//------------------------------// // -Episode 3- // Story: Cloudsdale Weather Laboratories // by AceZora //------------------------------// -Tertio- -Episode 3- "Stephen! ... Stephen! .. Stephen! Stephen!" Chanted the crowd of ponies. The pause between each chant gradually became shorter and shorter until it seemed as if they were shouting one long word. Upon reaching this threshold, the chant dissolved into applause. In The center of the room was a dark blue stallion with red, white, and blue mane. H was sitting behind a large circular desk. A well deserved arrogant smirk filled his cleanly shaven face. The mixture of chant and applause subsided, finally allowing the stallion to speak. "Nation." He said with the confident voice of a leader. "Nation, today something extraordinary happened." He continued with a sarcastic but still powerful voice. "Today the flying cloud ponies, or whatever you call them, have discovered something about their infamous weather factory..." The stallion paused as a graphic of the old facility slid into view. "Its dangerous." He finished. "So dangerous in fact, that they get scared by it doing their work for them." Ward would have continued watching had she not been bumped into by another pony. He seemed to be in quite a hurry and didn't even take a moment to apologize or even glance at her. The pony just speed-trotted onward. He was wearing a black suit, black hat, sunglasses, and carried a briefcase in his mouth. It wasn't long till he vanished into the crowd. It was then that Ward realize how long she had been standing in the middle of the atrium watching the television. She quickly levitated her things and hurried along. -- X:XX [Unknown Location] //765994// >>transmission_Incoming(src:[ERR077])<<; cmd{_x.open();} //==// { M- [err] ga- na- [err] My name- my-my- [err] m- ga- name- My name, is Gatspy. I am nobody. One may call me a "spy" or a "secret agent", or even an "anarchist." However, none of these are my real title. The truth is, I have no title. My purpose is to be nobody, to be everywhere and everypony yet nowhere and nopony. Recently, I ran across an enemy agent in a doze at Canterlot Station. It is truly depressing how little the pegasi administration understands espionage. They thought sending a unicorn would throw us off. Ha! The congress could not have been more wrong. We know more about them, then they of themselves. For instance, that agent I ran into was on her way to recruit one of our best scientists. The comical part of it all is they don't even know he is one of us. While it is true Contrail has been temporarily apprehended, he is by no means defeated. Do not underestimate us. But most importantly, do not underestimate Him. Viva la EPO! [////^\\\\] I am currently on route to Cloudsdale where I shall rendezvous with Syphax and Vex. There, we will finalize the stages of overthrowing the Cloudsdale government. Neptus will be pleased to hear this. We are pegasi, this much is true. However the EPO refuses to identify with the current pegasi administration under the rule of Veil [null_err] He is a weak and dishonest leader, who has no right to hold that chair. Our beloved leader, Neptus, is the only rightful emperor of Cloudsdale. With him as our guiding light, the Enlightened Pegasi Order will continue the long awaited conquest of all Equestria. This includes the continuation of The Rainbow Factory program. Only this time, with more than just the failures to feed it. We will harness spectra from all undesirable races. The filthy earth ponies and snobby unicorns will tremble at our hooves when the Pegasus Device roars back to life. life- li- roa- [err] lif- [err] } //==// >>transmission_end(return:null);<< cmd{ _x.close(); } //765994// -- [Time and shit] The moment had finally arrived, Ward was now face to face with the most notorious prison in Equestria. Inside, was a pony whom she had lost sleep over days prior while running the scenario in her head. She was more nervous than ever. Against her better judgement, she trotted fourth and opened the door. Inside was a strikingly frigid atmosphere, as if the inmates might rot if not kept chilled. When the mare eventually found a guard, she informed him of the situation, partially, and he proceeded to lead her to the destination. Down the corridors they both trotted, each trot seeming longer than the previous. This state of suspense, anticipation, and anxiety seemed to last for hours. Ward cringed at the numbers over each cell as they steadily grew nearer to 1453. At one point, they entered though a door which read: ASYLUM CHAMBERS Ward began to panic but attempted to relax herself with deep breaths and clear focus, even doing the little hoof trick which Princess Twilight Sparkle was known to do. Luckily, the guard in front of hear had noticed none of this. "Here it is." Said the guard. He unlocked the view panel and peered inside. He then motioned Ward over to look through it. She hesitated but mustered enough courage to step forward and look though. Initially all she saw were the dirty gray walls of the cell. She blinked. Almost instantaneously, an iris stared back at hers. Ward screeched a leaped backwards, falling over. Moments later, the pony inside spoke three words which she will never forget. "I sEEe you..."