> Black Forest: Entropy > by Alfoals Trottenbauer > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > I - Business as Usual > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUBJECT: SVEN HJALDR STATUS: EMPLOYED AGE: 23 SPECIES: MOOSE GENDER: MALE ABILITIES: MAGIC ADDITIONAL NOTES: WHITE FUR, BLUE EYES, BLACK MANE, FATHER, MARRIED Sven's job wasn't very important. He worked at a computer monitoring statistics and test results. It required no skill. He could easily be replaced by anypony in any run-down orchard in Equestria. Hay, even someone from some other nation could, Look at him, for example. He was a moose. He came from a boat. His mind was running off track. He tried to focus his thoughts. "Okay, Sven. You're supposed to be monitoring the Sector C Anomalous Materials Anti-mass Spectrometer test today. Your supervisor said that the results are going to be a little larger than normal, since they're using more power on the sample." He thought to himself. The sample's name showed up. GG-3883. Sven opened the surveillance camera, to monitor what was happening in the observation room. In the chamber were two stallions, one with a dark grey coat and red eyes, and another with a light grey coat and green eyes. The dark grey one had a red HEMV suit, and the light grey one had an orange HEMV suit. "T-testing..." The scientist cleared his throat. "Now that you're both finally here, we can start the test. Gordon, if you would press the button on that platform, we could start the test before the sample arrives." The button was pressed. Phase arrays were being detected. "Phase two emitters, starting... now."  Phase 2 emitters were activated. "Ace, we cannot predict how long the system can maintain this, please, work as quickly as possible." The sensors showed that the elevator had successfully lifted GG 3883 into the chamber. "The delivery system just arrived with the sample, please insert it." The sample was inserted into the center. "C-celestia! Ace, get away from the beam!" Unstable rays were hitting the walls. "Shut it down, get them out of there!" "Major system failure detected." The screen flashed in red. Sven pulled the shutdown lever, nothing happened. "It's not... It's not shutting down!" A stray beam hit the observation room. An explosion occurred. The scientists in the observation room were reported dead. Another beam had hit the HEMV suit Doctor Sparks had been wearing. The subject was reported missing the instant he was hit. The room was destroyed. Sven got up from his chair. He trotted to his administrator's office. His administrator was dead. The PA system rang. "Resonance Cascade detected, please see to the nearest exit." "Multiple extraterrestrial lifeforms detected. Automatically calling for cleanup crew." The intercom announced. The lights turned off. > II - Consequence > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A bipedal figure dashed past him. More ran by. A bolt of electricity shot by him. Sven backed into a pipe in the wall. He used his magic to take it off the wall. He swung it into a silhouette. Dark green blood splattered from the hit. The other silhouettes surrounded him. Sven couldn't fight them all. He galloped to the door and smashed his hoof into the scanner. The door opened. He dashed through the door and into the observation room. The door shut. There was a loud crash on the other side of the door. The whole front wall had been destroyed. The gigantic test chamber was covered with scorch marks. Two ponies were in the chamber, one in an orange hazard suit, the other in a red one. The red one was standing, the other on the floor. The red one turned to face him, his eyes widening. He cantered through the room out the other door. He was in one of the main corridors. The sides of the halls were on fire. Giant parasites had stuck themselves on scientist's heads. One stood up. It roared at him. It was bleeding out it's chest, there was a large tear in the area, the rib cage exposed.. The ribs open and closed as if they were jaws. > III - Canals > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The floor under Sven's hooves collapsed. He plummeted into a giant body of brown water. The distance of the fall plunged him deep into the murky waters. He attempted to swim upwards, but something was sucking him down. He looked below him to see that a gigantic turbine was spinning at the bottom. He still had his metal pipe. He swam down and stuck the pipe in the turbine, stopping it. The turbine creaked as Sven quickly swam down past the turbine, the pipe being split in half as he passed through. Sven jumped onto a walkway over the canal. Water poured out under the blades, into some kind of canal. A security guard was firing at one of the two-legged aliens he had seen before. The alien grabbed him by the throat and choked him to death. Sven dove for the pistol and fired into the alien's head. It fell backwards into the side of the canal about fifty feet below the walkway. He continued along the walkway, treading lightly. The canal ended into a giant waterfall. A stallion lay there with a parasite on his head. The corpse stood up and let out a gurgling roar, lurching toward Sven. Sven shot at it, but missed, hitting a large pipe. Fire shot out of the pipe, lighting the zombie. It started screaming through liquid organs. Sven shot it in the parasite, making it slump onto the ground. Avoiding the fire, Sven opened the door at the end of the walkway. In the next room, there was a valve. Above it read: 'FLOW CONTROL RELEASE' Sven turned it and the water outside rose level to the walkway. Sven trotted back and jumped into the water, swimming down through the waterfall. The water was too deep for the fall to be deadly. Sven swam to a concrete platform and climbed onto it. A door was on the wall, which he went through, into a cargo bay. Two soldiers were trotting through the cargo bay's road, when a scientist caught notice of them. "Wait! I'm with the science team!" They turned around and began to open fire with assault rifles. "Help! Help me!" He pleaded, running behind a metal crate. Sven galloped to the scientist, taking cover, and levitating his pistol. He poked out around the corner and fired, hitting one of their legs. The soldier fired a short burst. Sven fired again, hitting one in the head. "Medic!" The living one cried out. Sven fired again, hitting the other in the chest. The soldier fell. "You- You've saved my life..." The scientist stammered. Sven nodded. "I-I'm certain they would've killed me, if you hadn't shown up. They were supposed to save us... What have we done..." The scientist lamented. "I wish I had something to reward you with..." "Wait! There's an armory not far from here. I can unlock it for you." The scientist got up and trotted to a door labelled 'SECURITY'. The scientist unlocked it and they entered. "Safety at last!" The scientist sighed. There were assault rifles on a rack, one of which Sven took. The rifle had two triggers, the second was for an under-barrel grenade launcher. Sven took three grenades for it, as well as one hand grenade. He left the scientist to his own devices. > IV - Transit System > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sven trotted to a ledge of the storage facility where a tram stood on a rail. The console of the tram was sparking and the door opened and closed constantly. Sven stepped in and turned it on. It started to speed past, with the tram's announcements garbled out of recognition. "The Black Forest Research Facility is... Now under military control." It said after speeding through the end of it's announcements, changing it's voice deeper at 'Is'. The tram flew off the rails , plummeting into an abyss. Sven jumped out of the tram through the window. Glass sparkled as it flew through the air, following the impact. He was now hanging onto a ledge of a concrete platform by the forelegs. He clambered up onto the ground. A residential complex was ahead. A security guard trotted over to him. "Quite a fall there... You alright?" Sven was gasping for air. There were shards of glass in his white fur, soiled as well by the brown water from before. Among the various splotches on his coat were stains of blood and sickly green liquid. Sven nodded vaguely. He trotted toward the residential building. The security guard followed him. A Large corpse broke through the door, a parasite on their head. The guard opened fire with his pistol. It's lungs filled with blood as it lifted the guard by the neck. "Shit! Help me! P-please!" The guard begged Sven fired into the corpse's body. The monster threw the guard into the abyss. He screamed as he fell down, with an eventual crash. Sven aimed the assault rifle, aiming directly at the parasite. The monster reached a gnarled hoof at him, when Sven opened fire into it's head. The muzzle flash lit up the otherwise dark room, along with the smell of gunpowder. He emptied a clip into the beast's head. It slumped forward and fell on the ground. He trotted into the residential area. > V - Residential Area > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sven trotted through the residential buildings doors, a hole busted through them. He cantered up some stairs, flight after flight. Someone's quivering breath was barely audible. "H-help..." They said quietly. Sven reloaded his assault rifle, then opened the door from which it was originating. A large section of marble counter was crushing the abdomen of somepony he recognized. Her eyes lit up as she saw him. Her fur was a natural light blue. Her snout bled down her chin. "Sven... Help." Sven's wife, Moonlight asked, short of breath. Sven lifted the counter segment off of her through sheer adrenaline. Her body was nearly flat and blood had pooled under her. "Sven... Please... O-our... Our child... Anton... Where is he?" Sven was at a loss of words. He touched his hoof with hers and eventually took her foreleg into both his hooves. He looked into her deep blue eyes. "D-don't worry... About me." She asked of him, wincing. She closed her eyes slowly, weary of this world. She slowly stopped breathing. Sven sat with her for a minute, thinking of what he had said to her but a few months ago. "Black Forest is completely safe, I promise you. And Anton will get along just fine with the other families." Sven had said. "Daddy... Are there going to be any other colts like me there?" Anton had asked him with hope in his grey eyes. Anton's fur had been washed, since they were going to meet Sven's administrator. Sven hesitated for a second, looking at Moonlight, then Anton. "I'm certain." Moonlight had looked faintly concerned. "Are you sure?" She had asked him quietly, so that Anton couldn't hear them. Sven had quickly nodded. Sven's mind returned to the matters at hand. He knew he had to carry on. Sven slowly got up. He looked around. The room was destroyed, the counter was completely ripped apart, chairs and tables were split in half, and splinters were lying everywhere. A body fell from a hole in the ceiling, limp on the floor of the room. He made himself a vow to find his son. He went through the door and up the stairs. He found his son, a mere colt in the corner of the room, dead. There was a gunshot wound in his head and tears had stuck to the fur on his face. The boy's eyes were wide, the pupils small. He was far too young to die. He was only five years old. He looked up at something he couldn't see. What had they done? Who caused this tragedy? Where stallion kills stallion and stallion kills colt? Where a stallion could shoot Celestia herself and nopony would say a word? Sven shed a tear. His heart quickly swelled with wrath. A marine's radio was giving off static. Sven put a grenade in the launcher under his rifle's barrel. He calmed his mind. Three soldiers stood in front of a radio, a large gap in the floor in between them and Sven. Sven took a galloping jump, skidding, and firing an entire clip. Five soldiers rushed downstairs from the top floor. "You guys alright down here-" One started. Sven jumped over the hole, bucking one into the wall. He galloped down the stairs, pointing his rifle upwards and firing a grenade. Bloody chunks of equine rolled down the stairs. He climbed to the top and out a door into the Black Forest Woods. Sven darted behind a tree as six soldiers patrolled past him. The stallion he saw in the test chamber galloped past them, firing a shotgun into the chests of two of them. The other four chased him. "Squad! Neutralize Sparks!" One shouted. Sven took this as a chance and galloped the other way into a dark parking lot. A flaming car was the only light source in the area. He hid behind the car, since a tank and two emplacement guns rested behind sandbags. Soldiers were manning the gun and most wielded assault rifles. > VI - Security Complex > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "We've got a new major target. All units, if you see a moose, kill him. His name is Sven Hjaldr." A voice rang from their radio. "Got it, Coporal." Someone responded. Sven jumped from behind the car and fired a grenade. It detonated, killing a few soldiers. "Shit!" A soldier hollered. Sven jumped back behind the car. The emplacement gun began barking as high caliber bullets broke through the windows and wedged themselves into the car doors. The tank began to move forward, the wheels squeaking and the motor roaring. It turned it's turret toward the car. It fired. Sven dashed for another car as the shell exploded, lighting the room up as if it were daylight for mere seconds and destroying the flaming vehicle. The parking lot was now pitch black. Sven pulled the pin of a grenade and threw it into the open hatch of the tank. It's turret turned toward him as the grenade detonated with a flash, setting the tank ablaze. "Holy-!" Sven fired several clips into the soldiers, reloading furiously. "M-medic..." One gasped, before falling to the ground. Sven trotted behind the sandbags and took some clips for his rifle. He found a .357 magnum in a holster and picked them up, strapping the holster to his leg. He galloped through the security complex, exiting into the forest once more. > VII - Combatants > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was night and there were no stars in the sky. The forest was densely wooded, and going right led down a large hill. Radio static was barely audible from behind a large tree. "Yes sir. We've eliminated seventeen members of the science team. Most names we couldn't obtain, but we've neutralized Smith, Egon, Johnson, and Manson. Sparks, Freemane, and Hjaldr are still alive." A soldier reported into the radio. Sven stepped on a twig and a crow flew away. Sven could see the soldier in a tight space between two trees. He darted his head toward Sven. "We've got Bogeys!" Sven opened fire into the soldier's head. The trees were filled with bullets, some penetrating the tree and flying past Sven. A grenade was tossed through the trees. Sven galloped down the hill, through the trees. Bullets flew past his head. A machine gun behind sand bags lay at the end of the hill. It opened fire, hitting the soldiers. The red armored stallion was manning it. Sven jumped behind the sand bags. "Glad to see another of my colleagues." The stallion commented. Sven looked at him in confusion. "Ace Sparks." Ace introduced, assuming what Sven was asking. Sven was completely taken aback by Ace's attitude towards the situation. Something whistled through the air. The whistling turned into a short-lived screech as it hit the ground and exploded. "Run!" Ace shouted. More shells hit the ground and exploded. Sven followed Ace as they dodged and weaved through the trees. A screeching noise hung in the air. Ace had galloped far away from Sven, not noticing he was gone. A yellow beam shot from a manta ray-like alien, hitting the tree in front of Sven, blowing it into splinters. The splinters stopped dead in front of Sven, floating in the air as the world faded to black. > VIII - Void > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A door colored pure black opened out from Sven's vision of black, and a white light shone from it. A stallion in a blue suit trotted to him. The splinters still floated centimeters from Sven's head. "Well, it looks like I've come... Just in time. I've confiscated your weapons. I... find you've done an... Outstanding job. I would like to give you a choice... Either you can be put back into Black forest, where you will be killed by those spliners in front of you," The suited stallion said as he took a splinter and observed it delicately. "Or... You can go into the portal and work for me. Choose... Quickly." Sven walked into the rift, suddenly floating through time. SUBJECT: SVEN HJALDR STATUS: RE-EMPLOYED ADDITIONAL NOTES: RESCUED BY G-PONY