After walking for what felt like hours, Luna stopped at the sight of a couple doors upon the horizon. She started walking faster, her curiosity urging her on. Lead by the light of her flashlight, she carefully walked up to the large steel doors that marked the entrance to one of the laboratory’s many maze-like basements. Both of the doors looked like they had been through a hurricane, having disturbing large holes in them. The one on the left which was barely hanging on by its hinges, had a small sign on the front. The sign was written in large red letters and had a strange symbol in the background. "DA-N-GER--" The young filly read. She had no idea what that meant so she decided to continue her exploration anyways.
Following the light, Luna carefully walked down the stairs to a room that branched off in two directions. On her left, a well-lit hallway that led to another set of stairs. To the right, a dark hallway with flickering amber lights. There was an eerie purple substance smeared on the walls and floor, and even the ceiling. It looked like the place something bad would be hiding.
“I think I’ll go this way!” Luna shouted, turning to the dark hallway on her right.
Luna moved slowly and carefully down the hallway. Every door down this way were either open or non-existent. But other than that none of them seemed to call to her. As she walked, the purple substance started sticking to her hoofs, making a horrid popping sound with each step.
“Ew! This is so gross!” Luna yelled. “What is this stuff?”
She stopped at an open doorway and decided to halt her adventure until she could find something to clean her hoofs. Entering the room, she approached an overturned desk that lay in one of the far corners. Like the hallway it was also covered in the purple substance. Except, for some reason this time it was giving away a very pungent scent and was smoking. Intrigued, Luna grabbed a nearby pen and touched the puddle. Immediately the pen started to smoke as well, dissolving from where it touched the pool. Releasing it, Luna silently watched as the last of the pen disappeared before her eyes.
Suddenly something crashed against the floor behind her snapping Luna out of her daze. Turning she walked over to where a vase had fallen from its perch on a high shelf. Shrugging it off, she turned back toward the doorway and instantly found herself staring into the small, red eyes of another pony.
“Um hello?” She said.
The other pony shrieked, its sharp teeth coming within inches of her face.
Luna screamed.
Throwing her flashlight at the black pony’s warped head, Luna rushed out the door and back into the hall. Her screams of fear echoing off the walls like a siren in overdrive.
“Please! Somepony help me!” She cried out as she hurried blindly down the hallway.
Before long she came to another set of stairs similar to the one she had come down on. A sigh flickered red letters on the wall: SECTOR 13, DIRECTOR TOMBSTONE.
Looking back, she watched as the strange pony slowly walked closer. Out in the amber lights it looked even more scary. From what she could make out it’s entire body resembled that of a skeleton. Only black. And still moving. When the pony noticed her watching its progress it gave another shriek.
Realizing it was her only choice, Luna turned back to the stairs. And cursing Celestia for getting her into the mess, she ran up the concrete stairs into the darkness above.
At the landing, Luna stopped to catch her breath. She stared down down the long hallway in search of some kind of exit. At the end, a single steel door stood ajar, illuminated by a pale light. She didn’t trust it, but it looked to be her only choice at the moment. Steeling herself she ran as fast as she could down the hall and into the room, slamming the door behind her. Leaning against it, Luna allowed herself a chance to relax.
“Move it you fool!” A voice shouted from the somewhere across the room.
Luna turned her head, just in time to see a black hoof smash through the door. “What?”
Everything happened too fast for her mind to react. The hoof grabbed her hair, and she felt a dull pain as it slammed her head against the door repeatedly. Barely conscious Luna screamed.
“Don’t move!”
There was a blinding flash from across the room, followed by a deafening boom that knocked the door free. Where there had once been an entire pony, there was now only a bodiless hoof laying on the ground in a puddle of purple liquid.
Luna stared at the puddle as it dissolved the hoof. “What…”
A flashlight came on, directing toward her. Squinting, Luna looked at the white unicorn standing over her. He was younger than her that much was obvious, maybe a year or two. He had short, spiked blue hair, and a large x-shaped scar across his entire chest. There were also other, smaller scars across his blood splattered legs.
“Thank you.” Luna muttered.
The colt didn’t answer, his attention on something else now. Following his gaze, Luna looked at the end of the hallway. There bathed in the dim red light a single figure stood silently watching. It started approaching them at a slow walk.
“Oh no.” The colt whispered.
“What? What is it?” Luna questioned.
Picking up a nearby pipe, the colt threw it at the figure. However, seconds before it made impact the pipe seemed to disappear into thin air.
“What?”
“Run!” The colt shouted.
Grabbing Luna’s hoof, the colt took off down the hall. Dodging the figure’s outstretched hoofs, the duo ran toward the stairs taking them two at a time.
Everything was a blur as Luna found herself led through halls and doorways she’d never seen before. Her mind was frozen from the fear of what was pursuing them, telling her that she wasn’t going to make it out of here. It was all she could do to keep from letting go of her new ally’s hoof as they cleared yet another chemical waste spill. After what seemed like hours of running around in the dark, the duo finally emerged through the doors Luna had first entered in.
“I-I don’t believe it. We actually made it.” Luna panted, collapsing onto the ground.
“Yeah, I wasn’t sure we would.” The colt agreed. He looked at Luna and smiled.
“So, uh, who are you?” Luna asked, eyeing his may scars.
"Call me Alex. That’s what most people do.” He offered her his forehoof.
“I’m Luna.” She allowed him to help her to her feet.
“Luna. That’s a beautiful name.”
Luna tied her best not to blush. “T-Thank you.”
“How cute. Luna found herself a little friend.” A familiar voice called from behind them.
Luna gasped, turning to face a tall stallion dressed in a gold and white plated armor.
“Ivan!” She shouted running over to him.
The stallion smiled. “And where have you been my young charge? Didn’t I tell you to stay out of the basement?”
Luna looked at the ground. “I...I was curious. The scientists made it sound so fun.”
Ivan sighed. “Only you would consider exploring the site of a minor outbreak as fun.”
“Were you worried about me Ivan?”
“What? No. Of course not. I was…” Ivan looked at the ground.
Luna grinned.
“Anyway, let’s get going. We have to meet back up with Autumn and Mitch. back at the demonstration.” Ivan lifted Luna onto his back and begin to walk back.
“Wait!” Luna shouted. “What about my new friend?”
“What about him? He’s already gone. See for yourself.”
Looking back, Luna was shocked to discover that her new friend was indeed gone. Replaced by the empty dark hole he had helped her to escape.
The beast roared savagely, throwing another concrete pillar at Alex. Alex ignored the roar and kept running. He was now right in front of it. Dodging the beast’s tentacles, he jumped onto its back drawing a sharp piece of glass he had found on the ground. But before he could use it though, the beast began to buck violently like a bull. It knocked Alex to the ground and the glass from his hoofs. Giving another mighty roar, the beast pounced on Alex.
“Enough!” Alex said, touching a forehoof to the beast’s chest.
For a moment nothing happened. Then suddenly, the beast started twitching violently like it was having a seizure. It’s skin quickly changed to black and its fur started to come out. Groaning, Alex pushed it off of him. He got back to his feet and sighed. Behind him, the beast had stopped moving entirely and now laid silently in a puddle of purple liquid.
Far above the entire observation team was quiet, every pair of eyes on the beast. The same one that had threatened all of Equestria for an entire week before it could finally be taken down by the Royal Army’s Special Unit. And even then they only got lucky.
“Gentlepony, allow me to introduce experiment 47. Or Alex, as we like to call him.” Mr. Czech introduced. “I do hope he is to your liking.” He turned to the two sharply dressed ponies behind him.
“Did he seriously just take down an Acrotort by himself?” Autumn said, still gaping out the window. He watched as a team of Cy-ponies guided in a crane to drag off the hundred tons of beast.
“That he did. And in record time too.” Mitch nodded. “Is this what you wanted to show us Czech? A toy?”
“A toy? Of course not. He’s what you ordered. A living creature that can protect the royal family from any threat.” Mr. Czech replied, taking a notepad from an assistant. “He’s certainly not a robot like the Cy-ponies. No, he’s as much a pony as you and me.”
Mitch scoffed. “I’ve never seen a pony do that to an Acrotort before.”
“We might have done a few things to him.” Mr. Czech smiled. “We’ve injected him with a type of experimental poison, per say, that mixes with his natural blood and allows him to use it as a weapon. As an added bonus it also greatly increases his natural strength and cognitive thinking ability. So, as promised we have created the perfect way to protect the young princesses.”
“Uh huh.” Mitch said.
“I have a question. Where did you get the colt?” Autumn asked.
“I’m sorry, but that’s classified.” Mr. Czech answered, giving some papers to Mitch.
“Classified?”
“Yes. That’s between me and those involved directly. Unless the queen says otherwise. It’s a closed case.”
“Is it also a closed case that you’re turning poor foals into monsters?”
Mr. Czech smirked. “Monster? The poor boy has no idea he was made into a weapon. I personally fabricated his memories to think that he was in a major accident from the Great Ponyville Fire of ‘97.”
“But there wasn’t a Great Ponyville Fire of ‘97.”
“Exactly.” Mr. Czech winked and turned back to Mitch. “Do you like what you see?”
Mitch nodded. “Yes. I think her majesty will be pleased. Let’s go talk business.”
“But-” Autumn started. “This isn’t right. We can’t.”
Mitch glared. “Remember this newby. For the greater good sacrifices must be made. Even if they aren’t what you’d expect. Or necessarily right. Understand?”
Autumn nodded.
“Good. Now let’s hurry and get this over with. I have a date in a few hours and I’d hate to be late.”
Alex slowly walked back toward the large door leading to the waiting room outside the laboratory. His latest post-practice debriefing had left him feeling tired and drained, and all he wanted to do was return to his locked room. But he couldn’t. No, he still wanted to go play with his new friend. Speaking of which, there in the window he could barely make out the face of his new friend curiously peering inside.
Apparently somepony else noticed her too and decided to let the curious filly inside.
“Alex!” Luna cried as she ran over to the table he was sitting on and gave him a spine-crushing hug.
“Hey, Luna.” Alex gasped. “Long time no see.”
There was the sound of light snickering from behind them. Turning, Alex watched a group of scientist in the corner whispering to each other as they looked at the two.
Behind them, more scientist were working on a giant red and black spherical machine. It stood at nearly five stories tall and took up one-third of the entire room. At it’s center sat a large black arch with white writing along the edges. Beside the machine, five scientists were pumping some black liquid into a large tank. While two more attached a glowing yellow line to the top.
“So this is the girlfriend everypony has been speaking of.” A tall gray mare with glasses and wearing a labcoat approached the foals, a huge smile on her face.
“Girlfriend?” Alex repeated. “She’s not my-”
“And what is your name?” The mare asked Luna.
“I’m Luna!” Luna replied. “Alex’s bestest best friend!”
“Is that so? Well, I’m Doctor Tion. His bestest best doctor.”
Luna nodded grinning widely.
“So, Luna. Are you here for the demonstration?” Doctor Tion asked.
At this Alex’s ears perked up. “The demonstration is today? It’s really ready?”
Doctor Tion nodded. “Yup. Made the final checks a few hours ago. We’re finally ready.”
Luna frowned. “What demonstration?”
A light-haired scientist walked over with a clipboard. “Tion. These calculations aren’t right. The core is still too unstable for anything to be done. We have to put it off.”
“Don’t worry about it Logg. I made sure to check my work. Everything’s going to be fine. It’s just a test after all.”
“But-”
“Come on Logg. Lighten up. Here, I’ll show you.”
Doctor Tion walked over to a table with half a dozen computers on it and began punching in numbers Instantly, the room became quieter as everypony watched and waited. The machine started to give off a loud hum that quickly turned into a roar.Slowly, one by one the symbols on the arch changed from white to purple. After a couple minutes, a small green sphere appeared in the center of the arch.
“It actually worked!” A scientist shouted.
Immediately, the room erupted in loud cheers and applause.
“We did it!”
“We’re not dead!”
“This will finally change everything!”
The only one who wasn’t celebrating was Logg.
Walking over to the control console he smacked Tion’s hoofs off the keyboard. “That’s enough. Now shut the thing off before something goes wrong and we’re all dead.”
“Not yet.” Tion answered. “I want to show our guests what we accomplished first.”
She pointed to the barricades, where the two foals were eagerly staring at the sphere. One could smell the curiosity pouring from the two from halfway across the room.With a resentful Logg burning a hole in the back of her head, Tion walked over to the two.
Hey guys! What are you up to?” Tion asked the curious foals. “Enjoying the show?”
Luna nodded. “What’s that thing?”
Tion beamed. “That sphere? Well, to be honest with you it’s nothing right now. But in a few weeks it will be the greatest thing we’ve ever done.”
Alex looked at her. “What do you mean?”
“To put it simply. We created a window between dimensions. A door if you will. Though unstable now, when it’s finished it will allow ponies to spread out across the multiverse. Solving our world’s famine and overcrowding, while also giving us scientist new things to discover.”
The two foals looked at her with blank stares.
“You’ll get to meet a real alien?”
“That’s great!” Luna cheered.
Logg walked over to the three and glared at Tion. “You’d think so. Unfortunately, somepony decided not to wait and now we’re all in trouble.”
“Oh, not this again.” Tion sighed. “What is it now?”
“I think you’ll want to see something.” Logg said, his voice grave.
Nodding, Tion followed him back to the console. Upon seeing what was on the main screen her face immediately paled.
“This can’t be right.”
“But it is. I double checked it myself.”
“But then this means-”
“That’s right.”
“What should we do?”
“I suggest a complete system shutdown.”
“Do it.”
“Already tried. Didn’t work.”
“What do you mean it didn’t work?”
“The system rejected every code inserted.”
“That’s not good.”
“Not at all.”
“What should we do?”
Suddenly an ear-piercing alarm went off interrupting everyone’s thoughts. The entire room shuddered as the machine gave off a thick cloud of pink steam.
“What the heck?” Tion shouted.
The room gave another violent shudder, this one knocking glass containers and other various materials loose from their shelves. With this latest force, a single steel pipe the size of the entire room fell from the ceiling.
“Luna! Watch out!” Alex cried, pulling her out of the way of the falling pipe.
The pipe settled in the middle of the room. With Alex, Luna, and the machine on one side. And the scientists on the other.
“Alex!” Tion screamed from somewhere on the other side of the pipe.
“Tion!”
The machine gave a loud screech as it emitted even more smoke.
“The machine’s going to explode! We have to get them out of there!” Tion shouted.
“We can’t!” Another voice shouted. “There’s no way around the pipe. We have to leave them!”
“No!”
The room was filled with strange green and purple colors. Alex jumped on top of Luna and covered her body with his. Like a stone being thrown into a lake, the machine sent out waves of energy. Large pieces of glass cut into Alex’s skin as a mighty wind picked up. This was followed by another wave, and eventually a hot sensation that knocked everyone unconscious.