//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: The Sins of the Wise // by TopHat Demon //------------------------------// Lost connection. A guard dressed in royal Cantrolot armour ran Down the hallway in a rush. It was only minutes they had lost connection to the squad. And the Cantrolot officials are going crazy. Weaving through the panicked Scientists, he made his way to a huge metal vault. With a quick couple spins on the wheel, it opened with ease but soon flung open. Hard pressurized air exploded out of the safe and hit him hard in the chest. Almost like a fan it blew him halfway across the room filling the room with flying pieces of paper. But it only lasted a few seconds before he moved from his position on the floor to the entry way to the vault. He entered the room, it was filled with white lights all aiming at the Spinning red vortex, giving off an ominous wind blowing sound. It was true... they found a portal to another world! He stared a it for a bit and then looked around at the scene before him. Ponies in lab coats moved away from the vortex and out of the room. But he didn’t leave with them. He wanted a closer look. He moved slowly towards the portal and began to hear things. Screaming, Gunshots, The cracking of the ground. And then the room started to shake, with a mighty force the metal frame of the Portal began to sway. The gaurd backed up away from the portal as it looked like it was spinning. With a crash it exploded sending the Gaurd against the wall. Screaming in pain, the explosion seemed to have burned his hooves. But they were still burning, fire licked his hooves inching its way further and further up his flesh. Soon he was enslaved with flames and burned alive. “Hello Equestria, I am Back!” A grim voice said, it started to laugh madly and soon inched its way out of the portal. “I was Killed once! I was Killed Twice! Now it’s time to Return the favor!” The grim Voice grew deeper and started to take form. It was the same form of a normal Stallion but with a metal jaw and glowing fires as eyes. His skin was cracked and blackend like it’s been burned thousands of times. Every step he took laid little bits of burning embers. Laughing hysterically he exited out of the room, but before he did so. He looked at the burned guards corpse. “Let me Just start off with a snack first...” “Oh-Come on! This is the third time you kicked my butt!” A Pegasus mare yelled in a frustrated manner. “That’s because I’ve been playing games since I was born!” A stallion, siitting next to the mare, explained. A moment of silence before another cry of vitcory from the stallion. “And...that’s why you don’t go down into the main area of the map.” The Pegasus frustratedly threw the controller away and pouted. “I don’t like it when I lose. Can you please just let me win, Pixel?” She muttered. “Hey! Nopony likes a Sore loser!” Pixel said in a manner that made him sound intelligent. “You better learn this, like I have, I used to be a sore loser too you know. There is nothing to be upset about Sunset Cloud.” She still sulked and muttered under her breath. A few seconds of silence before the doorbell rung. With a surprised face Pixel trotted over to the door. He fiddled with the lock and then opened the door. It was Petal Cord, Petal Cord was one of Sunset Cloud’s friends. The last year, when Pixel and Petal Cord first met, the events during the time led them into becoming good friends. She appeared to be holding a bag of stuff. “Uhh... are you goin’ to help me?” Petal Cord asked lightly trying not to drop the bag. Pixel grabbed the bag with his magic and set it on the table. Sunset Cloud moved from the couch, and basically jumped into the bag to see whats inside. “Phew! Thanks....” “Don’t mention it.” Pixel replied in a nice manner. “That’s one of the reasons why it’s good to have friends.” Sunset Cloud’s head popped out of the bag and pulled out a cookie in her mouth. Pixel chuckled and so did Petal Cord. Pixel let Petal Cord in and closed the door. “What- mph- brings ou hear?” Sunset Cloud mumbled, her mouth stuffed with cookie. Petal cord moved away from the table where the bag was place and looked around the room. “What a nice Place you got here. Any family home?” “Nah. Just me, well...for another hour.” Pixel replied walking towards the video game that Sunset Cloud and Pixel were just playing. Shutting it off with his hoof he made his way back to the two mares. Pixel’s brother and sister, Talon and Silverstone, both had teacher conferences which both of the Parents had to go to. “Good, ‘cause I was hoping we could discuss about last... year....” Petal Cord trailed off nervously moving her hoof around in circles on the wood floor. Pixel nodded and pulled up a chair to begin. Sunset Cloud moved silently up to the table. “What’s been on your mind recently?” Pixel asked ready to start up a conversation. A ping of Saddness stabbed his heart with each name Petal Cord Spoke. “Officer Sunside, Winter, Day Break, Buzzkill, Ash, and Caster.... They Helped us escape. They could have lived. A year later and we just thought of them!” Petal Cord said with tears in her eyes. Pixel stared hard at the thought, he had the perfect way to end this burden. “We all miss them too you know. And I don’t think it’ll be fitting if we don’t give them the service that they deserved!” Faces lit up as Pixel said this. “We will give them the proper way of saying goodbye!” Standing up, Petal Cord nodded firmly and so did Sunset Cloud. Pixel smiled slightly and trotted towards the door next to the kitchen. Opening it with his magic it reveled six gravestones. All with the squads names printed on it. “Let’s remeber them and their sacrifices. Okay?” Sunset Cloud said confidently. The gang nodded in return.