Chapter Eighty Three: A Voice From The Dark
“Who is this?” Sassi asked, sitting in front of the helmet.
“I’d like to know the answer to that question first, especially since this is being broadcast through a RASP system,” the voice replied gruffly. “There’s only a few of those left. I had the prototype.”
She blinked, the mare letting out a huff.
“Well, you’re broadcasting through the newest version. My name is Sassi.”
There was a pause.
“Sassi? There’s only one creature down here with that name,” the voice muttered, “especially who can run a RASP…Sassi Satin?”
“I’d like to know your name before anything else.”
A soft chuckle echoed through the speakers.
“Very well. But if you are Sassi Satin, I’m not your enemy. At least, I don’t think I am. My name is…” the voice paused, and it wasn’t a glitch in the audio. “Just call me Five for now.”
“Five?”
“It’s what I’ve been called for the last few years. And no, I’m not a Skitter. But whatever suits you. I’m currently located near the central shaft of this Silo, on your level. Have you seen…well, I call it number Twenty-Eight.”
“Giant freaky Skitter with black carapace armor?” Sassi growled, “yeah, it tried to eat me along with its fleshy fungus friends.”
A soft, mirthless chuckle sounded over the speakers.
“Did you manage to kill it?”
“Nope. Cracked its armor though.”
“That alone is impressive. But there are other things to worry about here. Your RASP suit is blocking attempts to locate you, but-”
There was a screech of static, and then a sharp intake of breath.
“It’s trying to tap into the transmission. I’m sending a map. Your guns are*static*”
“Twenty-eight? It’s trying to find us?” Sassi asked, the transmission degrading.
“No! Other*static* ing. Not safe there! I *static* supplies. Food, water, medi*static* Within two days! Don’t *static* longer.”
‘Transmission terminated. An unknown user was attempting to access. Security failsafe protocol activated to prevent location tracing.’
Sassi slumped down, blowing out a tired breath. Even with the static, she could fill in the words. What she didn’t like, however, was how panicked ‘Five’ sounded.
What could be worse than that ‘Twenty Eight’ thing?
Ultimately, they only had a day of food left, if that. So, there was only one way forward.
A double-checking of supplies confirmed that, and Sassi made sure their barricades were solid. Five said that within two days they’d have to leave. Ideally, they’d leave sooner.
I wish you’d wake up, Astral.
Speaking off…
“How’s Astral doing?” Sassi asked the AI tiredly.
‘User status nominal. Positive indicators of biological repair detected. Genetic structure stable. Limited movement is not projected to negatively affect biological functions. Strenuous movement not advised due to potential of destabilization.’
“So, he’s not going to turn to jelly again?”
‘Correct. Genetic structure is stable. However, exertion may destabilize the healing process. Multiple avenues exist for speeding up the process.’
“Explain.”
‘Additional doses of the modification serum at regular intervals will aid in cellular repair and stabilization.’
Sassi started to tune out. She already knew that.
‘New data available. User shows increased healing factors when physical touch is present.’
And just like that, the warm fuzziness returned to Sassi’s chest. She could spare a few minutes.
Or hours. Until Astral woke up, the mare didn’t want to move him with the AI again.
Besides…
Sassi hopped up onto the medical bed next to Astral, long having shoved it closer. The reactor continued to glow, the device laying against the stallion’s flanks.
Settling down, Sassi gently placed her head across Astral’s shoulders protectively, spreading a wing over the stallion as well. She certainly didn’t imagine the happy mumble that left his tar-stained lips, Astral scooting closer.
She could spare a few very long moments like this. A simple timer was set, and the mare tried to calm her mind.
We’ll have to move again when you wake up. But we’re safe for the moment. I don’t know when we’ll relax again.
As the overworked Thestral dozed, a surprisingly happy thought pushed aside the worries for a brief moment.
I make him happy.
Most oddly, that thought simply added fuel to the ember that Astral had started for her.
Maybe I am worth all of this. If I can make someone happy, that means I’m not just something. I’m someone.
It’d be odd thoughts for a normal pony, but Sassi was far from normal. As Astral shifted in his sleep, Sassi couldn’t help but smile.
They weren’t normal. Not anymore. But at least they had each other.
Astral woke up with a yawn, his movement setting off a soft chime. Judging from how quickly it was shut off, the sound must have been an alarm for someone half-asleep.
A pressure gently pressed across his shoulders; one of the comfiest weighted blankets he’d ever had. Not that he had tried that many, but for having his genetics scrambled, Astral didn’t feel that bad.
A soft mumble to his left reassured the Thestral as to what that pressure was, Astral cracking open an eye. Sassi was lying next to him, her head resting across his left shoulder. The mare yawned, letting out a frustrated grunt as she opened her eyes.
“Need more sleep,” she muttered, gaze then meeting his. “Astral?”
“Hey, Sas.”
An immediate nuzzle was her reply, Astral enjoying every second of it.
“So, what’d I miss?”
She let out a huff, instead sitting up and leaning against his back.
“A few things. But let me wake up first. Haven’t been sleeping well.”
“I don’t blame you.”
As the mare yawned again, Astral tested a few of his limbs. They had some strength to them, lacking the usual wibbly-wobbly sensation from before. At least his stomach wasn’t tied into knots just yet.
Maybe he’d be able to walk today? That’d be a nice-
A soft, pleasurable sensation made Astral’s thoughts flatline, a hoof gently stroking through his fluffy ears.
The stallion froze, not able to process things for the briefest moment. It felt good, there was no doubt about that. But such a simple gesture went so much further than feeling like a good massage.
His green eyes shut, a few rebellious tears leaking from underneath shut lids. Of course, Astral knew what the gesture meant; he had explained it to Sassi.
But I never told her everything.
“Astral?!” Sassi asked, scooting closer and no doubt having felt his sides shake. “I’m sorry! Did that hurt? I-”
One of her forelimbs was next to his, and Astral cut off the mare’s words by tightly holding the mare’s hoof. He shook his head, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Sassi’s other free hoof resumed gently running through his ears.
“Are you ok?”
Another deep breath.
“Nobody’s ever…” he said softly, squeezing Sassi’s hoof.
“But you knew about it?”
A sad smile twitched onto Astral’s features, the Thestral shrugging.
“I know about it. Doesn’t mean anyone has wanted to be that close to me before.”
The stallion wasn’t prepared for Sassi to snuggle up against his back, a forelimb half-hugging his midsection. She nuzzled into his mane, tracing up to give a long kiss between the Thestral’s ears.
“Well, now someone does. V-very much,” Sassi whispered, her voice hitching. “And I’ll be happy to remind you as often as you’d like.”
Astral could only smile. A simple, loving touch pushed aside the physical maladies that wracked his frame, even for but a moment.
The bright, pink glow of the healing crystals may have helped that too.
Sassi snuggled a bit closer, a content sigh leaving her lips as she continued to rest against him for a few minutes in peaceful quiet.
“Y’know, you’ve mentioned having a romantic side. Well, more than you already do. What did you mean?”
Stars above Sassi, just when I was starting to trust my voice again.
He swallowed, trying to steady his voice.
“It’s h-hard to explain,” Astral said softly. “Just, some things had to be ignored after the Case. Why dream for something that would probably…” he let out a soft chuckle. “Well, I’m happy to have been wrong.”
“I did the same thing,” was a returned whisper.
If anyone can understand burying a part of yourself, it’d be Sassi.
Maybe we can both start to learn how to be whole again, in different ways.
“I took ballroom dancing classes.”
Sassi let out a surprised giggle at that.
“Really? I think you mentioned that once before.”
He nodded, slowly sitting up. Sassi supported the stallion, the two eventually leaning against each other. The fact they could see each other’s faces immediately lifted Astral’s spirits. Such a simple thing, seeing two loving eyes look his way. Being able to sit up was also a pleasant sensation after lying down for so many days.
“It was mainly to meet ladies, of course. That’s what I told Gabbro.”
“Your hippogriff best friend, right?”
“The same. He was happy to go with me. Always after the ladies, that one,” Astral laughed softly. “What I never told him, or anyone else, was that I loved it.”
“Really?”
A gentle nod; another movement Astral was quickly appreciating. At least he could move now.
“Just the rhythm, the set steps, you can just lose yourself. It’s just you, your partner, and the dance. Anything that was like that just sounded so nice. A dance, a picnic, just looking at the stars as we’d dance. It made me hope...”
His words trailed off, Sassi snuggling underneath his chin.
“Could we take more classes together? And try those ideas for dates? I love all of them.”
Astral didn’t even try to wipe away the two tears that trickled from his eyes.
“I’d love to.”
A brief kiss made Astral’s thoughts blur into a happy, pink cloud, Sassi still smiling as she returned to leaning on his shoulder.
“I’ve smiled and cried more you with you, Astral, than I have in years combined,” she said, “And before you ask, that’s a good thing.”
“I was going to ask…”
“This is all so new to me, and I guess you, in many ways,” Sassi mused. “Back when I was rescuing-no, never mind.”
“Huh? What?”
“It’s silly.”
“I’m the one who sings when I’m on painkillers. Pretty sure we’re past ‘silly.’”
“The Queen thought you were my mate, how you were fighting to get to me.”
Astral couldn’t help but smile at that.
“Well, she was in the general hoofball park at least.”
“But that’s just it. It didn’t scare me.”
“Hmm?”
“Losing you, yeah. But just the idea of having someone that close wasn’t frightening or some unpleasant consideration. It actually sounded nice. And that’s new for me. Really new.”
Now it was Astral’s turn to reach down, gently resting on her shoulder.
“I guess I’m just coming to terms with loving someone enough that being close in a lot of ways doesn’t scare me anymore,” Sassi concluded.
“Well, I’m happy at whatever pace works. I’m just glad you’re here.”
A soft laugh left Sassi’s lips, the mare shaking her head.
“As am I, Astral.”
“Pretty sure we’re past specials-somepony labels though? But at the same time, we aren’t? I have no idea how in the world to describe…us.”
Sassi snorted, shrugging at his words.
“I’m happy with special-somepony, battle-buddy, and friend.”
“Best friend. I haven’t known you as long as Gabbro, but I’ve been around you probably as long. It’s also a rather moot point when I owe my life to you many times over.”
“Oh, and I don’t?”
Astral couldn’t argue with that.
“Ok, fair. But I’m just glad we’re on the same page. Whatever weird page that is, at least.”
Sassi gave him another brief kiss, then reluctantly stood up, stretching as she hopped off the bed.
“I could snuggle with you all day, but we have to move. There have been some odd developments. Specifically, someone gave us a warning.” She then let out an abrupt laugh, pointing a hoof at Astral. “And that is the nastiest pout I’ve ever seen!”
Astral hadn’t even known he had been displaying one, his cheeks heating up.
“Well, if the choice is between snuggling with the mare I love and moving between a fungus-infested hole in Tartarus, it’s a pretty clear winner.”
A hoof gently ‘booped’ his nose, Sassi smiling. She was doing that a lot more, and seeing the vibrant life in her beautiful eyes made Astral’s heart do a continual flip every time.
“Fair enough. But let me bring you up to speed. We’ll need to move, and soon.”
Some adorableness mixed with developments. On the move again...
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... and all of a sudden I start hearing those words sung by Willie Nelson.
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A mysterious character named Five...
They seem nice enough, but if it's one thing I learned from this company and it's Silos; this place is filled with bad people with a dire lack of good ones, and trust is a premium.
Let us hope "Five" is a good one.
"Five?"
Five...
...
We don't go to Sub-Level Five.
...
"We don't go to Sub-Level, Five..."
oh my God...
HALF-LIFE 3 CONFIRMED!!
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Indeed. Intentions remain to be seen...
Hug the bat back to health.
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11380715
Is that a hint at V? I mean it he was a genetic manipulated specimen in his movie so. (If anyone doesn't get it V in Vfor vendetta is named V because he had the Roman numeral for five a V on his door, this is revealed in a flashback towards the end of the movie)
11380987
It wasn't intended to be- but as I wrote it I went 'Oh my gosh.'
So consider it a fun reference, but nothing more.
OK, Veronica Roth.
Ok, I think I’m out. Stuck with this through eighty-three chapters but it’s not the story it was before. Take care, be well.
11381437
And that's fair enough. That said, it will be picking up in the next chapters, as I wanted to have aspects of the story ebb and flow; not to be disingenuous at all. This arc is definitely slower and more unbalanced than the others, and has gone on a bit longer than I originally intended. I completely understand if it's too slow/less that what you're looking for in certain aspects. I'll look to adjust that balance going forward, and I really appreciate the feedback.
11381437
Yeah I've just kinda been skimming lately. Fluff is great, but we've kind of been going in circular fluffy loops that don't actually cover new ground on either the action or romance fronts and it stagnates both.
Going back over the last ten chapters or so, very little has actually happened. Even the emotional brooding was mostly just retreading stuff they already went over several times - which is realistic sure, actual people absolutely do that, but as a story it drags. We finally got a plot advancement here, and the chain got yanked before the chapter was even over.
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And that's fair criticism. This arc has been a bit slower and longer than I originally intended, so I understand if it's dragging too much for people. I really do appreciate such feedback so I can modify things going forward, as it's clear that's a weak point in the story. This arc was meant to be more of a 'lull', but clearly that went a bit too far if both aspects are stagnant, which was not my intention.
I shall up my efforts to return to the creepy and spooky. 'Tis the month after all.
11381437
Okay...bye.
The AI doesn't know if it wants to use present or past tense
11473884
DOH!
Fixed, ty!