//------------------------------// // Chapter Six: Creation // Story: CRISIS: Equestria - Divergence // by GanonFLCL //------------------------------// The elevator hummed quietly as it slowly made its way down the side of Pandora Tower. The only passenger gazed out of the glass exterior and out upon the city's skyline. No smog congregated around the tower itself, giving Silvertongue a clear view of the parts of the city not plagued with the stuff, such as the lovely Inner Districts. Eventually, as the Inner Districts' gleaming skyscrapers and office complexes rose up into view, his view became obscured. The elevator played soothing ambient music throughout its descent. The slow, delicate melody came from another of Silvertongue's favorite operas, much like all the pieces of music he regularly listened to. He bobbed his head slightly in tune with the music, waving one hoof around as if conducting his own invisible orchestra. The singer, who played the villain of the piece, sang in his deep baritone as he set about his final scheme to vanquish his heroic foe towards the end of the second act. Silvertongue still recalled the opera clearly from the last time he'd seen it, despite how very, very long ago that was. It had been an extraordinary evening. He missed those days, though he never dwelled on them for long. The elevator dinged when it reached the underground level. The doors opened, leading out into a long, dim, beckoning hallway, its black metal walls decorated with banners bearing the red and gold emblem of New Pandemonium. A large metal door, bordered with a gold and black outline, stood at the end of the hall. As Silvertongue approached it, he lit up his horn and turned the great circular handle in its center, then pushed it open, striding through the doorway with confidence, eager with anticipation. Every step further in was a step further towards completing the monumental undertaking set before him. The contents of the room beyond were easy enough to see in the dim light. An abundance of technomagic machinery filled just about every space in the room; monitors displayed mathematical calculations and abundances of text; several machines bore multitudes of buttons, levers, knobs, switches, and dials; a small power generator stood on the far side of the room, its unseemly orange glow bright enough to illuminate the room by itself; cables of all shapes, sizes, and lengths connected them all together. Putting this all together in the span of an afternoon hadn't been easy. But time was of the essence; delays were unacceptable. Silvertongue's eyes focused towards the center of the room, where a large platform had been raised. He approached it with what was almost a spring in his step, ecstatic to see the fruit of his labors firsthand, to see what his mad science and forbidden magics had wrought. The large machine on the platform held six large, egg-shaped containers made of blue-tinted glass. Each container connected to a plethora of cables which in turn connected to the series of machines and monitors just to the side. A quick glance at the monitors told him that the contents of the containers were stable. Silvertongue's mouth curled in a tiny grin. He turned and called out into the room. "Doctor! Is everything prepared?" A crash from the side of the room drew Silvertongue's attention. Somepony had tripped over one of the cables and was now swearing loudly as he tried to untangle himself. The pony, an off-white unicorn stallion wearing a dull beige lab coat and an overly-large pair of goggles, rounded the nearby machinery and greeted Silvertongue with a brisk salute and a smile. "Herr Silvertongue! I apologize, I did not hear you come in. I was occupied with monitoring the subjects." Blutsauger ran a hoof through his slick mane to straighten it, giving a nervous chuckle. "But ja, everything is prepared. I only need to make a few final adjustments, and then we may begin." Silvertongue laughed and patted the other unicorn on the shoulder. "You have outdone yourself, Doctor, and in such a short time as well. I am glad to see I will not be experiencing any delays. This shall be your greatest work, I assure you of that. History in the making." Blutsauger smiled and nodded. "Danke, Herr Silvertongue. Though, I really must thank you for making it so easy to get the genetic material. I do not know if I would have been able to do this without such pure samples. These specimens are fantastic!" Silvertongue turned his attention back to the containment pods. A mare rested in each. Here, in the one closest to him, lay a lavender mare, a unicorn with a deep purple mane and tail with a bright pink streak shooting along the middle. Her eyes were closed and from here he could not see her breathing, but all of the instruments told him that she was very much alive. Twilight Sparkle, representative of this "Element of Magic". The only difference between the one here and the one somewhere out there in New Pandemonium City was that the latter had a soul, the former did not. Not yet. The lack of a cutie mark upon the flank of the one in the pod proved that. Silvertongue knew that soon that would no longer be the case, that the little mare in this containment pod would no longer be Twilight Sparkle and yet would be all the same. All of the original's thoughts, memories, passions, and dreams—every last fiber of her being—would be molded to his designs, to his advantage. In each of the other chambers lay another perfectly-copied clone of the other five mares in the group that wielded these "Elements of Harmony" awaiting the next stage of his plan. The thought of his labors being given physical form at long last brought a smile to his face. Soon enough, they could begin the task he had set before them. Silvertongue smiled. "Excellent. Now then, Doctor, go ahead and finish your final preparations. I need to focus myself for the next stage. I should only need a few moments. Alone." "Ja, Herr Silvertongue," Blutsauger acknowledged, hastily shuffling away. Silvertongue breathed deep and let his magic waft about him. Nihila quickly responded, as always. "My Warden, you work quickly," she cooed, sending a shiver of cold through him. "I am pleased with your progress." Silvertongue responded with his thoughts, not daring to speak aloud; nopony knew of his connection with Nihila, after all, except for himself. "I am as anxious to begin as you are, my lady. The stage has been set, and the actors are all in place. With your blessing, I may pull back the curtain and let our masterpiece perform for itself." Nihila hesitated. A curious feeling, one he hadn't felt in a long while. "My Warden, I will be granting phenomenal magical powers to you, with which you will be gifting these creatures with life and power. Their bodies and souls will become molded to serve us. But I warn you, it will weaken me greatly, albeit temporarily. I will be unable to reach out from the Dreaming for a period." "I have utmost confidence in my plan, my lady. These six mares that we are birthing this very hour are the perfect pawns to carry out this task. I have no doubt that the powers you are to bequeath upon them will be more than enough insurance that, even should our initial plan fail, they may still be of some use in the future." "I am entrusting you with a great risk, my Warden. I know you will not disappoint me. You have my blessings. Continue your work and see to it personally if need be that my will be done." "As you wish." Silvertongue then felt the oddest sensation. Nihila's consciousness left him, but he did not feel empty. He instead felt empowered as her essence remained, filling with so much dark magic that for a fleeting second he feared it would tear him apart, unable to be contained by his physical form. Rivulets of orange magic coursed along the length of his horn. "Herr Silvertongue!" called Blutsauger, shaking him from his awed stupor. "All of the preparations are complete, und we are ready to begin." Silvertongue nodded, and strode away from his prized creations to a large machine opposite Blutsauger's workstation, where Blutsauger awaited him. The doctor assisted Silvertongue in attaching a mechanical brace to the latter's horn. Both the brace and machine were connected to cables of many different sizes and colors that stretched up to the ceiling then came down again and attached themselves to the mechanism holding the six containment pods. Blutsauger checked the readouts on the nearby monitors to make sure everything had been connected properly, then trotted over to his workstation and made a few final adjustments. "Now then, when you give the word, I will begin the energy transfer," he explained. He ran a hoof through his mane and adjusted his goggles. "Ach, this is mein first time performing this precise procedure, but it should not be much different than the others, ja? This time at least I have a blueprint instead of making everything from scratch." Silvertongue took a deep breath. "I am ready to begin whenever you are, Doctor." Blutsauger nodded and ignited his horn. He flicked switches, turned dials, adjusted levers, twisted knobs, and pushed buttons, then turned to the massive red power switch behind him. He took a sharp breath as he lifted it, and with a loud clang, it snapped into the on position. Silvertongue felt a rush of electricity snap through his horn. The power in his body reacted to the amplification device he had designed, causing the machine to glow a dull red. Blutsauger double-checked all his station's monitors, then gave a satisfied laugh. "Ha ha! We are all ready to go! Whenever you are ready, you may begin—" He dramatically lifted his hoof straight up into the air. "The magics!" Silvertongue chuckled. "Then let us begin." He churned his new powers slowly through the amplification machine's funnel, watching as the energy coursed through the cables above, causing them to glow a bright blue, and into the containment machine at the room's center. The machine rotated slightly and lifted one of the containment pods from the platform to the center, latching it firmly in place beneath the other end of the funnel. The pony inside was orange. Applejack's clone. Blutsauger always did have a habit of doing things alphabetically. Silvertongue licked his lips as the pod began to glow a dark orange, obscuring the pony inside from view. He allowed more of Nihila's magicks to flow forth until he was certain he'd drained a full sixth of it. He laced her magics with a portion of his own essence; a miniscule amount was all he needed, for it would be enough to ensure that his designs were properly carried out. Darkness filled the room, shrouding everything in pitch black and leaving only the glow of the machines, the two unicorns' horns, and the pod to light the room. The room trembled once, causing the monitors to shake and their images to flicker. Once the darkness had ebbed away, the machine stopped spinning. The containment pod remained shrouded in a dark mist, even as the machine pulled it away and lifted it towards the nearby wall, where it would be sent to an adjacent room for safekeeping and further monitoring. Silvertongue snapped his hoof towards Blutsauger's station. "Halt the loading process, Doctor. I wish to look upon this first creation of mine." "Ja, Herr Silvertongue." Blutsauger nodded and flicked a pair of switches beside his station, causing the pod to smoothly grind to a halt. The black and purple mist slowly dissipated, and Silvertongue gazed into the pod. His first creation lay inside, alive, breathing, and kept in stasis to allow her body to adjust to the dark magicks that empowered her and gave her life. A smile crept upon his face. She was lovely. Applejack's clone had been changed, no longer looking anything like her original self. Her orange coat had turned a vibrant blue. Her blond mane and tail became a dark red. Her figure was slightly leaner and more refined—beautiful, even—than the toned muscle of the original, but she was certainly not lacking in strength of her own. Her cutie mark would manifest after she awoke. Silvertongue eagerly awaited the chance to see how her personality had changed from that of her counterpart, to see how well her mind had been altered compared to her body. But that could wait for later. He motioned to Blutsauger to send the pod on its way, then re-focused his magic. There were still five more ponies to transform. The machine spun and lifted up the clone of Fluttershy into the central slot. Silvertongue fueled the device with Nihila's magic, and the room darkened and shook. Fluttershy's counterpart was lifted away the same as Applejack's had been. Silvertongue did not signal to halt the process this time. He'd witnessed its effects upon Applejack's clone already, and knew he would soon see and meet the rest of these marvelous mares without squandering precious time. Silvertongue repeated the process with Pinkie Pie's counterpart next, then with Rainbow Dash's, then with Rarity's and Fluttershy’s. The one he was most eagerly anticipating, Twilight Sparkle's clone, came last. Everything started off rather smoothly as he funneled Nihila's magic laced with his own through the amplifier. But then, something went wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong. Several of the machines in the room shook violently, monitors shorting out or becoming overloaded with static. Silvertongue felt phenomenal power flowing outward from the clone of Twilight Sparkle as she was slowly transformed. He'd expected Twilight Sparkle and her copy to possess incredible power; one did not wield something called "the Element of Magic" without having outstanding magical potential. The energy felt somehow familiar, though he could not recall where he'd felt it before. He turned to Blutsauger's station, needing to shout for his voice to carry over the screeching of the machinery and swelling of magical energy. "Doctor! What is happening here?! Why is she reacting this way?!" Blutsauger observed one of his readout meters, then leapt away as it burst apart. "Her magical levels are off the charts! I did not think anypony could contain this much magical energy!" "What manner of magic is it?! This is neither Light nor Dark in nature!" Blutsauger wiped his brow and adjusted his goggles to double-check his readings. "The machines cannot pinpoint the source! They do not recognize it!" More of Nihila's power flowed into the machine, causing Twilight's clone to give off even more energy. Silvertongue felt it tickling his skin, making his mane and tail waft about as though there were a fierce breeze in the room. The hairs on his coat stood on end. So much of Nihila's power remained to give this mare, and yet her power still grew. Several tense moments passed. "Her energy readings are stabilizing," Blutsauger said as the machinery settled down. He ran a hoof through his mane and shook away sweat. "The safety parameters will hold for now. The starglass cannot withstand much more, but so long as her power does not increase, there should be no—" A loud crack reverberated from the center of the room, knocking some of the taller machines over. Blutsauger quickly trotted in and eyed the glass, then staggered back. "Impossible. Impossible! Her magic is cracking the glass!" "What?!" Silvertongue's eyes widened at the implications. The magical power required to break through starglass was extraordinarily high. He himself had trouble cracking through it, and as Nihila's Warden he was supposedly the most powerful unicorn in all of Equestria. Were Twilight Sparkle and her clone that powerful? As powerful as he was? More powerful? Incredible. Another crack. The fractures snaked along the surface of the glass like it was ice. The sound of pounding came from inside. Once. Twice. Blutsauger leapt back as the glass snapped open, and galloped back to the safety of his workstation. "Nein! Impossible! Nein, nein, nein!" The intense magic burst out the little pod, a fierce storm set loose into the chamber. Without its host to control it, the powerful magic acted of its own will. The magic sporadically took shape and flared about, lashing out randomly at nearby machines. Silvertongue continued to pump more of Nihila's power into the amplifier, giving this wild and untamed magic more to work with. The cloud of darkness launched bolts of energy that ripped metal and glass apart like paper; it lashed out with fluidic tentacle-like strands, grasping at things and crushing them like toys. Blutsauger clambered over to Silvertongue in a panic and groveled before him. "Herr Silvertongue, we must stop the process! Her powers will tear the room apart!" "Stop? When we are so close?" Silvertongue snapped, pushing Blutsauger away. "We are only a few short moments away from bestowing life upon the most powerful mortal creature in this world, and you want to stop?" He jabbed a hoof in the direction of Blutsauger's workstation. "Get back to your station you miserable little foal, and keep her lifelines stable. I am not about to end this just because you are a pathetic coward." Blutsauger gulped, and nodded as he backed away. "Ja… ja, I will just go back to mein station." Blutsauger returned to his instruments, tweaking them in an attempt to calm the empowered mare's magic and not succeeding one bit. More of her increasing power flooded the room, tearing apart everything it touched. The doctor huddled under his workstation in terror. Silvertongue remained undeterred, even as the magic lashed out at machines close to him. One bolt of magic flashed just past his ear, close enough that he could feel heat. Another exploded nearby, tearing apart a monitor station in a shower of metal, glass, and wires. He continued to stand firm, clenching his teeth and steadying his hooves. One bolt of magic shot straight at him. He did not attempt to avoid it or block it, and trying to do either was impossible given the circumstances. All of his magic was maintaining the power transfer, and as long as he was latched into the amplifier, he couldn't move more than an inch at best. When the black bolt struck him, he recoiled in agony. All he could see was black and red as darkness and blood flooded his vision. The blast exploded, shattering his monocle and ripping his eye apart. A lesser pony might have blacked out or gone into shock, but Silvertongue was too far into this focus. He would not be deterred, not if it cost him life and limb. He'd worked too hard for far too long to reach this point. He was not about to stop now. Only a little more. He fought through the searing pain. It would not move him. Only a little more. He ignored the salty taste of blood. It would not shake him. Only a little more. He couldn't see straight. That would not deter him. Only a little more. It was done. Silvertongue felt a saddening emptiness as the last of Nihila's magic fully transferred into the clone of Twilight Sparkle. The intense magicks calmed, and retreated back into their host. Silvertongue roughly snapped the amplifier off his horn and stumbled out of the bracing device. He tripped over some of the broken debris of the room. He felt dizzy from the loss of blood. Blutsauger jumped out from cover and ran to Silvertongue's aid, helping to keep him steady. "Herr Silvertongue, you've done it! The process was a complete success, und—" He trailed off, and his face paled. "Auweh, your eye—" "It is a minor inconvenience." Silvertongue snorted, though his breathing was labored. He turned towards the center of the room, towards the heavily damaged machine in the center and the broken pod that lay in its remains. "Her pod is shattered. That means she will not be in stasis, correct?" Blutsauger nodded. "Ja. She will not be in stasis without the containment pod sealed. Her life signs are stable, though. She will likely wake up on her own in a few moments." "Excellent." Silvertongue smiled and licked his lips, ignoring the taste of blood. "Bring me to her." Blutsauger hesitated. "Herr Silvertongue, shouldn't we get you some medical—" "I said, bring me to her, Doctor. You can attend to my injuries later. I insist that they all see me soon after waking, and she is no exception. Bring me to her. Now." Blutsauger sighed and wiped his brow. "Ja, natürlich." He assisted Silvertongue in hobbling towards the central platform. The entire room had become a battlefield. Sparks of electricity jumped about from nearby machines. Debris had been scattered about. Smoke clouded the air. The pair had to walk carefully to avoid stepping on anything that might cause further injury. Silvertongue insisted upon limping the rest of the way up the platform without Blutsauger's help. He came to the shattered pod, and beheld his sixth and final creation. She had a rich, golden brown coat rather than the bright lavender of her original. Her long mane was cream colored and curled at the sides to frame her face. He had not expected this precise coloration to manifest, and he was struck with a brief pause as memories long gone flashed back to him, a wave of nostalgia unlike anything he'd felt for what felt like an eternity. She looks just like— The mare's eyes slowly fluttered open, barely conscious but very much awake. Very much alive. Silvertongue shook away his lapse in focus and smiled down at her. "Rise and shine, little one." ***** Hours later, Silvertongue stared into his personal mirror, scowling at the sight of the unicorn on the other side. Normally he would have gazed upon his visage, a testament to everything he believed in, with an air of pride. But from this day forward, he knew that he'd see that something had been robbed from him, something he would never see again upon that face: Perfection. Blutsauger's commendable work at repairing everything around his eye genuinely surprised him. No scars marred his face, his coat was as sleek and shiny as ever, and barring one single detail he could swear that nothing had happened at all. But then, of course, that detail taunted him, reminding him of what he'd lost. A strange darkness filled the void where Silvertongue's eye had once been; a black, ethereal stuff that drew all warmth from the air. A tiny speck of gold broke up the otherwise solid darkness, and where he looked, it moved. He could see clearly through it, more clearly than his original eye had ever been able. The speck pulsed with magic that he was not intimately familiar with, though he felt the similarity between it and the magic that Twilight Sparkle's clone contained within her. What should have been just the first step in the greatest accomplishment he'd achieved in a great many years was diminished by this one simple fact. It was rather… humbling. A buzz from his intercom interrupted his thoughts. "Ah, right on schedule," he said. He set his mirror upon his desk, then pressed a button on the intercom. "Yes?" "Sir, Commander Jetstream is here as requested." "Thank you, Shroud. Send him in." Silvertongue lifted his wine glass and took a short sip, then leaned back in his chair and tapped his hooves together. His chamber door slid open; Jetstream entered the room. The commander was a pegasus stallion with a lean build and a square jaw. His coat was a dull blue, his mane a bright yellow. He wore a formal dress uniform—black, of course—decorated with medals. Though Jetstream's pace was brisk and his expression alert, his eyes betrayed his exhaustion, as though he'd been roused from a deep sleep hours before he was supposed to, which was exactly what had happened; while one couldn't see the sun through the smog and orange haze over the city, Silvertongue knew it hadn't even peaked over the horizon yet. He himself had gone without sleep. Jetstream quickly bowed before Silvertongue's desk. "Sir, reporting for duty." Silvertongue stared at Jetstream, unblinking, for several moments, not even gesturing for the soldier to rise from his bow. "Commander," he said, "you look as though you've had a rough morning." Jetstream remained bowed, as Silvertongue had yet to permit him to do otherwise. "I apologize, sir, if my appearance isn't in ideal condition. I was led to believe that haste was of utmost importance." "Ideal condition indeed. I suppose nopony can maintain such a thing forever, anyway." Silvertongue snorted and sat upright in his chair, at last gesturing for the soldier to rise, which he did. "But you are correct, time is of the essence. I have a task for you, Jetstream, one that fits your talents and training quite well. A weapons test." "A… weapons test, sir?" Jetstream asked, cocking an eyebrow. "That pertains to my skill set?" "Indeed. You are amongst the best field commanders in the entire special ops division, with multiple commendations on record for your handling of AMP troopers. It's why your father recommended you to join my ranks, after all, is it not? Or is that another Commander Jetstream?" "Sir, yes sir!" "The weapons that are being tested require target practice, and so thus they require targets. A firing range will not suffice; they require moving targets, targets that will fight back and test their full capabilities. AMP troops are ideal for the task, and I wish for the best of the best in the endeavor." Silvertongue gestured to Jetstream. "Hence the early morning call." Jetstream smiled and saluted. "Sir! You will not be disappointed, sir! I am at your command." "Excellent." Silvertongue leaned back in his seat and waved the commander away. "The test will proceed in an hour. In the meantime, help yourself to some breakfast and get cleaned up. I will not have you in my presence unwashed and disheveled during the test, understood?" "Sir, yes sir!" "Then you are dismissed." Jetstream saluted again, and off he went. Silvertongue sighed and turned his attention back to the mirror, to gaze upon what he had lost. A part of him was outraged at what had happened, but he knew such anger was time and effort wasted on self-pity. He had no room for that in his schedule. As he set the mirror down, he knew that the injury didn't even really matter in the long run. Events were already in motion, and this would not affect his plans in the least. ***** Silvertongue stood in an observation chamber overlooking the testing ground for the "weapons test" as he had described it to Jetstream. Truth be told he didn't like the phrase or even the fact that this "test" was being conducted, but Nihila's terms of this plan were clear. The six mares that he had created and infused with her power had been granted abilities that would be of use at a later time, when they took the fight to Harmonia directly. Whether Nihila could see the test being conducted or not was irrelevant; she would want results, and he needed to deliver them to keep her satisfied. It was little more than a distraction for the crux of the plan at present, but he figured he may as well do it properly and with the maximum effort possible to ensure that everything went smoothly. Quickly, yes, which is why the mares hadn't been given much time to acclimate themselves just yet and why this test was being conducted before sunrise, but quick did not mean he had to cut corners. The arena below was large enough to comfortably hold at least one hundred ponies with plenty of room to stand and maneuver, so it would serve well as a testing ground. At present, it was occupied by a total of forty ponies, each clad in heavy armor from head-to-tail. They weren't flesh and blood ponies, of course, but robotic ones designed for field combat. Automated Mechanical Ponies. They stood in terse formation as they awaited orders from their commander, as was in their programming. Commander Jetstream, who would be directing these robotic troops, stood in the observation room with Silvertongue, a visor over his face that would be used to control the machines below. Also present was Doctor Blutsauger, primarily to observe the mares after their tests and ensure that use of their powers had no negative side effects. The datapad he carried would do all of the work and truthfully anypony could do it, but Blutsauger was here for other reasons. "Alright, I'm all synced up. Shall we proceed with the test, sir?" Jetstream asked, a hint of eagerness in his voice that hinted at his youthful vigor; a hearty breakfast, quick though it was, had been enough to reinvigorate him. "Yes, I think we shall," Silvertongue replied. He turned to Blutsauger. "Initiate the test, Doctor." Blutsauger nodded. "Ja, Herr Silvertongue." The doctor pressed a button on his datapad, and a number of things happened all at once. The thick, iron gate on the far side of the arena creaked open, allowing the first subject to trot into the arena. A display on a nearby monitor displayed a great deal of data, so much that it was easy to lose oneself in it; most importantly, it presented the status of the AMP troopers below as well as readings on the physiology of the mare currently being tested, from her heartbeat to her brainwaves. The mare in question was a pegasus. She had a slender, athletic build and was shorter than average, but her figure still filled out the silver jumpsuit she was wearing. Her coat was sporty red, while her mane and tail resembled a skunk—jet black with a streak of white down the center. She wore her mane short and wavy, though her tail was still rather long and dragged against the floor behind her. Her cutie mark—visible through a slit in the jumpsuit—was a meteorite burning up in the atmosphere. At first, the mare did nothing, just entered into the arena as the door closed behind her and stared out at the AMP troopers before her. Jetstream cocked an eyebrow. "Just one mare, sir? I thought this was a weapons test?" "It is, Jetstream. What seems to be the misunderstanding?" Silvertongue asked, a glimmer of a grin on his face. "Well, sir, I see no weapons on her. I'm afraid I don't understand. Unless that silly jumpsuit is supposed to be armor or something?" "Of course not, dummkopf," Blutsauger huffed. "You are too focused on guns und missiles to know what a real weapon is. This mare is the weapon, ja?" Jetstream rolled his eyes. "Another attempt at your 'super soldier' bullshit, then? What a waste of time and resources. A pony with super strength or endurance can still be killed by a flechette round to the skull, and then what are you left with? A superpony with their brains plastered all over the floor." Blutsauger sneered. "Spoken like the blind soldier that you are. You have no vision." "My only vision is further improvements to the AMPs. I'll take a platoon of reliable soldiers that don't get tired or hungry and feel no remorse or fear over some genetic experiment any day. Especially one in a tacky jumpsuit.” Jetstream scoffed. “Let me guess, your idea? It doesn't leave much to the imagination." Blutsauger sputtered in indignation, but otherwise said nothing else. "If you're so certain of yourself, Jetstream, then proceed with the test," Silvertongue said, placing his hoof on Jetstream's shoulder. "You already know the parameters: lethal force is authorized. Don't hold back on account of the subject's safety; if she cannot handle what you throw at her, then so be it." Out of the corner of his eye, Silvertongue noticed Blutsauger gulp quietly. Jetstream paused, then nodded. "Sir, yes sir. Full lethal." He turned back towards the arena and tapped a few buttons on his visor, issuing commands with facial gestures and button presses in conjunction. "Here we go, then. Commencing test on your mark, sir." Silvertongue nodded and pressed a button to enable the intercom in the arena. "Testing begins… now." Jetstream's soldiers fired a volley of flechette rounds from shoulder-mounted guns towards the seemingly defenseless mare. Silvertongue watched, amused, as the mare took off into the air above the rounds like a rocket and, without warning, launched herself into the fray, a barely visible trail of fire in her wake. She was a living missile, fast and with a single-minded, violent purpose. And she was just as loud as a missile, too, shouting at the top of her lungs as she moved, slamming her hooves into the nearest troopers she could find with enough fury to crack the glass in their helmets and dent their metal armor. Jetstream was taken aback for a moment. "Wow, she's fast. Impressive." He smirked and tapped his visor a few more times. "But let's see her deal with this." The troops that were still standing after her initial assault—which was the vast majority of them, as she'd only taken out three—surrounded her and armed their flechette launchers. She seemed to realize her disadvantage and took to the air again, high up above the crowd. The soldiers all launched their rounds in a salvo that spread throughout the air. The mare was still fast enough to avoid the rounds, but the arena was so thick with death-bringing flechettes that she couldn't go on the offensive; she had no means to strike back, not with typical pegasus combat maneuvers. That is, until she swept low to the ground, one of her hooves glowing white hot. A spark ignited, followed by a flame, which she then launched directly into the nearest AMP trooper. The tiny fireball exploded spectacularly, sending strips of shrapnel flying every which way. Jetstream's jaw dropped. "What the hell was that? Was that magic? But she's a pegasus!" Blutsauger chortled. "The wonders of this latest project, ja? Infusing normal ponies with incredible powers that they would not normally have. I believe the common vernacular is 'superpowers'?" "You mean like a comic book character?" Jetstream asked. "We can do that? What am I asking, obviously we can; I just saw it. I think." He glanced out at the arena while the mare was still blasting his soldiers with raging fire. "So she has… for-real superpowers, sir?" Silvertongue nodded. "Though I am not fond of the vernacular myself, yes, that is essentially what we have accomplished. A perfectly ordinary pony just like yourself but infused with magic to give her special abilities. The process gifted her with control over Pyromancy magic. A somewhat limited school, but quite effective in combat. If she uses it in conjunction with her speed and ferocity, she'd be quite the threat on the battlefield, wouldn't you agree?" "Sir, yes sir," Jetstream said slowly. "I've never seen anything like this before. How—" "Focus on the test, Jetstream, if you would please?" Silvertongue tutted. "The particulars of the process aren't for you to know, and I doubt you would understand them anyway. You are merely here for the testing procedure." Silvertongue watched as the mare in the arena fired another fireball and blew apart another soldier, then flew through the explosion undeterred, cackling all the way. She looped around and fired another, and another. The bursts were getting bigger with every shot. Jetstream was losing troopers fast. The commander shook off his stupor and tapped his visor again; his troopers took aim and fired once more, this time in tighter intervals to force her in particular directions. The mare simply swept around in rolls and loops, nimbly avoiding all of the incoming salvo. A few rounds came close, though, and dangerously so; a single one of those high-velocity darts could rip through flesh and bone like wet tissue paper. She did not look at all happy about nearly getting hit. The mare struck up another pair of flames, smashing them together to create a billowing sphere of fire. She lobbed it towards the center of the largest cluster of troops. The explosion was powerful enough to shake the glass of the observation chamber. It left behind a towering pillar of fire and smoke, plus the wreckage of over a dozen more AMP troopers. The mare stood with her back to the blaze, mirthfully laughing, waving her hooves around to make the fire dance, creating an effective smokescreen. "I think we've seen enough for now," Silvertongue said. Jetstream nodded and ordered what was left of his platoon—far less than half—to fall back to their original positions. Silvertongue pressed a button to activate the intercom. It drew the mare's attention. "That will be all, Havoc," he said. "That was quite an impressive display." The mare pumped her hooves excitedly. "Hell yeah it was impressive, Pops! Booyah!" she cheered, her voice distorted by the glass of the observation chamber's protective window. Silvertongue turned to Blutsauger. "Send in the next one." "Ja, Herr Silvertongue." Another series of presses on his display, and the arena door opened again to let the pegasus mare—Havoc—leave the arena, while sprinklers overhead doused the fire that was slowly raging out of control in the center of the room. Entering next was an earth pony mare dressed in the same jumpsuit that Havoc was wearing, which hugged her ample curves tightly. She had a pink coat and a darker pink mane and tail, the latter of which she wore straight and long. Her cutie mark was a delicious-looking cupcake, red with white frosting. "Heh, break a leg out there," Havoc said to the other mare. "No, seriously. Break a leg. That'd be hilarious." The earth pony kept her gaze forward, ignoring the pegasus. Havoc snorted and stomped her hoof. "Hey. Hey! I'm talking to you! Don't ignore me!" The earth pony ignored her but was smiling; she was clearly enjoying this. Havoc snarled, then stuck her nose in the air. "Psh, whatever. Bite me." The earth pony slowly tilted her head sideways and smirked. "Sorry, but you're not my type." The pegasus looked like she was about to retort, but clearly was at a loss for anything clever. Instead she resorted to: "Ah, screw you." She trotted away in a huff, leaving the earth pony behind. "Like I said, you're not my type!" the earth pony called back as the arena door closed. She shrugged. "Eh, whatever." In the meantime, a series of AMP troopers were ushered into the arena via a door beneath the observation chamber, replenishing the original supply back up to its original forty. Silvertongue pressed the intercom button. "Testing begins… now." Jetstream's soldiers wasted no time firing flechette rounds at their new target. The mare grinned, and shot forward to duck under them. This was, of course, impossible, a fatal error of the highest degree. Multiple rounds pierced through her flesh; she fell limp in a bloody heap only a yard away from her starting point. The troops started reloading rounds. "Ha!" Jetstream exclaimed, poking Blutsauger in the chest; the doctor mostly ignored him, just staring out into the arena, a worried expression on his face. "See? Told you they could be taken down easily enough. I bet if I had some different loadouts I'd have been able to take out the pegasus, too." Silvertongue gestured into the arena, where the mare was still clearly moving. "Don't be so quick to celebrate, Jetstream. Look." The mare in the arena struggled to rise to her hooves, her legs bleeding profusely and her body riddled with holes. She could barely stand; the rounds had ripped apart skin, muscle, and bone alike. Blutsauger looked quite relieved by that. Jetstream cocked an eyebrow. "She survived that? Huh…" He nodded to Blutsauger briefly. "Credit where credit is due, Doc. She took more than one bullet, even." He tapped his visor. "Oh well. I doubt she'll survive another volley." His troops fired again. Silvertongue watched with rapt attention as the mare didn't just stand back up, but defended herself. How she did so was, strictly speaking, medically impossible. Her blood moved entirely on its own. A thick stream flowed from the many gaping wounds on her body and flared upwards, forming a shield that protected her from the bullets. She staggered to her hooves and stepped awkwardly towards the nearest formation of soldiers. Her eyes were hidden by her blood-drenched mane, but she bore a wide, toothy grin. Another stream of blood lashed out, grabbing one of the soldiers by the face. It squeezed until the soldier's head popped in its grip. The soldier attempted to aim its guns at her, but the tendril slammed it harshly into the ground. Another stream took on a thin, blade-like shape, and rapidly sliced through the middle of another trooper. The clean cuts didn't appear until just as it moved, and it crumbled into multiple pieces. A nearby trooper attempted to pounce on her with static-charged hooves. Another stream of blood twisted up to meet it, forming a spike that impaled it through the neck. She violently tossed it aside, flinging it into another formation. Jetstream gulped. "What… what is this?" he asked as she tore through mechanical troopers with minimal effort, one by one in violent displays that would be rather gruesome were her opponents flesh and blood rather than machines. "Hemomancy," Silvertongue said simply, watching as one of the soldiers shot her in the spine, which did as much to stop her assault as one could stop a hurricane with a brick. "It is a magic school related to the manipulation of blood. Her control over it is rather impressive, but incomplete. She should also be able to— ah, it would seem I spoke too soon." The pool of blood she left in her wake converged on her, snaking its way back into her many wounds which seamlessly repaired themselves until she was able to walk normally. She looked as though she hadn't even been touched, let alone mortally wounded by flechette bullets that tore her apart. "She can even heal herself with such an ability?" Jetstream asked. "That's—" "Incredible," Silvertongue finished with a grin. "Accelerated regenerative capabilities as well as applicable offensive ones, both hallmarks of a true master of the craft. A full suite of control over her own bloodstream. Very impressive, if I do say so myself. " He turned on the intercom. "That will be all, Red Velvet. Well done." The earth pony's fierce expression instantly changed to one of joy, and she gave a little wave towards the observation chamber. "Thanks, Daddy! I'm glad you liked it!" Silvertongue turned to Blutsauger. "Next." Blutsauger nodded and tapped his datapad to summon the next mare in the sequence. Again, the arena doors opened so that the mare in the arena could exit, and a new one could enter. The next mare was another pegasus, though she was built quite a bit larger than the previous one. She was taller than even the average male pegasi by a fair inch or two, and had a muscular frame that filled out her jumpsuit completely. Her coat was a rather simple gray, and her shoulder-length mane was bi-colored, slate and stone gray on either half; she’d dyed a magenta streak straight down the middle of both her mane and tail. Unlike the others, she wore accessories; in her case, a set of silver, metal boots decorated with red and gold gems. Her cutie mark was a gray cloud pouring down rain. Red Velvet hopped over to the larger pegasus—the latter practically dwarfed the former—and stopped dead in her tracks. "Good luck out there, sis! You've already got some competition from me and Havoc, huh?" The pegasus didn't respond. Even from here her facial expression made it crystal clear how she felt about all of this: pure, unadulterated boredom, as if she'd rather be anyplace other than here doing anything other than this at any other time of the day and with anypony else present but the perky pink pony next to her. "Aww, get a load of Miss Sourpuss over here!" Velvet chuckled. She put her hooves on the sides of the bigger mare's face, scrunching up her cheeks. "'Oh, look at me, I'm so bored, boo hoo, you woke me from my nap'," she said in a mocking monotone. "Get a grip, sis! This is supposed to be fun!" The other mare grabbed Velvet with one hoof and, without an ounce of effort, tossed her over her shoulder before stepping further into the arena. Velvet blew her mane out of her face. "Wow! Nice throw!" she said with a wide smile. "Well, good luck! Don't screw up!" Jetstream shook his head and watched as more AMPs were funneled into the arena to replenish his numbers. "These mares of yours are something else, sir," he said, absently flexing his wings. "Are they, uh… all mares?" "Yes," Silvertongue said, clear and simple. Silvertongue could tell that the commander was staring at the new mare's impressive wingspan; as a pegasus, he was clearly intimidated by a mare her size, or perhaps captivated was more appropriate. It was rather amusing seeing the commander acting his age; Silvertongue had forgotten Jetstream was barely out of the military academy and probably still dealing with hormones. Ah, youth. Silvertongue shook his head and chuckled. "Testing begins…" he said, tapping the intercom button, "now." The other mare didn't move, just watched as the AMP troopers armed their flechette launchers and approached her. Jetstream shrugged. "Well, as much as I hate to hurt a pretty face." The troopers fired. The mare snapped her wings open and dug her hooves into the floor. All at once, the flechette rounds that had been fired scattered in various directions, diverting their paths away from their target and impacting the walls behind her instead, as though repelled by some invisible force. The front row of AMPs rushed forward, their hooves charged with lethal levels of electricity. The mare flapped her wings once; the entire row of troops approaching her slowed to a crawl until they eventually couldn't move. As each of them attempted to take another step, their legs collapsed under their own weight, and the mechanical ponies crumbled like nothing more than tin cans. Then, she took the offensive. She soared into the air while the other rows of troops were reloading, then slammed down, hooves first, into the floor in the middle of the formation. The impact was so great that it sent AMPs flying around the room; this was despite the fact that the AMP troopers weighed in excess of eight hundred pounds. "What sort of superpower is this, sir?" Jetstream asked, apparently growing accustomed to the fact that these mares were using magical abilities—"superpowers", if that made Jetstream more comfortable—they should not have. "Graviturgy, the manipulation of gravitational forces," Silvertongue explained, rubbing his chin. "She can generate gravitational fields around herself and others with a flick of her wings. The fields can be so minute and yet so powerful that they can divert a bullet's path, or crush an AMP trooper like an aluminum can." "And what's with the boots?" "Impact absorbers, which will prevent her from shattering her bones—or worse—when she strikes the ground with heightened force due to her increased mass and velocity." Jetstream watched the mare tear apart more AMPs by flinging them around the room like ragdolls. He turned to Blutsauger and gave a little grin. "Good show, Doc. I take back what I said earlier. If your project can produce soldiers like this, just think of the kind of damage we can do to Hope's Point." Blutsauger adjusted his goggles. "Ja, maybe, but I do not think we are planning that far ahead yet. Herr Silvertongue has something else in mind for them, I believe, ja?" Silvertongue activated the intercom again. "That will be all, Gray Skies. A wonderful performance." The large mare in the arena came to a stop before destroying another trooper, then glanced at the observation deck and gave a short nod. "Thanks, Dad." "Send in the next one," Silvertongue said to Blutsauger. Blutsauger nodded, tapped his datapad, and again the arena door opened so the mares could trade places. The next mare was a unicorn, her coat charcoal black and her mane and tail a stark shade of yellow—not blonde, yellow, like a caution sign. Her mane was a total mess, looking like some poor attempt to give herself luscious curls that didn't quite pan out. Even her coat wasn't clean like the other mares' had been, instead covered in sweat and even a little dirt. At least her jumpsuit was clean, though. Her cutie mark was a trio of plain-looking coals. As Gray Skies walked by, the unicorn lifted a hoof and grinned broadly. "High hoof!" The pegasus just stared at her. The unicorn nervously glanced between her hoof and Gray. "Like… uh, high hoof? C'mooon." Gray shook her head and just kept walking past the unicorn. "Hey! That's, like, totally uncool and junk? Don't leave me hanging!" The arena door shut behind Gray. "Tch, major unfresh. What-ever." The AMP troops were replenished. Silvertongue activated the intercom. "Testing begins… now." The first row of troopers fired their flechette rounds. The mare yelped, swiftly raising a barrier spell to protect herself. It was an awkward cast, so while none of the bullets had gotten through, they hadn't been properly reflected either. Instead, they clattered harmlessly to the ground around her. "Hey! No fair! I don't get fancy shooty-thingies!" she shouted. Jetstream snorted. "This one is… interesting, sir. Does she not have anything special like the others?" "She does," Silvertongue said, keeping his reply short and sweet. "Continue the test, Jetstream. You might have to work it out of her the hard way." "Hmm. Alright, let's try out the shock applicators." He ordered a row of AMPs forward to pound on her shield with their electrically-charged hooves. "Hey! Hey! Get off!" she cried. "No fair, I don't have sparky hoovsies either!" She paused, sniffing the air as though she caught some scent. "Wait. But, like, I can get sparky hoovsies! C'mere!" Her horn flared, and an aura of gold magic grabbed one of the surrounding troopers, snapping it into the shield. Its visor shattered on impact. "Aha! I knew I smelled magic! Gimme gimme gimme!" She jabbed a hoof into the machine's face. The trooper wantonly fired off sparks, as if it had been struck by an incredible electric shock. She dropped it to the floor, and her body glowed bright gold for a brief moment. Without warning, she released her barrier and aimed her hoof at the next-nearest soldier to her. A ferocious bolt of lightning burst out of her hoof and ripped into her target, tearing it to pieces. Jetstream's jaw dropped. "What was that? What did she just do?" "This ability is not technically a school of magic," Silvertongue explained, "but rather a particular style of using magic. Vampiracation involves the absorption and duplication of magic from something other than oneself. In this particular case, she absorbed the electrical energy from the AMP trooper and duplicated it… and apparently manipulated how it is used." He found that last part particularly interesting, as typically one shouldn't be able to alter the original source of magic by much; the AMP's shock applicator delivered an electrical surge upon impact, not at range, so technically it wasn't possible to launch lightning bolts with it. There was a great deal of potential there if she could do such a thing with other schools. "But sir, the AMP troopers' weapons aren't magical, how can she absorb them like that?" Jetstream asked. "The AMPs are a technomagic construct, and thus utilize magic and technology together to function. She absorbed the magical energy that powers the shock applicator, which is nothing more than a localized font of Electromancy channeled through the troopers' conductive hooves. It's rather simple, actually, in a brilliant sort of way." "This mare must be pretty intelligent to figure that out," Jetstream murmured, stroking his chin. "Or just lucky," Blutsauger commented with a jovial smirk. Silvertongue tired of watching the mare below blasting AMPs into shrapnel; with limited targets, there was little room to display the full extent of her abilities, impressive though they were, and she wasn't doing anything else new with them. "A fine display, Insipid. You may stop now." "Yay! You liked it?!" the unicorn squealed, clapping her hooves. "Oh. My. Stars. This is, like, the best. Possible. Thing. Eeee!" "I believe we are ready for the final test, Blutsauger," Silvertongue said. "Send her in." Blutsauger nodded, tapped his datapad, and once again the arena door opened. Another unicorn mare—this one with a golden brown coat and a creamy mane and tail elegantly styled to frame her face—was already waiting for her turn. Like the others she was wearing a silver, form-fitting jumpsuit that showed off her cutie mark, a gleaming silver sword overlaid upon a glowing sun. The first unicorn, Insipid, skipped airly towards the arena exit, waving giddily as she passed by the newcomer, who merely gave a half-hearted nod of acknowledgement. The AMP troopers replenished their numbers. Silvertongue activated the intercom. "Testing begins… now." Jetstream ordered all of his troops to fire their flechette rounds in unison. The new mare's horn glowed as bright as a star, and a shockwave of energy cascaded throughout the arena. The closest soldiers to her were lifted into the air, flailing about as they attempted to re-acquire a lock. The flechette rounds that had been fired had all been caught in a glowing field of energy less than a yard from their target. She twirled her collection of machines and bullets around, dancing them through the air like toys. "Lamentable. Inadequate. Uninspiring. Suffice to say, I am not impressed with the threat presented," she droned. "Now allow me to demonstrate what constitutes a threat." Her magic twisted all of the flechette rounds she'd caught in front of her and arranged them into a ball. Without warning, the projectiles rapidly shot outwards in random directions, ripping apart mechanical ponies like tissue paper. The troopers she'd lifted up with her magic remained untouched; the ones just behind those were completely destroyed. The third line finished reloading and fired again. She swept the robots she held through the line of fire with dazzling speed, using them as shields to soak up all of the incoming fire. Once the third line ran out of ammo, she discarded her makeshift shields, or rather the wreckage that was left of them. A full two-thirds of the platoon was gone in the span of some twenty seconds. The remaining troops reloaded and fired again. She placed up a barrier at the last second, reflecting flechette rounds in every direction. Many of the AMPs were struck and mangled as the rounds bounced back with precise aim. Five soldiers remained out of the forty that started. Less than one minute had passed. The unicorn stepped forward, her horn aglow, and grabbed those that remained in the golden aura of her magic. The glow around one grew bright, and the soldier it held compacted on itself, crushed like a tin can. She flung another upwards into the air with so much force that it slammed into the ceiling and shattered. The third glowed a bright white and disappeared with a flash and a pop. A teleportation spell. Where it had been teleported to, nopony knew but her. The fourth exploded from the inside as its energy core went critical, sending shrapnel flying in all directions. The fifth was struck with a bolt of energy that pierced through its head and impacted the wall behind it, melting the metal at the impact point. Silvertongue knew that simultaneous spell-casting was possible, though limited, difficult, and exhausting for all but the most talented of unicorns, at least when concerning things other than simple telekinetics or basic-level illusions and barriers. She'd been using some exceedingly complicated magic, yet did not look at all the worse for wear. If anything, she actually looked dissatisfied with her performance, as though she'd been given an inadequate gift for her birthday. Considering the entire platoon had been destroyed in less than the time it took to brush one's teeth, the posturing seemed unnecessary and misplaced; the average unicorn could only dream of such capability. But then he knew that this mare was no average unicorn, and she obviously knew it just as well. "How astonishingly soporific," she said, rolling her eyes. "I anticipated that this would offer only a modicum of challenge, but at present all that I have witnessed is a rather pathetic exhibition. Is not the intention of this 'test' evaluating my innumerable, prodigious talents?" Silvertongue chuckled lightly to himself. He was already impressed with the display, but this one was so certain of herself and her incredible power that he saw no need to deny her the opportunity to display more of it if she so wished. The others had all been given a fair amount of time to practice and preen, so why not her? A press of a button replenished the supply of AMP troopers; another platoon of forty arrived through the heavy iron gateway below the observation deck, and Jetstream readied them for the next round as they formed up. Silvertongue glanced over to see that the pegasus was just staring into the arena, his mouth hanging open slightly in a stunned stupor, clearly impressed with the latest mare's power as much as he was. His button presses and commands weren't slowed by his entranced state, but one could be forgiven for assuming he'd gone brain-dead at that moment. The mare just laughed at the machines as they approached. "Well! I had certainly hoped we could mobilize more than just an inadequate rabble of machines, but I suppose I am aware of the impossibility of such. A shame, but it will suffice." She shook her head and ignited her horn, shrouding the gate the troops were walking in with a bright pink aura. As soon as the last trooper appeared, she slammed the door closed on top of it. She then ripped the gate off its hinges and proceeded to smash the other soldiers with the giant slab of metal, one at a time. Silvertongue watched with rapt attention, more than just impressed at this point with the power on display. The gate weighed several tons and was designed to hold a Gargantuan patriarch, a creature stronger than twenty ponies and just as big. A single unicorn could never lift such a thing with such ease; even he, with all of his power, experience, and knowledge would have struggled to do the same. But her? She swept it around as if it weighed nothing at all; it was little more than a flyswatter slapping at bothersome pests. The massive object pummeled the soldiers, scattering mechanical parts in all directions. Jetstream ordered his units to spread out to minimize the damage. As they moved, he ordered them to open fire. She casually teleported herself out of harm's way, not even dropping her weapon in the process. She crushed the rest of the new platoon with the gate, then merely laughed and tossed it aside, leaving just one soldier remaining. "I am to understand that these automatons constitute the bulk of the city's military force, am I not?" she said as she approached the final trooper. Jetstream, likely just as curious as Silvertongue to see her display, didn't issue any orders for it to defend itself, so it stood dead still and silent even in the face of its imminent demise. She lit her horn again, lifting the robot into the air. Her magic took the thing apart like one would do a toaster oven that wasn't working properly. Every single piece of machinery jettisoned outwards, spreading in the air, all in the span of a moment and with the delicacy of a surgeon. "A mundane little thing, isn't it?" she mused. "So much enterprise and ingenuity employed to manufacture such a pitiable construct." She floated over a small cube-shaped component that had been removed from its chest, no bigger than an orange. "Ah, the central processing unit. The machine's heart and soul, so to speak. Powerful enough to calculate elaborate physics trajectories in the merest fractions of a second—" She snapped it in half. "And yet so fragile." Jetstream just shook his head, dumbstruck. "She destroyed two entire platoons in under five minutes. With just… regular unicorn magic. Lots of it, sure, but… is she just a regular unicorn, sir? I mean, she has no superpowers?" "That she is," Silvertongue said with a small grin. "She is 'just' a regular unicorn. She does not possess any additional special abilities like the others, and has no specialization in any particular school of magic—at least that I am aware of—or secondary tools to assist her. The process infused her with pure, unadulterated power." He tapped the intercom button. "Golden Dawn, that will be all. An exemplary display." She nodded at the observation deck. "Thank you, Father." He turned to Blutsauger. "Our testing is concluded for now, Doctor. Open the gate so that the others may gather." "Ja, Herr Silvertongue," Blutsauger said, tapping his datapad. "I will be down shortly to meet with you and the others," Silvertongue said into the intercom. "Have everypony line up and await my arrival." "Yes, Father," the mare said with another nod. Silvertongue turned to Jetstream. "Come, you should meet them as well, Commander. You've become a part of this as much as myself or Blutsauger, as far as I'm concerned. We could not complete these tests adequately without your skills, and it would do you good to ingratiate yourself with them early on." "Sir? I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Am… am I to command them in battle or something?" "Oh no, Commander, that is far from the truth. Most likely it will one day be quite the opposite," Silvertongue mused. "They are the future, though, and one cannot benefit enough from knowing the future, wouldn't you agree?" Jetstream nodded, though he was clearly confused and didn't understand his employer's meaning. "Uh… sir, yes sir." It took only a moment to leave the observation deck, descend some stairs, and enter into the arena via a small door that otherwise blended into the walls. As Silvertongue entered, he saw that the five mares—except Golden Dawn—were in the midst of some sort of discussion. An argument, more like, given how Havoc was shouting and Insipid was whining and they were generally making a lot of noise; even Gray Skies was involved in it, if only to use her hooves to keep Havoc and Velvet apart so that hooves didn't start flying. They were acting like foals; it was unbecoming. "Ladies. Calm yourselves," Silvertongue said smoothly as he approached. "You are grown mares. Act like it." Those four obeyed instantly, lining up without another word alongside Dawn. Silvertongue's mouth curled in a smile as he looked over the five of them, each one standing straight and tall. "An admirable display, all of you," he said, stepping down towards the end of the line. "It gladdens me to see that the infusion process was a complete success, and that there appear to be no ill side effects. Now then, I suppose you are all excited to learn how well you performed, yes?" They all nodded enthusiastically, save Dawn, who simply bore a cocksure grin, and Gray, whose nod was slight. Silvertongue laughed. "Ah, but before I administer my evaluations, our dear Doctor Blutsauger needs to give you all a brief examination. While there are no visible side effects from the infusion process, we cannot leave anything to chance." He gestured for Blutsauger to step forward. "Doctor, you may proceed." Blutsauger trotted forward, a wide smile on his face. "Ja, this will not take long, Herr Silvertongue. As you said, just some diagnostics, ja? This will take seconds." He stepped up to Dawn and pressed his hoof on his datapad. It glowed, sending out a beam of light that enshrouded her in a dull blue glow. He hummed to himself and pushed some buttons on the pad, then brightened when the device's glow turned bright green. "Wunderbar! You are in peak physical condition, meine liebste," he said, adjusting his goggles. "Und that was a fine display in the test, ja? A phenomenal display of power. Very impressive. I can see why you were saved for the climax." Dawn nodded appreciatively. "Thank you, Doctor." Blutsauger nodded and went down the line, performing the same quick examinations on the other four mares. Silvertongue was glad to hear that there'd been no internal issues with their powers in use. He knew that normal ponies typically did not react well to Nihila's magic coursing through them; some were physically affected, others mentally. That these five were all in peak physical and mental condition was a testament to his careful oversight. When Blutsauger completed the examinations, he returned to Silvertongue's side and saluted. "All done, Herr Silvertongue. They are all in prime physical condition, ja?" he said, glancing at the line of mares. "None of them sustained any injuries in the first place, with one exception, und Red Velvet has recovered from her injuries completely, as if they weren't even there. I am impressed!" "Excellent, Doctor," Silvertongue said, gesturing for Blutsauger to stand at ease. "Now then, for my evaluations." Silvertongue walked over to the last pony in the line, Havoc, going in the order that they had been tested in. She beamed wide and lifted her hoof up as if expecting him to give her a hoofbump. He left her hanging; it was unprofessional to do otherwise. "Havoc," he started, leveling her with a serious expression. "First, let me express my disappointment in you for beginning your test by utilizing such lowbrow combat techniques. This test's intention was to evaluate your control over your powers, not how well you could 'kick ass', as you would say." Havoc's smile dropped and her hoof fell limp to the floor. "However, the rest of your display was quite impressive, and while it did not excuse the disappointing beginning, it was enough to increase your average," Silvertongue continued. "In the future, remember, always bring your full power to bear against your opponent. Do not lower yourself to their level. Eighty-nine points." Havoc sighed. "Yeah, Pops, I get it. Open with the big guns from now on." Next up was Red Velvet, who looked up at Silvertongue with a proud grin. "Red Velvet," he said, "you displayed exceptional fortitude and capability for both enduring and distributing pain. Your ability is exemplary, and I see no need to advise you on improving it, other than continuous practice to hone your skills. Also, a word of advice: while your healing factor is impressive, I'd avoid letting vital areas be harmed; there is no telling what you can or cannot heal from just yet. Ninety-five points." "Thank you, Daddy," she said, bowing down on one knee. "I'm glad you liked it." Next was Gray Skies, who stomped a hoof and stood at even firmer attention, were that possible. She stood nearly eye-to-eye with him, an impressive feat considering he was used to towering over most other ponies; a quick glance at Jetstream saw that the other pegasus was trying not to stare at her wings and had a mild tinge of pink in his cheeks. He was actually surprised; he never took Jetstream as the sort to be nervous around a mare before. "Gray Skies," Silvertongue said, "you displayed an acute understanding of physics and gravity, utilizing it to bring tremendous force to bear against your opponent. There is little else to say. I am impressed at how much power you wield, and am eager to see how much control over it you truly have. Ninety-nine points." Gray bowed down as Velvet had done. "I guess I deserve that. Thanks, Dad." Next was Insipid, who beamed up at Silvertongue, barely able to stay still. He chuckled softly and patted her on the head, making her laugh; something about her foal-like innocence just made him want to do that and he couldn't help but indulge. "Insipid, your display of mimicking the magic of others was impressive, particularly that you could absorb the magic of a technomagic construct. That your touch causes such powerful feedback also intrigues me, and that could prove vital to you. However, your standard magic has room for improvement. In the future, remember that you are a unicorn, and that you can use your magic together with the powers you copy." Insipid stared up blankly at Silvertongue, and tilted her head. "Uh, does that, like, mean I did good?" Silvertongue smiled. "Ninety-one points." "But Daddy," she whined, "I want a higher score, pleeease?" Silvertongue laughed and ruffled her mane; he didn't know why, but he couldn't help himself. "Ninety-two points then." "Whoopie!" He then approached the last of the five, Golden Dawn. She stuck her nose in the air and kept that supremely smug grin on her face. If he wasn't so impressed with her abilities he might have scolded her for putting on airs, but she'd earned the right to be cocky. "And last but not least, to you, the youngest of my six wonderful daughters," Silvertongue announced. "Golden Dawn, you displayed the most incredible magical power I have witnessed in a long, long while. You utterly destroyed your opponent's entire regiment twice over in record time. I see no need to advise you on your capabilities in combat. A perfect score, one hundred points." "It would have proven impossible for me to achieve anything less," Dawn said, bowing low but not taking her eyes off of Silvertongue. "Your praise fills me with pride, Father. Thank you." Jetstream gave Silvertongue a brief look. "Sir? Did you say 'six'? I only see five here." Blutsauger cleared his throat. "Commander Jetstream, are you suggesting that Herr Silvertongue has made a mistake? That he does not know how to count? You must have misheard him." "Oh come off it, doc, enough with the brown-nosing," Jetstream huffed. "I might not be some super genius genetic engineer or whatever the hell it is you do, but I have perfectly functional eyes and ears, and I know how to count, thank you very much." Silvertongue paused, then nodded, a slight grin on his face. "You are correct, Jetstream, there is indeed a sixth mare. I did have you here to test all of their abilities, of course, because I needed somepony with your particular skill set, as well as other factors, such as your familiarity with others on my staff." That confused the poor commander. "Sir?" "Only five of these six tests were designed with combat in mind, as the other's abilities do not have practical combat applications that required such a trial." Silvertongue turned to Blutsauger. "I believe this charade has gone on long enough, Doctor Blutsauger. Go on. Show him." Blutsauger hesitated, then nodded. Silvertongue watched Jetstream's jaw drop as Blutsauger's body shifted with a white glow from a lanky, white-coated unicorn stallion into a beautiful blue-coated earth pony mare with a dark red mane; the lab coat disappeared as well, replaced by the same jumpsuit the other mares were wearing, so that her cutie mark—a trio of oranges—was clear to see. Jetstream balked. "What." "Bonjour, Commander," the mare said with her distinct Romantique accent, giving the pegasus a slight nod and a smile. She offered her hoof for him to shake. "A pleasure to meet you for real, non? Je m'appelle Curaçao." Jetstream just stared at her a moment, then cautiously took her hoof and shook, weakly. "I am so confused right now," he muttered. "Curaçao possesses the power of Chameleomancy," Silvertongue explained as he took the datapad that Curaçao had been holding. "It is the ability to change one's physical form. To test her ability, I had her study Doctor Blutsauger so that she may take upon his guise during these proceedings and imitate him to the best of her ability. The fact that you didn't notice the difference proves she filled her role perfectly. Almost. "However," he continued, turning to Curaçao, "I did notice a few disparities: a brief flash of concern during Red Velvet's test when she was struck, and the lack of Blutsauger's typical lascivious tendencies in regards to mares, particularly attractive ones like your sisters. Jetstream did not notice for he is not as well-acquainted with Blutsauger, but somepony else might have." Curaçao nodded, but did not look ashamed. "Oui, Papa, I will do better in the future." "I take some of the blame myself, of course; you had very little time to observe and evaluate the doctor's personality. Still, a commendable display of your capabilities. Ninety-two points." Insipid gasped. Loudly. "Oh. My. Stars. Curie! We got the same score! We're like twins!" Curaçao just rolled her eyes as she took her place in the time next to Havoc; she'd been the first official test, after all. "Oui, ma sœur, we are like twins. C'est merveilleux." Silvertongue smiled and stepped away from the line, then turned and addressed the mares all as one. "My daughters. You six are most precious to me, more than anything I possess in this world." His words caused them all to smile brightly, even though the words weren't precisely true; they didn't know that, of course. "It pains me that we cannot simply relax and be a family just yet, but I have an important task for all of you, one that only you can accomplish." He pushed a button on his datapad, which emitted a green light straight up and displayed a holographic projection of six mares: Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash. "These six mares are in desperate need of help, and I wish to offer it to them," he explained, gesturing towards the holograms. "However, they have undergone some terrible experiences as of late and so they may be wary to accept help from strangers quickly. Your mission is to find them and aid them however you can. Let them know that you can be trusted. Then, when the time is right, they will gladly accept my help when I offer it at a later time." "Okay, so, we're gonna go out and meet these chicks, and we're gonna get all buddy-buddy with 'em?" Havoc asked, scratching her head. "I mean… why? What's so special about them?" "Do not dispute our father's agenda, Havoc," Dawn said with a sneer. "If he deems these mares to be of consequence, then they certainly must be. He would not squander our talents on mediocrity." She briefly turned to Silvertongue. "Forgive her, Father. She is an imbecile." "Hey!" "I assure you, Havoc, these mares are quite special indeed," Silvertongue said with a grin, "but I cannot reveal to you why just yet. You will learn it as you go along and make connections with them, forming bonds of camaraderie. Telling you now would only color your viewpoints, spoil your appetites for genuine friendship, and potentially alert them that you know more than you should. They would not trust you, and trust is of the utmost importance." He pulled six envelopes from his uniform pocket and passed them to each of the mares; each was labeled with their names. "Inside those envelopes you will find some scant details on your assigned 'target', for lack of a better word, as well as details on efforts I have put in place to aid you in your missions. They are all tailored to your specific talents and skill sets. "I believe it has already been discussed, but Dawn has been chosen as your team leader," he continued, gesturing towards Dawn; the proud smile on her face could light up a room. "If any troubles occur in the course of your mission, defer to her judgement on how to proceed; failing that, Dawn has nominated Curaçao as her second, should something occur where Dawn is unavailable. Is that clear?" "So… we're not gonna get to talk to you?" Velvet asked, anxiously tapping her hooves together. Silvertongue gave her a small smile. "Outside of mission reports, not much, at least not until the mission is done. I have my own work to do in regards to all of this, so regrettably there will be few moments where I am available to spend time with any of you. Fret not, my dear, for once we have all finished our tasks, we will have a truly grand celebration together." That seemed to satisfy Velvet, who grinned and nodded rapidly. "Yeah! That sounds great!" "For now, though, why don't you all review your assignments and discuss amongst yourselves a few particulars. The mission is now in your hooves, and I trust you all to make me proud." He watched them open their envelopes and talk amongst themselves about their assignments, feeling a little swell of pride as he did so, like a true father watching his daughters aspire to bigger and better things. He'd been surprised when Dawn, the first to awake, had called him "Father", mostly because that wasn't the association he'd expected to manifest in them, but when the others followed suit, he could not rightly deny them. After all, he'd made them, given them life. He raised them as well, for what it was worth; he'd built their memories and personalities, defined every aspect of their lives, and helped develop their talents and skills. Did that not constitute fatherhood? So if that was how they wished to see him, then it was only logical to see them in the same light. All in all, things were progressing exactly as planned. Now it was just a matter of time before everything fell into place.