“So you were experiencing an obtuse case of hallucinations?”

    I nodded, “Yes, but they knew the better and worse of me. They knew all my secrets; they were corrupt.”

    Spitfire thought for a second and then began to say, “I assume you fell from Rainbow’s house. I’ve seen it and it’s quite a drop. How is it you have no broken bones?”

    I raised a hoof and she silenced, eager for answers,

“I died that day,” I answered, “but unlike other deceased ponies, I was able to come back through a known myth.”

Spitfire pulled out a notebook and began to scribble violently.

“A long time ago, I went out to find a spirit known only as, The EverSpirit, a divine being that could grant wishes at, what I’ve heard, a painful cost, entry into the user’s mind as a permanent residence.”

Spitfire held up a hoof, “And how do you find this spirit?”

I shook my hanging head, “It’s only visible through death within the Everfree Forest.”

    “Plenty of ponies have died within the Everfree Forest, why haven’t they found it?” She asked in a demanding tone. It was clear these answers meant more than the world to her. I opened my mouth,

    ”Tell her”

    But stopped before I could say anything. The voice ran through my head in a throbbing shriek of madness. Spitfire grew impatient,

    “Well? Do you have an answer?”

    I couldn’t move, ”Tell her, everything. It will only grant you more success in our downfall.”

    I clutched my head tightly as every syllable brought more pain upon my body.

    “What do you mean?” I screamed, jumping out from my chair and onto the floor; I was not chained or restrained in any way. Spitfire stood up in a flash, banging her hoof against the door to allow three more uniformed pegasi to watch me suffer.

    ”Ah, the interrogation room; I remember this.”

    Tears the size of pearls rained down from my eyes, but that did not stop Pinkie from having her way,

    ”Hmm…” she said, extending the word to add on to the agony, ”I must say, I do believe I remember it like this…”

    The room around me melted before my eyes. The guards, or uniformed ponies, that once stood at the door were no more; Spitfire’s image deformed into a white colt with a long, black robe draping over her. The table I once sat in was drenched in blood, a wheelbarrow of small, organic, fleshy organs scattered the floor. The head of a mare rolled beside my hooves. Spitfire’s character laughed and pointed toward the back wall, revealing a hanging pony with a large knife wound running down the middle of his chest. His sternum exposed and bleeding heavily. I screamed; my eyes shuttered to black.

    ”So now you know this place better than most of the ponies who work here. What are you going to do now?”

    I clenched my head and pulled my mane, “Nothing!” I screamed, waving the voice in my head to go away, “I’m not going to do anything because none of it is real! Besides, those ponies hold no meaning to me!”

    A laugh echoed through my blinded eyesight and a door surrounded by a bright light appeared at the end of a long corridor.

    ”You think you know your history so well. If you fear not, go right ahead, take the handle and reveal everything.”

    A red carpet unrolled itself beneath my hooves and led to the shabby wooden door. I was not afraid; I held pride.

    “I don’t need to open a door in order to prove I’m not afraid! I shouldn’t have to do anything!”

    I turned away and the lights returned; I sat at a clean desk with Spitfire waiting for an answer,

    “So? What will it be? Why don’t you have any broken bones?”

    I glanced at the red-stained wall behind me wondering if what Pinkie said was true. I fluttered my wings and admired their excellence. I believe I had cracked the case behind the EverSpirit.

    “The EverSpirit revived me and I was granted a wish,” said I with all the confidence in Equestria. Spitfire looked down at her paper and grinned,

    “So you wished for immortality, didn’t you?”

    I looked down, that wouldn’t have been such a bad idea. I shook my head,

    “No, I didn’t.”

    Spitfire stopped and adjusted herself, “Oh? Then what was it? Riches? Friends?”

    “Flight,” I answered, cutting her off from the ridiculous rant she was going at, “I wished for the gift of incredible flight.”

    Spitfire looked at me as if there was something wrong. It was my heart’s content and it did solve many of my problems.

    ”How interesting; she doesn’t know yet.”

    “Know what?” I blurted out, not realizing Spitfire still sat in front of me, finally lifting the ice-cold coffee.

    ”You’ll find out soon enough.”

    “Excuse me?” Questioned Spitfire, she placed the coffee back on the table while finishing her notes. I came up with the most overused lie ever to be conceived.

    “Oh, it’s nothing.”

    Spitfire glared at me with disbelief, “Well, in that case, I must be on my way. There is something that we would like to show you.”

    She stood up; I jumped, “Wait!” I yelled, hoping it didn’t come across as rude.

    “Yes?”

    “W-Where’s Rainbow Dash? I thought I’d see her one last time before I returned home.”

    Spitfire sighed with disappointment, “There are two things wrong with that statement. One, you will not be able to see Rainbow Dash just yet, and two, you will not be returning home. We have something you might be able to contribute to.”

    I stood still, not sure of what to say. Spitfire finished my silence for me, “Come on, I want to show you something before I allow you to meet the ponies you will be working with during your assignment.”

    I nodded, following her out the room and into a secluded elevator where she and I stood alone.

    The elevator opened without a hurry; Spitfire pressured me to keep my eyes off everything found within this part of the building. It was a basement filled with several large boxes, each big enough for a filly to have their playtime in. I tried to pry my eyes off the strange crates for the time being, but there was one thing I couldn’t resist but notice, each box carried a name.

    “Are these… belongings?” I asked timidly, still trying to piece together the whole situation together.

    “More or less,” She monotonously sighed, still walking at the same consistent pace. The entire basement was a maze, left and right we turned. While Spitfire and I spoke little, somepony else did not care to carry the same boundaries.

    ”She lies”

    ”How would you know?”

    ”Open the door”

    ”Why should I? I know what I know and there is nothing you can do about it!”

    Spitfire stopped and pointed toward a large box with the words “Rainbow Dash” clearly written upon it. She sighed and turned toward me,

    “Well, there you go, she’s all yours.”

    I placed my hooves on the box,

    “Are you sure? Wouldn’t she mind?”

    Spitfire chuckled for a moment, and then frowned, “I don’t think so. Go right ahead, you have the right-a-way.”

    I lifted the top off the box and a large spiral of emotions fell upon me.

    ”Now you see? Lies everywhere; trust only yourself”

    “I-I”

    Spitfire grinned, “Don’t worry about it, kid. She’s sleeping just fine in there. All these ponies are.”

    I spun around, looking at all the different boxes. I couldn’t believe it, I was standing in a room filled with dead ponies.

    “All the ponies we find who’ve passed are taken here and placed in a box. The smell isn’t that bad after a while; we’ve taken care of it using an old spell our founder discovered.

    “But what about their families? Haven’t they spoken up? Haven’t they said anything about the bodies?”

    Spitfire chuckled and started walking back the way we came, “No, they haven’t said anything. This floor is open to the entire city; they’ll be fine.”

    I still couldn’t believe it; Rainbow Dash, my one and only true sister, dead for all to see.

    ”Now do you understand? There is nothing you can do, just accept it. Everypony here is corrupt by the evils of their master, HighShine. You must break from it.”

    “I hope that by showing you this you’ll begin to understand,” began Spitfire, stopping for a brief moment. I stopped as well,

    “What do you mean?” I asked, wondering how Rainbow’s carcass corresponded with whatever I was to be doing.

    “Rainbow began a project to help the Army succeed in its mission. She said only one pegasus could have the permission to finish it; that pegasus is you, Scootaloo.”

    I said nothing; all I did, was turn toward the lowly box.

    ”How is this? Why would Rainbow Dash choose me, a flightless pegasus, to finish her work? I’m useless. What does she see in me?”

    ”She lies.

    “Who took her?” I asked, hoping Spitfire would give it to me straight. She lowered her shades and sighed,

    “We had a breach quite a while back. A pony by the name of Applejack murdered her while she was on duty. It was tragic and we were unable to put a stop to her rage. But the last we heard about her, she was killed in Canterlot; we don’t speak of her anymore.”        ”Applejack? Isn’t she… Applebloom’s sister? Why would Applejack murder ponies?”

    ”Many ponies died under her blade; there she does not lie.”

    “A-Applejack? I know her!” I exclaimed, stomping my left hoof against the ground. Spitfire sighed, adjusting her glasses once more,

    “Yes, I assumed you might. You two did live in the same town. Ah well, what’s the past is past, now, I must allow you to meet the rest of the staff. You will be working with them diligently; I trust you’ll take everything seriously from here on out. Rainbow is gone, but I know her legacy will be preserved through you, right?”

    I looked down, “Her legacy?”

    “Right,” said She, “Her work is a very important part of this Army. It will end the division of Equestrian Ponies forever. You were the closest to Rainbow; I know you will be able to help.”

    I nodded, “Alright, I’ll do it, but only for Rainbow Dash.”

    Spitfire smiled, “Fine by me. Come, the rest of the staff will inform you of your assignment. I nodded once more, following her to the elevator.

    “Now you see; our research has proven that the Sonic Rainboom can be replicated by anypony with enough gathered speed,” explained Doctor Clouds, “But one of the most important properties of the Rainboom is its magical properties in the field of destruction. When the many of us saw the original Rainboom being performed, we noticed a large amount of impact concerning the air density. Using this, we believe it can be a very powerful ally. If we work posthaste, we may just win the war before it begins.”

    I nodded my head; I had no idea what he was talking about, “So… you want me to perform a Sonic Rainboom, something only made possible by Rainbow Dash herself?”

    The doctor smiled, “In a sense, yes.”

    I glanced at Spitfire, who was counting the number of useless machines in the room,

    “What does this one do?” She asked, hitting her hoof against a monitor with blinking circular lights. The doctor quickly swatted the intruding hoof away,

    “Ah! That, in a way, holds a security function. Take no attention to it!”

    The two of us laughed at the doctor. Spitfire opened the elevator door and wished me luck.

    ”Ah, now you see? Everything here has suspicion.”

    ”What are you talking about? This is Rainbow Dash’s work! Who am I to leave it unfinished? It would be disrespectful beyond belief.”

    ”Since when were you about respect? This is nothing but a scam to get you to be their sacrifice.”

    ”Sacrifice? I’m not going to die. Rainbow Dash would never kill herself to fulfill a job.”

    ”If it meant working with the Wonderbolt Captain? Yes, she would.”

    Doctor Clouds smiled and pointed at a machine located in the middle of the room.

    “We just need to do a few diagnostics,” he smiled, “It won’t hurt at all.”

    I nodded obediently and stood on the circular device; a team of doctors surrounded me with clipboards.

    ”You’re their lab rat now. You’re nothing but one of the many test subjects they’ve already killed.”

    ”But Rainbow Dash wasn’t killed by Doctor Clouds; Applejack was the killer!”

    ”Yes, that is true, but it was an unfortunate accident. It was never meant to happen.”

    ”You say you can see everything? What happened to you? Are you really Pinkie? What did you do?”

    A sigh of disparity echoed throughout my head.

    ”I fell into an unfortunate trap. It was to be you, but alas, my generous, over watching personality fell into a bind. I, as you did, died within the confines of the forest. I found what I was looking for, but the EverSpirit claimed my mind as his domain. Thus, a cycle began and I was met with disparity. I was followed by pain everywhere I went; there was nothing I could do. I hid from the world within my own home, but I was still met with the same fate as foretold.”

    ”Did I really do this to you? How did you become the EverSpirit?”

    ”When the host of the EverSpirit dies, that pony’s soul replaces the EverSpirit and its duty to fulfill Equestria’s destiny. My death created my fate.”

    ”Why did you really wait out for me? Why did you reach beyond the boundaries of the Everfree Forest?”

    ”I have seen your fate, Scootaloo. I knew I played an important role in Equestria’s history, and by the book, I was to assist you.”

    Doctor Clouds checked the different vials and smiled,

    “Alright, Scootaloo, that’s all we need. This pony here will take you to your new place of residence. We will call you when you’re needed. So for the time being, sit tight and we’ll let you know of any breakthroughs.”

    I nodded to the doctor and another pony, dressed in uniform, as he escorted me to the edge of the facility and opened the door to a small, damp, full concrete room with nothing more than a wooden table, bed, and window. I glared at the pony,

    “This looks more like a prison than a place of residence! What is the meaning of this inhospitality! I was to be working beside the doctor and his efforts, yet here you place me in a prison!”

    The pony shrugged and smiled, “I never said you were working alongside the doctor. All we needed is to check your abilities. We’ll let you know in the morning if we need you. You’re not Rainbow Dash, you know, you’re nothing but a replacement.”

    I was shocked, but he continued his rant, “You’re nothing like her, because, unlike her, you don’t have duties or signed up like the rest of the pegasi. No, you were stuck on the surface and didn’t dare to participate in the Cloudsdale cause!”

    “What are you talking about?” I screamed, “I didn’t have the ability to fly! I couldn’t sign up because your kind rejected me! Either that or because Rainbow Dash was too stubborn to even let me try to sign up! I would’ve volunteered any day, but no! You and your stupid cause is what denied my birthright!”

    The pony shrugged once more, blowing off everything I said and closed the door, locking me inside the isolated room with nopony to talk to but Pinkie Pie who resided in my head. She was the only one who listened to my cries, pleads and desires.

    ”What will happen to me?”I began, sitting on my bed, alone for what I knew to be the rest of my days, ”What else is there to do?”

    I listened carefully, hoping for an answer to my issues,

”You have nowhere to run; you will be stuck in this cell until the day of your judgment.”

    It wasn’t a joyful compliment, but it was something more than the silence ringing in my ears. I sighed, ”What do you mean, my judgment? What will happen to Equestria?”

    I could imagine Pinkie Pie sighing with regrets; I could see that she had visions she wished she could take back,

    ”It has been seen throughout time that after every period of peace, a downfall occurs. From the very beginning to what it is now, the end. I have seen the different hosts and their attempts to stop the downfall from occurring, but alas, none have succeeded. Time is something you cannot stop; therefore, many unfortunate ponies have died in their attempts.”

    I stared at the stone walls that bound me to my sorrows, a pain I thought had been fixed by opportunity,

    ”You’ve seen all the hosts? How is that possible?”

    Pinkie appeared before me and sat down on the bed beside me. She wore a depressing expression on her face,

    ”The EverSpirit is given a vast array of abilities immediately after the transformation. The only catch is that they must be confined within the boundaries of the Everfree Forest. All other natural boundaries are ignored, thus, the subject of time is no longer of any relevance. I’ve seen Equestria’s creation, and destruction. I’ve seen the very departure of existence.”

    I thought about all the ponies I once knew; all the ponies that once cared.

    ”Where are my friends?” I asked, worried for their safety. I thought about the kindness Twilight once showed for the long-running Cutie Mark Crusaders, ”What happened to Princess Twilight?”

    I wasn’t sure how it was possible, but Pinkie’s face grew even more grim when I mentioned Twilight’s name. She shook her head and turned to me, promising that she’d answer all the questions I had,

    ”Applebloom wanders with her family across the reaches of Equestria, same with SweetieBelle, who now wanders the Fields of Friendship.”

    She paused; I watched a single tear fall from her face,

    ”As for Twilight,” she cried, ”she’s taken it upon herself to visit Fluttershy’s final resting place…”

    She stopped once more, resting her head against her hooves, ”She’s searching for… hope.”

    My hoof phased through her back; I coughed once, ”Is she alone? What happened?”

    Pinkie sighed, wiping the tears that hung from her chin, ”She has two companions that hold luggage. Her very existence is despised by all around her; she is only loved by the two companions and myself.”

    I looked at Pinkie, she still wore that face is despair, ”Why do you still care for her? Why don’t you go see her if you care so much?”

    Pinkie stood up and examined the table, placing her hoof on it, noticing the table’s uneven support, ”I cannot see her; she wouldn’t recognize me. Only you see me as the friend you once knew. Twilight will only see me as a monster and dispel me within a second. Her magic has grown, but I still fear for her life. There are many ponies who would not give her the mercy her two companions have.”

    The moon fell and the sun rose to introduce a new day. No information came from the labs; I was not needed on this day. I sat alone in my bed having not moved since I first entered the room. My hair stood on end; a headache plagued my forehead.  

    ”Why has everything changed? I remember when Spitfire led the Wonderbolts; She used to be Rainbow’s idol.”

    Pinkie sighed, appearing before me once more, ”I don’t know why everything changed. I, too, remember when everything was peaceful. There was happiness and smiles when I roamed Ponyvile. Now all has changed; now all who stand in Town Square scream of pain.”

    ”I remember when ponies would talk to each other in peace. I remember when ponies would peacefully dispute between each other. They would talk about their days and live together. They would take care of each other and remember the older days that passed.”

    ”Rainbow was a good friend; she was loyal and believed that with hard work, anything could be achieved. We became close friends and I knew that we would be until the end of time. Unfortunately, that is not what has happened.”

    ”Rainbow Dash was like a sister to me. She was the one who adopted me despite my disabilities. She was the one who cared about me and believed that everything could be taken care of. Despite her superiority, she still knew that someday, I would be able to soar above all of Ponyvile.”

    ”Nopony should die the way she did. I saw her death and was unable to stop it no matter what I said. I stood beside her and screamed, but none could hear me. I watch her be slaughtered before my eyes, and even though I could not say my goodbyes, I could still feel her pain.”

    ”I hated her when she left. She would check on me for no reason at all; I began to feel like I was being babied. I hated it, then, I hated her. I didn’t try to hide it either, I would yell at her as she flew toward Cloudsdale. I only wish I could see her once more before she died.”

    ”I remember Fluttershy’s hatred toward Rainbow Dash. She was the only one who didn’t answer the Cloudsdale call. She felt that because of her wing-power, she wouldn’t be accepted into the army, but, Rainbow Dash thought otherwise. She believed Fluttershy was just being stubborn and didn’t share the same amount of the Cloudsdale pride as she did. In the end, both were at each other’s necks.”

    ”I tried to recreate the situation where she left from a different perspective. My mind had lost all sense of morality and I started to hallucinate in order to rid myself of the guilt. Nothing worked and I ended up killing myself over it, but, to many, I was already dead. I only wonder how Rainbow Dash felt about me before she died.”

    ”Rainbow Dash was one of the many who died for this cause. Even now, blood is being shed for the honor of their race.”

    ”What happened to the time when Ponyvile represented all three races as one? When did this segregation act begin to start?”

    ”The three races have always hated each other. It wasn’t until the Windigos Incident that everypony realized the importance of love and peace. Before then? Hatred still corroded the era. The only difference is that now ponies have become more ruthless and have resorted to murder rather than speech.”

    ”Why aren’t ponies hesitant on death? What happened there?”

    ”I believe by showing ponies that death is justified by cause, Applejack’s influence may have corrupted Equestria’s population. I’m not sure; it’s just speculation.”

    The sun rose and fell again; a second day. Nopony bothered to stop by; only through meals had I questioned the ponies running the facility. As a tray slid under the door I called out,

    “Hey! Can I help?”

The pegasi behind the door grunted, “Sorry, kid, but we’ll let you know when we need you. Just sit tight and we’ll get to you in a few days.”

    A few days would pass, and still, nopony would come.

    I would talk to the pegasi once more on the following day,

    “Hey! Is there anything at all? My legs are tired from sitting.”

    The pegasi on the other side grunt again, “Sorry, Scoots, but we’ve got all the hooves we need. As for now, I suggest you just walk around; that’s why we didn’t stuff you in a box like Rainbow Dash.”

    His laughed could be heard from down the hall; I frowned. The next day, however, I would speak to him once more. I smiled and spoke in a happy tone despite my immense despise toward my lack of involvement,

    “Hey! How’s everything going? Are you colts making any progress?”

    He stopped, having to comprehend the variety of questions,

    “Hmm, you could say we’ve made some progress. We’ve had some issues concerning the different kinds frequencies the machine emits. Other than that, we’re all fine. Still, nothing you could do, sorry!”

    He walked away, whispering to himself; I wish I could hear it.

    Another day would pass and still I would not hear anything from the research team. I began to count the days by carving into the wooden table, which, had sadly toppled over. It was now nothing more than a piece of wood with four blocks of wood lying about the cell. The pony on the other side slipped another meal under the door,

    “Sorry kid, not today,” he said, “I’m not going to answer any more questions.”

    “Is there a problem?” I asked, smiling, hoping I could get him to stay another hour or so, “Is there something wrong with the research?”

    “Oh, there’s nothing wrong with the project, we’re just encountering a few more problems, it’s really holding back research. Apparently, Spitfire wanted a protective barrier over all of Cloudsdale, but Doctor Clouds said that it was impossible without the right amount of budgets. She then tried him for ‘why funds would be needed during a government project’. Shows what she knows. Anyway, you’ve kept me here long enough, I can’t linger like this anymore! I know you want to help in one way or another, and I’ve said it before, not now. We’re very busy trying to set everything up. We’ll let you know if we need your assistance in anything.”

    He started the walk away, but stopped,

    “Oh, and hey,” he said, returning to the door, “Don’t look out the window, will ya? It’s a little… messy out there. Who knew the ponies of Ponyvile would go so crazy over a simple speech?”

    With those last words, he walked away to return to whatever duties he had. Naturally, I went to inspect the window anyway, but as he said, I shouldn’t have. Pinkie stood beside me, “tsk-ing” the situation away. A cloud of smoke and fire consumed the forest lying below Cloudsdale. Everything burned mercilessly; I turned to Pinkie,

    ”What happened here? What’s going on? Why is the forest on fire?”

    Pinkie sat on the bed and rocked herself back and forth,

    ”I’m afraid it’s already begun,” she said, patting the seat beside her, ”This is what happens when ponies become filled with the desire to kill. It’s a horrid sight; I’m sorry you had to see it.”

    I shook my head, this couldn’t be, ”How long have we been gone? What happened to Ponyvile? Is it really gone? Is it really destroyed?”

    Pinkie moved not, ”No, it is not destroyed,” she said, rocking herself once more, ”It has only been flattened by war. Its name has not been destroyed, but the purpose it stood for has long since become tarnished.”

    Cries from the surface made their way into the cell. I curled into a ball and wept in the corner. I hoped this would all be over soon.

    ”Another day, many more deaths” proclaimed Pinkie, waking me up. I shook my head; it was not the kind of motivation I wanted to hear in the morning. A tray slid under the door. It was early and instead of food, it carried a note. I stood up, and examined it; it was my calling.

    ”Scootaloo, I’m afraid our research has come to a halt. We were able to presume the speed of the Sonic Rainboom, but we were unable to determine your speed. A pony here will escort you to the Meter Room where you will then proceed to be measured for your highest speed.”

    Pinkie stood up and looked over my shoulder, ”Your suffering is almost over,” she said; the cell door unlocked and revealed the pony I had been talking to over the last few months; I didn’t know the exact amount of time that passed. The pony smiled and then pointed toward the end of the hall. It was awkward having seen him for the first time, yet knowing so much about him.

    “Looks like you’ve been called,” he said, “You can thank me later.”

    He escorted me to a large laboratory with a massive tank-like object placed on the opposite end of the room. The tank spanned from the floor up to the ceiling. It was starting to become clear how they were going to measure my speed. Doctor Clouds waved and presented a clipboard to me,

    “We’re going to need you to sign this one. We’ve never been able to measure the velocity of a Pegasus inside before, so we’ll need your signature on this one.”

    I signed the paper and the Doctor opened the door to the hatch, letting me climb inside. There was a single harness the hung from the top of the tank and dangled down to the halfway point.

    “Do you see that harness?” Questioned the Doctor, yelling from the hatch, “I want you to wear it as tight as you possibly can. We’re not sure how much potential we’re dealing with here.”

    I did as told and wore the harness. A microphone within the tank turned on and the Doctor’s voice echoed throughout.

    “Now, what we need you to do is fly in a loop, then, fly straight down. This’ll replicate what’ll happen during your launch.”

    I did as told and flew toward the ground as hard as I possibly could. My wings fatigued not and I could feel the harness starting to break. The entire team of scientists stood up from where they sat and stared in awe as the machine’s numbers reached the limit. The harness broke and a small gust of wind destroyed the, once thought to be, invincible glass. I landed on the floor, dazed and lightheaded. Applaud could be heard from all directions, the Doctor smiled and lent me his hoof,

    “Here, climb up. You’ve shocked us all,” he said, allowing me to exit the tank. It was an easy test that was done in mere minutes, but it meant much to the research. The Uniformed pony who gave me meals escorted me back to my cell. He smiled,

    “Looks like I was wrong about you,” he said, slowly closing the door so he could finish what he had to say, “You are a faster flyer than Rainbow herself.”

    He winked and locked the door behind him. I was happy to help, but Pinkie was not amused. She returned to the bed,

    ”You’re being played, Scootaloo. Everything they say is just a sugarcoated threat.”

    I sat down beside her, ”What do you mean? That was a fully-fleshed compliment! There was nothing menacing about it!”

    She shook her head with disappointment, ”I’m sorry, Scootaloo, but you’re getting too comfortable. You’re being led into a false suspicion. They all want to use and kill you. Every one of them is here to take your blood and use it for their weapon.”

    I frowned, ”They said they wanted to end a war! I’m for that! I’m working for a good cause! Everypony here is! All these false assumptions hold no ground!”

    Pinkie stood up and looked out the window so she could see the devastation,

    ”In this doomed land, there are many causes. Only one of these is just. That cause is the one Twilight is now working towards.”

    I rolled my eyes, ”Isn’t she the enemy?” I asked, questioning Pinkie’s morals, ”Didn’t she create all these problems?”

    Pinkie stared at me with disbelief and shouted at the top of her lungs,

    ”WHAT DID YOU SAY? Do you even listen to yourself before you speak? Do you even know what’s happening here? Have you seen the end of days? Do you know who reads this now?”

    I shook my head; I had no idea what Pinkie was talking about, but I believed at this point of chaos, it was all about opinions.

    ”Rainbow believed in this cause and she was better than me in every way,” I stated as I rolled into bed, covering myself with what little covers I had, ”Who am I not to follow in her hoofsteps?”

    ”Every time it’s always the same,” she muttered, making sure I heard her, ”You’re no different. I was the only one who wasn’t corrupt by hatred. Yes, I drifted from my friends, but I would never kill anypony on purpose.”

    ”On purpose?” I said, catching on to her conversation. It was something I wanted her to expand upon, ”What do you mean, ‘on purpose’?”

    Pinkie looked out the window, a large cloud of smoke rising above Cloudsdale; another scream was heard,

    ”It’s nothing,” she denied, ”We all make mistakes.”

    I smiled, ”Am I no different?”

    Pinkie nodded, giving up hope that I could be saved, ”Do what you will; there’s nothing I can do to stop you.”

    The night fell and another day was introduced; I was needed no longer.

    ”Will I really die in the end?” I asked, hoping for an answer that could help me rather than bash me down further. I could never be so lucky,

    ”We all die. It’s all a matter of when, where, and how, but this, this is something different that you must discover yourself. If you truly believe in their cause, then you will die a painful death.”

    I stood up, enraged that I couldn’t get the slightest bit of uplifting advice from even a former friend.

    ”Is that all you think of? Death and destruction? Do you think about what I’m going through? Can I get even the slightest bit of hope from you?”

    I realized the mistake I’d made as soon as I said it. I knew what she’d say, and, unfortunately, she did,

    ”Is that so? Do you know why I’m like this? Do you know who made me like this? YOU. You’re the one to cursed me to follow your pathetic life! My life shouldn’t have ended the way it did! I should’ve lived a happy life until the inevitable came, that would’ve happened no matter what, but I should’ve never gone into that forest. I should’ve left you to your shame and you would’ve never had known. I’ve made mistakes too, but this? This tops the list.”

    She was right about all of it. I shouldn’t have dragged her into this mess; it was all my fault for everything. I was probably the one who created this cursed Equestria, the land of hatred and bloodshed. She was right, and I was always wrong. Pinkie pointed toward the window; a plume of fire reached the surface,

    ”When you look out this window, you’ve only yourself to blame-“

    ”You don’t think I get it?!? I’ve been cursed! I’ve killed you! I GET IT! Even now you don’t know when to stop. You may be right about me destroying your life, but even in death, you still don’t know when it’s a good time to stop. You were never a supportive friend. All you do is prance around and make sure everyone has a good time.”

    ”Keep it up, fly guy; I know how to make your life miserable.”

    I shrugged, blowing the threat over my head, ”How can my life become any more miserable? How can you make my life any more distraught? I’ve lived in a cell for who knows how long? There’s nothing you can do about that! I’ve had to live with the fact that my last words to Rainbow were, ‘I hate you’. Could you live with that?”

    Pinkie smiled for no reason, ”I’ve lived with worse.”

    With that, an intrusively sharp pain pulsated from my head; I screamed, falling to the floor. My wings shot forward and bent backwards; I glared at Pinkie Pie, she was always the one to smile, ”I live in your mind, Scoots, you’re nothing to me.”

    My hooves began to grow numb and my skin began to grow crimson. I rolled along the floor; I began to sweat immediately. I begged Pinkie to stop her madness, but all she did was stand by the window and smile. It was a smile that carved my head. I wiped my forehead; my sweat was red. I screamed, never before had I sweat blood; Pinkie laughed even more, ”What’d I say? Pain is something that is hard to overcome, and, even if you had, you would never be able to fully defy its power.”

    My hooves shook as I stood, ”Some friend you are! Is this what friendship has devolved into? Pinkie Pie? How can you say your innocence is preserved?”

I pointed toward the window, ”You’re just like them if you think pain is a proper justification.”

    She growled and glared, but with all the pain she was inflicting on me, I still managed to pull a smile. A day fell and another rose; I was not needed or loved.

    The pony behind the door slipped me another meal, but this time, I said nothing. He began to worry I had taken my life and called over, “Scootaloo? Are you alright?”

    I moaned, recovering from Pinkie’s wrath the week before, “I-I’m alright… just… not… feeling it,” I answered, lying in a bloody pool of sweat and urine. I was surprised the pony didn’t smell the combination from the other side; it was impossible to miss. Pinkie still stood by the window; the howls from Ponyvile grew louder. The pony behind the door waited a few more minutes before he left.

When he finally did, he said, “Alright, well, the big day is coming soon. It’ll be another week before we start issuing your launch. Sit tight and… uh… don’t… do anything… to harm yourself.”

    He quickly ran away, not saying anything afterward. I huffed, sitting in Pinkie’s merciless shadow of pain and unrelenting hatred.

    “That’s easy for you to say,” I coughed; he didn’t hear me as I hoped. I glared a Pinkie, but she had already beaten me to it,

    ”Why do continue to cause pain after all the time that’s passed? What do you hope to achieve?”

    Pinkie’s glare continued to burn me as she spoke in terms of added pain. My lower back began to cry for help; I howled, urinating a beautifully dark shade of red. I tried to ignore it and press on with the questions.    

    ”So did all the EverSpirits treat their hosts with such hatred? Has that hating spell corrupted you too?”

    ”You’re going to regret that.”

    I chuckled, dipping my hoof in the undefined fluids I lay in. Pinkie watched as I stirred the mysterious liquids into a fine brown color; I smiled.

    ”Am I? What more fluids do you think you can extract from my body? You’ve got them all, Pinkamena dearest. What more do you hope to achieve?”

    A shot of distress came from my shins; I screeched, watching the orange flesh split down the middle, bones included. She smiled, ”I thought about vaginal bleeding, but I thought that might be over the top, so I went with bone marrow instead.”

    I fell into my disgusting pool of fluids, crying as loud as I possibly could. Another day passed and I soon realized that the one pony who once cared now hated every part of me.

    The day I ran out of table space was the day I was finally called for to fulfill my purpose in the Pegasi Army. After all this time, they had finally solved the problem with the machine or Project Raincloud as many called it. I sat up against the wall with numerous amounts of cuts and bruises. The door opened and the pony I had talked to during the whole experience greeted me, ignoring everything he stood in.

    “Do you even know what you’re stepping in?” I glared at him, enraged that all this time I had not been taken into caring hooves. He shook his head and looked down expressionless,

    “I don’t see anything, just concrete, and cloud as usual,” he answered, lifting the bottoms of both hooves. To him, I was just sitting down in the corner, but in my eyes, he was standing in an assortment of bodily fluids with drops of blood seeping from both my eyes and nose. I was in a state of true misery. The pony urged me to stand up so we could get started; I did as told and he escorted me to the main room. Never before had I felt so miserable, but I obeyed for the sake of Rainbow’s honor.

    Doctor Clouds took notice of my depressing behavior and quickly called for a glass of water. I drank and felt better only in the slightest.

    “All greetings aside,” he stated, “we’ve finally fixed the formula! Now you can do your part and help us end the genocide!”

    My mane stood on end; I was sick of hearing the ear-shattering screams from my window.

    “We’ve discovered, from the incident in the Meter Room, that with enough speed generated, you’ll be able to dispel the amount of light reflecting upon your body and… ahem… reshape Equestria into the one you once knew.”

    I smiled, it was better than having ponies slaughter each other in the streets.

    “So what do I do?” I questioned, following the Doctor to his table on the other side of the room, “When do we start?”

    The Doctor thought for a moment, then proclaimed, “We’ll be launching in a few hours. Sit tight and prepare yourself. We’ll let you know what to do on the launch balcony. Is there anything you hope to do before we start?”

    I nodded, “I-I want to see my sister once more.”

    The Doctor smiled and placed a hoof on my shoulder, “I think that’s a great idea,” said he, “she’d be proud of you, you know? She did so much here, her efforts can never be fully appreciated. We try to remember her efforts everyday; she’s a real inspiration”

    He pointed toward the elevator and I was let down into the basement, alone to find my sister in the maze of coffins.

    Left and right, I checked each one, looking at each description before moving on. Many of the names I knew and few I remembered, some of the ponies I found volunteered without me ever knowing about it,

    ”All these ponies died working for the Army?” I asked Pinkie, who followed closely behind me. She nodded, trying not to look at my face. The pain was all gone, but she still tried her best not to show that I’d won our argument through self-control.

    ”Yes and pretty soon, you’ll be joining them. This is Equestria’s judgment day; you’ll be launching the fireworks on this one.”

    I nodded and stopped by the box with the description of,

    ”General Rainbow Dash, creator of Project Raincloud and the Atomic Rainboom.”

    My head cocked, “What's the Atomic Rainboom?” I said aloud, looking over to Pinkie Pie. She rolled her eyes,

    ”It’s what you’ve been waiting for all this time. You’re the one unleashing it, are you proud?”

    I wasn’t sure what to think; I never thought of the doctors in such a way. They were all working their hardest, and on what? How long had I been in isolation? It all seemed like a few months, but really, how long was it?

    I fell to my knees and looked up at Pinkie, ”How long have I been trapped here?”

    Pinkie rolled her eyes but did not answer. She, too, did not know. All she did was sigh and say, ”Sometimes, the amount of time passed is not important. All we know; is that this is the last time anypony will consider the date.”

    An announcement fell over the intercom, a pony’s voice, who I defined as Doctor Clouds himself, made the final call. I nodded to Pinkie Pie; it was time.

    The sun was at its highest, the moon, not visible for anypony to see. I was loaded onto an elevator that arose to the peak of the highest tower in Cloudsdale. I looked out above all of Equestria now. Fires spread from East to West; I shed a tear for the friends I lost. Their cries of pain still rang in my ears; only one pony was with me at the top of the tower. He handed me something to wear around my neck, it was a pressure gauge.

    “What’s this?” I asked him, looking at Canterlot’s new flag. It was fully black with a pair of red wings in the middle. A red trim was also present. The pony, who I did not know, smiled and patted me on the back,

    “It’s a special pressure gauge,” he said, pointing at the number ‘100’, “When it reaches this number, you’ll know if you accomplished maximum speed. We’ll need that from you, so don’t slow down no matter what, okay?”

    With that, he returned to the elevator and proceeded to return to, where I assumed to be, the main room, calling out only one thing before he left, “You’ll know when to fly when the intercom announces it. Don’t back down, now!”

    I smiled; this was the day I had prepared for all my life. This was my purpose in history and I knew it.

    ”So now you see the corruption for yourself. What do you think about it? It’s a nice sight, isn’t it?”    

    I sighed, ”It is a pretty view, sadly Equestria’s in such a terrible state… This will cure everything, right?”

    Pinkie stood with me beside the setting sun, her mane blowing in the wind. She sighed and shed a tear for nopony else but me,

    ”As you said, that’s all a matter of opinion. You bought into their words, which; can only hold merit to those who believe. You do whatever you will. Just… remember me in death, okay?”

    I laughed, ”This isn’t goodbye! This is just a new beginning!”

    She frowned and walked off the platform; she did not fall, ”If you say so.”

    A loud microphone screeched over Equestria; it was loud enough to be heard from every corner of the land. A pony with a growling voice answered the call. This is what that pony said,

    “TO THE PONIES OF EQUESTRIA, YOUR INCOOPERATION WITH THE PEGASI ARMY WILL HAVE COST YOU GREATLY. YOU HAVE ALL LAUGHED THE NAME AND NOW IT IS THE NAME OF WHICH ALL OF YOU SHALL FALL. THROUGH TIME, WE HAVE CARRIED OUT WHAT WE WARNED. NOW EACH ONE OF YOU SHALL FEEL THE PAIN INCLUDED IN YOUR REBELLION. WE NOW PRESENT OUR FINEST GIFT TO EVER BE BESTOWED UPON PONY-KIND, THE ATOMIC RAINBOOM.”

Pinkie looked back at Scootaloo, standing over the once-wonderful land of Equestria, ”That’s your queue, Scootaloo; do what you feel is right.”

    A cry of angry ponies could be heard from the surface muttering their curses against the pegasi who resided Cloudsdale. It was the only time Scootaloo had ever seen all the ponies of Equestria gathered together as one. While they all hated each other, the point of the matter was that they were all together in the end. The chosen pony lowered herself and checked the gauge. She lifted herself high in the air.

    “This is it,” she said, “This is my time to prove I’m not the little pony they said I’d be.”

    Higher and higher, she soared through the sky, challenging even the tallest of clouds. The mare would check her pressure gauge and smile; it was very well in the eighties. Knowing that as her queue, she turned around and flew as hard as she possibly could toward the ground. Lights of all sorts emitted from behind her; a bright orange streak of color trailed close behind Scootaloo. She closed her eyes and a bright white light flooded everything contained in the land of Equestria. The ponies that once kept the young mare awake through the night screamed no more as the loudest sound came from the unbelievable wing power that shook Equestria’s mountains and deserts without mercy. Even the pegasi who merely watched her devastating flight could not comprehend the blaring sound that ran through their heads. As she fell, Scootaloo’s sanity quickly fell at the mercy of Pinkie’s voice repeatedly screaming the same phrase, ”Now you’ve done it; now you’ve done it!”

All while the sounds of rumbling crashes echoed through her ears. She could feel no more; She only wished that she could see the magnificent sight she’d birthed. Never did the flightless mare take notice of the politics involved in her flight. All she knew is that after everything she’d been through, she had finally concocted my very own,

Sonic Rainboom.

THE END