//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: Trial By Fire // Story: Deus Ex: Equine Revolution // by Melon Hunter //------------------------------// Deus Ex: Equine Revolution By Melon Hunter Chapter 8: Trial By Fire Bon Bon strode around her nest, yawning as she prepared a pot of coffee. Despite her exhaustion the night before, she’d been able to stave off sleep long enough to gather some supplies before retiring to her bed. Rested, she made a simple breakfast and examined her gear she’d retrieved from Zantos. Everything was in order and her new stun gun was stocked with lightning-enchanted gems. The zebra had assured her that the restored weapon could bring down even the stockiest of earth ponies... provided they were within five paces of her. Bon Bon put the gun down and took a sip of bitter black coffee, sighing in relief as the caffeine hit her system. She was going to need it. The unicorn had awoken early, Twilight having assured her that contact would swiftly be made about Fluttershy’s mail cache. She drained the mug of coffee just as a faint mental pressure came. Bon Bon steeled herself and opened the link. Good morning, Twilight, she stated. Bon Bon. I think I know what to do. There was a faint mania colouring Twilight’s thoughts. Are you OK? You don’t exactly sound like it... Well, I wasn’t going to go to bed with a treasure trove of information about Fluttershy waiting to be analysed, now was I? Besides, sleep deprivation is an old friend of mine, Twilight said wistfully. I finished the last of them about a quarter of an hour ago. Bon Bon felt a jolt run through her stomach. Wait, all of them? You didn’t... You mean about Rarity and Fluttershy being in contact? Yes, well, that was a... barb in the side. But I understand Rarity was caught between a rock and a hard place, seeing as Fluttershy didn’t want to be found. And given that I would have turned Lower Canterlot upside-down to find her had I known she was there... There was a pause as a wave of bittersweet mirth came through the link. Whaddya know? My friends know me better than I do.         There was an awkward pause. Twilight, I’m sorry. I should have given the archive a closer look— Don’t presume to tell me what I should and shouldn’t know, Bon Bon. You did as I asked, and whatever information you gave me was my prerogative alone. And the deal with Mercy? Going ahead smoothly. Or as smoothly as I could hope. Trixie apparently didn’t notice you coming back into the clinic, thankfully. Well, that’s something, at least. So, what now? The Analytics Labs. I want you to go there. Bon Bon let out a faint sigh and rubbed at her forehead. Is this because of Fluttershy? No. The unicorn from the MANE clinic’s there. Twilight paused. Based on his erratic behaviour, not to mention what little information the police got from him, I’m certain some malicious outside force working upon him. If you could get a biological sample from him—or copy the data already taken—we could re-construct his magical signature and see what information it brings up. That sounds like a hell of a stretch, Bon Bon admitted. Not to mention the difficulty in infiltrating the Labs in the first place... You won’t need to worry about that. The Labs specialise in researching aug rejection and disposing of old implants. It wasn’t difficult to get you a pass under the guise of a private inspection of the facilities, in particular their handling of confidential material. I know you’re experienced enough in the field to pass muster, even if it’s not your speciality. I’ll have Colgate give you the location of the agent with your pass. Fair enough. If that’s everything, I’ll be on my way. Well... Twilight paused a moment, uncertainty clouding the link. If you can find this Poster Paint, it might help. Apparently sensing Bon Bon’s disparagement, the unicorn continued, Look, they sound like the sort of pony who could be easily leveraged with information about Fluttershy. Easily flustered and manipulated if given enough tidbits. And then you can have them lead you straight to what you want. That sounds more like a job for Rarity... I’m sure you’ll be more than capable. Bring me the sample and wipe away the mystery. And if you can find out what Fluttershy was doing there, then all the better. I’ll do my best. But no more high-risk hacking. Trixie was one thing; getting caught snooping where I don’t belong in a MANE facility when I’m under the authority of Sparkle Industries will be far worse. Agreed. Then I’ll see you once you’ve got the magical sample. Bon Bon gathered up her things, dressing herself in her jumpsuit and longcoat, arranging her saddlebags and holstering her two weapons. I’ll be in contact later. Very well. And Bon Bon? Yes? ...Thank you for your concern. I appreciate it. Don’t mention it. Bon Bon broke the link and exited the nest.         An hour later, Bon Bon made her way through the chilly pre-dawn streets of Upper Canterlot. The agent from Sparkle Industries had said little, giving her an ID card with a few personal details and a photo on it to allow her access to the Labs. The pony had wished her luck and moved on, probably unwilling to spend more time than necessary in the wintry air.         Given their association with the darker side of augmentations, the Analytics Labs were hidden away from the more public areas of Canterlot, located amongst a group of Equestrian Civil Service buildings. Unlike the MANE clinics, it gave away little clue as to what was located within. Just another muted marble building on the street, with windows tinted to prevent prying eyes from seeing in.         Bon Bon’s hooves clacked against the cobblestones as she walked up to the main entrance. She froze in sudden confusion, realising there was no door at street level, despite a set of steps leading up to the wall. Frowning, the unicorn walked up the steps to the wall and gave it an experimental knock. All that happened was a dull clunk as artificial hoof met stone. “I don’t know what I was expecting,” she muttered.         Suddenly, there was a whirr as a hologram of a yellow unicorn’s head appeared in front of Bon Bon’s face, making the cream pony recoil slightly in surprise. “State your business,” the projection said primly.         “Uh... I’m from Sparkle Industries,” Bon Bon said uncertainly. She fished out her identification and held it up with her magic. “Here.”         The holographic mare studied the card briefly with her hard emerald eyes, before nodding. “Ah, the inspector. I do apologise for the inconvenience, but full lockdown procedures have now become standard ever since the attack on Central Clinic. Please stand back.” Bon Bon obliged and the projection winked out. The section of wall in front of her shimmered and gradually coalesced into a grandoise pillared doorway with a thick wooden door.         After a moment, the door swung inward, revealing the unicorn who had spoken to her through the holographic interface. She stood about half a head shorter than Bon Bon and wore a white lab coat. She shook back her lime green mane, gazing up at the cream mare. “Good morning,” she said.         Bon Bon nodded in greeting. “Good morning. I believe Twilight Sparkle contacted the Labs concerning an investigation into disposal of confidential implants?” Despite the six-month lull, the language of the experimental aug trade rolled off her tongue easily.         “Well, I... uh, let me check.” The little mare went quiet and her expression became slightly vacant, evidently tapped into a Hydra implant. She snapped back to the present after a brief pause and gave a nod. “We are aware of this visit. Although perhaps we assumed this inspection would be made later in the day.”         “Shall I come back later?” Bon Bon asked.         “Not at all! I am perfectly able to guide you around the laboratories.” The small mare extended a hoof in greeting. “Lime Jelly, at your service.”         Bon Bon shook the proffered hoof. “Thank you.”         Lime Jelly turned around and led Bon Bon into the facility, the door closing behind the pair. The corridors were softly lit, with cream-coloured walls and white linoleum floors, reminding the augmented unicorn of her old laboratories. “I apologise if I appear to be glossing over anything,” Lime piped up. “I’m afraid we have quite the conflict-of-interest issue here, as you’re from a competitive firm. Issues of industrial espionage and all.” “Understandable,” Bon Bon answered. A feeling of unease began to worm through her as she considered the apology. Why was Lime Jelly so eager to tell her that? She began wonder whether having the Sparkle Industries name hanging over her had caused the staff to close ranks. Her suspicions only grew as Lime Jelly showed her the bare minimum of what she needed to see. The Labs reminded Bon Bon of an aug assembly plant, with some ponies taking artificial limbs apart with the aid of mechanised arms and others studying the parts through microscopes or arcane analysers. She made a show of making notes about the various areas, from the large incinerators that destroyed the failed implants to the secure storage containers. True to her word, Lime glossed over every detail, pointing out only the most obvious points of interest. “So, where do these implants come from?” Bon Bon asked as they walked down another corridor in the labrynthine Labs. “Do you operate on Augs here, or take them from the MANE clinics, or...?” “That’s confidential,” the little mare said. “So you just expect me to believe they just appear out of thin air?” Bon Bon deadpanned. “Hardly. But I thought you would understand that these devices come from some very unfortunate ponies. There’s no need to pry as to where they had them removed,” Lime said primly. The augmented unicorn glowered at her. So much for getting to the body of the possessed pony with the leave of the Labs staff. “Is there anypony else I can speak to?” Lime Jelly stopped in her tracks and stared up at her. “Beg pardon?” “I’m just saying that this all seems rather... rehearsed,” Bon Bon said airily. “I was wondering whether there’s anypony else I can ask about the facilities who is less prepared for my visit.” The smaller unicorn frowned for a moment. “Well, there was one pony your employer asked for,” she offered. “I could take you to him.” “I’d appreciate that,” Bon Bon replied. Lime let out a small sigh and nodded. “Follow me, then.” She led Bon Bon to a nearby office and knocked on the door. “Poster Paint? The inspector’s here.” Bon Bon felt a jolt run through her. Poster Paint? Really, Twilight? Her internal musing was cut short as a deep blue pegasus opened the door, grinning apologetically, his red-and-yellow mane in a chaotic state. Like Lime, he wore a lab coat. “Ah! Yes. I heard I was needed. Asked after by Twilight Sparkle herself, eh?” “Just give her what she wants and get her out of here,” Lime muttered under her breath to him, apparently unaware Bon Bon’s augmented hearing could pick up her hushed speech. The little mare nodded to Bon Bon and scurried off, leaving the pair alone. “Well, do come in!” Poster said jovially. Bon Bon obliged, walking into the spacious office and closing the door behind her. The chamber was sparsely decorated; a desk overflowing with paperwork, shelves full of augmentation textbooks, a wilting pot plant in the corner. In place of a window, a large painting of the vista from Mount Canterlot hung on the wall. “Apologies for the mess.” “I’d be a hypocrite if I complained about it,” Bon Bon said. She watched the pegasus walk to his desk, ensuring she was placed between him and the door. Just in case he became spooked enough by her questions to bolt. The unicorn noticed a framed picture poking out of the paper mountain, showing Poster Paint hugging a visibly uncomfortable Fluttershy. “Nice photograph,” she observed. “What? Oh...” The pegasus frowned at the photo, nudging it down with his hoof. “Just a friend,” he said. “Now, what can I help you with? I hope I can be more receptive. Lime is a very diligent scientist, but she can be rather too uptight when it comes to matters of confidentiality.” Bon Bon took a deep breath, before looking straight into Poster Paint’s purple eyes. “As it happens, my ‘inspection’ here is to do with that photo.” The pegasus blinked in confusion. “I paid a visit to a rather different clinic last night in Lower Canterlot. You might be aware of it? I was able to access Fluttershy’s mail account. Your name came up quite a lot.” Poster blanched, looking down at the floor. “F-Fluttershy...” he muttered. “So, I’m sure you’re here on some revenge mission for Sparkle, aren’t you?” “Hardly. Sparkle Industries isn’t in the business of sending augmented thugs to punish those who displease the CEO. But you’re our best link regarding her. Twilight wants me to track her down, which is why she asked specifically for you,” Bon Bon explained. “‘Track her down’? What do you mean? Has she left Mercy, too?” Poster asked hesitantly. Bon Bon gave him an even look. “Actually, Fluttershy was supposed to be speaking at the MANE clinic protest last night. She was snatched when the riot broke out, and as far as anypony’s aware, she was spirited away in the confusion.” Her mouth twitched. “And, seeing as she’s a Bearer of an Element of Harmony, it’s imperative we get her back, and soon.” The pegasus huffed and clenched his eyes shut. “I knew this would come back to me in the end. I just—” He swallowed nervously. “I’ve never met a pony as perfect as her... Everypony else in this business I’ve ever met has been in it for the money, or the scientific allure. But Fluttershy? She did it all for the patients, for the ones who were suffering.” Bon Bon sighed impatiently. “Look, while I’m sure you thought very highly of Fluttershy, this isn’t really relevant. I need to know about her past.” He grimaced. “I realise she was secretive enough as it was, but given that she was snatched at the protest and she was looking over her shoulder at Alpha Wave, I can’t help but feel she must have been hunted by somepony for a long time.” Poster Paint huffed. “Well, quite.” He motioned to the books behind him. “Obviously, Fluttershy was quite skilled in medicine—a natural extension of her cutie mark talent, no doubt—but all I’ve ever heard from her is that she received training at some point after the griffon war began. She went to Manehatten to join a cadre of volunteer medics shipping out to the Griffon Kingdoms, but then changed her mind at the last minute to deal with injured mercs coming back from the front.” He paused for a second. “I’m sure you can gather the significance of her being there at the inception of the augmentation movement.” The augmented unicorn nodded. “Of course. It might explain why she was so vehemently against them. Misguided anger after seeing the first patients, no doubt.” She rubbed a hoof against her chin thoughtfully. “And, the first research facility for augmentation in Manehatten was...” “...The Rich Institute,” Poster Paint finished for her. “Yes, it makes sense. Back in the day, they were rather philanthropic in their ventures. It would make sense that she was trained alongside any other ponies willing to be medics.” “So when did she come here?” Bon Bon asked. She frowned as Poster chewed his lip, his eyes shifting from side to side. “Uh... well, I don’t really remember. She was here before me, so, um...” The augmented unicorn rolled her eyes at his attempt at subterfuge. “Let me take an educated guess,” she cut in. “Sometime not long after the ‘tragic’ and untimely death of Filthy Rich and the subsequent folding of the Rich Institute into the T & S Medical empire by his daughter?” Bon Bon raised an eybrow. “About the time it went from philanthropy and kindness to a cutthroat competitive organisation?” Poster Paint shrugged. “I suppose.” His eyes flicked up to Bon Bon nervously. “You’re not accusing Diamond Tiara—of all ponies—having Fluttershy abducted, are you?” he blustered. Bon Bon shook her head. “Hardly. There could be a thousand and one ponies out there who might want Fluttershy abducted, given that she spent years in Manehatten. If she was willing to work at the Mercy clinic here in Canterlot, I can only assume she might have spent time at similar places in Manehatten... and made enemies there, too.” “O-of course.” The pegasus let out a brief sigh and let his wings slump down. “I’m sorry. This whole business... such a shock.” He let out a sigh. “But I’m afraid that’s all I can give you. As you’ve already gathered, Fluttershy never gave much information about her past to the ponies she was presently with, and this place was no exception. I didn’t want to press the issue when she was here; I just extrapolated from what little she allowed to be known.” A look of regret appeared on his face. “Maybe if I’d tried a little harder...” “I doubt it would have made a difference,” Bon Bon said. She rubbed her chin. Fluttershy’s past seemed to be frustratingly murky, but at least there was a further lead to take. Although, that would be a path to take another day. The augmented unicorn didn’t envy the ponies who would have to try and mine information from the the hornet’s nest of T& S Medical. “I suppose not.” Poster cast a sad glance to the photo on his desk. “Well, I wish you the best of luck in finding her. I hope she’s safe,” he said, ushering Bon Bon to the door. “Actually, there was one other thing,” Bon Bon said, standing her ground. “I need your assistance in obtaining a magical sample from the unicorn brought in from the MANE clinic.” Poster Paint stood agog for a moment and a single laugh escaped his lips. “Would you like me to go and retrieve the Elements of Harmony, as well? Just while we’re on the subject of stealing things that are guarded well enough to make them untouchable?” He shook his head. “Besides, you’ll be needing to break into the central Canterlot police station if you want that.” Bon Bon snorted in derision. “Don’t be so melodramatic. And of course the unicorn’s body was moved here”—she snapped her head around to face him—“or are you forgetting that we have your entire conversation with Fluttershy on file?” Poster gulped nervously. “Including you begging her to come here and help you analyse it?”   The stallion rolled his eyes. “Fine. So the body’s here. Doesn’t change matters. We’ve had no luck in discovering what’s causing the magical interference. The corpse is off-limits to anypony unauthorised.” “Not to you, evidently.” Bon Bon shrugged, trying to take a more passive stance against Poster Paint’s sudden aggression. She raised a pacifying hoof. “Look, I was there on the night of the clinic raid. I saw that stallion, and there was something very wrong with him. Whatever the reasons MANE had for dragging him here, it’s not helping anypony to have him concealed here.” “I don’t care,” the pegasus hissed. “Alpha Wave had her reasons for taking the body here and I’ll be banished to the moon before I go behind her back. This isn’t just about me losing my job; I could be imprisoned, or even made to have a mysterious ‘accident’ just to get me out of the way!” He grunted. “Nothing is worth that!” She raised an eyebrow. “Not even if it would help find Fluttershy?” “N-no. Not even that.” He cast his gaze to the ground. “Don’t bring her into this,” Poster muttered. Coward. Bon Bon scowled at him. “I didn’t come here to take ‘no’ for an answer,” she said. “And what if that mail archive were to make its way to Alpha Wave, hmm? A little leak, showing you spent eighteen months keeping quiet about Fluttershy’s location when you knew MANE were actively hunting for her?” Poster Paint let out another mirthless laugh, glaring at the unicorn. “So, blackmail now, is it? Damned if I do and damned if I don’t?” He slammed a forehoof against the ground. “I can spin my way out of knowing where Fluttershy was, but if I’m seen letting you into the most secure part of this facility to pilfer from an asset that was locked away by Alpha herself, then I’m as good as dead!” “I—” Bon Bon bit her lip as the pegasus cut her off. “Shut up!” he snarled. “You think you can just barge in here and demand anything of me?” Poster growled. “Maybe because you’re all auged up and you’ve got dirt on me? At least I’m not the one addicted to soul gems and throwing my weight around just because I have a corporation behind me! What if I just say no, huh?! What then?” Bon Bon filtered out Poster Paint’s ranting as he continued to abuse and accuse her of ever-more outlandish things. I need to convince him without him going to security... She brought up her list of augmentations. Must be something in here... After a moment’s searching, she found a dormant aug in her system, with the unwieldy name of Social Telemetry And Reconnaissance of Emotions. Rarity’s own social aug? That should suffice. Bon Bon activated it, only to be greeted with a warning that she was possibly untrained to utilise it properly. She dismissed it swiftly, then reeled as her augmented vision flooded with information. The unicorn felt dizzy as graphs and text danced across her vision, highlighting various points on Poster Paint’s body and face, analysing his speech and body language, providing a near-incomprehensible deluge of data. Bon Bon shook her head, dismissing most of it, eventually settling for just a couple of simple charts and an analysis of his general mood. “...so, what, now you’re just going to ignore me?” Poster said with a derisive snort. “I was just waiting for you to run out of steam,” Bon Bon replied. The pegasus gaped in anger, but she pressed the assault, her new augmentation goading her on to lever his weaknesses. Insecurity, cowardice, pride, tries to shout others down... tell me something I don’t know. “Now that you’ve calmed down, maybe we can talk about this like adults.” Poster snarled. “You think you can just talk down to me like that?!” “You don’t seem to have any proper answers,” the unicorn deadpanned. “I asked you about the body. First you lied, then when that didn’t work you tried to provoke me. What exactly are you hiding here?” “I... I...” The pegasus looked down at the ground for a second, mouth opening and closing. “I’m just trying to protect myself!” Bon Bon shrugged. “From what?” “From your blackmail, your abuse of your inspector powers, from revealing things I shouldn’t even know...” Poster fluttered his wings in agitation, dancing back and forth on his hooves. The unicorn bit her lip, trying not to be too distracted by her augmented vision. Poster was losing his staunch opposition, but the warnings about increased heart rate and breathing suggested he might be heading for another outburst if she kept up the pressure. “Look, I realise I’ve just walked in here and ruined your entire day,” she said, waving a forehoof. “And, believe me, I don’t like this any more than you do. “ “I bet you don’t...” “But this isn’t a case of just ignoring it and hoping it’ll go away,” Bon Bon continued. “I’m sure that you’re a good pony; I don’t doubt somepony less scrupulous would have sold Fluttershy out long ago if they knew Alpha Wave wanted her.” The pegasus permitted a brief, small smile, before realising what he was doing and glaring at Bon Bon. “Yes, I’m a good pony,” he hissed. “A good pony who knows when to sit down and shut up? A good pony who looks the other way when needed?” He growled and slammed a hoof onto his desk. “Don’t patronise me! You’re not the one who sits here, day in and day out, having come here thinking I was going to help, but instead ended up looting corpses!” He stopped for a second, taking great huffs of breath. “I don’t know what you expected when you came here, but I am done with buckling and bending over!” Poster crossed his forelegs, scowling petulantly. “Do what you will with the mail. I don’t care any more.” Bon Bon was about to answer, when another notice flashed up in her vision. Low compliance detected. Use STARE? She frowned in confusion, before selecting the affirmative. Suddenly, she felt a surge of confidence, her lenses sliding back involuntarily, her eyes blazing with some kind of power. She took a step toward him, mind working in overdrive to put together her argument. “You do care. I know that; why would you be so worried about revealing this body otherwise?” “Well, I—” She stomped a hoof. “Listen to me. I’ve tried appealing to your better side and you refused to respond. But why? It’s obvious that this situation does disturb you, and you know that the Canterlot MANE organisation is rotten to the core. Why are you so afraid of Alpha Wave otherwise? That mare has power beyond merely being a controller of the augmentation facilities around here. We both know that if I get a sample from this body, it’ll throw a spanner in her works.” Bon Bon began to pace around the pegasus, who had been stunned into silence. “I can tell you’re at breaking point; you wanted to help and you’ve just been caught up in the corruption. But this is your chance. You can help me, and help break through this web of lies around Fluttershy and this dead stallion. Right now, though, you’re being a complete coward.” Poster shook his head mechanically. “I’m... I’m not...” “You are. You’re the only one standing in my way. You have a chance to stop Alpha Wave in some way, and at least redeem yourself somewhat,” Bon Bon spat. “But no, instead you’re acting like a foal and refusing to help me, all because you’re afraid of consequences. Any consequences. It’s why you didn’t act on Fluttershy, it’s why you’ve sat here and kept quiet all this time, even as you loathed yourself more and more. And now, once again, you’re going to hide behind false anger, rather than acting on your morals.” She stared directly into Poster’s eyes, causing the pegasus to whimper. “I want to find out what happened and what’s going on with MANE. I want to expose whatever corruption caused this. So do you. But do want to leave me to go alone, while you stay here and stew in your cowardice? Or are you going to do what you know is the right thing for once?” Bon Bon stayed silent for a moment, holding him in her baleful glare. Eventually, she blinked and the spell broke. Poster Paint stumbled backward and let out a quiet sob. The unicorn looked down at the ground, disgusted with herself. What is this aug capable of?! Rarity uses this all the time? “Y-you’re right...” the stallion said quietly, still snivelling miserably. “I guess I’ve been waiting for somepony to give me the kick in the flank I needed all this time.” He looked up at her. “I’ll help. I can let you into the morgue. B-but I don’t know what I’m going to do about you...” Bon Bon took a deep breath and smiled. She activated her Trickster aug and Poster gawped as she faded into invisibility. “Don’t worry. I have my ways.” A little later, the two ponies made their way toward the morgue on the second floor. Fortunately, the early hour had meant that few ponies were around in the Labs, and word had spread about the inspection; nopony suspected the stranger in their midst whilst she was accompanied. Poster Paint gestured for Bon Bon to press herself against the wall as they came to a T-junction. The pegasus looked around the corner, Bon Bon peeking around too. At the end of the corridor were a pair of frosted glass double doors, a camera above them. “That’s the restricted zone, beyond there,” he said. “I’m not entirely sure if the camera can see through an invisibility aug.” He looked at her nervously. “I really don’t know about this. What if it knows you’re here and sets off an alarm?” “Given how far away we are from an exit to the building, I doubt it,” Bon Bon said. “I expect this will just be to log visitors, rather than for security.” When Poster raised an unbelieving eyebrow at her, she sighed. “C’mon, you know as well as I do that the arcane detectors you need to see through an invisibility spell are way too expensive to go fitting into cameras. Open the door and I’ll dash in after you.” She looked at the still-immobile pegasus. “Anything else? Guards? More cameras?” Poster shook his head. “No... there’s no more cameras. They’d rather not have any video evidence of the experimental augs and surgery they’re doing in there.” He rubbed his chin. “There’s one security hub in the centre, with a couple of guards. I’ll need to go in there to have them unlock the morgue, but if they see you...” Bon Bon frowned. “Do they accompany you to the morgue?” “No, they just need to verify who you are.” “Then”—she flapped a hoof at the restricted section—“what exactly is stopping somepony from getting in there? Are you sure you’re not leading me into a trap?” Poster Paint shook his head vehemently. “The door is the only way in or out and it makes damn sure there’s a reason for you to go in there,” he said. “I don’t think anypony thought about an authorised pony being coerced by a private inspector, though,” he added with a nervous chuckle. She nodded. “Go on, then.” Bon Bon waited as Poster rounded the corner and retrieved a card from his lab coat, pressing it against the wall. He stood back, waiting patiently as a pale blue glow was projected from a gem above the door, scanning his body. “Verified,” an artificial voice announced. With a hiss, the doors began to open. Bon Bon was not surprised to see the slabs of glass were well over a metre thick and framed with steel; if her own experiences at Sparkle Industries were to go by, then if a door was worth securing, it was worth overengineering it enough to give a dragon trouble breaking through it. As Poster Paint walked through and the slabs of glass began to slide closed, Bon Bon activated her Trickster aug, winking into invisibility. She galloped down the corridor, slipping through the doors just before they slammed shut behind her. She disengaged her aug before it left her exhausted and looked up at the pegasus. They were stood at an intersection, with corridors leading off left and right, as well as straight ahead. “Now what?” “Guard room’s off toward the right,” Poster replied quietly. “Just stay here; there shouldn’t be anypony other than the guards around here this early in the morning. I’ll go and tell them to open the morgue, then we can head on in.” He tapped a forehoof against the ground, biting his lip. “Please don’t go anywhere else. If they catch you...” “They won’t. And if they do, that’s my problem alone,” Bon Bon reassured him. The pegasus nodded and scurried off down the corridor to the guard’s post. If he gets any more agitated, I won’t need to do anything to get caught. She huddled into the corner for a moment, straining her ears to hear the conversation Poster was having with the guards. From what snatches she heard, they seemed mildly surprised that a researcher was in so early in the morning, but, to her relief, they didn’t seem suspicious enough to investigate why. A moment after the dialogue died down, Poster Paint returned from around the corner. “Let’s go, then,” he said quietly. “Last chance to back out...” When Bon Bon raised her eyebrows and shook her head, he frowned and muttered, “I didn’t mean you.” The mare simply shrugged. Don’t pretend you’re growing a backbone now, she thought. She trotted after Poster as he led her down the corridor directly opposite the security door. It opened onto a small antechamber, with surgical scrubs hanging on the walls and a large stainless steel sink on one side. Various bottles of disinfectant surrounded the taps. Bon Bon gave a start as a horizontal plane of green light decended from the ceiling. “Just a decontamination enchantment,” Poster explained. “Cleans up anypony coming in or out.” As the plane hit the floor and rose back into the ceiling, the frosted glass doors on the far side of the antechamber opened, allowing access to the morgue proper. The two ponies wrinkled their noses as the stench of formaldehyde wafted out of the room. Bon Bon couldn’t help but suppress a shudder as she looked inside. At the far end of the room was a large, reinforced glass window, a faint shimmering indicating an enchantment camoflaguing it to the outside world. A few canisters of gases were arranged in the far corner.  Each wall was covered in vault doors, each one undoubtedly sealing a pony-sized refrigerator, all thankfully closed. However, running down the centre of the room were two marble slabs. One was vacant, but the other...         Poster cleared his throat. “After you, then,” he said.         Bon Bon took a few steps into the morgue and let out a startled yelp as the glass doors slammed shut behind her. Her head whipped around and she glared at the pegasus. He had also leapt back, his wings erect in fright. “A set-up?” she snarled.         “Wh—no!” Poster insisted. “I told you, nopony unauthorised has ever gotten in here before now. Maybe there’s some security system I wasn’t aware of?” He prodded at something beside the door. “Well, whatever’s happened, the morgue’s locked up tight.” “Now you tell me?” the augmented mare growled. She let out a resigned sigh. “Might as well do what I came here to do...” Bon Bon began to walk forward, then faceplanted the ground as she felt an abrupt tug at her tail. She looked back to see that the tip of her tail had been caught in the doors and that Poster was covering his mouth with a hoof, trying not to laugh. “I was going to tell you not to touch anything else, but I see that that won’t be nec—” Poster’s gloating was terminated with a shocked squeak as Bon Bon unsheathed a leg blade and severed the offending strands of hair. “What is that?!” he hissed. Bon Bon flicked her tail in irritation and looked up at him. “I didn’t exactly get to choose which legs they stuck on me,” she said. “If it’s any comfort, all I ever use these for are utility. Not as weapons.” Poster nodded dumbly and sat down on his rump. “Uh... r-right. Um... what do you want me to do, then?” “Just stay there for now. I’m guessing the guards don’t know anything’s happened if they haven’t turned up by now. I’ll get the sample, then we’ll work out how to get me out,” she said. Bon Bon walked a little further into the morgue, stomach churning. There was a single computer terminal in the centre of the room, between the two slabs. The analysed sample would be there, but a morbid curiosity propelled her past it, toward the body itself. Bon Bon stood beside it, barely able to believe that less than thirty-six hours ago, she had wrestled him into unconciousness. His eyes were closed and a pale green sheet drawn over most of his body. Had it not been for the lack of breathing and the removed horn still held to the head by a scaffold, it almost seemed like the stallion was tucked into bed. The mare reached out with a black forehoof, pushing aside the sheet at the deceased’s throat. She let out a gasp as it fell back; even with the blood cleaned away, the wound was horrific. A schism in the flesh reached across the stallion’s neck, deep enough to almost cleave through the bone. Bon Bon’s head spun as she imagined the sort of force required to cause such damage. Maybe a unicorn desperate enough to end his life could have done this to himself. Or maybe a griffon had somehow found her way into the room, drawn one of those talons across and... A tremor ran through Bon Bon and she hastily pushed the sheet back. Now was not the time to speculate on such things. Instead, she regarded the computer. As she expected, the terminal was locked. “Got a password for this thing?” she said, turning her head back toward the door. Poster scratched his head. “Uh… what was it?” He chewed his lip and stared at the ground. “Try ‘false_cadence’?” he said tentatively, enunciating each character seperately. “Musical ponies, eh?” He chuckled. Bon Bon typed it in and nodded as the terminal accepted the password, opening onto a mess of files and folders. “And where will I find the analysis for this guy?” she asked. “Good question.” Poster Paint grinned sheepishly. “The password isn’t really the security; it’s more the fact we’re not very good at record-keeping. Take you hours to find what you want.” The augmented unicorn swallowed a few choice phrases she felt like spitting in the hapless pegasus’ direction and instead decided to call in the cavalry. She opened up her Hydra link and reached out to Colgate. Are you there? After a few moments, Colgate’s mental presence oozed into her mind, sluggish and in desperate need of coffee. Mmmmm? What’s up? Did I wake you? Just burnin’ the midnight oil, Colgate thought back. Anyway, need something? One messed-up archive. I need to get the magical signature for the dead unicorn out of it, but it might take hours and I don’t have that time. Can you dump it to the Sparkle Industries network like you did with Fluttershy’s mail? Shouldn’t be a problem. Any direct Equestrinet access? I doubt it, Bon Bon thought doubtfully. No problem! We’ll just have to use you as a node. A wave of cheefulness came though the link. Colgate must have detected Bon Bon’s confusion, as she continued, It’s a magical network and you have a horn on your head. As far as the computer’s concerned, you’re a walking, talking aerial. Just fire up your hacking aug and point it at the terminal. I’ll do the rest. Bon Bon obeyed, connecting herself to the terminal. She couldn’t really comprehend the link, but there was definitely the flow of something detectable to her, like a gust of wind compared to the spoken words she usually heard through her Hydra. Hmmm... What? Nothing... it’s just, this all seems to be gibberish. It could be it’s encrypted, but if it were, it’s odd that some of the files seem to be plaintext. Still gibberish, but at least gibberish made of real words. Well, it is supposed to stop intruders from easily extracting information... True, true... Colgate stayed quiet a moment longer, before a wave of panic flooded the link, driving a shard of ice into Bon Bon’s stomach. Oh. Oh shit. What’s happened? This... this isn’t the real data! It’s just a decoy; meant to keep you distracted long enough to trap you! It must pretend to unlock if you give it a panic word and boot into a dummy system... Tricky bastards! Then what’s the trap? Bon Bon gulped nervously. I... I don’t know. Bon Bon looked back at Poster, who was now stood with his nose pressed against the glass. The pegasus looked apologetic. “What have you done?!” she snapped. “Th-there’s a false password... if we are forced in here like this,” Poster Paint explained miserably. “Last resort.” “We had a deal!” Bon Bon hissed. “Whatever happened to standing up to Alpha Wave?” Poster Paint squeezed his eyes shut. “I guess sometimes you find out you’re not brave enough to do the right thing. I’m sorry,” he said wretchedly. The augmented unicorn blinked a couple of times, then shook her head. “Then what does the false password do?” she asked. “It just locks you in there,” he said. His eyes went wide suddenly as he looked up. “Oh no…. why would they install that?!” The pegasus had backed away to the far side of the antechamber and was pointing up at the ceiling of the morgue. “I’m so sorry!” Bon Bon followed his hoof, then blanched as she saw what he was indicating. From the corner, a weird, pale orange substance oozed from the wall, radiating intense heat. She shook as she saw an ethereal creature emerge momentarily from the liquid, before subducting back again. Bon Bon remembered the illustration from Twilight’s tome, and the dreadful description it came with. “Chaosfire,” she breathed. At her intonation, the liquid suddenly burst outward, covering the entire far wall of the morgue, blocking Poster Paint from view. Bon Bon gaped and she heard an involuntary moan of terror come out. Her breaths quickened and shallowed, her artificial heart beginning to beat faster and faster in sympathy. Her head spun as hideous memories rose up unbidden. She wasn’t in the Analysis Labs; she was half a city away and six months ago, listening to her friends and colleagues die, watching her life’s work burn, feeling the agony of being broken by monsters, hearing Lyra scream her last... BON BON! Colgate’s mental yell broke her out of her panic attack. She blinked, realising she had huddled behind the marble slab. The unicorn peeked around the side, whimpering as she saw that fully a third of the room was now afire. “Oh no... no, no, no...” Bon Bon whimpered. I’m going to get you out of there, OK? Colgate’s attempt at pacifying her was lost as a fresh wave of terror washed over Bon Bon. “I’m going to burn!” she howled. You’re not. Pull yourself together Bon Bon; you can get out of here! “H-how?” The augmented unicorn gulped, barely clawing her way back into coherency. “That window’s half a metre thick and it’s the only way out!” Look in the corner. Bon Bon’s gaze flicked over to where Colgate indicated, the other mare having evidently tapped into her augmented vision. See ‘em? Medical gases. Blue one’s hydrogen, red one’s oxygen. Let ‘em out, add a spark and no more window. “Uh... uh huh,” Bon Bon murmured, still too skittish to think her responses back. She looked nervously over to the burning side of the room, only to see that the fire had barely moved six inches. Whoever had designed this security system was sadistic enough to slowly roast their trapped prey to death. “Wait. What about me? And the sample? I can’t let it be destroyed now!” You can hide in one of the vaults in the wall. As for the sample? Uh... “Never mind,” Bon Bon said, scurrying over to the corpse and grimacing. “Sorry about this,” she muttered. She reached out with an unfolded hoof and gingerly tugged at the scaffolding on his head. As the malignant fire flared up again, the unicorn yelped. Desperation overriding her squeamishness, she slid out a leg blade and slashed through the metal supports, pulling out the severed horn. Trying not to look too hard, she wrapped the body part in a couple of paper towels left by the slab and tucked it in an inner pocket of her coat. A wave of faint revulsion passed through the mental link. Well, I guess that’s good a way as any. Now, come on! Colgate urged her. Bon Bon ran to the corner, the heat now growing unbearable in the burning room and faint alarms audible throughout the building. She pulled out a red and a blue canister each with her forelegs, tossing them in front of the window. Her talons worked over the valves, opening them fully and being rewarded with a hissing stream of gas from the two. I need a spark. She whipped out her stun gun and pulled out the charged sapphire. Will this work? Perfect. Just give it a good blast of magic to destabilise it. She tossed the sapphire under the gas canisters, then wrenched open a vault door as far away from the window and as close to the fire as she dared. Bon Bon scrambled in backwards, keeping her head sticking out. She pulled the door shut, shielded her ears with her hooves as best she could and focused on blasting the sapphire with all her magical strength. Bon Bon didn’t so much hear the explosion as feel it; the crackling of the fire was replaced by utter silence as the shockwave hit her, seemingly re-arranging her internal organs and leaving her temporarily deaf as her aural implants overamped and shut down to protect themselves. She shoved open the vault door and crawled out. The window, save for a few fragements clinging to the frame, was gone. The body had since vanished into the flames. Wow. High school chemistry was finally worth it, Colgate thought mirthfully. Bon Bon shook her head, distracted by being able to hear the other unicorn’s voice in her head perfectly, despite being temporarily deafened. She staggered over to the hole and peered down, impaired hearing throwing her off-balance. From the looks of it, she was on the third or fourth storey, above an alleyway. A dumpster full of refuse was positioned right beneath the hole. Spurred on by her fear of the flames, the unicorn leapt and landed in the trash. OK... I’m OK... she thought back to Colgate. As her hearing returned, she could hear panicked shouts in the distance and the sounds of sirens. She looked back up at the remnents of the morgue wall, thick black smoke pouring from the opening. So much for trying to be stealthy. Hey, you’re OK, and that’s all that matters, Colgate reassured her. The sample’s a bonus and I doubt anypony is going to take some neurotic pegasus on face value. ‘The inspector forced me to open the morgue and totally turned invisible whenever anypony else was around me.’ Not exactly an airtight alibi. A wave of amusement flooded through the link. Now, let’s get you out of there before anypony comes looking. I’ll mark out a path through the back alleys on your augmented vision. Just follow it and don’t look back. I will. Bon Bon pulled herself out of the dumpster, shook off any pieces of detritus clinging to her and began trotting along the faint golden line on the floor her artificial vision marked out for her. And Colgate? Yeah? Thanks for saving my life. I... didn’t think fire would set me off like that. Hey, I just bossed you around. You’re the one who got yourself out of there. Colgate sounded relieved. And don’t you dare think you’re any the weaker for what happened back there. You think I would have been any better in that situation? ...I guess not? Exactly. Now, get yourself out of there. And take care of yourself out there. A faint sense of exasperation came through the link. Wow, the boss couldn’t time it any worse. She wants the sample now? Bon Bon thought back. Today, in person. Why isn’t she telling me this herself? ‘Cause she’s already on the Hydra. She wants you at the Rose Garden Tearooms at eleven and is busy inviting guests. What kind of guests warrant that sort of secrecy? That place doesn’t mess about with client privacy, Bon Bon thought, her heart sinking. Yup, Colgate thought back grimly. Hope you’ve polished up on your debating skills. You’re getting to meet all the other Bearers today. Twilight and Applejack in the same room, and Rarity and Rainbow Dash on the sides? This is gonna be a barrel of laughs. ------- Augmentation Activated Cranium: STARE A state-of-the-art augmentation developed by Rarity of Sparkle Industries, the Social Telemetry And Reconnaissance of Emotions upgrade offers an unparallelled wealth of data about a subject’s emotional and physiological state, as well as an ability to literally stare the opponent into submission in a debate. The aug’s prohibitive price and ability to run on a plethora of cranial implants gives it the dubious honour of being the most pirated enchantment-only aug on the market.