//------------------------------// // Chapter 29 - Putting Together the Pieces // Story: The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds // by Kamahido //------------------------------// General Mustang leads Arc and Ember out of his office. Walking down the corridor they come to the brig. Motioning for the guards in the control room to let them in, the door slides open. Walking past several empty cells, they come to a large window at the end of the corridor. General Mustang motions to it with a wave of his hand. “Here you are. Your friend.” Arc steps up to the window and looks through. Lily paces the floor nervously as she wrings her hands. He calls out to her loudly. “It’s okay, Lily! I’m right here!” Mustang shakes his head. “She can’t hear or see you.” Ember raises an eyebrow. “How though?” “It’s a soundproof room with one way glass, my dear.” “Don’t call me that!” “My apologies, Dragon. Or should I call you... Dragon Lord Ember?” “You’ll stick to ‘Dragon’ if you know what’s good for you!” Mustang turns to Arc. “Now then, I’ve allowed you to see that your friend is indeed safe and sound. Shall we have that talk now?” “Very well. However I’m leaving Dragon here to look after Lily.” “That is acceptable. Just be aware that she will be unable to open this door and will be sealed in this ward when we leave.” Ember clenches a fist. “Fine with me! Just don’t try anything funny with Arc!” “I won’t.” “He’d mop the floor with your pompous behind anyways!” Arc sighs. “Just don’t let them move Lily, or anything.” “You can count on me.” Mustang heads back the way they came with Arc by his side. Turning to the guards on duty he points to Ember. “I’m allowing this individual to guard the guest in the isolation room. She is not to be allowed entry, but at the same time is not to be interfered with.” “Yes sir.” Motioning to Arc, Mustang begins walking again. As the return to the normal corridors the general turns to him. “I assume you have questions.” “Kinda.” “Ask and I will try to answer.” “First off, how did you know whom I was? Let along where I lived?” “Diva told me your identity. After all, you’ve made no attempts to mask it back in Equestria. As for where you lived, it was rather simple really. We can readily track magical energies in the immediate area via our sensors here.” He turns to Arc before continuing. “You showed up like a Christmas tree every time you arrived.” “Then why wait until today to make contact?” “Because I wanted to see what you would do.” “Do?” Mustang nods. “Oh yes. Think of it as an experiment of sorts. However an experiment is only valid if those conducting it merely observe. Interfering would adulterate the results rendering the test useless.” “What about Shelly?” “What about her?” “I know she’s Rieper’s daughter.” Mustang nods, clearly impressed. “Might I know how you figured that out?” “A little birdie told me.” “Ah, so it was a paper trail, eh?” Arc shrugs. “He was sloppy.” Mustang sighs. “Rieper’s always been that way. Not like Doctor Knowles in the least.” “There is something I really need to know.” “Oh?” “Is it true that Doctor Rieper was experimenting on his daughter? On Shelly?” “Yes and no.” “That doesn’t make any sense! Either he was or he wasn’t!” “Yes, he was using his knowledge of medicine and magic to try and help her. No, inasmuch as what was done was purely in the pursuit of saving her life.” “Isn’t he the reason she needed help in the first place though?” “Unfortunately, yes. You see, Doctor Rieper’s wife was having trouble carrying a child to term. So he came up with the idea of magically infusing an egg and sperm prior to conception. His theory was that the magic would bind with both cells and fuse with the DNA to become part of the child as they were forming.” “But...” “It did work, and his wife did carry the child up until labor. However there were complications stemming from the magical energies in the child’s body that transferred to the mother at labor and she didn’t make it. Rieper did everything in his power to save his wife, but to no avail.” “And that child was Shelly?” “Correct.” “Wait a second. Are you saying that Shelly was infused with magic on the cellular level?” Mustang nods. “Yes. I personally hoped that such a thing would allow a child to be born with the gift of magic rather than have to go through the long and drawn out process of Ascension.” “And then pass it on to their children and their children’s children.” “Exactly. That idea is why I allowed Rieper to attempt such a thing in the first place. Even he didn’t see the ramifications at first, being so intent with having a child.” “But that failed and you were left with nothing.” “Not exactly. Shelly was born healthy and stayed that way up until high school.” “How do you know that?” “We continued to monitor her medical conditions closely throughout her childhood. Frankly we just thought she was a normal girl until the problems started.” “So what exactly is the problem with her? Did Rieper ever figure it out?” “Human cells aren’t able to pass the gene along properly during normal growth and mitosis. It caused imbalances to start around the time of puberty. However they weren’t officially discovered to be linked to her magical origins until she was diagnosed as patient zero of a ‘disease’.” “So this has been festering inside her since she was born?!” “Conceived actually.” “Did you at least abandon that form of magical infusion?” “Yes, we did.” “Good. So there aren’t any other people like Shelly out there?” “No. She is one of a kind in that regard.” “But you didn’t let the idea go, did you?” “Very perceptive. No, we moved away from magical insemination and onto other projects.” “Such as...?” “Imbuing children with magical powers.” Arc clenches a fist. “Children?!” Mustang smiles. “Yes. Rest assured that none were harmed. We did extensive testing on lab animals first. After all, we’re not monsters here.” “Could’ve fooled me.” “The infusion process was long and very slow. It involved specially selected children to be gradually infused with magic over a period of time.” “And where did you find these children?” “The one place that doesn’t require parental consent. An orphanage.” Arc narrows his eyes. “Which one?” “I think you already know the answer to that one, Arc.” “Farburg?” Mustang nods. “We touted them as immunization boosters. The director at the time never actually checked up on the reasons for the numerous shots. He just accepted that they were in the children’s best interests. That and the fact we took care of any and all paperwork on the matter for him didn’t hurt.” “I don’t remember anyone talking about that though.” “Come now, Arc. What child wants to remember getting shots?” “Fine. Whom was this done to? “ Mustang chuckles. “If it makes you feel any better, not to you.” Arc seethes. “That doesn’t answer my question!” “Everyone around your age at the time.” “...what?” “Pretty much the whole orphanage population, with a handful of exceptions.” “And we were what to you?!” “The control group.” “And everyone else the experiment?!” “Yes. We monitored everyone closely as they grew up and either were adopted or aged out of the program. Not one child showed any signs of magical aptitude or medical problems associated with the procedure though.” “Other than Shelly, you mean?” “Correct. She was exempted from data collection entirely due to her magical origin.” “What about Lily and Frank?” “They were both part of the experimental group.” “And you’re sure they’re okay, right?” “Very. Well, other than your friend Frank due to his Ascension with the rest of his gang, that is.” “Is he in danger?!” “It doesn’t appear so, no. Even though he received double the treatment the others in his gang did.” “Due to his infusion as a child, you mean.” Mustang nods. “Right. A secondary experiment by Doctor Rieper.” Arc grits his teeth. “What about Lily?! Are you absolutely sure she’s alright?!” “One-hundred percent, yes. Even after the data was analyzed.” “And the experiment’s conclusion?” “That the original experiment was a resounding failure. However it wasn’t a complete loss.” Arc frowns. “How wonderful for you.” “The data we gathered from that time was used to help create the procedure for the Ascension Program as we know it today.” Arc stops and leans heavily against the wall before speaking. “This is all just so... overwhelming. My friends and I... we were just one big experiment to the state?!” He looks to Mustang and frowns. “Tell me something. Was Headmistress Kulara a part of this? Mustang shakes his head. “No. In fact, when she took over as administrator of the Farburg Orphanage we had to severely dial back our presence, as her record indicated that she would have asked far too many dangerous questions. Such demanded that we rely on regular checkups and medical records compiled by their general practitioners.” “Is this still going on?!” “No. We got the data we needed and moved on to adult test subjects and... different projects.” “Different projects?” “Expansion of magical experimentation. This was in thanks to a certain test subject we acquired some time ago.” “Celestia.” “Precisely. She was of, shall we say... great help in our plans.” “Plans to do WHAT?! Give every human magic?!” Mustang smiles. “That is certainly in the cards, yes. However it would have to be implemented slowly over time on a voluntary basis.” “Implemented. Tell me, Ascension is artificially giving someone magic through medical means, right?” “Simplistically, yes.” “And how exactly does it work?” “Our treatment alters the cell’s DNA of the subject in question. Slowly but surely every cell passes on its altered DNA when it splits, thus continuing the transformation from a normal human to a magic user.” “Willing or not.” Mustang smirks “I assume you’re referring to the Shards?” “Right.” “They were the dregs of society before being captured and Ascended. A lawless gang of crooks whom, after learning magic, have transformed into a commune dedicated to peace and helping others.” “I kinda wondered how that happened.” “Part of that was due to Frank’s influence over them. However, being forced to learn to control their powers aligned their minds to peace and order.” He chuckles before continuing. “Image every criminal in our overcrowded prisons being given the same treatments?” “And if they didn’t focus on peace and harmony their magic would become unbalanced.” Mustang chuckles. “Which is quite painful I’m told.” “A built in restraint system. But after one comes to terms with their powers what’s to stop them from using them for crime?” Mustang shrugs. “Nothing, I suppose.” “You mean...?” “No system is perfect.” Arc gasps. “But that would cause chaos! Criminals with the ability to Blink into any building. Bank vault’s thick steel would be useless as would be metal detectors!” “Not to worry about that. We’ve begun doing research into other projects to counter that. Magic-proof steel and magic dampeners that can ‘switch off’ someone’s magic temporarily.” The general looks up and points before continuing. “Such as the magic dampener on the roof of the main building overhead.” Arc frowns. “What?!” “It disables all magic within a certain radius. Thin entire island, that is. So you won’t be portalling, teleporting, or using any other magical means of traveling out of here. “Sounds like you’ve thought of everything, general.” “I do try to learn from my mistakes, Arc. Even if you do make it up to the surface without my permission you would still be within range of the dampeners. But we’re getting off topic here. I believe we were talking about my foray into anti-magic business ideas.” Arc nods. “With you and The Organization being at the forefront of these advancements, no less.” Mustang chuckles. “We’ll be the richest individuals in the world, Arc.” “We?” “Of course I want to include you in this. After all, none of it would have been possible without your contributions.” “But I didn’t do...!” Mustang cuts him off. “Oh, but you did. Your antics with the Shards helped me test my own soldier’s capabilities during your battles.” Arc gasps. “Stingray, Hammer, and Mio!” “Right. Using the Hero as a goal, they were able to convince Frank that he needed to corral you. This led to them attempting to recruit you to their side.” “But I didn’t join them.” “As I knew you wouldn’t.” “That doesn’t make any sense!” “You kept their little gang in check during their rise to fame. We all knew Frank was getting too powerful and needed to be kept in his place. The Hero and your allies were just the patsies to do it too.” “Making me do your dirty work, eh?” Mustang shrugs. “In a manner of speaking. I already controlled the police in Angel Grove, so it was never out my power to... blunt their claws if they went too far.” “All the while the people of the town suffered!” “No one was killed and injuries were kept to a minimal.” Arc clenches a fist. “That doesn’t make it right though!” Mustang smirks. “Right and wrong. Two words that can have VERY different meanings between people.” “I do understand that. However when you endanger an entire town...” “For the good of all, I assure you.” “That’s not something I can see justifying in my mind.” “If you knew the whole picture, you would.” Arc frowns. “Then elaborate.” “Another time, Arc. For now, I’d like to make another proposition to you.” Arc sighs. “Great...” Mustang motions down another corridor. “A bit of a meeting with someone you’re very familiar with.”