//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 - The City // Story: Bioshock Equestria: Ascension // by MysteriousRevenger //------------------------------// “TEN HUT! FALL IN!” The line of guards snapped to attention, their gleaming gold armor reflecting off of the marble surface. Each body only stood out by the existence of a pair of wings, or a horn oddly protruding from the helm. Thunder’s eyes were not looking at that, though. They had been trained on the opposite wall, looking at the massive windows and the images immortalized in the pieces made therein. A heavy hoof began walking along the guards, looking over each one of the ponies. Thunder did nothing but wait for his turn under the scrutinizing eyes of the commander. The eyes did not stay on him long, as they had moved onto the next stallion as soon as Thunder acknowledged his presence. By the time that he was down to the last of the line, a new set of hoof steps could be heard. No pony moved, as a glimpse of white entered Thunder’s sight. The wings outstretched towered over the line, each holding their place and waiting what they already knew was going to happen. The figure stopped in front of Thunder, and turned to him. “You, soldier.” The odd kind tone almost betrayed the sternness of the words. “What is your name?” “Private Thunder Streak, your highness,” he responded, his hoof guards clacking together as he had been trained. “And, why are you here, Private?” She asked, the power in her words now coming through more. “I am here to protect Equestria, your highness.” Thunder felt his heart pound in his chest as the alicorn stood in front of him, looking over the body of her target. “You do know what the mission you are volunteering for means, don’t you?” “Yes, your highness.” No hesitation. He had heard the conditions, and knew what this would involve. “You will never see your family again, soldier.” “My family has long since passed, your highness.” The sternness had left his words, but he fought to keep his composure. “And, your children as well,” she spoke with a volume meant for the whole assembly, but looked directly at him. Thunder was confused by her directness to him, but mentally shook it off. “I have no children, your highness. I only have my duties as a soldier.” A look of confusion struck her face, and her head tilted to the side. “Never?” “No, your highness.” Her eyes left Thunder, glancing at the corners of the throne room. She then nodded, and left him, the bewildered look on Thunder’s face soon leaving. The harsh words of the commander now piped up through the room, echoing off the walls. “Of the twenty of you here, it is most likely you will all die on this mission. Fear is expected. Those who wish may back down now. Simply step forward and you will be dismissed. Stay, and you will become walking corpses.” No one moved. -- Light. Why did the light hurt so much? Everything on Thunder’s body hurt. Death isn’t supposed to hurt like this. He opened his eyes slowly, adjusting to being under the punishing light of the sun again. He was on his side, the throbbing pain in his body slowly beginning to ebb away. “OK. So, I’m not dead. Great.” It took a moment to get his hooves under him, but he finally began to take stock of what was going on around him. The small waterfall behind him emptied into the pond at the end of a small park, with the sounds of birds chirping and the buzzing of insects filling his ears, and scents of fresh grass and clean air blowing through the cover as he walked through a scene that seemed more akin to a foal’s storybook than an actual thing he was witnessing. The ponies that walked through talked with energy and a level of peace that was alien to him. He scanned the spot, all edges of the park flanked by buildings that bobbed around him. He dared to peek over the edge of the park, and saw the massive bank of clouds that clung to its underside, the distance between the park and its neighboring buildings being nothing but open air. He looked around more, seeing a small bridge leading into the building lined streets, the ponies there smiling and greeting the stranger as he walked through. Foals ran through the street, laughing and tackling each other in play. Thunder walked on, only looking at the scene around him, and wondered exactly what he was witnessing. No streets in Manehattan were this peaceful, and the fact that these ones almost seemed to be manufactured made him cringe. “Well, hello there,” a voice from behind him called out. Thunder turned to meet the teal eyes of a mare, her bright yellow hair contrasting heavily against her dark brown coat, and the bright blue dress she wore only made this more blatant. “Oh, hello. Sorry, am I in your way?” “Not at all, good sir.” She smiled, brushing her mane away with a hoof. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m usually good at remembering names and faces, but you are a new one.” Thunder chuckled, the sound almost strangled in his throat. “Yeah, you could say I haven’t really gotten around much.” A weak smile crossed his lips, and he began praying to Celestia that this mare wasn't going to blow his cover. “Well, then, allow me to make formal greetings. I am Emerald Delight, and I am the local seamstress and designer.” She extended a hoof, which he met after a moment. “Thunder Streak, and may I say it’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Delight.” He almost bucked himself for that, knowing too much charm made him seem really sappy, never really having a good way with mares. She smiled, and shook his hoof. “If there is anything you need, Mister Streak, just let me know. I’m the mare with the connection.” This caught his ear. “Connected how?” She laughed. “I can get you anything you may need. Like, for example…” She reached up, adjusting the collar of Thunder’s shirt, “perhaps some new clothes for such a special occasion.” Thunder was caught a bit off guard, but knew he didn’t need to stand out any more than he already did, stumbling around like a blindfolded foal. “Actually, I would greatly appreciate that.” -- The seamstress worked the machine in front of her, as Thunder glanced around the room. The inside of the shop was putting a lot of the clothing shops in Manehattan to shame. “You have a very nice shop, Miss Delight.” She giggled. “Please, call me Emerald.” “Only if you call me Thunder in exchange.” She turned to him and nodded. “Deal.” “Where do you get your fabric from?” He examined the wall, and the multiple bolts of fabrics that it held. The pure color difference for each shade was almost astonishing to a stallion that had been use to simpler clothing. “From the Driver Brothers, of course. How else do we get things?” Her laugh echoed, making Thunder blush a bit. “Oh, right. Of course…” “Though, I am truly amazed at the variety of fabrics they can get. Didn’t think there was a silk manufacturing plant in Ascension, to be honest,” she mused as a suit of black pinstripe was raised into view from her table. She helped slide the set on, examining the sleeves and the fit along his back. “It’s beautiful, Emerald.” He examined himself in a full length mirror, the dark suit doing for his coat what Emerald’s dress did for hers. “I think it looks great on you!” She pranced around him, adjusting little spots along the garment, until she finally returned to pick up his saddle bags. “How much do I owe you for this?” He had to wonder just how the coins in his bag translated to how he understood Bits. “Oh, don’t worry about that. I’m certain we can work something out later, Thunder.” She looked him over, and nodded an approval. “Besides, I haven’t done a suit in so long, so it’s good to know that I still got it.” Thunder stared at her, and then nodded. “Well alright. I hope I’ll be able to repay you. This kind of quality is almost wasted on a bland pony like me.” “You give yourself too little credit. Every pony is special here. We’re all blessed by the Sun and Moon here, under the guidance of the Prophet. With him at the head, we’ll become a perfect place, for all pony kind depends on us.” The strength of her words made Thunder remember his old commander. “But, I do have one thing I would like to ask of you.” “What’s that?” She turned to the door, and extended a hoof. “I have no one to join me for the Founding Day picnic. Care to accompany me?” -- The large area that Emerald called the Community Corners was more like a large plaza, a huge space that must have stood out like a bulls eye from up above, all the roads branching out from it like a cart wheel. Emerald held a simple wicker basket in a teal glow, leading the bewildered pegasus to the assembly. It was crowded, by Emerald’s own words, with all the ponies in the block. “All the Corners will be full of the population of Ascension. It’s a perfect day for all the ponies to get out and join the others in celebration.” She seemed to love telling the story, as any curiosity that crossed Thunder’s mind was speedily answered. A clear spot under the shade of a large oak tree prompted Emerald to set down the basket. Thunder watched her levitate the items out of the basket, trying to think of the things to ask that may end some of his confusion, but Celestia seemed giving that day. A loud voice began yelling out to the crowd, indistinguishable at first, but finally, as a hush fell over the crowd and Emerald glued her attention in the direction needed, did the stallion’s voice become audible. “…On this most special of days, we come together, one and all, to celebrate our lives here under the light of the Sun, the gift of the Moon, and the watchful eyes of our Prophet. This is the day we celebrate our city, new lives in this utopia, given to us by the Sun Goddess herself.” Thunder began looking around at the group of ponies listening to the speaker rattle on things that he cared little about. The rainbow of ponies around him made him watched the sermon with such attention that one could hear an apple drop in the grass across the Corners. Thunder took an offered daisy sandwich, not wanting to bother anyone. He looked in the direction of the stage where a white stallion spoke many of the things he had seen written before. Only when new words were spoken did his attention return. “Today, we encourage all ponies to enjoy what our great Prophet has given us, and the shops around us to thank the Prophet, and the Driver Brothers for bringing us the great bounty of our fair city. And, don’t forget the raffle at the end of the fairgrounds!” He left the stage, and some of the crowd began spreading around to the assembled merchants, the stalls and wagons bringing wares to the awaiting ponies. “Isn’t this great, Thunder? I do so love Founder’s Day. A real day to go out and enjoy the gifts of the Prophet,” Emerald beamed, as she finished the sandwich with a large bite. Thunder didn’t need to ask about the Prophet. If the banner from his introduction to the floating metropolis hadn’t been enough, their copies laid against many buildings, broadcasting the face and name of the Prophet. Thunder only shook his head, fishing out the box from his saddle bags. “Hey, Emerald, what is this?” He produced the picture of the alicorn statue, careful to keep the rest of the box secret. He already lost the gun; he certainly didn’t need more information lost now. “Oh, you mean the Monument?” She looked over the picture, and then pointed a hoof through the buildings. “I haven’t been there in a while, what with it being closed off for a while now, what with the Prophet having it closed off.” He remembered the note. “Think you could show me it?” -- Emerald walked with a brisk step in her canter, waving to all who waved to her. It made Thunder feel out of place. A voice called out from a shop. “Emerald, darling, I need another opinion on this dress.” She turned back to Thunder. “Sorry. I’m kind of the block’s resident fashionista. Do you mind?” Thunder shook his head. “Not at all.” She trotted into the store, and he sat down near it. The crowds of ponies were thinner in this part of the city, but there was still traffic, including two ponies that split away from the crowd to a nearby apple stand. Thunder looked over at the earth ponies, and noticed one had a rather unusual device on his flanks. The mare running the stall noticed this as well. “Well, now. Seems someone got promoted.” The mare in question smiled, and slipped her hoof into the device. “That’s right, Molly! I got put onto the skyline duties. Someone’s got to keep the lines clear, after all.” Molly seemed to smile with more concern, as it seemed to Thunder. “Isn’t it dangerous keeping the Others off the lines?” The mare nodded. “I’m ready for it, though. Been training long and hard for it.” Emerald’s return prompted Thunder away before he could learn more. -- “Monument of the Sun. An unusual name, but the Prophet insisted that we have a reminder of the embodiment of the Sun, and the Goddess that granted us our illustrious city. Her name has since been lost in records, and only the Prophet knows it, using it in his prayers to Her.” Thunder looked over the actual statue enshrined in the picture in the box. It had a sense or majesty, with wings outstretched and rearing up on its hind legs. The face was obscured, with mane and tail flowing behind the work. Somewhere in there. “I do apologize, Emerald, but I have something I need to finish. I hope I get to run into you again, soon.” He bowed, hoping to not look to corny. She smiled. “Well, thank you for the good time, Thunder. And, I have a feeling we will. Till then.” She turned, the flutter of the air letting Thunder catch a quick look at a Cutie Mark that immediately made him scratch his head.