Testby Cage Black 1443ChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 1"Is the test subject ready?" "Wake him." *** I open my eyes. White. It's the same every time. I open my eyes, and see white. I groan as I stretch my legs and get off my bed, my hooves touching the cold floor. Everything is white. The floor, the walls, the bed, the light, the toilet/sink hybrid. The door. That door. It never opens. Well, kind of. There's a slot in the door that gets opened at least three times a day: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It's the same every time. The same, boring slop. Sometimes, I wish that the door would open, so I can see something... something other than white. Well, I guess I lucked out in one area: There's one thing that isn't white: Me. I have dark gray fur and horn, a black mane and tail, and piercing shade of Kelly green eyes. And then there's my Cutie Mark. A white skull with green in it's eyes sitting in a black flame. It signifies my dark personality and my specialty in fire magic, and all my fire is green. Like, I am not kidding. I am talented. I could out-magic any unicorn with my fire magic--well, unless it was any area other than fire. I mean, I can levitate stuff with my horn, but...so can every unicorn. Or, at least that's what the books tell me. I haven't seen any other pony in my life. At least, not in my memory. My earliest memory was this Celestia forsaken white room. You might be wondering, if you're reading this, how I might be able to get food, and books without seeing any other ponies. Simple, really: the slot in the door opens down, making a platform. The trays of food slide in at meal times. When I am done eating, I place the tray back on the platform, which acts as a conveyor belt. The first day I remember waking up, I found a book sitting on a desk by my bed. I picked it up and started reading. When I was done reading it about a month later, I set it aside, and looked around. There was a button on the wall by the door. So I went over and pressed it, and I heard a female voice come through in a slightly off sound: "Please state your request." It was strange. If I had to put a word to it, I guess I would say it sounded robotic. I hadn't spoken a word at all up to that point, yet I understood English (I mean, I had just finished reading a book). I cleared my throat and asked for a new book. My voice came out rough and raspy from lack of use. Then the robotic voice spoke again: "Please place the book on the tray." The slot that usually held my food opened, and I place the book on it. The book slid through like a conveyor belt, and a new book slid in. That's the pattern I've been in for the last few... I don't know how long I've been here. There's no calendar, or clock. It's like whoever designed this place designed it in a way that would make it confusing for anypony (me in this case) to know what day it is. There's not even any windows. The days bleed together. It gets to the point that for all I know, I'm eating my lunch at midnight. There are days where I wish I wouldn't wake. I mean, would it kill these ponies to, I don't know, get some action in here? Or some company? I don't even know why I'm here, or what this place is. One time, I used the button to try to ask to talk to someone. Here's the response that I got: "Request cannot be fulfilled." What is that supposed to mean?! So yeah, I never tried that again. I still don't know why I'm here. And with nopony to talk to, I obviously get lonely. Part of me wants to try and end it, but there's nothing I can use. However, I did manage to get a journal, which is the journal I am currently writing in. I can't even dream. Every night, when I'm asleep, they fill the room with this strange, non-lethal gas through the air vents that I can never seem to find that cause me to have dreamless sleep. I don't know why they do this, but from what my books are telling me, one of the princesses of Equestria is named Luna, and she has the power to travel through dreams and talk to ponies in their sleep. I'm guessing that if I have no dreams, she can't see them, and therefore can't talk to me. But at this point, I don't know. For all I know, those are just books, and there are no Alicorn princesses. Besides, if they were real, then why for the love of Celestia would they not be aware of whatever is going on here? I've lost hope in finding answers. Now, I spend my days either asleep or reading, and that's it. When I wake up, and I see white, I wait. If I'm awake, that means it's time for food. And sure enough, as I think this, the food tray slides in. I levitate it with my horn. As usual, on the white tray sits a white bowl full of bland, gray oatmeal, with a white, plastic spoon. I eat my food, and place the tray with the bowl and spoon on the conveyor belt, and watch it slide out and the slot close for the millionth time now. I sigh, and crawl back into my ungodly uncomfortable bed and pull up my extremely itchy blanket, and go to sleep. After reading all of this, you might be invested in this story. And if you are, then good for you. Join me on this descent into madness. But there might be a question itching the back of your mind: "What is this guy's name?" Ha. Well, if you want to know my name, then oh boy, I feel bad for you. Why should you care? You don't know me, and I don't know you. Why would you even care about me? My name doesn't matter to you. But if you must know, my name is Cage Black. Author's Note Hi! This... this is awkward. You actually read the whole chapter. Or you scrolled down to read this. Well, this is my first story. In my blogs, I have been talking about this thing called the C.E.M. (Cage Extended Multiverse). This story is indeed in that Multiverse, but will most likely never be seen. This is just--as the title suggests--a test. A test to see if people will be invested in my stories. If this gets positive reviews, there may be a Chapter 2 on the way. Chapter 2"I still don't understand what the purpose of these experiments are, Dr. Carewell." "All will be revealed soon, Shadow. Soon." "Well, we've been doing this for about a month now. And there's been no progress. What are we even doing here?" "As I said, soon. I think it's time to change things up. Send in the ball." *** So. You've turned the page. I guess this means...I don't know what this means. What made you do it? Curiosity? Well, you're wasting your time anyways. Nothing different will happen. You should just put this journal down, and leave it. Nothing interesting will happen. Whatever. If you turned the page, I guess you're expecting something to happen. I wake up. And I see white. Nothing different than every other day. Except there is something different. Once I wake up, I hear that robotic voice. "Please step towards the door." Confused, I walk towards the door. "Please wait." I wait. And wait. And wait. ...And wait. I sit down. After...a really long time, I guess (I already explained the time complications on the last page), the slot in the door opens. And a small blue ball with a singular yellow stripe rolls into the room. And with that ball comes a million questions in my mind, with the biggest question being, Why? I push the ball with my hoof. It rolls. It appears to just be a ball, and nothing more. "Why?" I ask. No response. I walk up to the button, and press it. "Please state your request." "Why?" "Request cannot be fulfilled." Frustration and anger start to rise within me. I press the button again, and ask, "Why?" "Request cannot be fulfilled." I stare at that button, trying to fight tears. They can see me; I know it. There has to be a camera in here somewhere. There has to be. They're trying to break me. I can feel it. And I won't let them do it...I don't want to be broken. But why do I feel like yelling? *** As Rainbow Dash readies herself at the starting line, determination settles in her face. She's going to win this race, she can feel it. She is the fastest pegasus in Cloudsdale. Oh, yes. You might like some context. The Wonderbolts are having a race. Soarin and Spitfire had challenged Rainbow Dash to a race after practice, so once all the training was over for the day, they would head out to race. Dash looks at her competitors, and smiles. "This race won't really be fair for you guys, I hope you know." "Whatever, Crash!" Soarin remarks, smiling. "Three, two, one... Go!" says Blaze, holding a stopwatch. Soarin and Spitfire both take off. Rainbow Dash decided to let them have a head start, since she's ten times faster than both of them. But before she can take off, she feels her flank glowing. She looks back, and notices her flank. "Uh, Blaze? Call--call off the race. I--I need to go," Rainbow Dash says. Blaze looks down, and sees Dash's flank, and nods her head. "Soarin! Spitfire!" Blaze says as Rainbow Dash takes off to Twilight's castle. When Dash gets there and enters the room with the map, she notices Twilight is there as well, and her Cutie Mark is also glowing. "Aw, yeah, baby! Where we going?" Dash asks, looking the map over. Twilight is also looking at the map. "That's just the thing, Dash. I don't know. The map isn't showing where we need to go. It's... weird." Rainbow Dash looks at the map, and is confused as well. Where does the map need them to go? *** "So what, Dr. Carewell? You're trying to break him? What's the purpose?" "The purpose is to see how long he can last before he breaks. Once he is broken, he will be disposed of, and we will move on to somepony else." "Excuse my language Doctor, but this seems kind of fucked up. Besides, what if somepony finds out what we're doing, or where we are?" "Please, nopony will know. I have ponies in places of power, that will make sure nopony ever discovers us." "Yes, but even then, there are still risks. What about Discord? If he finds out, he could just tell his friends, the Elements of Harmony. And you never know when he could be listening." "Please, I'm not stupid. I have spell barriers up around the entire facility preventing any chaos magic from getting through. Discord will not be a problem." "If you're sure..." *** I curl up in a ball in the corner and start rocking. Maybe if I keep rocking, the urge to yell will go down. But there's still the urge to cry, and that one is harder to contain. I close my eyes and bite my trembling lip as a tear starts to slide down my cheek and muzzle. Then I take a deep breath. This is what they want, whoever they are. I can't let them break me. I can't. I take another deep breath, and I get up. I walk over to my bed, and curl up. Tomorrow is another day. Tomorrow is another day. With that thought, I go to sleep. Another dreamless sleep. I still have no hope of getting out if this place, but the least I can do is try to hold out for as long as I can. And hey, maybe... just maybe... there could be some hope of me getting out. I mean, I have a ball now. I don't know what the ball's purpose is, but it's different. If something so small can change, maybe something larger can change, as well. Well, if you made it this far, then I guess there's something to my story that seems interesting to you. I don't know why. As I said last time, I don't know you, and you don't know me. What is it about us, that makes us read stories about strangers, ponies we don't know? Ponies we may never see in real life? It's strange. Oh, well. Tomorrow is another day. Author's Note The line "Tomorrow is another day" was somewhat inspired by Five Nights at Freddy's 4. Anyways, wow. You read the 2nd chapter. Wait, you read the second chapter to a story I wrote? Wow. I wonder what this means. Well, Chapter 3 is... probably on the way, if this continues to get mostly positive reviews. (Four likes against two dislikes. And a couple of favorites in there, damn. Not what I was expecting at all. Thanks, I guess. And thanks to those who continue to read this chapter, and like this as well.) Chapter 3"So, just what is the ball's purpose, Dr. Carewell? I...don't think you ever told me." "The ball's purpose is to confuse him. Which it seems to be doing just that." "If you say so..." *** I sit there, staring at the toilet. I wonder if I could drown myself, I think in my head. Then I shake myself, thinking, Where did THAT come from? Not that I haven't felt suicidal yet, but it's just that this was the closest I've come to actually thinking about doing it. A shudder goes down my spine. I get up, stretching my legs (I had been sitting there for a while), and return to my bed, and go back to sleep, with that one thought in my head: Tomorrow is another day. *** "This is...rather strange," Celestia says to Twilight. The Mane Six had shown up in Canterlot recently and told the princesses about the problems with the map. "Do you think Discord might be behind it?" Twilight asks. "I mean, it was him last time the map had a fake summoning..." "That's just the thing," Rainbow says, "I don't think it is fake. When Discord tricked us, the glow on our Cutie Marks was off, and this looks pretty normal to me. Besides, they aren't glowing"--Dash gestures towards the rest of the girls--"and I don't see why Discord would only do that to two of us." "Maybe--hear me out--maybe the map is broken! Maybe, we can only use the map X amount of times, and then it breaks! It can still summon us, but it can't tell us where! Or, what if it's not broken, and it's trying to summon you to a place that can't be seen on the map, because there's a magical spell around it preventing the usage of the map, and it doesn't show up on any map?" Pinkie says, really fast, her voice gaining in pitch with each word. "Pinkie, calm down! I don't think that can even--" Twilight is cut off by her own thoughts. "I think I just remembered something." And with that, Twilight runs off, back to the library in her castle, leaving the rest in confusion. "Here we go again," says Dash, exasperated. She flies out after Twilight. "The rest of you should go, to! My sister and I will try to find out what we can here. Go, now!" says Celestia. On that note, the rest of the Mane Six leave. *** "He has lasted about a month and a half by this point. He currently shows no signs of breaking, though there have been a few different moments. I think maybe we should mix it up again." "How will we mix it up, sir?" "I'll think on it. For now, it's time to go home for the day. It looks like he's going to sleep again. Pour in the gas." "I already did, Dr. Carewell." "Good. Let us leave, Shadow Light." ... ... They never thought to double check. *** I curl up to go to sleep, expecting another dreamless sleep. What I don't expect is to see my room... covered in blood. My eyes go wide, and my heart beats fast as I see the blood drip over the walls, pouring in through cracks in the ceiling. What's happening? I think, scared. I haven't had a dream before, so this must be real, right? The blood starts to pool on the floor, and rise up, up, up, and a thought comes to me: I can't swim. A terrified whinny escapes through my mouth, and I jump on my bed. But it's not long before the blood finds it's way onto the bed. Scared, I cower, letting the blood wash over my fur, drenching my fur. I expect it to swallow me... ...But it doesn't. A powerful beam blasts at the blood, causing parts of it to disappear. More beams fire, until all the blood is gone. Then an Alicorn arrives, an Alicorn that I have only read about in books. Princess Luna steps forward, and touches her horn to mine, and closes her eyes, casting a spell that cleans all the blood that had drenched into my fur. I close my eyes as the spell washes over me, then I open my eyes and look her in the eyes, confused and in awe. She is...beautiful. "Is...is this real?" I ask. "I'm afraid not. You are dreaming. I wouldn't have shown up if...I hadn't seen your dreams in my vision for a while, Cage." My heart stops. "You know my name?" Luna smiles. "Of course I do. I know the names of every mare and stallion in Equestria. You're dreams stopped appearing in my visions for the last month and a half, and I have been very... confused as to why. Where are you in the waking world, if I may ask? And what could have prompted this nightmare?" "I...I don't know where I am, Luna. I...this white room...no other ponies...alone..." I start cowering at this. Luna then looks around the room, and realizes that she does not recognize it as any place she's aware of in Equestria. "Do you at least know why your dreams haven't been working?" "Th-they have this gas... they must have forgotten to use it tonight..." "Gas?" Luna asks. "I don't know...it's all so confusing... Not to mention that you are the only pony I've spoken to for the last...how long did you say? Month and a half? It's really been so short of time?" Luna's eyes go wide. "Cage, you are waking up. Don't tell anypony what you have dreamed of. Act normal. I will get help." "Luna?" "I will get help. Be calm, don't give up. Understand me?" "Yes, Luna...but..." And then I wake up. And I hear a very angry male voice speak through the intercom that usually has the robotic voice. "What did you dream about?" *** Luna runs to her sister to wake her. "Celestia! Celestia, wake up!" Celestia snorts, and turns to her sister. "Luna? What's going on?" "Sister, what do you know of a dream-stopping gas?" Author's Note Yes, I have added the royal Sisters to this. And they may not be the only surprise characters in this story. (Well, I guess they aren't a surprise since I added Luna to the main characters, but...) Chapter four may come soon! (Five likes? Seriously? Not expected. Then again there are still three dislikes, but...can't appease everypony. Plus, the good outweighs the bad.) For anypony curious about timeline placement, it's in between Seasons 8 and 9. Chapter 4"You have no idea how angry you have just made me, Shadow Light." "It was a mistake. I thought I had turned it on." "Well, you DIDN'T." ... "You don't need to snap at me, Doctor." "I'm sorry." "You don't sound sorry." "Wake him." ... "I said, WAKE HIM!" "Yes, Doctor." I stand there, staring at the intercom. That's not a robot, I think. But that certainly isn't a friend, either. "Perhaps I need to repeat the question. What did you dream about last night?" the voice says after a moment of silence, and much calmer this time. I clear my throat and answer with, "Uh... nothing. But... I have a question?" "That wasn't very convincing, Mr. Black. But whatever. I will answer your question. Ask, before I change my mind." "Wh-what's your name?" The mysterious voice laughs in response. "Yeah, right! Like I'm going to tell you my name! What a laugh. Look, I'm no idiot. And I will ask again, what did you dream about last night?" "I told you, I didn't dream last night!" I say, frustrated. "And I told you, I'm not an idiot. You haven't dreamed about anything for the last month and a half, due to the gas we've been pumping into your room, and the only reason I add this bit of information is because I know you're not stupid, either. You have definitely noticed the gas by now. Look, if you don't tell me what you dreamed about last night, I swear, you will not like the consequences." My eyes go wide and my pupils shrink, and I try to think of something to do, something to say. "I...I..." Then, I make a decision. My face set with determination, I muster any courage I have inside, and once again, I say, "I did not dream." "Fine. Have it your way," the stallion says, then I hear a click. Nervous, my eyes hover over the intercom speaker, then they move to the door and back again. The hair on the back of my neck starts to tingle, and chills go over me like sheets of ice. I take a step back. Something's about to happen; I can feel it. Then I hear multiple noises on the door, as if something's being moved, and locks are being snapped into and out of place. It sounds like an extremely complex system. Then the last thing I expect happens: The door opens. And standing in the doorway is a stallion, probably the stallion, the one that was speaking through the intercom earlier. A unicorn, no less. He has a light yellow fur, so light it's almost white, with a mane and tail that's a rich shade of brown; like milk chocolate. He wears a pair of square glasses, and his eyes... They're the same as mine, I think in horror. I take another step back. Then I notice the cutie mark. It's a syringe filled with a clear liquid like water, but it looks like a light blue. And there is a couple of squirts coming out of it. He is also wearing a lab jacket. The stallion steps into the room, still blocking the doorway, and he is holding something with his levitation (so other unicorns CAN do that, I think) magic: a syringe, filled with a black liquid. "Alright, Cage. Last chance. Tell me what you dreamed about last night, or this syringe is going into your neck, and you most likely won't like the consequences." My eyes hover over the syringe, considering my options. On the one hoof, I really shouldn't tell him about my encounter with Princess Luna. On the other hoof, I don't know what the fuck is in that syringe. On the third hoof, that syringe could kill me, and part of me does want that. But I want to live more, not to mention that then whatever Luna's planning would go to waste. But on the last hoof, if I tell him, that would sabotage Luna's mission. I don't know how powerful this guy is. More powerful than an Alicorn princess that can control the fucking moon? Probably not. But I don't want to take any chances. Both options have good and bad outcomes. And the bad outcome in one seems intensely worse than the other when analyzing them. "Well, Mr. Black?" asks the stallion. I gulp. "I'm not saying shit." "Alright, then." I watch as the syringe moves back as he prepares to launch it into my neck. Then I remember that I can burn him. I...I feel stupid. Whatever. I send a blast of green fire at him from my horn. This catches him off guard, as his eyes widen and pupils shrink, and the flame hits him in the cheek and disappears, singing his fur and leaving a black burn mark. "You son of a bitch!" he says, and while he's distracted, I run for the door. I escape the room, and what I see is a split hallway: A path going forward, and one to my left. I see a conveyor belt that has been unchained from the floor and moved aside. I look between the hallways. Both seem to stretch on forever, and there are no doors that I can see. I stare between the two hallways, panicked, trying to decide which way I should go. I apparently was considering for too long, and it doesn't matter that my hope was being demolished the longer I stood there. Not to mention that the hallways are all white, as well. And concrete. Concrete and steel. And in that moment there, I stop panicking. My heartbeat is still fast, but my breathing steadies, and my whole body goes numb. I don't even feel it when the syringe plunges into the side of neck, nor when the plunger goes down and I lose consciousness. Twilight frantically runs back and forth across her castle's library, combing through the books, trying to find the spell. Rainbow Dash stands in the doorway, watching the Alicorn losing her mind. "Uh, Twilight? What... what exactly are you looking for?" Dash asks nervously. "Remember when Pinkie said that there could be a spell blocking the place we need to go to from appearing on the map? Well, I think I remember coming across a spell that does just that!" Twilight says. "So you're trying to find a spell that keeps places from appearing on maps?" Dash asks. "Yes, but I can't seem to find it anywhere!" The bags under Twilight's eyes are darker than they've been in a while, and her mane is starting to look messy from her running her hooves through it. "Uh, Twilight?" comes Spike's voice from somewhere on her right. Twilight snaps her head in Spike's direction, her eyes holding a psychotic look. "What?" Twilight snaps. Spike flinches, then calmly points to a book on the shelf in front of him. "I was just going to say that I think I found the book you were looking for." Twilight blinks. Then she blushes, embarrassed. "Sorry, Spike." "Oh, it's fine, Twilight. You think I'm not used to this kind of thing coming from you by now?" Spike says, waving his hand. Twilight, smiling, takes the book from the shelf with her magic, and flies down to Rainbow Dash. "Alright, Dash. Let's look at this." Twilight flips the book open with her magic, the book floating in air. She skims through the pages, looking for something similar to what Pinkie theorized. And finally, she finds it. A spell that once casted, will block a place's appearance from all maps, and will only be visible within a mile radius of the place in question. "Is there a counter-spell?" Dash asks once Twilight explains the spell to her. "I'm not sure," Twilight answers. "There doesn't appear to be one... But this is interesting. In order to cast the spell, you'd have to be a master level unicorn. Which means we might be dealing with another Starlight!" Dash's eyes widen in surprise and slight fear. "What?" Just when Twilight doesn't think things can get any worse, Spike burps up a letter from Princess Luna. Twilight reads the letter, then shows it to Dash. Luna had written Twilight a letter, explaining a gas that stops dreams... And she also mentions me. Speaking of which... I slowly wake, and the first thing I notice is white. And the next thing I notice is that I have no memories, except for my name.
Chapter 1"Is the test subject ready?" "Wake him." *** I open my eyes. White. It's the same every time. I open my eyes, and see white. I groan as I stretch my legs and get off my bed, my hooves touching the cold floor. Everything is white. The floor, the walls, the bed, the light, the toilet/sink hybrid. The door. That door. It never opens. Well, kind of. There's a slot in the door that gets opened at least three times a day: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It's the same every time. The same, boring slop. Sometimes, I wish that the door would open, so I can see something... something other than white. Well, I guess I lucked out in one area: There's one thing that isn't white: Me. I have dark gray fur and horn, a black mane and tail, and piercing shade of Kelly green eyes. And then there's my Cutie Mark. A white skull with green in it's eyes sitting in a black flame. It signifies my dark personality and my specialty in fire magic, and all my fire is green. Like, I am not kidding. I am talented. I could out-magic any unicorn with my fire magic--well, unless it was any area other than fire. I mean, I can levitate stuff with my horn, but...so can every unicorn. Or, at least that's what the books tell me. I haven't seen any other pony in my life. At least, not in my memory. My earliest memory was this Celestia forsaken white room. You might be wondering, if you're reading this, how I might be able to get food, and books without seeing any other ponies. Simple, really: the slot in the door opens down, making a platform. The trays of food slide in at meal times. When I am done eating, I place the tray back on the platform, which acts as a conveyor belt. The first day I remember waking up, I found a book sitting on a desk by my bed. I picked it up and started reading. When I was done reading it about a month later, I set it aside, and looked around. There was a button on the wall by the door. So I went over and pressed it, and I heard a female voice come through in a slightly off sound: "Please state your request." It was strange. If I had to put a word to it, I guess I would say it sounded robotic. I hadn't spoken a word at all up to that point, yet I understood English (I mean, I had just finished reading a book). I cleared my throat and asked for a new book. My voice came out rough and raspy from lack of use. Then the robotic voice spoke again: "Please place the book on the tray." The slot that usually held my food opened, and I place the book on it. The book slid through like a conveyor belt, and a new book slid in. That's the pattern I've been in for the last few... I don't know how long I've been here. There's no calendar, or clock. It's like whoever designed this place designed it in a way that would make it confusing for anypony (me in this case) to know what day it is. There's not even any windows. The days bleed together. It gets to the point that for all I know, I'm eating my lunch at midnight. There are days where I wish I wouldn't wake. I mean, would it kill these ponies to, I don't know, get some action in here? Or some company? I don't even know why I'm here, or what this place is. One time, I used the button to try to ask to talk to someone. Here's the response that I got: "Request cannot be fulfilled." What is that supposed to mean?! So yeah, I never tried that again. I still don't know why I'm here. And with nopony to talk to, I obviously get lonely. Part of me wants to try and end it, but there's nothing I can use. However, I did manage to get a journal, which is the journal I am currently writing in. I can't even dream. Every night, when I'm asleep, they fill the room with this strange, non-lethal gas through the air vents that I can never seem to find that cause me to have dreamless sleep. I don't know why they do this, but from what my books are telling me, one of the princesses of Equestria is named Luna, and she has the power to travel through dreams and talk to ponies in their sleep. I'm guessing that if I have no dreams, she can't see them, and therefore can't talk to me. But at this point, I don't know. For all I know, those are just books, and there are no Alicorn princesses. Besides, if they were real, then why for the love of Celestia would they not be aware of whatever is going on here? I've lost hope in finding answers. Now, I spend my days either asleep or reading, and that's it. When I wake up, and I see white, I wait. If I'm awake, that means it's time for food. And sure enough, as I think this, the food tray slides in. I levitate it with my horn. As usual, on the white tray sits a white bowl full of bland, gray oatmeal, with a white, plastic spoon. I eat my food, and place the tray with the bowl and spoon on the conveyor belt, and watch it slide out and the slot close for the millionth time now. I sigh, and crawl back into my ungodly uncomfortable bed and pull up my extremely itchy blanket, and go to sleep. After reading all of this, you might be invested in this story. And if you are, then good for you. Join me on this descent into madness. But there might be a question itching the back of your mind: "What is this guy's name?" Ha. Well, if you want to know my name, then oh boy, I feel bad for you. Why should you care? You don't know me, and I don't know you. Why would you even care about me? My name doesn't matter to you. But if you must know, my name is Cage Black. Author's Note Hi! This... this is awkward. You actually read the whole chapter. Or you scrolled down to read this. Well, this is my first story. In my blogs, I have been talking about this thing called the C.E.M. (Cage Extended Multiverse). This story is indeed in that Multiverse, but will most likely never be seen. This is just--as the title suggests--a test. A test to see if people will be invested in my stories. If this gets positive reviews, there may be a Chapter 2 on the way.
Chapter 2"I still don't understand what the purpose of these experiments are, Dr. Carewell." "All will be revealed soon, Shadow. Soon." "Well, we've been doing this for about a month now. And there's been no progress. What are we even doing here?" "As I said, soon. I think it's time to change things up. Send in the ball." *** So. You've turned the page. I guess this means...I don't know what this means. What made you do it? Curiosity? Well, you're wasting your time anyways. Nothing different will happen. You should just put this journal down, and leave it. Nothing interesting will happen. Whatever. If you turned the page, I guess you're expecting something to happen. I wake up. And I see white. Nothing different than every other day. Except there is something different. Once I wake up, I hear that robotic voice. "Please step towards the door." Confused, I walk towards the door. "Please wait." I wait. And wait. And wait. ...And wait. I sit down. After...a really long time, I guess (I already explained the time complications on the last page), the slot in the door opens. And a small blue ball with a singular yellow stripe rolls into the room. And with that ball comes a million questions in my mind, with the biggest question being, Why? I push the ball with my hoof. It rolls. It appears to just be a ball, and nothing more. "Why?" I ask. No response. I walk up to the button, and press it. "Please state your request." "Why?" "Request cannot be fulfilled." Frustration and anger start to rise within me. I press the button again, and ask, "Why?" "Request cannot be fulfilled." I stare at that button, trying to fight tears. They can see me; I know it. There has to be a camera in here somewhere. There has to be. They're trying to break me. I can feel it. And I won't let them do it...I don't want to be broken. But why do I feel like yelling? *** As Rainbow Dash readies herself at the starting line, determination settles in her face. She's going to win this race, she can feel it. She is the fastest pegasus in Cloudsdale. Oh, yes. You might like some context. The Wonderbolts are having a race. Soarin and Spitfire had challenged Rainbow Dash to a race after practice, so once all the training was over for the day, they would head out to race. Dash looks at her competitors, and smiles. "This race won't really be fair for you guys, I hope you know." "Whatever, Crash!" Soarin remarks, smiling. "Three, two, one... Go!" says Blaze, holding a stopwatch. Soarin and Spitfire both take off. Rainbow Dash decided to let them have a head start, since she's ten times faster than both of them. But before she can take off, she feels her flank glowing. She looks back, and notices her flank. "Uh, Blaze? Call--call off the race. I--I need to go," Rainbow Dash says. Blaze looks down, and sees Dash's flank, and nods her head. "Soarin! Spitfire!" Blaze says as Rainbow Dash takes off to Twilight's castle. When Dash gets there and enters the room with the map, she notices Twilight is there as well, and her Cutie Mark is also glowing. "Aw, yeah, baby! Where we going?" Dash asks, looking the map over. Twilight is also looking at the map. "That's just the thing, Dash. I don't know. The map isn't showing where we need to go. It's... weird." Rainbow Dash looks at the map, and is confused as well. Where does the map need them to go? *** "So what, Dr. Carewell? You're trying to break him? What's the purpose?" "The purpose is to see how long he can last before he breaks. Once he is broken, he will be disposed of, and we will move on to somepony else." "Excuse my language Doctor, but this seems kind of fucked up. Besides, what if somepony finds out what we're doing, or where we are?" "Please, nopony will know. I have ponies in places of power, that will make sure nopony ever discovers us." "Yes, but even then, there are still risks. What about Discord? If he finds out, he could just tell his friends, the Elements of Harmony. And you never know when he could be listening." "Please, I'm not stupid. I have spell barriers up around the entire facility preventing any chaos magic from getting through. Discord will not be a problem." "If you're sure..." *** I curl up in a ball in the corner and start rocking. Maybe if I keep rocking, the urge to yell will go down. But there's still the urge to cry, and that one is harder to contain. I close my eyes and bite my trembling lip as a tear starts to slide down my cheek and muzzle. Then I take a deep breath. This is what they want, whoever they are. I can't let them break me. I can't. I take another deep breath, and I get up. I walk over to my bed, and curl up. Tomorrow is another day. Tomorrow is another day. With that thought, I go to sleep. Another dreamless sleep. I still have no hope of getting out if this place, but the least I can do is try to hold out for as long as I can. And hey, maybe... just maybe... there could be some hope of me getting out. I mean, I have a ball now. I don't know what the ball's purpose is, but it's different. If something so small can change, maybe something larger can change, as well. Well, if you made it this far, then I guess there's something to my story that seems interesting to you. I don't know why. As I said last time, I don't know you, and you don't know me. What is it about us, that makes us read stories about strangers, ponies we don't know? Ponies we may never see in real life? It's strange. Oh, well. Tomorrow is another day. Author's Note The line "Tomorrow is another day" was somewhat inspired by Five Nights at Freddy's 4. Anyways, wow. You read the 2nd chapter. Wait, you read the second chapter to a story I wrote? Wow. I wonder what this means. Well, Chapter 3 is... probably on the way, if this continues to get mostly positive reviews. (Four likes against two dislikes. And a couple of favorites in there, damn. Not what I was expecting at all. Thanks, I guess. And thanks to those who continue to read this chapter, and like this as well.)
Chapter 3"So, just what is the ball's purpose, Dr. Carewell? I...don't think you ever told me." "The ball's purpose is to confuse him. Which it seems to be doing just that." "If you say so..." *** I sit there, staring at the toilet. I wonder if I could drown myself, I think in my head. Then I shake myself, thinking, Where did THAT come from? Not that I haven't felt suicidal yet, but it's just that this was the closest I've come to actually thinking about doing it. A shudder goes down my spine. I get up, stretching my legs (I had been sitting there for a while), and return to my bed, and go back to sleep, with that one thought in my head: Tomorrow is another day. *** "This is...rather strange," Celestia says to Twilight. The Mane Six had shown up in Canterlot recently and told the princesses about the problems with the map. "Do you think Discord might be behind it?" Twilight asks. "I mean, it was him last time the map had a fake summoning..." "That's just the thing," Rainbow says, "I don't think it is fake. When Discord tricked us, the glow on our Cutie Marks was off, and this looks pretty normal to me. Besides, they aren't glowing"--Dash gestures towards the rest of the girls--"and I don't see why Discord would only do that to two of us." "Maybe--hear me out--maybe the map is broken! Maybe, we can only use the map X amount of times, and then it breaks! It can still summon us, but it can't tell us where! Or, what if it's not broken, and it's trying to summon you to a place that can't be seen on the map, because there's a magical spell around it preventing the usage of the map, and it doesn't show up on any map?" Pinkie says, really fast, her voice gaining in pitch with each word. "Pinkie, calm down! I don't think that can even--" Twilight is cut off by her own thoughts. "I think I just remembered something." And with that, Twilight runs off, back to the library in her castle, leaving the rest in confusion. "Here we go again," says Dash, exasperated. She flies out after Twilight. "The rest of you should go, to! My sister and I will try to find out what we can here. Go, now!" says Celestia. On that note, the rest of the Mane Six leave. *** "He has lasted about a month and a half by this point. He currently shows no signs of breaking, though there have been a few different moments. I think maybe we should mix it up again." "How will we mix it up, sir?" "I'll think on it. For now, it's time to go home for the day. It looks like he's going to sleep again. Pour in the gas." "I already did, Dr. Carewell." "Good. Let us leave, Shadow Light." ... ... They never thought to double check. *** I curl up to go to sleep, expecting another dreamless sleep. What I don't expect is to see my room... covered in blood. My eyes go wide, and my heart beats fast as I see the blood drip over the walls, pouring in through cracks in the ceiling. What's happening? I think, scared. I haven't had a dream before, so this must be real, right? The blood starts to pool on the floor, and rise up, up, up, and a thought comes to me: I can't swim. A terrified whinny escapes through my mouth, and I jump on my bed. But it's not long before the blood finds it's way onto the bed. Scared, I cower, letting the blood wash over my fur, drenching my fur. I expect it to swallow me... ...But it doesn't. A powerful beam blasts at the blood, causing parts of it to disappear. More beams fire, until all the blood is gone. Then an Alicorn arrives, an Alicorn that I have only read about in books. Princess Luna steps forward, and touches her horn to mine, and closes her eyes, casting a spell that cleans all the blood that had drenched into my fur. I close my eyes as the spell washes over me, then I open my eyes and look her in the eyes, confused and in awe. She is...beautiful. "Is...is this real?" I ask. "I'm afraid not. You are dreaming. I wouldn't have shown up if...I hadn't seen your dreams in my vision for a while, Cage." My heart stops. "You know my name?" Luna smiles. "Of course I do. I know the names of every mare and stallion in Equestria. You're dreams stopped appearing in my visions for the last month and a half, and I have been very... confused as to why. Where are you in the waking world, if I may ask? And what could have prompted this nightmare?" "I...I don't know where I am, Luna. I...this white room...no other ponies...alone..." I start cowering at this. Luna then looks around the room, and realizes that she does not recognize it as any place she's aware of in Equestria. "Do you at least know why your dreams haven't been working?" "Th-they have this gas... they must have forgotten to use it tonight..." "Gas?" Luna asks. "I don't know...it's all so confusing... Not to mention that you are the only pony I've spoken to for the last...how long did you say? Month and a half? It's really been so short of time?" Luna's eyes go wide. "Cage, you are waking up. Don't tell anypony what you have dreamed of. Act normal. I will get help." "Luna?" "I will get help. Be calm, don't give up. Understand me?" "Yes, Luna...but..." And then I wake up. And I hear a very angry male voice speak through the intercom that usually has the robotic voice. "What did you dream about?" *** Luna runs to her sister to wake her. "Celestia! Celestia, wake up!" Celestia snorts, and turns to her sister. "Luna? What's going on?" "Sister, what do you know of a dream-stopping gas?" Author's Note Yes, I have added the royal Sisters to this. And they may not be the only surprise characters in this story. (Well, I guess they aren't a surprise since I added Luna to the main characters, but...) Chapter four may come soon! (Five likes? Seriously? Not expected. Then again there are still three dislikes, but...can't appease everypony. Plus, the good outweighs the bad.) For anypony curious about timeline placement, it's in between Seasons 8 and 9.
Chapter 4"You have no idea how angry you have just made me, Shadow Light." "It was a mistake. I thought I had turned it on." "Well, you DIDN'T." ... "You don't need to snap at me, Doctor." "I'm sorry." "You don't sound sorry." "Wake him." ... "I said, WAKE HIM!" "Yes, Doctor." I stand there, staring at the intercom. That's not a robot, I think. But that certainly isn't a friend, either. "Perhaps I need to repeat the question. What did you dream about last night?" the voice says after a moment of silence, and much calmer this time. I clear my throat and answer with, "Uh... nothing. But... I have a question?" "That wasn't very convincing, Mr. Black. But whatever. I will answer your question. Ask, before I change my mind." "Wh-what's your name?" The mysterious voice laughs in response. "Yeah, right! Like I'm going to tell you my name! What a laugh. Look, I'm no idiot. And I will ask again, what did you dream about last night?" "I told you, I didn't dream last night!" I say, frustrated. "And I told you, I'm not an idiot. You haven't dreamed about anything for the last month and a half, due to the gas we've been pumping into your room, and the only reason I add this bit of information is because I know you're not stupid, either. You have definitely noticed the gas by now. Look, if you don't tell me what you dreamed about last night, I swear, you will not like the consequences." My eyes go wide and my pupils shrink, and I try to think of something to do, something to say. "I...I..." Then, I make a decision. My face set with determination, I muster any courage I have inside, and once again, I say, "I did not dream." "Fine. Have it your way," the stallion says, then I hear a click. Nervous, my eyes hover over the intercom speaker, then they move to the door and back again. The hair on the back of my neck starts to tingle, and chills go over me like sheets of ice. I take a step back. Something's about to happen; I can feel it. Then I hear multiple noises on the door, as if something's being moved, and locks are being snapped into and out of place. It sounds like an extremely complex system. Then the last thing I expect happens: The door opens. And standing in the doorway is a stallion, probably the stallion, the one that was speaking through the intercom earlier. A unicorn, no less. He has a light yellow fur, so light it's almost white, with a mane and tail that's a rich shade of brown; like milk chocolate. He wears a pair of square glasses, and his eyes... They're the same as mine, I think in horror. I take another step back. Then I notice the cutie mark. It's a syringe filled with a clear liquid like water, but it looks like a light blue. And there is a couple of squirts coming out of it. He is also wearing a lab jacket. The stallion steps into the room, still blocking the doorway, and he is holding something with his levitation (so other unicorns CAN do that, I think) magic: a syringe, filled with a black liquid. "Alright, Cage. Last chance. Tell me what you dreamed about last night, or this syringe is going into your neck, and you most likely won't like the consequences." My eyes hover over the syringe, considering my options. On the one hoof, I really shouldn't tell him about my encounter with Princess Luna. On the other hoof, I don't know what the fuck is in that syringe. On the third hoof, that syringe could kill me, and part of me does want that. But I want to live more, not to mention that then whatever Luna's planning would go to waste. But on the last hoof, if I tell him, that would sabotage Luna's mission. I don't know how powerful this guy is. More powerful than an Alicorn princess that can control the fucking moon? Probably not. But I don't want to take any chances. Both options have good and bad outcomes. And the bad outcome in one seems intensely worse than the other when analyzing them. "Well, Mr. Black?" asks the stallion. I gulp. "I'm not saying shit." "Alright, then." I watch as the syringe moves back as he prepares to launch it into my neck. Then I remember that I can burn him. I...I feel stupid. Whatever. I send a blast of green fire at him from my horn. This catches him off guard, as his eyes widen and pupils shrink, and the flame hits him in the cheek and disappears, singing his fur and leaving a black burn mark. "You son of a bitch!" he says, and while he's distracted, I run for the door. I escape the room, and what I see is a split hallway: A path going forward, and one to my left. I see a conveyor belt that has been unchained from the floor and moved aside. I look between the hallways. Both seem to stretch on forever, and there are no doors that I can see. I stare between the two hallways, panicked, trying to decide which way I should go. I apparently was considering for too long, and it doesn't matter that my hope was being demolished the longer I stood there. Not to mention that the hallways are all white, as well. And concrete. Concrete and steel. And in that moment there, I stop panicking. My heartbeat is still fast, but my breathing steadies, and my whole body goes numb. I don't even feel it when the syringe plunges into the side of neck, nor when the plunger goes down and I lose consciousness. Twilight frantically runs back and forth across her castle's library, combing through the books, trying to find the spell. Rainbow Dash stands in the doorway, watching the Alicorn losing her mind. "Uh, Twilight? What... what exactly are you looking for?" Dash asks nervously. "Remember when Pinkie said that there could be a spell blocking the place we need to go to from appearing on the map? Well, I think I remember coming across a spell that does just that!" Twilight says. "So you're trying to find a spell that keeps places from appearing on maps?" Dash asks. "Yes, but I can't seem to find it anywhere!" The bags under Twilight's eyes are darker than they've been in a while, and her mane is starting to look messy from her running her hooves through it. "Uh, Twilight?" comes Spike's voice from somewhere on her right. Twilight snaps her head in Spike's direction, her eyes holding a psychotic look. "What?" Twilight snaps. Spike flinches, then calmly points to a book on the shelf in front of him. "I was just going to say that I think I found the book you were looking for." Twilight blinks. Then she blushes, embarrassed. "Sorry, Spike." "Oh, it's fine, Twilight. You think I'm not used to this kind of thing coming from you by now?" Spike says, waving his hand. Twilight, smiling, takes the book from the shelf with her magic, and flies down to Rainbow Dash. "Alright, Dash. Let's look at this." Twilight flips the book open with her magic, the book floating in air. She skims through the pages, looking for something similar to what Pinkie theorized. And finally, she finds it. A spell that once casted, will block a place's appearance from all maps, and will only be visible within a mile radius of the place in question. "Is there a counter-spell?" Dash asks once Twilight explains the spell to her. "I'm not sure," Twilight answers. "There doesn't appear to be one... But this is interesting. In order to cast the spell, you'd have to be a master level unicorn. Which means we might be dealing with another Starlight!" Dash's eyes widen in surprise and slight fear. "What?" Just when Twilight doesn't think things can get any worse, Spike burps up a letter from Princess Luna. Twilight reads the letter, then shows it to Dash. Luna had written Twilight a letter, explaining a gas that stops dreams... And she also mentions me. Speaking of which... I slowly wake, and the first thing I notice is white. And the next thing I notice is that I have no memories, except for my name.
