Human kind has always sought technological advances. Everything was made better in turn to become more efficient and more convenient, or to break the boundaries and limitations nature had set for humans. Even in secret, behind vaulted doors, shady officials, and extreme experiments, some governments may do anything to gain any advantages.
Nazi Germany, in the past, had also studied the occult, perhaps to use in World War II. As far fetched as this may have been, there are some things in this world that cannot be explained. Also, if any kind of 'godly' supernatural weapon was conceived, what army in the world could stand up to the power of the divine? Luckily, none of this came into play.
Until earlier in these times.
Somewhere, far in the ice covered terrain of Antarctica, was a shed. To any other person (as to why they'd be there in the first place is ridiculous) this shed would be like any other shed. Worn out, punished continually by the arctic weather, and abandoned. In the distance, a single individual was trekking across the ice. a parachute lay abandoned a few yards from where his footsteps began. Step by tiring step, he managed to reach the shed. Shivering, he stepped in and closed the door behind him. William Lente, a strapping young man, in his late thirties, was tall, serious, and had short dark hair. His gaunt eyes suggested that he neither got regular sleep nor did he have a proper meal. He was exhausted from the journey from the short trek to this blasted shed. Why his superiors didn't let him take a vehicle was beyond him. They had insisted on airdrop instead, the bastards. But he knew he had an assignment here to complete.
"Hello *INDIVIDUAL*," spoke a computerized voice, "Warning: Unidentified personnel. Please state identification. You have been warned."
"William Lente." William said clearly into the dark.
"Mr. *WILLIAM LENT*," ding, "Individual identified. *W. LENTE*. Assigned to 'PROJECT PEGASUS'. Commencing full body scan."
A blue light flashed in the dark shed, blinding William for a second.
"Scan completed. Individual's identity confirmed. Welcome, Mr.Lente."
The floor gave a tremble. Regaining his sight, William found himself sinking into the floor of the shed . Or rather the floor was lowering like an elevator. Down he went. Five minutes. Thirty minutes. Why such a huge corporation couldn’t afford faster elevators disguised as ramshackle sheds was a question WIlliam had to ask later. Then after an hour of lowering into the earth, a vast man made cavern came into view. A sterile, white, and highly populated hidden facility was revealed. Descending in the elevator, William could see scientists running here and there, to and fro, large areas for computing data, and an experiment and research hall. However, the largest area was dedicated to the observation/test subjects' area.
The elevator touched down. William stepped out of the elevator onto a moving platform. Rolling along, he knew the procedure by heart. It happened every time he was relocated. He took off his heavy coat and boots and let them be taken away by robotic arms. The rest of his clothes were cut off by more robot arms. The clothes were thrown into a furnace and William was left naked and moving along on the platform. Next, he was doused in cold chemical cleanser and sterilizer.
After being dried up, he was suited in sterile, white lab attire.
"Welcome to your new job, Mr. Lente."
A young lady, slender with blond hair spoke to William.
"Thrilled," he replied as he patted down his ruffled hair.
"Hm. I suppose you were briefed on your job for the next year?" she asked.
"Yes, yes. I'm to be a 'caretaker' and observer." William stated from memory, "Just point me in the right direction, I'll get to work right away." He wasn’t much of a people person.
"You are stationed at the observation deck," the young woman replied, "If you need help finding the place, don't hesitate to ask anyone."
"Thank you, Miss...?"
"You don’t need to know," she said, "its a pleasure to meet you."
With that she walked away, her black high heels clacking away into the distance.He never saw her again.
Yes, he knew exactly what he had to do. He knew why he was here, too. The government was creating some sort of... Weapon. Given inspiration by the occultist scientists in the past, it had decided to secretly develop a powerful weapon. Will, here, was just there to take care of it, make sure it was 'growing' well. He didn't have friends. Nor did he have family. He just had to get his job done.
William took a small tram to the observation deck. Once there, he saw a two tanks. These were where the 'weapons' were housed. He pressed his nose against the glass of one tank. There it was. A small, white four legged creature staring back with bright pink eyes.
**********
Six months had passed out of William's twelve months of work in the arctic facility. The subjects were growing well. There were two. Each one to control the other. One pure white and the other a dark blue. They were created and grown into the shapes of small horses to symbolize the purity of a young foal. The only blemishes on either of them were metallic holes and rivets used in the experiments. Foal or not, a weapon was still a weapon.
William had been observing and interacting with the ponies to assure proper growth and interaction. This was just a job. Of everyone in the facility, the two sister subjects only had the company of William. He was the only one who fed them, who interacted with them, and basically mommied them. The two ponies were regularly strapped down and routinely taught every bit of knowledge available. Pipes and wires were regularly bolted into the various ports throughout their bodies Hours upon hours, they were forced to do this. The superiors wanted the smartest weapon. After every session of 'learning', they were very subdued and fearful. That's where William's job came into play. The superiors also wanted the most powerful. The two ponies were also bred with abnormal brain waves and superbly developed brains each. This was to create a telekinetic ability for them. With more training, they could bend anything to their will.
Only very recently, have they been able to talk. Simple words strung together, but able to communicate none the less. With all the speculated power and potential, William had thought basic human speech was to be but a simple task to learn. Obviously, English was not the most coherent language as he had thought. The two ponies were moved into a single tank so the two could 'be together'. After another session of forced knowledge, William was sent into the tank. Immediately, the two ponies shot up from their fetal positions and ran towards him.
"Hello." they both cooed.
"Hello you two," William replied with a slight smile, "How was your lesson?"
He sat down. They both circled him and sat next to him, one on each side. They leaned against him.
"Why does lesson hurt?" the white one asked.
"Hurt so much!" the younger, blue counterpart added.
"I can't say why," William said, "only because I don't know myself." He started to pet them. How did his college degree and government job lead him to this? Babying two creatures in a secret facility in the middle of some god forsaken ice field?
"We learn new words today," said the eldest.
"Oh?" William answered, "Want to tell me?"
Both the ponies nodded enthusiastically.
"It was 'family', 'mommy', and 'daddy'." the blue one said.
"We learn the meanings, too." the white one said, "Are you daddy?"
"What?" said William.
"We know mommy and daddy make family," the younger pony said, "Me and sister is family. But no have mommy or daddy."
"We only remember you," piped up the white pony, "You make us happy. You keep us safe. You are daddy?"
Will refrained from having family and friends because of his job. He knew too much. According to his employers, he didn’t exist.
"No. I'm not," he replied.
The two ponies looked down in disappointment. Something about the blank sadness in those eyes stirred something in Will’s distant heart. To be mostly alone in the world, to have everyone walk by you like you didn’t exist, to only be gawked at when you spoke up.
"But," William continued, "Would you like one?"
************
William never had any really family. Both parents dead, no siblings, very distant relatives who didn't even know him. But who knew even HIS heart would warm up after years of social and family solitude? The two really had grown on him...
It was the start of the eleventh month of his year long commitment. He had grown close to the two ponies he was assigned to observe and parent. They were very well developed. Their vocabulary and knowledge on just about everything had grown in an elephantine amount in such short time. Even their special 'powers' had become extremely powerful. Some of the superiors from the top were getting worried.
"Daddy, I still don't get why you named me 'Celestia'..." the older said.
William was in the tank again, tending to the two ponies who had grown so much.
"Well, I was getting pretty tired of calling you 'you two'." he said, "Plus you've always enjoyed your lessons on astronomy. I remember you and your sister used to babble on about every planet, star, and constellation you learned."
"But why couldn't I be named 'Luna'? That's such a pretty name!" Celestia said with a smile.
"Well looky here! Your older sister's jealous of you," William said looking at young Luna.
"Am not!" Celestia pouted.
"It's okay, daddy," Luna said, "I like my name!"
"I'm glad at least someone agrees with me." William said patting Luna.
"Well... I don't hate my name..." Celestia said with a small voice.
"See?" Luna said, "We love your decisions! Just like we love you and you love us!"
"You DO love us, right daddy?" Celestia said with a smile.
William looked at the two little ponies he had taken care of for almost a year. He had basically been a mother to them. He was there to comfort them. He was there to tell them stories. He was even there when they had nightmares. As long as the two ponies could remember, William was the only one that was there for them.
"Of course I do" he said.
"MR.LENTE, PLEASE EXIT THE SUBJECT AREA." came a voice over the speakers.
Immediately, the two ponies grew afraid.
"Daddy, don't leave..."
"I don't want to go to lessons!"
"They still hurt..."
"But now a days they hurt even more..."
"Make it stop, daddy..."
"Don't leave us alone again...."
It was true what they said. Each 'lesson' caused them excruciating pain. But these past few weeks, the lessons have been getting longer and more intense. The two sometimes even yelled out in pain.
"I'm sorry," William said, "I've got to go. I know you can do it. You're stronger than this. Just endure it for daddy..."
Outside the tank, William was confronted by one of his superiors. He saluted to him. The superior was a serious looking man. He wore a constant scowl on his bald face and was the only one to carry a pistol in the whole facility. He never gave out his name. He wanted anonymity and was called 'the Doctor'.
"So." the Doctor said, "The subjects are developing in the right direction I presume?"
"Yessir," William answered, "They are developing and growing both physically and mentally. They are retaining every lesson they've been put through. Both of their 'special powers' are becoming more and more powerful each day."
"Good, good," Doctor said looking through the tank's glass wall, "However, the rate they are growing and the amount of sheer knowledge and power they each contain is alarming. All of the superiors and other scientists see this. Also, you are getting quite attached to them, being the only one to have contact with them."
"I'm just doing my job, sir," William said, emphasizing 'sir'.
"Yes... Well it is good to see that they are continuing to grow, despite their er... potential..." Doctor said, "and your knowledge of them..."
He eyed William suspiciously.
"Then I'll see you around, Doctor." William said.
"Yes... Perhaps."