Critical Industries
Prototype Testing Level
The air was filled with the sounds of ponies. Walking, talking, pressing buttons, pulling levers, an occasional chuckle, the air was filled with it.
The area this was occurring was a circular room, rails connected to control panels and such which ponies were stationed behind. The middle of the room had a cylinder, metal clamps, pumps and other such devices connected it to the floor and ceiling. Inside was a collection of metal arms, meant to hold something still.
Of course, everything was silenced when a tall mare in a lab coat walked into the room, her blue and white hair pinned up in a bun.
"Is the subject ready?" She asked, her voice demanding and loud.
"Yes mam!" With those words, the unicorn stallion facing the mare led her over to a small outstretch of metal, suspended a few feet away from the front of the cylinder, meant for a better view of the contents of the cylinder.
"Good. This will surely be a great advancement in scientific weaponry." The mare kept herself from adding a snide remark about a certain company leading in the science department.
A platform rose up in the cylinder, a small black form that looked similar to that of a young pony set upon it. When the platform stopped moving, the arms grabbed onto the form and lifted it a few inches.
"Great. Now wake it up." The mare commanded and the stallion turned and nodded to a pony at the nearby control panel. The pony nodded and pulled a switch.
The form jolted as the arms administered a small jolt. Enough to cause a reaction, but not so much that it would cause pain.
The form began to stir, two white circles formed like the eyes of a waking pony. It moved its head around before looking at the mare and stallion, who looked on in wonder.
"Its alive. Test out its reactions to stimuli." The mare commanded, not taking her eyes off the form.
"Test the pleasure stimuli." The stallion commanded. Another pony nodded and pressed a button.
The arms shifted in response and the form let out a sound similar to purring.
"Good. Now. Test the pain stimuli."
The pony behind the panel that awoke the form hesitated, noticing the form's shifting body that the two observing scientists seemed oblivious to. Only when the stallion cleared his throat in a loud manner, did the pony press a button.
The form let out a sudden shriek of agony as several volts of electricity shot through its body. The mare staggered back, her face twisted in pain. The stallion darted to her side. "Miss Lulamoon! Are you alright?"
"F-Fine... Calm it down!!" The mare commanded and a pony pressed the button that was meant to test the pleasure stimuli. However, the damage had already been done.
The creature's body began to shift, its texture looking like melting snow. The mare, Lulamoon, took several terrified steps back as the form grew larger and larger, the arms in the cylinder being coated in its mass. Within moments, the form's eyes focused onto Lulamoon, the white eyes turning red.
"Contain it! Hurry!" The stallion called, turning to Lulamoon. "I must apologize for this.. I was sure it was ready." The stallion said, hoping he would not be in big, job threatening trouble when he left this level.
Lulamoon looked over at him, ready to respond, only for her to look to the cylinder and let out a shriek as the sound of shattering metal and ripping wires filled the air. The stallion turned only for his irises to constrict in terror.
The form had torn the arms from their bases, leaving sparking wires jutting out. It shrieked once more and smashed the long metal devices against the cylinder, the withstanding glass shook, a small web of cracks forming in its place.
"Miss Lulamoon. We should leave." The stallion turned to the mare, only for the glass to shatter as the form smashed through it.
The stallion leaped to the side, eyes wide in fear as he looked at the creature. He turned his attention to Lulamoon once more, the mare was frozen in place. He was about to call out for her when something large and heavy struck him, sending the stallion sprawling to the ground with a cry of agony.
As the stallion lay on the ground, his head ringing from the hit, he tried to find the form, his vision hazy. As his vision cleared, he could see what had struck him. The form had thrown one of the mechanical arms at him, although it hadn't struck him head on, thanks to him having moved beforehand.
"Sir? Sir? Professor Mineral Dust!?" A scientist called out, shaking Mineral Dust's shoulder, only to receive a groan in response. "We have to leave! The creature is going to kill us all!"
The unicorn struggled to his hooves, looking up at the scientist. A mare. "Come on."
The mare let Mineral Dust lean on her as she guided him close to the wall at a speed walking pace, scientists flooding out around them.
Only when a loud, ear splitting shriek filled the air, did the stallion turn, only to gasp in horror.
Two scientists lay sprawled out, one on each side of the observing space, blood spilling from their torn bodies. In the center was the towering, monstrous form of the creation, before him lay a terrified Lulamoon.
"Oh no.." Mineral Dust's whimpers went unheard as he was continued to be pushed back towards the exit. The mare shoved the weakened scientist past the entrance and slammed the nearby control panel, causing sparking as the large metal door slammed shut. Locking Lulamoon and the monster away from the remaining scientists.
"Are you alright, Professor Mineral Dust?" The mare asked, turning to said stallion.
"I-I'm alright. Thank's for helping me." Mineral Dust's calm and steady resolve had returned somewhat as he managed to look at the rest of the panicked scientists.
"No need to thank me. My name is Crystal Petals." The mare responded, a quick glance at her cutie mark would have provided a sense of what her name was, as it was two crystal petals falling into nothingness.
"Well. Crystal Petals, we should really get this wing of the facility cleared out." A louder voice announced and the two turned to see the level supervisor. She was likely waiting for a point to speak during the two scientists' conversation.
"Everyone. I would like you to follow Professor Glimmer. You will all be checked over and briefed on our new course of actions." The Supervisor nodded over to a unicorn with a purple mane, light blue streaking through it.
The group of scientists slowly milled after her, the terror of what just happened beginning to set in, the two scientist's following suit, only to be stopped by the supervisor.
"I wish to speak with you, Professor Mineral Dust. Crystal Petals, you may join the others." The mare hesitated before running after the group.
When the mare was no longer in sight, the supervisor turned to Mineral Dust.
"Mineral Dust. What was your duty with this project?" Mineral Dust was about to ask why the supervisor did not know of such information when she added. "Answer." Mineral Dust did as we was told.
"I was supposed to watch over the project, make sure everyone did their job, and observe all tests before presenting it to Professor Lulamoon." Mineral Dust suddenly stiffened. "Lulamoon is still in there!"
The supervisor ignored his cry for the likely dead unicorn. "It was not your idea or your changes to the original projects? You just relayed information and was given updated versions until now?" Mineral Dust nodded quickly.
"Yes! But Lulamoon is in there!" Mineral Dust turned to the door only for the Supervisor to strike him in the back of the head, reminding Mineral Dust of how weak he truly had become after the monster had struck him.
"She created that beast. She can deal with it on her own. You, however, are going to head to your briefing and medical treatment. Understood?"
Mineral Dust weakly looked over at her and sighed. He would never win such a fight. He lowered his battered head. "I understand."