Highway South and the Dark Industry

by Highway South

Chapter 3: Fuel to the Flame

Chapter 3: Fuel to the Flame

During the dream with the rainbow haired mare, they’d decided to race towards the sun. It grew brighter and brighter, until he could barely see. “Hey,” he said partially laughing, “don’t go so fast! I can’t see anything.” The mare turned her head back to him, and through the blinding light he could make out a light smile. She waved, as if to say, “see you soon,” and then disappeared into the sun. In desperation he reached his hoof out to try and speed up, but it did nothing. All that remained was light.

Suddenly, the world around him spun. He couldn’t tell which way was up. Finally closing his eyes to the light, gravity took hold beneath his stomach. Opening his eyes to the real sun, he realized that it was the rising of it that woke him up.

He felt slightly embarrassed that he was in the exact position he was in before he woke up; wings outstretched and all. Then a frightening thought came to him, ‘What if the sun hadn’t come up?’ Would he have flown over the side of the building? It wouldn’t have been so bad, as long as he didn’t hit anything, right?

His wings relaxed and drooped back down at his side. His hoof was now on the ground as well, instead of being carelessly shoved out in front of him.

‘Should I quit my new job? If I do, I’ll give up the only thing that was graciously given to me. On the other hoof, if I leave, I could get away from a city that’s too depressing to even comprehend.’ Highway stood up, slowly, and walked over to the side of the building. Below were workhorses and poor horses occupying the streets. Some beggars on the side, but most of the people looked unhappy. The streets seemed more beaten then usual today, and the building more tired. What was going on? Was he just now noticing the scale of unhappiness after his entire life? I guess when its all you ever know, its all you ever think about. Now that he’d been experienced to a more lively and cheerful idea of life, any notions before now had almost evaporated. He felt renewed, as if the days before didn’t matter at all!

He could breathe better, see better, and it felt more natural. ‘What have I been doing?’ he thought in disgust. Now his mind filled with anger. Why hasn’t anypony around here heard of Celestia? Why has there been almost no talk of the outside world?

The only mentions before now were of the small town where most of the factories’ products are delivered. On top of that there wasn’t even that much information regarding the town in particular. Only that they bought almost all of the factories’ good because they “needed them.” Now what could a small town in the middle of a desert need so much of? Whatever it was Highway was determined to find out.

With a focused mind and body he turned back to his new work building and flew down to it. With much luck, he saw Brick by the entrance just strolling in. It was time for him to start setting things up for the day.

Highway landing suddenly behind him with a huge sound from his wings that made even the Stone jump in fright. “Whoa! You scared me there! I thought you were an, uh, assassin or some’ in. You’re here early aren’t you boss?”

“I guess you could say that, kinda got woken up by the sun,” he gloated cheerfully.

“Heh, you pegasi are all so strange. Sleepin’ on roofs and such.”

“What can I say, I got bored.”

“Well you can come on in with me if ya so desire. There’s not much to look at though.”

“What? You think I’m here to inspect you?”

“No, well, maybe a little.”

“Don’t think too much on it, I just wanna get a head start on the day. That’s all.”

As they walked inside, the morning light filled the room. Brick walked over to the desk and unlocked the entrance. Before he walked in, he unlocked the entrance to the back. “Almost forgot sir, sorry ‘bout that.”

“It’s fine…really.”

Highway made his way to the storage room and, while walking by, inspected the gigantic crates for some sign of their contents. The only clue he got was a slight twinkling from a crack in the side of one. That wasn’t enough to determine much. Only that the contents were perhaps shiny.

Rushing into his desk, he searched for the list of deliveries. Looking all up and down the list he searched for any sign of the contents. The fact remained that there was none; and then the appearance of a sign. A warning for the deliverers, “Fragile, contains glass and liquid.”

“Aha!” he exclaimed in satisfaction. Finally, something!

‘Could they be delivering water to the town?’ he thought being merciful to the factory. Peeking his head around the corner and out his door, he checked again for the magnitude of the supply. ‘No way!’ The crates alone were about three ponies high and two wide. Five to six were stacked on top of each other, in over forty rows. This set wasn’t even delivered yet, and they were going to all be re-supplied by the end of the day. He was convinced there was no way one town needed that much water daily.

Going to sit back down, he remembered the box with Princess Celestia’s delivery. Looking over to it, he wondered about its contents. It wasn’t liquid, but what was it? He looked back down to the schedule to see when it was supposed to be delivered to its destination. Under the special delivery section it read, “To be delivered a day after arrival. To: Highway South.”

This startled him so much he almost fell off his chair. Now breathing heavy, he quickly glanced at the box. ‘This whole time the package was to me?’ It sat there in the darkness, as if it were patiently waiting to be opened. He couldn’t help but run out and inspect it closer. Ferociously, he grabbed the string looped around it and pulled it into the center of the floor. Panting, the excitement in his heart built almost to breaking point. He was going to tear the thing open in order to find out what it was. Biting down on the string, this time harder, it snapped in two; leaving the box to ravage for its royal contents. Tearing open the top a few bits of packaging foam flew loose.

“Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!” A sound came ringing from his office. His head lifted away from the box in surprise. ‘What is that?’ he thought, having never heard a sound like it before. It seemed as though his package would have to wait.

The sound grew louder as he made his way into the office, and there on the far left of the desk was an illuminated button. It flashed to the beat of the noise in perfect synchronicity, until finally stopping as the button was pressed. “Well, that was strange.” Speaking aloud to the button.

“There you are Highway, I thought I wouldn’t get through.” A sophisticated, and slightly frustrated, voice came out of the button; which was now glowing with magical energy.

“Impound!? Is that you? How’d you manage this? What’s going on?”
“What, the fact that we’re talking from so far away? Oh that’s just a silly little spell I whipped up to stay in touch with our employees. You should feel lucky though, it takes quite a while to set up so only the highest up get them for personal use.”

Still in shock that this was going on, Highway managed a response, “I, appreciate the work, sir. Thank you.”

“No problem at all. Now, getting to business.”

The golden box seemed to stare at him mercilessly. He found himself shifting his eyes toward it. He felt guilty a partially torn apart box was just sitting out on the floor, and he’d done it. ‘Of all the times this could’ve happened.’

“-Added to the fact that you now have all this new responsibility, you must feel over worked, am I correct?” The unicorn had been talking to thin air this whole time, unaware that the recipient of the message wasn’t receiving.
“Are you there? You’re there right?”

Snapping out of it he thought of random things to say, “What, yeah of ‘course I’m here. Why wouldn’t I be…here? Heh, heh.”

“Highway.”

“Yes.”

“I get the feeling you aren’t listening to me.”

“Sorry Impound, its just that I got this suspicious looking package yesterday and I was inspecting it.”

“Oh were you? Sorry to interrupt, but why’s it suspicious?”

“It’s from a pony named Princess Celestia.” A sound came though the device that resembled a crashing thud, then a shuffling of papers. “Until yesterday I’ve never even heard of her, have you?”

“Umm,” it seemed as if he was searching for an answer, “yes, in fact I have.”

“Why has nopony ever mentioned her to me?”

“Because, it wasn’t necessary?”

“Is there any chance I can see you tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow! Actually,” he paused, “yes you can.”

“Good, I have quite a few questions for you. Since I’m now the manager of all deliveries, I feel like I’m inclined to know exactly what I’m delivering.”

There was a deafly silence over the device for a minute, as if a death sentence had just been given out.

“Well,” Impound said sounding more serious, “you are the new manager of deliveries after all, swing by the factory tomorrow sometime after two.”

“I’ll be there,” he said firmly.

With a dark and murderous tone he gave one final word, “Good.”

The magical aura surrounding the device disappeared, and the room was silent once again. Highway was satisfied with the conversation, he felt that all of his questions would be answered tomorrow.

---

The clouds over the factory loomed ominously, as if they were ready to strike. The amount of clouds looming was greater than normal. It appeared that it was about to rain. The scent in the atmosphere grew of a liquid filled with salt, as a shadow from one of the super massive clouds covered the office of Impound in its dark glory.

Inside the office rested the white unicorn, now overshadowed by the cloud. His white, pristine fur coat seemed to reveal another side of him. For underneath the act he gives while talking to Highway, lays a cruel and dark personality. If not for the fact that he had to put up the act to ensure Highway’s demise, he wouldn’t even show it in the first place. A long shadow occupied the majority of the room, emanating from his desk for he was truly, a monster.

The black magical phone rang on his desk with a sinister touch. It was made of a thick metal, so the sound given off was not cheerful in any way. Using his magic, he picked up the phone and held it to his ear. A voice like that of a soldier came from its depths. “This is tower 214, we have an escapee. He’s running from the city, what should we do sir?”

“What! How’d you let him get out?”

“It seems like it was an organized event sir. A hole is blown in the city’s wall.”

A twisted smile crawled its way up the unicorn’s face. “Kill him.” Speaking with a slight dark laugh in his voice, the order had been given. He waited excitedly for the event to take place. Then, BOOM, a shot rang out from the phone. Its static echo made it seem all too real, at least, for a sane creature to not react in horror.
The voice of the soldier came through the phone again. “He’s finished, that is all.” As the phone was lowered back onto its stand, Impound’s smile grew wider.

A dark laugh finally made its full appearance from the cave that was his soul. Rain began to fall outside for a few seconds. The droplets’ numbers multiplied, until it was a partial storm outside. “Silly ponies, no one leaves this city. The outside world is too good for you to realize.”

He pushed a button on the keypad and picked up the phone once more. The lower humming of the dial tone came from the speaker. This time a machine-like voice answered the call. “What do you want boss?”

“I need you to handle something, a very special pegasus has a package from Princess Celestia sitting in his delivery room. I need you to take care of it for me.”

“No problem boss, we will leave immediately.”

“Good, and while you’re at it, bring me the messenger of the package.”

He hung up the phone again, and the clouds were letting up they’re storm outside. Impound got out of his chair and walked over to the window. An orange and a green bolt of light were seen flying from the left side of the factory to the right, and then out over the horizon.

The devious unicorn was left to his own thoughts. ‘You will not get away, young unknowing prince. I fear the contents of that package; it may be your only hope.’ He turned and walked back to his chair. ‘Even with the amnesia spell in the atmosphere, you can still remember so much, but how? You were an Alicorn born without a horn; you have no magic to stop the spell. I will have your head, messenger of freedom.’

---

After the device had turned off, Highway ran quickly back to the box. A thought crossed his mind that hadn’t occurred to him during the conversation. He tilted his head sideways in wonder, ‘Should I have told him that that package was addressed to me?’ His eyes looked down to the box, ‘Nah, it’ll be fine.’

A tear here and a tear there, then tears everywhere. Against an excited pony, the box didn’t stand a chance. He wound up for the final blow, and then jumped up into the air to grab hold of the top. He dived into the ground, using only his legs to stop him as he tore practically the entire front off of the box. Foam beans went everywhere, a mess he would soon have to pick up.

“Got it!” he said letting go of the section that his teeth had bitten into. Inside was a scroll with a golden seal on it, and some kind of peculiar looking device. “Huh, now what could this be?” He dragged the item out of the shredded box and into the open. It appeared to be a unicorn’s horn, about, but not quite, the same color as him. It had two sets of three wires going from it to a holding device of some sort. The wires were red on top, green in the middle, and blue below the others. The holding device looked somewhat like a clamp, except it was golden and engraved with some weird swirly art design. At first he thought it was actually the horn of a unicorn that’d been cut off, but when looking closely at it, it shined a bit like glistening metal. When he lowered his head close to the thing, his head got this weird tingly feeling. It caused him to back away more than once while inspecting the item.

“Hmmmmm….” his eyes narrowed taking one final look until moving on to see if there was anything else in the box. He rustled through the foam beans near the bottom until he felt something clunky and smooth. He pulled a pair of brown goggles out from underneath the pile, and dragged them over near the device. They seemed like pretty standard flight goggles, but the lenses were a different color. They were a deep, yet clear, blue. Lifting them up with his hoof, he noticed that they were a little heavier than the average but still not heavy enough to be a true nuisance.

Another beeping noise came from the office again. “Now, really?” this time his voice was genuinely annoyed. He flew into the office and stomped on the button. “Yes, who is it?”

“Umm, I have someone here to see you. His name is Commune, have you heard of him?” Brick spoke over the microphone with a hint of nervousness.

“Yes I have, send him in.”

“If you say so…”

A click, and then silence again. South made his way to the door, waiting there for several minutes before hearing a knock. “Knock, knock, knock,” the door banged as his guest arrived. “Hey there! Strange weather today huh?” he walked in the room while talking, “Its been sun showers everywhere today. It must be one of those days.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Commune gasped suddenly. “You opened the box! Do you know-“

“Yes I know who it’s addressed to, it was addressed to me.”

He let out a relieved breath, “Oh that’s good, I thought you just ravaged somepony else’s package and I was about to go crazy on you.”

“Whatever.”

As if nothing had just taken place, Commune looked over to the contents of the box. “Whoa! What is that?”

“You know, I don’t really know. The package came with a letter but I didn’t read-“

“It’s fine, I’ll go read it for you! I really wanna know what that thing is!”

He ran excitedly to the items, and lifted the scroll with his magic while Highway caught up. “Wow, the golden seal,” he said carefully peeling it off. The rest fell open easily after that, and while he read the letter, Highway continued to mess with that strange tingly sensation he got when nearing the device.

“Ahem, dear Highway South, please accept these two gifts to you. As I’ve been told, you have been called one of the better flyers in the area. For you’re talent, and protection, I give you the Crystal Flight Goggles. They’ve been custom made with magical protection. They protect against any kind of magical attacks with ease, and are guaranteed to deflect at least one of every kind of spell. On the more probable chance that you aren’t facing down any enemies, they will easily deflect any kind of projectile. Sounds like you got yourself a very special pair of goggles their Highway.”

“Why would a princess from a kingdom go out of her way for something like this? Does it even make sense? I’m not complaining, but still.”

“There’s more, here listen. The second thing that should be included in the package is a new kind of technology from the technical university in your neighboring city. They’ve been making progress on creating magic generators. This is one specifically for your use. It has been tested, once. If you feel like it’s too risky to try again I don’t blame you. Apparently you just put it on your head and a spell keeps it in place. It is a teleportation device, much like unicorns with advanced training can use. The only difference is that this one teleports much greater distances. According to the university professor who designed it, you should be able to jump straight from the edge of you city all the way across the desert. I’ll admit, I’m kinda jealous of the device right now. Even though I have three others in the vault. Anyway, I hope this message gets to you. The last few didn’t appear to get through. I haven’t seen your parents in a while. Wait what?”

Highway stood straight up in shock, she knew his parents? “Did you just say my parents?” he said in a breathless voice.

“Yeah, that’s what it says, but you told me you didn’t even know your parents.”

“I didn’t! So how does she?”

“You’re asking me, really?”

“Just continue reading.”

“Fine,” he cleared his throat; “If I don’t hear from you for a few days after this message is supposed to be delivered I’ll send a guard to investigate if you’re okay. It’s been so many years since I’ve visited, I really do apologize. There’s just been to many things going on, you’re parents must know how it is; managing a kingdom can be overly time consuming. Hope to see you soon, Celestia.”

He and Highway were left in shock after reading the letter. “If everything she wrote was true, that would mean that you’re royalty…” he spoke in an almost inaudible tone, he was still in shock. “How did you end up on the streets?” he asked.

Highway just sat there in disbelief, the implications of this was too great to take in at once. He could swear he heard someone talking but it just didn’t matter to him. “Hey there, you hear me?” said the voice so far away. “Hey, are you feeling alright? You don’t look so good.” Now that he mentioned it, he did feel a bit lightheaded.

A memory of him in his house came to him. The room felt warm, and the walls were golden. An Alicorn came in through the doorway, while he was sitting on the floor, much younger. She was almost white, with a yellowish tint to her. Her hair flow through the air like nothing he’d ever seen before, yet apparently he had. It was metallic silver, but it still came off as being lighter than air. Her wings were massive, even bigger than his, and the horn on her head was far taller than other unicorns. She spoke to him in an angelic and light voice. “Now, don’t you worry about being born without the horn, its alright.” He’d just taken notice to the fact that his vision was blurred out with tears, and he could hear a whimpering childish voice. For some reason, he was crying. “It’s not you’re fault, it’s mine. I decided to marry a pegasus, so you’ll have the greatest wings anywhere. That’s nothing to be upset about, is it?” The whimpering voice died down into sniffles, until it faded to nothing but. “As long as I am your mother, you will have some kind of magical ability.”
The childish voice spoke lightly, “really?”

“Yes, really. Other ponies will be jealous, you’ll probably have my psychic ability.”

“Mommy, what’s psychic?”

The memory collapsed, and he fell to the ground with a thud; it hurt. “Whoa there, are you ok?” a familiar voice cried out in concern. He barely opened his eyes to see Commune standing over him completely freaked out.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why, did something happen?” he tried to play it off, but he didn’t understand what’d just happened.

“Are you kidding? You just lit up and levitated there for a minute! You don’t even have any magic! How’d you do that?”

Sighing, he slowly got back up off the ground. “Actually,” he said speaking in slight pain, “I think I do have some magic in me.”

“What?” the freaked out unicorn said.

“I think, ow, that my mother was an Alicorn.”

“SERIOUSLY!” he yelled exasperatedly.

“Yeah, and because of it I think I might be visiting Impound a bit earlier than planned.”

“Who?”

“My boss at the factory, he wanted to see me tomorrow, but I think I’ll just go today after this.”

“W-Well, then I’m coming too.”

“Are you sure?”

“Y-Yeah, I’ve got absolutely nothing more important to do right now.”

“Alright, but we’ll go after lunch. I’m starving right now.”

“Agreed, I’m just gonna pack up this horn thing.”

He walked into his office and put on his carrying bag. When he came back out, Commune lifted the device carefully into the bag. Then he put the goggles on Highway’s head after asking. He closed the bag so that it was secure, and they went out to the front desk. As they passed by Brick they waved and Highway told him they were going on lunch break. After that they left.

The restaurant chosen was a bit run down, but neither of them had much money. They ate out in the openness of the outside tables where they talked for a little while about exactly how they were going to confront Impound. Their sandwiches came out about ten minutes in their conversation.

---

The skies above them were cloudy, but amongst them two objects stood out; an orange and green streak of light. They flew over the city faster than anything else. They flew without looking down, and therefore missing the two ponies they were looking for eating outside. They zoomed over the restaurant, their goal was set, and they had their mission.

They slammed into the ground outside the delivery station, causing a shocked expression from the ponies around them. Who could blame them; it wasn’t everyday something that fast and powerful sounding crashed down near you. The Neon Bolts had arrived.

They walked sternly and quickly into the building. The stunned Brick just stared for a moment. “What do you want?” he asked them fearfully.

“We need to find a package, and we’re looking for the one who delivered it as well.”

“L-Look, you can go talk to my boss in the back,” he was now slightly cowering. Then the thought hit him, his boss was on lunch break. Which meant that he’d have to take care of the Bolts. “Heh, heh, heh, I just remembered he’s on lunch break, I guess I can try to help you.”

“Very well,” the Neon Bolt replied with an almost robotic sound.

When he took them to the back they found the box from Celestia that had been torn to pieces, and its contents missing. “Who did this?” the Neon Bolt yelled.

“I guess the boss did-“ he got pinned to the wall by one of them.

“Do you know where he went for lunch?” he said speaking in an interrogation-like manner.

“Actually, he didn’t say.”

They let him down from the wall and disappeared in a flash of light. At first he’d thought they had teleported away, but then he saw the door swinging open and shut. They had flown out; they were just really fast. The wind from their trail swooshed loudly, like a strong gust from a hurricane. A few papers in the room flew about wildly until settling on the ground. Brick just lay there, unable to move.

---

They were taking their final bites of their sandwiches outside the restaurant when they heard a slam near the office. Highway turned to his friend in concern. “Did, you hear, that?” he said slowly.

“Umm, how could you not?”

“It’s just alarming that’s all, you think we should go check it out?”

Almost choking on the last bite, a revelation came to Highway. He looked over by the office to see two ponies in black armor walking toward him. ‘The Neon Bolts,’ he knew that they had to get out of there. These ponies were very bad, he just now happened to realize how bad.

Standing up from his chair quickly, panicking a bit, “U-Umm look we should really get going. Like now!”

“What, what’s the problem?”

Highway was breathing a bit heavier, and almost started to sweat. He hadn’t considered the Neon Bolts. ‘Were they possibly assassins? That’s ridicul’- stopping his mind mid thought, he knew that anything was possible at this point.
“I think you have some ponies looking for you,” he said motioning his head toward the Bolts. The unicorn turned to see them walking angrily down the street. Even though their faces were covered in cold metal, their actions showed that they were ticked.

“Oh my…”said Commune in a concerned manner.

“Now, as I was saying, we really should go.”

“Right behind ya.”

South pointed his hoof to the top of one of the buildings, indicating where they would meet, and then flew around the back of the alley. Taking advantage of his out of sight positioning, he flew to the top of the restaurant, and along the roofs to the building. As the Bolts got closer, the air grew in intensity.
Commune was still standing at the table of the restaurant. ‘Come on, focus now, that building over there!’ He was putting all his being into the teleportation spell. A robotic voice came from behind him, “Hey! Stop or I’ll-“

A red flash filled his vision, and then in front of him stood Highway. He stumbled a bit, trying to hide the fact that he was shaking. “That was too close!” he said panicked.

“Hey, its alright. They didn’t catch you did they?”

“No but,” he stopped and looked angrily at Highway, “You’re just lucky I’m good with magic ok!”

“Right,” Highway said looking out in the direction of the factory. The sun had just begun going down in the sky, and the factory had begun to regain its dark image on the horizon. They would begin their long journey to the factory immediately, but Highway felt like his friend had something to talk about. Something he wouldn’t tell without it being an accident. “Hey, there’s no way you could keep up with me while talking right?”

Lowering his head in shame, Commune replied sarcastically, “No there isn’t. I mean, unless you carried me!”

“Oh really?”

“Real- why are you smiling like that?”

‘What a perfect opportunity,’ he thought to himself. “That can be arranged…”

“Oh no, OH NO! I am not riding on the back of a pegasus, a million flipping miles in the air. It’s just not going to happen.” Highway only continued to smile.

A few minutes later, seen soaring over the city was a pegasus with a little more baggage than even the baggage wanted! “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU’RE DOING THIS! DARN YOU’RE OVERSIZED WINGS!”

“Will you be quiet? I’m trying to not let you fall off.” He had been squirming around constantly for the past couple of hours while screaming and complaining like an idiot.
“Unicorns are not meant to fly!” adding this to his quickly growing list of complaints to the natural order.

Sighing, Highway tried peacefully tried to get him to relax, “Look, maybe you’re not meant to fly, but would you just SHUT UP!”

“I will do no such thing!” He began complaining while simultaneously mumbling. At the very least, he’d stopped squirming. “You know what?” he shouted suddenly breaking from the mumbling. “This trip isn’t even worth looking for the elements of prosperity.”

‘The what?’ he thought. “What did you just say?”

“The Elements of Prosperity, that’s what I said!”

“I thought you said they were the Elements of Harmony?”

“I did.”

“So, what are the Elements of Prosperity?”

“You’re seriously asking me this now? As we’re hurling across the sky at Celestia knows how fast, being at an unnatural height above the ground?”

“Yep.”

“You know what, I’ll tell you if we fly lower to the ground. Possibly to a height where I might survive the fall on impact.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” At the very least, his objective had been completed. He’d gotten him to talk about these new elements.

He lowered his altitude to something more manageable for the poor pony. “Now that you’re safe, what are the elements of prosperity?” This question caused an air of mystery, not suited for high speed flying. The gate of the factory was now visible in the horizon; its black iron bars and ornate design could be seen for miles. He lowered his speed to a glide, and focused more on the talking.

“Well,” Commune said, “they’re a mythical group of devices that bring prosperity to its land.”

“So, they have range? Like, they can’t go beyond a certain point?”

“Yes and no.”

Highway became a bit disgruntled. “So, how yes?”

“Yes because they only work under certain conditions. If those conditions are not met, they do not work, and carry no range whatsoever.”

“Alright, but are these conditions hard to meet?”

“Yes.”

“How hard are they to meet?”

“You might laugh, and I don’t blame you. Most ponies don’t believe the elements exist. They only believe in the elements of harmony, mostly because it’s written in their history.”

This got Highway even more curious, he’d heard the tale of harmony from Commune himself. So a story not in their official texts intrigued him more.

“Actually, most ponies think I’m a tiny bit crazy because of what I believe in.”

“Heh, that’s’ fine. I don’t think anyone around here would believe anything I do right now. It’s one of those, you have to see it to believe it sort of things.”

The conversation stopped, they had arrived. They were both thinking the same thing. ‘This is not something that should be happening. A major problem has infested this city, and I have a feeling it lies just beyond these gates.’

The factory had nearly taken on its sunset lighting; only an hour or more to go. They walked closer to the gate, and started to bang their hooves against it. The sound was of thick, cold, steel. Up in the window, a pony was startled by the sound. He hastily made his way over to the sound, only to discover a familiar pegasus and one very unauthorized unicorn.

High atop the ground, in the dark and giant window, a creepily dark smile appeared on a pony’s face. The light of the sun along with the tint of the window, made it impossible to see into. The two ponies on the ground had no idea what they were about to discover.