It was now late afternoon, evening would come soon. CharmingRhythm decided that it was time to talk with the ponies. They had their trust now, so they could probably speak openly. The other ponies followed Rhythm to a place that seemed to be once a park, they gathered to city ponies there. The citizens seemed to be respectful, for they were quiet.
Rhythm, and the other stallions greeted the ponies as they walked through. They introduced themselves, but they were astonished to see how many ponies already knew who they were. The ponies settled down, and watched them.
"Hello everypony, and thank you. I am glad that we can finally get down to business." Rhythm announced.
Some of the ponies mumbled, a voice spoke out. "What are we talking about?"
"Well, energy really." CharmingRhythm said. " And how we can use it better. I see some of you do have mechanical parts. And it seems you have pure energy on them. That's good, if you didn't you would be a hybrid." Rhythm looked over to BlazingFlair. "Even if we don't all have mechanical parts, we need energy on us at all times." Blazing raised his right hoof, that had a hoof cover on it.
"But we need to get more energy." A voice said.
"Yes. We have figured out an easier way to find it. EchoBeat can probably show you." He turned to the red pony, who looked at them shyly. "You know that energy comes from the ground... the planet. Many ponies say the world is dead, but that is a lie! If the world is dead, how is the energy coming up?! How are we still alive?!"
All of the crowd started to mumble with agreement.
"Pure energy is what has helped up. It is how we have grown food, purified water, and stopped hybrids." CharmingRhythm took a pause. "But I know there are still many hybrids out there."
Suddenly, a thin, dirty yellow stallion walked up. He had a dark purple mane was spiked up. He also had many mechanical parts on him, his right eye, his left fore-leg, and right hind-leg. Of course it was common for a pony to have mechanical parts, but his seemed different. His metal was lacking the white or light gray usually seen, only dark silver. And there was no spot on it that was blue. If he had any energy at all, it would have to be hidden.
"If the world is not dead, then why are all of the plants and animals out there dead?" The stallion asked.
"Well, pollutants of course." Rhythm replied.
"And if the energy is everywhere, and stops hybrids, why are they not all dead already!?" The stallion snapped.
"Because it is hidden underground!" Rhythm raised his voice.
Just then, another pony came from the crowd. She was a grayish-violet unicorn with a dark blue mane. Her front right leg had metal on it, and a blue orb showed. Her horn seemed to be cracked, but not broken.
"Why must you ask these questions?! It sounds as you are on the opposite side of us!" The mare grumbled. "Are you a hybrid?"
"WHAT?!" The stallion yelled. "How dare you accuse me of being a hybrid! Of course not! I am only trying to be realistic here, is that not right?"
Before the mare could argue anymore, CharmingRhythm spoke to the pony. "And who are you to be realistic?"
"I am NightHaze." The stallion addressed.
"If you say you are not a hybrid, where's you're pure energy?!" The mare interrupted.
"Please, you are the one being rude... must you get into everypony's business?"
"No, but I want to know the truth about you!" She called back.
"I have had about enough of you ponies!" NightHaze snapped, then flipped away, leaving.
CharmingRhythm only stared. He wasn't sure what to make out of this.
Then the mare came to him. "I'm sorry about that. It's just that NightHaze has always been a bother around here. There's something up with him. I'm SwiftStitch, by the way."
Rhythm nodded, and BlazingFlair took few steps forward to speak. "There was something different about that pony. I couldn't see any pure energy on him, and how could he hid it? And I also think I saw his eye flash red."
"Red energy would indicate a hybrid." Rhythm stated.
"But you don't want to assume things to early." EchoBeat said quietly, only the front of the crowd heard him.
"Yes... but in this world, its hard not to assume." SwiftStitch retorted.
Suddenly, HyperBlitz came out from behind. "Maybe we can go hunt him down."
"We don't have time for that." Rhythm told him. "We need to get to work." He looked to the crowd and spoke up. "Do we think we can do that? We need to work together, and use the energy wisely. We also need to share ideas and facts." Then the unicorn raised his hoof. "Lets get to it!"
All of the ponies moved, and murmured. They seemed excited, a few came to talk, and discus their plans. The mare stayed in her place, and gazed to Rhythm.
"You guys have done a lot so far, haven't you?"
"They always have!" A voice said from above. ThunderCharm fluttered down by them. "Even before the change!"
"Really? Like how?" SwiftStitch asked.
"Well, one of the reasons I have always loved Linkin Pony was because they helped a lot in the world. The noticed the problems, and did a lot of charity." ThunderCharm said.
"We didn't do that much." CharmingRhythm shrugged.
"Are you kidding? You guys work so hard!" The pegasus exclaimed.
HyperBlitz butted his head in. "Then why don't we get to work now! It's gonna be dark soon!"