Nightshade: Into The Fire

Nightshade sighed as Pandora landed in the forest, despite what he told himself there was no way he could truly prepare Ace for what they might see. He just hoped it wouldn't be a bloodbath. He stepped out into the thick forest, the canopy was so thick that there was barely any light.

"Computer," He spoke into the communicator, "How far out are we? Why didn't Pandora just land us near or inside the facility?"

"Well sir, she got a bad feeling," Computer's hologram displayed next to Nightshade as Ace trailed behind him looking at all the foliage in silent awe, "As far as the distance from the facility, the entrance should be through this next clearing. If-"

The hologram abruptly fizzled out. Something wasn't right and Nightshade could feel it, as they slowly entered the clearing all the noise and animals just seemed to fall silent. It was so quiet that Nightshade could faintly hear Ace's almost asthmatic breathing. Before him, was a large fenced-off region with a small metal building in the centre.

"How could anyone miss this? A big-ass clearing in the middle of the woods... Unless- "

"Luna used to teach me an illusion and labyrinth spells to ward off ponies or to contain them until guards arrive," Nightshade raised an eyebrow and Ace smiled weakly, "It was just in case somepony 'tried something' as she said."

"Right." Nightshade continued up to the fence, teleporting them inside the fence. "It could also be a perception filter but that makes more sense. Alright, Vixen. You piqued my interest, now you have my undivided attention."

The two entered the building and Nightshade was unimpressed, it was a plain white room. In it seemed to be only a lone front desk, papers scattered all over the floor. Nightshade turned to see Ace keep looking around and concentrating.

"What? You hear something?"

"There's a draft," His hands lit up and the focusing gem on his forehead turned white as he gently pressed his hands against the wall, "Like there's some type of doorway or something..."

Nightshade was about to move Ace back from the wall when he remembered what happened last time, he stood back and watched as the young prince slowly ran his hands across the painted wall before suddenly pushing his hand forwards.

"I hit something!"

He waved a hand over the portion of the wall and it revealed an elevator that sat open as if awaiting their entry, it made Nightshade's neck hairs stand on end. Nightshade entered first, Ace slowly stepped in but the moment he cleared the threshold of the doors they slammed shut.

"Thank Celestia!" A voice came from an intercom somewhere in the elevator, There was a screen just above all of the elevator buttons. There was a fuzzy image of a grey pony in a lab coat, her white mane looked wild. "I've been trying to get a hold of you for the last few days now, you're late."

"Whoa okay first off," Nightshade grew irate, "I'm not your personal superhero, I take orders from no pony. Secondly, who the fuck do you think you are? You better let us outta here before I come down there an-"

"This ISN'T about you so shut up a second!" Her shout silenced Nightshade, "I'm not Doctor Vixen, she's dead. It's Lunar Agent Rita. Might know me as Ritz or Crackerjack- look none of that matters until you can get me outta here. This place- I was given orders to shut this place down. Erase it. That went ary when Doc V decided to unleash her new pet on her colleagues... Too bad her pet didn't think much of her. You would not believe the amount of evil shit these guys were doing- "

"You still haven't explained why you reached out for me- "

"I'm getting there..." She turned the camera towards a glowing chamber, "I'm stuck in the reactor room. The door jammed and I can't get it open. I was supposed to overload it but without those eggheads tending to it... It's starting to meltdown. Has been since she released that hell hound, I don't know how many of those scientists are still alive but I... I have my orders. I don't want to die down here. The only pony who knows I'm here is Luna. If I survive this shit, I'm quitting. I can't do this anymore."

The camera turned back to Rita who lay in the fetal position on the floor underneath a control panel.

"If you're stuck there and everyone's dead, then who's controlling the lift?"

"I don't know, why?"

The elevator suddenly dropped, Nightshade left the floor and hit face-first into the ceiling. The video feed disconnected as the elevator began a freefall.

"SHIT SHIT SHIT!"

Ace clapped his hands together and held his breath as he hit the roof and suddenly the elevator stopped throwing them both to the floor. The focusing gem turned translucent. It let out a distorted ding as the doors struggled to open, Nightshade pried them open tossing Ace out. He leapt and cleared the doorway just as the elevator fell again, ten seconds passed before he heard a deafening crash. If Ace hadn't stopped the lift, if he wasn't here I would have- Nightshade shook his head as he tried not to think about what might have happened. Thank fuck for that focusing gem.

"I guess there's no turning back now..." Ace whispered.