//------------------------------//
// Outside and Inside 
// Story: Washed Away 
// by lyra_lover777 
//------------------------------//

	New reached out a single hoof as he watched Decadent trot away from them without even a acknowledgement that they were there as she slowly trotted up onto the stage, soon disappearing.
While the crowd began to disperse with sighs and mumbles, New and Firetta stood still and stoic, never moving, both just staring into space. Finally the trance was broken when a young orange pegasus colt smashed into them, knocking them over before fluttering away, turning down a dark alley.
New helped up Firetta. It was as if he was emerging from a coma. Everything was sharper and in much more focus. He looked at his friend's finely chiseled features. How had he never noticed...
But he was shaken from the thought and feeling as Firetta nudged him on the shoulder, smiling weakly. The sharpened senses and new thoughts disappeared as they swept each other into a tight hug, not romantic, but like a brother and sister.
When they split, they smiled. Then Firetta frowned and asked "Why---why didn't she say goodbye..." her voice trailing off as she looked into the distance at the pristine white walls that surrounded The Society. They reached above the clouds so no pegasus could fly over them. New had once seen Firetta attempt it. She was one of the best fliers he knew, and she had come back, barely conscious, somehow managing to stay afloat long enough to reach the ground.
The two shared a knowing look. They knew it was over, and there was nothing they could do. Suddenly Firetta, one of the strongest ponies he knew, buried her muzzle in his shoulder as she began to sob. Several tears leaked down New's face, dripping off his muzzle as he held her close.
When they split apart, they both took a last longing look at the stage. New sighed as Firetta wiped the last tears from her eyes. They then locked eyes with each other and began to slowly trot away. New gave one last glance to the Square before turning around, disappearing around a street corner with Firetta and their families.
===
Decadent huddled in a corner of the carriage they were being escorted in. She finally raised her head, breathing shaky breaths and wiping her red, puffy eyes.
Storm was sitting on the other side of the enclosed carriage, looking out the window, trying not to notice Decadent's sobbing.
Decadent bit her lip as she looked up the muscled body of Storm, a spark of some primal feeling lighting her heart and mind on fire with passion.
She tried to take steady breaths as she pushed the feelings away. What was that?
Decadent thought back to her fillyhood as she remembered skipping to school with Firetta, and playing tag with her cousin Turquoise Fountain and her uncle Watching Blue. He was an all blue earth pony with a cutie mark of a diamond watch.
But then she remembered her parents. Her mother, always distant, always more focused on her work than her own daughter. Then there was her father, who worked at the hospital. He was found having an affair with a nurse by the name of Cough Drop. It had happened when she was only three, and since then her parents had been slowly growing ever distant, so wrapped up in their work and feelings that they forgot her. A lot.
She remembered one time several years ago when she, her parents, Turquoise Fountain and his dad, Watcher Blue, had been going to visit the Park, a little grove of trees on the other side of the shanty. They loaded up the carriage and forgot her, and didn't realize it until they got to the Park. They arrived home from the Park several hours later, having left a young filly out in the streets, where bad things could happen. Thankfully she lived near Firetta, so she had ran as fast as she could to her house.
She didn't realize it, but she felt as though she was unloved, and leaped on any stallion that showed any hints of feelings for her.
Decadent left her memories as the carriage screeched to a halt, hurting Decadent's ears.
She looked around as the door of the carriage opened to reveal a portly purple unicorn stallion, who bowed to them. He moved almost robotically, as if being controlled by a remote controller.
He moved to the side as Storm fluttered out of the car, with Decadent close behind. Her eyes opened wide in amazement as she looked at the sleek, towering structures in front of her.
Hundreds of smaller buildings spread across the large, clean streets where ponies of all colors and kinds moved about, entering and leaving buildings, waving and smiling.
On the one edge of the city, there was a giant, blue lake. Several small yachts floated on its surface, the ponies aboard laughing as they sipped beer and wine from glass mugs and cups.
On the shore of the lake four buildings stood. In the middle, a giant building shaped like an "o" stood, its metallic surface glinting in the sun's light.
On one side of the "o" building, there were two small circle buildings shaped like massive periods.
On the other side a weird shaped building stood. Its shape was indescribable. It was metallic like the other buildings.
Decadent was awoken from her haze of amazement when a friendly, female orange unicorn stood in front of them waving shyly.  She then said" Welcome to The Society!"
===
Firetta was flapping frantically as New galloped below her, pouring all his strength into the activity.
Firetta looked behind her shoulder to see the five ponies chasing them, all earth ponies holding guns. She looked forward, smashing through a cloud as she twisted in the air.
She swerved out of the way as one earth pony, a light pink mare, fired a cannon on her back. The missile from the cannon flew past Firetta, and hit a nearby pillar of rock. 
New pushed forward as Firetta soared above him, a faint trail of flickering flames in her wake.
The ponies chasing them reared as the pillar of rock toppled, crushing one of them, an indigo stallion.
Firetta looked down at the cantering New. He was sweating profusely, the sweat outlining his large, meaty muscles, which rippled in the light as he ran...
Firetta was shaken from the trance when twin gunshots could be heard, barely missing her left wing. She sped up to catch up with New, the feeling gone.
===
New sighed as he leaned against the cave wall, closing his eyes.
They had escaped the Society officials by the skin of their teeth. They had lost them when Firetta had somehow managed to pick New up and fly as fast as she could, flying over a wide gulch, leaving behind a trail of flames.
Firetta was hunched in another corner, resting. She turned to him for a second, her glimmering eyes meeting his before staring at the wall of the cave again.
New sighed again as he remembered how they had gotten into this situation.
New, Firetta and their families were trotting down the street, trying to smile and laugh, when they were attacked. A gang came out of a dark alley, firing off shots. One hit Golden Hope in the right fore leg. He fell as Divine Diamond, his wife, picked him up in her levitation and galloped behind some trash bins. 
Meanwhile Firetta's dad, Fine Flame, pulled out his shotgun that he always carried. Fine always carried it since the Shanty was an unsafe place to live, and didn't want anypony to get hurt.
Fine pushed his wife into a abandoned store before firing, taking down one of the gang.
Meanwhile two gangsters snuck up on the two younger ponies and grabbed them, pulling sacks over their heads before pulling them into another dark alley.
New had then awoken several hours later to find himself in a bulletproof carriage being pulled by two pegasus gangsters. One unicorn gangster sat at the front. New had heard them talking of how their catches would bring a good profit as slaves, both muscular and strong.
Suddenly cursing could be heard up front. New looked out the to see  twin jets zooming towards them, no ponies pulling them.
The unicorn frantically whipped the pegasi gangsters, screaming profanities. Suddenly one of the pegasi guards fell still, his light orange coat splattered with his own blood. The whole carriage tipped as they fell from the sky, the unicorn the next to be shot. He fell off the front of the carriage, plummeting.
The remaining pegasus tried to pull the carriage back up, but wasn't strong enough. Soon he also fell still, bullet holes littering his body as Firetta leaped out the window, holding onto New.
The pair plummeted, but soon a tree came within sight. Firetta had flapped frantically and caught onto one branch, while the carriage hit the ground, exploding into a ball of fire.
Then the pair had jumped from the tree and galloped away, five armed ponies following them.   
New  shook his head as he got to his hooves. Now they were trapped Outside, no weapons, no food. New's belly began to rumble as he trotted out of the cave to a small, wilting patch of grass, nibbling on the dying stalks.
Meanwhile Firetta stuck out her tongue, disgusted, at her friends actions. But soon her hunger was to over whelming and she moved next to him, nibbling also.
His face was one of seriousness as they raised their heads. New took a few hoofsteps forward. He trotted for a minute or so until he saw a winding trail of smoke rising from an unknown place. He pointed it out to Firetta and the pair took off towards it, one flapping and the other galloping.