Heaven & Hell

Chapter I

"What you ask of is pure madness! I have heard nothing more absurd in all of my life!" These were the words that echoed through the halls of St. Celestia's Hospital. It was there in that hospital in Trottingham, Equestria that the lords and ladies of the Brotherhood of Light conversed in secret. They were silent protectors of the land, holding ideals that Henry held personally. But the implications that he gave were what questioned those such ideals and suggested ideals that most seemed to fear.

The hour was dark and the calm and unsettling feelings that were given off from the environment around him, as well as the ponies that gathered around him. They conversed in Father Angelus Sarrius, whom was in audience. The voice that spoke out was Highlord Alanus Belmont, a tall unicorn with a snow white coat and long dark red mane and tail. Scruffy and intimidating. Next to him was Henry's brother Jackpot Pie, a lawyer. His coat was a dark grey color and his silver colored mane was combed straight and had almost no volume, he wore a dark colored suit and contrasted well with the colors of his mane and coat. Henry glanced over as well at Lucy Apple, his beautiful fiance who was with her father Sir Bismark Apple. Sir Bismark wore a dark brown colored suit that contrasted rather well with his light brown coat and his dark yellow mane and tail. His blue eyes were downcast and the others had their eyes on the tan coated and jet black haired Henry Pie. Henry said, "Please if you will only let me explain."

Angelus and Alanus tightened their disapproving gaze and Henry continued, "The monsters we hunt are made from evil and all its powers. But we all must know that you cannot have evil without good and vice verses. What I am saying is we have the technology to isolate and separate the evil and good personalities that reside inside of them. All I need is your permission to move my experiments on the captive."

Angelus grunted and said, "You play with powers you cannot even comprehend. Temping Celestia herself. You would have us stop our OWN experiments on something that may or may not work?"

"No it has had positive results in animal subjects. I ask to move to a pony subject-"

"But to use medical science against the immortal powers of the Alicorn Sisters?" Alanus said in a deep and charismatic voice, "Do you even understand the powers you wish to oppose? This is tampering with something that should never be touched."

"Oppose! You're implying that I..."

"Not only is this blasphemous to the sisters." Angelus interrupted, "But it is as well unethical..."

"And having him as a font for MAGIC is ETHICAL!" Henry snapped closing his journal briskly. There was an eerie silence in between his next spoken words, "He is more of an inmate of a prison."

Alanus stomped his hoof on the ground and said with a growl ,"We are simply returning the favor! For decades he has been a blight upon our lands and he is supposed to go unpunished? No, I do not approve of your experiments Doctor Henry."

"Highlord please..."

"Be thankful I do not revoke your license Doctor Henry, good night." Alanus and Angelus leave the room and slam the door behind them. Jackpot rubbed his muzzle with his hoof, while leaning up against the desk in the room and said in a soft tenor voice, "Lucy and Sir Bismark, if you will allow me a few minutes with my brother that would be great. We will see you at the engagement party."

Bismark nods and says, "Of course. Come along Lucy, we shall await you there. Come along Lucy."

With no more spoken words they leave the room as well. It was rather small and worked as an office. Books stacked tightly along shelves, filing cabinets, and chairs. Henry looked over at Jackpot and saw the look on his face, he gave the look of worry. Henry stated flatly, "Jack. Please tell me you are with me on this one."

Jack sighed heavily and said continuing to lean against the desk and crossing his forehooves over his chest, "You know that I would be there with you until the bitter end..."

"Then tell me that what I am doing is not wrong and I am doing the right thing!" Henry shouted.

Jack did not move from his pose and replied with a tone of concern, "Look, as your lawyer, as your friend....as...as your brother. You are starting to become obsessed with this work of yours. You are worrying me; You are worrying Lucy. If this is about that promise you made to father..."

"Of course it's about that promise!" Henry snapped again but regained his composure. "What more do I have to strive to do?"

Henry sighed heavily and a silence fell again. Jack said in a low tone, "And now you have convinced the Highlord himself that you are a madpony."

"They set themselves up for this Jack." Henry said in an angry tone. "If it wasn't me it would be some pony else. They call themselves the light in the darkness, when they themselves have become the shadow they swore to destroy. They are hypocrites!"

"Yes." Jack rested a hoof gingerly on Henry's shoulder and said, "But they are very powerful ones. Look, you know I enjoy all of your work and would see to it that you would succeed, like father. All I'm saying is to exercise caution."

Henry rested his own hoof on Jack's and said in a low tone, "We have crossed that point Jack. We can no longer use caution to our advantage."

"Jack..."

"Let me finish," Henry said looking over at Jack. "I can save him. Nopony is beyond the path of redemption, that is what father taught me. And if it can help him then it can help us, they have only proven my point."

He paused in the next words he said after a long sigh, "I'm not even sure if the normal serum works on a pony; let alone an undead one."

Jack turned to face Henry and said looking deep into his eyes, "Then you find a subject. Somepony who has nothing to lose. A volunteer."

Jack grabbed his shoulders and said, "You've come far in five years and if you believe that what you are doing is right then you have to see this through. Please, do be careful little brother. I love you."

Henry pulled him into a hug and said, "I started this alone and that is how it will be finished. I love you too, brother."

Jack pulled him back and said looking into Henry's dark blue eyes, "The battle is over now and the time for being weary is over. Now. You have an engagement party to go to."

Henry straightened up and said, "Yeah...yes I do."

Jack scratched the top of Henry's head and said, "And you should consider yourself the luckiest stallion alive that you are marrying one of the most beautiful mares in all of Trottingham."

They both laughed and left the room to their mansion for the long expected engagement party. But all through the night Henry could not let a thought go about that meeting. He would see his work through no matter what. 'Even if I have to push somepony down I want to see this to the end. I'm not letting it stop here.'