//------------------------------//
// Chapter Four 
// Story: Everybody Wins 
// by Jubilee Glider 
//------------------------------//


Chapter Four



These excerpts are taken directly from Pegasus Device by: AuroraDawn



"Everybody wins," Dash announced with pride, hefting Corona onto the conveyor belt. The orange pony groaned, stirring, but Dash ignored him and walked towards the controls. Atmosphere grinned and stood next to her, helping her do the final set up before the Device could run.
"Rainbow Dash!"
	That voice, it almost sounded familiar. It echoed in the back of Rainbow Dashes head. 
"You let my friends go! NOW!"
"Why in all of Equestria would I do that."
"If you don't, I'll open this valve!"
Dash turned, staring at the strange mare standing on the scaffolding and noticed exactly which valve she had her hooves on. Her rose eyes connected with the dusty purple ones of the stranger, and her heart stopped.
"It can't be," Rainbow whispered to no one in particular. "Who do you think you are?" she screamed.
"I've heard 'not a single soul gets through' muttered in these halls more than once," Absentia said.
Dash couldn't speak. She could only look in stunned silence, her body quivering. Eventually, Dr. Atmosphere stepped forward, chuckling nervously.
"N-now, you won't do that. There's no point, you see. You'll take us out, yes, but your friends with us. And without Dash or myself," he continued, gaining confidence, "you'll never be able to get out of this factory! So, what now, you foolish filly? What could you possibly hope to do?"
		Absentia ignored Hide, still looking into Rainbow's eyes. She had had a future, once. Cloud Cover had tried to explain that once they were out, Absentia too could have a future of her own. I don't care about a future, she figured. I just want to fly.
	"I killed you! You're dead!" It hit Rainbow Dash in a flood.
"You're right, Dashi, I am dead. I'm a ghost. A ghost that loved you like a sister."
"But, how?"
"HOW?!? YOU kept me alive all these years. You know how? I want to know 'Why?'"
"But I didn't... I-I saw to it myself, I did it with my own hooves!! You're DEAD! I killed the worthless failure that disappointed me that day."
"Yes, you did, but you couldn't harm your little sister who you loved so much!"
"My little sister...," Dash said, showing the beginnings of a smile. Reality snapping her back, the smile was gone in an instant. "Even so, what are you going to do? Dr. Atmosphere is right, you can't get out of here without one of us at least."
"You're right, Dashi. Unless we all go out together."
Rainbows eyes were as large as plates. She couldn't fathom that this mare could do such a thing.
"Why would you do that?"
"That way 'everybody wins'. Isn't that what you said?"
"My dear, I'm sure there is a way to work this out without causing any more death than what has been done already," said Hide coolly.
"Who would run my company if you take us all out?" questioned Rainbow. Still defiant.
"I'm pretty sure there would be somepony to step in and maybe even stop all the senseless killing of 'failees'," said Scootaloo.
"I can assure you there is indeed a process that can do just that my dear. It was just recently discovered, and we haven't had a chance to start using it yet," said Hide.
As if a light switch had flipped, Rainbows mind came back to her. The insanity, that she only knew as heartbreak, was gone. Her mind raced, trying to comprehend the implications. If this mare was indeed who she seemed to be, then she would do anything to keep her alive. She would have a second chance with her little sister. Even if that meant that the Company suffered and Hide got his way. But Dash didn't care about that stuff right now.
With tears starting to pour out of Dash's eyes. "Scootaloo? I don't know 'how' or even 'why' you are here. But I do know that I love YOU more than anything. Even more than this company. I would understand if you could never forgive me for what I've done. I'm not sure I can even do that. But, at least let me try to make it up to you."
"How? How could I do that, Dash? All the horrible things that have happened in this place. And you were the one that made it happen."
"I know how horrible it....I was, but please!? Please! I don't want to lose my little sister again! I couldn't bare it, even in death, it would be too much to take."
Scootaloo stood there ready to throw open the valve that would end everything. Stop all the violence, torture and senseless killings from ever happening again. She was so sure of what she had to do when she got up on that catwalk. But, now she wasn't sure at all. She was given a way to save her friends and get another chance with the one mare she loved most in the world. "All of this will stop? Right now? No more killing of foals because they made one mistake?"
Dr. Atmosphere spoke up. "I can make that promise to you right now! There will be no more of the barbaric ways of the past. We, together, all of us here, can grow this company for the better. I know you have no reason to trust me, but the plans are already in place to come clean about what was happening here, in the upper floors of the factory. And to unveil our newest technology that will have ponies coming from far and wide to help create rainbows. No death. No violence. All I ask is that you give me, err, us the chance my dear."
"Dashi, can I trust you to do that? To stop all the violence of this place?"
Rainbow walked slowly to the controls of the machine, only taking her eyes from Scootaloo's long enough to make sure she was hitting the correct buttons. The pegasus device turned off. Rainbow sighed, knowing that it would be for the last time. "Your friends are free to go." She went and untied them, helped them off the conveyor and stood back beside Hide again. "No more violence. I promise. I don't want any more deaths caused by my hooves."
Cloud Cover and Corona, both, stood in astonishment at what they were witnessing. Not sure if they could or should trust Rainbow Dash or Dr. Atmosphere.
Cloud gave Absentia an unknowing look of what they should do.
Corona was just glad to not be on the conveyor and on his way to death.
"Well, my dear, the proverbial 'ball is in your court'," said Hide.
Scootaloo looked at everypony, all she wanted to do was fly again. Be it with her new friends, Rainbow Dash or both, she knew that that one thing was what she wanted most right now. She took her hooves off the valve and stood watching Dash and Hide for any signs that this was a trick. As she backed away from the valve Rainbow kicked off the floor and was nose to nose with her before anypony had a chance to think.
Cloud and Corona started to launch, but Hide gently rested a hoof on their shoulders and just shook his head with a smile. "This pony isn't the insane Ms. Dash we all have come to fear. That pony is gone. I saw it in her eyes as soon as she realized that this was her sister and there was some kind of hope that they could be together again," he whispered just for their ears.
Rainbow stood, looking into those purple eyes. She knew this was her little sister. Knew it in the depths of her heart. She grabbed her up in a hug so big they almost toppled over the railing. She was sobbing now. Tears of joy, true joy, something Rainbow hadn't had in two decades.
Scootaloo, almost thought Rainbow Dash was trying to kill her, but after hearing the sobbing and feeling the tears run down her, she finally returned the hug and started sobbing with her older sister. She was happy, but still angry for what Dash did to her. She had all these questions she wanted to ask, but she knew they would be answered in time. She still wanted to fly.
Dr. Atmosphere gathered the group. "Are you ready to change history for the pegasi race? I know I am!"
With that they all headed to the elevator.
Dash looked at Scootaloo and realized that she needed to be cleaned up and looked at by a real doctor. Also, the question of 'how' never got answered. "Hide! Do you have any idea who would defy me and go into the Main Theater?"
Hide, continued to walk towards the elevator, not looking at her. "I did. And there, hanging from the chains was this filly, who you must have loved so dearly. I knew it, because she was still alive. I figured,  when you came to your senses you would release her. So, I had one of the workers feed and walk her all these years."
"How could you not tell me?" She said with anger and sadness in her voice.
"You never went back into the Theater. Besides you were quite adamant about nopony ever going back there, and a little crazy to boot."
Rainbow Dash shot a look of pure anger toward the red stallion. "I think, you would be a little crazy too, if you had just sentenced your one and only little sister to death!"
"I sincerely agree, but I guess things worked out after all. In a manner of speaking, I mean. And you two," speaking to Cloud and Corona. "WOW, what a Tarturus of a show you put on. I haven't had that much excitement since the last time this happened. Although, I believe that this time is going to be a much happier ending."
They all entered the elevator together. On the way down, no one spoke. Cloud Cover and Corona, happy to be getting out of hell. Scootaloo still wanting nothing more than to fly. Rainbow Dash needing to be with the one she loved most in the world, even if that meant leaving the Weather Company that she had such a big hand in building. Hide Atmosphere wanting nothing more than a new beginning for the pegasus race.
Reaching the bottom floor Hides hoof hovered over the 'door open' button.
"Ready to change the world?" he asked as the doors slid open.