Balanced as Everything Should Be

(Tartarus Cavern) (Tartarus Inner Gates) Jack's PoV
Honestly, I figured Tartarus would have some great defenses but this seems like it's actually inescapable. For one, Warden Collana looks like she could smash stone in her fist. She isn’t able to utilize magic but in physical strength she is likely seen as unstoppable. ~~Also her tits are huge.~~

I've heard about minotaur warriors feeling the need to find a worthy foe to fight. Some have fought dragons, necromancers, warlords, and tyrants. I'm likely looking at one who's retired from somewhat old age, and I actually wonder how old she is.

But don't get me wrong I probably still have a very high chance against her in a fight, but if I learned anything through my time here is to expect everything and anything.

It's just that if I do... The others will likely fear me immensely. To them Collana is probably a sort of... menacing character. Imagine if an entirely different person were to come out of nowhere and instantly defeat that character? They ask questions, so if I want to, "Get her out of the way" I'll need to make it look good.

Let's take a good look at this places defenses, but most importantly? In the corner of my mask it shows a single red dot! The contact lenses I designed have just begun to record my surroundings.

"Alright sir, the recordings you take will be sent directly to Glados for examination." Carter explained with excitement.

It's kind of nice to hear him be so excited, very refreshing! Other than the fact that his voice sounds exactly like Alfred, so it's probably hard to express emotion like joy or in this case, excitement.This place is seriously dreary though, but the sky is pretty beautiful overall. Collana seems pretty to be just as down in the dumps as this island. The ocean is completely black colored, as if it was tar. Swimming through is probably a death sentence, but I'll find a way.

There are the three largest hills dotting the island valley, at the top of each hill is a tall crystalline tesla tower. From here I'm going to guess that each tower has the voltage of thirty thousand amperes, the power of a lightning bolt. Ponies would likely survive it, but anything else would probably drop dead. Clever little buggers aren't they?

What about the other islands though? Do they have an intended purpose?

"We have a strict regulation for new inmates, first you will be placed in your new confined cell for a day. At least until we can get you situated." Warden Collana explained.

Oh boy, this is going to a long day isn't it?

The two guards stepped behind me, and gave me a little jab with the tip of their spears. It wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be, it felt as if I was jabbed by a small needle. It doesn't hurt that bad, but it's seriously annoying. In response I begin to walk forward, and Collana, Dr. Heartburn, and the guards stepped with me.

In the distance I noticed that we are approaching a collection of carriages. Pointing towards the evidence that the gigantic fortress at the center of the valley is the mental institute of Tartarus. What is the prison section of Tartarus like?

The harbor is a very generic place, full of boats, grey supply buildings, and collections of creatures milling around from place to place. There are ponies, minotaur, and even a few griffons! Soon after a some time of walking and quick jabs of a spear we reached the carriages.

Each carriage is pretty large, two rows of seats for the Tartarus staff, a big cage for the inmate at the back, and two sets of ropes at the front for someone to pull. Very medieval... I like it! I didn't think that ponies in this world had the gall to build something like this these days.

"After you Puppet Master." Dr. Heartburn said, beckoning me Into the cage.

She is such a blank character. You know, as soon as I find a way out of here I need to put of smile on her face! She likely wont like it, but it's for her own good!

My legs, as if moving on their own take me into the reinforced cage. The bars are much thicker than stereotypical cages from medieval times. At least the prison transports back at my headquarters have a little more finesse to them. If I just break off these restraints right now I bet I could just tear this cage in half.

The carriage begins to move forward, towards the gates to gigantic fortress between the imposing mountain hills. The two minotaur guards seem to be pulling the reins manually as expected. They have to be pretty strong to pull something like this, especially with me in the cage.

Warden Collana is on the left seat and Dr. Heartburn is on the right. They both look pretty bored, and very tired. Do they always look like this when a new inmate comes in? Frankly I figured that they would be a little more professional looking, but I guess they just don't seem to take me seriously.

That is a terrible mistake, that I will soon correct.

(Tartarus Inner Gates) (Limbo Road) Jack's PoV

The ride is extremely quiet, there's no other sides other than the carriage wheels creaking, and the crickets chirping. The, "Stars" were shining upon the island. I couldn't shake this one feeling, and a chill kept running down my spine. Nothing like this has ever been able to creep me out even a little. The gift of a strengthened mind I suppose.

The path is extremely long, and it still might take a while to get to the actual Asylum. We've been riding for at least an hour by now, and I cant help but feel tired. Man, do I feel bad for those two guys dragging the carriage. Keep up the good work you two!

…

…

Damn, why wont that feeling go away? It's as if I'm being... watched.

My eyes slowly scan the dark woods, and my enhanced senses aren't really picking up anything of significance. Wait, there is something there!

A single white fox...

Its fur seems slick and silver like, and it's eyes are a complete pitch black. It's just... staring at carriage. I then realized something... Every time we kept going along the road I was able to sense some kind of foreboding presence watching me. And every single moment it was there it had the exact same life signature as the last. It was the exact same fox.

It just kept staring at us, and when we eventually passed it... it appeared again somewhere up the road in the woods. Perhaps behind a tree, on a branch, or even from the front of a small pond. At first I thought it was just curious of the carriage coming through the path and making a quiet ruckus.

Then I noticed something, it wasn’t watching the whole carriage. It was staring at me... it’s eyes kept watching me every time it appeared in the woods, and it’s head moved along to accommodate the moving carriage. I felt... like I wanted to slightly shiver, what is that fox doing here.

I looked over to my right, and noted that no one even seemed to notice the fox’s watching eyes. Was it that they just didn’t notice? Or maybe they already saw it and didn’t care?

Something just didn’t seem right, that thing wasn’t right...

”Carter, why is that fox here?” I asked with a whisper so I won’t attract attention.

....

...

...

No response...

That’s not something that he does. Normally whenever I call him he’s there in an instant, but right now... he has gone silent.

The fox appears once again, and it continues to watch me. It’s snow like fur shines in the twinkling light, it makes me even more curious.

”Carter why is that fox there. Do you have any idea where it came from? It’s giving me some bad vibes.”

...

...

...

This is actually creeping me out. I could feel that the other puppets are online and working hard. But more or less Carter is unavailable.

”Carter why are you being so quiet?” I silently asked with slight worry. I can’t help but be on edge in such a situation with so many unknown factors.

...

...

...

No.

...

Response.

The carriage comes to an abrupt halt, and the Minotaurs attempt to continue pulling the cart. Strangely though, they don’t seem to be able to.

“What is going on over there you two?” Dr. Heartburn asked with slight annoyance at the stop. We’re probably only halfway to the site by now.

The two guards drop the reins and walk over to the half carriage. They pull their spears out and keep a close eye on me as they check the carriage for any errors in the function. Eventually after a good minute of searching they seem to find what they’re looking for.

“Ma’hm, one of the gears seem to have fallen out of place. We will only take a few moments to fix it. One of the guards explain.

Good, because I don’t want to be out here any longer with that thing watching us. Where is it anyway?

After scanning the woods my eyes lay themselves upon the sight of the familiar silver white fur of the fox. It’s eyes are still vigilantly trained in me. Why can’t it just go bother someone else for once? It’s just... unsettling to say the least.

“Isn’t anyone else a little creeped out by that thing?” I asked pointing towards the obvious fox sitting atop the boulder.

Warden Collana looks over, but just scoffs and looks back at me.

“Yeah, what’s so creepy about it?” She asks with narrowed eyes.

...

...

Seriously?!

“Do you guys just always have creepy stalker foxes around here?” I asked with mock annoyance.

She just seemed confused and actually annoyed at my words. You can’t really blame me right? It’s a single fox that appears at every turn we make, and watches me at every single moment.

“You must be even more insane than I’ve heard. Because there’s nothing there.” Said Warden Collana looking back at the road.

What?

It’s still clearly there! Is my mind just hallucinating? If it is then why are my senses picking it up as a living being? If I was just seeing things then it wouldn’t be sensible as a living being. Why can’t anyone else see it other that me? It continues to watch, much to my misfortune and others unawareness.

The carriage began to move again after the guards managed to repair it again, so we were back on the road. Mysteriously, I didn’t see that fox any time again along the trip. I still felt wary and kept my eyes on the woods and everywhere around me, but it was nowhere to be found.

Why would it suddenly disappear now of all times?

Carter’s silence just unnerves me, did that strange creature have anything to do with it? How could it have? It’s just an animal isn’t it? I know that I of all people should be able to piece this together, but I just can’t seem to decide what this thing is.

I soon managed to tear my thoughts away from it after some time. I figured that it was likely gone now, and I don’t need to concern myself with something that I don’t understand. It couldn’t have been pony related could it? Most species of fox are mainly meat eaters and ponies detest anything carnivorous so I highly doubt they would put a fox out as a spy.

Could they have though? So many possibilities, yet so little promised answers.

Eventually the cart soon approached the asylum. The place was huge, imagine a full penthouse merged with a few more buildings. There aren’t many other ways to describe it really. As the Warden went through multiple identification checks I got that feeling all over again.

I looked around and sure enough, it was sitting smack dab in the middle of the road. Completely idle, but was continually moving it’s mouth as if it was speaking. It took a few minutes but I managed to lip read what it was saying.

”We are always watching.”