(Xavier's POV)
Earlier that same morning...
The last thing that I wanted was to be woken up early. It was merely a thump on my window, but it was enough to wake me up. It may have been me being startled by the sound, or it could have been the fact that it was loud enough to gain my attention. But even so, my eyes fluttered open.
"Just... one day," I hopped out of bed and rushed to the window where the sound came from. "I WOULD LIKE JUST ONE DAY WHERE I'M NOT AWAKENED EARLY!"
"I'm just doing my job," she said. That “she” was Derpy, the mail pony. Why did it have to be her? You can't just yell at a... what's another word for retard?
"S-sorry, Derpy. Just woke up and all... you know how it is."
"I know that feeling Xavier. Have a good day," And with that, she flew off. She's got a sweet heart. That's something I would look for in a mare.
Looking down, I saw the items that hit my window. Todays mail. It is so disgusting to be awoken by the little things. I decided to shrug it off and get an early start on the morning.
I went from a simple descent down a flight of stairs, to scarfing down some food. While eating, I remembered the mail outside. I didn't really forget about the mail, I just pushed the matter away from my mind until it actually mattered. I was still cognizant of it, but I paid no mind to it.
I opened the front door, and looked down on the pitiful white items. It once saddened me that the ponies who sent me those letters actually put some effort into those letters. They cared enough to go to the trouble of writing the letter, and sending it my way. And the sad part is that I just didn't care.
Nowadays, getting mail made my week.
I picked them up, using my magic. "Bills, hate mail, my mothers house burnt down, test subjects, something about a Glisten Vial, bla bla bla bla," I said out loud, and to nopony in particular. "Why can't I get something that actually matters?"
I discarded the letters where I left the countless others. In the trash can. (I also have to remember to empty that out.) After I did that, I raced over to my closet and grabbed my lab jacket. I would surprise my co-workers by actually showing up early to work.
Oh yeah, I may have forgotten to tell you that I'm a scientist. A pretty good one at that! It's the one thing that I truly love. Just about the greatest thing that's ever happened to me, is what I'd call it!
I couldn't just stand there and wait any longer, I decided to get a move on.
An hour later
I walked through the doors of the science expo and breathed in the familiar smell of test tube contents coming from the laboratory. My home away from home. I felt like dancing.
And just when I was about to take a step into my familiar environment, I was interrupted by... the newbie.
"Xavier!" the pegasus screamed. While doing so, she managed to grasp the attention of everypony within a twenty foot radius. "I need to tell you something impossibly important!"
"What is it Thesis?" Thesis was a new scientist. Well, new to the facility. She told us that she was a scientist back in her previous location. She won't give us any more detail than that. And since we're pretty lazy when it comes to background checks, we hired her without a second thought.
It explains how easy it was to take us down.
"Oh, nothing. I just felt like saying hi." Thesis was a white pegasus mare with a sickly green mane. I always imagined her mother once threw up on her when he was a baby, and Thesis just kept that color as she grew up. Some would call her pretty. I'd call her crazy.
She looked at me with her big blue eyes. Among the many things I noticed about her, I saw that she was wearing a cannon on her top right hoof. The only difference was that this cannon looked more mechanical. More... advanced. I didn't really care about it, it was just something worth mentioning.
I tried to walk pass her, but that's when I noticed something odd about her eyes. It was subtle, but it was definitely something strange. Her eyes went from a normal pony eye to... a completely blue orb. It was so captivating, I didn't even notice that I was ogling at her eyes.
"Uh..." I casually uttered. My vast vocabulary, and that came out of my mouth?
"Yes. Yes. Stare into the endless labyrinth of destruction that is my EYES!" She pressed her face forward, causing me to fall back and sit down on the ground. "Do you hear it?"
"Do I hear what?" I asked.
"The drums."
"Drums?" I don't know why, but I felt... afraid. Terrified. Her unbreaking gaze shattered my soul, breaking it apart, piece by piece.
She didn't speak for a while. She kept staring at me, making feel inferior. I never felt this way before. I never felt... afraid. Not even when my parents disappeared. "There are no drums, stupid. I’m just messing around."
I stared awestruck at her. "What? What?!"
"I was playing a joke!"
"You were fooling with me? That's it?"
Thesis turned to look at me. "That's what I said. Didn't you hear me?" She didn't even lose the smile from her face.
"What? That was just... what?" Nopony was capable of making me feel afraid. The ponies around here have a tendency to try to scare me. They've tried so many times, but I was undeterred. Just when they give up, here comes Thesis, saying a few words that managed to get to me. And mere psychological fear? How?
"Stop talking! We have science that we must attend to!" Thesis shouted. She ran towards the laboratories. She turned around before she disappears into the crowd of coming and going ponies. "Are you just going to sit there all day?"
I called myself insane to follow her. What she did to me was not possible. This was otherworldly. This was... wait.
"Wait!" I called out to her. She had just turned around to go towards the lab when I shouted. Only her head looked back when I called. Her smile still didn't leave her face.
I reached her, and we started to walk together. "Why are you wearing that on your leg?" I asked her.
"For science... you monster." She said the phrase in the manner of a machine.
"What?"
"I'm not going to say it again if you're gonna say 'what' every time I speak."
"Just answer the question," I demanded.
Thesis chuckled. "The other scientists told me to wear it because they wanted to test it out on you."
Yet another attempt to try and scare me. And they've finally done it. Looked like heads were going to roll today. "How! How did they manage to do that?"
"With this." Thesis rose her hoof to show off her cannon-esque boot. "They call this The Fear. Plain and simple. The way this works is that they have to get a DNA sample from the pony that they want to use it on. They insert the sample into this little slot"- Thesis pointed at a little pull out slot at the bottom of the invention- "where you put said sample into it. We managed to get some hair-"
"Where the buck did you get my-" Thesis shoved her hoof in my face.
"Silence your face, I'm not done." She put her hoof back on the ground. "Anyway, once you do that, the pony has to look at this. I mean, take a gander at it. Your mind can't help but look at it.”
“How does it attract attention?”
“I don’t know, some kind of magic mumbo jumbo.” Magic and science together? Two things in life that have become so important to me working together to bring a product that could either benefit Equestria, or bring it down to its knees.
“Now, let’s go. We must science.”
At last, I can do what I do best. My true purpose in life. Science, you beautiful-
"Hey, get in here!" somepony shouted. The voice was gruff at first, but he let out a cough. "We got work to do." His voice morphed into a more... understandable voice.
I realize why he was yelling at me. I was stuck in my trance, and I was heading towards the restrooms instead of the science quarters.
"If he needs to go, I guess he'll go." A female voice said. She rolled her eyes, and leaned up against the wall.
Recovering from my... let's call it my "minds leave of absence", I take some steps back, and walk towards my colleagues.
They all took a little gander at me. "Is it something you ate?" The stallion named 'Deep Injection' asked. Deep Injection was a bit of a snarky pony. He has constant emotional outbursts. He didn't really like to talk to ponies, so he liked to keep to himself. He often thinks by spouting everything
"Alright, that's enough. We better get going," Sweet Leaf, a yellow earth pony with a curly green mare. She's noticeably skinny. There's something about her that seems mysterious. "What are you staring at?" I was ogling again.
I shake my head. "Sorry. Let's just go."
The first thing I did when I arrived at my science quarters was bound around the room with incomprehensible glee bottled up inside of me.
"I think you're a little *too* happy to be here." Deep said.
"Cavort among yourselves! I have a lot of time that I have to make up for," I said as I affectionately stroked the counter tops. I admit that I was being a tad over obsessive about something that didn't matter all that much. This place wouldn't even survive in the future.
I heard Sweet Leaf whisper something to Thesis. "I think we need to call a psychiatrist."
"I have the number."
Sweet Leaf chuckled. "I like you."
"No, really. We meet every Monday at four." She reached inside her lab coat, pulling out a piece of paper and waving it in front of Sweet's face. "See, I am crazy."
Sweet backed up a bit, caught off guard by Thesis's response.
Something crosses my mind. It was something so... unimportant that I didn't manage to pick up when I first got here. "Where's Gaze?"
Gaze was another scientist who I worked with. He was an orange unicorn with a mop for hair. He's also an irresponsible jerk who screws up a lot of my experiments. But I had to put up with him or else I'd be out of a job.
"Somewhere else. Duh," said a new voice.
"Speak of the devil and he doth appear," Sweet Leaf said.
"So... what I miss?
"Not much. Just Xavier trying to make a move on his science facility." Thesis joked. She got the reaction she wanted when everypony started to laugh. I just rolled my eyes. Again, I admit that I was being silly.
"Well... I guess... this is it," Gaze said. Nopony said anything. I had no clue what he was talking about.
"What do you mean 'this is it'?" I asked.
Sweet gave me a confused look. "We're separating today. The Highers are giving us test subjects and are having us work alone for two years."
"What? Since when did they decide to do this?"
"Two weeks ago. We told you, by mail, that this was happening. Don't you read your mail?" Deep asked.
"Of course I don't! You know this."
"Well you should start. We're all getting pretty tired of you coming unprepared," Deep said.
Sweet stepped forward. She reached inside her lab coat pocket and brought out a slip of paper. Handing it to me, she said, "This is the last time we will save your flank. From now on, you're on your own."
I took the paper and put it in my own pocket. Sweet put a hoof on my shoulder. An awkward silence passed between the four of us, until Thesis spoke up.
“Well let’s go, it’s getting quiet and boring!”
I reluctantly walked along with my mates to a testing facility where we tested the explosive experiments, appropriately dubbed, the explosive room. This is the first place we go when we feel like experimenting. The room has a door that only opens by the press of a button behind the blast-proof shield covering the control room.
“How should we go about doing this?” Deep Injection asked. He punched in the code to open the door that lead to the hallway.
“OOH, how about we turn the lights off back here and make ourselves look all dark and mysterious?” Thesis flashed a great big smile. We all began to walk down the hallway that lead to yet another door in which we had to punch in a whole new combination to open a door that lead us to the control room.
“What’s up with you and being mysterious?” Gaze asked.
“How about we line up the test subjects by having them stand on a piece of tape that’ll be down there. Then we’ll-” Deep got interrupted.
“Or, we’ll have them go over a tight-rope! They’ll have to walk over it to prove that they’re compatible!”
“Okay, I think we’ve had enough ideas from you.” Deep said.
“How about-” Sweet shoved a hoof in her mouth.
“How about... you go and direct the test subjects here, while we handle some paperwork.” Sweet suggested.
“We do paperwork?”
“Just go.”
“... ALRIGHT!” she happily trotted off.
Nopony said anything until Gaze spoke up. “So when are we gonna tell security that she’s a changeling?”
“What? Thesis is a changeling?”
“Yeah. You didn’t know that?” Deep asked.
“But... what evidence has led you to believe that she’s-”
“She is a very lousy spy. She keeps changing from a pony to a changeling every time she thinks she’s alone,” Sweet said.
“And she keeps saying “Long live the hive” every now again,” Deep added.
“Plus, she up and told me that she’s a changeling.” Gaze added as well.
“How come nopony told me?”
“We thought you knew. Besides, she spends the most time with you.”
I thought about it, and I realized that I had been spending an unhealthy amount of time with her I don’t know how I didn't notice.
"How come no one has turned her in yet?"
"She makes me laugh," Sweet said. That was the only reason to why she didn't report a changeling? Really? She poses a threat to Equestrian security, could possibly bring down the downfall of this great realm, and Sweet Leaf didn't tell a soul about it because Thesis's sense of humor amused her?
"Is that the reason nopony else has reported her?" I angrily interrogated.
"She has been a good help around the facility," Deep Injection answered.
"And she's... pretty good looking..." Gaze chuckled.
I stared, disapprovingly. I didn't do that because I didn't do that because I liked her, I actually don't in the slightest form, but because that wasn't a very good reason to keep her here. Something had to be done about it, and it apparantly had to be done by me.
But... I was an idiot. I didn't even bother to think twice about it, I just decided to let her stay. “You know what, let’s just call them in here once they’re all in the waiting room,” I suggested. The others agreed.
(Char's POV)
Thesis brought me to what she told was a waiting room. There were other voices in here. Some male and some female. They all seemed like they’re having a good time.
“Make yourself at home, we’re gonna get things all nice a tidy before we-” the pegasus mare that guided me here is interrupted by a loud voice.
“Would the volunteers please follow Thesis, the pegasus, to the explosive room.”
Thesis kind of chuckled. “Gee, Char, I bring you here, and now I have to take you away.” I said nothing, but I nodded my head. "Hey, you want a walking stick or something? Maybe some sunglasses?"
"I'll be fine. All I really need are my four hooves. Which are working just fine." She didn't say anything back to me.
"Alright, come with me everypony, please make sure you've put your name on the sheet by the door before you leave." The sound of speech was replaced by the sound of rustling and hoofsteps. "Hey you, could you come and help out Char."
"Can't he walk by himself?" the stallion asked.
"He's, uh... blind."
"Oh... sure."
Thesis's presence left me and a new one came to take her place. "Hey there... guy. How are you doin'?" he asked. "I'm Aegis. Aegis Strap."
They brought us to the door of a room which they dubbed "The Explosives Room."
"Okay, so what we're going to do is call you in individually and have you stand on the piece of tape that stretches from one end of the room to another," a male voice instructed.
"What happened to the tight-rope idea?" Thesis interjected.
"Anyways... we will call you in alphabetical order by last name. So once you're called, please stand on the tape."
"And if possible, could one or two of you do a flip?"
"Thesis!"
"What? Wouldn't that be cool?"
A growl was what I heard next.
(Xavier POV)
Deep read the names off the list that he had picked up at the waiting room. He put them all in alphabetical order. "Alright... Blaze?"
I watched as an earth stallion walked into the room. He was followed by another earth stallion, whose movements could only be described as animal. Deep was about to say something, but Blaze sent him back in the hall. That stallion had his tongue sticking out and seemed to be panting. That stallion tried to follow Blaze to the line, but Blaze gave him a command to stay put. Strange.
"Coy, Thunder?" the stallion that was with Blaze entered the room and started to wander around trying to find the voice that he just heard.
Blaze tapped a hoof on the ground Thunder went to his side and nuzzled against Blaze. Cute.
"Darkness, Deep?"
"Deep." Thesis said in her deepest voice. Deep Darkness walked onto the tape, not doing anything special that would catch my eye. Bland.
"Drop, Lemon?" she stepped out of line, a bullying swagger in her step and a large smile on her face. Boring.
"Gen, Char."
"That guys blind." Thesis whispered to Deep.
"Oh, hey Glory, do you mind?" Morning trotted to Char and directed him to his place on the tape. This particular one, I had nothing to say about. I don't know why, I just didn't.
"Glory, Morning?" she barely got back to where she was, and now she had to go back. She flashed an awkward smile. Bland.
"Kainsman, Itake." Itake stepped onto the tape, stepping lightly on his right foreleg, but not on his left foreleg. Interesting.
"Latet, Ferrum?" he did what everypony else before him did. Eh.
"Strap, Aegis." he proudly stepped onto the tape, giving us a smile. I don't like this guy.
"Sprinkles, Sugar." Thesis threw a hoof in his mouth.
"What did you just say?" she wore a serious face.
"Uhh... Sugar Sprinkles." Deep turned to me, uncertain of what was going on.
Thesis took the microphone from Deep, still sporting that serious look of hers. She pressed the microphone to her lips and uttered, "... SUGAR SPRINKLES, GET IN HERE NOW!" Thesis ran up to the glass and pressed her face against.
Sugar walked inside slowly, looking just as confused as we were. Thesis began flapping her wings as she started to float up. Her face was still pressed up to the glass, so it smeared her saliva on the glass. She waved to Sugar Sprinkles, and Sugar awkwardly waved back.
Deep grabbed the microphone from Thesis. "Okay, now please-"
Thesis grabbed the microphone again. "I really like your name," she whispered. Sugar began laughing to herself.
"Please, give th-" Before he could finish, three unexpected others entered the room. One was navy blue with old, gray hair. The other two were wearing dark clothing that matched each other's.
They dragged him inside as he was struggling to break loose.
"That was years ago!" the navy blue one yelled.
"Hey, you're the one who volunteered!"
"I was drunk, how was I supposed to know what I was doing? And plus, why now?"
"Don't ask me, ask the Highers.
The dark clothing ones pushed him to the ground and left, shutting the door behind them. The blue one got up and brushed himself off. He looked around.
It was my turn to grab the microphone. "Who are you?"
"Percival. I was doing something important when these two maniacs burst through the door and said that I needed to go with them. I asked them why and they said that I volunteered to be a test subject at some "fancy-shmancy" science facility," Percival began pacing back and forth from one end of the room to the other. "And to prove that I did, they brought out a parchment that said "I agree to being a test subject" written in my hand-writing."
"I think I read about you in this folder about past test subjects. You are indeed in there." Deep said.
"No. I shouldn't be here. I need to-"
"Yeah yeah yeah, just stand on the tape please." he angrily stepped onto it. The other test subjects stared at him. Thunder Coy tried to walk over to him, but Blaze held him back. Thunder sat his flank down and stamped his hooves on the ground, all the while panting.
"Does anypony have anything else to say before we distribute the nine of you with the four us?" Deep annoyingly asked. Nopony said anything.
"'Bout time."
"Okay, NOW we will divide the ten of you." The test subjects to be were lying down on the ground. It had been a long wait for them.
Sweet Leaf stepped up to the microphone. "Thunder Coy and Blaze please follow me."
Drat! I wanted Thunder. But at least there's still Itake.
The four ponies walked out of the room. Then Deep Injection stepped up. "Ferrum Latet and Su-" Thesis gave him the scariest look that any of us had ever seen. "And... Itake Kainsman, can you please follow me."
Are you bucking kidding me? Now there's nopony desirable.
Gaze stepped up. "Morning Glory and Lemon Drop, you know what to do." they as well walked out.
Thesis, of course, couldn't hold her enthusiasm in any longer, so she just yelled it out without the microphone. "Sugar Sprinkles, you, me... and I guess Deep Darkness. Okay, you need to get a little more color. You're kind of depressing." Deep looked at himself and looked back at Thesis, making an angry face.
And only two stallions left. Whoopie.
"It's pretty obvious who you're going with, so just meet me outside."
I watched as Aegis led Char out the door. Perhaps it won't be so bad. Maybe this ccan work out quite well. What's the worst that could happen?