//------------------------------// // Chapter 19 // Story: MLP A New Generation 2: The Last of The Alicorns // by TwiShine45 //------------------------------// Zipp was, in no small way, scared. She tried to put up a tough front against the voice, but deep within, her heart was trembling. Her blue eyes flashed around the darkened area, attempting to find who her verbal provocateur was. But the other being simply could not be located. No matter how hard Zipp tried, she just couldn’t seem to find whoever it was. This sense of mystery caused her already heightened level of fright to skyrocket, and her knees began to buckle. Her mentality would not allow her to show such weakness, however, and she quickly straightened up. Her ears cocked themselves, listening for the minutest of sound. They were razor sharp, owing to her moons of training, both as a deputy and in her own personal life back in Zephyr Heights. “I’m warning you…” She said after a few moments of silence, “…I’m a skilled hoof-to-hoof combatant, so if you try anything-“ “Now, why on earth would I want to try anything?” The voice asked. “You just sound a bit…imposing,” Zipp said. “Imposing?” The voice asked, with a sharp edge of sarcastic annoyance to its tone. “Yes, imposing…like those ponies who knock on your door in an attempt to solicit you for something.” “Well…I, in no way want to solicit you for anything,” the voice said, “unless, of course, you’re interested in becoming part of the new era.” “That’s twice now you’ve mentioned that,” Zipp said. “Sounds as though you’re interested in hearing about it, hm?” “Well…I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t,” Zipp responded, lowering her guard just a bit. “That’s just what I wanted to hear,” the voice said. Suddenly, out of the shadows materialized a pony and the source of the voice. She was all wrapped up from head to hoof in a thick cloak. A mask covered her face and sharp, tinted glasses coated her eyes. Only two small holes had been cut out of the cloth for her to breathe. She crept closer to Zipp, eyeing her with suspicion and intrigue. Zipp did the same as she felt a strange sense of comfort begin to settle in. It was almost like this cloaked figure knew who she was and wanted very desperately to help her. Then again, it was also like the same pony wanted to kill her and spill her entrails all over the forest floor. “Who…who are you?” Zipp asked. “My name is irrelevant, young mare,” the pony said, in a voice that was garbled, yet carried an odd familiarity to it. “I feel like I know you from somewhere,” Zipp said honestly. “Oh, that’s quite impossible,” the cloaked figure responded, “for I don’t believe you’ve ever been to Val-hoof-la.” “Val-hoof-la?” Zipp asked. “Ah, yes,” the cloaked pony said. “Dear old Val-hoof-la. The headquarters of the new era, prophesied by The Great One.” “The Great One?” The cloaked pony nodded. “Yes, indeed. But we shall discuss that later. Let’s speak of you for now. Tell me, Zipp Storm, what of your relationship with your sister?” Zipp looked away. “I’d rather not discuss that.” But the cloaked one pushed, stepping up to look Zipp square in the face. “Oh, come now, my dear…let us not be so petulant. I am a friend…and friends can share all sorts of things, right?” Zipp thought back to what she’d learned about friendship ever since moving to Maretime Bay. “Well…of course, they can. But that doesn’t mean they have to all the time. I mean, sometimes friends just keep secrets and know enough not to invade each other’s privacy.” Even through the mask, Zipp swore that the other pony was smirking. “There should be no secrets among good friends, Zipp. If I don’t know everything about you, then how am I going to ever assist you and point you to the truth?” “The truth?” Zipp asked, raising a curious eyebrow. By now, her guard was fully lowered and she was seated on her haunches. “Yes, dear,” the masked one said, sitting across from her, “the truth of the new era. Equestria has grown tired and turning back to friendship lessons from the past simply will not help. It must progress, evolve, and grow. This is what The Great One says, and this is what must happen in order for ponies to truly be happy.” “Progress, evolve, and grow?” “Indeed,” the other pony said, “and The Great One is the only pony in existence who can help. But first, she needs volunteers…and you, Zipp, seem like the perfect candidate. Think of it…you could help lead our land into a glorious future, instead of being stuck in a past dominated by theories and concepts that, truthfully, led to Equestria’s total devastation.” “What do you mean?” “I’ve been watching you, Zipp. I know you know of Scarlet Wing, but let me tell you something…Scarlet Wing did what had to be done for Equestria to move forward. Twilight Sparkle and her friends did everything in their power to hold the nation back.” “How do you know that?” Zipp asked. It was in that moment that the cloaked pony flashed the inside of her cape at Zipp. There, emblazoned for all who would behold it, was a red logo. A Pegasus stayed in the middle, unfurling a rather large, dominating wing. A fury such that Zipp had never known scorched through the Pegasi’s eyes. Underneath the logo, words were written: “EVOLVE BEYOND.” Once more, Zipp’s fright picked up and she instinctively moved a couple of inches back from the cloaked pony. She knew that this pony meant some type of harm, yet she also felt some kind of genuine want to help her. “You…you’re with…Scarlet Wing, aren’t you?” Zipp asked, mouth quivering. “Yes, dear, I am. But not only that, I’m the organization’s highest ranking agent. We’ve been watching you, Zipp Storm. We saw the way you put your sister in her place. We saw how you beguiled her and threw her away like yesterday’s trash. It seems that you, my dear, are already living our motto.” “Evolve beyond?” Zipp asked, referencing the lettering. “Yes, evolve beyond,” The cloaked one said. “Evolve beyond what, exactly?” “That, Zipp, is something that you’ll have to discover for yourself. But trust me when I tell you that Sunny Starscout and her blind faith in Twilight Sparkle’s old ways…well…they’ll simply lead the nation directly back to war. Ponies have about as much trust in each other as a mouse does in a snake. But…if you join us…you’ll have everything you’ve ever wanted…and so much more.”