> The Maretrix OC
>  by Violet Runner
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	A phone rang repeatedly before someone finally picked it up.

"Yeah." A male voice asked.

"Is everything in place?" A female voice asked in response.

"You weren't supposed to relieve me." The first voice said a little annoyed.

"I know, but I felt like taking your shift." The second voice said.

"You like him, don't you? You like watching him."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"We're going to kill him, do you understand that?"

"Crescent Sliver believes he is The One."

"Do you?"

"It doesn't matter what I believe."

"You don't, do you?"

"Did you hear that?" The female voice asked hearing a small clicking noise.

"Hear what?"

"Are you sure this line is clean?"

"Yeah, 'course I'm sure."

"I'd better go."

A woman with dark green hair hunge up a phone. Outside the room she was in, several police officers advance towards the door with flashlights and guns.

"Freeze, Police. Hands on your head. Do it. Do it now." A cop shouted kicking down the door.

Slowly she put her hands on her head as more police entered the room. Outside a black car with tinted windows pulled up beside the other police cars. Two Government Agents stepped out of the car, wearing dark suits and sunglasses.

"Lieutenant..." One of the Agents said walking up to the guy in charge.

"Oh shit..." The Police Lieutenant said looking at the two Agents

"You were given specific orders..." The Agent said in a stern voice.

"Hey, I'm just doing my job. You give me that juris- suck my-dick-tion crap, you can cram it up your ass." The cop said dismissively.

"The orders...were for your protection." The other agent said.

"*Laugh* I think we can handle one little girl...I sent two units...they're bringing her down now." He said showing he was better then the Agent.

"No Lieutenant, your men are already dead..." The first Agent said.





A Cop holding handcuffs was getting ready to put them on the green haired women, who was standing with her back to him, and her hands on her head. Suddenly she spun round, kicking him to the ground, she grabbed his gun and beat up the rest of the officers.

"Crescent! The line was traced, I don't know how." She said frantically, picking up the phone sitting on the desk.

"I know, they cut the hard line. There's no time, you're going to have to get to another exit." Crescent said from the other end.

"Are there any agents?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Celestia dammit."

"You have to focus, Hawkeye. There's a phone at Wells and Lake. You can make it."


"*Sigh* All right." Hawkeye said looking around.

"Go!"

Hawkeye dropped the phone and burst out of the room, just as the second Agent entered the hall, leading another unit of police. She raced to the opposite end, exiting through a broken window onto the fire escape. She looked down, and saw the first Agent below, staring at her. She climbed the fire escape all the way to the roof. Once on the roof, Hawkeye started running as the second Agent arrived after her, leading the group of cops in pursuit.

Hawkeye began to jump from one roof to the other, in one fluid motion, in comparison to the wild jumps of the cops. The second Agent, however, had the same unnatural grace. They then reached a huge gap between two buildings, which Hawkeye jumped with no problem.

"That's impossible!" One of the cops said watching her.

They stare as the first Agent duplicated the move exactly, following her onto the next roof. She quickly hid behind a chimney, as he looked around the rooftop, searching for her. Not far off, she saw a window, and made a dash for it. She dived through the window, rolled down the stairs inside, and managed to land without to much damage.

"Get up Hawkeye. Just get up. Get up!" She said trying to motivate herself.

Hawkeye emerged from an alleyway, and at the end of the block, she saw a telephone booth. As she watched, the phone began to ring. As it rang, a truck pulled up in front of it, it's headlights pointing towards the phone. She suddenly ran for the phone box, racing the truck. It almost managed to crush the phone booth, just as she answered the phone. She put her hand out to the glass of the booth, just as the truck hit it. The first Agent inspected the wreckage and saw that there was no body.

"She got out." The second Agent said disappointedly.

"It doesn't matter." The first Agent said dismissively.

"The informant is real?" A third Agent asked joining them.

"Yes..." The first Agent said calmly.

"We have the name of their next target.." The third Agent said turning to face the first Agent.

"The name is Violet..." The second Agent said doing the same.

"We'll need a search running.." The first Agent said.

"It has already begun." The third one said happily.





A young man in his early 20’s was asleep at his computer, with his headphones on. His cheap 3 year out of date computer was running a search on a man named Crescent Sliver. Suddenly the screen went blank as the words 'Wake up, Violet.' appeared. He sat up, and stared at his computer screen.

“What?” He asked himself looking at it.

'The Maretrix has you...' Then appeared on the computer. 

“What the hell?”

'Follow the white rabbit...'

“Follow the white rabbit?” He said confused.

He pressed the 'esc' key repeatedly, to no effect. The computer then came up with one more message appeared.

'Knock knock, Violet.'

There was a loud knock at his door, making him jump. He stared at the door and then back at his computer screen to find it blank.

“.....Who is it?” He called out.

“It's Deep.” A voice said from the other side.

“Yeah...yeah...you're two hours late.” Violet said opening the door a little.

“I know, it's her fault.” Deep Darkness, a buff dark skinned man with black hair said gesturing towards Solo Gamer, a slightly dark skinned women with half green half dark green hair.

“You got the money?” He asked.

“Two grand.” Solo said showing him the money.

“Hold on.” Violet said going back into his apartment, shutting the door. He opened a book with a hole cut in it, took out a Flash Drive, and went back to the door, handing the Flash Drive to Deep.

“Hallelujah a completed version of Fighting Is Magic. You're my savior, man. My own personal Jesus Christ.” Deep said kissing the Flash Drive.  

“You get caught playing that...” Violet began.

“Yeah, I know. This never happened, you don't exist.” He said holding a hand up defensively.

“Right.” Violet said rubbing his face.

“Something wrong, man? You look a little whiter than usual.” The black haired man said a little concerned.

“My computer.... it... you ever have that feeling where you don't know if you're awake or still dreaming?” He asked.

“Mm, all the time. Its called Mescaline, it's the only way to fly.” Deep said smiling a bit. “Hey, it sounds to me like you need to unplug, man.  You know, get some R and R. What do you think Solo? Should we take him with us?”

“*Looks Violet up and down* Definitely.” She said smiling a bit as well. 

“No, I can't, I got work tomorrow.” Violet said scratching his chin.

“Come on, it'll be fun.” Solo said looking Violet up and down again “I promise.” She said seductively.

Violet then noticed Solo had a tattoo of Angel Bunny on her shoulder.

“Yeah, sure, I'll go.” He said not taking his eyes off the tattoo.

Violet, Deep and Solo arrived at a club a few minutes later. Violet was standing next to a wall, doing nothing when Hawkeye walked up to him.

“Hello Violet.” She said.

“How do you know that name?” He asked looking at her.

“I know a lot about you.” The green haired woman said.

“Who are you?” Violet asked confused.

“My name is Hawkeye."

“Hawkeye... The Hawkeye? The one that broke into Hasbro’s headquarters and stole that manuscript for an unreleased episode of MLP?” He asked astonished.

“That was a long time ago.” She said thinking back.

“Jesus!” Violet said amazed.

“What?” She asked.

”I just thought, well, um...you were a dude.” He said a little embarrassed.

“Most guys do.” Hawkeye said.

“That was you on my computer. How did you do that?” He asked wanting to get some answers.

“Never mind, right now all I can tell you is that you're in danger. I brought you here to warn you.” She said getting serious.

“What about?” Violet asked a little worriedly.

“They're watching you, Violet.” Hawkeye said warningly.

“Who is?” He asked looking around and seeing no one.

“Please, just listen. I know why you're here, Violet. I know what you've been doing. I know why you hardly sleep, and why night after night you sit at your computer. You're looking for him. I know, because I was once looking for the same thing. And when he found me, he told me I wasn't really looking for him, I was looking for an answer. It's the question that drives us, Violet. It's the question that brought you here. You know the question, just as I did...” Hawkeye said still in a serious tone.

“What is the Maretrix?” He said more as a statement then a question.

“The answer is out there, Violet. It's looking for you...and it will find you...if you want it to....” She said before leaving.
> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Violet woke up late in the morning and looked at his alarm clock.

“Oh shit. Oh shit shit shit!” He said seeing that he was late for work.





Violet walked into the gaming company he work for and was immediately called to the boss’s office.

“You have a problem with authority, Mr. Anderson.” His boss, Mrs. Hirai said looking at him. “You believe that you are special, that somehow the rules do not apply to you. Obviously you are mistaken. This company is one of the top gaming companies in the world because every single employee understands that they are part of a whole. Thus if an employee has a problem, the company has a problem. The time has come to make a choice, Mr. Anderson. Either you choose to be at your desk, on time, from this day forward or you choose to find yourself another job. Do I make myself perfectly clear?”

“Yes Mrs. Hirai, perfectly clear.” Violet said nodding.

“Good. Now get to work.” She said sternly. 

Violet nodded and left her office and went to his cubical and got to work programming the next big game. As he was sitting at his computer a FED-EX delivery guy interrupted him.

“Robert Anderson?” The deliveryman asked him. 

“Yeah, that's me.” Violet said looking up from the computer. 

“Just sign here...” He said handing him a clip board.

Violet signed the paper and handed it back to him.

“Ok, that's great. Have a nice day!” The deliveryman said handing him a small package and walking away.

He opened the package and inside was a new I-Phone. As soon as he picked it up, it rang. He jumped a little, before answering it.

“Hello...?” Violet asked a little confused.

“Hello, Violet. Do you know who this is?” The voice on the other end asked.

“Crescent Sliver?” He asked.

“Yes...I've been looking for you, Violet. I don't know if you're ready to see what I want to show you, but unfortunately you and I have run out of time.” Crescent Sliver said disappointedly. “They're coming for you, Violet, and I don't know what they're going to do.”  He said warningly.

“Who's coming for me?” Violet asked worriedly.

“Stand up and see for yourself.”

“What, now?” He asked in a hushed voice.

“Yes, right now. Do it slowly. The elevator...” Crescent Sliver instructed.

Violet slowly stood up and looked over the partition. At the elevator, he could see two Government Agents leading a group of cops. A female employee turned and pointed out Violet’s cubicle. 

“Oh shit.” He said quickly ducking.

“Yes.”

“What the hell do they want from me?” Violet asked Crescent Sliver.

“I don't know, but if you don't want to find out, I suggest you get out of there.”

“How?” He asked panicking.

“I can guide you, but you must do exactly as I say.” Crescent said trying to calm him down.

“Okay...” Violet said taking a deep breath.

“The cubicle across from you is empty.”

“What if they....”” He began but was interrupted.

“Go, now.” Crescent instructed.

Violet lunged across the hall, diving into the other cubicle just as the Agents turned into his row. He hid right behind the thin half wall.

“Stay here for just a moment. When I tell you, go to the end of the row, to the office at the end of the hall. Stay as low as you can...Go, now!”

Violet crouched slightly as he ran to the door, he opened it, went in and quickly shut the door.

“Now,” Crescent Sliver continued. “Outside there is a scaffold.”

“How do you know all this?” Violet asked still confused as to what was going on.

“We don't have time, Violet. To your left there is a window. Go to it....open it. You can use the scaffold to get to the roof.”

“No way! No way! This is crazy!” He said a little scared for his life.

“There are two ways out of this building. One is that scaffold, the other is in their custody. You take a chance either way. I leave it to you.” Crescent Sliver said hanging up.

Violet opened the window and looked out.

“This is insane! Why is this happening to me? What did I do?!” He asked into the phone but there was no answer.

He climbed out the window onto the ledge. Hanging onto the frame, he stepped onto the small ledge. The wind suddenly blasted up the face of the building, knocking Violet off balance. Recoiling, he clung harder to the frame, and the I-Phone fell out of his hand. He watched as it was swallowed by the distance beneath him.

“This is insane. I can't do this. Forget it!” Violet said climbing back into the office, just as the cops opened the door.





The Agents took Violet, handcuffed, out of the building and into their car. Hawkeye, who was sitting on a motorbike in front of the car, watched them in her rear view mirror.

“Shit!” She said before driving off.





Violet was sitting at a table by himself in a small room. The door opened and the Agents that brought him in entered. One of the Agent sat down across from him with a folder in front of him.

“As you can see, we've had our eye on you for some time now, Mr. Anderson. It seems you have been living two lives. In one life, you're Robert J. Anderson, animator for a respectable gaming company...you have a social security number, you pay your taxes, and you... Steampunk LARP in the park every other weekend.” The Agent said stifling a laugh. “The other life is lived in Ponies, where you go by the Brony alias 'Violet Runner', and are guilty of half of the computer crime we have a law for.” He said reading the file. “One of these lives has a future....the other does not...I'm going to be as forthcoming as I can, Mr. Anderson. You're here because we need your help. We know that you've been contacted by a certain individual, a man who calls himself... Crescent Sliver. Now whatever you think you know about this man is irrelevant. He is considered by many authorities to be the most dangerous man alive. My colleagues believe that I am wasting my time with you, but I believe you wish to do the right thing. We're willing to wipe the slate clean, give you a fresh start, and all that we're asking in return is your co-operation in bringing a known terrorist to justice.”

“Yeah...Wow, that sounds like a really good deal.” Violet said scratching his chin in thought. “But I think I got a better one. How about...I give you the finger...” He said doing so. “...And you give me my phone call.”

“*glares* Mr. Anderson, you disappoint me.” The Agent said sighing.

“You can't scare me with this Chekists crap. I know my rights. I want my phone call.” Violet said a little angrily.

“And tell me, Mr. Anderson, what good is a phone call...if you are unable to speak.” He said smiling.

The question unnerved Violet and strangely, he began to feel the muscles in his jaw tighten. The standing Agents snickered, watching Violet's confusion grow into panic. Violet felt his lips grow soft and sticky as they slowly sealed shut, melding into each other until all trace of his mouth were gone. Wild with fear, he lunged for the door but the Agents restrained him, holding him down on the table.

“You're going to help us, Mr. Anderson, whether you like it or not.” The Agent said nodding to the others who ripped open his shirt.

The Agent removed a long, fibre-optic wiretap from a case taken out of his suit pocket. Violet struggled helplessly as the Agent dangled the wire over his exposed abdomen. Horrified, he watched as the electronic device animated, become an organic creature that resembled a hybrid of a changeling and a fluke worm. Thin, whisker-like tendrils reach out and probed into Violet's navel. He bucked wildly as the Agent dropped the creature, which looked for a moment like an uncut umbilical cord - Before it began to burrow, its tail thrashing as it wormed its way inside him.
>  Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Violet woke up on his bed, in his apartment, screaming and sweating. He put his hand to his mouth, and found it perfectly normal. The phone beside his bed rang causing him to jump and he picked it up cautiously.

".......Hello....?" He asked nervously.

"This line is tapped, so I must be brief." Crescent Sliver said from the other end. "They got to you first, but they underestimated how important you are... If they knew what I know, you would probably be dead."

"What are you talking about? What’s happening to me?" Violet asked confused and a little angry.

"You are The One, Violet. You see, you may have spent the last few years of your life looking for me, but I've spent my entire life looking for you. Now do you still want to meet?" Crescent asked.

".....Yes...." He said after a moment.

"Then go to the Adam's Street Bridge."

Violet hanged up and did as he was told. As he was waiting under the bridge it started to rain. A black car pulled up and the door opened to reveal Hawkeye.

“Get in.” She said, making room for him.

Violet got in the car and Solo turned around from the front passenger seat and pointed a gun at him.

“What the hell is this?” Violet asked, putting his hands up.

“It's necessary, Violet. For our protection.” Hawkeye said, nodding to the driver to start driving.

“From what?” He asked still confused as to what’s going on.

“From you...” She said in a slightly calming tone.

“Take off your shirt.” Solo ordered.

“What?” Violet asked, looking at her.

“Stop the car.” She said, tuning to the driver and the car stopped in the middle of a three-way intersection. “Listen to me, Twinkle Butt. We don't have time for twenty questions. Right now, there's only one rule: Our way or the highway.”

“Fine...” Violet said, starting to get out of the car only to be stopped by Hawkeye.

“Please Violet, you have to trust me.” She said almost pleading.

“Why?” He asked, looking at her.

“Because you have been down there, Violet.” She said, gesturing to the road they were parked in front of, which looked eerily similar to the road described in My Little Dashie. “You know that road. You know exactly where it ends. And I know that's not where you want to be...”

Violet looked at the road, sighed and slowly got back into the car and Hawkeye looked at the man in the driver’s seat.

“Deep, lights.” She said before he turned off all the lights in the car. “Lie back, lift up your shirt.” She said, turning back to Violet and pulling up a weird device.

“What is that thing?” Violet asked, looking at the device in her hand.

“We think you're bugged....Try and relax...” Hawkeye said, looking at the display on the device well holding and pressing it against his abdomen. “Come on...come on...” She said, talking to herself as she attempted to remove the bug from him.

“It's on the move....you're going to lose it...” Solo said, leaning over to get a better look.

“No I'm not...” She said, pressing a few buttons on the device. “Clear.” She said pressing a button that sent an electrical shock through Violets body.

“Jesus Christ, that thing's real??!!” Violet asked, shocked as the bug was sucked from his body into the jar attached to the device she was using.

Hawkeye then throw the tube out of the window onto the street as they took off down the street. The 'bug' turned back into a mechanical object as it's red 'eyes' faded before finally going out.

A few minutes later they arrived at an old abandoned hotel and Hawkeye took Violet up to the top floor and to a pear of closed double doors.

“This is it…” She said turning to face him. “Let me give you one piece of advice. Be honest. He knows more than you can imagine.”

Violet opened the doors and walked in to see a tanned white haired man staring out of the window.

“At last we meet.” He said turning around and smiling at Violet. “Welcome, Violet. As you no doubt have guessed, I am Crescent Sliver."

“It's an honor to meet you.” Violet said extending his hand.

“No, the honor is mine” Crescent said shaking it. “...Please, have a seat.” He said sitting in an armchair, Violet doing the same. “I imagine that right now you're feeling a bit like Alice... Tumbling down the rabbit hole?” He said seeing the confused look on Violets face. 

“You....could say that.” Violet said still a little confused.

“I can see it in your eyes. You have the look of a man who accepts what he sees, because he is expecting to wake up.” The white haired man said with a bit of laugh. “Ironically, this is not far from the truth.... Do you believe in fate, Violet?” Crescent asked seriously.

“No.” Violet said flatly.

“Why?” He asked.

“Because I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my own life.” He said.

“I know...exactly what you mean.” Crescent said happily. “Let me tell you why you're here. You're here because you know something. What you know, you can't explain. But you can feel it. You've felt ever since you became a Brony. That there's something wrong with this world. You don't know what it is, but it's there...like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I'm talking about?” He asked.

“The Maretrix?” Violet said as more of a statement then a question.

“Do you want to know…what…it…is?” Crescent Sliver asked looking at him. Violet nodded yes, ready to finally get some answers. “The Maretrix is everywhere.” He said gesturing to everything in the room. “It's all around us, even in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work, when you go to the park, when you pay your taxes. The Maretrix is the world that has been pulled over your eyes, to blind you from the truth.”

“What truth?” Violet asked leaning forward a bit.

“That you are a slave, Violet.” Crescent said also leaning forward. “Like everyone else, you were born into bondage, born into a prison that you can not smell or taste or touch. A prison...for your mind.... Unfortunately,” He said sitting back in his chair. “No one can be...told what the Maretrix is...you have to see it for yourself.” 	Crescent Sliver then pulled out and opened a container from his coat and put the contents into his hands before leaning forward again “This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back.....You take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and believe...whatever you want to believe." He said opening one of his hands. "You take the red pill...you stay in wonderland...and I show you just how deep the rabbit hole goes.” Violet reached forward but paused for an instant when Crescent spoke up again. “Remember...all I'm offering you is the truth, nothing more.” He said. 

Violet then reached for the red pill. Taking it he swallowed it down with a glass of water, and looked at Crescent Sliver, who was half smiling at him.

“Follow me.....” Crescent said getting up. They walk through another set of double doors into a room with computer terminals and other machines. “Deep, are we online?” He asked Deep Darkness, who was typing away on a computer.

“Almost...” He said looking up for just a second.

Hawkeye and a few other people were also busy with a complex system of monitors, modules and drives.

“Time is always against us. Please, take a seat there.” Crescent said leading Violet over to an old dentist’s chair.

Violet cautiously sat down, still looking at all the computer terminals and wires.

“You did all this?” Violet asked Hawkeye, who was standing near him.

“Uh huh.” She said connecting a couple of wires to one of the computers.

“The pill you took is part of a tracing spell. It’s designed to disrupt your magic input/output carrier signal so we can pinpoint your location.” Crescent Sliver explained.

“What does that mean?” He asked confused.

“It means, buckle your seat belt Dorothy...'cause Kansas...is going bye-bye.” A guy with shiny slicked back black hair said looking up from his computer terminal.

“We decided to with Alice In Wonderland this time B.A.” Crescent said looking up from what he was doing.

“Well it would have been nice if you told me that earlier. Making me waist my one liners.” B.A. said grumbling to himself.

As Violet looked at an old cracked dressing mirror nearby, it appeared to show his image twice. As he stared at it, it started to fix its self.

“Did you....?” Violet asked looking at Crescent.

“Have you ever had a dream, Violet, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference, between the dream world...and the real world....?” He asked Violet ignoring his question.

Violet curiously reached out and touched the mirror. It wobbled, and appears to stick to his hand.

“This can't be....” Violet said pulling back a bit and a strand of thin rubber like cement came with his hand .

“Be what? Be real?” Crescent said finishing his sentence.

When Violet pulled away, the fragile wisps of mirror broke, and only a tiny fragment of the liquid was left. He looked at it, and it began to consume his hand. He squirmed as it started crawling up his arm.

“It's going into replication!” Hawkeye said warningly.

“Deep?” Crescent asked looking at him.

“Still nothing...” Deep Darkness said frustratedly. 

The liquid had now covered Violet’s entire right arm and was working it's way up his shoulder to his neck.

“It's cold!! It's cold!” He said freaking out.

“Mixer, we're going to need a signal soon.” Crescent said taking out a Black Berry and talking to someone one on the other end.

Violet began to seriously panic, as he tipped his head up as if he was sinking into the mirror, trying to keep his mouth up.

“We've got a fibrillation!” Hawkeye said looking at Crescent.

“Deep! Location!” Crescent said looking over at the buff dark skinned man.

“Targeting, almost there!” He said typing away at a keyboard. 

By now Violet was almost totally consumed by the liquid, squirming as it works it way up his face.

“He's going into arrest!” Hawkeye said warningly.

“LOCK, I got him!” Deep said triumphantly. 

“Now, Mixer! Now!” Crescent said into his phone.

The mirror liquid poured down Violet’s throat, as he screamed, and his vision got swallowed by total darkness.
> Chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Violet opened his eyes to find himself in a small pool filled with a green gelatin-like liquid. As he struggled to get out, air bubbles formed in the gelatin. As he pressed up, the surface distended, stretching like a green rubber like bubble. Unable to breathe, he fought to be able stand, and eventually ruptured the surface, creating a hole, which he used to gasp for air. Tearing himself free, he emerged from the green liquid. Dizzy and unable to stand properly, he waited for his vision to focus. When his vision finally became clear Violet saw that he was standing in a green horizontal cocoon filled with green gelatin, the surface of which had solidified like curdled milk. 

Looking at himself he saw that he had hooves, was covered in short tan fur and had what looked like black wires or cables sticking out from different parts of his body. He felt the weight of two other cables, one on the back of his head and one on his forehead. He reached around to the back of his head where he found what felt like an enormous coaxial cable plugged and locked into the base of his skull. He tried to pull it out, but couldn't get a grip with his hooves. Giving up he looked around his surroundings and saw other cocoons filled with green gelatin-like liquid; beneath the wax-like surface, were other pale and motionless, equine beings. Fanning out in a circle he saw that there are even more of them. All of which connected to a central core, each cocoon attached to a thick black stem. Looking up he saw, level after, level, as the stem seemed to rise forever. He moved to the foot of the cocoon and looked out. Towers of glowing petals spiral up to incomprehensible heights, disappearing down into a dim murk like an underwater abyss.


All of a sudden a Changeling dropped directly in front of him. He swallowed his scream as it stared at him. The Changeling then sent out a green energy beam from it’s horn directly at Violet. He wriggled in pain as the energy beam seemed to expose the nervous system wired to the coaxial cable at his cerebral cortex. At the back of the neck, the “cable” pulled itself free, a long clear needle and cerebrum-chip slid from the interior of Violet's skull with an ooze of blood and spinal fluid. The other “cable” on his forehead also came free and he saw that is was in fact some type of tentacle. The smaller tentacles on his body snap free and snaked away as the back of the unit opened and a tremendous vacuum, sucked the gelatin and Violet along with it into a black hole.





Violet fell, sliding down a tube, screaming his lungs out. He eventually fell out of the end of the pipe, into a body of water. Because he was not used to his new equine body he began to drown. Just as he was about to lose conciseness, he was suddenly snatched up by a machine. The metallic cable then lifted him up into a flying machine of some sort.

The metal harness opened and drooped the half-conscious Violet onto the floor. Equine hooves and legs help him up as he found himself looking straight at Ponies that resemble Crescent Sliver, Hawkeye and Deep Darkness, along with others he doesn't recognize. The one that looked like Crescent Silver smiled at him.

“Welcome to the real world....” Crescent Sliver said quietly to Violet right before he passed out.





As he drifted in and out of conscious, Violet heard Crescent and Hawkeye talking in hushed voices.

“...We've done it, Hawkeye...we've found him.” Crescent said happily.

“I hope you're right...” Hawkeye said a little sceptically.   

“I don't have to hope. I know it.” Crescent said reassuringly. 

Violet woke up on an operating table and looked at the ponies standing over him.

“....Am I dead?” He asked, squinting in the light.

“Far from it...” Crescent said, looking down at him before he passed out again.





Violet woke up again some time later. He saw his equine body pierced with dozens of acupuncture-like needles wired to a strange device.

“He still needs a lot of work.” A Pegasus with light brown coat, short cropped black mane with a silver stripe down the middle said.

“What are you doing?” Violet asked weakly.

“Your muscles have atrophied, we're rebuilding them.” Crescent Sliver said turning to look at him.

“Why do my eyes hurt?” He asked blinking.

“You've never used them before.” The black unicorn said getting a confused look from him. “Rest, Violet, the answers are coming.” He said, as he passes out again.





Violet woke up to find himself lying on a bed in a small room. He began to examine himself finding that he was indeed a pony. He saw a futuristic IV plugged into a jack in his foreleg. He tried to grab it but failed as he had no hands to grab it with. He then saw a part of it lying on the bed and put a hoof on it and pulled his other leg away pulling the IV out.  He felt a slight weight on his forehead and lifted a hoof to find a horn coming out of his skull. Just as he’s about to touch it, A Black Unicorn with a white mane and tail and a tiny sliver of a new crescent moon Cutie Mark opened the door and walked in.

“Crescent Sliver? What's happened to me?” He asked looking at the black unicorn.

“More important than what is where.” Crescent said sitting down.

“Where?” Violet asked confused.

“You believe that we are somewhere in North America, when in fact we are in Equestria. I can't tell you exactly were we are, because we honestly don't know. There's nothing I can say that will explain it for you, Violet... But if you come with me, you can see for yourself.” Crescent Sliver said getting up.

Because he wasn't use to using hooves yet, Violet followed Crescent rather unsteadily through the door.

“This is my ship, The Lunar Dream....” Crescent said gesturing around him. “It's an Airship.” He explained as they walked throw the halls. “This is the main deck...This is the core, where we emit our pirate signal, and...tap into the Maretrix.”

They enter a room where the other ponies Violet had met are all standing, or sitting at computer terminals.

“Most of my crew, you already know.” He said to Violet as he looked around. Hawkeye nodded and smiled at him when their gazes met. “This is Hawkeye, Deep Darkness, Solo Gamer, and Bad Apple.” Crescent said reintroducing them.

Hawkeye was a brown earth pony with a dark green mane and tail with a Cutie Mark of red cross-hairs with a bird of prey in it. Deep Darkness was a black pegasus with a black mane and tail with a white streak in it and 5 stars for a Cutie Mark. Solo Gamer was a light gray earth pony mare with a green and dark green mane and tail and had a cutie mark that looked like an Atari 2600 controller. Bad Apple was a warm caramel coloured earth pony with a shiny black main and red apple with a wedge cut out in the front for a Cutie Mark. 

“Hi. Call me B.A. Everypony else does.” Bad Apple said with a smile.

“The ones you don't know, Mixer, and his big brother, Crisp ...The little one behind you is Divergent Breeze.” Crescent said with a sigh.

Mixer was a cobalt blue unicorn with a brown mane and tail and a Cutie Mark of a vial, possibly crossed with a crystal. Crisp was a light brown pegasus with short cropped black mane and tail with a silver stripe down the middle and a Bass Clef turned slightly with an eighth note inside for a Cutie Mark. Divergent Breeze was a pale yellow pegasus with a light brown mane and tail, and a cog with a wrench and a thunderbolt crossed in the centre Cutie Mark. Divergent smiled at Violet and waved slightly shyly, but backed away when Crescent Sliver looked at him. 

“You wanted to know...what the Maretrix is, Violet?” He asked turning back to him. Violet nodded unsteadily and Crescent turned to face Hawkeye. “Hawkeye...” Crescent said giving her a silent order.

Hawkeye approached Violet, and helped him into an armchair, strapping in his feet, and leaning his head back against the headrest.

“Try to relax...this will feel....a little weird the first time.” Crescent said getting into another one.

As Hawkeye guided a Tentacle up to the back of his neck, Violet screamed and made a few other disturbing noises as it latched onto his skull.





When he opened his eyes, he was standing in a totally white place and he was Human again and noticed he was wearing Steampunk-like clothing. As Violet spun around a bit, trying to see what was going on, Crescent Sliver appeared in front of him.

“This is the construct. It’s our Hivemind and I guess you could say it's like loading program. We can load anything from clothing, to equipment, weapons, training simulations, anything we need.” Crescent explained. 

“Right now....we're inside a Hivemind?” Violet asked having a hard time getting a grasp of it.

“Is it really so hard to believe? Your clothes are different. Your horn is gone. Your human again.” Crescent said pointing out the things that had changed.

Violet put a hand to his head and touched his forehead comforting the horn was gone.

“Your appearance now is what we call residual self image. It is the mental projection...of how you see yourself.” He said as two chairs appear in front of them, and Violet reached out to touch one and ran his hand along its back.

“This....this isn't real?” Violet asked, still trying to comprehend what was going on.

“What is real?” Crescent asked looking at him. “How do you define real? If you're talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.” He said as a small plasma screen television appeared in front of the two chairs. 

As Violet sat down in the chair beside Crescent, the white haired man picked up a television remote and turned it on. The TV showed an image of a city with people and cars going about their daily business. 

“This is the world that you know. The world as it was described in fantasy books. It exists now only as part of a neural-interactive Hivemind, that we call The Maretrix.” Crescent said turning to Violet. “You've been living in a dream world, Violet. This...” He said changing the channel “Is the Real world, Equestria as it exists today.”

The sky was an endless sea of black and green bile. The earth was scorched and split like burnt flesh. The image then spread out beneath them startling Violet.

“Welcome.....to the desert of the real...We have only bits and pieces of information, but what we know for certain is that at some point after the Crystal Empire returned all of Equestria was united in celebration. But that all changed when They attacked...” Crescent started to explain confusing Violet a little. “...The Swarm.”

“The Swarm…you mean The Changelings?” Violet said looking at Crescent astonished.

“Shortly after the Crystal Empire returned, the Changelings replaced Chrysalis with a new Queen. Under her command the changelings managed to invade and take over the Crystal Empire. Thou nopony knows exactly what happened, after Celestia and Luna went to deal with the Changeling Queen, the sky fell into chaos, with the sun and moon being in the sky at the same time. After that it was only a matter of time before all of Equestria and the other kingdoms fell.” Crescent said sighing. Violet stared at him, with his mouth open still trying to take it all in. “There are fields...endless fields, were Equines and other beings are no longer born. They are grown.” He said as their surroundings changed to show what he was talking about. “For the longest time, I wouldn't believe it...and then I saw the fields with my own eyes. Watch them liquefy the dead, so they could be fed intravenously to the living. And standing there, facing the pure horrifying precision, I came to realize the obviousness of the truth. What is The Maretrix? Control. The Maretrix is a Hivemind generated dream world, combined with a type of sentient plant found in the Everfree Forest, built to keep us under control in order to change an Equine being into this.” Crescent said holding up a burger to Violet.

“No....I don't believe it!! It's not possible. The Elements…” Violet said beginning to panic.

“I didn't say it would be easy, Violet. I just said it would be the truth.” The white haired man said, trying to calm him down but failing.

“Noooo!! Stop!! Let me out!! I want out!!” Violet yelled panicking.





Violet’s eyes snap open and he thrashed against the chair, trying to rip the tentacle from the back of his neck.

“Easy, Violet. Easy...” Hawkeye said trying to calm him down.

“Take this thing off me!! Take this thing…” He yelled angrily.

“Listen to me...” Crescent Sliver said getting out his chair and also trying to calm him down.

“Don't touch me! Stay away from me! I don't want it, I don't believe it!!” He said trying to get out of the chair.

“He's gonna pop.” Bad Apple said rolling his eyes.

Violet finally got out the chair, and, staggered about the room a bit, eventually falling onto the ground.

“Breathe, Violet. Just breathe...” Crescent said still trying to calm him down.

Violet then through up on the floor before passing out.
> Chapter 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Violet woke up in his room. He looked over and saw Crescent Sliver sitting beside him.

"I can't go back, can I?" Violet said, sitting up slowly and looking at him.

"No. But if you could, would you really want to?" Crescent asked.

Violet wasn't sure, so he decided not to say anything.

"I feel I owe you an apology." He continued. "We have a rule...we never free a mind once it reaches a certain age. It's dangerous, and the mind has trouble letting go. I've seen it before, and I'm sorry. I did what I did, because...I had to." Intrigued, Violet nodded for him to keep going, listening intently. “When the Maretrix was first built, there was a man born inside who had the ability to change whatever he wanted, to remake the Maretrix as he saw fit. It was he who freed the first of us, taught us the truth: 'As long as the Maretrix exists, the Equestrian races will never be free.' After he died, the Oracle prophesied his return and that his coming would hail the destruction of the Maretrix, end the war, and bring freedom to the ponies of Equestria. That's why there are those of us who have spent our entire lives searching the Maretrix, looking for him. I did what I did because... I believe that search is over." Crescent said standing up. "Get some rest… you're going to need it."

"For what?" Violet asked.

"Your training." He said, leaving the room and shutting the door.

Tired, Violet lay down and went back to sleep.





The next morning, Violet woke up and decided to walk around his room a little to get use to his Equine body. Mixer came in after a while, and smiled at him.

“Morning! Did you sleep?” The blue unicorn asked.

“Not much...” Violet said, shaking his head.

“You will tonight, I guarantee it! I'm Mixer, the ship’s operator.” Mixer said, extending his hoof.

Violet shook his hoof and noticed that his foreleg was free of any holes left by the tentacles.

“You don't... you don't have any...” Violet began, still looking at his foreleg.

“Holes?”  He said, finishing Violet’s sentence. “Nope. Me and my brother Crisp, we're both one hundred percent pure, old fashioned, home-grown pony, born free! Right here, in the real world. Genuine child of New Canterlot.” Mixer said happily

“New Canterlot?” He asked a little confused.

“If the war was over tomorrow, New Canterlot's where the party would be.” The brown-maned pony explained.

“It's a city?” Violet said amazed.

“The last city in Equestria. The only place we have left.” Mixer said a little sadly.

“Where is it?” He asked.

“Deep underground, near the planet's core, where the temperature is still consistent. You live long enough, you might even see it!” Mixer said smiling. “Goddamn, I...I gotta tell you, I'm fairly excited to see what you're capable of. If Crescent Sliver is right and all... we're not supposed to talk about this, but if you are... damn, it's a very exciting time. We got a lot to do, let’s get to it.”

Mixer led Violet to the main deck, helped him into one of the chairs and attached the tentacle.

“Now, we're supposed to start with these operation spells that we’ve managed to break down into computer code then transferred to you, but that's major boring shit. Let's start with something a little more fun... combat training.” Mixer said smiling as he sat down in his operator's chair, flipping through several cartridges with his magic. He finally picked one, and put it into his computer.

“Jujitsu? I'm going to learn...Jujitsu?” Violet asked.

Smiling, Mixer pressed the 'Load' button and Violet's body jumped against the harness as his eyes clamped shut. The monitors kicked wildly as his heart pounded, adrenaline surged, and his brain sizzled. An instant later his eyes snap back open.

“Holy shit!” The tan unicorn said, astonished.

“By Luna, I think he likes it! How about some more?” Mixer said, smiling at him.

“Hell yeah… oh yeah.” Violet said excitedly.

A few hours later, Crescent Sliver walked in as Mixer was blinking, trying to keep his eyes in focus.

“How is he?” The Black Unicorn asked.

“Ten hours straight... he's a machine!” Mixer said tiredly.

Violet's training finished, and he opened his eyes, gasping for air.

“I know...Kung Fu!” Violet said blinking.

“Show me...” Crescent said, getting in the chair next to him and nodding to Mixer.





They both appeared in a very sparse Japanese-style dojo that looked like one of the stages he put into Fighting Is Magic back in the Maretrix.

“This is a sparring program, similar to the augmented reality of the Maretrix. It has the same basic rules, rules like gravity. What you must learn is that because it is made using magic... some of them can be bent. Others... can be broken. Understand?” Crescent asked.

Violet thought about it for a second, and nodded, getting the gust of it.

“Then hit me... if you can.” He said going into a fighting stance.

Violet took a similar stance, and cautiously circled Crescent. Seeing an opening he shorted a war cry and launched a furious attack. They moved at high speed, fists and feet striking from every angle as Violet pressed his attack, but each blow was blocked effortlessly. Crescent then punched Violet and knocked him over.

“Good. Adaptation... improvisation… but your weakness is not your technique.” Crescent said helping him up.





While their minds battled in the augmented reality, the two bodies appeared quite serene, suspended in the drive chairs. Mixer and Divergent Breeze monitored their life systems noticing that Violet's was wildly and chaotically lit up as opposed to the slow and steady rhythm of Crescent’s. Everyone was sitting in another room when Divergent busted in.

“Crescent’s fighting Violet!” He shouted.

At hearing this, they all bolted for the door to go and watch.





Violet's fighting was gradually improving, and he almost managed to beat Crescent, when he suddenly grabbed him and hurled Violet across the room, and he fell. Violet lay on the floor groaning a bit as Crescent casually walked up to him.

“How did I beat you...?” He asked looking down at him.

“You... you're too fast...” Violet said panting.

“Do you believe that me being stronger or faster has anything to do with my muscles in this place?” Crescent asked as Violet just looked at him and Crescent stared back. “You think that's air you're breathing now?” He said as Violet started to get it. “Hmm. Again!” The white haired man said, as Violet got up again.

Their fists flew with pneumatic speed.





Back in the real world everyone was gathered behind Mixer and Divergent, watching the fight. Violet was much faster now, matching Crescent’s speed and blocking all his attempts to hit him.

“Celestia, he's fast! Take a look at his neural kinetics, they're way above normal!" Divergent said, well everyone else was just staring at the screen.





Crescent Sliver and Violet stopped fighting for a second.

“What are you waiting for?! You're faster than this. Don't think you are... know you are...” Crescent said before they began fighting again. “Come on! Stop trying to hit me and hit me!” He said trying to get Violet to improve.

Violet kept on getting faster, and Crescent had to continue to work harder in order to block his attacks.





The crew continued to watch them fight, with increasing admiration for Violet.

“I don't believe it...” Divergent Breeze said as he watched Violet.





Violet had Crescent pinned against the wall, his fist just inches from his face.

“I know what you're trying to do…” Violet said backing off.

“I'm trying to free your mind, Violet...but I can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through it... Mixer!” He said looking up. “Load the jump program.”

Violet straightened up as the dojo dissolved away like a curtain lifting, leaving the two now standing on a rooftop in a city skyline. Crescent turned to Violet, his long coat flapping in the wind.

“You have to let it all go, Violet. Fear... doubt...and disbelief. Free your mind...” Crescent said as he spun around and ran hard at the edge of the rooftop.

When he reached the edge of the roof, he jumped and sailed through the air, his coat billowing out behind him like a cape. He did a somersault and landed on the rooftop across the street.

“Wow.” Violet said as he watched him.

Violet looked down at the street twenty floors below, then at Crescent Silver, an impossible fifty feet away.

“Oki doki loki” He said taking a deep breath. “Free my mind... no problem.”





On the main deck, the crew was transfixed looking at the screen.

“So what if he makes it?” Divergent asked not taking his eyes off the screen.

“No one's ever made the first jump...” Mixer said silently hopping he does.

“I know, I know... but what if he does?” He asked anxiously.

“He won't.” Deep said shaking his head.

“Come on…” The pale yellow Pegasus said, shaking in anticipation.

“Come on...” Hawkeye said quietly to herself not taking her eyes of the screen.





Violet took one last deep breath and turned to face the building where Crescent Silver was waiting.

“All right, no problem... free my mind. Free my mind… alright.” He said concentrating before finally running towards the edge.

Summoning every ounce of strength in his legs, Violet launched himself into the air in a single maniacal shriek, but came up short only making it half way. His eyes widened as he plummeted, story after story flew by, the ground rushing up to him. As he hit the ground it gave way, stretching like a trapeze net before sending him flying again. He landed flat on his back laughing a bit, unsure of what he expected exactly wiping the wind-blown tears from his face, as Crescent exited the building and helped him to his feet.





Inside The Lunar Dream, the crew felt kind of let down by Violet.

“Wha... what does this mean?” Divergent Breeze asked looking around.

“It doesn't mean anything...” Solo said sighing.

“Everypony falls the first time. Right Hawk?” B.A. asked turning to see she had already left.

Violet's eyes opened as Mixer eased the tentacle off. He tried to move and groaned, cradling his ribs. While Mixer helped Crescent, Violet spit blood onto his hoof.

“I thought it wasn't real.” He groaned looking at the blood.

“Your mind makes it real...” Crescent said rubbing his forehead.

“So if you're killed in the Maretrix...you die here?” He asked getting out of the chair

“The body cannot live without the mind.” Crescent said also getting out of his chair.

Violet blinked a couple of times before going back to his room and going to sleep.
> Chapter 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Hawkeye went into Violet’s room to bring him his food. She saw that he was passed out on the bed and slid the tray off her back, onto a small table and pulled the blanket over him. She paused when her face was close to his. She inhaled lightly, breathing in his scent, before slowly pulling away. She then walked out the door, closing it quietly.

“I don't remember you ever bringing me dinner...” Bad Apple said leaning against a wall with his hooves crossed. “There is something about him, isn't there?”

“Don't tell me you're a believer now...” Hawkeye said looking at him.

“I just keep wondering… if Crescent is so sure, why doesn't he take him to see the Oracle?” He asked, stretching a bit.

“Crescent will take him...when he's ready.” She said walking away.

Bad Apple just smiled to himself as he watched Hawkeye before he went back to his own room.





Crescent Sliver and Violet walked down a busy street, full of people going to work. Crescent casually walked through them, but Violet kept on being hit or shoved aside.

“The Maretrix is a system, Violet.” Crescent Sliver began as they walked. “That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around. What do you see? Business people, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system, and that makes them our enemy.”

At that moment a woman wearing a bright red dress and bright red lipstick walked by, and Violet couldn't help but stare.

“You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it. Were you listening to me, Violet?” He asked turning around. “Or were you looking at the woman in the red dress?”

“I was...” Violet stuttered trying to recall what Crescent had just said.

“Look again.” Crescent said, nodding behind Violet.

Violet turned around, to see that the woman in the red dress has turned into an Agent, and was pointing a gun at his head. Violet ducked, covering his head with his hands.

“Freeze it.” He said looking up.

All the people and animals around them froze in place as Crescent walked up to Violet.

“This… this isn't the Maretrix?” Violet asked looking around.

“No. It's another program, designed to teach you one thing: If you are not one of us, you are one of them.” The white haired man said gesturing to the Agent.

“What are they?” He asked, looking at the frozen Agent.

“Changelings but in the Maretrix we call them Agents.” Crescent explained. “They can move in and out of the Maretrix and can make themselves look like anypony still plugged to their Hivemind. That means that anyone we haven't unplugged is potentially an Agent. Inside the Maretrix, they are everypony and they are no pony. We have survived by hiding from them...and by running from them. But they are the gatekeepers. They are guarding all the doors, they are holding all the keys, which means that sooner or later... Somepony is going to have to fight them.”

“Somepony.” The brown heard man said, knowing that he meant him.

“I won't lie to you, Violet.” Crescent sighed. “Every single man or woman who has stood their ground, everypony who has fought an agent has died. But where they have failed, you will succeed.”

“Why?” Violet asked puzzled.

“I've seen an Agent punch through a concrete wall. Men have emptied entire clips at them, and hit nothing but air.” He said, sighing at the memories of his fallen allies. “Yet their strength and their speed, are still based on a world built on rules. Because of that, they will never be as strong, or as fast, as you can be.”

“What are you trying to tell me? That I can...dodge bullets?” He asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“No, Violet.” Crescent said with a laugh. “I'm trying to tell you, that when you're ready... you won't have to....” At that moment, his cell phone went off and He picked it up. “Yes?”

“We've got trouble.” Mixer said from the other end.





They both come out of the program, and move to the cockpit of the airship.

“Did Canterlot send a warning?” Crescent asked.

“No, another ship.” Crisp said, as the rest of the crew arrived and sat down. “Shit... Wasps sweeping in quick.” He said looking a holographic image of 4 bee-like creatures.

“...Wasps?" Violet asked confused.

“A Changeling sentinel. A magic powered machine the Changelings designed for one thing.” Hawkeye explained.

“Search...and destroy.” Crisp finished.

“Set her down right over there....” Crescent said, pointing to a half-destroyed wall. “How are we doing, Mixer?” He asked once they landed.

“Power offline...CMP armed and ready...” Mixer said, putting his hoof over a big red button.

“CMP?” The tan Unicorn asked, looking at Mixer.

“Concentrated Magic Pulse. Disables any magical system within the blast radius. It's the only weapon we have against the Changelings.” Hawkeye explained.

“Where are we?” He asked looking around.

“These are old Diamond Dog tunnels.” She said, turning to face him.

“Diamond Dogs?” He said surprised.

“They used to be underground cities that spanned for hundreds of miles. Now these tunnels are all that's left.” The dark green manned mare explained.

“Quiet!” Crescent ordered as the sentinels arrived.

Mechanical insect like creatures flew towards their ship. One opened up a long cable-like extensions and swirled it about. It then moved on in the other direction, with the rest following. The crew all sighed in relief before going back to what they were doing.





Unable to sleep, Violet got up and went to the main deck to see Bad Apple, who was sitting monitoring the Maretrix on a couple of monitors. Violet quietly approached him.

“Whoa, Violet! You scared the bejeezus outta me.” B.A. said when he realizes he was there, jumping a bit.

“Sorry…” Violet said tiredly.

“It's okay.” The caramel colored earth pony said, turning back to the monitors.

“Is that...” The unicorn asked, being cut off by a yawn.

“The Maretrix?” B.A. finished. “Yeah.”

“Do you always look at it encoded?” Violet asked, looking at the monitors, which were displaying different lines of code.

“Well, you have to. The image translator spell works for the construct. But there's way too many minds to decode the Maretrix.” He explained. “You get used to it...I, I don't even see the code. All I see is...blond, brunette, redhead...” Bad Apple said gestures towards the monitors and laughing at his small joke. “Hey, you uh...you want a drink?” He asked, pulling up a large jug and putting it on a small table next to the monitors.

“Sure.” Violet said nodding.

B.A. poured Violet a drink from the large jug into a make ship cup and he took it in his telekinetic grip.

“You know, I know what you're thinking, because right now I'm thinking the same thing. Actually, I've been thinking it ever since I got here....Why, oh why, didn't I take the blue pill.” B.A. said shaking his head.

Violet took a sip of his drink and almost chocked on it, as Bad Apple laughed at him a bit.

“Good shit, huh? Crisp makes it. It's good for two things: degreasing engines, and killin’ brain cells.” He said cannon balling the jug.

“Oh!” Violet said trying to breathe.

“So...can I ask you something? Did he tell you why he did it?” The earth pony asked once Violet’s breath was back to normal. Violet nodded coughing one last time and B.A. whistled. “Jee-zus! What a mind job...So, you're here to save the world...what do you say to something like that?!” Bad Apple said with a chuckle. “A little piece of advice… you see an Agent, you do what we do. Run... run your ass off.”

“Thanks for the drink...” Violet said swallows down the last mouthful before heading back to his room.

“Sweet dreams...” He called after him, before turning back to the monitors.





An Agent was sitting across from someone in a restaurant watching him eat.

“So we have a deal, Mr. Williams?” The Agent asked.

“Please, call me B.A.” Bad Apple said, eating some bacon. “You know, I know this bacon doesn't exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the Maretrix is telling my brain that it is crispy... and delicious.” He sighed. “After nine years, you know what I realize?” The man with slicked back hair said, putting the bacon into his mouth, and sighing as he chewed it with his eyes closed. “Ignorance is bliss.”

“Then we have a deal?” The Agent asked watching him eat.

“I don't want to remember nothing. No-thing. You understand?” He said making sure the Agent got it. “And I wanna be rich… you know, someone important. Like an actor.”

“Whatever you want... B.A…” The Agent said in a monotone voice.

“Okay. I get my body back into a power plant, re-insert me into the Maretrix, I'll get you what you want.” Bad Apple said fishing the bacon.

“The Access codes to New Canterlot’s mainframe…” He began but got interrupted.

“No, I told you, I don't know them.” The black haired man said cutting the Agent off. “But, I can get you the man who does.”

“Crescent Sliver.” The Agent said with a smile on his face.
> Chapter 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Violet sat down at a table in the ships mess hall for breakfast.

“Here you go, buddy. Breakfast of champions.” Mixer said putting a bowl of disgusting looking goop down in front of Violet, who just stared at it.

“You know, if you close your eyes, it almost feels like you're eating runny eggs.” Divergent Breeze said eating some of it.

“Yeah, or a bowl of snot.” Deep Darkness said pulling the spoon out of the bowl and putting it back in.

“You know what it really reminds me of?” He asked looking around. “Tasty Wheat. Did you ever eat Tasty Wheat?”

“No, but technically, neither did you.” Solo Gamer said looking up from her food.

“That's exactly my point. Exactly. Because you have to wonder now, because the changelings feed off love, how did they really know what Tasty Wheat tasted like, huh? Maybe they got it wrong. Maybe what I think what Tasty Wheat actually tasted like oatmeal, or tuna fish.” The pale yellow Pegasus said flaring his wings out a bit. “That makes you wonder about a lot of things. You take chicken for example, because most of Equestria was herbivorous, maybe they couldn't figure out what to make chicken taste like, which is why chicken tastes like everything. Maybe they couldn't...” He began to rant but was interrupted.

“Shut it Divergent!” Deep said annoyed.

“It's a single celled protein combined with synthetic aminos, vitamins, and minerals. Everything the Equine body needs.” Crisp explained, ending the desiccation.

“It doesn't have everything the body needs.” Divergent said wiggling his eyebrows a little.

Violet looked back down at his breakfast, levitating his spoon to his mouth and eating some of it. A few minutes later Crescent walked in.

“Crisp, when you're done, bring the ship up to broadcast depth, we're going in. I'm taking Violet to see her.” Crescent said from the door.

“See who?” Violet asked looking up at him.

“The Oracle....” Mixer said almost dropping his spoon.





Everyone got into their chairs, and plugged in, as Mixer set everything up for them.

“Everypony please observe, the fasten seat belt and no smoking signs have been turned on. Sit back...and enjoy your ride...” Mixer said initiating the transfer.





They appeared in a room in an abandoned Hotel, next to a ringing phone. Crescent picked it up.

“We're in... we'll be back in an hour.” The white haired man said before hanging up.

They all walked out of the building, leaving Solo, Deep and Divergent to guard the place. As they headed towards a black car, Bad Apple dropped a cell phone into a trash bin as it began to ring. They got into the car and Crescent began to drive them to their destination. At a red light, he turned around to look at Violet, who was sitting in the back seat with Hawkeye.

“Unbelievable....isn't it?” He said noticing Violet was looking out the window.

“God...” Violet said as they were passing by a small plaza.

"What?” Hawkeye asked turning to look at him.

“I used to eat there....really good noodles.” He said pointing to a restaurant. “I have these memories from my life…none of them happened. What does that mean?” He asked after thinking about it.

“That the Maretrix can’t tell you who you are.” She said looking where he was pointing.

“But an Oracle can?” Violet asked raising an eyebrow.

“That's different.” The green haired woman said leaning back.

“Did you go to her?” He asked.

“Yes.” She said looking away from him.

“What did she tell you?”

“She told me...” She began, smiling a little.

“What?” He asked confused.

Just before Hawkeye could answer, Crescent stopped the car.

“We're here. Violet, come with me.” Crescent said as they got out of the car.

They walked into a sketchy apartment building, and into an elevator. Violet couldn’t help but notice that the elevator music sounded like Discord by Euro Beat.

“So is this the same Oracle that made the prophecy?” Violet asked as they sat in the elevator.

“Yes. She's been with us since the beginning.” Crescent confirmed.

“The beginning?” The Brown haired man asked.

“Of the Resistance.” He explained.

“And she knows, what, everything?”

“She would say she knows enough.” The White Haired man said with a laugh.

“And she's never wrong?” Violet asked astonished.

“Try not to think of it in terms of right and wrong...” Crescent said as they got out the elevator, and started to walk down the hall. “She is a guide, Violet. She can help you to find the path.”

“She helped you?” He asked, as they turned a corner.

“Yes.”

“What did she tell you?” Violet asked.

“That I would find The One.” Crescent said grinning.

They finally arrive at the door to the Oracle's apartment and Violet waited for Crescent to open the door.

“I told you, I can only show you the door. You're the one who has to walk through it.” Crescent said, referring back to when they were sparing.

Violet put his hand on the door handle and was just about to open it, when a dark skinned woman opened the door, and smiled at him.

“Hello, Violet. You're right on time...” She said, leading him and Crescent inside. “Make yourself at home, Crescent Sliver.”

Crescent stayed by the door as the dark skinned woman led Violet into a living room.

“These are the other potentials...you can wait here.” She said before leaving.

Violet looked around the room, and saw he was the only adult there. Most of the children's heads were shaved. Some were playing, well others were meditating, or practicing their gift. Violet watched in amazement, as a little girl with blue eyes, and brown hair levitated a couple of wooden alphabet blocks. He turned around, and saw a small boy sitting on the floor, holding a spoon, which swayed and twist as he bends it with his mind. Violet crossed over to him, and sat in front of him, interested. The boy looked at Violet as he picked up a spoon and tried to imitate his actions. Despite his best efforts, Violet couldn't make it bend.

“Do not try to bend the spoon...that's impossible.” The boy said. “Instead only try to realize the truth...”

“What truth?” Violet asked confused.

“There is no spoon.” He said mater-of-factly.

“There is no spoon?” He said looking at it.

“Then you will see, it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.”

Violet looked at the spoon once more and this time he is able to bend it with his mind. It bent, curled round, and bent again. He laughed fascinated. Just then, the dark skinned woman walked up behind him.

“The Oracle will see you now.” The dark skinned woman said startling him.

Violet lost his concentration and the spoon stayed bent. He smiled at the small boy and got up. He walked into the kitchen and a woman with red hair was huddled beside the oven, peering inside through the cracked door.

“I know, you're Violet. Be right with you...” The woman said as Violet looked around the room.

“Lauren Faust! You're the Oracle?!” He asked amassed.

“Bingo...” Lauren said turning round to face him. “Not quite what you were expecting, right? All most done! Smell good, don't they?” She said, turning back to the oven.

“Yeah.” Violet said smiling politely and nodding.

“I'd ask you to sit down...but you're not going to anyway. And don't worry about the lamp.” The Oracle said sitting down.

“What Lamp? *crash*” Violet asked before knocking over a lamp sitting on the counter.

“That Lamp.” She said stifling a laugh.

“I'm sorry.” He said looking at the broken pieces.

“I said don't worry about it.” The red haired woman said dismissively. “I'll get one of the kids to fix it.”

“How...how did you know?” He said looking between the broken lamp and Lauren.

“Ohhh.” She said smiling. “What’s really going to bake your noodle later on is, would you still have broken it if I hadn't said anything...” The Oracle said getting up walking up to him. “You're cuter than I thought...I can see why she likes you...”

“Who?” The Brown haired man asked confused.

“Not too bright though. So what do you think, do you think you're the One?” She grinned at him.

“I don't know, I honestly don't know.” He said with a sigh.

The Oracle pointed to the top of her door, where something is written in Latin.

“Nosce te ipsum. You know what that means? It's Latin. Means 'Know Thyself'... I'm going to let you in on a little secret...Being the One is just like being in love. No one can tell you you're in love, you just know it. Through and through. Balls to bones. Well, I'd better have a look at you.” She said holding onto the side of his face with her hands. “Open your mouth, say 'Ahhh!'”

“Ahhh.” Violet said as Lauren Faust inspected him.

“Okay. Now I'm supposed to say…'Hmm, that's interesting', but then you say...” Lauren said letting go of his face.

“But...what?” Violet asked.

“But you already know what I'm going to tell you.” She said backing up a bit.

“I'm not The One.....” He said, sort of disappointed.

“Sorry, kid. You got the gift, but it looks like you're waiting for something...” The Oracle said sitting down.

“What?”

“Your next life maybe, who knows? That's the way these things go.” Lauren said getting up and pulling the cookies out of the oven to cool.

“Crescent...he, he almost had me convinced...” Violet said, laughing in an ironic manner.

“Poor Crescent...without him...we're lost.” She said, putting a plate of cookies on the table and sitting back down.

“What do you mean, without him?” He asked confused.

“Are you sure you want to hear this?” The Oracle asked, to which Violet nodded. “Crescent believes in you, Violet. And no one, not even you, not even me, can convince him otherwise. He believes it so blindly, that he's going to sacrifice his life, to save yours.”

“What??!” Violet said astounded.

“You're going to have to make a choice. In one hand, you'll have Crescent's life… and in the other hand, you'll have your own. One of you is going to die… which one...will be up to you...” Lauren said sighing a bit. Violet just stood there speechless with shock. “I'm sorry, kiddo, I really am. You have a good soul...and I hate giving good people bad news… Oh, don't worry about it...” She said trying to cheer him up. “As soon as you step outside that door, you'll start feeling better. You'll remember you don't believe in any of this fate crap...you're in control of your own life...remember?” The red haired woman said holding out the plate of cookies to Violet. “Here, take a cookie… I promise, by the time you're done eating it, you'll feel right as rain…”

Violet slowly reached out and took a cookie, then walked out the door and met Crescent back in the hall. He was about to tell him what Lauren told him when he was interrupted.

“What she said was for you, and you alone.” Crescent said putting his hand on Violet's shoulder and smiling at him.

They then went back to the car, and drove off.
> Chapter 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“They're on their way...” Mixer said to Solo Gamer, through his head set as he was preparing to bring everyone back. He looked at the monitors with the Maretrix code on them, when suddenly something on them jumped. “What is that?” He asked confused.





Back in the hotel, the group was on their way up the stairs back to the room. Violet looked over at a cat as it walked past a doorway. He was about to continue on his way when he turned around again, and an identical looking cat also walked by.

“Whoa, deja vu.” Violet said blinking a bit.

Everyone spun around to look at him, all with serious looks on their faces.

“What did you just say?” Hawkeye asked.

“Nothing, uh, just had a little deja vu.” He said dismissively.

“What did you see?” She asked a little worriedly.

“What happened?” B.A. asked.

“A silver tabby went past us...and then another that looked just like it.” Violet explained.

“How much like it, was it the same cat?” The Green haired woman asked.

“Might have been, I'm not sure.” He said shrugging.

“Solo, Deep!” Crescent said hurrying up the stairs.

“What is it?” The Brown haired man asked as everyone followed Crescent.

“A deja vu is usually a glitch in the Maretrix...it happens when they change something.” Hawkeye explained as they ran up the stairs.





“Sweet Celestia...” Mixer said when he realized what changed.





Divergent Breeze was sitting in a chair in one of the hotel rooms, looking at a picture of the woman in the red dress on his cell phone, when it rang and he picked it up.

“They cut the hard line; it's a trap, get out!!” Mixer said frantically.

Divergent scrambled to his feet, and went to a window. He opened the curtains only to find there is no window, only a solid brick wall.

“Oh no. Oh no…” He said getting scared.

He opened a chest, and grabbed some guns, just before a couple of Agents came in and shot him until he was dead. Meanwhile, after meeting up with Solo and Deep, Crescent also went to a window to find a brick wall there.

“That's what's changed, it's a trap, there's no way out!!” Bad Apple said frantically.

“Be calm.” Crescent said turning to Hawkeye. “Give me your phone…”

“They'll be able to track it.” She said handing it to him.

“We have no choice.” He said calling Mixer.

“Operator.” Mixer answered straight away, still upset from Divergent's death.

“Mixer, find a structural drawing of this building. Find it fast.” The White haired man said urgently.  

“Got it.” He said a minute later.

“I need the main wet wall.”  Crescent said looking around.





An Agent paused as he was about to make his way up the stairs with the other Agents.

“Eighth floor.” He said touching his earpiece.

“They're on the eighth floor...” One of the other Agents said to a police officer they were with.





Crescent and the others made their way through the halls of the hotel, being led by Mixer.

“Solo, straight ahead.” Crescent said, as they turned a corner and had her take the lead well he checked to see if they were being followed.

“Violet...” Deep said, handing him a gun. “I hope the Oracle gave you some good news...”

“Another left, that's it.” Mixer said, as they came to a room with a hole in the wall.

“Good.” The White haired man said, before Mixer hung up.





Cops flooded the eighth floor, while Violet and the others hid in the walls. One of the cops entered the room on the other side of the wall that Violet and the others were hiding behind. Violet suddenly lost his footing for a second causing dust to fall, and Deep started to cough. He tried to hold it in, but he couldn't hold it and let out a loud cough just as the cop was about to leave the room.

“They're in the walls! They're in the walls!” The cop yelled as he spun around.

The police started to shoot at the wall. Violet, who had never used a real gun before, tried to shoot it but flinched every time he fired a shot. An Agent took over the body of one of the cops, and reached through the wall and grabbed Violet by the neck.

“It's an Agent!” Bad Apple said, looking through a small hole in the wall.

With a small war cry, Crescent punched his head through the wall, freeing Violet from the Agent's grasp. He came out on the other side, and started to attack the Agent.

“Crescent!” Hawkeye shouted, knowing that there was no way he could survive.

“You must get Violet out! He's all that matters!” He said pinning the Agent.

“No! No, Crescent! Don't!” Violet said remembering what Lauren had told him.

“Hawkeye, go!” Crescent said as the Agent started to push him off.

“Go!” She yelled to everyone, as she began to shove people down the rest of the wall.

“We can't leave him!” He yelled, as Hawkeye tried to tear Violet away.

“We have to!” The Green haired woman said as she pulled him down.

They all went sliding down, and came out in a street outside. Cops began to surround them, as they drop smoke bombs, and one by one, went down a manhole. B.A. was the last to go, hesitating, as the cops aim their guns at him.

“B.A.! Come on!” Hawkeye said, watching him just stand there.
She eventually gave up and left him there as the smoke started to clear. She covered the manhole and went down the ladder.





The Agent stood up and turned to Crescent.

“The great Crescent Sliver...we meet at last.” The Agent said smiling.

“And you are?” Crescent asked getting into a fighting stance.

“Smith. Agent Smith.” He said, fixing his tie.

“You all look the same to me...” Crescent growled.

They begin to fight, but Agent Smith easily beats him, smashing him into the walls, until he was barely alive. He then nodded to the cops, who rush into the room.

“Take him...” Smith said brushing himself off.





Mixer felt horrible watching the whole thing happening on the monitors back on the Lunar Dream, and not being able to do a thing about it.

“No...” He said before getting an incoming call, and answered it. “Operator.”

“Yeah, I need an exit, fast!” B.A. said from the other side.

“B.A.?!” He asked astonished.





“Yeah! There was an accident! God damn, a car accident. All of a sudden, boom! Somebody up there still likes me.” Bad Apple said into a pay phone a few feet from the police van that had crashed into a nearby building.

“Gotcha.” Mixer said.

“Could you get me out of here, fast?!” The man with slicked back black hair asked looking around.





“They cut the hard line in the area, but there is one at the intersection of Franklin and Wells, in an old TV Radio repair shop.” Mixer said looking at a different monitor.

“Right.” B.A. said, hanging up the phone.





Violet, Hawkeye, Solo and Deep, walked down the street after getting out of the sewers. Hawkeye took out her phone and called Mixer.

“Mixer, it's me.” She said, not stopping.

“Is Crescent alive?” Violet asked worriedly.

“Mixer, is Crescent alive?” Hawkeye asked, looking at Violet.

“Yeah, and they're moving him. I don't know where to yet, but I'll find out.” Mixer said reassuringly.

“He's alive.” She said to, Violet before turning away again. “We need an exit.”

“You're not far from B.A.” The Unicorn said.

“B.A.?”

“Yeah, I know. He's at Franklin and Wells.” He explained.

“Got it.” Hawkeye said hanging up.
> Chapter 9
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Mixer helped Bad Apple get out, who grimaces as he comes back to the real word.

"Got him." Mixer said to himself, happy that one of his friends is alright.

"Where are they?" The caramel colored earth pony asked as he got himself out of the chair, walking towards Mixer and the controls.

"Making the call now." The Cobalt Unicorn said resetting everything to bring the others back.

"Good..." B.A. said as a small smile creeped across his face.





Violet and co. arrived at the repair shop just as the phone started to ring.

"You first, Violet." Hawkeye said as they gathered around the phone.





Back at the Lunar Dream, Bad Apple had gotten a knife and stabbed Mixer, who fell over onto the ground. Crisp then walked into the room and saw Mixer on the ground and B.A. with a bloody knife.

"Noooo!" He screamed putting two and two together and flying at the traitor.

However he was too slow as B.A ducked under Crisp, cutting him across the chest. Crisp then flew into a wall and fell to the floor dead. B.A. then sat down at the control panel, and put on the headset.





Violet went to lift the phone, when it suddenly cut off.

"I don't know, it just went dead." Violet said as Hawkeye looks at him.

Hawkeye got out her cell phone, and called the operator.

"Hello, Hawkeye..." B.A. said picking up.

"B.A.? Where's Mixer?"She asked confused.





Bad Apple walked over to her body and moves up close to her face.

"You know, for a long time, I thought I was...in love with you...I used to dream about you...you're a beautiful mare, Hawkeye. Too bad things had to turn out this way..." He said staring at her.





"You killed them!" The Green haired women said putting her had to her mouth.

"What?!" Deep Darkness said looking at her.





"I'm tired, Hawkeye. I'm tired of this war. I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of this ship, being cold, eating the same god damn goop every day. But most of all, I'm tired of that jack-off and all his bullshit." B.A. said  jumping on top of Crescent's body. "Well, surprise, ass-hole! I bet you never saw this coming, did ya? God, I wish I could be there, when they break you. I wish I could walk in just when it happens. So right then, you'd know it was me."

"You gave them Crescent Sliver...." Hawkeye said from the other end of the call.

"He lied to us, Hawkeye. He tricked us. If he'd have told us the truth, we woulda told him to shove that red pill right up his ass!" The Earth Pony said matter of factly.





"That's not true B.A., he set us free." She said as she paced around the room.

"Free? You call this, free? All I do is what he tells me to do. If I had to choose between that, and The Maretrix, well, I, I choose the Maretrix." Bad Apple said getting a little frustrated.

"The Maretrix isn't real!" Hawkeye said trying to reason with him.





"I disagree, Hawkeye. I think that the Maretrix can be more real than this world." He said as he walked over to Deep's body. "All I do is pull the plug here. But there, you have to watch Deep die." Bad Apple said as he reaches towards Deep's plug.





"Hawkeye..." Deep said looking at the sad look on her face as she looked at him.

B.A. pulled the plug, and Deep Darkness fell to the ground dead.

"No!" Solo Gamer yells as she runs to his body and starts crying.

"Welcome to the real world, huh baby?" B.A. said evilly. 

"But you're out, Bad Apple, you can't go back." Hawkeye explained.





"Oh no. That's what you think. They're going to reinsert my body. I go back to sleep, and when I wake up, I won't remember a god damn thing." He said as he moved over to Violets body. "But don't hate me Hawkeye...I'm just a messenger, and right now I'm gonna prove it to you. If Crescent was right, then there's no way I can pull this plug. I mean, if Violet's The One, then there'd have to be some kinda miracle to stop me. I mean...how can he be the One...if he's dead?" He said raping a hoof around the tentacle sticking out the back of Violet's head. "You never did answer me before, if you bought into Crescent's bullshit...come on! All I want is a little yes or a no! Look into his eyes, those big pretty eyes. Tell me...Yes. Or No?"





Hawkeye looked over at Violet, who was standing in the corner looking a bit lost.

"...Yes..." She whispered into the cell phone.





"NO!" B.A. said as he prepared to pull the plug.

However unknown to B.A., Mixer had seen his attack coming and managed to move enough so when he was stabbed he had missed anything vital, and had gotten up and charged a spell.

"I don't believe it!" He said looking at Mixer.

"Believe it or not, you piece of shit!" Mixer said firing his attack which hit B.A. right in the chest killing him





The cell phone went dead as Hawkeye turned to look at Violet, who doesn't know what's going on either. The phone started to ring again causing everyone to jump.

"You first..." Violet said before walking over to Solo to console her. 





Hawkeye picked up the phone, and woke up on the Lunar Dream. Mixer helped her up, as she noticed the large wound on his side.

"You're hurt..." The Brown Earth Pony said looking at the wound.

"I'll be alright." He said as she got out of the chair.

"Crisp?" She asked looking around.

Mixer shook his head, and Hawkeye gave him a sympathetic hug before he went to bring the others back.





Crescent Sliver was in an office on the top floor of a government building with 3 agents. He was handcuffed to the chair he was sitting on, and was being pumped full of serum, alternately shivering and sweating. He was also hooked up to various monitors with white disk electrodes.

"Have you ever stood and...stared at it? Marveled at its beauty? Billions of people, just...living out their lives...oblivious." Agent Smith said staring out the window. "Did you know that the first Maretrix was designed to be a perfect world? Where none suffered, where everyone would be... happy. It was a disaster. No one would accept it, entire crops were lost. Some believed that we lacked the capability to describe your perfect world...But I believe, that as a species, equine beings define their reality though chaos and order. Which is why the Maretrix was redesigned to this, the peak of Human civilization because they were said to be the most chaotic beings to ever walk the earth. Which is, of course, what this all about.... Evolution, Crescent, evolution...like the Humans...you had your time. The future is our world, Crescent, the future...is our time." He said as another Agent walked in.

"There could be a problem..." The Agent said as the others looked at him.
> Chapter 10
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	On board the Lunar Dream, Mixer, Violet and Hawkeye were standing over Crescent's body, looking at his life monitor well Solo Gamer went to rest in her room.

“What are they doing to him?” Violet asked looking at the fluctuating brain activity.

“Integrating his mind into their Hivemind. It's like hacking into a computer, all it takes is time..." Mixer said shaking his head.

“How much time?” He asked looking at a clock.

“Depends on the mind. Eventually, it will crack and his alpha patterns will change from this....” The blue Unicorn said changing the image. “To this... When it does, Crescent will tell them anything they want to know.”

“Well, what do they want?” Violet asked.

“The leaders of every ship are given codes to New Canterlot's mainframe computer. If an agent got the codes and got into Canterlot's mainframe...it could destroy us. We can't let that happen.” Mixer said looking down at Crescents body. “Hawkeye? Canterlot's more important than me, or you, or even Crescent.”

“Well there has to be something we can do…” The tan Unicorn said trying to think of a way to stop them from getting the codes.

“There is...” The ships operator said grimly. “...We pull the plug.”

“You're going to kill him? KILL Crescent?!” Hawkeye said worriedly.

“We don't have any other choice...” Mixer explained.





Back in the Maretrix, the Agents found out B.A. was dead when he didn’t check in with them.

“Never send a Pony to do a Changeling's job...” Smith said disappointedly.

“If indeed the insider has failed, they'll sever the connection as soon as possible, unless...” A second Agent said before being interrupted. 

“They're dead in either case...” Another Agent said looking over at Smith.

“We have no choice but to continue as planned, deploy the sentinels. Immediately.” Agent Smith said looking at the other two agents.





On the Lunar Dream, everyone was getting ready to pull Crescent's plug.

“Crescent, you're more than a leader to us, you're...a father. We'll miss you always....” Mixer said as he fired up his magic to pull his plug.

“Stop...” Violet said in a quiet voice. “Stop.” He said a bit loader, Hawkeye and mixer spun around to face him. “I don't believe this is happening!” Violet said astonished.

“Violet, this has to be done…” The cobalt blue Unicorn said as his horn powered down.

“Does it? I...I don't know! I...this can't be just coincidence. It can't be.” The tan Unicorn said shaking his head.

“What are you talking about?” Mixer asked confused.

“The...The Oracle, she told me this would happen. She told me that I would have to make a choice.” Violet explained.

“What choice?” Hawkeye asked as Violet walked away from them, towards one of the free chairs. “What are you doing?”

“I'm going in.” He said determinedly.

“No you're not.” The Green manned mare said looking at him like he was insane.

“I have to.” The tan Unicorn said turning to face her.

“Violet, Crescent sacrificed himself, so that he could get you out. There's no way that you're going back in.” Hawkeye said as he got onto the chair.

“Crescent did what he did because he believed I'm something I'm not.” Violet said strapping his legs in.

“What?!” The two other ponies in the room said at the same time.

“I'm not The One, Hawkeye. The Oracle hit me with that too.” He explained.

“No. You have to be.” Hawkeye said in a bit of denial. 

“I'm not, I'm sorry. I'm just another guy.” The tan Unicorn said lying back.

“No Violet, that's not true…it can't be true.” The Brown Earth Pony said sadly.

“Why?” Violet asked sitting up, but Hawkeye just looked away.

“Violet, this is crazy! They've got Crescent in a military controlled building. Even if you somehow got inside, those are agents holding him! Three of 'em! I want Crescent back too, but what you're talking about is suicide!” Mixer explained trying to get him to reconsider.

“I know that's what it looks like, but it's not. I can't explain to you why it's not. Crescent believed something, and he was ready to give his life for what he believed. I understand that now! That's why I have to go.” He said looking at his friends.

“Why?” The other Unicorn asked.

“Because I believe in something.” He said making everything was set up.

“What?” Hawkeye asked curiously.

“I believe I can bring him back...” Violet said wiring himself up, Hawkeye doing the same. “What are you doing?!”

“I'm going with you.” She said getting on her chair.

“No, you're not!” he said sitting up again.

“NO?” Hawkeye said turning to face him. “Let me tell you what I believe. I believe Crescent means more to me than he does to you. I believe that if you are really serious about saving him, you are going to need my help. And since I am the ranking officer on this ship, if you don't like it, I believe you can go to Tartarus. Because you're not going anywhere else. Mixer? Load us up.”





Back in the Maretrix Agent Smith was still questioning Crescent.

“I'd like to share a...revelation I had, during my time here.” Agent Smith said looking out the window again. “It came to me when I tried to...classify Humans as a species. I realized that they weren't actually mammals. You see, every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment but...the Humans did not. They moved to an area...and multiplied...until every natural resource was consumed. The only way they could survive was to…spread to another area. There is only one other organism on this planet apart from Changelings that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is?” He asked turning around and walking over to Crescent. “A virus. Human beings were a disease, a cancer of this planet...and we...were the cure.”
> Chapter 11
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Violet and Hawkeye were loaded into the construct program, wearing brown boots and trench coats and dark sunglasses. Violet got out his cell phone to talk to Mixer.

“'kay…so what do you need…?...Besides a miracle…” Mixer asked, as Violet thinks about it.

“Guns...lots of them.” Violet said as, hundreds of rows of assorted rifles appear, whooshing by him and Hawkeye as they stand in the centre. “The AK-47, the best there is. When you absolutely, positively got to kill every motherfucker in the room, accept no substitutes.” He said picking one up.

“Violet, no one has ever done anything like this.” Hawkeye said as she started to put an assortment of different guns into a large duffel bag as Violet turned to look at her, holding the assault rifle.

“That's why it's going to work.” The brown haired man said loading the rifle.





Agent Smith was back at the window of the office for the 50th time, staring out into the world.

“Why isn't the serum working?” Smith asked looking at one of the other Agents in the room.

“Perhaps we're asking the wrong questions...” The Agent said looking at Crescent who was currently leaning forward in the chair hanging his head.

“Leave me with him!” Agent Smith said to the other two Agents in the room, who look at each other surprised. “Now!” He said as they hurriedly left.





Back on the Lunar Dream Mixer was using his magic to mop Crescent’s forehead with a damp cloth and doing everything he could to keep him alive.

“Hold on, Morpheus...They're coming for you. They're coming.” Mixer said looking over at the monitor.





Agent Smith had removed his ear piece and grabbed Crescent's head with his hands and was staring into his eyes.

“Can you hear me, Crescent Sliver? I'm going to be honest with you...I hate this place, this...zoo, this...prison, this...reality…whatever you want to call it. I can't stand it any longer... It's the smell. If there is such a thing in this world... I feel...saturated by it. I can...taste, your stink. And every time I do, I feel I have somehow been...infected by it, it's repulsive. I must get out of here. I must get free...and in this mind...is the key.” Agent Smith ranted tapping Crescent's head. “My key...once New Canterlot is destroyed there is no need for me to be here, don't you understand? I need the codes…I have to get, inside Canterlot, and you have to tell me how. You are going to tell me, or...you are going to die...”

Meanwhile Violet and Hawkeye have walked into the lobby of the building, both of them carrying large duffle bags. Violet walked over to the man beside the metal detector. He put his bag through, then walked through himself as an alarm went off.

“Please remove any metallic items you are carrying, keys, loose change...” The Guard said trailing off when Violet opened his trench coat, showing his clothes were lined with guns. “Holy Shit!!!”

Violet and Hawkeye pull out a couple of their guns, and killed everyone in the room, but the last guard managed to send for backup before Hawkeye shot him. They moved into the main lobby of the building, dropping their empty guns and pulling out new ones. As they walk towards the elevator, a whole bunch of guards ran in, aiming their rifles at them.

“Freeze!!” One of the Guards shouted.

Violet and Hawkeye look at each other, then dart to opposite ends of the room, and within the space of 5 minutes, manage to wipe out every man in the room. They continue to walk to the elevator, without a word, pressed the button, and got in, leaving the main lobby literally in pieces, as pieces of the wall started to fall down.





The two other Agents walked back into the office where Agent Smith was 'questioning' Crescent.

“What were you doing?! One other Agents asked looking at Smith.

“He doesn't know...” The other one said noting Smiths ear peace was out.

“Know what?” Agent Smith asked plugging his earpiece back in, and looks at the other two Agents.

“I think they're trying to save you...” The first Agent said looking at Crescent who was barely aware of his situation.
> Chapter 12
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Once the elevator was half way up the building, Hawkeye opened up the bag she had been carrying, and wired a plastic explosive and napalm bomb together well Violet hit the emergency stop button before pulling down part of the false ceiling and opened the elevator shaft access panel. They both climbed out and ratcheted down a clamp onto the elevator cable. Both of them lock on, holding on to one another as Violet looked up the long, dark throat of the building and took a deep breath.

“There is no spoon...” He said whipping out a gun and shooting the cable, where it attached to the elevator.

The cable snapped causing the counter-weights to plummet, yanking Hawkeye and Violet up through the shaft as the elevator fell away beneath them, as they soared to the top. The elevator hit the bottom, and a massive explosion blew open the doors, and fire clouds engulfed the elevator section of the lobby.





The smoke alarm kicked in, and the water sprays turned on soaking the Agents and Crescent in the office.

“Find them and destroy them!” Agent Smith said angrily. 





Hawkeye and Violet were fighting the various soldiers and guards on top of the roof. Across the roof, a pilot sitting inside an army helicopter watched the ferocious onslaught.

“I repeat, we are under attack!” The pilot said before his whole body dissolves, consumed by a swarm of static and a loud buzzing noise fills the air as an Agent took over his body.

Just as Hawkeye killed the last soldier she turned to see the Agent step out of the helicopter behind Violet. Violet looked at her, and from the fear in her eyes knew what was behind him. He then whirled round, firing his guns at the Agent, each bullet missing as the Agent dodged them in a blur of motion.

“Trinity...!” Violet yelled as his guns emptied and the Agent loaded his own gun. “....help!”

The Agent fired his gun several times at Violet. As the bullets approach him time seemed to slow down and he was able to bend backwards, twisting and ducking just underneath them. The Agent fired again, as Violet bent impossibly back, with one hand on the ground. One of the bullets grazed his thigh, leaving a red groove causing him to scream and fall backwards.

“Only Mortal...” The Agent said. As Violet laid there, he aimed his gun at him one last time.

“Dodge this!” Hawkeye said sneaking up quietly behind the Agent, pointing her gun against his head before shooting him.

As the Agent fell backwards, he turned back into the pilot. Hawkeye reached out a hand, and helped Violet up, looking at him curiously.

“How did you do that?” She asked.

“Do what...?” Violet asked dusting himself off.

“You moved like they do...I've never seen anyone move that fast.” The green haired women explained

“Wasn't fast enough...” He said looking at the wound on his thigh. “Can you fly that thing?” Violet asked looking over at the helicopter.

“...Not yet.” Hawkeye said looking at it before taking out a cell phone, and calling Mixer.

“Operator.” Mixer said picking up.

“Mixer I need a learning program for a V-212 helicopter...Hurry!” Hawkeye said as she got in the pilots chair.

Mixer quickly found one, and loaded it in. Hawkeye's eyes flickered with REM for a few moments, as the information loaded into her mind and then snap open.

“Let’s go.” She said starting up the helicopter as Violet manned the gun.

Agent Smith was still in the office with the water still flooding the office when he starts to hear a sound, and suddenly realised the seriousness of the attack. He turned to the large window, as the helicopter came into view. Violet was in the Back Bay, aiming the mounted .50 machine gun, straight at him.

“NO....” Agent Smith said twisting his face into a grimace. 

Violet fired the machine gun, and bullets explode through the window in a cacophony of crashing glass, as the Agents reached for their weapons. However Violet was too close and the machine gun was too fast, with bullets perforating everywhere in the room. Agent Smith was hit first, his body fell back. Then the other two Agents, one of their guns still firing as his body fell.

“Crescent, get up! Get up, get up!” Violet said, staring at him, as if trying to will him into action.

“AHHHHHHH!” Crescent Silver yelled as he regained control and strained the handcuffs until they finally snapped in two.  He pulled the wires from his head, and stood up. He then looked towards Violet, and started to run towards the window.

However the Agents had take over the bodies of the guards that were outside the door, and knifed their way back into the room. They fired at Crescent as he reached the window, hitting his leg as he jumped for the Helicopter outside the window.

“He's not going to make it!” Violet said noticing his stumble. He then attached a long rope to himself and the helicopter and jumped from the helicopter, grabbing onto Crescent just before he began to fall, and held onto him as they fell until the rope ended and went taught. “Gotcha!” He said, keeping a hold on Crescent's arm.

Hawkeye began to pull the helicopter up and away from building, but Agent Smith had grabbed a gun from the nearest soldier, and fired at the helicopter hitting the fuel tank as the rear hull was punched full of holes.

“Shit!” Hawkeye said as the helicopter began to become harder to control as most of its systems began to lose power.

Violet was pulling Crescent up to him, when he heard the engine beginning to die. Hawkeye guided the helicopter towards the roof of the nearest building, as Violet dropped Crescent, safely on the roof. Violet soon followed, rolling free as the rope goes slack. He was about to detach himself, when he realised Hawkeye was still in helicopter.

“Oh not good!” Violet said as the helicopter began to fall. “Really should have thought this one throw.” He said as he swung the rope and it began to pull him fast along the roof.

Hawkeye got out her gun and shot the rope inside the helicopter causing it detach, grabbing onto it she swung out of the helicopter, held up by Violet, who was standing at the very edge of the building, almost falling off. He quickly swung her out of the way of the helicopter, as it crashed into the glass windows of the opposite building, creating a huge ripple as all the glass blew out, and Trinity just missed it, as the helicopter explodes into flames, and she banged into a lower window of the building Violet and Crescent are on.





“I knew it! He's the one...” Mixer said as he just stared at the monitor, his mouth agape as he watched everything unfold.





Violet pulled Hawkeye up into his arms. They both shake as they recovered from the shock of what nearly happened.

“Do you believe it now, Hawkeye?” Crescent asked looking at her.

“Crescent...The Oracle, she told me, I'm...” Violet said panting.

“She told you exactly what you needed to hear… that's all.” He said interrupting him. “Violet, sooner or later, you're going to realize, just as I did, that there's a difference between knowing the path... and walking the path...” Hawkeye then handed him her phone and he called Mixer.





“...Operator?” Mixer said answering the call nervously.

“Tank.” Crescent said on the other end.

“Luna damn, it's good to hear your voice sir!” The Cobalt Unicorn said excitedly.

“We need an exit...” Crescent said anxiously.

“Got one ready!” Mixer said having prepared one ahead of time. “Subway station, Sheppard Ave West.”





“Damn it!” Smith said as the agents exit the office and move onto the roof.

“The trace was completed...” The Agent on his left said putting his hand to his ear piece.

“We have their position.” The other Agent said doing the same.

“The sentinels are standing by…” The first agent said turning to Smith.

“Order the strike!” The second one said.

“They're not out yet...” Smith said looking down at the street.
> Chapter 13
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	A phone in a phone booth started to ring, just as Violet, Crescent, and Hawkeye arrive at the subway station.

“You first, Crescent.” Violet said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Crescent walked into the phone booth and picked up the phone. A moment later he disappeared as he put the phone to his ear and the phone dropped, dangling by its cord. An old homeless man who was lying on a bench nearby looked on in surprise as he watched Hawkeye put the phone back on the receiver. He then looked at the alcohol bottle he was holding before throwing it away. 

The phone started ringing again and Hawkeye was about to answer it, but suddenly stopped and turned to face Violet.

“Violet, I want to tell you something...but I'm afraid of what it would mean if I do...” Hawkeye said looking down as he looked at her. “Everything the Oracle has told me has come true. Everything but this.” She was about to say something else but changed her mind, and walked into the phone booth.

As she picked up the phone, she saw the old man had changed into Agent Smith and was aiming a gun at the phone box. She looked on in shock as she was pulled back into the real world, and just before Agent Smith shoot the phone booth severing the link.





“Violet!” Hawkeye said sitting up, as Mixer stared at her.

“What the hell just happened?” Mixer asked worried.

“An agent! You have to send me back!” She exclaimed laying back down.

“I can't!” Mixer said noting the link to that area was cut.





Violet stared at the exit of the subway station getting ready to run after seeing the line had been cut.

“Mr. Anderson! We meet again…” Smith said as he approached him, smirking.





“Run, Violet! Run!” Hawkeye said as she, Crescent and Mixer watched him on the monitors.





Violet looked back at the exit but suddenly spun around and stared straight at Agent Smith, with a focused look on his face.





“What is he doing?!” Hawkeye asked confused to why he was just standing there. 

“He's beginning to believe...” Crescent Sliver said half-smiling to himself.





Violet and Smith stood at opposite ends of the station. Violet took a deep breath, focusing. He clenched his hands into fists, before relaxing them, pushing his fingers outwards.

Suddenly they both lunged for their guns, firing, as they ran up the walls, and meet in the middle of the room, suspended in mid-air, as bullets flew all around them. They fell to the ground, their guns pointed at each other's heads.

“You're empty...” Agent Smith smiled.

“So are you!” Violet scowled at him.

They stay there for a moment, as Smith's smile faded as he clicked his gun and no bullets came. They both then stood up, throwing their guns away. Agent Smith then stated attacking Violet, his fists flying at furious speed as Violet managed to counter them moving at the same speed. He then managed to duck in time to miss being hit by Smith's fist as it slammed through the wall behind him. Violet then counter attacked with renewed strength, as he kicked the Agent's head hard, knocking his sunglasses off.

“I'm going to enjoy watching you die... Mr. Anderson!” Agent Smith said glaring at him, grimacing.

He then attacked Violet furiously, moving faster than before, punching him with incredible force and sending him flying across the room and into a wall.





“Jesus, he's killing him.” Hawkeye said, watching the whole thing. She then ripped up a piece of cloth, and dapped the blood coming from his mouth.





Violet lay on the floor, in pain as Agent Smith smiled to himself. Taking a deep breath Violet supported himself on his hands, and spit the blood in his mouth onto the ground, before getting up and turning round to face Smith. He then lunged forward attacking the Agent again, and for a while it seemed like he's going to win. But suddenly Agent Smith grabbed hold of him, lifting him into the air, and hurled him against the curved wall of the train tunnel, before he fell inches from the electrified rail. Smith jumped down beside Violet, who was lying on the rails, barely conscious. He then grabbed him by the neck and lifts him up, choking him as the sound of an on-coming train filled the station.

“Do you hear that, Mr. Anderson?” Smith asked referring to the train. “That…is the sound of inevitability... that is the sound of...your death. Goodbye...Mr. Anderson.”

“My name...” The brown haired man said as he managed to get enough air to speak. “Is…Violet Runner!”

With the last of his strength, he pushed Agent Smith up into the air with him, slamming him down onto the track. He looked at the on-coming train briefly before jumping up onto the edge of the platform, just in time to get out of the way of the train as the Agent is flattened.





Hawkeye smiled as this happens, but it was quickly wiped off her face, as Mixer turned around with a very worried expression on his face.

“What happened?” She asked looking at him

“I don't know. I lost him...oh shit!” The Cobalt Unicorn said as he turned around and looked at a monitor not hooked up to the Maretrix to see that sentinels were approaching their ship, and turned to Crescent.

“Sentinels! How long?” The brown earth pony mare asked?

“Five, maybe six, minutes...” Crescent said shrugging. “Mixer, charge the CMP.”

“You can't use that until he's out!” Hawkeye exclaimed looking at the Black Unicorn.

“I know, Hawkeye...don't worry, he's going to make it...” He said looking over at the monitor.





Violet ran up the stairs of the subway station when the train suddenly stopped and Agent Smith stepped out.

“Shit!” He said as he exited the station and began running down the street, away from the Agent.

As he ran, he noticed a man talking on a cell phone and grabbed it as he ran by.

“Fuck! Hey! That's my phone! That asswhip‘s got my phone!” The man shouted before turning into an Agent and running after Violet.





“Got him! He's on the run…” Mixer said as Violet called him.





“Magic Man! Get me the buck out of here!!” The Brown haired man said weaving his way through a crowd of people.

“Got a patch on an old exit, Dawn and Simcoe!” Mixer said guiding him.

Violet ran for it, seeing various people around him turn into Agents, and cause chaos among the people walking the streets. As Violet turned into an alleyway, he came to a dead end.

“Shit! Uh… Help?! Need a little help here!?” Violet said looking for a way over the wall.

“Door!” Mixer instructed as Violet spotted the door on the side of one of the buildings and ran through it. “Now take the door on your left!” He said as Violet opened the door on his right to find a utility closet. “No, your other left! Back door!” Violet quickly banged the right door down, dashing through the room, just missing being hit by a woman taken over by an Agent, who through a knife at his head.





Back on The Lunar Dream the sentinels had arrived and were getting ready to take the ship apart.

“Oh no...!” Hawkeye said as the proximity alarm went off.

“Here they come...” Crescent said as he charged the CMP and Hawkeye gave him a worried look. “He's going to make it...” He said reassuringly. 





“Fire escape at the end of the alley, room fourteenth, five, fifteen, that’s it!” Mixer said giving the last of the directions.  

Violet chucked the phone away, as he started to go up the fire escape, closely followed by the three Agents, constantly firing their rifles at him.





The sentinels were drilling through the hull of The Lunar Dream. The computer started flashing red warned the crew of the hull breach.

“They're inside...” Mixer said looking around at the ceiling. 

“Hurry, Violet...”  Hawkeye whispered into his ear, whipping his forehead with a cloth as the airship shook.





Violet got into the building, and ran along the corridor until he reached room 14515. He could hear the sound of the phone ringing from the other side of the door. As he opened the door however he came face to face with Agent Smith, who looked him straight in the eyes, and shot him.

Violet touched his wound, as blood came out onto his hand. He looked up at the Agent, as he shot him again, and he stumbled back against the wall. Smith shot him a few more times and he slid down the wall, and slumped on the floor.





Hawkeye and Crescent Sliver watched stunned as his life signs went dead.

“Can't be...” Crescent said his eyes never leaving the monitor.





“Check him!” Agent Smith said to one of the other two Agents in the hall, as he looked down at Violet’s corps sceptically.

“He's gone...” One of the Agents said checking his pulse.

“Goodbye...Mr. Anderson...” Smith said as he and the other Agents turned around and began walking away.





The sentinels had broken through and were now on the main deck, ripping everything apart. Trinity was still sitting by Violet.

“Violet... I'm not afraid anymore!” Hawkeye said still sitting by his lifeless body. “The Oracle told me I would fall in love, and that stallion, the one that I loved, would be The One. So, you see, you can't be dead...you can't be...because I love you....you hear me? I love you...” The green manned mare said as she leaned over and kissed him.





As she said this, the blow echoed deep in Violet's mind and in the Maretrix, his eyes snapped open.





Hawkeye almost screamed as his life monitors jumped back to life. Mixer and Crescent just stared in disbelief.

“Now get up!!” She ordered.





Violet sat up, trying to focus. He stood up, and the Agents turned around, staring at him, also in disbelief. Agent Smith grimaced and aimed his rifle at him, firing the last of his bullets at him.

“No...” The brown haired man said putting his hand out.

The bullets slowed down and stopped in front of him as the Agent’s clip emptied. Violet looked at them, as he picked one of the bullets out of the air. He looked at it, and then dropped it to the floor, he then looked at the rest, and moved his head down and they all fell to the ground. The Agents stared, and all took a step back.





“How!?!” The Cobalt Unicorn asked surprised. 

“He is...The One...” The Crescent said smirking.





Violet looked at Agent Smith, and ran towards him. When he got close he leaped at him but instead of tackling him, he appeared to go inside the Agent's body. Suddenly he burst out of his skin, and pieces of the Agent, that look something like green glass, flew all over the room. As Violet, he looked down at the ground with his eyes shut, the room appeared to bend, like the spoon the boy gave him when he went to the Oracle. His eyes quickly snapped open and he looked up at the two remaining Agents. They look at each other, and run for it. Violet watched them run away as his vision became 3D Maretrix code.





Back on The Lunar Dream the sentinels were slowly destroying the whole ship. One suddenly broke through the ceiling and loomed near Hawkeye, who jumped to cover Violet. The sentinel was quickly taken out by Solo Gamer who shoved a blade between its joints disabling it but soon other sentinels began to tair through the ceiling.

“Punch it!” The Black Unicorn said, running over to the controls to activate the CMP.





In the Maretrix, Violet lunged for the phone, just as Crescent Sliver used the CMP to destroy the sentinels.





Violet's eyes opened, and he smiled at Hawkeye as he kissed her.

“Ok I don’t know about you guys but I’m putting in for a transfer to another ship.” Mixer said shaking his head as he looked back at everything that happened in the past week.

“Me too.” Solo Gamer said looking at him. “I’m sick of shit like this happening every other week.”
> Epilogue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	A man wearing Steampunk-esk clothing walked into a phone booth and picked up the receive and started talking into it without dialing a number or putting money into it.

“I know you're out there...I can feel you now.” The man said. “I know that you're afraid. That’s why you cancelled the show. You're afraid of us, you're afraid of change...I don't know the future...I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end, I came here to tell you how this is going to begin. Now, I'm going to hang up this phone, and I'm going to show these people what you don't want them to see. I'm going to show them a world without you...a world without rules and controls, without borders or boundaries. A world...where anything is possible. Where we go from there...is a choice I leave to you...”

Violet Runner then hung up the phone, as he stepped out of the phone booth, and put on a pair of sunglasses. He looked around the street for a moment, before leaping into the air and flying off with his hands at his side like Iron Man.