//------------------------------// // The Next Generation // Story: Jurassic World: Jurassic Pony IV // by mistercokehold8 //------------------------------// Twenty one was the magic number. Twenty one was the amount of years it took for the infamous corporation and equally infamous island to make a new name for themselves. There was no more Jurassic Park……there was now Jurassic World. Out on the far island of Isla Zebra much has changed after twenty one years. New facilities have been built, new measures taken, and many new inhabitants have been born on the island. Said inhabitants all start in the same laboratory. In this lab eggs larger than most birds can produce are carefully fed into an incubator, and given life. On the far side of the lab through an observation window stands the stallion now in charge of this media circus. A light brown buck with an aging mane of dark grey with white streaks watches the eggs with a smile. He has a short beard joined with a mustache, and a rather dapper suit. He brushes dust off one sleeve as he sighs to himself. "Mister Firefly, if only you could see it now..." Everypony in the lab had something going on, either it being moving eggs from one incubator to the next, or making very detailed scientific notes. One of the scientists pauses with an instrument over one of the eggs. Carefully it's covered, and taken to a side room with three others. The rest in that particular batch are given regretful looks before being taken away to be recycled. The head scientist was examining another batch of eggs before selecting one to join the group of three. The former head scientist from the original Jurassic Park was unwilling to return, giving the history of the place. Her replacement was recommended by Princess Twilight herself, and so far this mare hasn't failed the park yet. The stallion observing takes in the yellow mare, her gold and crimson mane tied up in the back to keep her mane out of her face as she works. Her horn glows with the same brilliant green as her eyes as she writes on a clipboard, and runs her instrument over the next batch of eggs. The sound of metal on metal reaches the stallion's ears with the pattern of hoof steps, and another buck heads up the hallway towards him. The colt in question has his father's ice blue eyes, and double colored mane. In this case his mane is black with streaks of his mother's silver. The metal steps are due to his limbs having been replaced with sleek black metal legs secured to his shoulders, and hips. Triangular pieces of metal are lined up down his back from the back of his head to the base of his tail. Said tail has been replaced with a long metal whip of cybernetics almost as long as his spine supports. He swishes it slowly as he steps into the light, revealing a Cutie Mark of a rifle with a series of multicolored stars on the butt. "Sorry I'm late," He said to the older stallion. "Have they started hatching yet?" "They haven't." The one in charge stated. "Do what you need to do." "Cool, your manager made it to the island finally? Heard she had some... opposition from her family." "She's being prepped as we speak." The boss said. "Gotcha, give me a heads up when she gets here, I'll crack open a dink for us." He steps around the buck to a door further down the hall, and the cyber pony use his horn to open it before headed in. The owner walked over to examine the complicated mumbo jumbo on several monitors when the elevator into the lab dinged. Out of it steps a yellow mare with a red mane, wearing a white business suit with a skirt. She looks a little winded as she spots the owner. "Oh Director, sorry I'm late, it ain't easy finding yer way around this place... I'll get used to it though." "We've all gone through the same dear." The owner said kindly. "Would you like a tour of the lab?" "Sure thing!" She smile brightly as she sees the door to the side lab close, tilting her head. The director gestures through the viewing window. "Well it all starts here my dear. Genomes are built, cloned, and then matured into eggs that we incubate. Lucky you came when you did, we just got outlet Raptor pack ready to hatch. The former pack reached their time and sadly perished. Their handler is in the next room over ready to imprint on them." The mare turned to the side quickly, trying not to think about old memories. Regaining her composure, she turned back to her boss. "You have read about my history her have you?" She asked, making sure he knew her story. "Yes, you had a rather nasty encounter with Velociraptors roughly twenty years ago," the Director says. "However I assure you that their handler is... uniquely motivated to handle the job with the utmost care, and prudence." "Wouldn't have accepted the job if I didn’t feel it was safe." The stallion raised an eyebrow. "You're not the least bit curious who the handler is? I expect you'll be working closely together while he raises the Raptors." "If it's his field of expertise I wouldn’t want to interrupt his work." "Ah, well actually we can watch from behind some one-way glass. You see, all our dinosaurs will imprint on ponies so that they're used to us, and won't see us as a threat. Imagine a baby Triceratops so used to ponies that a filly could actually ride one. Then when it's all grown up it wouldn't bat an eyelash if you came up to pet its horn." He leads her down the hall to the panel of one-way glass, showing the cyber unicorn standing in front of four eggs. After several moments of waiting one of the four eggs began to wobble, before a crack slowly formed down the middle. The cyber pony smiled, rearing up on his hind legs. Raising his forelegs he twists his hooves as metal fingers extend outwards, which he uses to peel off a section of shell when the egg breaks just right. Then he leans in to peek into the egg, his metal tail swishing with excitement. A tiny yellow eye peered out of the egg before the infant finally poked it's head out. The most noticeable feature about the infant Raptor in front of the cyber pony would be the patch of blue running down its head and spine. The cyber only slowly tilts his head at it, making soft clicking noises with his tongue as he brushes a finger over the top of its head as softly as he can. "Come on," he whispered. "You're a strong girl, fight your way to the world." The infant finally cracked the rest of the egg, slowly flopping out onto the table, peering up at the pony in front of him. The pony leans in, nudging it softly with his nose, and making more soft clicking noises. The infant made small squeals and hisses as the next egg began to crack. "He's so much like his father." The mare said to the owner. In some ways," the director says. "Scorch Firefly told me that his father was afraid of the raptors, never willing to let them closer than rifle range if he could help it. "I know.....I met him." The mare said, thinking back to the former Game Warden. This pony though... he wants to understand them I think, he even volunteered for the augmentations so he can get close to them when they're adults... Not that it's recommended." The owner explained. "Crimson Wrath was a good stallion... his son seems eager to uphold his legacy." The second egg cracked open as a tiny muzzle poked out of the egg. The cyber pony turned his attention to the second egg as he uses his magic to levitate the first hatching into a small holding pen off in the side of the room. The second Raptor looked at the cyber pony, hissing and squeaking up at him. The pony in question makes clicking noses at it, and softly strokes its head. Both the remaining eggs began to crack. "I was told you had a special dinosaur in concept?" The mare said to the owner. "Oh for that you may want to talk with our head of Research in the main lab. It’s just in the beginning stage, but I honestly try to stay out of it because I want it to be a surprise for me as well, get the full effect of what it will be like for the tourists." The mare smiled on how enthusiastic the owner was. She turned to the window to see the last to Raptor infants breaking out of their eggs, peering up at the cyber pony in front of them. The pony handles them with care in his metal hands, an magic as he carries them to the pin. Then going to a corner of the room he opens package is steak, dropping it in for them. The four tiny dinosaurs started chewing into the meat placed in front of them. The mare couldn't help but smile because of cute they were acting. "You met the adult versions yet you smile like a giggling school filly over the babies... I'll take that as a good sign" The director says with a smile. The head scientist came up with clipboard, trotting into the side lab to write down their notes for the Raptors. "Four successful hatch-lings.....all female.....body temperatures normal..." "And they already seem to like their new Alpha," The director said. "Hm... How long until they're mature enough for the special paddock we built for them?" "Six months." I'll leave it in both your capable hooves." He looked between the two mares in his employ with a smile. "I heard there was something planned." "It's only in concept at the moment; hopefully we can do something with it when the time comes." The scientist said. The owner nodded with a smile. "Ladies... We are going to make history.