Living the Dream
Rainbow Dash was walking down the rust-coloured hall of the ancient Chimera Lab, followed by Princess Luna and Lucas.
A single Pigmask was patrolling the hallway, sketching away on his notepad.
"Dash, there's somebody outside the door; does your keycard still work?" Lucas said, his ear to the wall.
Rainbow telekinetically swiped her keycard, the old but still functional system recognized the all-area pass and attempted to welcome her, but all the little screen could manage was 'Hello, Co-' before losing power.
...
Rainbow Dash immediately pinned the lone Pigmask against the wall.
"YOU!" Rainbow yelled, blind fury you could see in her eyes entrapping her.
The Pigmask stuttered and dropped his notepad.
"WHAT WAS THIS ROOM USED FOR?"
The Pigmask quivered and let out a scared 'oink'. "B-b-b-but this I-I-is a h-hallway, mr. Colourful pony!"
Rainbow's eyes narrowed and she pushed the Pigmask further into the wall.
"You know what I mean, ya fat loser! And don't call me a guy, either!"
The Pigmask cringed at the insult and stuttered again. " U-u-uhh, that room? I-I-it's used for Chimera Research! "
Just as Dash was about to tighten her grip again, Lucas stepped into the hall, followed by Princess Luna.
"C-C-C-COMMANDER! Hello, sir! I still have that gift, if you want it. S-s-sir." said the Pigmask, squirming in Rainbow Dash's hold.
Lucas straightened his shirt and spoke. " Dash, let him go. I'll get the answers out of him."
Dash let go, but with wings flared, as if 'reminding' the Pigmask that she was still watching. Luna promptly held out a hoof to stop her from doing anything brash.
"Now, you said that room was used for Chimera Research?"
"Yes sir, mister Commander, sir!"
"What kind?"
"... Uh... Some, uh, animals were, uh, put together here."
"What kind?"
"..."
"Your Commander is waiting."
"a-a-all k-k-kinds, s-s-sir."
"Specify."
The Pigmask lowered his voice to a near whisper. "Th-Th-the Commander was also e-e-experimented o-on here."
Dash leered her eyes at the very mention.
"I'm not the Commander, Pigmask" said Lucas.
The Pigmask stood up. "W-w-w-what?"
"You hear-"
Dash spoke up, furiated. "the Commander is dead. DEAD!"
The Pigmask's eyes widened, even under the mask.
"You heard me, fatty! The Commander's dead. You know why? Because I killed him! You wanna know why?"
The pigmask's expression was one of pure fear.
"Well?"
The Pigmask was shaken, but still managed a small nod.
"Because I AM the Commander." Dash said, before shooting a beam of white-hot lightning directly at him through her eyes, skimming his helmet. "And don't think I'm not, because I know who you are. Initiation, you
fell over at that one patch of concrete. How would anypony but the Commander know that? You still have that dent in your helmet because of it!"
The Pigmask promptly fainted. Dash continued past him, but his notepad caught her eye. She stuffed it in her coat pocket for later and walked inside.
The room was covered from belong to floor in rusted, dried blood. Part of this was caused by a few packs of it obviously meant for emergency transfusions scattered across the floor.
Memories came flooding back into Rainbow Dash's mind, starting with being wheeled in. The walls suddenly lost their horrid stains and rust as Rainbow stood there, remembering the atrocities that began here.
Young Claus was strapped to a metal table, trying as hard as he could to vainly break free of the leather belts. Doctor Andonauts was standing over him, apologizing sincerely in advance for what Rainbow now recognized as Porky's plan. The door opened to the room Rainbow was now inside, though Claus could only see the ceiling. 'Start with his arms, doctors!" came a too-enthusiastic voice Dash recognized as Porky himself. 'E-excuse me, sir?' returned Andonauts, clearly confused. When Claus was rolled into position, he could turn his head and see only one thing; Porky, dressed his best, Installed in that contraption of his, overlooking him on a balcony. 'You heard me, replace his arms first!' Althogh Doctor Andonauts was clearly horrified at the prospect, he grabbed his hack-saw and tossed it to one of the Pigmask Colonels overseeing the operation. The idiot saluted with the hand he was carrying it in, causing him to hit himself in the face, causing an instinctual reaction, knocking a cart of suppies over. He picked the hack saw and went toward Claus, pinking like a pig maniac.
Claus braced himself, expecting the obvious. The Pigmask let out a happy oink and hacked away at Claus's the idiot was taking the tool's name a little too literally and was using it like an axe. 'You obnoxious retard, let the Doctor do it!' came Porky, who was trying to find something to laugh at.
Andonauts's eyes grew in size, and he turned around, knowing the repercussions should he not follow Porky's terrible request. The Pigmask passed over the saw, which Andonauts tentatively grabbed and advanced to Claus.
Claus yet again struggled with his bindings, and yet again was unable to writhe out of them. Andonauts closed his eyes and began sawing at the poor child's arm. Claus let out a scream, and Porky let out his coughing, wheezing laugh.
Doctor Andonauts sniffled and apologized.
His arm let out a final spasm before falling limp. Claus was still screaming, and Porky was calming down. ' Heh heh, hit him with it, Doctor!'
The friendly Doctor recoiled. ' W-what...?'
'Hit him with it!'
Doctor Andonauts, with a look of horror on his face, slapped Claus with his own arm.
'BWAHAHAHAHAHA! WHY ARE YOU HITTING YOURSELF? BWAHAHA- * cough * * wheeze *'
The Doctor set his arm aside and said a silent prayer for the still screaming, armless child below him on the operating table, hoping the Dragon would give him mercy.
Claus regained consciousness, but something was amiss. There was no expression on his face. He looked around, scared inside. He saw Porky, staring at him to see his reaction. His face screwed into an expression of rage.
'Hey. Why's he looking at me like that?'
'I-I... I couldn't remove his emotions, just push them down. They should-'
'WHY THE PORK NOT?'
'B-b-b-because, your H-'
'Whatever, Doctor. Just make sure I can't see it when he looks at me.'
... Rainbow Dash returned to the world of the present, and looked at the operating table. A leg had rusted enough to fall off, and the table was lying on the ground. Next to it, however, lie a pile of neatly folded clothes at the foot.
Rainbow picked them up, and took her sweatshirt off. The suede jacket was old and heavy but it was tailored specifically for her former self, so it still fit like a glove.
" I promise, Lucas, I'll kill him for what he did to us. No, for what he did to all of the Nowhere Islands. I'll get revenge.
"Claus, it takes a real man to stand up and forgive someone."
Dash looked Lucas square in the eye and said " If you haven't noticed, Lucas, I'm not even a man anymore."