Distant, somewhere in the far off dark recesses of the facility, loud mechanical clicking echoes off of cold, metallic walls. Fighting through the thick haze that was blocking her mind Twirose slowly opened her eyes, and took in her new surroundings. Everything was dark, bathed in an eerie red glow from the lights hanging from the ceiling.
As she scanned the room her vision soon starts to adapt to the light. All around her, she can see large pieces of machinery, storage bins, and various vats of green liquid. Above her there are twelve mechanical arms and various conveyor belts running from one wall to another. In the corner, she makes out a small cryo chamber with a young pegasus floating inside, all twisted and mutilated like some kind of horror film. She quickly quenched these thoughts.
Twirose attempts to move her arms, her hoofs coming into contact with the sides of cold steel restraints. It's only now that she looks down at her body, suddenly realizing that she’s strapped to a metal operating table.hands are completely metal! Twirose lets out a loud shout of surprise, finding that her mouth is stuffed with some kind of cloth-like material. As she looked over her arms and legs, she notices two tubes coming from her chest and left thigh that lead to a small machine sitting on a nearby table. The larger of the tubes is running a thick purple liquid into her, while the small one in her thigh is sucking out something red.
"This can't be real! Where am I?” Twirose thinks to herself, feeling slightly panicked but continuing to keep her cool.
There is a beep from her left, as something large moves from the shadows. Turning her head, Twirose stares at a stainless steel model of a pony standing at about six feet tall. She looks at her reflection in the glowing blue eyes, fear evident on her face.
After a short moment of just staring at her, the robot moves for a panel on one of the walls. It pushes a button marked, ON and instantly two mechanical arms lower and grabbed Twirose’s hoofs.
“Wait! What’s going on? Where are you taking me?” Twirose attempted, but all that came out was a muffled chirping.
The robot didn’t answer, instead it pushed another button, opening a hole in the floor under Twirose. The arms released her arms, and soon Twirose found herself free-falling toward the unknown.
The young pegasus sobbed silently to herself in the dim red light of the room, each breath a painful venture within itself. She could still feel the pain from where they had broken each individual limb in her wings, or wing. Even though she was in great pain and probably wouldn’t survive much more of this abuse,Twirose still wasn’t ready to give in to their demands. Even though they had been careful not to say anything around her, she had still figured out why they were doing this to her and what they wanted. This had to be about her sister who used to work here, before going missing.
She had always been paranoid about what the factory was doing. Always telling Twirose these stories about being forced to kill innocent ponies for reasons undefined. Twirose had thought she was kidding, just too embarrassed to tell her little sister where she really worked. Hours before she “disappeared” Twirose received a message about how her sister had finally had enough and was going to try to help someone escape. That had been the last thing she’d ever said. Maybe she had been right after all.
Twirose screamed a blood-chilling scream as her rear right leg was ripped apart, and her body continuing to be twisted and stretched like taffy. Steel arms turned her around, ignoring her cries as they grabbed the left one. Twirose continued to scream as her leg was slowly twisted until it eventually snapped off, making a repulsive squishing sound. Again, the arms picked her up, carrying her to a nearby table. Two cybernetic guards swiftly attached cold, metal restraints to her remaining limbs, as another began to work a machine. Nothing stopped them as they emotionlessly watched the machine start to slice open her stomach cavity.
Twirose was swimming in an ocean of pain which threatened her sanity. They had just finished harvesting her left eye, leaving her right because it was a different color. The restraints were removed and something grabbed her from behind, lifting her into the air. The movement caused her to black out.
When she came to, Twirose found herself alone in a large bare room. Near her head she could make out the door; near her feet was a large window that framed the faces of two of the Overseers. Suddenly the floor she was on began to move. She began to hear a low rumble coming from the direction she was headed. There, right in front of her was a gigantic concrete slab. It would be the final ending to this hell.
Twirose screamed as the slab made contact with her body, slowly crushing her. Blood gushed from her mouth as her ribs started to break one by one. She could feel her organs trying to escape through her head. Then, when Twirose was closest to death, everything stopped.
Twirose was barely hanging on to any resemblance of life as she watched the slab lift itself off her body. Miraculously, she was still conscious, wondering what happened. Had they had a change of heart? In the distance she could hear the Overseers laughing as they watched her trying to comprehend what caused the sudden reprieve. Then, the slab fell, smashing her flat as it ended her life. Strangely enough, death was what Twirose wanted most.
Two dark figures stood on a nearby balcony watching as the horrendous events unfolded below them. Being the ones who had brought the mare to the Factory, they had been granted the rare opportunity to watch as she was disposed of. Something the two quite enjoyed, and even called their favorite past-time.
"Is she dead yet?" The one called Smuggler asked, as he continued to twirl his knife between his black hoofs.
"I think so." His partner, a white Pegasus named Mole answered.
"About time. I was getting bored watching them tear her apart."
"I still can't believe she lasted as long as she did."
"Yeah, that is weird. Maybe the kid was special after all."
"Maybe."
The two turned and walked back to the elevator, each flanked by a cybernetic guard. Once inside Mole hit the button for them to return to the main floor.
"So what's up with all these robots anyway?" Smuggler asked eyeing the one closest to him.
"I'm not sure. Rumor is they had an incident a few weeks ago involving one of their most trusted employees. Someone called Chromatic Bolt or something like that." Mole replied.
"Was it a mare?"
"Yeah."
"Well, there you go. Stupid mare's are always messing things up." Smuggler said. "Don't know why we let them out of the house in the first place."
Mole didn't say anything. He was used to his partner's rants about the opposite sex and had stopped arguing long ago. Plus if he did say anything, there was no doubt in his mind that Smuggler would kill him without hesitation.
The lift stopped and the two bounty hunters strolled outside to their waiting sports car. As always Mole got into the driver seat, because as Smuggler put it, he needed his hands free if he ever need to kill someone.
"So who's our next unlucky guest?" Smuggler asked, lighting a cigarette.
"Some stallion by the name of Kiwi." Mole said, as he pulled onto the dark road. "Higher-ups say he's been snooping to close to their operations."
"Kiwi?" Smuggler asked. "Who names their kid Kiwi?"
"His mom was probably on something when she named him. That or the kid just got unlucky." Mole answered.
"Oh, so what did he do to get on the Higher-ups bad side?" Smuggler questioned, pretending to care.
"Intel didn't say. All I got out of them is that they don't want him to be taken care of like the rest."
"What do you mean?" Smugger asked.
"It means that we can't kill him." Mole flatly said.
"Fuck." Smuggler dropped his cigarette. "But I like killing."
"Yup. Apparently they think there's something special about this one. Don't ask me why though. Kid looks like he couldn't even handle a horde of Parasprites."
"Can I still cut off his jimmy?" Smuggler asked.
"No. And what is it with you and that?" Mole said, giving him a weird look.
"It's personal. So will they let me do anything to him?"
"No, the kid's not to be touched. But they did say we could have fun with anyone who happened to be nearby." Mole said winking.
The two laughed. It had been a long time since they had been allowed to have fun. Mostly because of what happened to the last town, Sparksburg. Or what had originally been Sparksburg.
Still laughing the two made their way to their hideout, both looking forward to what the day would bring.
The first important thing I noticed when I awoke was how hungry I seemed to be, almost like I hadn’t eaten in days. The second important thing, I was hanging upside down above a pit of angry looking sharks, who also looked hungry. Guess it’s going to be one of those days.
Alright Kiwi, you’ve been through this before. Remember what Mom taught you. Straining my neck against the straps holding my head, I analyzed the restraints that were chained around my limbs. Each seemed to be about one through one and one-half inches wide, and one-fourth inches thick. Instead of a typical key lock, these were fitted with a retinal scanner as well as a hoof scanner. There was also the unfortunate matter of my broken right forehoof, something that could hinder me when I did get free...motherbucker.
Okay, we’ll put that on hold for now. Not that I can’t do anything about it. Let’s see if there’s anything more pressing that I need to deal with.
“So ye finally awake, eh?” A voice called.
In the darkness something moved. A pink pegasus emerged from the black wearing a doctor’s lab coat and mask. He pushed a small cart in front of him. From the jumbled mess I made out a surgical knife, a saw, and a cattle prod. As he got closer to me the floor started to close over the shark pit much to my relief.
My body banged against the metal slab as I jumped in surprise. I violently strained against the steel shacks that were holding me down. I cried out, my mouth covered in a new type of muzzle.
His eyes locked with mine. His possessing no compassion, no remorse. Just a cold reflection of the situation I now found myself in.
“Such a handsome specimen.” He said, sliding a hoof through my hair. I snapped my teeth at him. “So like the last one they brought. Was she ye mother perhaps?”
Mother?
I struggled against the shackles in an attempt to grab him, my hoofs coming within inches of his head. Surprised, he jumped backwards knocking over a nearby table full of strangely colored liquids.
“S-so the mention of the mother interests ye, eh?” He said, getting back to his feet.
I struggled to nod, the strap holding my head making it hard. Was it me or were these things getting tighter?
The pegasus tilted his head and gave a smirk.
“Alright youngin. I’ll make a deal with ye.” He bent down near the table, but kept talking. “If you can survive what I’m about to do to you without passing out. I’ll tell you everything I know about your mother’s whereabouts. Deal?”
I nodded.
“Excellent. But I sorta feel bad for ye. Most of the newbies are drugged when they come in, so they don’t get to feel the full extent of any necessary operations. Too bad the Overseers don’t want you drugged.”
Wait, operation? What operation! And who were these Overseers, he’s talking about? Was that unicorn who I was following one of them?
“Pity, I wonder why that would be.” He stood back up, his arms full. In his left he carried a portable welding torch, the saw, and a black blindfold. And in his right, a small metal object.
I screamed when I saw the torch.
“You like? I’m going to use these to fix that arm you busted up trying to outrun the hunters.” He flashed me a smile. “As well as do a couple things to your pretty little head.”
I screamed again.
Still smiling he came over to where I was and dropped the stuff on the floor near my head. The metal slab I was on lowered itself to the ground and laid me flat on my back. Gripping my head with one forehoof he tied the blindfold over my eyes. I couldn't quite see what happened next, but I sure felt it.
Sharp metallic teeth cut into my right shoulder. Searing hot pain overloaded my brain as the nerves began to rip and tear away, I clenched my jaw and screamed bloody murder.
Then, just as suddenly as it had begun. It was over.
“Are ye still with me?” The pegasus asked from somewhere to my right.
I growled at him.
“Well that’s unfortunate. Now you have to go through the connection process.”
The connection process?
Connection successful. Errors within acceptable range. Heartbeat slowing down to safe levels. Waking up host.
Huh?
“Okay. We be done.” The pegasus said as he removed the blindfold.
Shivering violently I made the effort to look. There, my arm was good as new. Or was it?
I moved the arm and immediately felt the difference. This one was lighter. That much was evident from how I barely felt it. My body seemed to know it wasn't the one that I had grown up with though.
“So ye like?” A voice said from behind me. “I did exactly what the Overseers asked, if but a few extra changes. Unfortunately I had to make some changes to the body anatomy to help accommodate, like taking out a few of your nerves and your original spinal column. But overall I think it turned out well.”
I didn't answer.
“Why not happy? This arm is way better than old one. And the changes I made to your body is an improvement. What more could you want?”
Why am I not happy? I’m stuck in who knows where. Being operated by a horrible excuse for a doctor. And who knows what he did to me while I was knocked out. All I wanted was to get out of here and find my mom.
Warning. System override in process. User overwriting RF-1 original protocol. Firewall failing.
Suddenly my vision became blurred and reality started to slip away. I watched as my new arm started to move on its own, straining against the shackles. In one deft movement it ripped through and was free. On the other side, my left arm mirrored the process.
“What the-” The pegasus said rushing over. “Stop that. I won’t let-”
I reached up and grabbed him by the neck and squeezed.
“What ye...doing?” He gasped in pain.
In reply, I squeezed harder and brought his face up to mine. I could feel his blood as it coursed through his neck, mere centimeters from my hoof. Clenching my jaw, I pulled tighter on his throat. His whimpers of pain soon turned into sickening gurgles. His limbs thrashed about wildly trying to grab me. That all stopped soon enough with one swift twist of my arm.
Freeing my other limbs I got to my hooves and rushed through a nearby door. And immediately wished I hadn’t.
Bodies, Bodies everywhere. The room was full of dead bodies. A wide array of dismembered and intact corpses lined the entire area. Each one attached to multicolored wires and monitors.
It's dark in this room, although some amount of light filters through from some unknown source. I hear the eerie sound of the mechanical whirring as I take in my surroundings. As I carefully scan the room I find the room actually spans a great deal in all directions.The far walls obscured in shadow, scream of something sinister. All around there are various pieces of machinery. What is this place? A factory or something?
Near the back, something caught my eye. Walking carefully I approached a body that had been encased in a vat of clear liquid. At least a ten feet tall, with a variety of parts thrown together and assembled into one abomination. It looked like someone had taken Frankenpony a little too seriously and had decided to make their own monster. But that wasn’t what had caught my attention.
The body, it was breathing!