//------------------------------// // Ch.3 (Ab)normal Days Part 1 // Story: DANGAN RONPA Equestria: The Elements of Hope and Despair! // by Nyte-Blade //------------------------------// CHAPTER 3: It’s A Little Late for your Half-hearted Kindness, don’t you think? Day 6, 1:59 AM, Generosity District - Shady’s Home *Track: Beautiful Dead* “Is anypony there? Please respond!” I wanted to smile. I wanted to grin, or even feel relieved. This light shining from this perfectly cut crystal was almost enough to see that hope is real. But alas, I can’t act out. All I could do was dash back to the house as soon as possible I wanted to respond, but with all these security cameras around, it’d be a pretty stupid move on my part. The moment I came to the house, immediately stuffed the fragment under the pillow until I could find a good place to actually answer. “Don’t stuff that under there! He-” That’s all I heard the moment I did it. Guess whoever’s talking can see me. Hmm... That’s right! I can use the bathroom! I don’t know why, but there’s never been any cameras in there! Guess Monobear has some decency afterall! I whisk the fragment away from my bed and dash into the bathroom. “What are you doing?” The voice asked. Whoever this is sounds like a grown stallion, the kind who would still see us as kids. “Wondering who you are?” I answered after closing the door and hopping into the bathtub. Better close the curtains as well... It’s completely dark in here, save for the light emitting from the crystal in my hooves. Now that I think about it, it’s probably one of those ‘Crystal Cells’ I’ve heard about. They’re a fairly new product from the Crystal Empire that’s been undergoing beta-testing, but luckily, this one seems to work well. The Crystal Cell is inspired by the concept of “Cell Phones” from that other world, but as always, anything brought from that world has to be modified to be user friendly for us ponies. “You seriously don’t recognize me? I can see you, you little reporter.” “Okay, so you know who I am. How do I know you’re not Monobear just screwing with me?” I asked. “‘Come back when you’ve covered wars’. Remember that line?” “Nope.” Seriously, who is he!? I hear a deep sigh from the other end. “Captain Shining Armor. Ring any bells?” Shining Armor? THAT Shining Armor!? Wait a minute... didn’t Dinky’s motive mention him leading an investigation? “So if you’re really Shining Armor, then you’d be able to tell me about that case involving Dinky’s mom and those stolen time travel books?” “Hey, that’s classified. You should know that better than anypony.” I’m not sure if I should be worried... “Okay, what about this kingdom?” “Kingdom? What are you talking about? That’s the Academy of Magic and Friendship!” The Academy? That’s... not surprising. I had a feeling we were at the academy, despite the renovations. Honestly, I was just seeking a bit of confirmation. I’d rather not start some rumor without any evidence. “Why would you even think you’re at some weird kingdom? Who told you otherwise? Where’s your teacher? Let me speak to her.” Rapidly firing off each inquiring statement, I sighed, trying to figure out where to even begin. “Uh... about that...” I proceed to explain to Shining Armor what Monobear is, what he’s doing, and everything that’s happened so far. If anything, he’s probably as lost as I am as far as this whole ordeal is concerned. He sounds pretty surprised as I lay out the initial details, but his tone steadily grew more stern when I told him about this game. “Let me get this straight: Some weird teddy bear called ‘Monobear’ is making you kill each other and dressed Cheerilee in a dog suit? What even. Besides, I can’t believe you kids are actually going along with his whims! What the hell are you thinking?!” “Monobear knows more about us than we thought! He takes our deepest fears and secrets and uses them against us! He’s trying to make everypony go insane!” “From what you told me, you’re no different, Shady. I’m disappointed in you.” “Ngh...” I groaned in defeat. He’s right... I am no different. I did try to kill before, and I claimed revenge already too... “Looks like the situation’s more dire than I thought. The report didn’t mention a teddy bear though...” “What report?” “Classified.” Ugh! “Is there anything you can tell me?” I asked, hoping for something useful. “I can tell you that reinforcements will be here within the week. Normally I’d tell you to spread the news, but you know the saying ‘loose lips sink ships’, right?” “Gotcha... but why haven’t you gotten in here yet?” “I made the mistake of underestimating this mastermind’s defense system. Whoever this guy is, they really don’t want us getting you out of there. Besides, I have a favor for a reporter like you.” A favor? Really? “And that is?” I asked after a irritated sigh. “I simply want the truth behind everything that’s happened so far.” I haven’t come close to figuring that out. “You mean this game?” “I mean, what happened to this world, and what’s really going on.” “I thought you already knew that!” Wait, what does he mean by that first part? Did something happen outside the school? Actually... thinking now, that might not be too farfetched. Thinking about the first motive... could those photos have been from what’s going on? Maybe the Mastermind’s taking other ponies hostage just to drive us further off the deep end. “We have our suspicions, but the higher ups won’t give us enough information. So much has happened after all this time, and I still don’t have the answers; just orders.” “And what are your orders?” “Our orders were to break in and secure the one who took over my little sister’s school. And if she’s hurt...” Shining’s tone grew into a vicious growl as he said that last part. Do I dare tell him about the fake Twilight? Even so, judging from the context, Twilight must’ve gone missing... With everything that’s happened, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if she’s dead... how else did the mastermind even take over her school anyway? “The mastermind...” “I’m disappointed in you guys, but I still want to save all of you. But I also need the truth so the sacrifices of my men won’t be in vain.” That explains the blood on the Monoguards, but still... “I don’t even have a clue who’s running this game, why it’s happening, nor where Monobear gets his info! Where the hell do I even start!?” All I could hear was the usual slight hissing sound from the other end like a telephone. He’s not gonna tell me ‘classified’ again, is he? “You can start by finding the Elements of Harmony- damn, looks like those things are after me again. I’ll contact you once I get in touch with the others.” “Wait, what about the cameras?!” “I’ll use the Morse Code function again to let you know to find a good spot.” Right... A quick blip sound like a TV being turned off could be heard for a split second. Guess I’ll have to wait for him to contact me again. Damn it... that was way too vague! Find the Elements of Harmony? I feel like I just got tasked with a sudden easter egg hunt... “Whatever.” I’ll just hit the sack and wait for him to contact me again later. ________________________________________________________________ 6:24 AM, Generosity District - Shady’s Home .... ........... ....................... *SLAP* “Gah!” Ugh... okay, sleeping’s not as comfortable as it used to be. Not to mention my jaw hurts like hell... Truffle packs the punch of forty pro-wrestlers... Wait, why is my cheek stinging...? Oh, it’s Diamond Tiara straddling me on my bed. Yay~... .................! WHAT?! *Track: Junkfood for a Dashing Youth* “AAAAAAAAAHHH!” I instinctively swung my hooves at her, which she dodged with surprisingly quick reflexes, then covered my mouth to muffle my screams. Goddamn it, somepony’s trying to kill me again? “Calm down! Stop it!” Tiara nervously whispered, trying her best to keep me still. I free my mouth from her hoof, “Why should I?! You did that thing with the nameplates again!” “Just shut up for a minute! Seriously!” Diamond Tiara covered my mouth again. ..... “Calm down! I’m not trying to hurt you! Why would I stain my hooves with the blood of an idiot like you?!” My grumbling could be felt bouncing back to my nose with Tiara’s hoof covering my mouth. “Y-you’re calm now, right?” Tiara nervously asked, glaring at me with those sharp blue eyes of hers. ........... I gave a quick nod just to humor her. *Track: Beautiful Ruin* “Come with me.” Tiara got off my bed. “Where are we going?” “Stop asking questions and c’mon!” Tiara pushed me out the door. ...What the heck is she even doing? “I’m not gonna kill you.” She reminded me, sounding a tad annoyed after getting another glance at me. “You don’t need to repeat yourself.” I reminded with a sigh. “I-I-I know that, idiot! I’m just reminding you!” Diamond trotted ahead of me, prompting me to follow, with my compliance acknowledged with a sigh once more, for I have no idea where this is going. “I don’t know about that... Write a few papers and suddenly somepony wants your head. You should give it a shot some time.” Truth be told, I still don’t believe I wrote those articles, but what can I do at this point? “Puh-leeze! If you wrote an article about me praising how wonderful and cute I am, I’d give you a tiny bit more attention! Besides, you’ll get used to somepony wanting you dead!” She retorted. “I’m sure you’ll eat those words when Scootaloo tries to kill you.” She could only groan irritably, muttering ‘She’s just bluffing.’ Things were somewhat quiet for a little while as we made our way down the alley and towards the gates to the next district. So we’re headed to the Honesty District, huh? Looking past the Applejack statue, I notice that there’s are no guards at the next gate. Is that where she’s taking me? Once I came closer, I looked to my right, noticing a sign that reads ‘TO THE KINDNESS DISTRICT’. Once we went through the gates, the scenery around us changed, revealing an atmosphere that pleasantly filled me with relief. Surrounding the lengthy yellow brick road we walked on, was an assortment of flowers, beautiful green grass that the wind gently brushed, little wild critters and butterflies frolicking and flying around, and the sunrise lighting our surroundings... This picture-perfect scene, save for this harsh cold breeze, took all the tension that’s been built up for the past few days away instantly. ... Seriously, what’s with this weather? I can’t be the only one noticing this. “Tch, should’ve brought a jacket!” Tiara complained. “So this is the new district that opened, huh?” “We gotta talk.” Diamond looked at the ground, fidgeting. ... Yeah, let’s not think that way. If she tries to kill me, I have my wits. “Out with it. It’d have to be pretty important for you to break into my house and slap me.” “S-shut up! I’m nervous, okay?!” You still slapped me. And yes, I’m gonna remember that. “Make it quick, otherwise I’ll just head off and look around.” “W-well... you see...” Tiara gulped, then took a deep breath. I patiently waited for her to start talking, narrowing my eyes. “S-stop looking at me like that!” “Stop taking so long!” I fired back. “F-fine! Just look up there!” Tiara pointed her hoof to the skies above. “Huh?” I looked up, expecting to see something, but the only thing that I hoped for was another attempted break-in. “You thought you were the only one that knew about it!?” She suddenly shouted. Seriously?! “Oh! You mean-” The attempted break-ins?! “Shhhh! He’ll notice!” Tiara covered my mouth, then pointed at the assortment of flowers around us, particularly the odd black and white ones mixed in... ... Good grief, there’s cameras mixed in them! “Let’s go to that gazebo over there!” Tiara shouted, leading the way. It’s a pretty large one at that... The structure was crafted in an octagon shape, with the roof being supported by six tall pillars, all with a statue of Fluttershy in the center. Surprisingly, the structure seemed to be large enough to support at least twenty-four of us. And here I was expecting room for only sixteen. Past the statue and to my left were two additional bricked roads, one leading to a blocked off gate, and the other leading far off into some woods. The two of us took a seat on the bench at the front-rightmost part of the statue. She better have some good news. “I noticed back after our first trial, after I got to my house. I noticed something strange while I was properly securing the house...” Tiara started. “Properly securing your house?” I repeated. I get the feeling that she put a bunch of stuff in front of her door. Just a hunch. I mean, with houses with such a vulnerable way of entry, who wouldn’t block their door off? Then again, I’ve become so caught up in my own thoughts, I’ve forgotten to do that myself. “I-It... It’s not like I’m scared or anything! I just don’t want that crazy blank flank gettin’ her hooves on me!” You’re seriously not fooling anypony. “A-anyway! Well, I saw the dome crack for a moment, but then it repaired itself, like someone hit the rewind button on my DVR!” “So... did you notice any blinking on the ground, or did you get scared and run off again?” “W-well...” Tiara twirled her hair nervously. “I got it.” I sighed. “No you don’t! That dome thing repaired itself way too fast! Besides, what blinking thing are you talking about?” .............. It’s okay to tell her, right...? Do I even dare tell her? Logically, it’d be beneficial to tell somepony who knows about the attempted break-ins. I don’t have much to lose by telling her. On the other hoof, what if she blurts the secret out in a fit of rage against the CMC or something? Her attitude towards them would be a huge problem if she uses this info against them... ... I have an idea though. Whether or not it’ll bite me in the rear depends entirely how this goes. “Before I go on about that, I wanna ask you a simple question.” “Hmph. Depends on the question and what you plan to do for me after.” Good grief, this mare... “I want to know why you hate the Crusaders so much. What did they ever do to you?” *Track: DISTRUST* “...........” Tiara sighed, closing her eyes in silence, as the breeze brushed the grass around us. “Or do you just hate blank flanks in general?” “You finally went there huh?” Tiara’s tone suddenly grew deeper, like a hushed, but brewing storm. “You’re asking me why I hate that stupid freakin’ circle-jerking ragtag bunch of misfits, huh?” Circle-jerking? “That’s right. Otherwise, I can’t trust you with what I know. You antagonize them every chance you get, and I can’t have you using this info for your own gain.” “Everything that I do to them, they deserve! They’re talentless! What can they contribute to our society, huh!?” “By that logic, I’m talentless and haven’t contributed to society one bit.” I retorted. Yet I worked hard to get to where I am today. “Y-you’re different!” Tiara nervously tried to justify excluding me from that scope. It’s obvious that her hate lies in just the Crusaders, not ponies without cutie marks. “How am I any different from a blank flank!? I unlike some ponies, I don’t give a damn about having a special talent. All I care about is getting stuff done! What the hell makes me so different?!” “You’re a reporter, and you’re pretty good at it! You’re good at what you do! You could’ve gotten your cutie mark a long time ago if you actually cared!” “Then why do you want me to have a talent? As far as I’m concerned, you’re reminding me of Apple Bloom and her obsession with talent!” Tiara suddenly stood up like an erupting volcano. I’m sure she wants to melt my face off right about now... “You dare compare ME to HER?! I’m Diamond Tiara! I’m the greatest, cutest, most brilliant mare that ever lived and you dare compare me to a talentless loon?!” Tiara’s rage echoed through the district, fully shattering the peaceful atmosphere of this district. “It must be true given how you’re reacting!” “Who I hate is none of your business!” “Dia, Shady Daze...” I turned my head to find Silver Spoon standing there, with Miss Cheerilee on a leash. Looking now, Miss Cheerilee’s eyes seem to be red... “So it’s your turn to do Doggy Duty, huh?” I asked casually. “Sil, this idiot’s trying to get into my business!” “I heard the whole thing, considering how loud you can be.” “Sil, come on! Let’s ditch this idiot!” Okay, now she’s pissing me off... “Idiot? Who the heck are you kidding!? You’re the one hating on others for no reason!” “Shady Daze, need I remind you, that she didn’t hold this petty vendetta against those three alone?” “Then you’ll provide me some answers, right?” “It’s still none of your business, and I’d thank you to stay out of our personal affairs.” Silver Spoon coldly answered. “Yeah, you tell’em! Let’s get out of here!” Looks like they’re headed back to the Honesty District. ........... *Track: Beautiful Ruin* I knew that wouldn’t end well... I slump onto the bench and stare at the ceiling of the gazebo. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind staring for another ten hours... Once again, I hear those horns blaring in the distance. “Good morning everyone! For once, you bastards get a chance to relax! A new district has opened, but I wouldn’t hop and skip like a rabbit if I were you! You just might get caught in something awful!” “Give me a break...” Traps in this beautiful scenery? Eh... I can’t just sit around. Shining Armor said to find the Elements of Harmony, but where the heck would I even start? To begin with, why are they even here in this school? Hopefully I’ll learn something new once I go investigating. I hop off the marble-crafted bench and surveyed the gazebo itself, noticing a fourth road behind the statue that leads straight to that dreaded central tower... At the same time, I find a bulletin board next to the path which displayed a map of this area just as always. Guess I better download it... ... And done. Let’s see where everything leads... I open the menu in my ID band and scroll to the Kindness District map, so I can see where these roads lead... Central Tower... Next District... Honesty District... Everfree Glade...? That last one sounds interesting. Seems like the path in front of this Fluttershy statue leads to it. Don’t tell me Monobear actually knows how dangerous the Everfree Forest is... “Hey, Blue Snooper!” “Shady!” Grace Lightning and Pipsqueak... wonder what they want? Wait, why do they look like they haven’t even slept?! “Uhh... do I dare ask what happened?” I asked, curiously looking at their sleep deprived eyes. “Monobear made us clean the trial room, ya know!” You can’t be serious. “That damn asshole woke us up in the middle of the night and dragged us back! I thought my time was up, dammit!” Grace complained, scaring away some of the butterflies nearby. “But then it turns out he just made us clean our mess, ya know?” Pipsqueak happily followed up, raising a hoof to say, ‘It’s no big deal’. “Don’t sound so happy about it! I take spitting on that asshole’s property with pride!” Grace puffed her chest out and tapped it with her forehoof as she boasted. She turned to me with a competitive grin. “You should spit sometime! Hawk up a big loogie for me!” Eww. “Yeah, great idea. Just don’t mind my complaints about you when I have to clean up as well.” I quipped. “Anyway, I’m gonna try’ta sleep. Again. If that stupid bear wakes me up again, I’m tearing him limb-from-limb!” Grace waved farewell before bringing out the wheels and rolling away with her eyes closed. Note-to-self: remind her of the last time she tried that. “Same here, Shady. I’m too sleepy to look around... I’m headed to bed myself, man.” Pipsqueak yawned. Watching the two of them leave for the Generosity District, I’ll make another note-to-self... Make sure to never vomit or spit in Monobear’s presence. ________________________________________________________________ 7:07 AM, Kindness District - Everfree Glade So this is it, huh? In contrast to a forest, the glade seems to have smaller and thinner trees. Thankfully it isn’t as dense either, so I have a pretty good view of my surroundings. *Track: Despair Syndrome* The leaves on the trees and ground are brown, as if we were heading into fall season. A little strange to see those kind of leaves flowing into the garden behind me, but I better not think too hard on that. Despite the fall season-like environment on the ground, I can see a clear path embedded in the dirt, curving it’s way around the trees. I’m kinda curious to see where it leads... Alright... it’s not the Forest. It’s a glade. Just a glade... I have a good view of my surroundings, so no surprise attacks. It’s not dangerous... no monsters or whatever. I’m good. I’m fine. One step at a time... *crunch* That’s just my hooves crushing the leaves... nothing to be afraid of! *Crunch, crunch, crunch...* Huh, this isn’t so bad. I’m fine! “Yo, Shady!” Dammit! Oh, it’s just Snails... “Geez, what’s with the yelp? No need to be on guard! I told you, I won’t blame you for what happened!” Snails asked with his eyes widened. That yelp is a reflex. “Oh, it’s just you, Snails...” I heaved a sigh of relief. “Well yeah! Like, I was calling out to ya earlier! You didn’t hear me?” Snails asked, tipping his hat a bit. I cleared my throat, just to regain some sense of composure. “So, what’s going on?” “Just as curious about this place as you are I guess. Hmm... I mean, like, it’s kinda crazy. I just downloaded the map too, so like, I wanted to check this deal out.” Snails said, looking at his own map through his ID Band. “Beats going alone I guess.” *Track: Beautiful Ruin* “You got that right!” Snails walked ahead of me, then nodded his head forward. “Let’s get going. There’s gotta be something at the end of all of this, right?” I sure hope so. I follow just a little bit behind him, watching my surroundings. There’s nothing to be afraid of. I won’t get attacked. “So...” “Ah!” I couldn’t help but jump for a second... “Geez, you really need to relax, man.” Snails sighed. “Sorry.” I sighed again, “What’s up?” Snails turned his head around, occasionally turning around to keep his eye on the path. “So... who do ya think is the mastermind of this mess?” “Huh?” “Like, someone’s gotta be controlling that Monobear thing, right? So like, who do you think it is? Is it some villain that the Princess and her friends beat up? Maybe Discord?” “Discord?” That’s a weird guess. Wasn’t he reformed? “Yeah, like, what if Discord’s the one behind this? Honestly, I wouldn’t put it past a guy like that to make us kill each other off.” “Hmm... I guess that makes sense, but he’s the God of Chaos. He’s supposed to cause chaos, not despair. Think about it, why would Discord have to hide?” I asked. Snails turned around to face me, putting a hoof to his chin. “Isn’t Chaos and Despair the same thing?” “Not that I know of.” “Well, whether or not it’s true, Discord’s that kind of guy I guess. Thinking now, I doubt he’d be such a chicken about it. Like, why the heck would he hide behind a stupid stuffed animal anyway? Also, he was supposed to have reformed if I recall correctly.” “Did he really?” I asked. “... You think he’s still a bad guy?” “Well... I guess it doesn’t matter. If what we said earlier about him holds true, then he can’t be the mastermind. He’s not a coward with his tricks.” “Theeeeeen... I really don’t know. I was just speculating, man.” “Don’t worry about it. We’ll find the answers soon.” I hope... _____________________________________________________________________ 7:50 AM, Kindness District - ??? We finally reached the end of that path in the Glade, but now I’m seeing one large, rounded building that appears to be at least only two floors. You’d expect to see one of these buildings in Manehattan or Las Pegasus at least. At the top-center, I can see the words, “AQUARIUM ZOO ASYLUM” in all caps. “Asylum? Good grief, That Mono guy really thinks we’re gonna go insan... ah. Right.” Snails sighed, realizing that on the contrary, many of us are slowly sinking into madness. Let’s check it out. Snails and I walk up to the glass pane double door. The moment I put my left hoof on it, the doors slid open automatically, as if it read my ID band on the spot. In addition, the lights turned themselves on upon entry. The first thing I see when I enter the building is the large, finely polished reception desk in front with nothing on top, save for a lamp to the right and a single computer monitor to the left. At the back wall behind the desk, are two functioning elevators. Looking to my left down the curving hallway, I notice several doors to the right. At the end of the hallway, there appears to be a double-door entrance to a cafeteria of sorts. “Oh snap!” Snails suddenly blurted. “Shady, check this out!” I follow Snails’s voice, going down the other end of the hallway., it all appears to be just the same, except for a dead-end leading to a set of double doors on my left. At the top of the doors, there was the word, “HOT SPRINGS” written on top. “What is it?” “Dude, hot springs! Let’s tell the girls!” The moment he said that, I put a hoof to my face on reflex. “I know where this is going. We’re not gonna peep.” “Oh come on, it’ll be great!” Snails grinned. “Listen, I’m totally gonna check out the bath, see if there’s any routes to take and stuff! Plus it’ll help ya loosen up a little, dude!” There he goes, running through the doors. I might end up more tender if I peeped, and I wouldn't consider that a good thing... Either way, I’ll just leave him to his own devices. I need to check something out anyway. I head back down the hallway, stopping at the reception desk. This kinda reminds me of that office building back at the Honesty District... “I found some valuable info, and I don’t quite trust you yet, if you catch my drift.” Dammit, I just remembered... Rumble found something in that desk back then! I don’t have to deal with him now, so let’s see what I’ll find! Dashing to the reception desk, I frantically opened all the drawers at the bottom, quickly scanning the contents that catch my eyes. First drawer: Just an assortment of office supplies. Second drawer: Another set of supplies... Third drawer: some random documents regarding the animals in here... I might wanna keep that. Fourth... another document and... an ID card? Let’s turn it over... “What!?” *Track: Beautiful Dead* Fluttershy Title: ELEMENT OF KINDNESS Position: Academy Staff Member and Animal Administrator ID No: 101010-EH2K That means Shining Armor wasn’t kidding about the identity of this ‘kingdom’... This card doesn’t appear to be in mint condition though, yet it’s not broken or scratched either. Has Fluttershy actually been here...? I thought this school was just built! Now to check out this document... Dear Princess Celestia: The petting zoo is almost complete, and progress on the aquarium is going smoothly! Thank you so much for helping me bring the most exotic animals I could find here! I hope the students will enjoy the friendly animals as much as I do. I wasn’t sure that having a petting zoo in such a prestigious school would be a good idea, but with Twilight’s encouragement, I feel that these exotic animals won’t hurt our students. I’ll keep them safe myself. Huh... the letter ends there. Is it unfinished? I guess she forgot to sign it, right? I have a hunch that Princess Celestia helped fund many of this school’s features. A Clothing shop, a farm, and apparently a petting zoo too... It’s starting to feel less of a school and more like a theme park. I’m curious if there was any actual faculty here, like teachers, or a student council... I mean, there’s Miss Cheerilee, but she can’t have been the only teacher called in... To be fair, the school just opened, so maybe she was brought in for chaperoning purposes or to monitor teacher-student interactions in a school designed to develop strong bonds between everypony. I wish I could ask Miss Cheerilee, but what can I do? That stupid dog suit’s not gonna let her talk... But I might be able to communicate with her reactions if I show her this card. Time to check the fifth drawer. There has to be something useful. Opening it up, I discover a single post-it note stuck to the bottom that had few numbers written on it. 11037 Huh? I don’t get it. Maybe it’s a code of some sort? “Shady Daze...” I jolted up, laying eyes on Silver Spoon with Miss Cheerilee in tow. “It’s only you...” “I’m offended by such words. What do you mean ‘it’s only you’? You do recall who I am, yes? I would prefer if you didn’t speak to me so casually.” “Yeah, yeah.” I sighed, “So what brings you here?” “I won’t ask of your apparent paranoia. However, I do wish to know what you’re doing back there.” “I’d prefer if you’d just guess. I mean, it’s pretty obvious.” I didn’t feel like telling her ‘I’m investigating’. After heaving a deep sigh, “Your rudeness aside, what did you find?” “I found some rather curious documents. See those papers there?” I made a quick double-tap on the sheets in question. “After a quick glance, it turns out that they’re parts of an entire list of animals in this place, as well as their life spans and birth dates, wellness, all of the things you need to know of an animal you’re taking care of.” I explained, then closed the last drawer. Once I said all of that, Miss Cheerilee put a paw to her mouth, as if she were thinking. “What else did you find?” Silver Spoon asked. “There’s also this.” I took out Fluttershy’s ID card and placed it on the table. “I see... she’s alive perhaps? This card appears to be used.” “I don’t know if she is or not, but Monobear’s mighty careless to leave this important clue around, huh?” I stifled a laugh. “You do remember that we’re freely able to explore this place, yes? I’d like to believe that our enemy left that there on purpose.” That sounds like something Monobear would do... I turn my attention back to the desk to reclaim the card, only to see that Miss Cheerilee is in possession of it! “What is it? Did you recognize something?” Miss Cheerilee held out a paw, as if she wanted something... Silver Spoon laid her eyes on one of the documents, handing it to her. Snatching it away, she held out her paw again. “Pen!” Silver Spoon shouted. So she needs... OH! She should be able to write something! I search the first two drawers again, quickly finding a pen and giving it to my teacher. Laying the paper flat on the floor, she held the pen with both of her paws with all her strength, crudely writing in huge letters. an M...that looks like a Y... and an I... then a D... MYID? Waaaaait a minute. “You’re saying that you want us to find your ID?” I asked, to which Miss Cheerilee frantically nodded, as if she were happy. “If Fluttershy has an ID, then Miss Cheerilee would have one too. She was originally summoned to be a teacher for the Academy of Magic and Friendship, so she’d need a specially made Faculty ID.” Silver Spoon fixed her glasses. “We’ll need a lead as to where that card could be.” I turned my attention to the computer on my right. “See if there’s a pair of gloves under the desk.” Silver Spoon sounded a bit enthusiastic. Doing as she asked, I find a pair of gray five-fingered gloves on a hook next to the CPU. “Huh... yeah, they’re here.” “Computer Gloves... yes.” Silver smiled slightly as she put them on and sat in a swivel chair. “Another piece of Magitech, invented to accompany the arrival of the Computer. Their sole purpose is to work with this type of keyboard and mouse.” “We have keyboards here in Equestria already though.” I said, not really impressed. “Yes, but you underestimate why these gloves are so important. Sure, the keyboards we’ve had before were suitable for typing with hooves, but they weren’t efficient in terms of speed.” Silver Spoon said, closing her eyes, as if going into a deep focus. I’d beg to differ, but I’ll let her go on. She seems to like talking about technology after all. “With these gloves and more compact Keyboards, we’re able to type information with more efficiency and speed. Unless the Ponyville Express is more old fashioned?” She opened an eye, giving a light smirk. “I guess we’re old fashioned in some departments. At least I am. Featherweight used those gloves, but I didn’t. I worked hard learning to type with these hooves and I don’t feel like getting used to something new.” I hopped in another swivel chair, sliding closer to get a look at the screen. “Suit yourself.” On the other hoof, it takes time getting used to those gloves. It requires the magic circuits inside to connect to your mind via the hooves. Inside the glove is a type of enchanted silicon chip of sorts, designed to connect to the brain, and make you believe that these are hands, not hooves. It’s a partial possession, for it functions depending on what kind of tasks you want to do, such as writing a paper, or typing simple words in a letter. Those who lack an affinity to magic require a quick, but deep focus to connect to the magic circuits, which is a pain to get used to. But as expected of Silver Spoon, she connects easily. “I still remember the day when Sunset Shimmer proposed the idea. We were there to provide the funds for these gloves.” The Sterling Family... “I remember covering that story.” I sighed, glancing at the gloves again. Truth be told, from a certain position, they just look silly to wear, despite their practical usage. “That you did. Sunset Shimmer’s contributions to Equestria have truly revolutionized our world... and she did it all for the sake of atonement for her crimes. I wanted to understand why do so much good just to atone for a single crime.” Atonement... Silver Spoon sounded a bit melancholic as she said that word. “Hey Shady! I just checked out that spa and stuff! Like, I got some great news, dude!” “What?” Snails hopped over the desk, bringing my head closer. “There’s no cameras in there!” He whispered. “What?!” “You do realize I heard you, yes?” Silver Spoon asked, with her eyelids lowered, giving the magician stallion a look of disdain. “Uh... uhh...” Snails fidgeted a bit, looking around desperately, then landed his eyes on our teacher. “Ah, right! Miss Cheerilee! You look like you were writing something! You wrote something right? What did you write?” Snails asked in rapid succession. I’ll have to explain that, along with what we found so far. “So you guys actually found Fluttershy’s ID card, and now Miss Cheerilee wants us to find hers, huh? It’d be nice if we found it. We might be able to get her out of that suit! If I didn’t know any better, she’s like, the one with all the answers!” That may be... but is it really that simple? That makes her a huge liability to whatever plot the mastermind has. If he knows that, then why keep her around? He could just kill her off if she knew so much, so why? “Hmm... looks like it’s password protected.” “What?” Snails blinked twice. Right, that computer... we were originally gonna look through it. “Username and password, huh?” Snails leaned in, looking at the computer screen. “Hmm... I have an idea for a username, but let me see that card again.” Silver Spoon asked. Putting the card on the table and shooting it to her side, her hoof comes down with precise timing on top of it. User: F L U T T E R S H Y Password: *********** *BZZT!* A Window popped up for a brief moment, displaying, "WRONG PASSWORD" before disappearing. “Hmph... wrong one?” “What did you type in?” Snails asked, taking the card away. “I assumed her own ID number would give me access.” Silver answered. “Hmm... maybe try it without the dash?” Snails suggested, to which she silently complied. ......... *BZZT* After another error, A digital Monobear showed up walking across the screen, laughing at us. *Track: Junkfood for a Dashing Youth* [One more error, and I might do more than lock this computer! I’m watching you!] After his warning, the little avatar stuck around, giggling. I then heard something above us opening... Turning my attention to the ceiling, I saw the cameras lowering their height and then slowly sliding to the side, as if it were making room for something. ... Oh crap. “Guns!? Seriously!?” Snails trembled, putting a hoof on the desk. “So like, I totallygottagodosomething!” With a brisk, clumsy, and desperate hop over the desk, Snails made a mad dash for the door, only for his face to hit a set of iron bars instead. “Those weren’t there before...” I muttered. [Obviously! If you’re gonna hack a computer, do it right! Such amateurish hacking deserves the more literal form! I’ve never had horse-flavored swiss cheese before, but I’m willing to try it!] “Shut up!” Snails shouted, shaking the computer monitor. Silver Spoon simply knocked Snails on the head with her free ‘hand’, then sighed out of mere annoyance. “Calm down. It’s just one chance. No need to show fear until you know you’ve lost without a doubt.” “C-c-calm down!? HOWAMISUPPOSEDTOCALM! I CAN’T ONTO CALM! AHHHHHHH!!! I don’t wanna get shot! Heeeeeeeeeelp!” Wait a second. That post it note... “Hey, try this instead.” I quickly gave Silver Spoon the post-it note I found earlier. Those numbers have a purpose. I may be wrong, but those numbers... they can’t be just for show. “Oh ho?” Silver Spoon quickly typed the numbers in and... *DING DING!* The iron bars were lifted and the guns quickly went back into the ceiling! “So you were right.” Silver Spoon smiled. “Wait, I won’t get shot anymore!? WOO HOO! I CAN’T GET SHOT! YAHOO! I CAN’T GET SHOOT~” Snails repeated in a singing tone, rushing to us, singing about how he can’t get shot. “I won’t get shot~ I won’t get shot~! I’ll never get shot, so everypony’s safe! I feel like singing and dancing for not getting shot!” You’re already doing that! One of the guns that I thought had left, suddenly lowered from a hole above Snails and pointed at him... “Uhh, Snails?” I called out to him, but he was so immersed in dancing around like an idiot... and out came a bullet, hitting the ground directly next to his hooves. “Gyaaaaaaaaaaah!” After a sudden shot of gunfire, Snails slipped and tumbled spectacularly, earning a massive cackling from Monobear over the intercom. “WHY!?” Snails demanded. You brought that one on yourself, Snails. [Because I have better dance moves than you!] “Uhh...?” Snails tilted his head. [Oh? Did you want to do a dance off?] Monobear asked enthusiastically. “N-not really... question mark...?” Yes, Snails said all of that. [Ah well. You got served anyway! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!] “Now I see why Trixie tries to remain humble!” Snails trembled. Either that, or he’s just picking up on his teacher’s former arrogance. “Hmm... What’s this?” Silver Spoon asked, prompting me and Snails to check the computer to see what she meant. Looking at the screen, I see what appears to be a spreadsheet Document titled “RELEASE SYSTEM”. Under the title, were three organized columns. Going from left-to-right, first was a column of green squares. Next to that, were the names of several exotic animals and numbers next to them. “Was there anything on the desktop?” “No. This screen was the first thing displayed upon logging in.” “Holy crap... Manticores, cockatrices, cragadiles, fruit bats, orthros... Holy crap, there’s even Ursas in there! Maaaaan, reminds me of that time when me and Snips tried to call the Great and Powerful Trixie’s bluff! Fun times, man!” Snails rambled, then let out a melancholic sigh. “Eyes forward.” Silver Spoon muttered, sneaking a glance at Snails. “Eh?” Blinking twice, he put a hoof to his chin, muttering, “What’s that supposed to mean?” “A red square?” I muttered, making Silver Spoon wonder what I meant. “There, next to the Chimera...” “Oh. If this is a release system, then... we could find out if we took the elevator on down... If you’re brave enough that is.” Silver Spoon suggested. “Uhh, if that red square means that a chimera’s on the loose, then I’m not sure I wanna go down there.” Snails nervously declined. I turned my attention to the elevators, looking for some sort of sign. They’re here for a reason. “That was quite a spectacle earlier, wouldn’t you say?” Hearing a familiar calm voice from behind, I sighed heavily, knowing who it was. “Rumble...” “Relax, Shady. I’m merely here to investigate, nothing more... but it seems you’ve beaten me to the punch.” “Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?!” Snails asked, looking at me, then Rumble again. “You must’ve found a certain ID card, right?” He means Fluttershy’s I’m sure. But I know just how to use it. “I’m not sure I trust you yet.” I said. “Hm?” Rumble lowered his eyelids to a near scowl, much to my surprise. “Hahahahahahaha! Shady, you’re amusing! Interesting! You could’ve asked to exchange information instead of using my lines against me.” Rumble asked, forming a devilish smirk, anticipating my next response. Somehow, it’s pissing me off... but I won’t turn this down. “Fine. Let’s exchange information.” “What is the meaning of this?” Silver Spoon asked. “Just two brokers exchanging information. I’m sure you’ve participated in the stock markets as well Silver Spoon, seeing is that you’re a Super High-School Level Scion...” Rumble answered. “As a jack-of-all-trades, I can’t deny that.” “That you are. Hey, how’s your friendship with Diamond Tiara coming along? I’d like to know. Is it holding up well?” “RUMBLE!” “Shady, that’s not a good way to express jealousy. I’m right here, and I can hear quite well.” Rumble pouted, pressing a hoof against his ear. “I’m not jealous, it’s just you’re going way off topic. I’m not letting you go on your little friendship binge until you tell me what you know.” “So you intend to let him intrude on my personal affairs afterwards? How careless of you Shady Daze. I thought you were a stallion who’d be more considerate to a lady’s secrets and such.” “Oh. I wasn’t aware that friendship is secretive! Hmm, hmm... I think I’ve learned something new about you, Silver Spoon...” Rumble said. “Shady, please get him out of my sight.” “Don’t be so hasty, Silver. I’ll be a good friend and tell you that I have found Applejack’s ID Card and letter to Princess Celestia. That is a satisfactory amount of information right?” Rumble smiled coolly as usual, but I’m getting a condescending vibe from him. I also don’t like how he worded all of that... “Where are they then?” “Oh? What ever do you mean?” Rumble widened his eyes, faking his surprise. I feel like he’s mocking me now... “You say you ‘found’ them. For such a major discovery, one would think that you’d have them in your possession.” “Let’s just say... I put them back in their rightful place. With that, I say farewell for now.” “Rumble wait!” With a quick whoosh and a gust of wind, Rumble took off like a rocket once again... Damn it! “Uhh, what was that about?” Snails asked. “No clue... but I’m heading back to the Honesty District.” “Wa-wait up! I’m tagging along!” Snails ran past me and out the door. he’s still a bit shaken up by that gunfire... ______________________________________________________________________ 9:00 AM, Kindness District - Everfree Glade Why would Rumble hide such important information anyway? Is it because he still wants me to make that ‘contract’? There’s gotta be more to this than a simple contract... I may seek the truth, but I’m not gonna sever friendships in the process. But with the way I’ve lead two trials already... I’ve severed friendships by bringing out the truth. The truth is becoming a sword... a sword that proves Rumble’s point even further. “Maaaaaan, I’m glad to be out of there! No guns or traps or whatever!” Snails happily trotted along the path, then slowed down to keep at my pace. “Yeaaaaah...” “So Silver, what made you follow us?” Snails turned his head around, seeing her follow us from a feet away. “I never said that I wouldn’t.” She answered quickly, sounding somewhat annoyed as well. “Huh. Fair enough I guess. Like, I got so many friggin’ questions though! It’s like we’re answering our own questions with another question!” “Another question that brings us closer to the golden answer, I suppose. Besides, I like the challenge.” Silver Spoon smirked. “A challenge? Four of us are dead!” Snails suddenly turned to face her. “That may be, but that’s the result of the decisions made by the deceased. Nothing we can do but foward our eyes for today.” Silver Spoon finished, as she coldly stared into Snails’s eyes. Flinching, he slowly backed away, and with a sigh, he followed up, “Man, that’s just rough stuff, I swear.” Snails sighed, then suddenly stopped in front me now. “Whoa, wait a sec, something just popped in my head!” “What?” I asked, considering whether or not to just step around him. “Sunset Shimmer! What happened to her? Weren’t you guys talkin’ about her before?” “She was originally assigned to help with the tour of the Academy. Her role was to guide us in the use of the school’s newfound Magitech equipment for us students, but thanks to our current predicament...” “If anyone would know something, it’d have to be her, ri... huh?” Silver Spoon stumbled, thanks to Miss Cheerilee not budging. Wait... is she drawing something?! “D... D?” Snails asked, noticing what was drawn on the dirt. “E...?” Silver Spoon wondered. “A...” Three letters, and now the fourth... “APPLEBLOOM!” *Track: Living to the Fullest* The sudden scream threw whatever Miss Cheerilee was drawing in the dirt way off track, opting to follow the sound instead with the utmost urgency. “Miss Cheerilee?!” Silver Spoon called out, nearly getting dragged across the ground! “S-slow down! Slow down at once!” We galloped after Miss Cheerilee, getting out of the forest in a matter of minutes. Upon exiting, we see Scootaloo and Apple Bloom with a bruised face, shakily getting on her hooves. I know exactly what’s going on... “Scootaloo, STOP!” Sweetie Belle cried out. “I meant what I said. Next time we cross paths, we duel. No exceptions.” “Nah... it’s fine, Sweetie Belle. Ah’ think it’s time Ah’ knocked some sense into’er!” “You know me well, Apple Bloom!” Scootaloo rushed in like a missile, swinging a left hook at Apple Bloom, which was quickly dodged, then countered with a body tackle. Falling into the flowers in front of the gazebo, Scootaloo kicked Apple Bloom off, sending her flying into the Fluttershy statue. Apple Bloom of course would quickly get back up and strike Scootaloo with a right straight. Scootaloo quickly shook it off, then immediately rushed at Apple Bloom, placing her head underneath her belly, throwing her overhead, and suddenly jumped to deliver a roundhouse kick! Apple Bloom landed right in front of us, and Scootaloo showed no signs of stopping her assault with her charging in for another attack. “SOMEPONY HELP ME STOP THEM!!” Sweetie Belle demanded, chasing after Scootaloo. Miss Cheerilee, much to our surprise, grabbed Apple Bloom, preventing her from charging at Scootaloo. “It ain’t over til it’s over!” Apple Bloom angrily said, pulling the teacher along, but not for long. Miss Cheerilee planted her feet into the ground, uprooting a few flowers at the feet of her suit. The eyes of our teacher were filled with a new determination. Miss Cheerilee wasn’t gonna let Apple Bloom fight... If I were in her horseshoes this whole time, I wouldn’t be able to handle watching my students tear each other apart. I wouldn’t be able to sit by and do nothing. That suit, limiting the abilities of a pony, would make anypony feel powerless. I guess she’s had enough of being just a dog. ` “I’M SORRY!” Sweetie Belle’s tears aside, her horn shone with a light-purple hue. Her eyes shut for a brief moment of focus, opened with fierce intensity as she fired a beam at Scootaloo, stopping her dead in her tracks. “Sweetie Belle!” Apple Bloom screamed, noticing that Scootaloo hasn’t stopped glaring this whole time... With Sweetie Belle using her magic to draw her friend away from Apple Bloom, her eyes widened with shock the moment she saw Scootaloo’s right forehoof, inches away from her face. There was no time to dodge. She felt the full force of a punch meant for Apple Bloom... or perhaps because Sweetie Belle interfered, she had to be the target. Sweetie Belle was sent soaring across the flowers, eventually landing in a bed of them... But there was something strange the moment she landed. Why didn’t any petals pop up? Scootaloo’s hood came off, and the realization soon came hitting her like a hailstorm... That glare and fury she had been emitting vanished from her face in an instant. “SWEETIE BELLE!” Everypony present, even Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, galloped to where Sweetie Belle had fallen. But there weren’t any petals when she fell... with this many flowers, you’d think the impact would raise even a few of them, but... Oh. Well that explains it. Sweetie Belle flew in a hole hidden in the flowerbed... Oh shit. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo cried out her name again and again, seeing their friend’s unconscious body in a hole at least six feet deep. Wait, what’s with the stone pieces in there!? “Ugh...” Sweetie Belle groaned, pressing her hoof around, hoping to find solid ground instead of another piece of stone. Just barely, she began to stand on all fours. Her legs and forearms shook like they could collapse at any moment. her body was covered in dirt and light cuts from the stone pieces as well. Looks like there’s some blood all over the stone pieces too. I hope she’s not gravely wounded. ...We need to get her out of there. Sweetie Belle attempted to move around just a bit, shaking off any pain she may have felt. But then, for some reason, she used her magic to levitate a pretty big sized rock, peering closely at it. “Huh? Ah...! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!” What the hell did she see?! I’ll use my camera to zoom in... I have to find out. ... Is that... Discord’s head...? I put down the camera, turning my attention to find Monobear in between Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.. “Uu~pupupu~... You really shouldn’t have done that...”