Chapters *Click-clack*
Diane's wooden sandals make a lively sound against the pavement as she skips off to school. The alleyways of the residential area come to an end. Of course, she knows the "proper" way to get there, but shortcuts meant more time with friends. So she turns, into the single path that led through a patch of trees. This path leads straight to the back of the school, children are advised to stray from it, but nobody is ever there to remind her of that.
Most children are walked or driven to school by their parents. Diane's father, the only parent she has, works all week very early in the morning. He's always there after school though, and has just enough energy to watch her favorite show with her, a show that, unbeknownst to her, would be a large part of her future.
*Click-clack*
The road through the trees had never felt unsafe, but Diane now felt an unease every time her sandals met one of the many rocks used to make the path. Like someone or something else was hearing it too.
*Clack*
She stops to the sound of a low growl, a shiver runs down her body as her eyes dart left and right. She can't see it, but the growls continue, and they grow louder, closer.
*Click-clack-click-clack-click-clack*
She runs, the growl erupts into a violent snarl, her adrenaline kicks in, her mind goes blank, she reaches a new speed. A pain shoots into her leg, at first believing she'd gone too fast as she falls forward, she's proven wrong as she attempts to get back up, only to feel a pair of jaws keep her head down, and take her life.
~
Or so she had thought.
*Click-clack*
She tries to move her eyes, only to hear the somewhat familiar sound maybe now a bit more metallic.
"Alright now open your eyes." A female voice spoke.
She slowly slides her eyelids open, which, strangely, the sound like that of a knife being slid into its rack follows them.
*Click-clack*
Her eyes dart left and right.
"How wonderful, now let's see..." The voice again, Diane now focused on its owner. Her violet eyes stuck in a book, the purple horned and winged equine paid Diane no attention for a time. "Ah, I need to see if you can act on your own, try doing... something, anything really." The mare looked back to Diane, waiting in anticipation.
Diane, stunned in the presence of Twilight Sparkle did nothing but gawk in awe. Maybe a bit different from what she'd known, Twilight has a definable coat and hooves although they matched in color, her presence is real, rather than cartoonish. Her cutie mark is simply different colored hair growing on her flank.
The room, a hollowed out tree made into a library, has its colorful books lined amongst the walls. At the center was Twilight with her study table, a mess of open books, scattered notes, and piles of papers upon it. Looking out one of the round windows Diane could see the rest of Ponyville.
"Hmm, you can hear me right?" Twilight asks with a quizzical expression.
Diane nods in a slight panic, now realizing her staring. She stands, she hadn't thought she was sitting, and to her surprise she's just as tall as Twilight.
Again she is surprised to notice that she is in no pain, in fact she can't feel a thing... at all. She knows where her limbs are, but can't feel any clothes, a breeze, the ground beneath her feet, nothing. In fright she looks down to see two metal pillars, made of dark bronze and mystical patterns carved into them, there's a bright blue orb separating the the pillars in their middle. She concludes that these are legs by the sight of what seems to be a round kneecap in front of the blue orbs.
She takes a step, but something behind her drags along. Her back legs, another shock, she looks back to see them, she knew they were there but couldn't fully register it. Her head and body twist about as she tries to get a full view of herself. Until she hears a small chuckle.
"Want a mirror?" Twilight asks, amused.
A mirror, coated in a lavender light, floats its way to Diane. The light disperses as it lands, Diane gazes into it, overwhelmed by the sight. Much like her legs, her entire body is made of the same metal with the same patterns, a visible orb at every joint. Her eyes are made of many rings that spin and tighten or loosen as she changes focus, the center having the same blue light as her joints. Her mane and tail, whilst completely still, seemed messy, likely to make the metal they're made of emulate hair. Where her mouth should be, while still the normal shape, is without one, leaving her mute. The metal equine that stared back at her is an earth pony, and her new body.
"Twilight!" An excited voice from outside calls, "I'm throwing a party for a new pony in town!"
"Well, let's make more progress tomorrow."
Twilight's horn glows.
Diane's vision goes dark.
~
"...I'll show you how she works." Twilight says after what seemed like only a moment.
"You've been spending so much time on this thing, I hope it's as-"
Diane opens her eyes quickly to the new voice, the small dragon, who had been examining her face, gasps and lurches back in surprise. Diane snaps her head back.
"Woah, that was creepy." Spike says.
"Wow, she can be startled." Twilight writes on some paper with a quill. "Alright, stand." She orders Diane. Diane complies, which spurs more note taking. "Now, let's see if you can walk, try coming to me."
*Clank-clonk-clank... clonk*
Diane, after only taking one step with each hoof, stops. The sound of her new hooves nails it home, that she is no longer home. She knows where she is, a place that couldn't truly exist. Had she really died? Is this some strange dream? The afterlife perhaps?
No answers came.
"C'mon, you can do it." Twilight urges.
*Clank-clonk-clank-clonk*
"That's it, good job!" Twilight congratulates Diane who had moved within an inch of her.
She continues her note taking and Diane focuses on the paper. It's an illegible mess, complete with drawings and equations scattered about. Twilight takes notice of this and holds the paper towards her.
"Interested? This is all about what I'm learning from you, and I'm even calculating proper session times so I can fit you into my schedule."
"So what's its name?" Spike asks.
Diane turns to Spike to give her answer, but is reminded she hasn't a mouth.
"Her name is, uh... hmm..." Twilight browses her notes, "A7V!"
Diane is taken aback by the strange name and shakes her head, she knows her actual name wouldn't come up, but who could stand a name consisting of letters and numbers?
"Oh? I didn't think you'd be capable of opinion." Twilight writes some more notes.
"Or maybe she just wants an actual name," Spike retorts, "How about... Sprocket!"
A cute name, and to avoid any deliberation from Twilight, Diane nods her head vigorously.
"Wow, Spike, she really seems to like that, good job!"
"Just came to me." Spike scratches the back of his head with a small blush.
"Alright Sprocket, let's introduce you to my friends." Twilight stows her notes and heads for the door. "Follow me."
Diane... or, rather, Sprocket, follows behind.
The passive action of following Twilight left Sprocket's mind to wander. It had been difficult at first to perceive the current situation as reality. Being that she can't feel, which is a sign of dreaming. Yet, dreams, they tend to make little sense, or last only moments. The events so far, while nonsensical, have moved forward in a realistic fashion and covered a span of minutes.
Surely the afterlife wasn't this, the gods wouldn't turn her into an automaton, right? It wasn't likely at least... She expected to meet family, like her great grandparents that had passed a couple years back, possibly living up in the clouds.
Death had surely jabbed its gnarled finger into her soul and taken her...
She stops, the thought had been interrupted before, Twilight gave her no time to think. Shutting her down before, and asking things of her when she awoke, she hadn't the time. However, this is her current situation, an automaton created by Twilight Sparkle. Once human, now equine.
Her legs shake, home is gone, her body a new foreign form. She can't cry, she could barely walk, much less throw a fit.
*Click-clack-click-clack-click-clack*
Her eyes dart about, the colorful houses and ponies weren't comforting, they were alien. Said aliens gawking at her in amazement and Twilight trying to ask her questions the looks of amazement turn to concern. The racket of small pieces of her metal form shaking violently fills her mind... and then nothing.
~
"I thought you were ready, let's try another test run, can you open your eyes?" Twilight asks.
Sprocket complies, still with an unsettled mind, yet, there was no whining about it. The ability to whine in the way that she had known was unavailable to her. Back in the library two ponies stand in front of her Twilight and...
"Gosh, that thing really works, course I didn' doubt ya Twi, but it hadn't sounded real." Applejack adjusts her stetson and examines Sprocket, walking around her. "What all can it do?"
"She can do anything a pony can do... well, except speak." Twilight admits.
"Well, why not?"
"It's all really complicated, to say it simply, I couldn't find a way with my current resources."
"That's too bad, I'm sure she'd be a hoot to talk to."
"It would be interesting, to see how an artificial soul thinks." Twilight sighs, "But for now I have to find out what went wrong, It was likely she started processing too much information at once with all the new things I exposed her to, bringing her outside for the first time."
"Well good luck Twi. I gotta get back to the stand, Big Mac ain't one for drawin' in customers." Applejack takes her leave.
After Applejack departs, Twilight takes a seat in front of Sprocket. "I've got a great idea, I thought of how much it'd help me understand you if you could speak, but since I can't make that work, raise a hoof." Upon complying a quill levitates to her hoof and snaps to it, even after Twilight releases her magic. Then a scroll is held in the air in front of her in a faint aura of magic. "Oh, right, can you write?" Sprocket nods in response. "Oh good, If it's any help I'll wait to read it until you're done."
Maneuvering the quill wasn't too hard, but it still felt strange, thus Sprocket made use of only lines:
I AM ALIVE
Would that be enough to convey that she wasn't some simple automaton? She added more to be sure:
I AM REAL
The curve on the R had been a trial, and yet there was so much more to say, to ask, to grieve about. Everything she could write invaded her mind.
"Done?" Twilight asks, yet gives no response time as she pulls the scroll away to read. Six words that could be read in seconds, Twilight looked them over for nearly a minute. "This isn't good, you can't think like this." Twilight rubbed the side of her head with a hoof and groaned. "The spell I used takes so much work, and you seem willing to learn, I don't want to chance creating something out of control."
Twilight took her time to think of a solution, Sprocket didn't notice this over her own devastating failure. Twilight had no intention of believing her, and maybe if she had a voice she could explain, or just more time to write. Sprocket heads past Twilight and towards one of the blank scrolls on the table. Her quill strikes the scroll, and yet the scroll is ripped away.
"No, Sprocket, listen to me!" Twilight demands in anger, but calms herself with a long breath. "I know you think that you're a living creature, but I made you a bit too... perfect. I don't know how else to tell you, and for the first time I feel bad for doing such a good job... You're completely artificial, down to every thought you may be having, it's all something I created. I wanted you to have enough free will to solve any problem that might come your way while you're doing what I need of you. I didn't think I'd instill any emotions in you. I'm sorry, but if you don't stay in line with what I expect of you... I'll have to shut you down, for good."
Maybe to Twilight, who in her mind is speaking to a lifeless object, that sounded like a quite alright thing to say. To Sprocket however, it was a death threat, and coming from someone who saw no life in her in the first place, it was a real threat.
There was much to say, or write, but Twilight wouldn't see any of it for what it was. Sprocket needed to cry, to panic, to ask for help.
Yet, more than anything, Sprocket didn't want to die, again.
*Clank-clonk-clank-clonk-clank-clonk*
"Now you've got it!" Spike gives a small cheer. Sprocket increases her pace as she circles the main room of the library. "And with we that can check off galloping." Spike marks the last box on a long list. "That's it, you can perform any normal task without trouble. I'm sure Twilight will be glad to hear it."
*Clank-clonk-clank-clonk-clank-clonk*
"Uh, Sprocket? You can stop now."
Sprocket had however, found a feeling in galloping without fatigue. A feeling of freedom that released her mind from prior events. A feeling abruptly interrupted by her face meeting the floor with a loud crash.
"Woops, sorry about that." A familiar voice.
"Pinkie! Why... or how, did you come out of the bookcase?" Spike asks.
"Well Twilight's always telling me how she gets lost in good books, so I thought I'd look for her, but now I see she's right here." A pair of pink hooves peels Sprocket's face from the wood floor and brings it to meet Pinkie's. "That's some snazzy armor there Twilight, so is this that project you've been talking about? Oh! Does it have rocket hooves for flying? Wait, you can already fly."
"Pinkie." Twilight says, who has just now shown up behind Pinkie.
"No, no, I'll get it, you can shoot laser beams from the eyes! Actually, you've got a spell that does that from your horn."
"Pinkie!"
"I've got it, it makes you completely invulnerable!"
"Pinkie! "
"Yes, Twilight?"
"That isn't me." But Twilight's words only make Pinkie give Sprocket a quizzical look.
"But, that's your voice, this is your house, and your book that you tripped on." Pinkie produces said book to show to Sprocket. A book titled, "Making Metals Malleable with Magic".
"Look behind you." Twilight says flatly.
Upon doing so, Pinkie responds, "Oh, hey Twilight... wait, who's this then?" Pinkie presses her hoof on Sprocket's nose.
"I'll introduce you, but first," Twilight turns to Spike as a sack of books floats over to him. "Spike, could you organize these by their publish date?"
"You got it." The burlap sack drapes over Spike as he barely holds it up and hauls it to another room.
Twilight takes her place beside Sprocket, "Pinkie, I'd like you to meet my automaton, Sprocket."
"Well hi there Sprocket, I hope we can be the best of friends!" Pinkie smiles in excitement, but it fades as she searches Sprocket's face. Pinkie then grabs Sprocket's head and pulls, "Let's get that helmet off so I can see your smile!" Sprocket, of course, would be elated to show the pink pony a bright smile, if she could.
"Pinkie, that's not armor, that's just how she is, she's an automaton."
"So, like, a whole 'nother species of pony?" Pinkie grows quite the large smile, "This calls for the biggest party I can muster, I've got to get started!" Pinkie darts out the door, leaving a few pieces of confetti in her wake.
Twilight sighs, she walks over to the table and examines the checklist of tasks Spike had Sprocket perform, "Good, I'm going to have you start doing more complicated things from now on... but first I'm going to tell you why, hopefully with the personality I've mistakenly given you, it'll make you fight even harder."
The word "fight" had struck a chord of fear in Sprocket, whatever this automaton was designed for, she was sure she wasn't capable of it, and that being the case... would she be shut down? Killed?
A chest, one she recognized, the one that holds the elements, Twilight levitates it beside herself and faces Sprocket.
"This is going to be a bit of a story, so listen close." Twilight takes a short, solemn breath.
"In ages long past, ponykind, born from a brilliant light amongst the dark, was strong, wise, and resourceful. But they were born into an unforgiving world, the darkness, along with creatures of chaos, set their sights on ponykind and their peacefulness. They clashed, and the forces of chaos were intent on returning ponykind to the darkness. However, even the smallest spark of hope was enough to ignite change and in time ponykind's passion, resoucefulness, and ingenuity, led them to create the tools that would even the odds, and they were named, The Elements of Harmony. With this great power of light in hoof, ponykind lit its way through the darkness, and in its absence came peace, civilization, and most importantly, life..." The chest cracks open. "But even the most brilliant of lights eventually flicker," It opens the rest of the way to reveal the jewelry inside. "And die." The gemstones, all jet black, just looking at them, they felt lifeless. "And if nothing is done, the darkness will return." Twilight gives Sprocket a strong stare. "You will stand as a guardian between ponykind and the darkness until the power of the elements can be restored, I've made you powerful enough for the task, I just need you to learn how to use that power before it's too late."
Sprocket, upright and stiff with fully opened eyes, couldn't react. What could have happened to the elements? Did they die out like a used battery? Was their power sapped by some powerful villain? More importantly, Sprocket knew for sure now, that she was unfit to carry out what Twilight expected of her. Was she meant to face enemies that could match up to Sombra, Chrysalis, Discord?
"I know you're worried, I didn't even want to make you able to be... but if you succeed-"
"Twilight! You got a letter from Princess Celestia!" Spike runs into the room, sparking panic in both Twilight and Sprocket.
Twilight takes the letter in her magic, "Oh no, she's not ready yet, what'll I-" The letter unravels and seven golden tickets fall out. "Oh! Phew, I forgot the Grand Galloping Gala was coming up." Twilight gives the letter back to Spike, "You can read it."
Spike takes the letter in a claw and clears his throat with a sense of pride, "Dearest Twilight, I hope your project is going well, I've given word of our situation in regards to the elements to a select few of the most well-studied ponies. Rest assured that along with my sister and I, we can all work towards getting ponykind's most powerful weapon back in working order. However, this does not mean we should exclude ourselves from annual celebrations such as this. You and your friends have done well to stay calm in light of the distressing situation and deserve to enjoy the festivities, which I've taken measures to make a bit less disappointing than last you attended." Rather than pay much attention to the letter Twilight seemed to be cooking up an idea in her head.
"Spike, we're going to Canterlot!"
"Well, duh... wait, you mean today?"
"Those ponies up there are probably studying off old tomes and whatever Celestia can tell them. If we're going to make real progress, we need to bring the elements and the girls up there to help. It's also the perfect chance to introduce Sprocket, she's something I know will impress, with Automatons like her in mass production, the royal guard won't have to risk their lives anymore, and with power like hers we may not even need the elements."
"You've said that a few times now but, what kind of power is that?" Spike asks, a question Sprocket was yearning to be answered.
"Well I'm glad you asked." Sprocket nods along with Twilight. The room suddenly becomes a strange light shade of blue.
"Woah, what happened to the lights?" Spike fumbles around with wide eyes.
Sprocket had barely noticed it, but for him, and likely Twilight as well, there is no light. "Sprocket, go ahead and pick up Spike." A simple enough task, Sprocket places Spike on her back.
"Alright, so she can see in the dark."
"That's not all Spike, you've heard me talk about it before, when I was looking up the terrors of the past. The Darkness is only illustrated in the most ancient of tomes, and it's depicted as a malicious evil. Yet, studying further I found that this entity was the world itself before life began. The light that brought out creatures of peace cast away the dark so they could live," The center of the room lit up casting away the night-vision effect, "And in response the dark created creatures to fight back, ones such as Discord." A silhouette of discord surrounds the light and crushes it to half its size. "Now on our side, Discord is an important piece to understanding this enemy." The silhouette changes to light and holds the dark back. "But unlike enemies we've faced thus far, this is something without sentience, it's constantly fighting to take hold of the world once more, uncaring that when it does so, all life will cease to be." The darkness engulfs the light, then after a moment all returns to normal. "Sprocket can move freely in the darkness, where a normal, living pony would die. She's also strong enough to fight the creatures of the dark with her bare hooves."
"So wait, that darkness is coming back?"
"Yes Spike, the fading of the elements is a sure sign and if-"
It's likely Twilight had more to say, but Sprocket was too busy freaking out, causing a racket of clanking metal in her ears. In some tales the gods are cruel, twisted, immortals, content with causing suffering to even the most innocent of souls. One such a god was likely looking over Sprocket, laughing at her whilst she exist feebly in a body that cannot seek help, and is expected too much of.
The day had been spent at Pinkie Pie's "Let's Welcome Sprocket and We're Headed to Canterlot Tonight" party. Which had, obviously, led to Sprocket and the gang boarding the night train to Canterlot. Sprocket, having both loud footsteps and the inability to sleep, had been defended when she resisted being shut down for the night. This led to her being sent to storage so she wouldn't disturb anypony's sleep with her constant pacing.
This pacing was spurred by sorrowful thoughts, for death had left a hole in her heart. It was strange to grasp at first, the thoughts would've come more easily if she had entered a normal afterlife, although what is a normal afterlife? Certainly not this. Now that she has the time though, she thinks of her lost father, friends, future.
But of course, she has a new future waiting for her. A future, vague in its true form, yet it is full of scary things, that is for sure. The threat of death looms evermore presently when one isn't even seen as alive in the first place. Even more so when one is expected to perform as a weapon against an ancient threat. This future, no matter how far it may go, is bleak. She has been rendered incapable of experiencing much, other than sight and sound, even at Pinkie's party there wasn't much room for excitement or happiness.
Perhaps being unable to sleep could be seen as a blessing, for it gave her the time to decide on moving forward. Regardless of her tragic destiny, there was no crying over it, for she couldn't even do that. And whilst they aren't humans, or beings that she even suspected had existed in the first place, they were living creatures that needed her. She doesn't expect to live up to Twilight's expectations, or truly save this realm from The Darkness, but she can try.
The train slowly comes to a halt and Sprocket spends a few more minutes in her thoughts. Which had been distracting enough that she hadn't noticed she stopped moving, and was now on a cart, likely headed to where the gang would be staying. She remained still, not wanting to scare somepony by suddenly moving, when they had likely thought she was a statue.
Canterlot happened to be much more beautiful in person. Stuck between supply crates, full of Rarity's cloths and Twilight's books, Sprocket couldn't see much, but what she could see was magnificent. The marble white buildings, some with gold trimmings along their windows or beautifully accented striped overhangs. Gardens here and there with colorful flowers and lively birds. All very impressive, just enough so that as the cart came to a stop, most of Sprocket's depressing thoughts had been repressed.
"Oh? I was sure my little friends would arrive first."
"Uh, sorry, we were asked to get their stuff so they wouldn't have to worry about it."
"Well, allow me to help." The crates and Sprocket are suddenly lifted into the air. "Off you go, tell Celestia, or whoever it is you report to, that everything is fine."
The stallions, who Sprocket could now see, look at each other in befuddlement, yet trot off without any fuss. All of the stuff above the cart was slowly levitated into the nearest building. However as Sprocket nearly passed through the door, she stopped and was pulled away and spun around to face Discord.
"Well, well, well, look at that. I wonder if good ol' Twilight knows what she's done." A smirk forms on his face, "You're quite aways from home aren't you little girl?" He looks away, pondering, but shakes he head after a moment. "So many hilarious things I could do with you, but of course that boring Celestia would disapprove." He then forms a look of shock. "Are you serious? That can't be right, of course that explains why Sparkle created you, a good backup plan if things go south, figuratively of course." He continued, as if somehow he could read Sprocket's mind. "I'd hate to see anything happen to... er, maybe just Fluttershy. Never mind that, our little princess has only created a shell of what would be required to fight The Darkness head on, if it happens the elements can't be revived to push it away with their light." Discord makes a gagging gesture at the thought. "Let's get you some upgrades, so that if the time comes, you'll create chaos amongst The Dark."
In a wink they appear in a loud place, the warehouse-like buildings still resemble that of Canterlot, yet the unbearable noise of machinery ruined the atmosphere. Discord knocks on the door of the warehouse they appeared in front of, directly onto the "Do Not Disturb" sign.
"Oh, what was I saying before, I've met plenty friends since then, especially this little gem."
The door swings open and smacks the wall, "Can't you read?" A small silver leg flails at Discord. "I was just finishing forgetting you even existed and now you've mucked that up!" Sprocket looks down to the loudmouth filly, a silver coat with a messy black mane, she stood only a bit taller than most fillies she had encountered, was this the one meant to upgrade her? "And the hay is this cruddy art piece you're showing off?"
"This, my dear Brash, is an automaton in dire need of some combat upgrades, ones the more peaceful ponyfolk might disapprove of preferably."
"Pfft, yeah it also needs an upgrade to its face!"
"Oh, you're just the most adorable thing... but I'd prefer it back looking just the same if you could. Tootles!" And like that he's gone, leaving Sprocket with Brash.
"Get your slow donkey flank in here!" Brash yells as she reenters her warehouse.
Jarred by the sudden chain of events, Sprocket enters the warehouse with uncertainty. Discord had shown he knows exactly what's going on, and that he has no intention of helping her out in the way she'd like. However, no matter how scary a monster she might face may be, some weaponry beyond heavy metal hooves would surely aid her confidence.
Being strapped to a table, Sprocket could only see passing ponies, all with goggles strapped to their face, once in a while they'd stop to examine something on her head. She could hear muttering and requests for different tools, the clashing of metal, squeaking, saws, drills. It had at some point become a chilling experience, as if being awake during surgery. At times she'd have the need to struggle, but she was immobilized.
Brash, the only small filly among many stallions and mares, headed the project. She drew blueprints, barked orders, and was sure to insult her workers lack of intelligence at every opportunity. It had come up that she is a prodigy, having invented many odd things that could see little practical use, yet were still somewhat amazing, such as an over-sized drying machine, a mobile juicer, a cannon that fires decorations.
The workers dealt with her attitude to be a part of what she could do, but now, though still working hard, they developed doubt. Now they were making a weapon, and something beyond the simple sword or spear at that. To that end some seemed to take their leave.
"What'd I tell you about not coming in here?" Brash suddenly shouts.
"Sorry to be a bother, I simply must borrow this." Discord's voice speaks.
*Click*
Sprocket's vision goes out.
"Yeah, go ahead, take the piece that makes the whole dang thing work!" Brash's voice, now distant.
"Now I must be off, quite the fuss Twilight can make when I borrow her things."
*Pop*
Sprocket feels the ground beneath her hooves, she opens her eyes with no mechanical sound, she whips an ear to attack an itch. A confused Twilight stands before her.
"Who's this?" Twilight turns to Discord her expression switching to frustration, "I said I want my automaton RIGHT NOW!" Smoke leaves her nostrils as she looks just about ready to blast Discord with a spell.
Discord responds with a fit of laughter, "That is her."
Twilight deadpans, "I spent a long time carving her frame out of a densely magical metal, I know what she looks like."
Sprocket is then overcome with desperation and dizziness, she suddenly gasps for air. "What...?" Clamping her mouth shut just as fast as the word came out, she gets a feel for her new muzzle, reaching to it with her hooves. To feel it, made the change far too real, her mind sends commands to non-existent fingers and toes. She had still held on, that this may be a dream, a long dream, maybe as a result of being comatose from that wild animal attack. Although, she had already resolved to accept her reality, something about having all her senses back was just jarring.
"Are you okay?" Twilight asks, putting a hoof to the shaking Sprocket's shoulder. "Where do you live? Sorry about Discord, his sense of humor isn't the best. I'll get you back home."
Reality sank its fangs, and no matter how much she had steeled herself, its poison paralyzed her.
"Discor... he's gone." Twilight sighs.
"T-Twilight, I, uh..." Sprocket's mouth shivered, "I-I am her... I mean, me, uh, Sp-Sprocket." The resolve to even speak was hard to muster and the resulting voice was similar to her own, but wasn't.
"You couldn't know her name if..." Twilight's eyes lost focus, rifling through her mind. "So, where's your body? Is operating that one difficult?"
"Operating? No, Twilight, y-you told me not to think it, but now I'm going to say it anyway, I'm alive, I was killed and the next thing I know I'm in that, uh, automaton, doing what you say because I was confused, I thought it was a dream. I was scared, alone, I know you didn't do it on purpose, and..." The words that came to mind were unbelievable, and she even had the time to consider them as Twilight gazed at her, mouth agape, shocked. "I know you need me, I'll-"
"No!" Twilight flares her wings, "You can't! I would never risk a pony's life like that!" Tears welled in her eyes, "I trapped you in that tin can, you couldn't even talk, I was gonna make you..."
Now Sprocket began to cry, it hadn't exactly been the moment that caused it, more the reminder that she could now do so. Yet, unlike Twilight, Sprocket lost her composure and began to bawl. All the things she needed to cry about could now be released. Twilight embraced Sprocket, waiting for the right time to talk.
~
In Twilight's Canterlot room they now stand, out of the streets, where a scene had begun to form. Sprocket now calm, Twilight still a bit worried of what she had done. "How can I make this up to you?"
"Is there any other way? I mean, to defend Equestria from that darkness?"
"Yes, reviving the elements. While they can be used directly as a weapon, their main function is to emit a sort of light, that keeps The Dark away. Even in a state of petrification whilst they have no bearer they can still do that much. Now though, they've darkened, lost their light completely. Celestia and Luna discovered the elements and used them against creatures that could pass into The Light and cause chaos which would ultimately weaken it. However, this leaves their true origin, their creation, unknown. Me and my friends haven't lost the virtues that make them work, but they faded out regardless, and when it comes to powering them that's all we have to go on."
"So, you do need me?"
"No, we'd need a lot of what I made you into... I can't do that, I'm glad Discord showed me what I nearly did."
"Oh, you're very welcome Twilight Sparkle, but I'm afraid you can't have everything your way." Discord had suddenly appeared laying across Twilight's bed. "You see, I do agree against making more, but this one will serve her intended purpose."
"No, Discord, I won't allow it."
"Then you've a plan if the elements cannot be lit? If the darkness makes its way here to spread fear and discontent? For when the poison of its air reaches your lungs? This mare was given a gift, her soul now applicable to any manner of machine that needs not breath, she can, and must, defend the realm against the bearer of The Dark."
"The bearer of The Dark?"
"Indeed, long ago, when I was just a small draconicus, The Dark had no way to spread, it hadn't needed it before The Light showed up. The Light, creating the Elements of Harmony, and letting creatures wield them to rid the world of darkness, wasn't aware that it was being watched. The Dark, copied this and made the Dark Bearers, insidious little monsters focused on driving The Light away and killing any who'd get in their way. One such a monster has undoubtedly returned, it targeted the elements in their weakened form and took away their light."
"Weakened form?"
"I don't have all day to explain every little detail, look, all that needs to be done, is finding the Dark Bearer and crushing him, and no amount of foolishness such as your elements, friendship, or love and whatnot can touch the thing, so we send your precious Sprocket in."
"Why can't you do it? You were born from The Dark, right?"
"That's correct, I'm afraid however, that I've come to like the way I am now, and even a whiff of that foul air would return me to my old ways. Quite a bother really."
"Wait... if it got to the elements, then..."
"Well it, oh..."
Sprocket felt left out, not having come to any realization, "What?"
"It's in Ponyville!"