By Terrarian Pony
WARNING: Content of this story may include violence, gore, romance, same gender romance, ponies, references to several video games, and possibly PINKIE PIE! If anypony is offended by any of the content listed above, than please turn back now. You have been warned.
Story:
Terrarian Pony presents...
Subponica
Episode 8
Under Chase
...
(Oscar's PDA: audio recording #1)
Oscar:" I can't believe you talk me into this."
Marry:" Oh please. If you didn't think moving deeper was a good idea, you wouldn't have agreed with me."
Oscar:" We're closer than ever to the warpers! I swear they've been chasing us. Tracking and hunting us down for sport."
Marry:" Maybe. Or maybe they just don't agree with us on this planet, and they want us to leave."
Oscar:" Yes, well that's not going to happen until we can find a way to call for help. It's not like we're going to get a signal down here."
Marry:" Well we already tried back at the island. Nopony is coming for us. We'll just have to survive down here for the rest of our lives."
(End of audio recording)
...
Clover:" Hey Simon... I was wandering..."
Simon:" Whatever it is, the answer is probably no. And I am currently busy maintaining the base."
Clover:" Well, I just wanted to know what... what you think of me, personally."
Simon:" Let's see... you're an optimist, you're naive, despite your past as a cop, and you're wasting my time."
Clover:" Not really what I was hoping for."
Simon:" Yes. Life is full of disappointment, isn't it?"
Clover:" I was thinking... what has made you so... indifferent?"
Simon:" And what exactly is your definition of 'indifferent'?"
Clover:" Well you're always, you know, whatever and all that. You don't really share your opinions on what you think is right or wrong."
Simon:" Because there is no such thing."
Clover:" Is that really what you believe?"
Simon:" Yes. What is this all about?"
Clover:" Have you ever... loved somepony?"
Simon stopped what he was doing. For a moment he felt frozen in time.
...
Simon was in the process of delivering the mail for ponies in Ponyville. It wasn't something he thought he'd be doing for very long, just a temporary job. He had just started today, but he'd already memorized the entire route around Ponyville. Next up was a certain fun loving, party planning, pink pony.
Pinkie:" Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! It's here! The decorations for Twilight's 'Welcome back to Ponyville, after four years in space creating galactic diplomatic alliances for the ensured satety of Equestria' party!"
Simon:" Uh... okay. Here's your package by the way."
Pinkie:" Ooooooh! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Oh, and before you leave, why don't you stop and have a cupcake?"
Simon:" Uh, no thanks. I've got other mail to deliver."
Pinkie:" Aw come on. Please! I made some myself! Oh pretty, pretty pleeeeaaase!?"
Simon:" Okay, okay. I'll come in, but just one cupcake."
Pinkie:" Yay!"
Simon went into Pinkie's house, and the place smelled of such delicious treats, though Simon wasn't really a fan of sugar. Pinkie brought out a plate full of pastel cupcakes.
Pinkie:" Pick your favorite!"
Simon took a cupcake, and bit into it. To his surprise, it wasn't bad at all.
???:" Mom? Who is it?"
The voice came from a pink teenage mare, with a green dyed ponytail mane, and a cutie mark of a vanilla cake, and three puffs of confetti surrounding it.
Pinkie:" Oh, Sugar Pie. You should come down and meet Simon! I bet he'd really like to meet you!"
Simon:" Um... excuse me, but... how do you know my name?"
Sugar Pie:" Hello Simon. It's uh... n-nice meet you."
Simon blushed at the sight of Sugar Pie. At that very moment, the world was just a blurr, and the only thing he saw clearly was her.
Simon:" Uh... um..."
Sugar tilted her head with a small, gentle smile.
Sugar Pie:" What's wrong?"
She lifted a hoof to her face, touching both her cheeks.
Sugar Pie:" Is there some frosting on my face? I get that a lot."
Simon:" N-no. Not at all. I'm just... uh... not a big talker. Never know what to say."
Sugar Pie:" Oh, well neither do I. I'm not nearly as social as my mom. You don't have any friends, do you?"
Simon:" No... not really."
Sugar blushed, with a nervous smile.
Sugar Pie:" Well in that case, maybe... I can be your first?"
...
Simon snapped out of it.
Simon:" No."
Clover:" Never?"
Simon:" Clover... I just want to be alone."
Clover:" O-oh. I'm sorry. I just... I'll go."
Clover left to the scanner room, to see if there are any ores to nearby. Simon sighed, and went back to keeping the base maintained.
...
(Oscar's PDA: audio recording #2)
Oscar:" Can't you see, we're sick!"
Marry:" So what are we going to do about it? I can go and bring back some fish for that kid o' yours to study. They seem to have somehow survived this disease longer than we have."
Bakey:" No, no. We can't just kill the fish. I'll need them alive if I'm going to study. That's the only way I'll get any good results."
Marry:" I didn't say we had to kill 'em. Just bring back."
(End of audio recording)
...
A green pegasus stallion, with a green mane, and a tree for a cutie mark, was exploring the cavern the mountain island. Terrarian Pony had only explored the dry parts of the cavern, but he found a large archway. He wasn't too sure, but it looked like some kind of inactive portal. He was speaking into his PDA as it was recording his voice, and the various noises around the island.
Terrarian:" This arch looks familiar to some of those movies you see back in Equestria. It also looks like it requires some kind of power source. But what?"
Terrarian came out of the cavern, and into the broad daylight. He looked towards the alien tower.
Terrarian:" Still, I'd like to find a way into that tower. I wander if there is another way in."
Terrarian spread his wings, and took off over towards the tower. He looked towards the beach entrance, and saw that it was actually open now.
Terrarian:" That's strange. It wasn't like that before. Maybe I should have a look inside."
...
(Oscar's PDA: audio recording #3)
Oscar:" Is that a... a leviathan!?"
Bakey:" You killed it?"
Marry:" Relax. It's just incapacitated."
Oscar:" How did you manage to bring it here!? How!? Why!?"
Marry:" You wanted a larger specimen, this is as large as I could find."
Bakey:" I didn't mean bring something that could eat us whole."
Oscar:" Just look at the size of those mandibles! What were you thinking!?"
Marry:" Your welcome."
(End of audio recording)
...
Sapphire and Ruby were in their bedroom.
Ruby:" I can't wait 'til the egg hatches. I just know it's gonna be super cute!"
Sapphire:" I know. Simon says it won't hatch. But I bet he's wrong."
Jesse:" I'm with Simon on this one. It is a very old specimen of an egg. I doubt that even if it does hatch, it won't last very long."
Sapphire:" *Sarcastic* Oh well, it's confirmed. It won't hatch. Just because the talking computer says so. Computers never lie, after all."
Jesse:" Very funny."
Ruby:" Hey Sapphire? Um..."
Sapphire:" What's up?"
Ruby:" I've been thinking... I mean, I'm confident we'll make it off this planet alive, but... in case we don't I just wanted to say..."
Sapphire gently grabbed her shoulders, coming nose-to-nose with her with a knowing and loving smile. Ruby blushed wildly.
Sapphire:" Hey, we're gonna get off this planet alive no matter what. I promise you that. Got it?"
Ruby:" Uh... y-yes. I know."
Sapphire's lips touched Ruby's for a slight moment, and Sapphire let go of her.
Sapphire:" Now, what did you want to say?"
Ruby:" I just... well... I want to... Will you marry me?"
Sapphire was utterly shocked. She honestly didn't expect that.
Sapphire:" You... you want to..."
Ruby:" Seeing as either of us proposed in Equestria, why not plan a wedding here, on this planet, on the floating island? It would be wonderful, wouldn't it? So I ask..."
Ruby pulled out a make-shift golden hoof bracelet, with a diamond wedged inside. Sapphire was blushing profusely.
Ruby:" Will you marry me, Sapphire Sea?"
Sapphire was practically in tears. Her emotions were so uncontainable, she threw herself onto Ruby.
Sapphire:" Y-yes... yes, I will marry you, Ruby Rest!"
Ruby:" R-really? You will?"
Sapphire:" Yes! I love you... I... I want to be with you forever! Even if that means staying on this planet with you forever. Whenever I die, I want to be with you when it happens."
Ruby:" Even though you know why I am asking?"
Sapphire:" It doesn't matter. I don't want to lose this opportunity either. I love you, and that will never change."
Ruby:" I-I love you, too."
And for a while, they had a silent moment all to themselves, until suddenly...
Habitat:" WARNING: Unauthorized entry. Take precautionary measures."
Ruby:" Unauthorized entry? Who could that be?"
Sapphire:" Argyle is still alive. It might be him. We need to see what's going on."
They were about to run for the bulkhead door leading to the hallway, when suddenly there was a flash of light, and a warper appeared out of thin air. It was using it's tentacles to walk in their dry base. And it was muttering something incomprehensible.
Jesse:" Translation: Targets aquired. Commencing extermination."
Sapphire:" W-warper! Watch out for it's scythes!"
The warper raised it's scythe arms, and both ponies dodged it's attack. It teleported again, and this time landed on top of Sapphire.
Sapphire:" Help!"
Brine, Simon, and Clover rushed into the room, but only after the warper had stabbed Sapphire in the shoulder.
Ruby:" No!"
Ruby leapt onto the warper's back, wrapped her hooves around it's neck, and tried to choke it. The warper teleported again, this time taking Ruby with it, and suddenly she was underwater. It used one of it's tentacles to fling her off. Aggravated, the warper started shooting teleportation orbs at her. She kept dodging them, so instead it shot a teleportation orb next to her. From the orb, rose a reaper leviathan. It was the same reaper that Ruby had injured back near the Aurora. It took one glance at Ruby, roared as loud as it could, and began swimming after her, breaking parts of their base in pursuit of her. One thing was for sure. It remembered.
Eventually, Ruby swam up as fast as she could for air, and the reaper followed her. It rose up behind her, and she was quick to put her rebreather on, and duck back under. Suddenly, the stalkers got involved, and began attacking the reaper. One of them bit down hard on the reaper's tail, causing it to scream in pain. Another bit down on it's bottom left mandible, and a last stalker tackled it from beneath. Everypony else raced out of the habitat and saw the scene. The reaper screamed again, then Ruby saw the knife that she left stuck in it's eye last time, and she gasped.
Ruby:" Stalkers! Hold it in place!"
The other two that weren't holding it's mandibles, went over, and grabbed the reaper by it's mandibles, and it struggled, helplessly. Ruby swam up to the reaper's face, and it screamed at her.
Ruby:" Look! I know your upset! You have every right to be! But you attacked the pony I love, and I had to defend her!"
The reaper screamed once more, this time even angrier.
Ruby:" I'm sorry I cost you a limb, and an eye... I didn't want too, but... please, let make it up to you. I can help you get over this. Just let me help."
Ruby slowly swam towards it's face.
Sapphire:" Be careful Ruby!"
Ruby:" It's okay... I know how angry you are. I know what it's like... I'm sorry I did this... but let me help you."
Ruby gently placed her hoof on the reaper's head beneath it's horn, and it began to calm. After Ruby was sure it was no longer hostile, she swam over to it's bad eye to take a look.
Ruby:" Oh my... I'm so sorry. Here, let me help."
Ruby grasped the knife firmly with her hooves, while casting a pain killer spell on the reaper's face. She pulled as hard she could, and finally got the knife out. The reaper screamed one more time, and Ruby thought it was going to attack. But instead, it rubbed it's it's good side up against her in a comforting, and forgiving manner. Then it turned to the warper, and screamed at it. The warper, overwhelmed and outnumbered as it was, teleported away to safety.
Ruby hugged the reaper's bottom left mandible.
Ruby:" Thanks reaper. I'm sorry about last time. I hope this makes up for it."
The reaper let out a roar, and began to swim away.
Sapphire:" Well what do you know? You were actually able to reason with it!"
Simon:" In all my years, I would have never done something so..."
Ruby:" So... what?"
Simon:" Stupidly and idiotically amazing."
Clover:" Hey! Simon actually managed to give half a compliment."
Brine:" Good job, Ruby! That was awsome! I-I don't think could have ever done that though."
Ruby:" It was... but I still feel really horrible for I did to that poor thing."
Sapphire:" I think you more than redeemed yourself, Ruby. I'm just glad you got out of that alive."
Brine:" And the warper is gone. That's a plus."
Sapphire:" But guys, you do know what this means, right?"
Simon:" That we're being followed now. The warpers will be looking for us."
Sapphire:" Right, and we need to make sure that we're well prepared for next time. Now let's head back and fix the base."
...
After a few hours, they were able to take apart the broken pieces of the base using the habitat builder, and use the scraps to repair it.
...
Sapphire:" Aw man, I'm tired. Today has been such a crazy fiasco."
Ruby:" Tell me about it. I thought the reaper would rip my face off after I pulled the knife out. I never meant for my actions to go that far though."
They both plopped tiredly on their double bed.
Sapphire:" Hey Rubes... I'm glad you asked to marry me. When do we tell the others, though?"
Ruby:" We'll tell them tomorrow if you want. I'm just... *yawn* really tired, right now... mmm."
Sapphire:" I hear ya. Goodnight, my love."
Ruby:" Goodnight dear."
Before they dozed off, Sapphire gave ruby a kiss on the cheek.
...
The next morning, Sapphire was getting a call from Ruby on her PDA.
Sapphire:" Ruby, it's barely dawn. Why are you up so earl-..."
Ruby:" It's happening! Sapphire, you and everypony else has got to get down to that hatchery!"
...
Everypony came to the alien containment room, where an excited Ruby Rest was being restless.
Ruby:" Guys! It's hatching!"
Clover:" Wow!"
Simon:" Woop-dee-doo-da."
Brine:" I can't wait to see what it is!"
Sapphire said nothing as the top of the egg popped off, and the tiny face of a grey pony, with a green mane, came crawling out of it, big, green eyes staring at all of them. It also had sharp teeth.
Ruby:" It's... it's a pony? It could drown! We have to..."
Sapphire:" Hold on a minute! Look!"
They all saw what looked like... gills, on it's face. The small pony crawled out of it's egg, and revealed... a shark tail. The design on it's back was of a bunch glowing blue lines, and symbols.
Picture by Comicwing
Ruby gasped.
Ruby:" I get it. It's a shark pony!"
Simon:" But that's... that's impossible. Shark ponies aren't supposed to be real... are they?"
Clover:" It sure looks real to me."
Sapphire:" Ruby, since you're the medical expert, you should check it out first, to see if it's healthy. And tell us it's a colt or a filly. Just... don't scare the baby. Okay?"
Ruby:" What, me? Scare a baby? Never."
Clover:" No offence, Rubes, but we all know how you get around foals. I can tell you now, they don't always feel the same about you."
Ruby:" That kinda hurts."
Sapphire:" Just... be gentle."
Ruby:" Will do."
Ruby opened the hatch to the alien containment, which began pooring water through, which the habitat began to drain and recycle back to the containment automatically. The shark pony looked up at her skeptically, and with a bit of fear. But all that went away, when Ruby swam down to the foal's level, and laid her belly on the wet sand, making herself look just as small as the shark pony foal. Ruby waved her right hoof.
Ruby:" Hi there. It's okay. I'm here to check your health."
Ruby lifted a hoof to the foal's nose, and tapped it, triggering a giggling response from the foal.
Ruby:" Laughter. That's a good sign of trust. Now come here, and I can give you a check up."
The foal willingly swam over into Ruby's hooves.
Ruby:" Let's see... guys! It's a filly!"
Sapphire:" How's her health?"
Ruby:" I don't know. I'd need to use my equipment outside of the tank. And I don't know if she needs water to survive."
Sapphire:" I don't think that will be an issue. She's mostly pony, so she should be able to breath our air, right?"
Ruby:" It may not even work like that."
Simon:" Not that any of you will listen to my advice, but... try letting her out for a few minutes to see she can breath outside the water."
Sapphire:" He's right. If she starts experiencing negative affects, we'll send her right back into the tank."
Ruby:" I don't know..."
Sapphire:" Ruby, trust us. It won't take more than at the most tweny seconds."
Ruby:" Okay."
Ruby came out with the filly in hoof. Immediately upon being surrounded by so many ponies, the filly began to to feel scared.
Clover:" Daw, I think she's frightened."
Sapphire:" She's not familiar with the world around her. We should give her as much space as possible."
Clover:" Simon, is that... a smile on your face?"
Simon instantly scrunched his nose, and soffed.
Simon:" Wh-what? N-no. No, of course not."
Blushing, Simon began fixing the position of his glasses.
Simon:" I-I'm going to be in the scanner room if anypony needs me."
Brine:" Daw, I knew deep down, Simon had a heart."
Simon:" Don't patronize me. I wasn't smiling, I was just... I was... I wasn't smiling."
Clover stared at him, with a smile of her own as he walked away.
Ruby:" I'm going to take our little filly here to my medical lab. I'll make sure she's under the best care. Nothing will come to harm her."
Sapphire:" I'll come with you. I'd like to make sure she gets to know both of us."
Ruby:" Oh yeah, she's going to want parents who can help her if she ever gets into any problems. It'll be easier for her once we become official."
Clover:" Official?"
Ruby:" Oops. I guess I kinda..."
Sapphire:" Spoiled the surprise. Rubes and I... are engaged."
Clover did everything she could, to contain her excitement in front of the shark pony filly, who was now clinging onto Ruby for comfort.
Clover:" You guys... I can't believe it's actually going to happen! Eeee!"
Ruby:" I better get the new girl to my lab. I want to see if she has any trace of the Kharaa bacterium in her."
Clover:" Is that officially what we're calling it now?"
Sapphire:" That's what Ruby's PDA refered to it as."
...
Ruby:" I have good news guys. Our filly is clean, and healthy. No trace of the Kharaa bacterium."
Sapphire:" That's good news... but I'm guessing there is a downside."
Ruby:" Yes. I've scanned her, and it seems she is the last of her kind. Which means any family she would have had before the disease outbreak, weren't able to adapt to the virus like most of the species on this planet. She is not immune to the Kharaa bacterium, i'm afraid, or else the rest of her kind would have survived longer."
Clover:" That's so sad."
Brine:" I guess we're the only ones she has now. We'll have to watch out for her and make sure she doesn't go outside the base."
Simon:" It also means we have something to keep fighting for. If we don't find a cure... if we don't survive... she'll... she'll have nopony."
Ruby:" I'll stay back and watch after her. I am a medical pony after all, and she'll need somepony like me to watch over her. Also, I want her to think of me and Sapphire as her mothers."
Brine:" Makes sense."
Sapphire:" Alright. Simon, have you been able to fully upgrade the seamoth."
Simon:" You mean have I fully upgraded it's depth? Yes. It can go up to 900 meters before crushing underwater."
Sapphire:" We'll have to go much further. Is there anyway we upgrade the cyclops to go even further?"
Simon:" Well yes, but we'd have to go much deeper to find the materials. I'll need a plasteel ingot and three rubies to make the mk.I depth module for the cyclops."
Sapphire:" Plasteel?"
Simon:" 1 titanium ingot, 2 lythium."
Sapphire:" Got it. That should be easy since we have enough for all of that. What will the mk.II depth module need?"
Simon:" 1 mk.I cyclops depth module, 1 plasteel ingot, and three nickel."
Sapphire:" N-nickel?"
Brine:" Isn't that going to be extremely hard to find?"
Simon:" Harder than urananite, my dear boy."
Sapphire:" Okay... well, I guess it's time we take the full depth seamoth upgrade out for a spin, huh?"
Simon:" Oh, by the way. In case you were interested, I did find another seabase from pegasee survivors, while using the prawn suit. I didn't stay long to check it out, though."
Sapphire:" Might check it out later. Right now, I'm not very interested in the fate of the pegasee survivors. I think it's safe to say they're dead. Killed by a reaper leviathan."
Simon:" Alright then."
Ruby:" I need to go see how the new member of our crew is doing. She's probably still really scared."
Sapphire:" I'll go with you."
...
Sapphire was holding the shark pony filly in her forehooves, as the filly stared up at her. Sapphired smiled, already feeling an attachment to the filly.
Sapphire:" I was thinking, we'll need a name for her."
Ruby:" You're right. Well, what do you think?"
Sapphire:" Well... I don't know. She's got really pretty green eyes. What about Emerald?"
Ruby:" Emerald?"
Sapphire:" I wander what she thinks about it. How's Emerald sound?"
The filly started making happy noises, indicating a positive reaction. Ruby smiled warmly.
Ruby:" Alright then. We'll call her Emerald Sea. I think it's fitting to use your last name, since she's a shark pony."
Jesse:" Ma'am..."
Sapphire:" What is it, Jesse?"
Jesse:" Remember when you had Simon tweak my programming yesterday to scan for any signals of advanced magical capability, in the event of warper teleportation near the seabase?"
Sapphire:" Yes?"
Jesse:" I am picking up multiple high magical frequencies from the surrounding area. I fear the last warper that had escaped had called for back up."
Sapphire:" Ruby. Take Emerald, and hide somewhere in the seabase where they'll never find you."
Ruby:" Got it."
As Sapphire was giving Emerald to Ruby, the filly gave Sapphire a scared glance, as if she knew something was wrong.
Sapphire:" It's alright. I promise we'll see each other again. Don't you worry."
Sapphire kissed the worried filly on the forehead. Ruby ran with Emerald in the other direction, while Sapphire went to meet with the rest of the crew.
Sapphire:" Everypony, listen up! Jesse has picked multiple magical frequencies in the area. The warpers are onto us. Whatever they want from us, they aren't going to ask nicely. We need a plan to get rid of them, even if that does mean resorting to violence."
Brine:" I-I... I've... n-never been in a fight before. I-I usually just let the tougher ponies b-beat on me until they get bored."
Sapphire grasped his shoulders, and looked him in the eyes.
Sapphire:" Well that ends today. You've got to show you're not giving up without a fight, because these warpers, aren't your typical bullies. They'll kill you, so either stand up to them, or die trying."
Clover:" We'll do it for freedom!"
Simon:" For freedom!"
Brine:" F-for freedom!"
Sapphire:" That's what I like to here! Now let's put on our gear. Their territory may be in the water, but we're more vulnerable in the enclosed space of the seabase. So fighting in the water is our best option."
Simon:" Let's go then. We'll have to use all the equiptment at our disposal."
...
As they got outside the seabase, they saw that three warpers have already engaged in combat with somepony. Said pony was a yellow pegasus mare, with with a black and yellow striped mane, and was using a magical staff to fight back. The staff was shooting small, blue beams out at the warpers. One of the warpers caught her in a choke hold, giving her vulnerability towards the other warpers. As one of the warpers raised it's pointing limb, Sapphire raced in with her seaglide in the grip of her teeth, and a survival knife in her hoof. The seaglide knocked the warper in the head, causing it to sink to the seafloor, the other warper shot an orb at her, causing her to be teleported right within melee distance of itself. Brine yelled through his helmet, and managed to stab the warper through it's skull, killing it in a single blow.
Night Owl struggled free of the warpers grasp, and blasted the warper that held her, giving it an opportunity to escape.
Sapphire:" We need to grab that unconscious warper! I want answers from it!"
Simon:" It doesn't even speak Equestrian."
Sapphire:" The PDA was able to translate it before, so I know it can again."
Clover and Brine grabbed the unconsious warper, and began hauling it off back to the seabase.
Sapphire:" Make sure it's scythes stay far apart from eachother so it can't use it's magic."
Night Owl:" I'll have to thank you. Night Owl is my name. I appreciate the assist."
Sapphire:" You're not in the clear yet. I have some questions for you. Jesse, are there any other warpers in the area?"
Jesse:" One. It is in the same location with Ruby and Emerald."
Sapphire:" No!"
Sapphire hurried back to the seabase.
...
Ruby and Emerald were hiding in the scanner room, a warped standing right above them. They were bith scared, but Ruby was raising her survival knife at it, tears flowing rapidly from her eyes.
Ruby:" I-I won't let you harm her!"
Warper:" *Incomprehensible*."
PDA:" Translation: 1 infected. 1 uninfected. Preparing to eliminate infected individual."
Suddenly, the warper recieved a blast from Night Owl's magic staff, and another blast as soon as it turned around, and another. Ruby then stabbed the warper in it's back, killing it. When the warper collapsed, Ruby dropped the knife, and both her and Sapphire rushed over to comfort Emerald, who was now crying out of fear.
Night Owl:" What is that?"
Sapphire:" None of your concern. Thank you for helping us, but who are you, exactly? You aren't with Aurora crew, and even if you were, that is not an Alterra branded weapon. In fact, it is very illegal to carry around such a weapon on an Alterra spacecraft. So who are you, and why are you here?"
Night Owl:" I cannot divulge that information. My mission, and who I work for is classified. That's all you need to know."
Sapphire:" The heck it is. I want answers, right now."
Night Owl:" I told you, it's need to know, and you don't."
Sapphire:" Than I ask that you to get off my sea base."
Night Owl:" Your sea base?"
Sapphire:" I am acting captain of the Aurora crew at the current moment."
Night Owl:" Then you must know all about the Pegasee, don't you?"
Sapphire:" What do you know about the Pegasee?"
Night Owl:" That's classified."
Sapphire:" Dang it! Than give me something I should know about!"
Night Owl:" Fine. I'm Night Owl, as I mention before. I work for a secret Equestrian guard agency, whose name I won't divulge to any of you. My mission was to find out what really happened to the Pegasee ship that was believed to have crashed on this planet with high priority passengers Oscar and Bakey Bren."
Sapphire:" You want to know about the Pegasee survivors? Here! I have the PDAs Oscar Bren, and Marry. Marry only had one audio recording. Whatever you want to do it, just do it. I have a prisoner to interrogate."
Night Owl:" You want an interrogation? I can get you the answers faster."
Sapphire:" Thanks, but no thanks. I would rather it be a civil interrogation, rather than use brute force."
Night Owl:" Your base, your call."
...
The captured warper was chained by it's pointy limbs, and it was muttering in an incomprehensible language.
Jesse:" Translation: Unable to initiate combat. Other agents unresponsive."
Sapphire:" Now that we have you captured, you're going to tell us why you have been chasing us."
Warper:" *Incomprehensible*"
Jesse:" Translation: Familiar language pattern recognized. Translating and responding with similar language pattern."
Sapphire:" So you can speak Equestrian now?"
Warper:" Running diagnostics. This unit has obtained minor head trauma. All systems are operational. Why is this unit being held captive?"
Sapphire:" We want to know why you are trying to kill us!"
Warper:" This unit's primary objective is to eliminate all hostile threats."
Sapphire:" You attacked us? We were acting in self defense."
Warper:" All hostile threats inculde carriers of the Kharaa bacterium. This unit has been programmed to eliminate the Kharaa infection by any means necessary."
Sapphire:" So your job was to kill us in order to kill the virus?"
Warper:" Affirmative. This planet is under quarantine. Any living individual on this planet infected with the virus known as Kharaa will cease to exist."
Sapphire:" But that'll be utterly impossible to accomplish, unless you plan to kill everything on this planet."
Warper:" If that is what must be done, then this unit will stop at nothing to fulfill it's primary objective."
Sapphire:" What if we find a cure?"
Warper:" Than you will no longer be a target for this unit. This unit's primary objective is to eli-..."
Sapphire:" Elimate the Kharaa bacterium, I get it. But all other intelligent life on this planet is gone aside from us. What will you have to gain? Why don't you instead try to find a cure for the animals infected on this planet?"
Warper:" The Precursors who built this unit, had tried to obtain a cure. There was one species found immune to the Kharaa bacterium. The Sea Emporer."
Sapphire:" Precursors? Sea Emperor? Immune?"
Warper:" The Precursors who built this unit thought to extract a cure from the Sea Emporer's blood. However, the effort was futile. The Sea Emporer was too old. The Precursors would have needed to extract the blood from it's offspring, to create enzyme 42."
Sapphire:" Enzyme 42?"
Warper:" The Precursors tried to force the hatching of the Emporer's offspring. The subject did not last long. The cure could not be extracted from a dead specimen."
Sapphire:" They tried to force the hatching? That's... that's horrible."
Warper:" It was deemed necessary."
Sapphire:" It was a child! Whatever ponies built you! They were heartless!"
Warper:" Not ponies. Precursors."
Sapphire:" Whatever! What are these Precursors anyways? Some kind of race?"
Warper:" You should know. This unit was not the only being created by the Precursors."
Sapphire:" I know you're not the only... you aren't just talking about the warpers... are you?"
Warper:" The equine race. Your kind were created by the same race that created the Kharaa bacterium for research purposes."
Sapphire slammed her hooves on the warper's chest.
Sapphire:" Are you saying that this virus wasn't born by accident!?"
Warper:" Affirmative."
At that very moment, Sapphire's knowledge of reality became nothing but a thought. An illusion. A dream. She had realized that life was a lie. There was no such thing as reality. And that she... like all other ponies... was just a pawn in some creator's game.
Sapphire:" Tell me the truth... do we serve a purpose? Or are we all just expendables created by the same race who'll eventually throw us out? Tell me..."
Warper:" Your race, like all races throughout the galaxy, are tools to be used. To be bended at will. Your race, like many others, are not the perfect race."
Sapphire:" The perfect... race?"
Warper:" The Precursors who built this unit were trying to create the perfect race. That is us. We are not individual. We are united. We obey. We are the perfect race."
Sapphire couldn't help but shed tears. She sat there, alone, in front of the warper, for hours she couldn't count, just trying to process the things she just heard. Until suddenly, she heard a female voice inside her head.
???:" Lies."
Sapphire's ears perked. The warper wasn't saying anything, and nopony else was in the room.
Sapphire:" Who's there?"
Warper:" No other lifeforms present."
???:" It's all lies. The drone you speak to is only half living. Almost like the peepers who enter and leave my chamber."
Sapphire:" Y-you're... the Sea Emporer, aren't you?"
Sea Emporer:" And now you see... it was fate that brought you here. You're emotions are tied to this place. You can hear my plea. I am what you want, what you seek. I can help you, but you'll have to find and help me."
Sapphire:" You... you can help?"
Sea Emporer:" Only if you are willing to listen. That is the only way we can communicate. You are... a curious one. The ones before you suffered, because they couldn't hear me, because they didn't listen to the waves. They did not think, the way you do. But you..."
Sapphire:" What about my friends?"
Sea Emporer:" You will have to speak for me, for I cannot reach them, for they... are too lost in these waves. These waves are the only thing I can use to commune with you. Your friends are troubled. If your friends knew the waves like you do, perhaps I could commune with them."
Sapphire:" Tell me what happened?"
Sea Emporer:" I am tired. Perhaps... some other time I may commune with you once more."
Sapphire:" I will do what I can. I want to help as much as I can..."
Sea Emperor:" Yes... I can feel your desire to right the wrongs that others caused. Your spirit speaks to me, like no other. I will rest now, and I will reach out when I feel... restored."
Sapphire:" Just one more question... if you will. Is it true? Are we all just tools?"
Sea Emperor:" Only if you choose to be."
Sapphire nodded. Then turned back to the warper. It was only staring, motionlessly. Sapphire sighed, and walked out of the interrogation room.
...
Sapphire was tired. She just wanted a decent nap now. Ruby came in, holding Emerald in her hooves.
Ruby:" Hey, how was the interrogation?"
Sapphire:" It was... exausting. Long story short, the warpers are only chasing us because we're infected, and there is some Precursor race that started all of this, and it turns out that they were the creators of every planet and race in the galaxy, and we're all just the pawns. Not only that, these Precursors created the Kharaa bacterium for research purposes."
Ruby:" Wow... that's a lot to take in. Surely that's not all though."
Sapphire:" No... there is a way to cure the virus. But we have to find something called... a Sea Emporer. Apparently she's psychic, and can speak to me in my head... through waves, or something."
Ruby:" Really? Why you?"
Sapphire:" I don't know. She said I know the waves, and that's how I'm able to hear her... but I don't understand it."
Ruby:" Maybe that is why you you are leading all of us, Sapphire. Even if you do not know this planet, you still know the waves. The ocean, in a way none of us do."
Sapphire:" Thank you."
Sapphire hugged Ruby, and Emerald enjoyed the embrace as well.
Sapphire:" You know, I think we made the right decision with Emerald. I mean, we always wanted to adopt a foal of our own. I bet she's going love staying with us."
Ruby:" Yeah, but... will she be able to come with us when we go back?"
Sapphire:" Sure she will! I mean... sure we'll have to pay a fee for bringing back live specimens to Alterra, along with our... outstanding fee for Alterra property damage, not to mention Emerald will have to go through some overwhelming tests to ensure her health, and she'll need foriegner's access, and..."
Ruby:" I get it."
Sapphire:" But whatever it takes, it'll be all worth it. 'Cause she'll be our daughter, and we'll be a family. It's what we've dreaming of."
Ruby:" Yeah... I can't wait to have such a good life with her."
Emerald yawned cutely, indicating she tired.
Ruby:" Aw. How cute. I guess we better go to bed too, huh?"
Sapphire:" Heh... you're just a little ray of sunshine, aren't ya, Emmy?"
Ruby:" Emmy. That's a great nickname."
Sapphire:"I thought so too. Let's get some sleep now, though. I'm pretty tired."
Ruby:"Yeah, night Sapphire."
Sapphire:" Night Rubes. Good night little Emmy."
...
Ruby:" It's just a school dance, mom. I'm not going to fall in love with some colt, and bring him back home with me, I promise you."
Ruby and Sapphire were going to prom, and they wanted it to be one of the best nights of their lives, without letting Ruby's mother know about their relationship. Ruby wore a neat blue dress, and a rose in her mane. Ruby's mother, Coldheart Rest, was a red unicorn, with a white mane, and a cutie mark of a frozen heart.
Coldheart:" I would hope not. Celestia knows what kind of disaster that would be. Unless he's that handsome young colt, Bradey. I wouldn't mind him."
Ruby:" Ew, no. I told you, I don't like him."
There was knock at the door. Ruby ran to it too fast, but slowed her pace when she noticed her mother looking at her suspiciously. She opened the door to see Sapphire, dressed in a sparkly, red dress and standing with her mother. Sapphire's mother, Coral Sea, was a blue earth pony, with a blue mane, and a cutie mark of piece of coral with a clown fish behind it.
Sapphire:" Hey Rubes, ready?"
Ruby was blushing from the color of Sapphire's dress. She shot a glance at her mother, but Coldheart didn't seem to realize the connection.
Ruby:" Um... h-hey, Sapphire. Miss Sea."
Coral:" I'm glad you could Ruby go, I just know she my filly will have a lot of fun."
Ruby:" Heh... n-not too much fun, though. Heh..."
Coldheart gave her a suspicious glance, but rubbed it off like no big deal.
Coldheart:" Yes, well she needs to be home by 11:00."
Coral:" Not a problem. I'll be chaperoning during the entire thing."
Ruby's mother went back inside and closed the door, while Coral began to walk with both Sapphire and Ruby.
Coral:" Soooo... how do you two plan to spend your night?"
Ruby:" Oh... uh, just d-dancing. Maybe a glass of punch or two. Heheh..."
Sapphire: *Whispers*" Psst, she knows."
Ruby:" Sh-she... what!?"
Coral:" You don't think Sapphire wouldn't tell me that you two were so close? I know all about it."
Ruby:" Y-you aren't... mad?"
Coral:" Nope. I was a bit surprised when Sapphire told me, though. She talks about you all the time."
Sapphire:" N-no I don't... I-I talk about other things! It's not like I'm obsessed or anything!"
Ruby:" Hehe. Well boy, I sure hope not. I wouldn't want to go out with a pony who gets too clingy."
Coral:" Clingy? My little Sapphire? Of course not!"
Sapphire's blush matched the redness of Ruby's coat.
Ruby: *Whispers*" That's payback for not telling me earlier that she knows, and for not telling you were going to say anything."
Sapphire:" Okay, okay... I get it."
...
Emerald was getting the hang of walking on her own four hooves. She was turning out to be a quick learner. Ruby was playing with her when Sapphire walked in, wearing her diving gear.
Ruby:" Let me guess, you're going out again, aren't you?"
Sapphire:" I'll be back, promise. Have I ever let you down?"
Ruby:" Not yet, anyways."
Sapphire:" Aw c'mon Rubes. Have a little faith."
Ruby:" I do. It's just... I worry for Emerald's safety. If you're gone, everypony starts to lose hope. They look up to you, even Simon, although he won't admit it."
Sapphire gave Ruby a peck on the cheeck.
Sapphire:" Don't worry. I'm just going out to find some Nickel ore, and I'll be right back."
Ruby:" Okay."
...
Clover:" Hey Simon... I need to talk with you."
Simon:" Oh, well lucky you I'm not busy."
Clover:" It's um... I just wanted to... make sure you're okay."
Simon:" Define... okay."
Clover:" Well, you've just been very gloomy lately, and..."
Simon:" I'm practically foal sitting four out of five adults in this sea base, not to count the yellow bird pony, and now we have an actual foal in the base. On top of that, there is a warper in our new make-shift jail area, and I am infected with a disease that we know nothing about. Do I sound 'okay' to you?"
Clover:" I-I just ask, because..."
Simon:" There is no because, there is only suffering, and limited space. Which reminds me, I'm claustrophobic, and you are practically smothering me with your questions."
Clover:" Everypony else thinks you are selfish."
Simon:" Tell me something I don't know."
Clover:" I don't. They just don't understand you, and... and they judge you for it."
Simon:" Just like Sapphire judges you for murdering... what was the name? Ellie the Kind?"
Clover gulped.
Clover:" I-I don't know what you're talking about..."
Simon:" Oh please. For once in your life be honest with yourself."
Clover:" Sapphire wasn't supposed to say anything..."
Simon:" She didn't need to. I caught the confession on camera. Or did you forget that I had placed drones all over near the sea base, including your rooms? I don't put it past you. From the story you told it sounds like she deserved it."
Clover:" Y-you shouldn't be spying on ponies like that."
Simon:" Well, I can't exactly trust other ponies, especially on a strange planet, now can I?"
Clover:" Dang it, Simon! We're all from the same planet!"
Simon:" Let's get two things straight. 1, you and I... we aren't friends. 2, you should stop to think, maybe they're right to not trust me, and maybe I am selfish. Because I like to be."
Clover:" Well I don't see that in you... I want to help you, Simon. But I can't if you don't tell me what's wrong."
Simon:" I've said what's wrong! What else do expect!?"
Clover's ears fell to the sides of her head at the yelling.
Simon:" If it were up to me, I'd choose who I'm stuck surviving on this planet with! The fact that each of you are oblivious to what is going on, gets me frustrated! I bet if it came down to trading in your lives for a single cure, Sapphire would take it!"
Clover:" That's not true!"
Simon:" Isn't it!? You know exactly what that's like, yet you refuse to believe it can't happen again!"
Clover:" You have no right!"
Simon:" Prove it! Prove to me that Sapphire Sea is not just taking advantage of you and your emotions!"
Clover opened and closed her mouth, but she couldn't say anything. She had no proof.
Simon:" That's what I thought. You're betting your life on another pony's words, but you know that deep down, she is just as afraid as you are."
Clover:" Of course she is... she wouldn't be a pony otherwise."
Simon:" You don't even begin to grasp the situation! You! Are being! Played!"
Ruby:" That's enough!"
Ruby angrily walked in with a very concerned and confused Emerald. Clover was holding back tears, but some were creeping down the sides of her face.
Ruby:" Come into my room, Clover. I think we need some girl time."
Clover walked out of the room, her tail tucked between her hind legs.
Ruby:" I cannot believe you."
Simon:" Believe what? That I'm nothing but a jerk looking out only for himself? Don't waste your breath on me. Whatever insult you're going to say will feel more like a compliment."
Ruby:" You are so insensitive."
Simon:" And all of you are going to get us all killed. Do you know why I don't make friends? So that I can throw them in between myself and the danger behind me."
Ruby:" Would you have done the same for Sugar Pie?"
Simon did not say a word, just simply glared. Ruby walked away, towards Clover. Emerald didn't follow, instead walked up to Simon.
Emerald:" Oh?"
Simon:" Oh, get. I don't need to baby sit you, too."
Ruby:" Come here, Emerald. Stay away from Simon."
Emerald noticed her mother calling her, and ran towards her. Ruby glared at him one last time.
...
Ruby:" I'm sorry Simon said all those things to you."
Clover:" I don't think an apology will fix the pain I'm feeling, Ruby..."
Ruby:" Simon is a jerk, to put it lightly. He only cares about himself. I understand you are concerned for him, but you shouldn't go near him anymore."
Clover:" I... I..."
Ruby:" What is it?"
Clover:" I... love... him..."
TO BE CONTINUED...
Author's note: Phew! All this work and no play makes Terrarian a dull boy! I feel like I haven't slept in a month. Though, that's probably the allergies making me that way. Spring is a jerk on my eyes, my nose, and my throat. Not to mention my skin. You're probably wandering, "how is this relevant to Subponica?" Well, it's not. I'm just complaining out of my rear end, here. I'm probably going to heck for that "The Shining' reference. That was terrible, and the wring timing. Gee, I hope the grady twins don't pop up in my kitchen anytime soon. I'm so sorry, that movie was absolutely terrible. I don't even know why I'm making these jokes. I'm just really freakin' bored.