//------------------------------// // Lucida ♐ Birth of a Legion // Story: 6.7.11 // by Morningstar1337 //------------------------------// The Hephaestus Division 2:10 PM 1/11/5167 The group was looking for Prometheus. The Doctor was was checking for any nanobots. They had went at a fork in the hallways. However both paths were coated in red ooze. "Well I'd say that's a dead end." The Doctor said. "Shame if only we could repel them somehow." River Song said. The group turned around and left before any of the nanobots would notice them. Starsong noticed two urns and thought they were nice. But she decided to stick with Cheerilee and Toola Roola who were taking care of the fillies with Flitter and Cloudchaser. Twilight Sparkle was thinking about those nanobots. She thought 'How are we gonna get through this mess?' Pinkie Pie thought 'Maybe you could use a force-field spell?' Rainbow Dash thought 'What if Twilight gets a headache from the spell?' Fluttershy thought 'Maybe we can--' She noticed some red goo from the ceiling. 'Um guys?' Pinkie didn't notice her tail was twitching. Applejack thought 'Maybe you can teleport around this place and find some answers Twi?' Twilight thought 'I don't know.' 'Guys?' Fluttershy thought still looking at the very high ceiling. Rarity thought 'Well we could try to ask the Doctor about these.' Fluttershy saw the red ooze move on the ceiling. She went to the Doctor and pointed her hoof up. By that point Pinkie noticed her tail's twitching. Everyone looked up to see the red nanobots hanging over them. The Doctor told everyone to run away from the ooze. As the red slime descended on the group. They barely managed to avoid the nanites as they hit the ground. River and Rose were firing their blasters attempting to distract the ooze and then ran with the others. Eventually they passed another gateway. most of the group had gotten to the other side of the door. But the fillies as well as Flitter and Cloudchaser were trapped by the nanites who closed the door on them after the others went through. The Doctor and Twilight tried to get the gate open but it was too late. The red goo had got the twins pegasi and the fillies. The red nanobots retreated with their new cocoons. The Doctor was cross with himself. Applejack and Rarity were saddened for the loss of their sisters and Starsong had lost some of the friends she had made. At this point Twilight decided to cast a barrier spell again. She cast the spell over the group. The Doctor said "We'll need to be careful. Prometheus will have to wait." The group decided to save the others and perhaps get the chronosteel there while their at it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Hephaestus Division 2:15 PM Prometheus was waiting inside the blood red room. The saw five cocoons and said "Ah AETOS, you've returned again." He had a microphone in his mask. He took a look at some of the monitors while the red nanobots placed the 5 cocoons on the metal pillar. He saw the Doctor's group under a pink force field and said "They're luckier then I thought. But still not lucky" as he looked at the ponies trying to move in the cocoons. The first four metallic ponies have returned and Prometheus said "Ah welcome back I see you've didn't succeed yet. No matter." He went to tweak the AI and the cocoons began shrinking faster and already began to transform into metallic versions of it's prisoners. He then said "Guard the entrance. They're coming for you and the chronosteel." as he looked ta the glowing metal spheres atop the AI. "I care not for the Time Lord and the humans now but my employers want the ponies and specifically the white and purple unicorns, the blue and yellow pegasi, and the orange and pink ponies. Got it?" The 9 metallic ponies lined up and nodded their heads and left. Prometheus said "Good." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Hephaestus Division 2:25 PM The Doctor's group under the protection of Twilight's spell had entered the hallway infested with red goo. Starsong was still practicing her singing. Oddly enough The nanites below her area of the barrier behaved differently. Toola Roola went to her and said "Do you think Cheerilee's alright?" The multicolored maned unicorn and the violet pegasus looked at the plum earth pony and saw her depression. Starsong said "i don't think so." "Do you think it's because she lost the rest of her students?" Toola Roola said. "Possibly. We should cheer her up." Starsong said, completely unaware of the irony hoe statement has. The two ponies went to cheer up her friend. Meanwhile The Doctor looked at Applejack and Rarity, seeing their depression. He knew what it's like to lose someone you love. He'd been thought that scenario before. He knew what it was like to lose your entire family as well. River went to him and said "Well this is interesting." The Doctor said "hat are you talking about. River said "The nanites, they seem to be sensitive to sound." The Doctor said "Really?" River pointed to Starsong who was singing to Cheerilee and notes the bare patch below the pegasus. The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and used it on the nanobots. Wherever the screwdriver pointed the nanites would move somewhere else. He tried a different frequency and pitch but the nanites refused to move away then. The Doctor said "They seem to be respond only to specific sonic frequencies." He went to Pose and said "Rose do you have that thing from the dream." Rose realized that she had put her voice disguiser in he pocket after she was done with it. She handed it to the Doctor who tinkered with it using the sonic screwdriver. and said "Thanks." he attached the device to his screwdriver and activated it. The nanites then backed up a foot away from the barrier. The Doctor went and asked Twilight to life the barrier spell. She did so and was relived. The nanites didn't attack. Rainbow Dash said "What is going on?" The Doctor said "These nanites appear to hate certain sounds." Rainbow Dash was a little confused but paid it no mind. She saw that Twilight was a little tired from the spell. She thought 'Are you okay?' Twilight thought 'I'm fine just a little tired.' Rarity thought 'Please be careful, You haven't used that spell often.' Twilight panted a little bit and sat down. The sound from the Doctor's screwdriver was enough to repel the nanites away from the hallway. The group could see some holes on the walls and ceiling. Upon the nanites' retreat Starsong had stopped her singing and noticed that Cheerilee was feeling a little better. The now student-less teacher said "Thanks." The violet pegasus then wondered if her singing had something to do with the nanites. After a moment the group moved forward hoping to find the other and the chronosteel. Unaware of 3 pairs of eyes following them from the shadows. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Hephaestus Division 2:40 PM The Doctor's group had found themselves on another fork when they saw a shadow in the distance. They saw the figure move closer and the nanites surrounding it. The figure flew closer to the group. Rainbow Dash saw two more shadowy figures on ether side and two more above them. Then Rarity and Applejack saw three smaller figures behind them. Another figure had emerged from the first shadow. "Doctor what's going on?" Twilight said. The figures moved closer to the group eventually blocking all bout one pathway. The doctor could see streaks of crimson on the shadowy figures hooves and backs. As the figures' eyes have a cold calculating feel. Eventually the group could see that the figures were the ponies that were trapped in the nanobotic cocoons and The Doctor said "Trouble." A hologram had appeared to their side and said "So Doctor how do you like my customized AETOS? their 3 times faster and smarter then the grey variant you saw earlier no?" The Doctor said "What do you want Prometheus?" The masked hologram said "The ponies of course. And I dare say I think I already have more then you." The metallic ponies had surrounded the Doctor's group Applejack and Rarity were distract by what happened to their sisters and the other victims. Rose said "What did you do to them?" The hologram of Prometheus said "I just covered them with the AETOS of course. Oh don't worry all the nanobots did was place them in a robotic shell. Nothing more." He then muses "Quite an impressive feat considering that they were made from Cyberman science." The Doctor was now cross at Prometheus. River pointed her blaster at the hologram and said "You better give me one good reason why I don't just shoot you right now." Prometheus said "Apart from being a hologram? How about me being the only one in here that can control the nanobots? I can change them back to normal if you meet my demands." "Why I ought to--" Rainbow Dash was ready to charge the hologram when Applejack tried to hold her back. The metal ponies had stopped and Prometheus said "Bring the rest of the ponies to this location and I'll turn them back to normal and hand you the chronosteel. Or else know that if you refuse Olympus Limited will have some new test subjects. Ta-Ta." the hologram disappeared and the metallic ponies had left. The hologram left a map on the ground which the Doctor picked up. The Doctor was now saddened. Amy and Rory looked at the distraught ponies. Rose Tyler and River Song saw the Doctor's expression. What will the group do knowing that their enemies had made hostages into weapons. In the end They decided to head forward to confront Prometheus.