//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Salvation Through Destruction // by RoflLuxRay //------------------------------// Salvation Through Destruction: Based on concepts from: The Conversion Bureau, by: Blaze Chapter 2 A scream paralyzed the crowd as the man fell into a pool of blood that poured from his head. Twilight’s security henchmen quickly withdrew her from the awful scene. “I’ve got to move, even though I had a silencer someone could have picked up on me pulling out a small pistol,” I thought was I ran back to the stairs, blending with the startled crowd that rushed towards the nearest exit. Suddenly, a text message appeared on my blackberry. “This is Twilight Sparkle. They are taking me to the parkin-“ it read. Once I reached the first floor, I dashed to the parking lot. However, the entrance was blocked by the same henchmen from before. “I’m sorry sir, but this route is blocked. Please, head to the main evacuation route,” they said in a rude tone as approached at full speed. “You’re not stopping me,” I drew my P229 and delivered two clean headshots before they could even aim down their weapons. I ran past their bodies into the parking lot, where security was heavy around Twilight Sparkle. Her complaining about the vehicle was clearly audible. “Bartoli, I demand to be transported in other vehicle, for my security,” she said on a bossy tone. “We’re sorry ma’am, but this is the only vehicle that’s suited for your needs, please step inside,” a man in a white tuxedo pushed her inside. “When a lady says she’s not comfortable with the ride, I suggest you fulfill her demands,” I yelled from afar, walking calmly towards them with my pistol behind my back. “Sir, please head towards the main evacuation route or we will open fire towards you,” the man in the white tuxedo said with the hands behind his back, every single mercenary next to him instantly pointed their weapons at me. “Please, I was just heading for my car. I want to get out of here as much as you do,” I slowly walked towards a blue Nissan Tsuru next to me, “but I can’t help myself,” the sound of a metallic object that landed on the floor was heard, “the lady does not want your ride,” I kicked the flash grenade on my feet, it slid from under the car as I covered my eyes from the sudden flash of light. Moaning and groaning filled the air as I ran towards the SUV, executing those who dared to point their firearms at me. “What the hell are you waiting for, kill him!” Bartoli shouted furiously, but just before he could pull out a pistol from his jacket, I placed the cannon of my P229 in his neck; he shuddered and raised his hands. “Don’t!” Twilight punched the pistol away from his neck an instant before I could shoot him. I turned to scowl at her. “You’re lucky the lady doesn’t think you’re worth pulling the trigger,” I struck him with the pistol on his neck, knocking him unconscious; afterwards, I offered my hand to help Twilight Sparkle descend from the SUV. “I hope I am placing my trust on the right person. You just killed half my security squad,” she said while readjusting her hair. “Please, Miss Sparkle. If I wanted you dead, you would be by now,” I grabbed her hand and ran towards my car. The alarm turned off as we closed in, I spun my head wryly towards the stunned men and saw the flash grenade was losing its effect. “Step in, the doors are open,” I opened the trunk of the red car and pulled out an M16 assault rifle, equipped with armor piercing bullets. “Are you kidding me, I can’t drive!” she yelled to me, staring at the driver’s seat. “It’s a European BMW, the passenger’s side is on the other side,” I replied in the same tone as her while loading the rifle. Some of those men were already on their feet, and some were already pointing their guns at my car. “What the hell are you waiting for? Get inside!” she shouted at me while opening the door, I ignored her and opened fire against the helpless henchmen in front of me. The firefight scared those who weren’t killed under the bullet storm from my full automatic M16. “Just finishing some tiny details,” the insides of the car were completely original and well preserved, for a car that’s from the early century. “Engine, start!” the car’s road echoed in the thick walls as it blasted off into the streets of New York. “Where are you taking me?” she asked while glancing outside. “To a safe house. I’ve been planning this for a couple of weeks; you will be away from any harm until this whole mess cleans itself up,” I replied in a mechanical way, as I reached bubblegum from my pocket. “Just one, please,” she took the small pack of green bubblegum, “you know, you already know my name, but I don’t know yours.” “My name is Leighton McRae, I am from Knowsley England; if you were wondering why I speak like this.” “Pardon me, Leighton. I’m not from around here and all those places you mention sound weird to me,” her voice reflected all her concern. It was easy to notice from her body language and that she could not stop tapping her fingers on the window. “I know they sound rare. After all, you were born a pony. I would not be amused if you told me that having fingers and walking on two legs is something you find awkward,” I teased while turning left towards the nearest exit of town. “It is, believe it or not. I’m still learning from you humans. Your traditions, beliefs, politics…” she sighed “for that I’m glad Princess Celestia sent me here.” “It’s not your fault that mankind sees you ponies as a way out from out chaotic world, let me tell you a little about mankind that everybody sees and no one admits,” she instantly turned her face towards me and stared with her eyes wide open. “Humans are greedy to a fault; we carve in lust and enjoy living on other’s demise. We see your kind as a threat to us, not because we can’t understand you, because we can’t exploit you. You are apart from out chaos, safe from our wars and deceases, we are jealous of you.” “I… haven’t thought of it that way,” she turned towards the window, “ponification must be legalized. There is too much at stake.” “I… have something else on mind,” my statement caused her to give me another of those cold looks, “don’t misunderstand me, Miss Sparkle. I don’t stand for anti-ponification. I am actually looking forward to the legalization of ponification, that’s one of the reasons why I must keep you alive.” “If that’s the case, then what are your motives? Who are you working with? The FBI? The Interpol?” “I am working all by myself, no one is behind my operations,” I calmly answered. “Then, why are you wasting your precious time protecting a pony?” the frown on her face turned towards a more sarcastic one. “I am a resourceful man with a mentality that is long extinct among humans; I’m doing this to ensure mankind’s continuity.” “Doing what? I’m just trying to soften up the tensions between your politicians and my Princess, I’m not a messiah. Keeping me alive will, maybe, only get the ponification legalized on earth, nothing else.” “Miss Sparkle-“ “Oh for the love of Celestia,” she shouted in a burst of anger “just call me Twilight.” “Alright then, Twilight,” I cleared my throat and continued, “I am also somewhat of a researcher and mathematician. My calculus indicate that the current human population in Equestria is no enough to repopulate Earth for over six generations.” “What’s with your fancy numbers, Leighton?” “Humanity faces extinction, no one admits it. We are dying faster than we can breed, and those who are born, are rapidly killed by deceases we unleashed on ourselves. If we can save at least six percent of the earth’s actual population it would be sufficient to generate enough variability to maintain a working population.” “So you want to save them by placing those humans on Equestria,” she teased with a blank look in her eyes. “Exactly; but it’s not just placing six percent there, let mankind kill itself and re-populate at once. It’s a slow process, humanity’s fall will not happen overnight. We must keep those humans on Equestria, and when the time is right, return to repopulate earth.” “You sound kinda crazy, you know?” she continued to look at me with those blank eyes. “I am not afraid of the prejudices that are bestowed upon me. My points of view are extremists to some, I do not blame them. However, I have staggering evidence that if illegal ponification remains for the next six months, the estimated flow of people into Equestria will not be enough to save the required people before deceases and war overcome humanity. Upon our arrival at the safe house, I will share this information with you.” “I have to tell you something, Leighton,” her eyes now changed with concern, I was relieved that the blank stares and intense glares were over. “Go on,” outside, the interstate highway darkness created a great atmosphere for a long, exquisite talk. “Humans do not keep their memories upon ponification; I doubt that through the generations ponies would ever want to repopulate your earth.” “That is why I must find a way to preserve memories upon ponification too, which is another reason why I must keep you alive. You see, humanity is not only rich because of the nine billion people that walk on the face of earth. Our culture and traditions are something tied to our identity, and it differs from place to place. If mankind is to be preserved, so must be the identities of every person.” Her gaze turned ahead on the road, “how far is this safe house?” “It’s a thirty minute drive from New York. Using this console,” I pressed a button next to the steering wheel, “you may send e-mails, make phone calls or simply watch TV. Please, be my guest.” “Thanks, Leighton,” she said with a smile, and after that she went silent. Apparently, Law & Order UK entertained her enough for her to drool all the way to the safe house. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Twilight, wake up. We have arrived at the safe house,” I shook her shoulder trying to make her snap from the deep sleep she fell after fifteen minutes of watching Law & Order UK. Her eyes opened slowly along with some senseless mumbling that came from her mouth, followed by a huge yawn. “Only thirty minutes eh?” “Humanity’s TV shows are boring for you, eh?” I countered with a blank look as I helped her descend the car. She gazed at the two story cottage ahead of her that barely appeared from in between the darkness. “When you said safe house I thought you meant a wooden shack in the middle of nowhere.” “As I said, I am a resourceful man. And I need comfort as well. Now, please,” I walked towards the white main door, the lights turned on as I approached revealing a beautiful porch decorated with glass chandeliers and fine chairs. A golden key allowed me to enter the house, the door made cracking noises as I opened it. “Wow…” Twilight’s jaw dropped, “I have never seen something like this in my entire life.” “British seventeenth century decorations, please, don’t drool on the rug. It costs a fortune to clean it,” I offered her a seat on my red colored couch, “Tea? Anything to drink?” she glanced at the porcelain tea set on the glass table in the middle of the living room. “Do you have any of this sour, black colored beverage you humans drink every morning?” she asked with a smile on her face. “Coffee?” “Yes, that. Do you have any?” A grin spread across my face, “Yes, I do. Feel free to roam the house as I prepare your drink,” she stood up and ran towards the bookshelf across the living room. I had never seen someone so interested in books in my life; luckily for her I had all sorts of them. Biology, physics, chemistry, medicine, philosophy, modern and classic literature, I had almost every important book mankind ever wrote in that shelf. “Where did you get all of these books? They are amazing!” she said with the smile of a child with a new toy. “I acquired some through auction sales, some others are gifts. Feel free to grab any of them, just don’t scratch them.” “I wish I could take these to Equestria. It would teach us a lot from you,” she glanced at the pages of Charles Darwin’s ‘The Origin of Species’. “Indeed,” I placed her mug on the table as I sat on my white wing chair, “that one you have in there is the keystone to modern biology. Our literature and knowledge is something that must also be preserved, hence the collection I gathered” “You really thought this through, didn’t you?” “I do not take this matter lightly. I believe mankind has to be saved, and so I will,” I took a sip of my green mug. “That’s one big mission for a single man, don’t you think?” she sipped her purple mug and coughed, “do you have any milk?” “It’s in the glass next to your mug. And if I don’t, who is going to? The UN is too busy in solving the differences between Arabs and Americans, let alone the Chinese. Every citizen out there is afraid of its government, democracy died with the last war the U.S unleashed on the Middle East. I don’t blame humanity for being humanity; I blame the actions the wrong people made. We had values once, I want that back for my kind,” I said with calm voice, but my words seemed to startle her however. “I want you to explain me, what do ponies have to do in this entire plan of yours?” she leaned back on her seat with her mug in hand. “Your kind lives in an alternate dimension to ours, safe from all of the wars and diseases that attack mankind every day. Your people are noble, gentle and dislike conflict, opposite to the conflictive, paranoid nature of humans. My plan is relatively simple, yet very complex because it covers almost every flaw I detected during two years of dedicated study. You see, by co-existing with ponies a daily basis, under your rules, humanity can regain the founding of a peaceful, working society. We transfer roughly six hundred million people to you lands along with all of our culture; books and traditions, you name it. Wait until mankind falls, then repopulate.” “That’s a lot of people to handle, I’m not sure if Princess Celestia would allow that many ponies,” she placed the mug back in the table and crossed her legs, her dress slid on them revealing thighs that overcame my expectations for those of a pony. “That is another reason why I brought you here. If Wikipedia is to be trusted, then your land is still vast and remains widely unexplored. We could establish new settlements for humans to inhabit, avoiding the overpopulation of cities like Manehattan and Fillydelphia. I believe that requires the approval of Princess Celestia, and I would like to ask for it.” “Hold on there,” she snapped and pointed her finger at me, “you kidnapped me to take you to Equestria.” I burst into laughter after I drank a sip from my coffee, “of course not. If I wanted to be ponyfied like everyone else I would have gone to Russia to get the job done. My interest is genuine, I would like to meet her and display the situation to the only flaw in my plan.” “Princess Celestia is your only flaw?” she asked with a big frown “Ultimately, the success of my plan depends on her to agree to accept a minimum of three million people.” “What about the other five hundred ninety seven million people?” her gaze turned sarcastic. “That is the enough amount of people to preserve a decent gene pool through the time to, via genetic engineering, revive mankind to an stable population in one hundred generations,” I finished my coffee and placed the empty mug on the table. “And if Celestia does not agrees?” she implied while crossing her legs back. “Three million more ponies is the population she would have on her hands in two years from now. She will agree to three million people,” she looked down meditating; silence fell in the room for a minute. “It’s your lucky day, Leighton. I believe you. I’m scheduled to report my speech tomorrow at noon. I know a spell to avoid your loss of memory upon ponification.” “Excuse me, Twilight,” I said with a nervous grin, “ I did not ask for ponification.” “You have no choice; there can be no humans on Equestria. Upon changing dimension you turn into a random kind of pony, but will become human once you return to the earth though,” I nodded, the nervous grin slowly changed for a confident one. “Alright then, Twilight. Go get some sleep. I must prepare for this,” I stood up and so she did after me. I asked her to follow me upstairs to show her the room where she would sleep. The candle in my studio was going to be lit one more night.