//------------------------------// // Poison // Story: Tales of the Battle Foals // by Sirdubya //------------------------------// Trekking through the tunnels proved to be more dangerous than the foals expected. Every once in a while, they’d encounter another swarm of the odd cave ponies, but the cave ponies themselves seemed to become more conscious of the fact that they were outmatched each time and retreated sooner each time. “Pfft! Man, d’hese dudes ain’t nuttin’!” Turf War declared. “Yeah…..but who are they, and why are they down here?” Spiral Galaxy pondered. “I’m more concerned about what drove them to acting like feral beasts.” Fire Fight said. “I just hope this isn’t another ‘breakthrough experiment’ courtesy of our….late acquaintance. We have enough of that to deal with as is” Shadow Shroud said as she glanced over at Crazylocks, who was fluttering about randomly as she made bird noises “If that turns out to be the case, then I bear no regrets about cutting them down.” Air Slash said. “Air Slash….that’s so callous.” Greensprout said. “These ponies must have once innocently lived happy lives before their….corruption, I suppose, and you would slay them with no regard to such?” “N-N-No, Greensprout. That’s….not what I meant.” Air Slash stammered. “I think what our valiant swordspony here means to say is that we don’t regret having to put these poor souls out of their misery.” Shadow Shroud said. “Seeing as they’re….shadows of their former selves, there’s little else we can do for them other than let them be taken by death’s sweet embrace. It’s the only mercy that they can truly be granted.” “Y-Y-Yes. That’s a good way to put it. I-I do regret that this is all we can do.” Air Slash said. Greensprout sighed. “That’s....honorable of you, but…..the idea of having to take a life is just…..” Air Slash landed and walked beside Greensprout. “I know. It’s difficult, but if it means easing their suffering, then I’ve no qualms. Besides, we’re not asking you to follow suit. Let the rest of us handle it. You just concentrate on healing everypony. I…..I-I would hate to see you lose your compassionate nature.” He blushed at his last statement. Greensprout looked into his eyes, causing him to blush a little more and slowly creased a smile. “Life can be cruel, can’t it?” Air Slash chuckled. “I’m sure you know that seeing as you practically wield it in your hooves.” Greensprout giggled. “Well….I wouldn’t go that far.” She said. Just then, the foals suddenly found themselves face to face with a cave pony mare. She was completely alone, so the foals didn’t feel threatened. Interestingly enough, she didn’t outright charge at them like all the other they’d encountered. She just…..eyed them….as if to assess the situation. Furthermore, she had on more clothing than the others they had encountered. Her attire was the same kind of tattered robe-like tunics that the others wore, but hers was decorated with gold lacings stitched into lovely patterns, and she wore a medallion around her neck that depicted some sort of shining tree. Kickback casually tipped his hat. “Howdy, ma’am.” The twisted mare turned glanced over at him. She eyed him for a moment before reaching into her tunic and pulling out a device that closely resembled his guns. “Huh!?” She pointed it at the foals, and it started making a violent humming sound as the inside of the barrel started glowing a bright blue. Kickback gasped. “GET DOWN, Y’ALL!” He and the other foals wasted no time hitting the deck. The twisted mare fired a bolt of blue energy at the foals that just missed them as they ducked. Shrapnel wasted no time leaping towards her and slamming her into the wall with her claw. Her gun-like device was knocked away from her in the process. Before the mare could get back up on her hooves, Shrapnel clamped his jaws onto her and tossed her into the ground in front of the foals. “Shrapnel, pin her down!” Greensprout shouted. Shrapnel gave a confused glance for a split second, but complied. With his overwhelming strength, he held the feral mare down to ground. He then grunted at Greensprout. “He says ‘Why not finish her?’” Crazylocks said. “Let me try something.” Greensprout said. Much to everypony’s surprise, she channeled her healing beam onto the mare. She violently flailed around tossed around as she tried to free herself from Shrapnel’s grasp. As Greensprout continued to channel the vital energy into her, the mare gradually became less and less feral, and her growls and gurgles were soon replaced with coughs and sputters. Her cloudy eyes cleared up completely. Seeing as her little experiment worked, Greensprout stopped and walked over to the now panting and coughing normalized mare. “Thank you, Shrapnel. Please let go of her. Shrapnel complied and released his grip on the mare. “What the!? You…..healed her!?” Spiral said. Everypony was amazed. “’Healed’ might be stretching it. She looks ready to disintegrate.” Shadow Shroud commented. She noticed that the mare looked beyond elderly, almost mummified. Kickback was more concerned with the strange ‘gun’ that she possessed and walked over to it. “Huh….looks like we found yer crazy uncle, you two.” He said as he glanced at his guns. “NOOOOO!” The elderly mare suddenly shouted. Her voice was so raspy and aged that it was enough to muffle her shout. Greensprout put her hoof on the mare’s shoulder as she still laid there on the rocky ground. “What is it? What happened to you?” The mare looked into Greensprout’s. Her eyes had sunken into their sockets and were filled with terror. “Don’t……… take it!....…..It’s…..It’s POISON!!!” “What? What’s poison? What turned you into a monster?” Greensprout asked. However, it was not meant to be. The mare’s eyes sunk in, and she plopped to the ground not moving. Shadow Shroud walked over to her and felt her neck. She sighed and drew her kunai, taking a deep breath as she looked at the ancient mare. “May your weary soul find peaceful rest.” She plunged her kunai into the mare’s neck, and the echo of her last breath could be heard resounding throughout the tunnels. “Shadow Shroud!” Greensprout said. Shroud looked at her. “She still had a pulse. Your Gaia Root did what it could, but looked like time had caught up with her somehow. I only granted her one final mercy.” Greensprout sighed. “You’re a lion among lambs, Shadow Shroud. Shroud wiped her kunai off with the mare’s clothing before sheathing it. “I know.” She said. “Hmm…..‘poison’……” ***** Quantum Tech and Zebota had their jaws to the floor at a completely unexpected sight. At the top of a flight of stairs leading up to what was likely many entrances to this building was……a series of foldable tables and lamps that one would see in a photography studio! They were turned off, but the fact that something so out of place would appear before them so suddenly was shocking. “It would seem that we were not the first ones here.” Zebota said. “Yes…..That’s….quite concerning….but I suppose we don’t have much choice. Shall we?” Quantum said. Zebota nodded. They quietly snuck up the stairs and examined the sight. Whoever was here before had obviously abandoned their post, but Quantum immediately recognized a series of archaeological tools laid about the tables. The lamps were connected to portable generators that looked like they still worked, but they didn’t dare try to turn them on for the risk of attracting the Fallen. “So, somepony uncovered this place before we stumbled upon it, but why have I never heard of any expeditions here? These materials look like they’ve been here for at least a few years, and I kept up to date with any and all new discoveries within the past decade or so.” “Perhaps they did not want anypony to know about this place so that they do not fall victim to the Fallen, so they kept it a secret, even leaving behind their expedition.” Zebota said. “Well…..that’s not unreasonable.” Quantum said. “Perhaps their main base was stationed inside. They may have left research notes amongst their materials. Let’s go.” The two crept through the slightly ajar doors into the ruined university, peering through for any Fallen that might be lurking in the dark. When it was determined that the coast was clear, they carefully walked inside. They didn’t have to worry too much about being in the dark, because was more of the glowing fluid secreting from root and vine overgrowths and being kept in ancient glass containers no doubt used by the Fallen back in their heyday. “Interesting! So this substance existed when their civilization still thrived.” “Hmm….could it be the power source that we seek?” Zebota asked. “I have no way of being able to discern that for certain, but perhaps our ‘predecessors’ had notes on it. It’s clear that whatever this substance is, it bore some significance to these ponies.” Quantum said. “Searching for any sort of library would be prudent.” “Or perhaps this main base that you speak of.” Zebota said. The interior design of the building definitely marked it as a university of some sort. Banners depicting a shining tree were prevalent within the main lobby, most likely a symbolic crest. Sculptures and paintings of various qualities were displayed throughout, and Quantum tech could recognize the smell of some spilled chemicals; she had plenty of experience….. There were many hallways with rooms that were marked only with symbols ranging from mathematical symbols to leaves, building tools, art tools, and….books! “Aha! Found it!” Quantum said. “How do you know that it is not a classroom for Literature?” Zebota asked. Quantum opened the door. “Well, why don’t we simply enter and- OH MY WORD!!” Before the two was a gruesome scene. They had definitely found the main base for the archaeologists, but what they didn’t expect was to also find the archaeologists themselves……mauled by the Fallen. They had modern clothing on that had been horribly torn and tattered from the attack, and their bodies had considerably decayed. They’d clearly been here for a few years at least. “This…..is a bad sign.” Zebota said. “W-Well…..a-a-at least their research seems to be intact.” Quantum stammered. She noticed that a series of journals were scattered amongst the remains of the ravaged scientist. Unfortunately, most of them had been so torn or stained with blood that they were rendered illegible, except for one. “Hmm…” Quantum opened to the first page. “Zebota, guard the door while I read this, won’t you?” “Yes. I suppose I should close it.” Zebota said, and he closed the door. “Thank you. Now, let’s see….” Quantum began reading. Apparently, this journal belonged to the leader of the expedition, a rising professor in archaeology named Stone Century. “Hmm….Can’t say I recognize that name.” Stone Century had come down here with his wife, a nurse named Healing Touch who served as the expedition’s doctor. Everypony else was either a random geologist, demolition expert, engineer and the like that had come from community colleges from across Equestria. It turns out that this cave was randomly discovered by some hikers who reported their find to Stone Century; they were apparently friends with the good professor. With some funding, Stone Century and Healing Touch managed to gather a small team to explore the cave with them. Their discovery of the lost city was a complete accident. Strangely however, there was no immediate mention of the Fallen whatsoever. “How odd…” “What?” Zebota asked. “Well, it seems that those ponies didn’t encounter the Fallen when they stumbled upon this place. Perhaps their presence…..disturbed them somehow?” Quantum said. “Beasts of the wild can be fickle things. They may see prey, but they may not always have the opportunity to strike.” Zebota said. “Hmm….nevertheless…” Quantum resumed her reading. According to Stone Century, this ancient city existed roughly 3,400 years before Princess Celestia, meaning that ponies had existed in Equestria before it came to be known as such! Quantum Tech’s jaw hit the floor. “How marvelous!” She continued reading. While they couldn’t discern the name of the civilization itself, they came to the difficult conclusion that this city was simply called ‘The Meadow’, because the ponies here worshipped some giant tree as a divine being, which was supposedly at the heart of the city, but….“We didn’t happen to see any giant trees when we scouted around in the watch tower, did we?” “I do not recall such a thing. Why?” Zebota inquired. “There’s supposed to be one in the center of the city that they once revered as a god.” Quantum said. “Perhaps it succumbed to ruin like its city did.” “Well…..that’s not unreasonable.” She continued reading and gasped when she read further about the tree. “What is it?” Zebota asked. “You were right, Zebota! The giant tree that they worshipped was the source of the glowing fluid- it’s the tree’s resin! And it was the source of power for their technology!” Quantum said. Zebota exhibited a shocked expression. “What!? But…..how is that possible? How does a tree…..what is in this resin!?” Quantum went back to reading. “I’m still looking into that.” She carefully read through a few more pages, but nothing pertaining to the properties of the resin came up. “Hmm…..I guess they didn’t anticipate needing a botanist.” “Couldn’t they have just returned to the surface to hire one?” Zebota asked. “Precisely my concern…” Quantum said as she perused through the journal. As she did, she got a few answers she was waiting for. “Oh dear. Well, it seems the drawbridge was mysteriously raised, thus trapping them here, and then that’s when the Fallen started appearing.” Zebota sighed. “Cursed monsters….” He angrily mumbled. “Indeed. The rest of the journal pays no more regard to studying this place, but rather diary entries regarding their survival.” Quantum explained. She then found a passage that dumbfounded her- the final entry, no less. “M-My….My word!” “What?” Zebota asked. “They were down here for a number of months, and sometime during that, Stone Century’s wife became with foal. It was born right in this very room!” Quantum explained. Zebota was shocked. “Surely you jest!” Quantum shook her head. “I’ll read the final passage to you.” She cleared her throat. “’To whoever may find this, know that this will likely be my last entry. My dearest Healing Touch and I can’t possibly take care of our foal in this hostile place. These monsters have us cornered, and we can do naught but hide and wait for our death. We’ve sent Steam Valve, our only pegasus and cowardly engineer to fly our daughter across the chasm and send her to safety. We gave him a basket that would safely carry her down the river at the entrance to this dreaded place. He’ll face a great peril and perhaps die of whatever injuries he may sustain, but his compassion towards foals will drive him to overcome his fear. Whoever finds her, our beautiful Greensprout, may she be given a loving family and a safe home.’”