//------------------------------// // The Journey Begins // Story: Alien: Twilight's Children // by TwiRaptor //------------------------------// Manehatten, once a bustling city, now a wasteland with nothing but the rubble of the once floating city smashed into the ground. Passing through the area it is almost unrecognizable, however, because some of the buildings weren’t destroyed is how anypony could know what the city used to be. These structures also provide shelter for survivors who pass through the area. Rahzzy uses his magic to remove his vest and raise it above his head as rain begins to fall on the group. The stallion groans as the rain begins, he used to enjoy the rainy weather but after an attack a couple weeks ago, when Xenomorphs used the rain to conceal themselves. His opinion on the rain significantly changed after that, stopping to look for a sturdy structure the stallion does his best not to lose sight of Twilight and the others. The rain beats down hard and the vest isn't the best umbrella. Even with it as cover the stallion is practically soaked by the time, he spots a place to bunker down in. "I think we should stop there until this rain is over!!" Rahzzy steps out, separating himself from the group to show everypony where he was talking about. "Come on! This way!!" A loud crack underneath the stallion’s hoof catches his attention, looking down Rahzzy spots that he has crushed the remains of a small filly. It is nothing but bones, however, the sight of it brings him chills. Pushing with his hoof he does his best to keep it out of sight not wanting anypony to fear entering the structure. As everypony approaches they are quick to move inside to get out of the rain. Mistilie is the last one to enter alongside Rahzzy, the inside of the structure brings no surprises. Furniture molded and tossed around, cracked walls, and broken pillars. Rahzzy reaches into his saddle bag with a flash of magic pulling out a motion detector, Nothing. "Nice feeling, isn't it Rahzzy?" Mistilie says as she looks to the small screen of the motion detector. The android reaches up with a hoof placing it on the detector lowering it. "Knowing there is nothing here, that has to feel good" "Or maybe they just aren't moving yet" Rahzzy says with a hint of fear, raising his motion detector for a second look of the area. "You can never be too sure with these things, Mistilie" "You think I don't know that?” Mistilie uses her magic pushing the motion detector down again. Her artificial magic stronger that the stallion's she uses it to put the tracker back into Rahzzy's saddlebag. "Put that thing away and get dry" Mistilie uses her magic again, this time to pull a blanket from a nearby saddlebag. She doesn't care who's it was and only cared right now to keep Rahzzy dry. Placing the blanket around the stallion she directs him over to a place to sit down for a moment. Rahzzy doesn't argue and heads over to sit down with everypony else as Mistilie does what she normally does when everypony else is resting up. The rain pours down onto the structure so hard that it begins to leak in the most damaged of areas around the structure. Twilight Sparkle sits not far away from Rahzzy and the others in the group, however, she is clearly thinking about other things. She looks down into a puddle that formed from the rain dripping down from above. Looking at her reflection she pokes it with a hoof to create ripples to distort her reflection before looking away. The Alicorn feeling regret, anger, and depressed about everything that has happened in the last few years. "Do you blame yourself for everything that has happened, Mistilie?" Twilight says as the alicorn spots Mistilie approaching through the reflection of the puddle. "I know I can't help but feel responsible for some of this" "No Twilight, I am just an android ... I can't feel responsible for anything" Mistilie says in an almost monotone voice. Twilight turns around to look at the android after this kind response. Mistilie closes her eyes letting out a long-exhausted breath, the Android knows that Twilight knows better than to believe this "Alright, I may be able to feel but I can't feel anything anymore about this" Twilight narrows her eyes as she stares down Mistilie, the Alicorn shakes her head holding back the meanest things she could still say to the Android. Mistilie may be helping everypony, however, is far away from receiving forgiveness for what she caused. "Do you feel responsible for bringing him back, Mistilie!?" Twilight gets up from the pile of debris she was resting on and in frustration kicks with her hind leg pushing the rubble over. " You also legalized cloning and because of that you ..." Twilight freezes as she notices the first tear roll down the Android's cheek. The Alicorn's ears pin back as immediate regret sinks in, however, all this built up rage and memories. Twilight wasn't feeling herself and couldn't hold back, especially when face to face with Mistilie Flare ... the Android responsible for the source of her pain. Mistilie turns away closing her eyes letting out a small whimper and she shakes her head trying to deny her own pain. Twilight tries to reach out to apologize but the Android pulls away trying to deny further. "Mistilie ... that was wrong of me. I just keep thinking back to what happened, it makes it hard to trust you" Twilight places her hoof over her mouth to hold back any more words. Only one last muffled statement comes out as Twilight attempts to make herself less of a jerk. "I am sorry" "Do you insist on reminding me, T-Twilight Sparkle?" Mistilie opens her eyes turning back around to face the Alicorn. "I have done nothing but try to redeem myself to Rahzzy and ... You especially!" "Mistilie ..." Twilight can't bring any more words out, even if Mistilie has done many unforgivable things. Mistilie sucks up her emotions quickly, able to shrug off her emotions effectively to not allow herself to be open or weak. The Android turns away ending the conversation before it continue. Mistilie walking away to sit with the rest of the group and nothing but memories sit in Twilight's mind. Twilight falls to the ground onto the castle floor as she is teleported by Princess Celestia away from the attack. The sound of Scootaloo's voice is the first thing to echo into her ears after teleporting and the Alicorn is quick to look up. There is blood on Scootaloo's face, but she isn't harmed, Twilight pulls the filly in for a hug happy to know that the blood was at least not her own. "We don't have time!! The Xenomorphs are not the only problem we are currently facing!!" Celestia lowers herself to be level with Twilight. "Weyland Yutani ... the company has been attacked from the inside. Without them our first line of defense is gone!!" Celestia flares her wings pulling the two ponies in for a hug, the larger alicorn's body trembles as she takes deep, weak, breaths. "We need the Gene ..." "I DON'T HAVE IT ANYMORE!!" Twilight pulls out of the hug and tears fall from her eyes. Everything she loved is one by one being taken away from her by what she used to control. "It just suddenly ..." Celestia lifts Twilight's chin to look into her eyes, the look of hope fading from the Princess as she sees no sign of the gene in Twilight's eyes. "Oh no ..." Celestia says in a weak tone, like all her hope was taken away. "I can't take them all on alone, Twilight" Celestia flinches as the sound of the Xenomorphs trying to bust into the castle reaches her ears. "There has to be something we can do!! Celestia!!" Twilight screams and her wings tuck tightly against her body as she too hears the Xenomorphs growing near. "Please!!! PLEASE PLEASE!!" "Celestia closes her eyes and shakes her head, knowing that there is only one thing left to do. The Princess sucks up her tears and nods to herself before speaking to Twilight Sparkle. Twilight sits still knowing something is about to be said, however, not know exactly what. "After everything, when you put an end to this originally. We as a species prospered and grew significantly sense then" Celestia sucked up more tears trying to hold back her sadness. "Over time Weyland Yutani was reborn ... in a new image they helped us stay safe from the Xenomorphs, with your help" The sounds of the nearing Xenomorphs makes the area tenser as the speak goes on. "Something terrible has happened, Twilight. I know who the cause of this is ... this tragedy" "Celestia don't do this!! Don't make this a goodbye!!" Twilight gets up knowing what is coming, however, it is too late. Celestia casts a spell holding her still. "Celestia!! Please!!!" "YOU HAVE TO GO!!! NOW!!!!" Celestia screams as time has run out, the Xenomorphs smash through the doors rushing in to attack the Alicorn. Twilight Sparkle and Scootaloo are sent into a portal before anything can happen to them, the portal sending them out and away from the castle. The last thing Twilight can see of her old mentor ... is the Princess closing her eyes and accepting her fate as the Xenomorphs surround her. "It is time to go, Twilight" Rahzzy's voice interrupts the flashback of memories. "The rain has stopped and everypony is ready to get moving. Mistilie talked to me ... I know what she did but you two need to figure something out" "Yes, of course Rahzzy" Twilight sucks up her sadness and nods, "I will be right behind you, go ahead and I will catch up" .................................................................................................................................................................................... "That is enough!! I will talk!!" MoonDust presses her back against the wall, trying to prevent the Xenomorph from making her the next item on the menu. A whistle from the darkness and the Xenomorph withdraws from killing the mare, she can escape death today. "After close satellite scans of Cloudsdale ... I can confirm there are hundreds of survivors still living there after all this time" MoonDusts can feel the regret, however, telling the truth she is able to save her own life. She shakily gets up and looks to the darkness at the set of green glowing eyes in the darkness. "Are you going to kill them too ... this used to be a place of sanctuary before you showed up" MoonDust spits forward at the stallion who is still hiding in the darkness. "A little unfair to use technology against some clueless ponies, sir" "How I use Equis technology is my business and so are the fates of those remaining in Cloudsdale, MoonDust." The stallion speaks from the darkness, his green eyes examining Moon for any serious wounds. "I am sorry I had to do that, however, a Xenomorph makes a very good interrogation tool" "You don't deserve that gene, Lightning!!" Moon tries to move away but his magical aura catches her before she can flee. Struggling in his grasp she squeals in frustration. "Let go of me you BIG HEAD!!" Stepping out from the shadows the stallion chuckles, flattered to have been discovered. His glowing eyes dim to appear less intimidating as he grows closer to MoonDust. She stares him down as he keeps her still in his magical grasp, regretting even more now to giving away those survivors’ location. "You are the last to know ... I am surprised it took you this long, Moon" White Lightning chuckles to himself but doesn't let go of the mare. "I promise not to kill you, but I cannot do the same promise twice, which means the ponies in Cloudsdale won't be as lucky" "You were a mistake to bring back!!! Equestria trusted you and you never changed!!" MoonDust whimpers as her mouth is forced shut by White's magic. The stallion shakes his head and leans in to get closer to the mare, to explain in further detail what he sees it all as. "I didn't choose to come back ... in fact you can thank my daughter for that. Equestria, is a wonderful place and has grown more than I could have seen when I was alive, originally" He chuckles at the thought of being alive more than once, the stallion narrows his eyes before letting out a long sigh of disappointment. "I don't really WANT to go over how I got possession of the Queen Gene. That can come later ... when you learn to obey" "Fuck Off!!" Moon screams through her lips to show her displeasure in being silence, but this only causes her lips to be shut tighter. "You know ... I can't help but think I should have let that Xenomorph eat you" White Lightning narrows his eyes more as he looks down at MoonDust who is much shorter than he is. "All I ever wanted was for a Better World, I think it will be better when we all get a chance to start over. First everything needs to be erased ..." "What you think the Xenomorphs will just, DISAPPEAR WHEN YOU ARE HAPPY!!??" MoonDust reluctantly resists the magic and is able to speak once again. "Once you 'erase' everything they will still exist!! There are too many of them now, White!!" "ENOUGH!!! I have a plan!!!!" White uses his magic to toss MoonDust to the wall knocking her out cold. "JUST SHUT UP!!! I would not expect you too understand what I am doing here. I need more scans of Equis ... who all is left on this rock?" Lightning looks to notice the mare is unconscious ans shakes his head, looking to the table nearby he uses his magic to pick up a radio. Speaking into it he keeps a calm voice. "Get me more scans of Equis!!! Amber Weyland, Building Better Worlds ..." He hangs up and groans having to have said that line, again. "For Amber ..."