//------------------------------// // 6 - "If you love something set it free" // Story: Janon - The Resident "Wise" Guy // by Starmarine61321600 //------------------------------// The rest of the short journey home is done in silence. When we arrive at the large door to the garage, it raises with a loud hiss followed by mechanical clicks and whines. The Kalyani comes to a stop each of us stepping out. “Okay vault meeting in ten minutes. First I want to have a chat with Cosmos.” I say as I exit the vehicle myself. “Roger that, sir,” Grant says as he walks off likely to the gun range. Jack and George follow closely behind. “Don’t get yourself smitten, Janon,” Joshua warns. “I won’t just want to talk with him,” I say as I walk off toward the central chamber. Cosmos looks up at me as I approach. “The man of the hour approaches. Welcome back.” “What the fuck was that?” I say referring to him teleporting me to Ponyville. “It was a test.” “A test. A fucking test. Test over what?” “It was a test of how ponies would react to you,” Cosmos says in a thoughtful tone. “As you can see the ponies are not bothered by humans or your technology.” “Let’s say they reacted poorly, what would you have done then?” I ask my voice laced with annoyance. “I would have teleported you back and wiped their memories. That is what Faust and the Ancient One told me to do. We had a meeting regarding you not too long ago.” Cosmos explains in a neutral tone. “Huh, well then. Okay, I forgive you.” I say not seeing any flaws in his logic nor wanting to question the judgment of two godlike beings. “Still fuck you.” “I probably deserve that, I will be heading back to the Commonwealth,” Cosmos says turning away. “Not going to stay and see the results of your test?” I ask with a raised brow. “I see no reason I can’t stay and watch,” Cosmos says the tension between the two fading. I walk to the center stage of the central chamber and press a button activating the Arc’s speaker system. “Everyone head to the Central chamber we are having a meeting.” In a matter of minutes, the main chamber is filled with people. All four batches of gene people, that’s what I’ve chosen to call them. It fits them better although I typically just call them people. They’re people to me and they’ll be people to the inhabitants of Equus as well. I clear my throat before testing the mic with my hand “My friends it is time for I to let you be free. Free to explore the world. Where you go that's not my business. I won't want to rule, conquer, or control anyone. I should like to help everyone. I have made each of you special, and unique. All different, all from different places. Why? Because greed has poisoned mankind's soul, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. Equus does not have these problems. It may have them in small quantities but the goodness outnumbers the cruelty by magnitudes. From this day forth live by these simple rules. Love, love each and every one in this vault and all those you encounter in this realm. Remember the place you came from and if I ever call upon thee in a moment of peril come to my aid as I would for you and as each and every one of you would for one another. Let your kindness break all prejudice and stereotypes. Have your kindness and gentleness win battles where the sword, spear, and gun are not needed. Spread your knowledge and wisdom to all inhabitants of this world.” I pause regaining my thoughts and emotions. “In this world, there is room for everyone. And the good world is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but you must first see that way of life. You must first live. In this vault, you have survived but I have never planned to contain you, to confine you I have planned to set you free. The very nature of this vault has brought us closer together and it cries out for the goodness of mankind - cries out for universal brotherhood - for the unity of us all. Let this not be limited to but mankind but all life on this world. To every pony, griffin, kirin, to all life you may encounter on this journey. We may have been born on a world where the despair of men, women, and little children is but the system, tis the norm, a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people but we are not on that world. I grant upon thee the choice, no the right to life. Be free my friends, for that is why you are on this world. That is why I call you my greatest creation. Each and every one of you are strong enough to be gentle, smart enough to bring change, and kind enough to bring joy. You must just live. Live the life you can't in these walls. Just know this will always be your home and with a turn of your watch, you can always return. That is all my friends. That is all my brothers and sisters. For this was my grand plan, the plan Marcus never got to see” I finish my speech wiping a tear from my eye. The pain caused by the loss of Marcus will always be present, the pain of a failed mission, the pain of loss. I step off the stage and into the crowd, many of the dwellers are crying moved by speech or perhaps at the thought of seeing this new world. Grant approaches me “Janon, Marcus would be proud of you, you know that right.” He says in a supportive tone. “I know he would be,” I say recalling the memory of us giving him a 21-gun salute as the transcendence machine transferred his conscience with a proud expression. “So what now?” Grant asks wanting to know what I’m planning. “Simple, I think I’m going to head to Ponyville and reveal myself. It seems like a good time to.” I say with a self-assuring nod. “Hey, everyone there are small books showing all of the species on Equus in these two boxes. Remember these are both sapient and non-sapient. In these two boxes is a short chart showing how to know the difference.” Yeah, it’s the Harkness test modified of course but still the Harkness test. “I hate to do this to you guys, but I’m going to call it a night and head to sleep.” It wasn’t even late it was maybe 1700 if that. But I’ve had enough excitement for today. “Okay, we’ll be down here if you need us,” William calls out from the crowd. As I walk out from the crowd Cosmos walks up to me. “You’ve done well. I hope you realize that.” “I hope this was the correct decision. The right plan. I mean morally it is but how will Equus react to their knowledge, their existence, is this a mistake?” I say second guessing myself and my choices, “No it was necessary. They deserve the right to freedom.” I continue now certain of my decision this was my choice and I will not regret it. No, I will safeguard it. “The only wrong choice was to confine them here. Anything else is the correct decision. I know that from experience.” Cosmos says with a sigh. “I know, from your experience. Gods, that sounds weird.” I say realizing how that sounds. “Yeah, I keep forgetting that.” Cosmos chuckles. “Now get some rest. Your life is about to get extremely interesting, not in a bad way just interesting.” “Tell me about it,” I say as I stand up. “See you another time Cosmos? On better terms of course.” “See you again, Janon,” and with that Cosmos teleports with a bright flash “See you another time,” I say as I head to my room. As I reach the top of the backstairs I turn and face the crowd. They all bear excited faces. “This was the right decision,” I turn around and continue to my room. When I reach the door I stand in front of it for a second before turning the knob and entering the room. I walk through my office to my room and once again turn a knob to open the door my room greets my eyes. I get ready for bed. About 3 minutes later I plop down onto my bed and close my eyes. This dream feels different. Oh, wait of course. Twilight sent a letter to Celestia who told Luna to enter my dreams the next I went to sleep. Nice, now I get to talk to another pony princess.