> I survived Rapture > by Aurora Steel > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Prologue > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was a peaceful time in Equestria, many inventions and advances were being created but we were running out of space for the ever growing population and industries to live and thrive in so we turned to other options. We thought about living in the sky but Cloudsdale was already there so we thought next about Tartarus but that was hell so we finally turned to the sea. No cities, no farms, no anything. It was perfect. It took years to complete the underwater city capable of holding thousands. We called it Rapture. A place where everypony was allowed to do what they wanted whenever they wanted. Many brilliant minds moved down to the seemingly impossible city to carry out the inventions they could never hope to achieve in Equestria. They used volcanoes for heat, artificially grown forests for air, farmers markets for food and even fishing ports. Towering buildings, giant ballrooms and even swimming pools. It was perfect. Too perfect. The creator, Andrew Ryan controlled Rapture for years and many amazing things like plasmids were invented. They gave you literally the power to control ice or fire and many other elements in your hoof but the only problem was that you needed a substance called EVE to maintain the plasmids and that’s where everything fell apart. Everypony wanted the power but not everypony was willing to pay for it. Ponies turned on one another and eventually the greed turned them into wild animals. A Civil War started over the EVE and slowly Rapture fell. Since it wasn’t part of Equestria we left it alone to rot. Many ponies went down to Rapture to try and save it but none returned, all fell pray to the pressure and persuasion of the plasmids. Many good ponies reduced to low life dimwits scrounging for the desired substance. I some how ended up there, surrounded by dozens of splicer’s, completely out of EVE for my plasmids and armed with a shotgun that had less than a full case left. I backed away into the corner, the demented creatures we once called ponies advancing toward me with every step I took back. Bits of fur and even flesh were dropping off the monsters and the foul odor that followed them around were enough to knock out even a pony without the ability to smell. How the hell did I end up here? With no one around to help me, splicer’s ready to search for any EVE that I didn’t have. I felt drops of water drip on to my already wet cyan fur and dirty, rainbow colored mane. I snickered slightly and one of the thuggish splicer’s that looked slightly sane. I asked, “I bet this is Ryan’s work isn’t it?” That sick bastard wanted me dead and now it looked like he was going to get what he wanted. The splicer in question had rotten fur with clumps of it missing, it had what looked like a bent piece of pipe in one hoof and a bandage around his disheveled mane. I think he was a Pegasus but it was hard to tell with all of the rotten fur and blood stains. He grunted in response and made a lunge for me with the pipe. I could see the desperation for EVE in his blood shot eyes which made it all the more frightening that I had to take this stallion on or it was game over for me. I ducked under his attack and loaded two shells into the shotgun before aiming at his jaw and firing upward. Chunks of brain, flesh and fur flew upward and blood sprayed on to me. I tucked the shotgun under my wing quickly before backing away again. By now your probably asking how the hell I can do this but when you’ve seen the shit that I have in this living nightmare you tend to forget that these were once sane ponies. They probably didn’t even think about anything but EVE and killing the ponies that stood in their way. My behind hit the corner which caused me to shiver from the cold surface. I hopped up on to my hind legs and pulled out the shotgun once more. I rummaged around in my ruined, brown saddle bags to find anymore shells. I finally found one and loaded it before pointing the gun frantically between the thuggish splicer’s. My hoof began to shake as they advanced closer and closer by the second. Another thuggish splicer, this time female and in a torn green dress jumped at me and without thinking I fired the remaining two shells at her. One hit her in the chest and one ripped her muzzle to shreds, also killing her. Now I had no ammo for any of the weapons I had obtained and no EVE either. This was looking really bad now. I put the shotgun back in it’s place before getting out a rusted red wrench out of one of the saddle bags. A splicer to the left ran at me with a butcher’s knife in her mouth, it was dripping with crimson red blood that looked fresh. I swung the wrench at her face which broke her muzzle and sent the knife flying into another splicer. I brought the wrench up, behind my head before bringing it down onto the top of the splicer’s head. I panted slightly as the splicer was knocked to the ground unconscious with a small stream of blood streaming down her face and onto the black and white marbled floor. The rest of the splicers seemed to get angrier at me and came at me one after the other. I swung the wrench wildly at their faces as fast as I could. It was no use though. They kept coming at me in almost a complete blur. I smashed another one in the face and broke their teeth, making them cry out in pain and come faster at me. I put the wrench in my mouth before planting my hooves firmly on the ground then back kicked the closest splicer in the chest forcing the splicer back a few feet. I turned around and pressed myself against the corner as far as I could away from the thuggish splicer’s in front of me. I looked around frantically for anything or anypony that could help me in the slightest. I found nothing what so ever. I sighed slightly and with no regrets I shouted out to no one in particular, “HELP!” > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- As I walked down the cobbled street to the palace I felt a chill run down me as the harsh wind picked up for a single moment. It was now getting to winter, the harshest of the seasons and that meant strong gales all the way to blizzards stretching over the whole of Equestria. I tightened the simple grey scarf around my neck with my cyan wings whilst looking around the street. Not many ponies were out in the evening but this time I was the only one walking on the whole street simply because of the small gale. As I was about to turn my attention ahead of me I saw a small glimmer of light coming from my left. I looked back at the spot where the shine had been and quickly trotted over to it only to see that it was an old and torn poster advertising Rapture from a few years back when everypony wanted to go down to the impossible city. I shook my head and noticed that there were parts of the poster lined with silver so that must have been what had caught my attention. I turned around and looked at the poster one last time before continuing on my way. It was strange that there was still a Rapture poster since no one even mentioned the great failure of a city. I looked up at the sky and saw a few pegasi flying around with clouds preparing a giant storm that was scheduled for later this evening. It was the first storm we have had in a while so naturally It was going to be a big one. I started trotting down the seemingly empty city to the palace again. The Elements of Harmony had been summoned by Princess Celestia, co-ruler to Equestria, for some issue that had come up. Since Rarity and Twilight were already in Canterlot and Pinkie Pie was with Rarity, Apple Jack, Fluttershy and I had to catch the train here. I was the last one arriving in Canterlot since I had some convenient weather issues that had come up at the last moment and as a result it meant that I had to catch a later train than them. I sighed in relief as I saw the main plaza come up which meant that I was close to my destination. There were a few lights in the homes coming on since the evening was rolling in and the street lamps were starting to glow. Suddenly my ears pricked up at the sound of faint hooves behind me. I quickly turned around only to see nothing more than a loose piece of paper flying carelessly around in the wind a little way down the long street. I shrugged realizing that it was nothing and turned around again before continuing on my quick journey. I made it to the large and open plaza that now had almost all of the surrounding houses illuminating. I looked up at the sky once more to see only a few holes in the blanket of clouds left that had yet to be filled in. I squinted and looked through one of the holes to see that the sky was now a deep royal blue colour. When did this short journey turn into a long one? I had set out on the express train at about midday and that only took about two hours then this walk should’ve only taken about ten to fifteen minutes and now it was late in the evening? What was going on? My ears pricked up again and this time it was the sound of a twig snapping under a hoof. I looked behind me and saw a shadow move into an alleyway which scared me slightly. I picked up my pace from trotting to cantering at the sound of hooves moving toward me. As I made it to the other end of the plaza I ground to a halt then spun around frantically to see whoever was following me. I scanned the plaza and saw nothing. I sighed in relief and continued on the way I was going only to be met with somepony swinging a bottle at my head. It collided with the side of my head and broke on impact which caused me to cry out in pain and drop to the ground, my vision blurring as my head hit the ground. I heard a female voice ask from behind me, “Did that do the trick?” It was a posh accent and the pony spoke faster than normal. “I think so. She’s still conscious but not enough to do anything. Shall we continue with the plan then?” The second voice was male but almost identical to the first voice, the only difference was the pitch which was a few bars lower. “Yes. Let’s continue.” The female said again. I looked over to the female voice and slowly made out the pony. My vision was very blurry but I saw what looked like a bright orange mane and light blue fur with some form of dress over the top of it. I blinked a few times and started to make out more features of the mare before a brown sack was placed over my head and what felt like rope being tied tightly around my wings. I gritted my teeth as the rope was fastened off tightly on my wings which made them throb slightly. Once they were apparently finished the rope around my wings tugged sharply and I started moving. Occasionally I heard my now captors converse about something but I paid no attention to it and only how to escape. I tried lifting my head but quickly laid back down since the throbbing from my temples turned into a sharp pain. After what felt like an eternity of being dragged on the cold cobbled ground we finally stopped. Then I was levitated into the air then placed on what felt like a wooden bench since tiny bits of wood pricked my left side. Next the two ponies got in and rocked what I now realized was a boat before we started moving once more. I held my breath as the stench of the sea water and the rot of the boat wafted into my nose. This was not happening. Eventually I ran out of oxygen and was forced to take a deep breath in order to stay conscious. One of the two ponies must have noticed my deep breath and said, “It is a retched smell isn’t it.” It was the mare. The stallion agreed, “Yes, quite retched. I say we let her see what is going on.” “Alright.” The mare replied before taking off the sack from around my head. I blinked a few times before looking around at the surroundings. Now that my vision was clear I could clearly see my captors. The mare had her bright orange mane done up in curls and was now wearing a bright yellow rain coat to protect her outfit. I saw the stallion and it was like looking at the exact same pony but the gender reversed. He was also wearing a bright yellow rain coat accompanied with a bright yellow rain hat. I asked nervously, “W-Who are you guys?” Fear clearly present in my tone. The mare replied, “That is the least of your concerns. By now your probably wondering what on earth is going on.” I nodded slightly not having the courage to say anything. “Well, we have chosen you to get rid of Rapture once and for all.” I sat up carefully and saw a lighthouse slowly approaching as it started to drizzle. The stallion continued as the mare levitated a pair of brown satchels over. “What we want you to do is find the creator of Rapture, Andrew Ryan and kill him before sinking rapture by whatever means necessary.” Wait. Did they just ask me to kill a pony?! “What makes you think that I’m going to listen to you guys at all? I have wings and when you untie me I can simply fly away.” I growled in response. I was not going to kill anypony at all. The mare chuckled slightly and stated, “We thought you might say that. So we have gunners placed at key points outside your family home ready to kill your parents. If you do not follow our request we will send the word to execute the order. Is that clear?” My ears flopped down to the sides as I took all of the information in. They would kill my parents?! That’s sick! I nodded in defeat and replied, “Fine. I’ll do your stupid request.” The stallion pushed the ores forward to stop the boat as we arrived at the lone lighthouse. I put on the brown satchels and tightened the straps around my stomach so they were secure and stood up when we finally stopped next to the docks. I climbed up the ladder and asked them, “What do I do now?” The stallion used his magic to untie my wings whilst the mare almost shouted since it was now raining heavily, “Just enter the lighthouse and go from there! We wish you good luck!” “Luck? She’s going to need more than that!” The stallion replied as they rowed away from me. I stomped my hoof on the rotting, wooden deck before walking down it and over to the lighthouse which looked like it was falling apart and weathered. I walked over to the huge front doors then pushed them open only to see a single light that was slowly dimming. I entered the building then suddenly the doors the doors slammed shut behind me from the wind which plunged me into darkness. I ran over to the doors and slammed my hooves against them and tried to open them. It was no use though, the wind had pretty much locked me in. I sighed and turned around once more to see lights come on and a giant red banner with the head of a pony looking down at me. I muttered to myself, “No gods or kings… only stallions… that’s sexist.” Next I noticed a plaque beneath it so I walked over to it and it read ‘Andrew Ryan’. “So that’s the Andrew Ryan… Pretty ugly.” The whole thing was pretty impressive though, the floors were made out of some type of marble with wooden and metal walls. The thing looked almost new compared to the outside. I turned my head to the left and found a set of stairs that led down so I trotted over and down them. I turned right and walked down another set of stairs beneath them to one more set of stairs but this time they made a large spiral downward with round plaques that had a different picture made out of gold in each one. As I reached the bottom of the stairs I saw a giant pod looking thing that had a rusted metal sign next to it. I said out loud, “Bathysphere. I guess that’s what this is.” Without thinking I walked into the surprisingly spacious pod. The floors were made out of wood with plush looking benches lining it and a window on the other side. In the middle of the whole thing was a leaver. I grabbed the leaver and pulled it down which caused the door behind me to slam shut and the pod to sink into the water below. It was pitch black outside until I saw the outside lights come on and a support structure that said ‘Ten Fathoms’ with a metal sculpture of a stallion reaching up then the same thing again but this time the structure said ‘Eighteen Fathoms’. Afterward a projector screen rolled down and a weird symbol came up in the middle of it. After a light and peppy sounding piece of music started and a picture of a stallion with his hoof on fire lighting a cigarette for a mare appeared along with some text that said ‘Fire at your Fingertips!’ At the top and ‘Incinerate, Plasmids by Ryan Industries’ at the bottom. “What the hell are Plasmids?” I thought out loud. Almost immediately after another picture came up with the same stallion from before in the lighthouse, sitting on a chair smoking out of a pipe and the text ‘From the Desk of RYAN’. The pony called Ryan said, “I am Andrew Ryan and I’m here to ask you a question.” The picture changed to a pony wiping the sweat off his face with a farm behind him, “Is a stallion not entitled to the sweat of his brow? No, says the Princess in Canterlot. It belongs to the poor. No, says the Princess in the Crystal Empire. It belongs to the Empire. No, says the Princess of the Night. It belongs to everypony.” Images of the three Princesses popped up. Then the picture changed back to him, “I rejected those answers. Instead. I chose something different. I chose the impossible. I chose…” The screen rolled back up, “Rapture.” We came over a cliff and out on to the glistening and impossible city. I gazed in awe and the many different buildings and glowing signs. I had heard of the city before but nothing like this! There were schools of fish swimming around and even a giant squid. Bright lights lit up windows everywhere. It was impossible to see why this city fell. Ryan continued as we entered the maze of buildings, “A city where the artist would not fear the censor. Where the scientist would not be bound by petty morality. Where the great would not be constrained by the small. And with the sweat of your brow. Rapture can become your city as well.” We passed over a connecting tunnel and past another one of the stallion statues, the whole time Ryan was talking. As we passed under another glass tunnel I saw what looked like a giant deep sea diver suit welding something in the tunnel. It was terrifying to say the least and having that huge drill on it’s forehead didn’t help one bit. Then a giant whale below us caught me eye and I noticed more signs. One of them said in green ‘FLEET HALL’. Over the communications thingy next to the door a stallion said, “We’re in the middle of the of the Sparkling Sea… how could a plane crash?” A incoherent voice replied whilst we entered a metal exoskeleton of a tube and at the entrance said ‘All Good Things’ then ‘Of Equestria’, ‘Flow’ and finally ‘Into The City’. We passed into a smaller tube then a cylinder that pushed us upward. The same voice said again but this time the voice sounded terrified. Just like me. “O-Okay, just one more minute… the ‘sphere- the ‘sphere' is coming up now…” He must’ve been talking about us. Sparks of electricity sparked around as we were reaching closer and closer to the distressed stallion. We finally reached the top and I saw the outline of a shadow back away from something whilst pleading with it, “Please, lady… I didn’t mean no trespass. Just don’t hurt me…” Now I could hear him clearly and he sounded like he had come from Manehatten. He walked toward me and pleaded once more with the thing that now had hooks for hands, “Just let me go… you can keep my gun. You can-“ He whimpered as the thing pushed itself on to it’s hind legs then swung it’s left hook at the stallions chest. The light flickered off as the guy cried out. Next the thing shot forward and impaled the poor stallion against the entrance of the sphere. The thing pushed deeply into the neck of the stallion then ripped out it’s hooks to the side causing the stallion to scream and gargle before dropping dead to the ground. I reeled back in horror as the light flickered and I could make out the thing as a demented pegasus with bronze hooks and messed up face. The thing asked in a creepily calm voice, “Is it someone new?” I slowly moved away from the entrance and into the middle before the female thing shrieked in rage and jumped up to the top of the sphere with the help of her wings. I covered my head with my wings and curled up into a ball on the floor whilst crying like crazy. I whispered, “Please don’t kill me! Please don’t kill me! Please don’t kill me!” The sounds of metal and wiring being ripped apart didn’t help one bit and the sphere started to shake from the thing on top punching holes into it. Sparks of electricity flew around and a blue light flashed and flashed above me. Why can’t this just end?! Please! Sounds of metal being bent and twisted got louder and louder and the screams of the thing got harsher and she got closer. Then suddenly she stopped and jumped down before running away. I smiled slightly before passing out from the fear. > Chapter 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eventually I came too and shook my head before looking around, hopefully not encountering that demon from earlier. My head ached in fact my whole body ached from being dragged about and getting hit over the head. I let out a small sigh of relief and smiled slightly before completely breaking down in my spot. I shouted out, “Why did all of this happen to me?! Killing ponies? Sinking a city? Why is this happening?!” Tears ran freely down my already dirty fur and splashed onto the wooden floor. The whole place was dark and dingy not to mention the constant smell of blood mixed with rot. It was almost unbearable. This was not how today was meant to go down… Twilight and the others… they don’t even know that I’m down here! I wanted to go back in time and change everything so this would have never happened but I wasn’t a unicorn so there was no chance of that ever happening. I took deep breaths in and I slowly felt my heart hate go down until I was breathing normally. I collected myself and sat up whilst wiping the tears out of my magenta coloured eyes. I looked around the sphere and saw to the left of me what looked like a small hoofheld radio. I walked over to it and picked it up before randomly pressing a few buttons to see if it worked. As if luck was finally on my side it switched on and a few different voices came through. None I could make out though but at least it worked for now. I clipped it to the strap of the saddle bags and slowly walked out of the sphere. As I walked over the bridge and to the middle of the spacious room I noticed a big chamber that had some sort of electricity sparking around in it with a few ruined suitcases in front. I shrugged and cautiously walked over to see what exactly it was. On the top of the machine it said ‘Vita-chamber’. What the hell is one of those? I ignored the weird machine and looked down to see a first aid kit partly buried beneath the suitcases. I pushed the cases aside and picked up the kit with my wings before opening the lid to find a few bandages, a bottle of aesthetic and a few gauze pads. Despite the old and worn out exterior, the lid must have kept everything clean and sterile. It was defiantly going to come in handy later so I flipped open the slightly full saddle bag and chucked it in before closing it again and turning back around. I quickly but cautiously walked over to the other side of the room which had a giant metal door leading into what I presumed was another room. I gazed in slight awe at the door since I had never seen anything like it before, the intricate swirls swirling around a round circle in the centre and the fine detailing around the edges of it made it something different. I walked up the few steps leading to the door then stuck my hoof out to touch the door to see if it did anything. As I was about to touch it the door lifted up into the wall showing me the next room. As I was about to enter I heard the scraping of metal on metal and looked around frantically to find the source of the noise. I called out, “Is anyone there? Hello?” Panic and fear were becoming increasingly present in my voice with each word. A faint laugh echoed around the room and the sound of hooves walking around got closer and closer to me. I shook my head and walked forward through the doorway trying to drown out the scraping by listening to the sound of my own hoof steps. This must be a dream right? I made it through the doorway and down the small set of stairs into a smaller room with tables flipped over and fallen pillars all around me. I was about to take another step forward when the thing decided to make it’s appearance and jumped down in front of me with what looked like rose petals falling down after it. I screamed in fear of the thing and ran to the nearest corner by instinct. Bad move. The thing sauntered over to me as if it were taunting it’s prey ready to strike at any moment. My eyes darted around the room looking for something and that’s when I heard it. At first it was a small whirring sound in the background but as it got closer the sound grew louder and louder to the point where I could see a green light to the left of me. I looked in the direction of the light and slowly made out what looked like a floating machine gun with a light shining in my direction. Next there was a loud beeping noise before the machine gun started firing at me. Without thinking at all I flared my wings out before wrapping them around my head. I heard a scream and the tearing of metal before something dropping to the ground. I peeked through my feathers only to see the thing laying dead on the floor, the things chest ripped wide open with blood oozing out of it and bones sticking out at funny angles with bullet holes through them. As much as I wanted to throw up on the spot something compelled me to walk over to the thing and investigate what it was. I folded away my wings whilst walking over to the thing that looked increasingly like a mare, a pegasus mare. I took a few steps back in shock realising that it was a pony just like anyone else. How could somepony turn into a brain dead, kill-on-instinct thing. I shook my head with tears in the corners of my eyes whilst quickly walking away from the body, heavily resisting the urge not to throw up on the spot. I looked in front of me to the entrance to the next room only to see that it was blocked with fallen and crushed pillars. I tapped the pillar but nothing happened so I shoved it only to get the same result as before. I groaned in frustration and looked around for something that could help me get through. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a glimpse of something so I turned my head in the direction of the light only to see that it was a rusted red wrench buried under a fallen pillar. I slammed my front hooves on the ground before pivoting around then used my hind legs to buck the pillar. The pillar in question moved back only a few feet but it was enough to grab the wrench. I reached out with my wing and quickly picked it up before moving back over to the blocked doorway. I tightened my grip on the wrench and stretched my wing as far back as possible before bringing the wrench down hard on the fallen and cracked pillar smashing it into small pieces. I crouched down whilst tucking the wrench between the straps of the saddles and my fur then squeezed through the small space. Once I was through I stood up again only to be met with a demented laugh and a large wooden desk that was on fire falling down the stairs toward me. I panicked and flared out my wings before crouching down and jumping into the air whilst forcing my wings down giving me the extra boost I needed to avoid the desk. I landed again and quickly got out the wrench with one of my wings and ran up the stairs to face the larger thing throwing what looked like flaming bombs. I didn’t have time to notice what the thing looked like since the thing was throwing the bombs at me. I ducked under one of the bombs before smashing the wrench into the things face. I heard the crunch of bone and the scream of it. I screamed uncontrollably as I smashed the wrench into the things face over and over and over, my eyes wide and my ears flopped back. As I beat the thing to death blood splashed and spurted on to me but I didn’t care I just wanted the thing dead. I hit the thing for the final time before sinking to the ground crying uncontrollably. I looked shakily down at the thing and realised that it was a male earth pony that I had just brutally murdered without a second thought. I brutally killed a pony in self defence right? Keep telling yourself that. I shook my head trying to get rid of the horrible thoughts before standing up fully, the wrench back securely placed under the saddle straps and I started walking forward into a room which was defiantly more spacious than the last two rooms combined. At the other end of the room hung a giant red banner with the words ‘Welcome to Rapture’ on it in gold to make it stand out even more than it already had. Around me were tables and chairs, some still standing in perfect condition whilst others thrown about like a rag doll. And to top it off in each corner of the room was a small waterfall with a stream running along the edges of the room to make it look even more magnificent. The only problem was the distinct smell of rot and bodies of ponies laying around, some with chunks of their necks missing and dried up pools of blood around them whilst others had whole limbs missing and bulled wounds all over their bodies. It was as if I had walked into a homicide or a horror movie, I couldn’t decide. I forced my legs to move forward father into the room and my stomach to stop churning from my surroundings. I made it through the room with ease but that changed in the next room as I walked though it. The door slammed down behind me and I heard another laugh, this one much deeper than the last one. The room itself was beautiful with a walkway in the centre and two lowered area’s to the sides with giant glass panes looking out into the city but was ruined with cracks in the glass letting a steady stream of water flow in and the ceiling constantly dripping into a growing puddle. I explored the lowered area to the left and reeled back in shock when I saw a decaying body of what looked like a unicorn stallion dressed up as if he were going to a meeting. It was literally a skeleton with clumps of flesh here and there stuck to the bones and a rotting smell coming from the water. I averted my eyes to the suitcase in the opposite corner. I glided over to it before unconsciously rummaging through it to find anything at all that could help me. I found about twelve dollars but that was about it. I walked up the second set of steps and I reached the door only to hear a thud and another taunting laugh. I slowly turned around to be met with a hoof flying at my face. I cried out in pain as the hoof slammed into my face which resulted in sending me flying down the stairs. I placed my hoof lightly on my cheek only to immediately remove my hoof as my cheek was already tender and a dull pain constantly present. I growled with tears in the corners of my eyes as I stood up and got out the wrench with one of my front legs. I ran forward to the thing as it ran at me and when I was close enough I swung the wrench into the side of it’s face then down on it’s skull repeatedly. I didn’t even give the thing a chance to fight back as I beat it to death. I struck one final time before putting the now dripping with blood wrench into it’s spot. I laughed to myself as I bucked the door open and muttered out loud, “You haven’t even been here one day Dash and you’ve already killed 3 ponies… I’m a monster…” I entered a huge room that dwarfed the last three and could probably fit half of Ponyville in it. To the right was a doorway with statues of stallions reaching up either side of another door with the sign above it of ‘Welcome to Rapture’ engraved. To the right was a set of stair cases leading up to a second level and a desk in front of it. My curiosity got the best of me as I walked up the set of stairs to the right and saw a what looked live a rusted vending machine with little filly’s either side smiling wildly up at the machine called ‘Gatherer’s Garden’. I gulped and inspected the machine closer. In the slot that dispensed whatever it sold was a round metal bottle with a red liquid circling around in it with a needle that looked surprisingly clean. I picked up the bottle with my wing and read on the tag, “Electro Bolt Plasmid. Nothing like having a fist of lightning at your control. Huh.” I griped the needle in my mouth before carefully shoving it into the hole in the top of the plasmid thingy and took out most of the liquid. I removed the liquid from the mostly empty bottle and discarded it as I shakily brought the full needle to my front left hoof. Wait what am I doing? Sticking a needle with something I don’t even know about into my arm? I’m a bloody idiot… And without another thought I plunged the needle into my arm and pushed the liquid into my veins. I cried out in pain as the thick liquid entered my blood stream and pink started to flash around my eyes. I ripped the empty needle out of my leg and started unknowingly moving backward. This pain was nothing like I had ever felt. It was like a million lightning bolts coursing through my veins never stopping. I bumped into the metal railing and fell over the edge as the pink flashes became constant and black was seeping into my field of vision. I hit the floor but felt no more pain then there already was surprisingly. I blinked slowly and one minute I’m looking at a door to a tunnel and the next I see two demented stallions walking by muttering something to themselves then loud thumps and a low, metallic groan and a filly say happily, “Look Mr Bubbles! An angel! Wait this one isn’t dead yet. Shame but soon she will become an angel!” The filly in front of me was wearing a ruined striped purple dress with a white corset but the worse thing was that her eyes were glowing bright yellow. I tried to scream but only a slight whimper came out and I blinked and this time nothing was present or around me. My vision slowly cleared and I sat up with a painful headache. I ignored it as best as I could by looking at my left forehoof expecting to see a large hole but instead saw a light blue bar in place of the hole with it filled in with white blocks. I didn’t know what any of it meant but somehow I faintly knew. I tried to rub off the bar with my other hoof but it was no use. It wasn’t going anywhere. I groaned out loud from the stress of everything and took off my heavy saddlebags before placing them in front of me. I dug through them wondering what actually was in them. I found a set of maps which looked like they were maps of Rapture, a few bars of oats, another first aid kit, a piece of paper with only the name ‘Teanembaum’ and finally what looked like the little radio clipped to the straps but it was larger and had a pause and play button on it. I pressed the button and a voice said, “If you are listening to this it means you are in Rapture.” It was the same voice as the mare that dragged me here. Proper and well thought through. “Now listen carefully. In order to survive in Rapture you must remember this. First of all, the demonic looking things are ponies just like you or I but the only difference is the fact that they have been corrupted by lust for power of the plasmids that drove them insane which brings me to my next point.” She paused then continued, “Plasmids are bottles of liquids which re-writes your genetic code allowing you to use lightning or fire or anything like it. Audio diaries just like this one give you an idea of Rapture was like when it wasn’t like this and what caused it to fall. Now my final point. Big Daddies. They are stallions in a deep sea diving suit that work on the buildings in Rapture by either repairing it or defending it. They got their name from the little sisters that follow them around as if the monsters were their actual father. Now I repeat never, never. Try and take a little sister away from the big daddy which will enrage it and most likely kill you on the spot. I wish you good luck in Rapture. Your going to need it.” Those things called ‘Splicers’ were really ponies just like me but corrupted. How could somepony ever end up like that? I quickly packed up everything back into the saddles before putting the heavy gear back on. I stood up once more that day and walked over to the door which opened for me. I entered the tube like tunnel which had curved glass all around me so I could see the breath taking view of the city around me. As I progressed into the tunnel I heard the sound or rushing water and when I walked down the set of stairs in the tunnel I was met by a current pulling me away from the floor and down into a version of rapids. As soon as it started it ended as I was slammed into the corner connecting to the left to another area. I cried out once again as I tried to get up and walk away from the currents. Slowly and painfully I stood up as liters and liters of cold water poured down on me. I stuck my right hind leg around the corner and pushed with all of my might to get away from the water and on to the stairs. I pushed once more and finally managed to free myself and tumble through the open door and into a lobby and a dead male splicer. I got to my feet and violently shook my body spraying water in every direction off my fur. I heard a shout then a fire bomb coming at me from the right. I ducked under the bomb then stood up on my hind legs and rubbed my forehooves together creating sparks around my left leg, my rainbow hair starting to stick up at every direction from the friction created. I saw the splicer gallop at me and when he was close enough I stepped forward and shot my left hoof forward, electricity shooting out of the hoof and into the unprepared stallion in front of me. He screamed out in pain and clawed at his skin violently trying to stop the electricity but it was no use as I dropped down on to all fours and grabbed the wrench then whacked him in the head as hard as I could. The stallion fell forward dead on the floor as his head split open and blood and brain mucus came pouring out of it and on to the floor around me. I cringed from the death and the smell in the air but walked past it putting the wrench into it’s spot. I looked around the room and in the far corner to the left I saw another one of those ‘Vita-Chamber’ thingy. Around me were various elevators all most all of them destroyed in some way. I ignored it and walked over to the one working elevator and hopped in before pressing the only button in the thing. A metal gate slammed shut in front of me and the elevator started moving up. All I wanted was for this nightmare to be a nightmare and I would wake up on a soft cloud in Ponyville in the sunshine but I knew in my gut that it wasn’t simply a dream but real harsh life. The elevator came to a stop on the third floor and I got out only to hear a lullaby coming from the right. I scanned the room quickly for anything but I found nothing at all so I walked toward the voice, subconsciously getting out my trusted wrench. At the entrance to a restaurant called ‘Kashmir Restaurant’ was a mare hunched over a pram singing a lullaby that I had never heard before. She seemed quite normal at first but as I got closer and closer I noticed the looked more and more like a splicer. She must’ve heard me coming since she suddenly turned around and swung at me with a crow bar. I jumped to the side then rubbed my forehooves together and stepping forward whilst flinging my left hoof out, electrocuting the woman to death. I walked over to the pram and saw instead of a foal a loaded revolver. Without a second glance I snatched the gun up and put it in the left saddle. I continued into the restaurant and gazed in disgust at it. Tables and chairs were flipped over and water from different spots poured into the room. Every doorway in the room was blocked but the stallions toilets. I groaned in frustration and didn’t even bother to look around the ruined rooms whilst waking over to the gentlecolt’s bathroom. I turned left and walked into the toilet area and walked down the narrow pathway. I kicked open each toilet door to reveal rubble, more rubble, dead body and even more rubble. I got to the door at the end and pushed it open to find a hole in the wall which looked like it lead to platform of some kind. I walked through the hole and stopped dead in my tracks as I said out loud, “What the fuck is that?!”