The Thing: an Antlertican Horror

by Scriber

Rating: mature
Tags: Original Character, Adventure, Derpy Hooves, Princess Celestia, Crossover, Main 6, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark
Length: 7722

Something inequine lurks underneath the frozen wastes of Antlertica.

Something inequine lurks beneath the frozen wasteland of Antlertica, Equestria's arctic territory. Twilight Sparkle and her friends are in the midst of setting up Equestria's most scientifically advanced research facility in one of the most remote locations on the planet...when some unexpected visitors arrive. What horror has been awakened? What long-buried secrets have been unearthed? And just how can you trust anypony when that pony just might be...a thing?

Published 2011-11-30 05:06:09 UTC
Last updated 2011-12-03 22:20:23 UTC

Chapter One: Arrival

“The Thing,” copyright 1982, belongs to Universal Pictures.

“My Little Pony” and “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” belong to Hasbro, Inc. and Lauren Faust.

I make no claims of ownership of either of these intellectual properties. This is a non-profit fan-made fiction.

Last, but not least: reader beware! This fan-fiction is rated M for Adult Content, Adult Language and Graphic Violence. You were warned! =D

-Scriber

======================

In the far, desolate reaches of Equestria, there is a continent; a most inhospitable, arctic environment where only the land’s bravest souls dare explore...and settle. It is a land where temperatures on a mid-summer’s afternoon average somewhere in the ballpark of twenty below zero, with nights colder than the deepest reaches of most ponies’ souls.

Antlertica.

On this very continent, there lay three scientific facilities. On the morning of September sixteenth, 982 C.R. (Celestia’s Reign), those very facilities lay dormant, disconnected and dumbfounded...respectively.

Our story begins with the latter.

A thunderous, earth-shaking explosion rocks the frozen wasteland. Thick columns of snow and pulverized ice are propelled upward, plumes of smoke and soot their nebulous counterparts. From a fair distance, a small team of researchers looked onward, waiting for the dust to settle and the solid ice beneath their talons to stop resonating with the blast.

“Think we broke through to it that time?” a younger-looking griffon asked in their native tongue.

“No way to know for sure ‘till we get down there. Are we all set?” an older griffon male replied in a gruff voice. His question was met with a few murmurs of approval.

Cautiously, the group started toward the blast zone. The going was somewhat tough; the researchers, not entirely used to repeated daily tests of physical endurance, griped and muttered amongst themselves as they maneuvered around pony-sized hunks of ice and turf that had been haphazardly strewn about by the dynamite charge. They turned up the collars of their thick wool coats, shivering against the harsh and relentless antarctic breeze that swept across the lands. In roughly five minutes, the dozen or so griffons stood, silently, on the ledge that their explosive had created, peering into the depths below.

What they saw was neither believable nor terrestrial.

“...y-...you’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.”

3 Days Later

First Equestrian Antlertic Research Station

0700 hrs.

Twilight Sparkle sighed, satisfied. The boxes were finally unpacked, the equipment was set up, the laborers had been paid and transported back to their settlement...

“Boy, that sure took long enough,” came a voice above her. Craning her neck upwards, there hovered an extremely bored-looking cyan pegasus mare, mane ablaze in a plethora of colors.

An orange earth pony, dressed in a red jacket and a brown cowboy hat set upon her golden mane, stepped forward. “Well, I reckon there was a good amount o’ boxes and such to unpack. Say, Twi’, where’d y’all get all this stuff, anyhow?”

“It’s on loan from the university, Applejack,” the purple unicorn replied. “Remember? The Princess explained it to all of us at the last gala.”

A white unicorn with a vibrant purple mane snorted. “Twilight, darling, please. From what I can recall, our good friend Applejack was far more fixated upon more...pressing matters.”

“Rarity, ah swear to Celestia, if you bring that up one more...I was drunk, ok?! It was an accident, and it ain’t gonna be happenin’ again, got it?”

A pink earth pony materialized from seemingly nowhere just out of everypony’s line of sight, then, somehow hanging upside-down, asked, “Oh, y’mean what she and Princess Luna-”

“AHEM!” Twilight interrupted. “Yes, I’m sure we can all remember what happened at the gala that evening. And, all distractions set aside, I’m sure we can all remember why we’re all here; or is it the case that Princess Celestia’s wishes are to be ignored? Refresh my memory, I can’t exactly remember.” Stunned silence for a moment; then:

“Um...Twilight? That...that was kind of mean...” Fluttershy offered in a barely audible whisper. The purple unicorn mare twitched.

“I’m gonna have’ta agree with ‘Shy, Twilight. That there was a little uncalled for. Are ya’ sure you’re feelin’ all right, sugarcube?”

Twilight sighed. “Girls, look...I’m sorry. You’re right, you’re right - that was a little out of line, even among friends. It’s just...I’m just so stressed! I mean, I’m glad you girls are here with me, and I know you’ll speak up if I start cracking up again-”

“-that’s kinda what we just did, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “No offense or anything.”

“...oh. Oh. Right. That. Um...thanks?”

“Twilight, darling,” Rarity began, “you simply must stop worrying yourself over every single little thing that could or could not go wrong. I’ve seen you quadruple-check a checklist that you had just double-checked to make sure that you triple-checked it in the first place...even with my attention to detail, I must admit that I fail to see one’s unique organized chaos in something like that.”

“You know you can count on us, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie said, cheerily. “Besides, what are friends for?”

“...you’re right, girls. You’re right. I mean, come on...together, we’ve wielded the Elements of Harmony, defeated Nightmare Moon, outsmarted Discord and restored the entire planet from chaos...so how hard could setting up and administrating the most scientifically advanced research facility in the history of Equestria possibly be?”

Silence for a moment; then:

“Oh. Right. That.”

1600 hrs

“All right, everypony, welcome! Welcome to the official sanctioning of the First Equestrian Antlertic Research Station! In just a short time, we’ll establish a direct feed with Canterlot. Please, everypony, make yourselves comfortable and help yourselves to the food and drink on the tables just across the room.”

“-ooh! Twilight! Tell them to try the super double-chocolate-frosting cupcakes!”

“...Pinkie, I’m sure they heard you.”

“Heard me what?”

“Ugh. At any rate, we’ll be live with the Princess in just a few minutes, so nopony mingle too far away from the monitors, ok?” There were a few nods of consent, and the group began to disperse throughout the room.

Twilight Sparkle stepped towards her friends, sighing. “Did it sound ok, girls? I didn’t stumble over any lines, did I?”

“Dear, you did marvelously,” Rarity reassured. “Now stop worrying and go mingle with your soon-to-be-co-workers!”

“Mingle?” Twilight deadpanned. “Have you even met me?”

There was a burst of static, and the monitor-embedded speakers crackled to life.

“All right, everypony, connection’s up!” A rather thin pegasus stallion’s voice rang out over the crowd. The monitors began to emit a dull glow, the lamps behind the glass screens warming up momentarily before coming to life. Distorted at first, but quickly gaining resolution a face - warm, loving, gentle. Regal.

“Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student!” Her voice came clearly through the speakers and washed over the room, bright and full of life. Every pony in the room bowed instinctively.

“Princess!” Twilight replied, rising from the bow. “It’s good to hear your voice, Princess Celestia.”

“It is likewise good to hear yours, Twilight. How are the preparations coming along?”

“Wonderfully! Thanks to those laborers you recommended, we were able to move all the equipment to the labs a few hours ahead of schedule.”

“Ah, yes. The Elk are a hearty folk; a proud friend of the ponies, if not a tad enigmatic in their culinary tastes. Have your Engineers managed to set up the gemstone generator?”

A light blue unicorn with a red and yellow mane stepped forward. “Your highness, the installation went off without a hitch. Power levels are nominal, and as I’m sure you’re already aware, the arctic environment is ideal for low core-temp operation.”

“Excellent, Arcane Fire. Twilight, have you and Arcane Fire been properly introduced?”

“Oh-oh, yes! Yes, we have. We were introduced to one another on the pegasus carriage on the way over.”

“Good, good. Your departments will be working closely with one another in the coming weeks. That, of course, brings me to my main point.” Celestia paused, as if recalling lines of text from memory.

“The First Equestrian Antlertic Research Station is the first of its’ kind. It is equipped with state-of-the-art scientific and magical equipment, a fully stocked kitchen and food storage unit, three unused pegasus carts of varying size and cargo capacity, a magically-heated watchtower with spell-enhanced optical equipment, and yes...it even has a pool.” There were few cheers at that. “The research all of you will be conducting at this station is at the forefront of Equestrian science and magic. You’ll be working in fields that were merely theories on parchment a few short decades ago. You’ll be advancing the impact that the Equstrian race has on the rest of the planet, so do not doubt for even a moment that your work is not important. I am so very, very proud of you ponies; you have committed yourself to a goal greater than yourselves, and you have sacrificed a half year’s time away from your families and homes. Not only do you do a service to Equestria herself...but, ultimately, you do a service to myself as well. That is why I would like to personally thank each and every one of you for agreeing to be a part of this monumental undertaking. Good luck, everypony, and remember - your Princess believes in you.”

Their leader’s words had a profound effect upon all present to hear them; some were moved to tears while others simply grinned with satisfaction, knowing that their purpose was indeed sound. Twilight Sparkle, falling into the latter group of ponies, was just about to turn to her friends and offer some genuinely appreciative words of thanks for agreeing to help her with this project.

“Oh, Twilight?” a voice came from her side. She turned, facing the monitor.

“Yes, Princess?” Twilight replied, taking a few steps toward the console.

“Could I have a few words with you in private, please? You’ve been informed of where the Director’s quarters are, correct?”

“Oh, of course! I’ll activate the monitor in the office once I arrive. Shouldn’t take a minute.”

“Excellent. I shall remain on hold until then.”

Twilight excused herself, turning away from the group of some two dozen ponies chatting amongst themselves in the rather spacious rec room/communications station. As the din of the crowd died around her, she stepped into one of the station’s two long, single-file hallways. On her right, she passed two doors labeled “Genetics Laboratory” and “Arcano-Tech Development Wing.” The facility itself was constructed from hard, insulated metals that had cost a small fortune to import from overseas. It was roughly three times the size of Ponyville’s town hall, if said building were lain end-to-end. Twilight passed an open door on her left, gently whirring machinery emitting the occasional flash of a green LED or two. After passing a few sets of lockers, she rounded a corner and came upon a solid wooden door, the engraved placard reading the words “Twilight Sparkle - Director” in gilded lettering. Horn glowing faintly, she wrapped her magic around the door handle and pushed the heavy door open. It swung inward to a mostly darkened room, the only light lit situated on a neatly organized wooden desk. Again using her magic, Twilight lit a few brand-new candles that she had placed about the room in intervals when unpacking her belongings.

A photograph, sitting in a glass frame on the left-hoof side of the desk, held a picture of an adolescent dragon with purple scales and green spines. Twilight’s heart twanged ever so slightly when her eyes passed over it, already missing her ‘number one assistant.’

“Spike...” she sighed softly, absentmindedly cradling the picture in an outstretched hoof. Even if Spike had wanted to join her and her five friends in Antlertica for six months - which he did - the cold climate simply would not agree with his cold-blooded physiology. Even if he were to remain in the heated facility, she had explained to him, the stress of the pegasus flights towards the newly constructed facility would more than likely be harmful to the young dragonling.

“Twilight? Are you there?” a voice rang out. Twilight jumped slightly, having been shaken from her brief trot down memory lane.

“Princess? Is that you?”

“Indeed, Twilight Sparkle, though all I can see is a chair. Do I have the right connection?”

“Yes, yes of course! Just let me-” Twilight took a few quick steps toward the illuminated monitor situated on the far side of the desk, cursing silently under her breath when she rapped her foreleg rather sharply against the side of the accursed furniture.

“Twilight?” the Princess asked with a touch of concern in her voice as the purple unicorn hastily shuffled into view. “Are you all right? I heard a bump.”

“Fine, Princess. I’m fine. I’m just not used to working in this space yet, that’s all.”

“Don’t worry, my most faithful student,” the alicorn reassured, eyes smiling. “If anypony is up to the task, it’s you. I have the utmost confidence in your organizational and leadership abilities.”

Twilight blushed. “T-thank you, Princess. I won’t let you down, I promise! Now, there was something you wanted to discuss in private, right?”

The alicorn paused, eyes dimming ever so slightly as her voice took on a touch of concern. “That’s what I like about your work ethic, Twilight Sparkle. Always straight down to business, as it were. Yes, Twilight. There is something we need to talk about, and I apologize in advance for what I’m about to ask you to do.”

“Apologize, Princess? What do you mean?”

“What I’m about to tell you cannot be repeated, unless under...extreme circumstances. Not to your co-workers, not to Assistant Director Arcane Fire...not even to your friends, your fellow wielders of the Elements. Do I make myself clear, Twilight Sparkle?” Though the question was addressed as such, Celestia’s tone of voice made it clear that there was to be no misunderstanding.

Twilight gulped. “B-but...not even my friends?”

Celestia nodded, her flowing pastel mane flat and two-dimensional over the small monitor. “Not even your friends. Again, I am sorry, but this is just the way that it has to be.”

The unicorn nodded. “I understand, Princess. I trust you. And if it’s so important, I’ll be sure to honor your wishes and keep it a secret unless under... ‘extreme’ circumstances? What did you mean by that, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“That will be explained shortly. Twilight, are you familiar with the history of this particular end of Equestria?”

“Oh! You mean, like, the geography and history and things like that? Sure, I’ve read dozens of books on the subject!”

“As I was certain you would. Then surely you are familiar with Antlertica’s original inhabitants?”

“You mean the Elk? A largely nomadic people, they’ve settled Antlertica since as far back as...well, as the books I’ve read have recorded, in any event. Since there’s not a whole lot of indigenous plant life, they’re omnivores, and they sometimes hunt the wild animals that inhabit the tundra.”

“Which is why you need a well-stocked armory to ensure the safety of not only this facility, but the lives of all those who dwell within.”

“Right, a well-stocked...hzzaawhat?!”

“An armory, Twilight. A place to store weapons.”

“...w-weapons? Y-mean...do you mean that the native Elk population is...hostile?”

Princess Celestia laughed, a mirthful, mellow sound that made Twilight’s jaw hang open.

“Hostile? Oh, good heavens, no! Why, last I visited the Elken Elder Council, they were most hospitable!”

Twilight let out a breath. “Ok. Right. So the local population is friendly. Well, they seemed friendly enough when we boarded that pegasus carriage-”

“-No, what you’ll need to be worrying about is not the native Elk population...rather, you need to be aware of the native animal population. Polar bears, Ice Serpents, herds of wild Mammoth. That sort of thing.”

“...oh. Right.”

Celestia smirked. “Don’t look so worried, my student. Rest assured, this is only a precaution. The amount of field work that will be required of this facility will be limited - and it’s best to remember that the facility itself was constructed from solid metals, not to mention the fact that your location is rather secluded. The most trouble I anticipate is the occasional passing Ice Serpent or two, but they can be friendly, provided you don’t antagonize them.”

“...and if they aren’t?”

“If they aren’t, the matter is simple; you will log on to your personal console, activate the Security Panel, and enter the passcode ‘Smartypants.’ That passcode will unlock a trap door to a hidden compartment underneath your desk, fully stocked with the latest and most reliable in non-lethal weaponry.”

“Non-lethal?”

“Correct, non-lethal. Some may pack a bit of a wallop, but none have the capacity to take life. It was a...personal touch I gave to the project, I suppose. I had long considered your reaction to an armory, and ultimately decided that this course of action would be the most logical to take. Did I disappoint?”

Twilight stirred, making direct eye contact with the console. “Not in the slightest, Princess. I appreciate you taking my thoughts into consideration. It’s...it’s a relief. Really, it is. I’ve been so stressed these past few days - between the anticipation of the long trip all the way out here and the silent dread that something was going to go wrong during the move-in, I’ve hardly slept a wink!”

“Now Twilight,” the Princess chided, “you and I both remember the last time you allowed your...propensity for expediency get the best of you, do we not?”

Twilight gulped, laughing nervously. “Y-yeah...I mean, yes. Yes, I remember. You make an excellent point, anyhow - I’m just glad I have my friends by my side this time. It’s good to have somepony to confide in when things aren’t going as smoothly as you might have imagined.”

“An excellent point in itself, my faithful student. You’ve learned well.” Twilight beamed. “Well, now that you’ve been made aware of the aspects of the facility that are decidedly ‘less than public knowledge,’ I’ll take my leave. I cannot always guarantee that I will be able to answer immediately - such is life when one rules a kingdom - but should you have any questions or need any advice, please do not hesitate to contact my console in Canterlot directly.”

“Thank you, Princess. I will. And...thank you. Thank you for this opportunity. This is one of the most exciting scientific endeavors I’ve ever had the pleasure to embark upon, and it’s all thanks to you. I won’t let you down, I promise!”

This time, it was the Princess’ turn to beam. “And I am confident that you will deliver amazing results, Twilight Sparkle. Take care, and do remember to keep in touch. Ta-ta!”

“Good night, Princess.”

Another brief crackle, and the monitor fell silent as the glow began to dim. Now that the room was once again darkened, a lingering whiteness hung in front of Twilight’s eyes as her eyes re-adjusted to the low light. She blinked a few times in an attempt to dismiss the troublesome afterimage, allowing herself a moment’s respite in the comfy chair she had hoof-picked for her office. Her body aching, she stretched her weary muscles outward, joints popping and cracking as her overworked limbs each lodged a complaint from being overworked. The day had been long...to be truthful, the past few days had been long, perhaps verging on grueling. The trip from Ponyville was not an undertaking to be scoffed at, not in the slightest - two solid days of carriage by hoof across a vast swath of Equestria and then another three in a series of pegasus carriages that took them over sprawling deserts and glittering ocean waves.

Now that she was finally there, now that she was finally alone for more than five minutes, Twilight Sparkle was able to relax. Glancing to her right, she spied a curtained window on the far side of the room. Collecting a deep breath, she brought herself to her hooves and trotted toward the window, parting the grey cloth from the center with her magic. She gazed outward onto the seemingly never-ending canvas of white which lay before her, virgin and untouched by hooves. A steady breeze swept across the landscape, bringing with it wispy curls of powdered snow and depositing them in zigging and zagging swirls. The sun, a distant glowing orb obfuscated by translucent grey clouds, hung high above horizon, its warm radiant light diffused through the veil.

She glanced at the clock on the desk behind her.

“Hm. Only 4:16...and the sun’s still gonna be out for at least another ten hours,” she remarked aloud to nopony in particular.

“Ten hours?” A shrill, bubbly voice called out to her. Twilight turned, eyes taking in a mass of pink standing in her doorway. “That’s just silly!” Pinkie Pie giggled.

Twilight chuckled in reply. “That’s not just silly, it’s science! You see, the planet isn’t just floating through space on a straight line - even though Celestia raises the sun and Luna raises the moon, the planet itself sits on an axis.”

Pinkie Pie turned her head to the side. “An axis? What’s that?”

“It’s simple, really! Here, let me show you.” Twilight scanned the desktop for something she could use as an example; her eyes landed on a fresh apple, one of the many that had been imported from Sweet Apple Acres at Applejack’s insistence.

“Imagine that this apple is the planet.”

Pinkie Pie nodded eagerly. “Right! So, the planet is an apple. Gotcyha.”

“No, Pinkie, I don’t mean that the actual planet planet is an apple.”

“Well, duh! I mean, that wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense! How would I have been able to farm rocks when I was a filly if there was a gigantic, super-huge apple skin instead of dirt?”

“No, I didn’t mean - never mind. Ok, so, here’s the planet.” Twilight tilted her hoof at an angle, the apple along with it. “The planet sits a little bit to the side, which means that the sun and the moon don’t shine on every square inch of the planet evenly. That, in turn, means that there are certain parts of the planet - like Antlertica - that might get a lot more sun or a lot less moon certain times of the year. Fascinating, isn’t it?” Twilight asked. Pinkie, however, had taken an extreme interest one of the candles Twilight had lit moments ago, giggling absentmindedly as she blew softly on the dancing lit flame.

Twilight sighed. “Ugh, forget it. Why do I even bother?”

“Hm?”

“Were you even paying attention, Pinkie?”

“Right, modified day/night UV distribution due to supra-arctic latitude and seasonal phenomena. Got it!”

“....wha...”

2 km from the Gryphonian Paleontological Society, Antlertican Outpost

2100 hrs

A single dog fled across the tundra.

Illuminated by the muted glow of sunlight, the single, four-legged figure ran purposefully through the frozen terrain, through the biting snow and brutally cold ice. In the distance, a silhouetted form approached, sailing through the bitter air. It passed to the right of an impressive series of mountains and peaks before coming into view unhindered, growing in size as it gained on the dog. The flying cart was relatively small in size, but built for speed; streamlined wood and sleek metal lined its aerodynamically-designed frame, a single gryphon attached to the front of the device by twin strips of fabric. A second occupant sat in the passenger’s compartment, hawk-like eyes fixed on the landscape below.

“Where do you think it got off to?” The pilot yelled back, struggling to keep her voice above the swirling winds that whipped around the cart.

“I see movement up ahead!” The passenger cried out in reply, pointing forward with a wing. Following the gesture, the passenger whirled her head back forward and narrowed her eyes, eventually spying the small, black moving speck below.

“Got you. We got you this time. You’re not getting away again, you...you...thing.”

Chapter Two: Calm Before the Storm

First Equestrian Antlertic Research Station

0230 hrs

“Hey...hey, where’d Twilight get to, anyway?” Rainbow Dash asked aloud, her speech slightly slurred.

“I-I think she conked out after the party wrapped up,” Pinkie hiccuped in reply. “D’you have any threes?”

“Go fish,” Applejack answered, cradling her drink in one hoof and yet somehow managing to hold a half-dozen or so playing cards in the other. “Ah think Rarity an’ Fluttershy hit the hay after Pinkie started pourin’ shots into the test tubes.”

Pinkie snorted, remembering. “Ha, oh yeah! That was fun!”

“I’ll say,” Dash chuckled. “Just be glad Twilight wasn’t up to see you abusing her lab equipment like that. She’d flip! Hey, AJ, got any tens?”

“Consarnit,” the orange earth pony grumbled, relinquishing one of her held cards. “Well, I’m just glad that Twi’s finally gettin’ a good night’s rest. She was startin’ ta look a bit rough ‘round the edges, iffn’ ya catch my drift.”

“I’ll say,” Dash agreed. “Besides, those pegasi from the charter service were, like, slooooowwww. If it were me flying, we woulda got here days ago.”

AJ snorted. “Right, so what yer sayin’ is that you coulda single-hoofedly pulled three big ol’ pegasus carts chock fulla’ heavy equipment and heavier ponies. That about right?”

Pinkie suppressed a giggle. “Oh, AJ, that’s not very nice! That Arcane Fire guy isn’t that fat!”

“Wha-whaddya mean, ‘Arcane Fire isn’t’...didja think I was talkin’ about him?”

A rather portly unicorn stallion wearing a freshly-pressed white lab coat chortled, crossing into the room from the hallway. “Well, I should certainly hope not...though the Wife keeps telling me I should lay off the hay fries.”

Pinkie nearly tipped over her bottle of spirits. “M-Mr. Arcane Fire! Oh, I didn’t-”

“-think nothing of it, my dear,” he interrupted, smiling inwardly and holding up a hoof to silence the pink earth pony. “Pinkie Pie, was it? You’re one of Director Sparkle’s friends, yes?”

“Mm-hmm!” Pinkie nodded eagerly, her fizzy mane bobbing with the motion.

“And this must be Rainbow Dash and Applejack, if I’m not mistaken?”

“Yep, that’s me!” the cyan pegasus mare assented, leaning back in her chair and stretching her forelegs back behind her head.

“Pleasure ta’ formally meet yer acquaintance there, Mr. Arcane Fire,” Applejack said.

He chuckled, shaking his head slightly. “Please, Applejack, just call me Arcane. We’re all friends here, right? Well, we’re all soon to be friends, in any event.”

Pinkie Pie motioned to an empty chair across the table from where she sat. “C’mon, Arcane! Pull up a chair! We’re playing ‘Go Fish,’ want us to deal you in?” Arcane trotted casually over to the empty seat, plopping himself down onto it while letting out a whoosh of breath.

“Perhaps next round, hm? I wouldn’t want to interrupt anything.”

“Okie dokie loki!” Pinkie Pie chirped, cradling her nearly empty bottle in a hoof. She took a swig of the potent brown liquid, breath hitching in her nostrils ever so slightly as the bottle’s contents pleasantly stung her throat on the way down, warming her stomach. Arcane Fire gingerly turned the bottle so its label was facing him, a single eyebrow shooting upward in mild surprise.

“Wild Pegasus whiskey, eh? And straight from the bottle, too? You remind me of a mare I used to date in grad school,” he remarked, a toothy half-grin spreading across the lower half of his face.

“Pinkie Pie doesn’t mess around,” Rainbow Dash confirmed, swallowing a hiccup. “That shit’ll knock your socks off...y’know, if ponies wore socks and stuff.”

“Oh, believe me, Ms. Dash, I am well aware.”

“Wanna take a sip, Arcaney?” Pinkie asked, offering the older unicorn stallion the bottle in an outstretched foreleg.

“I shouldn’t...we’ve got an early start tomorrow, all of us...”

Applejack scoffed, eyes narrowing playfully. “Aw, c’mon then, ‘Arcaney’...you wouldn’t want word to get out ‘round yer department that you let a coupla’ young mares drink your plot under the table, now do ya?” Her words were met with a flash of resolve as the stallion’s eyes hardened. Without a word, he took the bottle from Pinkie Pie and downed the remainder of the bottle’s contents in a few large gulps. Arcane Fire slammed the now empty bottle back down on the table, not for one instant taking his eyes off of the orange earth pony as he began to smirk in victory.

“You were saying?”

Rainbow Dash whooped. “All right, finally! An egghead that can keep up with us three!”

Pinkie Pie trotted over to a table she had set up in the corner, surveying the various beakers and glass tubes she had filled with various spirits.

“What do you think, girls?” she asked her friends. “Should I give’im a super duper liquor surprise, a double-down upside-down rum runner, or the Pinkie Special?”

“Pinkie Special,” Rainbow Dash and Applejack answered simultaneously, wearing identical devilish grins. Arcane Fire, puzzled, looked onward, trying to figure out what the pink earth pony mare was mixing up. He flinched instinctively when a test tube began to hiss and bubble, somehow steaming despite the lack of an open flame.

“Hope ‘yer good with hangovers, Arcane,” Applejack half-warned/half-teased.

6 km from the First Equestrian Antlertic Research Station

0630 hrs

“It’s heading where?!” The cart dipped ever so slightly as the pilot temporarily forgot how to flap her wings.

“According to the map,” her passenger called out, “it’s heading straight for the new Equestrian Research Outpost!”

“Jævla helvete,” the pilot spat viciously in her native tongue. “How long do we have?”

“Judging from our current rate of travel...oh no...we’re not gonna have enough time to catch up to it!”

“We wouldn’t NEED to catch up to it if you weren’t such a piss-poor shot with that long bow!”

“Well, excuse me if I’ve never had the need to ever touch one of the fucking things before in my entire life! Can’t you aim and fly at the same time?”

She scoffed. “Can’t I-...uh, well... that is...”

“What?”

“I’ve never shot one, either.”

“...WHAT?”

“I’VE NEVER SHOT ONE EITHER, OK?”

“And you were just on my ass about that?!”

“S-shut up! See if you can hail them on the radio, all right? We should be in range by now!”

“...fine. On it.”

First Equestrian Antlertican Research Station

0700 hrs

“...*kzzrgt*...-ikke un hund-*kzzrgt*...dsituasjon!-*kzzrgt*”

The speakers crackled to life, harsh static jarring the late night revelers from their decidedly unrestful slumbering. Applejack, having been sprawled out across a table and for some reason wearing her signature cowboy had on her rear, groaned and flopped onto the floor.

“Ohhhhh...mah head...” she grumbled. Rainbow Dash, still asleep, sat upright in a chair propped up against a wall, trademark thick sunglasses drawn over her eyes. Pinkie Pie, not surprisingly, was already wide awake, hammering aimlessly at buttons on the console.

“Pinkie Pie...what in the name of Celestia’s beard are ya doin’ up so durned early?” Applejack muttered, blinking her unfocused eyes in an attempt to shut out the sudden ear-splitting headache.

“Wellll...I was waiting for you girls to get up and then there was this really funny sounding voice on the speaker-thingy over here, so I thought-” she gasped, “-that somepony might have wanted to talk to somepony here or something like that so I started pressing buttons and-”
Applejack, who had been slowly advancing on the babbling pink pony, suddenly forced a hoof into her mouth, silencing her.

“Pinkie Pie...mah brain ain’t functional quite yet, an’ I’m findin’ mahself a mite irritable this mornin’. Can ya see if ya can go ahead ‘n give me the short version there, sugarcube?” Pinkie nodded, still somehow grinning. Applejack, heavily sighing, apprehensively withdrew her hoof, wincing in anticipation.

To her delight, Pinkie Pie continued rather quietly. “Um, there were voices on the speaker-thingy so I’m trying to see if they want to talk to somepony.”

Applejack nodded, still squinting her eyes as she glanced at the array of buttons and knobs. “I reckon I don’t know how to work one of these here contraptions. Maybe Twilight knows? D’you know if she’s up-”

“Maybe Twilight knows what?” a voice asked. Applejack and Pinkie turned their heads and saw Twilight standing in the doorway, dressed in a distinctly familiar white lab coat and wearing a pair of thin eyeglasses with red-tinted frames. Applejack started, somewhat taken aback. Twilight, she looked so...professional. Smart.

The unicorn chuckled, noticing the expression on her conscious friend’s faces. “Don’t look so surprised, girls! It’s just a lab coat - and besides, it gets a bit chilly in the hallways, I’m finding. Now, what’s this about a...a ‘speaker thingy,’ right? Is that what you said, Pinkie?”

“Yep! Voices on the speaker thingy!” Pinkie Pie said.

“Let’s take a look, here,” Twilight said, walking a few paces toward the console. She briefly studied the control panel, noting the locations of the knobs and switches she would need to use to operate the device. “Were they coming from this console here, Pinkie?”

“I think so,” Pinkie nodded.

“Right. Well, it’s not just a speaker thingy - it’s a short-wave radio! I can remember working on one of these back at Canterlot University. If you heard voices, it must mean that somepony’s trying to hail us.”

“Well, who else could have a radio on this frozen rock, Twi’?” Applejack asked, scratching the side of her head with a hoof.

“Let’s see...there’s the Gryphonian Paleontological Society, there’s the New Zebrican Antlertican Labs, but they’re not in use this season...plus, I think one of the charter pilots mentioned something about some of the local Elk settlements using short-wave. Well, then! Might as well see who’s calling, hm?” Twilight clapped her front hooves together, allowing a big, goofy grin to creep across her face. “Oh, this is so exciting! Our first official communication!”

“Ugh...” a muffled voice sounded. “What’s all the ruckus, huh? Can’t a girl get a good night’s rest ‘round here?” Rainbow Dash tentatively lifted her shades from her bloodshot eyes, but immediately regretted the decision and decided to leave them on.

“Now, Rainbow,” Twilight scolded, “if you girls would have wrapped the party up a few hours sooner, I’m sure you wouldn’t be so...cranky this morning.”

“Sure you wouldn’t have been so cranky this morning,” Rainbow Dash mocked under her breath, tongue lolling out of the corner of her mouth.

“...*kzzrgt*...-nødsituasjon!- *kzzrgt*-” The radio interjected, again crackling with static and distortion. Twilight adjusted a few knobs with her magic, simultaneously flipping a few switches which powered on certain components. She reached over and snagged the headset, putting it on and adjusting the large earpieces so they sat on her head correctly.

“This is the First Equestrian Antlertican Research Station, hailing on frequency 61.6 - anypony out there? Please respond, over.”

“Hallo? Hall-*kzzgrt*-”

Twilight furrowed her brow. “Hmm...we must be picking up some interference from that storm over the southern coast. It’s a shame that Wind Speaker isn’t up yet, he’d probably be able to work this thing better than I could.”

“You rang, ma’am?” a thin pegasus stallion called. Twilight, Applejack and Pinkie Pie jumped reflexively - they had not heard him approach. Rainbow Dash cackled, having witnessed the whole thing.

“D-don’t do that, Wind Speaker! Sweet Celestia, I nearly spilled my coffee on the console!”

The pegasus grinned sheepishly. “Sorry about that, Director. Won’t happen again, I promise. Now, did I hear you say somethin’ about sending out a hailing call with the short wave?”

Twilight nodded. “According to Pinkie here, somepony’s been trying to reach us, but I’m getting a lot of static. Think you could-”

“-already on it,” he replied, turning knobs and flipping a few more switches on the control panel. “May I?” he asked, motioning to the headset Twilight was wearing with a wing.

“Oh! Oh, right. Here.” Twilight pulled the headset off with her magic, levitating it roughly a foot away from Wind Speaker.

“Thanks,” he said, reaching forward and taking the headset from her. Readjusting it, he flipped a final switch on the console and spoke. “This is a general hailing broadcast, origin the First Equestrian Antlertican Research Station. If anypony copies, please respond. Over.”

“...*kzz* Vokt deg for hunden! …*kzzgt* -er det en ting! Ikke un hund-” Without warning, the transmission was overwhelmed by the background static, eventually falling silent.

“Damn. You’re right, Director. Can’t raise ‘em with all this interference - but if they were replyin’ to our signal, that must mean that they’re close. Real close.”

“How close, would you estimate?”

“Three, maybe four kilometers, tops. Our short-wave can’t get much further with a storm brewin’ up over the coast. Say, what language were they speakin’, anyway? Weren’t anything that I could understand.”

Twilight scratched her head. “I can’t say for certain, but I think it may have been a Griffonian dialect.”

“Dia-what, now?” Applejack asked. “Y-mean that griffons speak a whole ‘nother language than pony-folk?”

“In their homeland they do, yes.”

Pinkie furrowed her brow. “Well, if that’s true, then how ‘come that big meanie griffon Gilda spoke Equestrian, huh?”

“That’s ‘cause she was born and raised in Equestria, Pinkie,” Dash said. “We went to Flight Camp together, remember?”

“Oh,” Pinkie said. “Oh, right!”

“D’ya speak griffon, Director? I sure as heck don’t,” Wind Speaker said.

“Well...I speak a little,” Twilight admitted. “Barely enough to get by. I think he was saying something about a dog.”

“A dog?” Rainbow Dash asked. “What’s a dog doing in a frozen place like this, anyway?”

“Sometimes the native Elk population raise huskies to use for their sledding teams,” Wind Speaker replied.

“Makes sense,” Pinkie said. “Who’d wanna be around all this snow without a sled, anyway? That’s just silly!”

“In any case,” Twilight began, “there’s a certain protocol we need to follow, here. Rainbow Dash - could you fly up to the watch tower and scan the surrounding area?” Rainbow Dash, not entirely enthralled with the prospect of flight so early in the morning, did her best to ignore her body aches and cramps. She offered a hardly-felt salute, stretching her wings outward and taking to the air.

“Oh! Dash, before you go - take this, ok?” Twilight levitated a small rectangular device out to Rainbow.

“What’s this?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“It’s called a ‘Walkie-Talkie’. They’re pretty neat! See that button there on the side? Press that down, speak into the microphone, and I’ll be able to hear you from the console. Cool, huh?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I guess. I let you know if I see anything.” Twilight nodded. With that, Rainbow took off.

“Say, Director...what didja mean by ‘protocol’, anyway?” Wind Speaker asked, looking up from the console.

“Well...” Twilight began nervously, “...the other word I thought I heard...it was ‘emergency’.”

Author's note:

If anypony reading happens to speak Norwegian, and I happen to be mucking up the translations horribly, feel free to yell at me in the comments!

-Scriber

Chapter Three: Contact

Exterior, First Equestrian Antlertican Research Station
0745 hrs

Rainbow Dash squinted, blinking her left eye a few times in an attempt to focus. Not a half of a kilometer away, she saw through the magically-enhanced binoculars two shapes, rapidly approaching through the whipping winds and white powder that blew across the frozen plains like dust in a desert. The first shape ran on four legs, low to the ground; the second, sleek yet still somewhat rectangular, fought through the fierce gusts of arctic chill flying roughly five meters off of the ground.

Rainbow Dash fumbled with what she had already deemed as an obtuse communications device, finally managing to locate the decidedly obvious bright red button.

“Uh, Twilight? Is this thing on?”

“I read you loud and clear, Dash. Over,” a voice replied.

“It looks like there’s some sort of flying cart chasing some sort of animal. Or something like that.”

“Wait, what? Where?”

“‘Bout a half kilometer out.”

“Hm...it might be some of the local Elk population out on a hunt...can you see which way they’re heading, Rainbow?”

“Uh, yeah. About that...they’re heading straight for us.”

“...what?!”

“Mm-hmm,” Dash assented casually, “that’s what it looks like, anyway. Say, Twilight...who’d be crazy enough to fly in weather like this, huh? I may be the fastest flier in Equestria, but I’m not that stupid.”

“That’s...well, that more or less proves my point, Dash.”

“Huh?”

“The way I figure it, since they’re so close to the Station, there’s a high probability that they’re the ones who’ve been trying to reach us over the short wave. We’re going to try hailing them again.”

“Huh? What for?”

“Just keep an eye on them and let me know if anything happens, ok?”

“Uh, right. Got it.”

Twilight, having been studying a map and consulting a Gryphonian language reference book while using the Walkie to talk to Dash, gently released the small device from her magic, setting it down on a nearby counter.

“Ok, Wind Speaker, I’m going to try them.”

“She’s all yours, Director,” the pegasus replied, already relinquishing the rolling chair that sat in front of the short-wave. Twilight nodded, shutting the book and turning. She trotted over to the console, a pressed, determined expression beset upon her face. She put on the headset, adjusted the microphone, and flipped a switch.

“Hallo? Er det deg? Over,” Twilight said. There was nothing but the dull hiss of background static for a moment. Then:

“Hallo? Hallo?! Har du kopi? Over!”

“Ja, kopierer vi. Trenger du hjelp?” Twilight replied.

“Nei, du er de som trenger hjelp! Det vi jakter er ikke en hund!” The voice replied hurriedly, genuine panic evident in its tone.

“Jeg beklager? Hva?” Twilight replied, unsure of what had just been said.

“Uh, Twilight? You guys are probably wanna see this for yourselves,” Dash said over the Walkie. Twilight, not turning her gaze from the console, levitated the device over to her and pushed the transmit button with her magic.

“See what, Dash? What’s going on out there?”

“Uh, well...there’s a dog, and there are two griffons in a cart chasing it. One of them has a bow. I think they’re trying to kill it or something.”

“...what?!”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m seeing through the goggle-thingies here. What should we do, Twilight?”

“Well, I’m not entirely sure why these griffons would have any reason to harm an innocent, likely domesticated animal-”

“DO WHAT?!” a normally meek voice shrieked. Fluttershy stood, livid, in the doorway which led out into the hall. Taking to the air, eyes enlivened, she zoomed over to the console, snatching the Walkie away from Twilight’s magical grip. “Rainbow Dash! They. Are. DOING. WHAT?!”

“F-Fluttershy? Is that you? Heh...guess it is...heh...well, you see, uh...yeah.” Dash admitted with a sigh, realizing that there was no way to sugar-coat what she had already seen. “Yeah, they’re trying to kill it.”

“Oh, I don’t THINK SO!” the Walkie shouted at Dash, actually making the cyan pegasus jump a little as the little box sparked with electricity. Moments later, Rainbow Dash spied a blur of yellow out of her peripheral vision. Fluttershy, already dressed in thick layers of warm fabric, was furiously marching out into the cold, apparently alone.

“Fluttershy! Wait!” Dash called, knowing well that the yellow pegasus couldn’t hear her through wood and glass. Dash threw on her thick, form-fitting jacket, adding to the ensemble a pair of brown aviator’s goggles she had recently picked up at an Elken trading post. She threw open the door that opened into the walkway which led from the watch tower to the station proper. Ignoring the biting winds that whipped through her mane, she took to the air, flying as quickly as possible toward her friend.

Meanwhile, Twilight and the others were busy dressing themselves to brave the increasingly bitter outdoors.

Pinkie Pie, dressing in a bright wool sweater, looked worried. “Guys? Have any of you ever seen Fluttershy so upset? I mean, yeah, there was that one time at the Grand Galloping Gala where she kinda went coo-coo for a little bit over the animals, but did you see the look on her face? Huh?”

“I’m with Pinkie on this one,” Applejack agreed. “That mare’s mighty angry, Twilight.”

“Well, then,” Twilight replied through clenched teeth as she levitated a wool cap onto her head, “we should probably hurry on out there before Fluttershy accidentally ruins diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Gryphonia, hm?”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself,” a deep voice agreed. Arcane Fire, already adorned in thick protective layers of clothing, shifted his weight on his hind legs, looking vaguely disinterested yet oddly concerned at the same time. “Director, I recommend that we get moving as quickly as possible.”

“Agreed. Girls? Are we ready?” Twilight asked. Applejack and Pinkie Pie nodded.

“Hey,” Pinkie asked, “where’s Rarity, anyway?”

“Ah think she said somethin’ ‘bout sleeping in this mornin’, now that you mention it. ‘Beauty Sleep’, I reckon she calls it.”

“Well, there’s no time to go and wake her. Let’s get moving.”

The group, minus Wind Speaker (whom Twilight had insisted remain on the console), moved quickly and silently through the hallway. Twilight approached a console on the right side of a large metal doorway that was split evenly down the middle. She entered a few letters and numbers onto the keyboard, and the console beeped. The door sprang into motion, the sounds of gears whirring and mechanisms unlocking greeting the group as the twin doors began to separate. Instantly, the ponies were greeted by the icy hoof-shake of the Antlertican Autumn. They hesitantly pressed onward, a few grimaces adorning a face or two here and there. Just ahead, the vaguely rectangular shape of the flying cart could be seen, making a rapid descent toward the frozen plain.

Twilight gasped. “At that rate of speed, they’re going to...come on, everypony! We need to hurry!” With that, the purple unicorn mare took off into a full gallop, narrowing her eyes and trying to block out the biting sting of cold wind against her face. Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Arcane Fire followed suit, the former lunging into a speedy series of hops.

“Does she always do that?” Arcane Fire asked. Applejack merely nodded her head.

“She does that sometimes, yeah.”

Up ahead, Fluttershy had already nearly reached the sprinting husky.