As it turns out, most of the diary's where unreadable, either because they appeared to be so old the ink faded away or they descended into unintelligent dribble. Great. lets start from the beginning...

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Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 3.
So, I finally started the diary the doc told me to start before I departed for this facility. I would of started it on day one like I was supposed to but you know when the universe decides that you can't do anything? That happened.

You see, our new king, King Sombre, has put together this "Tomb Of The Minds", as people working here have started calling it, which contains the freshest, and brightest, minds the Crystal Empire and its allies have to offer. Don't ask me how he got those from the Minotaur kingdom to start sharing there tech, but it is greatly appreciated. Anyway, i'm getting off topic, King Sombre decided that he needed A new way to defend the empire from any possible threats in the future, something about "encase the Crystal Heart is unavailable". That's our job, find, design and create 'something' that has the ability to protect the Crystal Empire should the need arrive, an easy job considering where the largest and magically strongest land out there. The teams from the two different races present, the Pony's and Minotaur's, came in with potential ideas already in the works. The pony teams where all some variation of A possible second Crystal Heart or even A large spell that works to the effect, always could depend on us pony's sticking to what was already there. The Minotaur's however, had many different ideas ranging from new weapons and armour, different training schemes and even the idea to allow the cites throughout the empire the ability to fly! Wouldn't that be something?

The first day was great! everypony could just relax and enjoy their new home, for the foreseeable future, and get to know the pony's they'll be working with better. Everypony except me, THE PONY LEADING THIS BUCKING PROJECT TO BEGIN WITH, that is! the only thing I got to know better was my pen, inkwell and the mare that is acting as my assistant while here. Faust, I miss Swift Feather, my previous assistant... don't get me wrong, File Flipper here isn't bad by any means, in fact she's better then most other assistants I've had and she can make A good coffee, but nopony on this planet can mach Swift Feather when it comes to paper work. Anyway, the first day concluded with very happy staff, if not a bit drunk, and one very tiered 'Head Of Operations'.

The second day was slow. Not just because of the hangover most pony's where experiencing during the morning, although that was A factor and never challenge the Minotaur's to a drinking contest, but because non of the teams where able to come down with one idea that everyone could agree with. Don't let me paint the picture in your mind that the two races where at each others throats for the all the time, because they weren't. We sat down and talked like the grown stallions we are but each side had pros and cons that both sides could see, such as the Minotaur's inability to use magic like we pony's can and the pony's plans all being close to, if not the same, as the thing it's supposed to replace. It was then that the Minotaur responsible for metal work and "stuff", as he put it, suggested an idea to create A army of fake solders, called "sentry's" that would be made from the Minotaur's "superior", the nerve, smiting and use the Pony's magical ability to power plus run them. Safe to say, this plan appeased both pony's and Minotaur's alike and is now in the planning stage. Still needs A name though I'm thinking "The Sleeping Army"... I did say pony's weren't very creative.

That leads us to now where i'm about to head to the meeting where we will either get confirmation for the plan or we'll be sent back to the drawing board, just depends what King sombre wants.

Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 4
I REALLY don't like paper work, in fact, BURN IT! Regulation this and confirmation that, can't I the 'Head Of Operations' decide what happens in the project i'm stuck here over seeing!? Can't have that now can we, after all, how else would the nobles get some clout from where it is there bits where used. I also don't like politics.

Yesterday, King Sombre came up to these frozen mountains personally, with no small amount of guards, to discus the newly named "Super Nova Initiate". A bit evil if you ask me, but what was I expecting from A tall ebony stallion that literally wares his armour everywhere he goes. After an inter day of discussion about who'll do what and where the bits and materials would come from, I now have the same job I did the first day here. Piles upon piles of paper work and files that needed to looked at. It's currently 11:47pm and if I don't spot now then i'll easily be doing this until the early afternoon of the morning. Thank Celestia, this facility has some of the best beds in the empire.

Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 5
No sleep. Need that. Minerals came today, that's all. The Minotaur's are happy.

...

Diary 6-10 where unfortunately lost to the sands of time, never to be under stood again apart from one word "conspi-cy" and considering days 11-36 are all about how much Dr Hot Metal doesn't like his current position, This unit will spare you from rereading them. You're welcome.

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Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 37
Today was very interesting, if not concerning. The "Super Nova Initiate", by Luna's moon I hate that name, has been progressing excellently as the main framework on it's magical systems have been drawn out and the first prototype set of armour it'll use has been made. Very promising indeed.

Problems include, but are not limited to:
No known, or accepted, power supply.
Still no Idea on how to discern "friend" from "foe".
What colour scheme should t use (yes, this is apparently A problem).
And finally, and it really pains me to wright this down on parchment, should it have... genitalia... kill me please.

Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 38
BUCK! BUCK! BUCK! BUCK! BUCK! BUCK! BUCK! BUCK! BUCK! BUCK! BUCK! BUCK! BUCK! BUCK! BUCK! BUUUUUUUUUUUUCK! I'M SUCH AN IDIOT!

Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 39
I apologise for my previous entree, but you see I may of sent A high priority request for guards on accident soooo. Again, I apologise that was very unprofessional of me and my mother should be rolling in her grave.

Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 41
Not much has happened since the last entree so i'll put what had happened here. Prototypes and failed magic, the later of which is till effecting the facility to this day. Doesn't matter how good or bad you are at making coffee, you can't make any without the beans. Why did it have to be the beans? th- shbvf anjdcn ncibgsbc akbc gxukbanx aubxnj

...

What? you try to understand what was written after an unknown amount of time, slowly decaying the texts. This unit tried and it is impossible.

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Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 86
After MONTHS of trying to find A suitable power source, King sombre told us to use some crystal he's sending our way. Now i'm known for being wrong when it comes to peoples character, but I swear that King Sombre is acting differently to how he usually does. There have been reports that the last time he was seen in public, his eyes where producing smoke of some kind. I'm A stallion of science, so when I hear that pony's eyes are producing smoke I disregard them like you would A banana peel but magic is A thing and this along with the changes I've noticed? something is happening over in the capital, i'm just glad i'm all the way up here.

Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 89
That crystal the King was sending us to used as the power supply? It arrived today and I've got some news. IT'S BUCKING FULL OF DARK MAGIC! By Faust what was he thinking sending us something ~~this~~ ~~this~~ this dangerous! I REEEALY need my coffee back and I need it now... at least everypony didn't quit right there and then, I know I would if I could.

Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 102
Hard Strike is dead. The crystal had its tenth overflow, because you know it's DARK MAGIC, and hit him directly in the chest. There wasn't anything left to clean just instant evaporation, not even his bones. Everyone on the project is going on strike, after this and everything going on in the capital, it's just too much.

Now I have to tell A mother they don't have A son... brilliant.

Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 105
That BUCKER, he's turned the empire into A dictatorship, closed down all travel in and out of the capital, hidden the Crystal Heart and has sent squads of guards to ensure we keep working! At first we thought they where coming to take us home so that they could find some replacements, but that idea was quickly dispersed when heavily armoured, and hoofed, guards came out of the carriages and S.W.A.Ted our flanks! now we're locked inside the facility with blades pointed at us at all times. The worlds been thrown into shit creek with no paddle by one stupid ebony stallion with an ego problem.

Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 143
The project never was for the protection of the Crystal Empire, it was for the Empire to invade Equestria, kill the princesses and further solidify that maniacs power. ~~If I get my hoofs on him I'll~~

The crystal has claimed more lives since Hard Strike, both Pony and Minotaur, but there deaths were not for nought. The crystal, while evil and corrupting, has made making the magical systems far easier and allowed us to use A heavier metal alloy due to an increase in power only available from the dark arts. Unfortunately, during testing Fake Mind was gravely, injured due to the 'sentry' activating on its own, and my never walk again... but he lives. It's all about the small victory's now.

Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 150
The guards came in today with A large metal, magically sealed, crate that they say "contains the main weapon of the 'sentry'". We weren't aloud to see what was inside but where instructed to take it to the hoofoury* for safe keeping. If it's one more dark crystal!

...

The hoofery eh? this unit will head there next then, wounder what it will be? Magic grimoire... sharp sword... this unit is giddy with anticipation

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Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 234
The crystal has started to... talk to pony's as if trying to get them to use it's power for themselves. Nopony can say that it's not tempting, just we know better that to let it persuade us.

Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 240
Dark magic is sick. The voices have become those of Hard Strike and the rest. We can't keep going on like this.

Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 301
MAKE THEM STOP, the whispering the crying always there no mater what, I didn't do anything! please stop let us rest

Dr Hot Metal's Diary, day 330
It's fine. It's all going to be fine. The revolt will come. they will see. they will bur-

...

That turned... dark. Still leaves this unit in the dark about what happened to them, but at least this unit now knows where its' main weapon is. To the hoofoury.

By command, the display shown the layout of the facility and plotted A course signified by A white trail directly to there. Leaving the room filled with many different emotions, this unit ran one last scan of the facility, just to make sure, and when the same negative results where shown, continued on its way.

Author's Note

* A "hoofery" is an armoury