The Mad Mane Six.

Chapter 5

   "Of all the unprecedented things you do, you just had to zap the one, didn't you?" Said a female, in a rather annoyed tone.  It was what woke Gearhead up, and to be honest, there were far worse ways to wake up. He listened for a period of time as he overheard the beginning of the argument.
   "We just witnessed this one using magic that I've never seen used by a unicorn, much less a pegisus that lost his wings. He literally froze a steamer, and then launched it as if it was a pebble. A really small pebble. I didn't want to find out what the android could do." A male voice said. He had a semi-french like accent that Gearhead recognized in the audio logs featuring  Canadians.
   "Hey, the magic one is waking up Fam. Holy smokes is he a bit larger, even more than what you described!" Said a more American sounding voice. Gearhead then woke up to see the owner if the voices standing and staring at him.
  One was a mare who had dark red mane and a lighter red body. Another was a red stallion who had black mane. Finally there was a zebra who had several shades of brown on his body and in his mane. They all stared at him with confusion and intrigue. All Gearhead did was look up and say, "hi, take it this is Cloudsdale?"
   "He seems to be confused, he's  a pegisus that doesn't know what Cloudsdale is? And yes, this is Cloudsdale." Said the red stallion as Gearhead started to get up. "What kind of backwater town did you grow up in to not know Cloudsdale."
   Gearhead looked down at him, for he was a bit taller than he remembered, or it seemed that was, and then answered. "The same one that gave me the robotic wings and half robotic body. Let's just say I'm new to this place, OK?" He then looked at the others, who just stared at him in some form of awe.
   "OK, I am officially weirded out, why is everyone staring at me?" He said, trying to defuse whatever tension he may have started. He was then answered by a strange black stallion that had red mane and a top-hat.      
   "They aren't use to seeing more than one pony who is larger, or as strange, as our boss Franken-Dash. You have to excuse them, my names Shadow Rush. I'm new here, and I know a realm jumper when I see them."
   Gearhead smiled when he heard that. He answered with, " because you are one? My name is Gearhead, and I kinda figured I may have grown a bit, would explain the creak in my neck and the aching back leg. I believe that I had a traveling companion, where would she be?" He then asked.
    "This way, medical area, MASH 7704th." Shadow Rush said. Gearhead  looked puzzled."Why exactly is she in the medic room? I don't remember her fighting or getting hit."
   "She wouldn't be there if someone took and asked before acting, Fast Wings." Shadow Rush answered. The red and black mane stallion then scoffed. "Wasn't like I didn't have a good reason, most that come looking for this place don't exactly have our best interest in mind. Some pony with that much power would have a equally impressive partner, or so I thought."
   Gearhead shot him a glare, a forbidding and furious one. Fast Wings then lowered his head and shut his mouth. Gearhead then smiled, for he was fond of making certain people quiet, peacefully of course. He wasn't a emperor, but he hated when someone talked about him or a ally without taking the time to know them. It was annoying, but not intolerable.
   Gearhead followed Shadow Rush to the medical bay as he noticed all sorts of pegisi and nightmares run around, as he expected in a busy city turned military outpost. One in particular was strange, for it had a mask attached to a part of its face. Gearhead had seen it with some of the soldiers he led when they had severe burns to their face.
   The medical bay was packed full of wounded that seemed to be in severe pain. He also saw a pony that a light brown with dark black mane unicorn with wing-like projections made of bone. Shadow Rush in particular seemed happy when he saw her. It was apparent in his voice when he greeted her as well.
   "Dark Lotus, how are you my love?" Shadow asked. She looked towards him with milky white eyes that seemed joyful, add the smile to it and she seemed elated. She then proceeded to answer him in a obvious manner.
   "I am well, Shadow, and I hear that your wearing your top-hat again. Where did you find it, where I told you?" Shadow Rush blushed at the reply. Gearhead chuckled, he could relate very much. Lotus then looked at Gearhead. "I see you brought a visitor, must be the one that accompanied the metal pegisus. Marvelous use of the vital organs, having them to power the mechanisms for movement and life support, ingenious may I say."
   Gearhead smiled, and then answered, "I wish I could take the credit for it, but the work was Riplight's. I'm more adept at combat and crowd leading." Lotus the tilted her head in response.
   "Riplight, so that's the name of the Twilight of this realm, almost expected Brutalight, with my mate's history of realm creation and random incidents." Shadow Rush then gave a look of annoyance at the comment. "Hey, it was the one time, and it's not like it was a bad vacation." Gearhead chuckled harder, it almost felt normal, or as normal as he pictured normal.
   Then the doors opened and out came two mares. One had a similar color scheme to Shadow Rush, though her left eye had several scars and the eye itself was black with a dark, blood red iris. The other was normal with a purple iris. But that wasn't the one that caught Gearhead's attention.
   The one that did was two to three times the size of a average pony and was sky blue with technicolor mane. She had stitching around her neck and all for of her legs where that connected to her body, as well as at the edges of her mouth, which extended halfway across her cheeks. She had the most piercing lavender eyes that seemed to entrance him. He couldn't help but notice the smell of storms and open air as she got closer.
   She then spoke in a strong female tone that had a slight rasp in the back, further increasing the aura of strength and freedom that emanated from her. "So your the one that's causing all the commotion." Suddenly,  Gearhead's wings opened and wouldn't shut, which embarrassed him, but not for the reason you'd think of. The everyone then chuckled at the event.
   "What's so funny, must be a glitch or malfunction. Gonna have to have that checked later." Gearhead said. He had a feeling that there was more to it than they were letting on though. He finally pulled his wings down and then said,"there we go, my name is Gearhead, and I believe yours use to be Rainbow Dash, right."
   The sky blue mare nodded, and then said," yeah, but they call me Franken-Dash now, for rather obvious reasons. The one still laughing is Sister Shade. She's my second hoof in charge, she got the job through her ambition. Although she hasn't proven my choice incorrect, sometimes I wonder." She said, and Shade then gave her a look while still laughing.
   Shade tried to speak say as she laughed but didn't do very well. Gearhead did find her minorly amusing, or he would if the laughter wasn't directed at him. He then wanted to ask why she was laughing so hard, but decided it may be better if he didn't, the situation was already tense, and didn't need to be awkward. More aptly put, more awkward than what it was, anyway.
   Gearhead then looked at Derpy, who was starting to 'wake up', if that was a thing she did. "Ah, anyone catch that thunder cloud, because I sure didn't." She said, her voice going in and out with a hint of static. Her right eye was facing the wrong way. "Hey, I just had my vision fixed. Why can't I seem to escape the curse of the derp." She said with a slight pout. It was just adorable, though she was clearly annoyed.
   "Don't worry, Derpy, it wasn't your fault this time. You can blame a stallion that jumped the lighting jar." Shadow Rush said. Derpy just pouted more. Gearhead just shook his head, he already had a problem with Fast Wings, and he didn't need to add more to his plate.
   Suddenly, a ruckus began to occur as a group of ponies wheeled a severely wounded pegisus mare that had yellow mane and dark brown body into the infirmary. She was mumbling something over and over again, but Gearhead couldn't make it out. It was Franken-Dash who dashed over and started to talk first.
   "What happened? When did she get back?" Dash asked the group, and it was the red mare from earlier that answered. "Evening got back only a few moments ago,  and she was like this even then. She's got a bite wound and had a gash on her back legs, as if a blade had cut them. She's not doing well at all, boss lady."
    Dash frowned at being called that,"Ink Rose, don't call me that first off, and second, you right." Ink then raised a eyebrow. Dash looked Evening Dusk over and found the wounds, but was more interested in the bite. It had eight fang marks, very uncommon for a nightmare bite. She then asked a question she had been dreading.
    "Were there others that came with her?" Dash asked. She had a feeling that she believed what the answer was. Ink Rose shook her head, and then said,"I don't know, they didn't come back" She then lowered her head.
   Dash then looked at Evening,"I need her checked on constantly, and quarantined. I don't think that's a regular bite that we are dealing with. I want to know if and when she turns or dies, and if she ever get coherent enough to debrief." She said.
   Gearhead watched as the group talked amongst itself. Any sense of normalcy dissolved away. Life was back to being the way it used to be. Dark, dank, and just dismal. There was always a war going on, it seemed.
   Dash then said something that concerned Gearhead. "At this rate, we won't be ready for the next attack, not to mention that we don't have that many lighting jars. We lose any more fighters, and we'll have to start drafting."
   "Whoa there boss lady! We draft the civilians and then we will really lose this war, as well as any respect that you earned." Shadow Rush said. Franken-Dash then replied with,"well, the other towns won't help us because of the rumors and we will run out of warriors. Our cause will die of we don't do something drastic."
   Gearhead then threw in his piece," I may be able to help your cause then, as well as direct you to a place that is more than willing to help your cause. That is if you don't mind me bringing in some humans, that is."
   Franken-Dash then scowled as her voice raised and her anger noted,"NO Humans! I don't want anything to do with them."
   It puzzled Gearhead to hear her response, but he had a idea why. He waited a moment as Dash began to walk away, and then he saw it on the back of her neck. " A LOC insignia, the ones they put on their 'property'." Dash froze when she heard him say that. She seemed angrier. Someone had to throw in a "oh-no."
   "What do you know about the LOC?" She asked. He answered, quietly angered,"Only that they love experimenting on whatever and whoever they want to try to make their goals realized. That they are merciless, and believe that they are more greater than even the other orders in the New Order. Ignorant to others pain and suffering, and more than willing to cause it. Such is my curse as well." He then shown the insignia on the back of his neck as well.
   She lessened her anger, but it was far from gone. "You seem like you know what your doing." She didn't look back, and it was a great disrespect in Gearhead's mind. "Go, get your friends, and if they prove to be different, I may listen to going to the town you suggest." She then stormed off, leaving a angry looking but disheartened Gearhead behind.
   He then pulled out the Tripad and looked at it. He took a sigh as he asked for a place on the ground. He was told and then exited the room, hoping for a miracle. As he landed on the ground, he flipped open the Tripad and found a message. It was that miracle.