Variance 2 - Mutations
Glimpses
By Pen Stroke
Pre-read & Edited by
Illustrious Q, El Oso, Recon777, Questionable & Winston
Variance 2
Mutations
====================
“So, did you see General Sombra during his visit?” Bulwark glanced to his left, looking across the cement driveway that separated him from his fellow guard, Wild Willow. The pair was standing guard at a chain link gate, their army fatigues and body armor bathed in the light of a nearby lamp post.
Bulwark turned his eyes back to the horizon. He lifted his rifle and gestured to the expansive wetlands and distant swamps that surrounded the research facility, which squatted amidst the mud and muck like an ill-bred cement toad. “Personally, I was off duty. You know, resting up to prepare for the riveting and action packed night shift. I mean, you never know when the frogmen might finally decide to rise up against humanity.”
“Don’t go waving your rifle around like that,” Wild Willow said flatly. “It isn’t a toy.”
Bulwark chuckled, nodding his head. “Hey, don’t worry so much. I have the safety on.” He aimed down the sights of his rifle, scanning the tree line. “So what was the general doing here anyway? Didn’t seem one of his usual visits.”
Wild Willow remained relaxed, not even looking in Bulwark’s direction. “It was something related to the research in the back labs.”
Bulwark whistled as he lowered his rifle. “Oh, I get it. We don’t have the ‘clearence’ to know what was going on.” He chuckled. “Personally, I just find that just makes me want to know more. I’ve seen the door to the back labs. That is some serious security, but are they wanting to keep people out… or keep something in.”
“If we were supposed to know, we’d know.” Wild Willow said, a sliver of irritation in his voice.
“Yes, of course. We’d get a nice detailed briefing, but come on, Willow. You’ve been here way longer than me.” Bulwark flashed a smile. “I’ll promise to shut up if you tell me what’ve you heard around the base.”
“That’s a promise we both know you're incapable of keeping.” Willow sighed, but after a few moments, nodded his head. “Fine. From what I’ve heard… they got Nightmare Moon back there.”
Bulwark visibly flinched, the answer hitting him like a punch to the gut. “Bullshit. They don’t have something like that in the back lab of this podunk place.”
Willow shrugged. “That’s just what I heard. Now, about your promise.”
“I can’t keep that promise after you drop a bomb on me like that,” Bulwark snapped. “They can’t possibly have Nightmare Moon back there.”
Willow glanced over in Bulwark’s direction. “Why not?”
“Because she’s dead.”
“Dead? What makes you say that?”
“Don’t you remember? She got killed in that event a few years ago when she tore up Manehattan until those other freaks brought her down. It was all over the news.” Bulwark shivered a little, the memory creeping in his mind. “I was in basic training when it happened. We were watching everything happen on TV. Dude, I was scared we’d be called into duty against that monster.”
“She’s been dead before,” Wild Willow said. “Twenty years ago, when she first appeared at that high school, everyone thought she died then. Nah, someone like that, one of those freaks… they ain’t that easy to kill.”
“And that’s exactly why they wouldn’t keep her here,” Bulwark said as he used his thumb to point over his shoulder towards the labs. “We don’t have nearly enough guns, bullets, or bodies here to guard anything that serious. Besides, I’ve seen some of the things Doctor Nexus takes into the lab when he comes back from the city. Would he be bringing children’s books to Nightmare Moon?”
“Then what do you think is back there?”
Bulwark smiled as he squared his shoulders, stood a bit taller, and raised a hand dramatically. “Elementary, my dear Willow. It is clearly Mutant Monkeys that have become hyper intelligent.”
Willow rolled his eyes. “Why in the world would hyper intelligent monkeys need children’s books?”
“Hey, everyone has to start somewhere. Now, who wants a mud pie!?”
Bulwark and Wild Willow flinched, bringing up their rifles in the direction of the unfamiliar voice. Yet, before Bulwark could focus on the pink haired woman, she was gone. In her place, something heavy and wet slapped against his face. Bulwark dropped his gun, letting it hang off his shoulder strap as he used his hands to clear the mud. He looked over to Willow, seeing he also had a mud pie thrown in his face.
“What was—” Bulwark began, only to be cut off by a loud pop. A firework burst above the facility, and it was soon joined by a volley of others that were lighting up the sky in a rainbow of colors.
“We have intruders on the north fence. All exterior patrols, converge on the position.”
~~~
“The pre-party has started, and it's gonna be a doozie! Phoenix, Glacier, go grab our guests of honor so we can start the real party back home!”
The words danced over the squads’ shared psychic link and into Sunset’s mind. She lifted a hand to her ear, touching her earlobe. It was a simple physical gesture to ensure only the thoughts she wanted broadcast were sent to the others. “Understood, we’re heading in.”
Sunset pulled herself up from the mud and grass of the marshland, head swiveling around to ensure there were no other guard patrols heading their way. She then glanced back at her partner, gesturing with her hand before jogging towards the gate. The two young women stepped into the light of a lamp post. Sunset was clad in a lightly armored one-piece uniform that was caked in mud. It was mostly black except for a few orange accents and a V-shaped metal belt buckle.
“Come on.” Sunset placed her hands on the chain link gate.
“Give me a second, Phoenix, I got mud on my glasses.” Twilight came stumbling up, wearing the same style of uniform as Sunset, though hers had blue accents. She was struggling to clean her glasses with an eyeglass cloth which was already fairly saturated with mud.
“We have mud on everything, Glacier.” Sunset said before focusing back on the gate. Her hands became shrouded in a red aura, and the sections of the fence beneath her palms deformed. Sunset waited until the metal had started glowing red before digging her fingers in and flexing. With the the same effort a normal person might open a heavy door, Sunset spread apart the heated metal to create an opening in the gate.
“But the nice thing for me is that mud tends to turn to dirt real quick.” Sunset stepped through the opening, then looked down at her uniform where a lot of the mud had dried and caked into place because of the heat coming from her special ability. She brushed off the largest chunks before looking back through the hole. She snorted at Twilight, who was busy putting her glasses back on. The glasses and the area around her eyes were both pristine, making them stand in stark contrast to the mud that clung to the rest of Twilight’s body. “Wow, you ever considered going into window washing part-time?”
Twilight smirked as she tucked the cleaning cloth back into the pocket of her suit. “Well, no, but I’ll add it onto my possible career list… right at the bottom.” She approached the hole, her hands starting to glow with a blue aura. They touched the still hot metal edges of the hole, and almost immediately, the metal stopped glowing. Twilight waited until the metal frosted over before stepping through.
“Hey, sometimes the bottom of your lists is where the good stuff is. Or should I remind you of what was at the top of your codename list, ‘Hydrochlorofluorocarbon?’”Sunset asked as she motioned with one hand. The pair broke into a jog, crossing the asphalt paved exterior grounds of the research facility as they headed to the nearest visible door. Sunset flicked her wrist, sending a small surge of fire to a lamp positioned over the door. The bulb popped from the extra heat, plunging the doorway into darkness as Sunset and Twilight pressed themselves against it.
“Okay, we’re doing good. Now call Radiance. She should have been able to read the facility’s layout from some of the soldiers’ minds by now.” Sunset’s hand began glowing again as she raised it to the door’s handle, steadily melting the lock away. A few moments of silence passed, and when Sunset didn’t hear any further words in her head, she glanced over at Twilight. Her admittedly inexperienced friend had her eyes closed, and her face was scrunched up with concentration. Though Sunset took particular notice of where both Twilight’s hands were: down at her sides.
“Uh, Glacier.” Sunset used her free hand to gently reach up and tug on her earlobe.
Twilight peeked open an eye, then blushed as she raised a hand to her ear. This time, her thoughts rang clearly in Sunset’s mind. “Sorry, still getting used to this.”
“It’s alright,” Sunset thought over the mental link. “Trust me, with Fili-Second on the team, you want there to be a physical trigger to any psychic link.”
“Sounds like you two aren’t having too much trouble on your end,” Rarity’s voice said over the link.
Twilight gently pushed on her glasses, repositioning them on the bridge of her nose. “Only real hiccup was some messy mucilaginous mud.”
“Oh, believe me darling, I know about mud. I warned Zap she was making things too wet around here. But no, she wanted to make it a real storm. It will take me forever to get our uniforms clean.” Rarity sighed, her voice falling quiet over the mental link before returning a bit more focus. “Now, where are you two now?”
“We’re at our second checkpoint,” Twilight answered. “How are things on your end?”
“Steel Hooves is smashing. Fili-Second is dashing.” There was a crack of thunder, and a flash of lightning raced down from the sky and connected with the ground on the facility’s north side. “I imagine you just heard what Zap is doing. All the while Saddle Rager and I are just marinating in mud.”
Sunset finished with the door latch. She hooked her fingers through the hole in the metal door and pulled it open while her left hand reached for her earlobe. “Well, just imagine it’s a mud bath at the spa.”
“I’ll have you know there are far fewer creepy crawlies in the mud at the spa.”
Sunset chuckled as she let Twilight head in through the door first. “That’s why I said imagine. Now, can we get our guidance?”
“Yes, of course,” Rarity said over the link. “Your world should look a bit more elegant momentarily.”
Sunset moved in through the door and found herself standing with Twilight in a loading dock that was empty apart from a few stacks of crates and a forklift that was tucked into the corner. Yet, even as they looked about the space, it began to change. Accompanied by a familiar tickle in her brain, Sunset saw a lush, purple, velvet rug take shape at her feet and begin unrolling itself. The rug climbed up a nearby staircase, rolled a few yards, then made a hard left before disappearing through a closed door.
Twilight adjusted her glasses before glancing over at Sunset. “I still fail to see how this is better than something simpler and more tactically relevant, like an arrow.”
“It’s either let Radiance do this or design our mission outfits. Considering what I saw of her first design sketches, dealing with ‘fabulous’ mental projections is the lesser evil,” Sunset said as she and Twilight began to jog along the projected rug, quickly moving to the door that it had disappeared through. The moment Sunset’s hand touched the door handle, a thunderous boom shook the facility, forcing Sunset to brace herself against the door to keep herself on her feet.
After she regained her balance, Sunset’s hand moved to her ear. “Radiance! What was that?”
“Well, it seems there was a snake of some variety that happened into our little party. One of the soldiers saw it, shot at it, and… now Saddle Rager is tossing around jeeps like they’re pillows.” Rarity groaned as another thunderous boom shook the building. “I appreciate a desire for stealth, but could you two do me the tiniest favor and perhaps speed things up a tad? Saddle Rager joining the fight does tend to escalate things more than we’d like, and I’d rather not deal with tanks tonight.”
“Have Fili-Second get the ‘Quiet Time’ mat ready, and we’ll try to pick up the pace.” Sunset began pushing open the door as she glanced back over her shoulder at Twilight. “After all, with Saddle Rager outside, it’s not like we’ll have to worry about guards inside.”
“Phoenix!”
Sunset was looking back at Twilight when she shouted. She saw the fear in her friend’s eyes, and quickly turned her head. In the hallway beyond the door was a squad of four soldiers. Their weapons were already raised. Sunset’s muscles tensed. She ducked her head, bringing her hands up in front of her face. She heard the first pops of rifle fire. Sunset knew there was no way they could miss at such short range.
Yet, instead of feeling the sting of bullets piercing her skin, she heard the crackling and popping of ice. Sunset dared to open her eyes. The doorway was frozen solid, a thick sheet of ice separating her from the soldiers and their gunfire. She quickly turned her head to look at Twilight.
Twilight was panting heavily. Her glasses were askew, and she held a trembling hand up, palm pointed at the door. Sunset realized, as she took a few deep breaths herself, that she was shaking just as much as Twilight. She stood slowly, squeezing her hands together to calm herself. She wanted to panic, to freak out, but doing that right now wasn’t going to help them.
“Good reflex,” Sunset finally managed to say, forcing a smile.
Twilight only nodded her head. Yet, both Twilight and Sunset flinched when they heard bullets striking the far side of the ice barrier. Twilight took a step towards the door, her power surging. The ice thickened, growing beyond the door frame and beginning to consume the door and nearby walls.
“Glacier, easy.” Sunset placed a hand on her shoulder, making a conscious effort to keep a calm tone in her voice. “It’s okay. The door is frozen enough, Glacier. They won’t get through there for a while. Let’s find another way out of this room before they try and flank us.”
Twilight nodded, her panicked posture relaxing enough that she began to move. Sunset patted her friend's shoulder once more before jogging ahead. She reached another door, cracked it open, and took a peek inside. When she didn’t see any immediate threats, she opened it all the way and stuck her head into the connecting hallway.
“Okay, no guards this time. You remember the plan from here?”
Twilight nodded. “I do. I studied the mission briefing very thoroughly.”
Sunset broke into a jog, heading deeper into the facility with Twilight following a few steps behind. “Wouldn’t expect anything less. We just need to find Radiance’s projection again, and we’ll be back on course. Keep your eyes peeled for that gaudy purple rug.”
Sunset glanced back a moment.. “Don’t tell her I called it gaudy.”
~~~
“Is this it, Phoenix?”
Sunset skidded to a stop and jogged back a few steps to the intersection in the hallways. She and Twilight had spent the last few minutes making their way deeper and deeper into the facility. They had dodged patrols and left behind walls of ice to ensure they didn’t get snuck up on. They had found and resumed following Rarity’s fabulous illusion, but at one point, the rug just up and evaporated. That moment preceded an earth-shaking crash and explosion. The girls outside were still alive. Someone would have said something over the psychic link if something that bad happened. Still, the longer the operation took, the more dangerous and desperate the facility’s garrison would get.
Their goal, however, was within sight. Twilight had spotted a large, thick, metal door with deep red markings all around its frame built into a wall that appeared to be made of the same materials.
“Yeah, that’s it,” Sunset said as she and Twilight jogged up to the door. As soon as she was close enough, Sunset reached out to touch it. The metal felt very cold, like the inside of a refrigerator. Sunset’s hand began to glow, but unlike the chain link fence outside, she couldn’t get the metal to heat up.
“Just like our contact said. This door, this whole section of the facility, was built especially to keep me and our stronger friends out. I’d bet even Saddle Rager would have some trouble with it.” Sunset took a step back and regarded the door thoughtfully. “They really didn’t want us to get into the back labs. Hopefully, they didn’t anticipate our latest recruit.” She turned and gave Twilight a thumbs up. “You got this, Glacier.”
Twilight drew in a deep breath as she brought her hands to her chest. She clenched her fingers into fists as she held the air in her lungs. She then exhaled, her whole body appearing to relax as the temperature around her dropped sharply.
“Give me a few minutes.” Twilight adjusted her glasses, stepped up to the door, and placed her hands on the surface. Sunset turned away just as some frost began to form on the door’s exterior. She held her hands up at elbow height, palms facing upward as a pair of fireballs formed in her grasp. She clutched them like baseballs, their searing heat feeling like the flutter of butterfly wings against her skin as her eyes scanned the surrounding hallways.
Behind her, Sunset began to hear the door straining under the fast freeze. The components were groaning and scraping, the different metals of the door contracting at different rates as their temperature dropped lower and lower. The door would eventually give way, yet, when Sunset heard the clatter of boots getting closer, she could tell it wasn’t going to be soon enough.
Sunset reared back, and the moment she saw a flicker of movement, she rolled her shoulder forward and threw one of her fireballs. The flaming fastball soared through the air, eventually smashing into one of the facility’s walls. It burst on impact, sending a cascade of fire and sparks in all directions. Sunset heard coughing and panicked shouts. She even saw one soldier poke his head out from around the corner. Her next fireball flew down the hallway, exploding within inches of the soldier's head.
“Come on, boys. I know I’m hot, but there’s no reason to be shy!” Sunset shouted. She threw a third fireball while forming a fourth. This one would be different. She passed it between in her hands a few times, letting its size grow to that of a soccer ball before eventually letting it drop to the ground. She then swung back her right foot and kicked it. The fireball sailed towards the hallway intersection. It slammed against the wall, bursting like a molotov cocktail. A cascade of flames poured out from the impact point, leaving behind a line of fire in the hallway.
“How’s it coming, Glacier?” Sunset asked, glancing over her shoulder. The door was looking noticeably misshapen, and ice was starting to expand in the gaps between the door and its frame.
“Just a bit longer,” Twilight replied.
Sunset nodded and looked back in the directions where she had been harassing the soldiers. Her fire was still lingering at the nearest hallway intersection, and she didn’t see or hear any soldiers. For a few moments, it seemed like she had chased them off.
But then she heard it, the sound of metallic footsteps and crunching tiles.
“Not to put pressure on you, Glacier, but ‘a bit longer’ just got too long.” Sunset formed a fresh pair of fireballs in her hands. From further down the hallway, past the flames, Sunset could see it step into view. It was a mech soldier, a human clad in a modern suit of armor that made them a walking tank with superhuman strength. This mech soldier was carrying a proportionally large riot shield and a shock baton wired directly into the suits power system.
“Great,” Sunset said as the soldier began marching towards them. “With Saddle Rager outside they got permission to use mechs. Isn’t that nice, Glacier?”
“Wonderful,” she said through gritted teeth.
Sunset shook out her shoulders, then wound up and threw a fireball. The mech soldier easily deflected it with the riot shield, continuing his march towards the pair unabated. Despite the apparent ineffectiveness, Sunset continued her barrage. She even tried kicking an extra large fireball at the soldier, but he continued marching. It was like trying to stop a train with snowballs.
He was past the intersection where Sunset had chased off the first squad of soldiers. A few more seconds, and he would be close enough to start putting his shock baton to use. That baton itself told Sunset that someone higher up had given the order that she and her friends were to be taken alive. It was nice not having to deal with guns, but regular soldiers with guns would have been welcome compared to trying to fight off even a bare-handed mech soldier.
“Okay, big boy, that’s close enough.” Sunset brought her hands together as they began to glow bright red. She planted her feet, squared her shoulders, and braced herself. She then felt the kick, a column of fire erupting from her hands and consuming the hallway beyond. Her feet skidded a little on the tile, the force from her flamethrower pushing her back. Still, she kept pouring on the heat.
But the mech soldier kept coming. He tossed his riot shield aside, walking through the flames like was simply strolling against a stiff breeze. Sunset grunted, taking a cautious step back. She had to give the military credit. These newer suits were a lot more heat resistant than the last versions.
“Sunset, move!”
She heard the shout from Twilight and dared a glance behind her. The door was at its failure point. Like a coiled spring, the metal was struggling against the ice, trying to retake at least something close to its original shape. Sunset nodded to Twilight, then looked back at the soldier. She poured on the heat, creating a fresh surge of fire that consumed the whole hallway. It was enough to make the soldier pause, to push him back just a little, and that was all Sunset needed.
She dove to one side and then looked back at the door. Twilight pressed her hands on the nearby wall, her ability causing the ice around the door to expand just a little further. She pushed the door past its failure point. It buckled, and like a snapped rubber band, it popped out of the door frame and shot down the adjoining hallway. Sunset and Twilight both winced when they heard a loud, metallic clang, which was followed swiftly by the sound of something heavy falling to the floor.
Sunset peeked around the corner, smiling at the sight. The deformed door was several yards away, and the mech soldier was sprawled out on the floor. He was moving, but the servos and pistons around his chest area were crushed. He wouldn’t be posing a threat anytime soon.
“Oh, that looked like it hurt,” Twilight said as she took an anxious step towards the soldier. “I didn’t kill him, right?”
Sunset shook her head as she moved passed Twilight and through the now open doorway. “I’ve seen those things get tossed around by Saddle Rager and the pilots survive. He’s going to be sore and probably have a lot of bruises, but he’ll live. Still, great job with the door.”
“Thanks,” Twilight said as she followed Sunset to the other side. “So, according to the plan, I’m supposed to stay here and keep the door sealed until we’re ready to leave while you go get our targets. Are you sure you're going to be okay by yourself?”
“If things get rough, I’ll call for backup,” Sunset assured. “Just stay frosty. I’ll be right back.”
Twilight rolled her eyes as she placed one hand on the door frame, her powers causing ice to begin forming over the gap. “Wow, I haven’t heard that one before.”
~~~
“But what’s going on? Why are there alarms?”
Nyx was up on her bed, clutching a teddy bear to her chest. She had been sound asleep after a long day of testing when Doctor Nexus came into her room. He had been acting strange all day. Normally, he was the only one who would take the time to play with her, but today, he acted like all the others. He was distant, especially when the mean old general was around. She didn’t like General Sombra. He always had a scary look in his eyes when he was watching her.
“I can’t explain right now. Just please, put on your shoes.” Doctor Nexus said as he was hurriedly tossing things from Nyx’s small dresser drawers into a garbage bag. All of her clothes, her books, her toys. Everything that was hers in the world was in that one small dresser, and all of that was going into the one large garbage bag.
Nyx pouted but crawled to the edge of her bed, still clutching her teddy bear. She reached down below the edge, grabbing a pair of plain white shoes. Everything she owned was the same clinical white as the labs outside her room. Her shoes, her clothes, the sheets on her bed, and even her teddy bear. Nyx began putting on her shoes, slipping them onto her feet without socks.
She had slipped on her right shoe and was beginning to put on the left when she heard a knock at the door. Her eyes glanced up and quickly drifted to Doctor Nexus. He was frozen in place. One hand held open the trash bag, the other clutched a ball of socks. Nexus dropped both things and quickly moved to the door, pressing himself against the wall as he reached into his coat. He withdrew a gun, and Nyx instinctively clutched her teddy bear tighter. She didn’t like guns. She knew what they could do. General Sombra threatened someone in the lab with one once. It was really scary.
Still, with pistol in his right hand, Nexus reached for the door handle with his left and gently opened the latch. The door swung open a little, and Nyx saw Doctor Nexus’s expression shift. He wore a relieved smile as he put the gun back into the holster on his hip. “I was worried when I heard there were intruders on the north side. I thought something had gone wrong.”
“No, that’s just our distraction, though we did run into a fair bit of resistance on our way in. We need to move quickly.”
“Just let me grab a few more of her things. I’ve already got all my research notes and wiped the servers as best I could. Everything is in that briefcase by the door.” Doctor Nexus stepped away from the door as someone else came into the room.
Nyx looked at the woman, her eyes drawn to her vibrant red and yellow hair. The research facility was almost entirely white. Almost everything in her room was white. Yes, she had seen some colors around the lab and in the picture books Doctor Nexus brought her, but she had never seen such vibrant colors.
“Who are you?” Nyx asked, while keeping her teddy bear clutched close to her chest.
The woman looked over at Nyx, and for a moment, there was uncertainty in her eyes. She looked surprised and scared. Nyx knew that expression all too well. Almost everyone she met for the first time wore that expression, and some people never stopped looking at her like that.
This woman, however, soon smiled, and walked over to the bed. “Hi, you must be Nyx. My name’s Phoenix.”
“How do you know my name?”
Phoenix gestured back towards Doctor Nexus. He had briefly stopped packing to search one of his coat pockets. He eventually withdrew a thumb drive, and after glancing down at it briefly, he slipped it back into his pocket and continued emptying the dresser drawer. “I’m a friend of his. We’re here to take you away from this place before something bad happens. Don’t worry, I think you’ll like where we’re going.” Sunset reached into one of her pockets, gently removing a plastic baggy. She opened it and took out a piece of paper, which she unfolded and showed to Nyx.
“Hey, that’s one of my drawings!” Nyx said, recognizing her crayon doodle. It showed a picture of her outside, under a happy yellow sun. She was standing on grass near a tree and a happy doggy. She had never seen an actual dog before, but one of her books was about a big red dog.
“Doctor Nexus gave it to me. He says you’d really like to go someplace where you can run on grass. Well, we have a really big lawn where me and my friends live. There’s grass, trees, and other kids your age to play with.”
Nyx looked up at Phoenix, her imagination dancing. All things she had only read about in her books. She could see them. Nyx looked over at Doctor Nexus, who was emptying the last few things from her dresser drawer. “Can I really go outside, Doctor?”
Nexus synched shut the garbage bag, then glanced over at Nyx. He just stared at her a second, as if the question confused him, but then he nodded. “Yes, yes. Grass, trees, sun, water, bugs, lions, tigers, bears: you’ll get to see it all, but only if you hurry and put on your shoes.”
Nyx needed no further motivation. She put on her remaining shoe in a few seconds and jumped down from her bed. She was practically dancing on her feet. She tossed her teddy bear into the air and giggled as she held it aloft, making it float and dance above her. She then winced, quickly letting her bear drop from her telekinesis before looking over at Doctor Nexus. “Sorry… I didn’t mean… I know I’m not supposed to.”
“Whoa, easy there.” Phoenix knelt down beside Nyx. “It’s all right. Those rules don’t apply anymore. In fact, I’m kind of like you. I have a special gift too. Would you like to see mine?”
Nyx nodded furiously as she picked her teddy bear back up. Phoenix smiled and gently twirled her hand. Fire danced from her fingertips. Nyx’s eyes went wide, and her gaze followed the dancing flames. “Wow.”
“Pretty cool, right?” Phoenix chuckled and stood back up. She looked back to Doctor Nexus. He was slapping his pockets, silently mouthing out words as he touched each pocket.
“You ready, Doctor?” Phoenix asked. The tone in her voice was a lot firmer than the one she had used to talk to Nyx.
“Ye… yes, yes, I have everything.” Nexus slung the garbage bag over his shoulder and quickly picked up his briefcase with his other hand.
Phoenix nodded, then looked back at Nyx and offered her hand. “Hey, have you ever had a piggyback ride before?”
“No. What’s that?” Nyx asked. Phoenix reached her hand a little closer, and after a moment’s hesitation, Nyx gently took it. A few seconds later, she was riding on Phoenix’s back, her legs hooked through the woman’s arms while her own arms held onto Phoenix’s neck. She leaned in close, looking over her piggyback-provider’s right shoulder.
Phoenix headed to the door, Doctor Nexus following closely behind them. As they walked, she glanced over her shoulder to look at Nyx. “Things might get a little scary, but I need you to be brave, okay? My friends and I won’t let anything happen to you or Doctor Nexus. Now hold on tight.”
~~~
“This is very troubling,” Celestia said as she looked over the research notes taken from the facility. She was in her office, sitting at her desk as she clicked through some of the digital data. The computer was the one bit of visible technology in the otherwise classically decorated room. There was not a wall that did not have a bookshelf, and all the furniture was either polished wood or fine leather.
“You’re telling me.” The voice drew Celestia’s attention away from the monitor. She glanced to her side, reaching out and scratching Spike’s head. The wolfhound greedily accepted the pet, but soon, both he and Celestia were focusing back on the screen. “So, did Professor Luna call in sick before or after she heard the mission was a success?” Spike asked.
“After. She waited until the girls were out and we heard a confirmation from Nexus that he had destroyed as much of his research as he could.” Celestia stood from her desk, walking to the large bay window of her office that looked out on a lush, green front lawn. Classes were out for lunch, and her students were enjoying the warm weather.
Their two most-recent acquisitions were out and about as well. Doctor Nexus and little Nyx were being given a tour of the grounds by the girls responsible for their rescue—her best team. Amongst the group, Pinkie Pie suddenly turned and waved in their direction. Celestia waved back, having long gotten used to the girl’s impressive sixth sense.
“Well, it’s good the research is gone, though Luna sure wasn’t as eager to go on the mission herself when we found out who we’d need to rescue at the same time,” Spike said as he followed Celestia to the window.
“I can’t blame her.” Celestia watched Nyx romp through the grass barefoot. “Nightmare Moon left a scar on this world. It’s a part of her life my sister would rather forget, but she faces constant reminders. Whenever the governments of the world talk about the need to regulate, imprison, or even go to war against our kind, Nightmare Moon is always one of the examples they bring up. It’s on the news. It’s in the propaganda.
“And now for a new Nightmare Moon to be… genetically cloned in a lab.”
“Well, this Nightmare Moon seems a lot sweeter than the original ever was.” Spike said. “She ran me ragged trying to ride me like a horse this morning before breakfast.”
“I suppose that explains why you’re hiding in here.” Celestia managed a brief smile, but it quickly withered as she continued to look out the window. “Hopefully, my sister won’t avoid the campus for more than a few days. Even when she does return, I doubt she’ll want to associate with the girl. That, and I don’t doubt we’ll be getting a visit from our old friend Harshwhinny very soon.”
“She’s such a friend,” Spike said as he brought up a big paw and scratched at his neck. “I mean, who wouldn’t want to be friends with a government suit who only ever comes over to threaten our home and our lives?”
“It’s the political game, Spike. Her superiors who dislike what we do here have to make a show of force, but they know doing anything against us would blow a number of their own secrets as well. Though I hate to say this about her, Nyx and Spell Nexus just became two of our best assets. Off the books genetic research, experimental cloning, and unauthorized human testing. If that was released to the public, it will be a PR nightmare. I just hope those two can be happy here.”
“I’m sure they’ll be fine. Doctor Nexus will probably be happy as long as Nyx is, and she’s so happy it’s almost infectious. I mean, she’s not that different from Twilight or anyone else here. We all needed a safe place. It’s why you built this school.”
“Yes it is.” Celestia reached over and patted Spike’s head again as she turned away from the window. She returned to her desk, closing the research files and bringing up the school’s registry. A few minutes of tapping and clicking, and a new student had been enrolled and assigned to a room. With the deed done, Celestia sat back, letting her eyes wander to the window again where she could catch a glimpse of Nyx running and playing on the grass, experiencing a warm summer day for the first time in her life.
“Welcome to Celestia’s School for Gifted Children,” she said, only for her computer screen to light up. A circle with a V appeared on the screen as information and video feeds began to stream across the desktop. Celestia’s brow furrowed as she read over the news reports before bringing a hand to her head. She reached out her mind, forming a psychic link with seven specific students.
“Valkyries, to the situation room.”
====================
Variance End
====================
What might it take for Nyx to be born in the Equestria Girls universe?
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Wow... I am impressed so far! You've done amazing work on this chapter!
Omg, I'm loving this one, I really want more details on this AU! Plus I see some xmen in there, so that's nice.
Is there a main story. Or it is more a collection of mini fics?
So, this variant was Equestria girls x power ponies x X-men?
7519138 first chapter is canon the rest are just 'what ifs'
Magnificent stories. But these are all promos that Leave us wanting more!!!!
Ok, now this would be such a interesting story if It ever was expanded. I would love to see how the sirens and others that would be like in this world.
Meet Marvel's "INHUMANS".
Woo Hoo! X-Men alternate reality!!!
What if Zecora found Nyx before Twilight?
7519243 Ohhhhhhhhhh.
7519227 That's what I thought! XD
Hmm, wonder what a negaverse would be like with a Nyx in it. Or would she be more a filly Luna with Princess NMM?
Excellent chapter, and a very fun X-men fusion.
Also, I happen to get that "big red dog" reference. Kudos!
NO! Stop the fic! You do not set this awesome story up and not have something more to it! I need more to this darn it! I crave more!!!
7517643 I think somebody tried writing one, but didn't get very far.
7517722 Been done and it was completed too.
Huh, pseudo x-men
Oh man. I wanted to hit 'Next (->)' so bad...
Loved it
So Nyx in EQG turns them into the X-Men?
Hmmm, lots of people comenting X-Men, and the like, but anyway, loving the story so far! Keep up the good work!
What if Nyx got to meet Luna-as-Nightmare-Moon?
This is making me want to see a sequel to Sunset Slayer even more. Oh, and I also caught the Clifford reference.
The X-Ponies!
7519846 Apparently. Are we complaining? I'm certainly not complaining.
Frankly, I rather hope every one of these hypothetical vignettes gets its own story by now. They're chock full of such great world-building.
ok why hasent somebody done this BEFORE. so so good
7519243 Not gonna lie, I'd like to see how that would play out, for sure.
7519401 your not the only one. I feel Glimpses is just trying to set up other stories that we mmust finishes for him, not complaining.
7518643 didn't know the difference.
What if Nyx hadn't been able to save Twilight when she was going to be hanged in Past Sins?
Alternative title: Cliffhanger the collection, endings you will.....
So, Nightmare Moon in this universe is in some way related to Luna. But it can't BE Luna because they must be biologically separate entities, otherwise Nyx would be a clone of Luna and not Nightmare Moon. But Luna is still in some way responsible for Nightmare Moon. So what does that make her? The result of some government psychic soldier program that Luna was involved in?
Why do I sense an alternate universe of Sunset Slayer in this ?
Also, Punset Shimmer all over the chapter. Awesome work.
7519243 I reckon something like that is gonna happen. Just look at the middle Nyx on cover art...
The Earth crossing into a ley line galactic nexus releasing magic into Earth's people, allowing all potentials to develop their skills, some to good effect, some not, Luna temporarily being one of the latter.
usvsth3m.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/v-for-vendetta-logo-wallpaper.jpg
When Nyx matures and takes over the school, logo could become...
wallpapercave.com/wp/zraJecB.jpg
so let me if I'm following this correctly: in this world...
I'm okay with this...
Valkyries = X-men
Twilight Sparkle/Sci-Twi/"Glacier" ~ Jean Grey/Marvel Girl/Phoenix with a touch of Bobby Drake/Ice Man's powers
Spike ~ Hank McCoy/The Beast
Sunset Shimmer/"Phoenix" ~ *edited* Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch with a touch of telepathy
"Fili-Second" (whom I'm going to assume is Pinkie Pie) = Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver
"Zapp" (whom I'm going to assume is Rainbow Dash) = Ororo Munroe/Storm
Rarity/"Radience" ~ Hisako Ichiki/Armor (note: okay, I KNOW that her powers are reminiscent of Green Lantern and/or Star Sapphire, but this is supposed to be Marvel, not DC)
"Saddle Rager" (whom I'm going to assume is Fluttershy) ~ Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk (note: okay: technically this is cheating a bit, since neither she nor her cousin Bruce Banner/The Hulk are really members of the X-men, but come on: can YOU think of another person that matches the power description?)
"Steel Hooves" (whom I'm going to assume is Applejack) ~ Piotr Rasputin/Colossus if he was born a girl
Nyx (whom I'm going to assume has no code name...yet) = Laura Kinney/X-23/Talon
Doctor Nexus = Sarah Kinney (whom had no code name to speak of)
Celestia = Charles Xavior/Professor X without the Y-Chromosome or wheelchair
Luna ~ James "Logan" Howlett/The Wolverine if he was born a girl (naturally, as in no cloning involved)
Nightmare Moon ~ Victor Creed/Sabertooth if he was born a girl
...I am moderately interested in this universe. Sunset Superhero Snark Shimmer? Sign me up.
Kinda wish we could see more of this. Oh well.
7520128
How is that a complaint? it's a wholly neutral comment.
7520991 Honestly the name Steel Hooves I believe is a reference to Fallout Equestria where Steel Hooves in that story was Applejacks old lover
7521136 Oh, opps. I didn't mean to imply otherwise; "Are we complaining?" was a rhetorical question.
Loving the chapters. Though I wouldn't mind seeing what Nyx and the others think of these universes.
7521187 (nods) yeah, I can see that being possible: I was just going by the fact that (I assume) the other members of the Mane/Main 6 had already shown up (you know: process of elimination and all that jazz)
... This was awesome.
I tend to say that a lot
The only problem is now I desperately need a full story off of this chapter.
7520991
I was thinking more like:
Sunset Shimmer: Jean Grey with fire powers.
7522041 (muses) ...after re-reading the chapter, I guess I can see where you're coming from; personally, I'd like to see a variation of the Scarlet Witch with telepathy, but I suppose that MIGHT be just a tad bit OP...
7520581 A lot of dead cultists...
I guess this means that in this AU's cannon there is no Nyx on the Eqg world. Too bad.
So... basically X-Men?