Smiling and walking down the stretching hallway Dark Cloud made his way to the central research office as he was required to inform the leading board members of progress on the new turret AI he had been issued to program. As he passed his work mates he nodded or widened his smile, it had always been his dream to work in a place like this. Even if Equestria had ceased funding the workers hadn't at all given up, and his friends in the leading board had reassured him that the threat of being shut down was zero to none. As the door at the end of the hall drew closer he ensured he was standing as straight as possible and his lab coat was tidy, he didn't want to make a bad appearance in front of his bosses after all. The doors before him moved open slowly as he approached revealing an array of ponies in suits looking towards the door with a look of slight concern
"Ah! Dark Cloud" Began the leading member Acid Vats "I take it you're here to report on your most recent task?" nodding and nervously approaching the center of the room Dark Cloud though over what he was about to say, as to not stutter or pause during his sentence
"I am indeed" Beamed Dark Cloud "The turret AI is coming along brilliantly, in fact you'll be able to see a demonstration if you will allow me to use the screen" this caused a few ponies in the room to murmur to one another and gain some odd looks
"Well, I can't see the harm" Replied Acid Vats passing him the controller, the screen flickered and switched to the camera of the AI test chamber, placed in the center was a single turret, with the press of a button a few panels moved and produced a test dummy which triggered the turret to fire rapidly at it. The ponies in the room murmured once again and was given more approving looks to which Dark Cloud grinned, happy that the leading board members enjoyed his work
"Outstanding!" Exclaimed one member
"Unbelievable!" Added another
"You've outdone yourself again, Dark Cloud" Grinned Acid Vats "Now off you go, you deserve a break" Dark Cloud smiled and trotted out of the doors
"I wonder what they're saying" He thought "I bet they're discussing using it as the leading design idea of this year" and then an idea formed, he would fuse the door system to hear what they were saying and he would be able to finally find out what the board thought of his inventions. Grinning wildly at this idea Dark Cloud began to work on fusing the doors automatic opening system

After a few minutes of tedious circuitry work Dark Cloud had finally managed to fuse the door mechanism which would only work for a matter of minutes, pressing the side of his head against the door and keenly listening he began to fathom what they were saying
"Acid, I just don't think that it meets standards of the company..." Began a voice "He's out slowest worker and he produces nothing that is particularly different in any way shape or form. Several other workers created an equally as effective turret AI and did so in only a few hours... Dark Cloud took a few weeks..."
"I know but we can't just tell him that straight out..." Began Acid in a regretful tone "I'm not sure hiring him was a great idea"
pulling his head away from the door Dark Cloud frowned, a few tears in his eyes as he began to think over what had been said in the meeting. A tear began to roll down his cheek as he closed his eyes and turned away, starting to run as fast as possible to escape the door. Escape what had been said; to escape reality. His dreams had been shattered, hopes destroyed and the will to carry on completely taken away from him. Running into an unidentified room he closed the door tight behind him, fusing the wiring the same way he had done with the leading board members and sinking down a wall he began to break down into tears.

As a colt Dark Cloud had always dreamed he would one day be a renowned scientist for creating something like a self functioning facility of sorts, something that could be completely controlled by a single pony and Neigh Science Labs did exactly that. Everything in the facility bound to a control room:
Floor and Wall paneling, liquid dispensing, doors, distribution of food and equipment and even access to the workers personal work accounts with the ability to make changes and even completely erase a ponies identity with the press of a button, it was like a heaven for Dark Cloud, and on top of all that he was even able to refuse using his own name for his nickname 'Dark Cloud'
But after hearing what the leading board had said, all confidence had left Dark Cloud degrading him to nothing but another pony who had no idea what they wanted to achieve.

The Leading Board had finished it's meeting, leaving the room. Dark Cloud watched on the monitor as they left; the ones who mocked him behind his back one thought going through his mind
"Revenge"
After he had finished crying he had found out that this was the central control room and he had performed his fusing incorrectly, sealing the door permanently. But there was no other place Dark Cloud would rather be than in the control room of the facility of his dreams. Pressing a few buttons and shifting a few panels Dark Cloud gave the most horrifyingly large grin any pony had ever seen as the wall panels began to close in on the members of the board. Laughing manically as this happened Dark Cloud wandered around the room, knocking over test tubes and vials
"They thought that I wasn't good enough..." He yelled "I'll prove them wrong! I'll test as many new inventions as I possibly can and... and I will become the most renowned scientist in all of Equestria!" adding a dramatic laugh at the end of this he glanced back at the screen, thinking over what he had just done. And it hit him like a tonne of bricks, he had just killed his friends. His workmates. His eyes grew wider as he thought about this, and his heart sunk; heavy with grief as the realization of this continued to shock him. Slamming his hooves down onto the keyboard he let out a scream of rage and sorrow, tears running down his cheeks as sheer anger took him over, wanting to leave this life behind and all to do with it.
The less sane part of his mind began to pipe up, urging him to leave everything behind by deleting everyponies identity, including his own. Starting a new life simply known as Dark Cloud, he nodded to himself slowly at first
"Yes..." he murmured under his breath, tapping a few keys "I'll remove everyone..." and so Neigh Science Labs was left with no employees, all dead with the only one surviving known simply as Dark Cloud. Which of course, there was no actual Equestrian records of as it wasn't Dark Clouds real name.
He had started a new life, a new fate. This facility was now his, all he had to do was remove the workers. Pulling the microphone towards him he spoke
"All members of the Neigh Science Lab..." He began, his voice in a grim tone "You are all fired... you are to never mention this facility to anypony in Equestria... this is Dark Cloud speaking, the owner of this facility as of now" the workers were confused to say the least, gradually making their way to the exit of the facility which was located below the Everfree Forest. And as the final worker left the doors slammed shut alarmingly fast as the tree hiding the facilities entrance began to collapse, covering the door completely.

(Flashback chapter)

Dark Cloud opened his eyes, the facilities power had been cut out again. He was more than likely conversing with Star Whistle as he was napping.
Dark Cloud had began to nap as he decided that Star Whistle would find out about what ample knowledge he had with him. And he hadn't slept in who knows how long, tapping a few buttons on the keyboard the backup generator began to whir and slowly power the facility
"This facility is mine" he thought to himself, closing his eyes "It is mine and always will be" slowly the monitors turned back on and Star Whistle was soon visible. Slowly pulling the mic closer to himself he began to speak. He might as well fool him into believing he had been hard at work after the power went out
"Pesky..." he began in a convincingly frustrated tone "Very pesky..."