//------------------------------//
// 5) Preparations 
// Story: The Death of Lab 14 
// by SapphireRose87 
//------------------------------//

{Henry}

When I woke up, I realized I wasn't in the tent where I had been sleeping. I was sleeping on top of the red moon. "Nice going Ashley! Good job, The Higher!"

I thought I was snapping at no one when I saw Derek sitting next to me smiling.

"Yes I already met our The Higher and she showed me the same vision." Derek said. He rolled his eyes. "And she giggled at me too."

"Yeah that's not creepy at all."

"Usually it's normal when girls do it to me." Derek said with annoyance. "It didn't creep me out, it just got on my nerves! Especially when I realized I was gay."

"When did you realize you were gay?" I asked.

"My first boyfriend was a fellow Agent." Derek replied. "What about you?"

I sighed, "Another male experiment, he was killed because of me."

Derek snarled, "No one should be killed because they're in love!"

"Tell that to Serpenta," I said, giving Derek a worried glance.

"I'm not going to die Henry," said Derek reassuringly, "I'm just going to play dead. That vision should've been comforting to you. But I understand why you don't think positively about it."

"It just seems too good to be true." I said.

I didn't realize that Derek was on top of me until I found myself hugging him. "Wow, you sure have been persistent about this lately."

"Yeah I know," said Derek, "it's fun for me and I know it's fun for you. I'm pretty sure you need it too, so it can help you keep your mind off of things."

After Derek kissed me, my mind went blank and I knew it wasn't because of Experiment Roses 'tell me you love me' attack. My mind went blank every time I was with Derek because I knew I was safe with him, and I knew we were in love.


*	*	*


{Princess Twilight}

I paced back and forth in front of my throne in the throne room. I smiled as I looked at the new thrones that had been recently added. Since my two twin boys had returned to me they were right by my side in everything. My son Prince Milton and his wife Princess Jane and their thrones were to the left side of my throne. Prince Martin's throne had been added to the right side of my throne.

The reason why I was pacing back and forth was because the former ruler of Equestria and my mentor Princess Celestia had written me a letter informing me that she was coming back to Equestria and to stay! Princess Celestia said that she wanted to go to the retirement home that she planned on going to before she took my sons from their cribs to the In Between. Princess Celestia even added that she wanted her former assistant Moria to come stay at the retirement home with her. 

I didn't believe a word Princess Celestia was saying in that letter, not one little bit. How could Princess Celestia expect me to welcome her back with open hooves, especially with her having a hand in testing on my sons along with the other kids that were traveling with God Henry and God Derek? As a matter of fact they were on the run from Princess Celestia's lab that she oversaw Celestial Labs. I'm not going to let Princess Celestia get away with that! Nope, that's not happening on my watch!

"Don't worry mom," said Milton, "we'll give Princess Celestia or as Discord would call her Daybreaka a show she'll never forget!" 

I felt my worry change to excitement when Milton said that. I giggled, "I can't wait to see the look on Princess Celestia's face once I ban her and chase her back to the In Between right where she belongs. Now, you guys know when to change into humans again right?"

"Yes mom!" Martin chuckled evilly. "Right after Moria plays the part of the rabid dog."

"Yes!" Moria barked. "You wanna see my acting Princess? I've been practicing!"

I was interested along with the others to see how well Moria's rabid dog act would go down. Moria pulled back her lips and growled. Then she started barking a menacing bark. She even added to the growl by drooling just to make her point clear. When Moria finished her acting she licked her lips and went back to normal. 

We clapped in approval of Moria's acting. 

"Wow Moria!" Milton praised her. "I didn't know you were that good of an actor! Maybe you should try your hand in show business!"

"Hey," said Discord, "I'm the one that should be in show biz and not a dog!"

I did a facehoof and groaned, "Pestcord what in the name of Celes- I mean Equestria are you doing here?"

"Did you just say in the name of Celestia?" Discord asked with a smirk on his face. 

"Yes and so what if I did?" I snapped. "I'm not giving her any more praise if I can help it! Milton, Martin, and Jane do you guys have your yo-yo's for when you change back into humans?" 

Jane smiled, "Oh yeah we have them!" She pointed to a nearby table. "They're sitting there ready Princess!"

"You know you don't have to call me princess." I said. "We're family now." I turned to Discord. "As far as you go Discord, scram! Get out of the throne room and stay out!"

"But I just wanted to watch the fun!" Discord whined. "Princess Jane is my daughter you know!"

"You're just as bad as that knucklehead Princess Sarah when I first met her," Milton said.

"Yes, yes fine," Discord growled, "I'm going!"

Discord snapped his claw and left. Once he was gone, I turned around and grinned. Milton, Martin and Jane grinned back at me. I was excited and I knew they were excited too. We were about to put on the biggest show of our entire lives.


*	*	*


{Experiment Ada}

I can't speak for the other experiments that were waiting for God Henry and God Derek to arrive back at Lab 14, I was bored to tears waiting for them. For me, I just want to get my hands on God Henry so I could kill him to keep him away from Head Cora once and for all. I had no intention of bearing God Henry's children and I'm pretty sure he feels the same way.  Experiment Lydia seems to be most eager to have God Henry's children.

"I'm tired of waiting for Experiment Henry and Experiment Derek to arrive here!" Experiment Lydia growled.

I was lost in my thoughts playing with a kidney that I had gotten from a recent experiment that I had just killed. 

Experiment Wren snapped me out of it by thumping me on the forehead with his index finger. "Hello! In Between to Experiment Ada! Come in Experiment Ada! If you're awake then that means you're listening to this."

I laughed at it because it's an inside joke that all of us experiments had about waking up for the first time and hearing Head Cora's voice on the small Tv that we would be given at the start of an Experiment.

"What do you want Experiment Wren?" I asked.

Experiment Wren rolled his eyes. "You know that line is only reserved for Agent Discord right?"

I let out a long drawn out sigh, "Last time I checked, Agent Discord broke his contract with Lab 14 over a year ago. Didn't Head Cora inform you of that?"

"Yes, we all were informed about that," said Experiment Charles, "what's with you today? You don't seem that bored like the rest of us. Are you daydreaming about Experiment Henry? That wouldn't surprise me because you did call dibs on him for the first try."

"You know something, that's not a bad way to pass the time." Experiment Elena giggled.

I didn't dare say what I was really thinking. Me calling the first try with God Henry was just another act and I hoped it looked convincing. 

"You got that one right!" I said hoping I sounded excited about seeing God Henry again, "I've been playing with this kidney for a reason. Yup, I've been daydreaming! It's been so long since I've seen Experiment Henry."

Experiment Lydia narrowed her eyes at me. "Uh-huh, you seemed more lost in thought than daydreaming."

I shook my head. "No Experiment Lydia, I was daydreaming! Honest I really was!" 

"Uh-huh," hissed Experiment Lydia pointing a finger at me, "because if you go against Head Cora I'll kill you myself!"

I rolled my eyes. "That's a nice fantasy and all, but I don't think you'll have to do that. You don't have the heart to!"

"Just watch me!" Experiment Lydia snapped.

Before Experiment Lydia and I could kill each other, Experiment Charles stepped in between us. "I know we're all restless but we shouldn't take out our frustrations on each other." 

Too bad I can't kill Experiment Lydia, I thought, but she's not my main focus at the moment. So she's not worth my time!

Head Cora took us all by surprise when she fired her gun in the air. 

"Will you guys stop bickering!" Head Cora shouted. "You are grown up Experiment's and I suggest you act like it!" 

Experiment Charles paused. "Uh, grown up Experiments?"

Seriously? I didn't know Head Cora gave an Experiment the power of stupidity! Wow. I thought.

"Do you ever look in the mirror and see how much you've changed lately?" Head Cora growled.

I saw Experiment Lydia thinking about what Head Cora just said and Experiment Lydia's stupidity amazed me. She looked like she had her aha moment, "Oh yeah! Right."

Head Cora smiled. "Of course, how do you think Experiment Henry got the muscles he has now? He didn't get those because he's a child!"

"Muscles?" Experiment Lydia and Experiment Elena repeated.

I rolled my eyes and thought, Well duh, God Henry's bound to have muscles since he chopped down a tree in the In Between and he's a god now. Hello! Is there anyone smart around here besides me and Head Cora?

Head Cora smiled. "Oh yeah, you wanna see a picture of him?"

Head Cora put up a small box on the railing next to her and pressed the button on it. Our jaws dropped when we saw the picture of God Henry. He had muscles alright and didn't look like an adorable child like he did the last time I saw him. 

Head Cora couldn't stop smiling at this point, "And here's a picture of Experiment Derek."

I gasped when I saw what he looks like and I can understand that God Henry has probably fallen in love with God Derek by now. Even though those two are sexy, I'm still not into men. 

Head Cora chuckled, "I think they'll make fine fathers for the children Lab 14 wants from them. Experiment Ada?"

Every time Head Cora addressed me formally like this, it made me nervous. "Yes, Head Cora?"

"I pick you to bear Experiment Henry's children," Head Cora said.

I choked and thought, Of course she just had to pick me for that.

"You don't want the job?" Head Cora asked. 

"I'm just surprised, that's all. I thought you wanted me to kill him not-" I said quickly. 

"Be his wife?" Head Cora said. "I want you to finish what Experiment Rose started. We'll have another wedding after I do the data gathering on him and trust me, he won't escape this time. I will keep him tied down with this."

When I saw what Head Cora was holding in her hand I gasped. It was the data gathering device that Head Cora would put in an Experiment's forehead so they wouldn't fight much when the data gathering was done. The object was a round pointed needle.

"Is that really necessary, Head Cora?" Experiment Lydia asked.

Head Cora nodded, "It is because somehow from the last wedding with Experiment Rose, Experiment Henry melted the chains I had him tied up with. So I will keep Experiment Henry tied down to the data gathering chair. He won't be able to melt this because it's wood and not steel. Experiment Elena?"

"Yes, Head Cora?" Experiment Elena said.

"You will be Experiment Derek's wife," said Head Cora, "we'll have your wedding ceremony shortly after Experiment Henry's wedding ceremony. I'll be doing the data gathering on Experiment Henry and Experiment Derek at the same time. They will say yes this time, that is, if they don't want to have their voices removed for the rest of their lives."

"What about me, Head Cora?" Experiment Lydia asked.

"You can be Experiment Henry's mistress," said Head Cora, "the rest of you will decide what you want to be with in regards to Experiment Henry and Experiment Derek. So for now, just sit tight and be patient."  

I had a feeling that since Head Cora only wanted God Henry back at Lab 14, I doubted that she would even consider letting God Derek live.


*	*	*


{Henry}

I had a strange dream last night. When I woke up, I found myself sleeping next to Derek. Derek was wide awake and he was grinning.

"O...Kay?" I said. "Why are you grinning at me?"

"Because you actually slept soundly today."

"Probably because of the weird dream I had," I said. 

"What was it?" Derek asked.

"Cora was threatening to take my voice box out again!" I laughed.

Derek laughed at that thought. Right after Derek and I completed the God Challenge and became full fledged gods. It was strange to me because my voice was no longer inside a literal box. Lab 14 figured out a way to put a person's voice into a literal box and punish an experiment with that if they didn't do what Lab 14 wanted them to.

The Resistance figured out how to reverse engineer Lab 14's technology and they were able to confirm that my voice was set in a way a normal person would talk. It didn't matter how many times the Resistance tried, they couldn't take my voice out and turn it into a literal box anymore. 

To tell the truth, I'm looking forward to seeing the shocked look on Cora's face when she wouldn't be able to use that technology on me again. 

Even so, the vision that The Grand God Council showed me how Derek and I would be playing dead, disturbed me. 

Derek stopped laughing and then reached over and kissed me. "You're still worried about me dying aren't you?"

I nodded. 

"Just remember," said Derek, "you can't kill a god and if Cora threatens to take your voice away, she can't do it. So whatever she's planning isn't going to work. Just like Ashley said, just because you're a god doesn't mean you don't have feelings. The fact that you're feeling worried goes to show that's a fact."

"Aren't you worried at all?" I asked.

Derek nodded. "Of course, I'm nervous about facing off against Cora again too. But until it happens, we just need to do our job to the best of our ability."