//------------------------------// // La Mare // Story: Beyond The Sea // by MrPockets //------------------------------// Chapter X : La Mare. A heavy silence descended on the broken remains of the Plunderdome. Even the crackling fires eating away the pile of scrap wood and ashes that had once been a proud ship faded away, leaving only a buzzing rumble coming from the large bronze craft floating just outside the glass ceiling high above. Inside the dome, standing next to a thawing pool of icy water, were four dirty, bruised and bloodied ponies. The various scrapes and injuries dotting their exhausted bodies were the furthest thing on their minds, however, as they all gaped upwards with wide eyes at the lone swimmer trapped on the other side of the glass with the submarine.  A trail of bubbles streamed from the facemask of Pinkie’s diving suit as she tried to put some distance between herself and the Bathysphere, and the six barbed harpoons it had trained on her. Floating with Pinkie, wrapped in her telekinetic hold, was a glass box containing the final artificial Element of Harmony. As Pinkie slowly inched away from the attack sub, one of its spear’s took flight, missing the pink diver by less than a foot before she had a chance to so much as blink. Bubbles surged from her mask as the stray bolt disappeared into the murky sea behind her. “Well, you all must have cotton in your ears,” Summer Rain cooed over the dome’s loudspeakers, drowning out the shocked gasps of the mares inside. “Perhaps I was not clear enough? Surrender the Elements to their rightful owner, and your friend here doesn’t get skewered. Do not test me, and do not think you can outsmart me.” The submersible re-aimed and a fresh spear replaced the cleared barrel. Pinkie stopped her spastic movement abruptly, opting to hold her rubber-clad hooves above her head instead while keeping her Element floating close by. Down below, Applejack turned to face the others, scanning their faces for any hint at a way out of their newest predicament. Unfortunately, all she found was fear and uncertainty, something she herself was feeling in equal measures at the moment. If we do what she wants, we doom Twilight, Spike and everything else down here... AJ’s gaze fell to the bronze necklaces, and the blue gems glowing on each of their necks. And if we doom Pinkie- She shuddered at the very thought. Then we don’t got enough ponies to use these things anyway. Fluttershy and Rarity grabbed hold of their Elements, ready to throw them to the ground at Applejack’s command. Ready to throw away all the hardships they’d been through to get them, and any hope of saving Rapture... Maybe that’s all there is to do, Applejack thought, staring at the bright blue gem on Rainbow’s neck. We tried our best, but Ah guess that ain’t good enough any more. Following the apple farmer’s stare, Rainbow Dash looked down at her own Element, then up to her helpless friend and Rain’s Bathysphere. Dash’s eyes narrowed, and her foreleg crackled with electrical energy. “You twisted piece of scum,” she growled, crouching down low and spreading her wings wide. “You think you can threaten my friends and get away with it?” “Rainbow, please!” Rarity hissed, releasing her necklace and stomping. “Do not antagonize the crazy pegasus with harpoons pointed at Pinkie Pie!” “Why not?” Rainbow asked, taking flight above her friends and pointing over her shoulder at the sub. “ It’s not like we’re actually gonna hoof over our Elements to that psycho just like that, right?” “Actually, dearie, you will,” Rain said. “Do you need me to remind you what’s at stake?” Even through the arena's worn speaker system, the dulcet tone of her voice carried a distinct hint of venom. “Everypony, just calm down for a sec.” Applejack spoke up, taking the role of moderator, “Now, Ah know we can work this out like adults here, so long as nopony gets hurt or does anything-” “I’m sorry, but it sounds like you’re giving out terms to me,” Rain cut in with a hiss. “The terms have been laid out, and shall remain as they stand. I will get my Elements, one way or another.” “Over my dead body!” Dash cried as she flew up to the top of the glass dome, ignoring the protests from her friends. From this close, there was only a few feet of ocean water and a thick glass panel between her and Pinkie. She may as well have been in outer space. “No no, dearie. Over hers,” Rain corrected, chuckling to herself. “Now get away from the glass and go back to you friends like a good Little Filly. Go on, off you go.” A torrent of molten fury burned under Rainbow’s fur. From this close, she could see the worry in Pinkie’s blue eye’s, behind her clear goggles. I won’t let her hurt you, Dash thought, grinding her flat teeth together as she slowed her wing beats and drifted back to the dome’s floor, never looking away from the Bathysphere. Once the blue pegasus landed, Rarity placed on hoof on her shoulder. “Calm down Rainbow, she’ll be alright as long as we keep our heads,” she said softly, dampening Rainbow’s flaring temper just enough to slow her breathing to a normal rhythm. “She will be if you do as I say, and then we can put this whole mess behind us," Rain said, a measure of coolness returning to her echoing voice. “The five of you will be free to return to the surface unharmed and unopposed, I swear it on my city. I implore you, do not force me to do this; I am far less cruel than you would believe.” The voice struck a chord in Fluttershy’s head. The patronizing, egotistical tone. The arrogance of a pony who thought they could do anything, or say anything they wanted and get away with it. She’d heard it before, as a young filly getting picked on at flight school by the better flyers. Bullies talked the same way when they knew no instructors were around to punish them. Even in her own school in Ponyville there was the odd bully. Somepony who thought the rules didn’t apply to them, or that they could beat the system by extorting other students. Her own school had a zero-tolerance for this sort of behavior, and Fluttershy herself had suspended several ponies with attitudes similar to Rain’s. There was a point in her life when she would allow others to walk all over her, but this kind of malicious advantage-taking was something she had long ago lost all patience for. “You- you are cruel!” Fluttershy shouted through the quiet around her. “How can you say you’re not? You hurt others like it’s okay, but it is NOT. You do not threaten ponies! Or experiment on them like they’re some sort of science project! You- you’re nothing but a big, mean bully, and bullies always get what they deserve!” Fluttershy snorted, panting out the last of her fury. Her friends reeled back around her, stunned in the wake of her outburst. Rainbow had even jumped into Rarity's forelegs out of pure shock. The fashionista dropped the other mare unceremoniously a moment after. There was a brief moment of silence before Rain spoke, abandoning all subtlety. Venom dripped from each and every word. “Actually, Sweetie, your friend the traitor, Twilight Sparkle, did most of the experimenting around here. I’m not much of a scientist, more of a supervisor really.” Everypony’s eyes went wide at the slanderous accusation, save for Fluttershy’s. She held her ground as best she could while her nerve faltered, and Rain continued to speak. “Oh, she was so dismayed the day she lost her first subject, it took her months to get over it... It’s funny though, after it happened the fifth time, I don’t recall her blinking much of an eye.” Inspired by Fluttershy’s speech, Dash flew in and took place by her side. “That’s a load of buffalo patties and you know it! Twilight isn’t a basket case like you are, she’d never do something like that, right ‘Shy?” There’s no way I could leave this work unfinished, it’s just too fascinating! Twilight’s recorded words replayed in Fluttershy’s head. We are on the bleeding edge of something amazing... Her mouth opened and closed, but she couldn’t force anything out. “Shy?” Applejack asked, joining her side with Rarity. “Is there- Are you okay?” “N-No, I mean...” was all she managed to squeak before her windpipe closed itself completely. Rain laughed again. It was the same condescending tone that triggered Fluttershy’s rage, but this time it only made her feel small. “It seems at least one of you is not so naive,” she all but snarled. “And why wouldn’t you be? You lot haven’t seen Equestria’s dark side. The slums and ghettos of Manehattan, overflowing with the unfulfilled. The traveling herds of earth ponies that teach their foals to hate those who are different. And the hedonistic greed of the Canterlot elite, who host lavish feasts while ponies starve just outside their high castle walls.” “You... are a real downer, huh?” Rainbow scoffed, puffing out her chest heroically. “You should see the Wonderbolts sometime, then maybe you wouldn’t be such a loopy, ‘glass half empty’ kinda of pony. We’re just too awesome.” “Yes yes, joke away the truth while you’re still able to,” Summer Rain replied. “But know that in the country you love so much, a tear is shed for every laugh. Equestria needs my revolution. It is the only way things can ever change up there.” I will not listen to this trollop a moment longer, Rarity thought, boldly taking her place next to the others. “This place isn’t exactly Shangri-La either, you know. Equestria has its fair share  problems, just like any other nation does,” she confessed, casting a nervous glance up at Pinkie, who still had her arms up and was now floating upside-down. She smiled to herself. “But as long as there are good ponies around to make things better, even with something as simple as a laugh, there is hope. There are ponies who care about others, even I do my part to fund several charities in Canterlot itself. What would someone like you know about philanthropy?” Rain’s reply was much quicker now, gaining heat with every word. “Listen to yourselves! You sound just like the pin-headed nobles who give Canterlot such a foul stench. You’ll stubbornly hold onto your views against something as inevitable as an incoming tide. It’s only when the waters reach your muzzle do you begin to reconsider your position. What I preach is equality throughout the land, not the false illusions that make you think the world is just fine the way it is, and lets you sleep well at night. Change is coming, the beginning of a new age of prosperity in Equestria. A new renaissance that will purge away the cancers that plague those above, and I will be its herald!" “As if! You really think you can actually conquer Equestria?” Rainbow asked skeptically. “No way! Even if we don’t stop you, which we totally will, Princess Celestia-” “Is the most rotten of them all!” screamed Rain, her composure completely abandoned. “She’s the one who watches it all happen, and allows the tumors in her country to spread. I was not the first to question her rule, but that’s the beauty of being a goddess; her rule is unquestionable. How can you serve such a tyrant?” “Now that- that just ain’t the truth,” said Applejack, surprised by her own quickness to defend Celestia. She was the one who drove the first spike into our friendship... Twilight left, then Rainbow left, then they all left. By her sides stood the friends she’d been separated from, all with her now, where they used to be. Where they should have always been. But... what did we do to stop it? What did Ah do about it? It never had to be this way, but we let it happen. Her resolve fortified, Applejack continued defending her ruler. “Celestia... well, she is Equestria. And a part of all of us. Ah know she’s sure helped us through some tough times... and for a long time I was mighty upset with her for makin’ a choice Ah didn’t understand. But, even when we weren’t there for each other, she was always there fer us.” “Not just to us, but for all her subjects,” Rarity added. “She may be a princess, but she’s still a pony. The kindest, gentlest, wisest pony there is!” Fluttershy yelled, regaining a mote of her former confidence. “And she’s not off her rocker, unlike a certain cutie-mark-slicing wacko...” Rainbow finished. The four mares stood together, strong and unwilling to be intimidated. The gems on their necks outmatched their former brilliance, beaming like a constellation of blue stars. The combined glow filled the dome’s shattered interior, creating an island of light around the mares in the ruinous scene. For a long while, Rain made no reply, maintaining the sub’s position as the mares held fast. After several tense moments, her velvety voice poured forth once again. “Your  ignorance astounds me.” The slightest of tremors were audible beneath the surface of her words. “Such a pity your narrow viewpoints will not be enough to stop the change Equestria ever-so desperately needs. I’ve had enough of this nonsense. Remove the Elements from your insipid little necks, or this one gets a spear through hers. This is the last time I will ask nicely!” With a quick burst from the engine, the Bathysphere abruptly readjusted itself. Pinkie, frozen in place, had begun to drift back over the side of the dome she’d come from. Rain moved in close to re-aim, placing the sub just above the glass. Applejack caught the slight movement, and a crazy idea popped into her head. Might be it’s crazy enough ta work... A smirk crossed her lips as she addressed the group. “Rarity, think you could put one of them shield spells around us all?” she whispered to the unicorn. The question was met with confusion, then Rarity glanced up and took note of the sub’s change in position. Her eyes flicked back to AJ wide. “If you’re thinking what I think you are... then I should certainly hope so,” she whispered back with a slight nod. Returning the subtle gesture, Applejack put on the straightest face she could,  “Alright Rain, looks like you got us beat. Oh... darn it.” She outright lied, much to the surprise and horror to the others. Apples were not known for their ability to lie, and the former Element of Honesty’s efforts were cringe-worthy at best. “Ah’m taking off the Element, now. Boy, this is just awful...” As she lied, she slowly lifted a foreleg to the glowing gem around her neck. The second the hoof passed her chest, Applejack activated her plasmid and it was enveloped in flames. Ah hope the glass ain’t much thicker than that tunnel’s was... She thrust her arm up at the submarine and red hot flames shot across the dome, reaching the glass ceiling in a heartbeat. The glass instantly bubbled, and the thick steel holding it all together glowed red hot in the intense heat, supercharged by AJ’s Element. “I’m afraid that was a bad move, dear-” Rain began, when the ceiling cracked and gave way. The weight of the ocean smashed through the weakened ceiling and flooded into the dome, right underneath the armed Bathysphere. The sub unleashed its payload at Pinkie as the sea water below it spilled into the growing hole. The first spear flew right at her chest, only to be blocked by the solid casing containing the Element. The rest shot off and sailed over Pinkie's masked head as the sub was pulled off-target and drifted towards the dome. “Uhh, please tell me there’s more to this plan, AJ?” Rainbow asked, taking a step back from the cascading water flooding in across the open room. They retreated to the upper levels of seating as the rest filled with water. Loose plastic seats rose up with the water level, floating up on a turbulent tide. Stopping at the top and facing the incoming tidal wave, Rarity’s horn light up, “I’m on it, just let me concentrate.” “No! I will not be stopped!” Rain cried over crashing waterfall. Her drawn in sub collided with the broken ceiling, tripling the size of the hole and bringing in a whole new downpour of seawater. With a monstrous crash, the water spilled in and spread across the arena with shocking speed. “Any time now, Rarity! Before we all drown, if you’d please!” Applejack cried, the cold water clawing its way to their hooves. It blasted through what was left of the pirate ship, tore up the stairs to the concourse- -And stopped, a mere foot away from Rarity’s illuminated horn. “Is that how you let somepony concentrate?” She smirked back at the group, watching the waves crash around the perfect sphere of pale, blue magic surrounding them. “Yeah, nice job and all Rare, but maybe a little warning next time...” said Dash, pointing to the floor where Fluttershy was curled up in the fetal position and trembling. Applejack scratched the back of her neck. “Oh, sorry ‘Shy. Shoulda gave ya a heads up...” She chuckled sheepishly, then yanked her smoldering hoof away when she smelled her hair burning. A sudden and incredibly loud boom made Fluttershy shoot up off the floor and halfway out of her skin with a shrill “Eeeep!” The others wheeled around as Rarity fought to keep the shield up. Across the way, Rain’s submarine had fully sunk into the dome, before coming to rest on top of the Plunderbolt stunt ship, crushing the few unbroken timbers left hanging off the wooden structure. “Flood detected in vicinity,” a mechanical voice said over the speakers, muffled by the forcefield.  “Containment activated, sealing water tight doors.”  A thick shutter fell over the one damaged by the Big Stag, blocking off the dry route out of the flooding arena. “Dang, should have figured that would happen,” Applejack said after she made sure her mane wasn’t on fire. Rarity laughed through grit teeth. “Sounds like you really thought this through.” “Well, we’re alive, ain’t we? And look, here comes Pinkie with the last Element, also alive,” AJ said, pointing to the diver swimming through the gaping hole in the destroyed dome. Pinkie paddled in and right up to the shield, holding up the Element and waving at the mares inside. Rainbow slowly waved back, then shook her head and put a hoof around her muzzle. “PINKIE! THE DOORS ARE SEALED. WE CAN’T GET OUT.” Rarity flattened her ears and hissed. “Still trying to concentrate here!” “Oh! Sorry... Umm, keep up the good work,” Rainbow said, covering her loud-mouth. “L-Look!” Fluttershy said quietly. “I think she’s trying to tell us something.” Outside the shield, Pinkie was gesturing wildly with her hooves like a pony possessed. She waved them madly above her head, her whole body flailing this way and that with the motion of her arms, while the others looked on in confusion. “Is it... IS IT TWO WORDS?” Applejack shouted. Rarity flattened her ears again, “Do. You. Mind?” Seeing she was getting nowhere, Pinkie stopped flailing and shook her head vigorously, then put a hoof pensively under her chin. “IS THE FIRST WORD 'THINKING'?” Rainbow guessed. “Oh, what’s the use...” groaned Rarity. Pinkie released a puff of air bubbles and swam away from her dry friends. She zigzagged around the floating debris, over to the downed sub, where she stopped and continued her random flailing. “Sh-She wants to go in there?!” Fluttershy gasped. “Well, the air in here ain’t gonna last forever, so I guess we’re going in that... underwater boat.” said Applejack. “You mean the submarine?” Rarity asked as Pinkie swam the rest of the way and casually sat on the bronze armor. “...Summer Rain is still in there.” “Then what are we waiting for?” Rainbow's leg crackled with energy anew. “When I get my hooves on her, I swear I’m gonna give that sorry excuse of a pegasus the worst-” “Rainbow...” Fluttershy breathed, looking up at the other pegasus with sad, wide eyes. “-Uhh, the worst... talking to ever?” Dash gave Fluttershy a sheepish smile, then slammed her front hooves together with a burst of electricity. “It’ll be brutal.” Fluttershy sighed. Rarity guided the pocket of air containing her friends around the flooded Plunderdome to the lifeless Bathysphere. It seemed to have been damaged in the crash, since its rumbling engines had fallen silent and it made no further movements. Summer Rain had made no visible attempts to flee, either. She remained inside, likely doing everything she could to get it up and running again. They took the long way around, avoiding the harpoons still jutting out of the hull. Just in case she was successful. When they reached its side, Rainbow and Fluttershy hovered in the shield’s center, and Pinkie, using the Element she’d removed from its casing and slapped on over her suit, easily lifted the two non-fliers up onto the top of the sub. “How are we going to get in there?” Fluttershy asked, closing her wings and touching down on the shimmering carpet of magic. Two streams of bubbles poured out of Pinkie’s mask consecutively, carrying what sounded like a ‘ta-da’ with them. Pinkie move to the side, revealing a circular hatch with a ring-shaped crank that she promptly started turning with her telekinesis plasmid. The metal ring spun around and the hatch popped open, revealing a small air lock inside. Pinkie pointed downwards and more bubbles floated up to the top of the filled dome saying, “You first.” Applejack peered down into the opened space. “It’ll be tight, but Ah reckon four ponies’ll fit. Ya’ll can hold yer breath for a while, right?” Rarity sighed, “Is there anyway we can do this and stay dry?” “It’s just a little water.” Dash rolled her eyes. “...Actually, there’s a lot of it. And it’s like, super cold. But Pinkie has our backs!” With another sigh, Rarity moved the shield forward, until she was standing directly over the open air lock. “Everypony get close, I’ll count to three, then drop the spell. Hopefully Pinkie can close the door before we all get hypothermia... Ready?” The three mare’s inside nodded, and Pinkie did a salute. “Alright.” Rarity closed her eyes and began the countdown,“One... Two...” I suppose I needed a shower anyway... “THREE!” Her horn when dark, and the pale walls around her vanished. Her eyes shot open as ice cold seawater rushed over her whole body. It felt so cold it hurt, like getting bucked everywhere at once. Her ears popped painfully, and air poured out of her lungs before Rarity could clamp her lips closed, preserving what was left in her chest and hoping it would be enough. Before she could start panicking, Rarity felt something tap her shoulder. She turned to she Pinkie, pointing down at the airlock and the others floating around her. They were kicking their legs with puffed out cheeks... waiting for her to get inside already. I should probably get a move on... Rarity thought as a icy chill ran up her spine. With Pinkie’s help, she was lowered into the dim space. While Pinkie guided the others in, Rarity searched for the lever that would drain the water. Here it is, the ‘Main Purge Valve’. She placed a hoof over the switch as Fluttershy swam in with Rainbow. They both looked a tad purple in the face, whether from oxygen deprivation or exposure to cold, Rarity couldn’t tell. They crammed in close against Rarity then Applejack entered, gripping her cowpony hat tightly and filling the last of the cramped space. Fluttershy coughed, sending a plume of precious air floating away. Close the hatch, Pinkie! Rarity thought as loud as she could, clutching the purge lever tight. Pinkie must have seen the bubbles, because the door slammed closed a second later, followed by the squeaking of the crank turning. Fluttershy coughed out more oxygen as the exit was sealed. Feeling the strain on her own lungs, Rarity threw the switch the instant the squealing stopped, and a light on the control panel changed from red to green. A sharp hiss resounded in the chamber, and the water drained out through the floor. Each mare gasped for as their heads poked out of the receding water. “Th-th-that was-sn’t s-s-o bad...” Rainbow shivered as the last of the water disappeared. “N-Now let’s f-f-find-d-d Rain.” After a few minutes of searching for the door control and warming each other up, the four soaking mares tumbled out of the overcrowded tube and into the sub’s darkened interior. A bare passage ran down its extended length, connected to various compartments and storage drawers. Just like its smaller counterpart, a row of seating lined one side of the Bathysphere, along with decorative patterns displayed prominently on the close walls. At the far end, the backs of two leather chairs were visible in what was likely the command bridge. Untangling herself from the pile-up, Rarity took the lead, her mane dripping into a growing pool on the floor. “Everypony behind me. Especially you, Dash.” Icicles pushed through the fur and skin on Rarity’s foreleg. “We’re going to handle this like civil ponies.” She stepped forward, breaking away from the water freezing around her hoof with a sharp snap. Rainbow got up and snorted. “What’s that supposed to-” “Hush!” AJ whispered harshly. Getting the message, Rainbow buttoned her lips and followed Rarity towards the bow. Behind them, the airlock gurgled and hissed as it was refilled with water. “Wh-Where is she?” Fluttershy asked, carefully eying any side compartment large enough for a knife-wielding pegasus to hide in. She stuck close to Rainbow, letting Applejack take the rear. “Can you hear me, Summer Rain?” Rarity asked as she neared the cockpit. She brought up her frosty foreleg. “Please, do us all a favor and come quietly. We don’t want to hurt you-” Rainbow snorted again. “-We don’t, but we are prepared to defend...” Rarity spun one of the chairs around, only to find it empty. She checked the other and found it vacant as well. “...ourselves.” At the back of the group, Applejack spun around and ignited her plasmid, casting a flickering orange light into the sub’s dark corners. “Keep yer eyes peeled gals, she could be hiding in here somewhere...” “Ooooh no, oh no...” Fluttershy mumbled. “Get behind me ‘Shy.” Dash said, adding a crackling blue to the orange glow. “Hold on, something is... off.” Rarity inspected the control panel before the captain’s seat. There wasn’t much there, just a simplistic control stick and a destination selector, hardly enough to maneuver the bulky thing with the finesse Rain had. The craft had likely been originally designed to ferry ponies around Rapture, as opposed to being steered manually by a pilot. A thick antennae protruded from the console’s center supported Rarity’s suspicions, “I think this thing is... controlled remotely,” she said out loud. “You mean, she’s not even here!?” Dash cried back in exasperation. Retracting the ice spikes into her foreleg, Rarity used her other one to feel the seats. They aren’t even warm... “I don’t think she ever was here. She must have been controlling it from somewhere else.” “Y-You’re sure?” Fluttershy asked, peeking out from behind Applejack and peering down the dim passage. “Ah wouldn’t put it past that coward,” AJ said, looking back at the trembling mare and extinguishing her own flames. Just then, Pinkie swung the airlock open and slammed it into the sub’s metal walls. Fluttershy dove for cover. Pinkie tore off her face mask, a huge smile on her face. “Hey guys! What’d I miss?” She shook off the rest of the diving suit like a wet dog, sending pieces flying all over, then placed her glowing Element proudly on her bare neck. “W-We were almost drowned, almost crushed, and you almost got sh-shot at...” Fluttershy whimpered, “...I- think I need to sit down.” “Here, let me help.” Rainbow guided the other pegasus back towards Pinkie, setting her down on the padded bench. Pinkie bounced up and gave the trembling pegasus a hug. “Hey, I’m okay now, see?” She pulled back and did a twirl, showcasing her un-perforated sides. Fluttershy smiled a small, shaky smile. Up at the front, Applejack joined Rarity at the bridge and slipped into one of the seats. “If ya’ll are done prancin’ around, Ah’d like ta find the radio on this thing.” “This is hardly the time for that dreadful ‘country music’, Applejack,” Rarity replied, sliding into the other chair. “Now wait just a-” Turning to give the uppity unicorn a piece of her mind, Applejack found a playful smirk on Rarity's face. Her Element pulsed, and Applejack returned the smirk. “Least it’s got a beat, not like that snobby classical stuff they like so much in Canterlot. Now, we need ta contact Twi, we got all the Elements after all. So let's go deal with Rain, save Spike, and take this thing back to the surface.” Then Ah can get myself to a doctor, she added in her head. “Yeah! Let’s go find her right now!” Rainbow said, leaving Fluttershy sitting comfortably and squeezing in between the chairs. “We don’t know where she is, remember?” said Rarity. “Oh, right,” Dash replied. “Where is the stupid radio on this thing?.” “I’ll help look!” Pinkie chimed in, forcing her way in with the others and increasing their discomfort. Sitting by herself, Fluttershy watched them crowd around the controls, poking this button and that switch to little effect. She couldn’t help but notice the blood splattered on Rainbow’s coat had been washed away during her brief swim. Suppressing a shudder, Fluttershy hoped the blue fur would stay that way. “Hello again, my yellow friend.” “Eep!” Fluttershy yelped at the sudden intrusion of her thoughts. Her eyes snapped in the direction the voice came from, but instead of finding a crazed pegasus she found.... nothing. “...Galt? Is that you? Y-You’re okay?” she whispered, making sure the others hadn’t heard. “This one lives another day, with nothing but a few more scars,” the disembodied voice said from the bench to Fluttershy’s right. The cushion depressed under an unseen weight. “But, how did you even get in here?” “One of the benefits of invisibility. I was in here the whole time,” the zebra replied. “After you left, I found it refueling in Maintenance. I boarded to monitor the radio chatter, maybe see what trouble you were causing, when the thing started moving.” Fluttershy nodded at the vacant space Galt occupied. “...Then, why didn’t you try to help Pinkie? Couldn’t you... turn it off, or move it away? Why didn’t you help!”  “Would have blown my cover,” Galt answered simply. “Here it is! I found it!” Rainbow cried from the bridge. “Dash, Ah think that’s a cupholder...” “Besides, you four did well without me,” continued Galt. “I saw how you stood up for your friends, little pony. It was... noble.” Fluttershy sighed, “Oh yes, thank you...” “You... are not glad?” Galt asked in his thick accent. “I do not understand. You are with those you lost, and almost at your goal.” Fluttershy sighed, “I- well, they... did some things while we were separated. Bad things. And I don’t know if- if I can just forget about that,” she said demurely, staring at her hooves. “And then there’s Twilight... You must have learned what she did down here, while you were... spying.” She faced her faceless companion, uncertainty in her eyes, “It’s true, isn’t it? What Rain said about her?” Galt made no reply. “Oh dear...” Fluttershy sighed. “Why would a submarine have spare towels just laying around?” Rainbow asked from the front, halting Fluttershy’s runaway thoughts. “What? I was just asking you to keep an eye out for one...” Rarity said, ringing out her damp purple mane. Beside Fluttershy, Galt chuckled, “I don’t think they are such bad ponies, as you seem to think. Even this Twilight. Trust me, I know these things.” “Is that because you’re bad?” Again, the zebra spy didn’t answer, and the conversation lulled. I guess that’s another benefit of being invisible... Fluttershy thought, “B-but, they killed other ponies, Galt! My best friends! Even if I wanted to, how could I ever forget about something like that?” Before she got an answer, Applejack called back from the bow,  “Hey Fluttershy, if ya feel up to it, think you could... help us look?” “Because, they need you to,” Galt whispered in her ear. Fluttershy’s voice caught in her throat as four of her dearest friends looked back at her with hopeful eyes. “I- I can try,” the timid pegasus replied, slipping off the bench and onto her shaky hooves. “Radio is under the console, in a latched compartment,” Galt added quietly. She nodded and made her way over to the sub’s visible occupants. Pinkie shuffled out of the way, allowing Fluttershy a small piece of viewing space. “So, umm, we are looking for the... radio?” “And some shampoo...” whined Rarity, still fussing over her mane. “Uhhh, did you.. check underneath? M-Maybe there’s a compartment or... something?” “I’ll look!” Rainbow declared, diving under Applejack’s seat with gusto. “Darnit Rainbow! Didja really hafta-” “Alright, I found it!” Dash popped back out, pulling open a drawer containing a box filled with glowing crystals with a microphone attached to its side. “Good call ‘Shy, you were right on the money!” “Oh, I- it was just a lucky guess...” she said, glancing back down the length of the ‘empty’ sub. Shoving Rainbow out of her personal space, Applejack wasted no time lifting the communication device and speaking into it. “Uhh, Twilight? Can ya hear me? Hello?” she tapped it with a hoof, then placed it to her ear and tried again, getting no reply. ”Any idea how we... call her up or something?” AJ asked the group of onlookers. They looked on with stares as blank as a newborn’s flanks. “Well, guess I’ll have to drive,” Pinkie stated, jumping onto Applejack’s lap and pressing buttons at random. “NO!” shouted her friends, with Applejack being the loudest as she tried to spit Pinkie’s wild mane out of her mouth. “‘No’ what? What’s going on in there?” Twilight’s distorted voice asked over the ensuing chaos. Applejack managed to shift Pinkie off her lap to her own half of the seat, when Rainbow poked her head between them. “Egghead! We got all the Elements, and our own submarine!” she said whipping the other mares with her prismatic mane as she spoke. “...Please tell me you can control this thing from... wherever you are.” Applejack smacked Dash with her hat, and Twilight sighed with relief. “That’s great news! I was so worried when Rain cut off my broadcast earlier. That’s when I noticed her personal Bathysphere had disembarked and was heading your way. I saw the whole thing...” So, she didn’t do anything to stop it either, Fluttershy realized, casting another nervous glance backwards. Was it to stay undercover too? “Yes, we were very fortunate I’d say.” Rarity leaned in, mentally reassessing her definition of ‘fortunate'. “So, what’s our next move? Are we finally going to see you again?” she asked hopefully. There was a short pause on Twilight’s end. “...Yes, I suppose the time has come for us to meet up.” “That’s fan-TASTIC!” exclaimed Pinkie, bouncing in her shared seat. “Once we’re all back together, we can really get this reunion going!” She tapped her hooves together joyfully as recollection slowly dawned on the others. “Reunion?” said Rainbow, before her face lit up. “Oh yeah! That’s the whole reason we’re here! I totally forgot with all the... you know, insanity.” “You were having a... reunion?” Twilight asked from the radio’s built-in speakers. “Ah guess Twilight wouldn’t’ve got the invitation, being under the ocean an’ all.” said Applejack, fighting Pinkie for sitting room. “That’s right!” the oblivious pink mare said. “I had the idea a month or two ago, to bring the gang back together in Manehattan, that’s where I live now Twilight, ‘cause we haven’t really seen each other much since... well since you... left.” “Since I- you haven’t been seeing each other?” Pinkie jumped out of her seat again. “Nope! But now we’re all gonna be back together and once we get this whole underwater-city-madmare-trying-to-takeover-Equestria thing taken care of, we can all PARTY! But what kind of decorations do I use? I’ve never planned a underwater-city-madmare-trying-to-” “Alright Pinkie, I think we get the idea," Rarity said, offering her seat to the rambunctious party-planner. Much to Applejack’s relief. “That... sounds great, Pinkie,” answered Twilight, the sincerity of her words clear through the static. “I’m thinking... streamers!” Pinkie mused. "Lots'n lotsa them." The girls all chuckled at Pinkie's dreamy look over the mention of simple party streamers. With a sudden jolt, the Bathysphere’s engine rumbled back to life. “Okay, the sub’s back up and running. You girls get comfortable, I’ll guide it to my hideout. I’ll- have to cut radio contact though, so I can mask the sub’s signal and stop Rain from tracing it to me, or regaining control. So it'll be on auto-pilot.” The Bathysphere gently rose off the ground where it had fallen, angling upwards and out of the flooded Plunderdome, leaving behind the horrors within. Applejack was glad to be leaving, but apprehensive of her destination. “Okay Twi’, but you still owe us some answers. Then we can sort this whole mess out.” “...Yes. I haven’t forgotten, Applejack.” From the sound of her voice, AJ wasn’t the only one feeling a sense of dread. “I’ll... see you girls really soon, okay?” The radio hissed out and its light faded as the sub drifted out of the ruinous dome and into the open ocean. Rapture was surprisingly beautiful for a dead city. Once again, five ponies from the surface found themselves encapsulated as the wonder drifted past their craft. The brilliant neon signage and breathtaking architecture was a stark contrast to the horrors contained within. The mares let the deep humming of the sub’s engines fill its interior, content to watch the city slowly pass by in silence. Except for Pinkie. She sat on the comfy bench with her mind abuzz with thoughts of her friends. In all the craziness, she herself had allowed the whole point of going on that cruise to slip out of focus. We’re supposed to be reconnecting, duh! she thought, adding the sound of her bright voice to the sub’s rumble. Although, I guess we sort of are. Pinkie, now beaming a smile, turned to one of her friends. “So, Applejack! How’re things at Sweet Apple Acres?” she asked suddenly. Applejack, still sitting in the captain’s chair, looked back in confusion. Pinkie leaned her way. “I never got the chance to ask while we were running around fighting Splicers and almost drowning and stuff.” The farmer nodded, pulling her gaze from the marvel outside. “Oh, uhhh, well I suppose things are fine. Er, they were when Ah left. Zap Apple season’ll be here ‘fore we know it, so the family’ll be good and busy.” “Has that... brother of yours come out of his shell at all?” asked Rarity, sorting through the various supplies she’d pilfered from the sub. “Maybe... found his special somepony?” she added, trying not to blush as she recalled the large stallion’s shaggy mane and brilliant red coat. “Big Macintosh? Naw, he’s just as quiet as always.” Applejack laughed. “...How’s the fashion business in Canterlot? Must be much tougher than patchin’ clothes for the folk in Ponyville.” Pinkie smiled as the conversation took off. Start catching up. Check. “Oh yes, I am always working on something, revising designs, meeting with suppliers and buyers. It’s a lot more work than before, but it is a labor of love.” Rarity smiled to herself. “Plus I have the world’s greatest assistant.” To Pinkie’s continued happiness, Fluttershy joined the conversation from the co-pilot’s seat. “And... you said you were doing charity work in Canterlot too? How do you find the time?” “Like I said, my assistant Noisette is truly amazing.” “Speaking of things that are truly amazing,” Dash said, flapping back to the group with new bandages on her leg and wing. “Did you guys hear about that Wonderbolt show in Cloudsdale last year? I did a triple axel spin into a Sonic Rainboom, and rolled when the mach cone broke, so the colors spiraled away and across the stadium.” Even injured, the heroic pose she struck looked as stately as ever. “I heard about that!” Pinkie beamed. “You’ll have to show us sometime! That’s sounds like the most awesome thing ever!” “Well, that’s cause it kinda is.” Dash boasted, earning a round of eye rolls. “Hehe... so uhh, hey AJ... how’s that stallion of yours... ummm, what's-his-face, you know who I mean.” “Harvest Moon is the name yer lookin’ for,” Applejack replied coyly. “That’s the one! Sorry, I’ve only met him... like, two or three times...” Applejack waved a hoof. “It’s no biggie, Dash, Ah understand. He’s great, helping out around the farm and at Fluttershy’s school. He even stopped a pack of Timberwolves from coming ‘round, after taking one of her classes.” “Harvest was a great student!” Fluttershy said, “And... he’s a very nice pony.” “Thanks fer sayin’ ‘Shy, I think so too.” Applejack brought a hoof to her belly and rubbed it softly. She completely ignored a beautiful school of colorful fish as they swam by, instead picturing the look on Harvey’s face when she told him the good news. “You two are still... working on starting a family?” asked Fluttershy, blushing deeply. Despite having similar conversations with AJ in the past, she still felt uneasy discussing something so personal. “You’re trying to have a foal?” Rarity gasped before Applejack could respond. “That’s simply splendid! Congratulations!” Dash sat back on the metal floor, looking stunned. “Wow, I can’t believe one of my friends is gonna have a kid...” she said, suddenly feeling much older. “...say, Harvest Moon doesn't have any pegasus's in his immediate family, does he?” Applejack couldn’t help but laugh. “Sorry Rainbow, but he’s a unicorn through-and-through. And thanks for the support guys, it means a lot to me.” “OH MY GOSH, I CAN THROW YOU A BABY SHOWER!” shouted Pinkie, exploding from her seat. Rarity chuckled,  “She’s not even pregnant yet Pinkie...” Pinkie shrugged, already planning the shower in her mind. “As soon as you are, you let me know! I’ll drop everything and zip down to Ponyville and take care of everything!” I bet I could bake a baby-shaped cake! No wait, that’s... just awful. She mentally trashed the idea. Distracted as she was, Pinkie didn’t notice AJ’s smile falter as she glanced down at herself. “Well, of course Pinkie, you’ll know soon as Ah do.” It wasn’t really a lie, at least, and close enough to the truth to only bother her a little. She tried to perk up and mask her unease. “A baby shower thrown by you sounds... dang-near perfect.” Dash snorted. “A free Pinkie party for a kid that hasn’t even been made yet? How is that only near perfect?” Applejack grinned.  “It’ll only be perfect... if all mah friends are there.” The remainder of the trip was spent fondly reminiscing about the old days in Ponyville, recounting their many adventures together and laughing. The intervening years of separation seemed to melt away, along with the bleak grimness of the last twenty-four hours. For a few precious minutes, the old friends were able to put aside their worries and actually enjoy each others company in a way they hadn’t in far too long. They didn’t even notice when the sub came to a stop next to an extending bridge that connected to the craft with a sharp click. After a moment, the crystals in the radio reactivated. “This is it... girls?” Twilight began, stopping at the sound of jovial laughter. “Is everything okay in there?” Wiping away a tear, Rainbow grabbed hold of the microphone.  “Tw-Twilight! We were just- pffft, do you remember that one time you hexed all of Ponyville into loving your doll?” she said between uncontrollable giggles. “You mean... Smarty Pants? How could I forget! That was not one of my best ideas...” Twilight said airily, eliciting another round of giddiness from her friends. Once they finished laughing at her expense, Twilight spoke again. “Gosh... I can’t believe how long ago that was... ” she said remorsefully, causing the joyful atmosphere to wane slightly, “But you’re here now! And we have a lot of catching up to do.” Unwilling to let the mood slip, Pinkie hopped up and raced to the sub’s exit. “What are we waiting for then! Let’s go, go GO!” “Where exactly are we going?” Rarity asked through the mic. The last thing she wanted to do was go blindly wandering through Rapture. Again. “Right, when you exit the sub, follow the signs pointing to the ‘Pony Plaza’. It’s an open marketplace and recreation area. Once there, listen for a phonograph playing Marezart’s Fugue in G Minor and look for a poster for the Electro-bolt plasmid. Knock on the wall four times, then come on in. I’ll be ready for you.” Without another word, the radio clicked off and the crystals inside died out. Rainbow blinked, “Huh, seems a bit overkill to me...” “Is the pot calling the kettle black, Miss Spiral Rainboom?” Rarity joked, joining Pinkie by the door opposite of the airlock. “Plus, she was thrown in a dungeon before. Makes sense she’d be extra cautious,” Applejack pointed out. While the others gathered around Pinkie, Fluttershy hung back by herself. Her apprehension was rising; soon she would see Twilight face-to-face, and she’d tell them all what Fluttershy had already found out. Then there would be no denying what she’d done anymore. Fluttershy sighed, thinking back on the wonderful time she had chatting with the others moments ago. It’s a shame it couldn’t last... “Do not be scared,” the deep voice of Galt whispered in her ear. Galt! She’d forgotten he was still on board. “This friend of yours may be lost, but if you are willing to light the way, she may be found.” The metal door opened with a squeak. “Didja say something ‘Shy?” asked Applejack, looking back at her worried-looking friend. She must be real nervous bout goin’ back in if she’s talking to herself like that... “Oh, umm, I said... we should get going. Don’t want to keep Twilight waiting,” Fluttershy replied, deciding to take Galt’s advice. I haven’t even heard her side of the story yet. Maybe it’s not so bad? Maybe it’s worse... “Fluttershy is right! Onward, friends!” Pinkie sang, hopping boldly into the city of horrors as if it were no more threatening than a Nightmare Night attraction for foals. Rarity shook her head. “How can she possibly be so peppy without so much as a wink of beauty sleep?” she asked, quickly realizing the pointlessness of doing so, and reluctantly following. Leaving the relative safety of the Bathysphere once more, they stepped into a dilapidated side corridor labelled, ‘Loading Bay’. Like the rest of the city, the combined effects of age, neglect and a population turned mad by substance abuse had ravaged even this un-noteworthy section of the city. Paint chipped off the walls in large sections, collecting as a layer of colourful dust on the floor below. A thin stream of water sprayed through a small leak in the bridge connecting with the sub, disappearing into the numerous cracks in the warped floorboards. Pinkie Pie bounced into the musty hall, her high spirits clashing with the ruins around her. The others were not feeling quite so upbeat. They slowly stepped out of the sub and followed their bubbly friend. Applejack was the last one out, bringing up the flank. She took in the destroyed landscape, gagging at the smell of rotting wood. This apple may look good on the outside, but it’s rotten to the core, she thought. Why exactly are we trying to save it again? “Pony Plaza, this way guys!” Rainbow said, pointing out a worn out sign depicting a prancing pony. “Not so loud Dash, we may not be alone here.” Applejack replied, wary of hidden enemies. “Everypony, stay frosty.” “Shouldn’t be a problem,” Rarity said as the ice on her leg intensified. “I hear music!” Pinkie cheered. She approached a door hanging loosely on broken hinges, then opened it with her telekinesis and a soft tune flowed through. The haunting notes of classical organ music met the ponies' ears as they entered what was left of the Pony Plaza. Though horrendously marred, the Plaza bore a striking resemblance to the outdoor markets of Canterlot, with the clear blue sky replaced by sickly green seawater. Shops, cafes and eateries lined cobblestone streets, complete with lamp posts, benches and even patches of long-dead grass. Following the sweeping melody of the old music, Rarity tried to imagine the place teeming with ponies, chatting idly about whatever the citizens of Rapture would idly chat about. An image of the Canterlot marketplace surfaced in her mind, as dead and empty as the dust filled tomb before her. She felt a chill run down her spine. The place was utterly deserted, minus a few bodies lying on the ground behind stalls. Fluttershy tried not to look at them, concentrating on the music. I wonder if Galt is following us? she thought. The organ got louder as it reached its crescendo. “Can’t be much further now...” Rarity whispered. They turned a corner, onto a street designated ‘Frolic Way’ by a sign hanging off a lamp post. Sitting in the middle of the road was the source of the music; a lone phonograph with a large chip missing from its amplifying horn. Its crank slowly turned on its own, spinning the record and creating a ghostly appearance that matched the surroundings. On the adjacent wall of a grocery was the poster. A smug earth pony was zapping a pegasus with a bolt of electricity under a bold tagline. ‘Feel the thunder! Evolve Today!’ “This must be the place,” Applejack said as the music ended and was replaced by the looping sound of a scratching needle. Pinkie lifted it off the vinyl disc and prodded the poster tentatively. It was solid. “Now that’s a neat trick.” “Let’s not keep our friend waiting, shall we?” Rarity said, approaching the image and tapping the wall four times. The noise resounded through the dead market, and for a moment nothing happened. Fluttershy shifted uneasily, looking around again for her invisible morale support. The poster shuddered with a quick flash of light, then returned to its original depiction of assault. Pinkie touched its surface once again, and this time, her hoof passed right through. “That’s a really neat trick! Imagine all the pranking I could do by hiding in a poster!” She smiled to herself and hopped into the wall, disappearing behind the unhappy pegasus’ burnt tail. “Wait for us, Pinkie!” Dash called after her, steeling herself and passing through the poster. “Here goes nothing...” Applejack said, following the others and leaving Fluttershy and Rarity alone on Frolic Way. “Are you ready?” Rarity asked, offering a hoof to her nervous friend. With one last look around, Fluttershy swallowed hard and nodded, taking the hoof and stepping through the poster with Rarity. When Fluttershy reopened her eyes, she found herself with the others in a dark room. It was a small space, packed with all sorts of machinery she could only just make out in the dim light. Against the back wall, a row of images provided all the light. “Twilight! Twilight? Where are you?” Pinkie called excitedly into the darkness. She was bobbing up and down on her hooves, scanning the place for her long lost friend. “I’m... here,” a tiny voice replied. The dark silhouette of a unicorn appeared before them, backlit by the glowing monitors behind her. “Twilight! It’s really you!” shouted Pinkie, rushing towards the dark figure. "Wait!" it moved away suddenly, holding up a purple hoof that halted Pinkie in her tracks, “...Yes, it’s me, but- well, you girls should know that I’ve- A lot has happened to me in the last two years, and I’ve been in a jail cell for a long time. It’s me, but I don’t exactly, I don’t... look the same as I used to...” The mares exchanged uneasy glances in the dim light. The voice undoubtedly belonged to their old friend, but there was something in her tone that weighed down her words. She shifted in her shroud of darkness. Rarity spoke, offering what reassurance she could. “We understand, you must be a complete mess, darling, but that’s alright. We want to see our friend, no matter what she looks like.” To her side, Fluttershy breathed heavily. She couldn’t shake off the feeling of standing before some monster hiding in the shadows, waiting to lunge out and strike. The strange metal clicking of the machines around her only made things worse; it sounded as if Twilight was in chains. “I- Thank you Rarity. You have no idea how much that-” Twilight’s voice caught in her throat. She sniffled and continued. “Just... be prepared for a shock...” A violet light illuminated her horn, lighting Twilight’s frayed purple mane and sad eyes brimming with tears. Beside her, in a glass case, another source of light began to glow. Inside, a tiara of similar design to the artificial Elements came to life, filling the room with a pale blue light. The other mares gasped at what the saw. As Rarity had suspected, Twilight’s fur was dirty and matted, and the bags under her eyes spoke of many sleepless nights. But the biggest surprise was something none of them could have guessed at. Folded on each of her sides, embedded right into her skin, was a set of iron wings. Twilight looked away as her first tear fell. She spread the wings wide for her old friends to see, creating a cacophony of metallic clicks. Not knowing how to respond, they simply gaped at Twilight’s deformed add-ons in silence; mouths open, eyes wide. “I... told you so," she whimpered, unable to meet their shocked faces. Twilight covered her face and sobbed into her filthy hooves. She heard hoof steps approach, then felt something she hadn’t felt in far too long. Somepony wrapped her in a hug. “I’m- it’s really good to see you again, Twilight,” Pinkie said quietly, embracing the strange pony that had once been her friend. Twilight flinched at the unfamiliar contact, then threw herself into Pinkie’s embrace and returned the hug. “Th-thank you, Pinkie. I’m so glad you’re all here.” She smiled genuinely and looked up at her other, shell-shocked friends. Their expressions slowly shifted to confusion, and Twilight’s smile faded. Reluctantly, she broke out of Pinkie’s hug and took another step back. “But, I’m so sorry as well. You’ve been through so much, and I have a lot of things to tell you. Maybe we shouldn’t be hugging just yet.” Biting at the chance to finally get the answers she wanted, Applejack found her voice. “Twilight. Maybe you should start at the top and take it from there?” “You... have wings? Made of metal?” Dash blurted you, still enthralled by the iron appendages. “Hush, Rainbow. Let her speak.” Rarity scowled, though she herself was still staring at the outstretched wings. Feeling the stares, Twilight folded the loathsome things to her sides and composed herself. She sat down with a sigh and began, as Applejack suggested, at the top, “As I told you already, I was sent here by Celestia to, for lack of a better term, spy on Rapture. She knew Summer Rain, and what she was capable of, so when Manehattan intelligence heard rumors of supply ships disappearing out on the ocean, the Princess began to investigate.” “Do they... work?” Rainbow asked, cocking her head to get a better look. Twilight crossed her forelegs and rolled her damp eyes. “I’ll get to that, Rainbow. As I was saying, those rumors turned out to be true, as well as Celestia’s suspicions. Summer Rain exiled herself, and with the help of some of her supporters from Canterlot, she built this place in secrecy. I was in the Far West at the time, but quietly returned at her request.” Twilight paused for a moment, gauging how the others reacted to the news. So the Princess did have a reason for sendin’ her to this hell-hole... Applejack thought, feeling bad all over for her poor assessment of Celestia’s actions. “...But, you couldn’t even tell us you were back?” “Believe me, I wanted to... but we just couldn’t risk it. It was hard enough getting in contact with the ponies down here inconspicuously, let alone getting them to grant me entrance. Rain may be crazy, but she isn’t a fool. Her spies are everywhere, and one little rumor would be enough to doom the mission before it started.” “You... put Equestria before your friends,” Rarity said quietly. “It was my duty to the Princesses,” Twilight replied weakly. “But as you can tell, things didn’t go exactly as planned.” She flexed her synthetic wings again. “They caught me sending letters to the Princess through Spike, and we were locked up. Then they- they experimented on me, and him too, I found out. She said it was m-my punishment, for betrayal.” “Who did? Summer Rain?” Rainbow asked, her curiosity replaced by renewed anger. Memories of her incarceration and medical torture flooded back into Twilight’s mind, and she began to cry again. “I c-couldn’t believe she would do something like this to me! We, got along well. I didn’t agree with her on most things, but I... respected her. She was smart, and kind to me, even when I was locked away, she seemed more disappointed than upset...” Twilight sobbed into her hooves, and Fluttershy’s jaw fell slack.  “You- You respect her?” It’s all true, the recording, the things Rain said... It’s all true. “How? She’s so horrible, and she’s done so much to hurt us, and you!” Fluttershy could hear the heat in her words, hardly recognizing them as her own. “Woah there, settle down ‘Shy,” Applejack said. “She’s been through a lot-” “You don’t understand, Applejack!” Fluttershy interrupted. “Wh-When we were separated, I found a recording. It was Twilight’s voice- I didn’t want to believe what she said...” Her body shook as and golden light ran through her foreleg as she pointed it at the monster sitting before her. “She helped them make all this. The plasmids, the Stags, the Splicers, the Fillies, everything. And not only that, she enjoyed it. She didn’t tell the Princess, because she wanted to stay here and FINISH!” The implication hung in the air like fog over a graveyard. All eyes fell on Twilight, searching for any sign that the accusations were false. She fell to the floor and cried harder. “Is it true, Twilight?” Rarity asked, already knowing the answer. “Y-Yes.” the broken unicorn whimpered, “I got... swept up by it all. When this place was new, it felt like a utopia, a whole city built on progress and scientific advancement... It went to my head, and I- I stretched my ethics a little too far. I never wanted what happened! What we made!” It’s funny though, after it happened the fifth time, I don’t recall her blinking much of an eye, Rain’s taunting voice echoed in Applejack’s mind, and she felt sick to her stomach. “Th-That’s it? That’s all you got to say fer yourself? You went ‘a little’ too far?” she managed to croak, fighting mental images of Twilight torturing children and the intense urge to be sick. “I’ve had a lot of time to think of what I did, Applejack,” Twilight sobbed. "Years, in fact." Her flat tone made it clear she wasn’t trying to defend herself or seek forgiveness. She was just stating the facts. “I got what I deserved, as did all the others I worked with...” Pinkie backed away from the crying heap on the floor. “...No, I can’t- You really did...” She sat heavily, her poofy mane losing some of its spring. “I’m afraid so.” Twilight weeped, forcing herself back to her hooves and continuing her story. “As Rapture’s population drove itself insane with ADAM, Rain’s control weakened and the whole place came apart at the seams. Most of those in charge, including Rain herself hid away with hopes of riding things out. Her advisers started to doubt her, and she ended up banishing a pony named Chicane for questioning her. Then she blew up his Bathysphere as it carried him off as an example. It was the final nail in the coffin; Rapture slowly died, while I wasted away in a black cell feeling sorry for myself.” “Maybe you should have felt sorry for those fillies and stags you mutilated.” Fluttershy blurted. “I- took no part with that... But I did, and still do. I will never be able to forget the things I did, or forgive myself for what you had to do to get here.” Her old friends fell silent as Twilight got to the parts of her story she had truly been dreading. “I- I’m not the same. Not just in appearance,” Twilight continued. “When I escaped, I thought I had changed... but- then I happened to run into him when I was hiding the Elements. Dr. Hoofhardt.” She spat the name like it burned her tongue just to speak it. “He was the one who turned me into a parody of the princesses. I figured he would have cleared out long ago, or been killed by the mobs... But there he was in Medical, still working away on his latest travesty. When I escaped my cell, I thought I had changed... but when I saw him I- lost it all over again." I've never been so proud... Hoofhardt said in Twilight's mind. The words stung more and more each time they replayed. They were his last, but even that consolation had lost any meaning. "I put a bonesaw through his face," Twilight choked out, visibly shaking. "It- nearly cut his head in two when I pulled it out.” Applejack couldn’t hold it in. She ran to the nearest corner an emptied her stomach into it. We've all done things we regret down here... Rarity thought, her own mind troubled. And not just from her guilt. “There’s... more, isn’t there?” she said after a moment. There was still a question that had not been answered. “You say you escaped, but... how?” By doing the one thing I regret above all my other sins, Twilight closed her eyes, “I- I was so alone, and sad and angry, for so long. I didn’t think I deserved to escape, but one day, when I had lost all hope, I felt... something. It was a friend, and she was close. The feeling kept me going, restored a tiny speck of hope, and I started to plan. I took the meager remnants of magic I had left after each day of experimenting and poured it into the tiny pebbles and flakes of rust in my cell. It took months, but I eventually built up enough to teleport, and I vanished. Things had gotten so bad, they hardly seemed to notice. I gathered supplies, hid away the Elements from them, and set up this place.” “You... felt a friend?” Pinkie asked, feeling something turn over in her gut. Twilight opened her dull eyes and looked at the confused pony. “It was you, Pinkie. I felt your spirit.” “M-Me?” Pinkie stammered, “You felt me... from all the way down here?” Her mind reeled, slowly piecing together what Twilight was saying. “It was very faint. You said you live in Manehattan now? Did you move there about a year ago?” Pinkie nodded. “That’s when it happened. You were closer than any of the others and I was able to make a connection with the small bits of magic I had. I got- inside your head... I pleaded for your help... And persuaded you to- I’m, so sorry.” Pinkie fell silent. Fluttershy gasped and looked away. Rarity covered her open mouth with a hoof. Rainbow gaped, unsure if she was shocked or mad. Applejack was very mad. “It was you, then,” she growled, wiping the sick off her muzzle. “Pinkie decides ta get the gang back together outta’ the blue, because of you. She takes us all on a cruise, because of you. You brainwashed her. Your own friend...” Twilight nodded, scolding herself for letting Pinkie hug her earlier. “The Elements were the only way I could hope to fix my mistakes, and there are six of them. She was my only connection to the surface... I used you, Pinkie. It took awhile, but I wormed my way into your head from way down here." "I got you, to bring them, to me.”