Catalyst ch 4: Flutterlies

catch up here. http://pastebin.com/u/HippyPony

>This just wasn't right.
>Through the one-way mirror, Fluttershy paced around a circular metal table.
>Just like she had been for the past two hours.
>She hadn't even gotten time to get out of the medical uniform she'd used in Rarity's operation.
>You didn't feel sorry at this point. There was a pang of guilt.
>But the set of ponies that tried to kill you.  The ones that quite literally slaughtered a room full of civilians and guards.
>The only difference between that uniform and hers was the armor.
>Having finally gotten a closer look, your confirmation of it only deepened the disgust you had for the colors.
>And she still had Rarity's blood on hermetically sealed hooves.
>It had been two hours, and you had been seething the whole time.
>You kept playing back memories.
>You'd gotten to know her so well.
>The first date.  The mutual break up nearly a decade later, before your age killed your body.
>They mixed with the sound you now knew as gunfire, traumatic flashes that caused you to twitch.
>Those old memories, they were fuzzy. Derailed and unfocused. You remembered the good parts.
>The new ones?  Well, you had a little digital help for clearing those up.
>And had Fluttershy been wearing a mask and one of those gun harnesses?
>You'd never have known the difference if she'd gotten shot up like the rest of them.
>And maybe, you wouldn't have cared.
>But you'd had time to think.
>Time to smolder.

>Twilight finally entered the room you'd been languishing within, eying you coolly before taking her place at the viewport.
>Your AR showed a number of screens, which you found to be medical data. Heart rate, adrenal spike monitors, and a slew of other things you could barely pronounce.
>All focused on that conniving little “sweetheart” in the room.
>The Twilight Firmware's interrogator entered.
>He was unarmored, wearing only the underlying weave. He had a voice modulator hiding off his muzzle, his eyes masked by tinted goggles.
>Fluttershy was immediately at the opposing side of the table.
>Faceless, uncaring, and calm.  He produced a small box and placed it on the table edge, closest to himself.
>It had holes for breathing. Made of solid, thick plastic, it was tinted, showing nothing of what was inside.
>”We're going to ask a few questions.” he said. His modulater made him sound creepy, but not monstrous.
>Low setting for Fluttershy.

>He handed her a packet of antiseptic towels.  She wiped her hooves down before speaking, peeking at the interrogator from behind her hair.
>”Um... Where's Twilight?” she cooed.  “I... Twilight said she'd ask me.”
>”She's on the other side of the mirror.” He gestured with a hoof.
>”So, I'm not going to...?”
>”No, no.  We know what she wants to ask.”
>”Well... um... shouldn't she, ask me herself?”
>”No.  You see, she's a little angry with you right now.”
>Fluttershy visibly reeled. Her heartrate peaked, and the monitors spiked.
“This ought to be easy. She's already horrified.”
>You say it with a bit of a smile.
>Twilight merely continues to observe.
>”What? But, I did everything I could with Rarity. I mean, there's certainly more I can do, but this is just the preliminary operation and the bio-ware has to be attuned and I don't even know if the nerves can be-”
>He holds his hoofs up to slow her down.  “She's also scared of you right now.”
>This makes Fluttershy freeze.  She glances at the mirror, her eyes trying to find where Twilight might be.
>”But, how could... I mean, I couldn't...” She leans onto the table a little. “Why?”
>”You know about the attack on the convention by now, yes?”
>”I-it's the reason I'm here.  Rarity got really hurt, and Twilight asked me to help her.”
>”You were at the convention, correct? When it was attacked?”
>”Um... yes. I mean, I was supposed to be.”

>You grind your teeth.
>”Do you know what happened?”
>”Um... No.”
>You begin to alphabetize expletives under your breath.
>”I... My security ponies stopped my pod before I got there. They turned me around and then I got the call from Twilight.”
>One of the worst parts, you recall, in dating that sweet yellow pony:
>You couldn't grill her, for anything. Even as a joke. She'd burn instantly, into a whimpering mess.
>But here she was, straight faced as you'd ever seen her.
>With a masked interrogator.
“Twilight, something's wrong with this.”
>”How so?” the purple pony asked.
“You know our history.  And I know she's the kindest, gentlest pony around.”
>”Yes.  Are you second guessing me on this?”
“Well. A little.  She's also so compassionate, so empathetic.”
>”And?”
“She heard about the attack on the convention and didn't react.”
>Twilight scans the various recording implements. “You're right.”
“Does she even know what really happened?”
>Twilight relays the message to the interrogators earpiece.
>”Do you know why they turned you around?”
>”Um. They said that something happened at Twilight's building. I got the call to help Rarity right after.”
>”Do you know anyone that got hurt?”
>”Well, um. Rarity.” She said.  “D-did other ponies get hurt? Twilight seemed okay.”
>She's not even acknowledging your place in the attack. Fine. Neat. Bitch.
>”Yes. Approximately...” He brings up a little holo display near himself to read it off. “One-hundred and fifty seven ponies were killed.”
>Fluttershy visibly backs away.  Every one of the monitors starts to beep, red outlines on several.
>She starts to hyperventilate.

>”W-w-what?!”
>”That's right.  Fourteen were Twilight's security ponies.”
>”Ohmygosh. Twilight, Twilight I'm so sorry!” She puts her hooves to the window, but still doesn't know where the two of you are.
>You and Twilight merely continue to watch.
>”Five were ponies wearing Chitin. And the Butterfly Bio-Magic uniform.”
>She looks back at him. Back at the mirror.
>”No. Nonononono.” She shook her head, and her wings fluttered.
>”Nonononono NO!” She paced opposite the interrogator, starting to ramble and cry.
>”Do you know anything about it?” He was calm as could be.  The realistic part of you wondered if he was being gentle based on her display.
>the other part really, really hoped not.
>”NO!” She squealed. “Rarity got hurt. That's what I was told. It was only Rarity that got hurt!”
>”Well yes. She was the only one *hurt.* Everyone involved is outright dead, helped by gear your company designed.”
>She whimpered, choking back sobs with her face in the corner.
>”There was another pony in the attack that survived. Again, it's true he wasn't hurt.”
>Some level of relief hit her. Not much.
>You felt some level of satisfaction in it. Seeing her cry like this.
>It made you wonder when you'd become a complete bastard, too.
>”W-who?”
>”Well, he was the showcase. The target, we assume, by how the attackers were acting.  He was the bio-construct.”

>Fluttershy turned. “What?” She trotted to the table. “What? Out of all the ponies that were killed,”
>She was visibly becoming agitated. She was finally yelling at the interrogator.
>”Out of everyp0ny that's dead, it was that... that... THING, that lived?!”
>Thing?
>Care.exe has terminated. Resource 'fucks' could no longer be found.
>”Yes,” the interrogator said. “And without your armor aiding those other ponies, many others may have made it out alive, too.”
>Fluttershy almost appeared as if she was in shock, like an unsuspecting tourist getting stabbed for the first time.
>She sat on the stool and simply wept for a good few seconds.
>Twilight flicked her ear, and started to whisper.  “Anon, stay here.”
“I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now.”
>”No, really. This is important.”
“Something wrong?”
>”Yes. Her company's co-owner and a host of lawyers just showed up downstairs, with a full security detail.”
“Pfft.  We've got good reason to keep her here.  I'd like to see the co-owner in there, too. They have some mess to answer for.”
>”... That's not a bad idea, actually.”
>You eye Twilight.
“Why?”
>”It's Applejack. We might get more out of her.” She beeps the interrogator, and disappears out of the room.
>He acknowledges, and steps up his game. He'd have to hurry if he wanted anything concrete out of her, before the lawyers showed up.

>He finally takes the tinted box, and presses a small button.
>The plastic goes clear, and inside, reveals a little friend she'd brought with her.
>Angel. That little bastard was still alive after all this time?
>You do remember her being quite clingy.  Maybe she did something with her “bio-magic” to have him stick around.
>”Now. Fluttershy.” He holds up the small plastic box containing her rabbit.
>”I'm going to ask again. And each time that I know you're lying, I'm going to do something... Naughty.”
>”P-please...”
>”Do you know how those ponies got a hold of your armor?”
>”No! I wouldn't ever, ever give it away to anyp0ny!”
>He shakes the box a little. Like stirring salt in the shaker.
>Angel oofs and gives him a 'fuck off.' look.
>Oh, how you remember that look. Sweet, sweet comeuppance.
>She gasps, her hooves going up to her mouth.
>”But I don't know! I only made the original armor, Applejack does all the mass production!”
>That's it. You've got her.

>He produces a feather. “All those armors have tracking in them, don't they?”
>”Yes! P-please, don't hurt him...”
>”Then why were the ones we found lacking them?”
>She hesitates. “T-they can't!  They're grown in the armor as a nerve cluster integrated into the suit! They wouldn't even function without them!”
>He inserts the feather into one of the holes. Despite Angel's attempts at dodging it, he starts giggling.
>Fluttershy starts to shiver.
>You recognize that look.
>”Tell me, or he gets the feather again.”
>You know not what you do, colt.  Back off now before things get rustled.
>”The armor was unlicensed, untracked, and still customized for their users.  That can only be done with Bio-Magic's synching units.”
>”T-then somep0ny must have a synching unit! Please, just... just stop...”
>Coochie coo.
>ohshitniggerwhatareyoudoing.jpg
>Angel's forced laughter has her staring in terrified awe. Then, like you expected, that little dark side you knew so well comes back out.

>She hops the table, using her wings to get lift otherwise impossible from that sitting position.
>Fluttershy lands atop him, slamming him to the floor while the stool tumbles away. She has him pinned, her front hooves on his chest, while a back hoof lifts.
>You remember this little event as well. From the first person perspective, too, that day you first found out she had the dark side.
>Sir, your jimmies have just been administered what she and her friends later entitled, “The Flutterstomp.”
>You cringe where you stand, knees nearly buckling, as the voice modulator he's wearing emits a distorted, girly wail.
>”Nobody,” she pushes herself nose to nose with him. “Tickles my bunny.”
>Angel applauds.

>The door to the room you are in hisses open, a march of hooves and bodies soon behind.
>”Get yer buckin' head outta yer flankcheeks, Twilight!” The orange pony barks.
>Oh, that familiar southern twang.
>”We'd never do anything like that, an' ya know it!  You ain't got no right to hold anyone, and to Fluttershy of-”
>Then, she sees you.
>She thins her eyes. Her lower lip quivers.
>”Get that thang out of here.”
“Thing?”
>You glower, feeling heat in your face.
“I'm just a goddamn thing to all of you now?”
>She blinks. “Anon?”  She asks, more to herself. “The voice, it's...? YOU'RE the... No.  No, you're not him. You can't be him.”
>Applejack jabs your chest with a hoof.  “Sakes alive, Twilight.  You really did it this way? That's even worse than lettin' 'im die.  You turned what you had into this blasphemy?”
>This shit =/= fly.
>You clench your teeth and lean into her. You bump noses, barely able to see with how deeply slitted your eyes are.
>Whatever you had in friendship in the past, you didn't mind dropping right there.
“Fuck. You.”
>Twilight looks to you, and gestures with her head.  You back off, however reluctant.
>You move slowly past the entire entourage, your glare never leaving hers.
>”You.” Applejack says. “Whatever you are. You stay outta mah sight, y'hear?”
–
>You look in to Rarity's room.
>She's still quite out of it from the combination of painkillers.
>Applejack is to your right.  The smoking, appleblossom cigarette in her lips glows red on the reflection of the glass.
>Fluttershy is inside, looking out at you every so often between her examination.
>”Tarnation, Twilight.  You don't know what ya did, do ya?”
>”He's alive, Applejack.”  they don't take their eyes off the scene playing out in front of them.
>”No, he ain't. Just looks like he is.”
“I'm already sick of that self righteous garbage, Ms. Jack.”
>You had taken to using formal speech with her.  Trying to keep it civil.
>”You should be dead, Anon.”
“Yeah well. Somep0ny didn't try hard enough.”
>She didn't acknowledge it was herself.  Twilight had direct access to records in the Butterfly Bio-Magic server, thanks to the lawyers.
>They wanted to prove, beyond any legal doubt, that they'd done anything.
>To their surprise, however, four unmodified suits had gone missing. One heavy suit.
>Applejack had given the order herself to open the information. Then, she had them transmit security footage.
>But, there wasn't any. The day the suits were confirmed missing, there simply weren't any recordings for a ten-minute gap.
>If it was one thing Applejack was, it honest.

>And you backed off on your accusations the moment you saw just how pissed she got when she found out those suits were gone.
>And she, in turn, tried talking to you. To see how “real” you were.
>And yet...
>”You're just unnatural, and downright angry about it.” Applejack said.
“Yeah. Getting angry is real characteristic of an emotionless robot.”
>”That ain't mah point.” she said. “Somethin' Ah've learned in runnin' the Bio-Magic farms- we can only grow so much b'fore things fill up.”
>Rarity looks at you, still quite sleepy, and gives a smile.
>Applejack squints at you.
>”And those things take up the room for the new things.  We gotta start gettin' rid of things before they  start to rot.”
>She points directly at Twilight. “and we can't, cling, to, the, dead.”  She dusts off the cherry on the floor. A small, disc like robot scoops it up.
“That's good for a biology based business.”
>”It's a sense of ethics. You do still understand morals, right?”
>You snort.

>”Only Celestia and Luna were ever s'posed to be eternal. Or at least, live that long. They know what it means.”
>”Now yer hear. A full on statement that ponies don't need to be dying,” she pokes your shoulder. “Ta make room for the other ponies!”
“That's a good thing, Ms. Jack.”
>”no. No it 'taint.” she dusts off the cherry again, and grunts as she slaps the butt to the floor. This would be her third cigarette in a little under fifteen minutes.
>”Y'see, when we run out of room, we gotta get rid of the stuff that didn't make it. It festers. Doesn't do no good to nobody... just a waste.  But we can always grow more, cause now we got room.”
>She lights up another one, some custom, apple-stamped lighter that dissappears back into the hat she still wore.
>”With you around? Well.  Ponies are gonna live and live and live till there ain't no room left. And you know what we do when there ain't no room left for our little bio-critters we got at the farms, the ones nobody wants?”
“No, but you're going to tell me anyway, aren't you?”
>”We just stop makin' em.  Or,” She looks at you. “We kill em. And we recycle what we can.”
“Kind of like what those other ponies were trying to do, hm?”
>”A'course.  They're 'fraid of you just as much as I am.”
“Ms. Jack, I am harmless.”
>You look in on Rarity.
“It's the other ponies I'm worried about.”

>”Now yer gettin' what I mean.” she said. “When there's no room for more ponies, we're gonna have to stop makin' new ones.”
>She dusted the new cherry. “Or, we're gonna end up killin' enough of each other t'make room.  And nop0ny wants to be the one on the dyin' end, as you've proven already.”
>”But that's what war is, y'know?  We don't like admittin' it.  But it's our evolutionary response, our way of makin' room when we're endangerin' our species lives just by *bein* alive.”
>She looks away from Rarity and directly at you.
>You don't yield, looking her directly in the eyes.
>”If we evolve to bein' eternal, we know there ain't gonna be no space. War'll be the fastest, best way to make room. That, or mercy killin' cities at a button push.”
“I'm sure Rarity would agree a longer lifespan is quite dangerous to the future.”
>She doesn't flinch. Merely looks back.
>”I talked with ya. I know you got some kinda heart. So I know you can understand what I'm about t' say. And I can only hope it means somethin to ya.”
>She's already half done with the new death stick.
>”Mark my words. Yer gonna be our catalyst for our whole way of life turnin' ta killin' each other.  All in the sake of makin' room.”
>Goddamnit.
>If it was one thing Applejack was, it was honest.