No Warm Soul
“Nothing above the surface will change, ever. And we can’t do anything about it.”
Chapter 1: |Twilight| This world has no friendship.
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Twilight sat in the classroom of the Advanced Unicorns, staring straight at one of the buzzing fluorescent lights. After having her head ache from staring too long, she closed her eyes and brought her head down. Everything here is so boring. I guess I should go home to Rainbow and Fluttershy.
It’s been nine years since Twilight had arrived at Ponyville, but during the seventh, everything in Equestria changed. Suddenly, the northern part of Equestria started to freeze over, spreading in all directions all the way down south to the badlands. It was during the fall that this had started to happen, and before long, other settlements to the far north stopped all communications with the southern settlements.
Princess Celestia’s worry grew every day, and in panic, started an evacuation to the Zebra’s homeland. After they had been cast out by the Zebra because of prejudice and a lack of knowledge of Zebras in general, Princess Luna came up with a plan. She put all architects, doctors, and engineers together to make The Facilitators. Princess Luna made The Facilitators build gigantic underground facilities directly under all alive settlements in Equestria to preserve and protect the living creatures of Equestria. In six months, almost every settlement in Equestria had all of their residents living underground.
As the rest of the year and the year after that came and went, the ponies in the Ponyville facility became bitter and menacing. What used to be the happiest and kind place in Equestria was now cold and rude. Friendship seemed like a childish thing to the residents, while Twilight, Rainbow, and Fluttershy kept theirs alive. Life in these prison like towns was breaking and maddening. Though it still functioned well as a community, became dull and routine to everypony.
Twilight counted the long light tubes mounted to the ceilings on the way to ‘apartment’ 302, the home of Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy. 32 light bulbs. Twilight sighed as she turned around to the door of her home and pushed the button to open it. Fluttershy was tending to the living room, and turned when Twilight came in.
“Oh, hello Twilight.” Fluttershy timidly said with a small smile.
Twilight smiled back. “Hi Fluttershy.”
“How was your day today?” Fluttershy said as she went back to cleaning the living room.
“Oh you know same old same old. Taught more scriptures from Starswirl, practiced more enchanting.” Twilight answered, flopping down on the couch Fluttershy stopped messing with.
Fluttershy nodded and kept working on the coffee table. “Do you know where Rainbow is?” Fluttershy said when she stopped working on the table.
“She must still be coaching; she works those Pegasi way too hard.” Rainbow Dash taught sports and flying lessons to the children in a cathedral sized room, a personal request from Rainbow to the Princess.
“More like they don’t work hard enough.” Rainbow Dash chimed in from the doorway, making the two ponies in the room turn their heads. “They just can’t get diving right because they are afraid that they’ll hit the ground, when the room is large enough to do a flight show in.” Rainbow Dash said, flying over to sit on the chair opposite of Twilight.
Twilight turned her head to the radio sitting next to her, and turned on the Vinyl Scratch channel. While some times, the songs were aggressive, most of the time the songs were more of leisure. Music to sit around and talk to other ponies with. It was one of the ways to have positive morale in the facilities, and even then, it didn’t help the bleak ponies.
Fluttershy stopped cleaning again and craned her head towards Twilight and Rainbow. “Have either of you seen Applebloom or Sweetie Belle?” Both ponies shook their heads. Fluttershy sighed. “They keep staying out later and later.”
“So where do you guys wanna eat?” Rainbow Dash said, standing up on all four hooves from the chair. There was a line of restaurants in Ponyville, going from fancy places, to more of fast food. “I say the Hooves and Hay.” Rainbow voted. Twilight nodded, and Fluttershy just said “That sounds alright.” After all taking showers in their respective bathrooms, they headed out to have their dinner.
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“So Twilight, want to do anything this afternoon?” Rainbow asked Twilight as they sat down to eat. The restaurant they were eating at was a gourmet restaurant, and had couples and families of ponies. Fluttershy was timidly eating her food, while Rainbow and Twilight talked.
“I don’t know Dash, I’m really tired. I’ve had to go through so many courses multiple amounts of times, and they just drained me.” Twilight answered.
“Oh come on Twilight! It’s not like a date; I was just thinking the café down the hall. Fluttershy, you’re just going back home right?” Rainbow Dash asked Fluttershy while turning to her.
Fluttershy picked her head up, half of a hay fry sticking out of her mouth. “Umm… yeah. I have to do some work for tomorrow’s class anyway.” Fluttershy answered quietly. Fluttershy was the residing kindergarten teacher for the Ponyville facility.
“Yeah, how are teaching those fillies and colts?” Twilight asked Fluttershy, arching her eyebrow
Fluttershy kept her head down as she thought for a moment. “Oh, well, it’s just like caring for little woodland creatures…” Fluttershy paused, her expression visibly getting sad. Then looked back up and went on. “So it’s easy for me, I rarely have to use the stare.” Fluttershy finished.
Twilight nodded to her friends answer, turning back to her meal. We’ve all become so different in the past two years. We’re almost nothing what we used to be. Twilight thought sadly, looking up at the ceiling once again. More fluorescents stared back down at her every time she stared at the ceiling.
“You know what Rainbow? Sure, i wi-” Twilight stopped mid sentence, as did everypony in the restaurant when all the walls shook, causing the lights to flicker, and a couple of newborn flies and colts to cry. Twilight held on to the table as the shaking got more violent, Fluttershy ducked down and was shaking herself, while Rainbow dash sat up, looking at all of the walls. As the shaking stopped, everypony started to relax. Rainbow visibly relaxed and hunched her shoulders.
“Wow! What was all that?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking back at Twilight, excitement and nervousness showing her eyes at the same time.
“I don’t know Rainbow.” Twilight answered, surveying the room. A couple ponies were trying to get off of the ground, pony couples were either holding each other or talking frantically, and families were shushing their babies from crying.
Everypony looked up to the megaphone P.A. system as the intercom kicked on, causing a loud buzz to emanate from it. There was screaming in the far background before what sounded like the Mayor speaking. “Yes I know! Put the fires out!” Mayor Mare spoke to the ponies screaming. “Attention to the residents of Ponyville…something catastrophic has happened outside of the facility. Now, we urge you to be calm, there are no immediate dangers to any of the levels except for the political level, and we now have it under control,” The Mayor stopped for a moment as galloping was heard behind her.
“Mayor, five ponies have 3rd degree burns.” A stallion could be heard faintly through the intercom. Fluttershy looked at Twilight with fear brimming in her eyes. Twilight nodded and scooted back to the end of the booth, giving Fluttershy comfort. “Okay good, as long as no one else got hurt and they survived.” Mayor Mare said, facing away from the intercom. Turning back with a sigh, she spoke again. “I need the Elements, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy, right now!” Mayor Mare finished, shutting off the intercom. All the ponies, including the working ponies streamlined out of the restaurant, leaving the three friends alone in their booth.
All three friends looked at each other before Twilight climbed out of the booth. “Alright girls, let’s get going.” Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash climbing out as well, and followed Twilight out into the grey lifeless hallways.
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“What do you think the Mayor wants us for?” Rainbow asked as she sped up to walk next to Twilight.
Twilight shook her head. “I don’t know, but it obviously has something to do with the explosion that just took place.” Twilight looked straight ahead to the incoming door to the right, dreading it as she drew closer.
Fluttershy was about four feet behind the two ponies, timidly looking for fires that had taken place. Twilight looked back to the crouching Pegasus and smiled, giving her reassurance. Twilight stepped up to the door, pressing the red button on the right panel. The door started to slide easily, but then got stuck half way across. It made a grating noise as it tried and tried to open the other half, but staled as no luck came. It finally slammed quickly to the other side, and the three ponies looked into the damaged political room.
Carpets, furniture, and a couple of ponies sat in the room with burn marks all over them. A uncountable array of glass and brass showed that the lanterns that were used for decoration tipped over and spread their internal flame upon everything flammable. Twilight cautiously stepped through the door way, fearful of it coming back to slice her in half. Rainbow Dash walked in nonchalantly, while Fluttershy was on the floor, holding her head and shaking. Rainbow Dash gave a big huff, going back out and pushing in the yellow Pegasus with her. Rainbow tapped her on the head, making Fluttershy stop shaking and look up. She looked crestfallen as she stood on all four hooves, and the trio began moving again.
Twilight could hear the Mayor in the next room yelling at some pony. After a moment, the door burst open, and the Mayor walked out, an annoyed stallion following behind. The Mayor sat on her haunches with a sigh, letting the stallion stomp out of the room. The three ponies looked at each other with questioning glares. Twilight turned her head around to speak with the Mayor. “Uh…Mayor? You called for us?”
The Mayor massaged her temples and sighed again. “Yes. Come with me to my office.” The Mayor stood up and walked slowly into her office.
Twilight shrugged, and followed. The trio of ponies entered the office and shut the door behind them. A dome shaped room with a dark wooden desk in the center. The Mayor sat behind it, shuffling papers around. Mayor Mare mumbled under her breath, looking agitated and tired. Twilight approached the angry mare, and tapped her desk, making the Mayor snap her head up. “Ah yes, sorry.” The Mayor stayed seated, but was now looking at the three ponies.
“We are all shaken up about this evenings catastrophe, and in turn of events, there is a lot of work to be done.” The Mayor said begrudgingly, picking up a single piece of paper. “We have checked all cameras around the surface of the facility, and we have found this.” The Mayor placed a photograph at the edge of the desk.
Twilight stood closer, craning her neck to look at the picture. It was the outside command block. A panel that has switches, buttons, and has power of the facility. It wasn't the main command panel, but it is a significant one for facilities. Twilight felt confused and odd as she looked at it. The protective barriers around the exposed panel were ripped off or chewed down, and the panel itself was smashed and torn apart. The two Pegasi stood behind Twilight. Rainbow Dash gave a grunt, while Fluttershy stayed quiet. The Mayor cleared her throat as she prepared to speak again.
“We have no idea what could have done this. We have no footage of it because the power went out for the brief time that it was destroyed, and now we are out of a supportive command panel. So what the council has decided, that we have you Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle, go top side and repair it. Just the main electrical and engine grids, not all the impulse grids.” Rainbow Dash looked at the Mayor with bewilderment.
“What? Why us?” She asked her voice rising,
The Mayor put her hooves forward. “Because you two are the best we have to sort things like this out. The repairs are not complex, all you do is connect wires to new breakers, and seal the panel shut. We have all the engineers on fixing engines and the water purifier, something went foul with them.” The Mayor looked towards the door as hoof steps approached.
A light red stallion came in with a small metal box full of polished breakers. He set them on the desk and stepped out of the room without a word. Mayor Mare nodded to the box, making Twilight sigh and levitate towards her chest. Fluttershy was quiet the entire time until then. “What about me? What do I do?” Fluttershy asked with anxiety showing in her eyes.
The Mayor turned her gaze to the yellow Pegasus. “You’ll be staying here with me, for the time being, we will discuss some issues at hoof. Now you two,” The Mayor said, snapping her head back to Rainbow and Twilight. “Go and repair the panel. Take this two way talkie to report in after you are done.” Mayor Mare pushed a grey block that had a button and antenna on it, all three ponies recognizing it as a walkie-talkie. Twilight also levitated the communicator. I’m gonna have to bring a saddle bag for this.
“Now when you go to the elevator, the ponies there will suit you up in protective suits against the excessive coldness, and you will also be implanted with a chip onto your skin under the fur.” Both Rainbow and Twilight raised their eyebrows.
“The chip will monitor the body heat, and if it drops to low, then you will need to take precautions to bring back to sustainable levels, such as ninety-five degrees.” Mayor Mare explained hastily. “Now go, repair it.” The Mayor said, making both ponies turn and leave. Rainbow turned and mouthed something to Fluttershy, something Twilight couldn’t see. Twilight looked to Rainbow when they stepped out into the bright, steel hallway.
“I need to go back home to get some things, you go on ahead, but wait for me before you get suited up okay?” Twilight raised her eyebrow to Rainbow, and her giving a nod in response. Both ponies went separate ways, Twilight to home, and Rainbow to the surface elevator.
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Twilight briskly tapped the button to her home, walking in quickly to find Applebloom staring at the ceiling and Sweetie Belle passed out. Applebloom threw her head down when she heard Twilight walk in. “Howdy Twilight.” Is all she said, yawning.
Twilight walked up to the couch. “What’s up with Sweetie?” Twilight asked, wiping the hair out of the grey unicoirns face.
“She passed out after I finally managed to drag her home.” Twilight noted two things. Applebloom was losing her southern drawl, her pronunciation starting to sound similar to all the other ponies, saying ‘I’ instead of ‘Ah’. The second is that her speech was slightly slurred.
“You two were drinking again huh?” Twilight asked, standing straight up to walk into her room. Applebloom nodded. “It was finally Scoots 19th birthday, so we went out to drink. I got twist to take her home, and I brought Sweetie back here. I didn’t drink all that much though, only three beers.” Applebloom stood up, stretching her back. Twilight nodded, and started to walk to her room. Applebloom followed, worry showing in her eyes. “Twilight? Where’s everyone else and why are you carrying those things?” Applebloom asked, pointing her hoof at the box of breakers and the walkie-talkie.
Twilight fished her saddlebag out of her chest, and slung it over her flank. She gave Applebloom a sidelong glance. “Rainbow and I have been assigned to fix the broken control panel on the surface, considering all the repairers and engineers are fixing the engines and water purifier. Fluttershy is still in the Mayor office, receiving some type of discussion. So we’ll be out for probably the entire night, you get some sleep.” Twilight watched the sleepy earth pony stagger to her room, nodding to her words slowly. Twilight turned and put the items in her saddlebags, walking out of the room and to the elevator, questions rising to her mind.
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Twilight stood outside of the noisy elevator room. She had only been in the room once, and that was during the nationwide evacuation underground. So many ponies, so much sadness.
Twilight pressed the button to the right of the door, and observed the room. A large cargo lift was built onto the back wall, lights flashing around it. Some distant rattling could be heard in the background, and it easily gave Twilight a headache. To the right were the lockers, and the now aware cyan Pegasus of Twilight's presence made her sit down. Twilight trotted over to her, and snapped her head backwards as she heard hoof steps from behind.
Two big stallions were walking towards them both, both unicorns and both carrying the gear they were promised. Twilight galloped the last bit of distance to Rainbow Dash, and sat down to take her saddlebag off. The stallions approached, setting out the assortment of equipment. One ordered them to stand, taking out a small sweater like coat.
“This is a heavy insulator; it will be the main thing on you to keep you warm. After that are the heavy duty jacket, the wool cap, leg guards, and the chip to implant into your front leg.” The stallion explained, fitting both ponies with each set of clothing as he elaborated. Twilight felt overly hot in the get up from the already humid room. She lifted her front leg, looking at the small green block embedded into her fur. It had a tiny screen, showing the beats per minute, and the temperature from the skin underneath it.
Twilight stood up straight, shifting around uncomfortably in her new outfit. Rainbow looked equally as uncomfortable. Both ponies walked towards the elevator, stepping n to the metal platform, and turned around to watch the facility disappear. Twilight grew anxious a loud grating noise started to vibrate around the room, making her look around. The gears were slowly ascending on the track, a couple of years being unused made them stiff. Twilight looked back ahead, and stumbled around as the lift jolted upwards. Rainbow Dash easily regained her balance after gasping and bumping into Twilight. Twilight sighed, the lift now sliding gracefully upwards. The lights of the room quickly disappeared, darkness consuming the lift track. Twilight looked around and saw the silhouette of Rainbow sitting and looking around as well. Twilight let out some light magic, making the Pegasus turn her head and smile to Twilight. Twilight smiled and looked up. They were now approaching ground level. Twilight braced herself on the floor as the lift stopped on the end of the track. Looking back up, she observed the slightly familiar entrance.
A tiny hallway, only going about ten feet and then ending with a heavy steel door. Twilight looked ahead, uneasiness making her stomach queasy. Twilight and Rainbow Dash walked side by side, both uncertain about what they were about to do. They stood right in front of the door, feeling the freezing steel that barred them from the outside world. Twilight put out her light to turn the steel doors wheel, grunting with effort to make it past the hard beginning. The wheel finally slid slickly, and the loud bang from hitting the end of the lock chamber resounded in the small, concrete hallway. Twilight looked to her right to Rainbow Dash, seeing her nod. Twilight sighed as she stood up on two hooves and put her front two hooves against the door. She scrunched her face as she managed to swing the door open wide, a large and cold gust of wind buffeting her and her friend in the face. Twilight put her leg up to shield herself from it, backing up in the process. Twilight could hear Rainbow grunt from the cutting wind, and slouched on a wall. Twilight slowly put her hoof back down, opening her eyes as she walked forward.
Lights were shining outwards from above the door, showing about twenty yards of snow. Twilight observed the light blizzard that was taking place, snowflakes flying everywhere, and big whirlwinds grazing across the ground. Twilight stepped out into the world, taking in the surroundings. She remembered that the Entrance she now stood at was on the dirt road between the town and Sweet Apple Acres, and in the far distance, Twilight could see a couple of houses on the outskirts of town. Twilight looked to her right, and saw the destroyed and mangled mess of the control panel. She trotted out to it, stopping to watch Rainbow Dash step out and look at the sky in awe. Her mouth slightly agape, Twilight heard her mutter a few words.
“It’s so big out here; I forgot how big it was.” Was all she said before flying towards Twilight, wonderment still showing on her face. Twilight nodded as Rainbow sat down next to Twilight.
“Rainbow, you keep a lookout while I repair the panel.” Twilight gave her orders, and Rainbow Dash saluted her without defiance, standing back up and turning on her back leg to keep a look out. Twilight turned her head back to the broken panel, and trotted up to it. Magically ripping of the rest of the still connected but broken breakers, Twilight quickly connected the wire to the back of the new breakers, and sealing them in. Twilight flipped the breakers, watching as five red lights change to green, and turning her attention to the lights as they visibly became brighter. Twilight pulled the walkie-talkie out from her bag, and spoke on the first channel.
“Mayor, we have repaired the panel and we are now head-” Twilight was cut off the second time from her sentence as a large rumble began to sound out in the far distance. It went on for twenty seconds, and Rainbow looked back at Twilight, a questioning and worried glint dancing in her eyes. Twilight turned to face the direction of the noise. She walked to stand next to Rainbow Dash, looking up into the sky, predicting that’s where it was coming from. And then suddenly without warning, a large blunt thud slammed the ground. Twilight buckled from the force of the thud, and stayed there. Twilight squinted with half her face buried in the snow, looking out to the houses in Ponyville.
Where a distinct intact house once stood, was broken down in half, debris still falling from whatever had forced it to crumble. Twilight instantly stood on all four hooves as she heard the walkie-talkie buzz loudly, and ripped it from her saddlebag. Twilight held the communicator in the air as Rainbow Dash leaned closer to hear what the other line had to say. The walkie-talkie still buzzed, but then a metallic screech came from it and the Mayors voice soon after. “Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash, come back here now, we have a big problem.” The Mayor forcefully said, then shutting off her line. Twilight let the walkie-talkie hover closer to the ground as she looked at Rainbow Dash. Both mares showed the same level of expression, and Rainbow Dash sighed. “What has our lives come too?” She asked quietly, turning with her head down and walking back into the facility.
Twilight felt a pang of hurt from her friend’s question, her too asking everyday where their lives had come to. Twilight picked her head back up and put the communicator back into her bag, and trotted back inside. Giving the outside world one more passionate look, Twilight magically sealed the door back, a loud click making the solitude all the more unbearable.
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“I’m going to give it straight to you girls.” The Mayor said as all three ponies were in the same room again. Rainbow Dash and Twilight had both taken their clothing off, the heat making them sweat. Fluttershy was looking at the ground, and Twilight only recognized the look as a look of dramatic pensiveness. Her thoughts must be running a mile a minute.
Twilight looked back at the Mayor and nodded to her for her to continue. The Mayor sighed before she spoke. “The water purifier is broken beyond our repairs.” The Mayor said, closing her eyes in grief. Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle both dropping their respective jaws.
“What do you mean?” Rainbow Dash asked in a accusing tone.
“The water purifier had a type of chip that took the water sources and cleansed. It was broken in half, most likely during the power shortage. It needed the chip in order to provide clean water.” The Mayor said, rubbing her two front hooves against her temples. Rainbow Dash looked down to the ground like Fluttershy, unmoving and not talking. Twilight looked upwards to the ceiling, looking straight at the light bulbs. Twilight begun to collect her thoughts before she spoke, choosing her words carefully before she took a leap of faith, knowing what was the only thing that could be done to ensure the lives of all the ponies in the facility.
“We go search for one.” Twilight said bluntly, not taking her sight away from the ceiling.
The Mayor froze in her tracks and stared at Twilight in bewilderment. “What?!” She screamed indignantly.
Twilight looked back down calmly to the Mayor, articulating her sentence again. “It’s the only thing we can do. We don’t have the technology to build one, so we search for one or request for one.” Twilight said, now giving another option.
The Mayor gave a moan. “That’s the other problem. We lost all communications to the other facilities.” The Mayor said, now dropping her head to the desk. Twilight was the one to question. “What? How?”
“We don’t know Twilight; we just lost contact from all facilities other than us. We actually lost it a week ago.” Twilight gave a whine as the Mayor explained. “We kept it under wraps because we didn’t want to spook the citizens, but now…” The Mayor said, looking up at the wall of paintings showing Celestia, the element bearers in their battles, and other famous ponies.
Twilight felt stumped. She had not realized they lost contact; the last time she talked to any other facility was shining armor in the far away mountain facility of Canterlot a month ago. Twilight spoke up again. “Alright then…we go search for a water chip.” Twilight declared. “And Mayor?” Twilight said, making the Mayor turn her gaze. “We are going; we are the last hope if we keep on living.” The Mayor looked like death as Twilight finished her sentence.
Both Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight. Amazement, confusion, curiosity, and a whole other of expressions lighting their faces. Twilight now stared defiantly at the Mayor, and now standing to give herself a more intimidating look.
The Mayor just stared blankly at the standing mare. “This day is just getting worse by the hour. Alright, out of fact that…we have no means to repair the system, I am giving you three the operation of finding a new chip.” The Mayor picked up a paper to look at it. “And as for a time limit; you have roughly two months to acquire said chip. Now, as for this trip, you need to go to the infirmary first, to be prepared for the outside world.” The Mayor said, still looking crestfallen and out of hope.
Twilight nodded to the Mayors approval. Turning back around to walk out. “Come on girls.” Twilight whispered quietly.
“Twilight?” The Mayor spoke up as Twilight reached the doorway, making her stop in her tracks, and making Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy stop and look back. “You had better get that chip and return. You are the last hope of the gods forsaken life we've inherited. You’d better.” The Mayor said, putting her head on the desk, and in seconds, snoring. Twilights expression hardened before she started moving again.
“Will do.”
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Authors Notes
NEW STORY. I have been writing this for three weeks, had tons of set backs from planning the background story and plot direction, setting design, and putting it off to write for The Black Cello Mafia.
To my TBCM readers, this does not mean i am stopping. I've run into a impasse of direction, and it is taking awhile to decide. Plus i felt like i needed to finish this, because it's just been sitting on my desktop untouched.
This will take longer of time to update because with a story like this, the chapters need to be long and planned carefully. This was nine pages long, but i'm going to aim for seven per chapter. Any grammatical errors, alert me and i will fix them. Any questions concerning this story, i will answer when i am not running on fumes for energy, most likely tommorow (the 13th).
Like and favorite if you liked it, tell it to your friends, i would greatly appreciate it. Follow as well if your are interested in another story coming soon.
Thanks for reading!