Innavedr

by Imploding Colon

In Orderly Fashion

"Ugh! For real! Why do they need so much... vent?!" Kera frowned as she sweated and scooted ahead of the group. "Are they planning on having a hurricane whisk through here or something?!"

"Considering how secret this part of the building is, it's likely that they need extra resources just to manage it," Bellesmith said, her voice echoing across the cramped compartment. "Kera, darling, do you see another room up ahead?"

"If I did, don't you think I would have—GAAAH!" Kera fell like an anvil.

"Kera!" Bellesmith gasped, her chestnut eyes wide.

Phoenix slid around the corner behind her. "Ms. Bellesmith, what is it?"

"It's Kera!" Belle hissed back. "She fell!" Sliding forward, the mare hurried towards the freshly missing piece of aluminum paneling. "Oh blessed Spark!" She peered down. "Kera...?" She murmured. "Kera?!" she exclaimed louder.

It was a twelve foot drop, easily. Belle saw a tile floor, along with the piece of paneling lying loosely against the wall. There was no sign of the foal.

"Where is she?" Phoenix asked, shuffling up to Belle's flank.

The mare gulped. "I-I don't know!" Her lips quivered. "She had to have landed somewhere down there, but I don't see any—"

"Hey guys!" Kera's voice chirped with natural ease. "Come on down! You gotta check this out!"

"Kera?!" Belle leaned towards the hole. "Oh, thank goodness! Are you alright?"

"Pffft! Of course I am! What are you waiting for, slowpokes? Come down?"

She clenched her jaw, took a deep breath, and gazed back at Phoenix. "Would you mind...?"

"I got you..." He was already tilting his horn forward, casting an aura of magic over her figure.

Aided by telekinesis, Belle slowly slithered through the hole and levitated down onto the floor of the room below. Immediately, she swiveled about, peering along the walls of the well-furnished place. "Kera? Where—"

"Ta-daaaaa!" The tattooed filly side-trotted into view with a purple sunhat fitted loosely over her crown. Stifling a giggle, the foal bounce and said, "She keeps spares around! They smell like the inside of your saddlebag!"

"Oh... uh... I see. How quaint..." Belle glanced up. "Where in blazes are we?"

"I dunno, but I found some stuff to eat!" Kera waddled over to a pantry and pulled out a bag of fried oats. She ripped it open and took in a mouthful. "Mmmmm! Mmmff—Not as good as grasshoppers... mmmf... b-but it's got a nice texture to it..."

"Kera, I know that you're terribly hungry, darling, but try not to leave a mess. There's no telling who may be searching for signs of intrusion..."

As Bellesmith spoke, Phoenix hopped down effortlessly beside her. As he floated the A/C panel back up into place, he asked, "So where are we? Feels almost like a hotel."

"It's definitely a lobby of sorts," Bellesmith said with a nod. "Perhaps a place to treat guests?"

"I suppose I'd best get a lay of the land outside," Phoenix said as he trotted towards a door right behind them.

"Mmmmf—!" Kera swiftly gulped whatever she was munching on, took a deep breath, and shouted, "No! Not that door! It leads back to the offices n'stuff! Trust me!"

Phoenix doubled back, wincing. "Well, so much for backtracking."

"She hasn't let us down thus far..." Belle turned around. "How 'bout it, Kera. Do you know exactly what this place—" She blinked blankly. "...Kera?"

The foalish figure was galloping giddily down a narrow corridor at the far end of the room.

"Honestly..." Belle frowned and chased after the child. "I have the good mind to put a bell on her."

Phoenix scratched his shaved head and shrugged. "Could we settle for a noose instead?"

"Kera!" Belle's voice echoed as she threaded her way down the dark hallway. At last, she followed the filly through a doorway and into an even darker chamber. "Kera, honey, please!" She held the filly in place with a hoof to her shoulder. "You mustn't run away like that! Not while we're in such a strange place."

"What's so strange about it?" Kera frowned and batted Belle's hoof away. "I've been here before..." She shifted nervously. "Erm... I-I think..."

"Still, there're ponies of Nightshade Industries about who would like nothing more than to put us in cuffs if they found us snooping around their—"

"Pfft! Just what is your deal, anyway?" Kera barked, folding her forelimbs indignantly. "You act as if I'm a weak idiot or something! I can totally look after myself, y'know!"

Just then, a spotlight fell on them.

"Aaaackies!" Kera clung to Belle's front fetlocks, shivering.

Belle held her close and glanced up, eyes wide. As her vision adjusted, her face switched from panicked to confused.

With the sound of galloping hooves, Phoenix rushed into the chamber. "What is it?!" He skidded to a stop, blinking wide. "I... uh... huh."

The walls of the room were richly adorned with satin velvet curtains. Pale marble pedestals lit up one by one as programmed lights illuminated the polished busts of equine figures resting on top.

With a hissing noise, the door behind Phoenix slid shut. He and Belle jolted, nervous and confused. Then, for better or for worse, a record of soothing parade music crackled to life, bombastic and triumphant, echoing across the lush air of the place.

With the recording came the voice of an aged stallion, speaking to them like a happy ghost from beyond the dust that danced in the spotlights. "In the beginning, there was an idea, and possessing that idea was a family—the Night Clan. The Night Ponies' brilliant idea was to accumulate all scientific progress and condense it into one common project, a singular social function that ponies from all corners of the continent could come together and bring their contributions to. This started as an experiment, but soon turned into a marketable expenditure. The Night family formed friends and allies, and with such connections came trade, and with trade came commerce. Soon, the epic company that would become Nightshade Industries was born."

Slowly, a door at the end of the slender chamber opened to yet another compartment.

"It's..." Belle fidgeted. "...It's a presentation?"

"Nnngh..." Phoenix rested back from shoving his weight against the door that had shut. "I've tried all I can; there's no opening the door behind us."

"Our entrance most likely tripped the system off. I suppose we're meant to pass on through."

"Then let's. I don't like spotlights of any kind," Phoenix said.

Quietly, awkwardly, the three shuffled forward. Once they entered the next chamber, the room lit up, this time revealing a gallery of photographs, blueprints, illustrations, and models. The images of wheel carts, windmills, conveyor belts, production factories, mana batteries, hovercraft, zeppelins, and floating skyscrapers appeared before them in chronological order.

Up above, the music and the recorded voice continued: Named after the family company's patriarchal grandfather, Sir Nightshade of Blue Knoll, Nightshade Industries has had a long, two hundred year history of advancing technology for the benefit of all ponies who dwell upon this continent. Nightshade has provided means of agricultural industrialization, advances in transportation, and supplies for the medical industry to all equine races within the Confederacy and beyond. When war came to the landscape, Nightshade became the central source for weaponized flight and mana-powered engineering, giving might to the Queen's arsenal in fighting off the foreign aggressors."

Phoenix had to keep himself from grumbling. "Not sure I'm willing to invest in all of this crap. I've seen how things work behind the scenes."

"We all have, Mr. Phoenix," Belle said as another door opened up in front of them.

"Uhm... B-Belle...?" Kera murmured, her voice wavering slightly. "I really don't like it in here. Can we hurry up?"

Belle blinked at her. She nodded, ushering the child closer to her hooves. "Right. Let's see how quickly we can get these doors to open."

The three trotted briskly ahead. In the next chamber, there was a delay to the spotlights appearing. Even the music needed a few seconds to pick up, crackling and distorting as it did so.

"I don't get it..." Phoenix muttered, gazing around through the darkness for the next door. "What's the big-flank history lesson here?"

Finally, the light flashed on, illuminating a metal sheet along the wall behind him.

"But Nightshade Industries is not just a producer of mana-engines and weapons. The company is renown for its compassion, and has sought to help out ponies in need, both within our borders... and beyond..."

With a gratingly loud rattle, the metal panel rolled up. A brightly lit room lay beyond a sheeth of glass, and it was bustling with activity.

"Jeez!" Phoenix ducked instantly, flattening himself up against the wall so as not to be seen.

Belle was to slow to dash out of view. Standing still, blinking, she realized she didn't need to. She crept with Kera up to the sheet of glass, pressing her hoof against it. "Mr. Phoenix? I... I think that it's a two-way mirror..."

"Y-you're certain?" the frazzled veteran asked.

She slowly nodded. "These... were not uncommon in Blue Shelf."

Slowly, Phoenix stood back up, and he saw what Kera and Bellesmith were staring at.

It was a large room, a library of sorts. Books and desks and study equipment lay everywhere. But what was most noticeable were the ponies who populated it. Fillies and colts—none over the age of ten winters—sat in various huddles. They perused tomes, wrotes notes with pens held in the crooks of their hooves, and conversed about one matter of research or another. There was a strangely organized structure to how the young souls went about their business. The three could just as easily have been gazing in on an adult office space.

What's more, every single child was covered from head to hooves in complex, ritualistic tattoos.

"By the Spark..." Belle murmured.

"Xonan children, the orphans of war. Outside these protective walls of Nightshade Industries, they are misunderstood, ostracized, even persecuted. Here, within the Madame's protective hold, they are given a second chance. They have all of the Confederacy's knowledge at their disposal, and more than enough tools to begin a new life, provided the forthcoming political climate shall allow them the same grace as can only be found here within the heart of Blue Nova."

"...and there's Hara Gunn Fuutle and Vaanz Reen Guster and Tressa Rejj Fleen and Oorono Tan Slyte..." Kera muttered, pointing across the many-many marked faces beyond the glass.

Belle gave her a double-take. "You mean you know each of those ponies?"

"Pffffftchyaaa! I used to fight a bunch of them over lunch!"

"Then that means..." Phoenix muttered.

"Maybe you guys can see why I bailed out of this stupid joint," Kera grunted and trotted away from the glass. "Totally boredom-city..."

Belle and Phoenix exchanged glances. Just then, there was a sudden movement in the room they were observing. The recording regailed them about Madame Nightshade's experiments in social integration, but they weren't paying it any attention. Instead, they watched as every foal immediately stopped what they were doing and stood at attention. Sir Ordo stood at the end of the group, dressed in his fine threads. He bore a serious expression on his face as he spoke firmly to everypony in attendance.

In one accord, the fillies and colts nodded. They marched into single-file, alternating boys with girls, and trotted smoothely out of the room and into an adjacent chamber, leaving their books and study tools neatly behind. There were no emotive expressions on their faces, just the cold glaze of routine and determination.

"Where... in Spark's name are they going...?" Belle asked.

"I'm not sure I'm inclined to find out," Phoenix stammered.

Belle gave him a glaring look. "Mr. Phoenix, you've shown immeasurable compassion to me. Is there none that you can spare these children? They're obviously not meant to be here..."

"And we are?" Phoenix flashed her an incredulous look. "Ms. Bellesmith, what do they have in connection to Rainbow Dash? To whatever is drawing you here? Do we even have a measure on that at this point?"

Belle bit her lip. She tilted her head down to open her saddlebag and check on the ancient tome—

"Hey! Lazy-flanks!" Kera called from the next chamber. "The door is open! You coming or what?"

Phoenix glanced at Belle, motioned with his shaved head, and trotted forward. Belle followed, pensively looking behind her at the sheet of glass and the empty room beyond.

Comments

[Cynderfall]

Ok... Didn't see that one coming. Also why do I suddenly have the bad feeling that somepony may be working behind Lady Nightshade's back.

[Pilate]

Ah, nuance. It's been a while, old friend.

[Aqua Fortis]

I can see why Momma Bellesmith might start to get on Kera's nerves. She's so patronizing of a clearly independent and resourceful filly. Hopefully, if those Xonan foals end up meeting her, the mothering will be less wasted.

[zaponator]

It's funny, a lot of the characters in this story use nicknames pretty much exclusively. (Well, a couple of them. Dash and Kera, at least.)
It's a really good mechanic, as it makes parts like when Kera says "Uhm... B-Belle...?" all the more effective.
The lack of her usual bravado and confidence is clearly shown, simply by her use of Belle's real name.
Good stuff.

[FloydienSlip]

I'm not likin' this Ordo fella...

[Personifire]

What is the purpose of having those foals sit there behind a "two-way mirror?" (pretty sure IC meant one-way, but whatever). Actually, what is the purpose of having the foals, period? Are they really Xonan? They can't possibly be working, can they? Or are they just experiments? Hmmph.

[Relevant Heavy Metal]

And next you'll be telling me that this Nightshade broad has a secret Objectivist city on the bottom of the ocean. That would be crazy.

The Wall, Part 2 - Pink Floyd

Something something would you kindly blah blah stop the motor of the world yadda yadda parasites something something collectivism is evil something something.

[Lightning Bearer]

Something's fishy. For one thing, I find it hard to believe that Nightshade would go out of its way to help Xonan foals (out of all the kinds of ponies who might need help) just out of the goodness of their hearts. For another, the whole thing with the books and the study and the disciplined environment almost makes it feel like an intellectual sweat shop. I mean, keep in mind that Kera seemed to have some knowledge of the old book, its writing system, and pegasi. I think the foals - perhaps by virtue of being Xonan - possess knowledge that Nightshade has use of. And if this knowledge in any way connects to the machine world and Dash, it really makes me wonder what Nightshade's real agenda is.

[dafiltafish]

yeah, i am guessing nightshade's weapon is meant for the queen.

[The Great Turnip]

Those poor foals. My fear for their well-being were confirmed and then some.

I'm liking how heartlessly pragmatic Phoenix is. Good show, that man.

[Riverwing]

The foals are definitely an experiment of some kind. Like Kera's said in a previous chapter, she wasn't raised by Xonans anyway.

[Nevlamas]

Means to an end. Nighshade remains true to her own character: not cruel, not greedy, but ruthlessly fixated on one singular goal. She is using these children as either translators for their lingual knowledge or test subjects for their uncommon magical capabilities, I am quite certain. But of course she would provide them with comfort: not only does this give her an opportunity to paint herself in an even brighter tone, it also could help her settle her conscience. After all, I wouldn't be surprised if she actually felt bad for the foals. She only does what she considers her duty... doesn't she?

Her entire character starts to remind me less of Claire Zachanassian and more of King Jakoven from Patricia Briggs' Dragon Bones...

Ceterum censeo Searinem delendam esse. Their kingdom for a horse.

[KMCA]

2668573 no, it's two way. One way mirror is what you have on the wall

[Honeytiger]

Why do they need so much vent?

[MellowMabari]

Well the kids aren't being chucked into pits to activate obelisks of doom, so I suppose that's a plus. This whole walkthrough reminds me of Cave Johnson's little spiel in Portal 2 mixed with a boring tour guide. Also, the two way mirror/watching thing was creepy. I just imagined groups of cold adults looking in and studying the kids before moving on, not sparing them another thought... hmmm. This little arcy-thing is really interesting so far, I have to say. Well, I'm the closest I have been to catching up in a long while - onward!

[dashie76]

IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!

Ui.  The Confederacy talks about how awful the Xonans are and then it turns back around and is just as mean to it's own legal citizens.  What will it take to get them to realize...?  These are my thoughts so far. 

-MASH

[Super Trampoline]

Huh. First under-twenty-comments chapter in a while. Also, hey, kera's friends. I almost feel Kera is repressing something she hasn't told belle and phoenix yet.

[Schmleh]

Wonder where Rainbow might be by now?

[whizzball1]

Kera is hiding something. I can feel it. Nice to have some exposition

-Spirit

[JustAnotherTimeLord]

Hmm, I guess that's all fine and good from an outside perspective, but what's truly going on beyond the glass?

[Regidar]

Oh damn, reeducation facilities. Nightshade industries may have a desperate, new motive, but they're still doing crazy, inhumane things under the guise of "helping". And no one in blue nova would give a shit.

none over the age of ten winters

Needlessly pretentious, in my opinion.

[Tim the Planes-pony]

Canned arrogance over loudspeaker, classy.

[Hazard]

Reeducation, for science!

[djthomp]

Orphans of war, being used for scientific experiments? That's never ended well.

[James Fire]

7343326
Sure it has! There was... Ummm.... Yeah, I guess it has never ended well. But Kera says she was not an orphan, so that argument falls apart quickly.

[arancaytar]

Why do they need so much... vent

All evil organizations need to provide easily accessible airvents and maintenance shafts for heroes. It's the law.

[Tim the Planes-pony]

"But Nightshade Industries is not just a producer of mana-engines and weapons. The company is renown for its compassion, and has sought to help out ponies in need, both within our borders... and beyond..."

I smell BS.

05/13/2017 20:39 UTC

[Prism Break]

Phoenix scratched his shaved head and shrugged. "Could we settle for a noose instead?"

Chill Phoenix. You’ve already helped get one companion killed, let’s stop there.

[erictheblue]

somehow, this made me think of that old movie, Moonraker.

[Skylarking the Stargazer]

"...and there's Hara Gunn Fuutle and Vaanz Reen Guster and Tressa Rejj Fleen and Oorono Tan Slyte..." Kera muttered, pointing across the many-many marked faces beyond the glass.

So Xonan is basically made of Dutch people. Gaan Neighderlands!

[CrystalWaters]

With the recording came the voice of an aged stallion, speaking to them like a happy ghost from beyond the dust that danced in the spotlights. "In the beginning, there was an idea, and possessing that idea was a family—the Night Clan.

So did anyone else hear the voice of Andrew Ryan there?

[Tim the Planes-pony]

For some reason when I reread this 'Welcome to Duloc' comes to mind, given the seriousness of the subjects being talked about I have no idea why this would be.

09/04/2019
02:15 UTC