//------------------------------// // Blue Crescent // Story: Shellstrings // by shortskirtsandexplosions //------------------------------// Blue Crescent – Entrance Chamber "Blue Crescent?" Betsy squinted. "Uhhhhh... would you mind explaining that to the crystalline noobie here?" She cleared her throat. "Not that I... uh... need a history lesson myself or nothing." "What is this place...?" Haze's muzzle hung agape, fangs glistening. "Not in all my years of working undercover for the League have I ever heard of a 'Blue Crescent.'" "And there's a reason for that," Princess Plasma said with a nod. "The Secret Monster Intelligence League of Equestria isn't the only organization trusted with classified information." Her blue eyes narrowed. "The House of Trottingham has been working on the Blue Crescent Project for the last few centuries. In fact—unbeknownst to the common populace above—this facility is the sole reason for the initial colonization of the continental Trottingham in the first place. Only the eucorns within my family—and the servants entrusted to our cause—are aware of this program's existence. And now, to adapt to a growingly unpredictable modern era, this sacred knowledge is being entrusted to the League as well. Only with our combined forces can we ensure the safety of Equestrians abroad." "Yes... but..." Bon Bon blinked, still awestruck by the massive facility stretched out before them. "What is this place's function, exactly?" Plasma aimed her horn at the circular doorway. Tscchhhhh-Cht-Chtunk! It opened to a bright white hallway. "Do follow me," the eucorn said calmly. "And I will show you." Blue Crescent – Upper Facility Princess Plasma and her guards trotted slowly down the luminescent corridor. Followed by Horizons, Garnet, and the rest of the agents—they collectively passed laboratories, research archives, armories, and even a mess hall. "These buildings were constructed quite swiftly... over the past few months, as a matter of fact." "Good Goddess..." Sharp Quill blinked. "Over the past few months?" "Mmmmmm... indeed." Plasma nodded. "The ingenuity of engineers under the Blue Nova charge are second to none. The moment we learned that we would be working with the League, I authorized the construction right away. I knew that—for this program to operate smoothly—the League would require unfettered access to resources both scientific and alchemic. You'll find here working stations that compete with those built by the greatest minds out of Manehattan and Fillydelphia. No doubt—Clover the Clever would be proud." Garnet nodded. "I've been to a few of her laboratories." His eyes sparkled at the brightly-lit chambers stretching around them. "You are not wrong to presume her admiration..." Just then, a gangly young stallion with matted brown hair stumbled up to the group. An oversized labcoat rested around his shoulders and he held a clipboard in his muzzle. "Mrmffsss Msssma! Mrmmfm-mmffrmmf—mrmmff! Mrmff..." The earth pony scientist spat out the object and nervously brushed back his bangs. "Uhm... Your Highness. Sorry for interrupting. But... um..." Jittery, he pointed down the bright white hallway. "I-I worked on the generators a-and... uhm... th-they're operating at ninety-eight point five peak efficiency. I could work on them m-more to improve them... but... uh... the hydraulics in the Crescent Cube loader are needing to be tweaked—" "Then it's best that you get on that, Professor Ball Bearings," Plasma said with a pleasant nod. "You are doing a fine job. Keep up the good work." "Y-yes, Your Highness. Sure thing, Your Highness." The frazzled scientist turned to smile awkwardly at the League. "Oh... uh..." He waved shakily. "Hey th-there, monster killers! Uhm... excelsior... and all that jazz..." He galloped off in a blink. "Where did the Royal Council get all the money for this?" Sharp Quill asked. "Celestia hasn't raised taxes since the Classical Era." "Both the House of the Regal Sisters and the House of Trottingham are wealthier than you might think," Plasma explained. "But—if you must really know—a handsome portion of the funds come from recent trades with the Dragon Lord." The League members exchanged glances. They gaped at the eucorn. "We weren't aware that Canterlot was in a trade agreement with... dragons," Haze said. "There's a reason for that." Plasma nodded. "The exchange was made in full confidence within the confines of Project Blue Crescent. However... we didn't have much breakthrough until just recently." "The crowning of Dragon Lord Ember?" Sharp Quill asked. "Actually... a member of our financial council made a breakthrough with the previous Dragon Lord nearly a year ago," Plasma said. "The last Dragon Migration acted as a cover for an exchange in priceless gold. You can thank our partner in Ponyville for that." Bon Bon blinked. "Ponyville?" Her eyes squinted. "Who in Ponyville was responsible for a trade deal with the Dragon Lord?" "You will find out in due time," Plasma said. "I plan to hold a conference between the League and the management team of Project Blue Crescent soon enough." "Ahem..." Garnet turned to face the eucorn. "This is all quite impressive." "Extremely," Horizons droned. Garnet's shiny brow furrowed. "But what... is this 'Crescent Cube' beneath us?" Plasma's face grew long at that. "It is only fair that you know." She gestured, trotting down an adjacent corridor. "Follow me." Blue Crescent – Subterranean Balcony The group stood on a metal ledge overlooking the massive blue metal structure that rested beneath the newly-built facility. "As you have likely already surmised..." Plasma gestured at the monolith resting beneath them. Her voice echoed against the earthen walls of the abyss. "...this was built long before the facilities where we are currently standing. Unlike the construction facilitated by Blue Nova Industries—which has transpired over the course of a few rapid months—this object took several generations to put together. One reason being the incorporation of highly-rare mana-nullifying metals... the other reason being a certain degree of hesitance." "Hesitance?" Betsy's nose scrunched. "On Princess Celestia's part." Plasma sighed. "This was originally the Equestrian ruler's project before it was placed in the trusted hooves of the House of Trottingham." "It... it looks like a prison," Haze remarked. "Was Princess Celestia trying to follow in Starswirl the Bearded's hoofsteps?" His slitted eyes blinked into the abyss. "Was she trying to build a second Tartarus?" Horizons patiently looked at Plasma. "You're right. It is a prison. But not one to house monstrosities like Tirek or the elusive Bug Bear," Plasma said. "But... rather... to sequester one particular miscreant as safely and gently as possible." The balcony was silent until Bon Bon murmured: "Nightmare Moon." Plasma nodded somberly. "It was prophesied that on the longest night of the thousandth year moon, the stars would aide in Nightmare Moon's escape. Princess Celestia took this foresight quite seriously, and for the last three and a half centuries preceding Princess Luna's returned, she had this chamber built for the express purpose of imprisoning her younger sister. She didn't want to place her in Tartarus like a common monster along with all the other eternal abominations placed within Starswirl's magical containment." A deep breath. "After all... there was no telling that the Elements of Harmony would have been capable of exorcising the hideous possession from Luna's body and mind." "Not until the last second, at least," Sharp Quill said. "Indeed." Plasma waved a hoof. "Alas... things turned out quite fortunately in the end. This prison no longer had the same purpose to serve." "I'm guessing that's changed now," Haze remarked. "It's being reappropriated?" "In truth, the idea was mine," Plasma said. "Even before I inherited the throne, I had presented the concept to Blueblood and the rest of the House. At first, they dismissed it. But now—with the League coming out of hiding and monsters like Tirek wreaking havoc on the common public—there is a need for a much more... how should I put it... efficient method for capturing and detaining monsters." She pointed once again at the cube below. "Blue Crescent shall act as a halfway point... a processing facility for not only capturing monsters but ensuring that they are fully prepared for their permanent residence deep within Tartarus." "'Fully prepared?'" Bon Bon's eyes narrowed. "In what way?" "That... is something we're still working on. And—from what I understand—the League have many procedures—both modern and archaic—for assisting us." She smiled. "It's a perfect fit, really. Celestia's work provides the foundation. Blue Nova Industries provide the resources. And you? The League?" She curtsied. "You provide the experience." "Yeah... well..." Betsy glanced at Garnet, then back at the eucorn. "Most of us do." Garnet squirmed uncomfortably. "Mmmm... yes. Quite." Plasma stood up straight. "An important measure for the League will be expansion. But that is a step for later. Right now... we need to get this facility fully operational." Her eyes hardened. "And then you can resume the hunt for Equestria's most wanted." "So... let me get this straight..." Betsy trotted forward. "All of this happened on account of Tirek going wild and scaring the ever-loving snot out of Equestrian citizens?" She snorted. "I'm sorry to break your brain bone, sister... but it was Princess Twilight and her pony posse that locked that freak up. Not us." "Oh... believe me..." Plasma's expression turned serious. "...I need the League now more than ever. After all... it wasn't Tirek who accelerated this Project into full motion. But rather... something that the League is all too familiar with." Bon Bon's eyes twitched. "What do you mean by that?" Plasma turned and whispered into the ear of one of her guardians. The stallion nodded... then nodded again. He reached into a suit pocket and produced a sound stone. "Ahem... summon Her Majesty's tertiary guard," he spoke into the enchanted shard. "We're paying a visit to the Collection." "Uhhhh..." Sharp Quill blinked. "...what is the Collection?" "A sample," Plasma said, trotting back into the facility's lit interior and gesturing for the agents to follow. "A sample of progress to come."