Banished Shadows

Chapters

The Drawn Gate
The Major
The Steel Warren
The Invitation
The Climb
The Escape

The Drawn Gate

Chapter One: The Drawn Gate

In the time just before dawn, when the bats and owls have returned to their roosts and the birds have yet to wake, the world is at its most silent. Twilight Sparkle often woke early to enjoy the stillness offered; she found her best thinking was accomplished before the town awoke in a bustle of activity.

Twilight frowned, something was nagging at her, a sensation of anticipation that hung heavy in the air, and yet she was at a loss to identify its source. She tried to focus on the feeling, but it flitted away, like a gnat dancing at the edge of her consciousness. She was puzzling over this when the sun slowly rose above the horizon, the stars fading as dawn stretched its cerulean fingers across the sky. She sighed, It’s probably nothing, really, and with that thought she pushed her musings from her mind and pulled herself from the window.

“Spike,” she called as she passed the bed of her roommate and assistant, “get up, there’s a lot we need to do today.”

The baby dragon merely groaned and rolled over in response.

Twilight rolled her eyes, “Now Spike, you can't sleep all day.”

“I could if you weren’t so loud,” he mumbled.

With an exasperated sigh, Twilight reached within herself and focused that special energy that she, like all unicorns, was born with. Spike yelped and leapt out of his bed as something invisible pinched his backside. He stood there a moment rubbing his bottom and glowering at Twilight. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Twilight giggled, “I’m sorry Spike, but sometimes it’s the only way to get you out of that bed.” Spike’s expression remained glum. “Here, why don’t we go out and find you some gems for breakfast, would that make you feel better?”

Spike’s eyes lit up, “And how!” He dashed downstairs and Twilight was forced to trot quickly to keep up with him. She smiled to herself, Spike could be difficult at times, but at least he was quick to forgive—or at least forget—any transgressions.

Outside, the air was slowly warming in the morning sunlight, and the crisp smell of early autumn accompanied the myriad colored leaves that lay scattered sparsely across the ground. The day was young yet, and the rest of Ponyville’s inhabitants were just waking, so Twilight and Spike had the road to themselves as they made their way out of town.

“So Twilight, where are we going?”

“I was thinking we’d go to the plains, I’ve never seen what they look like in the fall.”

“And the best gems are up there too!”

Twilight cocked an eyebrow at him, “You really have a one-track mind.”

Spike waved her comment away, “Nah, I’m just hungry.”

They walked on in amiable silence, passing the outskirts of Ponyville marked by Fluttershy’s cottage, the chickens in their pen just rousing themselves with subdued clucking. The buildings of Ponyville faded behind them as the woods surrounded them, the trees teeming with the rustle and calls of awaking life. Twilight, finding the energy infectious, couldn’t help but increase her pace to a jaunty trot, Spike easily keeping up in his excitement for the outing. They veered away from the path that would lead deep into forest, and before long the trees began to thin.

The edge of the woods was just in sight when Twilight's pulse suddenly quickened, the sense of anticipation she thought she’d left behind at her window darted back into her mind. Twilight pulled up short, trying to pin down the sensation, but maddeningly it remained elusive, just on the periphery of understanding.

“Gah!” Twilight cried in frustration.

Spike spun at the noise, “Twilight, are you okay?”

“What? Oh, yes, sorry, it’s...it’s nothing.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure, Spike, let’s just go on.”

They walked on in a more leaden silence, Twilight lost in thought, Spike intent solely on his stomach. Twilight felt as if she were being led by the nose, had it really been her idea to visit the plains? They wound their way up through the last outcroppings of rocks and abruptly they were standing on the vast expanse that was the plains. Twilight’s eyes widened, her concerns momentarily forgotten as she drank in the sight of the dappled ground glittering in the morning sunlight, the browns, reds, and yellows of fall reflected in the sandy earth. “Spike, it’s beautiful!” she gasped as countless points of sand winked at her, the ground a shimmering ocean in the morning light, but Spike was already digging some distance away, searching for his breakfast, and didn’t hear.

The plains themselves were largely unexplored despite the fact that ponies, and other creatures, frequented them to hunt for gems and other minerals. Even Twilight’s books had scarcely any information on the region.

With Spike distracted, Twilight decided to take the opportunity to explore the area a little; after all, she might learn something here that she couldn’t find in a book, as much as she hated to admit the limitations books possesed. She turned and strode off towards the rising sun, her hooves making only a whispered impact in the soft earth. At first, Twilight wandered aimlessly, swinging her head side to side to take in her surroundings. Scattered rocks and brush dotted the landscape, mostly in shades of brown or gray, punctuated here and there with stunted, gnarled trees.

Strange, she mused, there isn’t much in terms of plant life, or any other life for that matter, out in this direction. Twilight ruminated on this as she walked. It was bizarre since life, even if only bugs and plants, was usually abundant in Equestria, but here it looked as if life was struggling just to maintain a hoofhold. Twilight came out of her reverie and looked around worriedly. “Oh dear.” Nothing looked familiar and Spike was completely lost to sight.

Instead of turning back, Twilight felt herself drawn irresistibly onward, her legs moving of their own volition. I suppose I could go just a bit further. It was then that she felt the lightest tingling on her skin and slight resistance as if she were walking through a gossamer curtain. Twilight blinked, this area of the plains suddenly seemed wrong, out of step with the rest of the world. Unease settled itself over her, there was something about this place that was unnatural, it was too quiet, too dead, a place other creatures feared. Inexplicably she knew that had she come to the plains yesterday she would have been unable to find this place. Despite her misgivings, Twilight felt compelled to explore further.

The plains were transforming the farther she walked, the sunlight fading and the ground becoming more barren and rocky, a wasteland bereft of even a hint of wildlife or vibrancy. Large boulders twice as tall as she was peppered the landscape, most with large chunks missing or split completely in two, casting long shadows that menaced Twilight as she passed. With each step her hooves rang against the rocks, echoing dolefully in the heavy silence.

Twilight hesitated, she felt a pull dragging at her mind more clearly than before, gently coaxing, urging her to move forward. No, I...I should leave. Her thoughts came slowly, tentatively, but gradually she regained control and turned around. In the distance she could see where the wasteland faded back into the well lit and comfortingly gentle hues of the plains, and was just about to strike off for that border when a gleam of light caught her eye.

Something glinted in the wan sunlight just a few meters to her right, stuck in a crevasse beneath one of the shattered boulders. Well, it can’t hurt to take a look. Cautiously, Twilight approached the crevasse, the tugging sensation growing stronger as she neared. The boulder lay hunched over the fissure, almost like a protecting arm, shielding it from the elements. Twilight crouched down, peering into the darkness beneath the boulder. As her eyes adjusted, the gleam resolved into a thin line of gold. No, not a line, an inlay! Twilight could now see that the line was actually a gold filigree set into the spine of a book.

Excitement bubbled up through Twilight’s stomach, It’s a book! She could hardly contain herself, there could be anything in that book, knowledge that nopony had possessed in hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Hurriedly, she bent her will on freeing it; the telltale glow that surrounded her horn whenever she used magic danced across the delicate patterns of gold. The book moved slowly, almost reluctantly. Twilight strained harder, and suddenly there it was, hovering before her eyes.

It was a small book, and would be considered rather dull except that the dust-brown cover was filled with an intricate filigree that seemed to shift as she looked, making it impossible to focus clearly on the designs. There was no title that she could read, and as she gazed into the hypnotic patterns on the cover, a now familiar sensation of anticipation welled up within her again. Instantly, Twilight knew that this was the source of her feelings of unease, and why she had been drawn to this wasteland. She could feel the power emanating from the pages, it made her skin tingle and her mane stand on end.

Twilight was suddenly aware of how exposed she was out here alone, and she had the distinct impression that she was no longer welcome in this desolate place. Hastily, she tucked the book in her saddlebag and cantered back towards the plains, relieved to feel the warmth of the sun once again on her back and the gentle thump of soft earth beneath her hooves. She found Spike basking in the sun next to the hole he had dug, sucking leisurely on a large shard of quartz.

He opened one eye lazily, “There you are Twilight, where have you been?”

“Just wandering around,” she responded distractedly, “but you’ll never believe what I’ve found. Let’s get back to the library and I’ll show you.”

Spike followed Twilight as they made their way back to the now lively town, but up in the plains, past the scrub and the sand, a low rumbling began. An ancient consciousness was stirring, buried deep beneath the fractured boulders of the wasteland. Something had drawn it from its slumber, but it was slow to wake and still groggy with the remnants of the sleep of eons. There was no hurry, after all the ages it had lived through a mere few days meant nothing, and there was much that could be done in the meantime to prepare. No, it would wait, and rise when its strength had fully returned.

* * *

Twilight and Spike entered Ponyville with the sun more than halfway to its zenith and the streets now filled with active citizens. They wove their way through the crowd, Twilight’s thoughts consumed with the book. She was so giddy with curiosity to see what it contained that she nearly walked straight into Pinkie Pie, who had stopped to talk with Spike.

“Oh, I’m sorry Pinkie Pie, I didn’t see you there.”

“Didn’t see me? What were you looking at?”

“Uh, nothing, I guess.”

“Gee, that doesn’t sound like a very interesting thing to look at.”

“I...suppose you’re right. Anyway, how are you today?”

“I was just telling Spike that Mr. and Mrs. Cake are leaving for Fillydelphia today, I’ll be in charge of Sugarcube Corner for a whole week!” Pinkie Pie gave a little hop of excitement.

“Oh Pinkie, congratulations!”

“Thanks! I’m going to have a party to celebrate, and—”

“That sounds great,” Twilight interrupted, “let me know when it is. Right now though, I need to get back home.”

“Oh.... Okey-dokey, I’ll see you later Twilight.”

“Bye!” Twilight called over her shoulder, already moving off into the crowd, Spike trailing in her wake.

“That wasn’t very polite of you,” Spike admonished when he caught up with her.

“I know, but you know Pinkie Pie, once she starts talking you’re lucky to get away before supper. Besides, I really want to get back to the library so I can investigate this book.”

“A book?!” Spike exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air. “That’s what you’re all excited about? Just a book? You really need to get out more.”

Twilight flicked her tail dismissively, “It’s not just any book Spike, I found it in the plains, and there’s something very odd about it.”

“So you found some old book that somepony threw away? That doesn’t seem very interesting to me.”

“It’s not a book somepony threw away—well, maybe somepony did throw it away, but that’s not the point.” Twilight took a deep breath, “Spike, I think the book is magic in some way.”

Spike stared at her a moment then scratched his head saying, “Magic? You really think so?”

“Yes! That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.”

Spike shrugged, “If you say so, but whoever heard of a magic book?”

Twilight gave up with a sigh, they had reached the library anyway, and she had more important things to do than try to explain something to Spike that she didn’t really understand herself. Twilight lit a candle on her desk, then carefully extracted the book from her saddlebag. The filigree on the cover no longer appeared to shift, rather it had settled into a series of concentric circles with lines that branched off from the inner rings, curling and weaving between the other circles.

Gently, Twilight set the book on the desk and stared at it. Innocuous as it appeared, the book made her nervous, it felt...alive almost. Twilight hesitated, unsure if the book was perhaps dangerous, or if she was just being silly thinking a book could have life.

“Well, aren’t you going to open it?”

Twilight jumped at the sound of Spike’s voice, she had been so absorbed in her own musings she hadn’t noticed him standing next to her. Twilight looked nervously back at the book. “Right, open it.” Taking a deep breath, she bent down and delicately lifted the cover. Scrawled across the center of the first page in large, curving letters were two words in deep-red ink.

“What’s it say, Twilight?” Spike whispered.

“I don’t know, I’ve never seen anything like it.” Twilight stared at the words, their color shifting ever so slightly in the flickering candlelight. The letters were strange, they flowed one into the other, a jumble of loops, twists, and spirals that was at once elegant and coarse. Puzzled, Twilight turned the page and instead of finding more text, a simple archway was sketched in the center of the yellowing parchment, its opening barred by an iron gate.

Twilight stood transfixed by the image. The arch looked worn, ancient, its stones riddled with cracks. It appeared as if it would collapse save for the vines that twined their way around the arch and through the gate, their diamond-shaped leaves obscuring what lay behind the bars. Thin wisps of ink curled sinuously from behind the arch, stretching across the page like smoke. Twilight traced their lines with her eyes, a warm pressure building behind her forehead. Her gaze rested on the gate, trying to look through it, the pressure in her skull building, pulsing in time to a low rumble that now permeated the room.

“Uh, Twilight, I don’t think this is such a good idea...” Spike trailed off with a gulp.

Twilight hadn’t heard a word, she was completely swept up by the rumbling, which was growing steadily louder. She could feel the vibrations reverberating in her chest, the pressure in her head intensifying, on the verge of pain. The candle rattled on the desk, the flame flickered causing shadows to skitter around the room before the whole thing toppled over and went out.

Spike backed slowly away from the desk, away from Twilight, whose vision was now consumed by the archway. The wisps of ink began to writhe, wriggling and flexing across the page, the leaves on the vines gently swaying as if caught in a breeze. The rumble was now a roar, Twilight felt it shake her bones, her heart pounding rapidly in time to the syncopated rhythm. The cacophony built to a crescendo and just when Twilight could stand it no longer, it vanished. And there, before her eyes on the page, the gate stood open, broken vines trailing before the gaping maw of the archway.

Unable to look away, Twilight stared unblinking into the inky blackness that filled the arch. A stray thought drifted through her mind, Wasn’t that gate closed a moment ago? The darkness on the page beckoned her, reached for her. The silence was complete, the air thick with anticipation as if the entire world was holding its breath, waiting. Without knowing why, Twilight slowly bent her head, gently touching the tip of her horn to the void that filled the arch.

The world exhaled in a flurry of wind and noise, books toppling off the shelves, inkpots and quills tumbling through the air. Spike fled the library as the gale shook the building, but Twilight stood stock-still, head bent, horn still brushing the surface of the book, oblivious to the tempest surrounding her.

Light poured out from where her horn met the arch, spreading across the page in a harsh, blue glow before spilling off the page onto the desk in an unearthly waterfall of luminescence. The light continued to expand until every surface in the library was imbued with an ethereal, blue radiance which crackled and ejected sparks that were caught and hurled about by the wind. Twilight's senses were overwhelmed, deafened by the wind, blinded by the glow, unable to move. Suddenly, a massive clap of thunder rang out, shattering windows and hurling Twilight across the room where the gentle touch of unconsciousness enfolded her in its embrace, and darkness closed around her.

The Major

Chapter Two: The Major

Consciousness was slow in returning to Twilight, her whole body ached as she lay in an awkward position on her back. She wrenched her eyes open and the world swam slowly into focus. With a groan, she rolled to her feet, shards of glass sliding off her as she stood. Her legs wobbled under her like a newborn foal’s; she took an experimental step and nearly collapsed. Twilight gritted her teeth and focused on remaining upright, This is worse than ice skating.

Twilight eyed the floor sadly, it was littered with broken glass, loose pages, and spilled ink. “My poor books,” she lamented.

“My dear, who cares about your books, are you alright?”

Twilight looked up quickly, too quickly it turned out, as a wave of dizziness sent the room spinning. When everything settled back to its proper place, more or less, Twilight risked looking up again. Rarity stood in the library door eyeing her with a mixture of horror and concern.

“Hello R-rarity,” Twilight said shakily, and took a deep breath to steady herself. “I’m fine, just a few aches, nothing serious.”

“Well, is she alright?” Rainbow Dash’s voice called from outside.

“Yes, she’s fine,” Rarity called back over her shoulder

“Then move out of the way so we can get in!”

Rarity stepped delicately out of the doorway, even so, glass crunched beneath her hooves with each step. Rainbow Dash flew through the door and hovered in front of Twilight, “What happened in here?”

Twilight shook her head slowly, “I’m not sure, but it had something to do with—”

“Land sakes! What in tarnation is that?!”

Twilight looked over and saw Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Spike standing in the center of the library staring at—“No, it can’t be, that’s impossible,” Twilight whispered. There, thrusting up through a ragged hole in the floor, was the archway from the book.

Twilight staggered closer; the stone blocks of the arch sat in the middle of the room, gray and solid, the vines wrapped tightly around them, their diamond-shaped leaves drifting in a breeze from the broken windows. “It’s not possible, it’s not, it can’t be...” Twilight mumbled and she ran to her desk, the book lay open to same page, but it was now blank. Twilight flipped frantically through the other pages, they were all blank save for the very first with its strange, red letters. Twilight sat down hard, eyes wide. “It’s...it’s real!”

Applejack trotted over to her. “But Twilight, what is it?”

“It was in this book, it was a picture in this book, and then there was this noise, and this wind, and then this light, and now it’s real!”

Everypony was now staring at Twilight, then Rainbow Dash cast a sidelong glance at Pinkie Pie. Twilight stood and looked back at them imploringly. “It’s true, you believe me don’t you?”

Applejack’s expression softened. “Of course we do, sugarcube.” There was a chorus of agreements from the others.

“Is it safe to come in?” a soft voice called from the library door.

Rainbow Dash turned. “Yes Fluttershy, it’s safe.”

Fluttershy stepped tentatively into the room. “Oh Twilight, I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said, “but we have a bit of a problem,” and she gestured towards the center of the room.

Fluttershy turned and looked. “Oh, oh my!”

Twilight cautiously paced around the arch, eyeing it critically. It was identical to how it had looked in the drawing, except the back of the arch was solid stone that sloped gently down from the top of the arch to the floor some two meters further back. She made a complete circuit and stood before the iron bars of the gate, the others slowly crowding around her. Twilight lifted the vines out of the way and peered between the bars, she could just make out a few roughhewn stone steps that disappeared down into the darkness.

Applejack leaned in close for a better look. “What do you s’ppose is down there?”

Pinkie Pie thrust her head between Twilight and Applejack. “Oh! Oh! What if it’s a candy cellar?”

Rainbow Dash snorted, “Pinkie, why would anyone have a candy cellar?”

Pinkie cocked her head. “Why, to sell candy of course!”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes at Pinkie Pie.

Fluttershy peeked her head above Applejack, and looked hard at the gate. “I don’t like it,” she announced, and ducked back behind Applejack.

“Well, it’s in the middle of my home,” Twilight declared. “I suppose the only thing to do is to go down there and see what this is all about.”

Rainbow Dash whooped and did a loop-the-loop. “Now we’re talking! It’s about time we had some action.”

Applejack pushed the brim of her hat up. “Are y’all sure about this Twilight? It’s awful dark down there.”

Twilight nodded. “Between Rarity and myself, we should have plenty of light, right Rarity?”

“Well...” Rarity looked around nervously for a moment, then hardened her expression. “Yes, yes of course I’ll go with you.”

Twilight turned to face the group. “Who else is coming?”

“I’m in!” Dash called, still cavorting in the air excitedly.

Pinkie Pie shook her head. “I can’t Twilight, I have to watch Sugarcube Corner.”

“That’s fine Pinkie, what about you Applejack?”

“Well shoot, somepony’s gotta keep the lot of you outta trouble, I’m in.”

“And you, Fluttershy?” A small squeak was all Twilight got in response. “I’ll, uh, take that as a no. Alright, Spike, you stay here with Pinkie and and Fluttershy, we shouldn’t be gone too long.” Spike nodded, and Twilight turned to face the arch. “Okay ladies, here we go.” She gulped and pushed hesitantly on the gate, which slid effortlessly open on silent hinges. The darkness waited below. Twilight stared into it, steeled herself one last time, and stepped through the arch, lighting her horn as the shadows surrounded her. The others followed in single-file, Rarity coming last, and soon even the pinpricks of light that were their horns were lost to sight, engulfed by the perpetual night below.

* * *

General Ironlegs was caught in a fitful sleep. The general was not a pony prone to bizarre dreams, nor did he possess a whimsical nature, but this time while he slept he was caught in a tumult of disjointed visions. While it was impossible to discern anything coherent in the torrent of images, one sensation rose above the confusion and suffused the general’s mind: a sensation of anticipation. Even as he slept, someone was approaching the world that General Ironlegs called home. Someone, the dreams conveyed, that came from a place completely unknown to him.

Slowly, one image rose out of the multitude, and the general latched onto it; anything was better than the chaos of random visions. At first all he could make out was a purple smear, but as the general focused his disciplined mind on it the purple smear began to resolve into the outline of what looked like a purple pony. The general focused harder, the image becoming clearer, he could almost make out some of the features in the face. If he could just push a littler harder—

General Ironlegs started awake at the insistent buzzing of the communicator screen on the wall next to his bed, the dream vanishing from his consciousness taking the last remnants of the blurry purple pony with it. With a curse, he smacked the answer button. “This had better be important,” he growled.

On the screen, the image of Lieutenant Shandly winced. “Uh, yes sir. Sir, we’re picking up some movement in the condemned sectors.”

The general narrowed his one good eye, the other having been lost years ago and replaced with a simple steel oval bolted to his skull. In a rare moment of grim humor, the general had inscribed a large, unblinking eye on the patch, which often unnerved new recruits much to his satisfaction. “Get to the point Shandly, because if that’s the only reason you woke me, I’ll have you cleaning latrines for a month.”

“Yes sir, I-I mean no sir, that’s not all. The movement is in sector L-7, and it appears to be friendly.”

The general’s eye widened. “What?! You mean we’ve got civvies wandering around L-7?”

“Yes sir, that’s what it looks like.”

“How the blazes did they get out there?”

“I don’t know sir, they just appeared on the scope, out of nowhere, that’s why I called.”

“Damned idiots, are they trying to get themselves killed? Alright, wake TAU-9 and get them out there immediately; we can’t afford any civilian casualties, we’ve had too many recently as it is. Not to mention the collateral damage that could be caused. Get going, I’ll be there in a few minutes to oversee the operation.”

Shandly saluted sharply. “Yes sir, right away.”

The screen winked off and General Ironlegs let out a sigh, This is all I need right now. His eyes wandered around the steel rectangle that served as his quarters, passing over the private bunk, sink, and privy that were the luxuries afforded to the general by his rank. The plain walls offered no distraction from his grim thoughts. Things hadn’t been going well recently, there were too many deaths and not enough victories. They were losing ground for the first time in decades and the populace was growing restless. If things didn’t improve, the higher ups might just decide to make an example of him and have him court-martialed.

The general slid out of bed, his front legs hitting the floor with a metallic clang. He’d lost his original forelegs in an attack when he was a foal and been fitted with prostheses, a routine procedure, but he had refused the synth-flesh, choosing instead to keep the bare metal exposed. The sight of the taut muscle at his shoulders transforming into polished steel heightened his already imposing figure, his matte-black coat and mane contrasting sharply with the shiny metal.

Anypony who looked at the general, with his metal eye and legs, broad chest, and perpetual scowl, knew that he was somepony who was not to be trifled with. His reputation as a fierce and fearless fighter had earned him his rank and the respect of his troops, and his sound tactics helped him keep it. He slipped on his gray uniform, his expression souring. If luck was with him he wouldn’t lose any of those same troops this evening, but it was out of his hooves now; Tactical Assault Unit 9 was the best, he just hoped they were ready for whatever was waiting out there in L-7.

* * *

The clatter of hooves on the stone steps was the only sound accompanying the small group of ponies as they descended the featureless staircase. Twilight had lost track of how long they had been walking, was it twenty minutes? An hour? It seemed like days, and with no point of reference from which to judge their movement—now that the small window of light from the archway had disappeared—it felt as if they were just walking in place.

“I don’t mean to be a sour apple,” Applejack whispered, “but this don’t feel right.”

“No kidding!” Rainbow Dash spat. “There’s not even enough room for me to fly here, how can you guys stand walking all the time?”

Twilight looked over her shoulder, “I suppose we should—oof!” Twilight missed a step and nearly fell, when she regained her balance she saw that the stairway had ended while she wasn’t looking. Not only the stairway, but the stone walls they had been walking through also came to an abrupt end, and gleaming metal now surrounded her, reflecting the light from her horn. A seam joined the stone of the staircase passageway to the metal corridor, the perfectly straight and smooth metal plates sinking into the rough stone walls where they met. Twilight moved forward cautiously, her hoofs ringing solemnly on the floor plates with each step. Abruptly the corridor widened, its walls disappearing into the darkness in all directions, the small pool of light surrounding Twilight expanding only slightly as Rarity and the others joined her. They huddled together silently, an island of light in an infinite sea of nothingness, eyes straining yet unable to penetrate the dark that weighed down on them.

Rainbow Dash shifted her shoulders. “Hey Twilight, I don’t suppose there’s any way you could make it a little brighter in here?”

“Oh, sure, I guess I could try.” Twilight thought for a moment, then reached within herself. The glow surrounding her horn blazed brightly then coalesced into a tight sphere that launched into the air like a flare. The sphere rose thirty meters before it slowed to a stop, resting ten meters short of the chamber’s vaulted ceiling. The cold, harsh light revealed an immense room composed of smooth steel, and while the light burned brightly, the room was only dimly lit and the far walls were still lost in shadow. Trash lay strewn across the floor, piles of paper and refuse collecting in the corners, buzzing with undulating clouds of flies. The unmistakable aura of decay and neglect hung damply in the air, nearly as pungent as the stench of rot wafting from the piles of garbage. They stood silently for a long while, simply staring out across the room, trying to take it all in.

As Twilight gazed out across the gloomy expanse, she had the distinct impression that they had left Equestria far behind. This alien place was something beyond the scope of the land she knew and loved, and she could feel an emptiness inside, something lacking, being so far from home. Strangely though, Twilight was also filled with a nervous excitement, for here was an entirely new world to explore and learn about; she could even write a book about her experiences in this strange, new place.

“My word,” Rarity breathed at last, breaking the silence, “but this place could do with a bit of redecorating.”

Applejack burst out laughing and the tension that had gripped the group eased slightly. “Ain’t that just like you Rarity, always—” A clatter cut off Applejack, and all four turned to stare towards the sound. It had come from a line of crumbling, concrete buildings that stretched across the room; the jagged remnants of what must at one time have been grand and elegant structures jutted out from within heaps of rubble. Shadows scuttled between the ruins, rough whispers reverberating through the chamber.

Rainbow Dash sprang into the air and hovered in an upright position, forelegs akimbo, facing the rubble. “Alright, who’s there? Show yourselves!”

Cackling laughter was all that answered her challenge. With a snarl, she dove towards the hidden voices, streaking across the room. A large hunk of concrete hurtled out at her from behind one of the dilapidated buildings. Desperately she twisted in midair, too late, the improvised projectile connected with her flank sending her crashing head-first to the floor where she skidded to a halt. Twilight, Applejack, and Rarity ran over to where Rainbow Dash lay unconscious amidst the trash.

A guttural howl assaulted Twilight’s ears and she spun to see a massive shape charging across the room, moving with astounding speed despite its size and strange, uneven gait. The dark form was difficult to make out in the dim light, a jumble of claws, teeth, and shadow. Its eyes, however, shone clearly and had neither pupil nor iris, merely two milky-white disks that burned with cold malevolence and an insatiable hunger to consume life.

Twilight stood frozen, torn between the desire to flee and unwillingness to leave her friends, especially Rainbow Dash who would be helpless in her current state. The thing was almost upon her, claws extending for her throat, eyes gleaming with the promise of death. A streak of light lanced into the creature from the side, knocking it sideways with a savage cry of pain.

Astonished, Twilight looked over and saw...Is that a pony?! Standing halfway down the room, squarely facing the creature was, indeed, a pony wrapped in a black jumpsuit that covered everything except his cyan tail and a horn protruding from his forehead.

The creature whipped around to face its new adversary, snarling with fury. In the brief lull while they stared at each other, Twilight examined the creature more closely. It stood on four stout limbs that extended from a massive, lumpy body on which was perched a head. The head, disproportionately small compared to the broad shoulders, was joined to the body with a short, thick neck. Further details were impossible to make out, both because of the weak light, and because the thing’s uneven body cast shadows that hid much of the underlying form. But the eyes, white and full of menace, and the frothy drool that dripped from its snarling mouth were all too clear.

With a growl, the creature sprinted at the mysterious pony who stood motionless, staring down the beast. Causally, the pony bent his head, pointing his horn at the creature rushing towards him. There was a bang and another streak of light shot from his horn, striking the creature in the shoulder. The creature faltered and fell, dark blood leaking from the fresh wound. Slowly, the creature picked itself up, glanced uncertainly at the pony, then dashed off, disappearing back into the shadows.

When the footsteps of the creature had faded completely, the pony faced Twilight. “We need to go. It won’t be gone long, and it may not return alone.”

“But my...my friend,” Twilight stammered, “she’s injured,” and she gestured to where Rainbow Dash lay, still unconscious.

The pony glanced at Rainbow Dash. “Sawtooth!” he barked.

“Sir!” Another pony materialized from somewhere behind the first, dressed in the same black jumpsuit. The new pony was enormous, his shoulders at the height of Twilight’s head. Wicked, curved blades extended from the cannons of his forelegs, curving down towards the fetlocks, and when he spoke Twilight caught the glint of metal in his mouth.

“We have a casualty,” the first pony said, “do you think you can carry her?”

Sawtooth sidled up to Rainbow Dash, Twilight nervously stepping out of his way. He swept his gaze over the prone form on the floor. “Shouldn’t be a problem, sir.”

“Good, pick her up and let’s get out of—”

“Now wait just a minute!” Applejack interrupted. “Who do y’all think you are? We ain’t going nowhere without some answers.” The pony turned to face Applejack, and even though his eyes were hidden behind dark glasses she still swallowed audibly at the pressure of his gaze.

“I’m Major Tyrrsan,” he said, unperturbed by Applejack’s outburst, “and you are fools. Your friend needs medical attention, in fact, you’re all lucky just to be alive, and I won’t stand around arguing until we’re all killed. We’re going, now. If necessary I’ll have the sergeant carry all of you. Understood?”

Applejack glanced at Sawtooth, Rainbow Dash already slung across his back. He grinned at her, revealing a row of sharpened, metal teeth; it was not a friendly grin, more reminiscent of a shark eyeing its prey. Applejack took an involuntary step back, but Sawtooth was already moving off across the room. They had no choice but to follow.

Twilight saw the major talking to himself—no, not to himself, but to a thin, curved line that extended from his ear to his mouth. “Slingshot, Recoil, give us a ten-second lead and cover our flank. Make sure we’re not followed, and stay out of sight.”

Rarity stepped up next to Twilight. “Do you really think we can trust them?”

“I’m not sure, but do we have a choice?”

Rarity didn’t have an answer.

The Steel Warren

Chapter Three: The Steel Warren

Dim lights flickered down the length of the square tunnel, providing a dingy glow which Twilight was thankful for. Too often the tunnels were entirely dark, and while Tyrrsan and Sawtooth had strange, tiny lamps on their heads which provided enough light for them to see by, the darkness still unnerved her after their encounter with the creature. They had moved a fair distance from where they had entered via the stairway, at least, Twilight thought they had. It was hard to tell in the identical, labyrinthine tunnels where the only things that changed were the piles of trash, and the occasional corridor that lacked lighting. She hadn’t seen anything to compare to that first, immense room, just endless tangles of claustrophobic, steel tunnels.

Twilight shivered, not that it was particularly cold down here, but, despite the trash, the place had a sterile quality that reminded her of the wasteland in which she’d found the book. She hadn’t seen any indication of life outside the swarming insects, and even those seemed lackluster. But of course, there was that vicious creature, and these ponies, what else might be lurking in the shadows? The major, whom Twilight was following, walked stiff-backed and tense, did he know of dangers that lived in the tunnels, or was he merely nervous about escorting four strangers to...where?

Twilight snorted quietly, there were too many unknowns for her liking, and even if the major gave her all the answers, could she believe them? She couldn’t assume anything about this place, or any pony that lived here. Twilight had seen the chaotic and unexpected, the marvelous and the dreadful, she knew that while optimism was a good place to start, it was best to be on guard. After all, they might just be friendly ponies in an awkward situation, but then again, they might not.

Twilight drifted back from her musings in time to catch Applejack whispering quietly to Rarity, “...s’ppose they know where they’re going?”

“I certainly hope so, I don’t think I’d be able to find my way back by myself.”

“Yeah, me neither. This place gives me the willies, let’s hope they fix up Rainbow Dash quick so we can scoot on outta here.”

At the mention of her name, Rainbow Dash—still slung across the sergeant’s back—began groaning loudly. “Keep her quiet,” Major Tyrrsan said without breaking stride, “we don’t want any unfriendly attention.”

Applejack shot a withering look at his back before moving up to stand next to Rainbow Dash and the sergeant. “It’s all right sugarcube, we’re here...” she continued muttering soothingly, and Rainbow Dash fell silent.

I think it’s time for a talk with the major, Twilight thought, her frustration overcoming her wariness. She quickened her pace to pull up alongside Tyrrsan and cleared her throat. “Uh, major?” No response. “Yes, well,” she continued nervously, “I was wondering if you could tell us where we’re going?”

“We’re returning to Perimeter Defense,” he said curtly, still looking straight ahead.

Twilight rolled her eyes, As if I know where that is. “Can you be any more specific? Because we have friends waiting for us and—”

“I thought I said to keep quiet,” he cut her off.

Anger flared within Twilight. “No, you said to keep Rainbow Dash quiet, which was rather rude if you ask me.”

“Well, it applies to you too,” he replied flatly. Twilight huffed and fell back; she wasn’t sure which irritated her more: the major’s words, or his complete lack of emotion.

“He sounds like a friendly pony,” Rarity whispered sarcastically.

Twilight snorted derisively and fell into a silent pout. She stared daggers at the cyan tail bobbing in front of her as they wound their way through the dingy tunnels. It wouldn’t kill him to tell us where we’re going, or at least be polite. Twilight clung to and cultivated that feeling of anger, it was better than feeling nervous or afraid. The major simply continued walking steadily, unaware or uncaring of the animosity that walked behind him.

The tunnels had been steadily changing as they walked; while debris still littered the floor, the sense of abandonment was ebbing. Graffiti was becoming a common sight on the walls, most of it made no sense to Twilight, but after seeing one crudely scrawled line that read ‘Forget hope.’ she did her best to ignore it.

As they trudged through one corridor after another, Twilight began to feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the system of tunnels. Openings in the walls lead to yet more corridors, and glancing down them Twilight observed that some appeared to stretch for kilometers, disappearing in the distance seemingly without end, while others dead-ended after a mere few meters, either blocked by an avalanche of rubble or another metal wall. After a while, she gave up trying to map the labyrinth in her head and simply followed Applejack, who was continuing to soothe a now half-conscious Rainbow Dash.

Abruptly, they turned a corner and entered a long, well lit corridor. Twilight blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness. As her vision cleared, she saw dozens of similar openings—doubtless leading to more tunnels—dotting the walls which stretched a good fifty meters further before gently widening in a Y shape. They moved off down the tunnel, it was like walking up the stem of a funnel towards the mouth. Twilight heard a noise behind her and turned to see two other ponies in black jumpsuits emerging from the same opening she had just left. Have they been following us this whole time?

They marched down the corridor towards a steel wall that stretched across the mouth of the “funnel” creating a triangular space. A single, massive door was set into that far wall, flanked by two ponies in grey uniforms and dark glasses. As they approached, one of the ponies opened the door while the other saluted, the major casually returning the salute as they passed. Twilight was disappointed to see that the corridor on the other side of the door looked identical to the ones they had just left, Still, at least it’s well lit and there’s no trash laying around.

“Sawtooth, take that one to medical.”

Sawtooth saluted, “Yes sir,” and he moved off, quickly disappearing down a side-tunnel.

Tyrrsan tuned to the others, “You three, come with me.”

Rarity glanced anxiously in the direction Sawtooth had gone, “Shouldn’t we accompany Rainbow Dash?”

The major shook his head, “No, the general wants to speak with you, now. He’s not somepony to be kept waiting.”

Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack exchanged worried glances. Frustrated as she was at the lack of information, Twilight knew that until Rainbow Dash had recovered they had no choice. “Alright, we’ll talk to this general, I have some questions and I expect he’ll be more polite about answering them than you’ve been.”

Major Tyrrsan merely smirked at her; it was the first emotion Twilight had seen him display, and she was fairly certain she didn’t like it. Tyrrsan led them down the corridors, pausing to salute the occasional passerby, who all looked the same to Twilight in their gray uniforms and dark glasses. The corridors, though better lit, were no less labyrinthine than the dingy ones they had just left, and it was all Twilight could do to follow the major and not get lost.

The major stopped before a metal door, “Wait in here.”

Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack stepped into a small room that was completely bare except for a long, metal table with four chairs on either side. Twilight turned to face the major, “But what—”

Tyrrsan cut her off, “The general will be along shortly,” and he slammed the door shut with a clang.

“It ain’t right!” Applejack huffed, pacing the length of the room, “Keeping us locked up here like criminals. Why, I have half a mind to...to...”

“To what, Applejack?” Rarity snapped. “I’m sorry, but you know we mustn’t do anything rash while Rainbow Dash is still injured. We need them to help her.”

Applejack sat down dejectedly, “I know that, it’s just I ain’t happy sitting here doing nothing.”

Twilight silently agreed with her, this whole situation left her feeling completely powerless. She couldn't blame Applejack for her agitation, she was about ready to scream with frustration herself. They had been in worse situations before, but never had they been in so strange a place, nor had she ever seen ponies as bizarre as these.

There was the metallic clank of a lock and two ponies stepped through the door into the room. One appeared rather young, his dark orange coat and short, brown mane and tail clashing with the bright green vest he wore. But the other...Twilight gaped openly. His coat and mane were both matte-black, and he had only one piercing, blue eye, the other was covered by a metal oval with a stylized eye etched into it, and his forelegs were gleaming steel. Neither pony had a cutie mark, but rather a small, silver disc was set into their flanks, and suddenly Twilight remembered that, while she hadn’t noticed it at the time, everypony they had passed down here lacked a cutie mark and had a similar disc. For some reason this unnerved Twilight more than the black pony’s metal legs.

The black pony gestured to the table, “Please, have a seat.” Applejack, Rarity, and Twilight sat along one side of the table, the other two ponies taking seats opposite them. “I’m General Ironlegs,” the black pony continued, “and this is Lieutenant Shandly, he’ll be recording our conversation for the archives. Would you please state your names for the record?”

Hesitantly, Twilight said, “I’m Twilight Sparkle.”

“Applejack.”

“And I’m Rarity.”

General Ironlegs nodded, “Thank you. I have a few questions that I’d like—”

Applejack shook her head, “I ain’t answering anything until I know what’s happening with Rainbow Dash.”

“Fair enough.” The general looked down at a piece of paper the lieutenant gave him saying, “Your companion—Rainbow Dash was it?—suffered a mild concussion and should make a full recovery after some rest. However, she had to be sedated so she’d stop struggling with the med-techs.” The three friends visibly relaxed at the news. “Now, I’d like to know what you were doing in sector L-7?”

Twilight looked at him quizzically, “Do you mean that big room?”

The general nodded.

“Well, we were just...looking around.”

The general eyed her skeptically, “Just ‘looking around’?”

“Whatever else would we be doing?” Rarity chimed in.

“What else indeed. Well, let’s try this one, can you tell me who did your augmentation?”

This statement was greeted with a chorus of blank stares.

Applejack cocked her head to the side, “Uh, come again?”

The general turned to Applejack, “Augmentations, the implants your friends have.”

“You’ve lost me.”

The general sighed, “Ladies, please, there’s no reason to be coy, you’ll only make it harder on yourselves if you force us to make a formal investigation. You’ll be in rather a lot less trouble if you only cooperate. Now tell me, who performed the surgery that gave you those horns?”

Rarity gasped indignantly, “My word!”

“General,” Twilight began, “nopony gave us our horns, we were born with them.”

“Right, and I suppose you were born with those tattoos on your flanks as well?”

Twilight rolled her eyes, “Of course not! Our cutie marks appeared when we discovered that certain something that makes us special. Everypony knows that! Which rather makes me wonder what happened to yours.”

General Ironlegs looked hard at Twilight for a long moment, his single, blue eye weighing and judging her every facet; she met his gaze without flinching. “Well,” he said, standing, “I think that’s all for now, and you’re no doubt eager to visit your friend. Lieutenant, would you show them the way to medical? If you’ll excuse me,” and he left the room without another word, leaving behind three very bewildered ponies.

* * *

“Ah, Major Tyrrsan, congratulations on the success of your mission.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“At ease, major. As you’re no doubt aware, I’ve just come from interviewing our new friends, but we’ll discuss that shortly. First, I’d like to hear your report.”

“Sir, we located the four individuals in sector L-7, who were under attack by a lurker. One of them suffered a minor injury before we arrived and chased it off; she is currently in medical, there were no other casualties”

“And what is your impression of these individuals?”

“Two have horn implants covered in synth-flesh, and the one who was injured has implants that look like wings.”

“Wings? Are you sure?”

“Yes sir, that’s what it looked like.”

“Did you see if they worked?”

“No sir, we arrived too late, she was already unconscious.”

“Hmmm, we may be seeing the results of illegal augmentation. Damn, I thought we’d taken care of that, this could be a problem if we don’t get a handle on it.”

“Sir, there’s something else.”

“Yes?”

“It’s strange sir, they don’t, that is, when I found them they didn’t...”

“Spit it out, major.”

“Well sir, they don’t have ID implants, but rather they have detailed markings, or tattoos, on their flanks where their ident-discs should be.”

“Yes, I saw.”

“It’s almost as if they’d never been catalogued, sir.”

“Are you saying they’re from a splinter group, or that such groups could even survive out there?”

“I don’t know sir, but whoever they are, they’re like nopony I’ve ever seen before.”

“I’m forced to agree, and that worries me. They’re either incredible liars, completely insane, or something else entirely, and in all cases potentially very dangerous. However, before we can act we need more information, and my interview with them yielded very little useful information. Your new assignment is to befriend them and learn what you can. You saved them in L-7 so they may be more inclined to trust you, and the information you gather would be more reliable than what we might obtain from standard interrogation techniques, which we’ll have resort to if necessary. All of TAU-9 are to be a part of this mission, I want one of you with them at all times until we know more. Understood?”

The major saluted, “Yes sir!”

“Dismissed.”

The Invitation

Chapter Four: The Invitation

A soft snuffling emerged from within the ruins of a concrete building. Huddled deep in the shadows, a form lay licking its shoulder where an angry wound still oozed dark blood. The accursed light that had appeared with the interlopers had mercifully vanished shortly after they had, returning the massive chamber to the unadulterated darkness that was home to the lurker.

A whisper drifted in the air, and the creature perked up ready to fight, its milky eyes straining for the slightest movement. When nothing appeared, it settled back with a renewed stab of pain from its shoulder. Bitterness filled it at the thought of the one who had done this to it; that one had killed many of its kin, and there was just enough intelligence within the beast to foster a simmering hatred for that four-legged menace and all like him.

Soft laughter echoed in the room. The lurker paused in its ministrations, cocking its head and listening intently. A voice without words beckoned, and the creature felt a tugging at its mind. Without resistance, it stood and lurched out into the ruins, easily navigating around the crumbling structures despite the complete darkness. The voice cooed approvingly in the creature’s mind; it was strangely familiar to the creature, resonating with an ancient affinity, and the lurker was completely lost to it. The lurker stalked across the room, passing the dark splotches of its own blood which stained the floor where it had been wounded.

Its mind was entirely consumed by the voice’s will, which drove the hapless beast through a small opening in a wall of the chamber. There, before the lurker, a narrow staircase rose, carved in stone and worn with age. It quickly dashed up the steps, desperate to please the formless voice. The click of claws on stone echoed off the walls in an irregular pattern as the creature was forced to limp every fourth step. Flecks of foam flew from the creature’s mouth with each ragged breath, but eventually a small spot of light appeared in the distance.

Panting, the creature slowed, the tugging on its mind unable to overcome the primal fear of the light. The lurker knew it was to wait, for the brightness was only temporary, and when the light faded it could proceed. The voice promised a bounty of flesh, enough to satiate even the lurker’s immense appetite, and, best of all, there would be revenge for the wound inflicted upon it. The lurker settled down on the steps to lick its wound and wait, lost in gruesome, savage fantasies of what was to come.

* * *

“Don’t worry so much Spike, they’ve only been gone a few hours.”

“I know, but this whole thing makes me nervous.”

Spike sat on a stool near Pinkie Pie who was arranging a fresh plate of cupcakes behind the counter at Sugarcube Corner. “You know that Twilight and the others can take care of themselves. I’m just disappointed I had to cancel my party today now that almost everyone has gone. Still, this means I can throw an extra special one when they get back to make up for it!”

“You really think they’re okay?”

“Silly Spike, I’m sure of it, I bet that right now they’re having all sorts of fun and finding all kinds of interesting things down there. That’s probably why they’re taking so long, you know how curious Twilight is.”

“I suppose you’re right. That arch thing really wrecked the library, and after I had it all clean and—” The bell above the door tinkled and a cloaked pony stepped into the shop, hood pulled up, face hidden in shadow.

Pinkie looked up and smiled broadly, “Hi! Welcome to Sugarcube Corner, my name is Pinkie Pie, and we’ve got the tastiest, most delicious treats in Ponyville.”

The pony looked around slowly without saying a word.

Pinkie peered into the hood, trying in vain to make out what lay beneath the shadows. “Uh, is there something you’re looking for in particular?”

A soft, melodic voice emerged from inside the hood, “I’m searching for something out of the ordinary.”

“Is that all?” Pinkie Pie laughed. “Well, we have all sorts of unique treats, like these sugarcane twists made with—”

“I’m not interested in your confections.”

Spike hopped off his stool and stood before the pony, his claws on his hips. “If you don’t want sweets, then why did you come into a sweetshop?” he demanded indignantly.

The pony ignored the question. “Have either of you seen anything strange in this area?”

“Wait a moment,” Spike crossed his arms stubbornly, “you haven’t even told us who you are yet, or where you’re from.”

The pony sighed and pulled back the hood, and a shock of dappled, forest green mane cascaded over her warm, earthy brown coat. She fixed her emerald green eyes on Spike, “You may call me Penumbra, I’ve come a long distance today, from where is not relevant.” Her voice hardened, losing some of its melodic overtones, “What is relevant is that I’m searching for something that is both powerful and dangerous, and time is short. So I ask again, have either of you seen anything peculiar, or am I wasting my time?”

Pinkie Pie looked thoughtful, tapping her chin with a hoof. “I see a lot of peculiar things...”

“Can you be any more specific?” Spike asked Penumbra.

“I’m afraid not.”

“Oh! Oh! I love guessing games!” Pinkie Pie pranced excitedly in place. “Let’s see, is it this strange stick I found yesterday? Or that weird rock over in the field? Oh! What about—”

Penumbra sighed. “I see that I’ll find no help here, goodbye,” and she turned to leave.

“Wait!” Spike called.

Penumbra paused at the door and looked back. “Yes?”

Spike was staring as her cutie mark, just visible beneath her cloak. A single green vine twisted on her flank, bearing three diamond-shaped leaves. Spike pointed, “I’ve seen that plant before, on the archway that appeared.”

Penumbras eyes widened and her ears stood up stiffly, “There is an archway? You must take me to it!”

“But why—”

“I need to see it. Now.”

Spike looked back at Pinkie Pie who shrugged. “Okay, okay, don’t get your mane in a tangle,” he said, “follow me.” Spike led her through Ponyville to the library while Penumbra muttered incomprehensibly to herself the entire way. Spike pushed the library door open and Penumbra shoved past him. “Hey, watch it!” he cried, but Penumbra was already standing stock-still before the arch.

“I never imagined I’d find it,” she murmured at last, “so solid, so real. But I wonder...”

Spike walked over to stand by her. “Do you know what it is?”

Penumbra blinked and shook her head as if to clear it. “Tell me, if you can, how did this come to be here?”

“Well, Twilight Sparkle—she’s Princess Celestia’s number-one student, and I’m her number-one assistant—found this weird book while we were out on the plains, and when she opened it there was a picture of this archway thing on the page. Then there was this strange noise, and this wind, so I ran out to get help—not that I was scared, I’m plenty brave, it’s just I thought Twilight might need some help—and when I got back, that arch was there.”

“You mean it was summoned by a single pony? Where is this pony? I should speak with her.”

“She went down there,” Spike pointed to the blackness beneath the arch, “with Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. They should be back soon, if you wait I’m sure—”

“Somepony has passed through the arch?” Penumbra bent her head and began tapping her forehead with a hoof. “The arch has been summoned and breached, should I...? No...no, I need to consult the archives before I act too rashly.” She suddenly reared and ran out the door at a full gallop without another word.

“Hey!” a startled Spike called after her. “You didn’t answer any of my questions!” but she had already disappeared in the distance. Spike stood alone amongst the chaotic rubble in the library, completely at a loss on how to make sense of the encounter, while the late afternoon sunlight shone through the shattered windows. After a few perplexed minutes he cast a sidelong glance at the arch and shuddered. Quickly, he made his way back to Sugarcube Corner.

“Hello again!” Pinkie called. “What happened to our new friend?”

Spike plopped onto a stool. “She ran off after I told her Twilight and the others had gone down those steps. Pretty rude, if you ask me.”

“Maybe she was late for something.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Spike fidgeted on the stool. “Hey Pinkie Pie, I was wondering...if Twilight doesn’t get back soon, can I...can I stay here with you tonight? It’s just, the library is such a mess and I don’t want to clean it tonight, and I, uh...”

Pinkie Pie looked up from the balls of dough she was arranging on a cookie sheet, “Of course you can, Spike! You, Gummy, and I can all play games, we’ll have lots of fun! Do you think Fluttershy would like to come over too?”

“I don’t know, I’ll go ask her if she’d like to come...and thanks Pinkie Pie.”

“You’re welcome.” Pinkie returned her attention to the cookie dough as Spike opened the door and stepped outside.

The bright autumn light was growing heavy, tinged with orange, as the sun sank in the west. He hurried off towards Fluttershy’s cottage, feeling that today it would be best to be inside well before dark for some ineffable reason. He shuddered again as he crunched through the dead leaves strewn on the ground, a sensation of uneasiness settling in his stomach as he thought about Twilight and the others being somewhere beyond the archway, I hope you’re alright.

* * *

Major Tyrrsan took a deep breath and edged the door open. The beeping of medical equipment filled the small room, which was barely large enough to accommodate it and the four ponies already inside. Tyrrsan surveyed the situation intently, three of the ponies were gathered around a hospital bed in which the fourth pony lay, unconscious but breathing evenly. He stood in the doorway, blocking the only exit, and if necessary he could use the IV drip as a weapon to—Stop it! Remember Tyrrsan, you’re supposed to befriend them, not kill them!

He freed his head from the jumpsuit, releasing his cyan mane which was cut short and stood straight up a mere few centimeters above his midnight blue coat. Taking a deep breath and putting on the largest smile he could, Tyrrsan stepped fully into the room. “Hello,” he said in his most cheerful voice. Immediately, three pairs of eyes fixed on him, and his smile wavered. “I, uh, just wanted to check on you ladies, to see how you’re doing.”

“We’re doin’ fine,” the pony with a hat said, “but our friend here still ain’t awake.”

“Ah, yes, I heard about the sedative, she should come out of it in an hour or so, assuming there are no complications.”

“Well, alright then, after that I’m sure there won’t be any problem with our leaving, will there?”

Tyrrsan stiffened. “I don’t know what you’re implying, but you’re not prisoners”—At least, not at the moment—“and you’re free to leave at anytime.”

The purple pony with the horn stepped forward, saying “You’ll have to forgive Applejack—” the pony with the hat snorted “—but we’re all rather frustrated with the way we’ve been treated.”

“I do apologize for any inconvenience, we were merely taking measures to protect our security, no offense was intended.”

The purple pony nodded. “Well, I guess that’s alright then. I suppose I should introduce myself properly now. I’m Twilight Sparkle, this is Applejack, and that’s Rarity, our friend in the bed is Rainbow Dash.”

Just then, three more ponies in black jumpsuits entered the room, their hoods were pulled back like the major’s so their faces were visible. The major nodded, “Perfect timing as usual. I’m Major Tyrrsan, and this is TAU-9. You’ve already met Sergeant Sawtooth,” the enormous pony with the metal teeth smiled, his purple mane and crimson coat doing nothing to mitigate his ferocious appearance, “over there is Private Slingshot,” a chestnut pony with a flat, segmented metal tail that curved up away from the floor and widened to ten centimeters at its tip, nodded at them, “and lastly we have Private Recoil.” The last pony was the smallest of them, her charcoal coat and white mane causing her to fade into the shadows at the corner of the room. Each of her eyes was covered with a piece of reflective glass set into her skull, much like the general’s eye patch.

Twilight smiled uncertainly. “Uh, pleased to meet all of you, and thank you for saving us from that...”

“Lurker,” the major supplied.

“Right, that lurker.”

Tyrrsan saw that Twilight was eyeing each member of his squad with open interest, especially Private Slingshot. “Is something the matter?” he asked.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t help myself,” Twilight turned to face Slingshot. “I”m curious, that metal plate on your tail looks rather uncomfortable, is there a reason why you’re wearing it? When do you take it off?”

Slingshot looked completely taken aback, and the major laughed. “He can’t take it off, of course.”

Twilight looked at the major confusedly. “He can’t?”

Tyrrsan stopped laughing, Is she serious? She must know about implants, she has one herself. Still, maybe I could use this to my advantage. “Here, why don’t you and I take a walk, and I can explain about the private’s tail.” And maybe once you’re separated from your friends I can get you to explain a few things as well.

Twilight smiled more genuinely. “That sounds...alright, and it would be nice to stretch my legs.”

“Excellent. Sergeant, you, Slingshot, and Recoil stay here and look after the rest of our guests.” He turned back to Twilight, “If you’ll follow me?”

Twilight and the major walked out of the room into one of the ubiquitous corridors. “So, Twilight Sparkle, what would you like to know about Private Slingshot’s implant?”

Twilight paused for a moment as they passed a field medic in a tan vest. “Why does he wear it?”

“He uses it for ordnance delivery, he loads a small explosive or other type of shell in the tail, and hurls it at the target. It’s very efficient and accurate, and can be used as a mêlée weapon if needed.”

“And he never takes it off?”

“I told you, he can’t take it off, there’s nothing to take off.”

“I don’t understand. What about his tail? Doesn't it hurt to have it in there all the time?”

Tyrrsan looked askance at Twilight, She’s really dedicated to playing dumb. Alright, I’ll play along. “That is his tail. When Private Slingshot was assigned to artillery, he underwent a very simple surgery to remove his tail and replace it with the ordnance delivery system.”

Twilight stopped short. “That’s horrible!”

Tyrrsan stared at her. “What? But you have...”

“To take a pony’s tail and replace it with a weapon? That’s...that’s unthinkable!”

Tyrrsan finally managed to get a word in, “But, what about your horn?”

“What about it?”

“You had that implanted, how is that any different?”

“I had no such thing, I was born with my horn.”

The general wasn’t lying, she’s good, I almost believe her. “Really?”

“Of course! You should know, you have a horn too.”

“Yes,” Tyrrsan said patiently, as if explaining to a foal, “but I had this implanted when I entered the service, it’s a simple electropulse launcher.”

“You mean it’s artificial? You had that...put into your head?”

It was the major’s turn to say “Of course! It’s the same with with the sergeant’s teeth and foreleg blades, or Private Recoil’s ocular implants.”

Twilight sat down hard on the metal floor. “Does everypony down here have a—what did you call it?—implant?”

“Not everypony, though most ponies in the military have some sort of augmentation relating to their specialty. Often, civilians have prostheses to replace limbs lost, or compensate for other injuries sustained during attacks.”

“I really don’t understand, who are you fighting, how do these implants work, why would...it’s all just so bizarre!”

Tyrrsan looked at the clearly distressed Twilight Sparkle for a long moment. “Let’s make a deal: I’ll explain a bit about our history and try to clear things up, and you can tell me about where you come from and why these ordinary things seem so strange to you.”

Twilight stood up. “Alright, although I don’t think they’re very ordinary.”

Tyrrsan led Twilight through the crowded tunnels of the medical area, looking for a place they could talk more easily. The major’s mind was racing trying to make sense of the pony who walked next to him. She truly seemed to be from another world, completely ignorant about even the most basic aspects of life in the tunnels. Of course, it could all be a ruse to seem harmless and gain his trust, Much like the ruse I’m currently using to “befriend” her, he thought ruefully. Still, regardless of his orders, he was actually curious to learn more about her, if anything she said was really true. Tyrrsan was forced to agree with her on one point: This whole situation was plain bizarre. Four mysterious ponies just appeared out of nowhere with some of the most realistic implants he had ever seen—which they claim are natural and not implants—including wings. What use were wings? Even if they did work, which Tyrrsan doubted, there was no room to fly in the tunnels, the only things that flew were the insects. Hopefully, he could finagle the truth out of Twilight Sparkle without too much trouble.

They had left medical by now, and were meandering through the public corridors of Perimeter Defense, which were crowded with various ponies in uniform hurrying about their business. A twinge in his stomach gave Tyrrsan an idea, and he led the way to the mess hall, which was composed of several corridors that ran parallel to each other, the walls between them having been demolished to create a larger dining area filled with low tables and benches. The hall would fill and empty in waves as shifts ended and ponies found time to eat. Now, however, there were only a few scattered ponies sitting at the benches and eating quietly. Perfect.

Tyrrsan led Twilight to an empty table in the far corner. “Would you like something to eat?”

“Uh, yes actually, I would, thank you.”

“Wait here, I’ll be back in a moment.”

As Tyrrsan went to retrieve two trays of whatever they had decided to call food today, he watched Twilight surreptitiously. She was looking around the hall curiously, but not suspiciously; she looked so harmless, there was no way she could be a threat. Get a hold of yourself major! Don’t forget you have a mission, you have no idea how dangerous she might be. The major wound his way back to the table with new resolve, carrying one tray in his mouth and balancing the other on his back.

“That’s very impressive, where did you learn to do that?” Twilight inquired as he set the trays on the table.

“When I was a little colt I used to wait tables at the only diner in my home sector. It was a very small place, where everypony knew each other.”

Twilight nodded, “It’s the same where I come from.” Then, looking critically down at her tray, she asked, “Are you sure this is food?”

Tyrrsan laughed in spite of himself. “It looks pretty bad, and doesn’t taste much better, but it’s good for you.” Why did I tell her about the diner? Focus Tyrrsan, you have a job to do, you need to get information from her, not tell her your life story. They ate in awkward silence for a few moments before Tyrrsan swallowed his mouthful and said, “Why don’t you tell me a little more about where you come from.”

“Well, the town I come from is called Ponyville. It’s certainly not the biggest city in Equestria, but definitely one of the friendliest. It’s beautiful there, plenty of sunshine and close to the Everfree Forest, which, while not entirely safe, is still a very interesting place.”

The major’s mind was racing, Sunshine? Forests? What is she babbling about? but all he said was, “That sounds very nice.”

“Oh, I don’t know, I’m sure it’s not very interesting compared to this place.”

Tyrrsan smirked to himself, I think it’s plenty interesting; getting information from her almost seems too easy. Maybe I should have gone into the intelligence division.... “Well, what about yourself then, what do you do? I’m sure that must be more interesting than a career military pony like myself.”

“Well, I’m a student of Princess Celestia’s, studying magic.”

“Magic? You’re serious?”

Twilight looked a little annoyed. “I’m rather good at it, thank you.”

Tyrrsan kept his face carefully blank. “I’m sure you are.” That settles it, she’s completely insane. First the business about being born with a horn and now magic? Maybe we should have checked her for the concussion instead of her friend. Well, might as well get all the crazy out of her at once. “So,” the major continued, his composure regained, “I’m rather intrigued by the tattoos on your flank, do they have a special significance?”

Twilight looked momentarily perplexed. “You mean my cutie mark?”

Tyrrsan cringed internally, Cutie mark? Really? but managed to keep his voice level as he said, “Yes, I suppose I do.”

“Well first, it’s not a tattoo,” Twilight’s tone had taken on a lecturing quality. “Whenever a pony discovers that special something about themselves, that unique talent they possess, a cutie mark appears on their flank. You can’t force it to happen, it only occurs when you realize your gifts, which is usually around early adolescence.” She shot an uneasy glance at Tyrrsan’s flank, “I’m actually rather disturbed you’ve covered yours with that disc. What is that thing, by the way?”

“Well first, it’s not covering anything,” Tyrrsan said, mimicking Twilight’s lecturing tone. “We don’t have ‘cutie marks’, instead, everypony has an identity disc implanted in their flank when they’re old enough, and then they’re registered with the master catalogue. The ident-disc serves as a form of permanent ID, carrying your occupation, or rank and assignment if you’re in the military, and other important information for easy reference and access. It helps keep things organized, and provides essential security, especially in the border sectors.”

Twilight pushed the tray of half-eaten gray goop away and leaned forward. “And why, exactly, is security so important? I mean, why are you down here? Who are you fighting?”

The major thought for a moment, it was a safe question, there was nothing classified in what he would tell her. “Well, the who is the easy part, mostly we fight the lurkers, although what they are I’m not exactly sure. As for why, that’s something I leave to the philosophers, all I know is that if we didn’t, they’d overrun the place. Sometimes we get a rogue group who think they could run things better, but they don’t last long. The thing I don’t understand is what you mean by ‘down here’?”

Twilight gestured vaguely around the mess hall, “Down here, underground, in these tunnels.”

“Um, Twilight,” he cocked an eyebrow at her, “we live in the tunnels, that’s all there is, there’s nothing else.”

The pony across from him stared in slack-jawed astonishment. “Major, there’s a whole world above these tunnels. Have you never left this warren? Where I come from is filled with trees, and animals, and rivers, and books, and.... Well, much nicer than some dank tunnel..”

I was wrong, she’s not crazy, she’s delusional. How can someone leave the tunnels? All that’s out there are more tunnels! This is more ludicrous than that drivel about magic. “I’m not sure about any of that, but I think we’ve done a nice job of keeping the corridors here clean and safe, certainly not dank.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you, it’s just if I could show you Equestria.... It may not be perfect, but it’s really very nice. I need to get back soon anyway, you’re welcome to join us, in fact, I’m not sure we could even find our way back without your help.”

Tyrrsan sat back, brow furrowed and thoughts racing, I need to talk to the general, she’s clearly made up this “Ponyville” place as some form of escapism, maybe she saw something in the tunnels that she couldn’t handle. Whatever the case, she’s obviously not a threat to anyone except herself, and certainly not full of useful information. Time for the brushoff, “Sure, I’d love to come, let me talk to my superiors and maybe I can get some time off for a visit.”

Twilight smiled. “Sounds good. Now, I should probably get back to my friends, maybe Rainbow Dash is awake.”

Tyrrsan nodded curtly and flagged down a pony in a green vest who was just finishing his meal. “Private, please escort this pony to medical, room six-zero-two.”

The pony saluted smartly. “Yes sir! This way, ma’am.”

Watching them both leave Tyrrsan’s spirits dipped, Well, that was a waste of time, and he strode off to report on the futility of his assignment. He was not looking forward to that, the general usually didn’t take disappointment well. Tyrrsan wound his way back to the ops center, where he found Lieutenant Shandly sitting at a computer terminal. Does he ever sleep? “Hello Lieutenant, is the general in?”

Shandly looked up and blinked. “What? Oh, the general, yes sir, he’s in, let me check to see if he’s available.” Shandly pushed the button on the intercom, “Sir, Major Tyrrsan is here to see you.... Right away, sir.” Shandly turned back to Tyrrsan, “The general will see you now.”

“Thank you.” Tyrrsan opened the door to the general’s office and saluted.

General Ironlegs returned the salute. “Finished with your assignment already, major?”

“In a manner of speaking, sir.”

“Oh? What have you to report?”

“I don’t believe there’s any useful information that can be obtained from them, sir.”

“Nothing? Why is that?”

“Well sir, if I may be blunt,” the general nodded, “I think their bridles are a little loose, if you catch my drift—they’re completely delusional.”

The general raised an eyebrow. “All of them?”

“I didn’t speak much with the others, sir, but the one I did speak with clearly wasn’t in her right mind.”

“What gave you that impression?”

“Sir, not only did she insist that she was born with her implants and was capable of ‘magic’, but she kept talking about someplace ‘above’ the tunnels—whatever that means—someplace called Ponyville. She even invited me to visit.”

“Well major, I think you should take her up on that offer.”

Major Tyrrsan’s jaw dropped, “Sir?”

“It’s the polite thing to do.”

Tyrrsan stared at the general, but his face was completely blank. Finally Tyrrsan managed to stammer, “Are you joking, sir?”

“Only partly,” the general replied with a wan smile. “I agree that she’s delusional in some way, that they all are. You see, just before you arrived I received a message radioed in by Sergeant Sawtooth, he reported that the two other ponies described the same thing while they were talking in medical, someplace called Ponyville.”

“But sir!”

The general made a placating gesture. “Don’t worry major, Sawtooth wasn’t going over your head, I instructed him to contact me directly if he uncovered any interesting information. And before you ask, no, I can’t tell you why.”

The major choked back the question with a mumbled “Yes sir.”

The general stood and paced his office. “The point is, major, that these independent reports of this Ponyville place are more than coincidence.”

“But sir, you can’t believe there is such a thing as ‘above’ the tunnels.”

The general turned and fixed his cold, blue eye on the majo. “What I believe is irrelevant.” Tyrrsan swallowed, and the general eyed him a moment longer before he turned and continued pacing. “What is relevant is that ‘Ponyville’ might be a reference—delusional perhaps, or maybe a code-name—to a splinter group hideout, or the location of an illegal augmentation ring, or something else of equal interest to us, and she’s offering to lead you directly to it. Do you understand?”

Tyrrsan nodded slowly. “Yes sir, I think so.”

“Good. Your orders are to accompany the pony who calls herself Twilight Sparkle and see where she leads you. This is an observation only mission; if at any time you feel the situation may become hostile you are to abort immediately, and to err on the side of caution. Once you have an idea of what ‘Ponyville’ actually is, you’re to report back with location data and any other intelligence you can gather easily. Take a field radio and location tracker in case you need emergency assistance. I expect reports at least every six hours.”

“Sir, what about the other ponies? Her friends?”

“They’ll remain here, as long as we keep that one with the wing implants sedated long enough for you to leave, we should be able to persuade them to stay. While it might be easier to lock them up, keeping their trust is a priority. It’s already proved useful, and we may be able to use them in the future if they trust us, so if at all possible you are to return with Twilight Sparkle, and without revealing anything about our ulterior motives. Any further questions?”

Tyrrsan thought for a moment. “No sir.”

“You have your orders then, go and gather your equipment. Dismissed.”

The major saluted, “Sir!” and he turned to go find Twilight. Now, let’s see where this pony really comes from.

The Climb

Chapter Five: The Climb

Wake up, it’s time. Slowly, the lurker’s eyes opened, the voice ringing inside its head urging it to wakefulness. It was slumped awkwardly on the stone steps in the tunnel where it had fallen asleep, exhausted from its climb and loss of blood. The distant spot of light that had stymied it before was gone, it was time to move on.

Groggily, it resumed the upward journey, gaining momentum as the promise of revenge was renewed. At last, the lurker stood just below a stone archway, broken vines with diamond leaves dangling before its face, the other side was filled with an unfamiliar darkness. It wasn’t the complete and comforting blackness of its home in the tunnels, but a gentler kind that was at odds with the savage creature. Still, spurred on by the voice, the lurker ventured out through the archway.

It crunched its way over a floor littered with detritus, a comfortingly familiar feeling. Suddenly, the creature found itself in the open, no walls surrounded it and no ceiling above. It shrank away from the expansive void littered with pinpricks of light which glittered menacingly at it. There were other pools of light pouring from scattered buildings, too much, the lurker turned to retreat back to the safety of the tunnels.

The voice chided the lurker for its cowardice: Would it run from a bit of light and give up the opportunity to avenge itself on those that had wronged it? Would it slink back in defeat to lick its wounds in fear? With a snarl, the lurker turned and sprang down the dirt path, the fear driven from its simple brain by mindless rage. Slinking from shadow to shadow, wary of the unfamiliar sounds of crickets and night birds, the lurker moved hesitantly along a dirt path. The buildings had started to thin when the lurker passed a small, wooden structure squatting in a wire pen. The creature pulled up short, a soft clucking drifted from the pen, and the scent of flesh filled its nostrils. Overcome with bloodlust and hunger, the lurker leapt over the short, wire fence and tore into the wooden structure.

A cacophony of screeches shattered the still night, and were quickly silenced. It was over in minutes, and the now satiated lurker, covered with feathers and dripping with gore, continued on the path, the buildings and their lights disappearing behind it. The tugging on the lurker’s mind grew stronger as it ventured off the dirt path, through sparse trees, and finally onto soft, sandy plains. It was pulled onward, past the scrub to where the ground grew hard and rocky. Great, shattered boulders cast long shadows in the moonlight to which the lurker clung, distrustful of the glowing orb in the sky that seemed to be following it.

The boulders grew more numerous and their shadows deeper; the lurker relaxed a little, letting itself be guided by the strange force that had seized it. The creature stopped abruptly as the ground before it ended. It looked up and found that it stood on the edge of an enormous crater stretching out into darkness, ringed with jagged rocks jutting up into the sky. It appeared as if a massive hand had reached down and scooped the earth from this spot, leaving the crater’s surface smooth and iridescent in the moonlight.

The lurker paced around the edge of the crater carefully, for the walls were steep and a fall would surely prove fatal. About halfway around the circumference a strange, primitive arch appeared on the rim. Two crude, stone plinths supported a third that spanned them, and when the lurker passed under the arch it found a staircase winding down the face of the crater, the steps smooth and dark as obsidian.

The staircase was narrow, clearly intended for a creature more nimble and less bulky, and the lurker slipped and nearly fell, sending pebbles skittering down towards the shadows at the bottom of the crater. Before the creature had time to fully recover, it felt the tugging it its mind again, pulling it impatiently forward. It set off again, panting and limping down the stairs until they broadened into a small shelf jutting out from the wall of the crater, still only halfway to the bottom.

The voice crowed praises at the creature, it had done well, and the difficult journey was nearly over. The lurker looked, and there in the side of the crater was a small cave opening. This was it, the lurker knew, this was where the voice was coming from, where it would go to fulfill the promise of revenge. The only thing that could be seen inside the cave was the comforting blackness the lurker was used to calling home. Eagerly, it rushed for the welcoming darkness, leaving behind the strange world of light and sound, the voice cooing pleasantly in its simple mind.

* * *

The large metal door slammed shut, and Twilight stood uneasily in the triangular space before Perimeter Defense while Major Tyrrsan exchanged a few words with the guards. Twilight wasn’t completely comfortable with the thought of leaving her friends here, epically when the Major had first brought it up.

She had been standing with the others in the medical room, telling them what she’d learned from the major, when he walked into the room.

“Hello again ladies, how are you doing?”

“It’s awfully cramped down here,” Rarity said, “and poor Rainbow Dash still hasn’t woken up.”

“Is that so?”

Applejack nodded. “We’re all gettin’ a mite worried too.”

“I wish I could help,” Major Tyrrsan said sympathetically, “but I’m afraid the med-techs tend to be very cautious with a head injury. They’ll only try to force her awake when they have no other options.”

“But major,” Twilight said, “you know we can’t stay here, our friends in Ponyville will worry.”

The major bent his head in thought. “Hmmm.... Well, what if you and I went to Ponyville to tell your friends what happened while the others wait here with Rainbow Dash? I’m sure by the time we get back Rainbow Dash will have recovered.”

Twilight nodded slowly, “I suppose that’s okay. What do you think, Applejack? Rarity?”

“Well,” Applejack said, “it’s alright by me.”

Rarity nodded emphatically. “Don’t be silly, we couldn’t possibly leave Rainbow Dash here, and we simply must let the others know we’re alright. You just go and we’ll probably catch up with you before you’ve even had the chance to leave Ponyville again.”

“Alright then.” Twilight turned to the major. “When do we leave?”

Tyrrsan smiled. “Right away, if you’re ready.”

Twilight was a bit nervous about going back through the tunnels, and now that she was once again standing amongst the trash and flickering lights, she was growing more nervous by the second. She still didn’t fully trust Tyrrsan, while he was certainly acting much nicer than when they had first met, there was something about him that niggled at her, something that felt just a little off. Finally, Tyrrsan walked up beside her, he was back in the full-body jumpsuit, his eyes covered with dark glasses and bulky saddlebags slung across his back. “So, how do we get to your Ponyville?”

“I...well, I don’t really know, but if you can get us back to that large room where we first met, the staircase is right there.”

Tyrrsan gave a quick nod. “Right, this way then.” He strode off down the narrowing tunnel, Twilight scurrying to keep up.

“Major, wait!”

Tyrrsan paused and looked back over his shoulder.

“Is it.... Will it be safe? What if that thing—that lurker, is still there?”

Although Twilight couldn’t tell for sure with the dark glasses, she suspected Tyrrsan was smirking at her. “We should be safe enough,” he said. “Lurkers don’t tend to hang around in one place too long, and while sector L-7 is at the edge of our controlled territory, it’s still closer than lurkers will usually venture.”

Twilight nodded, swallowed hard, and followed Tyrrsan back into the tunnels. They trudged on in silence, the major trying to look everywhere at once, Twilight trying to ignore the squalor that soon infested the tunnels around them.

“So, uh...” Twilight said quietly, breaking the silence when she could stand it no longer, “these tunnels aren’t nearly as nice as the ones back at Perimeter Defense.”

The major grunted in reply, and Twilight waited nervously for a more. There was still a gulf between them, and she had hoped to spend this trip through the tunnels bridging that gulf before they reached Ponyville. After all, she was tasked with learning about friendship, and there was certainly a lot to be learned here. Just when Twilight was getting worried that she had offended him again, Tyrrsan spoke. “These tunnels used to be inhabited. Many years ago, long before I was born, ponies lived in this whole sector. It wasn’t easy, life never is in the tunnels, it was crowded and there were not nearly so many amenities as in the inner sectors, but they were clean and there was life. Then the lurkers came.

“They were always out there, and while there was the occasional altercation, for the most part we avoided them and vice versa, but in the last two hundred years they’ve been growing more and more aggressive. It started small, light raids in the outskirts, no major casualties, but they kept coming, more of them every time. Ponies started dying, which led to panic, many families fled, seeking refuge in the inner sectors. As the casualties rose, we were forced to evacuate most of the outlying sectors, establishing the Perimeter Defense Stations. Some families refused to leave their homes, a few weeks later a group of them showed up at the Perimeter Defense Stations, bloody and mutilated, missing limbs. Some of them survived. There was no sign of the others who had remained behind, they were all almost certainly killed.

“We had hoped the Perimeter Defense would stop the lurkers, and we try to keep these bordering sectors as clear as possible for extra security, but every now and then one manages to break through, and it’s no secret that lately it’s been getting worse.” The major shook his head, as if he were trying to shake off some bad memory that clung to him. “Anyway, we don’t actively maintain these condemned sectors, just the occasional patrol. Sometimes foolish foals will sneak out past Perimeter Defense on a dare or some such nonsense. Mostly though, these tunnels have been left alone for the better part of a hundred-fifty years, whatever was left behind when we evacuated was left in heaps to rot.”

Twilight said nothing as Tyrrsan fell silent, not sure if he was finished. When he simply walked on in silence she said, “That sounds dreadful, I.... Just dreadful,” she finished lamely, not sure what else she could say; this was something vastly beyond her experience.

“Yes well,” the major said gruffly, “that’s all in the past, and we’re getting close to sector L-7, so we should keep quiet to be safe.” Whatever strange mood had gripped him, causing him to speak so freely, was clearly broken, and he was stiff and formal again.

Twilight was secretly relieved that the major had asked for quiet; she had no idea what to say to a story like that. Imagining all those ponies, whole families being killed and forced from their homes, made her feel queasy. Now Twilight was all too eager to be out of these dark tunnels and back in the sunshine of Equestria, and fervently hoped her friends wouldn’t be far behind her.

After a few more minutes of silent walking the tunnel walls suddenly fell away into the vast darkness that Twilight well remembered as the large chamber which was her first introduction to this dark, metal world. The major paused just inside the room, the small lamp on his head was barely powerful enough to illuminate the floor a few meters before his hooves. Tyrrsan looked back at Twilight, “Where do we go from here?”

Twilight looked around blankly. “I’m not entirely sure, I know the entrance to the stairway is in one of the walls, but I haven’t a clue which wall it might be.”

“Great,” the major sighed. “We really could use more light, it might take hours to search the walls, not to mention what might be hiding out there.”

“I can fix that,” Twilight said stepping forward, happy to finally be able to do something useful. The major eyed her doubtfully, but stepped out of her way. Twilight planted her hooves steadily on the ground and reached within herself, focusing her will and recalling the spell she had previously used to light the room. The glow around her horn grew brighter, the light flowing to the tip of her horn and coalescing into a sphere which shot of into the sky. When the globe was once again hovering a few meters short of the ceiling, providing its nearly sufficient amount of light, Twilight turned back to the major.

Tyrrsan tore his gaze from the hovering light to look at Twilight. “That’s a pretty neat trick, I should see if the boys back at base can upgrade my horn with something like that.”

Twilight sighed, “It’s not a trick, it’s a spell, and I could teach it—actually I’m not sure if I could teach it to you. I’ve never met someone who’s become a unicorn rather than being born one.”

The major shrugged, “Trick, spell, whatever you call it, it does make things a lot easier for us. Do you think you can remember where that stairway was now?”

Twilight looked back across the expanse of the room, which seemed improbably large after being in the cramped tunnels for so long. Soon, she recognized the row of dilapidated ruins where the lurker had been hiding. She eyed them nervously, their interiors were still lost in shadow. “Yes, I think it’s this way,” Twilight said, walking slowly off across the room.

She heard the major following her, but she didn’t turn, she was too busy watching the ruins for the slightest sign of movement. Fortunately, nothing leapt out at her, and it was with a relieved sigh that Twilight stepped into the brief section of tunnel that led to the stone stairway.

“Here we are,” she chirped happily, she could already feel the sunlight on her back and taste the fresh air.

Tyrrsan joined her. “Well done, you go on ahead for a moment, I need to make sure we’re not followed.”

Twilight nodded, barely listening in her desire to out from underground, and started up the stairs.

As soon as Twilight was a few meters up the stairway, Tyrrsan turned around, rummaged in his saddlebags and pulled out the field radio. Flicking it on, he spoke quietly into the transmitter, “This is Major Tyrrsan checking in, we have reached sector L-7 without incident. The pony known as Twilight Sparkle was telling the truth about there being a stairway. Its entrance is in the south-east wall from where we entered, I’m marking the position on my location tracker. As there are currently no signs of hostilities, I’m proceeding with the mission and will follow her up the stairs and, hopefully, into whatever this ‘Ponyville’ is. Tyrrsan out.”

The major clicked off the radio and tucked it back into his bags. He cast a look back at the familiar steel that was his home—the strange light illuminating the chamber was already fading so that only the barest silhouette of the ruins could be seen—before starting up the stairs. The substance that comprised the stairs was strange and new to Tyrrsan, his hooves ringing gravely as he took his first steps out of the tunnels.

The Escape

Chapter Six: The Escape

The constant beeping of the medical equipment kept time with Applejack's pacing. She walked back and forth before the bed where her friend lay, mumbling worriedly to herself. Rarity stood off the side looking back over her shoulder at the door through which Twilight had just left. Rarity wasn’t entirely comfortable with Twilight leaving, but she couldn’t see any other options. Somepony had to stay with Rainbow Dash, and somepony had to go back to Ponyville, she just hoped Twilight would be okay in those dreadful tunnels. Rarity turned her attention to the two jumpsuit-clad ponies standing alert in the corner.

Rarity opened her mouth, nothing came out, so she closed it. After a moment she tried again, addressing what she thought looked like the friendlier pony, “That’s a very chic outfit...Slingshot, was it?”

“Private Slingshot,” the chestnut pony said in a husky voice, “and thank you ma’am.”

“Yes, Private Slingshot, of course. You know, with the right color and proper stitching I’m sure the whole ensemble would be just radiant. I’d be happy to make some alterations for you.”

The pony turned to face her squarely, the barest hint of a smile tugging at the edge of his mouth. “Thank you for the offer ma’am, but I fear radiant colors might not make the best camouflage.”

“Ah, yes, I see what you mean.” Rarity sighed, So much for making friends. She made no further attempts at conversation, and once again the only sounds in the room were those of the equipment and Applejack’s pacing. The machines beeped, Applejack paced, the machines beeped, Applejack paced, the machines beeped—

“I can’t take it anymore!” Applejack burst out. “All this waiting, I’m going stir-crazy, and why hasn’t Rainbow Dash woke yet like you said she would?”

Private Slingshot glanced at Private Recoil who stepped forward. “I know it must be frustrating,” she said in a light voice that sounded as wispy as her mane looked, but had a distinctly refined quality to it nonetheless. Applejack opened her mouth to say something but Slingshot spoke smoothly over her, “I also know that you're worried, but pacing won’t help your friend. Perhaps you would prefer to get something to eat, or some rest. The med-techs are doing everything they can and they’ll have more information in a few hours. Wearing yourself out with worry won’t help anypony.”

Applejack scowled for a moment before her expression softened to one of exhaustion. She nodded slowly. “Yeah, yeah I s’ppose you’re right. I didn’t mean to snap, I’m all wound up and tired at the same time. I am awful hungry.”

“That’s perfectly understandable,” Recoil said and turned to face Rarity. “Would you also care for something to eat?” Rarity hesitated, glancing back at Rainbow Dash and the various tubes and wires connected to her. “Don’t worry,” Recoil continued, “Private Slingshot will stay and look after her. He will let you know if there’s any change.”

Rarity paused a moment longer, she knew there was nothing more she could do to help Rainbow Dash, but she couldn’t help but feel anxious. Still, she was hungry as well, and it was probably a good idea for her to be fed and rested when Rainbow Dash awoke, as she would probably need a lot more help then. “Alright,” Rarity said at last, “lead the way.” She followed Private Recoil and Applejack out to the room, casting a glance back at Rainbow Dash before the door swung shut, blocking her view.

* * *

The intercom on the desk buzzed and a steel hoof reached out and pushed the button. “Yes?”

Shandly's voice crackled over the speaker, “You asked to be informed when the pony with the wing implants was alone, general.”

“So I did. I take it she is now alone?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Excellent, tell the med-techs to examine her wing implants as quickly as they can. If possible they should only use non-invasive means, but if necessary they have my authorization to perform exploratory surgery or even remove the implants.”

“Yes sir, I’ll tell them right away.” And with that, the intercom clicked off.

General Ironlegs sat back in his chair, his brow furrowing. Examining the wing implants was a risk. Strictly speaking, he should have reported to the council on first encountering the strange ponies, and the possible fatal medical examination of a prisoner was something that, technically, only the council could sanction. If the implants were damaged, or the pony died during examination, the council would have his hide.

However, the implants themselves raised too many questions.Wing implants just didn’t make sense, but once the council found out about them there would be so much red tape that the general would be long dead before such questions could even be asked. Sure, the council was likely to react poorly when they learned he’d unilaterally decided to examine the implants, but if could present some convincing data about how they worked, and more importantly why, he would probably receive no more than a perfunctory slap on the haunch.

Combine that with the information Major Tyrrsan would hopefully provide, and he might even be able to persuade the council to give him permission for a new campaign. The constant attacks and increasing casualties were having a demoralizing effect on his troops. A new offensive campaign with a clear goal would be just the thing to reinvigorate them. Even if the outsider pony died on the table he had three others, so all in all the general felt that the potential rewards were well worth the risks.

* * *

Private Recoil chatted amiably with Applejack as Rarity followed them down the corridor. They had just finished their meal—if that gruel could be considered a meal—and Recoil was showing them to rooms where they could get some sleep. Rarity hadn’t been able to eat much, her stomach was still churning with anxiety. Although Recoil had been nothing but polite and talkative while they ate, Rarity noticed that she deftly steered the conversation away from anything related to the tunnels, instead encouraging Applejack to go into great detail about her life on the farm. In fact, Applejack was just now rambling on about the differences between red and green apples, but Rarity could hardly listen.

This whole place felt wrong, and it wasn’t just the decor. Everypony she passed seemed happy enough, although the various metal pieces that some had covering, or in place of, parts of their bodies made her shudder. Beneath the smiles there seemed to be an undercurrent of tension that made her nerves twitch; it was impossible to relax for even a second in this place, and she was not looking forward to attempting sleep. The sooner there were all back above ground, the better.

“Here we are,” Recoil’s light voice chimed, “your rooms for the remainder of your stay.”

“Excuse me, Private Recoil,” Rarity broke in a little tentatively, “would you be so kind as to show me to the little fillies’ room?”

Recoil looked back at Rarity with a smile, but the reflective glass in the place of her eyes robbed it of any warmth. “I would be happy to. Applejack, if you’d wait here, we’ll return shortly. This way.”

Rarity walked briskly beside Recoil down the empty corridor until she stopped a few dozen meters from where Applejack could still be seen standing. Recoil gestured to a door. “Here we are.”

“Thank you, won’t be a moment,” Rarity said, closing the door behind her. The room was cramped but functional, and she quickly moved to the sink and splashed water on her face. Feeling marginally better, Rarity took a moment to lament that lake of a proper grooming facility; her hair would be a wreck before too long. Rarity shut off the faucet, and in the new silence she heard a mumble of voices from the corridor outside. Carefully, Rarity pressed her ear to the door and listened intently.

“—waiting over there, the other is in the latrine here.” Recoli’s voice was muffled by the door, but still intelligible.

“Excellent,” a deep, bass rumble answered, “the general has just given the med-techs the go-ahead to examine the other’s wing implants. Our other two guests are to be put in rooms with exterior access only, understood?”

“Yes, sergeant.”

“After you finish your task you may turn in. That is all.”

“Sir!”

Rarity heard the receding thumping of hoofbeats, and backed quickly away from the door, almost colliding with the sink. Her mind raced, she wanted to bolt out of this place and just keep running until she found sunlight again. Get ahold of yourself! she chided, Rainbow Dash was clearly in trouble. The first thing she needed to do was make sure Recoil didn’t suspect she knew anything. Composing herself she stepped back into the corridor.

Recoil looked up and gave her a flat smile. “Feeling better?”

Rarity smiled back as genuinely as she could, “Much, thank you,” and strode with Recoil back down the corridor towards what was to be her prison. Rarity focused on keeping a tight rein on her panic, trying desperately to think of a plan. And then they were there, with Recoil gesturing Applejack through an open door. Rarity wasn’t sure how they’d managed to arrive so quickly, but she was forced to abandon any pretense at a plan.

Time seemed to slow, Applejack appearing to move at a snail’s pace towards the room. Without thinking, Rarity leapt forward and slammed into Recoil, sending her sprawling into the empty room. Rarity spun and kicked the door shut with an echoing crash.

“What in tarnation is wrong with you!” Applejack yelled as a pounding began on the other side of the now closed door.

Rarity turned, wide-eyed, to face Applejack. “It’s Rainbow Dash, she’s in trouble.”

Applejack’s expression hardened, “Why didn’t you say so?” and she bolted off down the corridor, Rarity close behind. They dashed through the corridors, Applejack bowling over anypony who got in the way, cries of surprise and anger trailing after them. Rarity hoped Applejack knew where she was going, because she couldn't keep track of where anything was in this place. A few twists and turns later and there they were, standing before Rainbow Dash’s door.

Applejack fung the door open and saw four ponies in white masks and coats hunched around Rainbow Dash’s bed. The ponies turned in unison at the commotion, one began to yell angrily. A pale glow surrounded Rarity’s horn and the four ponies found themselves pinned against the far wall by an invisible force and an ethereal glow.

Applejack walked cautiously to Rainbow Dash’s bedside, “I ain’t quite sure if it’s safe to unhook her from all this—”

A klaxon howled to life, echoing harshly in the tight passageway. Applejack glanced up worriedly for a second. “Aw, to heck with it!” and with that, she lifted Rainbow Dash out of the bed and slung her onto her back. When Rainbow Dash was secure—a few snapped wires still dangling from her temples—Applejack hollered over the din of the alarm, “Let’s get out of here!”

Rarity nodded curtly, released the white-clad ponies, and darted back into the corridor. The two ponies and the unconscious Rainbow Dash ran back through the labyrinthine passageways towards where they had first entered; Rarity knew where that was, at least.

They rounded a corner and there before them, practically filling the entire corridor, was the massive crimson pony, his metal teeth glinting as he grinned wickedly. “Where do you think you’re going?” he drawled in a deep, bass voice which Rarity instantly recognized. Without breaking stride, the glow surrounded Rarity’s horn again—while she may not be the prodigy Twilight was, she could certainly take care of herself.

With a startled cry, Sergeant Sawtooth floated in front of Rarity, acting as a living battering ram as they ran, sending anypony that got in their way bouncing off his broad shoulders. They made their way in this fashion to the entrance corridor where Rarity launched Sawtooth towards the guards at the door. The lot of them tumbled off down the passageway in a groaning heap. The glow that had surrounded Sawtooth now focused on the door as Rarity tried desperately to work the locking mechanism. With a screech of grinding metal, the heavy steel bars which anchored the door shut retracted from the wall towards the center of the door until Rarity could push it open.

Back in the funnel shaped corridor, Rarity galloped full-tilt away from the door and then turned off into one of the dark side-tunnels, Applejack right on her tail and the sounds of pursuit not much further behind. Navigating solely by the light of her horn, Rarity continued turning randomly down dilapidated, trash-strewn corridors until the sounds of their pursuers were lost behind her. Rarity slowed to a walk, and then collapsed, too exhausted to heed the filth in the passage. Applejack set Rainbow Dash down gently on the floor before flopping down next to Rarity, panting hard. When her panting slowed Applejack turned to Rarity asking, “Well, now what?”

For the second time that day, Rarity didn’t have an answer.