Chapters
Twilight yawned as she tried to stay awake. She was trying to do research, but it wasn't very easy when she was as tired as she was. She had tried to stay up almost all night trying to get some more research about Starswirl done in peace. Just as she was about fall asleep with her face in the book the sound of rustling paper caught her attention. She turned around to see papers and book pages moving in a wind that came from nowhere. The wind grew stronger by the second and Twilight completely forgot about how tired she was as she tried to find out what was happening. As panic began to grip her soul, sparks of electricity began to bounce around the room and a ball of bright light appeared and gradually grew bigger. Then as quickly as it started everything stopped, like it never happened and Twilight was hit with a serious case of sleepiness. Twilight heard a loud thud, but her tired and clouded mind only thought it was bunch of books hitting the ground and she made her way upstairs.
"Maybe that's what happens when I stay awake for too long. Was it this Luna warned me about?" Twilight sleepily said to herself before she literally fell onto her bed and drifted of to sleep.
"Twilight! Twilight wake up!" Spike said as he tried to wake her up. It took some time, but after a few minutes of struggle she finally stirred awake.
"Ugh...what is it Spike?" Twilight asked as she struggled to sit up.
"Did you lock the door last night?" Spike asked with a worried expression.
"Um...yes. Why are you asking?" Twilight said while trying to focus her vision.
"Then how is it that a stallion got in here during the night? Without breaking any windows or picking any locks?" Spike asked.
"Uh...what did you just say?" Twilight asked confused.
"I said that a stallion is sitting in the library and I have no idea how he got inside." Spike answered.
When those words sunk into Twlight's head she ran out of bed and went downstairs faster than Pinkie Pie could say cupcake. When she got into the main room of the library she saw exactly what Spike had told her. A stallion sitting by the table, reading a book. He had a blond mane, brownish fur and had a slender, but tall build. He was also wearing a lab coat, which covered his cutie mark, and a red tie.
"Hello?" Twilight said carefully.
The stallion took his eyes away from the book and looked at Twilight.
"Oh, hello there. You're Mrs. Twilight right? Spike said that he would go and wake you up." the stallion answered with a smile.
"Uh yeah....Who are you?" Twilight said suspicious.
"How rude of me. My name is William Birkin." the now identified stallion answered.
"Nice to....meet you...How did you get in?" Twilight said still suspicious about him.
"Um...I don't know. I just woke up here." William answered while looking around the room.
'That explains what I saw yesterday. That means I wasn't hallucinating. Oh thank Celestia. Well now that I've gotten this far. I may as well ask further.' Twilight thought.
William fell silent as tried to recall something from before waking up in the library.
"The only thing I can really remember about anything is my name." William eventually answered. As an awkward silence took hold not long after William tried to change the subject.
Twilight's face brightened at that statement, but she that the library didn't have what he asked.
"No. I'm sorry, but I don't have any books about that. Although I do have some books that has information about herbs that can cure infection and disease." Twilight answered almost squealing over the fact that he liked books.
"That should be good enough. I wanted to have something I could read while taking a look around the town. From what I've seen it looks very nice. Even though I could sit in here all day doing research, a stallion needs some fresh air." William said as he looked through the bookshelves. Eventually he found the book he was looking for and pulled it out of the shelf.
Twilight needed a few seconds to register everything William had said, but when she did she was quick to answer. Even though her mind was still a little clouded.
"Oh. No. Its alright. Just remember to give it back." Twilight said while trying not to lose it over the thought that somepony just straight up admitted liking books.
"Thank you. And don't worry, I'll be back." William answered and went out the front door (with some difficulty).
When the door closed reality hit Twilight like a runaway train.
"Wait...I just let a complete stranger out into Ponyville didn't I? Oh buck I messed up!" Twilight said as she opened the front door, but couldn't see William anywhere.
Meanwhile William was walking trough the town and receiving greeting after greeting by the friendly inhabitants.
'This is the most friendliest ponies I've met. Although I don't remember anyone else from before I woke up in that library.' William thought to himself as he walked.
After a little while he met a pink pony who was bouncing down the street with a big smile on her face. He lifted a hoof and waved to which the pony somehow bounced straight over him without stopping to change direction.
William was about to say something to the mare, but he was cut off by her high pitched voice.
"OhmygoshI'veneverseenyouaroundherebefore!! Thatmeansyou'renewhereandIneedtothrowyoua'welcometoponyville'party!!!" she rambled too fast for William to catch anything she said and before he could register that she stopped talking she zoomed past him.
William stood there frozen and confused for a little while before he opened his mouth.
"Nice to...meet.....you........." he trailed off. "Well....that certainly was..........something." he added.
'If things get weirder than that then I don't know what reality even is.' he thought as he walked off.
Author's Note
It was literally impossible for me to find out about William's personality (other than that he was very protective of his work). So don't go biting my head off because his personality is incorrect.
William walked further through the town as the sun began reaching the middle of the sky. He crossed a bridge that led to a more nature filled part of the town that had a few benches standing around. He walked to the closest open bench and sat down on it before pulling out the book he had borrowed. He sat there reading for a little while until he heard somepony call for him. He lowered the book to see a mare with a filly on her back running up to him.
"Are you a doctor?" the mare asked in panic.
"Uh, yes. I'm a doctor, but no-" the mare cut him off before he could explain everything.
"Oh thank Celestia. My daughter threw up without warning just a few minutes ago and the hospital is on the other side of the town. Please help her." she explained.
William sighed. He could just tell her that he was more on the virus part of the doctor title, but he didn't want to let the mare down like that.
"Okay. Let me see her." he said.
The mare sat down and the filly slid down. William walked over to the filly and sat down in front of her.
"Hello there. Can you look at me please?" William asked. The filly looked at him, but seemed to focus on different directions at the same time, like he had more than one head.
"How many hooves am I holding up?" William said as he lifted up one hoof.
"Three?" the filly answered.
"Motion sickness. She's just very dizzy. Nothing to worry about." William said.
"Oh thank you so much Mr. .....?"
"Birkin, William Birkin."
"Well thank you Mr. Birkin. I am really thankful. How could I ever repay you?" the mare said.
"You don't need to. I'm just happy I could help." William answered.
The mare thanked him again and made her way back to the town. William sat back down on the bench and picked up the book again. Probably over an hour later he finished the book. He closed it and got off the bench as he began making his way back to the library. On his way back he noticed that the town was suddenly very quiet and empty. Like everypony just vanished into thin air. When he reached the library he opened the door to find that it was almost pitch black. The only light was a lamp that only lit up the table where a note was lying. He slowly approached the table and after putting the book down he picked up the note where only one word was written.
SURPRISE!!!
Right after he read that word everything happened to quickly for him to react much. The lights flipped on and most likely every single pony in Ponyville was there. Everyone shouted surprise and he got a face full of confetti. This all happened in under three seconds and he was just standing there with wide eyes trying to comprehend what just happened. When he his brain had fully processed what just happened he shook his head, wiped the confetti of his face and looked around. Everyone was partying and having a blast. Even though he was still confused he couldn't help but smile. It had been less than a day since he arrived and already someone had set up a party for him. It was so weird and made so little sense, that it was actually amusing.
"Hey William! William!" Twilight's voice came through the sounds of others talking with each other.
William looked in the direction Twilight's voice came from and spotted her sitting by a table with five other mares.
"What is this? Trying to get me a marefriend?" William asked when he came over to the table.
When William's words sunk in all mares at the table gave off an embarrassed blush.
"What!? No! Of course not. William these are my best friends. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Rarity." Twilight said as she turned to face her friends. "Girls. This is William Birkin."
This was met with a round of greetings as William greeted back.
"So William. Are you a scientist?" Twilight asked curiously.
"Well, kinda. I'm a virologist. I study viruses." William said as a question popped into his head. "By the way. Do you know a place where I could set up my research?"
Twilight thought for a little while before coming with an answer.
"Well the best place would be Canterlot, but what kind of research are you thinking of?" Twilight said still not trusting him all that much.
"Well a little of everything I would say. Study a virus' behaviour and create vaccines for example." William answered.
"I can let that slide, but I'll request for you to be taken under a watchful eye. I still don't trust you that much." Twilight said "I'll send a letter to Celestia when the party is over." she added.
Just as the conversation ended, the lights dimmed and a disco ball was hung up on the ceiling.
"Alright everypony! Let's kick this party up a notch!" Pinkie's voice came trough some speakers as loud dubstep thundered throughout the room.
"Think you'll have to wait until tomorrow to write that letter Twilight!" William shouted through the loud music.
"Not the first time this has happened!" Twilight shouted back.
The two laughed a little at that statement before they joined in on the fun that would last until two o'clock.
Author's Note
Not the best chapter I admit, but I couldn't come up with anything better. The more juicy stuff (as in: G-Virus) will come later.
William's eyes slowly fluttered open as the morning sunlight came through the window. He grunted as he lit up his horn and closed the curtains, but just as he was about to fall asleep again there was a knock on the door.
"William! Get up. We're going to Canterlot." Twilight said on the other side of the door.
William grunted in response as he dragged himself out of bed and put on his tie and lab-coat before exiting the bedroom. When he came downstairs Twilight was standing by the door with a saddlebag strapped on.
"Come on, we're gonna be late for the train." she said with a sense of hurry in her voice.
William yawned before giving a nod as he walked over to her.
"Okay...looks like I'm gonna have to teleport us to the train station." Twilight said when she realized that William wasn't fully awake.
William didn't have time to respond as Twilight's magical aura surrounded them both and then in the blink of an eye they were standing at the train station.
"Stay here while I buy tickets." Twilight said before walking off.
William just nodded while he mumbled to himself.
"I could use a cup of coffee right now..." he said with a yawn.
Just as he was about to fall asleep in a standing position Twilight came up to him with two tickets.
"All set. Ready to go?" she asked.
"Yeah...which carriage?" William answered.
"Carriage 2, seat 7." Twilight said as she turned to board the train with William sleepily walking behind her.
The two entered the carriage and sat down on their seat as the train whistle eventually sounded and the train begun moving. Twilight looked out the window to see the landscape as the train continued towards Canterlot. Suddenly she felt something warm touch her shoulder. She slightly flinched as she turned to see William resting his head on her shoulder, sleeping soundly. Twilight did her best to ignore it, but it was impossible for her to hide the embarrassed blush on her face. After a few minutes she began hearing William mumbling in his sleep. She managed to lean closer in an attempt to hear what he said. He was mumbling some kind of lullaby that Twilight couldn't hear clear enough to decide which it was. After the lullaby ended he started to mumble something else. However this time it wasn't as light hearted from what Twilight heard.
"You think I didn't know you were coming?" he mumbled "I'm not handing over anything." he continued.
To say Twilight was confused would be an understatement, but she kept listening as the mumbling turned to single words and short sentences.
"No.....Sherry...……..Where are you?.....Help me."
The last one was the last straw for Twilight and she shook William awake.
"Huh! Wha- where- who?" he rambled in confusion.
"You were talking in your sleep." Twilight explained.
"Okay...what did I say?" he asked curiously.
"You started with mumbling a lullaby, then you said to sentences about someone taking something from you and after that you said no to something, you said a name, you asked someone for their location and then you asked for help. Does it ring any bells?" Twilight said.
William searched his memory, but couldn't remember any of those kinds of things.
"No. I don't remember something I can describe with that." William answered.
"How about the name Sherry?" Twilight asked.
Once again William thought of it for a little while.
"It sounds familiar, but I don't remember." he answered.
Twilight sighed, but she dropped the subject. There was no reason to talk about something he didn't remember.
The train slowly came to a stop at the train station in Canterlot and ponies began exiting the train. Twilight and William walked through the streets as William looked around. They noticed that a few ponies around them whispered to each other when they saw the two, but they paid it no mind. When they came up to the castle entrance Twilight looked over to see William's mouth hanging open.
"I knew that Equestria's capital would be beautiful, but this is a whole other level!" William exclaimed.
"Just wait until you see the inside." Twilight said as she walked up to one of the guards standing by the gate.
After a few moments of talking the guards opened the gate to let Twilight and William through.
"Twilight. I'm glad you could come." she said as her eyes moved over to William. "So he is William?" she asked.
Twilight looked over to William who was bowing for the princess before she looked back at her former teacher.
"Yes." she answered as she gestured for William to stand. "He is a virologist and he wanted to set up a lab where he could do research. I told him that the best bet was here in Canterlot." she explained.
Celestia thought for a little while about what Twilight had said before she answered.
"What kind of research?" she asked.
"He wanted to help create vaccines against diseases that are caused by viruses." Twilight answered.
Again Celestia needed a few minutes to think, but from what Twilight told her it seemed okay.
"If he only means it for the better of Equestria then I'll allow it. We can take one of the spare rooms here in the castle and convert it into a laboratory, but I will have you under a watchful eye." she explained.
William's face brightened with a smile as he bowed one more time before speaking.
"Thank you so much your majesty. I will not let you down."
Author's Note
I intentionally made it seat 7 on the train. Can you find out why?
Three weeks later
William had been doing research for two weeks and had already made some small discoveries. He had quickly proven to be helpful and even though he was a virologist he had even began research on a device that could measure magic. The device would make it easier to find the difference between friend and enemy, but also identify changelings in disguise.
While he was studying one of the more common viruses in the land, the magic measurer prototype began going crazy as huge levels of magic was picked up on it's radar. However he wasn't quick enough to fully track down where it came from before the signal disappeared.
"What the..." he said as he looked at the empty radar. "What was that? How can that amount of magic just appear and disappear just as quickly? I need to investigate this." he said as he opened the lab door and began walking down the corridor with the device in one of his hooves.
He walked through the castle while pointing the radar in many directions in attempt to find the source of the strong signal for hours and he only called it quits when he noticed the moonlight coming through the windows.
"I guess I'll have to continue tomorrow morning then." he said with a sigh as he began walking back to his lab.
He put down the measurer and jumped onto his bed and quickly fell asleep.
"Dr. Birkin, you'll come along with us quietly."
"You think I didn't know you were coming? This is my life's work! I'm not handing over anything!"
"We have our orders, Doctor Birkin. I'll ask you one more time..."
*BANG BANG BANG BANG*
"Stop! Hold your fire!"
William woke up with start.
"Wh-what was that?!" he said to himself as looked over to the alarm clock on his counter, which he could barley see because of the darkness.
6:34 AM
"Strange. Isn't the sun supposed to be up by now?" he said as he climbed out of bed and picked up his device to investigate further for the mysterious surge of magic from yesterday.
He walked through the halls as the sun rose (albeit a little shaky).
"Oh no you don't. I won't let you." he said weakly as forced himself up on his hooves and picked up the measurer and ran as fast as his hooves could carry him.
He rushed towards them and managed to get in the way.
"If you want the princesses you'll have to go through me!" he shouted as loud as he could and threw his device at the centaur.
Despite the lack of magic, William managed to throw the measurer hard enough to hit Tirek's eye. Although it was only successful in making him angry.
"You little brat!" Tirek said angrily before he picked up William and threw him onto the nearby wall, breaking it and opening a large wound that could be fatal without treatment.
"You are nothing compared to me." Tirek said as he and Discord continued down the hallway towards the throne room.
William lied on the floor bleeding heavily from his shoulder as questions began invading his mind.
'Is this it? Has my time already come?' he thought. The questions were endless. Then suddenly he felt something inside him react violently to him receiving physical trauma. The pain began getting worse by the second and it was beginning to focus on his right front hoof. The pain was becoming unbearable and he felt his vision beginning to blur. Just before he passed out he let out a bloodcurdling scream that turned deeper and more distorted until he blacked out completely.
Author's Note
Sorry for short chapter. The next one will be short too, but at least that means you don't need to wait that much.
William lied on the floor bleeding heavily from his shoulder.
'Is this it? Has my time already come?' he thought. The questions were endless. Then suddenly he felt something inside him react violently to him receiving physical trauma. The pain began getting worse by the second and it was beginning to focus on his right front hoof. The pain was becoming unbearable and he felt his vision beginning to blur. Just before he passed out he let out a bloodcurdling scream that turned deeper and more distorted until he blacked out completely.
Tirek and Discord entered the throne room where the princesses were lying on the floor seemingly exhausted. Tirek made an attempt on sucking them dry of magic, but was surprised to find that they had no magic at all.
"Where is your magic?!" Tirek demanded angrily.
"We're not telling you. And we never will." Luna said firmly.
Tirek gritted his teeth in anger as he charged up his magic to put an end to the three princesses, but just as he was about to fire a big fleshy claw dug into his back and made it's way through his body until it came out of his gut. He turned his head to see a gruesomely mutated William standing there with what was once a hoof piercing him. The hoof was covered in muscle tissue and a giant eyeball was looking out of the shoulder. The stallion twitched like crazy and cried out in pain multiple times. William then pulled the claw sideways, ripping out over a third of Tirek's insides out. Blood and organs spilled all over the floor, everything within six meters radius was painted red. The amount of flesh ripped was too much and Tirek's upper body fell right off his lower body. He was 100% dead. Magic flowed out of his mouth, flew into the sky and then took off in almost every direction possible.
"Somepony...help...me!!! It...hurts!!!" he screamed before he passed out and the mutations disappeared completely.
The princesses looked at the passed out unicorn with expressions mixed with fear, shock and confusion. Never in their lives had they seen anything like this. Celestia got up on her hooves and carefully walked over to the unicorn. She stopped every time he twitched to stay safe, but nothing happened. When she came over to him she bowed her head down and she heard him mumbling something. It was hard to make out, but she heard one sentence clearly.
"G is my creation."
*Beep...Beep...Beep*
William's vision slowly came back to him as the sound of a heart rate monitor filled his ears.
"Everyone, he's waking up!" the familiar voice of Pinkie Pie said.
William looked around to see the Mane 6 and Princess Celestia standing around his hospital bed. He sat up in his bed with a grunt and looked around. And for the first time since he got there, his cutie mark was clear to see (a red and white umbrella seen from above).
"What happened? I remember bleeding out in the hallway, but everything else is blurred." he said as Celestia got an uncertain look.
"Well you in a way...….murdered a threat against Equestria." Celestia said as she got a look of disgust at recalling the events.
Everyone in the room looked at Celestia in utter shock.
"He. Killed. Tirek?! HOW?!" Twilight exclaimed in shock and Fluttershy fainted.
"With one strike of his hoof. If I could even call it that..." Celestia said.
"What do ya mean Princess?" Applejack asked.
"His right front hoof was mutated beyond recognition. It was covered in some sort of muscle tissue, claws where sticking out of the end and a big eye was looking out of his shoulder. He ripped out a third of Tirek's insides with it. I really don't want to go into further detail." Celestia explained.
William was rendered speechless for a few minutes before he managed to get his ability to speak back.
"What happened after I committed the crime?" William asked.
"You screamed for help, your hoof returned to normal and you fell unconscious, to put it mildly." Celestia explained. "Although you also mumbled something while you were unconscious." she added.
"Did you understand anything?" William questioned curiously, recalling that he had done the same thing when he fell asleep on the way to Canterlot.
"I heard you say 'G is my creation', but the rest sounded more like gibberish." Celestia answered.
William searched his memory, but again found nothing. It was now beginning to get frustrating for him.
"Argh...Why does it sound so familiar?! Why can't I remember?!" William said while frowning.
"There might be a way." Celestia said, which got everyone's attention. "I know a spell that can look into somepony's memories. It will also make everypony present able to see certain points as well. Although is this okay for you William Birkin?"
William thought for a few minutes before giving his answer.
"If you promise to only show things that has to do with what happened yesterday." William answered.
"Sorry, but I can't control that." Celestia said as she lit up her horn and lowered it towards William's forehead.
"Wait what-" William said as Celestia horn made contact with his head and he became paralyzed.
William's eyes turned a glowing white as all his memories came crashing down on his head. His childhood, his schooldays, college, the Umbrella Corporation, Albert Wesker, Annette, Sherry, the G-Virus and his death.
The group's ears were violently invaded by loud bangs that went on for a few seconds before William and a man wearing sunglasses entered the room to see a man lying on the floor with multiple holes in his chest and he was bleeding heavily.
"A-are they gonna help him?" Fluttershy asked as she was on the verge of throwing up because of the amount of blood.
Albert leaned over the man and to everyone's surprise, taunted him.
"Time to die, doctor." he said as William leaned over the dying man as well.
"I will take over your research." William said before he laughed menacingly.
Everyone's jaw dropped at that statement.
"That doesn't sound like something William would say at all.
They continued to watch different memories come and go as they saw him being with his daughter, doing research with his wife and producing bioweapons. Eventually one memory that William recognized as the dream he had two days ago.
William was cornered by a group of men wearing black clothing and gas masks while holding guns pointed at him.
"Doctor Birkin, you'll come along with us quietly." one of them said in a demanding tone.
"You think I didn't know you were coming? This is MY life's work! I'm not handing over ANYthing!" William answered while grabbing something inside his coat.
"We have our orders, doctor Birkin. I'll ask you one more time..." HUNK said.
William pulled out a gun, but just as he did one of the soldiers opened fire and William fell onto the ground while bleeding heavily. Sounds were muffled as William saw them take the case with T and G-virus samples away from him. He sat up and took out a syringe that had a G-Virus sample inside it.
"*cough* You don't get away that easily." he said before injecting the sample into himself.
Mere moments after this his wife came into the room and saw the empty syringe.
"Dear God William. What have you done?" she said worriedly as William got on his feet.
"G is my creation!!!" he shouted at the top of his lungs like he hadn't even heard Annette and began walking after the soldiers that had taken the samples.
The group were left speechless as they witnessed William mutate and slaughter HUNK's team. Fluttershy passed out again when she saw the few people William encountered turned into zombies. Although they got to witness William still retaining some humanity when his daughter was being attacked by a police chief. Even if what he did to the chief didn't seem good.
"You like that?! Goodbye fucker!" she shouted before pulling the rod out making a lot of yellow liquid pour out of the eye as the blob that once was William screeched in pain.
The train carriage he was on was disconnected from the train and he was caught in the explosion, then everything went black.
The "memory cloud" disappeared and William eyes returned to normal, although his expression changed to one of utter shock and horror.
"W-William?" Twilight said as she took a careful step forward.
William looked at his hooves in disbelief of what he now remembered about his past. He squeezed his eyes shut before he ripped off the cables that were connected to the monitors next to the bed, jumped off his bed and ran out of the room.
"William!" Twilight shouted as she and the rest of the Mane 6 followed after him.
