did look somewhat alike. "You take after your grandfather you know. Good Celestia, you look just like him. And he after his father, and on up the line to Steel Shadow himself. You see the pony had a son, who carried on his legacy and passed it down the line. The trend continued, until we come to where we are today. Onyx Shard, you're the heir to this dynasty." "Wait, hold up. You mean... I'm in charge here?" he says confusedly. Blackout lets out a deep, resonating cackle. "Oh heavens no! You're nothing but a pawn. But... if you perform your duties with the duty and honor that is expected of you, then someday, maybe, you can ascend to my level of authority." "What...duties?" he cautiously asks. The tall black stallion begins to walk out of the dark lab, chuckling to himself. "You'll see soon enough." He gets to the doorway before turning to face him one final time. "Canterlot will burn." Onyx was left there alone in the dark, still strapped to the table. "...well that's not at all ominous" he says to himself.