The Root of All Kinds of Evil
“No matter how you slice it, it’s still cake… unless it’s a pie, then it’s just pie.”

Grey groaned.

“You are awake? Good. Come on, crazy pony, find us a way out of here.”

Grey tried to move. His hooves weren't touching the floor. As far as he could tell, something was gluing him in place. After a few movements he stopped struggling.

“You stopped rhyming.” Grey could barely see in the darkness.

“That is not important now, pony. I saved your friend, you have to save me.”

“Why?”

“Did they hit your head pony? What happened to you?”

“I gambled and I lost.”

“Where is the pony I met at my lowest point? Surely you cannot be him. That pony was happy.”

“That pony was a lie.”

“No, that pony was real, and I thought he could save me. He inspired me to save myself. I guess you are not him, though”

“No...”

“Hahaha. That won't do, that won't do one bit.” A sinister voice called out through the darkness.

Arcane green flames flashed to life. Sconces holding the flames lined a strange, intertwining wall. A low ceiling blended and molded into the twisted walls. Grey couldn't identify the material, but it was hardened, twisted, and black-green. Metal panels and a few doors showed through the oozing, organic molding where it didn't entirely cover the original construction. Grey didn't take the time to admire the walls' incomprehensible construction, but looked down solemnly.

“I had hoped you would have some fire I could nurse, some last scraps before I leave you,” the deep feminine voice boomed, but didn't echo, as the sickly walls sucked up the sound. Two brilliant green eyes pierced from the darkness where the flames couldn't reach.

“Come on pony, think of something!”

“Yes, please do, else I'll have to feed on the zebra again, and well, I've already had all of her.”

“Fine, whatever you do, do it quick, then maybe I can get some peace and quiet.”

The eyes narrowed angrily. Out of the shadows strode a magnificent terror. She was easily three times larger than anypony Grey had ever seen. Darkened carapace plated her form like wicked armor. Interlocking and complete, Grey saw no bare spots. Blue hair that grew long and luxurious around a crooked horn. She moved with grace and majesty, and as she did her body-plates moved with her in some deep, secret pattern.

“Come now, you were so eager to get to me earlier, what's wrong with you? Don't you love your queen?”

“You're not my queen,” Grey shot, “You're not even somepony I want to see.”

“You would prefer this?” In an instant the head of this new body wore Celestia's guise. Grey looked away. “No? But you were so eager earlier. I want that, oh it was so... tasty.” Celestia dropped back away, the other guise bared fangs and a long, darting tongue. “No matter.”

“Too bad really, you would be beautiful if your heart weren't so ugly.”

“Theatrics? Heroics? You see where that has left you my lover.”

“I am nothing of the sort, go away!”

“Such passion, oh perhaps I am going to enjoy this after all!”

“I told you already! Go! Away!” As Grey yelled, he had to put forward more and more effort. He felt what little anger he had was fading, getting driven from him into somewhere else. “It's you, you're doing this! You all are!” He felt himself fading away.

“Yes, OH YES! That's it. Mmhhmm. Passion, pain, oh I used to stick to love, but there is so much of a pony to savor, I just couldn't choose just one thing anymore. Oh you have no idea how good it is to find one of you with life left!”

“Who are you? What's going on?” Grey demanded.

“Me?” The massive form bowed and returned, muzzle to muzzle. “Call me Chryssssallliiisssssss. And what is going on is that I get to have every... bit... of... you.” Grey turned away as Chrysalis' tongue stroked his face. “What's the matter?” Don't like that, then you are going to love thissss. My, oh my.” Grey squirmed, disgusted and angry, then just disgusted. He couldn't stand how much enjoyment she was getting out of this. It made him... it made him... feel nothing at all. Grey went cold. The plated, putrid face laughed. “And there it is oh... ooohhhhhh. Nothing left, not for you, anyway, me... for me,” she paused. There was a sticky sucking sound as hidden plates shifted. A shiny, long spine poked out from underneath Chrysalis.

Grey struggled. “Don't fight, I've already sucked you dry. I can see it. Why don't you sleep now?” Chrysalis soothed. Grey smirked, screwed his face and spit in hers. Her tongue flitted out, licking the spittle. “That'sss the ssspirit...” Her mouth opened wide, letting out a moaning hiss. The spine shot forward.

Muffled sounds beat on Grey's head. His ears twitched. A sharp pain snapped him conscious. He wanted nothing more than to hold his side, to clutch at himself, to see how bad it was.

“Awake, little pony? Good. I am glad my story woke you. Now you know why I rhyme sometime.”

“Ouchie, ow ow owie! It hurts, get me out!” Grey was fully awake now. Struggling against what was holding him didn't help. “What is this? I want to get out.”

“Calm down. We can get to the ground. But first, are you back pony, or is this side you show me your worst?”

Grey did his best to slow his breathing, to calm down. He groaned at the pain in his side. He didn't know what to do. “For what? I loved those two and they hurt me. I've come all this way, and this is what I came to.”

“I don't know what is worse. That you fought so hard to overcome those two, or that I believed the power to was in you.”

Grey looked down, sadly. “Yeah... you're right.”

“I am, am I? Well then, strip my stripes, they were right.”

“I wanted to live out my life loving them. Even if it hurt me. I guess I still do. I'm just so tired of running, I wanted to run away from my pain.”

“Poor pony, look what feeling sorry for yourself has gotten you. You don't even deserve your friends, too.”

“You don't understand, you don't know what I've been through.”

“Nor can you understand me. But that is a lie. When you found me at the statue, I was ready to die. Now we found each other in the same position, we can see eye to eye. Let me return what you gave me, and for your sorrow the perfect remedy.” In the low light Grey could make out the form of the zebra, attached to the wall by a viscous glue, much like he must be. Suddenly, she was not on the wall anymore. Grey couldn't see where she had gone. “Life is hard, especially for the weak. But it is by struggle we find the strength we seek. Unlearn your self pity. Fight for your survival instead. If you're not worth it, there is not one who is, if you are worth it, than every pony is, even those you do not know. Find yourself Grey. Fight for yourself with every breath Grey. Fight for me.” Grey's bonds began to shudder and shift. He caught a glimpse of the zebra's eyes. They were brown, but somehow, out of the darkness, he saw their fire.

“Now that sure is something!” A gravelly voice also pierced the darkness.

“Who is there, are you a foe? If so, beware.”

“Nope. Matter of fact, I'm a friend!”

“A friend? Prove it!” Grey demanded.

“Okay?” the voice rasped. “I can show you... my credentials? How about a tour of this facility? I can show you where they have their dances.”

“Nope,” Grey replied, “Seen it. The DJ stunk.”

“Or the lab, there's some mighty interesting equipment in there, the gene splicer is amazing!”

“Nah, we're trying to get out of here more than tour it.”

“And there's the radio room! That's where they used to broadcast their music, but now I can broadcast my request for help!”

“Oooh, there! Let's go there! C'mon zebra lady, let's save him, I like him.” Grey's bonds made a sucking, ripping sound and he landed on his hooves. “Thanks.” He hugged the zebra. “Now, where are you?”

“Right here! That reminds me. When I'm free we can stop this place forever, too.”

“Crazy ponies, where do you get such energy?” the zebra mused.

“I don't know, guess I've always had this much,” the rasping replied, “But that's probably because I'm so proud of my home. I know! I'll give you all a tour when we get there, too. That reminds me. You two were amazing! Those bits of interpersonal dialog, and how you stood up to Chrysalis! No pony's ever stood up to her like that.”

Grey moved along the fetid walls, inspecting them. All he could make out was a contorting pattern with no defining direction. Along the wall was a softer section. Grey touched it with a hoof, a goop reminded him of the substance that had been holding him. A body with patchy skin was cocooned in the substance. Sinew and muscle showed where the skin hung loose or where it didn't cover. “Nothing here but a corpse.”

“Well hey there!”

Grey screamed like a frightened filly. The corpse looked down at him and spoke, “I may not be much to look at, but you don't look too good yourself. You should see yourself right now. Looks like you've seen a ghost!” The corpse laughed at his own joke. It was a racking laugh. “Say, I meant to ask you pony folk, how did you get out?”

“Alright, here is the rule... follow it and I won't kill you two.”

“Anything to get out of this hole.” Somehow, the zebra didn't know how, but somehow the talking corpse sounded cheery.

“No talking. Grey, you have too much in common with this ghoul. Break my rule and I'll leave you two. Understood?” Grey made a show of zipping his muzzle shut with a hoof. The zebra looked up at the ghoul. He tried to nod. The zebra pulled out a chemical light, bent it until it made a snap and shook it. The extra light didn't make the décor any less threatening.

The zebra pulled back her lips and bent her head. She used her tongue to part a black and white stripe on her shoulder and gingerly bit a tiny string with her teeth. Grey went to share his astonishment but stopped himself, only managing a muffled, “Hmmm!” A thin, flexible knife appeared. She used it to dislodge the ghoul. His joints made all sorts of sounds as he stretched and popped them. In a particularly gruesome display he dislodged a shoulder.

“That feels soo good. Sorry!” Grey hummed excitedly and pointed an accusatory hoof.

The zebra glared at them both but let it slide. He popped the joint back in place. There was an awkward, terrifying silence as the three looked at each other in the green chemical glow of the resin covered room. “I'm such a foal, you,” she pointed at the ghoul, “where do we go?” The ghoul pony looked around, picked their direction and trotted off. The zebra took the chemical light in her muzzle.

The ghoul stopped at almost every corner and dull door, looking like he desperately wanted to say something. Instead, he bowed his head each time and continued on.

They made their way cautiously, tensely avoiding any unnecessary sound. At some length they came to a metal door not covered or jammed by the gooey resin. He went to touch the control but the zebra stopped him, looking, listening for something, anything. She gave a nod. After activating the control, half-seen gears whirred and twisted. The door dropped away with a clatter. Both of them went inside. The ghoul moved deeper into the room.

“You two can talk in here. That should make our tasks clear.” The zebra looked around. “Where's Grey?” The ghoul responded with a shrug. The zebra said something angrily in a language he didn't understand. She went back outside.

Stalking down the metal walkway a few feet lead her to a wide open room. Grey was standing near the middle, looking at something big. She saddled up to him.

“Where were you,” she hissed. Grey looked back at her, eyes wide.

“Something was familiar about this place, I knew it! Don't know how, but then I realized. This looks like a common room. It's different, though, the cafe is in the wrong place. But I'm sure of it, zebra, we're in a stable... and... and this is a common room... and-and that's not supposed to be here!” He pointed a hoof at what he was looking at.

The zebra held out her chemical light. A large pillar made of the same twisting resin molding that covered the walls stretched from the floor all the way to the tall ceiling. It's base spread out like the trunk of a sickly tree. At the top of the pillar was a similar base, stretching out over part of the ceiling. The plated bark of this tree was comprised with a scattering of pony bodies all the way up. Some poked halfway out, a look of horror molded as a permanent addition. Others were nestled in, their abdomens splayed open. Grey shuddered and whimpered. The zebra put the light away and tried to pull Grey back. He didn't budge so she took him by the tail and dragged him away.

Once inside the room, the ghoul closed the door. It made a surprisingly loud clatter on the way back up. “It's okay,” the ghoul chimed, “we can both talk in here! I found the stuff they took from us, too!” Grey looked up, realized what the ghoul reminded him of and galloped into a corner, shaking. “What's eating him?” The zebra groaned at his choice of words. The ghoul dropped Grey's bags on the floor.

“We must get this running, never mind him. It's time to sink or swim.”

“I'll get right on it!” The ghoul moved to a bank of terminals on one end of the room. A sound of hooves tacking away at a terminal filled the room. “Right, almost... got it! Now, hit those two buttons there. That's it.” The conversation faded away from Grey. He was looking at something on the ghoul. His horror ate its way deeper and deeper. He got up, putting one shaky hoof in front of the other. The zebra heard him approach. Grey looked up.

“You, what's that?” Grey was pointing at the ghoul's side.

“You saw what happened, you have one, too. Bad things happened... to the others. I don't know why it hasn't to me yet.” He ignored Grey and continued to work. Grey bent in and swiped the zebra's chemical light. She didn't realize what was going on until the color of the room turned green.

“That is mine, what is going on in your mind?” Grey smacked the zebra's hoof away. Something was poking out of the folds of skin on the ghoul.

“What are you doing?”

“Shh! Stay still.” Grey pulled out a set of tweezers from his bag on the floor. He stared at the ghoul's side, held the chemical light close and used the tweezers to pull at the poking thing. He staggered back. “Um... what's your name?” The ghoul stopped and looked over.

“Bray, why do you ask?”

“Bray, were you a pegasus before you turned into a ghoul?”

“No, why?”

“B-b-because you have a tiny wing in you.” Grey started to whimper and cry. The zebra bucked him straight.

“What is it Grey? What have you noticed this day? Spirit of fear be silent, and give up your sway!” It still took Grey a minute or two to become coherent.

“W-wings! I-I know what this is now. We, I don't know.”

“What Grey, what's wrong?” he pointed to the zebra's side. She clutched at her side with a hoof, grimacing. “Why Grey, what is it?” He didn't respond. She bucked him again. “Grey,” she looked at him hard, “Tell me what to do or we're all dead.” Grey whimpered, looking about the room.

“I don't know.” He repeated. The zebra had given up. She went to look at the console again. Grey had gotten back up. “But... I know where we can find out. Bray, can you download the stable map to this?” Grey held out his mapping device.

“Sure! Good news everypony, we're on the air!” New sections of the console came to life. A lighted sign read “On Air.” Bray pulled a microphone close. “Come in? Come in! Julia? Julia! I know you're there. Come back, honey mare.” There was no response. “Damn it Julia! I don't care what you told me, I had to come here!” Static.

And then, “Bray? Bray, is that you?” Bray cackled dryly.

“Julia, darling, zap apple! I can't tell you how good it is to hear you!”

“Where the hell have you been? You've been gone a bucking week!”

“It's so good to hear you curse at me, love. That's right, dear, it's my time to play on the radio. My name's Bray, and we're coming at you live from Staaaable Zero!” He reared proudly.

“Stable Zero? Are you crazy? Did you go feral? I thought you were a genius! Shit for brains is more like it.”

“Well, here's the thing, love, I found what we need, what we can do to stop what's going on here. We kind of need saving, though.”

“We? What in the bu-”

“Hello.... zzzzbbphht... there? … on this frequency?” A new voice had broken through. Grey recognized it and stole the microphone.

“Iron Heart! It's good to hear you!”

“SSSsshhhhh... Grey? ….are you, sh... er.”

“That's him alright,” Grey mentioned proudly to Bray, “The statue, Iron Heart. That's the key. They dragged us down here, but the zebra told me it opens at midnight, got it? Midnight tonight!”

“Who the buck is that?” Bray took the microphone away from Grey. Grey looked sad.

“Nopony dear, we're at Stable Zero and we need help. The works. Francine, too. Don't forget her.”

“...nal fading. Look, get out, I'll... transport, but you... skinny ass... surface!”

“Darling? Sugar? Are you there?” Bray tried a few more times but got no response. He looked back and shook his hindquarters. “Would you look at that? She's right!”

“Now what do we do?” The zebra looked at each of her companions.

“Med bay.” Grey said.

“Over stallion's office,” Bray said simultaneously.

“You heard me, we have to get to med bay!”

“You heard Julia, we have to get to the surface!” They did it again. The zebra clutched her side, wincing. She had made her decision.

They moved slowly and carefully. They saw no sign of any life whatsoever on their way to the small med bay. When they reached the door, the Zebra seemed worried. She breathed slowly and looked around, clutching her side.

“Are you okay?” Bray asked.

She nodded in reply. “Our faces are the only creatures I have seen. This makes for an unsettling scene.”

“The door's locked,” added Grey, “But there's a computer terminal we can hack.” Grey and Bray started bickering about who could hack terminals better. The zebra separated the two and bonked them both on the head. She put a knife in her mouth and expertly manipulated a bobby pin with her hooves. One snapped and she spat. Another two were gone before the door's lock made a satisfying click.

All three piled inside. Grey was surprised to see that after all this time, the stable still had some dim lights working. Now that everything wasn't covered in a sticky gunk, he could see them. Grey rifled through the desk and found a note.

Two more today. I'm beginning to wonder if I really am gifted to be a doctor. I hadn't meant to kill them, they just died as soon as the pupae were removed. I need to figure out why. My autopsy hasn't revealed much, these things are barely developed when we take them out. What a disaster. Maybe Cherry can help me tomorrow. I understand she is quite the accomplished botanist. All the ponies coming back sick have two things in common. They've been bucking around near the caves (against all orders, I might add), and they come back with a strange welt on their side. I have to know more, we have to figure out what's going on. I won't lose another one.

-Doc Mayfield

I vowed not to remove any more until we had a better idea of what's going on. I thought we could keep anypony from dying anymore, but... I... lost four more. I try to tell myself that I didn't know, nopony could, but I can't look at Cherry without feeling guilty. We were working together, and it took us some time, but we found out why the first wave of poor ponies died. The pupal stage, it's a defense mechanism, it's programmed in. If the pupa senses any danger, or is shifted too violently, it releases hormones that start a chemical reaction. The egg, the shell, all of it becomes a catalyst for a raw poison... What an idiot! We removed the others thinking we were helping, and I couldn't figure out why ponies kept dying, but we were turning the eggs into venom sacks when we tried to remove them. What an ass! I thought the eggs were underdeveloped, but really they were dissolving while killing my patients!

Cherry swears up and down she doesn't hold it against me. Even told me she'd let me take her to dinner to say I'm sorry. Can you believe it? Almost get the poor girl killed and she's asking me out to dinner. A-mazing. I don't know what to do. I guess I really should say I'm sorry. Who knows? Maybe there won't even be scars.

Rambling again, dammit. Have to stay focused. Cherry synthesized an antidote so we could inoculate the ponies with antivenom. Distributed it to the patients and started removing the eggs. They started breaking down, like we expected, but the poison met with the antivenom. Dammit, she was so good. I should have realized... when we reached the last seven. The eggs had been separating, parting. With each next patient the eggs were different. I... was too focused. So clear now. We saw the pupae morphing into larvae.

Like I said, first three were fine. When we got to the fourth... the stallion was sedated so we didn't notice, but when we opened him up, th-there was sso much blood. We found the larva, doing what larva do. Killed the bucking thing and went to the next pony as quick as we could. It was too late for him, too. Then, shit. The last two- one started convulsing and one of them moaned. DAMMIT. I saw the buckers claw their way out. They ate their way out! Well, they were more developed, and were used to eating ponies...

Cherry got cut up bad, I got a few bad cuts, but those two... things, we put them down, too.

Just got word from security, something big's going on. Extra antivenom in safe, password “mulligan.” Celestia knows I could use one. That's what Cherry is to me, another cha

Grey noticed a pony skeleton in a lab coat. It made him sad. “Anypony see a vault, a locked desk, anything?” Grey asked.

“I don't know about a vault, but there's a safe here,” the Ghoul rasped, “terminal, too. Don't know the password, though.”

“Mulligan.”

“Hey! You're right, look at that!”

Grey pushed past and opened the safe. Inside were ten high speed injectors, as well as some other medical supplies. He dumped everything into his saddlebags except for three injectors, sterilizing them to be safe, and injected him and his friends.

“How long have you been down here, Bray?”

“Can't tell, my best guess is a month!”

“What? Really?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Is that longer than you?” The zebra nodded.

“Okay, Bray, lie down on the table here and Ms Scalpel will come say hello!”

Bray did nothing for a moment. “Okay!” he rasped and lay down. Grey used his pliers and scalpel to open a thin cut, learning the orientation of the situation as he went. The loose and patchy skin helped.

“Good news, Bray! It's not deep, not even below muscle... and it's... dead?” Grey took some forceps and pulled. He gave a tug and there was a “slortch.” Grey waggled a limp large insect, dripping with a strange ichor which the ghoul's wound also oozed. It didn't move, but Grey separated the head from the body, anyway. He casually tossed the bug away, turning back to his patient. He then quickly stitched the wound shut, tying two eyes on loose skin to make a smiley face.

“All done!”

“Well now, how do you like that?”

“You next, zebra lady!” Grey smiled as he patted the table with a tiny hoof. The zebra got up slowly. Grey knew something was wrong. He helped her to the table, put her on her side and started to work faster, nervous. “You've been awfully quiet, lady. Say something, please?” The zebra coughed, sputtered, and vomited blood. “HOLD HER BRAY!” Bray put is fore legs over her and leaned down.

“Been feeling... for hours... shaman magic... slowed it...”

“Quiet, little zebra, I've got you, I've... got you.” Something pulled free from the zebra, covered in a sticky red. It was wriggling. A small snapping could be heard. “Waa!” Grey dropped it. “Get it Bray!” Bray gave a deathly whinny and started skipping around, trying to come down on the scittering abomination. They danced this way and that, but it scurried away in the end. Bray gave a snort of disgust. He kept looking in the direction it scurried away, however.

“Okay, it's okay, I can fix this...” Grey fretted. There was a lot of blood.

“Potion?” the zebra asked. Grey searched around, but came up empty. “My... chgu.. bag.” Grey was back with it in his muzzle in a flash. She helped him pull out some jars and ingredients. She made him feed her some leaves. She started to chew them becoming more alert.

“There's more blood,” Grey whimpered.

“That jar there, open the wound and pour the dust all over. You know the streams of blood in a zebra? Just like a pony, good. Close off the large streams.” She groaned and whinnied in pain as Grey, though he was scared, deftly did as she commanded. As the powder moistened, it turned into a thick liquid. Grey worked and pasted it as best as he could. The more pain she felt, the more she chewed on the leaves, an occasional whinny still escaping.

“Zebra, zebra lady! It's not all stopping. I can't stop it all!” She nodded in reply, bent over her own limber form, and jammed a hoof full of the powder straight into the wound. She lay flat again with a whinny and a snort, breathing hard.

“Press, little pony, press hard.” Grey did so. She reached a hoof and pulled at the wound. It was sticking shut. Her breath came in short bursts. she spit out the leaves. “Good job, little pony, good job.”

“You're hurt so bad, Ms. Zebra, real bad.” Grey came into view, covered in blood, eyes glistening with tears. She smiled at him.

“I know.”

“What do we do know?”

“Well, I die.” Grey lost his composure.

“Then what was all that for?” he yelled, small streams on his cheeks.

“Time, little pony, the time I need to talk to you.” Grey cried. She reached out a hoof. Sobbing, Grey slowly took it. She hooked his leg and hugged him close. She felt his tears drop on her cheek. She smiled wider. “Look at me, little pony. You are brave, you are beautiful. Be proud of yourself, always be proud of who you are.”

“D-don't leave,” he pleaded, “I... I-I like you. Why do my pony friends always leave?” He fretted, but she held him harder, closer.

“It is good.” Grey looked horrified, but she asserted herself. “Death is part of life, it means I have lived.”

“You said I was going to save you, that's what I was supposed to do!” he whined.

“You did, pony. Spirits. Some are malign, some divine. I had thought I was neutral when I walked among them, when I communed with them. But I was running, running away from the law every spirit abides by. The law of choice. When I ran from that choice, I hurt many. I was running when you found me at the statues, ready to die rather than choose. Had you not come, I would have continued to serve the wicked spirits. You did save me Grey, you showed me to choose the spirits of right. Now, I can go to them in peace. You cannot see them yet, but soon you will, if you hold to your path still.”

Her breath started coming in short bursts. She grimaced, and pointed a hoof at her bag. Grey brought it over, trying to avoid eye contact. “Look at me pony. Look at me.” Grey's ears drooped and his eyes watered, but he looked at the zebra. She opened the bag and came out with a leather bound book. “This I leave to you, if you truly seek to finish what you started to do.”

“F-f-fine! Leave me, too.” Grey cried selfishly.

“I will not. In spirit I will pray to them for you, that someday, you may find your way, that where I am, you may be too. But not for a long, long time.” She gave him a painful smile. Grey could smell the blood all over her breath. Instead of recoiling, he returned her hug, weeping on her neck.

“I- sorry,” his voice hitched, “Didn't mean it.”

“You did, I can see the pain and loneliness in you. I am awake where you sleep. It's okay, you didn't mean to separate us, but keep us close, which is what I try to do.”

“M-mission accomplished. I don't even know your name!” Grey wailed.

“Xhenora. Now my mark I leave upon your heart. Use my story, perhaps we can even meet again soon.”

“Please don't go... I love you.”

“Little pony,” she breathed deep, “my little pony, I love you too.”

Grey leaned into her and kissed her. He didn't see just her stripes or her strangely cropped mane anymore. He saw Xhenora, and he was missing her already. He pushed into the kiss, as if the harder he tried, the closer he came to her.

She flushed and warmed in parts and ways that she hadn't been able to for years. The feeling was intoxicating. She pulled back. “Such... a big...” she shuddered and breathed, “a big heart... for such a little pony.” Her body shuddered and stopped. Grey heard her heart end and felt her body limp. Then, after everything else, Grey felt her die.

A scitter and tiny hiss came from inside the room. There was a flutter, a crunch, and a wet snap. “Got it!” announced Bray. A low, ringing boom echoed from deep within the stable's bowels.

“Did you just-”

“Hear that, or kill the bug? In which case, yes.”

Grey looked at the still twitching form. He trotted over. He looked at Xhenora's body, then back again. Growing angry and determined, he perked his ears, listened closely, and stomped down. This time, the insect made a pop, but the stable made a boom... followed by another, then another. Grey looked to his side, then at the dying insect, then listened to the booming. “Bray, we have to run NOW!” Bray reared and whinnied. Grey opened the door. “Where do we go?”

“The overstallion's office!” Bray called back as they galloped.

“Can we get to outside from there?”

“No, we need something there!”

“Why, can't we run away? I really want to run away!” The booming continued to echo, getting louder.

“We have to stop her, any way we can.”

“Why?” The two ponies ran up a few flights of stairs and into the common room's second floor. Bray lead them across the gangplank and into another room. They were halfway to the other side when Bray turned around.

“Other way!”

“Are you sure?”

“Excuse me smooth coat, but could you give a tour of this whole, fine facility?”

“What's with you and-” The booming turned into loud clanging as something massive galloped into the floor below. Grey and Bray crouched low and hushed silent.

“In here?” A terrible voice teased. “Yes, no? A game of hide and go EAT,” Chrysalis yelled. Neither said a peep, although Grey wanted to cry. There was a sniffing sound. The clanging and booming continued into the other room.

Both ponies stayed low, doing their best to keep from getting noticed as they came back into the common room on the second floor. They saw the massive carapace form of Chrysalis make its way toward the med bay's hall. Grey followed Bray back across the second floor walkway. A wail echoed loudly in the metal room. Neither could tell the direction it was coming from. Bray quickened his pace.

“Not here? Not here! My poor child is here, right here, oh mommy lovvveeesss you so. but not them. They will pay! Where are you, WHERE ARE YOU?”

Bray stifled a whinny and broke into a gallop. The pounding and the wailing ceased for a moment, but started up again almost immediately. The clanging and banging sounded with more fury now.

“Round this corner partner, and we're there!”

A sudden tremor rocked the walkway the two ponies were on. Bray kept his footing but Grey was rocked to his side.

“Muwa-hahaha. There you are. Come back my lovelies. Your queen wantsss you,” the malignant voice seduced. Grey got to his hooves in a panic. “Don't you want me? I want you...” Chrysalis threw her armored body at the walkway again. The walkway partially separated from the wall with a screech. Grey cried out and started to slide down the bent walkway.

Two eyes burned with mad desire on the lower floor. As Grey approached, Chrysalis' expression became more gleeful. Two or three metallic clangs echoed. Grey's lower half slipped over the edge. Once again the tiny unicorn cried out. Then he stopped. He opened his eyes to see Bray smiling down. Grey felt terrible, but both faces frightened him.

“Where do you think you're tryin' ta go? We have to tour the over stallion's office.”

Grey went to say something but heard the sound of something lifting off the ground. Grey's back hooves had been kicking and dangling over the edge. Chrysalis was leaping straight for them, her wide jaw dripping with saliva.

“Let's dance!” Bray cried as he twisted both himself and Grey up side down. Chrysalis' jaws snapped and caught a few strands of Grey's tail. He yowled as the strands were pulled out. Bray kept them both from slipping off by catching his legs between the bent walkway railing. “Swing your partner, dosie do!” Bray's joints snapped and popped as he bent Grey over himself, throwing the unicorn onto a section of walkway that was still attached. He soon followed. Both ponies ran again.

“My pretty pets won't come to me? Very well...” A familiar sucking sound made Grey cringe. The sound was followed by a steady, loud hum. Both ponies made their way into an office just as Chrysalis' face appeared on the second level. Flying? She was flying. Grey stopped, astonished. Something so huge and heavy had wings, and it was coming for him! Bray entered a password into the terminal outside a large office, opened the metal door next to it, and pulled Grey inside. Grey saw that Chrysalis' body wasn't fitting on the walkway, so she left the first floor of the room they had been in.

“Grey, we need some time, how can we seal that door?” Grey looked around the room. There was a large desk with a terminal on it. He rushed over.

“You have the password for this, right?”

“Sorry, no, only the outside.”

“She left, didn't she?”

“Don't worry she'll be here.”

“What do you-” The door to the room bent slightly with a metallic squeal.

“Stairs. We hadn't got to that part yet. This is the stallion's office, there has to be something, I know it!”

Grey sat at the terminal. He started working. “Butter my buns and call me a biscuit! Okay, okay okay.”

“Can you hack it? C'mon.”

“I don't have my tools. Would be much easier then.” Grey's hooves made a flurry of clicks. “Have to enter the maintenance routines manually, have to write the program to call them, and parse the strings...” The banging on the door worsened, parts of it buckled and bent. “If I had more time.”

“Time? We're out of that!” Another sickening screech broke Grey's concentration and made Bray look over. A green eye narrowed through a new hole in the door. Chrysalis pulled her face back, allowing the rest of it to come into view from the small hole.

“Here I am my pets, you've both been sssooo naughty!”

Grey had an idea. But it was a bad one. My parents always said no! I always did, even when the other colts... but if I don't, we'll die. We'll probably die anyway. No! Not true, not true! Shut up you, bad subconscious, I'll show you! Grey opened his saddle bag and pulled out an inhaler. It had a dirty mouthpiece and a red stem. There was a crude rainbow painted on it. It looked disgusting. He hesitated. There was a screech as the metal door's hole widened, Chrysalis' head poked in, mockingly gleeful.

“Sorry mom, sorry dad.” He wrapped his lips around it and pressed down with his magic. A puff of foul tasting gas erupted into his mouth, causing him to gag and he inhale deeply. Nothing changed. All that and it didn't work! Grey growled and threw the inhaler in frustration. It didn't move. At least it didn't look like it was moving. Maybe it was moving very slowly? “What... 's... going...?” Every word wormed its way out of Grey's muzzle like a snail.

It had worked! Grey looked back at the terminal, which was hard. It felt like he was drawing his head through clear mud. When he was looking at the terminal, though, his world became a breeze. His hooves only had to make small motions. Also, he thought, EUREKA! I can add my magic to type with my hooves at the same time! I can double my typing speed. Wait, I could double it again, just press the keys in the right order, magic will be even faster than my clumsy hooves, and I can use them for the spaces and new lines!

Grey's world shifted. In a matter of moments he was doing what might normally take him thirty minutes. New lines, corrections, testing, all of it fell into place. Grey and the computer were working on the same schedule, they were thinking at the same speed, or almost at the same speed. They were cooperating on a whole new level. He was euphoric.

Hello computer! Are you a boy or a girl? Neither? Now that's not any way to talk to your friend! Yes, I do want to be friends. I know I'm a stranger, but I promise I won't hurt you. I just want to run a small program. You don't like it? Nonsense! You're regular user probably isn't around any more, so please, I need to know his password so we can be friends! Isn't it lonely down here, all by yourself? All done. See, that wasn't so hard, was it? Fleur? How do you know her? Better yet, how'd she become your password? I like her, too.

Before the terminal had even finished displaying its primary functions, Grey had seen and selected the option he'd wanted. It had been labeled “Pony Protection Protocol – Anti-Radiation Lockdown.” Grey had already looked at and processed all the entries in the terminal, unlocked the safe, noticed the function labeled “Emergency Evacuation,” and had written a simple program to copy a large amount of data to O'Rielly's map unit. Grey noticed that the terminal seemed to be pulling all the data from another location. While he waited, Grey decided to come up with two or three other ideas for other programs he should write. The world around him continued to inch along.

There were muffled, low sounds of metal starting to buckle and give, vocalizations that were probably coming from Bray, some slowly rotating emergency lights, and a host of other things. What Grey found really interesting, though, was the design of the shutters that started to close on the window overlooking the common area. They were the same dull color of the rest of the stable, but they looked thinner and stronger at the same time. He inched his head along to look at the entrance to the office. A similar set was closing on the door to the room. Chrysalis began to slowly move out of the way. She made it, but just barely.

Addendum I:

Operation Cauterize- Debriefing

Classified-Access Restricted

Security Authority Recognized......................

Decryption Initiated.................................................................................

Decryption Complete..............................................................................

Operation:

Cauterize

Force Size and Composition:

4 Divisions Flight Wings

Reconnaissance Detachments as necessary (at least 3)

3 Raptors (Friendship City)

4 Raptors (New Appleloosa)

1 Raptor (Stalliongrad)

1 Thunderhead; 4 Raptors (Everfree Forest)

1 Thunderhead; 2 Raptors (Splendid Valley)

2 Thunderheads; 2 Raptors (Fillydelphia)

3 Raptors (Dragon Mountain)

2 Raptors Manehattan Hub for the Ministry of Arcane Science (MHMAS)

Mission:

• Establish control of the Equestrian Wasteland

• Eliminate threats to Enclave control

• Threats include, but are not limited to:

• Dashites

• Slavers (Note that this distinction included Red Eye and all his allies)

• Raiders

• Groups and individuals with knowledge of information that are a danger to the Enclave and its citizens.

• These individuals include:

• DJ-Pon3

• Littlepip

• Calamity (also is a known Dashite)

• Velvet Remedy

• Lifebloom

• Xenith

• Homage

• Lionheart (AKA The Demon, Lion)

• Mouse

• Any associates or allies of these individuals

• All various groups and individuals that stand in opposition (armed or otherwise) to the Enclave

Timeframe:

The start and end times for this operation are classified. Once initiated, the battle plan allowed for a schedule not greater than three weeks.

Known Enemy Forces:

Red Eye and allies

Tenpony Tower Shadow Organization(s)

Littlepip’s Guerillas

The Steel Rangers (This faction has split into two, both have declared war with the Enclave)

A number of independent settlements (including Stalliongrad and Friendship City)

Key Terrain:

Everfree Forest

Fillydelphia

Dragon Mountain

MHMAS

Enemy Installations and Strongholds:

Everfree Forest-Violent and inhospitable. Local threats from indigenous life have been partially exterminated due to Red Eye’s efforts. Still use extreme caution as many threats to life and limb still exist. Red Eye’s main installation, the Cathedral, was destroyed entirely, there are reports of the remnants of his forces still operating in the area, however.

Fillydelphia-Aside from Splendid Valley (which is now an irradiated no-mare’s land), the battle here saw the greatest loss of life. The enemies of the slavers and the Enclave used another weapon in their arsenal of mass destruction- the famed spell Celestia One. While thought to have been forgotten, reports confirm the origin of this spell as the MHMAS. It is important to note that the skies needed to be clear at both the target and origin sites.

Dragon Mountain-Heavily fortified and guarded by a fully grown dragon, this site is a key installation for the many forces that have declared war on the Enclave.

MHMAS-Another key installation, the forces here can wield Celestia One as they wish. A heavily fortified installation enchanted with magic to survive the near detonation of multiple balefire bombs.

Miscellaneous:

Abandoned Equipment:

Friendship City 3/3 Raptors destroyed

New Appleloosa 3/4 Raptors destroyed

Stalliongrad 1/1 Raptors destroyed

Everfree Forest 1/1 Thunderhead; 3/4 Raptors destroyed

Splendid Valley 1/1 Thunderhead; 2/2 Raptors destroyed

Fillydelphia 2/2 Thunderheads; 1/2 Raptors destroyed

Dragon Mountain 3/3 Raptors destroyed

MHMAS 1/1 Raptor destroyed

Results of Encounters with Enemy Forces and Local Populace:

No popular support has been expressed for the Enclave in any encounter. Furthermore, all armed encounters have resulted in failure.

Captured Enemy Equipment and Material:

N/A

Total Elapsed Time:

Depends on what is considered the start of the Operation.

Condition of Allied Forces (Include estimate of when allied forces will be fit for duty):

It is difficult for me to gauge the physical and psychological fitness of our forces on this scale. Casualties during the fighting were steep (no less than critically wounded or killed 40% in any conflict), the psychological trauma is more. Recommend all available resources directed to the transport and recovery of the wounded.

Even worse, reports are showing a disturbingly large amount of casualties are occurring after the conflicts. Multiple reports have been pouring in by recovery teams as well as retreating units. Reports include further casualties caused by necromantic magic, irregular units comprised of hellhounds, as well as other. We also have reports of slave camps where soldiers are being held prisoner and used for torture as well as entertainment. These last reports, however, are scattered and unconfirmed.

I have personally volunteered to lead the expeditionary force responsible for getting our daughters and sons home. I will not give any recommendation or estimate for fitness for active duty for any soldier involved in these conflicts until our forces have been secured to my satisfaction. And I won’t be satisfied until recovery has been completed for every last pegasus.

Conclusion and Recommendation:

1. To what extent was the mission accomplished? If anything, these conflicts have been counterproductive. While enemy combatants have taken losses, there seems to be an alliance between multiple factions that have been working against the Enclave.

2. Recommended changes in tactics and operational procedures. Operational recommendations are coming in a later report. Strategic recommendations are discussed below.

3. What additional information is needed in the mission brief? It has become abundantly clear we have been working off of incomplete information.

4. Recommended equipment changes.

5. Weather effects on operational capability. See full report on the SPP (access to classified material required).

6. Is there anything that has not been covered or something that should be highlighted? See below.

I have been given permission to give my personal appraisal. Operation Cauterize has been the best planned and most poorly executed operation I have ever seen. Spanning fronts and involving mobilizations literally unseen since before the great war, the coordination and show of force demonstrated by our forces was unprecedented. However, the forces, but more importantly the weapons, employed against the Enclave were even more unprecedented.

Small groups of belligerents were enabled through guerilla tactics, weapons of mass destruction, or both, to dismantle the full weight of our military might with surprising ease. There were significant casualties on both sides, but these were disproportionate and not in our favor.

Of the multiple errors in the execution of this operation (stretched supply lines, multiple simultaneous fronts, improperly scaled force, incomplete information, the list goes on), inability to adapt is the most damning. The disaster at Splendid Valley should have told us right away something was wrong. If nothing else, Splendid Valley made it abundantly clear that the weapons of indiscriminate death that destroyed Equestria in years past would be used without hesitation by the inhabitants of the wasteland that survived them. That fact alone should have forced us to reconsider our battle plan.

Instead, central command used this event as reasoning to force the timeline forward. This new timeline was established before we had the chance to mitigate risk, re-planned our strategy, gathered missing information, and adjusted tactical approach. The results were disastrous and the message is clear- we need to fight smarter, not harder. A following report will contain a comprehensive plan for tactical and strategic improvements.

LEVEL UP
New Perk: Omnidextrous
Now class, the reason we practice with our hooves is so we don’t have to rely on our horn all the time.
You have learned how to divide up work between your appendages and horn. All AP costs are reduced by 10%

Author's Note

-FM 7-93