Rainbow and the Factory

"Hmm... no way to dispel the dark grey clouds, that's a bummer..." Rainbow was reading over Twilight's shoulder as she quickly skimmed through the book about enchanted clouds.

"No... other than maybe covering yourself in pure rubber," Twilight closed her eyes in defeat as she shut the book. "But at least we know more about how this place is laid out now." She had already leafed through the blueprints and committed much of the building's layout to memory. According to that book, there were four more floors to this building that they hadn't explored yet. Also, magic dampening machines hidden within the cloud walls severely limited what magic she could use; no teleportation could be done.

"Alright then, no more wasting time!" Rainbow stood up and stretched. Twilight nodded and levitated the books onto the top of the closest shelf, then followed the Pegasus to the door. Nopony had passed by while they had their little break, and still was there nopony around. Quietly, they slipped back into the hallway and made a beeline for the next metal door and staircase to their left.

~

They descended and opened the door even more softly than before, as this was the Dormitory level. Ten rows of rooms, each a comfortable 25'x50', contained at least one queen-sized bed and a full bathroom by default. The two outermost rows ran along the sides of the cloud walls, the one on the left an unbroken row of fifteen rooms, and the one on the right broken in half by the elevator and keycard panel with seven rooms each, while the rest were constructed into blocks of fourteen rooms each. In all, 141 rooms. Each door contained a peephole, and a doorbell was installed a few inches to the right. A small sign embedded into the rooms' doors read whether they were currently occupied or not; most were shut and locked for the night, their occupants asleep. The enchanted cloud walls and concealed magic dampeners limited what other helpful magic Twilight could perform, but at least the floors here were carpeted and quieter to walk on. To account for the obvious troubles anypony living here might encounter with so much walking, two automatically-moving pathways had also been installed into the center of each hall, one for each direction. They moved at a brisk walking speed, and were thin enough that one could step over the other if their room was on the opposite side.

"Quite a few ponies live here... just how big is this place?" Rainbow muttered to herself. She'd seen the measurements on the blueprints but the numbers had meant little to her, other than "this place is huge". Twilight's horn shimmered for a brief moment as she cast a muffling spell on herself and Rainbow. Stepping onto the pathway that led forward, they began to walk, quickly and carefully, down the center hallway, towards the distant metal door on the other side. They got about a fourth of the way there when a faint noise gave them pause.

*Ding!*

Beyond their sight the elevator doors opened once again, and two familiar voices mumbled through the halls. Rainbow and Twilight froze in their tracks, stepping off the pathway out of caution.

"And here I was hoping something had actually happened tonight," the security stallion's voice grumbled, his sandwich long since finished.

"Would've been nice if they'd told us it was a false alarm," the security mare's voice groaned. "Well, back to our beats, I suppose." Rainbow's ears flicked as she heard the two ponies go their separate ways, presumably to patrol the dorms. She waited in silence for a few moments to try to discern their location, but heard nothing.

"Where do you think they're going?" she asked Twilight. Before she could answer, she heard hoofsteps coming in their direction, growing slightly louder with each step. While a muffle spell would keep their own footsteps silent, it did nothing for rendering them invisible - one of the very few spells Twilight actually wasn't good at (You try refracting trillions of little particles of light around something as big as a pony!). Nervously, her eyes scanned the hallway, finding only two of the rooms nearby unoccupied. Motioning to Twilight to check the other door, she began fiddling with the handle as noiselessly as possible.

Locked.

"This one's open!" Twilight hissed. Rainbow scrambled to the room and ran inside, Twilight quietly closing the door just as the security stallion's form peeked into the hallway. She opted not to lock the door, in fear that the occupancy sign would change. But she did cast a spell to ensure no light escaped under the crack before switching on the lights.

It was a rather normal dormitory room. The bed was covered in fluffy white pillows and mauve blankets. A lab coat lay disheveled on the floor near the entrance to the bathroom. There was a washer/dryer crammed next to the toilet, a minifridge by a table and two chairs, a tablet computer powered by magic sitting on the nightstand. Nothing of particular interest, except maybe the lab coat.

Lab coats mean science, right? But... what kind of science?

A pony's shadow blocked the hallway's light from under the door, and Rainbow's breath clung to her throat. It passed on just as quickly as it appeared, and the two listened in apprehension as the hoofsteps grew quiet. Shutting off the lights, Twilight opened the door by just the tiniest of cracks, peeking into the hall and seeing nopony.

"Alright, keep an ear out and stay quiet," she whispered as she carefully swung the door wide enough to leave. Rainbow followed her, ears flicking fearfully as she scanned their surroundings. If she focused real hard, she could hear that the closest pairs of hoofsteps were a good distance behind them and to the left. Twilight heard it too, judging from a sigh of relief that escaped her lips.

They began walking down the hall pathways again, quickly yet carefully. Every so often they'd hear hoofsteps coming closer, and they'd be forced to stop, turn down another hallway or even backtrack, praying to Celestia that Twilight's muffle spell held true. At times, Rainbow would glance up at the ceiling, her eyes eventually meeting with yet another black dome. She couldn't help but wonder if they were being watched, despite the lack of alarms going off, or lots of security guards suddenly swarming the two. Was the system fully automated with nopony watching, only reporting those who had no Flying Clearance Codes? Was there some other seemingly innocuous action she could perform that would activate another death trap?

Finally, after what felt like hours of playing hide-and-seek, they were within reach of the metal door. Twilight was just about to open it when Rainbow's eyes caught sight of something on the far right end of the hall. The corner wasn't a corner at all, but formed a tiny diagonal wall just large enough to contain a door.

"Hey, look," she poked Twilight's shoulder. "Should there be a room over there?" Twilight squinted her eyes as she looked.

"You're right, that wasn't in the blueprints," she replied. "Maybe there's something useful inside, if that's the case." Rainbow nodded in agreement, and they began making their way towards the mysterious door. They were careful about passing by the rows of hallways; they once had accidentally made themselves visible in a junction the security stallion had been patrolling. Thankfully, his back had been turned.

Rainbow hastily peeked around the corner to check for the guards, her heart slowing a little as she saw nopony. Ten or so minutes of agonizing sneaking later, they had arrived at the door. It seemed more sturdy than the others, not even having a space beneath for light to escape. Though its sign read "vacant", Rainbow expected that the door to someplace hidden like this was locked. Her expectations were broken as the door's handle moved easily, and she jumped a little in surprise to find it opening right up. Hearing distant hoofsteps slowly coming closer, she ushered Twilight inside and silently closed the door.

Twilight cast her spell just in case, and turned on the lights. Before them lay a dorm room a good bit larger than the others. The far left corner of the room held a large, wooden desk and chair, covered in various important-looking papers and a desk lamp, with two bookcases full of folders lining the walls of each corner, a tasteful potted plant residing in between. A small but plush bed sat in the far right corner, covered in dark blue sheets. A couple books lay atop the nightstand next to it, as well as some kind of black and white stuffed animal. To their immediate left was a luxurious bathroom, and the right contained a seating area with low couches, ottomans and a coffee table, the walls lined with a magically-activated fireplace, more bookcases and a shelf filled with snacks.

"Whoever lives here, they must be important," Rainbow offered as she walked off towards the right side of the room. Twilight walked over to the left, much more interested in the office desk and its contents.

"It could be whoever's in charge of this place, or at least some kind of superior," she reasoned as she picked up one of the stacks of papers in her magic. "We should look around, maybe we can get a better idea of what we're dealing with here."

"Alright," Rainbow nodded, watching Twilight begin flipping through the stack's papers. She wandered over to the seating area, taking note of the numerous books on the shelves, finding nothing special. In fact, they all seemed to be books about very high-level magic, far beyond anything she could understand. The snacks were tempting, though. In the state of disarray they had been arranged in, whoever lived here was sure to never notice if one or two went missing.

"Hey Twi, these books over here might interest you. They're all about super-complex magic, I think," she spoke as she swiped herself some dried apple puffs and a juice box. Twilight mumbled out an affirmative, and Rainbow let her attention lapse as she enjoyed her pilfered treats. They were gone in almost an instant; she briefly considered grabbing more but decided she'd tempted fate well enough. After carefully burying the wrappers in the trash, she then wandered over to the bed's nightstand.

Of the three books that sat on the table, two were about more magic, while one appeared to be some kind of diary with a tag attached to it, reading "confiscated". First, though, Rainbow's attention turned to the strange stuffed animal. It was a teddy bear, the right half of it covered in white fur and a cute black button eye, but the left half was jet black in color, with a glaring red eye and half of a sadistic grin. Something small, solid and squishy was embedded within its belly, goading her into squeezing it.

"IIIIIIIIT'S PUNISHMENT TIME!" the bear suddenly yelled in a way-too-gleeful manner. Rainbow's eyes widened and her head jerked back in surprise at such a weird catchphrase. She squeezed again, wondering if she'd heard it right.

"IIIIIIIIT'S PUNISHMENT TIME!"

...

Squeeze.

"IIIIIIIIT'S PUNISHMENT TIME!"

Squeeze.

"IIIIIIIIT'S PUNISHMENT TIME!"

Squeeze.

"...What?! Whaddya want, the Pillsbury Dough-Pony? Knock it off, already."

...

"Well, that's annoying," she grumbled as she set the bear back down. She then picked up the confiscated diary, flipping past the first couple of empty pages.

Day 1

Just finished moving into my living quarters. I still can't believe I was actually chosen. Me, Retro Active, chosen by Princess Celestia herself to research the rarest of pony diseases in search of a cure. After that Bugbear virus incident at university, I was worried I'd never get hired into my dream job of pony oncology research, but this? This is arguably much more important... and the pay isn't too shabby, either. Still not sure why I had to be brought here under a blinding spell, or why everypony's been so secretive of where we are, though. Sure, we have to remain isolated for safety concerns, but what's the problem with letting my family know where I'll be working? I'll have to find the Overseer tomorrow and ask her.

Rare pony diseases, huh? But they didn't know they were being brought here...?

Day 2

The Overseer is apparently off at a conference somewhere, no doubt telling the world about our work. Orientation was today. I'm excited about the recreational facilities and the sheer amount of choice in the cafeteria, they really care about their employees here!

Although... the mandatory physical had me wondering... after being checked out, they gave us this shot, saying it was a multi-vaccine for many of the diseases we'd be working with, but that needle was massive! And I could've sworn I felt something solid go into my neck when they did it... almost like a grain of rice, maybe. I kept feeling around for it all afternoon, but I can't find it-

Rainbow blinked uncomfortably. Something had been injected into this pony? She read on.

Day 3

I was introduced to my patient today. A little Unicorn filly named Jasmine Junmai... a strange name, admittedly, until you see the effects of her diagnosis and her prior history with her alcoholic parents. Seems they had too fond a taste for Neighponese rice wine.

Anyway, little Jasmine's magical abilities are practically nonexistent. Quite the problem for a Unicorn, though not totally unexpected from one with her condition. I had been tasked with extracting multiple samples for study: blood, saliva, the usual stuff. My more experienced colleagues spent a few hours poking and prodding with machines and their own magic. Strange they haven't yet told me what they're actually doing... but then they gave me a syringe full of something that will help her body begin to produce magic on its own. She screamed an awful lot as I administered the medicine, complaining of a severe burning sensation, but some ponies are just like that.

Although, she was still insistent on a burning sensation gradually radiating into the rest of her body when my shift was over. I made a note of it in her files and made sure the mare taking over for me knew about it. I do hope she's alright again tomorrow.

~

Day 4

My patient is dead.

Rainbow gasped at the words written so suddenly, so plainly.

She expired shortly after I left for the night. They didn't even notify me, or let me see the body, or perform an autopsy... they just threw her and her few belongings into an incinerator, her room was being sterilized when I clocked in. Worse yet, nopony else seemed to care all that much. The colleagues that supplied me with the syringe were already cracking jokes at her expense. I know in this line of work, one often resorts to dark humor in an effort to cope, but their words seemed... excitable. Gleeful, even, like perhaps they even enjoyed the fact that they got their formula wrong.

They paired me with a new patient almost halfway into the day, an Earth pony colt born missing an entire hemisphere of his brain. It's truly miraculous how the pony body can endure such situations. I was again tasked with taking samples and bringing them to my colleagues, a syringe handed to me just before my shift was over. This time, it was said to contain magically-stimulated stem cells and neurons to further improve his mental functions. I've read about such fields of study before, they were theoretical but promising-

She flipped to the next page, not understanding the magical, science-y gobbledygook that made up the rest of the entry. She quickly regretted it.

Day 5

Even now, I simply cannot believe it.

I clocked in to my shift, optimistic about little Coffee Bean's treatment. What I saw as I walked into the test chamber was no pony. His head had swelled to an impossible size, veins pulsing with every quickened heartbeat. His face was twisted with agony, his mouth drooled as he let out a constant, pitiful moan. This time, I was witness to his passing: one of my colleagues had inserted a syringe into one of the veins to take a sample, and... and his head... it burst.

It exploded. Sweet Celestia, a little colt's head exploded! Popped like a water balloon filled with blood and brain matter!

I don't know how long I was out, but I awoke lying down on a hospital bed in another room, still soaked in dried blood. They let me take the rest of the day off...

...What is this place?!

A wave of nausea wettened her mouth. She shook her head in an attempt to clear the image from her mind. Once her stomach had settled a little, Rainbow quickly flipped through the diary's pages, briefly skimming the gruesome contents. The daily entries turned to weekly, then biweekly, then sporadic, each describing the mad science that befell his patients in horrific detail. Finally, she reached the final entry, spattered with something colored a rusty-brown.

Day 237

I must leave this place. I must warn others of what goes on here.

This is no place of medical research.

It's a torture facility.

I've seen countless little ponies grow appendages where they shouldn't. Countless little ponies grow tumors bigger than themselves all over their bodies. Countless little ponies with their flesh peeling away from their bones. Countless little ponies bleeding from all of their orifices. Countless little ponies experiencing such violent magical feedback their bodies are slowly torn apart. Countless little ponies vomiting up their own intestines. Countless little ponies screaming and crying in constant pain and anguish until the very moment their life leaves them.

And not just little ponies. Griffons, Hippogriffs, young Dragons, Yaks, Changelings... all are fair game here.

All the ponies here enjoy inflicting such horrors on these innocent patients. And I've heard that the Overseer is the most sadistic, the cruelest of them all. She is responsible for everything that happens here.

I must escape. I cannot trust anypony else here.

I must tell Princess Celestia, or anypony who'll listen.

For the sake of all who are trapped here, and for all who have perished within this evil facility.

I must escape.

Must escape.

Must escape.

Must escape.

Must escape.

Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape. Must escape.

"...And I bet he didn't make it." Twilight's solemn voice knocked Rainbow out of her trance.

"Wha..." was all she could squeak out. Twilight stood behind her, holding a small stack of papers in her magic. She levitated them over for her to read. It appeared to be blueprints for an improved explosive, activated by magic and slightly smaller than the head of a pin.

"They're inserted into the necks of everypony who comes here, patient and worker alike," she continued. "If they try to leave, it activates by magic spell once they reach the surface."

"Patients... prisoners..." Rainbow mumbled shakily, realization dawning upon her as her body heaved with terror. The diary fell back onto the nightstand, its pages disheveled. "The patients are prisoners... that's what those guards meant... just what in Tartarus do they do here?!"

"I... really don't want to think about it," Twilight gently laid a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. "But if that diary is any indication, we need to find Spritz. Fast."

"But... but what about the explosive-"

"There's a spell on here that will cancel it out," Twilight reassured. "I've gone through it in my head and I'm confident I can disarm it." Rainbow gulped, trying to suppress the trembling that threatened to knock her to her hooves and knees. A few deep breaths helped quell the fear long enough to realize Twilight was right.

She needed to hurry.

"Let's go, then. Save Spritz first, ask questions later," Rainbow faced the door, a mask of bold determination on her face. Twilight quickly shut off the lights and put her ear to the door, opening it slightly when she heard nothing. The security ponies were nowhere to be seen.

"C'mon," she whispered as she slipped out of the room, Rainbow close behind. They quietly and carefully crept back to the metal staircase door, opening it with the softness of silk. As Rainbow followed her inside the dark, red-lit stairwell, images from the diary invaded her mind. She tried again to shake them away, shaking ever harder as the images of the many mangled ponies all began to resemble one so familiar to her. A quiet moan of sympathetic anguish left through her clenched teeth.

Her hoof slipped.

*chnk*

The door closed abruptly. Twilight froze in place on the steps, as did Rainbow. Sweat began to form beads on her forehead as she stood in silence, waiting for hoofsteps to come running, but they never came. Only after a few tense moments did she allow herself to move again, and she and Twilight hurried down the stairs, fearful of what they might find.