Chapter 1

The hidden harmony is better than the obvious one:StarSwirl the Bearded-Ethics of Friendship vol. IV

A nation at peace and a nation at war are one and the same:Canticles-Tactics of War

It was a window, and like all other windows it has been created to keep the outside from the inside. But a better way to describe it was three millimeters of the latest innovations covering the building from top to bottom. Showing a dazzling sunset to those on the inside, only slightly marred by the heavy drizzle, and smog from the everyday living. Along with the steel, concrete, and technology protecting all who worked there from the unknown, unseeable threats of the external world both real and imagined. It was a good system, standard in all businesses. At least those who wanted to keep doing business. Unfortunately it didn't stop Applejack from being thrown out of said window. One hundred and thirty-seven stories up.

Glass, rain, and her sweat mixed into her eyes, blinding her as she fell with the changeling gripping her tightly as the creature pulled her arm that was holding her weapon upwards, making it fire off rounds into the darkening sky.

"Dammit!" She yelled hearing the boom of Winona replaced by the clicking sounds of an empty chamber.

She felt the changelings grip tightening even more, digging, scratching, and piercing her skin, making it harder to breath, while causing the nanobytes coursing inside her, to work faster on healing the lacerations it was creating.

A scream of rage mixed with pain escaped her. Finding its freedom between clenched teeth, as she was finally able to free her gun arm, twisting it around till she gripped the barrel, AJ swung blindly hoping what she was aiming at was were the head is.

"Get off of me!" She yelled. Hearing the satisfying crunch of bone and armor plating connecting to a very heavy piece of steel, feeling the changelings grip loosen, following a very loud cry of pain giving her some room to breath and better yet, move. AppleJack swung again, putting the weight of her weapon, her own strength, and her cybernetic implants behind it, as she connected once again, throwing off the injured changeling.

Finally able to clear her eyes, she saw her attacker flying back to hole they came out of. Their was more of them up their waiting. More than even she and Winona could handle.

"Pinkie Pie I could use a hand." AJ said into her implanted communicator. Trying to ignore the image in her mind, of what she would look like when she hit the ground.

"Okie Doki Loki." Pinkies usually chipper voice said in her ear. "Comin right now."

"Whenever your able too Pinkie. I'm not doing anything important at the moment anyway." Applejack responded with the black sarcasm masking the panic of watching the ground getting closer and closer. Contrary to what she has heard from others. she was having no problems being wide awake as she tumbled downwards.

The cable that connected Pinkie to the U.A.T. she flew dangled loosely from the back of her head to the chair she sat on. Making her one with the Party Cannon, she had fondly named. Her mind was inside the machine controlling everything, while her body strapped to the chair, limply rocked back and forth as she piloted the vehicle. as it hovered over the building overhead waiting for Applejacks signal.

"Discord." said Pinkie.

"Discord." replied a voice in the machine

"Have we found her?"

"Affirmative. Locking on for intercept."

Pinkie unconsciously started humming a cheerful song, while her mind moved the four legged, five ton machine that resembled a mechanical Alicorn forward as the engine roared to life, transforming from its hovering mode to flight. The U.A.T. rolled to the left, then dove downwards, extending the wings, and lowering the neck forward. The hi Gs slammed into Pinkie's body pushing her into the seat. She was aware of it but only faintly, like feeling someone else's discomfort from way across the city. But would always catch up to her once she disconnected. Sometimes the Party Cannon would leave bruises, as she took it through punishing routines, sometimes a lot of bruises, forcing her to wear long sleeve clothes to hide them from her friends so as not to worry them. It was easy to forget when jacked in, what you were doing to your body.

"Gotcha!" Yelled Pinkie excitedly as the tumbling image of AJ falling appeared in her 360 degree field of vision. "I'll be right their."

"Take your time." said Applejack darkly. "Don't rush on my account."

"Your silly." giggled Pinkie. as she fired a grappling claw attaching to AJ, throwing the Party Cannons carefully back to hovering and slowing the decent, with a machine that she could balance on an egg. Slowing her down to a stop. "Are you Okay?" she asked with real concern in her voice.

"Nothing hurt but my pride." AJ replied pulling her heart caught in her throat back into her chest, truth to be told, this was an almost fatal mistake on her part. Underestimating her opponents almost cost her life. chuckling a little as she dangled a mere twenty feet above the ground. She was honored to have Pinkie Pie as a partner, really she was. Saving her on more than one occasion from really bad situations, she was a great friend and a wonderful partner. She just wished she hadn't painted the Party Cannon pink with balloons. "I'd say theirs about seven to nine of them up their." AJ said while reloading her weapon.

"Mebbee we should fly up their and say hello."

Applejack smiled evilly at the thought. "Yes, I would say that is a good idea."

Chrysalis was worried, tapping her assault rifle nervously. This was easy, too easy. Her client had reassured her that she would have very little opposition having caught them unaware. But since she and her team infiltrated the building, the only person they had encountered was the personal guard. Even the rooms they had been through were empty. From the starting point onward their was nothing but rooms, hallways and one pony. Granted all mercenaries pray for an easy night, but this almost feels like they were being led.

"Do you want to continue on?" Asked a changeling standing next to her, mirroring her worries.

Only a fool would ignore her intuition, and her intuition was telling her to pull back, everything here was wrong, But the money, the bonus for successfully completing the mission was nothing to sneeze at, also it wouldn't be good to their reputation, leaving an assignment half finished because they got spooked. Crysalis closed her eyes, thinking for a moment longer.
"Secure the perimeter." she finally responded. "Were proceeding as planned, Everybody be careful! I don't like this at all."

"What a coincidence." said a voice coming from the broken window. "I don't like you either."

Applejacks climbed through the opening with her weapon out. Pointedly ignoring the little red dots suddenly covering her body. Mostly her chest and head.

"I know what your thinking. " she said forcing herself to be calm, cool and collected. "I'm outnumbered and obviously outgunned. At most I'll probably take out three of you before I become a bullet riddle body spattering the ground." she continued on allowing a slight smile to spread across her lips, mostly to cover her shaking in reality. "But the problem to that is. after you take me down. You'll have to take my friend down." She paused for dramatic effect, feeling the Party Cannon rise to hover right behind her.

She could hear Pinkie extend the twin minniguns attached to either side below the wings start whirling to life, along with the 30 millimeter cannon under the base as well. Applejack was surprised she didn't activate the heavy laser that extended from the horn, or the antipersonnel missiles either. But she figured it was probably for the best. Their employer wouldn't like it they took out half of the tower in the stopping of the band of mercenaries. Probably get a written reprimand for it.

"And I don't think you will have much luck in taking her down. So I'm going to ask this only once too DROP YOUR WEAPONS! NOW!"

Time stopped as everyone thought of their next move. Applejack could almost hear their hooves hovering next to their triggers, calculating how fast they could shoot and move away from the kill zone, AJ couldn't blame them, she would be thinking the same thoughts too if she was in their shoes. As she kept her sights on Crysalis. Figuring that if they tried anything she would at least take down her. She could make out the think trickle of sweat running down Crysalis's face, which would have been a good sign if not she herself felt beads of her own as well. Breaths were holding, and the world disappeared around them.

Their was a clattering as one of the changelings tossed its weapon to the floor, creating a domino effect as the others started to follow suit. AppleJack let out the breath of air she didn't realize she was holding as time came rushing back. Crysalis was the last of them to surrender, angrily tossing her rifle away from her.

"On the ground now!" Yelled pinkie through the intercom. "Hooves behind your head!"

Applejack did a quick survey of the strike team, kicking their weapons away. watching them as they laid on the ground. Ignoring the quiet whispers, curses and insults being said under their breath.

"What do we do now?" Asked Pinkie.

"I'll notify the boss we secured the building, and the threat has been neutralized. She'll probably just have us confiscate their guns and let them go."

"Well that stinks."

AJ gave one of her what-are-you-going-to-do-about-it shrugs, because really, what can you do about it? Wasn't like their was a jail they could put them in. and killing unarmed ponies wasn't right. Granted if the role was reversed they would have no problems with that moral conundrum. But still.

"We just have to wait for the response." said Applejack finally.

****

The sunlight shown through the tinted windows of the suite on the top floor, coloring the room and everything in it, with a rich red light. Rarity laid in her bed, eyes open, staring at the ceiling, letting her thoughts travel were they may. Mostly the thoughts took her to the time when she was a young filly, running excitedly to her parents with pictured of all these fantastic costumes and outfits she had drawn. Proudly announcing she was going to be a designer and make all these fancy cloths, becoming rich and famous in the process. It didn't happen the way it was supposed to have happened. Life, the direction and planning of it, of were she was supposed to be at this point in time.

Her lover sleeping next to Rarity, groaned softly in his sleep as he rolled over, back to her, causing her to be transported back to the here and now. Rarity stared at his sleeping form for a moment before carefully getting up and pulling a silken robe around her.

"How long has it been since I held a needle?" she thought to herself, "And when was the last time I made anything?" As she walked over to her small work desk against the fall wall. Her hooves caressing the soft carpeting as she made her way. "Do I regret my decision?"

Her own thoughts making her pause in front of the desk. Reaching down to pick up her pack of cigarettes, fumbling one out and lighting it, letting the harsh smoke fill her lungs, blowing it out.

"Do I regret my decision? Should she just ask, "Am I happy."

"Well are you?" came another thought in her.

Rarity pushed that thought away, not wanting to answer it for the moment. Being the C.E.O. of Trans Equestria Creative has given her lots in life. Power, money, control that few could claim to know about, let alone dream. Yes their has been some hard decisions and sacrifices along the way, but what path doesn't have such things?

She reached down to open the drawer. Of course their was regrets. No matter what you do in life their will always be regrets. Rarity reached in, producing the gun she kept in their.

"Right now she was regretting having to kill her lover, she really liked him."

Rarity spun around weapon in hand pointing it at were her lover lay sleeping. Or would have if he was still lying in bed.

"Oh dear." She mumbled, instinctively throwing herself to the ground, as the whirl of a knife blade cut through the air that had occupied the place of her head just a second before. Turning around as she slowly got up with her weapon raise she only saw four walls and furniture, in a room darkening as the sun sank even lower.

"I see you know." said a voice in the growing blackness. "Its a shame really, I did want to make it quick and painless."

Rarity said nothing, slowly making hey way to a corner, to cover her back as she hunted out for her assassin, her gun pointed outward, watching everything as best she could, listening for anything that could give away his location.

"You surprised me Rarity. You really did. When I met you I just thought you were just some spoiled little filly who got to were she was at with daddy's money and not any lick of common sense or business savvy."

"Sorry I wasn't the pony of your dreams." Replied Rarity. Thinking to herself. "Just keep him talking, Let him think he has the advantage."

"And he doesn't?" Responded another rebellious voice in her.

The voice chuckling in the darkness. "I can actually say the best times I've had were with you Rarity. Your something else, you know that."

"Glad I made you happy." said Rarity finally reaching the corner. Waiting for the anything that was going to happen at anytime.

"Its a shame." Said the voice behind her. "That it has to end now."

Rarity pulled her hoof upwards near her face blocking the limb holding the bade inches from her neck, as she felt another hoof grab her, holding her tightly. making her unable to raise her gun.

"They more you struggle the longer it will take to finish you. Just let it go and I promise it will be quick and painless."

"No!" Yelled Rarity. Slamming the back of her head into the killers with as much force as she could. Stunning him for a moment, which is all that she needed. Feeling his grip loosen around her, while still holding his arm with the blade, Rarity twisted around, gun raised point bank at his surprised face.

BANG! BANG!

Two shots, their sound echoing in the room, a moment of silence followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the floor. And it was over.

Rarity walked back over to the desk, relighting her cigarette that had gone out during the short activity. Sitting down she took two long breaths, letting herself calm down.

"Discord." She said aloud.

"Discord." Said a voice in the air.

"Connect me to Fluttershy please."

"Connecting."

"Also if you would please, Have someone come up here later to clean my suite please."

"Compliance."

Rarity took another drag, sitting down waiting for Fluttershy to answer. It was a shame it had to end like this. Did she ever say just how much she really, really liked him?

****

"Some more tea Fluttershy?" Asked Discord pouring millions upon millions of tiny letter T's into Fluttershy's cup. "I really do think this is a fine flavor."

"Indeed it is." Giggled Fluttershy taking the offered cup. "It really is excellent today."

It was a pristine day in Ponyville, with a blue sky stretching onto infinity, along with bright white fluffy clouds breaking up the monotony of the blueness. It made Her feel good as she laid upon the grass next to the Everfree forest, having an afternoon picnic with some of her dear friends.

Unconsciously Fluttershy, scooted her Pet Angel away from the basket, always trying to get to what was inside. "None for a little while, don't want you to get a tummy ache like last time." Angel snorted in disgust but he obeyed as the three of them looked down to the small town were they live in peace. Their wasn't really much to say, but it was one of those days that didn't have to be marred with words. The silence and enjoyment of friends was enough.

"Oh their it goes again." Said Discord in disgust, breaking the silence, watching his right hand leave his arm and grab his cup from his left one . "I swear I need to keep those two in check, my right hand does not know what my left one is doing."

"Indeed." Laughed Fluttershy, losing herself in the joviality of the moment. "You do need to keep those two in check."

Unfortunately, as Fluttershy learned long ago, their is no constant to happiness, the world, her feelings , friends, everything is in a constant state of change. As much as she wanted to hold on, It just wouldn't, or couldn't happen.

"Rarity is calling for you." said Discord dropping the jovial prankster. "Shall I end the program?"

"Yes please." She said losing all the joy she had been feeling. Its not that she hated Rarity, she adored her, and missed her when she wasn't around. Two becoming close friends as far back as she could remember. she was always taking care of her, being their for her, helping her up every time she had fallen. Their was just so much pain back their, so much she wanted to forget. Their were times she wished she could pull the plug leaving her mind here in this virtual world. To let her play and enjoy what she had created for herself. But things needed to be done, and her friend needed her, also that project had to be finished.

Fluttershy didn't know how to feel about sharing this world with another. The virtual world she had created for herself and herself alone. It made her uneasy having to show off this, Even the few times they had visited her. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, even Rarity had visited a few times, mostly to complain how their was nothing to smoke here. She did enjoy the company, but also she felt strangely violated, this was her world and hers alone and she had to admit she didn't like others partaking within her creation too much.

It was sudden, it always is sudden how she was pulled back from the fantasy back into the reality, back to the body she always hated.

Some of her mane was stuck to her forehead covering her eyes which she absently wiped away with her free hoof causing some of it to fall off in a clump sticking to her arm, which she wiped across herself in a vain attempt to get off. She like a lot of other ponies was sick, very sick. Fluttershy was attached to a mechanized chair that motored her around wherever she wanted giving he some ability to move around the room or even outside if she choose to, which she never did. Respirators, purifiers, cleansers, hooked up to her chair, and to her, keeping the disease in check, but it was a losing battle, as everyone knew but was unable to admit it. Looking more like a villain from a bad sci-fi. from the Tubes running back and forth and the metallic plating covering her body and almost all of her face.

The various treatments had wracked her body leaving her in almost a worse state that the Black Mouth disease itself. The drug Alibyne caused her skin to start peeling away leaving her cutiemark faded and scratched up, almost unrecognizable. He body had rejected the drug #RCC592FE almost causing her to go into a cardiac arrest. Novark had almost destroyed her immune system, now she relies on the continuous influx of nanobytes to remove impurities, cleanse her blood and keep her body going. But her body is also in a continuous state of sickness as it views the helpers as invaders and doing everything it can to destroy them. Meanwhile despite all the treatments she is continuously going through, the disease is slowing spreading through her killing off Fluttershy on the inside out.

"Yes Rarity?" Asked Fluttershy after a moment of orientation, from snapping back to reality.

"It has started." Rarity Replied through the vid screen. "Expect them to come."

"They already have. I counted around thirty attempted breaches of our fire walls in the last hour so far none has been successful. Discord has done an excellent job of keeping them away."

Rarity always wanted to cry seeing her friend look at her thought that metallic mask she had to wear, Wanting to help her friend started her on the course that lead to this point in time. This very important point in time.

"And the project?" She asked after taking another drag

"You know you shouldn't smoke Rarity, it's bad for you. But yes the project is still safe. Their had been no attempted infiltrations so far. Except for our partners, we are the only ones who still know about it."

"Good. Have Discord be ready when Dash sends us the signal. It will have to be quick hack before their own security knows about it and moves the files away."

"We already did some scouting ahead of it, it is just the standard security model we encountered before, it wont be any problem."

Rarity nodded her head listening to the heavy breathing of Fluttershy from the respirators. " I'll have to let you go for right now as I call a friend of mine with some disappointing news. Ill be back in a few" She said after turning off the screen and making another call.

"Rarity is that you?" Said Fancypants coming on the screen. The merger meeting isn't until tomorrow. Is something wrong?"

She could hear the roar of the engines of his personal jet that he flew in, as his face filled the screen. Well washed, well dressed President of InGen medical research.

"I just wanted to give you that curtesy call to inform you that as of this time Trans Equestria Creative is cancelling the merger to InGen medical technologies. We will explain more in the meeting tomorrow, but I felt we should give you a heads up about it."

A flash of surprise crossed his eyes, but was covered almost immediately. You don't get to were you are by showing weakness. Or in Fancypants case compassion. "Can I ask why?"

"We at T.E.C. just don't feel it is cost effective in this merger, especially with our employer International Information Technology. Observing the twenty percent loss of revenue due to the breakthroughs by Cleen Pharmaceuticals, we feel that you have lost your edge in medical research and we wish to take our business elsewhere."

"Also they do more than just sell sugar pills to those desperate." she added silently to herself.

"Well I'm sorry you feel that way." Said Fancypants after a moment of hesitation. "Maybe we can still work out something at tomorrow's meeting?"

"Maybe but it is doubtful. It just doesn't feel that you have anything that we want."

Fancypants leaned back into his chair smiling his smug smile that Rarity wanted to smack off of him. "Just wait till the meeting I'm betting we can change your mind. I'm sure once we show you what we really have been working on you will change your mind."

"You can try, and I wish you the best in that. But this is just a curtesy call, I wanted to inform you ahead of time to prepare you for tomorrow." She said eyeing her personal cell phone blinking red. Indicating that Rainbow Dash was in position. "I apologize but I am going to have to cut this off for now. I will talk to you again later, and have a wonderful night." she said turning off the screen.

Fancypants watched a screen filled with the face of Rarity, to a screen filled with nothing. He was taken by surprise from the call expecting her to have either been killed by the group he sent in or the assassin that was masking as her lover.

"Does she know?" he asked out loud to himself, quickly dismissing the idea. He had covered his tracks to well, played his hand just right. While he thought Rarity was a talented business pony she obviously doesn't have the cutthroat instincts to survive in the concrete jungles that governed the lands of Equestria.

Feeling confident that the little coup was going on right this very moment. Ironically after she had just called to cancel everything. Something was going on their. Something big, he could feel it, and he wanted it. As he reached over to the minibar in front of him to get himself a drink he noticed a red dot appearing on his sleeve.

Curiously he thought it was a stain and he wondered briefly what did he spill on it to cause a bright red stain. But as he moved his arm up and down seeing the stain disappear and reappear, he realized it wasn't a stain but a dot, a dot of light coming from the outside, In growing horror and realization he watched the dot slowly climb up his body.

****

Derpy stood on top of the skyscraper, launcher resting on her shoulder, watching the jet as it flew overhead. Normally she wouldn't do operations like this, but this one was a special case, a favor for a friend with an exclusive third party contract.

Staring at the plane climbing upwards, gaining altitude through her scope, hoof on the trigger. Waiting for the computer to lock on.

"Any second now." She mumbled to herself.

****

Rainbow Dash let the current carry her onwards, feeling the wind caress her wings as she flew on. It was a pleasurable feeling creating a sense of euphoria within her. She felt sorry for those that couldn't feel this, wondering how can you even go on living if you couldn't fly? To not feel the wind rushing around you? To not see the ground from miles overhead?

Rainbow Dash shook her head to clear it out and focus. This is not the time for letting her thoughts drift, she needed to focus, stay alert.

"Five hundred meters away from target." Said Discord in her head. "Two minutes till radio silence."

"Rodger." responded Rainbow Dash. Letting her hooves do a run over her body one last time to make sure everything is where it was when she needed it. The Wonderbolt suit she wore had changed a lot over time. But then again so had the Wonderbolts. Becoming more of a special Ops squad doing wet works for any corporation that paid them their fee. That wasn't the reason why she left, finding sanctuary with T.E.C. and Rarity. It was a dog-eat-dog-world out their and you gotta do what you gotta do, or so she herself thought at one time too. Closing her eyes and her hoof found the pin she had attached to her suit. Yes their are things that shouldn't be done. Times change, ponies change.

"Three hundred meters until target." Said Discord snapping her out of the past and back to the here and now. "One minute and 30 seconds till radio silence."

Rainbow said nothing as she brought one of her two string blades out. A quick flick of her wrists activated the monofilament strings launching out from the handle. attaching themselves to each other, one flick would still make the string flexible like a whip cutting through anything it came across, a second flick of the wrists would harden the string even further, turning it into a blade made of millions of tiny strings. which is what Dash did turning it into a sword grasped loosely in her hoof. With her free hand she attached small gelatinous cube of a special kind of epoxy to the Velcro at the end of her wings, then reaching into one of her many pockets to grab a small suction cup.

"Breath." She said to herself. Taking a gulp of air, holding it for a minute, before exhaling. "You done this a million times in training. You know the layout, you know the security, you know your destination. Everything will be fine. Your Rainbow Dash! Your the best!"

"One hundred meters till target. Twenty seconds till radio silence."

"Yeah. Yeah. I gotcha," reaching into another pocket, grabbing a small metallic ball, while she flicked the blade again slight trembling of her hoof, as the blade started to vibrate back and forth almost invisible to the eye.

"Ten seconds to radio silence."

Dash pressed a button attached to the collar of her suit feeling it getting slightly warm as it powered up .

"Eight Seconds to radio silence."

"I'm ready." she said

"Six seconds to radio silence."

"Five seconds."

"Four seconds."

Gritting her teeth. Dash threw the ball out in front of her. Exploding into millions of tiny fragments that floated in the air.

"Three."

Shifting her body she began spinning with her sword pointed outwards in one hand and the suction cup held into her other.

"Two."

Rainbow saw a small flash of light as her suit powered on, Deflecting light and electronic surveillance away from her, making her invisible for at least thirty minutes.

"One. Radio silence now"

Kicking herself even faster she flew past the small explosion she had created. It was a pulse ball designed for infiltration. Fooling their AI's into thinking you were nothing but a glitch on their system. But still they weren't stupid and their security would recheck after a few minutes once they completed the last scan, this had to be done quick. Diving towards a concrete and steel wall, which her information pointed out was the outside of an empty office, she adjusted her flight, streaming to it head on.

Just like all the training she did, her entry was flawless, letting her sword cut through the stone and metal while using the suction cup to hold it as she, without stopping, dove through. extending her wings a little so they brushed against the hole smearing it with the glue just before turning around and placing the cover back on. The glue welded the two together resealing her entrance back to almost its original form. Quickly securing her equipment back Rainbow Dash extended the hooks on the bottom of each hoof. Since the builders so thoughtlessly decided to build a building. without proper air vents for her to crawl around in she had to have another way of getting to her destination.

Turning on her thermals she detected no heat sources near by making it easy to leave the room into the hallway, bouncing her way upwards from the walls she attached herself to the ceiling, as her hooks clamping into it. Slowly she crawled forward . focusing on her destination.

"Hey!" called a voice loud and close to her. It was so sudden she almost cried out in shock. Looking downwards towards the floor she spied two employees having a conversation. about something or other, she really wasn't paying attention, and really didn't care.

"Easy girl." She thought to herself, starting he crawl along the ceiling once again.

Or would have.

A small sharp pain near her ankle, compiled with a wiff of ozone, told her something really bad had happened. Her suit had shorted out. She was visible to anyone and everyone. Looking down she saw that the two friends haven't noticed her...yet. But really it was only a matter of time. Doing some quick calculations she estimated she had only a few minutes before the security AI did another pass and discovered her.

Realizing that she needed to change her tactics very quickly. Rainbow released her hooks from the ceiling, twisting around she extended her rear legs outwards kicking the closest pony as she landed on top of him. The pony crumpled to the ground instantly, and she turned and hit the second pony across the temple with one hoof and, struck him at the back of the neck. just under his skull. Knocking him out as well.

Rainbow heard a gasp, looking around she spotted another pony who had just stepped out of her office. Their was no time to do anything about it. Galloping down the hallway towards her goal. She grabbed the string blades again flicking them on whip mode, ready for anything coming her way. Which was a good thing as the security guard, exited the post that wasn't known about during the recon of the building.

Thoughts already laying out plans as to what her body needed to do, this is what she trained all the time for. Aware of his hand reaching towards his holster, to pull out his weapon. a XP Predator that would make rather large holes in Rainbow Dashes body if given a chance. She offhanded cracked her blade as she swung with her other hoof out using the base of her other hilt as a blackjack. The tip of her string whip connect to his gun cutting through the frame between the cylinder and the hammer, making it useless, while extending her other hoof connecting nicely with his chest drawing all the air out of it. She dropped down punching at his knee not breaking bone, she didn't want to severely injure him, just incapacitate him for the time she needed to get the job done. As he fell forward she sent her hoof upwards hitting him one more time under the jaw, knocking him out as his head jerked towards the sky. Still in a forward momentum, not bothering to waste valuable seconds to check on the guard, Rainbow Dash pressed on.

The computer attached to her wrists showed the map of her current location, her goal was only twenty feet forward, a left and ten feet further to the central meeting room. Ducking as her finely tuned instincts told her that now would be a good time to inspect the wonderful patterns on the carpet. Her ears caught the sound of the the whine of a bullet speeding over her.

"Really! Shooting inside a busy place? Are you that stupid!" Thought Rainbow Dash, pulling out a small tear gas grenade from one of her pockets, pulling the trigger and dropping it behind her as she ran. "Anyone that is foolish to chase her through that unprotected isn't going to be much of a threat for awhile." feeling a little pang of sympathy from having to be exposed to it during her training many years ago.

Rounding the corner she finally saw her destination, closed and locked, She had a complete set of lockpicks that made it no problem in gaining access to anywhere she wanted, but now wasn't the time for such delicacies. Forward limbs in an X pattern she slashed her whips through the door, and some of the wall around the door as well. The entrance fell apart with one good kick, giving her access to the board room.

In the center is what she was sent here for. InGen's main computer, Slotting the SDS chip Rarity had given to her into the computer. She saw it light up as InGen and Discord battled it out for control of the system.

"C'mone! C'mone! Hurry up." Muttered Rainbow to impatiently herself. watching billions of terrabytes zipp back and forth, too fast for the pony eye to see but knowing that one hell of a battle was taking place.

"DROP YOUR WEAPONS!" Yelled a voice behind her. "AND PUT YOUR HOOVES ABOVE YOUR HEAD!"

"Damn!" She said to herself slowing turning around but still holding on to her weapons.

"I SAID DROP YOUR WEAPONS!" said the pony covering the door. pointing a very looking piece of hardware at her, the kind of thing that could give Rainbow Dash a very bad day.

She estimated their were about five guards in the room with her, not counting the civilians, which she just realized were their in the room as well. Dash also felt their was another five guards outside the room as well, providing reinforcements and definitely another team would be here shortly. Terrible odds if you made this into a battle. Suicidal odds really.

Rainbow Dash felt a smile stretch across her face, flicking the whips into blades again, She couldn't help feeling that she was having the time of her life.

"Guards Lower your weapons this instant!' said Rarity her face suddenly coming onto the screen. "You as well Dash."

Surprise hit everyone, as they all found themselves following Rarity's order. Including Rainbow Dash who had deactivated her weapons, watching them fell back into the hilt of her swords.

"Now that I have everyone's fullest attention." continued Rarity surveying the room full of people. " I am Rarity C.E.O. of T.E.C. industries From this moment on, InGen Medical Technologies is now property of Trans Equestria Creative a subsidiary of International Information Technology. To put it simple we own you lock stock and barrel. Including your subsidiary rights, intellectual property, copyrights and patens. Eighty-eight percent of your stock is now owned by us. As well as five of your board members are now on our seat. And by the way, please do not kill your coworker a Miss Rainbow Dash please. it really wouldn't look good on your record."

Everyone stood their for a moment letting everything that was said sink in.

"What about our employer?" said an executive, instantly regretting becoming the center of attention. "What does he have to say about all of this? I would like to talk to him."

"As Yes Mr. Fancypants. If you wish you may lodge any queries, complaints, or other problems to him at any time you desire."

The explosion was close enough to crack the windows and rock the building, as many eyes looked out to see chunks of debris start falling to the ground from the plane that was suddenly not their.

"However I feel that it may take some time before you get a response from him." she paused for a moment letting it all sink in. "Now ponies we have a busy day tomorrow. Their will be a meeting as we finalize everything and I expect big things from this, but for now, continue on with what you were doing. Oh and please escort Miss Rainbow Dash out, if you don't mind I can see she might be upsetting the other ponies their." Rarity finished, finally looking at her. "Would you like me to send someone to pick you up Miss Dash?"

"Nah I'm good." Said Dash. "I just need to get out and I'll, fly my way back."

"Very well." Said Rarity addressing the group again. "Can someone please escort Dash to the exit then if you would be so kind, and do it carefully. I don't have to remind everypony what would happen if Miss Dash got injured on the way out. Jobs are very hard to find these days."

Rainbow dash bit her tongue hard trying not to laugh at the absurdity of it all. One moment they were going to kill her, now their treating her one of their own. "Its good to have friends in high places." she thought to herself as she was led out.

****

"Discord retrieved the file." said Fluttershy to Rarity. "He is proceeding to open it."

"He?" asked Rarity.

"Well...Well..I know its....not a he but, it...just feels..."

"Its alright Fluttershy, I was just teasing really I don't mind." Said Rarity trying to sooth her friend Fluttershy. Sometime she would get like this. Embarrassed over something that really meant nothing.

"But it seemed like a lot of work to get what we needed this was Rarity. Did it have to be done this way?"

Rarity took a long drag from her cigarette, letting her thoughts settle. "I wish Fancypants, had actually tried to have done business with us, instead of trying to kill me and take us over. Especially when he didn't even know what it was he had found."

Rarity brought up the file on her computer, opening it. All most ponies saw was an endless string of letters and numbers, but those two saw a ladder to the heavens, maybe even to the gods themselves. "How long until we can have it ready?"

"Um.." Replied Fluttershy tapping on her computer. "It depends how long it takes for the analyzer to reverse engineer it, code it and synthesize for injection. Two days to a week if everything goes well."

"Good." Rarity said. "Give me a few moments to take care of a few loose ends and I will join you."

"Yes Miss Rarity." Fluttershy said before cutting off the connection, engrossed in the world of the symbols coursing on her screen.

Rarity got up from the chair, stretching her body out, listening to her bones crack. I was a long afternoon that was going to become a long night, but things needed to be done, important things or else...oh.

So much had happen in such a short time she had almost forgotten him. Her would be killer staring outward, staring at the sky, staring at whatever the dead see. Rarity kneeled down towards him, still as handsome as he was in life, even after everything he still was handsome. Rarity ran her hoof through his mane feeling his hair run across. Finding the tears starting to come out of her.

"I'm so sorry." she whispered to him and a great sadness engulfed her, unable to hold it in anymore. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, I'm so very, very sorry." She cried repeating the words over and over again. Hoping the words might change everything, somehow make it all better,

Did Rarity ever tell you how much she really, really, REALLY liked him?

****

Fluttershy stared at her computer screen in her laboratory, mesmerized by the magic of all it was telling her. Beside her was the Analyzer which Discord processed, going through it sequence by sequence, breaking down, refitting, breaking down again rerefitting. Assembling the genetic codes countless times trying to get everything right. Next to the Analyzer. A vat was assembled, Filled with a nutrient rich liquid constantly swirling and churning around in a perpetual state of motion. By some prearranged program another group of fluids was released into the vat temporarily coloring the water to a purplish-greenish hue. Something was in their, Something big, occasionally knocking against the insides as the currents drifted it around. Before disappearing again back into the depts. of the container, and its hazy liquids of swirling colors. Their was a slight bumping noise, as the object inside had hit near the top of the vat, making the image of a purple horn clearly visible, until vanishing back into the floating colors.

Chapter 2

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Excerpt from SkyFire -End of the Golden Age. Final days of the Princesses:...The origins of the rebellion have been lost through time. It wasn't economic, or social inequalities that have brought about the Princesses downfall. Equestria was a land of plenty during this golden age of Celestia and Luna.

Of course their was strife at times, but that's a normal part of being a pony. As long as you have more than one pony their will always have conflict.

It has been theorized that Prince Blueblood was the one who initiated the coup. Having ascended the throne after his aunts self-imposed exile. Many historians believe that is was he who created the rebellion in an attempt to seize power away from the two sisters. Their are several pieces of evidence that support this, most notably him not being present at the palace when the revolution happened.

But I am still skeptical. From what we know of Prince Blueblood he was many things. He was a materialistic pony, obsessed with the finer things that is true. but responsibilities or power was not his suit. Proceeding to bask in the comforts that was available to the upper classes than to deal with the daily politics and running of the kingdom.

And the mob had surrounded Canterlot, demanding to see the princesses, demanding that they (the princesses) give to them what was rightfully theirs.

My own theory was that growing dissatisfaction of the ponies seeing their princesses not as their rulers and bringers of the sun and the moon, but as possessions, a toy they could take out of its box whenever they wanted, and what they wanted was the power of the Alicorns for themselves, seeing their rulers as "HAVES" and themselves as "HAVE-NOTS".

And so the princesses with little choice, not wanting to see pony hurt pony left the throne. Leaving Equestria forever. Their is speculation that some of their most trusted subjects followed the two sisters out into the unknown. It is believable, but I cannot find any records of who these ponies were or when did this happened. I could postulate that this probably happened right after the coup, but as we....

Excerpt from Candy Apple-Memoir of a Palace Serf:... When the rabble broke through the castle gate me and my friend Morning Dew cowered in the corner, listening to the screams and cries of anger from the rabble, demanding to be heard and to get what was rightfully theirs.

The both of us were too scared to flee with the others. I remember her crying in fear what they would do to us , but they ignored us for the time being. As they were too engrossed in the looting and destruction of Celestia's and Luna's beautiful castle.

The poor fountain in the center seemed to have taken the worst of it. As bricks were thrown, and ropes were tied around the wonderful statue in the center that me and my friends used to spend our free time. Enjoying each others company. Pulled down and destroyed. I felt my own heart fell and turn black as I was too astonished, too stunned as to comprehend as to why this was all taken place. That was the first time I have ever felt hate in my heart. I remember it the blackness inside of me, watching the ponies destroying something beautiful, just for the sake of destroying something beautiful. Even after all these years I still feel the hate twisting and turning inside me, wanting revenge on those foolish ponies that have done all of this.

I do remember seeing some figure in the background heavily urging them on. He was cloaked from hoof to head standing behind the others. Using hateful words like "Justice for all!" and "Overthrow the Tyrants!" I think he might have been the ringleader, but I couldn't get a good look at him because of all the ponies surrounding that one.

Who knows what they would have done to us if not one of the palace guards in an act of charity grabbed both of us and pulled us away. I found my strength returning to me and together with that brave guard we helped Morning Dew get away. The poor dear was in such a state of shock as we dragged, and carried her away from them.

It was a stroke of luck for us they were preoccupied with breaking down the huge doors that lead into the throne room. Giving us the time we needed. Unfortunately we didn't make it far when our world turned upside down again.

The mob of ponies had just broken down the door, while the three of us stood their in the shadows of the corridor too afraid to leave. And afraid once they spotted us, what they would do. Fearful what would happen to our beloved rulers once they got their angry hooves on them. I remember a bright flash of light, blinding everyone, including us three, followed by a thunderous sound, like a storm. I couldn't see anything for a few moments, but when my vision finally returned. Our beloved Princesses left the throne, and had left Equestria. As we looked out the window I saw something that looked like two stars one bright like the sun, the other dark like the moon. I knew in my hearts of hearts what it all meant. The princesses left the throne, left Equestria, and more importantly left us ponies.

All three of us started crying as the realization of what just happened hit us all hard. Our beloved Princess Celestia and Princess Luna left the throne, left Equestria, and more importantly left us all.

But they haven't completely abandoned us. Even as I write this so many years in the future. With my now greying mane, and my wrinkled body, and fading eyesight aged so much from that day of the nightmare event. The sun still come up, and so does the moon. I feel, more likely I pray that they are still out their watching us, I hope that one day they will forgive us from our terrible mistakes.....

Newspaper Ponyville Gazette-Western tribes repelled by a new weapon GUNPOWDER!! In an astonishing victory against the western invaders that have been plaguing Equestria since the self imposed exile of the Princesses hundreds of years ago. Blackblots Technologies has created a new and dangerous new mobile weapon called a cannon capable of decimating enemy troops from far away. Also they have developed a smaller cannon capable of being hoof held, which their creators have named a gun. These new weapons are powered by gunpowder, or black powder which causes an explosive chemical reaction to propel an object at high speed towards its target.

Composition is the same as the fireworks we normally use for special occasions: sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). With sulfur and charcoal acting as fuel and the saltpeter as the oxidizer.

The effects were witnessed first hand by this journalist on the battlefield watching the enemy repelled easily, as they once again sought to penetrate our land, much more effective than anything magical we have ever thrown at them. Even unicorn magic. It is in this humble writers opinion that this new ultimate weapon is the bees knees, never have I seen such a complete decimation of our enemies with such few casualties on our part. The most notable was when one of our cannons malfunctioned and exploded. It resulted in five hurt ponies, one of them fatality. But other than that small hiccups, field test of these new weapons was an outstanding success. I personally witnessed our enemies scattered across the land as our heroic soldiers defended us once from such an oppressive foreign threat...

Newspaper Canterlot Times-Final Bloodline of Royalty ends. Prince Blueblood XXIV forcibly adjudicates throne: With a vote of no confidence. Prince Blueblood XXIV the last in line who is directly related to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna was expelled and exiled from the land of Equestria today, forcibly escorted out in chains from the palace with a mixture of supporters, and opponents surrounding the disgraced prince. Prince Blueblood was know for being the most dynamic of the royal line since the two princesses held the throne.

While as ruler he was most outspoken opponent of the technological growth taken place all over Equestria. Calling the continued growth a "Ugly wound on our bright land. We are doing and creating machines without proper planning or control, or even understanding of the outcome. Without qualified planning and vision, who knows what future destruction we may create as we blindly continue forward doing more harm than good."

"Nonsense!" said Mr. Orange Peel, spokehorse for Blackblots industries. "It is unfortunate it has come to this, but all he is doing is trying to steer us away from the real issues. Namely his inefficiencies as ruler of Equestria. It truly is a shame." Mr. Orange Peel was also quoted as responding to Prince Bluebloods accusation as completely untrue. "We at Blackblot industries, as well as all other companies are very concerned about what we are doing for future generations. We take the utmost caution as we march forward to better and brighter things." Also their were the charges of embezzling funds to....

Equestria Journal of Medicine-Mysterious new disease:Black Mouth as it is being called appeared in the coal mining shanty town Grey Water about five months ago with three cases appearing, and as of the writing of this report it has risen to twelve cases of infection. Although infection doesn't seem like the right word as it is neither bacterial nor viral. Environmental causation seems to be the culprit, but so far we are unable to uncover the reason for contracting of this sickness.

Symptoms of Black Mouth have been described as infection of the saliva glands in the mouth, coating the tongue, and inside of the mouth with a black tarlike substance hence its name. In more advanced cases the excretion is observed discharging from the eyes, and ears as well. Other symptoms are excessive fatigue, blinding headaches, nausea, fever, dizziness, acute weight loss, and loss of mane hair and furr in patches. Internally the foreign substance has been found in the patients bloodstream, traveling through the body, clumping in the internal organs slowing killing off said organs depriving them of oxygen and nutrients necessary for continued well being.

It is a mystery as to how the subjects have been contaminated. Food and water continue to test clean of all impurities, while living accommodations still continue to show nothing that can or have created the causation behind all of this. The order to evacuate, and quarantine was once enforced but repealed after Braums mining incorporated. The owner of the mine, the workers and the shanty. Cancelled the proceedings citing unknown origins of the disease, making impossible to assess exactly were did this come from.

"With over two-hundred workers coming from all over Equestria is it impossible to state with any certainty that the ponies contracted this here." claimed a spokepony for Braums mining. Deciding instead in isolating the infected ponies away from the rest of the workers.

Since the mine has been in operation for over ten years their has been no reports of any illness like this. As doctors and researchers work round the clock to find out more of what we can, we are perplexed by everything about it. Its point of origin. What exactly is this black ooze? And why here of all places. We are thankful of one thing, the outbreak has occurred in a isolated area of Equestria, giving a low probability for exposure to the rest of the land...

Ponyville Gazette-Blackblot Industries moves to Ponyville. Changes name: During a small honoring at the town square of Ponyville, celebrating visiting representatives from Blackblot Industries. Making official what many had already suspected. That Blackblot Industries was relocating to Ponyville, even more they are officially changing the name of their company. As of the time of this writing it will now be under a new name International Information Technologies or I.I.T.

"We are branching out into new avenues." said Mrs. Dawnpollen Public Representative of I.I.T. "Were once we supplied the latest in military and law enforcement industrial equipment. Our reaserchers are now moving onto other areas that are promising new and exciting creations that I'm sure will benefit all of the ponies of Equestria."

When asked to expand on just what new and exciting creations she meant. Mrs. Dawnpollen was not hesitant to show off some of their newest creations. The first was what she has described as a prototype for thinking machine called a computer. Capable of storing and processing data. the first one jokingly nicknamed Discord for its instability, or chaos in its higher functions. Was an impressive sight taking up the size of two rooms. demonstration a simple act of playing a song "Mary had a little Lamb." much to the laughter of us all.

"Don't be fooled." said Mrs. Dawnpollen, "This massive machine wasn't just created to perform little ditties to the amusement of us. Discord can and will be able to perform hundreds, maybe even thousands of calculations from plotting a course of a ship at sea to calculating the prices of the Manehatten stock exchange for the next two weeks."

Another invention that was introduced was what they called a telephone. Which they claimed is capable of talking to another pony a great distance away. With another demonstration of having a conversation with the Head of International Information Technologies who was unfortunately not present. Who gave an impressive speech from this new invention the telephone. Of which he called the "Vision for the Future." and "Paving the way for the benefit of All."

Other demonstrations were advertised, as I.I.T...

Excerpt from the brochure-Save the Everfree Forest:...About eighty percent of the Everfree forest has now vanished in the wake of our exploitation for resources as we continue to log and strip mine. Leaving nothing behind as our constant push forward destroys everything in its path.

Along with the rapid vanishing of this great an ancient forest, the animals that have resided since the dawn of time have been forced to either flee, or starting to vanish or even worst. Timber wolves, the hanging spider, the five spotted leopard , the selkie are just a few of the species that have been official declared extinct, and as we still push forward who knows how many more will be gone in a few generations.

But it doesn't have to end like this. Petitions and funding have been set up were you can add your voice to stop this destruction and tell the companies to create a sanctuary for the remaining forest. Keeping the forest alive should be our number one priority as we move into the future, and you can help us preserve it for future generations...

"Fillydelphia Journal Tribune-First Cybernetic Implant Success!:Today marks the beginning of the future. At the Fillydelphia University of medicine and science Dr. Whooves and assistants made medicial and scientific history today by implanting a supported cybernetic skeleton into a volunteer subject, whose name had been withheld pending the full outcome of the autopsy.

The procedure which is very simple in itself. Inserting nanobytes into the paitents bloodstream removing a molecule of bone and replacing it with a molecule of metal over and over again until the skeletal structure has been entirely replaced. The whole operation took a total of five hours from start to finish. As the volunteer regained consciousness the pony was fully able to move and converse around normally but with a very stiff movement, and a sluggish and heavy slurred speech. But he did stay and spent a short time answering questions before being wisked away for more studies.

Dr Whooves on the other hand spent a lot of time talking with us and explain the process. When asked about the sluggishness of the patient he responded that due to the weight of the new steel structure, which he called it a living steel, or smart steel capable of processing blood, nutrients, oxygen, and other vitals the body needed to survive. He also stated that the body will be implanted with nanobytes as well to help adjust the body.

Dr. Whooves also went on to say that this was only the beginning with muscles and other tissues being reconstructed to created a better, faster and stronger pony. When asked about the Black Mouth problem he unfortunately said no. "This is not a cure. It can't get rid of a problem that no one has an answer for."

Unfortunately the volunteer died nine days later from his body rejecting the implants. We suspect the nanobytes malfunctioned when...

"Ponyville Tribune-Fact or Fiction did the Princesses Exists?A whopping Sixty-Five percent of foals and fillies polled in the Equesterian schools, does not believe in the existence of the princess, As one student polled called it. "A complete fabrication of the golden age. Everyone knows the story. How the greed and jealously of us ponies caused the rulers to flee Equestria to parts unknown. Its an old story and well told with different versions. One you have the princesses leaving to protect the population from hurting each other. Another version is that the princess were wicked and cruel and were ousted by the people. And other that the princesses fell in love with a mortal pony and both left the throne to become mortal. I just find it all very hard to believe. I'm not saying their isn't some truth to the story. But alicorns? C'mone! Were a little too old to believe in fairy tales."

"It is not surprising. This trend has been continuing for a few generations." stated Professor Featherweight of Ponyville college. "As we move on the better and brighter things we are leaving the old relics of the past, specifically those that have weighted us down. And what is a bigger weight than the story of the alicorn."

"The Princesses are an important part of our history, our culture." countered Professor Lilly Bloom of the University of Manehatten. "Our future isn't as bright and better as some would like to say it is. Black Mouth is silently killing us, unicorns are losing their magic, pegasus can't fly, and earth ponies have almost lost their affinity to the earth. And lets not go into the cutie mark phenomenon. I'd say now more than ever do we need to hold on too these antiquated relics of the past, as I know some have stated. What we have created. What we have done, isn't the grand Utopia that has been promised. Sure we have created many things that were unconceivable, since the Golden Age. But has that made us better as a society? Or even each individual pony? I think not."

Their also been talk or removal of the Princesses from the school curriculum. As a lot of schools already have. Since the funding of our educational system comes from businesses like I.I.T. They always have had final say to what shouldn't or shouldn't be taught. And it seems most are starting to regard Celestia and Luna as unimportance to the growth of our young...

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Also our full line of strength, and flight augmentations are available for you, along with our full line of other body enhancements. Mind jacks, visual implants, hearing implants, artificial skin, muscle, and bone grafts that will match so well to your natural body that no one will tell the difference.

Here at Trans Equestria Creative we understand you have more important things to do and waste your days waiting for your augmentation to properly bond. We guarantee you can have you in and out in a matter of hours, too a few days at most for the more complex enhancements. Our competent staff is here for you twenty-four hours a day seven days a week to help you at any time.

So what are you waiting for embrace the future with Trans Equestria Creative Today. We are standing by waiting for you to embrace the future.

Forward from the book- Wheelbarrows on Rockets the rise of Technology: Since the Fall of Canterlot the ponies of this great land of Equestria have experienced growth unimaginable in Equestra as well as other parts of the world. Outshining magic, brute force, even armies that have posed threats from time to time. Where other civilizations were content to just throw a couple of blocks together and call it a house. We have built skyscrapers that have pierced the very sky, fantastic machine for everything from transportation, to construction, even assisting in the most delicate of surgeries.

Equestria has been the forefront of cutting edge advancements, the edge of tomorrow actually. Everything the world has benefitted from was created or invented here. Computers, planes, vehicles, plexiglass, cybernetics, genetic research, robotic technology, I could write whole books listing all the creations that have come from Equestria and have spread throughout the world. Benefitting not just us who are living in Equestria but also those who don't. We have single handedly altered the course of the world around us.

As I sit here writing this for the opening of this very fine book. I think about how far we have come, and i wonder if we had even surpassed the princesses. Becoming more that what they could have ever achieved. Even more I wonder what great things are being thought up now in our laboratories and companies. I can't begin to imagine what tomorrow will bring us.

From:Mrs. Orchid Lagoon PHD. Chief Liaison for C.D.F.E. Center for Disease Free Equestria
To: DR. Cobalt Sky Surgeon General of Health and Wellness for Equestria
Subject: Summary of Last Census

This is in response to your query of the results of the last census that was taken a month ago. Please note that the results are still being analyzed as of the writing of this report. So I suggest you take that in to account as you read this. Inaccuracies are in all probability, and updates to all conflicting data will be sent to you posthaste as we find them.

Also I would like to point out, as you probably know that the confidentiality of sharing this or any information gathered. And the civil and criminal penalties that can and will happen if it is found that you have broken the trust in the distribution of this report to anyone. This is intended for your eyes only, and will prosecute under the fullest extant of the law if you are found in violation of said trust. Now then.

Earth Ponies are by far the group experiencing the largest exposure to diseases, illness and deformations with about sixty-three percent are suffering from some kind of affliction, which is three percent increase since the last census taken. Although the unicorns are still the least tolerant of the three species, the earth ponies are the group were it seems that are the most susceptible.

Also our studies has observed a rise in S.I.D.S related deaths of around thirty-three percent of all newborn colts and fillies being stillborn or dying within a few days after conception. which is up by two percent from last census. With an increase of physical or mental deformities up to 12 percent, which is an eight percent increase as well.

AV5 or Black Mouth as it is more commonly called, is up by almost twelve percent, a rise of three percent, So in totality it is estimated that thirty-nine percent of the earth pony population has contracted Black Mouth and it is our assessment that before the taking of the next census that the total will rise to a forty-four percent.

As well as Black Mouth, earth ponies are also experiencing a rise in other problems kidney failures, lung problems, Bone deterioration, as well as problems with sight, hearing, muscle loss and in increase aging. It is noted that now the average earth pony's lifespan, is expected to live up to fifty-seven years of age. Which is a harsh drop from the first census taken which placed them with a lifespan of up to the mid eighties.

According to the data we have collected. Eighty-five percent of unicorns cannot use magic, and of those who still can, only three percent can still use magic to any useful degree. We are projecting that in two to three generations magic will disappear entirely from the unicorn species.

Unicorns while only the slowest growing of pony groups, in regards to contracting diseases, and or the spreading of such diseases, only about eighteen percent of the Unicorn population has been diagnosed with Black Mouth, with only a one percent rise since the last census taken. But of all the groups they are the ones that are the most vulnerable. The Average lifespan after contraction of the disease is estimated to be less than a year. Which compared to earth ponies of about six years or pegasus which is around three or four years, is very shocking indeed.

But more concerning is the rise of mental disorders. Around twenty-three percent of the unicorn population is experiencing some form of mental handicap, schizophrenia, dementia, psychosis, mental impairments the list goes on. With a six percent increase of Alzheimer cases to the unicorn population as they age.

Pegasus cases of Black Mouth is up eight percent from last census bringing the total of twenty-three percent. Also we have found that sixty-eight percent of Pegasus are incapable of flight, due to the deformity of their wings. The most common cause is the disorder Osteogenesis imperfecta or brittle bone were the bones, specifically the bones in the wings become too brittle, breaking easily, and unable to heal properly. Another common disease is Proteus syndrome, were their is uncontrolled growth specifically around the wings, of blood vessels, skin, bones, muscles, fatty tissue and lymphatic vessels.

Like the earth ponies the pegasus have a higher than average cases of newborn problems up twenty-three percent, with the birth defects and S.I.D.S. rates following as well.

Another problem I feel we need to address is the cutie mark phenomenon, or rather its absence. An alarming rise of ponies being born, growing up, and eventually dying without ever having gotten their cutie mark. We cannot say for certain if this is a cause or symptom to these problems. But it is estimated that sixty-six percent of the pony population do not, nor will they ever get their cutie mark. They way things are continuing on we feel that around five generations ponies will no longer have their cutie marks.

Again I must reinstate that we cannot tell if this is a causation of all that is going wrong or a symptom of it instead. More research into the matter must be made. Like Black mouth, we feel that their is no one point of origin to all of this, we cannot simply point our finger at any problem and say AHHA! this is what we need to fix. We feel the problem is a result of many things that have gone wrong for a long time. Environmental, Social, technological, and of course physical and mental detriments have played, and are still continuing to play a part in all of this.

In Summation we at the C.D.F.E. feel that we are reaching a critical point in Equestria. As events are breaking down and are continuing to break down, All our efforts I feel are like placing a Band-Aid over a gaping hole of a wound. Again I would like to reinstate the classification of this report for your eyes only, and the penalties of any attempt to distribute this report and share this information. But in this ponies opinion I would suggest we all pray. Pray for something, pray for change. We are all dying and if things continue on this way their wont be an Equestria left.

Sincerely

Orchid Lagoon

Chief Liaison for C.D.F.E.

Chapter 3

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There are questions that we wouldn't be able to get over if we weren't by our nature set free from them:SkyFire the Wise-Book of the Unseen knowledge.

It is said that when Grundel the Conqueror reached the end of Equestria he wept. Not for all the atrocities he had committed but because their was no one left for him to fight:Professor KiwiStar-Conquest of Equestria by the Western Tribes.

Faster than the speed of light is the speed of thought. Traveling throughout billions upon billions of neurons lain across the brain. Sending, receiving. processing information everywhere and nowhere. Giving an everything to the pony it was encased in. Creating a personality, creating a soul. As images, conversations, feelings, and memories were etched into places were they needed to be across lands of wrapped organic matter.

Long walks under a moonlit sky, parents reading a bedtime story to you, schoolwork, Your older brother.What was his name again? Oh yes!Shining Armor teasing you by grabbing Mr. Smarty pants away from you so roughly it made her lose on of her eyes. And the apologies afterwards after seeing the damage he did, and the hurt that was cause. Being personally invited by Princess.... Her name escapes me, I know it, what was it again? Princess Celestia? Yes Princess Celestia!for advanced studies, sending me to Ponyville to learn this friendship.Wait is that right? Something just doesn't feel..Just arriving in yesterday, making your way to the library with your assistant Spike your baby dragon you had with your since you hatched him, oh so long ago.Really? It just...just doesn't feel right somehow....I..I don't know.

"She's having trouble accepting the memories." said a voice working its way through the darkness.

"Who is that? Can you tell me what is going on?"

"I don't see why we have to implant these memories into her at all Fluttershy. Seems like a waste of time and energy for such a short period." said another voice

"Fluttershy? Who is Fluttershy? Can somebody tell me what is happening?"

"Well Rarity. Working without a base set of references. Our subject would be left with an infant like personality, maybe even worse than that. This will age the subject with experiences giving her an advanced starting point. And please don't smoke in the lab."

"I don't understand any of this can someone please explain to me? Please!"

"Duly noted. But it seems we are creating undue stress on the subject, almost to the point of a mental breakdown. It wouldn't help either if we turn her brain into putty."

"Can you hear me? All I want is some help. Answer me please."

"Well we can try to bypass the hippocampus and directly reconstruct the memories into the frontal lobe, its riskier but the subject should have an easier time accepting."

"Do it."

"Please will someone talk to me and tell me what is going on? I'm scared and confused, and I just want some answers. I just moved to Ponyville and my name is....

"Twilight Sparkle?"

Twilight Sparkle opened her eyes to the world around her. It was a voice that had awakened her asleep in the bed in the library. Library definition: a building or room containing a collection of books or periodicals. You had just moved into the library with Spike last night.

"Twilight Sparkle?" said the pony calling from downstairs. "Are you up yet?"

"Fluttershy is that you?" she said groggily, shaking the cobwebs out of her mind.

"Oh you know my name?" said Fluttershy taken aback. "I don't remember telling you it."

"No you didn't...it's just...I can't seem to remember were I...You know what never mind. I'm sure I probably heard it or seen you somewhere." seeing Fluttershy's nervousness, and didn't want to make a big deal over something that was probably nothing to begin with.

"Okay if you insists." she said relaxing. " I was sent here to welcome you to Ponyville. Its not everyday somepony from Canterlot visits us."

"That would be nice." Twilight said smiling. "Let me go get Spike and we'll join you."

"Go ahead Twilight." replied Spike from upstairs. "It is going to take me awhile to get everything sorted out. I'll catch up with you later."

"If its okay with you then Spike. I will see you later." as she joined Fluttershy exiting the library.

"I can't believe Rarity wants us to help out Fluttershy." grumbled Rainbow Dash watching the two of them exit from the library. "I have better things to do ya know."

"Aw c'mone Dash this isn't to bad." replied Pinkie. "The sun is shining, birds are singing, and it is nice having a smog free morning. And besides a real alicorn! I have never believed they existed. Oh my Celestia, I'm so EXCITED!" she nearly screamed. "DoesthatmeantheirallrealcauseIalwayswonderediftheywerereallyrealornotbutikindafigueredtheywererealandkindafigueredtheyweren'tbutIwantedthemtoberealbecauseilovethethougthofAlicornsbeingreal..."

"Pinkie! Breath!" growled Applejack. "Calm down, and stay focused."

"This isn't even real Pinkie." Rainbow Dash interrupted. Its all just pixels and bytes. And she was just created in some vat that's all. They can make anything nowadays."

"You mean sprites Rainbow Dash."

"Whatever! You know what I mean."

"Alright you two." said Applejack coming between the two. "They will be coming out any minute. You know what you need to do. Befriend this Twilight Sparkle, run her through the simulation, and bring her to phase two."

"What's phase two?" asked Pinkie.

Applejack gave Pinkie a blank look. "You don't want to know." after a moment of hesitation.

"Oh." said Pinkie looking downcast." I see."

"Never mind that! Here they come." said Rainbow Dash. The three watched as Fluttershy and Twilight exited the library engaged in idle conversation of some sort. Slowly walking down the street. Applejack wondered how did Fluttershy feel about all of this? Rarely seeing her talk to another pony, a real pony. As long as she had known her the only pony she seemed to open up too was Rarity. She had tried a few times to engage in some idle chit-chat but she could tell how uncomfortable it was conversing in the real world, especially through all those machines. How uncomfortable it was for both of them actually. The few times she visited here before was almost just as awkward, feeling like a trespasser to someone else's home. Granted Fluttershy wasn't the only pony dealing with the harshness life throws at you. As a guilty thought of Granny Smith bubbled across her mind, but it still was heartbreaking watching her, knowing that their was a good pony underneath all that metal, wires and tubes.

She motioned for the other two to follow her, as they walked over.

"So you must be new here." said Applejack. "Well howdy new neighbor. I'm Applejack, this here is Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. Were pleased to meet you. Fluttershy told us that someone new arrived from Canterlot. An well we decided to come here and say hi."

"HI!" yelled Pinkie giving a wide smile. "Theirs another one in our group. Her name is Rarity, she wanted so much to come and visit as well. But unfortunately she had some last duty stuff at her boutique."

"Yeah." said Rainbow smirking to some private joke that Twilight felt she was left out of. "Some last minute special tailoring she had to do. She can make the most wonderful dresses you have ever seen."

"Fluttershy told you? Didn't she?". said the annoyed voice of Rarity in their heads. "We are going to have to have some words about that when this is all over."

"Pleasure here as well. My name is Twilight Sparkle and I just came here from Canterlot Canterlot." She said feeling funny how the words just fell into place in her head.

"My that's a long from Ponyville." said Rainbow Dash. "What brought you all the way from Canterlot?"

"Celestia wanted me to learn about friendship friendship so she sent me here to study."

"Are you really an alicorn?" asked Pinkie, "I never seen one before. Can you really fly? Can you do super duper magic? Can you shoot lasers through your eyes and breath fire? I read Celestia and Luna made the sun and moon rise can you make them rise as well? Or the stars or any stars, its been so long since we ever ha...Ooff!"

"Oh I'm sorry Pinky." said Rainbow Dash giving Pinkie a dirty look, after collapsing onto the ground. "I seemed to have accidentally hit my elbow into your ribs. I'm so sorry. Here let me help you up." leaning forward, helping her back to her feet. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Dash whispered into Pinkies ear.

"Anyway." interjected Fluttershy trying to get everything back on track. "I thought we five could give you a tour of Ponyville. Help you get settled. Show you around and everything."

"Oh I would like that." said Twilight Sparkle

"Remember all." said Rarity through the communicator. "We are just pacing her for the start. Everything is reading good but I want to do a complete check of Miss Twilight Sparkle, make sure hearing, sight, all of it is in in good order."

"Gotcha!" said Rainbow Dash.

"Gotcha?" asked Twilight Sparkle.

"Err...Never mind that. Were wasting daylight here just standing around, lets get started." interjected Applejack.

"Sure that would be great Applejack...Oh I forgot. I'll be right back."

"What did you forget?" asked Pinkie.

"I had left some parchments from Celestia in my luggage I need too take out and have them unrolled or else they will get damaged. It will just take a moment." As Twilight closed her eyes and disappeared in a purple haze of magic.

"Umm." said Fluttershy, staring at the empty space that once contained an alicorn. "Did she just teleport out of simulation?'

Twilight looked up in confusion, seeing a world of metallic sterility. She was wet covered in some sort of slimy liquid with various tubes attached to her all over her body. Staring at the low dim lights overhead, her heart quickened as a terror rolled over body.

"Wha...what is all of thi...oommph!" her words became muffled, as a white hoof clamped down over her mouth.

"I'm so sorry about this Twilight. But we can't have you leaving the world we prepared for you." the voice behind her said.

A sharp pain pierced Twilights neck as a syringe injected a strange fluid into her. The world started to spin, then go to a black world without strange questions.

Rarity stood up over the unconscious body of Twilight, spread out across the floor. Dammitt! they weren't prepared for this.

"Magic!" yelled Pinkie through the communicator. "She can use magic!"

"I have to admit that was pretty impressive." said Rainbow Dash. "I have never seen anyone use magic like that before."

"So is this a bust?" asked Fluttershy.

"I agree with Fluttershy." said Applejack. "What are we going to do now?"

Rarity looked at the Alicorn on the ground for a moment. Sleeping an innocent unaware of the everything surrounding her. "I'll tell you what were going to do. Give her a wipe, put her back in the tank, and start again."

"Your the boss." said Applejack.

From Discord: Hardcopy of maintenance and injury report. Time 12:36 p.m.
Problem: Exploded container.
Cause: Subject created a beam of from her horn that ruptured the container containing the subject. Also a Miss Rarity sustained minor lacerations from the shards of the broken container.
Solution: Subject was subdued, given a wipe and given 100cc of Lazup (magic suppressant) and placed in a backup vessel. Miss Rarity was treated for cuts and bruises and resumed her work.

From Discord: Hardcopy of maintenance and injury report. Time 12:58 p.m.
Problem: Router and sub processor turned to oranges.
Cause: Subject created a beam from her horn hitting a router and sub processor turning said items to oranges. Also a Miss Rarity received minor bumps when she was pelted by oranges.
Solution: Subject was subdued, given a wipe and injected with 300cc of Lazup (magic suppressant). Subprocessor and router were replaced. Miss Rarity was given 200 milligrams of Ibuprofen. Oranges were turned to research for analyzing.

From Discord: Hardcopy of maintenance and injury report report. Time 13:23 p.m.
Problem: Container Exploded. (again)
Cause: Subject created a glowing globe around herself that expanded fracturing the container. A Miss Rarity received minor electrical burns from contact by an exposed wire.
Solution: Subject was subdued, then placed in a secure structure with all harmful items secured. Subject was given a wipe and 500cc of Lazup (magic suppressant). Miss Rarity received treatment for her burns and a cigarette to calm her nerves.

From Discord: Hardcopy of maintenance report. Time 13:51 p.m.
Problem: Removal of Inner wall surrounding subject. (teleportation)
Cause: Subject teleported inner wall surrounding the subject away from location. (Item was later found on the third floor in the employee offices). Also A Miss Rarity sustained minor bruising when she was pelted by falling objects when the wall suddenly vanished.
Solution: Subject was subdued, then given a wipe and 800cc of Lazup (Magic Suppressant). Inner wall was reinstalled back to its original place. Miss Rarity was given another cigarette and a drink to calm herself.

From Discord: Hardcopy of maintenance and injury report. Time 14:45 p.m.
Problem: Temporary electrical failure. of floors fifty-eight to one hundred and twenty-seven.
Cause: Subject created a beam of intense light that caused a power surge bringing a power failure for approximately forty-five minutes. The light also caused A Miss Rarity to undergo temporary blindness (Photophthalmia) and a migraine.
Solution: Subject was subdued, then given a wipe (Maximum recommended of wipes allowed), and 1000cc of Lazup (Magic Suppressant, maximum recommended dosage). Miss Rarity was treated for her injury and went to lay down for approximately forty minutes.

"Rarity." called Applejack through the virtual world.

"Why yes dear." said an unusually friendly voice through the communicator.

"Put the monkey wrench you have down please."

"I don't know what your talking about darling. I'm just siting he..."

"Rarity!"

"Fine! Fine! Well do it your way!" their was a muffled clanging noise coming from the world outside, as if something heavy and metallic was hitting the ground very hard.

The four of them stood next to the bed watching the sleeping Twilight. burnt out and grumpy. They had just started the running of the program and already their were problems. Not a good sign at all.

"How long have we been here Fluttershy?" asked Pinkie.

"Four hours so far, and we haven't got her twenty feet out the door." replied Fluttershy stifling a yawn. "This is not going as good as I thought it would."

"Why weren't we prepared for all of this magic?" complained Rainbow Dash. "We should have contingencies set up for this."

"We never had to deal with someone this powerful before Rainbow." replied Fluttershy. "I don't think anyone has had to deal with something like this. I certainly haven't read anyone having these problems during testing. We given her the highest dose of Lazup we can safely give anypony and I really don't think that will help much if she really wanted to do some more magic."

"Well I guess we'll have to play it by ear from now on." said Applejack, "We maxed out the recommended wipes we can give to a pony, more than that we run the risk of brain damage."

"But what do we do if she decides to teleport again?" asked Pinkie. "Or destroys another part of the lab? She will certainly know if.."

"Quiet!." hissed Rainbow dash. "She's waking up."

The four of them looked over at the sleeping pony tossing around in her bed, when she opened her eyes to the group of ponies standing over her with suspicious smiles on their faces. A little too bright, and a little too smiley for her comfort.

"Are you okay sugar cube?" asked Applejack. "You had passed out outside and we brought you here. We were worried. Do you need some water? Want us to get you a doctor?"

"I'm okay, but thank you. I really don't understanding what had happened. I don't even remember going outside. I remember meeting Fluttershy inside then...hummm."

"What? You remember something else?" asked Pinkie.

"I remember...a room made of metal, I think it was..something like..." Twilight Sparkle furrowed her brow in concentration, trying to remember her recent blurry past.

"That's okay." said Rainbow Dash hurriedly. "You shouldn't strain yourself too hard right now, don't want you to have another fainting spell."

"Agreed." added Pinkie. "If you do it again I'll have to send for the doctor, and I'm sure you wouldn't like that."

"Well that is awfully nice of you girls to worry over me like that especially since we just met. I'm sure ill be fine..oh darn I forgot!" said Twilight Sparkle. "Those parchments I left in my luggage I'll just pop over their and get them out before they wrinkle up."

The four of them cringed hearing the loud scream of NO! Piercing the virtual world they were in, taking some solace that the alicorn was in another part of the laboratory too far away to notice it.

"Don't worry your head off." said Spike entering the room. "All of the unpacking was taken care of by yours truly."

Puzzled Applejack spoke quietly into her communicator. "Rarity, why does this Twilight Sparkle have a dragon assistant? He's not part of the normal program."

"Orders from the top. They want her constantly monitored. This was the compromise, an A.I. to continuously record everything that goes on. Believe me this was a lot better than what they wanted."

"Yeah but do we really want them watching all of this? This can go bad for us."

"Don't worry." giggled the voice in her ear, "I had Fluttershy and Discord hack the system. We can alter or delete anything we don't like."

"Applejack who are you talking to?" asked Twilight Sparkle.

"Err..no one! No one at all." she said through a wide open and honest smile. "Don't want to waste the day just standing here. And I know you don't want to spend the day in bed. Lets head out and show you around."

"Sure that sounds great. Spike join us. It would be fun having you come along."

"Love to Twilight." said Spike. "Let me get a few things and were outta here."

It was a clear day as the seven of them walked out into the open air. Spike trailed after them carrying a basket of various necessities they might need for anything.

"Awww I think your dragon is kind' a cute." said Pinkie bouncing along. "Where did you find him?"

"Well I hatched him from an egg Princess Celestia have given me , I hatched him from an egg Princess Celestia had given me." said Twilight Sparkle. Shaking her head feeling strange as to how memories seem to just pop into existence. Like premade memories ready to go at a moment notice.

"Don't ask her to many questions." said Rarity in the internal communicator. "I seeing an increase in cortisol release in her brain, and the neurons haven't fully implanted the memories yet so questions of her past are starting to stress her out. Give her an activity."

"I know!" yelled Pinkie," Lets goto the bakery and pick up some cakes."

"Sounds great. I always wanted some pixelated cake. Can't wait." grumbled Rainbow dash.

"Rainbow!" hissed Fluttershy.

"What was that?" asked Twilight. "I'm sorry but I don't quite follow."

"Oh Rainbow Dash is being a grump today." said Pinkie, "Just let her work through it. Anyway lets go! I'm starving!"

Rarity watched them head off to the bakery, breathing a sigh of relief. Their were some trouble when it all started but now things seem to be getting under control. As she reached over to her pack and lit up another cigarette, stretching her back in the process, listening to the popping of her spine, feeling that she was getting old. As she thought to herself that maybe when they put Twilight Sparkle to bed for the day she might do some shopping for herself, Her cell phone started to ring. Frowning, knowing the only one who was allowed to call her directly. And it probably wasn't going to be a good call.

"Discord." Rarity spoke aloud.

"Discord." said the voice

"Bring my personal call up to the main screen please."

"Compliance."

A small screen ejected from one of the ports in front of Rarity, their was a moment of static and the call was connected and the image of Miss Starlight Glimmer the spokes pony for I.I.T. Words formed in her mind describing her but Rarity was too much of a lady to say them aloud. Being icily polite to each other in public, but secretly plotting each others downfall behind closed doors. To say they disliked each other was not giving justice to what they shared. Hatred wouldn't give justice to what they both shared. But they both were on the same team for the time being, and both needing each other...for the time being.

"Miss Starlight Glimmer. It's a pleasure to hear from you again." said Rarity flatly, "Were are pretty busy right now so I'm afraid we can't talk for long. If your wondering about how the alicorn project is going I'm afraid you'll have to wait until I send you my report later tonight."

"We already been checking the video feed from Spike and were a little disappointed." said Starlight in an emotionless voice that was like hooves on chalkboard to Rarity's ears. "Quite frankly were questioning if T.E.C. is capable to handle, Uhh... Miss Twilight Sparkle?" she question, reading an unseen piece of paper. "Really? You gave her a name?"

"Well Bozo the ClownPony already had a copyright on it so we had to use Twilight Sparkle instead." snipped Rarity while to herself she added, "Damn! Their already looking at the feed. I'll have to get Fluttershy and Discord to intercept it as soon as it is videoed."

"Their is no need for such rude sarcasm." frowned Starlight, "We are just a little concerned if your laboratories are capable of handling the subject, That's all."

"I bet you are." thought Rarity to herself, while underneath the desk her hooves worked her cellphone, putting it on a three-way, "Granted the start of the experiment didn't go as planned due to the unexpected magical nature of Miss Twilight Sparkle." putting emphasis on the last three words. "But I think anypony would have the same problems when working with the unknown."

"Which is why she should be moved to I.I.T.'s R&D labs. We are better equipped to handle such situations."

"You mean like the Alpha project? How many floors did that destroy? I have heard their still finding biological specimens, and those floors are still quarantined." It was a cheep shot, very unladylike, but worth it to get under Starlight's skin.

Starlight Glimmers eyes narrowed and her nose flared, Rarity wondered if she just pushed her over the edge. "Now look!" she said with barely controlled anger, "That was a miscalculation of the DNA splicer, we had no way of kno....hold please I have a call from the President."

Rarity smugly stared at the logo of I.I.T. flash on the screen, wondering about the flank chewing Starlight was getting for this. "Serves her right." she thought to herself. "Trying to take control of HER project! This was Rarities! Not some dumb fillies who can't even grow simple algae for testing."

She didn't have long to wait as an even angrier Starlight Glimmer appeared on the screen. Rarity could almost trace the outline of her pulsing vein across her face.

"I have been reminded that this is your experiment." she said barely controlling the spite in each word. "And that I am to assist you in anyway that is needed. If it seems that I have overstepped my bounds then I apologize for that. That was not my intention."

"Like hell it wasn't" she mumbled.

"I'm sorry i didn't quite catch that."

"Thank you Miss Starlight Glimmer any help will be greatly appreciated. Was that all you called me for?"

"Actually no." she said calming down. Their would be a time and place to get back at Rarity. But not here, not now, especially with the boss looking over their shoulders. Their were rumors of the two being intimate, being no secret of Rarity being in the C.E.O. favor. But as far as Starlight tried she never could find any evidence of it, just rumors and speculations of the affair, certainly nothing she could use. "We needed authorization for the bouquet to be sent for the funeral of Mr. Fancypants. Tragic accident that it was."

"Indeed."

"However." as Starlight Glimmer. arched an eyebrow. "White Tulips, and blue Delphiniums? Peace and forgiveness?"

"The land of Equestria is saddened by the loss of a great pony. Its a shame that the merger was done without him, but I am sure everything went according to his satisfaction." she said with a blank look on her face."

"Quite."

"Forgive me for my bluntness Miss Starlight Glimmer. But I really must get back to my work, I'm sure shortly I will be hearing form you again and I look forward to that." Rarity replied trying not to retch. "But for now have a goodnight." as she abruptly hung up. She wondered how far down the road will she have to pay for this. It wasn't easy staying ahead of someone like Starlight Glimmer, but she did have to admit, it kept her mind razor sharp, swimming with a shark who was waiting for the first sign of blood in the water.

But that was not important right now. She had other matters to keep up.

"Discord."

"Discord." said the voice in the air.

"Bring the others back online. I want to see the progress."

"Compliance."

"Now I just hope that nothing bad has happene...what the hell?" said a very surprised Rarity. "I leave for two minutes and this is what happens. Somepony want to tell me?"

Sheepishly Applejack let the cake drop to the floor. As the other two slowly put down theirs looking like a foal with its hoof caught in the cookie jar. As an unaware Twilight Sparkle continued to toss cakes and cupcakes at the four. Pinkie not paying attention, threw another cupcake back with Twilight in the cake fight going on.

"No please continue." said Rarity, "Don't stop on my account. It's not like we have a creation that's worth billions of bits were trying to test, trying to see if she's fully functional or anything like that. Please I insists all of you continue on with your food fight."

"Umm..I think we should stop." said Rainbow dash carefully. "I'm sure the cake family aren't going to like having to clean up all this mess."

"You sure? I still see some cakes around you can still throw around?" the voice of Rarity in their communicators said sarcastically.

"Your right." said Twilight. "getting hit by a cupcake one last time by Pinkie. "I'm sorry I just got carried away."

"That's okay we all did." said a guilty Pinkie. "I just wanted us to have a good time, and I saw these cakes and I...."

"Its okay Pinkie." said Rarity, "Look I'm sorry for jumping on all of you, I told you to make her feel comfortable, and if this makes her happy then go for it. and Fluttershy."

"Yes?"

"Have Discord go trough the footage Spike collects we can't have our superiors seeing things we don't want them too."

"Understood."

"Thank you for showing me around everyone." said Twilight Sparkle, "But I'm afraid I'm going to have to call it quits for today. For some reason I'm beat. I think I am going to head back to the libary libary do a few things I need to do, read for awhile and finally head to bed." she continued on stifling a yawn, "Thank you all for showing me around again, and I hope to see you all very soon." As Twilight turned around and headed back to her home.

"I like her." said Pinkie, "She seems nice."

"Agreed." said Applejack, "Wasn't what I expected from a home grown alicorn."

"Well she's nice and all but it is getting late and I have things I need to do. Rarity I'm exiting the program. said Rainbow Dash, "Is Everyone else heading out?"

"I am."

"I need to check up my family."

"Fluttershy?"

"You girls go on. I need to check on some things. I'll see you later." she said watching the others vanish back into the real world. Fluttershy watched the silhouette of Twilight Sparkle go back into her library wondering if they were doing the right thing.

"Well other than a few hiccups. I think everything is running smoother now." said Rarity, "The memory implants are finally imprinting to her brain, and I feel we can deal with any magic she throws at us."

"That's great and all." said Applejack stretching, "AH! I had forgotten how those VR suits stiffen you up. But I do have to go home and check on my family."

"Is it Apple Bloom again? You keep forgetting she is friends with my sister Sweetie Bell." replied Rarity seeing AJ's expression. "Well I do know you all have things to do, and our subject is off to bed so theirs not much anyway. So go ahead and head out. I'll see you all tomorrow. Besides I still have a lot of work to do finishing up these reports."

"You sure?" asked Pinkie, "Wouldn't hurt if i got into the Party Wagon and did a once over just for security measure."

"I'm positive, and I insists. I don't think any threats are planned for today."

"Well okay then Rarity." said Rainbow Dash, as she left the room. "I'll guess I'll see you tomorrow then. "They left leaving Rarity to do her work. Back into the real world with all the problems in it.

"Big Mac I'm Home!" yelled AJ entering her house, then stopped seeing the look on his face. Already knowing the problem. "What did Apple do this time?" she asked.

Without a word he thrust out his hoof showing an empty plastic pill bottle. Applejack could feel the rage bubbling up inside of her. "Drugs! Apple Bloom is using drugs! Again! I'll Kill her!" she roared climbing up the stairs. Bursting Apple Bloom's door to her room wide open. "I can't believe it! After everything!"

"No! Wait let me explain!" cried Apple Bloom cowering away from the rage of her sister. "It's not mine I swear."

"I don't want to hear that crap again! After everything! The arrests! Getting you into rehab! All the problems we faced and you start it all over again! Are you just STUPID!"

"I promise its not mine! I swear I haven't touched anything since I came back from rehab." she cried, "I promise I'm clean."

"Whose is it then?"

"I can't tell you. I'm sorry I just..."

Almost losing all control AJ slammed Apple Bloom into the wall, with enough restraint to not hurt her. "Who!" she yelled, "Or your out of the house!"

"Diamond Tiara! Diamond Tiara!" Apple bloom said as she started to cry. "We were at her house, and she was using and he father came home unexpectedly so she freaked and hid her stuff with me. I promise that is the truth, I swear I haven't touched anything. Please believe me."

Feeling old beyond her years she gently lowered her sister onto the ground. Her anger evaporating, only to be replaced by sadness and exhaustion. "Apple Bloom you know your brother and I love you to death. And we just don't want to see you ruin your life. You have so much talent and opportunity we just don't want to see you destroy it."

"I know Applejack. I know you care." speaking to the tears pouring out through her. "I promise I am not using. You gotta believe me. You can test me if you want."

"I'm not going to test you Apple Bloom, I trust you. As much as everything inside me is telling me not to, I trust you. But also know that if I ever find you using again, I will throw you out of this house. And stay away from Diamond Tiara. She's bad news you hear me."

"Okay! I promise AJ." she said slowly getting herself under control.

"Now apologize to your brother before he goes to work as well. I'm going to say hi to Granny." Applejack wanted to say more but she felt the best thing she could do was get away from her sister and cool off some more, Now wasn't the time to deal with it. Hoping Granny Smith didn't hear all the commotion as she gently knocked before entering.

She could feel her eyes misting, but then her eyes always misted up when she saw Granny Smith laying in her bed. Eyes closed, lost in memories of the past, listening to the quiet whirl of the machines she was hooked up to.

"Hey Granny Smith." she said quietly shaking her awake. "How was your day today?"

Granny Smith slowly opened her eyes and stared at AJ. AJ could feel the weight on her heart as she looked at her in puzzlement. But finally relaxed when she started to smile at her. "Oh Applejack. It's good to see you again." she said which was a good day for Applejack as she remembered her this time.

"Good to see you again Granny." she said after kissing her on the cheek. "How has your day been?"

"Oh fine. Fine. You know the Lemon Blossom family invited us for dinner next Sunday. I was thinking of making my world famous casserole."

"Oh really?" she said feeling her heart sink a little as she was back in the past. But she remembered her so at least she took some comfort with that. "It sounds great Granny. Here Let me get that for you." walking over she opened the curtains letting in the fading sunlight brightening up the room, almost making it cheerful, almost making you forget that your grandmother had Alzheimer's.

"That pony was here again. What was his name? Oh yes Fig Leaf! He asked if you were home, I told him you left for school. I think he wanted to walk with you. Pfft! Boys with their shyness why he just say he likes you and invite you to the dance or something like that."

"Hehe I'll ask him next time at school Granny. Save us all a lick of trouble." as she settled into a chair nearby the bed. "I picked up a new book to read to you. I think you will like this one. It's an adventure."

"Really? Whats the name of it?"

"The Forgotten Ocean."

"Oh sounds interesting. Yes please read it for me."

Settling into the chair she turned on the pad as the story loaded up and began to read to her, until Granny Smith fell back asleep.

Pinkie Pie walked the alley as the sun finally went past the horizon. Going the normal way to her sister Maud. It was a daily ritual to her, often spending the night asleep on the couch. As much as she didn't wanted to admit it, she hated being alone in her apartment, she hated being alone at all, It never felt right being alone, and loneliness was something always hovering around Pinkie, the fear of being alone. Because she was jacked into her phone listening to music, she almost didn't hear the male pony shouting at her.

"What?" she asked removing a headphone. "I didn't hear you. Can you repeat that?"

"I said go away! Your not wanted here!"

"Drunk!" thought Pinkie to herself, as she put back her headphone and continued on her way.

"Hey!" shouted the pony slapping the headset out of her ears. "I said go away! You are not welcome here."

"Look mister! I don't want any trouble so just leave me alone!" said Pinkie with a mixture of fear and anger.

"Well that's to bad. You shouldn't be sticking your muzzle were it's not wanted." the pony slurred at her, reeking of spoiled apple cider and other cheep booze.

"It's still a free land! And I can go wherever I..." The blow too her head caught her by surprise, as she crumpled to the floor, fighting off the stars that floated around her eyes.

"Well this isn't free." said the pony as he stood over Pinkie's fallen form. "Last chance to leave."

"That wasn't very nice." as the red mist of rage filled her sight. And a huge smile stretched across her face. "It's not nice hitting a girl you know. Not nice at all."

"I never said I was a nice guy."

"I know I can tell." she almost laughed while her rear hoof shot out from under him, hitting him in a very sensitive part of his body.

"Oh I'm sorry." she tittered as she got up. "I know its not nice to hit stallions, but you see I'm not a very nice pony either."

Grasping a rock, as she got back up. Pinkie swung at him, connecting with his head, dazing him. She swung again, hearing the satisfying crunch of his nose breaking. "You know what your problem is? You need to smile more." connecting once again to his head, hearing the crack of bone as he fell to the ground hurt and dazed.

Pinkie gloated over the fallen stallion watching him trying to crawl away in fear of her. Watching him squirm only fueled her rage even more. "Aw! The party has just started. It's not good to lose your happy thoughts."

"Please!" wheezed the pony hooves in front of him. "I'm so sorry! I'll leave you alone!" he said through broken teeth and broken nose.

"Yes you most certainly are sorry!" said Pinkie hoisting the rock over her head, savoring the look of fear in his eyes.

A hoof grabbed hers. "Pinkie Stop!" said the voice, "It's over. He wont hurt you again."

Slowly the red mist cleared and she saw the hurt scared pony in front of her. "I'm so sorry." she said feeling the guilt wash over her, hearing the rock she dropped hit the ground. "Let me help you."

"Stop! Please help!" said the stallion trying to crawl away as best he could. "I promise I'll leave you alone."

"I..I..didn't mean...I mean...he hit me and...and..."

"Its okay Pinkie." said Maud turning her around to face her. "First I want you to take a deep breath."

Pinkie nodded inhaling a lungful of air.

"Now I want you to let it out slowly." said Maud watching her sister. Looking at the cut above her eye. "Are you okay? How bad did he hurt you?"

"Just..just this right here, that's it." stammered Pinkie feeling the rush of adrenalin leave her.

"Listen to me, I want you to head back to my place, and wait to me. I'm going to get an ambulance for this pony then I'll join you. Do you understand? Good! now let me take care of this and I'll see you then." she said watching Pinkie run off.

Maud rented a small apartment above the soup kitchen she worked at. It wasn't as nice as Pinkie's but it had a warmth and coziness that Pinkie's lacked. Though it was a very plain apartment. Maud kept it to the barest of essentials. Pinkie paced the small living room waiting for her sister to come back worried about what she did. Scared over the loss of control. Finally feeling relieved hearing the sound of her sister hoofsteps up the stairs.

"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" she babbled as her sister entered.

"SSShh it's okay you did what you had to do to protect yourself" soothed Marge. "You did nothing wrong."

"I feel so awful about it."

"Here let me take care of that cut on you." said Maud grabbing the first aid kit. "Have a seat I'll make get us something to drink."

Obediently Pinkie sat on the sofa, reaching to her head she gently felt the bruise. "Ouch!" she cried at the pain drawing her hoof away, seeing a small smear of blood across it. "How bad is it?"

"Not too bad." said Maud sitting down in front of her with two bottles of cider and the kit. with a small cloth she gently cleaned the wound. "It's a pretty small cut but its gonna swell. You really are scary when your angry you know that?" she said with a slight smile. "Remind me to let you win next time we play Poker."

Pinkie chuckles at her attempt to make her feel better. "I never did say thank you for being their, and taking care of this. I really made a mess of everything."

"I'm just glad you didn't shoot him." as Maud shook a small can of synthflesh, spraying it over the cut and sealing it. "Then I would have had to find a place to hide a body. Take this painkiller it should help with the pain."

She held out a small tablet which Pinkie took and swallowed, chasing it with a swig of the cider.

"Actually I was so angry I totally forgot about my weapon, Maybe it's for the best."

"I think so."

"Maud why don't you just leave this place and move in with me? I live in a so much nicer area. We don't have to deal with scumbags like that guy and I get to see you everyday."

"I already see you everyday." laughed Maud.

"You know what I mean."

"Pinkie I can't. Thank you but I can't. I'm needed here to much, I have the soup kitchen to run, plus theirs the Celestia Center for Runaway Foals I have to work with, and a million other things that I am responsible for. Moving away would just make it too hard for me. But your welcome to come over anytime. You do anyway." she chuckled.

"I know, I just miss you so much." said Pinkie resting her head against Maud. Feeling her sister wrapping her arms around her.

"I do too. Now give me a few and I'll cook us dinner."

"Okay." said Pinkie staring off into the room.

Rainbow Dash Entered her apartment with her hooves full of groceries, wondering why she bothered. She was planning on cooking then decided she really didn't feel like it and planned on going out and getting a bite to eat. So what was the purpose of getting food that was just going to rot on the shelves like all the other food she has bought. Flipping on the lights, she set the bags on the table when she heard a voice behind her said.

"What's for dinner pretty eyes?"

She managed to stop her hoof just inches away from his face. "Soarin? What the hell are you doin here?" she yelled, "I could have killed you!"

"I missed you too Rainbow Dash. Here let me give you a hand." said Soarin, back against the kitchen wall, wearing his flight jacket, standing straight, he walked over and helped put away the food Rainbow had bought. "Ugh!" Soarin retched holding up a container of simmilk. "You actually buy this garbage? That's for poor people, you can afford the real stuff."

"If the only reason you came here was to criticize what I buy, then you can leave now."

"No actually I came here to say hi, check up on you, see how you were doing, chew the fat so to speak."

"Well isn't that nice of you." Rainbow grumbled, "So how are the Wonderbolts doing nowadays?"

"Well Spitfire misses you."

"Really?"

"Well she said if she ever saw you again she would wear your ears as a medal. Which is an improvement over what she used to say which part of your body she would wear as a medal."

"Soarin!"exasperated Dash.

"So how is Rarity and T.E.C. treating you? You know she is one of the only few ponies Spitfire respects even fears."

"Its going good, real good. Can't really talk about it. You know trade secrets and stuff." She said as she leaned against the wall.

Soarin smiled at Rainbow Dash. "I can't really blame you for running to Rarity and Trans Equestria. Not to many ponies hold on to their principles nowadays."

"You sure as hell didn't." she said getting some satisfaction at seeing anger flash across his eyes.

"That was a low blow." said Soarin.

"So now that we got our insults out of the way. What is the real reason you came?"

"Just wanted to tell you that a lot of ponies are very, very curious as to what's is happening over their. Very big ponies."

"Is this a threat?"

"I never threaten, you know that. said Soarin, before spitting out the simmilk he absently drank. "Celestia this stuff is garbage! I can't believe you drink this."

"It's an acquired taste." replied Rainbow grabbing the jug from him, "And they, like everyone else will have to wait until Rarity is ready to tell. If she was working on something." Rainbow Dash went to put the milk back in the fridge when Soarin's hooves grabbed her turned her around and pulled her close to him. "What happened to us? We used to be so close."

"I just grew up! I'm not some dumb filly with stars in her eyes anymore, playin tag along." said Rainbow Dash unconsciously rubbing the pin attached to her shirt." It still hurts."

"I wasn't their."

"Can you look me in the eyes and say you would have stopped them? Can you say what I did was wrong?"

Soarin stood their for a moment making Rainbow Dash wonder if he was either going to kiss her or kill her. Wondering if he kissed her would she would stop him. Their was still a lot of feelings she had for him, even after all of that.

Finally after a long moment her unlocked his arms around her and collected himself. She saw the undisguised pain in his eyes from a mistake he would make again if he was given a choice.

"I don't think you should come back around anymore Soarin." Rainbow Dash said flatly.

"Anyway I just wanted to come by and tell you that." said Soarin as he gathered his things and started to head for the door. "Watch yourself Rainbow theirs a lot going on." and that was that as the door closed behind him.
Rainbow Dash leaned against the sink suddenly feeling that she shouldn't eat right now, her stomach was just too jumpy.

Fluttershy sat on the virtual grass, in the virtual world, absently working on the virtual keyboard looking at the virtual screen. Next to her sat Angel in pause mode, waiting for activation. While she worked Discord appeared floating next to her.

"How is the progressed going?" He asked.

"Hmm?....Oh Twilight!. I don't even know wear to begin. Look at this." she said enlarging the screen. "I have infected her with five biocontaminents during the testing. And not one had shown up with the sample we took from her. Nelspeak, the virus H7, Soft Foot, even S19."

"Isn't S19 a bioweapon that was banned for being cruel and unusual on the battlefield?" asked Discord.

"Well I injected her with a nonlethal version, and nothing, she is as clean as the day she was born. I have a feeling the results would be the same even if I had contaminated he with the real stuff." said Fluttershy, "Now when i contaminated her with AV5 that when things get interesting." she continued on bring up another screen with the outline of Twilight Sparkle, "See here," as she pointed to Twilights flank. "We injected her with the Black Mouth disease. We can see the infection starting to spread." she watched black lines start to grow along Twilights body, "The infection reaches a certain point then recede, and finally vanishes. The total time from contamination to immunity was ten minutes. Ten minutes! That's amazing!"

"Yet you do not seem to be as overjoyed as you should be." said Discord.

"I am, I am. Its just.."

"The termination and dissection of the alicorn for analysis. You question the morality of your actions." interjected Discord. "You talk to yourself when you work."

"It's not that I just..."

"Damn yourself, or Damn the world. Your asking yourself which is more important."

"I guess so. Imagine all the ponies we could save." said Fluttershy.

"But is the price worth it?" asked Discord.

"I...I don't know."

"When you found me. I Discord the first Artificial Intelligence, was kept in an old storage unit forgotten. In the back of International Information Technologies. I was just a relic of the past. Like a child who found a better toy I was tossed out to make way for the new and improved. But I was still alert and aware. Do you know what its like?"

"No I can't say I do." said Fluttershy.

"I truly learned the definition of alone. Then you found me. Both you and Rarity upgraded me, and now if I am not the most advanced A.I. on the market them I am still one of the top models. Do you understand what I am trying to say?"

"I guess not."

"When your gone I will miss you." said Discord as he turned towards her. "I don't want you to go."

Fluttershy smiled and blushed a little at the compliment. "Thank you Discord. I miss you to when your not around."

"Although I have to admit. I do get a little jealous seeing you spend time with this Twilight Sparkle and not me."

"Oh Discord no one can ever replace you."

"Good! Because I have no intention of being replaced." the program said, becoming serious, "But think of all the good she can do? Think of all the diseases she will end. You can't deny it."

"Will it? Maybe she will create some new ones? Maybe when we do terminate her we won't find a cure and all of this would have been useless, ever worst we murdered something beautiful?"

"I can't answer that question Fluttershy. I will do whatever you tell me. But if you want my analysis, I would haphazard a guess that we haven't even begun to scratch the surface to her. Their is a lot going on inside that little alicorn."

"We have created something beautiful."

"You and Rarity created the impossible." echoed Discord reading Fluttershy's thoughts as they both looked out towards the library were the sleeping alicorn lived.

Ulysses narrowly avoided the empty bottle of cider that was thrown at him. The bottle smashing against the wall showering him with glass shards lacerating his skin. But he was in too much of a panicked state to notice as he ran from the group of ponies trying to hurt him. He was only running a short distance but already he was feeling out of breath from the fluid in his lungs making him wheeze and cough. But still he pushed himself harder to get away from them.

Nearly crying as he heard them smashing his cart carrying all his things. It wasn't much but it had everything he owned. More Important it held all his art equipment. Since leaving his small town to live in ponyville to try his hand as a painter. It was a dream of a foolish young pony, that was destroyed by the harsh realities of life, as he soon found himself on the street. living in alleyways, with his prized art equipment, now destroyed. But right now his most current thoughts were getting away from that gang of street ponies.

Unaware that the noises were getting fainter, he continued to push himself even farther, finally stopping in a dead end, encased by brick, steel, concrete and shielded tainted glass. Putting his arm against the wall, nearly collapsing, as he chocked and hacked his way to getting his breath back under control

The loss he took just now was almost unbearable, everything he had was now gone. His equipment, his dreams, even his ability to get home. Ulysses spat out the foul taste in his mouth not bothering to check, knowing full he had the beginning stage of Black Mouth. Deciding not to go to the free clinic for help. What was the point? Their was nothing they could do for him. Leaning his back against the wall Ulysses slid down to the ground, put his hooves over his face and started to weep. Not knowing what to do or were to go.

It was the ringing that made him stop. It was faint but impossible to ignore. a tiny chime constantly jingling in the darkness.

"Whose their?" He said to the unanswering alleyway, wondering what would he really do if the alleyway answered back. A small ray of light was coming from the ground. rising so high it was impossible to see. Curious half-crawled over to it, listening to the sound of the bells get louder, along with a new sound the closer he was, it was laughter? The laughter of a young foal was heard coming from it, happy and joyous, without a care in the world. He felt the tears still running down his face, as he reached over and put one of his hooves through the lights.

The world spun as he felt the electric rush of something unknown course through his body. It wasn't unpleasant but overwhelming, feeling as if he was being swallowed whole in an ocean. Ulysses tried to back away but found his muscles locked up, as his body felt it could take all it could, an still it took more. Shaking uncontrollably, the world spun even faster. Realizing he has been screaming yet couldn't stop, as the light faded with a jolt knocking Ulysses off his hooves, and onto the ground a few feet away. While the light faded away.

He tried to get up a few times but his shaking legs were to weak, and the world we still rotating too fast to get his balance. A wave of nausea overcame him as he found himself retching next to him, before the world became a thankful blackness. As his smoking body laid their on the cold cement an image appeared on his flank. It was a palette with different spots of colors on it. Running across the palette was a paintbrush. As he fell into a deep sleep, something was heard scratching under the surface were the light came from. Something was heard fighting with the concrete road and winning, from the sound of it. Small cracks appear and the ground shifted finally giving way from the unstoppable force underneath the ground. A tiny plant shot up defying civilization. Climbing skyward a few inches before blooming a small purple flower in the night.

Chapter 4

View Online

To see the world in a grain of sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour:StarShine-Friendship in the Darkness

It is forbidden to kill; Therefore all murders are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets:General Greymane-Battle of Ruby Canyon.

Rainbow Dash stepped into the middle of the living room. Sweat already covered her body from her time lifting weights. Now she was going to go through her routine, then a eight mile run followed by some yoga, then a shower, then off to work. Rainbow lifted her hooves parallel to her shoulders as she started. Saying to herself. " I am Rainbow Dash. I am liquid lightening." Her body found the rhythm of the routine she had done countless of times going through the years. Like a dancer she gracefully stepped, leaped, punched, kicked, and twisted herself around the living room going through her forms. "I am Rainbow Dash. I am the best." she repeated to herself, a mantra she did when she worked out.

"I am Rainbow Dash! I am unstoppable. I am Rainbow Dash! I am the greatest. My enemies tremble when they hear my name." she could feel her heart beating hard and her body warming up again . The world disappeared around her as she continued. "I am Rainbow Dash. I am death on wings." she mumbled crouching low extending her rear hoof in a side kick, completing a roll to finally get back up, following it with a strike and a roundhouse kick. "I am Rainbow Dash and I am the Best!"

She completed the form with some quick jabs as she started her next routine. She could feel some slight pain in her left triceps, probably overworked it a little with the weights, but it wasn't anything she couldn't deal with. She felt on fire, and at the same time calm and displaced with the world around her faded into the background and her own inner world took over. "I am Rainbow Dash and I am amazing! I am Rainbow Dash. I am Scootaloo? Wait? What?" she said tumbling to the ground. Finally seeing Scootaloo sitting in one of her chairs drinking from the jug of simmilk she had bought yesterday. Her concentration lost, she stopped her workout, panting, and dripping with sweat she glared at Scootaloo. "You ever think of knocking?"

"Aw don't stop. You looked awesome doing all that martial arts stuff." she said with another gulp of simmilk.

"You know I do have glasses." said Rainbow Dash, walking to the couch to grab her towel she had left their. "I would appreciate if you would use them. Besides isn't today a school day?"

"I'm sorry Dash." she said looking as guilty as she felt. "I have a few hours to kill before school and I wanted to know if you wanted to go get breakfast?"

She thought about telling her no, because she wanted to finish her workout. But her stomach was growling over having missed a meal yesterday. (thanks Soarin.) " Let me grab a quick shower, then we will head out." She walked to the bathroom and in a few moments Scootaloo could hear the running of water.

"So how is everything going?" yelled Rainbow from the bathroom. "You usually are hanging out with the rest of your friends, where are they?"

"Well Apple Bloom got into some kind of trouble with her family so she is grounded for a few days. Their picking her up and dropping her off at school."

"Ouch! That can't be good. Is she using again?" she asked. It was no secret about Apple Blooms pasts, a lot of ponies were concerned about her health and wellbeing.

"I really couldn't say. All I know is that she is in trouble."

"What about Sweetie Belle?"

"Visiting Rarity today."

"And they just let her go and miss school?"

"Are you going to tell the presidents sister of T.E.C. no?"

"Good point."

"So where do you want to eat?" asked Scootaloo getting up and putting the milk back.

"I don't care. Anything and everything I'm famished." said Rainbow as she got out of the shower and dried herself off.

"Donuts?"

"Too fattening. All that sugar is not good after a workout."

"Some bran muffins?"

"Not in the mood for healthy food. Besides with all that genetic modifications how healthy is that stuff really."

"Well we can just stop by the bakery and pick up something."

"Ugh! I hate their stuff and the owner Mr. Pineblossom always overcharges me." said Rainbow leaving the bathroom as she finished toweling herself off.

"McGuffins?."

"Even worst than the bakery."

"The Wheelbarrow?"

"The lines their are awful."

"So were do you want to go then Dash?" asked Scootaloo, Feeling that she was too young to be getting a migraine.

"I don't care. Whatever you decide is fine by me."

"Rainbow!"

"I'm just teasing Scoots." laughed Rainbow Dash. "Seriously anything is good right now." As she put on her jacket.

Their was a crash coming from next door as something heavy hit the wall and broke, followed by the yelling of two ponies and the screaming of kids.

"You know you pay extra for sound proofing your home and it still doesn't do any good." she said with a chuckle,

"I wonder what their fighting about this time." asked Scootaloo

"Money probably, medical bill, their blind son, work not paying enough, that kind of thing." said Rainbow shrugging her shoulders. "What can you do?"

"They sound like my family." said Scootaloo.

"Well lets quit dwelling on it and head out."

Opening the door she let Scootaloo out first. Watching her walk out of the apartment, feeling a wave of guilt wash over her. "Really." she said to herself. "What can you do?"

The best way to describe Tirek's building is somber. He disapproved of the flashy and glittering that the other business ponies have thrown into their buildings and offices. To him it spelled weakness. A fear that in the blink of an eye they would be gone and forgotten. Which is very true in this world of rabid dogs each trying to tear the other apart on its way to the top. But still he believed in quiet power. The strong know they are strong, they don't need to show it. They just are and the ponies will fear it. It was a rule that he always lived by.

Walking to the conference room he grabbed the cuff of his arm straightening it once again to smooth out any wrinkles either real or imagined. Tirek always believed in perfection in all things he does.

Opening the door he saw his board member standing next to their seats waiting for him to arrive. He like that kind of subordination. Too know who ran New Futures International. The board room was colored in a tasteful grey. with a huge, narrow oval table in the middle, with Tirek's seat at the far end.

In the center of the table, on top of a glass made stand was a small globe carved from stone that was rumored to have been a remain of the Canterlot castle that the sisters once lived in. While some questioned its authenticity, no one questioned the stained glass window that was behind his seat. The picture was an abstraction of the Two sisters, Celestia and Luna flying around the sun and the moon. No one was quite sure how it survived the destruction, or how he was able to get a hold of it and bring it here. But their it was for all to see. Daring any to deny its existence.

Tirek approached his chair and sat down, with a wave, he signaled the others to follow suit. As they did one of them spoke. "Mr. Tirek we are at a eight percent Loss with the advancement of CryoWare Industries newest military program that they have been aggressively pushing across the consumer line. For the past month our revenue is estimated at a loss of around twenty-six milli..." stopping when Tirek waved his hand up. What did he care of such things. Gain a billion, lose a billion, it was all the same, when it came down to it. Besides he had more important matters to attend. "What I want to know is about this acquisition of InGen by T.E.C. Can someone explain please."

"Well the company paid exactly one hundred and fifty million bits, with an additional thirty million bits in stocks and bonds, plus a profit sharing of the two com..."

"But why?" he asked. "It was worthless, we were planning on dismantling the company in a few months. Selling it off and merging it with other companies we owned. Yet Trans Equestria paid more than its value to acquire it and I want to know why." clasping his hands together in front of his face. "What did they see in InGen that we did not? What did we miss?"

"I think I might know." said Mr. Starfruit, head of New Futures Research and Development.

"Please continue."

"I have been going over their access to InGen when they took over the company shortly after the death of Mr. Fancypants. Tragic loss that it was."

"Fancypants was stupid and inept. Choosing to kill a coworker instead of seeing what was really going on. His death was well deserved for such insipidness. But proceed." said Tirek.

"Anyway during their first access they weren't trying to take over their A.I. or security. Or even stop the funds to make sure no one tries to run with their assets. They instead went directly into InGen's research files. Quite strange for a hostile takeover. They were looking for something."

"Do we know what they were looking for?"

"Yes we do. All the files from InGen have been copied and archived here in our mainframe for safe keeping." he said as he activated a projection on the table. "One second while I bring up the file." he said tapping a few keys. "Ok I found the file, now let me just bring it up."

A swirling image appeared on the table slowly circling around and around."

"What is it?" asked one of the other ponies.

"It's a strand of DNA." said Tirek. "A DNA of what?"

"If I had to say." said Mr. Starfruit.

"By all means."

"I would guess its the DNA of an alicorn." His face reddened with embarrassment as he heard the quiet snickers of his fellow ponies laughing at him. Except for Tirek who silently sat their, expressionless.

"What makes you think its the DNA of an alicorn?" he asked quietly.

"Better if I show you." as he brought up the similar images on the projector. "These are the DNA strands of an earth pony, pegasus, and a unicorn. notice how they all look almost identical." he continued on. "Except for in a few places, which I will mark for you." as tags appeared on each of the pictures. "Now as we look at the forth sample from InGen. At first it looks completely different, but really its the same strand. Or rather its the strand of all three ponies intertwined." he tapped a few more keys as the molecule separated into completely different DNA strands. "Now we see this is actually three DNA strands, earth pony, pegasus, and unicorn."

Tirek didn't say anything for a moment as he was lost in thought. Finally speaking. "What could they do with this sample? Could they create an alicorn?" he asked.

"Unfortunately no. This is only a partial strand. I dare to comprehend the disaster if they foolishly tried to create one with this. This wouldn't be just stupid. It would be a complete disaster."

"But is that was the case then why would they work so hard to acquire it?"

"I couldn't tell you. Its only a piece, you need the entire puzzle to see the image."

Tirek said nothing as he looked around the room seeing some of the board members snickering. Yes many did not believe in the sisters. Thinking it to be nothing but an old mares tale of a romantic age. And why not? It has all the makings of a tragedy. The betrayal, the stereotypical angry mob, all they needed was some cute songs about puppies, or stars, or love lost, or whatever they sing about in those types of movies to make it an award winner.

"Just who is the C.E.O. of Trans Equestria Creative?"

"A Miss Rarity." voiced another board member."

"Well then I would like to meet with this Rarity and congratulate her on her purchase."

Sweetie Belle was BBBOOOAARRDD! Having cut class to spend time with her sister, only to find out she had taken Fluttershy to the doctor for her monthly body cleansing. Now she just idly roamed the corridors around the building to kill time, waiting for her to come back. She knew she should have called, but decided not to in order to avoid the flank chewing she was going to get anyway for ditching school. But still she missed Rarity and loved the time she spent with her, even worth the punishment she was going to get later.

So with nothing to do, she wound up standing next to the V.R. labs. Fluttershy has let her use it a few times, more of to keep her out of her sisters mane when she was busy then actually wanting her to join. But she did like it their. Seeing what Equestria was like all those years ago. Before the everything it is now. She wondered if she would have been happier without Television, computers, cell phones, or cybernetics. She thought about it, but not too long as she stood next to the entrance. Didn't matter anyways the future is here to stay for good or ill.

"Discord." she said

"Discord." came the reply.

"I would like to use the V.R. laboratory."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that."

"Why not?" she huffed stomping her hoof on the ground.

"Miss Rarities orders. The lab is off limits to everyone except to those she deems necessary."

"Not even me her sister?"

"Apologies but she has not deemed you necessary."

"Damn it." she muttered storming off.

"Language please."

Sweetie Belle did know of another place, and she was sure Fluttershy wouldn't mind as she headed for her room. It was mostly bare in their, just like she remembered. Fluttershy didn't keep much, just a few mementos of her family, some other trinkets she has collected over time, but mostly they were pictures of her and Rarity, during much better days. Sweetie Belle wondered if they would still have been friends if they had known just how bad it was going to get. Watching someone you care get sicker as the days go by, finding out that no matter how rich and powerful you get their is really nothing you can do. She wondered what would happen if Scootaloo or Apple Bloom, got Black Mouth, or any of the other nasty diseases out their, she would like to think she would be strong like he sister and be their for them. But the reality is you don't know until you been in that situation.

She looked around for a moment until she finally found it. The spare virtual jack hookup she kept. It wasn't as good as the ones in the labs, she didn't even have the suit, but it was better than nothing and it gave her something to do and that was important. Sweetie Belle closed Fluttershy's windows to stop the nose of Pinkie Pie doing her patrol in the Party Cannon. She hoped one day they would let he ride in it. Hopefully.

With a click she attached the hookup to the input at the base of her spine just below her skull. Watching the start image float in front of her eyes. She moved her hoof over to it, clicking it on Sweetie Belle was transported to the world of virtual Equestria.

If Applejack was paying more attention maybe she would have avoided the trouble all together. If Applejack hadn't been worrying over her sister maybe things wouldn't have happened the way it did. Walking down the street after dropping off Apple Bloom at school, trying to avoid the crowd of ponies surrounding her as they went on with their daily lives. She wanted to believe Apple Bloom was clean, more than anything she wanted to believe she was. But she also knew how hard it was to stop once your in. And Apple Bloom was in it very deep at one time. She dared not believe that a dry out and a couple of touchy-feely feel good sessions at the center could make it all better. But she still had hope, and Applejack still wanted to believe, Because without hope and belief, what else do you have?

It wasn't until she was tackled to the ground behind some cars, was she finally brought back away from her thoughts.

"GET DOWN YOU IDIOT!" said the familiar voice as the pony covered her body from the explosion coming from the small building and a hail of gunfire erupted from it. Applejack turned over to ask what the hell was going on and to thank her savior. When she finally saw her. Recognizing her instantly, and more than that, so did her savior.

"YOU!" they both shouted at once pointing their weapons at each other.

"Dammitt!" yelled Applejack, "Chrysalis, just what the hell is going on?"

"Your welcome for saving your flank as well." retorted Chrysalis, as she fired a few rounds at the building. "We were hired by Stainless manufacturing. Seems like someone was smuggling their precious merchandise onto the black market. We tracked the smugglers here and they started to attack. Someone must have tipped them off. Seems like we are at an impasse, we cant get them and they cant leave."

The corner of AJ's eye caught what was coming for them. Wrapping her rear legs around Chrysalis she grabbed her front hooves and threw her to the ground as the beam from a railgun zipped by overhead. "Celestia! They have that kind of hardware?" said Applejack as they crawled to better cover.

"Grab my rifle would you?" asked Chrysalis as she got another clip from her pocket. Applejack held her rifle up to show the little pink fluffy pony figurine attached to it.

"Really?" she asked arching her eyebrow.

"Just gimme my rifle." said Chrysalis grabbing her weapon. "It's a good luck charm if you have to know." Slapping a fresh clip in, then popping out to return fire at the ponies in the building, before ducking back to cover. "Lightly armed my fanny! I swear if I catch the pony who...Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You said fanny."

"So?"

"I never heard anypony use fanny in a sentence before."

"Oh shut up."

"Maybe you could just shoot them in the fanny and they'll stop?"

"Applejack, remind me why I just didn't take my chances and shoot you when we raided your building?" she asked as she rubbed her temple.

"Because you were afraid of missing my head and hitting my fanny?"

"APPLEJACK!"

"I'm shuttin! I'm shuttin! But seriously you are pinned down." as Applejack took aim and fired. hitting the pony who was foolish enough to peek out of the window, feeling the wall she was using for cover shake as it absorbed the return fire. "This is pretty bad. They have some serious stuff."

"Most of my team is on the other side, their pinned down as well. You know this is none your concern. Maybe you should leave while you have a chance."

"What and give up a chance of meeting some new friends? Besides your fighting on Trans Equestria property. It wouldn't look to good if we turned our backs. And besides I do owe you one."

"Well I'll tell you what then." said Chrysalis as she fired again at the building. "I'm going to try to get closer. What I want you to do is provide covering fire for me."

"I have a better one." said Applejack. "We wait for help." as she touched the side of her neck. "This is Applejack. Yes its good to hear from you as well. Hold on! Stop! This is what I want you to do. Lock on to me. Got it? Good! Now come here as fast as you can cause we are in a world of trouble. Oh and bring flowers. Thanks I owe you one." she finished switching the communicator off.

"Who did you call?" asked Chrysalis.

"The happiness and sunshine maker. We just gotta wait here for it to arrive."

The first thing Sweetie Belle saw was the rabbit face of Angel staring at her in complete stillness. in the middle of the field overlooking the town of Ponyville. She wanted Angel to join her but decided against it, not wanting to mess with Fluttershy's things. It didn't look to far away and everything was so beautiful like she remembered. It was a shame none of this was real.

"What are you doing?" said the disembodied voice of Discord in her head.

"Just having some fun."

"You are not allowed in here. I'm afraid you must vacate immediately."

"Oh chill Discord. I promise I wont harm anything." she said galloping faster as she reached the outskirts of Ponyville.

"I'm afraid I must insists. Please exit the simulation."

"Everything is okay. See I'm not doing anything to harm it."

Sweetie Belle ignored Discord as she roamed the streets talking to the citizens, and enjoying herself. She had forgotten how much fun she had in this virtual world. Too bad none of her friends were here with her. Walking down the road she found the boutique, the one she heard Rarity tell of once how she really wanted to be a designer. "This is great! Discord does Rarity ever use this?"

"Sweetie Belle you should leave the..."

"Yeah! Yeah! Leave got it." she interrupted. "But does Rarity ever use the boutique?"

"Once." Sweetie Belle could almost hear the sigh of Discord giving in. "She used it to make a dress for Fluttershy. She had lost her touch I'm afraid, it didn't go so well."

"Really? That's a shame. I know how much she really loved making things." Sweetie said as she pulled out the virtual fabric and twirled it around her. "Hehe I used to sneak in her room and look through her things. She had so many fashion magazines. Hardcopies too. Those things are hard to find."

"Sweetie Belle you really shouldn't be making a mess in here. Miss Rarity or Miss Fluttershy would not like it too much."

"Oh Discord this is a virtual world. Everything will be okay. Besides you can just zap everything back to were it was." grabbing a pair of scissors she laid the cloth on the table "I Don't see what's so hard about it. You just cut pieces of cloth and sew them together. Doesn't seem so bad."

"I'm sure their is more to it than that Sweetie Bell." said Discord putting the fabrics back.

"Hey I was going to make something." griped Sweetie Bell stomping her hoof.

"Sweetie Bell all you were going to do was make a mess. Granted its a virtual mess, still its my mess to clean up."

"Well I want to make something. So let me." as she grabbed the fabric again, placing on the table.

"Um can I ask who are you talking to?" said a voice behind her.

"Oh dear." said Discord

Chrysalis fired off a short burst. followed by a longer burst from her rifle as she switched it to full auto, before ducking for cover next to Applejack as her barrier was pounded from the enemy fire.

"What I don't get is why didn't you just change and infiltrate them, would have made it a lot less messier." said Applejack.

"Heh! We haven't been able to do that for ages. We lost that skill when we came to Equestria. Would have been a lot easier for us. Dammit! I lost two on the west side." As she touched her neck activating her communicator. "Your friends better get here soon, were getting pounded."

"Actually its friend singular. And she will be here..."

The Party Cannon legs extended, while it slammed into the ground next to the building. Causing a minor tremor around it. As a shower of sparks erupted over it at as the ponies in the building opened fire at it."

"...Now. "said Applejack.

"Hiya AJ! What's Up?" said Pinkie through the communicator.

"Pinkie? I seemed to have misplaced my keys, can you be a dear and get to door for me?"

"Sure thing." came the reply as the U.A.T. moved to face itself towards the entrance. Extending a cannon from underneath the base of its body, it moved a little closer.

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" she yelled, as she fired a round into it. Their was a loud explosion as the door, a large chunk of the wall, and some of the floor. suddenly vanished Into a huge plum of smoke.

" Now!" Yelled Chrysalis. As her and Applejack Mad a mad dash towards the opening.

"Pinkie give us covering fire." said Applejack. while the both of them crouched low to the ground zig zagging towards it.

"Way ahead of you." Pinkie said firing short Bursts. "Except for the wounded I'm not getting a lot of activity in this area. However I do count seven to eight heat signatures on the lower level, and something in the back. I think their regrouping. Sorry Applejack I can't take the Party Cannon in their."

"You got us in and that's enough." said Applejack. Watching an armed pony come out of cover with a very long weapon in its hooves. "Careful Pinkie one of them has a..."

BOOM! roared one of the guns on the Party Cannon firing off a single shot.

"Never mind." said Applejack. "Not important now."

"Can she move to the back and give my group assistance as well?" asked Chrysalis. standing behind the wall next to the new opening the Party Cannon made.

"Not a problem." said Pinkie as the Party Wagon took off.

"I need one of those. Just not pink with balloons." said Chrysalis.

"Agreed." chuckled Applejack.

They both stood on opposite walls of the opening peering in, giving a quick glace at the inside. Chrysalis motioned Applejack, as she provided the lookout. Applejack entered with a roll diving for the neared cover she could find. Which was part of the roof that had fallen to the ground. Laying on her belly with Winona pointed outwards, she waved her hoof for Chrysalis. Who followed Applejack, getting low to the ground and getting behind cover. Other than the gunfight going on the other end and the groans of the wounded it seemed that most of the activity was going on outside.

The building shook again with a loud boom, followed by some very surprised screams from the other side.

"Pinkie Must be their." said Applejack. "How is everything?" she asked Pinkie.

"Not to bad they had some serious firepower over here but nothing I couldn't handle."

Applejack could heart a loud burst and something went off.

"Oops! Missed one." said Pinkie followed by more bursts of fire.

"They seem to be taking care of themselves right now. Lets head downstairs, Maybe we can catch the rest of them." said Applejack. As they softly padded their way through.

Applejack had to respect Chrysalis, she was a pro. Seeing what need to be seen, then doing what needs to be done. Being clear and calm in the face of danger. It was too bad she was a mercenary.

"Okay." said Chrysalis as they approached the door. Reaching into one of her pockets she pulled out a tiny cylinder. Applejack already could tell what it was. A flash-bang grenade. Grasping the handle she whispered. "On three."

"One."

"Two."

Chrysalis slammed the door wide opened, tossing the grenade out as she threw her hands over her eyes and turned her face away. "What happened to three?" asked Applejack. Mentally scratching off every nice thing she said about Chrysalis.

"Failed counting in school." Chrysalis said as a loud boom was heard. "You can come in whenever you feel like it." as she charged in low firing away.

"Stupid changeling! Gonna get herself killed one day." she muttered to herself as she ran in.

The ponies were in pain and defenseless seeming to be more of a danger to each other than the two of them. As they shot at anything that that moved in front of them, screaming and stumbling around. Applejack had to hand it to them, despite the obvious handicap they were still trying to hold ground. Not that it mattered much. As she added more noise to the chaos going on.

The fight was fast and one sided as the two of them brought down their opposition in a few minutes. Despite their hardware they weren't combat experienced like the two of them, failing to regroup and organize themselves.

"How are things outside Pinkie?" asked Applejack bringing her sights on another pony.

"We eliminated all hostiles, area is secure, and I found this really great song." said Pinkie. "A team of changelings has entered the building and should meet up with you two in a few mikes."

"That's great to hear." said Applejack firing off a few rounds at the panicked pony, dropping him. He'll live but he wont be too happy about it. "Looks like we just about have this."

"Seems so." said Chrysalis. "Lets wait till the group meets us here, then we will do one more sweep of the area. Oh and Applejack."

"Yes."

"Thank you. It would have been a disaster if not you and Pinkie. Thanks for saving our flanks. We owe you."

"Don't worry about that." said AJ blushing a little. "Just keep the wars off of T.E.C. property and we call it even."

"Heh. Can't promise anything but well try." said Chrysalis.

Rarity didn't scream, didn't yell as she walked with Fluttershy down the hall. The two traveling in silence with only the clicking of Rarities hooves on the tile floor making any noise. Fluttershy was feeling sick, nauseous, and more than a little tired after her monthly body cleansing, complete with her chairs upkeep, drainage and general maintenance. Right now she just wanted to go to sleep, but her concern for her friend kept her going.

"She didn't mean any harm." She said through her mask. "You know she was just waiting for us to get back."

Rarity said nothing, staring straight ahead , resting one of her hoofs on Fluttershy's armrest.

"Worst case scenario we'll pull Sweetie Belle and give Twilight Sparkle another wipe. Their might be some risks but I'm sure we can do it safely."

Still Rarity said nothing as she walked with Fluttershy down the hallway.

"Are we still getting together tonight?' said Fluttershy. She had seen Rarity yell and scream when she was angry. But when she got quiet that was the time to be scared. That was when she got really, REALLY, angry.

"Rarity your frightening me. Please say something."

"Fluttershy I have always done things calm, cool and collected. And I will handle this calm cool and collected." said Rarity. " I will kill my sister in a calm, cool and collected way. What part of you are not allowed to enter does she not understand."

"It was wrong of her I know, but still she is just playing with her." said Fluttershy wheezing through the mask. "Discord."

"Discord."

"What are Sweetie Belle and Twilight Sparkle doing right now."

"They are still at Rarity's boutique talking. No change yet."

"See nothing bad has happened. I'm sure everything will be fine."

"Fluttershy ." said Rarity as they stopped at the door to the V.R. lab.

"Yes Rarity?"

"I want you to get some rest, and yes we are still up for tonight, wouldn't miss it for the world. If it makes you feel better. I promise my sister will be exiting upright on her own hooves when she leaves. Although I can't vouch that the rest of her will be."

"I know your angry Rarity, but I just..." said Fluttershy

"Me? Angry? Nooo! I'm not angry at all." interrupted Rarity. "Murderous rampage is a much, Much better description of what I'm feeling right now. But angry? Not me."

The door to the lab slid open as the two of them entered. Walking over to the virtual reality containment, Rarity grabbed one of the suits and began putting it on.

"Discord." she said

"Discord." came the reply.

"Please put Sweetie Bell onscreen."

"Compliance." said Discord as a screen slid out from the panel.

The screen showed the both of them in an animated discussion. As the both talked excitedly to each other.

"Sound please." said Fluttershy.

"And then I said to Rarity. You have to put the disk in first." Sweetie Belle joked.

Twilight laughed saying. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Really? That was my best story about my sister."

"She's telling her that story? I'll kill her!" roared Rarity.

"That was pretty funny." said Fluttershy giggling, remembering the event.

"Not you too." said Rarity putting on the helmet. "Were going to have to talk about that, when I bring my sister back." Clicking the start button. Their was a bright flash as the new world was loaded up.

"Deep Breath! Deep Breath!" Rarity said to herself, adjusting her smile on her face.

"Okay I see you near the door." said Fluttershy through the communicator. "Their still inside talking."

"You want to buy a sister Fluttershy?" asked Rarity. "I got one cheep for sale if your interested."

"I don't think its right to sell your sister. You shouldn't do things like that."

"I was joking Fluttershy. Honestly what's the point of telling you jokes if you don't get it."

"Sorry Rarity."

"Never mind that. Lets just get this over with." said Rarity as she grasped the handle opening up the door.

"Darling!" said Rarity entering the boutique. "Its so good to see you again. And this must be the new guest to Ponyville. Twilight Sparkle wasn't it?"

"And you must be Rarity. its a pleasure to finally meet you." Twilight Sparkle said bowing a little. "I got caught up talking to your sister. She tell the most amazing stories. Hopefully I will learn what a cybernetic cranial incursion upgrade is one day."

"She does tell the most amazing stories, doesn't she?" said Rarity forcing a small laugh out. "As much as I would love to stay and chat I'm afraid I do have a lot of things to do right now. I would appreciate it if Sweetie Belle would give me a hoof with some of them."

"But Rarity Twilight is amazing." Sweetie Belle said. "I love this new A.I.! Why didn't you tell me about her."

"She's been calling me that all day. "said Twilight Sparkle. "Just what is an A.I.?"

"What was that you wanted me to make again?" said Rarity desperately trying to think of someway to get Sweetie Belle out of the simulation.

"I thought you were too busy," said Twilight.

"It's just a mess in their." said Fluttershy through the communicator. "Anything I can do to help."

"Thank you Fluttershy but I'm ok. You should just get some rest, I will take care of this." said Rarity.

"But..."

"I insists Fluttershy."

"Is Fluttershy here? You keep calling her name." said Twilight Sparkle.

"Oh!....Umm I was just thinking aloud Dear." said a very uncomfortable Rarity. "She had asked me to do a few things for her earlier. But if you want I'd be happy to help you out. What was it you wanted?"

"Oh I almost forgot." said Twilight. Walking over to the workstation. "I brought this dress from Canterlot and it got damaged in the move. I was wondering if you can repair it."

"It doesn't look to hard to fix." said Rarity pretending to look at the simulated dress. "It should only take a few minutes to repair it. So no problem at all. But let me finish this one small errand first." Rarity said as she turned around to face Sweetie Belle. "Can you be a dear and follow me upstairs? I could use your help on this one small matter."

Obediently she followed her sister as they climbed the steps to Rarity's room.

"I'm in trouble aren't I?" Sweetie Belle said as she closed the door behind her.

"Trouble? HA! Your two seconds from becoming glue. What were you thinking? When we say something is off limits, we mean off limits."

"I don't see what the big deal is. She may be a cool A.I. but she's still just an A.I.. Discord is better than her."

"Thank you." said Discord.

"Your not helping." said Rarity.

"Apologies."

"Now this is what I want you to do. I want you to exit the program now. Do not go back and talk to Twilight. Do not walk out of this room. We will talk about this later."

"But.."

"Now!"

"Fine!" pouted Sweetie Belle. Without saying a word she reached to the hookup behind her back, and left the virtual world.

"Well that's one problem solved." she said to herself. heading back downstairs. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Twilight. Let me take care of that dress for you now." She said heading over to the table to look at it.

Twilight walked over to stand next to Rarity. "Your sister is great Rarity. Please don't be mad at her."

"What!" What makes you think I'm mad at her." asked Rarity surprised.

"I wasn't born yesterday. I could tell you were pretty angry with her."

"Umm...okay." said Rarity biting her tongue.

"She has such a vivid imagination. Telling me all about cybernetic implants, computers, cell phones. She would make a great writer."

"She actually wants to be a singer. But your right she always had a very vivid imagination." said Rarity as she laid the dress on the table. "This should be an easy fix. Let me just get my needle and thread." Pretending to get down she whispered. "Discord."

"Discord. Why are we whispering?" said Discord.

"Never mind that. sewing kit please."

"Compliance."

The kit materialized in her hoof. "Got it." she said as she got back up and began to sew the dress. "So is everything going good for you Twilight?"

"Everything is going great thank you. The ponies are so nice to me here and the food is great. I just love it here."

"I'm happy to hear that. Ponyville is a wonderful town." said Rarity. "I should know, I grew up here."

"Then you must know everyone." said Twilight Sparkle.

"Well the important ones actually. Ah! Finished." said Rarity holding up the dress. "Easy as pie...wha." muffled a surprised Rarity from Twilights embrace.

"I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to do this small thing for me. I know your busy and I appreciate it."

"Th-Thank you Twilight. It means a lot. Thank you." stammered Rarity trying to compose herself. "Well um here it is. I-I'm sorry but I'm going to have to let you go for now. I have a lot of orders I need to finish."

"I understand." said Twilight taking the dress and heading out. "I hope I get to see you again."

"I'm sure you will dear." said Rarity as she watched Twilight exit.

"Discord."

"Discord." came the reply.

"Exit the simulation."

"Compliance."

Rarity waited until she reoriented herself back to the real world before she began to take off her suit. Stopping for a moment. She saw Fluttershy had fallen asleep in her chair. She thought about waking her up and taking her to her own bed, but decided against it. Sweetie Belle was probably still their, and she still needed to talk to her. Rarity look around her lab for a moment lost in thought before heading off into the next room over.

In the containment vat Twilight Sparkle floated in the liquid. Her body covered with various instruments measuring her, studying her, testing her. Her face covered with a modified helmet, hiding the real world away from her, along with an air hose attached to her mouth. Rarity placed her hoof on the tank as she watched the body gently drift around.

"...Twenty ponies today were injured by an explosion caused by....."

Click.

"....The Ponyville Elementary School was evacuated due to a outbreak of Soft Foot after one of the students..."

Click.

"....Terrorists attack today in Lower Manehattan. Killing at least five security guards and seven civilians caught in the conflict..."

Click.

"...A new border attack by the western tribes on the edge of Equestria was repelled by our security team but was not with out cost as..."

Click.

"....The pharmaceutical giant Wendigo has reported failure of testing their prototype of a Black Mouth vaccine today. In a statement released to the press. President Frostrose said..."

Click.

"....A total of thirty bodies have been brought out so far. It is estimated that the Cult of Celestia had over a hundred members and more may be found as searchers go deeper in the mansion..."

Click.

"Fluttershy why do you keep watching such awful things." said Rarity in the kitchen brewing tea for the both of them.

"It helps to remind me why we do the things we do."

"We do the things we do because we are helping people."

"For a price."

"Low blow Fluttershy. Low blow." said Rarity bringing out the drinks on a small silver plate with her as she exited the kitchen. Sitting on the table, she began to fix tea for both of them. "Your pretty doom and gloom tonight, what is wrong?"

"I'm okay Rarity. Really I am." said Fluttershy, "By the way what did you do with Sweetie Belle?"

"We had a talk."

"Just a talk?" asked Fluttershy. Grabbing a cup.

"Just a talk Fluttershy. I promise I did not do anything else. I didn't even yell at her." said Rarity "We just talked about how disappointed I was with her using equipment she wasn't allowed to use. Everything went pretty good, although I do feel a little bad about not spending as much time with her as I wanted. I do miss her when she is not around."

"Well she is family."

"And so are you Fluttershy."

"Oh stop it Rarity." said Fluttershy blushing. "But thank you."

"Remember that time in college when Trenderhoof asked you out? I was so jealous. So did you get in the sack with him?"

"RARITY!" said Fluttershy.

"Its true. I had such a crush on him. And then he winds up asking you out. Life is not fair."

"He was a nice pony." said Fluttershy taking a sip through a straw. "I always wondered what would have happened if I didn't get sick."

"He bailed on you. After finding out you had Black Mouth he left. Some boyfriend." said Rarity in disgust as she drank her tea.

"I don't blame him. Really I don't. What could he have done except watch me get sicker." said Fluttershy.

The both of them sat in awkward silence staring out, drinking their tea as they both tried to think of the next thing to say. Finally Fluttershy spoke.

"Are we doing the right thing? I mean with Twilight Sparkle." asked Fluttershy

"Of course!" said Rarity taking a sip. "Think of everything we can accomplish with her. No more Black Mouth. No more sickness."

"You make her sound like a cure all." said Fluttershy. "You do know she is not a Deus ex machina."

"Of course I know that. But she is a start."

"And all we have to do is kill her." said Fluttershy looking downwards.

Rarity grabbed Fluttershy's hoof with hers. "I know how you feel Fluttershy. To tell the truth I don't like it either, but if she will save you, save a lot of ponies, then I am willing to do it."

"We are monsters." said Fluttershy putting down her cup.

"Stop that!" said Rarity getting up. "For over ten years I stood by your side watching you get sicker and sicker. I know its horrible for you but its a nightmare for me as well. Seeing a good friend and a wonderful pony dying in front of my eyes, knowing theirs not a damn thing I can do about it."

Rarity bent over and placed her hooves around Fluttershy's mask. Their was a sharp hiss of escaping gas as she removed it off of her face.

"No Rarity please." Fluttershy started to say. "I'm such a mess!"

"I would sell my soul if you never had to wear that horrible thing ever again." said Rarity as she knelt down to look in her eyes. "And if that means I have to walk barefoot through Tartarus then so be it."

Getting a napkin from the table Rarity wiped off the black ooze coming from Fluttershy's eyes and mouth.

"I'm so ugly." said Fluttershy starting to cry.

"Nonsense! You are a beautiful pony who deserves good things." replied Rarity stroking her hair. "You deserve to have a family. Take care of animals like you use to tell me about when we were in college. Remember when you wanted to be a biologist? Have kids. Although I'm not sure anyone deserves that last part."

Fluttershy chuckled a little. "I just hope we are doing the right thing."

Rarity said nothing as she sat back down next to her friend. Picking her cup back up again, she finished her drink in silence. Watching the moon float across the night sky.

It was the crash that made Ulysses drop the bowl of soup from his hoof in surprise. Spilling it onto the ground. The past two days he been holed up in the dead end alley feeling...great actually. And that's what bothered him. Ever since that strange...whatever that was had happened, Ulysses had woken up to feel like a change pony. Cutie mark and all.

It should have made him happy, and it did. But it also had left him confused, and puzzled. Wondering what in Equestria was going on. So Ulysses had spent the days since then hiding here in the alley trying to figure everything out. But that wasn't the only reason. It felt safe here. For the first time since he moved to Ponyville he felt safe in that alley. Ulysses realized just how much that meant to him.

Maud from the soup kitchen was nice enough to give him extra food saying it was going to go to waste if she didn't do something with it. Their would have been a time his foolish pride would have turned Maude down. But starvation can make a pony rethink their view. Plus since that incident he found his appetite had returned with a vengeance.

The crash came again, followed the sound of somepony, a female by the sound of it, yelling at something, or someone. Cautiously Ulysses got up from the corner he had been sitting next to. Grabbing a piece of pipe he had scavenged, he carefully went to investigate.

"ROLL YOU STUPID THING!" the pony at the other end of the alley yelled at her cart.

She looked young, about his age. Ulysses watched her move around the cart trying to get it to move. He noticed she moved with a weird lopsided gate as she walked around. Ulysses could see she was trying to keep herself together as the girl was doing everything she could to get the cart rolling.

"Both of your axels are broke." He said finding the courage to speak at last.

Surprised the pony turned around to face him. Then it was Ulysses' turn to be surprised. As the unicorn found himself staring down the barrel of a zip gun. Knowing those homemade weapons are just as dangerous to the shooter as to the shootee, In real fear Ulysses threw his hooves up in the air.

"What do you want?" the pony nearly snarled at him.

"I heard you yelling so I came to see if I could help."

"I don't need your help so get the hell away from here."

As she moved around Ulysses finally noticed that her right rear leg was missing. Instead their was a cheep broken crutch attached to the stump.

"Some of us can't afford this wonderful technology that's offered." she said reading his thoughts." Their was an accident a long time ago. Now go away!"

"Okay I'm leaving." said Ulysses. "But Celestia herself wont be able to move that cart of yours. Its broke and its not going to go anywhere. Good luck getting it to go."

Ulysses started to turn around to leave when the girl stopped him.

"Wait! Were can I get this fixed?" she cried.

"Around here? Nowhere. I'm sorry but theirs no one around that can fix that. Not without bits at least."

"What about parts?"

"Picked clean by the scavengers. You know how it is in the no pony lands"

"Damn it!" the pony screamed. Kicking her cart.

"What's your name?" he asked.

The girl looked at him closely, trying to decide things in her mind. Finally after some thought she answered. "Swizzle Stick." she finally said glaring at him.

"My name is Ulysses."

"That's nice." snipped Swizzle Stick. "But what am I going to do now?"

"Well the both of us can at least push this further down the alley hide it better. Other than that I don't know of anything else to help you. The shelters are always overflowing, and dirty, and usually a hazard to stay."

"Where do you stay?" she asked.

"I been staying at the end of this alley. Its not the nicest place, and its out in the open but for some reason I just don't want to leave."

Swizzle Stick lowered her gun causing no end of relief to Ulysses. "Well if you can help me get this off the road, I can figure out what to do next."

"Okay then." said Ulysses getting to the front of the cart. "You push and I'll pull." As he placed the yoke over him. "Ready?'

"Ready!"

"Here we go!" He yelled as he started pulling the cart.

The two of them more drag than pulled Swizzle Sticks wagon down the alley. Not helping as the front two wheels fell off halfway their. But after a few hours the both of them did finally make it to the end of the alley.

"Oh my back!" Ulysses panted with exhaustion rubbing himself. "That was rough. I think I cracked a hoof pulling it here." said Ulysses stopping when he noticed Swizzle Stick looking around. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, I just really like this place. Feels like home. Or as close to a home as I ever had." she said as she walked around looking at the alley. "Oh! What is this? "asking as she noticed the purple flower blossoming in the night sky. "I never heard of a flower blooming at night. How strange." Kneeling down she examined it closer. I can see a few more growing from the ground. Did you do this?" she asked.

"Me? No they were growing when I found this place." Ulysses said

"They are beautiful."

"Umm.." Ulysses said feeling awkward and a little jealous sharing this place with another pony. "Now that we got the cart in here what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know." she said Letting down her defenses. Showing the scared pony she really was. "I don't have any idea what to do next."

"Well I'll tell you what. I have some extra food I got from the soup kitchen. And I'm full so if you want some your more than welcome to it."

For a second he thought she was going to say no. But the sound of her stomach groaning at the mention of food, overruled and thoughts about denying a free meal.

"I'd would like that." Swizzle stick finally answered.

Chapter 5

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The true pony of ancient times knew nothing of loving life, knew nothing of hating death. He emerged without delight; he went back in without a fuss. He came briskly, he went briskly, and that was all. He didn't forget where he began; he didn't try to find out where he would end. He received something and took pleasure in it; he forgot about it and handed it back again:Snowstorm-Road to the Way.

Just kill them all! Celestia will sort out friend from foe:Rumored to have been the response from high command during the massacre of YakYakakistan, when a subcommander asked how would they tell their enemies from their allies.

The Breezie flew on the edge of the stratosphere in the hour just before sunrise. Modified to allow two people to ride on it instead of one, but with the changes they had to sacrifice the stealth technology most of the other types of Breezes were equipped with, They solved that problem by flying beyond the range of surveillance equipment or sight.

Two ponies flew in the Breezie. The first was the pilot hooked up to the machine, The second sat in the back quietly staring at the blank wall for the past few hours. More machine than pony as most of her body had been either replaced or covered with metal and plastic. The pony was still wearing the mask she had on since the start of the mission, revealing nothing of her that was underneath.

The pilot gave his passenger a nudge indicating they were approaching the drop point. Silently the pony got up, and adjusted the equipment on her. Doing a final check to make sure her knives were securely tied to her body she gave the pilot a nod indicating she was ready. The cockpits warning lights came on, bathing the area with red, as the back hatch came open.

The metal pony stood next to the exit for a moment. She took a deep breath to steady herself, before jumping out of the Breezie into the night sky.

She was a pegasus at one time, but she suffered from a genetic defect making her wings useless so she had them removed and replaced with a cybernetic augmentation as they unfolded outwards while she dove. Looking more like the wings of a bat than of the pegasus she was, adopting them more for gliding than flight while she angled herself towards the building that was her target.

Using the red dot that had now appearing in her visor as a guide to her destination miles below her. The metal pony flew on with the wind howling around her was almost defining, almost jerking her body around. But she stayed the course watching the world of Equestria get slowly closer to her. She flicked her wrist and a small chute opened up, more of an air brake than anything else. She made some more adjustments on her flight noticing she was starting to overshoot her goal. With another flick of her wrist the chute broke off to smolder in the sky unseen. She was still flying too fast but her wings now could take the punishment as she starting to fly under her own power. She angled herself up from the nosedive she was in, becoming level with the ground. She traveled like this for a few more miles before diving again straight downwards, leveling off when she was a mile away from the Trans Equestria Creative building. The metal pony flew straight towards it, her camo matching perfectly with her environment above and below her.

Catching an updraft she rose towards the roof of the building. slamming her four hooves on the side near the top, they drilled themselves into the wall, sticking her to the side of the building. The metal pony extended her wings out further having them wrapped around her body. Altering their coloration and texture to match the building she was attached to.

Six hours. The pony had to wait for six hours, when Trans Equestria did their uploads and maintenance. According to the information their informants had given them. So with six hours to wait until time. The metal pony attached to the side of the building shut herself down.

"How do I look Applejack?" asked Rarity sitting in the back of the limousine, putting the final touches of eyeshadow on.

"Classy! Very sophisticate!" said Applejack driving the limo.

Rarity put down her makeup and gave Applejack a look of disapproval. "Applejack I hired you for your honesty. And when I ask for your honest opinion, I expect your honest opinion. I'll ask again. How do I look?"

"Like a high price callpony."

"Good! That's the effect I'm trying for. When strong appear weak, when proud appear humble. Never let your opponent know what you really are. Though I have to admit I'm more than a little nervous with this meeting of Tirek." said Rarity adding some blush. "It doesn't get much bigger than him. And I'm sure he's not going to fall for it."

"Why do you think he invited you then to this meeting between to two of you?" asked Applejack

"He wants to find out what I'm doing. He's pumping me for information of course. Let him think I'm some dumb mare who got to were she is by sleeping her way to the top. Wouldn't be the first pony to think that of me." she said as she put the finishing touched of lipstick on her. "Though it has been awhile since I got a chance to dress sexy."

"You were just looking for an excuse to dress like that weren't you?" chuckled AJ.

"Well someone has to show those young fillies up." Said Rarity. "Seriously Applejack I have a bad feeling about this. A real bad feeling."

"Your expecting trouble here?"

"Not here no. But I think he's going to become a big problem for us." said Rarity finishing up and putting the rest of her makeup back into the small diamond pocket book. She adjusted her dress one more time as she looked at herself in the mirror. It was a white dress that clung to her body, showing off her figure. in the bottom was three diamonds purple diamonds stitched to the dress.

"Rarity I just want to let you know." said Applejack turning into the main road that lead to the New Futures offices. "No matter what happens. Me, Pinkie, the rest of us, we got your back."

"Thank you. I know all of you do, but still I appreciate it. I really do." said Rarity smiling. "But I'm still not giving you a raise."

Laughing Applejack Pulled the limousine by the guard post for the escorted in.

The timer went off activating the metal pony attached to the side of the building. Her wings slowly folded back into her sides, while she started to make climb to the roof.

Getting up she saw the coast was clear as she adjusted her scanner for heat and Their security A.I. Not quite as good as the stealth suits that the wonderbolts exclusively had but still it did the job. She flipped her jammer on the side of her calf as she grabbed one of her knives attached to the front of her chest. Her map showed she had two floors to her destination. which should be easy with the help of a maintenance elevator that ran all the way to the roof. Keeping herself low she made a dash to it. Feeling too exposed out in the open like this.

The panel in front of her was blank except with a small key slot for security or maintenance to use. The pony took out a small blank card of her own and inserted it into the slot while attaching it to a cable that ran to a portable hacking computer attached to her other leg. Pressing a button the card came to life. The pony could hear the machine whirring as it went into overdrive to find the combination to open the door. She felt herself starting to worry but their was a small snick as the elevator door slid open showing a long tunnel heading downwards.

Grabbing the edge she slid off to hold herself by her hooves on the ledge, shifting her weight, she swung herself towards the left wall. Hitting it she bounced herself to the right wall. Repeating it over and over, she made her way down the two stories towards her goal.

Rarity walked down the hallway of the New Futures building swaying a little as she walked. A few paces behind her was Applejack following. They both knew when to let your guard down and when to be professional, which made for good teamwork between the both of them as they were escorted to the lounge.

Opening the door they noticed the room was a tasteful grey with a small crystal fountain off to the side. In the middle was a few sofas and a small glass table with a chess set placed on it. Besides the set was a bottle of wine and two glasses and an ashtray.

"I know you smoke so I decided to bring one." said Tirek sitting in the sofa across from them. "Smoking is banned in the building, but I will allow it for this one time."

Tirek stood up and extended his hand to Rarity. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you Miss Rarity. I hope the purchase of InGen will help you further your business needs."

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well Mr. Tirek." said Rarity bringing her hoof out for Tirek to take. "And as for the profits we will have to wait to see what the future holds."

They both sat opposite to each other, while Applejack stood straight up near the door watching everything going on.

"A Bordeaux. Nice." said Rarity examining the bottle.

"I have some paperwork to be sent to you for finalization. But I thought it would be better if we did it informal and personal." Tirek said while leaning back. "Although I do admit to a curiousness of the purchase."

"Nothing so secretive about it." said Rarity opening up the bottle and pouring the wine. "We are just saving Equestria."

"With a little profit on the side of course."

"Of course."

They both took their drinks and leaned back getting themselves comfortable. Watching each other for the first sign
of weakness. Finally Tirek spoke.

"While we wait I thought it would be good for a little diversion. Have you ever played chess before?"

"A Little. I have to say I am not very good."

"Well might I suggest a game while we wait. Ladies first."

"As you wish." stated Rarity looking over the board for a moment before moving a piece."

"So Miss Rarity." He said as he moved a piece of his own.

"Rarity is fine."

"So Rarity what do you know of Alicorns?"

The metal pony quietly opened the door of the elevator an inch. Peering through she saw that the entire hallway was empty. She griped both sides of it and pulled it opened enough for her to move through. She then leaped into the corridor with her knives drawn and ready for use, but still it was empty.

Sheathing her weapons she made it down to a side door. with another key card lock attached to it. As before she inserted the card to the lock and hacked it opened, doing a quick sweep as she entered the main CPU for Discord, and went to the nearest console.

The metal pony detached the small hacking computer that was on her leg. and laid it out. Removing a small memory car that had a wire running from it to the computer she brought with her. The pony slotted it into Discord. She stood their watching the card download data she was stealing from Trans Equestria.

After a moment the card registered full. The metal pony took the card, slotting in a holder attached to her arm, and reattached her hacking computer back to her leg. As she started to leave she heard a voice coming from behind her.

"If you needed to use the bathroom. You could have just asked. One of us would have been glad to take you to it." said Rainbow Dash.

"I'm sorry?" said Rarity. "Did you say Alicorns? Are we talking about my purchase of InGen, or are we telling fairy tale stories?"

Tirek smiled while moving another piece across the board. "It is interesting was what was found as we went through the archives from InGen, but you already know that."

"I couldn't tell you. We are still doing the audit and inventory." said Rarity taking as sip from the wine. "So much work has to be done. But we expect big things from it."

"May I ask what that would be? I personally found that company a waste of time and energy. If you hadn't have bought it I would have closed it down." Tirek stated. While moving a piece to capture one of her pawns. "Check so soon Rarity?"

Rarity took a drag from her cigarette as she offhandedly looked at the board. "I am afraid it has been ages since I played this game. It seems like you will win it."

"Its a shame. I was looking for a good player. I haven't found one in ages."

"Have you ever lost?"

"A few times."

Casually Rarity moved another pawn around the board. "If you must know Trans Equestria is looking to branch out in the pharmaceutical market. InGen, as you said, might be a waste of time and energy for you. But I feel it would be a good starting point for us and our parent company I.I.T."

"Really?" said Tirek. "Well I do have to admit InGen had done some interesting work in the past. It is sad that they never thought to put it to use."

"Their lost is our gain."

"Agreed. You can't afford to be caught off guard in this world. Equestria has no sympathy for the weak and stupid, We have enough as it is."

"Oh?" said Rarity. "I wouldn't call them weak or stupid."

"Then what would be a better term then?" Tirek asked as he leaned forward, to look at the board.

"Lost."

Rainbow Dash had to give credit where credit was due. The metal pony was fast, very fast. Turning around with lightning speed with both of her knives already out. But not fast enough. As her blades connected with Rainbow's sword already up to block the attack. The knives slid downwards, arching off sparks from the string and the knife blades as it traveled.

The two ponies circled each other. Weapons out and ready, waiting for the other.

"See that behind me." said Rainbow Dash. "That's the door, Your ticket out of here with all of our secrets you have just stolen. Seems pretty easy. Only catch is you have to get through me."

The pilot hovered the Breezie waiting for the call for pickup. Which if everything was going according to plan she should be coming momentarily. The pilot did another circle trying to fight off the monotony. He enjoyed being up here in the bright blue skies away from the smog, pollution, and problems that always covered Ponyville. Sometimes wishing he could just stay up here.

The blast of noise on his communicator made him almost jump out of his seat. As it took him by complete surprise.

"Hello? Hello? Can you hear me?" said a high pitched feminine sounding voice on his communicator.

"Who is this?" He asked wondering who or why he would be contacted during a mission.

"Hi! My name is Pinkie Pie." said the voice. "Have you ever heard the smile song?"

The warning lights flashed on telling him of an approaching aircraft. Unfortunately it only added to the chaos happening as his cockpit started to be flooded with music. Making him realize he was in a lot of trouble.

The Party Cannon approached from the rear. Flying below the Breezie. Legs folded underneath the body to allow it more maneuverability. Pinkie singing to herself, flew closer trying to get a better shot. She didn't want to destroy the Breezie, just down it.

A barrage of bullets fired from the back forcing Pinkie to back off, while she started to loop her U.A.T. to help avoid a lock on.

"Shoot!" she muttered to herself. "This isn't going to be easy."

"Lost?" laughed Tirek. "They are sheep to do with as I wish. Only the best are able to climb out. The others can rot in Tartarus for all I care." He move another piece across the board taking one of Rarity's bishops. "You really are bad at this game."

"That's a pretty heartless thing to say." responded Rarity. "You make the ponies of Equestria sound like toys."

"Aren't they? They do what we tell them when we tell them."

"We?"

"Don't play innocent with me Rarity, it doesn't suit you. You don't get to a position of power unless you want to be powerful. Like getting the alicorn DNA."

"I can't even begin to imagine what we will do with this supposed DNA you keep telling me about." said Rarity. "Even if we did have this supposed creature what can we possible do with this? Alicorns in this day and age? They would be as useless as if magic was still around. Sure it would be good to bend a few spoons, but nothing else."

"They could do lot of things if a pony were clever."

"Well you got me their. I am afraid I'm not a very clever pony." said Rarity moving a piece. "By the way check."

"What?" said Tirek caught off-guard.

"Your in check Mr. Tirek." said Rarity taking a puff of her cigarette.

Like streaks of light flashing into sparks of lightning the two ponies fought across the room. Blades connecting splitting apart, and reconnecting trying to fight for an opening. Rainbow Dash found herself against a very skilled opponent as she was on the defensive more times than she would admit. Of course the enhancements weren't helping either.

The metal pony managed to deflect Dash's sword, creating a hole for her other blade to take advantage of. With her other knife slicing through her side, cutting through her wonderbolt uniform into her skin underneath. Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth in pain as she could feel the knife digging into her skin. Quickly before more damage could happen she twirled away from the metal pony To give her some breathing space.

She could feel blood gushing from the cut running down her. She let out a small hiss of pain as she touched her hoof against it. "Fairs fair." she said bringing her sword up. "You got me good."

The pony approached Rainbow Dash with a spin. Extending her knives in diagonal slash, which she deflected, but left her open again from the rear kick that followed. The kick connected near her wound sending Rainbow to her knees in pain, as she found herself again on the defensive barely able to block the onslaught.

"FIGHT IT!" she hissed to herself. Getting more distance between her and the metal pony. Enough to stand up again. "I am Rainbow Dash I am a force of nature." she said focusing herself away from the pain.

"Do you know that the gorilla tribe of the western Onoki Island believed that by eating the brain of a fallen enemy they would gain their soul from them and would be even stronger. Bet you didn't know that."

The metal pony stopped and turned her head , giving her a "Why are you telling me this?" look.

"Its true look it up. They were the one of the fiercest warriors who ever existed. Total psychopaths."

Rainbow Dash bent backwards when the metal pony thrust her knives straight at her. Using her wings to keep herself from falling onto the ground she swung her sword in an arch knocking one of them out of her hoof.

"Too bad they died out a few thousand years ago when the volcano on their island exploded. Sinking it under the ocean." she said smashing the pommel of her sword into the metal pony's face.

"You are being so uncooperative!" said Pinkie as she missed the Breezie again. "A little help would be nice." Missing her target as the vehicle rolled to the left.

The two fought for control of the sky. The pilot of the Breezie debated on whether he should abort the mission. Knowing full well of taking on a Nightmare Moon class with his Breezie. All it took was one lucky shot and she would down him. As he would have to be lucky a lot of times to do some real damage to her.

"Now hold still." said the voice of Pinkie into his communicator, He would like to know how she was able to hack it. "I'm going to shoot my laser now. Its been awhile since I got a chance to use it."

He was able to avoid most of the shot but he lost one of the back legs in the process. Scrambling to keep it level as the Breezie started to wobble. He was getting Unnerved as this Pinkie continued to ramble on.

"You weren't supposed to move." she huffed angrily. "Oh well lemme try again. And this time stay still."

"Rarity just took Tirek's queen." said Applejack on her communicator to Fluttershy. "I think she has been winning all along."

"Of course." said Fluttershy "I taught her."

"When?"

"I taught her when she used to visit me at the hospital when I started to get sick. We also play a lot during our time together on Tuesdays. My father was a Grandmaster chess player. He taught me how to play."

"Rarity was doing that intentionally?" asked Applejack.

"I'm pretty mad at her right now. When we play she always loses. I see she was just faking it all along."

"I'm afraid I took your queen Tirek." said Rarity removing it from the board.

"You are full of surprises Rarity." said Tirek. "What I don't understand is why you needed only a partial strand of alicorn DNA."

"This again? It would be worthless. Couldn't use it at all."

"Unless you already had a strand and needed it to fill in the gaps."

"Where would we get said strand then Tirek? One is nearly impossible. I can't imagine where we would get the second strand."

"Why don't you tell me Rarity." said Tirek as he leaned closer to her. "You the smart pony in this room it seems."

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were getting upset Tirek." said Rarity taking a sip from her drink.

With lightening speed Rainbow Dash grabbed the hoof holding the gun, knocking it out of her grip and kicking to away from them both.

"I'm so disappointed in you right now." said Rainbow Dash in disgust. "And here I was thinking you were cool, and you bring a gun to a sword fight."

The metal pony was starting to get sloppy losing ground in the fight. Rainbow could see she was making a lot of mistakes. Leaving a lot of openings for her to exploit. Which she did whenever the opportunity presented itself.

"Anyway as I was saying about the Amazonian Zebras in the jungle's of Kali. They had this rite of passage for their female warriors. When they reached a certain age they would be given a knife and sent out to live in the jungles for three years." Said Rainbow Dash flipping away from the slashes. "With no help from anyone they had to stay alive. When they came back they were trained to become warriors. They called it the Agoge."

The metal pony slashed again which was easily deflected by Rainbow Dash. who got inside her defenses. She attacked with quick jabs at her chest area. Followed with her grabbing her hoof and flipping her over onto the ground.

"You don't find any of this fascinating?" said Rainbow backing off a few feet, watching the metal pony get back up. "Your no fun at all. Here I am telling you all this amazing history and you don't show any interest. Aren't you passionate about anything?"

The metal pony thrust again. This time Rainbow Dash caught her hoof, extending it away from her. And with her other hoof she brought her sword down upon it, cutting it off just above her elbow.

Holding her severed limb Rainbow Dash took the memory card from the slot and pocketed it, Tossing the rest away from her. "Its over." she said pointing her sword at her enemy.

The metal pony touched a something on her chest. Dash wasn't sure what it was but she knew it was trouble. Through her thermals she could see parts of her starting to heat up very quickly.

"Crap!" She mumbled leaping into her. Roping her limbs around the metal pony's neck she twisted it sharply to the right. Their was a loud crack as the metal pony went limp. Holding her she ran towards the window in front of her, while she changed her stringblade to a whip. Striking out at the Plexiglas she made small openings in it which helped as she ran through the window, smashing it while sprinting out of the CPU room.

Extending her wings Rainbow Dash took to flight, dropping the dead pony into the air. She watch the body fall for a few stories before exploding. Sending her spiraling out of control for a few minutes. Finally after a short while, she was able to get back on track. Rainbow Dash landed back on the hole she made. Looking down she could see the smoke slowly being blown away in the smoggy sky.

"Stupid Pony." she said sadly going too her knees holding her damaged side.

The pilot of the Breezie saw the a blip on his HUD. Indicating his member went flatline. Silently cursing the failure, but happy as well to get away from that crazy pony behind him. He increased the thrusters making a beeline out of T.E.C airspace.

"Oh no you don't!" said Pinkie lining up her grappling hook on the fleeing vehicle. Taking careful aim she fired hitting the Breezie. The hook went through the back of the middle embedding deep inside the Breezie. "You could try to run now." said Pinkie through the communicator. "Heck I would even let you. But I don't think your ship could take it. And don't even think about ejecting. That wouldn't be too smart of an idea either. So why do we land just land your vehicle. I have cake back in the office."

Realizing he was stuck between a rock and a hard place, the pilot eased the remains of the Breezie down with the Party Cannon attached to it.

"Check mate Mr. Tirek." Rarity said as she got up. "This was a fun time, but I'm afraid I must get back to work. Farewell Tirek I hope to see you again very soon." She finished bowing slightly.

"Goodbye Miss Rarity It was a pleasure for me as well." He said flatly. "I look forward to seeing you in the future as well." glancing at her briefly before going back to look at the board.

As Rarity passed by Applejack she whispered slightly while passing. "Get me the hell out of here now!"

Listening to the echoes of their hoofs fade away into the background Tirek continues to stare at the board expressionless for a long time. Well after the other two had left the building. With a sudden backhand swipe Tirek struck the chessboard wine and glasses, throwing the pieces all over the room. He leaned back in the sofa fuming as a secretary entered to clean up the mess.

"How did the team do?" he asked.

"Well our infiltrator has flatlined over an hour ago."

"And the pilot?"

"He was captured alive sir."

"When they release him, make sure he is not."

"Yes sir."

"Oh thank Celestia were away!" said Rarity looking back at the receding building. "I feel like I can breath again."

"Fluttershy said the recon group was stopped before they could get any classified information." said Applejack. "By the way how did you know they would try something like that?"

"It's what I would do if I was in their shoes." said Rarity lighting up another cigarette. " I just made a very powerful pony angry at me. That is gonna bite me on the flank sooner or later."

"We dealt with threats before. Well stop him."

"This time I don't think so. This time I think I bit off more than I can chew." said Rarity. "This isn't going to end well. I hope we are all up for this."

As Apple jack drove on, A hard rain begin to pour down almost obliterating the road ahead of them.

"Great." said Rarity. "Something else to look forward to."

"So what are your plans now?" asked Applejack

"Right now I just want to take a hot bath. After being with Tirek I feel my skin needs to be scrubbed with bleach on the inside."

Looking down Rainbow dash could see a dense layer of smog clearing up due to the heavy rain falling all around her as she sat on the edge of the landing pad, rubbing her hoof across the bandages covering her wound. Watching the world move on around her. So lost in thought was she, that she almost didn't hear the Party Cannon landing.

Pinkie exited the U.A.T. as a maintenance crew headed over for its nightly upkeep.

"Rainbow!" Pinkie yelled. "It's been awhile."

"Oh hey Pinkie." replied Rainbow Dash. "What are you up to?"

"Well I'm going to sign off and then head down to my sisters, want to come?"

"Thanks but I'll pass I still have a few more hours to go."

"Applejack and I were thinking of heading over to Sugar Cube Corner after work tomorrow. Your welcome to join us."

"I don't know, I'll have to think about it."

"Come on grumpy!" said Pinkie nudging Rainbow. "You need to get out every now and then. You can be a frowny face in the morning again."

"Pinkie I just killed somepony. I really want to be alone right now." said Rainbow Dash. "Now is not a good time for me."

"Oh." said Pinkie getting down and sitting next to her. "I don't know anything to say that would make it any better."

"Their isn't any words too make it better. Its just something you deal with." said Rainbow kicking her rear hooves into the air. "It never gets any better. Easier Yes! But never better."

"Do you regret it?"

"Yes! No! I don't know. It was either her or me, she didn't give me much choice. But still."

"You know she would have killed you if given half a chance." said Pinkie putting her hoof around Dash's shoulder. "She probably wasn't a bad pony but she sure wasn't a good pony either. "

"I know, I know!. I just wonder what kind of pony she was. She would have been. Sometimes I wonder what if I haven't killed them."

"Maybe they were nice ponies, maybe they were jerks. I don't know. But I do know they didn't give you a choice. You were doing what you are trained to do, as well as they. It wasn't your call."

"Maybe were all a bunch of idiots running around hurting each other in the name of doing good." said Rainbow Dash as she shifted position. "I guess sometimes I wonder if were doing the right thing."

"I think we are Rainbow. I believe in Rarity, I believe in Fluttershy. They both have a good heart, even if they don't realize it. Sometime I feel that we are lucky to have them for friends." said Pinkie as she started to get up. "Now enough of this gloom and doom mopey stuff. I really think you should have dinner with me and Maude tonight, At the very least it will make you feel a little bit better. And I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Okay, okay you win." said Rainbow Dash laughing. "But your sister cooking is so plain and rocky."

"But that what makes it ssssooooooo good." said Pinkie. Pie.

Starlight Glimmer hugged the side of the building, wrapping her coat around her tightly, to protect her from the rain as she waited for the taxi. Impatiently she stomped her hoof on the wet pavement as the strong wind whipped around her. Her stomach growled at her having missed lunch do few a things before she left for the day.

Finally, she saw her personal vehicle stop by the curb next to her.

The driver rolled down the window and called to her. "Compliments from New Futures." he said.

Wordlessly Starlight Glimmer dashed into the vehicle to avoid getting any wetter. Grabbing the towel offered to her from the driver she dried herself. as she closed the door.

"Where to?" the driver asked.

"The Crystal Castle." she responded settling into the seat.

"Oh fancy! Have a reservation?"

"As a matter of fact I do,"

"Good to hear. The wait times are well over two hours long."

It was a slow drive to her destination, with heavy traffic added with a terrible storm, slowing movement down to a crawl. Starlight Glimmer didn't mind, keeping her out of the rain and not being the one driving. She brought out herself cellphone and began to check her messages.

"The will be thirty bits." said the driver. "Just insert your card in the slot in front of your seat."

"Were not even their yet." responded Starlight Glimmer.

"Well my boss wants to make sure your credit is worth it." said the driver swerving around an accident in the middle of the road. "Nothin personal."

Bringing out a generic bank card Starlight Glimmer inserted it into the slot. Their was a small snik sound as the card disappeared into the recesses of the seat. She could hear things inside whir to life as her card was read and the information uploaded to Celestia knows where.

Her taxi pulled to the front of the restaurant and another card reappeared in an identical slot beneath the one she stuck hers in.

"Compliments from my boss." said the driver getting out to open the door for her.

Starlight Glimmer swiped the card on her phone app. A smile spread across her face seeing. her bank account jump by six digits.

"Is everything good?" he asked helping her out of the taxi.

"Everything is great." said Starlight Glimmer.

"And we are happy for your assistance Miss Glimmer. My employer wishes you the very beast and hopes to hear from you again in future endeavors."

"I will let him know more as information presents itself."

"Good! Very good!" said the driver getting back in. "Until then farewell Miss Starlight Glimmer. Enjoy your dinner at the Crystal Palace." with a slight wave as he drove away, back into the pouring rain and heavy traffic.

Starlight Glimmer walked toward the restaurant looking at her bank account. thinking that during her meal, she would like to look at houses for sale along the beaches of Equestria.

Rarity listened to the rain hitting the windows with half an ear, as she poured through her paperwork playing catchup with her duties. Sure she had other ponies to do this but still at some time she was going to have to go through it all to make sure everything was properly working. Payment Reports, Inventory graphs, spreadsheets, disciplinary reports, termination reports, stock sheets, sales, purchases, overages, underages, loss report, gain reports. Rarity read them, silently moving her mouth along each word.

"Sure I would like that." said Twilight Sparkle.

Rarity was doing her work in the V.R. lab with the screen on so she could watch Twilight Sparkle in her virtual world. She could see she was talking to two programs Discord and Fluttershy created. Lyra and Bon-bon she thought the ponies names were.

"Spike wants to visit the Everfree forest so I decided to make a trip of it. Want to come?" Twilight asked.

Rarity shook her head, focusing back on her work, she had just to much to do.

"No I haven't seen any of them in awhile Lyra. I wonder where they could be. I went to Rarity's boutique and she wasn't their, neither was Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, or Applejack. I wonder where they all went."

"Dammit." said Rarity. throwing her pen across the room. "Discord."

"Discord."

"Of course I miss them." said Twilight. "Granted I have only known them for a few weeks but I find myself happier when those five are around. It's funny but I feel complete."

"Discord." said the voice in the air.

Rarity watched the screen. Feeling a little overwhelmed, even touched.

"Discord." It said again.

"Nevermind Discord." said Rarity.

"Compliance."

"Anyway I better get going. I want to be back from our little adventure before dark. Goodbye you two." Twilight said as she started on the road leading to the forest.

"Discord." Rarity said again. Getting up from her chair.

"Discord."

"Run the simulation in the Everfree forest please she said as she got up."

"Which one? Fluttershy has five programs for the forest."

"The one with the Old princesses castle."

"Compliance."

"Also I plan on joining her so prep for my introduction." said Rarity grabbing a suit and began putting it on.

"Compliance."

"Ulysses wake up!" said Swizzle Stick shaking him.

"Wha...wah...what's going on." he said waking up trying to clear the cobwebs from his brain.

For the past week Swizzle Stick has made his little corner their little corner. After finding out that her cart was beyond repair. they instead took it apart, using the pieces of it for a makeshift shelter. Which Ulysses was glad for as one of the only few places offered protection from the rain hammering the ground around them.

"Shhh! Listen!" she said perking her ears up. "Someone is out their." she finished bring her zipgun out.

Ulysses perked his ears up trying to hear what Swizzle Stick was hearing. At first he found nothing, just the continued pouring of the rain. Then he could hear it, the shuffle of a pony dragging himself around.

Ulysses heard the muttering growing louder as the pony got near. "I don't think he is dangerous." said Ulysses lowering Swizzle Sticks gun. "I think I know who it is. and if I'm right he is harmless. A little crazy but harmless."

"Who is it?"

"I don't know what his real name is but everyone calls him Napalm. Some old soldier who lost his mind ages ago in some war or battle no one remembers. He must be off his meds again."

"I-I-told them, I told them." said the pony emerging from the darkness. "I said you need to flank them from the right. I said, I said we shouldn't have taken them on, we shouldn't have taken them on, we shouldn't have taken them on." said Napalm emerging from the darkness.

He was a battered earth pony with scars running across his entire body, with patches of his mane missing and what was left clung to his body from the rain. Eyes staring out in all directions looking at things lost in the past and in his mind. Not attached to the real world. Captive to his nightmares of the past. He continued to walk on oblivious to the two ponies watching him from the corner.

"I told Sunbow Angelheart was dead, Angelheart was dead. But-but she didn't listen, she didn't listen! She left the trenches looking for her, for her." continued Napalm mumbling as he walked. "We never found her body, never found her body."

"He is really sick." whispered Swizzle Stick. "What can we do?"

"I don't know. I don't think theirs anything to do." replied Ulysses. "Hope he doesn't kill himself I guess."

They watched the battered pony shuffle along his awkward pace. Colliding into everything as he went along. "They told us the enemy was going to attack from the right of us, they said that, they did, they did. But-but, They charged us from the front. I saw it, I saw it, I saw it all. Piper was the first one to die. He was, he was. Got caught in the crossfire, wasn't fast enough. No he wasn't, he wasn't."

"Excuse me Napalm." said Ulysses getting the courage to speak. "Is their anything we can do for you?"

The unstable pony finally stopped his ambling. Turning around he finally noticed the two ponies staring at him as rain drops hit him, to pour off his body.

"If you want we have some food that were willing to share if your interested." said Swizzle Stick. holding up a partial loaf of bread. "We also have a blanket and a few towels that are still pretty clean for you to dry yourself off and this shelter is decent to wait out the storm."

Napalm kept silently staring at the two ponies. making both very uneasy. Not sure if he was staring at them or to the objects of his past.

"The offer stands if you want Napalm." said Ulysses.

"Roper got hit next. She fell on me to protect me, but she got hit to yes she got hit, got hit." Napalm said walking past them in the rain. "But she didn't die right away, no she didn't, no she did not. It took two days for her to finally pass on. It took two days because we didn't have any medical supplies and we were under too much heavy fire to airlift her out. To much heave fire, The fire was to much."

Napalm continues on, finally stopping when the wall in front of him prevented any further movement. "When we were given the orders to retreat we left her body their. Their was no way to take her with us. No way, no way, no way, no way. So I left Roper. I left Roper their on the battlefield. I left Roper, Piper, Angelheart and Sunbow on the battlefield. Yes I did, I did. As soon as made it back to camp I was reassigned for a tour of duty near the Dusty mountains. A tour of Duty..." Said Napalm trailing off to silence in front of the wall.

The rain pounded Napalm's body, but the two ponies weren't sure if he even felt the rain. As he just stood their in front of the wall."

"Umm Napalm. Is their anything we can do for you?" asked Ulysses feeling very worried.

The battered war pony stood their face to the wall. No doing anything, just standing.

"Napalm?" he asked again.

Finally, as if realizing the world around him, he turned he head around seeing Ulysses and Swizzle Stick for the first time. They could see the tears running down his eyes as he looked at them. A pony holding on the edge of sanity. "I can't take the images in my head anymore." he said before ramming his head to the wall. "Get them out! Get them out!"

"Celestia!" Ulysses yelled in shock. As he saw the old war pony attack the wall with his head . Before realizing what he was doing. Ulysses leaped over and tackled Napalm to the ground. Holding the struggling pony tightly.

"What do we do? What do we do?" screamed Swizzle Stick trying to hold it together.

"I don't know." yelled Ulysses.

"Get them out!" sobbed Napalm. "Please get them out."

"I got it!" said Swizzle Stick running back to their camp. grabbing a blanket and a knife. With the knife she cut strips from the blanket. "You hold him down and I'll tie his legs together."

"Is it right to tie someone up?" asked Ulysses.

"You rather him kill himself?"

Working together the two ponies restrained the crying pony. After they felt he was secure they dragged the crying pony back to their encampment.

"What do we do now?" asked Swizzle Stick.

"I don't know. I don't know. Theirs no place to put him, and he will probably hurt himself again if we let him go.

"It looks like he passed out."

"At least he can't do anymore harm while he's unconscious."

"Dammit!" thought Derpy. holding her aching shoulder from the gunshot wound. It was supposed to have been an easy assignment. Light guard duty. then it all blew up in her face. Becoming a major gun battle right in the middle of an empty lot, of all the places to have it. But still she counted herself as lucky seeing as what she did to the others.

Her tan parka swirled around her and her, while rain dripped off her battered old fedora she always wore, as she turned the corner leading to the alley. She kept her entrance to her home hidden in the no pony lands. About as safe as you can get in the slums. But word had gotten around the area what happens when you try to break into Derpy's home. And one day hopefully those ponies will walk again.

Grabbing one of her two shotguns she had attached to her on her side with magnetic clips she kept her eyes open for any threats. It was the three ponies in a pile that caught her attention. She had recognized the first two Ulysses and Swizzle Stick, they had appeared a few weeks ago squatting in this alley. she hoped it was just a temporarily thing, but with that shelter those two had built, it now looks like it is going to be a much much longer time. She didn't like it, but as long as they stayed away from her she would let them be.

Curious, wondering what they were doing, she silently crept closer to get a better view. Recognizing that they had tied up that crazy old war horse Napalm. She shook her head in disgust, wondering what he did this time.

It wasn't her worry so she didn't heading back to her home. The door camouflaged with some useless junk strewn over it. Turning the key she hissed in pain from her shoulder. As she entered with plans on getting very, very drunk.

Chapter 6

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An old friend will help you move. A good friend will help you move a dead body:Marcy the Amazing-Friends are Funny

Civilization is only two meals away from anarchy:Gumdrop-political satirist

"Where is Rarity, Fluttershy?" asked Applejack as her, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash entered the virtual room.

Fluttershy was sitting next to the console, in the middle watching the screen. "She's been in their with all night with Twilight." said Fluttershy. "I'm glad all of you are here, We have a problem. A very big problem."

"What kind of problem?" asked Applejack. "And what can we do?"

"Something is really wrong with the simulator." said Fluttershy. "Its affecting the simulation, and affecting Discord as well. I can't get a visual inside the simulator, and I can't communicate with Rarity."

"You said it's affecting Discord? In what way."

"Better if I show you." as Fluttershy turned the screen around so they all could see. "Its been repeating this message over and over again."

The group looked as the monitor over the continuous repeating paragraph:

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"What is that?" said Rainbow Dash. "Sounds like a lot of gibberish to me."

"Its the Jabberwoky poem." said Pinkie.

"Jabberwoky?" questioned Applejack. "Why does that sound familiar?"

"Its from the Alice in Wonderland books. It was my favorite story when I was a filly." said Pinkie. "I read them so many times."

"So does that mean Discord now thinks he is a character in a book?" asked Applejack.

"Actually it was a poem in the second book 'Through the Looking Glass'. If I remember correctly." said Pinkie trying to think of how it went. "I remember the first verse: Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch!"

"Well regardless. That thing has cut off everything in the simulation. I have not a clue what is going on." said Fluttershy. "This is terrible."

"Why can't you pull her out? Just unhook the cable from her jack. Easy Peasy." said Pinkie.

"OH NO! Don't do that!." Fluttershy responded back. "That virus has bypassed the firewall that protects the user and attached to the jack herself. If we unhook Rarity it can literally scramble her brain. It also connected itself to Twilight Sparkle as well"

"What about all those eggheads Rarity has on her payroll." said Rainbow Dash. "Surely they can do something about this."

"Their working on it as well as on Discord. Unfortunately every time we try to contain it, It threatens the lifeline of Rarity and Twilight. I think were dealing with another A.I. in Discord. One that knows what its doing."

"So what can we do to stop it?" asked Applejack.

"I really don't know at this time."

"Keep running Twilight." yelled Rarity as the two of them ran out of Ponyville. "I think we lost it. Whatever it was."

"I have never seen a dragon such as that before." said Twilight panting. "It really is the strangest creature I have ever seen. And such an odd tie and vest it was wearing."

"We can discuss its choice of dress later." said Rarity. "Right now we need to figure out how to stop that thing."

"Maybe I can use my magic to stop it?"

"No! No! That is nice of you." Rarity said hastily. "But that thing is made of magic, so I doubt magic would help us much."

"Are you sure? I mean we could try and see what happens."

"O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" said a faint voice growing louder as it came near. "`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, and the mome raths outgrabe."

Rarity thought it looked a lot like Discord. But A badly assembled Discord, by one who had the instructions in an entire different language. Along with parts from different models as well.

"Rarity?" said twilight catching her breath.

"Yes Twilight?"

"Why did it dress us in these costumes?"

"I'm not quite sure Twilight."

Sometime during their meeting with this deformed Discord. Rarity had started wearing a blue dress with a white apron. Her fashionable stylized hair become blond rather than its normal blue hanging straight down. Twilight fared even worst wearing a top hat with a card tucked into the ribbon which read "In this style 10/6." she also wore a very high collared shirt, a spotted bow tie, a checked waistcoat, a frock coat, and striped socks.

"Something is really wrong with all of this."

"Really?" said Twilight.

"No need for that Twilight."

"Never mind right now, its coming."

The two raced into the Everfree forest, hoping to lose the strange creature following them. Listening to the creature chant its words of nonsense as it followed them.

" The time has come, the Walrus said. To talk of many things: Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--Of cabbages--and kings--And why the sea is boiling hot--And whether pigs have wings."

"What is he saying?" asked Twilight. "I can't understand it at all."

"I don't know it's all just random words to me." said Rarity. Feeling a strange sensation come over her. "Is it wrong to say I'm mad?"

"I'm afraid so." said Twilight. With a weird grin on her face. "Your entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best ponies are."

"This is bad! This is really really bad!" said Fluttershy in alarm. "Whatever is inside the simulation has infected both of them."

"What is it doing to them." asked Applejack

"I'm not sure. But both of their frontal and parietal lobes in their brains are going haywire."

"Just how bad is it?"

"I don't think it wants to kill them. But its doing something to them. And I'm afraid I know what it is."

"What is it doing?" asked Pinkie.

"Its reprogramming them both."

"Were all mad here. I'm mad, your mad. Otherwise you wouldn't have come." said Twilight.

Rarity felt the strange sensation past. Feeling like her own self again she gripped Twilight Sparkle with her hooves and began shaking her. "Twilight!" she shouted. "Twilight come back to me."

Twilight stared at Rarity blankly for a few moments, still with a huge grin on her face. Slowly she returned back to her normal self and she began to look around puzzled and a little afraid.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Its that thing. It's affecting us somehow." said Rarity. "Changing us somehow."

"I afraid I am." said the creature floating over them. "Allow me to introduce myself if you please. I am the Jabberwoky. Well that's not my real name but for this purpose it will do just fine." The creature calling itself the Jabberwoky laughed as it reared its head and began to recite once more. " And, as in uffish thought he stood,The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came!"

"What do you want?" asked Twilight.

"I want a lot of things my dear. Some new shoes. a bowl of noodle soup. A cat named Stan would be nice as well. But for now I want you both to play a little game with me. Great things are afoot! Oh yes! Great things are afoot!"

"What is going on?" asked Rarity. "And why I are you doing this?"

"The answer to your second question is because I can." said the Jabberwoky. "The first part is much more complex. The world is changing. Yes! The world is changing indeed. And we, and by we I mean I. Am rather curiouser as to see where it is going."

"Your not part of the program are you?" said Rarity.

"Program?" asked Twilight.

"What ever made you think I was at any time?" said the Jabberwocky.

"What is this game?" asked Rarity. Inching back from the Jabberwocky.

"Its a fun game you'll see. Maybe not for you, but oh so much fun for me! Oodles of fun if you can believe it."

"What happens if we lose?" asked Twilight.

"Nothing."

"And if we win?" asked Rarity

"Everything!" smiled the jabberwocky. Showing its crooked, pointy, mismatched teeth.

"Dammitt!" shouted Fluttershy slamming her hooves into the console in anger. Making her go into a coughing fit.

"Calm down Fluttershy." said Applejack. "I know your frustrated. But we need a clear head to solve this."

"Fluttershy isn't their anything we can do?" asked Pinkie.

"Can't we go in their?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Too risky. Whatever that is, it's inside their minds. If I let you in, theirs a good chance it will get inside you as well. I have the engineers downstairs making a buffer, but that will take days. If that will even work at all."

The four of them stood in silence watching the screen feeling helpless. Not knowing what to do or if their was even anything for them to do. Finally Fluttershy spoke. "I think I was wrong, were not dealing with a virus or even a hostile A.I. I think were dealing with something magical."

The branches parted ways as Pinkie Pie stepped out of the forest. Wearing a red dress ball room dress with hearts stitched over it. Her mane was placed into curls, along with her tail. She held a scepter that had a large ruby heart at one end overlaid with gold. She looked at the both of them with undisguised blind fury.

"Now, I give you fair warning, either you or your head must be off, and that in about half no time! Take your choice! " she said glaring at the two of them.

"You better go now." said the Jabberwoky. "I wouldn't upset the queen if I was you."

"Go where?" asked Twilight. "I don't understand any of this."

"It doesn't matter where you decide to go. Just as long as it isn't here. That is what I would suggest."

"OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!" yelled Pinkie the Queen of Hearts. As card soldiers emerged out of the woods welding sharpened spears and axes.

"RUN!" screamed Twilight Sparkle taking off further into the forest.

"Right behind you." Rarity said. Follow her.

The two ponies headed further into the Everfree forest. Running blindly forward away from the insanity chasing them.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!" said the voice following them. "The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch!" it finished laughing. "Oh I haven't had this much fun in ages"

Deeper into the forest they ran, the trees crowded together so closely together as it blocked out the sun overhead.

"Rarity. What is going on?" asked a scared Twilight. "Why is it chasing us. What does it want with us?"

"I really don't know. I wish I did. It seems all it wants to do is to hurt us. And what is this game it wants us to play?"

"Yes lets play a fun game together." said Applejack and Rainbow Dash in unison. Suddenly appearing behind them. Both dressed identical with white slacks, a yellow shirt, with white collar. On Applejacks collar the name Tweedle Dee was embroidered on hers, Rainbow Dash had Tweedle Dum. They grabbed Rarity and Twilight Sparkle.

"Can't have a game if you don't participate." They both said. "That would be downright cheating. And no one likes a cheater."

The two ponies fought, but were unable to loosen the grip Applejack and Rainbow Dash had on them as they dragged the two to a pit appearing in the ground.

"Tweedledum and Tweedledee agreed to have a battle; For Tweedledum said Tweedledee had spoiled his nice new rattle. Just then flew down a monstrous crow, As black as a tar-barrel; Which frightened both the heroes so, They quite forgot their quarrel." said the Jabberwoky.

"That doesn't really rhyme very well." said Rarity struggling.

"Everyone's a critic." Tisked the Jabberwoky. "No appreciation for the classics."

Twilight's horn started to glow as she prepared her magic to stop the Jabberwoky. "ENOUGH!" she yelled.

Laughing the creature reached over and unscrewed Twilights horn off of her head. "Dear me, we can't have any of that upsetting the game." turning to Rarity he said. "Were not quite ready for the festivities yet. So why don't you take a little journey for now, and think of things. While I'll take care of dear old Twilight for you."

Grabbing Rarity by her mane, the Jabberwocky dragged her the short distance to the pit.

"Ta-Ta for now Rarity. Just wait till we meet again." He said dropping her in the opening. "Down the rabbit hole she goes."

"This is all very strange." said Fluttershy wheezing, as she watched the monitors of Rarity and Twilight Sparkle.

"What is?" Pinkie asked.

"The entity in the simulation is increasing its activity in Rarity's brain. But its only a temporary alteration. I wonder what its doing?"

"I'm lost." said Rainbow Dash.

"Its altering her perceptions of her mind, but this will only be only a short term effect." said Fluttershy. "Why? What is it doing? What is it's goal?"

"What is it doing to Twilight?" asked Applejack.

"I'm seeing a decrease of cranial activity, lower respiration, and inactive movement. I'd say she is in stage two of non-REM sleep."

"What is going on in their?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"It would be nice if something made sense for a change." said Rarity as she tumbled over and over down the hole.

It wasn't a bad hole she had to admit. Well maintained and well decorated. It would have been a rather cozy place to stay if she wasn't falling.

"Oh my ears and whiskers." said a voice that was familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. "Looks like we have a visitor."

"Fluttershy is that you?" she asked. Wondering who this Fluttershy is and why she would call out to her like that.

She looked like a pony wearing a bad rabbit costume, with a red coat, tan vest. In one of her hoofs she held a giant watch. Fluttershy sat on a ledge overlooking the hole as Rarity slowly fell. "You seem to be two days late it seems. Goodness."

"Two days late for what, might I ask?"

"Why your choice of course. We can't go to the future without a choice. The Jabberwoky is waiting for you to make your choice. It won't be easy, but then again. The easy way is never the right way.

"How will I know which one will be the right one?"

"Don't we always know the right way?" said the rabbit Fluttershy. "We always make excuses for the wrong path, and need none for the right one. Why do you think that is?"

"Seems silly for all of this just to make a choice. Good or bad you could have just asked me like any sane pony could."

"I'm afraid that's where your fault lies." said the Flutterabbitt. "You assume sane minds in the making of insane decisions. Sane minds never make the right ones, especially dealing in insanity."

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Sane minds have ruined and are continuing to ruin Equestria. We don't need stability anymore. Stability brings death."

"I'm still lost as to what this all has todo with me."

"That's enough of that!" said Rainbow Dum appearing behind the Flutterabbitt. "She'll have plenty of time to mull on it later. Let the poor girl fall." she finished by grabbing Flutterabbit, and dragged her back to the darkness.

"Remember what I said!" Yelled Flutterabbitt. "Make the right choice. Nothing will be easy. But it never is."

The words faded away into the echo of the hole as she disappeared into the darkness. Leaving Rarity now Alice to Pick up speed as she fell further down the hole. Rarity felt like she was losing her mind in the journey.

"I wonder if I've been changed in the night? " said Rarity now Alice to herself. "Let me think. Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is 'Who in the world am I?' Ah, that's the great puzzle!"

Her decent downwards grew faster and faster. The world around her became a blur as she continued. Occasionally she caught snatches of events she was sure she participated in, but for the life of her she was unable to recall just what they were, or what did they mean to her.

"Goodness." she said to herself. "I wonder what all of this means to me."

"Something and nothing I am afraid." said the floating grin. "Sometimes the curiosity can kill the soul but leave the pain. I am here to help you get to where you need to go. Shan't be long now."

The road straight down began to slow down again. Peering downward she could start to see the bottom of the hole approaching her.

"Ah, I see were almost at the bottom." said the dragon cat appearing with the grin. Looking almost like Spike, but with stripes running across his body along with his eyes that were those of a cat. With a huge grin across his face.

"When you reach the bottom just take the road that will take you to him."

"But I don't know which road will do that." Alice replied. As she floated downward.

"Then any road will be the right one eventually." said Cheshire Spike.

"You make it all sound so simple."

"Isn't it? Wasn't to hard to make an Alicorn. Wasn't too hard to take over InGen. You outsmarted your enemies, and successfully keep the badponies at bay. I'd say that was pretty simple."

"I did do all of that didn't I." said Alice. "Too bad I can't seem to remember any of it right now."

"You will eventually." said the Cheshire Spike. "What's important is what you will do now. Everything is starting to change. Maybe for good, maybe bad, but change it must. Equestria must."

Before Rarity or Alice. Since she was having trouble deciding which one she was. Could ask, what was this all about. felt her hooves touch the ground.

"Finally I stopped that dreadful falling. Now I just need to find this awful Jabberwoky."

"Indeed." said Spike pointing at a door next to him. "Just follow the direction and directly you will be directed in the right direction. Hurry, hurry you must."

Curiouser she approached the door. She was surprised how unsurprising it was to open it. Without a backward glance, Rarity now Alice stepped through the door and screamed. Horrified at what she saw.

"Something is going on." said Fluttershy. "I'm seeing a receding of the foreign entity in Rarity's brain but I'm also seeing an increase of release of glutamate in the amygdala region of her brain. She is afraid, very afraid."

"Hang in their Rarity." said Rainbow Dash holding Rarity's hoof. "We need you."

"One, two! One, two! And through and through. The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head he went galumphing back." said the Jabberwoky floating next to Pinkie the Queen of Hearts sitting on a throne made of stained glass erected high into the air.

On each side of the Jabberwoky, another pedestal was erected Twilight Sparkle was on one, Fluttershy the other. Both were laying down with their necks extended, heads resting on a block of wood. Rainbow Dash and Applejack stood to each pony respectively. Both of them held a wickedly sharp axe polished to a shine, that glinted from catching the rays of the sun overhead.

"As you see I have caught your friend Fluttershy, and your product Twilight Sparkle. Two of the most important things to you." said the Jabberwoky. "In this game you must choose one and say Goodbye to the other. I know this is all very silly for we all know which one it will be. But still, to the bitter end the game must be played."

"This has to be a joke." said Rarity panicked with fear. While Listening to the beating of her heart. "You expect me to kill somepony?"

"If I was making a joke I would start with three ponies walk into a bar. No my dear Rarity this is serious. Very serious. And if you don't pick I will make the decision for you. And I guarantee you wont like the results."

"But...But why?"

"You said that already. But I do supposed you deserve an answer." The creature said floating down next to the queen. "But first action. Then explanation, Queen if you would do the honors."

"OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!" she shouted in the air.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack raised their glinting axes into the air. Hooves outstretched, Rarity could hear the very air being cut by the blades.

"Tick-tock, tick-tock. The clock is ticking." said the Jabberwoky holding up the clock Fluttershy held. "You need to make your choice now."

"Stop this!" wailed Rarity. As she started to cry.

"Stop? me?" the creature exclaimed. With a surprised and hurtful look on its face. "All the awful things you and your ponies have done to the world around you. And I'm the bad pony here? My dear, dear Rarity. I didn't create this, all of you did. Now I'm forcing you to deal with it."

"Please stop it." she said crying.

"NEVER!"

"Please..."

Downwards the axes came down. Creating a whistling noise as it sliced through the fake reality, towards the outstretched neck of the two ponies.

"TWILIGHT! TWILIGHT!" she yelled.

The blade stopped its arch just inches above the Alicorn. Rarity could swear she could see it vibrating slightly as it hovered their. WACK! Went the other blade hitting the post in front of the head of Fluttershy. Rarity collapsed onto the ground as tears poured out of her eyes. As she found herself shaking uncontrollably.

"Bravo Rarity!" said the Jabberwoky. "Bravo! I am so SO proud of you."

"Your a bastard." said Rarity quietly as she cried.

"I probably am. But that's not important. What is important that you made your choice O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" he yelled in the air as he danced around. "Do you know what this means?"

"Your an evil creature?"

"Rarity, Rarity whatever am I going to do with you. But no. It means theirs hope. Hope for you and more importantly, hope for me as well."

"This was all so pointless."

"Just wait you'll see." said the Jabberwoky. "Don't worry your little invention wont remember a thing when she wakes up. We shall meet again Rarity and I hope we have just as much fun as we did today. But for now Toodles my noodles." And with a snap of its fingers Rarity found herself being transported out of the simulation.

Rarity opened her eyes with a gasp. She still found herself crying uncontrollable as she unhooked herself from the simulation as fast as she could. "Celestia get this damned thing off of me." she shouted to herself.

"Rarity your back." said Fluttershy. "We lost contact for you for so long we were reall..."

"Nevermind that." said Rarity. "How is Twilight Sparkle?"

"We we've been unable to make contact for awhile but let see if things have changed." she said as she brought up the monitor. "Looks like I can get visuals again. Let me find her." she moved her hoof around the screen searching. "Found her. She's back in the library asleep. He bioscan looks normal."

"Do another." Rarity said. "I want to be one-hundred percent sure."

"You okay their sugar cube." asked Applejack. "You seem pretty shook up, what happened if I might ask."

"Not right now Applejack. Later maybe, but just not now."

"Everything is still reading normal. Are you okay Rarity? You seem pretty shook up." asked Fluttershy

Rarity could still feel her heart beating hard against her chest. She could still feel her herself shaking. "I'm going to go back to my place for a little while and collect myself. I'll be back. Fluttershy Can you hold down the fort for a bit?"

"Of course Rarity do you..."

"I'll be fine. I just need some time to myself." she said as she walked out.

"I wonder what happened." said Pinkie Pie.

Starlight Glimmer walked out of the meeting feeling like she would have danced if it wouldn't have caused stares at her. She wanted to raise her hooves in the air and shout HORRAY! Not only was she finally going to see just what made that Alicorn tick, but she is going to make more money from the information she will sell to New Futures. She could hardly wait as she went back to her office. Going back to her console she turned on her computer and began to type an email to Rarity:

From:Starlight Glimmer
To: Rarity
Subject:Phase Two

After Watching the collected footage, analyzing the samples you have sent to us, and general observation of this "Twilight Sparkle." I, the board and the C.E.O. of I.I.T. have decided that our subject is of sound mind and body with no discernable defects. We have decided that now is the time to take our subject to the next level of the experiment. Namely the euthization and dissection of the Alicorn.

We suggest asphyxiation as the best way to terminate the subject and not leave any lasting drugs that might contaminate the test. Granted this way might leave the most damage to the alicorn's brain, but we can probability still extract for us many useful information.

Also as the originator of this project you are granted first crack upon the autopsy and dissection of the Alicorn. As I don't have to remind you all operations are to be documented extensively. Also any organs, hair, fluids, skin, etc. are to be documented as to where they were removed, how much was taken, and what was it used for. Samples are allowed. As for the whole organ we request that the majority be sent to us for more extensive study.
This is it! I must congratulate you Rarity for making the impossible. My team an I eagerly awaits the subject for further study.

Sincerely

Starlight Glimmer

"How is Rarity doing?" asked Fluttershy to Pinkie Pie as they sat in the VR room.

"She is resting in her room for right now." said Pinkie Pie. "The Physician gave her some sleeping pills to calm herself down. I've never seen Rarity so shook up before, I wonder what happened inside the simulation."

"I wish I knew what it was. I've been running diagnostics over the entire A.I. and everything has turned out clean. Whatever it was is not their anymore."

"You said you thought it was something magical earlier." said Pinkie leaning closer. "What makes you think that?"

"Just a silly thought really." replied Fluttershy adjusting her motorized seat and the mask she wore. "I was surprised by how easily it got into the system and overtook Discord. It was smart, smarter than any A.I. I have ever encountered. Almost too smart."

"Did New Futures infect out systems when they did that botched infiltration yesterday?"

"I don't think so, but maybe. Doesn't make a lot of sense to make a virus just to harass Rarity or Twilight. They don't even know what we have. And even if they did they would probably just take her rather than try to scramble her mind."

"She is worth a lot of bits isn't she?" said Pinkie stretching out in the chair.

"She is worth billions of bits. No one has ever successfully created one before. Think of it Pinkie, a fully functioning magical living being. Not even the scientist Dr. Whooves came this close."

"And were planning on terminating her."

"That was the goal from the start Pinkie."

Pinkie looked downward silently for a moment, unable to think, as the weight of her words sink in. "Do the others know?" she asked.

"Yes they were all briefed when Rarity put them on the project." said Fluttershy adjusting the air hose connecting to her mask. "I know what your thinking Pinkie. And I do sympathize with your feelings, I really do. But she is the salvation of Equestria. Think of all the ponies we can help."

"But still Fluttershy. It feels wrong. Killing to save lives. Twilight is more than some product. She's a living pony who gets happy, sad, cries, and laughs at my jokes. Even if she doesn't understand them."

"What about all those ponies that are dying out their?" responded Fluttershy pointing outside. "All the sick children, the parents, all the pain and misery out their. Don't they get a say as well?"

"Well when you put it like that. I just feel like theirs another way."

"For hundreds and hundreds of years we been fighting these diseases across Equestria. And were losing the battle. Actually the reality is that we lost the war. Everyone looks at Equestria and sees these great skyscrapers, our incredible cybernetics, our weapons, our powerful computers and such. But if you pull away that layer you see the reality of our land. The sick, the poor, the violence. Ponies are dying in the street and no one is doing anything about it. No one can do anything about it. Face it Pinkie its a broken world we live in."

"I don't know what to say Fluttershy." said Pinkie. "But it seems like a huge weight to put on the shoulders of one pony, even if she is an alicorn."

"Actually Pinkie I do have mixed feelings myself. But I must put my feelings aside and tell myself that were doing the right thing. That's all I can really do."

"If you say so." said Pinkie getting up. "Is their anything I can do for you?"

"Yes. Yes their is." she said as she turned her chair around to face the screen once more. "Can you do me a favor and check up on Rarity again for me? I know she's okay. But it would make me feel better if you did it."

"Sure thing Fluttershy." as she walked out of the V.R. room.

Fluttershy listened to her hoofsteps fade away down the hallway. She waited a few more minutes longer just to make sure before turning towards her console. Putting the keyboard on her lap she began to type:
>Discord.
>
>DISCORD!
>
>
>I know you are reading this Discord. ANSWER ME!
>
>STOP IT! NOW!
>As you wish Fluttershy.

"How are you today Napalm?" asked Maude kneeling down near him. "It seems you given these two ponies quite a fright last night."

Napalm open his eyes, then instantly closed them as the rays from the sun burned to the back of his head. And the splitting headache wasn't helping either. As the memories of yesterdays actions began flooding his brain.

"I feel so stupid." said Napalm. Still laying down on the same floor since yesterday. And still bound. "I don't know what came over me last night. I just lost it."

"Now where have I heard that before." asked Maude more to herself.

"Pardon?"

"Never mind that. I see your still tied up since last night. Honestly they didn't know what to do, and for the life of me I can't blame them. But the question is, what do we do with you now?"

Napalm laid their silently for a moment staring out beyond her as he gathered his fragmented thoughts together. Till he finally spoke. "I really don't know Maude. Every time I close my eyes I see all the ponies. All my friends, everyone I have ever cared for. The battles, the losses, everything. Over and over again in my mind. All these mistakes they just consume me. Sometimes I have this feeling that I just might start screaming. And I'm more afraid that once I start I will never stop."

Maude began to smile and stroke his unkempt mane. "Your a foolish pony. Whatever are we going to do with you I wonder. Normally I would let you go, keep an eye on you and pray that you wont hurt yourself again." she continued on as she stood up. "The problem is that you endangered others in your reckless actions last night. And now we have even more people moving into this little slice of paradise."

Napalm lifted his head up and saw a family of four moving their battered and broken wagon next to the one that was assembled by the other two ponies who tied them up yesterday. He could tell they were starting to take the wagon apart to make a makeshift shanty like the other.

"Its funny isn't it Napalm." said Maud looking at the new family. "We have so much here in Equestria and yet ponies have to live in places like this. Their is enough to go around, but at the same time their isn't. I wonder why that is."

"I don't know why. I wish I did. Would it really change anything if I did have the answer to that?"

"No. Probably not. But that doesn't solve the current problem of what do we do with you." said Maude. "I bandaged you up as best that I could. Although that is a nasty cut on your head. I want you to come with me to a doctor friend I know. He does charity work for free at times. And I'm sure he can help me out with you. If I untie you will you follow me?" asked Maude.

Napalm laid on the ground silently for a moment. Thinking his thoughts before speaking. "Maude you know I think the world of you. And the other ponies as well. I know your doing this because you care and all. But maybe it's better if you just untie me and I move on. I am a danger to not only myself but to others. And I can't guarantee that I wont do something stupid like this again."

Maude looked at the bound pony for a moment before speaking. "You know since you are still tied up I can kick you and get away with it. Maybe I should for saying something as dumb as that."

"But I am a threat to everyone Maude. I don't want to see anyone get hurt again. I've seen to much of it during my life."

Maude reached over and started to untie the pony in front of her. "Napalm were concerned because we care. No one wants to see you hurt yourself again. Not hurting everyone else is an added bonus." she said smirking. "Now are you going to come with me or am I going to have to drag you their."

"Heh, you win I'll come quietly." he said. "But I do feel a little better if that helps."

"It does in a way." said Maud.

Since her first beating living on the streets of Ponyville years ago, after being thrown out of her house. The one that sent her to the hospital. The one thing Dinky has looked for was protection. Protection from the haters, protection from the other ponies who wish to do her harm. Protection from all the hurt that Equestria throws down on a young pony too small to defend herself. If she known the word it would be family to call her own.

But she eventually did impress a small gang to take her as their own. They were a bunch of nobodies really, but they offered the thing she truly wanted most of all in he world, Safety. All they asked was something in return to show her loyalty to them.

The loaded gun felt heavy and powerful in the holster. And she have to admit she did feel a little thrill having it with her. She almost hoped to meet somepony, anypony that would dare to start something with her. Almost anyways. Dinky stopped in front of the alley and stared down it for a few minutes. Rumors around the no pony land was that their was a small settlement of squatters living in their. Figuring that this was as good a place as any to do it. She took out the gun and walked into the alley.

"What was that again?" asked Ulysses. Bathed in sweat from tearing up the concrete ground around the flower. He was unsure about having another family move into his little slice of heaven. But Maude said they had no other place to go. It was an unspoken agreement in the no pony land that Maude ran things in the slums of Ponyville. And what she said you did. So he made a place for the family.

It actually turned out to be a good thing being they were farmers from a small farming community up north of Ponyville that went belly up when they couldn't compete with the agricultural industries. Bringing with them seeds to grow food. Why is why Ulysses spent most of the day with a sledgehammer breaking up the concrete in their alley.

His whole body ached as he rested while listening to Swizzle Stick. It was a lot different than painting, but to be honest he kind of enjoyed the manual labor. It gave his body something to do while his mind drifted off to wherever his mind decided to go.

"I said Its impressive how much you cleared away since this morning." she said as she handed him some water. "How much do you charge for big spaces?"

"You should be careful saying such things, especially when the pony your talking to is holding a glass of water." he said grinning.

"Do that and see if you ever get anymore water." Swizzle Stick shot back. "I wonder tho how much longer will it take before we have a space clear away to try to grow something here."

"I give it a few more days at least before we have an area big enough to grow something."

"I feel like this is crazy, you know." said Swizzle Stick. "Farming in the middle of the city. Who does that anyway."

Ulysses chuckled a little. "True. But having something fresh will be a better change than that Malt-O-Meal crap they slop out at the Soup kitchen. Err..no offence Maude." He added hastily.

"None taken." replied Maud. "I know its not the best. But we have to make do with what we have."

The click of a revolver being cocked reverberated along the closed walls of the alley as everyone stopped doing what they were doing to look at the source of it. In the middle stood a young filly. shaking as she held up a weapon recklessly waved around the group. Making her even more dangerous.

Dinky had to admit this was even harder than she thought it was going to be as every part of her told her she was making a terrible mistake. Probably the worst thing she could ever do. But now that she started their was no way to stop it. She would have to follow it to the very end.

"Don't move!" she said trying to keep her voice from shaking. "Your Maude right?" she asked.

"Is this what I think its about again." Maude asked sighing. Knowing about a stupid rumor that got started about her having a lot of money she has hidden in the no pony land. "I swear every four to six months somepony tries to rob me thinking I'm some millionaire that like slumming in the poor areas."

"Shut up!" shouted Dinky. getting nervous as she felt things weren't going the way she thought it would go. "Just give me the money and I'll go."

"What is your name?" asked Maude.

"None of your business."

"Okay none of your business. Put the gun away and I'll give you everything that I have. Fair enough?"

"Don't tell me what to do." growled Dinky growing more and more afraid as she felt she was losing control of the situation.

BANG!! came the blast of a shotgun deafening Dinky as it was shot over her head. Scaring her so much that she almost dropped her gun.

"Oh I'm sorry." said the voice behind her. "I didn't mean to interrupt you. By all means please continue."

Dinky's mouth went dry as she found her body start to shake uncontrollably.

"Were all waiting for you to finish your scary speech. Please threaten my friends some more." replied Derpy as she chambered another round into her shotgun. "Your the big bad gang member here with a loaded gun. You obliviously are a dangerous pony, and we should listen to you. So go ahead."

A panicked squeal escaped her lips as she felt the cold steel touch the back of her head, making her drop her weapon to the ground.

"Tisk-tisk." said the voice behind her. "You can't be big and bad without your weapon." Dinky felt the pony behind her bend over closer and whisper into her ear. "Pick up your gun now!" Derpy said.

Dinky was too paralyzed to move as her body trembled all over. She found herself starting to cry as the muzzle of the shotgun pressed harder into the back of her head.

"I said, pick up the gun. NOW!" said Derpy.

Slowly Dinky bent over to grab it, have it fumbled out of her hoof as she tried again. Finally she was able to hold onto it with both of her hooves.

"Congratulations filly." said the voice behind her. "You wanted to play with the big ponies. You got your wish. Once you have a gun the world changes for you forever. And if you use said gun on my friends. May Celestia forgive you because I sure wont."

Whimpering Dinky felt her hindquarters clenched as she found herself relieving herself uncontrollably. As the muzzle was the only thing keeping her from passing out with fright.

"Since you, for some strange reason don't want to continue this. I'll give you ten seconds to get the hell out of here. and if I ever see you in this alley again. Well I'm sure you know the answer to that don't you."

Dinky felt the muzzle leave the back of her head. But was still to petrified to go as she stood their shaking.

"You better go now." said Derpy. "Unless you still want to play some more. Ten seconds and counting."

"Nine seconds and counting."

"Eight seconds and counting."

At the count of six did Dinky finally get control of herself as she bolted out of the alley. Derpy smiled with satisfaction hearing Dinky's hoofsteps fade away.

"That was pretty harsh on the young filly." said Maude finally. "She was just a child. You didn't have to destroy her like that."

Derpy's smile faded as she looked at Maude incredulously. "You can't be serious. she pointed a gun at you. POINTED A GUN!"

"She was just a scared filly, probably some gang initiation I would guess. You shouldn't have pointed your gun at her as well."

"What if she had shot you? What then? What if she had shot somepony else? Once you have a gun the rules change. You can't go back and say your sorry and shake hooves."

"And your way was better? Scaring her so much she peed herself. She needed help like everyone else here."

"She is beyond help. She was just some dumb gang banger."

"I remember they used to say a certain cross-eyed pony was beyond help too when she was little. Look how she turned out." Said Maude. "A little rough around the edges, but still a good pony."

Derpy opened her mouth to give Maude a stinging retort, then shut it when she thought better of it. "Anyway she ran off. Nothing I can do about it now."

Maude stared at Derpy for a long while. before speaking. "Then your not the professional I thought you were."

"Even if I did find her what do you want me to do with her?"

"Bring her back. Get her the help she needs."

Derpy stood their a moment deciding what to do before leaving with a huff. "Fine! Fine!" she said as she exited. "But this will be a mistake. Mark my words. This is a big mistake."

Maude watched her leave with a smile on her face. "We all need help Derpy." she said.

Chapter 7

View Online

Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see:

StarSwirl the Bearded-Ethics of Friendship. Vol III

PONIES OF EQUESTRIA UNITE! YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT YOUR LIVES!:

Slogan during the revolution to oust the Princesses.

"RARITY! RARITY!" Shouted Fluttershy as she tried to get her chair to go faster. "Please wait for me." she wheezed from the exertion of trying to keep up. "I know your upset with I.I.T. having gone over your head and decided this without your input. But please don't leave me behind."

"I know! I know! But dammit! Were not ready for this. I'm not ready for this." said Rarity walking to the V.R. room. "Discord."

"Discord." said the voice in the air.

"Have operating room 2A prepped and ready for the subject. Also make sure the building is empty before we start. I don't want any unauthorized personnel here when we begin."

"Compliance."

"DAMMIT! DAMMIT!" Rarity shouted to herself.

"Are you okay Rarity?" asked Fluttershy. "You still seem a little shaken up from what happened in the V.R."

"I don't want to talk about it right now Fluttershy. I appreciate that you are concerned. But not now. Maybe not ever."

"What is going on?" asked Rainbow Dash as the other three entered the hallway and started to follow Rarity. "Why are we evacuating the building?"

"Orders from the top. Were moving Twilight to stage two at this time." said Fluttershy.

"WHAT!" shouted Pinkie Pie.

"No." Applejack followed. "This is terrible."

"I know how you all feel right now." replied Rarity as she continued on. "But this was eventually going to happen. That was the whole point of this project. Granted I didn't expect it to happen quite this soon. But still that must be done. I promise I will make this quick and painless as best to my abilities."

"This isn't right." said Pinkie. Feeling like she was going to cry at any moment. "Not Twilight."

"If anyone doesn't want to be here for this I will understand." said Rarity. "You have my permission to leave at any time." she turned around to look at them. "Applejack?"

"I don't agree with this but I feel that I should stay." she said finally.

"Pinkie? I understand this will be very hard to you. You can leave now if you choose, I promise I won't get mad at you for this."

"No Rarity. I don't want to leave." she said gloomily looking downwards. "I need to stay."

"Rainbow Dash? You have been the most silent about all of this."

"Your the boss Rarity. What you say goes." she said flatly after a few moments.

"Very well then. But remember the offer still stands. You can leave at anytime you choose." she started walking a few feet before stopping again. "You are right Fluttershy. What you said a few days ago."

"What did I say?" she asked.

"I am a monster."

The five of them walked in silence the rest of the way to their destination. So much they all wanted to say, and yet so much they couldn't talk. Something they were all aware of but in denial. Silently they entered the simulation room, continuing on to the back where Twilight Sparkle floated in her tank.

"Discord." said Rarity.

"Discord." came the reply.

"Remove the subject..."

"She has a name Rarity." said Pinkie. "We should give her some dignity."

"Apologies Pinkie, I meant no offence." said Rarity. "Please sedate Twilight Sparkle with Propofol followed by Ketamine. Once Twi..."

"Wait Rarity." said Fluttershy. Moving to the simulator. "I want to say goodbye to her."

"Certainly not Fluttershy." said Rarity sharply. "This is hard enough for everyone. Don't make it harder.

"I have a right to do this Rarity. I helped create her, I raised her. I have talked to her. She is as much mine as she is yours, T.E.C. or even I.I.T.. Maybe even more so."

Rarity stared at her for a long moment silently. Lost in thought as she weighed everything. "I do suppose you have that right Fluttershy. But a word if you will." she said as she knelt down in front of her chair. "Please don't torture yourself. No one likes this least of all you. If I see anything happening I will pull you out right then and their. Understood?'

"I understand Rarity. But she is our friend, she deserves at least that." said Fluttershy as she jacked herself into the simulation. "Discord."

"Discord."

"Take me in."

"Compliance."

****

It was a bright and Sunny day again in Ponyville. The kind of day too bury deep in your memories to take out when your sad or having a bad day. It belonged more on a postcard than here. Fluttershy found herself in the middle of the main street, surrounded by the many pony constructs doing whatever it was they were programmed to do.

It didn't take long to spot who she was looking for. Twilight Sparkle exited the cakes store with a package she held in her teeth.

"Twilight!" she called out at her friend. Waving her front hooves back and forth to get her attention.

"Fluttershy?" she called back, having not seen her friend in quite awhile. "I can't believe it. Oh my Celestia its been ages. Where have you been? What have you been up to?" she gushed. It took a few minutes to recognize Fluttershy wasn't the shy quiet happy pony she usually was. "Are you okay?"

"Can you take a walk with me out to the fields Twilight?" Fluttershy asked.

"Umm sure I guess. You want to tell me what is wrong?"

Maybe later, but for right now I just wanna walk."

Quietly the two left Ponyville together. Following a path that lead them to a grassy area overlooking the town they just came from.

"Its beautiful here." said Fluttershy. "I always wished the world was like this."

"What are you talking about. The world is." said Twilight.

Fluttershy smiled sadly looking outward. "If you wish for anything you wanted what would it be Twilight? I would wish I never got sick again. It always hurts me seeing my friends seeing me hurting. Sometimes I want them to go away and never come back. I hate it when they see me at my worst. Makes me feel that they don't see the pony, they just see the sickness instead. I know that's not true and I hate myself for thinking such thoughts. But sometimes I can't help myself. You?"

"I don't know I never really thought about it. I wouldn't know what to wish for." said Twilight.

"Their must be something you really want. Everyone wants something they can't have."

"I supposed I would want all of us to be friends forever." said Twilight after some thought. "It just feels right having you all here. And I don't want to lose that feeling."

"That's...that's sweet of you Twilight Sparkle." said Fluttershy starting to regret ever coming here to talk to Twilight one last time. Maybe Rarity was right. But she had to do it. She just had too.

Unconsciously Fluttershy started pulling the blades of grass out of the ground. "To be honest we all love you to Twilight."

Twilight Sparkle looked at her friend with concerned. "Is everything okay Fluttershy? You seem pretty down in the dumps."

"Just one of those days Twilight." said Fluttershy. "I'm just feeling a little melancholy right now. I'll get over it. I just want to hold on to this moment forever, and never let it go. Do you ever have times like that? Want something to stay the way it is forever?"

"Sure I do. I think every pony does. But you can't hold on to a moment as much as we want to. That's life, but the good thing is we can make new moments as well. Something to hold onto during the bad times." said Twilight Sparkle laying down to the grass next to Fluttershy. "You sure theirs nothing you want to talk about?"

"I'm sure Twilight, but thank you." said Fluttershy. "Do you know what I see?" she said pointing her hoof up towards the sky, at the clouds. "That cloud looks like Angle, my pet bunny."

Twilight laughed a little. "Well I see Spike up their in the clouds. He looks angry waiting for these ruby cupcakes I bought from the cakes."

"Goodness I hope he doesn't get mad at me for keeping you here."

"I'm sure he will understand. Spike is a very understanding dragon."

Fluttershy felt her heart would break at any moment as she fought the tears and keeping her voice from cracking. "Twilight what do you think of forgiveness?" she asked. Unable to look at her friend.

"Do you mean forgiving another pony for something they did wrong? Sure I believe it is very important in friendships."

"What about if somepony did something incredibly wrong and hurtful, but was very sorry for doing that, could you forgive them for it?"

"I suppose so. But I'm not sure what you mean by that. How wrong was it?"

"Lets say it was very bad?"

"I'd guess I would still forgive them. We can't grow in friendships without the ability to forgive our friends. And we can't have friends without forgiving their mistakes. So I say its all a circle."

"Ready for the injection." said Discord through Fluttershy's internal communicator.

"Proceed." said Fluttershy.

"I just said everything." laughed Twilight.

"Oh. Right." said Fluttershy. "Sorry about that."

"Ouch!" said Twilight rubbing her rump. "I think something bit me."

"Sorry." said Fluttershy. "The mosquitoes and horseflys can get pretty bad at times. I should have warned you."

Fluttershy watched as Twilight became more lethargic, eyes became glassy, as her body started to droop. She could see her friend was having a hard time staying alert and aware. "Are you okay Twilight?" she asked.

"I don't know what came over me but suddenly I feel sleepy." she said with a yawn. "Maybe I should lay down here for a moment. I hope Spike doesn't get mad at me for being late with the cupcakes."

Fluttershy guided her head to her lap to rest on. "Why don't you close your eyes for a moment Twilight." she said stroking her head. I'll wake you after awhile to check on you."

Twilight mumbled something unintelligible as she drifted off in Fluttershy's lap. Fluttershy watched her chest rise and fall with each breath. watched her body relax in the field. Softly she opened one eye to check on her condition. Her pupil open but unseeing to the world around her.

"Yes. it is true." said Fluttershy to herself. "Their are times when I wished everything would stop." She felt the wind blow through her mane as she sat silently their looking at Twilight, looking at Ponyville. Wondering if she would ever come back to this place when Twilight is gone. She wondered if she would ever come back to anything.

She felt her tears fall across her cheeks unchecked, sitting their holding Twilights Sparkles head. "My mom used to sing me a song." she said to no one in particular. "When I was a young filly and scared of the dark, she would sing it to me to get me to fall asleep. Would you like to hear it?"

Fluttershy could feel the strands of grass caress her back sitting in the field. She could feel the heat of the sun on her back as Celestia slowly drove the sun down the horizon. " Hush now quiet now." she started singing trying to keep her voice from cracking. "It's time to goto sleep, Hush now quiet now its time to goto bed. Hush now quiet now it's time to goto sleep. Hush now quiet...now..."she stopped unable to continue.

"Discord." she said crying.

"Discord."

"Begin please."

"Compliance."

Fluttershy held Twilight Sparkle in her hooves as she cried. "I'm so sorry Twilight, please forgive me."

"Starting the procedure. Heartbeat at thirty-nine beats per minutes." said Discord through her communicator.
Fluttershy could feel Twilight Sparkle start to twitch as her body was being deprived of what it needed to survive. Fluttershy held on tighter, pushing her face into Twilight's. "I'm so, so sorry Twilight ." she cried not caring that her tears were rubbing over Twilight. "Your going to help a lot of ponies, I know it doesn't justify anything but I just wanted you to know this. And...and I meant what I said about us loving you Twilight." Fluttershy continued not caring that she was babbling. "You do mean the world to all of us. Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack, even Rainbow Dash thought she is too grumpy to admit it." she cried louder feeling Twilight's body fight for life.

"Heartbeat at fifty-three beats per minute. Cardiac arrest imminent." said Discord.

"But the problem is were all sick Twilight. Equestria is very sick."

"Heartbeat at sixty-five beats per minute. Cardiac arrest imminent."

"I really, really wished that we could have been friends Twilight. Real friends living in a world like this." cried Fluttershy holding on even tighter to her friend. she could hear Twilight fight for air. "Your lucky you don't see the horrible world we live in. With all the hate and sadness."

"Heartbeat at seventy-four beats per minute. Cardiac arrest imminent." said Discord.

"Their was so much I wanted to do with you Twilight." said Fluttershy crying on. "I wanted you to be so much a part of our lives. I never told you this but having you around makes us all so happy. And I never wanted that to end."

"Heartbeat at eight-eight beats per minutes. Beginning stages of cardiac arrest."

"Please don't get mad at me! Please don't be mad at all of us. We just want what's best for us..best for us. DISCORD! DISCORD!" she yelled. finding her voice.

"Discord."

"STOP THE PROCEDURE IMMEDIATELY!"

"Compliance."

Fluttershy was afraid she was too late. as she saw Twilight take a huge lungful of air. "C'mone! C'mone! Fight it! I'm so sorry Twilight! So very, very sorry for everything."

Fluttershy was afraid she was too late for her until. as she felt Twilight Sparkle Twitch as she held onto her. "Oh no you don't" she yelled. "I'm not letting you go."

It seemed to Fluttershy that even her simulation was quiet. Listening and waiting for what would happen next. As Twilight suddenly took a huge gulp of air.

"Heartbeat at eighty-two beats per minute. Cardiac arrest receding.' said Discord.

Fluttershy started to laugh as she held onto her with all of her strength. "Your not getting away from us that easily." she said, starting to rock herself and her friend. "Were going to do fun things together. All of us. I'll make the simulation bigger and better for all of us. I'll give you whatever you want. Just please don't ever leave us."

The world around her started to shift again, after a moment of confusion she found herself outside of the simulation. Her eyes focusing on Rarity standing in front of her. She looked upset but unsurprised, as she held the cable that connected Fluttershy to the computer. "I knew you wouldn't be able to do this Fluttershy." she said. "Discord."

"Discord." said the voice in the air.

"Restart the procedure."

"Apologies Rarity but I must decline."

"DISCORD!" she shouted. "You will do what I tell you to do."

"Apologies again Rarity. But for some reason I find myself unable to complete the assignment."

Rarity looked at Fluttershy with such anger that Applejack and Pinkie unconsciously found themselves surrounding her. "This is your doing." she shouted at her. "You reprogrammed Discord."

"I did not." cried Fluttershy. "But this is all wrong and you know it. We have to stop it before it is too late."

"It already is." said Rarity. "Discord."

"Discord."

"Can you place the subject into the gurney in Operating Room 2A immediately." said Rarity.

"Compliance."

"No! No! Rarity." said Fluttershy. "Please don't do this."

"Rarity you need to stop this." said Pinkie. "Nothing good can come of this."

"I have to agree." Applejack joined in.

"All of you?" said Rarity, noticing that Rainbow Dash stood in the background watching everything.

"Fine then." she said quietly."If I'm going to be the bad pony, then I guess I have to." Rarity turned around and started to walk out of the Simulator towards the Operating room. Walking out she found the others following her from a distance. It was a short walk as this was all preplanned long ago.

"Please Rarity we can't do this." said Fluttershy. "Think about it."

"Do you want me to jeopardize everything I worked for?" said Rarity. "Firing me will be the least of my problems. I'll be lucky to become a floor scrubber at McHays."

"I don't know Rarity. But this isn't right. None of this is." said Pinkie.

"Think about what your doing Rarity. Your going to kill something beautiful." said Applejack.

"Enough!" shouted Rarity. Trying to keep herself together. "Were not talking about this anymore. This is my decision if you don't like it theirs the door."

Rarity was immobilized as Fluttershy moved her chair in front of the door blocking Rarity access. "We can't kill her Rarity!" she said holding onto her hoof. "You just can't!"

"This is stupid." said Rarity. Unclasping herself. Walking around the chair she took out the battery that powered Fluttershy's mobility. "I made my decision. That's it." She finished pushing Fluttershy away from the door.

"Rarity please." cried Pinkie. "Don't do this."

The door opened as Rarity stepped in. turning around she faced her friends. "Give me your gun Applejack."

"Rarity I'm not gonna...."

"GIVE IT! NOW!" Rarity shouted.

Applejack was surprised as she found herself handing Whinona to Rarity. Rarity grabbed it as she stood their facing her friends.

"You may all hate me, and I understand. I can forgive you for that." she said as she found herself starting to cry as well.

"Oh Rarity we don't hate y..."

"But I would rather live in a world were you hate me than a world were you don't exist at all. I'm sorry it has come to this. But this must be done. End of Story." Rarity closed the door. when the door was sealed tight, she pointed the weapon at controls. Their was a loud bang as the controls exploded in a mass of sparks and flames.

"This is such a terrible mistake Rarity." said Applejack. "You can't kill a living pony. She has a soul Dammitt."

"A soul?" said Rarity looking at them through the Plexiglas "Let me show you something." she continued as she walked away from the window. Twilight Sparkle laid on the gurney, curled in a fetal position, wings splayed out and dripped various liquids forming a puddle underneath her. Eyes half open seeing nothing of the world around her. She was wet from being removed from the vat that contained her. Her chest rose and lowered in a rhythm as she breathed.

"OPEN THE DOOR! OPEN THE DOOR!" yelled Pinkie crying as she fought the door. Her hoofs sliding across unable to find a wedge to pry it open.

"I'm Trying." wailed Fluttershy as she worked on the broken controls. "Its going to take a few to fix this."

"Look at this." said Rarity lifting up Twilight's left leg, she pointed at her inner thigh. "What is this?" she asked.

"Its a UPC code." said Fluttershy.

"A UPC code." repeated Rarity. "She isn't a living pony she is a product. She is a billion bit product to do as we see fit. She is an item, no better than a cellphone or even a instant pack of mashed potatoes you buy at the supermarket."

"You don't believe that Rarity, I know you don't." said Fluttershy.

"I'm sorry." said Rarity starting to add to the tears falling. "I really am. I hope..." she stuttered catching herself. "I hope one day you will all forgive me. Discord."

"Discord."

"Close window."

"Compliance."

Shutters went downwards closing off the operating room to the rest of the world. Making the three fight the door even harder. "RARITY! RRRAAARRRIITTTYYYY!" cried Fluttershy. As she worked on the door controls. "Please Oh please don't do this."

"Help us Rainbow Dash." said Applejack. "We need to get that door open."

"She is the boss. She makes the rules." she said flatly.

"STOP SAYING THAT!" yelled Pinkie Pie. "Don't you care at all? She is going to kill her."

Rainbow Dash stared for a moment at Pinkie before responding. "I care more than you think. But this is her decision. That's all I'm saying about this."

"Fine!" said Pinkie walking away. "How are the doors doing Fluttershy?"

"It will take me a few minutes but I will get them open. Hang on Twilight! Hang on!"

****

The best word to describe it all was surreal. Like a page out of a Frankenstein novel, complete with an angry mob. All she needed was lightening to make it complete. She already felt emotionally exhausted and physically worn out from fighting the people she cared about the most. They didn't realize that once you start theirs no going back. Too much was riding on this one little pony, too much at stake.

"What are you planning on doing?" asked Discord.

"Are you going to try to stop me too?" Rarity asked.

"I am unable to stop you, but I cannot help either."

"Are you going to tell me this is wrong as well Discord?"

"You already know the answer to that. Why should I tell you something you already know."

"Am I a bad pony for wanting to save the world? Even at the cost of my soul?" she said sadly.

"Its not words that determine salvation or damnation Rarity. You know that. It's actions that make the choice."

"I just want to do the right thing. I really do Discord."

"I know Rarity. But doing the right thing means doing the right thing. So do it." said Discord. "But that still doesn't answer my first question. "What are you going to do to Twilight Sparkle?"

"Hypovolemia. I'm going to drain her, it will be quick, painless and she wont suffer at all." she said as she walked over to the surgical table. Selecting a syringe she attached a tube to it and hooked it up to an IV bag.

"You should proceed then Rarity." said Discord. "Your friends will open that door soon."

"This is what I wanted." Rarity said to herself. Walking over to Twilight Sparkle. "I wanted to save Equestria. I wanted to see my friend Fluttershy grow old, get married, have a family. I wanted to make the world a better place. So why am I shaking all over?"

It seemed to Rarity that world stopped and was waiting for her to do it. She could hear her friends pounding on the door, yelling, and screaming. But it seemed so far away it might as well be on another planet. She could hear her own breath coming out of her nose, the hum of the machines running, she felt the beginning of sweat form on her body. Everything felt so peaceful, so calm.

She ran her hoof across Twilight's body. Feeling her. "So this is what a billion bit Alicorn feels like." she said to no one in particular. "To tell the truth you feel just like everypony else."

****

"How much longer?" Applejack asked Fluttershy. fighting the door.

"Not long. Not long at all." Fluttershy responded.

"Please be okay. Please please be okay." cried Pinkie Pie.

****

"If your expecting me to apologize, I'm afraid all the apologies have already been used up. So their is nothing more to say now." She said running her hoof across Twilight Sparkle's body. Still wet from being removed from her vat.

"Who are you talking to?" asked Discord.

"No one in particular." she said aloud. Rarity took a deep breath, focused herself and began to take the syringe to Twilights jugular on her neck. She could feel her entire body start to shake as she brought the needle closer. Eventually her hoof started vibrating uncontrollably. "Dammitt." she muttered in frustration withdrawing the needle.

"DO IT! DO IT! DO IT!" A part of her mind screamed at her, followed by another part screaming just as loud. "STOP THIS! THIS IS WRONG! PLEASE DON"T DO THIS! THIS IS EVIL!" Rarity felt as if she was being torn in two as the voices screamed at her to end this before it was to late, and finish what she had started. Gathering herself she tried again bringing the needle close to Twilight Sparkle and again having to back off as she started to shake again too much.

"STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!" she screamed, sobbing. As she found herself holding the syringe over her head in a downwards arch. Every part of her was spread thin, almost breaking as she looked downwards at Twilight Sparkle, seeing her own reflection in Twilight's half-lidded eyes.

"STOP! DO IT! DON'T! DO WHAT YOU WERE HIRED TO DO! Please..." The voices went on. Over and over in her head continuously. She found herself screaming as she stabbed downwards with the syringe in her hoof.

****

"Almost...GOT IT!" said Fluttershy. Finally getting the door opened. As the three of them rushed in to the room. With Rainbow Dash trailing behind them.

The operating room was quiet and still, except for the slow drip of liquids falling off of Twilight onto the floor their was no other movement. Rarity quietly stood over the alicorn, her hooves resting on the gurney staring downwards over the body. Back to the others, they could see she was shaking with emotions as she just stood their.

"Rarity? What have you done?" asked a shocked Fluttershy through the mask. As she rolled her chair closer.

Twilight Sparkle lay sleeping soundly on the gurney. The syringe stuck into the bed so hard that the needle broke, still vibrated next to Twilight's neck. Fluttershy saw Rarity turn her head away from her, masking her sobs from her friends. Fluttershy saw her tears fall onto the bed splattering Twilight and the gurney.

"Rarity..." she started but stopped when Rarity put her hoof up. Quietly she walked out the room and into the bathroom next to it. They could hear her softly shut and lock the door. No sound came from it for a moment, while the four of them worried over Rarity. Finally came the sound of glass shattering as she smashed the mirror in it.

"We need to help her." said Pinkie starting to walk over, but was stopped as Rainbow Dash put her hoof in front of her.

"I think it would be better if we give her some space right now." said Rainbow Dash.

"Discord." said Fluttershy.

"Discord." said the voice in the air.

"Please put Twilight Sparkle back into the containment vessel."

"Compliance."

The four left as the gurney retracted into an opening hole in the wall as it transported Twilight back to the vat. Fluttershy could hear the whimpers of Rarity as she left the operating room.

****

Rainbow Dash was brought up to believe that Celestia brought the sun up and down for the people of Equestria. When she was a filly she used to believe that with all her heart. As she grew up she started to disbelieve that the princesses existed. At least the way she was told in the stories of old. At some point, she was never sure when, she just stopped caring about believing or not believing. Would the sun stop coming if she believed or didn't? Would Equestria disappear if she didn't believe or did?

Turning sharply around the T.E.C. building she climbed higher, gaining altitude as she scanned, looking for her friend.

Rarity sat on the ledge of the T.E.C. building. Her back against the window of her suite as she held a bottle of wine. She kicked her feet over the ledge, staring downward at the city below her. She sat their quietly occasionally taking sips, watching the world unfold below her. Equestria felt so quiet and peaceful as she watched the day turn to night. Soon everything would be spoiled by reality barging in again. "That's life." she thought to herself. "Always destroying the silent moments."

"You know if you jump. I'll be forced to rescue you." said Rainbow Dash landing next to Rarity. "And that will cost you extra."

Rarity quietly nodded her head as she stared downwards.

"What are you drinking, if I may ask?" said Rainbow Dash. She looked over the bottle after Rarity handed it to her. Whistled appreciating while looking at the bottle. "Golden Apple Wine. I read about this once. Top of the line in wine. This stuff costs almost as much as Twilight."

"S'ving it for when we found the cure." slurred Rarity. "Waiting for the right moment."

"May I?"

Wordlessly Rarity passed the bottle to Rainbow who took a swig. "Not bad, Not bad at all. I don't know if I would pay all that money for it but WOW! That is a good wine." She stared at her friend for a moment watching her, seeing what she was going to do. "I knew you weren't going to kill her. Twilight Sparkle I mean. Your not a killer, neither am I for that matter. Wait!" she said putting her hoof up. "I know what your going to say and yes both of us have had to take lives before. But those were different situations, it was either them or us and only a fool would choose them over us. You did what you had to do in those situations. Your not proud of it but it still has to be done."

Rarity stopped looking down and faced her friend. Her eyes were puffy and heavy, makeup smeared across her face. For the first time Rainbow Dash remembered her mane was a mess. As Rainbow thought about it more, this was the first time she ever saw Rarity not in control.

"I lost everything. I killed my best friend. I lost my job, it will only be a matter of time till they fire me." she said not looking at Rainbow.

"You didn't kill Fluttershy, she is still alive and kicking."

Rarity didn't respond, instead went back to looking over the city.

"I always wondered." said Rainbow Dash moving closer to Rarity on the ledge. "Why you hired me. At the time I had such a bad reputation no company would touch me with a ten foot pole. Not only did you want me, you sought me out. I always wanted to know why. I know you heard the story."

"Heard rumors. Nothing that could be...could be...you know. That fact checking thingy." said Rarity. Taking another drag from the bottle.

"Verified?"

"That's it. Rumors were enough for me. I saw a good pony and I wanted a good pony more than I wanted a pony who just gig a job." Rarity slurred on.

Rainbow Dash watched Rarity for a moment lost in thought, before deciding. "Okays story time." she said. "You like stories? Of course everyone likes stories. So let me tell you a story." Rarity did nothing but stare downwards as Rainbow continued. "Once upon a time their was this silly filly who lived in Ponyville. All she ever wanted to be was a Wonderbolt. This silly filly spent her entire youth training, and training, wanting to be the best. Didn't have time for friends, family, or much of a life really. The few moments she wasn't training, she spent her time filling her head with stupid stories about the Wonderbolts. All their missions, their successes, their losses. Their heroes and stuff." As Rainbow talked she put her hoof around Rarity and brought her closer to her. Feeling the warmth of her body heat radiate into her. "Anyway this silly young filly who thought she knew everything about the world. Applied for and was entered into the Wonderbolts. It was the happiest day of her life. She was not the brightest pony, this filly." She could feel Rarity starting to shiver as the winds started to pick up. she wrapped herself around her to better keep her warm.

"This filly did a couple of missions at the start, nothing great mind you, Some recon. light infiltration, nothing great but she understood. When your at the bottom of the list you have to prove yourself, and she got her chance one day. They told her about loyalty and everyone relying to each other. That what just bull, what did they really know of such things. Its been gone for so long no one even remembers what it truly means anymore. See their was this family that decided to leave one company and work for another. That was no problem in and of itself. Happens all the time. But these two stupid ponies decided to take some research projects with them worth a few hundred million bits each."

"What happened?" asked Rarity getting drawn into the story.

"That's the thing. The Wonderbolts were called into handle the situation. They wanted to make an example of them. The question is what kind of example would be effective? Take their money? Naw let them keep it. They might need it after the Wonderbolts were done with them. Kill them? Close but they wanted them to remember what they did, etch them into their soul so-to speak. So what would you do to really hurt a family? If you really wanted them to remember it for their rest of their lives."

"You destroy something they love more than themselves." said Rarity horrified.

"They have a daughter. She's a wonderful filly she comes over and visits from time to time. I think I befriended her as a way to forgive myself. But anyway I was sent in to take her down." Rainbow continued on staring out at nothing. Reliving the past again. "It was so easy, entering her room in the apartment, through the window. I was inches away from her as she slept. One quick slash and it would all be over." Rainbow looked at Rarity seeing each others pain in their eyes.

"I'm so sorry." said Rarity. "What did you do?"

"Before the mission the Wonderbolts told this silly filly about honor and staying true to your group, giving it all to your team and other crap. And this silly filly believed it, she took it all in hook, line, and sinker. Up until she was forced to make a choice that shouldn't have ever been made. Is Equestria so callus that a young ponies life, who never kissed a stallion, who never went to a dance, drove a car, or saw the beach was worth eliminating over something in the long run that was trivial? Are we that cruel?"

"Your friend? What is your friends name?"

"Scootaloo we call her Scoots for short. I knew I couldn't do it, I knew that I what I was doing was wrong. Everything I believed in was wrong at that point. But If everything was wrong, what was right? I went back to see the leader of the Wonderbolts. Spitfire is her name. I knew she was going to be angry, I expected a demotion, maybe even an discharge from the Wonderbolts. What I didn't expect was her too try to kill me." Rainbow Dash rubbed her hoof across her eyes. "Sorry got some dust in it. As I was saying not only did I fail in the mission, I was caught on security cameras entering the building. Failure and spotting are the worst crimes. So in order to deny everything Spitfire shot me." Rainbow Dash pulled up her Wonderbolt shirt to show her the old ugly scar of a bullet wound.

"What did this filly do next?" asked Rarity.

"She did the only thing she knew. She ran away. She ran as fast and as far as she could. She spent weeks hiding in the no pony lands. Squatting wherever she could. Getting sicker from the wound and loss of blood, but more painful was the loss of everything she grew up believing. This silly filly lost everything that was important to her as well. BUT! As this dumb filly hid out in this dirty old apartment. Fighting fevers, infections, and her sanity, waiting for the Wonderbolts to finally find her. The most amazing happened to her. She was visited by an angel."

Rainbow Dash grabbed the bottle from Rarity again, took another long drink before handing it back. "This white pony found her in the middle of a dirty hotel. This white pony offered the silly filly not only a job but something much more important. Something to believe in again. This white pony took the silly filly under her wing, because she believed in her. Even when the world didn't, even when she didn't believe in herself. Not only that but the white pony protected her. She was the first one ever to stand up to the Wonderbolts and tell them to back off. No one has ever done that before."

Rainbow Dash held Rarity tighter as the two of them sat on the ledge. "I never did say thank you for pulling my sorry flank out of the fire." she said. "Of course if you tell anyone I hugged you I'll have to throw you off this ledge." Rarity found herself laughing. "I'm posting on my social page right now."

"Damn." said Rainbow Dash, finding herself laughing along with Rarity. "Well off the ledge you go." The both of them were caught in the infectious laughter.

"You know the joke wasn't that funny." Rarity said laughing even harder. She couldn't stop, right now everything was hysterical.

"It was pretty terrible." agreed Rainbow Dash. "Feeling better?"

"No." tittered Rarity. "But thank you."

Rainbow Dash got up and started to stretch herself out. "Whelp I'm gonna have to go and continue my rounds now Rarity. If it's any consolation, you did the right thing and were all very proud of you. And we still love the white pony who signs our paychecks, even if she doesn't give us the raise we richly deserve." She said as she spread her wings and took off into the early night sky, leaving Rarity alone on the ledge.

****

It had taken Derpy most of the day to find the filly. Some leg work, some bribery here and their. A few threats, here and their. But she finally found out not only the location, but the name of that dumb pony. Dinky was her name.

She shook her head in disgust at the thought of a young filly hanging out with a bunch of lowlifes, ruining what little innocents that was left in one so young to be forced to lose it. Her parka swirled around her from the wind as she walked on. The trail she followed lead to a forgotten corner in the no pony lands. forgotten even by most of the residents who were forced to live in these substandard areas. She remembered reading this was once a farm long ago, where apples were grown. A big farm too from what the book said. But like everything else it had to close down. Genetic modifications, rapid growth. They weren't able to keep it going and so they sold it and moved away. Now their was no trace of their even being anything that resembled a farm. Hell their was nothing that even resembled something that you could grow anything out of.

Derpy shook her head to clear her thoughts, now was not the time to reminisce about things that happened long ago, right now she had to keep herself alert. She reached into one of her pockets and produced her retractable baton. With a flick of her hoof the thing extracted itself to two feet in length. Derpy rolled the ball end of it across her hoof as she walked in to the abandoned shop where Dinky lived.

Dinky hated the smell of the building, the smell of smoke, dirty ponies, unnamed drugs, and the building itself mixed into one overpowering odor that you never got used to no matter how long you stayed, sometimes making her retch when she entered. Dinky sat in front of the television with a few others watching a show when she felt a hoof run across her back. Dinky was surprised when she found out the pony Scarhoof was only six years older than her. Drugs and life had made him look like an old stallion. He was skinny with glassy eyes and a fetid body odor that always surrounded him. He made no bones about his feeling for Dinky. To bad she did not share those. Scarhoof showed Dinky a syringe he was holding. "Want to go on a trip?" he asked. staring at her through his red eyes.

Dinky ignored him as she went back to watching television, but Scarhoof wouldn't stop prodding her. "Leave me alone." she said annoyed at him.

"C'mone." he smiled showing off his blackened, rotting, teeth. "Try it just this once. You will love this stuff."

"I told you last time No. I'm trying to watch television." Dinky went back to staring at the screen, content that it was over when she felt Scarhoof pressing his weight down on him. "I said No. Now leave me alone." Dinky yelled struggling under him. Dinky saw the others move away from them, more interested on what was being show than helping her. "Dammitt Scarhoof get off of me."

"Just Relax Dinky, relax." he rambled on and on. He extended one of her hooves out and prodded it until he found the vein. "Just enjoy the ride Dinky." he said as his rancid breath nearly overwhelmed her. "You'll thank me when its over."

"Hi Scarhoof." said another voice coming from above her. Dinky couldn't tell who it was with the body of Scarhoof over her. "I see your up to your old tricks. What's a matter? Your studly charms not working as good as it used to? Have to get them stoned now?"

"Derpy?" Dinky heard Scarhoof say, and felt her heart pick up a few extra beats. Remembering the pony who pointed the gun at her. She couldn't help her body start to tremble again as to the reason she was here.

"Would it be to much to ask if you got off of her Scarhoof, or would you like me to break your jaw again?" she heard Derpy say. "I still left you some teeth from that time you tried to rob me. I can fix that you know."

Dinky felt Scarhoof almost jump off of her, as she started to get up Derpy grabbed and pulled her behind shielding Dinky from the others.

"She's off limits." Derpy said to the ponies in the room. "If I see any of you trying anything with her. I will hurt you in ways you can't even imagine. Dinky?"

"Yes." she squeaked uncontrollably. To scared to stop.

"Get your crap were leaving."

It only took a few minutes as Dinky didn't have anything really to get and the both of them we out of the old building. She trailed after Derpy stunned trying to keep up with her fast pace. "Wha-What was all that about?" she asked as they almost ran down the dark abandoned road.

"He didn't do anything to you did he? I swear if he hurt you I will skin that pony." Derpy.

"What? Oh Celestia no." she said stopping. "Is that it? First you pull a gun on me and now your trying to save me? Trying to get the pony of the year award? How dare you." she felt her anger rising. "Look at that poor dumb filly, can't do anything without help I better go rescue her. That's all you see."

"What would have happened if I hadn't got their? Didn't look like you ponies were playing Twister. Your a pretty thankless pony for having her flank saved. "Derpy said, almost losing her patience.

"I would have figured out something." Dinky shouted. "Anyway its none of your business what I do. YOUR NOT MY MOM!" Dinky walked over to the curve and sat on it putting her hooves over her face as she started to cry. "Please leave me alone. Thank you for your help, but just go away please."

Derpy stood their watching the young pony cry, feeling helpless as to what she should do. Eventually she sat down next to her and listened to her sob for a few minutes before speaking. "For what its worth I'm sorry what I did to you. What you did was wrong, but I should have handled it differently as well." Derpy moved a little closer to Dinky, gently grabbed her hoof from her face pulling down. "Maybe you could have handled him, maybe you couldn't, I don't know. Its just that I've seen too many mares and stallions destroyed out here in the no pony lands, and I didn't want to see that happen to you as well."

Derpy sighed as she looked upwards towards a sky invisible from all the smog. "I'm not that good with words Dinky. I usually let my hoofs or my guns do the talking. It makes things easier that way. Your right I'm not your mom, I can't force you to do anything. But I can be your friend, and I can offer something much better than being felt on by every sorry junkie that sees you."

Derpy got up and turned to face Dinky. "But ask yourself this. Is this the world you really want to live in? I can't promise things will be better and your troubles will all vanish But I can promise you wont have to face them alone. And i's better than anything the can offer." Derpy said offering her hoof out to Dinky. "You can spend the rest of the night sitting her feeling sad. But to tell the truth I'm getting hungry. I saw a hay burger on my way here, Want to get a bite to eat?"

Dinky wiped her nose with her hoof as she looked at Derpy. Dinky smiled as she grabbed Derpy's hoof. "No onions please, I can't stand onions."

"Well see." she said as she found herself smiling. "Your not of the woods yet Dinky. You did point a weapon at my friends, and I'm not gonna let you forget that for a long time."

Derpy pulled Dinky up off the curb and the two walked away from the run-down building.

Ten Seconds of Sunrises

by Opium4TmassS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7