//------------------------------// // The Facility // Story: The Guardian // by InsaneBatPony //------------------------------// 1 The sun had risen and Celestia had called a meeting that all of her scientific team and Luna were attending. They shuffled around nervously while they waited for the Ruler of the Day. Luna was the most on edge. After what had happened the night before, she was beyond nervous as to what this meeting could be about. While the scientists talked amongst themselves and with the occasional threat from Field Dust, Luna chuckled to herself at the sight. "Alpha Bone and Field Dust definitely have some kind of history, if she keeps hitting him like that." she thought to herself as they waited. But even with the small comedies that occurred in that little group of Scientists, she couldn't relax. The doors opened and Celestia entered, flanked by a small army of guards. Luna and the team of scientists all looked up at the Solar Princess. She looked at them with a determined look on her face and tension emanated from her body. "Sister, what's going on?" Luna asked, highly suspicious. "First, thank you all for coming on such short notice. After reviewing all of the evidence that you have discovered and after much thought, I have determined that this creature we have found needs to be taken to an environment better suited to its study. I have decided that it will be transferred under guard too a laboratory in the Crystal Empire." "Why all that way up North?" Alpha Bone asked. "This is relatively unknown, which is why what I am about to tell you does not leave this room, Understood?" The group nodded. "The Crystal Heart affects magic in a very special way. It can enhance or hinder the caster depending on their intentions, though Sombra found a way to defeat that. I believe that if we bring our "guest" and use the Crystal Heart's unusual side effects, we can discover even more about this creature and where it might have come from." "What about Shining Armour? Has he gone back to the Crystal Empire?" Luna asked. "Yes, I sent him back there after the whole ordeal with the attacks settled down. He still is the captain of my Royal Guard despite the fact that he and Cadance rule the Crystal Empire now. I don't like taking him away from her at times, but until I can find somepony to take his place, so he and Cadance can rule side by side, he will remain on an on call basis for assignments." Celestia responded. "And Twilight and her friends?" Luna asked. "They will remain here and watch over Fluttershy." Celestia responded. "Gather your things, we leave in three hours." she told the others. "Luna, I wish to speak with you, in private." Luna nodded nervously and stayed in her place while the others left the room and went to get their tools and equipment. "What is it you wish to speak to me about?" Luna asked. "It's about your little visit to the Alien, last night." "Oh." Luna whispered, getting even more nervous than before. "I know your curious but this connection you have to it goes beyond anything I've ever seen. I fear that you could be linked in more ways than just having strange dreams." Celestia stated seriously. "What are you saying?" "I want you to remain here." "But why!?" Luna asked, loudly. "I just told you. I can't risk what might happen if I am right and your connection goes deeper than the mind! I've forged connections with others before, family connections, friendships, I've found love on occasion. Those types of connections run deeply but this...this is something else entirely." "I have to go, Celestia. I need to find out out what it is and where it came from. I need to why I am connected to it and nopony-else." Luna argued, straining to keep her emotions under her control. "I need to know. How is it related to me, and why it's related to me. If the answer lies with the studies that are going to be conducted in that facility in the Crystal Empire, I must know." Celestia thought about what Luna had argued before speaking. "Fine, you can come. But only because I'm curious as to the nature of your connection as well. But you will not be allowed to make contact with it, Understood?" "Oh thank you!" Luna cheered, despite the fact she wouldn't be able to go near the creature. "Get whatever you need and be ready to go by the time I've already said." "OK!" Luna yelled, running out of the meeting room. 2 Celestia, Luna, Field Dust, Alpha Bone and the rest of his team all waited for the time when they would be leaving for the Crystal Empire. The front doors to the palace opened and they could see an army of guards in the door way. They lined the width of the doorway with less than an inch in-between them. Celestia kept a close vigil on the army of guards. The guards moved out of the door way and made their way to the small crowd in front of them. They moved in unison with each other, the same hoof hitting the ground at the same time, and their faces all had a cautious yet hard look on them. As they went the guards in the center of the mass were holding on to a large table with their magic, a great many chains lay atop it. Celestia watched the very center of the crowd of guards for any disturbances. Luna traced her sister's gaze and her eyes fell on the table as well. She couldn't see what was on it because of the mass of ponies in-front of her. The group of Guardsponies stopped and one of them walked up to Princess Celestia. "Princess, the creature is ready for transport and I have amassed the number of guards you require." "Excellent. Rejoin your army." The guardspony simply nodded and rejoined his ranks. "We're ready. Load the alien onto the transport!" Celestia ordered, prompting the army of guardsponies to advance once more. They stopped at a large flat surfaced carriage, and levitated the large table onto the carriage. Luna looked at the chained Volos, her heart breaking for the creature she knows is not a threat to her or the citizens. "We have a detachment of guards waiting for us in the Crystal Empire, I want at least one-hundred of you to travel with us. Sixty Pegasi, and forty Unicorns." she stated. The correct number of each type of guard detached themselves from the ranks on their commander's orders and waited for further orders from the Princess. "Unicorns on the spare carriages, ten Pegasi will fly beside Luna and I in the head of the convoy, the rest will guard the back of the convoy and the center, where the alien is located. Nothing gets in or out until we reach the Crystal Empire!" The guards saluted and took their places. "Alpha Bone, you and your team will be riding directly behind us. You have no need to worry about your safety or that of your specimen." "Yes, Princess." he turned to his team, which now included Field Dust full time. "All of you load up, and be careful with your equipment." "No, shit." Field Dust said, sarcastically. "Just...Please, do as I say, Field Dust." he said, defeated. "Lighten up, just having some fun." she said, taking her place on the carriage. "Is everypony ready to go?" Celestia asked, loudly. There was a collective of nods and yes' as Celestia's answer. "Let's get going." The convoy of ponies all took off and they were flying North, to the Crystal Empire. 3 "Darling, what's going on? You've been so tense." Cadance asked her husband. "It's nothing." he stated, defiantly. "Don't hide things from me. I'm your wife, you're supposed to tell me everything." Cadance said, smirking. Shining Armour thought for while about how to tell Cadance what was happening. "A very dangerous creature is being transported here as we speak." he said, flatly. "What kind of creature?" "I don't know. From the information I've been able to gather, it's some kind of alien." "An alien? That's just silly." she said, a nervous chuckle emanating from her lips. "Right?" "No. It's all real. An unknown animal that's never been seen in Equestria, or on the planet as a whole." Cadance was trying to grasp the concept. "I know, it's hard to take in." he grabbed Cadance's hoof in his. "When it arrives, please, for my sake, stay here." Cadance looked at her husband and saw the pleading look in his eyes. "I've seen what it can do. It's a monster, it leveled buildings with ease and it managed to injure the Princesses, I never saw how, but Luna had a large wound in her chest and Celestia looked like a punching bag." Shining was trying to keep himself composed as he spoke. "Please, stay here." Cadance didn't say anything for a while until she gathered the courage to speak. "Is that why so many of our Crystal Guard is gathered at the front gate?" "Yes." "How did this manage to stay quiet?" "It's under the guise of a new gemstone that has been discovered, and it's being transported here for examination. I have issued orders that all observers must be cleared by me." "And the Citizens?" "I have ordered the guard to arrest any citizen attempting to force their way in, that includes paparazzi." "No gaps huh?" "None." "Will you at least let me see it's arrival? If you do, you might get a little something extra after dinner." she said, seductively. Shining Armour thought about the new proposal from Cadance. "Fine. But only the arrival." "Thanks, my strong and handsome Stallion." Cadance stated while walking to the front gates, shaking her flank in front of him, Shining quickly following after her. "Why can't I say no to her?" he mumbled. 4 Both Shining Armour and Cadance waited on the balcony at the front of the castle. Shining Armour was beginning to fidget. Cadance noticed and leaned herself against him. "Don't worry. Everything will be Okay. I'm sure they know what they're doing." she told him, comfortingly. "It's not the convoy I'm worried about. It's the Citizens of the Crystal Empire I'm afraid for. If that thing escapes, I don't think I can stop it, even with all of the Crystal Guard behind me." "Try not to think about it too much, I'm positive things will be alright." "I hope so, Cadance. Losing you would kill me." "And the same for me if I were to lose you." Cadance leaned in and kissed Shining Armour and he returned the kiss. They held that position for as long as they could, basking in each other’s love. One of the Crystal Guard came galloping up to the balcony and stopped when he saw the display. He cleared his throat to make his presence known. Cadance and Shining Armour broke apart, Cadance chuckled in embarrassment while Shining Armour tried to make himself look professional again. "What is it?" he managed after some time. "Sir, the convoy has arrived at the Northern border of the Crystal Empire." "Take a detachment of fifty and escort them here. Assist if anything goes wrong." "Yes, sir!" The Crystal Guardspony saluted and went on his way. Shining Armour began to walk to the lower levels of the Castle to meet the convoy at the door. Cadance followed after him, half running to keep up. By the time thay had made it the front gate the convoy was just arriving. The Princesses' carriage came in first. Shining Armour went up to greet the Princesses with Cadance by his side. "Princesses." he greeted. "How was the journey?" "It was for the most part uneventful. The Alien kept making noise, but it was nothing we could not handle." Celestia answered. "Good to hear. The streets to The Facility have been cleared and all citizens ordered to remain indoors for the duration of the transport." "You pulled out all of the stops, didn't you?" "Anything to keep the citizens of the Crystal Empire safe." "Hello Aunt Celestia, Aunt Luna." Cadance said, getting closer to the carriage. "Hello, Cadance, it's good to see you again. Forgive us but our reunion will have to be cut short. I trust Shining Armour has informed you of our mission today?" Celestia asked. "Yes, he has. Please, may I see it?" "Honey, remember our agreement?" "Oh, please Shining?" she asked, batting her eyes at him. Shining Armour groaned. "Is it OK if she sees the creature, Princess?" he asked. "I'm sorry Cadance, but we really must get this thing to the Facility." "I understand." she said, disappointed. "Maybe after we get it into the Facility you can come and see it." Celestia said, comforting the pink Alicorn. Cadance perked up a little bit. "Promise?" "Absolutely." Celestia firmly stated. She looked at Shining Armour. "Let's get going." Shining Armour turned to the mass of Solar Guard and Crystal Guardsponies. "Move out!" he ordered. "Come back to me Shining! I'll be waiting for you!" Cadance called after them. The mass of guards and the convoy of carriages moved down the barren roads of the Crystal Empire. Luna panned her head back and forth to look at the homes of the Empire. She saw the Crystal Ponies peeking out of their homes to catch a glimpse of the unusual site of such a large battalion of guards and the size of the convoy. However, some of the homes had their shades down so the occupants could not see the convoy at all. The convoy came to a halt in front of a pile of snow, near the Western border of the crystal Empire. Shining Armour went to the front of the group and cast a spell. The snow began to vanish and in its place was a large building. The front gate was comprised of doors made of a mixing of ice and crystal. The gate opened and the convoy entered the courtyard of the facility. The Princesses, Alpha Bone and his team dismounted form the carriages and continued on foot while Volos was still on the table held by the magic of the Solar Guard. They traveled down the compact hallways and corridors of the fortress made of ice. Princess Celestia studied the building's interior as they traveled. She took in every sight and scrutinized every area that she could see while they walked. Luna walked alongside Celestia in awe of the structure they now walked in. She too studied the fortress, but in amazement rather than objectivity. As they continued to walk, Shining Armour broke the silence. "This facility is the most well kept secret in all of the Crystal Empire." Shining Armour explained. "Only a select few know it exists. It's been abandoned since the original disappearance of the Empire. I hope that this will do Princess." "This will more than suffice for our needs, Shining Armour." Celestia replied. "I have personally arranged for the creature to held in Observation Block Z." "Z?" Luna questioned. "It's the Observation Block farthest from the entrance. I didn't want to take the risk of it escaping into the city." "You have no need to fear Shining Armour, the creature is secure." "I trust you Princess, but I still worry." As they continued down the corridors of The Facility, Volos became more and more restless. He began to growl and pull on his chains. "It's acting up. Keep it under." Ordered one of the guards. A small mass of guards began to cast spells to keep Volos sedated and under their control. He roared and kept pulling on the chains, making them groan and creak. "Keep it down!" yelled the same guard, as he too cast spells to try to keep the enraged Volos sedated. Volos roared again and pulled with all of his might. The chains began to snap from his arms and fall to the floor. "It's getting loose! Try harder!" Celestia had heard the commotion but could not see what was happening behind her. She looked on as both the Solar Guard and Crystal guard tried to keep the creature under their control. Celestia's eyes went wide as she realized what was happening, she overlooked something that should have been obvious. Her reinforcement spell had faded, the Alien was tearing itself free. "All of you move!" she ordered much to Shining Armour's surprise. The guards did not hear her over the roars and the yelling of orders. Celestia tried to aim her horn. "Too many in the way, no shot." she mumble in frustration. She looked up. "No room to fly." Celestia was becoming tense and more nervous every second that passed by. She began to tremble as the sound of breaking chains filled her ears and the roars of an angry monster filled the halls. "It's free!"