Five Score: A Velvet Nightfall

by kitsy-chan

Part 5: A Rainbow Paradox.

I was born, and grew up, in the eastern prefect of the Navajo Nation, near Whitehorse Lake, in New Mexico. My grandfather convinced my parents to name me Yiska, which translates as "the night has passed.” While some might think that that would be a girly name or such, in Navajo culture it is definitely a man’s name, whereas a females would translate more as the morning sun rises.

My grandfather said it was because I had come out of the long darkness, but again, sometimes I thought my grandfather was nuts. In an era of jet planes, of cars and computers, he still believed that every person needed to be in touch with nature, with the life force of the world around them. At least he didn’t speak like Yoda, or I would have had him committed.

I spent my early years learning about our culture and our history. Grandfather would take me to talk with the spirits of the wind and sky, with the land and animals. Yes, as stupid as it sounds to most, my grandfather had me sit in front of a horse, telling me to looking into its eyes, to try to understand what it was thinking, what it was feeling. I think I slept through most of those, there is a fine line between meditating and sleeping, but the biggest difference I think is meditating has less snoring involved.

My grandfather believe that many of us were born with a spirit guide, an animal that will walk through life with us, will guide us, and be there for us not just for the bad times but for the good as well. He said I needed to find mine or I would never be at peace with my life. The preparations for it were bordering on torture. I know if a child services agent had seen it I would have been taken in an instant, fasting for a day, walking in the hot sun without water, then the medicine hut.

My vision though was horrible; I remember the laughing, the feel of terror, and 2 red and yellow miss-sized eyes. It wasn’t something I could explain or deal with but after that I wanted nothing to do with spirits or the ways like that. I still learned the ways but I did everything I could to avoid that feeling again.

I went to school in Gallup, seriously it was called Gallup, New Mexico. There’s no puns, jokes or such involved, and really it wasn’t a nice place. Crime there was pretty common, with violence being over 5 times the national average. I stayed with my Aunt and Uncle during the winter, and grandfather during the summer. Notice my mom and dad are not mentioned. My mom died when I was very young, and my dad, not wanting to deal with a child so he left, gave up custody and left me with my grandfather.

School wasn’t miserable, but it also was never interesting for me. I wasn’t a book learner, I was more hands on, so doing things like shop, gym, and such, I was ok with, sitting and listening to a lecture about why you shouldn’t mix acids and base, not so much. Though in hind sight, I think I should have listened to that lecture a bit more, especially with that whole fire incident. In my defense if they had SHOWN us what would happen first, it probably wouldn’t have happened.

I joined the army for a mix of reasons, first and for most, a sit down office job to me would have been so boring… but other jobs like farming, gas pumping, or such were just as boring to me, the idea of sitting around for hours, or doing the same thing over and over again. I needed more, and for that I joined up.

I started with basic and went radio for my MOS. MOS stands for Military Occupational Specialization, in other words your job. While it wasn’t actually used anymore my grandfather had taught me the old Navajo code speak or wind talking, and that perked the interest of my instructors. However one thing I found I really loved, was the jumps. Parachuting held a special place in my heart, and was the reason I joined the Rangers.

There was something about the wing suits, jumping out of a plane and spreading the control surfaces out with your arms and legs, feeling the wind, as you flew through the air, there’s just nothing like it at all. At least to me there isn’t. Through that part of training I found myself helping others, one of the biggest problems is, you have to know your center of gravity, some students had trouble with that concept and it often left them spinning or tumbling.

I graduated though wish I could have spent more time just with the jumps. With the life of a Ranger though, the jump is only the beginning.

---

“Rainbow?” I said, blinking as I look at Yiska’s mark.

Yiska blinks, shaking his head, “Yeah, it’s got a rainbow on it.”

“LT, what’s going on here,” I say, looking at him, I'm starting to get worried, “How come he’s changing now.”

Yiska looked down at his mark again, “My birthday, you were all born on the 1st, I was born today.”

The sound of the air seal made all of us turn to look, as 3 people in full biosuits come in. “Yiska, we need to take some blood from you, as well as the ponies.” The doctor says, “Please be seated.”

Somehow, I knew this was coming but it didn’t make it better. Each of us including Yiska had blood taken, a lot of blood. In Yiska’s case they are taking it from both his arms at the same time, in mine, they take it from my hip. Something about people in full suits, taking blood, just made me think of the outbreak movies or The Last Ship. The problem is, with those movies it was mass deaths, in this case… I don’t know what it was.

Next come the physical exams, as they approach the crystal ponies I shake my head, putting myself between them and the nurses. I glare at the doctor. “No, they have been through a lot of physical and mental trauma. Let them rest and adjust, if you need to poke and prod someone first, use me.”

The rest of the squad are quick to back me up on this, and not wanting to risk something the medical staff agrees. They check the range of motion on my legs, head, neck, tapping my legs with hammer looking at reflex points there. Though I did find I had another reflex point, when one lifted my tail I find myself bucking back, hard… I'm wearing pants, but still. Lucky I didn’t make contact with anyone that could have hurt, but it is enough to make them think twice about going near my tail again.

Yiska’s physical was less intrusive; they were concerned with range of movement, as well as taking pictures. Nothing worse than the physicals we had through training. For Yiska though there was that dark realization that this was just the before photos. Especially after a spare pony uniform was laid out for him.

I really did not like the cameras they set up here. I understood why, but in some ways I think the change should have been more private, more personal. I don’t know why I feel that. And I knew for a FACT Yiska would need support. Just not the support these marines were going to give.

“Have others changed?” The LT asked looking at the doctor.

“A few, there are a few cases across the USA that we are investigating. All of them seem to have begun their change on or after the first.” He said, “However there is no known cause yet or reason.”

Scrolling through his tablet he looked at each of our marks, making a note, looking over I noticed he had some sort of, list… of marks, more than just the ones we had, different star patterns, moons, rainbows, flowers. “Strawberry Sunrise, Twilight Velvet, Blue Sky, Amber Waves, Arctic Lily, and Rainbow Dash, marks confirmed.” Turning, he heads out leaving all the ponies in stunned silence.

The LT stood up “Hold it, how do you know those names, we haven’t filed a report on it yet.”

“From their marks, and their colors.” The doctor says, “that’s all you need to know for now.” And with that he closes the door behind him and his team.

Amber Waves looks at her mark then at Arctic Lilly, “So, do I call myself Mia or…”

With a deep breath I step forward and hug Amber and Lily “You can call yourself whatever makes you feel happy and comfortable. “

The LT on the other hand did not look happy, in the slightest, I knew it wasn’t at or about us per say, and I knew the Navy knew things they were keeping from us. We were locked in quarantine though, so there wasn’t anything we could do about it for now.

Standing up, the LT walks over and writes something down on a pad and slides the paper through the air seal. "Even POW’s are allowed entertainment, can you bring in a TV or something.”

Within about 30 min we have our TV set up, and it gives us a distraction, something to unwind and relax a bit, and for the first time I got to start looking at myself. It was strange looking at myself in the mirror, I knew it was me, it wasn’t like I was looking at a stranger in the mirror, I was looking at me. Even though I have never seen my reflection until now, I know it is me. And I realize with finality, I couldn’t be a ranger anymore unless they could turn me back. But did I want to turn back?

Lowering my head I just start really feeling the loss, the stress, everything that’s happened in the last few days, who am I? Am I Walter, or Twilight? Is Walter gone? Walter was a Ranger, and now what am I? I look to the mirror to see the tears on my muzzle on my cheeks. The LT walks up behind me. I brace for the head smack, for the “you are a ranger” line, to tell me something. Instead I find him wrapping his arms around my neck, pulling my head to his chest and softly starts stroking my mane. That was it, I start to cry.

The LT speaks softly, like a father to me. “After everything that’s happened, you’re allowed a cry. You’ve been strong though things I could never understand. We are not in the field, we are not in combat. You can cry if you need to.”

It must take a good 5 minutes before I stop crying, but it was the first stress break I am allowed, and I feel so much better afterwards. Like a great weight had been lifted, reaching over I grab a tissue, floating it over and use it on my muzzle, sniffling, horn glow around the tissue, before dropping it in the garbage.

Yiska was the first to notice, he walks over to me, poking my horn, “Do that again.”

“Ow, will you quit playing with my horn? Eish. You’re going to make me go blind or something.” Honestly that does bug me, horn shocks seem to carry though my head.

“Well, do it again.” He says, watching my horn intently.

“Do what again?” The LT says, looking confused too.

“You floated a tissue over to you, you know levitate, telekinesis, that whole Prior slash Ascended being trick from Stargate.” Yiska says, wide eyed.

“I, I don’t know what I did. I just wanted a tissue, and reached over to grab one.” I can't remember how or what I did. I just... Looking back at the tissues, I lift a hoof, reaching for it, I can feel it, my horn glows and reaches out past my hoof to grab the tissue, I could feel tissue without touching it and it floats over to me.

The LT smiles, “Ok corporal, I have a job for you.”

I blink, ok, here I find I can lift something and move it with my horn, and he already wants me to use it for him. “One shock at a time, please LT. I’m still not sure just how I’m doing it. Or what I’m doing.”

“It doesn’t matter, corporal. Come here.” The LT stands and he leads me over to the air seal. Kneeling to my level he points across the way about 20 feet to a table. “Do you see that tablet?”

Right away I see what he is looking at, it is one of the tablets the nurses had, “Do you think it has information on it?”

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t, but if you can do it, we might find out more about what’s going on.” The LT is calm, yet stern, what he was asking wasn’t just about himself, or for his curiosity, it was about all of us.

I reach my hoof out and my horn glows again, I can feel the tablet, it is small and light but still I have trouble moving it, I find it easier to slide it off the table then lower it to the floor. I start panting softly as I start to pull it across the floor in little jerks, a few feet at a time. As it gets closer it gets easier to pull, till at last I can lift it up to the air seal.

The LT takes the tablet and brings it over, the camera in here was set up mostly to watch Yiska though his change, not expecting him to hide, so there were lots of blind spots to work with. Going through he looks at the listing, “it’s mostly names, marks, and such, Twilight Sparkle, Twilight Velvet, Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash, ok Dash, mare, rainbow mane and tail, cutie mark. “

Yiska cringes “You did not just say mare did you LT?”

“Sorry Yiska, that’s what it says here, a mare.” Going through the pad he starts flipping pages, looking at different cutie marks pictured, “transferred to FBI holding, transferred to FBI holding, transferred to FBI holding, transferred to Spectrum Laboratories, transferred to Spectrum Laboratories. Deceased… What is going on here? Where are they getting this information from? Some of these names like Rarity do not even have a human associated with them, just says, female, white, purple, 3 diamonds, not even if they were found or not.“

Yiska looks down at the information for Rainbow Dash, “Identifying and transferring to either FBI holding, CDC or Spectrum Labs. They are gathering them, us… up. I guess they are really scared of this contagion. And why do I have to be a mare?”

“It’s not so bad being a mare. It feels really natural.” I say, trying to comfort him, but I remember the shock I had.

The LT nods slowly, “Yeah, but there’s something they aren’t telling us. And what the heck is a cutie mark? I know it’s the tattoo but why call it a cutie mark? Tattoo, brand, hip mark, but why cutie mark?”

Yiska yawns Big, and I know that feeling, I remember when I started to change. “Yiska, get some sleep, it helps. We all should probably get some sleep. “

---

***Yiska’s Dream***

Canterlot, The Crystal Empire, Baltimare, all gone… I had been through deserted town after deserted town, even Cloudsdale was empty. They were all gone. I landed on a cloud just looking at an empty Ponyville when I hear the voice behind Me. The dark laughter slowly fills me with dread.

“Oh don’t don’t mind me, I’m just making a little room, as any artist knows it’s best to work with a clean canvas.” Discord’s voice sent shivers down my back, as I spun around on the cloud to face him, flaring my wings.

“A clean… ponies are not some kind of paint! Where are they? When Rainbow Dash catches you…” I feel the hate and anger…

Discord strokes under my chin with a claw, “Oh, daddies little girl, you must be so proud of her… She lasted longer than most who opposed me.”

“Lasted… longer… What did you do to her!” I lash a wing out at Discord but he merely whispers away, to appear on my other side.

“What Did I do? Here, let me show you…” Rearing up and backing away he calls out.

For Five Score! Divided by Four!

Your memories removed, your body confused!

For your insolence you must pay,

Cast off to a land far far away!

To scatter the six, just the start of my tricks!

Your mind shall be weak, your outlooks bleak!

---

Yiska’s scream wakes everyone. He sits up, panting hard, trembling, with a sheen of sweat on his face as he speaks the words “Five score divided by four, your memories removed, your bodies confused.”

Instantly the colors faded a bit from amber and arctic as they start crying. Even Strawberry Sunrise is in tears and trembling. We all remember those words, those dark words… even if we don’t know from where.

It’s as if speaking the nightmare aloud gives it power, so no one wants to say it, but when we hear it we are locked in its grasp. The fear is very real, very strong.

Yiska covered his face panting hard, “Those eyes, Discords eyes.”

“Who’s Discord?” The LT asked, neither he, nor I have ever seen Yiska like this.

“The one who cursed us,” Amber says through sobs.

“Cursed? What do you mean by cursed?” The LT stands up, looking around at all of us.

“LT please don’t… I know the fear they are feeling, I’m feeling it too, right this second. I just want to run and hide, so I know how much they are hurting right now. It’s not something we can be pushed to remember, we just know little bits but can’t explain it. “ I stand up, I'm so frustrated now that my tail is thrashing.

“That tablet, the doctors, know more than we do, all we get is small fragments in our dreams, and even then I can’t hold onto it. And I want to know, I want to understand.” I slam my hoof down on the ground, “The problem is we can’t, and if the doctors try and push us too… I’m scared what will happen. So please LT… don’t push.”

“It’s not his fault and it isn't yours, Twilight.” Yiska says.

“How do you know it’s not my fault? How do you know, you didn’t catch this from me? You could be changing because of me, Rainbow,” I say looking at him worriedly.

“I know because of those eyes, Discord's eyes. They are the same eyes from when I was a child. Because I saw them before all this started.” Yiska slumps down, looking pained.

The LT sighs, “Ok, Rangers HO!”

With that every Ranger in the room, including me, perks to attention.

“There is no blame passing, no saying it’s your fault that this happened. We don’t have the answers true. I don’t think depending on dreams is the answer we need though. It’s a piece of the puzzle, yes, and the fact that every one of you is sharing the dream, and changing on your 25th birthday is likely more to do with things than a contagion.

Looking across at us the LT shook his head, “Best I can say now is rest. If you can’t sleep, or don’t want to, there’s books, or the tv, just try and relax for a while.”

I walk over and sit beside Yiska, “Sorry.” I say softly.

“It’s ok. I just think it sucks I’m going to turn into a mare.” Yiska says with a huff. “Come on I’m a male, not some…”

I raise an eyebrow at that one “Oh, go on, don’t stop.”

“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking, stress.” He says with a gulp.

I glance to Henry and then back at Yiska, “Oh no, it’s not stress, its Hormones, remember.”

Yiska groans “Ok, I deserved that one.”

“Well you heard the LT’s orders, it’s still night time so go get some rest.” I say, before I lay back down on my bed.

Yiska sits for a few moments, tapping his fingers in a rhythm on side of his bed before getting up. Walking over to the counter he picks up a hard cover book, taping it a few times before putting it down and picking up another, continuing to tap the new book.

I roll over watching him curiously. I don’t want to disturb him but he’s never been a big book person.

Seeming satisfied with the book, Yiska walks over to sit in the corner, and lays the book in his lap beginning to tap out a beat on it. A slow steady rhythm, it wasn’t loud, it was just a book he was tapping on but he seemed focused about it. Next in a soft voice he starts singing, or chanting, I’m not sure which, pretty sure no one would know either, since Yiska was the only one that spoke Navajo.

---

***Yiska’s Dream***

The wind is rushing past my face, my mane and tail are whipping in the air stream, the feeling of pure freedom as I plummet. The speed is what it is all about, the Aether gathering in front of me and almost forming a shockwave around me, the power building as I pull out of the dive.

With a bit of a roll I slam into the first cloud causing it to explode, little residual puffs of cloud are caught in my wake but don’t last long. I tilt my wings a bit and slam into the next cloud, which is blotted out by my speed, ripping through my wake shreds what’s left of it. The last cloud is above me, I pull up hard, and hit my brakes as much as I can, back winging I shed speed, but the shockwave I had built up carries on to slam into the cloud, blowing it to bits.

With a loop I drop down and land on the ground striking a pose “Oh yeah, I’m Awesome.”

“Rainbow, only you would take cloud clearing to the extremes.“ I glance to the side to see Twilight Velvet standing there, wearing her saddle bag, and, a purple tail ribbon.

Smirking I can’t help myself “A tail ribbon, you? What next, a poofy mane style?”

Looking back at her tail she gives it a wiggle then looks back at me, “You don’t like it? And here I was trying to make myself look pretty for you.”

I blink and step back stammering and feel myself starting to go red “Well, I, it’s, ummm.” Darn she can be cute when she wants to be.

She giggles “Don’t worry Rainbow, I was helping with a friend’s foals, they’re unicorns, at the age where they are sparking a bit, and she doesn’t have counter spells. So I was clearing out some of the wild magic they had caused. The little ones put the ribbon on me, and cried when I tried to take it off. I forgot I was still wearing it.”

“So what’s on the plate for today?” I ask, glancing back at the ribbon. I swear those things are just made to draw attention to the flanks.

“Eyes up here, big boy.” Twilight says with a giggle, catching where my eyes drifted. “Since you’re done with cloud clearing I thought you could give me a wing up to Cloudsdale.”

“Got some business up there?” I say, blinking. It is certainly rare when non pegasi even think of going there

.

“Yeah, a few enchantments need to be fixed at the weather factory, I was available so I got asked.” She said with a smile.

“Ohhh. Ok, so you wanna hop on my back?” I say, perking.

She points a hoof to the left at the air cart on the road. “I don’t think riding you for that long would be comfortable.”

OUCH, “I um, yeah, air cart, hop on the back.” I trot over and slip into the harness, I never liked these things, you have to fly slow, you can’t accelerate fast, if I tried to pull any of my stunts in these things it would get ripped apart.

“Ready back here,” Twilight said, as she sat down.

Pumping my wings to build up the power and energy, I start walking forward, I’ve pulled heavier loads, so there’s no big deal to this, just have to generate the power, gain some momentum and, “Blaze Taxi service is now in the air.”

Circling slowly I gain altitude, it’s only a few minutes before we reach Coudsdale's level, and I fly in for a landing, the cart wheels touching down with a poof and settling into the soft fluffy cloud. “Ok, wait here Twilight while i… NO!!!”

The young mare hops off the back of the cart, landing on the clouds, I turn to dive after her, to catch her, to…

Watch her prance up beside me flicking her tail “Cloud walk spell,” was all she says in a cute sing song voice.

“I hate you sometimes, Twilight.” I say trying to get my heart to stop pounding.

---

The doctor and nurses come in through the air seal, jolting Yiska out of his chanting, I have been fixated on watching him for nearly 2 hours as he sat there. He opened his eyes and he gives me this strangely familiar smile, before shaking his head and blinking.

Yep, I know that feeling all too well. “And it’s gone.” I say in a sing song giggle.

Yiska blinks and shakes his head. “Yeh, no I was kind of picturing you in a tail ribbon.”

“A what!” I sit up, blinking, but the doctor cut that train of thought off when he starts again with taking his blood.

They seem very interested in taking hair samples, as well as examining his ears. Although no changes had begun on those yet, I know it is just a matter of time, if he follows the same progression that I did.

Turning, the doctor stops and picks up the tablet from the table. The LT left it there on purpose, I think. He is planning on something.

“It fell off the cart when you were leaving last time, some very interesting reading there. “ The LT says, standing in front of the doctor.

“The information on the tablet is classified; you had best consider that before you speak further.” The doctor responds sternly.

“How do you have this information, how do you know marks and colors for people that haven’t changed yet?” The LT says in a very dark voice.

“We have parallel sources that we have based this information off of. It’s an extrapolation based on previous changes.” The doctor says in response.

“Oh I’m not buying that, you know something, and what’s with transferring them to the FBI, and what is Spectrum Laboratories?” The LT is blocking the Doctor from the air seal.

“Spectrum is an Independent Private contractor, providing aid to the US Government in this issue as well as back end research and autopsies.” With that the Doctor steps past the LT and outside of the quarantine.

“Autopsies?” I say with a shudder.

The LT narrows his eyes. “None of the subjects transferred to Spectrum were listed as dead.”

That has me gulp, that is something I hadn’t thought of, was I going to end up on some operating table being dissected? Would the military allow that? Just looking at where we were now I don't know, they might. “LT, what’s going on here? Since when did our government… China, Russia I could expect this from but the USA? What’s happening here?”

“I don’t know. Yiska, how are you handling this?” The LT asks, looking concerned.

“I feel I got into a fight with a porcupine and lost.” He responds, holding out his arms to show the cotton balls.

There is a tap at the door and all eyes turned to see the ships XO. “Sorry folks but we are going to have to cut your stay short. Hostilities are on the rise, and we can’t have civilians or… others… who require special care on board.

You’re going to be flown to the NAS at Corpus Christi by Osprey this afternoon, then Marine Command has authorized you to be transferred to a special holding area. If you continue to show no signs of change, you’ll be broken into 2 different groups there, and hopefully released.”

“Holding facility? Military run?” The LT asks.

Oh please oh please… I thought.

“Private contractor with specialized equipment,” the XO said before walking away.

“Spectrum…” Yiska says at the same time as me.

I look to the civilian ponies. “LT, I don’t know why but I have this strange feeling I’m going to break some rules and laws soon.”

The LT looked at me and with a stern voice simply said “Sua Sponte”

Sua Sponte, the motto of the 2/75th Rangers. It translated as, of their own accord. The idea being, Rangers would have to act independently at times, in the field there were times a squad would need to decide if it could follow the orders given or not, and how to follow them. Rangers can’t call home every time there is a problem, so we are trained to be independent. To operate as independent soldiers or groups, to complete a task, but how we do it is often up to us.

“Rangers, remember, we follow the chain of command, to the letter.” The LT said standing up. “We are Rangers, part of United States Army Special Operations Command. We hold that with pride, with honor. We do our duties and follow orders given though the proper chain. Remember Rangers, we were not attached to the marines for this mission. We follow the chain of command.”

“RANGERS HO!” Is the only response needed, the only response we all can give at once. We would follow the chain of command.

Comments

[harts fire]

ode choice of locations Gallup, New Mexico I have ben threw there several times driving truck,
a interesting place is about all I can say about it.

[swyrl]

I don't know, I kinda have issues with yiska. I understand where he's coming from with the "connecting with nature is hocus-pocus" thing, but it rubs me the wrong way a bit. I mean, I always loved native american (and other ancient) mythology, and the idea of a connection with nature. I don't really believe in spirits, but sometimes I wonder what we've lost in our progress, and if there really is any truth to that mythology.

aaanyways, sorry for the random tangent there. I'm liking this so far. some of the dialog is bleh, but overall it's decent. (further review later)

Sounds like Yiska has a case of the manly mans with the whole "hormones" thing. HA! getting a transformation, serves him right.

[Shadow Planner]

Wait, is Yiska Rainbow Dash or Blaze? I'm so confused!

[Titan Commander Sebaste]

6639541 I'm guessing Blaze...

[tsaukpaetra]

It's too bad he's still unable to retain the info from the dreams. That's going to get awkward...

[Chrome Masquerade]

I went to school in Gallup, seriously it was called Gallup, New Mexico. There’s no puns, jokes or such involved, and really it wasn’t a nice place. Crime there was pretty common, with violence being over 5 times the national average. I stayed with my Aunt and Uncle during the winter, and grandfather during the summer. Notice my mom and dad are not mentioned. My mom died when I was very young, and my dad, not wanting to deal with a child so he left, gave up custody and left me with my grandfather.

Fun fact: New Mexico was called that over 200 years before Mexico was even a country.