“Are you okay? No stab wounds, burn marks, are your kidneys still in you?” Harp fret over me as we stood on the stairs, the helmet I gave her having been discarded.

“I'm fine,” I gently pushed her off of me. “Quicktrot took out Shamrock before she could do anything.”

Harp gave me a tight hug. “I hate this, I just hate it. Why does everypony have to get hurt around me?”

I hugged her back. “It’s going to be alright, we just need to get back to Orthrus. Then this will be all over.”

“Don’t lie,” She shook her head. “I know it's never going to be over, not as long as I'm alive.”

“Harp, listen to me.” Signing, I peeled her off me again. “All this hogshit? It's no longer about you because the situation has moved beyond that. So you need to calm down, and we need to move. There's still ponies waiting for us, and once we get to them, thing’s will change.”

Harp took a moment to calm down. A moment that was interrupted by the sound of the trash above us falling over. Quick and Ummese rounded the corner of the stairwell, kicking a can down the steps as they did.

“That should slow down those freaks.” Quicktrot announced.

“We managed to block the door with the barricade, it should buy us some time.” Ummese clarifide.

I gave a sigh of relief, as at least it was good news, and by Celestia we could do with more of that. “I doubted it would buy us much time, there is a small army of them. Let's go, and if any of you see Blackspot, don't hesitate to kill him.”

“Agreed, unless he's already turned into an arcane horror.” Quick added as I shot her a glare. “Right, let's not jinx this.”

Descending, we reached the bottom of the stairwell, and the door to lab C. The door was painted black as though it was just splashed into the door and not brushed on. With nowhere to go but forward, I opened the door.

The floor of labs C was a pitch black mirror, and the walls were covered in black paint, it being denser the closer to the floor the paint was. Stepping out into labs C, my hooves gave a light ‘ting‘ sound on the floor, and looking down, a dark reflection looked back up at me.

Behind me Quicktrot whistled, and lifted my dress. “Skull and crossbones black sexy undies. Nice.” I lifted my back leg, and she backed off. “So what's up with all the cloths and fetish wear?”

“Because we have decency, why the fuck do you only wear a jacket?” I asked back.

Quicktrot shrugged. “Easy access, and I like the breeze?”

I shook my head, and then felt a breeze. Turning to where it came from, my eyes fell on the central elevator shaft. There was no pit, or any decorations like the other shaft’s had. It just gave off a foreboding feeling and a cold breeze, which I’m not sure was any better than the decorated pits.

Shaking the feeling, I turned back to Quicktrot. “So, where this teleportation lab?”

She scratched her chin, and then pointed down the hallway away from the elevator. “This way.”

Following Quicktrot‘s lead, it was strange to walk on the clean and polished mirror floor. It didn't help that the more we trot on it, the more I could feel the magic radiating off of it. My pipleg didn’t indicate magical radiation, and when I put my goggles on, the floor didn’t look any different then before. It was clear that the floor was magical, but just not the usual kind of magical. I didn't like it.

What also caught my attention was the how much fewer doors there were. “The floor aside, what's with this place?” I asked out loud. “There’s not that many rooms, why?”

“R&D work. Labs C is where most of the serious research happened, so they needed bigger rooms, more power and privacy.” Quicktrot explained.

“And the other labs?” Harp added.

Quicktrot quickly responded. “Labs A was for prototype production. The idea being able to make enough to thoroughly test. Labs B was mainly for technical stuff, like debugging arcano tech, or simply going over mountains of paperwork.”

“Then what's in Labs D?” Ummese joined in.

This time Quicktrot hesitated. “Well… let's just say it's the super experimental lab.”

“And it’s the source of why everything's fucked up down here.” I added, both Harp and Ummese gave me a confused look. “What? I just put two and two together, and figured that stable-tec must have messed with something they shouldn't have.”

A snicker came from Quicktrot. “You have no idea. And if we're lucky, you never will.” She finally stopped at a door, hitting its control panel. “I’m no arcano-tec engineer or scientist, but I should know enough to get things running.” I was not filled with confidence, but she was our only shot out of here.

Trotting inside, the large room was filled with old world tech, cables covering the floor, and even the walls. There was an open space in the middle, housing what looked similar to a vertibuck landing pad. Near us was a table with a bunch of holotapes piled on it, along with a little figurine.

I don’t know why, but I felt drawn to the table, like something was calling to me. Closer, I could see that the holotapes looked a lot like the spell tapes Harp used in her pipbuck. As for the figurine, it was of the ministry mare of peace Fluttershy. Picking it up, I felt like I had seen it before. But then again, figurines of the ministry mares were not that uncommon. “Be Pleasant” I read off an inscription on the base. Turning it over, I found some faded writing on the bottom. “Too Healing Herbs, your friend, Fluttershy” I don’t know why, but reading the inscription made me feel a bit warmer, and oddly a bit more pleasant.

“What did you find?” Harp came up behind me.

I passed her one of the holotape cases. “Looks like spell talismans for pipbucks.” Picking up another, I examined it a bit closer, finding a label on one side. “Teleportation prototype success 038.” I read out loud, giving confirmation that we were in the right place.

Harp breathed a sigh of relief as she placed the holotalisman into her pipbuck. “I’m seeing the data now. This is for direct point to point teleportation, with set locations for departure and arrival. Amazing.”

Looking back at the pile, I found a normal looking holotape under an ash filled ashtray. It had a label stating ‘Final Lab Notes’ picking it up, I popped it into Minerva, and an audio recording came up. I felt that it might have some useful information on it, and pressed play.

The voice of a tired mare spoke through Minerva’s speaker. “This is stable-tec head pipbuck researcher, Emerald Fields. I’ve just been given word of the suspension of the Inter Stable teleportation Network or I.S.T.N. for short. As it turns out, with the world bathed in baelfire and toxic clouds, we can't teleport anywhere without it being suicide. “

Emerald Fields made a sound that was likely her sucking on a cig before continuing. “The silver lining in all this, is that the other techs want to see the holotalisman we made for testing. From the sounds of it, they want to see if they can do other spells with them. Also good news, is that the research here in the labs is not being stopped, just being put on hold for now. It seems that the overmare is holding onto the hope that one day this lab will be of use again.”

There was a pause, followed by the sound of a lighter. “Right, the notes. Test thirty seven of the teleportation pad was mostly successful, we still can't seem to prevent the residual radiation from following in the return teleportation. The team in charge of developing decontamination equipment have at least gathered enough data to begin a prototype system, so thank Celestia for that. One other minor glitch that has not been fixed is the overheating of the holotalisman on the return trip. We’ve figured out that it’s likely because the quality of the talisman needs to be increased. But the tests have confirmed that our teleportation pads can be used to safely transport ponies to pre designated spots, and without the significant risk of dismemberment.”

The sound of another cigarette being sucked on came from Emerald Fields. “All relevant data has already been backed up, and a preservation spell has been prepared for the lab. So everything should still work whenever things get better enough that this lab is reopened. Instructions are left on the terminals, and the inventory of working talismans that are not taken out will be left here.”

Emerald Fields sighed. “One last thing to whomever starts up this lab up again. If you find Slowtrot out there, tell him that we are sorry. This is Emerald Fields, head researcher for the teleporter project, signing out.”

I popped the recording out and placed it in my bag. With how fucked up everything was down here, saving another document of the past would be a good idea. I placed a few of the holotalismans in my bag as well. Lastly, I took the figurine, and when I held it, I could feel it faintly radiated a warm, comforting magic. While it was nice, I knew a pony who needed it more than I did right now.

“Harp, take this.” I offered out the small statuette to her.

Harp took the figurine, and gave a little smile. “She’s cute.” She then cocked an eyebrow. “Weird, why do I sense unicorn magic from it?”

“You sense unicorn magic?” I had to ask.

She placed the figurine into her bag before explaining. “You know, the kind of magic they give off is different than others. Earth Ponies have a more rough magic, Pegasus are more airy, and unicorns have a squishy-flowy feeling to them, a bit like water.”

“Huh.” Now I cocked an eyebrow. “Never had sensing magic explained like that before. All I can do is feel if there's magic or not.”

“Oh, then perhaps you should give it a try?” Harp said looking a bit embarrassed. “You know, look for the differences when we get back to the others.”

I couldn’t help but look forward a bit to getting back around Sweet and Merit, because now I wondered if he really did have a different feel to him magically. But, it was good to see Harp not on the verge of panic again. Now, to get her out of this Celestia forsaken stable. I turned to look at what Quicktrot was doing, the mare tapping away at a terminal.

“How long until we can get out of here?” I asked her.

“Keep your naughty panties on, I'm almost done.” She said back to me.

Trotting over to Quicktrot, I found Ummese next to her holding an old pipbuck 3000. “Got yourself a souvenir Ummeses?”

The zony gave me a glance before putting it on. “Quicktrot found it, said I was going to need it. “

I glanced over at Quicktrot for a short moment before looking back at Ummese. “I hope she just means for navigation, and sorting your bag.” I passed her one of the holotalisman. “Put this in, it will let you cast a teleportation spell. But be careful, they’re apparently prone to overheating.”

Giving me a smile, she took the holotalisman from me. Opened up the pipbuck, she easily slid it in to the expansion slot. “I always wanted to use magic. It always seemed unfair how unicorns never had to use their mouth or hooves to hold anything.” She remarked as she closed the pipbuck up again.

“And... done!” Quicktrot shouted. She hit a button, and the room came alive with electrical sparks, cracking all around us. As it did, the air around the teleportation pad shimmered and wavered with a magical pulsing. “Now all that’s left is to get the fuck out of here.”

I gave a sigh of relief, some of the weight on my shoulders lifting. “Harp, lets go.” I shouted as I made my way to the teleportation pad, and readied my gas mask. The air felt alive as magic flowed through it, and while I couldn’t feel the kind of magic it was like Harp had suggested, I knew it felt like a lot of magic. “Say Quicktrot, where is this sending us?”

“Equestria.” she said, sounding like it came from a speaker.

Whipping my body around, Quicktrot was gone. “I don't have time for games, if you want to go to Equestria, that's fine, just send us topside first.”

The speaker of a terminal cracked to life. “That's a bit of a problem you see. Though I would love to send you all on your merry way, I just can’t.”

I pulled out my Lathanos Rifle, scanning the room. “Why's that?”

Another terminal crackled. “A few reasons, one being that it will take an hour to re-calibrate the pad after its been used, and those crustaceans don't look like the sort to just give me the time.”

“Then why Equestria?” I asked, as Ummese and Harp joined me.

“I got a stash squirreled away.” She responded. “Not much. A few guns, modded tech, a death ray that fell out of the sky, and a small army of robots I've managed to collect over the years.”

It sounded insane, but nothing that sounded dire. “That all can wait if you come with me. We can get you to Equestria, Orthrus does have two airships that I’m sure can make the trip.”

There was a burst of static, like that from a radio. “That's a negative. I’m not interested in becoming your organizations pet science fair project. And I know that’s what will happen if I go with you. But that's the other thing, how I will have to go with you.” another burst of static, and the terminals went quiet.

I kept my eyes open, it sounding like I was going to have to kill the bitch, somehow. “What do you m…”

A hoof hit my jaw, and I fell to the ground, my rifle breaking from Minerva's hold. Looking up, Ummese stood over me, the whites of her eyes now had a green glow to them. “Well, I doubt you would let me leave with my new host.” Quicktrot's voice came out of Ummese’s pipbuck, and Ummese smiled.

I tried to kick Ummese, but my body refused to move. I couldn't do anything, no speak, or even blink.

“Sorry about that, but I just had to add a failsafe in your pipbuck spell matrix.” Quicktrot said thought Ummese.

“Stop!” Harp shouted as she pointed her Lathanos Rifle at Ummese.

“Doubt you would fire.” Ummese spoke, sounding more like Quicktrot.

Harp glared. “Just test me.”

Quicktrot threw the rifle she had, hitting Harp in the face and sending her tumbling to the ground and Order angrily beeped as the drone slid off into a terminal. “Next time, choose your words more carefully.” She then looked down at me, grinning with Ummese’s face. “Now about that snack.”

Wires burst from the ground, piercing Ummese, but the zony didn't flinch. White hooves reached out from behind Ummese, wrapping around her neck, and the form of Theremin reared her head. “I'm no pony’s snack, freak.”

Quicktrot sighed. “You do know you have to possess a robot or something like it to actually do anything.” She took a step forward onto me, Thermins grasp being like smoke, nothing but an illusion. “Now let's get this over with.” Ummese breathed in, sucking in the air. A trail of smoke stringed off of Theremin, taking all of her with it, and into Quicktrot's mouth. Within seconds Theremin was gone, and Quicktrot burped. “Now that hits the spot, I can even feel some of my strength retuning.” She looked down at me and smiled. “Hate to dine and dash, but I got a few ponies that need lead in their brains. Toodles!”

With Ummese’s body, she hopped to the teleportation pad, and vanished with a cracking jolt of lighting. The lab then fell silent, leaving just the low hum of the terminals.

Harp slowly got up, a small trickle of blood came off her face. Trotting over to me, she slumped down onto me, her head resting on my stomach. “That's it then, we’re fucked.”

I blinked, my ability to move had returned, but not seeing the point in getting up. “You can say that, and with no lube, up the ass.”

A strained buzzing sound started up, an slowly got louder. The drone Order, barely hovering off the ground, made its way over to us. “Madam is hurt, dos madame require assistance?”

Harp sighed “No, I still have a healing potion or two.” she got back up, and pulled out a potion and stared at it. “Is there a point?”

I chuckled. “You know that wouldn't have happened if you kept that helmet I gave you on your head.”

She stuck her tongue out at me before taking a sip of the potion. “It was too big, and smells moldy. Not that it matters now” I watched at she gathered up our rifles, bringing them over to me. “So?”

“So, what?” I asked back.

“Let's have a last stand, make those lurkers pay for making things so difficult.” She had a mix of anger and despair in her eyes, the kind of look those who've become hopeless have. I had seen it many times in Caron's Stop, right before a pony did something stupid.

“Wait a moment before you go all self-sacrificial on me.” I got up and took a moment to think. We just needed to get out of here, and the main problem was the lurkers. We just needed to get around them, easier said than done, but we might have the tools to do it.

I pulled a teleportation holotalisman from my bag. “I have an idea. We could just trick the lurkers into thinking were not on this floor. They’er likely going to check each room, so we just need to teleport to a room they’ve already checked, and wait them out. Once they have gone lower, we go up.”

Harps ears perked up. “That sounds so much better than fighting until we're dead. But how do we know they’ve checked a room?”

I looked down at Order. “You do get video feed from the little guy right?”

We didn't waste time. Harp positioned and charged Order, making sure we could see as much of the teleportation lab from her pipbuck screen. I found a large tarp, and had it ready for us to hide under as soon as we're back here. Ready, we carefully left the room, turning off the lights behind us. The sounds of banging not far from us clued us of the lurkers arrival. We ran deeper into labs C, hoping that they would check the back last.

Picking a room at random, we entered the dark lab and kept the lights off. Using our piplamps to give us some light, we made our way to the back, and shuffled into a hiding spot. It was less of a hiding spot, and more just us crouching behind a desk, but it would have to do for now.

Harp lifted her pipbuck, turning on the screen. It flickered for a moment before it showed the teleportation room. We waited for the lurkers to show themselves, the minutes feeling like hours as we watched the screen.

“Are you sure this will work?” Harp’s voice had a slight quiver to it.

I gave her a slight smile. “If it doesn't, at least we gave it a shot.”

She nodded back at me. “Mother always said that your never defeated until you give up or die.”

“My mom always told me that water is wet, fire is hot, and life's full of risk. She also told us that if we kept running around recklessly, we’re likely to lose our heads.” I sighed. “She’s not going to like being proven right about that second one.” Fucking hell I already missed my sister so damn much.

“What's worse, your mother being right, or mine being wrong?” Harp kept her focus on the screen as she spoke, obviously struggling to keep herself calm. But she wasn’t giving up, and that was something I could at least be thankful for right now.

I pulled out Solar Eclipse, the light from Harps pipbuck reflecting off the revolver. “It’s not about who has it the worst. You’ve seen Caron's Stop, where so many ponies hit rock bottom and never recover. Just as many try to get out of their bad situation, and die along the way. Losing those we care about, or being pushed to the brink of death, they’re things we just have to accept will happen one day.”

Harp glanced over at me. “Then, how do you keep living after that?”

Putting Rototoms revolver back, I looked down at Harps pipbuck screen. “Haven't had the time to think about it, really. Maybe after you’re safe, and Carving Dolls dead, I don't know. Sweet’s likely got a few ideas, but I know I want to put this all behind me. Let the past stay as a memory, and start focusing on the future again.”

“Lets the past stay a memory, and focus on the future. I like the sound of that” Harp gave a slight smile. “Maybe it's time to let go of being a princess, and just be a normal pony.”

I chuckled a little. “You’re far from a normal pony, but ya, that’s a good start. Maybe we can go shoe shopping once we’re back to civilization.”

“We definitely need new shoes, and lingerie too. You do have a stallion to impress.” Harp had a stupid grin on her face.

“And what would you need lingerie for?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow.

She blushed a little. “Well, I was thinking, if I renounce being a princesses, and we may be getting contacting a cloud city, I could try and get myself a pegasus coltfriend.” Her wings fluttered slightly.

“Aren't you gay?” Looking at Harps screen, I only just now noticed that the door to the teleportation lab was open. “Fuck, I forgot that they can do that, keep an eye on the door.”

Harp nodded. “Well, I do like mares, but I do like stallions too. It's just that mare to mare relationship didn't come with political baggage. That, and a few of the maids could keep a secret.”

It was annoyingly difficult to keep my eyes on the sparkle-lurkers as they trotted in and out of view. I had to settle on watching a non sparkle-lurker, as it searched under a table. “Well, take it from your senior, you're not going to be the only mare with that idea. It’s going to be a good idea to keep your revolver on you all time.”

“I’ve heard.” she responded.

The lurkers aggressively searched, for us, making a mess as they flipped tables, and knocked over terminals. One came across Order, its face taking up the screen as it looked over the drone. It even used its mouth claws to pick up the drone, giving us full view of its four mandibles that make up its real mouth,

“I don't think that will ever stop being freaky to me” I commented.

“I can see why that mare fainted when Mayall kissed her.” Harp said with a shutter.

The lurker eventually put Order down, leaving us with a lopsided view of the room. We watched as the lurkers began leaving the room, one holding a large wrench like a dog with a bone. After a few minutes, they finally closed the door, and the teleportation lab returned to darkness. We waited a few more minutes, not wanting to ruin the plan by acting too fast.

The sound of the doors to our room hissing was the queue for us to go. Harp and I activated the teleportation holotalismans. With a flash and a pop, we found ourselves on the teleportation pad. We looked at each other, and nodded, now all we had to do was hide and wait.

I trotted over to where our hiding spot was, I found the tarp was not there. Looking around, something else was odd, because I was sure the lurkers trashed the room, but everything was untouched. “Harp, something's wrong.”

“Order is missing.” Harp responded, sounding panicked.

I pulled my rifle, expecting the worst. “Forget the drone, and come to me.” I focused on the door, ready for the first lurker to open the door. I don't know how they did it, but the crabs got us, now all there was left to do was to take as many down with us.

“Miss Vibraphone?” Harp said louder, and more panicked.

I forced magic into my rifle, my first shot was going to rip the lurker appart. “Come here or hide, I’m going to hold this position.

“Darling, you should really listen to what the dear princess has to say.” It felt like a huge weight in my gut just sunk to the floor at the sound of Blackspots voice. Turning my head slowly, I saw Blackspot holding a pistol to the back of Harps head. Harp, to her credit, fought back tears.

“Let her go.” I growled at Blackspot.

He smiled back at me, his teeth looked as jagged as Shamrocks was. “No, no, that is not how this is going to work. After all the effort I put into this, the pony power lost to your temper tantrums, and overall pain I had to suffer. No, I should have done this from the start.” A collar wrapped around Harps neck, and a red light turned on from it.

I pointed rifle at Blackspot. “Take that off, Now!” I shouted.

Blackspot rolled his eyes. “Your going to follow me to the bottom of this stable, and your going to help me free Luna. Or, you can watch the dear princess’s head get separated from her body, and I’ll just have to drag you down there myself.” He pulled out a cigarette, and in sparking a flame with his magic, it illuminated his face. His eyes now burned with a green flame, his horn was now missing, but two more horns had formed on his head, each one in front of his ears, and curved back slightly. Whatever Blackspot had become, it radiated a magic that I could only describe as evil.

I lowered my rifle. “How, we’re surrounded by lurkers?”

He gave a bellowing laugh as he taps on the floor. “Look down.”

Looking down, my reflection looked back at me, but I also could see the wrecked teleportation lab. The turned over table, the scattered paperwork, all on the other side of the reflection. I was in the floor!

“Luna’s power is beyond mere understanding, and when she returns to this world, all will bow before her glory, and the foolish few who don't, her wrath awaits.” Blackspot was already halfway out the door with Harp being forced to follow.

I put my rifle away before giving case, but as soon as I reached the door, two twitchers stepped in and blocked my path. I backed up, putting some space between me and the ghouls. I may not be able to kill them, but I could run around them.

Waiting for the twitchers to creepily walk further in, following me to the left side of the room. I dashed to right, and then ran for the door, hitting the control panel on my way out. Now passed the twitchers, I burst into a full gallop, not wanting to give Blackspot any more distance.

Turning the corner I saw Harp and Blackspot standing in front of the elevator shaft. “You win!” I shouted. “Let her go, and I'm yours.”

Blackspot smiled, and attached something to Harp. “I must correct you, you’re already mine. All this was not about me winning, by Luna no… it was to prove that you’re already mine. That your rightful place is at my hooves.” With one motion, he shoved Harp into the elevator shaft, and Harps screamed, her voice quickly fading away as she fell.

I drew my revolvers. “You’er dead.”

His horns glowed with a green aura, and a wave of dark magic slammed into me. It was not enough to knock me over, but enough to force me to look away. Looking back, Blackspot was gone, and now the walls were covered in hooves.

It was almost maddening with how many hooves were sticking out of the walls, each one moving , reaching out. “Fuck” I shouted, frustration and rage building up in me. Taking a step forward, one of the hooves took a swipe at me, it just barely missing me. I took another step, the hooves near me frantically trying to touch me, it was utterly unnerving, but not enough to stop me. Trotting between the reaching hooves, I was out of their reach, rendering the distractions neutralized.

*plop*

I stopped, and looked behind me. One of the hooves had become a pony, a twitcher half stuck in the wall, and face on the floor. There was another, its head slowly coming out of the wall. I ran, dashing to the elevator shaft as the hooves closed in on me.

Skidding to a stop, both ends of the hallway were now blocked off by twitchers, so many of them that they looked like a mass of ponies fused together. Looking into the elevator shaft, all I could see was darkness, and a cable that descended down into it. I reached out for the cable, but pulled back my hoof away as soon as I touched it. The thing gave off a feeling of dark unerving malice. I didn't like it, but I had to get to Harp, so I reached out for it.

“Don't, it's a trap.” a cold breathy voice called out.

“What else can I do, I have to save Harp” I argued.

A scythe reached out from behind me, and cut the cable like it was paper. I turned around to face Charon, the skeleton stood calmly, surrounded by the mass of twitchers. They reached for us, but the ghouls come no closer. “You can neither turn back, nor stay sedentary. But this also does not mean the path forward is the only one path.”

I glared at Charon. “You told me to follow Slowtrot, and look at what your advice did. What a useless god of death.”

Charon tilted her head back, as though she was looking down at me. “Mare, I am not a fortune teller, I do not govern who lives or who dies. Nor am I a god. I’m death, harvester of souls, a true and unyielding force of nature. Nothing more, and nothing less.”

The dull burning around my neck became like that of a scorching sun, forcing me to my knees. “So, you’re the one who did this to me, why?”

She placed the top of her scythe onto my neck under my muzzle, and the burning cooled. “My dullahan, I want you to bring me the soul of the ancient nightmare. That is all.” She pushed me with her scythe, and I fell back into the elevator shaft.

Deafening wind surrounded me, and the light quickly faded, becoming nothing but a tiny speck. Reaching up, my hoof covered the light, as though snuffing it out, leaving only darkness.

Footnote:

Allie connection lost: Quicktrot, Ummese, Harp.

New quest perk added: Headless Horse. (You remember the old mares tales your mother would tell you to be a good little filly, but now it’s become all too real, and personal. You can no longer become addicted, +%5 to bodys DT, but effects of head crippling are increased by x2.