//------------------------------// // 11, Land Ho // Story: THE IMPOSTER AMONG US // by FIM Fiction //------------------------------// Memories. Memories are precious. You never know when your last one will be. Whether it's your own in life, or one shared with another... I have to save them. But how? *2 MONTHS AGO* The group of friends moved down the hall, following Twilight. Rainbow Dash grabbed her by the shoulders. "Hey 'Miss Sparkle'! We got some questions for you." she said angrily. Twilight turned, before running away and teleporting. "Darn it! Where'd she go!?" Applejack asked. "Where else, Orange?" Rainbow Dash said, before walking to the library. She bucked the doors open. Applejack quickly lassoed Twilight before she could go anywhere. "Hold on, Twi! We ain't gonna hurt ya!" "We just are wondering if you have seen where Pinkie has gone." Rarity said. "But you've seemed so busy, even when you weren't." Fluttershy whispered. Twilight struggled against the rope. "Twi..." Rainbow Dash's face softened. "We're scared. Ever sense we were... 'hired' by the company, well, a lot of us have been on edge. Then the one pony who boosts everypony's moral just disappears. One of our friends. Pinkie Pie." "You're the only one with answers." Applejack said, removing her hat from the top of her helmet. She untied Twilight. "If there is anything you could tell us, please say." Rarity said, her expression hidden but known by the others. Twilight faced down, before looking up at her friends. "I'll tell you everything once we reach Polus. I Pinkie Promise." *CURRENT MOMENT* Rainbow Dash looked at the control panel, shaken by the flow of memories. "How do I suddenly know how to steer this?" "Who cares JUST GET IT TO ORBIT!" Singed shouted. She pointed out the window. "Oh." Rainbow Dash stared at a moment at the planet, before quickly moving her hooves across the control panel. * Everyone felt the vessel shift dramatically, throwing most off their hooves. "What was that!?" Cup Cake asked. "Hahaha!" Chef Cheff laughed, before slamming her hoof onto the Button. Poomph. Chef Cheff stared at the button. Poomph. Her laughter stopped as she tried again. Poomph. Rarity saw this. She huffed, wondering why Pinks weren't even allowed the Button. She headed over and- Poomph. Twilight tried herself. Poomph A Pink 1 handed over a microphone to Chef Cheff. "Thank you." Chef Cheff said, patting the Pink 1 on the head. "ALRIGHT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FOLLOW ME BECAUSE WE HAVE ARRIVED AT OUR DESTINATION! WE'RE DROPPING IN!" "Say what now?" Cream Heart asked. A black suited pony glanced around, before grabbing Chef Cheff and walking with her. The figure motions for the others to follow. Slowly but surely, they started to follow. Applejack and Apple Bloom quickly went to grab Big Mac. * "What in Zehe's name is he doing!?" Zekan asked in disbelief. "She, Zekan. She." Ilshus reminded her comrade. "I flyrepton refuse to acknowledge the idea of 'trans' human nonsense, Ilshus." Zekan responded. "The mission is getting way out of clin. We were supposed to remove the work force, and return the ships back to the Company. Now three of our team are dead, and Zeris-" "Ilthamus." "Zeris is leading them to the shuttle! He is betraying us!" Zekan exclaimed. "I'm sure she had a reason... Maybe to gain their trust?" Ilshus suggested. "I swear if you keep referring to him as a Il rather than a Ze, I'll force you to grow a full set of side dinths and mate him." Ilshus stopped in her tracks, staring at her comrade as others moved around them. "That's flyrepton gross, Zekan... But fair." She giggled as she continued to walk. "But then again, to grow Ze parts and mate him like he's a Il," She let out a purr. "Good Zehe I regret saying that to you." Zekan said in disgust. "I swear humans have corrupted you with their ideals." "You're the one wanting me to grow a set of balls and co-" "Finish that sentence and I will not hesitate to end your entire existence, so I swear upon the Holy Grail." Zekan growled. Ilshus gulped. "I understand, Captain. Sorry." "Good." Zekan said with a nod as they came to the shuttle room. They watched as their comrade hacked the panel system to let the others on. "Scared?" The two whipped their heads to Cozy Glow. "You little trai-" "Eh!" Cozy Glow said, holding up her hoof. "I didn't rat you guys out, now did I?" Cozy Glow giggled. "Thing is, I'm terrified!" she said cheerfully. "With every step I take closer to that planet, the more my heart and head pounds. Like a bad dream, about to repeat." Cozy Glow's breath quickened. "The shadows grow longer and my hearing sharper, yet there are black shapes and extra sounds." Cozy Glow looked up. "Why did you hire me?" "You knew the codes." Ilshus answered. "But we don't know why you went insane. Zemlinder knew, but you flushed him out into space." "Cygow! Over here!" Nurse Redheart called. "Well, that's my cue! Bye!" The two watched the child run off. "Commander. What now?" A large black suited figure walked over to them. "I- I'm not sure. We were never supposed to arrive at the planet..." Zekan said. "By this condition... The mission's off..." * The shuttle landed with a thunk. Rainbow Dash took a breath, before opening the doors. A small... thing in a red spacsuit waved at her. A far taller White thing stood beside it. The green one in the white suit quickly ran out of the shuttle. "Hello!" the taller thing said. "My name is Captain Rogers. Welcome to Polus!" *LATER "Wow." Rogers looked at Rainbow Dash in disbelief, his face visible through the helmet. "Thatsa- Thats a lot to take in." He removed his helmet, rubbing the back of his head before putting it back on. "I don't know what to say." He coughed, before walking to a cliff edge. "See that? Down there?" Rogers said, pointing down the mountain. "That's where the rest of "Ponyville" is. We can't actually get there yet. At least not until the tram is done. Meanwhile, we're the top research crew. Double pun there." "OI! I DON'T CARE WHO'S DYIN! GET YER ARSES TO WORK, OR BREAK IN THE NEWBIES!" a lime crewmate shouted from a distance. "That's painfully ironic." Rogers said with a wince. * Chef Cheff walked into the kitchen. She grabbed the current chef and threw him out. "My kitchen now." Seeing the knife in her head, Chef Jackson decided he'll work on laundry duty. "Good day, Mademoiselle." he said, before sprinting away.