The Factory

The smog from the everfree thickened, creating horrid black clouds circling over the forest, the weather patrol has had a difficult time taking care of the horrid smelling clouds, for every time they touch it their hooves become a stained black. Twilight sees guards in every street, moving weapons and supplies to the newly built wall surrounding the town.

Fluttershy and the Apples had to come inside because of the threat of another animal attack. Animals from all shapes and sizes have fled the forest, from small rabbits and mice, to the large bears, manticore's, even a hydra and pack of timber wolves have fled. “This is terrible. . . " Twilight said, looking over the forest from her balcony. A couple guards come in.

“Princess Twilight, there is something at the gates and. . . well we don't know what it is.”

“What's does it want?” She asked, turning to face them.

“Follow us.” The guards led her outside, a large pyre was set up to burn the bodies of the pink monsters. Guards patrolled the streets and walls, Ponyville now had a curfew. Upon reaching the gates Twilight looked down to see a strange bipedal creature with metal legs, muscular arms, a tentacle like mouth, and large red eyes. It knocked impatiently at the door, it held a book in one hand and had what looked like a large knife on its back.

“Can I come in or what?!” It said angrily, kicking the door once. The guards muttered silently to each other.

“What do we do Princess?” One asked.

“Well. . . we have to see if it's intentions are peaceful, and. . . what it exactly is. Open the gate but be alert.”

“Yes Princess.” The guards opened the door but readied their weapons just in case. Twilight walked to the waiting creature.

“Uhm. . . hello.” She said nervously. “Welcome to Ponyville, I'm princess Twilight Sparkle, if you need something please ask me.”

“Finally they send someone out. I am a representative of the Soul Storm brewery owned by the Magog Cartel, my boss Molluck has sent me to speak with the Leader of this establishment to. . . apologize about the Paramite and Slog attacks, they broke out of their pens when we set up shop.”

“Set up shop?” She asked.

“Why yes, the forest has provided us with several new types of ingredients for our products, right now we are expanding our Factory. And that is why I'm here, this seal dictates you and your subjects be ordered to leave your homes so we can expand.”

“Um. . . Excuse me? We aren't leaving our homes.” She said.

“Well I'm sorry, you will either leave peacefully or we will be forced to use extreme acts to make you leave.”

“I wish to speak to this Molluck, can you arrange a meeting?”

“Hold on a sec.” He touches a small device on the side of his head. “Uh hey boss. The Princess of this town wishes to speak with you about the eviction notice. . . alright yes sir. A meeting has been arranged for tomorrow afternoon, see you then.” The creature walks back into the forest, leaving the eviction notice on the ground in front of her.

********

Munch sat quietly in his holding cell, the howls and screeches of unknown and familiar animals surround him, the terrified whimpers of Fuzzles and the cries of a small child in the cell next to his. The small child clutches onto his mother, they both have the same features, four legs with hooves on the end with two massive arms, the larger males have shaved nubs where horns would have been and serial numbers stamped on their shoulder and chest.

Upon seeing the bored sadness of the child Munch, though of something to do. He made a medium sized ball made of the mattress stuffing and twine from his bed and rolled it through the bars to the cell next to his, the little ball gently touched the child's side. He looked at the small ball and knocked around gently, then he looked at Munch, kicking the ball gently back to him with one of his fore hooves. Munch picked it up and rolled it towards him. The child new he was trying to entertain him, the Little Steef picked up the ball and walked over to him.

“Hello.” Munch said politely with a smile on his face. The young Steef studied this strange being.

“W. . . what are you?” It asked him.

“I'm a Gabbit, my name is Munch.”

“I'm a Steef, my name is Achack, and that's my mom Adsila.” He points to the female steef sleeping on a mattress.

“What of your papa?” The little steef's ears droop sadly. “Oh. . . never mind.”

Achack notices the device on Munch's head. “Whats that?”

“Oh this? Its a long story.” He makes it spark.

“Do you have a family?”

“Yes, but they are far from here, they are safe with the Grubs in Last Legs.”

“That's where we were going before we were captured by the big heads with needle fingers.”

"Those are Called Vykers, sick beings who experiment on those they think are lesser than them. They are the reason I have this thing on my head.”

“What will they do to us?”

“I do not know little one. But we must plan our escape.”

“And how is it we do that?” A ;arger male Steef asks.

“Munch this is Akecheta, chieftain of my tribe.”

“You say you have escaped these creatures before?”

“Yes. I used Fuzzles to my advantage.”

“Will it work again?”

“If I can find some yes.” A Guard walks by but ignores them. “We should plan this with less guards around.”

“Agreed, come little one, it is time you got some rest.” Akecheta herded the child to his mother, he lied down next to her and fell asleep, Munch kept his eyes on the guards, trying to count how many would patrol tonight and in the morning.

********

Twilight sat in the large factory office, from a window in the office she could see machinery moving and creating the strange drink that was called 'SoulStorm'. She didn't try the samples on the large wood table. This large office was very different from the factory floor. It had large ornate windows, red carpets, wooden walls with paintings and tapestries.

Three of those creatures she saw earlier were at the larger office door, one behind a counter typing on something, he was a secretary, and the other two were guarding the door. Three of her guards escorted her, the Guard Commander named Valiant escorted her. She sat in a red and rather soft chair, in front of her was a table with two bottles of soulstorm and a glass with ice cubes in it. To pass the time Twilight decided to try it, she opened the bottle and poured the green liquid into the glass, it had a sweet smell coming from it, she took a sip, and quickly regretted it, she swallowed regretfully, frowning and closing her eyes.

She set the glass back on the table. “Princess Twilight, Molluck will see you now.” The secretary said. Twilight followed by Valiant walked into the large office room, inside she saw pictures and paintings of what seemed to be important figures, a large desk was in the center of the room, a massive chair facing many screens was behind the desk. Twilight climbed in the smaller chair in front of the desk. The larger chair slowly turned to reveal a large, squid headed creature with glowing yellow eyes, a finely made suit with a large cigar in his mouth.

“Welcome to the Soulstorm Brewery Princess Twilight, I am Molluck, owner of this Brewery and of this chapter of the Magog Cartel.”

“I am here to speak to you about this eviction notice. We decline this offer of eviction.”

“My guards told me of your opinion on this matter and I'm afraid your opinion is invalid. We are expanding no matter who is in the way. The tree's in this area have provided our boilers with enough fuel and wood for construction. A nearby quarry will also be used by our workers and so will the Ponyville gem mines once those dog people are cleared out, the lake and river will be dammed up for energy and the lake will be mined for limestone and clay.”

“We will not leave our homes Molluck, no matter what you throw at us. The Ponies of Ponyville will not back down.”

“I did not want to resort to force, but you have forced me to do so. You and your escort will leave peacefully but if you or your kind are sighted on factory grounds we will open fire.”

“If that is the case the same will happen to your workers if we see them on near ponyville.”

“You may leave Princess. . . ” Molluck said, his chair turned around and he faced the screens.

********

Stranger and his group consisting of Abe, Alf, and Freyda with some Mudokon and Grub soldiers exited the portal and into the large, dark forest. The trees blocked out some of the sky, the air smelled fresh and clean, cleaner than the air on Mudos. He watched as Abe walked out of the forest and into a large field, it was recently plowed. “Civilization?” Strange asked.

“Looks that way, look in the sky.” Abe points to the several black clouds and then to a large plume of smoke coming from a large metal pipe in another part of the forest. That is where we need to go.”

“How many Steef are there, that you know of?”

"A worker we liberated said that there was about forty or more, many were children and what they are using your kind for I have no idea, I'm sure it isn't good." Abe walked towards the Smoke followed by the others. Stranger saw the many different plants and animals as they continued towards the smoke, even a few abandoned buildings, but no inhabitants.

Large bullet holes were in the houses walls and doors, left behind from the Slig soldiers, Slog tracks were in the dirt and. . . hoof prints, not of a a Steef, they were somewhat smaller but wider than his, showing signs of a quick evacuation the tracks go towards a large sized town in the distance, close to the Factory. “The Glukkons would find a town like that to be. . . In the way of their operations, perhaps the natives here could be of some use to us.”

“Maybe" Stranger said, he uses his binoculars to get a better view of the town. He can see wooden walls, gates, and a few towers. The larger towers have ballista on them, several quadruped like animals clad in armor and clothing wielding weapons such as spears, bows, and swords. Some have Wings, Horns, and neither of the two, exiting the forest he sees four of the natives, two clad in gold armor, another in Purple, and the last has purple Skin with both wings and a horn, she appears to be giving the soldiers orders, he wondered if she was their leader. “If we are going to talk to them we may have to talk to the Purple one, she seems to be their leader.”

“Then speak to her is what we must do before the Glukkons cause anymore harm to this world.” Abe said. Stranger observed the natives a while longer, he noticed the city built onto the mountain, its golden roofs reflected sunlight into his binoculars. He saw several of these winged natives flying around the town and city like birds, many of them were armored and moving supplies into the town. He sees one using what looks like Magic to carry a heavy board.

“This world is weirder than mine.” Stranger said.

Author's Note

I had to use Native American names for the Steef's

Enjoy