CHAPTER ONE: Beginnings Start Behind Desolate Walls
A black haired, brown filly Pegasus steps out of his low roof cell block onto the concrete streets. This is Pegasus #255. He has no name. Creakocity, known by outsiders as the “Slums of the World,” is an oppressed city ruled under Baron Creak’s iron hoof. His guards and scouts, deemed the name “Wreckers,” are his eyes and ears. Creakocity was isolated from the rest of the world, no one enters and no one leaves. It was #255’s destiny to live and die inside the cities cruel iron walls.
Because he is a Pegasus filly, he and his parents (Pegusi #’s 167 and 171), were placed with the other Pegusi in the “Low-Roof” district. If you flew, you were shocked. If you casted magic, you were shocked. If you went against the Baron, you were shocked. The city was grey, the only color being from the Wrecker’s shock-batons. Most of what you hear is either a zap followed by a yelp of pain, or factory machines grinding gears. #255 was about five, he lived with his parents in cell block #865. This was no prison camp, it was a real city. Celestia wanted Creakocity and the Baron gone, but this takes place on an island outside Equestria. No one was willing to help the ponies escape, for they had no business there.
Many have tried to escape, but all too many have failed. Punishment for attempted escape was a death penalty. It’s all of the possible death penalties that keep the city’s population stable. When the population goes up too much, the eldest were killed off. Just like that, no questions asked. #255’s only dream was escape, he longed for the moment when the Wreckers turn their backs and he can run. Run and not look back.
“Mommy, will we ever be able to leave?” he asked.
“Shh sweetie, asking things like that can get you into serious trouble.” She would reply.
That was her reply to everything, as if she was a robot automated for saying that. 255 looked up into the sky, and stared. There was no sun; Just the dark grey clouds that constantly watched over the desolate souls of the city. Not a hint of freedom, or hope lingered in the air. Instead, it was replaced by fear; Pure fear. 255 was walking down the empty streets, alone. The streets were never paved; they were either made up of small cobble or ruins of past buildings. 255 was braver than most ponies, he did his part to see the best in the worst. As 255 walked, a wrecker turned the corner.
“Outta my way, kid.” The Wrecker kicked 255 to the side.
255 tumbled over, leaving a cloud of dust.
“Stupid civilians, always getting in our way.” The Wrecker grunted, and marched off.
255 collected himself, brushed the dust off in a quick motion, and started to walk back home. After a short distance, the young Pegasus turned and attempted to open an iron-barred cell door.
“Mommy? Daddy?”
A grey Pegasus with a brown mane approaches the cell, unlocks it, and slides it open.
“Son? What the heck are you doing outside yourself?!”
“Just…going for a walk…”
“Are you MAD! You could have gotten yourself killed!”
255 looked up at his father, not comprehending what he just said.
“Oh, ugh, just get inside and forget I said anything!”
The scared filly steps inside, as the father peers outside to check for Wreckers.
“Daddy, what was that last word-“
“I didn’t say anything dammit!”
The older Pegasus walked away and gazed through an iron-barred window. The filly looked around, it was a blank, grey, concrete room with only the door and the window left to see the pitiful outside. The old, worn out sleeping bags lie around, and only a hole in the ground flooded with water was in the corner.
“Son. Come here.”
255 looked up, and ran to his father, with a “Yes daddy?”
“Listen Son. I’m going to teach you a lesson. Tell me, what is the name of our city?”
The filly ponders for a moment. “Creakocity.”
“Correct. And who are the bad ponies outside?”
He thinks again. “They’re called…um… Wre-wreckers? Right?”
“Good, son. Good, you learn mighty quick, don’t ya? Son, do you know why these ponies treat you bad?”
“No…sorry…”
“Don’t be sorry, boy. Now, you listen, and you listen good.”
The father pulled his son close, and beamed at him with large, brown eyes.
“Do not, ever, go near these bad ponies. If you see one, walk away. If they call for you, walk away. Do not interact with them.”
“But…but why?”
The father had no choice. He gave a heavy sigh.
“Because, they’ll kill you.”
The young filly almost began to cry upon hearing this. The father put a reassuring hoof on his son.
“Don’t worry, Son. I’ll protect you for as long as I can. Grow up, be a man like your pops.” The father gave a shy smile.
“But…but what about when you aren’t here anymore?”
“Well, Son, you’ll be much older, and stronger, when that happens. When I stop protecting you, it’s because you don’t need me anymore. You can take care of yourself, and be that big, strong pony you wish you were.” The father stands on his hind legs, and flexes his muscles. 255 giggled at his father, and started welling up.
“I’ll always need you, daddy.” The son ran up, and hugged his father.
“Go to bed, kiddo. It’s about time.”
The filly sprang up, and ran to his sleeping bag.
A new day arises, and 255 started to wake up. He was alone, or, so he thought.
“Daddy? Mommy?”
The mother wakes up, and looks at her son. She tells him that his father went to cash in some food stamps for breakfast. Shortly after 255 lies back down, the father came in holding a bag.
“Alright, I got oranges and water for us.”
He passes around the food and water, 255 quickly gobbled it down and drank it. Even though it was morning on a new day, it still seemed to be just as gloomy dark as it is in the night. The Sun never shines, and ponies know it’s morning when a loud, obnoxious bell rings in their districts. After the family finishes up their meal, a mean sounding call comes from behind the barred door.
“Hey, I’m here for the routine inspection of yer not-so-personal property. Better open up, ‘cause I got an itchy trigger-hoof today” said a sinister sounding Wrecker.
The mother lets him in, and she was immediately pushed to the side, she landed on the floor with a thud. 255 glares at the Wrecker when he wasn’t looking, remembering what his father had said. The guard takes a look around, and walks up to 255. He picks him up by his tail, searches him with his hooves, and tosses him aside like he’s a piece of trash. The wrecker then proceeded to inspect the mother and father, tossing them aside like garbage.
As the Wrecker left, he said “Well well, looks like you’ll live to see another day.”
He arms his shock-stick, so that little electric bolts fly out, “Or, you better hope, hehehe…” And he walks off.
“Well now that THAT business has been dealt with, I’m off to work.” remarked the father.
“I’m afraid I have to go to the plantation myself…” said the mother, with a sigh.
“Take care of yourself, and do NOT go outside, understand?” said the father.
255 nodded shyly, and the parents walked outside, closing the cell door. 255 went to his sleeping bag, since there was nothing else in the room to do. He lies down on his sleeping bag, and stares up at the ceiling, wondering about his life and future, that may not exist. Shortly after his thoughts, a loud “ZAP” followed by a high-pitched scream of pain rang from the outside. 255 ignored it.
“*sigh*, just another pony…”
The body of the victim falls in front of the cell door with a thud. Her head, facing the door, her eyes were wide open, and her mouth was ajar. A Wrecker outside was heard saying “leave her, the cleaners will get her.” She was partially burnt. 255 was tossing and turning, he couldn’t sleep. After opening his eyes, he was startled to see the face. He gets up, and walks up to the cell door. 255 gasped and almost cry.
255 looked at the body. It was a neon-yellow Pegasus with a white mane that was cut short. Her soulless blue eyes stared into the blank space.
“Oh no… ” muttered 255, his lip was quivering and eyes welling up.
It was a four year old mare.
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“Alright son, the ponies outside are going to take you to a workshop okay?”
The son gave a shy nod.
“They’re gonna teach you how to make all of those cool things I tell you about, right?”
“Oh… okay..”
“Stay out of trouble, son.”
An average sized pony, with a red mane and tail, both cut short, waved goodbye to the filly exiting the cell. The filly steps outside and looks straight up at two Wreckers; He had a blank expression and dullness to his eyes. These two ponies were to escort Unicorn #267 to the manufacturing district of Creakocity. The two Wreckers looked at each other.
“Alright kid, you stick with us, and-“
One Wrecker leans in very close.
“and if you step out of line ONCE, you can kiss your sorry hind goodbye, hehe…”
The filly maintained his blank expression.
After a long enough walk, the three ponies make it to a manufacturing plant. A Wrecker kicks the filly inside, and shuts the door. The filly stands up, and turns to see the working plant. Ponies, stressed out beyond imagine were working on machines, sweating and taking deep breaths. On 267’s first step in, a scream echo’s throughout the factory:
“HELP ME MY LEG-“And it cuts off.
267 shivers; he slowly walks inside, makes a right and heads into a room labeled “Pony Engineering Training” As he steps inside, he sees a classroom with about ten other filly’s and one menacing looking teacher. 267 slowly steps inside, and takes a seat in the back. The professor begins his lessons, and 267 gently looks down to avoid any eye contact.
After about four hours of lectures, the ponies were put to the test. Their task was to assemble a working shock-baton with the parts. As most of the ponies put the wrong parts together, 267 assembled and activated the shock-baton in a matter of minutes. The professor walks up to 267.
“Soooo, you think you did it correct, yes?”
267 nods.
“Well then…” The professor picks up the shock-baton, activates it, and shocks 267.
“Hahaha marvelous! I can already see your future in the city, you pathetic little worm haha!”
267 slowly stood back up, a look of anger and payback in his eyes. The professor begins checking up on all of the other ponies. As each pony failed, one by one he would shock them until they could barely breathe. 267 stared at the professor with more anger and frustration than before.
“It seems that 267 was the only pony to pass. Such a shame this city has no potential. 267, you will be escorted immediately to shock-baton assembly lines. The rest of you… thats for the Wreckers to deal with haha!”
The other ponies trembled at the thought. 267 equips his goggles with green and white interchangeable lens. He slides them over his orange mane, and signs off. 267 walks outside and was immediately thrown onto the assembly lines. For the next several hours, 267 worked on manufacturing the very weapons that killed off most of the population.
“Son! You’re okay! How did it go?”
267 just shook his head and walked to his sleeping bag. A bright colored blue gem barely poked through his mane.
“Son, what is that in your mane?”
The father went to brush it off, but 267 just repelled. After a few attempts at pulling it out, his father grew angry.
“Get that thing out of your mane RIGHT THIS INSTANT!”
267 sighs, and pulls out the gem. It was connected to a bright colored red cone, which was wired to a short metal pipe-shaped pole. On the tip of the pole was a grapple.
His father gasped.
His son had just revealed a worn out shock baton.
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 2