Odyssey to Canterlot: Vital Components

Vital led the two of them over to an old electrical door. Spectrum sighed, the silence getting to her this time. “Awesome, so now we have a way through the wall, but unless you’ve got the code, we’re stuck on this side.” Vital didn’t respond at first, only examining the panel.

“I’ve made the journey up before, and trust me, you don’t want to. However, we should be able to break this open together. For now, just go over to the handle.” Vital started to pull at the panel, going painstakingly slow, his tongue protruding a little. It came off with a sickening screech of metal, and his hands shot into the circuitry.

“This was my other job for Twilight. Fixing broken mechs by adjusting parts. I never learned a damn thing about putting them together, but I can make almost any piece of circuitry break down, or be dismembered by my hands. However, that also means breaking almost everything I use. Will you please start pulling the handle?”

Vital left his right hand within the panel, sitting on a rock. Spectrum pulled the lever and the young man gestured for her to continue. “Any idea what’s beyond this?”

“Nope. It’s been about a year since I’ve left this area, this wall being a part of the reason I stayed. Hopefully it’s not just a wall of mechs as far as the eye can see outside.” Spectrum sighed at the monotone, missing the jovial nature Vital had before. She’d seen people before, but this was the first time one had been… alive.

“Ah, hot. That should do it.” Sparks flashed from the panel and Spectrum pulled one more time. A bang came from the door, and it swung open.

“What did you do?” Vital was already walking through, the same attitude he’d been giving her all morning.

“I moved a few parts closer to the motherboard, and as the lever was pulled, those parts heated, frying the motherboard. A simple trick really.” Vital took a step forward and suddenly slid out of view with a yelp. Spectrum came rushing forward and slid on the loose gravel on the other side as well, stopping just a little above Vital, who was on his back.

“Careful Spectrum, it’s a little steep.” Spectrum smiled back at the grin Vital gave her, but it faded as she looked up. No, it couldn’t be. Could it?

“You coming?” Spectrum looked down and saw Vital already sliding down the gravel. No, she was thinking too much. It was nothing, Spectrum thought as she turned away from the valley, and the town that lay within. “At least we might be able to find you a new shirt down there.” Spectrum smiled to herself, happy that there was a chance that Vital would able to cover up again.

The two scrambled down the hill, once more silence settling over the traveling companions. At the bottom Spectrum finally caught up with Vital as he reached a ratty old building. He was standing, looking down the way of the train tracks. “What’s up Vital? Something wrong?” He shook his head, and turned to the forest.

“Nothing, just trying to figure out when the next train might come.” Another grin came from Vital while Spectrum smacked herself.

“Even if one was coming, we aren’t taking it.” Vital turned back to Spectrum, an eye cocked up. “Railways mean open space. Even if it took us straight to Canterlot, we’d be running too big of a risk. Besides dogs guard the tracks usually, and we don’t want to mess with them.” Vital nodded, still looking out to the plains.

“I’m surprised that you’re still standing.” Spectrum grinned at Vital as he stepped off towards the forest.

“Can we not talk about that right now? I spent a day stuck in my memories, and besides, dogs rarely malfunction. Besides, they at first had a pup mode that was quite fun.” Spectrum ran to catch up, getting back into a steady gate with Vital.

“You’re kidding right?”

Vital threw up his arms as he responded with, “Of course I am. Those things are terrifying.” As the two laughed, Vital’s nose twitched as he tried to place the smell that had entered the air. It was definitely familiar, and brought back memories of singed fur. A humanoid mech came out from behind a tree and struck Spectrum in the gut with a gauntlet coated in electricity.

Vital’s eyes went wide as the riot guard turned towards him, the eyes of the mech focusing in him now. The mech in front of him stood even with him in height, taller than the warriors. He jumped back as one of the two gauntleted hands came his way. Ozone, that’s what he could smell as electricity arced off the mech’s hand. “Spectrum, you okay?”

“I’m fine, just can’t see. I really hate these ones, the lightning really screws with your head.” Vital had to agree as he kept dodging. A new sound entered the fight though, a low whining that was quickly rising in volume. “Vital, look out!” Vital had forgotten the secondary feature for these mechs, the ability to charge the electricity in the gauntlets. And then lightning struck him from behind. Yep, fur definitely singed.

Vital managed to stay on his feet, but only barely as the first mech slammed a fist into his gut. What these mechs lacked in strength, they made up in the stun capabilities. In low doses it could cause paralysis. Another hit or two though, and Vital’s heart might stop. He saw Spectrum getting up, about to attack the mech who was readying another punch.

Vital ducked, shouting, “Run Spectrum! We can’t fight them here; we need a clearing. Otherwise they’ll use the same tactic they did on me and slowly kill us.” Spectrum nodded, rolling to the side as a blast of electricity passed over her head and into the mech in front of Vital. It paused, giving Vital the opportunity slide underneath it’s legs and take off after Spectrum.

Vital scowled, wishing Spectrum wasn’t so fast and that the mech’s failsafes didn’t work. Normal mechs would have been at least stunned by that blast, but a lot of safety locks were in place to make sure these one’s didn’t short circuit. Of course, it was an easy enough problem to remedy.

Vital burst into a clearing, a light blue sword to his throat. “Damnit Vital, I almost decapitated you.” Vital grinned at Spectrum before he turned back to the forest. One mech came forward, the other one able to be seen as it charged it’s gauntlets. “You can’t fight these, can you?” Spectrum had a worried look in her eyes, but Vital just smiled.

“Take the one in the forest,” Vital said, stepping back from the frontal mech, and then dropping to the ground as the lightning blast sailed overhead, “I’ve got this one.” Spectrum nodded, dashing ahead as the mech started charging again. Vital smirked at the one in front of him, flexing his hands. “Well then, let’s dance.”

Spectrum’s initial strike overrode the mech’s command to charge for another blast, but this one wasn’t nearly as susceptible to her flurry of blows as the warriors were. The mech started throwing wild punches, ozone filling the air. Spectrum just let a laugh as she spun around the mech, never getting more than a foot away at a time. She glared at her sword though, knowing just how long this chore would take. It took long enough to rip apart the warriors, but these had more reinforced armor to hold the lightning, which meant even more swings until an opening would appear.

Vital on the other hand, wasn’t even touching his mech. It was very well made, the crack within it’s chest component smaller than the warrior’s. It still had the humanoid form, which meant solid arms and legs, so crippling was an option. But these weren’t the types of mechs you did that with, not with their ranged capabilities. It didn’t help that he had to keep his breathing even, to keep away the times when a rogue charge would activate these stupid mechs.

Vital smirked as his moment came. He jumped to the side as the mech brought both fists down, an electric shockwave going through the ground. The young man spun around, reaching into the exposed left side. A flick of a wire here, a nudge of a gear, and out he was. “Spectrum, I’m good here.” The mech watched as Vital got out of striking distance, starting to charge it’s gauntlets. Vital flopped onto his back as it shot, hearing pops as circuitry fried itself.

Spectrum was still dealing with hers as she heard Vital shout. She scowled, having to retreat. Even if she could attack while it prepped strikes, the blows from earlier were getting to her, causing her reactions to slow along with lowering the strength she could put in each strike. The mech put it’s gauntlets next to each other, lightning arcing between them. Spectrum backed up into a tree, breathing heavily. “Fuck.” The gauntlets touched and it’s slow moving electric blast erupted from between them.

Spectrum hesitated, losing her chance to dodge to the side. She raised her blade, the only thing she could think to do. The bot was coming on fast behind his blast, so at least her blade was already up. The blade caught the blast, the electricity disappearing as the blade itself glowed bright white. Spectrum’s heart rate rose even higher, hammering into her ears, the electricity was getting to her. That, or fear.

The gauntlet was raised, electricity glowing around it. Ozone cooked the air, the smell burning itself into her nose. A tear ran down her face. She had survived so much, and now just wanted to go home. The image of the town, the town from the valley, flashed into her mind. She did all she could think of to get home, and swung. The bright white blade sliced through the iron, ripping the mech’s arm off as she sliced open it’s chest, its green light drifting out. Her blade turned off afterwards, scalding Spectrum’s hand.

Spectrum came walking into the clearing and promptly started to attack Vital, who was still lying on the ground. “What are you doing? What the fuck are you doing?” Vital’s hand shot out, pinching into Spectrum’s neck and stopping the girl. Spectrum slowly came down onto her knees, sobbing. Vital looked into the her eyes, the deadly wrath met by kindness and calm.

Vital shifted his fingers only by mere centimeters, but Spectrum let out a gasp of relief. “I’m sorry, I should have come and helped. I’m not used to having a partner. Besides, you keep telling me you’re fine.” Vital paused and looked down before finishing with, “But that’s no excuse.” Vital let go, and Spectrum rubbed ar her neck.

“Can we just clear this up now: we talk. Doesn’t matter if I want you dead, or your weird psycho problems are acting up, we talk. And if we are in a fight, no one is done until every mech is dead. Got it?” Vital nodded. Then he stood up and gestured slowly for Spectrum to follow. “I just said we-.” Vital rushed back over and put his hand over Spectrum’s mouth, barely whispering into her ear.

“There is a dog, right behind you.”