Chapters Daedalus grinned as he stood atop a building in Pennsylvania. Spread out before him was a city--he didn't remember the name, that was completely unaware of the infected presence beneath the streets.
Quickly shifting into a bird, he glided down and landed on the street. He darted into a drain and entered the sewers. The greater Evolved followed the pipe before he arrived in a massive central chamber. He quickly surveyed the scene, taking pleasure in it.
Several hundred infected were situated in the chamber. The most common were Berserkers, Maniacs, and Warpers. After Mercer's near defeat in Manhattan, he knew he needed to upgrade his army. The results were impressive.
The Berserkers were a new creature created entirely from biomass by Mercer. They were massive walls of muscle with condensed bone plating to protect against low to mid caliber weapons. They stood over eight feet tall and ran on all fours, brutally smashing anything to death. Large, red veins snaked across their body. When they died, the veins burst, spreading the virus.
Maniacs were essentially upgraded Hunters. They moved on two legs at high speeds. They each had four arms that ended in massive, foot long claws. They swung with wild abandon and laughed maniacally as they killed. They were formed from humans, and tended to die in droves. The Warpers were Mercer's counter to Blackwatch air superiority. They each had two bladed wings which were sharp enough to slice through reinforced steel like it was nothing. They were capable of expelling biomass from their wings to massively increase their speed, giving them the appearance of warping around.
Suffice to say, Mercer had moved from using sheer numbers to fear tactics.
Daedalus singled out the one being that stood out. Structured similar to a gargantuan spider, it had eight legs and its entire body was coated in razor-sharp bristles to protect it. Its thorax was covered in massive boils of liquid filled with Redlight. It could willingly burst the sores to spread the virus, reinforcing the waves of monsters. It was named, aptly, a Reinforcer.
Daedalus felt something connect to his mind and knew it to be Mercer. Sir , the population is unaware . Blackwatch presence is minimal . When should the attack begin ?
Fifteen minutes, Daedalus. The Infectors will be there in two hours to create a new foothold. I expect the city to have fallen by then. Acquire any form of power possible. Fall back temporarily if necessary.
And the civilians who try to run , sir ?
Kill or infect them all.
But si --Daedalus felt an intense pain spark through his head and his quarrels faded, replaced with devotion to Mercer. Yes sir .
The connection faded, but Daedalus remained changed. The Hive Mind was truly a wonderful thing. There was no more chance of rebellions such as Heller's. Even removing the Hive Mind killed the infected.
The greater Evolved waited until the appropriate time before giving the mental command. The Berserkers broke open the roof as dozens of Maniacs swarmed the streets. Instantly, screams and laughter began sounding out. He smiled.
Within moments, Warpers took to the air, following command of bringing down any air vehicles. A single leap propelled Daedalus ten feet up onto the street. He immediately notice the bodies lying on the ground as Berserkers crushed cars and people and the Maniacs went building to building killing the humans. Mad laughter filled the air, overriding the screams and making Daedalus smile with bliss.
Hearing a gunshot, he looked left to see a policeman shoot the head off of a Maniac. He frowned. Can't have that . I only have two hours to subjugate this city . Failure means death .
Darting forward by expelling biomass, he smashed through the man, completely pulping the body and releasing a red mist. Stopping, Daedalus looked around, tracking all activity. He heard the street crumble behind him before a massive foghorn of a roar echoed, causing the entire city to fall silent for a second. Grinning, Daedalus looked back to see the Reinforcer climbing out of the sewers.
Within moments, a boil burst and released a mass of Redlight on the corpses. Seconds later, the bodies began twitching as snapping and tearing was heard while the bodies restructured themselves. As Daedalus walked deeper into the city, another wave of Maniacs rushed passed him, spreading out and traveling building to building. As he walked, he could see the lesser infected dragging out corpses and stacking them for easy infection.
The next hour flew by like this. Constantly killing, constantly infecting, constantly keeping watch and mentally planning a strategy. Time passed, and the city quieted of gunshots and screams as roars and laughter grew louder. Deciding to perform once last check, Daedalus climbed a multi-story building and strained his hearing as much as he possibly could.
For a moment, all he could hear was his infected. However, he soon began to pick out small sounds of fighting. Most of them were quiet and seemed to be dying out. Only one remained as loud as always, and seemed to not be slowing. Leaping down and making a crater on impact, he began to leisurely stroll down the street toward the sound. As he moved, he crossed paths with his Reinforcer who was busy doing it's job. It was smaller now--it has been cannibalizing its own body for more viral material. Patting its side, he gave it a boost and it grew larger. The sores all burst, showering the street and infecting at least a hundred.
Before they were even up, he had already given an order to head ahead of him. He continued walking, the sounds of battle now louder. When he was less than a block away, a wave of infected passed him and he grinned darkly. Rounding the corner, he saw a tank and several soldiers fighting against the infected. Must be the remnant of the Blackwatch garrison . Shouldn't be trouble .
In truth, Daedalus was glad he had been feasting himself. He had enough biomass to weigh three thousand pounds. With that in mind, it was no wonder he compromised the tank's armor with a simple backhand. Sending a burst of tendrils through the gaps in the plates, he consumed the crew members and moved on.
However, before he could even move towards the soldiers, he was hit with an incredibly powerful impact which threw him through a building. Then another. And another. After the third, he came to a sliding stop and looked at what hit him. He was surprised to see an uninfected man with stark white hair. He wore a brown suit and had mismatched yellow and red eyes which seemed to glow.
The man walked forward slowly before coming to rest five feet in front of him. Daedalus stood and chuckled. "Impressive. Not many could hit me like that. What spawn of Blackwatch or Gentek are you?"
The man nodded. "You'll do nicely."
Raising an eyebrow, he spoke. "What? Who even are you?"
"Call me Disarray." He smiled as if he made a joke. "And you, Daedalus, are about to take a little trip. Maybe the Elements will help you with that little Hive Mind you have."
'Disarray' snapped his fingers and the Greater Evolved collapsed. He felt his strength leave him and felt tired for the first time in years. Within moments, he was unconscious.
The Evolved's awareness returned in a mere second. There was no grogginess or slow awakening. One moment, he was unconscious, the next, awake. He leaped up, blade already formed, and examined his surroundings. He was surprised to see himself in a room that was composed mostly of stone. It was massive, with a roof high above him- if pieces hadn't been missing. In front of him were two massive doors, one shattered and on the ground, that led into a long hallway.
Turning around, he saw two thrones sitting side by side on a raised dias. One was seemingly made of gold, the other of silver. Various decaying tapestries dotted the walls, each depicting something similar. All were composed of either a sun, moon, or an emblem of two equine beings circling each other. Judging from the state of decay the room was in, he assumed it had been abandoned for at least a century, likely more.
After realizing the lack of danger, he morphed his blade back into his left arm and walked to one of the holes in the wall. Frowning at the sight, he knew he was no longer in Pennsylvania. A large, dark forest stretched out to the horizon, broken only by two mountains in the distance.
Mercer is going to be pissed . Hopefully , he'll check my memories before just consuming me .
He tensed when he heard the sound of speaking not far from him. He then noticed a steady clip-clop coming his way, likely from several sources.
Horse-riders ? Intriguing . Daedalus thought.
Shifting into a small black bird, he jumped straight to the roof. Landing in a small, chipped alcove of a support pillar, he prepared for the entrance of a whatever was making that sound.
Unfortunate that I can't fly . I weigh far too much for these wings to support me . The disguise should still work, though .
Having fully settled into the unintended recess, he watched closely for several minutes as the horse riders grew closer. Because of how powerful his hearing was, it would still take several more minutes for them to arrive. At this point, he was able to make out what one was saying, a female by the sounds of it.
"Its just up ahead! The source of the Chaos magic is close by."
Right after he heard another speak, this one barely able to be heard due to how quiet it simply was. "M-maybe its D-Discord."
He heard a scoff, but the voice was worried. "Yeah, he disappeared as soon as he broke free from his prison."
Three separate people , all females . They speak of magic as if it exists . Someone named Discord escape recently and hasn't been seen . If this ' magic' somehow exists , then there was a burst of Chaos recently , likely my arrival . However , the magic is likely advanced technology . I might be dealing with an incredibly isolated society . Even the Amish understand modern tech . They just don' t use it .
Four sentences and I already learned that much . These people would be horrible at keeping secrets .
The walking grew closer and closer until Daedalus guessed it to be right outside the door. As if to prove his assumption, be could see shadows moving through the doorway. Then, in walked three figures that made Daedalus deadpan.
All were equine, similar to the emblems on the wall, yet significantly different than any horses he had seen. One had a cyan coat with a rainbow mane, its flank adorned with a rainbow lightning bolt emitting from a cloud. Another was yellow with a pink mane, its mark of three butterflies. The final was purple with a purple mane with a lighter pink strip. The mark was of a star emblem. The first two had wings entirely too small to be usable and the final had a horn jutting from its skull.
... Incredibly isolated society ?
It wasn't until the purple one spoke that he finally accepted the fact that he was no longer anywhere on Earth.
"The source of the magic is somewhere here. Its coming from the center of the room."
Right where I appeared . Alright , if that Unicorn talks , so do the others . If there is one sentient species here , there is likely to be more . Chances are , humans don't exist here . I'll need a sample of DNA to blend in , preferably several in order to blend the genes and create a disguise.
Examining the three, he attempted to determine which would would be the least of a risk. Glancing at the purple one, he immediately decided against her. If 'magic' existed in this world, it was an unknown, possibly lethal, factor for now. Having decided on the Pegasi, Daedalus decided he needed samples of both if he wanted to not replace one.
He darted out of sight and felt his legs fall off, then reform, leaving behind a significant portion of his biomass, ergo, his weight. Darting back around the pillar, he quickly landed on the yellow one's back. He felt the equine start and looked back, relaxing to see a small, black bird. Daedalus darted his head side to side to mimic a true bird and hopped a little closer, tendrils under his feet collecting samples of DNA. He looked back at the yellow one when she spoke.
"H-hello there, b-birdie. What's your name?"
Amused, Daedalus made a chirping sound while thinking his own name.
"Daedalus? That's an odd name for a raven."
Starting, Daedalus stared at the equine that had just read his mind. I'm a secret virus that is capable of killing the world in under a decade . If you don't say ' Blacklight ,' I'll kill you .
Waiting a moment, the equine made no indication having of heard him. Again, he thought, What's your name ?
He received no reply, only continuing to get an interested stare. He thought the same thing, this time chirping.
"My name is Fluttershy, little one."
"Who are you talking to, Flutters?" The voice of the other Pegasus called out, startling Fluttershy. She jumped in fright, forcing Daedalus to spread his wings to maintain balance. He looked to see the blue one chuckling.
"Didn't mean to scare ya. Sorry." She said.
"I-its fine. I was t-talking to Daedalus." At this point, Purple had meandered her way over to take part of the conversation.
"The bird?"
Fluttershy nodded. Purple spoke up. "Does he live here?"
Both of them were surprised to see Daedalus nod, deciding to throw caution to the wind and not act like an Earth bird. "Maybe you can ask him questions, Twilight."
"You're right, Rainbow. Daedalus, have you seen a tall figure that looks like it its made of several different animals?"
Daedalus shook his head and chirped while thinking no .
"H-he said 'no.'" Fluttershy translated.
"Any form of strange events?" Twilight asked.
Once again shaking his head, he didn't reply.
Twilight sighed. "Okay, fine. We'll search through here a bit longer before we leave."
They nodded and separated. Fluttershy craned her neck and looked back at Daedalus. "Would you l-like to stay with me?"
Daedalus smiled internally. Here he was being presented an opportunity to learn more about the ponies, overhear information, and even collect DNA samples. It was no wonder he nodded.
Daedalus spent the next two weeks at Fluttershy's house. He watched and even helped as every day she would feed her animals or let the predators out to hunt their own food. On the first day there, he had spent it collecting animal DNA from shed fur and compared them to Earth's, finding them almost identical.
As Daedalus, still in the form of a raven, stood perched on the back of Fluttershy, he thought back to each project he had been working on.
The first and most important was the gathering of information. Having no desire to kill without need, he had refrained from consuming ponies. Instead, he stuck by Fluttershy's side and simply listened to everything said. He also was gathering DNA, surprisingly an incredibly simply task. It made since that ponies, being furred mammals, shed their coats quiet often. So far, he had managed to gather samples of Twilight, Fluttershy, a white Unicorn named Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and multiple random samples from the streets.
His disguise, currently, had remained undiscovered. However, Pinkie Pie, a party planner, worried him. When they first met, the pink Earth pony had spent almost fifteen minutes stating at him before smiling and bouncing away.
On the topic of disguises, he had been having incredible trouble creating a disguise for his prolonged use. He was quite capable of making an equine form. His trouble came from Blacklight's natural tendency to mutate the body to better defend itself. Every attempt ended with a severely mutated pony with a spiked spine, bladed tail, razor teeth, and clawed hooves. Daedalus had always embraced these mutations being a fan of fear as intimidation, so suppressing this was pushing his limit.
In the end, although it may have taken nearly two weeks, he believed he had figured it out. He planned to leave Fluttershy and head to the forest, which he discovered was named the Everfree, to finalize his disguise.
Leaning down, he brought his beak near Fluttershy's ear and chirped, thinking of hunting. She smiled and nuzzled him. "Okay. Enjoy your hunt."
Taking off, he flew towards the forest. I still don't get how those damnable ' cutie marks' work . Magic can't truly be it , can it ? Although , it allows Fluttershy to read my mind when I chirped .
He already knew he was unable to use magic in his current form. However, he hoped that using Twilight's DNA in the disguise will give him access to magic, something that would be an unimaginable advantage. With his sheer strength behind it, he'd likely become one of the most powerful users in the world.
Landing in a clearing not far from the edge of the forest, he emitted a viral pulse to locate any life. When it came back negative, he concluded he was alone. He quickly shifted into his default form and sat down, crossing his legs. Turning his attention inward, he began creating his disguise. He was not, however, careless, proven by the regular pulses sent into the forest.
His hope for the end result of his creation was rather ambitious. He desired a form that would blend in yet be able to fight without having to shift.
Starting with the head, he created the head shape as normal, condensing the skull to strengthen it. His mouth, he added secondary teeth that were razor sharp, yet were hidden via retraction. His eyes were his regular ones with their incredible sight and spectrum range. His ears, the same.
Next came his body. Condensed flesh and reinforced bone with no cavities for organs, it was easily his heaviest and strongest piece. Then, his legs. The normal reinforcing, he also added stronger muscles for both speed and strength. His hooves were normal, yet were capable of extending a spike on the bottom. The spike was both a weapon, and a focal point for him to send tendrils into the ground or even targets. Finally, he added a horn to his skull, borrowing completely from Twilight's DNA.
When all was said and done, he opened his eyes and looked around, immediately noticing the height difference. He likely would have come up to his own chest. Walking in the direction of a river he knew was there, he stood at the edge and reviewed his appearance.
Broad shoulders, sharp horn, and perked ears, Daedalus' new form was exactly as a pony should look like... almost. His color scheme, while it wouldn't give him away, would certainly raise brows. He consisted of a black coat with a red mane and tail as well as glowing orange eyes. He knew without a doubt it would have to change. Shifting again, his dark color scheme became less virus-oriented.
His coat remained the usual black while his mane changed to a light silver. His orange eyes turned blue and stopped glowing. Glancing over his form for a final time, he stopped when he noticed the lack of a mark. Knowing the strangeness of an adult stallion having no mark, he decided to make one.
Tendrils writhed over his flanks and it faded, leaving behind his mark. The background was of an orange biohazard sign. The foreground consisted of two chromosomes, the lower half disconnected from one and connected to the other.
After seeing it, he decided the name he would go by. Gene Splice .
It was simple. It was easy to remember. Above all, it was fitting. Perfect.
Having finally finished his form, he focused on his horn to try to pinpoint his magic. After an initial look over, he failed to find anything. When a second attempt failed to reveal the energy, he frowned, assuming he didn't have it for some reason.
Oh well , it shouldn't be too hard for me to figure it out .
He removed the horn, becoming an Earth pony.
Turning around to head to Ponyville in order to actually explore the town, he paused as he saw slitted green eyes glowing in the forest. He stared directly into them, a glare formed. He sent out a viral pulse, it coming back with no information. He frowned and extended his sharpened teeth, baring them as he growled.
The eyes blinked once, then vanished. Immediately, Daedalus darted forward to find it, but when he arrived at where the eyes were, whatever it was had left. Looking around, he sent several more pulses out, each one coming back with no evidence of whatever he had seen. The virus turned with a huff and began walking back to town, his previous experience of walking with four legs preventing him from falling over or stumbling.
Daedalus walked into town, one he had been to many times already, albeit as a bird. He noticed pretty quickly that he was being waved at and greeted by ponies who had never seen or heard of him before. He, of course, returned the waves and greetings, surprised at the kindness and hospitality of the ponies. Granted, they knew not the truth of him.
The virus had already decided he would head to Town Hall first and check for any jobs that may need to be done. First, he needed income. Then, a place to stay. Food was unnecessary for him, yet he knew he needed to keep up appearances. A pony not buying food was suspicious, at least.
He continued down the street, taking in the sights he paid no attention to in the past, and allowed his mind to memorize the layout of everything he passed. Before long, he approached the multi-story building that was the center of town. Daedalus was prepared to enter the building, yet paused when he saw a board with several papers posted on it.
Allowing himself to smile externally, Daedalus approached the notice board and examined it. After all, it would be far easier than talking to the Mayor.
Missing dog - 75 bits . Speak to Applejack in Sweet Apple Acres for information .
Running of the Leaves in four days .
Diamond Dogs returned to gem fields outside of town .
Changelings sighted in Everfree ?
Daedalus allowed himself a small frown as he became unfortunately aware of the fact that this literally was a notice board, nothing more. Job openings would not be listed. The virus turned and was ready to enter the Town Hall, but stopped.
I might as well wander around town . It'll familiarize me with the layout even further and may allow me to chance upon a job offer , not that I need one for any reason other than appearances .
Nodding to himself lightly, he turned and around and began walking, heading in the general direction of a large tree he had seen. Daedalus had already decided to check out the library as it would let him speak to the librarian, who may be able to point him in the proper direction. As he walked, he took note of the buildings on each side of the road, taking special care to note the ones that weren't houses.
Of course, the vast majority were houses, but a few weren't. He passed by a couple shops. One was a strangely silent blacksmith shop, another a bakery he had been in before and still believed to be over-decorated, a clothing store, and a carpentry shop. Looking forward, he smiled as he saw the library coming up in the distance, the living tree still amazing him. Before long, he had arrived. Stopping before the door and glancing at the sign, he knocked thrice.
"Come in!" A voice called out, which he recognized as Twilight.
He pushed the door open and entered, seeing again the shear amount of books lining the walls. He looked in the center of the room to see Twilight looking at him with a friendly smile. He smiled back and she spoke. "Hello! My name is Twilight Sparkle and the librarian here at Golden Oaks. How can I help you?"
"My name is Gene Splice and I have a few questions I'd like to ask, both about history, and the town in general." Daedalus replied.
She smiled in reply and nodded her head. "Ask away."
"Well, my first question is do you know of any place hiring?"
She raised and eyebrow. "You're new here?"
Daedalus nodded and she continued. "Well, you can probably check Sweet Apple Acres. Being a farm, I'm sure they'd be happy to have help."
"Do you know of any places to stay such as an inn or hotel?"
She tilted her head to the side. "You don't have a place to stay?"
He shook his head. "Nope. I'm new to town and have spent quite some time traveling, so I don't have anyway to stay."
She nodded in understanding. "There's an inn not far from Town Hall. You'll recognize it by the large green dragon on the roof. I believe its thirty bits per night."
Daedalus smiled. "Thank you. And for a house, I'd need to speak to the Mayor, correct?"
"Yep! You'll be able to either buy a house, or just land. I don't know what's for sale or the prices, so you'll need to speak with Mayor Mare."
"Thank you. Do you have any books of Equestrian history? I've been meaning to brush up on it and keep my facts straight."
Despite the paper, no, nano-thin cover for the book, Twilight accepted it and smiled brightly, quickly levitating a large tome over and setting it on a nearby desk. Glancing at the title, Daedalus saw Equestrian History : A Complete Compendium .
"Here you go! One history book. Of course, you'll need to sign it out. Follow me." Twilight said.
Daedalus followed her over to the desk and watched as she pulled out a ledger-like book and wrote something, then turned it, pointing at a blank space. "Just sign right here."
He did so, taking a moment to familiarize himself with writing with a hoof. The virus did, however, notice the strange look he was given when he gripped the quill in his hoof. I am very glad for microscopic tendrils to grab it .
Afterward, she smiled and handed- hoofed ? - the book to him and he placed it on his back. As he did so, she spoke. "The book is due in two weeks, and every week its late has a fee of three bits."
"Thank you, Ms. Sparkle. I must see if Ms. Applejack is hiring. Have a nice day."
"You too, Gene!"
Exiting the library, Daedalus looked at the sun and saw it was a little past noon. He started heading in the general direction of the Everfree. When he had left it earlier that day, he had seen the apple farm. After he had reached the edge of the town, he same the farm and headed that way. Pretty soon, he arrived and headed toward the farmhouse.
As he walked, he passed countless rows of trees, each bearing the literal fruits of their labor. They extended far into the distance, albeit Daedalus' eyes could see where the farm ended. A little off-center of the farm was the house and barn, and the virus saw the roof of another building in the distance. When he neared the house, he saw Applejack coming out of the barn and so he changed his directions and headed straight for her.
When he was close enough, he spoke up and gained her attention. "Hello, Ms. Applejack."
He donned a confused look when he saw the befuddled look she directed to him. Turning, she approached him and replied. "Good mornin', but don't worry about callin' me miss. Just Applejack is fine. What can Ah help ya with?"
The hidden virus nodded and answered the inquiry. "My name's Gene Splice and I'm new to Ponyville and happened to be looking for a source of income. Ms. Sparkle, the librarian, pointed me in this direction after I met with her earlier."
Applejack looked him over, taking note of his race as well as muscle. When she spoke up, she did so with something he never thought he'd hear. "Can ya buck?"
Instead of shouting in shock, he settled for simply titling his head to the side and perking an ear. Applejack, in reply, smiled. "Just follow me. Ah'll show ya."
Daedalus followed, after setting down the book, the farm pony to an unharvested apple tree. He watched in intrigue as she turned around, reared her hooves, and kicked the tree solidly, shaking the mass to its tips and knocking loose all the apples within, effectively harvesting the tree in a single blow. She turned back to him with a proud smile. "That is called buckin' a tree."
Internally, Daedalus was roaring in laughter. He simply couldn't help it. A single change of one letter would be all it took to drastically change the meaning of that sentence. After settling himself, he spoke. "I've never done it before, but I'll try."
She nodded and watched as he approached a different tree. He faced away and pulled his hind legs in, balancing for a moment on his front hooves. Knowing his own strength to be far greater than hers, he pulled his blow massively, his legs impacting the tree.
Two apples fell.
He physically winced. Maybe not so much .
He heard laughter and turned to see Applejack struggling to suppress it. In reply, Daedalus smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not upset. I didn't know how hard to hit it so I hit it weakly. Too weakly, obviously."
The farm pony nodded, a trace of mirth still on her lips. The virus repeated the earlier actions, hitting the tree much more solidly, smiling in satisfaction as the rest of the apples fell, landing around the tree, filling buckets up- buckets that he didn't even notice were there. When he turned back to the farm mare, he saw nodded slightly. "Not bad. We could certainly use ya 'round here. You're hired, then."
Daedalus nodded. "Thank you. Will I start today or?" He left the question hanging.
"Today's fine, if its alrigh' with you." She replied.
He nodded and she smiled. "Well let's get ta work!"
***
Roughly six hours had passed by Daedalus' reckoning. In that time, they managed to harvest a rather decently-sized portion of the field. Midway through, the virus had his body reproduce sweat and emit it through his pores, otherwise he would have alluded to his tireless state of being. Currently, he was waiting for Applejack to return with his pay for the day, something he did not expect to be altogether too much, considering he only worked for half a day.
After a short spell, the farm pony exited the house with a bag resting on her back. He stood up and placed the book, which he had recently reacquired, on his back and approached the mare. When they met, she smiled at him and handed, or hoofed, rather, the pouch to him. Gripping it, he felt the weight and set it in the book, securing both with his powers.
"There ya go, thirty-six bits for six hours labor. Will Ah see you tomorrow?" Applejack asked.
Daedalus nodded. "Of course. What time should I arrive?"
"Eight o' clock's fine. Good night, Gene." With that final sentence, Daedalus was on his way back to town, looking for the inn. After roughly fifteen minutes of walking through the town, he approached a three story building made of wood with a thatched roof. Glass windows faced the street, light being emitted from some of them. A small, steady drone of conversation could be heard through the closed doorway.
Just as Twilight had said, a large green dragon was perched on the roof, rearing back and seemingly roaring to the world. Approaching the door, he read the sign and smiled in slight amusement.
The Green Dragon .
All welcomed except dragons . The inn happens to be flammable .
Opening the door and entering, he paused as half of the patrons turned and looked at him. When they did, he thought to himself irritatedly, This isn't an old western movie .
Unlike said movies, the occupants quickly lost interest upon seeing an Earth pony and turned back to their beers and peers. Daedalus approached the counter and was greeted. "Welcome to the Green Dragon. How can I help you."
The barkeep was a orange Unicorn mare with a silver mane, quite the unusual color scheme. Smiling at him, he noticed her eyes were an unusual silver as well. He smiled back. "I believe a room for a night is thirty bits, correct?"
She spoke cheerfully. "Yep. Thirty a night or fifty for two, seventy for three, ninety for four, and so on. What's making you stay at an inn?"
He opened the back and counted out thirty bits, leaving him with a mere six. He answered after sliding the golden coins over to her. "New in town and don't have a place to stay. You can expect me here a good bit until I have enough for a house. So its thirty for the first night and twenty after? Does it count for succession, or just at once?"
"If'n you're still here tomorrow night, it'll be twenty. It only goes back to thirty if you're gone for a couple days. Boss wanted to give a discount to long-term stayers like you."
She levitated a key into his hoof. "That's to your room on the second floor, Room 8. Breakfast is served at six in the morning, lunch you're on your own, and dinner at eight."
He smiled. "Thank you, Ms.?"
"Fire Brand. Don't worry about the miss. Have a nice night?"
"Gene Splice, and a good night to you, as well."
The main room was the living area, consisting of two coaches and a small table in between. A single window let in light, as well as a likely magically powered crystal imbedded in the table. To the right, deprecated by a small counter, was a kitchen. A stove, toaster, and something reminiscent of a fridge were situated in the offshoot.
Left led to a simple bedroom with an attached bathroom. The bed was a simple twin-sized bed, with white blankets, sheets, and pillows. The bathroom was stocked with towels and products.
Lying back on the bed, Daedalus smiled and nodded to himself, satisfied. "Not bad. Certainly not the worse hotel I've been in."
Closing his eyes, he allowed his mind to settle and fell asleep.
***
Daedalus opened his eyes and stood to his full height of 6'7'', obviously augmented by his Assaulter strain of Blacklight. He looked at his surroundings, surprised to see the familiar layout of a destroyed, infected Manhattan. However, when he glanced a the night sky, he was made aware of two moons.
Staring at them, he realized why it was so familiar. Secunda and Massar ... I played that game once and it still affects me .
After seeing the moons, he realized immediately that he was dreaming, although lucid dreams were rare. Turning, he climbed up a partially-standing skyscraper and sat down, admiring the billions of stars twinkling in the night sky. While the dreams may have been rare, he knew he wouldn't wake up until it was time to do so, ergo he decided to simply enjoy his eight hours of peace.
The peace, however, did not last long. Soon after, he felt another presence and could hear a heartbeat. Standing up, he looked around. His surprise was great when he saw a large, dark blue, horned pegasus descending from the sky. He stood and watched as she landed on the building in front of him, seemingly uninterested at the destruction and fleshy growths dominating the city.
After landing, she folded her wings and approached Daedalus. When she was close, the mare spoke. "Pray tell, what manner of creature be thee?"
Raising an eyebrow at both the speech, and the question, he replied. "Human. Who are you?"
"We art Reagent Luna, Mistress of Dreams and of the Night. We hath senses thy dream and became intrigued. We hath never seen thy kind before."
He nodded, smiling slightly. "We happen to be rare. Rare enough for me to be the only one. So you're the monarch here?"
She shook her head slightly. "Nay, not a monarch. A diarch. I rule alongside my sister, Celestia, Lady of the Day. We reside within the city of Canterlot."
The virus hummed slightly. "I may need to speak with both you and your sister soon. Can that be arranged?"
Luna nodded. "Aye. For what day?"
He thought about it, then replied. "A week from now, you're Majesty. Keep an eye out for the name Gene Splice. I've got some information for you two. Its about me and what I am. I figure the rulers should know about me."
She nodded again, accepting this. "It shall be arranged. See thee then, Human Splice."
She lifted off again and he smiled at the name she had given him. Turning back and sitting down, he soon felt the presence leave. He lied back and began staring at the sky again.
For a pony , she ain't half bad looking .
***
Daedalus awoke the next morning and spent the next week working at Sweet Apple Acres, reading the book he borrowed from the library, and preparing go travel to Canterlot. Having stayed every night at the Green Dragon, his coat was twenty bits a night, allowing him an increased profit.
Working ten hours a day at a rate of six bits an hour, he earned sixty a day. Having paid twenty per night, he made an extra forty. In six days, he made two hundred and forty bits, plus the previous six. Not having to pay for food or anything else really let him save up.
During the fourth day of work, he informed Applejack that he had to take a trip to Canterlot for an important meeting. If all went well, he wouldn't stay more than a day. She accepted it readily and thanked him for warning her.
On the sixth day, he went to the library and returned the book he had borrowed. Twilight was quite happy he didn't keep books too long, as well as a little impressed he read the entire book. On the subject of the book, the tale of Nightmare Moon stuck with him. He was a little awed that Princess Luna had endured an entire millennia on the moon and showed no clear sign of it. From his meeting with her, he never would have suspected anything of the like.
Finally, the day he would depart came around and he alerted Fire Brand, returning the key in case he was delayed. He left Ponyville via the rather feminine train. After paying for a ticket, he was led with two hundred thirty bits he kept in a saddle bag he had bought prior to departure.
The ride to Canterlot was uneventful and quiet, due in part to his disguise as Gene Splice. The ride itself took roughly four hours, not insufferably long compared to what it could have been. When he arrived at the Canterlot station and disembarked, he was surprised at the shear wealth the city exuded. As he walked, he paid some attention to the ponies walking down the streets. Each one walked with their noses stuck in the air, surprising Daedalus with the fact that none of them tripped.
In fact, just to amuse himself, he extended a hidden tendril and tripped one, barely preventing himself from laughing when it sparked a domino effect that toppled nearly a dozen ponies before anyone noticed. Mood raised, he continued down the road toward the castle, consuming any fur or feathers he came across. It allowed him to considerably increase the equine gene pool he had stored within himself.
The final thing the sentient virus noticed during his walk through Canterlot was the guards patrolling the city. Each one wore a set of golden armor that shielded the bare minimum of the body. Each was adorned with a Roman-style horsehair helmet of varying colors, likely signifying rank.
Their weapons were always either a sword or spear. He never saw anything like halberds, other polearms, bows, shields, or any other weaponry.
Granted , polearms would be a rather ineffective patrol weapon .
It may have taken nearly half an hour for him to navigate his way to the castle through the crowded streets, but he succeeded. Soon enough, he was approaching the front gates of the castle grounds. Guarding the entrance were two guards equipped with spears while swords hung at their sides. He walked past without incident and continued onward before he came to the front doors of the castle itself. When he neared, two more guards blocked him and spoke.
"Halt. Day Court has been cancelled. If you wish to voice your concerns to the diarchy, wait until Night Court or until tomorrow." The leftmost one spoke.
Daedalus raised an eyebrow. They cancelled court for me ?
"I was led to be believed that I would be expected today. Is there a mix-up?" The virus replied.
The same guard replied. "What is your name?"
"Gene Splice." Came simply.
"Oh, my apologies. The Princesses are expecting you in their study. I'll lead you there now, if you please." He spoke.
Daedalus nodded. "All is forgiven."
The virus was led through the halls by the member of the military. They moved down several hallways, taking a convoluted path of twists and turns, yet his viral brain memorized the path perfectly. The walls were made of pristine marble and decorated with vases, tapestries, and stained windows. The wealth of the crown was quite clear.
In short order, they arrived at a large oak door emblazoned with the insignias of the sun and moon, signifying a room of the Crown Princesses. When they neared, the guard turned to him. "The Princesses are inside and waiting. I will return to my post. If you need help finding your way out after the meeting, ask any maid or guard."
Daedalus nodded. "Thank you."
The guard nodded back and left, returning to his post at the front door of the castle. Turning back, he knocked solidly on the door. Moments later, he heard a response from inside. Examining the handle, he realized it was significantly different than the ones found in Ponyville. Instead of a knob or latch mechanism, it seemed to be an indent shaped like a hoof. Pressing his hoof into it, he rotated his leg to the right, seeing the device turn as well. Soon, he heard a soft click and the door swung open at his push.
Meeting Monarchs and First Hunt
Entering, he first became aware of the splendor of the room. A soft rug was spread across the entire floor, colored red. Plush couches covered in cushions provided a resting place for any occupants. A number of bookshelves lined the walls, laden with knowledge. A fireplace dominated the center of one wall, filled with a small fire providing a soft glow and warmth to the room.
Finally, his focus was drawn to the two entities sitting in the couches. The first he was familiar with; Luna, Reagent of Equestria. Now able to truly see her, he saw her mane was an array of cosmic energies, primarily stars. Her mark was of a moon upon an inky sky.
The second, however, was different. Her pastel mane flowed in a ethereal breeze, showing her magical prowess. A sun mark dominated her flanks. A long horn and white feathered wings marked her as an Alicorn. Her alabaster coat struck out from Princess Luna's midnight blue. Both immortals looked at him with interest. He stared back. After a couple minutes of silence, Princess Luna spoke.
"Pardon us, but we were led to assume that Gene Splice was the bipedal creature we hath met in the Dream Realm."
Smiling, Daedalus approached the couch opposite and shifted back into the form Princess Luna was more familiar with. When he turned and sat down, his smile widened at the shocked looks on their faces. After they recovered, the Lunar Diarch spoke. "Art thou a new form of Changeling?"
Raising an eyebrow, Daedalus replied. "All truth be told, I've never heard of a Changeling outside of mythology. No, I am, or was, a human. Currently, I am a greater Evolved Blacklight entity."
The two sisters shared a glance before Princess Celestia spoke up. "Just what is a 'greater Evolved Blacklight entity?'"
"Well, to explain that, I must first start with what Blacklight is. Blacklight is the name of a rather advanced virus created by a company called Gentek. One day, a suspicious man by the name of Alex Mercer came across a vial of the stuff. He stole it and ran from the facility only to be confronted by a private military force, known as Blackwatch. When asked to hand over the vial, he responded by throwing it on the ground, releasing the virus. In reply, the Blackwatch soldiers killed him."
He raised an eyebrow at their widened eyes. After seeing the action, Princess Celestia spoke. "Murder is something that has not happened in Equestria for centuries. To think, somepony would be killed over a simple virus."
Daedalus shifted. "I haven't gotten to what Blacklight is actually is yet, so don't call it 'simple.'"
"Anyway, fast forward a few days, and Mercer was being cut open and studied to find out what the virus did to him. If I remember correctly, his heart was on a tray next to his body. That sure as hell didn't stop Mercer from sitting up." Daedalus smiled at the shocked looks.
"But he had no heart!" Princess Luna shouted, shocked into modern speech.
He chuckled. "Didn't matter. The virus fixed that. Anyway, he hopped up and escaped the facility,again . The problem was, he didn't have his memories. So, he used the virus to destroy everything and everyone in his path. Soldiers, civilians, children, none survived. As he fought, his virus evolved and grew stronger, giving him more and better ways to kill."
Princess Celestia spoke up again, asking a question that had been on her and her sister's minds. "What makes the Blacklight virus so dangerous and powerful?"
Daedalus smiled internally. He could tell that the Solar Diarch was suspicious of him, his powers, and his intentions. He held no intention to lie to her, at least. "Well, let's start with how the virus infects the host. It can start off as one or one million cells, it doesn't matter. Blacklight in the body is dangerous enough, it mutates the body to defend itself, large claws, spikes, whips, blades, etc. However, if it gets to the brain fast enough and with enough cells, that's when the real work begins."
"See, the virus can also be considered a parasite. It gains sapience at the expense of its host. By essentially devouring the brain, it gains the capability of speech, intelligent thought, and any forms of higher intelligence. A side effect is that it gains the beings memories. Now, you know that viruses 'eat' non-virus cells to reproduce itself, right?"
When he got two nods in response, he continued. "Well, Blacklight entities can do that on a greater scale. Instead of consuming a cell or two, I can consume a army or two. This has several effects. The first is most obvious. That flesh and mass has to go somewhere, yet I don't get larger, so what happens? I get denser. My muscles are several thousand times denser than yours, making me unnaturally strong and hard to injure. Of course, this makes me weigh more. I solve that problem by leaving a large majority of my biomass in a secure location to reduce my weight."
"The other effects are pretty simple. If I consume someone's flesh, I gain their form. If I consume their blood, I gain their power. If I consume their mind, I gain their memories."
This seemed to unnerve the two mares, and rightly so. Something seemed to click for Princess Celestia and she leaped up, horn ablaze. "How dare you kill one of my ponies! Who was Gene Splice ? "
Unconcerned, Daedalus waved at her. "Be seated, I killed nopony. An Evolved is capable of combining DNA to create an entirely new form. I gained the pony DNA by consuming shed hairs on the ground. Hell, I was doing it on the way here."
Both sisters imagined him as a pony eating random hairs as he walked down the street, yet neither commented. Relaxing, Princess Celestia dimmed her horn and sat down next to her sister again. "I apologise for jumping to conclusions."
Daedalus shrugged. "Its fine. Anyway, back to the virus. Another thing it can do is rearrange itself to better defend itself. Massive blades, claws, spikes, whips, and the like are all available to me. I can summon them at will."
To demonstrate, he shifted his right arm into a massive, devilish blade that gleamed with an unholy sharpness. Then, he shifted it back to his default arm. "Like I said. Anyway-"
"You really like the word 'anyway.'" The Solar Diarch commented.
He smirked. "Yep. Anyway," He said, making her huff. "The most important aspect of the virus is the life factor. Viruses, as simple-celled organisms, don't need the things mortals do to survive. Food, air, water, rest, none of it is necessary. In fact, I don't have a heart, lungs, brain, kidneys, stomach, or any other organs. I am completely unkillable because I don't have the weaknesses mortals do."
Princess Celestia looked incredibly interested in that fact, as did her sister. "Completely immortal, just like us. That may be useful information. It certainly gives us an option."
After she spoke, Princess Luna nodded. "It certainly does."
The virus raised a brow but received no explanation. Instead, he was waved at by a wing and told, "Continue."
"Back to the history. Mercer continued his rampage through Manhattan. Eventually, Blackwatch forces were so numerous, he began to have trouble fighting them. In response, he infected others just like he had been. At first, he targeted psychopaths because they followed him and killed whoever they told him too. Most of the psychos were members of Blackwatch who had hidden their insanity. Then, after Mercer's rampages, they lowered their requirements, allowing even more psychos in." Daedalus explained.
"Which, in turn, grew Mercer's army." Princess Celestia theorized. Daedalus nodded.
"Eventually, Blackwatch caught on and raised their requirements again. Mercer, not knowing this, infected who he though was just another murderer. In fact, it was James Heller." He grimaced a little, then continued.
"James had had a wife and daughter. Blacklight killed his wife, which he, rightly, blamed Mercer for. His daughter got kidnapped by Mercer. I don't know the full details, but it sent Heller on a rampage. Piece by piece, the former-soldier tore apart Mercer's infected, including his followers. Those of us being forced to serve him through fear saw him as a possible savior. Growing tired of his plans being ruined, Mercer gathered his remaining followers and confronted Heller. They battled for quite some time before a winner remained."
The Princesses were incredibly interested in the story, enough that the Night mare leaped up and shouted, "Heller won and you were saved!"
Daedalus let out a humorless chuckled. "No. Heller died, torn apart and consumed by Mercer. In order to prevent another betrayal, he installed in his greater Evolved a Hive Mind, that allowed him to control all the infected. He made it impossible for it to be removed, as well. Doing so would result in the Evolved's death."
Princess Celestia tilted her head and questioned him. "What about you? Don't you have the Hive Mind?"
He shrugged. "Yep. Good news is, Mercer is too far away for him to control me. Albeit, I still can't remove it without dying. Don't be concerned. I am of no threat to you."
"Now, Mercer and his new army of forced-loyal soldiers spread out of Manhattan. They hit New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, etc. When I arrived here, we were in the process of infecting some city in Pennsylvania. That's the gist of it. Thoughts?"
"How is Mercer too far away?" Princess Luna immediately asked.
"Well, I'm pretty sure that this is a different world. Humans explored every continent and nearly every island. Nowhere are there talking ponies, dragons, griffons, etc. I don't know how I got here, but I'm happy to be away from Earth and Mercer."
"How do we know you won't betray us?" Princess Celestia asked.
"You really don't. If you want, you can send some guards to watch me. Just don't spread the word about me. Once ponies learn the extents of my power and get over their fear, they'd beg me to help them." Daedalus said.
When he received two raised brows, he explained. "I can cure any disease and even make others immortal. Ponies would come to me begging for immortality and power. I won't have that. If I need to, I'll disappear and make a new disguise."
Both Alicorns shook their head. "No, you won't have to worry. We'll make the guards take an oath of secrecy and send a small group. They'll be aware of your pony form, of course."
Daedalus nodded. "Also, as a show of good will, I don't have magic. Its also one of the only things I'm weak to. Anything else or is this meeting over?"
Both Princesses turned to each other and their horns lit up, likely telepathic communication. He waited for a number of moments before they turned back to him.
When one spoke, it was Princess Celestia who did so, her voice commanding yet calming. "We have verified your claims."
The virus raised an eyebrow, clearly showing his confusion.
"We hath simply read thy mind." Princess Luna said, reverting to her preferred speech. "Thou truly hath no resistance against magic."
"Now, we have a way to satisfy both parties. We will keep your secret and allow you to remain in Ponyville in return for two things." Her solar sister said.
He nodded, it was as he expected. "And they are?"
"First, we will place a squadron of Unicorn guards to keep an eye on you, something that isn't truly necessary as, after reading your mind, we know you wouldn't hurt anypony. The second thing, however, is more complex. In the event a threat to Equestria or its subjects is made, we will have you track down and deal with the threat, whether lethally or diplomatically will be your decision. Do we have a deal?"
Both sisters expected Daedalus to try to change the terms or weasel his way out of the obligation, simply because his uncaring attitude reminded them so much of Discord. Their surprise was great when, instead, he shrugged and nodded. "Yeah, sure. Not too much different than working for Mercer."
They frowned at the comparison. "Make no mistake, Evolved Daedalus, you are not a slave and we will not have you attack and kill anyone. We would only deploy you in the event something is targeting Equestria that the guards can't handle. We would also prefer an arrest or ally, not murder. You will also be paid for your time, as well."
"So basically, I've been drafted? Alright." He said simply.
They nodded and smiled. Princess Luna spoke. "We hope that this may become the beginning of a most illustrious friendship. We may be the only thing each other will have in the eons to come."
That took Daedalus by surprise, yet he waved it off thinking nothing of it. "Is there anything else?"
Princess Celestia smiled. "Yes, actually. The town of Colton borders the Everfree much further south than Ponyville. I've received reports of a storm of Manticores. We want you to go deal with them before they kill anypony."
Daedalus nodded. "Is this what I'll expect the most often? To hunt down wild threats to Equestria?"
They nodded and the Solar Diarch answered. "Yep. Wild animals is usually all Equestria has to worry about. I think we'll call you The Hunter."
Daedalus chuckled. "That's a little uncreative, all truth be told."
He received a smile in response. "Mayhaps, yet it is apt, is it not?"
He nodded and a small silence fell over the room. After a few moments, Daedalus realized something. "Wait, how will y'all know when the job is done?"
"Simply contact one of the guards in Ponyville. They'll send a message to us, and we'll send you your payment. Now, I do believe that is all. Anything to add, sister?"
"Nay." Princess Luna said, shaking her head.
Daedalus stood up. "It was good to meet you, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. I'm glad I decided to tell y'all about me. I got royal support, and another job."
Princess Celestia smiled. "I'm quite glad you've told us the truth, as well. A powerful ally and you have no need to fear the truth getting out. If it ever does, you'll have the protection of the crown, Evolved Daedalus."
The virus grunted softly. "No need to call me 'Evolved.' I don't call you Alicorn. Just Daedalus is fine."
She closed her eyes, smiled, and tilted her head. "Then you may call me simply Celestia."
Princess Luna copied her actions and spoke as well, reverting to modern speech. "And you can call me Luna."
That ... is oddly cute .
"Alright. Have a good day, Celestia, Luna."
"And you as well, Daedalus." Came the chorused response.
***
Three hours later saw Daedalus in the Everfree, using his senses to track the Manticore pack. All truth be told, it wasn't very hard. The sentient virus had already passed several destroyed trees as well as the corpse of a brown bear. The bear hadn't even been eaten, it was simply torn apart and left to decay. If that didn't scream 'rabid Manticores,' Daedalus didn't know what did. He was in his default form, tracking down the storm.
Earlier, Daedalus had spent some time in Colton in his disguise of Gene Splice. He asked around about the Manticores and quickly discovered that they had been exposed to a disease very similar to rabies. They had already destroyed two farms and injured two ponies, both Earth ponies. After entering the forest, he immediately found the trail and shifted into his base form.
That led him to now, following a very easy to see trail that literally tore through the woods, heading deeper into the Everfree. He had been following the trail for nearly an hour, getting closer to the animals the entire time. Soon enough, he began to hear them and they sounded like they were fighting something. He took off running, reaching the area pretty quickly.
While the fight may not have started in a clearing, the storm of Manticores quickly made one. Their flailing limbs tore apart the nearby trees and made a very haphazard clearing. In the middle of the pack of three, a single wolf was darting around and under them, doing a surprising good job of staying alive.
The Manticores looked exactly as he expected them to. Large, lion-like beings with bat wings and a scorpion tale. Each one was covered in blood from their kills- as well as themselves. They all had injuries that bleed noticeably, but they weren't acting like an injured animal.
The wolf was just like a normal, Earth wolf. Four legs, tail, muzzle, fur, and the like. The only thing special about it was the pure white fur covering it.
Instead of staying to watch, Daedalus leaped forward with his blade arm and proceeded to disembowel the nearest Manticore. Turning immediately, he stabbed the second through the skull, killing it instantly. When he went to face the final Manticore, he felt a large stinger try to pierce him. Turning back around, he finished the first Manticore off.
Right , rabies makes animals ignore all forms of pain or injury .
He was hit powerfully in the back and launched into a still-standing tree, cracking it on impact. When he stood up, he did so to the sight of the final Manticore dashing into the woods away from him.
Hmm , not normal rabies , then . They never run .
Daedalus began chasing the predator turned prey, slowly gaining. He couldn't really move full speed without smashing through trees and causing even more damage than the storm of beasts did. Soon after, he entered a clearing and saw the mythological beast barreling toward the other side. Daedalus prepared to put on a burst of speed when a white blur exited the woods, darted through the Manticore's path, tripped it, and pounced. When the virus was near, Daedalus noticed it was the same wolf from earlier.
The pair was struggling, the white wolf being easily sent across the clearing, before landing on its paws. When barely a glance, Daedalus speared the hybrid through its skull with a bladed arm. He consumed the body and quickly went back to the other two. Devouring both in short order, the virus began his trek through the woods. However, he stopped when he heard walking beside him. Looking right and down, he saw the wolf following him. When he had stopped, it looked up at him.
Examining it, he noticed it was female. She seemed rather young, with bright white fur and piercing blue eyes. Her muzzle was slightly bloodied from biting the hybrid. When he looked into her eyes, he could see the faintest glimmer of intelligence. Humming thoughtfully, he came to a decision and shrugged. "Come on, Lupa. Let's go."
The wolf seemed to nod. She didn't react at all when Daedalus shifted into the form of Gene Splice.
And so the Hunter has a Tracker at his side .
Author's Note
Obviously, this clarifies the differences between canon Prototype, and this story's version. If that bothers, I'm sorry, but it won't be changes.
Gathering Information and Chance Meeting
Daedalus exited The Green Dragon , heading in the direction of his workplace, Sweet Apple Acres. Today was the start of the harvesting season where the Apple family harvested the entire orchard. The day before, Applejack's brother had injured himself, spraining his right foreleg, utterly preventing the stallion from assisting his sister. In response, she asked if Daedalus would be willing to work longer hours, five to eight, until the harvest season was over.
Being a tireless, immortal virus, he agreed. The extra hours literally meant nothing expect extra money. Thus brings him to the present, walking down the dirt road to the apple orchard at a little before five a.m. to assist one of the four mares he could call a real friend. Truthfully, one of the four mares he even knew without being disguised as a bird.
Trailing behind his was his now-ever faithful follower, Lupa. The white wolf had followed him all the way from Colton to Ponyville, almost sixty miles. Having been followed all the way, Daedalus assumed he really did have a new companion, and decided to take care of her. It was remarkably easy as she had tracked down and ate several rabbits on the way to Ponyville, as well as the fact that Daedalus can simply generate meat for her.
The ponies of Ponyville were quite shocked when he returned with a two foot tall wolf trailing behind him. Unsurprisingly, they reacted with fear and ran. It didn't take long for Twilight and her friends to show up, ready to deal with the 'massive, scaled wolf trying to eat everypony.' The virus explained the situation, and by the end of the day, everypony in the town had heard of the new pet belonging to the new resident.
That event was the first time that Pinkie Pie had seen or heard of him. The moment she learned he was new, she darted off. While the other five laughed, Daedalus simply grunted, knowing when he returned home, he'd have to deal with a party. The five left, which was when Applejack approaches him and asked for help, which he agreed.
That led to now, Daedalus walking through the gates of Sweet Apple Acres, disguised as Gene Splice, with Lupa in tow. He walked through the near-endless rows of apple trees, nearing the farmhouse where he was to meet Applejack before beginning to harvest the orchard. However, Daedalus was somewhat worried for the mare. While he could work fifteen hours a day for a week or two easily, it was due to his hidden nature. He didn't believe she could do it without injuring herself.
Moments later, he greeted Applejack as she exited the farmhouse. She replied in kind and they began to head toward the east most field to begin, the same field bordering the Everfree. When they were ready to begin, he heard Lupa whine. Looking back, he saw her staring at the forest, then look at him. He smiled slightly and jerked his head toward the forest. With nary a sound, the wolf was gone, streaking into the forest.
Turning his attention back to the farm, he began with a dull thunk .
***
"Gene, I'm worried about her! She won't let anypony help her and she's gotten almost no sleep in the last several days! Gah! Why is she so stubborn?"
Four days later led to Daedalus listening to Twilight rant about Applejack. The farm pony had apparently set out to prove herself and refused to accept any help from others when it came to harvesting her farm. It got to the point that, yesterday, she sent Daedalus home when he showed up for work. This didn't really bother him as he had plenty of bits for what he needs, as well as the pending payment for killing the Manticores. All in all, he currently had three hundred thirty bits, more than enough when he didn't have to buy food or pay bills, with the exception of rent.
"Applejack is just convinced that if she can't do it herself, she's not a true farm pony." Daedalus simply said.
"But that's so foalish! Nopony can do that alone!" Twilight countered.
"You're right on both accounts, except maybe the Princesses, yet Applejack is simply stubborn like that." The virus replied.
"She needs to realize that her friends will help! Having friends always willing to help is what makes Equinity strong!" The Unicorn continued her rant, pacing back and forth through the library. She had been going strong for nearly hour, always circling back to the same point; Applejack had friends willing to help, yet wouldn't allow it.
"There is only two ways for her to realize that. You somehow convince Applejack that having help doesn't make you weak, or wait for her to pass out from exhaustion and use it to prove she isn't strong enough to do it all alone." Daedalus said finally, looking up from his book.
"While the latter just seems mean, Gene, I think the former would work. Just how would I go about it?" She trailed off at the end, delving into her own thoughts to find a solution. Daedalus watched, amused, for a moment before her eyes snapped open.
"I got it!" Twilight shouted, disappearing in an instant, a bright flash and loud pop signaling her teleportation.
With an amused chuckled, the virus stood up and signed out the book he was reading, as well as another, knowing she'd understand. He used his tendrils to manipulate the stamp and marked the book for two weeks from the day, then left after placing it in his saddlebag.
Still strange not using backpacks .
Daedalus exited the library, taking in the sight of the bright morning. The sun was a little above the horizon, the moon soon to rise. No clouds could be seen in the sky, courtesy of the weather team, yet another fact he's had to get used to. Instead of hoping for nice weather, he just checked the schedule. Although, controlled weather meant it could change from clear to a strong thunderstorm in mere minutes, surprising the unaware.
As he walked through the cobbled streets of the small town, he was waved at and greeted by many ponies, once again surprising him by the sheer difference between Earth and Equis. Granted, it was a very welcome change for it brought with it the lack of fear of Mercer. Daedalus could live his life as he wanted, no one literally controlled his very mind. If he chose to fight, its because he wanted to, whether to protect his new friends or the new country he found himself in.
Of course, Daedalus only had four real friends, two of which he wasn't sure if they actually were friends. First came Twilight, the first one he met without being a bird. Studious, nerdy, and all around awkward, she reminded the virus of himself before he moved to Manhattan and was subsequently infected by Blacklight.
Next came Applejack, a mare who's lifestyle was what he had once aspired too. While Daedalus did enjoy the mathematical and scientific side of the the world, he preferred the manual side. He had always entertained the idea of starting a successful farm that was built around the benefits and efficiency brought by machinery. Although, he knew it would have had to be limited; certain machines just aren't farm-friendly.
Lastly, the two he was on the fence about. Celestia and Luna. Both were ancient beyond count, powerful, both politically and literally, yet were normal mares on the inside. They had expressed a desire for friendship, likely stemming from his immortality- he would never grow old and die like their subjects would, but both were also somewhat wary of him and his power. He still remembered the concerned looks he received when he explained the power of Blacklight, albeit, such looks vanished when they read his mind.
All in all, Daedalus believed he could do with expanding his circle of friends, even if it wasn't entirely necessary. He enjoyed being able to do things he didn't have to, being able to make true friends, not wary allies. With no objectives, no sieges, no wars, no Mercer to worry about, he had neglected his viral capabilities. He didn't practice, nor evolve often anymore, not that he truly desired more ways to kill.
With spirits raised and a newfound desire for a larger circle of friends, when he caught sight of Sugarcube Corner, he decided to pay a visit and find out the status of the party that was to be planned.
Entering the confectionery, the first thing he became aware of was the pink mare standing behind the counter. When he approached her, he was immediately greeted. "Hiya, Gene! What can I getcha?"
"Hello, Pinkie. I'd like two chocolate cupcakes with vanilla icing. "I'm also curious as to when the party is going to be." Daedalus answered.
As the pink mare pulled out the sweets and set them on the counter, she replied. "Well, normally I'd have thrown the party already, but I've been to focused on Applejack. I'm really super duper uber sorry it hasn't happened yet. I promise that as soon as everything settles down, I'll throw it!" She spoke as she always did, that is, incredibly fast.
Daedalus, for his part, simply smiled in reply. "I understand. A friend who needs help always takes priority. I was just curious."
"Yeppers! Now, the cupcakes are four bits."
He paid for the treats, then waved goodbye as he left the store. Daedalus felt content knowing there were those who always strived to help friends.
This place ... it helps me . It really does . By all rights , I should be a broken , crying mess , yet I'm making friends , living happily , something I never did before the infection .
Daedalus slowly made his way back to the inn he was staying at, planning to do some reading. It didn't take the tireless virus long to get back and once he did, he entered the familiar building. He approached the counter and greeted the mare. "Hello, Fire Brand. Do you happen to have any alcohol?"
The familiar orange mare smiled slightly. "Sure do. Whisky, rum, dry-fire, any specifics?"
Daedalus raised a brow, a habit he used quite often, even before he became infected. "What's dry-fire?"
Fire Brand just smiled. "Its a new style of drink made by some ponies across the Great Sea. It dries your mouth out and is incredibly spicy. The name is pretty much to the point."
Daedalus shrugged. "I'll take a bottle of that, then. Certainly sounds interesting."
She silver maned pony nodded, then grabbed a red bottle in her magic, levitating it to the bar. She set it down and spoke. "Twelve bits."
He nodded, placing thirty-eight. "For the room."
She nodded and picked up the golden coins. He grabbed the bottle and placed it in his bag, then made his way up to his room, Room 8. After entering, he sat down on the bed and pulled out both books he had checked out. He set them down and read both titles. A Compendium of Basic Magic s for the Aspiring Unicorn and Body Signals of the Equestria n Pony for the Wary Traveler .
The first book he had purposely checked out. The second, however, he had simply grabbed the first book that stuck out. With them set side by side, he had to decided which to read. He placed the book on magic to his left, the book on body signs to his right. Then he began the debate.
Left. Magic is an ability I don't have .
Right. This could help prevent me from being discovered . If someone does a signal near me that I don't notice , it could give me away .
Left. This could teach me how to do magic , an old fairy tale .
Right. This will prevent social mistakes .
Left. The ability to manipulate the world .
Right. I can already manipulate the world through DNA and molecules.
Right it is .
Cracking open the books, he checked out the table of contents, seeing the various chapter titles. Chapters like Aggression and Fear would be useful, while chapters like Heat , Courting and Herds piqued his curiosity. The idea of ponies going into heat specifically concerned him. Daedalus had no intention of being attacked by a horde of sexually starving mares. With a decisive shrug, he opened up to the Heat section and began reading.
Members of other species can tell when a mare's estrus cycle is soon to happen when ...
***
A few hours later, after the sun had fully set and the other occupants of the inn had long since fallen asleep, Daedalus was still awake, having just closed the book he read. Standing up and stretching, a needless habit he had once had, he placed the book into his saddlebags, having read Heat , Courting and Herd sections of the book. Daedalus could now safely say that he had no fear of being caught off guard by something simple.
He walked over to the window and stared out, taking in the twinkling stars, the bright moon, and the quiet atmosphere. He smiled as he decided to take a walk in the darkness, something that normal ponies avoided for fear of what could be lurking just out of sight. Of course, Daedalus had no concern for what could be lurking. After all, he was one of those monsters.
Dissolving into a mass of tendrils, he slipped out through a small gap between the window and the wall that he created by opening the window slightly. His formless body crept down the wall before reforming into his pony form on the ground. Taking a deep breath to enjoy the fresh night air, he began walking with a smile on his face. He walked no particular destination or goal in mind, simply out to enjoy the night.
He tilted his head back and stared at Luna's night. He didn't recognize any constellations whatsoever. The stars themselves weren't all white, and the moon held no 'face' on it. Soon coming across a bench, he sat down and began studying the sky, taking care to memorize everything he could.
Daedalus must have sat there for an hour or two before he heard wings flapping. The sound was coming closer and from his left. He turned and looked to see Princess Luna gliding down to him. She landed a few feet away, her starry mane easily noticeable from any distance. She walked closer and took a seat on the bench next to him. "Hail, friend Daedalus."
He smiled at the archaic greeting. "Hello, Luna. What brings you to Ponyville?"
The Lunar mare smiled back. "We enjoy a simple nighttime flight every so often. It calms us to do so. Why are thou not asleep this late into mine night?"
Daedalus shrugged. "Truth be told, I rarely sleep. I enjoy it, but don't need to. Instead, I do things I enjoy."
"And thou choseth to watch mine night?"
Daedalus gazed drifted back to the stars as he reminisced. He was silent for a moment before speaking. "Back in the cities, when I was under Mercer's control, the light pollution was so strong, it was considered lucky to see a single, dim star. Even before everything happened, I usually saw only nine or ten stars."
He gestured with a hoof, waving it to encompass the entire sky. "This is far beyond what I could have ever expected. There are thousands, millions even, of stars, each ranging from red, to yellow, to blue. The constellations are ones I've never seen before, ones whose stories are unknown to me."
The virus let out a happy sigh and breathed out, "Its amazing."
He looked over at Luna to see her smiling brightly, her eyes shining with happiness. "It does our heart good to hear of thine praise foe the night. It hath been long since another hath enjoyed it."
Daedalus smiled at her way of speaking, it switched between modern and archaic, showing her struggles to learn the modern language, whatever the ponies called it. "I only speak the truth. Growing up, I had wanted a telescope for years. I had a foolish notion that a store-brand would let me see the stars up close. I was pretty disappointed for the stars to simply be bigger. I still used it, I loved it."
"Other than the dimness, what were the stars upon thine world like?" She asked.
"Well, for starters, they were just white. No red, no yellow, no blue, just plain white. Of course, the constellations were incredibly different. I don't recognize any of them whatsoever. The moon, too, is different. Its larger than Earth's, or at least closer, and is brighter. Plus, the craters are different. There was a series of craters of Earth's moon that looked like a face."
Luna nodded. "Quite different indeed."
They were both silent for a moment. Then, Daedalus broke it. "Luna, how come you're in Ponyville?"
She smiled. "An apt question. Contrary to popular belief, we do not rule the same way our sister does. She handles the politics, we handle the nation's defense."
"Doesn't that create a weakness, though? During the day, the nation's weaker, during the night, the court's weaker."
Luna laughed lightly. "Nay. We am well versed in politics, as she is in battle. We simply enjoy it more, as does she."
"So, if you protect the nation, is your guard the same?" Daedalus asked.
She nodded. "Aye. Our Lunar Guard patrols the land and defends against enemies and wild animals. The latter is much more common, of course."
"I'm going to assume its not as simply as the Lunar Guard patrols and night, and the Solar Guard guards at day?" He phrased it as a question.
"Thou are correct. My Lunar Guard patrols day and night, as does Celestia's Solar Guard. The name is not their shift, but rather who commands them. If we tell a Lunar Guard to run, and Celestia tells him to walk, he'll run. The opposite is true for the Solar Guard. The only exception is if our orders do not contradict."
Daedalus nodded. "I suppose that makes sense. Have each force specialize in a specific field. The humans did the same: Navy, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, etc."
Luna nodded. "Now, if thee are not aware of the stories behind our stars, I would be willing to explain."
***
Daedalus listened as Luna explained her constellations, commented on the stories behind them. He was aware of the smile adorning her muzzle the entire time. Her eyes shone with contentment.
A few hours passed with no notice from either member. Soon, the sun was close to rising and Luna needed to lower the moon. They both stood up and Luna smiled down at Daedalus. "This night was quite fun, Daedalus. We enjoyed explaining our night to thee."
"And I enjoyed listening to it, Luna. It was quite interesting to hear of another world's constellations." The virus replied.
"We must go. It is time for us to lower the moon and return to the castle. See thee another time."
He nodded. "Bye, Luna."
He saw her smirk and felt her grow a little concerned. She stepped closer and Daedalus was suddenly aware of her tail running down his neck. Then, she lifted off and was gone.
He shrugged the section off and headed back to the inn. When it came into sight, he froze on the spot. Thinking back, he remembered a passage from the Herds section of the book.
" Mares show interest in stallions through their tails . When a mare runs their tail across a stallion's neck , it indicates their desire to be the stallion's alpha mare. Across the shoulders indicates a desire to be the beta mare. Finally , across the withers indicates a desire to be a sub-mare.
" Fuck ."