Seesaw

by MintLynx

20: Rogue

Celestia's sun would rise over the urban landscape of Everfree city as dawn broke through the night sky. The screen boards would be depicting breaking news. The citizens would be informed in full about the discovery and capture of the terrorist hackers. After the incident within Everfree seeing this news helped to quell some doubts and worries online, helping to maintain the belief that no matter what justice would prevail. Anomaly would be asleep, but constantly working through her mind without ceasing to continue keeping an eye on things. They had struck a major blow to the terrorists, but Anomaly knew that things were far from over.

Chief Kevlar Vest would be riding an autocarriage with Cypher towards the EQUE-TECH headquarters facility. They would both he holding plastic reusable cups of coffee, their contents already half full to keep the tired bats awake. Now that the terrorist threat seemed to be at least temporarily quelled, they decided that now was the time to talk with Myriad. The machine would pull into the underground parking of the facility. As the vehicle parked itself in its spot the two would step out before Cypher would say.

"You think she is really doing things we don't know about?"

"I do, and it concerns me the possibility that one of our own isn't fully informing us of their activities." Kevlar would reply.

"What are we going to say to her? If she is doing this and if she isn't?"

"If she isn't then we will need to monitor Owl's wrist computer more closely to ensure he doesn't get deceived by Anomaly." The bat would reply simply, taking a drag on an e-cigar.

"And if Myriad is doing what Anomaly claimed to Owl? If she really is doing things beyond the intended plan for the PSS?" Cypher would ask, some concern in her tone. The possibility of Myriad doing things on her own, beyond the plans for the PSS held a number of risks.

"We'll have to talk some sense into her." Kevlar would say, before walking to the elevator.

Cypher would follow along and say in reply "I hope we can, we should be able to. After all Myriad is not a reckless mare, she does things with a plan in mind."

Sometime later, many stories up Myriad would be sitting in her office and scrolling through charts and financial statistics on a screen using her wrist computer. Though involved with Harmonize she was still a CEO, and that meant running and micromanaging the multi-billion digibit corporation that was EQUE-TECH. A knock would come on her door, and she would shut off the screen before politely saying.

"Who is it? How may I help you?"

Kevlar opened the door, stepping in with Cypher before closing the door behind them. "Are you or anyone in your employ doing anything with the PSS we don't know about?"

"Aaaaah yes, the conversion. I was planning to inform you in time, but in fear that this would be...controversial ." Myriad would reply simply. "But I am prepared to make the case as to why this conversion is needed."

"So it seems Anomaly wasn't lying to Owl." Cypher would say, before adamantly saying. "Doing things like this without the group's knowledge is hazardous and foolish. Extending the PSS to the level of modifying ponies mind does not seem proper to us."

Myriad would smile softly, before replying to them. "As I have stated I am prepared to explain why such a system is needed. Modifying the citizen's minds might seem like it is extreme, but really it is a logical step in the progress towards maintaining our society better. We have had had ponies give up certain freedoms, speaking freely, having privacy, the total necessity for warrants to search. All for keeping them safe from the growing threat that resides within society, the threat that has dragged ponykind down from its peaceful state in the past. With this upgrade to the system, I seek to eradicate that threat once and for all."

Cypher would nod but say to Myriad "But having such control over the way ponies think, it is not right. We are aimed to steer Equestria toward a better path, not force it."

"Don't act like ponies don't have freedom, they have the freedom to live their lives unobstructed. Indulge in their entertainment, do their jobs, buy things they want and need. Keeping their minds managed will not obstruct it, but instead prevent it from being obstructed. Obstructed by the threat of lawbreakers, murderers, thieves, self-righteous fighters of 'freedom'."

"But what about the underground? The ponies who live beyond the law?" Kevlar would say.

"They will be dealt with, those that aren't taken in and installed with Brain augments for their 'rehabilitation' program will be dealt with through lethal force." Myriad would say firmly. "Need I remind you that the pinnacle of the threat the societal underground poses has come to its evolution in the form of those terrorists? That is what comes from the underground, and thus it must be eradicated." She would then tap away on her wrist computer before saying "Though Anomaly escaped I have managed to reform a familiar pony."

Kevlar would look to Cypher, before they both looked back to Myriad. Taking a few moments to think they would hear the door open before a familiar face popped in. Kevlar looked in surprise as he saw none other than the mare from the Golden Street incident. Her mane style would be changed a bit, made from a rough cyberculture style to a stylized variant of a common canterlot mane. She would smile and wave to them, saying in a friendly tone "Hey there, is there something you wanted me for Myriad?"

"I wanted to show these two the new you, and the fruits of this new effort of ours," Myriad said, before looking to Kevlar. "This mare was once a sociopathic criminal, now she has been reformed. This can be done to many other ponies, ponies with mental ailments and criminal tendencies. Make them a better pony, improve them, make them productive members of society."

Cypher would think on this, before grimacing and shaking her head and saying "This isn't right, taking such control of ponies that we can do anything we want with their minds. We would essentially be taking away their self, what makes them, 'them' by making their minds something that can just be altered. This is just too far, surveillance systems in place are fine, even on their minds themselves but being able to just alter them...."

"We have progressed the system for many, many decades, Cypher. Why stop now? Why not progress until the system is perfect. I am sorry to say, but the current system has holes, it is failing." Myriad would say, bluntly with a scowl. "You know it is has been failing and may fail more in the future as the underground keeps getting more clever."

Kevlar glared back, baring his fangs biting on the mouthpiece of his E-cigar, breaking it and making it fall to the ground. The glass liquid casing would break open on the ground, spilling the oil on it. "We may have had failures but we make up for them, we ALWAYS strike back. We just arrested over one hundred hackers a matter of hours ago, if you are implying we are ineffective might I bucking remind you of that."

"Pfft." Myriad would say "You are ineffective, compared to the system upgrade. With the system, once it is in place and the underground is eliminated by force there will be peace. The few that might threaten it can be dealt with by force, while the rest of society can go on with their lives under the system's protection. Once everypony, Griffin, citizen of any kind is put under the PRS system there will be a much firmer peace."

Cypher would say "What about Gryphons from Gryphonia coming in? Some fleeing criminals? What about those from other places?"

"Those that live in Equestria will be influenced into installing the new brain-computer systems. Those that visit will see the more peaceful society where crime is lowered substantially to any place in the world. Once the war against the lawless is won in Equestria, Harmonize will expand to other places. Use private armies and agents to bring peace even to the broken nation of Gryphonia, we could expand the business of the brain augmentations there as well. We could steer the government in a better direction. There are great things we could do with this! And yet here you are rejecting this system in favor of just a dumbed down system."

"Watching over pony's minds will let us keep an eye on things! We can keep peace that way, find potential criminals before they can commit crimes." Cypher would say.

"There will be resistance, there will be those who band together and turn against the system. Plus the likes of hacktivists like Digital hoof might influence ponies into turning from the system as well. There is a risk in letting ponies make unregulated choice, and it would be better if we could directly push society toward the harmony of the past. Even Celestia and Luna are on board with this, I talked to them earlier about this."

"What???" Kevlar would say in shock. "The princesses are on board with this??"

"As is Golden Belle, who I have sent to speak with the rest of the harmony council about this. I apologize for the secrecy, but I wanted my plan to be well established and thought out before I informed you all. We will see what the Harmony council thinks about this, I believe they may see my point unlike you two."

"This is not the way forward! Improvement to the guard and city security is the way!" Kevlar would say, slamming a hoof down onto the mare's desk. "What about us? Those in Harmonize? Do we just keep our minds and decide the very thoughts of ponies???"

Myriad stared into the slit pupils of the bat, a smirk on her face as she said "How naive, don't you that already? The propaganda, controlling the news to tell what is meant to be heard and only that. This is just the next step, the next logical evolution of the system. And the fact is, this will accomplish the goal of keeping Ponykind safe along with eliminating any who are of the underground."

Cypher would say "Fact is we would be tarnishing ponies, making them into nothing but machines! Things that can be just easily modified!"

Myriad's Wrist computer would ring, a digital ringtone mimicking the music of a Lyre. She would answer the call, then smile as she said "Seems the rest of the Harmony council is on board with it."

"This is madness! This will not create harmony, it'll create an artificial harmony!" Cypher would say.

"There is no artificiality, not unless you think like those anti-bionics protesters. Thinking technology shouldn't be integrated into ponies for the better of the world." Myriad would respond, calmly but with a smile.

"That is not what I am saying."

"It is actually, obstructing the greatness of technological progress for mere shallow pseudo moral reasons is exactly in line with their logic. With the others on board, it seems you are alone in your pointless opposition."

Kevlar would point to her, saying "We are going to talk some sense into them, this is not the way of Harmonize. And we are going to do it face to face with them. Come on Cypher, I don't think we're going to convince Myriad without bringing the others to reason." The two would walk out of the office.

Myriad would shake her head and sigh, before saying in the Comms call "Seems they aren't on board, adamantly so. We might need to change that before they go rogue on us. We don't want another Delete Key." The mare would press something on her wrist computer, making a cleaning robot roll out of an opening hole in the wall to clean up. The intercoms would be activated, Myriad's voice saying through them "Apprehend those two bats, now." with a calm and collected voice.

"What the buck??" Kevlar would say, before a couple of EQUE-TECH security guards would walk into the hall. They would pull out stun guns, and quickly he would grab a nearby chair to block the electric bolts that would be shot at them. The chief would swiftly fly toward them, swinging the chair into one while kicking the other in the face. "Sweet Luna we have to get out of here, now!" He would quickly make a break for the nearest window, Cypher following him around a corner and evading stun gun shots. The chief would kick at a window, before flying back and shouting "Look out!". Cypher moved out of the way quickly as he swung the chair into the window, shattering it. Rapid hoofsteps would be heard as more security guards came. "Come on let's go!" he would say, pulling Cypher through the window frame as they narrowly missed Stun bolts.

The two bats would glide out of the window and away from the building flying away quickly. "I can't believe this is happening!" Cypher would say. "We have to get to Canterlot! Myriad is mad and she can't be trusted!"

"I don't know if we can trust the others...I'm calling the princesses after this." Kevlar would say, baring his teeth. "I can't believe they would say yes to this...."

____________________________________________________________________

Owl would be hit with a barrage of rings from his wrist computer, before he woke up and shouted. "BUCKING HORSEAPPLES UP A WHORE'S TAILHOLE!" he looked and saw that it was the Chief. His tired eyes would open wide as he answered the call. "Chief?"

"We've been betrayed Owl, the head of the EQUE-TECH CEO has turned on me and Cypher. They've turned the others against us as well!" Kevlar would say.

"What the buck?? What's going on??"

"I'll have to explain later, don't trust anything anypony up top says. Not for now anyway! Not unless they are directing towards dealing with the terrorists!"

"Oh buck, this is a mindbuck of a lifetime. Is this about Haromize??"

"....Anomaly was right.....Myriad really is gonna have the system be used for direct mind control! Modifying ponies minds for the-" the call would be cut, and Owl would try to recall. Another number would call him instead, and his wrist computer would auto answer.

"Don't listen to him, he has made himself an evident level 8 threat in your book." Myriad's voice would say, stern and direct but calm. "He is opposed to our means towards a safer place, a place where you will never need to worry about your daughter again. Where she can be safe, and productive."

"Is this world gonna use mind control?? HUH?"

"You already use mind control, the propaganda news station you use to keep the masses calm and thinking the way you want. This is but an upgrade for that."

"No it is not! You've created a system that has opened ponies' up to the threat of having their minds bucked! Not just by these Luna cursed terrorists, but by those in power!"

A mocking laugh came through the call, and Myriad would say "What are you? One of those street trash digital hoof hacktivists? I thought you stood for law and order, Owl Talon."

"Buck off!" Owl would reply, bringing a sharp and vulgar tone through the telepathic link before saying. "I'm on my Chief and Anomaly's side. Now I feel confident that everything she said about you is true, go fap off to your charts!" he would say, closing the call and blocking the number. He would push out from his room and knock hard on the one next to him, making the door shake and rattle with the impact.

Vision would open up the door and say "What the buck is going on Owl?"

"Harmonize has turned against the Chief, and seek to use the system to control ponies in ways we can't allow."

Data would open her door and peek her head out, groaning and saying "It's ten in the morning, are those bucking terrorists back at it again? Come to think of it, it'd be smart for them to hit midday when we'd be groggy."

"What??" Vision would say "What are you talking about?" Before the television in his room would turn on suddenly, and he would turn around. Through the room's speakers, a voice in advanced text to speech voice would come through, replicating the Voice of Anomaly.

"Owl is not wrong, nor crazy, watch this little bit of footage." Before the television would show surveillance footage of the conversation Kevlar and Cypher would have.

Data walked up to Owl, rubbing her eyes as she said "What the buck is going on?" before she too would walk into Vision's room to watch the footage.

_________________________________________________________

Kevlar and Vision would walk among the crowds along the streets, trying to blend in as they spoke through a comms Call.

"This is insane, we have to find a safe place to go to. We can't wander the streets forever."

"Where should we go??"

Kevlar would look around, before seeing an Arcade and replying "There."

Walking inside the two would go up to the mare at the front desk, smiling and saying "Welcome to VR-Cade! What fun would you like to-" before a badge was raised to her snout.

"Police business, we need to use your backroom."

Being in the backroom Kevlar would close the call, before saying out loud to Cypher. "This is going to be a bad time, only thing that could make things worse is a cyberterrorist attack."

Suddenly the screen board in the room, which was evidently the owner's living space would turn on. It would show a room lit in red, and none other than DK standing in it. She would wave, before saying in a somewhat musical tone with her voice distortion active "Well well well, looks like from grace you fell. You disagreed with the corporate side of your power, now they've brought you to a dire hour. Yes, I watched through those cameras in that corpwhore's office, just like Anomaly did."

"We hunted down your hackers, what do you even have left??" Cypher demanded. The television would pick up her voice through its means normally meant for voice controls.

"Plenty left, and a few powerful allies. Though you have struck a major blow to us, and took out over half our group, it looks like you are in a place of disadvantage. We will take advantage of that, so you best hope for some miracles because even the princesses are likely against you."

"Owl's gonna hunt you down, hunt down all of you, and he is going to bring you bastards terror! Just like you did to those innocent ponies!" Kevlar would say, looking to the television with a glare.

"We will see Chiefie, but you are going to need a miracle at this rate. These incidents have boded well for gathering data for the Liberator, our great virus. And it won't be long before we will be able to make more and more of this Central City System our puppet plaything! Plus...we will also be striking other cities as well, Cloudsdale, Battania, Manehattan, even Canterlot~"

"You aren't going to win this, we're on the side of good and they have always prevailed! We struck you hard and we'll strike you again!"

"Ooooh, you still think you are the good guys, even when you are more or less officially villains. I can relate to that kind of situation, Sis."

Cypher would then freeze for a moment, before looking at her and saying. "Delete Key was eliminated, killed and cremated when she turned against Harmonize."

"She was part of the force, an older sister who once ran the Cyberguard. She was the one ironically who caught you, but reasoned with you. Eventually helping you become who you are today, or rather were not too long ago."

"How do you know that??" Cypher would reply, perplexed and shocked.

She would tap on the wrist computer, before saying with a familiar voice digitally replicated. "She was also part of the original project that helped to start the PSS, or PRS as it is now. She was the original mare with the brain augmentations before she realized just what she was doing. She wanted to help build the next step in computer technology, while also helping ensure its safety. Then she learned exactly what Myriad was planning for it. She opposed that and tried to tell the others, however she was made to look like she 'turned' against Harmonize before being assassinated."

"HOW DO YOU KNOW?? How do you mimic her voice??"

"She escaped, you see she helped develop the element of 'uploading' and escaped her mind into Cyberspace! She left a decoy so she wouldn't be followed. Then she came into the Deep Web, depressed and hiding away. Disgraced and depressed, she went around wreaking as much havoc as she could on there. Soon enough after finding herself hunted she was forced to law low, and found herself living in the dark side of cyberspace for a long time. She even found some crazy but rather fun friends online as well. It was there she learned about the underground, what it was like and how it so truly surpassed the society Harmonize maintained."

"......Delete Key...?"

"Her friends had a cybernetic body made for her, and it was there she learned of the underground. There are awful ponies there, but there's also good ponies there as well. And they are all free, all free to pick their own path and even to fight for righteousness if they so chose. Unlike in this system, you worked for, working alongside conniving corporate suits who conned you into thinking they wanna 'protect the ponies too'. All while they could easily exploit their power and buck over the populace without justice. This system of yours is corrupt, diseased, and the only better thing is to destroy it. Perhaps then the good ponies out there can build a better world......I saw the flaws of the Underground...but I also saw the freedom...the opportunity. The only good justice is justice that is free from political and corporate control. From that realization, and my friendships I started to form the Freedom Fighters. Maybe you will learn like I have, now that they have bucked you over too Sis. You and that Chief both." The screen would turn off before Cypher slowly looked to Kevlar.

Kevlar would grimace, looking to Cypher slowly.

__________________________________________________________________

Owl, Vision, and Data would watch as the footage concluded. Seeing the Chief and Cyberguard head escape through the smashed window. They saw and heard it all, audio and video both.

"My Luna...even the princesses are on board with that...." Vision would say "I can't believe this."

Data would remark "They really wanna control everypony's minds, like some supervillain plan. Only unlike supervillains....they think themselves the good guys."

"I don't even know who are good guys and bad guys anymore...." Owl would remark, before looking to them and saying "Anomaly may be our only hope now."

"We aren't going to turn on the princesses, are we?" Deca would say, a worried tone in her voice. "That's crazy..."

Owl would look at her, glaring as he said "We as Lunar Guard aren't here to protect the Princesses, we're here to protect Equestria. We haven't been mere guards for Canterlot and the Princesses in years. As guards, our purpose for centuries was to protect Equestria. It still is, even if the princesses are turned against us. We can't let even the princesses turn from that purpose. Even if they successfully enact that system ponies' minds will remain vulnerable to hackers. There will be ponies who will exploit this system, and the more it is implanted into society the more they are vulnerable. Even Gryphons from outside Equestria may hack into the system. Furthermore, it doesn't protect ponies minds, it takes away their freedom to be who they are. Letting the government and clever hackers both change it at their will. For Equestria and our duty as guards, we must stop this."

Data would chuckle nervously, before sighing and saying "I hope we can get more guards on board and on our side, I don't wanna turn on my fellow comrades."

Vision would say "We need to send a message to all of the Guards. We need to let them know about this, and try to turn them from this system."

"We need to let them know about it, before it is too late. I didn't know about the PRS, Harmonize, anything till Anomaly revealed it to me. They will not likely know either, we need to reveal it to them." Owl would say, getting up and spreading his wings. "And we will need to do it quickly, we may have struck the cyberterrorists down but they may rise up again."

Data smiled, then got up as she said: "Let's go save Equestria, stop those Cyberterrorists and these harmonize ponies."

Anomaly would give them all waypoints, messaging them. "This is where the Chief and Cypher are, make sure you aren't followed. I will keep this from being tracked."

The three would all get up, exiting the room and walking down the hall. As they entered the lobby they would suddenly be met with guns pointed at them from S4s.

"Who are you getting orders from?" Vision would say sternly.

"Stand down and we won't-"

"WHO ARE YOU GETTING ORDERS FROM!" Vision would say back, sternly in a yell. "Because it sure a buck isn't your Chief."

"G-g-golden Belle said the Chief has turned on us, and that we need to answer to her." a nervous S4 would say.

"The whole Harmony council has decided developing the system that allowed pony's minds to be hacked is the best course of action. They want to use brain augmentations to control everypony, and let them do what they want with ponies minds. The Chief is opposed to this, and is now likely being hunted by them, THAT is why you aren't being ordered by the chief!"

The S4s would look to eachother before lowering their guns. "They want to do that...?" Another would ask "There's a system to control ponies' minds?"

"Yes, it isn't finished but they intend to complete it soon enough. We have to stop them, we have to stop all of them."

"For Equestria." Owl would say. "The hacker Anomaly let us know, and we need to let her help us for the time being. We need to be ready to deal with the Cyberterrorists as well.....even if we must do it rogue."

They lowered their guns as one said: "Things were quite confusing, what do we do now?"

"Stay here, cover our escape. We need to get to the Chief, be ready to come to our aid if we need you." Owl would say, to which the S4s would nod and let them past.

They would follow the waypoint, moving quickly and slipping past the cameras as much as possible. Anomaly would assist by tampering with those cameras as much as possible. She would get some help when the DJ came on and entered call with her.

"Looks like you're up to something, care to tell?"

"Helping my agents slip past Harmonize's watch, I may have a foothold to fight them. They made a mistake turning on the Chief, and I am going to exploit that."

"Ooooooh exciting~ I like it!"

Anomaly and DJ would assist the three in their way toward the Arcade, soon helping them slip into the building. Showing their badges they would move to the back, where they would meet Cypher and Kevlar.

"Owl? How did you....?" Kevlar would ask, confused.

"Anomaly gave us a waypoint to you reach you." Owl would say. "We came as fast as we could, and know what happened."

"Good." Kevlar would say "Because we are in quite the situation."

Cypher would say "We at least know how the cyberterrorists got into the PSS...or PRS rather. DK, their apparent head is a former pony of Harmonize. DK....is Delete Key..."

"The former head of the CyberGuard??" Data would ask, perplexed. "How is that possible? She was murdered years ago!"

Cypher would sigh as she said "She was deemed a threat, though through a lie from Myriad apparently, then assassinated."

Vision would scowl as he asked "Assassinated??? Harmonize does that?? What was she claimed to do?"

"Claimed to have turned against us, when in reality she apparently discovered what me and Kevlar only just discovered. She was also a prototype for the project that Anomaly went on to work with." Cypher would reply. "She ended up uploading herself to Cyberspace, and fully turning against us."

"Well ain't that a twist." Data would say, before asking Kevlar "Are we going to end up having to turn against them you think?"

Kevlar shook his head, saying "I don't know, I can only hope we can make some ponies see to reason."

"We need to inform the Guard, Chief." Owl would say "We need to open them to the truth."

Kevlar would sigh, walking out to the screen as he contemplated that course of action. Looking back to Owl he would say "Every pony that we tell is a risk of having everything spill out. If everything spills out it could lead to mass panic, it could break down the social order."

Owl would look to him firmly, saying "We need to let them know, let then know that the Harmony council has gone corrupt. Turn them against them, only then might we pressure them to turn away from this."

"We can only hope Owl, we can only hope." Kevlar would say with a sigh. "But it seems like it is our best chance for not needing to fight our comrades. Let's get out of here, we need to go to Canterlot."

"What about here? What if the Freedom Fighters decide to hit this place while we are away? Go for some revenge after we whooped them to Tartarus and back?"

"You stay here with Cypher, Data." Kevlar would say "You'll keep here in case that happens. Owl, Vision, with me."

The three bats would walk out of the Arcade, the daytime sun once more straining their eyes. Across the busy street would come none other than SteelWheels. "Hey, Anomaly had me give you guys a ride. Consider yourselves lucky you're with her 'cause I don't normally take police on rides."

Owl would say "Good thing you came along, taking the train wouldn't be the best idea. We don't wanna be tracked."

The three would step in before the mare would take control and roll off. "We're heading out to the highway, so it'll be a long trip. You bats might as well get some shuteye while we're on the trip."

Stepping into the vehicle Owl, Vision, and Kevlar would all sit back. They were all quite tired, and fortunately the half zebra mare would press a button to make her windows tint to filter the light. "My carriage has got a lotta features, customized it myself."

Out to the highway, the autocarriage would drive. The InterCity train had effectively killed traffic on the highways between cities. The edge of Everfree was marked by many buildings under constructions, metal skeletons being tended to partially by bionically augmented workers and machines. Beyond that was the plains, the dwindling and uninhabited rural areas. The road was quiet, with the sound of tires on old asphalt and the whine of the engine being all that broke silence. With the timber mostly cut down for wood products, most of what was left was plains and hills which lie below the highway bridges and roads which made up the route to Canterlot. Owl would look out the windows, seeing some bushes and patches of wildflowers pass by. It was surreal seeing a place devoid of the metal, concrete, glass, and artificial light that made up cities.

A few hours passed as they rolled along the highway, linear without any exits. It was just one ten lane highway, five for each side. The sun would move slowly through the sky with its time, and by then all three of the bats would have fallen asleep. Given how empty the highway was they would be unaware that the driver was running the autocarriage well past one hundred and twenty miles per hour in some places.

Eventually, they would see the great rings of Canterlot approaching in the distance, the urban spill coming into sight as they approached the start of the city. The mare driving would slow down, and decide she would find a place to park to let them rest before dropping them off. Before being in sight she would change the car's color, making sure to keep incognito at all times. From the empty plains of the dying and uninhabited rural land, back into the urban sprawl.

Author's Note:

I didn't want this chapter to be another dialogue and exposition heavy one, fortunately, I had these ideas to give it some action.