//------------------------------// // Prolouge // Story: Mobile Fighter EQG // by The Midnight Channel //------------------------------// Multiverse theory, a theory that states that there exists not one, but an infinite number of universes stretching across the whole of reality. Many believe that these innumerable worlds exist as four dimensional planes floating in a five dimensional space. Sometimes these planes float close enough to each other to touch. Sometimes when this happens a gateway is formed between these worlds. And sometimes something comes through. Office of Scientific Investigation and Research, Griffonstone Jul. 18th 11 A.A Vice Director Klaus Ironwing sat behind the dilapidated desk of his office in the heart of Griffonholm’s foremost research institute. The office itself did not fare much better than his desk, most of the paint on the walls had long since chipped off revealing concrete and wiring. His chair let out a squeal of protest as he leaned his considerable muscle mass further against the back rest. Klaus frowned before letting out a sigh. As much as he would rather be enjoying the comforts of a corner office befitting of a man of his station, the series of government-imposed budget cuts over the last few years had left the institute with very little to work with. All their remaining funds had been diverted to their actual research, and so the handful of scientists that the O.S.I.R employed had to make do with what they had on hand or could scrounge from the abandoned offices that made up most of the business district of Griffonholm’s capital city of Griffonstone. It was indeed a sad state of affairs, but a state that Klaus hoped would change for the better after today’s meeting. With another sigh, Klaus leaned forward and grabbed a file folder off the stack on the corner of his desk. Flipping through the pages it contained he let a small smile spread across his angular features: yes, if everything went well than he very may well get that corner office. A series of sharp knocks on the flimsy piece of plywood that served as his door broke him out of his day dreams. Klaus replaced the folder on his desk and schooled his features. “Enter,” he called. The door creaked open and a young woman barely out of her teens shuffled in. She was wearing a rumpled business suit that was a size too big and her red and gold hair was pulled into a messy bun. “Miss Shimmer I presume?” “Doctor, actually, but you can call me Sunset. Everyone else does,” the young woman replied while glancing around the decrepit office space with a look of mild distress. “My apologies Doctor, I hadn’t realized your thesis had been accepted already,” Klaus stated before gesturing to the chair before his desk. “Please take a seat.” Sunset gave the aforementioned chair a dubious look before complying. The chair wobbled slightly as she sat down, but held for the most part. “It went through last week actually. I have a copy of it with me if you’d like to read it,” Sunset informed him holding up the well-worn messenger bag that had been at her side. “No need for that, I have a copy of it right here,” Klaus stated once more picking up the file he had been looking over prior to Doctor Shimmer’s arrival. “and I have to say, it’s a very interesting piece of work. The Science of the Soul, truly fascinating.” “Thank You sir,” Sunset said, a slight blush coloring her light orange cheeks. “Umm, if you don’t mind me asking, why exactly did you ask me here? Your secretary wasn’t very forth coming when she called me.” “Ah straight to the point I see,” Klaus let out a small laugh and leaned back in his chair which creaked ominously under his weight. “Very well. Tell me Sunset, what do you know about the event known as Armageddon?” Sunset gave the Vice Director a confused look. “I’m sorry sir, but what do you mean? Everyone knows about what happened.” “Please, just humor me.” “Very well,” Sunset sighed before reciting the knowledge that every grade schooler had been imparted. “Eleven years ago a deep space collision forced a large asteroid out of orbit and on a collision course for Terra. It impacted in the artic wastes at the foot of the Crystal mountain range several days after New Year’s. The mountains were vaporized along with most of the country of Yakyakistan. The extreme heat of the asteroid’s entry completely melted the ice fields causing extreme flooding in the northern countries as well as most coastal cities. Millions were lost in the initial chaos and millions more during the war Known as the Seven Years of Strife.” The office lapsed into silence after Sunset concluded her short speech. “So it was an Asteroid that nearly wiped out humanity?” Klaus asked rhetorically after several minutes. Confusion once more crossed the good Doctor’s features. “That’s the official statement from the Unified Nations,” Sunset said at length. “What if I were to tell you that the Unified Nations lied?” Klaus leaned forward on his desk, lacing his fingers together before his face. “Sir?” “Doctor Shimmer, what I’m about to show you has been classified above top secret. What I say here does not leave this room. If you tell anyone you will be considered a Traitor to the country of Griffonholm. Am I understood?” “Y-yes s-sir,” Sunset stammered out fearfully. Klaus gave her a curt nod before reaching into the top draw of his desk and pulling out a tablet. After typing in several commands Klaus handed it over to Sunset who looked down to see that a media program had been opened with a video file ready to play. “Go ahead,” Klaus gestured. Sunset hit play and immediately wished she had not. When the video finally came to an end, Sunset placed the tablet back on the Vice Director’s desk with shaky hands. She looked up at Klaus with light teal eyes wide with horror. “Wha-what was that?” She managed to force out through the lump that had formed in her throat. “That, Doctor Shimmer, was what we have taken to calling the Umbrum. They’re the real reason behind Armageddon,” Klaus answered. Reaching into another draw in his desk Klaus pulled out a half empty bottle of Griffonian reserve Vodka and a small glass. Pouring two fingers worth of the alcohol into the glass, he handed it over to the trembling young woman across from him. “Here, drink this,” He said. “It’ll help calm you down.” Sunset gave him a dubious look, but still took the offered glass and downed its contents in one swallow. She grimaced as the alcohol burned its way down her throat and settled in her stomach, spreading a comforting warmth throughout her body. The shaking faded soon afterwards and color returned to her face. “Better?” The doctor nodded in the affirmative. “I’m sure you’d like an explanation for what you just saw.” Sunset nodded once more, not trusting herself to speak just yet. Klaus stood from his desk, the bottle of Vodka still in his hand. He paced around the desk until he was at Sunset’s side. He refilled her glass causing her to incline her head in thanks before he took a swig directly from the bottle. “In the closing weeks of the last century,” he began after a few minutes of pacing, “A Yakyakistani Geological survey team was drilling for core samples in the ice fields at the foot of the Crystal Mountain range in an attempt to find oil. Towards the end of their survey, one of their corer drills fell through the ice shelf into a previously undiscovered cavern. When they went down to retrieve it they found something quite literally out of this world. An entire city made completely out of crystal.” Klaus paused a moment to allow Sunset to take in what he had just said. He took another swig from the bottle of Vodka and then topped off Sunset’s glass which she had been slowing sipping at while he talked. “After much deliberation the Yakyakistani government called in a team of experts from Mareica, Griffonholm, Neighpon, and their own government. The team was led by Professor A.K Yearling— “ “So that’s what happened to her,” Sunset interrupted. “Pardon?” “When I went to University, I kept hearing rumors about the old archaeology professor who just vanished without a trace. A lot of the students said she opened a tomb she wasn’t supposed to and fell victim to an ancient curse,” She explained, draining the last of her glass and setting it down on the rickety desk. “That’s not very far from the truth. At the turn of the new year the Yearling expedition made it to the heart of the crystal city. Underneath the Crystal Spire- that they believed to be a palace of some sort- they found a sealed doorway. They opened it, and well, you saw what happened after that.” “The Umbrum.” “Yes, the Umbrum. That door was the entrance to their prison. Hundreds of millions of lives lost all because a door was opened.” “But if the Umbrum were set free how come there aren’t any running around causing havoc now?” Inquired Dr. Shimmer. “The Umbrum weren’t the only thing discovered at the sight of the Crystal Spire. The team recovered an artifact near the top of the tower. It is our belief that it is this artifact that is currently keeping the Umbrum contained in the remains of the artic wastes,” Klaus explained. “Why tell me all this?” Klaus walked around until he was standing directly in front of Sunset. His massive frame towered over the young woman, forcing her to crane her neck in order to meet his gaze. “I tell you this because we’re not sure how much longer that artifact is going to be able to keep them contained and when it fails the Griffonian government wants to be ready.” “Ready to do what?” Klaus knelt down until he was eye level with Sunset, meeting her light teal orbs with his own steely grey. “To fight back. That’s why I called you here today. That’s why I’m telling you all this. Your Government needs your help Dr. Shimmer; I believe that your theories on metaphysical biology are going to be instrumental in the Umbrum’s defeat.” “So you want me to help you make weapons,” it was more of a statement than a question. “Exactly.” “But if the Unified Nations are aware of the Umbrum, don’t they already have counter measures in place in case they get out?” “They do, a private military organization called U.N.D.E.A.D that answers directly to the Security Council. Their main branch of operations is based in Neo Canterlot. Rumor has it that they are already working on an Anti-Umbrum weapons system.” “Then why do you need me?” “Because the Griffonian Government does not like the idea of Humanity’s defense against annihilation being monopolized by a bunch of trigger happy Mareicans. Think of our little project as an insurance policy. If U.N.D.E.A.D fails than we have a back up to use so we don’t all die horribly.” The dilapidated office fell into silence as Sunset Shimmer considered everything that Vice Director Klaus had told her. After several minutes of internal deliberation, Sunset met Klaus’s gaze once more. “I’ll need a sample of the Umbrum if I’m to figure out the best way to kill them,” she finally said. Vice Director Ironwing smiled. “Of course.” “And a lab with equipment, that’s not well this,” Sunset added while gesturing to the exposed concrete walls of the office around them. “Consider it done, Dr. Shimmer.” “Great,” Sunset smiled and clapped her hands together, an excited gleam in her eyes. “Never thought I’d get to say this, but let’s save the world.” Vice Director Klaus matched her smile with a large grin of his own. It looked like he was going to be getting that corner office after all. The Midnight Channel Presents: In Association With The Superior Soundwave: A Riot Films Production: Mobile Fighter EQG