... Is this some kind of joke? I feel like I should give an over-the-top reaction or something to try and get the cameras in here. Yet, as my eyes wander the surroundings, I can't help but be reminded of the situation at hand.
For starters, why is a horse looking at me like I'm some miracle of science? Like I'm supposed to be anywhere but here right about now? Is it one of those mutagenic creatures I kept hearing about in the news? If so, how the hell did it get in here of all places?
A glance at the ruinous environment around me. Across from me, shattered and opened sleep caskets can be seen in front of overgrown stake gray walls, went, and hanging by tether walkways. If that wasn't bad enough, I can see the forming of various mushroom colonies upon the... Skeletons!?
But what happened!? This place was supposed to be secured! Was there a breach? A malfunction? Is everyone-
Fuck! I have a headache now. On top of that, a message in front of me states that my sleep chamber is currently stuck allowing me to not leave. It's trying to page a doctor that's probably long dead.
This is some sort of sick joke... Right? Like, I really can't wrap my head around things going this bad for everyone but me. Like this has to be something wrong with the world. I mean, aside from what we've already done to it and it to us. I move around a bit to try and get comfortable because I feel like it might be a while till I can get out of here.
I decide to take in the horse before me more. I say horse but it's more like one of the cross-bred horses that is shorter and can't reproduce. Except this one seems to be a dark purple with a blue mane and tail. So it's most likely a mutant or there exists some sick fuck out there dying animals for shits and giggles.
Is it wrong that I'm not as freaked out as I should be? Or is it the lingering drugs in my system? Man... If there is a God, they screwed the pooch on this one. Either that or they have a sick sense of humor.
The purple mutant turns its head, its ears swiveling towards the source of a sound, most likely, and quickly, another of these mutants enters my vision. This one is the color of creamy brown with a dawn yellow tail and mane. Yeah, that's right. I took an art class! I might have failed but at least I know how to be creative!
....Oh god, the madness is settling in...
Wait... Does that thing have a tramp stamp on its butt? Who... Why does it look like a pickaxe? Where the hell am I? Because this is obviously not America anymore with all the bullshit I'm seeing before me. Actually... This is exactly something a redneck would do. I retract my previous statement.
They seem to be having some conversation if the human-like motions of their hooves are anything to go off of. At least talking with your hands is a bit of a universal thing. Even if it isn't hands.
There's the headache again...
The newest member motions for the first to follow it somewhere and once more I am left in my suspended state of wonder and agony over the fact that I'm still not comfortable.
There's also the mounting sense of dread as one of the skeletons seems to be gazing deep into my soul judging me for living while it had to die. Hey, I didn't make this choice myself aside from signing the paper. I'm sorry you got stuck with the shit side of things, but don't start blaming me for your problems!
A moment later, I can hear the chamber I am in begin to decompress. A voice tells me that the override has been activated and the surrounding environment seems to be stabilized to my inside. It also says no sign of infection can be found and the environment is mutation free.
Fucking ironic how as soon as she says that, both mutants are back at the broken-in door leading into the mass sleep chambers. I feel a slight nudge from behind causing me to stumble out of the machine and on my knees making me look weak in front of the visitors.
I breathe in deeply of the none sterilized air and can feel myself start to dry heave as the stench of decay, rot, and staleness hits me like a fucking truck doing 120. I manage to keep my empty stomach down as my vision tries to correct itself from the sudden lurch. nausea, disorientation, and a headache. I wonder if there's an HR department still alive somewhere that I can complain to.
The two mutants can only stare with mouths agape as I lumber my way out of my prison. Their mouths are certainly a lot wider than what I would consider being... Normal. Then again, mutants. My legs shake as I get up to my feet like a newborn foal. I use the asshole machine to stabilize myself before looking back toward the creatures.
I lift my head once before saying, “Yo.”
It comes out hoarse and full of how I feel. It sounds... estranged to hear my voice again. I haven't used my voice in who knows how long now that I think about it.
I'm confident that this is far from the best first impression to start with, but it's the best I can do. I wonder how history will view this moment down the line.
Favorable is preferable.
The two mutants look at one another before they seem to shake themselves out of their stupor. The beige, if I remember the correct name of that color, mutant steps forward before clearing its throat.
“G-good morning. How are you?” She says her voice starting as a high squeak before leveling out as a more trombone sound.
A part of me wants to cringe at the female's choice of words. It's already starting to sound like some bad chatroom.
“In all honesty, I don't know. I'm feeling drowsy but at the same time pissed that the warranty and savings and such I had that I had thought would make me filthy rich are all gone. So I'll get back to you on that question when I can fully process everything.” I say just hoping to distract myself from how I'm feeling.
“A-ah. I’m sorry?” She half asks looking towards her perplexed purple partner.
Honestly, I'm glad she didn't catch much of that. If she understood our monetary value, I would think she was a human-turned-horse. Ha! Imagine that?
That might be a worse fate than the disease. I know we probably would've just nuked the planet at the point for sure. Actually... what did they do at the end of the world with this disease? Also, is it safe for me to even be out here now that I think about it?
I suddenly remember their presence and shake my head. I can't afford to be distracted here.
“Don’t. At least, not yet. I got to figure out what happened here first. And to my stuff. Shit... If my stuff is gone I might get pissed. Did you guys happen to walk past a personal storage room?”
“Yes actually! We would love to take you there and see what your thoughts are on all of the things we found there. Umm, to be honest, there might have been a bit of damage to the room but everything we've found so far seems to all be intact. I think.” Purple says stepping forward.
I can only sigh. Of course. Then again, the others won't need their stuff since, a slight glance before looking away, nope. Just don't think about it. Not the time nor the place. Focus on one thing at a time.
“Alright. Show me. It's about time someone woke me up.” I say hoping for it to come off cool.
I stagger a little but I make my way toward the two mutants as they seem to perk up at my eagerness to come with them. Eagerness? More like fuck-it-all-ness.
“You're welcome! Come right this way!” The beige creature says before pulling her companion towards the flashing hallway.
It's only now that I'm noticing how dimly lit this area of the building is compared to the hall. It looks like this place was hit hard by something unreal.
I stumble for a bit but eventually get my footing again. It's just like riding a bicycle honestly. Once you've done it once, you can do it again. If be it slightly slower than what you probably did it before.
I take a look at the portraits within the hallway as I follow my new guides. Ruined and tattered beyond recognition and feelings of dread coming back over me. Deep claw marks within the, thought to be, impenetrable walls. Destroyed doors, shattered glass, the rotten smell of death. The occasional skel-
Don't look! Looking only confirms it. As long as you don't think it's there; everything will be fine.
“Excuse me, sir? Is everything okay?” Beige asks tugging on my pants leg with concern etched into her face.
Touching. Strangers care for me more than most the people alive or dead have probably ever cared. Most would honestly just look and move on thinking it's not their place. Is it being too intrusive, or is it just the right thing to do in this situation.
I try to keep calm, “I’m fine. This is just, a lot. Right now. My mind keeps wandering is all. Keep going I'll keep up easily enough.”
“Oh. Right. Of course, sorry.”
I doubt she believes what I said, but chooses not to push the issue. I'm thankful for that more than anything. I don't think this is the greatest place to have a complete meltdown. There are too many unknown factors that scare me.
I'd hate to do something I'd regret in this delicate situation.
I don't bother looking at who's talking to me as I just focus on walking and nothing else. Especially not the feeling of the dread growing ever stronger as the dead continue to look down on me as if asking why did I survive and not them. I try to ignore these thoughts. Especially the thought that these two mutants could be taking me somewhere to be killed and eaten. Nope, not I!
Oh god… I’m not going to survive mentally from this, am I? Am I even physically okay? Like... when was the last time I ate? Was the casket still working correctly this entire time? If so, why does my body ache so much? Did they... do something to me?
Eventually, the beige one stops and points into a room that looks better off than the rest. Well, until I walk into it. All sorts of clothing, items, and weapons have been laid out across the room. It’s organized well, but one can easily make out the growth, fungus, and rust inside of the room as well as upon some of the items. The darkness within it also doesn’t help.
I can make out what looks to be a caved-in section of the room as it looks like some of the lockers are suddenly cut off. So I'm underground? When did that happen?
“Do any of you guys got a light?” I ask squinting at some of the piles in the room.
“Can you not see?” The purple asks with wonder.
…Shit. That was the wrong question to ask in this situation.
“I mean, I can. Just not as well since I’m waking up and such.”
“Oh, that makes sense.” They both nod as if everything makes a perfect circle, “Unfortunately, our unicorn is up top making contact with the rest of the camp.”
A unicorn? As well as more of them? Great… I’m in the worse situation possible. I tell them I’ll make do as I make my way more into the room.
To say nearly everything in the room was destroyed is an understatement. I don’t know how long it’s been since the time I fell asleep and woke up, but this is wrong. There should be more than one human here with all of this stuff.
Speaking of stuff, I crouch down facing the mutants as I look through some of the material on the ground. The first one I stop at is what looks to be a pile of phones of all sorts. I try to figure out which ones still work and don’t and find very quickly that all of them are fully charged and working.
Normally this would bring joy, but they all have passwords, fingerprints, or face recognition on them. And on top of that, I don’t even see my own. It could have easily been destroyed or still inside of one of these lockers.
After the futility of it all, I decide to move to something I know but also don’t know. Guns.
You see, I wasn’t expecting them to find these. But a part of me is both glad they did and terrified at the prospect of if they know what they are. Seeing as they are just letting me get near them, I’m assuming they don’t know what they are capable of. I doubt anybody who knows what these are capable of would just let anyone just get a hold of them.
The sad part is that I don't know how to properly use a lot of these. All I really know is that the deadly endpoints at the enemy and then, shoot. Of course, some of these look a bit wilder than your average pistol. And I’m fairly sure I could as easily hurt myself with these than my enemy.
I scratch my head trying to figure out why this all has to be so complicated. Sure I have a weapon just in case, but maybe they’re not hostile? Plus, what would a gun accomplish anyway? I would just end up making more enemies or just using it on myself.
And let’s not forget about the bullets… Fuck it. I’ll leave them here and just come back some other time if I get the chance. I move from this pile to what looks to be a variety of wallets, purses, and other types of accessories. I have a moment of thinking to check what’s all in them only to remember they would all be practically useless as, by this sinking feeling I keep getting, humanity and everything of it is gone.
I stare at this pile for a moment as I start letting it all sink in what it’s like waking up in perfect conditions to death, destruction, and just the overall looming sense of dread. It reminds me of those games with post-apocalyptic settings and you have to fight to survive. I never wanted to be in one of these yet, here I am.
“Are you alright, sir?” Beige and Purple ask approaching me.
My eyes snap to the mutants as they have approached me at some point. Damn. I must have zoned out pretty hard there for a minute. Better not act sus.
“Y-yeah. It’s just all kind of… sinking in all at once.” I say more honestly than I thought I would answer.
“A-ah. I’m so sorry! I didn’t consider the possibility of how long you were in there! I just got so excited and sidetracked! W-wait a second.”
She seems to run out into the hallway only to come back with a black device on her… wrist? Arm? Oh, gods…
“Let’s take this one step at a time. Let’s back up a good bit and let’s introduce ourselves. I go by Baleful Everystone and this is my excavation partner, Shining Emerald. We are what this generation calls Earth Ponies. We hail from a country known as Equestria but more specifically the College of Haybells. I majored in history while my friend here has an engineering degree.
“Can you tell us your name as well as where you are from and where you think you are?”
A complete 180 from before, it certainly helps distract from… things. I nod my head. What could it hurt to play along?
“My name is Toris David. I’m what people would call an African American Human. I used to live in a place called Georgia. The specific doesn’t really matter anymore and I got through college with a degree in general arts.
“And as far as where I am… I really want to say Earth. And I really want to say we are currently in North Carolina’s Saving Center for Humanity.”
Baleful looks at Shinning who simply shrugs.
“I-We can’t say we have ever heard of those places before. Have you ever heard of Equestria and its cities, towns, and hamlets?”
“Eques- Like, the horse, Equestria? I… No. I haven’t heard of anything like that.”
“I have to clarify this for you, but we are not horses. We are ponies. Horses are a long descendent of our lineage, but we have long outgrown those basic urges.
“And to think we have an actual alive Human! Oh, the stories you probably hold inside of you! I wish there were more of you so we could see all the differences and similarities!”
“Heh... Y-You, talk like there aren't... Any. That's wrong, right?”
“I... We haven't heard of an alive human. The last human we've ever learned about is from the history of a myth. The great turning as it was known.
“The day Celestia and Luna came to those of us in need and shifted the ways of our ancestors to better thrive. It was said that our ancestors were mean and constantly fought. And so they came with others like them and changed the way we are. To be peaceful and live and learn from and with one another.”
This... is a red flag, right?
“Changed? Like how? Like... Mentally?”
Manual evolution? Impossible. It would take a drastic measure... Like a mass release of the mutation disease? Did it evolve from humans to animals? Or did it just grow stronger and make more drastic changes to those that were already affected? Were Humans wiped out by a disease, or those called Luna and Celestia?
“Well... Nopony really knows. It's just what was passed down. This is why it's so rare to find a living relic of the past! You could unlock so much for us!”
This is unnerving. Something isn't adding up right. Where exactly am I? And what actually happened after I went to sleep? Fuck... My head is throbbing like crazy and I can feel the panic mounting.
“H-Hey? Baleful I thi-” Purple starts his eyes drenched in concern.
“Hay, Emerald. Just got word back and was told to immediately vacate. Celestia is going to to- what the hell is that!”
The two mutants and I turn towards the new voice to see a rather scary-looking uniform-clad, decorated in golden and white, possibly ivory, armor, Unicorn. A horn protrudes from the top of his head, truly marking it as real life and not some dream, and his eyes are locked on to mine. He mouths the word Human before turning that thing towards me.
My eyes go wide as I watch the horn begin to glow. I instinctively start to move as Emerald tackles the Unicorn. I hit the ground hard rattling me a bit but putting me right beside the pile of guns. I quickly grab the closest pistol I can see and point it toward the group. The Unicorn and Emerald seem to be wresting while Baleful freaks out unsure of what to do.
I'm too at a loss of words. I simply watch and listen as the two argue over me.
"That's a Human! It has to be gotten rid of!" The Unicorn yells punching Emerald hard in the jaw, causing him to stagger and be pushed off.
"What are you talking about! Do you know how much history you would destroy with that!?" Baleful yells back shocked and appalled at the suggestion.
"You don't know anything! You're ignorant of what his kind can do! Now out of my way so I can take care of this!"
Baleful moves in between me and the Unicorn quickly, "You'll have to shoot me down too then! I'm not going to let y-"
I watch as Baleful goes flying past me. The room is suddenly filled with the smell of burning hair. I slowly look behind me to see her body against the caved-in section of the room and the glowing of something against her head that seems to be tilted to the side.
"No!" Emerald yells suddenly rising, turning, and kicking the Unicorn in the side, "Murderer!"
The Unicorn is quick to recover as the kick does nothing to him. He turns towards Emerald who comes charging at him. The Unicorn only stares with pity at him before slamming his body into the other. Emerald lands on his back before an armored hoof is slammed into his stomach causing the energy and breathe he had to come out in a wheeze. His head lowers as his horn glows.
"Just doing my job. No hard feelings."
*Crack*
