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// Welcome to the H.E.R.D. 
// Story: H.E.R.D. 
// by Time Code 
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Scootaloo awoke with a start as her world seemed to roll beneath her. She opened her eyes, squinting against the sudden brightness, and was startled to see the ocean sparkling far below her. It took her a few seconds to realise that she was in a flying carriage. An expensive one, based on the glowing runes covering the ceiling.
   “What happened?” Scootaloo groaned, watching the water below through a window, “Where am I”?

   “Ah don’t rightly know.” Scootaloo gave a startled yelp, jumping around to face a yellow Earth-Pony filly. The filly gave Scootaloo an apologetic grin. “Sorry about that.”

   “No problem,” Scootaloo responded, taking a couple of deep breaths to calm her nerves. “You just surprised me. That’s all.”

   “That’s good. The names Apple Bloom.” Apple Bloom stuck out her hoof for a hoof bump. Scootaloo reciprocated the gesture.

   “Scootaloo. You seriously don’t know why we are here?”

   “Nah. Ah was hoping you would know something.” Apple Bloom explained, a slight hint of hope present in here.thickly accented voice.

   “Sorry. No clue here either.” disappointment clear in Scootaloo’s voice. Looking out of the carriage’s front window, Scootaloo could clearly see the four pegasi pulling the carriage. All four wore some kind of form-fitting black uniform but from this angle no insignias or badges were visible. Apple Bloom followed Scootaloo’s eyes out the front window, before lightly huffing.

   “Bet they’ll know what’s happening.” Apple Bloom muttered bitterly.

   “Well we can’t exactly ask them right now,” Scootaloo said, flopping onto her back. “All we can do is wait.” Sighing, Apple Bloom lay down, a depressed look on her face. Scootaloo just now noticed the fluffy, purple rug covering the floor. That explained why she felt so well rested. Looking up, Scootaloo spotted something in the distance.

   “Hey, Apple Bloom. What about that?” Coming more and more into focus with each second, was a tropical island. In the centre of the island, was a tall mountain, and from the mountain’s severed peak, came a continuous plume of black smoke.

   “Ah guess that’s our destination. Fa’nally some answers.” Apple Bloom said, pushing herself up off the floor. The Carriage quickly closed the gap, and soon the scrolling ocean was replaced with an untamed jungle. Approaching the mountain, the carriage started to climb, getting closer and closer to the geyser of volcanic gas at the top, until eventually the carriage was consumed by this dark cloud. Watching the guards continue on, without breaking stride, Scootaloo suddenly realize that this was no natural volcanic smoke. Natural smoke would have seared the feathers from the pegasi’s wings near instantaneously. This smoke must have been faked. Scootaloo’s theory was confirmed not a second later, as the carriage started a tight descend down into the crater of the volcano. After a few minutes, the smoke suddenly cleared, revealing a landing platform. Scattered across the platform was a collection of ponies from every tribe, all wearing hard hats and orange jumpsuits. The plethora of ponies were rushing all over the platform, preparing for the carriage’s arrival.

   “Seems like they were expecting us” Apple Bloom muttered. Scootaloo mentally agreed. As the carriage came to a standstill, several of the ponies began to approach it. Scootaloo quietly noted the oddly shaped sheaths on their flanks. The sheaths differed in shape for each tribe, but none of the shapes looked familiar. What were those things?
A guard opened the carriage door on Scootaloo’s side, gesturing for her to get out. Complying, Scootaloo stepped down, the true enormity of the hanger suddenly becoming apparent to her.

   “Wow!” Apple Bloom gasped, stepping down beside Scootaloo, awe dripping from her words. Scootaloo grudgingly had to agree with her. It was an impressive bit of construction work, despite its current use. A round the room sat at least a dozen other carriages, all of the same design as the one they had just been in, their matte, dark finishing seeming to ripple in the light from the glowing crystals embedded in the platform, like the heartbeat of some sleeping beast. Grim-looking guards were posted at regular intervals around the platform, with extras being posted around the recently landed carriage. Considering the sheer amount of guards, Scootaloo decided it was probably wise to do what they wished for now. Apple Bloom seemed to have had the same idea if her narrowed eyes and flat smile were any indication.

   “Proceed up the stairs and through the main entrance” one of the guards commanded in a gruff voice, pointing to a set of stairs carved directly into the rock. “You will be given further instruction inside.” Giving Apple Bloom a light nudge, Scootaloo started to walk towards the stairs, the yellow filly joining her a second later. They proceeded in silence, Scootaloo wondering what they would find behind the giant set of steel doors situated at the top of the stairs they were climbing. A loud grinding noise filled the room, causing both fillies to instinctively cover their ears. Looking up, Scootaloo spotted a pair of glowing panels slowly closing together. On closer inspection, the panels were covered in some sort of Runic array, although she didn’t recognise it from this distance. As the panels crunched together, the light from the array winked out of existence, leaving the only light in the room being that of the landing crystals. With a sudden shudder, Scootaloo realised the volcano had been sealed. They were trapped.

   The two fillies continued their climb, eventually reaching the metal doors, which automatically slid open as they approached. They passed through into another cavern, not as large as the hanger, but equally impressive. The floor was a highly polished dark stone, possibly black marble but Scootaloo was no geomancer. The rock walls were also lined with slabs of the same gleaming stone, the dark surface broken up by the occasional sturdy-looking brushed-steel door. At the far end of the corridor there stood a grand sculpture of the globe, covered in golden cracks and splinters, as it was being crushed beneath a giant hoof. Around the base, emblazoned in gold, were the words ‘DO UNTO OTHERS’. In front of the statue was a low stage, with a lectern placed in the centre, right below the giant hoof. Milling around in front of the stage was a group of around 20 or so foals, nervous looks and whispers being plentiful amongst them. They all seemed to be roughly Scootaloo's age, and it was clear to Scoots that the foals were just as confused and anxious as she was. Not that scoots would admit that to anyone. All around the perimeter of the room stood guards, each of them watching the foals carefully. Seeing as they had seemingly arrived at their destination, Scoots closely scrutinised the guards. Despite looking just like any of the hired thugs she had seen back home, these guys held themselves with an air of discipline. She may not have been able to recognise the weapons the guards were equipped with, but Scootaloo could definitely recognise the care and comfortable posture of the guard. They were clearly well trained, and unafraid to use the weapons if required.

   “Or not,” Scootaloo muttered under her breath, earning herself an odd look from Apple Bloom. A door in the wall hissed open, revealing a well-dressed unicorn mare. The mare started walking towards the podium, her tall height and black suit, with a black shirt and burning red cravat, giving her an imposing image. Raising a pale orange leg, the unicorn stepped up onto the podium, her turn towards the audience shifting the mare’s long red and yellow mane out of her face, revealing a pair of pale green eyes. The mare scanned her eyes over the crowd for a second, an amused smile playing on her face.

   “Welcome, fillies and colts, to your new home” The Mare gestured to the stone walls around them, a slight echo from the cavern repeated the words, making sure everyone had heard them. “Your lives as you once knew them are over,” she continued. “You have been selected, all of you, the worst, the most cunning, the most mischievous young minds from across Equus. You have been selected to become a part of an enterprise like no other. You have all exhibited certain unique abilities, abilities that set you apart from the mediocrity of the teeming masses and which mark you as the leaders of tomorrow. Here, in this establishment, you will be granted the knowledge and experience to best exploit your own natural abilities, to hone your craft to a cutting edge.” The mare paused here, and this time slowly surveyed the crowd of pale, wide-eyed foals before her.

   “Each of you has a rare quality. A blessing or gift, as some have called it, for all of you have a special talent suited for supreme villainy. Society would have us believe that this is an undesirable characteristic, something that must be subdued, controlled or destroyed; all in the name of harmony. But not here… No, here we wish to see you blossom into all that you can be, to see your innate wickedness flourish, to make you the very worst that you can be. To create true harmony, by balancing the brightest lights, with the darkest shadows.
The Mare stepped out from behind the lectern and walked to the front of the stage. As she loomed over the foals, the mare seemed to grow in size, and her eye began to lightly glow. Many of the foals at the front began to back away slowly. “Today is a great day for you all, as you have the unique honour and privilege of becoming the newest students at the first and only school for applied villainy in all of Equus.” The Mare suddenly reared up onto her hind legs, throwing her forelegs out to point toward the cavern walls, hey horn glowing brightly. “Welcome to H.E.R.D. the High Educator for Rogue Dignitaries!”