//------------------------------// // Pain // Story: The Theory of Dove And Grenade // by TLC //------------------------------// The P.G. building towered high above the street below, its' shadow being the blanket to the misty sidewalk. It's windows were dark, almost appearing to be painted or tinted. It's surface was painted a simple grey, and blended into the background. Rain had began to fall only minutes before. It now coated the streets, carriages, windows, and the sorry ones caught in the middle of it. The smell of damp concrete filled the air. The clouds above the city were coal grey and wept the rain down. Several ponies picked up their pace as the rain grew heavier as they walked. Each moved to the left or right, avoiding a form that stood on the opposite side of the street. The form sat on its' haunches and stared down at the sidewalk, sitting directly under the shadow of the towering grey building. Its' jacket grew heavier the longer it stood in the rain, the hood sagging down in front of its' face. Suddenly, the figure's head looked up, revealing her glowing yellow eyes. They dripped with anger and craved revenge. Her teeth were bared, grinding against each other with every second she looked upon the building. She saw that the front door was not guarded like the day before. With movement, she moved across the street. Managing to miss each carriage that crossed her, she reached the other sidewalk and met the building. There must be a way inside with out having to be seen. She looked both ways, seeing that one side was an alley way and ran to it. The alley smelled of trash and gas, it was covered in darkness. The mare searched the walls for another way in, and found something much better. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a green stallion wearing a black suit and wore a Bluetooth. His eyes were covered by a pair of glasses. He leaned against the wall, a cigarette rested between his lips. Smoke exited through his nostrils and he let out a heavy sigh. The figure moved close against the same wall, being careful not to be noticed. The stallion leaned forward and coughed, spitting on to the alley floor. Within seconds, the mare was only a few inches from him. In a swift move, she moved in front of the stallion. He only had time to drop his cancer stick and let out a split second yelp as the mare punched his chest, hitting the spot over his heart with great force. The stallion's head slumped forward, his glasses dropped from his face. Blood leaked from his mouth. In seconds, he dropped to the ground. His heart had stopped the minute the mare's hoof made contact. She bent down, brushing her hoof over the stallion's eyes and closed them. A few minutes later, the mare exited the alley. Her dark pink hair was slicked back, her glowing limestone eyes were shielded by the glasses of the stallion, and his Bluetooth in her ear. She wore his suit, it had several wet spots around the back and side, but were unnoticeable. She walked calmly to the front door and entered the building. The pink maned mare walked into the P.G. building and entered what looked to be a waiting room. There was a large coffee table in the center, magazines covered its' surface. Chairs lined up against the two walls to her sides, the walls were a pale green. Straight ahead, was a desk. A pink unicorn sat at it and was busy typing on the computer, a steaming cup levitated up to her lips. The mare walked up to the desk, and tapped the surface. The unicorn looked away from the screen, her face showing her annoyance. "Can I help you?" The mare coughed into her hoof a couple of times. "I-*cough* I'm here to collect somepony." Her voice was mask behind her hoof. The unicorn raised an eyebrow. "Collect, hmm? Who is this pony?" "*cough* A Pegasus." The unicorn's eyes widened. "Oh! You must have been sent by the boss!" She stood from her seat and walked around the desk. She walked over to the door and opened it. "Just down this hallway and to the left." The mare nodded and walked past the unicorn. After making sure she heard the door click behind her, she moved into a gallop down the hall and made a sharp left. She skidded to a stop. Down to the left was a longer hallway, both sides having doors. She mentally swore to herself. One of these doors held her prize, but which one? She could try going one by one, but that's the easiest way to be caught. She could...She could break down every door and save him. The mare took a step back, her hooves went to her temples. She took deep breaths, now was neither the time nor the place to lose it. She needed to find him and get out of here. If she's lucky, everypony is out on lunch. These rooms could just be closets, or empty regardless. But this still required stealth of some form. As soon as anypony get's whiff of her trail, she's dead. Or worse, he is. She carefully walked down the hall, eying each door she crossed. One door looked to be a janitor's closet, so she disregarded it. Another door had a window, the lights were off inside. This repeated several times before she reached the last door. Sweat was beating down her neck and head. Her heart rate had gone up in the passing seconds of scanning the doors. Her eyes rested upon the door's surface, it had no window. No sign. No way out. She found it. ~*~\~^~/~*~ "Why are you leaving, dad?" The young grey pegasus asked, sitting on his bed as his father sat beside him. "Is it because I can't fly? I'll try harder, I promise!" It was nighttime, the city was dark and it was bedtime for young ponies and foals. On this night, one foal is being told by his father that he won't be living with him anymore. This nearly shook the foundation of his world. The father shook his head, lifting a hoof to his son's cheek. "No, no. Of course not, Hail." He said, letting out a small sigh. "You see...my job requires me to leave the city at times. And it makes it hard for me to live here with you and your mother." The young pegasus's lips quivered and his eyes watered. "Then quit! I don't want you to leave, dad!" "I wish it was that easy. I really do, but..." He stopped, gathering his words together. "You know I love you son, right?" "I love you too, dad." "And you trust me right?" The father reached out and wrapped his hooves around his son, to which he hugged back. "I promise I'll make this better. This isn't your fault, Hail. It never was, and it never will be." The young pegasus wept into his father's chest, pleading with him not to leave. But all was in vain. Out of the corner of his eye, the father saw the pegasus's mother standing the doorway. Her hooves were covering her mouth and tears were in her eyes. *** Deep within the P.G. building, a lone pegasus sat half awake. His eyes were open, but his mind was as if a blank page. His wings shivered as he sat unmoving. His black mane hung low in his face. The same four white walls surrounded him, one baring a clock that ticked on and on and on. It read 3:13. Hail's eyes twitched before opening to a squint. He saw nothing, all was darkness. He sat up and moved his neck around, cracking it and feeling the joints pop. The dream was still present in his mind, the night his father left and never came back. He couldn't, his job couldn't let him. His mind began to replay him the events of the past week, but he didn't care. Hail wanted out in anyway at this point. If he's lucky, maybe they will kill him. Maybe if he pisses that unicorn off enough, she'll end it. That way, he'll be free, they won't get their information, and Summer will be safe... He sighed. Why did they want Summer? What did they do to her? Where is she? These and other question bounced around inside his skull and buzzed like flies. She made him promise not to follow her. How can he? As if he knew her more than anyone. As far as he was concerned, Summer Night was somepony he got in between with and several organizations. And now, he might as well of died in the alley. He opened his eyes all the way, not seeing why. It wouldn't make a difference in this room. The chair he sat in stung his flank. Hail guessed he's been there for several hours, he couldn't see the clock. The room had no windows, no light. He wanted to scream, yell, kick. Do anything, but feared for the ponies that brought him here would come in and end it. Where are they? Why are they keeping him here...Where is here? Suddenly, light was brought into the room. The door facing him opened, revealing a shadowy figure in the doorway. The figure walked in, hoofsteps echoed throughout the small room. The figure closed the door behind it and approached Hail. He tried scooting the chair back She lifted a hoof to his chin and tilted his head back, the coal mane falling away from his eyes. She grinned, her eyes narrowing down at the pegasus. With one move, she shoved his head to the side, almost knocking the chair over. Hail awoke, his eyes came alive and looked from one side to the other. He gained control of them and focused them on the pony in front of him. "Sup, kid." Her voice was rough, she grinned maliciously. The pegasus tilted his head to the side. "Sum...Summer?"