Chapter 16: Charlie and Delta
"I would go and save her if I could but..."
"But what?"
Alpha turned around and showed John his leg. "My leg is broken."
"I can't believe it. You, the 13 year old colt who escaped the Rainbow factory, who had his wing burned off, will not go and save my daughter because his leg is broken." John was beyond amazed. "Fucking unbelievable," He turned around to leave when Alpha spoke.
"Wait." Alpha looked over his shoulder. "Beta, can you use the metal on my wing and modify it to fit my leg?"
John turned around stared at Alpha in disbelief.
Alpha sighed violently. "I know it isn't a good idea but I will not wait here while I know that his daughter is there right now and is possibly being killed or, most likely, being tortured."
John took a step forward, watching the white Pegasus. Alpha's expression changed as he watched the metal from his left wing slowly disconnected. One by one, the layers of metal removed themselves and floated to his broken leg. He bit his lip as the metal came into contact with his leg, forcing the broken bones to reconnect. John watched as Alpha shuddered in pain as the metal formed into a brace for his leg. Once the brace was completed, Alpha stretched his leg, wincing as tears streamed down his cheek.
"Let's go." He replied after he wiped his eyes, the pain in his leg decreasing.
"Let's go!? Where will we go?! She could be anywhere by now!" John asked, frantic.
"Cloudsdale." Alpha replied, looking up and spreading his wings.
"How do you know?" The red Pegasus replied, shocked.
Alpha nodded to where he was looking at. John turned and looked up at where Alpha nodded. He looked around, all he could see was the moon and clouds.
"What the hell are you looking at?" he asked Alpha, annoyed.
Alpha, without taking his eyes off what he was looking at, nodded again. "Look carefully and closer."
John looked back at where he was looking at and looked for anything different. His eyes widened as he saw how cleverly it was hidden. The Factory was hidden in the clouds. The only thing that gave it away was the black clouds of smoke escaping through its chimneys. Who ever built it used the night sky and the brightness of the moon to his/her advantage. The builder used the clouds to hide the factory, but used the light of the moon to make it seem that the black clouds of smoke where just clouds forming in the night sky.
"How do they rebuild the damn thing so fast?" John replied, spreading his wings.
"They have their ways." Alpha said as he took off into the starry night sky, John following close behind.
Once close enough to the Factory, Alpha slowed to a halt. He just floated there, staring at the building, at his own personal hell.
The Factory was heavily guarded. Guards in groups of 10 patrolled the airspace. 5 guards stood on the roof, looking for any non-permitted personnel or civilian that could potentially pose a threat. 3 more were posted at each entrance, 2 at each window. Celestia was not taking any chances.
"Why did you stop?" John asked.
Alpha didn't move or respond. He just kept staring at the building.
"For fucks sake." John growled as he flew around Alpha to face him. "We don't have time fo-" He stopped midsentence as he processed what he saw.
Alpha's Mane, tail, and eyes were flashing red and blue. He was shaking, shuddering. The pain in his leg set released the memories of being tortured in the factory. He wasn't shaking out of fear, he was shaking in rage; pure rage. The pain from the broken leg also affected Beta as well. The pain released his repressed memories of his childhood. He was having flashback after flashback of being beaten up, bullied, teased, alienated and ignored. Both Alpha's and Beta's rage was fighting for control. The bond between them was growing too much for a short period of time for it to control. It exploded within them. A halo of red and blue detonated as Alpha/Beta instantly broke the sound barrier as he bolted towards the factory.
The Guards on the roof were still unpacking their supplies. Their platoon had just arrived 5 minutes ago after Shining Armor appeared with a dead squad-mate, claiming that "He escaped, I did all that I could." Celestia was certainly shocked, because she had ordered a whole platoon of guards to guard this facility.
"Hey Sarge, what are we doing here?" one private asked, his armor glinting in the moon light.
"We have orders from Princess Celestia herself to protect this Facility."
"Why? It's just a facility, just a factory. We have hundreds of these in the city, why is this one so important?"
"That's none of your concern. Just keep a look out for any pony that isn't allowed to be here. That's an order."
The private nodded and turned around to see a halo of red and blue appear in the distance. "Sarge…." He said in fear, backing up slowly.
"What now?" The Sargent replied, annoyed.
The private pointed at the halo with his hoof. "That!"
"Shit. Everyone up, we got an incoming threat!" He barked as he took out his radio. "We got a civilian inbound at our 12." His squad ran to the edge of the roof and readied themselves, their horns glowing. The Sargent walked up behind them and squinted at the white dot. "Looks like a Pegasus, a colt. Skin color white, Mane color unknown. He is getting here quite fast. Need Assistance over."
A voice came over the radio. "ROGER THAT. TEAMS RED, YELLOW, AND GREEN ARE INBOUND TO ASSIST. ETA: 5 MINUTES!"
"Sarge, we don't have 5 minutes!" The private replied, Watching as Alpha flew closer.
"Negative! That is too long. I am calling a-" The Sargent stopped as he realized who the colt was. "It's Him! Fire everything you got at your 12, now!" static filled the radio. "Hello?! Did any pony read me?! It's Alpha! He is here. He is coming! We need assistance now!" He stopped at looked at his squad. "Fire when ready, mares, we are about to have company."
The private nodded and began firing bolts of magic at the incoming threat along with the rest of his crew.
"This is Luna. I read you loud and clear and am inbound on your location. ETA 30 seconds. I will be coming on your left."
"It has been an honor serving with you ponies. I could never have been more proud of a squad." The Sargent said, watching Alpha fly at them.
Alpha was flying at Mach 3 towards the factory. He felt an excruciating pain in his leg and looked back, thinking that the brace had flown off. It hadn't. The bond between Alpha and Beta had grown so much in the last few minutes, that it had healed his leg. No longer holding the broken bone in place, Beta released the brace and covered Alpha's left wing.
He had 1000 meters left. He began weaving through the incoming bolts.
"Beta?"
750 meters. He was spinning, barrel rolling through the debris.
"Yes?"
500 meters. The bolts of magic stopped. Alpha leveled himself and aimed towards the wall
"Leave none alive."
250 meters. Beta fired a dark red bolt of magic at the wall
"I was waiting for the day you would say that."
The wall exploded as Beta's spell impacted the wall. Alpha flew in, landed and spun around, his wings slicing through several guards, instantly killing them. Beta began firing off shots, each aimed at a guard. In less than 5 seconds, 15 guards laid dead on the ground, brutally killed by Alpha and Beta. His mane and tail were different, streaks of blue and red glowed in the dark. His right eye was red while his left was brown.
"Let's go." Alpha and Beta said at same time. The duo ran down the hall, unaware of what was happening within of them. Guards rushed out of the hallways and were instantly liquefied by Beta's rage. Alpha continued to gallop down the hall, making his way past the blood and guts of what remained of the guards and headed for the cells.
"Something's different." Beta remarked.
"Like what?"
"For starters, our hair is colored both red and blue, and is glowing"
"What?!" Alpha exclaimed as he skidded to a halt. He looked ahead and saw his hair in front of his eyes, glowing with a white hue. "The hell?" He shook his head and began to gallop down the hallway. "We don't have time to examine it; we gotta find Scootaloo before it's too late!" He ran past the cafeteria and froze. Alpha/Beta watched as colts, fillies, stallions and mares walk about, going to their designated jobs. He extennded both his wings and made his way down the filled corridors, purposely trying to make as much noise as possible. While Alpha was looking around for Scootaloo, he ran head on into a guard.
"That's It!" The guard said as he got to his hoofs, Mr. Sparky in his left hoof, buzzing with electricity. The ponies around circled around waiting to see what was going to happen. "You will-" the Guard stopped as he looked at the colt with the metal wing. Alpha got up and blankly stared at the guard.
"If you want to live, drop Mr. Sparky, and get out of here." Alpha said, calmly. To the disbelief of the Ponies watching, the guard dropped Sparky and gallopedfor his life. Alpha turned around and addressed the ponies. "I am looking for an orange filly called Scootaloo. The faster you help me, the faster you will all be set free from this fucking factory. You have my word."
"She's in the torture room" a voice in the crowd replied. The crowd parted to reveale the blue mare with the rainbow mane that spoke. She was covered in bruises and cuts. Her right wing was horribly disfigured, while her mane was losing color in spots. Rainbow Dash was hurt but she wasn't the one who hurt Scootaloo.
"How do you know this?" Alpha replied, his mane pulsating.
Dash looked up at Alpha. "I put her there."
Alpha's eyes widened as he realized who she was. "You sick fuck! You tortured her!" He looked over her. "I see she nearly kicked your ass." He chuckled.
Dash looked over herself, looking at the cuts bleeding and the blood. "This isn't from her and I never tortured her. I am a double agent, working for Luna. I was given the Job by Zeta on the day you left for the city." She looked back at Alpha. "If you want to know why you are still alive, find Zeta; she will tell you everything, for a price."
Alpha ran past Dash for the torture room. Beta shot several bolts of light at the door, instantly splintering it. Once the smoke cleared, Alpha's eyes widened as he stood in shock.
Scootaloo was in really bad shape. Her wings had hooks in them that were chained to the ceiling, holding her a few feet above the ground. Her left and right front legs were broken and teeth were scattered on the ground. Dried blood stained her mane and her ears were cut. Blood was running from her nose, bubbling as she breathed in and out in her unconscious state.
Alpha felt his rage rise within him. He cut through the chains with his wing as Beta slowly brought her to the table. Once on the table, Beta took control as he slowly removed the hooks that were punctured through the poor filly's left wing, making sure to not cause any more damage. He was taking out hooks in her right wing when John appeared at the door way. Beta looked up, saw John, and sighed.
John was shaking in shock, his eyes wide and his jaw open. "Is she dead?"
Beta shook his head. "No, but she is not good. If she doesn't get medical attention in the next hour, she will die from blood loss. She was tortured slowly." He nodded to the left side of the table. A pile of bloody hooks laid on the ground. "She had these punctured through her wings." He said as he removed another hook and placed it on the ground beside him. "She has cuts all over her body, her front legs are broken, and…" Beta looked around on the ground. John followed his gaze until his eyes met with a bloodied tooth. Beta took out the last hook in Scootaloo's right wing. Letting Alpha take control, heraised Scootaloo and placed her on John's back, making sure she wouldn't fall off.
"Let's go." Alpha said as he walked to John. He stopped when he was right beside him and looked at Scootaloo. "She will be alright. I promise."
John had tears running down his cheeks as he looked at his injured, unconscious daughter. "I hope so."
"John, I and Alpha will go ahead. We will signal for you to come so you can leave. But that is all I can do." Beta took of his money pouch and gave it to John. "You will need it more than us. Good Luck." He said and took off down the corridor. Giving Alpha back control, he began to rip open the cell doors, freeing those inside.
"LET'S GO PONIES. COME ON, WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO DIDDLE DADDLE ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING!" Alpha screamed as he galloped down the Aisle. "WE GOTTA GO!" Beta shot a jet of magic at a wall, completely destroying it. Through the haze and dust came the light of the moon and stars. "THAT'S YOUR TICKET OUTTA HERE. LET'S GO!" Ponies one by one began pouring out of the hole in the wall, flying towards their freedom. Beta began shooting jets of light at the walls, and watched as the balls began to infect and destroy. Alpha ran back, and took one last look in each cell, making sure no-pony would be left behind. He was near the last cells when he noticed one was still shut.
"That's odd. I swear I opened all of them." Beta said.
"Open it, slowly." Alpha replied, cautious of what was in there. The door opened slowly, staying in its hinges and not flying backwards. Alpha slowly walked into the cell to see a colt lying on the ground, staring at him. His mane and tail were brown-turning-cherry red, his skin tan, and his eyes dark brown. Alpha took a step forward to the colt and leaned towards him. His right eye flickered blue. The colt stared at him in fear.
Alpha's wings instantly extended without Alpha meaning to extend them. He stopped dead in his tracks, and looked back at his wings. "Wait, what?" He asked himself, confused to why they would open by themselves and not close.
Beta sighed slowly; the equivalent to a face-hoof. "This will get very interesting in the next few years."
Alpha shook his head, and watched as the wings slowly closed. He then turned his attention to the colt.
"It's okay; I'm not here to hurt you." Alpha said calmly.
"No, it's not you I'm afraid of. It's me. I'm different than the rest. I'll hurt you. Get away from me." The colt replied as turned his head away, his eye was flickering blue and brown.
Alpha lied down in front of him. "Hey, look at me." The colt turned to face Alpha and watched as Alpha's right eye flickered brown. "You aren't the only one different from the rest, and I doubt you could hurt us."
"You are like us!" The colt said amazed, getting on his hoofs.
"Quite so." Alpha said as he stood up, smiling. He turned his head and heard the sounds of hoofs hitting the ground. He looked back at the colt. "What's your name?"
"Charlie."
"And the other?"
"The name's Delta." His mane and tail flickered from cherry red to galaxy blue.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Alpha."
"Beta."
The sounds of the guards were growing louder. "Charlie, we don't have much time, Do you know how to fly?" Alpha asked, his heart thumping hard.
Charlie extended his wings and nodded. "Of course."
Alpha walked out of the cell and watched as the guards began pouring out of the doors, surrounding him. "Charlie, get out of here!" He extended his wings and felt Beta rise within him. Alpha turned back and looked at Charlie. Charlie was still there, standing and looking back at him. "Charlie! Go! I'll be fine!" Instead of running away, Charlie walked out of the cell and watched as the Guards ran at them.
"You aren't the only one with a special gift, Beta." Charlie sighed as Delta took over, his mane, tail and eyes glowed blue. Alpha watched as the colt stepped in front of him, his wings extended as if he was going to protect him.
"I have my gift too. And we deserve to be here after what we have done." Delta said as an orb of light appeared floating above his forehead. 15 small orbs of light flew out of the main orb and landed in front of Delta. As each orb hit the ground, an Alicorn made of light and magic appeared. Alpha's and Beta's jaws dropped instantly. Soon there was 15 Alicorns, all made of light, in front of Alpha/Beta and Charlie/Delta. "Go! Run! We got this! Go!" Delta told Alpha.
"HALT!" The Alicorns said in unison, their voices booming throughout the factory. "YOU WILL LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS AND SURRENDER OR YOU WILL FACE THE CONSEQUENCES."
The Guards stopped instantly. Walking through the guards was one Galaxy blue Alicorn; Nightmare Moon.
"Oh?" Nightmare Moon replied sarcastically. "And who are you to tell us what to do?"
The Alicorns materialized into flesh. "WE ARE THE PAST KINGS AND QUEENS OF EQUESTRIA, PRINCESS LUNA. STAND DOWN."
Alpha/Beta could not believe what they were witnessing. He looked down and saw Charlie/Delta on the ground, unconscious. "Shit, that amount of power was too much, he's unconscious. Hell, even I would be unconscious after doing what he just did." Alpha ran over to his side, Beta easily lifting Charlie/Delta up and placed him on Alpha's back. With the unconscious colt on his back, Alpha walked behind one of the King Alicorns and nudged it.
"YES?" The King Alicorn replied, looking over its shoulder at Alpha.
"Charlie/Delta is unconscious. I will be taking him with me, escaping and leaving this hell hole. Will you be able to stall them long enough?"
The King Alicorn looked in front of himself, and watched Luna. Luna was furious, screaming and raging. The guards around her had begun to back up from her, giving her some room. The King Alicorn looked back at Alpha. "WE WILL. GO NOW! RUN! BE FREE FROM THIS ABOMINATION OF A FACTORY!" The King replied.
"Thanks." Alpha said as he turned around and ran towards the hole in the wall. The Ceiling had already disappeared. The whole roof of the facility was pretty much gone. Beta opened up Alpha's bag and took out the blanket that Luna had given them 6-7 hours ago. He then wrapped it around the colt's back and Alpha's underbelly, securing the colt to Alpha.
"It's tightly secured. He won't fall off now. Let's go!"
Alpha nodded as he jumped through the hole, his wings extended, escaping the factory. Alpha only flew by himself. He never flew with a colt on his back. He began plummeting towards the ground.
"Fuck this. Beta, can you teleport us?"
"working on it, hang on!"
Alpha closed his eyes as he was engulfed in a blinding flash of light as Beta teleported them away.
John was at the Hospital. He was pacing back and forth in the waiting room as the doctors performed on Scootaloo to save her life. When the nurse asked what happened, John told her everything. She sat through it all and when John finished she left. About 5 minutes later, she came back with a mare unicorn, a psych Therapist. John then told her the same thing he had told the nurse. The therapist replied that he was experiencing hallucinations from the amount of shock he was in from seeing and finding her daughter. She arranged several meetings for him to come in to talk to her. John stared at her, then calmly, at once, got up and left. "No wonder Alpha ever tells any pony about this. No-one will believe him." He told himself as he walked outside for a breath of fresh air. He looked up at where the factory was and saw the building engulfed in light. He chuckled as he watched it fall apart. Alpha appeared about 20 feet in front of him, teleporting from falling.
"Alpha?" John said in shock. He galloped to the colt. Alpha was still breathing and awake.
"I'm fine. I'm good." He said as he struggled to stand up. He looked over his shoulder and was relieved to see Charlie/Delta still on his back, although unconscious. "Oh, hello John, nice to see you escaped." He said once he noticed John. "Where am I?"
"The Hospital, come on. Let's get him," John nodded to the colt on Alpha's back. "-inside."
Alpha nodded and followed John into the Hospital. The Therapist was waiting for John and gasped in shock when she saw Alpha with Charlie/Delta on his back. Alpha broke off from John and walked to some chairs. Beta untied the blanked securing Charlie/Delta and placed him on the chair. He then covered him with the blanket.
"Will he be okay?" Alpha asked Beta.
"I'm pretty sure he wi-"
"SWEET CELESTIA!" The Therapist yelled as she made her way to Alpha and Charlie. Charlie's hair began to return from its blue shade to cherry-red. "Are you alright?! What happened to you?! Oh my gosh!" The therapist said in shock as she looked over Alpha's metallic brace. She began to take it off when Alpha had enough.
"DO NOT TOUCH THAT!" He yelled as he spread his wings and stepped between the therapist and Charlie, defending him instinctively. "DO NOT TOUCH US!"
"Poor colt, you are insane. I'm trying to help you." the therapist replied.
"You can't help us. Not with what we have been through."
"We?"
"John, Scootaloo, Charlie and I. You wouldn't believe us if we told you what happened."
"Nurse, get me a sedative." The Therapist told the nurse.
"Inject us with anything and I will personally rip off your horn from skull and shove it down your spine." Beta replied, staring at the therapist. He turned to the nurse who was walking toward the therapist, a needle filled with transparent liquid following behind her. "Do you have any spare patient rooms available? We have bits, we can pay." The Nurse stopped and stared at Beta. The therapist was staring at the nurse.
"Well, give it to me." The Therapist demanded of the Nurse. The nurse looked at Beta and Charlie then at the Therapist.
"Oh, here." The nurse said; stabbing the needle into therapist's left thigh.
"What are you…" the therapist dropped face first into the floor, her head bouncing as her nose hit the ground first then fell to its right, instantly dead asleep.
The Nurse looked at Alpha and Charlie. "We have only one room available, sorry. You can use it if you like, no need to pay." She nodded to the therapist. "She has been a bitch for the past 4 weeks, so she will pay for it. Follow me." Beta placed Charlie on Alpha's back again then Alpha followed the nurse down the hallway. She open a door on her left and gestured Alpha inside. "This is our only room. There is only one bed, sadly."
Alpha walked over to the bed and with Beta's help, placed Charlie on the bed and covered him with the blankets. "Thanks, we will be okay. " He replied, tired but cheerfully.
"You are welcome. Good night." The nurse replied as she shut the door. Alpha turned around and dragged a chair to Charlie's bedside. Taking off both of his metallic braces and placing them beneath the bed, Alpha sat down on the chair and laid his head down across his front legs, crossed on the side handle of the bed and fell asleep, not leaving Charlie's side.
Something he will do for years to come.