Testing

"No, No, No!" Photographs, Dossiers, and manila folders flew across the small circular room. The room itself was very claustrophobic, filing cabinets lined the walls and a large circular table dominated most of the room. Around the table sat a number of equines, most wore black jumpsuits and green smiling masks that hid their faces. One of them was different however: He was wearing an outlandish bright purple top hat, and a matching jacket. "You just don't get it!" His orange eyes darted from masked figure to masked figure. "I want ponies who show their stuff on a daily basis! I want ponies who are the epitomy of toughness! I want....I want...."

His eyes were drawn to a newspaper that one of his subordinates was holding. The front page story had a picture of six mares, all being given medals by Princess Celestia. The headline was "Elements of Harmony defeat changeling army." The colt in charge took off his hat, set it on the table and ran his hoof through his greasy slicked back mane. "I want them.." His dark green hoof pointed at the paper. He quickly grabbed the paper with magic and held it up for everypony to see. That earned gasps from all of the masked ponies.

"But...Game Master...They're national heroes.." Game Master stood up, looked at the dissenting voice, and pushed a button on top of the table. Everypony in the room tensed, waiting for the clone to disappear through a hole in the floor, or get squashed by spikes from the ceiling, but nothing happened....well, until a bolt of orange magic struck the pony and he disappeared.

"Okay...now. Anypony else wanna say something?" All of the other masked workers shook their heads and offered words of agreement. "Good. Now, get me those mares. I want them here in time for the next show." Game Master spun on his hooves and marched out of the planning room.

He had spent years raising enough money to build this whole facility. It was all completely underground and cost him more than he would like to admit. Each hall was the same cold emotionless gray, each room(sans the planning room) was done up in greens, purples, and yellows....he liked those colors, but he wasn't quite sure why.

"Game Master, may I talk to you?" His orange eyes turned to the voice, it was his personal assistant Harlequin. They had been close friends since their foalhood, even when he supposedly 'went off of the deep-end.' He smiled, not because he was happy to see her, but because she had his hat.

"Oh, hello sweetie!" The unicorn grabbed the hat with his telekinetic powers and brought it over to him. "Did Daddy forget you? Oh, Daddy is so sorry!" The hat received a quick kiss, then placement upon his head. It's rightful place. "What do you want, Harls?"

Harlequin's coat was alternating black and red, just as her name insisted, her eyes were framed by a black and white mask that was imprinted on her coat. Her eyes were bright blue, and her mane was blonde, just like his own. He considered her his own personal court jester...even if she wouldn't tell any jokes. Not even his threats to put her in the game made her more jester-ish.

"We got those contestants you wanted for the next game." She was holding a clipboard up with her magic, which he quickly snatched away with his own.

"Already?! That was like...five minutes ago!" Harlequin quite quickly stole it back.

"No, not those contestants. The other ones. Y'know, the other eight." Right, those contestants.

"Oh! Good, good! You're always surprising me, you know that?" He smiled and put his hoof over her shoulder.

"Yes, I know GM." She rolled her eyes and shrugged him off.

"Now, what else have you got for me?" As they walked down the hall towards the Testing Area Observation Booth, Game Master saw his microphone cane, which had been specially made for him by none other than Photo Finish....under threats of violence, of course. He picked it up between his teeth and gave it a twirl. Perfect.

"Well, the um...special creature just came in for Round 7, I still don't know what it is....." She flipped through her clipboard, looking for the shipping manifest, but not finding it. "I swear, one of these days I'm going to kill those idiots in receiving.."

The slightly delusional unicorn stallion spit his cane out, caught it with his magic, and twirled it as he walked. "Some things, you're not meant to know my dear. What we received is a...surprise, and I wouldn't want to spoil a surprise~!" He gave a maniacal giggle as he slapped his cane against a button on the wall. The door in front of them opened: The room was curved towards the front, and was completely made out of glass so he could watch over every testing chamber as the games ran on. Perfection.

--

"Twilight my dear, I don't think we should worry." Rarity looked at her hoof to make sure none of the glass shards around them ruined her brand new hooficure. "The scoundrel had two marefriends...who were sisters...I think it's quite obvious why he disappeared." The lavender unicorn was studying a few choice things around the apartment. The PVPD had called her in to help solve this disappearance, and so far, everything looked suspicious.

"Maybe that's what they want you to think..." She had been using that exact line for any objections the diva brought up, it had been working so far...but Twilight wasn't sure that it would hold up any longer. Twilight, while expecting, shifted uncomfortably where she stood. The unicorn was in heat and it was absolutely killing her.

"Who are 'they' and why do they not want us to find out what happened to Thunderlane?" Twilight picked up a lamp that had been shattered and studied it closely. She needed to find out what happened to the headstrong pegasus and why. If not for justice, then just for the sense of safety for Ponyville.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out Rarity...first Charmer, then two of the Wonderbolts...these are connected. I know it." Her mind was connecting the dots,  there had been a string of disappearances and kidnappings throughout the last year, all happening in clusters. Something was going on.

"What does it matter, Twilight? It's not like we're in any danger."