Utopia

by SilentWanderer

Twilight Sparkle

“I can't believe I made a mistake!”

Twilight Sparkle looked around.

“It should be a simple remote spatial displacement spell. It should not work like this. It should not teleport me. It should not teleport anypony else! And now I don't even know where I am. Or when I am. Or who else I teleported with me.”

She was quickly working herself into a panic.

“I have to find them before anything bad happens. I think I saw Rainbow Dash falling through the spell. Let's see, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rarity, Applejack... Just great, I got all my friends involved in this mess.”

Another unicorn approached her from behind. “Excuse me.”

Twilight jumped and turned to where the voice came from. The one who spoke was a white unicorn with pink mane and a sunflower cutie mark, wearing a black collar.

“It would be better for you to hide quickly, before you are found out.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Use of unregistered magic is illegal. Especially one as powerful as the one you just used.”

“Okay, something bad already happened,” thought Twilight. “Calm down, Twilight, do not panic. You have to find a way to get out of this mess and save your friends.”

“Come with me. I know some hidden ways out of here. With enough luck, we will be far enough from here before she arrives.”

She led Twilight to the nearest wall and touched it. Without making any noise, a small section of the wall slid downwards, revealing a sloping unlit tunnel. Both unicorns entered, and the wall restored itself behind them.

Twilight lit her horn to provide some light, and both walked carefully downwards.

“This is a maintenance tunnel. There is a large network of them below this city. This place needs so little maintenance, that most ponies forget these tunnels exist.”

“Thanks, er...”

“You can call me Sunny.”

“I am Twilight Sparkle. Excuse me, Sunny, but where are we, or better, when are we?”

“I see, so the spell you used was a time displacement spell.”

“It was not supposed to be a time displacement spell! It was supposed to be a simple remote spatial displacement spell! I know space and time are related, but the spell should not have worked that way!”

“You are probably from the past, to not know how dangerous it would be to end up here.”

“To make things worse, I think I accidentally dragged my friends here with that spell! I have to find them before it is too late!”

“We will be lucky enough if we manage to escape from her. Worry about your friends later.”

“Who are we running from after all?”

“The Administrator. The pony who rules over Equestria City with an iron hoof.”

“Equestria... City?”

“Yes. In the distant past, Equestria was a place of magic and harmony. Then the Administrator came. She took over everything.

“Nowadays, most ponies accept her rule. They know of nothing else. It has been that way since before they were born, since before their parents were born, since before their grandparents were born.

“They say that she is a fair ruler, and that is true... As long as you do not oppose her.

“Of those who oppose her, some disappear, never to be seen again. Some come back changed, accepting her rule unconditionally. And to a small few of them, for some reason, she gives another chance.”

Sunny stopped walking.

“You know, Twilight Sparkle, I am one of these few. Some time ago, I went against her, and lost. She let me go, with one condition. This amulet I am now forced to wear blocks almost all of my magic.”

She resumed walking, now silent.

They entered another section of the tunnel network. The tunnel they were in now was parallel to a larger tunnel, and separated from it by a transparent wall. A long vehicle passed by at high speed within the larger tunnel.

Sunny resumed her explanations.

“There are some things that you have to know, Twilight Sparkle. Most ponies would not be able to oppose her, even if they wanted to.”

“Why?”

“Almost all ponies born in Equestria City receive an injection while they are still little fillies. That injection contains nanomachines.”

“Nanomachines?”

“Yes, microscopic machinery powered by magic. Most ponies believe that they work to keep the ponies healthy. That is true. The nanomachines prevent disease, and can even heal small wounds.

“However, these nanomachines also have other functions that very few ponies know about. For instance, they can detect the use of magic by a unicorn, notifying the Administrator whenever a large amount of magical power is used, or whenever an uncommon spell is cast. And they also can prevent the unicorn from using magic, if the Administrator so desires.

“That is how the Administrator finds out about the use of unregistered magic. Every unicorn who wants to use uncommon magic spells has to register them. If they do not, the Administrator will know when the spell is used, and she will be able to block the use of that spell.”

“But I came from the past! I do not have these nanomachines!”

“Yes, and that is why the Administrator will be after you. You are a pony who can use very powerful magic, and a pony she cannot control. You are a risk to her rule.”

“But I just want to go home!”

“And I hope you manage to do so, before the Administrator finds you.”

-*-*-*-

They were now in an ascending tunnel. At its end, Sunny touched the wall, which opened to the outside. They exited from the wall of a small construction, right next to the massive wall of a tall crystal bulding. Sunny walked towards a large opening on the wall of the building, followed by Twilight.

The opening closed itself, before either unicorn could get near it.

Several black winged oblate spheroids appeared from either side of the wall. A few more appeared behind them.

They were surrounded.

The bottom of the largest of the flying objects opened. A ramp extended from it towards the ground.

Sunny stepped between Twilight and the ramp.

A unicorn descended the ramp. Her eyes were completely covered by a pair of round metallic glasses. She had an indigo mane with purple and pink streaks over a lavender body, and her cutie mark was a star. “That is the Administrator,” whispered Sunny.

The Administrator spoke to Sunny.

“Which pathetic plan of yours will I have to stop today, Celestia?”