>You wipe your eyebrows across and finish touching yourself up.
>The camera twinkles in the white light and you look onwards towards it, straightening your lab coat.
“Alright folks here we are at the first test phases of project Fusion. Very exciting stuff right here. Oh I almost forgot. I’m the leader of this project, the mastermind you could say. Being god is so much fun.”
>S1: “Shut up!” one of your colleagues groans.
>S2: “Seriously, let’s just get this over with.”
“Spoil sports,” you say to the camera. “But really, name’s Anon and we’re just about to get started here. For you board members who lack the will to read that thick ass packet in front of you, we’re taking the realm of gene splicing to a whole new level. Mythical creatures in the flesh, how fun.”
>You slip on gloves and walk over to the embryonic chamber.
“Let’s start with H17.”
 
>Paul carefully injects the embryo and you look to Lisa.
“How’s the board?”
>L: “Green so far.”
“Hot damn. Alright let’s go with N5 and then Z9.”
>Paul carries the two separate vials from cold storage and readies the needle.
>P: “One small step for man…”
“One leap for our careers.”
>Paul almost smiles at that. That bastard never seems to smile.
>He injects the two vials, your eyes trained for the slightest error.
“Boar-“
>L: “Still green,” she says as Paul pulls out the needle. “I’ll be damned. All signs are steady, they-“
>It worked. YES! Bigger projects here we come, and the funding. Oh the beautiful funding.
 
>You have to force yourself to calm down as you walk back to the camera.
“Easy and clean. New technology founded by yours truly…”
>L & P: “HEY!”
“With minor help from my colleagues,” you snicker at their bellowing, “Has placed this realm of science in our grasp. The possibilities of future exploits are astounding.”
>Lisa and Paul push their ways into the shot.
>L: “And with your support we could make these possibilities a reality.”
>P: “Who wants to celebrate?” he says whipping out a bottle of champagne.
>L: “Sounds good to me.”
“Can it you two,” you bark switching off the camera.
>Lisa sneers at you and wraps her arm around Paul’s as they move to the door.
>P: “He really needs to get laid.”
“You two aren’t going anywhere, we’re not done yet.”
 
>They move back to positions at your insistence.
“Inject the embryo with A0.”
>Paul rummages through the cooler before prying out the vial.
>P: “A0? I don’t remember this one. Did you extract it while I was out Lisa?”
>L: “Not me.”
“I wonder who could’ve done that?” you say sarcastically.
>P: “What animal’s this from? I thought we used all the appropriate DNA.”
“Just something I whipped up myself.”
>L: “You’re not qualified to handle the animals by yourself,” she stabs. “What if the animal had gotten injured?”
>P: “No concern for Anon huh?” he jokes before growing serious. “But really, either of you could’ve been hurt.”
“Don’t worry; I took proper precautions about restraining myself.”
>Paul looks to the vial and then back to you.
“I feel like all my work needs bit of me in it? Don’t you?”
 
>L: “That’s sick,” she covers her mouth as if to hurl.
>You shrug your shoulder at her disgust.
“What we’re doing is already unethical, might as well raise the stakes that bit more.”
>P: “I can’t do this,” he turns back to the cooler.
>You grab hold of his arm forcefully and pull him closer to you.
“Need I remind you that as the Lead Operative in this experiment I have the final say on every little detail. That includes your payroll.”
>L: “Don’t listen to him Paul. You know this isn’t right.”
>His face shows his confliction. On one side he’d be doing his job and on the other he’d be committing an atrocity.
“And bonuses.”
>P: “Bonuses?”
>Check and mate.
 
>L: “I can’t believe you’re going through with this.”
>P: “It’s our jobs Lisa. Besides, the prize.”
>You watch the embryo longingly as they bicker to each other.
>This will be your mark on society, a living being of your flesh and blood, forged through glorious science.
>You have to watch the tone though, can’t have you going all mad scientist.
>Paul locks the vial into place, the syringe piercing the chamber.
>L: “We’re going to the special hell.”
“Nothing quite as dramatic. Besides, that one’s reserved for child molesters.”
>P: “And people who talk in the theater.”
>Fist bump for brown coat justice.
“Let’s get this started. Begin gene splicing procedure between subject Alicorn and DNA vial A0.”
>The machine hums softly as it splices the amalgamation of genes and DNA together.
 
>The board flashes red and beeps incessantly.
“Status?”
>L: “Something’s wrong, that’s the damn status!” She hammers away on the console, “It’s rejecting the sample.”
>You look on calmly and wait.
>L: “Paul get the stabilizers and flush it out.”
“Belay that.”
>P: “We’re going to lose the subject!” he shouts sprinting back with the proper equipment.
>You pull his arm gently as he moves to finish his task.
“You got this far by trusting me. Are you going to doubt me now?”
>L: “We don’t have enough material for another one.”
>Paul searches your face for any doubt that you might have.
“Just wait.”
>He lowers his hand and nods, the sound dissipating from the air.
 
>L: “It- It’s fine? The machine said-“
“Let me take a guess. The incoming DNA triggered a defensive reaction from the host cells? I expected that, but once my cells were integrated-“
>L: “We get it, you made the right call.”
>P: “You could’ve said something first,” he adds on wiping his brow.
“What’s the fun in that?”
>L: “There’s no telling how the subject will take this new change though. We at least had a reasonable guess beforehand.”
>P: “But if it’s not a complete abomination…”
>L: “We’ll go down in history.” You tip your head to her.
“My point entirely. You two get some rest and celebrate, I’ll be here.”
>P: “Doing what exactly?”
“We’re not stopping at one right?” you grin and shut the door on them.
>Stop! Splicing time!
 
>Four months later…
>You rub your chin harshly as the workers cart your work in the background, the TV being the center of your attention.
>?: “…Government officials are hard pressed to end this conflict peacefully, but executives are urging everyone that this matter will be handled with tact.”
>Tact? All evidence proves just how well this’ll turn up. You were supposed go down in history.
>You chuckle in face of death itself. There might not be a history for you to be remembered in.
>P: “Careful with that!” he yells to a worker, “They’re fragile as it is when not in your blundering hands.”
>Lisa paces back and forth, Paul consoling her while he can.
>L: “We’re all going to die,” she sobs into his shoulder.
>P: “We’ll be alright. Right Anon?”
>Your grip pains your chin as you continue to fiercely rub against it.
>P: “Right?”
 
>You look back to him and then to Lisa. There’s so much you could’ve done, so much you’ve missed in your work.
“There’s a shelter of mine out in the mountains about a day’s drive from here. Take my car and get there while you can. There’s enough food and water to last you a year or two in the case things…”
>Paul takes your keys and shakes your hand.
>P: “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
>He grabs Lisa and moves to the door, Lisa escaping his grip at the last second.
>L: “What about you? What’ll-“
“I’ve lived my life devoted to a cause that’ll never see the light of day. You two can still make something together.”
>Your cold response leaves her stunned, Paul grabbing hold of her.
>P: “Come on, we have to go.”
>The door shuts, your lab a lot emptier without anyone else to share it with.
>Time to get to work.
 
>You move to the back of the lab where your bunk is set up, the sheets laid out neatly even in the end.
>You search the floor with your foot until it pushes down on the loose tile you’d placed.
>The wall slides open to a closed off section of the laboratory and you step back into the chilling room.
>You jog to the chamber as the door shuts behind you, your fingers typing into the console connected to the experimental chamber.
>Its top slides open and you shed off your clothes, leaving them folded to the side as you enter the device.
>You breathe softly as it seals over you, the date displaying an even twenty years.
>It’s fair to say that’ll be long enough for this whole thing to blow over.
>Your limbs freeze as coolant begins flooding the chamber and you feel your eyes grow heavy.
“One small nap for man…”
>Your eyes shut, heart rate dropping fast, ice forming on the glass lid.
>Blissful sleep.
 
>An unknown time later…
>An electric shock kick starts your heart and you take your first breathe of the frozen air.
>Arms… so weak. What happened?
>You feel so lightheaded… You push your hand onto the lid, your heart skipping a beat.
>It doesn’t budge.
>You feel your air supply grow thinner with every passing second.
“NO…” you push again. “NO! NOOO!”
>Your borderline bashing your head against it in desperation.
“HELP! CAN ANYONE HEAR ME!?”
>No, you’re wasting- Ugh… air. Your body aches and throbs.
>Wait. Your mind churns as it- Lever. There’s a lever somewhere, you remember.
>You fell around with your fingers until your find the slick pole and pull.
>Come on… just a little- There.
 
>You pull yourself out of the cryo chamber, landing painfully on the floor, your limbs weakened.
>How long has it been? Twenty years wouldn’t have that effect…
>Managing to crawl up to the console you get yourself standing with some assistance.
>You tap the dimmed console until the display pops up, barely any battery life left.
“Display… date.”
>The computer flickers as it tries to complete your request.
>C: “Connection to server unavailable. Please try again.”
>You breathe heavily, your lungs pained by your yelling.
>Something pops up on your screen, a display box popping up.
>P: “I see you’re trying to find the date. Would you like help?”
“Fucking… paperclip…” you gasp. “Display cryo- length.”
>99 years. That’s not too bad, it’s what… you try and think. 500% off?
>A troubling thought hits you. In your programming, did you-
>You never thought it would triple digits. How long have you been asleep?
 
>You push it to the back of your mind and get back into your old clothes, the fabric hanging looser than before.
>You grab one of your rations out of the pantry and scarf it down.
>The grains cut your soft throat, but you eat it all the same.
>Water, you find a bottle and gulp it down like it was the last on earth. It very well could be.
>This place, it’s ransacked. The cots have been stolen as well as the television out in the front.
>The only light source is the soft hum of the emergency lights that should’ve burnt out years ago.
>Someone must be supplying power to this place then and that means- Humanity survived.
>The war failed to extinguish your kind as you had expected and for once you’re glad to have been wrong.
>You slump down to the floor and close your eyes, even after all these years you’re still tired.
>Your eyes shoot open as the door creaks open.
“HEY!” you stand up and shout painfully, “I’m in here!”
 
>Relief fades from your face at the lack of response, the sound of claws scrapping against the tile replacing it with dread.
>A paw comes into view, the creature flashing a toothy grin.
>?: “There you are…” its grainy voice calls.
>You stand back up heart racing in the face of this- thing!
>?: “Don’t run. We don’t want you to tire yourself out.”
>You bolt for your room another one blocking your path.
>If you can’t go around him…
>You try and tackle the furry creature only managing to drive it back a foot or two, the thick creature reeking of… dog?
>It grabs you by the shoulders and throws you across the floor.
>A smaller one kicks him in the leg, its diamond studded collar glinting in the light.
>?: “What you thinking? Why hurt him?”
>?: “He hit me,” he drawls pitififully.
 
>You try to sit back up but your stomach’s too weak, three of them in total standing around you.
>?: “What you think it is?” the big one asks.
>?: “Me no care. It big, it work.” The midget replies.
>?: “Quiet,” the other commands obviously the leader of this pack. “It weak, but have good feeling ‘bout this one.”
>They’re dogs, at least they look like dogs. Only these are bipedal, speaking…
>That’s impossible. The war surely would’ve destroyed your work.
“Please. Stop.”
>?: “We take him to mine. He work, he grow strong, he do well.”
>The big one lowers himself.
>?: “No hard feeling,” he throws your head into the floor.
>Oh look, birdies…
 
>You raise your pick in the air before driving it back into the rock barely managing to chip through the surface.
>The smaller bulldog that you’ve come to know as Spot waltz up and kick you in the leg.
>S: “You big, you dig faster!”
>You try again, failing just as much as before. Spot facepalms and groans.
>S: “You useless. Rover wrong, you better for food.”
“I can dig, just-“ you swallow hard, “I need to recover.”
>He barks at one of the guards who comes beside you and smacks you upside the head.
>S: “No excuses. Get to work.”
“Cocksucker…” you grunt as he walks away, the guard digging a claw into your shoulder.
>?: “Take it easy will ya?” another miner says, “He’s just new.”
>The dog growls but does as he says retracting his claw.
>?: “Here let me help you,” he says extending a hoof.
>Horses too huh?
 
>You raise the axe painfully without his help and swing it back down.
>It breaks through the rock, revealing yet more of it.
>M: “Name’s Maverick by the way.”
“Nice to know,” you say trying to ignore the horse.
>You just need to bide your time until you can get out of- wherever you are.
>This stallion, Maverick- You’d be so proud of yourself if you weren’t a prisoner of your own creations.
>He flops his black mane to the other side, his grey coat mixed with orange in the torchlight.
>M: “What’s your name?”
“My name’s stop talking and mine your own business.”
>He grins and holds the pick with his mouth, breaking it clear in two.
>M: “Not much of a talker then,” he says, pick in mouth.
“Just leave me alone.”
 
>M: “You want to hit it at an angle, these rocks are-“
“What did I just finish saying?”
>Stay focused. Once you’re out of here you need to find the rest of your kind. Surely they survived as well.
>You look to Maverick, picking away at the dirt.
>Still, you can’t help but marvel at his existence. Sure you failed to create the Alicorn, but a horse that speaks? That’s definitely something. Might be that bit of you.
>S: “Work!” he shouts at your pause.
>M: “Aim left. Trust me.”
>Fine. You’ll give him the benefit of the doubt here. You strike the left side, the rock splitting at the force.
>M: “I know these rocks like they were a part of me. Been here too damn long.”
>The day crawls onwards and by the end you’re more than a little fatigued.
>You drop down on the tattered fabric they called your bed, Maverick plopping opposite you.
 
>M: “So what’s your story?” he says as the guard leaves, “Can’t say that you seem to fit in around here.”
“I don’t have a story.”
>M: “Don’t give me that shit,” he chuckles, “How’d you wind up here of all places?”
>You shrug, wrapping the blanket around you in the cold hall.
“Woke up at the wrong time I guess. They found me shortly after, Spot and those other two.”
>M: “Rover and Fido?”
“Probably. Big stupid guy and the leader?”
>M: “Fido’s the big one, the main muscle around here. Rover’s the leader as long as I’ve been around.” He looks you up and down, “What’re you anyways?”
>You raise a brow at the question.
“I’m a human. What’d you think?”
>M: “I don’t know, I’ve never seen anything quite like you I guess. Where you from?”
>Does he seriously have no idea?
 
>You look at the arches in the tunnels, must be an old mine shaft. Most of the tracks have been removed but you did see a mine cart the dogs pulled around.
>M: “You in there?” he jokes stealing your mind away.
“When you said you’ve never seen someone like me, what’d you mean by that?”
>M: “About as much as I said. I can’t say I’ve seen any hairless apes around in Equestria.”
>You tell him to slow down a minute and take off your blanket.
“What the hell is Equestria?”
>M: “That’ a good one Mr. No Name.” His grin dissipates, “You’re serious?”
“Last time I checked I didn’t live in no Equestria.”
>M: “Like it or not, that’s what we call it here.” He looks to the door, guard passing by, “Might want to get some shut eye. Oh, here-“
>He tosses a journal to you along with a piece of lead.
>M: “Found these on another prisoner after he’d- outlived, his usefulness. Helps pass the time.”
“Anon.”
>M: “Excuse me.”
“My name’s Anon.”
>He turns in his bed and curls up.
>M: “Get some sleep.”
 
>Day… You hold the piece of lead in your hands and try to think of what to say.
>Day 8 in Equestria.
>I don’t know how long I’ve been asleep, but as I awoke I found myself drained both physically and mentally.
>Thinking back is difficult and I try not to do so, but some things remain fresh in my mind.
>I’ve been taken captive by a band of animals.
>They’re smart, they’re big and they can speak. In most cases I’d be wacked out, but I’m liable to believe anything at this point.
>To think a little piece of me allowed such- creatures to exist. Though they’re slow, they make up for it physically.
>Horses, also exist here in the same manner, likely the exploits of my first attempt.
>Maverick helped me today, another prisoner of the dogs it seems.
>I have a good feeling about him. He’s watched my back and today I’ll watch his.
>There’s so much I don’t understand. Maverick said I was the first human he’s seen.
>That can’t be right, but I won’t know until I get out.
>If I get out.
 
>The next day you’re moved deeper into the mines and are introduced to some of the other prisoners.
>You mistakenly refer to them as horses and Maverick had to use his silver tongue to get you out of a fix.
>P0nies, because they’re so different.
>You do your best to mine the rock but once again your muscles just aren’t up to the task.
>Even with Mavericks guidance you barely scoot by.
>The other p0nies cackle at your failure but Maverick is there to support you.
>They owe their very existence to you the ignorant fucks.
>You’d tell them, but they’d call you a nutter.
>Hell, this entire place is starting to make you agree with them.
>Screams echo down the tunnel as another worker is dragged down deeper into the mine.
>M: “I told him not to go, but he was desperate.”
“What happened with him?”
 
>M: “He tried to get out, escape while he could. I’ve been here long enough to know that you never will.”
“You say that, but how long have you actually been down here?”
>M: “I started working the mines three years ago. They took me six years before that.” He looks to the floor, “Nine years I’ve worked for them. I know you can’t escape.”
>His screams fade away until silence returns.
>S: “Back to work!”
“What’ll they do to him?”
>M : “They’ll use him for anything they want. The guards have certain… needs that need to be filled. Appetites unsated.”
“That’s disgusting.”
>M: “Don’t get caught. If you do, you’re already dead.”
>You mine in silence for the rest of the day before heading back to sleep.
>And the process repeats.
 
>You get to know more of the captives you work with, a sort of kinship between them that you’re excluded from.
>Might be a species thing but they don’t trust you.
>Maverick’s in with them but some things you can’t talk people into.
>You flex your forearm as the guards hand out the day’s rations.
>M: “It hurt?”
“Yeah. It’s sore as hell from…” You huff, “Funny.”
>M: “What is?”
“How a single nap can hollow out everything a man is.”
>He hands you his flask of water.
>M: “Drinking water helps, you still need your strength.”
“What’s the point? You said yourself that nobody gets out of here. I’d only be living my life as a slave.”
>M: “Not yet anyways.”
 
“False hope is still false.”
>M: “I’ve been talking with the other stallions.” He looks around to make sure no ones eavesdropping, “I think we can get out of here.”
“Bullshit.”
>M: “I know these caves like the back of my hoof, better than any Diamond Dogs do. If there’s a way out of here I can find it.”
>You drink some water and hush as the guard hands you your bowl.
>Maverick waits for him to pass before looking to you expectantly.
“What’s the catch?”
>M: “No catch. I just need to convince the others your good and we’ll be home free.”
“Like they’d trust me. They don’t like me to begin with.
>M: “I didn’t say it would be easy, but I know you’re good for it. What do you say?”
>You curl your toes at the rancid bowl of piss you sniff.
“If it means getting better food then I’m in.”
>M: “Partners.”
“Partners.”