Cutie Mark Dimensional Crusaders (CMDCs)

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Ow!”

Her head throbbing as though she had collided with a tree, Scootaloo could not help but groan loudly as the ringing in her ears began to fade. Despite the haze that still clung to her mind, a single question sprang quickly to the surface of her thoughts.

What just happened?

Slowly the filly attempted to force her eyes open. Yet try as she might, her eyelids simply refused to part. Instead the young pony found herself locked in a world of darkness as she began to recall the events that had led to her current state.

"I guess you were right Apple Bloom. This may have been a bad idea.”

At least I can talk.

Admittedly it was not much, but at least it was something.

“Sweetie Belle, what happened to the diamond?"

Giving up for the moment on opening her eyes, Scootaloo instead tried to raise herself from the ground. However, once again she was met only with failure. Her legs, it seemed, had no intention of cooperating. In fact, she could not even sense her limbs, let alone move them. Instead, it felt to the pony as if every inch of her body had fallen asleep. From her forelegs to her tail she could feel nothing but an unnerving numbness that blocked out all other sensations. Even the ground on which she lay was a mystery. For try as she might, the filly would not have been able to say whether it was rocks or clouds on which she now found herself.

“Apple Bloom?” she tried again, listening carefully for the friends she knew to be nearby. “Sweetie Belle? Are you two alright?”

For several minutes the young pony waited for a response, and when no answer was forthcoming Scootaloo felt her stomach churn uneasily. Thinking back, she tried her best to recall what could have happened to the other Crusaders.

The last thing she could remember was a book. An ancient tome she had borrowed from Twilight’s library. There had been a crystal as well. A diamond Sweetie Belle had taken from her sister’s collection for the spell that was supposed to gain the trio their cutie marks. There had been a flash of bright light, and a sound of swirling wind and roaring thunder. Then...

Nothing... she thought dejectedly. Why can’t I remember anything else?

Slowly the filly could feel the throbbing in her head begin to subside, along with the lack of sensation that had encompassed her body. The first thing to become obvious as the numbness vanished was that, wherever she was now, it certainly could not be the Apple family farm. Instead of warm grass, the ground beneath her felt rocky and cold. Meanwhile, the pleasant smell of spring had been replaced by a dry stench of grime and dust.

“Apple Bloom, say something! Sweetie Belle, where are you?”

Though she called out frantically for her two friends, there was still no answer from either CMC, and immediately the young pony could feel the cold tendrils of panic wrap about her heart. If something had happened to either of them, she would never be able to forgive herself. It had been her idea to use the old spell book after all. Of course the other two had agreed to it, but only because she had been so insistent. And now...

With every ounce of willpower Scootaloo finally managed to force her eyes open. Though almost immediately she found herself wishing that she had not. A dingy stone ceiling lay above her, and a single light swung directly over her head. Despite the ominous feel of the ancient stone overhead, the filly could not help but marvel at the bizarre lamp. It was certainly the strangest lantern she had ever seen. Try as she might she might, the filly could not see any fireflies or flame within the small glass bulb. Instead there was only at twisted thread of sorts, glowing with a dull orange light as the glass swung freely from a thin string.

With the illumination, the young pony tried her best to take in her surroundings. Judging by her position, she was lying on her back in the middle of a small windowless room built entirely of stone. A single door could be seen to her right; hanging decrepitly from its broken hinges. Meanwhile, what appeared to be the remains of several wooden dressers sat pressed against the far wall; their forms broken and rotting. A chair or two lay toppled on their sides near the doorway, but otherwise the dismal room looked entirely empty.

At least that explained why the others had not answered.

The light overhead flickered slightly as a blast of cold air caused it to swing back and forth. Glancing over, the filly spotted a crack near the ceiling of the room that allowed a small ray of red sunlight to strike the far wall. It was from here that the wind was originating, and judging by the shrill wail of air rushing through the fissure, it sounded as though a fierce storm were raging on the other side of the wall.

“Where am I?” Scootaloo groaned as the numbness continued to flee from her body. Perhaps her friends could not answer, but even her own voice was preferable to the lonely howl of the wind.

“How did I get here?”

While her limbs were still little more than a dull sensation on the periphery of her consciousness, the pain of sharp rocks digging into her back was more than the filly could bear. With a deep breath she threw herself sideways, trying her best to lift her body off the ground.

It was only then, as she attempted to stop from tumbling back to the stone floor, that the pony realized she was not truly alone.

Across the room, pressed up against the far wall, was the strangest looking creature Scootaloo had ever seen. Bizarre did not even begin to describe it. The animal, whatever it was, had a mane on top of its head. However, it appeared to be completely lacking hair anywhere else on its body. It did not even seem to possess a tail, though it was difficult to say for sure as dark colored clothes covered everything but its head.

Unsure of what else to do, the filly remained frozen in place; eyes locked with those of the creature. She was relieved that it did not seem dangerous at least. In fact, it made no move at all. Instead it chose to simply stay crouched awkwardly across from her, its weight resting on two forelimbs that certainly did not appear strong enough to hold it up for long. They were thin, and completely lacking in either claws or hooves. Instead, they seemed far more suited for grabbing items than for walking. Its hind legs, in contrast, were too long and forced the creature to crouch awkwardly on its knees rather than rest on its feet.

Overall, in appearance at least, the animal did not seem all that threatening. But in the back of her mind the filly could feel a twinge of unease. She was sure she had never before seen such a bizarre creature. And yet... there was something eerily familiar about it.

Slowly Scootaloo took a step forward, struggling to overcome the numbness that still clung to her limbs. As she did so, the stranger also made a move towards her. A look of timid curiosity was apparent on its hairless face, and the young filly was glad it seemed as interested in her as she was in it.

"Hello?” the pony inquired gently. “Can you talk? My name is Scootaloo."

She received no response from the stranger. However, whether this was simply because it could not speak, or would not, remained to be seen. With a determined frown the filly took another step forward before trying once again.

"I'm looking for my friends. Ponies like me. Have you seen them?"

This time she realized that there had been a response... of sorts. As she spoke, Scootaloo watched the creature's mouth move as though to imitate her. Unfortunately it seemed unable to actually put any sound to the words, for the only voice the filly could hear in the room was her own.

"Please!" she begged, getting annoyed as the stranger mimicked her yet again. "I need your help! My friends..."

In an instant the young pony felt the words die in her throat. Her eyes went wide with fear as her heart suddenly jumped in her throat. For it was only then that she noticed the second lamp hanging from a string over the stranger's head. As a gust of wind poured through the crack in the wall, the glowing bulb above Scootaloo passed back and forth, flickering as it went. Meanwhile, the second light swayed gently from its wire as well… matching its partner swing for swing.

The two bulbs weren't just similar. They were completely identical!

A mirror?

With a shriek Scootaloo fell backwards, her eyes wide with fear as the reflection copied her every motion.

"Oh no!" she gasped frantically, numbness vanishing with a sudden rush of adrenalin. "No no no no no no!"

Everything felt wrong. So wrong!

Gone was her soft orange coat of fur. Instead she now found her body assaulted by a barrage of strange sensations as the stranger's clothes... her clothes... rubbed against bare skin. On instinct the startled filly brought her hooves to her face, only to realize a moment later that they were no longer hooves at all. Instead she gasped in surprise as soft palms touched her cheeks; staring uncomprehendingly at the bizarre looking appendages sticking out of her sleeves.

"What… what happened to me?"

Scrambling across the floor to the mirror, Scootaloo winced in pain as the knees of her legs scraped along the rocky ground. However, at the moment such discomfort was the furthest thing from her mind. As soon as she reached the mirror, the pony frantically pressed herself against the glass, her eyes taking in every inch of the alien reflection facing her.

"Is this... really me?"

Now, at least, she realized why the ‘stranger’ had seemed so eerily familiar. Despite the extreme changes that had struck most of her body, her pink mane seemed completely unaltered. Similarly, the frightened eyes staring back at her were just as purple as she had always remembered them being. However, these small similarities only served to juxtapose the terrifying transformation that had taken place. There was no sign of her tail. Nor were her precious wings anywhere to be seen. Glancing around, the filly grasped awkwardly with her new forelimbs in the hopes that both were simply concealed by the clothes she wore. However, such hope was short lived as she felt flat patches of skin beneath the rough fabric.

"Please! This can’t be happening. It just… can’t."

It was all just too much, and for several minutes the frightened pony simply remained where she was; kneeling before the mirror as she stared at the strangers face.

… her face.

It was impossible to tell for how long she remained in that position. Hours might have passed, or even days. In the end, it did not matter. It was not until she saw the tears dripping down her pale cheeks that Scootaloo finally allowed her shock to fade, if only slightly. Wiping her eyes, the young filly found her fear slowly ebb away as resolve moved to take its place.

"I can't spend my time crying like a little filly." she snorted angrily as one final tear succeeded in rolling down her cheek. "Come on Scootaloo! Pull it together.”

It was obvious that the spell had somehow caused this. Why it might have done so she could not even begin to guess. However, the reason it had transformed her into this... creature… did not matter. At the moment her only goal was to find her two best friends.

"After all...” she whispered, her face set in a determined frown. “That's what Rainbow Dash would do."

Glancing down at her altered form, the filly took a deep breath as she pushed against the mirror with her front limbs. This body was not meant for crawling. The bruises on her knees were enough to tell her that. But how was she supposed to walk on only two legs?

"Spike can do it!" she grunted while using the mirror and wall to steady herself. "It can't be too hard."

Slowly she stood to her full height, grabbing the wall for support as she wavered uneasily. It was certainly awkward standing on only two limbs, but her body seemed surprisingly keen to remain upright. As a strand of pink hair fell to cover her eyes, Scootaloo instinctively brushed it away, shuddering slightly as she once again caught sight of the hairless paw at the end of her forelimb.

"This is too weird."

Glancing around the gloomy room, the first thing to become immediately obvious was how much further away the floor seemed. Despite her current situation, Scootaloo felt a small smirk creep onto her face.

"I bet I'm even taller than Rainbow now."

Carefully the pony spun around until her back was pressed tightly against the wall. Then, taking a deep breath to steady herself, she closed her eyes nervously

"Ok... one leg at a time."

Slowly she allowed her right leg to move away from the wall. After it had touched the ground again, she ever so carefully put her weight on it. After confirming that it would not collapse beneath her, she quickly pushed away from her stone support, eyes still closed as she waited to fall forward on her face. However, much to her amazement, instinct was quick to take over. Without thought her left leg moved forward to support her, and before she knew it the filly found herself standing in the middle of the room.

"This isn't hard at all." she exclaimed excitedly, spinning around in celebration. Unfortunately, this proved to be a very poor decision. Almost immediately she lost her balance, and with a loud thump toppled over, landing on her rear with a pained grunt.

"Ow!" she groaned, rubbing her bottom gingerly as she carefully rose once again to her feet. "Ok, maybe that was not such a good idea."

Looking around the room, it was easy enough to find the only exit. The old door she had spotted earlier stood across the room, hanging weakly on only a single rusty hinge. Moving carefully so as not to lose her balance again, Scootaloo crossed the floor and carefully touched the dusty metal handle. A moment later she cringed as the entire door toppled to the ground with a loud crash. Cautiously the young pony clambered over the splintered mess and peered her head out into the hallway beyond.

Where in Equestria am I?

The dark corridor was no better than the room behind her. Dust and grime covered every inch of floor that could be seen, and several sections of ceiling had collapsed leaving small piles of rubble around which she would need to navigate. Wherever this was, it certainly looked as though it had been abandoned for a very… very… long time.

Further down the hallway a shrill howling could be heard; a roaring of wind coming from somewhere within the shadows. If nothing else, such a sound meant there was probably a way out. Although she hated the idea of going out into a storm, staying here would not do any good. Carefully Scootaloo stepped out into the dingy corridor, struggling to see anything in the gloom.

As soon as she had taken her first step from the doorway, there came a small clicking sound from behind her. It was a soft clattering of stone striking stone, a sound so small as to be almost lost in the howl of the wind. However, determination or not, the young filly’s nerves were already on edge, and such a disturbance was more than enough to cause her heart to beat painfully within her chest. In an instant the startled pony spun about, and immediately she was forced to grab a wall before losing her balance yet again.

Nothing.

The corridor behind her stretched into the distance, its length disappearing into the gloom and shadows. Yet, asides from a small rat climbing a pile of rubble, the hallway was completely empty.

Great... Scootaloo berated herself as she worked to regain her composure. I really am a chicken! I'm jumping at rats. Even Fluttershy isn't scared of rats!

"Target acquired!"

With a yelp Scootaloo fell backwards, barely managing to catch herself by grabbing a broken section of wall. Two paces away, the air above the stone floor shimmered as though it had suddenly turned to water. Then, like a wrapper being peeled from candy, the glimmering air folded away to reveal what Scootaloo could only describe as a giant… or a monster... or both.

The behemoth towered over the petrified pony; its form a mass of dark metal embedded with humming blue lights. Its face, if it could be called such, was nothing more than a mirror-like plate of black glass. And as she stared up at the beast, Scootaloo could see her own terrified eyes reflected in its surface. Had she tried, the filly was sure her head would have barely reached the creatures' chest. Though there was no way she would allow herself to get close enough to see for sure.

"Confirmed! High concentrations of Telson radiation detected!"

The voice emerging from the monster was as terrible as its appearance. Cold and emotionless, the sound grated at the filly’s ears as she took another terrified step backwards. Yet even in her fear the pony found something strange in how the giant spoke. It was not talking to her. Of that much she was certain. But it sounded as though she were only hearing half a conversation.

"Inform Sanctuary there is a confirmed intrusion at Rupture 103. We have eyes on target. Order echo team to remain on standby."

Scootaloo watched wide-eyed as there arose a clicking of metal against metal and the monster's right arm opened to reveal a strange cylindrical tube. A small whirring sound quickly filled the air, and within moments a bright red light appeared on the very tip of the tube. For a moment the young filly stood as still as stone, paralyzed with fear as the behemoth pointed its arm in her direction. However, as a small cloud of dust fell from the ceiling, the terrified girl found her eyes drawn to a beam of red light that seemed to pass between the creature and herself. Glancing down, she found a small red dot dancing on the very middle of her chest.

"HNQN System online. Delta 2 now moving in for capture."

The giant took a single step forward, and in that one fraction of a second instinct took over. Though she had barely learned to walk, with a rush of adrenaline Scootaloo felt her legs move as though of their own accord, sending her into a sprint down the hall. Almost immediately there was a sound like the crashing of thunder, and immediately the pony was showered with a storm of broken stone as a small hole appeared in the wall behind her.

Too terrified to even think, the filly instead allowed fear to take over. As if in a dream she let her body carry her through the corridor, dodging around piles of rubble and cracks in the floor as she worked to put as much distance between herself and the giant as she possibly could. Yet even as she ran, there arose a loud crash of metal against rock as the monster gave chase. As for how fast the beast was... Scootaloo could not begin to guess. Terror would not allow her to look back even for an instant. Instead all she could do was run. Run for her life. Not thinking, nor even caring where her feet carried her, just so long as it was far away from the massive metal beast.

"Negative capture. Target is still active. Delta 2 commencing pursuit.”

While she ran, Scootaloo could feel her panic drive away all else. Darkness began to creep into the edges of her vision, and the only sound that could be heard was the pulsing of her own blood in her ears. The thought of finding her friends faded into the back of the filly’s mind, and escape became her sole driving purpose.

Please somepony… anypony… help me!

A cold gust of air brushed past the fleeing pony’s face, and suddenly she realized how loud the wind had gotten. Up ahead, at the very end of the hall, sat a closed door. Yet even though it was shut, red and orange sunlight poured through the spaces around its edge, illuminating the exit in a halo of light from a setting sun.

Leaping over one final pile of rubble the pink-haired filly skidded to a halt in front of the weathered door. Behind her she could still hear the sound of the giant hot on her tail. Gritting her teeth, Scootaloo slammed her body against the wooden portal, and was immediately rewarded with a groan of rusted hinges giving way. The door fell forward with a loud crash, carrying her with it. Landing on top of the door, the pony grunted in pain as the air was knocked from her lungs; however, the sound of the monster’s footsteps was all the motivation she needed to continue on. Immediately she rose to her knees, hair whipping about her head as wind rushed all about her, but the moment her eyes fell on the sight before her, Scootaloo felt all the strength leave her limbs. Wherever she was...

… it was not Equestria.

In the light of the setting sun she could see the outline of a great wall in the distance. The massive barrier rose like a mountain against the horizon, casting a shadow on all the land that lay before it. Even now, on the edge of the twilight hours, the colossal structure stood out from the surrounding land, its top lost in a haze of clouds while its base ran out of sight in both directions. Yet this was not the only sign that told the filly she had left her home far behind.

Far closer than the wall stood dozens of towers; giant spires of cracked stone and broken glass whose peaks rose high enough to scrape the sky. Long ago each and every tower may have been a magnificent sight to behold, but now they were little more than decrepit ruins. Massive holes lay in the sides of most, creating gaping cavities where entire sections of the buildings had crumbled away to reveal floor upon floor of abandoned rooms and hallways.

It was in one such room... and one such tower... that Scootaloo now found herself.

Barely five paces away the floor dropped suddenly as if half of the building had simply fallen away. The result was a ruined room open to the elements, ending in a drop that would have made the highest cliff in Ponyville seem a minor inconvenience.

No escape…

A crack like thunder shattered the air behind her, and as it did the young filly was thrown face first to the ground as something struck her back. Stars danced before her eyes, and without delay a numbing sensation spread outwards from the point of impact until it encompassed every inch of her body.

"Target captured."

Laying with her face pressed against the cold stone ground, unable to move even a single muscle, Scootaloo felt tears welling in her eyes.

Sweetie Belle… Apple Bloom…

Behind her the sound of footsteps could be heard coming from the doorway, and with each step the terrified pony could sense the monster drawing closer. Yet all she could do was lay there, as motionless as a statue, waiting for the beast to reach her. It did not take long, and soon enough the pony felt a cold hand grasp the back of her head. Slowly she was turned over, the icy palm cradling her head far more gently than she would have ever thought such a monster capable of. Finally she lay facing the twilight sky, staring into the reflective face of the monster as it knelt down at her side.

"Scans show subject has been brought down." the creature intoned. "Partial shut-down of PNS confirmed. As predicted, paralysis appears limited to the somatic nervous system."

Raising an arm towards the motionless girl, the beast waved its hand slowly over her body. As it did so, Scootaloo felt a slight tingling sensation wherever its palm passed.

"No concussion detected. Minor bruising from impact of HNQN round. Otherwise no significant damage. Subject is experiencing no negative feedback from HNQN field. Tell the doctor congratulations. Her system is now eight for eight."

The strange beast withdrew its arm to tap its face, and as it did so a seam appeared in the middle of the mirror-like surface with a hiss of escaping air. Spreading quickly downward the line spread until the entire surface had been split cleanly in two, and as the wind continued to rage about them, the metallic pieces of the creature's head folded backwards to reveal a grim face.

Magic... Scootaloo thought as both glass and metal disappeared until the stranger's head was left bare. A magic helmet!

The first thing the frightened filly noticed was that the stranger did not appear so different from her. Or more accurately, how she looked now. Like her new form, the stranger had a mane of hair on top of his head. Though his was dark blue in color and pressed back as if to give it a windswept appearance. The rest of the creature’s face appeared completely free of any other type of hair. Meanwhile his eyes, as green as emeralds, sparkled happily as his frown slowly became an amused smile.

"Woah…" the stranger commented, shocking Scootaloo with a voice that seemed surprisingly young for such a large body. It certainly was nothing like the emotionless tone she had heard before. "You're a cute one."

As he raised a metal-clad hand towards her face, Scootaloo instinctively tried to flinch away from his cold touch. Yet no matter how hard she struggled, her body simply refused to move even an inch. Yet before a single finger could reach her cheek the stranger’s smile faded slightly. Cocking his head, it looked as though he were listening to a voice the pony could not hear.

"Negative..."

As he spoke, the stranger withdrew his hand and stood to his full height. Unfortunately, that simple motion was enough to once again remind Scootaloo just how tall he truly was, and almost immediately she could feel terror begin to regain control.

What in Celestia’s name does it want? The filly asked herself as dark thoughts spun through her mind. What is it?

"I said negative. The situation is under control. Tell Echo team to remain on station and prep for dust-off. I’ll carry her down as soon as I'm finished here."

The stranger paused, and the small grin reappeared on his face as he looked back down at Scootaloo.

"No, you heard me right. Definitely a ‘she.’ Not a bad looking ‘she’ either. I don’t see any scales or claws at least. Confirmed. Transmitting sensor data. Beginning active scans now.”

A small orange sphere appeared as if out of nowhere, floating in the air before the blue-haired creature’s right eye. As Scootaloo watched apprehensively, the tiny ball of light flattened itself into a circle before setting itself against her captor’s eye like a monocle. From where she lay the filly could see strange symbols passing over its glowing surface, and though their meaning was unknown to her, the stranger nodded appreciatively as the shapes sped past his vision. Suddenly his face turned serious, and though it was difficult to say for sure, it seemed to Scootaloo as if his uncovered eye was staring at her with a mixture of amazement and disbelief.

"Can you read me Sanctuary? Good, because you’re not going to believe this. Subject is a human. You heard me! Human female. Height... 167 centimeters. Weight just below 58 kilograms. Skeletal maturation places her at around seventeen years of age, and I’m showing no detectable pathogens in her system. Asides from the bruise I gave her she seems fine."

The creature paused as he once again appeared to listen to someone else speaking. Meanwhile Scootaloo found her heart beating ever faster as she attempted to piece together what the stranger had said. He had called her a ‘human.’ Though the word meant absolutely nothing to the pony, it must have been something important. As for the rest... much of it made no sense. She had no idea what a pathogen was. But there was at least one thing she had understood. The stranger had said she was seventeen years old. Seventeen!

But I’m just a filly! I’m not seventeen!

"Check the scans yourself. She’s as human as I am. No physiological discrepancies whatsoever. I’m telling you, she could pass off as just another high school student. What? Roger that Sanctuary. Standby."

Scootaloo found her thoughts momentarily interrupted as the giant’s glowing monocle changed from orange to bright blue. As it did, he gave a low whistle and allowed his gaze to move along her body.

"I take back what I just said. She may be human, but that's not all she is. QLE scans are off the charts. I'm showing upwards of 400,000 events per microsecond. Damn... This girl is like a living Cigam reactor. It looks like our resident psycho has a new toy to play with… what a waste.”

For just a moment the stranger met the filly’s gaze. His eyes had lost a great deal of their warmth, and he shook his head sadly as the shimmering monocle vanished.

“Alright, it looks like we’re done here. I'll prep the subject for transport. Inform the captain I'd like to give her my report in person. I have a feeling she's going to have some questions about this one. Our ETA to Stronghold will be 19:15. Lieutenant Soarin… signing out."

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

“Wow. It sure is old.”

Sweetie Belle flipped open the cover of the decrepit tome, and gave a small cough as the yellowed pages released a dark cloud of dust.

“Of course it’s old.” Apple Bloom chuckled while her friends cough gave way to a fit of sneezing. “The best magic books always are. Aren’t they?”

She glanced questioningly towards Scootaloo, but the orange pegasus simply gave her a small shrug.

“How should I know?”

“Well, you were the one who found it.”

Not for the first time, her friend gave an exasperated huff.

“I didn’t find it.” she insisted for the fifth time that morning. “It fell on my head.”

“Well… what’s your definition of ‘find’ then?”

Scootaloo frowned at the earth pony, but chose to ignore the taunt as she instead moved closer to the book. Being careful to not disturb any more dust, the pegasus turned the pages of the tome until she found the section she had been searching for.

“Here it is!” she exclaimed excitedly, moving so that the other fillies could take a look. “Just like I said.”

“Destiny’s Calling…” Sweetie Belle read slowly, her eyes narrowing as she tried to make out the faded words. “Well… it doesn’t look too hard.”

“Right?” Scootaloo agreed happily, her face beaming as she looked from one friend to the other.

“It’s super short! And with a name like that, I know it’ll help us discover our special talents.”

“I ain’t so sure. Remember what happened last time we tried using magic to get our cutie marks?” muttered Apple Bloom uncertainly, and for a moment the two other CMCs stared glumly at the ground between their hooves.

“It was only a little fire.” Scootaloo said defensively.

“Maybe… maybe we should ask Twilight?” Suggested Sweetie Belle, pausing at the looks of incredulity on her friends’ faces.

“She was the one who told us to stay away from magic last time.” Apple Bloom pointed out. “And I don’t reckon anythin’s changed since then.”

“Exactly!” Scootaloo pressed. “This may be our best chance to get our cutie marks. But that means we can’t tell Twilight. So what do you say? Wanna give it a go?”

Both of the other ponies glanced uncertainly at one another before finally giving acquiescing nods.

“Great!” their friend laughed, wings flapping excitedly as she turned her attention to Sweetie Belle. “This is going be so cool! So did you bring what we needed?”

“Oh, right.” the white filly gasped, running over to a bag she had brought from her sister’s boutique. “I hope this is good enough.”

Trotting back to where her friend’s stood, the young unicorn turned the bag over with her teeth and allowed the giant diamond inside to land next to the spell book.

“Woah!” the other fillies murmured, their eyes going wide at the sight of the gem.

“Think you could’ve gotten it any bigger?” Apple Bloom chuckled; admittedly impressed her friend had been able to carry the giant stone. Her sarcasm was not lost on Sweetie Belle, who scowled as she gave an annoyed snort.

“Next time you want to ask Rarity to borrow one of her diamonds, be my guest.”

“So you actually asked her if you could take this?” the earth pony responded skeptically, causing her friend to flush with embarrassment.

“… not exactly?”

“Alright, let’s just do this quickly, before Rarity notices it’s gone.” Scootaloo sighed, interrupting the other ponies. “Apple Bloom, how about you go first. You can go second Sweetie Belle, and I’ll finish the spell.”

Both fillies nodded and quickly took their positions next to their friend. Making sure they could all see the page, Scootaloo smiled while her friend prepared to begin.

“Oh great book…!” Apple Bloom chanted loudly, halting immediately as a hoof smacked her lightly on the head.

“Ow! What’d I do?”

“What was that?” Scootaloo asked. “That’s not part of the spell!”

“I was improvising!”

“No!” Both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo shouted simultaneously, remembering clearly how the fire had started last time.

“Just… read the spell.” the pegasus sighed, watching as Apple Bloom rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“Alright fine!” the earth pony agreed, clearing her throat before trying again.

“Our fates unknown, we seek the path, which darkness hides from sight. Of purest hearts and courage true, we ask for fortune’s light.”

The trio of ponies stared at the book, wide-eyed and waiting for something amazing to happen. For several minutes their gazes bounced back and forth between the tome and the diamond lying next to it. Yet it soon became painfully obvious that nothing was happening, magical or otherwise.

“Maybe it’s a dud?” Apple Bloom suggested.

“No way!” replied Scootaloo with a vigorous shake of her head. “It’s probably just supposed to be like this. Read the next line Sweetie Belle. And remember to do what it says.”

With a tentative nod the unicorn took a step forward, her horn glowing blue as she did so. Once she had received a nod from Scootaloo, the filly began to speak and carefully touched the diamond with the small spark of magic she could manage.

“Upon this day, we cast aside, the bonds by life imposed. To grow in grace, our bonds displaced, to bloom just as a rose.”

The effect was almost instantaneous. No sooner had the words left the pony’s lips than the massive diamond lurched into the air, coming to rest just above eye level. The unicorn gave a terrified shriek and hid behind her friends.

“Cool!” the other fillies exclaimed in unison, smiling as the gem shimmered brightly above the ground. Slowly the stone began to rotate, and they laughed in excitement as rainbow-colored lights began to dance over the ground before them.

“Is… is it supposed to do that?” Sweetie asked, peeking cautiously out from behind the other two ponies.

“No idea.” Replied Apple Bloom, bending down to read the book. “There ain’t nothin’ in here about what’s supposed to happen. But it sure does look nice.”

The three friends continued to stare at spinning diamond, and a soft breeze began to flow past their manes. The air was gentle and warm, and carried with it a strange energy that tickled the fillies as it passed.

“Are we sure we want to do this? It’s not too late to tell Twilight.”

“But there’s only one line left.” Scootaloo pressed. “We’re almost there! We can’t just stop now. Especially since we’re so close! Come on, what’s the worst that could possibly happen?”

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, and next to her Apple Bloom gave an exasperated sigh.

“What’s the worse that could possibly happen?” Apple Bloom repeated, earning an embarrassed grin from the pegasus. “You just had to say that, didn’t you Scoots?”

“Well… if you two really want to stop…”

“No, you’re right.” Sweetie admitted with a small shake of her head. “We’re almost done anyways. Besides, if something goes wrong we can always get Twilight afterwards, right?”

Both other fillies nodded, and it was obvious that their confidence was improved greatly by the reminder that Twilight and the others would always be there to help. With a determined grin, Scootaloo glanced down at the old book and carefully read the incantation’s final lines.

“With crystal’s gleam, and magic’s spark, we open now the gates. And free the chains which bind us here, that we may find our fates.”

With a flash the diamond before the trio grew brighter than the sun, and the ponies were forced to shield their eyes with their hooves. A wave of heat washed over them, and Scootaloo laughed as the tingling sensation along her body intensified.

“Wow, it really tickles.” Sweetie Belle giggled; turning away from the flaring gem to look at her flank. “But I don’t see any cutie mark yet. Maybe…”

A deafening roar interrupted the unicorn; the terrifying sound causing the very earth beneath their hooves to tremble as all three fillies dropped to the ground in fear. The light from the diamond rapidly vanished, and Scootaloo soon found herself staring at a floating gem the color of a moon-less night.

With another crash of thunder, a pitch-black lightning bolt erupted from the diamond towards the sky. It was followed almost immediately by a second bolt, this one striking a nearby patch of earth and causing the ground to erupt in a fountain of smoking dirt and blackened grass.

From where she lay trembling upon the ground, Scootaloo watched in terror as the diamond appeared to take in all the light of the surrounding area. Before she could even have a chance to react, the darkness of the gem erupted outwards and the young pony soon found herself alone in a void of utter blackness. Soon after, the tingling from before was replaced with a terrifying numbness. The lack of sensation was all encompassing, to the point where she could neither tell if she were standing or simply lying upon the ground.

Without light nor feeling to aid her, all Scootaloo could rely on was sound. And what a sound there was. A terrifying howl like a raging storm roared all about her, as if a great wind was threatening to carry her and the others away. Yet soon even this too began to fade, leaving the young pony alone in a silent black abyss. Franticly the pegasus attempted to call out to the other fillies, but it was of no use. Their names simply vanished into the darkness; consumed by the void before they had even left her mouth.

For what felt like an eternity the young filly could only float helplessly through the dark. As she did so, even her thoughts began to fade. Fear… loneliness… all emotions simply floated away into the endless black. It felt as if she was slowly being unraveled as, one by one, even her memories began to vanish.

Where had she been before the darkness took her? It was so hard to remember. She had been with somepony else. Of that she was certain. There had been another filly. Or… had there been two?

What were their names?

The thought sprang only momentarily to the front of her mind before fleeing to join its brethren in the void.

What is my name?

Who… who am I?

______________________________________________________________________________

With a rush of sound the dream came to an end, and though sleep still attempted to cling stubbornly to her mind, Scootaloo slowly allowed her eyes to open. Peeking out from beneath heavy lids, she was momentarily blinded by a harsh white light which hid the world from view. Without sight, she found herself forced to rely on her other senses to piece together a picture of her surroundings. Not a simple task by any means

Despite the cool layer of sweat on her skin, she could feel that air around her was warm and dry. Though it was impossible to say for sure, she certainly seemed to be somewhere indoors. Nearby she could hear a low murmur of voices talking to one another, so she was not alone at least. However, her mind was far too foggy to understand a word of what was being said. Slightly closer than the voices was a low humming noise, continually punctuated by a repetitive high-pitched beeping.

“I think she’s waking up.” one of the voices called out suddenly, silencing the unintelligible conversation. “Neuronal activity just spiked! Get doctor Helix! Oh, and inform doctor Ocsid our subject is awake. He’s requested to be kept up-to-date on all new developments.”

Neuronal activity? Scootaloo thought sleepily to herself. Subject? What in Equestria does that mea…

The glowing diamond… A dimly lit room… A metal-clad giant…

THE MIRROR!

In a flash Scootaloo’s memories returned, and as adrenalin began to pump, her eyes snapped wide open. Franticly she attempted to bring her forelegs into view, wishing to prove to herself that it had all been a terrible dream. However, something was very wrong.

Her limbs would not move!

It felt as though they had been bound as she slept; tied to whatever it was on which she now lay. Immediately Scootaloo tried to look down to see what it was that held her, but even these attempts proved fruitless. Struggle as she might, she could shift her head no more than a few degrees. Something rubbery was pressed tight against her cheeks and forehead, making it impossible to move anything but her eyes. Yet what these revealed did little to calm her; for while she could not see her body, it was painfully obvious her fur-covered snout was nowhere to be seen.

It really happened! Scootaloo thought; her mind reeling even as it attempted to process the waves of strange sensations that now assailed it.

It wasn’t a dream at all.

Tears began to fill her eyes, and she could already feel her heart beginning to race. Nearby the incessant beeping began to accelerate as well, apparently determined to keep pace with the pounding in her chest.

Where am I? What happened?

Recalling the ruined towers and her capture by the giant, the terrified girl began straining against her bonds. She was already well within the realm of panic, and it only grew worse as the restraints showed no signs of loosening. Out of sight, the faceless voices quickly took notice of her distress.

“She’s definitely awake! Confirmed, subject has regained consciousness!”

“Heart rate increasing! Now at 165 bpm and rising! Prep 20 CCs of Xylefol!”

“Neuronal activity continuing to rise. Subject’s vitals beginning to push into the red.”

“We need to bring her back down. Where the hell is that sedative?”

“Prepping now! Be sure to inform doctor Helix tha… lieutenant? Lieutenant, stop! You can’t just…!”

Scootaloo felt something large and warm touch her shoulder, and instinctively she tried to pull away. Whatever it was did not let go, yet neither did it cause her any pain. Instead it only gave her a shoulder gentle squeeze.

“Easy now kid. You’ll be alright.”

A tall figure suddenly appeared before her, silhouetted against the bright lights of the ceiling overhead. As the stranger slowly came into focus, Scootaloo found herself staring into a familiar pair of sparkling green eyes.

“Settle down now.” the giant whispered, his voice surprisingly warm as he attempted to reassure her.

“You’re going to be ok.”

The man looked far different than he had at the top of the ruined tower. For one thing, he no longer wore the giant metal suit that had previously covered his form. Instead he was dressed, as far as she could see, in a light blue single-piece suit. An eerily familiar emblem of a golden winged-lightning bolt was emblazoned on his right chest, though in her current state Scootaloo could not recall where she had seen such a symbol previously. A second emblem adorned the left side of his uniform, this one a completely unfamiliar image of two swords crossing a golden sun.

Staring up at the giant, Scootaloo found her gaze drawn towards his. There was a warm kindness in those eyes, and despite herself, the former pony felt her panic slowly begin to fade.

“Heart rate dropping.” one of the voices sighed in relief. “160… 150… 135… all vitals returning to normal.”

“Lieutenant Soarin!” another shouted, clearly annoyed. “I’m sorry sir, but you can’t just touch a subject like that! We have protocols for a reason!”

The giant, who Scootaloo could only assume was the one called Soarin, gave her a playful wink before turning to look at someone behind her. However, as he did so, she saw his smile quickly vanish.

“She was scared!” the giant snapped, his sudden change in both demeanor and tone coming as quite a shock to the still restrained girl.

“It’s to be expected.” the second voice responded defensively. “A reaction like this is normal, and is certainly no reason to break from SOP.”

“I don’t care if it is normal. It’s not necessary. And it sure as hell is not right!”

“What’s going on here?”

At the sound of a new voice, all others immediately fell silent. Even Soarin did not say a word, though his eyes quickly lost what little of their warmth remained as he turned in the direction of the recent arrival.

“Doctor Helix…” he greeted coldly. In a swift motion the giant raised one arm in what seemed to be a salute of sorts. Yet by the look on his face, such a sign of respect came with great reluctance.

“It’s a pleasure to see you again so soon, sir.”

“Indeed.” the new voice responded.

Though she could not see its owner, Scootaloo could detect an obvious sneer in his tone.

“I suppose congratulations are in order lieutenant. You did well to bringing us back such an excellent specimen.”

Still unable to move, the Scootaloo could only watch as Soarin glanced sadly down at her.

“I was only doing my duty sir.”

“Quite…” came a small chuckle, signaling that the newcomer was drawing closer. “But duty or not, you have served us well with this one. If the data you collected is accurate, the sheer number of potential modifications we can make… its staggering. I can scarcely control my excitement.”

A sudden whir of gears arose from somewhere behind her, and Scootaloo immediately felt herself move as the surface to which she was bound began to rise. Slowly the world around her came into view, and as it did the girl felt her throat run dry.

She was in the middle of a decently sized room, with ivory-colored walls that gleamed from the light of the ceiling above. The entire area was so white as to be almost blinding; except for a single large wall-mounted mirror which sat directly in front of her. The room was unnaturally clean, for as she allowed her eyes to take in everything, Scootaloo found that she could not see the smallest speck of dust nor dirt.

From the ceiling were suspended several long metallic arms, all colored in the same fashion as the walls. Below each mechanical limb sat a table, also white, holding a wide assortment of strange-looking metal instruments and glass tubes. Like everything else she could see, these were spotlessly clean. And while a few of the vials appeared empty, most contained a collection of brightly colored fluids.

However, Scootaloo soon found her attention drawn away from the room and towards the two figures standing before her. For from her new position she was finally able to get a good look at both Soarin and the one he had called Doctor Helix.

As she had noticed earlier when he had been standing at her side, Soarin was dressed from the neck down in a single light-blue suit. Though now she could also see that the giant wore a pair of pitch-black shoes which had been polished to a fine shine. Even though he lacked the metal suit from the ruins, Soarin still appeared a goliath to Scootaloo’s eyes; and this perception was only reinforced when juxtaposed against the figure who stood across from him.

Like Soarin, the stranger called Doctor Helix had no fur except for the white-blond mane at the top of his head. He wore a white coat that came down to his knees, and a pair of thick glasses which hid his eyes behind the reflected gleam of the ceiling lights. While he stood nearly a head shorter than Soarin, there was an air of arrogance about this newcomer that made the difference in size seem almost insignificant.

The surface to which Scootaloo was strapped stopped moving, and the doctor turned to stare directly into her eyes. It was unnerving seeing nothing behind the glint of his glasses, and the young girl felt herself break into a cold sweat as the white-clothed man gave her a leering smile.

“How extraordinary.” he muttered, slowly approaching. “Most are so… primitive. I wonder why we have never seen a specimen this advanced before.”

“If you’ve looked over my report doctor…” Soarin pressed, moving to stand at the man’s side. “It show’s that she’s a human. A real human.”

“No…”

Shaking his head, the doctor’s reply was slow and calculated. Yet there was a strange longing in his voice as looked Scootaloo up and down.

“She’s far more than that. I have indeed read your report lieutenant. Quite thoroughly, I might add. Whatever she is, with recordings such as those, she’s certainly not human.”

Soarin began to say something else, but was immediately silenced by his companion.

“I know what you are about to ask of me lieutenant, and the answer again is no. This specimen will remain here. It represents an unprecedented opportunity, and I am not about to let it pass us by.”

Reaching forward, the doctor slowly raised a gloved forelimb towards Scootaloo’s face. Though she wanted desperately to pull away, all she could do was wait for the man’s rubber-covered digits to gently caress the bare skin of her cheek. When they did, the strange sensation sent a cold chill down her spin and immediately brought tears to her eyes.

Behind the doctor, Soarin’s face darkened angrily. Yet the bespectacled man before him appeared not to notice, and instead continued to speak with a voice barely above a whisper.

“She’s the future, lieutenant. The breakthrough I have been waiting for. Just you watch. With a few modifications she shall be the first of a whole new generation of Guardians. Can you imagine it?”

Scootaloo could feel the tears dripping down her cheeks now. Looking over Dr. Helix’s shoulder, she stared pleadingly into Soarin’s eyes.

“Please…” she begged, her voice cracking. “… please, don’t let him hurt me.”

At the sound of her voice the doctor jumped back with such speed that the glasses fell from his face, revealing for the first time his cold grey irises. Meanwhile Soarin’s face instantly turned to one of complete shock, his own eyes going wide with amazement.

“She spoke!” he exclaimed. “She just spoke! They never speak!”

Fumbling with his glasses, the doctor starred silently at the young girl for several moments. However, as his surprise wore away, his countenance somehow became even more sinister.

“I don’t believe it. This is extraordinary Soarin!”

With a cold chuckle Dr. Helix withdrew a small glass slate from inside his coat. The object was covered in lights of various colors, all of which began flashing as he rapidly tapped the surface.

“Simply fascinating! This feeling… I can barely contain myself. The sheer possibilities of what I can accomplish… what I can create with a template this advanced! It’s amazing! Oh yes my dear. By the time I’m done with you, you will be my masterpiece.”

“You can’t be serious.” Soarin spoke up suddenly, his tone one of disbelief. “She can speak. She can think! You just heard her yourself. You can’t really expect to make her one of those… abominations… can you?”

Scootaloo watched in terror as the smile vanished from the doctor’s face, only to be replaced by a look of sheer loathing.

“You may be just a soldier, lieutenant…” he muttered slowly, not bothering to look back. “… but I would have thought that even you would understand the significance of my work. Yet it appears as if I have given you too much credit. Remember always lieutenant, that while Sanctuary may survive because of men like you, it thrives because of me. Content yourself with your own duty, and now leave me to mine. You are dismissed.”

“But sir…”

“Return to your post!”

“Doctor, I really think…”

“THAT WILL BE ALL LIEUTENANT!”

The man’s sudden shout echoed off the white walls, and Scootaloo felt her heart stop at the angry snarl that had appeared upon the doctor’s face. For several moments the only sound that could be heard was the constant beeping of the nearby machines. Finally, barely batting an eye, the lieutenant raised his arm again in salute.

“Sir!”

Glancing one last time in Scootaloo’s direction, the soldier turned on his heels and strode quickly towards one of the glistening white walls. As he approached, a small door appeared as if out of nowhere, revealing a darkened corridor beyond. Within seconds the man had passed through the archway and vanished, not even bothering to look back.

As the hidden door slid shut with an audible hiss, Dr. Helix gave a happy sigh and returned his attention to the tablet he held. While he readjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose, Scootaloo was able to momentarily see his grey eyes studying her from behind the gleaming lenses.

“Now then…” he chuckled, causing his prisoner to gasp as the metal arms overhead suddenly sprang to life. “Shall we begin?”

Glistening blades and needles slowly began to emerge from the ends of the mechanical limbs, and the terrified girl could only whimper as the glint of sharp metal drew ever closer to her.

“Save your tears my dear. They will do you no good here. Besides, we are only just getting started. A masterpiece takes time after all… and we have a long way to go.”

The last thing Scootaloo felt was the sharp prick of a needle as it slid effortlessly into the side of her neck. Within moments the world disappeared in a swirl of sound and colors, leaving her once again adrift on a dark sea of unconscious thoughts.

Sweetie Belle… Apple Bloom… where are you?

______________________________________________________________________________

From high above, rays of an afternoon sun fell gently upon the great expanse of an orchard. The warm air, disrupted only by an occasional breeze, was infused with the sweet smell of ripening apples and the sounds of songbirds chirping merrily from the branches of countless trees which dotted the land. It was a bright and beautiful day, with only an occasional cloud drifting lazily across the cerulean sky above. Yet despite the peace of the surrounding land, the soft cries of a young woman could be heard from somewhere within the orchard, the sound almost completely hidden beneath the cloaking harmonies of the cheerful birds.

Through the center of the orchard lay a stream, its crystal clear waters bright and shimmering as they reflected the light of the passing sun overhead. The river gently wound its way through the various apple groves of the farm; every so often passing beneath one of the white-painted bridges which spanned its breadth. After traveling the entire expanse of the orchard, the waters eventually found their home at the southern end of the plantation and emptied into a small pond ringed with decorative stones. It was on one such stone that a young woman sat, clothed in a yellow shirt and torn denim pants, sobbing quietly as she hid her face from sight.

For several minutes the girl continued to cry quietly to herself; light red hair falling loose about her shivering frame. She appeared a teenager, and sported the slight tan of one constantly at work outdoors. Yet while her well-worn pants and boots gave her the appearance of farmer, not a single spot of dirt could be seen soiling her clothes.

As time passed and the sun continued to climb high overhead, the girl’s quiet whimpers began subside. Slowly her heavy sobs grew more infrequent, and her shoulders ceased their quaking as her breathing began to calm. Finally, as a blue jay called out from somewhere nearby, the young woman proceeded to lift her head from her arms. Her beautiful saffron-colored eyes glistened with the tears that still continued to run down her cheeks, and she gave a trembling sigh before staring disbelievingly at her own hands.

Carefully she leaned forward, and a single tear fell from her chin as Apple Bloom shivered at the sight of her own reflection in the waters before her.

It had taken her over an hour to finally come to grips with the fact that the creature in the pond was in fact her. But even now, she could hardly believe it.

"What have you gotten yourself into this time Apple Bloom?" she muttered quietly, watching the stranger’s mouth mirror her every word. This may not have been the first time she had seen her reflection, but that fact did not make it any less alien.

The sun had barely been above the trees when she had first awoken to find herself in the same spot she now occupied. At that time Apple Bloom had tried calling for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo; shouting as loudly as her voice would allow. Yet it had rapidly become apparent that either both of the CMCs were unable to respond, or else were simply nowhere near by.

In the end, the filly was not sure which possibility had terrified her more.

It was around that time she had attempted to take a drink from the pond; inadvertently discovering her new... condition. Since then she had been sitting beside the shimmering waters, her mind a storm of terrifying questions to which she had no answers.

What could have happened to her friends? What had happened to her? Why had the book done this? And perhaps most importantly of all, where was she?

Asides from her transformation, Apple Bloom had been able to surmise with some confidence that this was not her family's farm. It was an apple farm, to be sure. Or at least the many apple trees surrounding her made it appear as such. However, the young filly knew every square inch of her family's orchards, she could recall the location of every rock and tree, and so knew that this was someplace else entirely.

"Stupid book." the girl sniffed, trying as best she could to wipe away her tears. "What in Celestia’s name did that spell do to me?"

Both the silence of the pond and the young girl’s ponderings were suddenly interrupted by an unexpected rumbling from her stomach. For the first time since waking, Apple Bloom was reminded that it had been almost an entire day since she last had a bite to eat. Blushing at the ridiculousness of being hungry, especially at a time such as this, she shook her head angrily at the thought of looking for food.

“Come on stomach, you can’t really expect to eat now.”

A second rumble was quick to prove her wrong.

With a defeated sigh, she glanced at the many apple trees rising up around her. At least food was not going to be difficult to find.

Carefully standing upon the rock, an accomplishment which had taken many attempts earlier that day to achieve, the red-haired girl cautiously studied the various fruit trees that grew nearby. One in particular stood out from the rest, and with a steadying breath Apple Bloom slowly made her way towards it.

Unlike the various other trees in sight, this one appeared to be in rather poor health. Most of its leaves had fallen off to collect in a dirty ring around its base, and those that still clung desperately to its branches were already beginning to turn brown. Only a small handful of fruit could be seen hanging from its otherwise empty limbs, yet even these appeared soft and rotten.

Staring sadly up at the dying tree, Apple Bloom reached out and gently touched its dark trunk.

"Poor fella...." she whispered tenderly, gently rubbing the coarse bark. "You ain’t lookin' so good."

It was certainly strange feeling the rough wood with neither hooves nor fur to get in the way. Yet it was not a completely unpleasant experience. As she slowly caressed the tree, Apple Bloom gave a heavy sigh at the sight of a sickened leaf falling to the ground at her feet.

Closing her eyes, the red-haired girl leaned forward and pressed her forehead softly against the trunk. The patterns of the bark were rough against her bare skin, but to Apple Bloom it was almost as if she could feel the tree straining grow. It was a fight the tree was losing, and in her current state, she was in no position to help.

"I'm sorry my big sis ain’t here." the young girl sighed, as a new tear fell from her chin. "I wish… I just wish I could help."

A sudden warmth rushed through the wood beneath her skin, and Apple Bloom gave a yelp of surprise before pushing herself away from the tree. Doing so proved to be a mistake and the young girl, still unfamiliar with her new body, quickly lost her balance.

Landing painfully on her rear, Apple Bloom watched in awe as bright yellow sparks began rushing across the tree’s decrepit trunk. She had never seen anything like it before, and was left speechless as the tiny specks of light began to burrow into the dark wood. A moment later the ground started to tremble, causing the now terrified girl to brace herself as she watched an impossible metamorphosis take place before her very eyes.

The apple tree, which only moments ago had been no more than a withered shell, was rapidly growing taller. The ground beneath it heaved and shifted as massive roots began to spread outwards in all directions, the earth at its base rising up as the plant’s trunk grew wider with each passing second. Within moments the entire tree had almost doubled in size, yet this appeared to be only the beginning of the changes which assailed it.

Soon rotting leaves began to give way to lush green foliage. Lily colored flowers blooming one after another amongst the ever-widening branches. Not long after, tiny green fruits joined these blossoms; only to moments later swell into bright red apples. All the while the tree continued to grow taller, its canopy swiftly climbing until it towered over its nearest neighbors.

Then just as suddenly as it had begun, the transformation halted. A strange calm descended upon the orchard and birds quickly began to make new homes in the branches of the rejuvenated tree.

Not sure what else to do, Apple Bloom simply stared in awe at the now thriving plant. What had occurred should have been impossible. Yet she had seen it with her own eyes. However, even as her startled mind attempted to piece together what it was she had just witnessed, her fascination was interrupted by a soft tingling along her legs and rear.

The same yellow sparks she had seen earlier now danced merrily along her arms, falling to land upon the ground on which she sat. What these tiny specks of light could be, the young girl could not fathom. However, their effect was immediately noticeable, as was the source of the strange tickling sensation. The grass on which she had fallen was slowly lengthening; the thin green blades extending further from the ground to tickle her even through the fabric of her pants.

In an instant Apple Bloom was on her feet, pulse quickening as she came to the only obvious conclusion.

This clearing was haunted!

On instinct she began to run, fleeing the pond and enchanted tree as quickly as her legs would allow. As she ran the yellow sparks began to dim, eventually vanishing completely as the clearing was left far behind. Yet this did little to ease her fear of the strange magic that had touched her. Instead she ran on, all thoughts of hunger pushed aside as she darted around the many trees that threatened to block her path.

What’s going on? The filly thought frantically as she struggled to continue running in this alien body.

Scootaloo! Sweetie Belle! Where are you now?

In the end she did not know how far she ran, or how much distance she had put between herself and the enchanted clearing. When her legs would allow her to run no further, the red-haired girl simply collapsed with her back against a tree. Gasping for air, she stared up at the blue-sky overhead and tried her best to ignore the pangs of hunger that began to once again resurface.

Striking the back of her head angrily against the tree, Apple Bloom gritted her teeth while her stomach gave another loud series of rumbles.

Now ain’t the time for food. She berated herself, gingerly rubbing the small bump rising on the back of her head. However, when she looked up into the branches spreading over her, she could not help but feel her mouth water at the sight of the juicy looking apples suspended overhead.

But maybe… maybe just one wouldn’t hurt.

The moment the thought crossed her mind; Apple Bloom felt an eerily familiar rush of heat pass through the tree behind her.

How she felt it, the former filly could not begin to describe. It was as if the towering plant were reaching into her… or she into it. Either way, she shivered as the warmth rushed upwards along the trunk; eventually spreading out to the very tips of the tree’s branches.

Instinctively she found herself reaching out, and a moment later the largest apple in sight detached from its perch to land in her outstretched palm.

“What the…?” Apple Bloom gasped; her eyes widening as she stared at the piece of fruit. “How did…?”

Turning her head, she was just in time to see several yellow sparks dance along the tree’s limbs before fading into nothingness. Glancing back at the apple, similar lights could be seen traveling along the fruit’s red skin and, perhaps even more importantly, her own.

In a panic she tossed the apple aside, yet the sparkling lights continued to float about her palms for several seconds before vanishing as well. It was only then that the strange sensation which had connected her to the tree began to dim. However, they did not vanish all together. Instead they simply became muted, as though retreating to the back of her mind.

A sudden thought occurred to Apple Bloom, and almost on instinct she reached out with her will, attempting to reel in the sensations which now lay at the periphery of her consciousness. Within moments the heat had returned, and the young girl watched with a combination of awe and terror as the sparks appeared once again; floating gently above her outstretched palms.

Recalling what had happened at the pond, the girl warily reached down to touch the earth on which she sat, and within moments the lights had begun to delve into the rich soil. Soon enough the grass surrounding her began to lengthen rapidly, just as it had in the clearing before.

“What…” she muttered warily, her voice catching in her throat. “What’s happenin to me?”

Chapter 3

Why is this happening?

In the rare moments that Scootaloo was capable of conscious thought, this was the only question that ever seemed to arise; despite knowing full well that it could not be answered. After all, there was no reason or logic which could explain why a filly like her could be trapped in such a nightmare.

Her existence, if it could be called such, had become constrained almost entirely to a shadowy realm of semi-consciousness. In this terrifying limbo, even time itself seemed to be in flux. Hours... days... weeks... all were one in the eternal void. Here the darkness felt as if it would last forever, working to consume every thought that might attempt to claw its way to the front of her mind. No words could describe the terror of such nothingness. And yet, whenever the void would begin to retreat and give way to consciousness, Scootaloo would find herself pleading for its return. After all, even an eternity of non-existence was preferable to a mere moment in the waking world.

For it was in waking that the true nightmare would begin.

During these times the sound of clicking and whirling metal was a constant: a ceaseless cacophony of blades and needles dancing on the ends of shifting metallic arms. These piercing noises were often joined by the dull drone of giant machines and the crackling of air heated by scorching flames.

While terrifying at first, these sounds had become commonplace and no longer instilled in her the fear they once had. Instead, it was now the voices which would make Scootaloo yearn for the absolute silence that was brought on by the void. Sometimes the voices would speak to her. Other times they would argue amongst themselves. There were even some occasions when the voice she heard was her own. It was these moments that terrified her the most; for while the voice was certainly hers, the words were not.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Slowly Scootaloo could feel the darkness withdrawing. And as always she grasped frantically at the black abyss.

Please... she pleaded to the shadows of her mind. Please just let me rest!

"It appears they were not wrong. You can in fact speak. Well this is new!"

At the sound of the strange voice, Scootaloo eyes flashed open. With a rush of roaring wind, she found herself standing again atop one of the ruined towers where her nightmare had first begun.

It was all just as she remembered. Decrepit walls, rotting furniture, and a massive cliff where the floor of the building had long ago given way. The filly was standing at the building's edge, staring down into the flowing clouds which hid the ground from view.

"I could certainly understand if you wished to jump..."

The words sounded as though they held some sort of amusement, and Scootaloo gave a small gasp as she frantically looked for the one who had spoken them. But she was alone at the top of this tower, with only the stars and moon overhead to keep her company.

"Why... would I want to jump?" she asked uncertainly before glancing down at her still transformed body. "I don't have wings. I'd fall."

For a moment, it sounded as if the wind was laughing at her.

"That is generally the result when one decides to put their fate in gravity's hands." The voice responded, seeming to originate from all directions at once. "However, I do not doubt that many who have been placed in your current situation would have found a long fall and sudden stop preferable."

"My situation? What do you mean?"

"I mean that at this moment, my influence is the only power which stands between you and insanity."

A sudden gust of wind forced Scootaloo to close her eyes. When she opened them again she was quick to notice that something else had joined her atop the tower.

The figure was cloaked all in black, with a hood pulled forward to shield their face from view. Despite the stranger's sudden appearance, the young filly discovered that she was not afraid. She knew she should be. Especially given her past experiences on this tower. But despite this fact, there was not even a twinge of unease.

"The mind is truly an amazing thing, is it not? Love and hatred. Good and evil. These abstract concepts which come together to create what we term 'existence' all originate from a mere mass of cells entombed in a bony shell. To influence their functioning is to control one's very reality. I often find myself wondering if that is the very definition of 'playing god.'"

As the figure spoke, Scootaloo watched the world around them shift. Crumbling towers became a lush green forest, followed immediately by the great expanse of an endless ocean.

"What are you?" Scootaloo asked, awe in her voice as the world settled in the shape of a beautiful white beach.

"A friend. Or at the very least, I have the potential to be one. However..."

The figure took a step forward, and suddenly the voice became that of a young woman.

"...the real question is what are you? Or perhaps more importantly, what are you becoming now that Dr. Helix has gotten his hands on you?"

At the sound of that name, Scootaloo suddenly felt her heart seize. It was only a momentary attack of panic. A brief sensation of pressure upon her chest. Yet brief or not, almost immediately the stranger's attitude shifted. The amusement which had been present mere moments ago was now gone.

"So... it seems you recognize the good doctor's name. Your fear must be great indeed if even my barriers are not enough to keep it at bay."

"Barriers?"

"As I said, the horrors you have suffered thus far would be enough to break even the strongest of minds. And you, little one, do not look to be much of a warrior. Not by any stretch of the imagination. So for the moment, I have enacted protocols which are preventing your recall of any recent events they determine as having the potential to cause you intense emotional distress."

For several moments Scootaloo just stared confusedly at the stranger.

"In other words..." the hooded figure clarified, acknowledging the girl's confusion. "I am hiding some of your more recent... traumatic... memories from you."

"My memories?" the pink-haired girl gasped. The very idea was terrifying. And yet, for the some unknown reason, she still felt no fear towards this stranger. "How are you doing that?"

"I do not wish to belittle your intelligence. But I find it highly unlikely that you will understand how. Though with that being said..."

The stranger appeared thoughtful for a moment.

"...I see no harm in at least trying to explain."

The world around them shimmered for a moment, revealing a small wooden bench. The stranger moved to sit, and Scootaloo suddenly found herself compelled to join her."

"This world is a construct." the woman stated simply. "An amalgamation of your thoughts and feelings, given substance by your memories. I suppose you could go as far as to call it a dream, for I lack a description I feel you would truly understand."

"A dream." Scootaloo marveled as she glanced towards the flickering ocean waves before them. "But then, why are you here?"

She was now close enough to see the figure's mouth beneath her hood. At the question, the stranger's lips formed a bemused smirk.

"As I said before, the mind is an amazing thing. And thanks to the good doctor's work, yours has now been opened to me."

"Dr. Helix..." Scootaloo muttered, feeling her heart once again clench tightly in her chest.

"Yes." The stranger whispered as her tone became dark. "That man is responsible for a great many crimes. And I fear that you are only the latest in a long line of victims. Though, for better or worse, he is the reason I am now able to speak to you."

"What do you mean? Who is he?"

"Dr. Alpha Helix..." The stranger recited. "...is the assistant head of Research and Development for Sanctuary's military; specifically their Enhanced Special Reconnaissance forces. He is also a monster, lacking any morals or even the slightest shred of human decency. However, I am apparently one of the few who knows this. And even I cannot deny his unmatched scientific genius. He is both dangerous and powerful; and for the moment, he has you in his clutches."

"But why?" Scootaloo pressed. "What does he want from me?"

"Among the many 'contributions' to society he has made..." the stranger continued as though she had been uninterrupted. "Dr. Helix is most well known for his creation of the Guardians."

"Guardians?"

"Yes. You see... the ruins where you were first found were once part of a city. A magnificent city called Crystal which has long since been destroyed. Unfortunately, I do not have the time to give you a full history lesson. But suffice it to say that its destruction was brought about by creatures of terrifying power."

"Like monsters?"

The stranger gave a small chuckle.

"There are many who would call them such. Monsters, demons, extra-dimensional organisms; they have carried many titles. And since the desolation of Crystal, every time these creatures have appeared, they have brought only chaos and devastation. The Guardians were Dr. Helix's response. Fight fire with fire! Battle terror with terror; and destroy these monsters with those of our very own. Although I do not approve of his methods, there is no denying their effectiveness."

"I still don't understand what this has to do with me?"

"Everything!" the stranger answered sadly. "After all, you... little one... are the newest monstrosity to join the doctor's ranks."

Scootaloo stared at the cloaked figure, too stunned for words.

"But I'm not a monster!"

To her surprise the stranger suddenly gave a hearty laugh.

"No you are not." She agreed, patting Scootaloo on the head. That act was perhaps even more shocking then her words. But the young girl found the woman's touch reassuring; almost mother-like.

"After having this conversation with you, I would have to say that you are certainly no monster. But that is the very reason I have taken this risk. To discover for myself whether you were simply some mindless beast or if, as I had been led to believe, you were capable of thinking for yourself. At the very least this has made me feel better about my decision. So now, tell me... would you like me to save you?"

Scootaloo could already feel the tears in her eyes. This was impossible to believe. After all, what were the chances that a stranger would magically appear to offer salvation from the nightmare she now found herself in. It was far too good to be true. And yet, deep in her heart, she could not help but feel a small flicker of hope. It might be an impossible situation. But for the first time since appearing in this world, the tears that now rolled down her cheeks were not because of fear. They were tears of relief. She did not know who this stranger was, or even if this was all just some fantastical dream. But for the moment, the hope was real. And as short lived as it might be; Scootaloo still grasped for it with all her might.

"Please. Please help me."

"Very well then." the stranger replied, her voice as warm as the smile beneath her cowl. "My decision has been made. On my word, you shall be freed."

Intrusion detected!

The words flashed into Scootaloo's mind, and as they did she was struck by a sudden jolt of searing pain. It felt as though somebody had driven nails into the back of her eyes, and the young girl cried out in pain as she fell from the wooden bench. Immediately the stranger was at her side. Though her face was still hidden from view, the concern in her voice was obvious.

"What's wrong?"

Scootaloo cried out again as her mind was wracked with pain. Meanwhile, the sky overhead turned blood red as both the ocean and earth began to tremble.

Virus intrusion detected. Unknown programs confirmed. Initiating trace.

Strange words she could not understand arose out of nothingness in her mind, each one sending out new waves of pain with its appearance.

Confirmed intrusion of defensive barriers. Beginning disconnect of peripheral hardlines. Breaches have been traced. Initiating shut down of proxies. Antibody programs responding. Mutual destruction in progress.

"They've found me." the stranger whispered, her voice wavering slightly even as she placed a comforting hand on Scootaloo's shoulder. "I am so sorry child. I did not think that they would discover me so quickly. We should have had more time."

Scootaloo glanced up, and watched as the crimson sky seemed to dissolve into strings of strange letters and shapes. All the while, the earth beneath them continued to shift as if struck by a massive quake.

"Please tell me little one... do you have a name?"

"Scootaloo." the young girl gasped, her eyes watering from the pain. "My name is Scootaloo."

"Well Scootaloo, you may call me Nyx."

The young girl looked up, and for the first time the stranger removed her hood.

Her hair was dark blue, and her sapphire colored eyes glistened with tears as she gave Scootaloo a sad smile.

"I did not mean for our first meeting to end like this. It seems I have cruelly added to your suffering child, and for that I apologize."

Warning! Unknown program has gained control of proxies. Infected sectors are attempting to spread. Unable to disconnect hard lines. Cutting infected sectors lose to act as decoys. Rerouting remaining lines to released sectors.

The ground buckled yet again as the earth began to crack apart like an egg. As Scootaloo watched, the sand of the beach falling into the rapidly expanding crevices gave the appearance of bloody waterfalls as it reflected the red sky above.

"What's happening?" Scootaloo cried over the roaring wind.

"This world I created is being torn apart. In a few moments it will be gone."

Commencing total purge. Prepare for emergency shutdown and system restart.

"Stay strong Scootaloo. This pain will be over soon."

Commencing restart in 5... 4...

"Please." the young girl sobbed as her heart gave in to despair. "I don't want to be alone again."

Scootaloo felt Nyx’s warmth as the woman held her close.

"I will stay with you until the very end. Remember that we are coming for you Scootaloo. I promise!"

3... 2... 1

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Scootaloo's eyes fluttered open, and she was momentarily blinded by the white light above. All around her could be heard the constant beeping and whirring of machines, joined by the muffled chatter of masked men.

She was back. Back in the nightmare.

"System restart successful. No abnormalities detected in the subject. We are commencing final sweep of all effected systems now."

"Antibody programs are terminating the last remaining intruders. All viral breaches have been isolated and sealed."

As the voices continued to speak, Scootaloo took the opportunity to assess her current situation. She was still transformed. That much was obvious. And try as she might, she could not move her limbs, which meant she was still restrained. How long had she been lying on this table? Had it been days? Weeks?

Scootaloo blinked, and immediately cleared these thoughts from her mind. By now, this had become somewhat of a ritual during the rare occasions when she was allowed full consciousness. She had discovered early on that trying to guess how long she had been trapped here was useless, and therefore, pointless to waste time dwelling upon. She would be better served focusing on more immediate matters... like her dream.

"We have finished analyzing the viruses locked in our decoy servers. They do not match any known codes in the local database."

"Engineers are beginning to reconnect hardlines. We should be back online and fully operational in five minutes. Once online we can send the analysis to Central and see what they say."

"Before then... would someone care to tell me how this happened?"

As the question was asked, all other voices immediately fell silent. It was not hard for Scootsloo to recognize Dr. Helix; and judging by the icy sound of his words as they hung suspended in the air, the man was absolutely livid.

"Sir! We had a viral intrusion through the defensive barriers of our supply server. It came in as a basic request form, and was therefore able to bypass all Gatekeeper checks. Once in, it spread through almost every system, shredding our barriers as it went. After it bounced through our internal security sectors, failures in those sectors led to additional ruptures in four separate external systems. At which point..."

"SHUT UP!"

The words rang in out in the space of the large room, echoing off the sterile walls which surrounded them. Nearby, the stranger who had been speaking instantly ceased.

"Shut up, and answer the question I asked, you incompetent moron. I am well aware of WHAT happened! What I asked you, was HOW!"

"I'm sorry sir." Another voice stammered, and despite herself, Scootaloo felt a small smile appear on her face.

Good. She thought. Let someone else be terrified for once.

"Our analysis is not complete yet so we just... "

"Don't know! You... just... don't... know! Is that not what you were going to tell me? Because of your failure, Mr. Wall, an intruder was able bypass every security protocol we have. This same hacker was able to make your precious barriers, ones which you promised us were impossible to circumvent, look as though they had been coded by a toddler. They were even able to reach my precious masterpiece because of you! And yet... YOU CANNOT TELL ME WHO THEY ARE!"

The room once again went silent, save for the hum of the nearby machinery.

"Dr. Helix, sir. This should not have been possible. Once we have more time to analyze the attack, I know that we will discover who..."

"I think not."

The doctor's voice had regained its normal composure. However, the tone in every syllable was cold enough to freeze the sun. Even though she was still blinded by the white lights of the ceiling, Scootaloo felt a cold chill run down her spine simply imagining the man's face.

"Mr. Wall and Mr. Space, your analysis is not required. Nor are your services. I have already reached my own conclusions concerning this matter, and while there is indeed someone here who I believe will confirm my suspicions, I know for a fact that it is not you gentlemen. Therefore, you are both dismissed!"

"Sir, as I said, we are very sorry for this breach. I believe I speak for Mr. Space when I say that we take full responsibility of this intrusion. I can assure you that..."

"The responsibility is indeed yours! Which is why I would suggest you prepare your résumés gentlemen. By tomorrow morning, your contract with us will no longer be in effect."

"But sir!"

"I want every man here to get out... now!"

"Doctor, please allow us to..."

"Anyone who does not exit this lab in the next thirty seconds will be escorted out by security. Or would you gentleman rather I simply order them to execute you on sight!"

There was a sudden rush of rustling papers and lab coats, followed by the dull thud of bodies fighting to get through a doorway. A moment later the sliding doors of the room hissed shut, and Scootaloo suddenly found herself very much alone.

"I am sorry you had to hear that my dear."

The light overhead dimmed, and Scootaloo soon found herself staring up into the familiar face of Dr. Alpha Helix.

"I cannot stand failure. Especially when it threatens such a monumental project. Those men were fools, and I will see to it that they pay the price for their incompetence. But for now..."

The bespectacled man took several steps back as Scootaloo felt the table beneath her begin to shift.

"... I thought we could have a little chat."

The table ceased to move, leaving the pink-haired girl lying on an angle. She was now able to see the entirety of the lab and, in particular, the large mirror suspended nearby. Her shocked gasp caused the doctor to give a heartless chuckle.

"What do you think? I suppose it has been a while since you last had the opportunity to see yourself."

The first thing Scootaloo noticed was that the outfit she had been wearing while in the ruins was gone. It was replaced with two, much simpler, pieces of clothing which felt more like tissue paper than cloth. The first piece covered only her upper chest and shoulders, while the second did the same for her lower body and upper thighs. Asides from these small pieces of cloth, the majority of her body was left completely bare. Perhaps it was her new lack of fur, but trapped here in this room she felt... naked. It was an alien and rather terrifying sensation seeing as she had rarely worn clothes back in Ponyville.

However, her lack of covering aside, what truly caused Scootaloo's blood to run cold upon seeing her reflection were the lines. Strange, glowing veins of light which traced their way along her limbs and exposed stomach. Pulsating with a soft pink glow, the lights spiderwebbed their way across her body with each beat of her heart. As she watched, one vein suddenly appeared, tracing its way up her neck towards her left eye. Watching the pulsating veins crawl across her body, Scootaloo felt as though she were going to be sick.

"Magnificent." The white-clothed man sighed happily as the line on her face faded away. "You still have a long way to go. But already you are turning out far better than I could have possibly imagined."

"What are you doing to me?" she gasped, frantically struggling against the bindings which held her as additional lines of pink light slithered across her stomach.

"Beautiful, aren't they? Channels of pure energy, coursing through you like blood. When combined with the additional enhancements I have planned, you will truly become an achievement without equal my dear Tempestas."

"Who?" Scootaloo spat. She had finally given up struggling, and instead forced her gaze away from the mirror.

"Why, you of course." the doctor responded with feigned surprise. "Tempestas. That is the name I have chosen for you. After all, it’s customary for an owner to name one's pet."

"I am not your pet!"

"Oh?"

This time there was genuine surprise in the man's voice.

"I was unsure whether or not you would be aware of the concept. It seems that you continue to surprise me. How wonderful."

Dr. Helix reached into his pocket and withdrew the small tablet he always carried. Scootaloo watched him tentatively as he approached her, his eyes hidden behind the reflection of his glasses.

"Whether or not you consider yourself my pet is irrelevant at the moment. As is whatever name I choose to call you. Instead, let us reflect on the recent... events... which have transpired."

With a whirring of gears, the table began to move once again. However, to Scootaloo it felt almost as if the surface on which she lay was beginning to break apart. The pieces began to fold and contort, carrying with them her restrained limbs. A few moments later, the young girl found herself sitting in a strange chair. Her arms and feet were still held tight, but at least she could now move her head.

"There we go." her captor sighed happily as a portion of the floor rose up to form a stool for him. "This feels much better, does it not?"

The man began taping on the tablet, but Scootaloo was sure his eyes were studying her from beneath his glasses.

"Now tell me Tempestas. Have you spoken to anyone asides from myself, in the past few hours."

"Stop calling me by that stupid name!"

"Would you prefer I just call you Tempest? That is what most of my assistants have taken to calling you. Personally, I believe my choice has a certain... elegance... to it. But if you want..."

"MY NAME IS SCOOTALOO!" she shouted angrily, straining at her restraints in frustration. Across from her, the doctor did not so much as bat an eyebrow at the sudden outburst.

"Fascinating, but irrelevant. As I said, names mean little to me at the moment. All I care about is determining whether or not my hypothesis concerning this recent cyber-incursion is correct. Now please answer my question. Have you recently spoken to anyone asides from myself."

"No!"

Scootaloo's response was immediate, defiant, and would most likely have been accompanied by a folding of her arms had they not been restrained.

"I see." the doctor responded, continuing to tap the tablet.

He gave Scootaloo a wide smile, but it was devoid of any real warmth.

"I can certainly understand you not wanting to cooperate with me... Scootaloo. But please realize that, despite what you may think, I have no interest in hurting you. That is why I'm going to give you this warning."

The man leaned forward and turned the tablet towards her. On its glass surface, Scootaloo saw a picture of her transformed body. All around the picture danced various words and numbers which meant absolutely nothing to her. However, it was obvious the doctor could decipher them, because as spoke, he began to touch them one after the other.

"Heart rate, blood pressure, core temperature, skin temperature, and on, and on. Every single aspect of your biology is as clear to me as the words on the page of a book. I know everything about you... including when you are lying to me."

Scootaloo glared defiantly at her captor, burning gaze reflected back at her in the lenses of his glasses. Yet despite her facade, she felt a cold chill as she watched his smile widen. What if this man was telling the truth?

"Increased heart rate. Elevated epinephrine levels. The slightest decrease in skin temperature. Experiencing a little fear, are you my dear? Well then, now that I have given you my warning, I will ask again. Have you spoken to anyone else?"

"No!" Scootaloo insisted, not allowing her gaze to waver.

This time, Dr. Helix did not smile.

A light buzzing sound was the only warning she had. The next moment a searing pain erupted from the middle of her forehead, causing her to cry out as the burning sensation rapidly spread outward. From her head it passed through her neck, chest, and continued on to the very tips of her limbs.

Then just as quickly as it had arrived, the pain vanished, leaving Scootaloo gasping for air as tears continued to fall down her cheeks.

"I told you..."

The young girl struggled as the doctor grabbed her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. His glasses had shifted, and his cold grey irises now stared unblinking into her own.

"... I know when you are lying."

"I'm not!"

Another jolt of pain caused the girl to cry out . However, the doctor's gloved hand would not allow her to look away even as she felt her skin sear.

"Do you feel that?" he hissed; the agony once again evaporating. "That is direct stimulation of every pain receptor in your body. Pain in its purest form! I may have no interest in hurting you, but a tool that does not do as I ask is worse than useless to me. Now you will answer me truthfully... NOW!"

"I haven't spoken to anyone."

The girl choked on her tears as she heard the buzzing sound start again. However, this time there was no pain. Instead the doctor quickly tapped something on his tablet and removed his gloved hand from her chin.

For several minutes the bespectacled man simply stared at her, his face an unreadable mask. For her part Scootaloo refused to look away. Though her cheeks still glistened with tears, she would not allow this man to win! She did not know where this resolve was coming from, but in the end, that did not really matter. She would use it for as along as she was able.

"I suppose, some would say that your defiance is commendable."

The doctor continued to stare at the girl he held captive; his eyes once again concealed behind the reflection of his lenses. However, as he moved to push the glasses up his nose, Scootaloo was momentarily able to see the anger burning in his gaze.

"However, I do not have the time to deal with such foolishness. I gave you the opportunity to cooperate of your own free will. Yet you refused. Fortunately, free will is a defect I have become quite adept at correcting."

The edges of the man's lips curled into a grim sneer, and Scootaloo suddenly felt her heart stop.

"Now then... Tempest Project access code: It is you who holds the celestial key."

Drowning. That was the only way Scootaloo could describe the terrifying sensation which gripped her. The moment those words had left the doctors mouth, it felt as though she had been pulled into a darkened sea; left to sink into a crushing black abyss. All light vanished, followed immediately by any sense of touch or taste or smell. All that remained was sound. Muted, distant, but still discernible. Through the darkness, the terrified girl could hear a voice. Cold, lifeless, still immediately recognizable.

It was her own.

"Command code recognized. Priority access granted. My apologies if I angered you doctor. It will not happen again."

"No need to apologize. How are you feeling Tempestas?"

"I am well doctor. How may I be of assistance?"

"I am seeking confirmation. Have you been contacted by any unauthorized personnel within the past two hours?"

"Yes."

From inside the void, Scootaloo cried out in despair.

Stop! She pleaded. Don't talk to him!

"I thought so. Did you recognize this person?"

"No doctor. I have never her before."

Please... please stop!

"Her?"

Even though his voice was muted, Scootaloo could almost feel the chill in his words.

"Did this person tell you their name?"

NO!!!!

"She called herself Nyx."

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The sound of birds chirping was the first thing Sweetie Belle heard upon waking, their gentle song proving to be a wonderful alarm-clock of sorts. Turning in bed, the young filly marveled at how soft and pleasant the sheets felt. She couldn’t quite remember how she had gotten to this bed, but that hardly seemed important at the moment. Especially now when everything felt so wonderful.

Though… the more she thought about it, the more the pony sensed that something wasn’t quite right. While the blankets and bed were indeed soft, it almost felt as though they were too soft against her skin.

Skin? What about all my hair?

A gentle breeze caressed her face, and immediately the filly stopped breathing.

Did somepony shave me?

Her eyes flashed open in an instant, and she found herself squinting against the light of an early morning sunrise passing through an open window. However, as her vision slowly returned, Sweetie Belle found that she could not take this opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the morning sunlight. Instead she felt her stomach churn as she saw the strange appendage lying just in front of her face.

Hairless and white… the young pony barely knew what to make of the strange object. But the fact that she could feel the warmth of the morning breeze from the window as it passed over the alien limb was enough to instill panic in the filly. With a shriek she sprang upright in the bed, sending the blankets which lay over her tumbling onto the polished wooden floor.

Frantically Sweetie began to pat herself down with what should have been her front hooves in the hopes of finding some semblance of normality. Instead the young filly’s breathing turned panicked as her mind attempted to make sense of the tidal wave of alien sensations which now assaulted her. Both of her forelimbs had transformed, and her hysterical investigations quickly revealed that they were far from the only parts of her which had changed. While most of her transformation was hidden from sight by a white silken nightdress, one thing was very clear.

This was not her body!

A large wooden door flew open with a bang, causing Sweetie to give her second shriek of the morning. This was quickly followed by her third as a strange looking creature charged into the room.

“Young miss? Is everything quite all right?”

The beast, whatever it was, had a strange sounding voice. It was slow and drawn out, as if every word were being carefully considered before speaking. However, it moved quickly and with earnest towards her bed, its eyes glimmering with a look of honest concern.

“I…” Sweeite began to respond, stopping as she noticed for the first time the large mirror hanging opposite the window. It had only come to her attention as the creature passed in front of it. Yet now she could not take her eyes off the scene reflected in its polished glass.

Sitting atop an ornate wooden bed was another creature, similar to the one which had just barged into the room, but clearly smaller and younger by several decades. The young figure had pale white skin without even the slightest trace of hair, save for the long purple and pink mane which fell untidily about its head. While most of its body was cloaked in a loose-fitting nightgown, it stared back at Sweetie Belle with bright-green eyes, widened in shock and fear. As she stared in terror at the mirror, the young filly watched as a single drop of water fell down the reflection’s soft cheek. The sensation of that tear falling from her own chin onto the bed was all the evidence Sweetie Belle needed to confirm her suspicions.

“That’s… me…”

Those were the only words the pony could manage before the shock became to much, forcing her to seek the relief of unconsciousness once again.

The poor pony did not know how long she slept after fainting. But, it was not nearly as untroubled as her first rest. Now she found herself plagued by dreams of shadowy creatures, terrifying monsters which sought to change her into one of them. They clamored all around her, walking on their hind limbs as they grasped franticly at her mane. At first the horrified filly swiped franticly at the claws which reached towards her, trying to do whatever she could to free herself from their clutches. However, a soft voice began to whisper in her ear, and as it did the nightmarish creatures began to vanish one after another.

“Everything is going to be all right darling.”

The voice sounded familiar: both warm and gentle. Despite herself, Sweetie felt a sense of relief wash over her. Eventually the last of the nightmarish creatures disappeared from her mind. As it did, the grasping at her mane became a soft, almost loving, caress.

“You are safe here.” The voice whispered as a figure next to her placed something warm over her eyes. “Nothing is going to hurt you here.”

Slowly Sweetie Belle felt her eyelids flutter open once again, but this time a moist towel blocked the sunlight filtering into the room from view.

“White! White where are… oh there you are! I think she’s beginning to wake up now. Would you be so kind as to call doctor Cross?”

“Of course madam. Right away.”

As Sweetie felt her senses begin to return she attempted to make sense of what was going on around her. The second voice was clearly that of the creature who had barged into her room. With that realization, the memories of her previous attempt to wake up, as well as her current… condition… came back in a flood. Once again the young filly felt her stomach churn uncomfortably as she thought of her strange transformation and what could possibly have caused it. However, her thoughts were cut short as the conversation next to her continued on.

“Shall I send for the tailor as well? I suspect the young miss will need a change of clothing given the state of her previous outfit.”

“If you could book an appointment for tomorrow White, I believe that will prove sufficient. She can borrow some of mine until then.”

The other voice was most certainly that of a female; Sweetie Belle could make that out clearly. But why was it so familiar? Where had she heard it before?

“Are you sure you wish to give her your clothing madam? I am certain I could find something in the back of the boutique that would not be nearly as… expensive.”

“White, if I was worried about being robbed, I would not have brought her into our house in the first place. Therefore I would appreciate it if you remember that she is a guest, and should be treated as such.”

“Of course! My apologies madam. I meant no disrespect. If you excuse me, I will be right along with the doctor. I believe he was taking a call in the foyer.”

Sweetie Belle heard the sound of footsteps moving away from her bed, followed soon after by the gentle click of a door latching shut. Taking a deep breath, the young filly attempted to speak for a second time that morning.

“Where…” she began, coughing at the dryness of her throat. “Where am I?”

“Oh thank goodness you are awake darling. I was afraid you were going to sleep the entire day away.”

Sweetie Belle felt as though her heart would burst from excitement. If she had any doubt as to the owner of that voice before, that last comment quickly washed it away. Sweetie had heard it enough times when staying at her sister’s house.

“Rarity?”

Snatching the cloth from her face, Sweetie Belle blinked the water from her eyes as she turned to the figure sitting beside her bed.

It was impossible to describe the strange mix of emotions that assaulted the poor filly as she took in the strange form seated next to her. It was the same type of creature as the one called White, and looked very similar to her own new appearance after whatever magic had transformed her. The figure in question had a glorious purple mane which fell loose about her head, and crystal blue eyes which were currently staring at the filly with a mixture of concern and suspicion. Like the voice, Sweetie Belle would recognize those eyes anywhere. They were Rarity’s eyes!

Her sister’s eyes.

“I’m terribly sorry…” the creature said, picking up the discarded cloth and placing it in a bowl of water on her lap. “…but have we met before?”

“You don’t know me?” Sweetie asked timidly, her eyes beginning to fill with tears at the sight of this strange reinterpretation of her own sister. It felt as though her heart would break, seeing something so familiar, and yet so alien.

“I’m afraid not darling. I believe this is our first time meeting. Or second, if you wish to count me picking you up off the sidewalk outside of my boutique as the first.”

“Sidewalk?” the green-eyed filly muttered confusedly. “I… what… where am…?”

Realization was quick to set in. Whatever had happened with the gem, it was clear to Sweetie Belle that she was not in Equestria anymore. More importantly, no matter what similarities they might have, this creature was not her sister. Before she could do anything else, the filly knew that she had to figure out what was going on, while raising as little suspicion as possible.

“I’m sorry.” She gasped, quickly wiping the tears from her eyes as she gave the biggest smile she could manage. “I’m so sorry. I’m still a little confused after that fainting spell. One minute I was looking at the beautiful dresses in your shop window, and the next I’m lying here. I didn’t mean worry you, and we most certainly haven’t met before. But I just I love the dresses you make, and always wanted to be able to buy one and…”

You’re talking too much! Sweetie chided herself as she took a deep breath to try and calm her nerves.

“… and anyway, my name is Sweetie Belle.” she finished clumsily, sticking out her hand.

Rarity stared at the young girl bemusedly for several seconds as she placed the water bowl on a bedside stand. However, after a few moments of silence she gave a bright smile and gently took the extended hand in her own.

“Well Sweetie Belle. I am Rarity, and it is an absolute pleasure to meet you. I must say that it’s refreshing to find someone your age who is interested in my dresses. I generally cater to a more… mature crowd. As for where you are darling, when I found you lying outside my boutique I had White bring you inside. Initially I wanted to take you to a hospital. However, once we discovered that you did not have an ID card, I felt that you might be more comfortable being checked over by my own doctor. So we drove you back to my house. I apologize if I presumed too much.”

“No! I appreciate it.” The young girl responded uncertainly. “You are right, and I’m afraid I don’t have an… ID card.”

Whatever that is.

“I assumed not, judging by the state of your clothing at least. I can’t imagine what it’s like for a young girl like you to grow up on the streets. Do you have any friends who might be looking for you? Any family?”

“I… I don’t…”

Try as she might, Sweetie Belle could not keep the smile on her face. Nor could she stop her eyes from watering as the reality of her situation began to take shape. The mere mention of friends and family had been enough to draw the young filly’s thoughts to her parents, to Rarity, and especially to Scootaloo and Apple Bloom.

What happened to everypony? Am I really all alone?

Before she could stop herself, the young filly felt warm tears streaming down her cheeks. Without the hair normally on her face, the sensation felt... wrong, and only served to drive more tears to fall.

“I’m sorry.” She sobbed, desperately tying to dry her eyes. “No, I have no family here. No… no friends. Nothing… I have nothing.”

Suddenly Sweetie Belle felt a soft pressure against her cheek as she was pulled into a warm embrace.

“It’s ok.” Rarity whispered, holding the young girl to her chest as Sweetie began to cry freely. Gently, almost as a mother would her child, she stroked the sobbing youth’s purple and pink hair.

“I cannot even begin to imagine what happened to you, but you don’t have anything to worry about. You are safe here Sweetie Belle. I promise.”

Author's Note

Chapter 3 is still in the revision stage, but since it's been so long since I last put anything out (I blame medical school) I thought I'd put it out early. If anyone spots grievous errors which need to be corrected please let me know. All feedback and critiques are appreciated.

Chapter 4

The sun was bright overhead, but Apple Bloom barely felt the warm rays as she sat in the shade of the nearby trees. It had been several hours since she had fled the pond in the orchard’s center; since that time, the young girl had attempted to understand what had happened to her. All around Apple Bloom grew trees in various stages of life, ranging from newly risen sprouts to towering apple trees. Random patches of overgrown grass joined these plants, some climbing high enough to touch the lower branches of the surrounding trees.

With a nervous chuckle, Apple Bloom watched as a patch of grass several paces away erupted from the ground. Rapidly it grew, the strands of grass swaying from side-to-side as though caught in a violent wind storm. Then, just as quickly as it had emerged, the vegetation seemed to retreat. Like a slithering mass of emerald snakes, the blades of grass returned to their normal size until the single spot of earth was unrecognizable from any other nearby.

“Golly…” the red-haired girl muttered beneath hear breath. “Now there’s a sight.”

Allowing herself to fall backwards, Apple Bloom gritted her teeth as she felt herself rushing to the ground. However, just as when she had tried it last, she felt the earth shift beneath her as the root of a nearby tree erupted forth to catch her. The strangest part was not the wood which wrapped itself gently about her shoulders, though that admittedly took some getting used to. The most unsettling part to Apple Bloom was that, without even looking, she was positive she could point to the tree responsible for her rescue.

“Well it’s official! I have no idea what’s goin’ on here. Not that I don’t appreciate it, mind you.” She added with a small laugh as she patted the root. “I just wish I knew why this was happenin’ to me.”

Without warning, a loud crash rang out through the orchard. The sudden sound sent the birds roosting in the nearby trees flying, and Apple Bloom felt her own heart race as she glanced around nervously for the source of the commotion. With an almost unconscious thought, the young girl allowed her the clearing to return to normal. One by one the trees and grass she had allowed to sprout disappeared into the earth, leaving not a trace of her passing as she strode carefully between the trees.

Slowly the young girl made her way through the orchard, listening for any clue as to where that sudden noise had originated. All around her, she could feel the trees and other plants begin to vibrate as she passed. It was as if the more she had practiced with… whatever this magic was… the more she was able to sense the vegetation around her. It would have been an amazing feeling, were she not terrified of what it might mean.

After several minutes of walking, Apple Bloom finally started to hear something. At first it was nothing more than a harsh growling noise. However, as she crept closer, the girl began to make out voices.

“I told ya’ll to get goin’! Otherwise I’m gonna show ya what it means to be hogtied!”

“And we told you, we aren’t leaving until we get our money.”

Up ahead, Apple Bloom spotted a small hedge beyond which commotion seemed to be arising. Carefully moving so as not to be seen, at least until she knew what was going on, she moved aside a few leaves to view the orchard beyond. The hedge, it seemed, sat atop an embankment that descended to a wide dirt road. On the road itself stood several figures, all of whom looked to be the same type of creature as Apple Bloom.

Or at least as I am now. The young girl thought sullenly to herself.

Three of the creatures were standing next to large metal contraptions which appeared to balance on a pair of wheels. It was these machines, whatever they were, that were responsible for the horrible growling sound; and Apple Bloom had to work hard not to cover her ears against the grating noise.

The appearance of the strange trio was as obnoxious as their machines. The three strangers were of drastically different heights and weights, but all wore the same basic outfit. The one in front, who to Apple Bloom looked to be the leader, wore a pair of jeans covered in some type of black liquid. He wore a black leather jacket, but kept the front open to show off his bare chest and abdomen. He looked like nothing more than, in Apple Blooms opinion at least, than a troublemaker.

“We told you last time that we’d be back. And now we are. So give us the money if you know what’s good for you.”

“Boy, the only thing you’ll be gettin’ is a new paint job for those there bikes if you don’t get off my farm.”

The figure who stood across from the trio appeared to be a woman. She sported a pair of well-worn jeans, and an orange flannel shirt which seemed to be missing it’s top two buttons. Her feet were encased in a pair of mud caked boot, and on her head sat a wide brimmed hat which currently hid her face from view. From her spot on the hill, Apple Bloom watched as the young woman bent down to pick up a bushel of apples which had apparently fallen from the back of the large vehicle next to her. The stranger’s hair, which was tied back with a bright red cloth, was incredibly long and shimmered like gold in the afternoon sun.

“Oh yeah?” the troublemaker in front snapped, apparently angry at being ignored. “Well what’s a farmer going to do when I tell big F here to rough you up a little?”

Turning back to face the trespassers, the woman leaned against the door of her truck as she flicked her hat back. A single stalk of wheat hung from the young woman’s mouth, and even from her hiding spot, Apple Bloom could see that the stranger’s emerald eyes were narrowed in anger.

“What’ll I do Rov? Well that there’s an interestin’ question. Why not send your boy over and we can find out together. But I’ll warn ya, I’ve been told that I can be a rough partner to square-dance with.”

Scowling the, the one called Rov snapped his finger at the biggest of the three.

“Go get her. If she won’t give us the money, I bet her brother will when we tell him the Dog’s got his sister.”

With a shrug, the giant strolled over towards the parked vehicle. As he approached Apple Bloom could see that he was easily stood head and shoulders taller than his target. However, rather than act intimidated, the green-eyed woman simply watched him approach and gave a long whistle.

“Hoo-wee! You really are a big one ain’t ya.”

The brute reached out to grasp the woman’s shoulder, but almost immediately doubled over as she planted a fist firmly in his chest. With a pained groan the giant fell to one knee, gasping for air as he held the spot where he’d been hit.

“Now I probably should have warned you earlier partner…” the woman said as she grabbed hold of the door latch to her vehicle. “… but I make it a rule to not let men touch me on the first date. Ya’ll can be such animals.”

In a swift motion she swung the door open, catching the kneeling man on the side of his head. With a loud grunt the brute went sprawling to the ground as his friends watched on with a mixture of surprise and anger.

“So who’s next Rov? Or do you wanna step in for a dance?”

As the young woman taunted the fuming man in front of her, Apple Bloom spotted movement near the trees on the opposite side of the road. Slowly a leather jacketed figure stepped out from behind one of the nearby apple tree. It did not take a genius to notice that he was being careful to keep himself in the woman’s blind spot.

Oh no you don’t! Apple Bloom thought angrily.

As if on instinct, she placed a hand against the grass at her feet. Across from her, as the man was carefully making his way down the embankment, without warning a root poked its way out of the ground at his feet. With a surprised yell the would-be-attacker fell face first down the hill, landing on his back with a painful sounding thud.

Glancing back in surprise, the woman gave a small chuckle at the sight of the motionless figure lying on the road.

“So… I take it he was supposed to be one of yours?”

“I… you…” the one called Rov sputtered, his face as red as the nearby apples. “DAMN IT! Spot, pick their asses up. We’re leaving!”

As the smaller man ran to check on the other two, Rov pointed a threatening finger at the still smiling woman.

“We’re gonna be back. And next time I’m bringing everyone. No one screws with the Diamond Dogs. You hear me?’

“Oh I hear you alright. Now if you and you’re pal’s don’t mind gettin’ off my property, some of us folk have some good old honest work to do.”

With one last growl of anger, Rov jumped on his machine and road off out of sight. The others were quick to follow, though the one who had tripped on the hill had to be thrown over the back of one machine like a sac of potatoes. As soon as they were out of sight, the blond-haired woman seemed to take a deep sigh of relief.

“Quite a rodeo, huh?”

The sudden voice behind her caused Apple Bloom to yelp in surprise, and immediately she fell headfirst through the bushes. With a grunt she hit the slope, and found herself tumbling into the road in a small cloud of dirt and dust.

Groaning, Apple Bloom noticed she was staring up into the scowling face of the emerald-eyed woman. From this close the girl could clearly the woman’s freckled cheeks for the first time, and as she stared into the bright green eyes overhead, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but feel there was something eerily familiar about the stranger’s face.

“And who are you supposed to be?” the woman inquired, her stern gaze taking in every inch of the wincing girl.

“Oh hi there.” Apple Bloom greeted clumsily, her head still spinning from the unexpected fall. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to drop in on you like this.”

“That would be my fault.” a deep voice called out from overhead.

“That you Big Mac?

“Eeyup.”

Big Mac? Apple Bloom wondered, hundreds of thoughts suddenly racing through her mind. Did she just say Big Mac?

A shadow passed over the confused girl as a figure jumped from the top of the hill to land next to her. The man in question was monstrous, and the ground beneath Apple Bloom’s head shuddered at the impact of his landing. Like the woman next to him, the new arrive wore a pair of dirty jeans matched with mud-caked boots. However, the flannel shirt which sought to cover his massive chest was a deep red, and did very little to hide the muscles rippling beneath it. His orange hair fell almost to his shoulders, and his green eyes sparkled happily as he smiled down at Apple Bloom.

“I didn’t mean to scare you.” he chuckled holding out a hand to the startled girl. “I hope you ain’t hurt.”

“Oh no, I’m all right.” Apple Bloom responded, gratefully accepting the offered assistance. “I’m just a little… confused. Did she say your name was Big Mac?”

“Eeyup!” the man laughed flicking away a lock of hair that had fallen in front of his face. “And this here…” he continued, throwing an arm around the frowning woman’s shoulders “… is my sister Applejack.”

“Uh-huh.” Apple Bloom responded incredulously as her eyes darted back and forth between the two of them. “So you’re Big Mac, and you’re Applejack.”

“Eeyup.”

“You two weren’t ponies before today, were you?”

“Ponies?” Big Mac repeated, raising a confused eyebrow. Next to him, his sister gave an annoyed snort. “Did you hit your head on your way down that hill?”

“More than likely.” Apple Bloom muttered as she tenderly picked at the small bump beginning to form on the top of her skull. “Sorry if that made no sense, I guess that tumble was harder than I thought.”

With an exasperated sigh, Applejack walked up and took the girl’s head in her hands.

“You’re definitely gonna be feelin’ that in the mornin’.” she muttered, releasing Apple Bloom and motioning for her to follow. “But I’ve seen worse. Come on Big Mac, let’s get her back to the house. We can grab her some ice for that bump while she tells us what she’s doin’ here.”

“Eeyup.” Big Mac responded as he gave their new guest a playful pat on the back. “You can ride on the back of the truck with me miss…”

“Apple Bloom.” she finished for him, earning another raised eyebrow; this time from Applejack. “Sorry I forgot to mention it earlier. But my name’s Apple Bloom.”

“Well Apple Bloom…” Big Mac chuckled, lifting her onto the back of the truck as though she weighed no more than a pillow. “… it’s a pleasure to meet you. On behalf of my sister and I, welcome to Sweet Apple Acres.”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Whether it was just a coincidence, or some sick form of vengeance by the doctor, Scootaloo found that her nightmare only worsened after her meeting with Nyx. The man never mentioned it, but ever since their last meeting, the metal arms which surrounded her had been in constant motion. The whirling of blades never ceasing, even for even a moment. Every time the terrified girl would awake from the void she now called home, she could see new scars on almost every inch of her body. These never stayed for long, usually vanishing by the next time she awoke; but their presence was enough. It was enough to confirm that they were changing her. Into what? The former pony could not even begin to guess.

As strange as it was, the scars were the least of her worries. For whatever changes the doctor was making to her body, they were not nearly as terrifying as those being made to her mind. How he was doing it, she did not know. But slowly the pink-haired girl had found that she was beginning to think about both herself, and the world around her, very differently. Knowing the names of objects she had never seen before, recognizing the names of doctors and engineers she had only met once; it was as though information were somehow being pumped straight into her mind. This was not that bad, as at the very least it allowed Scootaloo to make some sense of what was happening around her. It was only when this information began to push out her own memories, that the girl began to feel truly afraid.

Human… Scootaloo thought, trying to remember where that word had first come from. I look like a human now.

She hated that word! Hated it almost as much as Dr. Helix himself. But try as she might, she could no longer think of herself as a pony. Even trying to do so just felt… wrong. Like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. It had gotten to the point that even if she could find her friends, Scootaloo was not sure she wanted to.

Apple Bloom… Sweetie Belle, I don’t want you to see me like this.

“Hey there kiddo.”

The sound of a familiar voice immediately brought Scootaloo’s thoughts back to the waking world, and despite herself the young girl felt a very rare emotion… happiness.

“Hey Soarin.”

A few paces away, the blue-haired soldier stood smiling at her as he waited for the circling metal arms to retract into the ceiling. His green eyes sparkled happily, and quickly the pink-haired girl felt a smile appear on her face as well. It was small, to be sure, but far more emotion than she had shown in any recent memory.

As the last of the blades disappeared from sight, the soldier walked over to stand next to her at his usual spot. It close enough that he didn’t have to raise his voice, but far enough away that she didn’t need to strain against her bonds to look into his face.

“So how are you feeling Scootaloo?” as asked, his smile wavering only slightly as he spotted the new scars that spread along her arms and legs. “You had a chance to see the damage yet?”

“I’m sure I will eventually.” she replied with a small sigh. “You know the doctor. He just loves to brag.”

“He does.” the soldier agreed with an annoyed shake of his head. “One of the many things I can’t stand about that guy. If it makes you feel any better, it doesn’t look nearly as bad as when they did your eye.”

Instinctively Scootaloo blinked her right eye. She still didn’t know WHAT the doctor had done to it, but according to Soarin, it had not been pleasant to look at initially. Fortunately for her, the mirror had not been lowered at the time so she could have seen the damage for herself. And when it finally had returned, whatever changes the doctor had made had apparently been reverted.

“I’ll take what I can get at this point.” she muttered, earning a small chuckle from her visitor. “So, what brings you to my room today lieutenant? I thought visiting day wasn’t until tomorrow?”

“How can you keep track of anything down here?” Soarin asked, glancing around at the sterile room.

“Don’t ask me. I just… know things.”

“That’d be the infolink.” the soldier responded with a knowing nod. “I’ve got one too.” He added, pointing to the back of his head. “They probably have yours set to passive at the moment, so you don’t know where the information is coming from. Don’t worry. When you finally get off that machine, it’ll get way worse.”

“Gee another thing to look forward to.” Scootaloo sighed as Soarin gave her a playful wink. “How lucky can one girl be?”

“Oh, so you’re a girl today?” Soarin inquired as a small stool rose out of the floor. “I thought you were a horse.”

“Pony!” she snorted back, scowling at the soldier’s tease. “And I don’t exactly look the part now, do I?”

Since Scootaloo’s first arrival to this living nightmare, Soarin had been the only one asides from Dr. Helix who made a point to talk to her. Though when it came to the doctor, there was really no such things as talks, only lectures.

With Soarin, it was different. It felt as though he actually listened whenever they spoke. And his visits, while admittedly rare, were the only times she felt anything close to relief. With nothing else to do, she had told him everything. They spoke about her home, her friends, and of course… whatever event had brought her to this world. Whether he believed her or not, she could not begin to guess. But at the very least he had listened, and in the end, that was all she really wanted.

“But really lieutenant, what brings you here today?”

With a sigh the soldier readjusted his belt, and for the first time Scootaloo noticed the metal object hanging at his waist. Almost immediately words came unbidden to the back of her mind.

9mm SP-101 semiautomatic pistol
Effective range: 75 meters.
Shots remaining: 20/20

Shaking her head violently, Scootaloo willed the words to disappear. She hated when this happened; and unfortunately, it felt as though it was becoming more and more common of an occurrence.

“Are you alright?” Soarin asked, his worried eyes studying her carefully. “You look a little out of it.”

“I was just admiring that weapon at you hip.”

“You know about guns?” the soldier asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I do now.” the girl responded with a sad sigh, and Soarin’s green-eyes widened in realization.

“Oh, right. Well the interface should get a little better as you get used to it. Just take your time. Anyways…”

The soldier paused as he glanced over his shoulder to make sure there were no scientists or engineers in the room with them. When he continued, his voice had gotten a great deal lower.

“We have gotten some reports that there might be an attack on this facility, and I’ve been requested to make sure that you’re kept safe.”

“Kept safe, or not allowed to escape?” Scootaloo asked, her eyes narrowing as she gave the man before her a small frown.

“It’s a matter of perspective. I’ll let you decide which side I fall on.”

Almost as soon as the words were out of his mouth, a low rumble shook the room. The bright white lights of the sterile area flickered, and several of the nearby machines suddenly went silent as the tremors finally settled.

“Well I suppose intel does not get much better than that.” Soarin chuckled darkly as he turned towards the door.

Standing slowly from his seat, the lieutenant reached down to unhook the weapon at his waist. From the distance, another loud rumble shook the room. This time the lab went dark for almost an entire minute.

“What’s going on?” Scootaloo asked nervously as the lights finally returned.

“Well…” Soarin muttered, taking a step back to stand beside her. “The com channels are a mess right now, but I’m getting confirmed reports of Night Watch members taking down down one of the weapons facilities on the other side of the compound. Fighting is isolated as of now, but we’re being advised to be on guard for intruders.”

“Night Watch?” Scootaloo asked, as the lights continued to flicker.

“A terrorist organization.”

With a sound like thunder and a blinding light, the door to the lab erupted inwards with a cloud of smoke and shattered glass. Opening her eyes, Scootaloo saw that Soarin had spread his himself in front her like a shield, keeping her protected even as debris littered the ground all around her table. It looked as if the soldier wasn’t injured, but the pink-haired girl could see that he was covered in glass dust.

“Like I said…” Soarin growled as he turned to point his weapon at the now open door. “Terrorists.”

“We prefer the term freedom fighters.”

Straining to see around Soarin, Scootaloo spotted a figure moving through the smoke of the doorway.

“I should have known.” the lieutenant muttered, lowering his weapon slightly as someone emerged from the doorway. “Is that you, cadet?”

For Scootaloo it felt as if her heart had stopped beating. The stranger who came into view was a young woman who looked about a full head shorter than Soarin. She wore a pair of blue sneakers and what appeared to be slightly torn and darkly-colored denim pants. On her upper body, she wore a simple white tank-top under a brown leather jacket. The jacket itself appeared well kept, and was adorned with various patches and insignia. Among their number was one of two swords crossing a sun; the same emblem that could be seen on Soarin’s uniform.

Yet of all the details of her appearance, it was the woman’s hair that caused Scootaloo’s breath to catch. Pulled back behind her ears and falling to just below her shoulders, the woman’s hair sported almost every color of the rainbow.

“Lieutenant!” the new arrival called out, her rose-colored eyes narrowing as she threw a half-hearted salute. “I thought that I’d likely be seeing you.”

“You certainly did a number on our com channels. Am I right to assume you also took down the camera’s in here?”

“Of course.”

With a relieved sigh Soarin allowed the hand holding his weapon to drop to his side. However, his voice was stern as he continued to speak with the new arrival.

“It’s been a while cadet.” the blue-haired soldier commented, his voice turning cold as the woman leaned unconcernedly against a desk. “Are you enjoying your life as a terrorist?”

“It has its perks.” she responded flippantly, her eyes glancing around the room before finally coming to rest on Scootaloo. “Decent hours, free room and board, and a clean conscience that actually allows me to sleep at night. How about you lieutenant? Still fighting that good fight? Torturing kids? All that good stuff?”

“We don’t torture anyone.” Soarin snapped.

“I don’t think she’d agree with you.” the woman scoffed, pointing behind the soldier to where Scootaloo lay. “I’ve been on that table, and believe me, it’s torture. Aren’t I right kid?”

The restrained girl stared uncomprehendingly at the stranger in front of her. The hair, the eyes, and even the voice were all so familiar. But it couldn’t be!

Could it?

“Who are you?” Scootaloo asked suspiciously. The confusion in her voice earned a questioning glance from Soarin.

“The name’s Rainbow Dash.” the young woman responded, giving a playful bow. “And I get to be your knight in shining armor for this evening.”

“Rainbow…” Scootaloo whispered in shock as Sorain gave the intruder a cold glare.

“I can’t let you take her Dash.” he barked, moving to place himself squarely between her and Scootaloo. “As far as Sanctuary is concerned, she’s military property.”

With an exasperated sigh, Rainbow Dash took several steps towards them.

“So absolutely no torture! But slavery is perfectly fine, huh?

“She’s not a slave Dash!”

“She will be!” The young woman shouted angrily, planting herself directly in front of Soarin. From where she lay, Scootaloo watched the pair nervously as they argued. It was true that she wanted to be rescued, which it seemed was what this Rainbow Dash was offering. But Soarin had been the only being to show her any kindness since first coming to this strange world.

“Stand down cadet!” the large soldier growled dangerously, causing an angry scowl to form on Rainbow’s face.

“I’m not your subordinate anymore lieutenant.” she spat, being sure to put the emphasis on his rank. “Besides, if you’re as protective of her as it seems, I’d have thought you’d be happy for me to take her.”

“And why is that?”

For the first time since her arrival, Scootaloo saw the anger leave Rainbow Dash’s face. As the fury vanished from her eyes, it was quickly replaced by shock and… something else. Was it pity? Concern?

“You really don’t know. Do you, Soarin?”

“Know what Dash?”

“The doctor has her scheduled for total reconditioning Soarin. Total tabula rasa!”

What does that even mean? Scootaloo wondered, her eyes darting back and forth between the two figures before her.

“Where did you hear that?”

“Does it really matter?”

“Dash!”

“From the same place I heard she was being held here. Speaking of which…” Bending around the unmoving soldier, Rainbow gave Scootaloo a quick wink. “… Nyx says hi by the way.”

“Nyx sent you?” Scootaloo asked excitedly, a long forgotten sense of hope slowly taking hold once again.

“Yup.” the young woman confirmed as she stood to once again face Soarin eye-to-eye. “She wanted to be here in person, but she’s very busy at the moment.”

“How does this Nyx know what’s supposed to happen to Scootaloo? Does she…”

“Look Soarin!” Rainbow snapped, taking the soldier by surprise. “We don’t have much time, and I don’t care if you trust me or not. But at least trust your instincts! You aren't an idiot, and you know Dr. Helix! Do you really think he’d let someone like her out with ensuring he has complete control over them? The man is a genius and a psychopath. What do YOU think he’ll do with her?”

For several moments the soldier simply stared down at the woman in front of him. Finally, with a grim nod, he returned his weapon to it holster.

“Just promise me Dash.” he said quietly as he turned to look Scootaloo in the eye. “Just promise me, all you are trying to do is keep her safe.”

“That’s the only thing I care about.” she sighed, a sense of relief evident in her voice. “Well… that and getting out of here alive.”

“All right.” the soldier finally acquiesced with a small sigh. “Take her.”

“Thanks Soarin.” The young woman said with a small smile. “But just to be clear…”

Scootaloo felt a strange tingling sensation along her skin. With a mixture of fascination and horror, she watched as Rainbow’s rose-colored eyes began to gleam with a fiery inner light.

“… I didn’t actually need your permission.”

There was a sudden burst of rainbow light, followed almost instantly by a load crashing sound somewhere behind her. A second later there was a second flash, and Raindbow Dash was standing at her side again.

Soarin was nowhere to be seen.

“What happened?” Scootaloo asked anxiously as Rainbow Dash began to fiddle with the restraints. “What was that noise?”

“Don’t worry about it kid.” her ‘savior’ answered without even looking up. “Just me taking out about two years’ worth of repressed aggression.”

“Where’s Soarin?”

As the last restraint came undone, Rainbow pointed over to a space behind them. Now free from the table for what felt like the first time in years, Scootaloo glanced to where the woman was indicating. On the far side of the lab, some sort of massive impact had crumpled one of the large machines.

On the floor in front of it, lay Soarin’s motionless body.

“What did you do to him!” Scootaloo screamed, clamping a hand over her mouth as she saw the red liquid beginning to pool under his head.

“He’s going to be fine.” Rainbow responded dismissively as she pulled a small metal cylinder from her jacket pocket. “A broken nose, a couple fractured ribs, maybe a concussion. Trust me, that guy deserves way worse.”

“But why?” the pink-haired girl muttered as Rainbow continued to fiddle with the tube in her hands. “He was going to let us go.”

“And if he had? We leave, then he gets court-martialed for allowing us to walk out. Now at least he can claim I took him by surprise. He gets an alibi, and I get some stress relief. You see? Everyone wins. Now hold still, this is going to hurt… a lot.”

Rainbow pressed the metal tube against Scootaloo’s out stretched arm, and the purple-eyed girl winced slightly as the tube clicked. As it did she felt a small pricking sensation, but the sting quickly passed to be replaced a strange sense of euphoria.

“That didn’t hurt at all.” Scootaloo laughed, for some reason finding her current situation suddenly very amusing.

“I know.” Rainbow snorted as she placed a second tube against Scootaloo’s leg. “That was the anesthetic.”

The second the new tube clicked, Scootaloo collapsed to the ground; writing in pain. It felt as if every muscle in her body was tying to tear itself apart. Thrashing about uncontrollably, Scootaloo wanted to scream in agony. However, even her lungs wouldn’t respond to her wishes. Instead the girl found herself gritting her teeth silently as the pain began to make its way to even her head. Tear’s streaming down her cheeks, she found herself defenseless against the sudden assault that was launched against her mind. It was as if every sound, every smell, every speck of dirt against her skin were trying to make itself known to her.

“Deep breath’s kid.” She heard Rainbow Dash whisper from somewhere nearby; though the woman might as well have screamed the words right into her ear for all the good whispering did.

“Take deep breath’s and just let it happen. Your brain’s trying to make sense of the new you. Give it a few moments and it will start to put everything together again.”

For several minutes Scootaloo could only lie on the ground, panting as she clawed at the floor in front of her. Sure enough, just as Rainbow had predicted, eventually the pain began to fade. It was a slow process, but soon enough Scootaloo was able to breath normally again. As she did, she felt the now familiar sensation of words creeping uninvited to the front of her mind.

Musculoskeletal implants responding. Systems show green.
Retinal prostheses responding. Systems show green.
Subcranial implant responding. System shows green.
CRM implants responding. Systems show green.
CUTI-MRK5 System: active.
Tempest system: active.
All systems green.

PROJECT TEMPEST: Online

“Are you ok kid?”

Scootaloo blinked as the strange words vanished from her thoughts, and only then did she notice that Rainbow Dash was kneeling directly in front of her.

“What…” Scootaloo muttered, giving her head an angry shake. “What did you do to me?”

“Gave you a kick start.” Rainbow Dash responded as she grabbed the girl beneath her shoulders to help her rise. “Sorry, but there was no other way. If we had tried walking out of here without activating your implants, we wouldn’t have made it half-way down the hall before your body started rejecting them. And trust me, if you thought what you just experienced was painful, you never want to know what a full systemic rejection feels like.”

“What are you talking about?” Scootaloo muttered as Rainbow Dash helped lead her to the still smoking remains of the lab door. As they reached the hall, the rose-eyed woman quickly stuck her head out and checked for anyone nearby before helping her charge cross the doorway.

“You didn’t think all those scars the doctor was giving you were just for aesthetics, did you? He changed you. Made you ‘better’. His definition...” she quickly clarified as Scootaloo gave her a nasty scowl. “Not mine! But regardless, I can explain a lot more when we’re finally safe. For now, our only goal is getting out of here alive.”

For several minutes the two walked along in silence, Scootaloo hanging on to her rescuer for support as they trekked through countless darkened hallways.

“Where is everyone?”

“My friends should still be trying to keep everyone busy on the other side of the compound. But I expect we’ll probably run into someone soon enough. When we do, just keep your head down and let me do the fighting.”

“Fight?” Scootaloo asked as they paused at the intersection of another hallway.

“You’re an escaped prisoner now kid. Fighting is part of the job description. Can you walk yet?”

With a small groan, Scootaloo allowed herself to fall back against the wall. Once she was no longer hanging off of Rainbow, the girl pushed herself off the wall. It took a few moments to get used to using two legs again; but just as when she had first arrived at the ruins of this world, her body seemed to know what it needed to do to keep her from falling.

“I think I’m all right. And my name’s Scootaloo, by the way.”

“Nyx told me.” Rainbow responded, glancing once more to make sure the other hallway was clear before proceeding. “Well I’m glad you can walk Scoots, because we’re running low on time. Let’s go!”

They were half-way down the hall when a door suddenly opened to their left. Scootaloo barely had enough time to take in the soldier’s surprised face before a rainbow streak carried him the length of the hall, slamming him against the far wall with a sickening crunch.

Scootaloo stared in shock at the sight of Rainbow dash sifting through the man’s pockets. Glancing around to where the woman had been standing just a second before, she found nothing but an empty spot of hallway. The girl blinked in confusion, and when her eyes opened again Rainbow Dash was already standing at her side.

“Well that was fun.” the rose-eye woman chuckled as she gave the stunned girl a small wink. “Let’s get going before his friends notice he’s missing.”

“How…” Scootaloo began as Rainbow Dash started off down the hall again. Twice more the girl tried to find the right phrasing to her question before finally settling on, “How did you do that?”

“I’m like you kid.” she explained as they made their way through the winding maze. “One of Dr. Helix’s little ‘experiments’. He contacted me while I was still in the military academy. Promised me the chance to ‘push the bounds of what was possible’. There I was, a stupid kid with dreams of being a pilot, so of course I took him up on his offer. After he was through with me… well… let’s just say that was around the time I began to second-guess my career choices.”

“What did he do?” Scootaloo asked, her eyes wide as she watched Rainbow’s hair sway back and forth as they walked.

“You know, the usual. Asides from the countless hours of physical and mental torture, I was given a biological tune-up. Strength, reflexes everything. If you can name it, the good doctor messed with it.”

They had finally reached the end of a particularly long hall, and Rainbow stopped them so she could check that the coast was clear.

“And what about that thing you did back there?”

“Ah yes…” Rainbow chuckled, her eyes once again gaining the eerie glow Scootaloo had noticed back in the lab. A moment later she was gone.

An unexpected tap on her shoulder caused Scootaloo to spin around in a panic, and she almost toppled over when she found herself staring directly into Rainbow’s smirking face.

“The good doctor also gave me the ability to influence both the kinetic energy and spatiotemporal variables of any system I touch.”

“Wha…”

“He made it so I can move very, very, fast. Now let’s go. We’re almost at the hanger.”

After one more hallway, the pair found themselves hiding from a pair of guards standing watch over a large steel.

“Through there…” Rainbow explained, keeping her voice barely at a whisper. “… is a transport hanger. If my info is good, and it usually is, there should be a cargo shuttle fueled and ready for us. Once I take out those two guards, I’m going to open the door. When I do, I need you to run as fast as you can to that shuttle. Do you understand?”

“What about you? Scootaloo asked nervously as Rainbow took a quick glance at the guards.

“I’m going to be making sure no one in there shoots you before you make it to where you need to go. Now, do you get what I need you to do.”

The thought of what the Rainbow was saying was terrifying, and already Scootaloo felt as though she might empty her stomach right here in the hall.

Come on Scootaloo, don’t you dare be a chicken now!

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and stood back away from the wall.

“I knew I liked you kid.” Rainbow chuckled as she ruffled the girl’s hair playfully. “Now get ready.”

The woman’s eyes once again began to glow, and Scootaloo smiled despite herself as a rainbow streak sped down the hallway towards the two guards. There was a small sound of scuffling, followed a moment later by a quick whistle. Poking her head from behind the wall, Scootalo saw Rainbow motioning to her from over the unconscious bodies of the two guards.”

“Moment of truth, kid!” Rainbow whispered as she approached. “You ready?

Before Scootaloo could respond, a loud wailing noise arose from all around them. The sound was so loud that the young girl found herself forced to cover her ears against the ear-splinting howl.

“Attention all personnel. Subject 03 has escaped confinement. Repeat Subject 03 is lose. Capture at all costs.”

“Ready or not I guess.” Rainbow groaned as she reached for the door handle. “Let’s go Scoots.”

The young woman threw the metal door open with a jarring bang, and in the blink of an eye was gone. However, judging by the sudden yells and the noise of weapons discharge; she was already causing quite the commotion.

Come on Scotaloo! She thought to herself, trying her best to stop her hands from shaking. You can do this!

Taking a deep breath, the girl charged headfirst through the door, not even bothering to look at what might be standing on the other side.

Scootaloo found herself in an enormous and well-lit room with a wide-open floor. Several large machines sat in the middle of the open space, and as Scootaloo ran towards the nearest one she felt words once again emerge from the back of her mind.

Gryphon-class Transport Shuttle
Armaments: None
Cargo: None
Fuel Check: Complete
Pre-flight check: Incomplete

Distance to target: 250 meters

Well I sure hope this is the right one. Scootaloo prayed, moving as fast as she could towards the waiting shuttle.

Up ahead a man stepped out from behind a small pile of crates. He stood facing her oncoming charge, and in his hands Scootaloo could see a metal object being raised in her direction.

Single Unit Weapon System, Caliber 7.62 mm CA27
Effective range: 200 meters.
Shots remaining: 32/32

WARNING: INCOMING HOSTILE FIRE

Before she could even think about slowing down, a rainbow streak passed in front of her vison. Its collision sent the man careening across the floor, his weapon rattling harmlessly towards the waiting shuttle. With her path now clear, Scootaloo felt her heart attempting to beat its way out of her chest as she sprinted towards the waiting shuttle.

100 meters to target…
50 meters to targer…
10 meters to target...

With one final effort, Scootaloo charged up the ramp and dove into the belly of the waiting machine. Turning around, the young girl spotted Rainbow dash running towards the her, motioning for her to drop to the ground. Immediately the girl did as she was told, pressing her head against the cold metal floor of the shuttle. But something was wrong.

Why isn’t Rainbow using her power any more?

The rose-eyed woman was halfway to the transport’s ramp when a small group of guards burst through the door behind them.

“Look out Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo shouted as the sound of gunfire started up again. With a leap the fleeing woman dove behind the pile of crates form earlier, flinching as bullets struck the floor all around her. Watching helplessly form the top of the ramp, Scootaloo could only stare on in fear as the soldiers slowly advanced on the young woman’s position.

I have to help her! Scootaloo thought, tears of frustration running down her face. Slamming her fists angrily against the floor for the shuttle, she watched as one of the boxes began to break apart under the sustained assault. They would reach her in only a few moments, and there was nothing Scootaloo could do about it.

I need to stop them!

Hostile targets identified...

Scootaloo caught her breath as the voice at the back of her mind arose once again. But this time it felt different. There was something else accompanying the voice. A strange sensation that the terrified girl could not even begin to describe. It was almost as if there as a switch in her mind, and the voice was just waiting for her to turn it on.

With one last look at the cowering Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo made her decision. For the first time that day, she didn’t push the strange sensation away. Instead she opened her mind to the alien feeling, and that seemed to be all the influence the switch needed. As if a dam had been opened, Scootaloo felt a surge of energy rush through her body. All along her exposed skin, she could see pink lines of energy pulsating with the beat of her racing heart. A strange crackling sound arouse nearby, as even the air around her seemed to vibrate expectantly. Glancing at the scene before her, Scootaloo was shocked to see that the soldiers had paused their advance.

No… it was as if the whole world had slowed to a crawl.

Tempest system engaged
Maximizing CRM output
Matching resonance to environment
Noise at 0.5 percent
Incorporating battlefield data

Scootaloo stared in awe as strange symbols sped across her vision. One by one she watched as they came to rest on the oncoming soldiers. As soon as they had, the air above the advancing men began to shimmer.

Hostile targets marked
Target spatial coordinates confirmed
Maximizing QLE
Adjusting atmospheric variables

The shimmering air over the soldiers began to condense; growing darker by the second. From her hiding place aboard the shuttle, Scootaloo blinked as in confusion as a storm cloud seemed to appear out of nothingness.

QLE maximized
Proper atmospheric parameters confirmed

Brace for impact

The girl felt her body pulse with energy. A second later, there was a crack as the inside of the hanger vanished from sight behind a blinding flash of light.

All targets neutralized.
Tempest system returning to standby

Blinking against the glare that still obscured her vision, Scootaloo looked on in shock at the scene before her. Rainbow Dash, though covering her ears, appeared uninjured. A few paces in front of her, the soldiers lay motionless on the floor of the hanger, the ground around them charred and blackened.

For several seconds there was only silence, save for the continued wail of the sirens. Then suddenly Rainbow Dash was on her feet again, covering the remain distance between them in only a matter of seconds.

“Was that you kid?” She shouted, the ramp beneath her feet clanging loudly.

“I… I don’t know.” Scootaloo muttered, watching as the pink energy coursing beneath her skin faded slowly away. “Maybe?”

“We’ll worry about it later.” Rainbow snapped, dragging the stunned girl towards the front of the shuttle. Scootaloo grunted as she was shoved into a seat in front of a massive display of switches and controls. Next to her, Rainbow Dash took her own seat as she began to press the strangely labeled controls before them

“Now strap in, and don’t touch anything!” Rainbow shouted as the ramp behind them groaned shut. “We’re not out of here just yet!”

Author's Note

Once again, due to lack of time, I'm publishing this after only giving it a quick proof-read, so I probably missed a bunch. I'll try going over it one more time tonight as a break from studying. Anypony finds and egregious mistakes (either grammar or story-wise) please let me know and I'll try to fix it asap.