C1 fell to the bottom of the elevator. A small room extended before him. He looked around and found a terminal; a pony skeleton laid against it.
The pony’s eternal rest was interrupted when C1 struck it with his front hoof, shattering the fragile skeleton and giving him access to its contents.
-“Welcome.”
-“Please insert your name or serial number.”
C1 placed his hoof into a hole in the machine, which emitted a few whirring noises before letting out a beep.
-“Accessing database…”
-“Welcome, C1.”
-“Accessing arsenal…”
-“Arsenal acquired.”
-“SparkleShot MK3 detected.”
-“Would you like to access upgrades?”
C1 selected yes.
-“Accessing…”
-“Would you like to exchange your SparkleShot MK3 for an Applebucker 5 rifle?”
C1 was surprised by this. The Applebucker would be much better than the SparkleShot, so the choice was obvious, he selected yes.
-“Loading…”
-“ERROR.”
-“Bank transfer complete. Please take your coins.”
The machine did not take his revolver. Instead, it ejected a handful of bits. C1 stood still, staring at the coins before picking them up and storing them in a compartment in his leg. He did not seem disappointed, though it was highly doubtful that a machine could even feel disappointment.
C1 began galloping toward the exit. Outside, a hallway awaited him. At the far end, a few Strays were fighting each other. They noticed C1 and began charging their horns with projectiles, but before any of them could fire, a… thing emerged from the side of the corridor.
It was clearly a machine, shaped like a stallion, bouncing forward. One of its hind legs had been replaced with a chainsaw, which sliced through the Strays before fleeing, locking the door behind itself to prevent being followed.
C1 gazed at the corpses. Their blood was now useless. He continued galloping toward the next room. A steel fence separated him from the adjacent area, where a few husks appeared. Then, from seemingly nowhere, the chainsaw machine reappeared in the other room, engaging in combat with the Filths and Strays.
C1 used his revolver to shoot the Strays that had trapped him. The doors opened, and at that moment, the chainsaw machine noticed C1’s presence. It approached the wall and stared at him intently.
“You’d better leave this place, machine.”
The voice was deep and resounding.
C1 let out a beep, leaving the other machine perplexed.
“Ah, a voiceless machine. Your creators never finished you. A terrible shame… but I’ll take care of you when I get the chance.”
The other machine ran off, unaware that thanks to their brief conversation, C1 had managed to scan it.
Machine model: Unknown
Assigning name…
Swordspony
Further research required.
C1 continued galloping, opening the next door and entering a large room filled with pony skeletons and tubes containing husks in stasis. As he approached the exit, it suddenly shut.
With a flash of light, another creature appeared. It looked like a bald pony head, with a stoic expression and no pupils. The creature began firing several energy spheres, striking C1, knocking him off balance and making him fall. His scanners began analyzing the entity.
Malicious Face
Class: Lesser Demon
Face-shaped formations made of infernal matter, possessing low intelligence and extreme aggression. Staring directly into their eyes can cause madness in beings of weak will.
Evaluation: Medium threat. Prioritize elimination.
The Malicious Face fired a laser beam at C1, who leaped to avoid the shot, then lunged forward with a strike, cracking the demon slightly but he needed more force.
C1 made a quick calculation and threw the coins he had obtained from the terminal. Then, he shot at them. The bullet ricocheted off the coins and struck the Malicious Face directly, piercing the stone and causing it to explode. The demon’s blood splattered onto C1, who used the extra energy to repair the damage he had sustained.
The machine pressed on, unwavering in its resolve.
Descending a flight of stairs, he reached an open elevator shaft, the cabin missing. C1 pressed a button, and a tremor shook the structure. The elevator plummeted, revealing a group of Filths screaming as it fell at full speed.
C1 peered into the hole, watching the cabin crash at the bottom.
He deployed his wings, mechanical appendages with a golden glow. They weren’t meant for true flight but rather to “fall with style.”
C1 jumped into the shaft, gripping the wall and sliding downward with his metallic hooves. With a calculated leap, he reached the door to the next floor, where a group of Strays awaited. They charged their horns, their decayed flesh sizzling from the energy’s heat as they howled in pain.
C1 slid across the floor, dodging the projectiles and shattering the front legs of one Stray. Then, he stood and fired at the other two. One took a headshot and collapsed, but the other withstood the bullet to its chest and shrieked in fury, charging another attack.
C1 leaped, positioning himself above the Stray, and fired, striking its horn mid-charge. The explosion of energy vaporized the husk.
C1 holstered his revolver and continued through the facility. The rooms were filled with skeletons, and a terminal was still on. C1 stopped to read the text.
-"Princess Twilight Sparkle"
-"Research on Tartarus Properties number 1"
-"Hello, I am Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship and current head of the Tartarus research."
-"A long time ago, we used Tartarus as a prison for the dangerous beings of Equestria, but recently we discovered that the area we were using was just a very superficial layer. We used machines to dig deeper and found an entrance, a chaotic and terrifying world, without rules and without justice, where the souls of evil ponies were tortured for eternity. At first, it was shocking, but then I saw that these souls generated an incredible amount of energy, enough for all of Equestria, no, for the whole world to live in harmony. The only thing that bothers me is the irregularity of this world... perhaps I could optimize the energy and prevent so much suffering if there was some kind of judge..."
The terminal ended there. C1 stared at the screen, scanning the data when one of the installation's speakers turned on, and the voice of the Swordspony emanated from it.
"If my scanners aren't damaged, your serial number is: C1."
C1 looked around and shot at the speaker. Another speaker turned on, and the machine spoke again.
"You are a prototype, an incomplete machine, but your parts are of high quality; acquiring them would be very beneficial."
C1 ignored the voice and kept walking, entering a room with several tubes in front of them. In one of the tubes, there was a deformed pony, one leg sticking out of its back, a small wing on its neck, and a horn on the extra leg.
Scanning...
Schism
Type: Greater Husk
Schisms are the result of two souls attempting to manifest in the same body, causing it to become an abomination of flesh, bones, and blood. Due to the two souls that make it up, it can be a very durable husk, but it is slow and clumsy because of the deformities and the constant conflict between the souls. Its attacks are released in large bursts of Tartarus energy at the same time. It has been discovered that what appeared to be a deformed skull on the shoulder is actually the schism's head. To eliminate it quickly, it is a good idea to target this part of the body.
Evaluation: Medium threat, avoid burst attacks.
C1 looked at the container where the schism was, and there was a piece of paper that read: "We believe the souls making up this schism are those of Mr. and Mrs. Cake, please inform Pinkie Pie."
Another speaker turned on, and the Swordspony's voice contacted C1 again.
"C1, I regret that I can't be there to eliminate you myself, but I calculate that it would be a waste of energy. Goodbye."
The tubes containing the schisms started to open. C1 shot at the head of one of the deformed ponies. The bullet hit, but it only caused the husk to stumble for a moment. The others charged an attack, raising their extra leg, and the horn summoned a wave of projectiles. C1 dodged the attack, then started charging their revolver shot, shooting the schism in the head, causing it to fall to the ground. The others tried to fire again, but C1 jumped, using the wall to propel themselves, landing on the back of the Cake’s schism, and using the extra leg as a weapon. The energy balls hit and shredded the other husk. Finally, C1 used his magic to grab the schism's skull and ripped it from its shoulder. The schism fell to the floor, bleeding heavily. C1 got off and dropped the skull on the floor. The Swordspony's voice came from the speaker again.
"Impressive, you're incredibly fast for a prototype."
C1 shot at the speaker before the Swordspony could continue. His horn stopped glowing when he holstered the revolver. The Swordspony would be a pain in the ass if C1 didn't eliminate it as soon as possible, but it seemed fast and strong, not a good combination.
If the Swordspony could use the speakers, that meant it had to be in the control room. Eliminating it would be a weight off his shoulders. C1 had downloaded the laboratory's blueprints in advance and knew where the control room was. Now, all that remained was to get there, with the danger of the Swordspony using the security systems to eliminate him.
The control room wasn't far, but some paths were blocked. C1 would have to crawl through the ventilation system. He searched the room he was in; it was covered in blood, but fortunately, the vent was visible behind a desk. C1 kicked the desk aside, climbing into the vent. It was quite tight, and he had to retract his wings to get in. As C1 crawled, he could hear the growls of some husks in the lab. C1's metal body made a lot of noise, and the husks quickly noticed. The next thing C1 saw were hellish energy blasts piercing through the fragile metal of the vent, causing it to collapse. The fall caused some damage but also crushed a couple of strays below. C1 crawled out of the vent, and his front leg was bitten by a filth. The blood C1 had stored stained the filth's teeth, and C1 had to use his other leg to strike it, crushing the filth's head. The blood helped repair the damaged leg, allowing C1 to stand. A schism and a couple of strays had survived the fall and were charging hellish energy attacks. C1 threw three bits into the air and shot them with the revolver. The bullets hit the coins, and they flew towards the husks, instantly killing the strays, but the schism resisted the coin but not the ensuing bullet strike and fell dead to the ground. C1 stood up and galloped toward the door, luckily it was open, and he entered. It was the control room. A beam of orange light passed through the center of the room, illuminating the area. The energy readings coming from the beam were extremely strong. C1 approached the control room consoles and saw, through a security camera, a closed door. The camera was labeled "Entrance to Tartarus."
C1 was about to press the button to open the door when he heard a crash behind him. Turning around, they saw the Swordspony. It was getting up, its chainsaw leg making a loud noise, and an attached shotgun in its front hoof.
"At last, we meet, C1."
The machine bowed its head before charging at C1, firing the shotgun. C1 dodged the attack by stepping aside and drew his revolver, firing twice. The Swordspony let out some pained groans before delivering a rear kick, scratching C1's paint with its chainsaw leg. C1 jumped towards the wall, propelled himself, and struck the Swordspony. The blow destabilized it, and C1 took the moment to place his rear hooves on the shotgun, throwing it to the ground. The Swordspony fell alongside C1. The first to recover was the Swordspony, which tried to kick C1, firing its chainsaw leg. C1 jumped before the chainsaw hit, the saw flew into the wall, bouncing and heading straight for the Swordspony's face. The machine screamed in pain as its circuits were destroyed, and the blood stored inside spilled across the floor. It took two full minutes for the saw to reach its central core, killing it once and for all. C1 approached the body and took the Swordspony's shotgun before updating his database.
Swordspony
Class: Greater Machine
Apparently made from parts of other machines, its original form is impossible to identify. The chainsaw attached to its rear leg is sharp and durable enough to tear through metal, and it can be fired, temporarily slowing it down. The saw can be deflected and used as a weapon.
Evaluation: High threat, chance of similar encounters: 85%.
C1 checked the Swordspony's shotgun. It was a standard flurrybuck shotgun. It could cause a lot of damage up close but would be less useful at a distance. C1 holstered the shotgun and headed to the console. There it was, the entrance to Tartarus, sealed by the ponies before abandoning the installation. C1 pressed the button to open it, and the entire installation began to shake as the cameras showed the door opening. C1 started heading toward the door, but a voice interrupted him.
"C1..."
C1 turned to see the Swordspony's body using its last traces of energy to speak.
"C1... Your body requires little fuel, yet you continue to go down, it doesn't make sense. Putting yourself at risk doesn't justify your goal. What are you looking for? What is your fuel?"
C1 stared at the Swordspony for a moment before raising the shotgun and firing, destroying its last bit of life.
C1 continued galloping toward the door, reaching the previously sealed area. It was empty, and there was a long drop in front of them. C1 spread his wings and jumped into the hole, falling quickly to the bottom.
C1 landed at the end of the tunnel, a metal bridge stretched out in front of him, with two faceless pony statues sitting and holding an energy sphere in their hooves, waiting for him at the end. C1 galloped towards the gates of Tartarus, encountering a simple inscription: "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."
C1 tried to push the door, but it wouldn't let him pass. A cold wind filled the area, and one of the statues began to tremble. The stone pony's hoof separated from the pedestal and descended to the ground. The energy sphere glowed intensely. It was slow, as it was carrying the energy ball with one of its hooves, but its size was intimidating.
C1 scanned the living statue before it struck the ground with the energy sphere, launching C1 towards the bridge.
Cerberus
Class: Lesser Demon
Unlike the Can-Cerberus guarding the entrance to crystal Tartarus (a colloquial name for the structure used as a prison), the Cerberus is a statue resembling an earth pony, made entirely of infernal mass. They can be found throughout Tartarus, and it is unknown why some of them move while others remain static. They hold an infernal energy sphere in their hooves and will not let go of it, despite the energy expenditure it requires, possibly to intimidate other lower demons and abominations.
Evaluation: Severe threat, can take advantage of its slowness.
C1 looked at the Cerberus and saw it lift the energy sphere, throwing it at C1. The machine jumped, and the explosion sent him flying even higher. As he fell, the Cerberus leapt on top of him. C1 slid across the floor and shot at it with the shotgun. The bullets slammed against the rocky body and caused little damage. C1 slipped between the Cerberus’s legs and shot it again, but the damage was minimal. That’s when C1 noticed a button on the shotgun. He pressed it, and a beeping sound followed. An energy sphere shot out of the shotgun’s barrel and exploded on the Cerberus, cracking its body.
C1 landed as the shotgun cooled down and felt a tremor. Turning around, he saw the other statue also stand up, stepping down from its base and kicking C1. The machine rolled on the floor but regained balance. Now, he had two demons in front of him, both preparing to attack. C1 galloped toward the weakened Cerberus, firing. At the same time, as he got closer with his hoof extended, the shot pierced the stone, and the metallic hoof's strike shattered Cerberus’s head. The demon’s body began to crack and break apart.
The other Cerberus looked at the corpse of its counterpart and then at C1. A growl emerged from within the demon, and it charged at him with more force and speed. C1 narrowly avoided the enraged Cerberus’s attacks, firing his revolver while the shotgun was reloading. The Cerberus kept closing in, trying to step on the metal pest, but its body was slowly cracking and falling apart. Finally, the Cerberus tried to land a final blow, but its body began to break before it could strike. C1 had dealt enough hits. The Cerberus looked at its crumbling body as it fell apart, casting an empty stare at C1 before collapsing to the ground, the stone scattering across the bridge.
C1 holstered his guns galloping toward the door. He pushed it, and it began to slowly open. C1 had just entered Tartarus, and from here on out, things would only get more difficult.
C1 passed through the doors, his eye blinded by a white light. When his lenses finally adjusted, he saw an idyllic scene: a small stream flowed down a hill, the sky was clear and spotless. The doors stood behind him but shut the moment he stepped onto the grass… the grass. Something felt off. C1 crouched and scanned it. The analysis revealed something strange, the grass was plastic, without a single flower or insect in sight.
Standing up, C1 approached the river, the water was salty, there were no fish, no algae of any kind. Birds were singing, but something was wrong with their chirping it was repetitive, robotic. C1 circled a tree and found a speaker playing the bird sounds, the trunk itself was made of cement, its leaves of rubber.
Walking across the fake grass, C1 saw a town in the distance. It looked like Ponyville, he galloped towards it and arrived quickly. There wasn’t a single pony in sight, and the only sound was the artificial birdsong from the hidden speakers. C1 approached Sugarcube Corner and opened the door showing there was no interior, the entire building was just a wooden and cardboard facade, made to give a false sense of familiarity to an oppressive and lifeless environment.
C1 stepped away from Sugarcube Corner when he heard a beep, then another, and another. He turned and saw nothing, suddenly, energy shots struck him from behind, dealing light damage to his casing. Four flying machines hovered behind him, moving erratically, emitting high-pitched beeps. They had small insect-like wings and a purple plastic shell, firing small energy projectiles. C1 shot the leading drone, which began to smoke and then lunged at him, exploding on impact. He examined the remains while taking cover from the others’ fire.
Dronesprite
Class: Lesser Machine
Dronesprites were originally designed as security robots. When they were marketed for colts and fillies, their design was altered as the original was too artificial and intimidating. Manufacturers decided to model them after the adorable insect, the Parasprite. The redesign was so successful that it became the standard, used in all currently existing units. Their speed makes them relentless enemies, but their purple plastic casing leaves them vulnerable to damage. Initially, they carried non-lethal ammunition, but after the disappearance of ponies, they were modified for greater efficiency in blood collection. In some cases, when severely damaged, they will throw themselves at their target, activating self-destruction in a desperate attempt to eliminate the threat.
Evaluation: Low threat. Their explosions can be used as an advantage.
The dronesprites appeared over C1’s cover, firing in unison. C1 galloped out of the line of fire and shot at them. One took a direct hit and crashed to the ground. The other two emitted warning beeps and dived at C1, detonating on impact.
C1’s systems went haywire. Severe damage across the body, wings destroyed, legs immobilized.
C1’s eye stopped glowing.
Initiating hibernation. Awaiting assistance.
Status Analysis
Legs: 90%
Wings: 85%
Video: 100%
Audio: 95%
Magic: 70%
Fuel: 19%
Evaluation: Obtain blood. Estimated time before shutdown… 3 hours.
C1 got to his hooves. He had been lying on a wooden table inside a house. The windows were boarded up, a sword rested against a table, and his weapons were placed beside him. C1 retrieved them, leaving the sword behind, such a primitive weapon would be useless.
His audio sensors picked up a humming sound coming from upstairs. C1 drew his shotgun and began ascending the stairs, stepping as lightly as possible. He peeked through a gap.
A mint-green pony was sitting at a desk, writing somethin. C1’s scanners did not detect her as a machine or a demon. However, his database did pull up an entry from the Ponyville resident records:
Lyra Heartstrings
Species: Unicorn
Occupation: Various part-time jobs
Status: Deceased
Cutie Mark: A golden lyre, for melodies that touch the hearts of those who hear them.
C1 readied his shotgun, creeping closer to the mare, who was completely absorbed in her writing, she was composing a song. He pressed the barrel to her head, ready to fire.
"Hello, machine” she said.
C1 was about to pull the trigger but hesitated.
"You don’t seem familiar. Is Twilight still making more metal monsters? Never mind… I see the repairs were successful, I’m Lyra Heartstrings, you can lower the shotgun."
It was a risky maneuver, there was a 50% chance of deception, but C1 held the advantage of being armed and prepared. He lowered the weapon.
"I see you’re not much of a talker… Those dronesprites did a number on you. Your legs were completely detached from your body. You should be grateful I had the tools."
C1 noticed some mechanical tools on the table beside the scattered sheet music.
"What’s your mission, machine?"
C1 placed a hoof on his chest, indicating his serial number.
"C1… Is that what you want me to call you? Alright, C1. I saw how you fought—those dronesprites caught you off guard."
C1 remained still, replaying the moment when the security drones had self-destructed against him.
"Limbo looks beautiful, but it’s full of traps, tricks, and deceptions. I’ve seen ponies lose their minds in this place. Music is the only thing keeping me sane… I’m not a fighter, but I know Limbo like the back of my hoof. You, on the other hand, are a fighter, but you’re clearly out of your element… Help me help you… please."
C1 processed the information. His objective was to reach the depths of Tartarus. Lyra knew the landscape. Having her as a companion would make navigating the terrain significantly easier.
He nodded.
Lyra smiled, her horn glowing as she pulled something from a shelf.
"I think you’ll like this."
She placed an old Braeburn.Co Gatling gun on the table. It no longer used its original bullets, instead, it had been modified to fire nails, a lightweight and easily obtainable form of ammunition.
"I know it’s not much, but it’ll help."
C1 ran a hoof over the weapon’s metal frame before using telekinesis to stow it away.
"Now, let’s get out of here."
Lyra packed away her sheet music along with a few other belongings before heading downstairs. She peeked through a hole in the door, opening it once she confirmed there was no immediate danger.
"Follow me."
C1 stepped outside, following Lyra as she cautiously checked every corner. She abruptly stopped in the town square.
A door with blue ornaments stood before them, attached to an apocryphal version of Twilight’s castle.
"See that pedestal?" Lyra pointed to the blue pedestal in front of the door.
"We need a key, it’s a blue skull. It shouldn’t be too far. I always left it here, but Limbo keeps shifting things around. Wouldn’t surprise me if it’s hidden somewhere now…"
C1 ignored Lyra and moved straight to the door, pushing against it. It did not react.
The sound of glass shattering rang through the air, dronesprites broke out of a nearby building, opening fire.
Lyra dove for cover as C1 drew his new weapon. The nails tore through the dronesprites’ purple plastic casing.
"The magnet! Use the magnet!" Lyra shouted.
C1 examined the weapon and noticed a small chamber with a secondary trigger. He activated it.
A magnetic spike fired forward, immediately, the nails embedded in the dronesprites pulled together, dragging the machines with them. The dronesprites crashed, struggling against the magnetic force as they were clumped together in a tangled mess of plastic and metal.
C1 switched to his shotgun and fired an explosive shot, shredding them into pieces.
A spray of blood-like machine fluid splattered across the walls and the artificial grass.
C1 took advantage of the blood rain to refuel and repair damage.
Fuel: 85%
Lyra emerged from cover, eyes wide with excitement.
"That… was… AMAZING!"
C1 scanned his surroundings. A door leading into a house stood nearby, seemingly unsecured. He pushed it open and froze.
The environment had completely changed.
They were no longer in Ponyville.
C1 now stood in the halls of Canterlot Palace.
Lyra, however, was unfazed, she seemed more interested in the action than in the sudden shift in location.
"Watch your step. I doubt Tartarus is going to make this easy for us."
C1 ignored her warning and galloped forward, revolver loaded and ready.
Lyra sighed, muttering something under her breath before running after him.
C1 slowed its pace upon entering the throne room. In Equestria, the two princesses would have been seated in their respective places, but in the Limbo, there were only two portraits of them. On Celestia’s throne sat a blue unicorn skull, glowing intensely, and the energy contained within it sent C1’s sensors into a frenzy before recalibrating.
Lyra appeared at the doorway, breathing heavily after struggling to keep up with C1’s swift pace.
"Don’t... forget... about me..."
C1 approached the skull, and upon taking it, the throne room doors slammed shut, leaving Lyra outside. A malicious face, accompanied by a pair of strays, emerged from a flash of light and immediately attacked C1. Some filth-ridden creatures shattered the windows, spilling into the room in a wave.
C1 fired a magnet onto the floor, followed by a burst of nails that clung to it, forming a metallic sphere. A single shot from its revolver was all it took for the ball to explode, scattering nails across the room. The sharp spikes pierced the flesh of the husks, wiping out the wave of filth and taking down some of the strays. Now, C1 had to finish off the malicious face.
It leaped onto the wall, using it as a springboard to propel itself over the head of one of the remaining strays, which were still trying to hit it with projectiles. The skinless ponies ended up striking the malicious face instead, which turned on the remaining strays, unleashing a flurry of energy blasts upon them.
When the husks were no more, the malicious face searched for C1, but it was no longer where it had been moments ago. The faint hum of a charging revolver made the demon glance upward. C1 was clinging to the ceiling using its hooves, aiming directly at it.
The shot cracked the infernal stone armor, but the malicious face still didn’t fall. C1 released its grip and launched itself downward, slamming into the creature with all four hooves. The stone fractured and exploded under the weight of the machine.
C1 landed among the demon’s remains. It scanned the area and saw the door opening.
Lyra was locked in combat with a schism, which was pinning her against the wall using it’s extra limb its horn had pierced through Lyra’s hoof, and she struggled to either strike it or use magic to break free.
C1 aimed its revolver and fired, blasting off the extra limb holding Lyra against the wall. She was able to use her telekinesis to pull the horn out of her hoof and galloped away, escaping from the chasm, which appeared disoriented after losing its appendage.
Wasting no time, C1 launched itself at the chasm, pressing its shotgun to its head and pulling the trigger.
C1 turned to Lyra, who was trying to stop the bleeding. Approaching her, C1 scanned the wound.
Infection probability: High
C1 used its own telekinesis to tear a piece of carpet from the floor and wrapped it around Lyra’s wound as a tourniquet to halt the bleeding. Then, its mechanical horn opened up, releasing a stream of water to clean the wound.
Infection probability: Reduced
Lyra looked at C1 as it cleaned her wound. C1’s logic was simple: Lyra was important, and losing her would hinder progress in Limbo. Once C1 left Limbo, Lyra would no longer be relevant and could either be abandoned or used as fuel.
Unaware of this, Lyra smiled and thanked C1 for the treatment. Then, she noticed that C1 was also holding the glowing red skull with its magic.
"You got it! Awesome! We can open the door now! Beyond it is Everfree, last time I was there, it was easy to cross. We’ll be fine!"
The two walked through the palace corridors. As they retraced their steps, they found that the door they had previously opened was now shut once again. Lyra wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"Do you smell that?"
C1 didn’t respond, its sensors were detecting high concentrations of CO2 in the next room.
"Right… you can’t smell."
C1 approached the door, and upon opening it, the landscape had changed. The sky had turned orange, and the wooden facades were on fire.
Scanning the surroundings, C1 saw plastic structures melting in the heat. Lyra took in the scene, her face stricken with fear.
"But… what happened here?"
C1 picked up the sound of heavy breathing. Soon, metallic footsteps made it turn its head.
A machine, resembling an earth pony, stood before them. Its paint was rusted, and gas tanks were affixed to its back. On its side, a cannon-like device was mounted.
As C1 reached for its revolver, the machine fired a burst of flames. The scorching blast hit C1 directly, but it managed to return fire before the pony machine could sustain its attack.
Once the flames died down, C1 scanned the machine’s remains.
Streetstreetcleaner
Class: Inferior Machine
Streetstreetcleaners were machines designed to purify city air after the ecological crisis that struck Equestria during the Days Without Friendship. When the Era of Harmony arrived, streetstreetcleaners became obsolete—until the discovery of Deep Tartarus. Being both replaceable and outdated, they were deployed in the first expeditions to gather information.
However, due to their initial programming and lack of maintenance, the streetstreetcleaners eventually lost control over their instincts, resorting to burning all organic matter indiscriminately. Their combat experience grants them rapid reaction speeds, but their compulsive urge to incinerate everything often causes them to charge head-on without strategy.
Threat Level: Medium. Their fuel tanks may explode.
"Wow, that scared me..."
Lyra approached the streetcleaner's body and gave it a small kick.
"These are new... I’d never seen them before... dying."
She looked down at the floor, falling silent before sighing.
"You know... before I died, I was going to…"
She turned to look at C1, only to see it placing the blue skull on the pedestal. The door lit up and slowly opened.
On the other side was a recreation of the Everfree Forest (despite being inside Twilight's castle). Two streetstreetcleaners were chasing after some filths, attempting to burn them. Upon spotting C1, the streetstreetcleaners halted their attack and lunged at it, joined by the filth. It was strange,they were prioritizing C1, and the husks seemed to follow the same logic, even though, seconds earlier, the streetstreetcleaners had been trying to burn them.
C1 flipped a bit into the air and shot it, the bullet ricocheted and struck the fuel tank of one of the streetcleaners. The machine exploded, taking several filths with it. However, the second streetcleaner managed to avoid the blast and continued charging at C1, which had been momentarily distracted by the filth attempting to bite it.
Realizing the danger, Lyra threw herself at the streetcleaner. Her horn lit up as she grabbed a large rock from the ground. Galloping toward the machine, she leaped onto it, pinning it to the ground before slamming the rock against its head. Blow after blow, the machine began to spill the blood it contained until, with one final, forceful strike, its head burst open.
C1 had just finished shooting the last of the filth when it turned to see Lyra, now covered in blood, sitting atop the remains of the streetcleaner.
C1 approached her, scanning for injuries, none detected. However, her adrenaline levels were dangerously high, not optimal.
Recommended treatment: Warm water to relax muscles.
C1’s horn heated up and sprayed a stream of warm water onto Lyra. At first, she flinched in surprise, but the soothing warmth quickly relaxed her, bringing her adrenaline levels down.
Evaluation: Treatment applied. Resume mission.
Lyra watched as C1 continued walking through the bodies. She managed to compose herself and caught up to the machine, walking beside it.
"Hey... thanks."
C1 glanced at her briefly before continuing forward.
The Everfree Forest was also different here. The grass was still plastic, the flowers were made of paper, and the mushrooms were rubber. The Everfree roots, which were a major issue in Equestria, were nothing more than painted cardboard cutouts.
There didn’t seem to be much activity around, so Lyra took a moment to stop.
"Hey, I know you don’t need sleep or anything, but my hooves are killing me from all this walking."
C1 stopped and scanned her, no signs of muscle damage. As a soul in Tartarus, she didn’t require food or water. Rest would be nothing more than a luxury.
C1 kept walking. Stopping would be an unnecessary waste of time.
"Please... C1..."
C1 stopped again. Its logic dictated that they should maintain their pace, but something else, something deeper, urged it to pause.
C1 came to a complete stop and sat down, signaling to Lyra that they were "resting."
"Thank you..."
Lyra sat against the trunk of a tree and stretched before looking at C1.
"Hey... do you know anything about a mare named Bon Bon?"
She cleared her throat.
"She and I were going to... we were going to get married. But... I... I couldn’t..."
Lyra lowered her gaze to the ground before looking into C1’s glowing eye, searching for some kind of comfort. All she found were the cold, analytical lenses of a machine.
C1 searched its database for any information on a mare named Bon Bon. There was a small entry:
Name: Bon Bon
Species: Earth Pony
Occupation: Various part-time jobs.
Status: Deceased
Cutie Mark: Three blue candies, representing her skill in making incredible sweets.
C1 looked at Lyra. Bon Bon was dead, but unlike Lyra, she was not in Limbo. That could mean many things, perhaps her soul wasn’t strong enough to form a proper vessel, meaning she had become a lesser husk, one of the many scattered across Tartarus. She could have ascended to Sparkle’s Realm of Light or ended up in another layer of Tartarus.
Regardless of the outcome, none were optimal.
C1 continued to observe Lyra.
"If you’re wondering... I know she’s dead. No pony could have lived this long... I just wanted to know if you had seen her or... anything."
C1 looked at her, then shook its head. Lyra seemed surprised by the machine’s response.
"Oh... well... at least I know you can hear me."
Lyra looked down, pulling a lyre and a sheet of music from her backpack.
"Before I died, I had started composing a song for Bon Bon. I was just finishing it when you arrived... I want you to hear it, C1."
C1 adjusted its audio receptors. A waste of energy, according to its system. But once again, something within it refused to comply with pure logic.
Lyra began to play.
The melody was precise, following a perfect rhythmic pattern. The instrument’s tones were tuned flawlessly. In simple pony terms: it was beautiful. The song remained steady, clearly showing the dedication Lyra had poured into it.
C1’s sensors suddenly detected a surge of energy coming from the instrument. Lyra, eyes closed, was deeply focused on the sound. The energy C1 was picking up was pure love, the love Lyra had infused into the song for her wife.
A burst of blue light shot out from the instrument, striking C1 and sending it crashing to the ground. All of its systems went insane.
"What the?!"
Lyra dropped the instrument and rushed over as C1 began recalibrating its systems.
Warning: Pure love energy overload detected. Instruments recalibrated for dosage.
Caution: Excessive doses too quickly will cause short circuits and eventual system failure.
Evaluation: Avoid similar overloads.
C1 rebooted. Its fuel levels were astonishing.
Fuel: 200%
The surge was so great that C1 had to recalibrate its energy intake to prevent an explosion. Due to its limited fuel tanks and the nature of the absorbed love energy, the extra power could neither be stored nor recovered.
"Are you okay?"
C1 stood up and looked at Lyra, giving a brief nod. Small sparks of energy flickered across its body before fading back inside.
After the incident, Lyra packed away her instrument and sheet music. With her scare over, she now felt more energized and ready to move forward.
In the distance, smoke billowed into the sky, probably more streetstreetcleaners burning the area.
As Lyra walked alongside C1, it searched its database, looking for something.
Out of nowhere, light classical music began playing from C1’s speakers.
Lyra turned to it, confused, before bursting into laughter.
C1 let out a single beep and abruptly shut off the music.
Suddenly, from the bushes, a group of filths emerged. Their sharp teeth gleamed, ready to tear through both flesh and metal.
C1 drew its shotgun, firing and blasting one of the creatures into pieces. The others managed to get closer, sinking their teeth into C1’s frame.
But the excess energy repelled the attack.
C1 took no damage, though a small amount of extra energy was lost. The creature recoiled from the impact, giving C1 an opening to switch to its nail gun and unleash a hail of metal. Blood splattered as the creatures were torn apart. Suddenly C1 heard a beeping from his gun.
The nail gun stopped shooting, its screen displaying: Ammunition depleted. Generating nails.
Below, a number slowly ticked upward, C1 glanced at Lyra. She widened her eyes and shrugged, even though she had built the weapon herself.
C1 holstered the nail gun and pulled out its revolver, throwing a coin into the air before shooting it. The bullet ricocheted, piercing straight through one creature’s skull. The last tried attacking too but a precise shot to the legs sent it crashing to the ground, unable to move. C1 galloped toward it and, with a swift stomp, crushed its head beneath its hoof.
Lyra smiled as C1 reloaded and stored its weapon.
"I could really use a weapon myself."
C1 turned to look at her but kept walking. Allowing her to play music was one thing but handing her weapons was another.
They traveled in silence for a while until the surroundings began to change. Stone towers and broken pathways appeared along their route.
As the path opened up, they found themselves standing before what had once been the Castle of the Two Sisters, now completely ruined. The banners of the sun and moon were nearly unrecognizable, worn away by time... or rather, by Limbo’s twisted version of time. Once again, the castle was a poor recreation. The stone blocks were hollow, and the doors lacked handles. C1 approached the grand entrance and found a pair of pedestals, one red, one blue. The door was connected to both.
Lyra stepped forward, inspecting the setup.
"I remember this... A red skull goes on the left, and a blue one on the right. We only need one, but just in case, let's each go after one. I'll take the blue, you get the red. If one of us doesn’t find theirs, we’ll have a backup."
C1 analyzed the plan, then turned left toward where the red skull should be. Lyra went to the right in search of the blue. As they disappeared into opposite paths, a shadowy figure stepped forward from the darkness. Metal hooves clanked against the ground as it levitated both a red and blue skull in its magical grip. The figure placed them onto the pedestals, the doors creaked open. Without hesitation, the figure stepped inside.
C1 was searching for the red skull, finding the red pedestal, but it was empty, then, a hum filled the air.
Flashes of light appeared, As group of streetstreetcleaners and a Cerberus emerged from the glow, immediately launching an attack.
The streetstreetcleaners charged forward as the Cerberus hurled an energy orb at C1. It leapt, narrowly avoiding the blast, but as it landed, the four streetstreetcleaners opened fire, the flames engulfing his body.
The extra energy shield repelled the attacks, for now. But it wouldn’t last forever. Soon, the damage would become lethal.
C1 pulled out its shotgun, loading an explosive round before firing at the ground. One streetcleaner managed to escape, the others? Obliterated.
The explosion launched C1 skyward. The last of its excess energy drained, shielding it from the blast. Now, only one streetcleaner and the Cerberus remained. C1 dove straight for the Cerberus, dodging as the beast swung a massive hoof. The machine jumped over its enemy, just as the remaining streetcleaner closed in. C1 landed directly on top of it kicking it into the Cerberus’ leg.
C1 pulled its revolver. A single shot, aimed at the gas tank strapped to the streetcleaner’s back. Boom.
The explosion tore through the Cerberus' leg, blasting it into pieces. The demon collapsed, losing focus on its energy orb. The sphere struck the ground detonating on impact, the Cerberus was no more.
C1 holstered its weapon and turned back toward the empty pedestal.
Hopefully, Lyra had better luck.
Returning to the entrance, C1 spotted Lyra approaching from her side, frustrated.
"Did you find anything?"
Before either of them could say more, they both turned to look at the door. It was open, The two skulls were already in place.
"Who did this?"
Lyra shook her head, waving off the thought. It didn’t matter. The way forward was clear, they entered.
Inside, blood and guts were strewn across the castle’s halls. C1 approached a doorway and kicked it open, beyond was a courtyardat its center, the remains of a malicious face. Lyra let out a small laugh then froze, as the flesh and demonic remains began to move.
An invisible force drew the parts toward the broken face. Chunks of meat melted together, forming a viscous mass. The stone of the demons snapped into place, shielding parts of the abomination, Lyra started gagging.
"That is... disgusting."
C1 scanned the growing monstrosity. Data received.
Hideous Mass
Class: Greater Demon
An anomaly difficult to categorize. These entities are the result of extreme infernal energy coalescing in a single point. Due to insufficient raw material, a forming Hideous Mass will absorb surrounding organic matter to complete its body. Their forms vary wildly, some are harmless, others highly aggressive.
Evaluation: HIGH THREAT. UNPREDICTABLE.
The mass took shape, a grotesque alicorn monster. Two extra legs jutted from its neck, each ending in gnashing mouths, its bloated, pulsing body crushed its own eight lower legs, pinning itself in place. Then it screamed, its chest splitting open, revealing a massive gaping maw inside, a grotesque beating heart. From the mouths on its extra legs, two hellfire blasts shot toward C1.
C1 leapt, twisting mid-air to deflect the projectiles sending them back toward the mass. The impact barely fazed it as it shrieked again and started vomiting a torrent of acid. C1 grabbed Lyra with its magic, throwing her onto a nearby pillar, out of harm’s way. The acid splashed across C1’s frame.
Minor corrosion detected.
Without hesitation, C1 charged its revolver and fired directly at the heart, the damage was minimal. The beast shuddered, sealing its chest-mouth shut cutting off its acid flow. It rose on its extra legs and slammed its massive bulk onto the floor causing it to crack, C1’s scanners detected something: A pit going down the bottom wasn’t even detected by it’s sensors, C1 could make the mass drop. C1 opened fire, unloading a barrage of nails after his gun had reloaded, some buried into the exposed flesh, others bounced off its armored plating. The mass attacked again, launching another round of energy blasts that C1 dodged, galloping in a wide circle. The mass reared up again preparing another slam, C1 sprinted towards the wall, loading an explosive shot from his shotgun. The moment the mass slammed the floor again, the cracks deepened and C1 fired.
BOOM.
The floor collapsed beneath the beast, it plummeted into the abyss, screeching and spewing acid all the way down. C1 approached the edge, revolver floating next to him, looking down and shooting the revolver to the bottom
Then, silence.
Lyra was struggling to climb down from the pillar, she lost her balance, falling to the ground.
Something was wrong. C1 turned, analyzing her posture, her backpack was missing. When C1 had thrown her to safety, her bag had fallen spilling its contents several meters away. The lyre was intact fortunately… but the notebook was burnt by the hideous mass acid. Lyra’s breath quickened.
The notebook the one containing the song she wrote for Bon Bon, was destroyed. Lyra covered her face with her hooves and sobbed as C1 picked up the ruined notebook.
Scanning…
Ink traces detected. Partial recovery possible.
Analysis:
Lyra’s unstable condition will hinder mission progress. Delaying advancement through Limbo is inefficient. Leaving her behind is NOT an option, her knowledge of the area is critical.
Conclusion: Restore partiture.
C1 picked up a rock and continued scanning the traces of ink and using them to draw the partiture on a wall, Lyra turned to look at what C1 was writing.
She recognized the notes, fragments of the song she had thought lost, a weak smile forming on her face, then, with no hesitation, she threw herself against C1, wrapping her hooves around the machine in a trembling embrace. She sobbed, whispering between breaths.
“Thank you…”
C1 did not react, no emotions shown, only waited until she let go. The mission had to continue.
***
Beyond the Hideous Mass, a door stood open, C1 and Lyra stepped through, ending up in what seemed to be the Canterlot Gardens it was dark starless night.
C1 scanned the area.
"Hey..."
Lyra’s voice was still nervous with some sobs in it, she wiped her face, inhaling deeply, steadying herself.
"This courtyard... This is as far as I ever got."
She pointed ahead.
"There’s a skull door leading to the observatory, but I never found the skulls."
C1 watched as she wandered toward a bench and slumped onto it looking down to the floor.
C1 took out his revolver and started raising it slowly. The soft glow of golden magic surrounded the weapon, lifting it into place, and pointing to the unexpecting unicorn.
She was no longer necessary.
Her presence was now a liability.
The logical course of action was elimination and collection.
C1 held his aim steady.
Lyra lifted her head, and heard the gunfire.
Blood splattered across the false leaves of the garden.
Lyra's eyes snapped open, C1 lowered the smoking barrel of its revolver. A corpse slumped to the ground behind her, a Stray, now with a bullet perfectly placed in its skull. C1 saved his weapon.
Elimination was required.
Her presence would only slow the mission.
And yet…
Something deep in his system stopped him from attacking her...
Lyra turned to face C1.
"Thank you..."
She got up and moved to stand beside him, gazing toward a glow in the distance. As they approached, a door came into view with no pedestals, no skulls, only a series of inscriptions and buttons, it had to be a test.
Lyra pressed one button, it lit up, then she pressed another one both went dark. She read the inscriptions before looking at C1.
"I’ll stay here and figure this out. Maybe it’s another way out."
She stepped back towards the puzzle.
"Can you look for the skulls?"
C1 nodded before galloping toward a greenhouse.
**
Inside, a bed and a book greeted the machine. C1 picked up the book, scanning the text it was in Zebrican language translated it said:
"The fields remain unchanged. The doors remain unchanged. The water remains unchanged. Those damned loudspeakers never stop. What have I done to deserve this fate? Monotony. Endless solitude. The only choice is to go deeper. Every time I see those wretched skulls, the temptation grows stronger. I hid them so they would speak to me no longer. Oh, Celestia, why have you forsaken me..."
The rest of the text was irrelevant. C1 tossed the book away. Then, he noticed something.
A zebra skeleton… hanging from a rope, a fallen chair lying beneath the body.
C1’s scanners detected some dragging marks leading to a bookshelf. C1 reared onto its hind legs and shoved the bookshelf aside, a faint blue glow flickered in the darkness.
A blue skull.
C1 took it and stored it away. The others couldn’t be too far.
Leaving the greenhouse, C1 continued searching the garden. Pushing some bushes aside he found a stained-glass window. The image depicted a pegasi with a rainbow mane, her face hidden behind a white-and-gold mask which held Sparkle’s symbol in the middle. Her golden wings extended, shining like the sun itself. The rest of her armor gleamed, in a majestic and incredible scene, below the figure, a message was written in blood: TRAITOR.
C1 scanned the artwork.
More data was acquired.
Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty.
A member of the Elements of Harmony. Recognized for her speed and ego. After Twilight’s noticed Celestia’s insurrection in Tartarus, she was granted the power to destroy the alicorn. This stained-glass commemorates her ascension to the Realm of Light after Celestia’s defeat.
C1 stored the information and moved on approaching the stained-glass window and noticing a faint glow. A single strike shattered the glass into a thousand pieces, revealing yet another skull hidden behind, C1 picked the skull and stored it, then began to turn back when a red figure dashed past at high speed.
C1 stood motionless, unable to comprehend what had just passed. The machine drew its revolver, preparing for any attack, it continued its exploration before pausing before the tree trunk, unlike the other trees in the Limbo, this one had a section made of wood. C1 struck it with his hoof and found the final skull hidden inside it. C1 galloped quickly toward the sealed door, placing each skull on their pedestals. As the door began to open, C1 found itself in a small room, decorated with fake plants, leading to a stone door, similar to the one used to enter Tartarus. C1 started to turn back, intending to check on Lyra and see if she had found anything of use.
Suddenly, one of the windows shattered, the red figure crashing through, striking the floor with its front hoof and sending a shockwave through the room.
C1 began scanning the figure it resembled C1 but with a bulkier build.
C2
Class: Supreme Machine
The Changeling models, or C models, were created during the final days of the friendshipless days. Model C1 could absorb blood on contact, eliminating the need for more complicated charging methods. Model C2 was designed for guard duties—a simple method to handle disturbances, especially after the reprogramming of abandoned machines following the war. Its front hoof was engineered for powerful, direct attacks, capable of breaking through metal and concrete with ease. This feature was called the “Hoofblaster”. Due to the high cost of development and the lack of demand for combat robots, only two prototypes of the C2 model were created.
Evaluation: Extreme Threat. Neutralize.
C1 attempted to retreat to an open area when C2 fired at one of the skulls on a pedestal. The skull fell down of its pedestal, and the door slammed shut.
C2, holding a revolver with its magic, spoke.
"C1."
Unlike the C1 model, the C2 had been developed up to having a voice modulator.
"I regret having to attack you. Together, we would make a great team. However, my calculations indicate your presence, no matter the mode, would result in a 15% loss in success probability. That is not optimal. I regret the aggression."
C2 assumed a combat stance and began charging to one side, firing a nail gun, C1 leaped to avoid the barrage, returning fire with its own shotgun, the projectiles missed, C2 sliding on the floor to avoid them. C2 drew its own shotgun and fired at C1, landing a direct hit and knocking C1 off balance. As C1 regained its footing, it saw C2 charging toward it with the Hoofblaster ready for a charge attack.
C1 collided with its own hoof, the two meeting in midair, causing an explosion on impact, during the confusion, C1 fired two revolver shots into C2, the bullets drawing blood, then C1 lunged at C2, leaping through the air and landing on its clone's back. The impact sent C2 crashing to the ground, C2 aimed its shotgun at the floor and charged an explosive shot, sending both machines flying.
C1 had lost his balance and plummeted, while C2 landed on its hooves, steady and perfectly fine. As C1 hit the ground, C2 fired a nail gun magnet at it, pinning C1 to the floor.
C2 approached, preparing its shotgun.
"Recording… Victory probability: 95%."
C2 aimed the shotgun at C1, who could not move, forced to watch the barrel. C1 began recording to its black box when, suddenly, a shot rang out, a bullet struck the back of C2, loosening the Hoofblaster and causing C2 to emit a low beeping sound, Lyra appeared in the entrance, holding a powerful-looking revolver, she fired again, hitting C2 once more.
C2 began recalculating.
"Retreat necessary. Severe damage."
With that, C2 leapt through the same window it had broken, soaring into the air, its Hoofblaster falling to the ground.
C1 approached and used its magic to retrieve the Hoofblaster, pulling it toward its forelimb servos.
The machine began welding and modifying the hoof, Lyra approached, curious about what C1 was doing. It would take some time to complete the process, but while that happened, C1 moved toward the stone door.
Pushing it open, the door revealed a room with an elevator at the far end, Lyra looked at the room, confused and slightly angry.
"Is this what I was looking for? An elevator?"
She walked toward it and kicked the elevator’s base causing some lights to flicker on, and the screen displayed the word:
LUST.
The elevator would take them deeper, exactly where C1 needed to go.
