Summers of Change

by Silver Letter

Separation (Part 3)

It’s incredible how a change in perspective puts everything in a new light. Pixel Wavelength once saw Spark Industries as a center of progress; but as she walked through its halls, it never looked more confined and shut off from the world. Stallions of vision were always the most stubborn sort. If only it didn’t take her decades to figure that out.

She ignored the receptionist that told her to wait and stormed into his lab by flashing her security card on the scanner. Inside, Ferris was entertaining his filly friend. She sat on the couch with a glass of something dark, maybe whiskey, and flicked her mane from her eyes as she noticed Pixel enter. Ferris looked up, mildly surprised.

“Uh…Pixel! What are you doing here?” He got up and approached her.

“Dispense with the small talk and any flattery you might have stored up. I’ve come to make things clear to you.” Pixel knew that her voice was cutting and not at all kind but she hardly cared.

“I suppose. What happened to yours though? You must save it up for your colt friend and that little filly of his.”

“You are having me followed? That’s too much, Ferris.” His hardened eyes looked at her without sympathy.

“Followed? Not exactly. You’re too watchful for that.”

She figured it out almost immediately and it angered her in a way that seethed under her skin. “You’ve been having my communications searched! I thought you trusted me.”

“Searched, blocked, screened. Whatever you want to call it,” he said nonchalantly. “I didn’t trust that you would keep our secrets safe. I didn’t trust that your good nature wouldn’t do something that wasn’t in the best interest of my company.”

“Blocked! So you hid the truth.”

He took a sip of his drink. “Yes. I did what had to be done. I sort of knew this day would come.” He put his drink down. “Which is why I took steps to prevent it at least until enough time had passed so that you wouldn’t overreact.”

Pixel never felt more furious than at that moment. She saw that pompous fool before her and wanted to punish him like Princess Celestia would to her most dangerous enemies. To banish him to the ends of the world. But she couldn’t. He still stood there, and proudly no less of all the things he’s done.

“You do this with our invention?!”

“What are you talking about?”

“The internet! You manipulate it to serve your own ends…and your own corrupt agenda.”

Ferris smirked wide. “It’s my invention and I’ll do with it as I please. Yes, I will reserve the right to dictate what ponies can and can’t see. I will monitor as I please and there’s nothing anypony can do about it.”

“I’ll go to the press!”

Ferris rushed forward and came nose to nose with her. “You’re out of your mind. Go home and let yourself cool off. You don’t want to be fired over this.”

“I’m the Princess of the internet….I’ll…”

“You are the princess of nothing! I gave you that title so you could feel important! You may have your face on billboards but you have no power, no prestige that I don’t grant and no relevance outside this company. I could have left you in that town to rot but I didn’t. Everything you are and will be is because of me!” Each thing he said was another blow to her. He was like a cobra, lashing as fast as he could until she was backed into the wall with nowhere to go. He was so formidable with his eyes staring down at her.

“I gave you things too,” she said softly. “I needed you to help me in return. Whatever happened to my dreams?” Her head hung heavily. Her anger had been drenched and her eyes were wet.

“I fulfilled them.”

“No, those weren’t it. My dream was to help ponies. I wanted to build a computer to be used by anypony but you won’t do it.”

“I made a decision not to pursue that.”

Pixel stood up fully and gazed into his eyes. “You broke your promise.”

He sighed as if for once, he had some regret or it was just annoyance at her continued questioning. “I had no choice. Building a computer like that would cost us sales. Our current system allows us to sell a computer to each pony race at cost and then we earn so much from repairs and other services. This is more important. It’s even bigger than you or me.”

“No, I refuse to believe it. I’m sorry but your system goes against what I believe in. I want to help ponies. You just want to make money at their expense.”

He suddenly cursed at her and he tightened his jaw as he reached at her. He tried to grip her shoulder and force her down. She wasn’t scared but knowing that danger was near, she used her powers to reach the safety of the door instantly. He slipped and fell while Pixel summoned flames to heat up the sprinkler above him. It blew, drenching him in water. He cursed more but out of fear or spite. Everything was undone. The water revealed him for what he was or at least became. He must have known that he made a mistake. One that he couldn’t undo.

She opened the door. She was never as strong as she was then, taking her first step away. “Take your own advice, Ferris. Princess Celestia won’t be fond of your outbursts in court.” She ran off down the hall and away from him.

---

She will never see that lab of his again. She had rejected his hostility and his pathetic attempt to keep her from leaving. What a pity for she really liked his lab. But it doesn’t matter. She doesn’t need him to build and plan things again as she used to do. She may be older but dreams never die. She will go where she really belongs with her family. And somehow, when she’s ready, she will put a stop to Ferris’ stranglehold on the internet. It’s for the good of the ponies. She may not be ready to see that old blue light again for a while but when things are better, she’ll grow to love it once more. It was hers after all. None can take it away.