//------------------------------//
// Episode 2 
// Story: The Dark Essence 
// by Cyberponychronics 
//------------------------------//

''Station Vanhoover! Station Vanhoover! Don't forget to take your luggage with you when you leave the train!'' The Conductor shouts as the train enters Vanhoover Station.
As soon as the train stops,  the six mares step on the platform and Twilight checks her map, pointing North.
After walking a while, Rarity starts doubting Twilight's map reading skills and asks: ''Twilight, are you sure we are going the right way? We have seen this tree a several times already.''
But Twilight murmers a bit and walks further.

Back in Ponyville are the Cybers packing up for the travel towards Seattle Facility as Cyan Flower asks: ''Are you gonna be back soon?''
Jay smiles and hugs his daughter, saying: ''Don't yeh worry, Cyan. We'll be back safely with the girls. Right, fella's?''
''Yup!'' Gary says.
''Bet your bits on that!'' Rick laughs.
But as they enter the train and wave back at Cyan, Derpy and Discord, Jay start to get depressed.
''We'll never bring back the girls. The security in that Facility seems sloppy but it sure ain't that.''
Rick bounces to Jay and smiles.
''Don't worry! We got an advantage on those traps remember?''
Jay nods and says: ''And that's why you are the Element of Happiness, always cheerfull.'' and laughs.

''Here it is.''
Twilight points at a dark cave next to a tree that looks suspicious.
As they enter the cave, they stumble upon a lightningbolt shaped signature carved on the wall.
Fluttershy, who is scared, looks at the signature and says: ''It's a dead end, how about we go back?''
But Rainbow Dash disagrees.
''This place is build by Jay, so there is somewhere a secret switch!'' she says as she flies around and knock a against a pillar.
Then the lightningbolt splits, causing Fluttershy to jump in shock.
A smell of cafeïne, sandwiches and rotten meat rolls out of the dark tunnel leading towards them.
As they enter, they are greeted by a lot of red cans with whgite letters on them and green bacon.
''Jay said this place was abandoned ever since they left this area back when they were humans, right?'' Rarity asks.
Then they stumble against a orange and black car with a spoiler and the number 16 on it.
''This confirms it. There is someone here.'' Twilight says.
Then they hear a voice similar to Rick ask: ''Who's touching my Mustang?''
A dark Red Alicorn, followed by a brown Stallion Pegasus, comes around the corner and says to the brown Pegasus upon seeing the girls: ''I told ya there was something different about this world. Look at these lasses.''

Jay, Rick and Gary fly over the forests as they see an opening to land.
Jay quickly dives and slides over the ground, almost hitting a tree at full speed.
Tip-toeing the pain out of his hooves, Jay says: ''We, owh, got to, owh, hurry. Who knows what, owh, hazards they'll encounter.''
But as he tip-toe around, both Rick and Gary burst out into laughter.
''Yeah, owh, laugh you jerks. Wait 'till, owh, this happ'ns to you both.''

After Jay is done tip-toeing, he and his brothers are walking towards the mountains towering high ahead of them.
Noticing the plants and trees around them, Rick starts to worry: ''Shouldn't these trees be a lot, uhm, less overgrown?''
Jay looks up. ''Wait, yer right. These trees look alot overgrown indeed. Must've been nature goin' crazy and grow like wildfire in the time the humans were offline from existence, considerin' what happ'ned to the old JLP base.''
Jay looks down at his map again. ''That should be it...'' He says dreamy.

After encountering the two million exactly identical ponies, the darkish red Alicorn takes the girls down a hallway, saying: ''We don't get visitors that of'n, seeing how far we are from civilization. So, we got some safety measures installed.''
After pointing them to a room, he locks the door, leaving the girls stunned, and says: ''You're not getting out for a while. We need to run some prognoses on you, to make sure you're not poisoned by the virus.''

After searching for a while, they found the hidden entrance to the Seattle Facility, but something isn't quite what Jay expects, making him not trusting anything.
''There be somethin' fishy about this. First, the doors' opened and second, it smells like someone has been livin' in the old Facility for a while.''
Rick nods and steps into the shadows of the entrance, soon followed by Gary and a hestitant Jay.
But as they progress inside the Facility, the heavy door shuts tight behind them, making their vision even more obscure.

After walking around, Jay suddenly knocks his head onto a rock, activating something inside him, making his eyes glow like flashlights.
Surprised b y this, Jay starts to laugh and says: ''Look at this! I'ma new hero. Call me ''The Flashlight!'' Haha, genius!''
After Rick and Gary activate their flashlights as well, they move on to what appears to be the main hub of the Facility.
But when they  turn off the lights of their eyes, they hear a familiar voice saying through a microphone: ''Is this thing on? Uhm, Welcome to the Orange Facility. Anyone who dare entering this place shall and will be...''
''Orange? That you through the comms?'' All three brothers ask.
''Jamy? Giratin? Master?''

After being led to Orange's camera room, he greets the brothers, only to receive a huge shouting backfired at him.
After the brothers are done, Orange asks: ''What did I do wrong this time? Okay, I may have altered the old Seattle Facility at first. But seriously, this is where the 604th, Clonier and I ended up when we got sucked into a black hole.''
Jay interupts him. ''A black hole yeh say? We all three ended up in the same hole, or portal dunno what it was. Heck, even C 'n Indy made it here. If you made it as well, it'll only mean Jaylee and Kaylea will indeed end up here, and who knows more? I'd say we put our energy in findin' the rest of our crew!'' 
Rick and Gary agree with full entousiasm, but Orlando shakes his head.
''I will remain here. I have some unwanted guests to deal with.'' he says as he switches on the camera where the girls are stored.
Seeing their friends locked up, Jay 
immediately shouts at his brother: ''LET THEM GO NOW! THEY ARE OUR FRIENDS AND THEY ARE HERE BECAUSE WE SENT THEM!''

After releasing the mares, Applejack is the first to thank the brothers and asks: Now where's that Dark essence Doohicky ye've been jabberin' about, Jay?'' 
''Yeah! Where is that Dark thingy stored?'' Rainbow asks as well.
''Funny yeh mention,'' Jay says. ''It's right here.''
He hits a wall behind him so hard that his leg cracks and a drawer emerges from it, revealing a lot of purple bottles.
''Letsa patch up 'em lasses back home.''

''So you ain't coming, Orlando?'' Rick asks his brother.
''No, I have some business here, Master. But I'll stay in contact! Bye fellers!''
He lifts his hoof towards his head, making a saluting pose, as his brothers do the same.
''See ya around, Soldier.'' Jay says...

Next chapter: An Emerald to Forget