Rarity opened the door to the archives, making sure she wasn't followed. It wasn't like her to be sneaky, but she couldn't help it. In her hands was a small basket filled with small gemstones, each glimmering in a different color.
She closed the door behind her, and slowly walked toward a shrine at the end of a hall. There was a small pedestal, which held a small pointed hat which glowed like a miniature sun. Behind the altar, was a small panel with nine circles formed into a circle. In each circle, was a painting of one of nine different men, with a red background, and each portrait painted in a different art style. These nine men were the RED mercenaries, good friends of the Ponyville denizens and trained warriors. Several months ago, Rarity and her friends appeared in the REDs world, helping them defend from a horde of robots. Just before the girls left to go back to Equestria, the mercenaries were supposedly killed, which led to the creation of the shrine.
Rarity stepped closer to the shrine rummaging through her basket. Being the artist herself, she felt the need to add some more flair to the shrine.
"No, too small. No, too rough." She muttered to herself, looking for the right jewel. "Aha! Here we go." she said, pulling out a palm-sized, smooth sapphire. "I really must find more of these."
She put the stone on the altar, lining up with the Medic's portrait. Rarity kept searching for another similar gem, unaware of what she just triggered.
The sapphire started to vibrate, shaking as small sparks formed between the glowing hat, only a mere inch away. As the sparks grew louder and more violent, Rarity looked up. The sparks caused the hat to tremble, and soon the whole room itself. Rarity dropped her basket as she vanished from the room completely.
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Stuttgart, Germany
January 14th, 1964
7:32 PM
The Medic took a long look at the specimen in front of him. On his desk was a glass jar, with small wires clamped in the lid leading to a car battery. Inside the jar, was a large insect. It was at least two inches long, with six black legs a matching thorax, bright blue compound eyes, a small horn made from it's exoskeleton, and thin translucent wings that buzzed as the bug attempted to fly out of its jar, but kept colliding with the glass. And finally, the insect sported a large stinger from its abdomen, with a sickly green liquid dripping from it.
"It's unlike any insect I've ever zeen... vhere did it come from?" The Medic thought to himself, sketching the organism on a piece of paper, writing notes whenever he could. "Zhis creature... it just appeared in my house... vhat is zhis?" he mused.
His train of thought was lost as a CLUNK rang through his home, downstairs. The Medic locked his door for the night, so something was apparent. Someone was in his home, who shouldn't be. The Medic grabbed one of his old bonesaws, and leaned out of his room.
"Wer ist da? Wo bist du?" The Medic yelled, in his native German. A small cluttering noise indicated the culprit was in his living room. He crept down the stairs, gripping the saw tight. "Zeig dich und ich werde dich nicht verletzen." he called out. The Medic turned the corner, facing the intruder.
It was a young woman, with curly purple hair in a white dress. She let out an unlady-like shreik as she was startled at the sight of the Medic's saw, and fell backward. She brushed the hair from her face, and a shocked expression appeared on her face. "You're alive!?" she asked, both confused and excited.
"Bitte?" The Medic replied, just as confused.
"But the methane! We thought that you died in the explosion!" The girl cried, standing up.
"How did you know about zhat? Vait... I remember. You're one of ze girls zhat saved us! I'm zo zorry. I didn't recognize you." The Medic said, setting his saw on the table. "Rarity, Ja?"
She nodded. "Yes... and I don't blame you. Some of us don't remember you, either. I do, however."
"Fair enough, but how did you get into my house?" The Medic asked.
Rarity began blushing. "Oh! Well, I didn't mean to. I-I just sort of appeared here after I visited your shrine back in Ponyville, and-"
"A shrine? You built a shrine of me?" he chuckled, musing over the thought of it.
"What? No! Well... I mean yes. But it's more of a memorial to you and your teammates."
"Vhy a memorial? You can see zhat I'm vell and truly alive, and I assure you ze ozzers are fine, as vell."
"We thought you died in the methane explosion. We just naturally assumed that you... didn't escape fast enough."
"If it veren't for ze Heavy, ve vould be dead. Some of us only got a few nicks und scratches from ze ordeal."
There was a short pause, and Rarity sat herself down on a chair. "So, you're a doctor, right? Shouldn't you be working at a hospital?"
The Medic sighed. "Nein. I was stripped of my medical license years ago, after von of my patients lost his entire skeleton." He then chuckled quietly. "It vas vorth a good laugh."
Rarity felt a wave of uneasiness wash over her, and stared at the Medic, concerned. "So, what are you doing instead?"
"Funny you should ask. I've been turning to ze field of biology, and-" The Medic was interrupted by a crashing noise upstairs, the sound of breaking glass. "Schiße!" he muttered, grabbing his bonesaw and rushing up the stairs. Frightened, Rarity rushed after him.
She found herself with the Medic in his study room. On the desk, the glass jar was shattered, with an eerie green liquid dripping onto the floor.
"Be very quiet." The Medic whispered. Listening closely, Rarity could hear quick, occasional buzzings from different corners of the room.
"What is it?" Rarity asked, her voiced hushed.
"It's a specimen I've been observing recently. It's small, fast, and venomous." The Medic replied.
Rarity found herself shivering at the concept of being poisoned. She glanced over her shoulder, getting a little paranoid. She looked at his notes, written in German. "What does that say?" she whispered.
"Zhis insect contains a very unique poison. Its symptoms include an unknown state of consciousness, vhere ze victims are much more susceptible to mental distress. Zhat lasts a few days. Zhen paralysis, und finally... death." The Medic read, further reinforcing Rarity's uneasiness.
"If this thing is so dangerous, why haven't you killed it?" She asked. She shook under the stress. Those symptoms sounded too familiar to Rarity.
"I don't know how many creatures like zhis zhere are. Zhat means more people could be under ze effects of ze poison. I've been attempting to brew an antidote." The Medic responded, turning his head upon hearing more buzzing. "Ve must catch zhis insect, before it escapes... or- GAAAHH!" He cried, as his hand quickly slapped the back of his neck.
The Medic collapsed to his knees, looking at his hand to find the bug splattered with a green goo. Rarity felt her heart stop for a brief moment as she could see a gash on the Medic's neck, oozing a green fluid.
The Medic then reached for a syringe that lay on his desk, but stopped short. The Medic chuckled menacingly as he stopped, and turned to Rarity.
"Must feed ze Queen..." he growled, and Rarity could see something evil in his eyes. His gentle blue irises were replaced by a sinister orange.
Rarity grabbed the syringe the Medic was reaching for, and held it out infront of her. On the needle was a strip of tape, labeled: prototype antidote
The Medic lunged toward Rarity, attempting to get a hold on her. Rarity quickly dodged, and ran out the doorway. She sprinted down the stairs, to scared to face the crazed Medic alone. She bolted out the door, running through the snowy streets of Stuttgart.