Jaden awoke with a start.
Gasping, he sat up and glanced around the cavernous basement trying to figure out what had awakened him from a sound sleep and noticing that nothing appeared out of place. He also couldn’t help wondering how long he’d been out. Although the rest had helped, he didn’t feel particularly refreshed. Unsurprisingly, every part of his body was sore and stiff as he slowly climbed to his feet. Rapidly jogging in place to relieve the stiffness in his legs, Jaden recalled the events in his mind about how they’d ended up where they were. He couldn’t help wondering why their stalker hadn’t come to finish them off while they slept.
A soft groan nearby announced that Rainbow Dash was slowly beginning to stir. Turning, he watched as she slowly sat up.
“Hey, Dash… you look just like I feel.” he greeted.
The pegasus grumbled something unintelligible before yawning loudly.
“Where are we?” she groaned groggily while clambering to her hooves.
“Still in the basement. Seems your new boyfriend got too distracted to come snoggin’ with ya.” Jaden replied.
The pegasus stared dubiously at him for a moment before rolling her eyes as she spoke.
“Thanks, Pinkie Pie.”
Jaden chuckled as he collected his gear and switched on his rifle’s flashlight; getting a better view of their surroundings.
“You wouldn’t think something that big could move so fast.” he murmured; panning his light around the area.
Rainbow Dash grumbled something in reply. She then raised a hoof to her face and grunted as she found herself caught in the bright beam. Jaden quickly apologized and redirected the beam as they began to navigate the cavernous chamber. Minutes passed before the pair discovered a sealed hatch not far from where they had been sleeping. Exchanging glances, Jaden activated a nearby control panel and the door opened to reveal another dimly lit utility passageway.
The lighting in the passageway however, was brighter than their current location. It also stretched for a considerable distance and reminded Jaden of all the sci-fi and horror movies he’d seen with his cousin. Exchanging glances once again, Jaden murmured an affirmation and hefted his rifle; leading the way as they began walking. Minutes later, the pair reached the end of the passage and entered another industrialized area.
Jaden grinned as he watched Rainbow Dash gawk at their new surroundings.
“Is this what you guys saw when you went deeper into the old ruins?” she asked.
“Yeah. Kinda hard to imagine this is all connected, huh?” Jaden replied.
“Mm-hm.” she nodded.
Silently, the pair began walking down a nearby catwalk. Half an hour later, they reached another round metal door similar to the ones leading into test chambers. As they approached, the door opened with a hiss, revealing another ante-chamber similar to the ones he’d initially passed through during his introduction to testing. Exchanging glances once again, the pair entered the ante-chamber and continued on. A short time later, they reached another door that opened ahead of them.
As they entered the test chamber Jaden discovered that it was less of a room and more of an arena. They’d entered on an upraised platform. Portal-sticking walls, most of which were too corroded to hold a portal, sat at ground level around them. On the wall to their left was a large hole surrounded by black metal. It looked more like a receptor for something instead of a button or trigger. Past the edge of the platform was a large pit, from which Jaden could hear the sloshing of liquid.
Jaden looked on amused as Rainbow Dash gazed cautiously over the platforms’ edge.
Moments later, she glanced back at him with a disturbed expression on her face.
From what he could tell, the acid seemed to cover most of the chamber’s floor.
Across the pit was another small platform, holding portal-sticking walls as well. At the edge by the pit was another pole button. Along the back wall was another black receptor hole, similar to the one on the wall to their left. Looking up, Jaden noticed a funnel suspended above the pit between the two platforms. A row of orange lights led from somewhere else in the room to the button-on-a-pole on the opposite side.
Letting his gaze drift to the right, Jaden saw more of the room. A grated walkway stretched out across a broad corridor. On the opposite side of the corridor, adjacent to the walkway, seemed to be another, sturdier walkway. He was hardly surprised to see the tailtell laser beams of at least half a dozen turrets coming from that particular walkway. Curiously, the platform the turrets resided on was also constructed of portal-sticking panels and had another button-on-a-pole near the far side.
On their platform, to the right of the turrets and partitioned by a panel of glass that didn't quite reach all the way to the edge, sat a small cube. The cube was metal, but it had round glass panels on each of its sides, like a magnifying glass had been cubed. The side that faced forward had two embossed circles, like a target. Jaden easily recognized what the cube did. Looking past the walkway, Jaden saw two more platforms on the far wall. Most of the platform with the cube appeared to be a grated walkway in that section.
On the distant platform was a large floor button (which had a path of orange squares leading to a round metal door on an adjacent platform), and another funnel. It appeared the pole button on the platform adjacent to them activated the funnel on the distant platform. What looked suspiciously like a large laser was mounted, amid the muck, on a small dais between the exit and funnel platforms on the far wall and was aimed at the ceiling. A different row of orange lights connected the large receptor hole on the back wall with the funnel adjacent to them.
Another row of orange lights connected the button-on-a-pole on the turret platform with the laser. As he traced the orange lines in the room, both with his eyes and mentally, Jaden began to realize how this particular chamber worked. He couldn’t help but be amused as Rainbow Dash continued to gawk at her surroundings.
“So, what now?” she asked.
“Well, the only way out of here is through.” Jaden replied.
“Don’t worry, this is an easy puzzle.” he continued.
“It is?”
Jaden smiled and nodded in reply.
After a moment of thought, Rainbow Dash glanced down at the faith plate in front of her.
“What does this thing do?” she asked.
“Try it.”
After a moment of hesitation, Rainbow Dash triggered the panel with her front hoof. Seconds later, the panel shot up underneath the pegasus, launching her through the air and giving her a nasty slap on the flank in the process. Jaden laughed as she slammed rather ungracefully against the wall of the nearby platform; sinking to the floor with a groan. Moments later, Rainbow Dash picked herself up off the floor, shaking the lights out of her eyes, and glared at him.
“That wasn’t very nice.” she snapped.
Jaden merely grinned and shrugged in reply as the pegasus flew back over to him.
Moments later, Rainbow Dash spotted the turret’s lasers.
“What are those?” she asked.
“Those are turrets… and they will shoot you if you pass in front of those red beams.” Jaden replied.
Rainbow Dash murmured in comprehension.
“I probably should just shoot them… but, why not have a little fun with ‘em instead.” he continued.
Rainbow Dash cast him a curious glance.
“I’ll need you to go back and press the button on the platform you were just on when I tell you to ok?” Jaden replied.
Rainbow Dash nodded.
“But before we get started with that…” Jaden murmured.
He then aimed at a spot on the floor between them and fired a warm portal at it. The portal connected and Jaden carefully lined up a shot with his portal gun at the metal cube. He fired a cool portal in its direction and seconds later the cube was hurling through the air in front of them. Jaden caught the cube as it began to drop and quickly set it aside; gaining a curious glance from the pegasus beside him.
“We’ll need this later.” he explained.
He then aimed at a spot on the floor beneath the funnel and fired a cool portal at it. The portal connected and Jaden quickly hopped through. After getting his barring, Jaden stepped away from the portal and aimed at a spot on the wall behind the turrets. He fired a warm portal at it and the portal connected. Turning, he then addressed the anxiously waiting pegasus.
“Ok, press the button.”
Nodding, Rainbow Dash quickly approached and activated the appropriate button. Seconds later, a blue colored gelatinous substance began to flow out of the funnel beside him and passed through the portals; coating the nearest turrets and making them shriek and discharge their weapons as they began bouncing around uncontrollably. Jaden adjusted the warm portal across the wall, making sure to tag each of the offending turrets as he did so.
“Hey, I think we’ve got swimmers.” he laughed as a couple of the turrets bounced off the platform and into the toxic goo below.
Rainbow Dash meanwhile, clutched her chest with her forehooves while hovering, laughed hysterically at the sight.
“As you can see the repulsion gel has very special properties. It’s how all us nonfliers are able
to reach really high places without assistance.” Jaden explained to the still snickering pegasus.
Rainbow Dash cocked an eyebrow at him while continuing to giggle.
“Just remember, in test chambers blue goo makes you bounce, orange goo makes you
move really fast, and white goo is used to place portals on any surface.” he continued.
It was a few minutes before Rainbow Dash finally recovered enough and flew over to him.
“So, what’s next?” she asked.
“Well, I’ll need you to go back and press the button on the turret platform so we can activate the big laser.” Jaden replied, aiming at a spot on the ceiling above the laser and firing a warm portal at it.
The portal connected.
“Ok.” Rainbow Dash said; taking to the air once more and approaching and triggering the appropriate button.
A red stream of light shot from the laser to the ceiling, but the grated walkway also sank into the murky and foul-smelling liquid below. The loud ticking of a timer echoed through the room, and Jaden instinctively counted off ten seconds. After that, the laser stopped and the walkway moved back up, resetting everything. It wasn't much, but it was progress.
“What now?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Push the button again will ya?” Jaden answered.
The pegasus uttered a long suffering sigh before complying. Jaden meanwhile, fired a cool portal at the wall beside the laser. Seconds later, the laser roared to life and the timer started ticking. Jaden then began adjusting the cool portal across the wall until it connected with the adjacent receptor on the far wall. This in turn activated the funnel near the faith plate.
“Ok, Dashie would you kindly fetch one of those cubes from the funnel for the floor button over here?” Jaden called out.
“I’m on it!” Rainbow Dash replied before darting off.
Moments later, the pegasus yelped in surprise as she watched in horror as the metal cube burned away in the acid.
“Oooookay... definitely not going swimming anytime soon.” she remarked.
Jaden nodded and murmured in reply.
Rainbow Dash easily caught the next cube to fall before the laser died and quickly
placed it in the indicated location. She then cast Jaden another curious glance.
“Alright, this time would you kindly use that funky metal cube to redirect the
laser so it triggers the other receptor after you’ve turned it back on?” Jaden asked.
Nodding, Rainbow Dash darted over and pressed the button for the laser. As the beam passed through the portals, Jaden watched the pegasus fly over and reposition the indicated cube. Seconds later, Jaden grinned as Rainbow Dash cheered and flew over to him when the nearby exit door opened. He was a bit surprised however when the mare lifted him into the air and through the doorway; setting him down quickly before it closed.
As the doorway closed, Jaden turned to the pegasus standing beside him.
“Thanks.” he said.
“No problem.”
Moments later, Rainbow Dash cocked her head to the side; a thoughtful look crossing her face as they began walking down another bland ante-chamber hallway.
“Well, that was interesting.” she remarked.
“My dear, welcome to testing.” Jaden replied with a grin.
Five minutes later, the pair exited the hallway and entered another industrialized area. Unlike other industrialized area’s he’d seen, this one reminded Jaden of a boiler room. This area appeared more enclosed as all around them pipes, tanks, and other assorted equipment lined the cavernous room. Letting his gaze drift, Jaden spotted pistons of various sizes all over the place.
The pair had come out onto a grated walkway that stretched along the length of the room, weaving its way around many of the other objects. Taking the lead, Jaden stepped forward and began making his way across the walkway. Behind him, Jaden could hear Rainbow Dash continuing to gawk at their new surroundings. As they walked, Jaden couldn’t shake the sudden inexplicable feeling of unease that enveloped him. Glancing around, he didn’t see anything out of place.
“Wait.” he warned.
“What’s up?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Something's not right.” Jaden replied.
Rainbow Dash murmured softly while gazing around the room restless.
Holding up a hand to warn Dash not to follow, Jaden pulled out a large tactical knife attached to his vest and cautiously stepped forward. As he pressed on, Jaden’s instincts told him to move quickly due to immediate danger. His instincts hadn’t failed him yet, so Jaden naturally dived toward the ground; rolling into a defensive crouch as he did so. At the same time, he felt a swift breeze as something dropped from above; Rainbow Dash yelping in surprise at this.
As he rose to his feet and turned toward their attacker, Jaden saw what resembled another pony standing between him and Dash. Curiously, the creature bore a striking resemblance to Tess, except it was bonier and had a sickly pale color. Looking on, Jaden could see various patches of flesh that had been stripped away, revealing what looked like metallic bones underneath. He noted the flesh surrounding the pony’s left eye had also been stripped away, revealing the mechanical eye behind it; a red glow coming from within its center. The pony was also missing its right wing.
Strapped to the pony’s right foreleg was a long, sharp, retractable blade of some kind. Jaden couldn’t help comparing their attacker to another famous monster created for a James Cameron movie; wondering how that was even possible to begin with. He also wasn’t sure if Tess had a similar blade or not.
“Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to play with sharp pointy objects? You could put someone’s eye out with that thing.” Jaden remarked.
The pony didn’t reply.
Jaden found himself at a considerable disadvantage as his opponent suddenly lunged at him with its much longer blade. He was also very grateful for the weapons training his uncle had given him. As they fought along its length, Jaden soon discovered that the grated walkway wasn’t a single continuous path. Rather, it was comprised of a series of walkways set up at different heights.
Flying above, Dash called out a warning about the first drop-off point.
Jaden was grateful for the warning as he reached the edge of the platform and was forced to backflip to the next walkway as his opponent retracted its blade and somersaulted after him. Upon landing, Jaden watched his adversary turn and extended its blade before charging him again. He had to give the thing credit for being persistent. The grated walkway they were now on was also much smaller; more like a platform than anything else.
Letting his gaze drift briefly, Jaden noted that a final grated walkway was no more than 10 yards away from them. He soon felt overwhelmed as the creature lunged at him again. Working its way under his guard, the creature managed to knock him off the current platform and onto the final walkway. Jaden landed with a grunt, losing his knife in the process as his opponent leaped after him.
Letting his gaze drift briefly, Jaden noticed a chasm between his platform and the apparent exit located on another grated walkway on the other side of the room. He could also see a group of pistons, each roughly two feet in diameter, continuously striking a portable wall nearby. The plan for taking care of their new acquaintance came together in an instant but Jaden was unable to immediately put it into action as his opponent lunged at him and tried to impale him once more. It was all he could do to hold the creature off without a weapon. Fortunately, the portal device made an impromptu shield.
It certainly helped that Dash was shouting and hurling whatever she could grab a hold of at their attacker. Moments later, she got lucky and managed to distract the beast long enough for Jaden to raise and correctly aim his portal device in order to implement his plan. He quickly fired a warm portal at the wall to his left and a cool portal at the spot where the pistons were impacting. Both portals connected.
“Hope you get frequent flier miles.” Jaden snapped as a piston traveled through the portals and struck the pony on top of him; hurling it into the void beyond.
“Are you ok?” Dash asked.
Jaden nodded as he sat up and caught his breath.
Rainbow Dash meanwhile, flew over to the exit and waited for him.
Once he’d sufficiently recovered, Jaden repositioned the cool portal onto the wall beside Dash and recovered his knife before crossing over to her platform. The pair then passed through the doorway. Moments later, they came to a stop in another cavernous basement. Jaden and Dash exchanged glances.
“How’d you know that thing would do that?” she asked.
"What thing?"
“You know, the thing that came out of the wall and sent that freak tumbling into a hole.” Dash elaborated.
“Oh, that thing.” Jaden replied, trying hard not to laugh.
“Why darling, it’s all quite elementary really. For you see, speedy thing goes in, speedy thing comes out.” he continued while imitating a certain fashionista pony they both knew.
At the same time, he rubbed the mare’s cheek; creeping the pegasus out.
"Oooookay... somepony’s been in the boutique a little too long and needs to come out for fresh air." Dash muttered, vigorously rubbing the cheek with a hoof.
"Bah, you're no fun." Jaden retorted, still in character.
Moments later, the pair burst out laughing. For her part, Rainbow Dash fell onto her back in utter hysterics.
“Rarity’ll probably kill us if she ever finds out.” Jaden giggled.
“She’ll kill you… but oh, the look on her face would be too perfect!” Dash chortled, before falling into another round of helpless laughter.
Once they had composed themselves, the pair made their way over to a nearby stair case and quickly ascended it. They came out in what Jaden thought was a diner or bar of some kind and quickly made their way to the nearest exit. Out on the street, Jaden looked around and didn’t see anything moving. He did notice however, that they were much closer to the castle then they had been previously.
“So, what now?” Dash asked.
“Let’s try that way.” Jaden replied, pointing to a nearby road.
“Hopefully we can find the others quickly.” he continued.
Rainbow Dash nodded and the pair began walking.