• Published 26th Apr 2018
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Pandemic: What you are Meant to Be - Halira



The ETS pandemic spreads across the southern United States transforming humans into ponies. In the wake of it a boy named Mathew tries to cope with the changing world and finding out what he is becoming.

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Chapter 61: Interrogation

It turned out that the amount Wild Growth had tipped was fifty thousand dollars. Remedy asked how Wild had that much if she hadn't gotten her first paycheck. The answer was Wild had already gotten her signing bonus, a figure of a million dollars taxes paid. Fifty thousand dollars was literally like her spending five dollars out of a hundred; not something she could make a habit of, but something she could do once and a while if she took care.

Wendy had assured them that the restaurant would be expanding their vegetarian options soon, and if things went well after the rest of the ponies arrived they would likely be hiring on a pony or two to help out. Roger and Jean were quick to congratulate Wild about how proud they were of her, though they did caution her again to not do stuff like that too often or people would start expecting it from her and try to take advantage of her. She was rich, but she wasn't so rich she could give amounts like that out non-stop.

The two night ponies needed their sleep at this point and went back to the camper. The rest of the family was going to walk around town and get scout some houses as well as just get to know the local population. Their was word of some sort of community get together that evening and the night pony couple agreed to meet up with the family at that when they woke back up.

Soon after Remedy had fallen asleep she found herself pulled into the dreamscape again. She spotted Luna right away and while Luna didn't seem angry, she didn't seem to have as friendly a look to her as she normally did. Remedy approached her in dream form and greeted her.

"Hello, Luna. I hope everything is going well wherever you're at," Remedy said.

"It's been an interesting few days, but all days are interesting as of late. Between trying to maintain my duties on my world and dealing with issues involving yours much of my waking hours I'm very weary," Luna said with a sad shake of her head.

"I take it today is going to be a short lesson then. I don't want to be a burden," Remedy said.

"Unfortunately today there won't be any lesson. I'm here on other business. A captain of mine returned to Equestria today with much to tell. Do you know of whom I speak?" Luna asked.

"Tempest," Remedy said with a sinking feeling.

"That is the pony. I do have to say that she did seem to have a favorable opinion of you, of which I'm glad. She was unaware that you were in my instruction and said that she thought my choice in teaching you was not a poor choice," Luna said with a small smile.

"Um, I'm glad to hear that. She was a little...difficult of a pony to deal with, but she seemed very concerned about doing her duty to you," Remedy said, unsure how to respond to Tempest's endorsement.

"If by difficult you mean she's temperamental and abrasive to most around her I can only agree. I'd hoped that this particular posting might bring out a little more empathy from her due to the injured night ponies. She's a loyal guard, very vigilant in her duties, and very effective in subduing criminals, but her ability to make connections to other ponies leaves much to be desired. The trip was not a complete loss on what I hoped to accomplish with her, but I had hoped for more," Luna said with a sigh.

"She did seem to really care about the night ponies. She opened up to me about what happened to her as a foal. Even when she said she wouldn't continue tests she was still wanting to help the Broken Ones," Remedy said, again defending Tempest.

"She opened up to you? She failed to mention that to me. How much time did you spend with her?" Luna asked with a tilt of her head.

"Not long really, we only talked a few minutes in all. She actually told me that pretty quickly after I asked about her horn. She also told me about the kinds of things she went through as a unicorn with a broken horn. I got to understand her fears and anxieties," Remedy explained.

Luna stared at Remedy for a long minute, and it made Remedy feel uncomfortable.

"It seems there might be some yet to be fully realized magical talents of yours I was not initially aware of if you drew that information out of her so quickly. Those will have to be addressed at some point in your education, but not yet," Luna said to break the long silence.

Remedy blinked. She had magical talents? Other than just simple night pony magic involving dreams? She certainly didn't feel like she had done anything else magical. She wanted to ask about it more but Luna already was ready to move on from the subject.

"Regardless, I must apologize for her actions that led to her returning back to Equestria. I'll be sending formal apologies to your local officials soon," Luna said with a sigh.

"She wasn't completely at fault for what happened," Remedy said in the unicorn's defense.

"Yes, which brings me to the pertinent matter for our talk today," Luna said as she gazed down at Remedy. "Tell me of your mother, the one called Sunset Blessing."

"I know what you must be thinking. I get worried by her beliefs too, but she's a good mare," Remedy said in automatic defense of her mother.

"I can believe that. She certainly seems legitimately concerned about the ponies and humans around her. Believe me when I say that your world has examples of vile ponies among its numbers, and I don't consider her among their thankfully small number. That doesn't mean she isn't a concern due to her not having an evil nature," Luna said naturally.

"Vile ponies?" Remedy asked in confusion.

"You truly don't want to know. Sunset Shimmer's instinctual compulsion towards pacifism that she laid in all of you was not as effective in a minority of ponies. Almost all of them were monsters as humans and that carried over with them into being ponies. Believe me, there are far worse ponies we're getting word of than your mother. Don't make me go into detail about their atrocities," Luna said firmly.

"Okay, so why are you concerned about her if she's not so bad a problem, comparatively?" Remedy asked.

"She is hardly the only pony that falls into the Shimmerist group. Nor is she the only one amassing power quickly. Those instincts we spoke of definitely facilitate leaders among you taking control at rapid pace amongst the current chaos. The fact she seems adamant about the need for choice would normally put her far down the list of Shimmerists we're concerned about. What makes her different is your government's willingness to cooperate with her where elsewhere they do everything to hinder Shimmerist's efforts. That is worrisome, and we desire to know why this is happening," Luna said with a narrowed brow.

"I really don't know the answer to that. I've been wondering that myself. All I've been able to come up with is that she gets things accomplished. That she's a means to an end for them," Remedy said as she spread her wings to demonstrate her lack of answers.

"The question then becomes to what end they seek. But tell me, do you believe that she has any ulterior motivations? I understand your hesitation if you don't wish to say. That is your mother after all, and your own protective instincts make it all the more difficult for you to say anything that might work against her. I promise that I don't plan any direct action against her, but I need to guard the humans and ponies of your world from threats and it helps if I know what they are," Luna said.

"I don't know, I really don't. She keeps secrets from everypony, even me. I know that she is planning things, but I don't know who or what they involve, or why she's doing them," Remedy confessed. "Actually, I know one thing. She mentioned some land purchase for an independent project, but refused to give me any other information about it. She also has a lot of money. I'm guessing it's legal for her to have it, but she doesn't want the government to know she has it."

"It seems to me that she is preparing for war. She's gathering resources, setting up a stronghold, forming an alliance with your government. She has no reason to fear an attack from us, and from what is described she operates within the boundaries of the law so she has no reason to fear your government either. She might be planning something that will earn her the ire of your government, but that doesn't explain her seeming alliance with it and it helping her build a stronghold. Who is she afraid of then?" Luna mused.

If Luna was right that was a very good question.





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