“Wake him up.” A feminine voice rang through my ears, yet my eyes refused to open.
“Yes, Princess Celestia.” A more masculine voice filled the air around me once more. “Subject Twelve, open your eyes.” I complied, to find a brown unicorn, with a mane and pair of eyes to match, in a white lab coat standing next to Princess Celestia.
She trotted closer to my tank, looking through the glass that separated her from me. After a few moments, she turned back to the unicorn. “Can he speak?”
He shook his head. “We haven’t gotten him to speak once. All he does is sit there and watch.”
She put a hoof under her chin. “How about telepathy?”
He shook his head again. “I don’t think he will do either. All he does is sit there.”
“I see... What do you suggest we do?”
The unicorn shrugged. “I don’t think we can do anything. In my opinion, he is hopeless.”
Hopeless...
I glared intently at him, a red aura flowing from my body. I wanted to be sure this message hurt enough to make him remember.
“I’d be careful what you say around me...”
The aura disappeared as I let go of my grasp on his mind. The unicorn fell, screaming in pain while holding his head with his forehooves. The princess looked from him to me constantly, before finally resting her eyes on me. Her expression... A mix of fear and awe.
“I command you to stop the attack on him.”
I smiled. “My princess, I am not even in his head anymore. The message was engraved into his mind, which is why it hurts to this moment. He should have known better than to speak as if I was not here.”
She turned back to the unicorn, whom at this point stopped screaming in pain and just lay silently. “Maybe we underestimated you...”
“The other one didn’t.”
Her head shot back to me. “Other one? You mean... Luna?” I shook my head. She sighed, “Shadowlight...”
“So that is his name. He mentioned something about me being one of four...”
“Yes. You are one of the four successfully created Alicorns. Shadowlight was created from the combined DNA of myself and Luna. You, on the other hoof, were created from scratch.”
“I see. And what of the other two?”
“One was taken from their world and altered into an Alicorn. The name for their species is ‘human’, if I recall correctly.”
“You’re skipping one, my princess.”
“Ghost was the only pony to survive the change as well. She’s been a lot easier on the scientists than you have. She’s my next stop, actually.”
I shrugged inside my tank. “I’d rather not get stuck with that stallion.”
She gave me a reassuring smile. “Dr. Ray is a very trustworthy pony. You’re safe in his care, as are the others. I just hope you didn’t harm him too much.”
Dr. Ray got to his hooves, mumbling to himself. After shaking the dust off of himself, he turned to Celestia. “Yes, the sooner we leave the better. I’d rather not have my head explode.”
“Before you go, is it possible to let me out of this thing? I’d rather get used to walking sooner rather than later.”
Celestia nodded, and motioned towards the controls. Dr. Ray hesitantly obeyed her command, letting me out of my glass prison. I nodded my thanks to her.
She pointed a hoof to my left, showing me a cot sticking out of the wall. “Remain in this room until further notice. We will have to find a place to house you all without alerting the public.”
I let out a small chuckle. “We’re your dirty little secret, eh? Alright. I will obey your orders, my princess.”
“Good. We’ll return shortly.” And with that, the two departed. I made my way to the cot and laid upon it, returning to the sweet embrace of sleep.
- - - - A few minutes later - - - -
The door opening awoke me from my surprisingly deep slumber. I hastily got up and made my way to the door, and soon became amazed at how little time it took me. Apparently Celestia and Dr. Ray weren’t as surprised as me.
“Number Twelve, I am going to take you to the training room. You will join Ghost in her training while we attend to Number Eleven.” Dr. Ray sounded as if he was in a better mood, but I still glared at him.
I reached out to Celestia, “I’ll comply. And for the record, I can speak. I just choose telepathy as it is a much more... Private, way of speaking.”
“Well, if you can’t trust him, at least trust Ghost. She seemed happy to be able to meet you, so please try to speak to her.”
I sighed. “Very well Princess. I will speak to her, and her alone. I will only do so if you do not ask for me to speak to anypony else.”
“Very well. I will honor your request, as you honor mine.”
“Thank you. Don’t know if I feel like ‘training’ the first minute I’m out of the cell though...”
“Once inside, you are always free to do as you wish.”
I gave her a brisk nod, glared towards Dr. Ray, and then teleported myself into the room.
After I appeared in the room, I had to blink my eyes a few times to adjust to the dim lighting. She did say you could do as you please, so I assume this is Ghost’s preferred training mode. The room, as far as I could tell from the better lit top portion, was large enough to house four two story buildings. I couldn’t see that far in front of me, but there were large wooden boxes scattered, almost forming a maze like pattern.
‘Now... Now I’m a tad bit angry...’ I looked at myself, finding that my red aura casts a bright light, but if she was doing what I thought, I’d need to control myself. After a few moments, I calmed myself down and took a few steps forward, eying all around me. I had originally scanned around for her, but she masked herself well. ‘Looks like from here on out, it’s just the waiting game.’
"HI THERE!"
I literally jumped back at this newfound voice screaming from a bodiless head. After a few moments, I recovered myself and gave her a scowl. "Why you little..."
She broke into a laugh as she unmasked the rest of her body, still flying upside-down. "You're funny Twelve. Serious, but funny."
My red aura once again flowed, but a bit more bright this time. “Don’t you ever... EVER, do that to me again.” After calming myself down once again, a small smirk broke onto my face out of realization. I was preparing for something like this, yet when it came, I still found myself startled.
"See, it's not THAT hard to smile!" She said after she giggled. She flew directly in front of me and straightened herself out. "You can't stop me." After that, she booped me on the nose. “You’re it!” She called as she dimmed herself and fled into the maze. "Catch me if you can!" Her voice faded as much as she had.
I stood there a moment with my eyes shut. ‘If she wants to play with me having a disadvantage, she’s dead wrong.’ As I trotted forward, I tried reaching out mentally to anypony in range. To my luck, Celestia happened to be watching, and I invaded her vast spell vocabulary. Hastily pulling her spells while trying to not give myself away, I started to hide my own signatures.
After I finished, I started laughing maniacally. “You’re a fun one, Ghost... Although, I think I could get more enjoyment out of Shadowlight or Eleven than you.”
"Why's that?" Her voice was above me, so she had hidden herself on one of the boxes. I could sense that my taunt worked by the partial sadness in her voice.
“They think outside of the box. You are more... What’s the word... Predictable.”
"How can you say that when this is the first time we've met?" Her voice no longer was that of sadness, nor any other emotions. She’s catching on.
“Shadowlight spoke of you, my dear.” I started trotting forward. “He speaks very low of you, too.” I didn’t bother scanning for her. She’s too good for me to do any of that, but she likely moved from her previous spot. I flew into the air, just midway from the upper area of the room. Even though I could not see that much below me, I just remained here.
Just to the left of me in a light whisper, "Boo." I flew sideways as a precaution. As I glared at the empty void, she spoke again in a more calm tone, "Shadowlight doesn't like anyone that isn't Shadowlight. Not even his Doctor is fond of him."
She’s toying with me. “Is that so? Then he has a intense distaste in you. If I recall correctly, he said he wished you had been one of the eight that failed. Then after, and I quote, ‘No, I wish she never existed.’”
"I knew he didn't really like me, but he really wishes I never existed...?" Her voice was filled with so much sadness that it actually hurt me. Maybe telling her that much truth was bad... Until a box had its lines flaring with white. "Well... That's not really relevant to what we’re doing, so are you going to try and find me or what?"
I had my maniacal grin on as I teleported inside her box, “Boo.” Her reaction of shock made me laugh intensely. After I stopped laughing I continued, “That is why it was relevant, my dear Ghost.”
She chuckled, "Good one." She gave me a small punch to the shoulder, which felt as just that, beyond the fact that I was cast from the inside of the box. I could hear her laughing as I recollected myself. I just stared at her. "I'm... Sorry..." she said between her insane laughter, "I don't know my own strength sometimes."
I moved at my increased speed, stopping inches from her with a hoof raised at her nose. “I boop your nose.” And as I paused before her nose, “Boop.” As soon as I connected with it, she was cast the same way, and then it was my turn to laugh. “Not so fun, is it?” I barely managed to speak the words.
After she got back up, she yelled at me while suppressing some of her own laughter. "No fair! You did that on purpose!"
“Don’t be such a tight-tail.” I smiled gleefully. “I’m just being me...” My mind went a little blank at that point, as another realization hit me. Although it is one for a later time, as Ghost calling at me brought me back to reality.
She sighed out of relief, "Oh thank Celestia. I thought your mind wandered into the void for a moment there...."
“Yeah, it did...” I looked at her, and felt that out of the other two, I could trust her. I cast a spell that would seal whatever happened inside the radius, inside the radius. “It’s just... I don’t know if I am really being me, or if this ‘me’ is just some scientist giving me my own personality...” I sat on my haunches, “I was made from nothing, so they had to do something to me, but at the same time, I could have developed my own free will...” I shook my head, “I just don’t know. My day already had a bad start with Dr. Ray. Although, I will admit the time in here brought me out of the mood, yet here I am, back in it...”
She came over to me, sat down, and nudged me with her shoulder. "Hey Twelve, it's not all that bad. Don't think about what you are, or how you are made, only think of what you'll become. Who you are is up to you, not some scientist in a lab. Hay, you could be like... A great warrior! Or... A famous actor!" She spoke with a friendly smile, "Being all sad and stuff isn't the way to live. You gotta... Grab life by the wings and proclaim, 'Life! You're not all that bad of a guy and I think we could be friends; if you want to make me sad, well then I'll just have to disappoint you!" After speaking in an authoritative tone, she started out in a small laugh.
The way she acted forced me to join her, “I think I’m going to have a little ‘chat’ with Shadowlight. You’re nothing like what he said.” I returned the nudge gesture.
She gained a serious look, "Don't hurt him. What he said didn't hurt me... Really, I'm okay. But thanks for offering, that means a lot." Her seriousness shifted to a very weak smile.
“I never said I’d hurt him. If I hurt anypony else today, I might get sent back in that tank for Celestia knows how long.” With that, I stood up.
She stood up after me and extended her hoof towards me, "Well it was great meeting somepony new that's for sure! I guess this is where we say goodbye for today?"
I extended my own hoof, to which she grabbed and shook rapidly, “For now. If you need me, feel free to come by my room. I’d go insane if I was left with Dr. Ray.” I retracted my hoof from her iron grip.
She let out a small giggle, "Of course! You can come by my room anytime you'd like as well!" She smiled and wrapped a forehoof around me in a hug.
I did the same, “I’ll see you later. I’m likely about to get scolded from Celestia, though...” And as if on cue, Celestia and two doctors entered. I immediately recognized Dr. Ray, but the other was new. He had the same features as Dr. Ray, nothing but brown.
As Celestia approached me, she had look of scorn before returning to her calm self.
"Come on Ghost, this is between Princess Celestia and Number Twelve." The unknown scientist said before I became too occupied with a pissed Celestia.
“You’ve gone too far.”
“What?”
“First you misused your enhanced telepathy to harm Dr. Ray. Now... Now you have gone into my mind, which is an area that is strictly off limits.”
“While I am sorry for Dr. Ray’s pain that I caused, I was only using-”
“The fact is that you did something you shouldn’t have. You are going to be restrained inside your tank for-”
“That... That is not an option.” It was then I noticed that not only had I spoken that aloud and at all, but my aura was shining brighter than ever before.
She kept her calm, but her eyes gave way to the anger inside of her. “Twelve... This is not up for debate.”
“Who am I? Your sister? Do something wrong and you immediately imprison them?” My aura was starting to weaken, but if this subject was kept on topic, I am likely to NEVER get out of my tank.
Ghost hastily made her way between the two of us and held a hoof up. "Woah there guys, no need to continue with this." Celestia gave her a rather harsh look. While I still looked angry on the outside, I was joyed that she intervened. Ghost’s ears flattened and she shifted her gaze to the ground, "Now, I know you asked me not to interfere Tia... But I could feel things were going to get out of hoof really quick, so... I decided to try and mediate you two." She looked from the ground to me, "Twelve... I think it would be the best for all of us here if you just go along with what she says."
‘If I don’t comply, she will make it worse, and I’d hate to do that in front of Ghost. If I do comply, I am getting my sorry flank shoved in my tank for a few weeks.’ I ran through more situations before sighing. “How long am I stuck in the tank?”
“Three weeks.” Celestia said rather angrily.
“Great...” My head and ears fell at this. ‘If this is what life for me will be like, I am going to get the buck out of here as soon as possible...’
"Dr. Ray, Dr. Hans, if you could take Ghost and Twelve back to their rooms. Lights out early for you Ghost." Celestia barked before she started trotting away.
Dr. Ray hurried over to me and ushered me to follow. As I did so, my head still hung low, I heard Ghost call to me, "I'll come by and see you tomorrow, maybe give you a little company!"
‘At least I can count on one pony to try to keep things in this prison cheerful...’
I didn’t pay attention to the surroundings. Because of this, we arrived at my room much faster than usual. The only reason I knew was because of the constant beeping from my right, indicating Dr. Ray opening the door. After the door hissed open, he motioned me to the tank.
After I got inside he spoke, “I admit I had the mental attack coming. It was wrong of me.”
“I shouldn’t have let my anger get to me, though.” I said before the doors closed and he started the stasis program.
‘At least I have something to look forward to tomorrow...’ was all I could think before drifting off from the stasis program.
