Milky Purple Blood (Edited)
Screams echoed through the small cold clean white room. The sounds were followed by thrashing against metal the test subject continued to struggle on a cold steel table. Needles filled with mysterious dark purple liquid pushed more into its bloodstream as it wailed in pain. Eventually, the test subject relented so the batpony scientist could finish and pull his needle covered gloves out. Once he was done he turned away from the test subject and pulled off his glove. He grabbed a pencil and wrote down more notes.
“Mice seem to only last a few minutes of this strange liquid in their bloodstreams before they lose consciousness. Final note--” Suddenly the mouse’s body exploded. “Continue to lower the dose until I can either make them stop exploding or get legal right to use it on much more durable test subjects.”
“Wow, slow down Norman,” spoke up a yellow pegasus scientist as he entered the room.
Norman turned from the mouse’s remains and cleaned off the blood that had splattered onto his protective mask. “Sorry Richard, that was the last one I had to get done for today.”
“Don’t worry.” Richard waved his hand dismissively as he walked over with a box filled with more vials of the dark purple liquid and gently placed them on a wooden desk. He leaned back and stretched in slight pain. "Damn these boxes get heavier every time we receive one."
“Our current client has sent more?” Norman took off his mask and placed it on the table.
"Yeah," Richard looked over at Norman’s mask as he stood there. “Hmm, that blood is beginning to stain your mask.”
“Then it’s a good thing that this liquid seems to stain the blood a milky purple.” Norman stood up and walked off to the closet to put his gloves away. “Speaking of which, again, why did you think an old ballroom mask would be a good face cover?” He took off his lab coat and placed it on the hanger. Afterward, he grabbed his thick coat.
“Oh come on, you like the mask.” Richard held up the mask. Norman looked back at him and the mask in his hands. It seemed like a decent mask with its half smile and half frown. But it wasn't the kind of mask for a noble scientist to wear.
“Well, you ready for lunch? I’ll buy, we need to meet up with another investor who will be at the restaurant.” Norman buttoned up and grabbed his round hat before heading toward the door.
“Lunch with the richest stallion in Canterlot. Why sir I’m honored.” Richard spun around in a goofy fashion before bowing.
Norman laughed at this, “Oh come on, I’m not that rich. Just leave the box here and we will finish if we have time afterwards.” On that, they took their leave outside.
******
The two scientist walked through thin snow covered ground as they arrived at the restaurant. They entered and ordered some food for the table they had reserved. Once they were seated they began to talk. “So how is your wife doing?” Richard started.
“She is going through the cycles very well. She should be having my son within a month.” Norman talked while waiting patiently for the food they ordered. “And what about you? You don’t even know if your wife is going to have a colt or a filly yet.”
“I guess you're right,” Richard smiled. Eventually, both the soon to be fathers were laughing up a storm as the food finally arrived.
Along with the food walked by a certain white unicorn with a gray mane in a fancy suit and tie. “Why if it isn’t the great Richard Sentry?” The white unicorn took a chair and sat with them. “Are you the one Nox Corp sent to meet with me?”
Richard frowned, “Well, not exactly, Senior Pants.” He gestured toward Norman, who Senior didn’t even look at the entire time. “Actually, the CEO of Nox Co is here with me.”
Senior looked in great confusion to Norman. “The batpony? Is this some sort of joke.” His laughter struck like a knife through Norman’s eyes as his fists clenched under the table.
After a moment Norman calmed himself. This wasn’t the first time he was not recognized for his great achievements in medicine and technology. He was after all just a meager batpony. “Yes, I am Norman Nox. I invited you here to meet face to face.”
Senior just laughed and grabbed a menu while Norman bit his tongue. “Well, if you are Norman Nox, then let’s see you prove it. I’ll be ordering the best meal in the house.”
Richard tried to protest to this but Norman spoke up first, “Go right ahead. Anything for a new investor.” He spoke hollow words. In the end, Norman was used to the racism of the unicorns of Canterlot who only ever saw themselves as perfection.
******
As the late evening arrived Norman walked home through the now thick snow as it continued to pour down around him. His mind was boiling with hidden rage to the lunch they had just hours before. It always annoyed him greatly that the unicorns dare see him as no less than trash. He rose from a pitiful nothing to a great business on so much hard work and great effort.
Eventually he calmed himself. In the end, his great rage was that the meal had gone on so long because of the unicorn’s selfish testing of Norman and that he was now going home later than he wanted.
He took a breath and continued walking. He decided to let his mind wander as that always calmed him. He pondered on the dark purple liquid and its strange properties. He hoped one day to perfect the strange power that it had over the mice. He remembered that each mouse would either lose consciousness or almost use magic, but they would always explode at the end. He had to figure out the right doses. If he could, then those unicorns could no longer see themselves as the lead race under the Princess. Earth ponies, pegasi, and yes even batponies would finally be on equal footing with those prideful unicorns. He had worked so hard to get to his position. He didn’t want that much work for his soon to be child.
Soon he came upon his home. A great large mansion filled with many rooms. He hoped that this mansion would one day be filled with many family members, but all that would have to start with his first son.
Norman hoped he would raise his son in a better way than his own family did him. He remembered how his own family thought he would be nothing but some bum on the road. Oh, how he proved them wrong. Taking a deep breath, he walked up to the door and knocked four times.
The door was opened by the maid, another batpony. This batpony mare was a light purple in color. “Oh sir,” she spoke with distinct panic in her voice. “I’m…. sorry, we didn’t have time to...” She stopped for but a moment. Norman’s breath hitched slightly at the fear growing in her face. “There was…. So much blood,” again she stopped and Norman stepped closer, grabbing her hand as she tried to grab her mouth in horror. “She just couldn’t stop screaming.”
Norman’s eyes widened and his jaw fell agape. On pure instinct, he pushed the maid aside and ran into the mansion. Despite the many rooms, he knew exactly where to look. Soon he came upon his bedroom where his wife had been most of the month as they had known the child would be here soon, but….
He froze upon the door as it laid cracked opened. His heart softened with joy as he heard the soft whimpering of a baby colt. But as he reached for the doorknob, the image of the maid’s face played through his mind. He hoped with all his might that his wife would be okay.
The door opened and Norman’s softened heart began to jolt and jolt with great force upon what he saw. A baby colt laid in the bloody arms of another maid while his wife laid on the bed, covered in blood. “Norman,” his wife spoke weakly as she trembled.
Norman raced to her side as quickly as he could. “I’m here, Nia.”
She raised her hand up to him and he grabbed it just as quickly. “I’m sorry, I was too weak.” Her throat hitched and more blood flowed out of her lowers.
“No, don’t worry. I'll get help. I’ll have the best doctors here immediately.” His heart raced and raced as his hand’s grip tighten and tighten. He wasn't going to lose her. Not like this. They had worked so hard to get where they were.
He quickly turned to call for the maid to send for help, but he was stopped as he felt the trembling of his wife’s hand. He looked back at her as she simply smiled at him, “I would like our child’s name to be Jack,” she spoke it softly and weakly.
Norman held her hand to his chest and leaned closer, placing his head on hers. “Oh, of course.” Now his own voice began to hitch as he could see her eyes weakening with each second. Salty liquid clawed at his own eyes, almost demanding to be let loose, but he held it in and refuse to let it out.
Soon her grip loosened completely and her eyes closed with the final amounts of blood gone. Along with her fleeting breath stopping, so did the jolting in his chest. The final one pulsed to a slow agonizing stop, and with it, his heart turned hard and rough. After a moment of silence that was almost deafening, he let go of her hand and got off the bed. Something else had jolted loose in him on that moment. Without even looking at the foal, Norman walked out of the room.
******
The funeral was not very big despite the large amount of money Norman put into it. And though despite the Sun shining, it might as well had been raining. Very few ponies actually even cared to show. Sure, Nox Corp was a big company, but as the newspapers at the time said, it was just the death of a simple batpony. Richard and his wife showed up, as well as Senior Pants and his young son Fancy Pants, and a few other investors.
Though most of them were there purely to ensure that Norman would still be in a healthy enough working condition as they had invested a lot in him, Richard and his wife tried to console Norman as he stood in a quiet silence over the grave. He wouldn’t speak a word at all, he just stood there with the most pale face that could be seen through his dark purple coat of fur.
However, though they saw heartbreak, in truth his mind had been racing the whole time. After all, he was a scientist. His mind raced on all possible medicines and even spells. Sure he knew such things were out of his reach, but maybe soon enough, with the dark purple liquid, they wouldn’t be out of reach at all.
As the funeral went on, Senior and his son walked up to Norman. Senior tried to speak at first, but stopped for a moment and then spoke, “Norman Nox, I and the others investors do feel this is a great tragedy. But, you must move forward, and not let yourself fall back.”
Norman didn’t answer his words, instead, he stared straight outward with empty eyes. Though he was facing Senior, he did not see Senior. Being answered with an almost ghostly face, Senior walked off, but his son stayed. Fancy was not cold or racist like his father was to the batpony race. “I’m sorry for your loss.” The colt’s voice of kindness spoke volumes as it cut through Norman’s blank expression. Fancy backed away upon seeing a small tear finally fall from Norman’s eyes. Eventually, he heard his father’s voice and ran off to go meet back up with him.
After that, there were no more interruptions as the funeral went back to its quietness. Soon the priest walked up to deliver a sermon. Richard looked with slight surprise to see that the priest was a tall blue Jutland pony in a crimson double button business suit and tie. Least to say, most of the investors were greatly appalled at the sight of a foreigner giving a ceremonial burial, especially since it wasn’t a unicorn. But it was in Nia’s will. She had known of the Jutland from her family lines.
The Jutland spoke, “Ponies of Canterlot. It hurts all when a pony is taken while giving life. Nia was a good and kind mare. She loved the world around her, no matter how cruel it got or how cruel the ones around her became. This world is all the weaker with her gone. If only there were more like her.”
As he continued, Norman took every word to heart, but in the end not the way most would have expected. Instead of the words softening him, they only hardened him and his heart. His mind raced and his blood boiled.
After the funeral, Norman buried himself in work and continued to work almost constantly throughout the coming days. He never gave himself any sign of rest at all. Not even to see his child.
Richard became truly concerned for his friend. He knew this must be hard on him, yet these actions would only make things worse. He tried to get Norman away from his work, but nothing worked.
Soon a day arrived that would change everything for both of them. For a truly terrifying path was now open thanks to the death of Norman’s wife. A dark path that Richard feared Norman wouldn’t leave.
******
Norman was working with the dark purple liquid on more test subjects. Bodies of torn flesh and organs littered the lab and yet he still hadn't got the dose right. This time it wasn’t mice. Norman had brought several dogs and cats to use in the most gruesome experiments. Yet none of them survived, but he was getting close, he could feel it.
Richard stepped into the lab carrying more boxes. “Norman, where do you want these--” He stopped himself upon seeing all the blood and gore that littered the floor. It was even worse than before. With mice, the blood would only go as far as the table. But this was way more sickening. Richard tried his best to contain the vile that was now forcing its way up upon the sight of the torn flesh that laid on the floor in front of him. “What have you been doing in here?”
“I’m close. I know I am.” Norman spoke so coldly as he stabbed his needles into another dog, this one larger than the others.
The dog yelped and yelped a screaming pain. It twisted and pushed, pulled and turned. The yelps were like nails on a chalkboard. Richard's fists tightened and his face winced upon the sounds as they got louder and louder.
Soon the dog relented. A moment passed and the dog’s eyes began to glow. Norman smiled as objects in the room began to rise. Seconds later the objects fell as the dog fell unconscious. Another moment passed and, just like the others, the body ripped open and the milky purple blood poured forth. The blood soaked the floor as Richard walked through it and placed the boxes somewhere.
Norman turned to his notes, which had long been stained purple as well from the blood. “Larger bodies seem to have a greater chance of having the magical effect. Though in the end don’t seem to explode, instead just burst. Yet no matter the size, the blood still eventually stains a milky purple.”
Richard walked to Norman and placed his hand over his shoulder. “You need to take things slowly. You're constantly working.”
Norman knocked the hand away. “No, what I need is more durable bodies.”
“The only thing more durable then these are….. Ponies.” Richard's mouth fell as he backed away. “But we can’t go down that path at all.”
Norman grabbed the shredded head of the dog and looked it over, “Maybe we should?”
Richard looked in shock to his words. “No! We shouldn’t,” He argued back. “That would be murder!” He took a breath and calm himself. He knew Norman was getting worse, but this train of thought was too far. “Look, let’s take a step back.”
“No!! I know I’m close!!” Norman almost roared at Richard as he threw the dog’s head to the steel floor, smashing it into a milky purple gooey mess.
“At least go see your son--” Richard’s words were stopped upon hearing the crying of a batpony foal. He turned and his eyes widened upon seeing Norman’s son in the same room as the test subjects. The foal was lying on it’s back with it’s clothes staining a milking purple from the splashing of the bodies. “Why is your son here?”
“The maid called in sick. Pitiful weak pony.” Norman got out of his chair and walked over to one of the boxes to grab out more vials.
“So you leave him here right by your experiments.” Richard grew in anger.
“You have ripped open as many bodies as I have,” Norman spoke with coldness in his voice.
“Yes, but I never brought our work with me to my family.” Richard walked over Norman and grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him to face him. “You're letting this work get to you. You can't have other ponies so close to this stuff. We have no idea what the effects might be.”
“Like it matters. It’s just a child.” His words cut through Richard’s chest like a knife as he pulled back for but a moment.
Richard's hands tightened and he punched Norman in the face, knocking the mask off, “That child is your own son.”
Norman’s eyes grew with anger and rage boiled forth, “That child killed my wife!!”
Richard jumped back at those words. Norman’s words now felt like a claw to the throat. Without even thinking Richard turned away and walked to the screaming foal. He picked up the foal and walked toward the door. Gripping the doorknob tightly he turned and looked back to Norman, “What has happened to you?” On that final question, he left.
Norman simply ignored him and leaned down to grab his mask. He placed it back on and turned toward the table. A moment passed before he roared and knocked the corpse of the dog off the table. He beat his hands into the table over and over.
******
After a few hours, he walked out of the lab and into the dark night for home. He left in such a rush that he didn’t realize the mask and gloves were still on him. He walked down what he thought was an empty street devoid of all life, though it wasn’t entirely empty as somepony was watching him. The milky purple blood on the mask dripped down into the snowy ground around him; as well as onto his tie and his already soaked shoes.
Two unicorn guards came upon him as he walked. They held up their spears on suspicion of what they saw as an unknown danger. He looked at them as his anger returned. “Meager unicorns still thinks themselves as the master race?” he spoke in a great insulting tone to them.
“What was that?” This angered one of the guards and he held his spear to Norman’s throat. Without even thinking, Norman grabbed the spear as they struggled. The guard pulled back ever more as Norman fought him until finally, the spear tore through Norman’s chest. His eyes widened as his heart was pierced.
Norman fell to the ground, yet his eyes somehow continued to move as he saw the red of his blood spread across the white of the snow. He looked up to the guards as they took their spears up again to somepony else that was there. Without warning their heads were lopped off by a strange looking almost liquid like weapon. Before he could see where the attacker was, he lost consciousness.
******
Nightfall arrived as Norman awoke and found himself in his home, alive and well. He reached for his chest. The hole from the spear had been sewed up. He felt his chest as his heart was still beating like the tear had never happened.
He got off from the table he was on and looked around. He saw his gloves and his mask lying over on another table that was sitting by a chair. He looked with slight shock to see the same Jutland from the funeral now in the chair, “I’m glad to see the liquid did just as I suspected.”
“Your liquid? You're the client?” he questioned.
“Indeed, my name is Ragnorog.” He stood up and turned toward the table beside him. He brought over Norman’s gloves and mask as Norman continued to analyze him. Once Ragnorog was in front of him handed his mask.
Norman looked the mask over once more. The mask now shined a milky purple completely. He grabbed it and placed it aside, “You said it worked as you wanted. What do you mean by that?”
“I mean the stained mask allowed you to survive death.”
“Wait. You said stained mask. So this dark purple liquid has other special properties aside from magic.”
Ragnorog walked a few feet away. “Indeed, as do all the forms. The effects are different with each one. It seems the dark purple one when mixed with the blood of others grants its user a sort of immortality for every soul that the liquid had killed previously. I refilled your gloves with a different liquid this time. This one is maroon red.”
Norman looked with confusion at Ragnorog’s words, “Why would you do that? If this liquid acts even a little similar to the other one, it will kill any normal creature.”
“Who said anything about normal creatures? Beside the other one didn’t kill you.” On that, Ragnorog turned away and spoke to somepony else, “Richard, could you bring the foal?”
Norman looked in shock to see Richard walking forth with the batpony foal in his hands. He placed it on the table and walked aside. Richard’s face was full a fear. “What have you done to him?”
“I open his eyes to the true power of these liquids. The strength, the ferocity and the power they could give.” Ragnorog spoke as he walked passed Richard and to the door, standing by it as he turned around. Meanwhile, Norman walked to the table with his gloves and mask at hand. “You see, I want to know what this new liquid can do on certain ponies. In particular…. Batponies.”
Norman looked upon his child as the foal laid on the table. His mind raced, yet not on the fears but instead on the endless possibilities. The previous liquid had granted his mask an immortal blessing, what could this new one do for his son?
“I warn you, though, if you go down this path, there will be no light. Only the darkest of the night.” Ragnorog exited the room at that moment.
Norman looked over his child for what seemed like eons as a smile slowly crept forth. “The power shall be his.” He grabbed his gloves and placed them on. With Ragnorog gone, Richard tried to speak up against this madness, but words were nothing as Norman’s mind raced on everything that had led up to this. No longer would those stupid unicorns dare call themselves the master race. Without any more thought on the matter, he stabbed the needles into his son.
The foal thrashed and screamed, quaked and twisted as every drop was forced in. The foal’s flesh pulsed and twisted as his eyes turned from an olive green like his father to a red maroon in color. Soon the thrashing stopped and the pulsing relented. Norman removed the needles once they were empty.
To the shock of both him and Richard, the blood from the wounds was not a milky purple. Instead, the blood was as red as always, in fact, the red almost shined in the light. Without warning the objects in the room began to float as they were wrapped in a red maroon glow. Instantly the objects fell to the ground as the foal disappeared in a puff of darkness and reappeared seconds later in his father’s arms.
Norman smiled at his foal's power as he placed him back on the table and spoke wicked words, “Well, it looks like we will need more of these liquids and more ponies.”
Richard could no longer stay back at those words as he walked over to Norman and moved his hand towards him, “No, this has to stop Norman. If we go down this path there will be no return. Our lives would be ruined, our names would be rui--” However, Norman silenced Richard by turning around and grabbing him by the throat, lifting him up into the air with great force.
Norman squeezed Richard's throat even tighter with each breath that slowly leave him. Just before death could claim Richard, Norman threw him to the ground and let air reenter his lungs once more. “Our names mean nothing now. Norman shall be as those racist unicorns see me as. A weak lower lifeform. But my new name shall be feared throughout all the darkest pits.” Norman looked toward his mask as it laid on the table. The moonlight from the window shined upon it as he reached forward and continued as he slowly placed it on, “And my name in this darkness shall forever be known as...... Night Fright.”
******
Author's Note
Most of you might know Night Fright from the time-bending storyline Endless Time, Or Forever End, for he was the one who tortured Rarity and Rainbow Dash, did experiments on Spike, killed the Fleetfoot copycat and nearly killed Doctor Hooves.
Well, this one isn't exactly that one. This storyline is based in the main timeline. The reason I say this ahead of time is because he didn't get to do too much in the main timeline due to the Flash Saga being canceled. However, he does make appearances at the end of Flash and Nox and in this blog about his son Jack Nox. Since I was done with Endless Time's storyline long before this came to my mind, I decided to base this more on the Main Timeline rather than the Alternate Timeline.
However, if you want to see this as part of the Alternate Timeline, sort of switch Ragnorog with Saruman of Endless Time. And I guess, put a young Spike somewhere in the background. Though I guess the harder part is Richard Sentry, given that the Alternate Timeline had put him as a spy for 'F' while he worked beside Norman.
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Hey, here is a bonus, the name Night Fright wasn't chosen just for the cool look of the name. Norman's full name is Norman Pavor Nox. Nox is a latin word for night and Pavor is a latin word for fright.
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Finally, I planning a possible sequel to this if the ratings do well. Now I'm not going to turn this into a saga like my other works. However, I do want to explore certain moments in my main timeline that didn't get enough attention because of the canceled Flash Saga. Hey, maybe this will bring me back into the possibility redoing the Flash Saga, though as more of a One-Shot style. Who knows right?
