Taking Sunset's advice, Echo decided to listen to several of Nocturne's recordings in one sitting, in hopes that the unsettling reports would be outnumbered by the more positive ones.
"After my recent success with Smudge, my employers decided to reward me with my own personal lab." Nocturne's voice declared. "It's filled with all of the state-of-the-art equipment I need to further my research. The only downside is that they have appointed a couple of assistants. Though I appreciate the intent, I find I work better alone. I tried to tell my employers this, but they simply told me that more hooves would mean faster results. Since I have no intention of losing my funding, I have no choice but to go along with their wishes, infuriating as they may be. Hopefully, this will be the extent of their interference. No amount of Bits is worth such annoying micro-managing. As I've already said, I prefer to conduct my research in solitude. Until next time, dear listener."
"Again with these mysterious 'employers'." Echo frowned. "Who were they? They must have been well-funded, to afford such a laboratory..."
"Yeah." Sunset nodded. "You'd think somepony would have heard of a bunch like that."
"Not so." Echo declared. "There are quite a few well-funded, yet totally clandestine organisations out there. Sterling's mysterious compatriots, for example."
"Heh, yeah..." Sunset cringed, always uncomfortable whenever Echo brought up Sterling. "Doesn't seem to be the same group, though. These guys wanted to just study Nightcrawlers, by the sound of it. Sterling's 'friends' wanted to either wipe you out or make more of you."
"True." Echo nodded. "Hopefully, their intentions will remain benign."
A little while later, the pack were sparring in the training area. Elatha and Snow watched from the sidelines as they fought in pairs.
"So, now that everypony's had some time to interact with our guests, what are your opinions?" Artorias asked, as he parried a blow from Nano.
"I think they're a decent pair." Nano admitted, dodging Artorias' counterattack. "I've seen Echo kind of nobility before: Among my fellow soldiers, back in the day."
"And Sunset is really nice." Moana smiled, firing a water stream at Willow. "What I wouldn't have given for more mares like her back in college..."
"Verily." Willow agreed, ducking the stream. "It has been a long time since we have met ponies so altruistic."
"I got no idea what that means." Wave declared, swinging a hoof at Aether. "Bat-boy may be a stiff, but he seems like a decent guy to me. So does his gal... even if she needs to watch her mouth."
"I like them, too." Snow declared. "Especially Sunset. She's really neat!"
"They're both wonderful." Elatha grinned. "It's been nice having them around these last few days."
"Well, it seems like it's unanimous." Aether chuckled, dodging another blow from Wave. "Our guests are liked by all."
"Not quite." Artorias snarled.
"Oh come on, Arty." Elatha scowled. "You still don't trust them?"
"Of course not." Artorias snarled. "And you know why."
"You still don't think they can help us?" Elatha asked.
"Of course not." Artorias sneered. "They're a pair of idealistic fools. They think they can get the normals to accept us. But I know that is nothing but a pipe dream."
"Is it, though?" Moana asked. "Sunset's a 'normal', and she seems pretty accepting of us."
"More than acceptin'." Wave snorted. "She went an' married one of us."
"Indeed she did." Willow smiled. "Her love for Echo is one based on his inner soul. It doesn't matter to her he is a Nightcrawler."
"Yeah, Sunset's nice!" Snow added.
"Sunset is the exception that proves the rule." Artorias said condescendingly. "She is one in a hundred. There aren't nearly enough like her to justify their beliefs."
"Now you're just being cynical." Elatha snorted.
"Where are those two, anyway?" Nano asked.
"They said they were going to spend some time in their chamber." Elatha remarked.
"Oh, really?" Wave smirked. "A little 'alone time'? Sneaky pair..."
"Actually, they were planning on listening to those recordings Flatfoot made." Aether declared. "In hopes of bettering understanding us."
"As if that would help." Artorias sneered. "It wouldn't matter if the normals knew everything there is to know about us. It wouldn't make things better. If anything, it would only make it easier for them to wipe us out."
"Do you really believe that, Artorias?" Aether frowned.
"Without a doubt." Artorias nodded. "Those two seem to think the world is a place where every problem can be solved by talking things out, and that all races can sit together in a circle and be friends. But they're wrong. The world is a cold, cruel place, where different races hate each other over the smallest things. Nothing will ever change that."
"With respect sir, I think Echo and Sunset will at least be able to get that Registration Act repealed." Nano declared. "At the very least, it'll make sure things don't get any worse for us."
"That's right." Elatha nodded. "You really need to look on the bright side of things more often, Arty."
"Except there isn't always a bright side." Artorias scowled. "Sometimes, there is only darkness."
"And you guys think I'm depressing..." Moana rolled her eyes.
"Either way, I suppose there's no harm in them staying a little longer." Artorias declared. "Just long enough for them to do their 'research', then get out of our manes."
"You're a real gracious host, ya know that, Arty?" Wave joked.
"I believe they can help turn thinsg around for us." Elatha insisted. "Honestly, I'd long hoped a Nightcrawler liek Echo could come and help us, and now he's here."
"Yes." Willow nodded. "How terribly convenient..."
"Lucky they got that letter, huh?" Moana asked.
"About that." Artorias frowned. "Aether, have you managed to discover who sent it?"
"I'm afraid I'm still unable to ascertain the sender, or their intent." Aether admitted. "The writing is oddly familiar, but I just can't place it."
"Maybe whoever it was wanted to help us." Nano suggested. "Maybe they called in Echo as some backup."
"Or maybe they just wanted Echo here." Wave shrugged. "But why?"
"Whatever the reason, we'll find out eventually." Artorias snorted. "And if whoever's behind it means to hurt us, I will track them down and make them pay..."
Meanwhile, Echo and Sunset were listening to Nocturne's next recording.
"My employers are demanding more results, on a more regular basis." Nocturne's voice declared. "Fortunately, they have also increased my funding, allowing me to further my reach. I have already visited several large cities in search of more Nightcrawlers to investigate. Some have been harder to find than others, and even harder to press for information. But I have succeeding in garnering a wealth of knowledge. One or two were even gracious enough to allow to extract a fragment of the dark magic within their systems, allowing for a full-fledged analysis. As far as I could see, the Tenebros gene's activation had always been unintentional. Whether by accidentally coming in contact with museum artefacts, or stumbling upon them buried in the ground, or even being struck by dark magic itself, it happened to all of them . I can't imagine how frightened they must have been when it happened, the poor things. Their whole lives, changed in an instant... Hopefully in time, perhaps we could learn how to duplicate the effect that activates the Tenebros gene, and induce it within willing volunteers. Until then, I shall have to continue my research. This is Nocturne, signing off."
The recording ended.
"Okay, that does sound kinda noble." Sunset noted. "Offering to let potential Nightcrawlers have their powers activated."
"Perhaps." Echo nodded. "It's better than having them activated at random, and without the owner's consent, at least..."
"Since we haven't heard of a place where Nightcrawlers can go to have their powers activated, I guess that plan must've fallen through." Sunset surmised.
"It would appear so." Echo nodded. "Now, let's move on to the next recording..."
Echo switched tapes, and pressed 'play'.
"My research has been... up and down as of late." Nocturne declared. "I have encountered more Nightcrawlers, this time in the streets of Manehattan, but they have been less forthcoming than my previous subjects. Some have refused to talk to me, believing I am some kind of - in the words of one eloquent subject - 'freak enthusiast'. Others yet, such as those who possess resepctable positions in society have steadfastly denied that they are Nightcrawlers, no doubt out of fear that their secret would get out, and destroy their lives. As such, I have had to rely on new ways of extracting information from them. In some cases, I posed as a physician, offering a 'thorough examination' in order to get a handle on the subject's powers. Of course, such examinations required unorthodox equipment to properly examine the dark magic, but I find most ponies can be made to believe anything is a proper medical tool if you use the right terms."
"More deception..." Echo scowled.
"And more experiments." Sunset added.
"Of course, such procedures are untested." Nocturne continued. "There have been some... minor side-effects. Fortunately, they weren't anything that could arouse suspicion. The worse that could happen would be a brief fluctation in the subject's powers, but since most of the subjects don't like to use their powers (and even pretend that they don't even exist), I highly doubt that will be a problem... not a long-term one, at least..."
As the recording came to an end, Echo silently put in the next tape.
"It appears my previous method of examination is no longer viable." Nocturne announced. "After one of my procedures, the subject accidently blew up part of the hotel he was staying at. While the subject itself suffered slight burns, other guest didn't come out unscathed. There were no fatalities, but several of them will have wear casts for the next few weeks. While the cause was believed by authorities to be a faulty gas line, I believe it would be prudent to move on to another course of action, lest my work start to garner suspicion. A visit from the police is the last thing I need right now. I cannot afford to have my work disrupted by more meddlers, not when I'm making such strides with my research..."
"The way he speaks..." Echo frowned. "Almost as if he believed himself above the law..."
"I'm sure he was just exaggerating." Sunset declared, though she wasn't actually sure. "Maybe we should get some lunch..."
"...Okay." Echo sighed. "I am feeling quite ravenous..."
Echo and Sunset made their way to the kitchen.
"Hey, guys!" Snow smiled.
"Hello, little one." Echo declared, as he and Sunset got some food.
"You two finally came out of yer love nest, huh?" Wave smirked.
"Knock it off, Wave." Nano snarled. "You know full well what they've been doing all day."
"And I hardly think it's any of your business." Echo huffed.
"Whatever." Wave shrugged.
"So how's your day been?" Sunset asked Elatha.
"Eh, same old, same old." Elatha shrugged. "What about you guys? How's it going, listening to all those recordings?"
"It's been... informative." Echo said bluntly.
"I will admit, some of the knowledge in those tapes is unsettling." Aether admitted. "But it was all for the greater good."
"How many of you guys have listened to them?" Sunset asked.
"Well, there's myself." Aether nodded. "And Artorias. The rest of us, not so much."
"Like I got time to listen to some egghead yammer on." Wave snorted.
"I'm afraid our current lifestyle doesn't leave us much time to sit around and listen to those recordings." Willow declared.
"Besides, our lives are already depressing enough." Moana added.
"Aether already knows them by heart, so he filled us in whether we needed to know something." Nano declared.
"Speaking of 'filling in', may we speak about the letter that brought you here?" Aether asked Echo. "We still need to know who sent it."
"I'm afraid we don't know much more than you do." Echo declared.
"Yeah." Sunset nodded. "It just arrived through our letterbox. No name or anything. Just asking for Echo's help."
"Maybe you could take another look." Aether suggested, offering the letter.
"Hmm..." Echo examined it more closely. "Now that I think of it, it appears the quill used to write this letter was pressed deeply against it, suggesting that it was hoof-written, rather than by magic."
"I never noticed that." Aether smiled. "That narrows things down a little..."
"Yeah, to Earth Ponies and Pegasi." Wave snorted. "Like there aren't hundred of 'em around here."
"No disrespect intended, but that doesn't get us any further to finding out who sent this letter." Nano declared. "Much less why."
"Well, considering how neat the writing in, it probably wasn't written in a rush." Sunset noted. "Whoever it was took their time."
"You can tell all that, just by looking at it?" Snow frowned. "What's the trick?"
"No trick." Susnet smiled. "Just careful observation."
"Well, your 'careful observation' hasn't gotten us anywhere." Artorias snarled. "For all we know, that letter was written in order to lure you here to us as part of some elaborate trap."
"Perhaps." Echo shrugged. "Or perhaps it was a true cry for help. The lack of a name indicates that whoever wrote it didn't want others to know who they were. Possibly, they hold some important or revered position, and don't wish to have their name besmirched by asking a Nightcrawler for help."
"Now that I believe." Wave snorted. "Love for our kind ain't exactly ragin' right now."
"It could be a government official, or a noble." Elatha suggested.
"Or it could be none of them." Echo declared. "We may never know."
"That's not good enough." Artorias declared. "We need to know who is behind this letter."
"Well, I'm sorry." Echo took his glasses off and cleaned them. "But I'm afraid I can glean no more about our mysterious letter writer. I'm not a miracle worker, you know."
"Does it really matter, anyway?" Elatha shrugged. "If it was a trap, don't you think it would have been sprung by now? Echo and Sunset have been here for days, remember? And nothing's happened."
"She has a point, sir." Nano pointed out.
"Hrrr..." Artorias growled.
"Indeed." Aether nodded, taking back the letter. "It seems this mystery will remain unsolved."
"So why not just forget about it, and focus on the now?" Elatha offered.
"Okay, you win." Artorias growled. "I'll forget about it... for now."
"Good to see you can be reasoned with." Echo smiled.
"Maybe the Great Gray Wolf's just a big old puppy, deep down inside." Sunset smirked.
"Very funny." Artorias snarled.
After finishing some lunch, Echo and Sunset continued their work, listening to the next recording.
"I am pleased to report that I have discovered several homeless Nightcrawlers on the outskirts of Las Pegasus." Nocturne announced. "A group of desperate ponies whom nopony knows or cares about. I really have hit the jackpot this time..."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sunset wondered.
"I don't think I want to know..." Echo frowned. "But we may not have a choice..."
They moved on to the next recording.
"My work has increased in leaps and bounds since my last report." Nocturne declared. "The homeless Nightcrawler have been quite a help to me. Since they are relative unknowns, they are more willing to discuss matters with me. And, like Smudge, they are willing to go with me if there is talk of money or shelter involved. Such easily manipulated souls are easy to rope into... certain activities."
"What?" Echo frowned.
"Of course, the hard part is keeping them." Nocturne continued. "Fortunately, this state-of-the-art lab comes with some top-notch restraints."
"Oh, no..." Sunset gaped. "He didn't..."
"No, please..." A new voice rang out. "Please don't... Not again..."
"Sorry about this, listener." Nocturne said nonchalantly. "My latest test subject tends to get a little chatty. But I know just how to fix that."
There was the sound of hoofsteps, as Nocturne walked across a room, the recorder still in hoof.
"Please, let me go..." The unnamed Nightcrawler pleaded. "I won't tell anypony what happened, I swear..."
"Of course you won't..." Nocturne declared. The sound of a needle entering skin followed.
"Ahh!" The Nightcrawler yelped.
"Shh, shh, shh, shh..." Nocturne hushed, as the Nightcrawler's moans grew silent. "Time to sleep now..."
"I don't believe what I'm hearing." Echo shuddered. "It just can't be..."
"Your dad... a mad scientist?" Sunset gasped.
"Well, that's it for now." Nocturne announced. "I have work to do, so I must be signing off. Until next time..."
"This can't be real." Echo declared. "There must be some plausible reason as to why he did all that."
"Let's hope so." Sunset frowned.
Echo put in the next tape, he and Sunset sharing feelings of fear and worry.
"My next few subjects have proven to be quite disappointing." Nocturne said in a bored tone of voice. "They possess weak, inconsequential powers, such as the ability to converse with fish, or turn into a puddle. But their Tenebros genes still required careful examination, after which I dumped them back in the wretched hovels from whence they came. At least they can take solace in the fact that they are helping to advance my research, if ever so slightly..."
"He used them, then threw them away..." Echo growled, gripping the recorder tightly. "Like they were mere tools."
"Easy there, Echo." Sunset urged. "Don't wanna break thta thing."
"Or maybe I do." Echo scowled. "If only to spare me more of this."
"But you won't." Sunset placed a hoof on one of his.
"No." Echo sighed. "Curse my curiosity..."
The next tape was put in.
"My research is going better than I had ever hoped." Nocturne said proudly. "My associates have given me ever more funding, resources, and even a couple of security stallions, to keep my more rowdy subjects in check. With the random powers these Nightcrawlers possess, caution is something that must not be overlooked. Some of them have proven hard to manage. As you can imagine, they tend to be somewhat resentful of my methods. The current subject in particular, who calls itself 'Savage', who bears the dark magic power of Berserker."
"Berserker?" Echo frowned. "That was my old power..."
"But I thought Nightcrawler powers were unique..." Sunset frowned.
"As did I..." Echo declared. "What could this mean?"
"However, there is something different about this one particular Nightcrawler." Nocturne explained. "I had studied the effects of the Berserker magic. When the subject's anger is pushed to a certain capacity, the subject would undergo a grotesque inflammation of his muscles and bones, turning into a monstrous beast, granting him super strength, super speed, and near invincibility, and his mind devolves into a feral animalistic rage. Anything and everything becomes a target. If it was a Unicorn, they would also have powerful dark magical blasts in their already destructive repertoire."
"Exactly what I went through..." Echo nodded bluntly.
"But this Nightcrawler, Savage, looks no different from a normal pony, yet when brought in, he displayed those abilities." Nocturne continued. "It certainly caused a bit of a ruckus for the security team. This is nothing short of fascinating. This 'Berserker' had the power of a beast, yet he was able to maintain his rationality (albeit showcasing some feral tendencies). There is reason to believe that these Nightcrawlers can... evolve. I wasn't able to get much out of him about how he was able to perform this feat, but I hypothesize that after exposure to sufficient magical stimuli, their powers can mutate, and become stronger. Such power could be used in untold of ways. Imagine what an army of such Nightcrawlers could do.. Nothing could stand in its way. If that kind of power were to get into the wrong hooves, it could result in major devastation... Fortunately, my restraints are more than enough to keep the subject contained, but unharmed. The last thing I want is cause pain and injury to such an invaluable subject-"
In the background, there was the sound of tearing metal, followed by a savage roar.
"Nopony cages me!" A growling voice snarled.
"The subject has broken free!" Another voice yelled.
"Oh, buck! SHOOT IT!!" Nocturne roared at the top of his voice. "Shoot it now!"
The unmistakeable sound of a crossbow being fired followed. The would-be escapee howled in pain. An explosion followed, as the Nightcrawler fought back. More crossbows were fired, and the sound of a body hitting the floor completed the melody of horror.
"Finally." Nocturne said, annoyed. "Somepony make a note: We need stronger restraints. Don't want the test subjects breaking free, after all.... Now, clean up this mess!"
"What about the body, Flatfoot?" One voice asked.
"Throw it down that mineshaft outside of town." Nocturne said callously. "Nopony ever goes there, so the chances of anypony finding the remains are slim to nothing. And be quick about it. We've already lost enough time."
"Yes, sir." The voice declared.
The sound of the dead Nightcrawler's body being dragged across the floor was heard.
"What a mess..." Nocturne sighed. His footsteps grew louder as he neared the still-functioning recorder. "Wait, is this thing still on? Oh, for Fau-"
The recording came to an abrupt end.
Echo was as white as a sheet. Sunset felt as if she was about to be sick.
"I don't believe it." Echo shook his head. "My own father, the stallion I looked up to most... I never imagined he'd so cruel, so callous..."
"I'm sorry, Echo." Sunset comforted him. "I should never have suggested listening to all these things at once."
"It wouldn't have mattered either way." Echo sighed. "I would have gotten to this point anyway. But at least now, I don't have false hope to torture myself with."
"I know it's terrible." Sunset sighed. "But maybe Nocturne really did change after he did all that. You said yourself that he was a kind and attentive father. Maybe something happened to get him to take his life in another direction."
"Maybe." Echo sighed. "That would explain why he never told me. Perhaps he was simply ashamed of what he had done in the past... But that doesn't make what he did forgivable. I will never be able to think of him the same way ever again. These recordings have tainted my memories of him. I'm not sure I can even see him as my father anymore."
"Oh, Echo..." Sunset held him.
"I can only hope to be a better father to our own foal." Echo declared. "I swear, I will keep nothing from him or her."
"I know you won't." Sunset smiled. "And no matter what your father turned out to be, know that you are your own stallion. You'll be a wonderful father."
"Thank you, Sunset." Echo beamed. "I'm glad you chose to come along. I don't think I could have dealt with this by myself."
"Hey, isn't that what a wife does for her husband?" Sunset smiled. "She stands by him, supports him, helps him through the hard times."
"And you have accomplished all of those things." Echo declared. "I must be the luckiest stallion alive, to have such a caring and devoted wife."
"No arguments here." Sunset chuckled. "Incidentally, you're not such a bad husband, yourself."
"Easy on the compliments, my dear." Echo joked. "Don't want me getting a swollen head, now do you?"
"If you did, it'd just mean more to kiss." Sunset pecked him on the cheek.
"That would be nice." Echo kissed her back. "Maybe you should compliment me more often."
"Yeah, right." Sunset giggled, as Echo kissed her neck.
"Oh, look at the time." Echo noted the clock on the makeshift table, which told him it was late afternoon. "We wiled the whole day away listening to those dreadful recordings. What do you say we get some supper, then turn in for the night?"
"Sounds like a plan." Sunset nodded. "I'm really starting to like the blueberries from around. Maybe they'll let us take some back with us."
"I imagine they would." Echo chuckled. "Artorias will no doubt be glad just to see the back of us."
"Hey, who knows?" Sunset shrugged. "Maybe by the time we're done here, we'll have won him over?"
"Hope springs eternal, my love." Echo declared, as they left the chamber.
The tapes lay on the table, more dark secrets hidden among. As bad as the ones he had already heard were, an even greater and more terrible secret was waiting to be revealed, one that would rock Echo to his core...