Crimson Trail

Chapter 5

Life Goes On

Edited by the Metallic Dash

I lay in one of the diamond dogs cells. I was not sure how long ago I was captured, but I guessed I had been stuck down here for at least 5 days by the way I smelt. The pack that had captured me was rather small only consisting of about 12 dogs and 2 other slaves both of which were ponies, my time here was not spent well since I have apparently killed the alpha when I was captured. Because of this all the other dogs treated me a lot worse off than the other slaves. I was given all of the hard and dangerous work was only fed the scraps that was left over by the other slaves and was beaten almost every night. But instead of breaking down or getting mad, I became calculating, learning everything but telling nothing. This night was the night when I was going to break out. I knew all the tunnels, all the guards, and I had a plan. The scariest part about it was I no longer felt remorse for the dogs. After all the beating, all the lack of humanity, I was positive that when I was ready to kill one I would feel nothing for their kind.

Lying on the small pile of moldy hay in the corner of my cell I carefully went over my plan again and again as I waited for everything to fall into place. I would only have one chance to do this and if I messed up I would probably not live to try again. Hearing two sets of steps coming down the tunnel I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep.

Its time, no regrets I will get out or die trying.

Hearing my cell door open the two dogs stepped in, this was how it happened every night before the guards went to sleep these two would come down to give me one last beating before bed. However I was not going to let them have to satisfaction tonight. The small clink of wood on stone as one of the guards lay his spear agent the wall by the cell door. Then steps moved closer and closer until directly above me.

“You woke it last time it’s my turn today?” the first one said in a gravelly voice.

“Fine but I get to tomorrow,” the second one replied.

Opening my eye to slits I looked back to see the first dog pulling his arm back for a punch. Tensing up my muscles I saw the arm start to move and I sprang up with all the force in my body launching myself into the air above the dogs. The one who was throwing the punch had his large fist cracked against the hard stone wall causing him to recoil for a second. In that time I flapped my wings to propel myself backwards over the dogs and then landed several feet behind them. Not skipping a beat I bolted towards the open cell door snatching up the spear laying against the wall and kicking the door shut before turning and quickly removing the key. I know I was not safe… not in a long shot but I needed to keep moving, so I turned and ran down the cave thinking about the next step of my plan as I went.

Ok, I am out of my cell with no chains on giving me full mobility, the dogs I locked in the cell will probably tunnel out but it will take them at least a minute to do so. When they are out they will alert the guards who will all come looking for me. I need to get to the eastern try tunnel before this happens.

Moving as fast as I was able it was not long before I made my way to a large cavern with 3 tunnels connecting to it. The nickname I had given this place was try tunnel for obvious reasons. Moving the down far pathway I came into another large cavern but this one contained a reservoir of groundwater. Climbing in I began to scrub myself down washing off my scent, then once again I began going over the next step of the plan.

Enter the water chamber and wash myself of my scent. Then staying in the water follow the aqueduct until the fifth cave opening before getting out.

When I was hearing the yips and halers of the other guards. I slipped deeper and deeper into the water before the current picked me up and sent me off down the aqueduct. It was a relatively fast moving current and I really had to fight against it to climb out of the water when I reached the fifth cave. Shaking off I started again down a new series of tunnels. Following them I did not know how long it would take for the large search party of dogs to find me but I would need at least 3 minutes for this to work. Rounding a corner I saw what I was looking for a storage room with only one guard by the door. Slowly and quietly I walked up behind him and plunged the spear I had picked up into his heart, he went down with a small yip but I was the only one around to hear it. Taking the large key ring off him I moved past and opened the storage room to find a surplus of gems. spears, but more importantly my knife. Taking it I walked out of the room and down the hallway to a large steel barred door. Once again using the keys I had gotten I opened it and walked into a large corridor with cells on both sides of the wall. Following it down I came across a cell with the occupants being 2 sleeping ponies. Opening the doors I quietly shook them awake.

“Akilina what are you doing here?” one began to ask.

“Not now. I am getting out and you are welcome to come with me but you need to do exactly what I say if we want this to work.”

“Want what to work? And how can we get out?”

And so I gave a brief description of my plan.

“Well if you think you can pull it off, we are in.”

“OK you know what to do stay here until I give you the go ahead then get ready to run.”

Walking back out of the cell I closed the door making sure it did not lock then once again I started to follow the tunnels and went through the next part of my plan.

Get to the cell block and unlock the cells for the others then head back over to the tri-tunnel and wait to be spotted by the guards then run as fast as possible down the left path. I must make the guards lose sight of me before I make it to the mining tunnels.

Getting back to try tunnel I started to stretch out my legs for this upcoming run as I waited. Sooner than I expected coming from the cell block was a large group of 8 or so dogs and as they rounded the corner it was just in time to see me run off down the left tunnel.

“There she is! Get her! Kill her!”

I heard being yelled at me as I ran at the fastest pace I could with my injuries. The run was not long but all the twisting tunnels helped me keep in front of the dogs. Entering a large room with mining carts full of gems. I picked a cart at random and gave it a kick down its tracks before tucking myself into a small indentation in the wall on the opposite side of the cave. When the crowd of dogs came running in screaming profanities and not thinking they followed the sound of the mine-cart and ignored the rest of the room. Slowly creeping out of my hiding spot I started double backing to the cell block.

Make a distraction and send the dogs on a wild goose chase into the labyrinth of tunnels as I make my way back to the cell block pick up the others and we make our escape.

And that is what I did. After picking up the two ponies we all made our way to the tunnel to the surface. And once we were in the forest we did not stop moving until we all collapsed in exhaustion.

“I can't believe that worked. Good thinking Akilina.” one of the ponies I had come to know as Dusty said.

“Thanks but you don’t have to be that smart to out think those dogs. Anyway what are you going to do now that you are out?” I asked.

“Honestly I could not tell you I have been stuck down there for 3 years. I guess I will probably go back to Canterlot and see my family. What about you?”

“Pretty much the same as you just instead of Canterlot I need to get back to the griffon dominion. What about you blue bell what are you going to do?” I asked the other pony.”

She looked at the sky for a minute before saying

“I have no family left when I was taken it was because my village burnt down and I was lost wandering the forest. I have no home to go back too”

“Then why don't you come with me to Canterlot. I would love to have the company and I am sure you will love it there,” Dusty replied happily.

“Hmm, well if you are ok with me coming then I guess I will.”

And with that we all lay there telling stories of what we would do when we got home before drifting off to sleep and in the morning we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways.

~~~~~10 years later~~~~~

Clank

The sound of the metal door to my left closing woke me out of my slumber. Starting to open my eyes the blinding light from before came rushing in causing me to wince a little, sitting up it was not long before the light was dimmed. Opening my eyes I blinked the sleep out of them and began to take stock of myself when I notice something that was not in the room before. A metal tray lay on the floor in front of the door and on the tray there was some type of meat cooked and sitting on a plate, next to it there was an apple and above the apple was a bowl of water. Lastly there was a role of some type of cloth. Moving closer the scent of

Cooked fish wafted up and my stomach growled thinking back I hadn't eaten since the morning I had gotten back to Canterlot. Sitting down in front of the tray the urge to eat overcame all other thoughts and I dug in using my talons the cut the meat into bite size chunks. When all the fish was gone I grabbed the bowl of water and downed it as well. Wiping my beak off I contemplated eating the apple as well but I was not sure of the next time I was going to get food so I decided to save it for later.

Well wasn't the best fish I have ever had but I am not complaining. I have spent enough time in the wild and have eaten more than my amount of unseasoned fish.

With the food in my stomach I scooped up the roll of cloth and looked at it and it only took me a couple seconds to find out what it was. Roll of gauze it’s purpose was obvious, I was still pretty cut up from my fall and a lot of my wounds had started to scab over however the risk of reopening one was still fairly high and infection would surely follow. Taking the gauze and the apple I moved into the middle of the room and began preening my feathers and wrapping my more serious wounds.

I must have spent at least an hour picking dirt, pine needles, and tree sap out of my feathers. When I was done I ended up sitting there trying to think of something to do. I got up and began to pace.

I need to think of something to do before I go stir crazy. This room looks to be a prison cell of some kind and the construction is perfect I don’t think brute strength is enough to break out of it. Who brought me here, more importantly why am I here? Did I do something wrong? Was I contaminated with something when the explosion went off? I guess I could always try asking again but I have a feeling I will get the same response as before.

I don't know how long I must have been pacing for but when I stopped my legs felt weak with exhaustion and a thin layer of sweat had formed over some parts of my body. Not having anything better to do I lay back down in the corner of the room and once again drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~several hours later~~~~~

Clank

The sound of the door closing once again woke me up from my sleep. Noticing the red tinge in my eyes this time I did not open then until the lights were dimmed and when I opened them the room was once again different. The metal tray was gone and so where all the scraps of gauze. My apple was where I left it and there was something new in the room. Looking over sitting next to the door was a small cube. Walking over and picking it up I could feel it was made out of plastic and the cube was made up of smaller cubes 9 on each side. However each side consisted of different colors, twisting it around and around in my talons I soon discovered that all the smaller cubs were connected in some way keeping it from falling apart. I seemed lured that each layer can be rotated independently of the others in doing so shuffling the colors around.

I guess it is some type of game, you shuffle the colors around and then try to put it back to the original position. Not really what I was hoping for but at least I have something to do.

Sitting down and manipulating the cube with my talons, I scrambled it up mixing all the colors and slowly began trying to match them again. Hours went by with no progress made. Frustrated I put the cube down, grabbed my apple and began to walk around the room eating it.

There has to be something I am missing. A pattern I have not tried, a secret I do not know. There has to be a way to do it. If only I know how it worked.

At this a grin came over my face and I went back over to the cube. Sitting back down I gave the top half a partial turn and used my talon on the corner of one of the blocks I pried it off. As I suspected when one piece came out the whole thing fell apart.  However not into the 27 blocks I was expecting but into 20 small blocks with clips on one corner and 1 large piece with all the colors on every side making up the core. Gears started turning in my head as I saw all the little pieces and how they went together. Sorting out all the pieces I began sticking it back together in the correct coloration and the last piece popped into place with a click. All the sides were back to the way they were when I found it. I sat back and started to shuffle it again and when it was all messed up I placed it on the ground and closed my eyes in thought.

The center of each side stays the same no matter what. which means I need to match the other pieces using the centers as my template.

Opening my eyes I grabbed the cube and started to move it finding different patterns to move pieces from one place to another and it wasn't long before I had one side solved. The more I worked with it the more little tricks and patterns I learned and after another hour of fiddling I had gotten it. All sides back to their original colour. A great feeling of accomplishment came over me before I told myself it was just a game. I was not sure how long I had been at it but I was starting to get tired and my talons hurt from all the stimulation. Moving back over to my corner I laid down and closing my eyes in thought.

~~~~~Secret Service agent Victor’s perspective~~~~~

It had been 12 hours since the first encounter with the griffon before I was able to get any sleep and even then it was only a 4 hour cat nap before the griffon was apparently up again. Me not wanting to miss anything I went out and joined the scientist in front of the observation window. Looking in I could see the lights had been turned back up and a tray of food lay on the floor of the cell.

“What are you feeding it?” I asked.

“We are unsure of its digestive system, if it is feline or avian, so we are giving it grilled salmon because it is digestible for both. As well as the apple to tell us if it is a omnivore or straight carnivore, there is also water for obvious reasons and a roll of gauze to see if it is intelligent enough to treat its own wounds,” one of the white coats next to me answered.

Before I was able to think of another question to ask, the lights in the room where dimmed and the griffon began to get up. It looked around for a second before spotting the food on a tray and slowly approached it. When it was close enough it sat down in front of the tray and gave everything one more look before it began to pick the fish apart with its claws and eat it. It’s hunger was clear as it finished the plate and quickly went for the bowl of water however when it finished with the water it did not go directly for the apple. Instead it retrieved the role of gauze and began to groom itself also taking a lot of time to carefully wrap the more heavily injured parts of its body. Lots of murmurs began to pick up about its intelligence and possible test but I was once again swept under the rug when all the technical stuff started coming out. I don't know how long I watch as it treated its self but when it was done the griffon got to its feet and began to walk around the room. Seemingly mumbling to itself at times and letting loose signs of boredom every now and then. Getting up I turned and was surprised to see Andrew who was standing right behind me I began.

“Isn't there anything we can give it for entertainment it is clearly looking for something to do,” I asked.

“Yes there is, we have decided to give it a Rubik’s cube to test its intelligence and problem solving capabilities. However we do not want to risk first encounter so we are going to wait until it falls asleep again,” came his response.

“A Rubik’s cube, are you serious don't you think that will be a little hard?”

“Well we can't be sure of anything at this point. But if it is too hard then we will try something easier. But for now we are just waiting for it to fall asleep.”

“Well in that case I am going to go back to bed. If anything interesting happens come and get me. Also one more thing, when will I be able to go home?”

“Umm well yes about your home. Under these circumstances you are not allowed to leave with the information you have until further notice.”

“Well that is just great. Can you at least get someone to give my partner a call and tell him I am alright. oh and also get someone to go by my house and water the plants.”

“I will see what I can do.”

“Thanks.”

And with that I walked back to the small conference room I had previously been sleeping in and passed out on the couch.

~~~~~7 hours later~~~~~

I woke up and after checking my watch I was amazed I was able to get that much sleep. Stepping out of the room I went back into the lab where I was greeted by Andrew who filled me in on what I had missed. Apparently they had given the griffon the Rubik’s cube 2 hours ago and it was still going at it. Walking over to the window I saw the griffon sitting down shuffling the multi coloured cube around and around in its front claws. A look of pure determination on its face. Grabbing a chair I pulled it up to the window and watched for several minutes before it put the Rubik’s cube down in irritation and grabbed the apple that was laying on the ground next to it. she started to walk back and forth eating it and glancing down at the cube every now and then. I alerted the other scientist of these new developments when the griffin suddenly stopped and a grin came over its beak. Finishing the apple and eating the core she walked over to the Rubik’s cube gave the top half a ⅛ turn then popped off the corner block causing the whole thing to fall apart. The scientist began watching with me at this point as we all saw it as it inspected every piece and seemingly satisfied started to reassemble the cube in the right order. When it was done it scrambled the cube up and started at it again. As time passed we were all amazed when it got the first side solved but that was nothing when under 30 minutes later the cube was completely solved. The griffon looked at all side of the cube and with a look of joy and satisfaction.

“I can't believe it did it.”

I heard someone behind me say.

“What was the final time?” someone else asked.

“4 hours 36 minutes over all time, 54 minutes solve time after the take apart.” someone else replied

The voice of Andrew came over everyone in the room and said.

“With this new information we can safely say that the creature is not only smart but is highly intelligent. I request everyone in lab B in 1 hour to discuss what we do now.”

When he finished he walked out of the room. Not having anything better to do followed him out and into lab B where I sat and waited.

When the meeting started there was a lot of talk about findings and possible origins of the creature the most common being other countries messing with genetic engineering and made a break throw. But with that theory we still did not have an explanation for the still unknowing language the griffon spoke. Or the still unidentified necklace it wore. the next theory to come up was a possible hidden society of griffons still undiscovered but once again the idea was passed off do to the fact that a culture like that would be next to impossible to hide. even if it was there would be no reason for this griffon to be discovered like it was. The last idea was an alien theory with the griffon being an alien and the wreckage found in the forest being the parts of a ship. But like the other two ideas was passed off do to their not being enough wreckage for any size of ship and all the wreckage contained no type of technology. It was as if the griffon had just appeared out of nowhere. With the stalemate on the origins everyone gave a pause but it did not stop the meeting. When it continued it was on the topic of what  was seen on the X ray and from what I could pick up the griffon was releasing some sort of energy but not like any that had been discovered before. The necklace was apparently doing the same but from where and how was still unknown. What was known was it is harmless to humans but would mess with electronics if enough of it was released at once. Also no known substance has been able to contain it but they are currently working on a way to detect it for future study. The last thing that was talked about in the meeting was what to do with the creature now. And this is where the real debate started. 25% wanted to release it back into the wild and pretend it never happened. 25% wanted to dissect it and learn everything they could. 25% wanted to keep it and study its relation to different conditions and the last 25% where abstaining from the vote. The call at the end of the meeting was to keep the creature until the higher ups figured out what they wanted to do with it but until then no new test where to be done. And no attempts to make contact with the creature were to be made. So all in all the meeting was a big waste of time that ended with everyone in the same positions as before. Not being able to do anything just observing.

~~~~~Akilina Perspective 4 day later ~~~~~

The familiar sound of the door closing woke me up as it always did. I waited for the lights to dim. Before walking over to the tray of food that lay in front of the door. As usual there was a bowl of water a plate of fish and some type of fruit in this case it was a banana. Sitting down and eating I began to think.

I need something new to do, it’s always the same thing here, wake up eat, walk around, play with the puzzle cube, work out then go to sleep again. I don’t even know how long I have been in here. I need to get out I need to get back to Canterlot. I need to be back out in the open sky I can't keep living like this. I NEED TO FIND A WAY OUT!

When I was done eating I walked over to the mirror placed my right talent on it and spoke up for the second time since I got here.

“You have to let me out I need to get back to my home. I need to do something you can't keep me in here for much longer. Just please let me out.”

Then I waited looking into my reflection in the mirror... listening for a sign, for a reply. Listening for anything to show what I had said had made it through. But there was no response.

They are ignoring me. They know I can't get at them and so they are ignoring me. NO ONE IGNORES ME!

A look of pure anger came over my face and I got up and kicked the glass with my two back legs as hard as I could. A ringing could be heard as the glass quaked back and forth unbreaking with the impact. I was not done I turned around and started to claw my way at the smooth surface, clinks of bone on glass rang out as my talons scraped against the unbreaking glass. taking several steps away from the mirror  I charged and hit it with my all my weight only to be bounced off and hit the ground splayed out. as rage my subsided a new type of pain became present. Sitting up and looking myself over several of my still unhealed cuts had been reopened and a small amount of blood was starting to stain my feathers. Looking one last time at the mirror there was no damage to be seen only several splattered drops of blood slowly making their way down to drip to the floor where a broken talent lay. One more look of disgust crossed my face before I muttered to myself.

“Father was right. the only one who will help you is yourself.”

The next thing I know the lights in the room flared on bright and I was forced to close my eyes against it. As soon as I did the sound of the door opening caught my attention but before I could react 3 tinges of pain hit me in the chest with a familiar cold sensation spreading out from where they hit. I tried to fight it. I tried to get to my feet but like last time the cold wave washed over my head I was paralyzed and a deep sleep soon followed.

~~~~~Secret Service agent Victor’s perspective~~~~~

It had been 4 days since the meeting and there was still no commands from are higher ups on what to do with the griffon. As I got up and out of the bed (I had been given one in the barracks) I went over what my day was mostly going to consist of. Getting some food, watching the griffon for a couple hours, then helping out the sciences in the lab with little tasks. It was not too exciting but at least it gave me something to do. I had started to feel sorry for the griffon being locked in a small room with nothing to do. She probably wanted to run free and go back to where ever she came from. Maybe she has a family.

After getting a tray of food from the mess hall I walked into the lab and pulled up a chair to my usual spot in front of the window. Looking in I could see the griffon doing the same sitting in her usual spot eating. When I was done I placed my tray under my chair and rested my elbows on my knees. I watched as the griffon finished eating then was a little taken aback when she did not start her normal routine of walking around the room. Instead she walked right over to the mirror and gently placed one of her front talons on the glass. Some of the other scientist in the room with me also took note of this and came over to join me.

“What do you think it is doing,” I hear one of them ask.

Before anyone was able to provide an answer. The griffon began to speak in its native tongue as usual the words were incomprehensible however a clear meaning seeped in to my mind. “I want out.”

When she was done talking everyone stood in silence for a couple seconds as what was said began to sink in. As the griffon waited there not moving. The seconds ticked by like hours and I could swear the griffon was looking directly at me throw the one way mirror. Then it was as if a switch was flipped the pleading expression of her face dropped and was replaced with a look of pure hate. At that moment I wanted to be anywhere else but there. She turned around and stroke out at the mirror with her two back legs landing then with devastating force causing myself and several of the scientist around me to get up and back away. As the griffon flipped back around and unleashed a fury swipe of claws the noise it made was loud enough to alert everyone in the lab that something was happening. I heard someone yelling.

“Turn on the lights and tranq it quickly!”

Everyone scrambled as I continued to watch as she backed up and slammed herself with full force into the glass only to be bounced off and hit the ground hard but not before a sliver of a crack formed where she impacted. She looked around lingering on the window before apparently noticing the injuries that had all reopened. then the rage fell off her face as she looked to the ground in defeat and muttered one last thing the her language. Before the lights shot on then I saw 2 military officers opening the door and shooting a burst of tranqs into the not moving griffon. Causing her to collapse.

“Is everyone alright” I heard Andrew call out.

A series of yeses came as a reply before he continued.

“Give it 3 minutes for the tranks to take full effect then I want team A to pull out the creature and treat all of its wounds when you are done put it in the isolation cell 2 and make sure there is someone watching at all times.  Then go and clean the blood out of room 1. Does anyone know why this happened?”

“We don’t. it just came over placed it talent on the window spoke a few word then freaked out,” someone replied.

“Are you sure nothing else happened?”

“Yes positive.”

“Ok well we need to keep this from happening again. I don’t think we need to go to extreme measures like drugging its food but we need a way to calm it… are we done running test on the necklace I think if we give it back it will cause it to relax.

“Uum there are still a lot of test we need to run but we have enough initial data to keep for studying.” another scientist replied.

“Ok good someone go and get it from lab B and bring it here. Everyone else without a job get out and waits in the conference room until further notice.”

And with that I was ushered out and into the conference room unsure of what to think or do. All I know was I needed to wait and see what would happen.

~~~~~Canterlot City Professor's Perspective~~~~~

It had been 5 days since the teleporter melt down and I had finally been allowed to go home. As I walked into the living room I noticed something off the door to Akilina’s room was open which it had not been since she left on her trip.

She must have left it open when she came to find me. But… now… she is gone.

Slowly walking into the room something caught my eye her travel bag was slumped in the corner still full with stuff I could only assume she got on her trip. But more importantly walking over to the nightstand I lifted a thick leather bound book with a large red and orange primary feather tide on the cover. Opening it and leafing through the pages I quickly learn what the book was. Akilina had made a travel journal taking it and walking out to the couch I sat down and started reading. But I had to stop when I started to tear up on the second page. Closing the book and placing it next to me I laid back and closed my eyes to keep from crying.

I know we were not related by blood but I thought of you as family since the first day you showed up at my door. And now I don't know what I am going to do without you.

Thinking back to the lab, the magical explosion and seeing her fly out at unbelievable speed carrying Cloud Skippers kid and sacrificing herself to save him. As the images of the event flashed by in my head I sat up quickly and thought about something that I did not notice before.

When Akilina was flying away the magical energy wave was within 20 feet of her and when she was engulfed she was still alive. But that should not be possible with the amount of energy in the explosion the heat should have killed her with in that proximity. Even the kid who had way less exposure time still had burnt feathers and first degree burns on parts of his body but Akilina even when she was engulfed her feathers they did not ignite they did not even singe… but there was nobody to be found after the dissipation. which also doesn't like up, parts of the building where intact although a little scorched, her body would not have been completely consumed in the short amount of time she was exposed...  she may be still alive!!! But it does not explain where she went... it is possible that with the totem misaligned I different spell was cast. Or maybe the teleportation spell worked? I have to find out.

Jumping up and off the couch a new spark of hope was awakened in my heart I made my way as fast as I could down to the library where I started to Reacher the possibility of Akilina survival. It was going to be a long night but I did not care.