//------------------------------// // 2: All Its Worth // Story: Anomalous Materials // by Codes and Ponies //------------------------------// 2 weeks later... Gina, Colette & Richard were being let out of the hospital. As they signed their release forms, Kinte wished them luck on their life in Equanus. "So, now what?" asked Gina. "Well," said Richard, "the black Pegasus-unicorn hybrid left a note by my bed, as well as leaving the storage satchels we are now wearing." He pulled out a note labeled "Places for you to go after waking up." "Our first stop is the Royal House, so Luna can return our equipment to us. Also, it feels good to be able to walk again," continued the Pegasus stallion. "Well, how the hell do we get there? We don't have a car or any money to take public transportation," replied Colette. As if in response, a bright, shiny-gray glow emanated from Colette's horn. The glow expanded until Colette, Gina, & Richard were all engulfed by it. When it folded in on itself, they were gone. In front of the royal house, the process instantly reversed, as the trio materialized there. As she recovered from the expenditure of energy, Colette woozily asked "What in the name of Shub-Niggurath?" "We must have teleported. It probably kicked in in response to our problem," quipped Gina. After seeing other random unicorns teleport around, Richard concluded, "It must be a universal ability among Unicorns. Anyway, let's go in." Richard knocked on the door. A white Pegasus/unicorn hybrid with a Sun motif to her attire answered the door. "You 3 must be new. Please explain. By the way, to make this less awkward for you, I am Princess Celestia." Colette replied, "Your Majesty, I am Doctor Colette Green. These are my friends/business partners, Doctor Gina Cross and Doctor Richard Keller." The 2 referred ponies greeted in response. "Ah! You're the newcomers Luna told me about!" She realized. "Good to finally meet you. What are you here for?" "Your sister was performing maintenance on equipment that we were carrying when we were entering this world." replied Richard. "Also, what's the deal with Pegasus/Unicorn hybrids?" "In this world, Pegasus/Unicorn hybrids (or 'Cerapter'-Elleneighca for 'Horned Wing', to use the proper term) are basically the equivalent to what the sentient species of other worlds refer to as 'deities'." Replied Celestia. "anyway, the repaired equipment pickup area is in the basement, to the left," She gave them a map to help them. As they made their way down, they pondered their situation. "We can't go back. We died in our home universe." said Gina. "I hope Stanley is okay. We never got along well, but I wouldn't even wish death on him," said Richard. He was referring to his colleague Doctor Stanley Rosenberg. Stanley created the Anti-Mass Spectrometer, the machine which caused the Black Mesa incident & this whole mess in the first place. "I should have listened to him. How could I have been so stupid that day? The Administrator was blindly fooling with technology he shouldn't have been. It's partially my fault the world went to metaphorical hell that day." They arrived at the lab, and knocked on the door. Luna answered it. "Ah. Hello, scientists. Here for your equipment?" asked the goddess of the night. "Yes," said Colette. "Give me a second to get your crap." She walked up to the "Awaiting pickup" booth & grabbed 2 sacks of equipment. As the trio left the Royal house, Richard ran over a checklist Luna gave them to make sure they got all their weapons back. "Okay," he started. "I want to make sure each of you got each of the following items back. Just say 'check' if you did, okay?" "Crowbar?" "Check," said the two mares. "Glock 17 with 100-round capacity 9 millimeter by 19 millimeter Parabellum hollow-point bullet cartridge Beta Company Century Magazine? Huh. Didn't know they make that in a version for Glock series pistols. Must've been released while us three were unconscious. Also make sure you've got 20 spare magazines for it, with 100 9 millimeter by 19 millimeter Parabellum hollow-point bullet cartridges each, for a total of 2,000 9 millimeter by 19 millimeter Parabellum hollow-point bullet cartridges." "Check" they replied. "Colt Python Elite revolver with iron-sights, a full 6-round 0.357 Magnum chamber, speed-loader clip, and 36 spare 0.357 Magnum bullets? "Check," they replied. "Beretta Model 9 Advanced Series 1 Semiautomatic 9 millimeter by 19 millimeter Parabellum Pistol with a 15-round 9 millimeter by 19 millimeter Parabellum Total Metal Jacket ball bullet cartridge magazine & 20 spare magazines with 15 9 millimeter by 19 millimeter Parabellum Total Metal Jacket ball bullet cartridges each, for a total of 300 spare 9 millimeter by 19 millimeter Parabellum Total Metal Jacket ball bullet cartridges, and attached L.A.S.E.R. sight? Must've added that as an upgrade." "Check," they replied. "Heckler & Koch MaschinenPistole 5 Automatisch 3 with 100-round capacity 9 millimeter by 19 millimeter Parabellum solid-point bullet cartridge Beta Company Century magazine, attached Model 203 Picatinny Rail Grenade Launcher with 1-round capacity Model 406 High-Explosive Round 40 millimeter by 46 millimeter Grenade cartridge magazine, 20 spare 9 millimeter by 19 millimeter Parabellum solid-point bullet cartridge Beta Company Century magazines, for a total of 2,000 spare 9 millimeter by 19 millimeter Parabellum solid-point bullet cartridges, and 10 spare Model 406 High-Explosive Round 40 millimeter by 46 millimeter Grenade magazines, for a total of 10 spare Model 406 High-Explosive Round 40 millimeter by 46 millimeter Grenades?" "Check," they replied. "Colt Model 4 Carbine Assault Variant 1 with 100-round capacity Mark 262 Mod 1 5.56 millimeter by 45 millimeter North Atlantic Treaty Organization cartridge Beta Company Century Magazine, attached Model 203 Picatinny Rail Grenade Launcher with 1-round capacity Model 433 High-Explosive Dual-Purpose Round 40 millimeter by 46 millimeter Grenade cartridge magazine, 10 spare Mark 262 Mod 1 5.56 millimeter by 45 millimeter North Atlantic Treaty Organization Beta Company Century Magazines for a total of 1,000 spare Mark 262 Mod 1 5.56 millimeter by 45 millimeter North Atlantic Treaty Organization cartridges, and 10 spare Model 433 High-Explosive Dual-Purpose Round 40 millimeter by 46 millimeter Grenade magazines, for a total of 10 spare Model 433 High-Explosive Round 40 millimeter by 46 millimeter Grenades?" "Check," they replied. "Franchi Sporting Purpose Automatic Shotgun with 8-round capacity 12-gauge buckshot shell internal tube magazine, 128 spare 12-gauge buckshot shells, pump-action/semiautomatic toggle, and tube-loader clip?" "Check," they both replied. "GAM14B Guided Shaped-Charge High-Explosive Anti-Tank Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher with L.A.S.E.R.-based guidance system, 1-round capacity Guided Shaped-Charge High-Explosive Anti-Tank Rocket Propelled Grenade cartridge magazine, and 5 spare Guided Shaped-Charge High-Explosive Anti-Tank Rocket Propelled Grenade cartridge magazines, for a total of 5 spare Guided Shaped-Charge High-Explosive Anti-Tank Rocket Propelled Grenades?" "Check," they replied. "Tau Cannon with 156-round Depleted Uranium magazine, high-power shot ability, teleport-based reload, and 10 spare Depleted Uranium magazines for a total of 1,560 spare Depleted Uranium Units? Must've built them from the notes they found on us." "Check," they replied. "Gluon Gun with 100-round Uranium-235 magazine, narrow-beam/wide-beam toggling, teleport-based reload, and 10 spare Uranium-235 magazines for a total of 1,000 spare Uranium-235 units?" "Check," they replied. "Displacer Cannon with 100-round Uranium-238 magazine, blast that teleports enemies, user-teleporting ability, teleport-based reload, and 10 spare Uranium-238 magazines for a total of 1,000 spare Uranium-238 units?" "Check," they said. "25 Mark 2 Defensive Fragmentation Hoof Grenades, with regeneration device?" "Check," they replied. "Satchel Charge remote with accompanying magically regenerating supply of Satchel Charges that caps at 5?" "Check," they replied. "5 M23B L.A.S.E.R. Trip-mines, which regenerate upon running out?" "Check," they replied. "1 Snark nest with unlimited Snarks?" "Check," they replied. "Hazardous Environment Vitality Suit?" "Check," they replied. "Infinite Hazardous Environment Vitality Suit armor fuel recharger?" "Check," they replied "Finally, Long Jump Module?" "Check," they replied. Just than Gina realized something. "HOW ARE WE GONNA USE OUR WEAPONS WITHOUT FINGERS?" she screamed. As if in response, a maroon glow surrounded her horn, as the same glow also surrounded the primary trigger of her Tau Cannon. "Huh. I guess unicorns of this world have telekinetic powers in addition to teleportation powers," snarked Colette. "Well, let's go find an apartment to hold us over before finding permanent homes. There was this bag of metal shards accompanying our shit." Richard pulled out a bag of metal shards. With it was a note that read: "Dear Gina, Colette, and Richard, Here is a bag of 6,000,000 bits. Bits are what we use as currency here in Equestria. I have given you this cash to help you get started on your new lives. Best of Luck, Luna" "Well, I guess that means we can afford Public transportation." said Gina. They looked over the map of Equestria, trying to decide on a city to live in. "How about Fillydelphia?", said Richard as he was practicing his flying. Eventually, after accidentally spotting a couple doing naughty things by their bedroom window, his wings went stiff & he fell on a cloud with such force that he squeezed lightning out of it. The lightning almost hit Colette. "Hey! Wait a minute... How did you do that?" she asked. "I have no idea," said Richard. He noticed the cloud was somehow supporting his weight and his wings were erect and stiff. Note to self: straight stiff wings are apparently the Pegasus equivalent of an erection, he thought to himself. He jumped up and down, each impact with the cloud squeezing out more lightning. "I wonder..." he said, as he tried pushing the cloud around, and succeded. "Okay, that's cool. Apparently, Pegasi can manipulate weather." He said to the mares as he realized this fact. Later, the trio brought their tickets for the 2:00 PM train to Fillydelphia. As they boarded, Gina said "I hope Gordon got out okay," referring to Gordon Freeman, one of her co-workers at the old Anomalous materials lab. He was responsible for putting the crystal that caused the Anti-Mass Spectrometer to cause this mess. She tried dating him, but it didn't really work out. "Also, plan. When we get to Fillydelphia, we milk the powers our new bodies have for all they're worth, so as to test the extent of our powers. Finally as to these marks on our rumps, they're called 'Cutie Marks'. Basically, they're a visual representation of that aspect of ourselves that allows us to make a living. Sometimes they stand for an otherwise significant aspect of ourselves. It says so on the notes the Princess left us. For instance, mine is a crystal, accompanied by a spectrometer & a security guard helmet with the phrase 'Top-Level' written on it." The Intercom alerted everypony that the 2:00 PM train to Fillydelphia was now boarding. They got on the train, and waited for it to start.