SCP: Breakout

by Happy2343

(15) The Final Message

“Hey, Silverstream!” Sandbar called to the part-time Hippogriff and part-time seapony. She turned around and swam back toward Sandbar, a noticeable hastiness in her, “Can you slow down a little? I’m still new to this whole thing,” the greenish seapony now seapony asked as he began to spread his arms to catch up to his friend. Silverstream didn’t reply, instead, she just went next to him and continued to stare ahead into the deep blue sea.

Silverstream slowly though, began to speed up as she looked to her left, at the underwater sea cliff. Sandbar was concerned, he has very rarely seen Silverstream like this. “Hey, you’re speeding up again Silver.” He swam to catch up to her, “Care to tell me what’s going on?” He asked.

Silverstream shook herself out of her trance-like state and began to swim casually next to Sandbar, “Sorry,” Silverstream said, looking off into the mass of coral and fish, “I’m a little… distracted right now.” Her eyes kept scanning the reef

Sandbar looked at Silverstream, concerned, ‘Something’s wrong,” he concluded, “How come?” He asked slightly concerned, “Nothing ever really bothers you.” He then tentatively added, “Is something wrong?”

Silverstream sighed and nodded with a small whimper, “I know it’s probably nothing, but, it’s just... My brother…” She sighed, “I haven’t seen Terramar in a week, my mom and dad are getting worried and now with what’s happened in the Crystal Empire... ” She sighed, “I’ve spent the past three days searching for him and have nothing!”

Sandbarput his fin on Silverstream’s shoulder, “We’ll find him,” he reassured her with a smile, “I promise, we will.” Silverstream turned to him and nodded. ‘And maybe I’ll punch him for putting her under so much stress.’ He added in his head.

“Now,” He looked around, “Where exactly are we?” He looked up and saw the undersides of some ships entering the harbor.

Silverstream began to swim alongside the sheer rockface with plants and coral protruding from it, Sandbar began to swim again to catch up to her, “Under Baltimare bay,” Silverstream answered, “He always did have a fascination with this kind of… thing.” She turned to her left at the rock wall.

“Geography?” Sandbar looked at Silverstream, “Really?” He stopped to make sure she wasn’t pulling his wing.

Silverstream scoffed, “No!” Silverstream steamed out, “What kind of sister would I be if I let him do that?” Silverstream said, “Mom told him to get a hobby, so he chose…” Silverstream sighed, “Caving.” She kept on swimming and looking at the various holes in the walls of the wall.

“Huh… That… okay then,” Sandbar said, “A lot better than geography at least.” He looked at the wall and saw some holes that were large enough to fit a seapony. A thought came to Sandbar’s head, “Has Gallus written you lately?”

Silverstream paused for a moment at the mention of their mutual friend, “Hmm?” Silverstream turned her head to Sandbar, “No… he umm is still training to be in the Royal Guard, I think.” She turned her head back to the cliff, “Why do you ask?” Silverstream turned back and gave a quizzical look at her friend.

‘Oh, so he hasn’t told her how he feels…’ Sandbar thought, ‘Time for damage control.’ He shrugged, “Just asking, I haven’t heard from him in a while.” He said as casually as possible, hoping he didn’t leave any suspicions.

“... Alright then,” Silverstream said, disregarding what was just said, “Have you seen anything that could point us to Terramar?”

Sandbar looked at the caves along the sheer wall. “No, I do-”

“THERE!” Silverstream yelled straight into Sandbar’s right ear, causing his ear to emit a ring. Immediately after, Silverstream shot off in the direction of a cave.

“WHAT?” He replied to Silverstream as he brought his fin up to rub his ear. He began to swim after Silverstream. ‘Just what in the world did she see?’ He questions as he flapped his fins as fast as he could. “Silverstream, wait up!” He yelled.

She wasn’t hearing any of it though as she stopped next to the mouth of a cave. She was staring intently at a rock on the sheer wall of the bay. “Silverstream,” Sandbar said, out of breath, “Didn’t you hear me?” He looked at the object she was looking at, it was the piece of the Pearl of Transformation that he was supposed to wear around his neck. Sandbar looked at Silverstream, she was touching the piece given to her with one of her fins.

“Silverstream,” Sandbar found the courage to say, “We shou-” Before he could finish the statement, Silverstream darted into the dark and unlit cave. Terramar’s pendant floated back down to the floor of the cave. Sandbar was frozen. The only light he could see was the pink light traveling further and further down the tunnel, “Silverstream! Ugh…” He looked back, hoping that there was another seapony or creature he could get to watch for them, or get help if something happened.

But, there was no creature, nopony there tobe a lookout or go get somepony else, so Sandbar just sighed and followed her in.

---

“Silverstream!” He yelled as he swam after her, barely keeping track of the small and faint pink glow of the shard of crystal she was carrying, “Silverstream!” He yelled again as he swam as fast as he could. There was a moment of hesitation in the glowing pink pearl shard. “Slow dow-” His plea died as she swam up. He sighed, cursed his luck, then followed Silverstream.

Sandbar’s head burst through the surface of the water. “Silverstream, where in the world are y-?!”

“Right next to you,” Silverstream replied monotone, “Come on, let’s keep looking.” Sandbar heard the sound of water sloshing in the darkness of the cave. He followed the pink glow of the pearl shard in her fin.

He blinked a couple of times, both getting adjusted to the darkness of the cave, and getting the salty ocean water out of his eyes. Just as his eyes began to get adjusted, he heard Silverstream say, “Let’s get back to landform.”

He barely closed his eyes in time for the cascading light of the transformation to happen. When he opened his eyes, he could feel the wet on his fur and shiver. “Great, now I’m wet.”

“The price we pay,” Silverstream replied her voice breaking with a shiver, “I didn’t think it would be this... cold.”

“Yeah,” Sandbar began to swim, a shiver creeping upon him, “Let’s get out of the water before we catch Hypothermia.” The pony and Hippogriff began to swim deeper into the cave system. ‘I should’ve known something like this would happen, next time I need to go on a rescue mission, I’m packing.’

He sighed, “It’s really dark in here,” Sandbar said in an uneasy voice. Despite his eyes having adjusted to the darkness of the cave system “Did you bring anything other than your Crystal of yours?” Sandbar asked, “I don’t want to be blind here.”

He imagined Silverstream turning to look at him in the waster, “Sorry, I um, really wasn’t planning this well.”

‘Yeah I can tell,’ Sandbar nodded and continued to swim behind Silverstream in silence.

“Terramar!” She screamed, “Are you here!” Sandbar saw the pearl on her chest again as she turned to face him, “Here’s the edge, be careful.”

“Always am,” He muttered.

He heard the splashing of water as Silverstream got out. “This is a bad idea,” He muttered under his breath. He reached for the rocky and bumpy edge to grab and pull himself up on, but instead, he felt a smooth and flat surface. ‘Wierd for a cave.’ He noted to himself.

As he pulled himself up, he felt how… smooth the surface was, it was obvious there was some wear and tear on it, not like a rock, but more like, ‘A floor?’ He thought to himself as he got up onto his hooves. “This is odd, don’t you think?”

“Yeah… It’s so smooth.” Silverstream reiterated. “Let’s find Terramar and get him out of here.” They started to walk in the cave. Sandbar was able to make out the outline of the cave as his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness. It was Square, or at least he thought it was.

Then the weirdest thing happened, a light came on. Albeit, it was flickering and dim, but it was light. And the mechanical Click that came with it scared the Tartarus out of both Silverstream and Sandbar. They both looked up. A mechanical whirl came out of the light directly overhead Silverstream.

“This isn’t a cave,” Silverstream idly says, “It’s a…”

“I have no idea what it is,” Sandbar cuts her off.

With the newfound light over them, they were able to see a bit further. The walls were decrepit with mold and various plants growing. The floor was a mixture of holes to the floor below that was flooded, or creaking wood and rusted metal. Suffice to say, “This place is old.” Sandbar stated.

“I can see that,” Silverstream said as she turned away, “And my brother is in here for some reason,” At the mention of her brother she yelled, “Terramar! Where are you!?” She started to walk forward again, followed by Sandbar.

The light then abruptly turned off, the pair turned around to look at it.

“Maybe it’s motion-activated?” Silverstream offered, “You know if we walk under-”

“Yeah, maybe so,” Sandbar said, “But, this place is old,” Sandbar said, “Maybe older than Baltimare itself,” He looked around as they walked forward, “It’s corroded and rusted beyond repair. There are plants and mold everywhere.” He looked up and saw what looked like some type of seaweed or plant growing off of the ceiling, “This place could be…”

“One of those ‘human’ bases?” Silverstream asked, “Like what Prince Shining Armor said?”

“Maybe,” Sandbar replied, “But it seems too in disrepair.” A thought came to Sandbar, “We need to tell the Princesses.”

“Not until we find Terramar,” Silverstream said, “He’s got to be around here somewhere.” Silverstream looked to her right and attempted to open a door. The doorknob didn’t move, “Locked,” She said, “Or broken.” She turned to Sandbar, “Can you try to get the door open?”

“Sure,” Sandbar walked up to the door and turned around, rearing his hind legs. He kicked the wooden door off its hinges, sending it flying into the opposite wall. The room was dark until Silverstream walked in the door. The overhead light blinked into existence and a mechanical whirl with it.

Silverstream looked up at the barely functioning light. “Maybe it’s something else?”

Sandbar walked in behind her, also looking at the yellow light, “Wait,” He said, Silverstream turned around and looked at Sandbar, “I think I got it. Throw me the shard around your neck.”

Silverstream cocked her head and gave Sandbar a questioning look with a raised eyebrow. Sandbar just deadpanned, “I’ll give it back, don’t worry.”

Silverstream brought up a talon and slid the necklace off. Giving it a glance, she threw the pearl shard to Sandbar.

The light fizzled out. “Magic.” He stated. He walked over to Silverstream and handed the pearl shard back. The light flickered back. “Magic is turning on the lig-“

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU0h8LS6uSg

“What the?”

“Huh..?”

Silverstream and Sandbar looked around the room for the beeping noise.

Sandbar spied a small box with holes on the ground near Silverstream. He walked over and picked it up with a hoof.

“Message Repeat: This message is being broadcasted by the request of the president of the United States of America-.”

Sandbar picked up the box, “This is… a thing.” He looked around and spied a plastic bag. ‘A thing that should probably get back to the princesses.’ He wrapped it around the box and tied it. “No way water is getting in there.”

There was more to the message too, but, as soon as he wrapped it, it became all muffled and indistinguishable. Not to say it was crystal clear anyway, but the fact that it still worked even after all the water that must’ve fallen on it, was a miracle.

“We still need to find Terramar,” and like clockwork, she yelled, “Terramar!” She decided to continue on their search of the building. She walked out of the room, followed by Sandbar, still holding the plastic wrapped-box on his back.

The hallway was still dark except for the occasional light that would turn on when Silverstream would walk under it. “Terramar! Come in! Come out!” She started to walk faster, “I know you’re here! We just want to bring you home!”

Silverstream got faster, Sandbar matched her speed. “Terramar!” Silverstream stooped Sandbar came to a screeching halt behind her, “Do you hear that Sandbar?”

The green Earth Pony listened, “No, nothing.”

Silverstream also listened, “No, Wait,” A second passed for the hopeful hippogriff, “Hoofsteps, this way!” She took off of the floor and began to fly down the hallway, Sandbar broke into a full gallop behind her.

“Silverstream, be careful,” He yelled as she gained ground on Sandbar, “You have no idea what’s here!”

She rounded a corner. A light turned on on the ceiling.

“Silverstream,” He got to the corner, “Wait-”

He saw Silverstream on the ground a few feet ahead, “Silver-” He looked up at what was in the hallway ahead of them, “-stream?”

There must’ve been dozens, if not hundreds of the rotting and dilapidated corpses in the hallway. And in the middle, Terramar, covered in blood and bite marks. “Terramar,” Silverstream said in a whisper, “Terramar…” She repeated over and over.

He wasn’t moving, and it was doubtful that Terramar would ever move again. There was a pool of blood around Silverstream’s brother. One of his wings was practically torn off, hanging on by a loose connection of skin and muscle.

Sandbar, in his entire life, not in the comics, or in books or in any of the stories he has been told, has never seen such vile acts of villainy. The closest he could comprehend was Tirek trying to take over Equestria, or Queen Chrysalis taking over Canterlot. But they never really hurt anypony.

This was different, there was no point in killing Terramar.

*Crack*

Sandbar was finally brought out of his hypnotic state. His head snapped to one of the dead creatures, which he thought were humans, one that wasn’t really dead, as it was now standing moving towards the pair.

Then everything hit him. “We need to leave. NOW!” He reached for Silverstream. “I said NOW, Silverstream!” He pulled her back and began, “Come on, we-”

“Don’t touch me!” She pushed off of Sandbar and moved further into the hallway to her younger brother’s body. “Terramar,” She sobbed over her younger brother’s body as she began to cry. Sandbar looked up the things were all up now, and they are all now moving towards them.

He turned around, a door.

He was acting on instincts now, pure adrenaline, no plan, no backup, ‘We need to get out of here.’ he told himself. He reared up and broke the door, luckily not off its hinges. He threw the plastic-wrapped device in the room. “No time,” He told himself.

“Sorry Silver,” He said, he wasn’t sure that she heard him.”But we need to LEAVE!”

He forcefully grabbed both of Silverstream’s wings. He expected her to scream, to scrape him, but he didn’t expect it to hurt as much as it did.

The next thing he knew he was in the room he had kicked open. He briefly looked back at the hallway, the light that was on was off, but he could still hear them. He could hear them moaning, moving towards them, trying to kill them.

He kicked the door closed.

He was tired, exhausted even, his body was ready to sleep, but for some reason, he was still up. He looked over at Silverstream, she was a mess, crying and shivering, her talons in her face, tears seeping through them. He made his way to the other side of the room, it looked like and felt like glass in the faint light.

He looked off to the far wall, a reddish rusted substance red, ‘GOD IS DEAD’ His head fell, ‘That’s great.’

His hoof went over the surface again, it was cracked glass. He could break it if he had too, though, he doesn’t know what’s on the other side, it’s all covered over with something. He looked around the square room. It looked like it was an office at one point. But that must’ve been several lifetimes ago. He looked around the room, ‘More than several.’

He fell against the glass and closed his eyes.

He heard the sobbing of Silverstream, accompanied by the moans of the creatures and their bangings against the door. He breathed in, and he breathed out. He felt cold. Colder now that he was against the glass. Still exhausted, he put his ear against it. He was suddenly awake. ‘The ocean, there’s water on the other side of the glass!’

He stood up and looked at the glass. “Silverstream, I have an idea.”

He looked down at the sobbing Hippogriff, “Silverstream!” He yelled, she didn’t move from her hunched position on the floor. Sandbar turned back to the glass, “Just be ready to turn into a seapony, got it?” He glanced back at her, he thought he saw a nod.

*RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP*

“The Door!” He turned around just in time to see the open, along with a few of the humans with it. He galloped and kicked the door shut again, but it wouldn’t lock. He pressed himself up against the door.

“Sandbar?” Silverstream asked from her place on the floor. Her voice was on the edge of breaking, “Are we going to die here?” He wanted to come back with an ‘Of Course not’, or some witty response like Rainbow Dash would say.

“No,” He replied, “The glass, the ocean is on the other side, use your talons to cut a hole.”

Silverstream finally stood up, “The pressure from the water,” She explained, “It would crush us.”

“I know, ugh…” He looked at the door behind them. Some of their limbs were sticking through the door, “A small one, we let the room fill up with water, then we get out.” He went back to holding the door, “Unless you have a better idea.” Sandbar silently thanked reading that ‘Mythbreakers’ myth about being trapped in an airship underwater.

Silverstream shakily nodded and tentatively put one of her talons up against the glass. She was shaking, Silverstream turned around, “What if I screw it up?”

“Wha-?” *Boom*

The humans hit the door, hard.

*Boom* *Boom* *Boom*

*Crack*

He looked at the left side of the door. A head had managed to punch its way through the wood of the rotting door, and a snapping jaw that was getting too close to his forehooves for comfort. He could hear the snapping of the rotting bone and teeth echoing in his ears. Sandbar ignored as much as he could and turned back to Silverstream, “You won’t screw up!” He screamed, “Just DO IT!” She turned back towards the window to the ocean.

He pushed with all his Earth Pony might against the door.

“Alright,” He heard the nervousness is Silverstream’s voice, “I got it.” Sandbar glanced a look back to the glass, she had cut a sizeable hole in the window and a steady stream of cold seawater was rushing in through the gash in the glass.

“Good,” Sandbar said, looking back at the door, “Now, be ready to make it any bigger, we’re getting out of this.” Sandbar felt the coldness of the water looked down at his hind hooves. ‘Aw shoot.’ The water was rushing out of the crack of the opened door, “You need to get more water in here!” He yelled.

*Boom*

He felt that against the door, it was too low to the ground to be one of those creatures. He turned back to the door and held it as much as he could, “NOW! PLEASE!”.

*Boom*

He couldn’t tell if Silverstream was even listening, he couldn’t feel the coolness of the water anymore, the only sense that was working was his sense of touch, he could feel every thrash against the door, it was like his body was shutting down. He turned back, the glass’s cracks were numerous, and the water now rushing passed it was only making it wider and wider. A thought hit the Earth Pony, ‘I am not going to get out of here.’

*Boom*

‘I am going to die here.’

*Boom*

The water was now up to his tail and steadily rising, he turned to Silverstream, “Once you can get out through that hole, do it, I’ll be right behind you.” He saw Silverstreaam transform into a Seapony and position herself to the left of the now widening hole in the glass.

She turned around and faced him, “Sandbar I need to transform-” He shook his head.

“I need to hold this piece of junk for as long as I can,” He stated, “I’ll hold my breath and swim-up.”,

She cut herself off, “Are you su-?”

“YES I AM!” He screamed. The water leveled out, “Just… Just get out of here. I’ll be right behind you.”

*CRACK*

The door’s lower half was punched through, and the unmistakable talons of Terramar reached through the hole and took hold of Sandbar’s midsection. Sandbar’s head turned around, just in time to see his friend get out of through the rushing water. ‘Good,’ He thought.

The cracks in the glass shattered and a wall of water came crashing down.

---

‘Com ‘on Silver, swim, just swim,” Silverstream told herself, her vision got blurry, ‘I need to get help…’ her eyes closed.

Silverstream’s eyes opened.

She found herself on the surface of the ocean. ‘Where am I?’ She shook her head as she came into consciousness. She spied a small settlement nearby and moved her tired arms. As she began to swim, she spotted a small plastic bag. ‘Is that?’ She swam toward it.

Silverstream picked up the package, it was that strange box that Sandbar wanted to take with him.

Sandbar.

She took the package in her fins and swam back down.

“SANDBAR!” She screamed.

Again and again.

Nothing.

Silence.

---

Silverstream was in tears by the time she reached the beach, and it was dark out. ‘What were those?’ She looked back at the box, ‘What are you.’ She undid the plastic wrapping that sandbar put on it. The message had just begun to repeat. A mechanical female voice began to speak.

“This message is being broadcasted by the request of the president of the United States of America; Infected Persons have made their way up the coast, and an immediate evacuation order North has been ordered for the Following Cities: Richmond, Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, Washington D.C. The President has also declared that a mandatory evacuation order is in place in towns and cities from Baltimore, Maryland, to Philidelphia, Pennsylvania.”

“Stay away from infected persons, anyone exhibiting: Fever, Dementia, Gangrene, Decreased Metabolism, Impaired Motor-Functions, Coughing Blood, Foaming or Blood at the Mouth, Unresponsive to Speech, Smell or Touch, or Attacking Individuals in a Slow and Sporadic Way Focused on Biting the Victim.”

“If you believe that you or someone you know has been infected, the infection is 100 Percent lethal and ask that you quarantine said, individual. If the individual has begun to become unreceptive and attack healthy individuals, the only known method of Neutralizing fully-infected subjects requires significant cranial trauma.”

“God-Bless You and God Bless Humanity. Message Repeat-”

Silverstream’s body finally gave out.

Author's Note:

Well well well, Baltimare has a little secret under it, eh?

Also, How is that radio still working?

Magic!

Comments

[TerribleSpeller]

The Equestrians and the world are about to get a healthy dose of a reality check.

Monsters, anomalies, and more!

Welcome to the Veil folks!

[3-tap]

Oh boy, scp 008 outbreak

[ponyreaper1]

Oops

[Earthpatriot117]

The infection still lives, that's really bad!

[Xblaster]

Oooh boy 008 outbreak plus she's probably infected, this is very bad

[hyperiumon]

I wonder if they will find a way out of the water and reinfect the surface