//------------------------------// // LXX - Remembrance // Story: Mortal Coil // by Reeve //------------------------------// “Suri…” I uttered in confusion. “Oh, so you do remember me,” Suri Polomare replied in a pleasantly surprised voice. “I’m glad you do.” I just blinked a couple of times while staring at her, completely oblivious as to what was going on. She had disappeared, I don’t know what I had expected, maybe that she had been kidnapped or killed, certainly not what was clearly in front of me. “I… I thought…” I murmured in a quiet voice. “That I had been captured by the big bad ponies in robes?” Suri finished in a condescending tone, giving a little titter. “Oh Rarity, you always were very naïve, I see that remains despite all your little adventures.” “What the heck is that supposed to mean?!” Rainbow demanded. “Yeah, what do you know about our adventures?!” Pinkie added in an indignant tone. “Oh, everything my dears,” Suri replied. “Surely you didn’t think you could do all the things you’ve done, and not catch our attention. We’ve been keeping an eye on you all for some time now, especially after you became so fixated on finding us. Really, I’m surprised it took you this long, but then this magnificent sanctuary can only be found by those who know of its existence… how did you find out in the end?” “I thought you said you were keeping an eye on us,” Applejack snorted. “Can’t have been doin’ a good job.” “Well, when I said we knew everything…” Suri began in a slightly awkward voice. “That’s quite alright sister Suri,” a voice echoed out around us, in that same crackling way Suri’s had a moment ago. “I shall take it from here.” That voice was chillingly familiar, even with the distortion, the nasally, weedy tone could not be mistaken for anypony else. My head snapped around to see that my friends all looked just as horrified as I was to hear the voice. “Crane!” I spat, my confusion at seeing Suri there giving way to anger. “You’ve heard of me,” Crane grumbled, clearly disappointed at being denied an introduction for the second time. “I’m guessing it was Fauna, that is how you found us, is it not? You went to the Isle of Serenity, am I to take it there was some secret hidden there, that only the worthy could find?” “I guess you wouldn’t know,” Pinkie replied smugly. “Not being worthy and all that.” Suri glared furiously at Pinkie, but clenched her mouth shut, clearly not wishing to interrupt Crane. “Apparently I am not, Fauna has told me as much on many occasions,” Crane replied in a bitter tone. “But soon things will be different…” “Where is she?!” Fluttershy cried out. “What have you done with them?!” “Don’t you worry about them Sister Fluttershy,” Crane replied, I saw Fluttershy visibly flinch at how he addressed her. “They are no longer of any importance, for as you know, we have come into possession of something far greater than any knowledge they carried.” “You won’t get away with this Crane!” Twilight shouted. “We’ll find you, and put a stop to what you’re doing. You’ll never achieve ascension so long as we live.” “Oh my dear Twilight Sparkle,” Crane began in a low voice. “You don’t seem to understand…” “Understand what?” I growled. “I don’t believe your arrival here today was a coincidence,” Crane went on in an ominous tone. “I believe it was destiny that you should arrive to bear witness to such a momentous occasion.” “What are you talking about you psycho?!” Rainbow demanded. “After years of work,” Crane responded, his voice brimming with excitement. “Countless experiments and hours of continuous research… we have succeeded!” “What?!” we all exclaimed in unison. “The final formula is being synthesised as we speak,” Crane revealed, his voice practically trembling with glee. “Ascension is finally within my grasp, and soon… everything I’ve sought to achieve will be mine.” Suri’s smile slipped slightly, and she gave a small cough to get Crane’s attention. “Do not fear sister,” Crane assured her. “In my new world, your services will not go unrewarded. You have been with me from the very beginning, and as such, you will stay by my side for the rest of eternity.” “I wouldn’t’ have it any other way,” Suri replied in the soppiest tone. “Now, as for you all…” Crane began. “You think locking us up in here will stop us from hunting you down and killing you?!” Pinkie interrupted, literally ripping her robes off and pulling out her daggers. I saw Suri screw up her face at the sight of her precious garments lying in tatters at Pinkie’s hooves, and she only got angrier when Fluttershy and Twilight did the same. “I have no doubt you can escape from that room easily,” Crane replied calmly. “And I’m sure if it came down to me versus all six of you… I wouldn’t stand much of a chance, but the thing is… I don’t want to fight you; I don’t want to be your enemy.” I raised an eyebrow as I tried to wrap my head around that, before shaking it off as a mind trick and drawing my sword. “I’m not lying Rarity,” Crane insisted. “You have all impressed me greatly, particularly with the way you dealt with my escaped pets. I would have preferred to have them recaptured, but knowing you took care of them for me is better than having them reveal us and our intentions to the world prematurely, so thank you for that. I would quite honestly be honoured to have such impressive individuals, such as yourselves, leading all of pony kind into the new world.” “No deal,” I replied, readying myself for a fight as I turned my eyes to Suri. “I hope you will come to see sense,” Crane said in a slightly disappointed voice. “We still have time for you to make the right choice. When you do, sister Suri will bring you to see me.” With those final words, the iridescent crackling cut out and Crane was gone, leaving us alone with Suri once more, who was watching me without fear. “Why are you fighting us Rarity?” Suri asked calmly. “Is what we’re trying to achieve really so wrong? It’s not like we plan on hoarding this miracle, we plan to share it with the world. We’re going to raise everypony up, make everypony perfect. A master race of alicorns, is such a thing not beautiful to imagine?” “No, it’s not,” I replied simply. “You think you can create some utopia by giving everypony the power to hurl the earth into the sun, but all you’ll get is a world of chaos.” “And not even the fun kind,” Pinkie added, as if it was the worst part of it all. “Well… I would be lying if I said I hadn’t expected you to resist,” Suri muttered as she reached behind her back and produced a small metal object. “I knew I might have to use some more… persuasive methods.” I saw what was in her hoof; it was a small metal box with various coloured buttons on it, and a long metal antenna poking out the top. Suri pressed one of the buttons, and I immediately jumped back to the centre of the room, off the mesh floor in the upper right corner as it began to retract into the walls. We were all too busy staring gormlessly at the mesh floor sliding out of sight, to think to stop Suri before she pressed a second button; the sound of grinding accompanied the rising of the cell floor. I backed up to the arch blocked off by the portcullis with my friends, all of us readying our weapons for what came up on the rising cell. The creature was horrific, a true abomination and a simple insult to pony nature. Unlike the other monsters we had encountered, it was obvious that this one had once been a pony; its body was still relatively equine shaped, even if it was warped and disfigured. For starters it was huge and hulking, its veins bulging, and its muscles swelling to the point where they split through the skin in some areas. There were bones visibly protruding from the creature, such as its ribs and spinal column, and jutting from its back were two horribly malformed, fleshy wings, completely lacking any feathers and randomly flailing about as if the creature had no motor control over them. The monsters jaw was practically hanging off, its mouth too small to accommodate the shark like set of teeth within, and on the top of its head was two horns, one that was no bigger than my own, which had been snapped to the side to make way for the second one, which protruded from its skull like a bloody lance made from bone. The monster hobbled around on four hooves which were all split apart from the ankles down, as if to form claws or digits. But while they might have torn through somepony in seconds, they were useless for walking on, and the poor creature let out agonising wails with every step it took. Suri pressed another button, almost lazily, this time I saw a flash from the metal collar around the creatures neck and it screeched in anguish, almost buckling from the pain. Instead it reared up, right before charging straight for us. I rolled diagonally, making for Suri in the hopes of taking the remote control device from her. Glancing back, I saw that all my friends had gotten safely out of the way and were now engaging the beast. Looking forward, I saw Suri making for the door she had entered from. I began sprinting for her, but I wasn’t fast enough to catch her before she opened it up, stepped through, and looked back. “When you’re ready to play ball,” she began. “Then I’ll come get you, in the meantime… have fun with your friend.” With that, she slammed the door right in my face, just as I reached out to grab hold of her. I tried the handle, but found it locked, no surprise. Turning back, I saw Pinkie and Applejack both riding the monster around the chamber, like they were in the most grotesque rodeo ever. I darted across to where Twilight was crouched in the corner, trying to get a clear aim with her sceptre at the rampaging abomination. “Suri’s locked herself in that room!” I told her urgently. “If we can get that remote off her…” “I’m on it!” Twilight replied, sending out a stream of electricity which struck the monster in its eye, before she stood up and made for the door. With all its flailing about, Pinkie and Applejack jumped off for safety. Rainbow Dash sped in and began flying circles around it, repeatedly slicing into it with her spear. When she stopped flying, the creature was now focused on her, chasing her to the corner where it had first risen up from. Once in the corner, Rainbow flew out of the way and allowed it to charge head first into the wall. The whole room shook, but to our dismay and no short amount of horror, the creature turned around like it hadn’t felt a thing. That was when Fluttershy flew in, no fear in her eyes as she swooped right up in front of its face and struck it hard with her mace. With a flash of light, the creature collapsed, screeching in agony as holy fire burned through the right side of its face. The noises it made sent chills up my spine, but I pushed the doubt that was growing to the back of my mind, as I charged in to deliver the finishing blow. I cantered right up to where its head was twisting on the ground, and raised my sword high, ready to plunge the blade down into it good eye and end this battle… and then I froze. The monster opened its uninjured eye wide, and stared at me with complete and utter fear… the gold of its iris causing my heart to stop beating inside my chest. It was almost an automatic reaction on the creature’s behalf when its mutilated leg swept out and caught me, tossing me across the room. Luckily Pinkie managed to blink in behind me and absorb my momentum, placing me gently on the ground, where I continued to stare at the creature in shock as it started to stand up. I couldn’t believe it, I refused to believe it! But now that I had seen that eye, the little details were appearing to me. The patches of turquoise fur, the very same shade that the smaller horn was, it just couldn’t be… “Lyra…” I breathed, my voice filled with dread. “What?” Pinkie questioned, staring at me with raised eyebrows. Applejack and Rainbow charged in, showing the monster no remorse as it continued to try and fight… no, defend itself, constantly shrieking in pain and terror. “No!” I screamed at them, but they couldn’t hear me over the noises the creature was making. I fought off Pinkie’s grip and struggled to my hooves, ignoring the pain in my shoulder where it had struck me, as I rushed to place myself between Applejack and Rainbow Dash and it. With a sweep of my blade I was able to block and hold of Applejack’s claymore, which surprised me more than anypony else, and I sent out a wave of magic to knock Rainbow’s spear skywards. I tensed up slightly, afraid that the creature might strike me from behind, but the attack never came. The screams quietened and it started to back up slightly from us all, giving off low mewling noises, almost as if it was… crying. “What are you doin’ Rare?!” Applejack exclaimed, looking from me to the retreating monster. “We can’t hurt her!” I said loudly and clearly. “Her?” Rainbow repeated, her stance slipping. I felt Applejack reduce the pressure against me, and I lowered my weapon before turning to face the creature, which was now cowering in the corner it had risen up from. “Lyra?” I began; it raised its head in response and stared at me. “Lyra, it’s me, Rarity.” I started edging forward, but Lyra only tried to push further away. I felt my heart break for her as I imagined all the horrible things she had endured here, and how terrified she must be of us after what we had done. I kept moving forward though, keeping it slow as I held out one hoof in what I hoped she would interpret as a sign of goodwill. “It is you, isn’t it Lyra?” I asked, tears welling up in my eyes. “I’m sorry Lyra! I’m sorry I lied… I’m sorry I ran away! You were my friend; I should have treated you better.” I was so close now, my hoof only inches away from Lyra’s muzzle. She wasn’t moving anymore, no longer making any moves to escape from me, but as I held still and watched… I saw her one good eye become shiny with tears. Then the door Twilight had disappeared through at some point during the fight, burst open, and Suri Polomare was thrown into the chamber, sprawling on the floor. Twilight followed, aiming her sceptre directly at Suri, who began scrabbling about for the remote control. She picked it up and Twilight fired a bolt of lightning, disintegrating it, but not before she was able to hit one button. The collar around Lyra’s neck flashed bright and she shrieked in pain once more, rearing up and thrashing the air with her forelegs. I was paralyzed with fear as she looked down at me with hatred, and suddenly those claw like appendages were looking very threatening… but then the anger faded, if only for a brief moment, to be replaced by recognition. The anger returned, but this time Lyra was not screaming, she came down onto all fours and leapt over me into the centre of the room, right onto the screaming Suri, who could only raise her forelegs in front of her face before Lyra tore into her. The screams were very quickly cut out, but sometime during them I felt one of my friends grab hold of me and drag me away. They carried me through the open door, the others running ahead of us, they set me down on the floor before turning to slam the door shut and lock it again. My head was spinning, I tried to watch as my friends darted about the Suri’s office, looking through the contents of her desks and bookshelves, occasionally glancing to me with concerned expressions and muttering stuff to one another. But trying to watch only made me feel sick, so I resorted to staring at the ground in front of me. “Rarity,” Fluttershy began, sitting down next to me. “Will… will you be alright?” “I don’t know,” I said honestly. “That… that was Lyra, it really was.” “Your friend who got the boat with you?” Fluttershy questioned. “But what would she have been doing here? How did the Covenant capture her?” “I haven’t a clue,” I admitted, narrowing my eyes as I thought back. “The last I heard about her was…” My voice failed me as I remembered the news Stranglethorn had delivered to me, suddenly my mind started making connections very quickly, and I did not like the implications of it all one bit. I sprung to my hooves, marching over to where Twilight and Pinkie were, looking over a letter together by the desk. “What have you found?” I asked them calmly, my heart racing. “This letter,” Twilight revealed. “Instructions for a new laboratory to be established in the central portion of the cathedral, for easy access from Crane’s private quarters.” “All regular access to these sections will be sealed off,” Pinkie continued. “Access will be strictly limited to only the most high ranking members, who will have access to private routes, signed C.” “So that’s where the ‘real work’ is taking place,” I muttered. “He must have the body up there, and that’s probably where they’re making up the formula he was talking about.” “We need to get there now,” Rainbow said, approaching from the side. “We can look for other prisoners later, but we need to get up there before they finish this synthetics.” “Synthesis,” Twilight corrected. “And I agree, I don’t know whether they really have perfected it, but I don’t want to wait and find out.” I nodded and drew my lantern out, lighting it up as I began shining it around the room. It only made sense, if Suri had that letter, then she must be considered one of the high ranking members, and any secret access would presumably be found in her living quarters or her office. While I searched, the others continued looking through Suri’s things, loudly voicing their confusion regarding what she had meant by making ‘arrangements’. Before they could find anything that might answer that question however, I found the passage behind the bookcase; Twilight began scanning it for a way to open it up, which was brought to a rather sudden stop when Applejack simply kicked the entire unit into splinters with one mighty blow, revealing the passage behind. I took the lead down the narrow passage, the others following in single file behind me. We didn’t travel far when I had to clamp my ears down against the wailing of a siren, flashing red lights running the length of the passage catching our attention, right before the floor opened up beneath us. We dropped down into a large metal funnel, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flying out of harm’s way while the rest of us fell down the exit and were dropped rather unceremoniously onto a thick bed of sticky webbing. We must have triggered some kind of trap, no doubt designed to detect ponies who were not Suri, and the trapdoor had deposited us inside the cell of the fourth floor we had come to, the one with the silky sacks. Remembering the other bulbous thing I had briefly caught sight of, I leapt to my hooves, drawing all three knives and readying myself for a fight… but there was nothing inside the cell with us. In fact, the large pen door was raised open, and upon stepping outside we saw that any guards or robed ponies that had been there before, were now mysteriously absent. After Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy descended down the ceiling shaft to join us, we left that chamber and quickly went through some of the other floors, confirming the odd trend. The entire place was deserted, no guards at the doors, no ponies carrying out research, but more importantly, no monsters left inside their cells. We wondered briefly if maybe there was a second break out, but we quickly dismissed that idea. There appeared to be no damage to the pens, and there was certainly no evidence of any kind of struggle. It was as if everypony had simply stopped what they were in the middle of, got up and walked away… perhaps they had also taken the monsters on leads for walks. We exited the main wing and found that the rest of the cathedral was just as lonely as the rooms we had left, only more pronounced now that we were in the larger chambers. While completely confusing, we were able to see the silver lining to all this, we no longer had to take it slow for fear of being caught. We rushed through the cathedral, galloping all the way from the west wing in an easterly direction, until we found ourselves at what appeared to be the main entrance to the building. This room was even vaster than the first surface room we arrived at, most of it was dominated by a great staircase that led up to doors reminiscent of the ones I’d seen on the Tower. Here too there were large support columns filling up most of the empty space, and the entire south wall was just tall archways that gave a panoramic view of the little port town they had going out the front. The position of the sun suggested it was late afternoon; we had to keep moving, so we turned away from the brief glimpse of freedom and started making our way up the marble steps to the great doors. “This place is too big,” Fluttershy murmured. “And too much of it is empty.” “Ah agree,” Applejack replied. “You could convert a place like this into a right nice town, heck, maybe even a city considerin’ the size. That little dock bit would be perfect for trade, there’s plenty of space for housing and retail, but what do these nuts do with it? They make monsters here.” “I wonder what it was used for before they took it over,” Twilight added. “Who could really need this much space for worship alone? And if that really was all it was used for, then who was worshipping who?” “Nothing to say that worship had anything to do with it,” Pinkie pointed out. “Just because we associate a building like this with worship of the Six, doesn’t mean that’s what older civilisations used it for.” “And you think some ancient race built this place?” Rainbow asked sceptically. “It doesn’t look that old.” “True, but then look at Arclight,” I reminded her. “It was always said that when ponies first inhabited it, it looked like it had just been newly constructed. In fact, take away the strange magical technology; Arclight might actually be quite similar to this place.” “Yet more questions,” Pinkie muttered, frowning as she became entangled in her own thoughts. “Only this time,” Twilight jumped in, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “We might actually be able to find the answers. When this is all over, we can go back to the vault at the temple, we can finally have these questions answered.” “If we get through all this,” Applejack corrected, looking up at the massive door just ahead of us. “How do you propose we get through this anyway? The letter said all regular entrances to the central areas would be sealed off.” “Like that’s really going to stop us,” Rainbow replied confidently. “Crane might as well open this door right now, save him the trouble of having to replace it.” “Must we?” Twilight asked, clearly pained at the idea of damaging such a potentially historical place. “Surely we could look for another passage; we have the lantern after all.” “We don’t have time for to go shining it around every solid surface in this place,” I told her. “And even if we did, there might be more security like the last one. If anypony here can get through this door, it’s you Twilight.” “Fine,” Twilight said with a small sigh as she drew her sceptre, the orb at the end glowing dangerously. “Here we come Crane, ready or not.”