//------------------------------// // 11:11 // Story: The Theory of Dove And Grenade // by TLC //------------------------------// Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. The sounds of 'beeps' echoed off the steel walls. Computers lined up against them, each in use by ponies in black uniforms and wore headsets. They stared intensively at the screens, some were radar, other's had code running down them. Several were security cameras. One pony sat at the biggest screen the the room. It covered almost an entire wall. He scratched the back of his head and yawned, his purple eyes staring emptily at the screen. His long orange mane fell over his eyes, to which he occasionally blew out of the away now and again. He leaned on one elbow and slouched, his faded yellow torso bending foreword with poor posture. His expression was tiresome and hallow. "What are they doing?" He mumbled to himself. He wiped his eyes, full of crust from the late night observation notes and bloodshot from the ongoing keeping watch of two subjects. On it, were two ponies, sitting on a bed. A sharp pain rushed through his head. That time again... He thought, pulling a small container from the pocket of his uniform. It was a small pill bottle, inside were several white pills. He took the lid off and threw a couple of them in his mouth, swallowing the capsules. Can't afford to lose focus now... His notes weren't particularly interesting, simply things. Subject A and B woke up, B took a shower while A talked on the phone. Since then, they had been sitting on the bed, their mouths moving occasionally. He couldn't read what they were saying, nor did he care. His eyes began to close slowly and his head dipped down. "Slow day?" A deep voice called from behind him. He quickly shot his head back up and turned in his chair, facing the voice's source. There stood a large stallion, his fur was a cobalt blue and he had a shortly cut black mane. He wore a large black coat. His expression was blank, but wide awake. Unlike the orange pony. The pony raised a hoof to his forehead. "Good morning, Sir." He turned back to the screen. "Yeah. The subject and the colt had barely moved all morning. I think they're just talking now." The stallion stood behind him and stared at the large computer screen. "Even if they are just talking, keep an eye on the mare." He said, glaring. "We can't afford to lose her location again." "Um, Sir?" The orange pony said. "When do you plan on sending in...them?" "We need the Commander's approval of it first." The stallion looked down at him, one eyebrow raised. "You seem uneasy mentioning our retrieval unit, Flamerider. Tell me, are you afraid of them?" "No! I mean. Well..." He stuttered. Suddenly, the large, cold, steel door opened behind them. Both ponies turned. Behind them stood a pegasus, his coat was a damp white and his mane was cut military. He wore the same black out fit as the other ponies in the room, but it had a satchel and was coated with body armor. His eyes were tired, empty, but had a serious tone and kept still. He raised a hoof to his forehead and met stares with the standing stallion, yawning while doing so. "Good morning, Gentlecolts." The cobalt stallion nodded. "At ease. You must be the pony I sent for." The pegasus waved a hoof behind him, showing he rather not talk about it in the room while others were near. The Commander nodded and followed him out. They walked through the door way and it shut automatically. The hallway was empty and the echos of hooves hitting steel flowed past. The stallion sat back on his haunches and stared at the pegasus. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Commander Showers." The pegasus smiled tiredly. "The pleasure is all mine. What was your name again?" "Director Shard." The stallion said. "Crescent Shard. Now about why you're here, follow me." He waved his hoof, signalling Showers to follow him. They walked down the long and cold hallway, the sounds of their hooves hitting the porcelain flooring echoed. "It's about the project." "Project Grenade?" Showers asked. Director Shard nodded. "Yes. It seems to be that the subject that escaped has resurfaced. Now, we need a team of you best agents to capture her." He explained. When he heard Showers stop walking, he did as well. He turned back. "Commander?" Showers was glaring at the ground, his hoof was rubbing the scar on the side of his face. "Are you sure you want her captured?" "We need her alive. I can't have you or anypony killing her..." Shard said. "...if you could." Showers's head shot up and he marched towards Shard. "What did you say?" Shard grinned. "I know about the incident, Commander. How that little mare nearly wiped your whole team out and left you weeping like a foal for your life." He got right into his face. "What?! It's my squadron you want!" Showers yelled. "I'm not going to sit back on my flank and watch you put my agents, the best in the city, in danger. Buck your mission." He turned away from the cobalt stallion and walked down the hall. "Hmm, interesting." Shard called after him. "It's too bad the famed S.C.A.V.A. can't help us...what would your son think?" Showers had gotten to the end of the hall before he heard that. His once stern expression nearly shattered at the mention of his son. "Wha...what-" "I mean, from the reports I've seen and the letters I've read, you two are really close. But recently, you haven't been as close as you'd like to be." Shard pushed the pegasus's button, practically threatening the safety of his child. Showers began walking back down the hall. "I swear on the Princesses, if you lay one hoof on him, I will-" "Attack me, get arrested, be removed as head of your squad, stripped of your rank, and possibably lose your place in this city." Shard said. "Now that we know your options, what is your choice?" The pegasus stood in front of the Director, his wings spread out in battle stance. He was ready to pounce him and nearly kill him for even think of putting his son in danger. His eyes were cold, the only image keeping him from putting Director Shard in the ground is the one of his little colt smiling. He stood down, his wings folding back against his sides and gave a wiry sigh. "When do you need them?" The Director gave a nefarious smirk. "As soon as possible. You may be dismissed, Commander." Showers glared at the Director, his teeth bared and eyes red with hate. "Also, don't worry about your son. I'm sure he's in good hooves." With that, he turned and walked past the disgruntled pegasus, leaving him near an emotional wreck. He walked through the large door, it shut closed behind him. Shard clear his throat and called across the room. "Flamerider! Call Dead Zone base and tell them we have permission from the Commander. We need at least five agents ready to go now!" Flamerider, who had his head flat on the console shot up and looked back in confusion. "Sir, shouldn't we wait for her to separate from the-" "The pegasus might know something!" The Director shouted. "Now get them on the line! You!" He pointed at a random pony in the room. "Make sure Commander Showers is off this property by the time we send them in, or you'll be cleaning the floors!" The pony nodded and scurried out the large door. Shard turned to the rest of the room. "Today, we continue the project!" He turned back to the large screen. The two ponies were leaning against one another, one's face was buried in the other's shoulder while she laid a hoof on his head. ~*~\~^~/~*~ "Good." She said. "Now, what the hell has you all upset?" I sat there, staring at Summer, wondering why she would want to hear about my crap. I don't even want to hear about my crap, and I'm me. But if she won't drop this... "Okay...so, I'm sick of it here." I said. Summer sat there, patiently waiting for me to continue. "And..." I sighed. "I hate this city. I hate everypony and everything in it. The citizens, the school, the kids, the bullies, the fillies, the teachers, the dark skies, the pollution, S.C.A.V.A., my mom's job! Everything!" I yelled. Summer reared back at my sudden out burst. "I hate being here every bucking day! Never being able to see my parents because they work so far apart and my dad stays there! My mom doesn't seem like she gives a shit about how I feel about this place! Saying that I overreact and I need to think positive..." I pointed down at my gauze covered torso. "Thinking positive won't stop that!" Summer nodded at all I was saying. It was weird. I felt like a weight was being lifted of my shoulders the longer I went on about the constant crap I carry around, and she was listing to all of it. After awhile, and several rants, I started to feel bad. It felt like after all the scratching at the surface, I was getting to the core of my issues. Mostly, my father. "...And he never once said that he was proud of me..." I whispered, hooves were around my self as I laid on my side. Summer sat in my desk chair in front of me, her hoof was on the side of my face. "Through out my foalhood, he would try to get me to fly...he would take me to the roof and..." My voice cracked. I hated reliving anything about my flying or lack there of. Summer was here, I had to get it out. "...I know he loves me, him and my mom both do, but...I...I don't know if I do." Summer frowned and placed both hooves on my face. "Dove..." "No, Summer." I argued, currently attempting to hold back the on coming tears. "I do. I hate me." "No, Dove. You don't mean that!" She said. I flipped over and faced the wall. "I do." I sobbed. "I hate that I can't fly. I hate that I can't make friends. I hate that I live here. I hate me. I hate everything about me." Something must have happened to piss her off, because I was pulled away from the bed and pushed against the wall next to it. Summer was right in my face, her eyes read disappointment. "You listen and you listen good. There's nothing wrong with you." I raised a hoof and tried to speak but she slapped it down. "Why do you always put yourself down, kid? I've known you for two days now and you are already the smartest pony I've ever talked to. You have such a negative outlook everything around you, but when you see the positive, and you're happy, I can actually see the Hail Showers that isn't such a downer on himself." I stared at her, my look had doubt written all over it. "Alright. So maybe you were almost murdered, and sure, maybe I'm a little crazy and can't remember anything past last Sunday, but I know you well enough to see a good side." She smiled at me, I was locked into its' glow. "Now, do you feel better?" "...I guess, yeah." I give up. I guess all that stuff I was told about venting was true. She grinned and threw me back at the bed, sitting next to me on it. "See, Dove, it isn't that bad." Summer tried to level with me. She somehow got me to 'open up' as my mom calls it. I don't know why I did, but it felt good to get some stuff out. "Whatever." I grinned. "Thanks, I guess." "Thanks for what?" She said. "For getting me to talk. I mean, for you, it must have been boring to hear me complain for an hour." "Oh, don't worry about it!" She said, putting a hoof on my head. "It's good to dump your anger out somewhere every now and then. And besides..." She maneuvered around so she laid beside me. "...you deserve it." I watched her, her gaze was a little odd. "Okay, now you're really creeping me out with that look." "What?" I sat up and peered over at my clock. Big red numbers read 11:11. "Make a wish." "What?" I asked as she sat up. "It's 11:11." She explained. "When it's 11:11, you make a wish." I scoffed. "That's stupid." "Whatever. Make a wish, Dove." She leaned on me. "Please?" "Are you serious?" She looked at me. "This is the most serious request you'll ever get from me. Do it." "Ugh." I stared at the clock, my eyes closed and I placed my hoof on my chin. Make a wish? I wish...I wish for a new beginning. A new start. I want to live peacefully somewhere where there's now violence, no anger, no reason for me to be scared to walk down the street. I wish for Summer to remember, to get everything sorted out in her head...I kinda wish for her to-never mind. Summer got up and looked out my window. She moved her head side to side. Then, she jumped back. "What?" She looked at me, her eyes read fear. "Those ponies from yesterday...they're outside." My eyes grew as I realized who she was talking about. Suddenly, there were loud bangs near the front of the house. Summer ran towards the bed and grabbed me. I tried to speak, but she placed a hoof over my mouth. We moved out of the room and towards the living room. The front door was still closed. She let go of me and ran back to my room. When I got there, she was opening my window "Wait! What's going-" "Dove." Her voice was serious. "Promise me you'll stop hating yourself." I shot her a confused look. "What are you talking about?" "Promise me if I have to leave you won't come looking for me." Her eyes were moving left and right. The bangs occurred again. I was getting worried. "Summer?" She got up and pulled me into a hug. "Hail, I'm sorry." She pulled away and kissed me on the top of my head. I felt her push me away and she head out the window. One last bang sounded. The sound of wood hitting the floor echoed through out the house, and the sounds of hooves grew louder and louder.