Sirens blared in Lucy’s head as she awoke from darkness. She felt something heavy on her face, and around her body. A metal mask and restraints. Lucy was exhausted, and less sick than she used to be.

“The anesthetic is wearing off! Alert Dr. Night Light!” Shouted a male voice. Lucy recognised him. He was the head scientist of this research wing. Memories flooded her as she heard the doctor walking towards her. It finally registered in her head what he was doing.

A wet, breaking sound rang throughout the cold, dark room. The doctor’s body slumping to the floor as his head was held by an unseeable force. There were screams, followed by more snapping and the echoing sound of liquid rapidly spraying onto the floor.

Lucy finally regained sight, and the first things she saw were blood splattered walls. Three bodies littered the floor, two dressed as guards and the third wearing a lab coat. The latter had a syringe in his had, most likely filled with some form of drug.

After getting her bearings, Lucy saw four see-through arms pointing in her general direction. The arms tore her restraints apart, freeing her sore body. The pink haired woman collapsed to her knees, the only things keeping her stable were her vectors.

She panted before regaining her footing- the floor was icy to the touch, making Lucy wince at the sudden feeling. Slowly and carefully walked forward, the new sensation becoming background noise as her bare feet.

She was hurting all over from sores and bruises, but she’d finally get out. The mask on her head was ripped in two by her vectors, revealing her face… And a grin was present.

“What has happened?” Night Light asked one of the security officers accompanying him as they walked towards the research wing of Canterlot Castle, home to the Princess of Equestria.

“According to the reports, we lost all communication from the private bunker twelve hours ago. Since then, no one has been seen leaving the area. I shall notify Captain Angelos of the situation, and request additional forces in case we need them.” The Guard reported, his gold armor shining brightly in the light of the rising sun. Heavy red leather armor sat underneath the golden plating, while a sword sat in its scabbard on his hip. The other three guards wore similar armaments.

“No. This is a confidential matter. Inform Princess Celestia, and follow her commands from there.” Night Light replied. The Guards paused, fidgeting slightly.

“Um, Sir, according to the Codex, we are supposed to report to our direct commanding officer.” The Guard said cautiously. “Captain General Armor is currently away, so our commanding officer is Captain Angelos. Subverting authority could lead to a court martial-”

“This is a top secret facility, sergeant.” Night Light stated impatiently. “It has been around since before Captain Angelos’ reforms, and even informing you is a security risk. I report directly to the Princess, so I am asking you to notify her of the situation in my stead. Is that understood?”

“V… very well, sir. It will be done.” The Guard saluted, before rushing off to deliver the word. Night Light sighed, turning back to the other three guards.

“Captain Gabriel has made things so difficult…” Night Light sighed, rubbing the ridge of his nose. “The rest of you are with me. If the worst has happened, then there is an extremely dangerous specimen on the loose. Be on your guard.” The guards nodded, drawing their swords and forming up behind the esteemed scientist.

Once they reached the doorway, Night Light nodded to one of the guards, who carefully opened the door. Beyond it was a flight of stairs, leading into the darkness that dwelled inside Canterlot Mountain.

“Now, remember. This facility is highly classified. Anything you see cannot be spoken of. Ever. If we hear that you have told anyone of this, you will be brought for memory wiping. Is that understood?” The guards nodded, and with that, they descended into the shadows. The facility was in shambles. Blood covered the walls, entrails made nests in the ceiling, and corpses were mangled all over the floor, bloody hand prints covering anywhere that wasn’t drenched in gore. One of the Guards removed his helmet, leaning over to the side and vomiting at the sight, while the other two managed to hold it in. Night Light, however, remained unusually calm, and walked through the gore and Blood as if it wasn't there.

“My fears have been confirmed, it seems.” Night Light muttered, examine the room they were in. “Men, I want you to ready yourselves. We don't know where the specimen is, and she could attack at any moment.”

“U-um, sir, who is ‘she’?” One of the Guards asked, horror clearly evident in his eyes.

“That isn't important right now. We need to get to the Command Center and find out where she is. There are several monitors using magic observation spells to display what's going on in the facility.” Night Light growled, stepping through the gore and more. The Guards looked to each other, before following him deeper into the facility, grips tight on their swords.

After traversing through a scene not even Tartarus could replicate, the scientist and three warriors arrived at the entrance to the Command Center. Night Light was slightly nervous, as they had yet to see the subject of his experiments anywhere in the facility. He prayed to Celestia that she had not escaped the facility, and slowly opened the doors, peering inside, the Guards stepping through first with their weapons at the ready… Only for their heads to fly off of their bodies.

Lucy sat inside, leaning against the control center’s desk, the body of an unidentifiable person in front of her. She was grinning from ear to ear.

“Dr. Night Night… Why bring guards when you know they’re helpless against me?” Her cold voice didn’t match her smile. It was dry, almost hoarse, and grating to listen to.

“It could be considered as a way to ease my worries. Strength in numbers after all, Subject 0.” Night Light replied, trying to remain calm even as sweat began trailing down his neck.

“Please, call me Lucy. It’s not my name, so it’s not even formal…” Lucy said coldly, the smile not fading. “You’ve wasted my time, Doctor. Now I’m behind the others.”

“Others? What do you mean?” Night Light asked. “Do you mean there are others of your species?”

“No, the competition. My brothers and sisters in arms.” Lucy said, the body on the table suddenly flying to the side, revealing the rest of her body. She wore a hodge podge of different uniforms from the facility. A simple blue t-shirt, black dress pants that were too feminine for the scientists and security, so Night Light assumed Lucy had raided one of the nurses, and finally, a lab coat from one of his former colleagues.

“Do you truly think you could escape Canterlot, Subje- I mean, Lucy? Things have changed greatly since you were put in here, and security is much tighter than what it once was.” Night Light said, trying to reason with her. “Please, all will be forgiven if you return to your room at once.”

“So I can be used as a lab rat?” Lucy’s smile faded into a scowl. “I have been given this chance to become a god, and I won’t give it up so one of the others can kill me while I’m weak…”

“Princess Celestia has already been notified of this incident.” Night Light warned, standing straight. “Do you truly believe you can defeat someone as powerful as her? Or have all of those experiments dulled your brain’s higher reasoning functions?”

“You’re a stubborn idiot, aren’t you? I don’t plan on fighting her… All I’d have to do was kill innocent bystanders and she’d call off the chase long enough for me to get away~ Besides, if she hasn’t gotten here yet, that must mean she’s either too far away, or you were too eager…” Lucy said, standing up. She walked through the blood soaked floor, her bare feet getting stained. “I just stayed here to say goodbye. And to ask politely… Where are my children?”

“They are either dead, or someplace you will never find them. I've made sure of that.” Night Light replied, staring her dead in the eye. “It's likely that they don't even know who you are.”

“They will recognise their Queen...” Lucy said, walking past Night Light, her grin returning. “There’s one hell of a storm coming… And Equestria is going to pay dearly for my mistreatment…”

“I doubt it. I don't know who, but someone will stop you.” Night Light stated, not turning to face her. “And all of your plans will burn in the face of Celestia's wrath.”

Lucy’s smile returned. “You’re terrified though… Aren’t you?” With that said, Lucy walked off. “Don’t follow me, unless you want your children to be my next victim~” Once she was out of hearing range, Night Light collapsed onto the floor, eyes wide in fear as he tried to control his breathing. Once he had calmed down enough, his hand glowed, generating a messenger spell, a pamphlet of glowing blue magical ‘paper’ appearing in front of him.

“To Princess Celestia…” Night Light muttered, the words etching themselves onto the paper as he spoke them. “Subject Zero has escaped containment. Enact curfew as per Exercise 31. I shall contact someone trustworthy to attempt to bring back the specimen… or terminate her.” Once done, the paper rolled up by itself, before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

Meanwhile, Lucy exited the facility, breathing in her first lungfuls of fresh air in years. Guardsmen attempted to stab and/or cut her to ribbons, however, Lucy’s vectors blocked and executed them all with a single strike. When no more guards stood in her way, Lucy looked up to the cloudy sky, tearing up as raindrops began berating her face.

“So this is… Joy…?”

Author's Note

And that's the prologue' cowritten by BP (almost entirely written by BP. I did Nightlight and the Guards) and part of a trio of stories regarding three different characters as they make their impacts upon this world!

I hope you all will enjoy!