Deep in the lower levels of Black Box, a charcoal pegasus with a white mane stood, blindfolded, and held in place by mechanical restraints. The machinery holding his limbs connected to the walls of his circular cell, keeping his forehooves outstretched. He was slumped as far forward as his restraints would allow, putting pressure on his arms. His legs carried little weight as they lay limply on the cold steel floor, having given out long ago. On his back, two tubes pumped a red liquid, making dull thumps with each periodic injection. He breathed calmly, his thoughts adrift in an endless mental limbo.

A harsh metallic clang, tore the eerie silence. The stallion’s ears flicked forward in the empty room as he slowly lifted his head up, questioning if he could trust what he was hearing. The large foot-thick door at the front of the cylindrical room shifted with a moan, and the set of heavy metal locks disengaged.

A monotone voice droned out during the sequence, mixing with the sound of tumblers clanging in the cell’s thick door. “Cell release number two, zero, seven. Subject name, Abyss. Ability tag, Reaper’s Avatar.”

“No way...” Abyss said breathlessly in a raspy unused voice. The adjacent hallway poured a dark red light into his cell that bled through the pony’s white blindfold. With a loud pop, the two tubes that connected to his spine, detached, spraying the remainder of the chemicals onto the floor. He winced as his nerves frenzied along his back. Giving Abyss no time to adjust, pressure relief valves ejected up from the cylindrical restraints around his forehooves, each blasting white hot steam and making sharp ting sounds as they hit the apex of their extension.

Abyss stayed motionless for a moment, his mouth hung slightly ajar. His head moved to the side, staring in the direction of one of his held legs. He hesitantly stirred his arm within it’s metal surrounding, feeling the new excess space. Abyss narrowed his gaze under his blindfold., “So I’m not dreaming then? This isn’t another delusion?” He waited, testing to see if there were any sounds that might signal that he was not in his right mind. Nothing came.

A smirk crept across his face, and a chuckle rose from his cracked voice. His muscles tensed, “I don’t know by what god my freedom has been granted, but,” The mark on his flank started to glow a dim red, and a deep purple-black aura formed around him. “I’m going to tear this place’s inhabitants apart,” he hissed, “piece by piece.” His fore-hoof burst forward through the coupling, sending a blast of mechanized shrapnel across the room. “Limb from limb!” the stallion growled as he turned and ripped out his other hoof. The blindfold was quickly pulled off and tossed to the side with his newly freed limbs, revealing bold scarlet eyes.

He planted his hooves onto the metal floor and paused, feeling his nerves re-adjust to the lost feeling of standing. His muscles ached, having not been used for some time.

“Finally free,” he said darkly. His charcoal wings flared outward as he stretched, arching his back. The joints in his wings and spine responded with a series of sickly pops as each realigned. He shuddered at the uncomfortable feeling and reached a hoof back to massage his neck. Now then, he thought to himself, bending his head side to side to stretch, Where to start?

He emerged from the entrance of his cell and gazed at his surroundings. Abyss was positioned on a catwalk that wrapped around the perimeter of a large circular shaft. His bright red eyes shifted to the top of the seemingly endless chasm.

“Up and out,” he mumbled.

Abyss spread his wings, ready to take off, and angled himself to launch. Just before he did, however, a faint sound from below caught his attention. He stopped and listened closely.

At first, it sounded like it could have been one of the irregular fizzles or pops that periodically sparked along the inner walls of the drop, but after waiting a moment, it became apparent that the sound was the familiar feedback of a guard radio. Abyss strained his ears to hear the distant echo. The radio fuzz seemed to be coupled with, what sounded like, arguing. Yes, he was sure of it now. There were three or four tense voices faintly reverberating up through the steel walls from below.

Change of plans, Abyss concluded.

He arched back, then launched himself over the catwalk’s railing and down the drop. After a few hundred feet, Abyss spotted an open room that touched the outside of the chasm. He angled himself to the adjacent catwalk, and landed quietly. The room he found himself in looked like a ruined office connected to a series of labs. There were various office supplies scattered across the floor as well as desk drawers that had been dumped out and tossed about the room. He walked in slowly, observing the room curiously.

What happened here? He glanced around at the debris scattered throughout the space. Seems like someone was looking for something, he mused.

He heard a crunch under one his hooves and flinched, looking down. Under his hoof lay a portrait of a young, smiling unicorn filly. He carefully slid the photo out of it’s shattered frame and studied it before noticing a few dark lines showing through. He quirked a brow and flipped it over.

On the back were a few words written in scratchy hoofwriting: Looking forward to when we get to see you again. Work always keep you away for a long time. I Love you Daddy.

Abyss stared motionless at the message before bowing his head. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh before gently placing the paper to the side.

“What are we going to do today?” the voice of a small filly said.

The stallion’s ears flicked forward in the empty room, and he slowly lifted his head up, questioning if he could trust what he was hearing.

“Come on. Let’s play!” the voice echoed, sounding distorted, as if the room were filled with water.

He lowered his head back down. “You’re not real,” he exhaled to himself.

The laughter of foals playing started to fill his ears, reverberating throughout the room. The pony shook his head. “Stop it...” The laughter continued, increasing in volume and turning to a more mocking tone. “Stop it!” he yelled as he started shaking, tears filling his eyes. The cackling slowly died down, distorting gradually until the room again fell silent.

The pony dropped his gaze and closed his eyes with a sigh.

“How come I’m not real to you?” The voice asked innocently, breaking the silence. “Don’t you love me?”

The black stallion shuddered at the tone. “You’re not alive...” he tried to reason with it, “You’re...” His voice trailed off as he started to choke up.

“I’m what?” the voice of the young filly asked innocently.

The poor stallion shook, his tears starting to bleed down his face and onto the cold metal floor. “Because your d-” he cut himself off, and shook his head.

“Say it,” the voice coaxed. The pony turned his head away, as if to try to escape his nightmare. “Come on,” it continued.

“I...I just-”

A sharp static buzz interrupted Abyss, making the pony flinch, and bringing him back to his senses. His ears refocused, and picked up the voices a little ways further in.

“Come on, hurry up!”

“Shut up, I’m working as fast as I can.”

The voices echoed from somewhere farther in, through the maze of labs and offices. Abyss looked over to the shattered frame with the picture of the smiling filly. He grit his teeth and swiped his hoof at the photo, sending it sliding across the floor and smashing into the wall.

A guard radio sounded off. “Hey, you guys almost done down there yet? Atmosphere wants those papers disposed of as soon as possible,” a static infused voice said.

“Yeah, we’re working on it here,” an undistorted voice answered.

The notable static beep sounded. “Fine, but be careful. Shit’s been hitting the fan lately with these crazy system glitches. There have even been reports of break outs on the lower levels, so just try to keep it quiet while you’re down there.”

A guard’s voice answered back. “I doubt theres anypony down here. These levels have already been evacuated. It seems completely abandoned, but I’ll click my radio off just in case.”

“Alright, just make the next radio check at 0700.”

Abyss’ muscles tensed, and his eyes narrowed as he started to make his way through the series of cubicles and glass chemistry set-ups. “Why does anypony else deserve to live...” he said shaking slightly, his heart rate rising. “What makes the filth of this world worthy of what they abuse so greatly.” The mark on his flank started to glow with a deep crimson. “I’ll kill every last one of them.”

******************************************************************************************

The sounds of laughing filled the midday air, as a group of school fillies enjoyed their time to play or enjoy a home packed lunch made with love. Ponyville’s weather was particularly nice today. The sun beamed with a beautiful golden hue that lit up the bright green pastures around Ponyville’s school grounds. It was just a beautiful, cloudless, afternoon.

Jubilee was carefully watching over her students as they played and frolicked a short ways from the schoolhouse where she stood. The small group was easy enough to take care of; no real trouble makers. There were a few adventurous young foals whose curiosity would sometimes earn them a disciplinary action now and again, but they were, for the most part, just ambitious foals trying to earn their marks. It was nothing Miss Jubilee hadn’t become well adjusted to dealing with.

She did a brief scan over the field and nodded to herself. Each filly or colt seemed to be perfectly content to running around or playing some game in various areas. She turned, opened a book and started reading while she waited for her little pony’s recess hour to expire. It looked like today was just another pleasant day in Ponyville, Jubilee thought to herself, smiling. Out of her field of vision, however, a group had wandered off toward the treeline of the Everfree forest.

“Wow!” a green unicorn filly breathed out as she looked into the dark woods. “How far do you think it goes?”

Another, a purple pegasus colt, cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. “Well... I don’t know. Maybe forever.”

“It can’t go on forever, Firefly. It has to end somewhere,” A red and white earth pony colt answered, putting an emphasis on ‘somewhere.’

“Oh come on! How would you know, Origin?” Firefly shot back with a glare. “I bet you’ve never even been in the Everfree forest!”

Origin turned from the colt, ignoring his outburst, and stared into the deep, shaded woods. “I bet it’s not that bad.” He took a few steps closer to the treeline, standing now mere feet from it’s entrance. Origin stared questioningly into the forest. Nothing in particular could be seen from where they were standing. There were just a few visible bits of foliage and a small dimly lit clearing just big enough to walk through. It was like the trees themselves sucked the sunlight right out of the air.

“Let’s check it out,” the unicorn filly said. “I bet there’s all kinds of cool stuff!”

“I agree with Starsong. I want to go in.” Firefly chimed excitedly.

Origin’s stomach churned nervously, as he looked in. Nothing moved; Nothing made a sound. The forest seemed to simply be patiently waiting for them, not making a single move as not to frighten them away. “Are you guys sure about this? I mean...” He turned to them, “Something about this just doesn’t feel right.”

Firefly scoffed. “What? You scared?”

“No.” Origin narrowed his eyes at the pegasus, “I just think maybe this isn’t really the best way to earn our marks.” He said honestly.

“Well, I don’t know about either of you,” Firefly lifted himself into the air with his yet to be fully grown wings, “but I’m checking this out.” The colt flew past Origin and into the treeline, disappearing into the void of blackness.

Starsong trotted over to Origin and looked at him eagerly, before nodding her head in the direction of the Everfree. Origin shrugged. “Alright, fine,” he conceded with a sigh. “Let’s just stick together.” Starsong smiled with glee and the two walked in after their friend.

It took Starsong and Origin awhile to finally catch up. Firefly had gone in deeper than they had thought, somehow making quite a bit of distance in such short time, but after walking for a ways, they spotted him. He was standing in front of a the entrance to a cave, gazing into it’s black abyss.

Firefly glanced back and waved to them. “Hey, you guys! Check this out!” He yelled. “I found this cool cave. Let’s go get our cutie marks in spelunking.” Firefly motioned to the mouth of the cave behind him, and waited patiently for his companions. Both foals, were bounding through the thick brush when they suddenly froze in place, their faces both turned to a ghostly pale.

“What are you guys-” Before Firefly could finish he was cut off by the sound of a deep snarling growl from behind him. His pupils dilated and his skin went cold. Slowly, he turned around and found himself face to face with a drooling, razor toothed beast made of oak.

“Timber wolf.” his voice squeaked as his eyes widened.

Without a second of hesitation, the wolf lunged for his neck, making a hollow growling sound that reverberated through it’s frame. Firefly winced and scrunched his eyes shut, reserving himself to death. Instead, however, he heard a series of quick hoof steps followed by the crackle of splintering wood. He opened his eyes to see Origin, turned around mid-buck with the timber wolf’s head snapped back, it’s jaw fragmented into thin slivers of timber currently flying through the air. The oak-form wolf landed on it’s back, howling and writhing in pain. Origin quickly snapped to his two friends. “Run!”

Both took their cue and dashed back toward the faint break of light where they had entered. Origin wasted no time in following suit, as he scrambled after his friends, heading to the edge. The timber wolf wouldn’t stay down forever, and it could still do plenty of damage with only claws. He wondered if it had recovered yet, but Origin couldn’t afford to check. Turning to look would cost precious seconds; seconds none of them could afford.

He ducked and weaved around, dodging protruding plants just behind his friends. A thorny plant lashed against Origin as he ran past, cutting into his flesh. He winced momentarily, the stinging pain searing into his side as hot blood started to drip from the wound. It hurt, but he kept going, ripping through the foliage that seemed to claw at him, slowing him down and trying to pull him back. It was like a nightmare. Another thorny vine wrapped around his back hoof. There was no time to untangle it carefully. Origin cringed, and quickly ripped free, allowing it to dig deep into his skin before breaking.

He could hear rustling a short ways behind, but he didn’t dare look back. There were only two things he kept his eyes on: His friends just a few feet ahead, and the light breaking through at the edge of the forest. Just a little more! He yelled in his head while he dashed through the narrow path as fast as his little legs could carry him. They had no chance of beating a full grown timber wolf even with Origin’s innate earth pony strength. Every last hope for their survival rest with getting back out into the sunlight. Under Celestia’s golden sun no denizen of the dark forest dared to venture. It was the only reason Ponyville could exist so close to the Everfree forest in the first place.

The sound of paws digging across the dirt floor of the forest along with a snarling growl started to fill Origin’s ears. His skin went cold with sweat, as the sound grew clearer behind him. Just ahead, Firefly cleared the forest, bursting through the wall of plants like a rocket. Starsong followed him shortly by jumping over a line of bushes at the edge. Origin was just behind them. Only a few more feet! A smile of relief spread across Origin’s face. “Thank Celestia, I thought we were-” A root caught one of his hooves sending him face first into the dirt with a thud. His eyes widened in terror, and his skin turned pale. In his moment of premature ease, he hadn’t seen it. Now, mere inches away from salvation, he was sentenced to death. The aching sounds of bending wood flowed through his ears, as he heard the wolf slowly approaching. His body went weak, and bitter tears started to flow from his eyes. It was over.

Origin yelled out in pain as the wolf dragged it’s claws down through his flesh, tearing deep into the colt’s back muscle. He felt every nerve scream out desperately, begging Origin to save himself. He scrambled, digging his limbs into the ground to try to move forward into the light, but it was to no avail. The timber wolf had him pinned with it’s paw, and it was furious. In a primitive sense, the wolf understood what it meant to have a chunk of it’s lower jaw demolished. With no method of properly chewing food, it was doomed, and it knew it. The only solace for it now, was in malicious, primal retribution.

Origin felt the wolf’s marred teeth sink into his back leg. He screamed in anguish, lungs maxing out and cracking his voice. It seemed it could still bite, and now it was using it’s misfigured jaw to rip into the poor pony’s back thigh. Origin’s body burned and his pupils dilated, as the fibers were pulled apart with violent force. His nervous system started to overload, causing Origin’s mind to go blank. He wouldn’t be able to take much more of this.

Origin started to feel dizzy and light-headed as the wolf continued to gnash at him, causing agonizing pain to surge through his body. Blood poured from his wounds, soaking his white coat as well as the forest floor around him. He started feeling cold and weak, and the edges of his vision started to darken. Each wave of pain was gradually feeling more dull than the last. Soon, the harsh tearing feeling was replaced with little more than an icy tickle where flesh had been torn out. Origin now couldn’t even be certain if he were still being torn apart or if the wolf had been satisfied and left. The blackness around his sight closed in. “I don’t want to die...” he sobbed with tears in his eyes. He closed them bitterly and clenched his teeth. “I don’t want to die!” he yelled out raspily with the last of his strength. With a unnoticed sensation, a glowing red and black mark appeared on his flank, just before he let out his final breath.

For a moment there was nothing. No more pain. No more suffering. Only the pure, perfect silence devoid of thought or emotion. Origin was gone, his essence having evaporated into eternal oblivion. In that moment, in that absolute vacuum of cipher, something sparked. At first, it was only a small ephemeral flash amidst complete darkness, but soon another followed, then another. Slowly but surely, a white flame grew, born from the ashes of nothingness. It clumsily burst ablaze like a child taking it’s first breath, clawing it’s way to life as if some unknown force was desperately trying to drown it back down into non-existence. Suddenly, the white fire exploded, radiating the abyss in light purer than the best efforts of every star combined. In the the eternal, infinite construct a solemn voice, like an echoing thought, or a dreamlike figment resounded without sound. Its essence filled the space with that of an understanding. I am.

Origin’s eyes snapped open, meeting only a blissful white backdrop that, if not for his own shadow laying against it, would have made him think he was blind. He blinked his eyes a few times and stared out around him. “Am I...” he breathed. “Am I dead?” Origin slowly steadied himself to his feet.

“Awake,” a voice that sounded like scratching static buzzed behind him. Origin quickly spun around, and his eyes shot wide open. Before him was a creature like nothing he had ever seen before. It had four limbs, much like a pony, but somehow it seemed able to keep balance by standing on just two of them. The other two limbs were folded across the creatures chest. The figure glowed brightly, as if it were made of pure light that had been trapped within glass. Origin was able to make out what looked like a light amber mane on top of the creatures head as well as a set of eyes that burned like a bright gold flame. Behind the figure was a luminous yellow energy that flowed continuously like a burning star. The burst was plastered upright, seeming to pull apart the space around it like a gentle black hole, never resting, always consuming the blank void.

The figure glared down on him, narrowing it’s piercing golden eyes. Origin shuddered, shrank back, then turned to run but stopped when he looked out. Behind him was only an endless white abyss. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. Origin started to panic. Nothing made any sense. What was all of this? How did he get here? He racked his brain, trying desperately to understand what was going on, but to no avail. He only knew who he was, and that was all.

“Violation!” the figure roared. Origin’s mind went blank with pain as the booming sound buzzed in the back of his head. With his ears laid back, he hesitantly peared over his shoulder at the bright form. It hadn’t moved an inch, and was still staring him down with it’s inferno-like eyes. “Defy...the laws...of the construct,” it hissed taking deep pauses as if speaking took a grand effort. It’s mouth spilled the same flame-like light found in it’s eyes, and each distorted word reverberated through Origin’s thoughts as if he were connected. “Mark...” The figure pointed at the frightened pony’s flank. Origin quirked a brow, and glanced down. Before his eyes was his very own cutie mark! Origins mouth curled up into a big gleeful smile, the colt temporarily forgetting his former state of intimidation and panic. But what does it mean? he wondered. The mark consisted of a cross with a ring connecting to the top, and from the ring, were two spread out, feathered wings. The symbol was completely black, but slowly pulsated a dim crimson glow.

“I...” he began hesitantly, “I don’t understand. What’s my special talent? I don’t remember discovering who I am.”

The figure closed it’s eyes and paused, thinking to itself for a moment before responding. “The moment just before...life was snuffed out...every fiber of your being...committed to one thing.”

Committed to one thing? Origin echoed in his mind. What is he talking about?

The glowing form continued. “Awoke your mark...birthed who you truly are.” It opened it’s eyes again. “Rebirth...” it said, shaking the realm with it’s static voice.

“Are you saying,” Origin’s eyes started to widen, “That I can come back to life?”

“You and anyone you choose may be restored,” it said solemnly.

“Then that means...” The small colt paused for a moment in a shocked daze. He started to smile as happy tears dripped across down cheeks. “I...my mom...” He swiped a hoof across his face and sniffled. “I never thought-”

“There is a price,” the form said, somewhat quieter.

Origin still tearing up, looked up innocently. “What do you mean?”

“Everything obeys equivalent exchange.” it answered. The figure calmly unfolded one of it’s limbs and outstretched it’s hand toward the colt.

Origin cocked his head to the side. Before he could ask, there was a deafening blast of sound, and his eyes went blank. Origin screamed as his mind was suddenly flooded with the sound of a million of voices all talking at once. Each was coupled with innumerable visual flashes that poured into his minds eye. He clenched his hooves to his head. It was too much. Origin could feel so many minds at work, so many emotions and ideas, every ounce of it cramming down, funneling into his mind. Suddenly, he started to feel too. Every touch, every bit of pain, and every other bit of sensory information from trillions of beings all blasted into his body with another horrendous surge of blisteringly loud sound. Origin cried out in his torment. There was no way he could take this much longer and still retain his sanity. He tried to grip something, desperately grasping out around him, but there was no point. He couldn’t see, nor could he feel which sense was his.

Suddenly, he started to feel all the other sensory pieces dull, and settle on a single being; a small yellow filly. She was frolicing happily across a grassy plain with friends, much like Origin and his classmates had been doing a short time earlier. She was smiling and laughing, eyes gleaming so full of life, as she played tag. A familiar static resonance, interrupted, slowly echoing over the rest of the sound. “A life...for a life.”

“What? A life for a...” Origin breathed out, as the realization slowly hit him. He shook his head back and forth. “No,” he said shakily, “No don’t do this!” he pleaded with earnest eyes.

There was pause as Origin listened for an answer amidst the dulled roar.

“You...”

His ears perked up hopefully.

“Never had a choice.”

Origins eyes widened in horror, just before an impact of hot, burning energy crashed into his chest. He felt as the fullness of life started to swirl through him, and with it, came memories. He started to feel what it had been like playing as that filly today. What those moments of tingling laughter and how the welcoming caress of grass felt underneath each hoof.

“Please stop!” Origin begged. Now he was experiencing a birthday party. He felt the heat of freshly lit birthday candles against his face while the sensation of blowing flowed across his tongue.

“Now make a wish!” a stallion to the left said. Eyes closed, as she thought for moment. I want to earn my cutie mark and have fun with my friends.

“No more.”

Thunder echoed through Origin’s ears as he watched through the eyes of a scared filly running to her parents room during a thunderstorm.

“I can’t...”

He felt wet tears stinging his face as he watched a half matured stallion depart toward the main castle at Canterlot. “Big brother...please be safe in the guard.” He felt the loving hold of a mother stallion envelope his body.

“It’ll be okay honey. He’s just doing what his heart tells him.” A mare said smiling down with tears in her own eyes. “You’ll see him again before you know it.”

“Don’t...”

“Hi my name’s Suncast! What’s yours?” A young school filly asked from her nearby desk. “Let’s be friends.”

“Please...”

“I want to earn my cutie mark and show my big brother when he comes home to visit.”

“I...”

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” a worried looking colt said above a collapsed filly. Her eyes closed before she could answer, never to open again.

“...”

**************************************************************************************

Origin awoke in a cold sweat, sitting up like a sprung rat trap and gasping for breath. Immediately, he closed his eyes, concentrating on his center. The warmth of twenty separate entities were burning inside of him. Each a different life, taken from various circumstances and ready to be used as payment. Origin sighed with relief and paused, staring out at the near pitch darkness around him while he caught his breath and gathered his thoughts. As his eyes started to adjust, his gaze drifted to the side to see his two friends, Wave Chaser and Quick Step, fast asleep in a makeshift bed made out of lab coats and towels beside him. Origin ran a hoof through his mane and curled his legs up to his chest. “Just another nightmare,” he sighed quietly.

The group had taken temporary refuge in a maintenance closet. It was just big enough for them to all lay out, and they made use of the materials by creating a little padding between them and the cold metal floor. It wasn’t ideal, but it was a lot better than being out in the main level with sparking machine parts and exposed wiring not mention who knows what lurking around in the dark. The layer was mostly abandoned right now, but that didn’t mean a guard squad couldn’t be hunting around the steel halls for stragglers. It was best to try to stay hidden for now.

Origin lightly rocked himself to and fro as he became lost in his thoughts of the past. He looked again to his side at his friends. They were both peacefully asleep, snoring lightly next to each other. Quick Step was sprawled out unceremoniously, one of his legs twitching every so often, while Wave Chaser was simply snuggled into a bundled towel. Satisfied, that he hadn’t woken them, Origin carefully got up from his own improvised sleeping mat, and quietly made his way out, carefully closing the door behind him with a light click. His ears pitched and swivelled around, scanning the area briefly before deciding it seemed safe. A short ways down the empty hall was one of Black Box’s prominent, bottomless chafts. Origin walked over and put his hooves on the railing. He stared down and watched a faint steam trail waft up the chasm.

His eyes glazed over and a nauseous feeling filled the pit of his stomach as the memories of his past started to flow back to the front of his mind. “A life for a life. There is always a price.” The words of the figure echoed back through Origin’s mind. For a long time as a child, those words haunted him.

Tears started to drip off Origin’s muzzle, falling down the drop and disappearing beyond sight. “It’s all my fault,” he whimpered softly. “She didn’t do a thing. She just...” his words trailed off and he buried his face in his forehooves.

“Origin?” A voice asked, soft and hesitant. “Are, you ok?”

Origin’s head shot up and he quickly whipped around. It was Wave Chaser. The inner-ends of her eyebrows were turned up and her mouth hung slightly ajar in a worried frown.

“Wave Chaser...I...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up,” He said after a sniffle.

“Is there something bothering you?” she asked. Origin looked away, trying to shield his eyes with a bit of his red mane. “Origin, if there’s something bothering you, I can help.” He turned around and faced back to the large circular chasm.

“It’s nothing you can help with,” he said, his voice sounding cracked .

“Come on. I can help if you just talk to me.”

“It doesn’t matter. Just forget it.”

“How can it not matter! You’re out here, all alone, middle of the night-”

Origin whirled around face still visibly tearing. “Wave Chaser, stop it!” he barked.

“Why should I!” she yelled back. “One of my best friends is alone, crying, and you expect me to take ‘Oh, it doesn’t matter. No big, just forget it?’ I’m not going to just forget it, Origin! I care, okay!”

Origin looked down, his body shaking slightly. “I...” He swallowed hard. “She really loved her brother...” he mumbled, almost incoherently. “Finally made friends too.”

“Origin...” she said softly, trying her best to sound comforting. Wave Chaser took a few steps toward the hysteric stallion. “What happened?”

Suddenly, a loud clang echoed down the hallway. Both ponies tensed, heart rates elevating.

Origin paused listening for any sign of immediate danger. “Wave Chaser, go back and hide with Quick Step,” Origin said in a stern whisper.

Wave Chaser glanced back at him worried, debating in her mind if she were okay with leaving him be. She looked back and forth from her friend and the maintenance room a few feet away. “A-all right fine.” She started to trot back but then stopped. “Just be careful, okay?” she said before finally heading back and out of sight.

Origin cleared his mind and readied himself. He headed towards the source of the sound in the dark, barely able to make out a few feet at a time in front of him. A radio sounded off somewhere down the corridor, and was shortly followed by a frantic voice.

“I don’t know what happened, but he got out somehow. He’s somewhere down here. You guys should’ve have seen what he was did. Dear Celestia, it was like watching someone use a chainsaw to cut butter! You’ve got to mobilize the heavy’s before it’s too late. He’ll kill everything, if we don’t trap him here!” Only harsh feedback gave reply. “Damn it!”

Origin turned a corner and came face to face with the voice’s owner, whose mouth dropped wide open and eyes widened in horror. It was a lab tech; one of the ponies who either oversaw various operations, or worked in some of the experiments conducted on the lower levels.

They were now both in a small, open room with a small desk and few filing cabinets propped against a wall. The room had a operating table at the center which was placed just under a circular surgical light that adjusted from an arm on the ceiling. The pony had beads of sweat across his forehead and looked like he had just seen a ghost. Without warning, the shaky scientist dropped the radio and pulled out a standard issue magic shard gun, pointing it straight at Origin’s face. Origin nervously eyed the muzzle, and swallowed. If only he’d listened more carefully, he might not have been spotted. Too late now. “Look, just calm down,” he tried to reason with the jumpy pony.

“Calm down- Calm down!” the lab tech yelled hysterically. with dihilated pupils. He was shaking and his eyes darted around, like a cornered animal. “There’s no use in calming down,” he hissed low, “Not now. It’s over. We’re all going to burn for what we did to him.”

Origin, furrowed his brow and took a step.“What are you talking abou-?” He was cut off as a magically charged shard was launched from the gun, into the his mouth. It impacting hard and imbedding itself in his throat and blasting out at the top of his neck, splattering gore and blood across the floor behind him.

Origin coughed and hacked, spitting up a viscous mixture of spit and plasma onto the floor with sickening splatters. No! he yelled in his mind. Images of a young filly, playing and smiling happily in a lush, green field flashed across Origin’s mind. He started to hyperventilate and felt the color leave his face. No... not another life. Tears dripped down from his stinging eyes as memories started to flash before his eyes in a blur of panic.

A filly looked out a bedroom window at the moon. The lunar sphere shined brightly in the sky amongst the twinkling of stars. “Big brother... come home soon.”

Thunder rumbled in the distance as a scared filly stood in the doorway of her parents bedroom. “Dad, I’m scared.”

“The weather's so nice today.” A smile spread across her face as she trotted out the door.

The yellow filly scrunched her eyes shut as she thought of a wish. After she settled on the perfect one she opened her eyes blew out her birthday candles. “Best birthday ever!”

“Why do they have to make fun of me?” She sniffled, as her back lurched with each sob.

“Someday...I’m going to discover my special talent.”

“What do you mean he’s not coming home...”

“A life for a life.”

Origin’s mind was going numb as the memories surged through his despairing consciousness. He stumbled around for a few seconds before his pupils dilated and he fell to the floor. His body convulsing for a few final moments before finally laying still.

The lab tech breathed heavily and stared wide eyed at the motionless body. After a moment, he shook his head in an attempt to clear his head, then turned around and started going through papers that had been laid out on the operating table. His eyes darted across each title as he mumbled to himself, frantically searching through the documents.

A de-energized magic shard, dinged across the metal floor before it bumped into the wall.

The lab pony stopped and froze. The hair on the back of his neck stood straight up and his blood went cold. He hesitantly craned his neck around as the beating of his own heart filled his ears. There, standing behind him, covered in blood and breathing heavily, was Origin. He glared down at the lab pony with hate in his eyes.

“You...” Origin said in a harsh, barely restrained tone.

Before the pony could react, Origin lunged at him, slamming him to a nearby wall. Origin turned a hoof sideways and pinned the pony’s neck. He choked and thrashed out gasping for breath as Origin steadily applied pressure. The lab pony struggled against the furious earth pony’s vice grip, trying desperately to forced him off for air. Origin didn’t budge, and instead raised his other hoof and landed crushing blow against the lab tech’s skull. The lab pony’s eye’s started to roll to the back of his head. Origin grit and bore his teeth, as he charged his mark. He could see the lab tech’s life force before him. It was a warm, brightly glowing orb at the pony’s center. Origin moved his hoof over his victim’s chest. Strands of light began to flow from the pony’s torso and into Origin’s arm, as the warm life-essence pour into him. The pony started to go limp and his eyes watered.

“No. I don’t want to die.” He raised a shaky hoof and pressed it against Origin in a desperate, futile attempt to resist.

In response, the life strands yanked and pulled back. Origin growled and released his grip from the soul strands. The now-free hoof moved up, steadying across from the lab tech’s head.

“It was hard at first...”

Origin stared flaming death at the weak, quivering pony.

“but with a few friends...”

The poor creature looked back through a closed eye, the other of which, was already swollen shut.

“I was able to learn to be happy.”

Origin brought his hoof crushing down upon the lab tech’s snout, feeling the bone in both his own limb and the pony’s skull crunch slightly.

“I know it’s what my brother would have wanted.”

He wound back, and launched forth another hit with all his strength. This time he heard a definitive snap sound.

“He wouldn’t want me to be sad forever.”

He continually pummeled the helplessly pinned pony, bringing his hoof down and again and again. The end of his limb bled and throbbed in pain. He could feel the bones in his hoof cracking under each hit, becoming progressively worse.

“He’d want me to live happily.”

With one last blow he felt both his arm and the pony’s skull crack, finally breaking from the barrage.

“After all, if there’s anything he taught me...”

He screamed and moved his hoof back to the pony’s chest, again powering up his mark.

“It’s to try to live life to the fullest.”

He pulled with all his strength, violently absorbing the life the energy. It rushed into him heating his core as it roared through the empty space.

“...because it’s too precious to waste.”

The absorption finished and Origin let the lab tech’s body crumple to the floor with a thud.

“Every life is precious.”

Origin fell down to his knees and stared down at the floor, his mind a torrential blur of memories and emotions, becoming even more distorted by the new influx of life experiences from the lab tech. He breathed heavily and started crying.

“A life for a life,” he mumbled. “Everything has a price...” His back shuddered with each guilty sob. “Dear Celestia, what have I done?” His head fell to his hooves. “I swear I didn’t mean it. I’m so sorry...” Origin waited, slowly feeling the new life becoming acquainted with his own phoenix-like soul, and curled up on the floor, too broken to care about the fresh corpse nearby.
“I’m so sorry,” he sobbed.

*************************************************************************************

Falter Reach, a navy blue unicorn stallion with a snowy white mane, marched begrudgingly down the cold steel halls of the last underground layer of Black Box. On either side of him, two of the facilities identical, armored guards acted as escorts. The tapping din of their hooves and the periodic yank from the chains that connected to his security collar, reminded him of their presence as they walked. Reach’s grey irises stared blankly at the floor. A small divot in the floor panels caught one of his hooves, causing him to stumble and nearly fall. Having slowed, the chains connecting him to the guards yanked, causing him to choke before forcing him to quickly gather his balance and catch up.

He grumbled to himself. Not being able to see was something he always hated. It always made him feel so helpless, especially in these kinds of situations. Reach’s blind eyes wandered over to where he assumed one of his captors was walking. His mark, an image of a menacing vortex, energized with a dim red as his eyes began to glow white, covering his pupils and iris’. He could sense the two of them, diagonally a few feet in front of him, assumedly somewhere at the end of his chain lengths. Reach felt his control gently start to close around one of them like a hungry vice. He could feel the guard pony’s mind at work, thinking, and gathering information. For a short moment, he felt his senses contact with theirs.

A magical aura sparked around one of the guards with a loud electrical crackle. At the same time, a sharp searing sensation surged through Reach’s mind causing him to stop walking, and yell out in pain. He trembled, clutching his forehooves to his head as the buzzing feedback faded.

He heard one of the guards chuckle. “Heheheh, go ahead and keep trying. You’re not going to get past these protection spells. Besides it’s funny to watch you suffer.”

Reach immediately glared in the direction of the voice, a burning hate smoldering in his watered eyes. He lashed out with his psychic fingers, yearning to tear into the mind of his captors. “Augh!” he screamed as the same blast of magical energy sparked along with another agonizing spasm in his brain. His ears rang as he collapsed, mouth open, and muscles twitching from shock. Reach curled up on the floor and clutched his head again. It felt like his brain had been dunked in water and stuck in an electrical socket. He breathed heavily, each exhale saturated with hate and frustration.

He heard the other guard tsk. “You’re going to make us all late.” Reach felt a few tugs on his collar. “Get up. Don’t make me ask again.”

Reach growled, uttering expletives under his breath and slowly brought himself to his feet. Almost as soon as he stood, he was pulled forward by his neck. Reach narrowed his eyes and grimaced. He swallowed his immediate anger, letting it smolder for later. It wasn’t the time to resist, not now at least, he thought.

The group soon rounded a corner and came to an elevator. After entering, one of the guards scanned in his hoof signature and set to it rise to the ground floor lobby. The small room lurched up with a groan, before gradually building speed and taking off. Reach sat down and sighed.

He hated these trips. Reach would get called for service every now and again. Sometimes it would be to assist in torture, other times interrogation. He could never really know what task he’d be forced into until he got there. At least, except under these circumstances.

He’d been through it enough times to recognize the routine. The high security, the route that took much longer than expected, it all signified Reach’s most dreaded task: ‘helping’ with Princess Celestia’s assessment of Black Box.

The funds to run the madness had to come from somewhere after all, and though the warden was very...resourceful, it apparently didn't cover everything. Besides, it would be difficult to hide the existence of Black Box from the Equestrian government for long. Black Box was located in the craggy mountains somewhere in the badlands of the north, definitely away from the public eye, which was necessary to be sure, but was still within reconnaissance distance for an Equestrian patrol. Besides, why go through the trouble of trying to keep the facility a secret. They had him.

The elevator gradually slowed, finally giving a slight jolt and a melodic ding, signifying the floor had been reached. The doors slid open and the group departed into the white, rounded hallways of the first floor. As they walked, Reach could feel something was out of place. His ears swivelled around listening for any kind of sound that he could identify. Nothing, but that was just it. The first floor lobby was usually like a chaotic emergency room after a riot. Staff members were always frantically rushing to and fro, papers rustling and scattering about in their haste. Radio’s were regularly buzzing off with updates, statuses, and routine roll checks. For some reason, though, it was dead silent.

Reach stared blankly at the ground, continuing to listen to the eeriness before narrowing his eyes. What’s going on? he wondered. Reach powered up his mark and felt around for the sensation of any minds. Any emotion, any kind thought and he’d be able to see them.. Reach scanned around, only feeling the signatures of the two guards in front of him. Nobody was here.

“That’s really bizarre,” he whispered to himself, “wonder what’s going on.”

They continued walking, taking periodic turns down various hallways. Reach started to hear what sounded like talking. It was a little muffled, but due to the rounded corners of the floor halls, the voices carried so that he could make out what was being said.

“Yes, Atmosphere, bananas are quite nice, but we really need to get to inspection.” A soft, feminine voice cooed.

“Oh, of course, I had always just wondered, but...um. Well the thing is, hehe, we’re having just a few technical difficulties with the umm...fluff capacitors.”

“...”

“What’s going on, Atmosphere?” the second feminine voice said flatly. “Your acting horribly fidgety today.”

“Eh, well you know, its um because of...”

The trio came to a full halt around a corner that would’ve lead them right into the main lobby where Celestia and the warden were conversing. One of the guards reached up to a small paging device near his shoulder, gave it a click, and waited. Around the corner in the lobby, Reach was able to make out a few rapid beeps.

“Oh looks like it’s time,” he heard the warden say with tone of audible relief, “I’ll be right with you and we can begin.”

Within moments he was around the corner, his loose labcoat flowing in the wake of his own rushed movements. “Where have you guys been!” he said in a harsh whisper. “I have literally ran out of things to stall with. I had to come up with nonsensical theories about the biochemical properties of friendship! Dear, Celestia! Do you even know how hard it is to make that sound real?” The warden rubbed his hoof against the bridge of his snout, and let out a groan.
“Ugh, whatever, it doesn’t matter now anyways. Reach...” He turned to the pony, waiting for acknowledgement, when he noticed Reach was acting strangely. It almost looked like he was sniffing around trying to find something. He didn’t breath in or try to smell, but his head moved around, scanning for something. After a few seconds, he finally stopped and turned his blank eyes toward the warden.

“Ah, finally I was wondering if-” Reach started making a sound like he was clearing his throat. The warden raised and eyebrow. “What exactly are you do-” His curiosities were suddenly answered by a flying projectile of spit that impacted squarely in between his eyes, splattering across his face. His look of confusing quickly changed to that of rage and disgust.

“Sorry about the delayed ‘hello,’ warden.” Reach said with a smug grin, “It took me a few seconds to figure out exactly where you were.”

The warden was red faced, grimacing at the rebellious A-class with nostrils flared. Reach was unable to see the exact reaction of his victim, but he was able to imagine, and continued to look in the direction he assumed the warden stood with a smirk of satisfaction. Without warning, a hoof crashed across the side of Reach’s face, sending him flying to the floor only to be impacted across his chest by an outstretched arm from a guard. This was simply to prevent him from impacting too hard and making noise.

“Now, listen to me, you little shit.” The warden hissed, bringing himself close to Reach’s face. “Your situation hasn’t changed. It’s the same deal it always is. You do as we say and use your ability, or she gets diced and used for what she’s worth in the lower levels. I heard the lab tech’s have been getting decent trial runs with some chimeric experiments. We could always use more volunteers if you prove to be... unhelpful.”

Reach stared off blankly, digesting the wardens words for a moment. “You know,” he started, “if you were to do something like that I’d probably be very upset.”

“Oh yes, I suppose you would.” The warden responded with vicious sarcasm.

“I’d have no reason to comply with you bastards if that were the case, and you’d therefore lose your precious golden goose of lies,” he said flat and analytically.

Reach got his legs under him, and stood up straight. There was a visible bruise developed on his cheek. “Don’t ever think you have me pinned. The reality is that we’re both at stalemate.” He narrowed his eyes. “You’d do well to remember that.” Both stood still for a moment, glaring daggers at one another.

“It’s a good thing, for you, that I can’t stand losing,” Reach said. He turned and faced toward the lobby entrance. “She’s just down the hallway, right?”

The warden nodded. “Yes.”

Without another word Falter Reach’s twisting mark started to glow a sinister deep red. “There it is,” he mumbled. Reach gasped as his back abruptly arched and his eyes burst with white light.

Chief Warden Atmosphere smiled as he walked back down the hallway to Celestia. “Welcome Princess. We hope you’ll enjoy your brief visit to our humble rehabilitation center. Please follow me.”

***********************************************************************