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Gateway1,825 words
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Skin Deep2,236 words
If I can't have it...2,162 words
New Neigh-bors2,215 words
Shock and Awe2,943 words
He Who Dares...1,778 words

Taken

Hendricks crouched at the woods edge quickly scanning a road that ran parallel to the forest. Dr. Hood was waiting patiently a few yards back looking for him to signal her. He motioned her forward. She quickly sprinted to his side.

“Looks vacant” he said still scanning the road

“How far to the mountain from here?”

He glanced at the map “Hard to say we can probably reach the base of the mountain by sunset so long as we don’t run into any problems. Looks like we can stay in the forest most of the way.” He stuffed the map into his pack “All right stay close.” Dr Hood and Hendricks dashed across the road to the cover of more forest on the other side.

Bon-Bon had just finished putting away the groceries she bought at the market when there was a knock at the door. “Who could that be?” she hurried to see who was knocking. When she opened the door two white colts wearing suits and sunglasses greeted her.”

“Um hello there” Bon-Bon said “Can I help you?”

“Good morning ma'am we’re from the Equestrian Bureau of Investigation. I’m Agent Cloak and this is my partner Agent Dagger.”

“Ma'am” the second Colt nodded when introduced. They each removed their sunglasses and placed them on their coats lapel.

“I’m Bon-Bon” she introduced herself

“May we come in?” Cloak asked

Bon-Bon looked at them both “Of course of course…I just ask that we please keep it quiet my roommate had to work very late last night and is still sleeping.”

“We’ll be brief” Dagger said as they entered the house.

Bon-Bon led the two agents into the living room “Please have a seat would either of you like a drink?”

“Nothing for me” Dagger said looking around the room

“Cider…three sugars please” Cloak requested.

“Please make yourselves comfortable” Bon-Bon left the room and returned with the agent's drink. They sat on a couch while Bon-Bon sat in a chair across from them.

“Now then” Cloak pulled a notepad from the inside of his jacket and flipped through some pages “Ms. Bon-Bon it says here you live here with another pony a Ms. Lyra?”

“That’s correct…”

“How well do you know Lyra?” Dagger asked

Bon-Bon thought for a moment “All my life we grew up together in Ponyville” The agent made a note on the pad.

“You were at the Lunar Festival in Ponyville correct?” Cloak said without looking up from his notes

“Yes what’s the point of all this?”

“Just getting the facts ma’am” Dagger assured as he retrieved a photo from his coat “Have you seen this colt before?” He passed the photo across to Bon-Bon. She took the photo and looked at it closely. It was the crazy colt talking about ponies from space.

“Yes he was at the eclipse too. Lyra and I met him after the festival” she passed it back

“Bon-Bon I’m hungry” Lyra yelled as she came down stairs “I want those pancakes with the little apple slices you….hello there” Lyra was face to face with the two agents

“Ms. Lyra?” Agent Cloak got up from the couch and approached her

“Yes?” She asked confused “What’s going on?”

“They’re from uh what was it?” Bon-Bon asked

“Equestrian Bureau of Investigation” Dagger said immediately

“Yes and we have some questions for you. Have you ever met this Colt?” Cloak showed her the picture. She examined it closely then immediately gave it back.

“Nope never met him” she said flatly

“Really” Cloak said looking back at Dagger who walked behind Bon-Bon

“Yup” Lyra said “So if that’s all we’re about to have breakfast” she began to lead them to the door.

“Now your friend her told us a different story” Dagger placed a hoof on Bon-Bon’s as she let out a slight whimper.

Cloak reached for Lyra “I think you both need to come with us”

“RUN BON-BON!” Lyra yelled as she bucked Cloak in the muzzle with her back legs. He landed on top of Dagger sending them both crashing to the ground. Lyra and Bon-Bon ran out the back door and toward the bridge leading out of Ponyville.

“Lyra what did you do?” Bon-Bon shouted as they ran through the streets.

“Nothing….”

“Why were they asking all those strange questions?”

“I..I..don’t know just keeping running."

“Over there!” Agent Dagger yelled pointing a hoof at the fleeing ponies.

“Come on faster!” Lyra shouted back to Bon-Bon who was losing speed

“Lyra…I can’t” Bon-Bon panted as she tripped over a crate falling into a pile of boxes

“Just a little farther” Lyra said looking back “Bon-Bon?” Lyra looked back to see the two agents had caught up to her “BON-BON!” she called back. The agents looked in her direction then quickly looked at each other. One agent gave chase to Lyra while the other struggled to restrain Bon-Bon. Lyra ran as fast as she could until she lost the agent in the in the back roads of Ponyville. Once outside the city limits she headed towards the mountains north of Ponyville.

“We can make camp here” Hendricks looked up at the mountain

“Finally” Dr. Hood said as she dropped her pack.

“Not use to hiking” Hendricks asked

“I spend all of my time in labs not in the woods”

“Well you don’t have to worry about woods for long because tomorrow we go mountain climbing.”

“Great…how do you plan to find the ship anyway?”

“My ship has a beacon in it that is directly linked to my suits computer” He pushed a few buttons on his wrist.

“Why haven’t you used it yet?”

“You have to be within three miles before it will pick up” his wrist gave a buzzing noise “nothing”

“Three miles...these mountains are huge that could take forever.”

“You have a better plan” Hendricks snapped

“No”

They remained silent as they made camp. Hendricks started a fire as the sun was just disappearing over the horizon. The silence continued even as they went into their packs to get their food. Hendricks pulled out a silver wrapper, tore it open and began to eat.

“Hendricks?” Dr. Hood broke the silence

“Hmmm” he grunted between bites

“I’m sorry” she said

He stopped eating and looked over at her.

“I’m sorry about everything causing the crash, the complaining, the arguing all of it. I never even thanked you.”

“For what?”

“I wouldn’t have survived five minutes alone”

“Nah you would be fine I’d give you seven, eight minutes tops.” He smiled

“Although I’m not the one that was beaten by a tiny cute pony”

“Good point.”

Dr Hood yawned and stretched her arms. Hendricks looked at her “Go ahead and get some sleep I’ll take the first watch and we can switch off every two hours and set off up the mountain in the morning.”

“All right” she placed her pack under her head and curled up facing the fire. She fell asleep the moment she closed her eyes.

Bon-Bon didn’t know where she was all she knew was that it was cold…very cold. The agent had blind folded and hog tied her once he took her out of sight of the other ponies in Ponyville. All sense of time had left her it seemed like hours since she pleaded with them to let her go. They said nothing as she cried for help. She could her wind howling past her ears and at one point she knew they left the ground. As she was being dragged through snow, suddenly the wind stopped and the ground felt like dirt.

“Hello?” she said feebly “Please let me go. I won’t tell any pony please.”

“It’s no use” a strange voice answered.

“Who’s that please let me go.”

“I’m sorry but we’re in the same situation prisoners of those…things.”

“What do you mean who are they and who is we?” Bon-Bon asked

“You’re not from the expedition?”

“No my names Bon-Bon. I’m from Ponyville”

“Ponyville what were you doing on the mountain?”

“They took me from my home and brought me here.”

“SHUT UP” and angry voiced yelled. Bon-Bon heard steps get closer to her. She felt her blindfold loosen and fall to the ground. Her eyes adjusted to the room she saw several ponies bound like her around the room. It looked like they were in a canvas tent. The walls were too thick to allow any light in. The only light came from the entrance flap. She saw the source of the voice it was Agent Dagger. He went around the room removing each pony’s blind fold then stood in the light looking down on them. “Until I say otherwise be quiet or else” he raised a hoof.

“LET US GO!” a white Pegasus said angry. The agent dashed over and drew back his hoof and hit the Pegasus square on the muzzle. “Anypony else want to talk back” he looked around at the group “That’s what I thought” he left the room and stood directly in front of the entrance with his back to them.

Agent Cloak trotted up to him “She’ll be here any minute you ready” Dagger nodded. “Good” Cloak said as he left his partner standing in front of the tent. There were only four tents that made up the camp. The small supply tent that contained Bon-Bon and the others. Two medium-sized tents and a large domed tent that ponies kept coming in and out of. Snow had been pushed from the area surronding the camp with low walls.

Agent Cloak passed two guards as he entered the large tent. “We are ready sir” he said to an old-looking light blue unicorn wearing a lab coat. “Good..good” he turned to face the agent “Well I suppose we should get ready to meet her…all of you” he announced to the room “head outside and wait” All the ponies left the room and gathered outside in a group. They stood patiently watching the skies with the old unicorn standing in front of them.

“There she is” the unicorn spotted a shimmer in the sky. He turned to the group “remember you parts in case she talks to you.”

Princess Celestia landed gently in front of the group. They all bowed to the towering alicorn.

“Good day my lady” the unicorn said as he rose.

“Hello Professor Star Watcher I received you letter…you discovered what it is?” Princess Celestia asked

“Not quite, if you would please follow me.” He gestured toward the large tent

They both entered the tent. The Princess stood in the doorway looking around the room while the Professor continued on.

“Something wrong Princess?”

“No it’s just this is the first time I’ve seen it….completely.”

“Amazing isn’t it?” he beamed

“Not quite the words I would use…I was thinking…ominous”

“We managed to open it would you like a look inside?”

Princess Celestia stooped to enter the square hole in the side of the large metal object.

“Careful” the professor warned “One of my assistants touched one of those vines and received quite the shock. She eyed the hanging “vines” closely.

“This…floor feels unnatural” She said looking at her hooves

“Yes it seems to be made of iron but nothing like I’ve ever seen.”

A light static filled the room. “What is that?” Celestia said slightly alarmed

“What we wanted you to see or rather hear.”

The static gave way to a voice “Sy..sy…system locked password...word required…this ship has suffered critical...critical damage…”

“Show yourself!” the Princess demanded

“It’s no use” the professor said calmly.

“User not recognized please identify yourself to..Sen…Sen…Senior Flight Officer..No..No..Nolan Hendricks.” The disembodied voice said

“What is it talking about?” She looked at the professor

“No idea we were hoping you might know”

“I understand what it's saying but it makes no sense. It said “ship” but this doesn’t look like a ship at all.” She looked around the room “is this all you wanted to show me?”

“Yes your majesty.” The Princess seemed disappointed.

“Please keep working and send word to me again when you make further progress” they both exited the ship.” She looked around the outside again and noticed a picture on the side. It was a two-legged purple creature with wings like a Pegasus. It was sitting with its arms around its legs and its head buried in its knees. Its wings were stretched as far as they could go beneath the creature the words “EGS Void Angel” were written in black stencil.

“What’s this?” Celestia asked the professor

“We are still wondering that ourselves. Some think that’s what was inside it, others believe it’s just decoration. I think it’s a warning.”

“A warning?”

“Look how sad it looks.” She turned back to look at it closer.

Once outside the Princess faced the group of ponies. “I would like to thank you all for braving the elements to be here.” She turned to the professor “When you have something…”

The professor interrupted her “We’ll let you know..”

“Thank you” She spread her wings and took off directly up and away from the mountain top.”

“Old nag” the professor said sourly. “Back to work” he yelled at the gathered ponies as they watched the Princess disappear from view.

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