Familiarity

Sweetie awoke to darkness. Which was weird since when she and her lover passed out, there was a soft artificial sun above them. Something was off. She blindly reached out, finding Button was now coming too as well. The two reached out for each other, the the bed below them. They were still in the same spot but it was almost pitch black.

"What is going on?" Sweetie whispered as she carefully crawled off the bed and onto the floor.

"No idea... But something feels off. I don't hear air movement, no waves, nothing. Its dead silent." He whispered back.

"Lets try and find our way to the door. Something is telling me we shouldn't stay here."

"I agree, take my hand."

She reached out, soon feeling his touch as the two carefully walked out, soon feeling the sand beneath them. They walked carefully, feeling their way to the wall. They had a vague idea where it was from the hut. They managed to reach it and feel their way to the door that was surprisingly open. Upon slipping in, they could just make out a dim red light. The room they had conquered earlier was dark aside from a soft red blinking light.

Button placed a finger to his lips as the woman he held onto nodded. They made their way over to the other open door and stepped inside. To their surprise, this led into a long hallway but the door at the end was closed... However, panel had come loose to the right and a red light was blinking from it. The two carefully made their way in, now in a much more different feeling place. There were pipes running along the walls and dim blinking red lights ever few steps. The floor was made of some kind of white metal like substance.

Walking down the long hallway, they soon came to another door that Button was able to open via a latch. Stepping in, the air changed to a more humid one. The room filled with computer monitors. "Was this like that place you were telling me about earlier?" Button asked in a hushed whisper.

Sweetie nodded and went over to the main console in the middle, watching as words silently scrolled across the screen. "Warning, collision detected, minor damage received, ship at 96%, rerouting all power and main functions to repair. Restart in 5 minutes." She read out quietly.

"So we are on a ship. We have to be. A very big ship that seemed to be automated in some way. But someone or something has to be calling all the shots." He ran his fingers over the large keyboard. He pressed enter a few times, then control alt delete, then hit escape a few times. Nothing seemed to work.

"Maybe there is some other way of getting it to respond to us?" She asked, examining the console closely.

"VOICE DETECTED. Accessing archives... Recognized. Please say a command." A robot voice spoke out that caused both to jump.

"Um, Location?" Button said a little louder than he meant to.

The screen flickered as the computer responded. "Currently in computer terminal 5, deck 4, near testing chambers."

"I meant where is this ship at currently." Button said flatly. "Like are we still sailing near Equestria?"

"Location keyword unrecognized, please try again." The stallion sighed in annoyance.

Sweetie Belle slid in and crossed her arms. "Currently Running Test." She said with a smile.

"Good one, maybe we can figure out what these scientists are trying to do."

"Test 12/13. Memory DNA archiving. The ability to recall things through DNA and passing it on. Current testing with more recent research, subjects currently having memories on reset. Current data unknown/yet to be uploaded."

Button's jaw dropped. "Well if that isn't the most Sci Fi thing I have ever heard. Could sworn a played a game that tapped into that, though I think they needed a special machine to make that work."

"Is that why we are able to recall certain things that we haven't been to before? But if that is the case, when did we go through this... Did something make us forget or is this someone else's DNA that got passed onto us?"

Button scratched his chin. "Computer, how many subjects have taken part in this test?"

"Subject keywords recognized. Current subjects: 2."

"I meant over all, how many total over all?" Button tried again.

"2 Subjects have taken part in this test."

Button took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Ok, different question. Who is running all of this? Who is the leader of this operation?"

The computer suddenly went blank as the lights above them suddenly turned on. The computer went green before a figure suddenly appeared on the monitor.

She appeared to be a light blue alicorn woman, dressed in a lab coat with big round goggles around her neck and her black hair tied into a ponytail. She was sitting in a chair with her legs crossed. "That would be me." She said in an almost annoyed tone.

"Go for a break for an hour and suddenly the ship hits a big rock. Then your subjects wake up and start poking around. Should have known to double check that panel. I swear the maintenance alone on this place is almost enough to make you go crazy." She lifted up a coffee cup and began to stir it with a spoon.

Sweetie Belle slammed her hands on the console. "So, you must be the one who captured us and are making us do the tests." She tried to look confident but in her mind she was flooded with questions. This alicorn kind of looked like Luna but different. She couldn't place it but she also felt... Oh no not again.

"I... I know you?" She said out loud as the alicorn raised a brow.

"Oh ho. So to answer both you questions, yes I am the one at the helm and yes, we have met, many times. But I am not allowed to answer anything more. At least not yet. You two still have some tests to do before we can get to that."

Button glanced around as something began to pump in from the vents. "Uh, before that, could you at least tell us one thing? Why us? Can't you at least tell us that?"

The alicorn laughed and leaned back in her chair. "You are asking me? Oh how funny this is. Though I suppose you two only woke up just a few days ago. Alright, I can answer that because..." She leaned forward. Her eyes dancing with interest and delight.

Button and Sweetie Bell watched the room began to grow hazy, the room becoming thick with some kind of gaseous substance. Her words echoed around them. "You two volunteered. You both are here because you both chose to be... A long time ago."

"What... Do... You... Mean?" Sweetie asked, her legs going numb as she fell to her knees, unable to stand.

"Questions for next time. Get through a few more rooms, and I might be allowed to answer." She laughed again. "Oh this is so nice, it has been too long... Old friends."

Sweetie Belle felt her consciousness slip as she fell to the floor, her lover landing next to her. A far off memory. She tried to a line the pieces of it but her mind went blank. Darkness took over everything.

***

She awoke, slowly, feeling grass beneath her. Some kind of small forest. There was the sounds of water running nearby and what sounded like a really bad recording of some birds. Her eyes glanced around, seeing that passed some of the taller trees, more trees had been painted onto a wall. Sweetie slowly stood up and began to walk towards the sound of the running water. Her mind and body felt distant and almost foggy as she tried to get it together. She placed a hand on one of the nearby trees, taking in a deep breath. There was something off. But as to what, could not be placed just yet. Legs moving, mind slowly clearing.

She soon came to a small waterfall, a small tent setup nearby and a small pound that emptied into a vented off small tunnel. Her eyes took in the sounds, then she glanced down and to her surprise, she was wearing a new skin tight jumpsuit. This one was grey and plain. Button lay in a similar looking jumpsuit, his head sticking out of the tent as he still snoozed.

"Old friend." She said out loud, crossing her arms. It felt weird to be back in a jumpsuit again. But even weirder was that she knew that had to be right. She felt like she trusted this alicorn, felt like a friend. But also hated them because they had all the answers. Answers to more questions she now had. And it was going to be awhile before she would get any of them.

"I signed up for this? That doesn't sound right. But I also doubt that alicorn had any reason to lie to me." She shook her head.

The mare went over, knelt down and placed her hands in the water, finding it somewhat warm. She bent down and cupped some water, drinking it and quenching a thirst she suddenly had.

A hand landed on her shoulder, making her jump. She turned to see Button was now awake and went to sit next to her. "So, that was crazy." He said softly. He glanced down at his own jumpsuit, finding the grey look a bit off putting. He sat with his legs crossed, leaning forward a bit.

The now very confused and curious mare got comfortable next to him, placing her bare feet in the water. "Yeah."

"We signed up for something wild it seems. I can't imagine doing that. But at the same time, I also remember craving adventure. Perhaps that craving led to me signing up for something like this... I don't know for sure though."

Sweetie crossed her right leg over her left leg and leaned back. "We are test subjects for something we don't remember signing up for, in an experiment that seems involve us using memories written onto our DNA, and all the while we have been going along with all this with little fuss. Are we weird, crazy, insane for just not freaking out about all this? Like I feel like we are going to be ok yet I also feel like by all accounts, we should be panicking about this."

Button shook his head. "Well... Maybe we did this all before. Maybe we have had this conversation so many times that it just doesn't feel right to cover it. Maybe our minds have forgotten but something is remembering for us. Whatever is going on, one thing is clear." He turned and placed his hand on Sweetie's cheek.

"I am so glad you are here. Because whatever crazy thing comes next, I know I can face it headlong knowing you are right there with me."

Sweetie smiled, feeling her face grow warm as she placed her hand over his. "I feel the same way. Lets take a moment, relax and face this this test head on. We want answers but they aren't going to come unless we fight for them. Whatever happens next, we got this, together."

The two shared a silent moment between each other. Their thoughts intertwining as they contemplated everything they had just learned.

***

Log Entry 2031

"OK major crisis averted. Came way to close for them to spill the beans on how things work around here. I hope I didn't give away too much. Oh if only I could talk to you right now. I miss you so much. But that you is long far off, probably forever from this world. I know I have to watch the new batch of test subjects. If you could only see them now, I think you would be proud. They have a spirit that drives them unlike any I have seen before. It hurts my soul right now... They must hate me. You would probably feel the same. But I know it will all be worth it in the end. Till next time, I shall continue to do what I always do, monitor them... And wait to see how things develop.

...
...
Although... I supposed those two breaking out, does consider this a break in protocol 1... Perhaps it is time I became a little more active soon.