//------------------------------// // Future Imperfect // Story: Equestria Girls: The Spider Seven // by Alphamon_Ouryuken //------------------------------// Pain, that was all she knew as she was tossed through the vortex, she could only scream in agony as her body was warped and distorted by the intense power of the vortex to the point where it felt she was being stretched to her limits and was on the verge of being torn in half. 'Please. Whatever deity is out there and knows mercy PLEASE make this agony stop!' She screamed mentally as her throat had become dry from screaming in utter pain. Sadly her pleas went unanswered as streaks of blue lightning bolted all over the sides of the vortex as she was hurled through the center. Sadly she had the unfortunate fate of getting hit by one of them in the chest, her body writhing in agony as she felt her skin being burned off. 'PLEASE, NO MORE, MAKE IT STOP, MAKE IT STO-' Suddenly her mind went blank as the pain itself became too much for her to bear, causing her mind to collapse completely. However before she finally blacked out, she saw a bright light appear before her, completely engulfing her body…. "Think it's dead?" One of the homeless folks said as they poked the body that was laying right before them. "I call dibs on the weird watch!" Another one said as they reached for the wrist. Just at that moment, however, she slowly began to stir as her mind was suddenly plagued by fragmented memories and voices... ...have to get out of here... -can make it together, I promise- We've decided to escalate your training… -HURTS! MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT- "STAY BACK!!" She gasped as her eyes shot open, quickly swatting away the hobo's hand and backing away… only to double over in pain as she held her chest wound. "JEEZ! She's still alive?!" One them said as they all backed off from her, the glare from her eyes only ensuring they stay away from her. Suddenly, the blood spread across her chest and arms as her wound begin to close up and suit seemingly repaired itself, absorbing the blood into its fabric while the rest of her suit took on a more dark blue color. "Are...are you ok, miss?" A grown woman, wearing a raggedy old shirt and pants asked as she slowly approach her. " You need to be careful in this part of the city..." "Where... am... I...?" She growled as she the blood and fabric started melding into some sort of pattern over her chest that resembled both a spider and a demonic skull… "Y-you're in New York girl! Look we weren't gonna hurt or rob ya or anything!" Another vagrant said as he stumbled away. "Hey where ya goin'?! What're ya lookin' for?!" "I gotta… gotta find… find her-" She groaned in pain as she tried to keep walking, despite her body clearly disagreeing with her, thankful her healing factor kicked in at that exact moment, closing up her wound and allowing her to survive the torturous experience. As she took a deep breath and sighed in relief, she realized that she was in what looked like an old alleyway littered with garbage. "Okay..... so I... I'm clearly in an older version of New York... WAY before Nueva..... so that places me about..." She talked to herself as she seemed to be making some calculations in her head. "Damn. I'm a ways off, stupid portal." "Uh.... what portal lady? We just kinda found you here.... and on Daisy's bed too. She hasn't been around for a while but that's her usual spot." One of Daisy's friends 'helpfully' pointed out. "It's a..." She began to reply, however upon stopping to think she realized it would be better to keep such information to herself. "N-never mind, I just took a nasty blow to the head." She stated, deciding to change the subject before too many questions were asked. "Exactly where in the city am I? And who's Daisy?" "Daisy's one of us.... well was. She's been gone a while." The same friend said with a bit of a worried tone. "She really-" "Likes her spot I'm assuming?" Rainbow said with a raised eyebrow. "Okay... now where IN the city am I?" "Downtown Manehattan, welcome to the slums..." The shortest one scoffed as he made his way towards a nearby fire barrel. "...think of it as the "armpit" of the city." "Oh is that all? Lovely." Rainbow said as she groaned. "Look I won't be a problem for much longer. I've got to find someone so.... see ya." And with that, she thwipped out a webline and zipped off. "D-did she just...?" One of the homeless bums stammered as they watched her swing away. "You all saw that, right!?" The taller one was about to speak up, only to pause and take a look at the half-empty liquor bottle on he'd been holding on to. "Nope." He started bluntly before emptying the contents of the bottle into the street... "This is so..... bizarre." She whispered to herself as she leaped to the top of one of the buildings, ignoring the pain and her muscles as she landed on the roof and looked around. Everything looked so… primitive, no neon lights that kept the city alive at night, not a single flying car, people walking around in clothing that was way out of style like it was the newest thing. Heck, the moon hadn't even been colonized yet! She sighed as she sat on the edge, contemplating her current situation. 'Well this sucks, I'm stuck in the past, no money, no backup... and I-' "GAH!!" She groaned as a sharp pain ran through her head and images of a more futuristic city briefly filled her vision. "And my memories are.... fragmented... great." She rubbed her head a bit, trying to make the pain vanish, before trying to think of where she could stay..... maybe even grab something to eat as well... and as luck would have it, she saw a small store just in front of her perch point. "Oh SHOCK yes. Food to eat." ...only to mentally slap herself when she remembered she had absolutely no money... and the fact that even if she did it would be worthless, considering the fact that the currency didn't even exist yet. Sighing in disappointment, she turned to leave... "I already told your friends, I'll have your money by the end of this next week!" She heard a voice stated in a distressed tone. She turned her attention to the source of the voice. That same store she just looked at. Someone was in trouble.... but should she get involved? After all, it's not like it concerned her..... right? "..... god damn my new conscience." Rainbow snarled as she web zipped to the store, her claws bared. "....well since the Storm Gang's been moving in on our turf, the big boss has been making some changes as of recently." The masked thug said as the middle-aged women with pale skin and bushy pinkish-red hair with bright scarlet highlights hastily emptied the cash register. "...and that means you have to pay double for protection!" "This is.... this is outrageous... y-you can't-" "Oh, I'm sorry. Remind me WHO HAS THE GUN AGAIN?!" The thug replied as he jammed the gun against her head. "So keep filling and we won't get messy here!" 'Oh, it's gonna get messy alright...' She thought to herself as she landed outside the shop, her suit, reacting to her changing heart rate, immediately formed a mask around her face with a red skull-like pattern over her eyes. 'Let's make this quick...' *THWIPP* Right before the thug could make another threat, he suddenly he found his entire gun as well as his on wrapped up in some sort of sticky fluid. "What the-" "HEADS UP!" A new voice shouted as a blue blur slammed her foot into his face, sending him flying into a stack of soup cans. The attacker then pinned him to the floor before he could get back up. "You know... I could barely stand the thugs where I'm from.... but you? You take it to a whole new level being the coward that you are." "You... *cough* you bitch!" The thug gasped. "I don't care if you're some kind of Spider-Girl wannabe, the moment my guys hear about this you're dead!" "That right? You think I'm scared of you?!" Rainbow snarled as she flicked open her claws and pointed them near his face. "You wanna make my day? I dare you..... get out of here and tell your boss? That this place is off-limits." *Click* "How about we fill you with holes instead?" A new voice scoffed. She quickly glanced behind herself and noticed at least three more thugs standing at the entrance, all of their guns raised. 'Of course, he'd have some backup goons...' "Okay, if that's the way you want to do this..." She smirked as she pretended to put her hands up.... only to immediately grab the thug in front of her and hurl him at his cronies. "Hard way it is, CATCH!" One of the thugs barely had time to react as their buddy crashed against them. She then snarled as she web zipped to the ceiling as the others aimed at her. "You're gonna die, bitch!" "Empty threats from an empty-AGH!" She groaned as she suddenly felt a familiar pain in the back of her head. At that moment, her surroundings were suddenly replaced with a large white room with a single-window. [Now then, let's test your reflexes.] A voice called out to her. [Disarm the following targets.] Upon hearing the order given, the floor in front of her opened up as three turrets immediately emerged and opened fire. Working on instinct Rainbow dodged the bullets and leaped at one of them with a ferocity akin to a true spider. She then grabbed the gun and got a firm grip on it before growling. She then gave it a sharp and powerful kick... and then she heard it scream. "AGGGHHH!! MY ARM!!!" "Wh-what the-" She stammered before taking a step back, the pain returned once more as the went room suddenly vanish and was replaced with the store once more. Instead of a turret, she found herself holding the thug's arm... which was bent at an angle that she was very sure it wasn't supposed to bend... "Wait, when did I-" "YOU'RE DEAD, BITCH!" one of the thugs yelled as he picked himself up and drew a knife, charging at her with the intent to kill... However once more her mind went to another place and time.... and the thing charging at her was replaced by a strange spiked ball. [You're not done with your reflex test. How quickly can you disarm something that can slice your head off before you can blink?] The voice asked this time she could hear the condescension in its tone. She simply growled like an animal and dodged it with ease. Working fast she then grabbed one of the spikes and yanked it away, easier than with the turret, before throwing down two webs and slamming her feet into it, pinning it to the ground. At that moment, however, she felt something wet hit her cheek, she wiped it off with her right hand, only notice the smear on her uniform and realized that it was... blood? [Very well done, subject 2099.] Suddenly her surroundings shifted back to the present, and she found herself standing over the downed thug, who was coughing up blood and holding his chest in pain. A small whimper quickly got her attention and she turned her attention to the only thug who hadn't participated in the fight (if one could call it that), and the one who had been robbing the place earlier, whose hand was still webbed up. "Unless you want to end up like your friends here, I suggest you take them and get out of here!". "O-okay okay!" The thug squeaked as he started booking out of the grocery store. Rainbow huffed as she looked at the owner. "Ma'am? Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" She asked as her adrenaline started wearing off and her mask retracted itself, showing her weary and tired face. "I… I'm fine…" She whispered, still taking in the spectacle she'd just witnessed. "Th-thank you Spider-Girl…" Her savior simply shook her head. "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not-" Unfortunately, that's as far as she got as the fatigue finally caught up to her, her vision started to become blurry as her legs gave out from under her. The last thing she saw was the store owner rushing out from behind the counter and she hit the floor... [INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!] Who ARE you!? We have to leave, NOW! -not leaving her behind! I'm… so sorry... ".... GUH!" She gasped as she woke up looking around frantically. She expected to wake up on the hard floor of the store... but instead found herself on the comfy couch of a rather nice looking apartment. "What in the hell?" "Aunt Holiday! She's awake!" She heard a young voice shout out. Turning her attention to the chair in front of the TV, she saw a young girl with orange skin and deep violet hair watching her. "Be right there sweetie!" She heard a familiar voice call out from another room. "Just make sure she feels comfortable!" "WHERE AM I?!" Rainbow shouted as she leaped to the ceiling and clung to it. "Who is all here and what do you want?!" She demanded before groaning again. Her stomach still as empty as it was before she woke up. "...you really ARE Spider-Girl!" The girl exclaimed with joy. "This is SO COOL!!" Just then, the store owner from before walked in carrying a tray of food... and held herself back from freaking out upon seeing their guest sticking to the ceiling. "Uh, Miss Spider-Girl, would you please get down from there?" Just as she said that the girl then let go mainly from still being exhausted and hungry and landed on her back hard. "....... o-ow....... no... no kid I-I'm... I'm no that person..... not even close to being them." She groaned as she tried getting up. "Is that real food? Did it not need to be formed from dripping water on it and start out as a formless grey square that's got no flavor?" ".....uh, what?" The young girl asked bluntly as she tilted her head and confusion. "Are you sure you didn't hit your head too hard?" Holiday asked in concern as she carefully put the tray down and sat next to her. And immediately she leaped at the food with an almost animalistic frenzy and began scarfing it all down her throat. Savoring every little bit of meat and true flavor she could taste. Moaning in happiness and joy. "Mmm... mmm, this is just.... this is delicious..... oh my GOD this is amazing! What is it?!" She asked with a mouthful of food. "Garlic chicken and lasagna, glad you like it.... but goodness lady slow down, it's like you haven't had a decent meal in days!" She exclaimed as she watched their guest practically inhale the food off her plate. "I... I'm sorry just..... I've never had.... real food.... in so long." She said with almost glee in between bites of food. She gulped down her drink just as quickly before stopping. ".... oooh.... ooooh that is just delicious.... thanks." "So.... who ARE you?" The young girl asked. " I mean, you say you're not Spider-Girl, but I saw the security cameras, you definitely have her powers... are you her sister?" "..... that is..... it's a complicated answer. First off no I'm not her sister OR a clone..." She said with a sigh as she sat down on the comfortable couch, glancing at her surroundings she noticed a picture If the Holiday and the young girl… along with a woman with short greenish-blue hair with light cyan highlights. "But let me ask.... who are you two? I'm assuming a third one is at work or something like that?" "Oh yeah, my Aunt Lofty is working late tonight...." The young girl explained. "She's gonna flip out when she meets you!" She squealed with joy. "Now Scootaloo, I only brought her here let her rest and thank her for saving me, I'm sure she wouldn't appreciate being kept here longer than she has to be...." Holiday stated firmly, much to Scootaloo's dismay. "You're right. Not your fault.... but I do need to be.... anywhere other than here. Thank you very much for the food." The girl said as she sat her plate down. "I am sorry for leaving abruptly but... I can't stay here." Before Scootaloo could say anything else, she made her way towards the open window quickly shot a line of webbing at the nearest building before swinging off. "....you think she'll be alright?" Scootaloo asked. "I wish I could say.... but for right now we can only hope so." Holiday said with a sigh. "I only wish she had at least told us her name before she left." '2099... that's what they called me...' She thought as she leaped down into an alleyway 'It was all I was... who I was... the only thing I was allowed to be...' She mused it to herself as she leaned against the wall, desperately trying to remember who she was before all of that... sadly, there was nothing. 'And every time I try to remember... I can barely keep it focused long enough for it to really matter.... which is just my typical luck honestly.' 2099 chuckled darkly to herself. She thought for a few seconds, maybe… it was time to craft an identity for herself, she was a free girl now... "Well, my test name was 2099… so I guess I'm "Spider 2099"... not very imaginative but it works…" She chuckled, then a thought occurred to her; if this was the past then she would more than likely need a new name for when she wasn't wearing the mask… sliding down into a sitting position, she glanced at her reflection in a discarded hand mirror. She ran a hand through her hair before she finally decided on a new name. "Rainbow..." She mused to herself. "Yeah... Rainbow... Rainbow feels right." She smiled before swinging off into the city. "And now I just need to find a way to stop those sons of bitches that did this to me." However, as she continued to swing, a small part of her wondered if she'd ever find a way back to her own time, assuming she'd want to go back… at the very least to find her friend. ‘I just hope she made it out ok…’ "I said stay back!" A woman screamed, snapping her out of her thoughts. Looking down 2099 saw a woman backing away from five men, by the looks of it, she was one of the homeless people she had met earlier. "Com'on baby, I'm being generous here..." The leader said in a creepy tone as his men started to surround her. "...just entertain me and my boys here, and I'll be nice enough to let you stay at my place for a while..." 2099 narrowed her eyes at this. "Wonder how long it takes for law enforcement to show up in this timeline..." She mused to herself sarcastically before landing atop a street light behind the thugs. "No matter, I could use a quick work out after a meal…" She smirked as she swung down towards the unsuspecting thugs... In Another Time, In Another Place... Deep in an underground facility, two scientists, one make and one female, made their way out of an elevator, the shattered lights and cracked walls a clear indication that an intense fight had occurred not too long ago. "...and what of the escaped subjects?" “While we've managed to recapture 25% of our subjects, several of them have either escape the country or joined the rebellion.” The female scientist explained as she walked down a barely lit hallway alongside her superior. “And what about the brain chips we salvaged?” He asked as they entered a room with several computers and a window, on the opposite side of which was a room containing a girl strapped to a surgical table. “We've already begun the implanting process, Mr. Stone.” She replied. “This was one of our more promising subjects, it took us a while to track her down. She went through ten of our best men before we managed to subdue her…” As she explained, Mr. Stone typed in a few commands before opening the door, approaching the restrained girl. "Subject 616... do you know what your objective is?" "Serve Alchemax. Destroy all who oppose Alchemax." She stated in an almost robotic voice as she looked up, her eyes glowing an ominous red. "Perfect.” He smirked as he pressed a button, unlocking the restraints. "Now follow me, I have a more imperative assignment for you…" 616 obediently nodded and followed him out of the room while another unconscious subject was carried in to undergo the same procedure… 616 was lead to a different part facility where several robots seemed to be constructing a giant metal ring. “Now, your former companion 2099 ended up eluding us during the breakout. We're currently in the process of re-building the portal she used.” Mr. Stone explained while casually stepping over a large wire. “Once completed, it should be able to track the energy signature the stone left behind and trace it back to the very timeline 2099 escaped from. Your orders are to retrieve her and bring her back for recommissioning, is that understood?” “Yes, sir.” “Good. And to assist you we will assign you a... partner for this mission." He said before snapping his fingers. 616 looked behind him and saw a figure drop down from the ceiling, glaring at her with piercing green eyes. “Meet Subject 1610... Scorpion.”