Containment Is Magic Season 1

by Comet Diver

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It was roughly 15 minutes since the group had left the boundaries of the site. They were deep in unexplored territory. Grey never liked going in blind, but with an anomaly hunting them, it was a whole new level of discomfort. "So, we have no intel on this place?"

Applejack replied. "Yeah, everypony says it doesn't work the same as the rest of Equestria. Granny Smith said she went into the forest once, when she first found Zap Apples. Ever since, ah haven't seen a single pony go in or come out."

"It works different? How so?"

Rainbow Dash emerged from the shadow cast by a particularly large tree. "Nopony knows. You know why?"

"Stop. Just stop it. You're not going to scare me. Save your dignity." Rainbow was clearly disappointed by that response.

A minor tremor shook beneath their feet, and then the cliff gave way. Everyone except the pegasi suddenly found themselves sliding towards a chasm. They all scrambled to find some kind of handhold. While most staff were able to grab a twig or a rock, several were not so fortunate, and were thrown over the edge. Their screams stopped abruptly. Then he noticed that Twilight was losing her grip, only being held up by Applejack.

Twilight began to slip, just centimeters away from certain death. She looked Applejack in the eyes, desperate for help. "Applejack, what do I do?" A distressed Applejack looked up to the sky, desperate for a solution. Then, out of nowhere, she looked back down, and told Twilight to

"Let go."

"Are you crazy!?"

"No, I ain't. I promise you'll be safe."

"That's not true!"

"Now listen here. What I'm sayin' to you is the honest truth. Let go, and you'll be safe."

Twilight had no choice but to trust her. She released her grip, and entered freefall. There was a scream of panic, but only for a moment. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy caught her. Gravity took them down for two seconds before they recovered. Fluttershy looked embarrassed. "Sorry girls. I'm not used to holding anything more than a bunny or two."

All the ponies, and the vast majority of staff touched down safely at the bottom of the chasm. The walls were too shear to climb, even with gear they didn't have. They had to adapt. After a quick break to identify the deceased agents and give respect, the group was back on the move for about 5 minutes. Rainbow Dash was riding her adrenaline surge all the way there. Twilight was clearly sick of it. "Yes Rainbow, I was there, and I'm very grateful, but we gotta-" A creature appeared in their path. One with the body of a lion and the tail of a scorpion. There were two dragon-like wings emerging from it's body, and it did not look friendly.

"Manticore! Weapons free!" The guards drew their guns and shot the manticore. There was no effect, even from an armor-piercing sniper round. The ponies attempted an attack, with even less effect. "We don't have time for this if we're going to find the elements. Ready incendiary rounds!" The team took positions, fingers firmly on triggers.

"WAIT!!!" The team held their fire. Fluttershy was approaching the manticore. She began to nuzzle it's paw, and it hesitated. After reassurance, it opened it's clenched paw. There was a thorn in it. "Oh you poor little baby."

"Little?"

"Now this might hurt for just a second." Fluttershy gripped the thorn with her teeth, and quickly removed it from the manticore's paw. The manticore grabbed her and roared aggressively, before purring and licking her mane in thanks. "Aw you're just a little ol' baby kitty aren't you? Yes you are, yes you are." The manticore moved aside, and let the agents continue on their way.

Grey was amazed by what he saw. "Agent, collect the thorn for processing. Speaking of which, Fluttershy, how did you know about it?"

"I didn't. Sometimes we all just need to be shown a little kindness."

"Sir, the thorn. It's not there anymore."

"What?"

"I made an ID, but once I turned my back, it just vanished."

"Strange."

The team walked for a while longer without interruption, and then Rarity complained. "Ugh, my eyes need a rest from all this icky muck." The team entered a thick canopy. Visibility dropped to near-zero. "I didn't mean that literally."

There was a lot of commotion due to team members stepping on each other. In hindsight, they should have brought night vision goggles. Applejack's voice came from the darkness. "Oh wait, I think I stepped in somethin'."

Fluttershy screamed in terror.

"It's just mud." Then Applejack saw what she was screaming about. There was a horrific creature on the tree. "AGH!"

Everyone was in a panic. Agents pulled their triggers, firing at nothing. Communication lines broke down as everyone screamed into their mic. Grey tried his best to keep everyone calm, but it was useless. Then Pinkie Pie just started making funny faces at the ghosts. "Pinkie! Run!"

"Oh everyone, don't you see? When I was a little filly and the sun was going down..."

"Oh god. Please tell me she's not-"

"The darkness and the shadows, they would always make me frown..."

Rarity sighed and responded with, "She is."

"I'd hide under my pillow, from what I thought I saw. But Granny Pie said that wasn't the way to deal with fears at all!"

"Then what is?"

"She said 'Pinkie, you gotta stand up tall, learn to face your fears. You'll see that they can't hurt you, just laugh to make them disappear!' Ha! Ha! Ha!"

The ghost vanished. Everyone was shocked, and then joined in.

"So, giggle at the ghostly! Guffaw at the grossly! Crack up at the creepy! Whoop it up with the weepy! Chortle at the kooky! Snortle at the spooky! And tell that big dumb scary face to take a hike and leave you alone and if he thinks he can scare you then he's got another thing coming and the very idea of such a thing just makes you wanna... hahahaha... heh... LAUGH!" Everyone collapsed on the ground, crying their eyes out.

The team moved on their way, highly optimistic, until they came to a turbulent river. The current was far too strong to safely cross. "Sir. I heard something. It sounded like a cry. It came downstream." The group followed the direction the agent pointed, and found a sea serpent. It was clearly devastated about an event.

"Hello? Can you tell me your name?"

"S- Stephen Magnet."

"What's wrong?"

"Well, I was just sitting here, minding my own business, when this tacky cloud of purple smoke just whisked past me and tore half of my beloved moustache clean off, and now I look simply horrid!"

"You're kidding right? You're making a massive disaster zone over this?"

Rarity seemed to be appalled by Grey's remark. "Why, of course it is. How can you be so insensitive? Oh, just look at him. Such lovely luminescent scales."

The sea serpent sniffled. "I know."

Rarity continued to compliment him. "And your expertly coiffed mane."

The sea serpent seemed flattered. "Oh, I know, I know.

Rarity kept it up. "Your fabulous manicure, all ruined without your beautiful moustache."

The sea serpent began to wail again. "It's true, I'm hideous!"

Rarity's mood changed significantly. "I simply cannot let such a crime against fabulosity go uncorrected." Rarity ripped a scale from the serpent, and cut her tail off. She grabbed her tail with her magic, and used it as an improvised replacement for the moustache. The sea serpent was overjoyed, and the turbulence of the water ceased.

A 10 minute walk brought the team into visual contact with The Castle Of The Two Sisters. Twilight ran ahead, and nearly fell off the collapsed bridge. Grey was frustrated. The gap was far too big to jump. "How do we get over there?"

"Duh." Rainbow Dash took to the skies. Grey wanted to punch himself in the face for forgetting that.

After several seconds, Grey became impatient and radioed Rainbow Dash. Audio came through.

"Yes, it's all true."

An unidentified female spoke. "We need... you.

"WOOHOO! Sign me up. Just let me tie this bridge real quick and then we have a deal."

The female voice interjected. "No! It's them or us."

Grey couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, and drew his spotter scope. There were 3 other thermal signatures. "Twilight, take a look at this."

"Oh no. Rainbow! Don't listen to them." After one of the thermal signatures glared in their direction, fog began to rapidly encompass the bridge, muffling sound from both sides. After approximately 20 seconds, Rainbow Dash emerged with the bridge secured. The other thermal signatures were nowhere to be seen.

"See? I'd never leave my friends hanging."

"Who were those Rainbow?"

"They called themselves The Shadowbolts."

"And now they're gone?"

"Yeah."

"Just like the thorn?"

Author's Note:

I don't think I did as good of a job on this chapter, but I was in a hurry to finish it. Sorry if you don't like this chapter. I'll improve on the next ones.

Comments

[valiant souls]

A bit rushed, like you said. I feel that there’s a distinct lack of surprise in the introductions that could be addressed in the future; it would help flesh out the connections and personalities a bit more. Still, I like the direction that you’re going in and am excited to see where this all leads.

[Powerfull3000]

A esté capitulo y el anterior le faltan detalles sobre las situaciones, como ¿Porqué se impaciento Grey? ¿Porqué pensó que irrumpir destruyendo una ventana sería buena idea? ¿Qué convenció a Twilight para que confiara en Grey? Tampoco se explica la falta de movimiento por parte de la Fundación cuando un solo guardia y Grey siguen a Twilight y Spike en lo que sería casi todo el capitulo 1 de la temporada 1, a eso hay que agregar la falta de reacción por parte de los ponis cuando siguen a Grey (Por alguna razón) a la instalación de la fundación, entre muchos otros detalles.
La idea es muy buena, pero le falta algo más de trabajo y si lo que afirma al final de este capitulo es cierto, tomate tu tiempo para sacarlo, es mejor sacar un capitulo bien y completo que un capitulo a medias, calidad sobre cantidad, también recordar que no está en obligación de publicar capítulos (o no, no conozco su vida personal), toma el tiempo que requiera para realizarlo y luego publicarlo.

his chapter and the previous one lack details about the situations, such as why was Gray impatient? Why did she think that breaking in by destroying a window would be a good idea? What convinced Twilight to trust Grey? The lack of movement on the part of the Foundation is also not explained when a single guard and Gray follow Twilight and Spike in what would be almost the entire episode 1 of season 1, to that we must add the lack of reaction on the part of the ponies when they follow Gray (For some reason) to the foundation facility, among many other details.
The idea is very good, but it needs a little more work and if what is stated at the end of this chapter is true, take your time to get it out, it is better to get a good and complete chapter than a half chapter, quality over quantity, also remember that you are not obliged to publish chapters (or no, I don't know your personal life), take the time you need to do it and then publish it.

Translated by Google.