If Freedom is a State of Mind

by Ripcord

Subject 36-Flair

I couldn't live with myself after what had conspired earlier. I promised never to take a life but what kind of life is worth living as...as a monster. The thoughts floated in my mind as Twilight rested, I remained awake to study the map. We were heading to a small, coastal village known as Mareatime, it sounds like a fun place actually. I looked at the map more intently, pondering the coarse safest for us to take. The hum of both birds and monsters alike made it hard to concentrate so I returned to bed. I opened the small yet plush sleeping bag and found my way inside, the warmth soothed me and my mind shut off. Allowing me, even for the shortest moment, to forget and relax.

The sun broke the tree line, it speckled the ground and lit the area. The birds were buoyantly singing their morning songs and feeding their young. I rose in my bag, my back fought the movement, popping and cracking as I stood up. I wobbled a little, my legs were weak but strong enough still to maintain the weight. I lowered my front legs and kicked my flank into the air, my back cracked along with the motions. I winced and hissed at the pain but felt a cool sense of relief stroll over all my joints upon completion. Twilight looked at me with her face cockeyed, she was disgusted in the abstruse sight before her. She disregarded it and continued to write something down in her journal. I waltz over and took a peek but I couldn't read her writing, it's like the doctors writing. Unrefined scribbles that only they can understand. I continued to stretch, Twilight shuddered with every grunt or pop she heard. She turned around and looked at me for a little while before speaking.

"Are you ok 7?" She asked setting her book down. I stopped myself, feeling embarrassed I smiled awkwardly and rubbed the back of my hair. Twilight smiled and looked away to continue her writings, I walked off into the forest. I went over to the area of where the dead workers bodies laid bereft of life. I stepped my way through the stained brush to get to them only to be shocked at the sight before me. The bodies had been taken, moved by the doctors. I became enraged, my body tensed and flared. I groaned loudly and searched for the bodies but they were nowhere in sight. The only lead I had found was blood speckling the trail of decumbent grass. I sat down, a tear swelled in my eyes as I fell out of my anger.

I remained there and spoke softly to myself. "How could they take them, they were dead. Fuck, how could they not have even the slightest bit of respect for the dead!"

I looked off to the direction they were headed, a commotion from the shrubbery behind me. I turned around swiftly, I grit my teeth waiting for another worker or doctor to emerge. I dug my rear hooves into the ground and was ready to charge when Twilight stumbled out. She was covered in foliage and twigs, it looked as if she fell in and out of the bush. I relaxed and let out a sigh of relief, my jaw unlocked and I was able to speak.

"Hey, did you hear anything last night?"

"No, why wha!.....Oh Celestia, where did they go?" She asked startled. Her pupils began to shrink as her mind raced with all the possibilities. she gasped when she saw the trail of blood, it wasn't a lot but enough to be noticeable. I saw her the fear hinted in her eyes, how she gawked showed she wasn't use to this. I, unfortunately, have seen this all to many times. Gen Corp. and there weekly "collections" were frightful at first but quickly fail to strike fear. I gaited over to her, I put my arms on her shoulders and looked her square in the eyes.

"We need to find them," I said softly, she looked even more shocked and she couldn't talk. "They deserve better Twilight, you can come but if not I'll see you at the village."

"I-I'll go with you, your right they deserve better," She finally managed to say.

I smiled and nodded my head at her " Let's get a move on then!" I yelled as I trotted off in the direction the trail lead. Twilight was close behind with her bags bouncing on her back, they were heavy knocking her off balance as she ran. The scenery around us began to blur as we ran, the trail in front of us was beginning to run dry. I tried my best to keep sight of anything that would she us more of where they went when something caught my eye. I stopped this time, dirt pilling around my hooves as I slid to a stop.

I looked down in surprise, a smile shot across my face."You got to be kidding me, Twilight I stopped!" I said joyfully as she arduously trotted up to me. She was gasping, her lags wobbled and sweat beaded her head. She put her head on my back as I laughed at this astounding feet. I let Twilight rest on my back, her breathing was heavy and callous but she soon regained her composure. She lifted her head and looked over to the object, it was a large, metallic brace. It was shaped to hold some pony, possibly dangerous or just another subject. I looked carefully around the area of the brace and saw hoof prints leading towards a large, admirable tree. I walked through the shrubs and vines that hung carelessly from the branches above.

The surrounding became more peaceful, a vibrant purple hue encircled us as we walked in. The admirable tree was in another opening much like the one Twilight and I were in earlier. The tree was massive, it's leaves were a shade of violet and the tree was ensnared in barbed vines. I walked in, my body was overrun and my senses were shut off. The tree had a natural pheromone that bromidic even the most prudent of ponies. I looked around the haze and saw a colt laying under the tree. I trotted over and saw that her had a mask on, strapped adorned his arms and he was branded. It was a line with three dots under it. The mare was struggling to get free, I put my hoof on his shoulder and her looked over. He couldn't see through the steel mask, how he got over here itself is a miracle. I waited patiently for him to calm down and then proceed to remove the mask. The gaskets hissed as the pressure released from the and the mask soon fell off.

I was shocked at the sight, he had a large scar allocated on his face over his left eye. His mane was a dark brown color which complimented his tan coat. He looked at me stiffly and smiled, I knew he was happy to see me. I proceed to untangle his arms, the straps peeped as the came loose. As the straps fell I again was shocked. His hooves were and foreleg were entwined with wiring. His legs weren't skin but instead a white metal boots with tubing jutting from them into the higher parts of his legs. His front right shoulder had a metal plating it, it was weaved on and couldn't be removed. I backed away, seeing this large, tan pony as a half colt have robot was intriguing. He got up and stretched, he grunted stressfully and proceed over my way.

"Thank you, um, ha I don't know you my name is Flair. If you wan to be specific though I'm Subject 36!" He said blissfully.

"Hey! my name is Subject 7!" I replied surprised.

"You're a test subject too, lucky you then,"

"Why?" I asked as he walked around me inspecting me carefully. He made a full circle around me, grunting approvingly a few times as he did so. He finished and then sat in front of me and I did as well.

"You, 7, look splendid I mean I'm a damned cyborg but you my friend look great. So what tests did they do to you?" He asked scratching his head.

"Haha well Flair I was part of Blood and DNA testing. My skin is stronger then most ponies and heals at an extraordinary rate. The blood testing with infusing changeling blood with mine hoping the natural adrenal stimulant would react properly with my vascular system. Now I run almost as fast as a Pegasus can fly and withstand immense amounts of pain." I said boastfully. "But what about you flair, what did they do to you?"

"Yeah you look awful!" Twilight burst in startling us both. I fell over and Flair jumped up on his hind legs and put his hoofs in the air. He looked like a cat ready to pounce and I looked like a dead fish. We soon regained ourselves and returned to the previous conversation.

"Well, 7, I was part of the first test group to be approved for Bio-molecular welding and Biotic Reforming. My muscles have been enhanced with electricity coils inter weaved with the muscle system. It provides a subtle amount of energy which stimulates the muscles and my senses since they welded some of the weaving to my spine. My hooves are part of Biotic Reforming, they replaced the entire bottom parts of my legs with a force sensitive, hydraulic press system. It vastly improves my strength and allows me to bear heavy loads and move larger objects. The tubing jutting from them is just help blood flow through the system," He said as boastfully as me.

"You guys are proud of this?" Twilight asked confused. We both looked at her cock eyed and fell over laughing, Flair and I had an immediate connection. I continued to laugh and Flair got up, he rubbed a tear from his eyes and tried to speak.

"Y-you *haha* think w-we are proud of this, NO! Haha, we're just glad to be up and kicking, those tests are fuckin painful deary!" He said barely maintaining his composure. It wasn't as funny as it was but then again she didn't understand. I eventually got up and walked over to her, I hugged her and Flair joined in. I was happy to find another like me, I was happy to see that so far everything was going perfectly. I didn't let go and Flair backed off, Twilight caught on and hugged me. She knew I was happy, I wasn't the only one alive, I wasn't the last Subject.

I let go of Twilight and looked at Flair. "Hey, Flair! you want to come with us, we could use someone as yourself."

He turned around, a glimmer of hope twinkled in his eyes as he came back. He got close to me, his stature made me feel small but safe at the same time. He looked at me sternly but soon smiled and launched me into the air.

"Oh you little dip, I would love to come with. In fact I know the route to Mareatime, it was my home once!" He said happily as he led the way. Me and Twilight followed closely behind the massive tan pony, his steps left deep impressions on the delicate grass. The beast of the Everfree remained silent as we walked by, fearing the massive colt as he walked on. The forest, when it was quiet was a beautiful place. It became more peaceful then frightening and Twilight peeled herself from my side. She pulled out her journal, writing down something again. I wanted to take a peek and see what she wrote but couldn't get the book from her. It was hard to take a book from that mare but it made the trip more worthwhile.

We covered a lot of ground since Flair knew the forest fairly well. It was only mid morning before the thick foliage began to lessen. The sun broke through more and more before we cleared the forest entirely. We were on top of a massive cliff overseeing the small village of Mareatime. Flair had a look of sheer happiness, he took in a deep breath of salty sea air.

"I'm home , I'm finally back home," he said as a tear welled in his eyes.