The next day came earlier than I expected, all things considered.
At some point during the meetup the night before, Rainbow Dash had convinced me to partake in a couple of glasses of beer. I was reluctant at first, having only ever touched the stuff once before with Moon Dancer. That had been to celebrate my—at the time—new position as a researcher for Wendigo. I wasn't a complete lightweight when it came to alcohol, much to the surprise of the others, but I was definitely feeling it by the time I turned in for the night.
What did surprise me was the fact that I not only woke up with no hangover but that I'd woken up so early to boot. I was the second one to leave the get-together following Fluttershy's departure, but we'd all stayed up fairly late into the night. Sure, I went back to my room and crashed as soon as my head hit the pillow, but waking up at eight in the morning after a late night of drinking and feeling as okay as I did was pretty impressive in my opinion.
There was some residual grogginess and the beginnings of a minor headache, but a quick shower was enough to clear all that up. It only took me about an hour to get ready for the day, and that was only because I had to take some extra time to unpack all my stuff. By the time I was done, my assigned room actually looked like a proper room, if a bit austere in appearance.
All that said, I had passed out with the expectation that I'd be waking up late so I found myself wondering just what to do with my time. I checked my personal terminal and saw that the Doctor had indeed sent me an email with a schedule for today and tomorrow. Sure enough, my meeting with Doctor Whooves and the other researchers wasn't scheduled until about eleven or so, so I had a few hours to myself.
So what I should I do until then?
The Director had actually sent a personal email with a few suggestions for what to do with any free time that honestly wasn't bad. One recommendation was that I should familiarize myself with the various facilities the Ponyville Branch had to offer. I could also just spend time browsing the terminal's database. I could look up various bits of information relating to my job and bring myself up to date with what was going on within Wendigo.
There was another suggestion to head to the slums and help out with the restoration efforts. Evidently, to hear Applejack talk about it, there were still ponies out there working to repair the damages from the Avidaeos attack—many well into the night and even some throughout. Apparently, there were some Wendigo staff on standby to transport any Hunters willing to assist to the slums if need be.
I gave it some serious thought and it wasn't long before I realized I'd already made up my mind the moment I read the suggestion. I felt bad enough having slept through the initial cleanup of the attack and now that I had a chance and some time to spare, I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to help. After all, I wasn't sure when I'd next get that chance with how busy I was likely to become in the following days.
My course set and my Daeus Hunter uniform donned, I stepped out of my room and began making my way to the main hub. The Branch was as busy as ever, with staffers and Hunters alike flitting to and fro like diligent bees in a hive. It was a familiar sight that almost made me feel as though I were back in HQ, rushing back and forth to give and receive new reports on whatever I was working on at the time.
It was oddly soothing... until I remembered that I could be called on at any moment to risk my life. Trying not to think too deeply about that part of my job, I picked up the pace a little. It wasn't too long before I reached the main hub and the door to the prep room. I started to head for the large metal door, but when I saw Cheerilee standing at the front desk I stopped and changed course, something having occurred to me just then.
"Oh, Twilight Sparkle, good morning," Cheerilee greeted as I approached the desk, "I heard you were a big help in getting the Lieutenant and the other rookies to safety the other day. I speak on behalf of all the operators when I say you have my gratitude."
"No, it wasn't as impressive as all that, really," I replied, waving away the thanks, "I was just trying to do what little I could given the circumstances."
"All the same, your work is appreciated," Cheerilee chuckled, "anyway, what I can I do for you?"
"Right, well," I began, "I'm thinking of helping out with the restoration of the slums and I was kind of wondering where I should start. I'm pretty sure there's still a lot to do, so..."
I trailed off and Cheerilee nodded in understanding.
"There certainly is quite a bit of work that still needs doing," she hummed thoughtfully, "we have more than enough hands for building repairs and I can't exactly ask you to guard the walls without a weapon, so... I suppose that leaves the distribution of emergency supplies."
"Distribution of supplies, huh?" I thought for a moment, then nodded, "yeah, I can do that. Where would I need to go?"
"Just let one of the ponies driving the APCs know you'll be helping with supplies and they'll take you to the distribution site."
"Good to know," I replied, "well then, I'll—wait, do you know how much time that'll take? I kind of have a meeting to get to in a few hours."
Cheerilee took another second to think.
"Well, you're free to leave whenever you feel necessary, but I don't believe there's much left to hand out at this point," she assured me, "you should be done in about an hour and a half—maybe two hours or so if you wanted to stay until supplies ran out."
"Perfect," I nodded before stepping away from the desk, "thanks, Cheerilee."
"Anytime, Twilight," the mare replied with a sunny smile, "barring any unforeseen circumstances, I'll be here for the rest of the day if you need anything else."
I thanked her again, headed for the prep room, and within a few minutes, I was in the passenger seat of an armored personnel carrier and on my way to the slums. I spent most of the ride wondering what kind of ponies made up the Doctor's supposedly small group of researchers. The 1st Unit had been a colorful cast of characters so to speak—both literally and figuratively.
I wondered if that small team of researchers would be just as wildly varied in their nature or if they'd be more grounded. I was hoping for the latter, but after having gotten to know the ponies of the Retaliation Team, I found that I didn't really mind if the former wound up being the case. I wondered if maybe I'd run into them once or twice already and not have even known it. That had been the case with Pinkie after all.
I wondered about all of that and more as the APC passed by rows of partially reconstructed homes and the occasional group of roaming slum dwellers. Some looked weary from the hard work, others look rather satisfied at their contribution. And then there were those who'd been affected the most by the attack—grieving families who'd lost loved ones or those who lost their homes and meager possessions entirely.
I heard casualties had been kept to a minimum all things considered, but that didn't change the fact that lives were still lost. Those unfortunate ponies weren't coming back and with each attack by the Avidaeos, there was always a risk of more and more dying each time. Back when I was working in Canterlot I never really had an opportunity to think about just how messed up our world was.
Or maybe I should say I kept myself busy enough that I didn't have to think about it.
But now that I had time to ruminate on it, I couldn't help but ask myself where it had all gone wrong. At exactly what point in history did our lives become... this? Hiding behind walls and fighting each and every day just to keep our ultimate demise at bay for just a little bit longer? There were all kinds of speculation surrounding the emergence of Hive Cells, but no creature has been able to pin down its source or exactly when it came to be.
By the time we had even a vague idea of what Hive Cells were, it was already too late to stop the spread of the all-consuming single-celled organism. Still, for all the theories, we haven't gotten any closer to finding a more effective solution in ridding the world of Hive Cells other than Daeus Arms and many still feel that's not enough. There are tons of self-proclaimed realists out there who argue that it's only a matter of time before the Avidaeos hunt us all to extinction.
It's not like I can't see their point—I myself am a logically minded pony, or so I'd like to think. That said, I don't like the idea of simply lying down and accepting our grisly fate, even if it is inevitable. There's a fine line between pragmatism and pessimism and the latter was a line I wasn't willing to cross just yet, not when it came to the collective survival of all sapient races anyway.
Sure I had some misgivings about my own personal survival, but that was just me. I was just one pony. It was because I believed—and still believe—there's more that we could do as one large collective of sapient creatures inhabiting this ruined planet that I became a researcher.
I have to believe there's more we can do, because if not...
"You look like ya got somethin' on yer mind."
"Huh?" I turned to face the source of the deep baritone. The voice in question belonged to the driver, a bulky red earth pony stallion whose sleepy green eyes remained fixed on the road ahead, "were you... talking to me?"
"Eeyup," he replied, eyes still locked on the road, "ain't much fer words, but Ah'm a good listener if ya wanna talk about it."
I looked at the stallion.
He was a handsome sort—strongly built, steady gaze full of a sort of quiet kindness, and just a general air of down-to-earth equanimity about him. I knew nothing about him, but felt as though I could trust the stallion at just a glance. Maybe it was that feeling combined with his other traits like the southern accent, the soft emerald eyes beneath his brilliant orange mane, or the freckles on his face, but he reminded me of a certain stetson-wearing captain.
Maybe they're related?
I looked for the telltale armlet of a Daeus Hunter but didn't see one on either arm, which meant he was probably just another member of the Branch staff. I was curious about the stallion but not enough to pry, so instead, I shook my head and laughed off both his and my own concerns. He'd been the one to offer and despite his trustworthy aura, I still didn't feel comfortable unloading those kinds of thoughts on a complete stranger.
"Oh, no it's nothing major," I finally answered as I returned to staring out the window, "I'm just... trying to get used to life here in Ponyville is all."
"Mhmm..." was all the stallion said in response.
It was clear from his tone that he didn't entirely believe that was the case, but he thankfully didn't press the issue. The rest of the ride continued in a silence that had become slightly awkward but it wasn't so bad that I couldn't ignore it. As I watched more and more ponies pass by, I realized the many scattered and disjointed groups I'd seen up until now had become more organized, many of the ponies forming a loose line directed somewhere ahead of us.
I followed the line with my eyes, trying to see if I could find the end, and saw that it continued around a corner. The APC took one last turn right, following the line, and stopped a minute or so later in front of what looked like a large warehouse. The building was one of many in the immediate area that hadn't been caught up in the attack and was completely intact.
The double doors were thrown open and I could see the line of ponies steadily shuffling inside on one end of the wide entryway. On the other end, several ponies emerged with various plastic boxes and bags stamped with the Wendigo logo in hand. If that wasn't an indicator that this was my stop, then the large sign overhead reading 'Outer District Relief Center' certainly was.
It was my first time seeing one, but I knew relief centers provided various types of aid to the homeless and victims of disasters like what happened the other night. I knew there were a few in Canterlot's Central District so it would stand to reason that they had at least one here somewhere. I did wonder why they would bother putting one in the Outer District though. It was just begging to get attacked in another Avidaeos raid.
As the APC pulled to a stop I thanked the stallion and unbuckled myself to exit the vehicle, but as I pushed the door open and stepped out of the carrier the stallion spoke up.
"Hey," he began, and continued again when I turned to give him a questioning look, "Ah know Ah'm just some stallion ya just met, but don't forget you got a team ya can share yer problems with. AJ an' the others'll take care of ya."
I blinked.
I hadn't expected to hear the stallion say anything at all when we parted ways, let alone provide words of encouragement out of the blue. It just went to show he was just as sincere and well-meaning as he looked. I was also convinced now more than ever that he and Applejack were related somehow.
"Um... thanks," I replied, genuinely touched at his words, "I'll remember that."
He nodded and—once I'd closed the door—reversed course, hit the gas, and was off the way he came with a roar of the engine and a spray of gravel from beneath the thick wheels. I watched the APC go for a moment before another thought hit me and a lump of cold panic dropped into my gut.
Wait... how am I supposed to get back?! I don't know my way around the slums!
I pressed a hand to my chest and took a deep breath. Panicking wouldn't have helped the situation and if I stopped to think about it, there was probably some system in place. If there hadn't been I was pretty sure the stallion wouldn't have just left like that.
"You alright there, lass?" came a raspy voice from somewhere to my left, "yer lookin' a wee bit peely-wally."
I jumped slightly and whipped around to find one of the ponies in line—an elderly pegasus stallion—eyeing me with a mix of concern and confusion. He had a thick Trottish accent I could only just parse and I had no idea what 'peely-wally' meant, but given how I'd acted just a moment ago I could make a few guesses.
"I'm okay, sorry," I assured, waving a dismissive hand.
He looked unconvinced but nodded nonetheless before returning his attention to somepony else he'd apparently been speaking to ahead of him. I took the chance to make my way past the line and was about to step into the building when I spotted a large metallic white sign posted to the open door on the right. Curious, I walked over to the sign and saw that it was a notice.
The words 'VOLUNTEERS PLEASE USE SIDE ENTRANCE' were stamped upon the sign and just below that I could see a black arrow pointing to the right, presumably in the direction of the side entrance. I shrugged, realizing it made sense to separate the help from those who needed help. Figuring there was probably a back room where the supplies were stored, I followed the arrow and walked around to the right side of the warehouse.
I couldn't see the door from where I was, but all the way at the other end, near the back of the warehouse, I could see two more Wendigo staffers standing by the wall. Just like the stallion who drove the APC, both wore the uniform, but neither had Hunter armlets. As I got closer I could hear the two ponies chatting amicably and could see the side entrance in question sitting between the two.
When I got close enough the two halted their conversation and turned their attention to me, and now that I saw both their faces I could see they were twins. Both ponies were unicorn mares, forest green in color and rather diminutive in appearance. Their snow-white manes were identically cut in flat shoulder-length bobs with bangs that covered their entire brow.
What struck me most about the two and the easiest way to tell them apart were their eyes. Both pairs were a deep violet color, but that's where the similarities ended. The mare to the left of the door had wide, staring eyes—like she was constantly fascinated by everything she saw. The other had a gaze closer to that of the stallion from earlier, her eyes half-lidded and sleepy though with none of the same warmth.
"You here for volunteer work?" asked the sleepy-eyed mare in a bored tone.
"Obviously," answered the wide-eyed mare sounding only slightly less bored, "why else would she be coming back here, sis?"
"Maybe she stole one of our uniforms to sneak around back and pinch a few extra rations," the sleepy-eyed mare suggested in that same bored tone.
"She has a Daeus Hunter armlet, sis," the wide-eyed mare pointed out, "if she's a thief, she'd have to be a damn good one to pull off stealing one of those."
"Maybe," was all the sleepy-eyed mare said in response.
"Um," I began, raising my arms placatingly, "I am a real Daeus Hunter and yes, I'm actually here for volunteer work. My name is—"
"Twilight Sparkle, right?" the sleepy-eyed mare finished, "yeah, we know. You can go on in."
I blinked, then frowned.
"You... you know?" I asked, both baffled and a bit irritated, "wait, if you already knew about me, then why did you—"
"Castor was just poking a bit of fun, she didn't mean anything by it," the wide-eyed mare interjected as she pushed open the door. I noted that neither mare had been smiling the entire time, "now go on, don't want to keep those poor souls waiting, do you?"
"Er, no I suppose not," I replied uncertainly, "alright then, well... thanks?"
With that, I entered the warehouse, shuddering inwardly as I noticed the twins watching me every step of the way. They held their inscrutable gazes right up until the door closed behind me. Even with a closed door between us, I still felt like they were watching me and gave an outward shudder at the thought.
"Sheesh," I muttered under my breath, "what's their deal?"
Trying to put the two out of my mind, I returned my attention to the room in front of me. Looking around, I half expected to have fallen into some kind of trap set by the twins, but thankfully all I saw was your average storage room. The room itself was smaller than I imagined, but the ceiling was high and the shelves, which covered every wall, were so tall any creature that didn't have wings or magic would've needed a good-sized ladder just to reach the middle.
Most of the shelves were stacked with all kinds of nondescript boxes of varying sizes but there was one shelf at the very back opposite the door I came through that had nothing but the same types of plastic boxes and bags I saw being carried out of the warehouse by the ponies in line. Most of the racks from the bottom up to about the middle shelf were barren, but there were still plenty of supplies left in stock from what I could tell.
It was just as I was wondering where I should go and what I should do that a door nestled between two shelves on the far right wall clicked open and another unicorn mare entered the room. Her mane was the first thing that caught my eye. Crimson and yellow streaks gave it a fiery appearance that reminded me of the Lieutenant, but this mare's mane was more... vibrant might've been a good word.
In fact, the mares shared a similar coat color as well, though it was more an amber shade than the gold of Spitfire's coat. The biggest difference, however, was her cyan eyes. They were focused, sharp, full of intelligence and a self-assuredness that I honestly wish I had. Again, to keep up the comparisons, Spitfire had that same gaze, but unlike Spitfire's gaze which felt like it could burn a hole through you, this mare's eyes were cold as the Frozen North.
She stopped in the middle of the storage room, her eyes focused on a clipboard in one hand. In her other, she held a large styrofoam cup of what smelled like black coffee. And lastly, floating in her pale blue magic, was a pen that was currently scratching something out on yet another clipboard held in the same telekinetic field. The mare reminded me of myself back when I was drowning myself in my work back in Canterlot.
What's more, as I watched her pore over whatever papers were on that clipboard, I began to get the impression that I'd seen her somewhere before. Completely absorbed in what she was reading, she didn't seem to notice my presence in the slightest—not even as she paused to take a sip of coffee. Her focused gaze remained fixed on the clipboard, and if I was honest, that was just fine with me.
For some reason, I felt like if I made myself known, she'd just yell at me, but that was ridiculous... right? Still, there was that nagging sense that I knew her, or at least knew of her, I just couldn't put my finger on where I would've seen her. Maybe I'd seen her in passing somewhere in the Branch, but that didn't seem right. I feel like would've remembered somepony as... severe-looking as her.
I took note of her uniform and the lack of an armlet. She wasn't a Hunter but she was clearly a member of Wendigo, and her navy blue Wendigo issued top—now that I was paying attention—looked more like a lab coat than the standard-issue blouse and jacket combo that I wore. I still couldn't quite place her face or name, but I started to suspect that she might've been one of my future colleagues on the Doctor's small team of researchers.
If that's the case, then maybe I might've seen her at some point back in Canterlot? Doctor Whooves did bring his team to Ponyville from the Capital. Maybe she—
And then it hit me.
Like a bolt from the blue a distant memory suddenly surfaced in my mind from back when I had first been accepted as an official Hive Cell researcher for Wendigo. It was only just the once and only briefly, but I'd met this mare once before in Canterlot. There hadn't even really been an exchange of words at the time, but that small interaction and what I learned about her later definitely left an impression on me then.
"Sunset Shimmer..."
The words were quiet—barely above a whisper, but in the relative silence of that room, there was no way she wouldn't have heard. Sure enough, one of her ears twitched at the sound and she finally turned to see me standing there, brows raised and face pale with shock. To her credit, Sunset looked only about half as surprised as I did and after looking me over for a moment, she cracked a small smile that, even as bitter and humorless as it was, didn't reach her cold blue eyes.
"Twilight Sparkle... I was wondering when I'd finally get to see your face again."