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Strange Circumstances7,272 words
Dream Delve and the Buttoning7,815 words
The Maze and Minotaur7,672 words
The Danger Zone8,444 words
Open Doors9,370 words
What do we do now?7,300 words
Why'd it have to be bugs12,245 words
Ominous Ongoings7,767 words
Where the Buck am I?11,234 words
A Close Encounter Of The Human Kind7,391 words

A Close Encounter Of The Human Kind

"Octavia!" Apple Bloom waited patiently by the bottom rung of the ladder. "Octavia hurry up!" The grey musician mare had asked her to remain there quietly, and so she did. "Octavia come on, yer big butt disappeared 'round tha' corner an hour ago, where are you!?" Her friend above her had climbed up carrying Twilight with some difficulty, they had had the choice of either back tracking or taking a vertical shaft to somewhere unknown. Given the periodic rushing of air that assaulted them it was an easy choice to push forward and seek a way out of their metal maze prison—as soon as possible.

A harsh whisper came from up above. "Apple Bloom pleeease when I asked you to not make a sound, I meant it." Twilight was still unconscious and had to be carried. Using her strange metal arms with some bit of practiced grace, Octavia climbed back down the ladder. "And my flank is not big, not that I care about such things..." She used the arms in tandem with her own legs on the rungs of the ladder. The filly awaiting her return eagerly bounced as her turn had come to ride the Octavia express up the metal shaft. She was too short to safely reach between the wide spaces in the huge ladder.

"Hold on now." Octavia leaned down and Apple Bloom giddily hopped up onto her back.

"This is way better than a hay wagon trip!" Octavia smirked as the young passenger held onto her neck from behind herself. Slowly, the grey mare began ascending once again to rejoin their comatose librarian. Upon reaching the summit of the short journey, Twilight Sparkle came into view, she was lying in the glow of one of the few red lights in the passage. A small sigh escaped Apple Bloom. Ah really hope she's going to be alright... We need you Twi', wake up soon.

The current duo had been walking for a few hours as their companion involuntarily slept atop Octavia. They had been somewhat assured she would be fine though, Twilight seemed to have a tendency to snore randomly while asleep.

"Should we try wakin' her up Tavi?" The Apple family filly stood over her older sister's friend worriedly and made to nudge her cheek with her muzzle.

"We... Probably should let her sleep Apple Bloom, likely she'll have a horrid headache when she is awake, best spare her of that for as long as possible..." Frowning, the musician picked up her passenger to carry her again. Peering down the hall into the dark and periodic spots of red light brought back Octavia's feelings of worry. It's like walking into a doctor's office. You're never sure if you're in store for a shot or something unpleasant.

"Alright... Well lead the way big si-" Already walking down the passage, Octavia almost missed the filly's slip. She probably would've paid it no mind as well had Apple Bloom not cut herself off. The grey earth pony quirked a smile in the black, but let it fall to a no doubt somber look before it took form. She knew it was just the product of the poor filly missing her sister and family. And there's no end to any of this in sight... On that thought, she considered just how much food they had left. It amounted to whatever Twilight still had in her bag from before they had met, and what had been scrounged from the lounge. So not much.

clnk clnk clnk

The musician flipped her mane over one side of her to the other and held a hoof back to stop Apple Bloom. Their last hoof falls' noise faded in the strange tunnels. Casting her gaze behind them and forward again she tried to find the location of the noise she'd heard. What was that.

"Tavi? What's wrong?" She looked behind them once again.

"I know that I just heard something Apple Bloom... Didn't you hear it?" The filly leaned up in the dim light and stretched out one ear listening intently to the closed space's air. After a moment she wore a defeated look and shrugged.

"I dunno Tavi... Maybe yer hearin' things?"

clnkclnkclnkclnkclnk

"I'm most certainly NOT hearing things!" Apple Bloom heard it now too, a light patter of clinks and buzzing was getting closer to them. She fearfully crouched and looked all around them for the source. "Run Apple Bloom! This way!" Not knowing where it was coming from Octavia shot forward in the tunnel, leading the filly.

Red lights played across their faces and eyes as they galloped down the metal ways. The path dipped suddenly causing the Apple Bloom to trip forward onto her muzzle. "Mwmf! Ohw, hat was my toof..." Octavia scooped her up with one leg and set her down again, still running. She butted her rump with her head to get her going again.

"Keep moving Apple Bloom I still hear it! Whatever that noise is, it's definitely behind us now."

Crrrnk!

A metal wall peeled open wide in front of them. Octavia cursed at herself. Sugar!!

The glow of a light just barely touched the new enemy, it had multiple legs and reared at them in a familiar manner. The difference however was that this creature looked as though it were made of iron. A single blue light was shining from it's front much like a solitary eye. In the front, Apple Bloom slid to a stop causing Octavia to nearly trip herself.

She turned around immediately, pushing the filly along with her new direction...

"Come on Apple Bloom back this wa-" The pony cut herself short as she spotted more of the blue. Behind them the blue lights were drowning out the red of the halls in the distance. It had friends.

A clatter of legs assaulted her ears from the first spidery machine that had appeared. On instinct Octavia bucked out behind her, she felt her legs make contact, probably with the noise rushing her. She heard Apple Bloom cry out from the surprise of the attack, but didn't waste time to look behind her. Casting one more glance back down the hall, Octavia saw a sea of only red now, no more blue.

In a flurry of hooves she half carried, half threw Apple Bloom down the hall in front of her. The filly gasped loudly as she soared over the hunk of iron with Octavia, which had apparently been pulverized by her attack. "Runrunrunrun!" Her eyes were drawn in fear as she ran behind Apple Bloom to the dim light of what was chasing them. I am so very tired of constantly being on the run! Just eat me and get it over with!

"Octavia!" She snapped herself out of her self deprecating thoughts at the sound of the filly's voice. "Up ahead! Ah see light! Like sun light!" Indeed there was a light, it looked glorious and warm—it was a very bright and normal light as well. Not any of the alien shades of yellow or orange that she had been plagued with the last several hours. The musician sped up her gallop and passed the filly. "Tavi!?"

Skidding Octavia came to stop above the source of the white light, she reared up on her rear hooves, teeth clenched in desperate fear wrought determination. Then she slammed down with all her might. With disregard for her passenger she struck the metal grate that seperated her from a chance at escape solidly.

"AAH!" Octavia tumbled forward through the passage as the finned metal grate gave way, it had offered her almost no resistance. Thankfully, on sheer instinct one of her alien arms nabbed the edge before she fell. Her gaze hurriedly cast about her and she tried to get her bearings. Above the pony the sounds from the creatures or machines still rang in a symphony of bangs and clanks. She was high above the ground, perhaps forty strides, a long fall. Looking up at Apple Bloom, Octavia saw the filly on the verge of tears.

"Tavi you alright!?" Octavia reached up to her with her hooves outstretched.

"Yes I'm fine Apple Bloom! Look I need you to be very brave and ju-" Before she could finish the filly hopped down from the ledge and neatly landed in her waiting grasp. She felt her lone arm holding her bounce under their weight, as she caught the young pony. "EEEEEEeeep!" Shaking, Octavia held tightly onto her new cargo, and looked everywhere at once to regain her bearings.

"Yeesh, Tavi calm down..." Apple Bloom muttered while watching the ground far below them warily. "Speaking of down..." She looked below herself at the incredible height which they hung from. Far beneath themselves, Apple Bloom saw a couple familiar shapes moving in the distance.

The three ponies were in what looked like an alley way of some sort. It was brightly lit, but only in spurts. From around a corner however, there lay a mess of bright flashing lights. More noticeable was the unmistakable sound of a large crowd to mix with the racket from the vent, still chasing them.

Octavia smoothed her features and coughed to make up for her outburst. Apple Bloom peered up at her, the noises becoming loud again. "What now?" The filly looked worriedly from her to the opening they clung to.

"We jump." Octavia saw red auras brighten the space above them, so before her courage or common sense could kick in, she swung herself towards the closest flat surface she could see. That was the wall as it so happened. Together, her and Apple Bloom clung to one another as they flew through the rushing air.

Octavia's own eyes shut, blocking out the crazy action she'd just taken. For a change she held her breath instead of screaming, her chest felt tight regardless, but screaming just wasn't in her this time. The knowledge she carried both of her only friends in the world right then kept her from wanting to. She could feel her free metal limb dig into the stone of the wall that had been close at hoof. Her hind legs slammed down against the vertical surface too, and stuck there, despite carrying the combined weight of herself, Twilight, and to a far lesser degree Apple Bloom.

The stone wall didn't hold her though, she could feel her legs skidding down it's rough surface. All Octavia could manage was to hold on. The unmistakable feeling of falling slowing vibrated her body rhythmically.

After a moment, she opened her eyes, she was panting. The frantic pony mare immediately looked up at the height she'd just scraped down the entire surface from. Next to that was the vent which she had jumped out of. The opening was a solid pitch black. They didn't follow us? Oh thank Celestia! A struggling form made herself known from her fore legs.

"Tavi lemme go! Yer squishin' me!" There was an audible pop as the filly made her escape from the cellist's crushing grasp. "I think you bruised my leg..." Apple Bloom rubbed one of her shins gently, frowning. "That was fun though! Let's do i-" Octavia glared and held a hoof out, pointing at the filly.

"Apple Bloom just, do me this one favor please, and do not suggest ever doing something like that again." Octavia raised her front hooves to her temples and massaged them, on the verge of sobbing. Behind herself, she lowered Twilight gently to the ground. "Oh, what in the name of Celestia just... Ahaaha... Why can't we ever catch a break? Hm? Why?" She leaned against the wall and stared down at her appendages, not sure if she should be grateful for the extra legs that had saved them, or mad at them for just being there. She grimaced when her fourth leg—the one which she'd scraped down the wall with—failed to respond as the others did.

The filly beat her to scrutinizing it. "Think your thingy's broke Tavi, it's sparken worse than Sweetie Bell does when she tries to use magic." Octavia sighed and folded it behind herself into her back, out of sight and out of mind. "Not to sound like one of Pinkie's broken records or nothin' Tavi but... What now?" The filly tossed a tussled lock of an out of her eyes and looked up at the opening from which they'd made their leap of faith. "They don't seem tah be followin' us... Whatever they were."

Octavia frowned. "Just... Wait here Apple Bloom, I'll take a look around so we can get our bearings." Offering the little form of her friend's a smile, she quietly trotted a short distance away to peek around the corner. What she saw almost caused her to cry out in surprise. Barely, she'd managed to catch herself. Though she didn't think anything could have possibly heard her over all the noise that her ears were suddenly being beaten with.

To her immediate right was a dead end wall of studded metal, but to the left of the earth pony and the alley, was a city. But not like any she had ever seen. Crowds of humans walked, floated and rode in metal boxes that were also floating. Before her, lights flashed and sounds roared and whizzed.

Octavia was suddenly aware that she was huddled as closely to the ground as she could possibly get, looking shakily from one sight to the next. Her claws—even the broken one—were scraping and digging at the odd, smooth stone ground around her. Gulping, she focused and drew them back in, those little things were a horrible nuisance to keep a reign on.

They certainly had the right idea though... She thought frantically. There were humans and machines and even other creatures she couldn't identify at all amidst the throng. The entire sight had the distinct feeling of a Manehatten rush hour or Las Pegasus crowd, but times a thousand. It had every aspect and demeanor of a slum to it, from steaming street grates to flickering lights indicative of fireflies or oil long left unattended. Again Octavia gulped. Just what have I led us into... The unmistakable feeling of defeat and hopelessness crept into her. Unexpectedly, she actually felt a tear well up onto her face a little, just from the mere sight of all this. Shaking her head and mane furiously she focused. I cannot let feelings like this take a hold of me.

Backing away slowly from the crowds down the street, she started to return to Apple Bloom. The mare cast a wary look over her frazzled black mane, before finally turning her back on the horrid clamoring of voices.....

Twilight could feel her eyes fluttering, distantly, she became more aware of noises going on around her. It was almost deafening, she dimly thought. Unsteadily, she tried to stand, even being unable to so much as see yet. After dealing with a few moments of her dream-like thoughts, it became clear she did not yet have control of her legs yet, or even her thoughts themselves entirely. They flickered in and out of being focused on her home, Apple Jack, Fluttershy or Pinkie... The unicorn attempted to concentrate on simply regaining full consciousness, she thought she may be passing in and out of an awakened state. Nearby she noticed Apple Bloom and Octavia were talking. Twilight couldn't make out what was being said.

Blessedly, she was able to crack open her eye to see. Disturbingly... Her other eye flickered like candlelight, as though a wind were constantly blowing over it in an attempt to keep it blown out. A low moan from her own voice reached her ears. Apple Bloom's and Octavia's joined it again after a moment, in a frantic tone. She saw a red maned blur through the haze before her. It was replaced after a second, this time it was a black maned blur. The voices were unmistakably her friends, but they sounded as though they were under water.

They continued to speak to her. It kind of sounded to Twilight like they the two of them were asking her questions and comforting her. "I can't," Her mouth and throat were very dry, which made talking difficult. She tried working moisture into her mouth again. "I can't understand guys..." The two voices quieted. Twilight could only wait. She tried to move her head and whimpered. Twilight's head felt worse than before. At the moment, it was more akin to the time an anvil had mistakenly fallen on her. As well as a hay cart... And a piano.

That was among Twilight's least favorite memories.

The shadows began to sharpen slowly, voices and noises became clearer too. They sounded like... Pinkie's party horns? She opened her eye fully to the dim white light. The shapes were her friends! Twilight realized for the first time the good news this meant, they had gotten away. Her anti-gravity spell had worked and the three of them had escaped. In her current state she'd forgotten entirely... About the humans who had died. That- It hadn't been my fault... I couldn't have... This time hadn't been like before. I'm not a mur- Twilight would have shaken her head to clear away the rogue thoughts, but her neck was a cramped mass of pain attached to an even larger concentration of agony.

A certain filly rescued her instead. "Twi'...? Can you understand us yet?" That was definitely Apple Bloom.

"Please Twilight, say something else, are you alright? What hurts? Do you need anything?" That frantic barrage of questions and worry could only be the mare she'd come to know as Octavia Philiharmonica. It was good she could think more clearly now. Twilight smiled weakly. Even that hurt. She tried again to talk though.

"Hey..." Her voice was little more than a croak but she continued. "How is everypony?" She heard gasps of relief from the two.

"We're fine Twilight, we're both fine." Twilight's strange human-mangled eye continued to flicker as she looked up at the two earth ponies before her. She could feel concrete beneath her side, and something soft under her head.

"Yah, we're great Twi', are you gonna be okay though?" A crouching Apple Bloom scooted closer to make herself better known to the downed lavender librarian.

Twilight's own hoof moved to gingerly touch her horn, it blazed to life with what was becoming an all to familiar feeling to the unicorn. Pain. "Ah-! Yeah... I'm alright, in a lot of pain and sore but... It'll pass, I just need to rest." Octavia nudged the filly aside a little.

"Give her some room Apple Bloom." The filly groaned in irritation and hopped to her hooves.

"Right away, Zecoraaaa." Twilight couldn't see from where she lay, but she thought she'd heard the distinct sound of a tongue being stuck out from Octavia.

The grey pony raised an eye brow back at the retreating filly. "Who? Gah, Twilight is there anything I can get you? We left plenty of water in the thermos..." The other mare lowered herself into Twilight's view. Smiling weakly the earth pony drew the container out from their small bag.

"Yeah, water would be great, but give me a minute... I want to try and sit up right, after my horn stops hurting so much." Octavia sat back frowning sadly, before looking over at the filly standing beside what was obviously a massive dumpster.

"Twilight we're in a city. A human city." The unicorn's eye opened again and looked up at the cellist in clear surprise. "I-I'm not sure exactly where we are, uhm well we're in an alley it seems, at the moment. Nopony has... No human has seen us yet. I think we're well hidden for the time being at least." She licked her lips nervously from the thought of being found.

Apple Bloom looked back at the other two ponies from where she had been peaking around the corner of the dumpster into the street. The filly had been curiously watching the opening of the dead end alley which they had chosen to stay in. The lights outside played a fascinating color show on the grey wall of the alley. "I see..." Answered Twilight hesitantly. "That's not so bad then- ow," Gingerly, she had tried to push herself up then raise her head. The headache had put a stop to the endeavor. I'll lay still a bit longer. She decided. "Okay well... Gee, I don't know, at least we got away." Twilight pushed aside her guilt over the humans again and tread onward, further into her thoughts. She thought back to what she'd read back there, trying to figure out if any of it was useful. "I think I know why that lift hadn't worked at least."

Octavia lowered one ear and turned the other down towards Twilight, interested. "Go on...?"

Twilight grimaced at not having understood this when it may have helped them. "I'd read in a human news article on that screen back there, like a news paper, that some of their lands have been 'locked down', as it were. Meaning they've had access to them restricted I'd guess. Not to mention they've been evacuated."

Octavia's mouth closed slowly and she held a hoof up to her muzzle, realization of what it meant creeping in. Her eyes widened correspondingly. "Because of those monsters the lift was shut down... So they're being," The cellist gulped. "invaded? Oh Luna's stars, that's horrible!"

Twilight nodded slightly from where she rested, still prone. Her other eye's flickering on and off, seemed like it was going to persist. What is causing that? She wondered. Her hooves and legs felt like sand bags she realized. With difficulty, she slid a hoof under herself again and she pushed carefully against the ground that supported her. Inch by inch her head rose without springing into pain, until finally she was upright. Breathing caused pressure in her skull, so she limited herself to shallow breaths through her mouth.

"Are you going to be alright, do you want that drink Twilight?" Octavia asked concerned. The unicorn mare chuckled lightly to herself in answer, and regretted it after. Her head reminding her of it's condition again.

"Twilight? What's funny?" She raised a hoof towards the slightly younger pony.

Twilight fended her off weakly though with a hoof of her own. "Yes, I'm fine Octavia... Thank you, I'll take that water though." The cellist proffered the drink towards her friend, lid off already. The librarian gulped down the warm liquid greedily. "Ah, thanks... I was laughing because you almost rhymed again, by the way. Zecora, the zebra Apple Bloom mentioned, heh, she's a friend of ours from Ponyville. She's something else." Octavia smiled over at Twilight, who returned it from over the thermos she held in between her two metal hooves.

"I do hope to have the honor of meeting all of your friends soon enough Twilight." Wearing the best cheering up face she could Octavia grinned with some effort. "They must all be truly wonderful to have earned a friend such as yourself, Apple Bloom's told me all about some of her friends as well, and the Elements of Harmony themselves too."

Twilight let out a satisfied gasp from drinking, then managed another laugh over the memory of her friends. Despite how sad it was for her to not know if they were safe... The memories were warm to Twilight. Here in this alley it was a little cold, and very dank, so every little bit helped. "Yes, they really are the best anypony could ever hope to have. I miss them dearly..." She sighed. "I just can't stop thinking about them, of Rarity or Apple Jack, Fluttershy... Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie." The remorseful mare held a hoof up to her head wincing from getting overly boisterous. She caught Octavia shuddering. "Are you okay Octavia?"

"Hm? Oh yes just... Reminiscing over the memory of... Pinkie Pie..." The cellist mumbled harshly. She let out a misty-breathed exhale. "Twilight! I should bring up something, I lied earlier I suppose, and I need to confess." Twilight's ears perked up at this news.

Octavia had lied? What could she have lied about?

"What do you mean?..." Twilight blanched—puzzled at the dramatic outburst her friend had just elicited.

"I... I am not Canterlot Symphony's First Chair Cellist!" The grey mare's head drooped, depressed and in defeat. "I... I-" She sniffed loudly, recollecting the painful memory. "After the grand galloping gala this last year, I, Octavia Philiharmonica, was cast out of the Orchestra. For initiating a request made by the mare you're friends with. Pinkie Pie." She huffed the name, before continuing with a raised eye brow and a sarcastic smirk. "Or as I call her, the 'Pink Plague' rather clever, hm?"

"Oh dear, did that really happen? I'm so sorry! I could speak with the Prince- ow." Twilight massaged her head again.

The lamenting cellist switched smirk for concern at the librarian's pained look. "We really need to get you someplace where you can rest better Twilight... But, I meant all that as a joke," She gave a convincing and calm smile to Twilight who weakly looked up. "I found peace of mind in Ponyville since the incident, I've even spoken with Pinkie about it once. Though not by choice... Apparently she had a habit of throwing newcomers to your town a party no matter their opinion on the matter." Twilight took her turn to smirk back.

Yeah that's Pinkie alright.

Octavia sat back from Twilight who'd finished nursing her head finally. The librarian passed the depleted liquid container back to her carefully. "I'll hold back on the jokes though, I think your head could use the break from any sort of interference... Outside or in, so that also means no more spells Twilight! You could do some permanent damage not taking this seriously." The look of concern she gave again this time was filled to the brim with sincerity. Twilight nodding gingerly. Then looked over to the side in a lamenting fashion. Octavia not picking up on what she was thinking continued. "It's not so bad Twilight, you'll be good as new quick, if you'd only take a break from it. A unicorn of your caliber should only need a few days...? I mean you've been casting what, arch-mage level things from what I know, in your condition? I'm no expert but..."

The cellist trailed off, Twilight had shook her head again scowling slightly. Octavia was about to ask what was wrong but her friend spoke first. "It's not that Octavia, there are... Extenuating circumstances preventing me from not using my magic. At least not using it some." She paused, unsure how to say it out loud now that she had to. It sounded like a bucket full of crab apples even to herself. The confused look the grey mare gave her bid Twilight to continue. "I- Well, I've been using my magic to move I guess." Octavia gasped.

"To mo- Twilight? You can't mean..." She peered down at the other mare's legs in shock. Twilight shifted them to sit sideways to Octavia trying to escape the scrutiny a little. "To move your own body!?"

"It's not as bad as it sounds... I don't know why, but other than my neck I need to channel magic every once and a while to keep moving. It's this metal I'm covered in. I- I have some dark suspicions about us Octavia, I think that we're more machine than pony no-" Twilight lowered her voice as she spoke, she didn't want to worry Apple Bloom about something that she didn't need to. She took a quick look over to the dumpster where... The filly wasn't. "Octavia!" The cellist jumped and looked up from staring at her own hoof confusedly. "Where's Apple Bloom!?" She whirled around to look right where she'd last seen her.

Her mouth drew down in fear and she charged to the end of the alley. Twilight called after her, but the unicorn's voice was unheeded.

Cautiously, the two peered out of the alleyway, despite their panic for Apple Bloom's safety they managed to keep from simply sprinting out to look for her. Again, Octavia was met with the glare and flashing of the strange lights, she recalled where she had seen such patterns before suddenly—Las Pegasus. This place was filthy and full of carrion by comparison though. The smell was certainly unreal, causing her nose to wrinkle unbidden. Beside her Twilight swayed and leaned against the wall with one hoof, breathing heavily.

"Twilight- You should stay here, I'll go and look for her." Immediately Twilight shook her head, then groaned in pain. The unicorn turned to lean her back against the concrete wall, and slid down onto her rump to sit. She looked up fiercely at Octavia though, who crouched worriedly in front of her.

"No, we both need to go, we can't risk splitting up. This is bad Octavia, really bad. If Apple Bloom's already been taken by somep-"

They both were both startled when another sharp and clamoring voice peeled out. Right. Beside them.

It sounded a bit like Pinkie Pie. "OOH wow, oh my gosh. It is more of them, oh wow, I am like your biggest fans, EEEE! This is so cool, no one's gonna believe I met gladiators. Huh, I don't recognize you two actually, like what are your names?" The human stood frowning down at them, and frankly the two didn't know how to respond at all. Their mouths simply worked slowly trying to form words. "Well? I mean you guys do talk right?" Letting out a nervous laugh the obviously feminine human was now... buttoning as Twilight recognized it, like crazy on something glittery attached to her arm. Twilight's thoughts caught up with her finally and she realized what the human girl was saying. Were they . . . popular? "Wow, well still it's cool running into up and comers to. Like, have you got fights coming up or something? Oh my gosh are you two girls? Uhm . . . What are you doing back here actually?"

Octavia and Twilight turned to look at each other as one, they suddenly were aware of how close their faces were together. Entering a coughing fit Octavia stood up and looked away from Twilight, blushing fiercely. Twilight herself retched a little and leaned the other way. "Augh! N-no it isn't what you think! . . ." Twilight faltered a little remembering what... who she was talking to, although she didn't seem dangerous.

The girl smiled and flipped a long wall of sheening straight yellow hair back over her shoulder. "Ahuh, riiiight. Heh, well I'll leave you both alone then! Can't wait to see you out in the rings if you're combatants! I know it's totally butch of me to be into it, that but it's my boyfriend's fault I swear by it . . . Anywaaay taaah!" She winked and walked backwards smiling, before finally turning away and giggling even more.

"Twilight what just happened." Octavia stared after the skipping human distraught and very, very confused.

"I can't say for sure . . ." She nervously looked over at the other mare. "But we need to go, we need to find Apple Bloom. That encounter just settled this for me." Resolutely, she stepped into the empty side street. She ignored the heaviness of her legs. Octavia for her part, thought she understood what the librarian was thinking, she hoped she was right as well.

"Twilight . . . Luna as my witness this is crazy, what if they all just turn on us?" Her fears were running wild she knew, but that crowd was intimidating for the grey mare. The purple mare however, didn't answer her, the face she wore was stolid and determined. A human that was manning a stall in the building they came around raised an eyebrow at them, Twilight gave him a brief glance and nodded her head as she walked, her face unchanging. The human returned it smiling awkwardly, then shrugged and continued working on the machine that sat on the counter before himself. Octavia had opened her mouth to gasp at being seen by the human, before remembering just what they were doing.

"See Octavia?" Twilight grinned back at her. "The human's society is familiar with and accepting of outside alien races and influence." The grey mare tried to return the confident smile, but all that ended up happening was her mouth falling open in awe of what lay before them. Slowly they walked towards the end of the street—Octavia with her head lowered and mane almost dragging along it. Twilight stared fiercely ahead, and looking slowly around the crowd for any sign of Apple Bloom amidst them. She knew that she should stand out immediately if she came into view, but the tall and numerous shapes of the humans were obscuring the other side of the street entirely.

Octavia gulped quietly and followed Twilight to the street corner, where she stopped and began looking to and fro into the passersby. More than a few humans stopped to stare at them both before moving on, a couple waved cheerily. The stark contrast from these humans to those that they had encountered thus far was staggering to both their minds. Twilight tried to look confident and sure of herself though, despite the dull ache still in her head. Octavia half cowered behind the lavender mare, but kept looking for Apple Bloom.

"Grr, It's hard to see anything with my eye distracting me like this..." Twilight tried to hold a hoof up to cover her glass plated eye. But that did nothing to help it's flickering. Octavia frowned at her friend.

"Is there something wrong with your eye Twi- Twilight! I see her! There!" She jutted a hoof out into the road pointing to it's far side.

Not far away at all on the opposite sidewalk was the short olive colored form and rounded red mane of Apple Bloom. The two sprinted across the busy street of people weaving between them deftly. Still, more than a few angry voices trailed after them both. "Apple Bloom, oh thank Celestia you're alright!" Twilight caught the filly up in tight embrace immediately.

"What were you thinking Apple Bloom! What would have happened if we couldn't find you? Or someone that was looking for us had done so first? Thank Luna you're alright bu- Apple Bloom? Are you alright?" The filly's face was drained and pale, her eyes wide and afraid—desolate. Octavia called to her companion frightened. "Twilight?" The lavender mare held Apple Bloom out at a leg's reach and met the youth's gaze. The filly began tearing up before her very eyes.

"Sweetie what's wrong? We're here now it's okay, you're safe." The filly's lip quivered and she struggled a breath into herself. Words tried and failed to form or leave her mouth. Octavia kept an eye on the crowd, they mostly seemed to ignore the three aliens though. "Please Apple Bloom tell me, what's the matter?" Twilight pressed on consolingly.

"Tw-Twi, you g-gotta. . ." She stopped and sniffed loudly before wiping a hoof across her muzzle, inhaling. "Look at the p-poster. . . The screen, l-lookit that there screen." Casting her eyes away from Twilight, Apple Bloom settled them onto the paved ground. Twilight's worried stare quirked an eyebrow and with Octavia who had been listening, looked up to where the filly pointed. Both of their mouths dropped open. At first the screen was of a grisly human with a dangerous looking pole of metal attacking some creature. After a moment the screen flickered and changed what it depicted. The screen now showed a very familiar image to the both Twilight and Apple Bloom. It was of a red stallion with a tussled brown mane, and a large cloven apple for a cutie mark. However, it wasn't how Twilight remembered it, the mark was now instead painted across metal plating on his side. Memories ceased being of use there.

It was Apple Macintosh though, or Big Mac.

The unfamiliarities about him were more numerous, among them was the rictous snarl adorning his face, as well as the other creature prone beneath him. Two large blades protruded from his fore legs and buried into it's chest. What was obviously blood splattered across the large glowing wall panel itself, periodically. Twilight heard Octavia vomit beside her. Several disgusted sounds came from behind them, but she ignored it. Queasiness for the lavender mare was withheld only by the sheer shock of what she was seeing before her. Twilight's expression became eerily relaxed after only a moment as she focused on reading the sign, absorbing every detail of it.

THIS FURIOUS FRIDAY ONLY : COME TO THE COSMOS COLOSSEUM FOR THE BLOOD BATH OF THE DECADE-

There was more, but it wasn't anything specific—just random meaningless advertisements and boasts. Twilight's breath quickened in a rage and her mind's thoughts raced. Dots connected in her as Twilight again recalled the strange nonsensical articles from on the information screen. Gladiators . . . A Colosseum . . . Fighting . . . They were forcing their own and other aliens to fight. It was beyond barbaric, it was sickening. Again Twilight thought of Discord, even his mind wouldn't come up with something so vile. The screen changed again, this time to a human proudly standing over what looked like a large shattered machine. Octavia was nudging her side she realized distantly, eventually it stopped. Soon the image flickered again and it was back to the first that she had seen. It must just repeat she thought.

Twilight could no longer stand to watch the screen regardless. She made a disgusted sound and looked away to the ground. Apple Bloom was sitting beside her she realized and Octavia was trying her best to look as though she were just standing there waiting. "We're rescuing Big Macintosh girls." Stunned the both looked up at her sudden return to them. The olive filly managed a weak smile while opening her mouth to say something, but it fell again into a defeated expression with nothing said. She looked down at the sidewalk they stood upon instead her brow creased.

Octavia took a tentative step towards Twilight and whispered just loud enough to be heard over the nearby crowd. "Twilight, are you sure we can? Your condition as well surely you don't thi-" Twilight's lips twitched to an unintended pout, but the rest of her face became the scowl she wanted. Beneath it she was fighting back tears, the pout was all that escaped of it. What she really wanted to do was fly into a hysteria and cackle madly, or talk to herself and pace. However, the student of Princess Celestia had learned from, and had been getting some . . . help for those urges, from the Alicorn. More than that, it wouldn't help their current situation, and it would frighten Octavia and terrify Apple Bloom. The scowl would have to do.

"We are rescuing him Octavia, I swear on the sun, moon and princesses themselves that we are." She lowered her voice to match Octavia's previous whisper. "The fight is this Friday, we can't wait. He could be killed Octavia, Big Mac isn't a fighter, not like . . . not like these humans." The grey mare's features drooped further and further as Twilight continued. "We have to rescue him. We will, and we'll all get to safety. Eventually we'll find all of the others to and then we'll find a way home." Twilight absorbed her own words and she could feel the reinforcing effect they had on herself that she saw in the other two ponies in front of her. She smiled at them, trying to give them warmth and strength. It seemed her own resolve was infectious after all—they met her gaze with a determined glint of their own in their faces.

"Ye-yeah, we'll show those stupid, smelly, no good humans who's boss!" She jumped and grinned up at the mares, even with tears still smudging her face's coat. They all, however, looked up in time to catch the raised eyebrow of one man walking just next to them on the sidewalk. Apple Bloom glanced around herself sheepishly, cringing from the stern looks that Octavia and Twilight set her with. "Oops, sorry . . ."

Twilight sighed in time with her black maned friend. Looking around herself she thought again of their safety here in the open. The humans didn't seem to think they were anything out of the ordinary, but they were getting a lot of stares. Discretion was definitely still called for she decided.

"Well, in any case let's head back to the alley, it's a point of reference and we need to get our bearings still. . . If we're really okay to be out here," She had raise her voice but decided to pause as one very noisy air... thing, slid through the air over their heads. Apple Bloom gazed at it wide eyed, the thing was close enough to whip their manes in it's under current. "ahem. Then we should be able to ask directions to this Cosmos Colosseum. . . We may even be able to sneak in pretending that we belong there." Octavia pinched her eyes shut as she looked back down from staring up at the stretching under ground city scape above them.

"Please don't tell me that you're actually thinking about doing what I think you just suggested Twilight, please." Her face became pleading, and Apple Bloom's confused. The filly scratched her head, then stopped and grimaced at her filth caked hoof.

"I am suggesting exactly that, Octavia. We're going to enter the Colosseum... as Gladiators."

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Manendorf

Manendorf #1 · Feb 18th, 2013 · · ·

I guess regular sport got boring after thousands of years so they go back to the roman eras entertainment and upgrade it
Using creature or people they abducted turning them to cyborgs and then letting them duke it out in the Colosseum

Also i see the human government still keeps everything important from the public like i don't know the bug invasion

Our Legacy, Their Story. - MerlosTheMad

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