Reaping Chaos

by Lost Handle

The Officer and the Convict

I arose in time to see a rainbow streak of hair exit view. Twilight jumped out of bed and began racing after her like she knew what was going on. I then realized she probably DID know. Pinkie and I didn't bring her to the room. Suddenly the pieces fell together. The phone off the receiver, the book lying out. It made sense. Twilight had found her and called her up right before we got back. I jumped up and raced after the two with Pinkie following me, calling after Rainbow Dash. It wasn't long that we wre out the lobby and Twilight had caught up and seemed to be leading her a certain way. I then realized that “way” was to my car. I questioned why and sprinted ahead. Pinkie already had got into a mad dash toward them. As I approached I heard a conversation between Dash and Twilight. Pinkie kept trying to interject but was ignored. I finally caught up just as Twilight popped all the doors open. Dash hopped into the shotgun seat while the other two climbed into the back. I hopped in and started it up. “Err, where to?” I asked.

Dash groaned, “If only carjacking wasn't a crime. Look just head out to I 59 and go south. I'll discuss the whole matter of keeping these two with you later.” I looked over making sure I was talking to the Rainbow Dash from back at DISCORD. I don't normally pay attention to clothing, but suddenly did when I saw that Dash's little “glitch” (I had grown to hate every term like that we used. These were real people, not machines) was still present. She was wearing form-fitting jeans and a bomber jacket that was unzipped. Now I don't look at a female's clothing much. They have their own styles that I don't judge. But I was pretty darn sure that “In public with only a jacket on your top and jeans” wasn't a style I remember back in '10. My face darkened in red. Thankfully, no one saw.

Dash was talking to Twilight apparently giving details on how everything worked. As she talked I grew more unsure of this being Rainbow. “Now when I was sent here thanks to that lab's crazy ideas I began looking for AJ. We lived in the same area back then so I figured we would be in the same area now. My instincts were right as always, and we kinda discussed this and that and moved into houses next door to each other-”

“Moved in?” Twilight interrupted, “But it's only been a month since he sent us here.”

Dash laughed, “Really? Oh wow, well for us its been ten years.” My face paled. Ten years? Why would discord send them back so far? Dash continued, “Well anyways, I began looking for some jobs because being awesome doesn't pay for some reason. When I saw “Parole officer” I thought, 'Nah, not my thing.' because it took a few school years and stuff. But when AJ started getting in trouble for this and that I considered it more just in case she ever got into BIG trouble. I started working as a delivery girl to pay for school, became employee of the month several times with my AWESOME flying.”

I felt my brain dissolving. Dash? Working for the law? Flying pizzas everywhere? “Dash! You can't use your wings, else they would become suspicious of you!”

She shot me an evil glare, “Shows how much you know about me. I can keep some things a secret! Just because you made us in a lab doesn't mean we aren't free and able to take care off ourselves. Now shut up before I hand you over for holding these two hostage.”

I felt every remaining color drain from my face. Though I had to argue, It's kinda hard to hide something like wings when you aren't even wearing something that covers your breasts. Twilight thankfully stood up for what I was doing, “You have no right to do that! We aren't hostages! We are friends.”

Dash looked back angrily at her, “Well has he ever let you leave his custody?”

“He's protecting us and helping us!” Twilight cried out. She looked up at her mangled hair obviously thinking of what she had gone through yesterday.

Rainbow lashed out, “That's Stockholm syndrome talking. Let me finish.” She paused, waiting for any of us to come against that. Pinkie was silent, perhaps a bit shocked at everything. Twilight was mad but didn't want to pursue her further. And I, I knew I had no right to tell her anything. I wanted to, but I didn't. “Anyways, I finally became a parole officer just as AJ did the stupidest thing ever. She went and kicked someone in the chest for advancing on her. And thanks to your brilliant little implant...”

I was wrong about all the color draining from my face. I felt an icy coldness blow past me with a evil chuckle. Rainbow nodded, “Right braniac, the guy dropped dead in front of the place. Thankfully witnesses proclaimed it was an accident. So she was only given five years and life parole. And, well, guess who awesomed her way into the role of her parole officer.” She gave a proud smile.

Twilight burst out again, “Some parole officer you are if she was sentenced to death!” I blinked, and the wheel was out of my hands with two worried and one excited expression around me. “Luke, Are you okay?”

I shook my head, no. The car was being driven by twilight's telekinesis, thankfully. Dash was pressed against the door. “Dude, calm down. Seriously.”

Pinkie was excited, “Wow that was scary, a fun kinda scary! Let go again so we can go like that again!”

I clutched the wheel and dragged myself up. Dash turned back to Twilight. “Err... yeah. Anyways. It's not my fault she broke my watch and went and did the same thing again!” She gritted her teeth, “But I know it's not ALL her fault it happened.” She turned back to watch the road. I saw two lumps in her coat outstretched from the shock and possibly anger. Her wings weren't anywhere near fully pulled out, but it was enough to stretch her coat out a little too much. I focused on the road, and figured that any color returning to my face would be enough. Maybe we should have looked for Fluttershy first. Nice, calm, quiet, Fluttershy. I didn't want to point out that exposure of that sort was also a felony, because that would imply me noticing the exposure. I think I started on Dash's bad side. Did I want to go any further down the hate list? After a while of silent driving, Dash calmly ordered me to pull over. I obliged and she opened the door and jumped out. I heard her call, “Police, put your hands where I can see them!” and out came a sight for sore eyes.

I suppose it was for Dash too. As Applejack emerged from the woods Dash ran to hug her.Applejack greeted her and they embraced. I guess that would be grounds enough for me to pull out my shipping chart and connect the lines, but then I had realized that some things can, after all, be platonic. Rainbow led Applejack into the car, talking a bit firmly while Applejack looked at the ground. Applejack stepped into the back while Rainbow retained her place up front. Suddenly Applejack, almost comically, turned her head around to her side, as if finally realizing she wasn't alone in the car. The happy smiles of Twilight and Pinkie caught her eye. Slowly, she turned her head back with a quizzical expression, “Alex, why are there these two girls a sitting back here? And who's driving?”

Pinkie and Twilight began laughing. I couldn't help a chuckle, and I heard Dash having a problem controlling herself too. But Applejack looked worried. I somewhat understand. I mean, you are an escaped convict on death row, would YOU want a surprise like that? That didn't sound right in my head. Applejack was too honest for that. She would never break the law, but she did. Self-defense became fatal due to... what DISCORD gave her. As I contemplated what we were thinking, Pinkie seemed to not notice the sobriety of the situation and was rattling off welcomes. Could I help it? She was too excited to finally see another one of her friends. I guess that orange jumpsuit that had the word “Prison” on it wasn't enough to stop her. Come to think of it, how did she break out? I smacked my forehead, the stupid resonator, dummy. My outburst provoked the interest of Dash. “What did you realize you have screwed up this time? Did you give me a bomb that detects jerks?”

I was hit hard by all those words. I couldn't blame her. She must have had such a horrible experience with Applejack's issue that she resented DISCORD. Well... I started to also, specifically my involvement. Betterment of the human race. What have we done? We destroyed the world, killed two men, strained a relationship, and I've personally caused mental torture to a girl. Dash hated my guts. And wanted to make me hate them too. So I shook my head; I would get in trouble if I tried to do anything about it. She could have the police called on me for any number of things. I couldn't see Applejack's expression as we kept driving down the road. Did she think the same as Dash? I finally realized I was driving absentmindedly. Not to self: have deep self-doubting experience when you AREN'T driving. “Er... so miss Rai-”

“My name is Alexi, dammit. Not that stupid character you claimed to have based me off of. The show that 'Gave peace.' If your-”

I quickly stopped her before she could rant any more, banging my head on the steering wheel. “I'm sorry! Okay? It's not like I have a choice in the past. Alexi, please, I know it already.” There was silence, with me occasionally choking as I lifted my head back up. “Wh- where do you want to go?”

Pinkie chirped up, “Oh! How about a 'Luke finally got enough of a spine to say something' party?” I jerked to attention. Pinkie didn't say that... that couldn't have been Pinkie. Looked in my rear-view mirror.

Applejack, who had mostly been quiet through Pinkies barrage of welcomes and storytelling, looked over at the pink-haired girl and expressed, “I'm not sure this is the same Pinkie Pie I knew.” Twilights expression indicated the same idea was buzzing through her head.

Dash scowled, “Well it must have been th-” I quickly closed my mind. I knew what she was about to say. I glued my eyes to the road and scowled ahead. After I heard her voice stop, I let myself listen to the others again. Sadly, she was the first to speak once more, “Keep going. I'll tell you when to turn off.”

The silence came out again. Pinkie seemed to be mulling over the plans for her party, which I wasn't sure was precisely her idea. Then I heard a whisper in my ear, “I'm sorry for Alex. She's just had... a rough time. It's as much mah fault as it is the organization. Don't take it personally.” Applejack murmured. I felt bad for her now. I expected meeting up with Rainbow and having a happy reunion, Applejack even more so. But instead we found them in the middle of a trying time. I looked at them and finally noticed their ages. Dash looked like she was thirty instead of a spunky teen like this group I was in saw her last. Applejack looked only worn, not too much older though. But she obviously wasn't in peak condition.

I pondered the situation. Why would Dash go for the parole route instead of a regular police officer? Heck, why would she consider law enforcement at all? She wanted to fly with the Wonderbolts in the sho- I caught myself. This wasn't Rainbow Dash, this was Alexi Dash who resented her show counterpart for the relation to DISCORD. She didn't want to be like her. That made another question arise. Hating us for the problems we have made for her and Applejack is obvious. But that wouldn't be enough to hate the show outright. What does she know?

Twilight's voice rang in my head, I am wondering the same thing.

How are you doing that?

Simple mind reading and thought implanting. I've been trying to gather what everyone is thinking. I began to sweat, but tried not to think back to those... inappropriate thoughts I had not a hour ago. Pinkie's mind is what you would expect. I can't get anything from her. Applejack is thinking what she is going to do now that she is an escaped convict. And Dash... My mind went silent. Dash is trying to harden her mind on what she is going to do with us and AJ. Isn't she the element of loyalty? We'll be fine.

What is she loyal to? I responded in the mental conversation. There was silence. Twilight must have seen that as a valid point as she slumped back into her seat with a worried look. After a bit, Dash ordered, “Turn here.” A little trail led off the interstate that I followed. At the end was a small hut with a car parked in front. Dash opened the door before I had stopped and she flew out. I once again felt the warmth return to my cheeks as her jacket ceased covering her chest. She flew over to the door and went in as the rest of us climbed out of the car.

Why do you care about her clothing? The calm, inquisitive voice of Twilight echoed through my head. If my face was still at all pale before, it wasn't anymore.

Erm... social taboos. I figured Twilight would deserve to have at least part of the truth.

But aren't you yourself from a loving and tolerating society of all things and discussion?

That doesn't mean everyone can go flipping their chests around like it's a lesbi-. I quickly tried to stop the salacious description from even crossing my mind. I mean, a storage unit sale. Yeah, that's what I meant. Judging by the silence and Twilight's face, I had a feeling my little blocked analogy, wasn't so well blocked. Err... sorry. I guess I'm a bit...

I will not mention it again if you will never mention it, okay. I found that to be a good enough deal. As we walked in I saw the full expanse of the seemingly humble house. It had marvelous design and texture in each wall. Even Ms. Business Dash seemed to become more at ease. She turned to us, “Let me get you all something to drink. I suppose a nice coke will do it for you two, Miss Sparkle and AJ. And a diet coke for you two.” She turned away and me and Twilight looked at each other.

Applejack shook her head, “She has these ways of knowing. Don't worry about it. Anyways, pleasure to be re-acquainted with y'all. I wish I could be here in something other than this.” She chuckled, pointing at her prisoner's outfit, “But doncha worry, I don't hold anything against anypony. I mean you can't see the future.” She opened a little closet to the side of us, reached in, and pulled out a hat. She adjusted it and got a big grin. “And how has your little adventure been?”

She's playing against her feelings very well right now. Twilight's voice rang in my head again. I thought nothing and let Twilight respond to Applejack's question, “Well we have only been here a month, I kinda went a little loopy and we dropped by here where I saw your escaped report on the news. That's about it.”

At this Rainbow returned from the kitchen with five glasses, laying them on a coffee table and motioning us to sit down. I couldn't help but check my glass for anything slipped in it. Dash was being too kind when she was yelling at me minutes before. Pinkie didn't sit down. She just finally gave into her urge to tell all about everything we had seen and done. It took an entire two minutes before Alexi grabbed a little laser pointer and pointed at a wall. When Pinkie saw it her eyes glowed and chased after it. I decided to speak up, “Where did you get yours?”

Dash smugly sipped her drink, “Internet. There was a pretty sweet deal on this. This'll keep her occupied as long as we need.”

I made a mental note about getting one. I enjoyed Pinkie and her ideas and all, but sometimes I just needed her to get distracted for a while. She wasn't like the exaggerated insanity some episodes of the show would have her counterpart be, but sitting in a car with her yammering on some days wasn't extremely fun. Twilight spoke up next, “So are you going to come with us to find Rarity and Fluttershy?”

Dash's in-control attitude never faltered. “To do what? What purpose would us all being together serve?We have moved on in life and maybe will stop that whole Discord plan in the future. Along with certain other things.”

Applejack grimaced. “She has a point sugar cube. I mean, what good would it do?”

All eyes fell on me. I flushed, again, “I... I don't know. All I know is there is some failsafe that could...” I paused wincing at having to admit having screwed up in front of Dash, “Fix what we, at DISCORD, messed up.”

Dash shook her head, “You want us to fix your messes. Well, we are a bit too far in the past to do anything.” So silence was cast over the room with the exception of Pinkie chasing the light. After a little bit Twilight struck up a conversation that we continued on somewhat awkwardly about how their lives had been. Dash explained how she was dating for a while but stopped after Applejack got into drinking simply to care for her in the evenings. It was strange hearing of a situation where AJ took a wrong course in life. I had always seen her as the wisest. But some things capture the better of us.

I could write an entire chapter on what happened at that house and our conversation, but I should keep this to simply the narrative of what happened. As the night approached I thanked Alexi Dash for her hospitality and said goodbye to Applejack. Twilight and Pinkie hugged their friends and got in the car, I pulled out and sighed deeply. I guess we would have to find out what the failsafe was before we could convince Dash to do anything. I noticed Twilight reading something which she folded and put away. I wanted to ask her, but I thought she would tell me if she though I would want to know.

Comments

[Lost Handle]

Overdue chapter comments:
I debated two roads. Making Alexi want to go along with everything and overall ready to kick Discord out, or go with a more cold personality due to what she sees as DISCORD ruining her friend's hopes for life, which would aim more toward her loyalty to her friends. (Though she knows about the others, the only one she cares about by now is AJ) It's obvious she isn't totally different from Dash's personality, but it's skewed. I decided to steer her away from the group.

Applejack wasn't really introduced in this chapter. She is there; she isn't as bitter as Alexi, but nothing else was shown. I don't think it takes a genius to figure out that note has something to do with her.

264862

Aha, I just got that.

... Wow the similarities are uncanny.