> My little Dead Space: Friendship is engineering.
>  by Shadowstalker
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Reunion.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A lone gunship rocketing through space, only four people aboard. All of them survivors of a previous nightmare.

Only now, they were in trouble yet again.

The ship had been attacked, now it was plummeting towards the planet Tau Volantis. Where, they all had been going to destroy the black Marker.

"Were coming in too hot!" Isaac said worriedly as the windows cracked and flame surrounded the edges. "Give me a course correction!" He yelled at the man behind Ellie.

"The plates are shaking loose." Ellie said as they hit turbulence.

"Were dropping like a rock!" She said as they entered atmosphere.

The windows burst open; the side of the ship punctured and made the other half break off. Ellie went out too, screaming, a look of horror on her face.

"Ellie!" Isaac yelled trying to grab her.

He looked forward right before the crash, and an icy slumber.


Ponyville. Sweetapple acres.


"Ah'm so excited! Babs is coming over!" Applebloom said, smiling widely, bending her scar into a half-ring.

"Now settle down," Applejack said. "Ya still have to go camping with your friends, remember?"

"Oh yeah." She said. "Thanks, we'll make sure to be careful. Always stay near the edge of town and never leave out tents at night."

"Good, now why don't ya go? The others are waitin'." Applejack shooed her little sister away as she smiled warmly.

Applebloom said a quick 'goodbye' and left out the door.

At the front gate to the orchard, Sweetiebelle and Scootaloo, were waiting.

"Hey girls. Ah'm ready." Applebloom said.

"About time, these suits don't have any ventilation..." Scootaloo said motioning to her CEC engineer suit. "And they're tight around my flank."

"Maybe it was all those mice souls you ate yesterday." Sweetiebelle teased.

"Very funny," Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "Do we need anything else? Like anything from the clubhouse?"

"Uh," Sweetiebelle said, blushing. "I think I forgot the map."

Applebloom and Scootaloo face-hooved, their boots leaving small marks between their eyes.

"I'll just teleport us." Scootaloo groaned.

She grabbed her friends, swapped her wings for a horn and disappeared in a flash of light.

They re-appeared in front of the club house. A singed ring around them.

"I'll be right out." Sweetiebelle said going up the ramp.

Her friends watched her go in, and saw her come out with a shocked expression.

"Uh, girls. Did we leave a suit in here?" She asked.

"We only have three." Applebloom said. "How can there be another?"

"There's another one up here, a human sized one. Could you two come up here?" She asked going back in.

They shrugged and went up the ramp. What they saw made them stop in their tracks.

A suit was lying against the wall. It had black armor, red lights, a Pulse rifle and a strange fur around the collar.

"Who's suit do you think it is?" Applebloom asked.

"I think a better question would be; where is the owner?" Sweetiebelle said.

"I-I think I see something around its neck." Scootaloo said. "Maybe it’s a tag?" She reached out.

She didn't notice the lights grow brighter as she did, or even the temperature drop. Her friends tried to stop her, but she had already touched the suit.

In a flash of light, they were gone.


Manehatten. Apartment 117.


"Are you all ready dear?" Apple Thorn asked her daughter.

"Yeah I'm ready." Babs seed smiled back. "I'll be back before ya know it." She nuzzled her mother before going out the door.

She hurried across the street, the cool morning air fresh against her coat. She trotted own the sidewalk, humming to herself as she went. Or, atleast, until she spotted something in an alleyway.

Curious she went over. She could make out a few red lights in it, just sticking out in the darkness. She went in and looked around.

"Nothing but trashcans and garbage," She huffed. She looked ahead and saw the lights. "And that. Whatever it is?" She blew her hair out of her eye and continued forward.

She got to its boots and stopped, staring, mesmerized.

It was black, had a small bit of fur and had red light's coming from its face. If that was its face she was staring at.

"Hello? Anypony home?" She waved a hoof in front of it.

Nothing.

"What is this thing?" She asked herself.

She looked at it and saw it wasn't even flesh or fur she was looking at, it was metal.

Curious, she reached out with a hoof and touched he boot.

She only had time for her eyes to widen before she disappeared.


Tau Volantis.


Isaac awoke groggily and cold. Frozen blood on the side of his face as he fell to the ground.

He looked around and saw only snow, but for the briefest second, a flash of light. He dismissed it but saw another. Now he went forward, his steps heavy in the snow and from exhaustion.

As he went he called out to Ellie. In moments, he saw three shapes or maybe it was one large one, he couldn't tell.

As he approached, he could make out ears, a horn and hooves.

"Hooves? A horn?" He asked himself, and then it hit him. "Sweetiebelle! Applebloom! Scootaloo!" He called out, running now.

The shapes turned to him and began running.

In seconds they all met, the crusaders tackling Isaac to the ground while saying in-coherent greetings.

"Calm down! Calm down!" He laughed. "I'm happy to see you too!"

They got off and smiled brightly under their helmets.

"How did you all get here? Why are you here?" He asked.

"Oh," Sweetiebelle said. "We found a human suit and when Scootaloo touched it we disappeared and now we're here. Wherever here is...?"

"Well," Applebloom said. "What's going on right now? Why are ya here?"

"I’m here to destroy the black Marker. The source, but, I need to find-"

"H-Hello? Anypony out here? H-Help!" Called a voice.

"Babs seed!" The crusaders yelled. "Over here! Follow the light!"

Sweetiebelle charged her horn and let the light shine.

Soon, a figure came from a wall of snow, cold and snow covered. Her orange coat showing slightly through it.

"Hey cousin!" She greeted. "A bit nippy out, isn't it?" She joked. "I'm so cold..."

"Babs! How did ya get here! Wait, you need a suit! Here, take mine." Applebloom was slipping out of her suit, but Sweetiebelle had already handed hers to Babs.

"T-thanks, but won’t you freeze?” She asked.

"Don't worry about me." Sweetiebelle said. "You were turning blue!"

Babs nodded and turned to Isaac.

"So, what are you?" She asked.

"Your cousin’s friend," he stuck out a hand. "Isaac Clarke."

She shook it, looking strangely at his fingers.

"Babs seed. So, where are we?"

Before he could answer, his radio flickered on. It was a man, thin, white, bald, but had a greying handle-bar mustache.

"Listen, to anyone who can here this. Get off the planet!" He said, terror showing in his blue eyes. "These things won’t stop! They won’t stop until were all dead!" Roars were head and in a second, a blade went through his chest and after, a Slasher knocked out the camera, but not before they all saw it.

"W-What was that?" Babs Seed asked, horrified.

"Necromorph's..." Applebloom groaned.

"W-What?" She turned to her. "What’s a Necromorph?"

"A twisted life after death." She said. She opened her inventory and took out her Plasma cutter. "It seems we landed in another outbreak."

"A-Another? You were in one before?" She asked surprised.

"They were in the second." Isaac said. "I was in the first and fought alongside these three in the second. Now," he took out his Plasma cutter and threw it to her. "Now, were all in this one."

"I-I think I'm going to pass-" Her eyes rolled up in her head before she passed out.

"Ah have a lot of explaining to do." Applebloom sighed.

"We are too." Scotoaloo and Sweetiebelle said, glancing nervously at each other.

"How well do you think she'll take having a near psychotic cousin, a supernatural pegasus that eats the souls of Necromrophs and animals and the hybrid which can grow even larger than most buildings?" Isaac said.

"Not good." Applebloom said, putting Babs on her back. "Not good at all."
> The famiy psycho, her hybrid friend and the living legend.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ellie!" They all called out through the snow.

They had passed the ship wreckage, Babs Seed still passed out on her cousin's back.

"Isaac," Scootaloo panted. "I don't think she's over here. We've been calling out for who knows how long."

"Fine." He grunted. "I guess you’re right. She would have responded if she was." He said walking through the snow as the others had slight trouble going through it.

"So, what was that bout' the source?" Applebloom asked.

"Oh, me, Ellie and the guards found the source of all the Markers. The black Marker. It was the original, the one that should be connected to the others. So, destroy that, we destroy the other Markers."

"All of them?" sweetiebelle asked. "What about a Marker made from magic?"

"Made from..." he stopped and looked at her. "You didn't."

"My magic just took control! I swear!" She said. "But, it's not like the other ones. It's a good Marker."

"Good Marker. Yeah." He scoffed. "How many of you did it make go crazy the fastest?"

"I'm serious!" She said angrily. "It helped me when I beat the Ubermorph!"

"That thing followed you back?" He asked worriedly. "It didn't hurt anyone, did it?"

"No, Sweetiebelle ate it." Applebloom said. "We even got our own organization and a window in the throne room!"

"An organization? You three? Oh god, what sort of chaos did you three cause?" He laughed.

"The E.E.B." Scootaloo said. 

"Equestrian."  Sweetiebelle said. 

"Engineering." Applebloom

"Bureau" Scootaloo finished.

"Do you have to say it like that?" He looked ahead and made out a fence coming up. "Hang on, were near some sort of building or structure. How are you three... or four, doing?"

"I'm fine. It's hard to see though." Scootaloo said.

"Ah can't see and ah'm cold." Applebloom grunted.

"I feel fine." Sweetiebelle said.

They all, minus Babs, stared at her before continuing on.

The gate was merely a crossing of straps, but it served its purpose. Small rocky cliffs jutted out to the right while a trailer was coming up from the left.

"We’ll have a little more cover over there." Isaac said moving toward safety.

And before he went in, a hooded figure came out dual wielding a pair of axes.

"Holy shit!" Isaac yelled as he held the blades back. "Get off!" With a final shove, he kicked it away before taking its arms off.

Only for the upper part to fall away, leaving three tentacles.

Before they could arch back and fire a set of barbs, they were cut off by a blast from Applebloom's Line gun.

"You still have all of your weapons?" He asked. "I would have thought your parents or whoever would have taken them."

"They wouldn't dare." Scootaloo said. "They'd have to go through us to get them. That and we practically have an entire armory of weapons."

"Damn. Where did you get all the stuff for that?" He asked peering inside. "Answer later; we should go before more of them show up."

"So Isaac," Sweetiebelle said. "What kind of weapon is that? Is it a new brand of automatic or Force gun?"

"It's both. I learned a few tricks over the last month. Including how to combine two weapons."

She thought about that while looking around.

They were in a trailer by the looks of it. The walls were riddled with holes, rock began to pour in and soon the only light was from behind them or ahead.

"I hate caves." Scootaloo said. "Stupid nightmares."

"What... what's the big idea? Put me down." Babs muttered rolling of Applebloom's back. "Weird." She shook her head and saw her cousin looking at her guiltily. "It wasn't a nightmare, was it?"

"Ah'm afraid not." Applebloom said. "Ah'm sure we won't run into anymore Necromorph's on the way."

A Waster jumped up from its back and started toward Sweetiebelle. It was followed by two more.

Applebloom fired another shot from her Line gun, severing the first in half before freezing it in stasis.

"Babs, get behind me and close ya eyes until ah say so." Applebloom said.

Babs did, but still saw a glance of when the Waster's upper torso fell off and three tentacles came out.

"Why does the universe hate me!?" Isaac yelled as it emptied a round of bullets into the other Waster's. They both turned to him. "Oh fuck my life."

Scootaloo grabbed both of them, quickly brought them over and had them face her. They writhed and squirmed as they felt their very essence torn away, leaving them as empty shells. She let go and they both stood in attention.

"Babs, ya can look now." Applebloom said.

She looked up and saw the two Waster's facing away, staring at the wall.

"Why aren't they trying to kill us?" Babs said staring at the two Necromorph's. "Aren’t any of you gonna, you know."

"About that..." Scootaloo said.

The two Waster's turned around their yellow eyes looking directly at her.

"K-Keep them away!" Babs said erratically backing away.

She bumped into the wall but watched as one of the Waster retrieved a back pack from a corner and put it on the other. She started to freak out when the pack-less one came towards her, arms open, axes still in it's hands.

"Applebloom! Get that thing!" She yelled. She froze when it picked her up, clenching her eyes shut she waited for the blades to cut into her at any moment.

Only, she found a slight warmth around her.

She opened her eyes and saw she was in the back pack of the Waster. She looked at her friends, Isaac was just staring outside, her cousin gave a small nervous smile, Sweetiebelle was whistling a small tune and Scootaloo was looking at her.

Only, she had no eyes.

"Applebloom... why does Scoot's not have any eyes." Babs pointed a shaky hoof at the small pegasus as she changed into a tall, white coated face-less legend.

"Bab's..." Applebloom started. "We need to catch up on a few things. Now."

"L-Like that?" She looked back over at Slenderloo.

"Yeah... Babs, we all have our secrets now. Ah think ah'll start."

"You’re not gonna turn into anything are ya?" Babs asked slinking further into the pack.

"No, but ah have a split personality." Applebloom said. "When ma'h friends get hurt, ah sorta... blackout."

"Blackout? What's supposed that mean?"

"She loses all memory of a fight and completely goes berserk." Sweetiebelle explained. "She's taken on entire hordes and won without a scratch."

"Bloom, is that true?" Babs asked.

Applebloom gave a stiff nod, lowering her head to let a few tears fall freely.

"W-What about you?" She turned to Sweetiebelle, blowing her hair out of her eye.

"I'm a hybrid. I'm half Necromorph and half unicorn."

"But she's completely fluffy." Isaac said laughing. "I wish I had a pillow to sleep on before the ship blew up."

"A-and your..." Babs trailed off as she looked at Slenderloo.

Slenderloo was getting scratched behind the ear, very carefully with her second Waster's snow axe. She saw Bab's staring and politely coughed into her hoof.

“I’m a slenderpony. An no, it’s a family name. And no again, my dad is going vegetarian. He seems to like animal souls better than pony souls. And yes, I’m also a vegetarian.”

"Some things never change." Isaac snickered. "Don't worry Babs, as long as you’re with us, you'll have nothing to worry about. Mainly if you stick with them, I'm more of a hammer." He glared at Slenderloo as she shrugged her wings.

"Come on, the sooner we get going, the sooner we can get inside an actual building." Sweetiebelle said. "Let's try that latter over there." She trotted briskly over to the latter and climbed up, one rung at a time.

Literally, she had to stand on an individual rung to get to the next.

Isaac shook his head and helped Applebloom up and went up himself before the two Waster's climbed up, followed by their master.

The wind up above was even worse; all of them except the Waster's had trouble keeping their balance. When they stepped onto another platform, it gave a groan before shaking.

"Careful where you step." Isaac said going forward.

They all went along a small ridge, the bottom shrouded by snow. When they stepped onto an area next to a crane, the rock gave out and they all went tumbling down.

Isaac grabbed onto the side, Scootaloo carrying her friends while the Waster's hung on by their axes.

"You all go ahead!" Isaac yelled. "I'll catch up!" He climbed onto the treads, watching them leave out of the corner of his eye.

He grabbed the door handle, opened it and swung back as a body came rolling out. 

He climbed up, further still as the machine rocked and forced him back slightly. He hung onto a lever and reached for the other door handle.

He rammed into the door, shattering the glass. It budged slightly but didn't open. He did it again and the same result. With a grunt and a third push, the door came open and he crawled onto the side. Jumped and landed on the other side of the cliffs.

"Bout' time ya got here." Applebloom said. "We were freezing our tails off."

"I almost die and this is what I get." He sighed in his hand.

"It's not the first time." Sweetiebelle said.

"And it won't be the last." Scootaloo added.

"Gee, thanks. I feel so loved." He rolled his eyes behind his face-plate.

As they walked, Babs relaxed slightly. Looking out over the ridge, her eyes widened.

A large mountain, with a single arch and a wave like patter jutted out from the flat land. All the rock faced only one way, each tip ending in a round or very sharp point. The system's sun shining through the arch, illuminating a closer planet around the edge. And down below, sat a large facility, with no visible signs of life.

The Waster's kept walking, obscuring her vision as they entered a cave.

It got darker and darker until it was hard to see what was in front of what. The only light being cast out was from the groups helmet's or Sweetiebelle's horn.

They turned a corner and out from under a blanket of snow, jumped a Slasher.

Sweetiebelle screamed in surprise and shot a stray bolt of energy out. It ricocheted around the walls and ground, melting the snow and ice. The Necromorph stood there, watching them jump around to avoid the bolt.

Applebloom ducked under it before looking at Sweetiebelle, she caught her glance and gave an embarrassed smile.

"Scootaloo! Use your damn Necromorph's!" Isaac yelled.

The one carrying Babs Seed set her down; the bolt struck the strap leaving only a one strapped back pack.

The Slasher was moving forward but stopped in confusion when the Waster’s got in front of it from both sides. They stood, side by side, their yellow eyes staring at the confused Slasher. They were unmoving, both of them just staring down at it, their arms hanging limply next to them.

It never figured it out they were enemies before they brought their axes down on it. They forced it onto the ground where they began cutting chunks off.

Two more Slasher's came out, Scootaloo grabbed one and the other was about to Slasher her when Isaac jumped and dragged it down by its feet. He held its arms back and waited for Scootaloo to finish off the one she had.

"Here, let them." She said.

He let go as the two Waster's grabbed the Slasher by the arms. They forced it onto its knees and held its head level with hers.

Babs watched the whole thing in wonder and horror.

The red light's, the creature coming out from itself, and then the Waster's let it go. It stood up and got in row with its other three comrades.

"Hey... uh. Mind if I just walk?" Babs asked.

"Your choice kid." Isaac said. "Hey, Scootaloo, can I ride in the sack now?"

"No." She said bluntly.

"It was a joke. You need to lighten up; what's the-"

Sweetiebelle shut off his transmitter and waited for him to realize no one could hear him.

He stopped and crossed his arms, staring at Sweetiebelle. She turned his transmitter back on.

"The hell was that for?" He asked.

"Remember the last time somepony said that?" Applebloom asked. "Like when ah finished what Scootaloo said on the Sprawl?"

"I think I remember that. She was about to say what could go wrong?" He stopped as three of the crusaders glared. "Shit..."

They all huddled into a corner, all except Babs Seed who had jumped back into the sac and was peering out over the edge.

"Well look at that," Isaac said. "Nothing happened."

"Give it a minute." Applebloom said flatly.

"Well aren't you a big ball of joy. Can't we just enjoy the peace and quiet before having to go and face death defying odds?" Isaac said.

"Hey," Sweetiebelle said, ears perked up. "I hear somepony! They're down the tunnel!"

They all hurried down, slowing to a walk when they saw the exit.

They saw the facility from before, now up close, they saw a man up on a wall to the left.

He raised his gun at them before noticing the Necromorph's weren't attacking.

"Carver! Down here!" Isaac called out.

"Clarke!? How the hell-" He paused and looked out behind where he was at. "Never mind! Come on-" He paused again before lifting his gun. "Oh shit! Langford! Their coming over the outer wall!" He ran out of sight but his yelling could still be heard. "Do you hear me!? They're heading your way! Dammit! Were in central command! Get up here!"

As he finished, gunshots were the only noise before Slasher's appeared on the walkway.

"Come on!" Isaac yelled running towards a door to the right. "The generator to the lift should be in there."

He went in and saw the generator. He stuck out his palm and enveloped the motor in kinesis; it began to spin rapidly before lighting up.

He ran out and went onto the lift, the crusaders and the Necromorph's following shortly after.

Before they reached the top, something climbed onto the top, and tore open the top. A bony tentacle lashed out, bending one of the sides.

"Everyone jump!" Isaac yelled as him and the others quickly jumped over the rail with him.

They all rolled in the snow, looking back they all saw a large, but not giant Necromorph climb down after destroying the lift.

"Scootaloo, get the Necrmorph's to protect Babs. Isaac, you too!" Applebloom yelled.

He gave a salute, grabbed Babs and set her to the side, Necrmorph's surrounding her.

"Why aren't you helping them!?" She asked. "That thing will kill them!"

"That?" He half sputtered half scoffed. "Please, you don't know those three. That thing's nothing."

The Crusaders were at the ready, facing the creature.

It walked or scuttled would be the better word, on four legs. Two smaller ones underneath. Its mouth was split into four parts like a beetle. Its legs were covered in nets, axes, spears and the occasional body part.

Three tentacles came out of its back, all of them as thick as a man's arm with a yellow sac in the middle of each.

"Aim for the yellow!" Applebloom yelled firing away with her Pulse rifle.

Scootaloo was shooting Ripper blades at it, grabbing them with her tentacles as her faceless muzzle stared in concentration. She aimed for the eyes, but stopped and went for the tentacles again, sinking each one into a tentacle.  Sweetiebelle was sneaking behind it.

It charged forward and before it hit any of them, turned and went for Isaac and Babs Seed.

The Necrmorph's all jumped onto it, the Waster's hacking away the tentacles while the Slasher's cut its mouth to bits.

It grabbed the Waster's and threw them down before biting into the Slasher's, killing them. It raised up onto its back legs and pushed the front ones into the waster's, killing them.

It turned back to Isaac, who was shooting at it. It rose onto its back legs and opened its chest exposing a new set of tentacles.

One of them lashed out and struck Isaac, knocking him back towards Babs seed. She got behind him, looked at his face and saw him smirking as he wiped away a bit of blood.

Before Babs knew what happened next, her cousin was on top of the thing, firing away at the tentacles.

She had a maniacal grin, her eyes wide even though her brow was furrowed. And she was laughing.

She stared in horror at her cousin as she effortlessly fought it.

She grabbed onto a tentacle and held it down before firing her Line gun directly on its back. Cutting it from the base. It shook and threw her off. She tumbled and was pinned down when it knocked her down.

As it brought down a leg, it stopped. Looked up and saw Sweetiebelle's spinal tail hit it.

It went flying into the wall behind it. It got up and looked between her and the wall.

She had all of her weapons out. Her Stalker claws on her hooves, the Puker acid dripping out from her mandibles, the long teeth on her upper jaw, the collar of Lurker tentacles, the spinal tail, the Slasher blades standing on her back, the Drag tentacles waving around, her armored head and legs, her legs also sporting Cyst's and her bone pleated head with her horn raised on a Tripod stalk.

She was atleast eight times its size, just one of her hooves was as big as it was.

It fled quickly over the wall, knocking a part of the walkway down as it did.

They all watched it retreat, all of them careful before the crusaders turned back to Isaac and Babs Seed.

Her mouth was hanging open, her eyes were wide and red, she had her hooves over her ears as a few ice flakes came off from her fearful tears.

Applebloom slowly approached, careful to not upset her anymore.

"Babs? It's aright' now. It's gone. Babs?" She waved a hoof in front of Babs Seed’s face.

She remained still.

"I think you all broke her." Isaac said walking over.

"Babs...?" She poked her cousin and gasped, covering her muzzle with a hoof as her cousin fell backwards into the snow.

"Oh yeah, that's unfixable." Isaac said. "I'll get the back pack."
> Norton!? Wait... Who's Norton?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Alright, I got her. Now, we go up and meet our guests..." Isaac said, tightening the strap around his shoulder holding the shock-still Babs Seed. 'And Captain douche. He thought.

The crusaders went up the ramp, letting Isaac go ahead of them. Just to make sure the others don't overreact and shoot at them.

"Come on, we need to get you three some environmental suits... Along with my own so I don't freeze whatever I have off." Isaac said getting into the insulated, rotating doorway.

"Wow, look at this tech." Scootaloo said. "I think we should instal a few of these in the base, don't you Applebloom?" She looked over at her friend. "Applebloom? You alright?"

Applebloom was staring at her cousin, worry clear in her eyes. She sighed and shook her head.

Scootaloo nodded and remained quite while Sweetiebelle brushed some snow off herself.

The door spun open and Isaac peeked around the corners before exiting.

"There should be a lift to the right." He said, going in heavy strides.

Once him and the crusaders had made it on and began the descent, only then did Babs Seed start to move.

"Hey Applebloom, guess who's awake?" Isaac said, letting the orange pony out of the bag.

Babs Seed shook off some snow before looking around. Staring in wonder and fear at the new machines and electronics.

"So, AB," Babs started. "We gonna catch up or are you going to sulk?" She gave a small smile.

"Ah guess we can catch up." Applebloom looked up. "Anything ya want to know bout' this place? Were gonna be stuck here for a while."

"S-Sure... I got a few questions. So, who's the iron giant?" She nodded towards Isaac.

"I told you my name." He said indignantly. "Isaac Clarke."

"Alright, so, where are we going? Much less, where are we?"

"Were going to meet up with the rest of Isaac's group." Applebloom said. "The more guns the better. For survival." She shrugged.

Babs Seed nodded, licking her lips before falling to her knee's when the lift stopped.

"Alright, they should be in the building in front of us." Isaac said. He gave a sigh and continued on, the crusaders trailing behind.

They entered the small opening in the facility and crossed quickly, not wanting to freeze or have snow get in their helmets cracks and grooves, freezing over and causing gaps.

They all we once gain shrouded in warmth when they entered the circular door; Isaac and the others basking in it for a moment.

Once the door opened, Isaac had a weary look on his face, but kept a small smile when he approached the door.

"Alright, you four stay here until I say so." Isaac said. "That's an order." He shook a fist at them.

"No, were just going to go in." Scootaloo said. "And there's nothing you can do to-"

He shot a bolt of stasis at them and watched as they all blinked in surprise slowly. He turned on his heel and went past the door.

"Bout' time." Norton said.

"Isaac." Ellie said. She ran up to him, hugging him tightly. "Isaac! You made it!"

"Thank god..." She said quietly. "I knew you'd catch up..."

Norton looked at Isaac like a gorilla looking at a five-year old making faces at it through the glass at the zoo before speaking up.

"Good to see you made it, Isaac. You know, maybe give you two some time alone, huh?" He said sarcastically.

"Norton," Isaac said. "I wouldn't use that tone around me. Some very close friends of mine and Ellie's would not appreciate that." He said smirking, just now hearing the stasis wear off.

"The hell if I care what-" he was saying.

"I bet you thought that was real cute, didn't you!?" Scootaloo said angrily as she trotted in. "How about the next time, I put you in stasis and then throw you outside without a RIG?"

Everyone in the room, minus Isaac, was speechless.

"Oh Isaac, ah've got a pair of metal horseshoes with your flank's name on em'!" Applebloom said. "Uh, ah'm ah interruptin' something?" She asked.

Next Babs Seed and Sweetiebelle came out, Sweetiebelle looking around in bored interest while Babs stared at everything in wonder.

"Applebloom? Sweetiebelle? Scootaloo?" Ellie said in surprise. "What-how-why... How and why are you here?" She asked as she wrapped them in a hug. "And who's this? A new necro slayer or ear-shattering engineer?"

"That's ma'h cousin, Babs Seed." Applebloom said. "She's never even heard of what we did. This is all new." She whispered.

"Ok, would you mind telling me why the hell there are... Fucking horses here!?" Norton shouted. "And how the hell do you know them?"

"It's a long story." Ellie said. "Now, what were we discussing before the others got here?"

"Something about a machine." Carver said, walking up tot the crusaders. He looked at Applebloom the longest. "Nice scar." He smirked.

Apple bloom nodded before looking back to the adults.

"We were discussing how we need Isaac to to stop the machine," Ellie said. "But we don't know where the machine is."

"I do." Santos said. "I... I mean, I think I know how to find it. What... I've been digging through what's left of the research notes, and-"

"I thought all that stuff was destroyed?" Carver said.

"Well, computer data, yes. But the written logs discuss a signal-tracking experiment that pinpointed the machine's exact location! Well, I think if we can repeat it, we can do the Same!"

They're hopes rose.

"But..." And now they went down the shitter. "It's at the other end of the complex."

"Yeah! Fine, let's have a look. I could use a change of scenery." Norton said, deliberately hitting Isaac in the shoulder as he passed.

"He's an asshole, you know that?" Isaac said as Carver went past.

He wen't over to the table, idly inspecting a tree on it.

"Isaac, is there something wrong?" Sweetiebelle asked. "You seemed... Sad."

"That's because I am." He said. "You want to know why?"

"If you want to tell us." Scootaloo said.

"Well, it happened a few days ago, two, to be exact. Back in my apartment, in New Horizons, a city. A Unitologist activist decided to kill Earth Gov, release a Marker in the middle of the city by blowing up the testing chambers, commit genocide, Ellie saying we broke up and being forced to come here..." He looked at them "To know she's gone and all I'm here for is to destroy another Marker. It's frustrating."

"S-She broke up with you?" Sweetiebelle asked.

"That's what I said." He said, sternly. "I don't want to talk about it anymore. So, just do me a favor, and drop it. Please?"

They all nodded, Babs not understanding what exactly was going on.

They began the trot and walk towards the others, flinching momentarily when Ellie spoke up on the comms.

"Hey, wait for Isaac. Isaac, were outside."

As they entered the elevator, Norton spoke up.

"And were freezing. Hurry your ass up."

The comm was cut off and they were left with the only sound of Isaac's knuckles popping as he held his weapon tighter.

When the door opened and they stepped out, they were greeted by harsh sunlight and multiple labs and other buildings down below.

When they got to the others, Isaac and Norton glaring at each other, they began the trek across the bridge.

"Oh shit! God damn..." Isaac muttered.

"Everybody move!" Carver yelled as he ran with the other human's, leaving Isaac and the crusaders to be blown off the ramp by a missile.

They landed int the snow, all the crusaders laid out on Isaac. With a few groans they got up, Sweetiebelle looking a little green as she looked up.

"How the hell did Danik's men find us!?" Isaac yelled up.

"Come on! Come on! Run!" Norton said, getting the others to start to move.

"Ellie! Go! We'll meet up at the warehouse!" Isaac yelled as a unitologist ship flew over head.

It circled around and ropes dropped from the side followed by soldiers.

Isaac raised his gun and jumped behind a crate.

"Girls," he yelled, smiling. "Here's you official welcome to Tau Volantis! Now," He rose up and shot a soldier in the head. "Get your weapons out and mow em' down!"

Babs watched as her cousin and her friends took out they're weapons. She ran behind a crate and closed her eyes, and covered her ears with her hooves, knowing what was coming next.
> First blood, second serve.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Babs Seed flinched as the hail of bullets and plasma started to fly.

She could feel every shot's vibration through the crate as it was hit. Slowly, as her ears adjusted, she let her hooves down and peeked out from a corner.

Her eyes widened as she saw her cousin and Isaac advance to another crate, closer to the soldiers shooting at them.

Applebloom reloaded her Line gun and peeked out from behind a corner, when she did, a bullet nearly went through her head. She had a clear look of disgust, sadness and anger.

But no fear.

She rolled out from cover and fired a few shots out before running back beside Isaac.

"Grenade out!"  A soldier yelled.

He threw a bright red light into the air, Applebloom turned a corner and began firing. Isaac jumped up and grabbed the light in a white light before making it go flying back to it's pitcher.

Parts went flying, the gun going overhead, landing by the crate Babs was at. She jumped before snatching the bloody weapon, shivering from fear. She jumped when she felt a hoof on her shoulder but relaxed to see it was only Scootaloo.

"You alright!?" Scootaloo yelled over the gunfire.

"I don't know!" She yelled back, watching a bullet fly between a crack in the crate.

"Yeah you are!" Scootaloo laughed. "Your alive, aren't you!?"

'How can she be laughing at a time like this!?' Babs thought.

Isaac and Applebloom jumped back over the crate, both breathing heavily. Applebloom had a trickle of blood running down her left hind leg.

"Applebloom! What happened!?" Babs Seed asked.

"One of em' got lucky and snuck up behind me!" She winced, putting a hoof to the wound. "Ah think ma'h leg might be broken!"

"You sure it's not a twisted ankle!?" Isaac smirked.

She pointed her own gun at his ankle. Her remained silent but still had a smile.

"Scootaloo! Think you can provide some cover while Sweetiebelle takes care of them!?" Isaac yelled. "Come on! My grandmother shoots better than you!" He yelled at the soldiers.

Scootaloo was crouched down as she changed, not wanting to get hit. When she finished, she let her wings fold inward, and letting a horn sprout from her head. In a flash she was gone and reappeared in front of the soldiers.

"Hold you fire! Hold you fire!" One of them yelled.

The silence was instantaneous. Every soldier now had their sights on Slenderloo, watching as she stared at them, her tentacles moving around in the air.

Her horn lit up, and before the soldiers could pull the triggers, they dropped the guns. The metal on the grips glowing a faint red, making the snow sizzle when they hit the ground.

"Sweetiebelle, you can come out now." Scootaloo said. "And finish them off quickly, we don't want Isaac, Applebloom or Babs Seed to freeze."

The soldiers, some of them holding grenades, others knives watched as Sweetiebelle pranced out from behind the crate, smiling  as she stopped in front of Slenderloo.

"Now isn't that just adorable." A soldier said. "I say, we leave Clarke and let him take care of them."

There were nods of agreement, mostly because they didn't want to make Slenderloo mad.

Isaac raised his head out from above the crate, his expression of confusion while he cradled Applebloom in one arm and held his gun in the other.

"Are you guys serious?" He asked.

"Well, yeah." One said, holding a knife. "We don't even like being soldiers. We just want to go back to the church. And besides," he walked up to Sweetiebelle, she narrowed her eyes but relaxed slightly when he just ruffled her mane. "How could we try and fight something this adorable?"

"So, your letting us go? We can just walk away?" Isaac asked. "Aren't you worried about the Marker? Like, if I destroy it?"

"You have a point... But, is it really worth dying for?" He asked. "We do worship the Markers and if you destroy it, then we'll still have to kill you."

"Hey, I have a solution to both of our problems." Sweetiebelle spoke up. "Why not worship the good Marker?"

"Good Marker?" The soldiers asked. "What's that?"

"The white Marker. Scootaloo, show them."

Scootaloo nodded before her suit began a small projection on a barricade. The soldiers watched in curiosity and wonder as a paicture of the white Marker appeared, Sweetiebelle, Applebloom and Scootaloo below. Their names on the pedestal the Marker was on.

"What makes that one different from the rest?" The first soldier asked.

"It doesn't cause dementia, it  doesn't make Necromorph's and its made from pure magic. It's even helped cure some of the psych patients at the hospital." Sweetiebelle said. "Doesn't that sound better than worshiping the other Markers? The ones that want nothing but to kill you and turn you against each other?"

"Yeah, she's right!" Another soldier spoke up. "Screw Danik and his un-holy Markers! All praise the White Marker! And it's creators!"

"Praise Sweetiebelle, Scootaloo, and Applebloom!" They all yelled.

There were cheers of praise and the group quickly crawled back up the ropes of the ship. One soldier remained patiently.

"If you ever need us, just give is a call." He said, leaning down to Sweetiebelle. "Well be in orbit while we send out the message of the true Marker."

"Well keep that in mind." She smiled.

He gave a salute and ran back to the ship, climbed the rope and shut the hatch. Once the hatch was closed, the ship started to fly away.

Isaac and the others just stood there, staring.

"Did... Did we just win?" Applebloom asked.

"I Guess?" Isaac said. "Um, lets go before some heartless soldiers come along."

They quickly and nervously made their way into the doorway ahead, passing over some of the bodies.

Once inside the insulated doorway, Ellie spoke up.

"Where did they come from?"

"They must have tailed us here!" Norton said.

"That's impossible! Not through Shockspace!"

"Yeah? Well, they did!" He shot back.

"Ellie, can you make it to the warehouse?" Isaac asked, ignoring Norton.

"Oh god, here they come!" She said, panic in her voice.

The link cut off, Isaac looking around before noticing the other door.

He hurried over, letting the others through before letting it spin and stop.

"Isaac, ah'm startin' to feel light headed." Applebloom said. "And tell the Isaac's on the sides to stop movin' so much! It's hurtin' ma'h head."

"Applebloom, your experiencing blood loss." Isaac said. "In order to slow the bleeding, you'll have to be unconscious. Do you give me permission to knock you out?"

She looked at him, eyes crossed in a serious expression before touching his helmet and giggling.

He sighed before forcefully headbutting her. She blinked once before her head slumped onto his shoulder. He looked down at the others, they looked back in shock.

"Hey, the bleeding slowed, didn't it?"

Scootaloo and Sweetiebelle face-hoofed while Babs just shook her head.

The elevator opened and they quickly ran to the lift nearest to them. Danik speaking on the comms

"Collin, get your guys over here, he's this way!"

"Screw you and your un-holy abominations!" The soldier from earlier said.  "Me and nearly every other Unitologist has seen the true Marker. The white Marker! We have seen the peace bringer, and it's creators! Were done working for you Danik! We follow the creators now! Every follower you had, aside from the small groups still on the planet, are converging here to rid the universe of your mis-deeds!"

"Wha-you! How dare you! You traitors! You have been corrupted, fooled by Clarke I bet!" Danik yelled. "I will kill him and this so called, 'white Marker' And then I'll go after the creators! You will rue the day you crossed me!"

The link shut off, leaving Isaac and the crusaders, minus Applebloom, smiling in surprise.

"They really like us?" Scootaloo said. "I-I've never felt so cared bout in my entire five-hundred years..." She started to sniffle, tears freezing on her cheeks. "And... Today was my birthday, so it's actually my five-hundred and one years..."

"And me without a present." Isaac said. "I guess I'll have to improvise by saving your still bleeding friend here."

Scootaloo shook off the tears and followed the others on the lift.

On a bridge above, Ellie and the others were running across, Carver yelling about the soldiers as they disappeared from sight.

Isaac and the others watched as a few shots were fired at them from below; Unitologist's were getting behind crates for cover as Sweetiebelle fired at them with magic.

Once the lift had stopped, they ran off quickly and Isaac was thrown to the ground by a rocket flying into the wall behind them.

"Ooh... Look at the pretty birds." He chuckled before his head fell back against the crate. 

Scootaloo face-hoofed.

"Sweetiebelle, you go under them and attack from the back. Me and Babs will attack from the front, drawing their attention. Got it?"

Sweetiebelle took out a small pair of Stalker claws and jumped down past the bridge.

"You want me to kill them!?" Babs Seed asked. "I-I can't murder another pony!"

Another rocket flew overhead, showering them in snow and rock dust.

"If you don't they could end up taking out the wall and killing Isaac and Applebloom!" She yelled. "You need to learn how to survive or else you will die." Scootaloo poked her in the chest, eyes narrowed.

"A-Alright... H-How does this thing work?" Babs turned the gun around in her hooves.

"See the curved bit right there?" Scootaloo asked, looking past the crate to see the hole below the Unitologist's Sweetieblle had made.

"Yeah, what do I do?" Babs asked.

"Aim the front end of the gun at their bodies and pull it back. But be careful, it has a strong kick-back."

"Which parts the front?"

"See the narrow part your pointing at the ground?"

"Yeah."

"That's the front. Now fire!"

Scootaloo shoved her Flame thrower around the corner and shot an explosive canister out. Two soldiers were thrown away, burning alive.

Babs heart was racing, a million thought's going through her mind.

When a bullet shot through the crack again, she muttered a silent prayer and pointed the gun around the corner.

She had a soldier in her sight's, he didn't see her and she fired. The kick-back was instantaneous, the gun slung back roughly against her shoulder, but she still held it forward. When the gun clicked empty, she saw the soldier was gone from sight, along with the two others that had been next to him.

Before she could ask what to do next, the rock behind what Unitologist's exploded up; they all jumped before turning to it.

Sweetiebelle stood at her full height, moving the rock to the sides so she could fit in the narrow crack.

They all began to fire, the bullets bouncing off the Tormentor armor she had 'borrowed' after killing the Tormentor on Titan Station.

She left a clawed hoof and brought it down in one motion, crushing three of them. One only stood there, shaking. She leaned down to him, mandibles clicking together in thought of how to kill him.

He fumbled with a ammo clip, he dropped it in the snow and jumped back when she gave a snort. He threw his gun down and began to run when he saw her horn light up.

She gave a roar, letting it echo across the frozen wastes. Shaking snow from cliffs and mountain tops, ice shattered into small shards. It died down in her throat and she stood there, looking at Scootaloo, Babs Seed and Isaac, with Applebloom laying on his chest.

"You wouldn't mind carrying Isaac, would you?" Scootaloo asked.

Sweetiebelle's horn lit up again and the unconscious Isaac was set on her back. She held him with a few Lurker tentacles and climbed up over the short cliff, letting Scootaloo and Babs Seed cross the hole.

"Girls! I'm awake!" Isaac yelled. "And why am I strapped to Sweeetiebelle?" He asked.

"How are you awake? You got knocked out just a few minutes ago?" Scootaloo asked as Sweetiebelle shook him off.

"I've taken worse hits." He said. "I did crash into a cliff not some time ago, if you reccal." He looked around and saw the bodies. "You three did a number on these guys; what's wrong with Babs?"

Babs was shaking, her eyes staring at the ground, the gun hanging limply in her hoof.

"She's never had to kill before. She took out three guys in one clip." Scootaloo said.

"I'll talk to her later, when were inside." He said. "Why don't you go and explore Sweetiebelle? Make sure no more of the soldiers try and interrupt us?"

She gave a nod before laying atop the cliff, resting her head on her fore-legs as she watched over them and behind them.

Isaac picked up Applebloom and carried her to the door ahead, stepping over some charred remains. Babs Seed followed closely, eyes shut tight.

Once they were in the doorway, Applebloom began to stir.

She blinked once before her head went limp again, now hanging back at an angle. Isaac nudged her head back onto his shoulder and the door opened, not a moment after, Isaac spoke up on the comm.

"Ellie, everyone alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, were safe." She said.

"We are anything but safe!" Norton interrupted. "They're after Isaac, and were getting caught in the crossfire!"

"Actually Norton, I have some good news about that." Isaac said smugly.

"And what would that be? That, they're suddenly following you know? Or those little horses?"

"Yes actually, they think Sweetiebele, Applebloom, and Scootaloo are actual gods. They're partial true, Scootaloo is immortal. And it's not just that small group, nearly every Unitologist, aside from the few dozen still here. Have joined the new found religion. So, we actually have our own army. Anything to report, captain?"

There was the sound of ragged breathing, and a gasp.

"That's what I thought. Oh, and that roar earlier was Sweetiebelle. Did I mention she's a hybrid that can create Markers from magic?"

Norton then fell to the floor, clutching his chest and head as he processed the information. he slowly got up again, controlling his breathing

"Look!" Jennifer Santos said. "The warehouse! The signal tracking experiment should be inside!"

"You're not worth this much trouble Clarke." Norton said, cutting the comm.

"Prick." Isaac muttered, laying Applebloom down on a crate.

"I can't believe I... I still can't believe I did that..." Babs Seed said, shaking her head slowly.

"Babs," Isaac sat down next to her a sad smile on his face. "It's alright. You did what you had to do. You were just protecting us."

"B-But I killed... I murdered-"

"No one." He said. "Listen, I get how your feeling. Back on the Ishimura, the first outbreak I was on... I had to cut and dismember my way through the ship... And for what?" He gave a hollow laugh. "Just to find out I was betrayed by a friend, knowing I killed my friends on there, to know I was just some pawn in a game... And at the end of it all, knowing I had won for that small moment.." He shook his head, licking his lips before continuing. "I lost my girlfriend. Nicole. Even today, I'm not sure if her body was laying somewhere or if I ended up killing her too."

"B-But... How can you just shoot them?"

"With a gun." He smiled.

She snickered a little before glaring slightly.

"But how? How can you just kill somepony like that; without a second thought? Knowing they could have families." She asked, eyes switching back to the gun.

"It's not easy, but you get used to it. Not completely, but they chose to fight. Want some advice?"

"S-sure." She nodded.

"Think about your family. Because, if they kill you, who get's to go back to your parents? Or any friends you have; what happens to them?" He sighed. "I'll never know, because my parents died on Titan Station." He got up and left her there.

She looked back down at the gun, her eyes slowly trailing over the metal frame.

"Don't worry mom..." She said. "I'll make sure I get home." She then looked over at Applebloom. "You too cousin." She smiled, now filled with new found courage.

"I-Isaac..." Applebloom moaned, rubbing her head. "Isaac!" She yelled, eyes narrowing as she looked around, bringing out her Line gun.

"Shit!" Isaac yelled as he dove behind a crate. "I'm to swagadellic to die this young! I just turned thrity-eight last week!"

Applebloom honed in on the noise and aimed her Line gun at the top of the crate. She fired and Isaac yelled again before grabbing another crate in his kinesis, bringing it over for more protection.

Applebloom gave a snort before taking that one off and jumping off from the crate she was on. She ran over to his crate and jumped over it, pouncing on him as she wrapped her small hooves around his neck.

"Why would ya go and head-butt me!?" She yelled.

He tore her off and held her at a distance. She struggled against his grip but then resorted to picking up another crate in her kinesis at throw at him. He held her fore-legs to her side and, when she stopped glaring, set her down before backing away behind Scootaloo.

"To be fair," he said. "You did give me permission."

She rolled her eyes before spotting Babs with a gun, smiling at her.

"Sorry ya had to see that Babs," Applebloom said. "Not a very good feeling waking up, specially' after somepony head-butted ya."

"It's alright. Hey, Isaac, you know where we can get something warmer to wear? It's freezing."

"There's a suit kiosk right there." He pointed at the store-like machine in the wall.

"So, that's why I couldn't hack your account." Scootaloo said. "Come over here Babs, let's see if we can't get you and Applebloom some suits." She winked. "And Babs, why don't you just keep your cousin from tearing Isaac's head off."

Babs Seed nodded and walked over to her cousin, watching her rub the bullet wound.

"That feeling any better?" She asked.

"A little. It stopped bleedin' so that's a good sign. Or ah just don't need any blood in ma'h veins." She smiled.

"So, back with that thing. That crab or whatever it was, was that the other thing you told me about?" She tapped her head for emphasis.

"Eeyup. Ah saw it going for you, but as ah was runnin' ah saw it hit Isaac. Next thing ah know, ah'm standing next to Scootaloo." She shrugged. "Feels weird havin' to hold it in. Unnatural." She shivered.

"Hold it in? Like... It's trying to get out?"

"Eeyup. That other part of me, is sorta alive. Like another me inside, but only gettin' to come out a few times. That's another reason we have a training room in the base."

"Base? You have a base?" She asked, blowing her hair out from her eye.

"Right under the tree house. We were-"

"OK, I've got to get Babs here signed up for Earth Gov before she can get a suit." Scootaloo said. "Here, this'll only take a second."

She lifted Babs Seed up by a tentacle and carried her over to the machine. Babs just stared at the piece of machinery.

"Right, you don't know how to work one of these things." Scootaloo groaned.

She lifted herself up next to Babs and quickly tapped her hooves onto the right buttons, the motions were a blur to Babs as she watched her tap the final key.

"Just type in you name and press the green button on the bottom left corner. After that, hold still and wait for the flash." Scootaloo said, lowering herself.

Babs entered her name, pushed the button and waited. A bright flash temporarily blinded her. As she rubbed her eyes, she felt the familiar crate beneath Sweetiebelle's suit again.

"Let me guess, the light bothered ya too?" Applebloom giggled. "Ah kicked Isaac in the head when ah got ma'h picture taken."

"That's nice." Babs muttered. "What's he doing now?"

Applebloom looked over at Isaac and saw him glaring at the snow. He looked up and turned away, back to them.

"It's just that Norton fella' has Isaac wound up tighter than a spring." Applebloom said. "He's mad cause' Norton keeps gettin' all affectionate and protective round' Ellie. That and he's just bein' a... Isaac would say, dirt bag? It was somethin' with the word bag, ah know that."

"Right. So, what about this base under the tree house?"

"Oh, right! Well, ah cant tell ya much bout' it, laws and all. But, its the main base for the EEB."

"EEB? What's that stand for?"

"Equestrian. Engineering. Bureau. Were one of those big fancy government agencies. We help protect Equestria and just bout' any other place from the threat of Markers or Necromorph outbreaks." She shrugged. "Scootaloo went round' to other bases and set up some weird comm's thing."

"The entire world? That's some pretty serious stuff. So, anything happen lately?"

Applebloom looked over at Isaac and Scootaloo, eyes switching back and forth to them. She pressed a button on her helmet and then on Babs Seed's.

"Aright' were on a private link. We can only hear each other. Now, ah didn't want to worry Scoot's or Sweetie... But, there's been a few murders. Only, the bodies have Unitologist symbols carved into them."

"Murders? What pony could do that?" Babs Asked, horrified. "And... Carved into them?"

"Well, if the clues mean anything, then he wasn't a pony at first." Applebloom said gravely. "The last corpse we found, had a note. A note from a man ah thought was dead. Tiedmann. Apparently, he goes by Tiedmane now." She snorted. "He keeps disappearing, and when an agent goes after him... They disappear too. Tracker and all."

Before Babs could answer, Scootaloo knocked on her helmet a few times. Appleboom cut the connection and let Babs Seed's helmet fold up.

"Ok, I've got suits for all! Even Sweetiebelle when she decides she'll need one." Scootaloo said. "And, since there's a bench here, we can just get ourselves scanned up an ready to go. Isaac, why don't you go get Sweetibelle?"

"Sure. whatever." He mumbled, trudging to the door.

They watched him go, ears splayed back against their heads. Once the door closed, Scootaloo and Applebloom trotted to the bench.

Babs also followed, and copied them when they took off their suits.

"Ok, who's first?" Scootaloo asked.

Applebloom stepped up and let Scootaloo pull out the small device Isaac once used. With a quick scan, Scootaloo set one of the new suits up on it and watched as the machine went to work.

Once it was done, she handed the new suit to Applebloom.

Babs Seed gulped and closed her eyes, expecting to feel something go through her skin. But instead heard the machine snipping and piecing together her suit.

"And now, my turn. I custom designed mine, so I can change with ease." She said, hoofing the device to Applebloom.

Her friend scanned her and as the machine was fixing her suit, Isaac came back in. But with no Sweetiebelle.

"Hey, Where's Sweetie?" Scotoaloo asked, shivering slightly from the heating inside. "Oh that feels good." She purred.

"She's gone." Isaac said. "When I went out, she was gone. Couldn't find her anywhere."

A slight tremor reverberated throughout the small cave.

"Well, either she's around here or this place might be caving in." Isaac said. "So, I see you all got your suits. Where's mine?"

"Here." Scootaloo threw him a suit, only, he sighed when he saw it.

"You had to get it in neon damn pink?" He asked.

"No, not really. I got the other suits made for us. And we didn't feel like wearing the pink one."

"Well, atleast real men wear pink." He shrugged, putting on the suit. "There's a fucking smiley face on my fists! Actually, that's kind of badass in a  way."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Scootaloo said, pulling out a card from her chest piece. "This is yours."

Isaac snatched the card away and slipped it into his own chest plate.

"I fucking knew you took it." He growled at her. "The guards owe me ten bucks now."

"Aren't we supposed to, I dunno, meet the rest of the group?" Scootaloo said.

"That's right! I can't believe how much time we've spent here!" Isaac cried. "Come on!"

He hurried into the door ahead, the crusaders following.

Once it opened, the voice of a soldier rang out.

"He's here! He's... Pink! He's here and he's pink!" He laughed. "Guys! Clarke's wearing a pink suit! Look! Look at him and laugh!"

Isaac groaned but then chuckled evilly when he saw the soldier laughing, get his arms cut off from a Slasher that jumped up from beneath the snow.

The crusaders and them stood there, watching as it took out the remaining soldiers. Once it was finished, it crawled on it's arms, after having a soldier blow it's legs off.

Isaac ran up to it and stomped on it's head.

"laugh at the pink guy." Isaac huffed. "Let that be a lesson."

As they continued on, another tremor hit, and Danik was on the comm again.

"The tunnel! He's in the tunnel!" He yelled.

Another soldier came out, holding a shotgun, he aimed it right at Isaac. before Scootaloo could grab him, the sound of a bullet casing hit the ground.

The man fell to the ground, a bullet hole in his head from where Babs had shot him.

Babs gulped, shaking slightly before looking up at Isaac. She forced a smile underneath her helmet and nodded.

He did a quick glance back at her before continuing further. His vibrant pink armor clashing with the white of the snow.

"Well look at that, he was alone." Isaac muttered, seeing around the corner there were no more soldiers. "Good work Babs."

"T-thanks..." She said.

They got to the door and entered. Just as the door closed, a Slasher broke through the vent.

"Kill it! Kill it!" Isaac yelled as he repeatedly hit it across the head.

Applebloom took out her Plasma cutter and blew off an arm in the first shot. Babs Seed covered her head from the pour of blood that fell by her head by an inch. Applebloom aimed forward and shot out, it's legs gave out and it fell to the floor dead, blood pooling up around them.

The door opened and they all stumbled out. And then froze.

A smaller Snowbeast was frozen in front of them, hanging by cords.

"What the hell?" Isaac thought.

"Children of Altman." Danik spoke again from a corpses radio, the Marker has a plan for all of you! When the time comes, you will be reborn! But for that to happen, Isaac Clarke must die. The future of our religion-of our very race-depends on it. Stop him at any cost! Altman be praised!"

"Well, I think I preferred the classic rock playing off my radio back in my apartment." Isaac said, descending the ladder.

He got down and let Scootaloo down, then Babs but then, Applebloom stood at the top, looking down unsure.

"Don't worry, I'll catch you." Isaac said.

She gave an audible gulp before jumping down, Isaac caught her by the torso and set her down.

They entered the door in front of them, keeping to the back while watching the vent above. It opened and they all backed out, only turning around when the door closed.

"I think that went well, considering all that's happened." Isaac said.

A bullet flew over his head, followed with the voice of a soldier.

"It's Clarke! Shoot him! Shoot him! And he's pink! Shoot the pink guy!"

"Fuck you! There's nothing wrong with a man wearing pink! Only real men wear pink! And I have the card to prove it!" He yelled back.
> Drilling away the fear...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Isaac and the others dived behind a crate, just in time as a hail of bullets hit it.

"Ya head to make them angry! Didn't ya!?" Applebloom yelled.

"Just help me shoot them before we all get shot!" He yelled back.

Applebloom rolled over to the side, with a pained grunt she slung her Pulse rifle out and started to fire, her light head made her miss most of the time.

"Ah can't hit any of them. Ah think ah lost too much blood." She said. "Scootaloo, think ya can get rid of em'?"

Scootaloo's horn lit up, the panicked shouts of the soldiers following. When they all looked over, every soldiers was covered in red lights.

In a multitude of lights, a deafening bang went through the air. Limbs and other pieces flew everywhere, blood painted the ground, the snow and ice blown away. All that was left were the black scorch marks from the grenades.

"Come on, when we find Sweetiebelle, you can come get that leg fixed." Scootaloo said.

"Or, when we get a med pack, I can fix it up." Isaac said. "When you all left, I became a veterinarian in the city. Getting a bullet out and stitching up a wound shouldn't be too hard."

Applebloom shared an uneasy glance with her friend.

Scootaloo picked up her friend, carrying her as they approached the next door. Cautiously they all went in, Applebloom snoring from fading in and out.

"We're getting slaughtered here!" A Unitologist soldier yelled over the comm. "We need reinforcements-wait! What the hell is that!?"

The door opened and they were back underground; the room had three bodies, a small room down below with a yellow gas coming out. And small, Necromorph's taking possession of the bodies.

"Shoot the heads!" Isaac yelled as one of them shot a rifle at him. "They can use guns now!?"

The head was filled with bullet holes when Babs Seed shot the gun at it. She turned to the second and saw it aiming at Scootaloo.

Scootaloo charged her horn and tore the gun away from the creature. She teleported over to it and wrapped her tentacles around the head; leaning close, she tore what little essence it had and let go.

It stood at attention, picking it's gun back up.

They all hurried into the door ahead, got in and gasped at the sight in front of them.

"What... The... Hell..." Isaac said, unfolding his helmet.

A frozen Nexus was standing miles away, but even from their distance it was a monstrously huge.

"Wow..." Scootaloo said. "Is that a Hive Mind?"

"No." Issac replied. "It... I'm not sure what it is. What confuses me is why it's frozen."

"Yeah." She said as they continued on.

As they turned the corner, three soldier came out, shooting at approaching Necromorph's.

"Shoot it! Fucking shoot it!" One yelled as his buddy was cut in half.

A Waster broke off from the group and went over to them. Scootaloo rolled her eyes as it brought up it's axes.

She wrapped a tentacle around it's wrists, holding it in the air.

Another Waster, followed by two Slasher saw it and came running to kill Scootaloo.

She lit her horn and they stopped, an eerie black glow encasing them. She trotted up to them, wrapping a tentacle around each of the Necromorph's wrists and releasing the spell on them.

She took the soul of the first Waster, she used that tentacle to hold the Slasher she did next in place better. She took the soul of the other Waster and fully entrapped the final Slasher.

It struggled and screeched, sending snowy flakes of blood at her. She looked back at her small group and a Waster walked off the cliff. She turned back to the Slasher and took it's soul, replacing the Waster lost.

"Now where?" Babs Seed asked. "That way or towards the door?"

"The door." Isaac said, watching the blue line speed to the door. "Hey Scootaloo, I see something you'll like."

Scootaloo tilted her head, before glancing forward. Her eyes glazed over as she saw the large machine.

She quickly ran to it, scanning every bit and part.

It had a large screen, a similar keyboard and no other seems.

"Wow... What is this?" Scootaloo asked.

"It'e a piece of Sovereign Colony tech. It's like the panels we have today, only you have to move the two sticks there to move the circuits."

"All that trouble to keep the hackers out?" She gave a mock pout. "Too bad I can still hack it." She grinned.

"You need thumbs and... Forget what I was saying." He said.

Scootaloo's horn was glowing, she moved the two thumb-sticks, making the circuitry re-align itself and activate the proper nodes. In a flash of sparks, the screen went blank again, smoke coming out from the screen's edges.

The door opened and Sweetiebelle was sitting there, a bundle of wires in her mouth.

She spit them out and waved.

"Hey...?" Isaac waved back. "Where did you go?"

"I saw a group of soldiers try and sneak up on the roof." she said. "I followed them and got lost. When I heard your shouting I just followed you here. Plus, I found something really cool! Come on!"

As they entered the doorway, Sweetiebelle noticed Applebloom stirring.

She set Applebloom down and looked at her leg, she lit her horn and the familiar white light came out. Applebloom winced as the bullet fell out and the wound closed. Not a second after, the fabric and metal mended itself, sealing the hole.

A small smile appeared on her friends face as she opened her eyes.

"H-hey Isaac, ma'h leg feels better. Did ya find a med pack?" She asked.

"No, Sweetiebelle fixed it. Wait... What kind of bullshit is this?" He said, looking out as the door opened. "We have to cross that?"

The others got out and looked down the slope.

"Is that a drill?" Scootaloo asked.

"Yeah, and we have to get past it." Isaac groaned. "Hey, there's a bench down there, we can get some new weapons and hopefully fix my suit." He said running down the slope.

They all ran, Applebloom slightly slower from blood loss.

Isaac had already taken off his suit and was watching the machine apply a new sheen of paint.

He took it out with a smile, nodding at it as he slipped it on.

"Well, what do you guys think?" He asked.

His suit was now midnight black, the armor rows on the shoulders, legs, neck and chest a dull orange. And the light's coming from the visor matched it.

"Pretty cool." Scootaloo said. "Now, what did you say about new weapons?" She asked.

"Yeah, these benchs are designed so you can combine parts or make parts. Even two attachments and eight circuits for it to improve the functions. You can just use what I have, I think I have just about every part here."

Scootaloo got to work immediately.

After a few choice options, she had come out with a Force gun that had a semi-automatic gun on the bottom with an acid attachment. An electric Ripper and A Flame thrower with a Line gun on the bottom.

Babs Seed went up next. She struggled before getting two new weapons. A Pulse rifle with a plasma blade on the bottom and a Plasma cutter with a shotgun.

Applebloom went up and got a Rocket launcher with a shotgun underneath and a Planet Cracker Plasma cutter with a plasma blade on the bottom.

"What about you Sweetiebelle?" Isaac asked. "Anything you want?"

"No, I'm going all natural this time." She said.

He shrugged before starting up the motor controlling the gate.

"I-Issac..." Babs said. "Can I talk with you for a second, before we, ya know."

"Uh, sure." he said.

They left the other three crusaders to stand at the entrance, looking at them.

"Well, what did you want to talk about? Were on a schedule."

"I-It's about everything. I'm just scared..." She said.

"Scared huh? Well, I remember when Sweetiebelle got scared on Titan Station. She ran from her friends after a Stalker snuck up behind them. And what she did, was only natural."

"But I don't know what to do? I just freeze up."

"Well, just imagine it this way." He said. "Replace the fear with something else, let fear control a different emotion. Something that will help."

"Replace it? Like use it for another emotion?" She asked.

"That's what I just said. Now, I'm guessing were about to test that. Come on, it should be fun."

She merely gave him an odd look under her helmet.

As they proceeded into the center. Sweetiebelle had already taken out one of the gates and was currently chewing on the other one.

"You do know that we could just lower them?" Isaac suggested.

"Where's the fun in that?" Applebloom asked.

"Good point."

The drill started and slid out from the snowy incline, Sweetiebelle jumping back before it got her.

"Alright, my guess is, is that we have to find a weak point on it." Isaac said. "Aim for the circuits inside it!"

A childlike chittering was heard from the vents, they all turned and saw nearly skeletal Necromorph's come out.

'I guess it's time to replace my fear.' Babs thought as one put it's sight's on her.
> ...Unearthing courage. But for Isaac it's mostly anger towards Feeders.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It ran at an alarming rate, it's claws outstretched and it's yellow eyes piercing through the flashing light's of the drill.

Seconds slowed down to minutes as it jumped, Babs expression of fear quickly turned into a scowl of anger as she saw it's actual target.

"Leave my cousin alone!" She yelled, jumping up with the plasma blade. 

It turned it's head just in time to see the blue blade smash into it's cartilage skull, crushing it like a watermelon.

When she landed, she looked at her cousin.

She unfolded her helmet and had her Appleblood look on. She stood up and faced her cousin, staring her right in the eye.

They hoofbumped before charging ahead together.

Scootaloo was trying to fire at the drill's circuits alongside Isaac. When he slowed it down in stasis, they both managed to get one.

The drill retracted, spinning wildly before going back up to the ceiling, leaving them to fight the Necromorph's.

Sweetiebelle turned back into her smaller, fluffy self but with the bone plating and Stalker claws. She gave a hiss towards a Waster as it walked towards her.

She jumped on it, cawing and biting at the snowsuit. She sunk her claws into it's midsection, severing the spine and the other two bony tendrils.

She absorbed it before it hit the floor.

Appeblood and Bad Seed charged a Waster.

Appleblood took her plasma blade and with one swipe, took out the legs at the knee. Bad Seed cut the opposite direction up above through the chest as it fell. They both ran through the temporary holes, blood dripping onto them, both of their suits being covered in the red liquid as clots stuck to them.

Another Feeder went for Appleblood, she swerved on her hoof and put the barrel of the shotgun attachment into it's mouth before firing. A large hole disconnected it's brainstem from the brain leaving it to roll uselessly across the floor.

Bad Seed took care of a pair of Waster's, She blew the top half off one and the bottom off the other. They fell on each other in a tangle of Necrotic limbs, struggling to break free. She aimed her Pulse rifle at them and fired; the bullets tearing through them easily, ricocheting off the floor.

As the drill descended again, a muffled cry rang out through the room. The crusaders turned and saw Isaac.

Who was running around with a Feeder stuck on his head.

He ran forward and went head first into the wall. The Feeder dropped off with a muffled grunt, blood coming out from it's eyes. Isaac stomped it's head in, his own helmet unfolding.

"Take that you piece of shit!" He yelled as he repeatedly stomped it.

His yelling attracted the other Feeders. He looked to the side, a wild sneer on his face as the first one jumped.

He arched his arm back and his fist shot forward, connecting with the Feeder's jaw. With a sickening crunch, it flew back to the floor. He picked it up by the ankles and started to spin with it, knocking back any other Feeder who jumped.

He let go, sending the corpse right into the drill. He didn't flinch as he plowed his way though the Necromorph's, He blew away Wasters with a shotgun, busted Feeder's heads opened with either his fists or a well placed Force gun blast. He stood, back against the drill, the light's darkening his already ticked off expression.

He shot his hand back, slowing the drill down enough for it to be safe to touch. He made the crusaders gasp at what he did next.

He stepped in and took out his own plasma blade, the Necromorph's screeching at him from outside while a few climbed in after him.

When the stasis began to wear off, the crusaders could only see a few shots off light, the circuits breaking, the drill spiraling out of control and then a yell making them all go wide eyed.

Isaac flew out from the top, his plasma blade above him, ready for a downward arch.

He landed on a Waster, cutting it in half. He turned and finished off the remaining Feeder by grabbing it by the arms, turning it around and ramming it into a wall repeatedly with his elbow.

"Don't you ever fucking do that again!" He yelled, as he rammed into the wall again.

He stopped and jumped back after a small snap was heard, clutching his elbow, he went to go stomp the pile of mush. Before he could, Scootaloo wrapped him in all four of her tentacles, making him face her. His face became blank as her eyes turned green. She gently set him down before ending her trance.

He immediately sat on the ground, clutching his elbow.

"Fuuuuck...!" He hissed. "Why didn't you stop me before I broke my elbow?" He asked.

"W-Well... Ya see, we um, we... Scoot's?" Applebloom said. "Could ya finish for me? Ah'm still tryin' to process what ah saw."

"Isaac, when did you turn into such a kick-flank fighter?" Scootaloo asked.

"I don't know, I took some martial arts so I could atleast be a match for Applebloom if we ever fought... That and I really hate those things." He shot a glare at the pile of red and brown mush. "I really hate those things."

"Come over here, and I'll heal you." Sweetiebelle rolled her eyes. "When did I turn into the shock trooper and the medic?" She mumbled to herself as she healed Isaac.

"Issac!" Ellie yelled. "What happened? We all saw a explosion of snow and a chunk of something sticking out from the side of some rock. Are you and the girls alright?"

"Yeah, I'm alright." He said. "Sweetiebelle's fixing my elbow, I broke it after I jumped from atop the drill and repeatedly smashed some new Necromorph into a wall with it."

"Why the hell were you on a drill?" Norton asked.

"I may have gotten a little carried away after one of them tried to eat my head." He said. "It wasn't pretty."

"I bet..."

The link cut off leaving them in silence. Sweetiebelle's horn stopped glowing and Isaac got up, popped his fixed arm and nodded towards the door ahead.

"Wow, look at this things teeth." Sweetiebelle grimaced at a Feeder corpse. She bent it's head back all the way, it's normal teeth facing directly at her while two large tusks with random enges and barbs came out form the lower and bottom jaw. "Eww." She said, absorbing it.

"Come on, the door should be opening now." Isaac said.

Before they entered, Isaac turned the comm back on.

"Ok Ellie, we're heading back to the warehouse now."

"Is everything alright?"

"Oh yeah, between the planet trying to kill us, your boyfriend hating me, this has been a wonderful trip so far."

"Robert's not usually like this/. I don't know why he-"

"Just let us fight it out. One of us will win, eventually." Isaac said. "Did you find the experiment?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"You'll just have to see it."

"Oh good." He said sarcastically.

The door opened and the link cut off.

The engineer's got onto the lift ahead, as it started to go up, Isaac turned to Babs.

"Hey Babs, good work on controlling your fear back there." He said. "So, what exactly should I call you?"

"What? What do you mean call me?" She asked, blowing some hair out from her eye.

"Well, ever since your cousin and her friends left, and the footage of them fighting was released onto Youtube, people have given them names for their... Other forms or personalities. There's Appleblood, Slenderloo, Sweetiemorph and... Well there's me. So, do you want a nickname like that? Maybe... Bad Seed?"

"Bad Seed." She said to herself. "It does have a ring to it." She snickered.

"Well alright!" He said. "Now... Hold up, there's a body ahead." He said raising his Force gun at it.

He kicked some snow on it and aimed at the legs, satisfied with it being just a corpse, they continued on.

"So, before we go in, anyone want to make a bet on what it is?" Isaac asked. "I'm thinking it's some huge machine. I'm betting 1000 credits."

"Maybe it's somepony frozen?" Scootaloo said. "2000 credits."

"Babs has my suit." Sweetiebelle said. "And I know what it is. But I'm not saying." She smiled.

"Um..." Applebloom looked at her cousin. "Would it be aright' for me and Babs to have the same guess?"

"Sure, why not?" Isaac said.

"We're guessing a Necromorph." Babs Seed said.

"Well, only one way to find out." Isaac said.

He stepped into the doorway, pushing the holographic button as the others entered. When it opened, Applebloom and Babs Seed hoofbumped. Sweetiebelle groaned, asking for her suit.

A frozen Nexus was laying in front of them on it's back.

"Ho-ly shit." Isaac said looking at it.

"Isaac, there you are!" Santos said. "We're up in the observation level."
> Clearence.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok, listen, I know you're all wondering about some parts of the story. Yes they are sometimes out of the game, but they are foreshadowing.

Babs Seeds cutie Mark cutie mark will appear in the END. I will do something a little different with the ending, explaining why Isaac hates Feeders, and other parts to come.

And, i would also like to ask a favor of you all. Could you not put corrections in the comment's? I enjoy a little criticism, but on every chapter, I'm starting to feel annoyed and hurt. Every say, two chapters I can handle, but could you all not do it on every chapter? I'm doing my best here, so, give me a break.

And, I will also be referencing my first DS story later.

Now, I'm going to work on my Left 4 Dead crossover.
> Into the belly of the beast- Part 1.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What the hell is this thing?" He asked as they all walked to the elevator.

"It's bad news, that's what it is!" Norton said.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Santos asked. "The scientists called it the "Nexus". They thought these bigger specimens acted as conduits for the Machine's control signal, broadcasting it to smaller forms."

Sweetiebelle looked nervously at it, even she would have trouble fighting one of those. That is of course... If she got a piece of it first.

Before they all got in the elevator, she jumped out and ran to it.

"Little anomaly!" Santos said. "What are you doing?"

"Just give me a second, this could help us." She said over the comm.

With a crack, she snapped a piece off and put it into her inventory. She took off the bottoms off her suit's boots, as requested earlier in Ponyville at another time, and used her Stalker claws to climb up.

The other were waiting for her at the top, Norton and Santos looking at her in slight nervousness.

"As I was about to ask." Isaac said. "This helps us how?"

"Because, I think they found the Machine by tracking the signal upstream, through nerve clusters in the creature!"

"Well wait, we need to get inside that thing?" Isaac asked in disbelief.

"Yes! This is such a wonderful opportunity!"

"Trust me," Applebloom said. "There ain't nothin' good bout' goin' in someponies stomach."

"Hey! I saved all of you twice because I did that!" Sweetiebelle defended herself.

"What's she talking about?" Norton asked.

"How she saved us from Tiedmann and Necromorph's twice by eating us. You remember that Ellie?" Isaac asked.

"How could I forget?" She replied over the comm. "It was all slimy and I couldn't even stand up. Not to mention, I never figured out where the stomach acid was to drop you in it."

"You still remember that?" He asked. "All I have are painful memories of Scootaloo chasing Stalkers, using me to beat them to death, and being upstaged by Applebloom and Scootaloo flinging me around some more."

"Really? And you let her?"

"Hey, she has literal, supernatural strength. What was I supposed to do?"

"Shoot her." Norton rolled his eyes.

He jumped back when Applebloom shot as his feet. He raised his Pulse rifle at her, she hit it away before knocking him to the ground with a well placed buck between the legs. She lowered the barrel of her own rifle at his face, narrowing her eyes.

"Ah can kill a Tripod, a horde of Necro's... Even an army," she hissed. "And if ya want to keep walkin' with both of your legs, you'll keep ya trap shut for now on, got it?"

He merely gave a snort before nodding.

"Heh, you just got your ass handed to you by a filly." Isaac smirked. "Even I could stand a longer chance against her."

Applebloom raised an eyebrow at him before pouncing.

He turned and grabbed her by the midsection. Holding her up with her fore-legs pinned against her sides, she struggled to get free.

"See, you've just got to know what-shit! Put me down Scootaloo!"

She smirked as she hoof-bumped Applebloom.

"Whatever you say Isaac." She said playfully.

She loosened her grip on him and he fell on his back. Groaning from his head hitting the pads in his helmet to hard, he shook a fist at them before laughing.

"You know, I've kind of missed that." He said. "But, back on subject, we have to go inside that... Nexus? How the hell do we do that? It's frozen solid."

"The scientists used heat exchanges. Let me try and to ignite them." Santos said.

Santos fiddled with a few knobs and the pipes blew shot out some steam. She frowned when they did nothing.

"No, no good." She said frowning.

"There's probably a furnace on the roof. if I can find it, I can get it running again." Isaac said.

"Isaac, be careful up there, alright?"

"Yeah, yeah dont-"

Norton was interrupted by the sound of a Pulse rifle being reloaded. He saw Applebloom leaning against the doorway, looking at him with a brow raised from the corner of her eye. She shook her head and put a hoof to her lips.

He shut up immediately.

Just as the the engineer's we're about to leave, Applebloom and Babs Seed stood next to the doorway, smirking with their hooves out.

"Damn, I was hoping you would have forgotten." Isaac said going into his inventory. "Just take it and let us never speak of this again."

He threw Applebloom the credits, Scootaloo handed hers to Babs and Sweetiebelle merely gave a crimson eyed glare towards Norton. He flinched back a the sight but quickly shooed her away with his rifle.

"Too easy." Applebloom laughed as she punched her cousin in the shoulder playfully.

They all went down the walkway again, Isaac mumbling to himself and Scootaloo with a frown. The other three smiled, giggling to themselves.

They all traveled past the pipes and to the second door, once the door opened, they all got in and waited for it to stop spinning.

The room they entered was littered with loose pipes, canisters, papers and a few cups with old coffee.  A few dirty lights shown through the darkness, casting a sickly yellow light over them as they passed and went into the elevator.

As it went up, the air became colder again. A shrill wind was heard and as the elevator stopped and lifted the rails, they got a good look at the top of the building.

It was covered in snow, mounds of it on the sides. A hole riddled walkway was up above, tracing that, they saw it go into the small building.

"Come on," Isaac groaned. "Let's see how much shit were going to have to fight."

"Ah'm sure nothin' bad will happen." Applebloom said, waving a dismissive hoof.

"The last time you said that, I was nearly skewered by a Tripod in a church! Nothing good ever comes from anyone who says that."

She shrugged and as soon as he hoof touched the snowy metal, a growl was heard. Isaac slowly began to look down at Applebloom.

A Leaper climbed over the rail and began running at them. Isaac stepped up with his plasma blade, curved it up and swung as it leapt at him.

The crusaders and him were covered in a shower of blood, he got hit in the back of the head by Scootaloo and a swift punch in the knee from Applebloom.

Isaac limped over to the ladder and helped Applebloom and Babs Seed up, Scootaloo and Sweetiebelle climbing up with their tendrils.

Once they all were up, they struggled against the wind. Snow began to gather on their suits as they struggled against the unrelenting wind.

Two Wasters appear from over the edges, the engineer's stopped and raise their guns. Scootaloo grabbed them both by the wrists and hurled them over the edge. They all winced as they heard a echoing thud from below.

"That had to hurt." Isaac whistled. "Hey, I think I can see that Nexus from here."

They all looked and through the snow, they saw it facing them, the alien sun lighting it's back.

"Neat." Scootaloo said.

They went to the ladder on the side and climbed down. When they were on solid ground again, they began to search for the power core.

They dug through snow, checked in piles of scrap and even inside a vent. It wasn't there so they looked around, hoping to see it on a small ledge.

"Where do ya think it is?" Applebloom asked.

Isaac face-palmed as he looked out the window.

"We passed it on the way up." He said. "Look."

The four fillies got up onto the window seal and looked at the glowing blue light ahead. They all face-hooved, the small sounds of metal on metal echoed in the small room.

"I'll go get it," Isaac said. "Scootaloo, you stand guard outside with Sweetiebelle."

"What?" Sweetiebelle asked pouting with puppy dog eyes. "Why do we have to go out?"

"Because I'm going the farthest, and I need someone to cover me, you cant do that in here. And, we need to conserve ammo, you could shoot spikes and Scootaloo could..." He shrugged, unable to come up with anything. "She's just a good choice alright."

They nodded and slipped out the crack in the door as he climbed up the ladder.

Sweetiebelle had her eyes closed in concentration, listening for anything that wasn't Isaac or her friends.

Isaac quickly ran across the walkway, climbed down and pulled the power core out from the case.

As he was turning, a scratching noise was hear. He dropped the core and took out his Force gun, he put his finger on the alternate weapon's trigger and spun around on his heel.

He jumped away as the Waster was pinned against the wall, it's arms still flailing. He blew them off quickly and took the axes for himself.

"Thanks Sweetiebelle!" Isaac called out as he picked the core back up.

As he walked, he began to run when more Waster's and Leaper's began to climb up. He shot the core through the window before getting in-between Scootaloo and Sweetiebelle.

Inside, Applebloom put in the power core and winced as the lights turned back on.

"Ellie, the furnace is back on, but we have a few problem's outside." Applebloom said.

She didn't respond, Applebloom figuring the transmitter was broken. As she hit her helmet repeatedly, she didn't hear the Waster come in through the vent they had broken earlier.

Babs Seed pushed her out of the way as it brought it's axes down, she got cut across the face by it. She narrowed her eyes before aiming her rifle at it. She pulled the trigger and it stumbled back against the wall, snapping side-to-side as the bullets tore through it's suit and flesh.

It fell to the floor, hunched over with pieces of flesh hanging out of it's suit.

Applebloom looked back at her cousin, a smirk that quickly disappeared when a Slasher was coming from behind. It dropped from the ladder and raised it's blades into the air before swinging down.

Applebloom pushed her out of the way and made a muted gasp.

Her eyes were wide, her pupils mere dots in the whiteness. She reached down with her small hooves and tried to push the blade out from her belly. The slasher pulled out quickly before looking at Babs Seed.

Babs Seed was bawling, while shooting a glare filled with flaming brimstone at it.

She quickly took the axes from the Waster and cut it's arms off. It fell to the floor before taking a step.

Babs Seed rushed to her cousin and began crying, trying to stop the blood from coming out. Applebloom was paler, her usual yellow coat was now a light tan. She spit up some blood and gave a small, blood stained smile towards her cousin.

The last shot was made from outside and when Isaac turned around, he stopped and pried the doors open. Ignoring the cuts in his palms from the metal, he lifted her head up, she gave a small smile towards him but her eyes were filled with fear.

"Sweetiebelle dammit!" Isaac yelled. "Help her! Anyone help her now dammit!"

Babs Seed watched in fear as Sweetiebelle and Scootaloo lit their horns and she watched in fear as the flesh reformed.
> Into the belly of the beast- Part 2.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Is she going to be alright?" Babs Seed asked.

"Yeah, she's stable, but she needs to rest." Scootaloo said. "We need to get her back to Santos, she'll know what to do. Hopefully..."

Isaac was sitting by the ladder, he wiped some blood away from his forehead as tears trickled off his chin and nose. He shook his head before getting up. He gently picked Applebloom up and swallowed a lump in his throat, gave a nod and exited the building.

They ran to the elevator, Isaac literally slammed his fist down on the controls and it began his descent.

"She jumped in front of me." Babs said suddenly. "She sacrificed herself for me." She hit the floor with a sob.

Once it stopped and the rails lifted, they began running again and hurried past the pipes, Santos and Norton looking on in curiosity.

"Santos, are there any medical supplies up there?" Isaac asked over the comm.

"Medical supplies? Why would you-"

"Dammit Santos!" Isaac yelled. "Applebloom is hurt! She needs to rest and we still don't know if there's anything else wrong with her! Are there any medical supplies up there!?" He yelled, his voice was hoarse and ragged.

"Yes! I'll get them out immediately."

They entered the elevator and it lifted them up, Isaac was shaking from anxiety. Once the doors were open, they all ran and found Santos and Norton standing in attention. 

He laid Applebloom on a table and propped her head up with a pillow. Scootaloo took off her friend's suit and winced as she saw the new scar.

It was noticeable; it was a large ring right under her rib cage.

"What the hell happened?" Norton asked.

"What the hell do you think!?" Isaac roared, slamming a fist down on the counter. "She was attacked when she was trying to save her cousin!"

"She shouldn't have done that, I mean look at what happened! The dumbass got herself skewered."

Isaac threw a punch and pinned Norton against the gate, he pulled out his own Pulse rifle and stared with hatred at the man.

"You listen here you worthless piece of shit!" Isaac yelled as he pressed the barrel of the gun to Norton's head. "She did it to save her cousin's life! She didn't plan on getting impaled! And if your just going to make bullshit remarks like that, then get the hell away from her, me, and the other crusaders!"

With a shove he sent Norton to the floor and returned back to Applebloom's side.

He was getting ready to go back over and hit Isaac when a bony tentacle slammed into him. Knocking the air out of him, he flew back against the wall and looked up.

Scootaloo was staring at him, her eyes a swirling black mist. Sweetiebelle was running at him. Before he could raise his rifle, she pinned him against the wall and her horn began to glow. He squinted against the light, and his confusion turned to shock as the metal around him bent and made shackles.

She got off him and ran back to her friends side.

"Santos, c-could you look after her while we go and turn the pipes on?" Isaac asked.

"Of course." She replied. "And I'll make sure to keep Norton away from her." She whispered with a wink.

"Thank you, really thank you, Santos." Isaac said pulling the woman into a hug. "Thank you for doing this..."

He got off her and waved the others along. Babs took one last look at her cousin before entering the elevator.

"The heat exchanges are working now, Isaac. But the specimen isn't thawing, could you go and reroute the pressure?"

"Sure, sure..." He said half-heartedly.

They walked back to the pipes and stared at the valves, Isaac shrugged and turned them on.

Steam hissed from every crevice in the pipes, heating their suits up. Light's flashed on and the controls lit up. One light lit the second valve, Isaac took it in his kinesis and turned it.

More steam was forced out; the fourth valve lit up and Scootaloo turned it.

The first lit up and Babs Seed looked at her hoof before sticking it out. She thought of the white light and flinched when it shot out from her hoof. She turned her hoof a little and it turned with it.

The third valve lit up and Sweetiebelle turned it.

They worked diligently, each of them getting a valve, in a few moments the pressure was high enough. The floor was shaking, the pipes were rattling in their restraints and the temperature had gone up drastically. Isaac pushed the button and jumped back.

The Nexus thawed out, the noise of the steam was enough to shroud the sound of metal being shot.

"Yes! The internal temperature is rising! And I have more good news!" Santos said excitedly.

"Really? What is it?" He asked.

"Come up to the observation booth! I'll explain it on the way."

As they walked, she continued talking.

"The Necromorph's are conduits for the Markers' signals. Well, the researchers built a sensor to track that signal upstream to find the Machine!"

"So where's the sensor?"

"It's in one of the fancy storage sheds." Applebloom replied shakily over the comm.

"Couse? Are you alright?" Babs asked.

"Sore, but fine. Norton's givin' me a look that'll make a Necromorph cringe. Santos is wrappin' me in a blanket, sayin' ah need to rest but ah-" A small thud was heard and soon snoring followed it.

"She keeps going in and out," Santos said. "She'll live but she lost a lot of blood, even more that what that bullet wound on her back leg caused. Your lucky, she's lucky, that blade passed inches away from her diaphragm."

"What would have happened if that was cut?" Babs asked.

"I think it would be better if I left that unsaid." She said. "As Applebloom said, it is in a warehouse. At the other end of the camp."

They entered the elevator and met Santos. Norton was keeping his distance from her as she tended to Applebloom.

Babs Seed and the others rushed to her side, Isaac leaning over her to pull up a blanket. She smiled a little before her eyes fluttered open and then closed.

"Hey, Isaac, girls..." She said. "Did ya miss me?"

"Applebloom, I was so afraid." Babs Seed said pulling her into a hug.

Applebloom wheezed and gritted her teeth, but returned it anyway.

"Babs, it's still tender." She said.

She let go and Applebloom fell back onto her pillow. She pulled the blanket back up and smiled. She moved around a bit before a hoof poked out from blanket and began to move around, patting herself.

"Hey, where'd ma'h suit go?" She asked.

"It's got a hole or two in it." Scootaloo said, looking at the suit. "It went right though both sides."

"Ah know," Applebloom smiled. "Could ya fix it so ah could put it back on? Ah'm gettin' chilly."

"Sure, now you just rest and try not to get turned into a shish-kabob... Again."

"Will-" She stopped speaking and her mouth closed to a small smile.

"Here are the blueprints." Santos said sliding a piece of paper over.

Isaac took it and put it in a pocket. He gave a nod before noticing Norton.

"Hey Santos," Isaac said, never breaking eye contact with Norton. "If he," he pointed his Force gun at Norton. "Tries anything funny, use this if you have to." He slid her his gun and pulled out his own shotgun.

She picked it up and checked the ammo, she nodded and turned to Norton as they left to get the parts.

Scootaloo stopped and got Applebloom's suit, she took it and jumped off the rail. When the others exited the elevator, she was taking the suit out from the bench and back up to Applebloom.

"Here you go bloom, a fresh fixed suit." Scootaloo smiled as her own magic put the suit on her friend. "Have fun."

Applebloom rolled over onto her back as her friend left. She tapped her helmet and a screen came up, she smiled as a familiar song began to play.

As they exited the elevator, Norton spoke over the comms.

"Ok, geniuses here's a question; let's say this stupid experiment works and you find the Machine. Then what? Do you guys have any clue about turning it off?"

They entered a doorway and waited for it to open. It opened letting in the harsh arctic wind hit them again.

"Well, admiral Graves referred to a Codex. She said it was the key to controlling the Machine." Isaac replied.

They stepped over the corpse and got on the lift, letting the safety guards lower Santos added her two cents.

"Yes! I've been able to decrypt Dr. Serrano's logs and he references someone name Rosetta as being instrumental in forging this key."

"Are you listening to yourselves!?" Norton said angrily. "You don't know any more about this bullshit than I do!"

"Hey," Isaac said. "That's what kept me and the crusaders alive on Titan Station." He said casually. "So far, it's been pretty good for us. We tend to go with the flow."

"Go with-what-screw this!" Norton cut off his link.

"Heh, rage quit." Isaac smiled underneath his helmet.

The rails lifted again and they stepped off, Isaac with a spring in his step from his small victory. When they entered the circular doorway and it opened, they all stopped and went slack jawed. Isaac got over his in a few seconds.

Four Unitologist soldiers, all without weapons were surrounded by candle. They each put a knife to their throats and quickly cut their jugulars. The middle of the drill platform was pooled with blood, small streams were made as it drained through the grooves.

"That... What was that?" Babs Seed asked.

"Same old, same old." Isaac shrugged. "Just some less violent Unitologist soldiers, or worshipers whatever you want to call them. Me and your friends saw a lot of this on Titan. But on the Ishimura..." He shook his head. "Just damn..."

He was about to walk past the corpses when Sweetiebelle ran up to them and closed their eyes. Isaac nodded slightly when the others weren't looking.

They trudged back up the snowy incline from earlier, the crusaders slower from the snows depth. They entered the elevator and stood in silence, listening to the clinks of metal as it ascended. The doors opened, letting a fresh blast of cold air through. Isaac poked his head out and looked around.

"All clear." He said as they walked out.

They crossed the red snow, Babs gagging slightly when she saw an eyeball. Sweetibelle put a hoof on her shoulder and gave a smile. She nodded before continuing to the patchwork ramp.

Isaac put in the security codes and the door unlocked, he put a hand to the hololock and opened it.

"Up we go, and to the parts." Isaac said. "To probably get killed later."

"Way to stay positive Isaac." Sweetiebelle rolled her eyes.

"Hey, I'm actually in a good mood." He said. "Aside from, Applebloom..."

She rolled her eyes and perked her ears up when a distinct noise was heard.

"Stalkers." She hissed. "Hey Isaac, remember those bird-like thing's from Titan?" She asked evilly.

He looked down and saw a black tendril curling around his foot.

"I hate you so much."

When the doors opened, a squawk was heard and Isaac was slammed against the ceiling roughly. Scootaloo stopped and looked around, seeing nothing she put him down.

He lay there on the floor, groaning in pain.

"I think you went a little overboard Scoot's." Sweetiebelle said as she trotted up to Isaac. "Isaac? Are you alive?" She poked him with a hoof and only got a moan in response.

He rolled over and grabbed her with an arm, he pulled her to his chest and her ears splayed up.

"Scoot's! You knocked him out!" Sweetiebelle yelled attempting to unlatch his arm. 'He's a lot stronger than he looks.' She thought.

Scootaloo blushed and coughed into her hoof before attempting to pull her friend out. After a minute of struggling she was left panting and confused.

"His arm wont budge." She said. "Usually I could easily do that, but now... He's like a statue. I'm sorry Sweetiebelle, but your on your own."

The look of horror on Sweetiebele's face made the other two crusaders laugh.

While Sweetiebelle struggled against Isaac, Scootaloo took him by his feet and began dragging him around a corner. Scootaloo pushed the hololock and the doors opened.

She lifted Isaac up by the shoulders, his grip weakened and Sweetiebelle fell to the floor. She shook a tiny hoof at the man, forgetting he wasn't conscious.

The doors opened and Scootaloo let Isaac fall into the snow. She wrapped a tentacle around his shoulders and dragged him through it. She paused and looked to her right, she traced the two-toed tracks out into the frozen waste.

"Babs." Scootaloo whispered. "Were about to run into some Stalkers, aim for the legs and then finish them off with a cut to the arm."

"Stalkers?" Babs asked. "Why are they called that?"

"They hunt in packs," Sweetiebelle said. "And since we can't risk hurting Isaac anymore, I'll go and take care of them."

Four, thin bony arachnoid like legs came out from Sweetiebelle's back. She stood up on them before swiftly running ahead, the surprised squawks of Stalkers were heard before they were muted. Sweetiebelle came back with a Stalker head attached to a leg.

"The three ahead are gone, but there could be more of them." She said absorbing the head.

"W-Where am I?"

They all looked back at Isaac as he sat up. He rubbed his faceplate and looked around, his gaze stopped at Scootaloo.

"Eh heh... Hey Isaac." She waved.

"You..." He said through gritted teeth.

"Now, let's not do anything well regret later, Isaac." She said backing away.

"You... Knocked me out." He got up, the sounds of his knuckles popping made her splay her ears back. "Run, run before I do something your friends will regret later."

As she took off running, a blaring yell was heard. They all turned around and saw a Stalker running out from the vent.

"Oh Shit!" Isaac yelled as it ran at him.

It was nearly at arms length with him before a bang went through the air and it's head fell from it's neck, a gaping hole going through it's back and head.

"Did ya think yall could go without me?" Applebloom asked as she limped out on her Planet cracker Plasma cutter.

"Applebloom, what the hell are you doing here!?" Isaac shouted as he ran over to her. "You should be resting, not coming out here!"

"Do ya think me almost dyin' is enough to keep me down?" She laughed. "Please, ah ain't that soft. No offense Scootaloo."

"None... Taken?"

"Applebloom, as a trained veterinarian, I highly advise you to go back and rest." Isaac pleaded.

"And as your friend, ah highly advise ya to stop worrin' over me. Ah'm fine, ah had to hogtie Norton and spin Santos around a little before ah got away. And that was when ah just woke up. Ah'm wide awake now."

"Appleboom, you sure your gonna be alright?" Babs asked. "Ah mean, most ponies don't just get up after something like that happens."

"Couse, if ya haven't learned it by now, we apples and ma'h friends, aren't most ponies. And hey, when we get out'a this, ah get to see Big Mac faint again. That's worth just as much as any Hearth's Warming Eve gift."

She limped ahead of them, gritting her teeth as she went. She stopped and looked back.

"Are yall comin' or are yall just gonna let me do everything ma'hself?"

As she  trudged along, a grunt escaping her every few steps, they all caught up and kept glancing nervously at her. As they passed a corpse farther ahead, Stalker corpses littered it, all of them full of small holes.

She passed a glance at Sweetiebelle, giving a slight nod that went unnoticed.

They passed a small crane, a lightpost and another stack of crates when a Stalker came down from a small incline. Applebloom took off it's legs before firing once into it's head, splitting it in two.

They slowly walked down the slope to the left, the sheer wind and snow combined making it difficult to navigate even a few feet. Once at a lower area, more rusted machinery was present. Half a Stalker came crawling out from a corner only for Isaac to stomp it's head in.

Sweetiebelle took care of the Stalker peeking out from behind a crate a few feet away from where Isaac was standing, he jumped out of the way when she threw a small boulder his way.

"Sweetiebelle, we've had this discussion." He said.

"Say warning whenever I throw a boulder in your general direction, I know Isaac." She said.

"Well good, as long as you know." He nodded.

Just as they went ahead, the path took a turn to the left and made a stone, ice covered bridge. Isaac made the mistake of looking over; he quickly got to the other side, claiming to be standing guard.

They entered the worn building and a tape was heard, displaying a visual guide from the other side of the door.

The room inside was a mess; papers littered the floor, chairs were stacked in unorganized piles, moldy food sat on dirty plates, the paint was falling off in piles and whatever fabric was in there, was molded.

As they looked around the room, they all stopped to watch the message playing.

"If you are watching this film it means, despite our every precaution, containment has become a necessity. it is now up to us to make the ultimate sacrifice for the safety of the Sovereign colonies that we have sworn to protect. We understand we cannot expect one-hundred percent compliance. Therefore, the military arm of this final quarantine campaign will divide into three tiers of soldiers on sweep-and-cleanse duty."

"What is this...?" Applebloom muttered in disbelief.

"Genocide." Isaac stated simply.

"Let's get out of here." Babs Seed said. "This is just horrible."

"Yeah, but that's a hard way of learning life." Isaac said. "I survived something like that on Titan Station, with some help." He said.

As they entered another door, Isaac spoke again.

"Tiedmann, he ordered a full sweep of the station, wanting to kill every patient involved with the Markers. I killed Stross, another patient who went mad with guilt. It was a big shock when Sweetiebelle turned Tiedmann into a pony, can't say I was against it when they threw him into the Necromorph's. But, I can't shake this feeling like... It's as if he isn't dead, but not here."

Babs Seed glanced at her cousin, Applebloom shook her head. Babs nodded and kept quiet.

The frozen wastes ahead were surrounded by concrete walls, filled in with large shipping containers, light's were attached above on the walls over the doors, a trail of flares marking the way to the armory.

And running past the crates were a small group of Stalkers.

"Sweetiebelle, if you would." Isaac said.

She handed him her suit before running out into the middle.

She grew in size, her features becoming Necrotic in appearance but kept the original equine shape. Her blades shot out from her back, her bottom jaw splitting and her armor coating her as her spine made a new tail.

She lit her horn and set the others on her back, when they got a good grip she sent a pulse of energy through the ground. The Stalkers fell twitching with blood coming from their eyes and nose, their insides cooking from the full exposure as arks of electricity passed through the crates and them.

She set them down before changing back and cleaning up the parts.

They all walked to the door leading to the warehouse, Isaac keeping watch while Applebloom sat against the wall. She let her helmet unfold and breathed out a forced breath.

"We really are tough ponies, aren't we couse?" Bab Seed asked as she blew her mane out from her eye.

"Ya know it. And, between you and me," she snuck a look at Isaac before scooting closer. She whispered something in her cousin's ear and sat back with a smile.

"You'd really do that for him?" She asked.

"With what he's done for ya, me, and ma'h friends, he deserves it. Specially' after what happened to his parents on Titan." She frowned shaking her head. "Ah feel bad for him. He needs it just as much as he deserves it."

"What happened to them on Titan?"

"We found their bodies. Torn up beyond belief, we only knew it was them when ah found their name cards." She said.

"Alright, let's go in and get these parts." Scootaloo said. "Hey, AB and Babs, you should probably let your helmet's fold up, I'm not responsible for you two if you catch frostbite."

They nodded and with a grunt, Applebloom pushed herself upright and fell into the snow. She got up with a heavy breath and continued on, her friends watching in concern while Babs helped her along for a few seconds.

As they went in and the doorway began to spin, the collective gurgles of their stomachs resonated throughout the small space.

"Um, Hey Santos, Norton, Do you want any snow cones?" Scootaloo asked.

"Yeah, Sure, we are getting hungry." Norton replied.

"It would help, I can't work on an empty stomach." Santos replied.

"Do you want anything Ellie? What about you Carver?" Sweetiebelle asked. "I could fix some real quick."

"Sure, that would be wonderful Sweetiebelle." Ellie said.

"I'll take a few." Carver said.

"Whoa. Uh, hey guys?" Isaac said. "Whatever they were experimenting on here, looks like it got up and took half the warehouse with it."

The crusaders looked past him and saw the warehouse looked like ti was about to come down. A large hole and most of a wall had been taken out, the back of the building had been torn off completely letting in an avalanche of snow and rock; the elements froze nearly everything, even the metal.

"Fiddle sticks." Applebloom said.
> Into the belly of the beast- Part 3.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh no!" Santos exclaimed. "What about the sensor parts?"

"Three pieces right?" He asked. "Well, it's a long shot but I'll take a look around."

He cut off the link and looked around, scanning the area he nodded to himself.

"Alright, well split up into groups of two. Me and Sweetiebelle will be together, Applebloom and Babs, and Scootaloo can be alone. Now, split up and look for parts."

"What? Why do I have to be alone?" Scootaloo questioned angrily.

"I think it's pretty obvious the others have been taken." Isaac said sauntering away with Sweetiebelle.

"Sorry scoot's," Applebloom said. "But the engineer has spoken."

As they trotted away, Babs merely shrugged at Scootaloo as she sat there with her jaw hanging down.

Further down, Isaac and Sweetiebelle were climbing down the ladder, the rungs creaking in protest against them as Isaac took another step.

"You know, you don't have to stand on my head." Isaac said as Sweetiebelle looked down at him with emerald puppy dog eyes. "I didn't say I didn't enjoy it. Your like a fluffy scarf." She smiled before jumping the rest of the way down.

Isaac finally got down, watching as Sweetiebelle's leg's straightened out from the impact. She looked at him, flashing a fanged smile, he shuddered under his suit.

"OK, there's a piece over there and there." Isaac said. "You grab the one on the right, I'll get the one on the left."

Sweetiebelle trotted away, looking around at the numerous icy shapes. She picked up the piece and slipped it in her suit, something else caught her eye. A circuit was resting comfortably in a pile of ammo, with a smile, she reached out and pulled.

She was brought back and fell on her flank when it didn't budge. She frowned and pulled again. The same result.

"Hey Isaac, I found this weird circuit over here. It won't budge no matter how hard I pull." She said.

He looked up from sorting through ammo and walked over, seeing her struggle to lift the circuit he cocked his head before reaching down.

"Here, let me try, I've been working out since Titan." He said.

He grabbed it and pulled, it didn't budge so he put both hands on it and pulled. The muscles under his suit flexed from the strain, with a grunt he lost his grip and fell back.

"Dammit, is it frozen or something?" He asked.

She looked at it and shook her head no.

"What the hell is it's problem then?" He asked. "Hey, Scootaloo! Did you find a piece yet?"

"Yeah, I can see one down there." she replied back on the comm. "What are you two doing? Did you find something?"

"Yeah, we found a circuit that's breaking the laws of physics." Isaac replied. "It won't even move an inch. No matter how hard we pull, it just wont go anywhere."

"Is it pink?" Scootaloo joked as she came down on small wings.

"Uh," he looked at it and stopped for a second. "Yeah, and some of the wires are sticking out. How'd you know?"

"I... Didn't." She said slowly trotting over herself. "Weird."

All four of her tentacles came out and grabbed a corner of the circuit. She pulled with all of her strength, the muscle under the bone plating bulged and flexed. With a huff, she let go and retracted her appendages.

"I can't even move it." She said in disbelief. "And I'm a living legend. I'm part of the shadows, the supernatural itself."

"Hey, are yall done down there?" Applebloom yelled down. "Scoot's, could ya go get that part in that cage?" She pointed a armor clad hoof out past the small destroyed walkway, a wire hanging down below it.

Scootaloo saluted before running over, they all ignored the circuit and focused on the small pegasus.

Scootaloo looked over the edge of the walkway and saw the frame inside, she looked up and saw the cage being suspended by a loose wire. She frowned before lighting her horn up with a crimson energy; the frame was enveloped in the same light, it slowly came out and into her suit.

"Alright, Santos, we think we have all the parts for the sensor." Isaac said over the comm as he climbed back up the ladder. 

"Excellent! Do you think you can reconstruct it?" She asked.

"I just need to find a bench and call up the blueprint. Shouldn't be to difficult."

He got to the top and Sweetiebelle helped pull him up. The ladder gave out from under him as he got back on the walkway, he looked down, staring at what could have been him skewered and buried in metal.

"Ya know," Applebloom spoke up as they walked to the door. "Has anypony else noticed it's been awfully... Quiet? We haven't been attacked since we came in here."

"Are you complaining?" Isaac asked as they entered the rotating door.

"Na'h, it's just... Weird." She muttered. "Like somethin' bad's gonna happen at any moment."

"I'm sure nothing bad will happen." Isaac dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

The door opened and they stepped back out into the frozen waste of crates.

And the Snowbeast came back from over the wall.

"Ya were sayin' Isaac?" Applebloom muttered.

"Don't you start with me, you've done it twice. And I was the victim both times."

"Girls, and guy," Scootaloo said. "Can we focus on the large Necromorph in front of us?"

As they all aimed their weapons at it, it stood glaring at Sweetiebelle. She unfolded her helmet and stepped forward.

It took a step forward, giving a roar.

Her eyes turned crimson, the veins turning black while the whites turned red. She puffed up her chest and let out her own roar, albeit it was very high pitched, but nevertheless, it had the desired effect.

It backed up, shaking it's head in irritation. She gave another roar, changing her vocal cords, it was a deep roar like a Brute's. It looked at her once before scuttling back over the wall.

"Guys, that beast thing keeps running off before we can kill it." Isaac said over the comm.

"I scared it off by roaring at it!" Sweetiebelle added enthusiastically.

"Right," Norton replied. "So, about those snow cones..."

"Can it dirt bag, I still haven't forgotten about your little remark." Isaac warned. "And I don't think you'd want Applebloom to know what you said, do you?"

"What? What that'd snake say bout' me!?" Applelboom shouted. "Ah swear ah'll beat him like a rug!" She yelled over the comm.

"Oh shit! I'm... Breaking... Talk later..." He made static like noises over the comm. The ponies and human rolled their eyes, clearly seeing through it.

"Isaac, what did he say?" Applebloom asked.

"Um, I don't think-"

"Ah didn't ask ya to think, ah asked ya what he said." She said taking out her shotgun. "Now, what did he say?" She cocked it, letting a shell fall intimidatingly to the snow. She narrowed her eyes at the man before pointing the gun between his legs, he yelped and covered his crotch plate.

"Applebloom! What the hell!?" Isaac yelled as he jumped side-to-side, trying to avoid her aim.

"What. Did. He. Say?" She asked slowly.

Isaac looked at the crusaders, they looked equally as shocked, if not more than him. Babs quickly nodded.

"He said, you should have just let Babs take the hit!" Isaac yelled in a breath.

Applebloom's face fell, the gun lowered, her left eye twitched as she went to go sit by a crate.

"He... Let... Babs..." She muttered as her eyes danced to the sides, scanning the snow in front of her.

"Bloom, are you... Are you alright?" Sweetiebelle asked.

Applebloom stopped, she froze like a statue. Slowly, she got up, a look of pure anger adorned her.

"No." She said lifting her shot gun up again, only this time her hoof was on the rocket launcher's trigger. "Nopony messes with the apple family!"

"Wow, Applebloom calm down!" Sweetiebelle said.

"Calm down!? Calm down!?" Aplpebloom yelled as she pointed the gun at her friend. "No! Ah'm not gonna calm down! He's went to far this time!"

As she began to trot heavily but quickly towards the door, Sweetiebelle put a clawed hoof in her way. Applebloom looked up at her with a sigh.

"You not gonna move, are ya?" She asked.

Sweetiebelle shook her head in response.

Applebloom sighed and shrugged.

The next part flashed by in seconds, but went by to them in near hours.

Applebloom pointed her gun at Sweetiebelle and fired. The rocket flew out and hit her in the roof of her mouth, she reared up letting out a roar as brain matter fell to the ground. She fell by Isaac, he jumped as she hit sending a small shock wave out.

"Ah'm endin' this now." Applebloom mumbled as her pupils began to dilate. "And nopony is gonna stop me!"

Sweetiebelle had regenerated her lost brain matter when she looked at her friend in shock.

"Applebloom, that's-"

Scootaloo was cut off when Appleblood aimed her gun at her and fired. Scootaloo teleported out of the way, while just missing the second rocket as she reappeared.

"Ok, fine, if that's how you want to play." Scootaloo frowned as she dropped her form and replaced it with her natural form.

Appleblood sneered at Slenderloo, she fired another rocket for it only to be caught by Slenderloo's aurora. She sent it back and Appleblood grabbed it in her kinesis before shooting it back along with a second rocket. She detonated the first with a shotgun blast, letting the second be covered as it flew past the flames.

Slenderloo put her wings up in defense when the wave of fire hit, she was completely unprepared when the second rocket flew out and exploded next to her.

She was flung away, sliding in the snow she slowly got up. Her wings were partially singed, her mane smelled like soot. 

Appleblood trotted up, before Slenderloo could speak she lifted the butt of the weapon and slammed it against her head, knocking her out.

Sweetiebelle had just gotten up, she looked at her unconscious friend, and her other psychotic friend standing over her. Now, she felt a twang of fear when the small southern filly looked at her.

"Out'a ma'h way Sweetie." She spoke, her voice on the edge of he killer mode and normal voice. It was cheerfully, but angry all at the same time. "Ah don't want to have to hurt ya."

Sweetiebelle narrowed her crimson eyes in response, growing her armor out she grew to her full size. Standing three times taller as any Tripod, she took up nearly the entire circle the vicinity. Appleblood narrowed her eyes, she took out her Planet cracker Plasma cutter.

Sweetiebelle merely cocked her head at her choice of weaponry.

'What  is she going to do with that?' She thought. 'My armor can deflect airship bullets as if they were rubber.'

She found out when Appleblood finished the short gap between them. She jumped up and grabbed onto one of Sweetiebelle's mandibles, the surprised Necronicorn's mandible swung inward, Appleblood used the momentum to propel herself inside her friend's mouth.

Sweetiebelle gagged before swallowing, a dawning realization quickly made itself know in her mind.

'I don't have armor inside of me... Uh oh.'

She put an armored clawed hoof to her belly as she felt it being sliced up from the inside. She gave a blood muted roar as she fell down; she breathed heavily and passed out when she felt the red hot plasma cut through her hide.

Appleblood trotted out, she unfolded her helmet, a look of anguish and regret mixed with anger and loathing were present on her features.

"Applebloom, stop!" Isaac yelled as he got in her way. "Please..." He asked getting onto his knees. "I know Norton's a complete douchebag, but do you really need to kill him? It's bad-"

"Wait," Applebloom said. "Kill him? Ah didn't say ah was gonna kill anypony. Ah wasn't gonna kill him." She shook her head in disgust. "Ah was just gonna ask Ellie if ah could just rough him up." She shrugged.

"So, let me get this straight..." He rubbed his temples. "You fucked up your friends so you in turn, could ask Ellie if you could fuck up Norton?"

"Eeyup." She replied guiltily.

"How the fuck am I still alive with you three around me?" He laughed. "Seriously, I was about to shit myself thinking you were about to kill me."

"Eenope. Only knock ya out." She grinned. "Hey, Isaac," Applebloom muttered quietly now. "C-Could ya make sure their safe?" She rubbed a hoof along Sweetiebelles armored side, keeping it there to feel the heavy breathing. "She should be wakin' up now."

Sweetiebelle, as if on command, slowly, painfully, opened her eyes.

She shrunk down and stood, coughing for a moment. She looked over Applebloom, hesitant at first, but seeing her friend's small smile, she trotted over quietly and sat.

"Sorry bout' that Sweetie." Applebloom muttered, looking downcast at the snow. "Ah didn't mean to hurt yall."

"Hey," Sweetiebelle put a hoof on her shoulder. "You were just protecting family. And, that was pretty awesome with what you did. You've never been able to take me down during combat simulations."

"Wait, what?" Isaac and Babs asked at the same time. "Combat... Simulations?"

"Later." Sweetiebelle smirked. "I'll scoop up, Scoot's and we can get moving."

Applebloom gave a nod, she turned back to her cousin, who, was staring at her aghast.

Applebloom gave a small toothy smile and shrugged. Babs responded with a snort.

They all got up, Isaac brushing some snow off his head before his helmet folded back up.

"Hey," Isaac said on the comm. "Did you leave those flares there, Ellie?" He asked.

"No, that means Danik and his men must have gotten in there. Crap."

"Sucks for them." Isaac said. "Because they have no idea what their messing with." He chuckled.

Sweetiebelle had made herself as large as her sister, her features were rough at best but she looked no different than a large filly. She had Slenderloo draped across her back, using her own tendrils to keep her friend's tentacles from catching on anything.

Isaac picked up the shredded remains of Sweetiebelle's suit and put them into his inventory. he waved the three others on as he entered the doorway again.

As they entered, the message could once again be heard. Babs and Applebloom both frowned as they heard the part of slaughter.

As they passed through the chairs and tables, the two fillies stopped and gave a silent goodbye to the souls killed. Isaac watched in thought, Sweetiebelle knew what they were doing and did the same.

The three crusaders opened their eyes and only smiled towards Isaac, he started to walk again, slightly slower as he heard Slenderloo begin to mumble.

They opened another door leading to a similarly set area; crates were stacked in the middle, a few were scattered around the area, and the trail of flares led to the armory door.

"Hey, any chance we could get her on her hooves early?" Isaac asked.

Sweetiebelle turned her head backwards with a snap, Isaac jumped back slightly at the sight. She gave him a quick glance before fixing her gaze back to her friend.

Sweetiebelle looked at her friend's faceless head before putting the tip of her horn to Slenderloo's. A pink energy was transferred from Sweetiebelle to Slenderloo.

The area that was Slenderloo's eyes started to shine a dim green, it momentarily darkened from top to bottom simultaneously before glowing a brighter green. She lifted her head up and looked around.

Her ears splayed back as she saw Applebloom. Her mouth split, revealing a black hole writhing with similarly colored tentacles. They spilled out from her mouth and a few holes in her cheek's before a few even wormed their way through her neck. With her wings outstretched, she flailed her tentacles around.

"Oh, she remembers what ah did." Applebloom grinned. "How are ya feelin' scoot's?" She asked nervously.

"Like I was nearly killed." Slenderloo replied straightening herself out. "How are you, mentally?" She asked.

"Fine, fine..." Applebloom muttered. "Ah'm sorry bout' blowin' ya up. Isaac said ya thought ah was plannin' on killin' Norton."

"That seemed like the logical conclusion when you went berserk on us. Luckily Sweetiebelle stopped you while I was knocked out."

"Funny thing about that." Babs muttered. "Applebloom actually took down Sweeiebelle with her Plasma cutter... From the inside."

"Sweetiebelle, did you swallow Applebloom?"

Isaac repressed a snicker as he watched Slenderloo's faceless expression as her friend gave a no.

"Then, who stopped you?" Slenderloo asked.

"Isaac." Applebloom said bluntly. "All he did was talk with me."

"He... Talked?" She repeated. "Out of us all, the meat shield stopped you with words?"

"Meat shield? I don't-"

"Not now meat shield," Slenderloo said as she changed back. "Seriously, who stopped you?"

"Isaac."

"Applebloom, I want a real answer, not a joke."

"Oh for the love of christ, get in there and let's go kill Danik's soldiers!" Isaac yelled as he pulled Scootaloo in by the ear.

The others giggled as she was pulled, Applebloom stopped and stumbled, shaking her head she caught up.

"Hey, Applelboom, are you alright?" Sweetiebelle asked gruffly, her vocal cords scratchy from the size difference.

"Just light headed. That's... All..." Applebloom closed her eyes, curling up on the floor, she began to snore lightly.

Sweetiebelle sighed before placing the filly on her back.
> Falling apples.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweetiebelle stumbled with the unconscious apple farmer on her back. She looked back and raised an eyebrow.

"She's heavy." Sweetiebelle said. "What is her suit made of?"

"Oh, about that..." Scootaloo coughed into her hoof. "When I patched her suit up, I had the bench use a slightly sturdier metal. A slightly... Heavier metal that is."

"Whatever it is," Sweetiebelle grunted. "I can see why she was limping earlier."

"Girls," Bab said. "And Isaac," she got a thank you from him. "Is this one of those things that go up and down?" She asked trotting around a corner.

"You mean an elevator?" He asked walking with the others. "Yeah, this is it. Come on you..." He stared at them for a second, thinking over his words. "Three? Or four considering we still have bloom, but-"

"Did you just call her bloom?" Scootaloo asked.

"Yeah, what about it?" He asked opening the doors to the elevator. "Can't a friend call her that?"

"No, I mean yes," she stuttered. "I've just never heard you call her that before. What else did you two talk about? You know, while me and Sweetiebelle were down?"

"I just begged her to stop, she thought that we thought, she thought about killing Norton but instead we thought wrong because she only thought to rough him up." He shrugged.

"...So nothing else?" She blinked. "I'm confused." She said putting a hoof to her head.

"Nothing more, nothing less." He said as the doors slid closed.

"What about you Babs?" Scootaloo asked. "Has she said anything recently?"

"Well," Babs glanced at her cousin resting peacefully on Sweetiebelle's back. "She said she wanted to do something for Isaac, seeing how he's had such a rough life." She felt her throat close up slightly as she spoke next. "B-But I don't really remember what she said."

"Well, we can always ask her when she wakes up." Isaac shrugged. "Alright, were here, so keep your eyes peeled."

The floors and wall were in an even worse condition than above, the only light was from a suit vendor, a bench, the elevator, and the few dirty bulbs flickering from the ceiling.

Isaac took the first step, looking around at the numerous corners, even seeing a sizable chunk from a concrete wall fall off and hit a metal support.

His boot made a tile uplift itself, he stopped and raised his automatic.

"Alright," he whispered. "Be as quiet as possible, we don't want to be caught off guard."

"Isaac, we have magic on our side. As soon as the first bullet fly's, I can just melt the floor right out from underneath them." Scootaloo stated. "While we were... gath-no, um, prepping ourselves for an..."

"Emergency." Sweetiebelle finished with a hoarse voice.

"Yeah, emergency," Scootaloo nodded. "Me and Sweetiebelle have been working on some new spells, I've been making all sort's of defense systems, weapons, healing tests..." She coughed into her hoof again. "Maybe a doomsday device." She said under her breath.

"You made a doomsday device?" He asked. "Just... Just what the fuck. I don't even know what to say to that."

"Just, don't say anything then." Scootaloo replied. "It's more of a need-to-know basis; it's already built and all, the order just needs to be given and poof. Goodbye all life on the planet."

"Who would give the order? That Celestia you mentioned before?"

"Our boss, agent one," she replied. "Applebloom."

"You trusted the psychopath, with the responsibility to give an order that would eradicate all life on your planet...?"

"Well, when you say it like that..." Sweetibelle drawled.

"Do I even want to know, what the device is?" He asked slapping a hand against his faceplate.

"I'd set my Marker to a state of conduction, therefore, it would gather energy from around it and then detonate." Sweetiebelle said. "And since it would be drawing in pure magic, I doubt there would even be a planet left. Remember the rocks back on Titan, Isaac?"

"Yeah, how much magic was that?"

"Just enough to fit in that cartridges." She said. "If I were to detonate my Marker, it wouldn't have those boundaries... It would simply just go up."

"Damn... You three are the craziest ponies I've ever had the pleasure of having as company." He said. "I'm just not sure I'm exactly safe with you three around."

"Your safer with us, than without us." Scootaloo said.

"I'm starting to have my doubts about that." He said as he opened the elevator doors. "Come on, there's nothing here for us. They must be on the lower levels."

They all entered the elevator again, as soon as it began to move, Applebloom fell off Sweetiebelle with a grunt.

"What the...?" Applebloom said as she looked up. "Stop spinnin' me Sweetiebelle." She waved a hoof at her friend. "Where are we?"

"At the moment," Isaac said. "In an elevator to go-"

"Kill Danik's soldiers," she finished. "Right, right, just give me a second, ma'h head is spinnin' faster than a yo-yo."

As she struggled to get up, the elevator stopped and the doors opened.

"Holy shit..." Isaac muttered.

Babs nearly threw up while the others just stared in shock.

Bodies littered the floor, all of them covered in blood and stab wounds. The flares spread out spread a sickly crimson to the already brown on the floor while also stretching the shadows onto the walls.

As they exited, a man was slowly crawling towards a pillar. Isaac raised his gun but lowered it when the man collapsed.

"It looks like there was a heck of a fight." Applebloom muttered lazily looking around.

"Did the Slasher's do this...?" Babs asked while suppressing vomit.

"No," Isaac said rolling the man over. "Look at his face and neck." He lifted the mask and revealed small holes under the man's jaw and numerous more across his nose and forehead. "These here," he pointed at the mans face. "Are bite marks, and the ones under his jaw are claw marks. Were dealing with Feeders."

"Ah fiddlesticks." Applebloom muttered falling forward again.

As Sweetiebelle picked her up, Isaac and Scootaloo went to the only open door. They stopped and looked at each other before calling the others over too.

"What is it?" Sweetiebelle asked. "More soldiers? Necromorph's?"

"Try an old rickety metal walkway." Scootaloo said. "With a nearly bottomless drop into darkness."

Sweetiebelle set Applelboom down and peered over the edge with Babs. They both scooted back and chuckled sightly with each other.

"What's wrong?" Isaac laughed. "Afraid of a little fall?"

Sweetiebelle stood up and narrowed her eyes as she took out smaller Drag Tentacles.
> Deja vu... And fuck you!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Put me back on the walkway!" Isaac yelled as Sweetiebelle dangled him over the edge. "I'm sorry! Just put me back on solid metal! I wont laugh anymore!"

Sweetiebelle, with a serrated tooth filled smile, set the engineer down onto the walkway again. He scrambled back against the wall, putting a hand to his chest he shook the other at her.

"Never... Never do that again!" He yelled getting up.

"Will do," she saluted. "Does anypony else hear that? Like metal scraping against metal."

"Now who's the crazy one?" Isaac chuckled before stopping suddenly. "Oh shit..."

He ran towards the next door, tripping once and pressing the button. He spun around and saw Sweetiebelle handing Applebloom over to Scootaloo. Scootaloo trotted up to him while Sweetiebelle and Babs calmly began to trot over.

As the doors opened Isaac and Scootaloo took the first few steps inside when a sudden creak was heard. They looked back and saw the walkway begin to give out.

Sweetiebelle only managed to jump when it finally fell, she stuck out her Slasher and Stalker claws while trying to get a grip on the metal walls. Babs merely hung onto a rail. Seeing Babs, Sweetiebelle pulled her over and stuck Babs inside, wrapping around her like a jacket.

Isaac and Scootaloo watched the trail of sparks as the two ponies fell. It stopped, but the screeching could still be heard even after.

"Deja vu..." Isaac muttered before hearing a Feeder behind him. "And fuck you!" He ran at it leaving Scootaloo to deal with the Slasher that dropped down.

"When we get home," she said smashing it into a wall. "I'm using you for target practice, Isaac." She said.

Thirteen floors down.

Babs looked at Sweetiebelle as if she'd grown a second head. Sweetiebelle just stood on her hind legs, scratching away at the metal with tiny Stalker claws.

"Sweetiebelle..." Babs finally said. "Your not getting anywhere, you can stop now."

Sweetiebelle stopped and sat on her haunches. She looked around in the dark, sighing her eyes began to glow a dark red before turning into a fiery crimson. She looked over at Babs and saw the filly jump back slightly.

"Stalker eyes." Sweetiebelle said. "Come on, we need to find our way back up."

"Well," Babs said interrupting her. "Where are we first of all?" She shined her helmet's light around a few times before spotting a door ahead. "Hey Sweetiebelle, check this out."

Sweetiebelle trotted over and cocked her head to the side.

"Sewage treatment." She read in slight horror. "I have a feeling I'm not going like where this is going already."

Thirteen floors up.

Isaac slung the Feeder corpse to the side. Cracking his knuckles he looked back at Scootaloo and saw a Feeder carrying Applebloom.

"I still don't like that thing carrying Applebloom." He said glaring at it.

"It's under my control, it wouldn't do anything unless I told it to." Scootaloo replied. "Why do you hate these things, especially more than the other Necromorph's?"

"Well, because..." He shuffled his feet. "I have my reasons."

"Isaac," she crossed her fore-legs. "What happened?"

"Back in another apartment complex, on a different planet, there was another Necromorph outbreak. I destroyed the Marker with the help of," he laughed. "Get this, this prissy white unicorn. Yeah, she said she recognized me too, but I'd never seen her before in my life."

"Wait..." Scootaloo looked up at him. "Did she have a curly purple mane, a pure white coat, mention Sweetiebelle, and have three diamonds for a cutiemark?"

"...Yes." He shrugged.

Scootaloo looked ahead, her eyes wide and distant. She was in deep thought, mulling over the new information.

And then she began to laugh, clutching her sides as she smacked the floor a few times.

"You got help from Sweetiebelle's big sister! Rarity!" She laughed. "Oh, we've got to tell the others about this later! I've got to know how she reacted when she saw blood for the first time. Or if she was cornered and you had to save her."

"So that's what her name was. Oh, now I remember now...." Isaac smiled. "She was annoying as hell." He frowned causing Scootaloo to laugh even more.

He picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. He opened the elevator door and stepped through.

"If you want to know why I hate Feeders," Isaac said. "It's because they ate my goldfish." The Feeder stepped in carrying Applebloom. "Damn skeletons." He sneered at the Feeder.

Thirteen floors down. Sewage treatment.

"This place stinks." Babs said trudging around the large room.

"Atleast you have a suit. I have super-senses." Sweetiebelle scrunched up her nose. "I just hope we don't have to go up."

"What do you mean by that?" Babs asked sitting by a tank.

"Well, if the elevator is out, then it's probably smashed to bits down at the bottom of the shaft." She explained. "The only other option is to... Flush in reverse."

"Flush in... Now that's just wrong." Babs said shaking her head of the thought.

"Don't worry, I don't even know how to work these things." Sweetiebelle grinned tapping it.

At that moment, the light's turned on and the machines came to life.

"Renewal of sewage is now in process." Came an old electric voice.

"Ok," Sweetibeelle gritted her teeth in annoyance. "Maybe I don't have to know."

In front of them, the holding tanks were already filled to the brim with sewage. Sweetiebelle and Babs looked at each other before back to them when a multitude of gurgles were made.

A clawed hand rose out from the sludge and carved lines in the metal wall. Hoisting itself up, a head full of jagged and rotten teeth became visible.

"Oh come on!" Sweetiebelle yelled. "I have had enough!" She gave a roar shaking more of the sludge out as more of the creature's came out.

The first one climbed out, it had a holed fin on it's back. It's face was shown slightly more and it's mouth was a wrinkled ring spanning the entire length of its face except for the eyes. It's back legs were bent back and elongated to a Divider's length, the feet on it were curled up making two claws that resembled fins.

And it's hands were thirty inches of bone, held together to flex with a random bit of flesh.

"So," Babs Said taking out her Pulse rifle. "What do we call these?"

"How about Sludgecrutches?" Sweetiebelle suggested covering herself with bone plating. "Get ready, they could have some sort of-"

A screech was heard and one of the creatures hacked out a glob of brown sludge.

And hit the batlike creature above Sweetiebelle.

She looked up at the thing and saw it was what was left of a human head. The creature that shot it down quickly rushed forward and slung it back towards the others.

The creatures swarmed the small thing, ripping it to shreds before getting off each other and facing the two fillies again.

"Sweetiebelle," Babs said. "Do Necromorph's eat each other?"

"No... No they don't." She whispered in confusion. "So, what are these things then?"

The one from before leaned down and looked Sweetiebelle in the eye. it raised up and gave a few shrieks before backing up.

"What's it doing?" Babs asked.

"I don't know... Maybe it's friendly?" She suggested. "Um, excuse me, do you know how we can get out of here?"

The thing stared at her before tapping it's clawed fingers on the floor. It pointed one up at the ceiling, tracing it down to a pipe and then a tanker.

"So, that's a yes?" Sweetiebelle asked.

It raised and lowered it's upper body in response before giving another screech.

The other creatures surged forward, claws slashing wildly, Sweetiebelle charged her horn but saw the one behind her clawing at the tanker. She looked over at Babs and saw her wave from behind a pipe.

"You've got to be kidding me..." Sweetiebelle groaned as a wall from the tanker ripped off.

Thirteen floors up.

"And... Done!" Scootaloo grinned as the screen showed the circuitry had been moved correctly.

"Good, now come on." Isaac grumbled. "Oh, and sorry about the Feeder."

"It's alright," she grinned slightly. "There were a few of them. It's not like you knew."

"No."

"No what?" She asked. "Did you know where my Feeder was or did you not know?"

"Yes." He said picking up Applebloom before getting slugged under the chin.

Applebloom fell to the floor with a metallic thud.

"Get your hooves off'a me..." She waved at him. "Hey... Where's Babs And Sweetie...?" She asked stretching.

"They fell down a hole." Scootaloo replied getting a slight kick from Isaac. "What?"

"They what!?" Applebloom yelped. "When!? How!?"

"Just a while ago," Scootaloo said. "We were crossing this metal walkway when the walking part gave out, crushed the others beneath it and Sweetiebelle was sliding down the wall leaving sparks. We're... Not sure where they are at the moment."

"Hey girls, and Isaac," Babs said over the comms. "Um, did you all happen to feel the ground start to shake?"

"Babs!" Applebloom yelled linking up with her cousin. "Babs! Behind you!"

The creature behind her swerved around, arms out ready to slash.

"Oh, you meant him," Babs chuckled. "He's not actually a Necromorph... He's... I don't know. But, he is friendly, him and the others are helping us get out. And Sweetiebelle... She's... Well she doesn't want to talk about what happened."

"Don't worry," Isaac said. "I'm sure they have everything under control." He said to Applebloom. "You do have everything under control? Right?"

"Yeah, yeah were fine." Babs nodded. "We should probably go, I think Sweetiebelle's is waking up."

She cut off the link leaving them in silence.

"Well, atleast she's safe." Scootaloo smiled patting her friend on the back. Applebloom fell forward and didn't move. "And she's out again..."

She picked up Applebloom again with a slight grunt. She gave a nod to Isaac and he stepped forward.

Isaac opened the door and they were met with another area of corners. He took the open route and raised his gun as two Slasher came swiping at him.

The pipes rattled on the wall and in an instant, a brown sludge erupted from them and cut the Slasher's in half. It died down to a simple gurgle exposing the damage.

"Isaac, Isaac what the hell was that!?" Ellie yelled over the comm. "The toilets just went off like geysers!"

"Well, isn't this some-"

"Isaac, I swear to Celestia if you finish that sentence." Scootaloo warned.

"...Shit!" He laughed as she punched him lightly. "I'm sorry, but most of my jokes are a bit crappy!"

"He's just full of bull-"

"Shit!" He laughed. "Oh god, it smells horrible!" He began coughing alongside Scootaloo. "Oh, god, it burns! Who had the nerve not to clean out the latrines? This shit is over four hundred years old. I think I'm going to-" he folded his helmet up and leaned over the edge.

"It's in my nose! It stinks worse than Tartarus!" Scootaloo said curling up on the floor.
> She should have done it.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Don't do it Sweetie."

"I'm thinking about it."

"Don't do it Sweetie."

"I'm still thinking about it."

"Stop thinking about it."

"I'm going to do it."

"Don't do it, it's not worth it." Babs said standing next to Sweetiebelle.

Sweetiebelle was stained, fully, a dark brown or black. Bit's of two hundred year old sewage clung to her coat, and she kept telling herself it was just foul smelling chocolate in her mane.

She was also looking over the edge of a filter, which consisted of many sharp branches, holes leading to another and so on, and a large heater that was boiling the water.

"I'm going to do it."

"It's not worth it. Were going to have to go up the pipes anyway."

Sweetiebelle's eyes darted nervously across the bubbling brown water, she gulped before backing away.

"Fine, let's just get this over with." She said, letting her head sink to the floor. "Babs, do me a favor once we get to the surface."

"Sure," Babs said. "What is it?"

"Find me a potato peeler, a knife, or let me borrow your plasma blade, I don't care which one it is. I'm getting my skin off if it's the last thing I do."

"Don't you know a spell to get rid of it?" Babs asked as they trotted to a large tanker. "I mean, if you work at some huge base, wouldn't you need something to get out stains?"

"The only stains there are the grease stains in the workshop, or the blood in the training hall."

"Blood?" Babs asked. "Why would there be blood?"

"We use Necromorph's for training." Sweetiebelle said casually.

"I thought you wanted to stop them?" Babs asked in partial shock.

"We do," Sweetiebelle shrugged. "But I supply the Necromorph's using shell's of my... Victims from on Titan Station. I can make them behave like actual Necromorph's or have them sit down to tea. I remember putting a Lurker on Scootaloo's face when she fell asleep."

"Really? What's a Lurker?"

"It's a baby that crawls along the walls and shoot's barbs from it's back. A real nasty piece of work." Sweetiebelle grunted as she crawled in. "That's how Applebloom got that scar on her eye."

"Jeez," Babs whistled. "With the way she fights, I didn't think anything could touch her."

"It only happens when somepony close to her is injured, she didn't have anypony with her at the time." Sweetiebelle explained. "Alright, fire it up!"

One of the creatures made a guttural grunt and turned a switch from across the room.

The muck around their hooves began to swirl and move towards the middle. Sweetiebelle gulped and closed her eyes.

"Babs," she said. "Could you hold me?"

"Sure, come here." Babs said wrapping the stained filly in a hug.

They were lifted up into the air slightly, and slowly they began to move upwards. Sweetiebelle hung on tighter as they entered the pipe.

In an instant, they were surrounded by more of the sewage as it drained from the other pipes.

Thirteen floors up.

"Holy shit..." Isaac heaved as the last Slasher was killed. "Come up behind us while were opening a door!" He kicked the body making it roll over. "Bastard Slasher!" He kicked it two more times before sitting against a wall.

"You need a breather Isaac?" Scootaloo asked sitting next to him.

"Yeah, those things gave me a heart attack." He laughed. "Hey look, Applebloom's up. Morning loopy."

"Ah'm not loopy..." Applebloom said. "Ah'm just... Dehydrated." She pointed a hoof at him. "Ah'm not loopy... Just... Fruity."

"Hey Applebloom," Isaac chuckled. "How adorable are you when you barely have any blood?"

"Ah... Ah don't know." She smiled lazily as her helmet folded up. "Turn on a light... It's makin' ma'h allergies act up with all this... Non-light."

"Applebloom," Scootaloo snickered. "You don't have any allergies."

A look of shock came onto Applebloom's face as her mouth dropped.

"Scoot's, when did ya get here?" She asked. "Hey Isaac." She waved at him.

"I'm not going to let her live this down," Isaac whispered to Scootaloo. "Ever."

"Hey, Applebloom," Isaac said. "Would you mind if I-"

Applebloom picked up a pipe and threw it at him. When he looked back she had her fore-legs crossed.

"Gave yall a run for ya money, didn't ah?" She grinned. "Ah didn't lose that much blood." She got up and wobbled slightly. "But ah lost some."

Scootaloo rushed to her friend and held onto her with a wing, Applebloom nodded towards the door. Isaac opened it and let them pass before entering himself.

As soon as they took their first steps, the pipes began to rattle and shake again. Isaac grabbed Applebloom and Scootaloo, rolled away to the other door, and hunched himself over them.

The pipes burst, more sludge merely was flung out in chunks and globs, along with the flow, the others failed to notice the flash of a face-plate's internal lighting.

"Well, it's official," Isaac said standing. "I'm still a badass."

"Yeah, yeah," Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "You saved us from safety that was just two steps back. My hero."

"I'll take that as a compliment." He said.

"Hey," Scootlaoo said. "Does anypony else hear... Screaming?"

They all looked up and Isaac jumped back when a man nearly cut himself in half when he landed on the rail. All the mans limbs had been forced off from the impact, blood flowed quickly out from the wounds.

"Well, that happened." Applebloom said before falling back.

Sewage pipes. One minute earlier.

Babs and Sweetiebelle had long ago disconnected and sat back-to-back, fore-legs crossed in boredom as they effortlessly pushed them along.

'Hey, Babs,' Sweetiebelle said mentally over her magic. 'When do you think were going to actually surface?'

'I don't know, but I hope it's... I think there's another pipe burst up ahead.'

A few seconds after that thought, a gap in the pipes was shown and the flow decreased dramatically, but they were still going extremely fast.

'Hey, Sweetiebelle,' Babs thought. 'If we keep going up, wouldn't that mean there's a fork in the pipes?'

'Yeah, there should be, why?'

'Because, if that's the case then they'll be to small for us to fit through.'

Sweetiebelle thought about that and looked up. She quickly grabbed onto Babs again before charging her horn.

Outside the building.

"Are you sure this is the planet and you didn't just screw up?" A man wearing black military armor asked his colleague next to him.

"Yes," the other snapped. "I've checked three times. They're here, and they're close. I can almost smell them..."

His colleague stared at him through his visor before leaning his head back slightly.

"Wait, I'm getting a massive spike in... Sweetiebelle's signal!" He said excitedly jumping up. "I should be able to see her..."

Before the other guard could face-palm, the ground beneath them shook, cracked and finally split releasing a geyser of four hundred year old sewage.

"Holy mother of-shit! It's raining shit!" The one on the left yelled as he ran for cover.

The one on the right merely stood in place, staring closely at the geyser. He straightened his neck when he saw a small equine shaped suit at the top.

"Sweetiebelle! Hey! Hey Sweetiebelle!" He yelled.

A brown head poked out and with a flash of light blue, two fillies stood in front of him. He merely stared down, head cocked to the side at the sight of two ponies.

"Are you a Unitologist?" Babs asked to his shock.

"Wait... You're not Sweetiebelle." He said crouching down. "Who are you? Oh, hey Sweetibeelle, here you go." He pulled out some wipes from a side pocket which she took graciously.

"I'm Babs seed, Applebloom's cousin."

"Oh, your related to Applebloom? How nice, we were just looking for her, Sweetiebelle, Scootaloo and Isaac." He said oblivious to the sewage pooling at his boots. "You wouldn't happen to know where they are, would you?"

"Acutally," Sweetiebelle replied half clean. "We got separated after a walkway fell. We ended up in the sewage treatment, got help from a group of fish people I guess, and then we hitched a ride in the pipes."

"Right..." said the other guard coming out from cover. "So, how did you all get here? Didn't you all go home?"

"We did," Sweetiebelle grunted pulling toilet paper out of her mane. "But that magical storm over Ponyville had other ideas."

He merely nodded, walking away he retrieved his gun from the snow. He returned and stood in place, occasionally shrugging his shoulders from the cold.

"So," Sweetiebelle said. "Did you hear about the new religion?"

"Yeah, yeah," they nodded. "They even gave us a gift basket when we told them we knew you three. If you like, we could go back to the ship and you could freshen up?"

"I don't care, as long as there's something to get the stains and smell out of my coat." Sweetiebelle shivered as they began the trek. "Where is the ship?"

The guards stopped before looking down at the snow.

"We lost it..."

Sweetiebelle and Babs face-hooved.
> Fire the torpedoes!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So, what do you think Sweetiebelle and Babs are doing?" Isaac asked as he leaned against the elevator wall.

"Who knows," Scootaloo shrugged. "They're probably fighting some huge Necromorph or stray Unitologist's."

"Should I give Babs a call?" He asked. "I don't want bloom to start getting paranoid. I mean, no offense, but Babs is... A bit... Fresh."

"Fresh?" Scootaloo repeated. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"She's still new to the whole Necromorph killing thing." He said lightly. "She's getting better, but I think a Plasma cutter would do her some good. Maybe even a Line gun?"

"Maybe." She replied. "She seemed more of a Ripper kind of filly to me though, maybe even a Flamethrower."

"Yeah, a Flamethrower." He nodded. "Maybe even her own suit."

"She'd be a good captain for the Manehatten base. Nopony else there has first-hoof experience that close to the city. Nopony that could afford to move anyway."

As they stood in silence Isaac's head quickly snapped back to her. They stared into each others visors before he spoke hurriedly.

"I think I should call them, just to be safe."

"Yeah, the last thing we need is Applebloom going all Stross on us."

 Frozen wastes. four minutes earlier.

"How do you lose an entire gun ship?" Sweetiebelle's voice cracked mid-sentence. "Especially if it's painted black against a snow covered landscape?"

"We just did! Alright!" The one on the right said. "We can find it, it was just the way we came."

"Then why don't you let me just carry us?" She asked. "I've even got a new Necromorph part."

They both stopped and looked back at her before shrugging to themselves. She took the Nexus tissue from Babs Seed's suit and stuck it in her chest.

She started to convulse, she scrunched up her eyes before she grew.

The guards and Babs backed away as she reverted to her largest form. One of the guards fell back and quickly rolled out of the way as a newly grown spike was set down where he had been.

The blade's on her back thickened and began to coat the rest of the limb, her hair began to fall out in clumps. Her head narrowed and her horn elongated, four new eyes formed above the last set. Her mouth twisted into bone-like spikes snapping open and closed as they twisted into position.

Her body split into chunks, her spinal column split and elongated and split again. Her legs grew longer and thicker. Her spinal tail flattened at the end and grew ridges that spread up to her neck. Multiple legs came out from the sides in a show of split plating and blood.

She grew, and grew in front of them. They were left slack-jawed as she rose to her full height and gave a roar shaking snow and ice loose from nearby buildings.

"Ho-ho-ho-" the one of the left stuttered.

"Holy shit..." The one on the right whispered under his breath. "She was like this big," he held his hands up to a rough comparison of her height. "And she turned into this." He waved both hands at her. "Just... Just fuck physics."

"What about physics?" Sweetiebelle asked.

They all jumped back in shock, all of them looking back and fourth from the small filly and the magic amplified Nexus.

"What... But what the fu-how!?" The one on guard the right yelled. "You're there, and you're here!"

"I can separate individual bodies from my main one while attached to a small cord that connects to the main form or other form I split off." She said. "The Nexus right there," she nodded towards the creature. "Is my main body, your talking to a lesser part that has split off from it. And I see the ship by the way, it's just over the next hill."

As she turned back, she finally noticed the sludge had fallen off. But the stench still remained.

They quickly ran over the hill and there in the snow, was the same gunship that Isaac, the guards, Ellie, and the crusaders escaped on from Titan Station.

The guards pressed a few controls on the side and a hatch opened up.

The inside was a mess, pizza slices were scattered around in boxes, red solo cups were on the floor and dash, Pringles and Cheetos bags and soda cans were in the spare seats. Babs and Sweetiebelle stood in slight shock at the condition.

"Make yourselves at home," the guard on the right said brushing some cans off a seat. "The gift basket is here somewhere. Try the back."

As the two guards sat down at the front, Sweetiebelle and Babs started to search the back.

Sweetiebelle cringed at the amount of stale food in the piles, while Babs, felt her stomach growl at the sight.

Slowly, they entered and were lost in sight. The guards watched in amusement as the boxes and cans moved around.

Sweetiebele was smelling the ground, her nose turned into a red stained hole as the skin and cartilage had peeled away. Her red eyes focused on coconuts and she dragged Babs over towards the direction of the smell.

They came out and saw one of the guards putting on hand moisturizer while the other had the basket at his boots.

"It was actually in the glove box." The guard moisturizing said. "We have a big glove box."

"We do," the other nodded enthusiastically. "And, we even put in some fuzzy-dice." He pointed to the pair of purple, fur coated dice on the unneeded mirror.

"Can I get the lotion?" Sweetiebelle asked holding out her hoof.

The guard playing with the dice reached into the basket and threw her a white bottle. She caught it with a small Drag Tentacle and gave a small nod.

As she was busy putting that on, Babs decided to look around.

She saw nothing of interest on the floors so she looked around on the walls. Multiple buttons and switches lined them, she couldn't make any sense of them. She decided to go see what the one of two hole in the wall were.

They were empty, but looked like they went to the front of the ship. As she was leaning forward to get a better look, she slipped on stale pizza and fell in with a yelp.

"Babs?" Sweetiebelle called out as she wiped lotion off her eyelids. "Babs? Where are you?"

"I'm in here!" She called back.

Sweetiebelle cocked her head to the side before trotting over. When she saw Babs stuck in the tube, she began to giggle.

"Could I have a little help?" Babs asked snapping Sweetiebelle out of her giggles.

"S-Sure..." Sweetiebelle nodded reaching down.

She wrapped her hoooves around Babs shoulders and pulled. Gritting her teeth, she felt the armored pony move slightly and then yelp.

"Stop! Stop it! That kind'a hurts." Babs muttered now resting on her belly. 

"Hey, what's going... Oh sweet lord. Hey, quit with the moisturizer and help!" The un-moisturized guard yelled at the other. "We've got some serious shit going on right now! She's stuck in the torpedo chamber!"

"What?" The other guard get's up and leans over Sweetiebelle. "Well I'll be dammed, how'd you do that? I've been trying to get in there for weeks."

"I slipped on some pizza." Babs replied. "Sweetiebelle already tried to pull me out, I'm stuck." She frowned in her helmet.

"We could use the lotion to free her." Sweetiebelle suggested tipping the bottle over the edge.

The white liquid spilled over and coated her suit, Babs looked up and started to wiggle around before she began slipping even deeper into the chamber.

As Sweetiebelle was reaching in, Babs comm came to life, the screen flattened from the enclosed space.

"Hey... Babs." Isaac started awkwardly. "Where are you? And Where's Sweetiebelle?"

"I'm stuck in a torpedo chamber after I slipped on some pizza." She said.

"Pizza!?" Scootaloo buzzed angrily into view. "Where in Celestia's name did you get pizza!?"

"I didn't find it, I slipped on it." Babs mumbled. "There are these two guys... They said they knew you and the others from somewhere."

"Two guys?" Isaac repeated. "No way... Are they wearing black security guard armor?"

"Yeah, I guess. Why?"

"Those are the two guards we spared from Titan!" He chuckled. "How did those two knuckle heads... Hey, is that Sweetibelle behind you?"

Babs lifted an ear and listened, not a moment after she felt something grab her back legs.

"Come on, come on," Sweetiebelle said as she scooted back. "We're almost out! Just a few more inches..."

As they were scooting through the chamber, the guards were pacing around the cabin.

"What if she can't get out?" The one on the left suggested. "What's Applelboom going to do to us? What's Sweetiebelle going to do to us?"

"How the hell should I know?" The other said back. "I've never had to deal with this kind of shit before!"

As they continued to argue,  the one on the left misplaced a step on the lotion bottle and slipped back.

His elbow smashed into the controls and they both went to the floor as a strong suction overtook them. They looked back and saw Sweetiebelle's pink tail vanish with echoing screams.

The one on the right closed the chamber with his boot before they both ran to the front of the ship.

Two small dot's in the distance could be seen soaring through the air.

"Oh..."

"...Shit."

Elevator.

"Did... Did they just get shot out?" Isaac asked slowly.

"I... I don't know what to say or think." Scootaloo said slumping back against the wall. "Just, wow."

"Should we, I don't know, tell Applebloom?" He suggested.

"I think she knows." Scootaloo said looking across the man's lap.

He looked to the side and shook his head as he saw Applebloom hitting her head repeatedly against the wall.

Tau Volantis's sky.

Two fillies hugging each other soared through the sky, both screaming their lungs out. After a minute, they stopped and merely hugged each other over the hissing winds as it whipped by.

"Sweetiebelle, can't you turn into something!?" Babs asked as a cliff neared and soon went by. "Now!"

Sweeetiebelle only nodded before two fleshy flaps came out from her sides. As they glided along on the drafts, she saw a large pillar like object. She quickly flew over and got a good grip on the top.

"Alright, we're safe, we're safe." She said. "Or maybe not..."

Babs looked down and felt her jaw try to drop inside her helmet.

They had landed on the frozen Nexus. Miles away from the others and miles away from the relative safety of the group.

"Um, we can get out of this..." Sweetiebelle said. "And hopefully not wake it up..." She smiled slightly before cracks formed under each step. 'We're so dead.' She thought.
> Raising the dead...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ok," Isaac said holding Applebloom's head in place. "She hasn't stopped and we need to get off the elevator. Who's going to make sure she doesn't hit her head repeatedly?"

"I think I will," Scootaloo said taking her friend. "She's either in shock, or she's going-"

"Ah'm gonna kill those two... Ah'm gonna kill those two..." Applebloom repeated under her breath.

"I think she's actually going to kill them." Scootaloo said looking back at her friend. "Let's just go, and hope we don't see those two."

"Right," he said exiting the elevator. "So, do you think Danik's soldiers are still alive?"

"... Yeah, probably."

Frozen Nexus.

"So, how are we going to get off this thing?" Babs asked looking around the crested head. "And not wake it up?"

"Just step very carefully," Sweetiebelle said taking a step which only made more cracks. "Or, we could just run for it?"

"Run?" Babs asked. "Down the back and hope the fall won't kill us?"

"Run." Sweetiebelle said. "Now!"

They both began to run, massive cracks forming with each hoof-fall, ice and thin membrane from the Nexus came up behind them. They both let out a small shriek when they saw the dead drop below them.

"Hang on, I'm going to try a magnetism spell!" Sweetibelle yelled as they began falling.

Babs felt herself pulled towards Sweetiebelle, with a sudden yank, she slammed into the white Necronicorn. They both rolled and slid onto the Nexus's back.

Sweetiebelle, coming out from the sudden impact, sunk a pair of Slasher blades into the ice and pulled up. They both jerked to a halt, Sweetiebelle giving a grunt from having to hang onto Babs.

"Are we safe, or are we still going to splatter?" Babs asked O' so positively.

"I...I think..." Sweetiebelle looked up and saw her horn beginning to spark and crackle with white energy. "You traitor!" She yelled as energy surged across her body and onto the frozen nexus.

Lightning danced across the frozen body, ice started to crack and break, almost resembling a ripping sound.

The ice came off in chunks, plates of it fell off as the muscles began to thaw inside the creature.

They both froze as a low growl began to go through the air, soon it turned into a roar as it lifted it's head up and stared at the moon.

"What's it doing?" Babs asked. "It's just... Staring at the moon."

"I don't know... Maybe it's just disoriented." Sweetiebelle replied. "Let's just hope it doesn't figure out were here."

As it began to move it's ancient legs, it stopped and turned it's head around. They both gulped as it set all six eyes on them and parted it's jaws slightly.

"I. Hate. Magic!" Sweetiebelle yelled beginning to transform into her own Nexus.

"Why me...?" Babs whimpered as Sweetibelle wrapped herself around the pony protectively.

Elevator.

"Did you hear that!?" Scootaloo said shaking. "It sound's huge!"

"You said the same thing about Sweetiebelle on Titan." Isaac replied. "Hold up, I hear something behind this door."

He folded his helmet and pressed and ear against the elevator door.

"Check that console. The key is here somewhere."

"What's at the train depot that's so important?"

Slowly, Isaac opened the door and crawled out, Scootaloo dragging Applebloom with her. Together they peered over the railing and saw a small group of soldiers talking.

"Munitions." One said.

He was the only one not working, the other two were busy upturning anything that wasn't nailed down.

"What happens if he finds them first?" Another soldier asked looking at the man.

"Then nobody gets reborn. Now keep looking."

As they slowly crawled along, they stopped and looked towards the vent. Isaac covered both Scootaloo and Applebloom's visors with his hands as the Feeder came out.

"Up there! Shoot him!" A soldier yelled as the Feeder snapped it's head toward him.

It gave a shriek, but as it turned around it found it's head snapped to the side as Isaac gave a solid punch to it's skull. It fell over the catwalk and onto a crate smashing it.

More Feeders came out and turned their sunken eyes to Isaac, his jaw clenched as three more ran at him.

He struck out at the first, sending it over the rail. He picked the other one up by the wrists and smashed it into the other behind it.

It struggled and leaned forward multiple times to bite him, he headbutted it each time in the jaw.

Scootaloo took the one from behind but caused the other that Isaac was holding to struggle an arm free.

It tried to swipe at his face, but he quickly spun it around and they both went under the rail.

They landed in a puff of snow, Isaac got off the Feeder as it began to rise. He grabbed one of it's arms and pressed a boot to it's back, he pulled and with a snap the arm ripped off. The Feeder gave a screech as it struggled even more under his boot.

He got off and let it go before picking up the hand from it's arm. As it spun to look at him, he jabbed the severed hand through it's eyes. He put a finger to it's chest and gently pushed it back.

He stood, staring down at the corpse, breathing through his nose in ragged, angry breaths.

"S-Sir... Should we s-shoot him?"

Isaac's head straightened, and slowly, menacingly he looked to the side and behind him he saw the soldiers staring at him. He turned fully around and pulled the arm out from the Feeder's head.

"Who's first, and who's last?" He snorted.

Frozen wastes.

Sweetiebelle swung up and left a gash across the Nexus's chest that led up to it's throat. It flung it's head back in a roar before biting into her shoulder.

She gave her own roar before simutamiously biting down and charging her horn. She sent electricity coursing through her teeth. It gave another shriek, trying to pull away as she held on.

She let go after delivering a solid blade to it's left primary leg. It fell to the ground where she quickly absorbed it.

It rose up onto its middle legs and towered over her, she copied it and sent both of her primary legs into its head. It pulled back as she pulled forward, she twisted her legs around, digging them deeper into it's head.

With help from magic, and a good twist, the head came off and quickly disappeared into her own form.

It still stood, flailing it's legs for a second before it went limp.

She stared at it for a second, she tapped it on the chest.

Its remaining primary leg swung out and knocked her to the ground. She shook her head before glaring up at it, her face would have showed disbelief but she had scrunched her eyes shut when her horn began to light up again.

A bolt of white energy shot out and hit the Nexus in the chest, bit's of rock were taken up and crafted into a cube. It was put into it's chest, she didn't see it but heard something begin to rip and snap. She forced her eyes open and quickly began backing away.

The stump of it's neck was pouring blood, it ran down the sides in literal rivers of crimson. The bone splintered and rose from the stump, quickly, muscle and flesh followed by plating began to form on the bone.

It's leg grew back and the slash across it's chest healed. She barely caught a glimpse of the shining cube inside before it was covered.

It wasted no time in trying to stab her. It arched one of its primary legs back and stuck it through her chest, lifting her up slightly it leveled the other with her neck.

She lit her horn again, and disappeared in a flash. Its leg shot back to it's owner, looking around as it gave a low growl.

Ten miles above the surface of Tau Volantis.

Sweetiebelle quickly looked around, trying to find the building again. Down below the Nexus was still looking, but remained stationary. She looked down to the left, ignoring the stinging wind as it rushed past. She saw the buildings and the familiar tower on the warehouse.

'Save Babs first, kill the now magic amplified Nexus.' She thought as her maw began seeping acid, large Drag Tentacles came out from her chest, and Slasher blades, sharpened  as best as she could get them appeared on her primary legs.

'This is going to hurt you, slightly more than it will me.' She thought as he target neared.

She closed her eyes, hardened the inside of her skull where she had decided to keep Babs, strung Babs up against the side of her skull and braced for impact.

Seconds before impact.

The Nexus paused in its search, it looked up and the last thing it saw was Sweetiebelle's underbelly.

Armory. During the impact.

"Holy shit!" Isaac yelled as the ground suddenly shook. "Is this place collapsing!?"

"No!" Scootaloo yelled steadying them all. "I think something just fell... Or maybe hit something! We'd be dead if the building was collapsing!"

"What the hell that fell could have caused that?" He asked as they stopped shaking.

"Maybe something up in the atmosphere decided to come down for a visit?" She suggested.

"Yeah, maybe it was just some junk from the graveyard up there."

Frozen Wastes. After the impact.

Dust and rock were still hanging in the air, the sun and sky had been blotted out shrouding the ground in darkness.

In a crater four miles wide and four deep, lay two giants. One stirring, coming out from shock as it raised it's head to peer around.

Sweetiebelle was disoriented, she got up slowly and carefully. Looking around, she saw nothing, she lit her horn and showed rock and dust falling in front of her. With a gentle push, it dispersed to let her look around.

Ice and dirt surrounded her, she looked down and saw the still form of the Nexus.

She immediately got off and began to climb the slope, she reached up with her primary legs and pulled. With a low growl she hauled herself back up and stopped as she got all of her body onto the leveled land.

She was about to rest when she heard another growl, looking over the edge she saw the nexus begin to twitch and move. White sparks erupted from it's chest and covered it's body. One of them struck her and pulled a spike from herself before pulling it into its own body.

'Now to save Babs before it get's up.' She thought as she saw it's throat drip slightly with acidic steam coming out from melted holes. 'I feel so betrayed... Why horn? Why?'
> ...To begin the fight of gods.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Isaac was holding a soldier up by the collar of his suit, he had the Feeder claw in his other hand. He shoved the soldier against a crate and then plunged the claw into the soldier's ribs before he could recover from the impact.

With a firm twist, the ribs snapped and the man began coughing up blood. He pulled himself off the crate and fell at Isaac's boots. gagging and clutching his chest before Isaac firmly stomped on his head. Isaac stood there, his expression unreadable occasionally a small burst of air would come out each time he breathed.

"Isaac... Isaac you alright?" Scootaloo asked.

"Um, what?" He asked snapping out of his anger induced state. "What was the question again?"

"How are you feeling?" She asked putting a hoof on his boot. "Better? Worse?"

"Better." He nodded. "Let's find the Munitions key and-"

"You mean this?" Scootaloo said bringing a small object over with a quick flick of magic.

He picked it out of the air and twirled it around in his palm before nodding.

"Here's some good news. We found a Munition's supply key." Isaac said over the comm.

"Great. Don't get killed before you can use it." Carver replied.

"Thanks Carver." Isaac said loud enough for the man to hear.

As he closed the link, he looked towards the vents and saw one being torn away by a Slasher.

"Scootaloo, I'm feeling a bit worse all of a sudden." He said raising his automatic.

As soon as the first started it's way towards them, more Slasher's came out from vents until there was a small group. All of them were screeching and swinging blades.

Before they could fire, a rocket flew through the air and blew the first up into chunks. The other Slasher's were thrown against the wall from the blast.

"Ah'm gonna need somehtin' to kill if ah can't get those two guards." Applebloom said showing emotion on her face now. "They'll have to do." She raised her gun again and fired another rocket.

Frozen Wastes.

Sweetiebelle dodged another shot of acid nimbly. She sent another bolt of magic at it which it again simply absorbed into it's own horn.

'I really wish my horn would stop giving insanely powerful Necrmorph's magic.' She thought hacking up a glob of acid. 'It's really stressful on my nerves.'

It snapped it's jaws at her before charging her. It swung up with it's left primary leg while trying to cut her across the side with the other. She stomped on the one coming up and bit into the one coming from the side.

It gave a shriek as it felt it's leg being bitten into by the rows of teeth. It pulled away as best as it could but only made her teeth sink in deeper. It charged it's horn and delivered a stream of fire to her back.

She let go, using her own magic to cool herself off an extinguish the flames. She narrowed all six eyes at it before using her own magic to lift chunks of the frozen earth out of the grown. She held the massive boulders in her telekinetic grip, it looked back at her, staring at the building sized boulders she had.

As it took one step, she sent her payload through the air and into it.

The boulders collided with it's head, chest, and any other part that was in the way. It was snapped back at an angle, blood seeped from the cracks and chinks along it's plating. She quickly went over to it, just as it was raising itself back up. She took her primary legs, put them in a scissor-like fashion, and cut it's head off.

She picked the head up and quickly absorbed it. Looking back down she saw blood already beginning to come out. She quickly got away from the regenerating corpse and turned away to run.

As she was turning, it swung out with a primary and stabbed her in the side. She let out a roar before turning back to it. She charged her horn and quickly struck the limb with a blast of fire. It let go, charred and scared.

She quickly began to run as fast as her numerous legs could carry her. She stopped and face-spiked herself.

She began to shrink down, Babs inside of her skull now coming out. She was moved to Sweetiebelle's back as her carrier began to run at a much faster pace since turning back.

Sweetibelle looked back shortly and saw the Nexus pushing itself up. She snapped her head back forward and ran faster.

Armory.

"Alright, now that that is out of the way, let's get going." Isaac said scooping up Applebloom.

They stepped over or around the corpses as they made their way back to the lift. Isaac got on and let Scootaloo push the controls to start it up.

Once on the walkway again, they proceeded to the elevator where they swiftly got in and Isaac set down Applebloom.

"Well, it's good to see her back to normal." Isaac said looking down at the sleeping Applebloom. "Or, as normal as our group can be... Which to be honest, isn't anywhere close to being normal. With all the freaky elevator music, jokes, situations and even things we fight and meet tend to just go 'Are you normal? If yes, then prepare to be fucked up.' Have you noticed that, Scootaloo?"

"What?" She perked up yawning. "I fell asleep after which. Why, did you say something important or anything like that?"

"...No. I didn't say anything important. Nothing at fucking all." He grumbled.

"Ok, if anything pops up I'll be right here." She said looking away to Applebloom.

They stood in silence for a moment, as Isaac turned to talk with Scootaloo the elevator doors opened again. Scootaloo picked up Applebloom as Isaac poked his head out the doors.

Once he stepped out, she followed closely looking around the small room.

It had a desk with an audio log sitting on top. A door was to their right, locked until Isaac put in the key.

As she went to follow, she stopped and pulled him away from the door as a Slasher smashed through the vent. It slid across the floor while Isaac was getting up from the sudden pull. He began to fire at it, taking off it's arms first before Scootaloo threw the desk at it.

After she had smashed it to a broken pile, she jammed the desk into the vent and welded it onto the frame. Satisfied, she turned back to Isaac and picked Applebloom back up.

"Thanks for the save." He said. "That was too close for comfort."

"There's a distance of comfort for them?" Scootaloo asked opening the elevator doors.

"Yeah," he nodded. "As far as possible from me." He said.

As the elevator silently went up, they both froze as as sizzling sound began.

"Pukers?" Scootaloo asked looking up.

"Pukers." Isaac replied watching a small hole form on the top of the elevator.

They both watched silently as two Pukers and three Slasher's scaled the walls above them. Once the last Slasher was out of sight, the doors opened.

Standing in the room in front of them were the Pukers and Slashers.

Scootaloo and Isaac looked at them in nervousness.

They looked back and raised their blades and began regurgitating acid.

Frozen Wastes. Warehouses.

Sweetiebelle jumped away from another blast from the Nexus. She turned swiftly through the debris lingering int he air and vanished behind a building.

She shrunk down even more until she was back down to a filly. She poked her head out from a corner but jumped back when a leg came down where her head was. Both her and Babs looked up at the Nexus as it searched for them.

"Come on," Sweetiebelle whispered. "We can sneak around through the back and then get in through the vents."

Babs merely nodded but followed Sweetiebelle to the door across from them.

As they slowly crawled on their bellies, they failed to notice the lack of movement coming from the Nexus. As they entered the warehouse, it's chest began to pour light out.

It's head snapped rapidly left to right, it's jaws opening and closing rapidly while it's legs went into a spasm. It fell to the ground slowly, nearly curling up on itself.

More energy surged across it and through it from its chest. It let out a squeal like a grasshopper on a grill. Finally, it laid its head on the snow and its movement stopped entirely.

With a sudden jerk, it's entire body went into a spasm before shrinking and reshaping itself. It became smaller and smaller, it's legs becoming dulled at the tips instead of the points. It's jaws melded together making two separate jaw bones with teeth.

It's head shortened and it lost four of it's eyes. It's main body became shorter, it's tail disappearing and in place was a sudden growth of hair. It's plating vanished and it was left naked until skin grew and following that a brown coat of hair.

It laid there, staring out at the side of a building. Slowly, it rose and looked back at itself.

It coat was brown, it had a tail of an ashy grey. It's legs were gone and in place were four, smooth legs, covered with the same brown hair and ending in smooth stubs. It cocked it's head in confusion before it's new ears perked up.

"Sweetiebelle, do we really have to go back?"

"Yes," came an agitated response. "Plus I can't really stop this thing. Stupid horn..."

It cocked it's head again before noticing something in it's peripheral vision. It strained it's eyes and saw something sticking out from it's fore-head. It reached up with it's new smooth leg and tapped it.

It snorted in shock and something else. It's ears perked up again at the sound of a door opening. It looked over and saw the two it was trying to kill earlier.

"Sweetiebelle, who is that?" Babs asked.

"I have no idea." Sweetiebelle said as her horn pulled her towards the strange stallion. "Stupid horn! Stop with the pulling!" She yelled furiously at the glowing appendage.

It merely cocked it's head again eliciting a crack. It shook it's head and rubbed the area in annoyance.

"Um, hello?"

It looked back at Sweetiebelle and cocked it's head the other way. It didn't want to kill her, it wanted to obey her. It didn't understand but it got up shakily and bowed.

"Um, that's not what I was expecting..." Sweetiebelle said curiously. "What's your name? How did you get here?"

It raised it's head back up and looked down at her. It pointed down at the snow where it's earlier imprint was. Her jaw dropped and as soon as she got out of shock, she backed away to Babs.

"Babs," Sweetiebelle said. "I think this is the Nexus. the one that was chasing us."

"What?" Babs asked looking back and forth at the two ponies. "How could he be that? Something that big can't just... Wait, you did do that. But, are you sure? He could be like me and ended up here by accident."

"No, he's not." She said slowly trotting up to it. "Do you even have a name? Well, speak!"

It's eyes danced side-to-side, it stopped and closed it's eyes before speaking in a scratchy low whisper.

"...Nexus..."

Sweetiebelle sighed and shook her head at the thing.

"Why are you a pony?" She asked already knowing the answer. "If you can tell me that is."

"...Magic from white Marker..." It said. "...White Marker take me..."

"Well great," she said rolling her eyes. "Come on, Nexus, we might as well show you to the others."

"What!?" Babs yelled. "That thing just tried to kill us! And now you want to show it to the others like a puppy on Hearth Warming Eve? Are you crazy!?"

"Considering," she sighed. "I helped give... Him, a new life. He might be of use. That and he might follow us regardless now that he's our size."

"...Orders from white marker...?" It asked, a spark of hope in it's crimson eyes.

"Just follow us and help kill anything trying to kill us." Sweetiebelle said dejectedly. "I really hate magic. Almost as much as math."
> Guards meet the guard.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweetibelle and Babs were trotting on either side of their new guard. Babs still glanced at the stallion uneasily while Sweetiebelle had become used to his presence.

They were currently going down a dank hallway, their hooves echoing down the stretch of metal with each fall. Sweetiebelle and Nexus, as he had been dubbed, were currently scanning the vents and further down the hall. Eyes closed, they raised their ears as they stopped occasionally making Babs nervous.

"Sweetiebelle," Babs whispered. "What are we going to tell the others? That we just found a random pony out in the snow where we were being chased by a Nexus?"

"No, were going to tell them the truth." Sweetiebelle replied. "I fought the frozen Nexus, mutated it with magic... Like myself, and that he's on our side. And slightly clingy to me." She said as the stallion came closer to her again. "Nexus, we stay one hoof away from each other, remember?"

The stallion nodded briskly before taking a step to the side. She nodded and he went back to searching for any potential threats.

"Well, atleast he's stopped trying to kill us. That's another bonus, right?" Babs said.

"Yeah, I guess it is." Sweetiebelle nodded. "So, what class should he be? Because he can't be a Necronicorn like me... What about a Unimorph?"

"Unimorph?" Babs said. "It fits I guess." She shrugged. "Hey, do you hear that?"

"What?" Sweetiebelle asked. "The screaming? Yeah, and I know who it is too. Nexus, attack the one with blades and save the ones without blades. Attack on sight, got it?"

Nexus nodded once before viscous looking black fangs came out from his muzzle, two Slasher blades came out of his back and he added some plating to his belly and legs. He stopped and crouched in a galloping position.

Sweetiebelle and Babs looked ahead, Sweetieblle could hear the screaming clearly while Babs strained to. Once it became clear to Babs, her eyes widened.

"Get away you bladed freak!" One of the guards yelled shooting a few bullet's into a Slasher as him and the other guard ran. "Another one! Fuck my life!" He yelled leveling his gun at Nexus as the pony came barreling towards them.

Nexus went passed them and bit into the Slasher's legs, he quickly spun and slammed it against the wall. He pinned it's arms with his own fore-legs and cut them off before beheading it with his own blades. He got off and absorbed his weapons back into himself before sitting between the two guards.

The guards stared in shock at the carnage, one second the pony had charged them and as quickly as he appeared, it ended. They looked down at him before stepping to the side.

"You two have some explaining to do!" Sweetiebelle yelled making the two guards jump.

"Alright, alright, we can explain..." The one on the right said. "And he'll explain it to you." He pointed at the other guard who jumped back at the remark. "You are the one who slipped."

The other guard shook a fist at his partner before facing the steaming Necronicorn.

"I slipped on the lotion bottle you threw on the floor, my elbow hit the firing button when I fell."

Sweetiebelle's face became expressionless, she licked her lips nodding to herself before calmly trotting down the hall.

They all watched as she ignited her horn and blew a gaping hole through the wall in front of them and then, bend the hallway making a new, crudely made wall.

She trotted back and looked back up at them.

"I should let Nexus tear you apart," she said getting gasps from the guards and a growl from Nexus. "But I won't. Instead, I'm going to let you apologize to me, Babs, and Applebloom. I'll hold Applebloom while you talk to her. Now come on, were killing time and to few Necromorph's."

Armory.

"Ohh... I hate Stalkers..." Isaac grunted popping his shoulder back in place. "I can't believe that one managed to dislocate my shoulder."

"I know!" Scootaloo said crawling out of a crate. "It was bad enough when that same one smashed me into this crate. Hey, I found snow-cone flavoring... Weird." She said tipping the blue liquid in the bottle. "I think it's still good..."

"Is there any lemon? Because I want lemon."

She looked at him before shrugging and going back into the crate.

As she was busy fishing around in there, he sat next to Applebloom, who was currently laying back in a Stalker's rib-cage. She was awake, he knew because every so often her helmet would poke out and look around.

He stared at her for a second, remembering the fight.

Armory. Four minutes earlier.

Isaac was standing at the door leading to a new exit. He put a hand on the wall, while he took a deep breath.

"That... Was... bullshit." He said. "A goddamn ambush!" He pointed at the pile of corpses in front of the elevator. "Bullshit."

"Atleast I only had to deal with blades. Lucky thing the Pukers only went after you." Scootaloo chuckled.

He shook his head while looking down at his boots, he turned one on the side inspecting the corroded metal.

Scootaloo opened the door, Applebloom trotting behind both of them sluggishly but alert.

As soon as Isaac entered, a Stalker jumped up on a crate and charged him. He fell with a yelp as it ran away.

"Came from one ambush," he grunted getting up quickly. "And into another. So, we wait for them to come to us, or do we go to them?"

"I say we go for them." Scootaloo said. "That way they can't charge us."

"Well, what are we waiting for? An invitation and a fancy dinner? Let's fill them with some plasma!" Isaac said as he ran ahead.

The other two engineer's ran with him shortly after.

Isaac had a Stalker in a headlock, he ran it head-first into a wall and let go. It slid to the floor with an audible crack resonating around the room.

As he raised his gun again, another Stalker came running at him. Applebloom raised her Plasma cutter and cut off it's legs, Isaac stomped it's head in before going back to them.

"Alright, two down, two more to go." He said. "Let's go slowly." He raised his own gun and began going forward, matching his steps with the others.

They passed over the first corpse and immediately, a Stalker charged them again.

It rammed into Scootaloo and then took a hold of Isaac's arm. He gave a yelp, hitting it with his gun as it shook him into a crate. Applebloom put her Plasma cutter under it's throat and fired. The body slumped down pooling blood while the head spurted a few trickles before falling off.

Isaac fell to the ground, clutching his shoulder while Scootaloo's tentacles were laying out from inside the crate. Applebloom snorted once as the last Stalker charged.

She had her back turned to it, she closed her eyes and raised her plasma blade to her muzzle.

She spun around, grabbed it's head in a backward pull, it fell back, she landed in it's chest and with one swipe took it's head off.

Scootaloo was just sitting up when she saw Applebloom slump into the Stalker's chest. She let her helmet fold up and gave her friend an incredulous look.

"What?" The apple farmer said with a hint of agitation in her voice. "Ah'm tired and ah don't wanna' move." She said putting her Plasma cutter to her chest as if it were a teddy bear.

Present time.

"-aac? Isaac are you paying attention?" Scootaloo asked waving a hoof in front of him. "Hello? Equestria to Isaac, do you copy?"

"Yeah, yeah," he nodded. "Did anything else try to kill us while I was thinking?"

"No, but I found the lemon flavoring. I took one of every flavor just in case. Babs and Sweetibelle found their way back... Sweetiebelle said she was on the other side of the wall; and Babs also said that her and Sweetiebelle picked up three others."

"Oh... Can she still make the snow-cones?"

Two hooves meeting two face-plates echoed throughout the room.

"What? I'm hungry..."

Two minutes earlier.

"Listen, I am so sorry about the whole tube thing. Really, I-"

"Would you please stop!?" Sweetibelle and Babs shouted at the guards. "You both have been saying that since we brought you along!"

They both gulped and nodded before slinking back slightly.

"So, where are the others?" Babs asked. "You said they'd be here, but all I see is a wall."

"They're behind the wall." Sweetiebelle replied with a role of her eyes. "Alright, guards, Babs, Nexus... Your going to have to climb in my stomach."

She was met with silence while Nexus stood in attention in front of her.

"Just do it, and quit being sissies." Sweetiebelle replied growing in size.

The guards and Babs were about to make a run for it when Sweetiebelle grabbed them all with a set of Drag Tentacles and rose up onto her back legs. She threw them in the air and caught them like popcorn.

She got onto her belly and had Nexus quickly crawl down her throat. With a gulp, she rubbed her throat for a second before turning to the wall.

The other side of the wall. Observation Deck.

"So, when do you think the others will be back?" Norton asked Santos. "What do you think Carver?"

"They'll be here soon." Replied the soldier. "Hold on, what's that noise?" He asked shouldering his gun.

Ahead of them a low rumble could be head across from the Nexus's head. In a loud bang, the wall was dented in, another bang rang out as another dent was made followed by a groan. The metal around the dents was outlined by an orange ring that quickly dripped down the sheets.

The wall finally gave in with a final hit, Carver fired at the white intruder but stopped once he saw what he was shooting at.

Sweetiebelle closed her eyes from the bullets, stepping forward she didn't register the ice she was walking on. She slipped just as her vision was coming back, and quickly wished she couldn't see.

Her cheeks turned a bright scarlet as she unhooked her mandibles from the frozen Nexus's own teeth. She looked to the observation deck and crawled along the frozen remains of the creature.

Norton raised his gun at Sweetiebelle, but it was quickly put down when Carver held it down and shook his head. Norton stepped back with a grunt.

Sweetiebelle put her fore-claws onto the Observation Deck and raised her hackles, scrunched up her muzzle slightly and began regurgitating the others.

They slid out in  mess of limbs. The guards were the first to get up, shakily fling and wiping the goo off. Babs got up and started to shake herself clean like a wet dog while getting more on the guards. Nexus just sat, eyes closed and ears splayed back.

Sweetiebelle shrunk down again and climbed back onto the Deck. Her blush was still sitting heavily on her white cheeks. She kept her emerald eyes to the floor as she sat next to Santos.

"Are... What just happened?"

"Ah'm gonna kill you two!"

"Get back here Applebloom!"

Sweetiebelle and the others turned sharply and saw Isaac, Scootaloo, and Appleboom, who was in mid-jump and clearly going for the guards throats.

Scootaloo caught Applebloom and held her away from the guards. She kept trying to reach them whichever way she could, biting, swinging, even taking out her Plasma cutter before she could fire.

"Isaac? Applebloom? Scootaloo?" The guards asked in surprise. "Long time no see. Small universe, huh?"

"Let me at em' so ah can beat em' with their own arms!" Applebloom yelled at them.

"How did you all get here so fast?" Carver asked. "And who are those three?" He nodded towards the guards and Nexus.

"Well," Isaac said. "Scootaloo could have apparently teleported us back here anytime she would have liked. So, after she did, the first thing we see is Sweetiebelle making out with the frozen Nexus over there. Now, what the hell was going on here?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all! And I did not kiss the Nexus!" Sweetiebelle stomped her hoof. "I slipped and fell conveniently there... That's all!" She said pouting.

The room was filled with a strong silence afterwards, no one or pony moved. Scootaloo quietly took out the flavoring's that instantly drew everyone's attention.

"So, who want's snow-cones?" She asked.
> Into the belly of the beast- Part 4.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Too many... Snow-cones..." Sweetiebelle groaned laying on the floor. "I'm going to be sick the next time I see one..."

"I don't think I want to eat anymore yellow snow..." Isaac said leaning against a wall. "Can I get a blueberry?"

"Here," Scootaloo lazily spurted some of the blue liquid onto a cone filled with snow from outside. "Take it, and don't put it anywhere near me. I might throw up ectoplasm..." Her eyes widened a bit as she gulped, putting a hoof to her mouth she fanned herself with the other.

He took it, but stared at it before just sucking the flavoring out. He threw the rest on the ground and let his helmet fold up.

Babs didn't eat but three snow-cones, she sat next to her cousin watching the whole group gripe about stomach pains. She looked over at Applebloom and saw her cousin muzzle first, snoring in her snow-cone.

As she lifted her cousin's muzzle out from the frozen treat, Santos began to speak making Babs drop her cousin's head momentarily back into the snow-cone.

"Now that most of us have been fed, Isaac and others, prepare to go into the Nexus immediately." She said standing. "Now, if you will excuse me, I must meet with Ellie. Would anyone else care to join me?"

"I'd follow you anywhere." The right guard said. "Uh... Ma'am! As a guard that is!"

"He totally likes you." The one on the left said. "He wouldn't shut up about how you like all the things he does."

"Shut up!" The other yelled punching his co-worker in the arm. "That was personal you jerk!"

"Really?" Santos said. "W-Well, come along then. I'm sure we might run into some of those horrid creatures along the way, and the gun Isaac gave me is only enough to repel Norton."

The two guards scrambled up alongside the others there. Babs set her cousin down by the counter.

Isaac got up and had Scootaloo go to one end of the walkways while he took the others. Babs, Sweetiebelle, and Nexus were left alongside Norton as he watched Santos and the guards leave. He caught their looks and took a step to the side.

On separate sides of the Nexus, Isaac and Scootaloo were pulling the ribs apart with the two harpoon guns.

"Ok, are you ready Scootaloo!?" Isaac yelled across to her. "Let go in three... Two... One!"

They both let go of the controls and the ribs stopped, the chest was fully exposed revealing a green steam rising out from it.

They quickly walked back to the others, glaring at Norton from their peripheral vision, Scootaloo got up onto the controls. Nodding to Isaac, she opened the doors and Isaac and Babs entered the cage while Norton entered the controls to it.

"Alright, Santos left me these notes explaining what I should be looking for and what to do. Isaac, you take the probe and find viable nerves, shoot them, and go to another as you go along. Now, were going to need a few for a good signal, so get a lot. Norton," she looked over at him. "Just lower and lift the cage."

Scootaloo slowly pushed the cages along, Isaac and Babs glanced down at each other nervously.

"So, nice weather were having, isn't it?" Isaac said as they stopped over the Nexus's chest.

"It's freezing." Babs said flatly peering down. "Do you have that feeling, like-"

"Shit is about to hit the fan?" He said. "Yeah, ever since I first destroyed a Marker."

Babs merely nodded as she felt the cage jerk to a halt. Looking back, she saw Sweetiebelle and Nexus trot away, going somewhere.

"All right, Norton, lower them down now." Scootaloo instructed.

Norton snorted once before lowering the switch slowly, as in accordance to it the cage Isaac and Babs were in lowered also.

"Scootaloo, this thing, the Nexus," Isaac said. "It's not going to get up and kill us? Is it?"

"No, only the innermost core has been thawed, the rest of the nerves have been to greatly damaged by the cold to function properly. It's practically dead, but alive too. You have nothing to worry about... Unless this one gains magic too. That's why I instructed Sweetiebelle, no offense to her, to leave and guard the outside with Nexus."

"Right. Because I'm sure nothing bad will happen." Isaac said sarcastically. "Alright, were almost at the bottom."

Green and yellow pulsating pus sacs lined the walls of the Nexus, green and decayed flesh and tissue made a series of webs and walls around them all the while producing the same horrid smelling stench.

The cage stopped with a small squelch as it hit the bottom of the Nexus's insides.

The cage door opened and Isaac was the first to step out. When his boot connected with the fleshy ground, he stopped to lift his foot, staring at the string of slime on it he put it back down before fully stepping out.

"Alright Babs,"  he said. "I'm not being dissolved, so I assume its a safe as you can get while being inside a Necromorph the size of a large building."

Babs Stepped out, wincing from the sound her hoof made when she stepped into the Nexus. Looking around, she found only her visor offered any real light.

"Alright, Isaac," Scootaloo said over the comms. "Listen to the probe, the faster it beeps, the closer you are to a good nerve. Now hurry up and don't cause to much damage. And good luck Babs."

They were both left in darkness, and silence except for the faint beeping of the probe. Isaac looked around, pointing the probe in every direction. It began to beep faster when he pointed it to the left, nudging Babs, he began walking towards what looked like a tunnel or hallway.

They walked on, Isaac keeping the probe out as they went. As he neared the end, it began beeping furiously and soon enough he saw a large nerve hanging above him on a wall.

"Ok, so I just aim and shoot." He said aiming the probe up.

He fired and three blue probes shot out and impaled themselves into the nerve. The Nexus let out a series of shrieks, the entire form twitching and shaking as it did so.

"Scootaloo, I thought you said this thing was dead!?" Isaac yelled as Babs suddenly went to his side.

"It is," Scootaloo replied. "I'm sure of it. The vitals aren't reading anything."

"That's because Necromorph's aren't alive!"

Before she could utter a response, he cut the link at the sound of Feeder's making themselves know.

"Babs," he said taking out his automatic. "Stay behind me, and shoot any stragglers."

As red eyes peered out from the corners of the tunnel, Babs could make out wrinkly, black skinned figures moving towards them. They were partially obscured when Isaac began firing into them, running and smashing his way as he stood at the entrance to the tunnel. Babs caught a quick glimpse of red above her and quickly shot up killing the Feeder coming out from a small opening.

After five Feeders had been killed off, Isaac had calmed down and looked around at the carnage.

The Feeder's he had killed were all a bloody pile, limbs had been snapped, heads popped like grapes, a few bullet holes in the chests. He smiled, taking out the probe again he contacted Scootaloo.

"This thing's got a hell of a defense Mechanism. Well, did it work?"

"No. I'm just getting a trickle here. No fix. Sorry."

"I'll keep spearing the clusters then." He said cutting the link off.

He aimed it to the left this time, getting a faint signal he began walking to it. Babs followed closely, watching the shadows.

They exited the fleshy hallway, Isaac passing the cage and then going down another, longer hall. The light's from above were gone now, only darkness enclosed them until the entered a large space of the Nexus. Inside, it looked like a singular floor with a ramp going up to a higher one that circled back to where the cage was.

The beeping got louder as Isaac approached one from behind a holed wall of tissue, he raised the probe and fired again. The Nexus shrieked even higher and more, shaking them around it caused him to fall on his rear.

"Ah, shit, not again!" He cursed getting up while taking out his other gun. "Alright, come on. Come and get me!" He yelled out defiantly.

When nothing came running from the shadows, he relaxed and noticed his link was opening.

"Is everything all right?" Scootaloo asked. "I heard defiant yelling."

"Yeah. Look, I want to get out of here. How's the signal?"

"It's stronger, but..."

"But we need one more?"

"Yes. That should do it." Scootaloo said. "I'll notify Norton when you've gotten the last one."

The link cut off, leaving him and Babs in silence again. He took out the probe and tossed it in front of Babs. She jumped back before looking up at him.

"Take it, were just going to need it one more time, right?" He asked. "I figured you should be the one to help us. Go on, just sling your shotgun on your back."

She took the probe in one hoof and slung her weapon on her back. It wasn't heavy, but the probe was a bit long for her so she held it awkwardly.

She aimed it in a random direction and it began beeping almost furiously as opposed to the last two times. She began to go forward, listening to it quicken as she entered another hallway.

From just around a corner, she could see the cage they came down in, above her was an active nerve that had yet to be probed. She lifted the probe, aimed, and fired directly in the center of it.

The Nexus let out a final, nearly deafening shriek and almost seismic movements as it convulsed. As she dropped the gun, she gripped her head in pain as a sudden image came into her vision.

The background was a fuzzy, dirty yellow, in the center, flashing in and out was a large spiked monolith. She could have guessed it was almost like a chair from the faint outline of something in it.

It disappeared leaving them in a daze, and with a splitting head ache the faded quickly even over the sounds of Feeder's.

"Isaac! Isaac!" Scootaloo said. "The Marker, it's awake! And we've got the signal of the machine!"

"Scootaloo! Not now!" He yelled seeing Feeder's appear from both tunnels. Cutting off the link he began to fire while backing up into the cage. "Babs, shoot the fuck out of the fuckers!"

She raised her shotgun and started to fire into the small group coming from the opposite tunnel. They all flew back as the shot cut through them, sending them to the ground without their heads.

"Norton, take us up!" Isaac yelled throwing Babs into the cage. "Norton goddammit!"

The cage doors slid shut and it began to lift up. Isaac and Babs shot the Feeder's as they ran to tear them to bits.

"Scootaloo, where is the machine? What about the signal?" Isaac asked shooting. "Scootaloo?"

"They're thousands of them, but they all converge somewhere further up the mountain. That's where I think the machine is. Atleast... What the data says."

"Up the mountain? Those are sheer cliffs!" He said uneasily.

"We can just get Sweetiebelle to carry us, or see if there's any climbing gear anywhere nearby. I'll ask Ellie if she can look for some with Carver."

"Alright," he sighed. "Well, were going for a little hike it seems. Fucking brilliant."

As the cage was above the Feeder's reach, the two reloaded their weapons before Babs slumped against the cage bars. Putting a hoof to her chest, she looked over at the controls and saw Her cousin's helmet folded up and a hoof up waving. It was slow, and sloppy, but it was waving.

As they were going to Scootaloo, Norton turned on the comms, speaking directly to Ellie he didn't bother glancing at Isaac.

"Ellie?" He said.

"Yeah?" She said in slight surprise. "Yes Norton, what is it?"

"I love you. You know that, right?" He asked.

"What? Yeah, of course. Isaac, meet us at the cliff! We found some climbing gear like Scootaloo mentioned."

Both comms turned off, Isaac was gripping his weapon tightly as the cages docked again with a jerk. Norton's cage opened up and he stepped out, immediately raising his gun to the cage's cable.

"Norton? Norton, are you going to let me out?" Isaac asked. "Norton, aim that thing somewhere else!"

"No." he said.

"What!?" Isaac said letting his anger start to bubble out.

"Look, you wanna die here? Now's your chance. I'm taking control of this mission again." He said. "And none of you, your mutant horses, or even those things are going to stop me!"

"Norton, put the gun down and let's talk this out." Scootaloo said lighting her horn.

"Try any of that magic shit and I shoot the cable. Then they both die." He threatened.

She let go of her magic and sat back glaring black at him, he looked back at Isaac while glancing at Scootaloo every so often. He began to walk away, gun trained on the cables and eyes on Scootaloo; a shot buzzed by his head. He looked down at Applebloom, her helmet was unfolded and she had a dazed expression on her face.

"Ya ain't goin' nowhere." She said raising the gun again.

He stood there, eyes wide as she leveled the gun with his chest. he snorted once before seeing her drop the gun again. Smirking, he began walking to the elevator again.

"Hey!? Where you going!?" Isaac yelled slamming the cage's bars.

"Saving Ellie." He said before opening the elevator. Giving a mock-salute, he closed the doors and disappeared.

"Norton. Norton! Norton!" Isaac yelled slamming the bars again. "Scootaloo! Get the damn bars open!"

She reached forward and pulled the bars out in seconds. Quickly getting out, he picked up Applebloom and ran to the elevator. He heard footsteps below and saw Norton already halfway to the doors. Seeing Isaac, he quickly sped up and reached them as the elevator door opened.

Isaac rushed in and quickly sent it down. Tapping his foot impatiently, the others were either glaring at  the door, or simply shaking in anxiety. Once they opened, they all ran out. Isaac getting the lead thanks to his longer legs.

They met the doors ahead faster than Norton and quickly got it. They entered he furnace room, Isaac quickly looking around while Scootaloo did the same.

"Isaac, this way!" She yelled going down a previously unnoticed ramp.

They ran again, getting in the circular door, they waited impatiently for them to open, once they did though, Isaac was knocked to the ground and Scootaloo alongside Babs had guns trained on them.

"You wouldn't believe the trouble you saved me."

Isaac, coughing from the blow, looked up at the smiling face of Danik.
> E.E.B professional badasses.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweetiebelle and Nexus both had their ears cast down and looks of anger on their muzzles. Babs and her cousin both had guns also trained on them and Scootaloo, she was back in a corner away from the rest of them.

Danik gabbed Norton by the hair and looked at him momentarily. "Nice work."

"What?" Isaac said looking at Norton.

"Well, here he is: The Marker killer. Isaac Clarke. And here we are: The 'Marker home world.' You know, I must admit, I almost didn't believe such a place existed." He said crouching before standing again. "But, thanks to your friend Norton, I finally found it."

"That's how they followed us through shockspace." Carver said looking at Isaac.

"Oh! Oh, he is a bright one." Danik said looking down at Carver mockingly.

"No, no." Norton said leaning towards Carver. "All... All he wants is Isaac. Carver, the rest of us can go home!"

"You deluded son of a bitch..." Carver said lunging at Norton.

He was quickly pulled back and hit across he back with his guard's gun.

"Hey!" Isaac said. "You got me! Let the others go." He said.

"It's a very difficult thing you know, undoing the damage man has done. Everything we touch, we contaminate, corrupt. The Markers have a plan for us, but we took what should have been a magnificent gift... And perverted it." He said.

"Now, isn't that the biggest load of manure I've ever had the displeasure of hearing."

He turned to Sweetiebelle, she looked at him with a disapproving frown.

"And why is that, heretic?" He asked putting his hands on his knees. "Why do you think man isn't corrupt, hmm?"

"Well, if it wasn't for man, your so called 'Markers' wouldn't have been found, or created, and your leader, Altman, wouldn't have become a Martyr. And what about the people who were born with disabilities? Ones who couldn't do anything themselves? Are they evil? Filth?"

"You know, I admire you; you ask some very good questions. But," He frowned. "It is true Altman did find the original Marker, but as for others, they have disabilities because of others. Inbreeding for example. Or, large doses of radiation from the sun. They may not be able to help it, but they are heretics too. The infection that man has made."

"Well, what if I told you about a creation of the Marker that destroyed the very same Marker? What would you think of that?" She asked grinning slightly.

"Then I'd say you hit your head to hard." He laughed. "And, what is this thing? If it exists of course."

"You're looking at her."

He merely stared at her, blinking he lifted his glasses before rubbing his eyes. Squinting at her, he picked her up by the shoulders and tilted his head to the side.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I was killed saving Isaac from suffocation. A Infector came across my corpse, and my magic," she tapped her horn. "Scrambled the infection and turned me into a hybrid. Now, I can turn or mix any of the Necromorph limbs I find and even increase my overall biomass. Did I mention the part where I can make Markers in seconds?"

"You can make Markers?" He said setting her down. "Show me. or, your friend here dies." he said pointing a gun at Applebloom, who, unnoticed had brought out her Plasma cutter.

"Show you?" She said looking at him, both fearing for her friend and herself if she did. "Well, I already made a cube of the same thing. Nexus, could you drop the cube, please?"

Nexus with a sad look, let his chest split and let the cube fall into the snow. It glowed a slight white, blue symbols scrawled on it pulsed gently. Danik, staring wide-eyed, licked his lips before bending own and picking it up.

Turning it around, he took a handkerchief and wiped the blood away. Running a thumb over it, he turned it round and round. It gave a small arc of energy across its surface slightly shocking him. He dropped it in shock and suddenly had a gun pointing at Sweetiebelle.

"What's it doing?" He asked. "What's it doing! Answer me!"

Sweetiebelle and Nexus, both of them staring into space didn't answer. Instead, they got up and went to it. Nexus picked it up and Sweetiebelle cut it into smaller cubes. Stopping when she had four, she threw two out into the snow and Nexus took one while she got the other.

Both of their horns lit up and shot out a single arc of magic towards the two cubes out in the snow.

The cubes, shook and vibrated disturbing the snow around them for two feet. They sent out a pulse around the ground and with a crack, the stone split and quickly began circling the two cubes. The stone split down the middle making two columns, at that point, Scotoaloo knew what was happening.

Two new Markers stood tall and glistening from the steam quickly condensing on their surfaces. Danik looked at both Sweetibelle and Nexus, gulping, he staggered back as they began to change.

As they were changing, Isaac and Carver shared knowing looks. As they were about to rush their guards, they all fell with a single flash of blue.

"Ah think the time to talk is over now." Applebloom said as her plasma blade turned off and the guards intestines fell into the snow. "Danik, by E.E.B code one-hundred, section three, article-F, ah hereby place you to death. Ah hope ya got a good aim, otherwise this won't be much fun." She grinned letting her alter ego take over.

Isaac quickly grabbed a grenade off a soldier's chest and threw it at Danik as he ran to get away. It detonated too late, Danik was already making his way across the flat terrain and to his gunship.

Before they could take two steps, the wall past the cliff was smashed in and out from the wreckage came the Nexus previously thought frozen.

"Girls!" Applebloom yelled getting her friends attention. "You know what to do! Formation alpha! Level black!"

Scootaloo nodded before charging her horn and making a bright light before flying up, Sweetiebelle crawled over the cliff edge and Applebloom walked directly in front of the Nexus as it leaned over the cliff.

It gave a roar, ignoring the gunship as it left, but focused solely on the little filly in front of it. Applebloom stared directly at it, unmoving even as one of its legs smashed down next to her. When the second was coming down, Slenderloo flew in front of it and then flew a few circles around it's head before hovering in front of it.

As it was reaching up to swipe at her, it gave a roar of surprise as Sweetiebelle wrapped Drag Tentacles around the two main legs and held them back. After that, she made another pair open its ribcage, exposing its heart to Slenderloo who flew down and grabbed Appleblood.

Flying up again, she threw her passenger in. As she hit the heart, Applelbood began cutting a square into it and then jumping in. It screeched in pain and annoyance as it felt her shoot the heart from the inside.

As she was busy firing away at its heart, the Nexus flung it's head back, hitting Sweetibelle in the muzzle with a crunch. She let go and it brought a leg through her chest. Lifting her up, it threw her into the building in front of them and then turned back to Slendelroo.

It opened its maw before she was sucked in, with the light disappearing from sight, it arched its back and tore out its own heart while flinging Appleblood away. She slid across the snow and into the rubble even as Sweetiebelle was getting up. As it leaned down and sucked more of the environment around them into its maw, Appleblood was dragged away and into its jaws.

Nexus, seeing its leader in trouble, went in to fight.

he was just as large as Sweetiebelle, but only slightly bigger. His muzzle was black with his old teeth coming out all around the edges, his spine came out in three places on his back, his lower body was elongated like the Tormentor's and had an extra set of legs. His back was covered in spikes, his fore-head was plated like a Stalkers and his fore-hooves were bladed like a Slashers. As he stood on the six Slasher blades, the Nexus swung down.

He leaned tot he side but bit down when it finally hit. The Nexus lifted him up with some difficulty as it wobbled. He dug his blades into its leg and stood. Roaring, he leaped forward and onto its head.

It bent back, screeching as Nexus tore into its head and eyes. As he was about to burrow into it, it swung and flung him off. Siding, he was charging his horn when it sunk the tip of its leg through the back of his head. It picked him up and tossed him aside. 

Isaac, without a second thought, ran out and began firing at the pustules of its head.

"You motherfucker! Spit them out!" He yelled angrily.

He got rid of one, and then as he was firing away at another, a large bolt of energy hit it in the head incinerating four more. He looked behind him, expecting to see Sweetiebelle with a smoking horn and bloody mandibles, instead, he saw the small filly. She went next to him, using her own magic to move her Markers. She set them down on either side of her and had them both begin to charge.

"Isaac, call the new Unitologists and tell them to attack the Nexus." She said glaring at the Nexus.

He ran back to cover, seeing the two Markers begin to ark with a white energy before her own horn shot up a spark. The two energies met the spark and it shot out a charge like a howitzer. Opening his comm, the leader of the cult came on.

"Brother Clarke," he said. "Is there an-"

"Listen, no time to explain, but two of your gods just got eaten." He said making the man gasp. "Could you come down here with a few ships and missiles and blow this thing up." He turned the screen to the Nexus and at the moment, pull in Sweetiebelle and him out from cover. "Just come and blow this thing up!" He yelled before it leaned down and sucked him in. "Not again!"
> Now you know.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Isaac lifted his head up; a web of slime connected his helmet and the throat lining of the Nexus. As he looked around, the Nexus began to swallow him. He tried to pull himself out, but the walls pulled him down before only his hand stuck up.

With a final push, he lunged out from the throat but it caught him by the legs and pulled him down finally. Halfway down, he hit something solid and then that gave out. Falling into a pool of foul smelling liquid.

When it cleared around his visor and his lights kicked in to full, he saw two angry engineers and a unicorn attempting to vomit. He shrugged in response before they all looked to a wall. Nest's opened up exposing the yellow bulbs. Swimming back, Isaac got out his Negotiator, while Applebloom got out her plasma cutter.

As Scootaloo got rid of the one hanging on the left, they focused on the one in the middle. Down on the bottom of the stomach, Sweetiebelle had given up trying to purge the stomach contents of the Nexus. Looking up through the liquid, she saw the Nest on the right still active and ready to fire. She charged her horn and fired off a quick bolt of magic, no spell in mind.

It fired and hit the Nest in the center of the bulbs, the liquid around it solidified before she realized what was happening.

As the stomach lining and the liquid turned to stone, the others backed away looking at Sweetiebelle. As they all thought of throwing her into the spell, the Nexus shook violently, the sounds of a fight were heard through the sloshing. With a heave and gurgle, all the remaining liquid began to swirl towards a hole not yet touched by the spell. With a single thought in mind, they all went towards it and were sucked in.

Going up the throat again, they all exited in mid air giving Scootaloo enough time to take flight, and for Nexus to leap in front of the dying Nexus and grab Sweetiebelle and Applebloom.

As Isaac hit a snow covered ridge, he slid again before being pushed off when the Nexus fell next to where he landed. Falling again, he was nearly thrown over the edge as Nexus came down with Sweetiebelle and Carver. When Isaac looked up, Norton was there. He kicked Isaac before backing away, a gun raised towards Isaac's chest.

"You made us come down here!" He said angrily pointing a finger at Isaac "You encouraged her!"

Isaac grabbed his own gun before Norton continued on with his rant.

"Now look where we are! Between Danik shooting at us and... Whatever the fuck that was, what chance have we got?"

"We've got five, Norton." Isaac said. "Remember, the fillies, they're professionals at this, like they said. It doesn't have to be like this."

"What's that supposed to mean? You want me to trust four horses?"

"No," Isaac said. "I want you to trust the five most dangerous things in existence. To them, this is nothing... Norton, just think about it. Sure, we've got Danik shooting at us, but we've got an army of our own. We have two hybrids that can turn into a Nexus and use magic! We have another that steals the souls of the Necromorphs and uses them as her own servants, and then, then there's Applebloom. She's taken on entire hordes alone and won. Norton, please, is this what Ellie would want? For you to kill a friend? To know there's a murderer with her?"

Norton, looking at him, blinked rapidly while shaking his head. Putting a hand to his fore-head, he stopped and took in a deep breath. Nodding with slumped shoulders, he holstered his gun and nodded.

"Fine, fine..." He said. "If were all lucky enough, we'll die in some instantaneous explosion."

"Actually," Sweetiebelle said coming out from Nexus's jaws. "I already died, and I don't want to do that again."

"Eww." Scootaloo said shaking goo off herself. "It's like I got eaten by Sweetiebelle again."

"Was my stomach really like that?" Sweetiebelle asked poking her slight pudge. "All slimy and green?"

"Yes!" Came the response from Isaac, Applebloom and Scootaloo.

As Carver got Norton, Applebloom looked back at the cliffs. Seeing a man there standing on a petrified Nexus, he bowed from what she could see, she gave a salute and watched him leave.

As they were going to the rest of the group, Sweetiebelle saw multiple gunships flying away, two of them with white Markers. Smiling, she ran over Isaac and nudged his leg. He looked down and got onto his knee, she leaned forward and whispered something into his ear. He looked back at her before nodding.

As they hurried to the group, Ellie saw them and began running over with a smile towards Norton. He looked away with a frown as Isaac stopped her with an outstretched arm. She looked at him, frowning before Carver cleared his throat.

"Ellie, Santos, Babs, knuckle heads," he nodded to the two guards. "Norton here has a little announcement he'd like to make. Concerning how Danik found us and his recent activities, isn't that right, Norton?"

"Norton," Ellie said. "What is he talking about? What about Danik?"

"Ya coltfriend here," Applebloom said. "Is a yellow-bellied, lying traitor! He led Danik right to us."

"We were almost killed by Danik when he caught us." Sweetiebelle said.

"He was promised a ship if he hoofed over Isaac, with the exception of Danik lying." Scootaloo said.

"And then, he was about to kill me." Isaac said making Ellie slowly look at Norton. "He had the right intentions, he just did the wrong actions. So, I'd say I'm pissed at him, and that's true," they all gave him a look. "But, I can understand where he's coming from."

There was a total silence, the only thing that could be heard was the arctic wind whistling.

Isaac was then hit in the head with a snowball.

"Did ya hit ya head too hard!?" Applebloom yelled lifting a barrel up with her Kinesis. "Ah have half a mind to squish ya both!"

"Wait! Wait!" Norton yelled. "Ellie, I know what you're thinking, but I-"

She slapped him hard across the face. He sighed, keeping his head at an angle. She stared at him for a moment, hot tears streaming down her cheeks. She opened her mouth to say something, but then huffed and walked away.

"Woman," Isaac said. "I know how you feel."

"I bet." Norton grunted. "So, at this point, I'm guessing she's available; so, feel free to ruin my life more."

"I just came to make sure she was alright," he snapped. "I get she's not interested me-wait. Why the hell am I even talking to you? Carver, make sure he doesn't do anything, our resident goddesses have an announcement for their followers."

As Carver took Norton to a corner, the three fillies all got onto a barrel and stood in attention, pleasant smiles on their faces.

"Brother Isaac," the cult leader said again. "Hello-my leaders!" He bowed on camera; Isaac making sure every receiver got the signal he was giving out on all channels. "What is your request, life bringers?"

"We came with a message." Sweetiebelle said. "To not only thank you, but to give you, all of you, your directions. The one and only speech that will be needed. I would suggest recording this."

He gave the order, multiple people going around in a hurry as they got the screen on camera. With a nod, Sweetiebelle began.

"To my children of the New Unitologists," she said. "Me, and the fellow creators, are here to give you a message to carry out throughout the centuries."

"For those who choose to follow the lighted path, they shall find peace and tranquility as apposed to those who would defy it. In the end, there shall be only yourself, and those that you have grown attached too, and the ones they have. In your time of need, in your time of death, there will be no corruption like the Necromorphs brought on by the false Markers. You will be made stronger, and you will prosper."

"For those in the church, let you worship to your hearts content, and spread the teachings you have learned to others who have not joined. Let those who spill blood against the church, let their blood be spilled to fill the cracks they have made, and let their souls burn in Tartarus for eternity. That is all, goodbye, my children of the white Marker."

The transmission ended and her friends looked at her. She merely rolled her eyes.

"They already have two Markers," she said. "I might as well encourage them."

There was an echo of face-palms, and face-hooves.
> The slowest and the cheekiest.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Isaac was with Carver and the guards had been ordered to guard Norton alongside Scootaloo from orders from Applebloom. The yellow filly herself was alone, thinking about the most urgent things. 

'Should ah go?' She thought glancing at Carver and Isaac. 'Or should ah stay and let Babs go?' She shook her head slowly. She took in a deep breath, tilting her head back against the barrel she was sitting in front of. 'She's handled herself good enough. Ah'm sure with Sweetiebelle, Isaac, and Nexus... She's gonna be fine.' She smiled picking herself up.

As she got up, a sudden whirring was heard. They all turned and saw Carver pat Isaac on the back while making the engineer lurch forward slightly. Sweetiebelle and Nexus both got up and went to the climbing gear.

"Alright," Isaac said. "Who wants to go up with me? Now, hold your hands, and hooves, and claws, for those of you thinking of going. We'll most likely will be attacked. So, who wants to go climbing?"

Scootaloo raised her hoof alongside Babs, Nexus and Sweetiebelle. Babs looked at her cousin and saw her hooves down.

"Hey, cous' why aren't you going?" She asked.

"Ah think ah need to stay here for a bit." She said nodding towards Ellie. "Sides' ah can't let those two guard a trained soldier. Ah've seen ya fightin' and ah'm impressed. Ya got a real apple's blood, a real fightin' side to ya. Yall will be fine."

"Well, if you say so." Babs said uncertainly. "I just hope you're right." She said under her breath.

As Isaac was hooking himself to the climbing gear, he turned simultaneously with Carver when he heard another click. He turned and saw Norton hooking himself on, the two guards with their guns pressed against his back but doing nothing else.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Isaac asked putting a hand on the Negotiator icon. "Norton, is there any good reason you're hooking yourself up, too?"

Norton stopped, sighing he looked down before nodding. Looking over at Isaac, he put the last clip on.

"I want to go with you." He said shrugging.

"To what? Help? Push me off a cliff? Try and finish your already failed plan at killing us?" He said taking his gun out. "No way, no deal."

"Well, I don't think Ellie, or anyone down here would want me with them with the two guards who cannot guard a single man." He said. "Besides, what am I going to do? You have the... You have those four coming too." He said nodding towards the ponies. "Besides, I might just get killed myself. So, can I go, or am I stuck here?" He asked.

"You're coming with us." Isaac said immediately. "And I'm guessing you'd like a gun too?"

"I have a spare." He said taking out his own Pulse rifle. "I'll stay in the front once we get to the top. I doubt you'd want me following behind you with a automatic and grenade launcher."

"You're damn right." He said before slinging himself up.

Watching Isaac go up, Norton followed suite. As they went up, the ice below Isaac began to give out, he jumped to the side as ice began to fall in chunks.

"Watch out down there," Isaac said over the comm. "This ice face is a little unstable, there may be falling debris. You all go and look for an alternate route while we all go see if we can find a lift. Norton," he grumbled. "Try not to get hit."

"Like I'd... Um. Isaac, what the hell am I seeing?"

"What are you-oh you cheeky little bastards."

Scootaloo, as an ethereal black mist, hovered by the two, her eyes were a solid white along with the smile she was sporting. She patted Isaac on the head before continuing to glide upward effortlessly.

Next came Sweetiebelle and Nexus as they simply plunged their blades into the rock and climbed. Sweetiebelle blew a raspberry at Isaac before she began leaping up. Watching the two, Isaac looked over at Norton and was surprised to hear him give a small laugh.

"You know," Norton said. "There not so bad. Creepy as hell, but not bad."

"Stop trying to get buddy, buddy with me." Isaac said. "Hey... Uh, Notron? Do you feel something pulling on your line?"

"No. But there's some freaky red glow covering me." He said.

Isaac looked over and saw Norton glowing with a faint crimson glow, he was pulled up with a yell. Isaac felt another tug on his cord and suddenly found himself being pulled up very quickly. Holding onto the cord, his boots slid across the ice, he swung to the sides twice to avoid falling boulders but was always pulled back over.

Being nearly flung over the edge of the cliff, Isaac got up slowly. Uncliping his cord, he put a hand to the area on his back it was pressed against. He looked up and saw Sweetiebelle and Nexus spitting out his cord. They grinned and waved.

"Isaac, Isaac what happened?" Ellie asked. "I just heard someone screaming."

"I am a man, men do not scream." Norton said. "That was me though when the winged one dragged me up..." Isaac and him looked at each other before looking at Scootaloo.

She was grinning brightly, leaning against two of her legs, she idly inspected a hoof as they stared at her wings and horn. Isaac shook his head before looking again; Norton merely looked on in confusion.

"Scootaloo..." Isaac said slowly. "When did you get a horn and wings?"

"Oh! You noticed?" She said. "It's nothing... I've just been practicing with my dad, and he said it was time I learned the family business. Which, involved learning the spell that allows his side of the family to acquire both wings and a horn."

"So," Norton said. "Is the yellow one down there going to turn into anything?"

"No more than usual." Scootaloo said. "Is there a moon cycle here?"

He stopped and looked at Isaac, shrugging he shook his head. Scootaloo sighed in relief; as they were about to leave, Isaac turned to Sweetiebelle.

"Why don't either of you have any wings?" He asked jokingly.

She gasped and glared at him. Lighting her horn, his clip reattached itself to him and Nexus rammed into him. With a yell, he fell of the edge before a painful smack echoed out through the cave from below. Norton and Scootaloo both turned to see Sweetiebelle and Nexus grinning.

"Are they always like this?" Norton asked.

"Yeah," scootaloo nodded. "Pretty much."

As they were turning to leave, Isaac came back on the comm. He was panting slightly, rock could be heard scrapping against his boots as he hoisted himself up.

"Uh, guys?" He said. "We forgot Babs Seed, Don't worry, I've-"

Sweetiebelle lit her horn and Babs appeared in a flash. She looked around, frozen in place before she caught sight of the others.

"Nevermind..." Isaac sighed. "She just disappeared from my arms. I'll be up in no time, just go ahead and I'll catch up."

Cutting off the link, the five began into the caves.

Just the entrance was intimidating; sharp, ice covered stalactites were bunched around the roof, high snowdrifts were in every corner, a shrill wind whistled throughout the cave, and the darkness coming from it was almost as if the night were there already.

"Who wants to go first?" Norton asked.

He as immediately pushed by a black tentacle and numerous Lurker tendrils. Sighing he nodded taking the first steps inside.
> Almost peaking.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Come on, come on...!" Isaac said getting his hands onto the ledge.

With a strong heave, he finally managed to get himself up the cliff after Nexus had trucked him. As he was getting his last foot onto the snowy surface, a growl caught his attention. Slowly, he looked to the right and saw a Leaper staring back at him.

He looked slowly back at the edge before hanging his head. "Fuck my life..." He said jumping back over as the Leaper pounced, but sailed over him. "I hate Necromorph's!" He yelled out before hitting the ice wall again.

Higher up in the caves.

Norton shot off the other arm of the Slasher while Scootaloo had her two Waster's and a Slasher, tear other Necromroph's to pieces. Sweetiebelle and Nexus were tearing through the walls and floor, grabbing any Necromroph they could before biting and clawing at it together.

"So," Norton said brushing some necrotic flesh from his shoulder. "I guess since I'm going to be stuck up here, I should atleast know your names."

"Slenderloo Pagefinder." Scootaloo said. "But that's only when I'm in my natural form, this right now is a disguise. Courtesy of my changeling lineage."

"Changeling? What's a changeling?"

"An insect-like equine," Sweetiebelle explained crawling out from a hole in the floor. "It has the ability to change its appearence; they mainly feed on love, so they have to use their magic to disguise themselves. When they do so, they must capture the pony they're imitating to receive their memories, actions, responses and to feed. Scootaloo's grandmother is the queen of the changelings. Chrysalis, who, also tried to take over Canterlot a year ago."

"So, they basically feed off of an emotion?" He asked receiving a nod from Scootaloo. "So, how about you? What's your name?"

"Sweetiebelle," she said. "And you've already met Nexus." She nodded to the Unimorph resting in a hole. "I'm a Necronicorn, he's a Unimorph."

"There's a difference?" He asked as they began walking again. "I hate caves. I really do."

"Yes, the difference is, is that I was a pony before hoof. He was a Necromorph before hoof." Sweetiebelle said.

"So, how did you... You know?" He waved a hand at her.

"I already told you." She said. "I suffocated, then a-"

"No, no." He said. "I'm talking about with the Markers." He said. "Aren't you afraid that they'll start a new outbreak?"

"No, because their my, Markers." She said smiling slightly.

"Here we go." Scootaloo sighed rolling her eyes.

"My Markers aren't like any of the ones that were made here." She said. "They're magic in a physical form; I chose the shape because it just fit their power. The Markers here... Nexus, could you get them?"

Nexus bolted ahead, tearing into the snow where a few Necromroph's were hiding. As he was killing them, she cleared her throat.

"As I was saying," Sweetiebelle said. "The Markers here can make unlimited energy, and mine are made of the most powerful energy. And the my Markers do not give off the dementia that any other Marker would. Instead, they cure insanity and instill a feeling of calmness. I still feel bad for the ponies at the psychiatric institute that lost their jobs. But we let them work at the base after training, paperwork, an oath, and an agreement of execution if they disclosed any secrets to the public that could endanger others or ourselves."

"Is your entire world a dictatorship? I mean...  Christ, execution."

"Hey, we deal with some pretty dangerous stuff there." Scootaloo snapped. "We even have a plan that would kill all life on the planet, and probably split the planet into chunks. Maybe even vaporize most of it. But that's only if there's no other option to stop an outbreak if one were to occur."

"If I ever go to your world, remind me not to piss off the locals." He said.

"I won't." Scootaloo said. "Which way is out in here? It's like a maze."

"Hold on, I think I can remember a spell that should let us know." Sweetiebelle said.

As she lit her horn, Scootaloo and Norton bot felt a sudden wind rush past them. Looking behind them, they saw the orange light of the alien sun coming out from an opening. Scootaloo picked up her friend, even with her silent protests, and carried her outside.

Nexus looked up at Norton, he stared back down.

"I'm not carrying you." He said. "Your legs aren't broken."

Splaying back his ears, Nexus gave him his bets puppy dog eyes. Norton looked down and shook his head before walking away. Nexus followed him, bumping into his leg to get his attention.

"I... The way out is... This way!" Sweetiebelle said pointing in front of her. Her jaw dropped when she saw open space around her; looking back, she saw Babs and Scootaloo snickering at her. "You carried me outside, didn't you?" She said pouting.

"Y-Yeah." Scootaloo nodded. "You should have seen your face. It looked like you were constipated."

"Please, just don't say that word." Sweetiebelle said turning green. "It reminds me of the sewage pipes."

"What sewage pipes?" Norton asked. "Was that you who caused those things to go off like geysers?"

Sweetiebelle lurched forward, her eyes bugging out as she emptied her stomach contents. Giving a cough, it stopped and she wiped a strand of drool away from her chin. Turning, she trudged forward through the snow.

Up ahead there was a lift wedged into the cliff, Scootaloo turned on her comms as Norton began unsticking it.

"Ellie, were sending down a lift we found wedged into the cliff. Keep a lookout for it."

For a few seconds, nothing was heard, but immediately Necromroph's could be heard screeching in the background.

"Oh god! Look out!" Ellie screamed.

"Get behind me!" Applebloom yelled. "Come on! Ah want to see yall turn the snow red!" She laughed.

Babs and Norton both shared an uneasy glance at the apple farmers tone.

Down below.

Carver let out a small burst from his gun every once in a while, but they mainly stared at Appleblood as she tore through the Slashers.

She jumped back as one brought its blades down, she shot them off with her Plasma cutter before cutting off the legs of another with the plasma blade. As it fell, she lifted one of the blades from the dead Slasher and shot it through the Necromorph's head. It flew back into the wall before sticking there.

Another Slasher came up from behind her, she jumped up, cutting it all the way. As it fell, she swapped out weapons.

Taking out her shotgun/rocket launcher, she fired the shotgun blowing back two Slasher's in mid air. Shooting a blast of stasis out, she slowed down the front of the horde. Slasher's, atleast a dozen of them plus three Leaper's and a Pregnant, were stuck behind the others as they waited to come out from stasis. Looking up, Appleblood let her trademark grin show as she unfolded her helmet.

She aimed her gun at the sides of the cliffs, firing a rocket into both she saluted them quickly as rock came falling down. The screeches of the Necromroph's died and the only thing that could be heard were the exhales from the others.

"Well," she turned away, her pupils returning to normal. "How much damage did ah do this time?"

Up above.

"Ellie! Ellie!" Scootaloo said over her comm. "What's going on!?"

"W-We were attacked, but Applebloom... Applebloom she... She just slaughtered them all."

"So now you know about her alter ego, Appleblood." Scootaloo sighed. "Well, can you see the-"

There was a loud creak, a snap and then the sound of snow falling. Looking back, Scootaloo saw the top of the lift fall before a loud crash could be heard.

"You all might want to move. The lift just snapped off."

Halfway on the ice face.

"Almost... Almost..." Isaac said getting a good foothold. "Finally..." He sighed getting to the second set of climbing gear he passed on the way up the first time. "Maybe now I can-"

He fell back into the sow as something hit the gear and then proceeded to slide off from the ledge. Looking at the lift as it fell, he clenched his fists. Nodding, he looked at the broken gear and then a pair of ice axes laying against the rocks.

"They said I should work out," he said to himself. "Better late than never." He said grabbing the axes. "Fuck you universe! And fuck your snow!"

Above the unfortunate engineer

"You know, I should have really seen this coming by now." Scootaloo said as they passed where the lift once was. "We have the worst luck."

"So I noticed." Norton said. "When do you think Isaac's going to get back? I think I heard him yelling just a second ago."

"He doesn't yell," Sweetiebelle said. "He screams."

"Like a little filly." Scootaloo said bluntly.

"Well, don't you think we should check on him?" Norton suggested making the two E.E.B members stop and look at him.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Norton?" Scootaloo asked. "Sweetiebelle, could you have Nexus go and fetch our meat shield?"

She nodded before Nexus ran on the edge of the cliff and on the face of it.
> The return of Isaac Clarke! Professional Unimorph rider!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This sucks!" Norton said as he flung the Leaper off himself. "How come these things don't get frostbite!?"

"Because they're Necromorphs!" Scootaloo yelled crushing a Slasher while she cut into another with the Ripper on top while the blade gave a small electric charge. "Sweetiebelle, where's Isaac and Nexus?"

"They should be here any-here they are! Hey Isaac!" Sweetiebelle waved as she tore a Leaper into three pieces.

They all momentarily stopped to glance at the cliff edge as a large clawed hoof came over, and shortly after Isaac with his Negotiator. Nexus, fully changed into his second form, rose above the edge and gave a roar as Isaac jumped off, firing away.

"Surprise motherfuckers!" He yelled blasting a Slasher away. "You can't kill me that easily! A lift and a Leaper wouldn't have stopped me! None of you can stop me!" He yelled blasting away at the Necromorphs, the shots coming from his weapon giving small flashes in the dimly lit area.

Helping the engineer, Norton, Scootaloo and Sweetiebelle moved in with him, Babs, feeling safer with Isaac, rushed to his side and fired with him, but Isaac was killing them just as quickly as they could aim. After they managed to kill one or two Necromorphs, the bodies unidentifiable thanks to Isaac blasting them as they still twitched, the fight was over as soon as it had started.

As they all re-loaded, Isaac marched up to Sweetiebelle, his faceplate down to show his anger. She looked up at him, using puppy-dog eyes and splaying her ears back.

"I have half a mind to punt you over this cliff for what you did." He said jabbing a finger at her. "But I'll settle for switching Applebloom with you. Just don't send me over anymore cliffs, alright? And which one of you almost crushed me with that damn lift?" He asked looking at the others.

"Uh... Norton?" She said pointing at the man.

"Yeah," Norton said shrugging. "I blame the rusted cable."

Isaac, raising a finger as if to say something, clenched a fist and continued on. Looking at the four ponies below his knees, Norton shrugged alongside them as they watched the steaming engineer kick a Leaper head over the edge of the cliff.

Following him, they stopped at the entrance to a cave, the sound of the wind crying from inside making them shudder for a second. Isaac, sighing went in first, followed by Norton, Sweetiebelle alongside Nexus, and then Scootaloo with Babs.

"So," Norton said. "What exactly did you mean when you said you were almost crushed by a lift? You mean the elevator?"

"Yeah, I guess the name sort'a stuck back in school." Isaac replied. looking behind a corner. "That's what the others called elevators, they all got it from the last British student. I knew him, he was a pretty good kid."

"Huh. What happened to him?"

"I'd... Rather not bring up bad memories." He said hollowly. "It involved the Ishimura. He was working with... My last fiancee."

"Oh, damn." Norton said looking away. "Um, if you don't mind, I went through your record at one point and, there was a blank spot for a few-"

"Titan Station." Scootaloo said. "You should know about that, Mr. EarthGov."

"Hod did you know I was EarthGov?" He asked looking at his shoulder badge. "Was it the suit? My gun?"

"Your record when I hacked EarthGov's funds." She said bringing up a screen. "By the way, your doctor recommends taking a prescription for the high blood-pressure. So, eat less of those french fries."

"Whatever happened to doctor's not giving out their patients info?" He said as they turned a corner and saw two more sets of climbing gear. "Alright, I don't want any of that glowing shit on my cord again. And I certainly don't want to be pulled up by two sets of razor sharp teeth."

"And I don't want to almost die again." Isaac said casting a glance at Nexus. "And you two stay on Norton's side. I'm not having anyone knock me off a cliff again, especially in a damn cave."

Sweetiebelle and Nexus, looking up the face of the cave, both turned and galloped away back outside. Isaac and Norton had hooked themselves up and were already moving up, Scootaloo already waiting at the first ledge with Babs in a tentacle. Looking down at them, she heard a screech and saw a Lurker crawl out from between a pair of cracks below her. Snorting in annoyance, she hit it off with a good swipe from her tentacles. Seeing another, and then a second, she kept repeating it.

Down below, the Lurkers were falling near and once, on the two humans below.

"This is why I hate these things!" Isaac yelled knocking another off him. "Why do they have to jump off like lemmings!?"

"Because they want to kill us! That's why!" Norton yelled dodging another as it fell. "Rocks! Jump to the other side!"

Isaac, following Norton's call, watched as a few boulder fell past where they once were. Shooting a Lurker that had come up on a lower part of the cliff face. Dodging the body, they both continued up until they came to a split in the rock, jumping to the other side, they nearly dodged another two boulders that fell down. Finishing off a Lurker from above, they could see Scootaloo smacking them off the edge from above and Babs shooting a few that were trying to attack the small alicorn.

"Scootaloo!" Isaac yelled. "Stop knocking them off! They're falling on us!"

He saw the tentacles stop and the glow from her helmet disappear over the edge. Reloading his gun, he fell back and was dangling upside-down. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he got his boots back into the frozen rock and saw Norton holding him by the shoulder.

"Norton, you're in my personal space." Isaac said taking a step away. "The only one allowed in that is Scootaloo, and she can only do that on account of her being able to use me as a hammer anytime she needs to."

"Alright, I'm just trying to help. So I hopefully don't get shot in the back by anyone." He said. "By the way, more rocks are falling." He said shooting out a shot of stasis.

Isaac jumped to the other side but slipped on the edge and was sent into the crack between the two rock faces. Trying to pull himself out, he wedged his foot in a crack. Pulling harder, he let out a grunt when his foot began to feel sore.

"Well, dammit." He sighed. "Scootaloo! Can I get some help? My foot is stuck."

Seeing the helmet looking over the ledge, he watched as her tentacles dug into the rock, making it crack and splinter. Looking to his side, he saw Norton looking up towards Scootaloo, his gun trained on the opposite side, without Norton looking, Isaac aimed his Negotiator on Norton's side without the man knowing.

Looking back at Scootaloo, she was now standing on his chest, looking over at his boot. Looking back at him, she put two tentacles between the rock and pushed away. With multiple cracks, the rock splintered and cracked as she almost effortlessly pushed the rock away. Pulling his boot out, she got off him and went back to her perch above them.

"Jesus, Scootaloo," Isaac said over the comm. "I knew those things were strong, but you just pushed a few tons of rock to the side like nothing. Are you on steroids or something?"

"No. I've just been working out. I'm up to fifty thousand pounds per tentacle. Forty pounds with my hooves." She replied smugly.

"Damn," Norton said. "You could basically tear a building apart then? Hell, you could have done that to that giant Necromorph back when... Well, you know." He finished a bit meekly.

"Actually, I couldn't." She said. "When me or Sweetiebelle receive an order from the Director, we have to follow it or else our pay is cut, we're suspended from duty unless it's an emergency, and we have to go under a psych evaluation in order to determine the reason behind it if it is individual, or being caused by an outside force."

"Wow, even my superiors aren't that strict." Norton said. "What exactly do you all do that makes for such strict rules?"

"I could tell you, but then I'd have to either put you under a tranquilizer and have you think it was a dream, or I'd have to kill you along with my own memory being partially wiped so I would forget telling you. But, what I can say is that we monitor the, what we have dubbed, T.E.R.M. Or, Trans-dimensional, Ethereal, Rift, in Matter. Basically, somethings come out, a pony touches it, and they go somewhere else. Me as an example, was brought here after I touched a human EarthGov suit."

"So, basically, it's a giant garbage disposal that has a reverse?" Isaac said. "I do like the acronym."

"...Yes Isaac, it's a giant garbage disposal. Remind me to get you an award later." She said sighing. "You two are taking too long, I'm just going to teleport you up. So don't move."

Hearing the buzz of the comm as she cut the link, Isaac and Norton were about to respond when they found themselves behind the small alicorn. Shaking the ringing from their ears, they unattached themselves from their harnesses and stood, brushing snow off themselves as Scootaloo led the way, Babs following close behind.

As they were going under the first open space in the cavern, Ellie turned her comm on. They all stopped, only momentarily as they only heard her breathing.

"Norton," she said, her voice obviously strained. "Why did you do it?"

"I-I..." The man sighed, leaning against a rock wall. "I just wanted you safe. Hell, you were the first good thing in my life ever since I joined EarthGov. I guess, I let my love blind me."

"I know that feeling." Isaac said. "Fucking Marker."

"Well, look, I'm sorry I slapped you, but you kind of deserved it." She said. "Listen, Norton, I think you know that-"

"Yeah, I know. And honestly," he laughed. "I think you need to be apologizing to someone too, specifically someone that came here just for you."

"Isaac?" She said slightly surprised. "I thought you made him come here at gun point?"

"Like I give a damn if I have a gun to my head." Isaac said. "I've had a fucking needle sent into my brain through me eye, it doesn't get any worse than that. But, yeah, I came here to make sure you were alright."

"Isaac... I... I'm sorry." She said. "The reason I left you was because of my job, I was doing dangerous work and I had to go to other star systems to do so. Look, if we get out of this, remind-"

"No, Ellie," his voice turning serious. "When we get out of this, I think maybe a co-pilot is going to be needed once we snag a ship. So- wait... Where'd Scootaloo go?"

"The little magic bird-horse-thing?" Norton said looking around. "Where the hell did she go? Scootaloo! Where are you!?" He called out.

They both looked around, turning and checking in large cracks, but she was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, they heard a noise similar to someone yelling while drinking expired milk. Turning towards the only direction they haven't been through, they nearly took off the hoof that poked around. Putting their weapons down with a synchronized groan, they watched as Scootaloo came trotting in with a four blackened Slashers, and three Exploders.

"I see you've been stuffing your face with more souls," Isaac noted. "Bring any for us mortals?"

"You can go suck each others souls out." She said. "Besides, I'm saving the Exploders for a special occasion."

The two men stared at the yellow puss sac adorning each of the Necromorphs arms. Tilting their heads, they watched the small bumps ooze slightly with each twitch of the Necromroph's arm.

"I'm guessing when we get surrounded, you can have them blow up?" Norton asked. "Just, make sure I'm not near them when you do."

"Whatever," she said. "If you two are done writing sop-operas, we have a universe to save. You know, from the Necromorphs and the Marker? But, if you two would rather stand here and apologize for dating or breaking up with the other, that's completely alright with me. I'll just go and save everypony myself." She said before trotting off, her Necromrophs following.

"That was rude." Isaac said.

"Are they always like this?" Norton asked as they ran to catch up.

"Only at work. Or when we're working." Scootaloo replied. "You forgot to turn the comm off."

Cutting off their comm's, they arrived at a fork in the cave. Sticking out his locator, Isaac watched the blue line dart to the right. hearing the sound of the wind from outside, they all looked at each other before taking off running, sometimes nearly slipping on the ice.

Seeing the golden light head, they all slowed down and stopped once they reached the outside. Isaac, peeking out, looked around before stepping out.

"Finally," he sighed. "For once I'm not going to fall-shit!" He suddenly yelled as he slipped.

The others could only watch in shock as the engineer fell over the edge. That turned to confusion when they heard his yells not diminishing, and then just as suddenly stop. Scootaloo, looking over the edge, backed away as Sweetiebelle climbed over her, dropped Isaac, and continued climbing alongside Nexus, their claws making large gashes in the rock.

"Well," Isaac said brushing himself off. "That was fortunate. Now, we never speak of this again, got it?"

"These suits record everything. You know that, right?" Scootaloo said tapping her helmet. "Come on, lets go meet the others at the top."

"Sure," Isaac said but paused. "Do we have to climb? So far, our luck hasn't been the best. Mainly for me."

"Sure, I can carry you three, just don't wiggle around too much."

As they all turned the corner, they were met with the sight of a few smashable boxes, more climbing gear, and just barely visible through the snow, a large harpoon and a short distance from that, another harpoon.

Standing on either side of Scootaloo, she wrapped a tentacle around them before sticking the other two into the rock; Isaac was holding Babs as she used a death grip on his arm. Pulling them up, they grabbed onto each appendage as they felt themselves slip a little. Holding tighter, Scootaloo was smirking under her helmet as she was striding along the rock.

Coming to the first split in it, a lift was knocking against each of the walls; one particular hit knocked loose a massive boulder. Quickly moving to the other side, they all watched as it fell down onto the climbing gear below.

"Glad I didn't decide on climbing," Isaac muttered. "That could have been me. Again."

Scootaloo, staring at the rubble for a second, shook her head and continued climbing. Going up, her eyes widened as a sheet of ice gave out from underneath a tentacle. Lighting her horn, she quickly slowed it down and managed to dig the appendage into the rock before releasing the spell.

"So," Norton said breaking the ice. "How is it that you three managed, out of this entire universe, to end up finding Isaac again? Much less being on this planet?"

"Well," Scootaloo said dodging another boulder. "I have a theory, me and-I can't say. But me and my assistant, have come up with a theory after viewing the energy around me and the others. When we first saw Isaac, the first living thing from this world that we had physical contact with, we don't need to make contact but be close, is that our energies mixed. So, when we first met, we were literally attached to him. So when I touched the suit, we were drawn back to him."

"But that doesn't explain why Babs ended up here too." Isaac said putting the swinging lift in stasis.

"There was the Apple family reunion earlier," Scootaloo said. "I'm guessing the close genes of the two were enough that the energy from you and when Applebloom was showing off her Plasma cutter, rubbed off on her. Or, maybe she was just lucky."

"Lucky," Babs said, finally speaking. "I think Lucky would be right."

"Nice to see you're not mute." Scootaloo said coming up over the edge. "Alright, next time, one of you is carrying me."

Looking around, they saw a row of lights going along the opposite edge, a lift with a working winch and cable, a fuse box above it, and a manual crank for the winch.

"Hey," Isaac turned on his comm. "I've found the winch. I'm gonna try and get it started, you all just hang tight down there."

"Can ya hurry up?" Applebloom replied over the comm. "We're freezin' our tails off! Ah mean mah' tail. And would ya quit fawnin' over Santos?"

"You're doing what?" Ellie asked.

"I'm doing what?" Isaac said. "I'm... I'm confused. When was I fawning over Santos?"

"Not you, the guard on the right. He keeps offerin' to hold her hand when they get on the lift. Hey! Ah see that snowball! Put it down!"

There was a muffled thud through the comm, and they all guessed Applebloom just got hit in the face with the snowball. It was a justified conclusion when Applebloom cut off her comm and one of the guards began screaming over his. 

"This just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?" Norton asked as Isaac activated the lift, but only for it to short out. "Yep. It does."

"Don't worry, I can fix this." Isaac said jumping onto the snow mound. "Lets see what we have to work with." Tearing off the panel, he glanced momentarily before flicking the bottom and second switch. "I think that's it. Yeah, the lift is coming down."

"'Bout time. Ah don't know how much longer ah could stand being with these two. Santos, it's gonna be fine, there's nothin' to worry 'bout."

As they waited for the lift to come up, Sweetiebelle and Nexus crawled over the peak of the mountain. Shrinking down, Nexus sat beside Norton and laid at his feet. Norton, backing away slightly was pulled back when Nexus grabbed one of his legs. Sighing, he just stood straight as best as he could.

Looking over at the edge, he saw the lift arrive. Ellie, Carter, Applebloom atop on of the guards shoulders, and the other guard holding Santos's hand, got off. Santos though, had to go back for her bag, and as she did, the Snow Beast came from below and wrapped its legs across the entrance.

"Santos! Shit!" Isaac yelled as the lift began to fall. "Someone get her dammit!" He yelled grabbing onto the manual winch.

The guards, acting as one, went to the edge and stood at the bare-width of falling off while the other was leaning out, his arm outstretched.

As she continued to scream, and Isaac loosing his grip slightly, Carter came over and held it with him. As they held it, the ice below them began to crack, Carter seeing this, reached behind him and grabbed the axe.

"Sweetiebelle!" Applebloom shouted using her suit's speakers. "Get her out'a there!"

Sweetiebelle, going up to the cage, shot out a Drag Tentacle and pulled the panicking woman out into the awaiting arms of the guards, unfortunately, her extra weight on the ice caused it to finally crumble.

Carter, the guards, and Santos were safe, and Norton had managed to drag himself along with the still sleeping Nexus to safety as the crusaders, Babs, and Isaac, fell down with the Snow Beast.
> Why did she get eaten?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Her muscles hurt, she was cold, and she couldn't see. Trying to move, Babs felt herself get shook a little by the shoulder, moving her head up with a crack, she saw her cousin looking at her, a small trickle of blood on her fore-head. Pushing herself up, she rolled her shoulders causing them to let out a few pops. Looking around, she saw Scootaloo brushing snow off of Isaac as he was sitting up.

"W-Where's Sweetiebelle?" She asked.

"Right here," Sweetiebelle said from behind. "This is one of the things that stink about near instantaneous regeneration."

Babs, turning around gasped as she saw the white Necronicorn. She had a piece of metal sticking through her chest and her bottom half was above her. Sweetiebelle, reaching up, grabbed her back hooves and the lower torso was reabsorbed back, the bottom half of her now growing back.

"Now," she poked at the metal holding her off the ground. "This is the tricky part."

As she was slowly cutting herself down the front, Isaac's comm came on. Snapping to attention, he connected with it.

"Issac!?" Ellie yelled over the comm. "Are you and the others alright?"

"Yeah, we're all fine." He said before looking at Sweetiebelle. "Except for Sweetiebelle, she's cutting herself in half at the moment."

"She's doing what?" Norton and Carver asked at the same time.

"Well, ah wouldn't ay in half, ah'd say a half of a half." Applebloom said over it. "Yall keep forgetin' to turn your comms off."

"Can you get back up here?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah," Isaac said sticking his hologuide out. "Shit. I think the holograms in my suit are malfunctioning. It must have been the fall. We'll just go and see if we can't find a way back up. Hopefully, one that doesn't involve us getting eaten." He said glancing at Sweetiebelle as she fell to the snow. "That's just sick, I think she's smiling but her face is still cut in half. Yep, gonna be sick."

As he was taking in deep breathes, Babs turned towards her cousin who had an irritated look on her face as she was looking down at the snow. Catching her looking, Applebloom glanced over before waving her over. Looking at Sweetiebelle as she was adjusting her face, and Scootaloo leading Isaac to a corner, she went over.

"Babs," Applebloom said. "Ah don't like this. Not one bit."

"I doubt anypony likes to fall off a cliff, but it-"

"Not that," her cousin interrupted putting a slightly blood covered hoof to her lips. "Ah'm talkin' 'bout that thing. Where is it? It should be here, but it's not."

"Maybe it fell over the side?" Babs suggested waving a hoof at the edge. "We were lucky we didn't go over."

"Ah don't believe in luck." Applebloom said. "And where are the tracks it would'a left? There should be cuts in the rock, but ah don't see any. Only holes on the wall." She said looking at the wall next to her. "One, two, one, two, all of 'em spaced the same distance. Don't ya find that a little suspicious?"

"I guess..." Babs said looking at the wall. "But, wouldn't there also be holes in the snow around us too?" She said making the two of them glance at the snow. "Maybe it did survive?" She said to herself as Isaac stood back up. "Uh, come on, I guess we're going."

"Eeyup. Ah guess we are." Applebloom said looking at the wall once more before following the group, one hoof on her Plasma cutter.

As the snow blew past them, the wind giving its awful cry, the five armored engineers trudged through the small path of snow. Breathing out a sigh of relief as they saw a set of climbing gear, that was short lived when the Snow Beast charged out from the snow sprinkled wind.

"You know what?" Isaac said taking out his Negotiator. "I am tired of your fucking shit!" He yelled firing a few shots at the yellow bulbs waving around on its back. "Just die already! I hate you!"

Applebloom and Babs, watched as it drew back slightly, but then two figures moving through the snowy haze caught their attention, raising their weapons they both ran past Isaac and at the Slashers.

Scootaloo, noticing the Snow Beast about to swipe at her director and friend, quickly charged her horn and sent a bolt of electricity into its side. It stumbled and charged her and Isaac, throwing up snow and and rock as its legs carved into the ground. Isaac and Scootaloo jumped out of the way as it went past them. Getting up, Isaac shot a bolt of stasis and slowed it down long enough for them to catch up with Applebloom and Babs Seed.

The two filly's were cutting a Slasher's legs off before beheading it. Sensing two more behind them, they turned and nearly shot Isaac and Scootaloo as they went to their sides.

"Don't do that!" Applebloom chastised the two. "Ah could of shot yalls heads clean off!" 

"Not the time!" Isaac yelled as he saw the silhouette of the Snow Beast in the snow. "We've got bigger fish to fry."

"Why don't we see if those still work?" Babs asked pointing at the harpoons. "We could trap it."

"Or," Isaac said running tot he small generator. "Good, it has gas. As I was saying, we could tear this bastard a new one. Literally, tear it in half."

The others merely nodded before running off, leaving Isaac and Scootaloo together again. Grabbing the small filly, Isaac climbed up to the generator and settled himself behind a rock with Scootaloo in his lap. Peeking around the corner, he saw the others sneak past the Necromorph, but it was still coming towards them. Reloading his gun, he put a finger to where his lips would have been, Scootaloo nodded before a light glow came off her horn and she disappeared.

'She can go invisible?' He thought. 'Why am I the only one that doesn't have anything cool? This is some bullshit.' Looking around the rock, he noticed the Necromorph, along with three Slashers, looking around, scuttling in a circle, looking for them. 'Fuck it. I've done crazier shit before. I'm full of bad ideas, yeah, just keep telling yourself that.'

Jumping out from his cover, he aimed his gun at the farthest Slasher and took its legs out, the other two were taken out from Applebloom and Scootaloo, the two of them concealed in the rocks. Looking at the largest Necromorph, he stood his ground as it turned to him, all of its eyes trained on his visor.

Glancing at the harpoons, he saw them turning side to side, a blue laser coming out from near the ends of the harpoons. Looking at the Necromorph, he gave a quick shot before running towards the two machines.

Not looking back, he could hear and feel the Necromrph already gaining on him, speeding up he stumbled when a leg nearly skewered him. Doing a running jump, he landed on his belly and rolled to the left as it ran past him. Getting up, he shot the bulbs near its mouth as it strutted over to him. Still on the ground, its bulbs were gone and it leaped the small distance to him, now standing over him, it raised a leg with malicious intent.

Rolling out of the way, the leg went through the rock. Pulling it back, it was raising it again when he shot another bolt of stasis at it, crawling out from under the slowed enemy, he began running towards the harpoons again. Reaching them, he looked back and saw the Snow Beast charging him again. Sticking out a hand, he attempted to freeze it in stasis, but nothing would come out.

"Lousy stasis," he muttered backing against the stone behind him. "I could never rely on that piece of crap anyway. Come on! I'm right here!" He yelled firing another shot at it. "Come... What the hell?" He muttered as the stone behind him began to fall away. "You've got to be kidding me..."

He was pushed forward as Sweetiebelle exploded from the rock, landing under a small pile of rubble he looked ahead and saw the harpoons fix on her. Before he could give a warning, they fired and sunk into her eyes, popping them both like grapes. He muted his helmet when the roaring started.

Sweetiebelle thrashed and clawed at what she thought were Necromorphs, but instead she was only tearing the harpoons to shreds as she continued to charge ahead. The Snow beast, giving a mock charge, stepped away as the larger opponent went over the cliff, taking what was left of the harpoons. With a fading series of roars, Sweetiebelle disappeared until eventually a loud thud could be heard.

As it turned back to the downed engineer, Isaac tried to push the rock off but it only slid slightly. Trying to shoot it, he found his gun lodged beneath another rock a foot away. Looking around, he grabbed a small chunk of rock and raised it as best as he could.

As it slowly moved towards him, it was thrown to the side when Scootaloo reappeared next to it, delivering a hit with all four tentacles. It shook off the hit and looked at the small alicorn as Scootaloo raised them in front of her. It gave a screech before charging, Scootaloo charged too, but jumped using her tentacles, she delivered another hit across its face. Landing on the four muscles, she scuttled away herself as it got up.

It gave another shriek and charged, she charged too and jumped again, but this time, it stopped and swung. She was knocked to the side, falling next to Isaac as she smashed into the rock, splintering it more. Looking behind him, Isaac saw her shakily rubbing her head, but she wasn't getting up.

"Babs! Applebloom!" Isaac yelled as the Snow Beast turned towards him again. "Help us the fuck out!"

As if coming to the call, Applebloom sped out from one side while her cousin attacked from the other side. It turned towards Applebloom, bulbs coming out from its mouth, she fired quickly and accurately popping each of them within seconds. It screeched and was about to charge when a grenade went off from underneath it. Babs reloaded her assault rifle, letting the smoking cartridge fall to the ground.

The Snow Beast turned and charged her through the smoke, Babs dropped the new cartridge and jumped out of the way. It ran past her but turned and swung, hitting not her, but her cousin as she dived in the way. Babs, watching her cousin bend around the edge of the leg, felt all the feeling drain from her mind, leaving it a blank. Time slowed down to her as she saw her cousin skid across the snowy ground and come to a halt near Isaac. Slowly, one emotion came back and burned through her mind until it was numb. Grabbing the cartridge she dropped with kinesis, she put it into her gun, cocked it, and then jumped towards the Snow Beast's mouth, getting swallowed but not without part of her helmet getting torn away.

The others could only stare in shock, horror, and guilt as they saw the Necromorph shake its head briefly before turning towards them, Babs Seed's helmet hanging in its jaws. As it approached, Applebloom raised her gun up as best as she could but dropped it when an acute pain tore through her fore-leg.

As they all glared at the Necromorph as it lifted a leg to stab them, it suddenly stopped before backing up, squealing like a pig before its midsection exploded. Scootaloo, lifting the stone up from Isaac, got up along with him and helped Applebloom, who was already, painfully limping towards the carcass as fast as she could go.

"No! No! No!" Applebloom kept repeating as she made her way around the front piece of the Necromorph. "Scootaloo, Isaac, helm me get her out! Ah can see her!" She said grabbing onto a fore-leg.

Isaac, with Applebloom, pulled Babs Seed out from the Snow Beast's guts, letting an excess of blood come pouring out as Babs was pulled free. She wasn't moving, and when Isaac took her, her chest wasn't moving. When he turned her around to look at her RIG, the light was gone, not even a red bar flashing, just a black, dead bar. As he shakily held her, Applebloom sat there, shivering not from the cold, but from the emotions running through her.

"Applebloom... I..." Isaac said, but one look at the small yellow filly shut him up. "Dammit." He sighed setting her down. "Dammit!"

"Ah promised ah'd protect her..." Applebloom cried shallowly. "Ah promised we'd all get back home... That she'd see her parents again... Ah failed her.... Ah failed her and now she's-"

"Would you quit with the waterworks? We're apples, we don't do cryin' and especially not over something like this."

They all looked down at Babs as she got up, a fresh trickle of blood running down the left side of her face from a nasty cut going across her left eye and down to her muzzle.

"Your RIG," Isaac said looking own at her. "There's no color, you were dead. You're still dead!" He said pointing at her bar.

"Maybe... Maybe it just broke?" Scootaloo suggested. "Don't the helmets control all holographic projections in the suit, including the physical health bar on the back?"

"Ah don't care." Applebloom said giving her cousin a hug, not caring about the bruised ribs, dislocated shoulder, or twisted ankle. "Ah'm just glad you're alive!"

"Yeah, about that," Babs said looking at the Snow Beast. "How did it die? That thing." She said pointing towards the Necromorph.

"You jumped into its mouth and set off a grenade inside it." Isaac said. "It was pretty bad-ass."

"Ya don't remember?" Applebloom asked letting go of her cousin. "Ya don't remember jumpin' into its pie hole and gettin' eaten?"

"No... I remember you taking a hit for me, and then waking up." She said. "Did I get this cut from it?" She asked lightly poking the cut.

"You know," Isaac said. "Applebloom has a murderous alter-ego and a scar on her right eye, and that cut is definitely going to turn into a scar. Plus, I'd say you're starting to get your own alter-ego, one that's just as viscous as your cousin's."

The two ponies looked at each other, smiled and let their pupils dilate and cocked both of their weapons, laughing between the two of each other, Isaac shared an uneasy look with Scootaloo.

"This is fucked up." Isaac whispered. "Did you know she could just turn into a psychopath when she wanted too? Because that would have been nice to know quite a few times!"

"Shes done it a few times," Scootaloo whispered. "But she has to concentrate first. And you're right, this is freaky."

"Appleblood and Babs Lead. Lead as in bullets." Isaac said. "This is really fucked up. Applebloom, Babs," he said drawing their attention. "Could you two go back to normal? You're really creeping us the fuck out with the laughing and smiles."

They both shook their heads momentarily before looking around and hoof bumping. Isaac and Scootaloo moved out of the way as the two made their way towards the climbing gear.

At the base of the mountain

A large, red, gooey, layer was spread out around the walls and ground of the ground and mountain. Bones and other bone-like objects were littered around or broken beyond recognition, a few organs hung off from them or were melting in pools of acid that had drained from a larger organ that had been punctured.

'This. Is the. Worst. Possible. Thing!' Sweetiebelle thought as her head regenerated from collecting chunks of the soupy mess that was her. 'It's going to take forever to put myself back together! Why couldn't I just land in a crater and end up like soup in a bowl? At least it would have been easier to re-absorb myself.'
> Entering the facility
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ellie," Isaac said over the comm. "Babs just destroyed that thing from earlier. She got eaten and set off a grenade inside its stomach."

"Really? I guess she really is Applebloom's cousin. Well, hurry back up, we're waiting."

"Alright, Scootaloo is going to take Applebloom up first, I got Babs. Listen, Applebloom got hurt while fighting this thing, do any of you have any medpacks she can use? I took a look at her and the most I think she has are some bruised ribs, but I don't want them getting irritated."

"Yeah, I've got a medium sized one." Norton said. "She can take it. I don't need it."

"Thanks... Norton." Isaac said slowly. "You're really trying to change, aren't you?"

"I just want to not die, and in the process, keep you five alive. Like you said, they're our only hope at stopping this shit."

"Right, Isaac out." He said cutting the link. "Scootaloo, go on, they're waiting for us and Norton has a medium medpack for Applebloom. Babs, you're with me."

Scootaloo nodded before taking the apple farmer in her tentacles, gently holding her with two, she used the free one's to scale the side of the mountain. Watching them, Babs felt a small thing prodding in the back of her head, shaking it off she went over to Isaac as he was hooking himself up to the gear.

"Alright, it doesn't look like that much of a climb." He said picking her up. "Hold on, the tug on these things is as bad as getting slapped by a Brute."

He pulled the lever and they were jerked up. Beginning the climb, she held onto his middle, listening to his boots scratch into the ice. Climbing up the left side, Isaac took only a few steps before the ice began to give out. He jumped further left and stood on a solid patch of the rock. Continuing his climb, he got to the ledge and let Babs climb up before he went up himself. Up top, Ellie was the first one to help him up, helmet off as his own folded up.

"Hey," she said grabbing him in the middle. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just a bit sore. So, where are we? And what is that?" He asked gesturing towards the large buildings ahead.

"This is where we'll find Rosetta." Santos said still holding one of the guard's arms. "The research we need is inside. And with it, we can find the source and destroy it. There's a ladder there, I'll go up first."

As Santos, the guards, Ellie, and Carver all followed her, Norton stayed behind. He looked around before he caught Isaac staring.

"You're not going?" Isaac asked letting his helmet unfold.

"No," he said. "We are to split up as it is. Besides, I'm not really interested in the office, I'm more interested in the armory here. Enough ammo to go around and get us some better protection if Danik decides to come after us."

"Fine, but we can do that later. Come on, lets go up."

As he ascended up the ladder, it gave out and he fell onto the roof of a small shack below it. Looking up, he saw Ellie looking down. Getting up, he stumbled a bit before looking up at her.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." He replied rolling his shoulders. "You go on ahead."

"I see a ground route." She said. "I'll shoot a directions to Scootaloo's RIG. We'll meet at the facility."

She disappeared and left Isaac below. Looking to his side, he saw Norton climb up along with Babs being carried by Scootaloo. She set Babs down before  reaching down and lifting Applebloom up. Nexus managed to jump up top, even as Scootaloo tried to reach down to pull him up.

"Alright," Norton said glancing up. "Only one way to go. Lead the way Scootaloo."

At the base of the mountain

'Finally,' Sweetiebelle thought. 'All my pieces are back where they should be. Now to-'

A low whir distracted her, looking to the side, she saw one of the harpoons drag its harpoon back before focusing on her. It fired and she tried to get out of the way, but it went through her midsection and into one of the stone walls around her. Looking at the cord, she cut it with a swipe of her claw and pulled the rest out. When she was finished, she was sinking her caws into the rock when she heard a loud crack.

'Please tell me it's not what I think it is.' She thought looking to the side and already seeing a large amount of boulders and rubble beginning to fall, blanketing  the patch of sky above with a layer of dust, ice, and rock. 'It is. I feel like this is karma's way of getting me back for Isaac.'

Up above

Nexus, ahead of the group and waiting eagerly by a gate, suddenly stiffened up and raised his ears. His mouth twisted until his original teeth were bared and his eyes were a blazing crimson. The others stopped and just stared at him, their weapons raised as he began to growl, along with a few pieces of bone appearing along his back.

"Nexus," Isaac said aiming his Negotiator at the Unimorph "What are you doing?"

"Danger." He coughed out, his mouth spitting out small flecks of blood now that his entire body began to change. "Mistress... Hurt..." He growled before clinging to a wall and running past them.

The others merely stood there, unsure of what to do. Isaac going on, made up their minds for them. Once they entered, a drowned line of noise came from a Twitcher that disappeared when they spotted it.

"Great," Isaac groaned. "Fucking Twitchers. At least they're not babies."

"Hold on," Norton said. "What are Twitchers?"

"They're Necromorphs," Scootaloo said. "That have a RIG attached to them and the infection has melded with their stasis unit, making the world to them slower while to us they're faster."

"Bet you wish you went with the others now, don't you?" Isaac said. "Come on, I don't want to get cut up out here. I'd rather have that happen inside, hopefully where there's some heating."

As they continued along the path, Applebloom rolled off of Scootaloo and shakily got up. Looking around, she did a double-take when she saw what was in the rock.

"There's a Marker." She said staring at it. "Guys, there's-"

"Markers." Isaac said coldly. "We know. There's more ahead of us here. Grey, black symbols, a few as tall as me. Yeah, they're everywhere. How are you doing?"

"Fine, ah can walk and shoot, so ah say that's good enough." She said catching up to Isaac. "Come on, ah'm not waiting for them to go off."

He nodded and hurried to the door with the others, Scootaloo and Norton covering the back while Babs and Applebloom guarded the sides. Opening the door, they were all hit with the smell of decay, rust, oil, and other substances that had yet to be made scarce.

"This smells almost as bad as the sewage." Isaac said going in and nearly tripping on a frozen body. "Sorry buddy."

Going in, the door closed behind the others as they tried their best not to vomit. The least affected were Applebloom and Scootaloo, the two of them glancing at the others.

"So," Norton said. "Where's the heating?"

"In the main building." Scootaloo said. "By the size of the room, I'd say this was once a military checkpoint. And judging by the rate of decomposition of the two bodies here, I'd say they lasted for quite a while before they eventually starved to death, evident by the wrappers of rations laying around."

They all looked at the ground and saw multiple wrappers, many of them consisting of nutrient and protein substitutes. Going around the small corner, they went back into the colder weather. Upon exiting, a gunship flew overhead, making them all pause to watch it fly over the laboratory.

"Heads up!" Isaac said over the comm. "Looks like Danik has had time to regroup."

"Dammit!" Carver swore. "How do we find Rosetta if she's been dead for over two-hundred years?"

As they turned a bend in the path, they were greeted by a large building rising out of the snow with a few lights on it. Looking towards the door, they all quickly began to run as they heard the sound of another gunship approaching.

"Wait a minute." Ellie said. "There- "Rosetta Lab"! It's there!" She said giddily.

"Perfect!" he said. "Send Scootaloo the coordinates. And lets hope Danik doesn't find us before we can build this codex."

Scootaloo, seeing the panel by the door, tore it away and began fiddling with the wires. She got the first, second, and then the third, rushing inside, they all saw a second gunship making its way in their direction. As the door shut, they were all clustered in the same, small spot.

"So," Norton said. "What do you think we're going to find? You know, hopefully besides what we need to make the codex."

"Necromorphs." Isaac said. "Most likely. Maybe a few more Markers."

"Great." Norton sighed.

"I know, right?" He smirked under his helmet. "See all the fun you could have missed if you went with the others?" He asked sarcastically.

"Would ya two stop it?" Applebloom said. "Isaac, scoot ya boot over, its pressing me against the wall."

"Sorry," he replied. "Didn't see you down there."

The doors opened and they all nearly fell out as they hurried to get into a larger space than the lift. Looking around, the hallway was dimly lit with dirt covered lights that flickered, a black stained floor with tile uplifted, rusted walls, an iced ceiling that had more grime than ice on it, and a few bodies further down either side of the hall.

"Look," Scootaloo said pointing at a functioning bench. "I think it's on."

"Good, I need to make a few things I had in mind." Isaac said. "Preferably some medkits and weapons. Lets hope I still have enough materials to make what I'm thinking of."

"What are ya makin' that ya hope ya have enough materials left?" Applebloom asked tilting her head.

"Some heavy artillery," he said jogging to the bench. "Desperate times call for desperate measures."
> The chapter where Isaac gets some good weapons.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Are you almost done?" Scootaloo asked. "It shouldn't take this long to make a weapon. A suit I can understand, but just a pair of weapons?"

"She has a point." Norton said. "What are you making? A pair of cannons?"

"Eh, something like that." Isaac shrugged. "Alright. Done." He said brandishing the two new tools.

In his left hand, he held a MK II chain gun with a rocket launcher as the secondary, on the side an acid cartridge pulsed a light green, while on the top, a safety guard stretched down to the tip of the rocket launcher. In his right he held a MK ll evangelizer shotgun with a hydraulic hammer below, an acid attachment also glowed on the side while a damage multiplier.

"What do you think?" He asked. "Does this seem like a bit overkill?" He asked letting his suit absorb the shotgun into his inventory.

"If you go back to that bench one more time, I'll show you overkill." Scootaloo grumbled as got up. "Come on, the lab should be-"

"Duck!" Isaac yelled raising his chain gun. "Fucking get down!"

She complied and a barrage of acid coated spikes tore through the air above her and into the Waster that had its axe raised to behead her. Watching the chain gun, it tore through the Necromorph until the top half of it fell away and three spiked tentacles came out from the abdomen. Aiming down slightly, the bottom half was torn to shreds as the spikes melted and tore away pieces.

Norton, watching the carnage, was turning to speak when he saw another two Wasters behind Isaac. Raising his Pulse rifle, he blew the head off one and the arms off another. The armless one fell to the ground while the other one's top half fell away letting more tentacles come out. Isaac quickly jumped away as it took a swing at his side, just barely feeling it nick his armor.

Switching out his weapons, Isaac swung with the hammer and took off all three tentacles and a leg when he swung back up. Turning around, Scootaloo was fighting off two that were shooting barbs at her from across the hall. Isaac walked behind her, aimed the shotgun at the closest, fired, and watched the parts fly.

Scootaloo took out her Flame thrower and fired two shots from the Line gun on the bottom, severing the Waster in front of her into two parts. Going up to the remains, she burned them a bit to make sure they were dead.

"That was exciting." Norton said kicking an arm. "Where to now, Scootaloo?"

"The elevator." She said going to the right. "Isaac, keep the rocket launcher put up while we're in there. I don't want anything blowing us up and then melting us."

"Funny, I know how to use a weapon properly." He said. "Applebloom, are you alright? Um... Applebloom?"

He looked back to search for the other filly, Norton and Scootaloo went down the hall, but seeing no trace of the small farmer. Going back to the elevator, they all glanced around the hall.

"Where do you think she went?" Norton asked.

"It's a mystery," Scootaloo said. "She does this at the base too. She asks a question, I answer and keep talking, but when I turn to look at her, she's just gone. We shouldn't worry about it though, I think she can do better by herself than with us."

"Really? Now, ah wouldn't say that."

They all jumped and turned towards the elevator, the doors were closed but they received a knock back when Isaac tapped them. Pressing the button, the doors opened and Applebloom was standing there with a snow axe on her back and another in hoof. She was spattered with blood, guts, and cloth.

"Applebloom... Do I even want to know?" Isaac asked looking critically at her.

"Probably not." She said shaking her head and shaking a bit of blood off her axes. "It involved a Waster, and a group of Danik's soldiers. They didn't stand much of a chance once they let me go."

"Alright," he said stepping in with the others. "When did you leave, and when did you get captured?"

"I wandered off when ya'll were slumped against the wall. And, ah let them catch me. Ah was tryin' to find out what they're doin' other than tryin' to kill us. Found out they want the ammo in the armory and the codex." She said. "They got distracted by a waster and ah took an axe, cut ma'h guard's throat, another down the chest and punched his heart, and ah sent another axe into a pair of soldiers heads. Cut the first off like a rotten branch on a tree."

The others, subconsciously, stepped away from the blood soaked filly.

The elevator stopped, groaned, and the doors opened with a small shriek. Isaac and Norton stepped out first, guns raised, the lights in their suits casting a faint light across the darkened and stained hall. As they went forward, Applebloom and Scootaloo stepped out, both of them scanning the ceiling and glass walls as the two men traveled even further in.

Peering down the hall, the blue lights coming in from the rooms on the other side of the wall to the right, shone dimly through the stained glass onto the broken floor. Applebloom, glancing down for a moment, narrowed her eyes as she saw the tiles were torn out of the floor in only one direction.

"Ah'd be careful," she said making the two men jump. "Bodies were dragged through here."

"How do you know?" Norton asked. "If there's any dried blood here, its mixed in with the grime and sludge."

"Look at the tiles," she said. "Torn out in only one way? Towards the only door on an upper level? If ah know anything bout' Necro's, is that they like high places. Great for jumpin' out at us. Keep your guns on the doors, don't worry bout' the vents."

Isaac glanced back and shared a shrug with Norton as his chain gun was set facing the center of the door ahead. He stopped and nodded towards Norton, Norton stared at him for a second before attempting to press the holographic button, but it slid away to reveal another elevator.

"This way, I guess." Isaac said. "Almost there, almost getting to an end in this shit storm. Finally."

"Isaac," Applebloom said as the door slid shut. "Ah doubt this is gonna end soon. With our luck it ain't gonna end here, but ya have a point, this is comin' to an end. And ah know who's end it's gonna be, and his is Jacob Danik."
> The line between trust and betrayal.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The doors opened and the group was hit by a blast of cold air. Shielding his visor for a second, Isaac saw Ellie in a small part of the room cut off from everyone else, Carver and Babs were standing to the side, but there was still no sign of Sweetiebelle or Nexus.

Inside, a large tomb-like glass case was centered in the brightly lit room, part of the floor had been smashed in by a cart, a set of controls were on the opposite side of it, and dried blood spelled out the alphabet in accordance to a Marker symbol above each letter. Upon seeing it, Applebloom and Scootaloo rushed to it and the flashes of their helmets were a clear sign of them taking pictures of them.

"Wow," Issac said looking at the few pieces of Rosetta in the tank. "So this is Rosetta's lab, huh?"

"Oh, finally." Ellie said. "And this is an assembly station according to the controls." Ellie said over the rooms speakers. "Santos, how are you holding up?"

"Much better,"  she said glancing at the guard to her right while the one to her left shook his head. "These two are brave. I would have died without them."

"And Sweetiebelle!" Applebloom shouted. "She helped too!"

"Yes, and Sweetiebelle too."

"So," Isaac saw peering into the frozen remains. "We're here to assemble a Codex. That makes sense."

"Uhh... No..." Ellie said slowly as she squinted at the controls. "According to this, we're here to... Assemble Rosseta. They cut here into pieces!?" She said in shock. "Oh my god."

"Fuck this day." Carter muttered as he stepped back.

"You know," Norton said. "It could be getting a lot worse with Danik running around. We need to stop him before he gets the ammo and weapons, otherwise, we can forget making the Codex."

"He's right," Applebloom said slightly hoarsely. "As much as ah hate to agree with that snake, he's right. If yall make the Codex, it won't matter if we're dead. Norton, how'd ya like to go make sure Danik doesn't get the ammo?"

"I suppose a little revenge is in order," Norton said. "But I'm not going alone. Scootaloo, I want her to come with me." He said nodding towards the orange alicorn.

"Hold it," Isaac said with him and Carver said stepping forward. "Why should any of us go with you after you just tried to kill us? And you expect us to just let you walk off, alone with her, to go find Danik? No, fuck you and fuck your plan." Isaac said aiming his Gatling gun at him.

"I'll be in front of her," Norton said. "And she can just teleport away if the bullets start flying." He said. "And if we come across any Necromorphs along the way, she can just turn them or whatever she does to them. She could crush me at any time she feels like it."

"Or turn you into a pile of ash." Scootaloo said dropping her pony look. "If you make one wrong move, I'll tear your head off."

"I don't doubt that for a second." He said going back up to the door. "We'll see you all later. Hopefully alive and not Necromorphs."

As they left, Isaac turned on his heel so he was looking back up at Ellie.

"They sliced her up? Why?" He asked returning to the earlier topic.

"I don't know." She responded gagging for a second before she exhaled. "But some of the pieces are already in the assembly. I think I see another piece over there." She said pointing to the secondary controls.

Going over to it, he pressed the holographic icon and it opened with pieces of ice falling to the ground. Taking it out with his stasis, Isaac looked at the hip-bone shaped piece of frozen meat as it hung in front of him.

"What the hell do we do with it?" He asked trying to peer around it.

"We'll, there should be a receptacle that feeds into the lab's cataloging system." Ellie said searching the controls. "Yep, over there." She said pointing at the opposite side of the room.

"Okay, let me see if I can feed it in."

As he guided the piece over to the vent, Applebloom and Babs were staring at the piece with tilted heads.

"That doesn't look human." Applebloom said. "More like what ah made when ah tried to cook waffles."

"Or when I broke a plastic skeletons hip of a minotaur." Babs said. "Does Isaac have one of those?"

"Ah don't know. Ask him."

"You ask him."

"Ah told ya to ask him first."

"But you know him better."

As the two were beginning to argue, Isaac put the frozen body part into the vent and watched as it was sucked up.

"Great!" Ellie said as another vent opened up above the assembly. "Okay, I'll see if I can route that to the assembly station, hold on."

The piece fell into a slot and a claw grabbed it by the sides, carried it down, and deposited it and retracted back into its place.

"So... According to the records, there are four more pieces." Ellie said. "They were checked out of storage by Dr. Serrano. Well, there are three buildings in the facility. So if there are more pieces, they're either in one... Or all of them."

"Most of the doors were locked down from what I could see." Isaac said before spotting Applebloom and Babs holding each other in headlocks. "Hey, you two, stop trying to make the other pass out." He said sternly. "And don't you think about throwing-"

He ducked as Applebloom took a tile out from behind her and threw it at his chest. Shaking a fist at her, he turned back to Ellie as she was digging in her pockets when she pulled out a shining card.

"Yeah. Well, you're in luck. Look what I found. A security pass. You wanna give it a shot?" She asked sliding it down into a tray.

"Hey, why not..." He muttered. "Great... Thanks." He said pocketing it. "Find out what you can about how assembling Rosseta will create a Codex. Me, Applebloom, Babs, and a guard will explore the labs and recover the rest of the Rosseta slabs."

As the left guard broke away in a hurry, Isaac, Babs, and Applebloom were already at the elevator. Feeling a tap on his leg, Isaac looked down and saw Applebloom and Babs looking up at him.

"Do you have a question, or are you just going to stare?" He asked as they wouldn't speak for about four seconds.

"'Bout that piece ya put in the assembly," Applebloom said over her cousin's snickering. "Do ya have one of those?"

Turning back to look at the frozen slab, he shook his head and stepped in the elevator.

"I can't say I do. Do you have one?" He asked as the guard joined them inside.

"Eenope." She said mimicking her brother.
> Another kind of Archeology.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

'This is the second worst day I've ever had.' Sweetiebelle thought as she struggled to move anything under the rubble. 'I'm starting to see why my sister hates boulders. I wonder what the others are doing? Probably saving the universe,' she thought looking around with her one good eye, seeing as how the other had a boulder sticking out of it. 'Or maybe they're helping to try and dig me up?'

As she lay there under the tons of rubble, she began to hum. Her voice coming out slightly strangled and weak with the boulders and her current form, but it was strong enough for her to hear and keep rhythm. Closing her good eye, she was met with more darkness, but she opened it when a small light flashed in her vision. It happened again, and again until it was like an old film wheel burning out while you stared into the light.

In a blinding flash, she found herself in a white landscape. Looking around, she saw no corners, no shapes, no clouds, no sky, not even a ground, but just white. She tried to turn into something, but she was encased in a light blue glow and the action stopped. Looking at the aurora, she traced it back to a small filly roughly ten feet away.

When she stopped trying to change, the pony cut their magic and the aurora vanished leaving a calmness in the air. Squinting, she could make out a few curls, even a white coat, but she shrugged it off as the landscape.

"Hello?" She called out sounding rather like her old self. "Who's there? Do you know where I am?"

She got no response from the pony, but the blue aurora was back, only this time it wasn't coming from the pony. Looking behind her, she saw her Marker there, only it wasn't hers entirely. It was still white, but the symbols pulsed the same hellish orange as any other.

Looking back at the pony, she scrunched up her muzzle in fright as the filly was now in hoofs reach. Gulping, she got over her initial shock, but that was replaced by an even stronger shock as she stared back at a copy of herself.

The Sweetiebelle in front of her was still white, but instead of fur, her coat was made of stone with Marker symbols pulsing the same blue as her Marker. Her mane and tail were colored white with only a streak of red mixed with orange going through them. Her eyes were as white as pearls, but she could make out the pupils.

"Who are you?" Sweetiebelle asked again.

"We are you, Sweetiebelle." Her copy spoke, her voice coming out as if it were being spoken through shattering glass. The effect of the patchy voice made Sweetiebelle fold her ears against her head in irritation, but the copy spoke again before she could retort. "We are the Marker you care for. We inhabit your body as one. We are two separate entities, but We are whole."

"Two separate entities?" Sweetiebelle parroted. "If we're separate, then how are you also the Marker I care for?"

"A good question." Her copy replied. "With a simple answer. We are still attached to you, while Our body is in your world. We are the same, but also different."

"So, you're the White Marker back at the base, but you've attached yourself to me." She said. "You still haven't answered my second question by the way."

"Where are we?" Her copy spoke looking around. "We are in what the Doctor calls the 'Dead Zone', or the space between dimensions." She said. "The only reason we are able to survive is because We have made a protective covering much like what he refers to as a Dyson sphere. All We simply did was take a moment in time from another dimension and put it here to make a bubble around us to speak."

"We're in a space between dimensions, and you just took a piece of time from another dimension? Does that mean you can get me and my friends home?" She said furrowing her eyebrows.

"We can, but We will not." Her copy spoke solemnly. "You and the others must first save this world and others from the destruction Our darker brothers and sisters wish to create."

"If you can tear the fabric of reality apart, why don't you just do it?" Sweetiebelle asked sitting down.

"We are only one Marker, one of peace and healing. They know only death and violence. One of which is waiting for your friends to awaken it with the Codex."

"Awake it?" Sweetiebelle said. "What do you mean awake it? Is it close?"

"It is the moon above the planet. Now go, warn the others, destroy the Codex, and kill the moon." Her copy said as the world began to fade back into darkness. "When the time comes, when the war shall end as it begins, We shall leave you for a moment but not leave you at all."

"Wait! Wait, what war!? What are you talking about leaving me!?"

Her calls were drowned out as the landscape was turned to black and the cold of the planet was brought back. Struggling for a moment, she snorted a river of blood in frustration as she was still stuck under the avalanche of rubble.

'You can take me into a space between dimensions and tear a chunk out of time from another,' she thought. 'But you can't get a few tons of rock off me. When I get home, I'm going to pay the Doctor a visit.'

As she lay there again, she began to hum again. Half-way through Winter Wrap-up, more weight was put onto her tail, cracking the bone slightly. Feeling it lessen, she blinked as she lifted her tail up, and soon her lower body and then her shoulders, and finally she pulled her head out.

Shaking the dust and snow off, she looked back and saw Nexus taring back at her with all six eyes. Patting him on the head with a tentacle, she looked up at the hole in the mountain.

Most of the wall the couple of hundred feet from the ground was gone leaving a half-ring. Looking around, she saw a path wide enough for her and Nexus to go through. Nodding towards it, she took a few steps before the ground made a cracking sound from deep below.

The ground gave out and her and Nexus found themselves sliding in a large tunnel. The lights had disappeared now, and piles of the rock and ice from above were following them down as they fought to get a grip on the ice. Going over one bend, Sweetiebelle saw a green light ahead.

As they got nearer to the light, she could feel the air turn considerably colder. When they hit the rim of the opening, her eyes widened as they began to free-fall into what she could only describe as a city.

Looking down, Nexus's shrieks were drowned out when she saw the number of grey Markers waiting below like spikes in a pit. Closing her eyes, she waited for the impact.

'I hate Markers.'
> The Ponyville chill.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Applejack galloped as fast as she could through the streets of Ponyville. Her eyes frantically searched for the gingerbread house she knew her pink friend would be in. Turning a corner, she slammed into a dark brown stallion sending them both to the ground. She was helping him up to apologize, tears streaking down her face and her body twitching like Pinkie after a cup of coffee.

She was about to say something to him when she spotted the bakery ahead, bolting away from the stallion she made her way to the door and pushed it open hard enough for the bell to fall off and land next to her. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were behind the counter with frowns of their own which turned to shock when they saw the state Applejack was in.

Rushing over Mrs. Cake lifted her by the shoulder and led her to a booth where Mr. Cake stood by.

"Applejack, dear what's wrong?" Mrs. Cake asked. "Did something happen to you? You don't need to go to the hospital, do you?"

N-No... Ah need to see Pinkie. Is she here?" She said wiping her eyes.

"She's not actually..." Mrs. Cake said looking at her husband. "We don't know where she went, or even if she's alright."

"W-What do ya mean by that?" Applejack asked looking at them.

"Well," Mr. Cake said rubbing the back of his neck. "One second her and Rainbow Dash were in front of us, Rainbow pointed at some sort of hat, and then when Pinkie touched it, they were just gone. All that was left was a few scorch marks from whatever happened to them."

"Ya mean that stupid storm sent them someplace else?" Applejack said feeling the color drain from her cheeks. "Dangit! First ma'h sis and her friends, now Pinkie and Rainbow. Ah don't suppose yall know where Rarity or Twi is, do ya? Or Shy?"

"I'm sorry, Fluttershy was supposed to be here this morning at six to pick up some oats, Twilight was ordering Spike's birthday cake but she didn't come either, and we haven't seen hide nor hair of Rarity. If you like, my husband can check while I stay here with you. Right dear?" Mrs. Cake asked as her husband nodded.

As he ran out the door, Applejack let her head hit the table. Pulling her hat over her head, she just cried until Mrs. Cake put a hoof around her shoulders.

"Applejack, I'm sorry about your sister, but I'm sure she's going to be just fine." Mrs. Cake said. "And until we know where she is, there isn't a point to cry about it. We should be hoping we don't have to cry at all when she gets back."

"A-Ah know, but ah know where she is. She's probably with Isaac again."

"Who? You mean that human that helped them when they were sent into his world? Oh, I hope they're not having to fight more of... Whatever those things were. I'd have a heart attack if I saw one."

"Ah'm just worried, that's all." Applejack said. "Ah know they can take those things easy, but ah just want to know what they're doin' there or if Isaac is with 'em. Not that ah don't trust him, but... He said it himself that those Markers mess with your head, make ya do things ya don't want to do. Ah don't want my little sis to do somethin' she'll regret. Ya know what ah mean?"

"I can't say I do, but I could imagine-who is that?" Mrs. Cake said breaking her sentence to stare out the window. "Why, it's Spike. I wonder what he's running so fast for?"

"Ah think ah know." Applejack moaned letting her head hit the table again.

They let a few seconds pass before Spike came running in, slipped across the floor, hit a booth, got up and ran to them carrying a flyswatter. As he looked up at them, he just held out the flyswatter while his own tears boiled off his cheeks.

"Spike," Mrs. Cake said patting a spot next to her. "It was Twilight, wasn't it? She's... Gone?"

"Y-Yes! One second I see this huge spider, as big as Rarity's cat just standing there, and then when Twilight tried to swat it, they just vanished. It's that stupid storm causing all the trouble... Even Rarity and Fluttershy are gone." He finished wiping his nose.

"Ah knew it. Ah knew it!" Applejack said slamming a hoof down. "Everypony ah need is..." Her eyes focused on Spike for a second before her mouth formed an 'O'. "Spike, do ya remember how ya sent those letters to ma'h sister and her friends when they were with Isaac?"

"Y-Yeah, I think so." He said. "I'm guessing you want me to start writing?"

"Ah wanted ya to start five minutes ago. Ah say it's time we figure out if they're alright."
> Frankenstein- Part 1.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So, who's going with who?" Isaac asked. "Personally, no offense to you Applebloom, but I'd rather have Babs with me."

"I don't mind that," Babs said. "As long as you watch my back, I'll watch yours."

"Why do ah have to go with him?" Applebloom whined as she pointed at the guard.

"Why do I have to go with the whiner?" The guard said.

"You shouldn't have said that..." Isaac said as he stepped back. "Run man! Run to Paleontology!"

The guard looked down at Applebloom and managed to duck just as she jumped at his face. He took off running down the hall. Applebloom slid down the wall and took off after him, a crazed laugh trailing behind her that soon drowned out his screams of fear.

"That was priceless." Isaac said. "Come on Babs, lets go to the Geological studies."

"Lead the way. I don't know where I'm going." She said.

"Neither do I. My holograms are broken." He said. "Just let me go to the suit-kiosk and get changed."

"Should I get a new suit too?" Babs asked flipping her mane.

"Not unless you plan on freezing to death. Heh, that would be embarrassing, especially after everything we've been through." He laughed as they went to the elevator. "Come on, I'm sure there's plenty of things waiting to kill us on our long, cold journey ahead."

"You make it sound like this is fun." She smirked as the doors closed.

"It's not," he said looking down. "Babs, I... I never actually talked about it, but all of this... The Markers, Titan Station, the Ishimura, my parents... Everything just turns into an actual hell when I'm around. No matter where I go, I just can't run away from it. It just finds me, kills everyone around me, destroys everything I care about. I'm starting to think the Marker wasn't causing my dementia... Maybe it was me just reacting to everything. The insanity of what I've been through and I'm still here. All of it, because I just kept running."

"Then stop." She said. "It's like me and a couple of colts in my school, they picked on me because I don't have a cutie mark, so I ran. When I fought back though, it stopped."

"I get your point," he said as the doors opened and they stepped out. "That's partially another reason why I'm here. To kill these damn Markers once and for all. Hey, the kiosk is just up ahead. Lets hurry and get suited-up."

He hurried over to the kiosk and tapped the panel. Scrolling through the suits, a small chuckle escaped him once he stopped on a certain one. Tapping the icon, he stepped inside and the restraints closed around him.

Babs watched as the machine closed, encasing him like a cocoon. A solid white light came out from the middle, going down with the metallic buzz and then back up again. It opened up and Isaac stepped out wearing a suit with copper colored bars spanning most of his body. Tugging at his collar, he let his helmet fold into place.

"What do you think?" He asked spreading his arms. "It's nice having the old suit back, but I don't remember it being quite so loose. I guess I lost more weight than I thought."

"Are you sure that's a good suit to wear out there?" Babs asked as he picked her up.

"It's made to handle the vacuum of space, I'm sure it can handle a few snowflakes."

Babs scrolled through the different suits, going past the legendary suit she stopped on the Eva suit. Tapping the icon, Isaac pulled her back and let the machine close. Once it opened he picked up the suit and carried it to the bench where in a few seconds, the machine had down-sized it and reshaped it.

"You really know your machines, don't you?" Babs asked as she tugged at her own collar.

"I have to, I'm an engineer." He said. "Alright, lets see where we need to go."

He stuck out his hand and the blue line appeared on the floor, following it, it led to the only door on the level that was unlocked. Going in, Isaac pressed the holographic button and watched as the doorway behind them slid away from view and the path in front of them opened.

Stepping out into the snow, they both shuddered from the sudden temperature change and the sound of the wind. Together, they went forward into the snowy crevice in front of them.

To their right, only after a few steps, there was a pile of bodies wrapped in old sheets, a table covered in snow, a chart with a map still sticking to it, and a lamp glowing as bright as if it were just made. Looking at Babs, Isaac watched as she stared at the lamp before looking at the bridge in front of them.

"I take it you're suspicious?" He asked as the wooden boards creaked with each bootfall.

"Yeah," she said. "I don't think my cousin or that guard lit it. And I know it wasn't the Necromorphs."

"So we should expect Unitologists ahead, that's what you're saying?"

"I'm not saying that." She said. "Maybe it was Sweetiebelle and Nexus? They could have come through here and turned it on."

"God, I wonder what happened to them, because I heard a loud crashing noise earlier. I could have sworn I heard roaring too." He said as they turned the first bend.

As they were passing by a stack of crates, the one ahead shifted slightly as a Stalker popped its head over the top. They both fired simultaneously, both shots missing and hitting the ice beyond their vision. Getting back to the pathway, they both had their weapons trained on the space in front of them.

"I hate these things," Isaac muttered. "Dead or moving around."

"Why don't you just use that Gatling gun you made?" Babs said. "We could run to the wall back there and you could just keep shooting while they keep running."

"Now that I like." He said taking out the weapon. "Hang on, you can cover my back while I run."

"I'm almost shoulder deep in the snow," she said snorting. "How am I going to keep up?"

He bent down and picked her up, putting her against his chest, she was facing over his shoulder while he cradled her with one arm and carried his weapon with the other. She was about to speak when he took off, his every step bouncing her as he had to dodge Stalkers once or twice until they reached the door. When he was turning, a Stalker was already running at them, its shriek clouding even the noise of the wind until Babs tore it to pieces with her Pulse rifle.

Now on the ground, she watched as Isaac held his gun with two hands, the tips of the spears glowing a sickly green from the acid coating. She heard a Stalker for a second before he fired a dozen of the spikes, looking at where they went, the Stalker was pinned to a crate and chunks were already beginning to melt and let the corpse drop down.

Another ran out at them while another went for cover, with another dozen spears he managed to send the runner flying back while the other was crawling towards them. He shot out a bolt of stasis and waited for another to come out; when one ran at them, he fired a rocket at the one crawling and watched as pieces from both Stalkers went flying.

Once the last pieces came out of stasis, he looked at his ammo counter and grinned in his helmet.

"I still have a hundred and fifteen in it, plus three rockets. I love this gun even more now."

"That's fine, but how do we get in the labs? The door is locked." Babs said pointing at the small hologram.

Each time she jumped and put her hoof to it, it flashed red and went back to blue. Putting out her own hologram while Isaac tried it, it went back and curved to the right. Tapping him on the leg, he looked down and saw the line.

They hurry over to the small lift and tap the 'up' icon on it. The bar went back down and they begin to rise. Once they got to the top, there was a field of ice blocks with remains in them. Once Isaac stepped out, more Stalkers could be heard.

He audibly sighed and picked up Babs, set her on his shoulders this time, and took out his shotgun. Now with her facing the same direction as him, he slowly walked forward, his shotgun raised to the right of his chest.

A Stalker jumped out from a two blocks ahead and once it got within one block of Isaac, he fired and sent it to the ground in pieces. Laughing, he aimed at another poking its head out from a block and took the head off with a single blast. When one jumped behind them, he didn't notice but Babs did. When it began to charge, she turned around and tore its arms away with Pulse rounds before taking a leg out.

As Isaac continued past more of the blocks, he was taking aim at a Stalker as it was charging. When his gun only made a click, he cursed and angled it while the hydraulic hammer came out. Once it was almost on them, its blare almost too loud for Babs, he side-stepped it and swung upwards. The Stalker's head exploded into bloody red chunks coating both of them.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." He said as they continued up to the door ahead.

As they were only a block away, Babs tugged on his helmet, pulling his head back. He was about to respond when she pointed it towards a nearby crate; he saw the blackened Slasher immediately, crouched with only the tips of its blades sticking up. Cocking his shotgun, he walked to the door, and hearing the Slasher yell out a garbled scream, he turned and sent its torso flying with a shot to the chest.

Setting Babs down, he pressed the hologram and the door slid open blowing them with a fresh blast of warm air. Stepping in, they brushed themselves off as it turned to the other doorway.

Once the door opened, Isaac stepped out and Daniks voice filled the speakers.

"Testing. Testing. Hello, Isaac. I know you're out there... Crawling around." He said, a slight hint of amusement in his voice. "You probably think I'm an overzealous crusader, that I'm mindlessly following the whim of an angry god. It's an easy conclusion to draw and I don't fault you for it. But you may be surprised to know that I'm a man of science, a man of act and reason, cause and effect. And soon, you'll understand that I'm right... About everything." He said before cutting the link.

Isaac and Babs just stood there, looking at the speaker as if expecting something else. After a moment, Isaac was snickering, quiet enough for Babs not to notice, but loud enough inside his helmet to be emitted as static.

"He's something alright." Babs said as they entered the Geology sector.

"He's so full of shit it's funny." Isaac said snickering loud enough for her to hear. "He's a man of science and yet he's calling Necromorphs the next stage of our evolution."

The room they were in now had four large blocks of ice, all of them with a complete specimen inside. Isaac and Babs went to the one in the middle of the room, peering into the warped features of the thing inside.

Going past that, they exited the room into a smaller one. Ignoring the storage closet, they went through the door to the right. A bright red glow was being cast throughout the room, two fresh bodies were laying by the wall, and a vent like the one at the assembly was present.

"For a second I thought I was having a dementia attack, you know with all the red lights and the noise." Isaac said as they entered. "Do you want this one?"

"Could you get the ice chunk hanging there?" She asked pointing at the ice hanging by a pair of claws. "I'm not going over there alone."

He nodded and stuck out his hand, the white orb of his kinesis shot out and dragged the block over blocking the lasers on one side. quickly going past to the other side, he waited for Babs and then dragged it back to the second set of lasers. Repeating the process with that one and the third set, he opened the vent holding the piece of Rosseta.

As Babs took it out with her own kinesis, two Creepers crawled out from a vent back by the exit. They watched as the Creepers tore off the heads of the corspes and began to take aim with their weapons.

Isaac took out his Gatling gun, took aim, and fired off a rocket sending both Necromorphs into the lasers. As he was turning to make a joke to Babs, one of them got back up and threw itself at him. He was turning when it hit him and began to try and get through his suits armor.

He grabbed onto two of the fleshy legs and tried to pull it off, he hit it, smashed his head against the wall and reverted to hitting it again. As he was struggling, Babs watching the scene in shock, tripped him and dragged him towards one of the lasers. In a single moment, she forced his head down and cut the Creeper off, while missing his helmet by an inch.

Grabbing his throat, Isaac scuttled back and laid against the wall. Letting his helmet unfold, he glared at the burnt head and brought it over with his kinesis, holding it in front of him, he sent it flying through all three sets of lasers, cutting it into pieces.

"Thanks, Babs," he said. "How did you know how far to cut? It was practically wrapped around my head."

"I just guessed." She said picking up the ice slab.

"You just guessed?" He said letting his helmet fold up. "I swear, you and your cousin along with her friends will be the death of me. I shouldn't even bother with Necromorphs."

"And the guard said my cousin whines." Babs muttered.
> A deal with the devil.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Norton, why did you really bring me out here?" Scootaloo asked as they stood outside the entrance to the armory. "I know you're not trying to stop Danik as much as you say you do."

"Look, Scootaloo," Norton said pressing the holographic icon. "I do want to stop Danik, but he's smart. We can't just go in guns blazing like you or your friends. We need a plan, a way to get him while his guard is down. Come on, I'll explain on the way."

Inside, a gate was blocking the way ahead, a few dingy lights gave their usual brown glow or flicker. Beyond that, heads were strewn about on the floor. To the left where they were at was a door locked from the other side, in front of them was a suit-kiosk on the same wall and to the right of that there was another door.

Norton nudged Scootaloo with his boot and put a finger to where his lips would be. She rolled her eyes under her helmet before she vanished. He stepped to the side before he felt her tapping his shoulder. Shaking his head, he leveled his gun with his shoulder and started walking forward.

Scootaloo opened the gate and Norton continued on, his gun trained o the door ahead. While they crept closer, Scootaloo picked up a head and looked at the base. Lighting her horn for a second, she zapped Norton while he wasn't looking.

'Norton,' she thought making the man jump. 'Look at the heads. How they've been cut... I don't think they were cut at all.'

"I thought I told you to be quiet?" He whispered. 'Damn whatever you are, you can't even follow a simple order.'

'I can follow orders just fine, you on the other hoof can't. These heads, like I was thinking, look like they were torn off. There's too much flesh around the neck, including strips of it with holes.'

'What the hell... Are you reading my thoughts? Get out of my head.' He thought back.

'It's the only way for us to communicate without my suit giving off any light outside of my spell. It's either this, or you could end up dying.'

'Right. Lets just go and hopefully we can catch a few of Danik's soldiers by surprise.'

'You still haven't started to explain your ingenious plan to me.'

'Later. Alright?'

She snorted and shook her head as they passed the second door. Inside there was a line of controls broken long ago, a body to the right, and looking out over through the ice encrusted glass, a small hole with machinery could be seen with a few Necromorphs milling around.

'So, what are we going to to once we find Daniks soldiers? Kill them? Possess them? Hypnotize them?' Scootaloo asked. 'Hold that thought, there's one of those weird head crab things.'

He watched as the body closest to the door began to convulse with the head gone but instead a head with four legs was putting itself into the neck. Raising his gun, he was about to shoot it when it was pulled away and a red light was sucked out.

'Like I said,' Scootaloo thought. 'I got it.'

He raised his gun again and saw the glow of her horn as she charged a spell. He fired and shot above her to kill the Necromorph coming up from behind. He could see the glow fade slightly, but it was still there.

'I got that one.' He thought back. 'Be careful, there's no telling how many of these things there are.'

'There's two more on the catwalk outside.' She said. 'Look to the left.'

Looking out the small window, he could see two of the corpses standing on their own, both of them with guns and a Necromorph planted firmly in their necks. Shouldering his gun he kept his eyes on where the two were, got to the edge of the doorway, turned and fired off three bursts on each target.

'Alright, come on, I got them.' He thought watching as the bodies hit the floor. 'We should be good until we get to the floor.'

She thought nothing back but instead let her new minion simply lay on her head. Keeping her own Rippers at the ready, she followed Norton to the ladder and watched as he climbed down. Looking over the rail, she stepped over and landed on the floor. Norton, having gotten down was staring up at the ladder for a moment before getting a tap on the shoulder.

'I'm already down.' She thought to him. 'Watch the vents, they love to-'

'I know, you told me already.' He thought. 'They love to jump out at you.'

'I never told you-nevermind.' She shook her head jostling the Necromorph head sitting comfortably on it. 'You go first, I need to know what to aim for when you get attacked.'

'The Necromorphs or me?'

'It'll depend.'

Shaking is head, he looked down the small passageway ahead. On the left, the wall was covered with torn, molding, or scraps of posters and notes that had once been there. On the right, there was a narrow piston that kept a plate of metal outfitted with a few spikes thrusting froward and back.

'I don't have a stasis module on my suit. Think you can help?' He asked.

'You don't have a stasis module? What kind of cheap suit did EarthGov give you? Just move, and stand over by the ladder.'

He did a instructed and watched as four black tentacles appeared out of thin air, they grabbed onto the metal plate and the machine was sparking. He took another step back as he watched smoke pour out from it, and then the metal plate come flying out, smashing into the walls and floor until it got wedged with a spike pointing at his visor. As he was ducking to go around it, the tentacles returned and crumpled it into a single ball.

'You almost killed me!' He mentally yelled.

'But I didn't, so stop complaining. Otherwise I may just let my pet here try and tear your head off.'

'I'll shoot the damn thing before it gets close.'

'It's on your back.'

'Bullshit.'

'Look or don't look, I don't care. Just watch your aim.'

As she trotted off into where the piston was, he quickly turned around and swatted at his back. Looking himself over, he balled his hands into fists when he heard snickering from in the darkness.

Stepping over the metal plate, he nearly tripped when he heard screeching and the sounds of more Necromorphs wailing before being cut off. Running past the piston, he turned and came into a larger area in the room. Scootaloo was still invisible, there were two bodies laying on the ground and a head crawling over two more.

'What happened?' He asked looking at the carnage. 'And what was that screeching I heard?'

'I had to put a few Ripper blades into these two when they tried to get me around the corner. By the way, duck. Duck now!"

He ducked and watched as a Ripper blade hovered over him, cutting into a Slasher that was unfortunate enough to have been standing there. The blades tore away the rotting flesh and cut through the bones until she angled it up where it cut into the shoulder, severing the arm he grabbed the blade when the Ripper blade stopped and sunk it into the Slasher in an uppercut.

Stomping the legs off, he put a few shots into the other arm until it came off. Letting his breathing slow, he gave it one good kick before turning to the other hole. Glancing back, he stepped inside and crept forward. Coming to the end, he checked once more behind him before ascending up the ladder.

Hearing a set of small thumps next to him, he climbed up and looked ahead. Seeing a door ahead, he taking a step when he looked up. Rolling out of the way, he fired a three round burst at one of the Slashers as they dropped down the vent.

When the second one came down, he had already shot off the first one's left leg and was in the process of shooting off the blade when Scootaloo smashed them into the wall. The metal dented as she struck, imbedding a small portion of the Slashers while the rest had been turned to mush.

'Nice job.' He thought as they went through the door. 'I can see the dent from in here.'

'I'm surprised I didn't take the wall out.' She thought back passing him. 'The door is straight ahead.'

He didn't reply, instead he simply followed as the door slid open ahead of him. Stopping to glance at the Slasher nailed to a wall, he snapped back into attention when more screeching was heard.

As he entered the barracks, he saw a corpse cut into pieces, two more heads on the ground and a third limping with only two legs. Looking around, he saw the state of the bunk-beds; mold and dust provided a green blanket for them, molding magazines and food dotted the floor and some beds, and the walls were so rusted they had already began to lose chips of the metal.

Going right, he watched the head move to the center of the other side before getting crushed. Looking away, he focused on the vent ahead.

He made it halfway to the door before the vent exploded and a Slasher leapt out. He fired making it fall to the floor, fired again and took off and arm. Grabbing it with his kinesis, he was about to send it into the Slasher when another dropped down. He changed his aim and sent the blade into the new Slasher. It was sent back into the duct and pinned there, desperately trying to reach him. Aiming back at the other one as it rose, he quickly blew off the legs before his rifle clicked empty.

Pulling out a clip from his inventory, he let the old one fall to the ground. As he was placing the new one in, he heard a growl from behind and the whoosh of a blade as it went through the air. Swinging with his elbow, it connected with a Slasher. Turning around, he shoved the barrel of the gun against the Slasher and held the trigger down.

He held the trigger down until it stopped moving, the bullets came out the other side, and it went limp against him. Pushing it off, he looked around and saw Scootaloo sitting on one of the bunks reading one of the magazines.

"Alright, listen," he said out loud. "I've had enough of your bullshit. I asked for you to come because I need you, and if you're just going to treat me like I'm not even here, then just go back. I may not be Isaac, I get it, you're still ticked that I betrayed you all, but I had good intentions."

"Good intentions?" She sneered. "You were willing to let them kill Isaac just so you could make sure he didn't take Ellie back. You nearly killed an innocent man out of your own greed. You may be able to lie your way out of that, but I've lived long enough to see through the smoke and mirrors and see how much of a fake you are."

"That was-"

"I wasn't finished, Robert." She said using his first name. "You may be a scumbag, but you're right, I shouldn't be taking favorites right now. Lead the way, number two."

"Number two?" He said. "So I'm second to Isaac?"

"You're my second club if I see any more Swarmers."

"What happened to the mind reading? I thought we were only talking like that?" He asked breaking the subject. "I take it it's better this way?"

"Just go through the door."

Shaking his head in slight irritation, he opened the door and blinked when he saw the lasers in front of him. Looking back, he leaned his head to the side when he visor clinked against hers.

She grabbed him and set him to the side, reaching back with a tentacle she picked up a trashcan and threw it. It hit the first set of lasers and was flung to the ceiling, it hit the ceiling and landed on the second set. Dusting herself off, she let go of Norton and ushered him forward.

As they went past what could be described as a sink with a head in it, a set of rusted cabinets above it, a light that was barely staying on, and a mess of molded bones and packets of food on the ground. Stepping on the trash, they made their way to the door ahead, the short way to it they could hear a voice coming from inside.

Opening the door, they both had their weapons aimed directly in front of them. Seeing nothing but destroyed machinery, a film playing, lockers that had long since fallen apart, chairs with moth ridden holes in them, and another door in the back of the room by a small fridge filled with fresh and dry blood.

"Well, we know someone was here." Norton stated as he looked at the film playing. "These things just don't turn on by themselves."

"Maybe the Necromrophs did it?" Scootaloo said. "They already know how to use guns and axes."

"I doubt they'd want to sit around watching a two-hundred year old film about killing others and yourself if given the order. Even if they were mostly soldiers here." He said turning it off.

"Yeah, but at least we got the ammo. Check it out, I think it's behind you." She said trotting over.

He turned around and saw a large crate with a set of holographic seals on it. Putting his hand on one, Scootaloo put a hoof on the other. It didn't opened so they wiped their gloves on the legs. When it still didn't open, Scootaloo tore the top off and let imbed itself into the opposite wall.

"A bit overkill, but it's effective." Norton said as he took the ammunition and weapons components. "Now we can go find Daniks soldiers."

"You still haven't told me the plan. Or at least all of it, right?"

"Not all of it, yet." He said going to the other door. "I'll explain once we-get out of the way!" He yelled as a Necromorph began firing into the room. "Fucker." He cursed before turning the corner and putting a three round bust into the head.

As Slashers began coming out from the vents, Norton ran back to Scootaloo where she had her Flamethrower out and firing. He took out his used clip and put in another before taking out a Slasher's legs. As it crawled towards him, he ran up to it and stomped its head in. It crumpled to the floor and he took the blades off, firing each into a burning Slasher.

"You know," Norton said taking another blade off a corpse. "We make quite a team. Do you think your friend will let me join your little organization?"

"More fighting and less joking!" Scootaloo yelled back.

More and more Slashers came until Scootaloo ran out of fuel, after that the last one simply dropped, its limbs splitting from the heat while it continued to burn. Norton stepped away from her and stomped a few more intact ones. Once they both made sure they were dead, they went back to the door. Only this time, Scootaloo blew it in with a well placed spell.

On the other side, a shelf that was lined with grimy pots and pans was now a smoldering pile of metal and ash, the microwave was now a part of the wall, and the door was even further in. As they entered, the vent behind them was torn down and a Slasher dropped behind them. They turned and let forth a barrage of bullets and fire. As it's corpse lay lying there, Norton let his helmet unfold and put his hand back, signaling her to stay back. She did and watched as he put his ear to the other door.

"Alright," he whispered. "Turn invisible again and keep close. Don't do anything until I tell you, alright?" He asked.

"Listen, I'm trusting you this time." Scootaloo said as she vanished. "But not enough not to get back in your head." She charged her horn and zapped him again, this time he rubbed his eyes to clear his vision. 'Sorry, I forgot how bright it is. Carry on.' 

He nodded and opened the door, on the other side four Unitologists and, to even Nortons shock, Danik, waiting in the back with the same smile as before.

"I must thank you for doing all the dirty work, yet again, Norton." Danik said. "You see, we've been monitoring your comms. Now, if you could hand over the ammunition, killing you may be easier."

"Killing?" Norton said looking at his gun. "No. I don't think you want to do that." He said 'Scootaloo, see their grenades?'

'Yeah? Want me to set them off?'

'Put them on me, don't ask questions, just do it.' He ordered.

"Why is that?" Danik asked. "You are no use to me, nor are you-"

In a white flash, the soldiers were on their knees, Danik pulled out his gun before his eyes widened and his mouth made an 'O'.

"Tada." Norton said as he brandished a chest covered in grenades and one in each hand. "If you don't start listening, for my next trick I'll make us all disappear. Now put the gun down and shut up, please." He sneered. 'Now is the time to trust me.' He thought to Scootaloo.

"You're mad," Danik said putting his gun away. "You won't do it."

"I'm no more mad than you." Norton said. "As to what I was saying, you've been monitoring our comms, right? Well, I can lead you to everyone, the ponies, the idiot guards, Carver, and... Isaac Clarke."

Danik narrowed his eyes before pushing up his sunglasses, crossing his arms he nodded towards Norton, obviously intrigued.

"Go on," he said. "I believe I'm starting to admire you more and more each time we meet."

"As I was saying," Norton said. "If I can lead you to them, let you catch them with their pants down, then you can kill them. And before you ask, I want no part in their bullshit," he sneered. "Their fools. Just a bunch of damn puppets with their strings cut. Me and you, we still have ours."

"My, My, you sound almost like-"

"A Unitologist?" Norton grinned. "I'm not, but lately the others have been keeping away from me. They don't say it, I know they're looking at me when they think I'm not looking. They think I don't know what it's like, well I do!" He yelled causing Danik to raise an eyebrow. "Isaac can't hear it anymore, and Carver is just too stupid to hear it." He said. "They say it's noise, but I see patterns, numbers, sentences, instructions! I can even hear voices."

"Instructions? Voices?" Danik said folding his hands behind his back. "I see we have more than one thing in common, Norton. If what you say is true," he looked at the man and smiled. "I believe you are just what we need to stop Clarke and bring convergence to the rest of humanity."

"To purge the filth, the heretics, the animals?" Norton said clenching his jaw. "Like them?"

"Exactly," Danik smiled showing all of his teeth. "To cleanse our race of all sin and-"

"Be made whole? Into one glorious form so we may be eternally untied without any hatred, sadness, or any other emotion that could separate us? We would all be one, be able to spread our form across countless worlds. To spread the Markers even further than any other?"

"Exactly; now then, come along," Danik said going to the next door. "We have much to do."

Norton smiled, his entire face red and a slight trail of foam coming from the corner of his mouth.

'Figures,' he thought. 'Butter them up about spreading the Markers and they're eating out of the palm of your hand. What do you think?'

'I think you're going to get shot in the face.'

'That's encouraging.'

'I'm going to laugh too.'

'That's too far.'

'Don't talk to me about going to far. You just made a deal with Danik!'

'To kill him later.'

As he followed Danik, Scootaloo followed behind the other soldiers, walking along the floor on her tentacles.

'This is going to end horribly, I just know it.' She thought to herself.
> Hey I'm a Necronicorn and I'm digging a hole! Diggy, Diggy Hole!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

'If I get the chance to kill the Black Marker myself, I'll make sure it knows how it feels to die as slow as possible.' Sweetiebelle thought as she plucked Markers from her chest to her head. 'Nexus, you lucky Unimorph, getting a nice, soft, cushioned landing on top of me.'

As she was pulling an exceptionally large Marker from her throat, she looked over at Nexus and saw him reverting back to a pony. Stopping mid pull, she looked down at herself before following him. As the Markers slowly fell off her as she reverted, she got a better glimpse of the area around her.

Strange statues as tall as Nexus were scattered in some parts of the cavern, cut blocks of rock were everywhere, Corruption was growing in others, and in a corner, she spotted a small light in the darkness. With her vision now almost level with Nexus, she looked around where they were.

Crushed Markers and a significant hole where she landed, and the imprint of herself when Nexus had landed on top of her. Glaring at him, he merely gave her that same curious look as usual. Snorting out a breath of air filled with a few specks of blood, she looked around until she saw where part of the wall had collapsed.

"Nexus," she said making him bolt into a standing position. "Stay close and don't wander off."

He didn't say nothing but instead pressed himself up against her. She was going to protest, but decided against it. Taking a step, she let out a yelp when she was lifted off the ground and then set back down. Looking at her own leg, she pulled it to the side only for it to come back with part of Nexus's skin. Feeling sick at the sight of seeing his skin stretch like rubber, she tapped him on the shoulder drawing his attention.

"Nexus, I said close," she said keeping her eyes away. "Not fuse yourself with me."

"Sorry, mistress." He said, his voice as gravelly as before.

Taking his leg away from hers, he stood beside her, looking down with the same neutral expression. Lifting her legs, she checked her tail to make sure he hadn't tried anything with that. Seeing all the hair still in place, she looked back at the hole and began to climb over the rocks.

Grabbing onto a large one, she pulled herself onto the top and peered into a small clearing with a Marker standing in the middle. Waiting for Nexus as he stepped over the rocks with ease, she hopped down onto the stone floor. As she began walking towards a doorway, the blare of a Stalker rang out in the cavern. Rolling her eyes, she lit her horn and cast a light blue light over the area.

After a moment, another blare was heard and the sound of footsteps, when she looked around though nothing was there. Blinking, she rubbed her eyes and changed them into Stalker eyes. Looking around, the walls and floor were slightly blurred with a red tint highlighting everything.

As another Stalker was heard, she snapped her head to look behind her, when she only saw Nexus looking around she looked forward again. She stopped to stare at the sight in front of her, six Stalkers were standing only a few feet away, and they weren't attacking. Looking back, Nexus wasn't showing the slightest notion of attacking, he just stared ahead at them.

Looking back at where they were, she blinked when they had vanished. Shaking her head, she went through the doorway with Nexus still following.

The view now was much better than what she had before, the floor disappeared into a near darkness even with her advanced eyesight. The rocks had turned into metal, all of them with the skeletal remains of creatures fused with them. Rising above everything else was a large temple-like structure, the entire front of it was nothing but a sheer drop while beyond that more of the skeletons stood facing away from it.

Sighing again, she looked around until she saw a white light coming from over a wall. Going to the edge of the platform, she looked down before looking at the distance. Looking at the wall, she followed it to a corner connecting to the platform. Taking out her Stalker claws, she went to the corner and with some effort sunk them into the metal. When she was three punctures away from the platform, Nexus sunk a pair of his own into the wall.

Inch by inch they made their way over the crevice, Sweetiebelle occasionally losing her grip before quickly sinking her claws into another part of the wall. Looking down, she snapped her head back to the other wall. Stopping momentarily, they both began to ascend as they climbed nearer to the corner.

Reaching the corner, Sweetiebelle stretched one of her fore-legs far enough for the skin to stretch and tear slightly; sinking her claws in, she brought the other half of herself over before teleporting the rest of the way up. Waiting for Nexus, a soft pop and flash happened next to her and the Unimorph was standing next to her. Looking down at her, he looked back over the edge before back at her.

Looking around, Sweetiebelle's eyes widened as she saw a large group of Necromorphs, all of them standing around one of the grey Markers as it shone a mix of grey and red. All of the Necromrophs were huddled around it, not in the way like she saw at Titan Station with the convergence event, but as if they're watching something. Picking up a rock, she threw it and aimed her horn straight at them, charged with a spell she watched as the rock passed through a Slasher.

Staring at the group, she blinked and when she looked again, the Necromrophs were gone. Casting a side-ward glance at Nexus, she got down and landed on the ground in a heap. With a crack as she landed, her legs twisted out in different angles, when Nexus jumped his head was bent back like a candy dispenser. While she got up, he grabbed his head and snapped it back into place.

Standing again, she looked back at the Marker. Its glow had ceased, now it was only just a rock again, twisted into the shape she had learned to loathe for her death.

"Sweetiebelle, darling is that you?" Came an old hoarse voice.

"Grandma?" Sweetiebelle said looking ahead as her grandmother came out into view. "I thought you..."

"You should know better than to think of me like that." The elderly white unicorn said, her blue eyes looking softly at Sweetiebelle. "Now, tell me, what has my little Sweetiebelle been up to? And who's the handsome stallion with you?" She smiled as Sweetiebelle blushed a little.

"Well..." Sweetiebelle said sitting against a rock. "I died a month ago, I'm apart of a global organization dedicated to protect the world from any inter-dimensional threat, and I'm currently trying to find my friends." She said. "This is Nexus by the way. He's... A friend."

"A friend?" Her grandmother laughed. "He seems nice enough. Nevermind that though," she said shaking her head. "I'm just here to see how my favorite granddaughter is."

"That's very nice of you, really it is," Sweetiebelle said. "But it's kind of sad." She said looking at the Marker above her grandmother.

"Sad? How is seeing me sad?" Her grandmother said frowning.

"It's not, seeing you again I mean, but really? You're going to try to fool me twice with the same family member?" She said glaring at the Marker. "You can drop the act, I know it's just the Marker trying to trick me."

"The Marker? This thing is just a chunk of rock, it can't do anything." Her grandmother said tapping the Marker behind her.

"Whatever, I'm leaving before you try to imitate my goldfish." She said as she got up. "I'll just leave you on your little pedestal, so long Marker!"

As she was leaving, her grandmother gave a screech. Turning back, she saw the old mare with blood pooling out of her eyes and mouth.

"This is not over." She said. "You and your friends will be made whole! You-"

"Let me stop you right there," Sweetiebelle said holding up a hoof. "Do you see this face? The one I have right now? This is what annoyance looks like. And this is the part where I put you in a hole. Nexus, grab the edges of the pedestal, I'll get the hole started."

"Don't you dare!" Her grandmother yelled while her voice was only coming out gurgled, it still came out clear in Swetiebelle's mind. "We will kill you all!"

As Nexus tore the pedestal from the rock, Sweetiebelle had already turned into one of her smaller forms and was tearing the rock away with each cut. Once she had a hole deep enough to drop her head in, Nexus tossed the Marker in by the points. turning around, Sweetiebelle filled in the hole and stomped on it once for insult.

Looking around, the two hybrids started towards the nearest wall. Jumping onto the wall, they ran at their top speed to the lights from earlier. In minutes they had crossed the large maze of walls and rooms, jumped over a few man-made paths and were standing in front of a door.

Before she shrunk down, Sweetiebelle looked at her claws before running it over the rock. It cut into it like a hot rock against ice; clicking her mandibles together in a moment of amusement, she began digging with Nexus by her side.

'I think today is going to get better.' She thought. Glancing at Nexus, she stopped momentarily and watched him dig. 'I guess he is handsome. His eyes are a nice shade of crimson too.' After a moment to let that thought settle in, she shook her head of those thoughts and continued digging. 'Stupid Marker, making me realize how handsome he is.'
> Frankenstein- Part  2.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pressing the holographic button, the case closed and the slab was sucked into the vent above.

"We found another piece of Rosetta." Isaac said over the comm. "I'm sending it your way."

"Which, uh, which piece is it?" Ellie asked uncertainly.

"Hard to tell by the cross section but it doesn't look like anything I recognize." He replied looking back at the door to the room with the specimens.

"Okay, I'll get it prepped when it arrives."

As he cut off the link, him and Babs stared at the lasers for a moment, listening to the hum of them running. Sighing, Isaac nudged Babs with his boot and nodded towards the door. When it opened, a Unitologist soldier of Daniks variety caught sight of them.

As Isaac shot him, two more rounded the corner. They fired but he ducked and rolled behind the closest specimen. While their attention was on him, Babs took out her Plasma cutter and fired the miniature shotgun on the bottom. It went into the back of one of them, killing him with a pitiful cry; the second only got hit in the arm and was clutching it on the ground. As he was raising his gun to fire at her, he got his head bashed in by Isaac when he slammed the side of his Gatling gun against it.

"Give up, Isaac!" Danik shouted through the speaker. "You're not getting out of there alive!"

"Oh would you shut up, Danik!?" Isaac yelled back as the speaker was cut again. "I hate that asshole."

"Me too." Babs said. "Should we go and find the guard and my cousin now?" She asked looking at the exit.

"I guess," Isaac shrugged. "Who knows if he's still alive."

Pressing the button herself, Babs exited first and then Isaac. Letting the door slide open, they entered and Isaac pressed the holographic button. It spun around and stopped, stepping out into the snow again, Isaac shivered slightly as the snow began to collect on his shoulders immediately.

"Ellie," Isaac said opening his comm while they got back into the lift. "How do we know this is even going to work? Did you find out how they make a codex from all this?"

As the lift went down, there was a second pause in the comms before she replied.

"Yeah, it looks like they used magnetomic forensic neurology, which produces a data stream stored in the codex. It's like they lifted the codes for the machine right out of her brain."

"Well that sounds familiar." He snorted in amusement. "At least they didn't poke her eye out. We'll be there soon. We just need to find the guard and Applebloom."

He cut the link when the lift stopped. Stepping back into the snow, he looked around at the Stalker corpses littered around. Taking Babs on his shoulders again, he strode through the snow, staggering whenever a strong gust of wind hit them. Going to the previously locked door, he was about to press the button when Babs spoke.

"Isaac, look at the vent above us. The bars look like they've been taken out."

"What?" Steeping back, he saw the bars to the right one had been removed. "How did we miss that before?"

"The visibility is terrible out here; I just noticed because I'm higher up now." Babs said.

"Alright, time to get off me, my back is starting to hurt." Isaac said setting her down before entering the elevator.

Setting her down, he threw his arms up and stretched eliciting a series of small pops from his back. Stretching herself, Babs cracked her neck making a series of pops.

When the doors opened, Isaac stuck the barrel of his shotgun out and looked around. The room was a dark brown, stained with dirt, rust, and blood. The lights weren't as filthy as the ones above, these gave off a light yellow instead of the brown as they had seen above. There were two doors, one on the left that was unlocked, and one ahead leading to a locked elevator. To the right, the wall had five yellow lockers, two of them locked, one open, and the last two unlocked.

Further to the right, the room opened up and a suit-kiosk was wedged into the right wall, turning a corner a bench was sitting in a small space by it. Past the suit-kiosk, a tram was sitting idly on its rail.

Isaac opened the closest one and pulled out a small pile of scrap metal, storing it he opened the other. Taking out a semiconductor, he pocketed that too before turning his attention to the other elevator. Pausing, he pulled his hand back before looking around the corner at the tram.

"Hey, Babs," he said. "Do you think we should take the tram, or the elevator?"

"The elevator." She said. "They would probably be using the tram to ship supplies."

He reached out and pressed the button, the door slid open, they entered, and the doors shut. Standing with his back against the wall, Isaac raised his gun up while they went down, Babs took out her Pulse rifle and did the same. When the door opened, they waited for a few seconds before Babs poked her head out.

"Just a hallway." She said stepping out.

There was a small corner to the left that led to a dead-end, a vent sitting on the wall next to the elevator on the right, and going down hall further there was a single door with a dim, blue light glowing in the middle of it.

Going down the ramp, Isaac opened the door and poked his head through. Just as soon as he had, he jumped back as an axe cut through the vent by the door. Putting his shotgun into the hole where a pair of red eyes of a suit were, he blew the head off the Waster as it was shot back in the vent. Shooting it once more in the leg, he looked down and saw Babs staring off towards a dark corner where her cousin was.

Before either of them could say something, more Necromorphs began to come out from the vents, Applebloom was thrown back as the lone guard ran out into the open, and as he began shooting his way to them while Applebloom was cutting them to pieces with her axes.
> Frankenstein- Part 3.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. " The guard muttered to himself as he hid himself in a corner.

After he had gotten through the bars outside above the door, through the ventilation without stopping, and finding this place behind a crate, he was now cradling his gun as if it were a safety blanket. He froze when he heard a loud noise, similar to metal hitting metal, but it also carried the sound of a padded boot or hoof.

Looking at the wall from where he was, he saw three bars of light go over it for a moment before moving away. He could hear the padded metal slowly moving around, the small objects being moved around as Applebloom searched for him. Inching his head forward a bit, he poked the end of his visor out and just as quickly retracted it as an axe embedded itself in the wall where it was. Just as soon as it had happened, the lights came back and Applebloom appeared, clutching the handle of the axe while she held the other in her other hoof.

"Ya listen here," she said pointing an axe at him. "Ah ain't no whinin' little filly, and ah don't wan't to-"

He sprang out from his crevice, pushing her back as a second shotgun blast echoed around the room. Stopping in the middle of the room, he barely had enough time to duck before an axe flew past his head burying itself into a Waster's head. Blowing the arm off the Waster, he turned his gun around and smashed the butt of it against its head sending it to the floor.

Stepping back as he began shooting again, two more Wasters came from the vents; one which was torn to bits by Isaac and Babs as they slid under the rail where they were, and the second falling to its knees when Applebloom had thrown her other axe into its leg, causing the bone to snap and come out from the skin. He watched her run up to it even as it was raising a pair of crowbars to hit her.

As she took out the axes, another Waster appeared carrying a pair of wrenches. She held up an axe with a hoof and blocked the clumsy attack it made while she sunk the blade of the other one into the downed Waster's head. She pulled it way, splattering coagulated blood across herself and the floor as she cut into the knee of the other Waster, cut severed the Achilles tendon on the other leg, and finally decapitated it with a scissor motion of her axes.

Isaac, watching her set the axes on her back again, looked at the shaken guard as he just stared at the waster he'd killed. After a moment, the guard clutched his stomach and for a brief moment, Isaac caught a glimpse of white before a trail of vomit poured out.

"You alright?" Applebloom asked as her helmet slid together. "Um, guard, sir? Do ya feel fine now?" She asked putting a hoof on his boot.

"Um, yeah," he said his voice coming out a little raspy. "Are you? You were about to murder me a second ago."

"Ah wasn't gonna touch ya," she said rolling her eyes. "Ah was only gonna point ma'h axe, talk tough, and then help ya find the other pieces to Rosetta."

"Hold on," Isaac said stepping forward. "You weren't going to kill him? Not even maim him a bit?"

"Eenope." She said shaking her head. "Ah'm not gonna kill a part of our team. 'Sides, if ah wanted him dead, ah'd have killed him a while back."

"How far back?" The guard and Babs said at the same time.

"Titan Station." She said letting her helmet slide back into place. "Come on, we're wasting time down here. We need to get Rosetta together." She said looking back at the door Isaac and her cousin had come through in.

"About that," Isaac said scuffing a boot on the floor. "The door is locked. Blue means go, while orange means no."

Babs, the guard, and Applebloom all looked at the door; a small orange light seemingly mocking them in the middle of it stared back at them. Making a collective groan, they all looked around until Babs ran up to a large set of double doors. Applebloom trotted alongside the guard as Isaac hurried over to Babs.

As Isaac opened the door, Babs and Applebloom raised their guns, the reticules aimed at nothing but the broken door ahead. Old machinery was piled on one side, smaller doors were on either side, and only a few vents were present.

As the two fillies entered, that left Isaac and the guard behind them.

"So, are you really alright?" Isaac asked. "You threw up."

"I'm fine, really I am." He replied stopping at one of the vents. "I've had to fight-"

A sound like someone gurgling spoiled milk echoed through both vents. Before either of them could react, a Exploder burst from the vent behind the guard, pinned him to the floor, and was quickly flipped onto its back as the guard began yelling, swinging his gun into what was left of its face before it had been turned. As the other Exploder was killed, he was still punching the corpse, even without his gun he was still punching it leaving bloody smears and stripes across his visor.

Isaac took a step back and then some, looking at Applebloom and Babs, they just kept staring at the guard, beating away at the torso of the thing now. Putting a hand on his shoulder, Isaac pulled the guard away, even as he was kicking the Exploder's corpse.

"Calm down! It's dead!" Isaac yelled spinning the guard so they were facing each other. "You killed it. It's dead, a pile of mush, a bloody pile of flesh. It's not going to attack anyone again."

The guard, grabbing Isaac's wrists, shook his head momentarily before he pushed them off and stumbled into the wall behind him. Laying his head back, he let out a long, trembling sigh.

"Who the hell am I kidding?" He laughed hollowly. "I've never fought a Necromroph, or in the colonies to stop a riot; I wasn't even trained to fight. Me and my brother were fucking engineers, fixing the computer when you and the others crashed through the damn wall. We were just given guns and told we were guards until the 'situation' was handled. Everyone was torn apart, like fucking cattle. The whole damn station, murdered, filled with psychopaths, Necromorphs, and us," he said slapping a palm against his chest. "A bunch of toy soldiers running around, acting like we knew what we were doing. We were fucked as soon as you were brought in; we all knew it, but we kept quiet." He said looking at Isaac. "I'm a wreck. At least my brother has a shoulder to lean on, all I've got is a gun smaller than my arm."

"Ah know how ya feel," Applebloom said sitting by him. "Ah was happy, thinking 'bout Granny, Applejack, and Mac when ah went into Isaac's world. Ah wanted to just hide in a corner, cry, maybe even..." She held the Plasma cutter for a moment before looking back at him. "Point is, ah know how ya feel."

"Thanks." He said getting up before falling back down. "I-I need a second, I don't feel so good. Too shaky for my own-"

"Take your time," Isaac said. "Two of us can keep going while one of us stays here with you. Babs, Applebloom, why don't you two get going?" He said. "I think he needs some human on human conversation."

Babs nodded and let Isaac open the door for her. Before Applebloom trotted away, she gave the guard a pat on the boot before being carried away.

As they traveled further away, the sound of a door closing behind them, Isaac sat down in front of the guard.

"You alright?" He asked.

"Ask me that again," the guard said shaking a trembling fist at him. "And you'll look worse than that guy." He said pointing at the dead Exploder.

In the slight darkness, they both shared an equally joyful laugh that echoed through the small space they were in.

Alien City Foreshadowing! I think... Screw it.

Sweetiebelle and Nexus stared down into the pit. After their tunnel had collapsed, they began wandering the city in their pony forms. Sweetiebelle looked around in fascination while Nexus had a faraway look on his face.

Now, looking down at the small light below, the only one that didn't glow green or yellow, Sweetiebelle was judging the distance down.

"Nexus," she said. "Are you ready?" She asked receiving a nod from him. "Then... Jump!" She yelled jumping from the ledge with him.

Hitting the ground with wet splats and crunches, they both began to realign their bones while patching the breaks in their skins. Standing again, Sweetiebelle snapped her neck back into place while Nexus popped his eyes back into his head. Looking around, her jaw dropped at the sight before her.

Grey Markers littered everywhere, glowing red through the small writing on them. On nearly every wall, in the supports, and resting against the Markers or each other, were skeletons. Large, thin in some places and bulky in others, were the mummified remains of the natives of this plant.

"Nexus," she said sliding closer to him, but only found his presence cold. "Nexus, are they... You?"

Looking up at him, he had a look of pain on his face as he massaged his temple with a hoof. Nodding, he looked at one of the alien mummies before turning away slowly, almost as if he were in a trance.

"Family." He said. "I killed... I killed my family." He said letting a few tears escape. "I killed my family... My family froze me... My family killed me." He said falling to his knees.

Sweetiebelle, feeling her own eyes go misty, let him put his head on her shoulder and cry. Rubbing his back, she couldn't help but cry with him.

"It's alright, Nexus." She said keeping her voice normal. "It's not your fault, it's the Markers. They did it. All of them."

"I-I remember,"  he said his voice coming out rough and scratchy from the limited use of it, and the feelings he was experiencing. "I warned m-my family about t-the Black Marker, the Stone Light, but t-they w-wouldn't listen. I-I killed m-my-" he couldn't finish the sentence and instead began sobbing again.

"Nexus," she said rubbing his back. "It was the Markers, the Black Marker, they did this to them. Do you want to kill the Black Marker? To make it pay for doing this?" She asked looking him in the eyes.

"Y-Yes." He said letting a growl escape his throat. "Kill the killer. Kill the Stone Light."

"Then lets get out of here." She said stepping away. "Where are we though? I don't see any doors but that one." She said pointing at the door to the left.

It had a small stand with a screen sitting on it, and above the door in small yellow writing, it read 'Artifact Storage'.

"Maybe we can find an exit through there." She said. "They'd have to have some way of moving the artifacts from the surface here, or the other way around. Come on," she said rubbing his side. "Lets see if we cant get back with the others."
> A family reunion.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Standing in the elevator, Sweetiebelle was staring at the up and down arrows while occasionally glancing at Nexus, but only to look away when he glanced at her. Coughing nonchalantly into a hoof, she looked over at him and got a good look for the first time.

His coat was a darker brown than she had realized, almost as dark as the grime on the walls. His mane was the color of a dark ash, but it was flecked with strands of black, light grey, and a few white hairs. His eyes, the color of rubies, seemed to glow in the dim light. His shoulder were wide, but a little shallow in the collar bone, his torso was well rounded, and his legs looked fit but not enough to where it looked like he was a an athlete.

'Poor Nexus,' she thought. 'He's lost his family, his home pretty much, and he's just now talking. Although, he's not alone, he has me, he can talk to me, we're friends. We're... Both dead. That's something we have in common. Something I wish wasn't true for him.'

As they stood in the elevator, she began to hum along with the cables above them as they grinded against the metal. As she was doing so, Nexus began to hum something, and then the humming turned into small, trumpet like sounds. Looking at him, she smiled when she saw his eyes closed, and he was making his own little diddy.

The elevator stopped, and Sweetiebelle blinked as his face changed back into the pained expression she was now seeing. Looking out, she was met with a blue hue in the lighting, frost covered concrete to walk on, a sign in front of them reading 'STAGING AREA 03', and a stack of boxes to the far right. Stepping out, the doors closed behind them and the blue light turned orange.

Going down the steps, she looked to the right and saw a wagon filled with mummified remains of the aliens. Spotting a small holo-board, she took Nexus's hoof in hers and led him to it. Stopping to look at the rotting Necromorph in the case beside it, she reached up with a Drag Tentacle and pressed play.

"He was shivering, naked when I found him." A male voice said, calm and collected but also sympathetic. "The self-inflicted wounds carved deep into his skin, the meaning of which I can only speculate. I had to work to pry the artifact from his cold, white hand. A curious object, made of an unknown material-activated, it seems, by sound."

"Doors, tools, toys for the young." Nexus said scooting closer to Sweetiebelle.

"The markings are words, that I'm sure of. But without a means of translating them, I'm afraid it's purpose will remain a mystery. If only there were more time, I could find other examples of the script stored here and unlock it."

The recording stopped and Sweetiebelle rubbed Nexus on the side again, letting him shake the tears away as he stared at the head only a foot away.

Leading him away once the tremors stopped, she opened the set of double doors and led him into the small hall. Listening to the doors close, she let go of his hoof and went to open the other doors. When they opened, she squeaked a small sound of surprise when she came face-to-muzzle with a human corpse.

Tilting her head, she waved a hoof and batted it away; watching it float away she grinned before jumping in. She flew up and turned to see Nexus looking around, a look of awe in his widened eyes as he saw everything floating. Waving him on, he crouched and jumped in. He was flying towards the ceiling when she took hold of him with a pair of Lurker tentacles.

Landing on the ceiling, she sunk the small barbs into the metal; following her, he took out a pair of his own and did the same. Above them, the ceiling was composed of four, large yellow triangle that were being held together by clamps. On the lower level, hiding underneath the bridge they came in on, was a Necromorph composed of three to four aliens. Further than that, the floor was covered with barrels, crates, and pieces of scrap and trash that were hovering just above the anti-grav plates.

"Family." Nexus said, watching the Necromorph below. "The ill ones." He said watching as another drifted up from the floor.

"No, Nexus," Sweetiebelle said. "They're not anyponies family anymore. They're just shells that the Markers are using."

He glanced at her momentarily before a loud roar shook the metal they were holding on to. Looking down at the first Necromorph, Sweetiebelle could make out three crested heads staring up at her, and surrounding them were giant, yellow pustules not unlike the Exploders she'd seen. It split in the middle like a flower blooming, and a small jellyfish-like Necromorph came flying at them.

Charging her horn, she let off a red bolt of magic that incinerated the projectile. Looking at Nexus, he had his own horn charged and fired off a blue bolt of magic that cut into the Medusa. The sacs popped as sparks danced across its body while jumping to the other one. Once it stopped, the two bodies were floating, smoking or still on fire, or were just melted in some places.

Floating past the first corpse, they landed on the second level where Sweetiebelle opened the door for him. The small hallway was ice on one side, and concrete on the other. Turning a corner, Sweetiebelle jumped back when she hit an alien skeleton that was leaning against the wall.

Staring at it for a moment, she opened the next door and immediately took hold of a rail nearby. Taking out the Lurker tentacles again, she flung herself onto the wall and looked down.

Orange mining lasers were scattered haphazardly around the concrete tube. Jumping down at an angle, she passed most of them along with Nexus as he landed beside her. Sweetiebelle was reaching for the holographic button when Nexus pushed it for her. The door opened and at the end of a small hall was another holo-board with a speaker below it. Going up to it, Sweetiebelle pressed it.

As the word 'WARRIOR' appeared, Nexus made a strand of nasal noises again just as the machine made the same noises. Sweetiebelle, looking between the two played it again and he did the same thing.

"Do you know how to read this?" She asked pointing at the brief flash of the alien script. "Of course you do, you were taught the language."

"Warrior." He said. "I healed the warriors when we fought against the ill ones." He said looking at his fore-hooves. "The blood stained the water, the last words were spoken by those before they became the ones we sought to defeat. I was-" he gripped his head momentarily before continuing. "I was treating one who had ingested the blood of an ill one. The warrior changed before me, struck me down, and killed me."

"You were a doctor?" She asked making him tilt his head. "You helped make others better when they were hurt or sick, right?"

"Doctor." He said. "Doctor." He said again before making more nasal sounds.

"Were you saying doctor in your language?" She asked looking at the small holes on his muzzle.

He nodded before his ears stood up. Baring his teeth, he charged past her, around the corner into the other room and slammed into a door, denting the metal. Rushing over to him, Sweetiebelle's ears twitched when a scratching was heard overhead. Dragging him back a few feet, she charged hero horn and blew the door away. Running in, the vents down the green-lit hall were smashed open when a pair of blackened Leapers jumped out.

Sweetiebelle's back split in two places as a pair of Slasher blades cut their way out before cutting into a Leaper as it jumped. Skewering it on one, she cut an arm off and then the head before delivering two more stabs to the torso. Throwing it off, she looked at Nexus and saw him tearing the other one to pieces with his teeth.

As he was busy with that one, another pair of Leapers appeared and charged. Sweetiebelle caught the first one as it lunged, clipping its right shoulder. Cutting the appendage down to the bone, it hung uselessly as it turned to attack her again. She swung down with both blades and cut off the tail and arm while severing the head in the process.

The second one had caught Nexus by surprise and was now clawing at his face and chest mercilessly. Grabbing it by the tail, Sweetiebelle smashed it against the wall and then the floor, repeating the process on any solid surface before dropping it after the noises stopped.

Going over to Nexus, she helped him up as his wounds healed. Leading him to the next door while his eyes reformed, she was about to press the button when a loud thud was heard from the other side of the door. Charging her horn, she opened the door and fired off a blast of energy that sent the Alien Necromorph flying back with a smoldering hole in its chest.

While it lay there, another chorus of sounds began in the hall. Squeaking and squawking resonated through the chamber making her fold her ears against her head from annoyance.

"What is that? Dolphin Necromorphs?" She said rubbing her ears. "A rusty trumpet?"

"The young." Nexus said, his voice coming out in small sprays of blood before the skin finally healed. "The ill young."

Looking ahead, she saw nothing but the green lights and solitary door. Trotting next to him, she kept her horn lit helping to illuminate any other Necromorphs. As they were passing a metal support, Nexus turned and slashed four Alien Crawlers causing them to detonate. He was flung against Sweetiebelle, landing heavily on top of her while his leg was laying elsewhere. Rolling off her, the sounds were still coming but from further down.

Sitting up, Sweetiebelle charged her horn and fired a ball of energy where the other support was. The wall opposite of it was splashed with orange puss when the Crawlers were detonated. Listening for a moment, no other noise was heard until a Leaper attempted to crawl through the vent by Nexus. It was thrown back into the vent and skewered with a piece of metal laying on the ground.

Stopping again, they waited longer than before, before Sweetiebelle was at the other door alongside Nexus. Opening it, she lashed out with her shoulder blades and only hit air.

The room they were in now was empty aside from a desk with another holo-board and speaker by it, notes on a cork hangup, filthy lights laying on the ground and pieces of tile that cut into their hooves when they stepped on them.

"Nexus, look at that." Sweetiebelle said pointing at the holo-board. "Do you want to know what this one says?"

He looked at it with the same bored expression before he pressed play himself. As the word came into view he let out three noises that the machine made after he had finished.

"Neat." She said going to the other door. "I wonder how close they were to translating it all?"

When they entered the door, the first thing thy noticed were the orange lasers above, the second thing they noticed were the Lurkers pouring out of the vents. Charging their horns, they shot a single bolt of energy at one Lurker and watched as the sparks flew from it to the others.

Once the electricity stopped, the Lurker bodies smoking and floating around now, did they boost themselves up towards the second level. Grabbing the metal, they hoisted themselves under the rail and glided to the door. Next to it, was a circuit router with the twin icons glowing at eye level with them.

Looking at her hooves and then at the controls, Sweetiebelle took out her Stalker claws and began tearing away at the door carving out large gashes of metal until they both could fit through.

The room they were now in had a small pile of chairs and empty crates in one doorway making it impossible to get through, the other side was fairly open with a few lights giving the usual brown-streaked light, a bench, and a single unlocked door. Passing the bench, Sweetiebelle opened the door and was going in when Nexus quickly pulled her back in a bone-crushing hug.

"Nexus," she said blushing from the close contact. "What's wrong?"

"The ill ones walk here." He said. "Encased in their creators tombs."

She just stared blankly at the wall for a moment while biting her bottom lip; getting out of his grasp, she made her way in and stopped. Three Regenerators were in glass cases, all of them desperately trying to break free and slaughter them.

"Nexus, get in-" she was saying before a recorded message stated speaking.

Looking back, she saw Nexus staring at a holo-board, mimicking the word 'SACRIFICE'. Feeling a shiver go down her spine, she got rid of it and replaced it with a layer of muscle. Looking around the room, she saw a small glowing tablet laying on a table in front of one of the Regenerators. Going over to it, she propped herself up with Drag Tentacles and her spinal tail. Taking the tablet, she began going through the lines, stopping once or twice when the name 'Serrano' came up.

Stuffing it in her chest cavity, she led Nexus towards a ramp that led into a lower room. The room was lit with clean, white bulbs that were still shining as if they had just been put in. A trio of unopened lockers were in front of them, the yellow paint was hardly chipping off as noticeably as any of the others, and the small turn by the door revealed a second vent. As they were passing the first vent by the door, Sweetiebelle's ear twitched.

"Nexus, do you hear that?" She asked putting her ear right by the vent. "I hear voices. They're far off, but I can hear them. Come on, we can get back to the others through here."

As she tore away the vent and climbed up, Nexus paused only for a second to hear the sound of glass shattering and the snapping of bone followed by tearing flesh.

"The ill ones walk among us yet again."
> Q&A
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So," Babs said boosting her cousin up the ladder. "What do you think Isaac would say about your proposal? You know, if he can even go with you to Equestria."

"Ah'm hopin' he'll say yes." She said climbing up another rung. "What do ya think him and that guard are talkin' 'bout?"

"Who knows," Babs replied sucking in a breath as she hung onto another rung. "Probably whatever humans talk about."

Isaac and the guard

"You were an engineer on Titan, huh?" Isaac asked as he adjusted himself on the frosted floor. "What school did you graduate from?"

"Edgar Mills," the guard replied. "You?"

"Edgar Mills," Isaac replied nodding. "I graduated in the class of twenty-five forty-nine."

"Me too." The guard said sitting up a bit more. "You... You weren't that lanky kid, the one with those huge glasses? The one that was always picked on by the others because of his early exam?"

"Yeah, that was me." He said raising his hands. "Bug Eye Clarke. I graduated with a pair of twins, both of them Irish. God... What were their names? It's on the tip of my tongue, but I can't remember. They were always messing with the teachers computers, making the mouse and keyboard act up."

"Aedan and Aodhan?"

"Yeah That's... You're Aedan?" He said standing up. "I thought you two were going to work on ships like me. How'd you two end up on Titan?"

"Well," he said getting up himself. "We were more equipped when working with computers. By the way, how do you know I'm Aedan?"

"You're Aodhan then?"

"Am I?" He said giving Isaac a light tap on the arm. "Figure it out."

"It's been almost thirty-two years and you're still pulling the name crap on people. I hated when you did that to me; I'd try and talk to one of you, and you would say you're the other while he did the same."

Applebloom and Babs

"Ah'm investin' some bits for some magnet boots for the suits at the base when ah get back." Applebloom said as she held Babs on her shoulder. "Ah forgot, why am ah bottom?"

"You said you couldn't work these things properly. So, you let me try this to see if I was any better."

"How's it goin' then?" She said while her shoulder popped. "Ah think somethin' just broke. All ah know is that ma'h back feels like a pretzel."

"Should the wires be sparking?" Babs said eliciting a groan from her cousin. "Or on fire?"

"Maybe we should let Isaac take care of this? He's better with all the wires and eltro-macallits." She said as he cousin got off. "Ow. Ah don't feel quite right." She said attempting to walk but only for her back to bend at an angle and cause her to fall out. "Ah'm just gonna lay here until they get to us."

As the two fillies lay on the floor, the door opposite to them opened and Isaac walked in with the guard, both of them chatting animatedly.

"I'm telling you," Isaac said. "Copper works best. If you don't use copper, then the whole circuit will just weld itself together and you'll just have a fried console."

"And I'm telling you," the guard said. "If you keep the air pressure inside the cabin three percent below the moons' gravity to density compared to Earth, then you won't need to worry about over-heating the fuel clamps or main controls."

"What if the power spikes from a solar discharge?"

"Oh, I didn't think about that." The guard said slapping a hand to his visor.

"What are you two talking about?" Babs asked looking between the two humans.

"How we could sustain an entire station if we were to replace the main controls with receivers while we send commands from a ship outside of the solar system or right by the station itself without the need for a fusion reactor." Isaac said. "It's very interesting."

"I'm not going to pretend I know what you're talking about." Babs said. "Can you get the door open?" She asked pointing at the door behind her.

"No." Isaac said as he stared at the smoldering console. "It looks like you managed to set the console on fire and melt the circuits and wires together. We're stuck here unless Scootaloo, Nexus, or Sweetiebelle can rip the door of the hinges. So, does anyone want to know how to fix a T-130 Industrial cargo ship with a garden hose, duct tape, a few light bulbs, a medium trapezoid diamond circuit board, and pieces of scrap floating out from a trash chute?"

"That was you?" The guard said taking a seat by Babs. "If we didn't get those supplies on Titan, me and my brother would have been helping ration the water for locals, the rich, and the agricultural center."

"I... Kind of want to hear about this." Babs said. "I've got nothing better to do."

"Nerds." Applebloom muttered. "Hey, Babs, quite shimmying your leg, ah'm tryin' to rest." She said turning over.

"Cous, that's not me." Babs said. "I'm not moving. None of us are."

Applebloom picked herself up, glancing at the others as they did the same with each other. Looking around, they all got up and had their weapons out as the vent by the sealed door began to rattle. As the rattling grew, they began to hear metal being torn rhythmically, one after the other than turned into a set.

The vent was torn open and Sweetiebelle fell onto the floor alongside Nexus. She quickly scrambled to her hooves and waved at the others.

"Sweetiebelle, where have you and Nexus been?" Isaac asked. "We need to get through this damn door." He said pointing at the door and the smoldering console.

"Listen, we were in an alien city before, but we should focus on running right now." She said quickly before her and Nexus began tearing the door to shreds. "Did I mention the three Regenerators?"

"Three!?" Isaac yelled. "What the fuck! Get that door open now!"

"What's a Regenerator?" The guard asked as he stepped away from the vent.

"A tough motherfucker that regrows its limbs!" Isaac yelled as he ran through the door. "Run!"

As the guard, Babs, and Applebloom ran alongside Isaac, the first blade poked out from the vent and then a decaying head.
> Run. Run. Run.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Jump!" Isaac yelled as he stepped on the rail to vault himself over. "Nexus, Sweetiebelle, get the door over here!"

As Nexus helped Babs and Applebloom cross, the guard was firing into the other doorway where the Regenerators were trying to get through. He looked back and saw Sweetiebelle tearing the other door open while Nexus was coming back. Getting a running start after leaving a Regenerator to block the way of the others, he cleared the gap and slipped.

Nexus helped him up and soon they were all running on the second level of a new room. Isaac went around and began to descend the ladder while Sweetiebelle helped Applebloom and Babs down to the floor, Nexus watching Sweetiebelle took the guard and jumped down with him.

"Alright," Isaac said as they all took to the back wall. "Alright, listen for a second. Maybe they're gone?"

"We need to keep running." Applebloom whispered back. "They know where we are!"

"No, they don't," he replied. "If they can't see us, then they'll lose interest. They'll go into the vents again and start to look somewhere else."

"And if they don't?" Babs asked.

"Then we run." The guard said.

They all stood in the dim lighting of the cavernous room, staring at the platform above, at the door as they waited for the Regenerators to move in. After a moment, the noise of the Necromorphs died away and eventually went away completely. As they stood there, the vents around them were torn out and Feeders began to pour out.

Applebloom and Isaac ran into the fray, swinging or sweeping the Feeders over or under them, the guard, Babs, Sweetiebelle, and Nexus took up the spot against the wall and fired a volley of magic and bullets that tore through the Feeders that managed to pass Isaac or Applebloom. With only more than a dozen Feeders, the fight ended in seconds.

Panting, Isaac backed up to the wall again while Applebloom stood still, staring up at the entrance. The guard was leaning against the wall, Nexus and Sweetiebelle were watching the vents, and Babs was staring at the entrance alongside her cousin.

"They're not coming," Sweetiebelle said breaking the silence. "Me or Nexus would have heard them as soon as they came out of a vent. They actually lost interest because they couldn't see us."

"Thank god," the guard said. "I hate Necromorphs. I really hate them."

"If ya hate them so much," Applebloom said. "Then ah want em' all gone. Ah got stabbed through the chest."

"Damn." He said putting a hand to his chest. "Is there a hole?"

She just looked at him silently for a moment before shaking her head. Looking around, she saw a set of large double-doors to the right. Going over to them with the others in tow, Isaac opened it for them and quickly let it shut. With the first few steps in the hallway, the vents exploded and a pair of Exploders came out, gurgling and shrieking before having their puss sacks detonated. Exiting through the other doors, they came into a locked room with only a ladder leading to an exit.

Picking up Applebloom, Isaac set her on his shoulders as he climbed the ladder, the guard put Babs on his shoulders and followed him with more difficulty, Sweetiebelle and Nexus climbed the wall and climbed up to the others.

Going through the door on the right, the spot in front of them was dark until Isaac's visor illuminated it. Going around to the right, he used his kinesis module to turn the small wheel. Going across the bridge, they turned left and were going through the door when it locked and the orange emergency lights turned on.

Putting their backs to the wall, Issac and the guard aimed at the Feeders as the poured out from the vents. As they dealt with them, Applebloom, Babs, Sweetiebelle and Nexus all shot or clawed occasionally, at the two Feeders who made it through the bullets. As they tore through the two Wasters that emerged when the Feeders were gone, the alarm lifted and the door slid open.

On the other side, it was more fairly lit with molding bulbs, a bench, five lockers and another door. Passing the bench and heading for the door, it opened into another room without any lights. Looking around, Babs pushed the holo-board on a lift's controls to the left. Crowding onto it, they had their weapons raised as they stepped on and on when it finally buckled to a stop.

A Waster came out from a vent on the right and ran towards the guard, he yelled slightly as he shot the legs. It fell and was starting to crawl when Applebloom walked onto its back and decapitated it. Isaac and Babs were dealing with another two, each of hem aiming at the legs before moving to the arms. Sweetiebelle and Nexus were tearing another two apart. Sweetiebelle was tearing chunks out of one's torso while Nexus burrowed through the other.

Standing in the carnage, they all either sat against the wall, on bodies, or stood. Isaac kicked an arm away when it twitched and the guard was reloading his rifle.

"Well," Isaac sighed. "This has been interesting."

"Ah guess." Applebloom muttered. "Are we takin' a break?"

"I guess so." The guard said as he laid against a wall.

"Ah'm gettin' kind'a sleepy." Applebloom said yawning. "Ah wonder what time it is back home. What do ya think Babs?"

"I don't know." She said watching Sweetiebelle and Nexus sit idly on a Waster corpse. "Hey, have you noticed those two? They've been inching closer and closer every time they sit together."

"Who? Me and Nexus?" Sweetiebelle said scooting away. "We've just been sitting closer, what's so noticeable about that?"

"Sweetiebelle and Nexus sitting in a tree," Isaac sang receiving a snicker from most of the group. 

"That's not true!" She yelled indignantly but the crack in her voice made the group finally laugh.

As the laughed died a little but still kept strong, she bared her teeth and readjusted her vocal cords. Taking in a deep breath, she let out a Tripod-like roar that made Isaac lose his balance and fall back. The guard accidentally fired a few shot from his rifle, Babs sucked in a breath so fast she choked on it, and Applebloom just looked at her. 

"He is not my coltfriend." Sweetiebelle said spraying the ground in front of her with a red mist.

"Right," Isaac said getting up. "And we all don't have a deadly dementia."

"He's not." She said crossing her fore-legs. "Right Nexus?"

He kept the same dis-interested look, blinked, and then pulled her into a one-legged hug. She sighed and glared straight ahead.

"You're not helping." She said as he let her go. "Stop encouraging them."

He blinked and shrugged back a response. She sighed and sat back further on the Waster corpse.

"Lets go before the two love birds start calling each other pet names." Isaac said as Sweetiebelle flushed. "Lighten up, you did the same thing to me back on Titan when you found out I liked Ellie."

"Yeah, but we weren't as open about it as-" Sweetiebelle was saying before she put a hoof to her mouth.

"See! I know that look when I see it." The guard said. "It's alright Sweetiebelle, I'm sure he's very hansom to you. You know, because you're both ponies." The guard said.

As they all got up Applebloom was left in the back with Sweetiebelle and Nexus. As They waited, Applebloom folded her helmet up and just smiled at Sweetiebelle.

"You're not going to let me down on this, are you?" Sweetiebelle asked.

"Eenope." Applebloom smiled as she trotted away.

"Nuts."
> Escapei!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This sucks." The guard said pressing himself against the elevator wall.

"Ya'll aren't the ones down here." Applebloom muttered looking up at the guard. "It smells like rottin' flesh and sewage."

"I can't help it." Sweetiebelle said. "It was the only way for me and Babs to get back to the surface. I still wish it didn't have to be a sewage pipe."

"Why didn't you just have your boyfriend pick you up?" The guard said nudging her with his boot. "I'm sure he would have just come running if you batted your eye-lashes."

"I hate you so much." She said crossing her fore-legs.

"We know," Isaac said. "We all know, and we love it."

Before Sweetiebelle could retort with a sharp jab to his ankle, the elevator doors opened letting them all nearly run out. Only one light worked above them, the rest were shattered or coated with so much dirt it cut off the light. The tiles were worn away leaving only a bare concrete floor, the walls were rusting and coated in grime; around the corner, a functioning door was still giving off the same blue light as every unlocked door.

Isaac opened it and they strode in, ponies first and then humans aiming above and behind them. Looking around, the two shelves in front of the door were filled with stale food, broken equipment, and piles of  moistened mold. Down the few steps by the bench, a gross amount of screens and other equipment. In the far area of the room, another door was unlocked, a low fog was wafting in from the cracks in it but stopped at the light coming from the machinery.

"Reminds me of the base back home." Applebloom said. "With the screens ah mean, ah'd beat whoever left the place lookin' like this."

"I'd hope it doesn't look like this." The guard said. "A few centuries left unattended, two Necromorph outbreaks, and an army of religious nuts is all it took to trash this place. It took less for the gunship to get its filth."

"I doubt that." Sweetiebelle said. "Oh, we've also got two Necromorphs coming in with three more behind them."

As Isaac went to the closest door by the shelves, the vent in the same row as it was torn away and a Waster came running out. Isaac stopped and kicked it away as it was raising its wrenches. Firing six bolts into it, he aimed at the vent as more scratching was made.

Going back to the others, Applebloom and Babs were firing at the Waster crawling through the second vent while the guard, nexus, and Sweetiebelle were firing off at the vent where the first Waster came through, but now a Regenerator was trying to get through.

Sweetiebelle tore one of the consoles from the wall and threw it against the vent. As they were all moving to the back she tore the other half out and placed it between them and the Regenerators. The guard opened the door behind them and they all ran through as the Necromorphs began clawing at the metal.

Running through the grime coated, nearly lightless room, they quickly opened the only other unlocked door and went through. While they ran down the steps, the guard stopped and looked back, to the sides, and back to the others.

"Guys, I don't think we can escapei." He said leaning against a wall. "Were trapped and we're going to die. Cut to ribbons on a planet no one has heard of, in a facility no one has heard of, and with no one to mourn us."

"We're not dying." Applebloom said. "Ah've got a family, a home, a world to protect. And ah ain't 'bout to hoof it over to a bunch of slimy, rotten, infectious, creeps and a glowing rock just 'cause ah'm stuck in a hole." She took her axes and held them in front of her.

"Did you not hear me!?" He yelled getting up. "We are stuck in a hole!"

"And if we're in a hole, then we dig a deeper one for them." She snapped back. "We ain't gonna die hidin' like rats. We ain't dyin' here either."

"Fine." He said nodding vigorously. "Fuck it! I might as well. So, how do we kill these things?" He asked as metal tearing was heard.

"Do we have a rocket engine on hand?" Isaac asked as the door began to dent.

"Eenope." Applebloom replied. "What ya see is what ya got. Ah'd say that's enough."

"How?" He asked. "These things regenerate their limbs when they're separated from them. How are we going to kill that?"

"We don't cut the limbs," she said waving an axe. "If ah make a cut, then that should give ya enough time to fire a rocket into it. It can't regenerate if there ain't nothin' left to regenerate."

"That means I'm going to have to get uncomfortably close to a Necromorph." He said aiming his chain gun at the door. "This had better not end with you getting stabbed again. I don't know what I'd do without you, or the others if I lost you."

She tensed and looked back at him with her helmet folded up. She gave a nod and shook it off as her face became contorted with an unseen rage. Cracking her neck, her back arched slightly as the door was finally thrown off its hinges and two Regenerators came through.

As they approached, the guard stepped back, tripped and caught himself on a small holo-pad. Getting up, the lift by him began to go down, an alarm sounded, and the sound of Feeders could be heard above them.

"Crap. My bad!" He yelled as the vent behind them was torn away for a Regenerator to come through. "Guys! The other one is behind us!" He yelled as he took out the legs.

Appleblood ran forward, cutting the Regenerator the furthest back on the legs, it fell and she turned to block the blades of the closest one. Knocking them away and shooting a bolt of stasis at them, they slowed down long enough for her to get around it and make a large gash in its back. Seeing it, Isaac ran up to it, turned away and shoved the barrel of the rocket launcher before firing.

Appleblood shot off another bolt stasis, slowing Isaac, the living Regenerator, and the explosion. Pulling him away, she went to make a cut on the other one when she was knocked against the wall by a Feeder. Gritting her teeth, she threw an axe at it as it tried to sink its claws into Isaac. Going to retrieve her axe, she looked behind her and saw Nexus, Sweetiebelle, and the guard fighting off a group of Feeders while keeping a Regenerator from regenerating its limbs.

Looking back in front of her, she snorted as three Feeders came at her. She cut the hand off the first one, made it trip and then sent the hand into its head. Grabbing the arm of the second, she turned it around and made it stab the the thrid in the chest. Bucking it away, they rolled in a brown, stick-limbed ball. She took out her Planet Cracker plasma cutter and fired off two shots, killing both of them.

Sweetiebelle and Nexus were in the middle of a group of Feeders, tearing and biting legs, limbs, and torsos. Sweetiebelle felt a third pair of claws dig into her side, lift her up and began to pull. She let out a pair of Stalker claws from her hooves and cut her way out of it, absorbing the severed limbs as she did so.

Nexus was electrocuting any of them that touched him. Biting another Feeders legs, he twisted his head and broke them off at the knees. Stabbing it through the chest with a spine-tail, he swung it a full three-sixty degrees, electrocuting and smashing the other Feeders. Seeing the Regenerator coming up behind Sweetiebelle as the guard and Babs were dealing with their own Feeders, he threw the Feeder corpse and let his lips peel back in a gory smile as he watched the Regenerator fall back into the vent.

Sweetiebelle looked behind her as the Necromroph corpse slammed into the Regenerator, and even after when both of them went into the vent. Looking back at him, she nodded but got only a bloody, blank stare.

Babs swept the legs out from a Feeder and caved its head in with a hoof, the guard looking over her shot sporadically, popping heads in quick progression. Babs saw cousin with the Regenerator, both of them slashing with their own blades. Running to her, she cut the legs off it while it had both blades lowered, it fell and Appleblood made a large gash in it before putting it in stasis.

Isaac went to it and fired another rocket into the gash, blowing it up without the stasis on. Wiping the blood and flesh off him, he looked towards the last Regenerator. Holding his finger on the trigger, he aimed higher towards the top of the vent it was in and fired. The missile detonated on the metal and warped it so badly the hole vent was nearly closed.

"Is it over?" The guard asked staring at the Regenerator. "Can we go, that thing is scaring me. Even though Babs and Applebloom scare me just as much." He said getting a grunt from both of them.

"Well," Isaac said looking at the large crate on the lift. "Looks like we got what we came here for. And the exit is open." He said nodding towards a set of double doors.

"Run." Sweetiebelle muttered. "W need to run!" She yeled throwing a piece of Regenerator as it began to quiver. "The chunks are regenerating!"

"Fuck Necromorphs!" The guard yelled as he jumped the rail and passed the doors with the others only seconds behind.

Stopping momentarily in the room, they all looked around before Babs went to the elevator. Isaac opened it and they all poured in as roars from the swarm of Regenerators began. The doors closed, and the double doors in front of them were opened as well along with the vents being pushed out.

"Blow them up! Yeah, that's going to kill them!" Isaac panted. "We're never shooting any other explosives at those things!"

"How was ah supposed to know they'd do that!?" Applebloom yelled back indignantly. "At least we got more time. They'll be swarmin' the vents so much they'll get 'em clogged."

"And if they don't?" Babs asked looking at the door of the elevator.

"We're kaput." Applebloom said shrugging. "Simple as that."

"Yeah, simple, whatever you say." Isaac muttered. "Here's our stop."

The door opened and they all ran out, with the guard coming out last and almost taking a blade to his face. He screamed and pushed the Regenerator away as the elevator door ahead of him began closing. Grabbing the guard's hand, Isaac pulled him in as more Regenerators came into the room.

"Well, now what? We can't let them follow us, otherwise Danik, and the rest of us aren't getting off this rock." Isaac said. "Wait," he said looking down at Applebloom. "You just gave me an idea."

"We're dead." Sweetiebelle said. "He's got an idea."

"Sweetiebelle," he said. "Remember that Marker cube you have in your chest?"

"Yeah, what about it?" She said putting a hoof to her chest. "What do you want with it?"

"You can overload it, make it explode and kill the Regenerators." He said. "Just throw it back inside once it almost has enough magic, and then while we're all outside you can shoot off a little burst to set it off."

"You're insane." Applebloom said. "That could take out the whole facility."

"Do you have any other ideas?" He asked making her look away. "Anyone else? No? Good. Let's trash this dump."

As the door opened and a fresh burst of frigid air and snow hit them, Sweetiebelle took out the Marker cube from her chest and began pouring magic into it. As she was doing so, the bottom of the elevator began to show dents.

The Isaac and the guard both fired into the metal, receiving metal 'tinks' and gushes of blood from the holes as bullets and bolts went through and into the Regenerators. Looking back at Sweetiebelle, the cube's markings were swarming with a vibrant blue. She stopped momentarily before setting the cube down in the elevator.

"Everypony back, I need to make it fall through the floor without setting it off this close. Isaac, shoot a rocket in there." She said keeping her horn charged.

He nodded, aimed his gun, and fired. The cube fell in a flash of fire and the roars of the Regenerators quickly overpowered the explosions sound. As the first one was climbing up, Sweetiebelle ran forward, aimed down the hole, and fired.

At first nothing happened, and then a white light came from the hole, Sweetiebelle and the Regenerator were engulfed in flames, and then the tremors hit. The section of building was taken by a ball of white light, the heat turned the outside of their armors red, the snow was vaporized, and Sweetiebelles body was flung to the back wall with Nexus.

After the tremors were over and the light disappeared, the few of them not unconscious looked towards where the elevator was before. They all, minus Nexus and Sweetiebelle, stopped breathing.

"That was only a four by four inch cube... Oh my god." Isaac muttered looking at the white ringed crater in front of him.

The crater itself reached as far as the sttarage facility where Isaac fought the Unitologists, to where they came into the icy pit where he fought the Stalkers.

"At least we escapeied." The guard said. "That's a plus."

"What?" Isaac said. "You mean we escaped, right?"

"That's what I said. Escapied."

"It's pronounced escaped." Isaac said.

"You sound like a douche when you say it like that." Th guard retorted before looking at where the elevator was, only to see a Regenerator laying on its back. "Hold on, I need to throw that thing off before it comes back."

He got up and, stopping momentarily from the heat, he went up to the Regenerator. Looking back at the others, he saw Applebloom and Babs by Sweetiebelle while Isaac was still staring at him or the crater. Nudging the Regenerator, he didn't scream when he launched itself upright, but instead he kicked it off the edge and into a pool of molten rock and metal.

Turning around, he raised both arms in triumph, hands balled into fists.

"No one fucks with the Irish!"
> Frankenstein- Part 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Is she... Dead?" Isaac asked as they stood over Sweetiebelle and Nexus. "She doesn't look like she's regenerating."

"She is! She's fine." Applebloom yelled at him. "Ah didn't know this would happen."

"None of us did." The guard said. "She's alive, right? So, if we just give her enough time then-"

"We don't have time." Isaac said. "We're all hallucinating, most of us have dementia that will kill us, Danik is getting closer to the others, and the Necromorphs are getting bolder. We can't risk letting Danik turn on the machine. One of us will have to stay here with these two."

"Ah'll do it." Applebloom said. "She's one of ma'h best friends, and she needs me now. Yall go, we'll be fine."

"Stay safe." Isaac said as he, the guard, and Babs began to walk away.

"Ah will." Applebloom mumbled as she looked at her charred friend and Nexus.

Isaac and others

Isaac pressed the holographic button on the door, it slid to the side and a small puff of warm air hit them. Letting it close behind them, they both stood in silence as the machine turned to open on the other side.

"She'll be... She'll be fine, right Isaac?" The guard said not looking at him. "We'll get through this? All of us?"

Before Isaac could respond, Daniks voice came through the speaker. Babs and Isaac both gripped their weapons tighter once he started speaking.

"A little trivia, Isaac," he said. "To put things into perspective. Fact: The original Marker, the Black Marker found on Earth, predates the rise of mankind. Are you listening to this?"

"I wish I wasn't." Isaac muttered and momentarily took aim at the speaker. "Not worth the ammo."

"Fact:" Danik began again as the door opened. "The Marker exerts a field of influence that guides and grows biological organisms, evolving them over time towards some greater purpose. Do you see where this is going?" He asked as if he could hear Isaac answer.

"I know where it can go," the guard muttered and got a nod from Isaac. "Right down his blowhole-mouth and then back up his ass. I'll send a few bullets too."

"Not before I shoot him a few times." Isaac said. "We still need that last piece. Come on, we should be able to beat Danik before his lackeys get to it first."

Stepping into the hall they'd previously been in, the floor was still streaked with the grime and boot prints they had left behind. Babs, sticking out her hoof, let the small locator run to the left and into the base of the Biology sector's door.

"The fuck is all this?" The guard muttered looking at the Corruption spread across the walls and floor. "And that thing on the floor?" He asked aiming his Pulse rifle at a Cyst pulsating quietly on a mound of Corruption.

"You're going to want to shoot that from a distance," Isaac said watching the yellow pustule fly into the air when the guard shot it. "They shoot explosive pus sacs."

"That's disgusting." He said watching the Cyst leak an orange fluid. "Right up there with being covered in frozen crap."

Stepping onto the fleshy mat, a puff of rancid air shot up and penetrated Isaac's helmet, passing through the filters and into his suit. He coughed from the old smell, but managed to get it under control, letting his body become accustomed to the foul air again. Babs and the guard weren't as lucky, they both were on their knees, coughing and spitting onto the mat.

"Don't worry," Isaac said. "The smell isn't the worst part. It's getting stuck in it while a trio of Slashers try and kill you."

He moved forward, letting Babs and the guard become accustomed to the air while he dealt with the other Cysts scattered around the hall.

Shooting another one in front of him, he pulled out the melting rod from it and threw it onto a Cyst hanging from the wall to his left. It shot out a pustule which he caught in his kinesis and let it slam back into the Cyst. Shouldering his way past a large growth of Corruption on the wall opposite to the dead Cyst, he shoulder the large weapon in his hand past and shot the Cyst on the floor.

With a bolt sticking out of it, Isaac was taking a step when a squishing from behind drew his attention. Slinging his gatling gun behind him, he heard a startled gasp before he saw the guard with his hands raised.

"Relax, relax, it's only us." The guard said shouldering past the Corruption while Babs walked by. "The Necromorphs are the ones you should point that end at."

"Sorry," Isaac said listening to a Cyst detonating up ahead. "I didn't know if it was you. Much less a human, or a pony."

Continuing on without hearing the guard's reply, Isaac spared a glance at the dead Cyst and Babs looting a locker by it. Stepping into the small booth a few steps head, he and the guard looked at the controls, and seeing the large touchscreen with a suggestion to release gas, the guard brought Babs in and Isaac pressed the command.

When no gas came out, Isaac and the guard both looked at the door to the side of the booth and entered. They were in a dark room with only their visors and the lift's light across from the illuminate the room. Letting the bar of the lift raise to let the two humans pass, Babs jumped up and pressed the small holo-deck to make it go down.

Partway down, Lurkers came out from vents on the wall and in the darkness, began to shoot at the two humans who were already aiming at them.

Isaac shot a rocket into the dimly lit room and waited for the bright flash. When it hit the wall, pieces of concrete came down with a Lurker that managed to catch itself on a lower part of the wall, but Isaac had already fired another rocket that, like the last one, sent concrete and half a Lurker coming down, sizzling with acid.

The guard was using controlled busts from his Pulse rifle, watching the Lurker occasionally be struck with a high pitched screech or to be illuminated by the bullets hitting the wall. As it was illuminated again, he kept his finger on the trigger and with a chorus of screeches and flesh ripping, the Lurker lost its two front legs and fell the rest of the way down, landing on a rail cutting it in half from the impact.  

The lift set down to a brightly lit floor, two Lurkers on the floor bleeding profusely, and a large console of controls leading to a large tank with a skull and crossbones on it.

Isaac, getting onto his knees, opened a small panel in the middle of the console and began to move the switches around. Having it spark a few times, the pistons on the tank finally began moving while the lift remained active. Getting back on the left, the three of them held their weapons up in case any more Lurkers decided to attack them. When none came out from the shadows, they relaxed as the lift stopped and allowed them to exit back into the hall before.

Making sure Babs was in the booth, the guard lifted her up so she could watch the gas as Isaac pressed the command to release the gas.

The outside darkened considerably, and a flame-orange gas began pouring out of vents, burning any of the Corruption it touched along with the dead Cysts. At one point, the windows were covered with it while a high-pitched screaming rang out through the hall. Once the gas dissipated, the door re-opened letting them back out, while it let a foul cloud of burnt-smelling air in.

"It smells like burnt dog meat out here." Isaac said breathing in the burnt air.

"How do you know what that smells like?" The guard asked listening to the crunching he made whenever his boots went over a hollow piece of Corruption.

"It was a different outbreak," Isaac said. "A bus caught on fire and a dog managed to get out, but it was already on fire. A friend of mine killed her, a clean shot to the head, straight from the roof of a building we were on. You could smell it from up there, that god awful smell. It couldn't even cry out for more than a few seconds before the smoke choked it so bad and the heat burned her throat."

Babs and the guard said nothing while they went to the door that had been previously guarded by the wall hanging Cyst. Going in, a small hall that forked into two different paths. Going through the right one, the three entered a room made for a mad scientist.

Another vacuum was on the right was in the wall, brain graphs of an alien were stationed on screens hanging from a large wall of machinery, a leaper, looking like it had been embedded in the left wall hung there by the impressions in the metal. Going further in, past the Leaper, more X-rays were in front of them, all of them of different shapes and sizes, with most of them looking similar to the Necromorph's appendages if it weren't for the smoothness.

Turning the corner, a sickening wailing rang out as a Guardian spewed Swarm at them. The small spider-like Necromorph quickly went to a nearby corpse, burrowed into it in a spray of blood and was forcing it to stand up when Isaac killed it and the Guardian with a rocket.

"After you." Isaac said extending his hand.

The guard shook his head and went back to the Leaper, Babs went ahead, looking at the X-rays littering the wall. Isaac took the piece of Rosetta in his kinesis, holding the piece on front of him he was turning the corner when the guard suddenly yelled out and two Wasters came out from the vents, one walking towards Isaac and the other knocking the guard through the wall.

Babs, making quick work of the Waster, allowed Isaac to rush to the hole along with the piece of Rosetta. Looking through, he dropped the frozen body parts to look outside.

The guard, standing on a block of ice connected to a ruptured pipe, was looking at Isaac and the torrent of water rushing past him, sending team up as it flowed over the ice. Looking out, Isaac saw the crater more than half a kilo-meter away with similar rivers flowing into it.

"What the hell are you doing!?" The guard yelled at him as his block began to crack. "Get that piece to Ellie, make the Codex, stop Danik!"

"You can climb up," Isaac said looking back to send a barrage of acid-coated spikes into another waster. "Come on!"

"No, Isaac," the guard said stepping onto the loose ice block. "The building is coming down and if I move any more than this, I'll be swept away. Besides, there's something in the water. Now go!" He yelled, firing into the ice out of Isaac's view, causing more water to come pouring out.

Isaac watched as the guard suddenly aware of what was about to happen, dived off his block and into the river and disappeared over the waterfall when the water came rushing out. The floor began to feel loose so, taking the piece back again, Isaac put it in the vacuum and helped Babs get through the Wasters and out the door again.

"Okay, Ellie, another one coming your way." Isaac said over the comm while the floor behind him began to give out to the water rushing under it.

"Isaac, these slices... are you sure this is Rosetta?" Ellie asked uncertainly.

"Only one way to find out." He said making it under the door and onto concrete, safe from the metal floor panels that were gone now. "Let's keep going." He said to Ellie and Babs.

Babs, after Isaac got up, stuck out her hoof and the hologram led them to the small lift by them. Stepping onto it, Isaac pressed the button, looking at the door they had just come through, looking until he couldn't see it anymore.

The guard

Floating in the water, the guard shook off the initial shock of getting tumbled in the water as he had gone over the rim of the crater. Swimming up without his Pulse rifle, the weapon having been lost on his way down, he swam up to the mildly disturbed surface. Coming up by a large piece of ice, a small island in the crater, he hoisted himself up and took off his helmet and boots to pour out the water, fresh as it might be, it would still freeze quickly in the arctic air.

"Damn," he said slipping his accessories back on. "Looks like that blast must have traveled up the pipes and melted some of the ice. Looks like the buildings are coming down too." He said observing a room come crashing down with the water.

Looking around, the crater was a quarter of the way full and the water didn't seem to be letting up either. Scanning the ridges and sides, he saw the stone had melted in smooth patches, nothing to grab onto and nothing not covered in water. Going to the edge of his island, he cupped his hands and took in some of the alien water, feeling it, strangely warm his teeth. Looking by his edge, he saw one of the waterfalls pouring in further than some of the others, closer to him.

Taking in a few more handfuls, he gave a small belch and put his helmet back on. Sitting down, he was looking around when the water behind him suddenly started to swish unnaturally. Getting up, his breath caught in his throat when a Regenerator, the back half of it burned down to the ankles, was breaking the ice to crawl up. Its limbs weren't regenerating, from the extensive burning it had received, so it arms nearly gave out whenever it made a pull towards him.

"Well, look who it is." He said. "The fucking grim reaper himself, come to kill me in a giant alien cereal bowl." The guard muttered picking up some slush to throw at the Regenerator.

As he was leaning down for a third handful, something else came out of the water next to him. It flew through the air, spinning until it slid to his feet on the ice. Picking up his Pulse rifle, he aimed it at the Regenerator's arms and pulled the trigger, satisfied when a spray of bullets tore off an arm, he took aim at the head.

"This is about the best Tiedmann ever did," he said pulling the trigger and blowing the Regenerator's head off. "Giving us weapons to kill other things without weapons."

As its body lay there, the arm he had shot off came back in a spray of blood along with the head. Now, with a fully regenerated arm and head, it cut off its other arm before it too came back. Now, with two fully functioning arms, it began to quickly crawl towards him.

As he pulled the trigger, he held it until the clip went empty, but before he could reload, the Regenerator was almost on him. Attempting to back away, he bumped into something, something that grabbed him by the shoulders with in-human long fingers that passed him overhead to another and another that set him down. Looking in front of him, he saw a whole row of humanoid creatures coming out from the water, their lamprey-like mouths making sounds like a walrus with each amphibious breath they took.

He was about to club the one in front of him when he saw the ones ahead were tearing the Regenerator's arms off and eventually throwing it into the water before it could grow them back to attack.

Now, with no threat, the creatures all looked toward the guard as he held his rifle protectively.

"Hey, weird bunch of mermaids," he said. "Uh, thanks for... that. You wouldn't know how I can get back up, do you? Up there?" He asked pointing to the rim of the crater.

Two of the larger ones, grabbing him faster than he could react, pulled him into the water but kept him above the surface as they swam to the wall of the crater like a pair of twin torpedoes.

Slowing down so that he wouldn't be harmed, the creatures spit out a light green, nearly translucent gel-like slime onto their narrow fingers. Placing each hand opposite to the other one, they gradually climbed up with the guard dangling below them. They slowly made their way up, and ofter a few minutes of brisk climbing, the creatures hoisted him up and set him on snow again.

Before he could turn to thank them, the two creatures were already sliding back down the edge to the rest of their group, which was now converging on the island he was previously on.

"Alien mermaids," he said. "The others aren't going to believe this. Where ever they are."

Applebloom, Nexus, and Sweetiebelle

Nexus, letting the bones on the right side of his body slowly re-arrange themselves, sat by Sweetiebelle. The Unimorph's, coat was growing back in patches and locks where the color was beginning to return. Her body was healed, except for some major muscles that had been liquified and absorbed slowly back into her system while the skin grew over it, slowing the regrowth of those muscles down.

Applebloom, sitting opposite to Nexus, occasionally glanced over at her friend, but each time she did, a bloodied emerald green eye looked back, and occasionally a smile without any lips was there too.

"Ah wish this nightmare would end," she said. "Here, and in Equestria. Except, it ain't started there yet, has it? Tiedmann'll find a way to make more Markers; he's already stolen the basic minerals for one, just not the equipment to make one. Ah hope the others are havin' better luck than us."

Norton, Scootaloo, Danik, and Old Age Unitologsts

'Kill them! Just start lobbing grenades!' Scootaloo mentally shouted towards Norton. 'Say the word and I'll just smash them with a tentacle, just one swipe and it's all over.'

'No, not until Danik lets his guard down. He already distrusts me, after the whole him betraying me fiasco, he thinks I'm just pretending to get close to him. He's using me, again, and he knows I'm up to something. He thinks I would-wouldn't... Oh god, that noise. What's that noise?'

'Noise? Norton, I don't hear anything.' Scootaloo replied. 'Norton?'

Danik, turning around, watched silently as Norton staggered,leaned against the wall and put a gloved hand, clutching a grenade, up to his nose as he sneezed out a stream of blood that trickled for a minute before stopping, leaving a stain down his lips and chin. Looking at his hand, he slowly stood back up, blearily, looking around until his eyes focused again.

"Something the matter?" Danik asked. "You're not going to drop dead on us, are you, Norton?"

"N-No..." He said shaking his head. "What was that? That noise? It was like screaming, and ringing, and explosions going off in my head. It felt like someone was in my head, and it sounded like that too, above everything I heard someone else. I-I think it was Buckell? Austin... He's dead though, he's been dead, I'm sure of it."

"The voice of the Marker," Danik said looking at the blood dripping onto the floor. "It's voice being sent to you in a form that you are comfortable with. I often at times hear the too, I see the faces of the dead, hundreds of them, thousands. Possibly even a million, and I'm determined to see seven more in the vast ocean of blood that fills my vision, my ears, my mind, deafening all around me except for its guidance and wisdom."

"I... It didn't look like the Austin I knew, it looked sad, pleading with me." Norton said. "He told me to stop the others from making the Codex, to destroy it after it's been used. But he didn't say what was supposed to be used, the Codex or the Machine."

"I would assume the Codex," Danik said. "Seeing as how it's what's keeping the Machine off and the Marker's creations from spreading off this cold, alien, Garden of Eden. The home of the Markers, the birthplace of humanity's ascendance, the garden in which they grow."

'Yeah, and God also made weeds.' Norton thought, slowly following Danik as the man began moving again. 'Scootaloo, do you know what happened?'

'You're a dead man Norton.' Scootaloo said. 'You have the same form of dementia as me, Isaac, and the others had on Titan. We're to far away to get help, the only way to save yourself is either to pull a pin on a grenade, or destroy the Marker here.'