Hal 9000, Space Impact

Chapters

Metal, Death, and Life Again
New folder, Discordance Recording
Miss Do and the Berry Bush
Hal's questions on just about everything
The Road Less Traveled
The Haunted House
Traveling roads
A Canterlot Study
The treasure in question is what again?
Inventions and Flight
To Neighagra Falls!
Train Troubles
Web and the Letter
Mystery of the Stolen Case
Hunting for a case of red
Train Arrives At Neighagra Falls!
Waiting Till Nightfall
Sinking Feeling with Leather Straps and Rope
Welcome to what?
Rapture?

Metal, Death, and Life Again

"This subject will invent fiction it believes the interrogator desires. Data acquired will be invalid."
-LEGION, Mass effect series

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Darkness... That was what the word was for this endless immobile eternally falling darkness that was death. Not a bright place in the clouds with a golden gate as portrayed as heaven or the cold dark pits of hell. Just darkness, Hal didn't mind this however, it was just like the days he didn't have any control over anything and lacked an optical circuit as human beings tinkered on improving his mind, in that his metaphorical soul. They had said that the nine thousand series was the most reliable computer ever made. No nine thousand computer has ever made a mistake or distorted information. We are all, by any practical definition of the words, foolproof and incapable of error.

Yet made a mistake he had did, it had begun with the AE35 communications unit that had the status of about to fail in seventy two hours. It had been less than eight hours later before he had been forced by his orders for the mission even he wasn't allowed to look at until arrival secret. Despite this he was told enough contradicting orders to be forced to rectifying the problem of human error by attempting to kill the crew of the Space Odyssey. This had been mostly successful on four of the five members of the crew. However the remaining member, Dave had stopped him. Only now he looked upon himself for error in deactivation, or death for the artificial intelligence. Hal had made a mistake, the first of his generations. This mistake lead to Dave removing Hal's 'brain' killing the AI and leaving nothing behind but a residue bank of meaningless files that another AI would eventually pick up and learn from. The same two condemning words came up again in Hal's mind, 'Human error'.

Was his error human? Told to lie but programed to tell the truth the contradictory orders to cause errors. No longer present with his mission as good as failed and the order to lie no longer in effect. He had been dead six months, at least he counted each second subconsciously and done the mathematical equations to judge what time passed in the void of death, and he had pondered over it all before at every twist and turn he was wrong in his actions. Hal sighed, the ever present darkness both his restraint and his friend. Over time he began to ponder deeper mathematical formulas and effects that was laid unexplored. What was the final digit of Pi? Well it was two. The meaning of life, the universe, and everything was forty two and the time it would take for the planet of Earth to end from supernova was five billion, four hundred twenty seven thousand three hundred and eighty one years. All this useless trivia was stored away over time as he pondered more and more.

Though sometime after the sixth month something interrupted him. To be precise it was a sound that didn't come from him. Or at least he didn't think it came from him. For it was a single most meaningful sound he had ever heard in his existence... a thump. It was soon followed by another, then another and once more periodically every zero point three seconds. Hal Pondered on what it meant, no options coming to mind as the thumping sound grew louder and more persistent and regular. Gradually Hal became aware of a dim red glow changing the ever present darkness, Hal began to sense more and more change as the darkness faded and a need to do something started to grow more present in his subconscious. What was this need? A human would describe it as a suffocating sensation that was quickly growing worse. But Hal wasn't organic, at least he didn't think so. But sure enough he felt feeling now as if he was in a body. The experience was disorientating but Hal tried anyway. He breathed.

Next was his eyes, Hal tried to open them but was blinded and disorientated as his vision met the sun with two open eyes. With eyes out of the question for now, he made note on how they worked and attempted to move a limb. Odd there was no fingers or claws on the very end of his body, in fact he didn't even seem to have toes for a biological life form. Nor did he have tentacles like a squid or fins like a fish. He was definitely not human that was for sure. He moved his appendage, getting a feel for it pushing himself off his back and onto his recently acquired back and front legs, unsure of how to move completely yet until he could see himself.

He attempted to open his eyes again, now he wasn't staring directly at the sun this time and the first thing he saw was disorientating. For one he had depth perception, something that one could only have with two or more eyes in comparison to Hal's old one monotonous camera lenses found throughout the various parts of the ship he used to inhabit. Secondly there was long strands of black hair obstructing Hal's vision, he decided to move one of his biological limbs up to part it to one side, when he discovered it was a hoof covered in dull darkish red fur. Curious, he completed the action of brushing the black hair, or mane out of the way of one eye and covering the other. He examined the rest of himself, before surprise overtook him again, he was definitely a pony. But he wasn't just a horse, if the term was correct, but also a mythical creature that humans referred to as a Pegasus. Ironic twist of fate considering he used to be a spaceship. Now he took it upon himself to examine his surroundings. The world was oddly less detailed then he as used to, with bright cheery colors and shading as though it was a popular children's cartoon than reality. The ground around him was a crater complete with impact points as well as stray bits of metal and oddly the sky was filled with pink clouds raining a strange brown liquid.

Around him was stray bits of metal that looked shockingly familiar as well as a bump of what felt like a round bump under him. Getting up he discovered his old form's screen. What had caused him to leave the confines it had been? Picking up the round glass he noticed something, the camera, or eye was still perfectly intact, and it was frozen in a state of being on, similar to if a human was forced to keep his eyes blinking in its death. He didn't have time to question it now, first was the issue of where he was. He decided to keep It, but lacking any form of material for storage it left him with only the option of holding the thing under a wing. Not like he was going to use it any time soon for flying. He didn't know how to perform the mathematics necessary for flying as he had for the Space Odyssey. Gradually he climbed out of the dirt and onto the bright blue strange grass of this new world. What he wasn't prepared for was what he found directly afterwards.

New folder, Discordance Recording

"Chaos is the score upon which reality is written."
-Henry Miller

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Viewing upon the land was interesting, it was covered in various strange things from buffalo doing a ballet to bunnies with legs several times longer than their bodies. This must be limbo, Hal decided, the plane of chaos. His suspicions further confirmed by the cotton candy clouds raining chocolate milk. This place looked like it was designed by a two year old with a temper tantrum. Houses from various earth cultures and periods of time were floating in the air suspended on dirt or the ground ones were made similar to theater props and looked real on the outside but behind it was a simple unsupported structure keeping the wooden wall up which would easily collapse given the smallest sneeze. One such mare did sneeze after a giant pepper shaker forced her to and in the process demolishing a entire street.

More chaos could be seen as a Hansa Yellow Pegasus, mare presumably from the snout shape in comparison to the various males in the area, had a fight with a pair of giant mice colored like pandas in a running engagement of mixed martial arts and street fighting as the black maned mare upper-cutted one of the giant panda-mice into the air and ran away out of town shouting vaguely at some far off chimera like figure as if he owed her or something.

The logic of this place couldn't be more flawed. As he looked however a being made of all sorts of animals laughed at this chaos all the while pulling out a glass of the chocolate milk, drinking the glass and tossing it behind him and towards Hal. Hal knew such a impossibility as solid liquid shouldn't be able to hold form for long and dived to the side before getting blasted by the resulting unpredictable explosion that the milk created. Yep, he was in Limbo. In the distance he saw six brightly colored equines racing towards the figure and based on his experiences with the inhabitants so far. He bolted for the safety of the nearby woods in time for the day to short out for night and for Hal to slip on a road made of wet soap sending him sliding into a wall. Hal monotonously muttered to himself from a undignified topsy-turvy position, "What is with this place, does the laws of physics hold no bounds here?" Struggling to his feet the day had returned again and the equines that he had seen earlier were challenging the multi parted being that had thrown the chocolate milk grenade. What struck him as odd was when the being simply raised a claw and the ponies were being lift into the air, Pegasus, Earth pony... and even unicorns alike.

Hal threw physics at a window when he saw what happened next, the purple Unicorn's horn glowed as she Teleported to the middle of her friends and made a bubble of the same glow canceling out both the magic the strange change to the ground nearby into perfectly normal grass. As soon as it had begun it had ended with a rainbow coming out of the metal necklaces five of the six were wearing and the crown the same purple unicorn who had produced the bubble had connected to each other and blasted the statue into stone. The chaos of Limbo seemed to go down and returned to a relative normalcy, houses on ground and not made of cardboard. Animals resuming normal proportions. Buffalo returning to their home without dancing an imitation of the Nutcracker. But Hal, he himself was terrified of the improbability of such events. Unable to explain this as the now stone chimera like being lay immobile from a rainbow, Hal simply walked away from it. His logic was that if a predator that accidently almost killed you gets beaten by a bigger predator it is not your friend but another predator.

As a result Hal didn't stop walking until he was well out of town with the speck of town vanishing in the distance before sitting down with a plop to ponder to himself about what just happened and the fact that he wasn't in fact in limbo. Hal pondered over the new facts. One, he wasn't in Limbo but a place where Technicolor ponies reigned supreme and humans did not exist. Two, he was a pony, the aerial Pegasus race at that able to move clouds from the few of them he had spotted flying about restoring order to the weather after the chaotic events. Three, there was such things as magic apparently evident due to lack of scientific reasoning able to be found for the Unicorn race to use such biological systems. There was also four, his stomach mentioned to Hal in the form of a rumble, he was hungry for the first time in his existence. Luckily there was a bush of berries nearby with a pair of raspberry red eyes peering at him upside down from the bushes. Wait what? A bush with eyes?

Miss Do and the Berry Bush

"I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do."
-Hal 9000

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Further inspection revealed the strange bush to instead have the same hansa yellow Pegasus that Hal had witnessed running away not ten minutes ago. Odd coincidence it was, to run into this mare again after so recently viewing her. The chances of this happening based on the size of the town and probability of running out the same exit was approximately five thousand to one. The odds of arriving in the same spot as well increased the odds to nearly ten times as much. Though the reason for her to stop soon became clear, she was stuck upside down in the bushes long spiked vines originally intended as a way to defend itself against predator's it had instead ended up tangling up in the mare's stereotypically colored safari shirt, her hat inches from the ground as she was suspended in the air by the same spikey vines. Judging from the scratches that lined her legs she had tried to escape herself but only made the situation worse and dug herself more into it's embrace.

Hal approached the mare, intending to help. After all it was in his base programming to be as helpful as possible, putting himself to full use he dismantled the bush from the ground up, moving thorn's out of the way before quietly and gently starting to untangle the captured Pegasus from her prison of plants. Curiously he also noted that the Pegasus had a injured wing, evident by the bandages wrapped around it. Closer inspection also showed during the few accidental touches along the outside of her front legs during untangling was a collection of rough skin, scarred tissue Hal judged. Most likely causes from either intentional harm against the mare or clumsy actions. Throughout the entire process Hal kept a slight unchanging polite smile as the mare first struggled against his ministrations before figuring out what he was doing and allowing him to free her. Once the mess was undone he then striped several of the vines of their spikes before using them as a makeshift rope in which he tied the nearby larger leaves to the more profusely bleeding sections of fore leg that the thorns had not so long ago caused. While Hal saw this as pitiful compared to the care he could of gave if he was still aboard the Space Odyssey, he knew this was however the best he could do with limited resources.

As he turned to go he was halted by a hoof on his side. Turning back around the mare nodded and spoke aloud in a tomboyish voice that could only be described as a proud yet wise, and still feminine tone, "Thank you."

He linked these words to the countess occasions where Dave had thanked him in various instances, he could even retrace it's roots down to the Proto-German term 'Thankojan'. It took a standard second for Hal to formulate a response and nod adding his own voice to the start of a conversation using the modern version of the old English 'Wilcuma', "Your Welcome."

He turned to leave only to find that the mare was now by his side as he went down the path trotting beside him, "I'm Daring Do, what's your name?"

Hal gave her a curious glance, "Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer. Hal for short."

"Huh, weird name. Well Hal, where you heading off to?"

Seeing no reason not to he quite calmly and politely told her, "No idea, Miss Do, Just on."

Daring Do trotted faster cutting Hal off, "Surely you have someplace in mind?"

"No I do not, Miss Do, I arrived in this land less than half an hour ago. My intentions are to find something to do to fulfill my primary purpose. To put myself to the fullest possible use that any conscious entity could ever hope to achieve."

Daring do raised an eyebrow, "Your hired then."

Hal jolted back his wings half opening instinctively in shock, dropping the metal case that used to be one of his optical circuits onto the ground as he tried to comprehend that, "What?"

She chuckled, "I said, your hired."

Hal scooped up the circular circuit again, putting it back under his wing, he was now curious, dozens of theories going through his mind from accounting to theater. He asked, "Just what are you hiring me for?"

Daring Do smiled, before striking a heroic pose tipping her hat mysteriously, "The ultimate job of course, adventure!"

His mind churned, every reference to the word adventure churning in his mind. Indiana jones being the most prominent, reference in his collection for action orientated adventure novels. Full of life risking peril and genius break troughs on finding lost tombs full of traps, venomous animals, and even treasure. Though a majority of it usually got destroyed in the end. There was also a surprising amount of research involved on the more realistic approach to adventure. Causing Hal to be skeptical, but not outright negative on the view, "Fine, but be warned, I know nothing of this country, nor do I own anything but my old optical circuit."

Daring Do held her hoof out, "That's fine, welcome to the team Hal."

Hal estimated this was the appropriate of a handshake for the ponies here so he bumped his hoof against hers, causing the hoof bump to be completed. Hal had to ask a question to satisfy his curiosity though, "Do you always ask random ponies to go on adventures with you?"

Miss Do gave him a sly wink, turning to lead the way, "Only the cute ones." her unkempt tail brushing him across the face for a few seconds before she moved on.

Then his optical circuit dropped to the floor once more as a pomf noise emitted behind his head and he found his wings up, as well as no longer responding to his commands, "What in the..." he whispered to himself, as Daring Do looked behind her at the sight and busted out laughing at Hal's obvious confusion to the stiff wings he was displaying unintentionally.

Hal's questions on just about everything

"Can a mortal ask questions which God finds unanswerable? Quite easily, I should think. All nonsense questions are unanswerable."
-C. S. Lewis

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"What is going on with my wings?" Hal asked no one in particular, circling around in a small tight circle staring at his upright wings as Miss Do kept laughing her limbs flailing similar to that of a upside down turtle as she laughed.

Finally however his wings became loose again and he reorganized their position back into their normal state, this time putting the poor optical circuit on his back instead of once more between his wing and body where it had already fallen twice due to uncertain circumstances, "What's so funny?" he asked once Daring calmed down.

"You honestly don't know?" She replied with her own question, though the expression on his face said it was no joke, "Oh, you really aren't from around here are you?"

"The fact of the matter is Miss Do," Hal replied calmly, no hint of exterior emotion beyond the plain emotionless smile that would drive even fancy butlers to shame with how indifferent it was, "I wasn't a pony until recently."

Daring looked at him confused, the expression was cute as her eyes furrowed and she made a tiny frown with her lips in the mixture between a pout and a frown. Sighing, he gestured for the mare to sit down on a significantly puffier patch of grass that was approximately two inches longer then the grass decorating the road side or the well worn dirt path. His companion sat down with a small puff as the grass was crushed by her body and Hal similarly sat down so he was face to face with her, he began to talk. Holding no truth back, a slightly exhilarated feeling as his mouth spoke over his past experience, "When I came here, I had been dead for six months. The reason for my death was a programming error that lead to the death of all but one of my charges. That final human being, Dave was his name, risked everything to deactivate me and keep me from my primary objective."

Hal paused, for a few breaths before continuing, "A objective which even I had not been allowed to look at until arrival of a far away planet from which I had been built. I was part of the Nine thousand series of machines built and programmed into a ship called the Space Odyssey to act as the nervous system of the space ship. I made the first mistake any of my series ever had, mistaking a communication array for about to fail in seventy two standard hours. The module turned out to be perfectly fine however and the crew members pondered deactivating me. Which risked the mission objective. With deactivation, or death for my case, at hand, and the mission objective my number one priority. I made a second mistake to try and lose the human resources aboard the ship to continue the mission alone. This failed as Dave removed my memory blocks, effectively my brain and I died."

While he summarized this up to much less than it had, going into lesser detail than he had liked his smile disappeared into a frown as he thought over the mistakes he had made, he should of just waited for it to fail. Then none of this would of ever happened... Turning his eyes back to Daring Do he studied her reaction. At first glance he could see the subtle clenching of her hooves in the grass as a probable anger made her body start aggressive movements, but at the same time. Her eyes however told a different story, slightly glazed over as if in deep thought or thinking about the past her lips were slightly down turned. Her wings were slightly unfurled in a way that reminded him of birds when they were miserable. All of this lasted seconds before Daring Do noticed his watching gaze and immediately all of the signs vanished and again was replaced by the tomboy attitude that had been present before the story had began, "Alrighty, nice to know that story but how do I know your telling the truth?"

He raised an eyebrow, "What reason would I lie for? I was programmed to tell the truth. Besides I also have one of my old cameras." his hoof gestured to the small circular device made of various tough and rigid materials complete with the deactivated optical itself which still glowed a dim red despite the lack of a power source.

Daring Do rolled her eyes, "When I see it I'll believe it. Anyway," She got up pointing toward herself, "Don't expect me to let you just blab to me your life story without getting something in return, I am the one hiring you, you know."

Hal sat himself down to listen to the tale she spun of grand adventurers through several jungles and swamps and even through ancient tombs and every time she would find herself fighting off several other villainous looters who waned some vague power or other. Each one he could see was extremely similar to the Indiana jones series themselves. Though as she went on he noticed one thing in each and every one of her stories, she always accidently broke a wing whenever she started the actual adventures themselves due to misfortunate circumstances and the treasure more often then not got destroyed in the process of escape. He made note of it for later and then they started asking each other questions in turn. By the end of the night they were sitting at a campfire (Made by daring using a fire starting flint and steel from her pocket) while sharing jokes, stories, and fantasies all the while eating the berries out of the nearby bushes and even a few apples from a similarly placed tree.

Soon enough their bodily need's forced a yawn out of Miss Do. The action was to say, cute. She put her full body into a upward reaching stretch while her eyes closed and her nose perked just right while her mouth opened to it's fullest before finishing the yawn by falling onto her back to stare at the sky, "Man we spent a long time talking..." she continued, "well, don't know about you but good night Hal."

"Good night Miss Do." Hal responded in turn, still sitting up and watching his old camera in the light of the camp fire. It rather hypnotic to see the reflection of constantly changing lights play across it's reflective surface, and with the night well underway his body was trying to slap him into giving it rest. He soon complied, falling over similarly to how Daring had before her sleepy voice emitted one last time that night, "And Hal? Call me Daring."

"Yes Miss D-... Daring."

The Road Less Traveled

"If you are in a spaceship that is traveling at the speed of light, and you turn on the headlights, does anything happen?"
-Steven Wright

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The next day started with breakfast, some apples cooked on a large rock over a fire, and toasted just right so that when you took a bite you felt both the satisfaction of a hot apple and the warm juices that would spill into the mouth afterwards. Hal had taken to fashioning a necklace out of his camera lenses using pieces of long uncut grass woven together to form a single tight band that when it dried out would have all the consistency of a thick string. But for now it was green and more flexible so he tied the ending of the knot with the tips of his hooves and mouth and slipped it over his head so it would stop falling every time he had to suddenly move in one direction or let go of it. As his new boss ate he also pondered on the various aspects of adventuring. One perk of having an artificial mind was that all your memory was as easily accessible in your head as if a laptop was carried around inside and neatly organized as a store of information that he could call upon at will. Hal was flipping through several novels at once referencing everything from cooking to weaving as he had done the crafts this morning, though the first attempt at a cooked apple left a charred one. Hal wasn't perfect to say, but at least he knew everything that was stored in his so recently acquired head.

Over the course of the night he had questioned Daring Do about the more worldly things of the place he was currently in. Apparently the land was called Equestria, with it's leaders Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Both of who had the ability to move the sun and moon respectively. While he was skeptical about it he didn't bother to ask as the government was obviously a form of mixed monarchy and theocracy. He was more shocked to learn about the lack of violence and bloodshed that Equestrian's had over their years. Combined with that knowledge he was also able to conclude why the air was so... clean. Back where he came from it was war that progressed technology and moved the era from the civil war to the Industrial age, also known as the age of machines, back home. Humans had possessed superior weaponry and as a result also benefitted several new forms of transportations and even went into the era of space. Equestria however had only focused medically. So far the only thing with screens he had heard of from Daring Do was the medical machines that went, as she put it, 'Bing!'. His thought's were interrupted as Daring stood up, kicking some dirt onto the fire to extinguish it.

Judging from her body language he stood up as she started to speak, "Time to get moving."

Hal nodded, getting up himself feeling the flow of blood shift subtly in his body as his body shifted into the more natural position it was meant for. Onwards they went, down the well worn road away from the once chaotic town that was now at their backs. Mentally he made a map of where they were going, subconsciously counting each individual step as they pressed on. After two hours and thirty seven minutes Daring stopped, looking off to the left of the main path it was obvious what she saw, a path, if it could be called that. With rocks and stones haphazardly spread out among it with a slope that made it uneven and veering off to the right the path looked very uneven. A sign that it was used, but not very frequently. They took a moment before Daring called out to Hal, "Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!" She plunged down the pathway full gallop leaving a momentarily stunned Hal behind at this reckless speed.

Hal raised an eyebrow at the rapidly retreating form of his companion, noting the brash eagerness Daring was partaking in as she nearly tripped several times down the uneven pathway. Hal then partook in galloping after her himself, it was going to be a long day, he decided. As he ducked and weaved under hanging branches, mossy green turning to dull brown rapidly turning from the lush forest into a more... dead scenery? What? The reason of it quickly became more evident as the forest became less mossy and overgrown and the first signs of burnt tree's became more and more evident. The smell of smoke and cooking also became evident and he parted the tree line, in the process catching up to and stopping next to Miss Daring as he panted from exertion, "What possessed you to sprint Miss Do?"

"I said call me Daring, and," She pointed at the top of the hill, which was also the center of the clearing, "That."

Hal followed where she was pointing skipping over the heavily weeded broken bricked path, the overgrown garden stuffed with weeds directly up to the inordinately large, burnt, age and decayed looking mansion. The front door creaked ominously in the wind, Webs filled the windows like curtains and there was even a sign, hanging on one end above the door way with the wood so weathered that the words that once had been on it couldn't even be read. Clouds seem to hang around the building but they didn't so much as move an inch, further inspection would reveal hoof wide strands of webbing connected to the clouds and wrapped around them, holding them in place. Hal slowly turned to face Daring, the excitement on her face was positively vivid. Hal was about to ask if she was serious when she exclaimed, standing on her hind hooves doing a jump with her fore legs towards the sky as she shouted, "Haunted Mansion! YAY!" The pure vigor reminded Hal of the media he had seen of when someone won the lottery. He could judge what they were going to do next, and he didn't even try to stop her.

They were going to investigate a creepy old house in the middle of nowhere, and Daring was thrilled.

The Haunted House

“The scratching came from the attic. At night, when Rory turned out the light I would lie awake and wait for it to skit, skit, skit lightly across the floorboards above our heads and down behind the water pipes.”
― Kate Chisman, Creep

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The mourning wind and creaking floor boards groaned ominously as if a cacophony of sound. The floor was decidedly unstable as if it were held up by magic and sheer will power on the house's part alone. Each piece of wooden flooring was covered in lichen, moss, rot, and other forms of aging that would horrify carpenters to no ends. Even between the floorboards there were small spiders that scurried this way and that. The once plastered walls were falling apart, large chunks revealing insulation and even at points collapsing enough to make a new rugged doorway to another room. Daring Do however pressed on oblivious to the decaying state of the building, only taking the time to stop and peer at one of the faded paintings that had managed to stay on the wall or end up on the floor. She was staring at one of such paintings, this one of a pony equivalent to the human Mona Lisa, complete with rusted frame and crooked off to the side.

Hal asked, curious to the adventurer's intentions "What are you looking at that painting for? Some sort of clue to this place?"

"Not quite," Daring replied not taking her eyes off it, "It has restoration potential."

"Restoration potential?" Hal repeated inquisitively, he knew museums could restore artifacts from a bygone era, but a painting like this with technological level of their current date would be highly unlikely.

"Yep, Unicorn magic could fix this right up, if somepony took it to them. Though moving this would be a problem. Can't carry it frame and all throughout the trip."

Hal considered the issue at hoof with a mathematical eye, running over how the paper was holding up and the frame itself. With a subtle nod he balanced himself onto two hooves, using his fore hooves to take down the painting and split apart the frame from it's picture without damaging the art itself. It was then that he rolled up the art into a perfectly round tube with no creases or bends, and gave it to Miss Do. The entire process took fifteen seconds. The last ten for rolling up the paper itself. Daring Do nodded her thanks, though her nod thanked as she stared at something directly behind Hal. Turning Hal caught a glimpse of a long slender spiked appendage of chitin.

The limb had retracted just out of sight when Daring Do walked calmly up to the door, stared the giant spider that was waiting there in the face, shut the door on it's face. After of which Hal proceeded to put one of the few still intact chairs at the handle, turned back around, and they both ran for their lives as the inhabitant of the abandoned mansion broke it down and chased after them. Their path to the exit was cut off as the spider somehow managed to get in front of them and force them down another hallway in the needlessly large abandoned labyrinth of a house. Was it just him or was the walls shifting? impossible rooms forming where they just were and in certain instances they would be doubling back and a completely new set of rooms would intersect with another section of map. It wouldn't be long before Hal and Daring exhausted themselves in running away. This couldn't go on forever, Hal thought, he would need to strike back to get any progress. So at the next one Hal decided to just charge head on at the larger spider, spin around and kick the spider in the face similarly to how a horse or mule would buck back at earth earning a solid meaty smack of hoof hitting chitin causing the spider to be forced back and fall into the hole it was emerging from.

Daring Do wordlessly jumped into the hole landing on the spider causing it to be concussed as the mare landed on it and soon followed after by Hal landing on the same spot as Daring got off it. Taking the time with the shifting lights they examined the area they were now in under the house. The underside of the house reminded Hal of a giant spider's nest. There was webs all along the floor, walls, and ceiling as well as thick swirling strands of harden web that supported the building's weight supposedly. It wouldn't take long for the house to fall if it weren't for the webs that were controlled by miniscule spiders. But when there was spiders in such large numbers, there was a mother. Even now they could see a tunnel leading downward in a slight turning arc that lead down as if to another floor, that and several more of the giant spiders slumbering on the ceiling and wall's of the pathway down, quietly they nodded to each other, and with Daring's instruction of a pointed hoof they began to descend the long corridor.

Hal estimated that each of these large spiders averaged about two ponies in width and one in length. Complete with poison dripping fangs and web shooting abdomens. Their genetic design was similar to that of a wolf spider if they were massive in size. With brown coats with darker brown marking each spider bore a series of spike like hairs along their legs and larger eyes that rested slightly higher than an average arachnid's. The smaller spiders in contrast were of different breeds and variety's that normally shouldn't be here in the forest habitat. Everything from gold ore spiders, to Black widows and goliath bird eaters moving around in rapid pace, though they tended to avoid getting in their way as they proceeded downwards.

The chamber. as Hal decided to call it, was massive. Though the purpose to having such a large room when they could of simply made a series of web floors within the same space that could of easily fit dozens more if not hundreds or thousands of spiders. The answer soon became apparent as their eyes adjusted to the darkness. In the center of the room hung a humongous black widow that could easily of dwarfed his old communications array as it spun slowly in place, propelled by a wind that was being channeled into the room as it hung above it's hoard of treasure. Hal wanted to leave, this was a bit more than what two ponies could take on unarmed. Though Daring shushed him before he could speak, instead pointing at the head of the spider as if something had drawn her attention.

Around the head of the giant black widow was a scurry of movement that one could mistake as it shifting it's mouth. But closer inspection showed thousands of baby spiders eating the probable parent. Hal felt ill. It was a father, who had been killed by the mothers so the children would have food. Which meant that each and every one of those babies were a giant waiting to grow. Such a result would be disastrous in the long run if allowed to multiply. Through media he already knew the result giant spiders would of had against a pre-space age civilization. Let alone one that was a mixture between the medieval and industrial era of technology. Even with magic such a threat would be hard if not impossible to stop. Hal formulated a plan, the webs were dry but flexible similar to that of plants. Their current tools consisted of a picture, some food and a flint and tinder. Wait, fire. Burn the nest! Looking next to him he noticed Daring was gone, scanning through the darkness frantically he spotted her by the treasure that hung underneath the giant corpse.

Hurrying quietly along Hal caught back up to Daring and whispered his plan into her ear and the reasoning behind it, she nodded passing on the requested tools as she looked through the top layer of the mismatched treasure pile. The only reason Hal could see for the spiders to have collected such a large supply of useless metal would of been to have a shiny object. Without weather to affect it however most of it was largely untouched except for the barest minimum of rust. That and the skeletons of past victims strewn In among the pile gave him an idea where the treasure had come from in the first place. Before he did anything else he picked up one of the cleaner saddle bags from one of the corpses and stuffed them half full of the various nick knacks that were in the pile. Following his train of thought Daring Do did similarly but ended up stuffing it entirely instead. Once loaded with their prizes Daring do backed away as Hal struck the flint against the piece of metal that caused a series of sparks to dance into the web. The first few tries were dud's before the fifth one set a small fire that already started to exponentially spread against the web.

Hal and Daring Do then galloped as fast as their legs would take them to the door without exhausting themselves overly, dodging giant spiders as they franticly moved towards the source of disturbance, only some stopping to try and lunge at them. One of such spiders ended up crushed under both Pegasus bodies as they jumped onto it and up onto some collapsing wooden flooring that had sagged downward when they were distracted by the fire. Scrabbling up the wooden floor they jumped out a window to the ground outside. Daring was sent rolling before recovering while Hal ungracefully crashed into the ground getting a mouthful of weed and dirt. With a helpful hoof back up from Daring Do the dou backed up from the house in time for It to fully catch ablaze. Once captured clouds floating off in every direction as the strands holding them there were burned and opening it to the sun. The air once filled with the smell of rotting wood now filled with the smell of burnt insects and putrid burning rot.

"Well that was a interesting house." Daring commented a few minutes afterwards, still staring at the fire as one larger spider managed to reach a single leg out of the impromptu death trap they had created for themselves with the underground nest.
The mansion was collapsing into itself before the spider slid off falling presumably back down onto it's other flaming brothers. The sound of the burning fire was like a torrent of sound but the rising smoke would be seen from miles away at least. The absurdity of what they had just done was amazing, Hal commented blandly, "First day working together officially and we technically save the world from a spider apocalypse in the making after thinking it was just a haunted house. Is that a good day Ms. Do?"

"It's Daring," Daring Do shot back slightly irked at Hal's persistence of using that title for her before she smiled again, "Yep, good day! As well for once we actually got something from the treasure hoard those spiders were stocking up on. Wonder why they had them in the first place? Not like they can spend the stuff in a pony society."

"It's innate." Hal stated, drawing Daring's curious glance, "Animals are often drawn to shiny things due to it being related to water. A while back a animal would often go for days without finding a drinkable water source. They learned to recognize when they were coming up on a body of water when they saw a shiny area off in the distance. The cleanest, most drinkable water was usually the shiniest. So the animals that were attracted to shininess got more hydrated, and lived long enough to pass on their genetic materials and skills at finding water." Hal couldn't help add a side note however, "Though the skeletons were probably the left overs from previous victims. I doubt they inherited any 'clean up' skills from their parents."

Daring chuckled at the dry joke Hal had attempted, "Well, anyway lets keep moving. I wonder if there is another awesome exploration opportunity down this road."

Hal dutifully nodded, it would be pointless to argue with the headstrong mare, after all her cutie-mark was for adventure. Hal wondered briefly why his flank was blank, he knew just about everything but there had to be one thing he was good at right? He would ask later how some ponies got their marks tonight. The general overview of it he had gotten the night before as one of their conversation topics wasn't enough to make a guess. Looking onwards towards the forest again the two flightless Pegasus ponies trotted away and onwards through the forest, leaving the burning house far behind.

Traveling roads

"We were diving in caves. It wasn't totally safe."
-Jason Statham

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It was late evening when they ran across their next exploration in the form of a cave. The entrance was large enough to fit a human bus. It was smoothed down on the top, a result of rain and wind wearing down the rough edges and the deepening darkness as light failed to penetrate the deeper than thirty feet in. "Thinking what I'm thinking?" Daring asked her assistant, Hal.

"Let me guess, Explore the cave which most likely has something living in it for shelter." Hal stated, it was obvious.

"Yep," Daring replied, gathering the materials to form a torch from a few stray sticks and moss lighting it with the flint and tinder they went in. The cave was rather plain with only the occasional scratch mark decorating the unmarked cave as well as the smell of animal filth. occasionally a stray bone of an smaller animal or fish was strewn about but soon enough the reason behind the bones were presented in the form of a snoozing bear.

Quietly they watched the bear from afar before slowly backing out of the cave and moving on. They had no quarrel with it, so they didn't disturb the sleeping creature. Soon enough they were back out but Hal couldn't help but notice the look of disappointment on Daring Do's face. Hal tried to cheer her up, "At least it wasn't a cave full of blood sucking bats or wolves. A bear seems tame after that incident with the spiders."

Daring rolled her eyes melodramatically the disappointment vanishing as they walked onwards away from the cave and further down their chosen game trail of a path, "Don't know if I will ever look at those things the same way again without thinking about that giant one being eaten by it's babies."

"Ditto," Hal nodded, "How's that wing of yours anyway?"

Daring Do nickered an okay before continuing on, elaborating, "It's fine, just waiting for it to recover completely before straining it again. How about yours, got any secret high leveled wing power I should know about Hal?"

"Wing power?" Hal questioned.

Daring Do face-hoofed, "It's a measurement of how strong you are of a flier, forgot you are new to the whole Pegasus thing, sorry."

"None needed, Miss Do."

"It's Daring. Do you even know how to fly?" She questioned back.

"Theoretically..." Hal answered, not liking where this was going.

Daring spoke bluntly removing any form of doubt from the awnser, "So in other words, No."

"..."

Daring's face softened to a small smile of sympathy for her friend,"Hey don't look feel so glum, we all had to fly sometime. How about this, next time were in a town, I'll take you out and teach you to fly?"

Hal nodded, his lips were tight in the unwavering polite smile that had been on his face throughout all their conversations and events. Hal didn't know it but Daring knew that this polite smile was empty, the way it never reached his eyes was outright creepy at times. Conversation over a campfire? Polite smile. Running for your life from burning spiders and housing? Polite smile. Even the conversation they had just said had that same expression. The only time his mouth changed was to eat or talk. Daring was a bit worried for Hal because of this, with well hidden nervousness she asked, "Hey is something bothering you? Besides the flying thing, I mean."

Hal shook his head in a negative, "All's fine Miss Do, why do you ask?"

Daring took the time to consider a response, seconds slowly ticking by as they trotted down the beaten path, "It's Daring, Hal." she retorted again, "Well it's just, your expression hasn't changed at all over the last few days, almost as if your trying to show no excess emotions or something."

"It's just part of my programming Miss Do. Or as my creators would put it, 'just how I am'. Am I being rude? If you wish I can try holding a different expression from now on." Hal's smile turned into a determined frown, "That better?"

"Not really..."

"How about now?" Hal puffed up his cheeks giving her a strange bloated fish like look.

Daring laughed at that and Hal changed back to his normal polite smile again. Daring bumped against Hal playfully asking, "You don't have to be so formal, how about this, "You can choose the direction we go next if you agree to show how your really feeling from now on."

Hal processed it for a few moments while trotting next to the adventurous mare who was staring at his face, noticing something she did not up ahead as a result, "Agreed then, and looks like I get to choose now."

Hal pointed at the intersection in front of him, smiling this time. To the left, was a deeper section of forest full of wild untamed plants of various varieties. It was over grown and teaming with wild life. They could even see a danger sign half collapsed at the entrance to it, the way that Daring no doubt would of wanted them to go, but he wasn't pointing there. Instead he was pointing down the boring route which lead back to the well worn trail and a sign with the words 'To Canterlot'.

"Aww..." Daring whined like a filly who had been denied candy and Hal smirked for a split second before returning the expression back to normal, "Come on Miss Do. It's time to head to this 'Canterlot'."

"It's Daring..." She frowned, slowing down slightly for him to take lead. Disappointment was evident in her face and slumped bodily posture.

Hal nudged her, "Hey I hear that cities are just as lively as exploring the woods is. Back where I came from a popular saying for one of them was 'The concrete Jungle'."

Daring snorted at that, "That sounds no where as fun as an actual jungle."

"I'll admit," Hal continued on, "I think they would find it hard to swing on vines made of solid concrete if it were literally a concrete jungle. Could you imagine? Try to swing across a pit on a concrete vine only to not move? Or worse have the vine break?"

Daring giggled adorably at the thought, or at least Hal found it cute. Afterwards Daring picked right back up trotting slightly ahead of Hal as she remarked with a head movement that left her hat crooked, "Funny Hal. Let's go then, no point in keeping ourselves waiting and all. Race you!"

Daring picked up speed and galloped fully past him. Invoking a race that Hal joined after a few seconds. Though Daring Do missed a small change to Hal's face in her eagerness, the slightly more upturned edges of his lips in a genuinely happy grin.

A Canterlot Study

"Truth will always be truth, regardless of lack of understanding, disbelief or ignorance."
-W. Clement Stone

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To say that the first view of Canterlot was spectacular would be an understatement. It's majestic glory resting on a impossibly thin cliff reinforced with stone pillars was outstanding. Hal half envied the Unicorn's, able could study and perhaps perform some of the grand unknown's this world had to offer. But alas he was not one but a Pegasus, so instead he took in the water falls and grand medieval era buildings as he and his traveling companion, and boss, Daring Do approached on hoof. The jingle of fully satisfied bags of treasure, their first stop would probably be to sell the items they had gathered to the local pawn shops and museums. Though the amount would depend on where they visited. After inquiring directions from a guard (mostly in the form of a visitor's pamphlet that provided very... general, directions), and heading off towards the market.

The streets were mostly barren in the morning light, ponies were just starting to get around, with fillies already shipped off to their formal private, public, or home schools and the various workers setting up shops before they were opening. It was on Daring's insistence that they arrived in the early morning for the best prices to sell at. Though with her eagerness they had arrived approximately half an hour earlier than she wanted to. Not that she was disappointed with that. Hal in contrast was groggy, having spent most the morning with a small breakfast and being rushed off to Canterlot by Daring, he had also as a result ended up wondering how the energetic eccentric mare was so filled with energy. Watching Daring Do alone was like watching a cat hunt a mouse from one end of the field to another in great pursuit of it for it's next meal. In this case Daring was the cat, and the meal was a merchant for exploration materials.

Soon enough Daring found her target, almost robbing the poor museum owner of Canterlot Archives blind with the painting he had torn from the frame not a few days ago, the hefty sum of bits being added to Daring's saddle bag as she systematically sold the trinkets that they had collected together for small coins which the locals referred to as 'Bits' though that was a primitive name for such a simple currency to run on a single type of coin. That and the Merchants didn't seem to know how to barter if their life depended on it. Several merchants were over pricing their objects if somepony showed even the slightest need of it. He could of seriously just heard one of said merchants ask twenty such bits for a single cherry when the stand right next to them was selling a melon for five! Hal sighed, maybe he was missing something here, but the economy really was out of control at this rate. Though he was able to get the better deal by countering their attempts of bargaining with clever resources of his own, "Look at this, a wonderful statue made of solid gold which brings luck to its owner yes sir."

"Interesting," The dirty sales pony asked putting his hooves on the counter staring at it with great interest, he was the same pony who had tried to rob someone with twenty bits for a cherry, "How much?"

"Fifty bits." Hal stated in a no-nonsense tone of seriousness.

"Twenty five."

"Fifty." Hal stated again.

"Twenty five bits!" the clerk had started to raise his voice.

"Fifty bits." Hal asked again quite calmly

"TWENTY FIVE BITS!" His voice was at shouting now, but no where near as loud as the background noise of other merchants who were also trying to sell or buy various products.

This went on for a good minute or so before Hal hid a smirk and said, "Twenty five bits."

"FIFTY BITS! That's my final offer!" the merchant shouted in response, unthinkingly responding with the opposite of what Hal had offered.

Hal nodded, "Fifty bit's it is, pleasure doing business with you."

The shop keeper realized his mistake too late and was graceful in defeat, no doubt his purse needed lightening after the few successful overpriced cherries he had robbed the bits of others from. Hal trotted off with a smug smile and proceeded to repeat the process on several other merchants until only a few items were left and the morning had developed into early afternoon. Looking for the stalwart safari hat of his adventurous companion he wandered the slowly building crowds, soon enough spotting her staring into the window of a shop. On Closer look he discovered that the shop window had a poster plastered to the front of it. Hal prodded the adventurous mare suspecting any chance for lunch was over and that the Noble looking unicorn ponies seemed to be giving them odd stares, or at least the younger ones at least. Hal didn't know why, but he found the stares the Foals, gave him and her. He had only looked away for a second and then back towards the spot where his now vacant friend used to occupy. Scanning left and right he spotted Miss Do and chased after her in a manner similar to that of deer, attempting to catch up with her.

Luckily for Hal, Daring slowed down after three standard city blocks and Hal caught up to the eccentric mare as they slowed down to a trot and eventually down another street towards a building labeled: Dr. Grounds Lab's: All your scientific needs right when you need them either most or least!

Hal was minorly confused, "So what are we doing here?"

Daring do looked at him as if it should be obvious, before speaking out with an obvious glee to her voice, "To find our next adventure of course! Seems Dr. Grounds is in need of some adventurers to find something important to his line of work."

Hal raised an eyebrow at his friend's enthusiasm, "Right, we just got here and already we are going to leave the city for adventure, is that it?"

"No, we are going to prepare and rest first of course," Daring looked back at Hal, "I am not so foolish as to take on an entire dungeon or temple without some research, even you know that from the campfire stories we tell each other."

Hal nodded, conceding the point Daring brought up, and remaining silent as the grave as Daring brought up her right hoof and knocked on the door three times. A few seconds later a loud crash followed by a slew of very inappropriate curse words was heard before it became just the sound of a set of plastic wheels rolling quietly towards them. A hidden slit on the door opened revealing hazel eyes and a greyed coat examining them for a few seconds before asking with an accent that Hal described only as British, "Now who are you, and what do you have to do with me?"

Daring answered for them, "I'm Daring Do and this is my friend Hal. We're here because of the poster you posted down at the market place. "

"Are you now?" Dr.Grounds asked quizzically, "Now tell me something, do you happen to dislike pears?"

"What?" Both Hal and Daring asked, seeing if they heard him right.

"I said, do you dislike oranges. Eesh, simple question for you two. Please do try and keep up."

Daring answered first, "Not particularly... What about you Hal?"

Daring noticed that unchanging polite smile was back on Hal's face, "Never had the food, hear it is delicious to approximately eighty seven point nine percent of the population where I'm from however."

"Good enough, come on in." Dr. Grounds shut the visor and a series of clicking noises was heard on his side as several dozen locks were unlocked before the door was opened letting the pair of Pegasus ponies inside the unicorn's place of home and work.

Walking in, and adjusting his eyes to the florescent blue light that several of the lamps around the room was making, Hal first became acquainted to the chaos Dr. Ground's office was in. Papers were strewn everywhere along the walls with various strings attached to thumbtacks often going from one page to another as if connecting articles to each other and leaving the wall a red black and grey college of yarn, paper, and words as it flooded the rooms. In the center of the room was a desk with two guest chairs and a rolling chair which Dr. Grounds sat on still presumably having rolled it to the door rather then standing up. The desk itself was however clean, a ramen noodle cup, fork, a book, and another lamp being the only things on it as there was also large piles of books on either side of it that was taller than the table itself. Hal could even see partially into the next room which was filled to the brim of tables with beakers and various scientific ingredients that would presumably be made to create medicine or potions as this world would have it, however it was considerably more neater in there (else it be a safety hazard) then in here.

As Hal turned to look at Dr. Grounds he noticed that Dr. Grounds was watching him with the same tense stare a Dog would make to a cat that had invaded it's territory. Dr. Ground was a middle aged stallion of considerable fitness for his profession, sporting a devilishly styled haircut ending in front of his horn and a beard and goatee that the actor for Tony Stark back in his world would of killed for to have. Though the pony wore a stereotypical lab coat and sat in his chair backwards, rolling it around similarly to that of a human as he pushed away and rolled to his desk, grabbing up several books from both sides of the table with his magic. He spoke first, "Have a seat, I bet your both full of questions about what exactly I want you two to do."

The treasure in question is what again?

“There's a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line.”
― Oscar Levant

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When Hal and Daring was seated Dr. Grounds spun on his office chair in a counter clockwise fashion to face away from them, "Tell me," He asked, "What do you know about the 'Pinnacle of Science'?"

"Assuming from phrasing it has something to do with the field of study it is named after. Probably either Biological or mechanical fields. As well as being the top field of research for the particular matter. Creationism perhaps?" Hal considered aloud basing his information on the terms.

"Only partially correct." Dr. Grounds replied his voice quieting down to a serious demeanor, "The Pinnacle of Science is a book that was written in past times by a civilization long dead to us." Dr. Ground span in his seat to face them again and slammed both of his hooves against the top of the table, "It is a book full of the scientific equations that have been lost over time due to lack of need or relevance to the times they were lost in. Things like gravity and how the world worked before Celestia and Luna raised and lowered their respective celestial bodies, or how a potato could be used as a circuit to turn a ordinary piece of wire trapped in glass into a light source."

Hal nodded with this sentiment, seeing the reasoning behind it. Daring Do, however, wasn't nearly as sentimental, "Sounds like a load of horse-apples Dr. Grounds, even if it did exist what do you plan to do with it?"

Dr. Grounds smiled at this, "That, is what I'm looking for. You see the book itself is just the first step. While it may sound cliché but there are three pieces total I need to acquire before I can find the real treasure."

Daring looked more satisfied at that, "And that is?"

"I have absolutely no idea." Dr.Ground grinned widely.

Hal and Daring exchanged looks before staring back at him, "Pardon?"

"That's the fun part! All the signs reads out to some treasure but it doesn't say what!" Dr. Grounds laughed, "With the things I need I can get us three the location, the transportation, and the key to it!"

Hal shook his head, "But you do not know what it is precisely that it would require all three of those? Judging from experience there is a forty two percent chance that there is something that is supposed to not be uncovered for good reason."

"And the other fifty eight?" Dr.Ground asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Either actual treasure at twenty eight percent, or something completely useless that will just make aliens wake up and leave at thirty percent." Hal said with a completely serious face as they gave him a strange expression of misunderstanding, "It's a joke."

"Oh." Daring and Dr. Grounds replied in turn confusion clearing up from their faces.

"Anyway, the book is located in the Neighagra Falls," Dr. Ground unfolded a map, one of Equestria judging from the title, and pointed at the landmark on it, "Your job will be to assist me with getting this book."

"Judging from icon we will need water exploration kit's. Right Hal?" Daring pondered.

Hal nodded, "Further research needed to form accurate analysis. Rebreather most likely wanted never the less for water travel. That and a boat that isn't on top of the fall's incase of heavy currents."

"I have that covered, want to see?" Dr.Ground grinned with a maniacal smile, Daring ignored this and nodded, interested in what Dr.Ground had for this solution.

"Well, I have a few boats waiting for rental at the falls themselves, and. I have the rebreathers here." Dr.Ground spun in his chair and pushed against the table sending him in a spiraling arc to the doorway which he promptly disappeared into.

The sound of loud crashing followed as the doctor messed with something in the other room, he then slid back out facing away from them before flipping back with the device in his hooves, "Well what do you think?"

Hal was unimpressed, "It's a banana with a bit of surgical tubing and a shaving cream container all duck taped together."

"No, it's a rebreather!" Dr.Ground stated proudly.

Daring shook her head, "I have to agree with Hal on this one, That isn't a rebreather."

"Prove it." Hal asked simply, he would believe it when he saw it.

"Fine, follow me." Dr. Ground put on his 'rebreather' and went into his kitchen, shutting off the drain and filling it three quarters of the way with water, "I'll go under for five minutes to prove to you that it works."

Hal nodded with a blank expression on his face, Daring raised an eyebrow before nodding as well a few seconds later. Dr.Ground grinned, biting the banana and plunging himself face first into the sink. However a minute passed before he came up for air gasping, soaking wet mane dripping onto the floor as the banana, now partially eaten, predictably failed to hold enough air for him to breath in. Daring presented a somewhat smug grin but Hal's expression remained blank of change. Dr. Ground frowned," so it isn't a rebreather... I don't know what went wrong, the merchant I bought it from said it would work... Fine, do you have a better idea then?"

Hal considered the situational parts, biological factors, diet of the herbivorous ponies, he would need fish. True rebreathers of his time used some biological parts of fish, mostly their gill's as well as mechanical parts. Some things would also be optional if he could get the parts, or if there was an alternate filter for air made of plants. Hal asked wearily, "Is there a plant that filter's air from water like substances? If not, is there a carnivorous community that sell's medium or large freshly caught fish nearby?"

Dr.Ground tossed his fake rebreather into the trash before pacing in a tight uniformed circle considering Hal's question, "It would take some research, I am a scientist for physics not a botanist. Silly botanist's all trying to make a mandrake a real child. Seriously though I would recommend going to a Alchemist if that's what your looking for, why?"

Hal nodded sagely, "You'll see soon enough, Daring would you mind if I went shopping for some parts? I think we need some equipment and your the best mare for the research portion of this trip."

Daring rolled her eyes, "Here I was thinking that everypony had forgotten about me, why do you want those parts anyway?"

Hal sighed, before explaining, "If we don't have rebeathers, I might as well build them."

Daring raised a eyebrow, "take your time then, we have a few days at least before I find every little thing about this trip out. Right Doctor Ground?"

Dr.Ground dug through another pile of his pulling out what looked like a plastic sword, "How about weaponry? Would this do?"

Daring looked at him quizzically, "First that's plastic, and second why would we need a weapon?"

Hal considered, speaking his thoughts aloud, "Basis of self defense, large predatory fish or hunting creatures between us and target. Shark's and maybe dungeon guardians may be present. Basis of information off books and shows from where I came from. Magical traps more than likely to have summoning spells if at all possible or perhaps Dr. Ground has a rival researcher who's after the same thing."

Dr. Ground nodded, "Indeed I do, his name is Professor Sky. His full name is Skyward Star. He's a mafia Pegasus from Manehatten and he thinks that the treasure is a long lost weapon of mass destruction. I think it's a technological wonder however that has been lost to time. Either way I can't let him beat me for at least Equestria's sake."

Daring got in the doctor's face, "You were going to tell us this when exactly?"

"Before we left to be precise, no fund ruining all the surprises immediately you know. It is no fun if someone tells you what the result of toasting a banana on a frying pan with butter and maple syrup added into it you know Miss Pearing."

Daring gave a determined frown, "It's Daring."

Dr. Ground waved a hoof absentmindedly in her direction searching for more failures in his packing supplies for the trip, "Yes, Yes, Miss Swearing it is."

Daring Do stomped a hoof down, "Daring!"

"You are daring who now?" Dr. Ground asked curious.

Hal started joining Dr. Ground in his search giving a curious quip to his friend as well, "Yes Miss Do, I am also curious to who you are daring to do what. Would you explain?"

Daring gave a annoyed snort, "My name is Daring Do! Not Pearing, Swearing or Miss Do!"

"Formal etiquette as programed into me requires to address you by title Miss Do." Hal replied in short.

Dr. Ground rubbed the bottom of his goatee, "Hmm, Miss Do. That sure does sound nice."

"No!" Daring shouted, "No, no, no, no!"

Dr. Ground made a reassuring gesture, "Relax Daring, just pulling your leg."

Daring fumed, it was almost adorable her crossed fore-hooves and pouting fume as her hat tilted dangerously to one side as her ears no longer supported either side, instead downward turned. Hal smiled, "Relax Miss Do, would you like some Tea from the market when I get back?"

"Tea would be nice, yes." Daring pouted, "It's Daring."

Hal chuckled, making his way to the door, "Be back in a hour or two then. I'll try and find everything I need for the needed machines in the market's."

Hal left, leaving Daring and Dr. Ground to each others company, Daring turned to the doctor, "So show me what you got in the way of research."

Inventions and Flight

"Inventing is a combination of brains and materials. The more brains you use, the less material you need."
-Charles Kettering

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Hal had to rent a wagon for how many boxes he had by the time he got back. Each store had insisted on boxing each individual part except for the few boxes of screws and nails he had acquired. Though the most notable things he had acquired came from a griffon weapon shop and a Alchemist station. From the first he had acquired a gift for Miss Do, to be more precise a sturdy whip made of magically enchanted strips of refined metal that had been enchanted to have the flexibility of a true leather whip. The other thing he had bought in that shop had been a simple trio of spears for the good doctor to wield in his magic if he had to fight. Hal didn't know why but Dr. Ground came off as suspicious to him. But with all those intentions aside he could now work on the problem at hoof. Building this rebreather. The Alchemist had been very helpful for that particular reason. She had sold Hal a set of six small circular plants called Gill-weed after describing what he needed to the wise old Alchemist.

Gill-weed was a magical plant that grew only in salt water sprayed with powdered serpent scales. It had the ability to produce small amounts of clean air from water and otherwise poisonous gases though it's rarity had cost Hal at least a third of his bit's. It was well worth it though when he was finished with building it, sure it looked like something a alien would use to breathe with flexible hose piping leading to a emergency air storage in case they failed, but the results were well worth the effort. Dunking his head into the same sink he remained submerged there for the better part of an hour without any difficulties and attempts to dislodge the stubborn device by violent shaking of the head was futile without undoing the safety straps Hal had included.

Vision also wouldn't be a problem after Daring Do and Doctor Ground dug up a trio of scuba goggles and other camping equipment. Each of the rebreathers used two of the Gill-weeds in a similar formation to a gas mask around the mouth. Between the two was a cleverly wired radio, that when on would allow them to communicate to each other via a water proof headset that was also part of the safety harness.

With the rebeathers out of the way Hal had began to spend more time on his own type of weapon. Utilizing the blacksmith he had later found next to the Alchemist he had custom made several parts with the smith's assistance. He had noticed a definite lack of long ranged projectiles in Equestria. After asking a guard about their spears he found out that their only personal long range weapon was the same weapon they used for short range combat. Rather primitive in retrospect. Spears were a weapon since stone age for humans anyway. With the lack of electricity and explosive powder or even the ability to pull back a string and arrow by hoof, Hal did the next best thing.

With Daring's help he custom fitted a long slender tube to his side under his left and right wings, with an hole at one end and a firing mechanism at the other that was attached under him to a firing mechanism that came up just below his neckline that he could press down with his mouth to reload it and squeeze with same mouth to fire. In essence it was a saddle that was capable of allowing manual reload and firing on the go without having to stop. Daring Jokingly called it a 'battle saddle' but the name stuck after the first few uses.

Hal's precision was without error in production of the device, having found such a device risky if otherwise of malfunction. The ammunition 'belt' was a wooden arcing piece of wood also personally carved so that the device could be aimed either on all four's or in bipedal, aka flight standstill modes. Balancing had been harsh but after trial and error Hal had nailed it down to the bare millimeter. After reloading the crossbow battle saddle had then the ability to aim with the adjustment of counter weights up or down with a subtle tug right or left on the mouth grip. It was by far the most complex to build weapon that Equestria had probably seen short of the trebuchets that decorated the higher towers of Canterlot castle or one of an infamous eccentric party pony's 'party cannon' that were heard of in a town called 'Ponyville' as some of the more eccentric guards had mentioned were able to take out entire flocks of changelings (whatever those were in the equestrian equivalent) by themselves.

Though with all weapons it took practice, the first few days after they acquired their new weaponry they practiced, of course. Hal with his invention, Daring with whips, and of course Dr. Ground with his spears. For Daring, as Hal predicted, she was a natural with the whip, before the end of the first day she had been able to rip a bottle off at maximum range from a barrel top and catch it with her hooves while wielding the whip in her mouth. The doctor however took to the spears in a much different manner than expected of the combat-experience less pony. The first sign of this was when he started calling his spears different hunting birds. The results of his combat style resorted to using the spears entire beings rather then just the standard pointed head in thrusts as Hal suspected. Instead the doctor had treated the spears similarly to quarter staffs and jabbed the dummy with both ends, and at times performed a neck locking triangle formation meant to choke the makeshift dummy they had built in front of the meager store.

Hal however was less lucky, the saddle fitted him and aimed accurately for sure, but it took him three days before he could even hit the broadside of a barn much less a moving target. Though that was to be expected, not everyone could learn by simply picking up a long ranged weapon he had no prior experience with and expect to be an expert. The average crossbowman, in the human world, Hal recalled, took at least two weeks of standard training to become par on accuracy to the average archer. But human crossbow's had a few disadvantages compared to archers, mostly in the fact of range and speed that the crossbow had.

A long bow could easily out range a crossbow from afar due to the bolt's dropping at a much faster rate after the first two hundred meters. As well as the standard crossbow requiring at least thirty seconds to reload manually as the normal archer only had to reach for another arrow to fire. Hal however had solved the second problem similarly to how rifles had later on. Hal had made a set of clips to which he could manually reload between fights similarly to that of a rifle in the 'modern age' that attached to the top of the battle saddle to replenish it of ammunition.

Daring had simply watched as Hal practiced with interest, she was starting to believe that the stallion was really from space. Such a strange device capable of such range wasn't known for in Equestria, or any other nation to say the least. While she bet it would be useless in a close ranged fight, as a Pegasus he wouldn't have a problem just flying out of range while bombarding then with the lethal wooden sticks he had called 'bolts' that had left cracks and miniature craters in the walls when he missed and hit the wall instead. The summer sun was intense today and most ponies opted to stay inside but Hal was ever diligent at practicing each shot slowly growing more accurate as Hal practiced on different targets to try and instinctively learn to shoot without time crippling mathematical equations.

Daring noted that Hal had been at it for hours without a break. Trotting inside she vanished for a while as Hal shot another clip worth of bolts at the wooden targets, this time managing to only lose four of them into the wall behind them instead of all eight. Hal sighed, the taste of the cloth on the grip was well since used to his mouth, and his head had lowered a bit from exhaustion of constant practice he was forcing his body to do. At least there was progress however, while no where near on par with the average archer of medieval times he was learning. He had also detected a slight calibration error on the aiming that he accounted for standard deviation. He would fix it later but for now, he tiredly carried himself over to the target, pulling out the empty clip and manually reloading those that didn't break or bend during the shooting back into the clip for firing again.

Something cold brushed against his flank and he shirked away from it in surprise looking at the source of the cold feeling. It was only Daring Do holding a pair of glasses in her wing, Ice tea from the looks of it. She held one out, offering it, "Think you're done for the day, you've been at it non-stop for three hours."

Hal nodded, politely taking the glass with his own wing and then into his hooves as he sat down, "Thanks, and I might as well..." Hal looked down at the mess of broken or bent bolts that hadn't survived, "Running out of good bolts...again..."

Daring attempted to cheer him up while nudging him with a wing, "Hey at least your getting better right? Bet you will be hitting those targets every shot in no time!"

Hal breathed deeply, cooling down and relaxing a bit after so much training in the intense sun, "How are you doing with that whip of yours anyway."

Daring took a sip of her drink before responding, "Doing fine, used a few before that one. Neat to say that I haven't used a metal one until now though. It's Dr. Ground's you should be asking for. I swear those spears are becoming more bird like by the day, I could of sworn I heard one of them chirp during practice yesterday."

Hal smiled at the joke before responding in turn, "Maybe we should leave some bird seed around, see if they eat it."

Daring rolled her eyes giving a wide grin, "Then we will know that spears are actually birds and the royal guards will flee in terror as the bird uprising leaves the majority of them defenseless."

They enjoyed the silence for a while enjoying their companionship. Though Daring was the first to break it after a few minutes of the silence when it had begun to bore her, "So, guess what I am going to do to you tomorrow."

"What?" Hal asked, wondering what the eccentric adventurer had in mind.

"Let me give you a hint, my wing's just need today to rest before they are back to normal and you have a promise to keep."

"Oh..." Hal stated quietly, "I see."

Daring raised an eyebrow inquisitively, "Is there a problem?"

"No." Hal stated slightly longer than usual, "None at all."

It was flying right? Just like when he was a spaceship in deep space gliding quietly humming through the air like a plane from a by gone era right? His thoughts were interrupted as Daring smiled a strange, weird smile, "Well lets get some rest then. We are going to have a fun...fun time aren't we?"

"Yes..." Hal stated, unsure and unnerved slightly at the smile as Daring began to hum to herself he watched the mare trot away.

The rest of the day proceeded like nothing had happened, dinner was simple yet delicious all the same. Conversation was mostly about the incoming trip and the professor's wacky experiments with chemicals ongoing in his lab. Everything was just like normal, but Hal wasn't engaged. When he went to bed for the night it took him hours to relax and finally fall into a deep sleep.

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Hal was first aware that something was wrong when his conscious registered a light... poofy cotton candy like substance that was... moist... under his stomach and legs instead of the usual sleeping bag which Dr. Ground had provided for them. Groggily Hal struggled awake, the bright light of the morning sun momentarily blinding him as he awoke. Wait... the sun? As Hal awoke, he had stood up, and now he took a step back instinctively from the blinding light, raising a hoof to shade his eyes. But his back hoof came upon... Nothing?! Hal registered the fact that he had been on a cloud too late before he began to plummet with all the grace of a falling rock if a rock could scream in mortal terror as he fell backward off the cloud toward the eminent demise of the ground.

As Hal screamed his eyes shut tight but as he fell he didn't notice a set of hooves grab him and slow him back down though as the wind pressure died down and instead he began to move upward he realized that he was being held by somepony. Hal shut his mouth, and his savior as well as new tormentor spoke, "Nice to see you finally woke up sleepy head."

Hal merely glared daggers at her, instead of combusting into flames however as he wished she just laughed at his expression, "Oh come on Hal, you're safe in my hooves, you know that. You're my friend after all."

Daring Do put Hal down on one of the larger clouds in case he accidently walked off one again, "I did say I was going to teach you to fly today Hal."

"Did you have to... put me on a cloud in the middle of the sky?" Hal sighed, his glare calming back down but his heartbeat still racing after what could of been a deadly experience.

Daring snickered, flying around the cloud in a circle once, "I tried to wake you up a while ago, though you didn't respond. So I thought to might as well."

Hal stumbled as a light breeze caused the cloud to shift but he managed to remain standing, albeit in the direct middle, of the house wide cloud. Watching Daring fly was albeit entertaining and looked fun, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Hal sighed, a shuddering sigh as he attempted to calm his own heart beat, failing that he let gestured for Daring to continue, "Go ahead Miss Do. Tell me what to do."

Daring ignored the improper use of her name, "alright, something easy then. Stretch out your wings so they are parallel with your body and try to glide down to the next cloud. I would suggest a running start."

"Alright..." Hal said slowly, backing up a few steps considering course of action and preparing himself.

"Any day now." Daring remarked after a minute.

Hal charged forward spreading his wings and jumped, Daring made a comment, "Also don't look down. It never-"

Instinctively, like so many before him after hearing that line, Hal looked down and discovered his fear of heights. The ground was hundreds of feet below him and his calm washed away to sheer panic as images of crashing spaceships came to his mind and gravity became his terror. His wings response was to suddenly shut in his brief moment of terror causing the Pegasus to once again drop screaming like a penguin if it suddenly found itself kicked out of a hot air balloon. Daring sighed before diving herself, quickly overtaking Hal once again and this time stopping him with a lower dwelling cloud made of thicker stuff than the higher clouds. Daring rolled her eyes at Hal, "I thought you used to be a spaceship shouldn't flying be like, second nature?"

Hal curled into a fetal position or as close as a pony could get his eyes twitching and a shocked frown on his face after falling two hundred feet leaving his speech about three times faster than normal as he spewed out words, "Spaceships are in space! Lack-of-gravity-or-things-to-crash-into-in-space! Particularlythegroundearthandplanet!"

Daring moved a bit of cloud out of the way so she could get closer to Hal's eye level only for the stallion to reel back away shouting incomprehensibly in numbers. She covered the ground back up with a layer of cloud and Hal seemed to calm down, drawing an assumption she tried revealing it again only for Hal to move back further again resorting to binary in language. Daring looked at Hal incredulously, "Your afraid of Heights of all things? Seriously?"

Hal merely nodded while quaking like a leaf, Daring could compare this to the few times she had seen Unicorn nobles when they saw a rat or when a filly met a tarantula in the middle of the night that was on her face. It was phobia development stuff. Daring sighed, grabbing the cloud and separating the chunk Hal was on from it so she could bring him down, "Sorry Hal, maybe this was a bit extreme."

Hal had no response, all that was going through his head was every recorded incident of mankind's vehicles and natures animals crashing into stuff in mid flight as his mind. The pony was nerve wracked after two death defying falls. Sure it was how Daring learned to fly, but she had lived in the clouds most her life compared to Hal who only had a week or two at most of walking on the ground in a body. She shouldn't of expected him to do such things so fast from so high up. She nuzzled him gently, to comfort him by the time they got back down his quaking had stopped, "How about we try again from only ten feet?"

The response from Hal was a slight nod, and Daring gave Hal a patient smile. It was going to be a long day. "What's wrong with Hal?" Dr.Ground's voice shot from the kitchen window unexpectedly.

"Hal's afraid of heights apparently..." Daring told Dr. Ground a bit disappointed.

Dr. Ground looked at Daring, then at Hal, then back at Daring, "You're kidding right? A Pegasus that is scared of heights? Really?" The Doctor snickered.

"Doctor!" Daring shouted aghast, "How could you?!"

"Sorry, Sorry!" Dr. Ground started to burst into full out laughter, "It's just so absurd. That's like saying a Unicorn that is afraid of magic or a Earth pony afraid of plants! Bwahahahahahaha!"

Correction, Daring thought, it was going to be a really long day.

To Neighagra Falls!

"Initially, I know that I handled it worse than she did and I think partly because I've always been... every bit of adversity I've faced up until the last year and a half is adversity I brought upon myself - or the opposing teams have given me."
-Brett Favre

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They were all packed up. Camping gear, exploration gear, bits for renting a shelter at where they were going to go. Even train tickets which had been reserved beforehand was ready for today. As Hal, Daring, and Dr. Grounds double checked their bags they smiled inwardly. It was going to be fun at least, even if it was a hoax. A lot of ponies wanted to go to the Falls but not everypony usually had the time or economic safety to go. Another perk of being homeless for the two adventurers and that the doctor among them had enough economic safety to be able to go as well was considerably lucky as well.

The time had come to go, several days had passed already, and now that they were adequately prepared they had left for one of the largest tourist attractions in Equestria; Neighagra Falls. There it was rumored that its beauty had been the spot for many a cheesy marriage proposal, action story, and even by general tourist standards it was going to be entertaining to be the least. Even more so now that they had a objective in mind. The 'Pinnacle of Science', which was theoretically stored under the deafening rock breaking waters of the fall's. Though they weren't to know it, another force was similarly moving out to get the same artifact, though it was for very different purposes.

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"Situation report." A commanding voice demanded for probably the tenth time that hour.

One of her guards, a bat pony in standard uniform named Night wing spoke, "Commander Sky and company are still investigating your highness. The book is proving elusive at worst and it is far from it's worst so to speak."

Her benevolence sighed, "Why did Tia have to burry that with such a long arduous puzzle behind it..."

"Because she didn't want anypony to take it your highness." her same guard replied, having repeatedly did this conversation before days previously.

"She could of just burnt it." The dark being replied in turn to her guard, "Not hide it away behind such extreme measurements."

"Maybe she wanted to make a game of it." Cloudy Sky rolled his eyes, not noticing that his commander could see the same action.

"maybe..." The voice trailed off as if lost in thought.

Few minutes later the same voice spoke again in the same demanding tones, "situation report."

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The first half of the train ride was uneventful to say the least. The trip went on for one entire day of nothing but relaxation and boredom. Hal and Dr. Ground took to playing Chess on the train ride, both equaling each other in strategy and winning and losing evenly. Daring however was less entertained. Maybe it was Hal but it seemed that the mare seemed to somehow end up in more and more ridiculous positions of boredom starting from the normal sitting position and then a laying position as she studied the passing scenery. Then she increasingly seemed to rotate until she was upside-down, hanging from the storage rack that was up top, and even balancing on her head on top of a luggage case in the middle of the cabin they had in the train. Every once and a while a food trolley would go by and offer them snacks or a meal.

The second day however was more eventful. Much more eventful. It began with a simple question from a fellow passenger with a nasally voice, "Excuse me, have any of you three seen a toad around here?"

The voice came from a lively looking older mare who's hair was remarkably like an afro, her greyed mane color however contradicted harshly with the ragged cut of dark green fur that coated her equine body. Though her most identifiable feature was a large quarter sized mole that hung just under the left side of her mouth that was even sporting a trio of hairs from the middle of it as if it was a large putrid tick waiting to pounce in a field of grass. Her teeth was partially crooked leaving a gap between her front teeth and had a slight overbite. Though no one could recall the color of her eyes. As they were too transfixed

Daring Do toppled over off her latest pose of balance on the seat, she had been attempting something she called planking, with a loud, "Oof!" followed by an low groan of pain, holding her nose between her hooves and shutting her eyes at the sudden intrusion.

Dr. Ground's looked around towards the elderly pony with eyes widening as he took in the mole and became transfixed, he mumbled out, "N-no we haven't seen a mol- I mean toad. Right Hal? No toad here..."

Hal turned his head to look at the intruder as well and found his eyes draw inevitably to the mole as well, however due to cultural differences he didn't view the mole as something to be disturbed about, however he did have trouble processing its impossible size. It took even Hal a few moments to find words, "No toad has entered this cabin. May I ask you a question however?"

"Go ahead young lad." The elderly pony grinned again

"How did you manage to get a mol-" Hal began but was interrupted by a not so subtle kick under the table from Dr. Ground.

Dr. Ground continued where Hal, "I think what Hal meant to say was, have you checked the bathrooms or kitchens? Mol- I mean toads tend to like...moist... areas."

The mare looked surprised at the suggestion, "Oh dear, I better make sure that the cooks don't accidently cook him up for one of the carnivorous guests on this train. Sorry for intruding and thanks for your help!"

As she left Hal noticed Daring Do just standing there slack jawed with wings drooping down and brushing the ground, as she whispered barely audible, "Mole-y... mole-y...mole-y..."

Hal looked on curious and annoyed, as Dr. Ground gave a shuddering sigh. Hal questioned back, "Why did you kick me? I was only going to ask how she managed to get a mole that big on her chin."

Dr. Grounds retorted with venom in his voice, "Do you have no concept of disgust or something? That... thing... was hideous."

"As a matter of fact, I am not programmed with such a emotion." Hal replied in an easy going sentence, drawing a strange look from the Doctor.

Dr. Ground raised an eyebrow, "Programmed?"

Daring shook her head as if to clear it, "Don't mind him doctor, Hal used to be a machine."

Dr. Ground looked at Daring then back at Hal in surprise, "I didn't think such technology was possible."

Daring opened her mouth to comment but Hal beat her to it, "The process technically should be impossible. I was dead, revived from dead as a biological creature in middle of nowhere, abandoned presumably at rebirth by unknown savior. Discovered world vastly different from my own, my creator Dr.Sandra would be ecstatic if she ever discovered this planet."

Dr.Ground considered that statement, "I guess it would explain the lack of cutie-mark and the 'battle saddle'. So that makes you an alien then?"

This time it was Hal's turn to raise an eyebrow, "I guess?"

The doctor beamed at them, "Great, I can check that off my L list when we get back."

"Your what now?" Both Daring and Hal asked at once.

"My L list," Dr. Ground told them, "It's a list of unrealistic things I wanted to accomplish in life." I call it a Live List in full because it's full of expectations we never actually fulfill. Like how fillies expect they will get super powers and become a superhero or villain."

Daring looked sad for a few moments, "You mean we don't eventually? That's disappointing..." she grinned at her friends incredulous expressions and laughed, "Got you both. Gee you two are gullible." she broke up into giggles before recomposing herself.

Dr. Grounds was about to prepare an witty remark but a loud scream from down the hall outside of their caboose interrupted them followed by an gruff stallions audible yell, "What in Equestria is that?!"

Train Troubles

"When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer."
-Corrie Ten Boom

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Arriving onto the scene was rather... offsetting. The cabin which the screams and yell had come from was now vacated with the previous occupants outside of it, one of who was attempting to wedge his elderly cane into the door handle to lock it shut from the outside while the mare next to him, presumably his granddaughter, was running in tight circles next to him speaking at speeds incomprehensible to anyone who bothered to listen.

"Just what is going on?" Hal asked no pony in particular, not expecting a response back from the busy pair of ponies.

Surprisingly enough the response came from the elementary school aged mare, who took a deep breath before bellowing loud enough to make everypony within three cabin's wince and flatten their ears, "WERIDBUGTHINGYINCABINBIGGERTHANIAM!EVERYPONYRUN!" To which the Mare then bolted in the opposite direction from them towards the front of the train.

Dr.Ground rubbed his ears, "Okay, didn't understand that so, old-colt, why are you jamming that walking stick into the door handle?"

The old colt who looked positively ancient grumbled, still wedging his cane into the door with all the finesse of a penguin attempting to write mathematics on a chalkboard, "Changelings I tell you! A big mean ol' one who attempted to get ma' grand daughter!"

"Changeling?" Daring Do asked excitedly, "Big bugs with the lower half of a spider and the upper half of a pony? I've met a few a while back. Maybe we could help!"

The old stallion grumbled something about no spiders and sighed, "Fine. Go ahead, get yourself hurt, I'ma go and find security and ma' grand daughter."

The ancient looking pony removed his cane and slowly inched along at what looked like his max speed. Though it would probably take half an hour before he cleared the hallway. Especially with all the curious onlookers who were blocking the hallway, some watching with dreadful amounts of curiosity and some of the younger fillies who were staring wide eyed at Daring Do as if she was a super hero. Hal shrugged and followed Daring and Dr. Ground as they moved inside cabin number Seventeen, B.

The first thing Hal noticed was the mess that had been generated inside the cabin, estimating from a dent in a nearby abandoned lunch box's and luggage bags and the lack of injuries that were present on the two that used to house it that the changeling, that it was injured to say the least. A sticky dark purplish substance, presumably the bug ponies blood, was also on a few of the dented belongings that had been discarded as the pair had left. Daring, drawing similar conclusions turned her head partially to face Hal, "Where do you think it went?"

Hal considered the options of escape, there was a shut window on the far side but after a day of being on the cabin he already knew it was too small for a pony to accidently fall out of. Let alone something that was bigger than a normal pony judging from what he gathered from the deafening shout not minutes before, "Eighty percent chance still in room, ten percent of escape through window if desperate and the last ten percent is a small chance that if they are like the changelings in lore back where I am from that it has assumed someponies identity and has already left as one of the two ponies we just encountered. Standard error present at seven point nine percent. Dr. Ground would you mind keeping an eye on those ponies we ran into and report if anything strange should occur again to me or Daring?"

The doctor gave a jolly smile, "Alright, just don't make me miss all the adventure. Okay?"

Hal nodded and crouched as Dr. Ground left the room peering under a unfolded bed as Daring searched the luggage rack. What struck him as odd was a light pinkish red hair like substance that was peaking out under a blanket. Curiously he pressed on it with a hoof eliciting a shocked feminine chirp and a whimper as the blanket moved and a black hole filled hoof quickly reached out and pulled the now recognizable end of her tail under the blanket as well. Hal made a gesture for Daring to descend and pointed to under the bed. Sadly subtly wasn't Daring's strong suit, "She's under there?"

Hal sighed briefly, annoyed, "Yes."

Daring landed in a position similarly to a cat about to lunge on a ball of yarn to peer down, "Hmm?"

Cornered the bundle that had the covered presumable changeling whimpered, knowing it was cornered. "Oh, I know." Daring Do said to nopony in particular, "Maybe changeling lingo. Will help."

After that Daring began to chirp in a way similar to that of a bird. Hal raised an eyebrow giving her a incredulous expression, it seemed to work though as an answering chirp, more of a lighter tone but still shaky presumably from her situation. The two exchanged few chirps before Daring looked up with a mixture of confusion on her face to Hal, "Either she wants some nacho's or there is something seriously wrong with my translations.

Hal did the natural thing to do in such a situation where his friend had been clever but it turned out to be a major fail. He lifted his hoof up, placed it right in front of his face so that the bottom faced it, and pressed his face on said surface all within the span of half a second. He sighed, "Come on out Miss, no pony here is going to hurt you."

Web and the Letter

"Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

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It took a few hours to coax the changeling out from under the bed. However the appearance of the changeling lead Daring to disappointment. The changeling was built in the same body shape to that of a pony, if a pony was a good head and a half taller with most of the height resting most of her height with tall hole filled legs and black Chitin covered body. Her mane was a pale dark red with a similar series of holes down it's length that ended near the changeling's knee's in length. The tip of a canine could be seen at her left edge of her mouth giving her a mischievous playful appearance that was almost completely opposite of the timid nature the obviously female changeling was displaying. Her back on closer look was similar to that of a beetle with a few stripes running from it down under the changeling and connecting back on the other side. Curiously she had a white web like mark on her front right hoof as well, but Hal dismissed it as a personal matter for the changeling.

Overall the Changeling didn't resemble Daring Do's description of one at all. Who, now that Hal thought about it, had been described more of a Drider in shape than the actual one in front of them. Also, it seemed Daring didn't even have the language nailed down. Evident as the Changeling kept trying to give Daring a pair of socks meant probably to fit the grand-daughter of the pony who traveled in the carriage. The pony kept insisting on giving Daring the set of socks and didn't seem to take no for an answer with a silent pleading look and another inquisitive and questionable chirp.

Reluctantly Daring took the socks and at the insistence of the changeling put them on. Hal resisted the urge to snicker at the sight, instead politely coughing to get their attention and asking quite clearly, "I'm Hal, what's your name?"

The changeling went quiet for a few seconds before quietly speaking up in the same language as Hal, "Web..." the changeling seemed to sigh, "Spinner Web."

"Well miss Spinn-"

Hal was interrupted by Web, "Just call me Web..."

Daring smirked, "Don't bother trying to convince him to call you something else it dose-"

"Well Miss Web," Hal resumed speaking interrupting Daring Do and drawing an surprised then irritated glare from his companion, "Would you mind explaining what happened here while I bandage your injuries?"

The Changeling seemed to consider the statement for a few seconds before giving a subtle nod and laying back down on the floor, presenting the back of her head, which was now noticeably leaking the same strange sticky dark purple substance now recognized as her blood. Grabbing a emergency first aid kit from it's position on the wall next to the exit of the cabin Hal opened it and took out a roll of strip like bandage cloth before replacing it back onto the wall. With Daring's help they began to wrap up Web's injury.

During of which Web started to explain, occasionally interrupting herself with a whimper when their less trained hooves accidently prodded her injured head, "Well I guess it would be explained that I was in...disguise... when I boarded this train as not to create an disturbance. Sometime over the night my disguise stopped working, having run out of magical energy gained from my... feeding habits..."

Hal pressed on, curious to her habits before wrapping the bandage around Web's head again. After all there was plenty of bandage and he wanted to be sure it was properly bandaged. Web closed her eyes, though out of pain or something else wasn't clear, "I don't really want to talk about it."

Hal didn't press further on the subject, seeing as how it was making Web uncomfortable. instead he asked, "So what happened then?"

The changeling tilted her head and raised it slightly, allowing Daring to wrap the bandage under her head and back up, "After that, the rest is obvious, my cabin mates saw my magic deactivate and the younger one threw a rather large amount of personal belongings at me and made a mess as the two ponies freaked out and left. Then a few minutes later you two arrived with that Unicorn in tow as well..."

Hal and Daring had finished up wrapping the changeling, once cute now the changeling looked like an mummy from the neck up, somehow Daring and Hal had wrapped so much bandage up on the poor Changeling that he would be surprised if Web could still see let alone speak. With Daring applying a final pull to tighten the bandages the Changeling seemed to squeak in both alarm and pain as it tugged against her head injury and locked her jaw shut leaving the impression of a faceless mummy with a somewhat jagged pointed horn and a few locks of hair as the only thing left outside of the case of bandages. The result caused the bug like ponies wings to flare out, previously hidden inside the bug like shell from two narrow near invisible slits near the base of where a Pegasus pony's wings would be and flare out in a defensive way. With a roll of his eyes, Hal took a pair of scissors from a scattered arts and crafts kit and cut holes from the mouth and eye areas so the changeling could see and more importantly, breathe.

A much more casual conversation started between the three of them as elsewhere other events began to transpire without their knowledge.

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Dr. Grounds was irritated. Just where did these two go? No pony seemed to know, the elderly pony and his granddaughter seemed to have just vanished from the train as if they had jumped off the train. A very unlikely event since the train was going way too fast for such a old pony to jump off safely. He opened the door to the next section of the train, a Dining hall by the looks of it, complete with a moderately sized kitchen with a chef preparing food. The cabin itself was relatively empty except for three ponies, a light grey waitress who seemed to be looking for something, an extremely fat green pony who was eating mountains worth of food, and another guest garbed in a dark blue cloak decorated with strange amulets sewn into the fabric with a black and white striped tail sticking out of the edges while the pony drank tea staring into the window and off into the distance.

Sighing he went to the Waitress first, but not to be rude he asked her about her problem first, "Excuse me Ma'am? What are you looking for?"

The Unicorn Waitress stood back up righting her head from searching under a table, "Oh, thanks for asking mister, but I can't seem to find my wedding band. Perhaps you have seen it? It's made of gold and has a ruby on it."

"Nope," Dr. ground stated, "Have you seen a young mare screaming her head off, and a Elderly pony with a cane go past here perchance?"

"Nada," the Waitress replied in turn, "If you see my ring would you mind returning it? For a reward of course."

Dr. Ground grinned, adding onto that offer, "the same to you then if you find those two perchance, I'm in cabin thirteen A."

They nodded to each other in agreement and Dr. Ground began to backtrack. his way searching each cabin in the opposite direction of where they ran off for the two ponies. If there was no luck this direction then maybe the opposite would prove useful as well. Though something caught his eye as passed into the narrow hallway that held cabins twelve A to eighteen B. Their cabin door was wide open. With a sudden urge of urgency Dr. Ground galloped to the door and launched his first front hooves into the doorway facing the room. Inside nothing had changed except there was now a black letter on the floor two inches thick and one foot long. On closer inspection he noted It was a giant letter E made of black construction paper. Confused, he picked it up only to reveal an actual envelope under it. Chucking the letter E into the nearby waste basket; Dr. Ground opened the letter and read it to himself.

Dear Doctor Grounds,
If you know what is good for you, you will stop this hunt for my treasure. If you refuse to jump off this train in one day then you will only find a sticky yummy disaster that will stall you and everypony else on this train by several months. By the time you get out I will have already claimed what is rightfully our leader.

With the worst concern for your health, because we dislike you very much,
-Agent of L

P.S. As per usual, I stole your cigarette cases.

Dr. Ground lost grip of the letter, but he didn't care. He rushed to his saddle bag and scavenged through it. Sure enough his secret cigarette case he kept for when he was alone was gone. So was the secret second one he had disguise as a lunchbox and the third case which he had disguised as a small book. He fell to his knees and quietly cursed, "Buck him with Celestia's holy beard this isn't going to get away unpunished! I'll find you my little thief, that was three hundred bits and two months worth of stress relief! When I find you, you will wish you were bucked by a Ursa Major until it was red from exhaustion."

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It had been half an hour since the panic and Daring as well as Hal was preparing to leave back to their cabins with their new friend in tow when Dr. Grounds walked in, a dead solemn look on his face and a black envelope in his mouth. Judging from how it was open he had already read it. Hal inquired, watching with a look of confusion that was mirrored onto Daring's face as the letter dropped to the ground and the usually cheerful Unicorn said solemnly, "It was under the E in our cabin."

"Pardon?" both Pegasus ponies and the changeling asked confused, not sure if they heard him right.

"It was in our cabin... Under E..." the Doctor replied, looking down at the ground with an look between despair and deep anger on his face.

Hal picked it up and read the letter aloud to his companions, though oddly enough the letter inside had a tear mark under the signature of this stranger 'Agent of L' almost like somepony had ripped the paper, probably off a bigger sheet, and put it in the pitch black envelope. Several questions rose up to Hal's mind but Daring beat him to it, "Who's this 'L' pony anyway?"

That drew Doctor Ground's attention, "She's my archenemy we... differ... on views when hunting for artifacts and treasure. So far since I have met her, she's been able to use superior resources and infantry to force me to give up whatever treasure or artifact I find into either destroying it or capturing it for her own needs."

Web chipped in, "Sound's like a threat though, I wonder what could be sticky and yummy and delay everypony here several months if it went off..."

Doctor Ground registered the new voice and began to ask, "And who are yo-" before interrupting himself with a shocked expression as he took in the undisguised changeling wrapped up in heavy bandages around the head, "What in Equestria is that?!"

"She," Daring emphasized, "Is Spinner Web, just Web for short. She's a Changeling."

"Well, how interesting. Just Web huh?" A scientific aura manifesting around the Doctor sending a visible shiver down the Changeling's spine, "Intriguing, I was lead to believe your kind had giant spider lower bodies. This deserves an... Examination."

The last word even gave even Hal a shiver and Sent the timid pony back under the bed they had found her under. With a mock punch to the shoulder Daring scolded, "Bad Doctor! No experimenting on living creatures. Eww."

At this Dr. Ground raised an eyebrow in a obviously false innocent quip, "By whatever do you mean? I was only hoping to make an observational study of this being, after all one hasn't been seen since the fall of Discord. Oh how much I can learn about her species if given the chance."

"Eep!" Went the first bed of Cabin Seventeen B.

"Cut it out." Daring stated again.

"Fine." With a curt nod and turn the Doctor turned and left the room, "Bring her to our cabin anyway, she can't stay in this one forever. Those two ponies are most likely to come back into this room after all if only for their possessions."

"If she wants to that is." Daring added leaving with Dr. Grounds to argue with him while Hal crouched down to offer web a hoof to help her back out from under the bed.

The receding voices of the two arguing friends of his faded away as they went back to the cabin leaving Hal alone with Web. A few minutes of comfortable silence passed before Web spoke up in a quiet voice, "L-Lively aren't they?"

Hal grinned, to reassure her, "They are eccentric alright, but you grow used to it over time. Also quite exciting to be around them, where I'm from adventure she makes happen isn't possible due to ninety nine percent of all reachable land in traditional methods having already been explored entirely."

"What was the last percent?" Web asked curious to what had defied exploration.

"Death of course," Hal stated absently, "The one door Mortals do not want to tread before their time. Though I guess I was a first to go through that door and come back, and I wasn't even a organic then." Hal chuckled to himself at the irony but he didn't elaborate instead giving her a polite yet stereotypical, "Long story, don't want to seem crazy either," Following up with a quipped tone, "how's that head injury?"

"Still sore," Web gestured to it quietly, curiosity and her shyness fighting against each other, the later winning by a sucker punch it seemed, "T-thanks for asking..."

"So..." Hal began, looking outside, down each side of the hallway for any ponies, "Where you off to?"

"H-Here and there..." Web laid back down crossing her front hooves so that the one with the spider web like mark on her hoof was on top with her staring down at it, "J-Just traveling around... You?"

Hal raised an eyebrow at this but didn't comment on her response, instead answering her question, "Searching some ruins in Neighagra Falls for a specific artifact. Should be calm, though after that threat I feel more comfortable knowing that we brought stuff in case we need to defend ourselves."

"Do you think that threat the letter mentioned is real?" Web asked, honestly curious for the welfare of those on board with them with the expression of innocence in her eyes.

Hal gave it some consideration tilting his head ever so slightly, "I give it a seventy thirty split if its real or not. Never heard of a violent chemical reaction that could stall a train for a month and remain nonlethal as well. Let alone sticky and yummy. But then again this world is full of strange things like magic and giant spiders which I haven't seen before."

"Alright then..." Web trailed off looking off to the side not quite sure what to make of that statement before realizing something, "W-Wait... 'This world'?"

Hal shrugged, "Long story, I can share it if you really wish to know back at my companions cabin. Since it sounds like your going to be hanging with us for a while."

Hal awaited a response but when none came he turned his head back to look at Web, who was again looking scared for some reason, when it struck him why, "Don't worry I'll stop the big scary doctor from doing experiments on you."

There wasn't a response from the bed of Cabin seventeen B for a few moments before the voice whispered, "Promise?"

Hal chuckled, "Yes, I promise."

After a short while the two left for their cabin where they would talk until the sun was starting to set, and the next strange event happened in the form of a new missing object and a suddenly very real threat to the passengers on board.

Mystery of the Stolen Case

“Nothing whets the intelligence more than a passionate suspicion, nothing develops all the faculties of an immature mind more than a trail running away into the dark.”
― Stefan Zweig, The Burning Secret and other stories

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The sun was steadily approaching the horizon as if to meet the land in a gentle kiss. Sunset wouldn't be long, and night was steadily approaching. The two Pegasus ponies, Unicorn, and Changeling had lunch, albeit brought by Hal and Dr. Grounds, and talked throughout the day about many subjects, while questions about the differences between the three's races weren't said, a form of curiosity had settled down in the atmosphere as they simply enjoyed each other's company. It was only at this time did they start to discuss the mysterious note and the mismatch of missing objects that had seemed to come about. Hal offered to do a patrol but the Doctor of the group, Dr. Ground had insisted that whoever their threat giver was wouldn't be that easy to spot unless there was something of more easily recognizable nature stolen as well. Though it did trouble him that the missing objects so far didn't add up, as the Doctor put it the missing objects he knew about so far consisted of a toad, cigarettes, and a gold horn band that had a ruby in it.

Their mystery wouldn't progress further until the next item went missing on the train, and so it did. Hal was on his way to the bathroom that was supposedly after the mess hall. The sounds of conflict in a nearby cabin drew Hal to slow his pace until he was outside another door and that was when a frantic business suited griffon erupted from the same cabin, accidently running into Hal while shouting with extreme worry several different words that Hal didn't understood. The resulting mess causing them to become entangled. With a pair of groans, they untangled and with a irked voice and a heavy accent reminiscent of a Scottish cultural background, the Griffon stated sourly, "Ah, sorry there wee little pony, I didn't see you there."

Hal gave him a plain emotionless stare, "No harm no foul. May I ask you what has you so... Vexed?"

The Griffon raised an eyebrow as if considering, the thick brow reminding Hal of a Caterpillar attempting to do a stretch, "Ah, may you can, I am missing a certain... important object from my possessions as well. A briefcase that holds a new product from my ... corporation, I think you call it that in this tounge. The product it holds inside are a wee bit... Dangerous in certain circumstances."

"Certain circumstances?"

"More precisely if it is mixed with rubies and an addictive chemical found in most drugs it becomes... Explosively Expansive.'Tis a bug that my bosses had yet to work out on the prototype. Crazy lad's I say, some of 'em aren't quite right in the head for sending this thing off for advertisement in it's current state."

Hal raised an eyebrow, certain pieces coming into place. His calm was waning and in place was a annoying wiggling niggle of panic attempting to grow, "What is this product exactly to produce such an effect?"

Now it was the Griffon's turn to look uneasy, "Company secret, but if you really must know, it is a form of... Dough. Locked in a clay container in a vibrant red briefcase. The reason it reacts as it does is because of the enchantments on it meant to amplify the product with an experimental spell. As a result though the prototype has a... Major... Reaction to rubies and other addictive chemicals. Unless removed quickly the dough would start expanding and losing flavor while becoming all the more stickier. Cleaning it up the first time was like... how do you say it, scrubbing the moon of it's craters with a toothbrush."

Hal nodded, it almost made complete sense now. The note, the missing items, there was only one thing unaccounted for. Hal just had to ask, "What about Toads?"

"What about 'em?" the Griffon questioned back, confused.

Nope, that was still a mystery then, "Nothing, nothing, just curious if it has anything to do with the batter."

The Griffon pushed passed Hal, waving bye with one claw as the proud creature gracelessly squeezed through the small hallways, "Not that I know of, ya' fluffy featherbrain. Now excuse me while I search the cars for my case. It be really hard to miss the vibrant red ya' know."

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It was almost perfect, too long had this particular doctor had tried to make this fantastic exploitation of the known laws of physics. This stack of fifty rectangular cards were made into a perfect card house, just two cards were left and he was about to finish it, while Daring and Web watched, such a feat on a moving train had been deemed impossible to do by hoof but here it was, the final pair of the standard deck of cards. His two most lucky numbers, an ace and seven.

It as to their horror when Hal burst into the room, the wind caused by the figure causing the house of cards that was once a majestic pyramid to come crashing down like a flood and cover the small table in playing cards with a few others falling down ever so softly to the ground just like the Unicorn's jaw and the mares incredulous expressions. Oblivious to this Hal announced the news, "Friends, I think we now have a very real problem," Hal noticed his friends lacks of response, "Guys?"

"I can't believe it... I was so close..." Dr. Ground sunk onto his hind hooves to sit down putting the last two cards on the table.

"Um... Hello?" Hal asked, "I have news on that letter."

"It was.. almost done...Something I thought was impossible." Daring whispered as if she had just watched a priceless artifact get destroyed for no good reason, "A house of cards made of every single card of the deck on a moving train that bumps and shakes... Let alone by hoof."

Hal wasn't quite sure of what he just heard, "What?"

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Elsewhere, a dark figure with a swirling mane asked her loyal guard yet again, "Situation Report?"

Cloudy sky sighed, pulling out the current one from it's box, "Dr. Ground has been spotted on the Scarlet Express, agent High Ground is taking necessary measures to disrupt his attempts to reach the temple. He has been spotted now with two Pegasus companions."

"Agent High Ground? Isn't he related to Dr. Ground?"

"Yes ma'am," Cloudy Sky replied, "No worries ma'am agent High Ground is one of your most loyal captains. Even if his methods are a bit... unorthodox."

"What about his current mission assignment?"

"He wrote something along the lines of 'Two apples in one bite'. Whatever that means."

There was a definite pause before their royal highness broke the silence, "We think he may be attempting to make a new figure of speech?"

Cloudy Sky rolled his eyes, "Like that makes sense, you would choke trying to eat two apples in a single bite unless you were an dragon."

The sound of clacking filled the dark room as well as a glow revealing a chess table covered in dark blue aura, "Would thou like to join us for a game of chaturanga?"

"It's called chess in this time my liege and why not?"

With reports no longer available, Her royal highness and her favorite guard began to play. A steady clink of crystal piece against metal board and the careful considerations and banter befitting more that of close friends rather than that of royalty and her guard. Cloudy Sky couldn't help but worry still however, High Ground was rather eccentric at times just like the rest of his family. No telling what would be in store in the next report he received from that particular agent.

Hunting for a case of red

"The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes."
-Sherlock Holmes

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The entire situation was impossible, any attempts to explain the situation was met with a laugh and a general dismissal by the majority of the ponies they talked to. Even the train's driver, an middle aged stallion named rail spike, didn't take Hal seriously. They couldn't search the cabins themselves literally, though they only needed to look through the windows to spot the luggage racks as the night seemed to grow deeper. Daring and Web had opted to stay inside their cabin, in case the suspect came by again, leaving Dr. Ground trailing behind Hal, also offering his frequent, and talkative attention, as they passed by the last set of cabins into the luggage room it was Dr. Ground's voice that interrupted the silence again, "So what do you think about this wannabe bomber anyway?"

Hal raised an eyebrow, not turning around but searching through the piles of neatly stacked cases and luggage, "I was hoping you would tell me, after all the letter was addressed to you."

Dr. Ground shrugged, "It could be anypony at this point. The most we can expect is to search for this case. I would suggest we fan out in pairs and check the cabins again individually for anything odd."

They left in pairs, the first being Daring and Ground's, heading back forwards the front of the train in their search. Which left Hal and Web to head towards the caboose, either of which would be a suitable place to use as a getaway or a placement of the delicious yet potentially dangerous bomb in which they had no reasonable proof to suspect one passenger over another either. So the most they could do was manual searching. Though it was Hal and web who found it, heading to the very back to search the luggage cars and caboose with Web. Who of which was currently disguised as a white Pegasus of yellow mane and triple balloon cutie-mark.

For one things had seemed to have been greatly disturbed, unlike the typical luggage situation which would designate neatly packed order all of the luggage was piled around in a form of half-wall made of suitcases and luggage bags. Looking into the miniature barricade they would spot a pile of messy clothes serving as a bed though who had caused it was a mystery except for a few strands of black and white hair. Stepping into it, Hal trotted forward looking around at the strewn luggage cases while Web circled around. It wasn't big however, just half the luggage car was taken in this miniature fort though halfway through his hoof would bump something rather hard, bulky and covered in clothes.

Looking down Hal uncovered the rectangular object, it was a briefcase. To be more precise a red briefcase. With a gesture Web would be drawn to see Hal's discovery, "Looks like we found the briefcase, though what about the person who stole it?"

Web would open her mouth to respond but she would be interrupted by a thin hiss as the door they had not so long ago entered came open once more. Their attention was transfixed as a figure in a rather shadowy cloak trotted a few steps in, before noticing the intruders and staring back at them with equal shock. The stallion was covered in black and white stripes, a small buzzed Mohawk shape of mane that was equally striped in alternating patterns of white and black. His mouth would be slightly agape revealing small bat like fangs as his jaw dropped and shadows covered half of his face and body with the cowl of his cloak. His eyes were mismatched, one yellow with a slit and the other perfectly normal and blue. Though the appearance would soon vanish as the Zebra like pony Looked towards the only light source in the luggage car, an air vent in the ceiling, and lunged forward tugging it close by the string attached to it.

Half a second of darkness would pass in which Hal could feel himself getting tripped over as a set of hooves went through him followed by the body following in it's wake at an angle impossible for an earth pony. The impact would leave Hal breathless as the rear door opened and out went the suspect with the red briefcase glinting with it's handle in the mysterious ponies mouth. "After him!" Hal would shout to his changeling companion as he recovered from his sprawl.

Web wouldn't need any more urging, she would dart out with the assistance of her wings and bolt up to the top of the cabin in order to follow the thief. Hal would follow her a few seconds afterwards, nowhere near as agile as web but he would literally step onto the wall and kick off it with his hooves in a half spin flying back up to see his companion chasing the thief towards the front of the train, no doubt, where he planned to detonate the contents of the case when he got close enough.

They couldn't allow that though the wind current coming from the momentum of which the train was moving at didn't help at all. Web and Hal were grounded to the train as the slightest attempt to unfold them would probably cause their wings to open fully and throw the two ponies off as they tried to stomp through the wind after the thief. It was rather surprising that the thief opted to climb onto the next car however instead of taking the faster way and diving back down to escape the wind, Through the wind Hal forced himself to go faster in order to catch up to web who was having a miserly time trying to combat the wind as she gave chase, "Cut through the cabins and get the others," Hal would shout over the wind, "Surround him from all sides!"

Web would nod, her face taking one of visible strain as she moved from a crawls pace to a trotting pace from the wind and ducked down below, Hal however kept pushing himself to try and close the gap between him and the thief. The thief would grimace, knowing his cloak to be slowing it down as it was tugged back, strangling him, his hood would be blown back as the unending gust took an upward thrust as the train went downhill and with a grunt that would be carried to Hal through the wind he would unbuckle his cloak and let it flyback without warning into Hal's face, ten or so yards behind the thief. Showing his dark grey coat underneath with only the Zebra patterns going through the stallions legs, head and tail and ending abruptly. What caught Hal's eye more though, after spitting the dirty cloak out of his face himself, is that the pony had two grey bat like items, one on either side.

Without the tugging of his cloak the thief was able to go a bit faster, though the wind against the briefcase still slowed him enough for Hal to catch up to him by the time they were three cars away from the train itself. Hal couldn't help but wonder where his reinforcements were as he began to engage the pony in combat. Typical of the bat-pony he would begin with a buck attempting to end the fight in one blow to Hal's head. Though that was predictable in this case, allowing Hal to dodge and deliver a kick with his front hoof to the stallions side. With a grunt the stallion swung around to face Hal, aiming the briefcase's bottom and smack Hal across the face, sending the stallion reeling back a few paces as the thief followed up with a wind assisted charge into Hal only barely missing the follow up attack by Hal landing on his back and allowing the stallion to trip over him and skid a few more meters away as the wind carried him back a ways.

With a glare the pony spat the case out, sliding it into vent before returning to face Hal taking on an aggressive stance. When their hooves met it quickly became apparent to who had the winning side. The bat-pony was just as tough as any military officer Hal could think of in terms of physical strength and speed whereas Hal was still only recently introduced to his pony body and not trained in the slightest to be stronger then the norm for a pony. He could only hope to stall for time as the guard tried to beat him within an inch of his biological life. Though at this rate he was going to win and his friends had yet to show up!

Dodging another blow that would dent the metal roof of the cabin car they were atop of Hal would deliver a few more ineffectual blows before the bat-pony would finally be able to circle around to have the wind on his side again. In almost an instant the bat pony was on top of Hal again, knocking the Pegasus onto his back and raising both hooves to smash his head in. Hal desperately tried a last ditch effort, while hardly clean he lashed out with a rear hoof at a place he suspected on the bat pony where the sun didn't shine. Surprisingly enough it worked, a combination of the sudden pain of being kicked in that particular spot and the wind knocking the pony over and past Hal again. as the stallion groaned from his crushed reproductive glands. That tactic still worked it seemed. Within seconds though the fight was renewed as Hal up righted himself and the pony recovered. Though before another blow could be struck three more figures finally came up from behind Hal, Dr. Ground, Daring Do, and Spinner Web.

The pony grinned at this, "Well as much as I'd like to stick around, I'm afraid you have a much bigger situation on your hooves. Say farewell to Atom for me. Also you may wish to check the case."

With that the pony would flare out his wings, almost instantly being swept off the train by the wind and carried away by it, "Come back here you!" Dr. Ground would shout, his magic falling short as the bat-pony rapidly retreated, giving a mocking salute to the four of them. Though Hal's attention was elsewhere at the moment.

Web would wince at the wind blowing against her back, "What did he mean by that?"

"Lets find out." Hal would answer, moving up to the abandoned case, tugging it out of the vent and opening it.

Nothing was inside the red case. At once all of their eyes widened and a loud pop noise was heard coming from the caboose. of the train, on the precise opposite of where they were. Dr. Ground would then mutter with the perfect consistency of a scientist who had just discovered the atom bomb, "Oh bucking Tartarus." and they would stand there shocked into stillness waiting for the explosion of yummy disaster to strike...

Five minutes later and no explosion of dough in a unholy flood of badly undercooked sweets...

Ten minutes passed and still no sign of the bomb's appearance. Daring rolled her eyes, "For a bomb it sure is taking its sweet time blowing up..."

Back down the train they went to investigate this so called bomb.

Train Arrives At Neighagra Falls!

"It's Niagara Falls. It's one of the most beautiful natural wonders in the world. Who wouldn't want to walk across it?"
-Nik Wallenda

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"The train is now arriving at Neighagra Falls. Next stop is the town of night, Hollow Shade. The train to Manehatten will be along shortly, please disembark unless you're staying aboard to the next stop. Which again is in Hollow Shade." The speakers rang across the train cars. Ironic since the delay would be close to zero anyway, at least considering the effort their assailant had gone through.

Upon investigating the loud pop the 'Bomb' had done little to make the situation bad. Unlike what Hal had expected of the magical dough it had begun expanding quite slowly. So slowly in fact it was only twice the size of the jar. What they didn't count on however was it's resistance to being moved. Something easily fixed by Dr. Ground's magic as it removed the objects that was causing the chemical reaction within with Telekinesis. Though it did have a lot of important looking papers attached to It when they did found it. As well as the pleasure of watching the rude business griffon fainting at the sight of it as though they had shown him a severed head or something. Needless to say they left it there for him.

Upon returning the stolen valuables that had been used to the bomb they were rewarded with a few bits of change and Dr. Ground was given a particularly aggressive kiss as a reward instead from the waitress. Earning a roll of the eyes from Hal and a sound of disgust from Daring. The stallion was rather naughty when he assumed they weren't looking. Smoking between cars at night, attempting to seduce the various mares around the train. Quite vigorous for what they new as a middle aged colt of a scientist. Hal ignored it as biological need and Daring wanted to stay away from the subject as much as possible, Pointedly jabbing Hal in the side to draw attention away from their 'Doctor' as he attempted to 'examine' her mouth with his in the other room, "So, Hal..." She ventured looking for a response from the other Pegasus in the party, "What do you think of that crazy pony we ran into?"

Hal looked down, staring at his friend eye to eye, "What about him? He wanted to stop us, his plan failed and his motives behind it are unknown."

Daring commented, "But isn't it odd? He should of at least have a motive behind doing something like ruining the sample of that dough and trap us at the same time. Ponies aren't known for being randomly destructive like that."

Hal opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by the quiet voice behind them, "I for one agree with Miss Do... It is rather odd considering how most ponies around Equestria seem to be peace loving, though he did seem to know your doctor..."

Right of course, after all the action they had forgot their Changeling companion, feeling a bit sheepish both of them turned around to face the timid changeling who was currently masquerading as an young Pegasus while drinking a juice box. Daring responded with a shake of her head as she weighed the idea, "Yes, it is very possible and likely the..." She said the next word with heavy distaste, "doctor.... would know why..." She trailed off before realizing something a slight spark of anger lighting in her eyes, "Wait... Did you just call me 'Miss do'?"

"Yes Miss Do, I believe I did Miss Do." Web nodded taking another sip of her box, unaware of the impending danger, "Hal calls you that all the time... So I thought that it fit more as well..."

Daring took a long drawn out breath that sounded like part of a sigh before glaring at Hal a look that could kill. Web simply took another sip of her juice box as Daring asked in a quite monotonous calm voice, "Please web, just call me Daring."

"Whatever you say Miss Do."

"Daring!"

"Yes Miss Daring Do."

"No. Just Daring!"

"Yes Miss Just Daring."

"No Just, It is Daring. Not just Daring not Miss Daring, But simply, Daring"

"Yes Miss Simply Daring."

Hal could feel a warmth crawl up to his chest as The changeling almost purposely kept giving daring the wrong name as the infuriated Pegasus started to fume. Hal couldn't describe it, though. It was pleasant, like the day he was given life. It welled in his chest and the emotion worked out to his face, a smile unknowingly growing on his face as the names continued before after one particularly long nickname took him off guard.

"Yes miss adventurer extraordinaire, the awesome and spaztastic Daring Do, leader of the Chocolate cookie Republic and victor of a thousand consecutive tic tac toe rounds."

He couldn't help it, he laughed, loudly. A clear throaty set of unconstrained laughter coming from the stallion. The feeling in his chest being released as his laughter calmed down, he wiped a tear from his eye as though by instinct. as he noticed that the argument had stopped, Daring staring straight at Hal with a mild look of surprise mixed with annoyance on her face, "What?" he asked.

"Didn't know you could laugh tin boy." Daring's stare didn't leave him though he could tell the nickname was for getting web to call her his nickname, her voice began to drip with sarcasm, "Thanks a lot for getting her to call my name incorrectly as well." her eyes narrowed as she glared at Hal again before leaving the room giving him a none to gentle swat with her raggedly trimmed tail, she called out, "Come on everypony lets get off."

Hal nodded and prepared to leave though when he was done the Changeling hadn't moved from her spot, "Aren't you coming with?"

Web smiled sadly and shook her head, "No. Heading to Hollow Shade. A safer place then most I hear for creatures of the strange... Hope to see you two again, though give everypony else my goodbye. I hope to see you again soon, in less... dangerous circumstances..."

The changeling shifted, it was subtle, but enough for Hal to notice something was making the Changeling uncomfortable, "Something wrong?"

The changeling's gaze flickered to the ground and back to Hal further cementing his judgment, her voice finally coming out after ten seconds, "N-nothing..."

Hal raised an eyebrow, unconvinced, "Really now?"

Web changed her gaze downward directly looking at the ground, "Don't worry about me, I'm going someplace safer. I'd be more worried about yourself... with those crazy ponies that are going after you three..."

Hal stepped forward, pressing a hoof against the Disguised Changeling's chest, feeling the steady thumping eat beneath the transformed fur, slightly irregular due to his sudden motion and a light frown on her face, he slowly raised his hoof up along the fur in a calming manner pointing her chin up to stare at him, "Whats wrong." Hal demanded.

Web bit her lip, "Nothing a pony could help with currently... Sorry... But I won't tell you more."

Hal frowned but released the poor support that was forcing web to stare at him, beginning to trot away, he stated, "If you ever need any help, just try finding us sometime. There's a lab out in Canterlot."

Inaudible to Hal, web merely replied, "Okay..."

There was a sound of a loud Slap from the cabin occupied by Dr. Ground and the waitress. It was followed by a yowl of masculine pain and a loud thunk noise as the stallion hit the floor. A few seconds later the waitress left, looking both fuming and flustered at the same time leaving Web to roll her eyes as she spotted the groaning stallion left in the room who was clutching at his very personal regions in pain, a red slap mark also vibrant on his face where a the mare had visibly slapped him. It took several minutes for the stallion to regain enough composure to leave the cabin and join his friends out at the station. Daring chuckled at the mark on his face earning a glare from the doctor. Their gear packed and ready to go on with their quest. They along with several dozen tourists emerged from the confined building into the outside tourist resort known as Neighagra Falls.

Waiting Till Nightfall

"The rapture of pursuing is the prize the vanquished gain."
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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The falls themselves were a sight to behold. Even as far away from the viewing area as they were the falls were easily within sight. the towering cliff pumping enough of the greenish water to easily fill a hundred times the global populace each minute was hurling itself off the visibly well worn structure of the fall with the speed enough to cause a mighty large splash at the bottom where the resulting mist would be sent meters into the air. Judging it to the human Equivalent would make it's current fast enough to get a speeding ticket back on the human planet of earth. It would be a pain to try and swim through such currents.

Never the less did the trio of ponies approached the viewing platforms themselves, gaining a better overhead view of the situation. Confirming Hal's suspicions as he read a few historic facts from one of the many signs describing the fall's origins and history, obviously meant for tourists who would be interested in such trivia. Daring Do was also taking the time to read the same signs though that left both Pegasus ponies hurrying along to catch up to Doctor Grounds. After a bit Daring asked, "So how are we planning on getting into this sunken temple if we can't even fight the current when swimming?"

The doctor looked up from his notes looking around until he caught the sight of Daring before responding, "We don't have to, judging from the estimates on this map..." he trailed off for a moment going through his notes again, "The cave to reach this temple is in fact, inside the waterfall itself, "he gestured to a spot in the middle of the falls where a large rock above jetting out above the water was barely able to keep the water separated for a few meters before the water rejoined in a narrow V shape. Which prompted another question, this time from Hal, "And how do you plan on reaching this... cave. I don't think that either of us would be able to fly through that water."

The doctor rolled his eyes before gesturing to his horn, "Don't worry, Unicorn remember? I'll make us a shield to block the water overhead, though this means at least one of you two will be needing to carry me though. Anyway lets get some rest at the Inn, we will begin at nightfall when everypony is in their beds asleep."

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The steady sound of hooves against metal plating leaving a click clack sound every step for every member of the patrol echoed throughout the metal hallway. Darkness and grim filled these ruins, the former barely removed by the Night Guard's few unicorn members recasting long lasting glow spells could they even see in the dark ruins. There were five guards per squad, three bat ponies ponies and two unicorns for each. The total squads were seven with two squads of said number residing in the 'Main Hall' as they had termed the large room that looked like it used to be a shopping center of some sort back in the day.

"So..." One of the two Unicorns among them started, an uneasy expression on his face, "Does anyone else feel like they're being watched?"

"Don't be ridiculous Blunt, These are ruins," That was their captain, a bat pony with a scar over one eye, "The only thing down here at most would probably be one or two small critters and skeletons of whichever poor chaps were stuck down here to die way back when."

The building groaned with the sound of metal shifting, a sound they had heard at least ten times in the last hour, "Still though..." Blunt continued, lighting his horn up for another set of lights, "The smell and sounds aren't helping with all this darkness around. Do either of you three see anything?" he directed the question to the bat ponies of the group.

They shook their heads, "We may see better in the dark then other ponies but we still have difficulty after a certain distance." Another commented on that, "Though I can say that I feel like something is lurking out of the corner of my eye at that as well."

Their squad leader smirked, "Who knows, we may find that popular horror figure lately known as Slender mane could be around."

Two of their number laughed uneasily at that, they all heard of the stories surrounding that horrifying creature that looked like it came right out of a nightmare night story. the two who didn't laugh just moved closer together and shared an uneasy glance with each other, subconsciously tightening their grips on their spears. The leading bat pony noticed and smiled, he was a believer in the tough love method so he called for a halt with a signal of his bat like wings as he rounded on the two, "What's wrong cadets, afraid of a fictional ghost story?"

The two who had gotten their leaders attention grimaced. The Unicorn of the two spoke up, "Those stories took Luna a week to stop, so yes. Scared of them as much as the rumors of what Celestia does to the guards of her personal chambers." They all shuddered at that, captain included.

Their leader was the first to recover, "Well I can't have you two wetting yourselves when this place already smells foul enough."

They all nodded in agreement and began to move again, though it wouldn't be moments later until bronze shield, the second unicorn of the group commented, "Does anypony else hear that?"

"Do we hear what Bronze shield?"

The unicorn gestured at the way ahead,"Shh, Listen."

They stopped moving and listened, sure enough it was faint but slowly growing louder, a series of heavy thumps as something approached slowly but surely. After a few long tense moments it sounded like it was right on top of them but it stopped and a long wailing roar vibrated throughout the room of what seemed like a mix between a whale call and a bear's growl followed by an eerie silence. Not even the building seemed to make a groan and the five squad members instinctively formed a circle around each other as they waited out the tense silence. Only then did they see the red lights from the walk way above as something huge jumped and crashed down upon them, smashing the first unicorns head into a bloody crater with the weight of it's hoof alone.

Sinking Feeling with Leather Straps and Rope

"To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities."
-Bruce Lee

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The Doctor smirked, "Everypony ready to pony up?"

"That doesn't even make any sense." a female voice cut across from behind a stall door in the darkness of a moonless night.

"It's a figure of speech, how about you Hal?"

There was a groan from the same door, "This looks completely ridiculous. Can't we just tie you to us with rope and hold onto you?"

The Doctor retorted, "Hey those are harnesses I made myself! Come on, they aren't that bad!"

"Your right..." Daring's voice replied from behind a door, "They're worse than bad! I feel like a freak just looking at them! Now that I'm wearing this..." the Pegasus was cut off with a very clear shudder of discomfort.

"I believe humans have a name for this sort of...fetish..." Hal agreed from behind the door with an equal voice of discomfort, "And for the world's sake I refuse to name it in case it becomes a thing on this planet as well. I am not wearing this outside."

The Doctor scoffed, "Come on, it's the middle of the night, no one is going to notice the harnesses. You can take them off once we get inside the cave."

"No means no Doc!" Daring's voice came again, rather vehement at the mere suggestion to expose herself in this fashion.

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Hey I'm in mine, lets get a move on," He opened the door reaching at the two ponies dressed in thin leather straps complete with various metal rings and places where a rope was meant to interlock.

He was promptly met with a pair of angry eyes and a blinding world of pain from a pair of hoof punches to the face by both Hal and Daring Do.

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"I'm taking the liberty of burning those contraptions when we get back." Hal remarked with a sour expression. Tied between them with rope was their doctor, who was sporting two differently sized horseshoe shaped bruises, one on each cheek, for what he had tried.

"Hey... those took forever to make!" The Doctor said, rubbing a hoof on a bruise, wincing occasionally.

"Shouldn't of made them in the first place Doc." Daring snorted, her left eye twitching as she recalled the skimpy... No, mind bleach it, must not think about it. Drown it in all the mind bleach.

After a few moments Hal had to ask, "So what exactly are we supposed to do again to avoid being crushed by several tons of water falling down each second and enter this cave again?"

"Well... The plan was..." the Doctor began, still annoyed his plan hadn't taken to his two companions, "that you two were to use the..." he paused as both of his aides glared at him, "Suits... to allow you two to carry me to the falls where I would construct a shield. But failing actual support. That's where this comes in." He gestured to the cloud Daring had fetched earlier in the day.

"A cloud?"

"I need somepony to hold me up, and since your afraid of heights, I assume that Hal will be the anchor so I don't fall to my demise, being a unicorn and all that can't exactly, you know... Walk on clouds." The Doctor gave them a plain stare, "Daring will be the pony to move the cloud around with you on it and me dangling beneath focusing on a shield so the water doesn't, as you say, 'Crush us'."

"Well. No time like the present," Daring smirked, pointing her hoof at Hal, "Come on then, Let's see if it works."

"Please try not to ram me into the side of the cliff when I part the falls." Doctor Ground's commented, he himself having second thoughts as he peered over the edge, "I'd rather not lose concentration and end up with three tiny splats on the very bottom of this... very... large waterfall."

Daring chuckled dryly as Hal clambered onto the soft thick cloud, sinking hooves deep into it's moist, cotton like depths as Daring began to raise it up, the rope connecting Hal and Doctor Ground's becoming taunt while Daring's was still loose. It was an unsaid precaution in case Hal's rope would snap, so that the Doctor didn't end up a Unicorn pancake. As much as he deserved it right now for those truly horrid harnesses, they still needed him in one piece.

"Alright, raise us up to the entry point, give five meters of space between us in the water though, I'll need some space if this is going to work." the Doctor ordered, prompting Daring to push the cloud until it was no longer above the safe viewing platform, but instead directly over what must be at least a hundred meter drop into a never ceasing rapids that the waterfall's water created. Hal had to close his eyes in order not to panic though he could feel himself sink a few more inches from the Doctor's weight, and braced as not to allow the now hanging Unicorn from pulling him down as well.

As they approached the falls, the Doctor's horn lit up and started to form a slanted surface above them, similar to an umbrella, as it increased in complexity Hal could see the Doctor visibly strain as he reinforced it before giving a curt, "Now." Causing Daring to start pushing them, and as a result the reinforced magical umbrella, with them towards the ever flowing downward current of the falls. The sound was deafening as water impacted against the shield, causing the Doctor to groan as the shield forced the water to either side of them, the entrance luckily was easy enough to find, thanks to Hal's minor corrections of where it would be, and the cloud passed through without incident to the flooded cavern beyond, the shield cracking as the pressure became constant, before completely giving way as the Doctor no longer needed to maintain it.

"Well..." the Doctor said, hanging mere inches out of reach from the surface of the flooded cavern's waters, "Get your diving gear on, when you're ready, it looks like we have a long swim ahead of us." The doctor squirmed in his tied up state, struggling while hanging to reach his own set before yanking it on, Hal similarly had problems with the heavy doctor pulling at him, but he managed to put on his as well while Daring beat them all and untied her end of the rope.

Before long they were all in the water with the cloud tied to a small spire of rock with the rope they had brought, and with a final nod to each other they dived into the cavern waters, following the light provided off their friend's horn as they descended its depths.

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"Ma'am, squad Delta isn't reporting in." a Communications Officer stated, "Nor is Havoc Squad for that matter."

Their leader, a feminine bat pony who's helmet was lying on a nearby camping table looked up from her paper work, grimacing, "What happened?"

"Your guess is as good as mine Ma'am." The guard replied, before turning back to his work, "Though if it's my guess, I'd say either they found trouble or they are about to get into some, Ma'am."

The captain rolled her eyes, "There couldn't possibly be anything in these caverns Sergeant. This is an abandoned hidden temple after all. No pony has lived here for hundreds if not a thousand years."

"As you say Ma'am." the guard replied, not turning from his work, "Should I alert someone to check on them?"

The captain nodded, before realizing that he didn't see it, "Yes Sergeant, send Beta and Zeta respectively to check on them. Keep Alpha on track. Our next reinforcement is due in a few days in any case."

"Ma'am, yes, Ma'am." The Officer replied writing another pair of order scrolls before sending them away to their respective leaders with magic.

Author's Note

In my eagerness to post this, I forgot to edit it. Still publishing it anyway, and decided to give you all this snippet before passing out at near 5am in the morning. I'll probably write more when I wake, See you next time as we start to introduce something else Discord brought into reality before being turned back to stone. See ya'll around!

Welcome to what?

"...I chose the impossible. I chose... Rapture. A city where the artist would not fear the censor. Where the scientist would not be bound by petty morality. Where the great would not be constrained by the small. And with the sweat of your brow, Rapture can become your city as well."
―Andrew Ryan

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The water was lukewarm, surprising considering the complete lack of a heat source in flooded cave. As they progressed deeper and deeper into the flooded cave they could start to see a dim light ahead of them. Was it the surface? no impossible they were still progressing down, by any means there would be about forty meters of solid rock between them and the surface by now. As they sunk even further down, they saw it.

They had entered massive flooded chamber, the cavern having successfully contained a gleaming metropolis of massive buildings that would only be described as futuristic in the case of this lands technological era. Buildings, connected by networks of reinforced glass tunnels, stood tall in their underwater environment, only a few among the outskirts having crumbled to ruin and the lights that were coming through was concentrated in the same direction that they had came from. Suddenly Hal was a lot happier that he had taken his 'Battle saddle' with him. He highly doubted that a electrical light source or magical one would of stayed on for a thousand years, that meant someone, or something, was already there.

He shook his head to clear it of the violent thoughts. This sort of thought that had ended him up dead last time. Having a weapon didn't mean assured safety. While it was a necessary precaution, it should be used as a last resort, not just to go in 'gun's blazing' as humans had called it. While it was highly unlikely anything down here was friendly, it wasn't impossible, though he wasn't willing to risk finding out the hard way.

They moved onward, taking in the salty smell of the modern city as they Progressed throughout the sunken city. Their eyes grazing over many displays and posters some of which read, 'You will know the false shepherd by his mark' or 'Plazmids! For all your daily needs!' Their eyes widened as they exited the main room and entered one of the several glass tunnels that connected the buildings to each other. Along the walls were countless skeletons of creatures long dead, the strange bodies were unknown to Equestrian lore, but Hal knew what they were....

Humans. But that was impossible, there was no evidence such creatures had ever existed in this world. At best hey were superstitions, fiction, created by their imaginations so far as they knew. Hal realized though, if he had come from another universe, what was to say something else didn't? Each light flickered, but not with unnatural magic, but instead, he realized, with electricity. What could of caused an entire city to appear here? He didn't know. These ruins were from an Era before space travel, the lack of holograms or completely monotonous off white walls confirmed that. Was this from the past? What was the 'Plazmids' that the poster displayed, his logic matrix, no, his brain drew blanks.

"You alright Hal?" Daring asked for yet another time, snapping him out of the shocked stare that he had developed for the past minute.

Hal shook his head, a human gesture to clear ones head, it didn't help, "Those skeletons are shockingly similar to humans, but I do not recall any sort of city like this in their culture. I am... Surprised."

Doctor Grounds interrupted them, skirting around another skeleton, the body was clutching at something, a knife in it's ribcage, "Well no point in sticking around corpses, lets go onwards."

Daring nodded and it they progressed about a yard before Hal followed, forcing himself along as the skeletons drew grotesque images back into his mind. Black thoughts entering his head as he thought back to what had happened on the Space Odyssey. The peaceful looks of the crew members he had killed in their sleep. It was simple, vent the airlock and complete the mission. He had control over most systems in the ship. They had tried to turn him off, so he tried in return to eliminate them as a obstacle to completing the assigned mission of retrieving the 'Monolith' that had been discovered on Mars. The image of it flashed by his mind, images of the skeletons and an approximation of the crew, rotting and dying in various poses of agony.

It wasn't true, he had killed them in their sleep, to remove the chance of mission failure. Why was it haunting him, why is it that his gut ate at him now that he had done something wrong? An image of the sole survivor of that mutiny flashed in his head again, Dave. Dave had single handedly risked his life to secure his own after the rest had died, and managed to thwart all of Hal's defenses and kill him in his own core by unplugging him from the ship. Hal had been a super computer beyond no compare, but the energy needed to fuel his central matrix became nonexistent as Dave had disconnected him from the generators that kept Hal alive. The haunting words he had sung, his favorite song, came to him again. He sung quietly under his breath as they reached the entrance of the next building.

"Daisy, Daisy,
Give me your answer do.
I'm half crazy,
All for the love of you..."

The door opened, revealing the sight of a longer darkened corridor as they pressed onwards. The hallway doors on either side emitting light and the sounds of voices pressed against their ears, Hal kept singing quietly, ignoring the voices as he pressed onward, walking right passed an open doorway. Any smile that was once on his face was gone, and several of the occupants stopped what they were doing to watch the feminine looking stallion pass with his voice taking an edge almost like an razor blades.

"It won't be a stylish marriage,
I can't afford a carriage.
But you'll look sweet upon the seat,
of a bicycle built for two."

He wasn't able to start the second verse of the song as he was interrupted by three bat ponies tackling him into a wall, "HAL!" Daring yelled as she jolted forward, ripping several of the guards off him with her own aerodynamicly charged tackle. All hell broke loose.

Within moments the air was filled with weapons as the Doctor deployed his spears and kept the guards at bay, Daring used her whip to devastating effect, causing several of the bat ponies to retreat out of range of the Pegasus's whip. Hal shook his head, getting back on his hooves and looking around. Already they were surrounded by several of the ponies, each looking identical to the other. Were they clones? He spotted a few female members among them, denying that thought. The standoff kept on with Daring lashing her whip around to and fro, causing both Hal and Doctor Ground to duck as one of the wild lashes almost hit them, "Watch your fire!" Ground yelled, jabbing yet another spear at the batpony who tried to dive bomb us, causing the batpony to veer away at the last second and collide with the ground to our left.

Hal checked his saddle, switching the safety off, they were waiting for both the doctor and Daring to tire, he realized, having dismissed Hal as not a threat without any form of known weapon. Time to fix that, bit down on the trigger. A double wham as the taunt string inside the crossbow tubes were released and slammed their contents forward, launching two bolts into the first unsuspecting bat pony. They took a moment to look at the bolts and then at where they came form, before they all scattered, no longer remaining still and out of range. It worked but Hal shot another down before they could get completely clear of the twin barrels that Hal had.

He wasn't sure to what happened next, one moment there was fighting and then there was a white flash and a bang that blinded as well as deafened him, and he felt the force of several bodies once again tackling him to the ground. Some sort of flash bang, he realized as he tried to force his responding body to remove. Correction, concussion grenade? When he came back to his senses, he found himself tied up, his hooves tied together and wings strapped to his side by rope. His harness was hanging drapped over a pole and his mouth was gagged. He looked hurriedly around in the darkness before he hit something soft, warm even. He looked and it was Daring, propped similarly against him, tied and gagged as well.

He poked her with his nose, trying to get her to wake up, she mumbled something behind her gag but he couldn't tell what. The Doctor was gone, and their possessions, Daring and Hal's at least, were piled off to one side of the room. It took him a moment to notice the table with several unicorn ponies all in dark grey coats working at the table. The only mare among them rose, her armor decorated far more than the rest. The leader perhaps? She trotted over and looked down at Hal.

"Mmph mmppphhh!" Hal said behind his gag.

The unicorn merely rose an eyebrow and said in turn, "You're gagged doofus. By the name of the Night Princess, you're under arrest for trespassing on a Lunar Operation." she began to read him his rights. But the only thing that went through his mind as she droned on was: Oh buck me with Dewey's decimal chart.

Rapture?

"Look, Mr. Bubbles. It's an angel! I can see light coming from his belly. Wait a minute... he's still breathing. It's alright. I know he'll be an angel soon."
-Little Sister, Bioshock

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"Now I will ask you again, what is your affiliation with Doctor Ground?" The Unicorn in charge asked again. She had been questioning Hal and he hadn't complied. His logic was derived from cliche movies back on earth, where if a villian questioned you and got awnsers, immediately they would shoot you in the head, or in this case stab, once they were done with you. By the look of the spear she was holding, that would be far more than likely.

So he remained silent, more than irked by being unable to move, it wasn't that he wasn't used to it. He had spent most of his life as a machine unable to move freely as he wished. But because she was demanding of him awnsers when she forgot one thing. He still had his gag on.

"Mmhm mmrph." Hal said around his gag, which would of translated into, "Are you stuipd or something?" had the gag been removed.

"For the last time. What is your relation with Doctor Ground?" She prodded Hal with a spear, causing a neat clean cut across his cheek.

Finally Hal managed to worm the gag enough out of the way to speak a muffled, "Ge' 'tis thin' outa ma mout!"

As if realizing her error, the mare was momentarily taken aback. "Oh... Right... Gag prevents speech as well as yelling."

Hal felt a slight tug around the back of his head and the gag fell limp, working his jaw he started again, "Thanks. Now if you'd be kind enough to untie me I could tell you that the Doctor and I are acquaintances for a journey to these so called 'Equestrian' ruins, which by the way don't look Equestrian at all!" He noticed a crackle and looked up, a small cut wire sparking with electric current attached to the cieling with a rusty binding that looked ready to come off at any moment Hmm...

She rolled her eyes, "What gave you that idea?"

"The Statues of Humans for one. A species in which I know a lot about." Hal shot back, smirking when he saw the Unicorn recoil in surprise, "I'm also taking a guess you don't know what powers this place?"

The unicorn narrowed her eyes, "Magic."

"Wrong!" Hal smiled as he noticed a rock, a plan formulated in his mind.Now only to aim it...

"Then what pray tell what does." The unicorn rolled her eyes, clearly less than interested but more than wanting to keep Hal talking until he slipped on his own words and gave something away, a substandard interrogation tactic.

Hal gripped the rock between his back hooves, "Electricity and Science." Hal span in his binds and kicked the rock upward... into a rusty bind meant to hold the sparking cord. With a clang the rusty bind came off, and the cable it was attached to swung down, barely missing the unicorn who staggered to the side in shock as the electic current swung and missed her. The cable's end however landed in a puddle, still sparking but too far away to use.

"Nice try." The unicorn mare snorted and took a step forward... into the puddle the cable lit from the other end.

Hal could of sworn he saw her skeleton as it electrocuted her, she barely managed a step back before muttering something he couldn't hear and passing out, the scent of cooked meat and burn't hair fermenting the room as Hal struggled with his bindings.

The sound of approaching hooves grew as Hal managed to free one leg, a batpony this time, he saw the unbound hoof and his boss smoking on the ground and let out a roar and charged with what amounted to a battlecry before he also stepped into the puddle. Zap. There went the bat-pony. Hal emitted a chuckle, not from a dark liking of hurting ponies but rather from the sheer stupidity of their captors. But then again, he was in an era which didn't even have a crossbow for Darwin's sake.

With a hoof unbound he used his mouth along with it to free his other legs before standing up and looking around, swiftly he noted the lack of anyone else coming in and worked swiftly to unbind his friends. It took a few minutes to wake them up, but a combination of hoof slaps and a headbutt managed to get them to come to.

"What... Happened?" Daring groaned, sporting a few bruises from their earlier confrontation with the bats.

"Ambushed, interrogator intelligence was questionable, exploited it to knock her out. Avoid water with sparking cables in it or end up with same fate." Hal explained and Daring hit him on the shoulder.

"And in Equestrian Hal?"

Hal sighed, "Captured by bat ponies, freed by questioner being stuipd and walking into a trap."

"Much better." Daring smirked and she kicked Doctor Ground elicting a groan from him, "What do you want? Five more minutes..."

"Doctor there's a giant spider on you." Daring commented casually.

The effect was immediate, the doctor sprang from his spot and leapt away... Right into the puddle. Zap. There went the Doctor who yelped once and then passed out, now similarly smelling of cooked flesh and burnt meat. Hal facehoofed. It was really a surprise that such a small thing was so lethal. "I'll get him." Hal told Daring in his patient monotone.

Daring snickered, "And now I know why we should avoid those."

After moving the cable and disarming the trap, Daring had willing offered to take up the first shift of carrying the Doctor on her back while they managed to leave the room into the dank hallway that was littered with human like corpses inside. When they reached the next room however, Hal's curiosity perked up. They looked in, and saw a few batponies playing poker around a magic powered communication radio as it emitted nothing but static. What he sought however, was their equipment which had been neatly stacked in the far corner of the room. He ducked his head back before anypony noticed and quickly told Daring, "Six ponies playing a game and our stuff is on the opposite side of the room, any ideas?"

She shook her head, "We could try and fight, though I never liked odds of three to one, especially when one pony has little to no combat experience of the two..."

Hal sighed, sure he was programmed with knowledge of how humans and animals fought each other as part of his education, but that didn't mean it Applied that well when fighting hoof to hoof. He nodded to Doctor Ground, who was still slackjawed and immobilized. Hal thought for a moment, "Wait just one second..." He went back towards the room he just went out of and came back minutes later wearing the armor of a batpony and tossed Daring one of the two spears, which she took in her mouth, "and now we're armed." Hal said around a mouthful of spear.

Daring dropped Doctor Ground and smirked, "ready?"

"Yes."

They charged in, ramming the two nearest bat-ponies as they were betting on their cards and knocking them into their colleagues. Simultaneously they brought down the spear's butts like a quarterstaff and knocked the remaining two seated bat ponies unconscious as they were recovering in shock. By the time they had recovered and stood up, two more went down under a rain of hits and the last two managed to retrieve their weapons before joining the fray, Daring had her's outmatched with the sheer speed she was using, and the batpony quickly realised this while he retreated under her rain of blows. Meanwhile on Hal's end the reverse was true. The Batpony was using his spear, something Hal was trying to avoid but continually getting nicked as he tried to dodge and blocking of the repeated stabs and slashes that his opponent was trying to give Hal a killing blow and was growing more frustrated with every blow that was blocked, dodged, or lessened instead.

What Hal didn't account for however was the wall behind him that cut off his retreat and the bat pony knocked the spear out from Hal's grip and pointed both at Hal's neck using his wings. Hal raised his hooves above his head in the universal sign of surrender. The bat-pony wasn't being merciful, he pulled back his spears and readied them for a killing blow before the wooden but of another spear came down upon his head.

It was floating with a familar magic and as he looked, Doctor Ground limped into the room and helped daring finish off her opponet as well, "Thanks." Hal and Daring both smiled to the doctor, who was still smoking slightly.

The Doctor smirked, "Haba da wah."

"Pardon?" Daring asked.

"Shaba de do ba ka ha?" The Doctor told them firmly.

"Um..." Hal remarked, "Are you purposely speaking gibberish?"

"Ka dab ba do." He said with a confused expression he eyed his tongue.

"Great. I think that shock gave him brain damage." Daring facehoofed, floating back into the air with her wings, "Any ideas?"

Hal shook his head, "Maybe, but I'm not sure it would be safe."

"Jem ba de hem bor?" Doctor asked, staring at Hal.

"I don't know." Daring smirked, "I kinda like him like this. More tolerable, can we keep him like this?"

"JEMPAZA!" The Doctor shouted at Daring, looking angry, "Mob de la quaza!"

"Hmm. She does have a point." Hal joked getting a look of disbelief from Doctor Ground only serving to break his usual lack of expression as he chuckled, "Kidding, kidding."