//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Cutie Mark Dimensional Crusaders (CMDCs) // by Shadowmane Nox //------------------------------// The sun was bright overhead, but Apple Bloom barely felt the warm rays as she sat in the shade of the nearby trees. It had been several hours since she had fled the pond in the orchard’s center; since that time, the young girl had attempted to understand what had happened to her. All around Apple Bloom grew trees in various stages of life, ranging from newly risen sprouts to towering apple trees. Random patches of overgrown grass joined these plants, some climbing high enough to touch the lower branches of the surrounding trees. With a nervous chuckle, Apple Bloom watched as a patch of grass several paces away erupted from the ground. Rapidly it grew, the strands of grass swaying from side-to-side as though caught in a violent wind storm. Then, just as quickly as it had emerged, the vegetation seemed to retreat. Like a slithering mass of emerald snakes, the blades of grass returned to their normal size until the single spot of earth was unrecognizable from any other nearby. “Golly…” the red-haired girl muttered beneath hear breath. “Now there’s a sight.” Allowing herself to fall backwards, Apple Bloom gritted her teeth as she felt herself rushing to the ground. However, just as when she had tried it last, she felt the earth shift beneath her as the root of a nearby tree erupted forth to catch her. The strangest part was not the wood which wrapped itself gently about her shoulders, though that admittedly took some getting used to. The most unsettling part to Apple Bloom was that, without even looking, she was positive she could point to the tree responsible for her rescue. “Well it’s official! I have no idea what’s goin’ on here. Not that I don’t appreciate it, mind you.” She added with a small laugh as she patted the root. “I just wish I knew why this was happenin’ to me.” Without warning, a loud crash rang out through the orchard. The sudden sound sent the birds roosting in the nearby trees flying, and Apple Bloom felt her own heart race as she glanced around nervously for the source of the commotion. With an almost unconscious thought, the young girl allowed her the clearing to return to normal. One by one the trees and grass she had allowed to sprout disappeared into the earth, leaving not a trace of her passing as she strode carefully between the trees. Slowly the young girl made her way through the orchard, listening for any clue as to where that sudden noise had originated. All around her, she could feel the trees and other plants begin to vibrate as she passed. It was as if the more she had practiced with… whatever this magic was… the more she was able to sense the vegetation around her. It would have been an amazing feeling, were she not terrified of what it might mean. After several minutes of walking, Apple Bloom finally started to hear something. At first it was nothing more than a harsh growling noise. However, as she crept closer, the girl began to make out voices. “I told ya’ll to get goin’! Otherwise I’m gonna show ya what it means to be hogtied!” “And we told you, we aren’t leaving until we get our money.” Up ahead, Apple Bloom spotted a small hedge beyond which commotion seemed to be arising. Carefully moving so as not to be seen, at least until she knew what was going on, she moved aside a few leaves to view the orchard beyond. The hedge, it seemed, sat atop an embankment that descended to a wide dirt road. On the road itself stood several figures, all of whom looked to be the same type of creature as Apple Bloom. Or at least as I am now. The young girl thought sullenly to herself. Three of the creatures were standing next to large metal contraptions which appeared to balance on a pair of wheels. It was these machines, whatever they were, that were responsible for the horrible growling sound; and Apple Bloom had to work hard not to cover her ears against the grating noise. The appearance of the strange trio was as obnoxious as their machines. The three strangers were of drastically different heights and weights, but all wore the same basic outfit. The one in front, who to Apple Bloom looked to be the leader, wore a pair of jeans covered in some type of black liquid. He wore a black leather jacket, but kept the front open to show off his bare chest and abdomen. He looked like nothing more than, in Apple Blooms opinion at least, than a troublemaker. “We told you last time that we’d be back. And now we are. So give us the money if you know what’s good for you.” “Boy, the only thing you’ll be gettin’ is a new paint job for those there bikes if you don’t get off my farm.” The figure who stood across from the trio appeared to be a woman. She sported a pair of well-worn jeans, and an orange flannel shirt which seemed to be missing it’s top two buttons. Her feet were encased in a pair of mud caked boot, and on her head sat a wide brimmed hat which currently hid her face from view. From her spot on the hill, Apple Bloom watched as the young woman bent down to pick up a bushel of apples which had apparently fallen from the back of the large vehicle next to her. The stranger’s hair, which was tied back with a bright red cloth, was incredibly long and shimmered like gold in the afternoon sun. “Oh yeah?” the troublemaker in front snapped, apparently angry at being ignored. “Well what’s a farmer going to do when I tell big F here to rough you up a little?” Turning back to face the trespassers, the woman leaned against the door of her truck as she flicked her hat back. A single stalk of wheat hung from the young woman’s mouth, and even from her hiding spot, Apple Bloom could see that the stranger’s emerald eyes were narrowed in anger. “What’ll I do Rov? Well that there’s an interestin’ question. Why not send your boy over and we can find out together. But I’ll warn ya, I’ve been told that I can be a rough partner to square-dance with.” Scowling the, the one called Rov snapped his finger at the biggest of the three. “Go get her. If she won’t give us the money, I bet her brother will when we tell him the Dog’s got his sister.” With a shrug, the giant strolled over towards the parked vehicle. As he approached Apple Bloom could see that he was easily stood head and shoulders taller than his target. However, rather than act intimidated, the green-eyed woman simply watched him approach and gave a long whistle. “Hoo-wee! You really are a big one ain’t ya.” The brute reached out to grasp the woman’s shoulder, but almost immediately doubled over as she planted a fist firmly in his chest. With a pained groan the giant fell to one knee, gasping for air as he held the spot where he’d been hit. “Now I probably should have warned you earlier partner…” the woman said as she grabbed hold of the door latch to her vehicle. “… but I make it a rule to not let men touch me on the first date. Ya’ll can be such animals.” In a swift motion she swung the door open, catching the kneeling man on the side of his head. With a loud grunt the brute went sprawling to the ground as his friends watched on with a mixture of surprise and anger. “So who’s next Rov? Or do you wanna step in for a dance?” As the young woman taunted the fuming man in front of her, Apple Bloom spotted movement near the trees on the opposite side of the road. Slowly a leather jacketed figure stepped out from behind one of the nearby apple tree. It did not take a genius to notice that he was being careful to keep himself in the woman’s blind spot. Oh no you don’t! Apple Bloom thought angrily. As if on instinct, she placed a hand against the grass at her feet. Across from her, as the man was carefully making his way down the embankment, without warning a root poked its way out of the ground at his feet. With a surprised yell the would-be-attacker fell face first down the hill, landing on his back with a painful sounding thud. Glancing back in surprise, the woman gave a small chuckle at the sight of the motionless figure lying on the road. “So… I take it he was supposed to be one of yours?” “I… you…” the one called Rov sputtered, his face as red as the nearby apples. “DAMN IT! Spot, pick their asses up. We’re leaving!” As the smaller man ran to check on the other two, Rov pointed a threatening finger at the still smiling woman. “We’re gonna be back. And next time I’m bringing everyone. No one screws with the Diamond Dogs. You hear me?’ “Oh I hear you alright. Now if you and you’re pal’s don’t mind gettin’ off my property, some of us folk have some good old honest work to do.” With one last growl of anger, Rov jumped on his machine and road off out of sight. The others were quick to follow, though the one who had tripped on the hill had to be thrown over the back of one machine like a sac of potatoes. As soon as they were out of sight, the blond-haired woman seemed to take a deep sigh of relief. “Quite a rodeo, huh?” The sudden voice behind her caused Apple Bloom to yelp in surprise, and immediately she fell headfirst through the bushes. With a grunt she hit the slope, and found herself tumbling into the road in a small cloud of dirt and dust. Groaning, Apple Bloom noticed she was staring up into the scowling face of the emerald-eyed woman. From this close the girl could clearly the woman’s freckled cheeks for the first time, and as she stared into the bright green eyes overhead, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but feel there was something eerily familiar about the stranger’s face. “And who are you supposed to be?” the woman inquired, her stern gaze taking in every inch of the wincing girl. “Oh hi there.” Apple Bloom greeted clumsily, her head still spinning from the unexpected fall. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to drop in on you like this.” “That would be my fault.” a deep voice called out from overhead. “That you Big Mac? “Eeyup.” Big Mac? Apple Bloom wondered, hundreds of thoughts suddenly racing through her mind. Did she just say Big Mac? A shadow passed over the confused girl as a figure jumped from the top of the hill to land next to her. The man in question was monstrous, and the ground beneath Apple Bloom’s head shuddered at the impact of his landing. Like the woman next to him, the new arrive wore a pair of dirty jeans matched with mud-caked boots. However, the flannel shirt which sought to cover his massive chest was a deep red, and did very little to hide the muscles rippling beneath it. His orange hair fell almost to his shoulders, and his green eyes sparkled happily as he smiled down at Apple Bloom. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” he chuckled holding out a hand to the startled girl. “I hope you ain’t hurt.” “Oh no, I’m all right.” Apple Bloom responded, gratefully accepting the offered assistance. “I’m just a little… confused. Did she say your name was Big Mac?” “Eeyup!” the man laughed flicking away a lock of hair that had fallen in front of his face. “And this here…” he continued, throwing an arm around the frowning woman’s shoulders “… is my sister Applejack.” “Uh-huh.” Apple Bloom responded incredulously as her eyes darted back and forth between the two of them. “So you’re Big Mac, and you’re Applejack.” “Eeyup.” “You two weren’t ponies before today, were you?” “Ponies?” Big Mac repeated, raising a confused eyebrow. Next to him, his sister gave an annoyed snort. “Did you hit your head on your way down that hill?” “More than likely.” Apple Bloom muttered as she tenderly picked at the small bump beginning to form on the top of her skull. “Sorry if that made no sense, I guess that tumble was harder than I thought.” With an exasperated sigh, Applejack walked up and took the girl’s head in her hands. “You’re definitely gonna be feelin’ that in the mornin’.” she muttered, releasing Apple Bloom and motioning for her to follow. “But I’ve seen worse. Come on Big Mac, let’s get her back to the house. We can grab her some ice for that bump while she tells us what she’s doin’ here.” “Eeyup.” Big Mac responded as he gave their new guest a playful pat on the back. “You can ride on the back of the truck with me miss…” “Apple Bloom.” she finished for him, earning another raised eyebrow; this time from Applejack. “Sorry I forgot to mention it earlier. But my name’s Apple Bloom.” “Well Apple Bloom…” Big Mac chuckled, lifting her onto the back of the truck as though she weighed no more than a pillow. “… it’s a pleasure to meet you. On behalf of my sister and I, welcome to Sweet Apple Acres.” _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Whether it was just a coincidence, or some sick form of vengeance by the doctor, Scootaloo found that her nightmare only worsened after her meeting with Nyx. The man never mentioned it, but ever since their last meeting, the metal arms which surrounded her had been in constant motion. The whirling of blades never ceasing, even for even a moment. Every time the terrified girl would awake from the void she now called home, she could see new scars on almost every inch of her body. These never stayed for long, usually vanishing by the next time she awoke; but their presence was enough. It was enough to confirm that they were changing her. Into what? The former pony could not even begin to guess. As strange as it was, the scars were the least of her worries. For whatever changes the doctor was making to her body, they were not nearly as terrifying as those being made to her mind. How he was doing it, she did not know. But slowly the pink-haired girl had found that she was beginning to think about both herself, and the world around her, very differently. Knowing the names of objects she had never seen before, recognizing the names of doctors and engineers she had only met once; it was as though information were somehow being pumped straight into her mind. This was not that bad, as at the very least it allowed Scootaloo to make some sense of what was happening around her. It was only when this information began to push out her own memories, that the girl began to feel truly afraid. Human… Scootaloo thought, trying to remember where that word had first come from. I look like a human now. She hated that word! Hated it almost as much as Dr. Helix himself. But try as she might, she could no longer think of herself as a pony. Even trying to do so just felt… wrong. Like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. It had gotten to the point that even if she could find her friends, Scootaloo was not sure she wanted to. Apple Bloom… Sweetie Belle, I don’t want you to see me like this. “Hey there kiddo.” The sound of a familiar voice immediately brought Scootaloo’s thoughts back to the waking world, and despite herself the young girl felt a very rare emotion… happiness. “Hey Soarin.” A few paces away, the blue-haired soldier stood smiling at her as he waited for the circling metal arms to retract into the ceiling. His green eyes sparkled happily, and quickly the pink-haired girl felt a smile appear on her face as well. It was small, to be sure, but far more emotion than she had shown in any recent memory. As the last of the blades disappeared from sight, the soldier walked over to stand next to her at his usual spot. It close enough that he didn’t have to raise his voice, but far enough away that she didn’t need to strain against her bonds to look into his face. “So how are you feeling Scootaloo?” as asked, his smile wavering only slightly as he spotted the new scars that spread along her arms and legs. “You had a chance to see the damage yet?” “I’m sure I will eventually.” she replied with a small sigh. “You know the doctor. He just loves to brag.” “He does.” the soldier agreed with an annoyed shake of his head. “One of the many things I can’t stand about that guy. If it makes you feel any better, it doesn’t look nearly as bad as when they did your eye.” Instinctively Scootaloo blinked her right eye. She still didn’t know WHAT the doctor had done to it, but according to Soarin, it had not been pleasant to look at initially. Fortunately for her, the mirror had not been lowered at the time so she could have seen the damage for herself. And when it finally had returned, whatever changes the doctor had made had apparently been reverted. “I’ll take what I can get at this point.” she muttered, earning a small chuckle from her visitor. “So, what brings you to my room today lieutenant? I thought visiting day wasn’t until tomorrow?” “How can you keep track of anything down here?” Soarin asked, glancing around at the sterile room. “Don’t ask me. I just… know things.” “That’d be the infolink.” the soldier responded with a knowing nod. “I’ve got one too.” He added, pointing to the back of his head. “They probably have yours set to passive at the moment, so you don’t know where the information is coming from. Don’t worry. When you finally get off that machine, it’ll get way worse.” “Gee another thing to look forward to.” Scootaloo sighed as Soarin gave her a playful wink. “How lucky can one girl be?” “Oh, so you’re a girl today?” Soarin inquired as a small stool rose out of the floor. “I thought you were a horse.” “Pony!” she snorted back, scowling at the soldier’s tease. “And I don’t exactly look the part now, do I?” Since Scootaloo’s first arrival to this living nightmare, Soarin had been the only one asides from Dr. Helix who made a point to talk to her. Though when it came to the doctor, there was really no such things as talks, only lectures. With Soarin, it was different. It felt as though he actually listened whenever they spoke. And his visits, while admittedly rare, were the only times she felt anything close to relief. With nothing else to do, she had told him everything. They spoke about her home, her friends, and of course… whatever event had brought her to this world. Whether he believed her or not, she could not begin to guess. But at the very least he had listened, and in the end, that was all she really wanted. “But really lieutenant, what brings you here today?” With a sigh the soldier readjusted his belt, and for the first time Scootaloo noticed the metal object hanging at his waist. Almost immediately words came unbidden to the back of her mind. > 9mm SP-101 semiautomatic pistol > Effective range: 75 meters. > Shots remaining: 20/20 Shaking her head violently, Scootaloo willed the words to disappear. She hated when this happened; and unfortunately, it felt as though it was becoming more and more common of an occurrence. “Are you alright?” Soarin asked, his worried eyes studying her carefully. “You look a little out of it.” “I was just admiring that weapon at you hip.” “You know about guns?” the soldier asked with a raised eyebrow. “I do now.” the girl responded with a sad sigh, and Soarin’s green-eyes widened in realization. “Oh, right. Well the interface should get a little better as you get used to it. Just take your time. Anyways…” The soldier paused as he glanced over his shoulder to make sure there were no scientists or engineers in the room with them. When he continued, his voice had gotten a great deal lower. “We have gotten some reports that there might be an attack on this facility, and I’ve been requested to make sure that you’re kept safe.” “Kept safe, or not allowed to escape?” Scootaloo asked, her eyes narrowing as she gave the man before her a small frown. “It’s a matter of perspective. I’ll let you decide which side I fall on.” Almost as soon as the words were out of his mouth, a low rumble shook the room. The bright white lights of the sterile area flickered, and several of the nearby machines suddenly went silent as the tremors finally settled. “Well I suppose intel does not get much better than that.” Soarin chuckled darkly as he turned towards the door. Standing slowly from his seat, the lieutenant reached down to unhook the weapon at his waist. From the distance, another loud rumble shook the room. This time the lab went dark for almost an entire minute. “What’s going on?” Scootaloo asked nervously as the lights finally returned. “Well…” Soarin muttered, taking a step back to stand beside her. “The com channels are a mess right now, but I’m getting confirmed reports of Night Watch members taking down down one of the weapons facilities on the other side of the compound. Fighting is isolated as of now, but we’re being advised to be on guard for intruders.” “Night Watch?” Scootaloo asked, as the lights continued to flicker. “A terrorist organization.” With a sound like thunder and a blinding light, the door to the lab erupted inwards with a cloud of smoke and shattered glass. Opening her eyes, Scootaloo saw that Soarin had spread his himself in front her like a shield, keeping her protected even as debris littered the ground all around her table. It looked as if the soldier wasn’t injured, but the pink-haired girl could see that he was covered in glass dust. “Like I said…” Soarin growled as he turned to point his weapon at the now open door. “Terrorists.” “We prefer the term freedom fighters.” Straining to see around Soarin, Scootaloo spotted a figure moving through the smoke of the doorway. “I should have known.” the lieutenant muttered, lowering his weapon slightly as someone emerged from the doorway. “Is that you, cadet?” For Scootaloo it felt as if her heart had stopped beating. The stranger who came into view was a young woman who looked about a full head shorter than Soarin. She wore a pair of blue sneakers and what appeared to be slightly torn and darkly-colored denim pants. On her upper body, she wore a simple white tank-top under a brown leather jacket. The jacket itself appeared well kept, and was adorned with various patches and insignia. Among their number was one of two swords crossing a sun; the same emblem that could be seen on Soarin’s uniform. Yet of all the details of her appearance, it was the woman’s hair that caused Scootaloo’s breath to catch. Pulled back behind her ears and falling to just below her shoulders, the woman’s hair sported almost every color of the rainbow. “Lieutenant!” the new arrival called out, her rose-colored eyes narrowing as she threw a half-hearted salute. “I thought that I’d likely be seeing you.” “You certainly did a number on our com channels. Am I right to assume you also took down the camera’s in here?” “Of course.” With a relieved sigh Soarin allowed the hand holding his weapon to drop to his side. However, his voice was stern as he continued to speak with the new arrival. “It’s been a while cadet.” the blue-haired soldier commented, his voice turning cold as the woman leaned unconcernedly against a desk. “Are you enjoying your life as a terrorist?” “It has its perks.” she responded flippantly, her eyes glancing around the room before finally coming to rest on Scootaloo. “Decent hours, free room and board, and a clean conscience that actually allows me to sleep at night. How about you lieutenant? Still fighting that good fight? Torturing kids? All that good stuff?” “We don’t torture anyone.” Soarin snapped. “I don’t think she’d agree with you.” the woman scoffed, pointing behind the soldier to where Scootaloo lay. “I’ve been on that table, and believe me, it’s torture. Aren’t I right kid?” The restrained girl stared uncomprehendingly at the stranger in front of her. The hair, the eyes, and even the voice were all so familiar. But it couldn’t be! Could it? “Who are you?” Scootaloo asked suspiciously. The confusion in her voice earned a questioning glance from Soarin. “The name’s Rainbow Dash.” the young woman responded, giving a playful bow. “And I get to be your knight in shining armor for this evening.” “Rainbow…” Scootaloo whispered in shock as Sorain gave the intruder a cold glare. “I can’t let you take her Dash.” he barked, moving to place himself squarely between her and Scootaloo. “As far as Sanctuary is concerned, she’s military property.” With an exasperated sigh, Rainbow Dash took several steps towards them. “So absolutely no torture! But slavery is perfectly fine, huh? “She’s not a slave Dash!” “She will be!” The young woman shouted angrily, planting herself directly in front of Soarin. From where she lay, Scootaloo watched the pair nervously as they argued. It was true that she wanted to be rescued, which it seemed was what this Rainbow Dash was offering. But Soarin had been the only being to show her any kindness since first coming to this strange world. “Stand down cadet!” the large soldier growled dangerously, causing an angry scowl to form on Rainbow’s face. “I’m not your subordinate anymore lieutenant.” she spat, being sure to put the emphasis on his rank. “Besides, if you’re as protective of her as it seems, I’d have thought you’d be happy for me to take her.” “And why is that?” For the first time since her arrival, Scootaloo saw the anger leave Rainbow Dash’s face. As the fury vanished from her eyes, it was quickly replaced by shock and… something else. Was it pity? Concern? “You really don’t know. Do you, Soarin?” “Know what Dash?” “The doctor has her scheduled for total reconditioning Soarin. Total tabula rasa!” What does that even mean? Scootaloo wondered, her eyes darting back and forth between the two figures before her. “Where did you hear that?” “Does it really matter?” “Dash!” “From the same place I heard she was being held here. Speaking of which…” Bending around the unmoving soldier, Rainbow gave Scootaloo a quick wink. “… Nyx says hi by the way.” “Nyx sent you?” Scootaloo asked excitedly, a long forgotten sense of hope slowly taking hold once again. “Yup.” the young woman confirmed as she stood to once again face Soarin eye-to-eye. “She wanted to be here in person, but she’s very busy at the moment.” “How does this Nyx know what’s supposed to happen to Scootaloo? Does she…” “Look Soarin!” Rainbow snapped, taking the soldier by surprise. “We don’t have much time, and I don’t care if you trust me or not. But at least trust your instincts! You aren't an idiot, and you know Dr. Helix! Do you really think he’d let someone like her out with ensuring he has complete control over them? The man is a genius and a psychopath. What do YOU think he’ll do with her?” For several moments the soldier simply stared down at the woman in front of him. Finally, with a grim nod, he returned his weapon to it holster. “Just promise me Dash.” he said quietly as he turned to look Scootaloo in the eye. “Just promise me, all you are trying to do is keep her safe.” “That’s the only thing I care about.” she sighed, a sense of relief evident in her voice. “Well… that and getting out of here alive.” “All right.” the soldier finally acquiesced with a small sigh. “Take her.” “Thanks Soarin.” The young woman said with a small smile. “But just to be clear…” Scootaloo felt a strange tingling sensation along her skin. With a mixture of fascination and horror, she watched as Rainbow’s rose-colored eyes began to gleam with a fiery inner light. “… I didn’t actually need your permission.” There was a sudden burst of rainbow light, followed almost instantly by a load crashing sound somewhere behind her. A second later there was a second flash, and Raindbow Dash was standing at her side again. Soarin was nowhere to be seen. “What happened?” Scootaloo asked anxiously as Rainbow Dash began to fiddle with the restraints. “What was that noise?” “Don’t worry about it kid.” her ‘savior’ answered without even looking up. “Just me taking out about two years’ worth of repressed aggression.” “Where’s Soarin?” As the last restraint came undone, Rainbow pointed over to a space behind them. Now free from the table for what felt like the first time in years, Scootaloo glanced to where the woman was indicating. On the far side of the lab, some sort of massive impact had crumpled one of the large machines. On the floor in front of it, lay Soarin’s motionless body. “What did you do to him!” Scootaloo screamed, clamping a hand over her mouth as she saw the red liquid beginning to pool under his head. “He’s going to be fine.” Rainbow responded dismissively as she pulled a small metal cylinder from her jacket pocket. “A broken nose, a couple fractured ribs, maybe a concussion. Trust me, that guy deserves way worse.” “But why?” the pink-haired girl muttered as Rainbow continued to fiddle with the tube in her hands. “He was going to let us go.” “And if he had? We leave, then he gets court-martialed for allowing us to walk out. Now at least he can claim I took him by surprise. He gets an alibi, and I get some stress relief. You see? Everyone wins. Now hold still, this is going to hurt… a lot.” Rainbow pressed the metal tube against Scootaloo’s out stretched arm, and the purple-eyed girl winced slightly as the tube clicked. As it did she felt a small pricking sensation, but the sting quickly passed to be replaced a strange sense of euphoria. “That didn’t hurt at all.” Scootaloo laughed, for some reason finding her current situation suddenly very amusing. “I know.” Rainbow snorted as she placed a second tube against Scootaloo’s leg. “That was the anesthetic.” The second the new tube clicked, Scootaloo collapsed to the ground; writing in pain. It felt as if every muscle in her body was tying to tear itself apart. Thrashing about uncontrollably, Scootaloo wanted to scream in agony. However, even her lungs wouldn’t respond to her wishes. Instead the girl found herself gritting her teeth silently as the pain began to make its way to even her head. Tear’s streaming down her cheeks, she found herself defenseless against the sudden assault that was launched against her mind. It was as if every sound, every smell, every speck of dirt against her skin were trying to make itself known to her. “Deep breath’s kid.” She heard Rainbow Dash whisper from somewhere nearby; though the woman might as well have screamed the words right into her ear for all the good whispering did. “Take deep breath’s and just let it happen. Your brain’s trying to make sense of the new you. Give it a few moments and it will start to put everything together again.” For several minutes Scootaloo could only lie on the ground, panting as she clawed at the floor in front of her. Sure enough, just as Rainbow had predicted, eventually the pain began to fade. It was a slow process, but soon enough Scootaloo was able to breath normally again. As she did, she felt the now familiar sensation of words creeping uninvited to the front of her mind. > Musculoskeletal implants responding. Systems show green. > Retinal prostheses responding. Systems show green. > Subcranial implant responding. System shows green. > CRM implants responding. Systems show green. > CUTI-MRK5 System: active. > Tempest system: active. > All systems green. PROJECT TEMPEST: Online “Are you ok kid?” Scootaloo blinked as the strange words vanished from her thoughts, and only then did she notice that Rainbow Dash was kneeling directly in front of her. “What…” Scootaloo muttered, giving her head an angry shake. “What did you do to me?” “Gave you a kick start.” Rainbow Dash responded as she grabbed the girl beneath her shoulders to help her rise. “Sorry, but there was no other way. If we had tried walking out of here without activating your implants, we wouldn’t have made it half-way down the hall before your body started rejecting them. And trust me, if you thought what you just experienced was painful, you never want to know what a full systemic rejection feels like.” “What are you talking about?” Scootaloo muttered as Rainbow Dash helped lead her to the still smoking remains of the lab door. As they reached the hall, the rose-eyed woman quickly stuck her head out and checked for anyone nearby before helping her charge cross the doorway. “You didn’t think all those scars the doctor was giving you were just for aesthetics, did you? He changed you. Made you ‘better’. His definition...” she quickly clarified as Scootaloo gave her a nasty scowl. “Not mine! But regardless, I can explain a lot more when we’re finally safe. For now, our only goal is getting out of here alive.” For several minutes the two walked along in silence, Scootaloo hanging on to her rescuer for support as they trekked through countless darkened hallways. “Where is everyone?” “My friends should still be trying to keep everyone busy on the other side of the compound. But I expect we’ll probably run into someone soon enough. When we do, just keep your head down and let me do the fighting.” “Fight?” Scootaloo asked as they paused at the intersection of another hallway. “You’re an escaped prisoner now kid. Fighting is part of the job description. Can you walk yet?” With a small groan, Scootaloo allowed herself to fall back against the wall. Once she was no longer hanging off of Rainbow, the girl pushed herself off the wall. It took a few moments to get used to using two legs again; but just as when she had first arrived at the ruins of this world, her body seemed to know what it needed to do to keep her from falling. “I think I’m all right. And my name’s Scootaloo, by the way.” “Nyx told me.” Rainbow responded, glancing once more to make sure the other hallway was clear before proceeding. “Well I’m glad you can walk Scoots, because we’re running low on time. Let’s go!” They were half-way down the hall when a door suddenly opened to their left. Scootaloo barely had enough time to take in the soldier’s surprised face before a rainbow streak carried him the length of the hall, slamming him against the far wall with a sickening crunch. Scootaloo stared in shock at the sight of Rainbow dash sifting through the man’s pockets. Glancing around to where the woman had been standing just a second before, she found nothing but an empty spot of hallway. The girl blinked in confusion, and when her eyes opened again Rainbow Dash was already standing at her side. “Well that was fun.” the rose-eye woman chuckled as she gave the stunned girl a small wink. “Let’s get going before his friends notice he’s missing.” “How…” Scootaloo began as Rainbow Dash started off down the hall again. Twice more the girl tried to find the right phrasing to her question before finally settling on, “How did you do that?” “I’m like you kid.” she explained as they made their way through the winding maze. “One of Dr. Helix’s little ‘experiments’. He contacted me while I was still in the military academy. Promised me the chance to ‘push the bounds of what was possible’. There I was, a stupid kid with dreams of being a pilot, so of course I took him up on his offer. After he was through with me… well… let’s just say that was around the time I began to second-guess my career choices.” “What did he do?” Scootaloo asked, her eyes wide as she watched Rainbow’s hair sway back and forth as they walked. “You know, the usual. Asides from the countless hours of physical and mental torture, I was given a biological tune-up. Strength, reflexes everything. If you can name it, the good doctor messed with it.” They had finally reached the end of a particularly long hall, and Rainbow stopped them so she could check that the coast was clear. “And what about that thing you did back there?” “Ah yes…” Rainbow chuckled, her eyes once again gaining the eerie glow Scootaloo had noticed back in the lab. A moment later she was gone. An unexpected tap on her shoulder caused Scootaloo to spin around in a panic, and she almost toppled over when she found herself staring directly into Rainbow’s smirking face. “The good doctor also gave me the ability to influence both the kinetic energy and spatiotemporal variables of any system I touch.” “Wha…” “He made it so I can move very, very, fast. Now let’s go. We’re almost at the hanger.” After one more hallway, the pair found themselves hiding from a pair of guards standing watch over a large steel. “Through there…” Rainbow explained, keeping her voice barely at a whisper. “… is a transport hanger. If my info is good, and it usually is, there should be a cargo shuttle fueled and ready for us. Once I take out those two guards, I’m going to open the door. When I do, I need you to run as fast as you can to that shuttle. Do you understand?” “What about you? Scootaloo asked nervously as Rainbow took a quick glance at the guards. “I’m going to be making sure no one in there shoots you before you make it to where you need to go. Now, do you get what I need you to do.” The thought of what the Rainbow was saying was terrifying, and already Scootaloo felt as though she might empty her stomach right here in the hall. Come on Scootaloo, don’t you dare be a chicken now! Taking a deep breath, she nodded and stood back away from the wall. “I knew I liked you kid.” Rainbow chuckled as she ruffled the girl’s hair playfully. “Now get ready.” The woman’s eyes once again began to glow, and Scootaloo smiled despite herself as a rainbow streak sped down the hallway towards the two guards. There was a small sound of scuffling, followed a moment later by a quick whistle. Poking her head from behind the wall, Scootalo saw Rainbow motioning to her from over the unconscious bodies of the two guards.” “Moment of truth, kid!” Rainbow whispered as she approached. “You ready? Before Scootaloo could respond, a loud wailing noise arose from all around them. The sound was so loud that the young girl found herself forced to cover her ears against the ear-splinting howl. “Attention all personnel. Subject 03 has escaped confinement. Repeat Subject 03 is lose. Capture at all costs.” “Ready or not I guess.” Rainbow groaned as she reached for the door handle. “Let’s go Scoots.” The young woman threw the metal door open with a jarring bang, and in the blink of an eye was gone. However, judging by the sudden yells and the noise of weapons discharge; she was already causing quite the commotion. Come on Scotaloo! She thought to herself, trying her best to stop her hands from shaking. You can do this! Taking a deep breath, the girl charged headfirst through the door, not even bothering to look at what might be standing on the other side. Scootaloo found herself in an enormous and well-lit room with a wide-open floor. Several large machines sat in the middle of the open space, and as Scootaloo ran towards the nearest one she felt words once again emerge from the back of her mind. > Gryphon-class Transport Shuttle > Armaments: None > Cargo: None > Fuel Check: Complete > Pre-flight check: Incomplete Distance to target: 250 meters Well I sure hope this is the right one. Scootaloo prayed, moving as fast as she could towards the waiting shuttle. Up ahead a man stepped out from behind a small pile of crates. He stood facing her oncoming charge, and in his hands Scootaloo could see a metal object being raised in her direction. > Single Unit Weapon System, Caliber 7.62 mm CA27 > Effective range: 200 meters. > Shots remaining: 32/32 WARNING: INCOMING HOSTILE FIRE Before she could even think about slowing down, a rainbow streak passed in front of her vison. Its collision sent the man careening across the floor, his weapon rattling harmlessly towards the waiting shuttle. With her path now clear, Scootaloo felt her heart attempting to beat its way out of her chest as she sprinted towards the waiting shuttle. 100 meters to target… 50 meters to targer… 10 meters to target... With one final effort, Scootaloo charged up the ramp and dove into the belly of the waiting machine. Turning around, the young girl spotted Rainbow dash running towards the her, motioning for her to drop to the ground. Immediately the girl did as she was told, pressing her head against the cold metal floor of the shuttle. But something was wrong. Why isn’t Rainbow using her power any more? The rose-eyed woman was halfway to the transport’s ramp when a small group of guards burst through the door behind them. “Look out Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo shouted as the sound of gunfire started up again. With a leap the fleeing woman dove behind the pile of crates form earlier, flinching as bullets struck the floor all around her. Watching helplessly form the top of the ramp, Scootaloo could only stare on in fear as the soldiers slowly advanced on the young woman’s position. I have to help her! Scootaloo thought, tears of frustration running down her face. Slamming her fists angrily against the floor for the shuttle, she watched as one of the boxes began to break apart under the sustained assault. They would reach her in only a few moments, and there was nothing Scootaloo could do about it. I need to stop them! Hostile targets identified... Scootaloo caught her breath as the voice at the back of her mind arose once again. But this time it felt different. There was something else accompanying the voice. A strange sensation that the terrified girl could not even begin to describe. It was almost as if there as a switch in her mind, and the voice was just waiting for her to turn it on. With one last look at the cowering Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo made her decision. For the first time that day, she didn’t push the strange sensation away. Instead she opened her mind to the alien feeling, and that seemed to be all the influence the switch needed. As if a dam had been opened, Scootaloo felt a surge of energy rush through her body. All along her exposed skin, she could see pink lines of energy pulsating with the beat of her racing heart. A strange crackling sound arouse nearby, as even the air around her seemed to vibrate expectantly. Glancing at the scene before her, Scootaloo was shocked to see that the soldiers had paused their advance. No… it was as if the whole world had slowed to a crawl. > Tempest system engaged > Maximizing CRM output > Matching resonance to environment > Noise at 0.5 percent > Incorporating battlefield data Scootaloo stared in awe as strange symbols sped across her vision. One by one she watched as they came to rest on the oncoming soldiers. As soon as they had, the air above the advancing men began to shimmer. > Hostile targets marked > Target spatial coordinates confirmed > Maximizing QLE > Adjusting atmospheric variables The shimmering air over the soldiers began to condense; growing darker by the second. From her hiding place aboard the shuttle, Scootaloo blinked as in confusion as a storm cloud seemed to appear out of nothingness. > QLE maximized > Proper atmospheric parameters confirmed Brace for impact The girl felt her body pulse with energy. A second later, there was a crack as the inside of the hanger vanished from sight behind a blinding flash of light. All targets neutralized. Tempest system returning to standby Blinking against the glare that still obscured her vision, Scootaloo looked on in shock at the scene before her. Rainbow Dash, though covering her ears, appeared uninjured. A few paces in front of her, the soldiers lay motionless on the floor of the hanger, the ground around them charred and blackened. For several seconds there was only silence, save for the continued wail of the sirens. Then suddenly Rainbow Dash was on her feet again, covering the remain distance between them in only a matter of seconds. “Was that you kid?” She shouted, the ramp beneath her feet clanging loudly. “I… I don’t know.” Scootaloo muttered, watching as the pink energy coursing beneath her skin faded slowly away. “Maybe?” “We’ll worry about it later.” Rainbow snapped, dragging the stunned girl towards the front of the shuttle. Scootaloo grunted as she was shoved into a seat in front of a massive display of switches and controls. Next to her, Rainbow Dash took her own seat as she began to press the strangely labeled controls before them “Now strap in, and don’t touch anything!” Rainbow shouted as the ramp behind them groaned shut. “We’re not out of here just yet!”